Manila Standard - 2019 September 3 - Tuesday

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Senate hearing bolsters need to amend ‘good conduct’ law

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo THE law that almost set free convicted rapist and murderer Antonio Sanchez for good behavior needs to be amended, Senator Richard Gordon said Monday, after a Senate hearing on the Good Conduct and Time Allowance program that has released almost 2,000 inmates convicted of heinous crimes.

Sanchez, who raped and murdered Next page

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 201 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Faeldon clings to post, cites doing a good job

Senator Leila de Lima

NBI digging into slay of BuCor exec who handled Sanchez case

Mar Roxas

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Franklin Bucayu

Two lawmakers feud over budget insertion bid

SENATE President Vicente Sotto III on Monday called on the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the killing of a prison official who has handled the early release orders for inmates, including the convicted rapist and murder Antonio Sanchez.

At a joint probe by the Senate Blue Ribbon and justice committees, Sotto suggested to Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra that the NBI investigate the motive behind the death of Ruperto Traya Jr., Bureau of C o rrec-

tions chief administrative officer 3.

Sotto noted that Traya was shot dead in Barangay Poblacion in Muntinlupa City by an unidentified gunman seven days after the news broke out about Sanchez’s impending release.

Sotto said Traya was working closely with the documents section, the department involved in the release orders inmates who were qualified for release based on their Good Conduct Time Allowance.

Under a 2013 law, the GCTA has been used to release almost 2,000 inmates convicted of heinous crimes such as murder and rape.

Sotto said the release orders originated from the office of the slain BuCor official.

NBI director Dante Gierran told the Blue Ribbon Committee they are now Next page investigating the killing.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

B

ELIEVING he is doing a good job, Bureau of Corrections chief Nicanor Faeldon said he would not resign despite public outrage of an early prisoner release program that has freed almost 2,000 inmates convicted of heinous crimes.

At a hearing of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, Faeldon was asked if he should step down, to which he replied, “I believe no.”

“Why? Do you believe you’re doing a good job?” asked Senator

Risa Hontiveros.

“Yes, ma’am,” Faeldon replied.

When Hontiveros said all they heard was the opposite of his claim and asked him point blank when he would resign, Faeldon said he would defer to the appointing authority, President Rodrigo Duterte.

Earlier, Hontiveros cited irregularities in the implementation of the Good Conduct Time Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz REP. Edcel Lagman said Monday there was no withdrawal of the General Appropriations Bill and that the money measure will pass as scheduled.

However, House committee on appropriations chairman and Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab accused Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte of trying to tamper with the proposed P4.1-trillion national government budget for 2020 to introduce “insertions.”

Ungab said any changes being done to the GAB that is basically a copy of the National Expenditure Program submitted by Malacañang is an “insertion.”

“Deputy Speaker [Villafuerte] is meddling too much that he wants to change the GAB. Changing the money measure that comes from the Executive department is wrong. He withdrew because he wanted to change the GAB,” Ungab said.

The leadership of the House of Representatives, however, said it was committed to pass the measure in a transparent and timely manner.

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said the proposed budget for 2020 “will be scrutinized but will not be delayed and will be transparent.”

Next page

Gilas Pilipinas loses to Serbia, 67 to 126 GILAS Pilipinas rammed into a welloiled Serbian team and absorbed another ghastly setback—a 59-point 126-67 loss late Monday night in the 2019 FIBA World Cup at the Foshan International Sports and Cultural Arena.

Bannered by NBA Twin Towers Nikola Jokic and Boban Marjanovic, the Serbians proved too classy against the error-prone Filipinos, who absorbed their second straight loss and kissed their hopes of advancing to the next round of the 32-team tournament goodbye.

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IN HOT SEAT. Nicanor Faeldon (right), director general of the Bureau of Corrections, fields questions from Senator Richard Gordon (left) and other senators during the Senate hearing on Good Conduct Time Allowance, being used to justify the release of former Calauan, Laguna Mayor Antonio Sanchez, a convicted rapist and murderer. Lino Santos

US, ASEAN kick off war games amid sea tension EIGHT warships, four aircraft and more than a thousand personnel from the US and ten Southeast Asian countries will join maritime drills kicking off Monday, as part of a joint exercise extending into the flashpoint South China Sea. The first ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise between the regional bloc and Washington lasts for five days, starting at the Sattahip Naval Base in Thailand and

ending in Singapore.

The drills come at a time of steppedup US engagement in the region and tensions between Beijing and Southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea, parts of which are claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Co-led by the US and Royal Thai navies, the exercises will stretch into “inter-

national waters in Southeast Asia, including the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea” before concluding in Singapore, according to a statement from the US embassy in Bangkok.

“AUMX builds greater maritime security on the strength of ASEAN, the strength of our navy-to-navy bonds, and the strength of our shared belief in a free Next page

DND chief: We trust China but observe caution “Of course we trust China... It is a regional power and I have no reason to believe that it will renege on any agreeDEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ments,” he said in a message to reporters.

“The devil, as they say, are in the desaid the Philippines can trust China to honor its agreements but must be cautious amid tensions over claims in the West Philippine Sea.

By MJ Blancaflor and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Panda twins in Berlin zoo

tails later on when we go on joint development of the resources in the WPS. Let us trust but we must also be cautious,” Lorenzana added.

Earlier, the Philippines and China agreed to form groups that would draft agreements on joint oil and gas exploration in the WPS. Next page

Nation marks Yamashita surrender

BERLIN zoo said Monday its resident panda Meng Meng had delivered twins, as it voiced delight at the first such births in the country.

“Meng Meng became a mom—twice!

We are so happy, we are speechless,” the Next page

By Ben Cal TO CLARIFY historical records, Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita, better known as the “Tiger of Malaya” for his brilliance in military strategy Next page

Japan patrols disputed isles JAPAN will launch a special police unit equipped with submachine guns and helicopters to patrol disputed isles in the East China Sea—a source of tension between Tokyo and Beijing, according to police and media.

The deployment near the tiny islands known as the “Senkakus” in Japanese and the “Diaoyu” in Chinese could take place early next year, public broadcaster NHK reported on Monday.

The National Police Agency said it had put in a budget request for an additional 159 officers to head off Next page

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News

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

‘Liwayway’ intensifies, won't hit land —PAGASA

By Rio N. Araja TROPICAL storm “Liwayway” accelerated slightly while moving northnorthwest over the Philippine Sea on Monday afternoon.

As of 4 p.m. Monday the center of the storm was 320 kilometers east-northeast of Casiguran, Aurora. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, and was moving northnorthwest at 30 kph.

Storm signal no. 1 remained hoisted over Batanes.

“Liwayway remains less likely to make landfall in the country. It is forecast to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility either on Wednesday or Thursday,” the weather bureau said.

“Intensification into a severe tropical storm remains likely within 48 hours.”

Meanwhile, a low-pressure area west of Central Luzon was spotted 500 km west of Iba, Zambales.

“Its possible development into a tropical depression is not ruled out,” the bureau said.

“The public and disaster risk reduction and management offices are advised to continue monitoring for updates on this weather disturbance.”

US,...

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and open Indo-Pacific,” said Rear Admiral Joey Tynch, who oversees the US Navy’s security cooperation in Southeast Asia.

The joint drills have come under criticism for looping in Myanmar’s Navy in a rare show of inclusion despite Washington imposing sanctions on top army brass over the Rohingya crisis.

All 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will take part in the exercises which include the boarding of target vessels to simulate search and seizure.

They are unfolding as a Chinese survey ship remains in waters claimed

by Vietnam, prompting the Pentagon last week to accuse Beijing of efforts to “violate the rules-based international order throughout the Indo-Pacific.”

China claims the majority of the South China Sea, often invoking its so-called nine-dash line as a supposed historic justification to the waters, which are a key global shipping route.

On a trip to Thailand last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Southeast Asian nations to push back against Chinese “coercion” in the sea.

AFP

DND...

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“But at this stage, our governments have agreed to disagree civilly on the WPS issue while we manage our differences. Our relationship with China is not circumscribed by the WPS issue alone,” Lorenzana said.

He said there are other bigger issues that the Philippines and China can agree on, which are mutually beneficial, such as trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.

Malacañang on Monday dismissed the criticism of exiled communist leader Jose Maria Sison that President Rodrigo Duterte has merely bowed to China and surrendered the country’s internationally recognized sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. Sison is nothing but an “aging armchair passé rebel,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

“The Duterte presidency is engrossed in its constitutional duty of serving and protecting the Filipino people, that it has no time to waste in responding to the latest anti-Duterte statement of Jose Maria Sison,” Panelo said.

“It is another arrant raving and incorrigible ranting coming from an aging armchair passé rebel whose illusory vision has outsprinted the ticking hands of time,” he added.

Sison, one of President Duterte’s staunchest critics, slammed the President for his “purposeless exercise” of bringing up the arbitral win before Chinese President Xi Jinping during his five-day visit to China.

The communist leader pointed out that Duterte “merely acquiesced” to Xi when the Chinese leader reiterated that his government does not recognize the ruling.

The Palace said the two leaders had agreed not to force the issue and focus instead on enhanced cooperation.

CAAP team to probe plane crash T

By Joel E. Zurbano

HE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has formed a team to determine the cause of a plane crash that killed nine people in Calamba City in Laguna last Sunday.

and to ensure safe access to the wreckage.

Some local residents claimed there was lightning and heavy rain in the area before the crash.

Killed in the incident were plane pilot Jesus Fernandez and co-pilot Lino A. Cruz, Jr.; Garret Garcia, a doctor; Kirk Eion Badilla and Yamato Togawa, both registered nurses; Tom Carr, a patient from New Zealand and his wife Emma; flight mechanic Raymund Bulacja and one Ryx Gil Laput.

In a statement, CAAP officials said only eight of the nine passengers were listed in the flight manifesto of the 11-seater Beechcraft King Air type (BE350) medical evacuation aircraft.

CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said the team, the Aircraft Accident Investigation and Inquiry Board, will investigate the incident.

“As a matter of protocol, the CAAP cannot yet release partial information from the investigation. The Authority will be releasing its final report once the AAIIB con-

cludes its probe of the crash, Apolonio said.

CAAP investigators are now collecting all the documents on the plane, its crew and its recent flights for analysis.

The agency is also coordinating with local authorities and the first responders in Calamba to determine what hazards might have been present at the crash site

Faeldon...

Although he confirmed his signatures, Faeldon said he only signed a memorandum for release, not a release order for Sanchez.

That order was recalled and Sanchez’s release was stopped, he said.

“That order [Aug. 20] was recalled by me, we stopped the process of release.

I stopped it because I need to review again the GCTA granted to him... after the strong objection of the legal officer,” Faeldon said.

Lacson said a memorandum of release, signed for Faeldon by Technical Chief Supt. Maria Fe Marquez, were issued for Alberto Caño, Ariel Balansag, and Josman Aznar who were convicted for the 1997 abduction, rape, and killing of sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong in Cebu.

Faeldon admitted that the three have already been released and said three others convicted of the same crime had died in jail.

“Well, that’s the same. The release order for Sanchez was stopped only because of the public uproar, but in this case, this one got away because this was dated four days before the release order signed by you in favor of Antonio Sanchez,” Lacson said.

Faeldon first said he could not

remember ordering the convicts’ release.

But Lacson told him that a memorandum for release of the three convicts was signed on his behalf by Faeldon by Marquez.

“This was signed by Ma. Fe Marquez.

This is the release order in the case of Chiong sisters rape case. Question: Have been they released?” Lacson asked Faeldon, noting the case was as gruesome as Sanchez’s rape and murder of Eileen Sarmenta and the murder of thier friend Allan Gomez.

The Chiong sisters were kidnapped near a mall in Cebu in 1997. The body of one of them was found thrown in a ravine while the body of the other was never found.

Caño, Balansag, Aznar, Rowen Adlawan, Francisco Juan “Paco” Larrañaga, James Anthony Uy and James Andrew Uy were convicted of kidnapping, illegal detention, rape and homicide. They were sentenced to reclusion perpetua in 1999. The Supreme Court raised this to the death penalty in 2004, but the sentence was superseded by the abolition of capital punishment in 2006.

Larrañaga is currently serving his sentence in Spain because of his dual citizenship.

Justice secretary revealed that he did not receive any request from BuCor regarding the release of Sanchez.

The senator said the interpretation and implementation of the law have become absurd, pointing out that an act of patently bad behavior, such as stabbing inside the prison is not considered when deciding on the prisoner’s release.

He said under the system, an inmate would lose good behavior points only for the month in which he committed a violation. After that, he could continue racking up good behavior points.

“I don’t think that was the intention of the law and the lawmakers,” Pangilinan said.

He also argued that Sanchez’s failure to pay damages as required by a Supreme Court ruling goes against the GCTA Law. The Senate conducted a hearing Monday to discuss Republic Act 10592 or the GCTA Law, which made headlines after reports that Sanchez would be released early in accordance with its provisions.

Sanchez was sentenced to seven counts of life imprisonment for the rape-slay of UPLB student Eileen Sarmenta, and the murder of Allan Gomez in 1993.

In response to Pangilinan’s question, Guevarra said that compliance depends on the person’s ability to pay the civil liability.

Both Sarmenta and Gomez families confirmed that they have not been informed about the impending release of Sanchez, contrary to the provisions of the law, nor were they compensated for the crimes.

“Yes, it supposed to be affirmed by the Supreme Court that they are supposed to pay us but not even a single centavo or any emissary came to us for that matter,” said Eileen’s mother, Maria Clara Sarmenta.

“How can you forgive somebody who hasn’t even [said] sorry?” she said.

Also present in the hearing was Allan’s mother, Illuminda Gomez, who had to be taken to hospital when her blood pressure rose after giving her statement.

Guevarra said the public outcry over the possible release of Sanchez gave the government an opportunity to review the law.

“We at the Department of Justice reviewed the law even more carefully and tried to harmonize the various provisions that seemed to be not consistent with each other,” he also said.

He said Section 1 of Republic Act 10592 or the GCTA Law pertains to the grant of time credit for preventive imprisonment.

He said convicts under preventive imprisonment are those who are detained while their charges are pending in court.

In that same provision on preventive imprisonment, he said there was a line inserted that says that habitual delinquents, escapees, recidivists and those charged with heinous crimes are not covered by the provisions of the act.

“So there is one sweeping statement found in a section that pertains solely to preventive imprisonment, had it been a sole provision by itself, one entire section stand alone that says habitual delinquents, recidivists, escapees and persons convicted of heinous crimes are not covered by the benefits of this act then probably there would be no confusion,” he said.

On the other hand, Guevarra said there is a possibility that the foreign drug lords freed under the GCTA but currently detained at the Bureau of Immigration awaiting deportation may be brought back to the national penitentiary.

“There’s a possibility. But I cannot make a very assured answer to that question because we are still reviewing the guidelines and implementing rules and regulations,” Guevarra said to a question posed by Senator Panfilo Lacson.

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Allowance law under Faeldon’s watch, saying the system was corrupted by the preferential treatment of wealthy and influential inmates such as former mayor Antonio Sanchez, a convicted rapist and murderer who was scheduled for early release on Aug. 20 before public outrage scuttled the plan.

At the hearing, Faeldon admitted signing a memo order recommending Sanchez’s release, but insisted it was not an official release order.

“I did not sign the order to officially release Sanchez,” Faeldon said.

He said the memorandum order started the processing of all the papers for the release of Sanchez and the other inmates.

Senators took turns questioning the release of Sanchez, arguing that he was ineligible for a good conduct release since he was convicted of heinous crimes and had committed drug-related crimes while incarcerated at the New Bilibid Prison’s maximum security compound.

Senator Panfilo Lacson confronted Faeldon on the signatures appearing in documents related to the release of Sanchez and the other inmates.

Senate...

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university co-ed Eileen Sarmenta and killed her friend Allan Gomez, could have walked free from his detention cell at the New Bilibid Prison were it not for the public outcry protesting the decision of the Bureau of Corrections.

Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, said ambiguous provisions of the law need to be clarified.

The ambiguity, he noted, gave rise to various interpretations of the law’s provisions.

Gordon said he shared the position of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra that inmates convicted of heinous crimes should not benefit from this law.

He and Guevarra also believe there should be transparency, such that the family of the victims of an inmate who is set for discharge from detention should be properly advised. “There should be a check and balance,” he said.

Senator Christopher Go said while the intention of the law—to encourage inmates to do good while serving their sentence—it must be applied only to those deserving of early release.

He also wanted amendments to the law to allow the recall of release orders for prisoners so that their cases could be reviewed.

Asked if President Rodrigo Duterte still had trust and confidence in BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon, Go, a close aide of the Chief Executive, said he could not speak for him on the matter.

But Go said the President would investigate possible corruption in the early release of inmates.

“Definitely, heads will roll,” he said.

Senator Francis Pangilinan also questioned Guevarra over the implementation of the GCTA after the

Two...

Gilas...

“Pork and parking have no place in the 2020 budget,” Cayetano said in a statement as he reiterated that next year’s national expenditures will be “pork-free.”

“Parking” refers to the funds allocated to certain agencies, usually the Department of Public Works and Highways, for certain districts that appear to be legitimate items, but in reality the money is held be the agency for the congressman behind the “parking” to disburse as he sees fit.

Lagman said the controversy hounding the proposed budget was only an issue involving a “change of referral.”

“There was only a change of referral from the Committee on Appropriations to the Committee on Rules for the time being, since the budget briefings are ongoing and the plenary debates are yet to be scheduled. There will be no delay,” Lagman said.

Expected to challenge the US team of NBA starts for the World Cup crown, Serbia clinched a berth to the next round, alongside Italy, which on Saturday defeated the Philippines, 108-62, and Angola, 92-61, Monday.

The Filipinos hope to end their group stage campaign on a winning note when they play Angola at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Jokic led the Serbian juggernaut with 23 points and 7 rebounds in 18 minutes and was ably backed up by Bogdan Bogdanovic with 24 points and 5 assists and Nemanja Bjelica with 24 on a perfect 7 of 7 shooting from the field. Marjanovic had 13 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists.

As if a huge 62-35 lead wasn’t enough, the Serbians unleashed a 13-0 bomb to open the third quarter and scoot to a monstrous 75-35 lead, which they padded further to as much as 89-44 lead on a trey

by Bjelica.

Gilas’ best moments came in the

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second quarter, when back-to-back baskets by CJ Perez moved the Filipinos to within 11 points, 19-30, and then again 23-34, on a converted steal by the rookie.

But it was all downhill from there.

Meanwhile, French star Rudy Gobert accused basketball’s governing body FIBA of showing “no respect” on Monday after he said he was woken up for a doping test at the World Cup in China just hours after a match.

The Utah Jazz center made plain his anger in a tweet, writing: “Got woke up this morning for a doping control (BLOOD and urine), the morning after a late game when I could sleep more.

“No respect for the player’s recovery time. Terrible way of doing things @ FIBA.” The towering two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and his French side squeezed through 78-74 against Germany on Sunday evening in their tournament opener.

Gobert, 27, had a game-leading five blocks to help the French make a winning start in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Peter Atencio with AFP

The statement said “Erma Carr, a Filipina with a New Zealand citizenship, is the wife of the New Zealander patient.”

The CAAP’s initial report said the aircraft operated by Lion Air crashed around 3 p.m. on Sunday in a private resort in Pansol village.

A mother and her son, the caretakers of the resort where the plane crashed, were hurt and were taken to a hospital in Calamba following the incident.

Authorities said the plane crash triggered a blaze in the area.

The plane, which came from Dipolog Airport in Zamboanga del Norte, “lost radar contact around 3:10 p.m. while flying 25 nautical miles from Manila,” the CAAP said.

NBI...

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“We have two or three angles about this, something we cannot divulge at the moment,” Gierran saud.

Public outrage stopped Sanchez’s release and focused on flaws in the 2013 GCTA law.

President Rodrigo Duterte also ordered a stop to Sanchez’s release, questioning the “good conduct” of an inmate who was found charged with drug offenses while he was in prison.

Japan...

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“illegal landings on remote islands by armed groups.” NHK said it was the first time police had stepped up patrols near the disputed islands.

However, extra jets from the Japan Coastguard were deployed in 2018 to patrol the islands, where a Chinese nuclear-powered submarine was spotted earlier last year.

The uninhabited islets are at the centre of a festering row between Tokyo and Beijing, which is also involved in a widening dispute with several Southeast Asian countries over islands in the South China Sea. The Japanese government has long complained about China’s routine dispatch of coastguard ships to waters surrounding the islands.

Relations between Japan and China deteriorated in 2012 when Tokyo “nationalized” some of the islets. AFP

Panda...

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zoo said on Twitter, also posting a video of the new mother guiding one of her pink babies to feed.

The births are particularly rare as it is notoriously hard to breed pandas.

The panda delivered its first cub on Saturday evening. About an hour later, a second baby was born.

“Meng Meng and her two cubs coped well with the birth and are all in good health,” zoo director Andreas Knieriem said.

At birth, the pink cubs, with their fine white down and disproportionately long tails, bear little resemblance to the adult black and white bears.

Their genders have not been determined, the zoo said, although the two cubs weighed in at 136 and 186 grams.

On loan from China, Meng Meng and male panda Jiao Qing arrived in Berlin in June 2017 to great fanfare.

Famed for its “panda diplomacy,” China has dispatched its national treasure to only about a dozen countries as a symbol of close relations.

The zoo pays $15 million (13.4 million euros) for a 15-year contract to host them, with most of the money going towards a conservation and breeding research program in China.

AFP

Nation...

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and tactics, surrendered to Filipino guerrilla forces in Kiangan, Ifugao on Sept. 2, 1945.

This was disclosed by the late former Defense Secretary Fortunato U. Abat, a member of the Filipino guerrilla forces in northern Luzon, during an exclusive interview with this writer in 2011 when Abat was still alive.

Abat’s story of World War 2 is contained in a book “Victory at Bessang” published by Art Angel Printshop Commercial Quests, Inc., written by this author in 2013.

President Rodrigo Duterte has declared Tuesday, Sept. 3, as a national special working holiday to mark the surrender of Japanese soldiers led by Yamashita at the end of World War II. Republic Act No. 11216, signed by the President on Feb. 14, commemorates the surrender of the Japanese general and his forces in Baguio City in 1945, which also signaled the end of World War II in the Pacific.

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Solon wants DSWD to include rice farmers in CCT program

PRICE MONITORING.

Department of Trade and Industry officials, led by Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, monitor the prices and supply of agricultural and manufactured basic and prime goods during a special market monitoring at Quinta Market in Quiapo and Isetann Supermarket in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Norman Cruz

Caga named PIA-OIC after Clavite quit REGIONAL Director Abner Caga was named on Monday as officer-incharge of the Philippine Information Agency Central Office following the resignation of Harold Clavite who has been tagged of corruption.

“As OIC, Director Caga shall enjoy limited powers which are confined to functions of administration and shall ensure that the Office continues its usual activities,” a department order signed by Communications Secretary Martin Andanar read.

Clavite expressed his intention to submit his “irrevocable resignation” to President Rodrigo Duterte citing personal reasons, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea told reporters on the same day.

“He also said that he already gave three years to the country and it’s time for him to go back to his family.

This was elevated to the President and thereafter accepted,” Medialdea added.

We recognize the service Mr. Clavite has rendered and wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

However, the former PIA chief denied that he had submitted a resignation letter to the President up until his departure from the PIA last week. MJ Blancaflor

‘Law schools should give free legal aid’ A LEADER of the House of Representatives has pushed for the passage of the bill proposing the establishment by law schools, both public and private, of free legal aid centers.

Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles, vice chairman of the House committee on justice, said the enactment of his House Bill 2993 “provide underprivileged Filipinos with legal services they need, but cannot afford.”

“The Constitution guarantees the equal deliveryof justice, but in the case of the poor they cannot afford to hire lawyers.

Thus the need for the establishment by law schools of legal aid offices that will offer services to the poor who need to go to the courts or quasi-judicial offices,” Nograles said.

Nograles said that the Public Attorney’s Office is already “chronically undermanned, overworked, and underpaid” and the best possible solution right now is utilizing all the existing law schools in the country to provide probono services to the underprivileged.

Maricel V. Cruz

‘First tele-hearing in Davao a success’ THE holding of the first ever trial of inmates using video conferencing or “tele-hearing” at the Davao City Regional Trial Court on Monday was a success.

Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said “all the parties in the case were satisfied” in the proceedings being heard in the sala of Executive Judge Emmanuel Carpio.

“The tele-hearing proceeded well.

It was a successful hearing. There was no glitch and from the information I received, all the parties were satisfied with the proceeding,” Marquez said, in a phone interview.

According to Marquez, the inmates were assisted by lawyers from the Public Attorney’s Office during the entire time of the proceedings which took place on Monday morning.

The Court Administrator explained that the “tele-hearing” would be pilottested in the Davao City RTC for at least two years. Rey E. Requejo

By Maricel V. Cruz and Macon Ramos-Araneta

DPWH flagged for delay, failure to implement projects

By Rio N. Araja

T

HE Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Department of Public Works and Highways for the delay and non-implementation of several projects worth P118 billion.

In a recent annual audit report, state auditors said the DPWH violated Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. “The causes of delay may have been outside the control of the department, such as typhoon and unfavorable weather condition, for which time extension may be approved by the proper authority,” it read.

“However, except for typhoon or

unfavorable weather condition, all issues enumerated above as well as the necessity of coordination with the LGUs and other concerned agencies are factors which are unintentional but procedural and consequential issues,” it stated.

COA blamed the delay of some projects to suspension orders, time extensions and variation of orders issued by the agency’s regional offices.

The DPWH, along with its consultants, failed to consider various factors, such as typhoons or unfavorable weather condition, peace and order situation, road right-ofway and pending permits from other government agencies, that could cause delays and non-implementation of projects, it noted.

“These procedural and consequential issues should have been considered and resolved during the preliminary engineering study on the viability of the project and pre-construction activities,” COA said.

The DPWH, for its part, vowed to take corrective measures and heed the recommendations of COA, such as the issuance of demand letters and notices to the contractors to call their attention.

Vigilantes behind killings in Negros Oriental—CHR A VIGILANTE group is behind the spate of killings in Negros Oriental, the Commission on Human Rights said as it released on Monday its initial findings on the incidents that spurred a Senate committee inquiry.

The CHR-Negros Oriental said the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, perpetrated only two and not all of the shooting incidents in the province reported in July.

Special investigator Dr. Jess Cañete, provincial CHR chief, said he is inclined to believe that there is a vigilante group behind some of the killings, and is looking into the purported “hit list” being circulated around.

According to him, one of the names in the said “hit list” has been already killed.

In the Senate inquiry, the supposed existence of a vigilante group had also surfaced, prompting an investigation as ordered by the Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde.

In fact, Cañete said there are two “hit lists” and not just one, the first of which

was circulated as early as last year, by a group purportedly known as Kawsa Guihulnganon Batok Komunista or KAGUBAK. The results that Cañete released showed that of the 22 deaths being investigated by the CHR, only those involving the four police intelligence officers in the municipality of Ayungon and the two former rebels in Zamboanguita were allegedly possibly perpetrated by the NPA. The four policemen who were killed last July 18 in Sitio Yamot in Barangay Mabato, Ayungon were identified as Cpl. Relebert Beronio, Pat. Roel Cabellon, Pat. Marquino de Leon, and Pat. Raffy Callao, while the rebel returnees who were shot dead last July 24 in Poblacion Zamboanguita were Weny Alegre and Felimeno Januan.

The CHR-Negros Oriental preliminary investigations noted the killings of Canlaon City Councilor Ramon Jalandoni, Barangay Captain Ernesto Posadas of Barangay Panubigan, Canlaon City, former Ayungon Mayor Edcel Enardecido of Ayungon, and

Barangay Captain Romeo Alipan of Barangay Buenavista, Guihulngan City have three things in common: first, the door marks on their doors are consistent to be those of a battering ram; second, the same description of the number of perpetrators of about 20 to 30; and, the same description of vehicles used, e.g., cars and vans.

Jalandoni, Posadas, and Enardecido were shot dead on the same date, July 27, while Alipan was killed on July 25.

The CHR initial observations also noted the time element of the Jalandoni, Posadas, and Enardecido murders, which were committed at 12:05 a.m., 12:20 a.m. and 2:40 a.m. on the same date.

Jalandoni and Posadas were both inside their houses in the same barangay in Panubigan, Canlaon City, same with Enardecido, whose house in Ayungon was about 86 kilometers from Canlaon City.

Other observations were also noted via video footage taken from closed circuit television in the Jalandoni compound. PNA

PRRC chairmanship transferred to DENR PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has transferred the chairmanship of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources which used to be headed by the Department of Budget and Management.

Under Executive Order 90, the inter-agency committee mandated to rehabilitate Pasig River will be chaired by the Environment secretary.

Meanwhile, the head of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will serve as co-chairman.

The commission will be composed of the secretaries of Public Works and Highways, Budget and Management, Tourism, Transportation, Finance, Trade and Industry, National Defense, and Interior and Local Government.

MJ Blancaflor

BUDGET TALKS. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez

(right) discusses with Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo the budget of the Department of Science and Technology during the briefing of the Committee on Appropriation at the Belmonte Hall in the House of Representatives. Romualdez said he supports the DOST’s energy program and the advance technology for agriculture. Ver Noveno

CITING the adverse effects of the tariffication of rice imports to rice farmers, a legislator from Mindanao proposed their inclusion in the Conditional Cash Transfer Program administered by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“The government should open a new track in helping rice farmers who are facing bankruptcy from the flood of both legally imported and smuggled rice,” Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman said.

Hataman, who represents Basilan in the House of Representatives, said that farmers are “reeling from low palay prices caused by the government’s failure to cushion the painful side effects of the Rice Tariffication Law should be directly compensated.”

“I believe that rice farmers should be included in the CCT system of DSWD, that has the experience, personnel, system and network for such a big undertaking,” Hataman added.

“If we do this, we will have two parallel tracks in helping rice farmers. First is through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund of the Department of Agriculture.

Let us retain it. And the other by the DSWD,” he added.

He said the task of the DA is to help the farmers to be more productive. And that of the DSWD could give individual assistance that will tide them over in times of crises like now,” he explained.

Reports indicate that a great majority of some 2.4 million rice farmers have been hard-hit by the 35-percent tariff imposed under the new law.

Even officials of the Philippine Rice Research Institute predicted that under this tariff level, 53 of the riceproducing provinces, or 65 percent, will not survive.

Hataman said farmers deserve to receive cash transfers “because they are doing work that ensures the country’s food security.”

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos has said that the government can provide more funding support for rice farmers by activating Section 7 of the rice tariffication law.

She said the same law also allows the President to raise the current 35 percent tariff on rice imports from Thailand and Vietnam.

“The higher 180 percent tariff on rice imports from non-ASEAN countries can also stand a further increase, “ said Marcos.

Marcos said that in this way, the government can earn more revenue intended for rice farmer support.

“If South Korea and Japan have imposed import tariffs of 500 percent to 800 percent to protect their local farmers, why can’t we?” Marcos asked.

She cited how Singapore prevents rice traders from manipulating prices.

It has been cornering 25 percent of private rice imports when smuggling is detected, buying them at cost with a 5 percent margin.

Du30 reduces percentage of net earnings of LBP, DBP

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has reduced the percentage of annual net earnings that should be declared and remitted by state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines.

Duterte signed Executive Order 89 reducing the dividend rate of LandBank from 50 percent to 0 percent for 2016 and 10 percent for 2017.

DBP’s dividend rate was reduced to 0 percent for 2017.

Republic Act 7656 requires government-owned or -controlled corporations such as LandBank and DBP to remit to national government at least half of their annual net income as dividends.

“To support the viability and mandate of the LBP (sic) and DBP, their liquidity, capital position, medium-term plans and programs were considered in the determination of their respective reasonable dividend rates on net earnings for selected years,” the EO read.

“The adjusted dividend rates set forth are only applicable to the concerned GOCCs and the years stated,” it added.

Dividends remitted by state-owned and controlled corporations this year rose to P61.3 billion from P51.2 billion in 2018 and P36.5 billion in 2017.

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Opinion

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Yamashita’s surrender IT IS not too well-known that President Rodrigo Duterte made today, Sept. 3, a special non-working public holiday to be known as “Surrender of Yamashita Day.” Today marks the surrender of the Japanese Imperial Forces’ General Tomiyuki Yamashita in Baguio City, at the American High Commissioner’s residence at Camp John Hay. The President signed on Feb. 14 a bill filed by Rep. Mark Go for this special holiday throughout the country. It was the victory of the USAFIPNL in the Cordilleras that led to the general’s surrender.

The complete historical records must be made public.

I am placing the surrender of Yamashita in its proper perspective.

After three months, Yamashita was hanged for crimes against humanity.

Records showed he had ordered the Rape of Manila when the American forces tried to liberate Manila. This caused his retreat to the Cordilleras to escape.

I must correct a claim in Republic Act 11216 which stated that the surrender signaled the end of World War II in the Philippines and the Pacific.

Another historical event that must also be corrected is Go’s claim that the surrender of Yamashita in Baguio

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

City was the location where the war here started and ended.

The truth of the matter was that when the Japanese Imperial Air Forces attacked Pearl Harbor in the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, simultaneously Clark Air Base and Baguio, where the Voice of America Signal towers were also bombed.

It was the same time and day, Philippine time, which started the Pacific War. Another error in Go’s bill that led to its signing was its claim that the surrender of Yamashita signaled the end of World War II in the Pacific.

It was on Sept. 2, 1945 when upon the call of Japan’s emperor, Japanese officials signed the declaration of surrender to the Allied Forces.

The surrender of Yamashita came a day after.

Secondly, it was not the surrender of Yamashita that ended the war. Ac Actually, he had no choice but to sur surrender because the Battle of Bessang Pass decimated his forces, and he had to hide with his staff. sur What I am saying is that the surrender is coincidental. After all, Ja Japan had already surrendered after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In fairness to the 1,400 Ilocanos and Igorots who sacrificed their lives in that momentous battle, it is only fair to relate it to Filipinos’ victory at Bessang Pass. This is why I must urge the Armed Forces of the Philippines which has the complete account to place everything in the proper perspective.

And if we must mark the surrender of Yamashita, the complete historical records must be made public.

T

Letter and spirit

HE intent of the law is clear. If convicted criminals behave themselves and show real remorse and rehabilitation during their time in jail, their sentences could be re-computed to factor in their good behavior, and they could hope to be set free sooner than their original release date.

These lofty notions, however, could be twisted and manipulated by how the law is actually written.

Such is the power of words.

In extreme cases, the result can actually achieve the complete opposite of the law's intent. It could lead to greater problems and leave issues unresolved and conflicted.

This is what we are seeing with Republic Act 10592, a 2013 law passed during the previous administration.

While the law has been effect for several years now, it is only upon the furor caused by the nearrelease of rapist and murderer An-

tonio Sanchez that it came to our attention. And now we find out that since 2014, the government, under the law, has been releasing convicts—62 in 2014, 105 in 2015, 212 in 2016, 335 in 2017, 384 in 2018 and 816 this year so far— some of them for heinous crimes.

But should not those convicted of heinous crimes be excluded, in the first place, from being beneficiaries of the law owing to the nature of their offense?

It should have been clear at the outset, and we are aghast to discover that it is not—not in the law, not in the Implementing

Rules and Regulations.

The vagueness, even silence, on the exclusions thus lends the system vulnerable to all sorts of interpretation. Indeed while the spirit of the law appears obvious to many, there is nothing to stop those who may wish to stretch its interpretation.

We have the Sanchez case to thank for bringing to fore the flaws of the law that has set free hundreds of convicts, regardless of whether their crime was heinous or not. These would have continued, unfettered, had there been no public outrage against Sanchez's impending release.

In the meantime, those tasked to implement laws should at least exercise their good judgment— though “good” is questionable— and ask whether what they are implementing, even if it complies with the letter, does not make a mockery of the spirit of the law.

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Why are we afraid of youth activists?

THE famed CBS newscaster and analyst Edward R. Murrow castigated Senator Joseph McCarthy for his anti-communist antics, saying: “We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. We must remember always that accusation is not proof and that conviction depends upon evidence and due process of law. We will not walk in fear, one of another. We will not be driven by fear into an age of unreason, if we dig deep in our history and our doctrine, and remember that we are not descended from fearful men.”

Fearful men is what our police and military generals have become.

In them, McCarthyism has been reborn! And the prime targets of their witch hunts are our young people— the student and the youth activists.

If these generals were to get their way, youthful activism and idealism would be criminalized.

Such criminalization we must resist.

This is why I am defending student and youth activists who are being harassed and attacked by the Duterte government.

I am happy to be the counsel and defend Sarah Elago and the Kabataan Party-list from the ridiculous charges of child trafficking and abuse. The fact alleged is that Kabataan recruited minors (not true as all the youth involved are over 18 years old) to campaign for them during the party-list elections. Even if such facts were proven, it would be clearly be covered by the Bill of Rights—freedom of expression, freedom of association, and the right to participate in elections.

This is plain harassment and intended to intimidate. It will, of

course, not succeed and the ranks of Kabataan, Anakbayan, and other youth organizations are swelling because of these desperate acts of government. As Sarah asserted in a privilege speech in Congress, Political persecution won’t stop us from standing with the youth, standing for our future” She does not mince words in explaining what is happening: “The spread of lies, misogynistic and sexist attacks, and disinformation are systematically funded and thoroughly coordinated across platforms. The PNA (Philippine News Agency) played a crucial role in spreading these lies, most of the time without even fact-checking, and to add, the AFP and PNP through their vilification campaigns in the guise of anti-drug and anti-terror opera-

Results of fifth China visit

They are among the best of their generation. disgust tions . . . We condemn these disgusting efforts of exploiting blatant lies to sideline dissent and persecute opposition. This is another shameless attempt to sow terror and divide among all those who exercise their civil and political rights, not only to be informed and struggle against abuse and tyranny, but also to initiate reforms and assert a better future. When our democratic rights are under attack, it becomes imperative to push back.”

I am a parent myself of social activists, who once were student leaders, and I am very proud of them. I think all parents should be proud of their children who become activists.

We worry of course, my wife and I (we know the risks because we were both social activists during the time of the Marcos dictatorship), but we Turn to A5

NOT unexpectedly, the fifth visit to China of President Rodrigo Duterte last week failed to achieve what Filipinos wanted: for his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to recognize the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration favoring the Philippines in the territorial dispute in the South China Sea. Duterte did raise the issue when he met President Xi last week, as he had promised before his trip. But Xi stuck to his guns and reiterated that China stands by its claim of ownership over nearly the entire South China Sea through the “ninedash line” that it says is based on historical antecedents.

While China rejected outright the arbitral award on the contentious SCS issue, the visit never-

The trip enhances bilateral ties in the years ahead. theless had its bright spots.

The two leaders agreed that they would refrain or avoid performing aggressive or provocative acts that trigger untoward incidents in the disputed sealane. They agreed to continue peaceful dialogue, observe international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to maintain regional peace and security.

Duterte and Xi also emphasized that relations should not be anchored on their views on the maritime row but on the centuries-old friendship and the benefits to be gained from cooperation. While they may have divergent positions on the South

China Sea issue, their differences need not derail nor diminish the friendship between the two conten countries, and that the contentious issue is not the sum total of the Philippine-Chinese bilateral relationship.

Both leaders likewise agreed to work together, on the basis of mutual trust and good faith, to manage the South China Sea issue, and to continue to hold peaceful dialogues to resolve the conf lict.

What this means in concrete is that there will be no more intrusions by Chinese warships into Philippine territorial waters or sinking of Philippine fishing boats by Chinese vessels.

Duterte also raised the prospect of joint exploration of resources in the West Philippine Sea, an undertaking that officials said could ensure Manila’s energy security.

Xi responded to this by ordering the creation of a Turn to A5

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Opinion ‘Magna Carta of Crime Victims’

THE shocking revelations on the ruthless corruption at the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) involving the release of heinous criminals by circumventing Republic Act 10592 dramatize the abominable state of our justice system.

This latest Bucor scandal that may have led to the murder of one of the agency’s officials and the widespread corruption in the judiciary grossly violate the rights of the crime victims to fully attain justice and closure.

The attempt to free former Calauan, Laguna mayor Antonio Sanchez turned out to be just one of the illegal releases of hardened criminals from the National Penitentiary in Muntinlupa as ordered

by BuCor under director Nicanor Faeldon.

It surfaced that several convicts in the Chiong Sisters rape-slay case have been released among nearly 2,000 convicted murderers,

Why are...

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know that they are doing the right thing in working to make a better Philippines.

It’s the least I could do for Sarah Elago who is the target of so much vitriol and misogyny (including from lawyers who should know better) and other young people who are truly among the best of their generation.

In the last few weeks, I have known quite a number of the leaders of today’s youth and student movement.

One of them is Raoul Manuel, president of the National Union of Students in the Philippines. We saw this young man stand up to a senator, speaking truth to power, not intimidated even as that senator who is a former police general berated the soft-spoken student leader while other senators also took the cudgels for their fellow senator.

Everyone who watched that exchange knows that the young man bested all of them.

Raoul is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of the Philippines, an applied math major and a son of an overseas Filipino worker. He could write his own ticket of success to any career he wants anywhere in the world.

Instead, he has decided to devote the best years of his life to lead the Filipino youth in building a better country.

Alex Danday, spokesperson of Anakbayan, is also giving the best years of her life to lead other young people, especially those out of school to build a better country.

Seeing Alex for the first time, one

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steering committee that would prepare a substantive program on the matter.

During their bilateral meeting, Duterte also raised the need to finalize the long-delayed Code of Conduct in the South China Sea that would contribute to the resolution of numerous conf licts in the region.

President Xi said the Code of Conduct should be crafted within the last remaining years of Duterte in office. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China have vowed to come up with a binding Code of Conduct in 2020. We hope this target is achieved.

A significant result of the visit is that both countries agreed to “move with a sense of urgency” in pushing for joint develop-

rapists, armed robbers, kidnapers, illegal drug traffickers and arsonists since the enactment of RA 10592 in 2013.

Up to 22,000 Bilibid inmates had been freed earlier than they should for “good conduct” and at least 11,000 more convicts may be out on the streets sometime soon, as beneficiaries of RA 10592.

Meanwhile, the questionable decision of the court to grant bail to former Daraga, Albay mayor Carlwyn Baldo shocked the widowed family of slain AKO-Bicol Partylist congressman Rodel Batocabe last December 2018.

Baldo is charged with double murder for the daylight ambushkilling of Batocabe and his police aide during a gathering with senior citizens in Daraga.

Now, how in the world did the court come up with the justification to allow Baldo to post P6 million bail despite the supposedly non-bailable double murder case?

These are but a few of the many, many cases that demonstrate the disheartening plight of victims of crime and terrorism as a marginalized sector.

would underestimate her as she is only 20 years old. She grew up ain the province. But the moment she speaks, one cannot help but be impressed. In an Inquirer interview, she pushes back against the McCarthytites: “They discredit activism, they put a red tag on Anakbayan.

They want to demonize activism within the youth. Ayaw nilang mamulat yung mga kabataan kasi they know how powerful the youth’s voice is.” (They don’t want to awaken the young community because they know how powerful the youth voice is.) . . . A tweet, a trend, paguusapan na siya, mababalita na agad. Hindi naman pinapakinggan ng gobyerno yung hinaing ng mga manggagawa at magsasaka eh. Hindi nila binabalita. So tayo meron tayong ganung kakayahan na gamitin yung boses natin.

Gamitin yung talino at knowledge na na acquire natin mula sa mga eskwelahan na pinanggaling natin para gamitin yun to serve the people. (A tweet, a trend—people will start talking, it will make headlines. The government will not listen to the cries of workers and farmers, they don’t even make the news. The youth has that power, to make our voices heard. To use our knowledge that we have acquired in school and use that to serve the people).”

Serving the people describes best Ayna Punzalan, current SecretaryGeneral of the Kabataan Partylist.

In her younger years, she served as part of the Sangguniang Kabataan and was very much an active member of her church—teaching catechism and serving as lector and commentator as part of the special ministry of the word of the Sagrada

ment of oil and gas resources in the South China Sea since the Malampaya gas field in Palawan is running dry and would have a negative impact on our energy security.

The Philippines and China signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in oil and gas development last November during President Xi’s official visit. The MOU serves as the framework for the proposed joint development of resources in the West Philippine Sea. The two countries will discuss details as well as the composition of the steering committee and working group that will thresh out ways to implement the MOU. The implementation of the proposed joint development, however, faces big hurdles, including provisions of the Philippine Constitution and Unclos.

But the MOU states that both

Crime victims, especially the poor, have always been the underdogs up against the formidable force of criminal personalities, including powerful, influential, rich politicians who employ legal luminaries as counsel, as well as private armies.

In the light of all these, why doesn't Congress pass a Magna Carta of Crime Victims to uphold and protect the legal and human rights of crime and terrorist victims?

Such a law will serve as a guiding principle, as it shall spell out and define rights and privileges of crime victims from the time one seeks help from the police complaint desk, the apprehension of suspects, the investigation of the case, filing of the case and its litigation, and the conviction and incarceration of the crime’s perpetrator.

Some say people should have compassion for these convicts for they have already suffered and paid their debts to society.

What about those victims of heinous crimes? Can we bring them back to life so they can be with their loves ones once again? I don't think so.

Familia church. Now, aside from her work at Kabataan Partylist, Ayna serves as a National Convenor for Youth Act Now against Tyranny—a youth alliance which advocates the protection of human right while calling an end to the killings, tyranny and fascist attacks against the Filipino people.

Though the struggle for a just society may be arduous, like with most activists, compassion, empathy, and love for her fellows serve her prime motivators for continuing to do what she does.

I have also met other student and youth leaders, including from the College Editors Guild of the Philippines and the League of Filipino Students. I hope to write also about them in the future. Suffice it to say for now that, contrary to what the fearful men are saying, these young men and women have not been brainwashed—they are smart, independent minded, disciplined yes, definitely passionate and courageous, for sure compassionate and kind. I would be proud of them if I were their parents.

Today’s activists are not the first group of young people I have engaged with. Having taught in universities all over the Philippines for nearly 40 years, I have taught, debated with, mentored and supported generations of Filipino activists. Today’s activists are not any different. They are among the best of their generation. We must shield them from the fearful men that hover in their midst, ready to sacrifice our future for their imagined fears.

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sides would follow the spirit of the United Nations Charter, UNCLOS, international law and both sides would proceed without giving up their legal positions on certain issues.

Duterte’s latest visit to Beijing also resulted in the signing of six agreements. Among them are cooperation in the field of higher education from 2019 to 2024; scientific and technological; cooperation and mutual assistance on Customs matters; and project consultancy for the Philippine National Railways South Long Haul Project.

In sum, Duterte’s fifth visit to China further enhances bilateral ties in the years ahead, even as critics insist that the Philippines should still push its legal victory in The Hague in other venues, such as the United Nations General Assembly. And why not? ernhil@yahoo.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Trade war not a cause of economy’s performance volume is, of course, another matter, and Philippine imports from the US have risen sharply since 2016 in the wake of the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program.

Now let’s take a look at the opTHE phrase “trade war” invari- posite side of the Philippine-Amerably appears in assessments of ican trade ledger. The Philippines the Philippine economy’s perfor- has not been on the list of targets mance during the incumbency of of Donald Trump’s higher-tariffs US President Donald Trump and campaign. As a result, this counin evaluations of its prospects in try’s exports to the US—princithe near term. “Trade war” refers pally semi-conductors and related to the succession of tariff actions electronic products, coconut oil that Mr. Trump has taken against and other coconut products, copper China and a long list of major US concentrate, nickel ore and other trade partners. The latest American mineral products—have enjoyed tariff action against the world’s No. stable treatment at the hands of 2 economy has been to increase the US tariff policymakers since the tariffs on Chinese exports with an start of the Trump administration. aggregate value of $150 billion.

Philippine export trade with the US The assessments and evaluations has not been a victim of President point to the “trade war” as one of the Trump’s tariff rampage. causes of the reOf course, cent deterioraif the situation tion in the perwere different, formance of the Experts should look if exports from Philippine econothis country had elsewhere for the my—GDP (gross been at the redomestic product) explanations. ceiving end of grew by a lowerDonald Trump’s than-expected 5.6 10-percent or percent in 2019’s 25-percent or first semester—and the economy’s less 30-percent tariff increases, the “trade bullish prospects in the near term. By war” would really have caused grave raising US tariffs on exports of numer- damage to an economy whose export ous countries, Donald Trump has hurt trade is chronically weak. In 2018, Philippine external trade and caused a the Philippines incurred a deficit exdecline in this country’s economic per- ceeding $42 billion in its merchanformance, the assessors and evaluators dise-trade account. claim.

True, some of this country’s trade How so? partners have seen their import caFirst, let’s look at the import side pabilities diminished by reductions of this country’s external-trade in their export incomes in the Trump ledger. The situation has not been era. But it is highly improbable that changed by the US tariff increases. all or most of the Philippines’ other The increases have been aimed at major trade partners—China, Japan, the exports to the US of China, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and European Union countries, Canada, South Korea—will cut their imports Mexico and one or two other coun- from the Philippines significantly tries—disliked by Donald Trump. because of US tariff increases. The They have not been aimed at goods “trade war” has adversely affected involved in Philippine American neither this country’s import trade trade. The prices of US exports to nor its export trade. So “trade war” the Philippines have not been af- should not be included in a list of alfected by the “trade war” per se. If leged causes of the recent decline they have risen, it has not been be- in the Philippine economy’s perforcause of US tariff increases. mance of the darkening of its nearIf the pieces of Philippine im- term prospects. ports from the US have not been People whose job it is to deteraffected by Donald Trump’s tariff mine the cause or causes of the increases, how can the “trade war” Philippine economy’s recent perbe said to have adversely affected formance and of the economy’s the Philippine economy on the near-term prospects should look imports-from-the-US side? Import elsewhere for the explanations.

Yamashita’s...

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sign the release order and pointed to a subordinate. But as chief, he had the ultimate responsibility whether or not he signed.

The committee should also ask Faeldon’s predecessor, now Senator Ronald dela Rosa, to explain. The GCTA Law has been implemented since 2014.

The President may not realize this, but his credibility is at stake. Faeldon continues to have the full trust and confidence in Faeldon. It was bad enough that the President recycled him after his failure at Customs. The stench of corruption at BuCor is just too much. *** Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said President Duterte pointed out to Chinese President Xi Jinping that the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines in the dispute on the South China Sea. I could not help but laugh.

According to Panelo, Duterte told Xi: “I don’t want to alarm you with what I am about to raise because of your problem in Hong Kong, which is why I am asking for forgiveness. But I need to say this because I promised my countrymen.”

Santa Banana, why must President Duterte apologize for raising the issue with Xi? It’s a fact that the PCA rejected China’s claim of the ninedash line!

Clearly, Duterte was afraid that Xi might take the issue wrongly and take offense. It appears he is really ready to accommodate China. Since we cannot go to war against China, we just have to bear whatever it’s doing.

What is unfortunate is that aside from the strongman Ferdinand Marcos and Fidel Ramos, no other Philippine president has bothered to mention that it was the Battle of Bessang Pass which led to the surrender of Yamashita. *** It’s no longer a whiff of corruption.

I refer to Nicanor Faeldon, who is again back in the spotlight now as head of the Bureau of Corrections.

What a stench!

I watched the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry on the release of convicts involved in heinous crimes.

I must say that if President Duterte says he has full trust and confidence in Faeldon, who in his time at Customs was involved in the smuggling of P6.8 billion worth of shabu, then corruption in government will never be truly arrested since he is not serious in dealing with it.

My gulay, how could convicts involved in heinous crimes be released when the law on Good Conduct Time Allowance is very clear? My question is, how did the rapists and killers of the Chiong sisters in Cebu happen to be free?

My only conclusion is money. The committee must not stop until it gets to the bottom of the matter.

Take the case of former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez, who was all packed and dressed and ready to leave the New Bilibid Prison. His relatives and supporters were already waiting for him. Faeldon claims he did not www.emiljurado.weebly.com

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News

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

ID implementation by mid-2022

WELCOME MARCH. The Philippine Navy band performs during a welcome ceremony for South Korean navy destroyer ROKS Munmu the Great (DDH-976) as it docks at the port of Manila on Monday. The ship, named after the 30th King of the Silla Dynasty who unified the Korean peninsula in 676 AD, is in port as part of a three-day goodwill visit to the Philippines. AFP

BI agents nab 5 foreigners

IMMIGRATION agents arrested five foreigners who were wanted in their home countries and for violating the country’s immigration laws—as part of the agency’s continuing drive against undesirable and overstaying aliens.

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said arrested were two Americans, two Chinese and a New Zealander in separate operations in Mindanao, Samar and Pampanga provinces.

The New Zealander, identified as Alan James Linton, was arrested in his residence at Sugarland Subd. in Valencia City, Bukidnon.

He is is wanted by authorities in his country where he was twice convicted for sexually abusing children.

BI authorities described Linton as potential risk to Filipino children either through physical contact or via Internet due to his record as a pedophile.

The arrested two Chinese, Wu Zhijie and Wu Jiajiang, were caught selling retail goods without proper work permit and visa. They were arrested in Catbalogan City. Vito Barcelo REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT & EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF MANDALUYONG CITY PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK Mortgagee, -versus-

FRE-MC19-1153 EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 AS AMENDED BY 4118

THE Philippine Statistics Authority is on course to implement the Philippine Identification System by mid-2022.

PhilSys, the foundational identification system that aims to provide a valid proof of identity for all citizens and resident aliens as a means of simplifying public and private transactions, was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2018 in line with the government’s drive to curtail bureaucratic red tape.

“We are on track to have the system fully operational and to start the mass registration by mid-2020, and complete the enrollment of the population by mid-2022,” Undersecretary Dennis S. Mapa, National Statistician and Civil Registrar, said.

This year, the PSA has finished procuring the registration kits—one of the five major procurement blocks of the program.

In the pipeline for PhilSys are the procurement of the Automated Biometric Identification System, System Integrator, and registration centers.

For card production, the PSA is in

partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

On Sept. 2, the pilot test registration involving a small number of individuals from the National Capital Region has started.

This includes select Department of Social Welfare and Development beneficiaries and employees of PSA and National Economic and Development Authority.

“The PSA sees the utmost importance for the PhilSys to first undergo a series of pilot testing before finally launching it to the public. We want to ensure that the processes are efficient, the systems are fully functional, and all information within the system are secure,” Mapa said.

The pilot test registration will run from September 2019 until June 2020.

The first part will involve biometric and demographic capturing processes.

Once the system is stable, operations will expand to cover select groups from nearby regions, Regions III and IV-A, based on different geographical typologies.

Eusebio electoral protest dismissed

By Vito Barcelo

T

HE Commission on Elections Second Division has dismissed the election protest filed by former Pasig Mayor Robert Eusebio against incumbent Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto because it is “insufficient in form and substance.”

Eusebio filed in June the election protest against Sotto, the son of TV comedian Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes, over alleged “cheating” during the midterm polls.

Sotto defeated Eusebio, whose

In a statement, COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez said the Second Division voted unanimously in favor of Sotto. The decision was promulgated last Aug. 30, he added.

family made the city their political stronghold for 27 years, with an overwhelming lead of more than 80,000 votes.

“The protest failed to reflect a detailed specification of the acts or omissions complained of showing the electoral frauds, anomalies, or irregularities in the protested precincts,” Jimenez said, quoting the decision.

Prior to being elected as mayor last May, Vico served as a Pasig City councilor from 2016 to 2019.

DOST pilots food safety technologies, services for public

By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Science and Technology has piloted its food safety technologies and services to ensure that the public is given “scientifically safe food” outside their home.

At a news conference on Malingap Street, Diliman, Quezon City, Secretary Fortunato dela Peña vowed to place food safety as one of the DOST’s top priorities.

“DOST will remain at the fore-

front of using science and technology to serve the public and ensure they [people] buy from restaurants or from stores are not only nutritious but also safe to eat,” he said.

He said food safety must start from food processing to the development of guidelines and grading systems for food establishments.

“We want to ensure that we enable the best quality when it comes to the food we produce and consume,” he added.

He said DOST had gathered science and technology experts from the gov-

ernment and universities to conduct research and development, and studies on food and nutrition safety.

Among the technologies and services being offered by the agency were plasma technology for non-thermal sterilization of food products, packaging technology for ready-to-eat meals for disaster response that could last for a year, and food safety consultancy program that would provide technical services for restaurants to be able to achieve the government’s food safety standards.

SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS AND VIRGINIA N. NICOLAS, Borrowers/Mortgagors. both represented by MARIA CLARISSA SANGALANG as attorney-in-fact. x-----------------------------------------------x

DOJ probes 2 cops for murder

By Rey E. Requejo TWO policemen are facing possible prosecution if evidence showed they were involved in the murder of La Union Vice Mayor Alfred Concepcion in November 2018.

This emerged after the Department of Justice started conducting preliminary investigation into the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation-Ilocos Office accusing Senior Police Officer 1 Dario Cahigas and Senior Police Officer 2 Arnold Calzado, both La Union police officers, for two counts of murder and multiple counts of attempted murder over the Nov. 14, 2018 ambush of Concepcion and his daughter, town Mayor Aleli Concepcion.

The vice mayor’s aide, Mike Ulep, was killed in the ambush.

Aleli, along with several other companions, all of whom were on their way to the municipal hall, sustained gunshot wounds.

In its complaint filed last July before the DOJ, the NBI said they had gathered evidence establishing that the two policemen and two other unnamed persons were involved in the killings.

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE

Upon Extra-Judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended by Act 4118 filed by PHILIPPINE SAVINGS BANK Mortgagee, against SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS & VIRGINIA N, NICOLAS, Borrowers/Mortgagors, with postal addresses at 2706 Soho Central Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City, both represented

by MARIA CLARISSA SANGALANG, as attorney-in-fact with the given address at 46 Agueda St., Vista Verde Executive Village, Cainta Rizal, to satisfy the mortgaged indebtedness which as of August 5, 2019 amounts to ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY ONE THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED FORTY FIVE PESOS & 77/100 (Php 1,561,345.77) ONLY. Philippine Currency, plus accruing interest, penalty and other charges, the Ex-Officio Sheriff of Mandaluyong City or his duly authorized deputy will sell at PUBLIC AUCTION to the HIGHEST BIDDER FOR CASH OR MANAGERS CHECK and in Philippine Currency on the 2nd day of October 2019 at 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter in front of the main entrance of the Hall of Justice Building, Maysilo Circle, Mandaluyong City, the following condominium unit with all the improvements existing thereon to wit:

TUCP wants secret deals investigated

CONDOMINIUM CERTIFICATE OF TITLE No. 008-2011000458 Registry of Deeds for Mandaluyong City IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that unit identified and described as: CONDOMINIUM UNIT NO. 2706, LOCATED AT THE TWENTY SEVENT FLOOR OF SOHO CENTRAL CONDOMINIUM, WITH AN AREA OF 43.11 SQ.M.,MORE OR LESS; in the diagrammatic floor plan appended to the enabling or master deed of the condominium project annotated on which embraces and describes the land located at MANDALUYONG CITY with an area of (TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED SIXTY TWO (2,962), Square Meter, is registered in the name of: Owner: SPS. CRISANTO R. NICOLAS AND VIRGINIA N. NICOLAS, AMERICAN CITIZENS, BOTH OF LEGAL AGE Address: NO. 29030 EASTON LANE, HIGHLAND, CALIFORNIA 92346 U.S.A. “All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.”

“In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on October 14, 2019 9:00 A.M. or soon thereafter without further notice Prospective bidders or buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the said real properties and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Mandaluyong City, Philippines, August 23, 2018.

(Sgd.) ATTY. ERWIN N. BARATA Clerk of Court VI & Ex-Officio Sheriff (Sgd.) HELDER A. DYANGCO Sheriff IV WARNING: It is absolutely prohibited to remove, deface or destroy this Notice of Sheriff’s Sale on or before the date of Auction Sale under penalty of the law.

Copy furnished: Sps. Crisanto R. Nicolas and Virginia N. Nicolas 2706 Soho Central Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City Maria Clarissa Sangalang 46 Agueda St., Vista Verde Executive Village, Cainta Rizal Chuanico Salgado Gordove & Associates 4th Floor PSBank Center, 777 Paseo de Roxas corner Sedeno St., Makati City (MStandard- Sep. 3, 10 & 17, 2019)

FLOATING DEBRIS. Some residents of Brgy. 293 in Binondo, Manila have helped clean up various types of floating debris along the Muelle De Binondo River to prevent flooding of the river. Norman Cruz

‘Organic farming on the rise worldwide’ ORGANIC farming worldwide is on the rise, the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization has said in a statement.

At the last International Conference in Organic Agriculture in Switzerland, the Food and Agriculture Organization reported that conversion of global agriculture to organic management, without use of chemical fertilizer would result in global increased organic food production.

Intensified development in different countries, according to FAO,

backed by proven applied research and development would increase food production by 56 percent.

FAO also reported that organic farming in agrifarms were using 3356 percvent less energy per hectare.

Locally, Dr. Melodio Palaypay, executive director of National Commission on Urban Pest Control of the Philippines, attributed the increased food production to former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo following the enactment of RA 200681 of 2001.

The Act provided for development

and promotion of the National Soil Management Law that led to the issuance of the Presidential Proclamation of 2003 which is relevant to the Organic Agricultural recovery waste program and prohibition of the use of pesticide and chemical fertilizer.

In 2010, there were more than 23 million hectares of farm lands managed organically with food production value of around $30 billion, FAO said.

The agri sector is advised by the FAO to refrain from using foreign chemical.

THE labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines is calling for congressional investigation over allegations of substituting building materials with substandard and cheaper items in the construction of condominiums and other buildings in Metro Manila.

This puts into doubt the structural integrity of all projects undertaken by a firm particularly in terms of the safety of its building tenants during earthquakes and disasters.

TUCP president and party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza wants a congressional probe over alleged secret work site deaths, sub-standard construction buildings and other serious violations of general labor and occupational safety and health standards committed by private construction contractor firm Datem Incorporated.

Mendoza said the party-list was looking at reviewing the compliance and enforcement system surrounding the country’s basic Construction Occupational Safety and Health program required by law in every construction project.

The inquiry will also look into helping strengthen the Republic Act 4566, also known as the Contractor’s License Law in ensuring only qualified and reliable contractors are allowed to undertake construction activity in the country with the safety of the public in mind, Mendoza said.

Vito Barcelo

Sports

A7

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Lorbes, Burgos rule Vermosa Aquathlon 2 YOUTH aquathletes Inaki Lorbes and Erika Nicole Burgos proved their might among almost 300 participants by registering the fastest times of their respective genders in the Vermosa Sports Hub Aquathlon 2 held recently at the Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus City, Cavite.

In the standard distance 1-kilometer swim and 7-kilometer run contest, Inaki Lorbes had the best time of 42 minutes and 22 seconds in winning the Male 18-24 age category.

Richard Anson Navo, who topped the Vermosa Sports Hub Aquathlon 1 last March, had the next fastest time with 44:33, topping the Male 15-17 category. The 3rd fastest time was 46:50

by Juan Francisco Baniqued who ended up 2nd in the Male 15-17 category.

Among the ladies in the event supported by Vermosa Sports Hub, Avida, Smart, Standard Insurance, official timer Garmin, SPEEDO, Apollo Petroleum Jelly and hydration partners Pocari Sweat and Sip Purified, Erika Nicole Burgos started very strongly in the swim leg (event best swim of 14:46) and maintained her lead to capture the Female 15-17 title in a total of 50:43.

Her competitor in the Female 15-17 category, Olivia Kwon, finished next in 55:02 while Female 30-34 champion Nancy Giganon registered the 3rd fastest standard distance time with 1:00:27.

For the Team Relay standard distance contests, Team Get Coach’D emerged as the All-Male Relay champion, Power Sisters as All-Female Relay champion and Amigo Tri as the Mixed Relay champion. All other declared champions of the standard distance, petite distance and other distances can be found at the event’s page at the official website of organizer Bike King.

Apart from awarding the winners of the aquathlon, the Top Aquathletes of the Vermosa Sports Hub Multisport Series 2019 (composed of three events) were declared and awarded accordingly by the organizers. Their respective names and final series scores are available for viewing at BikeKingPhilippines.com

Lady Falcons, Tigresses near PVL semifinals Games Saturday

(Sept. 7) 8 a.m. – San Beda vs Perpetual Help 10 a.m. – Letran vs San Sebastian 12 noon – Arellano vs St. Benilde UST, drawing added firepower from a debuting Eya Laure, blasted Technological Institute of the Philippines, 2511, 25-9, 25-11, to notch its third straight win and close in on a semifinal berth in Pool B of the Premier Volleyball League Collegiate Conference at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan Sunday.

Laure scored eight points in two sets, upstaging sister EJ, who finished with just a marker while trying to regain her form coming off a long hiatus due to injury.

But the rest of the Tigresses more than made up for EJ’s struggle as Joyce Abueg matched Eya’s output and Imee Hernandez put in a seven-hit effort for the España-based squad, which poured in 36 attack points and pounced on their rivals’ sloppy service reception to deliver 11 aces.

UST shoots for No. 4 against FEU next Sunday.

“We need to secure another win to assure our stint in the semis,” said UST coach Kungfu Reyes. “But this win gives us a good shot for the top two.”

While UST kept its run going, TIP fell to its third straight defeat and out of the semis race.

Wielyn Margallo and Ashley Jinon scored seven points apiece for the Lady Engineers.

In Pool A action, the Lady Falcons also soared to their third straight win as they demolished the hapless San Sebastian College Lady Stags, 25-18, 25-10, 25-14, to force a tie with the idle Ateneo Lady Eagles in Season 3 of the event organized by Sports Vision serving as part of the participating teams’ buildup for their respective collegiate leagues.

Ceasa Pinar unloaded 11 kills and finished with 15 points while Trisha Genesis and Lorence Toring backed her up with 10 and nine markers, respectively, with the victory priming up Adamson against Ateneo in a blockbuster duel for the top spot on Sunday.

1,571 Batang Pinoy bets get PSI Smart ID

Members of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons coached by Bo Perasol forge a partnership with STATS, an athleisure apparel as oufitting partner.

UP Maroons, apparel brand STATS ink pact

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ONE are the days when the University of Fighting Maroons are labelled as perennial whipping boys of the UAAP.

“Nowhere to go but up. As the community proclaims, nowhere to go but UP. They’ve clearly leveled up. If there are dark ages in basketball history, this team has moved to the age of enlightenment. A period of Renaissance,” said JJ Atencio, a businessman and start-up advocate and chairman of Januarius Holdings.

“I don’t think it’s possible to go back to those times again. It’s a different outlook now. The team and the community is now looking to be a perennial contender from now on,” added Atencio, Atencio’s apparel start-up - STATS has been a partner of the Fighting Maroons for the third straight season.

An athleisure brand that has started to make its presence felt strongly in the sports apparel business in the country, STATS is starting to grow just like the Fighting Maroons in the UAAP. Together, their partnership has become a fruitful one – from second to last place to fifth place two seasons ago, and from fifth to runner-up last season.

Now, they’re setting their sights on a

much bigger prize with no less than a championship as their target.

“STATS is very proud of this team and is very grateful to be a part of their journey to success. This is the third year of STATS. We’re an apparel brand - a branded athleisure brand. It’s also a new brand made in the Philippines. It made a logical sense that an apparel athletic brand to partner with a team that is newly-born. The brand fits well with this team. Because the brand of UP as a contender to UAAP basketball is just starting in the same way that STATS has become a go-to brand for apparel on its development stage,” said Atencio.

Joining the Fighting Maroons, who will be handled by Bo Perasol, in this season’s UAAP wars are highly-touted second generation player Kobe Paras and promising Ricci Rivero, two former members of Gilas Pilipinas national pool, who will combine forces with holdovers Bright Akhuetie and the De Liaño Brothers – Juan Gerardo and Javier Joaquin, giving the team a brighter future in its coming campaign.

Atencio believes that this year’s Fighting Maroons can make it all the way to the championship. Last year’s team is basically intact and therefore more experienced and mature, and then there’s the entry of Ricci and Kobe that increased the team’s fire power too.

“When they approached me, to help out in sponsoring the UP Fighting Maroons, I realized that I wanted to focus on a specific activity for the team which can have significant impact and create the best value. And so, with coach Bo and the team managers, we decided on foreign training sponsorship as the most relevant contribution I could make.”

“I liked the idea because it impacts not only on the team itself, but in the personal lives of the players as well. In our first year, STATS had UP go to IMPACT Basketball Academy in Las Vegas. I’d like to think that this training was a big part of their campaign as they ended up fifth. Then last year, we sent them to Serbia, then they became second. This year, they went to Las Vegas, again, for more skills training,” he said.

In the past two years, Atencio was always asked by his classmates and friends why he decided to sponsor the UP Fighting Maroons when he is an alumnus of Ateneo and never studied in UP.

New breed of PH netters join Malaysia tilt THE new breed of national junior tennis players is off to Malaysia to represent the country at the Asian Tennis Federation 14-under series.

“We’ve seen how these kids are on the Philippine courts and I’m confident that they are at par with their opponents, who will come from different nations. I wish them good luck and expect them to do our country proud,” said longtime tennis patron and Unified Tennis Philippines President Jean Henri Lhuillier.

The team, composed of Exequiel Jucutan, Joewyn Pascua, Alexa Milliam, and Marielle Jarata, are hopeful that they will be able to repeat or even best the performance of last year’s team.

“Our goal as a team is to consistently play our best, not just aim to be champions but to show that we can make our mark in international competitions,” said Marielle, the team’s youngest player.

The members of the UTP National Team were selected through a national ranking system.

UTP is an all-inclusive, non-stock,

UTP National Team Members (from left) Joewyn Pascua, Marielle Jarata, Alexa Milliam, and Exequiel Jucutan display their tennis rackets during their send-off party.

non-profit sports organization founded whose mission is to develop fresh talents, and supported by some of the country’s who will represent the Philippines in inbiggest tennis patrons and aficionados, ternational competitions.

PUERTO PRINCESA—As the Batang Pinoy 2019 National Championships concluded at the City Coliseum on Aug. 31, a total of 1,571 athletes aged 15 years old and below were tested through the Philippine Sports Institute Sports Mapping Action Research Talent Identification (SMART ID) program.

Of the 1,571 randomly tested athletes, 59 were boxers, 25 netters, 49 muay thai artists, 153 wrestlers, 81 wushu artists, 83 gymnasts, 22 dancesports athletes, 33 pencak silat players, 64 swimmers, 79 basketball players, 44 batters, 22 table paddlers, 77 rugby players, 43 judokas, 13 cyclists, 95 volleyball players, 76 karatekas, 34 sepak takraw players, 139 arnisadors, 18 beach spikers, 66 tracksters, 40 weightlifters, 21 soft tennis players, 100 futsal players, 75 taekwondo jins, 32 triathlete and 28 shuttlers.

The PSI SMART ID, which is part of the Philippine Sports Commission’s sports development programs, conducted anthropometric measurements among the Batang Pinoy 2019 participants.

PSC consultant professor Henry Daut in his past statements said: “We want every Filipino child be given the opportunity to be identified for sports excellence.”

The talent identification aims to create a database and normative data of the standing and sitting height, mass and arm span of the youth athletes aged 15 below. It also aims to determine specific sports that may benefit the youth based on their anthropometric measurements.

The weeklong Batang Pinoy 2019 National Championships, a centerpiece program of the national sports agency, ended with Baguio City winning the overall championship after a haul of 61 golds, 45 silvers and 70 bronzes.

PSL champ F2, Gibbons to grace PSA Forum today TWO big sports events this week plus newly-crowned Philippine Super Liga All-Filipino Conference champion F2 Logistics will all be discussed in Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum at the Amelie Hotel-Manila.

The 82nd season of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, which opens with the centerpiece event of men’s basketball on Wednesday, gets a piece of the limelight in the 10 a.m. session with Executive Director Rebo Saguisag and Commissioner for basketball Jensen Ilagan on hand.

Manny Pacquiao Promotions President Sean Gibbons, meanwhile, will again appear in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation to talk about the all-Filipino world title fight between Samuel Salva and Pedro Taduran for the vacant International Boxing Federation minimumweight championship on Sept. 7 in Taguig City.

And capping a busy forum will be the presence of volleyball stars Kim Fajardo, Dawn Macandili, Alex Cabanos, and MVP Kalei Mau to share about their experience of winning the PSL All-Filipino conference crown by beating Cignal in the finals.

The session is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page fb.com/PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and being aired on a delayed basis over Radyo Pilipinas 2 from 1to 2 p.m.

2,000 athletes vie in taekwondo national age-group meet NO less than 2,000 taekwondo athletes will hunt for medals when they vie in the 2019 SMART/MVP Sports Foundation (free sparring) and PLDT Home Ultera (poomsae) national age group championships on Sept. 7-8 at the Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Talented performers as young as 4 years old are among the participants in the annual event which supports the grassroots program of the country’s most popular martial arts sport.

The free sparring entries will be categorized into Novice and Advance with three divisions under each category -- Juniors, Cadet and Gradeschool for male and female.

Poomsae or forms is open to colored belts and blackbelts students

for individual and team events. It is performed by following a systematic time of movements in consecutive sequence against an imaginary opponent or multiple opponents.

Constant poomsae training helps improve flexibility and control in breathing, balance, power, eye focus and mental discipline.

Competition will start at 9 a.m. but the opening ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. on Sept. 8 Martial arts enthusiasts and sports fans, specially children who are interested to learn the sport, are invited to watch the two-day tournament.

Sponsors include Meralco, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and MILO.

Sam Andrei Buenaventura (left), one of the early entries, connects a 45 kick against Richard Lui Buena in a previous tournament.

Fil-Kiwi Tuffin to play bigger role for FEU

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph; sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

By Peter Atencio

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland hits a return shot to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their Round Four Men’s Singles match in the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

Inset shows Djokovic getting his shoulder worked on by a trainer. AFP

Sports NCAA takes break to support Gilas THE NCAA has taken a break in the 95th men’s basketball tournament to allow all Filipino basketball fans to cheer for the Gilas Pilipinas competing in the ongoing 2019 FIBA World Cup in Foshan, China.

The league has one remaining playdate to complete the first round —the tripleheader postponed twice due to bad weather.

Instead of rescheduling it today, Tuesday, the NCAA Management Committee decided to have it played Friday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

“We’re one in supporting our beloved national team Gilas Pilipinas. We’re giving way to the national team in its campaign in the 2019 FIBA World Cup” said NCAA MANCOM chairman Peter Cayco of season host Arellano University in a statement yesterday.

“As a nation, we want to focus and cheer as one for our national team —win or lose we support them and we at the NCAA, this is our own little way to show our all out support to Gilas Pilipinas and the efforts of the SBP,” added Cayco.

The men’s games will have Letran taking on College of Saint Benilde at 12 noon, followed by defending three-time champion San Beda versus Mapua at 2 p.m., and Arellano against San Sebastian at 4 p.m.

Paul Supan, Jose Rizal University’s NCAA MANCOM representative, is currently in Foshan as part of the delegation of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas as the league is one of its stakeholders.

Import exceeds 6’5” height limit

By Jeric Lopez ALASKA will have to look for a new import for the coming 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup. The Aces’ first choice in Branden Dawson went over the 6-foot-5 height limit for imports and was deemed ineligible to play.

Dawson tipped in at 6-foot-5 and 1/4 yesterday when he was measured at the PBA office.

Now, the Aces need to scramble to find a new replacement.

Of the 12 teams, only Alaska is left without an import at this point.

The Aces are already in their preparations for the season-ending tournament under new coach Jeff Cariaso.

However, it is urgent for the team to find an import other than Dawson to be able to incorporate in the new system that it is implementing.

Djokovic says ‘life goes on’ as injury rips title defense

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EW YORK—Top-ranked defending champion Novak Djokovic said “life goes on” after a shoulder injury forced him to quit Sunday’s clash with Stan Wawrinka in the last 16 of the US Open.

Wawrinka, the 23rd seed and 2016 champion, led Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 2-1 when the Serb quit with a nagging left shoulder problem that had troubled him since the start of the tournament.

“The pain was constant for weeks now. Some days higher, some days with less intensity and obviously taking different stuff to kill the pain instantly,” Djokovic said.

“Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. You just know when you know, I guess, when you feel like you’re not able to hit the shot anymore.”

Djokovic refused to expand on the nature of his injury, which had caused him considerable pain during a second-round win over Juan Ignacio Londero.

“I retired and I told you it’s left shoulder. I have nothing more to talk about,” he said.

“I don’t want to talk about my injuries. I said that in the past. I’m sticking to that.”

Djokovic had claimed he felt “almost pain-free” following a straight-sets defeat of Denis Kudla in round three, but

the problem resurfaced against Wawrinka in the first meeting between the pair since the final here three years ago.

The world number one received treatment before the start of the third set against Wawrinka but soon threw in the towel, the sixth time he has retired at a Grand Slam tournament.

“It is frustrating. Very frustrating. Obviously not the first, not the last player to get injured and to withdraw from one of the biggest events in sport,” he said. “But obviously I just came off the court, so of course it hurts.

“Obviously I’m in the midst of unfortunate situation, and I have to, you know, suffer the consequences of that. And as I said, I’m not the first nor the last one. Life goes on.”

‘Long road ahead’ But Djokovic, winner of four of the past five Slam events and 16 overall, remained bullish about his chances of eventually catching and surpassing longtime rival Roger Federer, who holds the men’s record of 20 major titles.

“It’s no secret that I have of course desire and a goal to reach the most Slams

and reach Roger’s record,” Djokovic said.

“But at the same time, it’s a long road ahead hopefully for me I hope I can play for many more years. I’m planning to. I don’t see an end behind the corner at all.

“Now it’s a matter of keeping my body and mind in shape and trying to still peak at these kind of events that are majors and that are the most significant in our sport.”

It marked just the second time in the past decade Djokovic had pulled out of a Grand Slam match, having last retired during a 2017 Wimbledon quarter-final against Tomas Berdych with an elbow injury.

That setback prompted him to shut it down for the remainder of the season and led to questions about his future. His spectacular return to form 12 months later silenced those concerns, and he is hopeful of a swift recovery.

“This season is not yet over,” he said, reflecting on a year in which he added another Australian Open and Wimbledon title to his collection.

“Obviously Grand Slam season is done for me. I mean, I won two Slams out of four and played semis in French. I had a really good Grand Slam season. I cannot complain, not at all.

“There is plenty of big tournaments ahead. Rankings-wise, plenty of points to defend for me and try to withhold that ranking of number one. AFP

Power-hitting Aussie seeks Aboitiz repeat BIG-HITTING Damien Jordan returns in pursuit of a second Philippine Golf Tour Asia championship, seeking to become only the second player to score back-to-back victories in the ninth Aboitiz Invitational firing off tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept. 4) at Wack Wack’s East Course in Mandaluyong City.

Jordan set some sort of a record by becoming the first foreign player to rule the annual event organized by Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. in wire-to-wire fashion, beating Thai Namchok Tantipokhakul by four to likewise nail his first PGTA crown at Orchard’s Palmer course last year.

But with the event back at one of the country’s toughest courses, Jordan will need more than his power to confront the challenges lurking at every corner of Wack Wack’s fabled layout, whose narrow fairways puts premier on accuracy more than length, especially in the presence of the wind.

That could set the stage for four days of battle of wits among a crack roster of 108 bidders from at least 18 nations in the $100,000 event serving as fourth leg of the third season of the region’s emerging circuit put up by ICTSI. Tantipokhakul and Wisut Artjanawat

A different kind of challenge awaits Damien Jordan.

swept the first two PGTA legs at Luisita and Taiwan, respectively, with absentee Angelo Que prevailing at Southwoods last July with the Thai duo, like Jordan,

all fired up in their respective title drive in the 72-hole championship organized

by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Jay Bayron, meanwhile, spearheads the local challenge with the veteran Davaoeño campaigner targeting two feats this week – reclaiming the crown he won when the event was first held at Wack Wack in 2016 and seeking a record third Aboitiz Invitational title.

Bayron topped the inaugural event in its home base in Cebu in 2011 with fellow Davaoeño Elmer Salvador posting the first back-to-back wins, also in Cebu, in 2012-13 although the latter’s game took a downswing in the last few years.

Tony Lascuña beat Que by three at Riviera in 2014, and Japan-based Pagunsan, in one of his then rare appearances on the local circuit, dominated the field at Manila Southwoods in 2015 then Miguel Tabuena edged Que by one in 2017.

Meanwhile, a select group of pros will test the East layout one last time in the traditional pro-am tournament today (Tuesday) where they will be paired with officials and guests of the event’s chief backers, including ICTSI, PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia official apparel Pin High.

FIL-KIWI cager Ken Tuffin will play a bigger role for the Far Eastern University Tamaraws in Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball tournament.

Tuffin will be take the role of team skipper of the the Olsen Racelacoach squad that is looking forward to another Final Four finish, if not another championship appearance.

Last season, the Tamaraws made it to the Final Four, but lost the championship slot to Ateneo.

Tuffin is expected to provide leadership to a team that lost veterans Richard Escoto, Alex Inigo, Arvin Tolentino, Jasper Parker, and reliable big man Prince Orizu.

All five have graduated.

Three other senior players, Hubert Cani, Wendell Comboy and Barkley Ebona will be there to play important supporting roles.

And Racela is calling for the senior players to step up and provide collective leadership for the team.

The Tamaraws come into the season with high confidence after a successful preseason preparation.

This includes a title conquest in the 2019 DLive Summer Tournament in Taiwan.

This squad will have rookies Travis Mantua, Emman Ojuola or Patrick Tchuente, and Xyrus Torres to lean on.

The school is still deciding on the case of Ojuola and Tchuente as the replacement of Orizu.

Tchuente is a 6’10” Cameroonian, while Tchuente, is a 6’7” cager FEU is expected to be back in the Final Four, after making it to the semifinals for the last six years.

Catindig, Peralta clobber Taiwanese, make quarterfinals PRINCESS Catindig and Erdelyn Peralta scored a 4-3 (7-5) victory over Yi Li Shih and Yu Tung Hsu of Chinese Taipei, 4-3 (7-5), yesterday to book a quarterfinal berth in the inaugural staging of the Asian University Soft Tennis Championships at the Colegio San Agustin indoor tennis court in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

The Filipino pair outclassed Mariyan Meth and Sotheary Rin of Cambodia, 4-1, to reach the round-of-16 last Sunday.

But they have to beat favorites Yuki Kasai and Yui Kuwana of Japan today to assure themselves of a bronze medal.

Catindig, the UAAP MVP from San Beda University, managed to win the bronze medal in the Asian Juniors held in the same venue last week.

The 1st Asian University Soft Tennis Championships, which will serve as SEA Games test event, will give the country’s top netters the opportunity to test their own strengths and equally pit their respective skills against the best players from Japan, Chinese Taipei, India, Mongolia, Thailand, Malaysia, China, Nepal, Indonesia, South Korea and DPR Korea.

The last time soft tennis was played in the SEA Games was in Indonesia (2011) when the Philippines won one silver and five bronzes.

Philippine Olympic Committee first vice president Joey Romasanta graced the opening ceremony featuring the Sanlahi Pangkat Mananayaw of the University of Perpetual Help and performers from the Indigenous Peoples Aeta tribe in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

The two tournaments are organized by the Philippine Soft Tennis Association, headed by Col. Jeff Tamayo and the Asian Soft Tennis Federation with support from the Philippine Sports Commission and POC.

Korea’s Sakers, Gin Kings brace for LG showdown

Korea’s LG Sakers

BASKETBALL season is in full swing.

Five years after their last meeting, worlds collide yet again as two of the most popular basketball teams in Asia face each other once more. The LG Sakers, one of the stalwarts of the Korean Basketball League, is set to face what is arguably the country’s most beloved PBA team – the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

Dubbed as Asian Basketball Showdown, the first exhibition game between the two teams happened 5 years ago and was received very well by the appreciative crowd. It was a landmark event that pitted perennial crowd fa-

vorites in their respective leagues. The LG Sakers is one of the most well-supported teams in the whole of South Korea while Barangay Ginebra is a pillar in Philippine sporting history. To have these two teams face against each other is a dream come true for every fan of basketball.

While the LG Sakers bested Barangay Ginebra in their first foray five years ago, the Filipino squad is determined to pull out all the stops to ensure an enjoyable game for the crowd and hopefully, get a win in home court.

A big fan of basketball himself, LG

Electronics Philippines Managing Director Inkwun Heo said: “In the spirit of celebration of the 70th anniversary of South Korean and Philippine diplomatic relations, we want to treat Filipinos to an experience they’ll never forget. ” Just like the first showdown, the exhibition game is still a free event courtesy of LG Philippines. To find out how to get a free ticket, click this Asian Basketball Showdown 2 for the full mechanics.

Asian Basketball Showdown II happens on Sept. 17, 6 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Barangay Ginebra

IN BRIEF Housing firms seek longer VAT exemption THE largest group of Philippine real estate and housing developers appealed to Congress to shield housing purchases from the looming value-added tax imposition by 2021.

The Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations Inc. expressed fears the impending imposition of new taxes would hurt government and private sector efforts to address the estimated 6.57 million housing backlog and new requirements 300,000 units every year.

The group said millions of Filipinos working overseas and low-income earners had yet to fulfil their dream of building a home for their families, adding the tax would render them unable to afford the resulting surge in housing prices.

Republic Act 10693, or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN Law), passed in December 2017 recognized the clamor of the housing sector by extending for three years the effectivity of VAT-exemption thresholds of up to P1.9 million for lots only and P3.2 million for houses and lots in view of prevailing economic conditions and latest consumer price index. Othel V. Campos

PAL deploying new plane to Asia routes PHILIPPINE Airlines on Monday said it will use its new Airbus A321neo SR aircraft for Asian regional flights as part of the flag carrier’s fresh fleet modernization program.

“Our newest A321neo will become the single-aisle mainstay for regional routes, helping PAL in our mission to boost tourism from the high-producing tourist countries in the region such as China, Japan, Korea and our ASEAN neighbors,” said PAL president Gilbert Santa Maria.

The brand new PAL A321neo SR joined the fleet in July after completing flight tests at the Airbus A320/A321 assembly plant in Hamburg’s Finkenwerder Airport (Germany).

The aircraft is the first of a batch of 15 that will be progressively introduced into the PAL fleet over the next few years.

PAL’s A321neo SR is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1100G-JM geared turbofan engines and features the versatile Airbus “cabin flex” configuration designed for short-range regional flights between the Philippines and East Asian destinations, including airports in greater China, central Japan, Korea, Guam and the rest of Southeast Asia. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

Customs forms environmental unit to prevent foreign dumping of wastes

By Julito G. Rada THE government established an environmental protection and compliance division within the Bureau of Customs to monitor and control the dumping of hazardous substances and other wastes into the country, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said Monday.

The creation of the division was in response to Dominguez’s directive in July to Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero to form a special strike team that would guard against the entry of waste materials that other countries were attempting to dump in the Philippines.

“This strike team should work in tandem with other concerned government agencies in mounting a 24/7 watch over, and prevent, the entry of hazardous or toxic wastes into our country, in keeping with our environmental laws,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez issued the directive during a recent DoF executive committee meeting after Guerrero reported that he had called on his counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to strengthen the law enforcement capabilities of the organization’s member-states not only in the war against drug trafficking but also in preventing the region from being a dumping ground for the hazardous materials and wastes of other countries.

Guerrero said his fellow customs officials from the ASEAN member-states reacted positively to his proposal.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

B1

Japan firm wins FGen’s LNG project F

By Alena Mae S. Flores

IRST Gen Corp. said Monday it chose JGC Corp. of Japan as the preferred contractor for the engineering, procurement and construction of a $1-billion liquefied natural gas project in Batangas province.

The project, to be built in the First Gen Clean Energy Complex in Barangays Sta. Clara, Sta. Rita Aplaya and Bolbok, Batangas City, is being developed by First Gen through wholly-owned subsidiary FGen LNG Corp.

“We congratulate JGC for all of their hard work which has led to them being awarded preferred tenderer status for First Gen’s LNG terminal project,” First Gen executive vice president and chief commercial officer Jonathan Russell

said in a statement.

“We look forward to working with JGC to make this energy project of national significance a success, as the project is crucial to ensure the continued operations of the 3.2 gigawatts existing natural gas-fired plants given the expected and continuing reduction in gas supply from the Malampaya field up to the expiration of the contracts by 2024,” Russell said.

JGC, which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, has a track record of

executing more than 20,000 projects in over 80 countries. These projects have centered on the oil and gas sector, including oil, natural gas, petrochemicals and gas chemicals as well as a variety of other business sectors including energy infrastructure.

First Gen said the selection of JGC marked the conclusion of an extensive EPC tendering phase which commenced in 2014, during which around 22 companies were invited and 18 expressed an interest to participate in the tender process and work on the project.

“In the short term, we look forward to working with JGC to explore the exciting possibility of modifying First Gen’s existing jetty that would enable LNG to be brought in via an FSRU [floating storage regasification unit] on an interim basis during the term of Presi-

dent Duterte. This would reduce the strain on Malampaya as its reliability continues to decline up to 2024, increasing the energy security of the Philippines and reducing the number of times that FGEN will be requested to run on liquid fuel when Malampaya gas is unavailable,” Russell said.

He said the early introduction of LNG by FGen would also enable LNG to immediately become a fuel choice for any developer that is considering the building of new gas-fired power plants with a lower carbon footprint that will support the introduction of more intermittent renewables for the Philippines as an alternative to building new coal-fired power plants.

It would also offer a potential means for the 1,200-megawatt Ilijan project to receive gas after its contract with Malampaya ends in 2022, he said.

LRMC begins construction of LRT Line 1 Cavite extension

By Darwin G. Amojelar

Salary loan releases of SSS climb to P19b STATE-RUN pension fund Social Security System said Monday salary loans released to members in the first half jumped 8.4 percent to P19.01 billion from P17.53 billion a year ago.

SSS president and chief executive Aurora Ignacio said in a statement the salary loans were released to around 942,000 members. She said the increase in loan releases was mainly due to the rise in the number of member-borrowers from 886,208 in the first half of 2018 to 941,716 for the same period this year.

“Salary loan is one of the most popular loan privileges of SSS. In fact, salary loans represent almost the entire amount of loan releases for the first half of this year,” Ignacio said.

Of the total number of borrowers, 846,823 were employed members with a total of P17.67 billion worth of salary loans granted, 75,465 were voluntary members with P1.08 billion worth of loans released, 10,423 were self-employed members with P83.69 million worth of loans granted, and 9,004 OFW-members with P163.07 million worth of loans released. Julito G. Rada

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

NEW D-MAX LAUNCHING. Isuzu Philippines Corp. launches the new Isuzu D-Max LS-A variant at Glorietta Shopping Mall in Makati City. Leading the launching ceremony are (from left) Mitsubishi Corp. general manager Daisuke Takagi, IPC executive vice president Shojiro Sakoda, IPC president Hirokazu Okubo, IPC vice president Hajime Koso and Isuzu Motors international operations Thailand vice president Kenichi Asahara. Sonny Espiritu

SteelAsia, China group sign deal to build Batangas plant

By Othel V. Campos STEEL Asia and the HBIS Group of China signed a memorandum of understanding to establish an integrated steel mill in Batangas province to support the Philippines’ bid to become a major producer of high-quality and safe steel products by 2030.

The Trade Department said in a statement the deal was one of the private sector agreements signed with Chinese partners during the 5th visit of President Rodrigo Duterte to China on Aug. 28 to 31.

The planned steel mill will allow the country to produce basic iron and steel products, including flat products that are not yet being produced in the country.

Another set of agreements was signed

by Tranzen Group and its Chinese partners, an indication of the progress of joint projects on national WiFi and emergency services, socialized housing, expressways and power plants.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the Philippines continued to push for stronger bilateral business and economic relations with China.

“The Trade Department is committed to aggressively promote increased business with China. This is an important opportunity for promoting investments and partnerships in line with our Inclusive, Innovative Industrial Strategy or i3s. Furthermore, this will increase capacities of our manufacturing base to serve the growing domestic demand, promote import substitution, and to export more―not only to China―but also to other markets,” said Lopez.

“Greater trade and investment engagements between our two nations will surely help us to create the needed opportunities for our countrymen so that they can attain a better life,” he said.

China is the Philippines’ largest trading partner, the third-largest export market and the top import supplier.

The countries’ bilateral merchandise trade reached $30.8 billion in 2018.

Philippine exports to China grew by 10 percent year-on-year from $6.2 billion in 2015 to $8.8 billion in 2018 and by 7.7 percent yoy to $4.6 billion from January to June this year.

Lopez said he remained positive about the relationship of the two countries under President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.

Bilateral ties with China are at a high level and have been opening many business opportunities between two nations, he said.

The Philippine business delegation included members of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Silk Road Chamber led by Ambassador Francis Chua, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry led by president Henry Lim Bon Liong and Philippine Overseas Construction Board led by DMCI Holdings Inc. chairman Isidro Consunji.

THE Department of Transportation said Monday the construction for the Light Rail Transit Line 1 Cavite Extension Project started on Sept. 1.

“Following completion of ground investigation and foundation design works, the Light Rail Manila Corp. has started piling works from Dr. Santos Station in Parañaque, where right-of-way has been cleared,” the DOTr said.

Piling works involve the construction of supporting piers that will serve as the foundation for the elevated railway structures.

Phase 1 covers 7 kilometers of the 11-kilometer LRT-1 Cavite Extension, including the Redemptorist Station, MIA Station, Asiaworld Station, Ninoy Aquino Station and Dr. Santos Station.

Asiaworld Station will be located parallel to and right beside the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and will eventually be connected to the Metro Manila Subway, forming the Parañaque Common Station. These are stations where ROW is already free and clear.

Requiring a total of 203 piers, construction of the first 67 piers started on Septe. 1 from Dr. Santos Station to Ninoy Aquino Station. Forty piers from Ninoy Aquino Station to Asiaworld Station and 22 piers from Redemptorist Station to the existing LRT-1 Baclaran Station will begin construction in November 2019, while 74 piers from Asiaworld Station to Redemptiorist Station will begin construction in March 2020.

The department said that to speed up construction, piling works would be done simultaneously in up to five different areas where ROW is made available.

It said the remaining ROW obstructions would be cleared under Package 1 including auxiliary facilities with the assistance of Parañaque City such as traffic lights, plant boxes and drainage lines as well as utility lines of Manila Electric Co., Maynilad, PLDT Inc., Globe Telecom, Eastern Telecommunications, SkyCable, Radius Telecoms and Cablelink.

DA eyes quarantine measures on pest-packed imported rice THE Agriculture Department plans to impose sanitary and phytosanitary measures against imported rice as several shipments were found to be packed with pests which could endanger Filipino consumers’ health.

Imported rice which ballooned to 2.2 million metric tons so far was found in the past to be needing heavy pesticidespraying because of “bukbok” or pests, according to the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a recent forum with FCAFI that the government would impose SPS measures on rice imports which are sanctioned within the World Trade Organization agreement to curb poor-quality rice imports.

“We have asked BPI [Bureau of Plant Industry] to implement a protocol in import regulations regarding pesticide residue, presence of storage pests before the issuance of SPS [certificate] for imported

rice,” said Dar during the PCAFI meeting at the Quezon City Sports Club.

Dar said the department would correct several policies and impose new ones to ensure the benefit of both Filipino farmers and consumers.

“Those that say DA should rather be called Department of Importation, to some extent that’s true. And we will correct that eventually,” Dar said.

One of the policies being studied is the recommendation of PCAFI for the imposition of special safeguard measures, similarly sanctioned by the WTO, to ensure entry of dumped rice does not endanger the local industry.

“We’re also now studying the possibility of special and general safeguards measure. If there’s excessive rice import, we will limit these. We will stop rice [imports] from coming from its origin as it’s affected by bukbok,” said Dar. With Othel V. Campos

VOYAGER’S AWARDS. Technology company Voyager Innovations, through digital financial services arm PayMaya Philippines, brings home seven Quills at the recently held 17th Philippine Quill Awards Night. Voyager receives three Excellence Awards and four Merit Awards this year by the prestigious award-giving body that recognizes strategic and excellent programs, campaigns, and materials in business communications. Receiving the awards are members of PayMaya’s public affairs and strategic communications team led by Nick Bautista Wilwayco (second from right).

B2

Business

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market down; NIKL jumps S tocks fell Monday as fresh Chinese and US tariffs on goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars kicked in, though Donald Trump reiterated that the two sides were still due to hold talks this month.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index dropped 61.13 points, or 0.8 percent, to 7,918.53 on a value turnover of P5.3 billion. Gainers, however, beat losers, 110 to 94, with 43 issues unchanged.

BDO Unibank Inc., the biggest lender in terms of assets, declined 2.7 percent to P145, while Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. lost 1.5 percent to P53.10.

Nickel Asia Corp., the largest nickel producer, jumped 50 percent to P4.11, while Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc. surged 14.3 percent to P1.68. Nickel prices surged in the global market after Indonesia announced a ban on the exports of the ore at the end of December, or two years ahead of the government plan.

Most Asian markets, meanwhile, fell on Monday. Hong Kong was weighed down by another weekend of violence, fueling worries about possible Chinese intervention in the financial hub, while the unrest has also hit property firms and Macau’s casinos.

Washington’s latest levies on imports from China took effect on Sunday and were followed by Beijing’s retaliation.

The measures are the latest in the long-running trade war between the world’s top two economies, which has rattled markets and hit growth across the globe.

Still, Trump said negotiators would meet this month to discuss the issue.

“We are talking to China, the meeting is still on,” he told reporters.

However, analysts warned there was unlikely to be any end in the near term.

“After a rough August traders should buckle up for more volatility in September,” said Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Markets.com. “Trade and tariffs continue to gnaw away at investor confidence.”

Tokyo and Sydney each ended 0.4 percent lower, while Singapore shed 0.8 percent, with Bangkok and Jakarta also down.

But Shanghai rose more than one percent after a better-than-expected reading on Chinese factory activity, though another index showed the sector remained in contraction and investors remain uncertain about the outlook as the trade war bites deeper.

There were also gains in Seoul, Wellington and Taipei.

Hong Kong sank 0.4 percent after a

weekend that saw some of the worst violence since protests began three months ago, with the airport targeted again, and demonstrators have called for a general strike on Monday though there was little sign that had been heeded.

The unrest has dragged a range of sectors, with tumbling tourist numbers hitting casinos and hotel chains, while real estate shares are also being sold off.

“Markets are fretting on the increased likelihood of direct Chinese intervention and what that would mean for the future of one of Asia’s leading financial centres,” said Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst for Asia-Pacific at OANDA. “The answer is, not good, to put it bluntly. The economic impact will surely show in Hong Kong data going forward and may temper the mood of equity traders in Asia as the new month begins.” With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 87 950,300 2 3,119,000 145 553,630 1.22 301,000 26.1 136,200 18.2 74,500 12.08 420,200 4.81 318,000 1.23 125,000 750 10 0.465 10,000 70.5 2,290,860 0.92 148,000 13.2 19,600 22 400 47.2 48,600 185 5,010 120 10 58.4 1,060 27.5 991,700 199 183,960 1,720 5 59.85 23,990 1.1 266,000

83,065,879 6,237,520 80,972,642 365,440 3,556,885 1,355,990 5,052,094 1,515,050 153,140 7,500 4,650 162,474,131.50 137,890 257,720 8,800 2,270,715 935,097 1,200 62,005 27,279,030 36,507,567 8,600 1,439,228.50 295,030

-20,860,029.50 -6,220,000 -29,165,592.00 -3,150,910 -738,946 -100,761,802 -338,240 -18,600 -110,635 21,405,476 -198,679 -

36.85 15.1 0.68 1.3 0.241 3.05 13.5 100 10.12 15 32.05 73.7 76 2.03 5.85 5.5 9 15.02 10.12 7.24 26.2 82.15 49.75 2.06 14.7 8.11 1.56 232 5 3.1 8.29 22.2 13.88 18.94 361.6 5.3 1.85 4.3 5.02 9 2.8 10.84 31.35 5.05 5.05 1.56 2.15 1.04 12.42 89.5 7.18 0.126 1.02 169.1 1.18 16.1 1.24

INDUSTRIAL 37.6 1,315,400 15.42 1,003,600 0.7 1,261,000 1.3 77,000 0.247 580,000 3.11 9,333,000 13.52 2,472,200 100 70 10.2 340,500 15 3,900 32.05 10,100 73.7 1,140 81 7,360 2.04 35,000 6.01 183,900 5.6 45,400 9 1,831,800 15.14 131,000 10.2 1,216,200 7.25 1,041,900 26.7 1,910,200 82.35 50,720 51 34,410 2.17 10,673,000 14.9 3,258,600 8.2 157,900 1.6 32,000 235.6 444,890 5 15,000 3.4 20,000 8.41 2,800 22.3 1,832,900 13.96 62,600 19.02 710,900 362 147,150 5.3 1,000 1.92 12,311,000 4.3 1,000 5.02 3,194,900 9.2 828,600 2.8 7,053,000 10.86 225,900 31.6 1,463,500 5.06 161,100 5.15 75,600 1.56 1,167,000 2.15 40,000 1.08 310,000 12.68 31,200 90 193,150 7.22 18,900 0.126 500,000 1.05 1,756,000 170.3 554,830 1.18 1,600,000 16.84 3,000 1.26 2,766,000

49,731,810 15,485,568 877,590 100,480 140,260 28,965,200 34,227,410 7,000 3,559,002 58,500 323,995 84,435 573,125.50 71,250 1,099,219 255,320 16,645,472 1,980,500 12,419,784 7,553,936 51,215,400 4,167,926 1,730,374.50 22,716,540 48,604,974 1,299,984 50,710 104,742,912 75,000 65,650 23,664 40,875,470 874,216 13,526,496 53,311,170 5,300 23,408,650 4,300 16,112,723 7,457,600 20,013,380 2,459,250 46,405,230 820,708 382,160 1,839,860 86,000 329,350 394,696 17,373,587 136,209 63,000 1,875,010 94,435,768 1,900,940 49,410 3,518,030

-44,473,670 46,408 -5,225,260 -3,944,900 71,612.00 -205,395.00 -213,570 4,892,749 1,850,690 11,770,670 -7,319,040 -12,317,825 -370,387.50 -149,161 -728,640.00 -14,721,924 -429,841 -8,498,574 29,750 -2,458,925 -18,172 9,440,652 -5,148,354 -8,380,130 -8,263,677.00 -151,640 -31,683,755 30,600.00 23,850 -183,450 -7,786,531.50 40,800 -33,905,683 -34,470 -4,060

25,520,700 120,955,216.50 56,616,136 5,390,650 6,316,800 941,194 7,704,850 557,200 179,949,930 6,931,810 2,043,122 44,165,233 76,616 714,050 73,645,310 121,476 34,829,661.50 70,890 138,270 21,245,956 469,920 81,849,790 195,000 788,060 2,870 15,551,756 14,460 145,808,620 1,316,860 64,440 118,190 254,750 555,200

-191,340 -82,864,923 -38,699,648 2,100,000 -21,372 -216,720 -102,322,660 -289,920 -329,310 -24,422,715 33,192,405 -41,710 19,490,131 -22,870 3,519,410 37,988,760 2,512,405 24,457,455 -16,800 -

5,671,194 445,920 410,800 4,231,510 330,363,645 827,190 9,093,940 9,214,240 323,950 633,970 85,500 727,347 25,177,735 1,053,500 26,715,970 801,930 130,043,817 4,642,150 28,050 3,013,270 60,000 5,172,630 49,334,600 313,120 608,880

-349,744 -81,370 -61,546,575 -49,930 -3,146,970 -292,370 218,635 -3,499,280 -6,650,740 -33,382,995 8,460 -8,520 -32,726,180 -

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BANK PH ISLANDS BDO LEASING BDO UNIBANK BRIGHT KINDLE CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK NTL REINSURANCE PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PHIL STOCK EXCH PHILTRUST PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

87.75 1.94 148 1.2 26.15 18.2 11.92 4.78 1.32 750 0.465 71.5 0.93 13.1 22 47.4 186 120 58.45 27.65 200 1,720 60.1 1.11

88.05 2 148 1.23 26.6 18.4 12.08 4.89 1.32 750 0.465 71.5 0.94 13.2 22 47.4 187 120 58.7 27.8 200 1,720 60.9 1.14

87 1.94 145 1.17 26.1 18.1 11.92 4.73 1.18 750 0.465 70.5 0.92 13.1 22 46.2 185 120 58.4 27.5 195 1,720 59.85 1.1

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

36.85 15.5 0.7 1.31 0.242 3.06 13.9 100 10.7 15 32.1 74.5 78.05 2.04 5.85 5.7 9.02 15.02 10.12 7.4 26.2 82.2 50 2.07 14.78 8.2 1.56 237.6 5 3.4 8.7 22.5 13.96 19.08 365 5.3 1.9 4.3 5.1 9 2.85 11.2 31.4 5.1 5.05 1.57 2.15 1.07 12.7 90 7.2 0.126 1.03 173 1.2 16.1 1.27

37.85 15.5 0.71 1.31 0.249 3.13 13.92 100 10.9 15 32.55 75 81 2.04 6.01 5.8 9.16 15.18 10.28 7.4 26.95 82.4 51.45 2.18 15.12 8.29 1.61 238 5 3.4 8.7 22.55 14 19.08 365 5.3 1.93 4.3 5.17 9.2 2.88 11.2 32.5 5.2 5.15 1.66 2.15 1.09 12.7 90 7.25 0.126 1.14 173 1.21 16.84 1.3

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VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

35.3 2.4 5.85 0.91 7.63

35.45 2.44 5.85 0.94 7.71

34.9 2.4 5.73 0.89 7.6

35 2.44 5.73 0.9 7.71

11,214,400 3,436,000 176,500 787,000 10,226,600

393,894,915 8,284,220 1,014,894 713,130 78,429,970

-122,596,595.00 -90,000 -30,483,627

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

10.2 20.2 1.55 0.58 0.046 19.82 2.34 10.4 0.058 98.1 6.58 7.1 5.75 10.4 1,951 5.37 436.8 1.87 135.7 5.08 0.112 5.19 14.38 3.13 0.94 19.08 0.455 3.1 2.46 1.19 1.28 3.21 2.65 8.48 4.65 144 3.17 1,170 0.7 0.59 44.3 78 9.09 2.8 0.71 0.365 5.45 0.69 16.8

10.8 20.85 1.59 0.6 0.046 19.82 2.41 10.46 0.058 98.6 6.58 7.4 6 11 2,010 5.37 455 1.91 135.7 5.2 0.115 5.36 14.38 3.17 0.96 19.18 0.465 3.24 2.52 1.19 1.28 3.53 2.73 8.48 5.18 144 3.2 1,170 0.71 0.61 44.95 79.5 9.4 2.85 0.72 0.385 5.46 0.71 16.96

10.16 19.92 1.53 0.57 0.046 19.82 2.33 10.34 0.057 96.25 6.57 7.04 5.75 9.8 1,951 5.3 412.2 1.75 133 5.08 0.11 5.15 14.38 3.12 0.94 19.08 0.45 3.1 2.46 1.16 1.28 3.03 2.65 8.09 4.65 144 3.1 1,151 0.68 0.57 43.5 77.7 9.06 2.76 0.7 0.365 5.45 0.69 16.16

SERVICES 10.6 20.8 1.59 0.6 0.046 19.82 2.41 10.4 0.058 96.25 6.57 7.28 5.75 9.9 2,010 5.34 449.8 1.86 133.5 5.1 0.114 5.25 14.38 3.12 0.94 19.1 0.45 3.24 2.5 1.16 1.28 3.18 2.7 8.48 5.05 144 3.17 1,164 0.69 0.6 43.9 79.4 9.4 2.77 0.7 0.37 5.45 0.69 16.9

62,200 195,200 39,000 6,349,000 300,000 100 266,000 1,850,300 11,990,000 49,580 2,600 2,542,200 64,400 381,000 22,585 63,400 28,450 5,771,000 293,780 5,700 9,070,000 3,851,100 1,100 600,000 1,021,000 461,000 750,000 2,000 704,000 22,000 100,000 21,349,000 103,000 2,200 4,300 20 496,000 22,545 1,190,000 40,656,000 849,800 79,760 17,300 2,802,000 332,000 11,320,000 1,941,600 814,000 1,849,800

657,974 3,999,963 61,460 3,756,620 13,800 1,982 634,210 19,240,734 690,220 4,840,369.50 17,095 18,551,588 382,200 3,902,277 45,270,820 339,032 12,342,154 10,623,940 39,295,788 29,000 1,011,480 20,235,791 15,818 1,890,250 960,780 8,806,160 341,700 6,340 1,750,460 26,020 128,000 70,005,920 278,590 17,930 21,701 2,880 1,560,730 26,168,855 827,350 24,240,590 37,283,160 6,289,401 158,782 7,858,590 233,210 4,254,150 10,581,790 566,590 31,145,204

4,120 -1,982 -16,345,238 -768,444.50 27,173 -87,000 63,072 -8,761,475 8,996 -251,700 -884,982 12,120 -7,915 28,270 7,376,452.00 -51,930 1,035,930 -8,160 -241,950 -1,785,305 -167,370 -421,930 -8,672,045 2,582,665 -35,720 -1,168,660 -1,979,487 5,031,754

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

0.002 1.26 2.55 12.4 2.71 0.28 7.77 1.56 0.22 0.109 0.010 0.01 1.18 2.99 1.01 0.49 0.9 0.012 0.011 7.93 3.83 11.82 23.25 0.007

0.002 1.29 2.55 12.4 2.71 0.285 7.87 1.7 0.226 0.117 0.011 0.012 1.4 4.11 1.16 0.49 0.95 0.012 0.011 8.38 4.01 12.26 23.25 0.007

0.002 1.23 2.55 11.7 2.7 0.27 7.75 1.56 0.217 0.109 0.010 0.01 1.18 2.98 1.01 0.49 0.87 0.011 0.011 7.6 3.83 11.52 22.95 0.007

MINING & OIL 0.002 1,057,000,000 1.24 2,485,000 2.55 5,000 12.38 1,700 2.7 632,000 0.28 590,000 7.87 1,600 1.68 47,168,000 0.223 4,850,000 0.114 4,160,000 0.01 53,000,000 0.012 42,900,000 1.33 23,320,000 4.11 210,503,000 1.16 1,800,000 0.49 50,000 0.92 12,990,000 0.012 5,800,000 0.011 2,800,000 8.18 2,050,200 4.01 2,710,000 11.52 2,860,500 23 1,397,400 0.007 1,000,000

1,797,800 3,104,540 12,750 20,300 1,708,490 166,350 12,534 76,998,050 1,076,710 472,400 529,100 469,200 30,082,270 761,354,480 2,020,010 24,500 11,829,630 69,400 30,800 16,596,979 10,752,620 33,879,386 32,189,180 6,800

482,530 -8,680 -266,480 157,155,260 -8,800 -93,000 938,635 43,530 1,057,160 -14,282,370 -

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

18.5 498 101.2 101.5 107.5 500 994 980 97.1 1 101.1 1,040 1,030 1,034 109 1.4 78.95 75.25 76.05 77 76.5 75.55 76.5

19.2 502 104.8 101.5 107.5 500 994 980 97.1 1 101.3 1,040 1,035 1,034 109 1.4 79 75.25 76.2 77.5 76.5 76.5 76.5

18.5 498 101.2 100.7 107.5 500 980 971 97.1 1 101.1 1,021 1,030 1,032 109 1.4 78.95 75.25 76 77 76.5 75.4 76.5

PREFERRED 19.02 329,300 502 4,510 104.8 1,700 100.7 72,820 107.5 90 500 10,950 994 38,030 980 1,270 97.1 1,000 1 13,000 101.3 1,260 1,021 10 1,035 540 1,032 1,995 109 10 1.4 1,000 78.95 8,280 75.25 1,000 76 9,210 77.5 1,490 76.5 1,620 75.55 16,160 76.5 2,800

6,118,086 2,246,020 172,400 7,352,977 9,675 5,475,000 37,801,400 1,243,700 97,100 13,000 127,486 10,305 556,400 2,058,920 1,090 1,400 653,720.50 75,250 699,972 114,795 123,930 1,220,050 214,200

-94,742 -

LR WARRANT

1.6

1.62

1.58

WARRANTS 1.6 61,000

97,070

-

40,768,237 36,009,488 4,246,440

618,437 615,370 190,000

1,861,015

119,300

47,678.40 15,300

-

NAME

MS

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

0.9 53 13 0.79 7 15 1.28 1.29 926 3.56 6.92 9.25 13.7 0.25 910 5.96 71.65 0.5 4.61 14.78 0.67 4.95 0.039 1.36 2.87 180 2.41 1,018 0.85 1.28 236.8 0.236 0.25

0.91 53.9 13.1 0.85 7 15.5 1.3 1.29 931.5 3.61 6.92 9.29 13.74 0.255 915 5.98 71.65 0.5 4.63 14.8 0.67 5.02 0.039 1.42 2.87 180 2.41 1,026 0.9 1.32 246.8 0.243 0.265

0.83 52.45 12.8 0.79 7 14.6 1.24 1.28 920.5 3.54 6.7 9.1 13.5 0.236 885.5 5.95 70.75 0.49 4.59 14.52 0.63 4.92 0.039 1.35 2.87 176.7 2.41 1,014 0.85 1.28 236 0.229 0.25

HOLDING FIRMS 0.84 29,307,000 53.1 2,280,790 12.92 4,372,300 0.82 6,556,000 7 902,400 15.3 61,600 1.25 6,136,000 1.28 434,000 921 194,450 3.54 1,945,000 6.73 300,400 9.1 4,818,000 13.7 5,600 0.248 2,970,000 910 80,970 5.98 20,400 71.6 489,100 0.5 144,000 4.63 30,000 14.72 1,444,400 0.67 727,000 4.98 16,431,000 0.039 5,000,000 1.35 579,000 2.87 1,000 178 87,530 2.41 6,000 1,019 142,645 0.88 1,519,000 1.32 49,000 246 490 0.236 1,080,000 0.26 2,140,000

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

15.34 0.81 1.86 0.88 47.35 2.18 4.69 0.58 0.84 0.24 0.42 9.49 21.7 0.47 1.64 1.26 5.14 0.32 0.47 1.42 0.4 2.1 25 2.35 3.3

15.36 0.81 1.88 0.92 47.8 2.18 4.73 0.58 0.88 0.241 0.42 9.58 22.35 0.47 1.65 1.28 5.15 0.33 0.47 1.46 0.4 2.2 25.35 2.35 3.37

15.32 0.8 1.85 0.88 47.35 2.16 4.64 0.56 0.84 0.238 0.4 9.48 21.2 0.455 1.63 1.26 5.03 0.315 0.465 1.39 0.4 2.05 25 2.31 3.21

PROPERTY 15.34 369,700 0.8 555,000 1.88 220,000 0.89 4,717,000 47.4 6,942,800 2.17 380,000 4.64 1,944,000 0.57 16,172,000 0.88 369,000 0.24 2,650,000 0.405 210,000 9.48 76,500 21.3 1,167,700 0.46 2,310,000 1.64 16,286,000 1.28 634,000 5.1 25,477,700 0.325 14,350,000 0.465 60,000 1.4 2,116,000 0.4 150,000 2.1 2,425,000 25.35 1,956,400 2.31 135,000 3.3 183,000

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

7.75 11.08 0.99

7.8 11.9 1.01

6.21 10.44 0.92

FIRST METRO ETF

119.5

119.5

117.5

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10.32 10.2

10.32 10.2

10.32 10.2

TRADING SUMMARY FINANCIAL

SHARES

10,674,520

INDUSTRIAL

75,133,058

HOLDING FIRMS

91,050,408

PROPERTY

151,861,904

SERVICES

131,133,026

MINING & OIL

1,480,994,613

GRAND TOTAL

1,954,504,166

6.21 11.6 0.95

SME

6,008,100 3,154,700 4,478,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUND 118.9 15,740 DDS 10.32 10.2

4,620 1,500

VALUE 1,803.62 (down) -29.66 466,947,333.25 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,032.38 (down) -93.92 868,993,549.95 HOLDING FIRMS 7,881.16 (down) -41.7 1,143,500,593.25 PROPERTY 3,991.28 (down) -6.72 SERVICES 1,613.82 (down) -9.93 1,292,916,444.45 MINING & OIL 9,200.47 (UP) 949.95 433,988,050.36 PSEI 7918.53 (down) -61.13 985,523,076.957 All Shares Index 4,797.59 (down) -11.89 5,237,855,525.22 Gainers: 110; Losers: 94; Unchanged: 43; Total: 247

Ayala Land set to issue P5-b bonds this month

By Jenniffer B. Austria AYALA Land Inc. plans to issue P5 billion worth of five-year fixed retail bonds this month.

Ayala Land in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission scheduled the offering period from Sept 12 to 18. The bonds will be issued and listed with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. on Sept. 27.

China Bank Corp. is the sold underwriter and book runner of the bond offering.

The P5-billion fixed rate bonds represent the second tranche of the P50billion shelf registration program approved by the SEC in April.

The first tranche issued also in April amounted to P8 billion with a sevenyear tenor and a coupon rate of 6.3690 percent a year.

Ayala Land said it would use the net proceeds from the latest fund raising activity to partially finance the company’s programmed spending this year.

Aside from bond offering, Ayala Land is also looking to raise as much as $300 million in fresh funds from the maiden offering of real estate investment trust.

Under the plan, the property firm’s subsidiary AyalaLand REIT Inc. will provide the initial seed of prime, GradeA commercial office assets in Makati.

“ALI believes that REIT initiative is a viable investment vehicle to access new investors, recycle and reinvest capital and promote the development of the Philippine capital markets as a whole,” the conopany said.

AREIT plans to list within the year once all regulatory approvals are in place.

AREIT appointed BPI Capital Corp. as issue manager and lead underwriter of the offering.

The planned REIT listing will be under the current implementing rules and regulations of the SEC on REIT and follows the minimum public ownership of 67 percent.

Ayala Land has earmarked P130 billion for capital expenditures this year to fund development of residential, office, hotel, malls and hotels across its mixed-use estates.

The property firm, however, has already spent P49.5 billion in the firs six months of the year.

Share price of Ayala Land on Monday rose 0.6 percent to P47.60.

Aboitiz Power’s fixed-rate bonds get high rating

By Alena Mae S. Flores PHILIPPINE Ratings Services Corp. assigned an issue credit rating of “PRS Aaa” with stable outlook on the third tranche of Aboitiz Power Corp.’s fixedretail bonds amounting to P10 billion.

Aboitiz Power filed an application with the Securities and Exchange Commission to issue the third tranche of its P30-billion debt securities program on August 23.

The third tranche has an oversubscription option of up to P2 billion and a tenor of seven years.

PhilRatings said obligations rated “PRS Aaa” were of the highest quality with minimal credit risk, an indication of the extremely strong capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation. A stable outlook is defined as “the ratings is likely to be maintained or to remain unchanged in the next twelve months.”

PRS assigned the ratings and outlook based on the significant levels of cash and cash flows in relation to debt service requirements, adequate capital structure supported by healthy growth in retained earnings, diversified portfolio with good growth prospects and experienced management team.

Aboitiz Power’s outstanding P10.2billion bonds issued on September 10, 2014 also obtained a PRS Aaa and stable outlook rating The third tranche is expected to be offered to the general public during the fourth quarter.

Aboitiz Power said it would use will use the proceeds of the third tranche bonds to repay short-term loan obligations and for general corporate purposes.

Aboitiz Power recently signed a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of 100 percent of Mekong Wind Pte. Ltd. from Armstrong Southeast Asia Clean Energy Fund Pte. Ltd for $46 million.

Aboitiz Power’s acquisition through wholly-owned subsidiary AboitizPower International captures all legal and economic interest in Mekong Wind, which holds a 99.9999934 percent direct interest in Dam Nai Wind Power JSC.

World IN BRIEF Newbie pilot lands airplane SYDNEY―An Australian man venturing into the skies for a first flying lesson has been forced to make an “amazing” solo landing after his instructor blacked out mid-flight.

Max Sylvester’s wife and three kids watched from the ground as air traffic control talked him through safely landing the Cessna two-seater at Perth’s Jandakot airport on Saturday.

The 30-something had issued a panicked mayday call from an altitude of 6,200 feet, after his instructor slumped onto his shoulder and could not be woken.

“Do you know how to operate the airplane,” the air traffic controller in Perth asked urgently, according to a recording of their exchange.

“This is my first lesson,” Sylvester responded, adding that he had never landed an aircraft before.

Realizing the enormity of the task at hand, the tower responded: “The first thing that we are going to do is make sure that the wings stay level.”

He was instructed to maintain altitude and to make a pass above the runway to get a sense of the terrain and become more at ease.

“You’re doing a really great job,” the operator reassures the trainee as someone more familiar with the aircraft was rushed to the tower. AFP

B3

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Protesters call student boycott

H

ONG KONG―Hong Kong pupils made human chains at schools early Monday and protesters disrupted rush-hour trains as the city’s prodemocracy movement returned to action after a weekend which brought some of the worst violence in three months of anti-government protests.

The global financial hub is in the grip of an unprecedented crisis as a largely leaderless movement has drawn millions on to the streets to protest against what they see as an erosion of freedoms and increasing interference in their affairs by Beijing.

China, which stands behind Hong Kong’s government, has reacted with intimidating tactics, including pressure on the city’s businesses and well-publicized troop movements and exercises near the border.

An editorial late Sunday on Xinhua, the state news agency, warned “the end is

coming” for the protest movement, without giving further details.

Early Monday protesters dressed in their signature black stood at doorways of trains, stopping them from closing, at a series of stations on the underground system, briefly disrupting an arterial network that has become a target of their activities.

Shortly afterwards, secondary school pupils formed human chains outside a number of government schools before classes began.

Some wore gas masks, helmets and

goggles—the now essential kit carried by protesters during months of tear gasenveloped rallies and clashes with police.

At one school the bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen, the Hong Kong-educated powerhouse of Chinese political thought, was also fitted with a gas mask and goggles.

A few dozen pupils risked disciplinary action at school to attend a rally in the city center.

“Hong Kong is our home... we are the future of the city and have to take up responsibility to save it,” said a 17-year-old secondary school student who gave her surname as Wong.

Hong Kong is a semi-autonomous southern Chinese city that operates under a “one country, two systems” framework, which gives citizens rights unseen on the mainland.

China committed to giving the people of Hong Kong those rights in an agreement that saw the city return from British

HK women attacked for their gender, not views

Nominee scolded for not giving birth SEOUL―A South Korean lawmaker provoked outrage Monday when he berated a female economics professor nominated as the country’s antitrust chief for not “fulfilling her duty to the nation” by having a child.

Despite its economic advances, South Korean society remains highly patriarchal and is facing a demographic crisis with women increasingly reluctant to have babies for reasons ranging from the expense of child-rearing to career setbacks.

The government has spent billions of dollars since 2005 to try to boost the birth rate -- one of the world’s lowest -- by providing child subsidies and expanding daycare services, without success.

Jeong Kab-yoon, a five-time lawmaker from the conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party, sparked an outcry when he scolded Joh Sung-wook, an unmarried academic who is in her mid-50s, for not having children.

“I’m aware that you are still single and the biggest problem in South Korea is that (women) are not giving birth,” Jeong said at Joh’s confirmation hearing to head the Fair Trade Commission, according to Yonhap news agency. AFP

Police ban ‘anarchist’ demos JAKARTA―Police in Indonesia’s Papua region on Monday banned demonstrations that could lead to “anarchist acts” following nearly two weeks of mass protests in the easternmost territory of the Southeast Asian archipelago.

The order came after police on Sunday said dozens had been arrested in connection with rioting in the region’s capital.

“Everyone is forbidden from carrying out demonstrations and conveying opinions in public that could give rise to anarchist acts, damage, and burning of public facilities,” as well as clashes between groups, the six-point order posted on the police Twitter feed said.

The impoverished region of Papua has been the scene of a low-level insurgency against Indonesia’s rule for decades.

Indonesia earlier said it would deploy about 2,500 more police and troops to Papua, adding to about 1,200 personnel it had already sent after unrest sparked by anger over racism and calls for independence.

On Thursday, more than a thousand demonstrators hurled stones and set fire to shops and an assembly building in the provincial capital Jayapura.

That came a day after a deadly clash in another part of the island region, which shares a border with independent Papua New Guinea. AFP

colonial rule in 1997.

China’s erosions of those rights has been one of the driving forces behind the protest movement.

Another 17-year-old pupil named Cheung recognised the importance of study but reasoned “if a city no longer has freedom, we can’t speak our own views.. then academic achievement is not important.”

Protesters also called for a general strike on Monday—although there were few immediate signs of it biting—while university students are due to rally in the afternoon.

The protests started in opposition to government plans to allow the extradition to the mainland of people wanted

by Beijing, but have widened to include broader demands.

These include demands for the extradition bill to be formally scrapped and for an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality during the protests. AFP

PROTEST. Medical staff hold posters as they form a human chain to express solidarity with the anti-extradition bill protesters

during their lunch break at the Queen Mary Hospital in Hong Kong on September 2, 2019. The global financial hub is in the grip of an unprecedented crisis as a largely leaderless movement has drawn millions on to the streets to protest against what they see as an erosion of freedoms and increasing interference in their affairs by Beijing. AFP

HK protesters target trains, urge general strike HONG KONG―Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters threw morning rush hour train travel into chaos on Monday, kicking off another day of potential turmoil after a weekend featuring some of the worst violence in three months of anti-government protests.

The global financial hub is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis as a largely leaderless movement has drawn millions on to the streets to protest against what they see as an erosion of freedoms and increasing interference in their affairs by Beijing.

In the latest action, protesters dressed in their signature black stood at doorways of trains, stopping them from closing, at a series of stations on the underground system on Monday morning, causing major delays on the network.

The protesters have also called for a general strike on Monday, while university students are due to rally in the afternoon.

Hong Kong is a semi-autonomous southern Chinese city that operates under a “one country, two systems” framework, which gives citizens rights unseen on the mainland.

China committed to giving the people of Hong Kong those rights in an agreement that saw the city return from British colonial rule in 1997.

China’s erosions of those rights has been one of the driving forces behind the protest movement.

The protests started in opposition to government plans to allow the extradition to the mainland of people wanted by Beijing, but have widened to include broader demands.

These include demands for the extradition bill to be formally scrapped and for an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality during the protests.

The protesters also want the city’s leader and all its lawmakers to be directly elected, scrapping the current system that heavily favors the Chinese government.

The new round of protest actions on Monday came after yet another weekend of violence on the streets as well as efforts by protesters to disrupt the city’s airport, one of the busiest in the world.

On Sunday at least a dozen flights were canceled after protesters blocked routes to the airport, although police fended off demonstrators’ efforts to converge on the

terminal itself.

On Saturday, hardcore protesters rampaged through the city center, setting fires and throwing petrol bombs at riot police in defiance of a rally ban.

Police hit back with tear gas, baton charges and water cannon laced with chemical dye.

Video footage captured by local media showed police charge and beat a crowd cowering inside a train carriage, with Amnesty International calling their actions “horrifying”.

Universities were due to resume classes Monday after a summer break, but students—who make up the backbone of the protest movement—are planning a twoweek boycott.

Protesters were also urging a general strike.

In early August, a city-wide strike—a rare occurrence in a freewheeling finance hub where unions traditionally have little sway—brought transport chaos to the city.

Hong Kong’ flagship carrier Cathay Pacific has warned staff they risk being sacked if they joined Monday’s strike after the last walkout was supported by the airline’s flight attendant union. AFP

HONG KONG―Rape threats, bodyshaming and doctored photos: women supporting the anti-government protests in Hong Kong say they are being harassed online by suspected pro-Beijing trolls.

Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the financial hub’s streets week after week in the biggest challenge to China’s rule of the semiautonomous city for decades.

But female protesters posting support for the pro-democracy movement said they have experienced a slew of sexist online attacks in response.

“They are not attacking my views or anything, they just attack me because I am female,” said Hong Kong student Mickey Leung Ho Wun. The 17-year-old discovered a doctored picture of her at a pro-democracy rally was being spread on Facebook via a page supporting the city’s police.

In the original, Wun is standing next to a banner reading ‘I am a secondary school student’ but in the altered version, the sign reads ‘I am not wearing any underwear.’

“These are Hong Kong people who are pro-Beijing,” Wun speculated of the users sharing the picture.

Another young female protester, Ka Yau Ho, said a photograph shared online of her being detained by the police during a rally was altered so it appeared her nipples were showing.

Celebrity Hong Kong singer turned activist Denise Ho said on Facebook the aim of the online attacks against her was to “ignore her will, ignore her vision, focus on her exterior and dress, and then demonise.”

These women said they suspected pro-Beijing trolls were behind the sexist abuse, as the majority of messages were in simplified Chinese—predominantly used in mainland China.

They added that the abuse has intensified since Beijing ramped up its hardline rhetoric over the protests.

On Wednesday evening, thousands rallied against alleged police sexual violence, holding aloft purple lights in solidarity with abuse victims.

Attendees shared the #ProtestToo hashtag, a play on 2017’s global #MeToo movement that exposed sexual assault and harassment in high-profile industries —and helped improve attitudes towards abuse survivors. AFP

Envoy: US and Taliban on threshold of striking a deal KABUL―The US and the Taliban are on the brink of striking a deal after 18 years of war, Washington’s top negotiator said Sunday, ahead of a visit to Afghanistan where fresh violence rocked the north.

Zalmay khalilzad has met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul, an official said Monday, as a historic agreement with the insurgents appeared close.

Zalmay Khalilzad has spent about a year meeting with the Taliban in Doha in a series of talks aimed at ending America’s 18-year-old war in Afghanistan.

The apparent progress at the latest round of talks to conclude in Doha came even as the Taliban launched a broad offensive on the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, and violence flared in a neighboring province.

“We are at the threshold of an agreement that will reduce violence and open the door for Afghans to sit together to negotiate an honorable and sustainable peace,” tweeted Washington’s special envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, who was scheduled

to arrive in Kabul on Sunday to discuss developments with Afghan officials.

His comment came just hours after Afghan security forces said they had cleared Kunduz of Taliban fighters, who on Saturday launched a broad assault on the provincial capital in a bid to score a repeat of a 2015 takeover.

Afghan forces, backed by local and US air power, were able to stop the city falling and repel the Taliban, but 20 troops and five civilians were killed, officials said.

The brazenness of the assault was highlighted by a suicide bomber blowing himself up and killing police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Hussaini as he briefed reporters on the fighting.

At least 10 others were also killed, officials said.

In 2015 the Taliban overwhelmed local forces and briefly seized Kunduz, and it was only retaken by Afghan forces with US air support.

Intense fighting also broke out Sunday in Pul-e Khumri, the capital of neighbouring Baghlan province, but officials said

the situation was “under control”.

Meanwhile in the northern province of Balkh, the governor’s spokesman Munir Ahmad Farhad said eight civilians were killed when their car hit a Taliban mine.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has previously said he hoped a peace deal would be finalised before September 1, ahead of Afghan polls due September 28.

Suhail Shaheen, the Taliban’s spokesman in Doha, said Saturday a deal was “near to finalised” but did not specify what obstacles remain.

Afghan-born Khalilzad, who previously served as the US ambassador to Kabul, has spent the last year or so crisscrossing the globe in a bid to build support for a historic deal with the Taliban.

While the agreement would not immediately assure peace, it is designed to lead to a drop in violence.

The agreement will centre on the US beginning to withdraw approximately 13,000 troops in exchange for a Taliban guarantee that Afghanistan will not be used as a jihadist safe haven. AFP

FOR THE SCREENING. Spanish actress Penelope Cruz arrives for the screening

of the film ‘Wasp Network’ on September 1, 2019, which is presented in competition during the 76th Venice Film Festival at Venice Lido. AFP

No vendors on streets for Yule, Domagoso vows

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

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By Vito Barcelo

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TRUCKS OF PLENTY. These trucks are festooned with agricultural produce as the showcase of the 5th Fruit Festival in Sablan, Benguet, which is considered the fruit capital of the northern province. The municipality showcased their eight barangays, who paraded colorful floats decked with local tropical fruits and other farm produce. Dave Leprozo

Half of Manila kids under 5 got polio vaccine

By Macon Ramos-Araneta IN THE wake of the order of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to take appropriate actions to avert the return of polio, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domogoso on Monday disclosed that nearly half of children in the city under five-years-old were vaccinated with anti-polio virus.

The vaccination, Domagoso said, was conducted on 92,265 out of 191,138 children, or 48.27 percent, during the first round of polio immunization, covering the period of August 19 to 31.

The number of children administered with the vaccines represents 47% of the target.

Domagoso said the Manila Health Department under Dr. Arnold Pangan has intensified sanitation campaigns for at-risk barangays, specifically along esteros.

He also said clinical surveillance for Acute Flaccid Paralysis suspects were also boosted.

In schools, the Manila mayor said surveillance is being done for suspects of poliomyelitis for possible confirmation.

Earlier, Domagoso said meetings were initiated by the Manila Health Department with the Department of Health, UNICEF, World Health Organization, and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine regarding findings of two positive results for the isolation of a polio virus from a sewerage pump station in Tondo, where the risks of transmission are high.

Duque has called on the public to increase polio immunization coverage and strengthen disease surveillance to ensure the Philippines remains polio-free.

While the Philippines has been certified as polio-free since 2000, Duque warned that the country is currently at high risk for poliovirus transmission based on the 2018 risk analysis of the National Certification Committee for Polio.

In 2001, three cases of AFP in Cavite, Laguna, and Misamis Oriental, and one contact became positive for vaccinederived poliovirus type 1.

As a response, then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Proclamation No. 135 to heighten the Oral Polio Vaccine vaccination and raise the polio vaccination coverage to 95 percent. Case surveillance and reporting of AFP was also strengthened.

Makati among Top 10 Safe Cities in SE Asia

M

AKATI City has been named among the top 10 safest cities in Southeast Asia, according to a survey conducted

by Numbeo, an international online research group.

Based on Numbeo’s Safety Index 2019, Makati ranks as the fourth safest city in the region with a Safety Index rate of 59.48 points. The city’s improved regional ranking from fifth place last year has also made it the second safest city in the country to date.

Mayor Abby Binay attributed the city’s high safety index to the sustained efforts of the city government in partnership with the local police force to maintain peace and order, including increased police visibility made possible through additional mobile patrol vehicles provided by the city and other investments in disaster

Taguig nets nat’l nutrition award

By Joel E. Zurbano

ROTARY’S AID. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu (left) shares a light moment

with Rotary Club of Manila president Jack Rodriquez (center) and RCM director and Manila Yacht Club Commodore Robert Lim Joseph at the club’s weekly meeting at the Elks Club in Makati. Cimatu appealed to Rotary Clubs in Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Pampanga, Bulacan, Zambales, Subic to support the cleanup of Manila Bay and the esteros, rivers and canals that pour into it.

Calabarzon child injury gab set THE Department of Health Calabarzon Regional Office recently conducted the first symposium and workshop in Tagaytay City on “Child Injury Prevention at Home, in School and Community” to protect, prevent and address issues concerning injury, accident and physical harm to children.

“We need to immediately address the growing incidence of violence and injury among children and provide appropriate and timely management to address deaths caused by unintentional injury,” DOH Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo said.

“No children should die from any injury because it is preventable and often result from anticipated events,” he stressed.

response and security.

The city has also consistently implemented programs to improve the quality of life of residents and transients, she said.

“We in the city government of Makati are heartened by the city’s upgraded stature among the safest cities in Southeast Asia, as shown by the latest report from Numbeo. It is a validation of our sincere commitment to the continuous improvement of quality of life in the city, through building safe and resilient communities where all citizens are empowered to attain their full potential,”

Mayor Abby said.

The mayor also emphasized the importance of strong local government support for national government agencies in the protective sector to maintain peace and order and boost socio-economic progress.

“We regard national government agencies such as the Philippine National Police and Bureau of Fire Protection as our indispensable partners in keeping Makati safe for residents, the business community and all other stakeholders,” she said.

“As the financial center of the Philippines, we put a premium on safety and security to remain as the premier investment destination where businesses can rapidly and continuously flourish,” Mayor Abby said.

“Through support and collaboration of our stakeholders we can employ solutions that and work together to prevent these pointless accidents to our children, their families, and to communities” he said.

It is important that everyone must know how to differentiate between safe and unsafe environment for children and determine the extent of the problem regarding child and adolescent injuries at home, school and community, Janairo said.

According to the 2018 Online National Electronic Injury Surveillance System Calabarzon recorded the highest injury occurrence in the country during the third (21.1 percent) and fourth quarter (16.4 percent). Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE Taguig City government has received another award from the National Nutrition Council for being among the top local government units in the country with outstanding nutrition programs since 2013.

Taguig is also the only city from Metro Manila to receive the prestigious National Nutrition Award, the highest distinction given by the NNC to an LGU in recognition of its outstanding planning, management and implementation of local nutrition programs.

“We are so happy about this,” said Julie Bernabe, Taguig City Nutrition Action Officer.

According to Bernabe, the journey to the top was not easy. For the city to get this prestigious recognition, Taguig had to hurdle the requirement of getting an award for six consecutive years.

She recalled the sleepless nights of planning and the countless visits of the City Nutrition Office’s personnel to all of Taguig’s barangays to ensure everyone had proper nutrition.

MANILA Mayor Franciso “Isko” Domagoso on Monday said he will not allow vendors to occupy streets in the city, and no special permits will be given to vendors in Divisoria, Quiapo, Sta. Cruz and other commercial areas in the city for the Christmas season.

The mayor said he wants to keep the city streets free from illegal vendors and allow the smooth flow of traffic, as the “ber” months usher in the Yuletide season.

The Philippines is known to celebrate the longest Christmas season in the world, which starts in earnest in September until late January with the Feast of the Three Kings.

In an interview, Domagoso said the city government will not issue special permits for vendors who will sell in the famous shopping area’s streets for the coming holiday season.

“The streets in Divisoria are for motorists and the public to use, not for vendors,” Domagoso said.

Considered Metro Manila’s main marketplace, Divisoria houses stores that sell cheap items, from pins to electronics, that often end up as Christmas gifts.

“I want to maintain Recto, Soler, at Juan Luna and other major streets from vendors and those who would try to disobey my order will have to face the consequence,” he said.

Domagoso said he had already allowed vendors who were affected by the clean up drive to sell their products on the sidewalks of Roman, Ilaya, Tabora, and Carmen Planas streets, while others were placed near the Tutuban train station.

He said public utility jeeps were forced to cut trips because the roads were unpassable due to vendors occupying their routes.

The mayor assured that vendors will continue to be able to make a living, but will have to follow legal processes.

Castelo trains sights on Chinese workers in QC

By Rio N. Araja QUEZON City Councilor Winston Castelo of District 2 wants Chinese workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations to pay city taxes.

Castelo, a former congressman, called on these employees and other Chinese nationals residing in QC to first secure their working permits prior to employment, “like what the ordinary Filipino workers at fast food restaurants or call centers do.”

“The payment of taxes will surely add to the city’s coffers and boost the necessary revenues to sustain the development initiatives of the administration of Mayor Joy Belmonte,” he said.

Castelo urged POGO operators to ensure that all their employees have applied and paid the necessary permits and fees to the city before they could work.

“The law should apply to all. No one should be above it,” he said.

The councilor said Chinese nationals working in the Philippines must secure a health certificate, a mayor’s permit, and other necessary permits from the Bureau of Immigration.

These applicants must attend health seminars as required by the city government too.

According to Castelo, it is unfair to Filipino employees if those Chinese workers would be given an exemption.

“Nobody is indispensable in terms of execution of laws, national and local,” he said.

AYALA SMILE.

MetroDental, the Philippines’ largest chain of dental clinics, is now an official dental provider for Ayala Corp. offering its employees and dependents a wide variety of dental services. Signing the partnership at Tower One & Exchange Plaza last Aug. 7 are (seated from right) Paolo F. Borromeo, president and CEO, AC Health, and Group Head, Corporate Strategy and Development; John Philip S. Orbeta, Chief Human Resource Officer and Group Head, Corporate Resources; Rene J. Buenaventura, Vice Chairman, Equicom Group; and Leen G. Chua - president, MetroDental.

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

Life

The Pavana Muktasana or The Wind Releasing Posture relieves constipation and decreases bloating sensation in the abdomen.

A total connection

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HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

5 health trends to try NOT all health trends are created equal. Some work, others don’t. It’s all about finding one that’s doable, sustainable, and does not make ridiculous promises.

These five health trends take advantage of technology and time-tested methods that can help even the busiest individual to get back on track towards wellness.

Online workout subscriptions

Those who cannot go to the gym can take advatange of online workout subscriptions which could help them get fit anywhere they are. Subscriptions cost ranges from P500 to P1,000 per month.

H

UNDREDS experienced renewal and serenity through meditation and holding poses at the recent International Day of Yoga celebration at the Music Hall of SM Mall of Asia.

A joint partnership between the Indian Embassy in the Philippines and SM, the International Day of Yoga celebration commenced with the traditional lighting of the lamp which is believed to signify a successful occasion. It was followed by a video message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who emphasized how yoga connects body, mind, intellect, and soul.

The United Nations declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga as proposed by Modi.

The Common Yoga Protocol, which creates general aware-

Sound bath

Despite its name, sound baths do not involve water and soap. It is an alternative healing practice that uses sounds and sonic waves to calm one’s body and mind. As an individual lies on their back and closes their eyes, sound bath healers will produce relaxing music using Himalayan singing bowls, crystal bowls, gongs, chimes, Biosonic tuning forks, shamanic drumming, and other percussion instruments. People now use this auditory approach for deep relaxation and meditation as the sounds slowly allow them to relax fully and explore the inner self.

Sleep technologies

The Sarvangasana or Shoulder Stand pose helps alleviate high blood pressure and spinal weakness.

Participants of all ages to the International Day of Yoga experience peace and connection.

ness of harmony and peace through yoga, was led by Sumit Kumar, the Indian Embassy’s yoga and Indian culture teacher, and Speedo Philippines president Chandru Mahtani.

Professional instructors from different local yoga schools then conducted group yoga sessions, while Rajni Daulatram of Brahma Kumaris Philippines completed the celebration with a Raja Yoga Meditation.

Yoga is a 5000-year legacy from India, which is practiced all over the world. It has a universal message of integrating the mind, body, and soul as well as creating harmony between mankind and nature. It is considered a way of life more than simply a form of exercise, and can be embraced by people of all ages.

The International Day of Yoga, organized in association with the Philippine National Police, National Youth Commission, Tech Mahindra, and Speedo, aimed to gather people who have appreciation and understanding of the health benefits of yoga and Indian culture in general.

It is recommended that adults aged 18 to 64 get seven to nine hours of sleep per day. Not getting enough sleep can weaken the immune system, affect bodily functions, and even increase the risk of future respiratory diseases and cardio-cerebral vascular illnesses. Several companies have developed stateof-the-art devices that can enhance natural sleep and ultimately improve a person’s lifestyle: wristbands and smartwatches, temperature regulators, bedside monitors, and smart beds and mattresses are readily available to help anyone get a good night’s rest.

Digital detox

Technology has caused unnecessary stress and emotional strain to many, so a growing number of people are trying to “disconnect to reconnect.”

Digital detoxification can effectively reduce stress, improve emotional state, increase work productivity, and boost social interaction. Studies show logging off from social media and limiting use of electronic devices can improve one’s physical and mental wellness.

Intuitive eating

This is perfect for those who find it difficult to follow a strict diet. This no-diet approach is all about eating when feeling hungry and stopping when feeling full. Intuitive eating encourages people to have a healthy attitude toward food and body image, and to honor their hunger by finding ways to satisfy it in a healthy way. It also helps people cope with stress and other extreme emotions without using food as a coping mechanism. It does not only focus on losing weight, but highlights the need to feel energized, strong, and alive.

Axa Philippines offers several health plans that suit various needs and budgets, an important addition to achieving overall wellness. Go to www.axa.com. ph for more information.

The Tadasana or Palm Tree Posture teaches one to attain stability and firmness.

Life

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

The future of Philippine biodiversity takes flight Philippine eagles Geothermica and Sambisig are currently at the Wildlife Reserves Singapore to hopefully mate and produce eaglets which can be released in suitable, vacant habitats in the Philippines.

I

N MAY this year, the quest to continue ensuring the survival of Philippine eagles reached new heights when a pair of Philippine eagles bred in captivity at the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City—the 15-year-old male Geothermica and 17-year-old female Sambisig—was sent to Singapore’s Jurong Bird Park.

15-year-old Geothermica is under the care of Energy Development Corporation as part of the Phillipine Eagle Foundation’s Adopt-anEagle program.

Loaning the birds is part of an agreement between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Wildlife Reserves Singapore, a leading wildlife conservation group.

It is also symbolic of the deep ties that the Philippines and Singapore have in common especially advocacies such as environmental conservation and biodiversity protection.

Geothermica is the adopted eagle of geothermal leader Energy Development Corporation, while Sambisig is the adopted eagle of a chemical company. Both are considered at the prime age of breeding.

During their two-year stay at Jurong Bird Park, it is hoped that the eagles will mate and produce eaglets which can be released in suitable, vacant habitats back in the Philippines.

The Philippine eagle’s role on top of the food chain is considered crucial in keeping the balance of nature’s ecosystem. An abundant Philippine eagle population also

indicates a healthy state of forests.

According to a statement from EDC, an estimated 400 pairs of Philippine eagles remain in the wild. In November last year, forest guards found the seventh nesting site for Philippine eagles in Mt. Apo, the country’s highest peak.

According to the Philippine Eagle Foundation, eagles bred in captivity can live up to 40 years and are considered more resilient to human handling and living in breeding facilities than their wildlife counterparts. Hence, in 2012, EDC adopted Geothermica under PEF’s Adopt-an-Eagle Program.

“Sending Geothermica to the WRS is an important step in our collective efforts to protect the Philippine eagle, the survival of which is inseparable from the protection of our biodiversity. Since Philippine eagles are threatened by the loss of forest cover and shooting activi-

ties, we hope to exhaust all efforts to protect one of the most precious treasures of our biological heritage,” said EDC CSR head Allan Barcena.

Aside from being the natural habitat of the Philippine eagle, Mt. Apo also offers an abundance of geothermal energy—a form of clean and renewable energy that relies on heat coming from the earth. Like the Philippine eagle, geothermal energy is dependent on a healthy vast forest cover for sustained production.

For this reason, central to EDC’s corporate social responsibility initiatives is environmental conservation. At its 106-megawatt Mount Apo Geothermal Project, watersheds are well-maintained and forests are lush. The 701-hectare protected geothermal reservation surrounding MAGP alone is home to 39 species of mammals and 165 species of birds, including the Philippine eagle. `

HEALTH BULLETIN

Beating cancer with immuno-oncology CANCER remains one of the top causes of deaths in the Philippines. Four Filipino cancer patients die every hour, which totals to 96 patients succumbing to the disease every day, according to the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Human Genetics, National Institutes of Health.

But a novel cancer treatment is renewing hope of survival for patients who are otherwise terminally ill.

In his lecture during the 19th MidYear Convention of the Philippine Society of Oncologists, Dr. Marcelo Imasa, medical oncologist at St. Luke’s Medical Center, explained the science behind immuno-oncology as a cancer treatment option.

He said cancer grows and thrives because of its ability to hide from the immune system and immuno-oncology prevents this mechanism from taking place.

“When the tumor cells express a high population of protein biomarker called PD-L1 (programmed cell death ligand-1), then the T-Cell, a type of white blood cell that has a key role in immune response, becomes inactive,” said Dr. Imasa. “This is because the PD-L1 can combine with another protein PD-1. Their interaction prevents TCells from attacking what it perceives as non-harmful cells or non-cancer cells in the body.”

Dr. Imasa continued, “To overcome

Dr. Jasper Andal, molecular pathologist and quality assurance officer at St. Luke’s Hospital

Dr. Marcelo Imasa, medical oncologist at St. Luke’s Medical Center

such an immune escape mechanism, what we do is try to block the interaction of PD-L1 and PD-1.”

“Immuno-oncology drugs are able to do this. When there is no interaction, there is no inhibitory effect now presented by the tumor cell to the T-Cell.

The T-cell can then recognize and attack the cancer cells.”

Through immuno-oncology, the immune system is strengthened to be able to target and eliminate cancer cells that have been evading immune attack. “Its side effects are also manageable,” added Dr. Imasa.

Dr. Imasa also discussed how immuno-oncology has improved outcomes for some of his patients with stage 4 lung cancer.

“When you say stage 4 lung cancer, we’re talking of survival in months, probably a year. But this patient went through immuno-oncology and targeted therapy. She’s been alive for two years now and doing well. In her last evaluation, there’s no evidence of disease. No evidence of the cancer. This is one of the good results that have come out of immuno-oncology.”

Another speaker during the event, Dr. Jasper Andal, molecular pathologist and quality assurance officer at St. Luke’s Hospital, reiterated the indications for immuno-oncology and how it is opening up new pathways on how cancer can be fought and eventually beaten.

“In lung cancer, immuno-oncology can be used as first line of treatment, depending on the expression of PDL1,” he said. “The approved indication for cancers with Microsatellite Instability (MSI)-high and mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient solid tumors is really groundbreaking as well. All solid tumors that are MSI-high are candidates for immuno-oncology, regardless of where they are located in the body.”

In the Philippines, immuno-oncology is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as treatment option for non-small cell lung cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma, head and neck, bladder, and gastric cancers. Studies are being conducted to further look into the efficacy of immuno-oncology on cervical cancer and other types of cancers.

The National Integrated Cancer Control Act plays a critical role in making the supportive care system more inclusive for indigent cancer patients, which includes making immuno-oncology more reachable as treatment option.

Buying goods packaged in reusable and recyclable materials is a great step towards eco-friendly living.

Small switches for eco-friendly shopping IN THE past few years, the public has been introduced to several ways to save the planet from waste and pollution.

One tried and true practice anyone can start doing is shifting to ecofriendly shopping—and this doesn’t just mean bringing reusable shopping bags to the grocery.

Experts say it starts with what you buy. What a person puts in their grocery cart matters and where it came from matters just as much.

It’s much more ideal to choose products with packaging that produce less waste, can be recycled, and took less energy and resource to make or re-use.

Groceries in glass packaging could be number one on the list because glass is 100 percent recyclable and can be reused over and over endlessly without compromising its quality. Another great thing about glass is when it’s recycled, it doesn’t cost manufacturers much resources or energy to re-use it, all they have to do is wash and reload and they’re good to go.

Sharing glass packaging’s endlessly recyclable quality is aluminum cans, hailed as the most sustainable beverage container and valuable package even when thrown away. Apart from also being 100 percent recyclable, the lightweight aluminum packaging, usually used for sodas, is easy to stack and transport, limiting overall transportation carbon emissions.

Apart from these, products in recycled carton packaging and high-value plastic are great choices, too. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is a good, highly recyclable type of plastic prized for its strength, stability even when heated,

and transparency. PETs can be recycled back into its bottle form and can be upcycled into furniture and even wall.

To double down on PET’s high value, manufacturers like Pepsi-Cola Products Philippines, Inc. (PCPPI) have started “lightweighting” their PET bottles, which diverts solid waste from ending up in landfills by using less material to make each bottle. This results in “lighter” PETs that feel thinner yet still sturdy, not compromising the quality of the product it houses.

To date, Pepsi’s local bottling firm has reduced plastic resin in its packaging by 863.4 metric tons.

PCPPI reported that it has effectively lightweighted its other packaging materials for beverages like glass—available at sari-sari stores and carinderias—and carton, effectively reducing material for glass by 6,467.5 MT and carton by 921.35 MT which make them doubly environmentally friendly.

Another criteria one can use to choose products is knowing where they were made.

Local businesses utilize resources within their reach from sourcing to manufacturing and production. Aside from benefitting local farmers and workers, businesses close to one’s neighborhood will produce less carbon emissions when it comes to transporting their goods. Less trips, mean less fuel consumption and less carbon emissions.

PCPPI is also contributing to this cause by getting the most done in deliveries by getting bigger trucks that use less fuel to transport more products to any partner outlet and sari-sari store close to any of its 13 plants nationwide.

Entertainment

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

U2 to hold first Manila concert at Philippine Arena Shticks...

From C4

“The movie is about social media and technology—on how to become influencers. Contemporary folks are into blogging, YouTube, right? I’m sure they can very well relate to the plot,” she adds.

Maris is happy about the movie because its theme is relevant. She’s also touched by the support of their producer especially when it comes to the promo. They assured her that it won’t border on the love team side.

The promo will focus more on the storyline.

But people still want to know why her love team with Iñigo (more popularly called MarNigo) didn’t last long.

“Actually, I can’t remember what happened specifically. I admit that Inigo and I have slight misunderstandings at times but we didn’t have any serious fight. We just talked things over and mutually decided to just part ways as a love team,” Maris reveals.

“We have our individual differences. Career-wise, we have different viewpoints. I guess it is better that things turned out that way for us to focus more on our respective career. Early on, we just accepted that we’re not trekking the same road,” adds Maris.

The petite star narrates that they did I’m Ellenya L last year and experienced challenging phases.

“When we started shooting the film, our love team was still intact.

We underwent some emotional tussle but as I’ve said, what’s good with the both of us is that we talked seriously on the matter on how it should get resolved. I appreciate the fact that our work relationship didn’t get affected despite the situation,” she says.

Maris is all praises for Iñigo’s professionalism while they’re shooting I’m Ellenya L. “While doing the movie, we’re okay. That’s what’s good with the two of us. We don’t bring our personal problem on the set.

We shoot scenes and do hosting

stints together without signs of the problems we presently face. I guess we’re just professionals. And one positive thing about Iñigo, he doesn’t want to work with someone whom he has bad blood with. Before the shoot, he made sure that we’re okay. I really appreciated that,” she states.

Does this mean that at present, their special feelings for each other got lessened?

“Oh, it’s still special in the sense that the care is still there. Our friendship before is no joke. There will always be a soft spot. I can’t deny that our love team brought us many blessings: movies, commercials, etc. So it’s not like we don’t want to be with each other anymore. In the future, who knows, right? What’s important is that we talk and communicate until now.”

In case, is there a possibility that they’ll be back into their old state?

“I don’t know. It depends. Only time can tell,” she ends. *** Setting a good example to her young fans, Liza Soberano is back to school. She is taking up Psychology at the Southville International School in Las Piñas City.

On her social media account, the beauteous lass uploaded a photo where she wrote that what she likes most about being a student is the joy of discovering new things and appreciating what the world has to offer.

It can be remembered that Liza took a break from show business because of a finger injury which made her back out from the latest big-screen installation of Darna. She even went to the USA for operation.

What’s good about her is that whenever she’s not busy doing a project, she opts to resume her studies.

“I want to take my studies seriously. I want to be a good role model for the youth. I want them to realize that school is important. Age is not a hindrance. Whatever age you are, you can always go back to school. It’s still different when you’re armed with a Diploma,” says Liza.

Filipino fans of Irish rock superstars U2—composed of Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr.—will finally be able to see the band perform live at the Philippine Arena on Dec. 11.

A

S PREVIOUSLY announced, U2 will bring The Joshua Tree Tour to the Philippines for their first-ever Manila performance on Dec. 11 at the Philippine Arena. Tickets for the concert, which promises to be a truly unforgettable experience for fans, will go on sale on Thursday, Sept. 5 (10:00 a.m.) at SM Tickets.com.

Unique to this tour, VIP Standing tickets closest to the stage start at just P5,250 (including applicable service fees). The floor section will give fans an opportunity to get up-close to the innovative staging—which features it’s very own Joshua tree—and the 200 x 45-foot cinematic video screen. As tickets to the VIP Standing section are limited, and to ensure fans have the best chance at access, VIP standing tickets will be capped at two tickets per person and will go on sale prior to the public sales on Wednesday, Sept.

Kapuso...

From C4

Ken Chan and Rita Daniela team up once more in the upcoming series, ‘One of the Baes.'

Completing the Kapuso primetime slate is the top-rating Korean hit drama Mr. Sunshine, which centers on a young boy who is born into slavery but escapes to the United States and returns to Joseon later as a United States Marine Corps officer.

The drama premiered, starring Hollywood actor Lee Byung Hun as Eugene Choi, meets and falls in love with an aristocrat’s daughter named Go Ae-sin, played by Kim Tae-ri. At the same time, he uncovers a plot by foreign forces to colonize Korea. To save his nation, he becomes an instrument in fighting for freedom, alongside the love

Couch Potato...

From C4

But Lana was only interested in dealing with Norma’s descent to melancholia, and Aries unrequited love.

Now, some people call this kind of film the kind “millennials” love to watch.

Well, perhaps, as it has nothing beyond the superficial romantic angst of the characters.

Bela and JC in MMK Also, last Saturday, I had the chance to

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, September 3, 2019

ACROSS 1 Out of style 6 Beatrice’s admirer 11 Army off.

14 Nebraska hub 15 In a tangle 16 Villain’s cry 17 Earth pigment 18 Tequila drink 20 Aussie jumper 21 Knowing look 23 Acts worried 24 Castor and Pollux 26 Cosmetics buy 28 Got closer to 30 Baby food 31 Gung-ho 32 Athletes 33 Scribble down 36 Neck and neck 37 Hoofs it 38 Pasternak heroine 39 — Plaines, Illinois 40 Dawdle 41 Drab, as colors 42 Goose eggs (var.)

43 Mistake 44 Diet 47 Having a tendency 48 The upper crust 49 Growing medium

50 Pull apart by force 53 Rustproof 56 Port-au-Prince site 58 Long, long time 59 Weightlifter’s pride 60 Fish-eating eagles 61 Cable network 62 Discharges 63 Greek letter DOWN 1 Serve the wine 2 Hunter’s supply 3 Obstructs deliberately 4 Feminine pronoun 5 Previous 6 Titled ladies 7 Long way off 8 Postal Creed word 9 Harbor vessel 10 Flies by 11 Spanish girl 12 Lone Ranger movie 13 Tibetan capital 19 Hotfoot it 22 Conclude 25 Little chirper 26 Oozy 27 Scroll holders 28 Have to have

29 Icicle site 30 Vaulters’ aids 32 Husband of Medea 33 Babbling 34 Hydrox rival 35 Polynesian staple 37 Became threadbare 38 Fish-eating bird 40 Keepsake 41 Comforts 42 Type of pasta 43 Bikini half 44 Change the

clock 45 “Crocodile Rock” composer — John 46 Beanstalk menace 47 Tijuana coins 49 Furtive sound 51 News morsel 52 Leaning Tower town 54 Comic — Costello 55 Hosp. areas 57 “Exodus” character

4 (10:00 a.m.).

Fans registered from Aug. 27 to Sept.

2 at www.mmilive.com to receive more information on how to avail VIP tickets.

Maximum of two standing tickets can be purchased when they become available on Wednesday on a first come, first served basis - prior to the general public on sale. All fans will still be able to purchase a maximum of 8 tickets when public sales begin on Thursday at www.smtickets.com.

An exclusive standing section called (RED) Zone is also located at the of his life.

Viewers should also look forward to the return of the much-loved, award-winning romance anthology Wagas—this time around as a daily series airing before Eat Bulaga.

Wagas, which started airing yesterday, once again tugs at the hearts of Kapuso viewers as it now features stories that will run for one month. For its pilot episode, multi-talented Kapuso actress Sunshine Dizon and Kapuso actor Mike Tan reunite on the small screen for “Throwback Pagibig”.

Last but definitely not the least, GMA Network’s musical competition The Clash opens its doors once again to all talented Filipinos who want to become the country’s next singing sensation.

Every Saturday and Sunday beginning watch Charo Santos’ MMK with Bela Padilla and JC Santos.

It is about the story of Karla and Gio. They were childhood friends, then sweetheart that promised they’d live together till the day they die.

But, along the way Karla finds out that “perfect couple” they’re not, as Gio (after his mom’s death) becomes involved with another woman that rumpled her ideal Disneyland (HK) vacation.

Years later, even if Gio has continued to seek her forgiveness and another

floor level. The (RED) Zone gives you access to an exclusive VIP area directly adjacent to the Stage with special amenities and dedicated staff all while raising money in support of (RED) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. Special features include VIP Entrance to the concert venue, souvenir collectors ticket, access to purchase pre-show refreshments and a rare opportunity to be selected for a pre-show backstage tour. Tickets for the (RED) Zone are limited to a maximum of four per person, and purchases may only be made available online via SMTICKETS.com. Sales start on Thursday, Set. 4 (10:00 a.m.).

All additional tickets for The Joshua Tree Tour at the Philippine Arena are seated. Prices for reserved seating sections starts at P8,499, with prices for the free seating sections at P2,499. There is an eight-ticket limit per person.

Sept. 21, witness the journey of the Top 64 contenders as they clash to fulfill their dreams.

With Asia’s Pop Diva Julie Anne San Jose and Total Heartthrob Rayver Cruz as the newest Clash Masters, they will be joined by returning The Clash judges Asia’s Nightingale Lani Misalucha, Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista, and Comedy Concert Queen Ai Ai delas Alas. Ken Chan and Rita Daniela are also set to add color to the show as The Clash Journey hosts.

Don’t miss the exciting line up of programs this September only on GMA7.

For more Kapuso updates, visit GMA Network’s official website on www.

GMANetwork.com and its official social media accounts. chance at being her boyfriend, Kala remains resolute that they can’t be together anymore. Karla’s mom who has had similar experience as her daughter explains to her the meaning of forgiving.

Already moving on, Karla continues to be stalked by Gio and when he is no longer where he used to wait for him, she wonders and at the same time worries about Gio. She gets a phone call from his aunt who tells her that Gio’s dad has passed on.

At the funeral homes, the two talk and mend whatever kinks they have gone through.

In the end they have gotten back into each other’s arms, Bela and JC’s performance was compelling, giving credence to the real persons the episode’s story had been based upon.

MMK continues to churn out watchworthy episodes, and this one is among them. I hope they could keep it up. *** Paramount Channel is up on Sky There’s a new movie channel on SkyCable. It is called Paramount Channel on Channel 263. It telecasts on HD. It shows mostly movies released

by Paramount Pictures and last night while browsing my TV, I saw a snip of the Barbra Streisand starrer On A Clear Day You Can See Forever that was released in 1970.

Vincent Minelli, father of singer/ actress Liza Minelli, directed the film and it was based upon the musical play of the same title written by Allan Jay Lerner.

If you’ve heard the song “On A Clear Day You Can See Forever,” that’s from the film and it’s the most popular ditty.

The American Film Institute has included the film in its list of 100 Greatest Musical Films ever.

The late French actor Yves Montand was Barbra’s co-star.

Entertainment

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

C4

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2019 Alden Richards is back on primetime via 'The Gift' where he plays a visually-impaired man who discovers his ability to see the past and the future.

Kapuso network unveils all-new primetime line-up AND just like that, it’s already September. Now, GMA Network is treating television viewers with an exciting and all-new line-up of primetime shows beginning this week.

Kicking off the network’s string of primetime offerings is Beautiful Justice beginning Sept. 9. Justice never looked this beautiful as the newest drama-action series is headlined by five of GMA’s prime and most sought-after stars: Bea Binene as Kitkat; Gabbi Garcia as Brie; Yasmien Kurdi; and Derrick Monasterio and Gil Cuerva take on the roles of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents Lance and Vin, respectively.

The series tells the story of three women who will unite to track down the syndicate responsible for the death of their loved ones. They will seek justice for everything they lost.

On Sept. 16, Kapuso prime actor Alden Richards will once again showcase his acting caliber as he takes on the role of Sep—a visually-impaired fruit vendor in Divisoria who discovers his ability to see the past and the future.

Entitled The Gift, the story centers on hope, transformation, and inspiration.

Helmed by LA Madridejos, the drama also stars Elizabeth Oropesa, Mikee Quintos, Jo Berry, Rochelle Pangilinan, Betong Sumaya, Martin del Rosario, Thia Thomalla,

'The Clash' team with Lani Misalucha, Aiai delas Alas, Christian Bautista, Julie Anne San Jose, and Rayver Cruz

Ysabel Ortega, Tetay, and Jean Garcia.

For their first-ever primetime project, Ken Chan and Rita Daniela are teaming up for ‘One of the Baes’, a millennial fairytale that will take viewers on a voyage of love. Produced by GMA Public Affairs, it will showcase the ups and downs of our Filipino Seafarers through the story of Jowalyn (Rita) and Grant (Ken). Grant is a rich yet kindhearted environmental vlogger while Jowalyn is a brave young woman who dreams of someday becoming the captain of a ship. Continued on C3

Bevy of world-class 'Ang Babaeng Allergic sa WiFi' follows the story of an internet-obsessed teen who develops a rare illness that forces her to move to a remote town where she must navigate her relationships without technology.

BEAUTIES

Interesting title, unexciting storyline I’ve seen but can’t I AM referring to the recall). much-ballyhooed Three-fourths of movie Ang Babaeng the film is devoted Allergic sa Wifi that to that lingering Netflix acquired for IVY ROSSINI question whether or streaming in certain not Norma and Leo regions. will still get back Curious why this film got so much publicity, I clicked it on together as a couple. Meanwhile, Norma’s my smartTV’s Netflix app last weekend. parents (played by Yayo Aguilaand Kiko The film has an interesting title, and Matos as Norma’s stepfather) seem I was imagining thriller, suspense, or unperturbed by their daughter’s condition quasi-medical drama. No, the film is they just consigned her to Boots.

Aries despite his being with Norma more nothing of that kind. It’s no more than a teen melodrama about a teenager, Norma often than his brother can’t find courage to (played by ABS-CBN star Sue Ramirez) tell her she loves her except in a play-phone who manifests symptoms similar to (two cans strung together where one speaks anemia or leukemia but a doctor (played as the person on the other end listens) and

by John Lapus) pronounces her free of Norma pretended not to have heard.

Norma has taken a leave from school those conditions.

So, what is it then? The doctor as her body still reacts to electromagnetic says something about electromagnetic waves. In the process, her relationship hypersensitivity (which Wikepedia says with Leo is becoming murkier even as her friendship with Aries is getting stronger is not a recognized medical diagnosis).

And, according to the script and director that will be broken when the latter admits (Jun Lana is both) Norma has to go to that it’s not his brother who has been a place where there is no internet signal answering her letters but him.

Then one night as Aries after or connection. And she does, living with her grandma (Boots Anson Roa) while unsuccessfully waiting for Norma to her friends Aries (Jameson Blake) and talk to her hoping she’d forgive him, she Angeli (Angellie Saño) visiting her often gets a phone call from his mom saying (like they cut classes to be with Norma, Leo is in a bar drinking his heart out. they are supposed to be students in a He picks him up and while Leo pours his heart to his younger brother a truck Metro Manila high school).

Norma’s boyfriend, Leo (Marcus hits their car.

Aries dies, Norma admits she also loves Peterson) never has the time to visit and when he does, he breaks up with Norma Aries, and her EHS is suddenly gone.

The film doesn’t explain how Norma’s who immediately writes him a letter (using the vintage typewriter of her granny) and EHS suddenly disappeared. It would have sends it by snail mail. Leo doesn’t read been more interesting if the screenplay had it, but Aries does who thinks it is wise to a parallel storyline that dealt with how to pretend that his brother has read the letter deal with EHS and not simply living in an and ergo answering back (in the same environment that is electromagnetic free. manner, shades of some Hollywood stuff Continued on C3

COUCH POTATO

Proud to go solo MARIS Racal reveals that she’s not bothered if she had a falling out with screen partner Iñigo Pascual at the height of the promotion of their upcoming flick titled, I’m Ellenya L, which is an official entry to the 2019 Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino.

“Considering everything that has happened, it’s nice that I was able to accept the

SHTICKS JOSEPH PETER GONZALES situation with an open mind.

It didn’t take long. It also helps that in the movie, we’re not being promoted as a love team since it’s not a love story but more of a comedy,” Maris starts. Continued on C3 Maris Racal stars in her launching movie, 'I'm Ellenya L.'

Miss World Philippines 2019 candidates showcase their sensational curves during the pageant's press presentation held last week.

Miss World Philippines 2019 frontrunner Michelle Dee (leftmost) finally follows in her mother's (Melanie Marquez) footsteps.

G

MA Kapuso talents Isabelle de Leon, Kelley Day, and Michelle Dee emerged as some of the early favorites among the 40 official candidates of Miss World Philippines 2019 presented at Novotel’s Versailles Tent in Araneta Center on Thursday afternoon.

The ladies will vie to become the Philippine representative in this year’s Miss World, Miss Eco International, Miss Reina Hispanoamericana, and Miss Multinational pageants.

Miss Eco Teen International and Miss Philippines Tourism titles are also at stake to be awarded at the coronation night set at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sept. 15 and telecast live over GMA’s Sunday Night Box Office at 10:00 p.m..

“This year’s batch is brimming with potential winners. I won’t be surprised if we surpass our previous track record from the previous years,” said Arnold Vegafria, national director

PAGEANT CONCEPT

of Miss World Philippines organization.

The forty aspirants were welcomed by reigning Miss World Philippines Katarina Rodriguez, Miss Multinational ETON CONCEPCION Philippines Kimi Mugford, Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas Alyssa Muhlach Alvarez, Miss Eco International Philippines Maureen Montagne, and Mr. World Philippines 2019 JB Saliba.

The winning Miss World Philippines 2019 will compete in the global Miss World pageant on Dec. 14 in ExCel in London.

Here are the 40 candidates vying for the coveted crowns: Isabelle De Leon, Julia Mendoza, Sharielle Yanson, Glyssa Leiann Perez, Julie Ann Forbes, Michelle Arceo, Patricia Navea Tan, Kalea Rivero Pitel, Tracy Maureen Perez, Jacqueline Diamzon Hammoude, Kayesha Chua, Trisha Gutierrez, Hanna Therese Cruz, Billie Hakenson, Alyssa Reyes, Shammy Galisanao, Camelle Mercado, Ruffa Nava, Jean Tumang, Ilene De Vera, Michelle Dee, Gerlaine Silva, Vanessa Mae Walters, Kelley Day, Rose Anne Ignacio, Michelle Torlund, Patrixia Santos, Mary Daena Resurreccion, Asha Gutierrez, Katrina Llegado, Sheila Marie, Jena Masero, Justiene Ortega, Anne Legaspi, Louise Theunis, Edna Gunio, Casie Banks, Aura Shaznay, Erica Madalangsakay, and Shanon Kerver.