Manila Standard - 2020 January 23 - Thursday

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net

Virus scare grips nations

Disease kills 9, spreads to US, seven other places; China fears mutation

A

NEW virus that has killed nine people, infected hundreds and already reached the United States could mutate and spread, China warned Wednesday, as authorities scrambled to contain the disease during the Lunar New Year travel season.

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 343 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The coronavirus has caused alarm for its similarity to SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which killed nearly 650 people across China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003.

In Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, authorities canceled large public

THE food market where China’s deadly virus surfaced was a smorgasbord of exotic wildlife ranging from wolf pups to species linked to previous pandemics such as civets, according to vendor information and a Chinese media report.

The Huanan Seafood Market in the central city of Wuhan came under greater scrutiny on Wednesday as Chinese officials said that the virus which has so far killed nine people

UNITED STATES (1 confirmed case)

By Joel E. Zurbano, Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines is working in coordination with the Department of Health and the Bureau of Quarantine to secure all airports against the coronavirus.

The agency is now monitoring arriving passengers from China, especially in Kalibo International Airport, which has direct flights from Wuhan and other Chinese cities.

Next page

SOUTH KOREA (1 confirmed case)

JAPAN (1 confirmed case)

CHINA

440 cases confirmed 9 deaths

SPREADING OUT. Coronavirus, alarming

HONG KONG (1 case being confirmed)

MACAU (1 confirmed case) PHILIPPINES (1 case being confirmed)

Four family members of a tourist from Wuhan who tested positive for the new coronavirus flew to Manila Wednesday morning, Hong Kong media reported. The tourist, who arrived in Hong Kong Tuesday night via train from mainland China, has remained under quarantine.

His family members were reportedly asymptomatic.

CAAP Director General Jim Sydiongco has already ordered the reactivation of communicable disease preparedness procedures in CAAPoperated international airports such Next page

TAIWAN (1 confirmed case)

THAILAND (2 confirmed cases)

Next page

CAAP keeping tight watch on Sino travellers

Wuhan market smorgasboard of species linked to pandemics

for its similarity to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome which killed almost 650 people across China and Hong Kong in 2002-2003, is reported to have been detected in the United States, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, China Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and some—still unverified carriers—are reported to have slipped into the Philippines.

events and urged visitors to stay away, telling residents not to leave the central Chinese city of 11-million people.

The illness is mainly transmitted through the respiratory tract and there “is the possibility of viral mutation and

Angkas, others get greenlight to run tests ANGKAS is back on the road as the House Transportation Committee announced Wednesday that an agreement had been reached between the DOTr, TWG, and the motorcycle taxi companies participating in the pilot run to continue the test run until March this year.

The Department of Transportation– Technical Working Group on Wednesday allowed the resumption of the pilot run for motorcycle taxis and raised the bikers’ cap to 21,000 each per operator after Angkas agreed to drop all cases against the government’s guidelines on the implementation of motorcycle taxis pilot study.

Next page

Phivolcs still wary of Taal; alert level lowering iffy

By Rio N. Araja, Maricel V. Cruz, level over Taal Volcano, if it shows re- said not everyone will be able to return Rey E. Requejo, Vito Barcelo, duced activity for the next two weeks. to their homes, even if the alert level is But Ma. Antonia Bornas, chief of the lowered to Level 3.

Macon Ramos-Araneta and Volcano Monitoring and Eruption PreMoreover, those who will be allowed Willie Casas

diction Division at the Philippine Insti- to go back home must be prepared to SEISMOLOGISTS may lower the alert tute of Volcanology and Seismology, Next page

PAYING RESPECTS. Colorful guinea pigs from the Philippine Lapine Club Inc. greet

mall patrons Wednesday, three days to the celebration of the Spring Festival or the Chinese New Year at Lucky Chinatown in Manila’s Binondo district on Saturday. Norman Cruz

Trump ‘keen’ on Duterte visit to US; Dela Rosa visa scrapped

By Rey E. Requejo UNITED States President Donald Trump really wants President Rodrigo Duterte to attend the US-ASEAN Summit to be held in Las Vegas on March 14, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Wednesday.

He said Trump had actually invited President Duterte to visit Washington many times before.

“Before there could be an invitation, there had to be an ASEAN consensusunanimous vote to hold an ASEAN-

US Summit, which happened in Nha Trang, Vietnam, three days ago and conveyed to the White House,” Locsin said.

“Sadly for him, Trump really wants Duterte to be there. He’s invited him again and again.”

Meanwhile, Senator Ronald dela Rosa on Wednesday confirmed that his US visa had been canceled by the American government.

The former Philippine National Police chief, who was at the forefront of Next page

HOUSE IN BATANGAS. Members of the House of Representatives meet in a special session at the Batangas Convention Center in Batangas City, with House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (right) presiding on the floor while Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano presides over the special session with the majority of the House members (left). Ver Noveno

A2

News

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

De Lima loses bid for habeas data

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Supreme Court has dismissed a petition filed in 2016 by now-detained opposition Senator Leila de Lima against President Rodrigo Duterte, saying the President is immune from suit during his six-year term.

“The Court dismisses the petition for a writ of habeas data on the ground that respondent President Rodrigo Roa Duterte... is immune from suit during his incumbency,” the high court said in a decision written by the now-retired Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin.

A Writ of Habeas Data “is a legal remedy available to any person whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee, or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collect-

CAAP...

From A1

Virus...

From A1

as Puerto Princesa, General Santos, Zamboanga, Davao, Kalibo, Laoag, and Iloilo.

The airports were also advised to exercise extreme vigilance in handling entering passengers possibly infected by the new coronavirus.

Protocols are already in place in the airports where airport frontline personnel have been advised to wear face masks, maintain proper hygiene, and practice regular hand washing.

Posting of public advisories informing about coronavirus infections and the strict monitoring of suspected passengers are now also being enforced.

Aside from operating seven international airports, CAAP also manages 35 domestic airports that are open to commercial operations.

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal also tightened its medical quarantine protocols to prevent the virus’ entry into the country.

Authorities placed thermal scanners at the NAIA’s arrival areas.

Immigration officers and all frontline government workers detailed in all Philippine ports were advised to wear protective masks to protect themselves from the risk of acquiring a new strain of coronavirus that originated from China.

The SARS-like virus that has spread across China and reached three other Asian nations can be passed from human to human, the Department of Health said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday the Philippines remains free from the 2019 novel coronavirus, (2019-nCoV), the SARS-like virus, as the World Health Organization said it is still “too early” to panic.

Speaking in yesterday’s “Kapihan sa Manila Bay,” Duque said there is yet no case of the 2019-nCoV in the country even as the Department of Health probed the case of a five-yearold Chinese boy who might be afflicted with the new virus.

While the young boy from Wuhan, China, was placed on isolation in a health facility in Cebu, Duque said he was already well.

Duque also said the young boy’s mother, who arrived with him in the Philippines Jan. 12 “to learn English,” did not manifest any symptoms and tested negative for the new virus.

Nonetheless, Duque said they are still awaiting the results of the laboratory tests from Australia based on throat samples taken from the boy.

Duque also said the doctors and nurses who attended to the young boy have also been placed in isolation as part of the protocol.

WHO Representative to the Philippines Rabindra Aheyasinghe said “it’s too early to say that it is a very severe infection that causes death.”

“We are in the early stages of trying to understand how severe this infection is and how many deaths it is likely to cause,” he said.

“Much remains unknown about the virus, including the mode of transmission and severity,” Ayehasingye said.

Duque also said there is still no need for travel restrictions to China, particularly to Wuhan, where the virus originated.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, meanwhile, called on the Department of Education to put schools on alert and ensure that preventive measures are in place to protect students from the new coronavirus.

While there are no confirmed cases of the 2019-nCoV in the Philippines to date, Gatchalian said schools should exhaust all measures from information dissemination to intensified sanitary measures to keep students, school employees and workers safe.

Senator Nancy Binay called on the DOH and other government agencies to prepare an emergency response plan and ensure that the government is fully equipped to address a possible outbreak of a mysterious respiratory disease from China.

“It might be best for the DOH to review the protocols in place and check if the necessary people are prepared to implement these if needed,” Binay said.

further spread of the disease,” National Health Commission vice minister Li Bin said at a news conference in Beijing.

The World Health Organization will hold an emergency meeting Wednesday to determine whether to declare a rare global public health emergency over the disease, which has now been detected in the United States, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, South Korea and Macau.

The Chinese government has classified the outbreak in the same category as the SARS epidemic, meaning compulsory isolation for those diagnosed with the illness and the potential to implement quarantine measures.

But they still have not been able to confirm the exact source of the virus, which has infected 440 people across the country.

“We will step up research efforts to identify the source and transmission of the disease,” Li said, although he said experts believe “the cases are mostly linked to Wuhan.”

Plane passengers are facing screening measures at five US airports and a host of transport hubs across Asia.

North Korea will ban foreign tourists entirely to protect itself against the virus, according to a major tour operator.

A prominent expert from China’s National Health Commission confirmed this week that the virus can be passed between people.

However, animals are suspected to be the primary source of the outbreak, as a seafood market where live animals were sold in the Wuhan was identified as ground zero for the virus.

“We already know that the disease originated from a market which conducted illegal transaction of wild animals,” said Gao Fu, director of the Chinese centre for disease control and prevention.

“This might be the cause, so the disease could be on an animal, and then passed on from this animal to a human.”

Phivolcs...

From A1 leave at a moment’s notice in case of an explosive eruption.

Earlier, PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum said the agency would have to observe for two weeks to see if there is a downtrend in the volcanic activity before deciding to bring down the alert level.

In yesterday’s bulletin, PHIVOLCS said “activity in the main crater in the past 24 hours has been characterized by weak emission of white steam-laden plumes 50 to 500 meters high from the main crater that drifted southwest.”

The emission of sulfur dioxide went down at an average of 153 tons per day, while only six non-felt volcanic earthquakes were recorded.

Trump...

From A1 President Duterte’s bloody drug war, said he was told to reapply if he wanted to secure a US visa again.

“Yes. They officially answered my official query,” said Dela Rosa when asked if he was able to confirm earlier reports about the revocation of his US visa.

Trump had invited Duterte and the other ASEAN leaders to a summit,

Wuhan...

From A1 and infected hundreds may have originated in a wild animal sold at the food emporium.

Past deadly epidemics have been blamed on wild animals—Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome was linked to Chinese consumption of civet meat— setting Chinese authorities up for potential embarrassment if lax supervision of wildlife trafficking is found at

Pinoy probers get Kuwait nod on OFW case

ing or storing of data or information.”

The resolution was promulgated on Oct. 15, 2019, but it was was made public by the high court’s Public Information Office only on Jan. 22.

“Indeed, the Constitution provides remedies for violations committed by the Chief Executive except an ordinary suit before the courts. The Chief Executive must first be allowed to end his tenure [not his term] either through resignation or removal by impeachment,” the high court ruled.

“Being a member of Congress, the petitioner [De Lima] is well aware of this, and she cannot sincerely claim

that she is bereft of any remedy.”

De Lima had sought to compel the President to stop making “crude personal attacks” against her and the “wrongful collection and publication” of her alleged private affairs and activities “that are outside of the realm of legitimate public concern.”

She said the President’s remarks against her constituted psychological violence prohibited by Republic Act 9710, or the Magna Carta of Women, and a violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

He said it was clear “this virus is adapting and mutating.”

Countries have been intensifying efforts to stop the spread of the pathogen—known by its technical name 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)—as the number of cases jumped, raising concerns in the middle of a major Chinese holiday travel rush.

This week, China celebrates the Lunar New Year, the most important event in the Chinese calendar, with hundreds of millions of people travelling across the country to celebrate with family.

Many also venture abroad.

On Wednesday, the commission announced measures to contain the disease, including sterilisation and ventilation at airports and bus stations, as well as inside planes and trains.

People are being urged to wash their hands regularly, avoid crowded places, open windows to allow in fresh air, and wear a mask if they have a cough.

Anyone with a cough or fever should go to a hospital, Li said.

At Beijing’s main international airport on Wednesday, the majority of people were wearing masks.

In Wuhan, Mayor Zhou Xianwang urged residents not to leave the city and visitors to stay away if there is no reason for them to come.

“If it’s not necessary we suggest that people don’t come to Wuhan,” Wang told state broadcaster CCTV. Police were conducting spot checks for live poultry or wild animals in vehicles leaving and entering the city, state media said.

The local government has canceled public activities during the holiday, including the annual prayer-giving at the city’s Guiyan Temple—which attracted 700,000 tourists during last year’s holiday.

Tour groups heading out of the city have also been canceled.

Hong Kong and British scientists have estimated that between 1,300 and 1,700 people in Wuhan may have been infected.

The United States on Tuesday announced its first case of the coronavirus.

The man, a US resident in his 30s who lives near Seattle, is in good condition, according to federal and state officials, and approached authorities himself after reading about the SARS-like infection in news reports.

He is “currently hospitalized out of an abundance of precaution, and for short term monitoring, not because there was severe illness,” said Chris Spitters, a Washington state health official.

“This is an evolving situation and again, we do expect additional patients in the United States and globally,” added Nancy Messonier, a senior official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She said that the overall risk to Americans remained low.

The man is originally from Wuhan and returned to the US on Jan. 15, two days before health officials began screening passengers at major airports arriving from the central Chinese city, which is at the heart of the outbreak.

The efforts are to be extended now to a total of five US airports.

He lives alone and will be monitored in isolation for at least 48 more hours.

Macau on Wednesday reported its first confirmed case of the new SARSlike coronavirus as authorities announced all staff in the city’s bustling casinos had been ordered to wear face masks.

The former Portuguese colony is a huge draw for mainland tourists as the only place in China that allows gambling.

With the Lunar New Year approaching this weekend, a huge influx of mainland tourists is expected in the city.

The first confirmed case was a 52-year-old businesswoman from Wuhan who arrived in the city by highspeed rail on Sunday, via the neighboring city of Zhuhai, health officials said.

Taiwan on Tuesday reported its first confirmed case of the new SARS-like coronavirus.

The patient is a Taiwanese woman in her ‘50s, living in Wuhan, who returned to the island on Monday with symptoms including fever, coughing and a sore throat. AFP

Alert Level 4 still remained in effect over Taal Volcano.

Despite the lull in the activity of Taal Volcano, Bornas is not ruling out a possible “hazardous explosive eruption within hours to days.”

She said it was difficult to conclude that the volcano was safe because of the presence of magma near the surface.

The House of Representatives on Wednesday vowed to speed up the passage of the proposed supplemental budget for victims of Taal Volcano’s eruption.

The chamber led by Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano held its session at the Batangas City Convention Center to have first hand knowledge of the situation and listen to the complaints of affected residents of the eruption of Taal Volcano. At least 185 congressmen attended the hearing.

The House adopted House Resolution 662 in response to the call of President Rodrigo Duterte for the passage of a P30-billion supplemental budget to augment the government’s calamity fund for Taal Volcano’s eruption. The House decided to increase the supplemental budget to P50 billion.

“The Calamity Fund for the local government units is... depleting and is insufficient to provide relief and rehabilitation assistance to the affected areas,” the resolution said.

The House in plenary session also adopted House Resolution 655 urging “the immediate release of funds for the aid, relief, resettlement, rehabilitation, livelihood, development and social programs and services to communities adversely affected by the Taal Volcano eruption.”

with the first invitation being conveyed during the ASEAN-US meeting at the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in November last year, and was reiterated through a letter dated Jan. 9, 2020.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Monday Duterte might attend the summit.

Earlier, Locsin said he and his ASEAN counterparts had agreed to the proposal raised by the US to hold a special summit with Trump.

He was referring to Washington’s in-

vitation sent to the leaders of ASEAN last November after he failed to attend the summit of the regional bloc.

Trump then sent his national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, who stood in for the US during the summit.

However, while the ASEAN foreign ministers had agreed to hold the summit, a DFA source said it would still be up to ASEAN leaders if they would also attend the meeting.

“They [ASEAN] leaders will have the final say if they will attend the summit or not,” the source said.

TWG chairman Antonio Gardiola Jr. said the government decided to continue the pilot run for motorcycle taxis until March 2020 and increase the bikers’ cap for Angkas, JoyRide and MoveIt. Last Monday, Gardiola said the government decided to immediately terminate the implementation of the pilot study for motorcycle taxis after Angkas exhibited defiance on the guidelines set by the TWG. Despite persuading concerned government agencies and the Department of Transportation-Technical Working Group to extend the pilot testing program for motorcycle riding app Angkas, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go told the ride-hailing firm to abide by the law.

Go said Angkas still needed to follow the law and comply with regulations, particularly on the foreign ownership restrictions of the Constitution.

Go issued the statement after the DOTr said Angkas was 99.9-percent owned by a Singaporean.

Angkas, on its part, announced it had rectified this ownership issue.

The House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation on Wednesday backed the decision of authorities to allow motorcycle taxis to continue operating until Congress is able to enact a law that regulates them.

At a hearing conducted by the committee, Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento, the panel chairman, said the impasse on the operation of motorcycle taxis had ended as the authorities agreed to increase the cap on the number of riders as well as the expansion of the pilot-testing area to the Visayas and Mindanao.

Aside from getting the green light to proceed with the test run, the riders’ cap was increased from 30,000 to 45,000 for Metro Manila. Darwin Amojelar, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

fault in the latest outbreak.

A price list circulating on China’s Internet for a business at the Wuhan market lists a menagerie of animals or animal-based products including live foxes, crocodiles, wolf puppies, giant salamanders, snakes, rats, peacocks, porcupines, camel meat and other game—112 items in all.

“Freshly slaughtered, frozen and delivered to your door,” said the price list for the vendor, “Wild Game Animal Husbandry for the Masses.”

Gao Fu, director of the Chinese center

for disease control and prevention, said in Beijing on Wednesday that authorities believe the virus likely came from “wild animals at the seafood market” though the exact source remains undetermined.

China bans the trafficking of a number of wild species or requires special licenses, but regulations are loose for some species if they are commercially farmed.

AFP was unable to directly confirm the authenticity of the price list. Phone calls to the vendor went unanswered,

and attempts to connect to its social media accounts were rejected.

The Beijing News published a photo Tuesday showing the same vendor’s now-shuttered store front, as authorities in white hazmat suits milled about.

The paper also quoted other merchants as saying trade in wildlife took place up until the market was shuttered for disinfection shortly after the outbreak.

A number of the early sufferers of the virus, now known as the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), were employees of the market. AFP

By Rey E. Requejo THE Kuwaiti government will allow Filipino probers to join the investigation of the death of domestic helper Jeanelyn Villavende, allegedly in the hands of her employers several months after she arrived to work in the oil-rich kingdom last year.

Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers Concerns Secretary Abdullah Mama-o said this was one of the commitments conveyed by Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah when he and the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait’s Charge d’Affaires and Consul General Mohd Noordin Pendosina Lomondot met with the Kuwaiti official last Jan. 19 to discuss Villavende’s case and the safety and well-being of the more than 230,000 Filipinos living and working in the kingdom.

“To show Kuwait’s commitment in the case, Deputy Foreign Minister AlJarallah said his government is willing to allow investigators from the Philippines to join the investigation in Kuwait of the murder of Jeanelyn Villavende,” Mama-o said.

He said Al-Jarallah also promised to give justice to Villavende’s family.

Villavende’s employer and his wife, the alleged perpetrators of her killing, remain in jail in Kuwait.

Mama-o said the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry was expected to release soon the full report of the police investigation and autopsy on the case.

He said he also explained to AlJarallah the reason behind the recent decision of the governing board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration to ban the deployment of Filipinos to Kuwait in the wake of the killing of Villavende.

Of the more than 230,000 Filipino workers in Kuwait, 150,000 are domestic helpers.

Angkas,...

From A1

News Ayala-UP agreement generates 50k jobs THE contract of the Ayala Land Inc. with the University of the Philippines for the Technohub complex in Diliman has created thousands of jobs, an official statement said Wednesday.

According to ALI, the ALI-UP partnership has created 50,000 jobs since its operation started in 2008.

This developed as the company clarified that under their development lease agreement with UP for the Technohub property, the premier state university will receive P171 per square meter monthly.

This is higher than the P22 per square meter monthly within a year which appeared in an online report read by Presidential Spokesperson and chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo.

“This was derived from P4.23 billion in lease payments and P6 billion investment in 16 commercial buildings for a total amount of P10.23 billion over the life of the 25-year contract,” said ALI. Of the total lease payments, P1.1 billion was estimated to have earned from 2008 until 2018 while P3.13 bilion will be earned from 2019 until 2033.

According to the company, of the 37-hectare property, Technohub occupies 20 hectares, four hectares remains with UP while 13 hectares are open space, the statement said.

Aside from this, ALI said if the contract is completed in 2033, 100 percent of the lease for the building will go to UP being owner of the lot.

“After 2033, UP as owner, will receive 100 percent of the buildings’ rent. UP also continues to own the land which has appreciated in value since the start of the partnership,” said the company.

“We believe this development has been fruitful and beneficial for UP, ALI and the community. We welcome a transparent review and assessment of our partnership with UP,” said ALI.

A3

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

New traffic scheme up for

By Darwin G. Amojelar

S

AN Miguel Corp. said it would implement a new traffic scheme to facilitate the construction of the P10-billion Skyway Extension Project.

San Miguel said stakeholders― Skyway O&M, the City Government of Muntinlupa and administrators of Filinvest Alabang Inc.—jointly approved a scheme to manage traffic flow for the duration of the construction.

Work for the southbound section of the Skyway Extension Project started last Feb. 16.

The project, which will extend the Skyway to Susana Heights, involves the construction of a three-lane, elevated northbound section and a two-lane, elevated southbound section that will run on either side of the South Luzon Expressway and connect to the existing Skyway.

It will increase the Skyway’s capacity by 4,500 vehicles per hour northbound, and 3,000 vehicles per hour southbound,

giving motorists from Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and beyond, greater ease of travel to, or from, Metro Manila.

“We are once again appealing to motorists for their patience and understanding for the temporary inconvenience they may experience until construction activities are completed in the area. The Muntinlupa City Government, FAI, and Skyway, have come together and are helping each other, to ensure we have a traffic management plan in place, as we work on a long-term solution to traffic,” said Ramon Ang, president of San Miguel Corp., parent company of SMC Infrastructure, which operates the expressway.

“We apologize to you. This project is for your benefit, it will solve our longstanding traffic problem on SLEX and in Alabang. Let’s give our engineers and workers the chance to do what they need to finish the project,” he added.

The plan traffic scheme involves the closure of one southbound lane (Lane 3) of Skyway at-grade and the northbound lane of the West Service Road from the Sucat Interchange to Alabang Viaduct. and closures of southbound Alabang exit plaza (beside the Alabang viaduct) and the nearby southbound Bunye South Station (heading to Crimson, Filinvest).

These closures were originally

scheduled last December but were deferred due to the busy holiday season.

Among the work to be done in the area are bored piling and column installation activities which are expected to be completed in six weeks.

Affected motorists, particularly those headed to Alabang or the Alabang Zapote Road, will be rerouted to the Filinvest Exit and through Filinvest City.

FAI said it was fully cooperating and “allowing the traffic rerouting scheme to extend our support to the initiative to finish the Skyway project.”

The City Government of Muntinlupa, together with the Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau, also reiterated their support and thanked Filinvest, Skyway, and other stakeholders for coming together and cooperating on the plan.

Set for completion by December 2020, the Skyway Extension Project will add two lanes going north for a total of five northbound lanes, and three lanes going south for a total of four southbound lanes.

It will provide motorists a direct connection to Skyway 1 and 2 and Skyway 3, which is set to open in April.

This will allow motorists coming from the south to bypass Alabang and even EDSA, if they are headed to the airport, Makati, Manila, San Juan, Quezon City, all the way to the North Luzon Expressway.

‘Proposed CMTA amendments to improve BoC efficiency’ A PARTY-LIST legislator on Wednesday pushed for the enactment of House Bill 5548 that proposes to amend Republic Act 10863, otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariffication Act. Since the enactment of the CMTA, a landmark legislation, the Philippines has made great strides in the United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation, rising through the ranks of 128 economies.

From 69.89 percent in 2017, the Philippines’ trade facilitation rate reached 80.65 percent in 2019, AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep Sharon Garin.

Garin, principal author of the billl, said “international trade facilitation

is crucial to the country’s economic growth and that amendments are necessary to further improve the country’s international standing.”

“It is to be noted that since 2017, the country’s institutional arrangement and cooperation rating plateaued at 55.56 percent from 2017 to 2019. Should the bill be passed into law, the country’s rating is expected to progress,” Garin said.

Garin in her bill seeks to improve trade facilitation and assist the government in revenue collection.

“Provisions proposing the simplification and clear definition of some processes in the customs clearance of imported goods are incorporated in the bill. In addition to this, stricter administrative sanctions, specifically on the su-

pervision and regulation of third parties, are also being proposed to curb corruption and improve the efficiency of the Bureau,” Garin said.

House Bill 5548 is in line with the administration’s continuing efforts to boost the country’s trade activity and adapt global practices.

As the chairman of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, Garin said she hopes to improve the country’s ranking in the Top 25 developing-economy exporters, where the Philippines ranks 15th in the 2018 World Investment Report A technical working group under the Committee on Ways and Means has been created to discuss the proposed amendments to the law. Maricel V. Cruz

House panel OKs budget component of DDR Bill

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations on Wednesday approved the budget component of the bill that creates the Department of Disaster Resilience.

The panel chair, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, said the Taal Volcano’s eruption “requires us to act on this measure now.”

But the committee has yet to identify the exact amount of the budget to be allotted for the measure once it gets enacted.

Earlier, the House Committees on Government Reorganization and on Disaster Management, chaired by Reps. Mario Vittorio Mariño of Batangas and Lucy Torres-Gomez of Leyte, respectively, approved the DDR bill that creates a government agency that will carry out policies and programs on disaster risk reduction and rehabilitation.

The bills consolidated by the joint panels were House Bill 4 of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Deputy Speaker and Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte; and House Bill 1151 authored

by House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez.

The two Romualdezes, author of HB 1151, said the bill’s enactment would guarantee “a unity of command, a science-based approach and a full-time focus on natural hazards and disasters.”

“The Philippines is one of the countries often visited by strong typhoons.

Around 19 tropical storms enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility in a year and of these, usually six or nine make landfall. Natural disasters of increasing magnitude and frequency, such as typhoon Haiyan, have continued to affect our country, which is now the second most vulnerable in the world to disasters and climate change,” they said in HB 1151.

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Duterte’s legacy WITH SO many government departments and agencies involved in the relocation of those living within Taal Volcano’s 14-kilometer danger zone, there is now a lot of confusion.

Santa Banana, aside from PHIVOLCS, there is also the Department of the Interior and Local Government which has control over local government units, the Department of National Defense which has the Office of Civil Defense and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council under it, the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police!

Take this confusion in Tagaytay, for example. The DILG earlier said that the return of business establishments should be decided by the city mayor. And now the DILG wants everything closed because they are all in the danger zone.

My gulay, there was also an earlier order from the DILG to have a “window” for several hours, where evacuated residents could return to their houses to check on them. And then came the order that they should not be allowed to return.

As for all donations from the private sector, the DSWD now wants every donor to coordinate with it, with the assurance that these contributions will reach their destination.

It’s a case of too many cooks. *** I cannot believe what is happening with the Duterte administration. Its praise secretaries are now talking about a Duterte legacy, two and a half years before the President steps down.

For instance, Salvador Panelo, Martin Andanar and Karlo Nograles are now telling us about an alleged legacy of President Duterte. Is this not subject for discussion when a president’s term is about to end? We need to focus on other things like the Taal Volcano eruption.

They say that the wars on illegal drugs and corruption are Mr. Duterte’s

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

legacies, following Duterte’s vow to end these twin evils. They claim that the former is a big success, and people should focus not on the killings, extrajudicial and otherwise. As for corruption—is there even a positive spin since it is so embedded in the system?

How can anybody ignore the culture of impunity and the EJKs, the police abuses? These have been condemned here and abroad!

If I were Duterte, I’d be embarrassed about what my praise secretaries are doing.

If I were the President, I’d be embarrassed about what my praise secretaries are doing. *** If Duterte should at all be praised, it should be about his stand against the US senators who want to ban the jailers of opposition Senator Leila de Lima.

Recall that Duterte likewise banned those senators from entering the Philippines and even went as far as also ban Filipino-Americans from returning home. He later modified this statement.

I think this is a patriotic stand. Obviously, many Americans still believe the Philippines is their colony.

Insofar as President Donald Trump’s invitation is concerned, I think Duterte should not go. He will show that we can do many things without American help, because we are an independent country.

Let the other Asean leaders go to the US to bow before The Great White President. *** I support Duterte’s move to review all government contracts entered into by past administrations, if only to safeguard people’s interest. Ultimately, it will be the people who will pay for these.

It stands to reason that what was good years ago may no longer be the case.

For instance, I have studied the contract between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and the

I

Not business as usual

T IS gratifying to see Filipinos pull together in times of crisis.

Certainly, the eruption of Taal Volcano on Jan. 12 and its continued restiveness are a major challenge that have brought people together, with local governments coordinating with national agencies to keep their constituents safe.

The relative quiet of the volcano over the last few days, however, has encouraged some local government officials to sound a discordant—and even defiant—note, effectively wishing away the danger of a more devastating eruption in favor of allowing their constituents to return to their homes within the 14-kilometer danger zone.

More than 110,000 people have taken refuge in evacuation centers since Taal burst to life a week ago, but many hardhit towns have let residents back for hours each day to fetch items, feed livestock and clean up their houses. This, despite the warning by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of an imminent “hazardous eruption.”

The vice mayor of Talisay, Batangas, for example, appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte Monday to allow his constituents to return home despite the dire warnings.

In an interview on radio dzMM, Talisay Vice Mayor Charlie Natanauan criticized the PHIVOLCS chief, Renato Solidum, over the volcano warnings, saying he should change his “opinion” about Taal’s activity.

He said the PHIVOLCS chief was only making the situation worse, and that he should study it well.

“Nobody in the world has been able to predict a volcanic eruption,” he said in Filipino. “Why is he saying that? Is he God?” He said that even if the volcano erupts, he expects the lava to stop once it hits the water "because it will get wet."

Meanwhile, Cavite Rep. Abraham Tolentino said Tagaytay City, a top tourist location largely because of its spectacular views of the volcano, said it would be “business as usual” for establishments there, despite an order from the Department of the Interior and Local Government that

they stay closed as a precaution.

“As of now, we will treat it as a recommendation,” Tolentino said of the DILG order. “It’s business as usual.”

We beg to differ. It is not business as usual when the best available science—and not an “opinion”— informs us that a bigger eruption could be imminent.

Lava flows at a rate of 10 kilometers up to 60 kilometers an hour— far faster than anyone can run.

Moreover, the vice mayor of Talisay might be interested to know that lava doesn’t just “stop” when it hits the water.

When lava meets the sea it cools quickly while boiling the ocean into steam. The billowing steam clouds can be deadly as they contain small glass shards of fragmented lava and acid mist from sea water. The acid mist is known as laze is potentially deadly if inhaled and can be hot and corrosive. Anyone evacuating on boats, as the vice mayor suggests, would be in peril.

And that’s not an opinion of God speaking; it’s science.

Turn to A5

Preparedness is the key

WHEN Taal Volcano erupted about 10 days ago, Senator Francis “Tol” Tolentino was among the first to respond to the call for help. But of course it was expected as he hails from both Batangas (Tanauan to be exact) and Tagaytay, Cavite, two provinces greatly affected by Taal’s fury.

But unlike traditional responses extended by other political leaders like organizing relief and rescue operations, what Tol did was to systematize government response to the disaster by calling for an inter-agency meeting among the mayors of Batangas and Cavite towns, representatives from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Southern Luzon Command, Department of Health, National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, Batangas provincial government, and others whose offices are concerned in attending to disaster.

Despite being criticized by a knowit-all radio commentator who attacked Tol for calling a meeting instead of immediately attending to the needs of the evacuees, the neophyte senator was undeterred. And in that meeting, Tolentino made sure the need for emergency food packs, drinking water, blankets, mats, along with military trucks to transport evacuees from Taal to safer places like Bauan and Batangas City, will be addressed.

So the result—a systematic government operation with regard to the needs of those affected by Taal’s eruption and zero casualty as of this writing.

Tol wants more. Now that the relief and rescue operations are in place (rescue operations for animals both farm and pets left by their owners), the evacuees safely tucked in evacuation centers

put up in nearby towns, the lawmaker wants to up the ante by establishing a new agency to handle disasters—the Department of Disaster Management or a Department of Disaster Resilience.

However, this early, Senator Richard Gordon is already opposing Tol’s proposal saying local governments are equipped with calamity funds that they can use for emergency response.

Tolentino knows what he is doing.

All we need, according to Gordon, is for the proper utilization of government funds. Gordon even went to the extent of proposing the creation of a program that will manage all the disaster relief efforts, just like the creation of the Mt. Pinatubo Commission when the Pinatubo volcano erupted.

The program, according to Gordon, will be administered by the Commission should handle all the nitty-gritty of rescue, rehabilitation and relief work needed in major catastrophes.

But then, Tol knows where he is coming from. The program or the Commission Gordon is talking of, even the Philippine Red Cross which Gordon himself heads and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, will be, or are only activated on a per need basis.

Tol has been there, and has done that.

He was a former local executive. He was a former chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. He has been a political adviser of President Rodrigo Duterte and his point-man in every major disaster and catastrophe such as typhoons and earthquakes. He has overseen operations for countless disasters both man-made and natural.

And he knows the limits of a per-need activation of any agency to address any issue at hand.

The key to every disaster is preparedness. And that is what his proposed new Turn to A5

ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

Learning from SARS WHILE our nation deals with the possibility of an explosive Taal eruption, another threat looms. The new year came with the emergence of pneumonia-like respiratory disease coming from an alleged new strain of coronavirus originating from Wuhan, China. To date, there are more than 300 people in China afflicted with the said virus, while six individuals have died. Medical workers in China have started to get sick as well. Nearby Asian countries, Thailand, Japan, and South Korea, recorded their first cases of this new coronavirus infection—two in Thailand and one each in Japan and South Korea.

A notable pandemic suffered in Europe during the 1300s was the so-called Black Death. It was said to be one of the worst plagues which lead to the loss of millions of lives due to a deadly bacteria. The plague lasted for roughly four years. Despite such span of time, it led to labor shortage and setbacks in trade and commerce.

Perhaps the most recent fatal pandemic that we had recently was in 2003,

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

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

when the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) spread globally, killed 774 individuals, and infected more than 8,000 people from 29 countries. This

We are our own indirect protection against diseases. fatal disease was caused by a different strain of coronavirus which also originated in China. SARS was believed to be capable of human-to-human transmission, and this led to the swift spread of the disease.

Scientists have recently discovered

that the new strain of coronavirus is likewise capable of human-to-human transmission. This is alarming. This signifies that without taking proper measures, we are faced with yet another impending global epidemic.

Recently, three Chinese tourists in Kalibo, Aklan were reportedly quarantined in a hospital due to suspected infection. The tourists who were bound for Boracay, were found to have symptoms resembling flu. However, they were later discharged after their symptoms subsided and blood specimens have been obtained from them. Just this week, the Department of Health confirmed that a 5-year-old child in Cebu tested positive for coronavirus. The child, said to have come from Wuhan, China, arrived in Cebu last Jan. 12, 2020 and was seen to have experienced fever, sore throat, and cough. The child is currently under observation to determine whether the strain is the novel Wuhan coronavirus.

This Wuhan coronavirus is not something that should be taken lightly.

Turn to A5

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

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

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

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion Amend the PNP and AFP retirement law PNP Officer in Charge Archie Gamboa has now been appointed as the permanent PNP Chief. He can now devote his remaining months in the service to implement his programs. Whether he will have enough time to implement even a part of it is of course another question.

This is because the time spent by most chiefs of the PNP and the Armed Forces at the top is so short which basically just gives them time to warm their chairs before they retire.

The revolving-door policy must change.

It is about time to amend the PNP and AFP retirement law to stop the revolv revolving-door policy that is currently happening and give whoever are appointed to head the two services longer terms to be able to at least leave some kind of legacy before they are pastured off into the sunset.

The worse of the two is the AFP. The last four or five Chiefs of Staff did not last more than a year. A couple of them did not even last longer than four months. At least with the PNP, the last three or four lasted almost two years with a couple of them lasting for more than two years.

Amending the retirement law would benefit the government in the sense that extending the retirement age beyond 56 years old will save the government money by not paying retirement benefits so early.

There are other benefits as well. If the law is amended, a more strict attrition system could be put in place to weed out excess personnel and those who cannot come up to par but extend the services of personnel who are able to reach star rank.

Currently, everyone in both services must retire upon reaching the age of 56 unless extended by the president. This is the principal reason for the revolving-door policy now in place which is not surprising since the field of selection are all bunched together by age.

Officers reaching one star could, for instance, be extended for another year and another if that officer gets another star and so forth. If one is eventually selected as the chief PNP or Chief of Staff of the AFP, from this group, they would be retiring at about 60 or 61 years of age with at least two years as chief of his or her service. There would be no need for a fixed term which seems to make politicians a little uneasy. Compared with other countries in the region with the exception of Singapore, our country has the youngest mandatory re-

tirement age in the uniformed services.

Another benefit of an amended retirement law is that a provision could be included to make it easier to get rid of scalawags especially in the case of the police. But there must be an easier way to discharge officers and enlisted personnel from the service who are classified as habitual offenders. Restoring the old system in the Constabulary wherein the enlisted ranks are guaranteed only three years of service before they have to face a reenlistment board to see if they could continue in the service. This way, everybody will have to be on their toes the whole time. *** I was in the metro area last week when I was pleasantly surprised to get an invitation to attend a big shindig at the residence of my former boss, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. I have not seen her for some time and was glad to go to see what is keeping her busy since her declared retirement from politics. It turns out that she is quite busy writing her memoirs and doing some research in the area of micro finance.

The people in the party were mostly familiar faces because many of the guests were former officials in her administration. Some of them are also officials in the current administration.

Former Executive Secretary Ed Ermita was there together with the current National Security Adviser Secretary Hermogenes Esperon and many others.

The party was a belated celebration of the birthday of PAGCOR Chairperson Andrea Domingo who is turning out to be the most successful Chief Operating Officer of that government corporation.

As I found out, she is also one hell of a dancer.

Also, there was the Chairperson of the Civil Service Commissioner Alicia de la Rosa Bala whom I wrote about in my column last week. I found out that she is a career government bureaucrat on her 43rd year of government service. She spent her first 39 years of that with the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Social work is therefore in her blood and that was one reason why her bosses depended on her so much.

For one, her institutional memory of DSWD is unquestioned. Her stint in the CSC is her first away from social work.

From the few things that she was able to tell me, the CSC continues to provide services to its constituency. She and one of the other commissioners who was promoted from within the ranks of CSC have in fact an excellent working relationship. She is the kind of person who would rather find a common ground to solve a problem instead of confronting it. This is why it was hard to not like her; she has a pleasant personality and I do sympathize with the current situation that the CSC is finding itself. I hope she will be able to find ways to resolve whatever it is that seems to be bugging the CSC to be able to deliver more to the many government personnel who go through the agency.

Preparedness...

From A4

agency aims to address.

“If we have a Department of Disaster Management, they will be in charge and will be able to work from the very minute that the emergency happened,” Tolentino avers.

To allay Gordon’s fear the new department would only add up to an “already bloated executive and eat up more funds,” Tol proposes the consolidation of the budget of the NDRRMC, and other government agencies that would be under the new department. He even proposed that the Bureau of Fire Protection, now under the Department of the Interior and Local Government, be transferred to the new department.

In that way, Tol says “we will have more people in the field doing rescue and relief work.”

But more importantly, we will have an agency which we can rely will be attending to any disaster the very moment something crops up. Just like the Scout motto, and agency which is “always prepared. Laging Handa.” *** My apologies for my column last Monday. Someone called up my attention regarding lawyer Larry Gadon’s filing of the impeachment complaint against Ma. Lourdes Sereno. It was Aug. 30, 2017 and not January of last year.

And by the way, it was also Big Shot Larry who assisted Peter Joemel Advincula, aka Bikoy in the filing of sedition charges against Leni Robredo and other political leaders in connection with their alleged participation in the concoction and actual product of the “Totoong Narcolist Video,” which was reportedly done to facilitate the ouster of President Rodrigo Duterte.

My apologies.

Learning...

From A4

Learning from our experience with SARS, are we now ready to control and suppress this potentially fatal virus? We must be more vigilant and careful in handling suspected cases. The

Department of Health must be strict in adhering to the standard protocol for incoming visitors from countries with confirmed cases, especially since we have had an influx of Chinese tourists for the past couple of months. Many foreign visitors flock in most of our populous cities and tourist destinations.

We cannot afford to be negligent nor

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

High regulatory risk causing low FDI inflow THOUGH there are numerous investment-related factors that make it better than most other countries in this part of the world—a mainly young and efficiently educated workforce, familiarity with Western culture and traditions, a political history generally characterized by democracy and the rule of law and a citizenry that is adaptable and resilient, among others—the Philippines has long been one of the East Asian countries not successful in attracting a high level of FDI (foreign direct investment). It has consistently been one of the less-favored destinations for FDI, faring far less well than the likes of Thailand and Vietnam and doing a little better than countries like Laos and Cambodia.

Two of the major causes of the Philippines’ poor FDI performance have long been identified: governmental corruption and an inadequate infrastructure.

To be sure, this country has no monopoly of corruption but there is no gainsaying that FD investors would rather place their money in countries that are less corrupt than others. A country cannot be said to be only slightly corrupt when 2,000 container vans leave the Bureau of Customs (BOC) zone without a trace or when P6 billion worth of methamphetamine (shabu) manage to elude the supposed-to-be-watchful eyes of BOC personnel.

The extent of this country’s infrastructure deficiency is best illustrated by the fact that the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program comprises 75 infrastructure projects described as flagship projects. The rev-

elations in the recent Senate hearing on the program’s progress told FD investors that the Philippines’ infrastructure gap is not likely to be bridged soon.

A third—and arguably the most powerful—cause of this country’s consistently poor performance in the FDI area was re-highlighted recently by a report

by Fitch Solutions, an affiliate of the famed international credit rating agency, on the regulatory situation in this part of the world. Fitch Solutions maintains a Project Risk Index (PRI) that measures the financing, construction and operational risk of carrying out an infrastructure project. In its latest PRI report, Fitch

This is Fitch Solutions’ conclusion regarding the government’s actions on the water concession agreements.

Solutions stated that the Philippines had “one of the biggest regulatory risks” compared to the other countries of this region. In the Regulation sub-component of the PRI rating the Philippines scored 48.2—a score lower than those of Malaysia (70.2), Vietnam (59.4) and Indonesia (49.1).

What does Fitch Solutions refer to when it speaks of regulatory risk? “(T)he risks of retroactive changes in government and, more particularly government intervention in deals that had previously been signed between public and private stakeholders are comparatively higher in the Philippines,” Fitch Solutions said. “These

risks can undermine investors’ confidence, especially the confidence of foreign companies that are less familiar with the business environment, leading possibly to a higher cost of doing business and deterring inflows of foreign direct investment.”

Fitch Solutions pointed to the current issue of the Philippine government’s water concession agreements with Manila Water Co. and Maynilad Corporation as cases in point. The government has ordered the renegotiation of the agreements, citing alleged “onerous” provisions, and has rescinded the 25-year extension of the agreements. “(S)imilar agreements signed between the government and private companies could come under the spotlight,” the Fitch Solutions report warned. “(T)he water concession revocation case paves the way for the review of other possible ‘disadvantageous’ agreements, putting (at risk) the long-term financial viability of companies relying on such contracts.” Fitch Solutions went on to say that the government’s actions “(have) derailed the long-term planning and created a high degree of financial difficulty—in aspects such as borrowing (funds) and attracting new capital— due to revenue uncertainty.”

And what is Fitch Solutions’ conclusion regarding the government’s actions on the water concession agreements?

“We believe investors will be concerned over the possibility of similar instances of government intervention, which would create uncertainty for their business operations ….. There is a possibility that foreign direct investment may take a hit in the short term.”

After reading the Fitch Solutions report and learning of its low PRI rating, there no longer is reason to wonder why the Philippines continues to perform badly in the FDI contest.

Trump tears into environmental ‘doom’ mongers at Davos forum Trump branded those warning of outof-control global warming and other environmental disasters "the heirs of yesterday's foolish fortune tellers."

Trump did not even mention global warming.

He was just as unapologetic over his impeachment, which is now kicking into high gear.

That's "just a hoax," he said, calling the impeachment trial "disgraceful."

Trump campaigns Large parts of Trump's address sounded like a campaign speech aimed at a domestic audience as much as the Davos gathering of global political and business elites, which began in 1971.

"I'm glad to declare the United States is in the midst of a great economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen before," he said.

Over and over, Trump brought up statistics he claimed proved his "unprecedented" success, based on slashing environmental protections and renegotiating trade relationships with China and the United States' two huge neighbors Canada and Mexico.

"The American dream is back, bigger, better, stronger than ever before," he said.

Robin Niblett, director of the Chatham House think tank, called Trump's performance "an almost plain vanilla presidential campaign speech, laying out an unassailable set of statistics that tell the Democrats 'good luck taking me on on this, because you won't stand a chance'."

'Just the very beginning' Earlier, Thunberg underlined the message that has inspired millions around the world, saying "basically nothing has been done" to fight climate change.

Speaking calmly and with a wry smile, Thunberg acknowledged that her campaign, which began with school strikes, had attracted huge attention without yet achieving concrete change.

"There is a difference between being

heard to actually leading to something," the 17-year-old said.

And despite the focus given by the Davos forum, Greenpeace said in a new report that some of the world's biggest banks, insurers and pension funds have collectively invested $1.4 trillion (1.26 trillion euros) in fossil fuel companies since the Paris climate deal in 2016.

Trump touted the United States as the "number one producer of oil and natural gas" and said he would not let "radical socialists" attack the lucrative industry.

'Governments continue to fail' Sustainability is the buzzword at the Davos forum, with heel crampons handed out to participants to encourage them to walk on the icy streets rather than use cars, and the signage paint made from seaweed.

"People are paying a lot more attention" to climate, Eurasia Group president Ian Bremmer told AFP at Davos, adding there was "genuine action by some big players," after investment titan BlackRock said it was partially divesting out of coal.

"But let's be clear—a big part of this is because we failed for a very long time and governments continue to fail," he added.

Business leaders are likely also to be concerned by the state of the global economy whose prospects, according to the International Monetary Fund, have improved but remain brittle.

The IMF cut its global growth estimate for 2020 to 3.3 percent, saying that a recent truce in the trade war between China and the US had brought some stability but that risks remained.

Activists, meanwhile, will be pressing for much more concrete action to fight inequality, after Oxfam issued a report outlining how the number of billionaires has doubled in the past decade and the world's 22 richest men now have more wealth than all the women in Africa. AFP

Malaysian company MTD Capital Berhad. Theirs was a joint venture agreement for the construction of a sports facility in Capas, Tarlac for the SEA Games. Clearly, that deal was grossly disadvantageous to BCDA. A JVA is supposed to be about

equal sharing. This was not the case as BCDA spent more than MTD but they are each entitled to a 50-50 share in the income.

Second, the full payment of BCDA to its partner even amounts to more than P11 billion because it considered return on investment.

Third, the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel insisted that the deal was legal and above board despite a prior contrary opinion.

I believe there was hanky-panky involved in this deal. *** I believe Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong when he says that the rehabilitation of the summer capital would take three years or more. I would say, even five!

The Baguio I used to know and love is no longer what it used to be. It is clinically dead because of utter neglect by city officials.

lenient as to risk the safety and health of our fellow Filipinos.

As they say, prevention is always better than cure. Preparation goes a long way. Hence, I call on the Department of Health, especially the Bureau of Quarantine, to ensure that trained personnel and appropriate facilities that would house suspected cases are present in

all entry points in the country. Perhaps, the government should also consider issuing travel advisories against those countries with confirmed cases. I also strongly urge the public to maintain proper hygiene and cleanliness in the environment. Given the demographics of our cities, crowded public transportation, and congestion in urban areas,

observance of proper hygiene is our best weapon against communicable diseases.

With the current plight of our fellowmen in the Southern Tagalog region who live in evacuation centers, we cannot afford one mismanaged case to cause an unimaginable fatal epidemic. Following the principle of herd immunity, we are our own indirect protection against diseases.

By Sebastian Smith and Alex Pigman PRESIDENT Donald Trump tore into environmental "prophets of doom" at the Davos forum Tuesday, rejecting fiery warnings from teenage campaigner Greta Thunberg and talking up his own record in a counterpoint to impeachment back home.

Thunberg was in the audience in the Swiss Alps to hear the typically bullish speech by Trump, delivered just before the US Senate opened the crucial next stage in his trial for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

The 50th meeting of the World Economic Forum aimed for a strong focus on climate change but Trump made clear he had no time for Thunberg's warning that "our house is still on fire."

Instead, he touted the US economy, which he said was enjoying an "unprecedented" boom, thanks to his policies.

That was a message he then continued at a dinner meeting with CEOs including Europe's richest person Bernard Arnault of luxury firm LVMH and the Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal.

The Republican was also to meet Wednesday with the president of Iraq and the leader of Iraqi Kurdistan before heading back to Washington.

This will be his first talks with the Iraqi leadership since a US drone strike killed Iran's top military figure and also a senior Iraqi commander in Baghdad, triggering a parliament vote calling for the expulsion of US troops from Iraq.

Dismissing the 'apocalypse' Dismissing scientifically backed warnings that global warming is wrecking the planet, Trump said "we must reject the perennial prophets of doom and their predictions of the apocalypse."

He claimed that "alarmists" had been wrong over the decades when predicting population crisis, mass starvation or the end of oil.

Duterte’s...

From A4

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

A6

News

TODAY JANUARY 23, 2020 THURSDAY,

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

5 suspects held for killing of ex-solon F

IVE suspects were arrested in connection with the killing of former Batangas 2nd District Rep. Edgar Mendoza and his two aides whose charred bodies were found in a recovered vehicle in Tiaong, Quezon earlier this month.

Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province: LAGUNA Municipality: MAJAYJAY NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In compliance with Sec. 5 of RA No. 9048, A Notice is hereby served to the public that LOLITA MESINA-CALAPANO has filed with this Office a petition for Change of First name from “AURORA DIONICIA” TO “AURORA” in the Birth certificate of AURORA DIONICIA who was born on May 15, 1948 at Majayjay, Laguna and whose parents are Vicente Mesina and Teodusia Juavillo.

Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office.

(SGD) AGNES MERIADO-ALVAREZ Municipal Civil Registrar

Brig. Gen. Joel Napoleon Coronel, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group acting director, on Wednesday said one of the suspects was identified as the mastermind while another was found to be the one who stabbed and burned the victims.

Coronel, however, did not disclose the identities of the suspects while the investigation is ongoing.

He said the suspects are now detained at the CIDG detention center in Camp Crame pending the filing of charges against them.

(MS-JAN. 17 & 23, 2020)

of the second and fourth Sunday of each month from one clock to three o’clock of said afternoons. That any intention on the part of the petitioner to bring outside of said house Angelica Claire, the same shall be with the ARNALDO F. CUEVAS, written conformity of the respondent or Petitioners, whosoever is standing as guardian of CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-12-72166-CV the minor.

For: Declaration of Nullity of Marriage This Decision becomes final upon expiration of fifteen (15) days from OLIVIA L. LIMOS-CUEVAS, notice to the parties, counsels and Respondent. offices concerned. Entry of Judgment/ x--------------------------------------x Certificate of Finality shall be made if DECISION WHEREFORE, premises considered, no Motion for Reconsideration/New the instant petition is hereby GRANTED Trial or Appeal is filed by any of the and the judgement is rendered as parties, the public prosecutor, or the Office of the Solicitor General. follows: Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Quezon City, Metro Manila BRANCH LXXVIII (78)

1.DECLARING the marriage between ARNALDO F. CUEVAS and OLIVIA LIMOS-CUEVAS celebrated on June 30, 2001 in Villasis, Pangasinan, Philippines as NULL and VOID pursuant to Article 36 of the Family Code, as amended;

The Decision and the Entry of Judgment/Certificate of Finality shall be registered in the Local Civil Registry of Quezon City where this Family Court is located for their appropriate action.

After registration, the Court shall issue the corresponding decree subject to petitioner’s compliance of the 2.RESTORING said parties to their provisions of Secs. 22 and 23 of A.M. single and unmarried status; No. 02-11-10-SC. 3.CAPACITATING the same parties to remarry; and 4.GRANTING petitioner ARNALDO F. CUEVAS visitation rights over his child Angelica Claire at the house where the latter presently resides every afternoon

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Philippines.

15th of September, 2017.

(Sgd.) FERNANDO T. SAGUN, JR. Presiding Judge (MStandard - Jan. 23, 2020)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 84 – QUEZON CITY BRANCH 84 – QUEZON CITY PYP MANSION II CONDOMINIUM PYP MANSION II CONDOMINIUM represented by its President – Pablito represented by its President – Pablito FREO FREO Plaintiffs, Plaintiffs, CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-18-09083-CV CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-18-09083-CV FOR:Specific Performance w/ Damages FOR: CHER PAINTING AND ALLIED SERVICES, INC., and/or RENATO DELFIN as representative, Defendants. x----------------------------------------x ORDER SUMMONS On March 20, 2019, plaintiff, through TO: CHER PAINTING AND ALLIED counsel, filed a “Motion to Serve SERVICES, INC. and/or Summons Thru Publication with Leave RENATO DELFIN as representative of Court” before this Court.

Room 501, 5th Floor Condorde It was alleged in the said Motion that Condominium 200 Benavidez corner Salcedo St., plaintiff was informed by the Deputy Sheriff of this Court that summons for Legaspi,Village, Makati City defendant-corporation and/or Renato Delfin could not be served at Room GREETINGS: 501 5th Floor Concorde Condominium YOU are hereby required, within 200 Benavidez corner Salcedo fifteen (15) days after service Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City because the latter has moved out of this summons upon, to file from said principal office. Despite with this Court and serve on due diligence done by the plaintiff, he the plaintiff your answer to the failed to ascertain the whereabouts complaint, copy of which is of defendants. Hence, plaintiff is attached, together with annexes. constrained to move with leave of You are reminded of the provision Court for the service of summons to in the IBP-OCA Memorandum on defendant through publication.

CHER PAINTING AND ALLIED SERVICES, INC., and/or RENATO DELFIN as representative, Defendants.

Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses in the Answer. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and may be granted relief applied for in the complaint.

WITNESS my hand under the seal of the Court, this 20th day of August, 2018.

(Sgd.) Atty. CARLO EMMANUEL D. ONG Branch Clerk of Court V, RTC-84, Q.C.

WHEREFORE, finding the said Motion to be well-taken, the same is hereby GRANTED. Accordingly, the plaintiff is hereby allowed to serve the summons upon the defendants RENATO DELFIN and/ or CHER PAINTING AND ALLIED SERVICES, INC. thru publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

SO ORDERED. Given this 25th day of March, 2019 at Quezon City, Metro Manila.

(Sgd.) Hon. LUISITO G. CORTEZ Presiding Judge Copy furnished: Atty. OLYMPIA M. CALUPITAN Counsel for the Plaintiff Unit 103-A 2nd Floor Cybermall, Eastwood City, Libis 1110 Quezon City

(MStandard-Jan. 23, 2020)

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 225-QUEZON CITY IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRY IN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF ERIKA C. TIAMZON IN THE ENTRY NO. 1 NAME FROM ERIKA C. TIAMZON TO ERIKA TIAMZON DELA CRUZ, ENTRY NO. 6, NAME OF MOTHER FROM MIDDLE INITIAL C TO S AND NAME OF FATHER FROM ENRIQUE OLIVER D. DELA CRUZ TO ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ, ERIKA C. TIAMZON, Petitioner, -versusCase No. R-QZN-19-17373-SP THE CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY AND BIOLOGICAL FATHER ENRIQUE OLIVER D. DELA CRUZ a.k.a. ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ Respondents. x---------------------------------------------------------x ORDER An amended petition was filed on January 8, 2020 by petitioner through counsel praying that after publication, due notice and hearing, judgment be rendered ordering the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City and National Statistics Office to correct entry No. 1, name of child, from ERIKCA C. TIAMZON to ERIKA TIAMZON DELA CRUZ, Entry No. 6, name of mother, from MARITES C. TIAMZON to MARITES S. TIAMZON, and Entry No. 9, name of father, from ENRIQUE OLIVER D. DELA CRUZ to ENRIQUE D. DELA CRUZ to conform with the corrected Birth Certificate of father.

Finding the amended petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the Court gives due course thereto.

WHEREFORE, let copy of this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at petitioner’s expense, upon coordination with the Office of the Clerk of Court, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City. Hearing on the amended petition is hereby set on March 19, 2020 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at 4th Floor, Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City, at which time and place, any person having interest in the petition may appear.

Let copies of this Order be posted by the Branch Sheriff thirty (30) days before the hearing date at the following places at the expense of petitioner: 1. at the main entrance of the City Hall Building of Quezon City; 2. on the Bulletin Board of the Court, Hall of Justice, Quezon City, and 3. at the Barangay Hall of the barangay where the petitioner resided.

Let copy of the amended petition together with its annexes and a copy of this Order be furnished the Office of the Solicitor General and the Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City personally by the Branch Sheriff of this Court at the expense of the petitioner and thereafter to submit his report at least two (2) weeks before the hearing date.

SO ORDERED. January 10, 2010, Quezon City, Metro Manila.

(Sgd.) MARIA LUISA LESLIE G. GONZALES-BETIC Presiding Judge Cc: Atty. Romniel L. Macapagal – Rm. 207 2/F CMC Bldg., 35 Matalino St., Diliman, Quezon City Erika C. Tiamzon – Blk. 48 Lot 11 Violago Homes, Parkwood Hills Subd., Payatas B. Quezon City Enrique Oliver dela Cruz aka Enrique D. dela Cruz – Firearms and Explosive Office, Admin Section, Camp Crame, Quezon City Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City Office of the City Prosecutor, Quezon City Office of the Local Civil Registrar, Quezon City Philippine Statistics Authority (formerly NSO) – Vibal Bldg., Quezon Avenue, (MStandard - Jan. 23, 30 & Feb. 6, 2020) Quezon City

“They are undergoing investigation as of the moment and we are in the process of gathering additional evidence and we will also be consulting with the Department of Justice prosecutors on this account so we would be able to file a strong case against these suspects,” Coronel told reporters in a chance interview.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the identities of the bodies were confirmed to be Mendoza while the two others were his driver, Ruel Ruiz, and bodyguard, Nicanor Mendoza.

"The bodies were burned beyond recognition. DNA test was conducted to establish their identities. The DNA re-

sult was released on January 15, 2020," the PNP said in a statement.

Coronel said investigators are looking into a legal dispute as possible motive of the killing as one of the arrested suspects reportedly admitted to having a financial transaction with Mendoza.

The charred bodies were recovered inside Mendoza's car, a Honda Civic (DAN 6374) in Barangay San Francisco, Tiaong, Quezon.

Mendoza was accompanied by Ruiz and Mendoza when they left his home in for a meeting in Lipa City and Calamba, Laguna on Jan. 8.

The car was registered to Begbog Properties Inc. in Rosario, Batangas.

PNA

‘Mendiola Massacre’ remembered AS PEASANT groups and activists mark the 33rd anniversary of the Mendiola Massacre with a protest at the Mendiola bridge in Manila, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas and Anakpawis Party-list said that the Duterte administration responds with violence to the legitimate pleas for genuine land reform of poor farmers across the country.

The militant groups said this is manifested with the mounting number of victims of extrajudicial killings of peasant activists, with cases of massacres or instances of multiple victims.

“Ang kalagayan noon ng mga magsasaka at mangingisda ay pareho pa rin sa kasalukuyan, walang lupa at nakalubog sa kahirapan. Lehitimo ang panawagan para sa Tunay na Reporma sa Lupa at Pangisdaan, pero ang palagiang tugon ng gubyerno mula noon hanggang sa ilalim ni Duterte, ay karahasan, human rights violations at massacres. Ngayong araw ng anibersaryo ng Mendiola Massacre, sigaw namin ang hustisya para sa mga biktima nito, laluna kay Sonny Boy Perez na mangingisda mula Hagonoy, Bulacan,” former Anakpawis Party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao said during the protest.

He also said that during that time fisherfolk activists have been usual victims of human rights abuses, such as the case of nine fish-pond workers who were massacred by the 42nd Marine Company in Paombong on April 28, 1989, and Efren Concepcion, Vice-Chairperson of Bangkalis, the Bulacan provincial fisherfolk group, who was abducted and beheaded by the elements of Integrated National Police (INP), CAFGUs (Citizens' Armed Forces Geographical Units) on Feb. 11, 1990. Pamalakaya also called for justice for fisherfolk victims of the Corazon Aquino and Ramos regime, who it recognizes as martyrs of the fisherfolk movement. Willie Casas

Former DOF exec faces jail for graft

OUTSTANDING ALUMNUS. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte congratulates Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who was among the Outstanding Achievement Awardees during the Annual General Membership Meeting of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association Inc. at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Jan. 21. Presidential Photo

ACT hits budget for anti-Red campaign

By Rio N. Araja AMID a "measly" wage increase, teachers on Wednesday slammed the P36.439-billion allocation to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict aimed to end insurgency through Executive Order 70.

“We are enraged that Duterte’s NTFELCAC, his main fascist machinery that has militarized the bureaucracy, gets a huge chunk of people’s coffers. Meanwhile, the calamity fund was significantly slashed and the pay hike budget for 1.5-million civilian employees was prudently provided for in the 2020 budget. Such leaves us vulnerable in times of crisis, like now that we are facing the tragedy of the Taal Volcano eruption. The government’s neglect has never been more evident, and the people’s collective power ever more powerful as we are left to rely on each other,” said ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio.

Basilio said the task force’s budget was P3 billion more than the P33.2 for the 2020 salary increase of government workers, and

was even P20 billion more than the P16billion calamity fund.

He vowed to fight for the upgrading of their wages to Salary Grade 15 under the Salary Standardization Law. "The P1,562 monthly increase until 2023 for public school teachers is nowhere near the doubled salary President Rodrigo Duterte repeatedly pledged and had quickly provided for cops and soldiers, nor does it come close to teachers' demand for P30,000 minimum pay, which nurses will start receiving this year after the Supreme Court ruled to move nurses' entry level pay to Salary Grade 15," he said.

He said that their salaries "fall behind those of professionals in other fields."

“Therefore, teachers’ fight for decent pay, better benefits and services for all to serve more than just the economic interests of the people but also contributes to the frustration of Duterte’s drive for absolute power,” said Basilio.

The group also hit the government's "prioritization of war over people’s welfare."

By Maricel V. Cruz A FORMER Department of Finance official who is facing a string of cases arising out of his assignment at the one-stop shop Inter- Agency Tax Credit and Drawback Center was convicted of graft anew by the Sandiganbayan and was meted out six to 10 years imprisonment.

This time, Raul de Vera, former officer of in charge of the one-stop shop, was convicted of granting a P1.75 million in tax credits to an unqualified company.

The anti-graft court said that De Vera “unlawfully granted P1.75 million worth of tax credits to St. Rose Transit Inc. for the latter’s purchase of two units of Mitsubishi buses.”

St. Rose was not eligible for tax credits since it acquired the vehicles from a dealer and not a domestic manufacturer as required under the Omnibus Investment Code, the court ruled.

In addition, the anti-graft court also said that De Vera conspired with St. Rose Transit Inc. officials Joseph Cabotaje and Aladin Simundac “in making it appear that the Philippine Automotive Manufacturing Corp. sold the P9.7 million worth two Mitsubishi buses to St. Rose Transit Inc. with PAMCOR issuing Tax Credit Application No. 96-0-0001 and supporting documents such as vehicle invoice and delivery receipt the the bus company.”

TEACHERS’ PLIGHT. Members of the Alliance Concerned Teachers gather in a press conference held at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City to discuss their stand against the Salary Standardization Law 5 and its effect to teachers’ living standards. The group also announced the direction of teachers’ fight for decent pay and their coming activities. Photo shows teachers tearing a giant payslip to symbolize their rejection of the ‘measly’ pay hike given by President Rodrigo Duterte. Manny Palmero

TUCP slams ’ineffective’ gov’t hotlines for OFWs

By Vito Barcelo THE labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Wednesday slammed the Department of Labor and Employment, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the recruitment agencies for having ineffective and different hotlines for distress OFWs, thus confusing Filipino workers on whom to call for help.

TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay made the revelation after the congressional hearing on the case of murdered household helper Jeanelyn Villavende, who was brutally raped and murdered by her Kuwaiti employer.

“Their overall testimonies reveal the government response to troubled OFWs does not have established proven protocols and mechanism. The DOLE, the DFA, the recruiter, the POEA, and the OWWA have different turfs and approaches that do not guarantee the safety of OFWs. “They’re so ineffective that troubled OFWs often come home in an aluminum box,” Tanjusay said.

The hearing also discovered that these government agencies have different communication hotline numbers that distressed OFWs is unable to memorize or dial especially when assault is apparent, he said.

“There is a brimming need for a massive overhaul of government response to OFWs in distress,” Tanjusay said, adding, “there is a need to forge a common, unified and adaptive government mechanism to save our modern-day heroes particularly the Household Service Workers from abuses and attacks.”

“The overhaul must be right away before another one comes back home in a box,” Tanjusay said.

The labor group said the government executives’ fundamental weaknesses to help troubled overseas Filipino workers were brought to the fore after the gory details of violence inflicted on Villavende.

Lawmaker seeks ‘substantial’ pay hike for teachers ASSISTANT Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro on Wednesday filed House Bill 5990 upgrading the minimum salaries of public school teachers to Salary Grade 15, teaching personnel in higher education to salary grade 16 and minimum salaries of non-teaching personnel to P16,000.

Castro also filed House Bill 5991 increasing the Personnel Economic Relief Allowance granted to government employees to P5,000 from P2,000.

“The struggle for a substantial salary increase for teachers that would provide decent lives for them and their families is far from over. Salaries of teachers have been left behind compared to those professions with similar qualifications and workload since the Duterte administration doubled the salaries of its military and uniformed personnel,” Castro said.

Castro said teachers are only given increases of a little over P6,000 spread across four years, or about P1,500 annually.

This is a far cry from their calls for a substantial increase in salaries since these measly increases given in tranches will only be quickly eaten up away by excise taxes and inflation, said Castro.

“President Duterte cannot claim that government does not have money for a substantial salary increase for teachers. This is a matter of budget prioritization. The Duterte administration simply does not prioritize substantially increasing the salaries of its public school teachers and other civilian employees. The 2020 budget of the Duterte administration is a budget for war against its people, prioritizing the military over social services,” Castro said. Willie Casas

Canadian-PH group holds annual ICT Awards

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines has announced that deadline for online nominations for the 14th annual International Information and Communications Technology Awards Philippines is on Jan. 31 with the gala night to be held on April 2 at the Marriot Grand Ballroom in Pasay City.

The International ICT awards—Philip-

pines seek to recognize excellence and raise public awareness of the best companies in the call-center and business process outsourcing industry in the country.

CanCham President Julian Payne said they have expanded the scope of the award categories this year.

Aside from the Premier and Select Category Awards, also included is the Industry Sector Awards for the “best companies using ICT services in a range of

major industrial sectors.”

Furthermore, the selection process has been significantly upgraded with the addition of a “preliminary independent verification stage.”

“This will ensure that the information in the nominations matches the eligibility criteria and that all information needed is complete and confirmed before a nomination is submitted for adjudication by the judging panel,” Payne said.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports 49 Filipino athletes knocking on Olympic door

By Peter Atencio IN THE next six months, 15 national sports associations will be sending athletes to Olympic qualification competitions.

Tokyo Olympics chef de mission Mariano “Nonong” Araneta said this after he met with Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez and representatives of various NSAs concerned yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Vito Cruz, Manila.

A total of 49 athletes are seeking qualification for the Olympiad to join early qualifiers pole vaulter Ernest John Obiena and gymnast Carlos Yulo.

Of the 49, 38 athletes have decent chances to make it to Tokyo. If this happens, this could become the biggest contingent that the Philippines has ever sent since the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where the country sent 47 athletes in 10 sports.

According to Araneta’s tally, athletics is hoping to send a total of four, along with aquatics (2), 3x3 basketball (4) and boxing (6). Also seeking qualification are athletes in golf (2), judo (2), skateboarding (2), weightlifting (2), taekwondo (12), cycling (3), Table tennis (1), canoeing(2) and karatedo (6).

Ramirez made assurances that funds amounting to P100 million will be made available for the training and campaign of athletes, who will take part in the qualifiers and in the ongoing preparations as well.

The financial assistance was guaranteed by President Rodrigo Duterte following the successful, overall title-clinching campaign of Filipino athletes in the recent 30th Southeast Asian Games.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., through the office of chairman and CEO Andrea Domingo, also sent a representative to the meeting.

A7

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Tokyo vows fast earthquake response T OKYO—It’s 9:15 am on Sunday July 26 and excitement is building at the Tokyo Aquatics centre as the first swimming medals are up for grabs. Nearby at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre, US superstar Simone Biles is warming up for her first appearance at the 2020 Olympics.

Without warning a 7.3-magnitude earthquake rips through Tokyo Bay, the ground shakes violently causing citywide damage, widespread panic and multiple casualties.

Fortunately, this is just an imagined scenario at a disaster drill carried out just before Christmas, as Tokyo 2020 organisers prepare for the worst, while hoping they will never have to do it for real.

At the gymnastics venue in Tokyo Bay the public address springs into action in Japanese and English.

“There has been an earthquake. Please stay calm and protect yourself. This venue is safe,” the advice crackles.

“Taking action in a panic may lead to danger. Please stay calm and follow the staff’s instructions. The elevators may not be used.”

Emergency first aid Within minutes, blue uniformed officers from the Tokyo fire department in their white helmets stream into the stadium.

“Are you OK?” emergency first responders shout as they tend to bodies littering the stands. Officials urge calm via loudspeakers and console elderly spectators.

Fifteen minutes later, troops from the Japanese self-defence forces in military uniform burst into the venue and are briefed on the situation as the evacuation gathers pace.

Troops bring in white stretchers and carry the injured to a triage area hastily set up adjacent to the gymnastics mats.

Medics perform emergency first aid on people laid out on red blankets as commanders bark out orders in a fevered but efficient atmosphere, sending less urgent cases to another venue.

Dozens of spectators, including the walking wounded and those in wheelchairs, are evacuated through the wide boulevards of the Tokyo Bay area, but efforts are hampered by a 6.0-magnitude

aftershock at 10:30am.

Across town, at the imposing Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, city governor Yuriko Koike convenes an emergency gathering with 40 of her top officials from the city authorities, fire department, coastguard and selfdefence forces.

She receives a briefing on the evolving situation in her quake-hit city, with a dozen monitors showing still images of the damage at the gymnastics venue and the location of fires burning around Tokyo.

Koike orders that all resources be diverted to saving lives but that infrastructure such as port and river facilities must also be inspected and repaired if necessary.

“We have many guests domestically and from abroad for the Tokyo 2020 Games,” she says, wrapping up the meeting.

“Please exert your utmost efforts to ensure the safety of spectators and Games workers as much as you do for Tokyo residents,” she orders.

The large-scale drill, over two locations and involving more than 500 volunteers, is part of Tokyo 2020’s contingency planning as they gear up to host the Games in one of the world’s most seismically active countries.

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks and Kawhi Leonardof the LA Clippers look on during the game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. AFP

Knox...

From A8

“The wind blew hard at the front (his backside),” rued Ababa, who vowed to strike back in the last two days with an attacking game as he steps up his drive for a record third straight championship in the event put up by ICTSI and organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. with PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia official apparel Pin High as chief backers.

He slipped to joint third at 142 with a hot-charging Ira Alido, a steady Rupert Zaragosa and a defiant Lane-Weston, who blew a three-birdie binge after four holes at the back with three bogeys in the next four then closed out his frontside with a 37 also for a 73, Alido, due for a breakthrough after a number of top five finishes last year, fought back from a 73 start with a solid backside 33 and went four-under in a punishing day with another birdie on No. 5. But like the rest of the bidders in the penultimate leg of the third second of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia, the 19-yearold former amateur hotshot bogeyed No. 8 and settled for a 69, while Zaragosa continued to defy the length, the bunkers and the undulating surface of Pradera with superb iron play and putting, producing a two-birdie, one-bogey round for a second 71 on a course that looked there for the taking for the long hitters but proved to be a virtual horror chamber for majority of the field for its length, bunkers and sleek putting surface.

Marathon...

From A8

apart from the cool P150,000 cash prize from MILO, she is handed the chance to compete in an international event, eyed within Asia as per PATAFA’s Ed Kho. Meanwhile, in the men’s track, it only took a single second to separate Jerald Zabala (2:31:16) and second-placer Richard Salano (2:31:17). Both men entered the final curve neck-and-neck but it was Zabala, the eventual and first time MILO Marathon King, who conquered the pack.

“Hindi ako natakot sa takbo, mas natakot ako kase ang daming tao (sa press room),” he said.

Coincidentally, both Hallasgo and Zabala are from Mindanao and both train under the tutelage of two-time Olympian and five-time MILO Marathon King Eduardo Buenvista.

“Sabi nga sa akin (ni Ed Buenavista) kunin ko time niya. Sabi ko, madami pa ako kainin na bigas mga limang kilo pa!” exclaimed Zabala.

This year’s MILO Marathon National leg attracted over 14,000 participants and is the first finals’ leg to be held in Tarlac City, which serves as one of the main highlights of the city’s Kaisa festival.

New direction for FESSAP Karate Club THE FESSAP Karate Club, under the auspices of the Federation of School Sports Association of the Philippines, held a general meeting at the Philippine Columbia Association, to discuss its future plans.

Of the 13 clubs/associations that attended the FESSAP Karate Club meet, three clubs have paid their obligation of a one-time membership fee, namely Philippine Karatedo Federation 1987; Gray Circle Shorin Ryu Shidokan Karate Club and Solidarity and Radiance of Karatedo Organization International.

The other club-associations in attendance were Neville School Karatedo Association; Kagaku Shotokan-Ryu Inc.; FILKADO LUCENA Karatedo Club; LACUAA Karate Club; Shukuri Karatedo Shorin Ryu Shidokan Philippines, Inc.; BNE MARTIAL Arts Association Club; JASKA GROUP; KARATE SPORT SCHULE INTERNATIONAL NCR; Philippine Karate Federation Black Commands Judo Karate and Kyodai Karatedo.

Professor Robert Milton Calo presided over the FESSAP Karate Club meeting that was also attended by members of the FESSAP National Secretariat led by Joseph Amparo Sy, Cecil Sarmiento, Antonio Quiza and Eddie Ang. The clubs/associations that have not fulfilled their obligations are requested to

FESSAP Karate Club members are shown after their first meeting at the PCA sports center.

settle their membership fee on or before January 25, whem the next FKC meeting is tentatively set at PCA. The main objective of FESSAP is to put together an elite group composed of various representatives from karate clubs/associations totaling 10 or more for a quorum to tackle its various programs from 2020 to 2022.

One proposed program is the staging of a National Competition among its members to be annually in October or November.

The FKC Committee welcomes any school that plans to host the national tournament in a bid to attract more entries from the student athletes’ sector.

The members of the FKC Committee are expected to come out with the rules and regulations based on their respective ideas and provisions.

All Karate Clubs and Associations that are registered members with the FESSAP Karate Club is eligible to be committee members and decide on the future that the FESSAP Karate Club will undertake.

Typhoons and terror Sports fans already had a taste of Japan’s vulnerability to natural disasters when a powerful typhoon struck during the Rugby World Cup, forcing the unprecedented cancellation of three matches.

While July and August, when the Olympics are held, is not peak typhoon season, they can strike at any time—as can earthquakes or terrorist attacks—and organisers want to be as prepared as possible.

Tokyo firefighters included an anti-terrorism drill alongside emergency preparations in their traditional new year display.

While visitors from around the world may be unnerved by earthquakes, officials stress there is no country better prepared or equipped.

Japan experiences thousands of tremors per year of varying sizes and the vast majority cause little or no damage, with emergency services well drilled.

Paralympic boss Andrew Parsons recalled in a recent AFP interview being in a Tokyo hotel when a medium-sized earthquake shook his room and he rushed to reception in a mild panic.

“I was the only one who seemed to notice,” he laughed, amused by the blase response of local residents. AFP

Leonard outduels Doncic as Clippers win LOS ANGELES—Kawhi Leonard won his duel with Luka Doncic as the Los Angeles Clippers downed the Dallas Mavericks 110-107 on the road in their Western Conference clash on Tuesday.

Clippers star Leonard and Mavs talisman Doncic each finished with 36 points after a see-saw battle at the American Airlines Travel Center.

Leonard added 11 rebounds and two assists while Doncic narrowly missed a triple-double with 10 rebounds and nine assists.

The Clippers improved to 31-13 with the win to move into second place behind the Los Angeles Lakers in the standings. The Mavericks remain in fifth with 27 wins and 16 defeats.

The Clippers appeared to have control of the contest after opening up an 11-point lead at halftime, 60-49.

But the Mavericks rallied strongly in the fourth quarter, clawing their way back from 90-82 down with nine minutes remaining to level.

A pair of Doncic free throws gave the Mavericks their first lead of the second half with 5min 43sec remaining, but Leonard took control down the stretch to close out the win for the Clippers.

Leonard produced a sublime assist to set up Landry Shamet for a threepointer to make it 105-98 and then added a three-pointer of his own shortly afterwards to help the Clippers into a 108-100 lead.

The only sour note for the Clippers was an apparent groin injury to Patrick Beverley which forced him off the court at half-time.

In Beverley’s absence, Lou Williams came off the bench to deliver a crucial 16 points while Shamet finished with 18 points. Montrezl Harrell also added a double-digit contribution with 12 points.

“We’re starting to feel good, we’re starting to understand the best ways to play with each other,” said Williams after what was a fourth straight victory for the Clippers.

“We’re happy with the progress we’re making and we’re starting to turn a corner.

We’re starting to feel comfortable with what everybody does on the floor and what everybody brings to the table at different points in the game. We’re getting there.”

Sharapova career in balance after ugly loss MELBOURNE—Maria Sharapova burst onto the scene as a supremely gifted teenager and won five Grand Slams before serving a drugs ban, but at age 32 a persistent injury has now thrown her turbulent career into grave doubt.

The Russian former world number one’s ranking is set to dive below 350 after Tuesday’s first-round defeat at the Australian Open.

There have been suggestions that Sharapova could soon retire and she did little to dispel that notion following the straightsets loss to the 19th seed Donna Vekic.

Asked by AFP if she will be back in Melbourne again, she replied: “I don’t know, I don’t know.

“It’s tough for me to tell what’s going to happen in 12 months’ time.”

Sharapova, banned for 15 months for failing a drugs test at the 2016 Australian Open, also said that she did not know what her playing schedule will be in the weeks ahead.

There were moments when Sharapova’s downcast press conference took on the air of a farewell.

One journalist asked what the best decision had been in her career.

“I surrounded myself with great people and a great team,

and I think it starts with that because you can’t always get to where you want to go alone,” replied Sharapova.

The Russian once rivalled Serena Williams on court for Grand Slams as well as off it as one of the most marketable women in sport, her net worth estimated by Forbes at $195 million.

But while the 38-year-old Williams is going for a record-equalling 24th Major in Melbourne, Sharapova has hardly played in the past year because of long-standing shoulder problems.

When she did play she lost as many matches as she won and was dumped out in the first rounds at Wimbledon and the US Open—and now Melbourne.

A former champion in Melbourne, it was her earliest Australian Open exit in a decade.

‘I don’t have a crystal ball’ Sharapova shot to fame as a giggly 17-year-old Wimbledon winner in 2004, the third-youngest player to conquer the All England Club’s hallowed grass courts.

She became world number one in 2005 and won the US Open the next year.

But in 2007 Sharapova began her long on-off battle with shoulder trouble. AFP

Russia's Maria Sharapova reacts on a point against Croatia's Donna Vekic during their women's singles match on day two of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. AFP

Sports

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

A8

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

Djokovic rips foe, advances to 3rd round MELBOURNE—Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic weathered a testing second set and breezy conditions to crush Japanese wildcard Tatsuma Ito and reach the Australian Open third round Wednesday.

The Serbian star gave up just seven games against the world number 146 in the 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 romp on Rod Laver Arena which lasted 95 minutes.

“Credit to him for fighting till the end, the second set was pretty close,” said the reigning title-holder.

“They were tough conditions, pretty windy and it was hard to know where the balls were going. My serve helped a lot to get me out of trouble.”

His reward is a clash against another Japanese, Yoshihito Nishioka, who beat Britain’s Dan Evans in three sets.

It was Djokovic’s 70th match win at Melbourne Park to only eight defeats, but one of those defeats was against a wildcard -- Denis Istomin -- in the second round three years ago.

With that in mind, he came out with all guns blazing, racing through the first set in just 22 minutes.

The 32-year-old dropped a set in a tough opening clash on Monday against German Jan-Lennard Struff, and against the odds Ito pressed hard to level the match in the second set.

The experienced Japanese, bidding to reach a Grand Slam third round for the first time, cut down on his error rate to push Djokovic around the court and get into the rallies.

But the Serb inevitably got the break he was chasing in game nine when Ito fluffed a forehand and he quickly served it out, blasting down an ace to go two sets ahead.

Djokovic, bidding for a 17th Grand Slam title, had never lost a Slam match to a player ranked as low as Ito and the Japanese couldn’t sustain his level, leaking errors as the world number two galloped to the finish line.

Djokovic is seeking to become only the third man to win eight or more titles at the same Grand Slam after Rafael Nadal (12 at Roland Garros) and Roger Federer (eight at Wimbledon).

He is now on an eight-match win streak after leading Serbia to the ATP Cup title in Sydney ahead of the first Major of the year. AFP

Baby Tams rip Junior Warriors in UAAP caging THE Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws leaned on a balanced scoring from seven players to topple the University of the East Junior Warriors, 70-46, yesterday in the 82nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior basketball tournament.

Patrick Sleat led the way for 10 points as the Baby Tamaraws picked up their ninth win in 10 games and secured a playoff slot in the Final Four semifinals.

Top gun Anfernee Estacio did not score much for the Baby Tamaraws after seeing action for limited minutes and making only six points.

Cholo Anonuevo tallied nine points with Aeron Bagunu and Royce Mantua and unloaded a trey in the remaining 7:19 of the second canto to lift the Baby Tams a 20-9 spread and into a 26-13 halftime lead.

Triples from Anonuevo and Mantua with 7:50 left in the third handed FEU their biggest edge, 33-13.

The Baby Tams have joined the league-leading Nazareth School of National University in assuring themselves of at least a playoff berth.

Earlier, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets trounced the University of the Philippines Integrated School, 104-84, while the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs blasted Adamson, 88-80, to remain on track of their goals.

Josh Lazaro, who like Estacio is from San Beda, came up with his best game with a 26-point, 13-rebound output, and helping power Ateneo to a 5-5 slate in fourth.

John Lina Lina struck with 24 points for UST, which hiked its record at third with a 6-4 slate.

The Junior Warriors are behind at 3-7 and the Junior Maroons fell to 0-10. Peter Atencio

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates after victory against Japan’s Tatsuma Ito during their men’s singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne. AFP

PH wants to host boxing qualifier

By Peter Atencio

T

HE Olympic boxing qualification matches for Asia/Oceania in Wuhan, China has been called off and the Philippines could be one of its new hosts.

Philippine Olympic Committee President and Tagaytay Rep. Abraham Tolentino expressed his interest in having the qualifiers held in the country, in support of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines’ efforts to make this happen.

“We support ABAP’s suggestion to transfer the tournament to the Philippines. The Philippine Olympic Committee will endeavor to assist in whatever way it can,” said Tolentino in a statement.

Organizers have reportedly scrapped the staging of regional qualifying rounds for the Tokyo Olympics’ boxing events next month in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

The city and other locations in China are currently dealing with outbreaks of pneumonia blamed on a new coronavirus.

The event was supposed to be held from February 3 to 14.

The reported cancellation was made in response to numerous appeals from participating countries in order to protect the health and security of athletes and other attendees.

Reports of cancellation came ahead of the International Olympic Committee’s official an- Tolentino nouncement of the new date and venue of the rescheduled events.

Other regional boxing qualifiers will begin next month from different parts of the world.

ABAP president Ricky Vargas has expressed his concern over the situation and was among those who have written a letter to the organizers.

“With the Olympic Qualification Tournament for Asia-Oceania fast approaching, the daily reports about the worsening situation have caused very urgent apprehensions among our boxers, officials and the public at large,” said

Vargas in his letter.

Vargas said they are open to the idea of hosting the qualifiers.

“We are also keenly considering hosting the said tournament, should the requirements be feasible. Please let us know,” wrote Vargas.

“We are hoping to qualify athletes here.

Now, the numbers of athletes that we will send no longer matters at the moment,” said boxing executive director Ed Picson.

So far, preparations for the games have already been delayed after the IOC in June took over the boxing competition and suspended the international boxing federation due to issues with its finances and governance.

The IOC have instead set up a task force, led by its member and International Gymnastics Federation head Morinari Watanabe, to organize the boxing events.

Picson, on the other hand, said they are now awaiting word from the IOC on the official status of the Wuhan event.

Knox ties Jahns on late 2-shot swing JOE Knox holed out with a birdie on the ninth which Keanu Jahns bogeyed later in a jumbling frontside finish for a key two-shot swing that earned the Englishman a shared view of the top with the FilGerman as the erstwhile leaders faltered and tumbled in a topsy-turvy second round of the ICTSI Pradera Verde Classic in Lubao, Pampanga yesterday.

Knox, who birdied two of the last three holes to save a first round 71 Tuesday, checked a roller-coaster two-birdie, three-bogey round after 11 holes from No. 10 with three straight birdies from No. 3 but tripped with a second straight bogey on the long 491-yard No. 6 before birdying the par-5 finishing hole, also for the second straight day, to preserve a 70.

Despite a bogey on No. 4, Jahns held on to a one-stroke lead he gained on a scorching four-birdie exploit at the back but misread a seven-foot putt for par at the finish for his own version of a 70, enabling Knox to keep abreast with the former at 141 heading to the last 36 holes of the $100,000 event bracing for a wild, wooly finish.

He left after signing his scorecard, which however showed the resiliency in the journeyman from United Kingdom, who battled back from a one-over card with three straight birdies from No. 3 then closed out with a birdie to negate his other bogey on the sixth.

Joe Knox hopes to knock down Keanu Jahns with solid driving in their highly anticipated third round faceoff

Jahns, meanwhile, stayed a bit to assess his wobbly finish then said: “Overall, I played pretty well. The wind was quite strong at the back where I started but I was able to handle my game.”

Jhonnel Ababa, who shared the first day honors with Clyde Mondilla, Dutch

Guido Van der Valk and Aussie Jack LaneWeston with 69s, failed to handle his after going four-under overall with a second straight birdie on No. 17 as he bogeyed three of the first seven holes at the front and needed to birdie No. 8 from eight feet Turn to A7 to scramble for a 73.

Paralympic medalist thanks PSC for support PARA powerlifting veteran Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta expressed gratitude to the Philippine Sports Commission for giving all-out support to her career throughout the years and supporting her ASEAN Para Games participation.

“Malaking bahagi ang PSC sa buhay ko. Kung bakit ako nabigyan ng pagkakataon na makapag-compete sa iba’t ibang international competitions,” said the 46-year-old Ancheta, who started powerlifting in 1997.

The PSC has been very supportive of Dumapong-Ancheta’s career.

From her P27,000 monthly allowance, the multi-titled para powerlifting superstar of the country is now receiving a monthly salary of P36,000 thousand pesos since April 2018.

This after Dumapong-Ancheta made her 5th Paralympic Games campaign in 2016 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, while adding a bronze medal during the 2018 Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Three years later, the proud daughter of Kiangan, Ifugao, became the first-ever Filipino para-athlete to win a medal from the Summer Paralympic Games, when she bagged a bronze in Sydney, Australia.

“The PSC has taught me to have more confidence, to have a better outlook on myself, and be proud. They have given me the opportunity to represent the Philippines and be able to give glory to our country,” shared Ancheta.

Dumapong-Ancheta is now considered to be the top para powerlifter in the women’s 82-kilogram category in Southeast Asia. She has won 7 golds and 1 silver medal from the past eight editions of the ASEAN Para Games (APG)—a multisport event for the differently-abled athletes that happen every two years.

“To the Philippine Sports Commission, thank you very much po.

Mula po sa itaas hanggang po sa ibaba. Isa po ako sa mga tinulungan ninyo. Maraming-maraming salamat at mabuhay po kayo.” said Anchetam who was greeting the sports agency for its upcoming 30th founding anniversary.

Marathon queen Hallasgo shows SEA Games’ win no fluke

By Peter Paul Duran TARLAC CITY—Southeast Asian Games. marathon gold medalist Christine Hallasgo is still riding high after yet another conquest at her sport, this time at the National Milo Marathon Finals Sunday here.

Clocking in at under three hours, Hallasgo ruled the 42-KM centerpiece event with relative ease at a personal best 02:52:23, close to six minutes faster than defending Milo Marathon Queen Mary Joy Tabal (2:58:49) who came in second.

Hallasgo seems to find the elements in Tarlac favorable to her steady rise towards marathon superstardom as the result comes at the heels of a similar upset win

for the Bukidnon-based runner when she denied Tabal back-to-back SEAG golds in December at the New Clark City.

Hallasgo may introspect that she has now dethroned six-time defending Milo Marathon champ Tabal, a feat which does not come without qualms for the 28-yearold mother.

“Wala naman ako sama ng loob sa mga tao, pero masakit din sa damdamin na dahil sabi ng iba tsamba daw (SEAG gold),” Hallasgo said in a chat with scribes after the event.

“Kung ano man ang achievement na nagawa ko, nag-perform ako at pinaghirapan ko talaga. Lahat ng hirap tiniis ko, lalo na ’yung mawalay sa pamilya. Pinapangrap

ko lang ito dati, ngayon nakamit ko na,” Hallasgo added as her triumph at the 43rd NMM was sweet vindication enough to prove doubters wrong and substantiate her recent run of excellent form as no fluke.

Trust us, the numbers don’t lie.

Hallasgo’s time of 2:52:23 is four minutes faster than her SEAG mark of 2:56:56 and she did this a mere month and half after her gold at the NCC. And just like when she surprised everybody at the SEA Games, she too, did not expect a repeat over her Cebuana idol-turned-healthy rival Tabal.

“Hindi ko expected matalo ‘yung idol kong si Joy Tabal. Naging positibo lang pananaw ko,” she said as she bared that

after the race, Tabal congratulated her and even posed for a pic, saying that there’s no real animosity between them as being portrayed by some netizens, something that she has no control of.

She did, however, took control in the last 13 kilometers of the race, breaking away from Tabal and conquering the route which composed of uphills and downhills.

“Sanay din naman ako sa klima na malamig, at parehas lang ang (terrain) gaya doon sa Bukidnon na pinag-trainingan ko,” said Hallasgo, who is looking to book a ticket to the Olympics this year should she qualify for a spot in Tokyo.

And she may get this chance because Turn to A7

IN BRIEF

DOE: Malampaya ‘19 gas output slightly up PRODUCTION from the Malampaya gas field in northwest Palawan rose slightly in 2019 to 155,690 million standard cubic feet from 154,621 mmscf in 2018.

Data from the Energy Department showed the monthly average production increased to 12,974 mmscf from 12,885 mmscf in 2018.

The average daily production from Malampaya increased slightly to 427.72 mmscf from 424.79 mmscf in 2018.

The country’s entire gas production comes from the $4.5-billion Malampaya gas field, which implemented a three-day maintenance shutdown in October last year.

The Malampaya gas field which started production in 2001 is considered an energy asset of significant national importance, being the Philippines’ largest and only commercially producing gas field.

The Malampaya project serves approximately 20 percent of the national demand for electricity.

Production of Malampaya condensate, used in fuel and plastic, however, declined to four billion barrels from 4.061 billion barrels year-on-year. Alena Mae S. Flores

PLDT unit provides WiFi service to CDO PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of ePLDT Inc., has teamed up with the Philippine Ports Authority and the local government of Cagayan de Oro to provide free WiFi service in the Port of Cagayan de Oro. “We at PLDT Enterprise commend the local government of CDO for enabling the port with fast and free public Wi-Fi. As one of the country’s busiest terminals, reliable connectivity is essential for the thousands that pass through the port daily,” said Jovy Hernandez, ePLDT president and chief executive and senior vice president and head of PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups.

“With Smart WiFi, more people will now be able to communicate easily, even while in transit—a must in today’s dynamic and connected world,” he added.

The partnership also aims to improve the facilities and amenities of the port— better catering to the comfort and customer experience of its sea passengers.

With the PLDT Group boasting of the country’s most expansive fiber optic backbone, which today spans over 300,000 km nationwide, users of the service can always be assured of seamless and reliable connectivity. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business Chevron says Batangas land lease above board

By Alena Mae S. Flores and Julito G. Rada

C

HEVRON Philippines, which markets the Caltex brand of petroleum products, said Wednesday its lease contract with a subsidiary of Batangas Land Co. Inc., a unit of state-run National Development Company, was done above-board and complied with Philippine laws and regulations.

“The Chevron Philippines lease contract with BLCI on the Batangas property was entered into in compliance with all Philippine laws and regulations, and has been beneficial to both the government and CPI,” said Chevron Philippines policy, government and public affairs manager Raissa Bautista.

“As one of the pioneer energy companies in the Philippines which has been operating here for over a hundred years, our commitment to the Philippine market remains strong,” Bautista said.

Chevron currently imports its fuel supply requirements after shutting down a 72,000-barrel-per-day refinery in San Pascual, Batangas in 2003.

“We will maintain open communication with the government, an important and valued partner, on this matter,” Bautista said.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said he would not likely to intervene in the issue involving Chevron. “It’s been NDC and Chevron,” Cusi said when asked if his agency would summon Chevron to shed light on the issue.

The Finance Department said Wednesday it recommended to the NDC board to shut down BLCI by 2021 so the government could finally take back its sprawling 120-hectare (1.2 million square meters) property in Batangas now valued at around P5 billion.

It said Chevron Philippines was leasing the property for a measly 74 centavos per sq. m. per month, representing only 4 percent of the current monthly fair market rental estimate of P17.90 per sq. m.

Heeding the recommendation of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III,

the NDC board decided in December last year to terminate in 2021 the corporate life of BLCI. Dominguez, a member of the board, made the recommendation after the DOF uncovered what it called onerous provisions in BLCI’s more than four-decadeold lease contract with Chevron, which uses the property as an oil import terminal.

Shortening BLCI’s corporate life will finally allow the government to exercise “full ownership, control, and rights over” this prime lot and other real estate properties occupied by Chevron, which are strategically located for the country’s future energy projects, Dominguez said.

He said the government should have exercised these rights as early as 1975, but Chevron was able to obtain preferential treatment to continue occupying and using these properties under the Marcos administration.

Dominguez said “these properties should have been turned over to the government as early as the 1970s, not only legally speaking but, more importantly, based on the principle that these properties should truly benefit the Filipino people.”

SM Investments in Bloomberg index SM INVESTMENTS Corp. is one of 325 companies across 50 industries included in the 2020 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI).

The GEI represents 42 countries and regions, including companies headquartered in the Philippines for the first time.

“Being included in the 2020 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI) is a milestone and an honor for us. We put importance in fostering an inclusive work environment across our businesses, in our supply chain and in the communities we serve. The inaugural inclusion of SMIC indicates our commitment to gender equality through measurement and data transparency,” said SMIC president and chief executive officer Frederic DyBuncio.

The GEI tracks the financial performance of public companies committed to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation and transparency.

The reference index measures gender equality across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies and pro-women brand.

SMC Global sells $600m worth of senior securities SAN Miguel Corp.’s subsidiary SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. raised $600 million from the issuance of senior perpetual capital securities to finance battery energy projects and other general corporate purposes.

“We advise that on Jan. 21, 2020, the corporation issued $600-million senior perpetual capital securities with an initial rate of distribution of 5.7 percent per annum,” SMC Global said in a disclosure to the Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. on Jan. 21.

SMC Global Power said it obtained an “approval in-principle” the listing and quotation of the securities from the Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Ltd. It expects the securities to be officially listed to on SGX-ST on Jan. 22.

The corporation engaged Credit Suisse (Hong Kong) Ltd., DBS Bank Ltd., JP Morgan Securities Plc, Mizuho Securities Asia Ltd., Standard Chartered Bank and UBS AG Singapore Branch as joint lead managers, DBS Trustees (Hongkong) Ltd. as trustee and Deutsche Bank AG, Hong Kong Branch as paying agent.

SMC Global Power increased the senior perpetual capital securities issuance to $600 million from the previously disclosed $500 million.

The company said on Jan. 7 that it would issue the new securities of up to $500 million “or such amount as the management may later determine, based on prevailing market conditions and as may be advantageous to the corporation.”

It said the new securities would be in addition to the outstanding and issued $500-million senior capital securities issued on April 25, 2019, $300-million senior perpetual capital securities issued on July 3, 2019 and the $500-million senior perpetual capital securities issued on November 5, 2019.

Alena Mae S. Flores

COMPETITIVENESS INDEX. The Department of Trade and Industry and the Management Association of the Philippines team up to get more local government units to join the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index. The CMCI is an annual ranking of cities and municipalities based on economic dynamism, government efficiency, infrastructure and resiliency. Signing a memorandum of understanding are (from left) DTI Undersecretary Rowel Barba, Secretary Ramon Lopez, MAP president Francisco Ed Lim and MAP governor Amando Tetangco Jr.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

B1

Gov’t raises $1.2-b euros from first zero coupon bonds THE government said Wednesday it raised 1.2 billion euros from the sale of benchmark three- and nine-year euro-denominated global bonds, with the shorter-dated paper fetching a zeropercent coupon rate.

The debt paper are expected to be rated investment grade or “Baa2” by global debt watchers Moody’s Investors Service, “BBB+” by Standard & Poor’s and “BBB” by Fitch Ratings.

The notes are expected to settle on Feb. 3, 2020.

Officials of the Finance Department said the offering was a landmark transaction for the Republic, having priced its lowest coupon euro issuance and its first-ever zero-coupon euro issuance in the international capital markets.

“The overwhelming response from the market for this landmark transaction underscores the international investor community’s deepening confidence in the Philippine economy amid the reforms put in place by the Duterte administration to sustain the country’s high and inclusive growth in the face of the current geopolitical headwinds,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a statement.

National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said the offering garnered significant demand from high quality accounts “which allowed us to price a recordlow EUR coupon for the Republic”.

“The successful transaction allowed us to diversify our funding program and minimize our funding costs to support productive spending for infrastructure and social services,” de Leon said.

The Treasury said the “overwhelming reception” from the market allowed the pricing guidance for the bonds to tighten both tranches by 25bps to 3Y EUR Midswaps +40 bps and 9Y EUR Midswaps +70 bps after being revised from an initial pricing guidance of 3Y EUR Midswaps +65 bps area for the 3-year bonds and 9Y EUR Midswaps +95 bps area for the 9-year bonds.

It said the 3-year bonds allowed the Republic to price the first zero coupon bond in the EUR markets and price its tightest coupon in history for EUR transaction.

For the 3-year 600 million zero-coupon global bonds, by geographical allocation, 16 percent of the bonds were allocated to Asia excluding the Philippines, 4 percent to the Philippines, 26 percent to the United Kingdom, 13 percent to Germany, 12 percent to France, 5 percent to Italy, 10 percent to other European investors and 14 percent to the U.S. Julito G. Rada

PSA revises downward third-quarter economic growth to 6% from 6.2% THE Philippine Statistics Authority on Wednesday revised downward the third-quarter gross domestic product growth to 6 percent from the previous estimate of 6.2 percent, taking into account the changes in the contribution of other services, construction, transport, storage and communication.

The revision―done a day before the release of the fourth-

quarter and 2019 GDP today― brought economic growth in the first three quarters to 5.7 percent, down from the previous 5.8 percent. Economists said with the latest adjustment, the government’s growth target of at least 6 percent for 2019 could not be met.

PSA said in a statement that major contributors to the revision were other services, which

were revised from 5.1 percent to 4.2 percent; construction, from 16.3 percent to 15.4 percent; and transport, storage and communication, from 9.1 percent to 8.2 percent.

The PSA revises the GDP estimates based on an approved revision policy (PSA Board Resolution No. 1, Series of 2017-053) which is consistent with international standard

practices on national accounts revisions.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said in a report that the revision “dimmed hopes” for full-year growth to remain above 6 percent in 2019.

“The streak of years above 6 percent is currently seven, and fourth-quarter GDP will need to crest 6.8 percent to pole vault to

a 6-percent finish and complete the tale of two halves,” Mapa said.

Mapa said the ill effects of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ 2018 rate hike cycle continued to feed through the economy with the latest revision to the third-quarter GDP showing a more substantial pullback in investment activity.

Julito G. Rada

Study points to improved abstinence rate among electronic cigarette users

SEMIRARA’S ASSISTANCE. Semirara Mining and Power Corp. distributes relief packs to 5,000 evacuees in 19 evacuation sites in Calaca, Batangas. The relief packs include N95 face masks, ready-to-eat food and hygiene products. Sleeping mats and blankets were also turned over to some of the evacuation sites. In partnership with Maynilad Water Services, Inc., SMPC transported more than 4,000 liters of drinking water to the evacuation sites. SMPC president and COO Cristina Gotianun met with Calaca Mayor Nas Ona to determine the urgent requirements of the local government unit and the Taal evacuees.

A MAJOR player in the global e-cigarette industry shared the results of a latest scientific study on the positive effects of its products in helping smokers abstain from combustible tobacco.

JUUL Labs published the outcome of its most recent research in the Harm Reduction Journal which showed encouraging signs that use of its products over a longer period led to participants abstaining from smoking combustible cigarettes.

The study showed that after six months of JUUL product use, the proportion of smokers reporting 30-day abstinence from cigarette smoking had climbed from 47 percent at the end of the three-month follow-up assessment to 54 percent after six months.

This is a follow-up to the company’s previous peer-reviewed study that reported that after three months, nearly half of the participants who smoked combustible cigarettes at the start of

the study had successfully abstained from cigarette smoking for 30 days after purchasing a JUUL starter kit.

JUUL Labs said the 7-percent increase in abstinence rate was unprecedented and incredibly promising. It shows that a prolonged access to and use of JUUL products over time could result in a higher likelihood of refraining from smoking cigarettes.

The company, as part of its continuing research program, said it planned to conduct future follow-up assessments like this study for up to 18 months.

“We understand that it takes time to observe the real-world impact of our products, which is why we have set up multiple extensive, ongoing longitudinal studies that ask tens of thousands of eligible adult participants about their use of JUUL products and combustible cigarettes,” the company said.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market ends flat; Manila Water up T HE stock market closed flat Wednesday, with investors staying cautious after a deadly virus from China was confirmed to have spread to the United States.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 2.08 points, or 0.03 percent, to 7,468.73 on a value turnover of P7.1 billion. Losers edged gainers, 93 to 88, with 53 issues unchanged.

Manila Water Co. Inc. rallied 5.1 percent to P9.86, while casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. rose 4.1 percent to P10.40.

Globe Telecom Inc., the second-biggest telecommunications company, fell 3.1 percent to P1,973, while rival PLDT Inc., the largest telephone operator, de-

clined 2.9 percent to P1,037.

The rest of Asian markets bounced back Wednesday on bargain-buying following the previous day’s sharp losses but investors remained on edge following the outbreak of a new deadly virus.

Global equities took a severe hit on fears the new outbreak, which has killed nine and sickened hundreds, could cause as much economic damage as the SARS epidemic that killed hundreds of people in 2003.

Shanghai dived more than one percent in early trade, extending the previous day’s 1.4-percent drop, with authorities battling to contain the coronavirus strain as China prepares for the Lunar New Year holidays, when millions of people travel across the country.

Officials warned Wednesday the strain could mutate and spread.

Most markets across Asia were in positive territory Wednesday as traders kept tabs on developments linked to the virus.

“The main focus for investors still appears to be on the underlying economic data,” said Michael Hewson of CMC Markets UK. Tokyo ended up 0.7 percent, while Hong Kong added 1.2 percent following a 2.8 percent plunge the previous day.

Sydney rose 0.9 percent, Wellington added 0.7 percent and Singapore put on 0.2 percent. Seoul climbed more than one percent after data showed South Korea’s economic growth rallied at the end of last year, indicating a bright outlook for 2020.

However, Chinese mainland shares performed a U-turn to end the day with gains.

Tourism-linked firms—which had by hit on concerns about the impact on the global economy just as it shows signs of a tentative recovery from a long-running slowdown—also enjoyed a reverse.

After a sell-off in Asia on Tuesday, news that the US had reported its first

case hit Wall Street with the Dow and S&P 500 sinking from record highs.

Fears of a bigger outbreak rose after a prominent expert from China’s National Health Commission confirmed Monday that the virus can be passed between people.

The World Health Organization will hold an emergency meeting later Wednesday to determine whether to declare a global public health emergency over the disease, which has also been detected in Thailand, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

“While it is still early days, there is a risk that any outbreak could depress consumer sentiment and spending, including tourism as well as travel and transport related business,” said National Australia Bank’s Rodrigo Catril.

“In addition to the sad and devastating human cost, (SARS) also had an economic impact with epicentres such as Hong Kong enduring a short-lived recession. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review wedneSday, January 22, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

83.8 3.1 153.2 0.89 25 18.2 12 3.89 1.15 0.48 63.5 0.88 12.1 20.5 31.2 174 113.4 58.7 22.35 185 1,851 58.1 1.03

83.8 3.14 154 0.89 25.05 18.26 12.18 4.32 1.18 0.485 64.95 0.88 12.1 20.5 31.3 179 113.4 59.15 22.35 187 1,851 58.5 1.03

81.05 2.87 151.9 0.89 25 18.2 11.9 3.88 1.12 0.425 63.45 0.83 12.1 20.5 31 174 110 58.25 22.25 182.1 1,851 58.1 1.03

FINANCIALS 81.75 5,453,750 2.9 500,000 153.5 3,045,410 0.89 20,000 25 29,900 18.26 200 12.12 245,600 4.29 171,000 1.18 117,000 0.44 3,910,000 64.95 1,958,050 0.88 87,000 12.1 40,700 20.5 10,000 31.15 470,600 178 10,270 110 5,790 58.6 11,630 22.25 14,900 186.8 253,490 1,851 10 58.5 16,090 1.03 40,000

445,282,751.50 1,491,360 465,820,588 17,800 747,700 3,646 2,946,754 692,360 132,760 1,741,900 125,357,409.50 73,540 492,470 205,000 14,660,645 1,827,746 638,740 679,508.50 331,915 46,828,891 18,510 936,636 41,200

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

32.5 2.08 12.26 0.51 1.27 2.94 0.227 1.56 14.86 12.02 32.1 64.2 68 2.17 5.43 5.19 8.81 13.36 9.12 7.22 1.58 20.45 65.8 1.69 36.95 2 12.86 7.83 1.38 209.4 42.5 4.88 7.09 9.4 10.9 15 276.4 0.175 5 1.6 3.95 9.62 11.7 31.5 4.71 5.2 1.79 1.5 9.7 70.75 8.78 0.115 1.05 152.1 1.29 1.03

32.65 2.25 12.26 0.51 1.27 3.5 0.232 1.62 15 12.72 32.1 64.2 68 2.17 5.46 5.19 8.99 13.6 9.12 7.24 1.58 20.8 66.25 1.76 37 2.02 12.9 8.29 1.41 215 42.5 4.9 7.1 10 11 15 290 0.182 5 1.65 3.97 9.95 11.98 32.3 4.71 5.3 1.82 1.56 9.7 73.35 8.78 0.118 1.08 154.8 1.31 1.04

32.5 2.05 12.2 0.49 1.27 2.9 0.225 1.54 14.86 11.2 31.5 64.2 68 2.14 5.43 5 8.77 13.32 8.8 7.22 1.58 20.4 65.8 1.69 36.8 1.98 12.8 7.8 1.37 207.8 42.5 4.88 7.05 9.12 10.8 14.58 276 0.175 4.99 1.6 3.9 9.62 11.7 31.35 4.7 5.2 1.78 1.33 9.48 70.75 8.7 0.115 1 151.2 1.22 0.98

INDUSTRIAL 32.55 1,132,600 2.24 7,149,000 12.22 629,200 0.5 2,104,000 1.27 1,000 3.5 21,305,000 0.23 2,060,000 1.59 13,297,000 15 1,645,100 11.7 13,026,000 31.5 16,700 64.2 500 68 50 2.15 84,000 5.46 24,300 5 3,400 8.78 970,900 13.36 8,700 8.88 77,200 7.23 1,215,700 1.58 5,000 20.8 775,100 66 57,740 1.69 45,697,000 36.95 467,900 2 4,410,000 12.86 553,000 7.88 477,800 1.38 1,082,000 209 367,870 42.5 100 4.9 18,000 7.1 15,100 9.86 25,395,900 10.92 58,000 14.88 2,232,900 290 231,760 0.182 340,000 5 11,300 1.6 124,000 3.97 672,000 9.95 5,100 11.98 10,100 31.5 410,700 4.7 196,000 5.3 5,600 1.78 115,000 1.4 23,140,000 9.56 332,300 71.45 294,130 8.78 99,700 0.118 260,000 1.05 1,102,000 154 848,290 1.23 16,102,000 1.01 1,929,000

36,851,310 15,658,040 7,705,306 1,052,970 1,270 69,956,570 468,340 20,982,950 24,670,016 156,144,196 526,680 32,100 3,400 181,030 132,548 17,095 8,554,234 116,788 685,652 8,788,807 7,900 15,992,060 3,804,503 78,382,800 17,287,510 8,792,790 7,114,758 3,841,408 1,507,690 77,005,604 4,250 88,140 106,855 248,941,495 629,560 32,876,706 65,686,428 60,200 56,460 198,680 2,653,290 49,427 119,890 12,953,220 921,330 29,670 206,770 33,955,370 3,177,340 21,031,827 871,335 30,080 1,161,870 130,290,253 20,379,250 1,941,370

-30,676,270 -700,510 -5,178,742 2,500 -5797650.0003 -7,566,640 528,314 132,614 327,300 3,276,479 -46,792 1,903,142 4,627,375 -766,604 -142,340 -598,875 4,512,150 2,080,898 -154,914 131,000 -19,267,610 -20,585 -49,246,490 -148,514 -21,413,660 2,192,586 42,000 -60,910 -98,470 -10,578 6,683,330 -846,030 -29,150 -107,720 -3010167.9997 3,036,117 2,622 57,620,241 -7,500 -

ABACORE CAPITAL ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL ANGLO PHIL HLDG ASIABEST GROUP ATN HLDG A ATN HLDG B AYALA CORP AYALA LAND LOG COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FORUM PACIFIC GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT KEPPEL HLDG A LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP METRO PAC INV MJC INVESTMENTS PRIME MEDIA SAN MIGUEL CORP SM INVESTMENTS SOC RESOURCES SOLID GROUP SYNERGY GRID TOP FRONTIER ZEUS HLDG

0.86 51.2 10.9 0.71 10.88 0.97 1.01 715 2.59 6.6 6.22 0.205 790 5.1 73.9 5.2 0.5 3.69 10.5 3.18 2.56 1.2 148.1 1,049 0.77 1.22 180 190.5 0.244

0.88 52.05 11 0.83 10.88 1.01 1.02 728.5 2.59 6.6 6.36 0.205 791 5.15 73.95 5.2 0.5 3.72 10.5 3.3 2.56 1.26 148.8 1,049 0.88 1.22 181 190.5 0.245

0.86 50.9 10.9 0.7 10.56 0.97 0.98 713 2.5 6.47 6.22 0.205 766.5 5.1 72.05 5.2 0.49 3.69 9.9 3.16 2.56 1.2 145.8 1,011 0.76 1.22 180 190 0.232

HOLDING FIRMS 0.87 6,618,000 52 966,440 10.92 3,554,700 0.81 13,175,000 10.8 15,500 0.99 798,000 1.02 50,000 717 366,000 2.58 843,000 6.47 4,800 6.32 10,795,500 0.205 30,000 770 103,070 5.15 45,000 73.95 353,290 5.2 6,100 0.5 6,000 3.71 176,000 9.9 4,250,400 3.3 18,877,000 2.56 1,000 1.26 40,000 148.2 238,780 1,025 172,795 0.82 1,044,000 1.22 1,000 181 990 190 380 0.239 1,770,000

5,763,040 50,026,679.50 38,844,878 10,525,010 166,524 789,390 50,560 262,775,170 2,146,240 31,189 68,206,521 6,150 79,608,085 230,150 26,044,359.50 31,720 2,985 653,670 43,252,594 61,666,560 2,560 48,600 35,232,937 176,695,215 870,280 1,220 178,690 72,252 424,370

-52,800 -20,788,034 4,034,458 25,300 -34,906,175 -370,380 7,117 -59,948,465 -36,619,635 -179149.9999 -1,812,415.50 -627,670 7,261,916 -15,168,130 -13,589,943 -67,994,270 94,550

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

14.72 0.69 8.75 1.4 0.8 38.7 1.71 4.72 6.69 0.52 0.75 0.185 0.41 9.4 18 0.41 1.53 1.07 4.27 0.25 0.415

14.74 0.72 8.75 1.45 0.82 40.15 1.71 4.77 6.69 0.53 0.75 0.185 0.43 9.59 18.3 0.42 1.53 1.07 4.34 0.25 0.42

14.72 0.69 8.75 1.31 0.8 38.25 1.6 4.7 6.5 0.51 0.75 0.185 0.41 9.4 17.9 0.405 1.5 1.07 4.24 0.239 0.395

PROPERTY 14.72 503,800 0.72 7,000 8.75 4,500 1.45 293,000 0.82 1,156,000 39.4 34,273,300 1.64 2,610,000 4.7 154,000 6.69 900 0.53 7,105,000 0.75 36,000 0.185 580,000 0.415 1,500,000 9.45 61,200 18.02 1,152,000 0.41 4,430,000 1.5 3,157,000 1.07 226,000 4.27 22,903,000 0.24 23,540,000 0.42 2,720,000

7,415,950 4,950 39,375 408,980 940,720 1,355,986,395 4,279,530 727,520 6,002 3,720,330 27,000 107,300 631,000 583,040 20,744,994 1,812,500 4,738,180 241,820 97,929,360 5,754,690 1,091,150

-1,380 39,375 -26,100 -222,737,470 -54,090.00 291,800 -742,184 861,500 -294,240 4,261,700 587,910 -1,000,000

-89640879.5 2,980 -42,039,316 -2,392,280 -33,500.00 -47897351.5 -10,560 -12,297,455 1,586,902 -638,740 -638,959 -21,346,222 -317,696 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

1.21 0.335 2.18 27 2.1 3.25 40 2.45 2.01 7.3 5.85

1.22 0.385 2.24 27.9 2.1 3.25 40.8 2.48 2.29 7.33 5.85

1.18 0.335 2.16 26.3 2.07 3.22 40 2.36 1.87 7.26 5.6

1.18 0.365 2.24 27.85 2.07 3.22 40.2 2.45 1.97 7.29 5.85

1,601,000 79,810,000 199,000 1,170,800 1,007,000 4,000 11,421,900 620,000 46,153,000 9,996,700 23,000

1,911,650 26,852,750 437,620 32,188,120 2,084,520 12,910 459,076,800 1,501,570 96,404,690 72,889,513 134,072

-25,537,050 6,400,135 -89,218,425 -615,000 -6,300 -12,220,656 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CHELSEA EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN 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 WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

9.5 17.4 1.31 11.3 0.425 0.046 18.3 2.94 9.99 86 5.26 8.95 890 2,008 5.38 430.4 11.98 1.51 1.66 131.2 9.44 0.103 3.79 1.88 12.96 2.4 0.91 12.1 0.44 2.1 0.95 1 2.42 2.16 7.4 4.41 135 2.62 1,063 0.56 0.38 39.55 79.2 9.18 2.6 0.62 0.29 0.59 18.6

9.75 17.96 1.31 11.3 0.445 0.049 18.6 3.06 10.4 86 5.3 8.95 890 2,056 5.38 449 12 1.53 1.66 132.6 9.44 0.113 3.8 1.88 12.96 2.43 0.94 12.1 0.45 2.1 0.96 1 2.46 2.16 7.4 4.41 135 2.62 1,074 0.57 0.395 39.65 79.2 9.2 2.61 0.62 0.29 0.61 18.62

9.41 16.78 1.31 11.22 0.42 0.046 18.3 2.9 9.96 84.95 5.2 8.55 890 1,973 5.28 430.4 11.9 1.43 1.66 131.1 9.44 0.103 3.68 1.88 12.96 2.4 0.91 11.8 0.415 2.03 0.89 1 2.4 2.14 7.3 4.3 135 2.55 1,023 0.54 0.37 39.05 77.55 9.04 2.46 0.6 0.28 0.57 18.56

SERVICES 9.42 17.16 1.31 11.28 0.445 0.048 18.6 2.9 10.4 86 5.2 8.68 890 1,973 5.37 438 11.9 1.48 1.66 131.8 9.44 0.105 3.75 1.88 12.96 2.43 0.94 12 0.45 2.05 0.96 1 2.42 2.16 7.3 4.31 135 2.59 1,037 0.55 0.39 39.35 78.05 9.04 2.54 0.61 0.28 0.61 18.6

8,900 659,500 4,000 4,047,400 2,770,000 48,700,000 11,300 514,000 13,659,300 179,890 320,100 13,800 310 94,275 389,800 32,490 4,600 3,591,000 6,000 877,070 100 24,770,000 1,864,000 10,000 2,000 71,000 120,000 1,990,500 260,000 935,000 93,000 2,000 989,000 68,000 11,000 47,000 10 728,000 250,220 6,684,000 6,880,000 728,700 458,740 127,900 2,130,000 1,450,000 2,120,000 1,128,000 498,500

84,994 11,480,634 5,240 45,654,016 1,211,000 2,313,400 207,030 1,515,950 137,779,572 15,377,202 1,678,162 118,479 275,900 188,923,355 2,070,862 14,298,894 55,156 5,323,220 9,960 115,717,639 944 2,693,030 6,972,540 18,800 25,920 170,640 110,540 23,823,158 110,050 1,921,470 87,280 2,000 2,390,230 146,460 80,886 205,330 1,350 1,872,520 261,150,575 3,693,600 2,667,400 28,756,275 35,828,836 1,164,856 5,430,050 887,230 600,050 663,420 9,269,748

4,520 192,150 17,520 28,536,150 -9,019,960 208,900 6,413,275 -156,940 16,560 6,382,987 -93,450 396,830 4,840 679,310 -304880.0003 19,140 -32,320 -4,310 -2,239,390 -265,120 -338,850 -3497244.9998 -3,364,261.50 792,470 14,250 2,473,118

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

0.0014 7.9 1.1 2.49 10.94 3.25 0.27 7.22 1.5 0.211 0.099 0.093 0.0077 0.84 3.3 1.02 0.44 0.74 0.01 2.93 9 21.45

0.0014 8.17 1.1 2.5 10.94 3.25 0.27 7.22 1.55 0.223 0.099 0.101 0.0077 0.86 3.3 1.06 0.45 0.74 0.011 2.93 9.06 21.45

0.0014 7.8 1.06 2.49 10.94 3.02 0.27 7.16 1.46 0.204 0.094 0.093 0.0077 0.79 3.2 1.02 0.435 0.74 0.01 2.9 8.84 20.95

MINING & OIL 0.0014 7,000,000 8.13 139,100 1.09 1,184,000 2.5 60,000 10.94 100 3.18 3,673,000 0.27 300,000 7.16 300 1.51 3,842,000 0.214 2,050,000 0.099 1,020,000 0.101 240,000 0.0077 4,000,000 0.8 1,233,000 3.23 1,740,000 1.04 70,000 0.45 180,000 0.74 2,000 0.011 22,300,000 2.92 261,000 8.94 236,500 21.1 914,100

9,800 1,100,006 1,282,410 149,950 1,094 11,644,380 81,000 2,154 5,747,460 431,710 96,030 22,830 30,800 990,090 5,629,740 71,970 79,000 1,480 238,300 760,540 2,115,989 19,211,135

52,861 -330,000 -7,470 1,364,680 -166,020 -4,840 12,000 -2,009,550 -529,950 -321,019 1,222,405

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 CPG PREF A DD PREF FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

16.3 504 100.7 100.3 106 5.15 980 99.25 100.5 1,049 101.5 1,026 76.95 75.2 75 76 75.25 75.55 76

16.3 504 100.8 100.9 106 5.15 980 99.9 100.5 1,049 101.5 1,030 77 75.2 75 76 75.3 75.65 76.5

15.7 496 100.7 100 106 5.14 979 99.25 100 1,049 101.5 1,026 76.9 75.2 75 76 75.25 75.55 76

PREFERRED 15.88 265,100 496 30 100.8 320 100.9 69,560 106 10 5.14 183,300 979 20 99.9 26,700 100 19,490 1,049 80 101.5 200,500 1,030 110 77 119,290 75.2 59,330 75 6,580 76 133,300 75.3 19,300 75.65 28,700 76.5 203,840

4,232,500 15,040 32,244 6,983,476 1,060 943,240 19,590 2,651,925 1,949,075 83,920 20,350,750 113,210 9,185,122 4,461,616 493,500 10,130,800 1,452,625 2,168,485 15,591,948

278,346 1,060 -891,840 50,750 380,000 -

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

3.67 9.45 0.85

4.01 9.73 0.86

3.65 9.33 0.81

3.99 9.33 0.83

2,675,340 2,887,286 4,564,010

1,754,760 21,640

FIRST METRO ETF

112.7

112.8

112.1

1,207,892

135,140

MS Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

16,414,803

INDUSTRIAL

192,824,506

HOLDING FIRMS

64,945,525

PROPERTY

293,090,133

SERVICES

130,812,176

MINING & OIL

51,155,205

GRAND TOTAL

755,732,335

SME

686,000 307,100 5,479,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 112.4 10,740

VALUE 1,794.62 (down) 2.57 1,111,003,940.95 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 9,413.17 (up) 99.45 1,167,225,147.57 HOLDING FIRMS 7,215.15 (up) 0.39 960,588,217.69 PROPERTY 3,861.92 (up) 8.31 SERVICES 1,525.24 (down) 14.32 2,861,271,246.06 MINING & OIL 7,858.16 (down) 171.57 940,107,337.965 PSEI 7,468.73 (up) 2.08 49,720,718.1643 All Shares Index 4,436.79 (up) 2.08 7,101,276,380.07 Gainers: 88; Losers: 93; Unchanged: 53; Total: 234

Arthaland starts sale of green bonds worth P3b

By Jenniffer B. Austria ARTHALAND Corp. plans to sell up to P3 billion in ASEAN Green Bonds next month with an interest rate of 6.3517 percent a year.

Arthaland will offer P2 billion of the bonds with an oversubscription option of up to P1 billion. The company plans to use proceeds from the bonds to fund eligible projects under its green finance framework. The offering period starts from January 22 to 28.

The bonds will be issued on February 6 and be listed on Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

“We are very pleased with the overwhelming positive response toward our green projects. With this offer, Arthaland will be the first, non-bank corporate issuer of SEC-registered ASEAN Green Bonds in the Philippines. This demonstrates our unwavering commitment to sustainability.”, said Arthaland vice chairman and president Jaime Gonzalez.

The company tapped BDO Capital & Investments Corp. and ING Bank as joint lead underwriters and book runners of the offering and PNB Capital and Investments Corp. a co-lead manager.

The ASEAN Green Bonds received a credit rating of PRS Aa minus with a stable outlook from Philippine Rating Services Corp.

Arthaland is leading the green building charge after posting P10 billion in cumulative reservation sales in 2019 from three developments currently under construction.

These are Cebu Exchange, the single largest green office building in the Philippines with approximately 11 hectares of gross floor area; Savya Financial Center, a premium green twin tower office development with a fully integrated retail component in Arca South; and Sevina Park, a low-density, mixed-use community in Biñan, Laguna, which will be the first in the Philippines to aim for LEED Neighborhood Development and LEED Home Certification.

SEC orders three lending firms to stop loan offers THE Securities and Exchange Commission ordered three lending firms—Peso Tree, Pesoalo and Pinoy Cash Loan—to stop offering loans to the public through online platforms without the necessary licenses.

The SEC in an order issued on January 21 directed the owners, operators, promoters, representatives and agents of the three companies to immediately cease and desist, under pain of contempt, from engaging in, promoting and facilitating unauthorized lending activities.

The SEC also ordered Peso Tree, Pesoalo and Pinoy Cash Loan to stop from offering and advertising their lending business through the internet and delete or remove promotional presentations, including the lending applications they operate.

“Considering that the online lending operators are not incorporated entities and have no Certificate of Authority to Operate as Lending Companies or Financing Companies, the lending activities and transaction are illegal and have to be stopped immediately by this Commission,” the order read.

“Finally, the Commission cannot turn a blind eye on the fact that the online lending operator’s violation in the instant case was aggravated by the fact that they conducted their business in an unscrupulous manner with evident bad faith, by charging their borrowers unconscionable interest rates, subjecting them to inhumane treatment using abusive and degrading language, and similar other harassment strategies in order to collect debts. This has to stop immediately,” it added.

Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9474, or the Lending Company Regulation Act of 2007, states that a lending company can be established only as a corporation. It further provides that “no lending company shall conduct business unless granted an authority to operate by the SEC.” Any person who engages in the business of lending without a validly subsisting authority to operate from the SEC may face a fine ranging from P10,000 to P50,000, or imprisonment of six months to 10 years or both, under Section 12 of the Lending Company Regulation Act. Jenniffer B. Austria

World

B3

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Japanese maker eyes umami overhaul for maligned MSG

GRIEF. Iraqis walk in the funeral procession of Yussef Sattar, a local journalist and activist who was reportedly killed while covering anti-government demonstrations in the capital Baghdad on January 21, 2020. AFP

TOKYO―Umami-bomb or toxic allergen? There are perhaps few condiments as controversial as MSG, but most scientists say it’s safe, and now a Japanese firm is trying to give it a reputation overhaul.

In much of the world, monosodium glutamate or MSG is a beloved ingredient. It’s in stock cubes and potato chips, and sprinkled on everything from soups to salads, adding a savory flavor sometimes referred to as umami or the “fifth taste”.

It was invented in commercial form in Japan by Kikunae Ikeda, who founded the firm Ajinomoto to sell the product at home and abroad.

At Ajinomoto’s factory outside of Tokyo, a steady stream of visitors join tours where they sample miso soup with and without MSG, and snap selfies with the firm’s mascot―the red and white AjiPanda.

But elsewhere the substance is regarded as less benign, with articles dub-

bing it a “killer condiment” and people reporting side-effects including headaches, sweats and flushing.

The unsavory reputation dates back decades, to a 1968 letter in the New England Journal of Medicine by Chinese-American doctor Robert Ho Man Kwok.

He described symptoms he experienced while eating at Chinese restaurants in the US, including “numbness at the back of the neck... general weakness and palpitation”.

His Chinese friends―”all well educated”―experienced similar sensations, he wrote.

He proposed several potential reasons, including soy sauce, cooking wine, MSG, or high sodium content, and suggested “friends in the medical field” research this “peculiar syndrome”.

The letter was picked up by the media and made its way into the public imagination, creating a lasting association between MSG and various, poorly defined health effects. AFP

Trump trial opens with clashes over witnesses

W

ASHINGTON― Republicans and Democrats battled over summoning high-level White House witnesses Tuesday in a marathon first day of arguments in President Donald Trump’s trial for abuse of power.

The two sides squared off in fiery exchanges that circled around the procedures for the trial and gave the Democrats an opportunity to spell out

IN BRIEF Lebanon names new government BEIRUT-Lebanon ended a painful wait by unveiling a new cabinet line-up, but the government was promptly scorned by protesters and faces the Herculean task of saving a collapsing economy.

More than a month after he was designated with backing from the powerful Shiite movement Hezbollah and nearly three after his predecessor Saad Hariri resigned under pressure from the street, Prime Minister Hassan Diab on Tuesday announced his cabinet of 20 ministers.

The academic and former education minister, who was little-known in Lebanon until last month, insisted in his first comments as premier that his cabinet was a technocratic one that would strive to meet protesters’ demands.

“This is a government that represents the aspirations of the demonstrators who have been mobilised nationwide for more than three months,” he said.

He said his government “will strive to meet their demands for an independent judiciary, for the recovery of embezzled funds, for the fight against illegal gains”.

Groups of demonstrators had gathered in the streets of Beirut before the cabinet was even unveiled, blocking off a main street in the centre of the capital where violent scuffles with the police left dozens wounded over the weekend. AFP

Quick ceasefire urged in Libya UNITED NATIONS―The UN Security Council called Tuesday on Libya’s warring sides to quickly reach a ceasefire that would pave the way for a political process aimed at ending conflict in the oil-rich state.

The United Nations meeting followed up on a weekend Libya summit held in Berlin, which saw the formation of a military commission that is supposed to define ways of consolidating a cessation of hostilities.

It is to comprise five members each from the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and its opponents loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar.

“The members of the Security Council urged the Libyan parties to engage constructively in the five + five military commission in order to conclude a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible,” the Council said.

The North African country has been torn by fighting between rival armed factions since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi and toppled his regime.

Since April last year the UNrecognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli has fought back against an offensive by fighters loyal to Haftar, who is supported by several countries including Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and France.

The day before the international conference Haftar’s forces blocked oil exports from Libya’s main ports. AFP

their arguments for Trump’s guilt on national television.

But Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell flexed his own political muscle, mobilizing his side’s 53-47 majority in the body to slap down Democratic attempts to amend the trial procedures that he reportedly crafted together with the White House and designed to protect Trump.

After 13 hours, just before 2 am, McConnell was successful in pushing back every Democratic effort, ensuring Republicans had control over a trial they hope will be wrapped up by the end of the month.

The president meanwhile monitored

the challenge to his three-year-old presidency from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The case is “just a hoax,” he said.

“It’s the witch hunt that’s been going on for years and frankly it’s disgraceful.”

McConnell’s rules set out a schedule of six days of arguments, three days by the House impeachment managers and then three days by Trump’s defense team, to be followed by one day of questions from the 100 Senators, who sit as jury in the trial.

Democrats though were angered by McConnell’s refusal to call witnesses and subpoena documents before the

trial’s arguments phase is over.

They want to hear from current and former top Trump aides, including White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security advisor John Bolton.

Without any guarantee that witnesses would be called even at that time, they sought in a last-ditch move to give the presiding judge, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, the last word on calling witnesses.

That too was rejected in a stark partyline vote.

“They don’t want a fair trial,” said Adam Schiff, the leader of the House impeachment managers prosecuting the

Wuhan virus compounds Hong Kong’s woes HONG KONG―The emergence of a SARS-like virus in China is the last thing Hong Kong’s struggling economy needs, analysts say, as the city reels from the twin storms of the global trade war and months of political unrest.

The semi-autonomous financial hub is currently on high alert for any appearance of the new coronavirus, which first surfaced in the Chinese city of Wuhan and has since spread to the United States and around Asia.

In 2003, nearly 300 people were killed in Hong Kong during an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which also began on the mainland and hammered the city’s economy as tourists arrivals plunged.

“We are on extreme high alert and preparing for the worst,” chief secretary Matthew Cheung told reporters on Tuesday. “We have not lowered our guard.”

The timing could hardly be worse.

Hong Kong has been tipped into a recession by the US-China trade war and months of seething pro-democracy protests that have upended its reputation for stability.

On Monday, Moody’s downgraded Hong Kong’s credit rating, saying the government had failed to respond to the economic and political demands of protesters and that China’s increased influence was undermining the city’s once-vaunted institutions.

A disease outbreak in the densely packed city would only add to current economic woes.

“This is definitely the last thing Hong Kong people want to see,” said Jackson Wong, an asset management director at Amber Hill Capital Ltd. “The current situation will definitely remind investors about what we suffered in 2003 during the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong,” he added.

Hong Kong’s stock market sank on Tuesday-with tourism-linked stocks leading the losses―after a top Chinese scientist said the Wuhan virus has now been found to pass between humans.

The brewing crisis comes days before the Lunar New Year holiday, which sees hundreds of millions of people travel across China and overseas.

The number of mainland Chinese traveling to Hong Kong has dropped dramatically since the anti-government protests began last summer, and there are fears the Wuhan virus will only make things worse for the battered tourist industry. AFP

case.

“They don’t want you to hear these witnesses... they don’t want a neutral justice to weigh in.”

But Schiff’s team took advantage of the opportunity to seek amendments to occupy the television cameras for most of the hearing and lay out their case against the US leader.

They used detailed graphics and played videos of US diplomats testifying late last year to demonstrate that Trump oversaw the months-long scheme to pressure Ukraine to help him politically damage potential 2020 election opponent Joe Biden and the Democrats. AFP

Clashes mark return to protests in Colombia

LAUNCH PARTY. Shiralee Coleman and Heather Rae Young attend Abyss By Abby, Arabian Nights Collection Launch Party, at Casita Hollywood on January 21, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

Harry, Meghan start new life in Canada VICTORIA―Prince Harry and his wife Meghan started their new life in Canada on Tuesday by launching a legal warning to media over photographs of the duchess near their seaside bolthole.

Following their shock exit from life as working royals, Harry jetted out from Britain to join Meghan late Monday at a luxury house outside Victoria on Vancouver Island.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have temporarily set up base at the wooded home, having spent six weeks there over Christmas with their baby son Archie.

Their bombshell announcement on January 8 that they wished to step back from their royal duties rocked the monarchy.

The couple, who married in May 2018, admitted last year that they were struggling with media scrutiny and have regularly hit out at the press in statements and in the courts.

Their lawyers issued a legal warning after various outlets on Tuesday published photographs of a smiling Meghan out walking her dogs with Archie.

In Britain, the pictures were used by The Sun and the Daily Mail newspapers.

Lawyers claimed the images were taken by photographers hiding in bushes and spying on the US former television actress, the BBC reported, and that she did not consent to the photos. The couple were prepared to take legal action, according to the BBC. The lawyers claim there had been attempts to photograph inside their new home using long lenses, and say paparazzi are camped outside the property.

A freelance photojournalist working in the area, who said he was from California but wanted to remain anonymous, said the potential legal issues are “kind of tough,” but that he does not let them affect his work. AFP

BOGOTA―Riot police firing tear gas and stun grenades clashed with rockthrowing demonstrators in Bogota Tuesday as anti-government protests resumed across Colombia, leaving 11 people injured and nearly 100 arrested.

Protests also took place in other major cities including Cali and Medellin, and nationwide the authorities recorded 165 marches, rallies or road blockages, police chief Oscar Atehortua said.

Most of the arrests were in Bogota and 10 of the 11 injured were police, he said.

The Bogota events started in the late afternoon as a traditional pot-banging demonstration of the kind common in Latin America and late last year when protests first erupted against conservative President Ivan Duque’s 17-monthold government.

What began as a general strike has morphed into a wider display of discontent over his economic policies, unemployment, political corruption and drug-financed violence.

Security forces were still deployed in the old quarter of Bogota as night fell Tuesday. Mayor Claudia Lopez said the day had been mostly peaceful, although in some neighborhoods small groups turned violent.

In the city center, a 60-year-old woman named Flor Calderon stood between protesters and riot police, asking officers to let the procession move forward.

“This is a fight for you and your children’s children because this country is a mess,” she said to police, waving a white flag.

Lopez, who took office on January 1, has set up procedures to try to prevent violence at demonstrations, which have left four people dead since they began on November 21.

About 500 people have been injured and around 200 arrested.

Many protesters feel that efforts to end the decades-long armed conflict with the country’s FARC rebels has detracted from progress in other areas of society.

They also want Duque to dismantle the feared ESMAD riot police, widely criticized for its heavy-handed response to demonstrations.

Duque has yielded to some of the other demands on tax reform, announcing the refund of Value Added Tax to the poorest 20 percent of the population and benefits for companies that hire young people. AFP

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

B4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

BARMM sends 3 truck loads of aid to Taal-hit areas

By Nash B. Maulana COTABATO CITY—The Bangsamoro Government has sent three truckloads of aid packages to disaster-stricken Luzon provinces, as it celebrated Tuesday the first anniversary of the plebiscite on the creation of the new autonomous region last year.

Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Hadji Murad Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said the region’s legal mandate in terms of delivering humanitarian services was not limited to the majority Muslim areas of its territorial jurisdiction.

“Acts of humanitarian services during disasters are neither determined by religious affiliation nor limited by geographic boundaries,” Ebrahim said.

Abdulraof Macacua, a leading figure in the Bangsamoro Parliament, said the sphere of humanitarian aid and services is universal, and is not defined by teritorial boundaries or religious beliefs.

Ebrahim and Macacua also sent their prayers for the families displaced by the eruption of Taal Volcano, amid forecasts of risks of subsequent eruptions.

“This is in line with the moral governance. Assistance is not limited to our areas, as is provided under the BOL [Bangsamoro Organic Law or Republic Act 11054],” Macacua said.

BARMM Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said three aid trucks of the region’s Rapid Emergency and Disaster Response headed for a two-day crossregional land-and-ferry trip to Luzon provinces of Cavite, Laguna and particularly, Batangas as they left here 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Lanao del Sur to keep state of emergency MARAWI CITY—Lanao del Sur peace officials have resolved to continue to enforce a state of emergency proclamation by Malacañang, after the second extension of martial law expired last December.

Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Bombit Adiong Jr. lauded the Provincial Peace and Order Council’s move, tasking the security sector to continue enforcing a four-year state of emergency declared for the province by the Chief Executive.

In an urgent meeting, the PPOC of Lanao del Sur passed a resolution, seeking continued enforcement of the State of Emergency under Proclamation 55, issued by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016.

The resolution was passed on Dec. 27, 2019, but was made public on January 19.

The urgent PPOC meeting was presided over by Board Member Zorab Mangotara, attended by mayors or their representatives, other members of the Provincial Board, the security sector, the local police and the military units, the Department of Justice, other line agencies, provincial heads of offices, traditional and religious leaders, and representatives of civil society and non-government organizations.

Another resolution passed by the PPOC sought to invite the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to nominate its representative into the peace council. Nash B. Maulana

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

ESTERO CLEANUP. The community’s participation in environmental activities, including the cleanup and maintenance of the cleanliness of Manila Bay’S tributaries, may become their legacy, says Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Rizal head Isidro Mercado during a cleanup activity along Hulong Bangiad Creek in Barangay San Juan, Taytay, Rizal on Jan. 17, ahead of the celebration of the first anniversary of the #BattleForManilaBay.

Makati sets P440-m budget for seniors

By Joel E. Zurbano

T

HE Makati City government has appropriated P440.94 million for programs and benefits intended for 85,000 senior citizens registered under the Blu Card program.

Mayor Abigail Binay said Wednesday the amount constitutes almost a third of the P1.37-billion budget for the Social Welfare sub-sector, which is 13.72 percent of the P9.98-billion total budget allocation for the Social Services sector comprising Health, Education and Social Welfare.

“We have made sure there will be enough funding for a whole year of timely delivery of unequalled benefits and services to our senior Makatizens,” Binay said.

Among the unique privileges enjoyed

by Blu Card members are cash gifts given twice a year, P100,000 for centenarians, unlimited free entrance in Makati cinemas, free leisure trips, and a host of other freebies including birthday cakes, golden wedding anniversary cakes, salon and spa services, and cultural shows.

The city also hosts a welcome party for new senior citizens.

The city chief executive said of the P440.94-million budget, the city has allotted P331.7 million for the cash gifts

and one-time Centenarian cash gift; P43 million for free movies; P44.2 million for free cakes on birthdays and golden wedding anniversaries; P3.8 million for Lakbay Saya; P6 million for cultural and theatrical presentations; P985,000 for free salon and spa services; P956,000 for the welcome party for new Blu card members; and P6 million for the burial assistance of P3,000 given to the family of a Blu Card member upon his or her demise.

“All these perks under the Blu Card are over and above the quality health care the city is providing elderly residents of Makati, as well as opportunities for personal growth and livelihood,” said Binay.

MinDA Secretary Manny Piñol, USAID Philippines’ Jeffrey Lehrer, and Marawi Response Project Chief of Party Karina Nersesyan (seated from left) listened to the appreciation message of Nikki Macaraub, head of the Kanggiginawae ko Masa Group, a recipient of a livelihood grant.

Nash B. Maulana

Maranao women get micro-grants for communities MARAWI CITY—More Maranao women are helping their communities rise from economic loss in recent armed conflict, with small grants of assistance package from the United States government.

Each micro-grant is valued at P260,000 ($5,000) and will support community learning facilities, including training spaces and daycare centers.

Nikki Macaraub, a beneficiary of the Marawi Response Project, worked with others in her community to set up a learning center for livelihood opportunities.

“Now that we have a facility for teaching sewing and dressmaking, we can help more displaced women like me restart businesses to support our families to rebuild our lives,” said Macaraub.

A US Embassy statement said the American government awarded six micro-grants to community groups composed of Marawi’s displaced citizens and their host families.

Mindanao Development Authority Chairman Emmanuel Piñol joined US Agency for International Development Office of Economic Development and Governance Chief Jeffrey Lehrer at the grants handover ceremony on January 15 in Iligan City.

Representatives of Task Force Bangon Marawi, Lanao Del Sur provincial government, and city governments of Marawi and Iligan joined the event.

The statement added: “The microgrants are part of USAID’s three-year, P1.35 billion ($25million) Marawi Response Project, which supports the economic recovery and social cohesion of displaced and host communities in Marawi, Lanao Del Sur, Lanao Del Norte, and Iligan.”

Launched in 2018, the project is a partnership between USAID and international non-governmental organization Plan International, with support from local organizations Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits, Inc. and Maranao People Development Center, Inc. Nash B. Maulana

Parañaque extends biz permit tax payment deadline to Jan. 31 PARAÑAQUE City Mayor Edwin Olivarez on Wednesday urged taxpayers to take advantage of the extended deadline for payment of business taxes, permits, and licenses, which was moved to Jan. 31.

The extension of the deadline was made following the approval of a council resolution to accommodate the large

volume of taxpayers that showed up last week at city hall to beat the January 25 deadline.

The resolution also entitles taxpayers who pay their business taxes in full to a 10-percent discount for the duration of the extension period.

“Those with statement of account dated January 2 to 25 are extended up to

MANILA-RAJAH PACT.

Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Domagoso through the Department of Tourism Culture and Arts of Manila, headed by Charlie Dungo (second from left), shakes the hand of Rajah at Prinsesa Filipinas founding Chairman Prof. Julio Castillo Jr. They sealed the staging of the newest and prestigious school-based beauty contests on May 23—Rajah at Prinsesa Filipinas (RAPF). It aims to highlight and promote Manila’s cultural heritage, education and environmental care. The event is in cooperation with Eighfinity and Beyond Events Management as organizing committee. Also in photo are RAPF president Emely Katigbak, lawyer Sol Arboladura, and EBEM head Zeus Serrano.

January 31 or a six-day extension with no penalty will be imposed. However, from February 1 onwards, we will be imposing penalty or surcharge,” Olivarez disclosed.

He said they decided to extend the renewal period after learning that the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) has been receiving numerous

registrations and renewals.

When the city government launched the Project Express Lane Operation or Project ELO two years ago, assessments nearly doubled to P81 million compared with the P46 million generated in the first working day of 2018, according to BPLO chief lawyer Melanie Malaya.

Savings on seaweed through S&T

By Willie Casas SEAWEED farming has long been a reliable source of income for coastal communities in the Philippines, fringed by waters of the Sulu Sea and the Moro Gulf, the city of Zamboanga is no stranger to the seaweed trade.

Four communities in the city—barangays Sta. Catalina, Mampang, Arena Blanco, and Tigtabon—recently moved to adopt technologies that target seaweed efficient drying process and quality dried seaweed.

Through the Department of Science and Technology in Region IX, these communities can expect the technolo-

gies to be on their shores as early as the second quarter of 2020.

While seaweed type is a factor in determining value, the quality of the dried seaweed is what ultimately dictates price.

The current drying practice, which is basically open area sun-drying, can take up to a number of days, and puts the seaweeds at the mercy of the elements. Farmers resort to covering or storing stocks at the first hint of rain or bad weather, which does little good for the dehydration process among others.

This usually translates to poor seaweed quality, which in turn greatly reduces the farmers’ command on the commodity’s price.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife

HOUSEHOLD

@MStandardLIFE THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

C1

Walking around the district LEISURELY LIVING. Walkable neighborhoods—as in those with ample footpaths and other pedestrian rights-of-way, patches of green, and efficient road and traffic systems, among others—have significant positive effects on health, economy, and environment.

By Steph Llarena

W

HEN it comes to green living, one important aspect is walkability or how friendly an area is to walking. Several studies point to the positive effects of walkable neighborhoods on health, environment, and economy.

Basic components of a walkable community include accessible sidewalks, footpaths, or other pedestrian rights-of-way, as well as efficient road and traffic systems, presence of trees and vegetation, frequency and variety of buildings, among others.

If people have ample space to walk on going from one place to another, can reach their destinations conveniently by foot, experts say such community is “walkable.”

Or as Steve Abley put it: “[Walkability is] the extent to which the built environment is friendly to the presence of people living, shopping, visiting, enjoying, or spending time in an area.”

Residents in walkable neighborhoods have better health than those living in places otherwise. In an article published on City Lab, Richard Florida wrote, “medical research shows walking can improve health outcomes, from heart disease and diabetes to improved mental and cognitive functions.”

High Walk Score (the walkability metric) has significant link to better cardio metabolic risk profiles

and decreased risk of heart attacks. In fact, the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research both recommend that new developments should be designed to encourage walking.

Further, a study by the Alzheimer’s Disease Center of the University of Kansas also revealed that walkable cities have positive impacts on cognitive health.

With less need for automobiles in walkable communities, carbon emissions can also be reduced, which in turn improves health conditions and quality of life.

Economic benefits, meanwhile, include savings on transportation expenses. Walkability also affects housing costs, increasing property values, according to a study by John Gilderbloom, California Polytechnic State University, William Riggs, and Wesley Meares.

Positive impacts of walkability have influenced developers in creating convenient, green, and pedestrian-friendly spaces.

Turn to C2 Medical research shows walking can improve health conditions.

Greenfield District along Edsa is an example of walkable community as it features a variety of establishments, ample green spaces, and efficient pedestrian rights-of-way and traffic systems that encourage people to explore by foot.

SALE ALERT

The couple with a lot of ‘baggage’ BRITISH-FILIPINO actress Rachel Louise Grant de Longueuil, more popularly known as Rachel Grant, has recently married Stephen Hersh, a luggage brand chief executive.

The couple met in 2012 when the Shark Tank’s “Luggage King” booked the actress for a hosting gig.

A couple of working events, travels around the world together, and a viral video later, they married at the rooftop of Mamilla Hotel in Israel—dubbed “the world’s holiest five-star hotel.”

Grant is known for her role as Peaceful Fountains of Desire in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day and as host of the travel show Tour Group on Bravo.

HOLY MATRIMONY.

The couple tied the knot on the rooftop of a five-star hotel in Jerusalem, Israel.

Chinese New Year sale at Duty Free Philippines

Brit-Fil actress Rachel Grant marries ‘Luggage King’ Stephen Hersh.

DUTY Free Philippines Corporation welcomes the Year of the Metal Rat with a two-day sale at its flagship Fiestamall store in Parañaque City.

Customers will be treated to exciting discounts as much as 30 percent from a wide range of regular priced items on Jan. 25-26.

In addition, a traditional Chinese blessing and lion dance ceremony is scheduled on Jan. 25, at 11:00 a.m. onwards.

Aside from her affiliation with the entertainment industry, she is related to the British Royal family through her grandfather, 11th Baron Raymond De Longueuil, second cousin to Queen Elizabeth II. Her father, Michael Grant, is the current Baron.

Hersh meanwhile, is an entrepreneur, public speaker, and chief executive officer of Biaggi, a brand of innovative travel bags with award-winning patents.

He appeared on the 11th episode of the sixth season of ABC’s Shark Tank, where he successfully landed a deal with celebrity entrepreneur Lori Greiner.

Turn to C2

The Fiestamall offers a wide range of perfumes and cosmetics, fashion, sporting goods, home appliances, toys, confectionery, wines, spirits, and grocery items from a wide selection of prestigious brands.

The store is open from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Call (02) 8552-4337 local 3132 or 8552-4375 (and look for Ms. Xiao) or visit www.dfp.com.ph to know more.

Duty Free Philippines Fiestamall in Parañaque holds a two-day Chinese New Year Sale.

Life

C2

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

A good place for your loved ones

BULLETIN BOARD

Residential developer Bria Homes stages a two-day open house.

Mass housing developer Grand Open House Planning for our and our loved ones’ final resting place is a topic many avoid but experts say should be considered to avoid stress in the future.

By Jess Ferrer

P

LANNING for our and our loved ones’ final resting place is still considered a morbid topic, something that many try to avoid as much as possible, as long as they can. Death is not pleasant, but so is getting caught unprepared when the inevitable comes.

Much like savings and investments, experts posit that the best time to get a memorial lot was yesterday.

According to Forest Lake, one of the most prominent memorial parks in the country, investing in memorial lots as early as possible is “highly recommended” as “market value increases every year.”

Buyers can get a lot at a much lower price today than tomorrow. And, in case of emergencies, those who bought a lot may consider selling their investment at a higher price.

According to memorial lot brokers, the high return on investment from memorial lots is one of the main reasons it is becoming a popular investment property, depending on how many years it will take before reselling.

Further, “the minimal to almost no maintenance cost is also another reason why more and more investors are considering this type of investment,” Forest

The couple...

From C1 Since then, the “Luggage King” has guest-starred in television shows and featured in several magazines and websites.

The couple’s love of traveling gave birth to the viral video “How to Pack Over 100 Items in One Carry-On” featuring Grant, which caught the attention of Oprah herself. The impressive packing video, earned the actress the moniker “Packing Queen.”

The 42-year-old actress’ packing videos were instant hits, so much so that she has shared tips on the Rachel Ray show, Bravo, Hallmark’s Home and Family, and Good Morning America.

on a 36-square-meter lot; Bettina, a 44-square-meter unit on a 36-squaremeter lot; and Alecza, a 36-squaremeter unit on an 81-square-meter lot.

Bria’s compact condominium model units designed for those who prefer comfortable, fuss-free lifestyles are also available for viewing.

During the Grand Open House, Bria Homes will also highlight its upcoming projects—seven new communities spread across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao: in Alaminos, Pangasinan; Pililla, Rizal; Montalban, Rizal; Naga, Camarines Sur; Danao, Cebu; Cagayan de Oro; and Maco, Davao de Oro. Call 0966-277-5944 for more information.

Experts posit the best time to invest in a memorial lot was yesterday—the next best time is today.

Lake said in its website.

Memorial lot is a real estate investment protected against depreciation; its value doesn’t become zero and makes for a good collateral since it is a tangible asset.

But of course, aside from being a sound investment, planning today means one less thing to worry about in

the future.

The stress of preparing for a loved one’s funeral and final resting place, and the sudden financial strain can easily exacerbate agony and anxiety. Although death cannot be predicted, being prepared gives a person more time to complete other requirements and focus on grieving sooner.

Sara Black talks about known practices to gain more clarity at home.

Sara Black leads ‘healthy home’ forum LIFESTYLE photographer-turnedmeditation coach and yoga teacher Sara Black is leading a talk on tips for healthier dwellings on Jan. 25, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Healthy Options in Glorietta 2, Makati.

Black believes that with some tried and tested practices, tools, and techniques, people can gain clarity and enjoy more inspired living; decluterring starts with oneself, and with one’s home.

During the two-hour Healthy Options forum, Black will tackle energy clearing and creation of positive feel-

Walking...

From C1 Here in Metro Manila, one example of a walkable community is located at the corner of Edsa and Shaw Boulevard.

Greenfield District features wide sidewalks, tree-lined walkways, and open spaces. Moreover, it was designed with great accessibility to major modes of public transport while paved pathways guide commuters to main thoroughfares so they can be on their way via the MRT stations and bus terminals.

The community offers a respite after a full day at school or at work, what with its wide selection of restaurants and other dining establishments peppered around the vicinity. The Hub, Pavilion, and The Portal, for instance, offer a variety of choices for dining and recreation.

Further, one-of-the-kind indoor sports adventure hubs Climb Central Manila and Trampoline Park provide fun and dynamic leisure activities.

The Greenfield District Central Park is home to events and activities like the Kaleidoscope where everyone can chillout with good food and live music every Friday, unique food stalls and shops

FASTEST growing mass housing developer Bria Homes is staging a nationwide Grand Open House on Jan. 25-26.

The two-day event will simultaneously showcase the developer’s welldesigned model homes in all of its projects nationwide.

On Jan. 25, the Grand Open House will welcome prospective Filipino homeowners with a lively motorcade at 7:00 a.m., followed by the grand launch of the Pambansang Pabahay Campaign.

Leisurely viewing will continue at 8:00 a.m. on Jan. 26, with more than 50 Bria communities open to guests all day.

Visitors can check out model units: Elena, a 24-square-meter unit

ings; clearing the mind as well as sacred spaces or creating tranquil spots in the home for rest or quality time; decluttering and maintaining the flow of energy; bringing life energy into space through plants; and detoxifying the home with natural products, including DIY materials.

Healthy Options members may attend the session for free; Gold members may bring one companion.

Send a message to 0917-809-8479 or events@healthyoptions.com.ph for more information.

Wide tree-lined roads and sidewalks are unencumbered by power lines.

during The Greenfield Weekend Market, farm-to-table products at Urban Farm, and Sunset Fair every Sunday.

Because Greenfield District is tucked away from main thoroughfares, the roar of vehicles is pleasantly muffled, thus a quick stroll in the park becomes a daily therapeutic affair. To add to the simple

sophistication of the township, the treelined roads and sidewalks are unencumbered by power lines as utilities and cabling have been installed underground.

The inviting environment, various establishments, accessibility, and green spaces encourage residents and visitors to explore the area by foot.

Aside from their love of traveling and producing web videos, Grant and Hersh also spend time doing charitable projects related to childhood education.

According to Grant, Hersh is a key donor to the Padua Charitable Fund school/typhoon shelter for typhoon victims in Bani, Pangasinan. Biaggi donated 200 backpacks to the children in the village.

Their wedding last year was a special adventure for the couple and their families. They took their guests on a 10-day wedding trip through the Holy Land, which started in Jerusalem and ended in Tel Aviv.

“I remember my late grandparents Nellie Balangue Padua and Ceferino Padua whose lifelong ambition was to visit the Holy Land. I hope by bringing

their beloved family together here for the first time, I have, in so many ways, fulfilled their dream,” shared Grant.

The journey started with the excursion under the biblical landmark of Mount Sodom, the Tower of David in a night spectacle, and a tour through Jerusalem’s ancient Hasmonean Aqueduct at the City of David. They also visited the Dead Sea, Ein Gedi Reserve, hiked up Mount Masada, went up the Western Wall, and checked out Middle East’s largest Filipino market.

“I’m marrying a guy with a lot of baggage,” Grant said in jest. “I feel so blessed to marry such a wonderful man and have the opportunity to treat our guests to such a spiritual tour of Israel.”

During the ceremony, Grant wore a dress by top Israeli designer Dany Mizrachi.

Landers teams up with the Philippine Army to distribute donations to Taal evacuees.

Superstore accepts donations for Taal evacuees MEMBERSHIP superstore Landers opens its branches for donations to be delivered to the victims of the recent eruption of Taal Volcano.

Donations will be accepted every day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Members and non-members can give all kinds of donations except perishable items.

Donations will be turned over to the Philippine Army who will then

sort and distribute to the evacuees in Batangas.

Drop-off centers are at Landers ArcoVia City (99 Eulogio Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Pasig), Landers Alabang West (Daang Hari Road, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City), Landers Balintawak (1240 Edsa Balintawak, Apolonio Samson, Quezon City), and Landers Otis (1890 Paz Guazon St., Paco, Manila).

Entertainment

thursDAY, JANuArY 23, 2020 nickie.standard@gmail.com

C3

Ely BuEndia

set for another night at the theater in Resorts World Manila F resh from the success of his A Night At The Theater concert in December with scenes inspired by resorts World Manila’s Ang Huling El Bimbo (AheB)—The Musical, Pinoy rock icon Ely Buendia gears up for a repeat performance at the Newport Performing Arts Theater on Feb. 20.

Due to insistent public demand, the legendary frontman of one of the most influential Pinoy bands of all time is once again set to display his thespian side and integrate the exciting elements that make up both theater musicals and rock concerts.

As the first performance allowed audiences to witness a unique integration of both disciplines, not to mention a side of Buendia not previously seen by his fans, this time promises to be another Pinoy musical experience for the books.

Apart from the cast that include Gian Magdangal, Chino Veguillas, Jon

Santos, Carla Guevara-Laforteza, Reb Atadero, Victor Robinson, Lance Reblando, Tanya Manalang, Sheila Francisco plus members of the ensemble: Stephen Vinas, Raymund Concepcion, Jasper Jimenez, Kiara Dario, Jim Ferrer, Red Nuestro, and some of the members from the creative team behind

the breakthrough 2019 musical, Buendia will also be joined by his band Nitoy Adriano, Audry Dionisio, Pat Sarabia, Carissa Ramos, and Joseph Cabanero plus the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

Notable production contributions include Myke Salomon’s musical arrangement, writing

by AheB playwright Dingdong Novenario, and the direction of theater veteran Jamie Wilson.

“This was a leap into the unknown,” said Buendia of the original show, and as a new decade begins, the legendary singer, songwriter, and artist is once again all set to present his vast creative arsenal to music fans of all ages in his one-night concert.

Tickets to A Night At The Theater: The Repeat are now available at the RWM Box Office at the ground floor of Newport Mall and all TicketWorld outlets. For more upcoming shows and events at rWM, visit www.rwmanila.com or download the rWM Mobile App.

FDCP Chairperson Liza Diño with last year’s Camera Obscura awardee Kidlat Tahimik

Actors Allen Dizon (left) and Baron Geisler

FDCP to hold 4th Annual Film Ambassadors’ Night

Pinoy rock icon Ely Buendia gears up for a repeat performance at the Newport Performing Arts Theater set for February.

agsunta goes mainstream FrOM gaining significant attention online for their viral song covers, Pinoy pop rock band Agsunta has now come full circle, welcoming 2020 with their now completed all-original eP, Feels Trip, produced under DNA Music.

“The six songs of the eP will evoke lots of ‘feels.’ It’s like a rollercoaster ride of emotions—there’s sadness, joy, and anger,” the band said.

The eP, which includes six original tracks namely, “Bagong Umaga,” “Alas Dose,” “Kung ‘Di Na Ako,” “Liwanag,” “Lokomotor,” and “hayskul hits”— came after the band signed with the record label last year, after a brief hiatus from the limelight.

Last Dec. 27, Agsunta released “haykul Hits,” a nostalgia-filled track which takes listeners down memory lane, from forgotten friendships to wistful young loves, the song that finally concluded the all-original eP. The OPM band also staged

their first major concert last year, Agsunta Feels Trip, where they performed their “hugot” songs as well as their acoustic hits.

This Saturday (Jan. 25), they are set to perform on a gig for the benefit of the Taal volcano eruption victims together with other OPM artists like sUD and Mayonnaise. The benefit show will be held at the Jesus Our Hope International Assemblies in Cubao, Quezon City set to work on another eP this 2020, Agsunta is just one of the promising OPM artists under DNA Music, a record label under ABs-CBN Music committed to support the local band industry and train the spotlight on the talent of rock and alternative artists.

Rising OPM band Agsunta drops an alloriginal EP

FOr its annual kickoff event, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) will usher in 2020 by honoring Filipino filmmakers, producers, actors, projects and the various figures of the film industry that received global recognition over the past year at the fourth edition of FDCP’s Film Ambassadors’ Night.

Film Ambassador’s Night, which inaugurated in 2017, has honored over 200 filmmakers with particular focus on those who represented the Philippines in the international arena. In this year’s edition to be held on Feb. 9 (sunday), FDCP will recognize several Film Ambassadors who consist of Filipino film industry artists, filmmakers, and films across genres and formats that received awards in film festivals abroad.

“We call our honorees Film Ambassadors for their incredible role in promoting and elevating Philippine Cinema globally by winning in international platforms,” said FDCP Chairperson Liza Dino said.

“Their works and artistry add to the whole of an already great Filipino heritage that is constantly growing in scale and quality. and it makes us truly proud that we call the world’s attention to the Philippine Cinema through their efforts,” she added.

In the past, these recognitions have included director Brillante Mendoza as part of the A-listers category for winning the special jury prize in san sebastian Film Festival in 2018 and directors Treb Monteras and Mikhail Red as some

Snapshot...

From C4

According to ABs-CBN Foundation’s sagip Kapamilya, 12,859 families or 64,295 individuals received relief packs in 81 evacuation centers, while 5,403 persons were able to get warm meals from the soup kitchen and 663 individuals got psychological first aid, as of Jan. 19 (sunday).

Until now, ABs-CBN Foundation is still doing rounds in evacuation centers to help ease the burden of evacuees.

One of the persons who received relief was Francisca Villanueva who shared that she and her family rushed to an evacuation center with only a few belongings in tow.

“Maybe we won’t have a home to return to. I don’t know how to start over,” Francisca shared in an interview with TV Patrol.

Francisca and other evacuees’ future

of the many ‘Film Ambassadors’.

The event also brings together industry workers and opens up the possibilities of sharing experiences and future collaborations.

In addition to recognizing these ‘Film Ambassadors,’ FDCP will present the Camera Obscura Artistic excellence award to three members of the film industry. This award recognizes outstanding representatives of the film industry—be they filmmakers, producers, actors and so on—who made breakthroughs internationally, brought an appreciation for Philippine cinema abroad, and have positively inspired the Philippine film industry to aspire to greater heights. Awardees will receive a trophy and 50,000 pesos from FDCP. Last year’s Camera Obscura awardees included filmmaker and national artist Kidlat Tahimik, film producer Bianca Balbuena, and the highest-grossing Filipino film of 2018, The Hows of Us. Other past winners include Lav Diaz and Jaclyn Jose, as well as the films Saving Sally (dir. Avid Liongoren) for its recognition as an original full-length animation film and Kita Kita (dir. Sigrid Andrea Bernardo) for setting a new box office record as the highestgrossing, independently produced Filipino film.

FDCP’s Film Ambassador’s Night is the first of many events to be held this 2020 by the agency as it continues spearheading the yearlong celebration of Sine Sandaan, the commemoration of a hundred years of Philippine cinema.

remains uncertain, but the endless support and love that they are receiving have given them a glimmer of hope. helping out in the relief operations was G Diaries host and Bantay Bata 163 executive director Ernie Lopez, who witnessed the Filipino bayanihan spirit come alive once again in a dark time for some of our countrymen. ernie remarked, “the way we help each other is not forced. People are openly willing. They open their hearts, they open their wallets, they give their resources.

That’s the nice thing about Pinoys,” he said.

Meanwhile, sagip Kapamilya also showed untiring support to victims of recent calamities. Just like in Taal, the organization immediately extended a helping hand to those affected by recent typhoon Tisoy and Ursula in Visayas and Mindanao.

ABs-CBN Foundation is still accepting in-kind and cash donations for Taal evacuees.

Entertainment

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

C4

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 2020

Black comedy ‘Parasite’ shocks SAG by landing the night’s top prize

Where does

BILLIE EILISH go?

The teen singer who has amassed billions of streams on Spotify is coming to Manila in September

G

LOBAL, chart-topping artist Billie Eilish is bringing her highlyanticipated Where Do We Go? World Tour to the Philippines, performing her first-ever concert in the country on Sept. 5 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

'Parasite' cast (from left) Song Kang-ho, Cho Yeo-jeong, director Bong Joon-ho, Lee Jung-eun, Choi Woo-shik, and Lee Sun-kyun pose with their trophies for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture during the SAG Awards in Los Angeles.

PARASITE shocked the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday by landing the night’s top prize, a historic win that thrusts the South Korean black comedy into Oscars contention.

The critical smash hit film overcame the language barrier to win outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture, the SAG equivalent of a best film Academy Award.

“I’m a little embarrassed feeling like we’re the parasites of Hollywood now,” joked actor Lee Sun-Kyun.

Director Bong Joon-Ho admitted that “it is true that the momentum is building” for the Oscars.

The film, which merges comedy, drama, and horror genres, follows a poor family as it infiltrates a wealthier household, and tackles the widening class gulf.

“Although the title is Parasite, I think the film is about coexistence and how we can all live together,” said star Song Kang-ho, collecting the award.

The much-hyped movie had missed out on main prizes at the Golden Globes and Saturday’s Producers Guild Awards.

But Sunday’s win underlines the breakout movie’s extraordinary popularity in Hollywood.

It beat Bombshell, The Irishman, Jojo Rabbit, and Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood at the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles.

In contrast to the stunning victory for “Parasite”, the four Oscars acting favorites all cemented their frontrunner statuses by piling on further trophies. Andrew Marszal, AFP

SNAPSHOT

Produced by MMI Live and Live Nation, tickets to the concert will go on sale to the general public beginning Feb. 2 at 12:00 p.m. in all SM Tickets outlets or throughwww.smtickets.com.

In 2019, Billie Eilish earned her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “bad guy,” taken from her multi-platinum global smash debut album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? released by Darkroom/Interscope Records.

The 18-year-old singer and songwriter is officially the first artist born this millennium to achieve both a No. 1 album and single and is now the third female solo artist in the 31-year history with multiple songs topping the Billboard Alternative Songs airplay chart (alongside Alanis Morrissette and Sinead O’Connor). “bad guy” also hit #1 in the Pop Songs airplay chart after leading the Alternative Songs airplay. Her album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? debuted at No.1 on the Billboard

Billie's brother, Finneas, helps her make her music. The teen has been writing songs since she's 11.

200 album chart and 2019’s best-selling album in North America.

Billie Eilish also graced the cover of Rolling Stone, V, Billboard, Variety, and ELLE, and has amassed more than 17 billion combined global streams to date.

Billie Eilish will embark on a sold-out North American tour in March 2020 and will tour South America and the UK before heading to Asia.

For show ticket details and information, you may visit mmilive.com and livenation.asia.

Taal evacuees receive help through ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya THE entire country was shocked when Taal volcano suddenly erupted, sending a thick ashfall to blanket over Batangas and Cavite, and even reaching some parts of Metro Manila. Despite the heartbreaking disaster, affected families didn’t feel abandoned with all the help and support that came pouring in from fellow Filipinos. Continued on C3

Click music YUGEL LOSORATA

Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). As head writer and editor, I helped conceptualized its content flow, wrote features, and came up with the title Inspire/Empower: Images and Stories of Persons with Disabilities in the Philippines.

One of its features showcased the talent of a siblings ensemble calling themselves Splendio Tritus. The band was formed “to support the music therapy needs” of bass-playing Josh and “improve his social skills.”

“Through carefully selected

As the youngest female artist ever to have a number 1 album in the UK, Billie Eilish dazzles the crowd wherever she performs.

photographs and heartwarming features, we created a picture of realism and positivity fit for today’s era of openness and much-needed change,” stated FPPF President Pablo “Lito” Beltran in the book’s introduction.

Inspire/Empower’s editorial team also included photographer-art director Joy Ganaden, who also works as a mainstream record label guy, and lenswoman Cris Cleofas, wife of photographer Chito Cleofas who reportedly is a cousin of alternative rock stalwart Raimund

Marasigan. (Copies of the book are available at the FPPF office in Room 302A, FEMII Building, A. Soriano Avenue. Intramural, Manila. For inquiries, call 0956-2692610 or 0995-0132515 or email myfppf@yahoo.com.).

A non-profit organization of photographers dedicated to the promotion of photography in the Philippines, FPPF is spearheading its recurring Photo World Asia set from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4 in Glorietta, Makati, with workshops and seminars scheduled at the nearby Asian Institute of

PHOTOGRAPHY is a subject poetically tackled in various songs to good effect. Jim Croce’s folksy “Photographs and Memories” is a classic that even became the title of his posthumous compilation, while Irish boy band Boyzone’s pop joy “Picture of You” gave its frontman Ronan Keating an Ivor Novello award.

On the local music scene, Ariel Rivera has kept us calmly “Back to another place and time” with his hit “Photograph” while rock balladeer Jerome Abalos ensured us with a classic hugot line singing “Bumabalik ang ligayang lipas/Salamat sa larawang kupas.”

I recently worked with The Federation of Philippine Photographers Foundation (FPPF) for a coffee table book about The FPPF-led Photo World Asia 2020 Speakers Meeting held at Max’s5Greenbelt 1 last week, Jan. 16.

Management (AIM) Conference Center.

The anticipated open for public and free trade show will put on display the latest trends and products in the industry, with major camera manufacturers and photography suppliers participating.

Theme for Photo World Asia 2020 is Travel and Lifestyle, with renowned photographers scheduled to speak, including the seasoned Edwin Tuyay who will discuss “My Life After Journalism.”

Tuyay, who took President Rody Duterte’s portrait featured on Time magazine, is the father of Kamikazee guitarist Led Zeppelin who he named after the legendary rock band fronted by Robert Plant and Jimmy Page.

Industry experts Pepe Diokno, Alex Ruelo, Rey Sta. Ana, as well as lady photographers Sara Black and Beth Lalana are among those in the speakers pool. (For more details, visit the FPPF official website: http://www. photoworldmanila.com/2019/12/23/ registration-now-open-photo-worldasia-2020/) Photography and music are intertwined and there are globally known acts who toil with cameras off stage like Bryan Adams, Julian Lennon, and Michael Stipe of R.E.M fame. Even Filipino songwriting icon Jim Paredes is into photography. Freeze frame!