Manila Standard - 2019 December 5 - Thursday

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Avalanche of gold continues; swimmer shines

By Peter Atencio

bets broke two national records, and James Deiparine ended a 10-year contributed to the host country’s eight- drought in Philippine swimming by AS TEAM Philippines doubled its gold tally on Day 4 of the 30th South- taking the men’s 100-meter breast Next page medal haul, two Filipino-American east Asian Games.

SEA GAMES MEDAL TALLY

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 294 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

(As of December 3/ 8:23 P. M.)

BEST SEA GAMES ORGANIZER.

GOLD SILVER BRONZE TOTAL PHILIPPINES VIETNAM MALAYSIA SINGAPORE INDONESIA THAILAND MYANMAR BRUNEI CAMBODIA LAOS TIMOR

56

41

22

119

Sports Industry Awards 27 32 33 92 Asia CEO Eric Gottschalk 21 12 22 55 (left) stands beside, from 18 12 20 50 right: Philippine Olympic 17 27 29 73 Committee president 11 15 22 48 Bambol Tolentino, 1 6 20 27 Philippine South East 1 5 5 11 Asia Games Organizing 1 3 17 21 Committee Chairman Allan 0 0 6 6 Peter Cayetano and Phisgoc 0 0 0 0 Chief Operating Officer Ramon Suzara during the DROUGHT ENDED. James Deiparine (above) ends a long-term drought in Philippine swimming by taking the men’s SPIA Asia Awards at the 100-meter breast stroke crown in the Southeast Asian Games (above), while Kristel Macrohon wins another gold for the country in Grand Hyatt Hotel. women weightlifting (far left) and Marly Martir (left) the gold in women’s shooting.

Water deals bedevil Duterte DOJ ordered to draw up new contracts; Ayala firm seeks ‘workable solution’

By MJ Blancaflor, Othel V. Campos and Macon Ramos-Araneta

‘Tisoy’ leaves 12 dead, vast losses to crops, infrastructure

S

AYING water concessionaires are “hellbent on bleeding Filipinos dry,” President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Department of Justice to prepare new contracts and file raps against Manila Water and Maynilad and government officials who entered into deals with them.

By Francisco Tuyay, Othel V. Campos and Joel E. Zurbano THE death toll from Typhoon “Tisoy”’ rose to 12 after the strongest storm this year hammered parts of Luzon and the Visayas, field reports indicated Wednesday.

Typhoon Tisoy also left in its wake about half a billion pesos worth of production losses mainly on rice, corn, and high value crops, the Agriculture department reported.

The President has asked the DOJ, along with the Office of the Solicitor General, to draft and prepare new “covenants that are favorable to the state and the Filipino people,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Wednesday.

President Duterte has also directed the filing of criminal, civil and administrative charges against all those involved in the contracts with the utility firms, including their owners and legal counsels, as well as agents and lawyers of the government for “economic sabotage,” Panelo said.

This came after Duterte expressed his outrage over the decision of the Singapore-based Permanent Court of Arbitration directing the government to pay Manila Water P7.4 billion due

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TISOY’S TRASH. A resident walks past debris of

destroyed houses (right) after Typhoon ‘ Tisoy’ hit Sorsogon City on Tuesday, with at least 12 people reported killed as it tore roofs of houses and forced the international airport in Manila to shut down. In Manila, a fisherman at the Baseco Compound in Port Area (below) prepares his fishing net as the Metro Manila sky is cleared of clouds after Tisoy takes a quick exit Wednesday. Norman Cruz with AFP

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600k farmers Media groups ask SC for live airing of massacre ruling in QC court receive P3b in aid, Villar says SolCom chief takes over Army

By Rey E. Requejo

SEVERAL media organizations have asked the Supreme Court to allow them to cover live the Dec. 19 promulgation of verdict on the Maguindanao Massa-

cre case involving the mass murder of 58 people, including 32 journalists, 10 years ago.

Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary Jose Joel Sy Egco on Wednesday

asked the Supreme Court to allow government communication agencies to cover the promulgation of the decision on the case.

Egco, who also serves as the executive director of the Presidential Task Force

on Media Security, wrote to Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez asking permission to cover the case.

In a letter to Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta on Dec. 3, the National Union Next page

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

ABOUT 600,000 farmers will this month receive the P5,000 cash assistance from the Finance department to help them cope with the liberalization of rice importation, Senator Cynthia Villar said Wednesday.

Villar, head of the Senate’s Agriculture and Food committee, denied reports that the Senate caused the removal of the P3 billion supposed to be given to the farmers-beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, Agrarian Reform Secretary John Castriciones on Wednesday raised concern over an anticipated Next page

By MJ Blancaflor

PRESIDENTIAL SIGNATURE. President Rodrigo Duterte signs Tuesday the postponement of the 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections and the Malasakit Center Act during a Malacañang ceremony. Presidential Photo

National Scientist Gomez dies at 81

UK Apostrophe Society closes down

NATIONAL Scientist Edgardo Gomez, a pioneer in marine conservation in the Philippines, died on Dec. 1, the Department of Science and Technology announced. He was 81.

Gomez was a researcher, scientist, Gomez

Malacañang addressed to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo DuPresident Duterte has terte has named the head of also appointed a new Depthe military’s Southern Luuty Ombudsman for Luzon zon Command as the new and 17 prosecutors to fill commanding general of the the vacancies in the DePhilippine Army. partment of Justice’s NaLt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, Gapay tional Prosecution Service. will lead the 98,000-strong He appointed the Ombudsman’s Philippine Army upon the retirement of Lt. Gen. Macairog Alberto Deputy Special Prosecutor Cornelio Next page on Friday, according to a letter from

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BRITAIN’S Apostrophe Protection Society is closing down, its founder has announced, saying it had sadly lost the fight against “ignorance and laziness.”

Former journalist Next page

Lotto jackpot best b-day gift for Cavite bettor

A BETTOR in Cavite got the best birthday and Christmas gift ever after winning the P50.3million Super Lotto 6/49 jackpot on Sunday night, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office said Wednesday.

PCSO General Manager Royina Marzan-Garma said the 65-year-old

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A2

News

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

LTFRB rules out fare hike for PU jeepneys THE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board clarified there would be no fare hike for all public utility jeepneys.

In a statement issued Tuesday evening, the LTFRB belied reports of a fare hike and said the memorandum circular 2019-061 it issued was to merely standardize fare rates computations for modern public utility vehicles such as e-jeepneys.

“The (MC) 2019-061 on Fare Rates for Modern PUJ Services and Electric PUJ Services aims to establish a nationwide fare guideline baseline for Modern PUJs and E-Jeepneys,” the statement read.

The LTFRB said the circular does not apply to regular PUJs. Under MC 2019-061, non-airconditioned electric and modern PUJs shall charge a fare rate 20 percent higher than regular PUJs for the first four kilometers with no rate difference in every succeeding kilometer.

For air-conditioned units, the fare rate is 20 percent higher than regular PUJ service for the first four kilometers and 20 percent higher for every succeeding kilometer.

The memorandum took effect on Wednesday (Dec. 4).

The new fare rates, according to the memorandum, are justified through the “unquantifiable” benefits of modern PUJs to the environment aside from the increased cost of maintenance of such units. PNA

SolCom...

From A1 Somido to be the new Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon. Somido formally took his oath on Tuesday night before Duterte in Malacañang.

Somido will take over the post of Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon, which was vacated by Gerard Mosqueda who stepped down in June 2019.

Gapay was formerly deputy commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command and head of the Joint Task Force Haribon in charge of securing the Mega Davao area after the September 2016 bombing of the Roxas night market.

He was also in charge of security at the launching of the Philippines’ chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations held in Davao City in 2017.

Gapay topped the Philippine Military Academy “Sinagtala” Class of 1986. With Rey E. Requejo

UK Apostrophe...

From A1 John Richards, 96, started up the society in 2001, aiming to preserve the correct use of what he said was the “much abused punctuation mark.

Richards spent the last quarter of his career as a sub-editor, preparing journalists’ copy for the newspaper— a task which often involved correcting their use of apostrophes.

When he retired, he kept spotting the same glaring mistakes in daily and decided to take action, seeing the apostrophe as an endangered species in need of protection.

But Richards said that with regret, he was now closing down operations for two reasons.

“One is that at 96 I am cutting back on my commitments and the second is that fewer organizations and individuals are now caring about the correct use of the apostrophe in the English language,” he wrote on the society’s website.

“We, and our many supporters worldwide, have done our best but the ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won!” AFP

Lotto...

From A1 bettor, who has nasopharyngeal cancer, had been purchasing lotto tickets for 30 years, claimed her prize from the Office of the General Manager at the agency’s main office in Mandaluyong City.

“She has nasopharyngeal cancer. She is a recipient of chemotherapy assistance from PCSO. She did not expect that she will get a winning check. The winner had a lucky pick because she is celebrating her birthday next week,” Garma told reporters.

The winner told Garma that she plans to get treatment for her illness and help

DND: No to extended martial law “I just sent my recommendation today to the President recommending the non-extension of martial law in the UE to the improving security in the southern whole of Mindanao,” Lorenzana said backdoor, top security officials have endorsed to in an interview.

He said the AFP believed that the President Rodrigo Duterte the non-extension of Maute Group and other threat groups martial law in Mindanao, which is to expire on Dec. 31. could no longer launch a Marawi-type attack as their forces and capabilities Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana mined that the purpose of implement- had significantly dwindled.

Aside from holding the ASG and said extending martial law in Mindanao ing martial law has been attained and for the third time seemed not necessary the prevailing conditions in the whole foreign jihadists at bay following their following the improved security situation, of Mindanao island as well as the is- defeat by the military, troops had also with the Armed Forces of the Philippines lands of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi made significant accomplishment and the Philippine National Police gain- have greatly improved since the defeat against the New People’s Army.

“We've also made significant strides ing the upper hand on all threat groups. of the Maute fighters in October 2017,” in combating the insurgency, with “Our security forces have deter- Lorenzana said.

By Francisco Tuyay

D

Water...

From A1 to rejected water rate hikes back in 2015.

Manila Water cited details of its concession agreement with the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems in 1997, which carried a provision that pushes the government to indemnify the utility firm against any loss that could result from the regulator’s actions.

As regulator, the MWSS approves or rejects petitions for water rate adjustments.

The ruling comes almost three years after the PCA ruled on a similar case filed by west zone concessionaire Maynilad. The court had ordered the state to reimburse P3.4 billion for Maynilad’s losses from March 2015 to August 2016.

“It is apparent that some members of the government have not only looked the other way, but have in fact purposely guided the hands of those who have raped our economy for their own personal aggrandisement,” Panelo said.

“Worse, they are hell-bent on bleeding our country dry. The proper delivery of basic services has not been fostered but thwarted to the outrageous detriment of the Filipinos,” the Palace official added.

Panelo, who also serves as Duterte’s chief legal counsel, noted that under the Constitution, all natural resources of the Philippines, including water, are owned by the state.

He said utility firms had treated water as a “commodity and a money making venture, instead of considering it as a public service.”

Avalanche...

From A1 stroke crown during the start of the aquatics meet at the New Clark City pool in Capas, Tarlac.

His efforts came as shooter Marly Martin, and her teammates in the women’s precision pistol shooting team also took golds, as did weightlifter Kristel Macrohon, obstacle course bets Kevin Jeffrey Pascual, Rochelle Suarez, and the women’s 4x100-meter relay team.

This carried the Philippines to a fourday total of 56 golds, 40 silvers and 21 bronzes, with Vietnam taking second with its 26-31-32 tally.

Malaysia is in third (20-12-21), followed by Indonesia in fourth (17-26-21).

Singapore, which is making a strong presence in fencing, has 16-11-19 goldsilver-bronze collection.

On the other hand, gymnast Carlos Yulo settled for three silver medals in the horizontal bar, parallel bar and the vault exercises.

Because of this, the Philippines has already surpassed its total medal haul of 24-33-64 back in 2017.

The 26-year-old Deiparine tapped the touch pad in one minute, and 1.46 seconds and shattered the Philippine record for third time since 2016 The last time Deiparine did it was in July 2, 2016 when he recorded a time of 1:02.00 during the Scottish National Swimming Championships.

her family.

The lucky bettor, who bought the winning ticket from a lotto outlet in Baclaran, picked the winning combination of 35-38-09-17-10-15 with a corresponding prize of (P50,305,924) which was drawn on Dec. 1.

She was given a LandBank check after she presented the winning ticket and valid government-issued identification cards.

There were 10 bettors, who almost hit the jackpot, correctly guessing five of the six-digit winning combination, getting a consolation prize of P70,000 each.

The 6/49 Super Lotto is drawn every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. PNA

Panelo also said a review of the agreements with the Manila Water and Maynilad had revealed that these are contrary to public policy and interest.

Manila Water, on Wednesday, clarified that the arbitral award issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration was for acts in breach of the procedure committed by officials of the previous administration.

The company also said it was confident that the decision by the court was above board.

The company had previously conferred with the Finance department for guidance upon receipt of the news.

Manila Water informed the department of a plan on how to implement the arbitral award “considering that this case was filed due to a violation incurred not during this administration.”

“We wish to reiterate that Manila Water is more than willing and have started to work with the incumbent administration to come up with a workable solution to the arbitration decision,” the company said in a statement.

The concession agreement contains a procedure for the adjustment of water rates in accordance with the MWSS Charter,the company said. The government undertook to respect the procedure, which is under the full control of MWSS. The company said it has spent over P157 billion to improve water and wastewater services. It has installed over 5,500 kilometers of pipes and built two new filter plants, 32 new reservoirs, 113 pumping and booster stations, 40 additional wastewater treatment facilities and five times more sewer network capacity to improve the MWSS facili-

In doing so, Deiparine became the first Filipino swimmer to win a gold in the SEA Games since Miguel Molina, Daniel Coakley, and Ryan Arabejo won four golds in Laos in 2009.

“It feels really good to get a gold after two silvers in the last SEA Games. And this was the ultimate goal—competing at home here in the Philippines,” said Deiparine.

Thanh Bao Pham of Vietnam bagged the silver with a time of 1:01.92 while Lionel Khoo Chien Yin won the bronze (1:01.98).

Earlier, Remedy Rule earlier came close to snaring the gold in the women’s 200-meter butterfly.

But she reached the finish line by two-tents of a second to Jing Wen Quah of Singapore.

Quah clocked 2:10.97 seconds to Rule’s 2:10.99, and wrested the gold.

“It feels great. The Philippines has given me so much. I met so many people and I’m glad I could give back by winning the silver (medal),” she said.

Despite of her silver medal finish, Rule reset the 2:11.28 national clocking that she achieved in the 18th World Championships in Gwangju last July.

And this will be fourth time that Rule has eclipsed the national mark this year.

In weightlifting, Macrohon proved her worth by ruling the women’s 71kg division, handing the Philippines its second gold medal at the end of the weightlifting competitions.

National...

From A1 conservation advocate and educator in various fields, including invertebrate biology and ecology; giant clam culture and restoration; and coral reef assessment and conservation.

Born Nov. 7, 1938, Gomez was conferred the rank of National Scientist of the Philippines in 2014 and was professor emeritus for marine biology at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute.

He is the uncle of Manila Standard chairman Philip Romualdez and House Majority Leader Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, and sister of Juliette Gomez-Romualdez.

His remains currently lie in state at

ties in the East Zone.

This resulted in the expansion of water service coverage in the East Zone from 67 percent coverage serving around three-million people to 93-percent coverage serving over seven million people, the company added.

Also on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon denied he was among those who drafted the “onerous” concession agreements between the government and Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Water Services signed in 1997.

“I did not in any manner participate in the drafting of the concession agreement,” Drilon said in response to the question raised by Duterte.

The President said he remembered Drilon warned the government against “tinkering” with the contracts, saying that the government will end up paying so many billions of pesos.

Duterte also told the opposition leader that if he goes down, he will drag Drilon with him.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto also said the senators were not part of crafting any agreement with water concessionaires then and now.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said he supported the President’s move to review all government contracts.

“After hearing his explanation last night on how we are being taken for a ride by these concessionaires, I told him I’m supporting him 100 percent on the issue,” said Sotto.

But Drilon warned that “existing and binding contracts cannot simply be classified as onerous and canceled” although he was in favor of the review of all contracts.

Media...

From A1 of Journalists of the Philippines, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism said the families of the victims, the media and the public waited for 10 years for the promulgation of the result of the case.

“Due to its undeniable public importance, the NUJP, the CMFR and the PCIJ respectfully request the Supreme Court to allow journalists and media organizations to conduct a live coverage and streaming of the Dec. 19, 2019 promulgation of the decision on the Ampatuan Massacre,” the groups appealed in their letter.

“The undersigned organizations also ask the Honorable Court to designate a specific area within the courtroom for the reporters and cameramen to stay during the promulgation.”

The media organizations said the live coverage would allow the families and relatives of the victims to watch the proceedings if they not able to attend the promulgation in Metro Manila.

Most family members of the victims are from Mindanao such as General Santos City, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Maguindanao.

“The trial of the Ampatuan Massacre has been followed by the families mostly through after-hearing reports and off-court broadcasts in the past years,” groups said in their letter.

Santuario de San Antonio Parish in Makati City, with burial scheduled at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Dr. Gomez saw the need to protect the Philippine archipelago’s vast marine resources, in particular that of coral reefs. He led the world’s first nationalscale assessment of damage to coral reefs, leading to international conservation initiatives such as the replanting of corals.

He also pioneered giant clam (Tridacna gigas) breeding stationed in Bolinao, Pangasinan and other protective areas for coastal communities of the Philippines.

Among his most notable works were his contributions in the baseline mapping of the Philippines, which included the disputed Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea.

three Guerrilla Fronts and three Pulang Bagani Command cleared and dismantled, respectively,” Lorenzana said.

He expressed optimism that even without martial law, the government could still keep the peace.

“I think we can maintain the peace and improve it further, make it more peaceful without martial law, that there will be no more martial law," said Lorenzana.

President Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao in 2017 to stop the terrorism in Marawi City following an attack by Islamic State-inspired terrorists led by the Abu Sayyaf Group and Maute Group.

'Tisoy'...

From A1 Two of the latest deaths were from Catanauan, Quezon and Ormoc, Leyte, both of them from drowning, police said.

Most of those killed were from Mimaropa and the Bicol region, where Tisoy made four landfalls since Saturday.

The Office of Civil Defense-Region 4B identified the latest fatality as Minay Bernabe, who died when a coconut tree fell on her in Marinduque.

In Quezon, one died after being struck by lightning while fishing in Polilio Island, while another was hit by a felled tree.

One was reported killed in Leyte after also being hit by a tree.

Two died from heart attacks at the height of the storm.

In Limbamanan, Camarines Sur, a 33-year-old man was electrocuted when a live wire fell and hit the metal roof of his house.

National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council spokesman Mark Timbal said they were still verifiying the casualties as the provinces of Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Oriental Mindoro and Camarines Sur were placed under a state of calamity due to the extent of damage done by Tisoy, which packed winds of 155 kph.

The NDRRMC said at least 38 houses were damaged by the typhoon in the Cordillera Autonomous Region and Caraga.

At least 203 areas were still without power after Tisoy toppled poles and transmission lines.

Twelve road sections were impassable after they were damaged by the torrential rains that Tisoy brought.

A total of 123,912 families or 495,408 people were affected by the powerful typhoon in Central Luzon, Bicol, Central Visayas, Metro Manila and Mimaropa Most of the damage was done to the farming communities in Calabarzon and the Bicol region, which suffered losses estimated at P531.61 million, affecting 14,637 hectares and 3,808 farmers. With PNA

600k...

From A1 shortage of future farmers that could put food security at risk.

“Mind you, the average age of our farmers is 57 years,” he told reporters.

“And most farmers want their children to finish college and leave farming, so that would be a sorry state for our agricultural sector.

“We want to reverse that kind of mentality. That is the reason why we are working hard and doing our best to improve the lives of our farmers.”

Villar lamented the report about the P3-billion subsidy as “fake news” being peddled by those opposing the liberalization of rice importation under the Rice Tariffication Law recently signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Instead, she said the P3 billion was transferred to the Land Bank of the Philippines, and then distributed to the farmer beneficiaries by the Department of Agriculture.

She said the department had a list of the 600,000 farmers who had less than one hectare of ricefield in order to qualify for the help.

Next year, she said, the department would again give P5,000 cash to the beneficiaries. She said financial assistance would be given directly to the farmers and would no longer go through local government units.

“Perhaps similar to our CCT [Conditional cash transfer],” said Villar while referring to the transfer of funds to poor Filipinos who meet the criteria of the program that aims to help minimize property.

Villar also clarified that instead of the plan to give rice to the intended beneficiaries, the Agriculture department opted to give cash assistance.

She expressed hope the farmers could adjust with the rice importation liberalization because of the huge funding coming their way through the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund. With Rio N. Araja

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

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House yet to tackle bill on ABS-CBN franchise

CONFISCATED.

Manila City Hall's Task Force Malasakit confiscated illegal firecrackers during a raid in Divisoria, Binondo, Manila on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

Norman Cruz

Du30 praises Villars, slams ‘oligarchs’

Police to go after high-value targets in anti-drug campaign

By MJ Blancaflor

HE Philippine National Police on Tuesday said it will continue to intensify its campaign against illegal drugs, this time focusing on high-value targets.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has praised the Villars for building a real estate empire even as he lashed out anew at “oligarchs” whom he accused of controlling the country’s economy.

In his speech Tuesday evening, Duterte noted that the Villars started from scratch to build their real estate business, while he threatened to sue water utilities under the Ayala and Pangilinan groups with economic sabotage, claiming they earned huge profits when water supply was privatized.

“Villar started his housing at the sweat of his brow,” he said, referring to former Senate President Manuel Villar, who ran for president in 2010 but lost to Benigno Aquino III. “Villar stayed long in the business, including Mrs. Villar, the senator. They worked hard,” Duterte added.

Duterte has acknowledged the Villars as campaign supporters, and appointed their son as Public Works secretary when he won the presidency in 2016.

Manuel “Manny” Villar is among the country’s richest, with a net worth of $6.6 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

In the same speech, Duterte was furious that water firms categorized water “not as a natural resource but as a commodity” in government contracts.

He also accused the Ayala group of not paying income taxes on their water utility, Manila Water Co. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in Singapore has ordered the government to pay Maynilad about P3.6 billion for losses and damages and recently P7.4 billion to Manila Water.

The water concessionaires brought the government to court after the government denied their petitions to increase water rates in their respective concession areas.

“In the contract, the water is categorized not as a natural resource but as a commodity. And in the contract, it’s not Republic of the Philippines. It's just being mentioned there’s an entity that has contract with Ayala and Pangilinan,” he said.

Duterte also said that Manila Water won its arbitration case against the government because the Ayala firm was in the same club as those on the arbitration panel.

A3

T

PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac issued the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants the next PNP chief to ensure that he can eliminate drug lords from the country.

“Walang dapat ikabahala. Alam naman natin ang Pangulo ay talagang nagbibigay ng diin sa kanyang kampanya laban sa illegal na droga at nais niyang tukuyin ay, of course, 'yung ating pagtugis sa mga HVTs katulad nung mga drug lords at mga drug traffickers (There is nothing to worry about because we know that the President is really emphasizing his campaign against illegal drugs and he wants to arrest the HVTs like drug lords and drug traffick-

ers),” Banac said.

He added that the President might have been looking for somebody who will be able to continue the intensified anti-illegal drug campaign, stressing that all senior officers of the PNP are qualified for the post as they are also want to go after the HVTs),” Banac said.

Duterte earlier said it was not enough to be recommended with a list of contenders for the next PNP chief because he was expecting a “better deal.”

“They are all good. I want a better deal. It is not enough that you recommend to me,” Duterte said.

“Kung sabihin mo, ‘Sir, pag ako

ang pinili mo, patay lahat ng drug lords…’ ‘Ok, ikaw’ (If you say, ‘Sir, pick me and all drug lords will be eliminated. ‘Okay you)’. If you can't give me that guarantee, e ayaw na (I won’t pick you),” he added.

Currently, PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa is one of the top candidates as the next PNP chief.

The other contenders for the post are Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, deputy chief for operations; and Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, former Metro Manila police director and now head of the directorial staff.

The successful candidate will replace Gen. Oscar Albayalde who retired on Nov. 8.

Ahead of his retirement, Albayalde was dragged into the 'ninja cops' mess in connection with a controversial antidrug operation in Pampanga in 2013 during his stint as the province's police chief. PNA

‘Increase salary of private school teachers’ DAR chief worried

By Maricel V. Cruz over diminishing number of farmers A MILITANT lawmaker on Wednesday filed a bill increasing the minimum salaries of private school teachers to P30,000 per month.

House of Representatives' Assistant Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers said private school teachers, particularly those assigned in basic education and outside the National Capital Region suffer unequal treatment when it comes to their salaries and benefits. ''Those against increasing the salaries of public school teachers often argue that they already have salaries higher than teachers in private schools. They claim that there would be a migration of teachers from private school teachers to public schools when their salaries increase," Castro said. "It is true that many private schools receive lower salaries than public school teachers. That is why we filed a bill increasing the minimum monthly salaries of private school teachers to P30,000."

The 2010 Revised Manual for Regulation of Private Schools in Basic Education of the DepEd provides for the sharing of increments in tuition increases,

that is, 70 percent of the tuition collection must be allocated to the salaries and/ or wages of teaching and non-teaching personnel, Castro, member of the Makabayan Bloc, said.

"The right of private school teachers and their education support personnel must not be made dependent or conditioned on tuition increases," she added.

Castro said private school teachers, like their counterpart in the public sector have long been calling for a substantial increase in their salaries.

"Teachers in the private sector are not spared from huge class sizes and additional tasks apart from their teaching responsibility. They are also overworked and underpaid," Castro said.

The lady legislator lamented that many private school teachers receive salaries that does not commensurate to their status as teachers.

According to her, there are even reports of private elementary and high school teachers being paid salaries ranging from P3,000 to P6,000—this despite being licensed professional teachers and possess the necessary and desirable qualifications for teaching."

WE HEAL AS ONE. They are the unsung heroes of the 30th SEA Games whose sacrifices and efforts in emergency and quickresponse are not given much attention, but their presence in the Games venues are indispensable. They are the first to arrive and last to leave. Health officials led by Assistant Secretary Francie Laxamana, Director Gloria Balboa and over-all Cental Luzon Medical Emergency Management team Director Cesar C. Cassion pose with members and staff of the MEM-Task Units stationed at the different venues of the 30th SEA Games. Also in photo are: CL-MEM-TU Incident Commander-Dr. Alfonso Danac; Subic Operations IC - Cathelene A. Camagay; Subic Operations Chief–Dr. Paul Ruel C. Camiña; New Clark City operations chief-Dr Maila Rostrata. Dr. Rommel Punongbayan, Dr. Camiña, Lady Ruth Espadilla, Corazon Cruz and Rhainelee Viray were also among those who headed the Bulacan medical contingent at the opening ceremonies at the Philippine Arena Nov. 30. The fine-tuning emergency meeting was held yesterday at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo City. Orlan Mauricio

By Rio N. Araja AGRARIAN Reform Secretary John Castriciones on Wednesday raised concern over an anticipated shortage of future farmers that could put food security at risk.

At a media briefing at Great Eastern Hotel, Quezon City, the Department of Agrarian Reform chief said "mind you, the average age of our farmers is 57 years old."

"And most farmers want their children to finish college and leave farming so that would be a sorry state for our agricultural sector," he said.

"We want to reverse that kind of mentality. That is the reason why we are working hard and doing our best to improve the lives of our farmers," he added.

Even President Rodrigo Duterte described agriculture as the "weakest link" in the economy, Castriciones said.

"Why? Because our farmers are half-hearted. Isang kahig, isang tuka," he added.

To attract more young blood to go into agriculture, he said DAR and the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development have partnered to provide a shelter program for agrarian reform beneficiaries.

"Most of our farmers and farmworkers are poor, and do not own the house they live in. And even if they own it, most of their houses are dilapidated and need repair," he said in a statement.

The government wants to see a change and an improvement in the landscape of rural farming under the Duterte administration, he said.

"We would like our farmers to see their efforts so that as a whole family, they would be able to preserve their house and improve their lives," he told reporters as well as farmers who attended the activity.

AS FAR as the House of Representatives is concerned, there are other more important bills of national significance that needs priority than the bill renewing the franchise of ABS-CBN Corp. (formerly ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.), Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said on Wednesday.

Cayetano said the chamber will first tackle priority bills such as the several pending revenue bills before other proposed pieces of legislation like franchises are taken up.

He said the House can tackle the ABS-CBN franchise in January or February since it will expire in March yet.

"I reiterate that Congress will be fair... will always give a fair hearing.

Alam naman to din ng management ng ABS-CBN na uunahin namin ang budget at saka mga revenue bills (the ABS-CBN management knows that we will first tackle the budget bill and the revenue bills). Pero (But) we have more than enough time to tackle it in January, February dahil March pa naman ang expiration ng franchise (because the franchise will expire in March yet)," said Cayetano.

But even if Congress tackles House Bill 676 filed by Nueva Ecija Rep. Micaela Violago, Cayetano said there is no certainty of the outright renewal of franchise.

"Depende sa kalalabasan ng hearing (It will depend on the outcome of the hearing). I cannot preempt the committee or the issues that will be taken," Cayetano said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he will personally see to it that the TV network will no longer operate after its license to operate expires.

"Ang inyong franchise mag-end next year [Your franchise will end next year]. If you are expecting na ma-renew 'yan [a renewal], I'm sorry. You're out. I will see to it that you're out," said Duterte in a speech.

IN BRIEF Du30 OKs P10k bonus for gov't workers PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has authorized the granting of a one-time service recognition incentive worth P10,000 each for qualified government employees.

Under Administrative Order (AO) 19 signed on Dec. 2 and released Wednesday, Duterte noted that the grant of SRI is in line with the implementation of Joint Resolution 4 inked on June 17, 2009, which allows the release of incentives as rewards for a government employee's loyalty and exceptional financial and operational performance.

"Government employees deserve to be rewarded to recognize their collective and unceasing participation in and invaluable contribution to the Administration's continuing efforts toward the establishment of streamlined government processes and more responsive delivery of public services," the President said in AO 19.

AO 19 provides that a P10,000 cash bonus will be received by workers in national government agencies, including those in state universities and colleges and government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), who occupy "regular, contractual, or casual positions."

"The payment of the SRI to all qualified government employees shall not be earlier than 20 December 2019," the order read. PNA

LTFRB Bicol exec fired for extortion THE director of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in the Bicol Region on Wednesday was sacked from his post following a probe on his alleged involvement in extortion activities.

The dismissal of Vladimir Custer Santiago Kahulugan, director II of LTFRB Bicol Region, was stated in a letter from Malacañang dated Nov. 28 signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“Pursuant to the instructions of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, please be informed that your appointment as Director II, LTFRB is hereby terminated effective immediately,” the letter read.

In a bulletin issued by the Department of Transportation, Kahulugan was dismissed after an investigation uncovered his involvement, along with several others, in an extortion scheme where they demanded monthly “protection” payment from bus and UV Express operators in Bicol Region. PNA

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Opinion

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Questionable BCDA deal IN THE wake of claims that the P11-billion deal entered into between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the MTD Capital Berhad for the construction inside the sprawling 9,500-hectare New Clark City is questionable, the BCDA and the Government Corporate Counsel have defended the controversial contract.

How lucky can that Malaysian firm get!

The New Clark City is where government offices called the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) are being built as well as sports facilities that include a 20,000-seater athletic stadium, a 2,000-seater aquatic center and an athletic village.

According to BCDA president and CEO Vince Dizon and Office of the Government Corporate Counsel head Elpidio Vega, the partnership underwent all the legal requirements and that it was, in fact, very advantageous to the government.

The OGCC, which is the counsel of all government-owned and/or controlled-corporations, in response to clarifications made by the BCDA, unequivocally said the provisions of the executed Joint Venture Agreement and the legal framework of the project are in compliance with existing laws, rules and regulations.

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Santa Banana, despite what the BCDA and the OGCC are saying in defense of the deal, there are several questions that must be answered: What was the deal signed by Dizon and MTD Capital Berhad director Issac David anyway? The 67-page JVA which became effective Feb. 22, 2018 stipulates the Malaysian firm will earn at most P2.5 billion a year in a return-of-investment scheme.

Moreover, the BCDA and MTD Capital Berhad will have a 50-50 sharing scheme from the income of the sports facilities for 25 years, renewable for another 25 years upon agreement of both parties.

My initial reaction is: How lucky is MTD Capital Berhad, getting the better of the deal and not using Malaysian money at that, but a P9.5 billion loan with the help of BCDA from the Development Bank of the Philippines? Perhaps this DBP loan also needs looking into since the Malaysian firm spent only P8.5 billion.

Where did the P1 billion go? I am not sure if the BCDA is the guarantor of the loan.

Santa Banana, how did the obligation of the Philippine government become P11 billion when the Malaysian firm spent only P8.5 billion to build the sports facilities?

In the contract, BCDA would acquire ownership of the facilities by paying annual installments worth P2.2 billion for 5 years. Within that period, my gulay, the BCDA shall have paid P11.1 billion to MTD Capital Berhad by the last installment.

This is why I said how lucky can that Malaysian firm get! While BCDA can opt to pay for a shorter period with an adjusted amount, whichever option the BCDA takes, it will pay more

An unfortunate sideshow

T

HE barbs thrown at the organizers of the 30th Southeast Asian Games are part of an unfortunate sideshow of the international competition that the Philippines hosted this year.

Nothing, of course, could excuse the confusion that the foreign athletes experienced. All these and more were faithfully reported, much to the chagrin of the organizers and their supporters. Even the Palace said such criticism should be welcomed.

Meanwhile, honest criticism about the quality of the opening ceremony drew vicious attacks unworthy of a society that should be more tolerant of different opinions and points of view.

All this distracts us from the impressive showing that our athletes have presented so far. By the third day of the Games, the Philippines moved comfortably ahead in the overall medal race with 47 golds, 25 silvers and 16 bronzes.

Imagine how much better we can do in other competitions if we are able to give our athletes greater support—material or otherwise.

This is something we can all be

proud about—without the help of the usual bromides from vapid TV commentators about how Filipinos can achieve greatness if they only put their minds to it.

No doubt, this year’s SEA Games is one for the books, withstanding many things, including lessons in humility, a typhoon, and a vibrant— though not always positive—discourse on social media.

Let’s hope all the noise does not distract us from the Games’ original intention, which is to celebrate the spirit of friendly competition among ASEAN neighbors, and the hard work, discipline and perseverance of athletes.

Turn to A5

A losing tug-of-war AS PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte embarks on a war against water concessionaires servicing Metro Manila’s water needs, it seems the struggle of Bacolod residents’ concerning their own water service provider is apparently being overlooked.

To date, the residents of Bacolod have been embroiled in a year-long tug-of-war with its local water utility, the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA), in the latter’s pursuit of a joint venture with private proponent PrimeWater Infrastructure Corporation.

Negotiations between the two began in February this year, with PrimeWater having officially passed the negotiation stage later in July.

Throughout the entire process, citizens have loudly expressed their opposition to the joint venture, criticizing the water district for conducting the evaluation without public consultation.

However, despite overwhelming criticism, the board remained adamant the NEDA joint venture guidelines do not oblige them or PrimeWater to divulge the provisions.

In search for answers, citizens have formed groups to lobby against the joint venture. The water district’s own employees formed the BACIWA Employees Union to elevate their concerns. Representing the consumers is multi-sectoral organization Amlig Tubig, which has consistently advocated for the consumers’ right to be informed of the developments, and campaigned for transparency from BACIWA. In fact, the organization was disturbed by the BACIWA board’s behavior following the Swiss Challenge they hosted on Oct. 28, 2019 for the joint venture. The board had publicly opened the submissions of one of the bidders to determine if it had passed the requirements for eligibility, and reportedly promised to announce the

result after a week. However, they have kept mum in the month that has since passed.

“They have effectively left us in the dark,” said a representative from Amlig Tubig. “Their habitual silence in all joint venture matters has left us feeling very suspicious about their intentions as a utility created to serve the people.”

Interestingly enough, what happens in Bacolod doesn’t stay in Bacolod.

These complaints (against PrimeWater) have become prominent enough to serve as cautionary tales.

With PrimeWater’s extensive presence, operating in 127 towns and municipalities, its joint ventures all over the country have gained notoriety for similar illicit or suspicious conduct.

Citizens in these water districts, such as Lingayen and Paniqui, have taken to social media to lament on the subpar water quality and continued service interruptions that their water district’s joint venture, also with PrimeWater, failed to resolve.

These complaints have become prominent enough to serve as cautionary tales: Amadeo Water District terminated their negotiations with PrimeWater, also for a joint venture, following successful rallies held by its residents.

Metro Iloilo Water District reportedly declined a similar proposal from the water company, citing dissatisfaction with PrimeWater’s existing joint ventures.

Adding to reports of the company’s inappropriate practices are the accounts of other water districts being strongarmed into accepting PrimeWater’s proposal for a joint venture. Sources have attributed this to the significance of the company’s political ties.

Regulatory bodies seemed to have Turn to A5

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Post-Tisoy assessment

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tified the average frequent tracks of tropical cyclones which cross the country. The monthly tracks show that the middle part of the country is most often hit.

TYPHOON “Kammuri” or Bagyong “Tisoy,” classified as a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in Sorsogon early this week. Thousands were forced to flee from their homes and take refuge in evacuation centers in the Bicol Region. Quezon province was not spared.

The Provincial Government of Quezon, together with the Quezon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, our local officials and the police, immediately took measures to preemptively evacuate residents in high-risk areas, particularly the low-lying areas, coastal areas and near the rivers. The DSWD and the Provincial Social Welfare Office provided food packs and medicines that have been distributed to evacuees.

Our local officials went around their respective municipalities before the battering rains and made inspections of the roads, buildings, coastal areas and landslide-prone areas. Meeting after meeting, we were kept up to date about the status of the typhoon and the conditions of the people awaiting the end of the heavy rains.

We live in a country prone to typhoons. At an average, 20 typhoons enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility annually. PAGASA has iden-

Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Anita F. Grefal Baldwin R. Felipe Edgar M. Valmorida

Board Member & Chief Legal Adviser Treasury Manager Head—Ad Solutions Circulation Manager

The importance of having high quality and calamity-proof infrastructures cannot be more emphasized in this Build, Build, Build era.

Time and again, I have emphasized the need for better disaster preparedness measures in the country. Preparation does not come a day before, nor a week before. It starts with longterm planning, even before building infrastructures and laying out the groundwork. It starts with identifying vulnerable and priority areas and efficient solutions that will prevent and address any untoward incidents that may lead to loss of lives and property.

Countries such as the US and those in the Latin America and the Caribbean have also been devastated by natural disasters, but they did come to a turning point where they took drastic measures and shifted their focus on comprehensive mitigation policies to prevent such disasters from causing

innumerable human and economic losses.

Disaster risk reduction management should really be all about the purposeful management of our resources to mitigate the risks and prevent fatalities and losses during natural disasters. We are fortunate that immediate assistance was given by the DPWH and DSWD. Relief goods were sent to the province a day before heavy rains poured in. Personnel from the DPWH were on site early in the morning to remove fallen trees and posts on main roads. I take this as a sign that we are improving in responding immediately to these situations. However, prevention is always better than cure. Preparation is still the key.

In my past articles, I have promoted the adoption of calamity-proof infrastructures in both government and private sectors. The aftermath of typhoons often leave us with damaged buildings, roads, bridges, fallen posts, and dangling electric wires.

Earthquakes even brought worse scenarios. Hence, the importance of having high quality and calamity-proof infrastructures cannot be more emphasized in this Build, Build, Build era. We must make good use of this opportunity by funding and adopting quality calamity-proof designs and construction.

Ultimately, the government needs to implement measures to protect the Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

The road rage phenomenon ROAD rage usually brings out the worst of people. The ugly confrontation a few days ago between two drivers which was recorded on video and went viral on social media is one such example. It is good that not one of them brought a gun, otherwise, someone would have died due to the intensity of their argument. It took quite a while for the two to simmer down and all because one of the two believed that the other did not give way.

People who watched the upload must have been wondering why one of the drivers, who is a medical doctor, went after the other driver who was in a collarless T-shirt as if there is no tomorrow. After some reflection, I really wonder whether he is proud of what he did. After all, as a doctor, he should have known better, but such is the nature of the road. We are seeing this happen more often in our streets nowadays.

Road rage is characterized as “aggressive or angry behavior exhibited by a driver of a road vehicle. This behavior includes rude and offensive gestures, verbal insults, physical threats or dangerous driving methods targeted towards another driver or a pedestrian in an effort to intimidate or release frustration.”

Road rage, therefore, does not always have to end up in a verbal confrontation between two drivers. It can also be shown by the way one is driving. In studies conducted in the United States, so called “road ragers” are predominantly young with an average age of about 33 years old and 96.6 percent of them are male.

About 6.8 percent of road rage incidents also end up in death.

In relation to the length of time that people have been driving motor vehicles, the road rage phenomenon is relatively new. It originated in the US, particularly in the Los Angeles area, by a local TV or radio station. Since then the term has entered traffic lexicon the world over.

The US National Highway Safety Administration defines road rage as “the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner that endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.”

In the Philippines, although we

Questionable...

From A4

than P8.5 billion than the Malaysian firm shelled out, Santa Banana!

Amid mounting criticisms of the billions of pesos spent for the New Clark facilities, which will host only the swimming and track and field events, no less than House Speaker Alan Cayetano, who is also the chairperson of the Asian Games Organizing Committee Foundation, was all praises for the complex, giving the assurance it would not be a white elephant.

This brings up the question: Will the government profit from the facilities then?

Note this provision of the agreement: The parties hereby agree that the net profit after tax and the losses relating to the sports facilities: 50 percent to or by (as applicable) the BCDA and 50 percent to or by (as applicable) the winning private sector proponent MTD Capital Berhad.

In the payment scheme, the BCDA will repay MTD Capital Berhad the project cost in 5 years or less, but the Malaysian firm will reap profits for at least 25 years, extendable for another 25 years. Santa Banana, the Philippine government will forever be indebted to that firm.

Note this and weep: The OGCC's opinion now is different from its contract review where it flagged contentious points of the deal on so many points.

1. A document from the OGCC has emphasized two points, namely: The agreement between the BCDA and the Malaysian firm MTD Capital Berhad was not a joint venture but a Build-and-Transfer scheme.

2. Build-and-Transfer scheme projects are subject to public bidding.

3. Santa Banana, what happens when the Government Corporate Counsel is now changing its tune?

Let's be clear: The BCDA entered into a joint venture agreement with MTD Capital Berhad to build the

In the US, there is a distinction between aggressive driving and road rage. Road rage is considered a criminal offense while aggressive driving is considered a traffic offense. Other countries like Australia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom have also enacted laws on road rage which is something that our country has not yet done. Singapore and Australia impose stiff penalties if a road rage incident ends in serious physical injuries, ranging from huge fines or jail time.

In that recent road rage incident involving the doctor, it would be interesting to see what sort of traffic violations will be imposed on him.

As to the question whether road rage is a mental disorder, it appears that it is not considered an official mental disorder recognized by the United States Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders.

However, “according to an article published in the associated press in 2006, the behavior typically associated with road rage can be the result of a mental disorder known as intermittent explosive disorder that is recognized by the DSM.” People who personally drive their own vehi-

cles in the metro area all know how stressful it is. If one is not patient, people can easily have a coronary attack. To the majority of the drivers, that kind of situation where that doctor was involved could just have been shrugged off but there are always a small group of drivers who could not simply let go of a situation like that.

Now, that doctor will have some answering to do with the traffic authorities. Some netizens are even calling for the Professional Regulatory Commission to sanction him, which is totally unnecessary. The toll that stress exacts on people who drive every day is not something that people can simply ignore. And this rid also includes pedestrians and the riding public. It is one of those unquantifiable effects of the traffic gridlock in the Metro area.

JICA, the Japanese agency, calculates that P3.5 billion is being wasted every day due to traffic but I doubt whether that includes the effects of stress on the motoring public. The health and economic loss is actually a lot more. *** It seems that it is becoming harder for anyone to be appointed as the chief of the Philippine National Police to replace retired Oscar Albayalde. This is because the President just added another condition. In addition to being honest, he wants any aspirant to guarantee that he could get rid of all the drugs lords still out there.

It is difficult to see how anyone, regardless of ambition, would be willing to give that guarantee much less be able to accomplish it. As the President himself has intimated before, it might be difficult to completely eradicate the illegal drug problem by 2022 when he steps down from office.

Perhaps the President should consider lowering his conditions for appointment and just appoint someone that he knows and comfortable with, then closely supervise him so that the organization can march to the tune he wants. There are, after all , still many outstanding officers within the PNP officer corps who are capable and dedicated.

New Clark City and its two major components. As such, it is common sense to know that the sports facility segment as a rule is subject to public bidding. It was in a contract review for the draft JVA at the time. But BCDA claimed that it was eventually able to obtain a separate opinion from the OGCC which affirmed the legality of its JVA. The Government Corporate Counsel, in his Opinion No. 182, series 2018, confirmed that the provisions of the executed JVA contract and the legal framework of the project are in compliance with existing laws and regulations.

Since the JVA was one with partnership agreement, in 2017, MTD Capital Berhad was subjected to a Swiss Challenge, which it won.

It further said that the P2.2-billion annual payment of the BCDA for 5 years, which amounts to P11.1 billion to MTD Capital Berhad by the last installment, was a “reasonable return of investments.”

According to the OGCC, the agreement over the NGAC was the real joint venture, adding that the joint venture should include every component of the project, and not to carve certain portions thereof under a different framework, i.e. build-transfer under Republic Act No. 6957.

This runs contrary to an earlier contract review that, in a joint venture, that (developer) is being chosen in a partnership regardless of the cost, whereas in a build-transfer, the first consideration is the cost.

Why then did the Government Corporate Counsel now change the first contract review?

What did the BCDA do to change the first OGCC opinion to the present one? The contract review was dated Jan. 30, 2018, and the BCDA got authority to enter into a JVA on Feb. 2 of the same year. The JVA became effective Feb. 22.

The question now is: How did the BCDA's multi-million New Clark deal slip through in spite of the OGCC's first contract review saying

that the deal should be subject to a Build-and-Transfer public bidding deal?

Let us put everything in proper perspective. On Jan. 30, 2016, the contract review was issued by OGCC chief Rudolf Jurado on the JVA draft and flagged some provisions of the construction of the New Clark's sports facilities.

Later, in the final JVA draft, with the amount of P2.2 billion per year payment of BCDA to the Malaysian firm, Jurado said the deal constituted a Build-and-Transfer scheme and not a JVA. Recall that Jurado was fired by President Duterte in May 2018, after which the President appointed Elpidio Vega as the new OGCC chief on October 1, 2018.

OSG Memorandum Circular 2008-02 signed Jan. 3, 2018 said that when entering into major development projects, the required favorable legal opinion and/or contract review by the OGCC shall be secured by the GOCC before entering into such agreements.

Just how the OGCC justified the BCDA JVA agreement with MTD Capital Berhad, facts are not clear.

Section 4.9 of the final JVA says that “any subsequent changes in this sharing of gains and losses shall be subject to the mutual agreement of the parties.” This means that upon full payment and complete turnover to BCDA, BCDA will receive 100 percent share of the revenues.

Frankly, there are questions in my mind since the JVA agreement says that both the BCDA and the MTD Capital Berhad shall have a 50-50 share of profits and losses. Now, which is which?

In any case, a Senate Blue Ribbon investigation of this deal is urgently needed if only to clarify some questions, and let the axe fall where it may.

For his part, President Duterte should also have the deal looked into and if there is need for an investigation, he should order it. Frankly, I smell a rat in this deal.

have been talking about road rage for some years now, drivers who exhibit road rage behavior, if apprehended, are charge with other traffic violations such as reckless driving. This is because as far as I know, there is still no law that considers road rage as a criminal offense as distinct to aggressive driving which is ordinarily considered a traffic violation.

Road rage is one of those unquantifiable effects of the traffic gridlock in the Metro area.

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Limiting agri imports wrong answer to uncompetitiveness THE current troubles in the sugar industry are providing further confirmation—if that were needed—of the general inefficiency of Philippine agriculture.

First there was the coconut industry.

The entities representing the coconut farmers had long presented Congress and the Executive Department—DA (Department of Agriculture) and PCA (Philippine Coconut Authority) with a listing of coconut industry woes. The litany was led by government failure to provide coconut farmers with the inputs necessary to enable them to undertake the massive replanting needed to combat the competition from other lauric oils, especially palm oil.

Then came the rice industry. The rice-farmer groups have for weeks been bombarding Malacañang, Congress and the media with their demand for the repeal of the Rice Tariffication Act of 2019, which replaced with tariffs the decades-old import quotas. The rice farmers and their supporters have been complaining of falling domestic-rice prices in the wake of an alleged surge of imports.

Now comes the sugar industry. The producers of this country’s sugar—the planters and the millers—led by the group Tatak Kalamay, are up in arms against a Senate resolution that will allow the members of the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food (PCAF) and the Philippine Food Producers and Exporters Organization (PFPEO) to freely—i.e., without need for SRA (Sugar Regulatory Administration)—import sugar. “The deregulated entry of subsidized sugar into the Philippine market will be disastrous to our industry,” Tatak Kalamay has claimed.

The current travails of the rice and sugar industries—arguably this country’s two most important agricultural industries—have brought into focus the entire concept of international exchange of goods and services. Why do the producers and consumers of one country import goods and services from another country? And why are a country’s producers of goods and services able to sell their products to another country?

The answer may be that an exported product or service is unavailable in the importing country. But in the great majority of cases the answer is price-competitiveness. People buy goods and services from another country because, generally, the other country’s goods and services are less expensive; on the other hand, a country’s producer of goods and services are able to penetrate the markets of other countries because, generally, they are able to out-compete, pricewise, the producers of the same goods

and services in the importing country.

It boils down to price-competitiveness. If the rice traders have been importing a lot of rice since the effectivity of the Rice Tarrification Act—making the Philippines the No. 1 rice importer in 2019, according to the US Department of Agriculture—it is because of their perception that they can out-compete this country’s rice farmers. And if the members of PCAF and PFPEO want to import their sugar requirements from countries like Thailand and Taiwan, it is because of their production costs, with resulting product affordability.

Limiting the entry of foreign rice, sugar and whatever-else to the Philippine market is the wrong answer to a correct question.

Limiting the entry of foreign rice, sugar and whatever-else to the Philippine market is the wrong answer to a correct question. Repealing the Rice Tariffication Act and making SRA less accommodating toward import requests is akin to the proverbial putting-a-finger-in-the-dike approach to problems.

Or like a latter-day King Canute ordering the rollback of the tide.

Except for a brief period in the late 1960s, when the government went allout to achieve self-sufficiency and an exportable surplus, the Philippine rice industry has received nothing but lip service and pious promises from the politicians in Congress and the Executive Department. Inputs like credit, irrigation and marketing support have been consistently short. Little wonder that the Thais, Vietnamese and Taiwanese can produce mankind’s No. 1 staple at much less cost than the Filipino rice farmer.

Once one of the world’s leading sugar industries, the Philippine sugar industry has been in steady decline since the expiry of the Laurel-Langley Agreement, which gave the Philippines a preferential position—a whopping market quota at US market prices—for 20 years. Unfortunately, the sugar industry, which is situated mainly in the islands of Negros and Panay, did not take full advantage of Laurel-Langley to modernize its facilities and upgrade its practices for the decades ahead.

Again, little wonder that the beverage producers and food processors want to buy foreign sugar.

The rice and sugar planters and millers need the government’s all-out help.

But withdrawal of the Rice Tariffication Act and SRA tightening of sugar imports are not the answer. The answer is for the government to make it possible for Filipino rice and sugar farmers to produce competitively.

A losing...

From A4

noticed PrimeWater’s poor performance, with the Commission on Audit issuing reports on PrimeWater’s violations—both breaches in its own joint venture agreements and in NEDA guidelines.

Given PrimeWater’s apparent convention of acquiring joint ventures in succession, negotiating with the water districts behind closed doors, and yet consistently underperforming, it seems like they are a company only masquerading as a water utility—with insidious intentions.

Even with a prestigious name behind the company, PrimeWater seems to have been employing illicit business practices at the expense of its honest and paying consumers. It should not be utilizing water, a basic necessity, to pursue anything other than the honest supply of water.

Anything less is a disservice to the Filipino people.

Post-tisoy...

From A4

welfare of our people during times of natural calamities. We need more evacuation centers, trained emergency personnel, and necessary equipment that will aid us in responding to emergency situations. More than that, given the current configuration of our cities and municipalities, we need to identify key areas needing change, such as residential settlements in landslide-prone areas, those in coastal areas where storm surge occurs, or those living in small islands which may be swept away by rising water levels. We need to establish sustainable residential settlements that will

ensure the safety of the people.

Apart from structural damage, natural calamities also bring in devastation of farmlands, resulting in immense agricultural losses. Bagyong “Tisoy” destroyed almost all of our crops. While the province is prepared to provide assistance, the government’s aid to our farmers is crucial at this time. To my mind, post-calamity rehabilitation entails not only building sturdier infrastructure and prudent residential planning. It must include responsive and immediate livelihood plans. As a long-term and sustainable solution, research is needed on more resilient crops and cost-effective farming.

We cannot avoid natural disasters, but we can plan and prepare for them.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

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A6

News

TODAY DECEMBER 5, 2019 THURSDAY,

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Eleazar promoted to 3-star rank MAJOR Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the Directorial Staff of the Philippine National Police, has been promoted to the next higher rank.

In a letter dated Nov. 29 to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, President Rodrigo Duterte approved Eleazar's promotion to lieutenant general, a rank that fits his position as PNP’s fourthhighest official.

Eleazar is set to formally receive the threestar rank in an oathtaking and donning cer-

NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION Notice is hereby given that the members of the Board of Directors of VALEO ENTERPRISES INC.: (a) have approved, by way of amendment of its Articles of Incorporation, the shortening of its corporate term from fifty (50) years to Four (4) months from the date of issuance of the Certificate of Registration, i.e. i.e. February 5, 2018, and consequently, dissolving the Corporation on June 6, 2018; and (b) will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission an application for the approval of such dissolution.

All persons having any claims against the Corporation are requested to present their claims to the President, JASON Z. ADVINCULA, with postal address at P.O. Box 8747, New Wave Offices 7/F BA Lepanto Bldg.

Paseo De Roxas Makati, Metro Manila.

This announcement will serve as a notice to all concerned of the legal dissolution of the aforesaid Corporation.

JASON Z. ADVINCULA President and Chairman

(MS-NOV. 21/28, DEC. 5, 2019)

SCN FORM NO. 1 (R.A. NO. 9139)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON NATURALIZATION

emony on Thursday.

Prior to his appointment as PNP Directorial Staff chief, Eleazar served as director of the National Capital Region Police Office.

He also served as the director of the Quezon City Police District and the Police Regional Office 4-A. During his stint as Metro Manila top cop, Eleazar was known for imposing strict discipline on policemen and in punishing erring cops and rewarding those who made the police organization proud.

He is also known as the most social media active general—wherein he would immediately respond to the complaints or viral posts relating to errant cops and criminal activities.

His latest accomplishment as NCRPO chief was when he initiated the alliance among the government’s anti-illegal drugs law enforcement groups through the Quad-Intel Force— composed of the NCRPO, Philippine Drug Enforcement AgencyNCR, National Bureau of Investigation-NCR, and the military’s Joint Task Force NCR against drug lords operating in Metro Manila, particularly convicted drug lords who are detained at the New Bilibid Prisons.

The alliance led to the establishment of a liaison office of Quad-Intel Force at the NBP. The arrangement is that the Quad-Intel Force will serve as eyes and ears of the Bureau of Corrections to the illegal activities of convicted drug lords serving sentence in the facility.

Eleazar also deployed policemen who served as prison guards due to trust issues on NBP prison guards and also provided manpower in the massive demolition of illegal structures inside the NBP. PNA

SCN CASE NO. x------------------ x

PETITION Pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No. 9139, petitioner hereby submits a petition for naturalization to become a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines and respectfully declares: 1. My full name is ALDA NG TE GO , but I have also been known since childhood as Alda Ng Te or I have been judicially N/A . authorized to use the alias name(s) 2. My present place of residence is Upper Mandumol, Barangay Macasandig, City/Municipality of Cagayan De Oro, Province of Misamis Oriental, and all my former places of residence are (please indicate periods of residence) 272 Monteverde Avenue, Davao City Davao (1960 to 1965) A-208 C. Vamenta Avenue, Carmen, Cagayan De Oro ( 1966 to 1977) Comfoods Inc. Building, Osmeña St. Cagayan De Oro (1978 to 1984) Roa Cmpd. Carmen, Cagayan De Oro (1985 to 1989) Upper Mandumol, Macasindig, Cagayan De Oro (1990 to present) 3. I was born on 18 November 1960 in Davao City, Davao, Philippines. I have been a resident of the Philippines since birth. At present, I am a citizen or subject of People`s Republic of China.

4. My father's name is So Tuan Te and he was born on 31 March 1923, in Fujian, China. He is a citizen or subject of Republic of the Philippines. My mother's name is Maria Lim Ng and she was born on 23 March 1929 in Elcano, Manila, Philippines. She is a citizen or subject of People`s Republic of China.

5. My trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is Administrative Manager and from which I derive an average annual income of P977,307.69, inclusive of bonuses, commissions and allowances. My wife's/husband's trade, business, profession or lawful occupation is retired and from which she derives an average annual income of P1,200,000.00 (Where the above does not apply): I am exempt from the requirement of lucrative trade or occupation and from submitting income tax returns for the past three (3) years because I am a college degree holder [please state (1) degree obtained: N/A, (2) name of school: N/A and (3) years graduated: N/A who cannot practice my profession (the practice of which requires a government licensure examination) by reason of my citizenship.

6. My civil status is married, I was married on 23 Sep. 1984 in The Church of the Sacred Heart. My wife's/husband's name is William Tan Go and she/he was born on 14 March 1952 in Opon Cebu, Philipines. She/he is a citizen or subject of Republic of the Philippines and presently resides Upper Mandumol, Barangay Macasandig, City of Cagayan De Oro, Province of Misamis Oriental.

14. My character witnesses are Rosario G. Palingcod and Consuelo G. Tion both Filipino citizens, of legal age, and residing at Blk 4, L6, Pryce Ave., Puerto Heights Vill. and 20 Don Nicolas Ave., Capistrano Cmplx. Puerto, CDO respectively, who have executed sworn statements attached hereto in support of my instant petition, together with: (a) brief biographical data about themselves; (b) detailed statements on the dates they first came to know me, the circumstances of our initial acquaintance and the reasons and extent of our continuing familiarity; and (c) the number of times they have acted as character witnesses in other petitions for naturalization.

15. Attached hereto as annexes and made part of this petition are the duplicate originals or certified photocopies of the following documents (please check the appropriate box): [x] a. Petitioner's birth certificate [x] b. Petitioner's alien certificate of registration (ACR) [x] c. Petitioner's native-born certificate of residence (NBCR) [x] d. Petitioner's marriage certificate, if married [ ] e. Death certificate of his/her spouse, if widowed [ ] f. Court decree annulling his/her marriage or granting legal separation, if such was the fact [x] g. Birth certificates of petitioner's minor children [ ] h. ACRs of petitioner's minor children [ ] i. NBCRs of petitioner's minor children [x] j. Affidavits of financial capacity by the petitioner, duly supported by bank certifications, passbooks, stock certificates, or proof of ownership of other properties [x] k. Affidavits of at least two (2) credible witnesses who must be Filipino citizens of good reputation in petitioner's place of residence [x] l. Medical certificate from a government hospital stating that petitioner is not suffering from mental alienation or a user of prohibited drugs or otherwise a drug dependent and that he/she is not afflicted with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or any incurable contagious disease. [x] m. School diploma and transcript of records of the petitioner from the school/s he or she attended in the Philippines [ ] n. Certifications stating that petitioner's minor children are enrolled in public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the DECS, where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality [x] o. Petitioner's income tax returns for the past three years [x] p. Petitioner's receipts of payment of income tax for the past three years 16. Other documents submitted by the petitioner in support of his/her petition:

PRAYER WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed that petitioner be conferred Philippine citizenship pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act No, 9139.

8. I have three (3) child/children, whose names, dates and places of birth and residences are as follows:

Dated at Makati City, Metro Manila, this 28 day of Oct, 2019.

Aldwill Te Go Shani Gail Te Go Liam Alden Te Go

Date of Birth 16 Sep. 1985 11 Oct. 1987 13 May 1989

Place of Residence Birth Upper CDO Brgy Mandumol, Macasandig, City/ CDO M u n i c i p a l i t y o f Cagayan de Oro, of CDO Province Misamis Oriental

9. I received my primary and secondary education from the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philippine history, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

Name of School Xavier University Ateneo de Cagayan Kong Hua School

Place of Dates of Highest Grade School Study Completed Corrales Avenue 1977 to 1981 College Cagayan de Oro Kauswagan 1967 to 1977 Cagayan de Oro

11. I have enrolled my minor children of school age in the following public schools or private educational institutions duly recognized by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS), where Philipine History, government and civics are taught and prescribed as part of the school curriculum and where enrollment is not limited to any race or nationality:

N/A

Name and Place of School N/A

Prostitution ring in Clark busted

NEW CLASSROOMS. Grateful students from Canbalisara Elementary School in Barangay Canbalisara, Tanauan, Leyte say ‘thank you’ to Tingog Party-List Rep.Yedda Marie Romualdez, School Head Arlene Enciso, Barangay Chairman Luisito Zabala, Councilor Quintin Octa and Tingog 2nd Nominee Jude Acidre during the ceremonial ribbon cutting to formally turn over the new Typhoon resistant four classroom worth P5.6 million with additional chairs, tables and books for students. Ver Noveno

Good news for senior citizens

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Manila International Airport Authority on Wednesday signed an agreement with the city government of Pasay to hire some 100 senior citizens as temporary airport ushers.

The hired seniors, according to MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal, will serve for three hours in the morning and another three hours in the afternoon for 15 days, guiding air travelers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, to their seats and to offices they need to go to or which lanes to cue in.

The seniors, aged 60 to early 70s, will each receive a salary computed based on a P537 daily wage rate and were selected based on their health condition and fitness to work.

The authorities gave them assurances the tasks were not physically damaging to the elderly.

Monreal and Pasay City Mayor Imelda Rubiano signed the special project’s agreement in MIAA main office in close coordination with the Ang Probinsyano Party-list and the Department of Labor and Employment.

Rubiano was accompanied by Pasay’s Office of Senior Citizens Affairs president Normita Castillo.

“Through this project, we are giving our senior citizens the opportunity to still maximize their productivity, mingle again with people in a regular work environment and even provide some amount to their families with their salaries,” said Rubiano.

CLARK FREEPORT—A prostitution gang operating inside Clark Freeport was busted by the police following a raid in one of the residences at the Regency Park shortly before midnight Tuesday, Clark Development Corp. and police authorities said.

A Vietnamese girl, apparently being offered to foreigner clients as sex partner, was rescued.

Several other compatriots and Chinese women held in one room of the house were saved by the raiding team, said Police Brig. General Rhodel Sermonia, Central Luzon police director.

Sermonia identified the Vietnamese lady as Nguyen Thi Trinh.

He said six other Vietnamese and eight Chinese women were found in one room of the residence situated at the boundaries of Abad Santos Avenue and Emilio Aguinaldo streets here.

“A total 14 girls were rescued all in all during the raid,” said Sermonia.

The Central Luzon police director said two members of the prostitution gang were arrested.

They were Lee Pai and Lin Xuan, both Chinese who were allegedly maintainers of the residence. Another suspect, Wen Quiang Zeng, eluded arrest shortly after members of the regional Anti-Trafficking in Person Task Group 3 raided the place.

Sermonia said the raiding team, composed of personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and RATTG3, swooped down at the Regency Park after receiving reports that a prostitution gang was operating in this free port.

“The foreigner women are sexually exploited by the group by offering them to clients for P4,000 ($80) in exchange of (sic) sex,” said Sermonia in a statement.

Rescued women were brought to DSWD3 office for counselling before they were turned over to the Bureau of Immigration. Jess Malabanan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RIGHTS Manila

Standard

TODAY

ALDA NG TE GO Name and Signature of Petitioner Address: Upper Mandumol, Macasandig, Cagayan De Oro Telephone Number: (088) 855 6000

Right Thumbmark of Petitioner

I, Sayma M. Amerol, Harija Latip Asbi, Rosemarie S. Autida, Sittie M. Carim, Irene Joy M. Masacote, and Alvin S. Sumagop, acknowledge that Trade Marks shown below are well known trademarks of LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER registered in the Philippines for, inter alia, bags, cases, pouches, wallets, shoes and clothing and that no one may use these trademarks without the permission of LOUIS VUITTON.

Petitioner's signature and right thumbmark

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) CITY/MUNICIPALITY OF TAGUIG) S.S.

High School

10. I am able to read, write and speak Filipino and/or any of the following dialects of the Philippines:Filipino (Tagalog)/ Cebuano (Bisaya)

Name of Child

In its 53-page decision dated Nov. 29, the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division through Associate Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez found Mayor Wilfredo Balais and Vice Mayor Virgilio Go guilty of violating Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and sentenced them to up to 12 years in prison and perpetual disqualification from public office.

The two were charged with causing the 2011 purchase by the municipality of Labason of a 2001 model Nissan Patrol Wagon (plate number KCL 533) for P900,000 without public bidding from a private individual, Eduardo Ayunting, who owned a car dealership in Cagayan de Oro City.

Ayunting had previously bought the vehicle from Balais for a mere P500,000 two months earlier.

Ayunting was later discharged from the case to serve as a state witness.

In his testimony, Ayunting claimed he had merely accommodated the request of Balais for the transaction and said he had not received any of the sums even after Balais returned the vehicle and informing him that the Commission on Audit had disallowed the purchase by the municipality.

In ruling against the two officials, the court said “the rescission or cancellation of the contract only had the effect of restoring to the LGU of Labason the funds paid for the subject vehicle.”

It added: “The return of the funds to the LGU of Labason will not negate the damage caused thereto, and the unwarranted benefits given to Oro Cars and Ayunting.”

“Subscribing to the accused’s argument would render RA 3019 inutile. Public officers will be free to enter into anomalous transactions, in contravention of the law, and easily evade criminal liability by immediately canceling such anomalous transactions when they get hold of information that criminal charges will be filed against them, using such anomalies as a convenient ground for the cancellation of the transaction,” the court said.

Associate Justices Karl Miranda and Kevin Vivero concurred. PNA

_____________________________________________

7. I am legally separated from my spouse; my marriage was annulled, per decree of legal separation/annulment dated N/A granted by N/A. (please indicate the particular court which granted the same). I am a widower/widow and my spouse died on N/A in N/A.

Name

A

FORMER mayor and vice mayor of the municipality of Labason in Zamboanga del Norte have been sentenced to up to 12 years imprisonment by the Sandiganbayan for the purchase of a sports utility vehicle by the municipality without public bidding in 2011.

I am not opposed to organized government or affiliated with any association or group of persons who uphold and teach doctrines opposing all organized governments. I am not defending or teaching the necessity or propriety of violence, personal assault or assassination for the success and predominance of one's ideas. I am not a polygamist nor a believer in the practice of polygamy.

I have not been convicted of any crime involving moral turpitude. I am not suffering from mental alienation or from any incurable contagious disease. The country of which I am a citizen or subject is not at war with the Philippines and grants to Filipinos the right to be naturalized citizens or subjects thereof.

13. It is my true and honest intention to become a citizen of the Philippines and to renounce absolutely and forever all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, and, particularly, to People`s Republic of China of which at this time I am a citizen or subject. I will reside continuously in the Philippines from the date of the filing of this petition up to the time of my admission to Philippine citizenship.

IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION OF ALDA NG TE GO to be naturalized as Filipino citizen pursuant to Republic Act No. 9139.

2 ex-Zambo Norte execs get 12 years

I, ALDA NG TE GO of legal age and a resident of Upper Mandumol, Macasandig, Cagayan De Oro after being duly sworn, depose and say that I am the petitioner herein, that I have read the foregoing petition and know the foregoing petition and known the contents thereof, and that the same is true of my own knowledge.

ALDA NG TE GO Name and Signature of Petitioner

Date of Enrollment N/A

12. I shall never be a public charge. I am of good moral character. I believe in the principles underlying the Philippine Constitution. I have conducted myself in a proper and irreproachable manner during the entire period of my residence in the Philippines in my relations with the constituted government as well as with the community in which I am living. I mingled socially with Filipinos and have evinced a sincere desire to learn and embrace the customs, traditions and ideals of the Filipino people. I have all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under Republic Act No. 9139.

(MS-NOV. 28, DEC. 5 & 12, 2019)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports PH Blu Girls, Boys continue dominant SEAG show THE CEBUANA Lhuillier-backed RP Blu Girls’ mad dash for gold continued as they downed their Thai opponents, 11-0, earning them a spot in the semifinals Wednesday at The Villages in Clark, Pampanga.

The defending champions have kept their winning streak alive since Monday similarly with their Blu Boys counterparts.

“The Blu Girls are at the top of their game and eager to prove themselves worthy of being called champions.

Let’s continue to inspire and support them throughout the competition. It’s getting tougher by the day but with the Filipino people cheering on, that’s almost winning over half the battle,” said Cebuana Lhuillier and ASAPHIL president Jean Henri Lhuillier.

Despite the threat of Typhoon Tisoy, the crowd favorite demolished their Indonesian foes, 11-1, yesterday and finished off their Singaporean opponents, 6-0, last Monday.

“I’m so happy that we are doing what everyone expects and that is to win convincingly,” said Blu Girls head coach Randy Dizer. “The last two games that our team played, I think we’re ready, we’re there already. Winning as one is what we have in mind and that’s how we will finish it. We’re here for the country and we’re representing the country as best as we can para sa aming mga kababayan.”

Meanwhile, the Blu Boys are riding high on a three-game winning streak after crushing their Singaporean opponents, 8-0, also Wednesday morning at The Villages in Clark, Pampanga.

The Blu Boys defeated their Thai and Indonesian counterparts earlier this week. The team is gunning for a gold medal again after their victorious Southeast Asian Games stint in 2015.

“Napaka-happy ng coaching staff at nasunod ‘yung mga plano namin sa team especially ‘yung hitting and pitching rotation and ang teamwork namin, napakaganda. Hindi naman tayo malakas, hindi naman tayo mahina pero ang focus talagang hindi nawawala,” said Coach Blu Boys’ head coach Apol Rosales.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Tiger’s aura has dimmed, says Presidents Cup rival S

YDNEY, Australia—Ernie Els on Wednesday said Tiger Woods has lost some of his aura but the skipper of the International team will not be under-estimating his superstar counterpart at the Presidents Cup next week.

Woods is captaining and playing for the United States at the biennial matchplay showdown at Royal Melbourne, and one of Els’ key decisions will be who plays the 15-time major-winner in the singles on Sunday.

The big South African has seven rookies in his 12-man team, but he also has a core of experienced players such as Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman.

Els said he would decide who faces Woods after seeing how they perform in the three days of fourballs and foursomes, but suggested it would not be a newcomer.

“I don’t want to have a guy feel overwhelmed,” he said in Sydney ahead of the Australian Open, where Els will play from Thursday alongside a handful of his Presidents Cup team.

“I will not put a guy in there that’s going to feel that way. I’ll see who is

going to feel like he’s really got the best chance against Tiger.

“I don’t think today he has the same kind of aura he had in the past. It’s different,” added Els, himself a matchplay specialist but will only be captain in Melbourne.

“It’s more of a celebrity kind of aura.

But he’s still very competitive. He’s won the Masters and he won in Japan (both this year).

“When Tiger is healthy, he can play at a very high level. But he’s not what he used to be consistently. That’s just what age does. But we’ll see when we get to Melbourne.”

The United States go into the tournament as heavy favourites, boasting some of the world’s top-ranked players such as Woods, Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas.

They have won all but one edition in the

event’s 25-year history, with Melbourne in 1998 the exception.

Els said he had a good idea of what his pairings would be for the opening day of fourballs next Thursday, without giving anything away.

“There are a couple of pairings that are kind of natural pairings, if you can call it that, but I’m looking at it in a different way, not just a personality way.” he said.

“I’m looking at how the guys can really perform together.

“I’ve spoken to the players, some of the players already. So my thing is kind of set already, my plan is kind of set in motion already.”

In addition to Scott, Oosthuizen and Leishman, Li Haotong of China, Taiwan’s CT Pan, Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, Australian newcomer Cameron Smith and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama all qualified automatically.

Adam Hadwin and Jason Day were Els’ captain’s picks alongside rookies Im Sung-jae and Joaquin Niemann, although Day has since pulled out injured and been replaced by South Korean An Byeong-hun. AFP

CEREMONIAL TEE OFF. Baguio City Mayor Benjie Magalong makes the ceremonial tee off to kick off the 70th annual Fil-Am Golf tournament, listed in the Guiness Book of World Records as the longest-running golf tournament in the world. Dave Leprozo

Disneyland trip awaits PH arnis athletes

By Arman D. Armero IF and when the Philippines is officially declared overall champion in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, there’s no denying that our arnis martial artists deserve a huge credit for the feat.

Arnis, which is making a comeback to the SEA Games since it was last played in 2005, also in Manila, completed an impressive return when it grabbed 14 out of the 20 gold medals at stake.

The 14-gold haul had definitely made Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, president of the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation, extremely proud, so much so that he promised to treat the players and the coaches to a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland, a well-deserved reward for a job well done.

Arnis did miss out in quite a few opportunities when it also settled for six silvers and two bronze medals, but overall, it did better than expected, since arnis officials initially predicted a 12-gold haul.

Still, it was undoubtedly arnis’ performance which keyed the Philippines’ early surge three days into the competition.

As of this posting, the Filipinos are well ahead of the pack with 51 gold medals, which had already surpassed its measly 24-gold haul overall in Kuala Lumpur.

It was Dexter Bolambao, who started it all when he topped the men’s bantamweight division. His rousing victory immediately opened the floodgates for more wins, as teammates Mike Bañares, Niño Mark Talledo, Villardo Cunamay, and Jezebel Morcillo all delivered golden performances in Day 1 of the competition.

Day 2 proved to be the most productive for the arnis, as Abegail Abad, Jedah Mae Soriano, Sheena del Monte, Carloyd Tejada, Elmer Manlapas and Jesfer Huquire joined the gold rush.

On Day 3, Crisamuel Delfin and Mary Allin Aldeguer capped arnis’ onslaught by topping the anyo open weapon non-traditional event in both the men and women’s side.

Worth mentioning too are the efforts of silver medalists.

Jude Oliver Marie Rodriguez, Mark David Puzon, Ryssa Jezel Sanchez, Billy Joel Valenzuela and bronze medalists Erlin Mae Busacay and Eza Rai Yalong.

71 PBA rookie Alcantara: 1-2 in men’s aspirants display tennis doubles possible wares at Draft Combine today ALL 71 Philippine Basketball Association rookie aspirants are expected to show up for the traditional Gatorade Draft Combine set on Thursday and Friday at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.

Rookie hopefuls, from Isaac Go to Fil-Am Roosevelt Adams, will be going through a series of workouts to specifically measure their skills and test their athleticism.

Registration starts at 8 a.m.

The players initially undergo biometrics, where they will be measured individually according to height, weight and wingspan.

Later in the afternoon, applicants will be spread out to eight teams and play five-on-five games.

The second day of activities is more tedious as players will be divided into four teams to be bunched into two groups (Group A-1,A-2, A-3, A-4 and B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4) and play a series of games starting at 9 a.m.

Teams will play a single round within each group or a minimum of three games per team. Each game is played eight minutes per quarter, with ties to be broken via PBA quotient.

The top team in each group will later play in a one-game final.

Following the five-on-five games, there will be a three-point shootout with the participants to be selected by the sponsor.

Awarding ceremonies conclude the entire Draft Combine.

The 2019 Draft is set on Dec. 8 at the Robinsons Place in Ermita.

VETERAN international player Nino Alcantara remained confident that the tennis team will still deliver medals as it remains in contention in the men’s singles, women’s doubles, and men’s doubles, where he plays with Jeson Patronbom, with whom he won the Kuala Lumpur Tennis Open last month as part of a doubles’ team.

“There is a strong chance that we might end up meeting the top seed team of Treat Huey and Ruben Gonzales in the finals. I feel good about our chances in this event, gold or silver, that is what we are after,” said Alcantara, who together with Huey and Gonzales are

Cebuana Lhuillier’s tennis Sports Ambassadors.

“I remain confident that our tennis team will deliver in the end. For a long time, Cebuana Lhuillier has been supporting the international campaigns of these three players and they have brought honor to our country in the past,” said long time tennis patron and Unified Tennis Philippines President Jean Henri Lhuillier, .

Alcantara added that Philippine tennis still lacks the support that it needs and “we are thankful that Mr. Lhuillier has been behind us these past years. His continued support has enabled us to really develop ourselves and our game.”

2NG LEG WINNER. Winning Patong Patong jockey Jonathan King Flores raises his trophy during the

awards rites of the 2019 Philippine Racing Commission 3YO Imported/Local Challenge Series’ 2nd leg at the Metro Manila Turf Club in Malvar, Batangas. He is joined by representatives of Patong Patong, Philracom Commissioner Reli de Leon, Metro Turf Manager racing manager Rudy Prado and his deputy Arthur Escala. The Philippine Racing Commission shelled out P1.5 million for the race, with the first-place purse of P900,000 going to Patong Patong owner Narciso Morales.

Spurs shoot down Rockets

Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) tries to drive past San Antonio Spurs counterpart Ronnie Walker IV. AFP

LOS ANGELES, United States —James Harden erupted for 50 points and Russell Westbrook bagged a triple-double, but it was not enough to stop the Houston Rockets falling to a double-overtime defeat to the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday (Wednesday Philippine time).

Three days after a 60-point display against Atlanta, Harden followed that masterclass with a half-century at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

Yet it was the Spurs who edged a thrilling duel 135-133 after two periods of overtime.

Lonnie Walker IV was the star for the Spurs, rising from the bench to lead the scoring with 28 points and four rebounds.

Walker’s intervention had

helped San Antonio claw their way back into the game in the closing minutes of regulation.

Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Lakers extended their lead at the top of the Western Conference with a 105-96 defeat of the Denver Nuggets in Colorado.

The Lakers were once again led

by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, who each finished with 25 points from 36 minutes on court.

Jamal Murray led the Denver scoring with 22 points, but the Lakers were always in control after building up a 60-49 lead at halftime.

The Lakers now lead the Western Conference by 3.5 games from second-placed Denver with 18 wins against three defeats.

In other games, Luka Doncic delivered another masterclass as the Dallas Mavericks overpowered the New Orleans Pelicans 118-97.

Slovenian prodigy Doncic finished with 33 points, a careerhigh 18 rebounds and five assists in just three quarters of action as the Mavs improved to 14-6 in the Western Conference standings.

Doncic, aged only 20, has been in sensational form so far this season and was once again the offensive linchpin for the Mavs in a commanding performance.

Seth Curry added 19 points off the bench, while Tim Hardaway Jr and Maxi Kleber chipped in with 12 points apiece to back up Doncic. AFP

Sports

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

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

Haniel Abella (right) of the Philippines lunges forward but misses her mark in her duel against Rahim Ku Che of Malaysia in the quarterfinals of the women’s individual epee fencing event at the SEA Games (Southeast Asian Games) in Manila on Wednesday. Abella went on to take the silver in her event. AFP

Polo matches postponed again due to wet field

By Tim Obligacion CALATAGAN, Batangas—An unplayable field has prompted organizers to postpone two Wednesday matches in the polo competitions of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Miguel Romero Polo Field in Calatagan, Batangas, for the secondstraight day.

Competition manager Camila Lastrila cited the decision by officials from the Federation International Polo (FIP) to move the start of the competitions instead on Thursday after action was also postponed on Tuesday.

“We determined the field to be too wet this morning (Wednesday) and unsafe to play, basically,” Lastrila said.

“Now, the danger of having a field that is too wet is that the horses easily slip. When you have a very fast game like polo where the horses are running at full speed, stopping on a dime, twisting and turning or knocking at each other, safety is of course your number one priority as an official,” she added.

Under the new schedule, preliminary matches will be held on Thursday, Friday and Sunday with the finals set on Monday.

Lastrila disclosed that the Malaysian team has filed an appeal for the tournament to still end on Sunday despite the postponements but organizers have not decided on the matter.

However, Party-list Congressman and Team Philippines captain Representative Mikee Romero said such an appeal will not prosper, as he cited the international federation ruling that polo tournaments cannot hold three-straight playdates.

“Dinaanan tayo ng bagyo eh,” Romero said. “Ang problema, inulan tayo ng 10 oras kaya nag-soak ang lupa.”

Macrohon snatches SEA Games weightlifting gold K RISTEL Macrohon proved her worth by ruling the women’s 71kg division Wednesday, giving the Philippines its second gold medal at the end of the weightlifting competitions of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Ninoy.

Macrohon, 23, inspired by Olympian Hidilyn Diaz’s golden triumph last Monday, had a total lift of 216kg (93kg in the snatch and 123kg in the clean and jerk) to relegate favorite Thi Van Nguyen of Vietnam to the silver.

Nguyen had a total lift of 214kg (92kg in the snatch and 122kg in the clean and jerk).

Indonesian Tsabitha Ramadan set-

tled for the bronze medal with a total lift of 203kg.

Nguyen failed in her last attempt at 125kg in the clean and jerk, enabling Macrohon, like Diaz a native of Zamboanga City, to escape with the golden win.

“I’m so overwhelmed. I didn’t expect this because the Vietnamese lifter is really the No. 1 in the division. I thought I could only win a silver.

But Hidilyn inspired me to go for the gold,” said Macrohon.

With just one event left (men’s 73kg) in the four-day competition, Vietnam has clinched the overall title in the discipline with 4 gold medals on top of four silver and one bronze medals, followed by Indonesia (3-1-5) and the Philippines (2-3-2).

Myanmar had a lone silver medal in the 10-event competition while Malaysia, the 2017 host, ended its campaign with a solitary bronze to show,

a far cry from its 1-1-1 performance two years ago.

“I’m very happy with the success of the weightlifting competition. We really worked hard for this. I think this is one of the most successful SEA Games as far as weightlifting is concerned,” said Samahang Weightlifting ng Pilipinas president Monico Puentevella.

Macrohon sealed the victory after she lifted 123 in clean and jerk to vault to the top of the ranks.

Macrohon faced some anxious moments after her second attempt at clean and jerk (120 kg) was disallowed by two of three judges. But the jury review overruled the decision allowing her to go on to make the third lift to rule her event.

Vietnam’s Thi Van Nguyen tried to overhaul her advantage with a final attempt of 125 kg in clean and jerk.

She failed and settled for a total 214 to take silver.

Amit edges Thai bet to reach10-ball semis RUBILEN Amit of the Philippines bucked a slow start to edge Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan of Thailand 7-5 on Wednesday in the women’s 10-ball singles of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Manila Hotel Tent.

Amit crawled out a 0-4 hole by winning the next three racks and sustained her momentum after a 5-all tie to advance to the semifinals.

The multiple 8-ball and 9-ball SEA Games champion had a hard time with her breaks.

“Breaking in 10-ball is not really my strength,” Amit said. “And I’ve been concentrating on 9-balls lately.”

Billiards legend Efren “Bata” Reyes was competing in the men’s 1-cushion carom quarterfinals against Thongchai Punawee while the men’s snooker tandem of Basil Hasan Al Shajjar and Michael Angelo Mengorio was battling Singapore’s Kingsley Tian Yi Ang and Lim Chun Kiat.

Al Shajjar and Mengorio advanced to the quarterfinals at the expense of Indonesians Dhendy Krhistanto and Putu Edi Wirawan 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Carlo Biado and Johann Chua, along with the other Philippine pair of Warren Kiamco and Jeffrey Ignacio were gunning for an all-Filipino final in the men’s 9-ball doubles.

Chezka Centeno was also battling Sukritthanes Waratthanun in the 10-ball singles quarterfinals as well as Alvin Barbero and Jefrey Roda in the men’s snooker doubles.

Rubilen Amit tries to read the table before attempting her next shot during women’s 10-ball singles of the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Lino Santos

Deiparine ends decade-long drought

WINNING FORM. Filipino tennis star Jeson Patrombon executes a backhand against opponent Shaminul Shahri Adam Das of Malaysia during their quarterfinal tennis match in the 30th Southeast Asian Games at Rizal tennis court, Manila. Lino Santos

CAPAS, Tarlac—James Deiparine ended a decade-long drought in swimming by winning the gold medal in men’s 100-meter breaststroke of the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday.

Deiparine, 26, submitted a time of 1:01.46 to become the first Filipino swimmer to win in the SEA Games since the Philippines won four golds in Laos during the 2009 edition of the meet.

Miguel Molina, Daniel Coakley and Ryan Arabejo won the medals for the country.

Deiparin set a SEA Games and Philippine record. The old PH mark is 1:02 which Deiparine himself set in the 2016 Scottish Open.

Meanwhile, Remedy Rule, Jonathan Cook and Jaden Christian Olson topped their respective heats on Tuesday, ushering in a promising start for the Filipino tankers at the opening of the 30th Southeast Asian Games swimming championships at the New Clark City Aquatic Center here.

Despite slight jitters, Rule, as expected, clinched

first in the women’s 200-meter butterfly stroke in two minutes and 11.91 seconds, slightly off her PH mark of 2:11.38, relegating defending Singaporean champion Quah Jing Wen to second (2:12.57).

Vietnam’s Thi My Thao Le was third (2:13.59) Joining Rule in tonight’s finals starting at 6 was teammate and fellow SEAG debutant Rosalee Mira Santa Aba, who took the eighth and last qualifying spot in 2:19.65.

A University of Stanford-California varsity mainstay, Cook paced the men’s 100-meter breaststroke heats in 1:02.79, just a shade of the national mark of 1:02.00 by fellow Fil-Am James Deiparine, who was content in being second in the heats (1:02.70).

Singapore’s Chien Yin Lionel Khoo was third (1:02.90) while Indon defending champion Nathaniel Gagarin, whose winning time two years ago was 1:01.76, took it easy and was fourth (1:03.04) in what promises to be a riveting clash in tonight’s finals.

Abella misses mark, settles for silver

By Peter Atencio HANNIEL Abella managed to exact sweet revenge on her finals tormentor back in 2017 yesterday in the 30th Southeast Asian Games fencing competitions yesterday at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.

The 26-year old Abella’s 1510 win over defending champion Nguyễn Thị Như Hoa of Vietnam in the women’s epee championship put her in the championship round against newcomer Rahman Abdul.

But Abella proved no match for the longer reach of Abdul, and the Filipina veteran fell to a 12-15 setback.

For Abdul, this will be her first ever crown on first outing in the regional meet, while Abella took home her second silver since bowing Nguyen in the finals back in 2017.

“This is my first time here. So I just did the right things I needed to do to score,” said Abdul.

Abdul stayed ahead after taking a 6-3 lead in the first round, and build her edge from there with here defensive moves.

“Kinapos siya at nahirapan sa Singaporean dahil mahaba ang kamay niya. Pero nabalikan niya iyung nakalaban niya for the gold in 2017,” said assistant coach Arman Bernal.

Earlier, Nathaniel Perez settled for the bronze in the men’s individual foil in bowing to Hans Yoong of Malaysia in the semis.

Chornnasun Mayakarn of Thailand eventually took the top honor with his 15-14 win over Yoong.

Del Prados face off on Friday SPRINTER Michael del Prado crosses paths with his father, track legend Isidro del Prado, in the athletics meet of the 30th Southeast Asian Games when it begins on Friday.

The 24-year old del Prado and teammate Joymee Sequita will race in the men’s 400-meter run opposite the Brunei national squad which has been coached since 2009 by the elder del Prado.

It will be friendly rivalry between the two sides, since the young del Prado had trained with his dad in Brunei for the last eight months.

“Nag-train ako with my dad for eight months in Brunei. He is the head coach. He is coming here with the Brunei team.

While training under the guidance of his father, del Prado was able to improve his personal best from 48 seconds to 47.49 seconds, while seeing action in the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association Weekly Relays last September.

Del Prado said this is a significant improvement after he hit 47.98 seconds in the Vietnam Open a month before.

The elder del Prado once held the 200m record which was broken in 2007 by Ralph Waldy Soguilon.

Since 2009, del Prado has been part of the coaching staff of the Brunei national athletics team.

He became known for helping Ak Hafiy Tajuddin Rositi break his own record at the men’s 400-meter event at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Two years ago, Brunei went home empty handed in athletics, despite having sent five athletes.

Officials of the PATAFA have a projected gold-silver-bronze medal haul of 6-10-8 in the trackfest, and this gold medal prediction could even go as high as 12.

So far, Fil American Trenten Beram won’t be back to seek the gold last won in 2017.

Thai sprinter Phitchaya Sunthonthuam, who got the silver the last time around will fight for the gold.

Sunthonthuam, who had a 46.46 second performance two years ago, clocked 47.34 seconds during the test event in New Clark City, and had a time 47.15 seconds during the Asian Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Sequita, who has personal best of 47.41 seconds, is also among the contenders for a podium finish. Peter Atencio

IN BRIEF

Angkas asks DOTR to extend trial period

RIDE-HAILING service provider Angkas said it expects the government to extend its trial operations while waiting for a law legalizing motorcycle taxis in the country.

“While they are finalizing the law, we hope that they will extend the pilot testing,” Angkas chief transport advocate George Royeca told reporters.

Angkas received a six-month trial run that allowed it to operate in Metro Manila and Metro Cebu in June this year. There are 27,000 riders enlisted in the Angkas network.

“So far, the findings are positive. I’m happy to say that this is something that we are able to maintain. We are working with DOTR to maintain our service,” Royeca said.

He said they would present before the Senate the result of the pilot test by January next year.

All 27,000 bike-partners were swiftly trained on new safety protocol to comply with the mandated requirements of the DOTR TWG. Angkas said it maintained a 99.997-percent safety record despite the initial speculation from government bodies on its safety.

Angkas chief executive Angeline Tham said the company was working on giving more payment options to passengers. “We’re looking at developing credit cards as one of the payments options,” Tham said.

Darwin G. Amojelar

PH, Japan to hold infrastructure meet

THE government is set to hold a high-level meeting with Japanese officials this week to discuss the progress of the Duterte’s administration’s big-ticket infrastructure projects with funding support from Tokyo.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia will chair the Philippine delegation, while Dr. Hiroto Izumi is expected to lead the Japanese side in the meeting on Dec. 6.

The meeting in Hakone of the PhilippinesJapan Joint Committee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation will be the ninth dialog between the two countries. The first meeting was convened in March 2017 at Kantei, the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo, Japan and the most recent or eighth one was held at Marriot Hotel in Clark, Pampanga.

Dominguez said the regular meetings were part of the “fast and sure” approach adopted by the two countries to ensure the smooth and swift implementation of the Japan-funded projects under President Duterte’s signature “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure modernization program. Julito G. Rada

Business PDIC files criminal charges vs Banco Filipino executives S

By Julito G. Rada

TATE-RUN Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. said Wednesday it filed before the Department of Justice Task Force on Financial Fraud a criminal case against the chairman/president and 15 former directors and officers of the closed Banco Filipino Savings and Mortgage Bank Inc.

PDIC said in a statement the complaint was filed against the Banco Filipino executives for conducting business in an “unsafe or unsound manner” in violation of Republic Act No. 3591, as amended, or the PDIC Charter. It said the criminal act caused losses to the bank amounting to P789.46 million.

Charged were the bank’s chairman and president, vice chairman, four directors, corporate secretary and executive vice president and other high ranking officers.

It said that more than P700 million

in legal fees were paid to various legal firms without any contracts or supporting documents during the period Banco Filipino was in dire financial difficulty until it was eventually closed and placed under the PDIC receivership.

Banco Filipino, a 62-unit thrift bank, was ordered closed by the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and placed under the PDIC receivership on March 17, 2011.

PDIC said that upon takeover of the bank’s assets, records and affairs, it discovered that payments to these legal firms were made without the required “pass upon” review of the then BSP comptroller.

Moreover, a partner of the law firm which was paid the amount of P225.87 million was a director of the bank.

It said the disbursements of legal fees without written contract and the BSP comptroller’s “pass upon” review were contrary to the duties and diligence required from them as directors and officers of a banking institution and constituted conducting business in an unsafe or unsound manner.

The PDIC Charter punishes the conduct of business in an unsafe or unsound manner with imprisonment from six years to 12 years, or a fine of not more than P10 million, or both, at the discretion of the court.

PDIC earlier filed three criminal complaints with the DOJ involving a total amount of P5.2 billion against the former directors, officers and employees of Banco Filipino over alleged irregularities and anomalies discovered by the PDIC as receiver of the closed bank.

“The filing of cases against erring bank officials is in support of PDIC’s efforts to bring to justice parties that engage in fraudulent, irregular and anomalous acts that pose risk to depositors and the Deposit Insurance Fund, PDIC’s main fund source for payout of deposit insurance claims,” it said.

“PDIC continues to pursue legal actions against bank officials and personnel who engage in unsafe or unsound banking practices that threaten the stability of the country’s banking system,” it said.

Fitch retains stable outlook on PH banks

GLOBAL debt watcher Fitch Ratings on Wednesday retained the stable outlook for the Philippine banking system, saying the pickup in government infrastructure spending will spur broader investment activity which is good banks.

“Fitch expects operating conditions to be generally supportive of loan growth and credit quality. A recovery in government infrastructure spending should lift GDP growth in the coming year,” Fitch said in its report titled “Fitch Ratings 2020 Outlook: AsiaPacific Emerging Market Banks.”

It said the domestic banking sector’s profitability was likely to moderate after a stronger 2019.

“We believe NIMs [net interest margins] have peaked in line with market interest rates, while credit costs are likely to continue to normalize as loan books season. Nevertheless, sustained economic growth should help cushion against major downside risks,” Fitch said.

Fitch said the banks’ stable rating outlook also reflected the benign environment and supported by the banks’ adequate loss-absorption buffers, satisfactory profitability and broadly steady funding and liquidity profiles.

Julito G. Rada

Group lauds DOH for favoring vaping regulation over ban AN ADVOCACY group lauded the Department of Health for favoring regulation over prohibition on vaping products.

The DOH adopted the position following a joint meeting of the House committee on trade and industry and the committee on health on Dec. 2 that tackled issues on electronic nicotine delivery systems and electronic non-nicotine delivery systems.

Dr. Lorenzo Mata, president of the Quit for Good movement, lauded the DOH’s stance to safeguard the people’s health, saying a total ban on vaping products could lead to unintended consequences.

“A clampdown on electronic cigarettes and other vaping devices can lead former cigarette users to take up the harmful habit of smoking once again—we definitely do not want that to happen, seeing how it has resulted in P 270 billion in healthcare and productivity losses for the country,” Mata said in an interview.

“It is imperative to make ENDS products available in the market to give adult smokers a viable and scientifically effective alternative to cigarette smoking,” he said.

Mata, in his remarks during the House hearing, cited various scientific studies presented in The E-Cigarette Summit in London, England last month that showed the efficacy of ENDS over nicotine replacement therapies.

He said that apart from spending more money, NRT users had lower success rates in doing away with tobacco smoking.

Another study, conducted by Hammond et al. and published in respected peer-review medical journal BMJ, disproved the claim of anti-tobacco organizations that e-cigarettes serve as a gateway to cigarette smoking, especially among the youth.

A survey conducted among high school students as part of the study showed that 56 percent of past smokers had become regular vapers, compared to nine percent of vapers who returned to cigarettes.

SMART-SM REWARDS. PLDT wireless arm Smart Communications Inc. teams up with The SM Store to give loyal customers some holiday rewards through the Scratch and Win promo. Attending the launch are (from left) SM Business Center Operations assistant vice president Denis Albano, BCO senior manager Mercedes Ñieva, SM Store Business Unit senior vice president Eugene Saw, Smart National Key Accounts vice president Precy Katigbak, Smart National Key Accounts senior manager Rexmond Fang Sr., leksis Marketing Dealer Sales Group business unit head Rubledo Martinez and Smart National Key Accounts assistant vice president Louie De Guzman.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

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Aboitiz investing P3.8b to operate Panglao airport

By Darwin G. Amojelar THE Aboitiz Group is investing P3.8 billion for the operations and maintenance of Bohol-Panglao International Airport, according to the Department of Transportation.

The project involves the operations and maintenance of BPIA including the initial enhancement and installation of internal fit-outs of existing facilities (Phase 1 from 2020 to 2021) and the optimization and reconfiguration as dictated by traffic demand (Phase 2 from 2026 to 2027).

The National Economic and Development Authority board chaired

by President Rodrigo Duterte gave the green light after earlier revisions on the proposal were made.

NEDA’s Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee approved on Nov. 6 the unsolicited proposal for the airport’s O&M under a 25-year concession period.

Under the unsolicited proposal submitted to the DOTr, the Aboitiz Group will serve as the concessionaire through infrastructure arm Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc. NEDA said the project would still be subjected to a Swiss challenge where other parties could challenge AIC’s bid. AIC may then match the best bid from challengers.

The Panglao-based international airport is also known as the “Green Gateway to the World” for harnessing green technology and environmentally-sustainable structures.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the green-lighting of the BPIA O&M project would help boost regional economic growth and tourism in Bohol, in consonance with the thrust of the “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration.

“It is our hope that this new airport will help propel development in Bohol and the rest of the Visayas,” said Tugade Public Works Secretary and Infrastructure Cluster head Mark Villar supported NEDA board’s decision to approve the Aboitiz Group’s proposal.

“This is a very positive development as far as fast-tracking our infrastructure backlogs is concerned.

This is for our kababayans in the Visayas. This is for the entire Filipino people,” Villar said.

ING Bank expects Bangko Sentral to resume monetary easing in Q1 THE local unit of Dutch financial giant ING Bank expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to resume its monetary policy easing in the first quarter of 2020 amid the subdued inflation and the government’s bid to stimulate economic growth.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said in a report Wednesday the government’s “double-headed stimulus effort” would offset the threats and risks emanating from the external front.

“The 1-2 punch from the fiscal and monetary fronts will help carry growth momentum, with growth forecast to hit

6.5 percent in 2020. Given the government’s ambitious growth target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent, we forecast further easing from the BSP to restore lost growth momentum, especially in investment activities,” Mapa said.

“ING expects BSP to cut rates by 50 basis points in 2020 with the first rate cut expected in the first quarter as benign inflation dynamics allows the central bank to focus on the growth objective,” Mapa said.

Mapa said the economy hit a speed bump in the first half with growth slipping below 6 percent (5.5 percent) for the first time in four years as robust con-

sumption failed to offset slower government spending and lackluster capital formation.

He said growth had recovered since then and the momentum to accelerate was expected despite global headwinds as the economy rediscovered its old form.

He said with inflation sliding quickly back within the 2 to 4 percent target, the Bangko Sentral decided to gradually unwind the previous year’s 175-bps rate hike salvo to provide a shot in the arm of the ailing economy.

The BSP cut policy rates by a total of 75 bps this year while also reducing re-

serve requirement ratios by 400 bps in a gradual and phased manner, starting in May and ending in December.

“Given ING’s inflation forecast for next year [average inflation at 3.2 percent] we expect BSP Governor Diokno to remain open to further rate reductions in the near term as he pledged to implement more ‘pro-growth policies,’” he said.

“Furthermore, with the national government chasing a higher growth target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent [in 2020], the selfproclaimed ‘pro-growth’ governor could deliver rate cuts sooner rather than later…,” Mapa said. Julito G. Rada

ERC asks PECO to explain alleged lapses in Iloilo power distribution

By Alena Mae S. Flores

STRONGEST BANK. BDO Unibank Inc. is named by The Asian Banker as 2019’s Strongest Bank by Balance Sheet in the Philippines for the second straight year.

Receiving the award is BDO senior executive vice president and head of institutional banking group Walter Wassmer (second from left) from The Asian Banker managing director Foo Boon Ping (left), senior researcher Faith Masekesa and international resource director Wilson Chia on Oct. 10 at Shangri-La at the Fort.

THE Energy Regulatory Commission asked Panay Electric Company Inc. to explain the alleged operational lapses in Iloilo City power distribution as found by the agency’s inspection team.

PECO operates the distribution network of Iloilo City by virtue of an ERC-issued certificate of public convenience and necessity until the new franchise holder, More Electric and Power Corp. completes the takeover of the city’s distribution system.

“Based on the findings of the ERC technical team that conducted the ocular inspection on the electric distribution system of PECO, the latter committed lapses in the operations and maintenance of its distribution system, thereby posing danger and risks to the lives and properties of its consumers,” ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera said in a statement.

ERC issued an order dated Nov. 26 directing PECO directors and officers to explain why no administrative penalty

should be imposed and/or criminal action instituted against them for allegedly violating the pertinent provisions of the Philippine Distribution Code 2017 Edition; amended Distribution Services and Open Access Rules; amended Elevated Metering Center rules; and ERC Resolution No. 12, Series of 2009 regarding the guidelines for the accreditation of satellite laboratories of meter shops.

“PECO must submit its explanation within 15 days from receipt of the commission’s order pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act. We need to accord PECO the opportunity to explain its side before we evaluate the extent of their liability for the operational lapses that were discovered,” Devanadera said.

The ERC inspection team found that PECO’s protective devises were not properly rated and designed, some poles were found leaning and in unsafe positions and some meters were clustered and installed in an elevated metering center without securing prior ERC approval.

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Business

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market declines; Jollibee advances

T

HE stock market fell again Wednesday in step with the rest of the region, as Asian investors extended a sell-off in global markets after Donald Trump poured cold water on the chances of a trade deal with China by the end of the year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index declined 39.25 points, or 0.5 percent, to 7,815.93 on value turnover of P7.7 billion. Losers overwhelmed gainers, 122 to 58, with 47 issues unchanged.

Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and electricity distribution, hospitals and infrastructure, slumped 10.7 percent to

P3.92, while DMCI Holdings Inc. of the Consunji Group dropped 3.8 percent to P6.25.

Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, fell 3.9 percent to P4.18, but Jollibee Foods Corp., the largest fast-food chain, climbed 3.1 percent to P198.

Markets, meanwhile, were down across the board in Asia.

Hong Kong, Tokyo and Sydney all lost more than one percent, while Shanghai, Singapore, Mumbai, Taipei and Bangkok each shed 0.2 percent. Seoul fell 0.7 percent and Jakarta sank 0.5 percent.

After weeks of broad optimism—and White House claims—that the economic superpowers were close to a partial agreement, the president said he could be happy to wait until after next year’s elections.

The comments, in London ahead of a tense NATO summit that has also fueled geopolitical concerns, sent shivers

through trading floors across Europe and New York, where dealers ran for the hills.

“I have no deadline,” Trump told reporters upon his arrival. “In some ways, I like the idea of waiting until after the election for the China deal.”

Investors were already on edge after the US reimposed stiff tariffs on Argentina and Brazil citing currency manipulation, then threatened to hammer France with 100 percent levies over the country’s digital tax.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had also warned that more tariffs on Chinese goods planned for December 15 would be imposed if the first phase of trade talks was not completed by then.

Observers noted that Trump has in the past made statements on the issue that he has soon rowed back on, but there is a growing concern that the next round of China levies will be imposed.

A US House of Representatives vote to toughen the US position against China over its treatment of minority Uighurs, calling for sanctions against senior officials, will likely further complicate matters. Beijing said the bill “wantonly smears” it.

The vote comes days after China announced retaliatory measures for Trump’s decision to sign a bill supporting Hong Kong democracy protests.

“While the trade mood music can change very quickly, events over the past 48 hours have forced a reassessment in terms of what to expect before the end of the year,” said Rodrigo Catril at National Australia Bank.

“Tariff man is back and he has brought market volatility back to life.”

“It’s very difficult to have conviction about which way the trade situation will go,” Laura Kane at UBS Global Wealth Management told Bloomberg TV. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review wedneSday, deceMBer 4, 2019

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ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FILIPINO FUND FIRST ABACUS MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

54 87.8 1.87 158.5 0.98 25.1 18.1 13.12 7.58 0.59 0.38 67.75 0.81 37.7 178.8 112.1 58.7 24.4 202 1,810 59.6 1.05

54 89 1.88 159.3 0.98 25.2 18.1 13.24 7.58 0.59 0.38 68.2 0.81 38.8 178.8 112.1 58.75 24.6 203 1,810 59.6 1.05

54 87.6 1.87 157.1 0.96 25.05 18.1 13 7.58 0.59 0.38 67 0.81 36.8 172.8 112.1 58.7 24.4 198 1,750 58.2 1.05

FINANCIALS 54 1,100 89 2,812,780 1.88 43,000 158.5 1,459,610 0.96 38,000 25.1 69,100 18.1 10,500 13.14 833,100 7.58 600 0.59 4,000 0.38 50,000 68.2 2,511,160 0.81 97,000 37 287,600 175 2,320 112.1 60 58.75 500 24.6 215,700 199.6 843,420 1,750 50 58.45 24,160 1.05 568,000

59,400 249,474,224 80,780 231,059,802 36,800 1,731,335 190,050 10,942,778 4,548 2,360 19,000 170,046,700 78,570 10,796,325 405,046 6,726 29,361 5,288,680 168,660,836 89,355 1,420,197.50 596,400

-2,700 6,998,332 65,410,987 -1,432,795 3877848.0002 7,600 82,322,735.50 -47,790 -7577085.0002 86,400 -5,281,360 -43,567,746 -1,283,529.50 -

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

34.6 2.49 13.8 0.59 3.28 0.225 2.25 15.46 175 5.03 18.58 28.2 66.55 2.06 5.2 8.79 14.7 10.3 7.2 24.8 75.05 1.49 40.5 1.94 13.52 7.8 1.4 194.9 4.8 3.58 8.14 18.5 12.46 17.16 324.6 0.181 5.57 1.35 4.1 4.43 9.7 11 33.45 5 5.43 2 1.98 10.6 89 8.75 0.115 1.08 145.2 2.43 1.12 0.95

34.8 2.49 13.8 0.59 3.3 0.238 2.25 15.46 175 5.38 18.58 29.7 71.85 2.06 5.2 8.79 14.9 10.36 7.2 24.9 75.05 1.6 40.5 2.05 13.84 7.8 1.4 198 4.8 3.58 8.14 18.5 12.48 17.16 324.6 0.181 5.57 1.38 4.1 4.47 10 11 33.5 5 5.45 2.05 1.98 10.88 89.95 8.75 0.12 1.08 147 2.43 1.13 0.95

34.1 2.42 13.58 0.57 3.11 0.225 2.17 15.08 154 5.02 18.58 28.2 66.55 2.06 5.2 8.69 14.7 10.3 7.17 24.4 73.1 1.46 40 1.93 13.52 7.75 1.4 193.2 4.76 3.45 8.14 17.68 12.12 16.68 320 0.18 5.25 1.29 4.1 4.36 9.7 10.8 33.25 5 5.41 2 1.98 10.28 88.05 8.55 0.115 1 140.5 2.43 1.08 0.93

INDUSTRIAL 34.55 960,000 2.44 1,536,000 13.76 511,800 0.58 388,000 3.12 3,399,000 0.238 70,000 2.2 1,420,000 15.32 461,900 167 700 5.11 1,422,800 18.58 1,700 29.7 1,500 71.85 230 2.06 3,000 5.2 2,900 8.78 859,900 14.7 200,300 10.34 103,200 7.19 1,291,500 24.7 662,500 73.5 206,960 1.5 92,599,000 40.5 5,400 2.04 21,645,000 13.84 213,800 7.8 118,500 1.4 6,000 198 466,630 4.77 5,400 3.45 2,000 8.14 1,000 17.9 1,966,300 12.38 35,700 16.98 1,049,600 321.2 318,600 0.18 950,000 5.25 1,600 1.29 4,349,000 4.1 2,000 4.42 796,000 10 35,000 11 7,200 33.5 480,400 5 1,574,500 5.45 77,000 2.02 1,619,000 1.98 10,000 10.3 121,000 89.4 126,390 8.6 957,900 0.12 790,000 1.05 82,000 145 1,017,550 2.43 5,000 1.08 3,919,000 0.93 1,011,000

33,124,865 3,755,310 7,040,290 223,430 10,797,000 15,880 3,124,810 7,010,854 113,954 7,388,930 31,586 42,840 15,465.50 6,180 15,080 7,515,301 2,945,246 1,063,318 9,274,421 16,321,795 15,261,655 142,763,160 218,260 43,636,100 2,934,642 922,795 8,400 91,802,593 25,746 7,030 8,140 35,165,538 436,546 17,641,994 102,334,682 171,500 8,464 5,746,720 8,200 3,495,470 346,852 78,720 16,056,760 7,872,500 417,830 3,256,380 19,800 1,277,260 11,267,281 8,284,000 91,350 82,510 146,426,491 12,150 4,264,810 941,740

-7,836,370 -669,420 88,858 3014439.9997 -873,460 354,886 71,340 -1,741,984 -8,700 650,923.00 -2,020,440 -339,862 -8,446,517 2,002,055 -1,833,436.50 1,200,090 36,490 -5,785,000 -1,820,834 135,673 45,495,107 -10,839,606 -32,156 -8,976,728 -42,152,506 -81,000 -240,870 -736,980 -9,980 12,909,375 -7,500,000 -198,544 28,260 -706,142 -8,098,448 -857,592 -53,718,930 12,150 -5,580

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

0.78 49.7 11.02 0.71 12.36 0.92 0.93 824.5 3.42 7.05 6.51 13.2 898 5.4 79 0.5 4.03 11.54 0.55 4.35 7.7 1.29 161 1,077 0.76 218.8 0.207

0.78 50.05 11.12 0.71 12.36 0.92 0.94 830 3.44 7.05 6.51 13.3 904 5.55 79 0.5 4.03 11.54 0.57 4.35 7.88 1.36 161 1,077 0.77 219 0.207

0.76 49.6 11.02 0.69 12.14 0.89 0.93 804 3.38 6.85 6.1 13.1 893.5 5.35 77.9 0.49 3.9 11 0.55 3.91 6.5 1.29 158 1,060 0.76 212.2 0.207

HOLDING FIRMS 0.76 770,000 50.05 2,216,600 11.1 3,866,600 0.7 398,000 12.32 13,900 0.91 2,123,000 0.94 900,000 830 508,250 3.39 562,000 7.05 256,600 6.25 24,786,900 13.1 307,100 899 66,410 5.4 21,500 79 2,108,590 0.5 25,000 3.9 1,583,000 11.4 5,102,400 0.57 3,000 3.92 132,303,000 6.51 428,800 1.35 73,000 160 164,990 1,062 1,592,055 0.76 176,000 212.2 140 0.207 20,000

590,360 110,519,130 42,835,080 276,370 169,666 1,912,190 841,500 415,237,665 1,902,130 1,800,791 154,216,511 4,034,460 59,669,970 115,851 166,183,486.50 12,280 6,251,620 57,190,852 1,670 528,432,550 2,967,036 94,620 26,306,307 1,689,954,540 134,930 30,442 4,140

-4,560 18,243,450 1,653,680 432,300 46,573,575 -315,320 284,599 8,167,469 -1,937,130 -23,300,140 -80,295 29,358,464.50 -3,715,970 -1,687,398 -297,898,120 183,500 -24,510 -5,099,215 1,377,148,920 -6,526 -

14.84 0.72 8.81 1.5 0.82 45.95 1.97 4.75 6.18 0.54 0.75 0.84 0.192 0.4 10.2 18.94 1.45 1.2 4.18 0.209

PROPERTY 14.84 254,500 0.74 82,000 8.81 7,900 1.5 52,000 0.82 2,078,000 46 13,214,100 1.98 730,000 4.75 916,000 6.4 23,500 0.55 15,621,000 0.75 31,000 0.84 91,000 0.192 100,000 0.4 1,850,000 10.36 43,200 19.3 269,600 1.46 24,006,000 1.23 24,000 4.18 32,334,000 0.209 8,150,000

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CEBU HLDG CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED

14.94 0.74 8.81 1.54 0.85 46.3 1.99 4.85 6.4 0.56 0.75 0.84 0.193 0.405 10.44 19.3 1.52 1.21 4.35 0.214

14.94 0.74 8.81 1.54 0.85 46.45 1.99 4.88 6.4 0.57 0.76 0.85 0.193 0.405 10.44 19.4 1.53 1.23 4.4 0.214

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

NAME

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

0.39 1.34 0.33 2.01 25.5 2.23 3.23 40.1 2.41 1.33 7.56 5.47

0.41 1.34 0.33 2.02 25.8 2.24 3.23 40.3 2.55 1.38 7.6 5.5

0.39 1.28 0.33 2.01 24.6 2.13 3.23 39.5 2.41 1.31 7.47 5.16

0.405 1.29 0.33 2.02 25.3 2.15 3.23 40.2 2.52 1.33 7.58 5.5

4,110,000 955,000 40,000 102,000 2,845,500 33,000 31,000 10,056,300 212,000 2,316,000 5,338,800 65,300

1,634,600 1,234,720 13,200 205,050 71,856,530 71,850 100,130 402,240,235 530,260 3,105,330 40,325,812 356,316

-795,000 -54,854,455 21,500 91,813,560 -10,720 -16,236,619 -16,440

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

9.8 17 1.46 11.5 0.465 3.25 11.2 91.8 5.54 5.19 8.65 1,980 5.15 420 1.14 1.83 122.8 7.8 4.79 0.102 3.87 13.98 2.69 17.94 0.405 3.38 2.2 1.03 2.78 2.5 7.5 2.7 1,068 0.63 0.48 40.1 74.95 8.99 2.47 0.66 0.28 0.6 19

9.8 17.04 1.46 11.5 0.47 3.59 11.2 93.8 5.7 5.6 9 1,980 5.3 425 1.17 1.83 123.8 7.8 4.8 0.102 3.94 13.98 2.81 18.02 0.415 3.38 2.2 1.03 2.83 2.5 7.79 2.74 1,095 0.63 0.48 40.1 75.15 8.99 2.5 0.66 0.285 0.6 19

9.72 16 1.42 11.46 0.46 3.22 10.78 91.6 5.5 5.12 8.65 1,934 5.15 420 1.12 1.83 120.2 7.8 4.7 0.101 3.84 13.98 2.69 17.82 0.405 3.38 2.1 1 2.75 2.5 7.5 2.69 1,068 0.6 0.47 39.7 74.3 8.99 2.33 0.66 0.28 0.57 18.82

SERVICES 9.72 16.96 1.42 11.5 0.465 3.59 10.9 93 5.65 5.6 9 1,934 5.18 425 1.17 1.83 123.3 7.8 4.7 0.101 3.9 13.98 2.73 17.82 0.415 3.38 2.1 1 2.77 2.5 7.78 2.7 1,072 0.6 0.475 39.85 74.95 8.99 2.36 0.66 0.28 0.59 19

5,300 470,700 144,000 5,498,300 660,000 5,136,000 3,900,100 162,340 217,700 167,000 17,500 29,915 188,200 60 1,356,000 5,000 1,601,380 9,500 14,000 720,000 1,514,000 5,000 549,000 558,700 110,000 84,000 2,000,000 20,000 954,000 14,000 2,900 152,000 45,470 2,726,000 2,010,000 228,400 47,240 31,700 6,356,000 219,000 1,100,000 319,000 4,118,900

51,884 7,730,004 205,820 63,222,392 307,100 17,578,330 42,541,564 15,039,865 1,213,528 872,019 155,666 58,104,290 978,767 25,250 1,555,610 9,150 195,055,550 74,100 66,750 72,920 5,900,040 69,900 1,503,730 9,994,474 45,150 283,920 4,274,200 20,060 2,662,030 35,000 22,087 410,050 49,102,185 1,667,560 950,150 9,106,780 3,534,387.50 284,983 15,098,140 144,540 309,900 188,310 77,991,392

34,805,856 -9,300 19,570 -6683341.9999 -461,406 6,793 -11,730.00 -14,759,345 11,620 -74,787,332 932,750 -8,289,224 -2,902,120 -36,130 -35,000 -26,950 6,686,500 -894,120 -18,800 -4,776,225 -1,907,430 2,518,130 24,636,972

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

0.0016 9 1.05 2.39 11.1 1.13 2.57 7.4 1.5 0.212 0.097 0.0083 0.98 2.98 1.05 0.465 0.012 0.013 0.011 3.2 10.38 21 0.0055

0.0016 9 1.05 2.39 11.1 1.13 2.59 7.56 1.51 0.212 0.097 0.0083 0.98 2.98 1.05 0.475 0.012 0.013 0.011 3.2 10.5 21.5 0.0055

0.0015 8.2 1.04 2.39 10.66 1.13 2.57 7.36 1.45 0.202 0.097 0.0083 0.95 2.84 1.01 0.465 0.011 0.013 0.011 3.17 9.94 20.45 0.0055

MINING & OIL 0.0016 17,000,000 8.2 958,400 1.04 169,000 2.39 281,000 10.66 300 1.13 10,000 2.58 881,000 7.38 485,600 1.45 25,741,000 0.211 30,000 0.097 170,000 0.0083 2,000,000 0.95 57,000 2.89 15,440,000 1.04 136,000 0.475 20,000 0.012 19,200,000 0.013 100,000 0.011 35,000,000 3.17 327,000 10.02 1,083,300 20.85 2,553,600 0.0055 2,000,000

27,100 8,097,022 176,690 671,590 3,286 11,300 2,269,760 3,584,338 38,136,560 6,250 16,490 16,600 54,210 44,683,550 137,830 9,400 228,300 1,300 385,000 1,037,570 10,905,122 53,193,540 11,000

-294,272 -55,390 -434,980 -1,504,200 15,200 -23,785,790 -66,270 28,156 -13,008,010 -

LR PREF GMA HLDG PDR ABS HLDG PDR SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2I SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2C HOUSE PREF A PNX PREF 3A MWIDE PREF DD PREF PNX PREF 3B FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C AC PREF B2R GTCAP PREF B PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 4 PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B

1.01 5.04 16.68 75.3 75.3 75.5 78.15 99.6 100 100.2 100.3 104.5 108 473.2 501 995 1,026 1,028 1,028 1,050

1.01 5.08 16.68 75.3 75.3 75.5 78.15 99.6 100 100.2 100.3 104.7 108 482 502 995 1,026 1,028 1,030 1,050

1.01 5.04 15.1 75.3 75.3 75.5 78 99.6 100 100.1 100.3 104.5 108 472 501 995 1,026 1,025 1,025 1,050

PREFERRED 1.01 6,000 5.04 224,700 16 308,200 75.3 3,000 75.3 10 75.5 2,980 78.15 920 99.6 10 100 10 100.1 5,380 100.3 1,000 104.7 540 108 2,000 482 600 502 290 995 240 1,026 115 1,025 230 1,025 2,550 1,050 70

6,060 1,132,692 4,858,354 225,900 753 224,990 71,883 996 1,000 538,638 100,300 56,462 216,000 287,334 145,480 238,800 117,990 235,840 2,618,875 73,500

-1,006,992 -1,315,432 -95,280 -

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

4.05 11.5 0.87

4.08 11.78 0.88

3.98 11.28 0.86

3.98 11.5 0.86

1,064,180 4,632,754 514,130

222,880 -

FIRST METRO ETF

117.5

117.5

116.8

MS 3,776,880 60,400 69,599 78,830 1,712,000 609,171,950 1,444,210 4,399,040 146,248 8,735,210 23,380 76,840 19,220 741,000 447,690 5,158,380 35,623,350 28,900 138,842,050 1,722,880

-3,212,860 11,620 -78,639,535 -807,710 -1,278,510 223,530 20,380 34,000 200,000 -99,550 262,288 -12,005,810 -19,980,020 -

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

11,597,243

INDUSTRIAL

149,892,683

HOLDING FIRMS

180,638,879

PROPERTY

132,645,832

SERVICES

44,358,626

MINING & OIL

123,658,746

GRAND TOTAL

644,065,073

SME

266,000 402,500 594,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 116.8 8,080

945,739

-

VALUE 1,890.86 (UP) 10.72 1,050,629,247.14 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 9,716.54 (UP) 40.94 777,316,910.20 HOLDING FIRMS 7,696.16 (DOWN) 51.91 3,483,244,033.41 PROPERTY 4,085.00 (DOWN) 67.64 SERVICES 1,533.72 (DOWN) 10.28 1,617,595,525.35 MINING & OIL 7,638.28 (DOWN) 140.98 617,774,633.995 PSEI 7,815.93 (DOWN) 39.25 163,676,237.63 All Shares Index 4,657.81 (DOWN) 23.39 7,717,400,882.74 Gainers: 58; Losers: 122; Unchanged: 47; Total: 227

PSE issues changes to draft voluntary delisting rules

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine Stock Exchange issued the draft amendments to its voluntary delisting rules that will require a company to obtain the approval of all independent directors and 75 percent of a company’s shareholders.

The PSE said the draft amendments to the voluntary delisting rules, which are at par with rules of ether exchanges, would ensure the participation of the minority shareholder in the process.

“PSE revisited its voluntary delisting rules following receipt of complaints from the market that minority shareholders are essentially forced to accept a company’s decision to delist and the tender offer price offered by the listed company of delisting proponent, under the threat of being left with shares that have no secondary market,” the exchange said.

Under the draft rules, the delisting must be approved by all independent directors of the company. It must be cleared by stockholders owning at least 75 percent of the total outstanding and listed shares of the company and the number of votes cast against the delisting proposal should not be more than 10 percent of the outstanding and listed shares.

On the tender offer price, the PSE proposed a floor price that should not be lower than the highest value of the stock based on fairness opinion prepared by an independent valuation provider, the highest closing price of the stock in the six months before delisting announcement and the volume weighted average price of the stock for one year.

Two companies, both engaged in gaming business, were recently delisted from the local bourse. These were Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., which was delisted in August and Melco Resorts & Entertainment (Philippines) Corp. last year.

Both delistings earned complaints from minority stockholders because of the low tender offer price.

The current voluntary delisting rules only require a company to seek the approval of company’s incumbent directors after shareholders are informed of the delisting plan.

Consumer group backs Meralco’s supply contracts

By Alena Mae S. Flores LABAN Konsyumer Inc. urged the Energy Regulatory Commission to act on the pending petition of electricity retailer Manila Electric Co. to implement six agreements to supply a combined capacity of 1,700 megawatts.

LKI submitted its comments on the petitions of Meralco for the approval of power supply agreements with Phinma Energy Corp., South Premiere Power Corp., First Gen Hydro Power Corp. and San Miguel Energy Corp. on December 2.

LKI president Vic Dimagiba said Meralco needed the 1,700 MW of power to continuously supply electricity in its franchise area before the end of 2019 and thereafter.

“We have still been experiencing yellow and red alerts in November, which is a telltale sign that we need to secure adequate power capacity to meet the growing demand of the grid, especially with so many power plants going on outage even in the Ber-months. The need for additional electricity is of utmost urgency and importance to our economy,” Dimagiba said.

The Power for People Coalition also filed a petition for intervention at the ERC, questioning the results of Meralco’s CSP. P4P said the bidding outcome was worrying for Filipino consumers and climate-vulnerable Philippines.

“We are pleased that after over two years of Meralco’s insistent efforts to evade biddings for their power supply agreements, the Competitive Selection Process finally took place,” said Gerry Arances, convenor of the Power for People Coalition.

“We find it alarming, however, that Meralco is still so set on ensuring that power consumers remain tied to paying for dirty energy in the coming decade while also suffering the impacts of destructive power generation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dimagiba said the total savings from all the petitions amounting to P0.4008 per kilowatt hour should be passed on to the consumers immediately.

Business/World

B3

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

US House passes Uighur bill urging sanctions on Chinese

VANDALIZED. This picture taken on December 4, 2019, shows the jewish Westhoffen cemetery near Strasbourg, eastern France, where 107 graves were found vandalized with swastikas and antisemitic inscriptions. AFP

SEC’s Medical City ruling is inadequate IT’S A ruling that is bereft of substance and enforcement.

The Securities and Exchange Commission correctly ruled that the takeover of Medical City by the current majority shareholders was illegal and violated the country’s Securities Regulations Code.

But the corporate regulator stopped short of saying that the perpetrators should stay out of the corporate board of Medical City as their action was void ab initio, or of no legal effect from the outset.

The SEC declared that the group, comprised of companies owned

by Medical City executive Jose Xavier “Eckie” Gonzales and the Singapore-based Viva Group, employed means that were “manipulative, deceptive and fraudulent” in their efforts “to surreptitiously take over Professional Services Inc. (PSI),” the company that manages the healthcare brand.

The regulator said the group of Gonzales “adroitly circumvented” the SRC provisions specifically aimed at protecting shareholders from hostile takeovers.

The SEC decision was adverse to the Gonzales-Viva group. Yet, the group could be celebrating the ruling as a victory, as the regulator let them off with a mere fine of P44 million plus, which is peanuts compared to the resources of the Viva group and the value of its investment in Medical City.

The Gonzales-Viva group may have scored the initial victory and easily afford the P44-million fine, but its reputation has been sullied after taking over Medical City using methods that the regulatory body declared illegal.

Now, will the group be able to face the hospital’s employees and exert its leadership, tainted as they are by the SEC decision? Will the Medical City’s corps of doctors continue to work under the leadership of a group found by the SEC to have taken over their hospital using fraudulent means?

The public’s interest for a year has been stoked by concerns that the Viva Group, owned by a powerful business group based in Singapore, may have run roughshod over Philippine laws in its efforts to take control of the country’s leading healthcare brand. Gonzales, the trusted nephew of Medical City founder, Dr. Alfredo Bengzon, played a key role in the takeover scheme and further fueled the corporate drama.

The SEC stood its ground against these powerful interests. It identified violations of law and the violators. Is the punishment, however, commensurate to the violations?

More questions The fines imposed against the Gonzales-Viva group will go to and benefit the SEC. How will the shareholders of the Medical City be compensated then? They suffered damage as a result of the illegal takeover. Their shares were diluted. They lost the ability to raise new capital and the opportunities from the bigger fund.

More importantly, how can a group which has merely paid a fine be allowed to continue control of the organization it has taken over illegally? Will this not set a bad precedent in the business community?

Does the payment of a fine “legitimize” what the SEC said was an unlawful takeover?

It would also be interesting to find out how the Eckie Gonzales-Viva Group intend to face suppliers, bankers and other business stakeholders given that the SEC had found them guilty of engaging in fraudulent practices.

A particularly weighty question is how the Ateneo community will respond to the SEC ruling that declared the takeover illegal.

The Philippine Jesuits appear to have a significant shareholding in the Medical City. The Medical City is the teaching hospital of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health.

Meanwhile, the incoming president of the Ateneo de Manila, Father Roberto Yap, SJ, the current president of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, was among those who provided compelling testimony at the SEC against the Eckie Gonzales-Viva Group.

It turns out that Father Bobby was among those who were booted out by the Eckie Gonzales-Viva Group from the Medical City board after they took over.

Father Bobby and the rest of the Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam community may be experiencing a moral dilemma of their own. After all, how can they bring greater glory to God when they have to deal with a group who controls the hospital, which Ateneo partly owns and uses to train future doctors? Would not the Ateneo compromise its own long held traditions of upholding truth and justice by going on a modus vivendi with this group?

There will be continuing questions and debate on how and why the SEC allowed the Eckie Gonzales-Viva Group to escape with a mere slap on the wrist.

E-mail: rayenano@yahoo.com or extrastory2000@gmail.com or business@manilastandard.net

WASHINGTON―The US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to toughen Washington’s position against China regarding its treatment of minority Uighurs, calling on President Donald Trump to apply sanctions against senior Chinese officials.

The Uighur Act of 2019 condemns Beijing’s “gross human rights violations” linked to the crackdown in the western region of Xinjiang, where as many as one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities are being held in re-education camps.

The measure, which passed 407 to 1, is a stronger version of the bill that cleared the Senate in September. The two versions must be reconciled into one bill that gets sent to Trump’s desk.

The vote is sure to draw China’s ire.

Beijing has already threatened retaliation against Washington for Trump signing legislation last week supporting Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters, just as the world’s top two economies edge towards a trade truce.

The latest House measure condemns

the mass arbitrary detainment of Uighurs and calls for closure of the re-education camps where they have been held and abused, according to rights groups and US lawmakers.

The bill notably urges Trump to slap sanctions on Chinese officials behind the Uighur policy, including Chen Quanguo, the Communist Party chief for Xinjiang.

“Today the human dignity and human rights of the Uighur community are under threat from Beijing’s barbarous actions, which are an outrage to the collective conscience of the world,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told her colleagues shortly before the vote.

Congress “is taking a critical step to counter Beijing’s horrific human rights abuses against Uighurs,” she said.

“America is watching.”

Pelosi lashed out at Chinese authorities for orchestrating a repressive crackdown that includes pervasive mass state surveillance, solitary confinement, beatings, forced sterilization “and other forms of torture.” AFP

Democrats’ report makes strong case against Trump

W

ASHINGTON― US Democrats presented a forceful case for impeaching and removing President Donald Trump from office Tuesday in a report detailing “overwhelming evidence” of misconduct in office and obstruction.

Immediately dismissed by the White House as the product of a “one-sided sham process,” the House Intelligence Committee report accused Trump of subverting national security as he pressured Ukraine for dirt on a Democratic election rival.

Behind closed doors late Tuesday, the Democratic-led panel voted 13 to 9, along strict party lines as expected, to officially adopt and issue the report to the House Judiciary Committee, which is tasked with drafting articles of impeachment against the president.

The 300-page document, meant to serve as the basis for the charges against Trump, also mapped out in detail what it called an unparalleled effort of obstruction, including witness intimidation, to stifle the investigation into Trump’s Ukraine scheme.

“The president placed his personal political interests above the national interests of the United States, sought to undermine the integrity of the US presidential election process, and endangered US national security,” said the final report on the Intelligence Committee’s investigation.

“President Trump and his senior officials may see nothing wrong with using the power of the office of the president to pressure a foreign country to help the president’s reelection campaign,” it said.

“However, the Founding Fathers prescribed a remedy for a chief executive who places his personal interests above those of the country: impeachment.”

The report, the product of a rapid-fire probe sparked by a whistle blower’s complaint in August, mapped out a months-long scheme by Trump, his per-

sonal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and senior diplomats to pressure Ukraine’s president into investigating Joe Biden, the current favorite to win the Democratic 2020 White House nomination.

Trump also pressured President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate a “conspiracy theory” that it was Ukraine, and not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 US election, to benefit the Democrats.

In both cases, the report said, Trump conditioned nearly $400 million in US military aid and a high-profile summit with Zelensky on Kiev opening the investigations.

Democrat Adam Schiff, the head of the House Intelligence Committee, said the White House demands left Ukraine, which is under constant threat from Russia-backed rebels, vulnerable as Trump sought help for his 2020 reelection.

“This report chronicles a scheme by the president of the United States to coerce an ally, Ukraine, that is at war with an adversary, Russia, into doing the president’s dirty work,” he told reporters. AFP

IN BRIEF UN in $29-b funding appeal

GENEVA―The UN launched a humanitarian appeal for nearly $29 billion on Wednesday as climate change and increasingly protracted conflicts put tens of millions of people in urgent need of aid.

The world body’s Global Humanitarian Overview estimated that 168 million people worldwide will need some form of emergency assistance in 2020, including food, shelter and health care.

That figure marks a “record in the modern era,” UN emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock told reporters, clarifying that he was referring to the period since World War II. Needs continue to rise in part because “conflicts are becoming more protracted and intense,” Lowcock said.

“Combatants display total disregard for humanitarian law,” with the result that civilians caught up in conflict are increasingly likely to be displaced or traumatized psychologically, he said, adding that the number of attacks on schools and health facilities continues to rise.

In addition, climate change has unleashed more extreme weather events, notably drought and flooding, which trigger humanitarian emergencies, he said. AFP

Iran says still ready for talks

TEHRAN―President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday that Iran is still ready for nuclear talks on condition the United States first lifts “unlawful” sanctions.

“If they are prepared to put aside the sanctions, we are ready to talk and negotiate, even at the level of heads of the 5+1 countries,” Rouhani said in remarks aired live on state television.

Rouhani has long demanded the lifting of US sanctions for Iran’s return to talks under the auspices of the so-called P5+1 that reached a 2015 nuclear deal -- the five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

“We are under sanctions. This situation... is (because of) incitement by the Zionists and the region’s reactionary,” he said, referring to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

“This situation... is a cruel act by the White House. We have no choice but to resist and persevere against those imposers of sanctions.

“At the same time, we have not closed the window for negotiations,” Rouhani said.

“I tell the nation of Iran that any time America is prepared to lift and put aside its wrong, cruel, unlawful, incorrect, terrorist sanctions, immediately the heads of 5+1 can meet and we have no problem.”

The landmark 2015 deal gave Iran relief from economic sanctions in return for curbs on its nuclear program. AFP

MONROE IN MOSCOW. A woman uses her smartphone as she walks past a statue of Marilyn Monroe placed outside a cafe in downtown Moscow on December 3, 2019. AFP

United Airlines orders 50 Airbus planes NEW YORK—United Airlines said Tuesday it had ordered 50 Airbus A321XLR aircraft, worth an estimated $6.5 billion, to replace a fleet of aging Boeings.

The new Airbus planes, to be delivered starting 2024, will allow United to retire its Boeing 757-200s, the company said.

The Airbus order is the latest blow to the American manufacturer, already deeply mired in the crisis surrounding its 737 MAX, which has been grounded worldwide after two crashes that resulted in 346 deaths.

Boeing has no new aircraft to compete with the Airbus A321XLR in the mid-market range.

Airbus launched the A321XLR only this year, at the Paris Air Show in June.

The single-aisle aircraft’s range is 15 percent above that of its predecessor, the A321LR, making it a cost-effective alternative to long-haul wide-body planes.

It’s larger fuel tanks allow it to cover

up to 5,400 miles (8,700 kilometers) in nine hours―significantly more than the Boeing 737 MAX. United said it intends to use the new aircraft to serve additional European destinations from US East Coast hubs in Newark/New York and Washington.

The airline turned to Airbus for the purchase because Boeing does not have an aircraft in the mid-market range, a source close to the matter told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“There are no aircraft currently offered by Boeing that can replace the 757,” the source said, adding that negotiations between Airbus and United began several months ago.

Boeing, which is currently focused on returning its MAX aircraft to the sky, has already postponed until next year the possible announcement of a new model aircraft (NMA) intended to replace the 757 and 767.

The manufacturer recently presented the design to various airlines, including United, industrial sources told AFP. AFP

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

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

NEDA endorses Rep. De Venecia’s young farmers bill REP. Christopher de Venecia of Pangasinan’s 4th District has expressed his elation over the National Economic and Development Authority’s endorsement for the immediate passage of his House bill, the Magna Carta of Young Farmers, which is aimed at recognizing, protecting, fulfilling, and promoting the well-being of young farmers, aged 15 to 35.

MUSIC IN LIGHTS. Residents

flock in front of the Tabaco City Hall in Albay to witness the opening of the Christmas lighting at the plaza with a theme ‘Christmas Musical Extravaganza’ on Sunday.

Norman Cruz

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Rep. Christopher de Venecia

“I strongly believe that the government should encourage young people to engage in agriculture by establishing mechanisms for the promotion and protection of their rights, given the fact that the average age of Filipino farmers is 57 to 59 years old,” he said.

Acknowledging the endorsement of his bill, he said, “I thank the NEDA for lending its gravitas to this cause, and for its high-level advice to my fellow policy makers to pass the Magna Carta of Young Farmers immediately.”

As the country’s premier socioeconomic planning body, NEDA is considered the authority in macroeconomic forecasting and policy, analysis and research.

S. Aguak tops LGU peace audit

By Nash B. Maulana

S

HARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao—This hometown of the politically powerful Ampatuan family has topped Philippine local governments’ municipal Peace and Order Council performance in two consecutive years.

In a letter to Shariff Aguak Mayor Marop Ampatuan on Dec. 2, Bangsamoro Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said the town garnered 90.86 percent compliance score in 2018, based on recent POC performance audit.

Sinarimbo said the town’s POC compliance rating surpassed the national municipal average of 52.70 percent in the same year, according to the performance audit report released this month by the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government-Provincial Audit Team.

“The [MILG of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] recognizes your performance in this assessment, and may you continue to be our partner in the implementation of our peace, security and development agenda toward [achieving the state of] peaceful, orderly and safe communities,” Sinarimbo said in a letter to Ampatuan.

Sinarimbo added that the 2017 POC performance audit on Shariff Aguak, recorded at 80.14 percent, was also way above the national average of 73.62 percent that year.

Anwar Emblawa, local executive secre-

tary, said the people of Shariff Aguak credited their “young and vibrant Local Chief Executive for the feat at steering the town well on its development path towards our common goal, that is, #ASENSOShariffAguak.”

To recall, outpouring emotions over the gruesome Maguindanao Massacre on Nov. 23, 2009 had overwhelmed objectivity even among seasoned journalists, by virtually lumping up all members of the clan into the crime.

But unknown to many, members of the Ampatuan family had also publicly condemned the crime—among them, then Maguindanao Rep. Simeon Datumanong in a privilege speech on December 10, 2009, the week after the incident in a bicameral session taking up then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s declaration of martial law in the area.

Navoteño families gain land titles

By Jun David MAYOR Toby Tiangco recently led the distribution of land titles to residents of Brgy. North Bay Boulevard North.

Some 190 members of Samahan ng Mamamayang Nagkakaisa ng NBBN Inc. received land titles from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

“I’m happy that after 23 years, you now hold in your hands the title to your property. You may now sleep soundly, assured in the knowledge that you have legal ownership of your land,” Tiangco said.

“I trust that you will take care of your property and you will be responsible in paying your real property tax,” he added.

The mayor noted that the processing of the land titles started when he was still vice mayor.

“Back then, this area was classified for industrial use. We had to convert it to residential so the DENR could proceed with the processing of land titles,” he explained.

The Navotas Revised Comprehensive Land Use Plan, which contained the reclassification or conversion of land use, was approved in 2018.

UNSUNG HEROES. The unsung heroes of the 30th Southeast Games—volunteer doctors and medical specialists from Bulacan

and Central Luzon—gather after their fine-tuning emergency meeting at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Olongapo City. Pictured are Department of Health officials led by Asec. Francie Laxamana, Director Gloria Balboa and over-all Central Luzon Medical Emergency Management team Director Cesar C. Cassion, CL-MEM-TU Incident Commander - Dr Alfonso Danac; Subic Operations IC - Cathelene A. Camagay; Subic Operations Chief – Dr. Paul Ruel C. Camiña; New Clark City operations chief - Dr Maila Rostrata, Dr. Rommel Punongbayan, Dr. Camiña, Lady Ruth Espadilla, Corazon Cruz and Rhainelee Viray, and members and staff of the MEM-Task Units stationed at the different venues. Orlan Mauricio

NVSU sets production system for citrus QPM

By Butch Gunio LOS BAÑOS, Laguna―Nueva Vizcaya State University has established a production system for citrus quality planting materials that can be readily accessed by citrus growers in the country.

“The system includes a citrus mother tree foundation and budwood increase

block, where trees are maintained in large earthen pots inside an insect-proof screenhouse. All mother trees are protected from two insect vectors: aphids for Citrus Tristeza Virus and psyllids for Huanglongbing,” Dr. Elbert A. Sana of NVSU said.

“CTV and HLB incidence, along with poor orchard management, are the main

causes of low production of citrus in the country,” he said.

All mother trees are indexed for CTV and HLB annually to ensure that budwoods for seedling production in the nursery come from clean mother trees. The trees have also been certified by the Bureau of Plant Industry with tags indicating the true identity of the variety, he added.

‘Tisoy to compel solons to hasten DDR bill passage’ THE vast destruction wrought by Typhoon “Tisoy” and the widescale misery it inflicted on thousands of Filipinos, aside from the casualties it left behind, should now compel Congress to pass, this time without hitches, the bill creating the Department of Disaster Resilience.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee and principal author of the DDR proposal, said in a TV interview the Philippines had “suffered enough actual and potential losses, damages and disruption due to the increasing frequency of ferocious climate events.”

“The government should now be decisive in creating a full department to effectively carry out programs required to address the threats, respond to disasters and develop the culture of resilience needed for survival,” he added.

Tisoy lashed the country early this week, made landfall in Albay and neighboring Sorsogon with 175 to 230-kilometer-per-hour winds, the strongest so far in years, leaving a wide swath of destruction in its wake across southern Luzon and northern Visayas.

Among those heavily devastated was the Legazpi City Domestic Airport located in Albay’s Salceda’s second district, which prompted the lawmaker to seek the help of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Department of Transportation for the immediate restoration and resumption of flights within the week.

Both CAAP chief Jim Sydiongco and DOTr Sec. Arthur Tugade have pledged to immediately send a team to assist in the immediate resumption of flights.

The Legazpi Domestic Airport is “the face of Albay and Legazpi City, so it should not become the image of Tisoy’s destruction but the icon of Albay resilience.”

Albay was a model for “zero casualty” and disaster resilience when Salceda was its governor for nine years, gaining recognition from the United Nations. It registered a zero casualty record in 2014 during the onslaught of Typhoon “Glenda,” amid reports of numerous casualties and injuries elsewhere. The principle was adopted subsequently by the national government.

P31-m evacuation complex in Region 2 completed

By Brenda Jocson

The P31-million evacuation complex in Tuao, Cagayan.

TUAO, Cagayan—A P31-million regional evacuation complex was completed and is now ready to serve communities affected during calamities that hit Region 2 or the Cagayan Valley region.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways, the complex is located in Barangay Lallayug-Abut in this municipality, and was recently inaugurated.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said the evacuation complex consists of eight buildings which will provide immediate public assistance during disasters, particularly during typhoons,

floodings and landslides.

Citing a report from Loreta Malaluan, DPWH Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) officer in charge, Villar said that among the buildings constructed were a twostory main building, two-story operations office, infirmary building and a garbage disposal building.

In addition to a prayer room, Malalluan said that the main building has a multiple bed capacity, dining area, food preparation area, dishwashing area, communication room and storage room.

“With this new evacuation complex in Cagayan province, we are hoping that casualties during calamities will be reduced and that the delivery of basic needs of residents that will be affected

by disasters in the area will be much easier,” Villar said.

He also assured that the DPWH will continue to exert their ultimate efforts to design and build resilient evacuation facilities all over the country to aid fellow government agencies in response and relief operations.

Funded under the 2017 DPWH Regular Infrastructure Program (DPWHRIP), the project is one of the seven regional evacuation complexes that are being built in the Cagayan Valley region, he added.

Villar said the DPWH is one of the government agencies that are also at the forefront of disaster risk preparedness and management.

Life

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

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

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Shining, shimmering, splendid

Christmas trees

By Steph Llarena

C

HRISTMAS tree lighting of premier hotels and lifestyle malls all over the metro is always a joyous affair. There’s a special guest or two, sumptuous bites are served, entertainment always a delight, and, of course, the trees—in various colors and sizes—are a sight to behold.

Manila Standard Life has covered a number of stunning, sparkling trees such as those of Uptown Mall’s (Uptown Mall lights up red and pink Christmas tree, published Oct. 24), SM malls’ (Home for the holidays, published Nov. 14), Century Park Hotel’s, Dia-

mond Hotel’s, Manila Hotel’s, City of Dreams’, Luxe Duty Free’s, and Conrad Manila’s (Christmas sparklers around town, published Nov. 24).

Here are some more Christmas trees whose décor we hope to recreate in our homes.

Shangri-La Plaza Mall

The mall’s 58-foot Santa’s workshop-inspired Christmas tree is one of its stunning holiday decorations that showcase the magical, pristine, and colorful world of Santa’s Wonderland.

Mall guests are welcomed by elves at the entrances, with candy cane pillars supporting the official seal of the North Pole, and giant stars and Christmas balls dangling from the ceiling.

Shangri-La Plaza general manager Lala Fojas and Mandaluyong councilors Benjie Abalos III and Charisse Abalos led the ceremonial lighting.

Bonifacio Global City

A stunning 55-foot Christmas tree stands tall alongside a sea of twirling fairies at the 7th Avenue. The fairy tale Christmas tree illuminates the district and the lives of the beneficiaries of Christmas Aklat Project led by the Fort Bonifacio Development Foundation.

Several activities are happening in BGC such Anticipated Simbang Gabi, fireworks display on all Fridays of December, and Santa meet and greet all Sundays of the month.

AirAsia Philippines

Century City Mall

Red and gold holiday trees light up the Skyloft on the fourth level of the Makati mall. Century Properties Group executive chairman Jose E.B. Antonio, president and chief executive Marco Antonio, and president for retail and marketing Johnson Go led the tree lighting on Nov. 14 In addition to the trees, mall-goers can take photos with hot air balloons and gift décor that adorn the mall’s north and south entrances. They can also participate in the malls’ various activities or shop to earn rebates during the Shopaholic All In promo on the second week of December. A series of Masses will be held at the chapel on the fifth level.

A 30-foot Christmas tree decked with red trimmings welcomes travelers at the Arrival Hall of NAIA Terminal 3. The holiday display features bright lights, glistening ornaments, oversized passports, and Christmas socks displaying AirAsia destinations. An AirAsia A320 aircraft model sits on top of the tree.

Chief executive officer Ricky Isla led the tree lighting and the announcement of a photo contest that awards free roundtrip tickets for two. Contestants must take a photo with the AirAsia Christmas tree, upload it on Instagram, and post why AirAsia should fly them to their dream destination. Tag @airasiafilipino and use the hashtag #AirAsiaChristmas. Winners will be announced on Dec. 23.

Solaire Resort and Casino

Not just one but two 24-foot Christmas trees adorned with beautiful star toppers made of capiz delight guests of Solaire Resort and Casino.

The tree lighting was led by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation chief operating officer Alfredo Lim, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez, and Bloomberry Resorts Corporation president and chief executive Thomas Arasi. A live The Nutcracker performance by Ballet Manila added life to the event.

Shangri-La the Fort

It’s a sustainable Christmas at Shangri-La the Fort as the hotel promotes environmental consciousness by adopting select Taguig City public schools educators through a partnership with WWFPhilippines’ Environmental Education (EE) Program.

Guests can help by purchasing the limited edition wooden Christmas ornaments created by local crafters. All proceeds will be used to support the EE program. They may hang the ornaments by the 10-foot wooden tree made of refurbished wood.

Beautiful Victoria turns 18

By Robbie Pangilinan

Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez takes pride in Patio Victoria’s offerings.

EVENT venues have sprouted all over the metro, each one unique and Instagramworthy. But the enduring beauty and elegance of 18-year-old Patio Victoria in Intramuros, Manila continues to attract guests celebrating important milestones.

For the past 18 years, Patio Victoria’s “old world charm” has hosted hundreds of special occasions such as weddings, debuts, baptisms, anniversaries, birthday parties, and corporate events.

Antique wooden gates open to beautiful cobblestone walkways, refreshing fountains, flowering plants, and large trees.

Its two gardens, Sofia and Diana, named after owner Cristina GonzalesRomualdez’s daughters, can each accommodate up to 350 guests.

The Sofia Garden’s Tivoli lights, fountain, and lavishly designed gazebo leave guests in awe, while a well-grown acacia tree in the heart of the Diana

Garden shades guests and creates a dreamy sight.

Meanwhile, the air-conditioned Sofia Banquet Hall is perfect for a variety of occasions and can accommodate 250 guests. It is a full-serviced venue that provides everything from catering to styling.

“Patio Victoria has been here for 18 years, and we will always be here to keep that tradition of expressing joy and thanksgiving, but always reinventing to cater to all celebrations,” said Gonzales-Romualdez.

She continued, “Next year, we will start catering to other venues, not only in the gardens inside Intramuros, but in other places in the whole country. We want to make celebrations truly amazing and special.”

Patio Victoria offers affordable all-in packages with a menu composed of classic and mouth-watering dishes like Lengua de Bodeguero, Paella ala Patio Victoria, Roast Beef, Beef Lasagna, and more.

“We have a wide menu of both local

The full-serviced, air-conditioned banquet hall can accommodate 250 guests.

and international cuisine. I am proud well-trained. I guarantee you that your that we serve good and exquisite food event will be perfect,” enthused Gonzaand our waiters are highly skilled and les-Romualdez.

Life

C2

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

The developer ensures its concept houses, such as Archion 1 and 2, are designed with gracious allocation and meticulous consideration for size and architecture.

T

HE list of requirements is long for a residential development to be considered top of the line.

An upscale property in Santa Rosa, Laguna nails two birds with its ultra-luxe and environmentally sustainable enclave.

Trava in Santa Rosa, Laguna is the latest eco-friendly residence under Greenfield Development Corporation’s high-end brand Greenfield Deluxe.

Inspired by the success of its first residential parks in Greenfield City, this upscale subdivision is Greenfield’s answer to the demand for properties that combine luxury and green living in “the new Makati of the south.”

The 33-hectare Trava has 315 lots ranging from 550 to 750 square meters—generous enough to fit any of the two-story concept houses available, as well as a three-car garage.

To stay true to its commitment to sustainability, the concept houses are designed with gracious allocation and meticulous consideration for size and architecture, put together by a renowned team of architects.

Luxury in green living is translated through the use of low-emissivity glass to minimize penetration of harmful ultraviolet and infrared light, engineered wood, and odorless paint. Roofs are mounted with solar panels to generate clean energy.

The master plan for the development has fully underground utilities, roads

Sustainably luxurious living in Santa Rosa

LUXURIOUSLY GREEN. Greenfield Deluxe’s eco-friendly residential development Trava in Santa Rosa, Laguna features upscale facilities and sustainable concept houses. decked with trees, and verdant scenes and walkways intuitively laid out to anticipate the needs of residents while guaranteeing aesthetics and functionality.

Luxury living is complemented by the welcoming clubhouse with amenities for pampering, leisure, and sports.

The clubhouse has an ecology-inspired grass-covered roof, social hall

for special events, a fitness gym, function and recreation rooms for gatherings and celebrations, a children’s pavilion, a swimming pool complex, a dance studio, tennis court, basketball court, dedicated bike lanes, and jogging paths.

Parts of the clubhouse are also powered by solar energy.

Accessibility is also prioritized, with

urban convenience and leisure establishments such as Paseo Outlets located within Greenfield City. Also nearby are landmark lifestyle malls Laguna Central and Arcadia which feature restaurants, bars, cafes, and more green open spaces.

Future residents of Trava are guaranteed ease when moving to and from Metro Manila through Greenfield

City’s exits along South Luzon Expressway, namely Eton-Greenfield City, Greenfield City-Unilab (formerly Mamplasan), and Sta. Rosa interchanges. Tagaytay is easily accessible to the west via the Santa Rosa-Tagaytay Road, and Cavite through the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, which is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

Let there be light (when you say so) SMART innovation has paved the way for homes to become technologically advanced, so much so that even turning lights on and off can be controlled by an app or voice command.

Global lighting company Signify launches Philips Hue in the Philippines.

A personal smart lighting system, Philips Hue allows people to control their lights in their home or from anywhere in the world using a smart device.

The brand combines intuitive technologies with high-quality LED lighting, available in more than 16 million colors.

Curious how to use the smart lighting system?

Kick-start your day

Philips Hue lights can serve as a gentle wake-up call in the morning by automatically increasing brightness to ease users into the day.

Welcome you home

Philips Hue can be set to welcome users home after a long day by enabling the geofencing feature on the app. It can also be set to a variety of moods with light scenes like Tropical Twilight or Tokyo Lights or a customized scene.

Sit back and chill

Users can also set up an immersive entertainment experience by syncing the lights with

Affordable yet comprehensive home insurance allows homeowners to protect their properties.

a take-home pay of P537 a day is planning to buy Malayan’s affordable home insurance, he only needs to save at least P3.50 a day.

Moreover, Malayan’s Home Protect Plus has extended coverage that expands its benefits to family members, household employees, and even valuable items. It offers a 6-in-1 value coverage that features the property insurance itself, personal liability, personal accident, hospitalization, a household employee, and declared valuable items.

Call (02) 8628-8628 or go to www.malayan.com for more information.

music, videos, and games. They can also easily communicate through voice commands with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Nest, and Apple HomeKit, and even synchronize the smart lights with Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube.

Set to snooze

Dim the lights by simply telling smart assistant like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, “Good night,” and the lights will automatically dim to prepare users for a comfortable sleep.

The Hue Starter Kit includes three Hue White and Color Ambiance bulbs and a bridge, that

4-peso a day home insurance MANY Filipinos consider home insurance one of the least priorities, due in part to the notion that it is expensive, if not a waste of money.

To cater to homeowners looking for insurance that does not burn a hole in their pockets, Malayan Insurance offers Home Protect Plus, one of its property insurance products that are lowcost yet provide wide coverage.

It offers comprehensive home and property insurance for premium payment of P1,200 per year for a P1 million worth of coverage. It offers protection from earthquakes, floods, fire, and burglary.

This means if a typical Filipino with

Wil Dasovich tries the Philips Hue app which can change the light bulb into 16 million different colors.

Philips Hue is a smart lighting system that allows users to control their lights using a smart device.

allows users to add up to 50 Philips Hue light bulbs, and up to 12 switches and other accessories through the Philips Hue app.

“The future belongs to connected living, with smart homes being a key driver today. We at Signify endeavor to deliver a human centric approach to our innovations, and Philips Hue is a perfect example as it can be the first step to turn any home into a smart home, creating never-before experiences with lighting that can be customized around your lifestyle,” enthused Jagan Srinivasan, country leader of Signify Philippines.

Aside from Alexa and Google Assistant, Philips Hue is also compatible with other smart-home platforms like Apple HomeKit, Samsung Smartthings, Microsoft Cortana, Bosch, and Logitech.

The new Philips Hue range also features dual Bluetooth connectivity and Zigbee technology for an expanded smart lighting experience.

Philips Hue is available at select PowerMac, Switch, iStore, Nifty, Urban Gadgets, Infomax Glorietta, Abenson Global City, and online at the Philips Lighting Official store on Lazada.

Entertainment

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

2019 MAMA across the world with Twitter TWITTER and Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA), one of the biggest music awards shows in Asia, joined hands to engage K-pop fans worldwide on Twitter.

This year, MAMA brought the star-studded event closer to fans around the world with four global activations on Twitter: the red carpet 360 and livestream; the #TwitterBlueRoom ‘Thank You stage’; the Star Countdown video series; and Worldwide Fans’ Choice voting.

Fans were able to join the #2019MAMA and #MAMARedcarpet conversations on Twitter with customized emojis using both hashtags.

From voting for their favourite K-pop artistes and bands to keeping updated on the live events, Twitter was the best place for global K-pop fans to partici-

pate in the 2019 MAMA event experience, find out what’s happening in real-time, and to talk about it with other K-pop fans.

Yesterday, Dec. 4, fans were able to watch the #MAMARedCarpet in real-time on Twitter and set up notifications via a special live page (https:// twitter.com/i/events/1192190862660272129).

Enhancing the experience was Twitter’s Redcarpet 360, where fans from around the world got to join in on all the red carpet buzz and activities. The Redcarpet 360 offered up a 360-degree view of the star-studded event exclusively on Twitter, as K-pop artists and Korean celebrities took to the red carpet.

After their award win, artists and bands visited the ‘Thank you stage’ to share their excitement and thank their fans worldwide through the #TwitterBlueRoom.

Korean heartthrob Park Bo Gum returns as host of Mnet Asian Music Awards for its 2019 edition.

PATRICIA JAVIER named

Noble Queen of the Universe 2019

A

CTRESS and singer Patricia Javier Walcher, representing PhilippinesLuzon, bested 20 other candidates to win the title Noble Queen of the Universe 2019 during the pageant’s grand coronation held Sunday night at Centennial Hall The Manila Hotel, Ermita.

The former sexy star, now 41 and a mother of two boys, competed under the platform-advocacy on health and wellness and environmental protection.

“I would love to empower women by letting my voice be heard as I talk and share about different views in life,” said the former Mrs. Asia-California 2009 who followed another former actress, Alma Concepcion, who won Mrs. Grand Universe 2019 in September.

Javier left her showbiz career and settled down in San Diego, California after marrying husband Dr. Robert Walcher who runs a very successful practice in Chiropractic Medicine.

Javier, who is Genesis Caniapan in real life, held concerts, disk-jockeying and worked as an aesthetician in a dermatology clinic to support her husband who one time represented the USA at the World of Performing Arts in Hollywood and won five gold medals in acting and modeling.

Javier is best remembered for the 1999 Peque Gallaga hit movie Ang Kabit ni Mrs. Montero and her recordbreaking, controversial concert at the Folk Arts Theater entitled Mrs. Patricia Javier in 2003.

Other winners of Respect: Noble Queen of the Universe 2019 were Noble Queen of the Universe International Maria France Imelda Papin Carrion, representing Philippines-Bicol; Noble Queen of the Universe Globe Beau Singson Villanueva representing

nickie.standard@gmail.com

C3

Very Wang...

From C4

According to the company’s executives, Sunshine and her daughters are the perfect poster girls for 24 Alkaline-C, a non-acidic vitamin C and 24 Alka-White, a premium L-glutathione with Camellia Japonica which is a fat blocker.

Em-core Dotnet President Sheryll Edman said, “I believe that if the product works, the business works.

We want to be true to our mission, We Improve Lives, by bringing affordable quality products for the whole family and offering a lucrative business opportunity for the everyone. And we believe Sunshine and her daughter are the perfect celebrities to help us achieve this mission.”

Sunshine is currently part of ABSCBN’s primetime series Love Thy Woman, where she stars alongside Kim Chiu and Xian Lim. Her ongoing movie projects include My Stepmother’s Lover (Regal Films) and the The Heiress (Regal Films), which also stars Maricel Soriano, Janella Salvador and McCoy de Leon.

Angelina has released her self-titled EP under Universal Records, and is also a Bench endorser.

Her younger sisters Sam and Chesca are still finishing their studies at La Salle Zobel.

Sunshine and her daughters are the newest addition to the growing list of Em-core Dotnet celebrity endorsers.

Just last month, the company signed up reigning Miss World Philippines 2019 Michelle Dee and GMA-7’s heartthrob David Licauco.

For more info on Em-core Dotnet and its products, visit: www. em-coredotnet.com or fb.com/ emcoredotnetsupport .

A voice...

From C4

Former sexy star Patricia Javier crowned as Noble Queen of the Universe 2019

Australia; and Noble Queen of the Universe Tourism Anna Rabtsun Baylosis representing Russia. Ritchell Catt representing Guam and Via Kim representing Korea were named first and second runners up, respectively.

Respect: Noble Queen of the Universe Ltd, Inc. (NQULI), which aims for women to gain greater respect in the society, was founded by Erilene Noche-Tumali -MBA, Dursula Ito -PHD, Lovely Tajan - RN, Emarie Atienza, and Atty. Jiboy Cabochan.

Noble Queen of the Universe coronation night will have a delayed telecast on Dec. 14, Sunday 6:00 to 7:30 in the evening on Net25 ***

promote something without practicing it. When you practice self-love, you start to give love and care for other people,” Manio said in the final question-andanswer round when asked how she will promote Silka’s campaign on ‘self-love.’

Angelica Corporal, a 21-year-old native of Bulacan, who won Best in Evening Gown and Miss Photogenic was named first runner-up.

Ma. Izabel Lamberth, 19, of Baguio City and Krisha Andrea Pekitpekit, 16, of Cebu, finished as 2nd and 3rd runners-

up, respectively.

Rounding out the Top 10 were the candidates from Cavite, Laguna, Central Mindanao and Zambales.

Now on its 12th year, Miss Silka Philippines has been celebrating diversity amongst women by giving an avenue for different regions and culture to be represented on a national level.

The pageant consisted of 26 candidates from the different provinces across the country who won their respective regional titles.

Miss Silka Philippines 2019 winner crowned Jaimee Nicole Manio bested 25 other candidates from around the country to bag the Miss Silka Philippines 2019 title in coronation held at Market Market, in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Friday night.

Manio, a 20-year-old student at Holy Angel University, won P150,000 cash and P100,000 for the charity of her choice for winning Best in Swimsuit. She succeeded last year’s winner Miss Silka Philippines 2018 Maraiah Queen Arceta of Cebu.

“I will promote self-love by starting it within myself. I believe you cannot

Miss Silka Philippines 2019 Jaimee Nicole Manio

“I attended church and prayed, when I got back in the car after to check my phone, Voila!

An answered prayer! A talent coordinator from ABS-CBN contacted me to ask if I wanted to be part of a new segment for Its Showtime. One of the worst days of my life turned out to be the best day after all,” she beamed.

Apple compared her “Tawag Ng Tanghalan” journey to a solar coaster ride.

“The last time I joined a singing competition was 13 years ago. Akala ko sa pangalawang pagkakataon, mas less na ang kaba, hindi pa rin pala! Parang dumoble pa.”

“I won’t call this realization, more of a revelation, since I’m a religious person, I know my faith.

Thru my TNT experience, I felt God’s presence in my life all the more. Mas lalo kong nakikita kung paano niya ako gina-guide sa mga bagay na ginagawa ko.

Kumatok ang TNT sa panahong may nagsarang pintuan sakin.

Dun ko lalong naramdaman na lagi Siyang nakabantay sa akin.

At dahil dun, ramdam na ramdam kong napakapalad ko.”

Apple plans to release a single in the first quarter of 2020. She also wants to go back to theater because it’s been years since she last did a musical.

“You’re going to see more of me singing and performing in the coming years,” she ended.

Follow Apple on Instagram at @iamapplechiu and like her on Facebook at facebook.com/ iamapplechiu. Catch her live every week at 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. as she hosts Net25’s musical variety show Letters and Music.

Viewers make SEA Games opening on ABS-CBN the weekend’s most-watched program WHILE thousands of Filipinos packed the Philippine Arena to show support for our national athletes in the 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) Opening Ceremony, even more people watched the live telecast of the event on ABS-CBN, making the spectacle the most-watched program for the entire weekend.

With its dazzling performances of Filipino cultural dances, star-studded production numbers, and appearances of legendary athletes, the 30th SEAG Opening Ceremony registered a national TV rating of 29.2 percent last Saturday (Nov. 30) based on data from Kantar Media, the highest for all programs that aired on Saturday and Sunday (Dec.1).

Many viewers also opted to watch the event online, with ABS-CBN News’ Facebook Live of the ceremony hitting 1.8 million views with 63,000 reactions while many also watched on ABS-CBN’s streaming service iWant.

House Speaker and Philippine

SEA Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) Chair Alan Peter Cayetano earlier said in an interview with ABS-CBN News that with ABS-CBN as broadcast partner, Filipinos will be able to watch wherever they may be.

“It will really be a great show. We believe that all Filipinos should have the opportunity to watch and since hindi naman lahat makapunta doon live it’s a big privilege and honor to have ABSCBN cover it live so that not only can all Filipinos win as one but enjoy the opening ceremonies as one,” he said.

True enough, Filipinos were united in praise of the SEAG Opening Ceremony on social media, with hashtags and words related to it trending nationwide and even worldwide.

Meanwhile, the country’s leading media and entertainment company continues with its coverage of the region’s prestigious biennial multi-sport event

through its sports arm, ABS-CBN Sports.

The live broadcast of football, volleyball, and gymnastics competitions can be watched live on ABS-CBN S+A, LIGA, and iWant, as well as the closing ceremony on December 11 at 6:30 p.m.

S+A’s flagship program The Score, hosted by veteran sports anchor Mico Halili, will also air at 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. for the duration of the games to deliver the latest updates on the medal tally and interviews with winning Filipino athletes and sports analysts.

Apart from football and volleyball matches, iWant will also stream all games for gymnastics and aquatics, and selected events in athletics. Games in men’s basketball, 3x3, and weightlifting featuring Hidilyn Diaz will also be available on demand.

Early this year, ABS-CBN launched the National Cheer Campaign to celebrate Filipino greatness and to rally people to unite and bring honor to the country.

The 30th SEAG Opening Ceremony registered a national TV rating of 29.2 percent according to Kantar Media.

The campaign’s anthem “Isigaw Mo #GalingNatinIto,” sung by over 20 OPM artists, will be featured in ABS-CBN Sports’ coverage of the SEA Games.

For sports news and full schedule of ABS-CBN Sports’ coverage of the

2019 SEA Games, tune in on ABSCBN and ABS-CBN S+A, follow @ ABSCBNNews and @ABSCBNSports on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or visit news.abs-cbn.com, sports.abs-cbn. com, and iwant.ph.

Entertainment

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

C4

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2019

A voice that deserves to be heard APPLE Chiu, a household name on the radio waves, returns to her one true love —singing.

Her name surfaced on the national stage as a contestant of Philippine Idol on ABC5. It all the more became a staple in the local music industry as a regular Songbee of ABS-CBN’s Singing Bee (2008).

During her venture into theater, with notable productions like Resorts World’s staging of The KIng and I, Apple suffered back injury from gym training and had to put her performing on hold. But the call of showbiz proved too strong for Apple to resist and in 2014 she answered the invitation to host Net25’s morning show Pambansang Almusal, noontime musical variety show Letters and Music, and as a DJ for DWDM PinasFM 95.5’s afternoon show Funbansang Hapon.

TV host Apple Chiu rekindles her passion for singing

Sense of a woman A QUICK first glance at the lineup of Joshua Six might make fans wonder why Barbie Almalbis, the rose among thorns of bigname U2 fans, was included. Yet, seeing her perform at a packed 12 Monkeys bar last Nov. 25, with Rico Blanco and other mainstream rock luminaries at that, erased any doubt possibly raised.

It felt like everybody was awed watching her play guitar solo and sing one of U2’s most recognized tunes: “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.” Barbie had been tagged as a rock princess for a reason and that night she somehow reminded everyone why she earned that monicker. Besides, why would her mates in the one-time supergroup allow her to share the stage if they felt she was an oddball for the night’s purpose?

“Idol ko silang lahat, especially si Francis Reyes whom I saw perform with The Dawn when I was in high school back in Iloilo,” she told the crowd of select invitees and lucky fans.

Of course that prompted Francis Brew to react with a grin. But she sounded sincere to inform everyone how she felt playing alongside two former members of Eraserheads(Raymund Marasigan and Buddy Zabala), two exmembers of Rivermaya (Rico and Japs Sergio), and the guitarist who ably replaced the legendary Teddy Diaz. It was by all means a group of somebodies.

“Kung nag-e enjoy kayo dyan, 10 times kami dito,” expressed Rico of

his take on what was happening.

The man of the hour was in his element all night, cooly asking YUGEL everyone “Why so LOSORATA serious?” upon hearing silence before the storm. He later inserted the first verse of Rivermaya’s “Shattered Like” before singing the opening lines of U2’s signature hit “With Or Without You.” The art of self-deprecation was around on a star-studded classic rock night. Rico joked, “We’re better performing our own songs.” Francis was more blatant, “Does this make you want to watch the real thing?”

Kidding aside, the group did justice to U2 songs in a memorable gig titled Prelude to U2 The Gig presented by Smart Music Live. Everyone was being professional in doing their respective roles. The group synergy was instrumental for Barbie to shine the way she did.

Thanks to the likes of Barbie, the present rock music scene is favorable to women shining. The band She’s Coming Home, formed in 2015, has Karla Pauline Macatlang to boot, with her strongly emotive vocals necessarily tightening the grip felt in the ensemble playing of her band’s instrumentalists, namely, guitarists Robert Besana and Ron Padilla, bass player Vladimir Besana, and drummer Justine Omac.

The group released their fourth single “Try” last month, after “Pleasure,” “Feel Me,” and “Kahit Saglit.” Listening to their songs will make you agree that they write alternative rock songs with a kick

She also self-produced her Youtube Channel which features makeup tutorials, travel vlogs and interviews with celebrities.

Now, Apple has returned to the big stage as a Grand Finalist of Tawag ng Tanghalan Celebrity Champions on It’s Showtime.

“I was also very happy as a DJ. And the listeners know that when they listen to me on-air. One of the factors why it made me happy, was getting to meet and interview established and new artists in the industry,” Apple talked about her experience as a DJ and TV host.

“Everytime I interview artists, I made sure they’re able to share the things that needed to be shared about them kasi yun ang pakiramdam ko na hindi ko naexperience when I was in their place when I used to do radio

guestings or tv guestings. I wanted them to feel at home, feel relaxed, yung maramdaman nilang baguhan man sila sa industriya, they are still wanted, they are equally important as the big stars,” she added.

Though singing was her first love, it got to a point that her hosting gigs got in the way. And she thought people had already forgotten that before becoming a television host, she was a singer first.

“As much as I wanted to sing hindi ko din naman maiwan ang pag-DDJ ko kasi laging live yun. It was sad but I never lost hope. I kept praying for it.

I knew the right time will come,” she related.

True enough when her radio DJ contract was not renewed she knew right away that there’s something else that she needed to do. Continued on C3

Why Sunshine’s daughters are using Cruz as surname Sunshine Cruz and her daughters Angelina, Samantha, and Chesca pose for a family photo during their recent vacation in Japan.

OR the first time, Sunshine Cruz and her daughters Angelina, Samantha and Chesca have appeared in public to be the faces of a direct marketing company. The screen star and her daughters, who have been following in their mother’s footsteps, were all chosen to endorse health and wellness products.

F Barbie Almalbis with the rest of the wittily dubbed Joshua Six after the recent Prelude to U2 The Gig by Smart Music Live.

Alanis Morissette announces tour with Liz Phair and Garbage “IRONIC” singer Alanis Morissette, the feminist rocker whose hits in the 1990s voiced the angst of a generation, on Monday released new music off her upcoming album—her first in eight years—and announced a 2020 tour.

The 31-stop tour will launch in June 2020 to mark the 25th anniversary of her seminal album Jagged Little Pill, and the Canadian rocker will be joined by her alt contemporariesLiz Phair and Garbage.

Morissette, 45, offered fans a tease of her upcoming ninth studio album Such Pretty Forks in the

Road, due out on May 1, 2020, dropping the lead single “Reasons I Drink.”

Jagged Little Pill was met with critical and commercial fanfare—on smash songs including “Ironic,” “Hand in My Pocket,” and “You Oughta Know,” Morissette sang of the moody contradictions and frustrations of the era’s youth.

The 1995 album is also the basis of a Broadway musical, set to open in New York today. AFP Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and record producer, Alanis Morissette is back on the music scene.

One of the scribes present at the launch noticed that the offsprings of Sunshine and former husband Cesar Montano were all introduced with Cruz as their surname. Thus, the writer asked if the three teenagers are not in good terms with their father.

“Of course, they have a good relationship with their father,” Sunshine clarified and explained that it was the idea of their manager Arnold Vegafria.

“They are more into singing, so we all know that the Cruzes are known musicians so we thought it would be better if

CRUZES. Angelina (leftmost) and her mom and sisters are all glammed up for her 18th birthday celebration.

they used Cruz as surname since they all want to be music artists,” she added.

The 42-year-old star maintained that in pursuing careers in show business, it’s logical for her daughters to use Cruz for their screen names.

Her daughter Angelina, 18, had the same sentiments.

“I feel that the screen name could ac-

From left: Sunshine's manager Arnold Vegafria, Em-Core Dot Net CFO Rey Panaligan, Chesca Cruz, Angelina Cruz, Sunshine Cruz, Samantha Cruz, and Em-Core Dot Net Founder and President Sheryll Edman.

tually help cause I feel that everyone in the industry has one so since our name is Cruz,” she said. “Like Tita Donna Cruz, it’s really Cruzes are musically inclined so I feel that it could help us but it’s not our real name it’s not legally changed or anything, it’s just a screen name.”

Meanwhile, Sunshine shared that Cesar was made aware of this decision.

“We met in Las Vegas and he said, ‘It’s okay, anak ko pa rin ‘yan, dugo ko pa rin ‘yan.’ It’s just a screen name’,” Sunshine said.

Working together for the first time Sunshine Cruz and her daughters are the latest brand ambassadors of Em-core Dotnet, one of the country’s premiere direct-marketing companies specializing in nutraceuticals and other health and wellness products.

Sunshine and daughters Angelina, Samantha (15), and Chesca (13) have been chosen as the celebrity endorsers for the company’s flagship product, 24 AlkalineC, and 24 Alka-White. Continued on C3