Manila Standard - 2020 February 5 - Wednesday

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Cabinet ‘blame game’ begins Over lapses in virus control as 3rd possible case crops up

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, MJ Blancaflor, Rey E. Requejo and Jenniffer B. Austria

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 356 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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ABINET members on Tuesday pointed fingers at each other over lapses in contact tracing, after it was learned that fewer than 60 of the 331 airline passengers who had contact with two carriers of the deadly novel coronavirus (nCoV) have been reached by health officials so far—even as the authorities were monitoring a possible third case.

“Yes, there is [a possible third case], but we will give the report tomorrow because we will have a Cabinet meeting [first],” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on the sidelines of a Senate hearing on the nCoV outbreak.

Asked if health officials responsible for the “slow” tracing will be held accountable, Duque said: “Heads will roll. Somebody’s head is going to roll.”

Duque told lawmakers that 331 passengers had contact

with the first fatality reported in the Philippines and his girlfriend, a 38-year-old Chinese woman who was the first confirmed nCoV case in the country.

The couple traveled from Wuhan via Hong Kong, and from there took a Cebu Pacific flight to Cebu, then later another Cebu Pacific flight to Dumaguete. Days later, they a took Philippine Airlines flight to Manila.

They were both admitted and isolated at the San Lazaro Hospital in Sta. Cruz, Manila upon arrival. The man tested positive for the new virus on Feb. 1.

During the hearing on the coronavirus conducted by the committee on health and demography, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade blamed Duque for failure of communication and coordination, saying this resulted in slow contact tracing.

Senators Francis Pangilinan and Panfilo Lacson accused Duque of a “failure of leadership.”

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UNFATHOMABLY UNCALCULABLE. While President Rodrigo Duterte scrupulously reviews a report on the 2019 novel coronavirus during a briefing at Malacañang Monday night, he said ‘everything is well in the country’—against the rising death toll from what the World Health Organization declared a global emergency—with more than 400 deaths thus far, including a Chinese man in the Philippines who flew in days earlier from Wuhan. Presidential Photo

State of calamity Duterte OKs P2.25b for workers’ masks, gear Ramos-Araneta in ASF-hit Davao ByandMacon Willie Casas THE entire province of Davao Occidental has been put under a state of calamity, with up to 10,000 hogs affected by African swine fever, Gov. Claude Bautista said Tuesday.

Speaking to CNN Philippines, Bautista said ASF cases were recently confirmed in the towns of Don Marcelino and Malita. The province has been put on lockdown, with the entry and exit of all hogs and pork products banned.

Don Marcelino has already implemented a total ban on the transport and sale of hogs, all pork products and byproducts since Jan. 31, after about 1,000 pigs died of the disease.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said Monday that at least eight barangays in Don Marcelino were affected by the outbreak. The villages were cordoned off to prevent the spread of the diseas, Dar said.

The city government of Davao has banned the entry of live pigs, pork meat and other pork-related products coming

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved in principle the P2.25-billion budget for the purchase of personal protective equipment for 5,000 health care workers so they will not be infected by the novel coronavirus (nCoV), Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Tuesday.

“This is going to be on the assumption that this will last for 90 days or three months, multiplied by three shifts because the care will have to be round the clock,” Duque told the Senate committee on health’s hearing on the country’s preparedness for the nCoV outbreak, which claimed its first fatality in the Philippines over the weekend.

Each set of equipment—which in-

cludes goggles, mask, gloves, head gear and apron—costs P1,500.

Duque also said Duterte also approved the procurement of P10 million worth of surgical masks as part of the government’s bid to contain the virus.

The Health chief also said the President wanted isolation rooms in both public and private hospitals should there be Next page

HK man dies of nCoV, second outside of China HONG KONG on Tuesday became the second place outside mainland China to report the death of a coronavirus patient as restrictions on movement were imposed on two more cities far from the epicenter, including the home of Alibaba.

The death of the 39-year-old man in Hong Kong came as the semi-autonomous city closed all but two land crossings with the Chinese mainland to slow

the spread of the virus.

Singapore on Tuesday also announced the first local transmissions of the deadly coronavirus as a major aviation conference was scrapped due to the escalating health scare.

The Ministry of Health said it had found six additional cases, four of them involving human-to-human transmission in Singapore, bringing the total infec-

tions to 24 in the city-state.

“Though four of these cases constitute a local transmission cluster, there is as yet no evidence of widespread sustained community transmission in Singapore,” the ministry said in a statement.

Two of the local transmission cases involved women working at a health products shop primarily serving Chinese Next page

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Taal Volcano quiet; Phivolcs on alert

By Rio N. Araja TAAL Volcano in Batangas is quiet, but the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology is still “closely monitoring” its activity because it could still erupt.

Taal’s recent eruption was an eyeopener for the Duterte administration. It is eyeing the permanent relocation of the residents within the seven-kilometer danger zone near the volcano, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Tuesday.

In a media forum in Kamuning, Quezon City, Nograles said around 5,000 families living in two towns in Batangas that had been badly hit by Taal Volcano’s eruption might be permanently barred from returning to their respective homes.

“Basically, we’re preparing for the worst. We anticipate everything, so the way this administration works is we try to anticipate everything, create contingency Next page

HOSPITAL ZONE. Workers set up beds at an exhibition center converted into a hospital in Wuhan, China on Tuesday. The Wuhan government plans to convert three existing venues, including a gymnasium and an exhibition center, into hospitals to take in patients with mild symptoms of the new coronavirus that has thus far claimed more than 400 lives. AFP

Source: DoH

PH, Kuwait seal new labor pact THE Philippines has signed a standard contract of employment with Kuwait to improve the working conditions of overseas Filipino workers, but the Duterte administration will not lift just yet its deployment ban on the Middle Eastern country.

“We have signed this agreement and there will be full implementation immediately,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

The agreement will ensure that Filipino household service workers are able to keep their passport and mobile phones during their stay in Kuwait. It also provides for fixed working and sleeping hours as well as a day off every week.

The lifting of the deployment ban, which was reimposed with the murder of Filipina worker Jeanalyn Villavende in December, will depend on the result of cooperation efforts between the two countries on several cases involving OFWs. “I am still validating their claim that the people who committed crimes against our OFWs have already been charged in court and are behind bars,” Bello said.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the suspects had initially offered P59 million in “blood money,” Next page

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5,twitter.com/ 2020 MlaStandard mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Coping with stress?

Have a good cry, say virus experts Feeling stressed by the deadly coronavirus? Have a good cry, say Chinese health experts. If that does not work, buy a punching bag for the office or try singing.

The advice for people in China struggling mentally to cope with the virus comes as schools and businesses delay reopening this week to help contain the spread of the SARS-like pathogen that has claimed more than 420 lives.

With public attractions closed, events canceled and citizens urged to stay home to avoid infections over the extended Spring Festival break, their psychological health is coming under the spotlight.

There is also growing concern over the well-being of healthcare workers on the frontline as the number of infections rises above 20,400.

Some provinces, such as Anhui in the east, have set up 24-hour hotlines for people mentally affected by the epidemic to talk to psychologists or psychiatrists, said state news agency Xinhua.

Health experts have offered suggestions on how to deal with the “extraordinary circumstances”.

‘Have a good cry’ “If your emotions have been particularly suppressed, you can look for an isolated spot and have a good cry for a few minutes,” said Yang Fude of the Beijing Huilongguan Hospital.

“After crying, you will feel better (...) An overcast sky will only brighten up after a heavy downpour,” he added when asked for advice for frontline workers battling the virus.

Otherwise, employees can install a sandbag in their office and spend several minutes doing some punching exercises to relax, he said.

His comments were met with some amusement online, with one user on China’s Twitter-like platform Weibo saying: “Surely we can’t be crying all day.”

Act responsibly Chinese citizens are receiving advice on all fronts on how to act responsibly as well.

A banner at the Beijing West Railway Station reminds people to “strengthen protection, stay calm, believe in science and avoid spreading rumors.”

Another outside a Beijing housing estate urges residents to “avoid going out, wear a mask, keep a distance with others and don’t shake hands.”

Jingles on television and radio remind people to wash their hands regularly, on top of round-the-clock updates online from the central city of Wuhan where the virus was detected late last year. AFP

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measures, whatever contingencies may come,” Nograles said.

Meanwhile, the state-run Social Security System on Tuesday extended its Calamity Assistance Package to members and pensioners who were affected by the recent eruption of Taal Volcano.

SSS president and chief executive Aurora Ignacio said the pension fund had allocated more than P284.92 million worth of financial assistance to benefit more than 28,680 affected members and pensioners.

“We sympathize with our members and pensioners who are now temporarily displaced due to the ongoing earthquakes and ashfall brought about by the volcanic activity of Taal Volcano. We want to assure our members and pensioners that they can rely on SSS for their immediate financial needs during these difficult times,” Ignacio said.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin on Tuesday, PHIVOLCS noted an increased sulfur dioxide emission at an average of 231 tons per day in the past 24 hours.

During the 24-hour period of observation on Feb. 2 to Feb. 3, the sulfur dioxide emission reached an average of 97 tons per day.

The Taal Volcano Network recorded 223 volcanic earthquakes and eight lowfrequency events.

PHIVOLCS still warned that the quakes would signify magmatic activity beneath the Taal edifice that could lead to eruptive activity at the main crater.

Alert Level 3 was maintained over Taal Volcano.

PH,...

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but this was rejected by the victim’s family who insisted on justice for Villavende.

The labor chief said aside from Villavende, he also inquired on the cases of Joanna Demafelis and Constancia Dayag, among others.

Demafelis was found dead in a freezer in February 2018. Her murder prompted Manila and Kuwait to sign a memorandum of understanding to provide additional protection to OFWs in the Gulf state.

Dayag was beaten to death in Kuwait in May last year.

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House, DBM review budget process Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Tuesday the House and the DBM wanted to “take a second look” at the traditional way of preparing the proposed budget and presenting it to the two chambers of Congress.

This developed as House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said the planned prior consultation with members of Congress in the preparation of the national budget was consistent with the constitutional mandate that the power of the purse lay with the legislature.

“It will hasten consideration of the President’s budget proposal not only in the House Committee on Appropriations but in Plenary as well,” Romualdez said.

“Remember that the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the 2020 national budget in record time on September 20, 2019.”

Romualdez said the plan was for the executive and legislative branches to work together in putting together the yearly outlay.

“That is what we want to do and that is what Budget Secretary [Wendel] Avisado wants to do―even before the President submits the budget to Congress, there is consultation with the proper committees of both the House and the Senate, instead of them preparing it and the House revising it and the Senate doing its own revision,’’ he said.

Cayetano said enacting the appropria-

tions bill would be smoother and faster “if we can do the budget together.”

Representatives Elpidio Barzaga Jr. of Cavite and Raneo Abu of Batangas said the closer coordination with the Executive would ensure zero veto on the spending measure once again.

“The Palace and Congress will also have more time to review and go over the proposed 2021 General Appropriations Bill,” Barzaga said.

Discussing the appropriations measure’s details with lawmakers before submitting it to the House, Barzaga, a lawyer, said would guarantee its expeditious passage and ensure no pork, no parking and no insertions of funds.

“The consultation is meant to ensure a 20-20 vision national budget that would continue the road to a more peaceful and progressive Philippines and make the life of Filipinos more comfortable,” Barzaga said.

Abu, a deputy speaker, said the initiative of Cayetano was to forge a closer coordination with the Palace in crafting the 2021 national budget before its submis-

Cabinet...

ing fingers at his subordinates.

“I think it’s not just a failure of communication, but also a failure of leadership on the part of the Health department,” Pangilinan said.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa added that Duque should have tapped the police to help trace the passengers.

He said they would have been “apprehended” in two to three days.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the contact tracing should be done by the Bureau of Immigration and the CAB. “Nobody can enter the country without filling up the immigration form. That form is in the custody of the BI and it should be with you guys,” he said.

On Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte said Filipinos should not be “hysterical” about the threat posed by the nCoV, saying the government was not “just sitting down.”

In an evening press briefing, the President also said the government would not hide any information about the nCoV. “If it says you’re going to die tomorrow because of this nCoV, it’s a contagion all over, we will tell you that. If it would cost you lives, we will not hide that,” Duterte said.

“Everything is well in the country.

There’s nothing really to be extra-scared of that coronavirus thing,” he added.

Duterte also said the government is purchasing more face masks following the reported shortage due to a surge in demand over the virus scare.

He also called on the public to avoid discriminatory behavior against Chinese citizens who were blamed for the spread of the virus. The President said China has been kind to the Philippines and the country should do the same.

“Stop this xenophobia thing. They are blaming the Chinese [that thevirus] came from China. It can always incubate in some other places but that is not the fault of anybody. Not of the Chinese, not of the Filipinos, not of anyone,” Duterte said.

“We are a community of nations. We cooperate. China has been kind to us.

We can only also show the same favor to them,” he added.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Senator Christopher Go said the President still trusts Duque, but said he should speed up the contact tracing.

He also assured the public that the government has been on top of the situation and is committed to assist Filipinos mitigate the impact of the new coronavirus.

As this developed, the number of patients under investigation for the novel coronavirus in the country reached 105 as of yesterday.

The DOH website showed that of this

number, 90 are still confined in hospitals while 12 have been discharged after testing negative for the virus.

The count includes the two fatalities earlier reported—the 29-year-old Chinese man from Yunnan who died Jan. 29 due to pneumonia but tested negative for the nCoV, and the 44-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan who succumbed to severe pneumonia caused by nCoV. Militant lawmakers Bayan Muna party-list Reps. Carlos Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite slammed the administration’s “apparent lackadaisical approach and wrong priorities” in immediately addressing the nCoV crisis.

Zarate and Gaite, Makabayan lawmakers, said the slow government response “will only make the country and our people even more vulnerable to the dreaded virus.”

With the second nCOV case, and, the first death due to nCoV outside of China recorded in the Philippines, the slow response of the Duterte administration to this health emergency cannot simply be glossed over, Zarate said.

“The preemptive ban on flights coming from affected areas, particularly in China, was made only after the death of the victim. We have also received reports that surgical masks along with N95 masks are now out of stock or their prices have gone through the roof. A surgical mask now costs P38 in a big pharmacy in Commonwealth when it should be just P1-P5 per piece,” he said.

“We also received reports that the male victim who died and his companion had been in the country for quite sometime, as part of a group tour. They stayed in a hotel in Manila prior to being hospitalized for suspicion of being nCoV infected,” Zarate said.

Gaite also scored the “belated decision of President Duterte to finally implement a temporary travel ban on all tourists coming from mainland China and its special administrative regions Hong Kong and Macau amid the threat of the novel coronavirus.”

In related developments: * Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday said the National Bureau of Investigation is willing to mobilize its agents nationwide, to help track down all the airline passengers who had come in contact with the two confirmed nCoV cases. * Privacy Commissioner Raymund Enriquez Liboro said that while data privacy is a right, it is not an absolute right and subject to the requirements of public order and safety. He said the release of the passenger manifest in this case would be allowed under the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

By Maricel V. Cruz

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HE House of Representatives and the Department of Budget and Management want a smoother process for the preparation and approval of the annual national budget.

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Under questioning by Senator Nancy Binay, Duque admitted that “roughly a fifth” or about 17 percent of the 331 copassengers of the confirmed coronavirus cases on the Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific flights have been contacted.

He told the Senate panel that his subordinates failed to inform him beforehand that only 17 percent of passengers had been contacted.

He acknowledged this was a problem of the lack of transparency on the part of his people.

He said he did not know all the operational details and that to attend to these would make him lose sight of “the bigger picture.”

“But I will have this investigated,” Duque said.

He also bewailed the failure of airline companies to share contact details of the passengers, saying they were invoking confidentiality.

But Manila International Airport Authority General Manager Ed Monreal said he could see no reason the airlines would withhold that information.

Philippine Airlines spokesperson Cielo Villaluna added that the flag carrier did in fact share the passengers’ contact details.

“We shared it to enable DOH to carry out the callouts and on top of that, PAL carried out callouts,” Villaluna said.

Cebu Pacific Air spokesperson Charo Logarta-Lagamon said they have been in close coordination with the DOH, the Bureau of Quarantine and other government agencies to help manage the risk of contamination from the nCoV and have been working with the government from the beginning.

She said Cebu Pacific, too has already provided a list of passengers aboard both flights to the Department of Health.

“We have also contacted the passengers aboard the flights taken by nCoV-positive patients and updated them on those we have been able to speak with. As an additional measure, Cebu Pacific opened a hotline to enable passengers aboard the specific flights to call the airline.”

In underscoring a glaring picture of failure to communicate, Tugade insisted it should have been the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Civil Aeronautics Board who should do contact tracing.

Tugade said the airline companies would be more likely to respond to the CAAP or the CAB, since they have jurisdiction and power over them to “force compliance.”

Pangilinan chastised Duque for point-

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tourists. A third was one of the women’s Indonesian maid. Another was a female tour guide who had brought groups to the health shop.

On Sunday the Philippines reported the death of a Chinese man who had come from Wuhan, the first fatality outside of China.

China earlier Tuesday reported 64 more fatalities-a single-day high― from the new coronavirus, raising the toll to 425, with more than 20,000 infections across the country.

With more than 20,400 confirmed infections, the mortality rate for the new coronavirus is much lower than the 9.6 percent rate for the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.

In related developments: As the deadly coronavirus has spread worldwide, it has carried with it xenophobia―and Asian communities around the world are finding themselves subject to suspicion and fear.

When a patient on Australia’s Gold Coast refused to shake the hand of her surgeon Rhea Liang, citing the virus that has killed hundreds, the medic’s first response was shock.

But after tweeting about the incident and receiving a flood of responses, the respected doctor learned her

experience was all too common.

Macau said Tuesday it will temporarily close all casinos as the gambling hub battles the deadly coronavirus, cutting off the lifeblood of the city’s economy.

The move came as the former Portuguese colony confirmed its tenth case of the virus, which has killed more than 400 people in China, infected tens of thousands, and spread to more than 20 countries.

More Chinese cities, including one just 175 kilometers from Shanghai, were put under lockdown on Tuesday, as the impact of a deadly new virus spread further from its epicenter.

Around 12 million people are affected by the new restrictions, adding to the tens of millions of people already quarantined in and around Wuhan, ground zero for 2019-nCoV. A disabled boy has died after being left to fend for himself when his father was quarantined over the deadly new coronavirus in China’s Hubei province.

Yan Cheng, who was confined to a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy, was abandoned at home when his father was isolated because of a fever.

The 17-year-old, who could not speak, walk or eat by himself, and whose mother died several years earlier, had no one to feed him or help him with daily life.

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sion to the lower chamber.

“This effort for better linkages and coordination will ensure the swift passage of the expenditure program and avoid a presidential veto,” Abu said.

“This would also help guarantee that needed projects and programs, including response and rehabilitation to various calamities, are well considered from the very start.”

Under the Constitution, it is the President who submits the annual budget to Congress. The budget bill, by mandate of the Charter, originates from the House.

The Senate has the power to concur or propose amendments.

Aside from speeding up the budget enactment process, the plan of the House and the DBM would obviate the possibility of the President vetoing or rejecting certain appropriations in the Congress-approved spending bill.

In April last year, President Duterte signed the 2019 appropriations law after deleting P95-billion worth of alleged lastminute pork barrel fund insertions made by the previous House leadership.

Sanders claims caucus win amid fiasco in Iowa

Bernie Sanders

Joe Biden

IOWA’S vote kick-starting the 2020 US presidential contest degenerated into a fiasco marred by major delays on Monday, with Bernie Sanders claiming a slim lead in the Democratic caucus citing partial unofficial results.

Figures released by the leftist senator’s campaign, five hours after the caucuses opened across Iowa, showed Pete Buttigieg in second spot, a strong showing for the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana who was a national unknown just one year ago.

“Iowa you have shocked the nation,” the 38-year-old gay military reservist told loudly cheering supporters in what sounded very much like a victory speech. “Because tonight, an improbable hope became an undeniable reality.”

With chaos on the ground as Democratic party officials reportedly told campaigns not to expect results before sometime Tuesday, Sanders, running as a democratic socialist, took to the microphones to proclaim he had “a good feeling we’re going to be doing very, very well here in Iowa.”

“Tonight in this enormously consequential 2020 election, the first state in the country has voted, and today marks the beginning of the end for Donald Trump,” said the 78-year-old.

Iowa is a closely-watched test in the months-long process to determine who will face the Republican president in November.

Sanders later took the bold step of releasing internal, unpublished results from nearly 40 percent of precincts, showing him with 28.62 percent of the state delegate equivalent, the all-important figure used to determine who wins the Iowa caucuses.

Buttigieg earned 25.71 percent, followed by progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren on 18.42 percent, the data indicated. AFP

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from two neighboring provinces beginning Monday.

Mayor Sara Duterte said the move was necessary following the confirmed ASF case in Davao Occidental and a suspected case in Davao del Sur. “This morning [Monday], I received a report that there is a suspected case in Davao del Sur for ASF. We will no longer wait for the result of the tests. We include the banning of their province to further protect the hog industry and hog farmers here in our city,” she said.

“We will not allow any products coming from those provinces. We do not have a case here in Davao City and we’d like to keep it that way,” she said.

In September last year, Duterte signed Executive Order 39 that enforces a temporary ban on all live pigs, pork and pork-related products and by-products whether fresh, frozen, processed or cooked but not limited to frozen boar semen from the entire island of Luzon and other ASF-affected areas.

The provisions of the Executive Order mandated the swine raisers in Davao City to practice strict biosecurity and good animal husbandry practices in their farms. It also mandates strict vigilance on swine raisers to report suspicious mortality of their pigs to the City Veterinarian’s Office for verification.

more persons who are infected.

Duque further said the President also wanted transport vehicles solely dedicated to nCoV patients.

He said Duterte highlighted the need to scale up diagnostic capabilities of the Research Institute of Tropical Medicine as well as all laboratories of private hospitals for the testing of the coronavirus.

The President on Monday night held an emergency meeting with top government officials, including the World Health Organization, to discuss measures to contain the deadly virus.

WHO Country Representative to the Philippines Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe reminded the public that the use of surgical masks by the general public is not recommended amid fears that the virus would spread in the Philippines.

Speaking in the same Senate hearing, Abeyasinghe said that they do not “see the benefit of masks to be used by general public.”

“People who are having respiratory symptoms or who are in crowded places could be wearing those masks. But it would be preferable to reserve those masks for high-risk individuals and health workers,” he said.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PH to ask UK to extradite Pinoy inmates

House approves ‘GMRC’ bill on final reading

By Maricel V. Cruz

By Rey E. Requejo THE British government has conveyed its interest in negotiating for a Transfer of Sentence Persons Agreement with the Philippines that would allow the extradition of Filipinos imprisoned in the United Kingdom and for them to serve the remaining years of their sentence in the Philippines, an official of the Department of Justice said onTuesday.

Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said on Tuesday that he met with British Consul Martin O’Neill on Monday and discussed the possibility of having a TSPA between the two countries.

“We met the British Consul yesterday and he intimated their desire to enter into a TSPA with us. Once the request is formalized through the Department of Foreign Affairs [DFA], the UK and [the] Philippines will exchange drafts as a prerequisite to negotiations,” Perete said, in an interview.

Perete said that there may be less than 10 Filipinos detained in the UK, but said he has yet to verify the figure with the DFA. “Per the Consul, as of now, there are less than 10 Filipinos imprisoned but we are confirming this with the DFA,” he said.

“We likewise want projections from the DFA of the number of Philippine nationals in the UK for us to determine the prioritization to be accorded to the UK request to negotiate,” he added.

However, Perete explained that DOJ would give priority importance to its other states seeking to enter into similar TSPA with the Philippines where there are large concentration of overseas Filipino workers.

Aside from UK, the DOJ official said they are negotiating with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where as of December last year, there were 91 Filipinos detained for reportedly committed various offenses and 1,002 Filipinos facing investigation for criminal cases in the said Middle East country.

NBI probes nCoV fake news THE Department of Justice has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate and build up a case on the spread of misinformation and fake news about the novel coronavirus-acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) in the country.

“The NBI through Director Dante Gierran, is hereby directed and granted authority to conduct an investigation and case build-up on the alleged deliberate spread of misinformation and fake news about the 2019-nCoV ARD and false reporting of [nCoV ARD] cases,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, in a Department Order No. 052 dated Feb. 4.

“If evidence warrants, file the appropriate charges against persons found responsible therefor,” Guevarra added.

Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete, who is also DOJ’s spokesperson, said as part of the NBI’s investigation, “all leads will have to be considered, including those presented at the Senate.”

Perete admitted that they cannot specifically mention any specific case or violations that can be filed.

“These [charges] will depend on the evidence gathered during the investigation process,” Perete stressed.

Guevarra also instructed the NBI to provide technical assistance to the Department of Health in the contact tracing of individuals who may have interacted with the persons confirmed to have been infected with 2019-nCoV ARD. Rey Requejo

TIMELY REMINDER. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (right) assisted by Senior Majority Leader Rep. Crispin Remulla reminded the members of the Rules Committee on advisory released by the secretary general adopting health protocols in the House related to novel coronavirus, particularly on non-travel to countries affected by outbreak. Ver Noveno

SWS says jobless Pinoys fewer in 2019’s 4th qtr.

By MJ Blancaflor

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BOUT 7.9 million Filipinos were found jobless in the fourth quarter of 2019, fewer than the 10 million-figure recorded in September last year, according to a Social Weather Stations survey released Tuesday.

The Dec. 13 to 16 survey found that the estimated number of jobless adults has eased to 17.5 percent from the 21.5 percent reported in September.

The 4-point decline in the national joblessness rate was due to decreases of 10 points in Metro Manila and 8 points in Balance Luzon, combined with increases of 4 points in the Visayas and 1 point in Mindanao.

Across all regions, Mindanao recorded the highest joblessness rate with 20.7 percent, followed by Luzon (17.3 percent), and Visayas (15.7 percent). Meanwhile, Metro Manila has the lowest joblessness rate with 15 percent.

The estimated 7.9 million jobless adults in December 2019 consisted of 3.7 million who left their jobs voluntarily, 1.6 million first-time job seekers, 1.7 million whose contract ended and was not renewed, 613,000 who got laid off, and 399,000 whose employer closed operations.

The December 2019 survey also revealed that joblessness in urban areas (15.3 percent) was lower than those in rural areas (19.6 percent).

The 15.3 percent urban joblessness rate in December dropped from 23.4 percent compared to September 2019, an 8-point decrease lowest in 15 years, according to SWS.

As in the past, the same poll also revealed that adult joblessness was higher among women (30.8 percent) than among men (8.3 percent).

In September 2019, adult joblessness was 14.6 percent among men and 31.4 percent among women.

The decrease in adult joblessness among men widened the gap of joblessness between females and males.

The same poll also showed that the proportion of adults in the labor force is at 68.7 percent or about 45.5 million, higher than the 69.4 percent in September or an estimated 46.3 million.

In addition, the survey found that 53 percent of adults were optimistic that there will be more jobs this year while 12 percent were pessimistic. Meanwhile, 24 percent said there will be “no change” in the number of jobs available and 11 percent said they “don’t know.”

This gives a job optimism score of +40, classified by SWS as “excellent.”

The survey was conducted using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults and has a sampling error margin of ±3 percent for national percentages.

DPWH-SMC to resume work on fire-gutted skyway

By Willie Casas THE Department of Public Works and Highways-San Miguel Corp. Project Management team assured Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso during a recent briefing that reconstruction efforts are in place for the Pandacan portion of the Skyway Project which was hit by fire last Saturday.

The representatives from DPWH-SMC reported that the cause of the collapse was the structure’s exposure to extremely high temperature.

“Mainit na mainit po eh, ‘yan po ay bumagsak, naapektuhan po ‘yung bakal n’ya,” one of the engineers said.

Domagoso expressed his concern over the roads affected by the collapse,

as well as its impact on the surrounding community.

“I want to compartmentalize the problem for the general public. After today, ano ang mangyayari sa lungsod ng Maynila?” Domagoso asked.

DPWH-SMC clarified that they are still assessing the full scope of work but likewise assured the Manila mayor that there is a new target set for the project’s completion.

“Unless we know the extent of the damage, it’s hard to disclose any concrete timeline, but for the main trunk line we will try to finish it by December 2020,” the DPWH-SMC representative said.

An estimated 300 meters of the Skyway Stage 3 project were affected by

a fire that hit a plastic plant of San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corp. in Pandacan, Manila on Saturday.

In a statement, San Miguel Corp. said its SMC Infrastructure’s technical team went to the site after the fire was put under control and discovered the damage it made.

While the blaze affected 300 meters of the project, “the full extent of damage and its impact to the construction, has yet to be determined,” the company added.

SMC, meanwhile, vowed to extend assistance to the families whose houses were razed by the fire.

“We are ready to provide assistance to anyone directly affected by the incident,” it said.

DOJ-led unit to assess VFA termination

By Rey E. Requejo

HEALTH WORKERS’ PROTEST. Government health workers hold a protest in front of the Philippine General Hospital calling for a safer workplace and additional health budget on Tuesday. Norman Cruz

JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Tuesday said the Presidential Commission on Visiting Forces will submit its report to President Rodrigo Duterte this week on the impact of terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States.

This came after the PCVA held a toplevel meeting on the impact of the VFA termination on Monday.

Guevarra declined to provide details of the report, but he earlier hinted that the impact assessment would cover the security, economic and environmental effects of a possible termination.

President Duterte last week ordered the Department of Justice to study the pros and cons of ending the Philippines-US

VFA, an expansion of the assessment that had originally dealt with only the “proper procedure” for the termination.

The President had threatened to terminate the agreement if the US would not rectify the cancellation of the visa of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, his former police chief and the former top implementer of his administration’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

The 1999 VFA governs the conduct of visiting US personnel holding military exercises in the Philippines and specifies how the two countries will determine jurisdiction over American soldiers accused of committing on Philippine soil.

Duterte had warned he was moving to void the VFA as early as 2016, after a US agency deferred a vote on continuing its assistance to the Philippines over concerns on “rule of law and civil liberties.”

THE House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading the bill institutionalizing the inclusion of Good Manners and Right Conduct as a separate subject in Kinder to Grade 3 levels.

The chamber in plenary session passed the substitute bill by 225 votes.

The substitute bill consolidates several proposals filed at the House, including Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s HB 1.

Last November, the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture chaired

by Rep. Roman Romulo of Pasig City approved the proposed “Good Manners and Right Conduct [GMRC] Act of 2019,” which provides for the inclusion of the GMRC subject, taking into account the Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao Curriculum of the Department of Education’s K-12 program.

The bill defines GMRC as basic social values and etiquette. It pursues the State policy to develop the character of the youth by making them recognize their intrinsic human value, enabling them to cultivate their ability to make excellent choices for themselves in relation to the greater community, thereby creating a culture of respect and love for oneself, for others, and the country.

In the bill’s explanatory notes, Cayetano pointed out that there is a “pressing need” to strengthen the common core values and inculcate universally acceptable moral standards “in light of the changing times and the height of Internet use where the youth is exposed to all sorts of information and disinformation.”

“In the advent of social media and how it has evolved to be indispensable in our daily lives, it is important that Etiquette and Moral Uprightness is also introduced and taught for all of us to keep up with the modern era and act accordingly to a customary set of behavior,” he said.

“As the Philippines develops and [our] economy grows, it is essential that we do not forget who we are as a people, our divine purpose, and duties to our nation,” he added.

Gabino ‘Gaby’ Tabunar Jr., FOCAP founder, 94

GABINO Tabunar Jr., “Gaby” to us all and one of the country’s most respected journalists, passed away at 1:59 p.m. today at the Makati Medical Center, after a bout with pneumonia. He was 94.

Gaby died peacefully in the embrace of his children after final prayers by a priest at the Makati Med, and he heard his favorite song, “Summer Wind,” by Frank Sinatra.

“Even when he was in pain, he was very kind to the people who were taking care of him. He hardly complained—whatever pain he was feeling he kept to himself,” his eldest daughter, Mao, said.

“He loved his country and he had lots of hope for this country but sometimes muttered, ‘It takes a long time for us Filipinos to know what’s good for us,’” she said.

Mao is the eldest of Gaby’s five children.

Wake will be at the Loyola Guadalupe and friends can come starting Wednesday, Feb. 5, to be with his family and celebrate Gaby’s life, friendships and advocacies.

Gaby was a true friend to many, a father and mentor to countless journalists, and most importantly, one of the founders of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, or FOCAP, which continues to be a vanguard of press freedom to this day.

Gaby and the likes of the late journalist Teddy Benigno, a former press secretary for former President Corazon Aquino, and bureau chief of the Agence France Presse in Manila, founded the FOCAP in 1974 to fight for freedom of the press and civil liberties in the dangerous Martial Law-era under Ferdinand Marcos.

Gaby was a long-time correspondent with CBS News and was an executive of a pharmaceutical company before that.

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

China and pandemics WELCOME to the age of epidemics and pandemics.

An epidemic is the widespread occurrence of an infectious disease in a specific community. Pandemic is when that disease leaps from country to country, continent to continent. When nearly the whole earth is covered, then it becomes a global pandemic, of course. The online dictionary says if a virus appears in two continents, it is a pandemic. An example of an ancient pandemic: Corruption.

So far, 38 airlines from 32 countries have suspended or stopped flights to and from China, most of them until the end of March 2020.

The new coronavirus (aka 2019nCoV; Wuhan flu in my language) has leapfrogged from Hubei province in China to the entire China and its territories, Hong Kong and Macau, then on to the rest of Asia, including Taiwan, South Korea and Japan, before jumping to Europe and North America. The fear is that nCoV could hurdle up to Africa and to the rest of the Americas. Then we have a truly global pandemic. nCoV has circumnavigated the globe faster than Magellan did in 1519 to 1522.

Should we be worried?

Well, on Oct. 18, 2019, two months before nCoV mutated from animals to humans, experts gathered by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Johns Hopkins Center for Health and Securi-

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

ty, and the World Economic Forum had a pandemic simulation called Event201.

They imagined a virus called CAPS which started with pigs in Brazil, infected people across the globe within six months and by the 18th month, had killed 65 million people and triggered a global financial crisis.

“The next severe pandemic will not only cause great illness and loss of life but could also trigger major cascading economic and societal consequences that could contribute greatly to global impact and suffering,” declared Event201.

“Given the continual emergence of new pathogens, the increasing risk of a bioterror attack, and the ever-increasing connectedness of our world, there is a significant probability that a large and lethal modern-day pandemic will occur in our lifetime,” Bill Gates said in 2018. “History has taught us there will be another deadly global pandemic,” Gates said.

Indeed, the Ebola epidemic of 20142016 in West Africa infected more than 28,000, killed 11,000, and collapsed local health systems before it fizzled out.

At this writing, 1:30 p.m. Feb. 4, 2020, nCoV has infected 20,626 people in 27 countries (with China, leading, with 20,438) and killed 427 (including 425 deaths in China). The Philippines claimed the first nCoV death after China, 1; followed by Hong Kong, 1.

Confirmed cases by country: China 20,438; Japan 20; Thailand 19; Singapore 18: Hong Kkong 15; South Korea 15; Australia 12; Germany 12; United States 11; Taiwan 11; Macau, Malaysia and Vietnam, 8 each; France 6; UAE 5; Canada 4; India 3; Italy, the Philippines, Russia, and UK, 2 each; Cambodia, Finland, Nepal, Spain, Sri Lanka, and Sweden, 1 each.

NCov is now present in five continents—Asia, Australia, Europe and North America, leaving only Africa, Antartica and South America as possibly next frontiers.

Rio runs deep

A

SENIOR official of the Department of Information and Communications Technology resigned last week.

In his letter to President Rodrigo Duterte, Undersecretary for Operations Eliseo Rio listed his accomplishments at the agency, including overseeing the process to establish the third major telecommunications player.

Rio, the DICT’s acting secretary until former Senator Gregorio Honasan assumed the Cabinet post last July, is no newcomer to the field: He is a licensed electronics and communications engineer who ranked fourth in the board exams in 1971. He headed the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ communications, electronics and information systems until 2000, and was appointed chief of the National Telecommunications Commission until 2002. He is a retired brigadier general of the Philippine Army.

But why exactly did he leave? Rio said he wanted to relay his concerns personally and privately to the chief executive.

“The President must know first the full

situation and he will decide what to do,” Rio told the Philippine Star.

In the interview, Rio cited irregularities in the disbursement of hundreds of millions in confidential funds. He hinted that these were being used for surveillance when the cybersecurity office of the agency was meant to protect the Philippines from cyber threats.

A document obtained by CNN Philippines alleges that the Commission on Audit had in fact flagged down the cash advance, which was released in tranches of P100 million on Nov. 8, Dec. 3 and Dec. 17 last year.

The cash advance was “for confidential expenses in connection with cybersecurity activities."

According to the document, the COA pointed out the delayed processing of the cash advance because it was squeezed into the last few weeks of 2019 and left "very little time" for the agency to meet its targets for cybersecurity programs.

Rio had earlier told CNN he believed his agency did not need confidential funds because it is not in the DICT’s mandate to conduct surveillance and intelligence activities. “I would rather have given it to the National Bureau of Investigation and the police,” he added.

He also said he could not work with his colleagues—undersecretaries and assistant secretaries—who kept him out of the loop in intelligence-related decisions which were supposed to be within his scope. And since he was not being involved in intelligence issues, “I might as well get out, sayang ang sweldo para sa akin (my salary would be a waste).”

The President has yet to act on Rio's resignation. How Mr. Duterte decides on the resignation and acts on the issues it raises will be worth watching.

Information and communication technology is a field so dynamic and complex that it is difficult to identify what it can and cannot do. This leaves the rest of us with no choice than to trust that the officials in pertinent agencies are doing their jobs to protect the people’s interest, shield them from potential cyber breaches, provide them better and cheaper options for their telecom needs.

Most of all, these officials should ensure that taxpayers’ money intended for the above purposes do not go to waste and are not diverted into other purposes. It’s a tenet of public service, and one does not have to be an ICT expert to be aware of this basic norm.

Turn to A5

Beyond nCoV CROSSROADS J.A DE LA CRUZ BEFORE we leave the babble of advisories, tokenism and pseudo operations beloved of some countries and groups on combating the spread of the novel coronavirus (nCoV), I would just like to offer some words of advice. For one, If you are not content with the statements of the Department of Health or want to check the accuracy of what their officials are saying, kindly read or listen to the advisories coming from the World Health Organization on the what, where and other related information about nCoV. It will not take more than five minutes for you to appreciate the fact that this virus, though rapidly spreading and can now be transmitted human-to-human, is not deadlier or more contagious than SARS or MERs or H1N1, to name just three of the more recent epidemics which visited our part of the planet in the last couple of decades.

Please note that the advisories have been largely the same: Do not panic, maintain a healthy lifestyle, wash your hands, stay away from crowded places as best as you can, visit your doctor or the nearest clinic if you notice something wrong with your system and so on and on. In a word, take good care of yourself and your surroundings.

If you are still confused or unconvinced by the official advisories, you may want to read the article written

by Dr. Bien Manlutac, an internist-nephrologist in some of the known hospitals in Manila, entitled "Should we push the panic button on the 2019 nCoV threat in the Philippines?" Dr. Manlutac offers a layman's guidebook on what this virus is all about and what we should do about it. To working men like us who are already suffering from a surfeit of tasks to attend to in a high cost, politically charged and traffic plagued environment, Dr. Manlutac's piece comes like a breath of fresh air clearing a lot of the garbage being thrown around in both traditional and social media.

His basic message is: "Do not stress yourself with undue worry because of the statements now known about the

virus; in Tagalog 'Huwag Kang Praning'" Here are some interesting points raised by Dr. Manlutac in his shared piece: "The 2019-nCoV was discovered in 2019 from an outbreak of mostly mild to sometimes severe respiratory diseases in Wuhan, China, hence the designation '2019' and 'n' for novel or new. It belongs to the family of coronavirus, one of about seven known, including those that cause the common colds, flu and the deadlier severe acute respiratory syndrome and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, to infect animals and humans...The medical world does not know a ton about it yet but scientists are working on the new phenomenon that now surprisingly has become newsworthy because precisely it was not known before and new, and projected as a seemingly major health threat to humans by media.."

In short, ‘Huwag kang praning.’

YouTube details ban on ‘manipulated’ election content

By Rob Lever

"The 2019-nCoV are fairly common in many species, including cats, cattle, camels, civets and bats but the Wuhan (market) experience has recently suggested that the virus has evolved and had caused animal-to-human transmission and infection resulting in clinical disease. Person-to-person transmission has since been the major source of transmission...Once a person is infected he can spread the virus mainly through aerosolized respiratory droplets when he sneezes or coughs up the virus, much in the same was as the common flu, SARS and MERS are transmitted."

If we go by the available data, the number of patients-under-investigation has reached 80 mostly in the NCR. Next is Central Visayas where the woman from Wuhan who tested positive for the virus went, first landing in Cebu then proceeded to Dumaguete and finally to Manila with her male companion. After two days of turning herself over for diagnosis and quarantine, the woman Turn to A5

YOUTUBE said this week it would remove election-related videos that are "manipulated or doctored" to mislead voters, as part of its efforts to stem online misinformation.

The Google-owned service said it was taking the measures as it strives to become a "more reliable source" for news and to promote a "healthy political discourse" amid heightened fears over video fakes around the world.

Leslie Miller, YouTube's vice president of government affairs and public policy, said in a blog post that the service's community standards prohibit "content that has been technically manipulated or doctored in a way that misleads users... and may pose a serious risk of egregious harm."

The latest YouTube statement, which seeks to clarify its global policy on election misinformation, was announced as the US presidential primary season kicks off, with caucuses being held in Iowa on Monday and the first primary next week in New Hampshire.

The move comes amid growing con-

cern about so-called "deepfake" videos altered by using artificial intelligence, which can create credible-looking events, but also "shallow" fakes that use more rudimentary techniques to deceive viewers.

Deepfakes and manipulated content have raised fears over the election process worldwide, amid notable incidents in Britain and India where videos were used for disinformation.

YouTube noted the policy also bans content which aims to mislead people about voting rules or the US census process that is underway.

Online platforms have come under pressure to root out misinformation in the wake of foreign manipulation efforts in the US in 2016 and elsewhere in recent years.

In the US, critics of online platforms have claimed not enough is being done to curb false claims by candidates themselves.

Concerns over US campaign Google last year said it was stepping up efforts on election misinformation and would remove false claims in ads,

including on YouTube, but the new statement appeared to offer specifics on certain kinds of content that will be blocked.

"The underlying standards YouTube explains and illustrates today do not appear to be brand new, but the company deserves praise for setting them out in clear terms and warning that it intends to enforce them vigorously," said Paul Barrett of the New York University Center for Business and Human Rights and author of a 2019 study on political disinformation.

"YouTube's statement today appears to reiterate its determination not to allow its users to be conned during the 2020 election campaign."

The announcement underscores differing policies by major social networks on disinformation. Twitter has said it would ban all political ads for candidates, while Facebook has maintained a hands-off policy for political speech and ads, with some exceptions for content that misleads users about voting times and places.

"Each platform is weighing free exTurn to A5

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Opinion

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Sense and insensitivity

Give ‘em a run for their money (Continued from yesterday) “FILIPINO First”ers have long ruled the debate, begging the question of which Filipinos we’re talking about.

Current events, framed by Duterte’s customary profanity, have convinced many of our people that the largest Filipino companies do not always behave well when they enjoy too much market power. Holding similar passports, after all, does not guarantee better behavior.

The President has issued repeated threats of nationalizing the businesses of the oligarchs, but this resurrects the risk of being swamped again by inefficient and bureaucratic government-owned enterprises. The fiscal burden this may create should still be fresh in our minds: from MWSS to NAPOCOR to NFA to the crony GFIs— the list goes on. The lesson ought to be clear: Government isn’t in the business of doing business, but of ensuring a level playing field for businessmen.

Instead, what would be more effective is to enlarge competitive space by opening up monopolized or oligarchized sectors to foreign competitors of comparable size, who can then give the

locals a run for their money. Relatedly, if we’re worried about depending too much on money from, say, China, then we ought to encourage investors from other countries to come in and, likewise, give the Chinese a run for their money.

The rubric of “nationalism” is often invoked by those—especially from the Left—who continue to oppose the liberalization of foreign investment policy. This is practically an insult to our many successful Asian neighbors—led

by Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, now China—who have open, robust and growing economies, but who would be greatly offended if you accused them of lack of nationalist sentiment or tradition.

Other critics are concerned to keep out foreign misbehavior. But as a matter of fact, what actually happens is that constitutional restrictions lead to “adverse selection” in favor of investors who are willing to aggressively push the envelope, or even bend or break the law.

The restrictions add to the complexity and uncertainty of the rules of the game, while also presenting opportunities for corruption as firms try to curry favors from government functionaries to work around the constraints.

Instead, by opening our doors, we would be encouraging the entry of foreign investors who do not like to break the law. In fact, because such investors generally come from countries with higher standards of corporate behavior

and regulatory compliance—on issues ranging from environmental sustainability to intellectual property to labor rights—our country thereby benefits from their presence here, in terms of quality of governance as well as competition. *** None of this discussion is intended to suggest that the job is over once citizenship-based restrictions are written out of the Constitution. Far from it: All this will do is to open the door, no different from other countries who already opened their doors long before we did.

But we will still have to work hard at actually bringing in foreign investors.

They will have well-known concerns about, among others: the state of our infrastructure, quality and cost of our labor force, strictness of environmental compliance, reasonableness and stability of the regulatory environment, honesty of the bureaucracy, independence of the judiciary, the state of peace and order—the list just goes on.

Eliminating citizenship-based restrictions isn’t a panacea for improving the country’s competitiveness. But these reforms do have a major role to play within a broader package of policies that will also address the above investor issues.

Readers may write me at gbolivar1952@ yahoo.com.

A precautionary and compassionate approach

(Continued from yesterday) LET ME be clear that banning flights and ships, and foreigners (without specifying ethnicities and nationalities) coming from places with many actual and potential infections is not racist or discriminatory but is consistent with the precautionary approach.

Let me also be clear that it is the Duterte government’s actions—from surrendering the West Philippine Sea to allowing Chinese workers in online gambling which has displaced many Filipinos, and promoted sex trafficking and criminal activities and now in its original response to the Wuhan virus where the government seemed more

afraid to displease the Chinese than ensuring public health—that has led to this state of widespread racism and discrimination, even by people who should know better.

Many Filipinos feel compelled, to hit back against Chinese mainlanders and since we are not able to distinguish between mainlanders and Chinese Filipinos (and Koreans, Singaporeans, etc.), the discrimination has become universal.

This is wrong in my view because racism under any circumstances is wrong and because it will come back to bite us given that to the outside world we are all Chinese-looking, i.e. orientals.

There is also that failed effort of pro-Duterte troll farms to elicit sympathy for the Chinese by flooding social media platforms with silly sob stories, which in turn elicited a massive response of even sillier and non sequitur stories.

Some people, whom I would otherwise consider cosmopolitan, well-traveled and well-read, and definitely would not

YouTube...

From A4

pression against voter manipulation, but the information operations work across platforms and exploit these loopholes," said Karen Kornbluh, a German Marshall Fund researcher who follows political disinformation.

"That's why the platforms should come together and develop shared, clear, consistent, enforceable rules to protect voters from becoming easy marks for disinformation campaigns."

Monday's statement offered specific examples of content that would be removed from YouTube.

Among the content banned include any video "manipulated to make it appear that a government official is dead" or that "aims to mislead people about voting or the census processes, like telling viewers an incorrect voting date."

YouTube will also take down any false claims about eligi-

China...

From A4

So far, 38 airlines from 32 countries have suspended or stopped flights to and from China, most of them until the end of March 2020.

The five biggest airlines—Delta, American Airlines, Lufthansa, United Airlines, and Air France-KLM—lead carriers which have stopped service to and from China. The five carried 828 million passengers in 2019.

Some 131 million Chinese tourists travel overseas. They spend $257.7 billion a year, the largest. The US is a poor No. 2, $135 billion. Imagine if 100 million Chinese tourists, who each spends on the average $1,961, cannot fly for six months (my estimate of the nCoV duration), that will be a loss of $98 billion from overseas Chinese tourism.

In 2019, the Chinese were the second largest number of tourists in the Philippines, 1.6 million.

The previous pandemic, SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which ran in 2002-2003, caused at least $40 billion in economic toll. Compared with nCov’s possible economic wreckage, $40 billion could be loose change.

China is the world’s second largest economy in nominal GDP or total output of goods and services, with $14.14

have imagined as racist, joined in that response, spontaneous for sure but led by a core group of influencers.

I unequivocally think that this was not the right response to the pro-Chinese troll. It devalues real suffering that is happening because of the Wuhan virus. The analogy is the boy who cried wolf. There is real suffering but it is disbelieved when the Duterte trolls use it for political purposes. And the response also disregarded the fact that the virus has in fact caused untold suffering to many Chinese persons and families and has the potential to do that to us as well.

People who suffer need kindness, not derision. While compassion is the language of God, as Pope Francis so often say, hatred is the weapon of the devil.

Let’s all step back, please, and be precautionary and compassionate.

Facebook: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

bility requirements for political candidates, "such as claims that a candidate is not eligible to hold office based on false information about citizenship status requirements."

A separate statement by Google's head of online trust and safety, Kristie Canegallo, said the internet giant has stepped up its efforts to stem abuse and false information on elections globally.

"Our trust and safety teams span the globe to monitor and disrupt account hijackings, inauthentic activity, disinformation campaigns, coordinated attacks, and other forms of abuse on our platforms on a 24/7 basis," Canegallo said.

"We take seriously our responsibility to protect our users from harm and abuse, especially during elections."

She added that Google was working with other technology companies and government agencies including the FBI "to identify bad actors, disable their accounts, warn our users about them, and share relevant information with industry officials and law enforcement." AFP

trillion, 16.3 percent of the global GDP of $86.6 trillion. In purchasing power parity or what its currency can buy in equivalent local goods, China is the biggest economy, $27 trillion.

Since 1978 when its economy opened up to the world, China has grown by 10 percent per year, rescuing 850 million from poverty. It is today a middle-income country, with each Chinese earning an annual average of $10,000.

China’s feverish growth was anchored on three things, according to the World Bank: resource-intensive manufacturing, exports, and low-paid abundant labor. In recent years, that formula has stopped working because of declining labor force growth, slowing productivity, an aging population (average age will rise from 38.9 to 43.3 by 2030; average age of the Filipino: 24); huge damage to the environment; trade tensions; and rising global protectionism.

The latter two factors, trade tensions and protectionism, will contribute to slowing China’s growth to below 6 percent this year, without nCoV. With nCoV, Oxford Economics has reduced China’s 2020 growth rate to just 5.6 percent, from 6.1 percent in 2019.

Even before NCoV, China was already suffering from excess industrial capacity, especially in ferrous and non-ferrous metals, chemicals, and

transport equipment. It has an excess of 150 million tons of crude steel and 800 million tons of coal, per World Bank data.

China is the world’s factory. It accounts for 27 percent of total global manufacturing and 23 percent of global agricultural production. Imagine if you stop producing China’s manufactured goods or its agricultural output for six months, because workers and executives in China cannot go to their factories or farms for fear of nCoV virus.

But why is the world afraid of pandemics exported by China?

In 2019/20, some 19 million Americans have been sick with ordinary flu.

About 10,000 of them have died. Now, 19 million is almost 6 percent of US population, meaning six of every 100 Americans have a flu or one in every 17 Americans has a flu.

Put another way, in a room, if there are 17 Americans, chances are, one will have a flu. If there are 100 Americans, six will have a flu. In the same room, if there are 17 Chinese, chances are none has nCov. Even if there 100 Chinese, chances are none has nCoV. Yet, the Chinese are banned almost everywhere in this world. And the Americans are always welcome, except perhaps in Iran and Iraq. biznewsasia@gmai.com

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

WE COMMEND actress and comedienne Pokwang, whose real name is Marietta Subong, for her good sense in slamming the anti-Chinese sentiment being fanned through social media following the emergence of the novel coronavirus in the country.

In an open letter posted on her Instagram account, the actress, addressing the Chinese, stated: “We apologize for the harsh words and the rejection we have made you feel.”

“The Philippines and its people are scared not because of you, but because we are a poor country that will suffer if ever it occurs in our land…most Filipinos do not have money even to afford to eat three square meals a day.”

“We pray for the healing of everyone in your country (especially) the children and for the benefit of everybody,” the open letter #Pray for Wuhan #Pray for China #Pray for the Philippines called.

This is certainly not the time for reckless blame-throwing, worse so, racist comments. Good sense must prevail over insensitivity towards the feelings of others.

We are a community of nations, a brotherhood of men and women who should be helping each other out in times of need. If China has caught an ailment, by all means let us help in stopping the contagion.

In this respect, both the World Health Organization and our Department of Health, along with agencies under it and in close coordination with the Bureau of Immigration and local governments are doing their part to inform the public in taking necessary precautions which include quarantine measures, travel advisories and tracking down of possibly infected persons.

Thus far, there is yet no community transmission in the Philippines. The identified victims are foreigners who came to the country as tourists. Many of those quarantined and under observation have been tested negative of the new strain of virus. The WHO regional director has assured us that a cure will soon be found, that there is no reason to panic.

More so, the government of the country where the novel coronavirus started has taken adept and immediate, even draconian measures to stop the spread of the malady. The Chinese government has been quite transparent about the virus which started in Wuhan and has spread to other provinces. And scientists, pathologists and medical research laboratories all over the world are helping out in developing cures for the latest viral strain.

As we write, news about a cocktail of medicines used for HIV and flu were given to a Chinese patient in Thailand, and it is reported that recovery has been quick. Let us hope this is true.

Australia is also helping in studying the 2019 nCoV strain so as to develop a cure. *** In times like this, one could pine for the days when there was no such thing as social media, where news both true and fake, spreads, or is made to spread quicker than the contagion itself.

There are elements in our society who have used the misfortune of China as a means to fan bigotry, racism, hatred. Not only is this unfortunate; it is to be condemned.

There are those who claim that government or the president himself, has acted too late in closing our borders to the Chinese from the mainland and its Hong Kong and Macau special regions.

This is patently borne out of political

reasons, malice even.

We are terribly afraid of the new virus because as Pokwang rightly stated, many of us in the country are poor and are deathly afraid of getting sick. Medication here is terribly expensive and unaffordable, and the few public hospitals that we have cannot cope with widespread contagion.

The Department of Health, on the other hand, has been quick to isolate victims and those that they may have infected; even the WHO attests to this.

In short, let us not panic. Let us take preventive measures and remain vigilant. Let us cooperate with the authorities. Let us not throw blame. And let us pray as well. ***

This is certainly not the time for reckless blame-throwing.

Here in Taiwan, it is noteworthy that stringent measures have been taken to prevent the spread of the 2019 nCov disease.

As early as Jan. 15, Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control identified severe pneumonia with novel pathogens as a fifth category communicable disease. Thereafter, on Jan. 20, government established the Central Epidemic Command Center in charge of coordinating inter-agency efforts to prevent the spread of the nCoV infection.

The day after, a travel advisory was issued to avoid unnecessary travel to Wuhan and the day after, flights to Wuhan were suspended while flights to other parts of the mainland were reduced. Later, all Chinese citizens from Hubei province were banned from entering, while Taiwanese who had been to the province were identified and effectively quarantined. *** At the same time, CECC integrated agency resources and reinforced quarantine measures at airports and ports, continuously notifying the public of developments with a view to minimizing panic.

On Jan. 26, Taiwan restricted entry of Chinese citizens and urged healthcare facilities to reinforce reporting of suspected cases, with the public abiding by preventive measures. On Jan. 27, all entry permit applications of Chinese citizens for tourism purpose were suspended. The following day, a travel advisory on unnecessary travel to all parts of China was issued.

Last Saturday, Taiwan imposed a 14day self-quarantine rule on those who had a travel history to Guangdong and banned Chinese nationals living in the province from entering.

These and subsequent notices are widely disseminated so that public is informed, and the people are reasonably assured. Still, there has been panic buying of disinfectants and face masks, and just like in the Philippines, there have been shortages of such.

Prospectively, the effects on both our domestic economy and worldwide of this unfortunate contagion will be profound.

The Chinese economy, already on slowdown path, will retreat further.

Losing $400 billion in stock value the first day the exchanges opened after the Lunar New Year is a shocker, and the trend is expected to continue.

Our tourism numbers will take a major hit, but in the mainland, the effect will be tremendous. Supply chains will be disrupted, affecting almost every economy in the world.

And yet the feng shui predictions say that the Year of the Metal Rat will be a new and “good” beginning for the decade.

Oh well, so much for predictions.

Beyond...

From A4

has left the hospital alive and kicking. Her partner died.

So going back to the WHO/DoH advisories and the Manlutac article, here's what the good doctor said: "Given the figures, the chance of one dying from the virus is under 3 percent, meaning the 2019-nCoV is not even close to being as deadly as the virus that caused SARS (10 percent) or MERS (35 percent) that originated from civets and camels, respectively. The most common H-influenza (bacteria that causes ear infections in children and bronchitis in adults) is even deadlier with a case fatality rate of 3.6 percent in children and a higher mortality rate in adults over 65 years old who develop invasive disease."

So, we go back to Dr. Manlutac's earlier advise: "Huwag kang Praning." Or, as he ended his piece: "Do not fear or panic when you read the negative news and vibes generated by mainstream media as well as social mediafrom shared or forwarded posts/ messages. Derive, share and believe scientific info coming from credible sources like DoH.gov.ph or CDC.org and not from invalidated, incredible ones."

Which is what we have been saying all along. We have to adhere to science and evidence(fact)-based information, not theories or suppositions. Now, if the DoH is on your target list or Secretary Duque is not exactly a favorite of yours, just pause for a moment and keep these to yourself. This is not the time to prejudge or simply brush what they are saying aside. if you still insist on getting more and, to your mind, better information then go to the WHO website or wait for the rejoinder from Dr. Manlutac or a certain Dr. Salvana from PGH who had earlier given a simple, layman's view of this spreading, increasingly being politicized n-CoV phenomenon. Meantime, just stay clean and healthy.

A6

News

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PETCs slam DOTr for revocation of permits

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

By Rio N. Araja OPERATORS of private emission testing centers on Tuesday slammed the Department of Transportation for revoking their permits to operate.

At a news conference in Quezon City, Hilario Pitpo, Clean Air Movement of the Philippines Inc. president, said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade had directed the cancellation of their permits without even prior notification.

About 1,500 PETCs nationwide would be affected by the order with 10,000 workers losing their jobs, he said.

At least 750 PETCs have been ordered closed, he added.

Tugade earlier warned the suspension or cancellation of permits of PETCs due to increasing number of violations, “a clear manifestation of their defiance to (sic) the law.”

Pitpo denied the allegations of Tugade.

“We have been operating for 17 years to help implement the Clean Air Act,” he told the conference.

“We have consistently complied with the guidelines of the government,” he stressed.

Ariel Inton, Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection founding president, and the group’s legal counsel, said CAMPI is not an enemy of the government.

“They are just expressing their concerns. We are hoping that DOTr as well as the Land Transportation Office would heed their plea not to revoke their permits,” he said.

The group also questioned the privatization of the motor vehicle inspection system for common carriers and the use of Euro 4 standards as an MVIS criterion.

Media old hands reunion Feb. 9 VETERAN media practitioners—active, semi-retired or enjoying retirement—will hold their biennial get together on Feb 9 at the Media Center building (Philippine Information Agency) in Quezon City at 9 a.m.

Registration starts at 8 a.m. with prizes for early birds, according to an official statement.

Prominent broadcasters, print journalists of major and provincial publications including creative and technical staff in all forms of media from the former National Media Production Center, Philippine Broadcasting Service, National Printing Office and the Philippine News Agency are expected to attend the day-long reunion.

Staff members of government media agencies (1964 to 1986) are requested to contact the following persons for more details: Nori Sagun-09395001692; Lito Cruz-09278690018; and Sally David-09178169170.

POSE FOR POSTERITY. Officers of the Association of Women Legislators Foundation Inc. of the 18th Congress led by Rep. Maria Laarni Cayetano and Deputy Speaker Rose Marie Arenas, respectively, pose for a photo with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano after their simple Oath-Taking Ceremony at the House of Representatives.

Measures sought to check nCoV

By Maricel V. Cruz

A

AMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Sharon Garin on Tuesday said Congress was set to tackle several pieces of legislation that would cushion the impact of novel coronavirus (2019nCoV) in the tourism sector.

At the same time, Garin, chairperson of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, said she would meet with the House of Representatives’ Committee on Tourism headed by Laguna Rep. Sol Aragones to have government agencies concerned help legislators in assessing the short- and medium-term effects of the novel coronavirus in the tourism industry in order to come up with measures to address the looming problem.

“We need to coordinate with all the agencies concerned so that we can address what if we lose all this 20 percent of our tourists. What do we do? What are our alternatives? And we have yet to discuss that with the Department of Tourism,” Garin said.

With major stakeholders bracing for tourism industry losses of over P20 bil-

lion resulting from lower foreign visitor arrivals at the onset of the nCoV outbreak, Deputy Speaker LRay Villafuerte urged the DOT to make a more aggressive campaign to entice domestic tourists to visit local “hotspot” destinations, such as those for extreme sports and ecotourism, instead of going abroad once this viral threat subsides.

“As the tourism industry braces for a major hit with the timely imposition by President Duterte of a temporary travel ban to China and its territories Hong Kong and Macau, and to include all foreigners who have visited these areas over the past two weeks, it is time for the DOT to make a more aggressive push for domestic tourism among our countrymen once the current viral threat subsides, by selling to our countrymen our ‘hotspots,’

particularly the fave destinations for extreme sports and ecotourism,” Villafuerte, Camarines Sur’s Second District, said.

Garin said among the legislation that they would consider include the creation of economic zones that are expected to generate employment and investments that may lost due to the loss in the number of tourists.

Garin voiced concern about the workers in the tourism industry who might lose jobs, thus her proposal to create move economic zones.

“This [decrease in the number of tourists] has a very substantial economic impact and we need to address that,” Garin said.

“This is a problem not only of China but of the rest of the world. We need to address this not only on the health side but also in the economic side so we really need to tackle this here in Congress especially economic affairs and tourism,” Garin said.

On Monday, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano urged the two committees to assess the short- and medium-term effects of the novel coronavirus on the

Toy retailers urged: Heed ban on ‘shrilling chicken’

By Willie Casas

ECOWASTE Coalition, a group advocating children’s protection from harmful chemicals, appealed on Tuesday to all toy manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to stop the sale of “Shrilling Chicken,” a plastic toy that creates a screaming sound when squeezed.

EcoWaste Coalition’s appeal was made after a recent public health warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration against the toy, which the agency found to contain high concentrations of toxic plastic additives called phthalates.

As per FDA Advisory 2020-042, NOTICE the unnotified “Shrilling Chicken” Notice is hereby given to the public that contains 8.4 percent of di-(2-ethan Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate was ylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and executed by the legal heirs of the spouses 0.5 percent diisononyl phthalate Raul A. Bautista, Sr. and Divina Viola (DINP) above the 0.1 percent limit Bautista in an instrument sworn before under DOH Administrative Order

2009-005-A, series of 2011.

Phthalates, which are added to make polyvinyl chloride plastic flexible and soft, are endocrine disrupting chemicals linked to various health problems, including genital abnormalities in boys such as malformed penises and undescended testicles, and the early onset of puberty for girls, the EcoWaste Coalition said.

“We call upon all stores selling ‘Shrilling Chicken’ to heed the FDA’s advisory and cease from selling this funny but unsafe toy,” said Thony Dizon, Chemical Safety campaigner, EcoWaste Coalition.

Dizon also earlier sent samples of such toy to private laboratories for phthalate analysis in 2010 and 2012. The analyzed samples were likewise found laden with banned phthalates, especially DEHP, a probable human carcinogen.

“Toxic ‘Shrilling Chicken’ has been around for over 10 years. It’s high time for

the authorities to completely rid the market of this dangerous toy,” Dizon said.

For children’s protection, Dizon requested FDA’s Regional Field Offices and Regulatory Enforcement Units and concerned local government and law enforcement units to launch coordinated actions to stop the importation, distribution and sale of toxic “Shrilling Chicken” toys, and to ensure their safe disposal as hazardous waste.

Prior to the FDA advisory, countries in Europe have either banned or ordered the withdrawal from the market of “Shrilling Chicken” due to their toxic content, the EcoWaste Coalition pointed out.

Slovakia banned “Shrilling Chicken” in 2008, Sweden in 2013, Czech Republic in 2014, Spain in 2016 and Luxembourg in 2017, the EcoWaste Coalition said, citing information from the European Union’s rapid alert system for nonfood dangerous products.

Notary Public Atty. Noelle Riza D. Castillo, as per Doc. No. 413; Page No. 84; Book No. II; Series of 2019.

(MStandard-Jan. 29, Feb. 5 & 12, 2020) and well-being given that she has always used Javier as her surname in all her records and it is the name known to her friends and relatives; and, in order to synchronized her records; to avoid confusion and for her IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION future private and public transactions.

FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN Wherefore, the petition is hereby set THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH for hearing anew on March 6, 2020 at OF JUDY ANNE JAVIER SERRANO (A) ENTRY NO.1 - FROM JUDY ANNE 8:30 in the morning before this Court located at Room 238, Second Floor, JAVIER SERRANO TO JUDY ANNE Hall of Justice, Diliman, Quezon City JAVIER at which place and on which date (B) ENTRY NO.3 - DATE OF BIRTH and time, all interested persons must FROM 1977 TO 1997 appear and file their opposition/s to (C) ENTRY NO. 18 - DELETING SAID the petition.

ENTRY AS HER BlOLOGICAL PARENTS WERE NOT MARRIED Let a copy of this Amended Order to be published once a week for three JUDY ANNE JAVIER SERRANO, (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper a.k.a. JUDY ANNE JAVIER, of general circulation throughout the Petitioner, Philippines.

- versusFurther, let a copy of the petition, SP CASE NO. R-QZN-19-15072-SP and of this Amended Order be served upon the Office of the Solicitor THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF General, Local Civil Registrar of QUEZON CITY, THE ADMINISTRATOR Quezon City and the Philippine AND CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL Statistics Authority who may file their OF THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS opposition thereto within fifteen (15) AUTHORITY (PSA) formerly days from notice of this petition.

NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE SO ORDERED. (NSO), ORLY A. SERRANO, ELIZA T. Quezon City, Philippines, December JAVIER AND ALL OTHER 6, 2019.

INTERESTED PARTIES, Respondents.

(Sgd.) SANTIAGO M. ARENAS x -------------------------------------------------x Judge REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 217 - QUEZON CITY

AMENDED ORDER

This is a verified petition for correction of entries in the Certificate of Live Birth of Judy Anne Javier Serrano a.k.a. Judy Anne Javier filed by the petitioner herself.

The petition alleges that petitioner Judy Anne Javier Serrano a.k.a. Judy Anne Javier was born outside wedlock to her biological parents Orly A. Serrano and Eliza T. Javier on April 19, 1997 in Quezon City; that there were material errors in some of the entries in the petitioner’s birth certificate in the following bracketed portions: 1) entry no. 1 – petitioner’s name; 2) entry no.

3 – petitioner’s year of birth; 3) entry no. 18 – date and place of marriage of parents; that the instant petition was filed for the petitioner’s best interest

Cc: PUBLIC ATTORNEY’S OFFICE 6F Justice Cecilia Munoz Palma Hall, DOJ Building, Quezon City Hall Compound, Diliman, 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 PSA Complex, ‘East A venue, Diliman, Quezon City

Eliza T. Javier Blk. 13 Lot 37 Phase 2 Eastwood Greenwood Subd., San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal Orly R. Serrano 7 Zambales Street, Brgy. San Martin De Pores, Quezon City (MStandard - Feb. . 5, 12 & 19, 2020)

QUARANTINED CRUISE SHIP. Vessels sail past the Diamond Princess cruise ship with over 3,000 people after it was quarantined off the port of Yokohama on Tuesday, a day after it arrived with passengers feeling ill. Japan has quarantined the cruise ship carrying 3,711 people and was testing those onboard for the new coronavirus on Feb. 4 after a passenger who departed in Hong Kong tested positive for the virus. AFP

tourism sector.

“It should not be a just a wait-and-see attitude because we don’t want our tourism industry to suffer,” Cayetano said.

Citing data from the Tourism department, Cayetano said 1.63 million of the total 7.4 million international tourist arrivals from January to November of 2019 were Chinese.

In addition, mainland Chinese are considered the second biggest tourist spenders in the Philippines next to the South Koreans, spending $979.4 million or around P51 billion in the first half of 2019.

The House also issued a health advisory to all its members, employees, and guests recommending the measures to follow to avoid contracting and the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

In an advisory issued by Secretary General Jose Luis Montales, members, employees, consultants, contractors, suppliers, visitors and guests are “highly recommended” to practice self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in the country if they have traveled to countries or territories with documented cases of the 2019nCoV from Jan. 20 onwards.

GSIS obtains ISO approval for 5th year FOR five years in a row, the Government Service Insurance System earned the nod of the International Organization for Standardization last Dec. 19, 2019 when the standard-setting body certified GSIS’s major processes for meeting global standards.

The ISO 9001:2015 certification covers GSIS’ quality management system (QMS) for its seven processes, namely, loans processing, membership administration, maturity claims processing, motor vehicle claims processing, data center facilities management, funeral benefit claims processing, and marketing process for the renewal of bidding accounts for non-life insurance.

The last two processes are the latest addition to the scope of the ISO certification. The certification is valid from Feb. 18, 2020 to Feb. 17, 2023, GSIS said in a statement.

“Improving our processes has become a way of life in GSIS. We managed to earn an ISO certification despite the increasing challenges. I commend the men and women behind these efforts,” GSIS chairman and acting president and general manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said.

He added that having word-class standards in place breeds an efficient work environment which in turn enables GSIS employees to extend excellent service to its clients.

GSIS first earned the ISO 9001:2008 for loans processing in 2015.

The following year, it obtained the updated version ISO 9001:2015 for loans processing and expanded the scope of certification to include membership administration.

Villar bats for home gardening to help boost food security

By Macon Ramos-Araneta TO HELP boost food security and alleviate micronutrient deficiencies of families by providing direct access to nutritious foods that they don’t have to buy, Senator Cynthia Villar has been pushing for home gardening.

During periods of stress like typhoons, occurrence of volcanic eruption, Villar said

“we are often confronted by shortage of food supply which leads to a spike in prices.”

With home gardens, she said there could be a principal source of food for the household during these times.

Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, also said home gardening could be practiced by anybody in small patches of land, vacant lots or in containers, making it appealing to

families living in urban areas.

The senator issued the statements during the opening of the 13th Agricrops Production Training program at the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (Villar SIPAG) Farm School in Bacoor, Cavite.

Because of this, she called on the participants in the training program to seize the opportunity to generate savings from the harvested vegetables and explore possibilities

of generating income from the planted crops through selling and processing.

Villar SIPAG partnered with East-West Seed Foundation to conduct this site-based vegetable production training program wherein participants are capacitated with basic knowledge and skills on vegetable production—from land preparation to harvesting, including urban gardening and nutrition education.

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

LA Clippers rally to beat Spurs

L

OS ANGELES—Paul George found his groove just in time to help the Los Angeles Clippers pull off a 108-105 NBA victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Monday.

George, who made just two of his first seven shots, drained four of his last six as the Clippers rallied from a 15-point second-quarter deficit to snatch the win.

Trailing by nine points at halftime, the Clippers out-scored the Spurs 31-19 in the third period to take an 85-82 lead.

After a back-and-forth battle in the fourth the Clippers emerged with the win by three.

“We don’t care if it’s a blowout or it’s a close one -- we need to learn how to do both,” said George, who also pulled down 12 rebounds and handed out eight assists as the Clippers, second in the Western

Conference, improved to 35-15.

Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 22 points and his one-handed dunk—off a pass from George—put Los Angeles up by two with 1:35 to play.

George drained a jump shot with 13.7 seconds left to give Los Angeles a 106102 lead, the Spurs responding with a three-pointer from Patty Mills before Lou Williams made two free throws for the Clippers to seal it.

“Defense is key,” said George, who left the game with his nose bleeding in the third after taking an elbow from DeMar DeRozan but returned in the final period.

“I think defensively we got in a nice little zone and offensively it comes down to us making good shots.

“I just found a rhythm,” he said of his own late surge. “I was able to see the ball go down ... that’s all it took.”

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter for the Spurs, but DeRozan, who scored 26, came up empty in the final period.

Butler shines In Miami, Jimmy Butler exploded for a season-high 38 points against his former team, doing enough damage to sit out all of the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 137106 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

Butler’s aggressive game helped the Heat overcome the early departures of injured Tyler Herro and Meyers Leonard —who had to be helped from the floor

with sprained left ankle.

With Boston’s 123-115 victory over the Hawks in Atlanta, Miami and the Celtics both finished the night with records of 34-15—eight games behind Eastern Conference leaders Milwaukee and 1.5 behind second-placed Toronto.

“I felt great,” Butler said. “More than anything I’m super-happy that we got the Dub (W).”

Bam Adebayo added 18 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists for the Heat, who scored 41 points in the third quarter to blow open the game.

In Atlanta, the Hawks rallied to pressure the Celtics late, but rookie Grant Williams came up with a couple of big baskets down the stretch—including a driving layup with 37.6sec remaining that pushed Boston’s lead to six points.

Davao Occidental is MPBL South no. 1 BACOOR—Davao Occidental clinched top spot in the South division while Manila kept its bid for No. 1 in the North following victories on Monday in the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season elimination round at Strike Gymnasium here.

The Davao Tigers, drawing double-double outputs from Mark Yee and Billy Robles, thwarted the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, 86-79, and booked the premier seat to the 8-team playoffs starting on February 15.d 2 ste Yee posted 16 points and 11 rebounds while Robles tallied 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Cocolife-backed Tigers, who climbed to 24-4 and moved beyond reach of the Strikers (23-6).

The Manila Stars erected a 19-pointy spread in the third quarter and used it as buffer to frustrate the Bacoor Strikers, 78-74, at their home court and threaten the San Juan Knights for pole position in the 16-team North division.

Aris Dionisio led the Frontrowsupported Stars with 22 points and 6 rebounds, followed by Carlo Lastimosa with 17, and 5 and Christopher Bitoon with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals as they rose to 24-5 and closed in on the 24-4 Knights.

If any consolation, the Strikers missed the services of MPBL Datu Cup MVP Gab Banal, who opted not to play after arriving from Dubai with the victorious Mighty Sports team earlier.

Bacoor, which saw its eight-game run broken, got 15 points from RJ Ramirez and 10 each from Mark Pangilinan and Christopher Sumalinog.

Fighting for life, Cebu Casino Ethyl Alcohol trampled over the Bataan Risers, 75-65.

Ahead by as many as 19 points, 70-51, the Cebuanos leveled their slate at 14-14, staying in the 3-team chase for the eighth and last playoff spot in the 15-team South division.

Towing the Cebuanos in the 3-cornered race are the General Santos Warriors and the Batangas City Athletics, both at 16-11.

The MPBL goes to Cuneta Astrodome on Tuesday with Caloocan hoping to stun San Juan in the 4 p.m. opener. Batangas tangles with Bacolod at 6:30 p.m. while Mindoro and Pasay collide at 8:30 p.m.

CHAMPS AGAIN. The Perpetual Altas Basketball Girls’ team of Head Coach Loiue Fernandez captured the League of South Metro Schools Division 1 for the second straight season after outclassing La Salle College of Antipolo in Finals, 57-44, at the Brent International School in Binan City, Laguna, Saturday. Jc Kyla Talamayan was named the Most Valuable Player for two consecutive years. Jay-vee Gravador was also included as a member of the Mythical Five. Dennis Abrina

Under Armour introduces global platform ONE last drive. Three seconds left on the clock. The point two of 26.2. 5:00 a.m. after 5 straight days. Bumps, bruises, and breaks—mental and physical. In an athlete’s life, barriers are everywhere. From the daily grind, to the crippling pressure, to the trials and tribulations of life outside the gym, the pursuit of getting better is a constant challenge and test.

While progress and self-improvement looks different for each athlete, there’s still only one possible mindset—The Only Way Is Through. It’s an understanding that to reach whatever goals lie ahead, you must stay the path to come out faster, stronger—better—on the other side.

The Only Way Is Through is representative of the next frontier for Under Armour—the opportunity of 2020 and beyond. The campaign brings to life the real value of momentum; how momentum through work helps athletes push themselves to be better than what they thought possible, and how Under Armour technology—with groundbreaking product innovations like UA HOVR™, UA RUSH™, and UA Recover—is supporting those athletes constantly in search of incremental change in an effort to get better.

The campaign debuted last January 15, 2020 in Baltimore, among a global gathering of Under Armour athletes, trainers, teammates, media, and more, as part of a two-day immersion into the next year of Under Armour innovation. The platform launch includes a 90-second anthem, and will be supported with additional content throughout the year, including spotlight pieces telling the

Clark Animo International Marathon ‘20 set March 20 CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—A huge turnout is again expected when the Tata Consultancy Services-Clark Animo International Marathon 2020 gets going on March 8.

Organizers said this following the launch of the footrace yesterday at the Clark Global City Conference Center in Angeles, Pampanga.

This year, the footrace is patterned after the Boston Marathon with the race route measured and certified by the International Association of Athletic Federations and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races.

“It will be bigger this year. And we will have entertainment along the routes,” said race director Jumbo Tayag.

The race will feature competitions in the 42.2 km event, the half marathon, as well as events in the 10-km, the 5-km and 2.5 km courses.

The footrace is now on its 11th year, a big reason why the course was given an international certification by the IAAF and the AIMS, and for the second straight year.

Tayag said participants will have a chance to join the international race should they make the cut with their times.

They even invited elite participants, who have won medals in the recent Southeast Asian Games to try out the route.

“Elite athletes will be there. There are SEA Games medallists like triathlete John Chicano,” added Tayag, who added that the course in Clark Global City will be see the same route that they plan to use in the next five years.

The race was first done in 2009 as a fun run in Clark Field, with an initial entry of 600 participants.

With the number increasing every year, organizers finally got the backing of the De La Salle Alumni Association of Pampanga this year, along with TCS, a leading technology company.

The event now seeks to raise funds to support its various community projects on the environment and education.

DLSAA-P president Darwin Cunanan believes that the race will get bigger and better with the certification the organizers obtained from the IAAF and the AIMS. Peter Atencio

Filipino...

From A8

Under Armour’s campaign brings to life the real value of momentum; how momentum through work helps athletes push themselves to be better than what they thought possible.

stories of all types of athletes and exploring their “through” moments. As Under Armour and its athletes bring to life this vision for 2020 and beyond, The Only Way Is Through becomes a rallying cry for the brand in an effort to motivate and inspire athletes around the world to put in the work and get better.

The anthem content features a wide array of athletes and teams, including Stephen Curry, three-time Champion and two-time MVP; DK Metcalf, star receiver for Seattle; Trent AlexanderArnold, homegrown superstar and UCL winner for Liverpool; Kelley O’Hara, Olympic Gold Medalist and twotime World Cup winner; Georgia Ellenwood, eight-time All American and 2018 D1 Heptathalon Champion; Zhu Ting, Olympic Gold Medalist and two-

time Volleyball World Cup Champion; Tom Brady, six-time Champion, threetime MVP; Michael Phelps, the most decorated swimmer of all time; Kyle Dietz, former MMA fighter turned long distance trail runner after brain tumor diagnosis; Adinda Sukardi, Under Armour Indonesia Ambassador; St. John’s College High School Girls Basketball; Mission Viejo High School Football; City College High School Boys Basketball; University of Notre Dame Football.

The Only Way Is Through platform will come to life this 2020 through experiential events in major cities such as New York, London and Shanghai. Under Armour, in partnership with iHeartRadio, is also launching The Only Way Is Through podcast, which will offer listeners access into the world of elite athletes and their stories, training, and mentors.

claimed the boys’ 13-14 class gold in the 100-m Breaststroke (1:17.14) against his twin brother Jah-Leel (1:26.60) and American Gray West (1:21.93).

Camacho topped the girls’ 11-12 100 Fly and finished second in the 50 Fly event, while Alvarez claimed the gold in the girls’ 12-13 class 200 Fly. “It was a huge effort on the part of our young swimmers with the strict guidance of coach Rossbenor Antay and Johnson Maulion. We are so very proud. ‘Yun ang target namin talaga, ang makakuha sila ng experience,” said team manager Joan Mojdeh.

Eala...

From A8

Eala and Nugroho were seeded fourth in the doubles, reaching the finals after they upset top seeds Kamilla Bartone of Latvia and Czech Linda Fruhvirtova, 1-6, 7-5 , 10-8, in a thrilling semis which lasted an hour and 22 minutes.

In singles’ play, Eala went as far as the third round, bowing to Israel’s Shavit Kimchi, 6-0, 4-6, 6-2.

“When she competed in the Australian Open, we were unprepared to receive a new champion in the family. But we are proud of Alex for winning the doubles,” said former Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner Noli Eala, a cousin of Eala’s father Michael.

Central Luzon’s student-athletes compete in SCUAA HUNDREDS of student-athletes from Central Luzon’s schools gathered in New Clark City for the Opening Ceremony of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association III Olympics.

Participants from the 13 participating schools paraded at the Athletics Stadium on Sunday as the sporting event was opened by the local government of Capas and the host school, Tarlac State University.

The SCUAA III Olympics will run for six days until February 8, with the athletics and swimming events to be held at the 20,000-seater Athletics Stadium and the 2,000-seater Aquatics Center.

New Clark City, a flagship project of the

Duterte administration, was the main hub during the 30th South East Asian Games, successfully hosted by the Philippines in the last quarter of 2019.

“Deka-dekada na ang lumipas na wala tayong world-class facilities para sa ating mga atleta. Ngayon na meron na, dapat lang magamit ito at pakinabangan ng ating mga kababayan lalo na ng mga kabataan at tingin ko lalong gaganahan ang ating mga atleta, lalo na ang mga future medalists natin,” said BCDA President and CEO Vince Dizon.

“Nakikita niyo naman ang salita ni Pangulong Duterte ay hindi lamang naiiwanang salita. Itong mga sports facilities dito sa New Clark City ay patunay ng kanyang

commitment na gawing priority ang sports development sa buong bansa,” he added.

The 13 SUCs participating in the Olympics are the Tarlac State University, Aurora State College of Technology, Bataan Peninsula State University, Bulacan Agricultural State College, Bulacan State University, Central Luzon State University, Don Honorio Ventura State University, Nueva Ejica University of Science and Technology, Philippine Merchant Marine Academy, Pampanga State Agricultural University, Philippine State College of Aeronautics, President Ramon Magsaysay State University, and the Tarlac Agri- Student-athletes from Central Luzon’s schools perform during the Opening Ceremony of the State Colleges and Universities Athletic Association III Olympics. cultural University.

Sports

A8

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

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

Tennis sensation Alexandra Eala is interviewed by her uncle Noli Eala in an open forum on Monday.

Palarong Pambansa cancelled due to virus threat THE Palarong Pambansa has been called off the first time in 19 years.

The threat of the spread of the novel coronavirus has compelled the Department of Education to announce its postponement yesterday.

Education officials felt that this year’s multi-sport event, the Palarong Pambansa and other regional events are in peril due to the threat of a possible spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

“We have been advised to take care of exposing our children to crowded places,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones said during a Senate inquiry.

The last time the Palaro was called off was in 2001, when it was slated in Tubod, Lanao del Norte. It was scrapped due to lack of funds and the peace and order situation in the area.

Briones added that the postponement is temporary.

“Right now, the policy is for a temporary postponement of all these activities because it will be drawing in learners, teachers, family members from all regions,” said Briones.

The Palarong Pambansa was supposed to take place in Marikina City in April.

Around 10,000 student-athletes from the country’s 17 regions are supposed to join.

So far, the Philippines has two confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV, with one Chinese national, who was travelling from Wuhan, dying from the infection.

The Philippine Sports Commission was supposed to be involved with the planning and staging of the 2020 Palarong Pambansa.

The City of Marikina has assumed the responsibility to the host of the 2020 Palaro after Occidental Mindoro begged off from hosting the annual sporting event for student-athletes The decision to withdraw from the hosting by Occidental Mindoro came following the devastation wrought by typhoon “Tisoy” last month.

This was supposed to be the first time Marikina City will be hosting the Palarong Pambansa in many years.

Peter Atencio

Eala now no. 4 in world, seeks French Open stint

By Peter Atencio

F

OURTEEN-YEAR-OLD Philippine tennis sensation Alexandra Eala did not expect to go very far in the junior division of the 2020 Australian Open.

But now that it’s over, Eala has moved up in the International Tennis Federation girls’ rankings, from ninth to eighth place two weeks ago, to no. 4 in the world by Sunday at the end of the 2020 Australian Open, where she won the girls’ doubles crown with Indonesian partner Priska Madelyn Nugroh.

The vast experience of her Aussie Open opponents looked daunting at first.

But hard work and detailed preparations helped Eala get the crown.

“You really don’t know what to expect in a tournament at this high level, with everyone being experienced and being so good. We just put whatever we could and be prepared,” said Eala, who talked about her experience playing and winning in the Australian Open during a gathering Monday evening at the Regent Parkway Condominium at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.

Last Friday, Eala reached a milestone when she and Nugroho won the girls’ doubles crown in the junior division of the Australian Open in Melbourne Park.

In reaching their first Grandslam finals, Eala and Nugroho fought their way to a 6-1, 6-2 triumph over unseeded Matilda Mutavdzic of Great Britain and Ziva Faulkner of Slovenia.

Her triumph with Nugroho was considered a historical win for Philippine tennis as Eala became the second Filipino Grand Slam champion in the Australian Open and its first female winner.

Eleven years ago, Filipino Francis Casey Alcantara and Cheng-Peng Hsieh of Taiwan claimed the 2009 Australian Open Jr. boys’ doubles title.

With the win, Eala emerged as the world’s no. 4 player in the ITF junior rankings after playing 22 events for the whole of the year 2019, culminating in the Traralgon and Australian Open juniors’ tournament.

Diane Parry of France stayed at the no.

1 spot after 17 events in 2019.

Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva of Andorra, the Australian Open 2020 girls’ singles winner, emerged as the no. 2-ranked player after seeing action in 34 events, moving up 17 notches from no. 19.

THE Philippine Sports Commission, determined to partner and give its full support to the grassroots sports programs of various national sports associations for 2020, has started discussing this with the different sports bodies as they start a series of consultations on their budget requirements.

On top of the agencies growing grassroots programs like the Children’s Games and Batang Pinoy, PSC Chairman William Ramirez said that the agency is open to supporting NSAs, which intend to develop sports programs for the country’s grassroots.

“We want to help NSAs in their own grassroots sports programs for the country. When they conduct a strong, and effective grassroots program, they help us carry out our mandate to make sports accessible to every Filipino, and to develop a strong citizenry, not to mention creating a deep pool from which Elite sports could cull their future stars,” said Ramirez during the first day of the annual budget hearings yesterday at the PSC Administrative Bldg., Malate, Manila.

“Last year, we managed to conduct training and sports clinics across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao from our own pockets. We thank the PSC for this new development in promoting our sports in the country,” said Karate Pilipinas Sports Federation, Inc. President Richard Lim. Updates on NSA’s International Federation and Philippine Olympic Committee accreditation, and athlete’s profiles will also be tackled in the Ramirez meetings to be headed by each PSC Commissioner in charge.

The first two days of meetings will be led by Commissioner Ramon Fernandez’s sports like Karate, Judo, Boxing, Muay, Pencak Silat and Wushu.

Despite his hectic schedule, the sports agency chief made it a point to be present in the budget meetings recognizing the importance of discussing issues and requirements with the different sports leaders. “We have limited resources, and we want to maximize use of it,” explained Ramirez.

Meanwhile, Kiram formally received Tuesday the P470-million check remittance from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, provided for in Republic Act 6847 as fund contribution for the National Sports Development Fund in a simple turn-over ceremony.

Arellano Chiefs Filipino swimmers bag 18 medals in Tokyo near semis slot in NCAA volley

THE Philippines’ Behrouz Elite Swim Team Junior Squad made a splash at the 2020 Tokyo Swimming Winter Championships, winning 18 medals, including eight golds recently at the St. Mary’s International School in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan.

Cambodia-based Enkhmend Enkmend won three golds, while Brendan Viñas captured two, even as JahZeel Rosario, Dawn Martina Camacho and Ashley Anne Alvarez topped their respective age-group events to lead the 17-man Philippine Team to the delight of the Filipino community in Tokyo.

The 10-year-old Enkmend topped the boys’ 9-10 class 100m Breaststroke with a time of one minute and 33.75 seconds, beating Japanese Kenjiro Koya (1:39.34) and Sho Sendai (1:41.49).

The Grade 6 student at the Panyathip International School in Cambodia also won the 200-m Individual Medley (3:05.88) over Kenjiro Koya (3:10.41) and Zen Twohig (3:16.70), plus the 50-m breaststroke also against Koya. He was adjudged as the Most Outstanding Swimmer in the boys’ 9-10 category.

Viñas won in the boys’ 11-12 class 100-meter Fly and 50-meter Fly, and added the bronze medal in 100-m Breast, while Rosario, a Grade 8 student at the Bristol Integrated School, Turn to A7

SEA Games gold medalist Kurt Bryan Barbosa (left) executes an axe kick against his opponent in a previous PTA tournament.

Darla Snigur of the Ukraine is at no. 3 with 1930 points, followed by Eala and Robin Montgomery of the United States, who played 26 events and collected a total of 1667.5 points.

Eala left Manila on Tuesday with her brother Miko to return to Mallorca, Spain to resume training under the Rafa Nadal Academy.

Eala’s coaches at the RNA now have bigger plans for the Filipina – a first-ever campaign in women’s professional tennis in the French Open women’s singles and doubles.

“There’s nothing really special.

I always trained really hard. But I think, mentally, I also need to prepare for this because, I know that there are a lot of people supporting me and counting on me. And I’m glad I did well,” added Eala.

Her partnership with Nugroho also worked well. That’s because they have been teaming up in many age-group competitions since they were eight years old, and their partnership in a Grand Slam event was a reunion of sorts since they have not played together for the last three years.

“The result was better than expected,” said Eala.

Nugroho is expected to team up with Turn to A7 Eala in future tournaments.

PSC takes up grassroots programs in hearings

Members of the Philippines’ Behrouz Elite Swim Team Junior Squad display the medals they won in the 2020 Tokyo Swimming Winter Championships at the St. Mary’s International School in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan.

Top jins vie in national tournament THE country’s best jins take center stage on Feb. 8-9 when they compete in the SMART/MVP Sports Foundation/PLDT Home Ultera National CPJ (Carlos Palanca Jr.) taekwondo championships at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

Among the seasoned performers who will also vie for slots on the 2020 Philippine national team are Pauline Lopez, Kurt Barbosa, Arven Alcantara, Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison and Dave Cea. PTA’s new Secretary General, Raul Samson, says 1,500 athletes are expected to see action in Kyorugi (free sparing) and Poomsae (forms) during the prestigious two-day event.

Kyorugi will feature Senior, Junior,

Cadet and Grade School fighters for both male and female while Poomsae will be disputed in two divisions—individual and free style.

Samson adds that the competition will serve as a tuneup for the Philippine team members to the Asian championships, World Junior championships and World Poomsae championships this year.

Parents interested to enroll their children in the sport and martial art enthusiasts are invited to watch the event, which starts at 9 a.m.

The tournament sponsors are PLDT, Meralco, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo and Inspire Sports Academy.

THE Arellano University Chiefs, getting 17 points from Jesrael Liberato, moved closer to a Final Four spot in the 95th National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s volleyball tournament.

This was made possible when the Chiefs repulsed the Letran Knights in straight sets, 25-22, 25-12, 25-17, yesterday at the FilOil Flying V Centre.

With Meneses scoring on 14 attacks and three kill blocks, the Chiefs moved to third seed with their 5-2 win-loss card. “‘Di muna namin iniisip ang standing namin, next game muna ang iisipin namin. Siyempre every game napakaimportante ngayon,” said Chiefs’ coach Sherwin Meneses.

The Chiefs, who needed 63 minutes to wrap it up, also got big plays from Christian Segovia, who chipped in 12 markers, built on five of his team’s 14 blocks.

Letran fell behind at 1-5.

In women’s action, the Lady Chiefs turned back the Lady Knights, 25-14, 26-28, 25-19, 25-16, and moved to within range of the top berth in the Final Four.

The Lady Chiefs notched their sixth win in seven matches in second place.

“Nanalo ka pero hindi gaano kasaya kasi madami pa ring lapses ‘yung team,” said coach Obet Javier on the Lady Chiefs’ inconsistencies in the game.

Regine Arocha came through with 19 points, including three service aces.

Arellano University extended its perfect juniors’ run to seven with a 2512, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20 triumph over Letran. Peter Atencio

Business

Gov’t keeps growth target despite worries over 2019-nCoV

By Julito G. Rada FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III on Tuesday downplayed the impact of the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease on economic growth this year, saying the growth target of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent remains realistic.

Dominguez said in a Senate hearing Tuesday that while the dreaded disease “may restrain economic growth, we are standing by our target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent GDP growth projection this year.”

He said it would be “a challenge” to estimate the economic cost of the disease because it was still in its early stage.

Dominguez said the tourism sector would be “badly hit” because of the travel ban imposed by the government to and from China and its territories. China is the second largest source of tourism traffic in the Philippines.

“Significantly, the impact will be on the tourism sector as global travels are taking a hit because airlines [suspend] trips to and from China,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez recalled that amid the height of the severe acute respiratory syndrome episode, international visitor arrivals in the Philippines declined 1.3 percent in 2003 to 1.9 million. He said arrivals rebounded quickly by 20.1 percent to 2.3 million the following year.

Data showed tourist arrivals increased steadily until the H1N1 outbreak in 2009, which resulted in a slight decrease in arrivals.

“China has been the Philippine’s top trading partner. Last year, more than half of our exports to China were shipments of electronic parts.

In the immediate term, the temporary closure of factories in China and possible disruption in global supply chains may cause a temporary, slight decline in our exports, particularly of electronics and auto parts,” he said.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

B1

Globe’s profit surges 20% to P22.3b

By Darwin G. Amojelar

G

LOBE Telecom Inc. said Tuesday net income grew 20 percent in 2019 from a year ago on the back of higher revenues from mobile and broadband businesses.

The telecom unit of the Ayala Group said net profit amounted to P22.28 billion last year, up from P18.62 billion in 2018.

Globe said net income improved to P4.6 billion in the fourth quarter from P3.9 billion in the same period a year earlier.

Core income rose 20 percent to

P22.45 billion in 2019 from P18.73 billion in 2018.

“2019 proved to be another good year for Globe despite the changing industry environment. We ended 2019 with a positive set of financial results and more importantly significant gains on the network front,” Globe president and chief executive Ernest Cu said.

“These results serve as a springboard for the opportunities and challenges that lay ahead, and will help us better serve our expanded mobile and broadband customer base of over 96 million. We will continue this momentum through 2020 as we remain committed to our goal of delivering first-world internet connectivity to the Philippines,” he said.

Consolidated service revenues in-

creased 12 percent last year to P149 billion, fueled by the gains from data across mobile, broadband and corporate data services.

Revenues from mobile business went up by 12 percent to P111.8 billion, surpassing the P99.5 billion reported in 2018. Globe’s subscriber base reached 94.2 million, up 27 percent from 2018.

The company said revenues of the Home broadband business rose 17 percent in 2019 to P21.7 billion from P18.6 billion in 2018, driven by a rising level of fixed wireless broadband users reaching close to 1.4 million. Total home broadband subscriber base exceeded 2 million, up 25 percent from a year ago.

Corporate data revenues went up 9 percent to P12.8 billion from P11.8 billion in 2018.

SSS COLLECTION PARTNER. The Social Security System signs a memorandum of agreement with Mandaluyong Traders Development Cooperative as its 67th partner agent at the SSS Building along East Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City. Signing the agreement are (from left) MTDC general manager Ramir Moreno, ManilaMTDC chairperson Reynaldo Evangelista, SSS account management group acting head Antonio Argabioso and SSS branch operations sector executive vice president Judy Frances See. Standard TODAY

THE Department of Trade and Industry said Tuesday it suspended the Philippine Standard licenses of six steel manufacturers in 2019 for allegedly producing non-conforming steel products.

It said in a statement Maxima Steel Mills Corp., Henro Steel Corp., Steel Asia Manufacturing Corp., Cathay Metal Corp., Somico Steel Mill Corp. and Sagarthama Steel Trading Corp. failed the independent testing commissioned by the DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards from the Metals Industry Research and Development Center.

The agency said the suspension order resulted from unannounced surveillance audits conducted by the BPS in 2019 on several steel manufacturing plants in the country.

Samples culled from the audits that were subjected to testing by the MIRDC proved that the six steel manufacturers were not compliant with the standards indicated in Philippine National Standard 49, Series of 2002.

“Until these steel manufacturers comply

GRID operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines on Tuesday denied claims that the company employs foreigners in executive and management positions.

NGCP president and chief executive Anthony Almeda said in a statement all corporate acts of the company complied with the Constitution and other laws.

Some senators earlier claimed that NGCP violated the Constitution by employing foreign nationals in executive and management positions, referring to Wen Bo and Liu Zhiaoquiang.

“Messrs. Bo and Liu left the country in 2018 and 2015, respectively. They held technical positions in the company,” Almeda said.

The company said it was diligent in implementing board and management directives and did so with utmost regard for the law and other rules and regulations.

“We have only four directors from the State Grid Corporation of China who do not perform executive or management functions,” he said.

NGCP is 60-percent controlled by local companies Monte Oro Grid Resources Corp. and Calaca High Power Corp. with each holding 30 percent. SGCC owns 40 percent.

Almeda said any audit of NGCP should be conducted by the proper regulatory agency, which in this case is the Energy Regulatory Commission—the independent body tasked by law and recognized by the concession agreement.

Balance Sheet (Head Office and Branches) As of December 31, 2019 ASSETS

By Jenniffer B. Austria

By Alena Mae S. Flores

CITIBANK N.A.

DTI suspends PS licenses of 6 steel firms with the PNS, their PS licenses will remain suspended,” the DTI said.

It said the BPS denied the issuance of import commodity clearances for deformed steel bars and equal leg angle bars imported

by Megawide Construction Corp., Petron Corp. and Remington Industrial Sales Corp. which were valued at more than P68 million.

It said the deformed steel bars imported

by Megawide were denied issuance of ICC due to non-compliance with PNS 49:2002 while those imported by Petron had no proper markings.

The department said Remington had no valid PS license for the importation of equal leg angle bars. All these imported steel bars were either destroyed or exported to their country of origin.

“For the whole of 2019, the DTI penalized a total of 42 retailers and manufacturers of steel—a clear contrast to the claim of a product safety and quality group that the department failed to charge violating steel manufacturers and traders for substandard steel products,” it said.

NGCP denies employing expats in top positions

Cash and Cash Items Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Unquoted Debt Securities Classified as Loans-Net Investments in Non-Marketable Equity Security-Net Loans and Receivables - Net Loans to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivables - Others Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Equity Investment in Subsidiaries, Associates and Joint Ventures-Net Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net Real and Other Properties Acquired-Net Non-Current Assets Held for Sale Other Assets-Net Net Due from Head Office/Branches/Agencies, if any (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) TOTAL ASSETS

Current Quarter

Previous Quarter

628,871,452.99 47,755,693,606.23 1,560,318,422.18 5,410,191,256.47 44,330,872,973.33 214,991,149,420.53 8,607,950,000.00 123,854,155,532.18 84,025,333,571.41 1,496,289,683.06 1,531,024,892.96 227,434,200.00 1,207,775,291.05 10,093,305,918.04 327,736,637,433.78

589,892,282.80 46,985,644,029.63 1,387,923,414.69 5,589,354,862.46 43,463,050,145.66 209,094,838,166.50 15,030,700,000.00 111,915,330,776.74 83,593,558,209.29 1,444,750,819.53 1,316,020,008.68 227,434,200.00 1,218,123,881.01 5,207,814,799.85 315,080,095,791.28

1,339,871,159.91 204,636,295,482.84 16,149,049,294.44 27,886,263.36 27,886,263.36 13,060,819,319.22 21,355,356,127.06 47,482,243,898.31 304,051,521,545.14

1,552,151,049.86 199,078,684,382.96 24,537,981,613.74 21,407,564.45 21,407,564.45 8,226,366,486.01 14,286,444,494.24 45,664,824,156.46 293,367,859,747.72

9,389,831,451.66 1,135,436,945.86 13,159,847,491.12 23,685,115,888.64 327,736,637,433.78

7,408,973,407.66 1,143,415,144.78 13,159,847,491.12 21,712,236,043.56 315,080,095,791.28

501,174,732.62 3,845,950,849.25 298,795,532.87 2,522,173,849.84 199,728,369,730.00 12,371,409,366.38 469,922,437,236.89 34,877,849.40 34,877,849.40 167,118,754,964.12 526,192,153.74 856,870,136,265.11

471,288,581.62 3,541,925,122.78 540,721,664.05 2,599,033,540.78 173,420,121,269.00 12,635,009,739.53 488,592,951,857.92 35,205,370.48 35,205,370.48 145,026,816,691.65 420,550,557.44 827,283,624,395.25

218,815,847,350.53 2,328,408,246.94

212,652,272,223.09 2,112,683,237.06

1,691,942,783.28 0.77 710,621,021.23 0.32 226.05 137.62 4,553,490,225.55 93,924,036.28 0.04 -

1,382,367,272.21 0.65 527,398,711.15 0.25 257.34 152.83 4,812,510,961.23 91,533,506.68 0.04 -

0.02 28.57

0.02 30.48

15.74 14.98 14.98 -

14.99 14.29 14.29 -

31,648,579,577.28 354,159,541,521.49 8.94

29,718,952,105.41 342,349,175,800.34 8.68

190,780,127,505.36 68,498,665,089.02 278.52

187,751,835,480.82 77,168,695,114.48 243.30*

LIABILITIES Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Due to Other Banks Bills Payable a) BSP (Rediscounting and Other Advances) b) Interbank Loans Payable c) Other Deposit Substitute d) Others Bonds Payable-Net Unsecured Subordinated Debt-Net Redeemable Preferred Shares Special Time Deposit Due to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities Net Due to Head Office/Branches/Agencies (Philippine branch of a foreign bank) TOTAL LIABILITIES STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

IN BRIEF DMCI says Pandacan yard not cause of fire THE massive fire that occurred Saturday in Pandacan, Manila did not originate from the construction yard of D.M. Consunji Inc. D.M. Consunji said in a statement videos taken by various netizens clearly showed the fire started outside of the company’s work area.

It cited a report of the Bureau of Fire Protection saying the fire broke out at around 10:38 a.m., or more than 30 minutes before the warehouse inside the company’s construction yard caught fire at around 11:15 a.m.

D.M. Consunji said it would cooperate with any investigation to determine the real cause of the fire.

San Miguel Corp. earlier said its initial investigation showed the fire was a freak accident that could have likely started from the DMCI construction yard and eventually spread to its nearby plastics warehouse, which at that time was being relocated out of Pandacan.

The relocation is part of the company’s efforts to clear its properties in Pandacan, in consideration of Skyway and future projects.

ERC to issue ruling on 6 Meralco deals THE Energy Regulatory Commission is set to issue a decision on pending power supply agreements, including six proposals of Manila Electric Co. involving 1,700 megawatts of capacity.

ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera said the agency had completed the public hearings on the Meralco PSAs and would issue a resolution within the month.

“We are finalizing the resolutions. All of that will come out in February, those that underwent CSP,” Devanadera said.

Meralco sought approval for its PSA with San Miguel Energy Corp., First Gen Hydro Power Corp., South Premiere Power Corp. and Phinma Energy Corp. Meralco has two separate PSAs with SPPC and Phinma Energy.

“At the moment, we cannot as yet determine or confirm whether the proposed rate in the Meralco PSA adverted to was indeed the least cost. But once the subject Meralco PSA application has been filed, the ERC will conduct a thorough evaluation to ensure that the proposed rate in the PSA is the least cost,” said Devanadera earlier. Alena Mae S. Flores

PCC suing NHMFC, eight insurance firms THE Philippine Competition Commission is filing charges against a pool of insurance companies and National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. for signing anti-competitive agreements over the exclusive provision of mortgage redemption insurance to its account holders for almost 40 years.

The PCC’s Enforcement Office charged NHMFC and the eight insurance companies and their responsible officers for violating the Philippine Competition Act. “This exclusive arrangement effectively deprived NHMFC and the housing loan borrowers of choosing MRI coverage from other providers which may offer better terms and conditions at lower premium rates,” the PCC said.

“This has resulted in poor service, unfavorable premium rates, and lack of options to the detriment of thousands of account-holders, including low-cost and socialized housing borrowers,” the regulator said.

The eight are Beneficial Life Insurance Co. Inc., Country Bankers Life Insurance Corp., First Life Financial Co. Inc., Fortune Life Insurance Co. Inc., Manila Bankers Life Insurance Corp., Philippines International Life Insurance Co., Inc., The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company (Philippines) Inc. and United Life Assurance Corp. Alena Mae S. Flores

Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings Assigned Capital TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Guarantees Issued Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Securities Held Under Custodianship by Bank Proper Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accounts c) Advisory/Consultancy Derivatives Others TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross total loan portfolio (TLP) Specific allowance for credit losses on the TLP Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) a. Gross NPLs b. Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) c. Net NPLs d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) e. Ratio of total allowance for credit losses to gross NPLs (%) f. Ratio of specific allowance for credit losses on the gross TLP to gross NPLs (%) Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses DOSRI Loans & receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses Ratio of DOSRI loans & receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to gross TLP (%) Gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%) Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises b. 2% for Medium Enterprises Return on Equity (ROE) (%) Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis, as prescribed under existing regulations a. Total CAR (%) b. Tier 1 Ratio (%) c. Common Tier 1 ratio (%) Deferred Charges not yet Written Down Unbooked Allowance for Credit Losses on Financial Instruments Received Basel III Leverage Ratio (BLR) on Solo Basis, as prescribed under existing regulations i. Capital Measure - Tier 1 Capital ii. Exposure Measure iii. Total BLR (%) Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) on Single Currency Basis, as prescribed under existing regulations i. Total High-Quality Liquid Assets (HQLA) ii. Total Net Cash Outflows iii. Total LCR (%)

-

-

*ERRATUM: Liquidity Coverage Ratio on Single Currency Basis as of September 30, 2019 should be 243.30% instead of 261.99%, as previously published.

Republic of the Philippines) MAKATI CITY ) s.s.

We, ASIM MUNIR and AFTAB AHMED of the above-mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above balance sheet are true and correct to the best of our knowledge and belief.

(SGD) ASIM MUNIR (SGD) AFTAB AHMED Country Finance Officer, Citi Country Officer, Director Managing Director SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 4th day of February 2020 at City of Makati, affiants exhibiting their Passport ID No. AH0727284 issued in Pakistan valid until December 15, 2028 AND Passport ID No. 530433199 issued in the United States of America valid until March 03, 2025 respectively.

NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY. VIRGILIO R. BATALLA Notary Public for Makati City Doc No. 337 Appt. No. M-87 - until Dec. 31, 2020 Book No. 101 Roll No. 48348 / MCLE Compliance No. VI-0022250 / 4-4-2019 Page No.69 IBP O.R No. 706762 - Lifetime Member Jan. 29, 2007 Series of 2020 PTR No. 8117512 - Jan 02, 2020 - Makati City Executive Bldg. Center Makati Ave., Cor., Jupiter St., Makati City (MS-FEB. 5, 2020)

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rallies; Manila Water rises

S

TOCKS rebounded Tuesday on bargain hunting as the market reached oversold levels after several days of decline.

The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange Index rose 89.87 points, or 1.3 percent, to 7,226.90 on a value turnover of P9.6 billion. Gainers beat losers, 113 to 73, with 48 issues unchanged.

Analysts said bargain hunting emerged on attractive valuations and in anticipation of positive earnings.

“Coronavirus, the Middle East, Brexit, oil, Treasury Bills, regulatory risks, Taal and the China economy are, in addition to the onset of the Q4 2019 earnings cycle, the main narratives that investors will be glued to in the coming days and weeks,” said Justino Calaycay, research head of Philstocks Financial Inc. Manila Water Co. Inc. surged 8 percent to P13.78, while parent Ayala Corp. added 3.4 percent to P740.50.

Universal Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, advanced 4.6 percent

to P151, while BDO Unibank Inc., the largest lender in terms of assets, climbed 4.3 percent to P150.70.

The rest of Asian markets rallied Tuesday with Shanghai bouncing back as bargain-buyers stepped in after the previous day’s rout, but trading floors remained anxious as China’s deadly virus claimed more lives.

Investors tracked gains on Wall Street and in Europe following last week’s rout, though focus remains on authorities’ efforts to contain an outbreak that has now infected 20,400 and killed more in mainland China than the SARS epidemic, which ham-

mered Asian economies in 2003.

Having dived nearly eight percent on Monday, Shanghai stocks rose 1.3 percent, boosted by a central bank injection of almost $60 billion into the financial markets, which is on top of the $173 billion pumped in on Monday.

Hong Kong climbed more than one percent a day after data showed the city’s economy contracted last year for the first time since 2009, but at a slightly slower rate than feared. The gains were despite news that the city had seen the first death of a patient who had contracted the coronavirus.

However, casinos were deep in the red after Macau said it would close all gaming houses in the gambling hub for two weeks because of the outbreak.

Wynn Macau, Galaxy Entertainment and Sands China were all down more than two percent.

Singapore, Seoul, Mumbai and Taipei all surged between 1.3 percent and two percent, while Sydney put on 0.4 percent and Jakarta added 0.7 percent. Tokyo finished 0.5 percent higher.

The virus has now spread to more than 20 countries. Several have imposed tough travel rules including banning flights to and from China, while the World Health Organization has declared a global health emergency.

In a rare admission, Beijing admitted “shortcomings and difficulties” in its response to the crisis, which many fear could slash growth in the world’s number two economy and impact other countries that rely on its supply chains.

Observers said China’s leaders were considering lowering their GDP forecasts for this year owing to the epidemic.

Jenniffer B. Austria with AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review tueSday, FeBruary 4, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

53.95 81.75 145 0.85 25 18.48 11 3.95 1.15 850.5 0.375 56.65 0.74 12 31.3 176 110.1 53 169 61.95 1.03

53.95 83.9 151.9 0.85 25.05 18.48 11.1 4.1 1.15 850.5 0.43 58.4 0.8 12 31.5 177.9 110.1 53 175.4 61.95 1.05

53.95 81.5 144.7 0.8 25 18.3 10.96 3.9 1.14 850.5 0.375 56.65 0.74 11.94 31.1 176 110.1 51.55 169 56 1.03

FINANCIALS 53.95 10 82.3 1,355,790 150.7 3,150,180 0.85 103,000 25 126,900 18.3 1,400 11.06 306,600 4.1 16,000 1.14 13,000 850.5 10 0.43 220,000 56.65 8,603,740 0.79 50,000 12 30,000 31.15 183,500 176 450 110.1 20 51.6 1,860 171.9 354,620 59 86,700 1.05 520,000

539.5 111,619,321.50 474,213,858 84,300 3,173,085 25,764 3,372,814 63,410 14,890 8,505 90,200 492,648,096.50 39,020 359,500 5,740,735 79,517 2,202 96,301 61,075,073 5,182,024.50 536,000

1,001,401.50 93,106,406 2,505 9,150 -360,040 -68,018,888 -3,544,635 -16,436,140 580 -

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

32.4 2.08 12.08 0.58 1.19 2.76 0.21 1.45 15.04 11.1 16.62 60 64 2.09 5 8.72 12.12 8.88 7.24 1.94 20.3 66.8 1.7 36.5 1.86 10.14 6.8 1.53 197.5 3.3 6.55 12.8 9.99 14.6 260 1.86 3.49 9.8 11.3 29.45 5.01 1.65 1.74 9.5 73.5 9.15 0.117 0.99 144.4 2.54 1.14 15.1 0.98

32.9 2.17 12.08 0.67 1.22 2.91 0.228 1.5 15.18 11.5 17.18 60 64 2.14 5 9.15 12.46 8.88 7.25 2.7 21.25 66.8 1.74 36.5 1.9 10.14 7.19 1.59 200 3.3 6.98 14.08 10 14.8 274 1.88 3.51 9.9 11.84 30 5.33 1.66 1.8 9.5 78 9.2 0.12 1.01 151.9 2.54 1.17 15.1 0.98

31.95 2.08 11.86 0.56 1.19 2.65 0.21 1.42 14.9 10 16.08 58.85 64 2.09 5 8.63 11.94 8.36 7.24 1.94 20.3 66.65 1.68 35.05 1.84 9.68 6.61 1.28 195 3.1 6.52 12.8 9.96 14.4 259.8 1.86 3.45 9.8 11.3 29.45 5.01 1.64 1.21 9.03 72.5 9.15 0.117 0.99 143.5 2.54 1.13 14.06 0.93

INDUSTRIAL 31.95 877,500 2.13 6,567,000 12.06 850,400 0.59 15,644,000 1.19 162,000 2.84 7,038,000 0.227 170,000 1.46 5,549,000 14.98 644,600 10.1 12,964,400 17.18 70,500 60 280 64 770 2.14 29,000 5 1,000 8.65 1,662,000 12 848,600 8.38 608,300 7.25 58,200 2.2 3,921,000 20.35 915,000 66.65 37,680 1.7 19,102,000 36.5 8,700 1.89 7,221,000 9.98 780,800 6.61 442,900 1.36 6,786,000 195 1,281,730 3.2 14,000 6.52 18,100 13.78 28,770,100 9.99 41,300 14.8 1,501,700 266.8 161,340 1.86 159,000 3.49 814,000 9.9 179,200 11.84 106,200 29.55 237,800 5.33 8,300 1.66 30,000 1.29 36,865,000 9.26 43,800 78 312,200 9.16 73,100 0.12 510,000 0.99 35,000 151 882,390 2.54 1,000 1.15 2,207,000 14.06 800 0.93 777,000

28,224,185 13,851,810 ( 10,179,046 9,834,920 192,810 19,594,090 36,100 8,137,580 9,662,752 137,721,792 1,149,952 16,708 49,280 61,390 5,000 14,389,964 10,187,624 5,097,660 421,935 8,971,220 19,008,240 2,511,425.50 32,654,980 308,970 13,468,770 7,738,275 3,013,230 9,560,600 253,329,863 44,350 118,560 388,671,776 412,875 21,895,374 43,535,850 297,770 2,839,100 1,761,578 1,241,534 7,064,115 41,615 49,560 54,826,250 406,595 23,231,321 671,224 59,700 34,750 132,687,336 2,540 2,531,080 11,664 724,820

-3,035,430 138,850.0003) 2,046,006 -68,400 293,050 -572,680 2,761,294 -3,221,796 8,948,912 -1,852,220 -4,731,308 -31,900 49,440 -9,119,765 -2,408,774.50 63,730 24,590 -2,444,000 22,570 546,246 26,800 -12,371,733 -31,450 26,410,790 29 -17,489,450 969,240.00 -28,010 -502,010 -74,554 -1,321,495 76,670 -197,953 12,176,065.50 13,800.00 14,045,896 -6,040 -

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

0.85 49.8 10.52 0.67 6 10.48 0.88 0.88 734 2.48 6.19 5.99 12.8 0.21 667.5 4.61 71.9 0.5 3.69 9.76 0.56 3.21 5 1.2 2.75 135 975 0.79 1.13 180 176 0.203 0.2

0.86 51 10.56 0.71 6 10.48 0.91 0.93 745 2.5 6.4 6.25 12.8 0.275 695 4.99 71.9 0.5 3.71 10.08 0.59 3.28 5 1.2 2.75 137.2 989.5 0.8 1.19 191.5 176 0.228 0.2

0.84 49.8 10.46 0.66 6 9.99 0.88 0.88 733 2.45 6.13 5.96 12.2 0.21 667.5 4.61 70 0.485 3.69 9.76 0.56 3.2 4.43 1.11 2.72 131.5 974.5 0.79 1.1 180 174 0.203 0.196

HOLDING FIRMS 0.85 2,855,000 49.85 1,044,400 10.52 7,069,800 0.69 605,000 6 42,200 31,600 10.3 0.91 318,000 0.93 9,000 740.5 384,450 2.5 255,000 6.2 481,200 6.2 6,999,400 12.2 42,300 0.211 8,820,000 686 193,840 4.99 6,000 70.3 1,120,950 0.5 3,000 3.7 371,000 9.9 1,832,700 0.59 143,000 3.25 36,078,000 4.99 14,000 1.19 26,000 2.72 4,000 131.5 523,940 983.5 936,380 0.79 61,000 1.15 79,000 180 510 176 5,740 0.205 6,340,000 0.2 4,290,000

2,418,880 52,493,665 74,269,184 413,400 253,200 318,409 283,650 7,970 285,193,815 632,390 2,997,035 43,125,379 517,260 2,130,620 133,074,420 28,420 79,388,706.50 1,485 1,369,270 18,148,219 81,160 117,212,030 65,389 30,070 10,970 70,695,001 922,397,270 48,200 90,210 92,805 1,009,106 1,390,060 856,940

-7,479,735 36,719,462 54,048,670 -208,726 -20,302,182 11,230 -205,570 34,579,915 -3,548,584.50 -85,090 177,379 -14,907,470 8,860 7,770 -31,096,544 494,287,890 -87,890 -173,736 -660,000 400,000

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

14.76 0.67 1.65 0.79 41 1.53 4.54 6.4 0.48 0.77 0.8 0.177 8.75 17.5 0.4 1.45 1.05 3.86 0.2 0.4 1.07 0.32 2.04 24.25

14.76 0.67 1.76 0.82 41.1 1.55 4.55 6.66 0.5 0.77 0.8 0.18 8.8 17.5 0.4 1.46 1.1 3.96 0.219 0.41 1.14 0.32 2.05 25.9

14.72 0.62 1.6 0.77 40.6 1.52 4.51 6.16 0.48 0.77 0.8 0.177 8.75 15.94 0.4 1.42 1.04 3.84 0.199 0.4 1.07 0.32 2.03 24.25

PROPERTY 14.76 400,400 0.65 448,000 1.6 245,000 0.79 1,948,000 40.95 11,871,400 1.53 435,000 4.51 217,000 6.2 109,300 0.5 5,000,000 0.77 13,000 0.8 278,000 0.177 1,150,000 8.76 36,400 17 283,900 0.4 30,000 1.42 20,752,000 1.04 395,000 3.89 22,376,000 0.215 9,030,000 0.405 800,000 1.11 976,000 0.32 120,000 2.05 399,000 25.15 1,053,800

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

ROCKWELL SHANG PROP SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND VISTAMALLS

2.08 3.17 39 2.48 1.85 6.58 5.27

2.08 3.17 39.4 2.58 2.03 6.8 5.48

2.08 3.15 38.55 2.46 1.79 6.4 5.27

2.08 3.15 38.9 2.5 1.99 6.4 5.27

40,000 24,000 14,029,600 152,000 18,064,000 895,300 110,000

83,200 75,640 546,912,135 377,750 34,855,920 5,798,367 584,463

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER 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

9.49 17.6 1.31 9.87 0.39 0.05 2.62 9 74 4.98 4 8 895 1,920 5.29 424.4 9.8 1.18 127 0.098 3.3 2.2 13.68 2.2 0.95 10 0.425 1.87 0.93 1.19 2.29 1.99 7.3 4.8 144 3.4 1,003 0.52 0.315 38.45 76.25 8.8 2.11 0.6 0.241 0.6 18.56

9.6 18 1.38 9.9 0.39 0.05 2.83 9.1 75.95 5.07 4 8 895 1,980 5.29 424.4 13.26 1.23 131 0.098 3.42 2.22 13.68 2.39 0.95 10.18 0.435 1.94 1.05 1.19 2.3 2.19 7.39 4.8 145.5 4.1 1,040 0.52 0.34 38.45 77.6 8.8 2.18 0.61 0.25 0.6 18.68

9.4 17.4 1.31 9.78 0.39 0.047 2.62 8.85 74 4.92 4 7.2 890 1,893 5.24 423 9.8 1.14 127 0.098 3.05 2.14 13.68 2.15 0.9 9.28 0.415 1.87 0.93 1.12 2.2 1.98 7 4.5 144 3.3 1,003 0.495 0.315 38.1 75.6 8.73 2.11 0.59 0.241 0.58 18.48

SERVICES 9.49 17.74 1.33 9.9 0.39 0.049 2.73 8.85 74.8 4.96 4 7.75 890 1,930 5.24 424.4 13.26 1.2 127.4 0.098 3.06 2.14 13.68 2.25 0.95 10.12 0.43 1.9 1.05 1.12 2.28 2.04 7.1 4.5 144.1 3.79 1,020 0.495 0.335 38.25 77.6 8.8 2.16 0.61 0.25 0.6 18.5

13,400 172,200 127,000 1,741,900 1,600,000 8,100,000 618,000 6,081,700 647,210 392,000 372,000 31,300 1,520 53,740 150,500 880 400 2,600,000 1,550,480 210,000 12,578,000 6,000 100 238,000 56,000 8,753,400 110,000 1,331,000 21,000 43,000 757,000 127,000 17,600 5,000 11,330 17,109,000 106,625 12,989,000 12,590,000 1,041,800 306,660 60,600 1,519,000 1,062,000 1,560,000 452,000 5,517,900

127,769 3,029,424 167,330 17,127,058 624,000 388,300 1,699,160 54,326,428 48,543,159.50 1,953,180 1,488,000 242,093 1,357,930 104,847,595 791,692 373,158 4,656 3,083,360 197,728,172 20,580 39,951,100 13,220 1,368 519,750 50,760 86,696,274 47,250 2,529,150 21,430 50,060 1,701,910 265,720 125,529 22,900 1,642,377 65,196,730 ( 109,204,375 6,511,460 4,174,700 39,801,105 23,643,265 531,766 3,261,750 639,530 385,780 268,660 102,118,072 5

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

0.002 7.99 1.05 2.34 1.1 2.98 0.27 6.71 1.43 0.207 0.095 0.095 0.008 0.78 2.79 1.05 0.69 0.011 0.011 2.85 8.24 21.4

0.002 8.05 1.08 2.34 1.1 3.08 0.27 6.95 1.46 0.207 0.098 0.1 0.008 0.8 2.82 1.05 0.69 0.011 0.011 2.95 8.65 21.4

0.001 7.6 1.05 2.34 1.1 2.98 0.265 6.69 1.4 0.2 0.095 0.094 0.008 0.78 2.68 1.03 0.66 0.011 0.01 2.85 8.23 20.2

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2R ALCO PREF B CPG PREF A DD PREF FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H

15.52 495 101.5 102 101 103.5 490 5.13 979 980 99 100 1,030 102.3 1,040 77.1 75.5 75 76 75.65

15.8 495 102 102 101 103.5 490 5.13 979 980 99.9 100 1,030 102.4 1,040 78.4 75.5 76 76 75.65

15.2 495 101.5 102 100.1 103.5 490 5.05 979 980 99 100 1,030 102.3 1,031 77 75.5 75 76 75.65

LR WARRANT

1.07

1.18

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

3.36 9.94 0.82

3.6 10.24 0.85

MS 5,894,234 282,410 402,060 1,555,220 484,825,460 667,460 983,670 680,038 2,469,400 10,010 222,400 204,130 318,870 4,857,612 12,000 29,828,030 411,440 87,487,510 1,909,190 323,000 1,079,340 38,400 812,960 26,456,255

-275,324 -48,065,880 27,620 457,110 -8,900 -12,266 -535,710 -16,219,490 -51,638,910 -63,370 -841,785

MINING AND OIL 0.002 149,000,000 7.6 216,400 1.07 809,000 2.34 7,000 1.1 18,000 3.05 848,000 0.27 270,000 6.7 4,700 1.45 1,371,000 0.203 1,710,000 0.095 10,100,000 0.1 70,000 0.008 1,000,000 0.79 152,000 2.7 9,229,000 1.03 3,000 0.69 130,000 0.011 400,000 0.01 20,300,000 2.85 272,000 8.41 467,400 20.2 563,200

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP 31,500 -98,132,080 -1,097,620 -3,021,482 2,650 6,395,678 78,000 -39,110 -3,109,498 -3,156,651.50 -680,750 -13,010,270 38,150 -32,940 -81,040,378 -90,730 8,500 -43,410,842 -467,620 -274,100 12,250 16,520 1,335,371 630,139.9998) -24,428,435 -1,096,865 283,750 -18,305 -8,020,695 -92,780 18,000 -2,500 ,258,517.9993

223,200 1,666,472 864,400 16,380 19,800 2,556,160 71,950 31,542 1,958,520 342,370 962,150 6,730 7,800 119,600 25,204,390 3,120 87,370 4,400 213,300 776,010 3,932,326 11,564,040

-42,293.00 -34,980 -72,480 -84,710 100,000 -1,000 -17,341,280 13,600 4,400 -285,000 -99,758.00 -4,573,670

PREFERRED 15.32 99,100 495 120 101.5 250 102 200 100.8 10,740 103.5 40 490 70 5.07 704,300 979 10 980 300 99.9 1,800 100 12,210 1,030 15 102.4 690 1,031 80 78.35 3,250 75.5 100 75 97,390 76 86,560 75.65 400

1,533,862 59,400 25,425 20,400 1,075,607 4,140 34,300 3,575,268 9,790 294,000 179,312.50 1,221,000 15,450 70,624 82,525 250,409 7,550 7,315,520 6,578,560 30,260

-1,532,330 -796,548 149,425.50 -

1.07

WARRANTS 1.08 231,000

251,670

-

3.35 9.9 0.82

SME 3.39 10.08 0.83

498,860 3,264,573 1,353,940

-

142,000 325,000 1,627,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

107.6 10.2 0.95

Trading Summary

110 10.26 0.95

SHARES

FINANCIAL

15,663,293

INDUSTRIAL

168,168,990

HOLDING FIRMS

81,409,917

PROPERTY

119,411,984

SERVICES

896,103,648

MINING & OIL

196,969,503

GRAND TOTAL

1,479,850,877

107.5

109

27,260

2,982,265

5,501

10.2 0.95

DDS 10.26 0.95

3,600 500

36,935.40 475

-

VALUE 1,724.3 (up) 35.49 1,211,242,726.45 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 9,122.37 (up) 156.15 1,327,940,267.88 HOLDING FIRMS 6,958.81 (up) 84.07 2,009,938,398.96 PROPERTY 3,799.01 (up) 5.79 1,477.82 (up) 8.5 1,556,341,389.665 SERVICES MINING & OIL 7,286.68 (down) 44.43 3,446,194,602.86 PSEI 7,226.9 (up) 89.87 50,636,244.873 All Shares Index 4,293.89(up) 37.06 9,610,401,293.31 Gainers: 113; Losers: 73; Unchanged: 482; Total: 234

PSE bares draft rules on involuntary delisting

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Philippine Stock Exchange issued the draft amended rules on involuntary delisting that give investors an exit mechanism and increase the penalties for erring directors and officers.

A listed company subject to involuntary delisting proceedings under the draft rules will be required to conduct a tender offer to all stockholders.

The tender offer price will be the highest value based on the fairness opinion or valuation report prepared by an independent valuation provider or the volume weighted average price of the listed security for one year immediately preceding the issuance of the delisting order.

If the listed company has been under suspension for at least one year as of the issuance of the delisting order, the tender offer price will be the highest value based on the fairness opinion or valuation report.

The PSE said the current rules lacked sufficient measures to ensure investor protection in case of involuntary delisting of a listed company.

The current rules do not provide an exit mechanism for investors and have inadequate sanctions in case of violations.

In terms of penalties, the PSE wants heavier penalties imposed against erring directors and officers, including compliance office and corporate information officials.

Under the draft rules, directors and executive officers of a company that has been involuntarily delisted may be disqualified from becoming directors, executive officers, compliance officers and corporate information officers of any listed company for a period of five years or more, or perpetually, from the effective date of delisting.

The draft rules also provide that the PSE may initiate delisting if a company is unable or unwilling to comply with the listing requirements of the the exchange, including insolvency, non-operations or suspension of business operations, negative stockholders’ equity, issuance of false or misleading statements or omission of material information in reports, and non-submission of reportorial requirements.

The local bourse may also delist a company in order to maintain a fair, orderly and transparent market and protect investors.

Companies that were involuntarily delisted from the PSE include Calata Corp., Alphaland Corp., Uniwide Holdings Inc., Marsteel Consolidated Inc. and Gotesco Land Inc.

PSE starts sharing index info, data on Shenzhen bourse PHILIPPINE Stock Exchange has started to feature information and data on the three main indices of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange on its website.

The index promotion initiative forms part of the index cooperation project being undertaken by PSE and SZSE. The SZSE information available on the PSE website includes the description, methodology, fact sheet, constituent list, index products and chart of the Shenzhen Component Index, Shenzhen 100 Index and ChiNext Index.

SZSE, meanwhile, also displayed information on the PSE index, PSEi Total Return Index and All Shares Index on the website of the authorized index agent of SZSE—Shenzhen Securities Information Company Limited.

“We are pleased that our partnership with SZSE is starting to take shape.

After this index promotion program, we will also come up with other index marketing arrangements and eventually develop a co-branded index,” said PSE president and chief executive officer Ramon Monzon.

“Aside from index-related activities, the PSE and SZSE will also be exploring market surveillance and disclosure systems partnership opportunities,” Monzon added.

PSE and SZSE in 2009 signed a memorandum of understanding to undertake sharing of information on various market-related matters.

The information on SZSE indices is available on the Global Markets page of the PSE website.

World

B3

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Trump’s impeachment trial hangs

W

ASHINGTON―America’s divisions will enter into burning focus Tuesday when President Donald Trump delivers the annual State of the Union speech to Congress, just ahead of his expected acrimonious impeachment acquittal.

The State of the Union is a grand setpiece in the US political calendar, a rare occasion when bitter opponents traditionally observe a truce while the president lays out a vision for the future.

But Trump will drive up Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol at a time of rancor arguably unmatched for decades—and likely to worsen as the November presidential election approaches.

The White House promises Trump

will be “relentless” in talking up the US economy and the “blue collar boom” when he takes to the podium at around 9:00 pm (0200 GMT Wednesday).

“I think the speech is going to have a very optimistic tone,” a senior administration official told reporters.

The reality is that Trump will be entering a chamber where only last December the Democratic-led House of Representatives, the lower chamber, impeached

him for abuse of power and obstructing Congress.

And he’ll be looking out over a group of legislators where only a narrow Republican majority in the upper chamber Senate is likely to save his job when a verdict vote comes Wednesday.

The speech could in theory be an opportunity to reach out and heal a nation boiling over in mistrust.

Trump could express regret for what even several of his own Republican senators agree was wrongful behavior in pushing Ukraine to open a questionable corruption probe against one of his main Democratic presidential opponents, Joe Biden.

Or he could seek to calm the waters

3,711 people in cruise ship quarantined

by entirely avoiding the topic of impeachment, just as Bill Clinton did during his post-impeachment State of the Union in 1999.

White House officials say they don’t know what he’ll do.

“It’s never safe to assume anything,” the administration official said, when asked if impeachment will be kept out of the speech.

Republican senator, Roy Blunt, told The New York Times that Trump should “avoid” the “i” word.

“It’s an opportunity to move on,” Blunt said, while acknowledging that the real estate tycoon and reality TV show performer is not the type to turn down the volume. AFP

YOKOHAMA―Japan has quarantined a cruise ship carrying 3,711 people and was testing those onboard for the new coronavirus Tuesday after a former passenger was diagnosed with the illness in Hong Kong.

Eight people on the vessel, which arrived at Yokohama Bay on Monday, have symptoms such as fever, top government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said.

Television footage showed several quarantine officers boarding the Diamond Princess cruise ship at the port of Yokohama on Monday evening to check all 2,666 passengers and 1,045 crew.

The move comes after an 80-yearold passenger who disembarked on January 25 in Hong Kong tested positive for the virus, which has killed 425 people in China.

The man “did not visit a medical centre inside the ship while he was sailing with us,” cruise operator Carnival Japan said in a statement.

“According to the hospital where he is staying, his condition is stable and infection was not found among his family members who sailed with him,” the statement said.

A woman in her twenties who was sailing with her mother on the ship told private broadcaster TBS on Tuesday that all passengers “were asked to stay in their rooms to wait for virus tests.”

She said they had been waiting since Monday and had no word of when they would be tested as of early Tuesday.

The vessel’s departure from Yokohama would be delayed by at least 24 hours to Wednesday or later, Carnival Japan said.

The cruise ship had already been through a quarantine procedure on Saturday at a port in Naha in Japan’s southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, and quarantine officials had issued certificates allowing passengers and crew to land, Suga said. AFP

IN BRIEF Malawi court cancels presidential election LILONGWE―Malawi’s constitutional court on Monday ordered a new presidential poll after annulling the results of a vote that re-elected President Peter Mutharika last May, citing widespread irregularities including the use of correction fluid on ballot papers.

Mutharika, who will remain president until the fresh polls, has the right to appeal the verdict, which is expected to stoke turmoil in the normally peaceful southern African country.

“We hold that the first respondent (Mutharika) was not duly elected as president of Malawi on May 21, 2019,” ruled lead judge Healey Potani.

“We hereby nullify the results of the presidential elections and we order for a fresh election” within 150 days, he added, sparking jubilation in the court.

The verdict was greeted with festive cheer in the second city of Blantyre, where residents in impoverished townships set off fireworks.

“I’m delighted. I am short of words really but this is a bright new day for Malawi, “ said an university student Laura Banda.

“I hope this is a turning point for the country,” the 22-year-old added. AFP

UK to overhaul terror sentences LONDON―Britain on Monday promised an urgent overhaul of the law regarding convicted terrorists after police shot dead an extremist on early release from prison who stabbed two people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group.

Justice Secretary Robert Buckland promised to introduce “emergency legislation” to end the current arrangement whereby terrorist offenders are released automatically after they have served half of their sentence.

Any early release would be subject to a risk assessment from the Parole Board, he said, adding the new measures would apply to serving prisoners.

“The earliest point at which the offenders will now be considered for release will be once they have served two-thirds of their sentence,” he told MPs. Buckland was speaking after Sudesh Amman, who was wearing a fake suicide vest, was shot dead after knifing two people on a busy street in Streatham, south London, on Sunday.

The Islamic State’s propaganda arm called Amman “an IS fighter” and said “he carried out the attack in response to a call to target nationals” of countries belonging to the global coalition fighting against the jihadist group.

Amman was freed last week from prison after serving part of his sentence for 16 Islamist-related terror offences— namely the possession and distribution of terrorist documents, Buckland said.

The attack came just over two months after a similar incident when armed police shot dead a convicted terrorist on early release near London Bridge in the heart of the city. AFP

ASSAULT. This handout picture released by the official Syrian Arab News Agency on February 3, 2020,

shows Syrian troops gathering in an area southwest of Saraqeb during their assault on the Idlib region.

In recent weeks, pro-Damascus fighters have pressed northward along the M5 highway that connects the capital to Syria's second city Aleppo, crossing Idlib. They are now aiming for the abandoned city of Saraqeb, which sits at a crossroads between two key highways. AFP

Women of rap claim their due NEW YORK―Long stereotyped as a boys’ club, not least for its braggadocious lyrics and objectification of women, the rap world has seen a bevy of female stars reclaim their space.

Over the past decade, diverse talent has climbed up through hip-hop’s ranks, as women shun old ideas about what makes their acts marketable and the internet opens new avenues to stardom.

Women were prominent players in rap’s formative years―the fierce list includes SaltN-Pepa, MC Lyte, Foxy Brown, Lil’ Kim, Lauryn Hill, Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah―and set the stage for future generations, leaving indelible marks on hip-hop’s DNA. But if the 1990s saw women carve out room to shine, the 2000s saw them pushed aside, with labels fumbling to survive as illegal music downloads began upending standard procedure.

“The industry took a nosedive—when it came to cutting the costs of everything, of course women were the ones who felt it the hardest,” said Kathy Iandoli, whose recent book “God Save The Queens” details the trajectory of women in rap.

Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, dozens of women rappers were signed to major labels at any given time, but by 2010, the number hovered at around three, according to the documentary “My Mic Sounds Nice: The

Truth About Women in Hip Hop.” Women who did get a break were pigeonholed as either hypersexual or tough lyricists, with the industry often pitting them against each other—perpetuating the idea that only one rap queen could rule at a time.

Still, there was no shortage of innovation coming from artists even if labels weren’t supporting them.

“Napster made record companies lose their minds, but it created a very strong underground,” Iandoli said of the pioneering musicsharing service.

“It set up the ability to create a career in a way that had never been done before, because people weren’t so hellbent on getting a label.”

Nicki Minaj, a provocative walking work of art with a lightning-speed flow, burst onto the scene in 2010 and began changing the game.

“She was the first female hip-hop artist to really break through during that lull,” Iandoli said of the Trinidadian-born artist from Queens.

“Nicki was the first in a very long time who was both sexy and lyrical, so she appealed to the street rap crowd, and then men who just wanted to hear women rapping about sex.”

Minaj—who announced her retirement from rap last year, though fans are skeptical—herself has claimed credit for “reintroducing the successful female rapper back to pop culture.” AFP

Shoes fit for the Gods FLORENCE―As sandal season fast approaches, a new exhibit on ancient footwear at a top Italian museum seeks to remind today’s well-heeled that when it comes to fashion, do as the Romans did.

The classics are always in, as evidenced by the new show in Florence’s Pitti Palace, which traces the humble sandal’s outsized influence in contemporary fashion and film, while astonishing the modern eye by the elegance of the ancients.

“At the Feet of the Gods: The art of footwear in ancient Rome, epic film and contemporary fashion,” features 80 works from sculptures and decorative urns to sandals ancient and new, many on loan from international museums.

The show—which promises to satisfy the curiosity of both shoe fetishists and wearers of plastic Crocs alike—runs through April 19.

“With this show, we’ve tried to make the shoe, commonly thought of as an accessory, instead the protagonist,” Fabrizio Paolucci, one of the curators, told AFP. In ancient times, shoes acted as a sort of “identity card” for their owner. AFP

Manila

Standard

TODAY

HEAD OFFICE: PBCOM Tower, 6795 Ayala Avenue corner V.A. Rufino Street, 1226 Makati City Customer Care: (02) 8777-2266 or 1-800-10-777-2266 (Domestic Toll Free) *Email: customercare@pbcom.com.ph*Website: www.pbcom.com.ph

BALANCE SHEET (Head Office and Branches) As of December 31, 2019

AsofSeptember30,2019

ASSETS Cash and Cash Items Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets - Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets - Net Loans and Receivables - Net Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivables - Others General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Equity Investment in Subsidiaries, Associates and Joint Ventures - Net Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture & Equipment - Net Real and Other Properties Acquired - Net Other Assets - Net

P

1,770,935,764.88 10,213,521,435.62 1,075,695,510.91 1,703,734,428.48 8,167,456,780.82 14,641,815,027.62 58,823,668,856.81 59,454,074,963.48 630,406,106.67 627,226,819.40 20,052,652.34 1,461,696,969.56 519,284,490.52 5,713,641,473.83

P 1,928,102,127.79 11,351,147,320.53 681,079,560.66 147,776.58 3,675,961,268.08 15,025,591,630.53 56,337,413,549.65 2,600,000,000.00 54,294,053,986.08 556,640,436.43 439,999,708.31 19,931,726.26 1,482,065,580.57 707,373,715.96 5,386,778,769.20

TOTAL ASSETS

P 104,738,730,210.79

P 97,035,592,734.12

Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Bills Payable: BSP (Rediscounting and Other Advances) Interbank Loans Payable Other Deposit Substitutes Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities

P

74,964,276,414.86 13,064,823,798.71 2,100,000,000.00 1,189,531,000.00 9,775,292,798.71 926,685,239.01 2,304,215,351.95

P

TOTAL LIABILITIES

P

91,260,000,804.53

P 83,925,612,804.83

P 14,278,374,781.56 2,579,698,850.58 -3,748,093,702.85

LIABILITIES 330,000.00 71,272,130,751.50 9,390,478,494.20 179,296,500.00 9,211,181,994.20 796,667,341.20 2,466,006,217.93

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings

P

14,278,374,781.56 2,948,448,327.55 -3,748,093,702.85

TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

P

13,478,729,406.26

P 13,109,979,929.29

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

P 104,738,730,210.79

P 97,035,592,734.12

CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS Financial Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Trust Department Accounts Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts Agency Accounts Others

P

1,340,631,695.97 666,667,289.43 218,882,872.08 93,200.00 2,334,629,716.08 7,144,649,697.54 1,442,256,207.90 5,702,393,489.64 162,362,751.38

P

1,443,212,010.24 767,623,542.23 30,223,588.41 423,946.55 3,387,425,324.53 6,743,982,806.43 1,216,167,087.73 5,527,815,718.70 207,673,001.17

TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

P

11,867,917,222.48

P 12,580,564,219.56

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Gross total loan portfolio (TLP) 60,882,337,262.19 Specific allowance for credit losses on the TLP 1,428,262,298.71 Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) a. Gross NPLs 2,324,859,588.57 b. Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) 3.82% c. Net NPLs 1,072,249,520.90 d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) 1.76% e. Ratio of total allowance for credit losses to gross NPLs (%) 88.55% f. Ratio of specific allowance for credit losses on the gross TLP to gross NPLs (%) 61.43% 7,543,624,438.59 Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross allowance of credit losses 3,857,262.18 Ratio of DOSRI loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to gross TLP (%) 0.01% Gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables to TLP (%) 0.00% Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises 2.82% 7.31% b. 2% for Medium Enterprises Return on Equity (ROE) (%) 9.51% Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis, as prescribed under existing regulations a. Total CAR (%) 16.47% b. Tier 1 Ratio (%) 13.69% c. Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio (%) 1/ 13.69%

1/

58,567,820,104.47 1,673,766,118.39

2,680,449,242.85 4.58% 1,152,292,420.53 1.97% 83.21% 62.44% 8,746,664,726.77 4,224,601.68

Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio (%) is only applicable to all Universal and Commercial Banks and their subsidiary banks.

0.01% 0.00%

2.60% 7.32% 9.17% 17.11% 14.23% 14.23%

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) City of Makati )S.S. We, Arlene M. Datu and Patricia May T. Siy, of the above-mentioned bank do solemnly swear that all matters set forth in the above balance sheet are true and correct to the best of our knowledge and belief.

(SGD.) ARLENE M. DATU Controller, SVP

(SGD.) PATRICIA MAY T. SIY President & CEO

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 27th of January 2020 at City of Makati, affiants exhibiting their SSS nos. 0356633451 and 0373099955, respectively.

INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS. Sri Lankan performers dance as they parade during Sri Lanka's 72nd Independence Day celebrations in Colombo on February 4, 2020. AFP

Doc. No. 41 Page No. 10 Book No. IV Series of 2020.

(SGD.) ATTY. GERVACIO B. ORTIZ JR. NOTARY PUBLIC City of Makati until December 31, 2020 IBP no. 05729 - Lifetime Member MCLE Compliance No. VI - 0024312 Appointment no. M-183 -(2019-2020) PTR no. 8116014 Jan. 2, 2020 Makati City Roll no. 40091 101 Urban Ave., Campos Rueda Bldg. Brgy. Pio del Pilar, Makati City Member: Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation Maximum Deposit Insurance for each Deposit P500,000.00

LGUs

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

B4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Makati padlocks 3 biz operating without permits

By Joel E. Zurbano

PET VALENTINE. Pets and their owners alike wear Valentine’s Day-themed costumes at activity center of SM City Masinag in Antipolo for ‘Always and Furr-ever,’ a celebration of the unfading love between pets and their ‘parents.’ The activity is under the mall’s ‘Pawsitivity Campaign,’ which advocates a pet-friendly shopping experience . Manny Palmero

‘Kawiyagan’ aid comes to Marawi M

ARAWI CITY—Hundreds of residents converged at the People’s Park in this city to avail of various programs, services and livelihood assistance packages provided by the government and foreign donor agencies through the 16th “Kawiyagan.”

The Kawiyagan, a Maranao term which means “livelihood,” is a regular activity spearheaded by the City Government of Marawi and Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), which aims to provide much-needed humanitarian and livelihood assistance to those affected by the 2017 siege.

Assistant Secretary Felix Castro Jr., TFBM Field Office manager, explained the event is an occasion where the government, civil society and international relief organizations come together in order to help uplift the lives of residents in the once war-stricken area.

“This helps the distribution of our

livelihood interventions. A lot of agencies, NGOs, and personalities are helping Marawi. It doesn’t end here, a lot more people want to help,” Castro said.

During a recent meeting with the ambassador of Belgium and Germany, the envoys asked Castro what their respective countries could do to aid the Philippine government in its ongoing current relief and rehabilitation interventions.

“We have a lot more needs, especially in food and livelihood. Here we can show that the government and its partner agencies will help people in the city until they can recover,” Castro said.

Department of Trade and Industry

project manager Dr. Rosalinda Pineda noted that since the launch of the first Kawiyagan in 2018, TFBM memberagencies have demonstrated their dedication and commitment to serve the people of Marawi.

“You could see the faces of the representatives of the different line agencies and humanitarian teams light up,” Pineda said in the vernacular, as she described the sense of joy and fulfilment among those who have participated in the previous Kawiyagans.

She assured the people of Marawi that the Kawiyagan “will not end by 2020. It will continue. We are hoping that there will be another program that will be implemented by the DTI with the partner-agencies.”

Speaking on behalf of Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr, Deputy Presidential Peace Adviser Isidro Purisi-

ma said he was very happy to see the positive developments happening in Marawi.

Purisima, a retired general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, recalled the dire situation of residents during and immediately after the siege.

But with the help of stakeholders and the residents themselves, he said the city is now rising up and showing signs of recovery.

“With all our help, Marawi is getting back its old vigor, especially in the communities, thanks to the residents and the help of the different government agencies,” he said.

Purisima emphasized that the Kawiyagan is a “convergence point” wherein the government, in collaboration with other peace partners, is able to reach out those who need help the most, especially those living in transitional shelter sites across the city.

THREE more establishments in Makati City were ordered closed on charges of human trafficking and for operating without business permits.

Moon of Paris KTV, Andy T. Cafe, and Azito Lounge, occupying different floors of a building at 7373 Bakawan Street in Barangay San Antonio, were padlocked by personnel of the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office.

The closure order came on the heels of a raid of an inter-agency operation led by Makati City police station last Sunday.

A total of 112 individuals, including 75 Filipino KTV workers, were arrested during the police operation.

Police received a tip alleging human trafficking operations in the three establishments.

Investigation showed that both Moon of Paris and Andy T. Cafe had expired business licenses and individual health permits, while Azito Lounge had no business permit at all.

The city government earlier padlocked a hotel after authorities discovered that the establishment engaged in sex trafficking foreign women.

On orders of Mayor Abigail Binay, BPLO men closed down Golden Dragon Star Premium Hotel in Barangay Pio del Pilar for violating Republic Act No. 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 and Section 4A of the Revised Makati Revenue Code or operating without a business permit.

Police raided the establishment and arrested three Chinese nationals― Kevin Sy, 25; Xiao Lo, 23; and Tong Po, 25.

The authorities also rescued 13 other foreigners―two Russians, two Vietnamese and nine Chinese women―allegedly employed as sex workers.

Bambanti Fest stresses Isabela’s economic gains

By Jessica M. Bacud

16th to 22nd Floors, Fort Legend Towers 31st Street corner 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City 1634 Statement of Condition (Head Office and Branches) As of December 31, 2019 AMOUNTS ASSETS

CURRENT QUARTER

PREVIOUS QUARTER

Cash and Cash Items Due from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Due from Other Banks Financial Assets at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Available-for-Sale Financial Assets-Net Held-to-Maturity (HTM) Financial Assets-Net Loans and Receivables - Net Interbank Loans Receivable Loans and Receivables - Others Loans and Receivables Arising from RA/CA/PR/SLB General Loan Loss Provision Other Financial Assets Bank Premises, Furniture, Fixture and Equipment-Net Real and Other Properties Acquired-Net Other Assets-Net

PhP

726,329,100.87 4,288,408,320.36 2,561,641,720.17 81,140,674.37 6,420,520,679.60 2,864,324,531.30 37,913,222,811.33 3,746,533,930.56 34,654,057,740.43 0.00 487,368,859.66 252,727,562.78 489,618,136.99 104,278,823.46 882,116,723.38

471,475,388.55 4,369,206,342.28 1,611,255,580.49 2,102,021,480.78 5,430,323,469.01 3,356,577,427.03 39,160,586,480.60 5,826,803,710.96 31,821,664,490.02 2,000,000,000.00 487,881,720.38 220,057,758.06 503,873,685.45 104,621,238.90 1,049,964,203.39

TOTAL ASSETS

PhP

56,584,329,084.61

58,359,963,054.54

Financial Liabilities at Fair Value through Profit or Loss Deposit Liabilities Bills Payable a) Interbank Loans Payable Other Financial Liabilities Other Liabilities

PhP

99,175,115.61 37,666,140,960.82 4,774,481,380.34 4,774,481,380.34 270,664,618.45 4,573,239,654.66

86,580,789.22 38,353,806,185.24 6,349,520,623.57 6,349,520,623.57 354,163,482.09 4,034,602,519.13

TOTAL LIABILITIES

PhP

47,383,701,729.88

49,178,673,599.25

Capital Stock Other Capital Accounts Retained Earnings

PhP

4,073,283,696.06 374,142,760.74 4,753,200,897.93

4,081,391,394.27 346,648,671.09 4,753,249,389.93

TOTAL STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

PhP

9,200,627,354.73

9,181,289,455.29

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

PhP

56,584,329,084.61

58,359,963,054.54

Financial Standby Letters of Credit Performance Standby Letters of Credit Commercial Letters of Credit Trade Related Guarantees Commitments Spot Foreign Exchange Contracts Trust Department Accounts a) Trust and Other Fiduciary Accounts b) Agency Accounts Derivatives Others

PhP

2,204,014,427.46 90,068,500.21 249,445,566.16 0.00 1,246,886,875.00 2,785,623,073.92 1,711,935,867.32 572,920,218.15 1,139,015,649.17 5,017,335,893.64 194,003,036.47

2,094,983,141.47 247,347,141.82 1,632,540,376.55 23,881,480.01 518,300,000.00 5,099,248,157.96 1,658,718,186.32 548,827,012.16 1,109,891,174.16 9,468,401,533.87 973,725,703.20

TOTAL CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

PhP

13,499,313,240.18

21,717,145,721.20

Gross Total Loan Portfolio (TLP) PhP 38,859,902,693.31 Specific Allowance for credit losses on the TLP PhP 459,311,022.32 Non-performing Loans (NPLs) a. Gross NPLs PhP 891,103,833.66 b. Ratio of gross NPLs to gross TLP (%) 2.29% c. Net NPLs PhP 491,477,429.89 d. Ratio of Net NPLs to gross TLP (%) 1.26% e. Ratio of total allowance for credit losses to gross NPL (%) 106.24% f. Ratio of specific allowance for credit losses on the gross TLP to gross NPL (%) 51.54% Classified Loans & Other Risk Assets, gross of allowance for credit losses PhP 1,258,830,172.47 DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses PhP 18,018,322.30 Ratio of DOSRI Loans and receivables, gross of allowance for credit losses, to TLP (%) 0.05% Gross Non-performing DOSRI loans and receivables PhP 0.00 Ratio of gross non-performing DOSRI loans and receivable to TLP (%) 0.00% Percent Compliance with Magna Carta (%) a. 8% for Micro and Small Enterprises 3.67% b. 2% for Medium Enterprises 3.39% Return on Equity (ROE) (%) 4.31% Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) on Solo Basis a. Total CAR (%) 19.97% b. TIER 1 Ratio (%) 19.07% c. CET 1 (%) 19.07% Deferred Charges not yet Written Down 0.00 Unbooked Allowance for Credit Losses on Financial Instruments Received 0.00 Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) in Single Currency on Solo Basis (%) 128.01% Basel III Leverage Ratio (BLR) on Solo Basis (%) 14.73%

40,131,817,626.83 483,349,425.85

LIABILITIES

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

CONTINGENT ACCOUNTS

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

767,709,442.88 1.91% 342,581,886.22 0.85% 126.51% 62.96% 1,110,101,239.82 19,403,971.43 0.05% 0.00 0.00% 2.75% 2.18% 4.45% 20.34% 19.46% 19.46% 0.00 0.00 241.78% 14.23%

I/ We hereby certify that all matters set forth in this Published Balance Sheet are true and correct, to the best of my knowledge and belief.

(Sgd.) ANDREW A. FALCON Chief Finance Officer (Signature Over Printed Name)

(Sgd.) OLIVER D. JIMENO President and CEO (Signature Over Printed Name)

ILAGAN, Isabela—The weeklong Bambanti Festival celebration from Jan. 27 to 31 has showcased the province’s natural charm and culture and it’s increasing “growth curve” economy, Vice Governor Faustino G. Dy III said.

As director general of the 2020 Bambanti Festival, Dy stressed how province celebrates its economic, social, political, and cultural victories with its theme, “Pagpatuloy ang Tagumpay ng Pusong Isabela” (Keep up the Victory of Isabela Spirit).

Meanwhile, Governor Rodito T. Albano III said this year’s celebration capitalizes on the province’s continuous gains in agriculture, tourism, and other drivers of its economy.

“The festivity is equally a celebration of the victory and achievement of the province in various competitions awarded by the government and the private sectors on good governance,” Albano said.

Touted as the award-winning “Mother of All Festivals,” Bambanti was named to the Hall of Fame for Best Festival Practices and Performance in the Aliw Awards for three consecutive years, from 2015 to 2017.

The festival showcases the province’ community life, pride of place, history, and

heritage, as well as its various indigenous world-class products, lifestyle merchandise items, cuisine and images of Isabeleños’ ardent love for their land of birth.

“The festival also celebrates the resilience and diligence of the Isabela farmer, who dreams to see the province as the country’s biggest corn and rice surplus producer,” Rep. Antonio ‘Tonypet” T. Albano said.

Isabela has “reached its vision” in numerous national esteemed awards, Rep. Albano added.

The 34 towns and two cities showcased their respective Agro-Eco Tourism Booths and crafted Giant Bambanti entries using only natural, organic, and biodegradable

materials indigenous to the province.

The province, named after Spanish royalty, later crowned a queen to grace its banner festival in a battle royale of beauty, poise, wit and intelligence.

The grand coronation night for the Search for Queen Isabela 2020 saw Ms. Roseanne Camille Fernandez of Quirino town as winner.

Myra Yzabelle April Rola of Aurora was named Queen Isabel Tourism, Kimberly Jane M. Acob of Cabatuan as Queen Isabela Culture and Arts, Vjie O. Matias from San Manuel as the 1st runner-up and Mary Alexandra Wu of Quezon as 2nd runner-up.

Isabela Governor Rodito T. Albano III (right) and Vice Governor Faustino G. Dy III register in the Bambanti log book after the official opening of the Bambanti Village Agri-Ecotourism Trade Exhibit at the Capitol grounds in Ilagan City, while Dr. Troy Alexander Miano and Mayor Joel Amos Alejandro (in blue shirt) looks on. Jessica Bacud

Taguig, through artists, honors Kobe Bryant at Ususan court A NUMBER of artists, in support of the Taguig City government, recently repainted an entire basketball covered court in Barangay Ususan to pay tribute to the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant.

In 2016, Bryant visited this basketball court where he shared knowledge to young basketball players of Taguig as part of his Mamba Mentality Tour, following his retirement from a 20-year NBA career.

The five-time NBA champion was a frequent visitor of Taguig. He first stepped foot in Taguig in September 2007 at the Nike Park in Bonifacio Global City for his Supernatural Asia Tour where he interacted with schoolchildren during a basketball clinic for

these kids.

Bryant returned in July 2011 in Barangay Pinagsama where he also visited and greeted youngsters during a basketball training camp.

It was followed by his appearance in Ususan in 2016. During the same visit to the country, Bryant also returned to Nike Park in BGC for his Mamba Mentality Tour.

An exhibit in honor of Kobe has also been set up by the city government at the Ususan Covered Court where fans of all ages may visit and reminisce his legacy in basketball.

A resident in Barangay Ususan and an NBA fan said Bryant is a legend not only being an MVP in NBA, but in his deeds of sharing his talents to the people in the Philippines.

“How we felt so in griefs as we learned his passing too soon for his age and for Gigi his daughter. He deserves all the accolades and great memories being done for him. Salute to you guys for that mural. His memories of inspirations will be passed down for generations to come,” she said.

Another NBA fan in Taguig also said ‘This mural represent and deserves a world’s icon hero. You may be gone but your heroic name will stay in our hearts forevermore.

R.I.P Kobe, Gigi.”

On Jan. 26, Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in California. Seven other people were also killed during the crash. Joel E. Zurbano

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

FASHION AND BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

GO FOR GLOW. Fresh, lit-fromwithin look and playful makeup are highlighted in a catalog that showcases real beauty.

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What is real

beauty

By Monica Sanchez

B

EAUTY, they say, comes in all shapes and sizes, and in all colors or lack thereof. Standards change and trends come and go. The meaning of beauty—real beauty—depends on every person’s definition of it.

Leading department store The SM Store highlights real beauty with its wide range of offerings that lets everyone celebrate and define what is beautiful for them.

Its beauty section is filled with makeup and skin care products for a variety of needs and different ages.

The department store offers beauty and style inspiration through it SM Real Beauty catalogue.

The SM Store highlights two of the hottest beauty trends: Korean “glass skin” and bold look.

For a fresh and youthful look, there’s a range of daily cleansing and moisturizing products that help achieve the enviable “lit-from-within.”

Those who prefer to live colorfully may choose from shelves after shelves filed with neon and glittered makeup as well as bold colored lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes.

The SM Store Real Beauty catalog is filled with beauty ideas plus the latest in fashion, shoes, bags, and accessories.

Achieve dewy with the right skin care routine.

Pops of neon for a head-turning look.

SET against the charming artistic backdrop that is Florence in Italy, Jessica showcases it spring/summer 2020 collection.

The brand incorporates the aesthetic of Sandro Botticelli’s Flora in a floral dress—regarded as the goddess of flower, youth, and joy in Roman mythology—in its pieces that signify the beginning of life.

“Through Botticelli’s exquisite brushwork, Flora, with her long wavy hair, is wearing a Renaissance ivory dress full of delicate flowers and floats in the wind with the flowers. Although the complication of a Renaissance opulent garment is simplified after centuries, the elegant elements such as embroideries, puff sleeves, ruffles, empire waistline, and sheer layering, can always be recreated as an easywearing retro dress under modern textiles and sophisticated craftsmanship,” the brand said in a statement.

Artistic look using electric colors.

Experimental eye shadow using vibrant hues.

Jessica strongly believes that a onepiece dress is the best garment to adorn a women’s hourglass and femininity, hence its new silhouette which has a higher slim fit waistline and fuller hem than that of Christian Dior’s “new look” full dress.

Inspired by four Italian gardens: Bardini Garden, Boboli Garden, Rose Ganden, and Iris Garden, all located next to Piazzale Michelangelo, the brand used techniques like printing, knitting, and its most iconic embellished embroidery to create the charming motifs on luxurious fabrics such as tweeds, lace, organza, chiffon, and more.

A few signature dresses in the new collection are created in multiple layers of sheer fabrics and embroidery lace to create graceful layering.

The main hues for the entire spring/ summer collection surround Florence’s dreamlike sunset pink palette, decorat-

The SM Store offers a variety of makeup and skin care products from local and global brands that celebrate and help achieve different types of beauty.

Florals in Florence

The feminine fashion brand incorporates Boticelli’s Flora in ‘Primavera’ in its spring/summer 2020 pieces.

Midi and maxi dresses and cardigans in pink hues with florals blossom in this season’s collection of Jessica.

ed with rose pink, rosewood red, bright red, and peachy orange.

A pink organza sleeveless fared dress full of pastel floral embroideries embellished with matte sequins made by exquisite craftsmanship, brings out the wearer’s inner angelic charm. Also, stark contrasts between neutral black and white, similar to background of an oil painting, elevates a classy look.

This season, delicate thoughts are devoted to lace patterns such as long sleeve black/white guipure lace bodice

pleated maxi dress, its artful patterns mirror the artistic stained glass of the Florence Cathedral. An ivory dress embellished with apple green/yellow poppies on two sides, adorned with crochet lace replicates a subtle honey hive.

Also part of the collection is a gold abstract lily embroidered black dress, with tiny pleats on two sides; a metallic green/black ombre pleated knit skirt that can be seamlessly matched with any top in the collection.

Inspired by elephants, zebras, gi-

raffes, and more, ornamented with motifs of tropical plants and variety of geometric shapes, is a colorful print on a belted wrap midi dress, highlighting the vibe of a summer vacation. Alternatively, the blue hue of the Mediterranean sky printed on a minimalistic pleated dress in lightweight crepe chiffon is an airy option for summertime.

Various ranges of knitted and lace cardigans, with embellished buttons or tie details, are ideal for easy mix and match with the dresses.

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Life

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

manilastandardlife@gmail.com

D

ARK and puffy undereye and stretch marks are two of the many changes that happen to a person’s body due to aging, lifestyle, among others.

There are a couple of solutions to address these oft-unwanted changes, the most current one is tattoo treatment.

Internationally trained Bianca Festejo brings the camouflage tattoo treatment, first introduced in South America and Europe, to the Philippines.

Festejo was trained by three of Brazil’s most-renowned creators of camouflage treatment and has successfully mastered her craft on stretch mark and scar camouflage from Paris recently.

How does the treatment work? The secret lies in the aesthetician’s precise and well-trained hands using fleshtoned ink to cover up both eye bags and stretch marks.

Eye bags appear as a person ages and tissues around the eyes get weak. The fat that helps support the eyes can then move into the lower eyelids, causing the lids to appear puffy.

The non-surgical treatment targets the outer layer of the epidermis, using traditional indelible or semi-permanent ink that’s free of parabens, fragrances, alcohol or allergens, and other harsh ingredients that could potentially damage the skin in the long run. Festejo assures that it’s safe “Aside from hiding the dark and puffy undereye, the eye bag tattoo concealer treatment can further help fade the dark pockets below the eyes, creating the illusion of rejuvenation,” she says.

Camouflage, Festejo says, is the only scar revision protocol that provides long-lasting and visible results in as little as two weeks after undergoing one to three sessions. It uses custom color for each skin tone.

Festejo invested her time in developing a distinctive guide for pigment formulation that allows her to create a unique tone based on the patient’s complexion.

A new way to conceal eye bags, stretch marks Internationally trained Bianca Festejo brings to the Philippines the camouflage tattoo treatment, a non-surgical concealing procedure using semi-permanent ink that targets eye bags and stretch marks.

“Stretch marks or striae appear when the skin is stretched or pulled by rapid growth. This is usually caused by hormonal changes like puberty, pregnancy, menopausal hormone therapy, and even body-building. There have been a lot of remedies offered long before to get rid of stretch marks, including laser treatments and other topical agents, but they seemed aren’t enough to provide a permanent solution,” she shares.

At Bianca Festejo clinic, settings like needle depth, speed, and pigment release are adjusted accordingly for specific client, hence patients can look forward to a high success rate of 80 percent stretch mark visibility reduction with natural looking cover-up.

Practical Valentine’s Day gift ideas

Anyone with small or medium stretch marks that look white and contrasts with their skin color noticeably highly qualifies for the camouflage procedure.

However, Festejo clarifies, it is not recommended for stretch marks that have a lot of depth, with visible hyperpigmentation or if the client has a skin condition.

Additionally, if the patient just gave birth and breastfeeding, she should wait for two years to avail the procedure.

Bianca Festejo’s camouflage tattoo treatment starts at P13,000. Call 0917847-3531, go to @biancafestejohub on Instagram and Bianca Festejo Hair and Skin on Facebook, or www.biancafestejo.com to know more.

Local makeup label introduces first male ambassador AS A beauty brand that embraces diversity and gender equality, Careline introduces PBB Otso’s Andre Brouillette as its newest ambassador together with his real life partner Lou Yanong.

The first ever local love team to endorse a makeup brand, Careline says Brouillette and Yanong embody the powerful message the label consistently conveys: Makeup doesn’t have to be gender specific and the art of makeup is a form of expression that anyone must be able to experience freely.

True to form, Careline offers a wide array of beauty needs for all genders specifically for women, members of LGBTQIA+ community, and men.

Yanong shares she’s a big fan of Careline’s Multi Pot, a cream to powder finish that is perfect as blush, tint, and eyeshadow; and a mix of Softe Suede in Trophy and Mood for a peachy shade.

Meanwhile, some of the products that the 22-year-old hunk from Hawaii uses include Careline Oil Control Face Powder that keeps skin matte and shine-free; Best Brow Liner, perfect for creating thicker brows; and Soft Suede in Icon, a nudish brown shade perfect for men.

SHOWING how much one loves and cares for someone could mean giving them something they’ll use everyday; something useful and practical that lasts longer than a bouquet of roses or a box of chocolates.

CabinZero 36L in naga red

This classic travel bag is perfect and useful for those who are planning an adventure anytime soon. With so much space to store extra clothes and other valuables, this makes for a good hand carry bag. Available at Urbanize stores for P3,790

FX Creations FCB Backpack in red

This everyday bag’s AGS antigravity system is one of FX Creations’ innovative features that truly sets this apart. With two main compartments and four internal pockets, this bag can hold and secure all essentials and valuables such as wallets, keys, and a 15-inch laptop.

Available at Urbanize for P4,490

U-Elements Drifter Convertible in red

A versatile bag that can be used in three ways: backpack, sling bag, and handbag, ideal to handle daily essentials. Available at Urbanize for P1,490

Real life couple Andre Brouillette and Lou Yanong are the new endorsers of local cosmetics brand Careline.

Pacsafe Continental

This clutch bag features an RFIDSafe to secure all credit cards and ATMs from any unwanted scanning.

Smartphone can also fit in this zipped wallet, while other small items sit well in its multiple slip pockets and slots. A webbing wristlet strap offers extra security. Available at Pacsafe and Urbanize stores for P2,890.

C-Secure Women’s Wallet (with Inca design)

Made from full grain bovine leather, this wallet features RFID security against unwanted scanning, as well as a premium aluminum interior that protects credit cards and ATMs against wear and tear. Available at Urbanize for P3,790

ArtiArt Suction Bottle

This dual structure thermostat-bottle retains the temperature of beverages for a certain period of time, ideal for everyday use at the office or gym. Available at Urbanize for P1,400

SPOTTED James Marsden, Bella Hadid attend gala in Tommy Actor James Marsden and model Bella Hadid both attended the recent Art of Elysium gala in Los Angeles in pieces from Tommy Hilfiger.

Marsden donned a velvet tuxedo and classic slim fit shirt from Tommy Hilfiger, while Hadid wore a leather waistcoat, blazer, and pants from TommyxZendaya collection.

The pieces they wore are currently available at select Tommy Hilfiger stores globally and on tommy.com.

James Marsden in velvet Tommy tuxedo.

Bella Hadid sizzles in leather waiscoat and pants from TommyXZendaya collection.

Entertainment

wednesdAY, februArY 5, 2020 nickie.standard@gmail.com

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A new Middle East version of Sesame Street will seek to help children, particularly Syrian refugees, cope with emotions.

EXTRA INTERNATIONAL

Muppets help conflict kids in new Arabic ‘Sesame Street’

Art ruleS

at Ilocos Sur fest Ricky Sta. Ana

By Robbie Pangilinan

A

rt is king at the 13th Kannawidan Ylocos Festival as Ilocanos showcase their creativity in competitions such as On-theSpot Visual Art, Comic Illustration, t-Shirt Design, Souvenir Design, and a tattoo expo.

Ryan Singson

the festival that runs until Feb. 9 aims to encourage and recognize the artistry of the Ilocano people. the 7th tinattoan tattoo Competition held on Feb. 1 and 2 at the Vigan City Convention Center. the tattoo and band festival was sponsored sponsored by Gov. Ryan Singson.

Philippine tattoo Artists Guild (PhiltAG) founder and president Ricky Sta. Ana and PhilTAG officials as well as known tattoo artists of the country graced the event organized by PhiltAG Ilocos Sur Chairman Reynor Palas, Jr. and Richard Buenaventura.

Founded in 1995, PhiltAG has since been helping its members by providing training, development, and education programs so that the tattoo artists can earn for their families. the organization also gives its members the opportunity to work abroad and continues to encourage aspiring tattoo artists to know about sanitation and dos and don’ts of being a tattoo artist. the Kannawidan, a festival that marks the 202nd anniversary of Ilocos Sur becoming an independent province, is a celebration of the culture and attractions of Ilocos Sur province. Festival happenings include a mass at the St. Paul Cathedral in Vigan City, concerts, livelihood training, a beauty pageant, street dancing, fun run and art competitions.

Blockbusters, all-time favorite movies on HBO Go EnJOY the widest range of entertainment from the latest blockbusters to alltime favorite movies on WarnerMedia platforms—HbO GO, HbO, HbO SIGnAtUrE, CInEMAX, rED bY HbO and Warner tV this February.

Premiering on the first day of month at 9:00 p.m. on HbO GO and HbO was the Oscar®-winning movie, Green Book, which stars Mahershala Ali as a famous African-American pianist and Viggo Mortensen as his Caucasian driver who embark on a transformative journey throughout the concert tour.

From one biographical film to another, Taron Egerton stars as Elton John in the Golden Globe®-winning musical film, Rocketman, which premieres on Feb. 8 at 10:00 p.m.. revenge is best served cold as Liam Neeson stars as a family man turned vigilante who hunts down those who murdered his son in the actionthriller, Cold Pursuit premiering on Feb. 22 at 9:00 p.m..

Stream these movies on HbO GO or watch them on HbO, home to the biggest and latest Hollywood blockbusters and awardwinning HbO Originals. Download the HbO GO app now at App Store or Play Store and get a seve-day free trial.

From super-villains to super-heroes, Warner tV has them all. Suicide Squad, a team of antihero super-villains based on the DC comics premiered on Feb. 2.

Super-heroes in the form of secret ninja warriors, led by a kung fu master, must

defeat an evil warlord in The Lego Ninjago Movie which premieres on Feb. 29 at 9:00 p.m. on the no. 1 general entertainment channel.

Other new programs in February include the South Korean blood-soaked neo-noir crime thriller movie, Idol, starring Kyung-Gu Sol and SukKyu, which premieres on Feb. 21 at 10:00 p.m. on HbO GO and rED bY HbO; the six-part HbO Original documentary series McMILLION$ from executive producer Mark Wahlberg about the incredible true story of the $24 million McDonald’s Monopoly game fraud which debuted same time as the U.S. yesterday, Feb. 4, exclusively on HbO GO and HbO SIGnAtUrE; and the actionp a c k e d

CInEMAX drama series Strike back which returns same time as the U.S. for its seventh and final season on Feb. 15 at 11:00 am exclusively on HbO GO and CInEMAX. the series follows the explosive escapades of Section 20, an elite, multinational, covert special ops team, as it spans the globe fighting a vast web of interconnected criminal and terrorist activity.

British singer-songwriter Elton John (left) and British actor Taron Egerton pose during a photocall for the film 'Rocketman.'

A bAnD of Muppets, both old favorites and new friends, will star in an Arabic retooling of Sesame Street with a regional twist.

In its Western iterations, the longrunning franchise addresses issues including family breakdown. the new Middle East version instead seeks to help children, especially young Syrian refugees, cope with emotions. new characters will join Cookie Monster (Kaa’ki), Grover (Gargur), Elmo and others in the new show in Arabic, called “Ahlan Simsim!” (Welcome Sesame).

“We always play and sing and try new things and have many adventures,” new puppet Basma, a five-year-old purple girl with a twin twist hairstyle, told AFP on a publicity tour in Dubai.

“We have a lot of friends in the

neighborhood, but Jad is my best friend,” she added of her new co-star, a yellow boy with a tuft of canary-colored hair. basma, Jad and their gluttonous goat friend Ma’zooza, take to the airwaves six days a week on Middle East satellite channel MbC 3. the show, which premiered on Feb. 2, is a partnership between the International rescue Committee (IrC) and Sesame Workshop, which is responsible for the program worldwide. the aim is to offer “nurturing care to children and caregivers affected by the Syrian conflict”, according to a statement.

Since erupting in 2011, the war has displaced over 5.1 million Syrian children, with 2.5 million of them now living in regional host countries including Lebanon, turkey and Jordan. AFP

Philippines underscores commitment to ASEAN-ROK film cooperation

FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño with organizers of Busan International Film Festival and Cambodia International Film Festival.

FILM agencies from the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAn) and republic of Korea (rOK) have been coming together over the past few years to foster better ties within the region.

As 2020 had just begun, film agency heads from the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, and South Korea proved their dedication to the ASEAn-rOK convergence once more by participating in the 2020 1st ASEAn-rOK Film Agency Meeting at novotel Singapore Clarke Quay from Jan. 20 to 21. the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) continued its commitment to the ASEAn-rOK group, being one of the frontrunners for pushing for the creation of the ASEAn-rOK Film Cooperation Organisation (ArFO).

“Our objective for this mission is to lay down our 2020 regional film cooperation plan as we simultaneously continue to work towards the establishment of ArFO, a governmental organization that will function like the European Union of the ASEAn region, and create programs and initiatives to support the film industries of all ASEAn member states,” explained FDCP Chairperson and CEO Liza Diño.

During the working group session with the heads of Korean Film Council (KOFIC), Singapore Film Commission, Cinema and Cultural Diffusion Department of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts in Cambodia, Film Development Center under the Ministry of Information in Myanmar, and Vietnam Cinema Department of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and tourism, Diño shared FDCP’s new programs that aim to widen support mechanisms to accommodate not just Filipino film industry stakeholders but also ASEAN filmmakers.

“I always believe that collaboration is key and the spirit of working together is integral to our region’s success. I really have a good feeling that 2020 is going to be a game changer for the Asian region’s film industry,” added Diño. the ASEAn-rOK technical working group also had conversations on film industry project proposals about archiving, research, education and training, box-office system, and content promotion. In addition, the 2020 ASEAn-rOK Film Cooperation Plan was discussed. Other member states involved in ASEAn-rOK are Indonesia, brunei, Laos, Malaysia, and thailand.

Diño then took the time to thank her counterparts from Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Singapore, and South Korea. the

1st ASEAn-rOK Film Agency Meeting for 2020 was sponsored by Singapore under the leadership of Singapore Film Commission Director Joachim Ng. Diño also gave special mention to KOFIC Chairman Oh Seok-geun.

“KOFIC, as the national film agency of South Korea, is leading this movement to form a regional cooperation hub among ASEAn member states. the Philippines, through FDCP, is in full support of this initiative and has been participating in all roundtable discussions and meetings towards the achievement of this ambitious but very noble vision,” she commented.

In 2019, three ASEAn-rOK Governmental roundtable Sessions were held: bangkok, thailand in July, followed

by Cebu, Philippines in August (hosted by FDCP), and succeeded by busan, South Korea in november.

Meanwhile, the ASEAn-rOK Filmmakers brainstorming Session took place in busan in August, the ASEAnrOK Culture Innovation Summit was mounted in busan in november, and the ASEAn 3-rOK Filmmakers network was held in Cambodia in December.

“When we share our stories, there are no bounds to it. It’s always based on our own cultural identities, our way of showing who we are, and our way of showing how important it is to share our stories as people and our stories as a country. I hope that as we move further into the realization of this regional collaboration, we bear in mind that the most important thing is we are working together,” Diño stated. the efforts to form ArFO is backed by the various successes of ASEAn-rOK and Southeast Asian initiatives that FDCP has been ardently supporting. Among these are the ASEAn-rOK FLY Film Lab and Southeast Asia Fiction Film Lab (SEAFIC).

FDCP has also mounted its own Project Market and Film Industry Conference with the goal of connecting Filipino talents to ASEAn counterparts.

Once ARFO becomes official, it is expected that there will be improvements in film industries across ASEAN and South Korea, with upgrades in skills and technology, opportunities in talent exchange, sharing of resources, collaborations in production and film distribution, developments in policymaking, enhancements in educational programs, more incentives in film location promotions, reinforcements in film archiving, and possibly, the establishment of an ASEAn Film Fund.

Entertainment

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

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2020

Global talent search ‘Your Moment’ grand champions named ROCK reggae band Juan Gapang and street group Kenyo Street Fam emerged victorious in their respective singing and dancing categories to becoming the first-ever grand champions of the twoin-one talent-reality competition, Your Moment, Sunday night (Feb. 2).

Grand singing champion Juan Gapang, mentored by music producer Marcus Davis, performed Bamboo’s hit song “Tatsulok” that earned a total average score of 97.22 percent from the judges.

The Bacolod band trumped their opponent Verse Band, who only got 87.22 percent.

Meanwhile, Kenyo Street Fam combined rhythm, coordination, and storytelling in their performance that paid tribute to their roots and registered a total average score of 97.22 percent, beating Fabulous Sisters’ 96.11 percent.

The grand dancing champion was

mentored by The Philippine All-Stars’ artistic director Lema Diaz As the grand champions, Juan Gapang and Kenyo Street Fam took home P2 million each and an exclusive management contract from ABS-CBN. Viewers nationwide also tuned in to the competition’s finals or “Grand Moment” on Sunday as it logged a national TV rating of 25.5 percent against Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko’s 21.6 percent, according to data from Kantar Media.

The Your Moment finale also featured performances by host Vhong Navarro, and judges Billy Crawford, and Nadine Lustre. Judge Boy Abunda and host Luis Manzano were also in attendance.

Developed by ABS-CBN and Dutch powerhouse creator Fritz Productions, Your Moment is an original talent-reality format featuring singing and dancing acts.

Why is Alden promoting a liquor brand?

Alden Richards scores a new endorsement

D

OES Alden Richards drink?

Yes, he does and prefers whisky.

‘Your Moment’ grand winners Juan Gapang (top) and Kenyo Street Fam

Rachelle Ann Go comes home FRESH from her stint in the musical Hamilton, Rachelle Ann Go brings the Broadway and West End experience this Valentine’s Day to Resorts World Manila’s (RWM) Marriott Grand Ballroom in her upcoming The Homecoming concert on Feb. 14, 8:00 p.m..

Go began her career by joining several talent competitions in variety shows including Eat Bulaga! When she was as young as 11. However, the talented singer first got her taste of the limelight when she won the Search for a Star competition in 2004 and from then on made a flourishing career in local showbusiness.

The following year saw her winning Silver at the Shanghai Music Festival for her song “From The Start”, and then later being awarded for the song “Isang Lahi” in the 2005 Astana International Song Festival in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Her international popularity was further pushed to the spotlight via her collaboration with artists Lexi Lawson, Arianna Afsar, Julia Harriman, and Shoba Narayan for “First Burn” which topped the iTunes U.S. charts at number one.

After spending years performing in the premier theaters in Manhattan and London mainly playing her iconic roles as Gigi Van Tranh in Miss Saigon and Eliza Schuyler in Hamilton, which earned her a BroadwayWorld UK best actress plum in

2018, the Philippine Pride returns to the country to wow her Filipino fans anew with her own repertoire of theater hits.

Joining Rachelle will be no less than Lea Salonga herself as special guest, together with Erik Santos, Zephanie, and with the musical accompaniment of the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Homecoming also features the musical direction of Marc Lopez and overall direction of Paul Basinillo.

Tickets are now available at the RWM B o x Office and all TicketWorld outlets. Visit www. rwmanila.com or download the RWM Mobile App for more upcoming events at Resorts World Manila

Rachel Ann Go enlivens local concert circuit with a Valentine show.

The actor, singer and host has recently signed up as the brand ambassador of Embassy Whisky, a product of Tanduay Distillers, Inc. During the media launch, the program host said that the Kapuso heartthrob was chosen by the brand to be its celebrity ambassador because of his “positive and chill personality.”

But why did Alden accept the offer considering he has a wholesome image?

The answer, it’s all about drinking responsibly. Alden wanted to take this opportunity to talk as an adult saying drinking is okay but it should always be in moderation.

“I’m already 28, and it’s alright for me to be an endorser for a liquor brand since we’re promoting drinking in a moderate manner,” he said.

The blockbuster actor likewise shared that he agreed to join the Embassy Whisky family because he believed in the brand.

“As a whisky drinker, I know how it should taste like. Magugustuhan siya ng general public,” he said.

Embassy Whisky is a smooth blend of malt whisky and fine spirits. It is skillfully crafted to achieve the taste and aroma of blended whiskeys matured in oak barrels.

Asked what he does when he has time off from his busy schedule, Richards said that he spends whatever free time he has traveling with family and friends or just chilling at home. He also loves hosting intimate get-togethers with his closest friends inside and outside of show business.

As of this writing, Richards is busy finishing his TV series, The Gift.

Come February, he will be hosting GMA’s Centerstage Kids, which he called a “singing contest with a twist.” ***

Alessandra de Rossi shines in Watch List Award-winning actress Alessandra de Rossi is one of the few Filipino actresses

Alden with Embassy Whisky and GMA Artist executives

who is also a true international artist.

Apart from her amazing body of work in Philippine television and cinema, Alex— as she is fondly called—has several films that have made waves abroad; these include Azucena, Mga Munting Tinig, Homecoming, The Maid, Pinoy Sunday—to name a few.

Alex can proudly add the dramaaction Watch List to the said list. After making the rounds of international film festivals in the US, France, and India, Filipino audiences can finally see Watch List when it opens in theaters nationwide on Feb. 19. Here, she plays a woman named Maria whose husband was killed.

To keep herself and her three children out of danger, she joins a vigilante group whom she believes would protect her family.

Watch List is definitely of international caliber. At the helm of the production is Hollywood-based director-writer Ben Rekhi who had only Alex in mind for the title role. He says, “I knew it was going to be difficult to find the right actress to play Maria. It’s an incredibly emotional role, if she was not performed with raw humanity, the entire film would fall apart.

When I saw Alessandra’s work, I knew she was the only one who could play Maria.”

Upon reading the script, Alex became interested. “Mabigat ang tema. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, ‘Kaya ko ito. Forte ko ito.’” The actress and the director (who co-wrote the screenplay with Rona Lean Sales) then talked about the role of Maria extensively.

“Binigyan niya ako ng chance na magcomment,” Alex says of Ben whom she describes as open and collaborative. After further discussions Alex finally said “yes” to the offer.

“I couldn’t have been more fortunate,”

Alessandra in a scene from ‘Watchlist’ which unspools on Feb. 19.

Alessandra de Rossi, in an interview with Manila Standard, goes apolitical as she stars in a political movie about mistaken identity. The actress admits that it was the story that made her fall in love with the project and prefers just to be an actress portraying a challenging role than making political statements.

reveals the Indian-American filmmaker.

“I’ve worked with a lot of actors over the years. In Hollywood, in Bollywood, even some Academy Award winners, and Alessandra’s talent is something I’ve never seen before. I think fans of hers are going to be blown away at her performance in the film. It’s one of the best of her career,” Ben emphasizes.

Co-starring with Alessandra in Watch List are equally celebrated performers Art Acuña, Jake Macapagal, Lou Veloso, Jess Mendoza, and Angeli Bayani with Micko Laurente andTimothy Mabalot.

Watch List is distributed by Reality Entertainment. For updates, visit the Reality Entertainment Facebook page.