Manila Standard - 2019 September 6 - Friday

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VOL. XXXIII • NO. 204 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

WELFARE KITS. Mothers at Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, one of the world’s busiest maternity hospitals, welcome the Mommy Welfare Month with gratitude as they receive the kits Thursday containing vitamins, breastfeeding tools and bottles of drinking water, essential for proper care and nourishment of babies. Norman Cruz

Hunt for 1,914 convicts on Ombudsman takes over Faeldon-BuCor probe BuCor officer linked to GCTA for sale racket

By Rio N. Araja, MJ Blancaflor, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

the New Bilibid AN INMATE at of another have Prison and the wife the Bureau of of linked the chief ates Document m In ’ ns io Correct on to extortion Processing Divisi conduct time od in exchange for go ld precipitate ou w at th s allowance e. as le re rly their ea il Sumangil’s According to Em which was ras” report on “24 O inmate Chare, id nw tio beamed na ked by division as as w he lie said Roque and his chief Ramoncito n by their aliow subordinates, kn Mabel, to turn d an ay ases Bod s GCTA papers in P50,000 so hi ed. could be facilitat e ones who sugth e “They wer ” ount... P50,000, gested the am “I ng di ad o, in lip Charlie said in Fi Next page ” d. ee fr be ld ou w

THE Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday ordered an “exhaustive” investigation of officials from the Bureau of Corrections involved in the release of prisoners under Republic Act No. 10592 or Good Conduct Time Allowance Law. Investigators have already obtained raw data and pertinent documents from the BuCor, the Department of Justice, the Senate and other relevant agencies, said Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

“Since the Ombudsman has assumed jurisdiction over

killed her daughters—could surrender to the authorities.

The Chiong convicts were sentenced to life imprisonment for the abduction, rape and killing of the two sisters.

The three convicts in the Chiong rape and murder case were Josman Aznar, Ariel Balansag and Alberto Caño, all freed by virtue of Republic Act 10592.

Three other convicts in the case died in

By Francisco Tuyay, Rey E. Requejo and Macon RamosAraneta

T

HE Philippine National Police has formed tracker teams nationwide to locate and return 1,914 convicts guilty of heinous crimes to the New Bilibid Prison after they were granted early release under the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law.

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Copy cat and clones SEVEN months after Huang Yu’s pet cat Garlic died, the British shorthair was given a 10th life.

Born on July 21, the new Garlic was created by Chinese firm Sinogene, becoming the Beijing-based company’s first successfully copied cat.

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By MJ Blancaflor

day the 10 convicts were transferred nearly three months ago from BuCor custody to the detention facility at Marines Barracks Rudiardo Brown in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

The bureau under the watch of Faeldon, who was fired by President Rodrigo Duterte Wednesday night, signed the memorandum with the Marines for

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PNP chief Oscar Albayalde said tracker teams composed of police from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group will only start hunting the convicts who do not voluntarily surrender during a 15day grace period.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday issued orders to the PNP and the military to help account for the thousands of convicts in the event they refuse to surrender.

Ampatuans also met with Panelo THE Ampatuan family has asked President Rodrigo Duterte to intercede in the case of Datu Saudi Ampatuan Jr., one of the suspects in the 2009 Maguindanao Massacre who remains at large.

A letter from the Office of the President showed that Jehan-Jehan Ampatuan-Lepail and Bai Soraida Biruar-Ampatuan requested a meeting with President Duterte “any day” in July this year, but the matter was referred to Duterte’s spokesman and chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo.

Jehan-Jehan is Saudi’s wife while Soraida is his mother.

“Unfortunately, the President will not be able to meet the proponents due to his hectic schedule and in view of the engagements that require his utmos

Drug lord, 9 others in Marines custody DRUG lord Peter Co and nine other high-profile Filipino and Chinese convicts had been transferred to the custody of the Philippine Marines last June 12 after the Bureau of Corrections―headed by ex-Marine Nicanor Faeldon―signed an agreement with them.

In an ABS-CBN News report, Capt.

Felix Serapio Jr., director of the Marine Corps Public Affairs Office, said Thurs-

this case, no other agency is allowed to conduct a parallel investigation unless so authorized by the Ombudsman pursuant to law,” said Ombudsman Samuel Martires.

“In order to avoid any possible conflicting findings, agencies

SENATE SPIT-ROAST. Senators Panfilo Lacson and Imee Marcos (both not in the camera eye) question resource persons on the implementing rules and regulations of the Good Conduct Time Allowance Act in Thursday’s resumption of the inquiry into the GCTA at the Senate. At right are Bureau of Corrections Directorate for Reformation, Corrections Technical Staff Chief Supt. Maria Fe Marquez and sacked BuCor director general Nicanor Faeldon. Ey Acasio

‘Shoot-to-kill vs. rape-slay convicts’ PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte should issue shoot-to-kill orders for the three men who raped and killed Jaqueline and Marijoy Chiong after they were released early on good behavior, the mother of the two sisters said Thursday.

In an interview with GMA News, Thelma Chiong questioned the need for a 15-day grace period during which more than 1,900 released convicts—including the three men who raped and

PNP to compel them to give up in 15 days

PHOTO-OP. Four of five 2019 Ramon Magsaysay awardees—Ko Swen Win (Myanmar), Angkana Neelapajit (Thailand), Kim Jong Ki (South Korea) and Raymundo Cayabyab (Philippines) pose for photojournalists at the bayside Ramon Magsaysay Center in Roxas Blvd. on Thursday. Another awardee from India, Ravish Kumar, will be arriving Friday. Norman Cruz

Napoles trial to go on—Sandigan

By Maricel V. Cruz CONVICTED pork-barrel-scam queen Janet Napoles lost another round at the Sandiganbayan in the plunder case against her and former Senator Jinggoy Estrada after the anti-graft court

dumped her plea to require the Ombudsman to identify the main plunderer in the P183-million case.

The court’s Fifth Division said Napoles’ plea had no bearing since Estrada, being a public official at the time the crime Turn to A3

COCKS’ TALES Killer rooster Crowing glory THE owner of famed French rooster Maurice emerged victorious on Thursday from a legal battle with her neighbors over his early-morning crowing, with a court upholding the bird’s right to sing in the day.

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BEWARE of animals, even if they are domesticated.

Take the case of an elderly woman from southern Australia who was collecting eggs on her farm, pecked fatally by a rooster who hit—perhaps Turn to A3

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News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Palace keen on anti-child trafficking measure

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will review the proposal to create an anti-childtrafficking body to address the problem of child trafficking in the country, Malacañang said Thursday.

Monica Prieto Teodoro, President Duterte’s special envoy to the United Nations Children’s Fund, proposed an executive order creating an Anti-Child Trafficking Office, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

The presentation on the government’s anti-child trafficking intervention was one of the topics discussed during the 41st Cabinet meeting on Wednesday night, Panelo said.

About 60,000 to 100,000 children in the Philippines are involved in prostitution, according to the UNICEF. Mindanao has become one of the trafficking hot spots because of the armed conflict there, and children are trafficked to the major cities and to neighboring countries particularly Malaysia, the organization says.

The government passed Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act in 2003, a penal law against human trafficking, sex tourism, sex slavery and child prostitution.

Court orders arrest of Joma, wife, 36 others over NPA ‘purging’ A MANILA court has ordered the arrest of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria “Joma” Sison and 37 others, including rebel group leaders and members.

The order was issued five days before the commemoration of the Inopacan massacre in Leyte by surviving families, whose loved ones were among the hundreds of victims killed in a mass execution perpetrated by the New People’s Army in the 1980s, Philippine News Agency reported.

Presiding Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 in Manila issued the Warrant of Arrest dated Aug. 28, against Sison with aliases Joma, Armando Guerrero, Armando Liwanag, and his wife Juliet, former National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace negotiator, among others.

Also included in the arrest warrant are those charged with 15 counts of murder in connection with the Inopacan massacre, including Rodolfo Salas alias Ka Bilog —former CPP chairman who was arrested in 1886 and granted an amnesty in 1992 by former President Fidel V. Ramos; NDFP senior adviser Luis Jalandoni; and Leo Velasco, NDFP consultant for the peace process.

Others were Jose Luneta, co-founder of Kabataang Makabayan and former CPP secretary-general, who had passed away in Germany on May 1, 2018; and NDFP consultants Prudencio Calubid and Eduardo Sarmiento. PNA

Drug lord...

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the transfer, but Serapio did not say why

it happened and how the convicts were chosen.

The Marines confirmed the transfer amid the controversy over the early release of heinous crime convicts, including rapists, murderers and drug offenders, under the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law, ABS-CBN reported.

Co had been tagged by the President as one of the top suppliers of the illegal drug shabu in the country. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City in 2001.

Others transferred with Co were Vicente Sy, Hanz Tan, Jose Chua, Froilan Trestiza, Jojo Baligad, Allan Sinugat, Nonito Arile, Joel Capones and Rico Caja, ABS-CBN said.

The BuCor was still in charge of securing the convicts, with the Marines ― where Faeldon was once a captain ― as support group, Serapio said.

BuCor data earlier showed nearly 2,000 heinous crime convicts have been released since 2013 through the GCTA, which grants freedom to prisoners based on their good behavior.

This led to public outcry and official scrutiny of the GCTA Law, especially after convicted rapist-killer Antonio Sanchez, former mayor of Calauan, Laguna, was nearly released under the law.

Three convicts of the murder of the Chiong sisters of Cebu, however, had already been released.

Emergency powers for Rody pushed

By Maricel V. Cruz

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AWMAKERS on Thursday rallied behind all the possible measures that will address the heavy traffic in Metro Manila, including the grant of emergency powers to President Rodrigo Duterte.

House committee on appropriations.

“Traffic congestion is now a national emergency that undermines the lives of many people, the country’s economy and our productivity.”

Tugade attended the budget hearing of the Transportation Department at the House of Representatives.

He said the grant of emergency powers was supposed to speed up the procurement process and the resolution of right-of-way issues related to programs.

And Congress could exercise its oversight function to check on the possible abuses and corruption in granting the emergency powers to the President.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Deputy Speaker and Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu said Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano will consider the renewed request of Transportation Sectary Arthur Tugade to Congress to grant emer-

gency powers to the President.

“We are committed to help the President address the traffic woes in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities,” Romualdez said after Tugade made his appeal during a budget briefing Thursday before the

Hunt....

don and ordered other officials responsible for the release of prisoners convicted of heinous crimes to report to him and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra.

Although he will not order their suspension, Duterte said he will have them investigated under the Office of the Ombudsman.

“They will go straight to the Ombudsman. This is a prima facie case. There’s an admission that they were remiss in their duties,” Duterte said.

Duterte also encouraged the heinous crime convicts to surrender to the nearest police or military station within 15 days.

Duterte said the released inmates with heinous crimes will be automatically barred from leaving the country.

In this regard, the DOJ said it would issue an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order against the convicts.

During the continuation of a Senate inquiry into the implementation of the GCTA Law, Senator Panfilo Lacson asked Guevarra if the department has already issued an ILBO against these former prisoners following President Duterte’s order for them to surrender to authorities within 15 days.

Guevarra said the DOJ will forward the list of high-profile convicts to the Bureau of Immigration so it can be alerted against these individuals in any of the country’s airports and seaports.

A person subject to an ILBO can still leave the country subject to conditions and requirements, including clearance from the Justice department.

An ILBO is different from a court-issued hold departure order, since the former only directs the BI to be on the lookout for the subject and to verify the status of a case against the subject person and not to restrict an individual from leaving the country.

Guevarra said the President used two Supreme Court cases as legal bases for ordering the prisoners’ rearrest.

“The basis for rearrest is not a law [statute] but jurisprudence, which forms part of the law of the land,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

He said the two cases are the 1967 case of People vs. Tan and the 2001 case of City Warden of Manila City Jail vs. Raymond S. Estrella et al.

In the Tan case, the Court ruled that it was all right to rearrest a prisoner if his release violated the law.

In the 2001 case, the Supreme Court also ruled that rearresting inmates “can be done without placing them in double jeopardy of being punished for the same offense because their re-incarceration is merely a continuation of the penalties that they had not completely served due to the invalid crediting of good conduct time allowances in their favor.”

Unlike these cases, however, the release of the 1,914 convicts was done upon the orders of several BuCor chiefs from 2013 to the present.

Senator Juan Edgardo Angara supported the order of the President to rearrest the prisoners who were released based on “faulty orders.”

Senator Richard Gordon said that since Day 1 of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the Good Conduct Time Allowance, he has been calling for the rearrest of the convicts.

Gordon, committee chairperson, said the arrest order would assure the public that the country’s justice and penal system is working.

“This could have been easier if the prison records were fully digitized as mandated by law,” he said. With PNA

As a response to public backlash, Duterte ordered heinous crime convicts who were released under GCTA Law to surrender.

In a budget hearing Thursday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the prisoner releases under the GCTA Law began with then Justice secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima.

“There was a misapplication of the law and the rules. Back then, there was no distinction between those inmates who have been convicted of heinous crimes or not,” Guevarra told lawmakers.

“And it was exacerbated by the Supreme Court decision that made it [release of inmates] retroactive.”

The prisoner releases began in 2014, after then Interior secretary Manuel Roxas II and De Lima drafted the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the law, Guevarra said.

Later on, then Justice secretary and now Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Caguioa said prisoners serving life terms would need prior approval from his office.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, meanwhile, said charges should be filed against Faeldon for his incompetence and for lying to avoid accountability over the botched early release of Sanchez.

“Faedon was caught lying through his teeth. He tried to deceive the Senate and the public. He lied over and over again to evade accountability,” Drilon said.

“His name has become synonymous with incompetence. His actions clearly exhibited gross inexcusable negligence and willful misconduct, if not corruption,” Drilon added.

He said he fully supported the President’s decision to fire Faeldon.

Drilon said Faeldon displayed gross ignorance of the law when he allowed the release of heinous crime convicts, including convicts in the Chiong sisters rape-slay, and approved the release of Sanchez, even though the former mayor violated prison rules.

He said Faeldon lied about stopping the early release of Sanchez, when, in fact, he admitted under oath that he signed a memo-

randum order for Sanchez’s early release.

Drilon also castigated Faeldon for his attempts to wash his hands of the controversy, when it was clear that it was he who ordered the release of Sanchez and a thousand more heinous crime convicts.

Faeldon also could not explain why the violations committed by Sanchez in prison—including concealing millions of pesos worth of shabu in a statue of the Virgin Mary—were not in his prison records.

Drilon urged the committees to look into this, adding that “appropriate charges must be recommended.”

He said given Faeldon’s poor public service record, he should not be given a new post in government.

“Such a shady and dubious character is the reason why the government’s war against corruption in the bureaucracy fails,” he added.

Faeldon headed the Bureau of Customs but was forced to resign at the height of the controversy involving the shipment of billions of pesos worth of shabu. He was reappointed to the Office of Civil Defense before heading the BuCor in 2018.

Blue Ribbon committee chairperson Senator Richard Gordon said they have been calling for Faeldon’s resignation, citing incompetence and abuse of authority.

Other senators commended the President for taking swift action on the controversy.

In the House, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said he supports the President’s anticorruption drive.

Reps. Eric Go Yap and Niña Taduran of ACT-CIS party-list group also supported the President’s action to fire Faeldon.

“Clearly, someone has to be made accountable in allowing the alleged early release of nearly 1,914 heinous crime convicts,” Yap said.

Taduran said President Duterte displayed “decisive leadership” in ordering the rearrest of the convicts.

“The President’s decision shows that he is on the side of justice, and that he is sympathetic to the pleas of the families of victims of heinous crimes,” Taduran added.

that the family wanted guidance on what to do with Saudi.

“His siblings are tried, but he is at large.

And they are claiming that he is innocent. I said: Why not surrender?’ Of course, they don’t want to because his siblings are detained. The trial is not yet done. So, they are asking the intercession of the President,” Panelo said in the press briefing.

Later, he said: “Not intervene. They asked for help. They ask help on what to do.

Surrender him (Saudi). Very simple.”

Saudi was one of the accused in the 2009 massacre in Maguindanao province where 58 people were slaughtered, 32 of which were journalists.

Panelo was the counsel of Andal Am-

patuan Jr. on the case of the Maguindanao Massacre, which is considered the deadliest single attack on journalists in the world.

Hundreds of suspects, including several members of the Ampatuan clan, were charged with murder. Nine years after the massacre, no one has been convicted.

Initially, only Andal “Unsay” Ampatuan Jr. was the named accused before the trial court and he was positively identified by witnesses to have led the attack.

Other Ampatuan clan members, police officers, and Civilian Volunteer Organization members were later included in the charge list for the murder of 57 (later 58 counts). This brought the number of the suspected masterminds and accomplices to nearly 200.

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Duterte said the authorities will be forced to conduct warrant-less arrests for convicts who do not return voluntarily.

“Following the orders of the President, I have immediately directed all police units nationwide to receive and account for about 1,700 convicts of heinous crimes who were earlier released through Good Conduct Time Allowance,” Albayalde said.

“Those who will heed the order of the President, and opt to surrender are given a 15-day grace period to register and have themselves accounted for in the nearest police stations,” he added.

Albayalde said since the prematurely released convicts were fugitives from justice, they could be arrested without a warrant.

He said he has tasked Metro Manila police chief Guillermo Eleazar to secure a list of the convicts from the Bureau of Corrections.

Earlier, the BuCor put the number of felons who were convicted of heinous crimes but released on good conduct at 1,914.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines through its spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said they are ready to render assistance and give support to the Department of Justice, the PNP and other relevant agencies in rounding up the convicts.

“We are committed to ensuring that our communities are safe and that justice is served as this is in pursuit of our constitutional mandate of protecting the people and securing the state,” Arevalo said.

In the wake of a scandal in which convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez almost walked free, President Duterte sacked BuCor chief Nicanor Fael-

Ombudsman...

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such as the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, which announced its intent to also investigate the matter, should defer to the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman,” he added.

Under the law, the Ombudsman has primary jurisdiction over cases involving government corruption, and it may take over, at any stage, from any agency of government, the investigation of such cases.

At least 1,914 prisoners convicted of heinous crimes have been granted early release since 2014 after the amendment of the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law. This statistic—and the near release of convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez—sparked a public uproar over the way the early release program is run.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, who also came under fire for meeting with the Sanchez family, said Senator Ronald dela Rosa should have looked into the early releases when he was BuCor chief.

Dela Rosa, who as PNP chief led the government’s bloody war on drugs, signed 120 release orders as BuCor chief from April to October 2018, including that of a prisoner who was convicted of illegal drugs.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said he was sure that Dela Rosa would be ready to submit himself to an investigation.

Panelo said the investigation of the GCTA Law must also cover the predecessors of BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon, who the President fired Wednesday night.

Data from BuCor showed that 22,049 inmates have been released from 2014 to 2019 due to expanded GCTA Law, including 1,914 heinous crime convicts.

Republic Act 10592 came under fire after it was revealed that among its supposed beneficiaries was convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez, a former mayor.

The public outrage prompted the government to suspend the implementation of the law.

Ampatuans...

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attention. In this regard, may we respectfully refer this matter to your office for appropriate action,” the letter dated July 17 read.

The referral came from the Office of the President-Appointments Office, which was sent to the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel.

Based from the security logbook of the New Executive Building, the Ampatuans met Panelo on Aug. 13.

Panelo, in a news conference Thursday, said the Ampatuan kin sought President Duterte’s “intercession,” but later clarified

“While the grant of emergency powers is limited, we are removing the oversight power of Congress,” Tugade told the lawmakers.

Abu said President Duterte should be authorized to exercise all powers necessary to finally put an end to the traffic crisis.

“The perennial traffic gridlock in Metro Manila must be resolved now. We need to consider bestowing President Duterte with emergency powers to solve traffic jams, said Abu who filed House Bill 2091 or the Proof-of-Parking Space Act. Abu’s bill requires a vehicle buyer to present a notarized affidavit of a permanent parking space or facility for his vehicle before he can buy one.

‘Shoot-to-kill...

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prison, while a seventh is serving time in a Spanish jail.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said heinous crimes convicts who had been freed on account of the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law may be rearrested even without warrant if they fail to surrender in 15 days.

He also said fewer than 10 convicts previously released on the basis of the GCTA Law have already surrendered, heeding President Duterte’s ultimatum.

“I have just been informed a few minutes ago, confidentially, but we cannot mention their names,” Guevarra said, during the resumption of the Senate inquiry into the GCTA controversy.

If these prisoners would not surrender and be considered fugitives, they are “evading” their sentence, the Justice chief said.

“They may be classified as evading sentence if they’re declared fugitive after the 15-day period. That’s a continuing offense until they turn themselves in. So that provides an avenue for warrantless arrest,” he added.

The surrender came after Duterte ordered on Wednesday night the rearrest of the 1,914 convicts released through the GCTA Law or Republic Act 10592.

“Not more than 10,” Guevarra admitted.

Malacañang said it may raise P1-million bounty for each of the heinous crimes convicts if they do not turn themselves in three days.

The GCTA Law became controversial after it was revealed that among its supposed beneficiaries is convicted rapistmurderer Antonio Sanchez.

This prompted the Department of Justice to suspend the processing of GCTA pending review of the new GCTA Law’s implementing rules and regulation.

Senator Panfilo Lacson grilled prison officials on the apparent rush to sign the memorandum for release of the convicts in the rape-slay of Chiong sisters and 40 others.

At Thursday’s hearing, Technical Chief Supt. Maria Fe Marquez said she signed the memorandum on Aug. 16 because Faeldon was in Sablayan Prison and Penal Farm in Mindoro Oriental.

“What was the rush? Couldn’t you wait for Faeldon to get back?” Lacson asked in Filipino. “It wasn’t as if he was out of the country.

He was just hoursaway from Muntinlupa.”

Marquez said she signed the memorandum immediately because she believes release orders should be acted on promptly or she would be charged with arbitrary detention.

Lacson dismissed this notion, however, saying the subjects were already convicted and there was no court order calling for their release.

Marquez said usually the subjects of the memorandum seek immediate action on their release. She added some people even go to their houses to urge them to sign the papers, a revelation that Lacson found surprising.

Marquez admitted there was no court order calling for the release of the Chiong convicts, but said their lawyers were “demanding” their release.

BuCor...

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The P50,000 fee was delivered at Roque’s residence.

“The next day, Roque’s people called me up and said ‘you give P50,000, according to the boss, so it would be all over. My wife said, let’s give the amount to end it all. They went to the office, I wanted at the restaurant, my wife shuffled in, and they said give the amount in the house so there would not be any suspicions,” Charlie was quoted as saying in Filipino.

Roque was reported to be the signatory in the documents pertaining to the inmates’ GCTA credits.

Charlie also claimed having talked to Roque’s deputy chief, Ruperto Traya Jr., the BuCor official killed outside his home in Muntinlupa in August.

According to a probe by Muntinlupa Police, Traya was in charge of collecting and filing GCTA documents, but was not the signatory for these.

Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente Sotto III has sought an investigation into the circumstances regarding Traya’s killing amid the GCTA controversy.

The wife of another inmate Lydia corroborated Charlie’s story.

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Liquid mix in solvent a dangerous drug—PDEA

SPANISH ARMADA.

Spanish Navy (Armada Española) Commander Antonio Gonzalez del Tanago de la Lastra is seen after arriving on board the frigate ship Méndez Nuñez (F-104) at the Pier 15 in Manila, the Philippines, Sept.

5. The Méndez Nuñez (F-104) is on a three-day goodwill visit to the Philippines and marks the first time a Spanish navy ship docked in the country after 121 years since the ‘Battle of Manila Bay‘ during the SpanishAmerican War in 1898.

Norman Cruz

CHR probes human rights defenders’ situation THE Commission on Human Rights will conduct a national inquiry on the situation of human rights defenders in the country.

Commissioner Roberto Eugenio Cadiz said the commission is hopeful that the Department of Justice, Office of the Solicitor General and Presidential Human Rights Committee would participate in the public hearings.

The inquiry is in response to petitions and complaints filed with the CHR on alleged extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, threats, and other forms of harassment against organizations and individuals—“collectively regarded as human rights defenders—attributed to state organs and agents.”

“The Commission especially notes serious allegations concerning government attempts to silence and intimidate human rights defenders through the use of the judicial system, including the filing of criminal cases based on fabricated charges of terrorism, sedition, and other crimes against the security of the state,” Cadiz’s statement read.

In accordance with its primary mandate to investigate allegations of human rights abuses, the CHR, upon conclusion of its inquiry, would present to government and other sectors its recommendations for respecting human rights, upholding the rule of law and ensuring a vibrant democracy.

Rio N. Araja

Napoles trial...

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was allegedly committed, was supposed to be the main plunderer.

“The eyes are useless when the mind is blind. It is apparent that the Information refers to Estrada as the mastermind of the PDAF scheme or the main plunderer. The main plunderer is a public officer,” the Sandiganbayan’s resolution said.

The court said Napoles could not invoke the dismissal of the P366-million plunder case of former President Gloria Arroyo because all of the accused in that case were public officers.

“In the Arroyo case, it is hard to determine who the main plunderer is considering that there is an enumeration of the name of all the accused who are all public officials who occupy positions with authority, connections and influence, which is not the case in the present information,” the court said.

In the case involving Estrada and Napoles, the Ombudsman claimed that it was the projects funded by Estrada’s discretionary Priority Development Assistance Fund “that turned out to be ghost or fictitious projects, while Pauline Labayen was a public employee and a member of Estrada’s staff.”

Labayen is a co-accused in the case.

“Estrada was in custody and in control of the subject PDAF, while Labayen was an agent or an intermediary for the latter. Also, for the sake of argument, even if there was no express mention in the Information that Estrada was the mastermind, it suffices that the Information used the words ‘conspiring with one another,’ connoting a joint and several liability, negating a separate and individual culpability,” the court said.

The Plunder Law does not recognize the identification of the main plunderer and recognizes that the crime of plunder may be committed in conspiracy or collectively, the court said.

COA clears Davao City execs on textbooks case T

By Rio N. Araja

HE Commission on Audit has cleared 10 local officials of Davao City of any culpability in connection with the P18 million worth of procurement of textbooks in 2013.

In last month’s decision, COA’s Commission Proper reversed the previous findings of the audit team and the COA-Region 11’s Sept. 8, 2015 decision upholding the disallowance on the purchase of 53,739 copies of Gabay 4, 5 and 6 books in Filipino concerning good manners and right conduct from Rex Book Store Inc. Earlier, the state auditors issued the notice of disallowance for lack of proof directing that contracting was the only mode of procurement available.

COA challenged the lack of notices about the supply contract on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement

System, the city government’s official website or in any conspicuous places in Davao City.

Those who were originally held accountable were bids and awards committee chairman Osmundo Villanueva; BAC members Cerelyn Pinili, Tristan Dwight Domingo, Roberto Alabado III and Roland Reyes; secretariat head Gil Norman Ciudadano; secretariat member Dee Macapundag; acting city administrator Edwin Alparaque; schools division superintendent Helen Paguican, and assistant City General Services Officer Carmelita Bangayan.

They filed a petition with COA for a

review of the supply contract, saying the cost per copy of the book was complied with based on the ceiling price set by the Department of Education.

COA chairman Michael Aguinaldo, and Commissioners Jose Fabia and Roland Pondoc ruled in favor of the petitioners and lifted the notice of disallowance. “(T)he books were copyrighted materials and RBSI was both the exclusive publisher and distributor as evidenced by the Certificates of Copyright Registration and Deposit issued by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the National Library, as well as the canvass sheets showing that other bookstores in Davao City do not offer the materials. Thus, the procurement of the books can only be made through RBSI,” the decision read.

“Lastly, there was no damage incurred by the government as the prices offered

by RBSI for the subject [books] were the same prices indicated in DepEd Order No. 48,” the commission said.

PDEA arrests BIFF ‘big-time’ drug dealer COTABATO CITY—Police and antinarcotic agents arrested on Wednesday a leader of the Islamic State—linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, who moonlights as a big-time drug peddler to fund their terror activities.

Juvenal Azurin, director for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, said authorities have been hunting Samad Masgal, a sub-leader of BIFF operating in the borders of North Cotabato and Maguindanao the past three years until they ended up in their search for him at a hospital here.

“The long arm of the law finally caught up with him,” Azurin told reporters hours after PDEA and police read the arrest warrant for Masgal, also known as BIFF commander Madrox.

Masgal, who was facing charges for multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, illegal possession of firearms and explosives and illegal drug peddling, was seriously injured in a recent clash with another group of armed men in Midsayap, North Cotabato. PNA

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Thursday said GammaButyrolactone, a liquid GammaButyrolactone is a liquid compound used as a solvent is now a dangerous drug.

Director General Aaron Aquino said the inclusion of GBL to the list of dangerous drugs was due to the passage by the Dangerous Drugs Board of Board Regulation No. 4, Series of 2019 with the subject “Inclusion of Gamma-Butyrolactone [GBL], and all Compounds, Mixtures, or Preparations Containing Any Quantity of the Same,

by Whatever Official, Common or Usual Names, Chemical Name or Designated Brand Name, in the List of Dangerous Drugs.”

The directive would minimize the importation, exportation manufacture, sale and use of GBL, he said, adding “other countries, such as the United States of America, Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom, Italy and Honking have also regulated this substance.”

On June 27, Board Regulation No. 4 was approved and adopted, and took effect 15 days after its publication in two newspapers of general circulation and after its registration with the Office of the National Administrative Register of the University of the Philippines Law Center.

The chemical substance is being used as a solvent and sometimes is taken as a recreational drug being metabolized in the body producing an active substance called as Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate or GHB, a compound listed in the schedule II of the 1971 convention. Rio N. Araja

DENR forester hacked dead by illegal logger AN ILLEGAL logger attacked and killed a forest ranger of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in El Nido, Palawan on Wednesday.

According to police reports, Bienvenido Severino Veguilla Jr., sustained hack wounds after he was attacked by Fernan Flores.

Flores was later arrested by responding policemen.

Veguilla reportedly tried to fire back using his service firearm and wounded Flores, who was later brought to Palawan Northern District Hospital in Taytay, Palawan.

Flores four other companions were able to escape. Two of them were identified as Cardo Fulgencio and Glen Fulgencio.

The same police report said Veguilla and five other DENR forest rangers were patrolling the area when they received an information on the alleged illegal logging activities in Sitio Kinagawan, Barangay Pasadeña.

The team proceeded to the area to verify the report and caught Carding Fulgencio in the act while reportedly in the act of cutting logs and lumbers using a chainsaw.

The suspects immediately fled after they saw the forest rangers. With PNA

Crowing glory...

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Forensic Institute, the findings were meant to show how even the smallest, most unthreatening animals could still inflict deadly wounds.

The incident happened “recently” in southern Australia, according to Byard who declined to reveal any more details about the victim to protect her family’s privacy.

“The bird pecked her lower left leg causing significant hemorrhage with collapse and death,” the researchers wrote.

“This case demonstrates that even relatively small domestic animals may be able to inflict lethal injuries in individuals if there are specific vascular vulnerabilities present.”

The 76-year-old woman had various health issues such as diabetes, hypertension and varicose veins before the rooster attack, which might have been a major contributory factor to her death.

“The case is significant as it draws attention to the vulnerability of elderly folk with varicose veins to minor trauma, even from a rooster peck,” Byard told NBC News on Wednesday night.

“Lethal rooster attacks are very rare, but small animals can cause death from trauma.”

Still, it might have taken just two big pecks by the attacking rooster to cause the woman to bleed to death. She died before an ambulance reached her, Byard said.

The case filed by the neighbors of Maurice’s owner Corinne Fesseau has made headlines around the world, seen as symptomatic of the tensions in the countryside between rural folk and holiday home owners.

“Maurice won and the plaintiffs must pay his owner 1,000 euros in damages,” Fesseau’s lawyer Julien Papineau told AFP. Fesseau had told the court in Rochefort, western France, that nobody near her home on the picturesque Atlantic island of Oleron had ever complained about Maurice before a couple of pensioners bought a holiday home next door.

After they complained of being woken by his crowing, she made several attempts to silence him, including placing black sheets around his coop to trick him into thinking that morning had not yet broken—all to no avail.

“I’m speechless,” Fesseau said on Thursday, adding: “It’s a victory for everyone in the same situation as me. I hope it will set a precedent for them.” AFP

price for a cat comes in at 250,000 yuan ($35,000).

From A1 Mi Jidong, the company’s chief executive officer, told AFP that despite the high price The pet-cloning outfit has made more tag, not all clients were high earners. than 40 pet dogs—a procedure that costs “In fact, a large proportion of customers a hefty 380,000 yuan ($53,000), while the are young people who have only graduated

in the last few years,” he said.

“Whatever the origin of pets, owners will see them as part of the family. Pet cloning meets the emotional needs of young generations.”

Huang, 23, was overjoyed on first seeing Garlic’s second incarnation, saying

the “similarity between the two cats is more than 90 percent.”

“When Garlic died, I was very sad,” said Huang. “I couldn’t face the facts because it was a sudden death. I blame myself for not taking him to the hospital in time, which led to his death.” AFP

Killer rooster...

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accidentally—the victim’s varicose veins, according to researchers who published their findings in the journal Forensic Science, Medicine and Pathology.

A different peck it was this time for the rooster, whose likes peck at worms, fruit, grain, seeds, insects, snails, acorns, slugs, and similar foods.

NBC News reported Wednesday, quoting University of Adelaide pathology professor Roger Byard and pathologist Judith Fronczek, with The Netherlands

Copy cat...

SENATE INQUIRY. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra testify during Thursday’s

resumption of inquiry on GCTA at the Senate of the Philippines in Pasay city. Ey Acasio

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Opinion

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

A pork-free budget place in the 2020 budget,” he said.

Allegations of pork barrel insertions and the “parking” of funds or lump sums allocated in congressional districts without any specific use, hounded and eventually WILL the 2020 national budget be delayed the approval of the 2019 the “cleanest,” that is, free from GAB, resulting in the government pork barrel and fund insertions by operating in a reenacted budget in the first quarter of this year. lawmakers?

The delay in the passage of the That distinct possibility looms as Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano 2019 GAB slowed down economic is keeping a close watch on the growth in the first quarter, as the proposed national budget for next government was constrained from year. He wants the first General spending around P1 billion a day Appropriations Bill on his watch under a reenacted budget.

When the 2019 General Approto remain pork-free, and untainted by what President Rodrigo Duterte priations Act was finally signed into law by the has described President in as “even a April, he ve vewhiff of cortoed P95.37 bil bilThat’s what all House ruption.” lion worth of C a y e t a n o members should strive projects in the has given for—and it’s about time.

DPWH budget ironclad asand emphasized surances that in his veto mes mesno illegal incorsertions will taint the 2020 GAB. sage that he “will not tolerate cor No suspicious lump sums will be ruption in my administration.”

Cayetano certainly does not “parked” in the budget as was the disgraceful practice in the past. want a reprise of what happened to He has pledged to ensure the swift the 2019 budget during his tenure approval of a national budget that as Speaker. Thus, when a slight is “constitutional, legal, transpar- misunderstanding ensued between Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte ent and accountable.”

The Speaker showed his genuine and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungcommitment to a clean budget when ab, the House appropriations comduring the briefing on the budget of mittee chair, he quickly stepped in the Department of Public Works and to resolve the matter.

The misunderstanding was over Highways by the House appropriations committee, he asked DPWH Villafuerte’s move to withdraw Secretary Mark Villar pointblank the 2020 GAB from the House if there was any pork hidden or plenary, which Ungab had filed “parked” in the agency’s budget. on Aug. 28. Villafuerte said the Villar assured the Speaker that there filing was premature because the was no pork and no “parking” in the budget briefings were still ongoing at the committee level, while DPWH budget.

Cayetano also secured a pledge Ungab pointed out that the estabfrom House leaders that the budget lished practice was to prepare the would be scrutinized with a fine- GAB as soon as Malacañang subtooth comb but would not be de- mits its proposed budget, outlined Turn to A5 layed. “Pork and parking have no

T

Low inflation rate

HE government has finally tamed the high inflation rate, which last year fanned speculation of a rice shortage and threatened to derail the economic growth track.

percent in September and October in the same year.

The much-lower inflation rate last month is a clear signal for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to reduce interest rates on the funds it lends to private banks, which, in turn, will pass the lower cost of borrowing to consumers and other clients. The reduced cost of borrowings, hopefully, will spur companies to expand, hire more workers and eventually increase economic activities.

BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno noted that “ample domestic food supply conditions along with lower global oil prices have contributed to a manageable inflation environment.”

Surging rice prices resulting from inadequate supply had caused the inflation to spiral in the latter part of the 2018. The sharp increase in the price of the basic

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported Thursday that inflation in August dropped to a 35-month low of 1.7 percent from 2.4 percent in July, a development that could prompt monetary authorities to further reduce interest rate in a meeting later this month.

A further decline in the price of rice and non-alcoholic beverages and base effect caused inflation to fall sharply in August. The inflation rate in August last year stood at 6.4 percent before peaking to 6.7

commodity prompted lawmakers to pass the Rice Tariffication Law that essentially liberalized imports.

The legislative action had an immediate impact on rice prices.

Hoarders were forced to unload their stocks and flood the market for fear of losing out to incoming rice shipments. Rice prices eventually stabilized on ample supply.

Rice and food inflation carry much weight on the consumer price index. As a result, lower prices of food items, which account for close to 32 percent of the CPI basket, have softened the inflation rate.

Authorities, especially the Department of Agriculture, must ensure the steady supply of food items like rice and vegetables to prevent inflation from behaving erratically again.

‘The Vagina Monologues’ in Nepal tackles #MeToo that had more value than the original text that we were showcasing, in the A YOUNG actress bathed in the context of Nepal specifically," Karki spotlight pleads "leave me, I will said. go home... please!" in her role as a 13-year-old girl brutally raped and Violence against women killed in Nepal last year, in an adaptaIn one scene, an actress tells of tion of the renowned play The Vagina a senior colleague who constantly Monologues. calls her for no reason, prompting her In the wake of the #MeToo move- friends to ask her why she does not ment, the Nepali rendition "Private is just ignore or stop working with him.

Political—Vagina Monologues 4.0" "But I will have to work with him gives life to real stories about harass- later. It is such a small community and ment in the South Asian nation. everyone knows everyone. It will be im"We hope that these conversations possible to avoid him," she replies, highcan be open and not these hush-hush lighting a problem many women face in things, and we collectively work to- Nepal's male-dominated workplaces. wards finding a solution and finding a The characters narrate experiences of space for healing," director Akanchha harassment involving relatives, teachers Karki told AFP. and co-workers—reducing the audiThe original award-winning play ence to tears on many occasions.

by American author Eve Ensler pre"It really touched me... the fact that miered in New York in 1996 and we are now discussing issues of viocelebrated female sexuality and em- lence against women means that we powerment, but also tackled issues of are moving forward positively," says rape, abuse, and misogyny. Varying Romash Khatiwada, a student who iterations of it have since been per- watched the play. formed around the world.

"Otherwise in our society it is diffiThis latest production from Nepali cult to even have these conversations," theater collective Katha Ghera de- she adds. parts from the original by using backAnother skit brings men into the stage conversations of the cast as they usually all-female cast of Vagina rehearse a performance as a way to Monologues: One man insists girls tell stories of sexual abuse. only say no out of shyness, while his It aims to tackle the social con- friend reasons that consent cannot be straints and internal conflicts that assumed. make it difficult for women to speak After full-house shows Kathmandu out on such topics in the conservative and Pokhara, the group is crowdand patriarchal nation. funding to take the tour to other cities Karki says she wanted to bring the in the country. personal stories of abuse and harassUnlike in the United States or ment actors spoke of in closed rooms neighboring India where the sexual to the stage. misconduct of powerful men has been "The stories that we talked about in exposed, the #MeToo movement has these workshops—of abuse—of per- not gathered momentum in Nepal. sonal stories, of personal experiences Turn to A5

By Paavan Mathema

Nigerian slum children make new moves through chess

By Emmanuel Akinwotu CROWDS of children bustle around chessboards in Nigeria's Lagos, figuring out their next moves as part of a project aimed at bringing hope in one of the city's impoverished slums.

Dozens of matches are played simultaneously as participants as young as three master a game often considered out of reach for the masses in Africa's most populous country.

"Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose," 24-year-old teacher Tunde Onakoya tells his young charges after getting their attention.

"But it's how you respond that makes you a champion. Don't get down when you lose, don't feel like you can't do it, just concentrate and do your best."

Seasoned player Onakoya started the Chess in Slums project last September in the sprawling neighbourhood of Ikorodu, a place where residents often feel cut off from the bustle

and business of the vibrant megacity around it.

The goal of the club is to provide a space to play and learn the game for the young inhabitants of the slum, many of whom are not in school and work to support their families.

Held beneath a makeshift tent in the courtyard of a local bar, in less than a year the programme has already drawn an enthusiastic following.

As elderly men sip beer and watch football nearby, a dozen volunteers divide the pupils into groups.

While some turn their figures into battling action heroes, most are focused and intent on winning.

The youngest children sing rhymes about chess to help them master the rules, as the older ones settle down into intense games.

They use mobile phone apps to time their moves and record the matches in notepads to review their mistakes and successes later.

"I want to be a Grandmaster," one

of the children tells AFP, laughing.

Food for your brain Chess—a board game famous for its reliance on strategy—has a tiny but avid following in Nigeria.

The West African nation ranks 88th out of 186 countries, according to the FIDE World Chess Federation's rating of top players across the globe, but still does not have any Grandmasters.

Other board games are more popular.

Nigeria is a superpower in Scrabble, winning multiple championships and boasting 29 of the top 100 players in the world, more than any other country.

Onakoya says that chess has lagged behind in part due to an image problem.

"There's this perception of it as being a really difficult game, not as accessible, like for people of a different Turn to A5

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Opinion Banks and the Golden Rule TOTAL resources of the Philippine banking system (45 commercial banks) grew by a hefty P1.5 trillion or 10-percent to a record P16.8 trillion during the first half of 2019 ended June 30, 2019. The 10-percent growth is almost double the 5.5 percent real gain in the total output of goods and services or Gross Domestic Product during the period, January to June 2019.

This implies that banking remains a strong industry despite a seeming economic slowdown.

Banking’s growth rates in the first half were in double digits.

For instance, the banking system’s liquid assets grew 10 percent (P561 billion), total investment in securities by 19 percent (P604 billion), total loan portfolio by 10 percent (P931 billion), and net customer loan portfolio by 10 percent or P869 billion.

Liquid assets include cash, due from the central bank and other banks, and investment in securities. Net customer loan portfolio is loans less provision for loss.

Banking business is awesomely profitable. Return on equity (at the parent bank level) is 9.87 percent in June 2019, up from 9.35 percent in June 2018 and 9.64 percent in March 2019. The 9.87 percent ROE is more than three times the June inflation rate of 2.7 percent, for a net gain of 7.17 percent. For each P100 of stockholders’ money, the banks made a profit of P9.87. With inflation, the real gain was P7.17.

In return on equity, among the most profitable banks are: East West Bank 12.10 percent ROE; BDO Unibank (11.71 percent), and Union Bank (10.91 percent ).

In peso value, in the first half (six months) of 2019 alone, BDO netted P20.14 billion; BPI P13.86 billion; Metrobank P13.4 billion; Security Bank P4.95 billion, Union Bank P4.79 billion, China Bank P4.22 billion, PNB P3.96 billion, East West P2.7 billion, RCBC P2.66 billion, and Asia United Bank P2.66 billion. The top three banks in profits make an average

Nigerian...

From A4

class," he says.

Onakoya took chess in primary school and works with private schools as a consultant to add it to their curricula.

"I believe in the game because it helps your cognition, your creativity, your focus. It's like food for your brain," he said.

Last year, he started the club in Ikorodu specifically to reach disadvantaged children.

"Ikorodu is the kind of place where there's a lot of troubles and poverty. It is a tough place to get to, if you tell someone to come to Ikorodu they will laugh," he says.

"I felt it would be powerful to help children here because many of them are really talented.

"If they could master a game that people wouldn't expect them to even know, it could really show

The Vagina...

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Only a handful of women have spoken out and those accused have faced little or no repercussions over the allegations.

Hope for justice In February, dozens of former students recounted harrowing details of abuse by three teachers at a school when they were in primary school.

Despite the outrage that followed, the men were cleared by a public committee citing lack of evidence.

Another account by university student Manisha Lamsal and Ni-

of P2.62 billion monthly in profits.

The banks make more money than the conglomerates who have much more complex and diversified businesses. A good chunk of the bank profits has nothing to do with banking—which is lending money, but from penalties. For instance, if you miss, just be one day, paying your credit card bills, the interest is 8.5 percent per month or 102 percent a year. Double their money.

Indeed, he who has the gold makes the rules.

lion to P1.53 trillion, slightly higher than the P1.5-trillion growth in assets of the system. Bank borrowings refer to bills payable, bonds payable, other debts, and special time deposits.

The banking system had P12.525 trillion of deposits of as of June 2019. To generate that much in deposits, the banks deployed only P1.932 trillion of equity. For every P100 of equity or stockholders’ money, the banks P648 in deposits, more than P6 of deposits for every P1 of capital. outstand The banks also had outstanding borrowings of P1.53 trillion tril against total equity of P1.932 trillion, a difference of P402 billion— the net amount the bank owners were risking to produce P16.843 trillion in assets (41.89 times net equity), P9.989 trillion in loans (24.8 times net equity), P12.523 trillion in deposits (31.15 times net equity).

Put another way, for every P1 the bank owners invested in their banks, they generated P42 of assets, P25 of loans, P12.50 of deposits. No other business can generate so much in resources and leverage so much in liabilities for very little money invested by owners.

Despite such massive undercapitalization, the banks have very low possibility of incurring losses through bank loans. The gross nonperforming loans ratio (parent bank level) is 1.56 percent—only P1.56 of every P100 in money lent out has a chance of not being repaid. To think that the 1.56 is already a deterioration. In June 2018, the npl was 1.33 percent.

Of Forbes’ top 20 Filipino billionaires, at least seven families are bankers: That of Henry Sy (the richest family, which owns BDO), John Gokongwei Jr. (Robinsons Bank), the Ayala family (Bank of PI), Lucio Tan (PNB), Aboitiz family (Union Bank), Ramon Ang (Bank of Commerce), and the late Andrew Gotianun (East West Bank).

This report covers 45 universal and commercial banks, including Chang Hwa Commercial Bank and CIMB Bank which started local operations in July and December 2018, respectively.

Yet, the banks are not using their own money, which is the money of their owners. They use mainly other people’s money—to make more money and to penalize people without money.

Thus, the banking expansion was financed mainly by borrowings as deposits grew by only single digit or 6 percent (P697 billion). Equity grew 13 percent (P222 billion). This implies that the country’s big banks are growing, not because of the money put in by their owners, but by the money of the public (deposits were up P697 billion or 6 percent), and by lenders or creditors, P489 billion or up 13 percent, or deposits and borrowings combined of P1.186 trillion.

This P1.186 trillion exceeded the total loan portfolio of P931 billion, meaning the banks didn’t release all of the money they got from the public (deposits) and lenders (borrowings). For every P5.34 of deposits and borrowings, the banks’ owners put in only P1. In effect, the banks contributed just P15.77 in additional equity for every P100 of additional liabilities. That’s a ratio worse than what the banks require of their borrowers—25 for every 100.

So you can say banks follow the Golden Rule—he who has the gold (the banks) makes the rules. They are aided in this scheme by a complacent Bangko Sentral.

Bank borrowings expanded by a remarkable 47 percent or P489 bil- biznewsasia@gmail.com

"Chess is helping me to be a methem their potential and give them chanical engineer by sending me confidence." to school," he tells AFP, proudly School sponsorship wearing the medal he won.

The club already boasts several The attention that the project has success stories. generated has helped shine a spotTen-year-old Odunayo Olukoya light on more of these marginalised joined Chess in Slums in January. children.

Four months later, she came first in Videos of the budding chess masthe national chess championship for ters shared on Instagram also showher age group. case some of their other talents that For Jamiu Ninilowo, 14, taking have often been overlooked in the part has also been transformative. struggle to survive.

The skinny boy worked as a meOne 11-year-old boy even got a chanic fixing cars at a garage in mentorship from a leading Nigerian Ikorodu instead of attending school. architect after he was seen building He had to earn money for his models out of cardboard. family after his mother's leg was "At first it was about teaching mangled in an accident as she the kids a game that can impact picked scrap at a local refuse site to the way they think and boost their sell on for a meagre profit. confidence, but actually it's become In February, Ninilowo joined the much more. It's become a gateway club and is now its best player. to other opportunities," says OnaAfter he won a tournament in koya.

April, an impressed donor part"It is helping us show them nered with Chess in Slums to pay that their lives can go far beyond for his secondary education.

Ikorodu." AFP

sha Shah, which is featured in the play, tells of a now retired professor who alleged sexually harassed his charges, even sticking his tongue into the ears of one of them.

Lamsal said the lack of consequences for the accused was extremely discouraging and a reason why #MeToo failed to gain traction in Nepal.

"Unless they face some kind of action it does not create a space or environment for others to come forward and speak. The hope of any form of justice is gone," she explains.

Rehearsals for the play took on more resonance when prominent theatre industry figures faced #MeToo accusations, with female actors

recounting incidents of inappropriate touching on the pretext of play rehearsals.

In a rare instance for Nepal, theatre groups took a stance against the accused and mediation sessions were held in the same venue that showed the play.

Actor Loonibha Tuladhar said the timing gave more context to the production.

But the play has also been slammed for being "too strong" or "anti-men" by some in the Nepali theatre circles.

She says: "In a way, we've won our game because people are listening to it, people are observing and reacting to it." AFP

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

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mst.daydesk@gmail.com

TV show changes tourism in Chernobyl

By Olga Shylenko THE hit TV series "Chernobyl" has attracted a new generation of tourists to the nuclear disaster zone but guides say that many are more interested in taking selfies than learning about the accident.

"They do not need information anymore, they just want to take a selfie," said Yevgen Goncharenko, an official plant guide, at the site of the worst nuclear accident in history.

Tourists now are often on the look out for locations featured in the acclaimed HBO drama and can be surprised to discover that certain sites were fictional, he told AFP. The hard-hitting mini-series recreates the April 1986 disaster, when one of the reactors at the Soviet Union's Chernobyl plant, in what is now Ukraine, exploded during testing.

The blast spewed radiation over a vast swathe of Europe and a 30-kilometer (19-mile) exclusion zone remains in place around the plant, although a small part of it is open to a growing number of tourists.

The abandoned site had already become a "dark tourism" destination in recent years, even before the eponymous TV show that has picked up 19 Emmy nominations.

But some Ukrainian travel agencies have adapted their tours to take in locations from the "Chernobyl" series and offer further special trips, such as kayaking in rivers around the exclusion zone.

Oleksandr Syrota, head of the Chernobyl information center, said that certain tourist companies were offering up the disaster zone as "fast food"—a quick and easy travel experience.

And the trend towards more tourists looks set to continue. In July, new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree that aims to develop the site further as a tourist attraction.

Mutants Louis Carlos, a 27-year-old visiting from Brazil, said he didn't know much about the disaster before watching the TV series but was motivated to travel to Ukraine to find out more.

"If people come here to understand what happened and try to learn, it's a good thing," Carlos said, as a friend took a photograph of him next to the nuclear power station.

"It's history," he added.

Tourist numbers have steadily increased every year, and last year 72,000 people visited Chernobyl.

The tour operators' association working in the region said it expected the number to jump to 100,000 this year.

Zone guide Goncharenko, who

A pork-free...

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accompanies groups of tourists on visits organised by private companies, said he'd experienced such booms before.

One came after the release of the American horror film "Chernobyl Diaries" in 2012, he said, also mentioning the impact of the site featuring in the "Call of Duty" computer game series.

"Sometimes people who came after the computer games seriously asked where one can find mutants," he recalled.

'Sexy' photos Shortly after the TV show aired this summer, social media users came under fire for sharing "sexy" or upbeat photos from the ghost town of Pripyat, a city of nearly 50,000 people near Chernobyl that was evacuated after the explosion.

Writer and producer of the series Craig Mazin addressed them on his Twitter feed.

"Yes, I've seen the photos going around," he wrote in June.

"If you visit, please remember that a terrible tragedy occurred there. Comport yourselves with respect for all who suffered and sacrificed".

Yaroslav Yemelianenko, head of the Chernobyl tour guide association, admitted the region had become a "trendy" place to visit.

Instead of fixating on the tragic aspect, Yemelianenko said that Kiev should promote the exclusion zone as a place of reflection about what was a terrible accident.

"We need to promote it, talk about it, attract people here," he said.

Some, like Slovenian tourist Jan Mavrin, insisted they had come to pay tribute to those who had lost their lives in the disaster.

"You've got to have some sort of respect towards this kind of place," Mavrin said, taking a photo of the Ferris wheel at Pripyat's abandoned amusement park.

"You should be modest, you shouldn't just walk around picking [up] stuff," he added.

Souvenirs on eBay Visitors—both those on official tours and so-called "stalkers" who break in illegally—have been known to take objects out of the exclusion zone as souvenirs, according to Syrota, of the Chernobyl information centre.

"Even we, Pripyat natives, do not allow ourselves to pick up our own things from there," he said.

"And then we are surprised when we see them on eBay," he added.

Syrota said that it was "hard to imagine" where the government's plans for more tourism at the site could lead and stressed that space was limited.

"We have no experience of what this can turn into," he says. AFP

issue, Cayetano proved his mettle in keeping the House of Representatives in order. His leadership style has kept the House united in helping the President accomplish his goal of laying the groundwork that would enable every Filipino to have a secure, decent, and comfortable life.

The public was also reassured that Cayetano remains true to his goal of transforming the House into a “House of the People,” where its power of the purse is wielded wisely for the public good.

Cayetano has emphasized that he is fully committed to ensure what President Duterte has repeatedly stated that he will not tolerate corruption in his administration. A House of Representatives under Cayetano’s hands-on leadership and close watch against any form of irregularity could finally restore the people’s trust in the institution.

That’s what all House members should strive for, and it’s about time.

in the National Expenditure Program, to Congress.

A meeting was promptly called

by Cayetano between Ungab and Villafuerte, along with Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Senior Deputy Majority Leader Jesus Crispin Remulla, Deputy Speaker Neptali Gonzales II, appropriations committee vice chairperson Elenita Ermita Buhain, and other vice chairpersons of the panel.

After the meeting, Cayetano pronounced that the misunderstanding was fully resolved, that the budget would be carefully examined but would not be delayed.

He requested all government and agencies to submit copies of the presentations of their budget proposals by 5 p.m. of Sept. 3.

With the Speaker’s intervention, no other statement about the misunderstanding was heard from either Villafuerte or Ungab.

With his prompt action on the ernhil@yahoo.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

News

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 Standard A6 TODAY Manila

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

2 Chinese nabbed in Makati T

By Joel E. Zurbano

WO Chinese gang men have been arrested in Makati City on charges of sex trafficking Vietnamese women, police said on Thursday.

The National Capital Region Police Office busted the racket following confidential information regarding a sex trade involving foreign nationals in Barangay San Antonio.

The suspects, identified as Kuang Meiting and Li Xuemei, were arrested in an entrapment operation by men from the NCRPO-Regional Special Operations Unit and Women, and Children Protection Division-Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division in coordination with personnel from the Makati

City Police Station.

The authorities swooped down on room numbers 519, 803, 924, and 1823 of Avida Asten Tower 2 located along Malugay Street around 10 p.m. Wednesday and rescued six Vietnamese women.

The rescued victims were identified as Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, Nguyen Thi Truc Ly, Vo Thi Ngoc Tu, Nguyen Thi Diem Phuong, Nguyen Thi Trang and Nguyen Thi Tham.

“This police operation stemmed from the information of a confidential infor-

mant regarding the rampant proliferation of prostitution activities involving foreign nationals in the said address. Information gathered through surveillance, monitoring and lateral coordination led to positive validation,” said NCRPO director Guillermo Eleazar.

Investigation showed the gang’s operation involved Internet application wherein clients were being lured to avail themselves of sexual services.

“Based on their promotion, there are Vietnamese, Chinese and Malaysian ladies being trafficked,” said Eleazar, adding the Asian ladies were using tourist visas.

Further investigation also revealed that the gang was using a room in the condominium called “show-up room” where clients could choose among the Asian ladies.

Clients also have an option to use

other three available rooms in the condominium or bring the ladies somewhere else, police said.

The arrested Chinese nationals and the confiscated pieces of evidence were brought to NCRPO-RSOU office for documentation and proper disposition.

The suspects will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended

by RA 10364, also known as the Expanded Anti-Trafficking Act of 2012 before the Makati City prosecutors office.

“The rescued victims will be turned over to the social workers of Makati Police Station or local government unit for appropriate disposition. Our personnel will be coordinating with Vietnamese Embassy to facilitate their return to Vietnam, according to the existing laws in the country,” said Eleazar.

Solon seeks creation of add’l divisions of Court of Appeals

By Maricel V. Cruz A LEADER of the House of Representatives has batted for the enactment of a measure proposing the creation of additional divisions of the Court of Appeals stations in the cities of Vigan and Davao.

Cavite Rep. Abraham Tolentino filed House Bill 4323 that increases the number of CA justices from 69 to 78, or an additional nine magistrates to compose three appellate divisions.

Tolentino, brother of newly-elected Senator

Francis Tolentino, said adjusting the number of courts has also become necessary to guarantee prompt and more efficient justice system.

“Efficiency in the criminal justice system, public order and safety and the proper interpretation and implementation of our laws, are all dependent on the fast and efficient performance of courts of justice,” Tolentino, chairman of the House Committee on Accounts, said.

Under the bill, a new division will be created for Vigan City to decide on appealed cases coming from the First and Second Ju-

dicial Regions while two new divisions will be assigned in Davao City to handle cases from the 11th and 12th Judicial Regions.

The three original CA stations in Manila, Cebu City and Cagayan de Oro City will have the same judicial region assignments and number of divisions.

“The economic progress that our country is experiencing, the increase in population, the continuous growth of business require that disputes must be resolved in the quickest possible time,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino noted a number of newly-

passed laws that increased the number of regional and municipal trial courts, thus, should be complemented with additional CA divisions.

Tolentino said the bill’s enactment will make it easier for litigants to appeal their cases and relieve them of the stress and cost of litigation.

“These locations in Vigan City and Davao City will make it easier for litigants to appeal their cases, without the need of going to other jurisdictions, far from their homes,” Tolentino said.

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that 6 BARRACUDA ENERGY CORP. is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as Renewable Energy Developer of Wind Energy Resources (81MW San Isidro Wind Power Project) in San Isidro, Northern Samar and Calbayog City to avail of the incentives under the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (RA 9513).

Any person with valid objection/s on the above-mentioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(MS-SEPT. 6, 2019)

purposes of this petition petitioner may SO ORDERED. be served with legal processes at her counsel’s address at No. 109 Pasadeña Pasay City, Metro Manila, August St., Pasay City, Metro Manila. Private 29, 2019.

Respondent Hideaki Fujimoto is a (Sgd.) RESTITUTO V. MANGALDAN, JR. Japanese national, of legal age, a Acting Presiding Judge resident of Japan, whose last address and permanent domicile in Japan, as RVM/roe/hbb known to the Petitioner, is at 234-1 foreigndivorce (MStandard-Sep. 6, 13 & 20, 2019) Nisikimati Yonago Shi Tottori, Japan.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 217 – QUEZON CITY IN RE: CANCELLATION OR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE CIVIL REGISTRY, PARTICULARLY,IN THE REPORT OF MARRIAGE, ROSE MARIE C. BUENTIPO, Petitioner, -versusSP CASE NO. R-QZN-19-08763-SP PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL OSAKA-JAPAN THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, THE CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY, ROSAURO A. DELA ROSA, and All persons who have or claim any interest Which would be affected hereby, Respondents. x-----------------------------------------------x

ORDER

This is a verified petition for cancellation or correction of entries in the Report of Marriage appearing in the Civil Registry Records Book of the Philippine Consulate GeneralOsaka Japan of the petitioner filed by petitioner herself.

This petition alleges that she is fiftytwo (52) years old born on January 26, 1967 in Moncada, Tarlac to parents Roman B. Buentipo and Virginia T. Cala; that in 2006, she went to Japan to work as an overseas contract worker; that while working in Japan, she met Temoteo A. Transmonte and they contracted marriage on October 17, 2007 at the Philippine Consulate General, Osaka, Japan; that prior to their marriage and unknown to petitioner, Transmonte represented and disguised himself as Rosauro A. Dela Rosa; that it was after the marriage of petitioner and Transmonte and while they were freely cohabiting in Japan as husband and wife when petitioner learned the representation and disguise of Transmonte; that the parties lived together as husband and wife in Japan for more than five (5) years until Transmonte contracted a disease that caused his death on February 27, 2013; that in No. 09522007 registered at the Consulate of the Civil Registry Record Book, it appeared that petitioner was married to Rosauro Dela Rosa when in truth and in fact it was Temoteo A. Transmonte whom she

married; that Rosauro A. Dela Rosa never applied for entry nor set foot in Japan and never appeared before the Philippine Consulate General Osaka, Japan to contract marriage with petitioner and live in Japan; that in view of the death of Transmonte, petitioner now desires to correct the entries in her Report of Marriage; and, that petitioner prays that the entries in the Report of Marriage of petitioner be cancelled or corrected and a Certificate of No Marriage be issued in her favor.

Wherefore, the petition is hereby set for hearing on September 6, 2019 at 8:30 in the morning before this Court located at Room 238, Second Floor, Hall of Justice, Diliman, Quezon City at which place and on which date and time, all interested persons must appear and file their opposition/s to the petition.

Let a copy of this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation throughout the Philippines.

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

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Philippines, June 28, 2019. (Sgd.) SANTIAGO M. ARENAS Judge Cc: Atty. Meynard R. Job Counsel for the petitioner 2731-C Bruger Street, Bruger Subdivision,1772 Putatan, Muntinlupa City Philippine Consulate General Osaka-Japan Department of Foreign Affairs Manila Office of the Solicitor General Makati City Office of the Local Civil Registrar Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority PSA Complex, East Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Office of the City Prosecutor Quezon City Rosauro R. Dela Rosa Castelo Street, NBP Reservation Poblacion, Muntinlupa City

(MStandard-Aug. 24, 31 & Sep. 6, 2019)

By Vito Barcelo LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III admitted it would be physically impossible to inspect all businesses in the country if they were complying with labor laws because the department lacked labor law compliance officers.

“We have to admit our limitation in terms of inspection. Much as we would want to inspect all those business offices throughout the country to see to it that they comply with all labor laws and standards, physically it is becoming impossible,” Bello said in a statement Thursday.

“Our problem is the number of establishments that we need to inspect. We only have 800 inspectors and you’re talking of almost one million business establishments all throughout the country,” the labor chief said.

“We requested a plantilla position for 5,000 labor law compliance officers, they gave us only additional 100,” Bello said.

“Considering the numbers involved, we need additional LLCOs. The additional inspectors would need about P2.5 billion for their salaries,” he said.

According to DOLE date, at least 504,000 contractual workers were regularized from 2016 up to the present year, of which 65 percent were regularized to the voluntary compliance of their employers and 35 percent were through compliance orders.

However, Labor Undersecretary Benjo Benavides explained that the only way to determine whether an employee’s status is illegal or not is through inspection and a finality of a decision from the DOLE’s regional director and the Office of the Secretary up to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.

He said cases of around 200,000 workers were still pending for resolution.

Critics call for ouster of Cusi

(SGD.) NESTOR P. ARCANSALIN Director Resource-based Industries Service

Petitioner and Private Respondent REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES were married on November 15, 2013 REGIONAL TRIAL COURT at Pasay City, Metro Manila. Their NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION marriage was registered in the Local BRANCH 114, PASAY CITY Civil Registry of Pasay City. Their marital relationship was unsuccessful IN RE: PETITION FOR and led to Divorce later and have not RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN been blessed with any offspring. On DIVORCE AND DECLARATION September 07, 2016, at the instance OF CAPACITY TO DECREE FROM and insistence of Private Respondent THE UNITED TO REMARRY UNDER HIDEAKI FUJIMOTO, respondent and ARTICLE 26, FAMILY CODE, petitioner were divorced. This divorce was an absolute one and capacitated SP. PROC. CASE NO. the Private Respondent to Remarry, R-PSY-19-01208-CV according to Japanese Laws and Regulations. To date, however, her JERALYN GRUTA ESPECTACION, Divorce with former husband, Private A.K.A. “JERALYN ESPECTACION Respondent HIDEAKI FUJIMOTO, FUJIMOTO”, has not been annotated on their Petitioner, corresponding Certificate of Marriage.

-versusFinding the petition sufficient in form LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF and substance, notice is hereby given PASAY CITY, THE ADMINISTRATOR that the hearing of the petition is reset AND CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL on September 26, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. sitting at Room 402, Hall of Justice OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS Building, F.B . Harrison Street, Pasay AUTHORITY AND HIDEAKI City. All parties interested may appear FUJIMOTO, and appear and show cause why the Respondents. x---------------------------------------------x said petition should not be granted. copy of this order be published in AMENDED ORDER Let newspaper of general circulation once A verified Petition for Judicial a week for three consecutive weeks at Recognition of Foreign Divorce and the expense of the petitioner.

Declaration of Capacity to Remarry Under Article 26, Family Code was filed Likewise, let copy of this order be by petitioner through counsel, alleging furnished the Office of the Solicitor among others that she is Jeralyn General, the City Prosecutor of this Gruta Espectacion, a.k.a. “Jeralyn Court, the Local Civil Registrar of Espectacion Fujimoto, a Filipino Pasay City and the Civil Registrar citizen of legal age and residing at No. General, Philippine Statistics Office 287 I.Medina St., Pasay City. But for and Hideaki Fujimoto.

‘Physically impossible to inspect all biz firms’

By Rio N. Araja

BUDGET TALKS. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep.Martin Romualdez (right) and House Minority Leader Bienvenido Abante Jr. (left) discuss with Secretary Arthur Tugade of the Department of Transportation the 2020 budget of the DOTr during the briefing of the Committee on Appropriation at the House of Representatives. Romualdez thanked Tugade for the rehabilitation and plan to make the Tacloban City Airport to international standards. Ver Noveno Republic of the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BUREAU DENR Compound, Visayas Avenue, Diliman Quezon City 1116 Telephone Nos.: (632)927-15-17, 928-37-25; Fax No.: (632) 920-22-58 Website: http://www.emb.gov.ph / Email: mail@emb.gov.ph

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING On the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) of the proposed MAKATI PUBLIC RAIL TRANSPORT SYSTEM PROJECT of the PHILIPPINE INFRADEV HOLDINGS, INC. AND CITY GOVERMENT OF MAKATI to be located in Makati City.

Notice is hereby given to all parties who wish to give their opinion regarding the implementation of the proposed MAKATI PUBLIC RAIL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM PROJECT to attend the Public Hearing scheduled on: Date

Time

23 September 2019 (Monday)

9:00 AM (Registration starts at 8:00 AM)

Venue HPSB Multimedia Room 507 University of Makati J.P. Rizal Ext. Makati City

The Public Hearing is being conducted in connection with the review of the EIS of the aforementioned project by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

All interested parties who wish to attend or participate in these Public Hearings should preferably confirm their attendance/participation and may give their opinion(s) in a concise position paper to the ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESMENT AND MANAGEMENT DIVISION (EIAMD) of this Office through mail or through email at eiamd.emb.co@gmail.com. at least three (3) days before the Public Hearing schedule. Those who will not be able to register or submit written positions may be given the opportunity to share their issue on the day of the hearing itself.

The project’s EIS and Executive Summary for the Public are downloadable at our website: www.eia.emb.gov.ph (kindly access the Notice of Public Hearing/ Consultation linkfound in our website) while copies will be available in this Office.

For more details, please contact the EIAMD Division at this Office at telephone number (02) 920-2240 to 41 through the project casehandlers Engr. Regina Paula Eugenio and Engr. Dexter Tabada.

BI apprehends Indian couple THE Bureau of Immigration arrested an Indian couple who operate an illegal 5-6 lending office in Caloocan City and for illegally staying in the country.

BI Acting Intelligence Chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. identified the duo as Kuldeep Singh and his common-law wife Manjeet Kaur.

Manahan said BI agents arrested the couple at their residence along Dorotea Road, Grace Park, Caloocan City on the strength of a mission order issued by Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente.

“We requested the mission order after our office received complaints alleging that the couple was engaged in usurious lending activities that prey on small Filipino traders and other residents of the city,” he added.

“Singh resorted to marriage for convenience by faking his marriage to a Filipino citizen which enabled him to acquire resident status in the country,” the BI said.

Singh allegedly presented a marriage certificate purporting that he was married to a certain Filipina but the latter was neither present or could not be located when the BI agents went to his house. Vito Barcelo

ANTI-COAL advocates on Thursday called for the ouster of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi for disobeying the “verbal” order of President Rodrigo Duterte in his fourth State-of-the-Nation Address “to fast-track renewable energy resources to reduce the country’s dependence on traditional energy sources, such as coal.”

At a news conference on Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City, Valentino de Guzman, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice’s Luzon coordinator, blamed Cusi for ignoring the President’s directive, saying “the only impediment is the Department of Energy itself as well as its secretary.”

“If Cusi would not change his decision, we will not stop blaming him that he has been the impediment,” he told reporters.

“We will make it sure that you [Cusi] will be the next Faeldon,” he said, referring to resigned Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon, who earned the wrath of the President for disobeying his order not to release prisoners convicted of heinous crimes.

Gerry Arances of the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, and Power for People Coalition, expressed his disappointment over Cusi’s position not to issue a moratorium on coal power plant developments until the country has met its goal of attaining energy security.

Cusi said coal had still a purpose, adding no moratorium would be put in place against coal energy.

“Now, we have seen the true color of the DoE. It only means that the proposed 28 coal energy plants would still push through,” Arances said.

SKYWAY CHECK.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar (2nd from right) checks a portion of Skyway Stage 3 Quezon City section in Quezon Avenue, the first inspection and drive-through of the alignment.

Manny Palmero

(MS-SEPT. 6 , 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports Taduran, Salva in historic IBF showdown

By Peter Atencio A DATE with history is on for Filipino boxers Samuel Salva and Pedro Taduran.

This will unravel on Saturday night evening when Salva and Taduran clash for the vacant International Boxing Federation minimumweight crown.

Their fight takes place at the Jurado Hall inside the Philippine Marine Corps Base at Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

The clash, which will be open to the public, is presented by Manny Pacquiao’s MP Promotions with the duel for the IBF 105-lb crown between Salva and Taduran, two Filipinos fighting for a world title for the first time in almost a century.

Salva is unbeaten after 17 fights, including 10 by knockout.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa pagkakataon ng binigay sa akin para lumaban sa world title,” said Salva, who is also known as the “Silent Assassin.”

The 22-year-old Salva is coming of a unanimous decision over Rene Mark Cuarto last March.

On the other hand, Taduran has a 13-2 win-loss slate, with 10 wins coming via stoppage.

“Gagawin ko lahat sa laban na ito para ko ay manalo,” said Taduran.

The showdown will be the first time in almost a century as two Filipinos slug it out for a world championship on Philippine soil.

It was in 1925 when this last happened, when flyweight king Pancho Villa defended his crown against Clever Sencio at Wallace Field (now Luneta) in 1925.

“It’s a fact that this is a historic event. It’s been 94 years since two Filipino boxers have challenged for a world title,” said Sean Gibbons, president of MP Promotions.

What adds prestige to the card is the presence of IBF president Daryl Peoples and Ratings Committee chief Anibal Miramontes, who flew in from the US on Wednesday, along with IBF superflyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas and his trainer Joven Jimenez.

The official weigh-in, meanwhile, takes place Friday at 2 p.m. at the Acero Hall, just across the fight venue.

Jr Tiger Spikers take fight away from Bullpups UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas stunned defending champion Nazareth School of National University, 25-20, 25-27, 15-25, 25-22, 15-12, for a winning start in the UAAP Season 82 boys’ volleyball tournament at the Paco Arena Wednesday.

With the fifth set tied at 8-8, the Junior Tiger Spikers scored five unanswered points, capped by a Paul Colinares block to snatch a 13-8 lead that put the fight away from the Bullpups, who lost seven players from last year’s championship run.

“Morale-boosting talaga itong panalo though syempre may hinahanap pa rin kaming consistency sa mga bata pero given na marami kaming bago, medyo understandable pa (this first game),” said UST assistant coach John Abella.

Rey De Vega exploded for 29 points, including 22 attacks, three blocks and four service aces while rookie Jay Dela Noche chipped in 14 points for the Junior Tiger Spikers, who ruled the tournament two years ago.

Michael Buddin topscored for NU with 16 markers, while Michael Fortuna and Mac Bandola added 12 points apiece.

In the other opening day matches, Far Eastern University-Diliman overcame a slow start to beat Adamson University, 23-25, 25-15, 25-22, 25-23, while University of the East scored a convincing 25-22, 25-18, 25-18 victory over Ateneo.

Jerold Talisayan and Rans Cajolo each tallied 15 points, while Angelo Lipata and France Racaza chipped in 12 and 10 markers, respectively, for the Baby Tamaraws, who had a huge 12-5 advantage in the service area.

Evander Novilla delivered 18 points on 14 spikes and four blocks for the Baby Falcons.

A7

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Nadal in good shape after win N

EW YORK—Rafael Nadal said he felt “in good shape” after advancing to the semi-finals of the US Open with a battling 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 win over Argentine 20th seed Diego Schwartzman.

Second seed Nadal, a three-time champion in New York, will play Italy’s Matteo Berrettini for a berth in the final after the 18-time Grand Slam winner overcame a gritty performance from the 5ft 7in (1.70m) Schwartzman.

The Spaniard needed the best part of three hours to record an eighth straight win over two-time US Open quarter-finalist Schwartzman in a match that finished early Thursday morning.

He received treatment to his left forearm early in the third set but swiftly

allayed any injury fears, after a knee injury forced him to retire during last year’s semi-final against Juan Martin del Potro.

“I’m feeling good. Today was very humid day, very heavy day. I had some cramps in the end of the second and first five games, six games of the third. And then I take some salt, that’s all, and then was over,” Nadal said.

“The body is in good shape, I think. No big problems. Just of course now a little bit tired, long day, 1:30 (a.m.). Need to go

to sleep. But I really believe that I’m going to be in good shape.”

Nadal rolled through the first three rounds untested, a run that included a second-round walkover, but the 33-yearold feels stiffer competition in his past two matches—against Marin Cilic and Schwartzman—has left him primed for another shot at the US Open title.

“Today I make a step forward, in my opinion. That match give me confidence. Two matches in a row against two tough opponents. That’s a moment to increase a little bit more the level, and I really believe that I can do it,” Nadal said.

The win over Schwartzman sent Nadal through to a 33rd Grand Slam semi-final —third most in history behind Roger Fe-

derer (45) and Novak Djokovic (36)—as he reached the last four in New York for the eighth time.

Nadal is the only former major champion left in the men’s field following the elimination of Federer and Djokovic, leaving him as the clear frontrunner in his pursuit of a 19th major title.

“I just won a very important match for me, and it is the moment to enjoy this victory. Tomorrow afternoon I’m going to start to think about what’s the plan for after tomorrow,” he said.

“Today is the moment to enjoy that feeling of being in semi-finals of a Grand Slam again.

“I achieved the four semi-finals of the four Grand Slams this year, and that’s a lot. Very, very happy for that.” AFP

Red Lions shoot for elims’ sweep

Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning against Diego Schwartzman of Argentina during their Men’s Singles Quarterfinals match at the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York on September 4, 2019. AFP

Tokyo tests fake snow to cool Olympics TOKYO—Tokyo 2020 Olympic chiefs have already rolled out everything from misting stations to flowerbeds to beat the heat at next year’s games, and now they want to let it snow.

Organizers confirmed Thursday that they plan to test the use of artificial snow at a canoe event later this month as they look for novel ways to keep spectators and athletes cool during Tokyo’s notoriously steamy summer months.

“Artificial snow will be sprayed over spectator seating,” some of which may be in direct sunlight, during a canoeing event on September 13 that will serve as a test for the Olympics, a spokeswoman for the Tokyo 2020 organisers told AFP.

“We haven’t decided definitively that we will use this system next year for the Olympics, but we want to test it to see how effective it is,” she said.

“We’re open to trying all potentially useful ideas,” she added, when asked about possible criticism of the environmental side-effects of the method.

Public broadcaster NHK said the test would use small snow-making machines to produce about a tonne of snow per day, and that officials from the organising committee would attend in spectator stands to judge the technique’s effectiveness.

Olympic organisers have been on the offensive over concerns that holding the Games during summer months

when Tokyo regularly reaches 35 degrees centigrade with 80 percent humidity will be unsafe.

They have already tested measures including misting stations, air-conditioned cooling tents and even rows of potted flowers along the routes of queues— thought to psychologically cool spectators.

At a sailing event last month, athletes were given permission to loosen their life jackets because of the heat, while a French competitor was treated for heatstroke during a triathlon event in August.

The last time Japan hosted the Summer Olympics, in 1964, the competition was held in October to avoid the hot summer conditions. AFP

WITH many players starting to show their best games, the San Beda Red Lions will be a confident team when they meet the Mapua University Cardinals at 2 p.m. today at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Going for their ninth straight triumph, the Red Lions will seek a nine-game sweep of their firstround assignment in the 95th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament.

Coach Boyet Fernandez was at first worried with his team when the Red Lions came away with an 88-57 rout of the College of St. Benilde Blazers last August 23.

But their 31-point triumph put an end to his worries, and with two weeks of rest behind them, the Red Lions are expected to come up with another big performance.

“Medyo kinakabahan ako sa magiging reaction namin in the first part. But I’m happy that my players are starting to play well and there are players who are solid coming off the bench. “ Aside from second unit player Calvin Oftana, Fernandez is counting on AC Soberano to have another prolific game. Soberano made 14 points, including four triples in his second straight double-digit outing in their encounter with CSB. So far, San Beda has claimed its 22nd straight win, including eight straight in the current season.

The Cardinals have a 3-5 win-loss card.

The Blazers (6-2) will meet the Letran Knights (5-3) at 12 noon, while the San Sebastian Stags (5-3) play the Arellano Chiefs at 4 p.m.

In junior action, the San Beda Red Cubs (7-1) will try to solidify their grip on the top spot in their 10 a.m. match against the Malayan Red Robins.

The Arellano Braves (5-3) take on the San Sebastian Staglets at 6 p.m.

Peter Atencio

Mordido, Suede share National Women’s championship chess lead FORMER Shell National Youth active chess champion Kylen Joy Mordido and former Asian junior girls titlist Mikee Charlene Suede pulled off back-to-back victories in the second and third rounds to keep a share of the lead in the 2019 National Women’s Championship—Grand Finals at the Philippine Academy for Chess Excellence, located at Mindanao Ave., in Project 6, Quezon City.

Mordido, who made history by becoming the first female player to capture the

Shell National Youth championship in 2017, defeated WCM Mira Mirano in the second round and WIM Catherine Perena-Secopito in the following round keep her perfect record with three wins in as many matches.

The Dasmarinas High School standout debuted with a resounding victory over May Ann Alcantara in the first round last Wednesday.

Equally impressive was Suede, who followed up her marathon first-round

triumph over Natori Biazza Diaz with a sweep of Alcantara and MIrano.

The 3/3 score enabled Mordido and Suede to take a half point lead over WIM Marie Antoinette San Diego and WFM Shania Mae Mendoza going into the fourth round of this 14-player tournament organized by the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, headed by President/Chairman Prospero “Butch” Pichay and supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, led by Chairman William

“Butch” Ramirez.

San Diego halved the point with WIM JAnJodiylN Fronda in the second round late Wednesday and won over Rizalyn Jasmine Tejada in the third round the mornig after.

Mendoza drew with Secopito and won over untitled Samantha Umayan.

Three players—top seed WGM Janelle Mae Frayna, WIM Bernadette Galas and Fronda—share fifth to seventh places with 2/3.

Tan wins 2 titles in Davao Open

First runner-up Man Man Nierra, champion Merwin Tan and JV Flores of the METBA-DAVAO are shown during the awarding of winners at the Kadayawan Bowling Open Championships recently in Davao City.

MERWIN Tan captured two titles in the first METBA-Davao Kadayawan Bowling Open Championships recently at SM Lanang in Davao City.

Tan, 20, under the tutelage of world champion Biboy Rivera, won the Open Masters and Youth Masters’ titles of the tournament participated in by competitive bowlers around the country.

He outclassed Man Man Nierra of ACBIPrima, 216-160, during their step-ladder showdown to win the Open Masters’ title.

Tan qualified for the step-ladder match after accumulating a leading 1621 total pinfalls.

Tan claimedthe Youth Masters’ crown by scoring 203 points against Norel Nuevo’s 197 in the step-ladder match. He made it to the step-ladder event after posting a leading 1627 total pinfalls in the elimination round.

“It was a blessing and I feel accomplished. I will train hard for the up-

coming tournaments. Thank you to the Lord, PBF, PSC, POC, Team Prima, and Coaches for the suppport and guidance,” said Tan, who settled for bronze in the U-22 event of 5th Fukuoka Summer Cup bowling tourney last month.

The PH junior bowler is hoping to sustain his impressive performance at the last part of the year when he represents the country in the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 in Mandaluyong City after his successful performance in various overseas tournaments recently.

Tan is coming off winning gold medals in the 51st Singapore International Open last June and the 20th Asian Youth Tenpin Bowling Championship in Malaysia last May. He also copped the men’s open masters crown of the Philippine International Open in Mandaluyong City in May. The Filipino bowlers are supported by PAGCOR.

Sports

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

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

Yao Ming

China still has a long way to go in Fiba World Cup Kiefer Ravena of the Philippines passes the ball during the Basketball World Cup Group D game between Angola and Philippines in Foshan. AFP

Gilas PH hungry for a victory

By Peter Atencio

G

ILAS Pilipinas will be hungry for a win when they meet Tunisia at 8 p.m. today at the start of the classification round of the FIBA World Cup Basketball 2019 at the Wakesong Sports Arena in Beijing.

The Filipinos are reeling from three straight losses they suffered in Group D, including a heartbreaking 84-81 overtime setback to Angola on Wednesday in Foshan.

“Still disappointed, but at least we had a chance to win the game. It’s kind of frustrating because we can’t make our three-point shots,” said Gilas coach Yeng Guiao.

“Still not enough for us to win and we

had some bad breaks. I felt some bad calls were made on us, especially traveling calls,” said Guiao recalling their game with Angola.

This time, Gilas will try to adjust their outside shooting against Tunisia, which lost a chance to advance to the second round and clinch an Olympic berth following a close 64-67 loss to Puerto Rico on a Gary Browne three-pointer with 5.1 seconds to play.

Tunisia, which managed to pull off one win after three games, comes into the fight loaded with experience.

It will be led by Salah Mejri and Michael Roll.

Tunisia, which was seeking qualification for next year’s Olympics in Tokyo with a victory against Puerto Rico, is now in Group N with Iran, Angola and the Philippines.

“We lost this game. We had a lot of chances in the last five minutes. The game was in our hands. We made mistakes and it happens. It is disappointing because we could have qualified for the Olympics,” said Tunisian coach Mario Palma.

Because of its triumph against Tunisia, Puerto Rico earned a trip to Wuhan for games with Serbia and

Italy in Group J. Former PBA import Renaldo Balkman led Puerto Rico with 14 points and 9 rebounds.

Gilas will be looking for another big game from Andray Blatche, who finished with a game-high 23 points.

Following their win over the Philippines, the Angolans boosted their chances of making it to next year’s FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

The top-ranked Asian team after the classification stage will book a seat in the Olympics, joining Japan, which as host is automatically qualified.

The Filipinos will need to win both against Iran and Tunisia to have a good chance at securing an Olympic berth.

Can, Jaraula storm ahead with 71s

AMERICAN Tarik Can and Reymon Jaraula birdied the tricky par-4 No. 7 on separate flights as they posted two of the tournament-best three oneunder 71s and emerged from a packed leaderboard as co-leaders halfway through the Aboitiz Invitational at Wack Wack’s East course.

Can, who mixed six birdies against the same number of bogeys in his very first tournament play at the fabled layout Wednesday, had almost the same roller-coaster outing (two birdies-two bogeys) at the back yesterday. But after a run of pars he rolled in a bending putt from 20 feet on the seventh which Jaraula later matched from a shorter distance as they broke out of a nine-player logjam to wrest control at 143.

“This course is very difficult to play—tall roughs, combined with occasional strong wind made it tougher today (yesterday),” said Can, who had turned in forgettable finishers in his first two tournaments on the Philippine Golf Tour Asia.

“It was a good thing I was steady from tee to green. Hopefully, I can do the same today,” added the bearded shotmaker, who joined the pro ranks right after college at Augusta State.

Jaraula flashed some kind of consistency in taming the dreaded layout, birdying Nos. 2 and 3 for the second straight day then rebounded from a disastrous double-bogey on No. 4 with that late birdie from eight feet to find himself a

bewildered co-leader for the first time in a mediocre five-year career.

“I didn’t expect to at least gain a share of the lead.

The course is really tough. I just tried to play it safe all the time and avoid being in a difficult position to recover,” said Jaraula, who nevertheless failed to save at least a bogey after an errant drive on No. 4, needing three more shots to reach the green.

Despite Can and Jaraula’s surprise surge, the chase for the top $17,500 remains as tight and unpredictable as ever with at least 11 others within striking distance.

Ira Alido, Rico Depilo and Thai Kammalas Namuangruk matched par 72s for the second straight day to lay just a stroke behind the joint leaders at 144, Aussie Damien Jordan fired the other 71 to fuel his drive for back-to-back victories at 145 in a tie with Nirun Sae Ueng, also of Thailand, who stumbled with a 73.

American Lexus Keoninh hobbled with another late-hole miscue, dropping two strokes on the course’s signature hole—the par-3 8th—on his way home for a 72 and a 146 in a tie with Aussie Tim Stewart and Thai Pasavee Lertvilai, who carded 73 and 74, respectively.

“Toughest par-3 hole to play on when the wind was blowing 40kph,” rued Keoninh. “It’s a brutal and tough course and you just have to stay patient on.”

Tarik Can

SHANGHAI—The knives were out in China on Thursday after the basketball World Cup hosts failed to reach the second round, triggering criticism normally reserved for the country’s woeful football squad.

Chinese basketball boss Yao Ming, an NBA Hall of Famer, was reduced to 7ft 5in of melancholy at the Beijing courtside Wednesday night as China were eliminated 72-59 by Venezuela.

Though not expected to go deep into the tournament, China’s performance was seen as a disappointment, especially since they had been drawn in one of the easiest preliminary groups.

They managed only one win—against lowly Ivory Coast—in their three group games, underlining the challenge faced

by Yao, who took over in 2017 as head of Chinese basketball with plans to revive that nation’s fortunes.

“We have certain advantages in Asia, but when faced with strong European and American teams, we are always at a disadvantage,” said the influential Beijing Youth Daily.

“If Chinese basketball wants to (compete with Europe and the United States) there is still a long way to go.”

Yao, now 38, led China to some of their best showings in global competitions and his NBA success helped fuel basketball’s popularity in China and had raised hopes of a new era which have been dashed.

“The young Chinese men’s basketball team failed to play at the level that they should have, on both defense and offense,” said the national team’s official social media account.

Pressure rises Comments on Weibo, China’s popular answer to Twitter, ranged from disappointed to savage, with some comparing them to the huge nation’s perennially underachieving football team.

“Seeing men’s basketball perform like this, I can understand the men’s football now,” said one posting. “Eliminated at home, it stung.”

Another added: “Please have this group of people return their national team uniforms, make a public self-criticism, and give their report to Yao Ming, the fans and the national team.”

China, ranked 30th in the world, had placed their hopes largely on the shoulders of a towering front court of three seven-footers: veteran Yi Jianlian and relative newcomers Zhou Qi and Wang Zhelin, but the trio failed to dominate.

Basketball and football are China’s most popular sports.

But while China dominate on the court regionally, winning Asian Games gold in Jakarta a year ago, they struggles against the world’s best and have not discovered a successor to trailblazer Yao. Former Houston Rockets star Yao took over as head of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) two years ago and raised hopes with plans to reform an entrenched state development system that he says badly needs an overhaul. AFP

Ramirez: NSAs will get their equipment Alaska Aces, Blackwater Elite swap bigs PHILIPPINE Sports Commmission Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez yesterday raised concern over the procurement of equipment needed for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, but he assured the sports associations that the agency and the Philippine Olympic Committee will work harder to meet their requirements.

“The PSC and the POC, through Cavite Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino have taken steps to ensure that the national sports asso- Ramirez ciations will have their equipment ready for the their hosting of the SEA Games,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez, who is also the country’s Chief of Mission to the biennial Games, and POC chief Tolentino have worked out the mechanisms that assured the sports associations of meeting the technical requirements to ensure the success of the event.

According to Tolentino, the POC will now be in charge of procuring the equipment to be identified by the NSA based on the requirements set

by their respective Asian and International Federations.

“These equipment will be based on the requests of the NSA. The Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) will inform us of the requirement based on the NSA requests to the PSC, which will provide the financial assistance for their purchase,” Tolentino said.

Tolentino also assured that all contracts and purchases will be transparent and will meet the requirements set by the government, including the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management Ramirez, for his part, said government assured all-out support to the SEA Games.

“Government will fund what is needed, especially by the NSA, when they host their respective events,” Ramirez said.

“We have a few months left,” said Ramirez.

“But we have ample time to purchase all the necessary equipment needed by the NSA in hosting their events.”

By Jeric Lopez CONTINUING with their respective shufflings for better campaigns ahead, Alaska and Blackwater swapped big men yesterday in the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Aces sent Carl Bryan Cruz to the Elite in exchange for a much-needed slotman in rookie Abu Tratter.

Cruz is expected to have significant minutes with Blackwater, something he did not have consistently with Alaska.

He already started practicing with Black-

water yesterday.

On the other hand, Tratter will also have an opportunity to be a key contributor in the middle for the Aces, who have lacked ceiling the past few conferences.

This is just one of the few moves that Alaska already did this past month.

The Aces first acquired Maverick Ahamnisi from Rain or Shine, also in a trade, before replacing then coach Alex Compton with Jeff Cariaso.

Alaska is clearly in rebuild mode after its inconsistent campaigns the past few seasons.

La Salle tries to advance with clean slate DE LA Salle Greenhills—A aims to march into the finals with an unbeaten record when it takes on sister team LSGH-B in the semifinals of the Small Basketeers Philippines on Sunday at the Xavier School gym.

Group A elimination round leader LSGH-A, which has a clean 4-0 win-loss record, plays LSGH-B, which placed second in Group B with a 2-1 mark, at 2:15 p.m.

The winner will face the victor in the other semis match between College of San Benildo-Rizal and De La Salle Zobel-Green, which collide at 3:30 pm.

The games are part of the Best Center’s SBP-Passerelee twin tournaments sponsored by Milo and supported by Rain or Shine, Chris Sports and SKLZ. The finals will be on September 15.

Megaworld retains top rating on bonds

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Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

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Inflation slides to 35-month low of 1.7% I

By Julito G. Rada

NFLATION rate in August dropped to a 35-month low of 1.7 percent from 2.4 percent in July, a development that could prompt monetary authorities to further reduce the benchmark interest rates in their meeting later this month.

The Philippine Statistics Authority said Thursday the inflation slowdown was due to slower increases in the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

The August print was the slowest since September 2016 when it reached 1.7 percent. It was also significantly lower than 6.4 percent in August 2018.

This brought the average inflation in the first eight months of 2019 to 3.1 percent within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent set by the government for the year.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said the August inflation was also within the BSP’s forecast range of 1.3 percent to 2.1 percent for the month.

“The latest inflation outturn is consistent with the BSP’s prevailing assessment that inflation will continue to decelerate in the third quarter of 2019 and pick up slightly in the fourth quarter of 2019,” Diokno said.

He said the average inflation would firmly settle within the target range of 2 percent to 4 percent for 2019 to 2021. “Ample domestic food supply conditions along with lower global oil prices have contributed to a manageable inflation environ-

ment,” Diokno said.

He said the deepening trade tensions between China and the US along with ongoing geopolitical risks raised global economic uncertainty which posed a downside risk to the inflation outlook.

“The BSP will continue to keep a close watch over latest economic developments here and abroad to ensure that the monetary policy stance remains consistent with the BSP’s price stability objective while being supportive of economic growth,” Diokno said.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said food inflation, the main culprit for higher inflation in 2018, was the main reason for the sharp deceleration in price trends this year, thanks to new legislation allowing increased imports of the all-important staple of rice.

“The food basket accounts for nearly 32 percent of the entire CPI basket and given its heft, has helped drag inflation below target. Meanwhile, utilities and transport costs have also seen softer price gains given the relatively benign crude oil environment,” Mapa said in a report Thursday.

Unemployment rate steady at 5.4% in July UNEMPLOYMENT rate in July stayed at a 10-year low of 5.4 percent, as more than 2.3 million Filipinos found work over the past 12 months, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.

The figure remained the lowest unemployment rate recorded for all July rounds of the survey since 2009, the PSA said.

The PSA said the employment growth rate increased by 5.7 percent in July, faster than the 1.2-percent growth a year ago.

This translated into 2.3 million additional employment or almost five times the 479,000 jobs generated in the same period last year.

The total number of employed Filipinos reached nearly 43 million in July on account of stronger employment in the services and agriculture sectors.

“While the Philippine economy has shown remarkable improvements in the labor market, the government should continually improve its efforts towards generating more productive and higher quality employment that provides adequate income for Filipino workers and their families,” NEDA Undersecretary for policy and planning Rosemarie Edillon said Thursday.

Edillon said the full implementation of the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act and the reduction of foreign investment restrictions in public utilities, retail trade and domestic-market oriented firms would create more employment opportunities for Filipinos.

Meanwhile, the underemployment rate or the proportion of those already employed but still wanting more work fell to its lowest rate in all July rounds of the survey at 13.9 percent, from a year ago’s 17.2 percent. This translated into a reduction of over a million underemployed workers in July 2019. Julito G. Rada

Work on Tagaytay toll road likely to start early next year—DPWH

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Public Works Department said it expects to start the construction of the P22.4-billion Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway project early next year.

“Hopefully by fourth quarter, we get approval from NEDA [National Economic and Development Authority] Board. Then Swiss Challenge. So we can start [construction] early next year,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

The agency last year granted the original proponent status to Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. for the construction of CTBEX. CTBEX is a 50.4-kilometer expressway that will connect Cavite and Batangas, with a spur road to Tagaytay City and ultimately terminating in Nasugbu and another spur road to Tuy, Batangas.

CTBEX would decongest about 23,000 vehicles daily from existing thoroughfares.

The project will start at Silang East Interchange of the CaviteLaguna Expressway. The alignment will traverse the towns of Silang, Amadeo, Mendez, Alfonso and Tagaytay in Cavite and Nasugbu in Batangas.

MPCALA Holdings Inc., a subsidiary of MPTC is also constructing the P35-billion Cavite-Laguna Expressway―a four-lane, 47-kilometer closedsystem toll expressway connecting Cavitex and South Luzon Expressway.

The expressway will start from Cavitex in Kawit, Cavite and end at SLEX-Mamplasan Interchange in Biñan, Laguna.

Parent Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. is building the NLEXSLEX Connector Road, an 8-kilometer, four-lane toll road linking the North Luzon Expressway and South Luzon Expressway, passing through Metro Manila and using the existing Philippine National Railway alignment as the route.

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Circular No. 1045 Series of 2019

Subject:

Amendments to Minimum Capitalization of Non-Stock Savings and Loan Associations (NSSLAs) and Capital Contributions of Members

The Monetary Board, in its Resolution No. 1168 dated 1 August 2019, approved the amendments to Sections 4106S of the Manual of Regulations for Non-Bank Financial Institutions (MORNBFI) on the minimum capitalization of NSSLAs and capital contributions of members.

Section 1. Section 4106S on Capital of NSSLAs and Subsection 4106S.1 on Regulatory Treatment of Capital Contributions of Members are transferred to Subsections 4106S.1 and 4106S.2, respectively. New Section 4106S and Subsection 4106S.3 are hereby added and its Subsections are amended to read, as follows: Section 4106S Policy Statement. It is the policy of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to ensure that Non-Stock Savings and Loan Associations operate in a safe and sound manner. Towards this end, the Bangko Sentral shall set prudent and appropriate minimum capital adequacy requirements for NSSLAs that is capable to support the NSSLA as a going concern, commensurate to the risk exposures of the NSSLA and provides loss absorption mechanism, for both expected and unexpected losses. § 4106S.1 Minimum capitalization of NSSLAs. The capital of an NSSLA shall comprise of: (1) capital contributions, both fixed capital and capital contribution buffer, (2) retained earnings free, (3) retained earnings reserve, (4) undivided profits, (5) other comprehensive income, and (6) revaluation increment reserves. An NSSLA shall have a minimum capital of P1.0 million. Thereafter, an NSSLA shall maintain a minimum capital that would allow it to comply with the capital adequacy ratio requirement as provided under Section 4116S. § 4106S.2 Capital contributions of members.

Capital contributions represent ownership interest by the members in an NSSLA, including the rights provided in the By-Laws (e.g., voting rights, right to take part in the distribution of the income of the Association, etc.) arising therefrom. As such, it may absorb losses incurred by an NSSLA. Each capital contribution of a member shall consist of fixed and buffer components, as defined hereunder: a.

Fixed capital contributions shall refer to the portion of member’s capital contributions that must be maintained and once increased and recorded, cannot be reduced for the duration of membership except upon termination of membership.

b.

Capital contribution buffer shall refer to the capital contributions in excess of the fixed capital contribution which shall not exceed ten times (10X) thereof.

The capital contribution buffer may be reduced pursuant to the policies set by the Board of Trustees and duly confirmed by majority of the NSSLA’s General Assembly.

Each member must own a capital contribution of an NSSLA which shall be under his name in the books of the NSSLA. The capital contributions of members shall be subject to the following requirements: a.

Minimum amount of fixed capital contributions. Every member of an NSSLA shall be required to contribute a fixed capital of at least P1,000.00, which shall be considered as the minimum capital contribution, unless a higher minimum is prescribed under the NSSLA’s by-laws.

The payment of minimum capital contribution, including entrance or membership fee, as may be determined by the NSSLA concerned, shall be one of the requisites for membership. All payments which fail to meet the minimum amount of capital contribution shall be treated as payables and presented under “other liabilities” account in the financial reporting package.

b.

Ceiling in fixed capital contributions. The total amount that a member may contribute as fixed capital contributions shall be subject to a ceiling which shall be determined by the board of trustees and duly confirmed by the majority of the NSSLA’s general assembly. The prescribed ceiling shall be applied uniformly to all members and without prejudice to Bangko Sentral setting lower or higher ceiling.

c.

Reduction and ceiling of capital contribution buffer. The NSSLA shall establish and prescribe the conditions and/or circumstances when members’ capital contribution buffer may at least be maintained, such as, when the NSSLA is under liquidity stress or is unable to meet the capital-to-risk assets ratio requirement under Sec. 4116S: Provided, That such conditions and/or circumstances shall be disclosed to the members upon their placement of capital contribution buffer and in a manner as may be determined by the Board of Trustees.

The amounts held in excess of the prescribed ceiling on capital contributions buffer (formerly referred as withdrawable capital contributions), i.e., ten times (10X) of fixed capital contributions, as of 22 March 2013 shall be allowed to continue as such but once reduced shall not thereafter be increased beyond the prescribed ceiling.

NSSLA shall encourage their respective members to increase their capital contributions. For this purpose, each NSSLA shall adopt policies and mechanisms towards the attainment thereof. The policies shall include but not limited to the following: a. b. c. d.

capital contribution build up program or schedule of capital contribution; restriction on reduction of capital contribution; ceilings on additional capital contribution; and/or mode and terms of payment.

§4106S.3 Administration of capital contributions of members a.

An NSSLA shall ensure that each member has a capital contribution account representing the member’s capital contribution.

b.

An NSSLA shall issue to its member a member’s ownership document evidencing the member’s capital contribution (e.g., certificate of capital contribution, passbook, etc.). Such document/s shall contain the capital contribution balance of the member with a breakdown showing separately the fixed and capital contribution buffer balances.

c.

For purposes of identifying and monitoring the fixed capital and capital contribution buffer of a member’s capital contribution, NSSLAs shall maintain records/capital contribution account ledger, either in manual or automated form, showing separately the fixed and capital contribution buffer of each member.

d.

The member’s ownership documents and the capital contribution account ledger shall be timely updated whenever transaction affecting the fixed and capital contribution buffer balances occurs.

e.

Receipt of funds from persons not belonging to the well-defined group of an NSSLA is strictly prohibited. In cases of violations pertaining to receipts of funds intended as capital contribution and/or deposits from persons not belonging to the well-defined group of an NSSLA, such funds shall not be considered as capital contributions, as herein defined, and/or deposits, as the case may be, and shall be treated as payables and presented under other liabilities in the financial reporting package.

Section 2. The provisions of Section 4116S on Capital-to-Risk Assets ratio are hereby amended to read, as follows: Section 4116S Capital-to-Risk Assets Ratio. xxx For purposes of computing CAR, the aggregate amount of capital contribution buffer that shall be allowed to form part of an NSSLA’s total capital accounts shall be capped at ten times (10X) the aggregate amount of fixed capital contributions. xxx Section 3. Effectivity. This Circular shall take effect fifteen (15) days from publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

FOR THE MONETARY BOARD:

(Sgd) CHUCHI G. FONACIER Officer-In-Charge 29 August 2019

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Business

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market rises; MPIC gains T HE stock market extended a rally Thursday as investors cheered the low August inflation report that showed the consumer price index dropping to a 35-month low of 1.7 percent from 2.4 percent in July.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 57.33 points, or 0.7 percent, to 7,898.19 on a value turnover of P7.1 billion. Gainers beat losers, 113 to 77, with 53 issues unchanged.

The low august inflation may prompt monetary authorities to further reduce the benchmark interest rates in their meeting later this month.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and elec-

tricity generation, infrastructure and hospitals, climbed 4.8 percent to P5.23, while Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, gained 3.2 percent to P5.18.

Filinvest Land Inc. of the Gotianun Group advanced 3.1 percent to P1.67, while major property developer Ayala Land Inc. added 2.3 percent to P48.50.

Most Asian equities and currencies, meanwhile, rallied Thursday, building on the previous day’s advance as investors were cheered by a number of positive developments on trade, Hong Kong and Europe.

Markets were already on an upward trajectory after the leader of Hong Kong on Wednesday withdrew a controversial extradition bill that had sparked months of sometimes violent protests in the financial hub.

But the good news kept coming as the day wore on, with news that Italy had

formed a new moderate, pro-European government, while British MPs moved closer to passing a law preventing a nodeal Brexit.

Then on Thursday morning, China announced it would resume trade talks with the United States in Washington next month.

Chinese Vice Premier Liu He spoke to US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin by phone Thursday morning, the commerce ministry statement said, and agreed to “work together and take practical actions to create favorable conditions for consultations.”

The announcement provided a small sign of progress in the long-running row that has dragged on the global economy and stock markets.

Asian equities were broadly in positive territory, tracking a healthy lead from Wall Street, where the S&P 500

IN BRIEF

moved to within touching distance of a new record high.

Tokyo ended more than two percent higher and Shanghai jumped one percent, with Sydney 0.9 percent up.

Seoul gained 0.8 percent, Singapore 0.3 percent, and Taipei and Wellington 0.9 percent apiece. Bangkok and Jakarta were also well in positive territory.

However, Hong Kong fell 0.6 percent in the afternoon. Having soared almost four percent Wednesday on the back of Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s shock decision to withdraw the bill, profit-takers moved in, while there was also some concern the offer will not be enough to avert more unrest.

Adding to the positive vibe were comments from China’s cabinet flagging a cut in the amount of cash banks must keep in reserve, a move aimed at releasing more cash into the stuttering economy. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2019

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG FIRST ABACUS MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK VANTAGE

57.95 87.1 2 145.1 25.95 18.6 12 4.9 0.53 750 0.445 70.2 0.94 46.5 185 57.9 28 200 59.9 1.1

57.95 89.9 2.17 146.5 26.2 18.6 12.16 4.9 0.53 750 0.445 70.6 0.95 46.6 187 58 28 202.2 59.9 1.11

57.95 87.1 2 144.2 25.95 18.6 12 4.9 0.53 750 0.445 70 0.94 45.6 185 57.5 27.5 198.2 59.1 1.1

FINANCIALS 57.95 10 89.5 1,912,440 2.17 33,000 145 2,234,940 26 95,800 18.6 1,300 12.1 101,000 4.9 5,000 0.53 4,000 750 10 0.445 40,000 70 3,994,350 0.95 110,000 46 44,100 185.1 67,330 57.95 12,350 27.8 30,800 202 442,420 59.35 51,990 1.11 1,194,000

579.5 169,560,519 69,560 324,844,237 2,495,195 24,180 1,222,622 24,500 2,120 7,500 17,800 280,905,554 104,360 2,037,520 12,463,758 714,989.50 847,610 88,767,305 3,076,423 1,313,850

-28,108,284.50 -42,362,322 -792,605 808,634 -85,746,061 0 439,925 13,090 -407,725.50 528,000 2,375,796 -314,571 -

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

36.8 15.3 0.71 1.31 0.242 2.74 13.76 129.3 10.4 15 32 72.55 82.5 2.03 5.8 9.08 15 9.86 7.23 26.75 83 50.8 2.13 14.72 8.03 1.54 230 5.06 3.4 22.5 13.48 18.8 359.6 0.195 5.25 2.15 4.4 5.12 9.1 2.9 10.82 32.05 5.48 5.1 1.57 1.11 11.88 90 7.1 1.09 167 2.45 1.16 16.14 1.23

37.15 15.48 0.71 1.32 0.246 2.76 13.84 140 11.24 16.1 32 75.7 82.5 2.03 5.95 9.08 15.1 10.04 7.33 26.9 86 51.75 2.2 14.72 8.33 1.57 231 5.2 3.4 22.5 13.78 19 362.6 0.208 5.25 2.18 4.45 5.13 9.1 3.02 10.98 32.8 5.48 5.1 1.68 1.15 11.96 90 7.23 1.1 172 2.45 1.17 16.14 1.25

36.5 15.04 0.69 1.31 0.242 2.6 13.76 110.3 10.24 15 31.9 72 76.1 2 5.8 8.9 15 9.86 7.18 26.2 83 50.6 2.07 14.52 8.03 1.53 228 5.06 3.4 22 13.48 18.68 358.2 0.195 5.25 2.07 4.33 5.06 9.1 2.89 10.82 32.05 5.2 5.1 1.56 1.11 11.82 89.9 7.1 1.07 166 2.45 1.14 16.14 1.22

INDUSTRIAL 36.5 684,700 15.44 1,298,900 0.71 557,000 1.32 7,000 0.246 60,000 2.72 17,278,000 13.84 502,000 118 2,870 11.1 1,126,900 15.9 20,100 31.9 10,600 75.7 770 81 500 2 100,000 5.95 17,400 8.91 587,200 15 38,500 9.91 266,600 7.24 5,652,500 26.8 1,742,700 84 343,620 50.95 177,320 2.19 5,337,000 14.6 3,197,100 8.27 202,400 1.57 21,000 229 477,980 5.06 58,600 3.4 8,000 22.45 31,000 13.7 41,700 18.98 66,600 360 166,330 0.208 60,000 5.25 1,500 2.12 24,801,000 4.45 21,000 5.09 904,500 9.1 1,000 2.91 41,388,000 10.98 72,200 32.4 640,900 5.33 57,700 5.1 5,100 1.67 179,000 1.15 482,000 11.94 341,400 90 475,410 7.23 19,900 1.08 326,000 167 694,020 2.45 5,000 1.17 906,000 16.14 1,000 1.25 1,694,000

25,191,535 20,019,974 390,590 9,180 14,560 46,547,290 6,908,434 333,748 12,434,516 312,394 339,180 55,640.50 38,707 202,210 102,920 5,256,835 577,690 2,651,604 41,040,412 46,576,735 28,934,899 9,054,850 11,348,590 46,718,332 1,668,117 32,480 109,443,366 301,226 27,200 693,315 568,072 1,259,304 59,851,516 11,830 7,875 52,718,370 92,150 4,611,068 9,100 122,750,310 791,828 20,804,630 305,621 26,010 287,780 549,070 4,059,418 42,782,282.50 142,641 354,240 116,558,398 12,250 1,047,280 16,140 2,096,390

-10,432,950.00 1,558,890 10,650 -1,320 787,080 78,022 3,636 16,000 -160,000 -60,590 -3,095,108 342,050 30,814 -24,011,622 -18,979,075 4,525,731.50 4,010,858 399,560 -38,668,326 -513,786.00 -19,832,044 0 98,260 -5,512 916,178 -5,773,262 11,830 9,862,470 87,293 -3,556,720 -14,424,060 -10,880 -2,806,836 -29,482,705 -44,673,223 -14,460 96,100

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

0.9 52.7 12.48 0.81 7 14.52 1.24 1.26 892.5 3.49 6.75 8.9 13.6 4.6 913 6 70 6.5 5.94 5.99 0.495 4.6 14.76 0.65 5.12 0.039 1.35 178 1,027 0.88 1.28 453.8 245 0.231 0.25

0.9 53.3 12.5 0.87 7 14.78 1.27 1.26 914 3.52 6.75 9 13.64 4.6 917.5 6 72 6.5 5.94 5.99 0.495 4.6 15.46 0.65 5.28 0.039 1.38 178 1,033 0.91 1.29 453.8 245 0.231 0.25

0.87 52 12.06 0.78 7 14.2 1.23 1.25 892.5 3.48 6.6 8.9 13.5 4.6 901.5 5.93 69.5 6.5 5.29 5.6 0.485 4.57 14.62 0.62 5.12 0.039 1.32 175.1 1,012 0.85 1.28 453.8 236.8 0.231 0.247

0.88 53 12.1 0.8 7 14.32 1.24 1.26 905 3.48 6.7 8.9 13.5 4.6 912.5 5.93 72 6.5 5.29 5.6 0.495 4.6 15.24 0.65 5.23 0.039 1.38 177.8 1,031 0.88 1.29 453.8 236.8 0.231 0.25

8,468,380 51,403,043 139,909,476 5,053,080 76,300 460,306 2,966,900 1,071,760 272,101,580 6,928,950 4,193,340 33,380,919 197,194 13,800 101,804,180 67,100 74,411,266 13,000 28,276 14,819 68,700 106,534,780 79,581,546 22,650 572,515,200 113,100 269,760 20,136,758 542,261,560 1,177,390 20,560 4,538 834,362 23,100 320,410

2,531,300 -15,324,160 -104,571,122 29,000 567,000 -36,140,850 17,660 461,947 -26,518,398 -67,654 -35,425,685 8,434,528.50 -67,147,780 -962,846 43,385,880 -756,591 298,320,030 2,560 -52,120 -

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

15.3 0.83 1.85 0.9 47.95 2.17 4.66 0.56 0.75 0.89 0.221 0.415 9.5 22 0.46 1.69 1.26 5.3 0.32 0.47 1.42 0.4 2.14 25.45 2.38

15.36 0.85 1.85 0.95 48.5 2.18 4.67 0.56 0.75 0.89 0.231 0.415 9.7 22 0.46 1.71 1.27 5.3 0.325 0.49 1.42 0.4 2.16 25.5 2.38

15.3 0.83 1.84 0.89 47.3 2.16 4.61 0.55 0.74 0.89 0.221 0.4 9.2 21.5 0.455 1.65 1.26 5.14 0.315 0.465 1.38 0.4 2.06 24.3 2.35

PROPERTY 15.34 499,600 0.84 1,151,000 1.84 283,000 0.93 6,847,000 48.5 5,748,900 2.18 221,000 4.63 392,000 0.55 3,061,000 0.74 12,000 0.89 27,000 0.222 1,290,000 0.4 1,190,000 9.69 496,500 21.5 180,800 0.46 970,000 1.67 72,583,000 1.27 89,000 5.18 61,452,300 0.32 8,180,000 0.465 3,260,000 1.4 1,150,000 0.4 10,000 2.06 1,854,000 24.3 2,309,300 2.35 140,000

7,663,048 965,680 522,650 6,315,630 276,659,375 480,520 1,813,160 1,684,600 8,890 24,030 285,550 482,600 4,707,394 3,921,455 445,700 121,594,890 112,880 319,552,883 2,595,850 1,549,650 1,618,420 4,000 3,852,180 56,670,455 332,590

-2,143,898 -87,930 76,829,575 -45,600 350,840 550 203,320 673,964 173,610 -266,800 -33,522,070 -89,100,090 -41,600 -49,400 61,800 -48,318,300 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

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

3.3 34.55 2.4 5.7 0.88 7.68

3.35 34.9 2.49 5.7 0.95 7.72

3.25 34.05 2.29 5.61 0.88 7.63

3.35 34.05 2.49 5.62 0.9 7.72

360,000 9,368,400 2,123,000 57,100 1,507,000 3,097,600

1,185,420 321,039,095 4,992,400 320,962 1,372,970 23,882,657

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

10.36 20.55 1.58 0.61 0.049 2.35 10.38 0.058 97 7.35 6.25 2.26 9.92 1,925 5.37 437 9.78 1.76 2 126 5.1 0.111 5.45 2.88 13.52 3.08 0.91 19 0.45 3.2 2.45 15.14 3.25 2.65 8.4 136.5 3.4 1,133 0.7 0.6 43.75 77.1 9.37 2.9 0.69 0.35 5.45 0.68 16.5

10.58 20.65 1.69 0.62 0.05 2.35 10.74 0.061 97.8 7.39 6.25 2.26 10.2 1,939 5.4 437 9.82 1.87 2 128.5 5.1 0.114 5.52 2.88 13.52 3.12 0.92 19.1 0.45 3.2 2.49 15.14 3.3 2.74 8.42 140 3.58 1,156 0.71 0.64 43.9 78.15 9.4 2.93 0.7 0.37 5.45 0.72 16.8

10.34 20.4 1.5 0.57 0.049 2.32 10.32 0.058 94.2 7.16 6.24 2.26 9.9 1,900 5.32 435 9.76 1.75 2 126 5.06 0.111 5.35 2.86 13.52 3 0.9 19 0.45 3.2 2.44 15.14 3.12 2.65 8.4 136.5 3.4 1,133 0.69 0.59 43.7 77 9.37 2.86 0.68 0.35 5.45 0.68 16.4

SERVICES 10.34 20.4 1.66 0.57 0.05 2.32 10.7 0.058 94.8 7.2 6.24 2.26 9.95 1,900 5.39 435 9.82 1.83 2 127.4 5.06 0.112 5.41 2.86 13.52 3.05 0.92 19.1 0.45 3.2 2.45 15.14 3.16 2.7 8.42 140 3.46 1,140 0.71 0.63 43.8 78 9.4 2.91 0.7 0.365 5.45 0.71 16.8

13,000 239,200 658,000 18,817,000 8,200,000 220,000 2,838,400 58,360,000 122,490 1,198,800 4,100 2,000 85,000 71,855 92,600 350 3,100 2,370,000 5,000 1,470,970 22,900 950,000 2,656,400 15,000 1,000 1,909,000 120,000 39,800 180,000 4,000 589,000 100 4,458,000 425,000 24,500 196,470 5,271,000 130,900 2,522,000 54,313,000 820,100 302,300 47,800 6,858,000 995,000 750,000 966,700 1,766,000 861,000

135,268 4,897,340 1,072,030 11,081,060 404,400 513,080 30,133,572 3,468,610 11,636,584 8,686,259 25,600 4,520 846,521 137,062,335 498,912 152,270 30,352 4,288,160 10,000 187,246,855 116,332 106,050 14,410,504 43,110 13,520 5,779,550 108,600 760,024 81,000 12,800 1,443,670 1,514 14,216,000 1,148,770 205,918 27,260,229 18,303,060 150,117,925 1,782,260 33,805,520 35,918,670 23,405,678.50 449,166 19,903,890 686,120 268,450 5,268,515 1,235,340 14,266,038

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

0.0017 1.25 2.67 11.5 1.15 2.71 0.285 7.86 1.86 0.217 0.11 0.01 1.24 4.8 1.09 0.89 0.012 0.012 0.011 9.25 4.12 10.72 23

0.0018 1.26 2.67 12.2 1.17 2.73 0.285 7.88 1.86 0.22 0.113 0.01 1.24 4.8 1.16 0.9 0.012 0.012 0.011 9.5 4.15 11.24 23

0.0017 1.24 2.56 11.32 1.15 2.71 0.285 7.77 1.68 0.215 0.11 0.0096 1.18 4.47 1.06 0.88 0.012 0.012 0.011 8.91 4.03 10.68 22.6

MINING & OIL 0.0017 19,000,000 1.25 2,218,000 2.56 51,000 12 3,200 1.15 120,000 2.73 332,000 0.285 160,000 7.88 11,000 1.69 60,026,000 0.219 930,000 0.113 2,860,000 0.0096 16,100,000 1.19 1,183,000 4.5 39,179,000 1.09 82,000 0.88 481,000 0.012 1,800,000 0.012 100,000 0.011 3,400,000 9.19 1,805,100 4.06 719,000 10.76 1,341,000 22.8 514,700

32,500 2,764,380 131,170 37,216 140,000 902,850 45,600 86,444 104,248,610 201,450 321,220 160,540 1,412,620 180,414,070 87,820 425,130 21,600 1,200 37,400 16,661,322 2,944,740 14,711,916 11,731,200

628,900 -22,800 16,173,280 -21,420 14,305,730 -26,400 347,084 -34,590 1,548,316 -933,795

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

18.5 500 500 101.2 105.8 495 500 5.2 980 97.25 1 101.3 1,050 1,035 1,039 101.5 108 1.4 990.5 78.95 75.7 76 77.95 76.5 77

19 500 500 101.2 105.8 495 500 5.2 980 98.3 1 101.3 1,050 1,050 1,060 101.5 108 1.4 990.5 78.95 75.7 76 78 76.5 77

18.5 500 498 101 105.8 495 500 5.2 980 97.25 0.99 101.3 1,050 1,035 1,039 101.5 108 1.4 990 78.75 75.5 75.45 77.95 76.5 76.95

PREFERRED 18.7 151,500 500 8,700 498 9,720 101 20,000 105.8 10 495 100 500 470 5.2 22,427,400 980 1,050 97.25 100,180 0.99 1,086,000 101.3 390 1,050 10 1,050 5,575 1,060 3,940 101.5 10 108 500 1.4 2,000 990 8,800 78.85 160 75.7 18,550 75.45 26,800 78 46,380 76.5 140 76.95 15,600

2,845,678 4,350,000 4,848,470 2,022,000 1,058 49,500 235,000 116,622,480 1,029,000 9,742,641 1,075,310 39,507 10,500 5,813,775 4,159,310 1,015 54,000 2,800 8,712,005 12,617 1,401,835 2,024,394.50 3,617,379.50 10,710 1,200,550

-178,282 -975,520 34,650 -20,850 -

LR WARRANT

1.6

1.68

1.52

WARRANTS 1.6 77,000

126,070

MS 9,605,000 972,730 11,444,000 6,081,000 10,900 32,100 2,386,000 851,000 300,450 1,982,000 628,800 3,740,400 14,500 3,000 111,590 11,300 1,040,820 2,000 5,200 2,500 140,000 23,204,000 5,250,700 36,000 109,882,000 2,900,000 199,000 114,110 526,530 1,335,000 16,000 10 3,520 100,000 1,290,000

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

6.01 10.5 0.97

6.32 11.2 0.99

6.01 9.7 0.96

FIRST METRO ETF

117.7

118.6

117.5

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

11,788,993

INDUSTRIAL

115,005,656

HOLDING FIRMS

184,511,024

PROPERTY

193,614,852

SERVICES

205,750,539

MINING & OIL

152,585,489

GRAND TOTAL

869,684,143

SME

6.29 11.06 0.97

848,400 2,976,300 2,596,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.6 6,800

5,256,752 31,232,702 2,522,650 803,271

-154,279,805.00 46,800 -7,041,058 -28,050 -241,160.00 2,587,960 174,000 -4,901,505 -210,914 -14,910 -57,832,985 -447,080 -14,443,217 -5,550 -507,149 -3,738,270 111,020 -2,740 0 -423,390 -55,254,435 -11,210 970,560 -13,635,965 7,700,168.50 -376,940 -1,569,370 -44,145 1,617,044

-718,540 -83,632 -27,100 -

VALUE 1,815.71 (up) 10.56 1,021,464,178.87 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,893.05 (up) 20.17 1,274,047,640.53 HOLDING FIRMS 7,904.93 (up) 63.99 2,172,257,343.61 PROPERTY 3,989.42 (up) 38.10 SERVICES 1,576.68 (up) 12.99 1,346,435,022.45 MINING & OIL 9,377.37 (down) 356.50 917,028,973.21 PSEI 7,898.19 (up) 57.33 337,587,413.5536 All Shares Index 4,774.28 (up) 20.51 7,108,637,410.56 Gainers: 113; Losers: 77; Unchanged: 53; Total: 243

Shell building hydrogen plant

PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. said it teamed up with Air Liquide Philippines Inc. to build an integrated hydrogen manufacturing facility at the 110,000-barrel-per-day Shell refinery in Batangas City.

Pilipinas Shell and Air Liquide held the groundbreaking on August 29 for the firstof-its-kind facility, which aims to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the refinery.

“We’ve embarked on a partnership that will capitalize on the strength and expertise of both parties―Pilipinas Shell in the oil industry and Air Liquide’s 117 years of experience in the industrial gas space,” said Paolo Barredo, Pilipinas Shell Refinery’s business opportunity and business development manager.

“This partnership will develop the capability to produce hydrogen which enables the refinery to process more crude oil varieties into more quality fuels. We expect to complete the project by end 2020 and reap the benefits from this venture starting 2021,” Barredo said. Alena Mae S. Flores

Megaworld retains top rating on bonds MEGAWORLD Corp. maintained the top PRS Aaa rating for its P12-billion bonds issued two years ago.

Philippine Rating Services Corp.assigned its highest rating to the said security on the back of the property company’s robust liquidity, sound capitalization, strong management and favorable industry outlook.

The P12-billion Series B fixed-rate bonds were priced at 5.3535 percent per annum and will mature in 2024.

The company made an initial offer of P8 billion upon announcing the debt raising activity. It said that with the strong demand from a wide spectrum of investors ranging from individuals in the retail market to banks, investment funds, pension funds, insurance companies and other corporates, P4 billion oversubscription option was also exercised.

Obligations rated PRS Aaa are of the highest quality with minimal credit risk and indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong. Jenniffer B. Austria

Traders to continue importing cement CEMENT importers said they will continue to bring in the commodity to fill the annual shortfall in the country despite the Trade Department’s imposition of definitive safeguard duty on imports.

Philippine Cement Importers Association president Napoleon Co said Thursday the country could never do away with imports “as long as local supply is lacking.”

“Imports are not due to any price competitions. It is the inability of local plants to produce enough for the country’s cement needs,” he said.

Cement shortfall is expected to reach 6 million metric tons this year as local manufacturers could only provide as much as 30 million MT. In 2018, demand hit 34 million MT while local plants produced only around 28 million MT, prompting importers and cement manufacturers alike to import the item.

Co said the importation would continue to increase in the future if no new plant would be built. Othel V. Campos

China Bank plans to raise P15b from tier 2 capital notes

By Julito G. Rada CHINA Banking Corp., the seventhlargest lender in terms of assets, plans to raise up to P15 billion through the issuance of peso-denominated tier 2 capital notes mainly to fund its expansion program.

“Please be informed that during the regular meeting held this afternoon, 04 September 2019, our board of directors approved for the bank to conduct a capital-raising exercise of up to P15 Billion in the form of PHP-denominated Tier 2 Capital Notes, subject to approval by the appropriate regulatory authorities,” the bank told the stock exchange Thursday.

“The proceeds of this issuance will be used to support the bank’s strategic initiatives and expansion programs,” it said.

The bank in the middle of this year successfully raised P30 billion through the maiden issuance of peso fixed-rate bonds. Six times oversubscribed, it was one of the largest corporate bond issuances on a single issuance in the market and had the most number of registered bondholders to date.

China Bank remains one of the largest lenders in the country. Its net income in the first half rose 18 percent to P4.2 billion year on year driven mainly by strong loans and deposits.

Net income jumped 27 percent in the the second quarter on year.

China Bank president William Whang said the bank’s strong financial performance in the first half reflected its good fundamentals that provided the foundation for sustainable growth.

He said the sustained loans and deposits build-up and greater contribution from fee-based businesses resulted in improved earnings, which translated into a year-on-year return on equity of 9.45 percent and return on assets of 0.95 percent.

World

B3

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Man killed over kidnapping rumors

NEW DELHI―Indian police said Thursday that five people had been arrested for lynching a man after accusing him of kidnapping children, the latest in a renewed string of attacks fueled by malicious rumor-mongering.

Some 150 people have been attacked recently across the country based on false kidnapping reports, some of them shared on WhatsApp, leaving authorities in a fix.

Since August 1, at least nine people have died and 135 others injured in mob attacks, according to figures collated by local media.

Police said in the latest incident a mob set upon the 45-year-old man in eastern Jharkhand state late Tuesday, thrashing him with sticks and shoes.

“The rumour was going around in the village about child lifters roaming in the area.

We have arrested five persons in the case,” senior local police officer Prabhat Kumar told AFP by telephone.

The attack came on the heels of six persons being thrashed in the same state on Monday.

A pregnant deaf and mute woman was also attacked in New Delhi in late August, with the mob wrongly believing she was involved in kidnapping.

Lynchings are nothing new in India, but the spread of smartphones to even the most remote corners has enabled rumors to be shared at lightning speed and in huge volumes.

The spate of attacks related to hoaxes about child abduction began last year, prompting WhatsApp to roll out new safeguards—including limiting the number of users a message can be forwarded to. AFP

Wooden Allen film given big stage

DEAUVILLE, France―Woody Allen’s new romantic comedy “A Rainy Day in New York” will open the American Film Festival in the French resort of Deauville on Friday, giving the film, whose release was canceled in the US, a major European stage.

Amazon, which had agreed to distribute the film in the United States, dropped it over allegations that the Oscar-winning director abused his daughter.

But Bruno Barde, director of the Deauville festival, which was launched in 1975 as a celebration of American cinema, has praised the feature as a “very energetic, very funny film”.

“Woody Allen is in top form. It’s a romantic cross-over that could have been written by (18th-century French playwright Pierre de) Marivaux,” Barde said in August of the romcom, which stars Timothee Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Selena Gomez and Jude Law. Allen has been accused of molesting Dylan Farrow, his adopted daughter, when she was seven years old in the early 1990s.

He was cleared of the charges, first leveled by his then partner Mia Farrow, after two separate investigations, and has steadfastly denied the claim. But Dylan, now an adult, maintains that she was abused.

Her brother Ronan Farrow revived the allegations on the day the Cannes film festival opened in 2016 with Allen’s “Cafe Society”.

In February, Allen filed a $68 million (60 million euros) lawsuit against Amazon for breach of contract, accusing it of acting on a “baseless” accusation. AFP

1.7-m hectares lost to fire in Bolilvia

LA PAZ―Wildfires raging in Bolivia’s forests and grasslands since May have destroyed 1.7 million hectares, officials said Wednesday, amid an $11-million effort by the government to contain them.

Environmentalists blame laws enacted under leftist President Evo Morales, who has encouraged the burning of forest and pasture land to expand agricultural production, while the government attributes the blazes to dry weather and winds.

“Of the fires that have occurred, 41 percent are in protected areas and 30 percent are in forests,” Cinthia Asin, environmental minister for the eastern region of Santa Cruz told the press, updating the amount of land burned to 1.7 million hectares.

Santa Cruz is the hardest hit of Bolivia’s departments since the fires began in May and intensified in late August.

Much to environmentalists’ chagrin, Bolivia’s government recently authorized farmers to burn 20 hectares (almost 50 acres) instead of the usual five hectares (12 acres) —which is believed to have contributed to thousands of wildfires.

Asin said that over the first days of September, 751 new fires blazed, mostly in forested areas, leading Santa Cruz officials to believe that humans had started the conflagrations to clear farmland.

Separately, the Bolivian government reported that it was continuing its land and air efforts to extinguish the fires. AFP

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

Britain’s Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, accompanied by her father, Britain’s Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, her mother, Britain’s Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and her brother, Britain’s Prince George of Cambridge, arrives for her first day of school at Thomas’s Battersea in London on September 5, 2019. AFP

HK leader Lam calls for a dialogue An agonizing H wait for news ONG KONG―Hong Kong’s leader Thursday urged pro-democracy protesters to end their demonstrations after her surprise decision to bow to one of their key demands was condemned as too little, too late.

Carrie Lam, the city’s pro-Beijing chief executive, surprised many on Wednesday when, after three months of rallies, she suddenly announced she was scrapping a hugely unpopular extradition law.

Millions of people have taken to Hong Kong’s streets since June in the biggest challenge to China’s rule of semi-autonomous Hong Kong since its handover from the British in 1997.

The protests were sparked by a proposed bill allowing extraditions to the authoritarian mainland but as Beijing and Lam refused to budge the movement morphed into a broader campaign calling for democratic reforms and police accountability.

On Wednesday evening Lam released a video message saying she was scrapping the bill entirely, a key demand of protesters.

At a press conference on Thursday, Lam continued her newfound conciliatory tone, saying her decision to fully

withdraw the bill was an attempt “to help prevent violence and stop chaos as soon as possible, resume the social order and help our economy and people’s livelihood to move forward”.

“It is obvious to many of us that the discontentment in society extends far beyond the bill,” she added, saying she recognized that anger over inequality and the government had spiraled and needed to be solved.

She renewed her appeal for protesters to enter into a dialogue with her administration and called on moderate protesters to abandon their more militant allies who have frequently clashed with riot police over the last 14 weeks.

But there is little sign her belated concession will end protests of heal divisions in the international financial hub.

Hong Kong’s protests are leaderless and organized through social media, encompassing a vast swathe of the city, from moderates to more radical groups.

THUNDERSTORM IN PANAMA. Lightning strikes during a thunderstorm in Panama City on September 04, 2019.

Angry residents send wind industry spinning BERLIN―Wind power is a key pillar in Germany’s ambitious renewables transition plan, but the sector has struck strong resistance, forcing the Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to open talks on the crisis on Thursday.

After years of breakneck growth in capacity and uptake that has seen wind power delivering a fifth of Germany’s total energy production, vocal “not-inmy-backyard” opposition by residents and a lack of government support have seen investments shrink in the sector.

More than 600 citizen initiatives have sprung up against the giant installations, with a district called Saale-Orla even offering 2,000 euros to anyone taking action to get expert opinions opposing wind farms.

The far-right AfD party, branding itself as the climate-skeptic outfit, had seized on the topic during state elections in Brandenburg, saying it stands by residents steamrollered by wind energy corporations.

Against the backdrop of bitter divi-

Since Lam’s announcement on Wednesday evening there has been uniform condemnation across the protest spectrum with activists vowing to keep up their campaign.

At a “citizens press conference” on Wednesday evening―a useful gauge of the youth-led wing on the front lines at rallies―an unidentified woman wearing a mask and helmet rejected the concession.

“If Carrie Lam had withdrawn the bill two months ago, that may have been a quick fix,” she said. “But applying a band-aid months later on to rotting flesh will simply not cut it.”

Online forums used by protesters have filled with calls for new rallies― including plans on Saturday to disrupt transport links to the city’s airport, a major regional aviation hub.

More moderate pan-democrat lawmakers have also rejected the concession and even some pro-establishment figures within Lam’s camp have said the bill withdrawal will not do enough to curb public anger.

Beyond calls to scrap the extradition bill, protesters had four core demands: an inquiry into police conduct, an amnesty for anyone arrested, a retraction of the label “rioters” to describe protesters and universal suffrage―the last a major red line for Beijing. AFP

sion, expansion in Germany’s wind power production capacity plunged in 2018 to half that in 2017 as companies struggled to obtain permission to build.

And only a few dozen new turbines were installed since the beginning of this year, down 82 percent from a year ago, said Germany’s Wind Energy Association (BWE).

And repeatedly every quarter, official tenders for electricity production have returned undersubscribed―a “worrying” trend, said the Federal Network Agency.

“With regard to the expansion of onshore wind power, Germany has moved from the fast to the breakdown lane,” said Achim Derck, president of the German Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK).

For BWE president Hermann Albers, the implication is clear -- “this development calls into question the success of Germany’s energy transition.”

Market players said the tipping point came in 2016 when Germany amended

its Renewable Energy Act. After almost two decades of providing subsidies to prop up the nascent sector, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government decided that the industry was now sufficiently mature and began withdrawing support.

With obtaining building permits often taking years thanks to stubborn local opposition, projects took even longer to recoup costs, also shifting the calculation by firms whether to invest.

In the months following the 2016 amendment, the wind power sector shed 26,000 jobs in Germany, more than in the dwindling coal industry, according to figures provided by the Bundestag, Germany’s lower parliament.

“We have sounded the alarm, but why the German government has chosen to go down this path remains a mystery to this day,” said BWE head Albers, who feels that Berlin had put too much “emphasis on costs” in the transition to green energy. AFP

AFP

of family in the Bahamas

NASSAU―In the hurricane-battered Bahamas, seeing is believing when it comes to knowing loved ones are safe.

“The only way we have to know that people are OK is seeing them walk out,” said Martysta Turnquest.

The 25-year-old is prepared to wait all day at the Nassau airport to welcome her mother or her aunt, evacuated from Grand Abaco, one of the worst-hit islands in the Bahamas during Hurricane Dorian.

In the private section of the international airport, rounds of helicopters heading north towards the devastated areas have been flying since Wednesday morning. In front of a hangar, ambulances wait to transport wounded survivors, who arrive at a snail’s pace, to local hospitals.

Turnquest and her two cousins eagerly search the arriving faces for a familiar one.

The three students only recently moved to Nassau, the archipelago’s capital, and have had almost no news of their friends and family in Treasure Cay since the Category 5 storm bore down on the islands Sunday.

“All that we have―that we had―is on that island. We have nothing left,” said Turnquest’s cousin Meghan Bootle, 21.

“We have a few injured people that are trying to get out of Abaco,” said Raevyn, Bootle’s sister.

“Those who are healthy will have to wait to be evacuated,” the 18-year-old added.

Any contact with people still in the affected areas has been sporadic and short, with only satellite telephones working, and connection spotty at best.

“Last night, Raevyn and Meghan’s mother had to call our aunt who lives in Washington state, who had to call back to Nassau and tell us,” said Turnquest. AFP

UK Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans in tatters after stinging defeats LONDON―British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s hard-line Brexit strategy stood in tatters on Thursday after a humiliating week left him without a working majority but unable to call an election.

His supporters ended a night-long filibuster in the upper House of Lords when the government gave up trying to block a measure designed to stop a nodeal Brexit by forcing Johnson to seek a delay if he fails to reach an agreement with Brussels.

The opposition said they should now be able to pass the bill―which he has branded a “surrender document”―before he suspends parliament for over a month next week.

“Govt commits to allowing [the draft legislation] to complete all stages in course of Thurs & Friday―with the bill then going back to the Commons for any further consideration on Mon-

day,” the main opposition Labour Party tweeted in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The lower House of Commons fasttracked the legislation on Wednesday and then blocked Johnson’s call for an early election that he wants held on October 15.

Labour said it will only back the snap poll once it makes sure Johnson is unable to follow through on his threat to take Britain out of the EU with no deal by the October 31 Brexit deadline .

Parliament has now dealt Johnson a rapid series of stinging defeats that have left him a weakened leader just six weeks into his term.

The splintered country still stands no closer to finding out how or when― or even if―it will leave the European Union more than three years after the original Brexit vote.AFP

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

B4

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

IN SEASON. A woman arranges Christmas decorations at the Natural Arts Flowers and Decors exhibit and show room in Tayuman, Tondo, Manila, where entrepreneurs offer Christmas decoration arrangement for hotels and other business establishments. Norman Cruz

Isko inks curfew measure

By Vito Barcelo

M

ANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso warned Thursday the city government will file charges against parents who will ignore curfew hours for minors in the capital city and will take custody of children who would be caught loitering its streets from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Domagoso signed the memorandum implementing City Ordinance No. 8547, establishing protection and discipline hours for children and wards in Manila.

He said parents of minors aged 15 to 17 caught roaming the streets of Manila during the curfew hours would be fined P2,000 and face one month imprisonment.

Parents of minors aged 13 to 14 would

be penalized P3,000 with three months’ imprisonment, while parents of children aged 12 and younger would face six months in jail and pay a P5,000 fine.

“The city government, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, will take custody of the minors while their parents are serving their term in prison,” Domagoso said.

“We have to put order in the streets of Manila,” the mayor added in an interview.

Under the memorandum, individuals below 18 years old are prohibited from loitering, wandering or standing by in public areas within Manila from 10 to 4.

The memorandum cited that police reports and statistics showed that breach of peace and order of the city at this time are caused by minors roaming around the city.

Domagoso ordered all barangay officials to strictly implement City Ordinance No. 8547, and instructed members of the Manila Police District to follow the order.

Moreno said barangay officials who would not follow the ordinance might

also face administrative charges.

“We need to discipline our children.

We have to care for these children not only because we are required by law, but morally as a parent, we have to care for these minors,” the mayor said.

Meanwhile, elderly and persons with disabilities (PWDs) living in Manila now have the chance to work in restaurants in the city after the city government and Golden Arches Development Corp. (McDonald’s Phils) signed an agreement to employ them.

According to the agreement, McDonald’s will hire at least three qualified applicants, including two elderly individuals and one PWD, in each store as temporary employees for six months.

BARMM MILG backstops LGUs

Gov. Dennis Pineda encourages parents, teachers, health workers, and local officials to advocate the safety of HPV vaccines, then joins DOH Assistant Secretary Maria Francia Laxamana (inset) and other officials in leading the ceremonial vaccination.

By Nash B. Maulana COTABATO CITY―The Bangsamoro transitional government is building stronger ties with the region’s local government units as it trumpets moral governance in addressing roots of corruption.

Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s Ministry of the Interior and Local Government said huge resources were being wasted because local governance is hardly backed by capable officials and administrators.

“Until we are able to capacitate our LGUs with trained and capable individuals, huge government resources from their shares of the internal revenue allocations, are and will ever be put to waste,” Sinarimbo said in Tuesday’s press briefing dubbed Kapihan sa Bangsamoro at the BARMM-READi (Rapid Emergency Assistance to Disaster Incidents) Conference Room here.

At least two local government operations officers (LGOO levels II and V) will be trained, quizzed and hired by the BARMM MILG for each of the region’s 123 municipalities, three cities, and five provinces, he added.

Speaking for Bangsamoro Chief Minister Hadji Murad Ebrahim as his concurrent spokesperson, Sinarimbo said BARMM is defining its thrust of “moral governance,” by establishing stronger working relations with LGUs for development efforts and a continuing struggle against corruption, among other things.

Calabarzon posts most car crashes

Pampanga asks kids, parents to trust vaccines THE Pampanga provincial government is strengthening its health infrastructure and disease prevention programs by bolstering confidence in vaccines to protect children and adolescents from vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, tetanus, diphtheria, and cervical cancer.

Through the multi-sectoral efforts of the Department of Health-Central Luzon Center for Health Development, Department of Education, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, Pampanga kicked off the DOH’s “Balik Tiwala sa Bakuna” School-based Immunization program.

The event was held at Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando City.

One of the consequences of declining vaccine confidence is the outbreak of measles in the Philippines,

with a reported 28,362 measles cases including 389 deaths as of April this year.

In Pampanga, a total of 601 cases of measles was reported in 2018, with a morbidity rate of 14. This year, the local numbers increased to 1,615 reported cases, with 35 deaths recorded as of June 2019. Other vaccinepreventable diseases include tetanus and diphtheria.

Pampanga reported four deaths due to tetanus and one fatality caused by diphtheria in 2019.

In joining the fight to protect women from cervical cancer, in which 99 percent of cases are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), the Pampanga provincial government has also committed to broaden and increase the HPV immunization coverage among grade 4 girls aged 9 to 14 years old under the DOH SBI program for public schools.

THE Makati City government is hosting this year’s council meeting of the United Cities and Local GovernmentsAsia Pacific from Sept. 5 to 6 at the Discovery Primea on Ayala Avenue.

Makati Mayor Abby Binay said a one-day disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) forum aimed to develop solutions to problems that threaten the sustainability of cities will also be held during the event.

Binay said the city is honored to host this year’s annual meeting, which has gathered local chief executives and urban planners in the Asia-Pacific region.

Around 190 guests are expected to attend the two-day event, including Eun Chul Lee, Ambassador of International Affairs of Daejeon, Korea; Peter Woods, Ambassador of UCLGASPAC; government leaders; development actors; and other stakeholders from the region.

The mayor said the event aims to strengthen the collaboration among local government leaders in the region, identify regional and country DRRM frameworks and strategies, analyze challenges and opportunities of a resilient city, and identify approaches for effective post-disaster reconstruction and rehabilitation.

During the council meeting, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Regional Office for Asia-Pacific will discuss the current developments of their office and the UCLG-ASPAC in integrating the Sendai Framework for DRR into local DRR strategies.

The Sendai Framework for DRR 20152030 focuses on disaster risk management, a shift from the previous Hyogo framework, which was centered on disaster management. It emphasizes the significance of strengthening risk governance to effectively and efficiently identify, assess, and manage disaster risks.

Guided by the theme, “Building Sustainable and Resilient Cities,” Binay said the DRRM forum will offer new insights to participants since some of the resource speakers are mayors of cities that had been devastated by disasters.

The mayor said this conference is important because other cities can learn from the experiences of other local government leaders in the region who have effectively and efficiently responded to calamities.

False paper raps vs. Iloilo dads

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Calabarzon region has registered the most number of transport vehicle crashes and road injury occurrences in the country at 2,386 over the last quarter of 2018, the Department of Health reported Thursday.

Citing figures of its Online National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (ONEISS) from the period Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2018, the DOH said Calabarzon—composed of the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon—had 16.5 percent of the total vehicle crashes in the country.

Central Visayas (Region VII) followed with 2,125 cases (14.7 percent) and the National Capital Region (NCR) had 1,556 (10.8 percent), the ONEISS data showed.

This is the reason why the DOH in Calabarzon conducted the second Road Safety Management seminar for local government units.

Makati hosts ASPAC LGU DRR forum

By Alena Mae S. Flores

ART-IC HUENIVERSE. Kids are all smiles underneath falling confetti as they sit beside polar bears reimagined in ART-ic HUEniverse, a colorful art installation by young and talented artists from Guhit Pinas Bulacan Chapter at SM City Baliwag.

A joint project of SM’s North Luzon Malls, the World Wildlife Fund, and Boysen, the event hopes to create awareness of the plight of animals in the arctic, especially polar bears, because of climate change. The exhibit will also be mounted at SM City Marilao, SM Center Sangandaan, SM City Valenzuela, and SM Center Pulilan.

THE Department of Justice has called on Iloilo City councilors Joshua Alim and Plaridel Nava to answer the anti-graft charges filed by Panay Electric Co. (Peco).

Peco accused Alim and Plaridel for allegedly using falsified documents to mislead both Senate and the House of Representatives and thwart the franchise renewal of Peco.

Alim, however, said he filed a motion for extension of time for 15 days because he only received the copy of the complaint and subpoena on September 3 and were required to submit on September 4.

“It’s impossible for us to do it,” Alim said.

In a filing before the DOJ, Peco administrative head Marcelo Cacho alleged that Alim and Nava used 27,000 fake signatures of Iloilo residents that paved the way for the non-renewal of its franchise.

Also included in the complaint was self-styled consumer advocate Jane Javellana, who also allegedly helped forged the said signatures.

Cacho said the persons involved jeopardized the supply of electricity to Iloilo City due to the use of falsified documents in Congress.

Life

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

YOUNG LIFE

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

C1

T

OKYO, Rio, Denver, Nairobi, Helsinki, Palermo, Stockholm, Bogotá, Marseille, Lisbon.

These are not just the cities across the globe, but the colorful and intriguing members of the band of robbers led by the detail-oriented and cool and collected Professor.

The Spanish crime drama series La Casa de Papel, internationally known as Money Heist, has swept the online streaming world one—or perhaps a thousand—Dalí mask at a time. By 2018, it became the most watched non-English series and one of the most watched series overall on Netflix.

Now, you might not have the skills, the drive, and the character of the heroes—or villains, depends on how you perceive them—you can still be “part of the band” as you sing “Bella Ciao” in the iconic red jumpsuit from Diesel.

The Italian clothing label collaborates with Netflix and La Casa de Papel to launch a capsule collection featuring the characters of the Part 3 of the hit series.

The “multi-layered partnership” resulted in a collection of T-shirts, pullovers, hoodies, and the red jumpsuit which was recreated by Diesel’s design team.

In redesigning the jumpsuit, Diesel blended its longstanding utility-based heritage with the aesthetic of La Casa de Papel. The red color ultimately bonds Diesel, Netflix, and La Casa De Papel as the hue features prominently in the branding and identity of all three entities.

The whole capsule is characterized by bold graphics displaying the characters’ names and the Dalí mask, with a main color palette of black, white, and red. The collection is now available at select Diesel stores worldwide and on diesel.com.

Put on your jumpsuit and mask, and get ready for the next heist.

In the Philippines, Diesel is located at Power Plant Mall, Tutto Moda in Shangri-La Plaza Mall, and 158 Designer’s Blvd. in Greenbelt 3.

WE ARE THE RESISTANCE.

Italian clothing brand Diesel teams up with Netflix and the hit Spanish crime drama series 'La Casa de Papel' to bring a capsule collection featuring the iconic red jumpsuit—reimagined by the brand's design team—as well as T-shirts, hoodies, and pullovers displaying the Part 3 characters' names and the Dalí mask.

Are you ready for the next

heist?

Talk to the watch

Leading fitness tracker brand Fitbit adds a new member to its growing wearables family—the first on-device microphone-enabled Versa 2.

FITNESS trackers just got a whole lot smarter with the launch of Fitbit Versa 2, an update of the brand’s bestselling smartwatch which is now voice-enabled and packed with more advanced health and lifestyle features.

Equipped with Fitbit’s first on-device microphone, Versa 2 is the first smartwatch from the wearable brand with Alexa Built-in.

With just a press of a button, users can speak into the microphone and ask for Alexa’s help to set alarms and timers, check the local weather and news, start a Fitbit Exercise, find the nearest gym, control smart home devices, and more.

Alexa responds to voice commands on Versa 2 with discreet, silent on-screen text responses— so you can keep the conversation between you two.

Joining Alexa, Fitbit is also bringing the Spotify app experience to Versa 2, allowing Spotify Premium subscribers to control playback, change playlists, like songs, and switch music output on-the-go.

Making life simpler and easier, the smartwatch comes with more smart features like notifications that lets wearers view notifications. Android phone users get more as they can use Versa 2’s on-device microphone to reply to texts and notifications.

Proving to be a valuable compan-

ion day in and out, the updated Versa smartwatch now comes with more ondevice sleep features.

Sleep Score provides insights into the wearer’s sleep quality based on heart rate, restlessness, time awake, and

Versa 2 is Fitbit's first smartwatch with Alexa Built-in.

Sleep Stages. Smart Wake, which will be available to all Fitbit smartwatches, uses machine learning to wake wearers during an optimal time of their sleep cycle while in light or REM sleep, based

on a pre-selected 30-minute interval.

Sleep Mode, on the other hand, disables screen display and silences notifications for a night free of disturbances.

It can also be used anytime you don’t want to be interrupted.

Also coming soon, the Estimated Oxygen Variation Graph provides users with an estimate of the variability of oxygen levels in their bloodstream, which may indicate variations in breathing during sleep.

“Building on the success of our original bestselling Versa smartwatch, we believe the added value and innovation in Versa 2 with new features like Alexa, Spotify app, and advanced in-app and on-device sleep features will bring more users into the smartwatch category, allowing them to unlock the benefits of better health,” said James Park, co-founder and chief executive officer of Fitbit.

It is powered by a faster processor for better performance, and features a onebutton design, larger AMOLED display, and 5+ days battery life.

Versa 2 will roll out on October 3 with a P12,890 price tag (black with carbon case, petal with copper rose aluminum case, stone with a mist gray case). The special edition (navy and pink with copper rose aluminum case, smoke and mist gray case) is priced at P14,590.

Building blocks

to uncover potential AN EXHIBITOR in the upcoming No Place Like Home: Philippine Homeschool Convention 2019 at SMX Convention Center in SM Aura will help kids uncover their potential in basic scientific principles and complex subjects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). e2 Young Engineers has been providing enrichment programs in STEM for thousands of children around the world with its unique “edutainment” curricula. It aims to equip the future generations of engineers and scientists with the necessary skill sets to succeed in the new information-based and highly technological society.

By using unique LEGO and K’nex assembly kits designed by the company, scientific principles are demonstrated in a fun way.

Several enrichment modules are available for kids as young as 4 years old.

Big Builders, for pre-school and kindergarten students, offers unique

alternative learning enrichment program. It introduces scientific concepts through hands-on experiential learning.

Bricks Challenge, suitable for Grades 1 to 5, uses stories and LEGO building blocks to teach theoretical and applied principles of STEM. Galileo Technic, for Brick Challenge graduates, is an advanced enrichment program providing handson experience that will prepare students for the future.

Robotics, for Grades 6 to 9, lets learners explore the world of robotics from a professional engineering perspective.

Robo Bricks, for Grades 4 to 6, lets students assemble fully functioning robots that will perform a predetermined task.

e2 Young Engineers provide enrichment programs using unique LEGO and K'nex assembly kits.

Bricks Challenge uses stories and LEGO building blocks to teach theoretical and applied principles of STEM.

C2

Entertainment

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

nickie.standard@gmail.com

INTERNATIONAL

Jude Law’s Young Pope to sport itsy bitsy papal trunks

From left: HOOQ’s Sheila Paul, AVIA’s Clare Bloomfield, iWant’s Elaine Uy-Casipit, Netflix’s Alex Long, and iflix’s Sherwin Dela Cruz

iWant joins Netflix, other streaming platforms sign global self-regulation code

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IRST Filipino streaming service iWant has signed the ASEAN Subscription Video-on-Demand Industry Content Code, joining other platforms in the region such as Netflix, HOOQ, iflix, Malaysia’s tonton, Astro, and dimsum, and Thailand’s DOONEE. By signing the Content Code, iWant reinforces its commitment to keeping its content authentic, free from hate speech, hate crimes, pornography, and other forms of inappropriate content.

According to iWant head Elaine Uy-Casipit, “We are honored and thrilled to unite with other distinguished streaming platforms in the region in this pledge to create and produce socially responsible content, which has always been the top priority of iWant as the Philippines’ first local streaming platform.”

She carried on, “Aside from providing high-quality

entertainment that resonates with Filipinos, we want to make sure that our users are able to access and watch video content that matches the viewing preferences of every member of the family.”

The Content Code, developed in 2017 and officially released in June 2018, is a self-regulatory framework that aims to ensure the commitment of online streaming services in the ASEAN region to uphold the interests of their users by providing content that does not infringe copyright and does not promote pornography, violence, terrorism, and hate crimes.

The code also aims to protect minors from accessing age-inappropriate and sensitive content, empowers users and their families to choose video content that suits their needs, interests, passions, and values, and serves to distinguish legitimate services from pirate sites.

“We are delighted to welcome another Online Curated Content (OCC) provider signing up to the code.

Self-regulation of this industry was first discussed in September 2017 at the ASEAN Telecom Regulators Council dialogue, as a way to create pan-ASEAN solutions,” Louis Boswell, CEO of the Asia Video Industry Association (AVIA), the trade association for

the video industry and ecosystem in Asia Pacific, also said.

“Putting in place a code which distinguishes legitimate, responsible content providers from pirated and usergenerated-content platforms gives regulators confidence and consumers control. We are glad to see the momentum of adoption across the region and look forward to seeing more companies join us in this commitment,” Boswell added.

The signing of the Content Code between iWant and AVIA was held on Wednesday (Aug. 28) and was witnessed by partners from Netflix, Alex Long, public policy manager, Asia Pacific; iflix, Sherwin Dela Cruz, country manager; HOOQ, Sheila Paul, country manager and Jeff Remigio, director of content and programming; and AVIA policy and research director Clare Bloomfield.

Since its launch in November 2018, iWant, which boasts the biggest library of Filipino video content, has produced original movies and series month after month —setting itself apart from other streaming platforms and changing the landscape of Filipino entertainment and digital content. It now has 3.8 million app downloads and 13 million subscribers.

BRITISH actor Jude Law will sport nothing but a napkin when he returns to television screens as the Young Pope later this year.

The actor who plays the fictional first American pope in the hit series told reporters at the Venice film festival that it was “the smallest costume I was ever given.”

A sneak preview of the follow-up series to the cheeky Vatican-set story called The New Pope showing in Venice Monday has Law’s hunky pontiff fall into a coma.

He is replaced by the far more austere English pope, John Paul III, played by fellow Hollywood star John Malkovich.

But Law’s Lenny Belardo (aka Pope Pius XIII) eventually comes to, leaving the world’s Catholics with two competing leaders.

Trailers for the series, the brainchild of the Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, already have Law’s risen again pope promenading on Venice’s Lido beach in nothing but a pair of skimpy white trunks.

“You’ll be surprised to know that those swimming trunks actually weren’t the smallest costume I got to wear. There is actually a scene where I was wearing a napkin. It was truly the smallest costume I was ever given,” Law teased reporters. AFP

British actor Jude Law

Pinoy triumphs at tourism and culture pageant in Myanmar MR. PHILIPPINES Yves Campos won the title Mister Tourism & Culture Universe 2019 in the finals night held in Yangon, Myanmar ETON on Saturday.

Campos’ CONCEPCION counterpart Roxanne Baeyens almost made it a double victory celebration for the Philippines after she was named as 1st funner-up in the dual pageant.

The 26-year-old Campos, a native of Cebu City and presently works as a Nurse in Hawaii, was also awarded the Mister Popularity and Best in National Costume with his golden Sarimanok-inspired costume created by Allan Dela Fuente.

Vietnam’s Quach Thanh Lam was named 1st runner-up while Korea’s Donghun Chun was 2nd runner-up, and India’s Ravi Rajput was 3rd runner-up. El Salvador’s Francisco Roberto Galvez and France’sGuillaume Canada finished as 4th and 5th, respectively.

Campos was asked the question “As an ambassador of tourism, what would you do to promote the tourism industry worldwide?” during the final Q and A portion.

“Technology has been everywhere in our lives.

Given the honor to be the next Mister TCU, I will use this [title] to promote tourism. Social media has been the most valuable tool, and I believe, the best way is through vlogging. believe that tourism is the backbone of every county’s identity and we should we proud of it,” Campos answered.

Baeyens, on the other hand, is a 22-year-old Fil-Belgian beauty, who hails from Baguio City. She was also named Miss Popularity and was Top 5 for her hot, Darna-inspired national costume made by Angelica Allado-Fonacier. Miss Indonesia Olivia Gunawan won Miss Tourism & Culture Universe 2019 with Malaysia’s Wenanita Augang and Cameroon’s Audrey Wafack, winning 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Canada’s Milissa Grande and France’s Sonia Ait Mansour, took the 4th and 5th places.

PAGEANT CONCEPT

The main cast of ‘Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sanggwapo,’ which premiered in cinemas nationwide on Sept. 4.

‘Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sanggwapo’ holds successful priemere IT WAS a star-studded red carpet premiere night at SM Megamall Cinema for Viva Films’ latest potboiler Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sanggwapo starring 90’s iconic comedy trio Janno Gibbs, Andrew E., and Dennis Padilla.

Held Monday night, the event saw the principal cast with other members including Louise delos Reyes, Cindy Miranda, and Vanessa Wright walk the red carpet. Also present were Debbie Garcia, Katya Santos, Jennifer Lee, Patricia Javier, Andrew Muhlach, and Vitto Marquez.

Directed by Al Tantay, the movie follows the story of Andy, Johnny, and Dondon whose troubled-filled lives get more complicated because of deceit.

Upon the death of millionaire tycoon Don Robert Endrinal, Andy and Dondon (Andrew E. and Padilla) find out that their friend Johnny (Gibbs) is actually the son of the departed businessman, and naturally has the right and responsibility to take over his father’s business. But when they arrive at the mansion, the indolent Johnny tells everyone that Andy is Johnny to free himself from any responsibility. The hardworking Andy and the cunning Dondon play along with this charade.

Now that the three friends are thrust into a life of affluence and power, flirtatious women are not far behind. They also have to deal with a certain Mr. Russel (Eddie Garcia), a land developer determined to acquire Johnny’s hacienda, turn it into a casino complex and make the whole province a gambling capital.

To what lengths will Andy, Johnny, and Dondon go to protect the hacienda and keep their secret at the same time?

Sanggano, Sanggago’t Sanggwapo now showing in cinemas nationwide.

Yves Campos emerged victorious in the second edition of Mister and Miss Tourism and Culture Universe in Myanmar

Breast cancer advocate Glyssa Perez vies for Miss World Philippines title once more.

The Miss & Mister Tourism and Culture Universe was founded in Myanmar’s with a mission to promote Myanmar to the rest of the world with the winners in this pageant will actively involve and initiate the promotion of tourism worldwide and cultural exchange programs. *** Breast cancer advocate Glyssa Perez pursues platform in Miss World PH Australian born Glyssa Perez tries her luck for the second time at the 2019 Miss World Philippines pageant where she finished First Princess to Laura Lehmann two years ago.

The 24-year-old Commerce graduate in Sydney, Australia is now more determined to win the crown.

Perez, who has a strong resemblance with her first cousin, Miss Universe Philippines 2016 Maxine Medina, won her first title, Miss Woodcroft, at the age of 16. Her other titles are Miss WOW Blacktown, Miss WOW Charity 2012, Miss Philippines-Australia 2014, Miss Bohol 2016 and Miss JCI Philippines 2016.

A breast cancer advocate since 2014 and serves as spokesperson of the Philippine Foundation of Breast Care, Inc. (KASUSO), Perez is using it as platform to raise awareness to educate people on its prevention and to raise funds to help Kasuso patients in the country. Being a breast cancer advocate is closest to her heart as her mother Yolita, from Danao, Bohol, is breast cancer survivor.

Perez, who is a fan of Bruce Lee and classic martial arts movies, pursues a breast cancer prevention program with Kasuso called ‘You are Worthy’ project, which focuses on imparting to cancer patients that they don’t have to face the disease alone and having the support of others is an important key to survival. She has applied to patients exercise-based and mindfulness wellness activities which consist of Zumba, Yoga, Meditation and Breathing exercises which aim to enrich the quality of life and helps with the physical and mental well-being of the patients.

Perez, who was also a former track and field athlete and netball player, has dedicated herself in serving her community and hopes to inspire in empowering the future generation. Will Perez duplicate her cousin Maxine’s feat to win a major national beauty title? That will be known during the Miss World Philippines 2019 grand coronation scheduled at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sept. 15, telecast live on GMA -7.

Motoring

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

ICONIC WORKHORSE

Isuzu D-Max joins the ranks of premium pick-ups

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IXTEEN years after it introduced what would become one of its most iconic diesel workhorses, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) launches the most stylish modern iteration of the D-MAX pick-up, the LS-A.

Publicly displayed at the New Glorietta Activity Center, Makati from August 29 to August 31, the D-MAX LS-A represents nearly a century of Isuzu’s experience and innovation in the design, engineering, and workmanship of dieselpowered utility vehicles.

The D-MAX LS-A is infused, as well, with features that address the demands of a market that value both hard work and play, business with leisure.

At the heart of the D-MAX LS-A is the powerful and fuel-efficient 4JJ1-TCX 3.0-liter 4-cylinder In-line Blue Power Diesel engine with VGS turbo intercooler that generates 177 PS @ maximum power and 380 Nm @ maximum torque. Initially available in 4x4 variant, IPC points out that a 4x2 variant will also be offered in the coming months, both variantshaving an option for either 6-speed automatic transmission with sequential shift or the 6-speed manual transmission with gear shift indicator.

The powerplant and drivetrain, how-

ever, are just the starting points for what makes the new D-MAX LS-A perfectly suited for the evolving modern demands of the market. Inside and out, the D-MAX LS-A comes in a complete package of features that cater to the modern Filipino lifestyle—the lifestyle that maximizes the best qualities of the urban professional and the weekend adventurer Boasting modern exterior styling, the D-MAX LS-A has a very dark gray front grille and bumper, coupled with side step board and rocker panel, cargo extender and roof rails.

For occupant comfort and convenience, the D-MAX LS-A is equipped with the auto-climate control air conditioning system, passive entry/push start-stop system, 12V accessory socket, three USB charging ports, 15 storage compartments and 10 cup holders.

IPC President Hajime Koso describes the reason for being of the D-MAX LS-A “Introduced in 2003, the Isuzu D-MAX pick-up has sold more than 46,000 units

so far and continues to be one of the country’s most popular pick-up models for its durability, fuel efficiency, and overall value for money.

The new Isuzu D-MAX LS-A joins the ranks of premium pick-ups with its stylish yet functional design and competitive pricing without compromising the D-MAX’s core value of being ‘Tough Enough for Anything’.

In his special message at the launch, Isuzu Motors Limited Executive Officer Hirokazu Okubo traces Isuzu’s experience with the pickup design to nearly a century back. “The first vehicle Isuzu produced in the market in 1922 was a pick-up truck, taking note of our expertise on the product and most especially on diesel engine technology.”

He added, “Worldwide, the Isuzu D-MAX is trusted in countries like Thailand, Australia, and the United Kingdom, certainly because of its design and functionality that have gone through rigorous testing and development.

The new Isuzu D-MAX LS-A variant will be a great addition to the very competitive local pick-up truck market.”

The new D-MAX LS-A comes in the following colors: Cosmic Black, Sapphire Blue, Titanium Silver, Red Spinel, Splash White, Silky Peral White. With all the added features on the D-MAX LS-A, IPC announced that there will be a more competitive pricing for this variant.

FASTLANE Go anywhere with Nissan Terra IT’S MORE than a splash-and-dash job. The Nissan Terra gets a fresher and sleeker look as well as an enhanced Nissan Advance Display Audio “In Nissan, we believe that driving should be something exciting, enjoyable, and, most importantly, safe. We want to enable our customers to take on any adventure without limits.

By improving the accessibility of the Terra’s NIM features through the new Nissan Advanced Display Audio system, we aspire to empower the Filipino people to go anywhere with confidence.” said Atsushi Najima, Nissan Philippines President and Managing Director.

The upgrade will have the Nissan Terra fitted with the larger screen of the Nissan Advanced Display Audio, allowing an enhanced user interface for easier operation of Nissan Intelligent Mobility features. The 8” capacitive touchscreen also allows better and heightened usability of the Around View Monitor, so that users can see and do more, while utilizing Nissan’s technology.

The vehicle also supports Android Auto and Apple Carplay, allowing users to conveniently operate Android and Apple functions directly from the audio unit. These include easier access to their mobile assistant, navigation apps, and music players while on the go.

Finally, the updated Nissan Terra’s exterior is refreshed

HARI honors math olympians

H.A.R.I. Foundation President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo (center) welcomed this year’s Math Olympians from left)) Team Leader Dr. Richard Eden (Ateneo de Manila University); Bronze Medalists Dion Stephan Ong (Ateneo de Manila Senior High School), Vincent Uy Dela Cruz (Valenzuela City School of Mathematics and Science), Bryce Ainsley Sanchez (Grace Christian College), Andres Rico Gonzales III (De La Salle University Integrated School); Deputy Team Leader Dr. Paul Chan Shio (Ateneo de Manila University); and Mathematical Society of the Philippines President Dr. Emmanuel Cabral. (Not in photo: Silver Medalist Sean Anderson Ty of Zamboanga Chong Hua High School, Bronze Medalist Immanuel Josiah Balete of St. Stephen’s High School and Team Trainer Russelle Guadalupe of the University of the Philippines-Diliman).

with a rear roof spoiler for a sportier and more dynamic appearance. It also features a new black-colored front grille, to add sophistication to the overall look.

The upgraded exterior with the new Nissan Advanced Display Audio system is now available for Nissan Terra 4X2 VE variants and up.

Nissan Philippines, which began operations in 2014, has become one of the fastest growing automotive companies in the Philippines, closing Fiscal Year 2018 with a 58% growth versus the previous Fiscal Year.

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From right—Asahara Isuzu Motors Limited Japan Sales Division Executive Hirokazu Okubo,IPC President, Hajime Koso,Isuzu Philippines Corporation Vice President .Hirokazu Okubo,and Isuzu Motors International Operations Thailand Vice President Kenichi altogether during the official launch of the most stylish modern iteration of the D-MAX pick-up, the LS-A at the Glorietta in Makati City. Sonny Espiritu

At Ford PH, it’s Global Caring Month THOUSANDS of Ford employees and Ford dealer employees around the world will participate in community service projects this September to make people’s lives better as part of Ford Global Caring Month.

In the Philippines, Ford volunteers are set to participate in various community projects in partnership with Gawad Kalinga. Three new communal water facilities will be constructed in GK Tibagan Village in Brgy. Bangan Lupa, Tibagan, Tarlac City, GK Matalom Village in Brgy.

Punong Matalom, Leyte, and Maria Elena Lorenzo GK Village in Magassi, Cabagan, Isabela. Over 150 families from these GK communities will have access to clean, safe, and potable water.

In 2018, the water facility construction project benefitted 170 families in three remote GK communities in Negros Oriental, Leyte, and Nueva Ecija, rendering a total of 320 hours of community work.

Aside from new water facilities, Ford employees are also helping build and paint houses in GK Bayanihan in Dasmariñas, Cavite, benefitting over 20 families.

Ford employees will also help prepare and distribute lunch meals under GK’s Kusina ng Kalinga program, benefitting 800 public school children from Taysan Central School, Pagasa Elementary School, Mapulo Elementary School, and Bilogo Elementary School in Taysan, Batangas. In 2018, Ford fed 150 kids in La Union under the Kusina ng Kalinga program.

Ford dealer employees, on the other hand, will also help refurbish the Multipurpose Hall which serves as a community center at the GK Aeta Community in Bamban, Tarlac, benefitting over 100 families.

“September is Global Caring Month at Ford and we’re very excited to continue the work we do in the various communities we serve,” shares Josie Gonzalez, AVP for government and corporate affairs, Ford Philippines. “The spirit of social responsibility and volunteerism is very much alive in Ford and we look forward to making a difference in the lives of more Filipinos nationwide with our programs and CSR initiatives.”

Ford Global Caring Month is the signature annual event of the Ford Volunteer

Corps. Since its launch in 2005 by Executive Chairman Bill Ford, Ford Volunteer Corps members have contributed more than 1.5 million hours of community service in 50 countries, representing more than $40 million of in-kind community investments. During September, the Ford Volunteer Corps will tackle hundreds of projects in cities, towns and villages on six continents. Ford Fund is contributing more than $675,000 in grants to purchase tools and supplies for many of the global projects.

In addition to the volunteer activities in the Philippines, Ford Global Caring Month projects include: Australia – Paint and garden at senior home, update dining area at camp for homeless kids Brazil — Setup mothers workshop for vulnerable women to earn income as seamstresses China — Kids from low-income families make model cars, spend day with Ford volunteers Germany — Renovate homes for refugees India — Empower disadvantaged women with tailoring and garment design training Mexico — Rebuild dining room, maintain playground at home for children Romania — Redecorate playroom, add new beds at hospital pediatric oncology department South Africa — Renovate shelters and safe houses for abused women and children Spain — Prepare meals and provide sleeping bags for homeless individuals Vanuatu — Install water tanks at schools, churches and community center “Ford volunteers are improving access to clean water, feeding the hungry, building homes, renovating schools and providing opportunities to help make people’s lives better all over the world,” said Todd Nissen, director, Ford Volunteer Corps. “Each Ford volunteer is making a valued contribution to stronger communities and a better world.”

The Ford Volunteer Corps is a global network of Ford employees that is advancing the energy and creative ideas of Ford employees to have a lasting impact in the communities Ford serves.

YOUNG Filipino math wizards, fresh off their triumph at the 60th International Mathematical Olympiad held at the University of Bath last July, paid a courtesy call to major sponsor H.A.R.I. Foundation, Inc., the corporate social responsibility arms of Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. The year’s team, comprised mostly of first-timers, with their parents and team leaders, proudly presented their medals to HFI President Maria Fe Perez-Agudo. This is the second time that all six team members to the IMO bagged a medal—one silver and five bronze.

The IMO is among the oldest and most prestigious of international scientific Olympiads. The 2019 competition brought together over 600 students representing 112 countries.

Agudo personally congratulated the team for giving “pride and honor to your families, schools, and country.”

She also challenged the young math geniuses to study more: “Go for higher learning. Discover what you want in life. Find ways to create opportunities for other people to have a better life.”

For future competitions, Team Leader Dr. Richard Eden expressed hope for greater geographical and gender diversity: “We are casting a wider net so that all schools can participate based on merit.”

The Philippines now ranks 31st out of 112 countries, up from last year’s 38th out of 107 countries.

The yearly national competition is organized by the Mathematical Society of the Philippines (MSP), the country’s premier mathematical professional organization.

Ford PH volunteers live up to the spirit of social responsibility and volunteerism.

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

Motoring MS scribe shines in Vios Racing Fest

By Lester Dizon

Track marshals look on as a crane lift parts of the damaged car of Sauber’s Ecuadorian driver Juan Manuel Correa onto a truck following a serious accident involving several drivers during a Formula 2 race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Spa, Belgium, on August 31, 2019. Motor racing prospect Anthoine Hubert was killed by a horrific highspeed crash just minutes into the Formula Two race held at the F1 Belgian Grand Prix, the FIA announced. Hubert, who was considered a serious talent by Renault’s F1 set up, died aged 22 following a three-car pile-up also involving Juan Manuel Correa and Giuliano Alesi at the exit of the Raidillon corner, one of the fastest sections of the quick Spa-Francorchamps track. AFP

Grand Prix death triggers safety probe

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MPROVED safety standards in motor racing will be pursued relentlessly and research into better protection for drivers will never stop, according to the sport’s ruling body.

International Motoring Federation (FIA) race director Michael Masi said an investigation into the crash on Saturday that killed Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert had already begun.

“Safety is ever evolving,” said Masi, who took over his role following the sudden death earlier this year of longtime FIA official Charlie Whiting.

“Once different technologies become available, different materials become available—safety is an ever-evolving process. For me, it is something that will never end.

“I’ve said it before and I’ll repeat it.

Safety is one of the core pillars of the FIA, part of why it exists. That is something that just won’t stop.

“We’ll continue to research and look at things and improve them as best we can.”

Frenchman Hubert’s death left the sport shocked and close friend Charles Leclerc dedicated his maiden Formula One victory for Ferrari to him following a dramatic win in Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix.

The young Monegasque drove with near-flawless judgement to convert pole position into a victory, fending off a late charge from defending five-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to win by nine-tenths of a second.

Hamilton, who admitted he was devastated by the death of Hubert and had a sleepless Saturday night afterwards, praised the work of the FIA. “There’s a huge amount of work that the FIA have done up to this point,” he said. “I think they’ve been working incredibly hard and we’ve seen big steps already -- obviously, particularly when Charlie was here, he made massive steps forward so we will continue in that direction.”

Hubert’s death, the first as a result of an accident at a Grand Prix for five years, stunned the sport.

American driver Juan-Manuel Correa, who suffered broken legs and a spinal injury in the crash, remained in intensive care on Sunday, but was reported to be in a stable condition.

AFP

THE last weekend of August 2019 proved to be my most exciting weekend yet. On the early morning of Friday the 30th, my wife Shawie and I pointed our borrowed TRD-accessorized 2019 Toyota Hilux Conquest pickup truck north to the Clark International Speedway (CIS) in Pampanga for the 3rd leg of the 2019 Vios Racing Festival, that covers the 2nd leg of the Circuit Championship and the 3rd leg of the Vios Autocross Challenge, where I was one of the participating media racers. After the requisite registration and drivers’ briefing, I found that there were twenty-five participants from the media, including four social media personalities, and that we were going to share the track time with an almost equal number of racers from the various Vios car clubs.

During my track familiarization run, Shawie rode with me to record the autocross track on her mobile phone and the video showed a 01:03.00 run, which was actually slow. On my second practice run, Enzo delos Reyes, the handsome son of my compadre, Manny delos Reyes, the motoring editor of The Philippine STAR and Business World, and publisher of 2.0 Magazine, rode with me and the video he captured on his phone showed a time of 00:56.00, which meant that I was able to shave seven seconds off my lap time. On my third turn at the track, which was my official timed practice run, I shaved off another few seconds and clocked the best time of 00:50.38 among the media racers.

I felt confident that I got a good grasp of the track layout.

Fun times despite the weather Sporadic rains fell on August 31st Saturday Race Day, which made racing more exciting, challenging and action-packed.

During the opening festivities, Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) President Satoru Suzuki expressed his deepest appreciation to the customers and fans who have dedicated time and effort to witness the Toyota Vios motorsports event despite the increment weather. Racers, crew and spectators alike felt that it was worth the effort since everybody were again treated to the viewing of the all-new 2020 Toyota Supra before the races officially started.

Race 4 of the Circuit Championship was held on Friday afternoon while Races 5 and 6 were held Saturday.

Marc Soong of the Obengers Racing Team crossed the finish line in second place in Race 5 of the Circuit Championship Sporting Class.

For the Qualifying Run of the Vios Autocross Challenge, only ten of the twenty-five media racers will qualify for the semi-final round. My first run became a bit dramatic when my Vios race car skidded into the final gate and ran over a pylon, which resulted in a DNF (Did Not Finish). I was red-flagged on my second run because the front right tire of my Vios was flat. The race officials gave me another run, where I clocked 00:50.92, which landed me in 6th place that qualified me for the semi-final round. I had a good feeling that this was going to be a good race weekend.

The Circuit Championship excited spectators with close-quarter racing and several lead changes.

Seeing that my official practice and

Manila Standard’s Lester Dizon (3rd from left) found himself at the racing podium during the Vios Racing Festival, eclipsed only by the stellar performances of actors-race drivers.

qualifying times were consistent with a variance of around only half a second (00:50.38 and 00:50.92), I only needed to repeat my run to enter the final round, where only four of the 10 semi-finalists will be racing. I clocked a slower time of 00:51.71, which I wanted to attribute to the wetter track but couldn’t because that would be simply a lame excuse. The younger media racers dug deep into their competition driving skills and even improved their times despite the slipperier conditions. Chewy Buhion of Manila Times improved his time from 00:51.18 to 00:50.90 to land the fourth and final spot while points leader Jose Luis Altoveros of Autoindustriya.com showed his consistency by clocking 00:47.58 from his qualifying time of 00:47.35. These kids are really good!

The young media racers dug deep into their competitive driving skills and improved their lap times even in slipperier conditions.

Actor Troy Montero claimed two first place victories at the Circuit Championship Celebrity Class, winning Legs 4 and 5. Unfortunately, Troy’s race car crashed into the Vios of Sporting Class racer John Dizon right after crossing the finish line in Race 5, which sidelined Montero out of Race 6 that was won by Daniel Matsunaga. Montero escaped serious injuries in spite of the forces of the impact. “Despite the outside damage from the crash, the driver’s area was totally untouched. We also have a roll cage, race suit, and helmet, and most especially the HANS (head and neck safety) device to keep us safe”, he explained on his Instagram account.

Because of the wet track conditions, Celebrity Class racer Chie Filomeno also slid off-track due to aquaplaning, preventing her from finishing Race 6. Montero and Filomeno were quickly brought to the hospital for checkups and were cleared to be back at the venue in time for the

awarding ceremonies. “No matter what happens, I still find myself coming back to this sport. The adrenaline rush it gives me is out of this world”, said Filomeno in an Instagram post she wrote after the race. Meanwhile in the Sporting Class, Red Diwa of JBT Racing-Toyota Isabela won Race 4 and Eggy Ong of JBT Racing-Toyota San Fernando won both Races 5 and 6. In the Promotional Class, Julian Tang of Toyota Otis-Obengers won Race 4 while female racer Elysse Menorca of Toyota North EDSA-Obengers won Races 5 and 6.

JBT Racing Toyota San Fernando received the Best Team Award for the 2nd Leg of the Circuit Championship.

Awarding Ceremony Surprises Saturday Race Day evening was lit up with the fun awarding ceremonies where TMP recognized the winners of the races, where sponsors handed out special awards to deserving participants, and where reveling racers drenched the winners with beer as they made their way to the podium. I was pleasantly surprised to receive my second special award this season as Bridgestone Tires’ “Media Racer of the Day”, which prompted my wife Shawie to jeer, “What did my husband do to deserve that?” Bridgestone Philippines’ Marketing Head Allan Santos explained that they recognized my resiliency as a racer and for pitting my skills against media racers more than half my age while keeping within fractions of a second with their lap times. “You’re like Bridgestone tires that remain consistent with performance despite the mileage.

(Hmm…) I also realized that I’m now racing with the sons of sportsmen I used to race with before: Enzo delos Reyes and Iñigo Anton, who are the respective sons of Manny delos Reyes and Carlos Anton, who I used to compete with in slalom races in the early ‘90s. Man, I suddenly feel old—a “tito” racer…

Waku Doki time during the Vios Racing Fest staged at the Clark International Speedway.