Manila Standard - 2019 October 20 - Sunday

LABOR JUNKS TENURE DELAY

By Vito Barcelo and Maricel V. Cruz

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 248 • 4 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Saturday rejected the proposal extending the worker’s probationary period from six months to two years, saying it would deny the workers’right to security of tenure.

“I don’t think it’s necessary for a

worker to undergo a probationary period of two years for an employer to determine his qualification. Six months is enough,” Bello said in a statement.

The Labor chief said two years probationary period is too long for a worker to secure a permanent employment, against the administration’s policy of providing job security.

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GOING HOME? Samantha Lo, the Philippines’ bet to the Miss Grand International pageant, waves the tricolor at an airport in Paris—where she was deported from on Friday. The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed Lo has no record in its passport database, and the Cebuana was held

by French airport authorities over a fake passport, allegedly a man’s passport at that. Lo was bound for Venezuela to participate in pre-pageant activities, but missed them, with the actual event looming on Oct. 25. Photo courtesy of Miss Grand International Facebook page

COPS CLOSE RANKS FOR CHIEF, ‘NINJAS’

T

HE Philippine National Police on Saturday stood by its comrades tagged in the reselling of confiscated illegal drugs in 2013, saying former police chief Oscar Albayalde and 13 other so-called “ninja cops”“remain innocent until proven guilty.”

“All accused remain innocent until proven guilty,” the PNP said in a statement, a day after a Senate panel recommended the filing of criminal charges against Albayalde and his men.

“The PNP will let justice, fairness, and due process of law take its course,” the statement read.

It is up to Albayalde and other involved police personnel to “address the other side issues that may come with their possible criminal indictment as recommended by the Senate panel,” it said.

On Thursday night, President Rodrigo Duterte warned policemen involved in the illegal drug trade

that he could be “more evil” than they were, and dispatched a controversial police officer to Bacolod City so he could “kill everybody” involved in illegal drugs.

Speaking before a business conference, Duterte said criminals and cops who sell illegal drugs did not have a “monopoly of evil in this country.”

“It’s a very stupid paradigm because I can be evil like you, and more than, if I want to be,” he said. “I still have two years; I can create hell for everybody.”

Two days earlier, Duterte dressed down Philippine National Police officials in a command conference over allegations that some of them were reselling illegal drugs that were

seized during raids, even though he had doubled policemen’s salaries.

The scandal over ninja cops led to the resignation of Albayalde, when testimony before a Senate hearing said he tried to stop the dismissal of 13 of his subordinates who kept 160 kilos of shabu for themselves after a 2013 drug bust in Mexico, Pampanga.

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, led by Senator Richard Gordon, earlier released a preliminary report saying the former police chief and his men violated provisions of antigraft and anti-drug laws when they allegedly sold at least 160 kilograms of shabu worth around P648 million seized in a raid in 2013.

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PET MINORITY GAVE LENI FAKE VICTORY—FMJR

By Joel E. Zurbano THE camp of former Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said the figures showing Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo was leading by 15,000 votes against him came from Supreme Court Associate Justice Alfredo Caguioa.

“The figures cited by Justices Caguioa and [Antonio] Carpio in their dissenting opinions came from the revision report penned by Justice Caguioa,” said Marcos’ legal counsel Vic Rodriguez

in a statement.

“That is precisely why the majority of the Tribunal by a very decisive 11-2 vote emphatically junked that Caguioa minority opinion favoring Mrs. Leni Robredo finding the figures presented before them to be outrageous and ordered the election protest to proceed with the parties to file their Comment and Memoranda,” he said.

Robredo visited Camarines Norte Saturday to meet with different sectoral groups in her home region. She hails from Naga, a component city in

the nearby province of Camarines Sur. She first visited a fisherfolk group in Mercedes, Camarines Norte, and handed out financial assistance from the Office of the Vice President.

Rodriguez, in his statement, also said “it only confirmed our suspicion that Mrs. Robredo’s premature celebration and claim of another fake victory in the Tribunal was a product of advance information she’s been receiving all along through a highly placed deep throat.”

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ANGAT WATER LEVEL STILL RECEDING WATER level in Angat Dam, the reservoir that supplies Metro Manila and nearby provinces with water, has been plunging daily since the start of October. As of 1 p.m. Saturday, the elevation level of Angat Dam was 187.26 meters.

Hydrologist Richard Orendain of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said this in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, heard nationwide.

The last time when the dam experienced a rise in its levels due to rainfall, according to Orendain, was during the first two days of October.

“We need at least 212 meters at the end of the year in preparation for the dry season next year,” he said in Filipino.

Angat is the reservoir which supplies about 90 percent of raw water requirements for Metro Manila through the facilities of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System and it irrigates about 28,000 hectares of farmland in Bulacan and Pampanga.

The dam is 131 meters high and impounds water from the Angat River that subsequently created the Angat Lake.

Angat Dam has a normal high water level of 210 meters, according to the PAGASA. It has three gates opening a total of 1.5 meters to gradually release water that had accumulated due to incessant rains during typhoons.

Orendain, who advised the public to conserve and recycle water, added the projected level by the end of October should be 200 meters.

QUAKE VICTIMS NEED AID—CBCP COTABATO CITY—The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded on Saturday the strongest aftershock of the magnitude 6.3 temblor that hit North Cotabato province and a huge portion of Mindanao earlier this week.

At 6:52 a.m. Saturday, a magnitude 5.0 quake rocked Tulunan in North Cotabato, with intensities felt as far as General Santos City and Kiamba, Sarangani.

Phivolcs said the tremor was traced 27 km. east of Tulunan and had a depth of only 12 km.

In Manila, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines appealed to the faithful in Luzon and Visayas to

help the victims of the magnitude-6.3 earthquake that hit parts of Mindanao, leaving at least six people dead and 93 others injured.

CBCP president Archbishop Romulo Valles urged the public to aid those who need help in North Cotabato and nearby areas.

“May people who are from the outside, reach out to the suffering communities and give them aid according to what they need,” he said in an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas.

The Davao bishop also offered prayers to the victims and their families and all those affected by the natural calamity.

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MATH MAGI.

Metro Manila students vie Saturday for the Regional Championship title wherein the winner will move up to the National Level. This event is presented Saturday by Mathematics Trainers’ Guild (inset), with finalists meeting for the 14th Annual Philippine Sudoku Challenge at SM City Marikina.

Norman Cruz

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LEYTE LANDING GRAND RITES SET IN PALO

PUMP PRICE ROLLBACK IN THE OFFING: P0.40/LITER

By Ben Cal ALL is set for the grand celebration of the 75th anniversary of the historic Leyte Landing on Sunday by Gen. Douglas McArthur that liberated the Philippines from Japanese occupation in World War II. Retired Lt. Gen. Ernesto G. Carolina, administrator of the Philippine Veterans Office, will represent the Department of National Defense at the Leyte Landing ceremony at Palo Beach, where Gen. McArthur and top US military and Filipino officials, including Brig. Gen. Carlos P. Romulo, landed 75 years ago.

Noted historian Xiao Chua said the Leyte Landing was preceded by the greatest naval battle in history at Leyte Gulf that involved 211 American warships, including 16 aircraft carriers, and 12 battle ships.

In addition, American and Allied forces had 1,300 warplanes and over 300,000 troops.

In contrast, the once-formidable Japanese navy had only 68 warships and 300 aircraft.

Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita was the commander of the Japanese Imperial Army in the Philippines during the final battle of the Pacific War. When World War II broke out in the Philippines on Dec. 8, 1941, the Japanese crushed the American and Filipino forces in Bataan and Corregidor, and occupied the Philippines for over three years.

The invasion of Leyte began at dawn of Oct. 17, 1944, when US troops sneaked onto the island and caught the Japanese by surprise.

The Japanese thought McArthur would land in Mindanao, but the brilliant American general diverted his plan and chose Leyte to land American forces because Mindanao was heavily fortified by the Japanese. PNA

LABOR...

From A1

“Delaying a worker’s assurance of permanent employment is no longer in keeping with the administration’s policy on security of tenure,” Bello said.

He also said the proposal might encourage illegal practice of contractualization, such as the practice of “endo”, as employers could terminate the workers within two years, which limits a workers’ right to statutory benefits as a regular employee.

Under the law, workers are given six months probationary period and shall be considered a regular employee after the lapse of the period.

A bill in the House proposes to extend the maximum prescribed period of probationary employment to 24 months, with the unidentified proponent saying six months probationary period was not enough to determine a worker’s qualification for regular employment.

In the House, the “Ang Probinsyano” party-list disowned the House Bill 4802 that seeks to extend to two years the probationary employment from the present six months.

Ang Probinsyano spokesman, lawyer Joco Sabio, said HB 4802 was filed by the “Probinsyano Ako” party-list, which is completely different from “Ang Probinsyano.”

Sabio said the author, Rep. Bonito Singson, is from Probinsyano Ako and not Ang Probinsyano.

“The Ang Probinsyano party-list has nothing to do with House Bill 4802, which seeks to amend the Labor Code of the Philippines and allowing employers to avoid the regularization of employees in their workforce. Our nominees have not authored any such bill because this does not represent the position of Ang Probinsyano,” Sabio said in a statement sent to reporters covering the House of Representatives.

Sabio lamented that Ang Probinsyano was being mistaken as the party-list that authored House Bill 4802.

“Ang Probinsyano does not share the same position with Probinsyano Ako with respect to this particular proposal.

We continue to respect Rep. Singson and the Probinsyano Ako party-list as peers but we just want to clarify that HB 4802 is not ours,” Sabio pointed out.

HB 4802 was filed in September by Rep. Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr., of Probinsyano Ako party-list group that proposes to amend the Labor Code of the Philippines by extending the period of probationary employment to two years.

The bill amends the Labor Code and allow employers to “avoid the automatic regularization” of employees in their workforce. The bill is pending with the House Committee on Labor and Employment.

M

ODEST cutbacks in the prices of gasoline and diesel are expected next week, oil industry sources told the Manila Standard on Saturday.

The price of gasoline is expected to drop by P0.25 to P0.40 per liter, while diesel prices are poised to be cut by P0.05 to P0.15 a liter, the sources said.

Local oil companies usually implement rollbacks or rate increases every Tuesday.

Last Tuesday, the country’s oil firms raised the price of gasoline

by P0.25 per liter effective 6 a.m.

COPS...

From A1 The 13 “ninja cops” tried to cover up the incident, while Albayalde intervened in the implementation of sanctions against his former subordinates, the panel said in its report.

The PNP admitted that Duterte was dismayed over the controversy that cast doubt on the police force’s capability to be on the frontline of the government’s war on drugs.

“We fully understand his [Duterte’s] frustrations and misgivings over the recent turn of events involving some PNP personnel.

But we will not let him down,” the PNP said.

“We assure our people that the PNP remains on track with renewed vigor to reform itself into the ideal shape to fight crime, illegal drugs, and corruption,” the agency said.

Duterte earlier warned “ninja cops” and rogue police officers that he could be “more evil” than them and “create hell for everybody” in his last 2 years in office.

“The PNP will let justice, fairness, and due process of law takes its course. All accused remain innocent until proven guilty,” PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said in a statement.

On Friday, Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Senate blue ribbon and justice and human rights committees, presented the initial report, recommending graft charges against Albayalde and the “ninja cops”.

Banac also said it was up to the lawyer of the former PNP chief to take action on the findings of the Senate hearing. “ We leave it to Police General Oscar Albayalde and the other concerned PNP personnel, with their respective legal teams to address the other side issues that may come with their possible criminal indictment as recommended

PET...

From A1 Reports on Friday showed that Robredo has extended her lead over Marcos votes after the manual recount in the three pilot provinces the former senator picked in his protest before the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

The Supreme Court, sitting as the PET, stated that Robredo’s overall, nationwide lead—after votes in Negros Oriental, Ilxoilo, and Camarines Sur were re-counted—increased from 263,473 to 278,566.

Marcos had picked the three provinces as part of his effort to prove that cheating happened in the 2016 polls.

Robredo got 1,510,178 votes from the pilot provinces as opposed to Marcos’ 204,512, after deducting votes from sustained objections and adding ones

QUAKE...

From A1 “Almighty Lord, source of comfort and strength in this time great difficulty and sorrow for many people and many communities in the area at Mindanao that was hit by the earthquake,” he said.

“Please, in your own mysterious way, touch them and be there for

Tuesday but cut the price of diesel and kerosene by P0.10 and P0.40 per liter, respectively.

Petron implemented the following price adjustments effective at 6 a.m. on Oct. 15: P0.25/li increase for gasoline; P0.10/li rollback for diesel; and P0.40/li for rollback for kerosene.

These reflected movements in the international oil market, the

country’s biggest oil company said in its advisory.

Aside from Petron, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Chevron Philippines, PTT Philippines, Seaoil Philippines, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Unioil Philippines, Total Philippines also adjusted prices while other companies followed suit.

World oil prices declined last week amid the worsening US-China trade war, which could impact global oil demand. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East tempered the price decline.

The world oil market also reacted to the report of the US Energy Information Agency which revised its oil

price forecast to $57 per barrel in the second quarter next year. It also estimates a lower crude production for 2019 to 29.8 million barrels per day from 31.9 million barrels per day in 2018.

Last Oct. 5, 6 and 8, most of the oil companies implemented a price rollback of P0.80-P0.85 per liter for gasoline, P1 per liter for diesel and P1.15 per liter for kerosene amid indications of a slowdown in US economic growth and weak earnings in Europe.

Year-to-date adjustments stand at a net increase of P5.86 per liter for gasoline, P4.12 per liter for diesel and P1.21 per liter for kerosene.

by the Senate panel,” Banac said.

“We assure our people that the PNP remains on track with renewed vigor to reform itself into the ideal shape to fight crime, illegal drugs, and corruption,” he added.

He said the PNP was responsive to President Duterte’s challenge and the public’s call for change.

Albayalde on Monday relinquished his post and went on non-duty status less than a month ahead of his retirement on Nov. 8.

Before stepping down, Albayalde sought some legal advice from lawyer Estelito Mendoza, amid allegations dragging him into the controversy.

Albayalde, who was Pampanga provincial police chief at the time of the assailed anti-drug raid, was relieved from his post due to command responsibility.

During the Senate investigation on “ninja cops”, an issue which stemmed from a probe on the irregularities in the implementation of the Good Conduct Time Allowance, it was revealed that Albayalde allegedly tried to intervene in the implementation of the dismissal order against the cops involved in the raid.

Duterte also said he had asked Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, the police officer who gained notoriety for leading deadly operations against drug-linked politicians, to go to Bacolod City in Negros Occidental so he can “kill everybody.”

Duterte said he assigned Espenido to Bacolod because of the proliferation of illegal drugs in the city.

“Bacolod is badly hit now. I placed Espenido there. I said, ‘Go there, you are free to kill everybody. Start killing there. The two of us can go to jail,’” Duterte said.

Early this year, Duterte sacked Bacolod’s police chief and four other police officers over their alleged drug links.

Espenido currently serves as deputy city director for operations

of the Bacolod City Police Office.

He was the chief of police of Albuera, Leyte and Ozamiz City where the two mayors, Rolando Espinosa Sr. and Reynaldo Parojinog, were killed in police operations in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Human rights watchdog Amnesty International slammed Duterte for his remarks, saying that the government must focus on probing police abuse instead of inciting violence.

“This encouragement of bloodshed must end once and for all, and efforts toward this must begin at the highest levels of government, notably the President himself,” AI Philippines Section Director Butch Olano said in a statement Friday.

“We reiterate that an important first step to ending this cycle of violence and impunity is to direct the police to stop the killings and bring to justice those found to be involved in previous abusive operations,” he added.

Olano also said that Espenido should not have been promoted and appointed to a higher position given his involvement in bloody operations in the past.

“It appears that under this administration, not only illegal drugs but also errant cops are being recycled, and, more worryingly, rewarded,” Olano said.

In 2017, he was recognized by President Duterte for his contributions to the government’s antidrug campaign.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, however, said Espenido should follow the rule of law.

“You know the President, he’s fond of exaggerating to emphasize a point. But you cannot do that literally, you cannot kill everyone you want dead,” Año said in Filipino in an interview on radio dzMM. You can only use reasonable force if they resist and fight, and you are in danger.”

AI, along with other human rights organizations, has been criticizing the Duterte administration’s anti-narcotics crackdown,

which has claimed thousands of lives in both police operations and vigilante-style killings.

Police figures showed that about 6,000 have been killed in the drug war since Duterte took office in 2016, but human rights groups peg the fatalities at 20,000.

Meanwhile, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents and policemen seized 88.49 kilos of shabu worth about P600 million and arrested six suspects in Gandara, Samar on Thursday.

“I commend all the personnel involved in this successful operation. I made it sure that during my watch, this kind of illegal operations will not succeed. That’s why we put more efforts and doubled our work in the performance of our duties,” said Brig. Gen. Dionardo Carlos, police regional director, after the suspects were presented to the local media.

The suspects, in two vehicles, were intercepted along Maharlika highway at Barangay Buñagan, Gandara town at around 4:30 p.m.

Thursday.

The illegal drugs were from Manila bound for Cebu.

The National Police Commission is optimistic it could submit findings on the “ninja cops” controversy before Albayalde retires from service next month.

“We will see to it before Nov. 8 all the documents necessary would have already been submitted to the offices concerned na dapat namin pagdalhan ng output ng investigation na ito (where we should send our output in this investigation), especially the Office of the President and the secretary of the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government),” Napolcom vice chairman and executive officer Rogelio Casurao said Saturday.

In an interview on dzMM radio, Casurao said that an investigation involving Albayalde should be resolved while he was still in service. PNA, with MJ Blancaflor, Ronald Reyes

earned due to admitted claims, the PET found out.

These figures are higher than the votes Robredo and Marcos got as reflected in the provincial certificates of canvass—1,493,517 for Robredo and 202,136 for Marcos, the tribunal added.

The PET voted to order the release of the initial report earlier this week.

It also required the parties to comment on the report and to submit their respective memoranda on the “various issues relating to the jurisdiction and other matters relating to the third cause of action” within 20 days from receiving the notice.

Associate Justices Carpio and Caguioa dissented, arguing the case should have been dismissed.

Marcos’ supposed third cause of action is the annulment of 2016 election results for vice president in Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Maguindanao due to

alleged terrorism, violence, force, threats, intimidation, pre-shading of ballots, and vote substitution.

He chose the three pilot provinces under Rule 65 of the 2010 PET Rules, which allows a protestant or counter-protestant to indicate provinces that “best exemplify the frauds or irregularities” alleged in the petition and subject them to an examination of ballots.

Marcos, namesake and son of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, is still confident the election protest he filed before the High Tribunal gained strength, saying the latest decision made by PET was a good result because the case was not dismissed.

Marcos said: “It is the first time any presidential protest arrived to this stage in the protest. Maybe after all these, kailangan balikan natin ang sistema natin ng pagprotesta. The whole electoral system...

It is not advantageous to our electoral system, our voters, our political system, the entire state that we wait for this long on an important decision.

“But nonetheless, that was what happened the last three years. What happened today is, the case goes on and we will go from strength to strength.”

Robredo, who ran under the ruling Liberal Party, the political party of then President Benigno Aquino III, was declared winner in the vice presidential race in 2016 with 14,418,817 votes, up by only 263,473 against the votes received

by Marcos.

But Marcos declared the cheating carried out in the elections was massive and unprecedented because it had become institutionalized.

The young Marcos said he would present the “true results” of the elections so that he could assume the position.

them. Strengthen their faith in you and strengthen their trust in one another being united and taking care of each other,” the CBCP head added.

Kidapawan Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo said the cathedral and other churches under the diocese remain structurally sound.

“No major damages to our cathedral and other churches. Commercial building and other infrastructures in

Kidapawan and other towns were moderately affected,” Bagaforo said in an article posted on the CBCP news website.

Tulunan was the epicenter of the Oct. 16 magnitude-6.3 quake that devastated communities in South Central Mindanao, and parts of Northern Mindanao and the Davao region.

Saturday’s aftershock also shook Kidapawan City (Intensity IV): Tupi, Koronadal City, and Tampakan, South

Cotabato (Intensity III); and General Santos City (Intensity II).

Instrumental intensities (ground shaking recorded by seismic instruments) were reported in Malungon, Sarangani; Koronadal City, South Cotabato (Intensity IV); Kidapawan City; General Santos City; Alabel, Sarangani; Tupi, South Cotabato; Davao City (Intensity III); and Kiamba, Sarangani (Intensity I).

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PNP INTERNAL CLEANSING CONTINUES—METRO CHIEF

By Joel E. Zurbano

P

OLICE Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas has taken over the position of chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, promising to intensify the campaign against criminality and continue with the internal cleansing and other programs initiated by his predecessor Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar.

“I know that there’s still so much that needs to be done and I will state I intend to be the focus of my service with NCRPO, no matter its duration.

We walk the talk in NCRPO,” said Sinas.

Sinas said taking the post as Metro Manila police director is ”obviously a challenging assignment.”

“The National Capital Region is an extraordinarily unique area from a law enforcement perspective with its diverse array of factors that contribute to

constant demands for police services.

Moreover, notwithstanding these numerous challenges, the NCRPO is expected to consistently serve as a model of the best that the national police is able to provide their citizenry,” he said.

Sinas said the programs of Eleazar during his stint as NCRPO chief, especially eradicating the so-called “bad eggs” in the police ranks, clearly made an impact not only on police personnel, but also on the public per-

ception of the delivery of the basic police services.

“I would therefore like to take this opportunity to express my admiration for my mistah Police Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar for the various programs and innovations that he implemented in NCRPO,” said Sinas during the ceremonial turnover held in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City last Wednesday, which was witnessed by Philippine National Police officer-in-charge Police Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa.

Sinas, who was the classmate of Eleazar in the Philippine Military Academy Hinirang Class of 1987, has been the Central Visayas Regional Police Office since June 2018 and also served as head of the PNP’s Crime Laboratory at Camp Crame.

Sinas’ appointment came after Eleazar was designated as head of the PNP Directorial Staff following the terminal leave made by PNP Police Director Oscar Albayalde who

was to retire on Nov. 8.

During Eleazar’s time, the NCRPO was named Best Police Regional Office, a first in its history, for its commitment and determination to succeed in the government’s war against criminality and illegal drugs.

Eleazar also made a number of relief orders against police officials and personnel engaged in drug dealing, illegal activities and misconduct, including the relief of Eastern Police District police director Brig. General Christopher Tambungan for allegedly assaulting a female police officer in front of a police community precinct in San Juan City last May. Police Chief Master Sergeant Rahid Sanguan, a member of PNP Police Security and Protection Group, was the latest police officer that was relieved by the NCRPO under the supervision of Eleazar. Sanguan was busted for drug trafficking in Taguig City.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LEGARDA PUSHES CULTURAL DIPLOMACY

By Maricel V. Cruz DEPUTY Speaker Loren Legarda on Saturday urged the government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to strengthen its cultural diplomacy program through more partnerships with leading academic institutions.

Legarda, who represents Antique in Congress, is optimistic that the government will take advantage of such opportunities to enrich our own culture after the signing of an agreement between the Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt and the Ruhr University Bochum.

The agreement, which provided for the creation of a Philippine studies program, was signed on Oct. 15, 2019 in Bochum, Germany.

The signing ceremony was attended

by Consul General Evelyn D. AustriaGaria, Rector Professor Axel Schlömerich, Vice Rector Professor Dr. Komelia Freitag, Director for International Affairs Monika Sprung, Professor Roger Friedlein, and Vice Consul Mejilla Meuller.

The signing of the agreement will pave the way for a students and teachers exchange, exchange of expertise and technical knowhow in biodiversity, conservation, climate change and philology, among other areas of interest.

The program was made possible by Legarda, through an initial funding of P5 million under the 2019 DFA budget to support such academic and research activities.

“This is the second academic agreement cooperation that I have worked on knowing that cultural diplomacy is one of the pillars of Philippine foreign policy, and academic cooperation is a means to promote cultural diplomacy. Through such agreements, the international community will not only know about our history as a nation but also appreciate who we are as a people. It will also allow us to show our counterparts our accomplishments in the different disciplines of the academe,” Legarda said.

POPE NAMES BACCAY HEAD OF TUGUEGARAO Water lilies clog the Pasig River in Manila, hampering barge operations. Norman Cruz

OFW DEPARTMENT GAINS HOUSE COMMITMENT

By Maricel V. Cruz A LEADER of the House of Representatives has assured Filipinos working abroad that the lower chamber is giving top priority to creating a new department to address their concerns.

The creation of the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers was one of the promises of President Rodrigo Duterte in his latest State of the Nation Address.

Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte, who represents the Second District of Camarines Sur, has ensured the cooperation of the House leadership with migrant workers’ groups and other stakeholders involved in

the training and overseas placement of Filipino workers pushing for the speedy congressional approval of the proposed department of DOFW. He said the House leadership was eyeing the bill’s approval before Congress took its first recess this month.

Villafuerte’s commitment came during his recent meeting at the House with leaders of the Alliance of Bonafide Recruiters for OFW’s Advancement and Development (ABROAD), which earlier submitted a position paper to Malacañang and the Congress identifying points of agreements and discussions on finetuning the measure.

AN ODE TO BANAUE

Look through the lens of the late master photographer, John K. Chua THEY say a picture is worth a thousand words—a captured moment can evoke feelings and a photo of a well-loved place can bring back treasured memories. Until Dec. 1, find time to see the beauty of Banaue in a different light, through the magic eye of renowned photographer, John K. Chua in “Falling in Love with Banaue and Beyond,” a photo exhibition at the Fo Guang Yuan Manila Art Gallery.

From breathtaking photos of the Banaue Rice Terraces to moving portraits of the locals, the exhibit showcases pictures of family and community living, rituals and practices, as well as ethnic games taken by the photographer from 1970 to 2015.

The late John K. Chua was one of the most respected photographers in the country known for his technical expertise and taking on challenging photo shoots. For more than four decades, he has worked with different clients, shot a variety of subjects, and cemented his place as a top-notch

architectural, commercial, and advertising photographer. An adopted son of Banaue, Chua devoted his life to documenting Ifugao culture and teaching photography to kids battling cancer as well as to children with autism.

The award-winning advertising photographer was also an advocate for people with disabilities. He organized Photography with a Difference, among many other initiatives, and taught photography to the visually impaired through the Photography Beyond Sight program.

Falling in Love with Banaue and Beyond is organized by the Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple in partnership with the Fo Guang Yuan Manila Art Gallery. The exhibit opened and runs until Dec. 1, 2019.

The Fo Guang Yuan Manila Art Gallery is located at 656 P. Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila and is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

He welcomed the partnership with lawmakers of the recruiters’ alliance and encouraged them to gather testimonials and cases to buttress the broad and deep support here and abroad for the creation of a new department catering to Filipino migrant workers.

“The creation of this new department for OFWs is a top priority of the House leadership under Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, in support of President Duterte’s agenda for inclusive growth and in recognition by the House of the vital contribution to the domestic

economy of the ever-increasing number of OFWs who are our modern-day heroes,” Villafuerte said.

Villafuerte noted that the surge in OFW remittances is responsible in part for the increasing resilience of the Philippine economy in the face of international financial headwinds such as international protectionism, the US-China trade war and the global economic slowdown.

Citing Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data, Villafuerte noted that personal remittances of OFWs soared to $13.7 billion over the January-May 2019 period, or 4.1 percent more than the year-ago figure of $13.2 billion.

BISHOP Ricardo Baccay will return to the Archdiocese of Tuguegarao as its new head.

Pope Francis on Friday named Baccay as the successor of Archbishop Sergio Utleg, 76, who served the archdiocese for eight years, according to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

The Holy Father has accepted the archbishop’s resignation a year after the latter reached the mandatory retirement age of 75.

Baccay served as the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese in 2007 until he was transferred to the Diocese of Alaminos in Pangasinan in 2016.

He will be the eighth Archbishop of Tuguegarao in Cagayan province.

The archbishop-elect was born in Tuguegarao in 1961 and was ordained a priest in 1987.

Baccay has been serving as chairman of the Commission on Bioethics of the CBCP. During the bishops’ plenary assembly last July, he was elected as a member of the new CBCP Permanent Council.

No official date has been set on when the archbishop-elect would be installed.

In the meantime, the Vatican has named Utleg as apostolic administrator “sede vacante” until Baccay takes canonical possession. PNA

Harvey Chua (seated in front, 6th from left) during the opening ceremony along with special guests and organizers of the exhibit

John Chua in his younger days, along with his Ifugao ‘brothers’, during one of his visits to Banaue.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News SMUGGLED CIGARETTES SEIZED IN ZAMBOANGA

BIGGEST REGATTA. The green Victory Lighthouse statue towers over a field of over 2,000 vessels, as if to mark the start of the 51st Barcolana regatta—which has the most participants of any sailing regatta in the world—in the Gulf of Trieste off the coast of Italy on Oct. 13. AFP

P80-M FAKE GOODS DESTROYED

By Vito Barcelo

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HE Bureau of Customs has destroyed imported counterfeit goods it seized worth P58 million in Camp Crame, Quezon City, as part of the agency’s continuing drive against smuggled fake products.

An additional P32.2 million worth of goods confiscated by other government agencies brought the total destroyed items to P80.2 million.

About P7 million of DVDs came from the Optical Media Board, and P1 million worth of fake pharmaceutical products were hauled by the Food and Drug Administration, among others.

Three heavy equipment vehicles from the Department of Public Works and Highways were used to crush the counterfeit goods such as signature bags, luggage, soaps, lotions, cutting blades, seasoning mix, and pirated DVDs of local and foreign films at the PNP grandstand.

The goods were turned over to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines for destruction.

The fake items were seized after antismuggling operations conducted in a mall in Binondo, Manila and a warehouse in Baclaran, Pasay City.

The BOC also raided another shopping mall in Binondo, where approximately P4 billion worth of counterfeit goods, composed mostly of high-value bags and wrist watches, were seized.

Last month, numerous soaps, lotions and shampoos amounting to P6 million were seized in a warehouse in Baclaran, Pasay City.

The BOC recently raided several ware-

houses in Quezon City and Manila, taking P7 million worth of counterfeit goods.

The destruction of the fake goods were witnessed by Philippine National Police Officer-in-Charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa and IPOPHIL Deputy Director General Teodoro C. Pascua, who also sits as vice chairman of the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights.

The BOC said it will continue to monitor and confiscate fake goods, as it intensified its drive against smuggling with the holiday season nearing.

Pascua said counterfeiters and pirates have aggressively utilized technology, digital platforms, and online intermediaries to sell counterfeit products and flourish its enterprises.

“The Internet has created enormous opportunities for companies to promote and market their brands to consumers.

However, its global reach, openness, and largely unregulated character have also created an avenue for the trade and

distribution of fake products,”said Pascua, who is also undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry.

“A strategy that will integrate human and technological resources of the government, the private sector, and other key players, is vital to effectively combat the proliferation of counterfeiting and piracy given the increasing sophistication and methods employed in selling counterfeit products such as the use of IT, internet and electronic platforms,” Pascua added.

Pascua said the significant increase of seizures of counterfeit goods in the Philippines is attributable to the persistent efforts, commitment, and cooperation of the NCIPR member agencies.

“Coordination and collaboration as a primary and central strategy among NCIPR member agencies promote combination and unification of ideas, solutions, actions, and resources, and enhances efficiency in the delivery of NCIPR’s programs and activities,” he said.

CUSTOMS WARNS OF SYNDICATE VICTIMIZING SOCMED USERS

By Joel E. Zurbano

BEWARE chatmates, the Bureau of Customs warned the public anew as it revealed a syndicate victimizing social media users.

The Customs-Ninoy Aquino International Airport branch said the syndicate continues using the BOC’s name for fraud, either through mail or the Internet.

The bureau warned the people not to entertain any notice, supposedly from the BOC, about a package and a certain amount to be paid for the parcel to be delivered to the addressee.

“Bureau of Customs warns the public from scams that use the agency’s name in asking for payments. The bureau does not collect payments through money remittance or personal bank accounts. #ScamAlert,” the BoC-NAIA posted on its official Facebook account.

The bureau urged the public to report the matter to the offices of the Commissioner, Enforcement and Security Service and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service for appropriate action.

The syndicate usually gets in touch with prospective victims online via chat or dating websites, the BOC explained.

After several weeks or even months, the perpetrators would send a message to their victims through email, promising to send gifts ranging from luxury bags, jewelry, laptop computers and other electronic gadgets via international door-to-door parcel.

Victims would be sent a tracking number and invoice for the purported shipment.

Reports showed that a woman in Mindanao lost P22,100 to a foreigner con artist, whom she met and befriended through social media and later promised to send her a package.

Soon after, the woman got an email from her chat mate with an attached letter, supposedly from the Bureau of Customs, informing her about the arrival of the package in the Philippines and the payment of its duties and taxes through Western Union.

The woman said she lost almost all her lifetime savings.

According to the BOC, not all perpetrators of this scam are foreigners, with some involving locals.

In April 2018, Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal revealed the existence of a syndicate engaged in the so-called “Package Deliver” scheme, using the NAIA in the illegal activity.

TAIWAN TOURISM FORUM. SKAL International Taipei celebrates ‘2019 World Tourism Day’ with the Sustainable Tourism Forum attended

by Taipei tourism stakeholders and partners held at the Taipei MOTC Convention Center. Speakers from Asia included Philippine delegates led by its chairman Robert Lim Joseph, (2nd from right), who spoke about Sustainable and Farm Tourism, SKAL Makati member Peter Tay (left), who discussed Boracay’s attractions, and SKAL Makati member Jho Floresca (not pictured), who talked about ‘Subic Millennial Strategies in Promoting Tourism.’ Also pictured are forum moderator Kitty Wong, president of K&A International, and panelist Masa Takamatsu, senior executive fellow of JTB Tourism Research and Consulting Co.

MMDA CHAIR COMMENDS HEROIC DEED OF MOTORBIKE RIDER CHAIRMAN Danilo Lim of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Saturday commended a young motorcyclist and MMDA emergency response trainee who did not think twice in helping a fellow rider who figured in an accident.

Jerome Juanico, 22, member of the MMDA-Metro Manila Emergency Volunteers Corps for three years, said he was on his way home when he heard over the radio that a motorcycle rider got

injured in a collision that happened at EDSA-Oliveros area in Quezon City at 3 p.m. last Thursday.

Being a rider himself, Juanico said he was aware that motorcycle riders are most vulnerable to injuries, which prompted him to offer his help.

With a first aid kit in his motorcycle, Juanico drove all the way from Cubao to the accident area.

“One important lesson I had learned from my training is to carry a first aid kit

at all times in case any road emergency happens,” said Juanico.

Juanico was able to help the injured motorcyclist by cleaning his lacerated wound and calming him after he experienced difficulty of breathing while waiting for the MMDA Road Emergency Group.

“I am proud to be a member of MMEVC. I am also thankful that I was able to apply what I learned from the training offered by the MMDA to help someone in need. This is exactly the reason why I signed up to be a

volunteer, so I could assist others,”said Juanico.

Juanico had completed the Earthquake, Landslide Search and Rescue Operations course and the Basic Life Support course conducted by MMEVC. Lim praised Juanico for rendering assistance to the injured motorcyclist.

“My sincere salute to Juanico for being a good Samaritan. I hope this inspires more people to sign up to be our volunteer and help others in need,” said Lim. Joel E. Zurbano

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Military operatives seized a shipment of some P600,000 wor th of smuggled cigarettes while on security operation in this southern port city, officials said Saturday.

Col. Antonio John Divinagracia, Joint Task Force Zamboanga commander, said the shipment was intercepted around 9 p.m. Thursday at the seaside area of Barangay Baliwasan this city.

Divinagracia said the troops were conducting a checkpoint when they intercepted a van driven by Puntukan Kimar Gulam loaded with 20 master cases of cigarettes.

He said Gulan and his companion, Parkalid Sapapan, failed to show documents to justify the legality of their shipment.

“Our intensified operation against smuggling yielded positive results as observed in the series of confiscation of smuggled cigarettes,” he said.

The confiscated cigarettes were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for proper disposition.

“This should serve as a reminder to all those who plan to conduct lawless activity in this part of the region,” said Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, Western Mindanao Command chief said.

Sobejana has assured that the Westmincom, through all of its Joint Task Forces, “will stick to our mandate to end all sorts of lawlessness in our area of operation.” PNA

EU LEADS 2ND CHILDREN’S RIGHTS SUMMIT AT MUSEO WHAT happens when children take up the cudgels for climate change adaptation? The result will be creativity, innovation and collective voice to get rid of plastic wastes—all for a better environment.

In time for the celebrations of the 30th Year of the Convention on the Rights of Children, the European Union Delegation to the Philippines and the Museo Pambata conducted the Second Children’s Rights Summit.

As the first summit last year was devoted to children’s rights, this year’s edition has taken a notch further by linking children’s rights to the right of children for a green and sustainable environment.

The EU Delegation and Museo Pambata have worked in tandem to mobilize children and youth from public schools, communities, NGOs and arts groups for children and the environment.

The summit is comprised of a trainor’s training for children facilitated in by the EU Delegation to the Philippines’ Program Manager for Environment, Giovanni Seritella, Museo Pambata, and artists of Komunidad X. Since Oct. 12, 12 children aged 9 to 14 years old from the artistic town of Angono and from CAA and Regidor Elementary Schools were trained on the basics of children’s rights, and what they can do to advocate for environment protection and for climate change adaptation.

The second step is the children’s summit, where the children together with youth leaders from Bye Bye Plastics Philippines, will re-echo their skills and know-how to their fellow children.

They are encouraged to use their artistic skills to come up with tangible artworks that will remind all of them of the need to help save the environment, get rid of plastic pollution, and to learn how to combat and adapt to climate change.

While Sweden has a Greta Thunberg, the Philippines will not have only one but will have at least 80 child-advocates for the environment and climate change adaptation by the end of the children’s rights summit on Saturday in Museo Pambata.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019

Opinion

Adelle Chua, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

FIRST, IMAGINE

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WO women floated out of the International Space Station Friday to replace a failed power control unit. The female astronauts remained attached to handrails on the exterior of the ISS for seven hours and 17 minutes, through harnesses and pairs of metal carabiners. They were 260 miles above the Earth as they performed their sensitive task.

To be sure, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir were not the first women to do an extra vehicular activity, more popularly known as a spacewalk. Before them, 14 women have done so. Friday’s spacewalk was, however, the first time a female astronaut was not accompanied by a male colleague.

The all-female spacewalk would have

“I think it’s important because of the historical nature of what we’re doing,” Koch told reporters ahead of the spacewalk. “In the past, women haven’t always been at the table. It’s wonderful to be contributing to the space program at a time when all contributions are being accepted, when everyone has a role. That can lead in turn to increased chance for success.”

Friday’s all-female spacewalk is a milestone because it highlights that happened earlier, but there was only one things that were unimaginable before suit fit for a female on board the ISS, and could now be accomplished. When NASA had to have another made. before it was unheard of that women In contrast, there have been 213 men could go into space programs, much who have done the same. Women were less walk on space, now they are admitted to space programs only in happening—and more of the sort will 1978, and a woman first walked on space take place in coming years, until they are only in 1984—the cosmonaut Svetlana no longer a novelty.

Savitskaya.

It’s a message that should be given

to girls at the outset: That they could be anything they want to be. But before they can take concrete steps toward their dream, they must first be able to imagine the possibilities.

Give the inspiration from these astronauts, girls should also be encouraged to venture into the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The perception that men are inherently more adept at STEM industries is fast waning. Women, once denied education and consigned to the duties of housekeeping, marriage and childbearing, are now able to accomplish the same tasks and become leaders in their respective fields.

Talent, leadership, passion and commitment reside in women and men alike. The only barrier to realizing one’s potential is the failure to imagine that such feats can actually be achieved.

BOEING PILOTS SAW ‘EGREGIOUS’ SYSTEM PROBLEMS AS FAR BACK AS 2016

By John Biers A BOEING pilot behind the 737 MAX certification in 2016 told a colleague a key flight handling system was "running rampant" during simulator tests, according to documents reviewed Friday by AFP. The Boeing employees quipped about problems during simulations of the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, a flight-handling mechanism that is believed to be at the center of two MAX crashes that killed 346 people.

Boeing's chief technical pilot of the 737, Mark Forkner, said the MCAS system's performance during the simulator tests was "egregious" and that "I basically lied to the regulators (unknowingly)," according to the instant messages.

The messages—which Boeing knew about for months before sharing with the Federal Aviation Administration—raised fresh questions about the company's knowledge of problems with the MAX long before the crashes and about whether it has been transparent with regulators during investigations.

Shares tumbled Friday as aviation experts said the revelations could further delay the plane's return to service.

The crashes and the FAA's certification of the MAX are under investigation from a number of authorities, including the Department of Justice and congressional committees that have scheduled hearings with Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg later this month.

In both the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, the MCAS pointed the plane sharply downward based on a faulty sensor reading, hindering the pilots' ability to control the aircraft after takeoff, according to preliminary crash investigations.

The FAA, based on its interactions with Forkner and others at Boeing, believed during certification that the MCAS system would activate only in rare cases and did not pose a threat to plane safety.

The FAA criticized Boeing for learning of the messages "some months ago," but not disclosing them to safety regulators until Thursday.

"Last night, I reviewed a concerning document that Boeing provided late yesterday to the Department of Transportation," FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a letter to Muilenburg.

"I understand that Boeing discovered the document in its files months ago. I expect your explanation immediately regarding the content of this document and Boeing's delay in disclosing the document to its safety regulator."

FURTHER DELAYS?

EVERYMAN

FAILED WAR VS. DRUGS AND CORRUPTION

By Val Abelgas I FIND it ironic that while President Duterte has made his campaign against illegal drugs and corruption the landmark agenda of his administration, the most damaging scandals that have rocked his reign are the ones involving illegal drugs and corruption. And while he often takes pride in his policemen, to whom he has bestowed all kinds of incentives and praise, it is the law enforcement agencies that have given his administration the most headaches.

During his campaign and in the first few days of his presidency, Duterte said he could not allow those who are involved in the trade of illegal drugs to destroy the country and the youth, and threatened to eliminate them and throw them into the Manila Bay as feed for sharks. He egged on policemen to do what they have to do to fight illegal drugs, and promised to protect them from prosecution of their actions if they were done on the line of duty.

Under the command of then PNP chief Director General and now the Honorable Senator Bato dela Rosa, the policemen went to work.

In a matter of days, hundreds of mostly young people from the country’s slums lay dead on alleys, streets and even in their homes as the dreaded “Operation Tokhang” turned what could have been a great mission to rid the country of the drug menace into a deadly drug war. As the days wore on, the number of drugrelated deaths grew to thousands, and tens of thousands more of drug users surrendered to the police for fear of suffering the same fate.

Although the number of those murdered on the streets—either by policemen for allegedly violently resisting arrest or by alleged vigilantes—dissipated in the last two years as public outcry and global protest heightened, many more deaths are reported in relation to

the drug war.

Despite all these deaths and continued threats by the feisty former Davao City mayor, the drug war has apparently not caused a dent in the illegal drug trade. Because for every thousand drug users eliminated, only one or two known drug lords were taken off the streets. Not a single one, in my knowledge, has been prosecuted and convicted since. Even those drug lords jailed before Duterte’s term have reportedly continued to practice their trade from the confines of the Bilibid prison.

More importantly, the drug war was based on the wrong premise that illegal drug use is more of a criminal than a health issue.

Two successive scandals involving billions of pesos of shabu shipments rocked the administration in April and August last year. The first one, a P6.4-billion shabu shipment, broke out in April after Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency personnel discovered the illegal drugs in a Bulacan warehouse. Despite telling testimonies from self-confessed Customs fixer Mark Taguba that told of the collusion between high-ranking Customs officials and what he called the “Davao Group” in the P6.4-billion shabu shipment in April and in many other smuggling cases in the Customs bureau, all 12 key Customs and six NBI officials implicated in the smuggling scandal and six officers of the Hong Fei Logistics warehouse where the shabu was found were cleared by the Department of Justice.

In a tragic turn of events, the whistleblower— who implicated presidential son then Davao City Vice Mayor and now Rep. Paolo Duterte, a Davao City councilor, and nine other private individuals—was left holding the bag with various charges. Most of the ranking Customs officials were eventually re-appointed by the President to other key government posts, while others went on to reassume their posts.

In August, another report surfaced that P6.8 billion worth of that illegal drug had again entered the country through the Customs bureau. PDEA agents seized 355 kilos of shabu sitting in the Manila International Container Port, which were waiting to be claimed by the consignee. The drugs were hidden in large magnetic lifters that arrived from Malaysia in a shipping container. Shortly after, PDEA agents raided a warehouse in Cavite where similar magnetic lifters were found but without the shabu. Drug-sniffing dogs of the PDEA, however, reportedly found traces of shabu in the lifters, leading PDEA chief Aaron Aquino to conclude that about a ton of shabu might have already been released into the streets and that certain Customs officials were involved in the illicit drug trade.

But even before the PDEA could pursue its investigation, the President dismissed Aquino’s report as “pure speculation.” He even cautioned government officials not to be speculative as he was not convinced that another drug shipment was smuggled into the country.

The shabu scandals not only showed that the administration’s drug war was ineffective, they also showed that despite Duterte’s repeated threats and avowals of going thongs and hammers against corrupt government officials, especially those in what he described as the most corrupt government agency, the Bureau of Customs, his campaign against corruption has hit a solid wall.

While the President was quick to fire some government officials without the benefit of hearings or investigations for relatively minor offenses, he kept his silence when it came to his longtime allies. For example, there was no further investigation of the Department of Tourism after quietly accepting Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo, a fellow Davaoeño, despite a

report by the Commission on Audit questioning the payment of P60 million by the DOT to a production outfit owned by her brothers Ben and Erwin Tulfo for ad placements made on a TV produced by Ben and hosted by Erwin on GTV-4.

As to this day, no investigation nor prosecution has been made. Patay mali na lang.

Another corruption scandal erupted just recently involving the Bureau of Corrections, headed by former military colonel Nick Faeldon, who was the same official linked to the two shabu scandals as Customs chief, when it was reported by Senator Ping Lacson that thousands of convicted criminals were released in exchange for unreported amounts of money under the pretense that they were qualified for freedom under the good conduct law.

And then there was the case of “illegal parking of pork” as exposed, again, by Senator Lacson whereby huge amounts of funds were included in the proposed National Expenditure Program for projects of favored congressmen before it is submitted to Congress. Just recently, another expose by Lacson revealed billions of pork barrel funds inserted by the House in the proposed budget.

Despite claims by the administration that the government is on the road to being corruptfree, the Philippines remains high on the list of corruption-ridden countries. And despite threats of death and incarceration to both users and pushers, the illegal drugs trade remains rampant in the country.

Obviously, strong man rule is only effective if there is sincerity and consistency in enforcing the laws, which this administration has not shown so far.

Mr. Abelgas is a former editor of Manila Standard. He now lives in the United States.

The FAA said it flagged its concerns to lawmakers on Capitol Hill and the Department of Transportation's inspector general.

A Boeing spokesman said Muilenburg called Dickson to respond to "the concerns raised in his letter" and to assure the agency that the company is "taking every step possible to safely return the MAX to service."

Boeing furnished the messages earlier in the year to "the appropriate investigating authority," the company's spokesman said.

"Boeing has also been voluntarily cooperating with the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee's investigation into the 737 MAX. As part of that cooperation, today we brought that document to the Committee's attention as well. We will continue to cooperate with the Committee, and all other authorities, as they move forward with their investigations."

Maria Cantwell, the senior Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, said regulators "must receive full cooperation and all relevant documents so a full and thorough investigation can take place," adding that the reports about the messages and the lack of timely disclosure are "deeply troubling."

News of the messages comes as the FAA has taken the lead among international regulators in overseeing the recertification of the MAX in a process that has dragged on much longer than originally expected.

The messages add to the pressure on Muilenburg ahead of an Oct. 30 congressional hearing. Boeing last week stripped Muilenburg of his title as chairman, a move that analysts said could be a precursor to his removal as chief executive.

In recent days, American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines have pushed back their target dates for returning the MAX to service, with the three carriers pulling all flights for the aircraft through January or February 2020.

Michel Merluzeau at AirInsight Research said the latest disclosures could lead to further delays.

"Today's disclosure is potentially going to impact return to service again and likely to lead to prolonged uncertainty for the program and lead to consequences at the enterprise level," Merluzeau said. "This is frankly sobering news."

Shares of Boeing tumbled 6.8 percent to finish at $344. AFP

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EUROPEAN LEADERS TO VETO FACEBOOK’S DIGITAL CURRENCY

CHILE DECLARES EMERGENCY STATE AFTER PROTESTS OVER TRAIN FARE SANTIAGO—Chile's president declared a state of emergency in Santiago Friday night and gave the military responsibility for security after a day of violent protests over increases in the price of metro tickets.

"I have declared a state of emergency and, to that end, I have appointed Major General Javier Iturriaga del Campo as head of national defense, in accordance with the provisions of our state of emergency legislation," President Sebastian Pinera said.

Throughout Friday, protestors clashed with riot police in several parts of the city and the subway system was shut after attacks on several stations.

Violent clashes escalated as night fell, and the ENEL power company building and a Banco Chile branch, both in the city center, were set on fire and several metro stations hit with Molotov cocktails.

The unrest started as a fare-dodging protest against the hike in metro ticket prices, which increased from 800 to 830 peso ($1.17) for peak hour travel, following a 20 peso rise in January.

Attacks on metro stations forced the closure of the entire subway system, which is the key form of public transport in the congested and polluted capital, carrying three million passengers a day.

"The entire network is closed due to riots and destruction that prevent the minimum security conditions for passengers and workers," the metro operator said on Twitter, after attacks against nearly all the 164 stations where many gates and turnstiles were destroyed.

The Santiago Metro, at 140 kilometers (90 miles) the largest and most modern in South America, is expected to remain closed this weekend and could reopen gradually next week.

Closure of the metro forced many Santiago residents to walk home, sometimes long distances, resulting in scenes of chaos.

Protestors erected barricades in various parts of the city and clashed with police, who used water cannon and tear gas in the most violent street battle seen in the Chilean capital for a long time.

Pinera slammed the protesters as criminals.

"This desire to break everything is not a protest, it's criminal," he said in a radio interview.

On Thursday, 133 people had been arrested for causing damage to metro stations, estimated at up to 500 million pesos ($700,000). AFP

RELIGIOUS MARCH. Indigenous leaders and bishops participating in the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region, carry a cross as they march in procession on Oct. 19 between Rome's Castel Sant'Angelo (Rear) and the Vatican's St. Peters Square. AFP

BREXIT IN THE BALANCE AS MPS HOLD VOTE

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RITISH MPs gathered on Saturday for a knifeedge vote on Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit deal for a decision that could see the UK leave the EU this month or plunge the country into fresh uncertainty.

The parliament was holding its first Saturday sitting since the 1982 Falklands War to debate the terms of a divorce agreement Johnson struck with European Union leaders Thursday.

Opposition parties and Johnson's own Northern Irish allies have rejected the text but the prime minister and his team have spent the past 48 hours frantically trying to win the support of wavering MPs. The vote is widely seen as too close to call but Johnson warned his deal was still the best way out of the tortuous Brexit process that has left Britain in political turmoil since a 2016 referendum.

"Today we MPs have the chance to free you from the never-ending Brexit saga and move this country forward," he wrote in The Sun newspaper.

"A difficult, divisive and—yes—painful chapter in our history would be at an end... We need to get Brexit done."

Johnson is seeking a clear-cut vote that either approves or rejects the di-

vorce treaty.

But MPs are proposing an amendment for approval of the deal to be withheld unless and until the necessary implementing legislation has passed.

They fear is that even if MPs approve the deal, they will not have enough time to debate the formal withdrawal agreement before the deadline, which could see no-deal Brexit by accident.

Securing a deal was a personal victory for Johnson, a figurehead in the Leave campaign who has vowed to deliver Brexit on October 31 in all circumstances.

But parliament—like the frustrated public—is still divided over how and even if Britain should end 46 years of integration with its closest neighbors.

The debate starts from 0830 GMT and coincides with a mass demonstration to parliament demanding a second referendum, with an option to reverse Brexit.

If the deal passes, Johnson is expected to introduce legislation on Monday to ratify the text, which must be pushed

through before the end of the month.

Defeat would trigger a law requiring him to ask EU leaders to delay Brexit for what would be the third time. He has said he would "rather be dead in a ditch" than do so.

Any extension would depend on all 27 EU leaders saying yes.

Johnson took office in July after his predecessor Theresa May failed three times to get her own divorce deal through parliament.

He insists that Brexit must happen this month to end the uncertainty that has weighed on the economy and dominated political and public debate.

However, the vote rests on a knifeedge.

Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, which supports Johnson's minority government, will vote against it because of its arrangements for the British province.

The main opposition Labor Party, led by veteran leftist Jeremy Corbyn, is set against the deal.

"Boris Johnson's sell-out deal risks triggering a race to the bottom on rights and protections: putting food safety at risk, cutting environmental standards and workers' rights, and opening up our NHS (National Health Service) to a takeover by US corporations," said Corbyn. AFP

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation

TOLL REGULATORY BOARD 5th Floor, The Columbia Tower, Barangay Wack-Wack, Mandaluyong City 1550

NOTICE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF ADD-ON TOLL RATE PHASE 1 OF SEGMENT 1 (R-1 EXPRESSWAY) ENHANCEMENT OF THE MANILA-CAVITE TOLL EXPRESSWAY) Notice is hereby given that the Toll Regulatory Board has approved the Petition for Approval of the Add-on Agreed Toll Rate for Phase 1 of Segment 1 (R-1 Expressway) Enhancement of the ManilaCavite Toll Expressway Project, jointly filed by the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA) and Cavitex Infrastructure Corporation (CIC), granting the PRA and CIC the authority to collect the add-on toll rates.

Consequently, the following adjusted toll rates, incorporating the approved add-on toll rates, inclusive of Value-Added Tax, are allowed to be implemented effective October 24, 2019 at 12:01 a.m., and upon PRA and CIC’s compliance with the legal requirements outlined under the 2013 TRB Rules of Procedure, and other relevant laws and jurisprudence: R1-Expressway (Seaside to Zapote), 6.475 kms.

KAWAII. Fans await the start of the Japan 2019 Rugby World Cup quarter-final match between England and Australia at the Oita Stadium in Oita on Oct. 19. AFP

VAT Inclusive

Vehicle Class

Cesar Barrioquinto, Editor / Jimbo Gulle, Issue Editor

AUTHORIZED RATE PRIOR TO ADJUSTMENT (2009)

ADD-ON TOLL RATE TO CAVITEX ENHANCEMENT PROJECT, PHASE 1

TOTAL ADJUSTED RATE

Class 1

P 24.00

P1.00

P25.00

Class 2

P 48.00

P2.00

P50.00

Class 3

P 72.00

P3.00

P75.00

SO ORDERED. Mandaluyong City. October 10, 2019.

By Authority of the Board: (SGD) ENGR. ABRAHAM P. SALES Executive Director II/Hearing Officer

Date of 1st, 2nd & 3rd Publication: October 12,17 & 20, 2019

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

STALEMATE: 3 PRESIDENTS, NO GOV’T IN BOSNIA SARAJEVO—A year has passed since Bosnia's elections, but the country has little to show for it: a three-man presidency has been unable to even agree on a flag, let alone form a government.

Since its 1990s war, the Balkan state has been held together by a fragile powersharing arrangement among its three main groups: Muslims, Serbs and Croats.

Critics say the system entrenches ethnic divides and has hobbled Bosnia with a sprawling and unwieldy government.

The dysfunction has been on display since the October 2018 poll that filled out Bosnia's dizzying layers of government, including two semi-autonomous zones tied together by a central government.

At the top is a tripartite presidency that rotates between a member from each community.

But squabbles between the three men have prevented them from appointing a prime minister to lead the central government.

The Serb member of the presidency, Milorad Dodik, has been mainly working from an office outside central Sarajevo that lies in Bosnia's Serb-dominated half, Republika Srpska.

There he flies the flag of that sub-region, Republika Srpska, instead of Bosnia's national flag.

Dodik, a Serb nationalist, has a long history of disparaging his country, calling it a "failed concept" and suggesting that the Serb region would better off on its own.

The stalemate means that outgoing Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic now holds two roles: leader of the caretaker government and speaker of the national parliament, which he was elected to last year. AFP

WASHINGTON—Major European players are joining forces to block Facebook's proposed digital currency because of the dangers it poses to national sovereignty, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire announced Friday.

The firm opposition from France, Italy and Germany adds to the mounting resistance faced by the tech giant's troubled foray into digital finance.

The Group of 20 economies also warned Friday of "serious" risks of money laundering, fraud and illicit finance posed by Libra, the social media network's proposed digital currency.

Italy, Germany and France will take unspecified steps in the coming weeks "to show clearly that Libra is unwelcome in Europe," Le Maire told reporters on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Washington.

"We will not allow a private company to have the same power, the same monetary power as sovereign states," he added.

"The major difference between Facebook and governments is that we are subject to democratic control, that is the control of the people."

The Group of Seven economies on Thursday had said any reserve-backed digital currency like Libra—known as a stablecoin—would require a sound legal framework before entering circulation.

But European officials say they want to go even further by blocking the currency outright.

Like Le Maire, German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said Friday he was "very skeptical" about Libra.

"I favor not allowing the establishment of such a global currency because that is the responsibility of democratic states," he said.

But Scholz said he recognized the need for banking reforms to make cross-border payments more simple, cheap and speedy.

"At the same time, we must protect the autonomy of democratic states," he said.

The Libra association officially launched Monday in Geneva with 21 founding members, including the telecoms firms Vodafone and Iliad, as well as tech outfits Uber, Spotify and Farfetch, blockchain operations such as Anchorage, Xapo and Coinbase and the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. AFP

MEGHAN MARKLE STRUGGLES AS MOM UNDER SPOTLIGHT LONDON—Meghan Markle has admitted becoming a mother while living under an intense media spotlight has been a "struggle.”

The Duchess of Sussex gave birth to son Archie in May after marrying Prince Harry last year.

Britain's aggressive press at first welcomed Markle, 38, into the royal fold but coverage has become increasingly hostile, with the tabloids luxuriating in stories about Markle's fractured American family and rumors of palace rifts.

Speaking to ITV during the couple's recent tour of southern Africa, she said that: "Not many people have asked if I'm OK." "Look, any woman—especially when they are pregnant—you're really vulnerable and so that was made really challenging, and then when you have a new born—you know?" she said, when asked how she was coping.

"And especially as a woman, it's a lot. It's a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes."

Asked if it would be fair to say it had "really been a struggle," Meghan said: "Yes." Her comments come after the couple launched legal action this month against British tabloid the Mail on Sunday for invasion of privacy, with Harry recalling the hounding of his later mother Diana.

Harry told ITV the memories of what happened to his mother was a "wound that festers."

"I think being part of this family, in this role, in this job... every single time I see a camera, every single time I hear a click, every single time I see a flash, it takes me straight back, so in that respect it's the worst reminder of her life, as opposed to the best," he said.

The Duke of Sussex is also suing two British tabloid newspaper publishers over alleged phone hacking. AFP

Images WILD! Yongqing Bao won Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2019 for his image, “The Moment,” of a fox hunting a marmot on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Yongqing Bao

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

S O T O PH F THE O EEK W

PAINTING A THOUSAND WORDS. This undated picture released by Korean Central News Agency on Oct. 16 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un riding a white horse amongst the first snow at Mouth Paektu. AFP

STATE VISIT. India’s President Ram Nath Kovind lays a wreaths while paying his respects at the Rizal Monument in Manila. Kovind is in the Philippines for a five-day state visit that began Oct. 17. AFP

AFTER THE QUAKE. Firemen try to put out a fire on a mall following a magnitude-6.3 quake in General Santos City in Mindanao on Oct. 16 where local television said an elderly man was injured. AFP

GREEN PROTEST. Actress Jane Fonda is arrested for blocking a street in front of the US Capitol during a Fire Drill Fridays climate change protest and rally on Oct. 18. Protesters are demanding urgent action on adapting the Green New Deal, clean, renewable energy, and an end to all new fossil fuel exploration and drilling. AFP

NO LETUP. Cigarette smoke is seen as a masked protester poses during a human chain rally in Hong Kong’s Sha Tin district on Oct.18. Hong Kong has been battered by more than four months of sometimes violent unrest that have battered the economy, sparked by a now-shelved bill allowing extraditions to the mainland but have since morphed into a movement demanding greater democracy and police accountability. AFP

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019

Riera U. Mallari, Editor sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Sports

STEWART BLOWS LEAD, BUT RECOVERS TO WIN CROWN

T

ARLAC—Tim Stewart finally nailed the victory that has eluded him the past 11 years—and one that nearly slipped from his clutches again by his own undoing—beating the reigning Philippine Open champion no less in sudden death to claim ICTSI Central Azucarera de Tarlac Open crown here yesterday.

The Aussie turned what had appeared to be a trouble-free romp into a scary triumph, blowing a three-stroke lead with two holes to go with a bogey-double-bogey finish for a 72, and enabling Clyde Mondilla to force a playoff at 15-under 273 after the latter charged back with an eagle-spiked 66.

But in a sudden twist of fate, Stewart came out the victor with a routine par in their return trip to the par-4 18th and Mondilla the vanquished after barely hitting the green and flubbing a par putt from five feet that would’ve extended the match in a fitting ending to a week of uncertainties despite the former threatening to blow the field away with three straight 67s to post a huge four-stroke lead over Guido Van der Valk after 54 holes.

“Finally, I made it,” said Stewart, visibly relieved after saving himself from what could’ve been the biggest em-

Tim Stewart displays his trophy.

Tim Stewart

barrassment in a pro career spanning 11 years. “This is sweet. I couldn’t ask for more.”

But the 34-year-old Stewart, who received the replica of the check worth $17,500 from ICTSI Public Relations’ Jupiter Kalambakal and Luisita club manager Jeric Hechanova, said he won’t be vying in next week’s iCTSI The Summit Point World 18 Challenge in Batangas next week for a threeweek break in the US.

Stewart’s 15-under total also bettered the previous best of 14-under output put up by James Ryan Lam in ruling this event last year with the victory also erasing the stigma of a number of failed bids, including a pair of near-misses in the Luisita Championship of the PGT where he lost by two to Mondilla last year, and in the PGT Asia Manila Southwoods last July where he lost by five to Angelo Que. Surprised by Stewart’s late melt-

down, Mondilla failed to complete what could’ve been one of the most incredible comebacks in region’s booming circuit put up by ICTSI in 2017, overshooting the target in the playoff with his 8-iron approach shot from 120 yards that landed on the right edge of the green.

“I bumped it to within five feet but missed it. It’s (title) really for him,” said Mondilla, who settled for $11,500 runner-up prize.

EQUESTRIANPH LAUNCHES CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

IN AN unprecedented season sponsorship of equestrian events in the country, Equestrian Philippines, Inc. (EquestrianPH) takes the title banner for a series of competitions of the Manila Polo Club, launching the EquestrianPH Indoor Championship Series 2019 this weekend in Makati.

The indoor season runs annually from September to December at the club’s indoor arena which features world class footing, keeping competitions protected from the rains that come during this time.

A leading provider of equestrian training, management, and competition services, EquestrianPH has forged a partnership with the country’s premier equestrian venue for the sponsorship of three showjumping competitions, a points system covering the results of which will determine an overall series champion and champions in each height category, namely,

the 0.65m, 0.75m, 0.90m, 1.00m, 1.10m, and 1.20m categories.

“Series are very important in the development of our jumping riders, as you can create a progression of technical difficulty over a certain period that sees to their constant improvement as the challenges become greater, resulting in stronger, more competitive human and equine athletes as you go along,” said EquestrianPH president Carissa Coscolluela.

It is also the first time that series championship titles will be awarded per category.

“Definitely, we recognize those who excel at the top level, but as in any sport, you need to cultivate young or new talent, so you need to give them something realistic and reachable to work towards as they progress through the levels, offering well-earned rewards as the hit key achievements,” Coscolluela explained of the rationale

behind the new format.

The first leg of the series is dubbed Spooky Spectacular, coinciding with the 5th Manila Polo Club Showjumping Competition on October 26.

The Halloween-themed event encourages riders to compete in costume, with prizes being awarded for best costumes as well as for the usual competition placings.

Riders placed first in their respective height classes will earn 10 points, those placed second will earn 6 points, and those placed third will earn 2 points.

The same points system will be applied at Ride for Life, the second leg of the series on November 16, a competition held for the benefit of the Philippine Red Cross.

The final leg, Oh What Fun It Is to Ride, will be on December 7, where points will carry a double coefficient.

The riders with the highest cumulative number of points per category at

Carissa Coscolluela

the end of the series will be named category champions, and a coefficient system which gives weight to classes with higher obstacle heights will determine the overall series champion.

OBSTACLE COURSE RACE: A BIG PLAYGROUND FOR ADULTS PASIG—If you’re looking for a high-intensity and fastpaced action that will pump the heart and challenge the mind, then the Obstacle Course Race might be the perfect one for you.

As a sport, it involves overcoming various physical challenges in the form of obstacles. It includes hurdles that test strength and coordination, such as carrying heavy objects, climbing up ropes, scaling walls, or navigating monkey bars. The environment also adds challenge to the OCR, as the terrain could be wet, slippery, and muddy with the temperature being hot or freezing.

Nowadays, OCR has already exploded onto the scene with no signs of slowing down, especially with the growing number of athletes joining many races in the country and abroad, happening throughout the year.

THE THRILL OF OCR For athletes Chloe Jane Ong and Patricia Anne Castillo, OCR is the ultimate activity to test your yourself out, both physically and mentally. As a triathlete, Ong shared how she has been hooked to the sport because of its action-packed challenges, which even out the competition for athletes of all types.

“OCR is very challenging, and it has balance; whether you are a lifter or a runner, the playing field is leveled that you are neither ahead nor behind since you have to battle your way throughout the course to the finish line,” she said.

Patricia Castillo, a former member of a dragon boat racing team, on the other hand, considers OCR as the most electrifying sport she has ever participated in as it needs mental and physical endurance.

“I’ve joined different sporting events, and for me, OCR is, indeed, more exciting. It’s not a stagnant sport with only one movement; you are expected to run and then, conquer obstacles. You also don’t know the

OCR athletes training

obstacle you’ll see next so, there is excitement and challenge if you can do it or not. There is the varied cross-training, you gain more friends, and meet a lot of people,” said Castillo.

A SPORT FOR EVERYONE Despite being perceived as a tough race, Ong said that OCR is a sport for everyone. Just like any other physical activity, OCR is beneficial to health since it is a brisk exercise that strengthens the bones, works every muscle, helps brain function, and is good for the heart.

For Castillo, OCR is just like a big playground for adults. “I encourage everyone, especially gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts, to join the open events so they can experience it. The obstacles can be hard, but it is only a matter of a familiarization. Once you get the

hang of it, then you’ll get to enjoy the sport.”

CONQUERING THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES Ong and Castillo recently qualified and competed at the Spartan World Championships, powered by Rakuten, held on September 28-29 in North Lake Tahoe.

As the highest and toughest OCR competition, qualified athletes from more than 30 countries were gathered to compete and conquer the obstacle course set in the area.

“With elite athletes competing all over the world, this is our most challenging OCR to date. We trained hard because the mental and physical demand that this race requires is different,” explained Ong. PREPARATIONS FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONS Ong and Castillo needed to level up their preparations for the championships, with intense training, weight lifting, leg strengthening for climbs, and practicing obstacles so that their body and mind can endure the terrain and challenges during the Spartan race.

Ken Tan, who is also the coach of the country’s national OCR team, helped them in preparing for the race.

“Aside from physical training, we also have to consider the proper diet. We also take supplements, like the Santé Boost Coffee with Tongkat-ali, which helped us increase our overall energy and metabolism, as well as to enhance our physical performance and increase muscle strength,” said Ong. The OCR athletes both consider their Spartan World Championship journey as a huge achievement. With them, as they finished the course, is another milestone for their athletic careers, a proud accomplishment for the Sante Barley OCR Team, and for the country, as well.

“As members of the Sante Barley OCR team, we are proud to represent the Philippines and, to qualify for such competition feels like an achievement already,” added Castillo.

UST TIGERS ELIMINATE NU BULLDOGS ANTIPOLO—University of Santo Tomas eliminated National University from Final Four contention with an 88-76 thumping in the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Basketball Tournament Saturday at Ynares Center here.

CJ Cansino was the catalyst for the Growling Tigers with a season-high 15 points, along with five rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

Soulemane Chabi Yo also uncorked a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds, as Renzo Subido shot 4-of-6 from downtown to corral 14 points, three boards, and two assists.

Mark Nonoy also scored 12 as UST closed in on the second spot at 7-5.

“Lots of players stepped up,” said coach Aldin Ayo. “They just played basketball. They were having fun.

They enjoyed the game, but we know that while they are doing that, may kasamang responsibility pa rin.”

Their balanced attack also came at a time where Rhenz Abando marked his return to the team after an emotional week where he was rumored to be on his way out of Espana.

He got nine points and five rebounds in 16 minutes of play.

UST sustained its high-octane self, going 12-of-36 from threes as it also dished out 18 assists in the win.

That hot shooting allowed the Growling Tigers to break away in the third frame, using a 20-5 attack that gave it a 23-point lead, 58-35.

The Bulldogs rallied behind Dave Ildefonso as they went on a 21-7 spurt to get to within nine, 65-56, heading to the fourth, but Subido and Chabi Yo helped UST break away anew and enjoyed 20-point leads in the final canto.

Ildefonso fired 27 points, six rebounds, and four assists for NU, which fell to 2-9.

The Scores: UST 88—Chabi Yo 16, Cansino 15, Subido 14, Nonoy 12, Abando 9, Ando 8, Bataller 3, Concepcion 3, Cuajao 3, Paraiso 3, Huang 2, Bordeos 0.

NU 76—D. Ildefonso 27, S. Ildefonso 15, Clemente 10, Gaye 6, Rangel 4, Joson 3, Minerva 3, Oczon 3, Malonzo 2, Mosqueda 2, Gallego 1, Diputado 0, Galinato 0, Mangayao 0, Tibayan 0, Yu 0.

Quarterscores: 17-18, 38-30, 6556, 88-76.

MIRANDA, PALS RULE SBP’S 3X3 TOURNEY GEMMA Miranda, a member of last year’s 3 x 3 World Cup squad, spearheaded her team’s 21-19 triumph over Janine Pontejo and co. in the finals of the SBP 3 x 3 women’s competition Leg 1 sponsored by SMART at the Meralco Gym on Saturday.

Miranda and her squad raced to a 4-1 record in the single-round eliminations, then outlasted Pontejo and her team in the finals to become the champion of the tournament organized by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to allow the Philippine women’s team to garner ranking points in quest of a possible Olympic berth.

The event, according to Patrick Aquino, head coach of Gilas Pilipinas women’s team, should be done more often to kick up our world ranking.

“It’s participated in by the country’s top 100 women players,” Aquino said.

“So far, we’re ranked No. 25,” said Gilas Pilipinas women’s team coach Patrick Aquino. “But we can catch up with Canada should we continue holding tournaments like this one.”

Aside from Miranda and Pontejos, two members of the Philippine women’s quartet that saw action in last year’s 3 x 3 World Cup, other players invited to play were Afril Bernardino, Jack Animam and another comebacking player, Bea Daez, among others.

These players are also included in the Gilas Pilipinas women’s national team seeing action in the pre-Olympic qualifying event to be held in New Zealand less than a month from now as well as the coming Southeast Asian Games basketball competitions to be held in the country form late November to second week of December.

By holding this tournament, the country will boost its world ranking and an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 points will be added to the Philippines, so each team was required to get at least 21 points every game to kick up our stats line.

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor / Roderick dela Cruz, Issue Editor business@manilastandard.net

AIA PHILAM LIFE WANTS TO INSURE POOR FILIPINOS

IA PHILAM Life, the country’s leading life insurance company, is reinventing its business to shift its focus from investment to protection products and widen its coverage to include the lowincome groups.

“We really want to reach out to the market. We don’t want to just serve the rich. We cannot do that.

We have to sell to the masses,” AIA Philam Life chief executive Kelvin Ang said in a media briefing on Oct. 13 when former British footballer David Beckham visited Manila to help the company explain and amplify its brand promise of helping Filipinos live healthier, longer and better lives.

Philam Life is a member of AIA Group Limited, the largest independent publicly listed panAsian life insurance group.

Ang, who was based in AIA Hong Kong before he was assigned to head Philam Life in March 2019, said he was saddened by what he saw in the Philippines. “When I came to the Philippines and I saw children on the street begging, selling small things, I said how could these things happen? If every family had a policy to take care of their children, you would not have people living on the street or children running around the street. This is something that I think should go away,” he said.

He said the growing protection gap in the Philippines was alarming and that Philam Life should do something to address the situation. “Insurance companies have an obligation especially Philam Life. We want to do this because it is very sad when I see some of these things.

Private insurance ownership in this country is very low at only 2 percent which is quite sad. The 2 percent covers only A and B. But do they need this? To them, they don’t probably need this, and they just invest,” he said.

“We strongly advocate holistic wellness, and as such, give much impor tance on having basic protection as one aspect of having peace of mind,” he said.

Data show that the Philippines has a protection gap of P1.5 trillion, a figure that could widen to P2.7 trillion by 2020. Most insurance products are currently variable unit-linked, as the basic protection function seems to have taken a backseat.

Ang said he also wants to increase the share of protection products to about 50 percent from only 30 percent today. About 70 percent of insurance products are currently investment-linked.

“We want to bring something meaningful. Three months ago, we launched a product on 100 critical illnesses and up to 100 years. That

Udenna Corp. chairman and president Dennis Uy (right) receives the ASEAN Entrepreneurial Excellence Award from EY ASEAN regional managing partner Nam Soon Liew.

DENNIS UY GETS 2019 ASEAN ENTREPRENEURIAL EXCELLENCE AWARD

AIA Group chief marketing officer Stuart Spencer (left) and AIA Philam Life CEO Kelvin Ang

is a very special hundred which is in line with our celebration of AIA centennial this year,” he said.

AIA Philam Life’s latest products include Active Joint Critical Protect which covers two people under one insurance polic y and AIA Critical Protect 100 which provides coverage against 100 illnesses from 0 to 100 years old. Meanwhile, the AIA All-in-One provides protection from permanent disability, personal accident, critical illness and death, for only P1,500 a month. The product comes with a membership to Philam Life Vitality, the company’s science-backed wellness program.

AIA Group chief marketing officer Stuart Spencer agreed, saying that while Philam Life has been in the country for decades, there is still a large segment of the population that needs insurance protection.

“As an industry, we need to continue to build demand, build recognition, and part of that is expanding the scope of reach of our distribution. We aim to provide all sectors of society with solutions. It is a function of marketing, advertising, branding and time,” Stuart said.

Ang said Philam Life is also

teaming up with other companies to reintroduce microinsurance in the Philippines that will have a coverage of up to P50,000.

“For microinsurance we are working with BanKo and the BPI Group, and we are tying up with Palawan Pawnshop. We are working with them on the digital platform to distribute this at a low cost and good service. We are looking at launching the product sometime next year. We are looking at P500 a month,” he said.

He said the company’s previous microinsurance product did not take off as hoped for because of the distribution issue. “At that time we had issue about servicing, but today is very different. With digital technology, we can do a lot more at a really low cost and make that coverage meaningful. We don’t want to sell something and you get P5,000 coverage. What can you do with P5,000 coverage? I don’t want to do those things. We want to do something meaningful even for the D class. I think P50,000 sounds good,” he said.

Stuart said AIA decided to bring Beckham to the Philippines to bring

more online traffic to AIA and make people aware about insurance products. Beckham was tapped as AIA global ambassador along with Filipino celebrities Solenn Heussaff, Nico Bolzico, Raymond Gutierrez and Wil Dasovich.

Philam Life, established in 1947, recorded total assets of P249.6 billion and net worth of P77.1 billion as of end-2018 and served more than 700,000 individual policyholders and 3,000,000 insured group members.

Its products include life protection, health insurance, savings, education, retirement, investment, group and credit life insurance. It also offers bancassurance and fund management products and services through subsidiaries BPI-Philam Life Assurance Company and Philam Asset Management Inc. Data from the Insurance Commission show that the combined premium income of Philam Life and BPLAC reached P40.7 billion in 2018.

Its parent company, AIA Group, is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2019. AIA had total assets of $256 billion as of end-June 2019.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

U D E N N A Corp. chairman and president Dennis Uy received the ASEAN Entrepreneurial Excellence Award during EY Singapore’s Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Gala Night on Oct. 3, 2019 at The RitzCarlton, Millenia Singapore.

“Dennis’ entrepreneurial story is truly outstanding,” said Max Loh, Singapore managing partner of Ernst & Young LLP. “His impact extends beyond job creation through his portfolio of companies to charitydriven ventures through the Udenna Foundation and Phoenix Philippines Foundation, bringing to life how successful corporates can contribute to the society and help build a better working world—and in his case, in the Philippines.”

Uy has gone on to become one of the nation’s leading businessmen since establishing Udenna Corp. in Davao City in 2002. Udenna is the parent company of Uy’s venture into distribution and retail of petroleum products through Phoenix Petroleum, the fastest-growing and leading independent oil company in the Philippines, and now the only homegrown brand among the top international industry players.

Phoenix is also the first independent oil company to be listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange after the Oil Deregulation Law was passed in 1998.

He also went into shipping and logistics via Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corp., which has become the biggest shipping and logistics company in the Philippines. Udenna has since expanded and diversified its portfolio to include property development, education, food, gaming, tourism, and infrastructure.

The highly coveted award, which is part of EY Singapore’s EOY, the world’s most prestigious business awards program for entrepreneurs established by Ernst & Young Global Limited, is given to Southeast Asian business leaders who have shown excellence in their industries and significantly improved their home economies not only by providing employment but also through philanthropy and communit y empowerment.

The awarding ceremony was attended by top entrepreneurs, businessmen and distinguished guests from across the region including Ng Chee Meng, Singapore’s current secretary-general of the National Trades Union Congress.

The EY Entrepreneur of the Year is a unique global program recognizing entrepreneurial achievement among individuals and companies. Its impressive roster of awardees has demonstrated vision, leadership and success and work to improve the quality of life in their communities and countries.

RE/MAX TAMARAW OPENS OFFICE IN CALAPAN, ORIENTAL MINDORO RE/MAX Tamaraw, a franchise of the world’s leading real estate brokerage firm RE/MAX, opened an office in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro on Oct. 14, 2019 to take advantage of the strong economic growth in Mindoro Island.

“We believe in the growth potential of Mindoro especially as it has a very strategic nautical highway linking Luzon to the Visayas and Mindanao. Many investors wish to invest in real estate properties in our province but many do not know who to contact and who to trust,” said RE/MAX Tamaraw chairman Jolly Ting.

RE/MAX, which is short for Real Estate Maximums, provides real estate brokers and associates maximum support, maximum compensation and maximum results.

“RE/MAX is known worldwide for its outstanding level of service and expertise in the real estate industry, and we want to be able to service our customers with the same level of service, trust and competence,” Ting said, reflecting the mission statement of RE/MAX Tamaraw.

Ting acquired the RE/MAX Tamaraw franchise for Calapan, bringing more than 46 years of global experience in recruitment and training of real estate agents to Mindoro.

Top corporate executives and government officials in Mindoro attended the blessing and inauguration ceremonies.

Aside from Ting, they included RE/ MAX Tamaraw licensed real estate

brokers Atty. Maria Joy Ting and Ma. Cecilia Jimenez; RE/MAX Philippines business development consultants Earl Ebriega and Miguel Naval; RE/MAX Philippines country manager Kenneth Stern; RE/MAX Tamaraw assistant general manager Jecille Anne Jimenez; Calapan City Vice Mayor Gil Ramirez; RE/ MAX Tamaraw general manager Atty.

Edmund Dante Janda; RE/MAX Tamaraw directors Melody Lancaster and Ortrud Yao; Fr. Jun Bacit who officiated the blessing rites; and RE/MAX Tamaraw admin officer Sheila Cantos.

The business model came from Dioscoro “Jun” Garing, according to Ting.

“He is a seasoned and veteran sales trainor with over 35 years of sales training experience, Ting said.

RE/MAX was founded in 1973 by Dave and Fail Liniger with an innovative, entrepreneurial culture affording its agents and franchisees the flexibility to operate their businesses with great independence.

It has since grown to have more than 111,915 agents providing global reach in more than 100 countries with an average of 15.2 years in real estate, becoming the Number 1 in global home selling.

RE/MAX LLC, one of the world’s leading franchisors of real estate brokerage services, remains unmatched by any other real estate brand and they brought this success to the Philippines.

Established in 2012, RE/MAX Philippines continues to grow its network of 20 franchises and 200 brokers and

associates.

RE/MAX Tamaraw is the first branch in the MIMAROPA Region that will offer existing projects and future developments in Oriental Mindoro, tapping both the Metro Manila and provincial real estate markets.

RE/MAX Tamaraw is located at the 2nd Floor of HM Center along JP Rizal Street, Camilmil, Calapan City.

In 2016, RE/MAX was ranked as the top 8th franchise company in the world according to Franchise Times (FranchiseTimes.com) and the #1 real estate franchise with revenue of $11.8 billion in 2015. RE/MAX is also proud to have raised more than $150 million for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals and other charities.

Business

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 business@manilastandard.net

EXECUTIVE FINDS FULFILLMENT IN FRANCHISING AS ADVOCACY Philippine Dental Association president Dr. Stephen Almonte

PDA HEAD PROMOTES ORAL HEALTH CAMPAIGN P H I L I P P I N E Dental Association president Dr. Stephen Almonte has successfully addressed the challenges that come with the job in his first 100 days in office.

A r e p o r t s u b m i t t e d b y D r.

Christine Valerio, PDA’s information committee chairman, disclosed that Dr. Almonte attended the inductions of the different chapters and affiliates throughout the country in June and August, encouraging organizers to be austere by doing away with leis, garlands, buttoners, presidential table, tokens or plaque of appreciation.

In PDA’s oral awareness campaign, “Sugar away, walang tooth decay,” Dr. Almonte discouraged chapters from serving sugar sweetened beverage during inductions and other chapter activities. He also called for “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rethink” program.

He held sit-down meetings with local government leaders to discuss concerns of government dentists on salary grade increase, the need for a dentist in every health center and the accreditation of the PDA local chapters as civil society organization.

As early as June, the PDA president in his “Go Beyond the Smiles” advocacy, challenged all the chapters to focus on sustainable projects to make a great impact on overall health and living conditions like education on proper diet to have better oral health, adoption or ownership of health centers and toothbrushing and handwash facilities.

He also attended the public consultation on the Universal Health Care’s implementing rules and regulation.

PDA participated in the Professional Regulation Commission’s social responsibility program, Caliraya Lake Tree Planting Activity, “Sibol Para sa Kalikasan”, exploratory meeting on dental tourism and meeting with PDA legal adviser for plans on public health issues.

Under Dr. Almonte’s 1st 100 days watch, the public health program “Tahanang Sentrong Pangkalusugan” that aligns with the Universal Health Care Law was launched in July.

Capping Dr. Almonte’s first 100 days in PDA was his representation of Filipino dentists in the in the ADA FDI World Congress and attendance in the APRO APDF meeting as the chief delegate of PDA. The conference made such impact which led him to say: “We are part of something bigger than we thought we imagined [as] international organized dentistry needs to find its way and cause a deeper meaning of dentistry in our country”.

IT IS interesting to note that the Philippines is both the third most vulnerable country to the negative impacts of climate change, and is also the country with the thirdlargest insurance gap that stretches to $4.9 billion, according to the 2018 Underinsurance Report of Lloyd’s, a leading global specialist insurance market.

The insurance gap is the inadequacy of the level of insurance in place to cover risks and the actual costs of loss and damage. In the Philippines, the regularity of natural disasters and the damage they wreak on lives and property should drive people to invest more in insurance to help them cope with emergency expenses, but many Filipinos remain misinformed about insurance, leading to the lack of adequate insurance for those who need it most.

To help alleviate the situation, BPI-Philam Life Assurance Corp., the number one bancassurance company in the Philippines, debunks some of the common misconceptions of people about insurance:

Francorp Philippines managing director Noel Siggaoat

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RANCHISING is a proven and effective strategy to grow one’s business from one to many. Today’s successful brands serve as proof that franchising is the most flexible method for growth and has been tried and tested over time with a 90-percent success rate.

Francorp Philippines managing director Noel Siggaoat is a passionate advocate of franchising. Early on, he saw how significant an impact franchising can make on the economy because it multiplies businesses and creates thousands of jobs.

After receiving his MBA from the Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania USA, Siggaoat worked in New York City as a financial system consultant. His job entailed helping the treasury departments of client banks understand their exposure to different types of risks—interest rate, currency exchange, counterparty, etc.— and manage their portfolios accordingly. He was enjoying life in the most exciting city in the world and was doing well financially.

“In spite of the financial rewards,” Siggaoat said, “I didn’t feel a strong sense of fulfil.ment helping out US and European banks who were already rich, successful financial institutions become even richer.

There was an inner voice telling me that I should be using my skills to help out in my own country,” he said.

This prompted him to move back to the Philippines to find opportunities that would be beneficial to the country and be personally fulfilling at the same time.

“When the opportunity at Francorp came along, I immediately saw its connection to my personal mission. Helping small and medium businesses grow through franchising, making entrepreneurs out of franchisees and employing lots of workers through franchising was an opportunity to contribute in my own small way to the Philippine economy,” he said.

Francorp Philippines is the Philippine master licensee of Francorp International, the global leader in franchise development and consulting.

FRANCHISE BUSINESSES Francorp has helped develop more than 3,000 franchise businesses and assisted more than 10,000 companies worldwide in their franchise expansion. To date, Francorp Philippines has helped over 600 different companies which created about 20,000 entrepreneur-franchisees and generated employment for about 400,000 individuals.

As part of the technology transfer, Siggaoat and other members of the Francorp Philippines office had to undergo months of training at Francorp headquarters in Chicago under founder Don Boroian, a well-respected pioneer in the field of franchising in the US. Boroian is acknowledged as the head of the Francorp USA team that helped Jollibee Philippines when it was still a startup company in the 80s. Noel and the Francorp Philippines team were involved in the project teams of Francorp USA working on live client projects to learn firsthand about the company’s development philosophy and methodology.

Once the team returned to the Philippines, it took some time before the company’s services were accepted by the market. “Companies that ventured into franchising in the early days believed that developing a franchise was a simple endeavor that could be learned by reading an article or copying the franchise offering of another company,” Siggaoat said. “Part of

the challenge when Francorp Philippines began was educating the market that yes, franchising is a simple concept but preparing a company for franchising requires a lot of planning, analysis, and transformation. There are many layers involved in a franchise program that require expertise in different fields— strategy, finance, legal, operations, marketing and sales.”

When the market understood the value of Francorp’s services and saw the success of its early clients, Philippine companies in food and retailing started to get on board.

The Generics Pharmacy was one of the business that benefited greatly from franchising. In the beginning, the look of the store and its operating system needed work. However, generics-only pharmacies were only starting to enter the market.

“Francorp took on TGP because it had a strong selling proposition: its selling prices were a quarter to half of their branded medicine counterparts, yet still maintained very good product margins,” Siggaoat said. When TGP eventually launched their franchise program a few months after working with Francorp, the once small pharmacy grew from one to 2,000 branches in a span of eight years.

Another early client was Bo’s Coffee. When it started working with Francorp, Bo’s Coffee was a startup Cebu player looking to expand outside of its base. At the time, there were other more established coffee brands in Metro Manila and foreign brands were beginning to stamp their dominance in the market. Bo’s successfully entered Manila and also expanded nationwide.

“Today, Bo’s Coffee is not only the premier homegrown coffee brand, it is holding its own against the international coffee brands that have entered the Philippines,” Siggaoat said.

“Bo’s Coffee has also started its expansion abroad by opening in the Middle East”.

GLOBAL EXPANSION Francorp has also helped international brands adapt their franchise offering for the Philippines. Over the years, it has helped foreign brands like Chatime and Bonchon customize their franchise programs for the local market.

Other local businesses that started out small and have now grown after partnering with Francorp include Potato Corner, Citrus Zone, Farron Café, and Turks Shawarma. Even big businesses like Penshoppe, Bench, Max’s, Tokyo Tokyo and Goldilocks grew even bigger through franchising. Some have ventured abroad after gaining franchise experience locally.

Siggaoat is optimistic when it comes to the franchising industry in the Philippines. Outside of the USA, the Philippines has the highest number of certified franchise executives thanks to the pioneering efforts of the Philippine Franchise Association. Because of the high level of franchise expertise in our country, more Philippine franchise professionals will be in demand abroad.

While there are other methods of growing businesses, franchising has become the preferred method adopted by many local businesses. Siggaoat said that franchising, when done correctly, outperforms other methods because of its low cost and built-in incentive system for the franchisee - the one who owns and manages the business. He sees that more companies will adopt franchising as its go-to method of expansion because of its win-win outcome for both franchisor and franchisees.

Some successful franchised businesses will attract larger companies who will want to buy them out and include them in their portfolios. This is an ideal exit strategy for some entrepreneurs who look to bigger conglomerates to take their brands to an even higher plane.

“Because their business is growing on autopilot, thanks to franchising, many franchisors will also look into offering new products and services that may or may not be related to the original one. There’s also a growing demand in other countries for Philippine products and services - the demand comes from both OFWs living in those countries and from local residents,” he said.

Meanwhile, Siggaoat sees more innovative products and services going into franchising in the coming years, signifying a brighter future in the local franchise industry. “In the last few years, education franchises and medical services have started to expand through franchising. We will see more franchises in these fields as well as in business services, tourism, and technology-based products and services,” he said.

ADVOCACY Through the years, franchising has manifested itself as a great equalizer since it can provide the same growth opportunities for start-ups and established players alike.

“Franchising gives everyone a chance to reach hundreds, if not thousands, of units. You don’t need to have lots of capital to grow; as long as you have a product or service that customers will want to buy and consequently a business that people would want to be a part of, franchising can help grow your business,” Siggaoat said.

“At Francorp, we have played a direct role in helping hundreds of businesses grow from one to many. We have seen thousands of people achieve their dreams of being entrepreneurs by becoming franchisees. And these franchisees have employed hundreds of thousands of workers. We have gone far but we are not done. Doing good for the greatest number of people through franchising is an advocacy we will never tire of pursuing,” he said.

DEBUNKING 5 MISCONCEPTIONS ON INSURANCE The first misconception is that insurance is expensive and only for the rich. According to BPI-Philam, insurance plans vary in prices based on coverage.

There are various offers available in the market, depending on income, earning ability and cash flow. Thoroughly scouting for options that would work best for one’s unique needs and working budget is a sure-fire way of picking out the best insurance plan.

A middle-income earning Filipino needs insurance more than a highincome earning Filipino because a highincome person has liquid funds to pay for emergency expenses. Meanwhile, the availability of the cash flow for the middle class normally has different allocations depending on their lifestyle. In case an emergency happens, the budget allocations will be disrupted.

If one still finds it difficult to choose an insurance plan, starting with a basic package is a good start. A great option

would be BPI-Philam’s Family Care Plus, a life insurance plan that provides financial protection for the insured and their loved one under one coverage. After 10 years, the plan automatically renews for another 10-year period as long as all premiums were paid and no claims were made during the 10-year term. Family Care Plus covers a wide range of critical illnesses and procedures while also encouraging clients to cultivate a healthier lifestyle through Philam Vitality.

The second misconception is about viewing insurance as “you die, we pay”.

BPI-Philam said life insurance does more than simply placing a monetary value on the insured’s life. Although the most common perception of a life insurance is a way of financially securing the insured’s kin once they pass, it is not the only function it serves. It can be used to fund the insured’s retirement or help in achieving other financial goals.

Having an insurance plan with an added

investment, such as a variable universal life plan, can greatly aid in financing future expenditures such as education and housing.

The third misconception is that young adults don’t need insurance. The best time for an individual to have an insurance plan would be as early as possible. Premiums for a younger market are more affordable, and therefore more ideal. Aside from the obvious benefit of financially covering unfavorable incidents, such as accidents, critical illness or death, another good reason for having an insurance plan at a younger age is that it allows the investment to grow and mature over time.

This can lead to financial independence, and cover one’s retirement. Hence, the earlier an insurance is subscribed to, the more time the insured has in building his or her potential retirement fund.

“Health issues make one unqualified for insurance” is another misconception.

While the premium for a person with

health concerns may be higher than one with a relatively clean bill of health, having an insurance coverage is still feasible.

There are available insurance plans in the market that cover both minor illnesses and critical conditions. The key is being fastidious in finding the most appropriate plan for one’s self.

The fifth misconception is that HMO coverage is enough. Having an HMO coverage is great for preventive care services, such as checkups and immunization. However, an HMO will most likely be insufficient to cover both the insured and their kin in the long run since some insurance policies granted by one’s company are nontransferable. Having a personal insurance plan is ideal. It is even better if you have both. Ask your agent about available personal insurance plans and see which one would work best for you.

“Insurance is especially crucial to Filipinos who are frequently affected by natural calamities and those who want to get ahead. What’s more, one’s insurance plan can also double as a retirement fund upon maturity,” BPI-Philam said.

Tech & Gadgets

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

NOKIA 7.2: TIMELESS LOOKS, CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY

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MD GLOBAL, the home of Nokia phones, today announces the Nokia 7.2, the first Nokia smartphone to combine a triple camera and PureDisplay.

Nokia 7.2 features a powerful 48MP triple camera with Quad Pixel technology and ZEISS Optics. Nokia 7.2 also premiers a range of ZEISS bokeh styles, exclusive to Nokia smartphones, that recreate the way legendary ZEISS lenses produce high visual impact and signature blur. Alongside even more AIpowered features such as night mode, fans can get even more creative with their stories. Building on the strengths of its predecessor, Nokia 7.2 combines stunning PureDisplay technology and always-on HDR, with timeless Nordic design to redefine what fans should expect from this smartphone segment.

Juho Sarvikas, Chief Product Officer, HMD Global: “With the Nokia 7.2 we aim to push the limits on what fans can get from one of our popular Nokia 7 series smartphones. The Nokia 7.2 offers fans advanced tools to express their creativity. Everything from the ZEISS Optics, exclusive ZEISS bokeh modes and powerful AI imaging, to its breath-taking PureDisplay technology, makes the Nokia 7.2 a device that truly stands out. In combination with the beautifully patterned satin glass back, Nokia 7.2 packs design innovation and stunning imaging performance, with a two-day battery life1, into a smartphone for aspiring creators across the world at a truly incredible price.”

Sancho Chak, General Manager, HMD Global Philippines: “Our new launches are bringing us closer to our partners, our fans and to all those who are looking for a smartphone that’ll just keep getting better with our unique promise of 2 years of OS upgrades and 3 years of monthly security patches. In Philippines, more consumers will be able to buy a Nokia smartphone as with the expansion of our retail presence in the country. Not only this, consumers will also be excited by our sensational promos and deals on the Nokia 7.2. I’m excited about the launch of Nokia 7.2 and look forward to consumers loving the experience on this smartphone.”

GET CREATIVE WITH ZEISS OPTICS AND POWERFUL AI Nokia 7.2 is the first in the Nokia smartphone portfolio to feature a triple camera set up, which combines a highly sensitive 48MP sensor with Quad Pixel technology main camera with ZEISS Optics, ultra-wide camera, and depth camera to

Nokia 7.2

achieve stunning image capture results. The Quad Pixel technology combines four pixels into one to create stunning images in all conditions.

Nokia 7.2 introduces three new and exclusive ZEISS bokeh styles. Portrait mode combines powerful imaging experiences that recreate the way legendary ZEISS lenses produce high visual impact and signature blur with the ZEISS Modern, ZEISS Swirl and ZEISS Smooth modes. Add beautification to perfect your skin tones for instantly shareable portraits. AI-powered night mode allows you to snap the perfect moment in low

light, combining image fusion and explosion stacking to deliver stellar low light performance.

Whether you want to get all your friends in one shot or capture immersive scenery Nokia 7.2 comes with an ultrawide camera which has a 118-degree field of view and ZEISS Optics that means you can fit a lot more in one shot. Up your selfie game with the sophisticated AI-powered front camera setup, consisting of a 20MP camera with ZEISS optics.

BREATH-TAKING PURE DISPLAY WITH ALWAYS-ON HDR Featuring the innovative PureDisplay technology, Nokia 7.2 delivers an immersive entertainment experience for unmatched mobile viewing on the go. With a dedicated Pixelworks visual processor, Nokia 7.2 upscales video content to HDR quality in real time, with up to a billion shades of colour, higher contrast and expanded dynamic range. This means you can enjoy more contrast and deeper colours watching popular shows on your favorite streaming platforms.

Nokia 7.2’s display technology brings your content to life with wide colour reproduction, high dynamic contrast ratio for video and high brightness at 500 nits.

Combined with local contrast enhancement the screen is easy to view even in brighter conditions.

TIMELESS NORDIC DESIGN HERITAGE MEETS ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE Crafted from polymer composite that is twice as strong as polycarbonate and half the weight of aluminium, Nokia 7.2 is light, super strong and rigid. Nokia 7.2 features a gently curved design, with tough Corning® Gorilla® Glass protecting both the front and the back. Combined with its precision manufactured frame, Nokia 7.2 features a solid and seamless finish true to its Nordic design heritage.

Nokia 7.2’s light diffusing satin glass back honors the Finnish glass making heritage and results in a premium finish. Using a multilayer coating system with vacuum metallisation, the stunning result delivers bright colours, a smooth finish and offers durability. With its signature colour, Cyan Green, Nokia 7.2 is inspired by premium Nordic design heritage that turns to nature as its muse, delivering simplicity and beauty.

RCBC, LIGA NG BARANGAY WORK TOWARDS FINANCIAL INCLUSION RIZAL Commercial Banking Corporation has taken the first steps to bringing its digital financial inclusion initiative to grassroots communities as it gets the support and commitment of Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas.

The LNB led by National President Eden Pineda, presented its national executive board resolution stating that the organization is adopting DiskarTech: Kasosyo sa Asenso as a growth enabler and capacity-building measure for microenterprises in every barangay and its constituents. DiskarTech is a financial inclusion accelerator platform

by RCBC that aims to stimulate economic activity to help uplift the unbanked and underserved Filipinos.

The strategic collaboration will focus on accelerating financial literacy, promoting inclusive digital economy, and empowering local communities. This supports the government digitalization efforts aligned with President Duterte’s 10-point economic agenda on investing on human capital development, and promoting technology and innovation for self-sustaining and inclusive development towards poverty alleviation.

The Liga ng mga Barangay, led by its National President Eden Pineda, recently presented its National Executive Board Resolution to RCBC Chairperson Helen Yuchengco Dee. Also in photo are (from left) RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva and RCBC President and CEO Eugene S. Acevedo, Chairman James Marty Lim, and Executive Director Jel R. Jiongco.

LNB is the official organization of over 42,000 barangays throughout the country. It is committed to providing avenues and assistance to promote welfare and ensure success of the national government’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion and National Retail Payments System.

“This financial inclusion accelerator will be pervasive throughout the country as it would address the huge gaps in financial services while reducing the number of unbanked and underserved communities,” said RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation and Inclusion Officer Lito Villanueva.

By adopting DiskarTech, LNB will be taking an active role in leading workshops and programs on financial education and literacy with the assistance of the DiskarTech National Coordinating Team.

They will also be engaging its member municipalities to appoint their own DiskarTech Community Leader (DCL) who will facilitate participation of residents and entrepreneurs in the program.

“DiskarTech will pave the way for the real transformation of our communities nationwide as it would provide opportunities to our constituents, giving them the chance to be part of the formal financial system through technology,” said Liga ng mga Barangay National President Eden Pineda.

In an effort to encourage economic activity, partner sari-sari stores or microenterpriseswill also be identified as Barangay Digital Community Centers (BDCCs) to serve as the go-to hub of every resident for their financial needs - whether it’s paying bills, depositing savings to their accounts, buying micro insurance or sending money to their loved ones.

With this, RCBC hopes to turbocharge the growth of digital financial transactions in the country from the current one percent to a minimum of twenty percent by next year. Through DiskarTech, this initiaitve hopes to bring to realization the vision of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas of creating a cash-lite and digital economy for greater efficiency, security, interoperability, and affordability.

CHINATOWN MUSEUM LAUNCHES APP FOR TOURS CHINATOWN Museum, the country’s first cultural museum dedicated to one of the world’s oldest Chinatowns, is launching its very own app aimed at giving museum-goers a more enhanced and easier self-guided tour experience.

Chinatown Museum’s new app gives users easy access to information to each of its 18 galleries, which offers visitors a visual retelling of the rich history of Binondo.

The 1,542-square meter museum, located at the 4th level of Lucky Chinatown Building A, highlights the various influences and historical events that have shaped the cultural, social and economic threads of Binondo – from its establishment as a settlement for Christianized Chinese to the height of downtown Escolta on its way to becoming a bustling commercial district of Manila.

“We want to provide museum visitors with a more enhanced and immersive experience by seamlessly integrating vital gallery information, images, videos, and audio recordings in the app, all of them are just one tap away. Our goal is to make every visit enjoyable by giving them more freedom to explore and learn at their own pace”, says Chinatown Museum administrator Janine Cabato.

The new app is designed to aid museum-goers, particularly those who are on a self-guided tour, allowing them to access gallery information right at their fingertips.

It utilizes Bluetooth and QR Code technology, providing real-time delivery of gallery information and a smoother transition between topics. The app is automatically activated upon entering the museum premises and allows users to browse through various video and audio presentations providing vital information on each of the museum’s 18 galleries.

The app is also equipped with a realtime notification feature, allowing users to receive the latest news and updates including upcoming exhibits, events, and activities at the museum. It also works offline, enabling users to access gallery information even outside the premises of the museum.

The Chinatown Museum app is available for download at the Google Playstore for Android users and at the App Store for iOS users.

Chinatown Museum is a heritage project and the second museum venture of Megaworld Foundation. The museum is connected directly to Lucky Chinatown Main Mall via a bridgeway at the fourth level and the newly opened Hotel Lucky Chinatown.

Chinatown Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission rates for regular visitors are priced at P150, senior citizens at P120 and students at P100. Kids below four feet are free of charge.

Chinatown Museum is located along Reina Regente St., Binondo, Manila. For inquiries, please call the Lucky Chinatown Concierge at 567-8139 or visit www.chinatownmuseum.org or send an email to chinatownmuseumph@gmail.com.

YOUTH ROBOTICS WORLD CHAMP TO HOLD DEMO-WORKSHOP FOR FREE A PINAY 10th grader, an acknowledged genius in youth robotics and the 2019 World Robot Games champion, will hold the firstever robotic engineering demo-workshop in the country for grade schoolers using a demo kit she created and programmed herself.

Fifteen-year-old Schealana Aundee R. Villanueva, a product of Diliman Preparatory School and presently a 10th grader in Philippine Science High will use the P100,000 prize money she won as Grand Winner of the nationwide Search for the Wyeth Nutrition Kid Innovators 2018 to sponsor the event so she could share her knowledge and expertise to young students like herself.

Aundee won the Wyeth award for her very innovative project that uses automation and robotics in farming dubbed “ncreasing Efficiency in Agriculture Through Automated System and Robotics.’’

Aundee as she is fondly called, told her

parents Richie and Linus, she wanted to give back to the country and to the robotics industry which has fascinated her at an early age. She believes that though she has much to learn still, she also knows enough to be able to teach some of the most basic “nittygritties” in robotics. It is her way of ensuring transfer of technology among her peers and to inspire the younger generation.

The objective of the technology camp which Aundee herself has designed is to introduce `budget robotics’ that utilizes affordable and easily available components in making a robot using the Arduino open-source platform.

Participants will be shown how to build an autonomous robotic car as they learn basic programming skills, embedded systems, and the basicsin designing and assembling an autonomous robotic vehicle.

Fifteen public and private schools were invited to the free one-day demo-workshop held at the DPS in cooperation with Warecats Robotics, a guild Aundee formed

Schealana Aundee R. Villanueva

with her two sisters KiMalika Schnelle and Schelyn Denelli.

Aundee’s achievements in coding (programming) and robotics include 55 certificates, trophies and and medals garnered in the Philippines , Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia during her five years of participating in national and international coding and robotic competitions in different categories. Her robotics competition foray started when she was nine.

Recently she was the first and only Recipient of the Technology Leadership Award during the World Robotic Games 2019 held in Thailand for her outstanding performance in the WRG for five consecutive years. In the same event she also secured the Gold Medal in the Innovative Robot Science Category. During the Mind Museum’s 2019 Manila Mini Maker Faire, not only was she the youngest solo exhibitor but she was also awarded the Organizer’s Choice, a coveted distinction during the event.

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TECH & Gadgets SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 Riera U. Mallari, Editor rumallari@thestandard.com.ph

SHOOT BEYOND LIMITS WITH VIVO V17 PRO’S 6 CAMERAS

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IVO V17 Pro wants Filipinos to discover their own limits and break them.

By developing a smartphone with six cameras, the leading global technology company wants photography enthusiasts, even ordinary users, to go beyond their limits.

The Vivo V17 Pro’s dual elevating front camera is a combination of a whopping 32MP main selfie camera and 8MP Super Wide-Angle Selfie lens that can capture wide angles up to 105 degrees.

Social media junkies would definitely love the main selfie camera because the images are sharingready with really crisp images. The ultra-wide-angle camera is perfect for group shots but also for selfies to capture breathtaking landscapes in the background.

Vivo V17 Pro’s elevating selfie camera also allows for a bezel-less screen which makes the display perfect for watching videos and playing games.

Vivo believes that users should bring just one accessory, so it equipped the Vivo V17 Pro with four more cameras in the rear.

Night Mode

Macro Shot

The 48MP main camera has a Sony sensor, 1/2” sensor size and a large F1/8 aperture while the 8MP super wide-angle camera allows you to shoot beyond limits. A 2MP Super Macro camera allows you to shoot the little details in crisp color and sharp images. Truly, there is no subject that you won’t be able to capture with the rear quad cameras and their fantastic features.

The 48MP camera has embedded AI algorithms that help you take better photos. The smart-

phone’s Super Wide-Angle Camera will make that landscape photo better than anything shot in the past.

There is no need for stitching apps or constantly switching to the panoramic mode as the ultra-wideangle lens will let you shoot at your convenience. You cannot miss that one second of capturing the sunrise over the horizon just because it took you a few seconds to shift from normal to another shooting mode.

Vivo’s latest flagship smartphone also features two beauti-

fying features—the “Pose Master” that suggests various poses, and the Super Night Mode feature that solves the perennial problem of shooting in low light.

The V17 Pro runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 675 AIE processor with 8GB RAM + 128GB ROM. Its 4100mAh battery, with Dual-Engine Fast Charging Technology, brings higher durability and faster charging that ensures the smartphone provides a long-lasting and safe mobile experience.

50-YEAR-OLD STORE KEEPS UP WITH E-COMMERCE WHEN Marlyn Valencia-Rivera’s family started a business in 1964, they sold only cooking oil and other sarisari store staples in a stall at the wet market of Cauayan City, Isabela. Five years on, they were able to raise enough capital to set up a stand-alone store on busy Rizal Avenue.

Along with the move came expansion—as gleaned from the store sign, which bears her mother’s name and practically everything the store offered: Amie’s Grocery, Money Changer, Wine and RTW. Yes, the store carries all that, and more.

“We sold whatever our customers were looking for.

Someone needed a hose? My mother bought a hose.

Medicine? My mother ordered medicine,” says Marlyn.

She took over after her mother’s passing in 2016, continuing the store tradition of providing whatever customers needed. Not surprising then that the store was the first in the city to offer two non-general merchandise items: imported goods, and electronic load for mobile services.

“We became an e-load retailer just as cellphones became popular. My mother used to flaunt her bulky cellphone,”she fondly recalls. Selling e-load not only boosted income but led to further expansion, especially with the advent of smartphones and the internet. Now Amie’s Grocery also offers currency exchange services.

Marlyn uses the internet to monitor exchange rates.

She also compares prices of their imported goods with

Marlyn Valencia-Rivera’

those found in popular shopping platforms to stay competitive.

“We also go online to find new things to sell, what’s trendy, what appeals to young customers,” says the mother of two, who mentions that the store recently created a Facebook page.

Its pioneering character puts Amie’s Grocery at the forefront, with the vision of Mayor Bernardo Dy to transform Cauayan into a smart city finally coming into fruition.

The local government unit recently signed an agreement with digital services provider PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications to help transform Cauayan into a fully fiberized and Smart LTE-powered smart city that provides efficient digital services to its constituents.

PLDT is currently rolling out its fiber-powered fixed broadband network across Cauayan to serve customers with internet service speeds of up to 1Gbps. Meanwhile, Smart is upgrading its existing cell sites across the city to provide 4G or Long-Term Evolution (LTE) mobile data services. Smart is also set to rollout additional LTE sites in Cauayan in the coming months.

Cauayan’s journey toward being one of the Philippines’ first smart cities began in 2015, when the Department of Science and Technology bared a program to transform the country into a smarter nation.

“At the time, it was only Cauayan that really embraced this smart city initiative,” Dy recalls. Four years later, the city has its own citizen app, a unified electronic payment system across the town, and free Wi-Fi in its barangays to help the local government deliver its services to citizens more efficiently.

Now in business for 50 years, Amie’s Grocery has retained certain old-school values, like knowing customers personally, getting their feedback, giving the staff fair treatment (theirs has been with them since the start). These are the key factors to success.

GCASH BACKS BASP CALL TO HALT CLIMATE CHANGE GCASH, the Philippines’ leading mobile wallet app has expressed support for the call by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to promote climate action through sustainable innovations in finance.

Serving over 20 million users, GCash has led financial innovations in the mobile platform, introducing the country’s first fully mobile credit line through GCredit; the highest interest earnings on savings through GSave; and accessible insurance and investment options through Invest Money and GCash Insure.

“We’re nearing the point where the impacts of climate change will become irreversible. Every sector in every country needs to change the way it does business by focusing on sustainability,” said Anthony Thomas, chief executive officer of Mynt, the company behind GCash.

“We in fintech acknowledge that and we are doing what we can to get people to rethink their lifestyles.”

In June, GCash launched GCash Forest, a personal carbon tracker in the mobile wallet app which allows GCash users to plant virtual trees and earn green credits by walking, going cashless, using eco-bags and just living more consciously. The virtual tree grows with every “green” action, and for every 20,000 points reached, GCash plants a real native tree at the Ipo Watershed.

The goal of GCash Forest is to plant 365,000 trees in 365 days in an effort to reforest parts of the Ipo watershed in Bulacan, which is part of Angat-Umiray-Ipo watershed system that supplies Metro Manila’s water.

“GCash is trying to mainstream reforestation through the use of mobile financial services.

We want to build a community that cares for the planet, and we want to make tree-planting more fun and more accessible to people,” Thomas said.

In a recent forum with bankers, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno urged financial institutions to tap technology for financial innovations and to launch more green banking initiatives. He cited the BSP’s approach to promoting sustainable finance through capacity-building and awareness campaigns, and enabling regulations.

“We agree that the banking and finance industry must provide the financial support needed for climate adaptation and mitigation.

For its part, GCash is empowering organizations involved in sustainability work through its social and corporate arm, GCash for Good,” Thomas said.

YOUNG FILIPINO DATA SCIENTISTS SHARE SOLUTIONS TO JOB AUTOMATION, DISPLACEMENT IN ASEAN BANGKOK—The ASEAN Foundation together with SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) and Digital Economy Promotion Agency, held the regional finals of 2019 ASEAN Data Science Explorers, a competition that gathered young student competitors across ASEAN countries to present insights and solutions to solve the region’s most pressing social and economic issues. Co-hosted by depa, Executive Vice President of depa Ms. Kasama Kongsmak, presided over the prize presentation ceremony.

Krystel Iris De Castro and Nicole Dolfo (Team Sustainablue) from Ateneo de Manila University and the national winners represented the Philippines with their project focusing on automation and job displacement in the country.

In their presentation, Team Sus-

tainablue said that wage workers should adjust with new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Robotics to screen that there will be no talent inadequacy and stagnancy, as well as to improve market revenue, job efficiency, and productivity for the country’s economic growth.

“AI-enabled technologies make it more possible to go about our daily tasks, such as checking e-mails, booking cars for transportation, and the like, by exerting little effort. Despite these capabilities, AI and other disruptive technologies, such as IoT and virtual reality, put human workforce in ASEAN at risk of unemployment, especially with the rapid digitalization,” said de Castro.

To address the issue, they proposed

the Train and Track method, that wage workers should be trained and educated with the right skills needed in Industry 4.0, the current trend of automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. This transition can be done by improving the educational systems with virtual access and bridging programs, providing mid-career training for successful job transition, and build an integrated ASEAN labor market where their skills are up for utilization. After learning these skills, the workers will then be placed in the industries where they are needed.

As based on their proposal and garnered data, when the needs are met in line with Train and Track, the threat of unemployment due to lack of talent in the Industry 4.0 will be

eradicated. They have also noted that once the right talents are met, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of ASEAN countries can increase up to 12 percent due to the efficient boost of labor productivity brought by the adoption of new technology.

The ASEANDSE Regional Finals is the culmination of a year-long journey that involved a series of enablement sessions where close to 500 educators and 3,000 students were trained in SAP Analytics Cloud.

The ASEANDSE 2019 competition had 1,341 (70% YOY increase) participants competing in the national finals held in all 10 ASEAN member states.

This year, the national champions progressed to compete at the regional competition in Bangkok, Thailand.

Krystel Iris De Castro and Nicole Dolfo (Team Sustainablue) from Ateneo de Manila University

Destinations D1

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

@manilastandardlife

@MStandardLIFE

NATURE THRIVES IN GUBAT

By Angelica Villanueva

I

N the southeastern part of Sorsogon in Bicol region lies a sleepy town filled with exciting activities that promote tourism and environmental awareness.

Gubatnons take their environment seriously, especially the treasures the ocean brings, as the second class municipality is located along the coast of the Pacific Ocean on the Bicol Peninsula.

Gubat’s location has gifted the town with several gifts from nature, some can even rival those in Sorsogon’s sister provinces, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.

Surf’s up!

Bicol is big on surfing, and Gubat is slowly cementing itself as another player in this industry what with the development of several surfing camps in the town.

Its famous Rizal Beach offers waves comparable with those in Siargao and La Union, minus the thick crowd. Both beginners and seasoned surfers are welcomed to Buenavista Surf Camp, Lola Sayong Eco Surf Camp, and Bugkus Surf Camp.

With a growing surfing industry, the celebrations of Kasanggayahan Festival—a festival that commemorates the founding anniversary of Sorsogon as a province—include a national surfing competition. Lunad sa Balod is held annually at Buenavista Surf Camp.

Rizal Beach’s long stretch of white sand and clear water is not exclusive to thrillseekers who ride the waves, it’s also perfect for those looking to spend hours of lounging and frolicking.

Bugkus Surf Camp, which recently opened to the public in September, offers budget-friendly accommodations with a view of Rizal Beach.

WHERE THE SKY MEETS THE SAND AND THE SEA.

Rizal Beach in Gubat, Sorsogon beckons surfers and beach-goers to its long stretch of white sand and clear water.

Close to nature at Lola Sayong

Lola Sayong Eco Surf Camp is among the popular surf camps in Gubat. But more than a

Gubat Young Farmers Association's organic farm products include Gloria banana (left) and sweet potatoes.

popular destination that offers friendly rates on surfing lessons and accommodations that let guests “live the basic life close to nature,” it helps support the education of young locals who help manage the surf camp.

In addition to providing financial assistance, the surf camp’s income also helps maintain the camp, and fund health and environment educational projects for the area.

After guests “fall asleep to the sound of the waves and wake up with the sunrise,” they can then grab a bite at Granny’s Grub, chill out at Kape Hon café, and play Pinoy games at HinDigital Playground.

Learn about mangroves

Be with nature, literally, while strolling through the plantation at Panganiban Mangrove Eco-Tourism Site.

The mangrove plantation was turned into an eco-tourism site that features different kinds of mangroves. As tourists walk through the boardwalk, they can learn about mangroves— the different types and how they grow.

Panganiban Mangrove Boardwalk also has two view decks where visitors can lay their eyes on the 13.6-hectares of mangroves. The beauty of Mt. Bulusan and its lake can also be seen from the said view decks.

Don’t panic, it’s healthy and organic

Gubat is cementing its name in the surfing industry with several surf camps welcoming both beginners and seasoned surfers.

GYFA officers: Marvin Felices, treasurer; Melvin Enrera, vice president; and Ronnel Escabedo, president

Gubat Young Farmers Association, which started as a student organization in Bicol University, promotes organic farming through its production of organic fertilizers and poultry.

Turn to D2

BIGGEST ANNUAL TRAVEL FORUM MERCURY RISING

BY BOB ZOZOBRADO

THE Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has been the leading voice and authority on travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region since 1951. It is also the biggest travel organization in the world.

True to being the trailblazer in the travel and hospitality industry, the PATA Philippines Chapter has embarked on a yearly Ted Talks-type forum, branded as “Pinoy Chikka,” featuring popular and

distinguished personalities from various sectors of our tourism industry and of society.

Every year, this milestone tourism event attracts an average of 2,500 tourism professionals, and Tourism students and professors from all over the country.

This year’s forum was no different. It featured interesting personalities from the industry, tackling topics that were in line with the association’s advocacy of continuously updating the industry’s workforce and the academe with the latest trends.

This fifth edition of Pinoy Chikka had three famous personalities whose respective expertise have put them at the forefront of their individual fields of endeavor.

Peggy Angeles, the senior vice president of SM Hotels and Convention Centers, shared with the audience her tips on “Building a Lucrative Career in the

Hotel Industry” by taking them through her own employment journey.

It was very interesting to note how she steadily rose from her first job as a reservations agent for an international chain hotel to where she is now: overseeing the operations of eight hotels, one country club, and seven convention centers and trade halls, with 13 more hotels and seven convention centers soon to open. It certainly is a hefty task for a lady, but it looks like her experience, training, and tenacity make her daily chores seem like child’s play!

Well-known parapsychologist, author, lecturer, and columnist Jaime Licauco kept everybody on edge as he tackled a very exciting and very new component of our industry, Mystical Tourism.

He showed graphic photos of the country’s famous faith healers performing Turn to D2

Parapsychologist, author, lecturer, and columnist Jaime Licauco (center) introduced to the crowd the new and exciting Mystical Tourism. He is shown receiving his Token of Appreciation from the PATA Board of Trustees.

Destinations

D2

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

FREQUENT FLYER

ADD-ON ALLOWS LAST-MINUTE FLIGHT REBOOKING LAST-MINUTE change in schedules, unpredictable weather conditions, and other unforeseen situations cause many to rebook flights and shoulder a huge fee.

In a bid to give customers more flexibility, budget carrier Cebu Pacific introduces CEB Flexi, a flight add-on that allows flyers to rebook their flights up to two times and until two hours before departure for a minimal fee. It will be available starting Oct. 22

LET'S GO

T

NOT-YOUR-USUAL EUROPEAN ADVENTURE

HE Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, and the Buckingham Palace are popular tourist destinations for a reason. But popularity comes with a price—a kind that makes it difficult to capture a photo with fewer people in the frame, let alone enjoy some peace and quiet.

So when you’ve got your hands on that Schengen visa, which lets Filipinos enter 26 European countries, why not include these spots in your Euro expedition itinerary?

The view from the balcony of Perianth Hotel in Greece.

Relive Greek mythology

Experience what it’s like living in the world of Zeus, Hercules, Aphrodite, and other heroes and mythological monsters as you stroll through the streets of Athens, Greece. Book a private Athens Mythological tour via thingstodo.agoda.com to discover the legends behind major monuments such as the Parthenon and the ancient agora in the city.

CEB Flexi allows flyers to rebook their flights up to two times. (@Cebu Pacific/Facebook)

“CEB Flexi is a great complement to year-round low fares as it provides the power and option to rebook flights should the need arise. We provide the ability to change travel dates, giving peace of mind that the flights they booked won’t go to waste,” said Candice Iyog, CEB vice president for marketing and customer experience.

The add-on is 60 percent cheaper than current rebooking fees. Travelers only have to pay the difference in fare (if applicable). CEB Flexi is priced at P499 for domestic flights, P799 for international short-haul flights, and P1,099 for international long-haul flights.

Trace the beggining of pizza in Naples. (Photo by Bertrand Borie)

Indulge in Neapolitan pizza

Follow your love of pizza by going to the place where it all started.

Naples in Italy is recognized as the birthplace of the Neapolitan pizza— not to mention the three-flavored ice cream in a tub known as Neapolitan ice cream. But Naples’ gastronomic offerings don’t end there. After visiting the ruins of Pompeii and soaking up the Capri sun, allot a day or two for a food and wine tour for a truly fulfilling Neapolitan experience.

This add-on can be purchased during booking through www.cebupacificair. com or the official mobile app.

Witness the beauty of Aurora Borealis in Iceland. (Photo by Jonatan Pie)

Bathe in Iceland’s lights and glaciers

Color your trip white and green as you witness the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights, a dazzling light show best viewed from late August to early April. While you can possibly catch the dancing lights in the capital Reykjavik, you might get better chances in one of Iceland’s most famous glacier lagoons, Jökulsárlón, where the lights may seem to just be the tip of the iceberg. Adventure-seekers can also get a thrill exploring the glaciers on a snowmobile.

NATURE...

From D1

With the help of Gubatnons and farmers, they were able to start their dream of having an organic vegetable and fruit garden in Barangay Ariman.

The boardwalk of Panganiban Mangrove Eco-Tourism Site

It may be just a small land but GYFA was able to plant eggplant, chili, coconut, passion fruit, peanut, pili, kamoteng kahoy, banana, and sweet potato. After months of nourishing, the organization’s efforts paid off after they produced organic vegetables and fruits which they also let the locals try.

Van Gogh's self-potrait at the Rijksmuseum. (Photo by Ståle Grut)

Immerse in Dutch art (and then some)

Amsterdam was home to many notable artists like Vincent Van Gogh Discover a new world underwater in Malta's Blue Hole. (Photo from malta.com) and Rembrandt, to name a few. Check out museums—such as Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Explore Malta’s underwater splendor Art—that showcase their artworks.

Located in the Mediterranean Sea, Malta is known for breathtaking dive Aside from these more traditional attractions, certified feline fiends can spots like the Blue Hole and The Inland Sea or Qawra. Though the Azure hide away at KattenKabinet—a museum dedicated to classy cat collections.

Window no longer stands as an archway to the sea, scuba divers have re- Meanwhile, those with a fascination for the bizarre can drop by Museum ported that its rubble has provided an exciting new attraction underwater. Vrolik to check out their vast collection of oddities and human deformities.

BIGGEST...

From D1

Lola Sayong Eco Surf Camp offers friendly rates on surfing lessons and accommodations.

Lola Sayong Eco Surf Camp also partners with and helps GYFA by purchasing their crops and using them in dishes served at Granny’s Grub.

Photos by Angelica Villanueva

evident during his 45-minute talk, as members of the audience, especially the girls, were all giddy, gushing over him when he walked around the hall during his psychic surgery on their patients. There were photos of talk—his way of connecting with the audience.

Every time he would approach a section of the audience, bloody organs hanging out of the patient’s body, but there were no surgical wounds. Yet, according to Jim- those in that area would scream, to show how thrilled they my, after such operation, the patient would stand up were to be near him. This adulation went on even after his talk as many jostled their way tofrom the operating table, healed, wards him backstage, for the alland walk out of the building. He important selfies for posting on also showed in detail the mystical YOUR WEEKEND their social media. places in the country and their efThe afternoon ended with a fect on those who visit them.

CHUCKLE raffle of valuable travel packagRepresenting the pack of reMy friend said to me, “What rhymes es which the audience lapped cently elected young political with orange?” I said, “No, it doesn’t!” up, definitely a sure way of leaders in the country, former promoting domestic tourism, movie and television actor Richwhich our Tourism Secretary is ard Gomez, now the mayor of Ormoc City, gave the thrilled audience who swooned now pushing through her “Kain Na” campaign.

I’m glad PATA has come up with this travel forum with delight when he appeared on stage, an insight on the “Transformation of a Sleepy Town into a Viable because our tourism professionals and those in the academe, who are planning to embark on a career in Tourist Destination.”

Ormoc City’s popularity, economy, and tourist ar- tourism, now have something educational and interrivals have grown by leaps and bounds ever since Go- esting to look forward to every year. mez took over as Mayor.

For feedback, I’m at bobzozobrado@gmail.com.

Of course, his “magical star appeal” was still very

Peggy Angeles, senior vice president of SM Hotels and Convention Centers, shared her tips on ‘Building a Lucrative Career in the Hotel Industry.’

Entertainment

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019

‘DEAD KIDS’ SOON ON NETFLIX

THE NEW

POP PRINCESS

By Nickie Wang

B

ARELY three months after conquering the Idol Philippines stage, teen singer Zephanie Dimaranan is taking her music career to a whole new level, this time by bannering a solo concert at the New Frontier Theater.

“I have a lot of things to be thankful for and being given this opportunity to stage a concert is one of them.

It still feels like a dream,” the 16-year-old singer says.

Fresh from the success of Moira dela Torre’s Braver concert at the Araneta Coliseum last September, where Zephanie appeared as one of the special guests, Cornerstone Concerts under the management of Cornerstone Entertainment is committed to giving a different taste of concert experience to the public.

The time has come for her to bring her story on the concert scene, Zephanie at the New Frontier Theater, co-produced with Star Events will showcase a night of pure talent and inspiration. Special guests are Janine Berdin, Elha Nympha, andIdol Philippines Top 4 Lucas Garcia, Dan Ombao, Miguel Odron, and Lance Busa.

Also in full support to her first major performance on the concert stage are Erik Santos, Moira dela Torre, Sarah Geronimo, and Regine Velasquez.

“It’s our first time to share the stage after my The Voice Kids journey. I’m so excited to sing with my idol,” Zephanie shares.

With her great voice and determination, this promising artist is truly unstoppable. Her winning song “Pangarap Kong Pangarap Mo” has already reached six million views on Youtube and 700,000 streams on Spotify making it one of the chart-topper hits in the Philippines.

Dubbed as the Pop Princess of this generation, Zephanie is ready to give her fans a night to remember.

“More than my dream, it’s my way of saying thank you to all the people who have ben helping me in my journey as a young artist,” she enthuses.

Fans can look forward to her powerful performances and never-beforeseen collaborations. The brilliant mind behind the successful concerts to date, award-winning actor John Prats will be directing the concert.

Sought-after musical director Raul Mitra will also be part of this muchawaited show.

Zephanie at the New Frontier Theater is happening on Nov. 28 at 8:00 p.m..Tickets are available at Ticket Net Online or call 8911-5555.

Zephanie with ‘Idol Philippines’ finalists joined local music’s moststreamed artist Moira dela Torre in a concert held early this month.

ALDEN RICHARDS JOINS NEGRENSES IN FUN-FILLED MASSKARA FESTIVAL

SCREEN star Alden Richards led GMA Regional TV’s fun and colorful MassKara Festival celebration on Friday in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

The Gift lead actor was eager to once again personally meet and bond with his fans in a Kapuso Mall Show at Robinsons Place Bacolod.

Flying to the City of Smiles as well were Alden’s co-actors in the series Martin del Rosario, Mikee Quintos, Mikoy Morales, and Rochelle Pangilinan.

They performed and played exciting games with the Kapusong Negrense.

“Every year, GMA Network—through GMA Regional TV—always looks forward to celebrate the MassKara Festival with our Kapusong Negrense.

This year, we are honored to have Asia’s Multi-media Star Alden Richards leading the festivities once more,” says GMA Regional TV Vice President and Head Oliver Amoroso. “We invite our Kapusong Negrense as we bring to them this Friday GMA’s biggest Kapuso

stars as our way of extending the Network’s gratitude for Bacolod City’s unwavering support.”

Viewers and netizens continue to get hooked on The Gift. In the series, Alden plays the street-smart and high-spirited Sep, a visually-impaired vendor in Divisoria who has been blessed with the gift of ‘clairvoyance’ or the ability to see things beyond the naked eye.

In the latest episode, Sep had an unshakable premonition that Father Luis (Leandro Baldemor) is in danger.

Because of this, he asked the help of Tropang Eprot to watch over Father Luis.

Meanwhile, Sep incidentally asks Nadia (Jean Garcia) about her lost child. Will she finally discover that Sep is her son?

Under the helm of LA Madridejos, The Gift also stars Elizabeth Oropesa, Betong Sumaya, Tetay, Luz Valdez, Victor Anastacio, Thia Thomalla, Ysabel Ortega, and Jo Berry.

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Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

Asia’s Multimedia Star Alden Richards was in Negros to join in the MassKara festivity.

NETFLIX and Globe Studios has announced that they will be bringing Filipino film Dead Kids, exclusively to the global internet entertainment service.

Dead Kids is directed by awardwinning director, Mikhail Red, who is known for his internationally acclaimed films Birdshot, and Eerie -- both of which are also streaming on Netflix.

Dead Kids is a story based on true events, that touches on an exciting mix of friendship, coming-of-age, thriller, and crime rolled into one, societal eyeopening movie. The cast is composed of several young actors including Sue Ramirez, Khalil Ramos, Markus Paterson, Vance Larena, alongside rising young stars Kelvin Miranda, Gabby Padilla, and Jan Silverio.

It tells a compelling story about a socially awkward teen who bonds with a group of misfits who plots to take out the school’s arrogant rich kid, that is until their kidnapping scheme turns deadly.

Director Mikhail Red said, “It has always been my dream as a filmmaker to bring Filipino cinema to a global audience. I am so glad and honored for Dead Kids to be a Netflix Film, which is a testament to the world-class talent here in the Philippines.” “ Netflix is the perfect platform for the film to gain international spotlight, and we wouldn’t be here without the hard work and determination of our cast, crew, and of course, Globe Studios.

I hope people around the world will appreciate Dead Kids, and I hope this also helps open doors for more Filipino filmmakers,” he added.

Dead Kids is set to premiere on Netflix later this year.

‘Dead Kids’ star Sue Ramirez

JEEPNEY TV GIVES BACK JEEPNEY TV, home of ABS-CBN’s timeless programs, spreads joy and abundant gifts this year as it celebrates its seventh anniversary and launches the #JTVHaPITOgether online giveaway on Facebook and YouTube.

Viewers can win “Pito-Pito Panalo” giveaways by following seven easy steps. To qualify, just follow Jeepney TV’s Facebook page and subscribe to their YouTube channel. After this, like the Kumu Facebook Page, download the Kumu app and share the promo with your friends.

Then on Oct. 27 (Sunday), watch the livestream on Jeepney TV’s YouTube channel and comment on the chat section that you’ve accomplished all the steps for a chance to win one of the “Pito-Pito Panalo” prizes.

Lucky entrants can take home special giveaways that include seven Jeepney TV loot bags with premium items, seven ABS-CBN TVplus boxes, seven ABS-CBN TVplus Go and a hotel accommodation complete with island activities in Coron Underwater Resort in Palawan.

Apart from the “Pito-Pito Panalo” giveaways, seven winners can also secure SKYdirect boxes daily starting Monday (Oct. 22) until Sunday (Oct. 27) by earning the “Top Fan” badge from Jeepney TV’s Facebook page. So make sure to like, follow, and engage with the posts of JTV’s Facebook page.

Finally, a whopping P100,000 await the winner of Jeepney TV’s Grand Quiz on Kumu on Oct. 22 (Tuesday) at 9:00 p.m.. A cash prize of P20,000 is also at stake for the weekly quiz. Interested individuals only need to download the Kumu app to join.

D4

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019

Desiree Carlos, Editor

daycarlos28@yahoo.com

Pets

TIPS ON HOW TO SAVE

FOR A PET’S MEDICAL NEEDS

A

WISE owner saves funds for a pet’s health needs.

Facebook is now filled with posts of pet owners asking for financial assistance to have their dog or cat treated for an illness.

Because they do not have the funds to have their pet treated or operated on, the pets end up suffering more. Worse, the pet dies slowly, in pain.

It is thus important for an owner to save for emergency needs of one’s pets.

An owner needs to bring the pet to the clinic to find out why the dog is having a seizure, why the cat is vomiting, why the dog’s nose is bleeding, why the cat suddenly can not move.

It is sad to see owners reduced to asking online for tips on what to do to help their sick pets.

In an emergency situation, the dog or cat needs to be brought to the vet immediately.

There have been posts where the frantic owner would say his or her pet had not drank water or eaten anything for two or three days.

There were owners who also reported that the dog or cat had been having difficulty breathing.

A pet who has not drank fluid or eaten anything for days needs to be hydrated immediately. The pet can die when the pet only needs an IV fluid.

A pet who can not breathe due to an unknown illness needs immediate access to an oxygen tank, or the pet might go into a coma.

Saving a few pesos can save a life

Situations like these can be avoided.

How? We save for the rainy day, just like we save for those days when members of our family might need funds for emergency situations.

Saving a few pesos a week might save your pet’s life

Tips on how to save

Many will react and say, “We can not even save for our own

Ace is a very healthy two-year-old dog.

He gets a regular check-up yearly and is vaccinated to keep him safe from illnesses. A check-up costs around P850 (CBC and professional fee) and a booster shot is P350- P500 depending on the clinic. This is equivalent to 3-4 cups of coffee or 4-8 tumblers of milk tea

needs, how can we save for medical needs of a dog or a cat? “ But you can and you must if you love your pet.

Saving funds for your pet’s emergency needs will also teach you how to save for your own needs in the future, for when you can no longer work as hard as you can when you were younger.

To motivate yourself to save funds, here is what you can do: 1. Need versus wants Do you really need that milk tea that costs P95 at the least?

If you will no longer buy one milk tea every week, that is P380 you will save for a month.

Do you know that a vet’s professional fee is P350 in most clinics?

Not drinking that milk tea weekly will allow you to bring your pet to a vet to find out what is wrong with your dog or cat. The vet can now tell you which tests you might need.

What else can you do without?

A complete blood count (CBC) costs P500 in most clinics. The CBC will show if your dog has bacterial infection, is anemic, or

has a high platelet count, among others.

If you decide on a detailed blood work called the comprehensive blood chemistry, you will know how the liver and kidneys are functioning. For this, you will need a minimum of P1,100.00.

The price depends on the clinic.

Vets however go for CBC first if they do not suspect a liver or kidney problem But let’s go back to what you can do without and thus, save funds.

To save P500, you can opt not to buy that cup of coffee from a well-known coffee shop worth P195 at the least.

Choose not to buy that coffee three times in a month and you will have P585!

Sacrifice six cups of coffee a month, and you will double that amount which is more than enough for a comprehensive blood work.

If you think in terms of saving your pet’s life while choosing not to buy milk tea or coffee a few times a month, saving funds for

your pet will not be as hard as you think.

As a bonus, you do get to find out eventually what you need and what you can do without.

This will eventually lead to a habit that will make you feel better about yourself and your life: You will end up saving a lot of money without even trying. This is because you have learned the art of spending on needs and doing without a lot of those unnecessary expenses. With this new habit, you will end up with a lot of money.

2. Set aside a percentage of your monthly income for the family’s medical fund.

Not just for your pet.

You can actually manage the combined income of the members of the family to ensure you have money for emergency needs.

Financial consultants have advised decades ago about setting aside part of one’s income for expenses other than “needs.”

Here is something a financial adviser in the 80s recommended: a. Set aside the bulk of your income for needs such as food, shelter (rental or being paid for in terms of monthly amortization), transportation cost, and utilities. b. Set aside a percentage for school needs. Do not wait for the next schoolyear to look for funds for your kids’ tuition fees. c. Set up a medical fund for all members of the family, including your pets. Pets are family. d. Set aside funds for a family vacation or entertainment.

Do not choose trips that are very expensive but stressful for you financially or physically.

You’ll be surprised that you can have more fun staying at home.

You all can watch a movie you with popcorn you cooked and a lemon drink you prepared. This will cost you less than P200 for a family of six.

You not only get to enjoy each other’s company in a place where you are comfortable, you also get to save funds for all members of the family, including your pet.

Desiree Carlos

SPECIAL FOOD FOR YOUR PETS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON pepper and butter, these beans are good for your dog.

“Green beans served without all the trappings (like salt, seasonings and butter) are great for dogs. They are a low-calorie snack that is high in iron and several other vitamins and minerals that dogs need.” Coates said.

“Their high-fiber content also helps fill your pup’s belly and keep them full, which may help aid in weight control,” Coates added.

You can give the beans as a treat, or add to your dog’s meal.

PET TALES

BY DESIREE CARLOS PETS can also enjoy the Christmas and New Year celebrations with a festive meal specially prepared by you.

“Do you want to include your favorite furry friend in your holiday celebrations? There are plenty of traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas foods that are perfect for sharing. So, if you want to create a festive meal for your special four-legged companion, here are some safe human foods for dogs you can fill your pup’s holiday dog bowl with, “ said Jennifer Coates, DVM, in “7 Safe and Healthy Human Foods for Dogs That You Can Serve for the Holidays” in PetMD. If you have been feeding your dog or cat with dry and canned food, here are some healthy food you can give your pet this holiday season to make it festive and special for your pets.

Pumpkin

You can roast pumpkin for that unique, delicious smell that dogs love.

Or you can boil some pumpkin (without the skin and seeds) and add some beef, chicken or pork which we in the animal welfare group Save ALL Inc.- Save Animals of Love and Light do for our rescued dogs.

Pumpkin also goes well with moringa (malunggay) leaves.

Never put salt in any of your pet’s homecooked meal.

Cole, rescued by Save ALL, loves pumpkins! Here he is guarding pumpkins donated by Raquel Fornoles-Arnold last week. The pumpkins are boiled with meat and moringa (malunggay) leaves.

Cranberry, strawberry, blueberry and blackberry

Yes, you can give cranberry to your dog. Cooked, not raw. Avoid products with too much sugar and specially with XYLITOL which is toxic to dogs.

“Cranberries are safe for dogs,and they may help support urinary tract health. Plus, cranberries contain lots of healthy antioxidants,” Coates said.

“However, raw cranberries may be tough for dogs to digest. Instead, you can give your dog a small amount of cranberry sauce. Because it can be high in sugar, make sure that you serve only a small amount, and be sure that it doesn’t contain the artificial sweetener xylitol, which is very dangerous for dogs,” Coates said.

To be safe, it is best to make a pet cranberry sauce yourself. Here is how we make strawberry sauce or

Carrots

Boil a carrot and give to your dog.

If you prefer it raw, make sure to give a baby carrot so that it is easy to “jam” for dogs in Save ALL which bite and chew. you can do using cranberries.

But a cooked carrot is easier to digest.

1. Wash the cranberries.

“Carrots are a great source of vita2. Pound the cranberries. min A and fiber, “ Coates said.

3. Grate a pumpkin or sayote and cook by boiling. This will give the Sweet potatoes sweetness you want in a cranberry Pups specially love kamote or sauce or jam. sweet potatoes but this is good for 4. Mix cranberries, cooked pump- all dogs of all ages, Coates said. kin or sayote, and ADD WATER. Do not give too much to a senior 5. Put all the ingredients in in the dog, however, as the kamote can be blender. very sweet and any excess in sugar 6. The cranberry sauce or “jam” is – even from natural sources—is not ready to be served to your pet. good for senior dogs.

Strawberries, black berries and “They’re a good source of B vitamins, blueberries are also safe for you dogs, vitamin A and fiber,” Coates said. according to naturipefarms.com in “3 You can boil or bake sweet potaTypes of berries dogs can eat!.” toes without any sugar, salt, butter or pepper. Dogs love these mashed.

Green beans You can add ground meat or livIn the Philippines, green beans are er to make the dish more tasty for called Baguio beans. Without salt, your dog.

MY FURRY BESTIE

THIS corner features pets of animal lovers every week. We hope new owners and those thinking of getting a pet will be encouraged to be responsible “furparents” through these features.

We also hope more people will be moved to be kind to animals when they read about the great relationship that can be created between humans and animals.

For contributions, please email to daycarlos28@yahoo.com and put My Furry Bestie as subject.

RAIN was found by owner Martin Almendral one afternoon going home from school.

Martin tried searching for Rain’s mommy cat or his other siblings but did not find them. Martin decided to bring Rain home.

Rain was so tiny when Martin found him, thus he believes Rain was only a few days old at that time.

Martin used to bring Rain with him to school every day so he can feed the kitten.

Now sweet Rain is more than a month old and is beginning to be playful. He gets along well with his fur brothers and sisters in his furparent’s home.

He loves to be at Martin’s side and to cuddle when he is sleepy.

MIGHTY was rescued by owner Xtian Penia last week beside a staircase inside a mall.

“Tiny as she is, Mighty fit right inside my backpack,” Xtian says.

“I brought her home. Mighty was a week old then. The vet can not say yet what her gender is but I think of her as a ‘she,’” Xtian shares.

“She is given milk and she loves fish,” Xtian says.

Mighty has her own bed now which furparent Xtian puts beside his bed every night to make the tiny kitten feel secure and loved.

“I am looking forward to more pasyal moments with my pal. ” Xtian says.

Editor's note: These stories were compiled by admin Miks Lim of Save Animals of Love and Light (Save ALL), a SEC-registered animal welfare group that helps animals in need, and encourages and promotes responsible pet ownership, adoption of rescued dogs and cats from fosters, shelters and pounds, and spaying and neutering of pets to control animal population in the country, among others.

FOOD TO AVOID Core and seeds of any fruit like apple Avocado Grapes Raisins Candy Chocolates Peanuts Macadamia nuts Wild mushrooms Pitted fruits Onions Garlic Chocolate Alcohol Anything with caffeine Sugary desserts Food that is high in fat Food that have salt Food with preservatives Any item that contains xylitol Editor’s Note: Please bring your pet to the vet immediately if your pet has eaten any of these food.