Manila Standard - 2019 October 25 - Friday

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Water service rotation triggers calls for concession deal review AS WATER companies began their rotational water interruptions on Thursday due to low water levels in Angat Dam, two senators sought for reviews of their concession agreements with the government.

Maynilad and Manila Water earlier announced the interruptions affecting nearly 15-million customers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, but Senator Imee Marcos said the concessionaires should be held accountable for the water supply shortage seen to last through the holiday season up to next year.

“Poor families and small businesses, such as small eateries, car washes, and laundry shops that heavily rely on water

daily, would suffer,” Marcos said in a statement.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, meanwhile, said he doesn’t believe a water shortage exists, but will suggest to President Rodrigo Duterte, his erstwhile boss, to review the concession agreement of the water firms.

“Please don’t pass on the burden to our countrymen. You entered this business, you can solve this situation. Don’t sign contracts when you can’t comply with supplying water to us,” Go said.

In May, the President questioned the concession agreement with a water Next page VOL. XXXIII • NO. 253 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Drug makers vow price cuts PHAP seeks teamup with gov’t hospitals

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

OME 18 multinational pharmaceutical companies operating in the Philippines are offering to reduce their medicine prices substantially to help the public cope with rising health care costs.

WITHIN REACH. In this file photo, a woman holds up a handful of pills and tablets at a local pharmacy. Filipinos would be able to cope with rising health care costs following a proposal by the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines to reduce the price of medicines it sells to government hospitals, which in turn could sell them cheaply to the public.

Fewer Pinoys going hungry, SWS says THE Social Weather Stations released Wednesday the results of a survey suggesting fewer Filipinos experienced involuntary hunger from July to September compared to the previous quarter., a scenario welcomed immediately by Malacañang.

The Sept. 27-30 poll found that 9.1 percent or an estimated 2.3 million families went hungry due to lack of food in the third quarter of the year, down from 10 percent or 2.5 million logged in June, said SWS. Malacañang said the drop in the number of Filipino families who experienced hunger was the evidence the

ASF-tainted meat products found in Mindoro—DTI

By Othel V. Campos THE Department of Trade and Industry on Thursday said processed meat products from Mekeni Food Corp. tested positive for African swine fever, a finding the company contested.

Trade Undersecretary for Consumer Protection Ruth Castelo tagged Mekeni

Thursday, after a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture confirmed that some ASF-tainted processed meat products, including hotdogs, tocino and longganisa were seized in the port of Mindoro.

But the company’s president, Prudencio Garcia, said all raw materials that his company uses to process its meat products have corresponding government

By Vito Barcelo and Rey E. Requejo MALACAÑANG on Thursday denied reports that President Rodrigo Duterte was “unceremoniously ignored” when he attended the enthronement rites of Japan’s 126th emperor in Tokyo, insisting the President suffered from “unbearable pain” in his spine after a motorcycle accident.

In a text message, Palace Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the report which has been circulating on social media is “absolutely false.”

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WB: PH improves on doing business

accommodation.

Senator Panfilo Lacson, a former police chief, cited Peralta’s judicial experience, integrity and competence.

“I have known him all the way back when he was QC RTC (Quezon City regional trial court) judge who convicted almost all if not all the kidnap-for-ransom

THE Philippines jumped 29 spots in the latest World Bank roster of economies ranked by the ease of doing business, landing in 95th place among 190 economies, up from 124th last year.

The World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 Report, released Thursday, showed the Philippines was one of the top three most improved in terms of ease of doing business.

The country also recorded the highest improvement, both in rank and its Ease of Doing Business score, among Association of Southeast Asian Nations member nations.

The World Bank report cited the Philippines’ implementation of regulatory reforms for starting a business, dealing with construction permits, and protecting minority investors.

Malacañang welcomed the news, tying the improvement to President Rodrigo Duterte’s promise to foreign investors that he would create an environment that is conducive to business, the Palace said.

Compared to its peers in the East Asia Pacific, the Philippines ranked below

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‘Duterte ignored in Japan’ denied

certificates and permits.

Garcia said Mekeni products may have been mixed with other products being shipped to Mindoro.

ASF is caused by a virus that is deadly to hogs but is not harmful to humans.

As a precaution, the Agriculture department advised the public to always

BAZAAR FOR A CAUSE. The International Bazaar Foundation, in cooperation with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Diplomatic and Consular Corps and the Spouses of the Heads of Mission (SHOM) will sell quality textiles and other items at the Bazaar for a Cause at the CCP Complex this November. Pictured are (from left) Rose Villamor, IBF adviser; Consul Helen M. Ong, IBF president; Alice Tesoro-Guerrero, IBF treasurer; Susan B. Fries, SHOM president; and Maria Lourdes B. Locsin, wife of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. Lino Santos

CJ urged: Uphold judicial independence

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo SENATORS on Thursday welcomed the appointment of Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta but a group of left-leaning lawyers said the new leader of the Supreme Court must lead by insulating the judiciary from political influence and

Labor leader wins US Congress medal

Rat race: Rodents drive tiny cars

THE late Democrito Mendoza—war veteran, labor leader, lawyer, and founder of Cebu-based Menca Development Corp.—was among 40 Filipino World War II veterans who recently received the United States Congressional

RICHMOND, Virginia—Sometimes life really can be a rat race.

US scientists have reported successfully training a group of the rodents to drive tiny cars in exchange for bits of Froot Loops cereal, and found that

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“We will announce these initiatives as soon as we work out the partnership details with the Department of Health [DOH],” said Teodoro Padilla, executive director of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines.

Aside from lowering the price of medicine —by as much as half off a certain kind of cancer drug—the group is also looking for ways to help prevent diseases, Padilla said.

In a meeting with Health Secretary Francisco Duque and patient organizations early this week, PHAP said its members are offering to reduce prices for medicines that address major noncommunicable diseases, infectious diseases and rare disorders.

“The DOH secretary is doing his best to look for ways to lower health care costs of Filipino patients. We support the DOH objective. We, in the private sector, are reaching out as a government partner so we may find the best solution to the current health care gaps, and for patients and their families to fully benefit,” Padilla said.

At the moment, he said Filipino patients pay about 54 percent of their own health care costs compared to only 12 percent in Thailand, 38 percent in Malaysia, and 37 percent in Indonesia.

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PINAY BEAUTY WANTS FUN IN MS. INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT C2

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News

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

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Robredo hits out at Comelec on poll protest

By Rio N. Araja VICE President Leni Robredo on Thursday called on the Commission on Elections to stop issuing what she called premature statements.

She made the call after the Comelec said it was ready to conduct special elections in three provinces in Mindanao in connection with the poll protest of exSenator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should the Supreme Court, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, give the order.

Robredo’s legal consultant, Emil Marañon III, reacted to the statement of Comelec spokesman James Jimenez that they were ready to conduct special elections in Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Maguindanao once the PET ordered it.

“With all due respect, holding a special election is not as simple as this. There are many considerations―not just a matter of willingness on Comelec’s part,” Marañon said in a statement.

“Administrative questions have to be settled. Who will finance the elections?

Is it Bongbong Marcos? If it is the government, should there be prior appropriation from Congress?”

“Can Comelec spend its own savings for it?

Is there a line item for special elections arising from an election protest that would facilitate a realignment? In other words, the question of special election remains a very remote possibility. Marcos has yet to hurdle Rule 65.”

Under Rule 65 of the PET, “the Tribunal may require the protestant or counter-protestant to indicate, within a fixed period, the province or provinces numbering not more than three, best exemplifying the frauds or irregularities alleged in his petition; and the revision of ballots and reception of evidence will begin with such provinces.

“If upon examination of such ballots and proof, and after making reasonable allowances, the Tribunal is convinced that, taking all circumstances into account, the protestant or counter-protestant will most probably fail to make out his case, the protest may forthwith be dismissed, without further consideration of the other provinces mentioned in the protest.”

Drug...

From A1 The government’s share in medicine expenditure is 91 percent in Thailand, 54 percent in Malaysia, and 14 percent in Indonesia, but Padilla did not specify how much was the Philippines’ share.

He said the anti-diabetic drug metformin (500mg) sells for only P0.56 to P19 in government hospitals compared to P0.62 to P35 in private hospitals, and from P1.50 to P16.15 in retail outlets.

7 BIFF killed in clash; 16 ASG men blacklisted C

OTABATO CITY―Military and police forces killed seven alleged members of the Islamic Stateinspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in a clash in Midsayap, North Cotabato, on Wednesday, an official said Thursday.

Meanwhile, in Zamboanga City, nine barangays in two areas of Basilan have declared 16 suspected members of the Abu Sayyaf Group as persona non-grata in their villages, the military said.

Lt. Col. Ivan San Jose, commander of the Army’s 18th Infantry Battalion, said Wednesday the declaration was made through a unified resolution approved by the nine barangays belonging to Lamitan City and Tipo-Tipo town.

Lt. Col. Glenn Cabrera, commander of the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion, said the encounter occurred around 5 a.m. in Sitio Narra, Barangay Tumbras, Midsayap, after villagers tipped authorities on the presence

2 Pasay cops fall amid PNP ‘cleansing’ program MORE aggressive intelligence and counterintelligence operations as part of the Philippine National Police’s internal cleansing led to the arrest of two Pasay City policemen involved in extortion activities in Pasay City Wednesday, an official said Thursday.

PNP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac identified the two policemen as Police Corporal Reynald Pallangeo Macwes and Police Corporal Jimuel Ilagan.

Before their arrest, the PNP intelligence branch had received reports of alleged extortion activities of Macwes and Ilagan, prompting an entrapment operation against them.

This developed a day after Vice President Leni Robredo called on President Rodrigo Duterte to stop his war on drugs

and allow a United Nations probe of drugrelated killings.

Interviewed by Reuters, Robredo said the government’s deadly drug campaign was a failure and created a dent on the country’s image. She took a swipe at the President’s violent rhetoric that had helped sow a culture of police impunity.

“We have seen a lot of police that have abused their powers and not been penalized so this is where the International Criminal Court could come in, if we do not show the world that we can take care of our own mess,” the Vice President told Reuters.

Meanwhile, at least 1,561 firearms and 55,730 magazine assemblies, which were confiscated, recovered or surrendered during various military operations across the country in 2016, were destroyed in Camp Aguinaldo Thursday morning.

Newly-designated Armed Forces of the Philippines Public Affairs Office chief Capt.

Jonathan Zata, said the firearms were destroyed to curb the proliferation of illegal and loose firearms in the country.

The firearms included M1 Garand rifles, Carbine rifles, Browning Machine guns, grenade launchers and assorted hand guns, and those were cut in half while the magazines were run over by a bulldozer.

Acting on intelligence reports, operatives of the Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group, Intelligence Group and the Regional Intelligence Division of the NCRPO swooped down on the policemen at a bus terminal in Malibay, Pasay City.

The two policemen were entrapped and eventually arrested after receiving a marked 100-peso bill from a driver. With Joel E. Zurbano and Rio N. Araja

Losartan (100mg), which is for high blood pressure control, sells for P0.86 to P36 in government hospitals, P2.75 to P68 in private hospitals, and P8 to P34.50 in retail outlets, Padilla added.

Apart from straight price reductions on medicines, PHAP members are offering medicine assistance programs that offer patients holistic and comprehensive assistance from diagnosis, to treatment and monitoring.

Initially for cancer, the program may take the form of free or discounted medicine, support for lab testing and monitoring, patient education, online community support and ca-

pacity building for health care providers.

Under the proposed partnership, for example, patients with breast cancer may obtain up to 54 percent discount on a cancer drug, or free medicines on certain treatment cycles.

Padilla also urged the public to try to buy from government hospitals and pharmacies that have been found to have the lowest prices because they can pool their requirements and procure in volume.

“Government hospitals, not price control, are the solution in helping the public reduce their medicine costs. The issue that needs to be addressed is how to make supplies last and

how to make them more available through other outlets,” he said.

Supply is a function of the Health department having the budget, he said, adding that Congress and the executive department still has time to address this issue, as the budget for next year has yet to be passed, the PHAP official said.

If government hospitals and pharmacies could offer more of these cheaper medicines to more people in more areas, the country would be able to somehow catch up with its neighbors in terms of health care participation, Padilla said.

The non-commissioned survey had 1,800 respondents and a sampling error margin of ±2.3 percent for national percentages.

In the second half of his six-year term, President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration will focus on “adequate food, water, education, housing and health,” Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said back in July.

The decrease in the national hunger rate in the third quarter, SWS said, was due to a decrease of 7.4 points in Metro Manila (from 15.7 percent to 8.3 percent), a decline of 1.2 points in the rest of Luzon (from 9.3 percent to 8.1 percent), a steady figure in Visayas (8.7 percent), and an increase of 2.9 points in Mindanao (from 9 percent to 11.9 percent).

SWS pointed out that the 9.1 percent national quarterly hunger rate in September is the sum of 7.4 percent (1.8 million families) who experienced “moderate hunger” and 1.7 percent (426,000 families) who experienced “severe hunger.”

Moderate hunger refers to those who experienced hunger “only once” or “a few times” in the last three months, while severe hunger refers to those who experienced it “often” or “always” in the last three months.

Compared to June 2019 figures, moderate hunger went down from 8.7 percent

(2.1 million families), while severe hunger went up from 1.3 percent (320,000 families).

Andanar said it was a fact that poverty and hunger are linked and our government will continue initiatives that address both concurrently.

He cited that the programs such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), signed into law by President Duterte, the Free Education Act, and the Universal Health Care Act are aimed to reduce poverty and poverty-related problems in the country.

“The government is also working to create more jobs through programs like the Government Internship Program and JobStart, as well as focusing on sectors that can create more jobs,” Andanar said.

“We have programs to tackle the issue of food supply and food costs. The administration is prioritizing the agriculture and aquaculture sector through development programs. It is also fortifying the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program [CARP], and its infrastructure thrust will ensure that adequate and efficient farm-to-market linkages are made along with dams for water supply needed by farms,” Andanar added.

By Francisco Tuyay

WB: PH...

Fewer...

Singapore (2nd), Hong Kong (3rd), Malaysia (12th), Taiwan (15th), Thailand (21st), China (31st), Brunei (66th), Vietnam (70th), Indonesia (73rd) and Mongolia (81st).

“We attribute the improvement in the Philippines’ ranking to broad regulatory reforms such as the Ease of Doing Business Act signed by the President over a year ago,” said Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.

“We expect even better results in the coming years as the government remains committed to give the Filipino people an easier and more comfortable life,” he added. rs on Thursday welcomed the significant improved ranking as well.

“Our country’s great leap in the World Bank ease of doing business survey is a big boost to our quest for more foreign and domestic investments,” House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Romualdez said the survey result signifies the business community’s confidence in the structural reforms being implemented by the Duterte administration to propel the country’s economy to greater heights.

“The improvement in our worldwide ranking will definitely lead to more investments, which translate to more jobs for our people,” Romualdez said.

“We have laid the groundwork to make our economy more competitive with the enactment of the Ease of Doing Business Law and the Anti-Red Tape Act. In the days to come, the House of Representatives will exercise its oversight function to ensure that these laws are being implemented faithfully,” he added. Vito Barcelo, Maricel V. Cruz, with PNA

government programs to address hunger and poverty were working.

“For some the drop to 9.1 percent from the previous quarter’s 10 percent may seem nominal, that is just about 200,000 less families from June’s 2.5 million families, but to us this means that the steps concerned agencies are taking are in the right direction,” Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar said.

“An estimated 2.3-million Filipino families, or 9.1 percent, experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months, according to the latest results of the Third Quarter Social Weather Survey.

Official sources said the latest hunger rate was the sum of 7.4 percent or around 1.8 million families who went hungry only once or a few times in the last 3 months, and 1.7 percent or around 426,000 families who went hungry always.

The quarterly decrease in the national hunger rate is due to a decrease of 7.4 points in Metro Manila, a decrease of 1.2 points in Balance Luzon, a steady figure in the Visayas, and an increase of 2.9 points in Mindanao.

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company, which he did not identify, as it bound the government to a deal until 2070.

In March, President Duterte blasted officials of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System along with Manila Water and Maynilad over the water shortage gripping parts of Metro Manila and Rizal province at the peak of summer.

Marcos noted this is the second time a water supply crisis hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces this year.

“President Duterte has already threatened to terminate the concession agreements in March due to their inefficiencies, but they

of armed men in their community.

“Our troopers, in coordination with the local police, immediately responded to the tip and chanced upon the group at their nipa hideout who put up a fight,” Cabrera said referring to the 40-minute clash.

When the group offered no more resistance, government forces, this time backed by helicopter gunships, scoured Sitio Narra and found the remains of the slain suspects.

Initial military reports identified two of the dead as Mama Macalimbol, long wanted for multiple frustrated murder charges, and a certain Bedis Macarimbang.

“Macalimbol was also North Cotabato’s third most wanted man for his role in road-

side bombings and highway robberies,” Cabrera said.

The five other suspects, all male, remained unidentified.

Cabrera said Macalimbol’s group operated under BIFF commander Bungos, the alleged mastermind behind the series of bombings in Central Mindanao in recent months.

Authorities also recovered seven firearms comprising two .30-caliber Garand rifles, two M14 rifles, one improvised Barrett sniper rifle, one FAL automatic rifle, one M16 rifle and homemade explosives.

“The slain suspects seemed to be ready for any eventuality as their nipa hut was surrounded by sandbags,” Cabrera said.

He said military and police probers were still identifying the remaining slain suspects.

The military here has vowed to intensify the offensives and law enforcement operations against the BIFF groups operating in the region. PNA

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ASF-tainted...

From A1 cook thoroughly all food with pork as ingredient.

Earlier, the Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. said it would look into reports that some processed meat products were found positive for ASF. In an interview with radio dzMM, PAMPI spokesman Rex

still have not provided any solution to the water problem. These firms are aware of the water supply shortage. So, why should the people shoulder this burden?,” she said.

Meanwhile, Go said: “I will suggest to the President to review the contracts that are not favorable to our countrymen.”

Duterte claimed that water officials knew about the problem leading to the shortage but did not resolve it or prevent it from happening.

Marcos said customers of Maynilad and Manila Water in the cities of Mandaluyong, Manila, Marikina, Navotas, Muntinlupa, Malabon, Makati, Las Piñas, Caloocan, Valenzuela, Parañaque, Pasay, and Quezon City would be hit by the shortage, along with those in the provinces of Rizal, Cavite, and Bulacan. PNA

With Vito Barcelo

Agarrado said it was unfair that the reports mentioned no brand, which makes it difficult for manufacturers to respond.

He urged the Bureau of Animal Indust r y for more infor mation.

Meanwhile, Senator Francis Pangilinan urged the authorities to remove processed meats that have tested positive for ASF. He also said the authorities should name the specific brands, manufacturers and contaminated products involved.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta

CJ urged:...

From A1 suspects that I apprehended when I was still in the law enforcement service,” Lacson said.

He said many of the legal opinions he cited during committee hearings and plenary debates were done in consultation with Peralta.

“That is why I feel extremely confident when I manifest such opinions,” Lacson said.

Senator Richard Gordon said as the most senior justice to occupy the post of Chief Justice, Peralta can continue to stabilize and provide harmony to the Court, which has been rocked in recent years by two controversial leadership changes.

“He can and must provide independent judgement by the Supreme Court on all is-

sues of the day. He has been visiting all courts throughout the archipelago observing, listening and guiding judges. He will not have a short term as he will have three more years before retirement,” Gordon said.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said seniority played a role in the choice of Peralta.

“All things being more or less equal, seniority will come into play, as I think it did in favor of Chief Justice Peralta,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

Guevarra expressed hope that with Peralta at the helm of the judiciary, the new chief justice will focus on the fast resolution of cases.

“Knowing CJ Peralta’s background, I think he will continue to focus on speedy trials,” Guevarra said.

Peralta is the most senior in terms of the

Rat race:...

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learning the task lowered their stress levels.

Their study not only demonstrates how sophisticated rat brains are, but could one day help in developing new non-pharmaceutical forms of treatment for mental illness, senior author Kelly Lambert of the University of Richmond told Agence France-Presse on Wednesday.

Lambert said she had long been interested in neuroplasticit—how the brain changes in response to experience and challenges— and particularly wanted to explore how well rats that were housed in more natural settings (“enriched environments”) performed against those kept in labs.

She and colleagues modified a robot car kit by adding a clear plastic food container to form a driver compartment with an aluminum plate placed on the bottom.

A copper wire was threaded horizontally across the cab to form three bars: left, center and right.

When a rat placed itself on the aluminum floor and touched the wire, the circuit was complete and the car moved in the direction selected.

Seventeen rats were trained over several months to drive around an arena 150 centimeters by 60 centimeters made of plexiglass.

Writing in the journal Behavioural Brain Research, the researchers said the animals could indeed be taught to drive forward as well as steer in more complex navigational patterns.

As she had suspected, Lambert found that the animals kept in stimuli-rich environments performed far better than their lab rat counterparts, but “it was actually quite shocking to me that they were so much better,” she said.

The rats’ feces was collected after their trials to test for the stress hormone corticosterone as well as dehydroepiandrosterone, which counters stress. AFP

Labor...

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Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor awarded by the US Congress.

The family of Mendoza received the award, conferred by American lawmakers last Aug. 29, last Oct. 21 at the BTW World War II Museum and Veterans Center in Taguig City, in a ceremony led by US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim. The event dovetailed with the recent 75th anniversary rites of the Leyte Landing, when US General Douglas McArthur and then-Philippine President Sergio Osmeña landed on the shores of Leyte Gulf near the town of Palo to retake the country from the Japanese after McArthur’s famous “I shall return” promise.

Mendoza was a first lieutenant during the second World War and fought alongside Filipino soldiers in Bataan, Corregidor, and Manila.

Aside from the gold medal, a United States flag, which was flown at halfmast at the US Congress, was also posthumously given to Mendoza and the 39 other Filipino soldiers.

Mendoza’s family and Menca Development Corp. expressed their gratitude and appreciation to those who helped award the recognition.

“The family is really very happy... with the help of Gerry Alfafara, we appreciate for the highest honor. A really great honor,” said Marily Mendoza-Lantz, daughter of the awardee.

‘Duterte...

From A1

However, Panelo did not elaborate on the allegation that a seat reserved for President Duterte was relegated to the Philippine ambassador after the Philippine government notified the Japanese government that Duterte could not attend the ceremony.

According to a reliable source, the Japanese enthronement Rites Committee sent formal invitations to all heads of State in August, at least two month before the event. Manila replied that it cannot attend the occasion, thus the seat supposedly reserved for President Duterte was relegated down to ambassador and not to a Head of State.

But the Palace spokesman insisted that the President could not “bear the pain in his spinal column due to a motorcycle accident a few days before going to Japan.

A certain Ding Velasco claimed that the decision to cut short Duterte’s Japan trip was not because of the “unbearable pain in his spinal column” as it was due to another reason.

Velasco alleged that Duterte had no “unbearable pelvic pain” and it was “just a ruse they concocted in order ‘to gain sympathy for an ailing President doing his duty even in grave physical pain’ and not to be publicly assailed for having been unceremoniously ignored in Japan.” number of years of service in the judiciary, with two and a half decades of public service, Peralta is also the most senior among the associate justices who applied for the top post in terms of tenure in the 15-member bench.

He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2009.

Integrated Bar of the Philippines national president Domingo Egon Cayosa agreed with Guevarra that seniority played a big part in President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to appoint Peralta as successor of Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, who retired on Oct. 18.

“The seniority tradition was maintained in the appointment of Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta who has served the longest as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court among the three aspirants nominated by the Judicial and Bar Council,” Cayosa said.

News Romualdez lauds ‘reso’ on buying farmers’ palay HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Thursday lauded the passage of a substitute House Joint Resolution authorizing the use of rice subsidy fund to purchase farmers’ “palay” (unhusked rice) amid its plunging prices following the liberalization of the rice industry.

“I thank my colleagues for the immediate passage of this measure to help our distressed farmers,” said Romualdez, one of the principal authors of the still unnumbered HJR. Romualdez made the statement in response to the House committee on agriculture’s action to adopt the joint resolution that was filed

by Romualdez and his wife, Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez as HJR 322 and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte as HJR 16.

Romualdez said the House of Representatives is sensitive to the plight of farmers, prompting them to move for the direct purchase of palay from local farmers and distribute rice subsidy in the form of actual rice, instead of cash.

“We want to ensure that our farmers are given assistance to address their concerns,” said Romualdez.

On Wednesday, the panel chaired by Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga adopted the HJR upon the motion of Deputy Speaker and Abono Party-list Rep. Conrad

Estrella III Enverga said the HJRs filed by the Romualdez couple and Villafuerte are very helpful to ease the plight of the country’s poor farmers.

“This measure will provide the needed funds to help the government intervene the falling prices of palay. This will surely alleviate the plight of our rice farmers,” said Enverga.

Under HJR 322, the Romualdez couple cited P33.9-billion rice subsidy under this year’s P3.757trillion national budget that could be utilized to directly buy back the palay of farmers.

On the other hand, Villafuerte’s HJR 16 mentioned some P29billion rice subsidy fund that can be used to help farmers buy their palay.

The approved HJR authorizes the use of rice subsidy for the purchase of palay and mandates the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, Interior and Local Government, National Defense, Transportation, Environment and Natural Resources, and the local government units in coordination with the National Food Authority and the Department of Agriculture, to directly purchase palay from the local farmers and distribute rice subsidy in the form of actual rice, instead of cash.

Maricel V. Cruz

House TWG finalizes bill on Department of Water A HOUSE of Representatives’ Technical Working Group headed by Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda is currently finalizing a bill creating the Department of Water Resources to integrate under one roof the government’s fragmented water resources management systems and pursue a sustainable and science-based program for the wise use and conservation of the country’s vital water resources.

The National Water Act bill, responds to the urgent public clamor for better water services which President Rodrigo Duterte has echoed in his recent calls. It consolidates about 30 proposals, two of which (HBs 2997 and 4944) were authored by Salceda himself, chairman of the House ways and means committee. It also seeks to establish a Water Regulatory Commission under the DWR. Salceda said the House expects to pass in January next year the measure which lays out the National Framework for Water Resource

Management, to ensure and accelerate universal public access to water and sanitation services, in a regulatory regime that encourages responsible private sector participation and involvement, fosters and prioritizes infrastructures which adopt innovative solutions and international best practices to address the challenges of climate change.

Salceda said the DWR shall be responsible for the formulation of a comprehensive and integrated policies and programs on water, as well as the management system for the ownership, appropriation, development, utilization, and protection of the country’s water resources.

It will ensure the optimal use of water for domestic, commercial, hydropower, irrigation, sanitation, industry, navigation, recreation, fisheries and aquaculture. It will also be tasked to implement PD 1067 and RA 9275 or Water Code and Clean Water Act, respectively.

DENR to monitor MWSS compliance ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu on Thursday vowed to strictly monitor the environmental compliance certificate in the construction of the Kaliwa Dam project.

Cimatu reminded the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System to ensure that appropriate environmental and social safeguards are met during project implementation of the Kaliwa Dam project.

He warned to cancel the project’s ECC for any violation in its provisions.

The Environmental Management Bureau under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued the ECC for the Kaliwa Dam project after it satisfied the requirements of the environmental impact statement system under Presidential Decree 1586 and its implementing rules and regulations.

“We expect the MWSS, as project proponent, to ensure that all activities related to the project are environmentally and socially sound and sustainable,” Cimatu said.

“Any serious violation or non-compliance with the conditions will result in the cancellation of the ECC,” he warned. Rio N. Araja

SC okays ruling on lawyer education THE names of lawyers who do not comply with the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education as mandated under the Code of Professional Responsibility and the Revised Rules of Court will be published in newspapers with general circulation.

This came after the high court has approved a resolution declaring that non-compliant lawyers will be given 60 days from the date of publication to submit proof of compliance.

The SC said that non-compliant lawyers who fail to submit the needed documents within the prescribed period will be declared delinquent and “shall not be permitted to practice law.”

The resolution granted the plea of the MCLE governing board in its Resolution No. 06-2019 on the publication of the names of MCLE non-compliant lawyers.

There are more than 40,000 lawyers in the Philippines.

Rey E. Requejo

A3

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

AFP vows to mete out justice for PMA hazing victims, kin

By Maricel V. Cruz

T

HE Armed Forces of the Philippines on Wednesday assured the public that justice will be given to the maltreatment victims and the families.

“But by moving forward, the AFP does not mean simply advancing and forgetting the incident. We yearn to push forth having in mind timely dispensation of justice and positive changes for the Academy,” said AFP spokesperson Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo in a statement Wednesday.

Maltreatment incidents in the PMA, the country’s premier military school, came into light after the recent death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio and hospitalization of several other cadets.

Two ranking officials of the PMA also tendered their voluntary resignation while several tactical officers and cadets were charged in connection with the incident.

“The AFP owes that to the family, the public, and you the members of media, who are watching closely. We will not renege on our commitment,” he said.

Arevalo also appealed to the public not to judge the PMA by the actions of these misfits in the Cadet Corps but instead observe the measures being implemented to remedy these errors.

“Once again, we declare that the PMA is not a perfect organization. She has in the ranks of the Cadet Corps misfits who need to be dealt with accordingly. Let’s allow to prosper the measures that have already been instituted and the changes that continue to be implemented to address the problem,” he said.

Arevalo earlier urged the public to stop

spreading videos showing hazing among its cadets, as it maintained that the leadership of the PMA is doing all it can to stamp out maltreatment within its premises.

“We appeal to the public to stop spreading the video. No one benefits from it. Both the Academy and the Dormitorio family have been severely battered with the stories that came out in the news. And showing videos of the said kind will only add insult to injury.

Let us allow the family and the PMA to heal and the Corps of Cadets to learn from its mistake and move on,” he added.

While the videos confirm that maltreatment incidents happen in the PMA as proven by the death of Cadet 4th Class Darwin Dormitorio, 20, last Sept. 18, Arevalo said that such act of violence does not represent the academy. The spokesperson added the PMA has demonstrated that it is serious in eradicating maltreatment from its ranks as proven by the series of cases filed against the individuals behind the death of Dormitorio and hospitalization of several others. The viral video showed two fourth class cadets who were hit in the head with a helmet, punched in the stomach and kicked by their upperclassmen.

Meanwhile, a House of Representatives lawmaker has denounced the alleged systematic violence at the PMA, and would call for one year suspension of cadets’ recruitment.

Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., vice chairman of the House committee

on justice, made the call following a report released by internal Armed Forces of the Philippines which bared 27 more cases of “maltreatment” in the PMA. Garbin called for the suspension of the cadets’ recruitment in light of the seeming failure of the institution to ensure the safety of the country’s future military officials.

“Suspend new cadet recruitment for just one year, during which time the AFP must overhaul the PMA of its misguided notion that hazing is necessary to mold good defenders of the people and the Constitution,” Garbin said.

He also urged the AFP’s Judge Advocate General to lead the cleansing of the PMA. “I believe enforcing military justice and military law includes cleaning up the PMA. Civilian oversight of this cleansing is necessary and this Congress can do on behalf of the parents, families, and friends of PMA cadets,” Garbin said.

Reports said that 52 cadets were transferred to confinement while being investigated on at least 27 cases of alleged maltreatment in the country’s premier military school.

The reports added that PMA’s Department of Tactical Officers has subjected 52 cadets composed of 38 3rd Class cadets, seven 2nd Class cadets, and seven 1st Class cadets to investigation.

It was also reported that 22 4th Class cadets were brought to different hospitals for alleged maltreatment.

“As things stand now, the PMA cannot assure parents of the safety of their sons and daughters at the academy because the 27 more cases of maltreatment of cadets are clear proof there are systemic, grave, and moral flaws in the PMA,” said Garbin, a lawyer.

Dormitorio was allegedly beaten up by fellow cadets due to missing combat boots.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Putting the House in order IF WHAT I've been reading about developments at the House of Representatives is any indication, it would appear that it's been doing well in crafting legislation needed to bring about economic growth, political stability and social progress in the years ahead.

When Cayetano took over as Speaker, he vowed to transform the House into a “relevant, responsible and reliable” legislature.

Barely four months as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alan Peter Cayetano is proving that he's capable of exercising leadership over a broad spectrum of views and interests in the legislative branch of government.

That Cayetano is doing a good job as Speaker is validated by his high approval and trust ratings after only two months in office. The latest Pulse Asia survey shows him garnering a 62-percent trust rating and a 64-percent approval rating, which are both higher than what Vice President Leni Robredo has received. Cayetano’s rating is also higher than that of his immediate predecessors.

The House passed the 2020 General Appropriations Bill containing the government’s national budget program on third and final reading in record time.

Cayetano has emphasized that the approved bill contains no pork, no illegal insertions and no “parked” funds as he wants an equitable distribution to be implemented. Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the House leadership

under Cayetano committed to pass a constitutionally compliant national budget for next year.

The Department of Budget and Management submitted to the House a proposed P4.1-trillion budget for the next fiscal year. The budget is 12-percent higher than the 2019 budget of P3.662 trillion and is expected to fund programs and projects that will ensure the continuity of programs and projects of the current dispensation.

The House has also passed President Rodrigo Duterte’s priority reform measures he enunciated in his fourth State of the Nation Address.

Among these are the Corporate Income Tax and Incentive Rationalization Act, the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act, House Bill 1026 further increasing the excise taxes on alcohol, tobacco and e-cigarettes (the original bill covered only covered an increase in excise tax on alcohol but amendments were introduced and approved eventually at the plenary), and the amendments to the Foreign Investments Act. When Cayetano took over as Speaker, he vowed to transform the House into a “relevant, responsible and reliable” legislature. And apparently House leaders and members have rallied around his call for the Lower Chamber to be responsive to the country's pressing needs in the economic, political and social spheres.

In fact, House leaders Majority Leader Romualdez and Deputy Speakers Michael Romero and LRay Villafuerte consider Cayetano’s high approval and trust ratings as ample proof that the House under the 18th Congress has been doing very well in a very short time and can be counted on to deliver on the Duterte administration's priority reform measures.

But wait a second. If the House performance since July this year has exceeded expectations under Speaker Cayetano, it stands to reason that he

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Catch-up spending

T

HE government, true to its word, is spending as fast as it can to put the economy back on its growth track.

The Bureau of Treasury early this week reported that the budget deficit jumped 86 percent in September to P178.6 billion from P96.2 billion year-on-year on the back of a 39-percent increase in government expenditures.

The expenditures in September reached P415.1 billion, up from P298.6 billion in the same month last year, while revenues rose 17 percent to P236.5 billion from P202.4 billion.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has said the government must play catch-up spending

in the second half of the year to reverse the lackadaisical economic growth of less than 6 percent in the first two quarters of 2019.

The delay in the approval of the 2019 budget and the election ban in the run-up to the May elections restricted state spending and eventually slowed down economic growth.

The government was forced to halt the construction of major and minor infrastructure projects in the first and second quarters, while critical expenditure plans to boost the economy were in limbo as a result of the budget impasse.

The catch-up spending plan was very evident in September when the government disbursed P415.1 billion, the fastest in the first nine months of 2019. The big September figure boosted the nine-month

spending to P2.6 trillion, or just 2 percent behind the cumulative expenditure target.

The national government, says the Treasury, continued to catch up with its spending plan for the year where 71.2 percent of the P3.769-trillion, full-year program should be disbursed in the ninemonth period despite the delay in the passage of the 2019 budget and the election ban in the earlier part of the year.

The catch-up spending is similar to pump-priming, where the state resorts to heavy spending in a recessionary environment to shore up economic growth. The government this time has to accelerate spending toward the latter half of 2019 to make up for the missed opportunities in the first half of the year.

Turn to A5

Some nagging questions THERE are some nagging, if not vexing, questions Filipinos ask themselves. Foremost of these is why Senator Christopher “Bong” Go continues to be an “alalay” of President Rodrigo Duterte.

As a senator of the realm elected by the Filipino people to serve them in crafting laws beneficial to the citizenry, Go, according to some observers, should do just that. As it is, Go seems to be still the President’s closest aide, even taking over some of the job of Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo. When the President fell from his motorcycle, it was again Go who was giving out medical bulletins on the condition of the President.

“There’s nothing to worry about the President’s health,” announced Senator Go who accompanied the chief executive in his short sojourn in Tokyo for the enthronement of the new Japanese emperor. So much for Senator Go’s serving as senator if presidential aide is the duty he prefers.

Some of the other questions Filipinos cannot understand is why the television networks dish out inane and mundane topics—like which movie star is dating whom, and who broke up with whom. The spat among the Barretto sisters, which came to the fore during their father’s wake, is the current talk among netizens and other Pinoys who don’t seem to have a life aside from watching TV. That interview of Marjorie Barretto by Karen Davila is still the talk of the town— especially Marjorie’s bombshell confirming sister Gretchen’s dalliance with a powerful gambling lord.

But then, that was Gretchen’s own mistake bringing him to her father’s wake instead of her millionaire part-

ner. Marjorie, for her part, admitted her own imperfection by having a child with a former Caloocan mayor.

Not even the Kardashians of Hollywood can beat the Barrettos in terms of the juiciest scandal.

Then, there is the biggest question of all. Why do Filipinos, both men and women, who often don’t have anything to eat, have money to color their hair blond. In a recent fire in Sta. Cruz, Manila, some of the evacuees interviewed on TV said they were not able to save anything except the clothes on their backs. Yet the evacuees appealing for help have money to color their hair even if it does not match the color of their skin and their station in life.

Then a hotbed of crime, now a joggers’ paradise

By Nick Perry

Why are we glued to such inane scandals?

Don’t get me wrong. I am not a racist or anti-poor. I would be the first to donate old and used clothing including food to these poor people as I have done before.

Is this aberration of wanting to look like Caucasians brought about by watching movies on TV and the big screen? Why do they want to be something they are not? This is the flaw in the Filipino character that some say can be traced to 400 years of Spanish colonial rule and 50 years of deep immersion in the Hollywood culture. This, then, is sadly why we don’t have a national identity and distinctly Filipino culture no matter what the flag-waving jingoists claim.

Watching documentary films on National Geographic and other channels that offer educational TV productions, we can see our neighboring countries like Thailand and Indonesia have so much to show in terms of culture and national heritage.

"WE WOULD collect dead, dumped bodies. Some were decomposing... others were fresh," said John Chege of his early days policing Nairobi's Karura Forest, back when thieves and murderers outnumbered joggers and dog walkers in the woods.

Karura then was the stuff of urban legend, a fearsome place invoked to scare misbehaving children. Chege and his scouts, stumbling on corpses by day, kept white-knuckled vigils by night as they scanned the darkness for intruders.

"It was hell," Chege told AFP of his hair-raising first months as Karura's inaugural chief scout, back in 2009 when efforts began to reclaim the forest. "But today we celebrate, because there is nothing of the sort."

In the space of 10 years, Karura has gone from a dangerous no man's land to one of Nairobi's safest and most popular destinations, a verdant refuge in a city that has long carried the unfortunate moniker "Nairobbery."

Karura is also a symbol against land-grabbing, having been saved from developers to become the world's second-largest forest that is fully within city limits, conservationists say.

Kenya's forests are cleared at a rate

of 5,000 hectares (12,300 acres) a year, the environment ministry said in 2018.

But Karura has survived, even as green spaces are being swallowed by concrete in one of Africa's fastest-growing cities.

From zero visitors in 2009, today Karura attracts up to 30,000 nature lovers a month, with 10-year commemorative events planned in October to mark its striking transformation and storied history.

For many years, hardly anyone came, said Karanja Njoroge, who chaired Friends of Karura Forest, a community group that co-manages the reserve, from 2011 to 2018.

Bad reputation

Shaking its reputation was a challenge, even after an electric fence was raised around the perimeter.

"Karura Forest in 2009 was a place where no one would even want to be threatened to be taken. It meant either you were going to be killed, or that you were going to be punished," Njoroge said.

Chege and his scouts, who were trained by the British army, could not convince nervous joggers they would be safe, and so ran alongside them in khaki fatigues.

"Perhaps a visitor wanted to run 10

kilometers? My guy was to run 10 kilometers," he said.

Slowly, visitor numbers grew as the criminals were flushed out. A clubhouse, long abandoned because patrons kept getting mugged, reopened its doors.

Women felt safe enough to run on their own, Chege said.

Local communities were vital in bolstering security.

Chege, a former illegal logger, was recruited from Huruma, a slum on Karura's northern fringe. The community used the forest for firewood, and as a rubbish tip and open toilet.

Today, they are its custodians, planting saplings, clearing weeds and policing its borders.

Karura narrowly escaped destruction in the late 1990s when, crawling with bandits and ravaged by logging, developers gifted parcels of forest to politically connected elites.

The upland forest is a developers dream: 1,000 hectares of prime land, straddled by Nairobi's most exclusive suburbs.

Wangari Maathai, the late founder of Kenya's Green Belt Movement, and the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, rallied church leaders, lawyers and students to Karura's defense.

Turn to A5

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Opinion

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

BDO CEO Nestor V. Tan is Management Man of the Year TOPNOTCH banker Nestor V. Tan is the “Management Man of the Year” for 2019 of the Management Association of the Philippines.

Tan is the president and chief executive officer of BDO Unibank Inc., the Philippines’ largest commercial bank.

He bested six other equally outstanding CEOs in bagging the coveted and prestigious award.

BDO Unibank had total assets, as of Oct. 3 of P3.1 trillion (US$59.8 billion), the largest and up 7 percent; branch network of 1,300 (the largest), over 4,400 ATMs (the largest), and equity, as of June 30, 2019, of P350 billion (the largest and up 16 percent from a year ago); deposits of P2.399 billion (the largest and just steady); and loan portfolio of P2.096 billion (the largest and up 9 percent).

Tan joined the BDO board in 1998.

The son of a no-nonsense accountant, he finished commerce from DeLa Salle Manila and his MBA at Wharton. Prior to joining it, BDO had just P36 billion as asset base.

Tan’s presidency was marked by explosive growth and major acquisitions and/or mergers with other banks over the years. They include: Dao Heng Bank in 2001, 1st e-Bank in 2002, Banco Santander in 2003, UOB Philippines in 2005, Equitable PCI Bank in 2007, GE Moneybank in 2009; Citibank Savings, and DB Trust, and Real Bank in 2014; One Network Bank in 2015, Diners Club and Generali Pilipinas Life in 2016, joint venture with Nomura Securities in 2016, and RB Pandi bank in 2019.

BDO began as the smallish Acme Savings Bank in 1976.

BDO was the product of smart and bold visioning and the excellent management under Nestor Tan. Tatang’s eldest, Tessie Sy Coson, is BDO chairman.

“MAP Management Man of the Year” is the highest accolade given an awardee’s peers in management and busi-

ness. MAP has more than 1,000 CEOs of the land as members. In 50 years of the MAP, only 43 have made the grade to be so honored.

Aspirants for the plum are nominated who then are screened by a MAP screening committee which endorses the finalists to a board of judges, themselves outstanding tycoons and/or management men. The choice of the panel is then endorsed to the MAP membership in a general meeting assembled for the purpose.

He bested six other equally outstanding CEOs. In Nestor’s case, he blazed through the rigors of the screening and judging winning their unanimous nod each time. There were no objections when his name was announced as the winner on Oct. 23 during a jampacked meeting of the MAP. Nestor Tan was chosen for the following: 1. Steering BDO to being consistently ranked by the global financial community as among the best-managed banks in the Philippines; 2. Transforming BDO into a full-service universal bank with subsidiaries in leasing, trust, stock brokerage, private banking, rural banking and insurance, among others; 3. Leading the substantial contributions of the BDO Group to national development through job creation and income generation; 4. Contributing to the long-term development of a financial-literate citizenry by promoting financial inclusion, particularly among teachers, soldiers, OFWs and the Filipino youth; 5. Choosing to apply his international experience towards the development of the local banking industry; 6. Ensuring that the Filipino community receives efficient banking and financial services and for preparing a road map for the development of banking and the capital market in the future as President of the Bankers Association

of the Philippines; and 7. Setting an example for Filipino professional managers through a track record of integrity, professional competence and strong leadership in his banking career.

MAP bestows on individuals in the business community or government for attaining unquestioned distinction in the practice of management and for contributing to the country’s progress. The conferment of the award follows a thorough, stringent selection process.

The criteria for the award include integrity, leadership, and management qualities; contribution to nation building and values formation; effective stewardship within the confines of the highest standard of business and management practice; among others.

The roster of “MAP Management Man of the Year” awardees include: Washington Z. SyCip (1967), Geronimo Z. Velasco (1977), Henry A. Brimo (1978), Jose M. Soriano (1979), Cesar E.A. Virata (1981), Jaime V. Ongpin and Vicente T. Paterno (1982), Dante G. Santos (1983), Cesar A. Buenaventura and Roberto T. Villanueva (1985), Jaime Zobel de Ayala (1987), Ramon V. del Rosario, Sr. (1988), Jose B. Fernandez, Jr. (1989), Raul T. Concepcion (1990), Oscar J. Hilado (1991), Alfonso T. Yuchengco (1992), Juan B. Santos (1994), David M. Consunji and Rizalino S. Navarro (1996), Gabriel C. Singson (1998), Delfin L. Lazaro and Henry Sy, Sr. (1999), Oscar M. Lopez (2000), Tony Tan Caktiong (2002), Jesus P. Tambunting (2003), Rafael B. Buenaventura (2004), Manuel V. Pangilinan (2005), George S. K. Ty and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II (2006), Jose L. Cuisia Jr. (2007), Antonino T. Aquino and Jesus P. Estanislao (2009), Lilia B. de Lima and Ramon R. del Rosario Jr. (2010), Erramon Aboitiz (2011), Aurelio R. Montinola III (2012), Edgar O. Chua (2013), Albert F. del Rosario (2014), Amando M. Tetangco Jr. (2015), Teresita Sy-Coson (2016), John L. Gokongwei Jr. (2017) and Fernando Zobel de Ayala (2018). biznewsasia@gmail.com

Climate activist preaches on NY subway

By Peter Hutchison RICHARD McLachlan stands in the middle of a New York subway car and begins to shout at a dozen passengers mostly engrossed in their phones.

"Good afternoon everyone. I don't want your money. But I would really like a few moments of your attention," he bellows.

Some riders continue to look down, others stare nervously in the opposite direction, but at least one removes their headphones and listens.

"This is not about me," continues the dapper, clean-shaven New Zealander aged 68. "It's about all of us here in this climate emergency that we're in."

McLachlan is a member of Extinction Rebellion, an environmental action pressure group founded in Britain last year to draw attention to climate change.

Its activists have made headlines by disrupting London's roads and underground trains, but in New York McLachlan highlights the dangers of rising temperatures in a more novel way.

Since June he has regularly given talks on the US financial capital's subway, warning riders that "we are sleepwalking into a catastrophe."

"I know you don't want me standing here shouting at you in the subway and I really don't want to do it myself," he tells passengers on a Brooklyn-bound Q train.

"But I feel I have no choice. All of us need to wake up and not look away because this is so painful," pleads the grey-haired McLachlan, wearing a dandy red blazer.

The sexagenarian, long concerned about the planet, joined Extinction Rebellion's New York outfit after watching campaigners in London shut down parts of the British capital in April.

Then...

From A4

In January 1999, armed thugs attacked Maathai as she tried to plant seedlings in an act of protest, landing her in hospital.

The violence made international headlines and outraged a public tired of corrupt elites grabbing state land.

The protesters won the day: Development was halted.

A few weeks later, McLachlan—who has lived in New York for seven years— was traveling on the subway when he struck upon his idea.

"I looked at what people were doing and it was playing Candy Crush, or flicking through Tinder or Instagram, and I thought, I'm going to talk to them," he tells AFP.

Applause

McLachlan went home and wrote a speech that he admits was "clunky," but he plucked up the courage to read it aloud to a bunch of strangers on their daily commute.

"I got up there and I hyperventilated for quite a long time and then finally I started shouting and nobody told me to shut up. It was awkward but it was ok," he recalls.

New Yorkers are used to hearing speeches when they travel underground, but they are usually from needy people seeking a dollar or two to get by.

After his first attempt McLachlan, a retired public servant who has also worked as a sheep shearer, a jeweler and a truck driver, refined his speech.

It's personal: He says he's "incredibly sad" that the lives of his five grandchildren are going to be "much more painful than mine or many of yours."

It's apocalyptic: McLachlan talks of mass extinctions, forest fires, droughts, flooding and hunger caused by crop failures.

And it's imploring: "Talk to your family, your friends, your lovers, your workmates. And if you're like me, talk to complete strangers in the subway. It's not that hard," he booms.

McLachlan recites his two-minute soliloquy by heart. Afterwards he hands out flyers. As he has become confident his audience has become

Green icon

The forest still bears the scars of this violent past. Bald tracts of forest cleared for mansions abut thriving black wattle—a tree whose growth was spurred by fires from the days protesters burned tractors in defiance, Chege said.

But its tranquility is not assured.

Other forests, such as Oloolua in Nairobi's south, have suffered from rampant encroachment. Even the city's iconic national wildlife park is being sliced

more receptive.

"It's now not uncommon for people to applaud," he says.

When AFP watched McLachlan between Canal Street in Manhattan and DeKalb Avenue in Brooklyn no one clapped. But Anthony Urias removed his headphones and listened intently.

"It was very powerful," said the 23-year-old psychology student, who later approached McLachlan for a chat.

Jessica Francois, 30, was also influenced. "I'm really going to Google it to learn more," she told AFP.

Workshops

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Policy turnaround toward bank bigness structions with interests spanning the entire range of financial activities— from commercial banking to the other activities allied therewith.

The 1970s and 1980s were the heyday of the concept of bigness in bankANYONE who is reasonably knowl- ing, with the CB leading the charge edgeable about monetary policymak- with its mantra of “Bigness in banking in this country during the last ing is good for the economy.” The half-century is bound to have dis- CB policy can be adjudged a success, cerned the turnaround that took place for fewer bank runs occurred, and last week in central-bank thinking more strongly capitalized commercial about commercial bank bigness. In- banks emerged in the ensuing decades. deed, it is tempting to speak of a sea The process was greatly helped by the change in that thinking. tiered capital increases required of the Consider the monetary policymak- world’s banks by the Basel Accords. ing milieu at the start of the decade Now consider the action taken by of the ’70s. The Philippine commer- the Monetary Board during its most cial banking industry was a cluttered recent meeting. That action—embodplace, with few big, well-capitalized ied in a set of rules—has effectively banks and to many medium-sized and replaced the “Banks must be big” polsmall banks with weak capital bases. icy that has guided Philippine comBecause of their weak capitalization, mercial banking during the last five some banks were unable to withstand decades wth a policy that may be best the rise and fall by expressed as the wayside and “Banks must the recurrent ecobe big but not There has been a sea nomic downturns so big that their revealed serious change in that thinking. failure will pose fissures in the a grave threat to structures of many the economy.” banks. differentStated different In the face of such an industry strucstruc bely, commercial banks must not be Philip- come too big to fail. ture, CB (Central Bank of the Philip pines), the forerunner of today’s BSP In the wake of last week’s poli(Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas), put in cy-setting meeting, the Monetary place a policy of industry consolida- Board in effect established a new cattion intended to restructure commer- egory of commercial banks—“domescial banking into an industry com- tic” systematically important banks. posed of significantly fewer but better In its post-meeting statement, the capitalized components. This was to Monetary Board announced that it had be achieved principally through merg- approved a new framework for dealers to encourage—nay, compel— ing with such banks. The framework mergers, the minimum equity re- will contain provisions intended to quirement of commercial banks was “discourage banks from moving into progressively increased, to the point the so-called too-big-to-fail category.” where the major stockholders of the The potentially too-big-to-fail medium-sized and small banks ended banks will be required to increase up having to choose between infusing their capital, with the required admore capital with their banks, merge ditional capital set at BSP-adjudged their banks with other banks, or sell “loss absorbency” capabilities. More their holdings. To the disappointment than that, the big banks will be made of the CB—to which mergers had “subject to a more intensive supervibeen the preferred outcome—many of sory approach and will be required to the banks opted to infuse capital into adopt a concrete and acceptable retheir banks sufficient to meet the new covery plan that will address the risks minimum capitalization levels. they pose to the financial system and As an incentive to the banks to to the real economy.” merge, the CB threw in the concept of As can be seen, this country’s monuniversal banking, under which com- etary policymaking has moved, in the mercial banks would now be allowed second decade of the 21st century, to engage in previously prohibited from the realm of “Bank bigness is areas such as insurance, warehousing good” to that of “Bank bigness is good and stock brokerage. Universal bank- only as long as risks are not posed to ing was very attractive to the bankers, the financial system and to the real and one by one the commercial banks economy.” fulfilled the financial and other capaWith the 2008 world financial crisis bilities required of universal banks. in mind, such a move makes eminentThus were created the banking in- ly good sense.

Putting...

From A4

But fifty-nine-year-old Israeli Frederick Gilit was less impressed. "I prefer to travel without this type of noise," he said.

McLachlan estimates that thousands of passengers have heard his talk. Some days he delivers it up to six times, but never in front of young children.

"Talking about the end of the world in front of a subway car full of fiveyear-olds just doesn't feel comfortable," he explains.

McLachlan is "deeply moved" when people thank him afterward and says he's only been heckled three times, including once by an elderly man convinced an imminent nuclear holocaust meant worrying about the planet was futile.

The sprightly kiwi is coaching others to follow in his footsteps too: He has taught three workshops helping climate conscious activists write and deliver their own speeches for the subway.

His family is hugely supportive but his wife has made him promise not to walk between subway cars, a practice that killed seven New Yorkers last year.

"She's concerned about my welfare and I don't have health insurance so I'm not going to do it," he says. AFP

should be given enough time to help President Duterte in implementing much-needed reforms.

Cayetano assumed the position of House Speaker under a term-sharing arrangement brokered, if I'm not mistaken, by no less than the President himself. Cayetano would serve as Speaker for 15 months while Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco would take over the post for 21 months, or the remainder of the Duterte administration's term in 2022.

But Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said recently that the President merely suggested the term-sharing deal, and it is now up to the members of the House of Representatives to decide for themselves whether this agreement should still be observed.

While Cayetano himself has said that he would honor the term-sharing arrangement, there's growing apprehension among House leaders and members that if Cayetano is replaced

by Velasco, then the solid accom-

through with a railway whose construction began last year in defiance of a court order.

Though Chege worries more about dogs off leashes these days than dealing with dead bodies, a road being widened on Karura's eastern border has raised concerns.

Land grabs are not a distant threat.

In July, a court ruled against a private company trying to claim 4.3 hectares of Karura.

"If everybody who wants to build

keeps chipping away, there will be very little left," Njoroge said.

Karura persists as a conservation triumph. Native trees are taking back the forest from species introduced by the British to fuel their railway to Uganda, notably eucalyptus trees.

Before conservation efforts began, non-native trees, many of them invasive, made up 60 percent of the forest. Eucalyptus in particular inhibit the growth of other plants and monopolise the water supply with their voracious thirst.

plishments of the Lower Chamber could all go to naught.

To begin with, sources say, Velasco's track record in Congress leaves much to be desired. What bills has he proposed since he became a member of the House, and how many of these have actually been passed into law? That's one thing that we—and taxpayers—would like to know.

Then there's the Marinduque lawmaker's propensity, according to the scuttlebutt, to invoke his closeness to the powers-that-be as his passport to the Speakership.

Velasco has enough time to prove his mettle as a competent, honest, responsible and forward-looking legislator with nothing but the public good and the national interest in mind. If he's able to do that, by all means he should be the next Speaker.

But if not, then maybe he should do the right thing, which is to give up his ambition for now, build up his stature based on solid accomplishments, and wait for his turn to contest the House Speakership at the proper time. ernhil@yahoo.com

The forest contains rivers, waterfalls and caves used by anti-colonial rebels.

Joggers encounter bushbucks, hornbills and Syke's monkeys.

Maathai's daughter, Wanjira Mathai, said her mother would be proud of what Karura has become, "and maybe even surprised at just how much people love it."

"She had hoped her children's children—my generation and our children— would enjoy this forest, and that's what has come to pass," Mathai told AFP. AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

A6

News

TODAY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Makati ‘Smart Cities’ finalist

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE City of Makati is the only city in the Philippines chosen as finalist for World Smart Cities Awards to be held in Spain next month.

The awarding will be presented by the Smart City Expo World Congress on Nov. 20 at the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via, one of the largest fair venues in Europe.

Mayor Abigail Binay said Makati was the only local government unit from the Philippines invited to present its project entry titled “Use of technology to improve city disaster preparedness and communication to and from city citizens” during the awarding ceremony.

“Makati City is proud to have the opportunity to represent our country at a global event that fea-

tures the best practices of smart cities around the world to promote the sustainable development of cities,” said Binay.

The city chief executive said the event organizers had informed her that Makati had been selected as a finalist in the Innovative Idea category of the awards.

“We have gladly accepted the invitation, and we look forward to having a meaningful exchange of ideas and experiences with fellow advocates of sustainability and inclusivity from other parts of the globe. We are also eager to explore avenues for international collaboration, particularly with cities, academic institutions and corporate leaders that share the vision of thriving, future-proof cities worldwide,” she said.

According to its website, the annual Smart City Expo World Congress, which started in 2011, is the meeting point for companies, public sector, startups, academia and citizens working together for the sustainable development of cities.

With the theme, “Cities Made of Dreams”,

this year’s congress will focus on five main tracks, namely, Digital Transformation, Urban Environment, Mobility, Governance and Finance, and Inclusive and Sharing Cities.

Last month, Binay was also the only Filipino presenter at the International Urban Resilience Forum in Seoul, Korea, co-hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The forum aimed to provide a venue for local government units across the globe to share their DRRM best practices.

The participants included mayors, governors, executives in disaster management, professors, academics, disaster experts, and urban planning specialists.

Binay presented the city’s disaster management plans and strategies, which are focused on the following main objectives: Reduce disasterrelated mortality and injuries; minimize the number of affected people; Reduce direct disaster economic loss; and Minimize damage to infrastructure and disruption of basic services.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

computed in accordance with the relevant formula prescribed by the RTWR. A copy of the FMTA Computation is hereto attached as Annex ‘’’G-1’’.

16. Also, NGCP considered the NFAV of the transmission assets and facilities damaged by Typhoon “Ompong” in the FME claim, given that NGCP would have normally fully recovered the return of capital on said assets for the duration of their economic lives had these assets not been damaged or destroyed by said FME. A copy of the Details of the NFAV in relation to the assets affected by FME Typhoon “Ompong”, is attached hereto as Annex “H”.

IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR THE APPROVAL OF FORCE MAJEURE EVENT REGULATED FM PASS-THROUGH FOR TYPHOON “OMPONG” IN LUZON, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES FOR SETTING TRANSMISSION WHEELING RATES, WITH PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY ERC CASE NO. 2019-071 RC

17. NGCP respectfully moves for the issuance of a provisional authority for the immediate recovery of the FM Pass-Through Amounts pursuant to Section 3, Rule 14 of the ERC Rules of Practice and Procedure.

NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES (NGCP), Applicant. x--------------------------------------------------x

18. NGCP seeks to immediately recover the actual expenses incurred for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the damaged transmission assets and facilities. It must be emphasized that the rehabilitation of the assets damaged by the FME required capital infusion, the recovery of which should be allowed immediately in order to avoid any financial strain in the operation of NGCP and to allow the continuous provision of transmission services, to the grid customers.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 13 September 2019, Applicant National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) filed an Application dated 06 September 2019, seeking the Commission’s approval of its claim for Force Majeure Event (FME) due to Typhoon Ompong in Luzon through an FM Pass-Through amount, with prayer for the issuance of a provisional authority.

19. In addition, the timely implementation of the FM Pass-Through Amounts will allow the equal or even spread of the increases or decreases in tariffs from the initial implementation of the recovery of the cost.

The pertinent allegations of the said Application are hereunder quoted as follows: 1.

2.

3.

20. A copy of the Judicial Affidavit of Agnes F. Dela Cruz, Manager, Tariff Design and Billing Management Division, Revenue and Regulatory Affairs, in support of !the instant Application, is hereto attached as Annex “I”.

NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines, with principal office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It is the concessionaire that operates and maintains the nationwide transmission system pursuant to Republic Act No. (RA) 9136, otherwise known as the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA).1

5.

6.

7.

8.

WHEREFORE, it is most respectfully prayed of this Honorable Commission to:

Under RA 9511,2 NGCP was granted a franchise to construct, install, finance, manage, improve, expand, operate, maintain, rehabilitate, repair, and refurbish the present nationwide transmission system of the Republic of the Philippines.

Pursuant to Section 10.1.1 of the Rules for Setting Transmission Wheeling Rates (RTWR), NGCP is allowed to recover the cost incurred for the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of its transmission assets and other related facilities damaged as a result of a force majeure event (FME), as defined in Article I, Section 1.3 of the RTWR.

1.

DECLARE the occurrence of Typhoon “Ompong” in Luzon which resulted in an increase in costs incurred by the NGCP to restore, repair and rehabilitate various . affected transmission assets and facilities in the NGCP North Luzon Operations and Maintenance District 4 and NGCP North Luzon System Operations, as a Force Majeure Event (FME);

2.

Immediately GRANT Provisional Authority to implement and bill the following FM Pass-Through Amounts to Luzon customers starting the billing month of November 2019 to 2020, or until such time that the amounts incurred are fully recovered:

In September 2018, Typhoon “Ompong” was prevailing in Luzon and affected provinces within the service areas of the NGCP North Luzon Operations and Maintenance (NLOM) and NGCP Luzon System Operations (LSO).

*Capital Expenditures/Operating Expenditures, exclusive of VAT (pursuant to TRAIN law) and Permit Fees

9.

4.

5.

After the occurrence of the foregoing, NGCP immediately started the repair, restoration, and rehabilitation of its damaged transmission assets and facilities in order to fully restore transmission service to its customers.

Attached hereto is the Before and After Rehabilitation Pictures of Affected Assets FME Typhoon Ompong-NLOM District 4, as Annex “B”; and the Before and After Rehabilitation Pictures of Affected Assets FME OmpongSO as Annex “C”

AMOUNT 12,739,405.50 6,905,351.35 14,253,379.16 33,898,136.01

Under Section 10.1.1 of the RTWR, NGCP is allowed to recover the cost for such repair, restoration, and rehabilitation. Thus, pursuant to Article X, Sections 10.2.1 and 10.2.2 of the RTWR, NGCP filed with , the Honorable Commission within three (3) months from the occurrence of the FME Typhoon “Ompong”, its FME Notice,. dated 03 December 2018, and was received on 07 December 2018, copy is attached hereto as Annex “D”.

Receipt, of said Notice was acknowledged by the Honorable Commission in its Letter dated 19 December 2018, copy is attached hereto as Annex “E”.

10. Within twelve (12) months after the occurrence of Typhoon “Ompong” causing damage to NGCP transmission assets and facilities in Luzon, NGCP hereby files the instant FME Application, in accordance with Article X, Sections 10.2.1 and 10.2.3 of the RTWR. FM PASS-THROUGH AMOUNT COMPUTATION 11. NGCP has not recovered the cost incurred in the repair and restoration of its affected transmission assets and facilities from its Industrial All-Risk (IAR) Insurance Policy procured from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), because regardless of the distance of the damaged assets and facilities from the nearest substation perimeter fence, the total repair and rehabilitation cost is still within the policy’s deductible amount of One (1) Million US Dollars ($1,000,000.00). Attached hereto is a copy of the Certification of the NGCP Trade and Insurance Manager, as Annex “F”.

12. Thus, it is but proper for NGCP to file the instant FME Application to recover the cost it incurred for . the repair; restoration and rehabilitation of the transmission assets and facilities in Luzon which were damaged by the FME above-described, pursuant to the RTWR. 13. NGCP proposes the FM Pass-Through Amounts, in P/kWmonth, as additional network charges for Luzon starting the billing month of November 2019 until December 2020, or until such time that the amounts incurred are fully recovered, computed in the table below: Luzon

2019

2020

P/kW-mo.

1.22

0.02

P/kWh

0.00243

0.00003

14. NGCP proposes the FM Pass-Through Amounts for the years 2019 to 2020 to allow the recovery of the expenditures incurred by NGCP relative to the FME Typhoon ”Ompong”, pending the reset process for the next Regulatory Period .. A copy of the proposed FM Pass-Through Amounts computation is attached hereto as Annex “G” 15. Further, the FM Pass-Through Amounts in this Application do not breach the Force Majeure Threshold Amount (FMTA) of PhP0.0366/kWh, as

THE management of Philippine Airlines on Thursday warned the public against unscrupulous individuals engaged in false social media advertising or spreading misleading information.

This was the fifth time the PAL management came up with a warning against false advertising posted on Facebook involving airline promotions.

The bogus promo stated: “Its (sic) our anniversary: Answer a few questions to get 4 free tickets to Philippine Airlines.”

“This is a bogus or fake advertisement. Please do not fall prey to this kind of ad. This is obviously the handiwork of those who wish to mislead the public. As we have stated in the past, do not reply to any of these boRepublic of the Philippines Department of Finance Securities and Exchange Commission

Luzon

2019

2020

P/kW-mo.

1.22

0.02

P/kWh

0.00243

0.00003

Markets and Securities Regulation Department IN THE MATTER OF

: SEC MSRD Order No.39 : Series of 2019 CITYLAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION : Registration of Commercial Papers - Registrant : x---------------------------------------------------x ORDER Upon consideration of the Registration Statement and other papers and documents attached thereto filed on behalf of CITYLAND DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, the Commission, in its meeting of 22 October 2019, favorably considered the application for registration of One Billion Four Hundred Million pesos (P1,400,000,000.00) worth of commercial papers, in accordance with the requirements of sections 8 and 12 of the Securities Regulation code.

Let a Certificate of Permit to Offer Securities for Sale be issued in favor of the subject company authorizing the sale and distribution of the aforementioned securities.

Let this Order be published at the expense of the Issuer in a newspaper of general circulation and uploaded in its website within two (2) business days from its issuance. The corporation is hereby directed to furnish the Commission with a copy of the affidavit of publication of this Order.

Pasay City, Philippines,

3.

Due to the intensity of Typhoon “Ompong”, its subsequent landfall in Cagayan, and its tail-end effects upon its exit from PAR, some of NGCP’s transmission assets and facilities in Luzon were damaged, which occurred from 14 September to 17 September 2018. As a result, operations of NLOM-District 4 and LSO were interrupted within the said period, and even after “Ompong” has left PAR, due to toppled and broken transmission lines/structures and damaged telecom equipment.

Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) Operating Expenditure (OPEX) Net Fixed Asset Value (NFAV) Total

PAL warns public against false social media advt’g

SO ORDERED.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) confirmed, among others, that Typhoon “Ompong” entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on 12 September 2018 and exited on 16 September 2018; that PAGASA raised tropical cyclone warning signal no. 3 and no. 4 in some Luzon provinces within the same period; that Typhoon “Ompong” recorded maximum winds of 205 kilometers per hour (km/hr) and gustiness of 330km/hr, which affected Northern, Southern and Central Luzon; and, Typhoon “Ompong” made a landfall in Cagayan on 15 September 2018. A copy of the PAGASA Tropical Cyclone Summary of Typhoon Ompong’ of 2018, is attached hereto as Annex “A”.

The total cost incurred by NGCP for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the transmission assets and facilities damaged by Typhoon “Ompong”, including the recoverable values of the damaged assets (Net Fixed Asset Value) is Thirty Three Million Eight Hundred Ninety Eight Thousand One Hundred Thirty Six Pesos; and One Centavo (Php33,898,136.01), breakdown of which is shown in the table below:

THE government is hastening the to be finished tomorrow and finishing ongoing infrastructure development works for the two units hangar, works at Sangley Airport in Cavite power house, and cistern tank. Installato meet its November deadline set by tion for the flight information system will be completed this week.

President Rodrigo Duterte.

This Friday, the installation of PreThe project, according to the Transportation department, is now cision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI 95 percent complete and on track Lights) will be also completed, while the for its operational dry run on Tues- pre-departure lounge will be outfitted with 4 new passenger-friendly chairs. day next week.

President Duterte ordered the As of Oct. 24, completed works include the asphalt overlay and clear- 24/7 construction of the facility for ing of end of the runway, reblocking the military air base to commence of concrete pavement, installation of general aviation and turboprop two pumps including the drainage operations to help decongest the system, construction of ramp, and Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Records showed that NAIA’s ansite development with Portland Cenual passenger traffic increased from ment Concrete Pavement.

Landscaping and streetlight in- 36.5 million to 45 million, which is stallations, as well as the construc- 130 percent of its design capacity. tion of access road, installation of Number of flights rose by 5.75 percent, resulting in anBLACK escalated utilizaCCTV Surveillance System, CYAN counMAGENTA YELLOW ter, weighing conveyor, meteoro- tion of airport slots per hour by 22.2 logical equipment setup, and mobi- percent, or from 36 to 44.

Malacañang’s decision to put lization of two modern fire trucks the Sangley Airport in Cavite into were also finished.

Remaining works for the 100 per- action augurs well for the country’s cent completion include the painting aviation sector and the broader of parking bay markings for the ramp economy. Joel E. Zurbano

PRAYER

STATEMENT OF FACTS 4.

Gov’t gears up for Sangley Airport infrastructure dev’t

6.

APPROVE the FME CAPEX and OPEX amounting to Nineteen Million Six Hundred Forty-Four Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty-Six Pesos and Eighty-Five Centavos (Php19,644,756.85) incurred by NGCP for the repair, restoration and rehabilitation of the damaged transmission assets and facilities due to FME Typhoon “Ompong”; APPROVE and ALLOW the recovery of the Net Fixed Asset Value of the transmission assets and facilities damaged by the FME Typhoon “Ompong” amounting to, Fourteen Million Two Hundred Fifty Three Thousand Three Hundred Seventy Nine Pesos and Sixteen Centavos (Php14,253,379.16), given that it would have been fully recovered by NGCP if these transmission assets and facilities have not been damaged or destroyed by the said FME; APPROVE, after due notice and hearing, the proposed FM Pass-Through Amounts to be collected from the Luzon customers starting November 2019 billing month to December 2020, or until such time that the amounts incurred are fully recovered, as follows: Luzon

2019

2020

P/kW-mo.

1.22

0.02

P/kWh

0.00243

0.00003

EXCLUDE the proposed Pass-Through Amounts from the side constraint calculation.

October 23,2019.

(MS-OCT. 25, 2019)

TO ALL STOCKHOLDERS: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting of Medco Holdings, Inc. will be held on December 13, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at Brasserie 21, 21st Floor, Security Bank Centre, 6776 Ayala Avenue, Makati City.

Only stockholders of record in the books of the Corporation at the close of business on November 5, 2019 (record date) will be entitled to vote at the meeting. Please bring some form of identification, such as passport, driver’s license or company I.D. in order to facilitate registration, which will start at 9:00 a.m.

(Sgd.) Pauline C. Tan Asst. Corporate Secretary

NGCP prays for other relief deemed just and equitable under the premises.

31/F, Rufino Pacific Tower 6784 Ayala Ave., Makati City 8811-0465 to 66, 8840-3549 (fax)

The Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, pre-trial conference, and evidentiary hearing on 06 November 2019 (Wednesday) at two o’clock in the afternoon (2:00 P.M.) at 15th Floor, ERC Hearing Room, Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: The petitioner’s name and address;

2)

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding;and A statement of the relief desired.

The name and address of such person;

2)

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

3)

The grounds relied upon.

Republic of the Philippines Regional Trial Court National Capital Judicial Region Branch 229, Quezon City IRMA NAPILI ADVERSARIO Petitioner,

-versusEDWIN CASTILLO ADVERSARIO Respondent. x------------------------------------------------x

DECISION

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicant rests its case, subject to the requirements, under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following: 1)

(MS-OCT. 25, 2019)

CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-17-08473-CV FOR: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage under Art. 35(4) of the Family Code

1)

3)

VICENTE GRACIANO P. FELIZMENIO, JR. Director

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicant that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing.

Applicant is hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEVANADERA and the Honorable Commissioners ALEXIS M. LUMBATAN, CATHERINE P. MACEDA, and PAUL CHRISTIAN M. CERVANTES, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 26th day of September 2019 in Pasig City.

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Oversight Commissioner for Legal Service

THUS, the instant Petition is granted. This Court declares that the marriage between Respondent Edwin Castillo Adversario and Delia Lozardo was still subsisting when Respondent Edwin Castillo Adversario married Petitioner Irma Bernardo Napili. As a result, this Court declares that the marriage between Petitioner Irma Bernardo Napili and Respondent Edwin Castillo Adversario, solemnized on May 8, 2005 in Quezon City, is void from the beginning for being a bigamous marriage.

Serve personally or by registered mail the Petitioner, the Petitioner’s Counsel, the Office of the Solicitor General, and the Office of the City Prosecutor, with copies of this Decision.

As the Respondent was summoned by publications, the dispositive part of this Decision shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation.

This Decision becomes final upon the expiration of fifteen days from notice to the Petitioner, the Petitioner’s Counsel, the Office of the Solicitor General, and the Office of the City Prosecutor, and from the last publication date of the dispositive part of this Decision, whichever is later.

Entry of judgment shall be made if no motion for reconsideration or new trial, or appeal is filed by any of the parties, the Office of the City Prosecutor, or the Office of the Solicitor General.

The Petitioner is ordered to register the entry of judgment of this Decision in the Civil Registry in Quezon City.

Upon the finality of this Decision and the registration of the entry of judgment of this Decision in the Civil Registry in Quezon City, this Court shall issue the corresponding Decree of Nullity, which shall quote in the Decree of dispositive portion of this Decision as entered in the entry of judgment.

The Petitioner is ordered to register the Decree of Nullity in the Civil Registry in Quezon City and in the Philippine Statistics Authority. She shall report to this Court compliance with this requirement within thirty days from receipt of the copy of the Decree.

As the Respondent was summoned by publication, the Petitioner is ordered to cause the publication of the Decree of Nullity once in a newspaper of general circulation.

SO ORDERED. September 5, 2019, Quezon City.

(Sgd.) CLETO R. VILLACORTA III Presiding Judge

1

2

Republic Act No. 9136 entitled, “An Act Ordaining Reforms in the Electric Power Industry, Amending for the Purpose Certain Laws and for Other Purposes”; and Republic Act No. 9511 entitled “An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise to Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-bone System or Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for Other Purposes”.

(MS-OCT. 18 & 25, 2019)

Copy Furnished: -SACP Mariesther Vedaña – OCP, Quezon City -Office of the Solicitor General – 134 Amorsolo St., Legazpi Village, Makati City -Irma Napili Adversario – Sitio Gitna Duhat, Bocaue, Bulacan -Edwin Castillo Adversario – 20 Kabalitang Street, Krus na Ligas, Diliman, Quezon City -Atty. Joshua Jerome Q. Santiago

(MStandard-Oct. 25, 2019)

gus/fake ads as doing so will compromise your data privacy,” said PAL spokesperson Cielo Villaluna.

“We warn those behind this ad that appropriate legal action will be taken once they are identified,” she added.

For legitimate promotions and other digital ads and announcements, PAL utilizes its official website www.philippineairlines.com and official social media pages @flypal on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

“The public is advised to follow and subscribe to only these official PAL accounts for legitimate and valid promos,” the PAL management stated.

The same fake PAL promotional advertisement were circulated in 2017 and 2018.

The material used images of PAL logo.

Under the Consumer Act of the Philippines, any person found guilty of false advertising shall be subjected to fines or imprisonment of not less than three months but not more than two years or both upon the discretion of the court.

Meanwhile, PAL advised air travelers flying from Oct. 25 to Nov. 4 to arrive at their assigned airport terminal three hours before scheduled departure of their international flights and two hours before scheduled departure of their domestic flights, with their valid passport and/or government-issued ID to avoid inconvenience.

PAL made the advisory In anticipation of a large volume of passengers traveling to the provinces during this year’s All Saints’ Day/All Souls’ Day (Undas).

Passengers are also advised to check their flight status and terminal assignment before heading to the airport by clicking the Flight Status Tab in the PAL website, or by calling (02) 8855-8888 then pressing 2 for Arrival and Departure Information. Flight information is available two days before until two days after flight departure.

Joel E. Zurbano

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports Munson storms ahead by 3 in Lipa LIPA CITY—American Brett Munson bucked the heat and matched Micah Shin’s record 64 in virtually the same fashion as he stormed ahead by three over a late-charging local pair of Juvic Pagunsan and Jhonnel Ababa halfway through the ICTSI Summit Point World 18 Challenge here yesterday.

As erstwhile leader Shin turned from flawless to flawed in a late tee start and bombed out with a 74, Munson brandished a superb all-around game and took command with his own version of an eight-under card in morning play that featured two back-to-back birdie feats and a three-birdie binge inside 16 feet for a pair of 32s and a 12-under 132.

Counting his opening 68, the 33-yearold ace from Maryland, who has been campaigning in various circuits in the region the last few years that netted him two victories, the last in Malaysia in 2017, moved 36 holes away from nailing a first championship on the Philippine Golf Tour Asia in two years.

“I putted well and that’s the key,” said Munson, also out to redeem himself from a tied 35th finish in Aboitiz Invitational at Wack Wack last month and a joint 25th place effort in the CAT Open at Luisita last week.

“The course is really good and the weather just fine. I’m used to playing in this of condition because I’ve competed in many tropical countries in Asia. So I can easily adjust,” said Munson, who once reached No. 446 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

But he will be as much tested in the last two days as Pagunsan and Ababa, who stood at 135, with the former barely missing setting a new course record with a flubbed birdie putt from close range in his finishing hole on No. 9.

He ended up shooting the third 64, also in bogey-free fashion, in the $100,000 event closing out the third season of the circuit put up by ICTSI. Holder of a record four-title romp in row in the PGT in June and August and winner of PGT Asia Riviera last March, Pagunsan came out smoking after a mediocre opening 71, hitting three birdies at the back then scorching the frontside with five birdies, highlighted by four straight from No. 2.

A7

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Irving’s 50 pts not enough for Nets

N

EW YORK—Kyrie Irving dazzled in his Brooklyn debut, but his 50 points weren’t enough as the Nets fell 127-126 in overtime to the Minnesota Timberwolves in their NBA season-opener.

“Outstanding,” was the verdict of Nets coach Kenny Atkinson. “Great debut for him.”

Irving, whose arrival from the Boston Celtics as a free agent helped stamp the Nets as contenders this season, opened the night with an emotional address to fans in Brooklyn—not far from where he grew up in New Jersey.

“I’m eternally grateful to be here, be back home in front of you guys with my teammates,” Irving said, choking up at one point.

But it was the Timberwolves who jumped out to the faster start, leading by as many as 18 in the second quarter.

Then came Irving, who scored 13 points in the fourth quarter. His stepback three put Brooklyn up 115-112

with 1:16 left in regulation, but Karl Anthony Towns -- who led Minnesota with 36 points and 14 rebounds -- answered with a three-pointer as they went to overtime.

They traded the lead five times in the extra period, two driving baskets from Andrew Wiggins giving the Timberwolves a 127-124 lead.

Irving sank two free throws, but with the ball in his hands for a potential game-winner he lost his balance, recovered and kept the play alive but missed the final shot.

Irving finished without a turnover and broke the previous record of 47 for most points by a player in his first game with an NBA team.

“It’s a great starting point,” Irving

said. “Obviously, you wanted to come out and get a win in front of our home crowd, but we’ve got another chance on Friday.”

The Celtics’ post-Irving life began with a 93-107 loss to the 76ers in Philadelphia.

Ben Simmons, who opted not to play for Australia in the World Cup to focus on his preparations for the season, led the Sixers with 24 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.

Five 76ers in double figures included Joel Embiid, who took a beating on the way to 15 points and 13 rebounds.

The Cameroonian center was left with a bloodied face when he took an inadvertent elbow from Jaylen Brown in the third quarter and hit the court hard chasing a loose ball in the same period.

Embiid was also whistled for a flagrant in the foul-strewn contest in which neither of the expected Eastern Conference contenders wanted to give an inch. AFP

Eala jumps to no. 13 in ITF jr rankings

By Peter Atencio ALEXANDRA Eala has jumped to no. 13 in the International Tennis Federation junior rankings.

The 14-year-old Eala has improved 14 notches from 27th in the previous month, according to the ITF’s new ranking list.

Eala, who missed the cut for the national team to the 30th Southeast Asian Games, tallied 300 ITF points last weekend after she took runner-up honors in last weekend’s Grade A World Super Juniors Osaka Cup in Japan.

This gave her a total tally to 1,245 points.

Because of this, Eala is now the third best among Asian junior players, putting her behind world no. 7 Qinwen Zheng of China and Natsumi Kawaguchi of Japan.

Eala’s rise in the rankings came following a series of international campaigns over the last two months.

And her stints include her Grand Slam debut at the United States Open and her Grade A triumph victory in Capetown, South Africa.

While campaigning in Capetown, Eala’s rankings first started to move up, from 92nd to 26th last September 24.

Eala is expected to seek a slot for the national team in the next SEA Games.

Test...

From A8

Edgardo Alejan, Frederick Ramirez and Reymond Alferos.

In the women’s division are Kayla Richardson (400-m), Marisol Amargo (800-m), Melissa Escoton and Jely Paraguile (100m hurdles), along with Robyn Brown, Bernalyn Bejoy(400-m hurdles), Joida Gagnao (3000-meter steeplechase) and pole vaulters Alyanna Nicolas and Natalie Uy. The team of Nelson, Knott, Kayla and Kyla Richardson are in the 100-meter relay team, with Eloisa Luzon and Escoton.

Jessel Lumapas and Maureen Schrijvers are part of the 400-meter relay squad.

Brett Munson chips onto the green on No. 3 on his way to a 64.

PH polo goes high-tech in SEA Games Creamline, 3 others gear up THE Philippine National Federation of Polo Players will go hi-tech to complement its world-class venue for the coming 30th South East Asian Games which the country is going to host starting next month.

Participants, officials and special guests, including royalties and top government officials of Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia, will enjoy free WiFi during the polo competition which will be held at the Miguel Romero Field in Calatagan, Batangas.

Matches will also be shown live via streaming—thanks to PNFPP’s partnership PLDT and Smart WiFi. “World-class venue like ours needs excellent communication and we’re happy PLDT-Smart is helping us,” said House Deputy Speaker and PNFPP founding director Mikee Romero (1 Pacman Partylist). “PLDT-Smart will provide the Miguel Romero field with high speed connectivity and I am certain everything will go on smoothly.”

“For some polo players and officials, it’s going to be business as usual for them. They don’t have to worry about their businesses back home because they can communicate through the help of PLDT,” added Romero.

The agreement to install free WiFi at

for grueling PVL semifinals

Deputy House Speaker and PNFPP founding director Mikee Romero (3rd from right) and PLDT Chief Revenue Official Al Panlilio seal the agreement of installing free WiFi at the Miguel Romero Field during the SEA Games with a handshake. Also shown (from left) are ePLDT President Jovy Hernandez, AirAsia executive Erick Arejola and polo competition manager Camila Lastrilla.

the Miguel Romero Field was signed just recently by Romero and top PLDT-Smart officials, led by its Chief Revenue Officer and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas President Al Panlilio and Jovy Hernandez, who is ePLDT president and senior vice president of PLDT. Also present during the signing of agree-

ment were AirAsia executive Erick Arejola and competition manager Camila Lastrilla.

Some matches will also be played at the Iñigo Zobel Field also in Calatagan.

The biennial event is officially penciled from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 but the polo competition starts on Nov. 24 with more than 200 prized horses arriving.

DENR Warriors shoot for 3rd straight win

Tiger roars back after horror start INZAI, Japan—Tiger Woods got off to a horrific start before roaring back with nine birdies in 15 holes to share the inaugural Zozo Championship lead in Japan Thursday as Rory McIlroy struggled.

After slumping to three-over par after three holes, Woods recovered in stunning fashion to finish with a back-nine of 29 and a six-under round of 64 alongside US Open champion Gary Woodland.

“I certainly was not expecting to shoot sixunder par after that start,” admitted Woods.

“It was ugly early and it was nice to be able to flip it and really get it going.

“Now I’m in a position where we’re going to have a long, long weekend of a lot of golf that hopefully I can keep it going.”

The American pair head into Friday with a one-shot lead over home hero Hideki Matsuyama, after Woods endured a roller coaster round at Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club in Inzai City.

McIlroy had a day where he couldn’t find his usual range with his irons and his putter was cold in a two-over 72 featuring

a double bogey six at the 12th.

It was Woods’ lowest season-opening round in his long career and came as the 43-year-old chases an 82nd US PGA Tour victory to tie the all-time record held

by Sam Snead.

That had not seemed remotely possible early on as Woods exhibited signs of rust from a two-month layoff for arthroscopic left knee surgery.

Starting his round on the 10th tee, the 15-time major winner dropped three shots in as many holes with three consecutive bogeys.

He steadied himself with a par at the 13th before turning his round completely on its head with three birdies in a row to get back to level par.

His fourth gain in five holes at the 18th saw him turn for home in one-under 35.

By now Woods was firmly in the groove and three more birdies in a row from the third, his 12th hole, took the charging Tiger into a share of the lead at four under.

PREMIUM will be on stamina as Cream- grand sweep of the season-ending conline, PetroGazz, BanKo-Perlas and Moto- ference organized by Sports Vision. lite brace for back-breaking back-to-back But Motolite vows to put up one, or weekend semifinal games in the Premier two big fights, to spoil the Cool SmashVolleyball League ers’ record drive Open Conference at behind the likes of Games tomorrow (Saturday) the Filoil Flying V Myla Pablo, Tots 2 p.m. – Creamline vs Motolite Center in San Juan Carlos, Aie Gan4 p.m. – PetroGazz vs BanKo-Perlas starting tomorrow naban, Isa Molde, (Saturday).

Jessma Ramos, But while the top-seeded Creamline Genn Layug and skipper and setter Iris is expected to re-assert its mastery over Tolenado, who will go up again against the No. 4 Motolite, whom it dominated a powerhouse Creamline cast made up twice on its way to complete a record of Jema Galanza, Michele Gumabao, sweep of the double-round elims, the Pau Soriano, Rosemarie Vargas, Celine PetroGazz-BanKo-Perlas duel remains Domingo and playmker Kyle Negrito. a toss-up after the two teams split their Creamline and Motolite kick elims matches, off semis hostilities at 2 p.m. with The Perlas Spikers clobbered the An- PetroGazz, who formalized its claim gels in four in the first round but the lat- on No. 2 with a straight-set win over ter got back at the former in the next, Choco Mucho at the close of the elims fashioning out a three-game sweep en late Wednesday, and BanKo-Perlas facroute to claiming the No. 2 ranking in ing off at 4 p.m. the Final Four.

The two pairs switch game times on Despite the absence of top spiker Sunday with observers seeing another Alyssa Valdez and playmaker Jia Mora- Creamline-PetroGazz title clash with do, the Cool Smashers continued to dish the Cool Smashers itching to get back out one big game after another to move at their Reinforced Conference finals four victories away from completing a tormentors.

John Derrick Dizon vowed to lead NHA to victory against GSIS when they clash on Sunday in the UNTV Cup at the Pasig City Sports Center.

DEPARTMENT of Environment and Natural Resources guns for its third straight win when it battles two-time champion Judiciary on Sunday while Department of Agriculture tries to get back on winning track in the 8th UNTV Cup at the Pasig City Sports Center.

One two newcomers in the annual tournament for public servants, the DENR Warriors collide with the Magis at 2 p.m. of Group B elims, while the DA Food Masters tackle the PhilHealth Plus at 5 p.m. in the lone Group A encounter.

The other Group B match is the 3:30 showdown between the NHA Builders and GSIS Furies with the former out to improve their 2-1 mark in the event organized by UNTV president and CEO Daniel Razon.

Out to lead the Warriors are Ralph Lansang and Melvin Bangal who both scored 21 points in the team’s stunning 88-77 win over the Philippine National

Games Sunday (Pasig City Sports Center) 2 p.m. – DENR vs Judiciary 3:30 p.m. – GSIS vs NHA 5 p.m. – Agriculture vs PhilHealth

Police Responders last Oct. 2.

Out to provide additional firepower for the Warriors are Paul Parreno, Ed Rivera and Des Ayson while former PBA players Chester Tolomia and Warren Ybanez spearhead Judiciary’s attack.

The Food Masters absorbed a stinging 91-84 defeat to group frontrunner Armed Forces of the Philippines last Sunday despite getting 28 points from former UST star Emerson Oreta and 15 from ex-Cebuano standout Henry Fernandez.

The Builders of coach Bennet Palad will be bannered by Alvin Vitug and Marvin Mercado.

The 12-team tournament offers P4 million to the chosen charity of the champion.

Sports

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

A8

Nationals rout Astros to take command of World Series

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

Leaders TNT, NLEX clash

By Jeric Lopez A GIGANTIC battle of the top two teams is set as league-leader TNT and second-running NLEX cross paths in the resumption of the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. The Tropang Texters (7-0) shoot for their eighth straight win, while the Road Warriors (5-1) look to tighten their hold on the No. 2 seed when they tango at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.

Preceding that is another highly important tiff between Columbian (3-4) and Phoenix (2-5) at 4:30 p.m.

Already in the quarterfinals, TNT looks to solidify its place at the top and move closer to securing a top two finish for a twice-to-beat incentive in the next round.

“The immediate goal for us is to finish in the top two. We’re still not there yet, so we have to keep piling up wins,” said TNT coach Bong Ravena.

The Road Warriors can move closer to a berth in the quarterfinals with a win.

In the lower echelon where the Dyip and Fuel Masters are in at the moment, every win is critical in the race for the top eight.

The inconsistent Dyip aim to move to sixth place, while Phoenix hopes to enter the circle.

To do that, the Fuel Masters replaced long-time import Eugene Phelps with NBA veteran Alonzo Gee. Gee will make his debut for Phoenix in hopes of flipping the team’s fortunes.

In another trade, Meralco acquired forwards Allein Maliksi and Raymar Jose from Blackwater in exchange for veteran Nino Canaleta, guard Mike Tolomia and a future second-round pick.

This deal comes after the Elite traded Mike DiGregorio to TNT for Brian Heruela just several days ago.

Juan Soto, Michael A. Taylor (center) and Gerardo Parra of the Washington Nationals celebrate their 12-3 win over the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. AFP

Test event to measure PH tracksters’ readiness T

HE coming test event in athletics on Oct. 26 and 27 at the New Clark City is expected to show the Filipino tracksters’ readiness and feel for the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games.

A 72-member Philippine athletics’ team will measure its mettle against entries from Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam in the 20,000-seat New Clark City athletics’ stadium inside the sprawling 9,500-hectare NCC sports complex.

“During the test games, I expect our athletes to be smart enough to get a good feel of their opponents’ real worth and how much more they have to do during the actual SEA Games,” said Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Juico.

Twenty-four of the total 48 athletics’ events in the SEA Games will be played in the test events, each having 15 partici-

pants to ensure competitiveness.

Of the 46 golds in the SEAG, the athletics’ contingent will aspire for 13 golds.

“I used the word aspiring, not targeting, because that is what we have inculcated in our athletes’ minds from the time we form the national training pool and the moment they started training,” said Juico.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez said the test tournament will give the Filipino athletes additional boost and exposure before the actual SEA Games competitions.

“Our athletes need all the exposures they could get to take the pressures off them. It’s part of the process to make them familiar with the competition. That’s why the PSC has been supportive of their foreign stints and training,” Ramirez said.

Leading the charge for the hosts is pole-vaulter Ernest John Obiena, the Philippines’ first-ever qualifier to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on the strength of his gold-medal winning 5.81-meter leap in a Chiarri, Italy tournament last Sept. 3.

High hopes are also pinned on Fil-Am bets

Kristina Knott and Zion Corrales-Nelson, who are expected to crowd Vietnamese champion Le Thunh Chinh for the 100-meter (11.56) and 200-meter dash (23.32) crowns.

Knott, who is preparing in the United States, already has a better time of 11.42 seconds during the Asian Grand Prix’s 100-meter event, and 23.62 seconds in the Philippine National Open 200 meters.

Corrales-Nelson also bettered the SEAG mark with a good time of 11.41 seconds in a US NCAA meet early this year.

Joining them in the men’s division are sprinters Eric Cray and Anfernee Lopena in the 100-meter dash, alongside Michael del Prado and Jayme Sequito (400-meters), Carter Lilly and Marco Vilog (800-m), Mariano Masano and Said Guermali (1500-m), Clinton Bautista and Alvin Vergel (100-meter hurdles) and Francis Medina (400-m hurdles).

In the 100-meter relays are Cray, Bautista, Yuher Go, Jomar Udtohan and Vince Buhayan, while Sequito is in the 400-meter relays with Del Prado, Udtohan, Turn to A7

HOUSTON—Powered by a devastating six-run seventh inning, the Washington Nationals seized command of the World Series by routing Houston 12-3 Wednesday, moving halfway to the US capital’s first title since 1924.

Kurt Suzuki, Adam Eaton and Michael Taylor smacked home runs, Asdrubal Cabrera drove in three runs and Stephen Strasburg pitched six strong innings as the Nationals grabbed a 2-0 edge in Major League Baseball’s bestof-seven final.

“We know the series isn’t over,” said Washington’s Anthony Rendon.

“To steal two games from them at their home field is great but we still have a job to finish and we still have two more to go.”

Suzuki, in the first World Series of his 13-year career, hit a solo homer off Houston’s Justin Verlander to launch Washington’s seventh-inning fireworks, ensuring the 36-year-old Astros ace would remain winless after a sixth World Series start.

“The homer was great,” said the first Hawaiian with a World Series homer.

“Any way you can help the team, good things will happen.

“I’ve waited 13 years for this. It pumps you up, especially how long I waited to get to play a World Series game.”

The scene shifts to Washington for Friday’s game three, the first World Series matchup in the US capital for 86 years.

Of the past 18 teams to seize a 2-0 World Series edge, 17 have won the title. Only three teams have dropped the first two at home and won the title —Kansas City in 1985, the New York Mets in 1986 and the New York Yankees in 1996.

“Clearly the Nats have outplayed us, bottom line,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “They are halfway to a race to four wins. Clearly game three is very important for us.

“I don’t think they are going to be planning the parade. They know we’re going to make them fight for it.”

The Nationals, who have won eight games in a row and 18 of their past 20 games, began play 50 years ago as the Montreal Expos before moving to Washington for the 2005 season. AFP

IN BRIEF

Govt spending P1.1t in fourth quarter FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the government will spend around P1.14 trillion in the fourth quarter to hit its total disbursement target of P3.769 trillion for 2019.

“To attain this target, the government needs to disburse P1.14 trillion or 30 percent this fourth quarter. Based on the updates of our main infrastructure agencies, we are confident that we are going to hit our spending target this year,” Dominguez said in a statement.

The members of the economic development cluster of the Cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss the progress of the catch-up spending plan to spur the economic growth in the fourth quarter.

Data showed that the gross domestic product grew by just 5.5 percent in the first half, below the 2019 target range of 6 percent to 7 percent. It was only in April that President Rodrigo Duterte signed the P3.7-trillion national budget for 2019 after months of impasse between the two houses of Congress.

Julito G. Rada

Business

Alveo eyes P9-b sales from Parkford ALVEO Land, the high-end residential brand of property developer Ayala Land Inc., expects to raise up to P9 billion in sales from a newly-launched upscale residential tower in the Makati central business District.

Alveo Land chief operating officer Rufino Gutierrez said in a news briefing the 35-story Parkford Suites Legaspi was the most expensive residential project that the group launched, with units being sold at P370,000 per square meter or P55 million each.

Parkford Suites Legazpi will rise at the corner of Gamboa and Salcedo Streets in Legazpi Village. The property is located right across Washington Sycip Park and Legazpi Active Park, two of Makati’s most verdant spaces.

Gutierrez said that as a prime residential tower, Parkford Suites Legazpi would have only 163 units with seven residences per typical floor. The residential tower will offer twoand three-bedroom units, with an average area size of 151 sq.m., larger than usual residential spaces in the city. Jenniffer B. Austria

Ayala unit to build 300-MW diesel plant INGRID Power Holdings Inc., formerly AC Energy DevCo. Inc. of Ayala Corp., is set to start the construction of a 300-megawatt diesel power plant in Pililla, Rizal.

The project is aimed at addressing the peaking and reserve requirement of the Luzon grid.

“We are planning to start construction for first 150-MW in the next few months,” AC Energy Inc. chief executive Eric Francia said.

“We’re hopeful that we’ll get to start the construction as soon as we complete all the requirements. We’re hoping this year,” Francia said earlier.

The company secured an approval to conduct a grid impact study for the project.

Francia said the company was exploring diesel power plant opportunities because, “we believe the country will need more peaking and reserve, ancillary capacity…especially in a world where you inject more renewables.”

Alena Mae S. Flores

URC’s net income increased 2.9% to P7b in 9 months

By Jenniffer B. Austria

Food manufacturer Universal Robina Corp. said Thursday net income attributable to the equity holders of the parent company rose 2.9 percent in the first nine months to P7 billion from P6.8 billion in the same period last year, driven by the strength of Philippine businesses.

URC said in a financial report filed with the stock exchange that consolidated sales of goods and services went up 4.8 percent in the nine-month period to P99.78 billion.

“We are pleased that the benefits of our transformation initiatives continue to manifest in our results. A more responsive supply chain, stronger partnerships with distributors and retailers, and product portfolio improvements are driving robust growth across our different categories,” URC president and chief executive Irwin Lee said.

“This is translating into market share gains in key categories like snacks, coffee and noodles. We are ahead of our internal targets and therefore, we plan to further reinvest in brand building and distribution expansion to finish the year strong,” he said.

Sales of the branded consumer food group, excluding the packaging division, increased by 4.1 percent to P78 billion in the first nine months.

BCF domestic operations increased 9 percent to P46.9 billion, fueled by the strong performance of all categories. International operations posted a 2.6-percent decline in net sales to P31.06 billion because of the weak performance in Thailand, offsetting the growth from Vietnam and Oceania.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

B1

MB trims reserve requirement ratio to 14%

PH companies remain bullish

PHILIPPINE companies maintained their optimistic outlook on the domestic economy despite growing global uncertainties, according to a survey by Grant Thornton International.

The International Business Report shows that emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region including the Philippines are holding up well.

It said that while optimism, revenue expectations and profitability forecasts went down around the globe in the first half from a year ago, there were pockets of resilience across mid-sized companies.

Economies such as the Philippines have rosier prospects with more companies in an upbeat mood than anywhere else in the region. About 84 percent of respondents in the Philippines are optimistic about the domestic economy. Othel V. Campos

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor

By Julito G. Rada

PIONEER’S NEW PROJECT. The Pioneer Group of Companies holds the groundbreaking of its fifth building in the country—Pioneer House BGC at the corner of 5th Avenue and 26th Street. Attending the groundbreaking ceremony are (from left) Santos Knight Frank vice-chairman Joey Radovan, Pioneer head for shared financials Sally Ong Pac, Pioneer Insurance chairman Ernesto Chan, Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano, DMCI chairman Isidro Consunji, Pioneer Group head David Coyukiat, DMCI president and CEO Jorge Consunji, Pioneer Insurance president and CEO Betty Medialdea, Pioneer Life Inc. president and CEO Lorenzo Chan and Arkitektii Philippines Inc. managing director Dong Caritativo.

PH improves 29 places in Doing Business rank

By Othel V. Campos

T

he Philippines jumped 29 places in the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 report after implementing several reforms and requesting for data correction.

The country ranked 95th among 190 economies surveyed in the 2020 report, up from its 124th spot in 2019 as its EODB score increased 5.12 points from 57.68 to 62.8.

“The road to 95 was challenging much like climbing Mount Everest. We worked fast, and scaled up our reform initiatives. For the DB 2020 cycle, team Philippines submitted 53 reforms/data correction requests to the World Bank.

All 11 data correction requests were considered but only 9/42 reforms were accepted,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said in a news briefing Thursday.

Lopez said the double-digit improvement was made more significant as the World Bank cited the Philippines as one

of 42 economies which implemented regulatory reforms not only in one but in more than three topics which resulted in significant improvements in the EODB scores.

The Philippines was among the top three gainers among the 190 economies covered by the study. In terms of rank, the Philippines was the third biggest gainer, next to Togo which climbed by 40 notches and Saudi Arabia which jumped 30 places. The Philippines moved up at the same rate with Jordan.

Among ASEAN, the Philippines’ recorded the highest improvement, both in rank and EODB score, followed by Myanmar which rose from 171st to

165th with an EODB score from 44.72 to 46.8.

The last time the Philippines ranked 95th ― the highest spot it held, so far― was in t2014. The latest DB 2020 cycle increase was the highest recorded improvement since 2010.

Among the topics that helped the Philippines land the in top 100 countries include dealing with construction permits by the Quezon City government; getting electricity by Manila Electric Company; registering property

by Land Registration Authority and the QC government; getting credit by Credit Information Corp. and private sector organizations like TransUnion, BAP Credit Inc.; protecting minority investors by the Securities and Exchange Commission; paying taxes by the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Social Security Services, PhilHealth and PagIBIG; trading across borders by the Bureau of Customs; enforcing contracts by the SEC and Supreme Court; resolving insolvency by the Supreme Court; and logistics services sector.

ICTSI IN IRAQ.

International Container Terminal Services Inc. inaugurates two new berths which for the first time offer the port of Umm Qasr, Iraq’s main dry cargo port, the ability to handle container vessels of up to 14,000 twenty-foot equivalent units. ICTSI chairman and president Enrique Razon Jr. (fifth from left) leads the opening of Basra Gateway Terminal’s two new deepwater berths as part of its $250-million second phase investment program for Umm Qasr port. With Razon are Dr. Safaa Al-Fayyadh, director general of the General Company for Ports of Iraq - GCPI (seventh from the left) and Chief Atheal Abid Ali Salman, North Port director, Umm Qasr (fourth from the left).

ICTSI completes $250-m investment in Iraq’s Basra terminal

By Darwin G. Amojelar INTERNATIONAL Container Terminal Services Inc. said Thursday it expanded the capacity of its container and multipurpose cargo handling facility in Iraq, completing the $250-million investment at Basra Gateway Terminal.

ICTSI said it inaugurated two new facilities―Berths 25 and 26 of BGT―at the Port of Umm Qasr, Iraq’s main dry cargo port. The port can now handle container vessels up to 14,000 twentyfoot equivalent units.

“ICTSI’s completion of our multiphase $250-million investment program highlights our commitment to Iraq and our readiness to meet the challenge of providing much-needed, brand-new port infrastructure and handling technology,” ICTSI chairman and president

Enrique Razon said.

“We are pleased to lead the way for Umm Qasr to serve higher capacity container vessels, up to and including the so-called ‘New Panamax’ class [14,000TEU] and as a result to open the door for cargo importers and exporters to benefit from substantial scale economies,” he said.

Located in Umm Qasr’s North Port, BGT operates a high-capacity container terminal together with specialized facilities for the handling of general cargo, Ro-Ro, dry bulk and project cargo for the oil and gas sector.

Earlier developments included the construction of Berth 27, adjacent to the new berths, with the three berths now offering a combined continuous berth length of 600 meters. The design depth alongside Berths 25 and 26 is 14 meters.

The two new berths are extensively fitted out with state-of-the-art container handling equipment and IT systems.

Three new quayside gantry cranes, each with an outreach of 56 meters and able to handle up to 21 rows of containers on the deck of a vessel, are installed on the quayside.

It said that on the landside, seven new, six high stacking, rubber-tired gantries join three existing units, bringing the total fleet to 10 RTGs. BGT already receives direct calls from a number of shipping lines but traditionally these vessels have not been fully utilized due to draft limitations. The latest berth development removes this limitation and encourages other shipping lines to introduce larger vessels with the resulting cost and efficiency benefits passing directly to cargo owners.

THE Monetary Board, the policymaking body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Thursday reduced again the reserve requirement ratios of universal and thrift banks by 100 basis points effective the first week of December to unleash more liquidity into the financial market.

The board complemented the move with a reduction in RRR for non-bank financial institutions with quasi-banking functions. It will be effective on the first day of the first reserve week of December 2019.

“The reduction in reserve requirements will apply to the deposits and deposit substitute liabilities in local currency of banks and non-bank financial institutions with quasi-banking functions,” it said.

The RRR for universal and commercial banks was cut to 14 percent from 15 percent while the RRR for thrift banks was slashed to 4 percent from 5 percent.

“The reserve requirement reduction is in line with the BSP’s broad financial sector reform agenda to promote a more efficient financial system by lowering financial intermediation costs,” the board said.

The adjustment in RRR aims to ensure there is sufficient domestic liquidity in support of economic activity, the BSP said.

Reserve requirement is a central bank regulation that sets the minimum fraction of customer deposits and notes that each bank should hold as reserves.

The Monetary Board on Sept. 27 also cut the RRR of all banks by 100 basis points effective the first week of November. The reduction came a day after it reduced the benchmark policy rates by another 25 bps to 4 percent, amid the continued slowdown in consumer prices.

Economists earlier said the cuts would be “positive for both the Philippine economy and financial markets, in terms of greater economic activities/faster GDP growth.”

Metrobank’s profit surged by 49% in Q3 METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Company said Thursday unaudited consolidated net income jumped 49 percent in the third quarter to P8.5 billion from a year ago.

The figure brough the bank’s total income in the nine-month period to P21.6 billion.

Metrobank attributed the solid performance to the consistent growth in operating revenues on the back of moderate loan growth and margin expansion, strong trading and FX gains and higher fee-based income.

“The bank is proud to have sustained strong growth momentum by navigating well amid the dynamic movements in the local economy. We continue to focus on customer service, profitability, and quality growth,” said Metrobank president Fabian Dee. Metrobank said that as of September this year, its CASA ratio improved to 64 percent of 1.6 trillion total deposits. This provided liquidity to support loan growth of 7 percent to P1.4 trillion. Metrobank’s net interest income grew 10 percent in the nine-month period to P56.2 billion, and accounted for 70 percent of the bank’s total revenues of P80 billion.

Meanwhile, the bank said it successfully raised P13.75 billion from the public offering of 3.5-year peso bonds which were issued and listed on the Philippine Dealing Exchange on Oct. 24, 2019.

“This is the fifth time Metrobank tapped its board-approved P100-billion bond and commercial paper program.

Due to the robust demand from both institutional, high net worth and retail clients, Metrobank upsized the issue amount to P13.75 billion from the original target of P5.0 billion,” it said.

It said that given the strong investor interest, the offer period was cut short by one week from the initial announcement of Oct. 3 to 16. The bonds have a coupon of 4.50 percent and will have quarterly interest payments.

Metrobank tapped ING Bank N.V., Manila branch and Standard Chartered Bank as joint lead arrangers for the issuance. Since November 2018, Metrobank has raised P70.50 billion from peso bond

B2

Business

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rises; SM Investments up S TOCKS rose slightly Thursday in mixed trading following a positive lead from Wall Street overnight.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 17.22 points, or 0.2 percent, to 7,950.98 on a value turnover of P5.2 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 104 to 80, with 51 issues unchanged.

SM Investments Corp. of the Sy Group rose 1.6 percent to P1,030, while banking unit BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, climbed 1.7 percent to P149.30.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the industrialist John Gokongwei, however, fell 1.3 percent to P73, while unit Universal Robina Corp., the largest snack food maker, declined 3.9 percent to P151.

Most Asian markets rose Thursday, while the pound was marginally higher as traders await the next Brexit move with the EU expected to extend Britain’s divorce deadline yet again.

While US earnings on Wednesday were a mixed bag, investors remain broadly upbeat after better-than-forecast results so far have soothed worries about the impact of slowing economic growth on companies.

“People were bracing for the worst” for businesses, Yana Barton at Eaton Vance Management said. “So far we’re coming in a little bit better,” she told Bloomberg TV. In afternoon trade, Hong Kong was up 0.6 percent while Tokyo closed with gains of 0.6 percent.

Seoul added 0.2 percent as dealers brushed off data showing the South Korean economy grew in the third quarter

at a slower pace than expected, putting it on course for the worst annual performance since the global financial crisis.

Sydney, Singapore, Mumbai, Taipei and Jakarta were also well up. Shanghai was marginally lower while Wellington and Bangkok were also in the red.

The positive mood comes as China and the US look on track to sign a mini trade deal next month and set up talks for the next phase of a wider agreement to end their long-running tariffs war.

Hopes that Britain will leave the European Union with a divorce pact have also improved sentiment.

While Boris Johnson failed to push his agreement with the bloc in time to meet the October 31 cut-off date, he did manage to get MPs to agree to it.

EU leaders are expected to grant a three-month extension, in which time the prime minister could hold a general

election he hopes will give him enough lawmakers to easily break the Brexit deadlock.

Sterling, which has seen strong volatility for most of the week, edged up slightly against the dollar Thursday as dealers await their next cue.

“Brexit remains of great concern, and though few developments materialized (Wednesday) the market is maintaining confidence a deal will be coming,” said AxiTrader analyst Stephen Innes.

“Traders are still awaiting the EU decision on whether it will grant a delay until January 31, and under what conditions.”

Oil prices edged down after running up strong gains of more than 2.5 percent Wednesday in response to data showing a slide on US stockpiles as well as a bigger-than-expected fall in gasoline inventories. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2019

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

54.05 96.8 146.8 24.95 18.56 12.2 4.89 765 0.4 71.6 0.91 12.8 44.5 177.5 116.7 58.2 26.8 200 59.15 1.09

56.9 97.6 149.3 25 18.56 12.28 4.89 765 0.41 71.65 0.91 12.8 44.6 177.5 116.7 58.2 26.8 201 59.2 1.09

54.05 96.2 146.2 24.9 18.52 12.18 4.68 740 0.4 71 0.88 12.8 44.4 175 116.7 58.15 26.1 198.6 59.1 1.09

FINANCIALS 54.5 33,000 97.15 854,430 149.3 1,187,890 24.9 379,400 18.52 200 12.2 241,800 4.83 213,000 740 390 0.41 60,000 71 1,511,990 0.89 317,000 12.8 800 44.55 17,200 175 1,150 116.7 10 58.15 2,730 26.2 17,900 201 527,070 59.1 2,060 1.09 16,000

1,819,405 83,019,877.50 176,372,988 9,466,940 3,708 2,948,660 1,002,020 294,850 24,200 107,687,996.50 281,170 10,240 765,100 202,021 1,167 158,864.50 468,420 105,346,597 121,777.50 17,440

284,450 42,596,548.50 37,998,145 -8,490,755 -179,636 -31,062,341 -147,350 -24,850 -303,920 -14,324,055 -109,359.50 -

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

39.1 2.82 15.76 0.69 1.31 4.34 0.265 2.66 15.3 8.59 17.8 30.6 69.5 76.7 2.11 5.55 8.85 15.3 10.3 7 1.72 24.65 79 49 2.5 14.88 8.14 1.51 226 58 5.15 3.51 9.8 20 13.3 17.6 361.6 5.12 1.75 4.11 5.05 9.5 11 33.9 5.38 5.12 1.9 1 11.66 93 7.36 0.121 1.08 157.1 2.63 1.28 1.16

39.2 2.83 15.8 0.7 1.31 4.34 0.265 2.66 15.5 8.64 17.8 31.75 69.5 76.7 2.12 5.66 8.85 15.3 10.38 7 1.72 25.25 79.95 49 2.52 14.88 8.14 1.53 230 58 5.15 3.51 9.8 20.25 13.3 17.6 364.4 5.12 1.76 4.11 5.12 9.5 11 33.9 5.4 5.13 1.98 1.02 11.66 93.95 7.36 0.131 1.13 159 2.63 1.31 1.16

38.6 2.77 14.32 0.69 1.31 4.25 0.25 2.58 15.3 8.23 17.5 30.3 69.4 76.6 2.1 5.55 8.65 15.2 10.26 6.99 1.72 24.6 78.95 47.35 2.43 14.76 8.03 1.46 226 46 5.13 3.51 9.04 19.94 13.18 17.28 360.4 5.1 1.71 4.09 5.04 9.2 10.84 33.65 5.32 5.12 1.87 0.99 11.16 92.15 7.28 0.121 1.08 149 2.42 1.27 1.1

INDUSTRIAL 39 702,100 2.78 14,031,000 14.8 692,500 0.69 968,000 1.31 33,000 4.25 5,037,000 0.25 2,130,000 2.58 997,000 15.5 134,100 8.23 719,400 17.5 6,000 31.75 9,300 69.4 90 76.7 440 2.12 272,000 5.55 7,300 8.7 2,359,800 15.3 72,600 10.38 693,600 7 623,700 1.72 7,000 25.25 543,900 79.95 59,740 48.35 17,800 2.49 6,297,000 14.76 89,200 8.03 126,000 1.52 432,000 227.6 710,950 46.35 1,060 5.13 25,000 3.51 3,000 9.49 69,100 20.25 1,149,000 13.3 82,600 17.32 1,668,100 360.4 175,400 5.1 9,400 1.72 2,878,000 4.1 17,000 5.1 1,767,200 9.2 2,800 10.98 72,500 33.7 281,100 5.4 88,600 5.13 6,400 1.92 2,139,000 1.01 184,000 11.22 310,600 93.95 25,890 7.36 44,000 0.13 8,330,000 1.12 74,000 151 2,614,100 2.42 18,000 1.29 19,534,000 1.12 2,923,000

27,341,160 39,082,940 10,152,034 671,160 43,230 21,551,890 542,600 2,593,300 2,060,178 6,043,851 105,620 284,865 6,250 33,718 574,630 40,526 20,525,664 1,109,956 7,160,188 4,364,642 12,040 13,562,595 4,728,572.50 856,220 15,565,340 1 1,326,154 1,014,096 ( 654,930 162,172,644 52,204.50 128,542 10,530 652,527 22,993,500 1,097,900 28,889,306 63,413,704 48,000 4,985,660 69,700 8,999,788 26,470 792,620 9,475,725 474,465 32,827 4,130,930 183,370 3,477,352 2,412,606.50 323,511 1,069,750 81,330 402,498,185 45,700 25,237,430 3,301,570

-550,220 -5,319,090 -1,618,304 183,590 41,060 -272,792 -556,425 -263,410 -25,420 -467,855 -33,550 -2,537,236 -954,374 6,189,255 -253,462.50 -25,925 ,371,809.9999 -20,784 129,216.0001) -129,050 10,647,030 -452,345 311,070 -21,326,764 -8,996,096 -157,830 108,332.00 300,550 -200,532 -668,867.50 -7,550 -42,696,179 1,772,540 -28,540

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

0.9 54.5 11.72 0.7 6.89 12.78 1.14 865 3.69 6.65 8.9 13.08 3.01 0.216 869 5.63 73.95 5.22 0.5 4.31 13.52 0.61 4.9 0.038 1.48 2.95 165 1,014 0.86 1.26 0.22

0.91 55 11.9 0.73 6.89 12.98 1.15 868.5 3.69 6.73 8.99 13.4 3.01 0.22 875 5.63 74.8 5.22 0.51 4.31 13.76 0.61 4.95 0.038 1.48 2.95 166.1 1,030 0.88 1.26 0.22

0.89 54.5 11.7 0.69 6.89 12.5 1.12 863.5 3.65 6.58 8.63 13.08 3.01 0.213 865.5 5.63 72.55 5.19 0.495 4.3 13.22 0.6 4.89 0.038 1.39 2.81 165 1,006 0.85 1.26 0.22

HOLDING FIRMS 0.9 5,419,000 54.95 836,280 11.9 2,778,900 0.72 561,000 6.89 300 12.8 181,300 1.14 154,000 865 260,130 3.68 934,000 6.73 682,300 8.66 11,970,300 13.4 14,100 3.01 100,000 0.22 600,000 870 38,850 5.63 44,700 73 2,442,960 5.19 2,900 0.5 44,000 4.31 45,000 13.22 828,100 0.6 56,000 4.95 19,441,000 0.038 1,000,000 1.45 315,000 2.94 3,000 165.7 69,520 1,030 750,560 0.85 372,000 1.26 50,000 0.22 210,000

4,865,800 45,879,423 32,915,684 400,600 2,067 2,268,322 174,740 225,011,520 3,429,190 4,562,578 104,833,636 188,110 301,000 128,640 33,811,840 251,661 179,754,398.50 15,109 21,890 193,870 10,980,282 33,610 95,903,570 38,000 447,180 8,700 11,519,654 762,674,610 321,310 63,000 46,200

-800,990 10,643,967.50 10,732,406 -3,834 -76,948,780 -172,610 2,300,199 -20,852,164 -33,008 15,060,490 -158,766 63,511,093 -64,570 -6,862,500 39,170,280 4,833,860 659,122,485 -

14.7 0.83 9.37 0.86 48.65 2.01 4.52 0.58 0.73 0.86 0.202 0.465 9.57 20.6 0.44 0.121 1.6 1.2 4.5 4.82 0.295 1.38 0.37

PROPERTY 14.7 581,700 0.84 287,000 10.14 2,200 0.87 1,080,000 48.95 6,667,200 2.02 43,000 4.55 76,000 0.59 6,846,000 0.75 23,000 0.86 40,000 0.203 790,000 0.465 3,780,000 10 246,100 20.7 58,100 0.465 66,670,000 0.121 10,000 1.61 11,461,000 1.25 3,237,000 4.5 20,000 4.9 16,548,000 0.3 2,850,000 1.43 2,040,000 0.39 1,070,000

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

14.8 0.83 9.37 0.88 48.65 2.01 4.58 0.58 0.75 0.86 0.203 0.475 9.99 20.7 0.44 0.121 1.6 1.22 4.5 4.89 0.3 1.43 0.385

14.8 0.85 10.14 0.89 49.05 2.02 4.59 0.59 0.75 0.86 0.203 0.475 10 20.7 0.52 0.121 1.62 1.27 4.5 4.9 0.3 1.45 0.39

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

PRIMEX CORP PTFC REDEV CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

2.06 52 25.7 2.3 3.3 38.75 2.7 0.95 7.72 5.62

2.06 52 25.85 2.3 3.3 39 2.7 1.36 7.73 5.69

2.02 52 25.5 2.3 3.21 38.05 2.67 0.95 7.67 5.6

2.05 52 25.8 2.3 3.21 39 2.69 1.19 7.72 5.68

420,000 20 1,223,500 19,000 17,000 8,098,100 185,000 181,636,000 1,036,000 38,500

850,240 1,040 31,409,265 43,700 54,810 314,819,575 496,620 234,182,380 7,984,626 216,482

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

10.3 18.8 1.54 11.54 0.54 2.38 10.3 94.1 7 6.79 9.78 1,918 5.22 430.2 11.46 1.63 1.78 122.3 8 0.108 4.95 2.49 3.04 0.93 18.62 0.42 2.41 1.1 12.52 3.36 2.83 8.29 139.9 3.05 1,114 0.68 0.52 40.3 77.8 8.61 2.57 0.68 0.33 0.67 16.4

10.5 18.8 1.55 11.58 0.54 2.38 10.48 95.7 7.15 6.92 9.8 1,920 5.27 430.2 12 1.64 1.78 123.5 8 0.108 5.06 2.49 3.05 1.02 18.78 0.42 2.47 1.1 12.52 3.38 2.85 8.29 140 3.09 1,120 0.69 0.52 40.45 77.8 8.61 2.63 0.69 0.335 0.68 16.58

10.3 18.5 1.54 11.5 0.53 2.33 10.28 93.5 7 6.78 9.08 1,901 5.17 430.2 11.46 1.57 1.75 121.5 7.9 0.108 4.93 2.49 3.01 0.91 18.62 0.415 2.4 1.1 12.52 3.22 2.8 8.25 139 3.01 1,102 0.68 0.5 39.1 76.05 8.61 2.53 0.68 0.32 0.66 16.4

SERVICES 10.34 18.5 1.55 11.5 0.54 2.33 10.3 93.5 7.15 6.83 9.2 1,920 5.27 430.2 12 1.57 1.75 122.9 7.9 0.108 5.03 2.49 3.01 0.91 18.66 0.42 2.47 1.1 12.52 3.25 2.8 8.25 139 3.07 1,110 0.68 0.52 40 77.5 8.61 2.6 0.68 0.33 0.68 16.42

5,700 79,000 145,000 16,569,900 9,977,000 382,000 1,564,200 112,650 4,700 414,400 169,400 39,330 17,900 50 2,700 655,000 54,000 1,088,010 20,300 100,000 3,385,000 15,000 131,000 4,730,000 60,100 140,000 154,000 3,000 100 4,625,000 74,000 1,400 570 459,000 126,605 235,000 17,335,000 2,183,600 27,240 1,200 1,545,000 1,396,000 8,910,000 243,000 310,900

59,536 1,470,496 224,720 190,800,734(98 5,343,370 894,840 16,204,800 10,597,357 33,095 2,834,838 1,569,593 75,325,840 93,258 21,510 31,436 1,042,260 94,680 133,733,889 160,422 10,800 16,978,950 37,350 395,810 4,563,860 1,123,520 58,700 371,220 3,300 1,252 15,200,260 208,590 11,594 79,566 1,399,230 140,578,940 159,830 8,864,190 87,241,925(7, 2,103,829 10,332 3,995,000 951,180 2,918,150 163,050 5,111,242

,472,383.9996) 28,700 -710,420 -2,961,326 -2,605,729.50 245,475 2,435,620 80,500 -31,380,784 -2,075,370 3,010 -667,848 316,080 69,800 -170,040 -38,414,680 -6,120 -2,040 450,719.9996) 139,377 363,020.00 -757,970 -1,263,666

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

0.0016 1.14 2.58 12.24 2.59 7.81 1.67 0.209 0.107 0.109 0.0092 1.13 3.9 1.06 0.48 0.012 0.011 0.011 10.76 3.6 12.34 23.4

0.0016 1.17 2.6 12.24 2.6 7.82 1.7 0.222 0.109 0.11 0.0092 1.16 3.95 1.06 0.5 0.012 0.011 0.011 10.86 3.7 12.82 23.75

0.0016 1.13 2.52 11.9 2.59 7.46 1.66 0.202 0.107 0.109 0.0092 1.13 3.84 1.02 0.475 0.012 0.011 0.011 10.18 3.6 12.34 23.15

MINING & OIL 0.0016 55,000,000 1.15 2,901,000 2.52 200,000 11.9 5,100 2.6 365,000 7.71 800 1.7 12,228,000 0.215 2,170,000 0.107 1,990,000 0.11 50,000 0.0092 2,000,000 1.16 21,000 3.9 3,533,000 1.06 122,000 0.475 123,000 0.012 4,000,000 0.011 1,000,000 0.011 13,500,000 10.34 1,150,500 3.65 269,000 12.74 2,624,200 23.5 741,200

88,000 3,336,840(1, 519,740 60,884 946,350 6,154 20,470,090 464,270 212,960 5,470 18,400 23,760 13,794,470 124,590 58,500 48,000 11,000 148,500 11,968,610 985,910 33,335,552 17,363,810

0 223,429.9997) -228,740 234,100 -2,743,090 -140,986 523,610 1,000,538 10,073,110

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

17.8 499 100.5 501 5.05 970 98.15 101 1,050 1,055 102 108 990 77.9 75 75 76.6 75.4 75.4 75.6

17.8 499 100.5 501 5.1 970 98.15 101 1,050 1,055 102 108 990 77.9 75 75 76.6 75.5 75.5 75.6

17.72 499 100.5 501 5.05 911 98.15 101 1,050 1,055 102 108 990 77.9 75 75 76.5 75.25 75.4 75.5

PREFERRED 17.72 20,900 499 220 100.5 140 501 130 5.1 25,900 965 5,510 98.15 330 101 340 1,050 100 1,055 535 102 480 108 1,200 990 50 77.9 700 75 5,300 75 8,600 76.5 16,770 75.5 15,050 75.5 5,500 75.6 189,000

371,988 109,780 14,070 65,130 131,795 5,120,860 32,389.50 34,340 105,000 564,425 48,960 129,600 49,500 54,530 397,500 645,000 1,283,785 1,133,342 415,200 14,287,630

-371,988 108,000 4,500 -

LR WARRANT

1.53

1.53

1.52

WARRANTS 1.52 8,000

12,220

MS 8,592,296 240,090 20,768 951,720 326,312,090 86,470 345,730 4,033,330 17,210 34,400 159,990 1,768,900 2,457,762 1,200,680 32,351,750 1,210 18,411,920 3,996,370 90,000 80,631,260 848,000 2,865,750 412,200

-794,060 33,600 -4,390 23,197,875 -42,210.00 9,060 292,950 2,141,286 641,570 -5,421,800 -913,450 13,820,740 -29,500 -

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

6.75 11.84 0.9

6.75 11.92 0.94

6.45 11.46 0.9

FIRST METRO ETF

118.7

119

118.2

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

10.02 0.97

10.02 0.97

10.02 0.97

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

5,535,070

INDUSTRIAL

82,738,323

HOLDING FIRMS

65,521,705

PROPERTY SERVICES

321,855,210 77,575,593

MINING & OIL

104,031,357

GRAND TOTAL

660,110,528

SME

6.45 11.52 0.92

522,700 452,500 1,875,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 118.9 3,070 DDS 10.02 0.97

100 31,400

3,421,405 5,268,126 1,726,700

17,212,195 -48,210 84,052,530 8,086,670 975,890 -

146,130 -

364,690

-

1,002 30,458

-

VALUE 1,869.84 (up) 10.30 519,996,004.50 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 10,536.37 (down) 98.33 1,026,507,088.68 HOLDING FIRMS 7,784.76 (up) 34.00 1,700,471,807.47 PROPERTY 4,192.23 (up) 11.35 SERVICES 1,530.99 (down) 0.02 1,098,794,863.392 MINING & OIL 9,128.08 (up) 53.18 733,734,421.395 PSEI 7,950.98 (up) 17.22 104,006,832.097 All Shares Index 4,780.16 (up) 1.96 5,194,291,938.53 Gainers: 80; Losers: 104; Unchanged: 51; Total: 235

PSE approves P10.7-b initial public offering of Cal-Comp

By Jenniffer B. Austria

THE Philippine Stock Exchange approved the P10.67-billion initial public offering of consumer electronics producer Cal-Comp Technology (Philippines) Inc. Cal-Comp under the offering terms approved by the PSE will sell up to 371.43 million common shares and 55.71 million in over allotment shares at price of up to P25 apiece. The offering period will be held from Nov. 11 to 15.

The shares will be listed under the main board of the PSE on Nov. 25.

The company tapped BDO Capital & Investment Corp. and Maybank ATR Kim Eng Capital Partners Inc. as lead underwriters of the maiden share offering.

Cal-Comp will have a public float of 25.1 percent and market capitalization of P36.99 billion after the IPO. The company plans to use the net proceeds from the IPO to fund expansion, capital expenditures, research and development and debt repayment.

The company is mainly engaged in the design, development and manufacture of consumer electronic products, such as data storage, calculators, pachinko displays, smart home appliances and smart beauty items.

It forms part of Taiwan-based New Kinpo Group, which manufactures a broad range of key electronic product lines, including storage, printers, network-attached storage, wireless and broadband, digital home appliances, consumer electronics, wearables, 3D printing, robotics, power management and smart grid, industrial, automotive, security, medical/healthcare and emerging technologies.

Cal-Comp’s expansion program includesthe construction and development of the third phase of its Lima manufacturing complex in Lipa, Batangas to add 25,000 square meters of manufacturing space.

This is the second time that CalComp will attempt to conduct an IPO. The company in June last year filed an IPO application with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It had planned raise as much as P6.77 billion in proceeds.

Cal-Comp deferred the IPO plan in September, citing “poor market conditions.”

Asian, European investors swarm Ayala bond issue CONGLOMERATE Ayala Corp. is raising $400 million from the issuance of dollar-denominated perpetual bonds with a fixed coupon of 4.850 percent yearly.

AC said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the bonds would be issued by wholly-owned subsidiary AYC Finance Ltd. and unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed by AC. The issue marks AC’s return to the international bond market after a perpetual fixed-for-life bonds in 2017.

“The successful fixed for life issuance will further support our thrust for sustainable growth and enable Ayala Corporation to diversify our liquidity sources and strengthen our balance sheet. We are very pleased with the strong investor receptivity and continued support” said AC chairman and chief executive Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

The company will use the net proceeds from the bond sale to refinance maturing dollar-denominated obligations and fund investments of the guarantor or offshore subsidiaries.

“We are grateful for the unwavering support from the investors despite volatile market conditions. This issuance will provide us with additional flexibility to lengthen our maturity profile and support our strategic initiatives,” said AC chief finance officer Jose Teodoro Limcaoco.

“The bonds were priced at par with a re-offer yield of 4.850 percent, reflecting a 27.5 basis points compression from the initial price guidance,” the conglomerate said.

The final order book was over four times over-subscribed in Asia and Europe, reflecting the strong investors’ confidence in the Ayala name.

By investor type, more than half of the offering was allocated to fund managers, insurance companies and pension funds, around one-quarter to banks and financial institutions and the remainder to private banks. The transaction is expected to settle on October 30, 2019.

AC is the second issuer in Asia Pacific to price a fixed-for life perpetual in 2019 year-to-date. The bonds are also lowest yielding fixed-for-life perpetual ever out of South East Asia.

Jenniffer B. Austria

World

B3

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Hong Kong businessman pays almost $1m for parking space

CELESTIAL SHOW. Lightning flashes through the sky over the French riviera city of Nice, France, on October 23, 2019. AFP

IN BRIEF Mexico shootout leaves nine dead

MEXICO CITY-Nine people have been killed in southern Mexico in a shootout between two groups using high-powered weapons, authorities said Thursday.

Several organized crime groups dedicated to trafficking drugs operate in the area and often clash over control of supply routes.

The confrontation occurred Wednesday on a highway in a rural area in the state of Guerrero, the local attorney’s office said in a statement.

“The deceased are close to Zenen Nava Sanchez, leader of the criminal group Los Rojos,” it said, adding an investigation had been launched into the incident.

A long-running dispute for territory between Los Rojos and a rival gang has left more than a thousand people dead and centered on a town some ten kilometers from where the firefight took place, according to local media.

Experts at the site retrieved 50 bullets used in high-caliber weapons like the AK-47 assault rifle.

Last month, 15 people including a soldier were killed in the same state after gunmen attacked security forces.

The violence underlined the struggles of leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to rein in crime since he took office last December. AFP

HONG KONG―Hong Kong might be heading for recession after months of violent protests, but that hasn’t stopped one businessman from forking out almost $1 million for a parking spot.

The mind-boggling sum paid by Johnny Cheung Shun-yee highlights the gaping inequality that has helped fuel nearly five months of demonstrations in the financial hub, where one in five people live below the poverty line.

The HK$7.6 million ($970,000) price tag is more than 30 times the average annual wage in Hong Kong and about the same as a one-bed apartment in London’s plush Chelsea area.

It is situated in The Center, the city’s fifth-highest skyscraper, which hit the headlines in October 2017 when it became the world’s most expensive office building after Hong Kong’s richest man sold it for more than $5 billion.

The purchase comes even though there are growing concerns about the impact of the pro-democracy demonstrations on the city’s real estate market with property firms’ share prices plunging in recent months, as they are forced to offer discounts on new

China’s critics beaten in attacks H ONG KONG―The men jumped Stanley Ho without warning, smashing both his hands with metal rods―one of the multiple recent attacks against prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy figures that activists have dubbed a “white terror”.

Since late August, eight well-known pro-democracy figures have been beaten by unknown assailants as fear swirls that some “triad” crime networks have flocked to Beijing’s cause after five months of protests.

The victims include rally organizers, opposition lawmakers, student leaders and people standing for upcoming polls.

Ho, a 35-year-old labor unionist, was set upon in late September by at least three people in Sai Kung, a rural district where he is competing in local elections against a pro-Beijing camp that has dominated the area for decades.

“The cause of the attack may be related to two things -- the upcoming district council election and the ongoing movement,” Ho told AFP, referring to the protests.

“Some powerful people are creating ‘white terror’ in collaboration with criminals to make you fear standing for election and to make voters think twice before they express their opinions,” he added, one arm still in a cast.

The term “white terror” has been used to describe multiple periods of political persecution throughout history, but in Hong Kong it is borrowed from nearby Taiwan.

During four decades of martial law there, organized crime groups frequently attacked critics of then-leader Chiang Kai-shek’s repressive government.

Vigilante violence has mounted on both sides of the ideological divide in Hong Kong as months of protests have spiraled with no political solution in sight.

In recent weeks, crowds of pro-democracy supporters have savagely beaten people who vocally disagree with them―although those fights tend to be spontaneous outbursts of mob anger during protests.

Pro-democracy figures, however, have been attacked in a noticeably more targeted way.

Last week, Jimmy Sham, the leader of a group that organized the largest rallies this summer, was left in a pool of blood after he was attacked by men wielding hammers. It was the second time he had been assaulted.

Lebanon protests enter second week

BEIRUT―Protests in Lebanon entered a second week on Thursday with demonstrators blocking main roads in Beirut and other parts of the country, AFP correspondents and Lebanese media reported.

Sparked on October 17 by a proposed tax on calls made through messaging apps, the protests have morphed into a cross-sectarian street mobilization against a political system seen as corrupt and broken.

On Thursday morning, demonstrators set up roadblocks around the capital.

One major east-west artery was blocked by a dozen young protesters, who pitched tents in the middle of the road.

Sitting on the pavement with a red and white keffiyeh on his shoulders, a 30-year-old who had trained as a chef, said he had been protesting since the first day.

“We’re here closing the main road to stop some movement in this country,” he said, asking not to be identified.

“People think we’re playing but we’re actually asking for our most basic rights: water, food, electricity, health care, pensions, medicine, schooling,” he told AFP. AFP

Five victims of attacks have reported assaults to the police, but only three men have so far been arrested―for the initial assault on Sham.

Isaac Cheng, a 19-year-old student and vice chairman of the pro-democracy Demosisto party, was beaten by three men in early September outside his family home after he helped organize a school strike.

“I am confident in the police’s capability to solve the case, but I am not confident in them actually doing it given the severity of selective law enforcement,” Cheng said.

Hong Kong’s police have denied allegations of bias, saying they pursue all crimes regardless of political motivation.

But the force’s reputation was hammered in late July after officers took nearly 40 minutes to respond to an attack by a group of men on pro-democracy protesters at Yuen Long train station.AFP

Pilgrims easy prey to thieves in holy town

PNG shuts polluting Chinese plant

PORT MORESBY―Papua New Guinea said Thursday it had ordered the indefinite closure of a multi-billion dollar Chinese-owned nickel facility that spewed potentially toxic red slurry into the sea.

The Mineral Resources Authority said it had ordered owners of the Ramu Nickel refinery to “shut down its processing operations” as of Monday October 21.

The facility is run by the state-owned China Metallurgical Group, which mines and processes nickel, a metal widely used in batteries, including for electric cars.

In late August, the plant’s mechanism for dealing with slurry failed, sending hazardous liquid into the Bismarck Sea and turning parts the surrounding coastline ochre red.

Earlier this year the China Metallurgical Group asked Papua New Guinea officials visiting Beijing to approve plans to expand production capacity.

The Mineral Resources Authority now said the company had been “ordered to cease operations because it has failed to adequately” fix a string of defects spotted during the investigation.

They included poor spillage containment systems, inadequate maintenance and “incompetency of operators”.

Ties between Beijing and the resourcerich Melanesian nation have been growing apace, but there have been repeated tensions over standards at some minerals and infrastructure projects. AFP

projects and cut office rents.

The economy has been tipped to grow just 0-1.0 percent this year, the worst rate since 2009 during the global financial crisis.

“A lot of those owners in The Center are in finance or in other high-growth businesses,” Stanley Poon, a managing director at Centaline Commercial, said.

“To these tycoons, it’s not a significant purchase if you compare it to the value of the office floors they own.”

Hong Kong’s white-hot property market has become a political issue as costs continue to soar, forcing some small businesses to close owing to skyhigh rents while many residents cannot afford to buy or lease decent homes.

Commercial and residential property prices have been fueled by an influx of money from wealthy mainland Chinese investors and developers.

While the long-running protests in the city are fired mostly by anger at a now-dead extradition bill and hatred towards the government and police, they are also fanned by anger at the huge disparity between rich and poor. AFP

HIGH-TECH EXPO. A robot looks at a woman at the China Beijing International High-Tech Expo in Beijing on October 24, 2019. AFP

16 sentenced to death after female teen burned alive FENI, Bangladesh―A court in Bangladesh sentenced 16 people to death on Thursday over the murder of a 19-yearold female student burned alive in April that provoked outrage across the country.

Nusrat Jahan Rafi was doused in kerosene and set on fire after refusing to withdraw a sexual harassment complaint against the head teacher of the seminary she attended.

“The verdict proves that nobody will get away with murder in Bangladesh.

We have the rule of law,” prosecutor Hafez Ahmed told reporters after the verdict in a crowded courtroom.

Rafi was lured to the rooftop of the seminary where her attackers pressed her to withdraw the complaint she had filed with police.

When she refused, she was tied up, doused in kerosene and set on fire.

She suffered burns to 80 percent of her body and died in hospital five days later on April 10.

Her death triggered outrage and also highlighted an alarming rise in sexual harassment cases in the South Asian country of 165 million people.

Protesters in the capital Dhaka staged days of demonstrations seeking “exemplary punishment” for the killers.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had promised to prosecute all those involved.

Rafi had gone to the police in late March to report the sexual harassment, and a leaked video shows the local police station chief registering her complaint but dismissing it as “not a big deal”.

At the time police had said that one of the 18 people initially arrested had accused the school’s principal of ordering the attack.

The teacher “told them to put pressure on Rafi to withdraw the case or kill her if she refused”, senior police superintendent Mohammad Iqbal, who led the investigation, had told AFP.

Iqbal had also said that some of those arrested were Rafi’s classmates and that they had tied her up with a scarf before setting her on fire.

“The plan was to pass the incident off as a suicide. But it fell through after Rafi managed to come downstairs while on fire because the scarf burned and freed her hands and feet,” he said.

Activists say the murder exposed a culture of impunity surrounding sex crimes against women and children, and the fact that those who report harassment often suffer a backlash.

Prosecutions are also rare in cases of rape and sexual assault.

After the murder, Bangladesh ordered some 27,000 schools to set up committees to prevent sexual violence.

Defense lawyers said they would appeal against Thursday’s verdict in the high court.

The case was fast-tracked with the hearing taking only 62 days. AFP

LOURDES―Pilgrims to the holy town of Lourdes in southern France, lulled into carelessness by the promise of heavenly protection, are increasingly falling victim to pickpockets, local authorities say.

Thefts have more than doubled as organized gangs turned their attention to the town, attracted by the easy pickings there.

“Many people think that when they arrive in Lourdes nothing can happen, leaving their handbags open wider than they would have in Paris,” said Philippe Subercaze, a city councilor in charge of security.

“In Lourdes, they think the Virgin will protect them and that nothing will happen to them.”

Lourdes is one of the most revered sites for the world’s 1.2- billion Catholics because it is said to be where the Virgin Mary appeared to a peasant girl in a grotto in 1858.

The town, with a population of about 14,000, attracted more than 770,000 visitors last year. Most came from Italy, Spain, Britain and Ireland.

Local prosecutor Pierre Aurignac told AFP there has been a “statistical explosion” of pickpocketing incidents―from 117 in the first nine months of last year to 274 so far in 2019.

“It is cash they are after.”

Most of the thefts happened in the town center in the shop-lined roads near the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes, an area surrounding a shrine.

The municipality has put up about 50 video cameras since last year, adding to those the Sanctuary itself has installed.

“These are very organized professionals,” Subercaze said of the pickpockets. “They arrive in waves and change all the time. As soon as one is identified or arrested, they are replaced. It is a game of cat and mouse.”

Slowly but surely, the pilgrims are wising up.

“A couple had their things stolen a few days ago, so now I take more care,” said Anna Maria, who came to Lourdes from Naples, Italy. AFP

LGUs

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

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

CSSP recognizes Gregorio for crop breeding research

By Brenda Jocson DAVAO CITY—The Crop Science Society of the Philippines has awarded and recognized a scientist, research manager and teacher in national and international public and private institutions as an Honorary Fellow.

The CSSP has recognized Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, currently the director of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, for his significant contributions to crop science through his pioneering breeding research.

The award was presented during the 25th Federation of Crop Science Societies of the Philippines and 1st Federation of Plant Science Associations of the Philippines Scientific Conference held in September in Davao City.

Holding an annual scientific conference and publishing the Philippine Journal of Crop Science, the CSSP promotes human welfare through the discovery and dissemination of knowledge concerning the nature, utilization, improvement, and interrelationships of plants and their environment and the people.

According to the society, Gregorio was recognized for having led the development of at least 20 rice varieties with tolerance to abiotic stresses while at the International Rice Research Institute as Senior Plant Breeder.

Gregorio’s studies on the genetics and molecular mapping for salinity tolerance, and his development of rapid screening techniques resulted in the first batches of salt-tolerant varieties in the Philippines and other countries in Asia and Africa.

He also led a team that developed the iron-enhanced rice was proven to significantly increase levels of total body iron in the blood of women.

SMART supplied the Makati City emergency response exercise with satellite phones as part of the firm’s #SafePH program.

GRATITUDE TO DU30. Secretary Raul L. Lambino (4rth from right), administrator and CEO of Cagayan Economic Zone Authority, and General Larry Mojica (4th from left) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines pose with clenched fists as a sign of gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte. They had signed a Deed of Donation turning over 50 CEZA vehicles to the Philippine National Police Regional Office-2, AFP, and to the local government of Sta. Ana at Port Irene in Barangay Casambalangan, Cagayan on Oct. 21.

Magelco speeds up power work

By Nash B. Maulana

D

ATU ODIN, SINSUAT, Maguindanao—The province’s lone electric cooperative has created Task Force BalikLiwanag to speed up power restoration works in six first district towns.

Engineer Sultan Ashary Maongco, general manager of the 43-year-old Maguindanao Electric Cooperative (Magelco), said the countdown to a graduated power restoration started Oct. 22, when its supplier scheduled warehouse delivery of a 10 mega-voltamphere (MVA) power transformer from Quezon City to the Port of Manila.

But even prior to this, Maongco said construction of a steel tower platform

had commenced in time for the delivery of the new 10 MVA transformer and accessories on Oct. 29.

He said in the timeline of Magelco’s two-year rehabilitation and upgrading development plan, a new phase in Maguindanao’s energization program will roll onwards from Oct. 31.

Maongco said to restore power and light up more households in Parang, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, Matanog

and Barira towns, the Simuay Substation will be upgraded, “similar to our RSK (Rajah Silungan Kudarat) Substation in Ampatuan, Maguindanao.”

He said Magelco’s Task Force BalikLiwanag has been rushing up on the delivery of materials to be on time for its installation in Simuay before October ends.

But Maongco explained that the second leg of the delivery route was scheduled yet on Friday when the transformer would be shipped out on a cargo vessel in a three-day roll-on, roll-off voyage from Manila to General Santos City.

Maongco said installation of potential transformers with SF6 protective circuit breaker will follow, “along with the mounting of reclosers and the construction of new lines for the secondary side.”

Maongco then appealed to local consumers with outstanding unpaid electric bills to settle their accounts, and avail of an individual debt “restructuring agreement” that Magelco is offering to consumers in its service areas.

Previously, Magelco warned of widespread and frequent power outages in the province if consumers failed to come to terms with the heavily indebted cooperative.

Maongco said on Thursday that the whole of Maguindanao could experience total darkness if the electric cooperative fails to pay P27 million to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp., and P9.7 million to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines in monthly debt repayment installments, before the end of October.

FCF Minerals trains Vizcaya youths as life savers

By Ben Moses Ebreo

QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya—The FCF Minerals Corp. here recently provided training for the youth to become frontline volunteer life savers in their respective barangays.

More than 20 members of the Sangguniang Kabataan from 32 barangays of this town attended the First Aid and Basic Life Support Training sponsored by the firm in partnership with the Mu-

nicipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office in this town.

Ian Moller, FCF Minerals manager for sustainability, said the activity is part of their commitment to empower various sectors of their host barangay and its neighboring villages.

The firm operates the gold-molybdenum mining project in Barangay Runruno.

“This is part of our numerous assistance to our primary and secondary impact communities as we empower them to become

responsible villagers,” Moller said.

Engineer Alison Padua, MDRRM officer, said the FCF has been providing their office P20,000 as yearly assistance since 2014.

“We claimed this in lump sum and were able to purchase 35 pieces of First Aid Kid Bags for their disaster risk reduction management and response volunteers,” he said.

Padua said they will also provide the trainees with the same tool to equip them during their assistance.

Bulacan Sudoku masters join tilt at SM Baliwag

By Jun David

Smart joins Makati City Hall emergency drill PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. recently joined this year’s earthquake simulation exercises at the Makati City Hall.

Smart showcased its emergency communications solutions, which include satellite communications support, as well as free calls and charging for responders and affected residents.

Smart’s participation in the exercises is part of the company’s #SafePH program, which promotes preparedness through mobile solutions and activities that help communities mitigate disaster risks.

BALIWAG, Bulacan—The quest for Sudoku supremacy continues as Bulakenyos who recently earned awards at Asia Sudoku Championship held in Clark, Pampanga, and China Sudoku Championships held in Beijing competed anew in the 14th Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge Regional Elimination held in SM City Baliwag.

Spearheaded by Mathematics Trainers’ Guild, Philippines, with SM supermalls as one its partners, the competition aims to promote the number of puzzle among youth for developing their reasoning ability.

It also aims to enhance the mental and critical skills of the students so they can solve life’s problems effectively and offer an alternative to spending enjoyable, educational and productive past time.

Some of the 14th PSSC champions who are back fresh from their International winning stints are 2019 Asia Sudoku Championship bronze medalist Empress Jayrielle Umipig of Sabang Elementary School in Baliuag and 2019 China Sudoku Championships 2nd Runner-Up Under 12 Louisa Jean Cabugao of Akle Elementary School in San Ildefonso.

Other champions of this year’s 14th Philippine Sudoku Super Challenge (PSSC) Regional Elimination in SM City Baliwag are Khian Cruz of Akle Elementary School-Under 8; Graciela Steff Gabriel of Sabang Elementary SchoolUnder 12; and Mark Allen MendozaOver 15/Sudoku Grandmaster.

Valenzuela City Health Office head Dr. Jaime Exconde, Jr., Malinta Elementary General PTA vice president Joy Alejandrino, School Governance Operations Division head Baltazar Gayem, and DOH-MMCHD Senior Health Program officer Ramon Ferrer Jr. (from left) represent the four pillars of the ‘Health Shield’ or ‘Kalasag ng Kalusugan.’

Valenzuela pilots anti-HPV drive AS TESTAMENT to its strong priority to ensure an effective health care system for Filipinos, the Department of Health identified Valenzuela City as one of the two cities in Metro Manila to be part of the 33 Universal Health Care-Advanced Implementation Sites (UHC-AIS).

Valenzuela, along with the other DOH-identified UHC-AIS, will be supported by both the DOH and PhilHealth to demonstrate various approaches and mechanisms to achieve technical, managerial, and financial integration.

This is mandated by the Universal Health Care (UHC) Law that guarantees equitable access to quality and affordable health care for all Filipinos.

The UHC Law will also put premium on efforts relating to disease prevention and early protection, one of which is

immunization.

To achieve an efficient disease prevention effort, Valenzuela kicked off the DOH’s “Back to BakUNA, Una sa Lahat Bakuna” School-Based Immunization (SBI) Program with a focus on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.

The SBI Program propelled the city’s efforts under its “Goodbye HPV, Hello to a Healthy Valenzuelano!” campaign in the goal to build a more inclusive health care system and a strengthened disease prevention framework.

Dr. Jaime Exconde, Jr., Valenzuela City Health Office head, emphasized the value of vaccination in disease prevention, such as those linked with HPV namely cervical cancer, genital warts, and other HPV-related cancers that can affect both females and males.

Life

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

YOUNG LIFE

“S

OMETIMES, after hours of scrolling through social media, looking at posts and photos of other people having the best time of their lives, I feel like I’m not enough, that I’m a failure,” shared Trixie, 17 years old.

There are surprising a lot of young individuals like Trixie who suffer from this internal struggle.

A recent study reveals that social anxiety affects almost two-thirds or 57 percent of young people due to immense pressure to succeed in today’s alwayson and competitive world.

It has become easy to compare our lives to others' today especially when their lives—which usually are just the highlights—are flaunted for all people to see.

The study, commissioned by Unilever brand Clear, also discovers that 67 percent of the young respondents “feel the pressure to perform,” with social media further heightening the issue, and one in two, or 49 percent, worries about being judged on social media.

Over half (52 percent) of young people feel that social anxiety is hard to overcome. While there are tools which boost resilience, young people do not understand how to access the resources available to them.

But one important trait is vital in overcoming social anxiety and unlocking their full potential—resilience.

Resilience is the ability to cope with the challenges and pressures felt by young people today; be it at school or in social groups. For more than half (52 percent), resilience could be a key resource for overcoming social anxiety.

Resilience is composed of two core components. First, how rugged an individual is—their ability to handle external stress factors that can lead to social anxiety, such as starting university or peer pressure. Second, how resourced they are by their friends, family, teachers, peers, and communities. Currently, only one in two young people consider themselves resilient.

To equip young people with the tools to overcome social anxiety, the brand has developed, in partnership with the Resilience Research Centre (RRC), the Clear Resilience Bootcamp, a comprehensive training program to power up

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

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The ‘fear of being judged’ SOCIAL ANXIETY IN THE AGE OF SOCIAL MEDIA. A recent study reveals that social anxiety affects almost twothirds or 57 percent of young people, and 67 percent ’feel the pressure to perform,’ with social media further heightening the issue.

resilience in young people.

The bootcamp delivers a resiliencebuilding program via both in-person and online trainings expertly developed for young people.

“Research shows that more than one in three young people struggle to find resources they can turn to for help with social anxiety. We’re here to change that,” said Clear vice president Tri TranTue. “Clear’s new initiative is designed to take action against the growing issue of social anxiety in young people, clearing them of anxieties and self-doubt.”

The first phase of its resiliencebuilding program—the Clear Resilience Bootcamp online platform, developed with experts from the RRC, is complete with scientifically validated

diagnostic tools, videos from role models, and educational articles. The digital platform will be free and accessible to all and continuously built on and enhanced to better cater to the needs of young people.

The online program starts with two diagnostics. One assesses levels of social anxiety via the measurement of boldness, and the other evaluates levels of resilience. Once given their scores, users are taken through to a homepage where they can choose from a variety of lessons to help build their resilience, from “Building Positive Relationships” to “Managing Stressful Situations.”

One in two young individuals worries about being judged on social media.

Go to www.keepaclearhead.clearhaircare.com to know more.

Wear it like Billie Eilish Musician Billie Eilish collaborates with Bershka for a collection that features her XXL style.

Kyle Echarri shows some love for Oreo Red Velvet. Photos by Angelica Villanueva

GEN Z’s favorite musician today, Billie Eilish took a break from her world tour to style four key looks in her fashion collaboration with Berhska.

Each look is characterized by extreme volumes, unisex styles, and a powerful color vibe—total white, black, green, or orange.

A white hoodie and joggers crawl with distorted Billie Eilish graphics, while the black set shows the artist’s name in iridescent rhinestones.

The total orange look features an allover apocalyptic landscape print, and the green look uses a giant billboard graphic technique to print Billie’s face on a black hoodie. It’s paired with

green sweat shorts to match perfectly with her green nails and roots.

The looks also bring in chunky sneaks from Bershka’s wider collection, based on Billie’s style of wearing XXL pieces with trainers.

Other merchandise includes oversized tees and hoodies, a tote bag and phone cases, printed with her face, her name, or that of her album: When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?— the biggest North American debut of the decade with 15 billion combined streams, and counting.

The collection is available at Bershka Glorietta only.

Kyle Echarri turns Oreo red

By Angelica Villanueva RISING star, 16-year-old Kyle Echarri sure knows how to pay someone—or something—a compliment.

The Filipino-American singer and actor made Oreo’s biggest fans blush at the launch of the brand’s new and limited edition flavor, Red Velvet.

Oreo Red Velvet cookies were first seen in the market in 2015 and was exclusively available in the United States.

This year, the “blushing cookie” comes to the Philippines.

The new variant is made of red velvet-flavored cookies and cheesecake filling.

Although based in California, Kyle told Manila Standard he hasn’t tried Oreo Red Velvet yet prior to the Philippine launch, “But now that I’ve tasted it, [I've discovered] it’s delicious. It tastes like real red velvet cake.”

Oreo’s ‘blushing cookie’ variant is made of red velvet-flavored cookies and cheesecake filling.

Oreo Red Velvet is available in leading supermarkets and on Lazada until January 2020.

A graphic print of Billie Eilish’s face features prominently in this green look (left), while this orange look showcases an all-over apocalyptic landscape print.

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Entertainment

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019 nickie.standard@gmail.com

Brian McFadden in Manila, Cebu for November concert

SNAPSHOT

Travolta delights fans in Rome filmfest

HOLLYWOOD star John Travolta looked delighted as he stepped out on the red carpet for a tribute event held in his honor at the Rome Film Festival in the Italian city on Tuesday.

The actor, 65, will be honored with the accolade for his performance in The Fanatic, which is about a crazed fan who becomes a violent stalker. AFP

Descendants of National Heroes to star in ‘Malvar’ film L

Manny Pacquiao as National Hero Gen. Miguel Malvar

Irish singer and former Westlife member Brian McFadden returns to the Philippines for a concert in Cebu and Manila.

Brian McFadden’s Philippine tour is presented by EKG Productions.

Tickets available for Manila at www. ticketnet.com.ph and TicketNet outlets.

For inquiries, call (02)911-5555 or (02)532-8883. Tickets available for Cebu at www.smtickets.com/events/ view/8253 and SM Tickets Cinema outlets and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel Ticket Booth. EKG Productions hotlines: 0998 964 4585 (Manila) and 0998 964 4589 (Cebu).

Ruru Madrid is limitless, humbled, and focused

AWYER Jose Malvar Villegas, Jr., head of JMV Film Production (JMV) and grandson of National Hero Gen. Miguel Malvar, has recently announced that some of the direct descendants of the National Heroes of the 1896 Philippine Revolution will appear to portray the roles of their National Hero ascendants in the movie Malvar.

The upcoming film, which is based on the life story of Gen. Malvar, is produced by JMV, with Sen. Manny Pacquiao playing the title role.

According to Villegas, co-founder of the Kaanak ng mag Bayani ng Himagsikan Filipino, 1896 (KAANAK, 1896), the official organization of descendants of National Heroes recognized by National Historical Commission (NHC) headed by Roy Daza as president, a joint committee of JMV and KAANAK 1896 shall be formed to take up with award winning singer and song writer Imelda Papin, president of Actors Guild and lead producer of the film, and director Jose “Kaka” Balagtas, as to who of the National Hero descendants would be part of the big screen project.

Meanwhile, Daza, who is the grandson of Revolutionary Hero, Col. Eugenio Daza, who commanded the Filipino forces against the Americans in the World famous Balangiga Samar

IRISH singer and song writer who rose to fame as one of the original members of the Irish boy band Westlife, Brian McFadden, will be coming to Cebu at the Mediterranean Ballroom, Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino on Nov. 16 and Manila at the New Frontier Theatre, Araneta Center, Quezon City on Nov. 17 for a concert.

Joining Brian as a very special guest both for Cebu and Manila, is first ever Idol Philippines champion, Zephanie Dimaranan.

In June 1998, McFadden joined the Irish boy band Westlife alongside Kian Egan, Markcus Feehily, Nicky Byrne, and Shane Filan. Together, they made chart topping songs, “Swear It Again”, “If I Let You Go”, “Flying Without Wings”, “Seasons in the Sun”, “Fool Again”, “My Love”, “Uptown Girl”, and “Queen of My Heart”, “to name a few.

As a solo artist he released his debut single “Real to Me”, which reached No. 1 in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Brian was based in Australia for a while, where he found success not only as a singer-songwriter, but also as a radio presenter. He was also a judge in the reality talent search, Australia’s Got Talent.

He toured with Keith Duffy, member of Boyzone, as Boyzlife in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

This year, as one of the original and prime members of Westlife, he is set to come back to the Philippines to fulfill our original Westlife experience as Bryan.

FROM the 14-year-old boy that first captured the hearts of televiewers in the talent search Protégé, Ruru Madrid has come a long way in the entertainment industry as an actor, model, and performer. The homegrown talent remains a loyal Kapuso as he renewed his contract with GMA Network on Oct. 4.

Ruru expressed his gratitude to GMA for believing in his potential from day one up to now, “I’m very thankful for

Battle said, that the return of the three Balangiga Bells recently by the American Government through the intercession of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte was a great victory.

“It’s a victory not only for the members of the Kaanak 1896, but also for the Filipino people, who see in the return of the Bells a manifestation of the greatness of our National Heroes of the 1896 Revolution which will be witnessed in the movie Malvar,” he said adding that the film will highlight the killing of 50 thousand men of Balangiga, who were massacred by the American forces to retaliate their defeat in the Balangiga Battle.

Villegas, on the other hand, said that the entire cast of Malvar will be presented to the public on Bonifacio Day, on Nov. 30, at Aberdeen Court Quezon City with the presence of an all-star cast.

Singer and actor Ruru Madrid renews his contract with GMA Network.

the network’s. trust. From the very start of my career, sila na ‘yung unang naniwala. Bilang ganti sa tiwala na binibigay nila sa akin, every time na may ginagawa akong projects, sobrang pinagbubuti ko.”

In his first six years in showbiz, Ruru already showcased his charm and talent in notable shows such as Let The Love Begin, The Half Sisters, My Destiny, Encantadia, Sherlock Jr., Inday Will Always Love You, and TODA One I Love. Last August, he also launched his first-ever single entitled ‘Nawawala’ under GMA Music. He also stars in the upcoming film CaraXJagger alongside Jasmine Curtis-Smith.

GMA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon eyes a bright future for Ruru’s career, “We’re happy for Ruru as our homegrown talent. He’s become a good actor. I think maganda ang future ni Ruru lalo na dito sa atin.”

Meanwhile, GMA Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable is proud of Ruru’s accomplishments in his craft, “We give them projects that will further hone their talents but that's just part of the whole effort, the rest of the effort is Ruru's. I have to give that to Ruru because from the very beginning that he came out of Protégé, he’s shown so much improvement.”

Atty. Gozon, Rasonable, and GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi SantiagoLara, and GMA Artist Center Senior Talent Manager Vic del Rosario joined Ruru during his renewal of contract.

Patch wants to have fun in Miss International

Binibining Patch Magtanong is flying to Japan to compete in the 59th edition of Miss International pageant.

BINIBINING Pilipinas International 2019 winner Atty. Bea Patricia ‘Patch’ Magtanong is set to fly to Japan to compete in the 59th edition of the Miss International beauty pageant.

Will Patch win for the country for the seventh time and inch closer to Venezuela’s eight victories?

The 25-year-old lawyer and model, who graduated cum laude from the University of the Philippines and also has a degree in Business Economics, was gorgeous in a silver cocktail when she faced the press during the traditional send-off ceremony. It was tendered for her at Novotel Manila by her Bb. Pilipinas family and fellow queens, led

by BPCI chairperson Stella Marquez Araneta and Miss Universe Philippines 2019 Gazini Ganados.

“The past few months have been so hard, so difficult, not anything that I have experienced before. But every time I felt tired, I think that I’m doing this not just for myself, but for a hundred million Filipinos who love pageantry. I’m excited to show you what I have been preparing for this pageant.

I promise to do everything that I could

PAGEANT CONCEPT ETON CONCEPCION possibly do to win,” Patch said in her opening statement.

“When my mom and sister told me to just have fun, I said I’ll think about it,” Patch said in jest.

The bedimpled beauty from Bataan wants to set up a legal assistance program for inmates who cannot afford to hire lawyers to regain freedom.

In Miss International, she will be facing about 90 delegates from around the world, one whom is Miss Japan Tomomi Okada, who interestingly is the daughter of the late actor Masumi Okada who hosted the Japan-based pageant for several years the last time in 2005 when Lara Quigaman won the title.

Miss International 2019 will be held at Tokyo Dome City Hall, Bunkyo, Tokyo on Nov. 12 where Venezuela’s Mariem Velazco will crown her successor. ***

Pinay wins 3rd place at Miss Globe 2019 Leren Mae Bautista named second runner up at the Miss Globe 2019 pageant held Tuesday morning in Ulcinj, Montenegro.

The 26-year-old native of Laguna, who won Miss Tourism Queen of the Year International in 2015, flew in Montenegro at the same time with Samantha Ashley Lo for the Miss Grand International 2019 in Venezuela who nearly not made it the Latin country due to passport problem.

Miss Mexico Alejandra Diaz de Leon Soler was crowned Miss Globe 2019 besting 75 other countries. Miss Trinidad & Tobago Carla Jean Lares and Miss Canada Shauna Griffiths were named first and 3rd runners up, repectively. Miss Czech Republic Kristine Malirova was 4th runner up.

“I want to use this platform to raise awareness on protecting the planet. As Mother Teresa said, not all can do great things but we can do small things with great love,” Bautista answered when asked how she would use her title is he wins to benefit others.

Miss Philippines Globe 2019 Leren Mae Bautista

Motoring

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

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TMPs CARS program is a three-pronged approach to producing green cars in an environment-friendly area while bring about socio-economic benefits to its host venue.

Toyota gears up for smart, green cars

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ANTA ROSA, Laguna—Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation presented to the media its high technology facilities, which were completed under the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) Program. The company’s P5.38 Billion investments in the CARS project enhanced not only the company’s local production capabilities, but ultimately added value to revitalize vehicle and parts manufacturing in the country.

In his welcome message, TMP president Satoru Suzuki said that, “We, at Toyota, have always believed that the auto-manufacturing industry’s growth is a catalyst for national development.

As such, we have continued the local production of our best-selling models over the years, thereby providing employment and sustaining many smalland medium-scale enterprises that are the backbone of our economy.”

CARS program For TMP alone, CARS investments include the local parts production of the Toyota Vios at the Resin Injection Molding Facility for bumpers and instrument panels, Roller-Hemming Robots at the welding line, and the newlyinaugurated A0 Press Line for stamping of side member panels.

Through these investments, TMP has started its journey towards “smart manufacturing”, integrating high-tech equipment in the Toyota Production System. Such facilities use robots to automate repetitive tasks, making production processes more efficient. To handle new production technologies, TMP also made substantial investments in manpower training for the acquisition of new skills.

Aside from acquiring new production technologies, TMP continuously supports its local suppliers in developing technical know-how, upgrading their manpower skills, and in addressing technical gaps through Technical Assistance Agreements (TAA) with Toyota’s network of suppliers in the Asia Pacific region. Among the CARSenrolled suppliers having TAA include Valerie Products Manufacturing (with Ogihara Thailand Co. Ltd.) and Manly Plastics (with Toyoda Gosei Thailand Co. Ltd).

Through strong collaboration, TMP and its suppliers were able to produce the Toyota Vios with greater local content, specifically for big body shell and large plastic parts that have a very complex nature of production. Currently, localization ratio is at58%.

In preparing for a more sustainable future, Toyota has started equipping its

manufacturing operations with greener technologies. TMP’s investment in the 1-MW solar array enables supply of about 4% of the manufacturing plant’s annual energy requirements, reducing 790 tons in CO2 emissions. Likewise, several karakuri projects in the production line have been started to further reduce electricity consumption, such as the use of mechanical equipment which optimize a gravity-balance system. These initiatives are well aligned with the objectives of the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 – to lessen carbon footprint in every stage of business operations and add more value to society.

Socio-economic contributions The demand for locally-produced vehicles has enabled Toyota to expand its production operations in the country, hence contributing more to the Philippine economy in terms of investments, taxes, employment and technology transfer.

“We take it as an honor and privilege that Toyota’s business activities in the country have given us the opportunity to contribute, not only to our Team Members, but also to the development of our supply chain and our dealer network. These activities have also given us the means to implement the many corporate social responsibility projects that we have pursued directly and through the TMP Foundation,” Suzuki remarked.

In its over 30-year history, TMP has grown to be the largest auto manufacturer and distributor in the country with the widest product line-up of 21 models and 71 dealer outlets nationwide to date. Employment in TMP’s value chain has reached over 55,000 employees, encompassing white and blue collar jobs.

Having a high multiplier effect, the auto industry’s growth in the country has paved the way in expanding auto parts manufacturing, bringing in more investments and new technological skills and know-how. Currently, the industry employs direct and indirect manpower of over 500,000.

Nissan-PCSO ambulance donation WITH the help of Nissan Philippines Inc., the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office turned over 45 new ambulance units to various government hospitals and health facilities nationwide to enhance the delivery of emergency health services to the public.

PCSO Chairperson Anselmo Simeon Pinili and Vice-Chairperson and General Manager Royina Garma led the ceremonial turnover rites of the 45 brand-new Nissan NV350 Urvan type-2 advanced life support ambulance units held at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

“The PCSO has always been a firm advocate of efficient health services to the Filipino people, especially those who

have little resources to spend on their medical and health care. We will never waver from this commitment as we reaffirm our dedication in providing free but quality assistance to the public,” Garma said.

Garma assured PCSO’s accessibility to families and individuals who require medical and social assistance from the government.

“The PCSO is on standby 24/7 to help those who need assistance, especially indigent families who rely on their government for financial relief,” Garma said.

The Medical Transport Vehicle Donation is one of the key programs of the PCSO to equip local government units, government hospitals, municipal health

Nissan Philippines Assistant General Manager for Sales Antonio Mauricio Jr. (rightmost) joins DOH Undersecretary Roger Tong-An (second to the right), Vice-Chairperson and General Manager Royina Garma (middle), and PCSO Chairperson Anselmo Simeon Pinili (second to the left) at the turnover rites of 45 brand-new Nissan NV350 Urvan type-2 advanced life support ambulance units. With the aid of Nissan Philippines, the brandnew ambulances were donated by the PCSO to various government hospitals and health facilities nationwide to strengthen the delivery of emergency health services to the public.

offices, and other health institutions/ facilities all over the country with medical transport vehicles to immediately respond to the needs of patients especially from poverty-stricken areas.

The program underscores the importance of a reliable and functional ambulance for emergency transport of sick patients and stresses the value of quick access to health care.

Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the PNP Directorial Staff, Dr. Gerardo Aquino Jr., Medical Center Chief II of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and Brig. Gen. Eriel M. Niembra, Commander of Presidential Security Group, accepted the keys of the ambulance units on behalf of their health facilities.

Also present during the turnover ceremonies were DOH Undersecretary Roger Tong-An representing Sec. Francisco Duque III as a guest of honor and speaker and Dr. Larry Cedro, PCSO Assistant General Manager for Charity Sector.

The new medical transport vehicles will benefit patients from Metro Manila’s government hospitals, which include Amang Rodriguez Medical Center (Marikina City), Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital (Manila), East Avenue Medical Center (Quezon City), Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (Manila), National Center for Mental Health (Mandaluyong City), National Children’s Hospital (Quezon City), Philippine OrthopedicCenter (Quezon City), Quirino Memorial Medical Center (Quezon City), Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (Muntinlupa City), Rizal Medical Center (Pasig City), San Lazaro Hospital (Manila), Tondo Medical Center (Manila), Lung Center of the Philippines (Quezon City), National Kidney and Transplant Institute (Quezon City), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (Quezon City), Philippine Heart Center (Quezon City), and Valenzuela Medical Center (Valenzuela City).

NEW AMBULANCES. The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) turns over 45 new ambulances to various government

hospitals and health facilities nationwide in a ceremony in Camp Crame, Quezon City. The move seeks to equip local government units, government hospitals, municipal health offices, and other health institutions/facilities all over the country with medical transport vehicles to immediately respond to the needs of patients especially from poverty-stricken areas.

FASTLANE

Isuzu hands over 17 PUVs to MetroVal

Valenzuela City joins modern PUV program with the help of Isuzu Philippines Corp.

At the ceremonial turnover of the symbolic key for 17 units to Metroval TSC are (left) Hajime Koso, President of Isuzu Philippines Corporation and Celso Ensila Jr., Metroval TSC Chairman.

VALENZUELA City joined the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) with the turnover of an initial 17 modernized PUVs from Isuzu Philippines Corporation to Metroval TSC. The turnover was held formally at the parking grounds of Metro Valenzuela Transport Service Cooperative Metroval TSC. A short program was held prior to the turnover.

Celso Ensila Jr., Metroval TSC Chairman stated that, “We chose Isuzu because we believe in the product that provides durability and at the same time fuel efficiency”. He added, “As our cooperative grows, we are assured that through the newly acquired Isuzu PUVs, we can promote development of the transport

service here in Valenzuela, improve the quality, and safety of the commuters, and to serve our mission to the community of Valenzuela.”

Chairman Celso Ensila also gave route information in which PUVs will go around Valenzuela, specifically 8 units for Malanday-Pier, 4 units for MalandayDivisoria,3 units for Malanday-Recto, 1 unit for Malanday-Sta Cruz, and 1 unit for Meycauayan-Monumento.

The 17 modernized PUVs have been assembled using the Isuzu QKR77 platform, with the rear body designed and manufactured by Almazora Motors Corp. They are all air-conditioned Class 2 PUVs with a side-facing seat configuration. The Isuzu QKR platform is assembled in the Philippines and is

equipped with Euro IV-compliant 4JH1TC Diesel Engine that delivers excellent fuel economy.

The new PUV body is compliant with Philippine National Standards (PNS 2126:2017), with the passenger cabin providing more space for passengers to move easily inside. The passenger door is safely situated on the right-hand side, facing the sidewalk. Other design features of the body include panoramic windows and windshields, full-body insulation, and automatic door closer.

The Isuzu modern PUVs are “customized with various accessories such as WiFi, GPS, CCTV, LED displays and automatic fare collection system enabling cashless operations, all geared for passengers’ safety and added convenience.”

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2019

Motoring The new FIA Formula 3 Championship car will make its Guia Circuit debut this year.

Formula Motorsport Limited

MACAU MEMORIES

Formula 3 Stars of Guia Circuit

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INCE 1983, when the late, great Ayrton Senna took the first victory in a Formula 3 car on the Macau Guia Circuit, the F3 Macau Grand Prix has lived up to its reputation as a king maker. As the city prepares to welcome the arrival of the latest generation of F3 cars this November, we take a look back over the evolution of one of motorsport’s most influential single seater categories, and some of the truly remarkable cars which have graced Macau’s challenging street circuit.

his Madgwick Motorsport-run 863 to victory in the 1986 Macau Grand Prix.

But it is the Reynard 903 from 1990 we are focusing on here. This was far from Reynard’s most successful Formula 3 car, but it famously took Michael Schumacher to victory in Macao that year with the WTS Motorsport team of his manager Willi Weber and engineer Klaus Trella, after a frantic battle with Mika Häkkinen.

The design of the 903 was very much influenced by Reynard’s 1989 championship-winning Formula 3000 car, and Schumacher had used it to good effect to win the German F3 title in 1990 before arriving in Macao. But it was temperamental. With each of the national F3 championships having their own control-tyre deals, the Reynard worked in some countries, but not in others. In the prestigious UK market, it was such a flop that it cost Reynard all its customers for 1991.

fect – the RT3 became obsolete as Tauranac Ralt RT3 When the Macau Grand Prix switched produced its follow-up: the RT30.

Those flat-bottom rules had coincided to Formula 3 rules in 1983, the Ralt RT3 dominated the grid. Nineteen of the 25 with the entrance to Formula 3 of Adrian cars in the entry had come out of the Sur- Reynard as a constructor. Unlike Ralt, rey, England factory of Ralt founder and which at the time stuck with an aluminium former Brabham F1 designer Ron Tau- monocoque, Reynard’s first car – the 853 – ranac. The RT3 was the first F3 ‘wing was a carbon-fibre machine. The 853 concar’—using the ground-effect principles cept was refined over 1986 (with the 863) pioneered in Formula 1—to achieve great and 1987 (873), with Andy Wallace taking customer sales.

From uncertain beginnings in 1979, it had become a winner in 1980 and would begin saturating the worldwide market over the next couple of years, with minor revisions made by Tauranac each season.

The Formula Atlantic version of the car— the RT4—had even won the last Macau Grand Prix run for that category in 1982, with Roberto Moreno at the wheel.

The 1983 Macau Grand Prix ended with a Ralt lockout of the podium, with Ayrton Senna heading home Roberto Guerrero and Gerhard Berger. Its domination was even more complete in 1984, when 24 of the 31 cars in Macao were RT3s, and John Nielsen led a top-seven clean-sweep for the car ahead of Stefan Johansson and Mike Thackwell. When Formula 3 switched to flat-bottom rules for 1985 – effectively banning ground-ef- Michael Schumacher roars to victory at Macau in 1990 in his Reynard VW 903 TOM’S 032F

Kona, LCVs drive up Hyundai sales

By Othel V. Campos HYUNDAI Asia Resources, Inc. highlighted the performance of its light commercial vehicles (LCV) and commercial vehicles (CV) which surged by 12 percent to 11,659 units in the first 9 months of 2019.

Lower inflation, increased government spending, and a full line-up of quality SUVs, vans, trucks, and buses fueled HARI’s sales for the period.

The LCV segment, the main growth driver for Hyundai, expanded by 9 percent to 10,972 units sold from 10,061 units.

Hyundai subcompact SUV Kona reigned supreme with sales rocketing by 128 percent during the period while light truck H-100 chalked up 52 percent sales

growth. Sales of the premium mid-sized SUV – the Santa Fe – also grew by 9 percent.

The company’s aggressive expansion into the CV segment, marked by the establishment of more dedicated dealerships, contributed to company frowth.

CV sales more than doubled from last year, hitting nearly 700 units.

Company president and CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo said the CV will soon get a boost as the company reinforced its plan to participate in the governament’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) through the Hyundai Modern Jeepneys.

“The Hyundai Modern Jeepney fuses Korea’s cutting-edge technology and Filipino ingenuity. We are always thinking of more innovative mobility solutions with

Toyota factory squad TOM’S is wellregarded as the most successful team in Japanese Formula 3 history, but ironically its early F3 chassis were the product of a team in England.

Based at the company’s TOM’S GB offshoot in Norfolk, England, designer Andy Thorby started sketching what became the 031F of 1991 “as a hobby” while he was waiting for a Group C sportscar project to begin.

Run by the TOM’S GB concern of Glenn Waters – who as chief of Intersport Racing had run Martin Donnelly to 1987 Macau Grand Prix glory – the car raced in Britain in 1991 with Rickard Rydell.

Meanwhile, TOM’S Japan carried Paulo Carcasci to the Japanese title, before signing Rydell for 1992 to partner Jacques Villeneuve in the updated 032F. While neither won the crown, Rydell was confident for Macao: he’d taken pole in 1991 in the British-run 031F, and sure enough drove the 032F to win the F3 Macau Grand Prix title in 1992after a hectic battle with the Reynard of Pedro Lamy, with Villeneuve third.

Those early TOM’S cars provided a big advance on downforce and cornering speeds in Formula 3, and would be the foundation for a long period of domination for the team in the Japanese championship before it followed the hordes and switched to Dallara.

This car totally changed the course of Formula 3 history. In the 1992 Macau Grand Prix, just four of the 30 cars had come out of the Dallara factory in Parma, Italy. By 1993, that figure had exploded to 23 out of 29.

Dallara’s team of designers spent an estimated 1200 hours in the wind-tunnel working on the F393, and the car – which featured monoshock front suspension as opposed to the old twin-shock format – had what was reckoned to be a 15% increase in aerodynamic efficiency. It dominated in the Italian, German and French Formula 3 championships, and also cracked the British market; previously loyal to home constructors Ralt and Reynard, the British defected en masse mid-season to the F393.

German F3 championship front-runner Jörg Müller dominated the 1993 Macau Grand Prix with the RSM Marko team of future Red Bull Junior ‘headmaster’ Dr Helmut Marko, and 13 of the 14 classified finishers were at the wheel of F393s.

The F393 also coincided with the introduction of multi-year homologation cycles by the FIA for F3 chassis – in this case two years – to cut costs. In 1994, all but two of the 28 Macau Grand Prix starters were at the wheel of F393s or its F394 spinoff.

Jörg Müller and Sascha Maassen battle it out in the 1993 F3 Macau Grand Prix Dallara F312 The Dallara F308 was a superb car that raced from 2008-11 under a four-year homologation cycle. The F312 that followed was not quite so svelte, built as it was to more stringent FIA safety standards, but is notable because of its sheer longevity.

The FIA also extended its homologation, meaning the F312-generation Dallara competed in every Macau Grand Prix from 2012-18, via new, more powerful engine regulations in 2014, plus an aero and safety update in 2017. Although many teams replaced their Dallaras with newer cars, some original F312 chassis continued racing in Macao all the way through to 2018 – in particular, two chassis run by the British Carlin team contested all seven Macau Grands Prix in this period, which must be a record. The first of these trusty warhorses was raced in Macao by Carlos Sainz Jr, Jordan King (twice), Callum Ilott, António Félix da Costa (who drove it to victory in 2016), Sacha Fenestraz and Yoshiaki Katayama.

The other – F312/010 – was campaigned

by Daniel Abt, Harry Tincknell, Tom Blomqvist, Yu Kanamaru, Lando Norris, Devlin DeFrancesco and Jehan Daruvala.

António Félix da Costa en route to Macao glory in 2016 This year will see the 2019 FIA F3 makes its debut in Macao and, for the first time, the entire Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix-FIA F3 World Cup field will compete in the same spec car. With a Dallara-built carbon monocoque, the car is powered by a bespoke, 6-cylinder Mecachrome 3.4 litre naturally-aspirated engine capable of delivering 380bhp at 8,000rpm. For the first time, the new Halo driver protection safety feature will be seen on the Guia Circuit, and the cars are also equipped with an F1-type Virtual Safety Car system as well as a Drag Reduction System (DRS).

Thirty-six years since Ayrton Senna stood victorious on the first Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix podium, who will follow in his footsteps as Macao begins a

the aim of making people’s lives easier,” Agudo said.

Recently, the Hyundai H-100 Class 1 Modern Jeepney and the Hyundai HD50S Class 2 Modern Jeepney received Certificates of Compliance (COC) from the DOTr. Meanwhile, sales of passenger cars hit 13,103, year-to-date for September 2015, down 15 percent compared to the same period last year as the company continued to consolidate in this segment.

It added that while there has been a marked change in consumer preference towards SUVs and MPVs, sales of Hyundai’s core PC models remain strong, driven by the Reina and the best-selling Accent. The two models alone account for over half of Hyundai’s sales.

From left: TMP Vice President Elijah Marcial; Director for Don Bosco Technical College Engr.

“This year has been characterized Winston Dereje; TMP First Vice President Cristina Arevalo; and Chairman of Engineering & by highs and lows as the automotive Architecture Department Engr. Antonio Delos Reyes, Jr. industry continues to recover. Beyond external factors, we believe that sales will only improve in the coming months as we introduce more products and services that are relevant to our customers while redefining vehicle ownership,” Agudo said.

A total of 465 students from different Recently, Hyundai rolled out another TOYOTA Motor Philippines has stepped fields joined three batches of educational up its efforts to educate the public on industry first, the 5X5campaign which seminars, achieving the highest participathe benefits of vehicle electrification by offers the longest inclusive Preventive tion record to date for the Hybrid Campus staging another leg of its Hybrid CamMaintenance Service package of free Tour series since its inception in March pus Tour series in Don Bosco Technical 5-year PMS or up to 100,000km, (which2019.

Toyota’s technical experts also gave College , Mandaluyong.

This whole-day ever comes first) for every purchase of experiential lessons to the students and facevent marks the first time that the Alla Hyundai Tucson, Santa Fe, or Starex. ulty through a whole day test drive activity New Corolla Altis hybrid variant is ofThis was followed by the Super Sais proinside the school grounds.

Almost 50 stufered for a public test drive, following its mo that provides free six months PMS for dents signed up to try out the Prius C and introduction to the Philippine market last the H-100. the All-New Corolla Altis hybrid variant.

September.

Toyota campus series: Bosconians drive the future