Manila Standard - 2020 February 7 - Friday

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LOCSIN WARNS VS. VFA TERMINATION, PUSHES REVIEW

By Macon Ramos-Araneta FOREIGN Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. warned Thursday there would be serious consequences for the Philippines if it terminates its Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States.

At a Senate hearing on the agreement, Locsin said the VFA has served as a deterrent to Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea; facilitated assistance during disasters, helped the Philippine military modernize and Next page

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 358 • 4 SECTIONS 20 PAGES • P18 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Locsin

PH delays repatriation plan Quarantine facilities at Clark not yet ready, Duque admits

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, Joel E. Zurbano and Rey E. Requejo

H

EALTH Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday called for a two-day delay in bringing home 45 Filipinos from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak, saying that the facilities for their quarantine in New Clark City, Tarlac are not yet “100 percent ready.”

Duque said the Filipinos, who are band members, teachers and office workers, were initally expected to arrive in the Philippines on Saturday.

“But there might be a two-day delay because we are still preparing. We appealed for a delay even for two days to make sure that we can be 100 percent ready,” stressed Duque.

“We’re ready. Only the beddings are left. But the toilets, comfort rooms are all

ready,” he said. “They will fix the water connection today. They gave me a commitment.”

Preparations for the first batch of repatriated Filipinos came as officials in Dubai reported the death Sunday of a 58-year-old Filipina worker because of the coronavirus.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III declined to identify the woman, but Next page

China crisis deepens: Virus death toll rises to 563; 28,000 infected Ex-MRT chief, kin convicted of graft

By Maricel V. Cruz

QUARANTINE QUARTERS. Some 45 Filipinos to be repatriated from Hubei, China, will live a ‘hotel life’ during their 14-day quarantine period inside a facility (top above) that housed the SEA Games athletes in new Clark City, Tarlac. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said one room will be allotted per person to ensure patient s safety and convenience. The room can also accommodate a family of three.

Each air-conditioned room has television and a refrigerator. New Clark City Photo

US Senate acquits triumphant Trump PRESIDENT Donald Trump was acquitted by the US Senate on Wednesday following a historic impeachment trial that shone a harsh light on America’s divisions, without ever shaking the loyalty of his voter base.

In a political triumph for the US leader, Trump drew on staunch Republican support to easily defeat a Democratic effort to expel him from office for pressuring Ukraine to help bolster his re-

election effort.

The president immediately claimed “victory” while the White House declared it a full “exoneration”—and Democrats rejected the acquittal as the “valueless” outcome of an unfair trial.

But the vote in the Senate showed just how solid a grip the former real estate mogul holds over the Republican Party—an asset nine months before he seeks Next page a second four-year-term.

THE Sandiganbayan on Thursday sentenced a Metro Rail Transit general manager during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III to six to eight years in prison.

The anti-graft court found former MRT 3 general manager Al Vitangcol III guilty of graft for signing a P350-million contract with a company where one of the incorporators was an uncle of his wife.

Vitangcol was also perpetually disqualified from government service.

The Sandiganbayan declared the same penalties to Arturo Soriano, an incorporator of PH Trams and an uncle of Vitangcol’s wife.

During the duration of PH Tram’s service contract with MRT 3, the rail systems trains were not properly maintained while worn-out tracks were not replaced, the resulting in the fall of the number of trains running and decreasing the trains’ speed.

Thus, starting in the second half of the Aquino administration, kilometer-long queues of train commuters became the norm.

PH Trams was reportedly organized Next page

CHINA’S coronavirus crisis deepened on Thursday with the death toll soaring to 563, as thousands of people trapped on quarantined cruise ships added to the global panic about the epidemic.

More than 28,000 people have now been infected across China as authorities struggle to contain the outbreak despite compelling millions to stay indoors in a growing number of cities.

Two dozen countries have confirmed cases of the respiratory disease which emerged from a market selling exotic animals in the central Chinese city of Wuhan late last year. There, a newborn was among the new cases Wednesday, suggesting the baby was infected by the

mother during pregnancy or immediately after.

Thousands of people on cruise ships in Hong Kong and Japan now face an agonizing wait to find out if more among them have been infected.

At least 20 people on board the Diamond Princess have tested positive so far, while some 3,700 passengers and crew from over 50 countries have been confined to quarters aboard the cruise ship off Yokohama since Monday night.

In Hong Kong, 3,600 people spent the night confined aboard the cruise ship World Dream as authorities conducted health checks after three former passengers tested positive for the virus.

Next page

MAYON MONITORED. Volcanologists are suggesting the possibility that remnant magma, or hot molten rock, may be rising to the shallow levels of Albay’s active volcano, meaning the 2,463-meter Mayon “is at a moderate level of unrest.” They said sudden explosions, lava collapses, pyroclastic density currents and ashfall can occur and threaten areas in the upper to middle slopes of Mayon.

Mayon restive, eruption feared

KIRK DOUGLAS, MR. SPARTACUS, 103

By Rio N. Araja

PREPARING FOR PAHIYAS. House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez and wife Tingog Party-List Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez (standing center) flash the thumbs up gesture with Lucban City officials led by Mayor Celso Dator (6th right) during a courtesy call at the House of Representatives where he invited the legislators to visit the Pahiyas Festival on May 15, an annual celebration of the area’s bountiful harvest and honor the farmers’ patron saint Isidro de Labrador. Ver Noveno

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Thursday said Mayon Volcano was manifesting an eruptive activity even as it revealed the theft of two solar panels of 150 watts from the DOST-PHIVOLCS Mayon Resthouse station that hosts instruments for earthquake monitoring, Global Positioning System and tiltmeter.

Mayon Volcano Observatory personnel found out about the theft during their routine inspection and preventive maintenance service on Feb. 5. With the loss of the power supply, no data will be transmitted from this station and consequently will affect the monitoring of Mayon Volcano, which remains under Alert Level 2.

In a dzMM interview, PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum said Mayon’s Next page

WORLD C3

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News

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Partial lifting of Kuwait ban eyed

By Joel E. Zurbano

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HE Labor department is set to move for the partial lifting of the ban on the deployment of Filipino workers to Kuwait following a fruitful meeting between a Philippine labor delegation and Kuwaiti officials.

status report was provided by the Kuwaiti government on the cases of Jeanelyn Villavende, Constancia Dayag, Joanna Demafelis and the Filipina who was raped upon arriving at the airport.

“In the case of Villavende, I wanted some validation of their claim that they [accused employers] are formally charged and they are behind bars. We have to be contented who have been charged and what are the nature of the charges, Bello said.

Upon the issuance of the partial lifting of the ban, Bello said, they will allow skilled, semi-skilled and professional workers to be deployed in

Kuwait, while newly hired household workers are still covered by the prohibition. The Balik manggagawa workers category, on the other hand, will be the subject of discussion and decision of the POEA governing board.

Last week, Bello, Undersecretary Claro Arellano, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration head Hans Leo Cacdac, and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration chief Bernard Olalia met with Kuwaiti officials to discuss and agree on a standard employment contract to ensure the welfare and protection of Filipino workers in the gulf state.

to chat with engineering personnel.

Koch, a 41-year-old Michigan-born engineer, on Dec. 28 last year beat the previous record for a single spaceflight by a woman of 289 days, set by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson in 2016-17.

Koch called three-time flyer Whitson, now 60, “a heroine of mine” and a “mentor” in the space program after she

surpassed the record.

She also spoke of her desire to “inspire the next generation of explorers.”

Koch also made history as one half of the first-ever all-woman spacewalk along with NASA counterpart Jessica Meir—her classmate from NASA training—in October last year.

The spacewalk was initially postponed because the space station did not have two suits of the right size for women, leading to allegations of sexism.

Ahead of the three-and-a-half hour journey back to Earth, Koch told NBC on Tuesday that she would “miss microgravity.”

“It’s really fun to be in a place where you can just bounce around between the ceiling and the floor whenever you want,” she said, smiling as she twisted her body around the ISS. She will now head to NASA headquarters in Houston, via the Kazakh city of Karaganda and Cologne in Germany, where she will undergo medical testing.

Koch’s medical data will be especially valuable to NASA scientists as the agency draws up plans for a longduration manned mission to Mars. AFP

cols and procedure to be implemented for the repatriation.

To ensure the health and safety of Filipinos in Hubei Province, China, the DOH has recommended the voluntary repatriation of all Filipinos in the province due to the nCoV outbreak.

“We plan to bring back our fellow Filipinos here in the country as seamlessly and efficiently as possible,” Duque said.

While onboard the plane, the repatriated Filipinos will be oriented on the quarantine process and will be asked to fill up health cards. Centralized processing of all immigration documents will also be done.

Upon landing, all passengers will be screened. Those with symptoms will be immediately admitted as patients under investigation at identified hospitals, while those who are asymptomatic will be transported to the quarantine facility.

All luggage and the plane, as well as vehicles used to transport the passengers, will be disinfected.

Duque said the Health department will be in charge of the management, coordination, and logistics of the entire quarantine process.

All DOH hospitals in the region will be on deck for the deployment of medical teams in the quarantine area.

“We will be providing the needed medical logistics including hygiene kits, disinfectant solutions, transportation, and other things that will be needed in the quarantine process,” Duque added.

He said all the returning Filipinos would be treated “with utmost care and dignity” as they go through the process of repatriation.

“Their comfort and welfare throughout the process is of utmost priority to President Rodrigo Duterte and the Department of Health,” he said.

Also on Thursday, the police said six co-passengers of the two Chinese nationals who tested positive for the novel coro-

navirus, have shown flu-like symptoms.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group deputy director, Col. Rhoderick Armamento said the three passengers from the Cebu Pacific flight DG 6519 (Cebu-Dumaguete) were already contacted and have shown symptoms of a respiratory infection.

The CIDG has been tapped to do contact tracing of the passengers of two domestic flights boarded by the two Chinese nationals.

The three are among the 23 out of a total of 61 passengers of the flight who were already contacted.

Armamento, said three other passengers from the Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight PR 2542 (Dumaguete-Manila) on Jan. 25 are now under quarantine.

In that flight, 25 out of 132 passengers were already contacted.

“All passengers who have been contacted by the CIDG were advised to avoid unnecessary contact with people,” Armamento told reporters in a press briefing.

The passengers showing symptoms were already advised to self-quarantine and stay in a room.

Tracing has been done through phone calls only, Armamento said.

Some passengers could not be contacted because some contact numbers provided numbers were non-existent.

The passengers contacted were cooperative the authorities, he said.

The Chinese couple who came from Wuhan took three flights from Jan. 21 to 25.

The couple arrived in Cebu from Wuhan, China, onboard Cebu Pacific Flight 5J-241.

The couple then went to Dumaguete from Cebu on Jan. 22 via Cebu Pacific flight DG-6519 and left for Manila on Jan. 25 via PAL Flight PR-2542.

Meanwhile, Duque said the cremation of the remains of the 44-year-old Chinese national who died of severe pneumonia triggered by the novel coro-

navirus has been delayed after the funeral parlor backed out.

A civic group had earlier promised to take charge of the cremation, but later backed out, as did the funeral parlor along Araneta Avenue in Quezon City.

The body of the Chinese man, he said, still remains in a sealed in a body bag.

The government is set to decide within two weeks on whether or not to lift the travel ban on Filipino workers to China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Bello III said the two-week window was Duque’s recommendation during Tuesday night’s Cabinet meeting.

Bello said if possible, he wants the travel ban lifted.

“I hold the position of (Foreign Affairs) Secretary (Teodoro) Locsin that if possible, the ban should be lifted,” he said.

The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo is coordinating with the Japanese authorities in providing all necessary assistance to the 538 Filipinos still onboard the MV Diamond Princess, currently docked at Yokohama Harbor under a 14-day quarantine period.

In a statement, the embassy said the assistance they provided the Filipinos includes provision of food, medicine, masks and other supplies.

The embassy also provided its assistance-to-nationals hotline phone number and email, so Filipinos on the ship will be able to contact the embassy directly with their concerns and requests.

The embassy said no other Filipinos onboard the cruise ship have tested positive for the virus at this time.

Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs through the Philippine Embassy confirmed that a Filipino seafearer on board Diamond Princess cruise ship was among the 10 people tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus.

The cruise ship was quarantined when one of the passengers tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“I had a fruitful meeting with my counterparts in Kuwait. Both sides agreed on the harmonized standard employment contract. I will talk with the POEA governing board to recommend the partial lifting of the ban, Bello said.

He, however, said the lifting of a total ban would only follow once an official

China...

Female astronaut shatters spaceflight record

Hong Kong has been particularly nervous as the disease has revived memories of another coronavirus, the one that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed nearly 300 people in the city and another 349 in the Chinese mainland in 2002-2003.

Panic buyers in the semi-autonomous city left shelves of toilet paper empty at supermarkets following false online claims of shortages, prompting authorities to appeal for calm.

One person has died after contracting the virus in Hong Kong so far.

While the death toll continues to rise in China, health experts have stressed that at 2 percent, 2019-nCoV is far less deadly than the SARS pathogen, which killed around 10 percent of the people it infected 17 years ago.

But the outbreak has been declared a global health emergency, prompting several governments to warn against travel to China and ban new arrivals from the country, while airlines have halted flights.

China has enacted unprecedented measures in a desperate bid to contain the virus, which spread far and wide as millions of people criss-crossed the country during the Lunar New Year holiday in late January.

But deaths and new infections continue to rise, especially at the epicenter of the epidemic in Hubei province, where 18 cities housing 56 million people have been under virtual lockdown since late last month.

With medical facilities in Hubei’s capital Wuhan overwhelmed with patients, authorities were due to open a second field hospital, offering 1,600 beds.

The first hospital, with 1,000 beds, opened earlier this week, and authorities said they were converting public buildings into temporary medical facilities to deal with the influx of sick people. AFP

Mayon...

From A1

crater glow in the past two days could have been caused by the magma rising toward the main crater.

He said the glow could indicate that the volcano could have an eruptive activity.

“This means that Mayon is at a moderate level of unrest. The Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs reminds the public that sudden explosions, lava collapses, pyroclastic density currents and ash fall can occur and threaten areas in the upper to middle slopes of Mayon,” PHIVOLCS said in its 8 a.m. bulletin on Thursday.

“There is redness in the volcano or crater glow at the crater and swelling before the start of a new eruptive activity,” Solidum told the interview.

“We are observing if there is [really] a new volcanic activity,” he said.

In 1814 Mayon Volcano had its worst recorded eruption that killed 1,200 people.

US...

From A1

Even though several conceded Trump’s behavior was wrong, Republicans ultimately stayed loyal in voting to clear the president of charges of abuse of power, by 52 to 48, and of obstruction of Congress, by 53 to 47—far from the two-thirds supermajority required for conviction.

“Two thirds of the senators present

Ex-MRT chief...

From A1

by Liberal Party leaders from Pangasinan, and it was given the MRT 3 contract after the Department of Transportation and Communication, then led by Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya, a former congressman from Cavite and

NASA’s Christina Koch returned to Earth safely on Thursday after shattering the spaceflight record for female astronauts with a stay of almost 11 months aboard the International Space Station.

Koch touched down at 0912 GMT on the Kazakh steppe after 328 days in space, along with Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency.

Koch was shown seated and smiling broadly after being extracted from the Soyuz descent module in the Roscosmos space agency’s video footage from the landing site.

“I am so overwhelmed and happy right now,” said Koch, who blasted off on March 14 last year.

Parmitano pumped his fists in the air after being lifted into his chair while Skvortsov was shown eating an apple.

Local Kazakhs on horseback were among those to witness the capsule landing in the snow-covered steppe as support crews gathered around the three astronauts, NASA commentator Rob Navias said.

“I’ve never seen this,” Navias exclaimed, reporting that the men stopped

PH...

From A1

described her as a native of General Santos City who worked in Dubai for 28 years.

The Labor department chief said the government is now processing the immediate repatriation of the woman.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered Duque to inspect the facility that will receive the repatriated Filipinos.

Upon arrival, the repatriated Filipinos will be transported to Fort Magsaysay for a mandatory 14-day quarantine as recommended by the DOH. Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Brigido Dulay said they are prepared to repatriate the Filipinos in Hubei province through a chartered flight.

Dulay said they are still waiting for the go-signal of the Chinese authorities, as well as documents from some of the Filipinos.

In a press conference Thursday, Duque said the repatriated Filipinos will live the “hotel life” inside a facility of the Bases Conversion Development Authority in New Clark City, Tarlac, during the 14-day quarantine period.

Amenities include air conditioned rooms with a TV and refrigerator, and a swimming pool.

There will also be “isolation rooms” for those who will develop symptoms, Duque said.

Packed lunches will be served every day at the facility.

The Department of Health initially planned to bring them to Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija.

But since the place is not yet fully ready for occupancy, they decided on the BCDA facility in New Clark City.

Affer an inspection facilitated by BCDA president and CEO Vince Dizon, in Capas, Tarlac, Duque said the Interagency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases has finalized the proto-

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday teased his longtime trusted aide and now Senator Christopher “Bong” Go of eyeing the presidency this early, citing the neophyte lawmaker’s frequent visit to fire victims.

“Do not nurture a personal loyalty to me. I don’t need it and I cannot run anymore. So I don’t give a [care anymore]. It’s up to you. Except Bong Go. Maybe he wants to be president,” the President said in a speech at the Palace that was also attended by the senator.

“In every fire, he was there. Bong, you’re too obvious,” President Duterte said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Duterte even ribbed Go for arriving ahead of firefighters, saying some might misconstrue this as a case of Go starting the fire.

“It’s pretty obvious. You’re ahead of the [firefighters]. You’re already there even there’s no fire yet. Maybe you are igniting it? You arrive way before firefighters. Don’t do it too much or they might notice it,” the President said.

Despite his election to the Senate, Go appeared to be still performing duties related to his old position—that of special adviser to the President—as he can always be seen next to Duterte.

Go recently drew flak from social media users for announcing the Chief Executive’s policies, such as the imposition of a travel ban amid the nCoV scare—a function that is well within the job description of Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo.

But the senator quickly doused speculations that he is preparing for a higher national post in 2022.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he will recommend to the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Governing Board the relaxation of the deployment ban after the Kuwaiti government agreed to sign an agreement on a standard employment contract for Filipino household service workers.

From A1

Rody teases Bong Go on presidential bid

Christina Koch

not having found him guilty of the charges contained therein, it is therefore ordered and adjudged that the said Donald John Trump be, and he is hereby, acquitted,” said Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who presided over the trial.

One Republican, Senator Mitt Romney, a longtime Trump foe, risked White House wrath to vote alongside Democrats on the first count, saying Trump was “guilty of an appalling abuse of public trust.” He voted not

guilty on the second charge.

Trump’s impeachment and trial will leave a permanent stain on his record, as it did for the only two presidents to have encountered the same fate, Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998.

But the Senate verdict was never truly in question since the House of Representatives formally impeached Trump in December, and it has now cleared out a major hurdle for the president to fully plunge into his campaign for reelection in November. AFP

a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. Abaya at the time was the president of the Liberal Party.

“In this case, accused Soriano is clearly in conspiracy with accused Vitangcol III. He knew from the start that his firm has dealings with the DOTC wherein his nephew-in-law, accused Vitangcol III, is a member of the BAC (bids and award committee) and team

leader of the Negotiating Team, among others, said the 45-page decision dated Jan. 31 but was made available to reporters only on Feb. 6.

“Yet he did not divulge this relationship to the Board of Directors of PH Trams and to the BAC. His silence and non-disclosure of this fact paved the way for the eventual qualification of PH Trams during evaluation and negotiations.

Locsin...

From A1

combat terrorism, and promoted economic ties with the United States and its allies.

He pushed for a review, rather than a termination of the agreement.

“Terminating the VFA will negatively impact Philippine defense and security arrangements as well as the overall bilateral relations with the US and perhaps even at the sub-regional and multilateral level.

Our contribution to regional defense is anchored on our military alliance with the world’s last superpower,” Locsin said.

Angered by the cancellation of the US visa of Senator Ronald dela Rosa, the President last month ordered that the process of terminating the VFA begin.

“At this point, I think, a vigorous review of Visiting Forces Agreement is

called for,” Locsin said.

“There is value in revisiting the VFA to address issues of sovereignty such as jurisdiction and custody and early resumption of clarificatory talks should serve as basis, as well as a jump off point for a review of the VFA,” he said.

He said there are irritants that need to be addressed and the the DFA has asked the US to clarify certain items pertaining to the VFA to avoid any issues in its implementation.

Locsin also told the senators that if the VFA is terminated, it would also mean the end of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States.

In response to a question from Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, Locsin said the DFA was not consulted when the President said the VFA would be terminated. He said, however, that this was the President’s prerogative as commander in chief and chief architect of foreign policy.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Little impact?

PRESIDENT Duterte’s economic managers have downplayed the combined economic impact of both the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) or the Wuhan flu, the Jan. 26 Taal Volcano eruption and its ashfall, and the African Swine Fever (ASF) devastating piggery in the countryside.

“While these developments may dampen our growth somewhat, domestic tourism is expected to increase as more people would likely prefer to travel within our borders, thus boosting domestic consumption. With our ‘Build, Build, Build’ program firing on all cylinders this year, complemented by a benign inflation rate and a stable monetary policy, we expect the economy at large to sustain its momentum,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez told newsmen and a Senate committee hearing on Feb. 4, 2020.

The leader of Duterte’s economic team assured the people that “the Philippine economy would be able to sustain its momentum of growth this year, despite the challenges posed by nCoV, Taal, and ASF.” The DOF chief said “the economic team stands by its target of attaining a gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 6.5 to 7.5 percent this year.”

“While these developments might slightly restrain our economic expansion, these threats are not enough to force a dramatic reduction in our growth estimates,” said Dominguez, during the Feb. 4 joint hearing of the Senate committees on health and demography, and finance, with Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, chair of the Senate health and demography committee, presiding.

The nCoV outbreak is still on its early stages, Dominguez said, “it would be difficult for the economic team to estimate its potential economic costs at this time.”

“The virus has limited local trans-

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

missions outside China,” the DOF chief said. “A significant impact on the economy will most likely be centered in the tourism sector. The travel and tourism industry around the globe is taking a hit as a result of the various levels of travel bans imposed by national governments and of voluntary decisions of airlines to cut flights to and from China.”

The Philippines may also suffer a short-term slight decline in exports, particularly in the sale of electronics and auto parts, because of a possible disruption in the global supply chain as a result of the temporary factory closures in China, which is the country’s top trading partner, he confided.

The economic team stands by its GDP targets this year.

“Incidentally, our top imports from China such as steel, machinery and petroleum are products that do not seem to carry the nCoV virus, though we will continue to take all necessary precautions,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez recalled what happened during the previous outbreaks of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), H1N1, and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERSCoV).

During the SARS episode, tourist arrivals to the Philippines dropped 1.3 percent, from 1.93 million in 2002 to 1.90 million in 2003. However, tourism rebounded quickly the following 2004.

Arrivals swelled 21 percent to 2.3 million visitors.

Tourist arrivals continued to rise until the H1N1 outbreak in 2009, the period when the global economy was reeling from the effects of the global financial crisis of 2008.

Thus, the financial crunch at that time could have had a larger impact on the downtrend in tourist arrivals, Dominguez concluded.

Meanwhile, during the MERS-CoV outbreak in 2012, Dominguez said the

T

Tourism takes a hit

HE novel coronavirus outbreak has quickly taken its toll on the global tourism industry.

among the first sector to suffer the brunt of China’s decision to quarantine dozens of cities and ban overseas tour groups. Several airlines are reducing their schedules. British Airways, Delta, Air Canada, Air France and Lufthansa are among the leading carriers that have canceled all their flights to China.

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific is suffering the biggest financial hit. It asked its entire workforce of 27,000 to take up to three weeks of unpaid leave following the coronavirus outbreak.

Casinos in Macau, a playground for the rich and the hopeful from mainland China, have also closed their doors. Philippine casinos may not be able to take advantage of Macau’s restrictions because of travel restrictions and strict quarantine rules.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has conceded that Philippine tourism sector

China, one of the biggest sources of foreign tourists, is restricting foreign travel to contain the outbreak. Several foreign governments have also imposed travel bans, while major airlines have suspended flights to and from China.

The travel restrictions for the Philippines will be costly in the near-term period. A number of hotels, restaurants and stores will see a marked drop in sales with less tourist traffic in Boracay Island, Puerto Galera, Bohol, Palawan and other exotic destinations. China is the second largest source of tourism traffic in the Philippines.

The global airline industry is

will be “badly hit” following the travel ban imposed by Manila to and from China and its territories. Foreign visitor arrivals in the Philippines declined 1.3 percent in 2003 to 1.9 million at the height of the severe acute respiratory syndrome episode. Arrivals, though, rebounded 20.1 percent to 2.3 million the following year.

Mr. Dominguez is hoping domestic tourism will increase and offset the slack in the foreign travel business. Increased local tourism activities can boost domestic consumption and somehow lessen the adverse impact of the flu outbreak on the overall economy.

The Department of Tourism, meanwhile, should double efforts to attract more travelers from Taiwan and Southeast Asia, as well as non-traditional markets such as India and Russia to sustain the growth of the local industry.

Turn to A5

Gov’t at fault for Metro Manila water crisis LET’S clear the air about this: Should the two water concessionaires in Metro Manila, namely Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Co. Inc., be blamed for the water crisis that gripped Metro Manila residents last summer and is likely to be repeated again this year?

It would appear that that’s not the case at all. The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System has in fact already admitted that the below-normal water supply last summer was the inevitable outcome of government’s failure in the last 50 years to build an alternative water source to Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan. This dam supplies 97 percent of Metro Manila’s water needs.

Moreover, the MWSS said that Angat

The President’s directive to facilitate the construction of the long-delayed Kaliwa Dam Project is a positive development that would help solve the recurring water crisis in Metro Manila.

Dam’s water can no longer meet the water demand of the metropolis between 2020 and 2025. This underscores the need to build the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project as soon as possible.

Hence, President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to facilitate the construction of the long-delayed Kaliwa Dam Project, using an ODA loan from China, is a positive development that would help solve the recurring water crisis in Metro Manila.

In the wake of President Duterte’s order to the Department of Justice to review the concession agreements (CAs) with Maynilad and Manila Water, one other issue that has cropped up is that these agreements are onerous because

they have led to a big increase in the water bills of Metro Manila consumers.

The two water concessionaires dispute this. They are saying that the national capital region’s 18 million water consumers actually enjoy lower monthly bills compared to other urban centers in the country and even to other big cities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Statistics compiled by the government’s Local Water Utilities Administration indicate that Metro Manila consumers using 10 cubic meters (cu.m.) of water per month pay only about P104, which is actually the lowest among 12 highly urbanized cities in the Philippines. Consumers in Baguio City pay the highest monthly rate of P370 for the same 10 cu.m. of water—or over three times the bill paid by users in the national capital. San Jose Del Monte consumers pay the second-highest rate of P280 a month, followed by Angeles, Bacolod, Batangas, Cabanatuan, Cagayan de Oro, Dasmariñas and Davao cities along with Metro Cebu and Metro Iloilo.

LWUA data also say that Metro Manila water rates are lower compared to select Asia-Pacific cities consuming 15 cu.m. Metro Manila’s P18.28 per cu.m. is midway between the highest rate in Sydney, Australia, which is equivalent to P99.63 per cu. m. and the lowest rate in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which is equivalent to P7.53 per cu.m.

The two water concessionaires also emphasize that consumers in Metro Manila enjoy cheap water rates at present because they submitted lower-than-expected bids during the 1996 auction under the Ramos administration. The bidders managed to offer low water rates for consumers because of “sweeteners”, rather than “onerous” provisions that were included in the privatization Turn to A5

PNP on a roll—except in Region 4A THE Philippine National Police is tasked with helping the Department of Health track down persons whom coronavirus victims had contact with.

The important mission, as ordered by Secretary Eduardo Año of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, assures the DOH of DILG’s and PNP’s full support in the fight against the pandemic threat.

It also highlights a different dimension of the role the PNP plays in these critical times, an opportunity to recoup from devastating setbacks brought by the Ninja cops scandal.

Let’s not get carried away easily but there are, in fact, flickering signs of reforms under the leadership of PNP Chief Police General Archie Gamboa.

As soon as he was designated Officer-in-Charge last October, Gamboa hit the ground running and has led a revitalized 205,000-strong national police, especially since earning his well-deserved promotion as Chief, PNP. He vowed to press on with the anti-illegal drugs campaign and the PNP has since scored arrests and seizures of multi-million peso worth of shabu, one

I believe PNP Chief Gamboa will not tolerate any form of negligence or incompetence among key official. buy-bust operation after another.

He pledged to implement internal cleansing, not long after sacking three officials of PNP Region 7 for playing golf on duty hours because they were “bored.”

Before the coronavirus outbreak, the PNP Chief had planned on setting up Chinese desks at police stations to attend to rising cases involving Chinese nation-

als victimized by kidnappers, extortionists, human trafficking and prostitution.

In a move to curb corruption, Gamboa effected a major reshuffle of PNP ranking officials, at the same time, ordered a no-nonsense crackdown on illegal gambling in Metro Manila and all regions.

He ordered a crackdown on the proliferation of video karera gambling machines in Metro Manila.

Notably, illegal gambling has stopped in the National Capital Region and Regions 1, 2 and 3.

Unfortunately, at least one region seemingly intends to test the determination and political will of Gamboa in shutting down illegal gambling.

Police Regional Office 4A under director P/Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao, Jr. is reportedly lagging behind the rest of the PNP regional commands in the anti-illegal gambling drive.

Illegal gambling operations including jueteng, pergalan (perya-sugalan), and video karera continue to be widespread in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (CALABARZON) provinces.

My informants said gambling lords Turn to A5

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Opinion Onerous IT COMES as no surprise that after President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the review of all major government contracts some people and groups who had earlier decried what they called “persecutorial acts in violation of the rule of law and the sanctity of contracts” are now busily pinpointing others which to their mind deserve priority over those identified by the Chief Executive. Wow!! Grabe!!

Although such a move is very much welcome, it leaves us wondering: Why this sudden, newly discovered enthusiasm? But that will be another story. Onerous is onerous by any other name and therefore deserves to be looked into. Pronto.

In the same token, I strongly suggest for these freshly minted, self styled “auditors” to come around and practice their ‘auditing” skills on those contracts which got the President’s ire in the first place. That is, if they would like the public to even believe their newfound crusade is worthy of consideration at all. Otherwise, these “initiatives” will be treated as just another political act like all the rest which they have done in the past and continuing up to the present. Like the EJK, ICC, Rappler-cum-Ressa, ICAD and even the pivot-to-China-cum- West Philippine Sea dramas they foisted on the public at one time or another.

Take Senator Risa Hontiveros, for example, who has time and again bristled at what she termed the odious pivot-to-China which President Duterte has embarked into from the start of his administration. Hontiveros has called out PRRD on his softness on the reported influx of Chinese-sourced illegal drugs, the slap-on-the-wrist rebuke including the “puny reimbursements” given by the Chinese involved in the ramming of a Filipino fishing vessel in the West Philippine Sea by a Chines vessel and lately, the so-called onerous provisions of some ongoing Chinese funded infrastructure projects.

All of these Hontiveros allegations have been proven to be untrue, misplaced or even downright malicious.

In the case of the contracts, for example, Hontiveros has yet to come out with a report on what exactly these onerous provisions are. At one point, she mentioned the financial package involved. Well, known economists have shown that the Chinese funding package was well within the range of development assistance (ODA) packages offered by such countries as Japan, Australia, France, Germany, other EU countries and even the ADB and World Bank. In fact, in the case of the

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tourism sector also proved to be resilient.

Even with a slight decrease in tourist arrivals in 2013, tourism direct gross value added actually increased by 8.8 percent, said Dominguez, compared with 2012 because spending per tourist increased.

In recent years, the finance said the country’s tourism direct gross value added has been rapidly rising, mainly because of a substantial increase in arrivals from China, With current travel restrictions are in place for the health and safety of Filipinos, it is very likely that tourism direct gross value added will decrease this year, Dominguez conceded.

“It is still too early to ascertain the economic effects of these efforts to safeguard our people,” he mused.

Dominguez said the Department of Tourism has committed to continue aggressively looking for opportunities in partnership with all tourism stakeholders to sustain the gains of the tourism sector

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contracts to attract big investors abroad, since a huge amount of money was needed to reverse Metro Manila’s water crisis resulting from MWSS mismanagement, and incompetence.

Because of the huge investments by the two water concessionaires, water supply coverage is now 99 percent, as one requirement imposed by the government was for the two concessionaires to connect water even to millions of shanties in slum areas.

The good news for Maynilad and MWC is that according to the MWSS, the government does not intend to pre-terminate the 1997 contracts. This is welcome news for Metro Manila residents because they will continue to enjoy paying the

newly established Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a multilateral funding institution principally bankrolled by China, the financial package is even better specially if the project involved is enrolled as part of the ambitious Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative”(BRI). Unless the good senator can pinpoint what exactly in the Chinese offered funding package is onerous, we will have no other conclusion but to say that this brouhaha is

Justice Carpio should consult his former law office partners. all noise signifying nothing.

Now comes retired Senior Associate Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio saying that the procurement protocol for the US$9 billion Chinese funding for NEDA endorsed and selected infrastructure projects is the “mother of onerous contracts” and that President Duterte should start his reviewing with this protocol. Seething with contempt, Carpio haughtily pointed out—“In exchange for putting aside the arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea, President Duterte secured a US$9 Billion loan from China to fund infrastructure projects in the Philippines..” Not content with that non-sequitur, Carpio then took his obvious disdain for the Chief Executive a step further by insisting that the protocol which advised that the “...tied financing portions is for the Chinese government to propose three qualified bidders ..from whom the bidding will be conducted..” Unless this is the first time that the good justice has seen or gone over financing packages of this nature, he should be told that this socalled “tied-in” provision is a regular feature of bilateral funding packages.

If he insists otherwise, he should consult with his former law office partners who are well acquainted with these kind of contracts or go over the previous agreements he may have even written or approved for similar bilater-

ally funded projects during his watch as a senior Palace official during the Ramos and even Arroyo administration. But then again that will be another story.

Taking off from what I would characterize as a willful misapplication of the procurement protocol, Carpio then proceeds to insist that the bidding for the Kaliwa Dam, one of the selected projects for Chinese funding, was a ‘sham” since the Chinese contractors proposed by the Chinese government were in the end decided by the Chinese Communist Party (CPC). That makes the bidding a “sham”. Aw, come on!

Of course, under the present set up, Chinese companies, whether state or privately owned are somehow tied in with the party which provides leadership, funding and any and all kinds of assistance including guarantees to all of these organizations. Why should that be a problem? Then, Carpio questions the bidding process involved after two of the bidders got disqualified by the project owner, MWSS, quoting in the process a COA audit memorandum saying “..it can be deduced that the two bidders were merely included to comply with the three bidders rule ..when in reality it is a negotiated contract from the inception of the bidding process..”

Well, I will leave it to the MWSS and the winning bidder to dispute Carpio’s assertion and COA’s observation. I will just suggest that if he is interested in seeking the truth in the bidding processes involved in bilaterally or even multilaterally funded projects, he should take a look at those financed by Japan, Australia, Spain, Germany and Australia including the water concessions reportedly prepared

by World Bank appointed lawyers and endorsed by that institution. That will definitely temper his anger.

In any event, his statement and even that of the COA cannot by any measure lead us to conclude as he did that the Kaliwa Dam is overpriced. I will be more than happy to be educated by the good justice on the manner by which he came to this pass. I have seen numbers crunched on this long-delayed project including those being bandied around as alternative designs, funding and calculations, but up to now I cannot divine how Carpio came to this conclusion. For transparency sake and for the good of all of us consumers in the expanded MWSS concession areas, he should share his findings. Who knows, we may even join him in lambasting this much needed, long delayed project.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

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Scientists say multiple eco-crises could trigger ‘systemic collapse’

By Marlowe Hood OVERLAPPING environmental crises could tip the planet into “global systemic collapse,” more than 200 top scientists warned Wednesday.

Climate change, extreme weather events from hurricanes to heatwaves, the decline of life-sustaining ecosystems, food security and dwindling stores of fresh water—each poses a monumental challenge to humanity in the 21st century.

Out of 30 global-scale risks, these five topped the list both in terms of likelihood and impact, according to scientists surveyed by Future Earth, an international research organization.

In combination, they “have the potential to impact and amplify one another in ways that might cascade to create global systemic collapse,” a team led by Maria Ivanova, a professor at the Center for Governance and Sustainability at the University of Massachusetts, said in a 50-page report.

Extreme heat waves, for example, speed global warming by releasing planet-warming gases from natural sources, even as they intensify water crises and food scarcity.

Biodiversity loss, meanwhile, weakens the capacity of natural and agricultural systems to cope with climate extremes, also putting food supplies at risk.

Scientists worry especially that rising temperatures could tip the planet’s climate system into a self-perpetuating spiral of global warming.

As it is, humanity is struggling—so far unsuccessfully—to cap CO2 and methane emissions, mostly from burning fossil fuels.

If at the same time a warming Earth also begins to emit large amounts of these gases from, say, thawing permafrost, such efforts could be overwhelmed.

“Many scientists and policymakers are embedded in institutions that are used to thinking and acting on isolated risks, one at a time,” the report said.

“We call on the world’s academics, business leaders and policy makers to pay attention to these five global risks and ensure they are treated as interacting systems.”

Nearly 1,000 decision makers and top CEOs highlighted the same threats in a similar survey last month ahead of the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

“2020 is a critical time to look at these

and will intensify the promotion of local destinations among domestic travelers.

The lockdown imposed by the Chinese government on Wuhan, the epicenter of the nCoV outbreak, which is also considered the hub of transport and industry for central China, could create some supply chain problems that will affect trade and industries in other parts of the world, Dominguez said, but “at this point, it is too early to estimate (its) full economic impact.”

To address the possible temporary decline in the exports of electronics and auto parts, the Department of Trade and Industry has committed to work closely with affected Chinese and China-based companies, which will be looking to strengthen their operations by adding a production site outside of China, Dominguez said.

At the Feb. 4 Senate hearing, Dominguez cited the “unprecedented effort” mounted by the Chinese government to contain the spread of the disease.

“We acknowledge the determined and comprehensive efforts of the Chinese government toward containing this virus,” Dominguez said. “To date, the only death that occurred outside China has unfortunately happened here, although it

involved a traveler carrying the virus directly from Wuhan.”

On the part of the Philippine government, he said President Duterte has enforced a ban on travelers from China and its special administrative regions as what other countries have done, and has also ordered the establishment of a repatriation and quarantine facility.

As for the ASF outbreak, Dominguez noted that the government has been successful in intercepting contaminated pork imported from other countries through the Bureau of Custom’s intensified anti-smuggling campaign and the Bureau of Animal Industry’s heightened meat inspection efforts.

The Department of Agriculture has, to date, reported that the number of culled swine has reached 193,350, which led to a decline in hog production in 2019 by 9.5 percent compared to the preceding year.

While customs authorities have been intercepting the entry of contaminated pork like what it did recently with 25 tons of meat from Guangzhou, China, the DA has also been strictly enforcing biosecurity measures and setting up more quarantine checkpoints, as well as providing more disinfection facilities to manage,

contain, and control the spread of the ASF, Dominguez said.

Meanwhile, Dominguez said that an explosive Taal eruption could still happen, and “unless and until this actually happens, we can only speculate on the full impact of this episode on the economy.”

As of Jan. 20, the National Economic and Development Authority estimated total foregone income in the economic sectors owing to the eruption could reach P6.66 billion or 0.26 percent of the 2018 gross regional domestic product of the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon).

Foregone income comes from agriculture and fisheries sector, services, and industry.

He said the DA and the concerned local government units are expediting the release of production support, agri-fishery aid and livelihood assistance, and cash or zero-interest loan assistance programs to the affected farmers and fisherfolk, as well as the implementation of the recovery and rehabilitation plans for the affected areas.

cheapest monthly water bills among Philippine cities and a select group of urban centers across the Asia-Pacific region.

On the part of Maynilad and MWC, they are said to be ready and willing to enter into renegotiation talks with Department of Justice-led interagency team of government lawyers because they are confident that their 1997 contracts are clean and could stand scrutiny with a fine-toothed comb.

What’s going on at DICT? Uh-oh.

Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary for Operations Eliseo Rio Jr. has just tendered his resignation, citing the lack of transparency in the disbursement of hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential funds ostensibly for surveillance and intelligence-gathering.

Well, cybercrime is all-too-real nowadays. But as has been pointed out

by observers, surveillance and intelligence-gathering shouldn’t be functions of a civilian agency like DICT, whose mandate is to improve public access, promote consumer protection and industry development, and formulate the country’s cybersecurity policy.

Surveillance and intelligence gathering on cybersecurity threats, should be the job of the police, the military and perhaps even the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency or NICA. In an interview with another broadsheet after his resignation was reported, Rio—a retired brigadier general and the DICT secretary before President Rodrigo Duterte tapped former Lt. Col. and former Senator Gregorio “Gringo” Honasan to lead the agency—said DICT’s confidential fund for 2019 amounted to P400 million in 2019 and P800 million for this year, or a total of P1.2 billion. Confidential funds do not undergo the normal audit

process; these can be spent by the agency head without having to explain expenses to the Commission on Audit.

Rio said the confidential funds were requested by Honasan even while he was still senator for expenses in connection with cybersecurity activities.

The DICT advanced P300 million in cash for confidential expenses on three occasions—P100 million each on Nov. 22, Dec. 2 and Dec. 17 last year. These were made in the name of Honasan.

But it’s not just over the issue of confidential funds that Rio tendered his resignation. He cited conflict with Honasan’s new appointees and said that he was left out in decision-making despite the fact that he was supposed to be in charge of DICT operations.

I for one had strong misgiving about Honasan being appointed as DICT secretary. It appears that the law creating the agency says that the DICT secretary

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issues,” said Amy Luers, Executive Director of Future Earth.

“Our actions in the next decade will determine our collective future.”

Far West free-for-all In October, the world’s nations are set to gather for a major United Nations meeting in Kunming, China to try to stanch the destruction of ecosystems and the decline of biodiversity.

Scientists agree that Earth is at the outset of a mass extinction event—only the sixth in half-a-billion years—which could drive a million species, or one-ineight, into oblivion over the coming decades or centuries.

The following month, a critical UN climate summit in Glasgow will reveal whether the world’s major economies are willing to ramp up carbon cutting pledges that fall far short of what is needed to keep the planet hospitable for our species.

2020 is also a critical year in ongoing negotiations over the high seas, where a Far West free-for-all has led to overfishing and unrestrained resource extraction.

Some scientists have begun to look at the likelihood and impacts of cascading environmental crises.

Recent research has shown, for example, that some parts of the world may soon be coping with up to six extreme weather events at once, ranging from heat waves and wildfires to diluvian rains and deadly storm surges.

“Human society will be faced with the devastating combined impacts of multiple interacting climate hazards,” Erik Franklin, a researcher at the University of Hawaii’s Institute of Marine Biology and co-author of a key study in late 2018, told AFP. “They are happening now and will continue to get worse.”

That is true even in optimistic emissions reduction scenarios.

If, for example, humanity caps global warming at two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels, New York City will likely face one major climate hazard every year, on average, by 2100.

The 2015 Paris climate treaty calls for holding the rise in temperature to “well below” 2C. If, however, carbon pollution continues unabated, the Big Apple could be hit by up to four such calamities at once, including extreme rain, sea level rise and storm surges.

In all such scenarios, tropical coastal areas suffer the most. AFP

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in the area are raking in millions of pesos daily. Even pergalan operators called “PAPI” who cater to young people, including minors, are having their heyday.

Danao, who had failed to stop illegal gambling during his tenure in Manila Police District during the previous PNP administration, must ensure he accomplish his duties in CALABARZON. I believe PNP Chief Gamboa will not tolerate any form of negligence or incompetence among key officials regardless of their strong connections with top officials.

Ano yan, porke malakas ang kapit, anything goes?

We welcome your reaction and opinion, and send them to etulfo2011@yahoo.com or pay us a visit at the ERWIN TULFO CENTER For Media and Public Assistance, Room 303 Castro Bldg., #58 Timog Ave., Quezon City. should have had a fixed number of years of experience in the field, and that doesn’t mean just knowing how to use Word or some other programs in a computer.

I suspect that another reason for Gringo’s appointment is that it’s a reward for his unwavering loyalty—and possibly his deafening silence—amid the administration’s bloody war on drugs.

Besides, Duterte has time and again said he prefers former military men in top positions in the bureaucracy because he believes they cannot be corrupted, despite strong evidence to the contrary.

Honasan should clear the air regarding Rio’s resignation as the latter’s revelations tend to cast a dark cloud on his stewardship of a vital government department. We’d be glad to publish his side in this space in keeping with the right of reply. ernhil@yahoo.com

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Medialdea named committee chair in quincentennial commemoration

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has assigned Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea as head of a committee that would prepare the “Filipino-centric” quincentennial commemorations of the country’s role in the first circumnavigation of the world.

Under Executive Order 103 signed on Jan. 28, President Duterte reconstituted and strengthened the National Quincentennial Committee as the country is set to mark the 500th year of its role in Ferdinand Magellan’s circumnavigation, as well as the victory of Lapu-Lapu in the Battle of Mactan.

These events from 1519 to 1522 are collectively known as the “2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines.”

The President also named the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as vice chairperson and executive director of the committee.

The government initiatives related to the 2021 quincentennial commemoration should emphasize Filipino identity and values of unity, magnanimity, and sovereignty, as stated in the EO. The events should also be multidisciplinary, communicative, and transformative.

The latest presidential issuance amended EO 55 that created the committee in 2018.

With an initial budget of P10 million, the committee has been directed to prepare a comprehensive plan for the quincentennial celebration that seeks to promote tourism and highlight the country’s rich cultural and religious heritage.

House to probe use of DICT funds

By Maricel V. Cruz THE leadership of the House of Representatives has been urged to investigate the corruption allegation by resigned Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Eliseo Rio Jr. over the alleged lack of transparency in the agency’s use of contingency funds.

Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate also appealed to the DICT led by Secretary Gregorio Honasan to be transparent and disclose how its confidential funds were utilized.

Rio bared the alleged lack of transparency in the disbursement of hundreds of millions of pesos in confidential funds used for surveillance—a function beyond the mandate of the DICT. “Is that even part of the mandate of the DICT? This should definitely have to be probed and Congress’ oversight powers should be exercised to investigate this,” said Zarate.

“We have received reports that these anomalous funds were used for surveillance. The question is who were put under surveillance? Are the opposition and other critics been put under surveillance? Is this part of the National Task Force- End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTFELCAC) to monitor and suppress the opposition?” Zarate asked.

A Commission on Audit audit observation memorandum dated Jan. 20, 2020, according to Zarate, said the DICT advanced P300 million in cash for confidential expenses on three occasions—P100 million each on Nov. 22, Dec. 2 and Dec. 17 last year.

Manila

Standard

TODAY

PROTECTION. A Chinese-Filipino wore a face mask inside a prayer room at Seng Guan Temple in Divisoria, Manila on Thursday, Feb. 6, as a protection against possible infection of the deadly 2019 novel coronavirus. Norman Cruz

Makati on high alert over nCoV

By Joel E. Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

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HE Makati City government has created a special task force and placed all city health and rescue personnel on high alert as a proactive protective measure in the city amid the worldwide novel coronavirus outbreak.

Among the initial measures undertaken by the Task Force created by virtue of an executive order signed by Mayor Abigail Binay include the use of infrared thermometers by health personnel to scan city employees and visitors entering City Hall as well as barangay health centers.

Rescue, engineering and health personnel start working to convert the city’s Friendship Suites, initially used as a hostel, into an isolation facility for those found positive with 2019-nCoV.

The Office of the City Administrator also directed all business and commercial establishments, including Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations, to immediately submit to the city the list of all employees who have recently visited mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

The business permits of those who fail to comply will be revoked.

“This global health emergency compels us to institute long-term solutions that will strengthen our capability to effectively

respond to similar crises in the future. Our immediate concern now is to put in place needed systems, protocols and resources to ensure we are covering all the bases in preventing the transmission and spread of the novel coronavirus in the city,” Binay said.

The city chief executive enjoined owners and management of establishments in the city, including hotels, condominiums, malls and POGOs, to cooperate with the city government in the implementation of preventive measures.

“These times demand a unified and coordinated action from all sectors.

The city government appeals to all our stakeholders to cooperate and support policies and measures being undertaken to avert a health crisis in our city,” she said.

Binay earlier ordered the conduct of joint inspections on establishments, especially POGOs, hotels and condominiums, to monitor the implementation of protocols

and preventive measures set by the Department of Health. Inspection teams are led by Makati Health Department, supported by Business Permit and Licensing Office, Office of the Building Official, Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), and Assessment Department.

The newly-formed committee is chaired by the Mayor and cochaired with the Vice Mayor and City Administrator. Its members include the Office of the Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod, MHD, Ospital ng Makati, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, BPLO, Assessment Department, Urban Development Department, Makati Veterinary Services Department, Liga ng mga Barangay, Makati Action Center, Legal Department, Information and Community Relations Department, and International Relations Department.

UPS airlifts 2m face masks, gears to China The UPS Foundation, which leads the global citizenship programs for UPS, has mobilized its global network to provide free air transportation for more than 2 million respirator masks and 11,000 protective coveralls to China, with the aim of combating the spread of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China.

Working with MAP International and MedShare, two Georgiabased nonprofit global health organizations, the UPS operated flight was coordinated through the Red Cross Society of China and the recipient organization Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control COMBATING NCOV. The UPS Foundation, which leads the global citizenship programs for UPS, has provided free air and Prevention in collaboration with transportation for more than 2 million respirator masks and 11,000 protective coveralls to China, with the aim of combating the spread of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China. Working with MAP International and MedShare, two Georgia-based nonprofit global Project HOPE. health organizations, the UPS operated flight was coordinated through the Red Cross Society of China and the recipient organization “The world needs strong publicHubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in collaboration with Project HOPE. private partnerships to help contain CYAN MAGENTA BLACK the spread YELLOW of this deadly virus and The UPS Foundation is expanding its humanitarian relief network to support our partners in providing supply chain expertise and air transport,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of SPEAKER Alan Peter Cayetano own regions have to compete The UPS Foundation and UPS chief on Thursday cited the importance with each other,” he said. diversity and inclusion officer. of the country being competitive Cayetano recalled that in the “The UPS Foundation is a member of with its Southeast Asian neighbors 80s-90s, there were hundreds the Pandemic Supply Chain Network in terms of tax and other fiscal of manufacturing corporations and the Private Sector Roundtable incentives. located in his home city of Taguig. for the Global Health Security Group The Speaker met on Wednesday “Later, they transferred to on Pandemic Preparedness. We with Finance Secretary Carlos Cavite, and eventually from Cavite have developed a global network of Dominguez to discuss taxes in to China. So the reality is we have relief agencies to help bring aid to general and business incentives in to look at the incentives offered by communities in crisis, in this case, particular.

Vietnam, Thailand and the rest of to bring medical aid to healthcare He said taxes are the lifeblood Southeast Asia. We have to look at workers in China.” of the government, which it uses to how attractive our own incentives This UPS humanitarian flight fund the delivery of basic services. are for business to come into the touched down at UPS’s Shanghai “The key is to make taxation country,” he said.

International Hub on Sunday,Feb. 2 equitable, progressive. This In the latter part of last year, and brought with it personal protective means that the poor should the House of Representatives had equipment that is currently in short pay less, while the rich and passed a bill containing its version supply in China. The shipment included businesses should pay more. But of “time-bound and performancemore than: 2 million respirator masks, that is not that simple, because based” tax incentives. The measure 11,000 protective suits and 280,000 it is important that the country has since been pending with the pairs of nitrile gloves. remains competitive. Even our Senate.

‘PH needs more tax incentives’

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Catholic leaders seek debate on divorce bill

By Maricel V. Cruz

athOLic prelates on Thursday said there is a need for more deliberation and discussions on the legalization of divorce in the country.

C

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines-Permanent Committee on Public Affairs executive secretary Fr. Jerome Secillano pushed for the holding of discussions on the issue for the benefit of the people.

“The public deserves to know what is in the bill. Perhaps a public forum or media discussions should be done to give the people a thorough understanding of its impact in the family and society,” he said.

Secillano, who attended the hearing at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, admitted that he was surprised by the speedy proposal by the House committee on population and family relations in endorsing the divorce bill.

“I was expecting that exhaustive deliberations and discussions will be conducted on the measure,” he added.

Meanwhile, Pro-life spiritual director Fr. Melvin Castro also pushed for the holding of debates for the people to know more about the measure.

“Nonetheless, with the sensitivity of the issue and the magnitude of its effects, Congress should allow open, honest, and exhaustive discussion and debate on the issue of divorce,” he added.

Meanwhile, retired Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes is hoping that the bill will not be passed by Congress.

“This is alarming. I hope Congress will not approve it. More family problems will be created with divorce,” Bastes said in an interview.

On Wednesday, the House Committee on Population and Family Relations approved a bill instituting absolute divorce and dissolution of marriage in the Philippines.

It also formed a technical working group to consolidate the three bills instituting absolute divorce in the country.

The Philippines and Vatican City are the only countries in the world where divorce is illegal.

As this developed, the minority leader in the House of Representatives appealed to his colleagues to reject the divorce bill as it violates the Constitution mandating the strengthening of the family.

The bloc’s leader, Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. made the statement following the approval Wednesday by the House committee on population and family relations of the bill that is proposed to be a way out to broken marriages.

Abante lamented how Congress was “further weakening the ties that bind our nation’s families together” and called on his colleagues in Congress “to reverse course on this disturbing path that threatens this sacred institution.”

“I would like to believe that as leaders of this country our goal should be finding ways to keep families together, not tear them apart. This proposed divorce law, unfortunately, only serves to erode the foundations of an institution that even the Constitution says we should value and

Copernicus technology used in Taal eruption DO YOU know that during the onset of Taal Volcano’s activity, Copernicus mapping technology was utilized?

Copernicus is the European Union’s flagship space programme which monitors and provides vital information on the Earth’s environment and its many ecosystems from integrated space and groundbased airborne and seabornemeasured data.

The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations had used Copernicus’ mapping system since Jan. 13 to provide accurate rapid and spatially explicit information on the hazards, exposure and vulnerability surrounding the activities of Taal Volcano.

Through the Copernicus Programme, four maps (including first estimated product, reference delineation and grading maps) were produced https://emergency. copernicus.eu/mapping/list-ofcomponents/EMSR418.

The technology was also tapped during Habagat flooding in 2012 and other typhoons Yolanda (Haiyan 2013), Landao (Koppu 2015), Ompong (Mangkhut 2018) which hit the country.

Information generated from the Copernicus Programme help in strengthening the implementation of risk reduction measures at the local level.

In view of the above context, the European Union Delegation to the Philippines has been working very closely with the Department of Science and Technology since early 2019 to develop a national capacity support programme on Copernicus for the Philippines.

This prospective new cooperation aims to address the key objectives of the Philippine government to develop and utilize Earth Observation satellite applications to enhance hazard management and disaster mitigation strategies and to further strengthen the country’s resilience to climate change.

All these and more will be discussed in the second national conference on “Copernicus— a strategic partner for Earth Observation and sustainable development” last Feb. 6 at the Diamond Residencies Hotel, Makati.

The conference highlighted

prominent aspects for science, innovation and technology to support sustainable development and will discuss the many benefits of satellite remote sensing and space data management for disaster management, environmental protection, and climate change adaptation. It will also serve as a platform to enable agencies, organizations and multiple stakeholders in the Philippines to engage more closely with the European space sector.

Dr. Philippe Brunet, former EU Director for Space Policy, Copernicus Programme and Defence and now Principal Advisor to the European Commission Directorate for Cooperation and Development and Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña will provide keynote addresses from the European Commission and the Government of the Philippines while Mr Rafael de Bustamante, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. of the EU Delegation to the Philippines, opened the conference.

The uniqueness of the Copernicus programme is its ability to monitor the earth to ensure that citizens are prepared and protected during natural or man-made disasters.

In addition to providing high-resolution global spatial coverage, the Copernicus programme promotes full, free and open use of its information to all its users and the general public. By making the vast majority of its data and maps freely available and accessible, Copernicus contributes towards the development of innovative applications and services, tailored to the needs of specific groups of users, and covering a variety of economic and developmental activities from urban planning and marine protection to disaster reduction and management.

Data captured by orbiting satellites can be analysed and processed in real-time to become weather forecasting, climatic, environmental and geological monitoring information. This helps in determining upcoming rainfalls and temperature variations, as well as identifying land degradation, resource extraction, spread of insect borne-diseases, crop yields, or managing disasters, among other areas. Many of these information are also available to end users on their personal laptops or smartphones.

protect,” said the lawmaker.

Abante pointed out that “the word ‘family’ is mentioned in the Constitution a dozen times and added that it even has a whole Article devoted to it. “That by itself should serve as a guide for us tasked to draft this nation’s laws. There is even a provision that specifically says that the State is duty-bound to protect the institution of marriage.”

Section 12 of aRticLE ii (Declaration of Principles and State Policies) states that “the State recognizes the sanctity of family life and shall protect and strengthen the family as a basic autonomous social institution.” article XV (the Family) Section 2, on the other hand, states that “marriage, as an inviolable social institution, is the foundation of the family and shall be protected by the State.”

The solon reminded his colleagues that there is already a mechanism by which marriages can be annulled. “this final avenue is available for couples that cannot reconcile, and while some say that annulment can be a lengthy, difficult process, it is the demands of the process that ensure that only those who are really serious about ending their marriage–– those who believe their marriage cannot be salvaged––who go through with it,” Abante said.

Abante added that if the House insisted on pushing for divorce, they should repeal the provisions that allow for annulment.

“We are just providing too many doors by which married couples can walk out of their marriages. While in extreme cases it is warranted, I believe one door is more than enough.”

M Lhuillier ‘Dinagyang’ float affirms service to Pinoys THROUGH artistry and dedication, M Lhuillier’s eyecatching underwater themed float entitled “Life of the abyss” took the first runner-up spot in the Dinagyang Festival’s Float Parade of Lights.

With inspirations from the vast ocean and rich seabed, M Lhuillier’s “Life of the abyss” brought excitement to the audience of all ages. the float looked majestic with colorful sea creatures decorated along the sides and a giant lion fish that put the overall design together. The whole scene added life because of the lights, bubbles, and cosplayers such as Aquaman and Princess Mira.

The image of the child Jesus, Señor Santo Niño, was placed in front of the float as the centerpiece.

The underwater concept was inspired by the wide reach of services provided by M Lhuillier, not only for the Philippines but also for other

nearby countries. The idea behind the variety of fishes was to represent all Filipino customers in different walks of life. according to ML float artist Panjie Pangilinan, they gave attention to every detail like the small fishes because they believe that these creatures, despite their sizes, play an important role and give significance under the sea. that is how M Lhuillier shows commitment of service and value to everyone.

Filled with revelry, Dinagyang Festival is considered the most anticipated event in IloIlo City. The festival is popular for its rich heritage and strong faith and adoration to Señor Santo Niño. together, M Lhuillier uplifts the faith of the people to Señor Santo Niño by merrily dancing with the drum beat and shouting with glee, “haLa BiRa iLOiLO!”

News

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

IN BRIEF

By Willie Casas

NAIA parking space requested TRANSPORT companies operating at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Thursday asked the airport management to grant a parking space at their offices for the safety of drivers.

The group composed of Alamo Transport, New Horizon Transport Service Inc., Miatsc Air Transport, People’s Network Transport, Enterprise Car Lease Phils Inc. (Nissan), and Airport Shuttle Service Inc. appealed to Manila International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal for the retention of parking slots provided to them.

MIAA officials earlier decided to relocate the transport concessionaires parking slots from NAIA Terminal Car Park 2 to Aviation Support Industrial Area 2 situated at the former Nayong Pilipino complex.

The airport management came up with the decision because it is planning to use and develop the Car Park 2 into a public pay parking.

“We are grateful that the MIAA provided us with new parking slots for our units.

But, we are appealing for a little consideration to retain parking slots fronting our respective offices for reasons that it will be utilized as temporary parking areas of our transport units remitting income from the four NAIA terminals,” the transport group said in a statement.

“It’s too risky for our drivers who will walk some 20 meters from the new parking slot to our old offices just to remit the daily income, especially at night, dawn time, as well as rainy days,” said Romy Sayaman, Airport Shuttle Service Inc., chairman and president.

“The most important thing is the safety of our drivers who were carrying cash, that is why we badly need a parking area infront of our offices,” he added. Joel Zurbano

SC sacks RTC judge THE Supreme Court has ordered the dismissal of a regional trial court judge who borrowed money from a group of persons with pending cases in his court.

In a resolution, the SC found Judge Bonifacio M. Macabaya of RTC Branch 20 in Cagayan de Oro guilty of violating the Rules of Court and the New Code of Judicial Conduct.

The high court also ordered his retirement benefits forfeited and he is also banned perpetually from reemployment in government service.

This emerged as the Supreme Court ordered all trial court judges and court employees to strictly observe proper office attire while in court.

The complaint against Macabaya was filed by Leonaria Neri, spouses Abeto Salcedo, Jr. and Jocelyn Salcedo, Evangeline Camposano, and Hugo Amorillo, Jr. In their affidavits, the complainants said Macabaya borrowed large sum of money from them while their case was pending before the judge’s sala.

The complaint was endorsed by the Office of the Court Administrator to the SC as a full court which referred it to a Court of Appeals justice for investigation.

For his defense, Judge Macabaya denied the allegations and claimed that the complainants were only coerced to file a complaint against him as part of an alleged grand design by an OCA official and other judges to discredit him.

“The SC held that Judge Macabaya’s general denial carries little weight. It stressed that judges must adhere to the highest standards of judicial conduct and public accountability lest his action erode the public faith in the Judiciary.” Rey E. Requejo

Chinese driver plows through vehicles in Manila

FRESH VEGETABLES. Customers look at fresh vegetables at Commonwealth market in Quezon City while the vegetables in Baguio City are damaged in a freeze due to cold weather. Manny Palmero

Prosecutors charge 12 ‘ninja’ cops S

TATE lawyers on Thursday filed before the San Fernando, Pampanga Regional Trial Court criminal charges against the 12 police officers over anomalies in a 2013 anti-drug raid in the province.

The charges were filed after a panel of DoJ prosecutors chaired by Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Alexander Suarez found probable cause to charge the socalled “ninja cops”.

The Department of Justice is waiting for the results of the raffle that will determine which RTC and municipal circuit trial court will handle the cases.

Aside from Suarez, the other panel members are Assistant State Prosecutors Josie Christina Dugay and Gino Paulo Santiago.

The panel conducted the re-investigation of the complaint that was filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

The case involves the illegal drug operations in Mexico, Pampanga where a team led by Maj. Rodney Baloyo IV was supposed to have arrested suspected for-

eign drug trader Johnson Lee. The panel charged the 12 police officers for violating Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, particularly, Section 27, Article II for misappropriation, misapplication or failure to account for the confiscated, seized and/or surrendered dangerous drugs; Section 29, Article II, planting of evidence; and Section 92, Article XI, delay and bungling in the prosecution of drugs cases.

Aside from Baloyo, those charged are P/Insp. Joven Bagnot De Guzman, Jr.; Senior Police Officer 1 (SPO1) Jules Lacap Maniago; SPO1 Donald Castro Roque; SPO1 Ronald Bayas Santos; SPO1 Rommel Muñoz Vital; SPO1 Alcindor Mangiduyos Tinio; PO3 Dindo Singian Dizon; PO3 Gilbert Angeles De Vera; PO3 Romeo

Encarnacio Guerrero Jr.; SPO1 Eligio Dayos Valeroso; and SPO1 Dante Mercado Dizon.

The 12 accused were also charged with qualified bribery under the Revised Penal Code.

Aside from these, Guerrero and Santos were charged for violating regulations issued by the Dangerous Drugs Board regarding the chain of custody of evidence; falsification by a public officer against Baloyo who made untruthful statements in his spot report and progress report regarding the operation; and false testimony and perjury in solemn affirmation against Santos and Guerrero who made untruthful statements in their affidavit of arrest against Chinese national Ding Wenkun.

The DOJ panel previously found that the 12 accused “misappropriated drugs when they declared that only 36.60 kg of shabu was seized during their operations, while the subsequent police investigation indicated that about 200 kilos methamphetamine hydrochloride was actually recovered.”

Duterte orders dev’t. of 2-ha Mile Long property in Makati

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered state agencies to develop the two-hectare Mile Long property in Makati Central Business District, which the government had previously leased to a development corporation owned by Prieto and Rufino families.

In Administrative Order 21 signed Jan. 29, the President directed the Privatization and Management Office to enter into a contractual deal with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority to manage and redevelop the property owned by the government.

The proceeds from the property’s development would be used to fund the government’s priority projects, including the pension program for military and uniformed personnel, according to the order.

The order mandates the Department of Budget and Management to study and propose where the proceeds could be used.

The property along Amorsolo Street in Legaspi Village was previously leased to Sunvar Realty Development Corp., which occupied the property on Feb. 28, 1982.

The lease agreement expired on Dec. 31, 2002 but Sunvar continued to remain in possession of the property and collect rent payments from its tenants.

In August 2017, the government won a case against Sunvar and took over the management of the Mile Long property.

The Department of Finance reported last year that the property has generated P160 million in revenues for the government since 2017.

POLICE arrested a Chinese man driving an SUV who plowed through several vehicles in Manila on Thursday while trying to escape a traffic officer who flagged him for a coding violation.

The Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau said one of its traffic enforcers flagged the driver in Binondo for a coding violation.

However, the Chinese sped through traffic trying to escape.

The man was driving a white Toyota SUV and was accompanied by a Filipino woman who said he picked her up in Quiapo.

The driver ended up at Tayuman Street on the corner of Abad Santos Avenue, slamming into three motorcycles, one etricycle, and one car along the way.

The police finally caught up with the man and arrested him.

Police authorities also recovered one sachet of suspected shabu inside the SUV. The Chinese also spat on a police officer while he was in custody.

The incident has caused heavy traffic in the area.

The Chinese did not speak English nor Tagalog, so authorities had to ask an interpreter to translate what he was saying.

Police said the Chinese will be facing a number of criminal charges as well as charges for traffic violations.

‘Price control proposal flawed’ THE drug price control formula and methodology proposed by the Department of Health will not benefit patients because it will distort prices and even lead to higher retail prices, Teodoro Padilla, executive director of the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines said.

An earlier variant of the plan would have made morphine and other painkiller opioids cheaper than paracetamol, thus giving substance abuse a shot in the arm.

“The price distortion stems from the DOH formula that sets very low prices at the manufacturers’ level and yet mandates retailers to impose up to as much as 45-percent mark-up which, at present, generally does not reach that level, particularly with most outlets,” he said in a press statement.

He added: “The proposed scheme would, therefore, lead to either a price freeze or even higher drug prices at the patient level. This is like squeezing rice farmers but mandating retail prices to go up. The result is the farmers will not plant, and there will be a shortage. It will be the same with us.”

There are also instances when the methodology yields higher prices.

As an example, Padilla said a hypertensive drug being sold at P44.70 may now be sold to patients for P52.42 under the price control proposal.

A diabetes drug, on the other hand, may now be sold for P41.32 from its current price of P32.14, or about 29-percent increase in price.

“These are just a few examples. It remains uncertain whether the DOH considered costs of doing business in the country. There are a lot more and our concern is that since we cannot sell at a loss, the country will have to import, which could be costlier. Some manufacturers may also have to review their operations here,” he said.

Economic strides in step with environment preservation—Revilla ENVIRONMENT protection and sustainable development are paramount considerations in the efforts of the local government to usher economic growth and uplift the lives of the city’s residents. This holds true to the proposed 420-hectare reclamation projects along the city’s coast, according to Bacoor City Mayor Lani Revilla.

The city is a consistent recipient of the Seal of Good Local Governance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government bagging its fifth consecutive SGLG in November last year.

“The SGLG award symbolizes the locality’s integrity and good performance through continuing governance reform and sustained local development, a progressive assessment system adopted by the DILG to give distinction to remarkable local government performance across several areas,” the Interior department said.

Environmental management, along with financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, peace and order, business-friendliness, competitiveness, tourism promotion and development, as well as cultural heritage promotion and conservation, were among the key criteria for the SGLG.

Last month, Bacoor also received the 2019 Environmental Compliance Audit Gold Award for its performance in accordance with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte for the cleanup of Manila Bay. Revilla said the development projects, which integrate environmental protection measures, are expected to provide Bacoor with an additional P1.8-billion annual revenues from tourism activities alone and create about 700,000 jobs for its residents and the entire province of Cavite as well.

The city mayor announced during the public hearing held last month that aside from creating new jobs the proposed projects incorporate in-city relocation, assuring the directly impacted informal settler families and fishermen against dislocation of job or livelihood.

The in-city relocation and job generation component of the project adhere to key strategies the National Economic Development Authority identified under its Manila Bay Sustainable Development Master Plan, which includes “upgrading informal settlement through access to safe, affordable, and formal housing with access to basic services and economic opportunities.”

The new city hall of Bacoor attests to the progress of the city achieved through good governance and adherence to the principles of sustainable development. Along with its continuing push for development, Bacoor implements stringent measures to protect its environment, as shown by posters reminding residents to comply with solid waste segregation policy.

Under the proposed projects, affected ISFs would be relocated in “Ciudad Kaunlaran” in Molino II, where a livelihood center will be established.

On the other hand, Fisherman’s Village would be built in Barangay Alima for the affected fisherfolks. A wharf will be developed along the coast for their fishing activities, the press statement said.

Revilla said the city government would bring to the resettlement sites its “institutionalized Alagang Ate Lani” program, which includes various forms of social services, including job fairs and free livelihood skills training.

Bacoor’s Public Employment Service Office continuously provides the city’s residents with available job opportunities for both local and overseas employment.

For instance, it scheduled for this month a local recruitment activity for the staffing of a popular appliance center.

Earlier, it held a Special Recruitment Activity for job opportunities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar., the statement said.

According to the NEDA, availability of jobs and economic opportunities would go a long way in “reducing the motivation of people to live in informal settlements.”

IN BRIEF

Virus scare delays power inspections

THE Energy Regulatory Commission said the 2019 novel coronavirus scare affected the schedule of site inspections for permitting requirements.

“We have schedules, but we need to be concerned over the effects of Ncov because everybody is concerned about that. So, in areas where the government has identified that there is a possibility of the spread of the virus, we can, to our level―defer the inspection until better times but it does not mean that these plants will not be able to go online considering the acute supply,” ERC chairperson Agnes Devanadera said.

The Luzon grid is facing possible red alerts in several weeks in April and May as the grid needs 256 megawatts to 821 MW to prevent red and yellow alerts, based on the Energy Department’s 2020 Power Outlook.

“Now, we can see that the coronavirus is affecting the movements of people especially. Even trainings that we’re supposed to send our people to, is being put on hold. At least for the first quarter, we will not send people for trainings abroad,” Devanadera said.

“Eventually, on-site hearings may also be affected by this health scare,” she said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

NEDA to approve TPLEX extension

THE Department of Public Works and Highways said it expects the National Economic and Development Authority board to approve the proposal of San Miguel Corp. to extend Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway to San Juan, La Union in the first quarter.

“We plan to get approval from NEDA to approve it by first quarter,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

The agency earlier granted an original proponent status to San Miguel Holdings Inc. which offered to build the P23.95-billion TPLEX extension to San Juan.

San Miguel’s unsolicited project involves a 59.4-kilometer four-lane toll road from the exit of TPLEX in Rosario to San Juan. The Rosario section of the expressway is expected to be completed this year, while its Pozorrubio section opened in December 2017.

The extension project would be divided into three segments, with the first segment spanning 18 km from Rosario to Tubao. The second segment will stretch 23 km from Tubao to Naguilian and the last segment will run 18.4 km from Naguilian to San Juan.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

By Julito G. Rada

T

HE Monetary Board, the policy-making body of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, on Thursday cut the overnight borrowing rate by 25 basis points to 3.75 percent on benign inflation environment.

BSP Governor and MB Chairman Benjamin Diokno said the interest rates on overnight lending and deposit facilities were also reduced by 25 bps to 4.25 percent and 3.25 percent, respectively.

“Latest baseline forecasts indicate a broadly steady path of inflation for 2020 and 2021, with average inflation remaining within the target range of 2 to 4 percent,” Diokno said.

Diokno said the risks to the inflation outlook continued to tilt slightly toward the upside in 2020 and toward the

downside in 2021.

“Upside risks to inflation over the near term emanate mainly from potential upward pressures on food prices owing in part to the African swine fever outbreak and tighter international supply of rice,” he said.

“Moreover, there continues to be the burden on the economy posed by the ongoing Taal Volcano eruption and the aftermath of typhoon Tisoy,” he said.

Diokno said the uncertainty over the trade and economic policies in major economies continued to weigh down on global de2mand, thus mitigating upward pressures on commodity prices.

The last time the board cut the benchmark rate was in September 2019 meeting, also with a 25-bps adjustment to 4 percent.

BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila said the MB revised slightly upward the inflation forecast this year to

an average of 3 percent from the previous estimate of 2.9 percent.

Inflation quickened to an eight-month high of 2.9 percent in January.

The Department of Finance said inflation remained manageable but there was a need to boost food supply to reduce pressures on consumer prices.

“The price uptick is well within the 2 to 4 percent target for the year,” the department said in an economic bulletin. It said that “food supply needs to be scaled up to reduce inflationary pressures.”

It said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez discussed with Agriculture Secretary William Dar the need to adopt measures to boost food supply especially now that the open season for fish has started.

The agency said the downtrend in crude oil prices starting January could slow down inflation in the succeeding months.

TECPLATA, a unit of International Container Terminal Services Inc. in Argentina, signed an agreement with Evergreen Marine Corp.

Taiwan Ltd. to start of a new service to Asia and the Far East.

ICTSI said under the agreement with the Taiwanese shipping line, TecPlata takes a further step in its consolidation as an alternative port in Buenos Aires for Argentine companies seeking competitive options for their exports and imports while taking advantage of TecPlata’s high-quality service and modern facilities.

TecPlata, which began operations with the Brazilian shipping line LogIn in April 2019, will enhance with Evergreen the services for Argentine foreign trade operators who will now have the possibility to quote directly a shipment to Asia and the Far East from and to La Plata.

Evergreen will carry out this new service in collaboration with LogIn, connecting with the largest ports in China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, India and others in Southeast Asia.

TecPlata S.A. was granted a 30-year concession to build and operate an all-purpose port terminal in the greater Buenos Aires area in Argentina by the Consorcio de Gestion del Puerto La Plata in October 2008. Built with an investment of $450 million, TecPlata is Argentina’s most modern container terminal with an initial capacity of 450,000 twentyfoot equivalent units and capable of being extended of up to 1 million TEUs in the second phase. Darwin G. Amojelar

BANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Thursday the 2019 novel coronavirus that originated in China but spread to several countries across the world will likely reduce Philippine economic growth this year by 0.3 percent.

Diokno, however, said the country’s macroeconomic fundamentals remained solid and strong to weather potential headwinds from global and domestic fronts.

“The impact could be something like 0.3 percent. If for example 6.5 percent [growth target], minus 0.3 percent. Because this virus is less deadly than the previous ones,” Diokno said at the sidelines of the Management Association of the Philippines general membership meeting in Taguig City.

Diokno was referring to the impact of other recent pandemics, such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003 and Middle East respiratory syndromerelated coronavirus in 2012.

Diokno said the 0.3-percent GDP growth reduction due to nCoV would be felt in the first half, including 0.2 percent in the first quarter and 0.4 percent in the second quarter.

He said the tourism sector could be significantly affected because of the travel ban imposed to and from China.

Diokno said the Philippines’ external trade would not be significantly affected because “we are not an exporting country.”

Local health authorities confirmed three cases of novel coronavirus and one of them died while being admitted at San Lazaro Hospital in Manila. All infected patients are Chinese nationals―a couple and a 60-year-old woman.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said in a Senate hearing 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” Julito G. Rada

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

B1

BSP reduces borrowing rate by 25 bps to 3.75%

ICTSI unit signs deal with Evergreen

Diokno says nCoV likely to cut growth by 0.3% in 2019

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

PSBANK BONDS. Philippine Savings Bank returns to the organized secondary fixed-income market for the listing of three-year P4.65-billion fixed rate bonds—the second tranche of the bank’s P40-billion bond program. The bonds were priced at 4.50 percent per annum, with interests to be paid on a quarterly basis. Attending the bond-listing ceremony are (from left) First Metro Investment Corp. president Rabboni Francis Arjonillo, Standard Chartered Bank chief executive Lynette Ortiz, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company first vice president Benigno Tobias, PSBank senior vice president and treasurer Perfecto Ramon Dimayuga Jr. and Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. president and COO Antonino Nakpil.

DEVANADERA

February power rates dropped P0.59 per kWh, says Meralco

By Alena Mae S. Flores RESIDENTIAL consumers of power retailer Manila Electric Co. will enjoy a rate reduction of P0.59 per kilowatthour or P118 in a typical household’s bill for February.

Meralco said the overall rate for a typical household consuming 200 kWh fell to its lowest level in two years to P8.8623 per kWh from P9.4523 per kWh in January.

This is also Meralco’s second monthly consecutive price reduction due to lower generation charges following the implementation of new power supply agreements.

Meralco said power rates dropped by P1 per kWh in the first two months of the year, or against the five-year trend in which February rates move upward with price normalization after the reconciliation of outage allowances.

“These PSAs were secured after a successful competitive selection process under the guidance of the Department of Energy and the expeditious provisional approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission,” Meralco said.

ERC Chairman Agnes Devanadera earlier said the agency would ensure that PSAs between distribution utilities and generation companies would result in the least cost for consumers.

Generation charges decreased by P0.3949 per kWh in February to P4.5090 per kWh from P4.9039 per kWh in January.

Meralco said the new baseload PSAs―with San Miguel Energy Corp., South Premiere Power Corp. and AC Energy Inc. registered significantly lower average generation cost of P4.0372 per kWh and contributed 21 percent to Meralco’s supply requirements.

Charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor of electricity also decreased in February, because of lower power demand and improved supply condition in the Luzon grid.

San Miguel taps six foreign banks to underwrite $3-b notes

By Jenniffer B. Austria CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp. said it tapped six foreign banks to act as underwriters of the planned notes issuance under its $3-billion medium-term note program.

San Miguel said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it hired Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd., Credit Suisse (Singapore) Ltd., DBS Bank Ltd., Mizuho Securities Asia Ltd., Standard Chartered Bank and UBS AG Singapore Branch as initial dealers.

The conglomerate announced in December it planned to return to the onshore debt market with the establishment of a MTNP amounting to $3 billion to fund its massive infrastructure projects.

Under the MTNP, San Miguel may, from time to time, issue notes or perpetual capital securities in series or in tranches, denominated in US dollar or any other currency agreed upon by the company and the underwriters.

“As previously disclosed, the net proceeds from the issuance of the instruments will be used by the corporation

to finance its investments and various projects, to refinance obligations and for general corporate purposes,” the conglomerate said.

The planned notes offering will be listed with the Singapore Exchange Securities.

San Miguel said it also approved the issuance of $500 million worth of perpetual securities out of the program and the filing of P60 billion shelf registration of short-term commercial papers.

San Miguel said the P60-billion shelf registration of commercial papers received a rating of PRA Aaa with a stable outlook

from Philippine Rating Services Corp.

PRS Aaa is the highest credit rating on PhilRatings’ long-term issue credit rating scale. Obligations rated PRS Aaa are of the highest quality with minimal credit risk. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

PhilRatings considered the conglomerate’s well-entrenched market leadership and solid track record of subsidiaries, backed by stable demand that is expected to receive further boost from a growing domestic economy.

Ayala grants Razon majority 51% voting interest in Manila Water

METROBANK MERGER. The Securities and Exchange Commission approves the merger of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. and Metrobank Card Corp. With the merger in effect, the bank strengthens its retail capabilities, allowing for a more efficient approach in servicing customers’ evolving financial needs. Announcing the merger are Metrobank president Fabian Dee (right) and cards and personal credit sector head Ramon Del Rosario.

PORT and casino tycoon Enrique Razon Jr. is getting a majority 51-percent voting interest in Manila Water Co. Inc., the water concessionaire led by the Ayala Group.

Ayala Corp. said in a disclosure to the stock exchange subsidiary Philwater Holdings Company Inc. granted proxy rights to Razon’s Trident Water to enable the latter to achieve 51-percent voting interest in Manila Water.

Philwater owns 4 billion of preferred shares in Manila Water, representing 65.95-percent of voting shares in the water utility firm. Upon the grant of proxy rights to Trident Water, Ayala Corp.’s effective voting interest in Manila Water will stand at 31.6 percent.

“The shareholders’ agreement will become effective after the closing of the subscription agreement, which will occur after certain conditions are met, including required lenders’ con-

sent and regulatory approvals,” Ayala Corp. said.

“This arrangement aims to strategically rationalize the economic and voting stakes between Ayala and Trident Water as strategic partners in Manila Water,” it said.

Ayala Corp. will still have the largest economic interest of 38.6 percent in Manila Water, compared to Razon’s 25 percent.

Ayala Corp. said Monday Razon’s group agreed to acquire a 25-percent stake in Manila Water for P10.7 billion. Under the agreement, Razon will buy 820 million common shares of the utility firm at P13 per share.

The entry of Razon as a strategic investor is expected to bolster the company’s ability to provide reliable, efficient and sustainable water and wastewater services in the East zone and pursue growth initiatives both domestically and globally. Jenniffer B. Austria

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Business

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks surge; Manila Water rallies T HE stock market jumped for the third straight day Thursday, joining the rest of Asia as investors bought oversold stocks that earlier sent the benchmark index to over-ayear low.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index surged 153.66 points, or 2.1 percent, to 7,506.51 on a value turnover of P7 billion. Gainers beat losers, 115 to 70, with 46 issues unchanged.

Manila Water Co. Inc. extended its rally, advancing 9.8 percent to P14.96, while SM Prime Holdings Inc. of the Sy Group climbed 5.9 percent to P41.95.

Manila Electric Co., the biggest retailer of electricity, rose 5.9 percent to P291, while PLDT Inc., the largest telecommunications firm, increased 4.1 per-

cent to P1,093.

Asian markets rallied again Thursday despite the China virus claiming hundreds of lives and infecting tens of thousands, with investors welcoming strong US jobs data and Beijing’s decision to slash levies on US imports.

Equities gained across the board on building optimism that the outbreak, which has spread to more than 20 countries, can be contained and the economic impact limited.

After last week’s big losses, and a near eight-percent drop in Shanghai on Monday, observers said traders have been coming back on relatively low valuations, with reasonably healthy earnings reports also providing much-needed support.

Analysts generally have expressed confidence the illness will be largely contained to China and the economic harm will not be lasting.

Huge cash injections by the Chinese central bank into the country’s financial markets

have also soothed investor concerns.

“The markets are not only holding up, but they’re going up,” said AxiCorp analyst Stephen Innes. “And to suggest risk appetite continues to ‘creep’ back in favor might be the biggest understatement of the week as equity markets just burst higher.”

He added that while the World Health Organization has played down reports that a cure might soon be developed, “any progress on treatment may also be a comfort to investors that the longer-term secondary effects of the outbreak are contained.”

In afternoon trade, Hong Kong— which lost almost six percent last week—surged 2.6 percent, having risen about as much over the two days previously. Shanghai ended 1.7 percent higher and Tokyo climbed 2.4 percent.

Seoul rallied 2.8 percent, Sydney climbed 1.1 percent and Taipei piled on 1.5 percent, with Mumbai, Bangkok and Jakarta also well up.

Markets cheered China’s announcement that it would halve levies on $75 billion worth of US imports after the two last month signed their mini trade deal that dialed down a long-running and painful trade war.

The move is aimed at “promoting the healthy and stable development of China-US economic and trade relations,” the State Council Tariff Commission said in a statement.

Until last week’s virus-linked selloff, markets had been enjoying a bright start to the year because of the agreement, which paused the tense standoff between the world’s top two economies that had damaged global growth.

Investors were already on a roll with another surge on Wall Street where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq chalked up new records after figures showed private firms added a forecast-smashing 291,000 new jobs last month, marking the biggest gain since December 2014. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review thurSday, FeBruary 6, 2020

OPEN

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

53.85 85 152.5 0.85 25.1 7.02 18.12 11.12 869.5 0.385 60 0.75 12 31.7 176 110.1 51.5 20.65 176 1,887 60

53.85 85.95 153 0.85 25.1 8.47 18.48 11.4 869.5 0.385 61.55 0.79 12 32 177 110.1 51.75 20.7 179.9 1,887 60

50.8 84.55 150.6 0.81 25 7.02 18.1 11.12 869.5 0.385 60 0.75 11.9 31.5 176 110.1 51.5 20.65 176 1,830 59.1

FINANCIALS 53.25 480 85.5 1,562,480 153 1,731,720 0.81 42,000 25 473,100 8.47 200 18.1 3,800 11.32 67,000 869.5 10 0.385 70,000 61.55 2,325,010 0.79 137,000 11.9 60,000 31.6 136,400 176 310 110.1 50 51.75 620 20.7 13,000 179 267,470 1,830 20 59.95 4,120

25,547 133,297,028.50 263,236,446 34,290 11,833,900 1,549 68,876 761,364 8,695 26,950 142,029,543 106,670 719,020 4,331,105 54,829 5,505 32,030 268,690 47,808,032 37,170 245,269.50

-1,065 8,509,519.50 160,822,721 4,050 18,120 -36,220 18,626,772.50 17,250 -1,253,905 5,280 -268,690 8,735,019 -

ABOITIZ POWER AC ENERGY AGRINURTURE ALLIANCE SELECT ALSONS CONS AXELUM BASIC ENERGY CEMEX HLDG CENTURY FOOD CIRTEK HLDG CONCEPCION CONCRETE A 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 LIBERTY FLOUR LMG CHEMICALS MABUHAY VINYL MACAY HLDG MANILA WATER MAXS GROUP MEGAWIDE MERALCO MG HLDG PEPSI COLA PETROENERGY PETRON PHINMA PHX PETROLEUM PILIPINAS SHELL PRYCE CORP RFM CORP ROXAS AND CO SFA SEMICON SHAKEYS PIZZA SMC FOODANDBEV SPC POWER SWIFT FOODS TKC METALS UNIV ROBINA VITARICH VULCAN INDL

32.3 2.18 12.06 0.59 1.2 3.16 0.21 1.45 15 10.06 30.1 59 2.09 4.6 8.9 12.06 8.51 7.34 2.15 21.35 67.4 1.95 36.45 1.91 10.1 6.81 1.3 190.8 27.05 4.85 3.29 6.84 13.58 10.06 14.78 275 0.179 1.75 4.08 3.5 9.96 11.84 30.6 4.7 5.29 1.67 1.38 9.11 77 9.2 0.116 0.99 153 1.17 0.98

33.2 2.19 12.06 0.59 1.25 3.23 0.222 1.52 15.1 11 30.1 59 2.11 4.88 9.08 12.2 8.99 7.34 2.16 21.45 67.4 2 36.5 1.91 10.44 6.95 1.42 194.3 27.05 4.85 3.29 6.84 14.96 10.12 14.78 291 0.179 1.81 4.09 3.59 9.96 11.84 30.85 4.75 5.29 1.67 1.43 9.3 77.55 9.29 0.116 0.99 156.9 1.2 1.08

32.3 2.14 6.94 0.56 1.2 3.01 0.21 1.45 15 9.87 30.05 59 2.09 4.46 8.9 12.06 8.5 7.25 1.97 21 66.65 1.87 36.45 1.79 9.96 6.66 1.3 190.8 27.05 4.5 3.29 6.53 13.3 9.97 14.3 275 0.179 1.75 4.08 3.5 9.8 11.56 29.85 4.7 5.29 1.62 1.3 9.11 75.1 9.1 0.115 0.92 152 1.16 0.98

INDUSTRIAL 33 853,100 2.16 1,887,000 7.5 6,995,000 0.59 983,000 1.25 3,000 3.14 6,629,000 0.22 740,000 1.51 8,373,000 15 940,800 10.7 5,459,600 30.05 700 59 100 2.11 65,000 4.7 57,000 8.95 2,019,000 12.08 75,200 8.55 3,733,100 7.25 8,446,800 2.03 643,000 21.2 659,300 66.65 48,990 1.87 91,169,000 36.5 200 1.8 6,690,000 10 1,803,100 6.77 257,700 1.31 1,073,000 191.9 1,475,450 27.05 100 4.5 31,000 3.29 1,000 6.53 1,100 14.96 21,082,700 9.98 170,800 14.3 464,200 291 263,080 0.179 960,000 1.8 3,978,000 4.09 36,000 3.5 795,000 9.94 9,000 11.84 76,400 30.65 125,300 4.71 22,000 5.29 200 1.66 123,000 1.33 5,961,000 9.22 97,600 77.35 65,920 9.1 52,000 0.115 1,460,000 0.94 129,000 156.8 1,124,870 1.17 3,840,000 1.03 6,483,000

28,053,405 4,092,180 58,780,634 569,360 3,650 20,786,180 160,790 12,544,810 14,116,336 57,876,273 21,055 5,900 136,250 262,660 18,119,301 912,962 31,909,372 61,241,562 1,308,970 14,043,755 3,273,824 177,558,240 7,295 12,218,010 18,046,540 1,740,171 1,461,640 283,107,244 2,705 144,530 3,290 7,214 301,292,068 1,708,276 6,670,906 75,428,152 171,840 7,136,540 147,090 2,802,890 89,146 901,540 3,820,520 103,720 1,058 201,510 8,107,050 903,082 5,043,103 480,840 167,960 121,540 174,076,328 4,526,180 6,731,330

578,545 265,320 -35,162,896 1,590,460 -2,060,760 12,679,684 1,935,039 -21,100 46,080 3,410,288 -891,116 -31,362,683 44,195,485 -21,600 -10,009,180 378,792.50 9,109,260 -4,822,570 -1,809,260 0 -98,499,138 -3,290 55,084,460 -455,619 -3,548,730 29,838,570 171,840 2,789,100 258,780 -66,164 -1,041,170 11,250 -622,239 -1,652,706.50 11,056.00 28,004,468 -47,200 205,850

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

0.88 51.25 10.46 0.68 6.2 10.38 0.89 748.5 2.66 6.58 6.19 0.218 725 72.7 0.5 3.72 10.2 0.57 3.27 5 1.14 132.2 1,000 0.78 1.1 185 176 0.21 0.195

0.9 52.4 10.62 0.69 6.2 10.4 0.91 761 2.77 6.58 6.27 0.239 740 74.75 0.5 3.84 10.56 0.59 3.29 5 1.18 138 1,014 0.84 1.18 185 176 0.225 0.199

0.87 51.15 10.44 0.67 6.01 10 0.88 745.5 2.66 6.32 6.12 0.218 717.5 72.55 0.485 3.72 10.2 0.55 3.19 4.7 1.11 132.2 996 0.78 1.09 185 170 0.206 0.195

HOLDING FIRMS 0.88 9,004,000 52.4 419,450 10.5 6,977,000 0.67 148,000 6.2 333,600 10.24 16,400 0.91 287,000 760 479,840 2.77 1,012,000 6.5 125,800 6.19 3,593,200 0.222 780,000 740 321,460 74.75 902,570 0.5 69,000 3.72 18,000 10.48 4,524,200 0.59 424,000 3.21 50,718,000 4.99 12,800 1.18 395,000 132.3 119,740 1,000 1,339,330 0.82 379,000 1.18 9,000 185 40 175.8 5,740 0.225 330,000 0.199 180,000

14.72 0.66 1.66 0.79 42 1.57 4.52 6.2 0.495 0.77 0.177 0.37 9 16.52 0.39 1.44 1.06 4.03 0.201 1.08 2.02 25.25 2.08

PROPERTY 14.84 375,000 0.67 636,000 1.68 38,000 0.81 783,000 43.35 9,796,400 1.59 1,018,000 4.55 159,000 6.2 103,500 0.5 1,912,000 0.77 5,000 0.185 7,100,000 0.375 150,000 9.04 11,200 17.34 299,500 0.4 430,000 1.45 24,541,000 1.06 215,000 4.05 24,823,000 0.201 7,010,000 1.11 1,160,000 2.04 480,000 25.9 807,900 2.08 186,000

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

14.72 0.67 1.66 0.8 42 1.57 4.52 6.66 0.5 0.77 0.177 0.37 9 16.52 0.39 1.46 1.06 4.08 0.205 1.09 2.04 25.5 2.08

14.84 0.68 1.68 0.81 43.35 1.61 4.58 6.66 0.51 0.77 0.185 0.375 9.2 17.34 0.4 1.46 1.06 4.11 0.21 1.14 2.06 25.9 2.09

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

NAME

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LOW

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VOLUME

VALUE

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

3.22 39.8 2.46 2.01 6.59 5.4

3.22 41.95 2.54 2.17 6.67 5.4

3.22 39.65 2.46 1.95 6.57 5.28

3.22 41.95 2.54 1.95 6.59 5.29

30,000 9,637,400 446,000 32,709,000 1,177,500 92,000

96,600 395,725,350 1,129,180 67,624,880 7,770,939 488,238

-64,400 146,209,375 -3,515,200 525,565 -

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

9.7 17.74 1.35 10 0.375 0.049 17.5 2.63 9 80 6.52 4.91 4.13 7.6 890.5 1,963 5.23 424 1.18 1.56 128.7 8.99 6.49 0.101 3.05 2.2 0.96 11.18 0.435 1.92 0.96 2.22 2.09 7.3 2.93 4.55 8.97 145 3.65 1,050 0.5 0.33 38.5 75.75 8.99 2.25 0.62 0.25 0.59 18.88

9.7 17.74 1.4 10.16 0.405 0.049 17.5 2.65 9.1 84 6.52 4.95 4.24 7.97 890.5 1,998 5.29 430 1.24 1.62 129.4 9.19 6.49 0.103 3.05 2.2 0.98 11.24 0.435 1.92 1.02 2.28 2.1 7.4 2.96 4.55 8.97 145 4.03 1,109 0.5 0.345 38.8 77.6 8.99 2.3 0.62 0.26 0.6 18.88

8.95 17.32 1.35 9.96 0.375 0.047 17.5 2.61 8.94 80 6.51 4.82 4 7.36 890 1,962 5.23 424 1.16 1.56 127 8.99 6.49 0.101 2.73 2.16 0.96 10.3 0.405 1.87 0.95 2.19 2.04 7.1 2.93 4.55 8 144 3.65 1,041 0.495 0.33 38.2 75.75 8.99 2.23 0.59 0.245 0.59 18.24

SERVICES 9 17.5 1.4 10.1 0.39 0.049 17.5 2.63 9.02 82.3 6.51 4.86 4.24 7.5 890.5 1,990 5.28 424 1.23 1.62 127.6 9.19 6.49 0.103 2.74 2.16 0.98 10.48 0.435 1.9 1.02 2.21 2.1 7.2 2.96 4.55 8 145 3.84 1,093 0.495 0.335 38.5 77.6 8.99 2.23 0.6 0.25 0.59 18.54

48,900 136,000 2,000 1,953,300 1,970,000 11,500,000 2,200 190,000 10,567,400 69,210 5,000 1,472,000 75,000 43,800 1,250 21,935 25,700 2,840 1,228,000 23,000 1,107,130 4,100 1,300 1,010,000 47,706,000 475,000 2,000 3,868,000 710,000 1,230,000 12,000 1,391,000 60,000 8,700 2,000 5,000 3,400 196,180 6,457,000 224,960 1,870,000 5,650,000 3,713,400 413,980 18,600 1,433,000 5,332,000 3,120,000 147,000 1,334,500

442,645 2,382,700 2,750 19,557,666 768,600 561,600 38,500 500,430 95,281,558 5,684,787 32,579 7,226,860 314,100 327,011 1,112,550 43,560,300 135,592 1,204,526 1,480,220 37,140 141,425,344 36,899 8,437 103,530 135,835,960 1,034,020 1,940 41,526,654 305,750 2,325,920 11,580 3,092,480 124,920 62,500 5,890 22,750 27,394 28,446,085 25,077,540 244,769,795 931,500 1,912,750 142,861,215 31,698,179.50 167,214 3,249,950 3,183,720 787,900 87,490 24,841,432

-406,630 -10,861,444 38,500 18,550 -1,443,616 972,847.50 18,908 299,800 -1,023,500 928,415 1,153,586 -97,900 -29,749,196 2,648,070 -2,131,744 -253,200 125,600.00 26,085 -367,030 -25,570,860 -334,650 -33,717,780 -19,750,248 84,510 -1,572,110 -921,860

8,861,800 4,551,965 522,150 94,650 8,912 1,328,250 13,500 24,152 1,522,280 33,820 282,000 55,060 15,600 60,880 14,006,490 55,010 9,000 63,000 72,600 110,000 495,860 1,493,642 6,450,775 66,200

18,300 -28,525 4,040 -11,650 5,770 -4,004,830 -4,120 40,000 -4,426,600 60,700 -2,478,176 -108,900 -10,500 11,979 -

MS 7,951,500 21,867,038 73,296,842 100,090 2,045,041 167,174 257,020 361,620,955 2,781,070 808,703 22,233,695 174,000 234,727,610 66,872,553.50 33,945 67,080 47,315,548 7 236,580 164,175,460 61,049 464,090 16,057,830 1,345,082,952.50 304,510 9,950 7,400 994,538 69,160 35,300

-1,361,700 3,706,624.50 11,476,640 371,671 79,699,590 -291,360 153,784 -4,659,187 44,567,465 9,408,550.50 -3,720 ,301,314.0004 -23,575,790 -54,590 -8,912,688 938,462,252.50 -8,770 -354,736 -9,750

5,524,552 426,100 63,660 625,480 416,599,530 1,625,210 723,670 641,889 954,350 3,850 1,262,430 56,000 102,022 5,160,696 167,800 35,585,320 227,900 100,865,310 22 1,423,790 1,278,670 975,280 20,662,905 386,980

668,402 146,970,005 -394,380 50,050 -35,000 -4,520.00 838,602 -34,287,130 ,537,679.9999 40,200 103,790.00 -12,282,375 -

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

OPEN

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

0.0015 7.61 1.01 2.34 11.68 2.99 0.27 6.54 1.45 0.203 0.094 0.095 0.0078 0.76 2.71 1.03 0.45 0.68 0.011 0.011 2.88 8.64 20.5 0.0055

0.0017 7.9 1.04 2.4 11.68 3.04 0.27 6.79 1.49 0.203 0.094 0.095 0.0078 0.79 2.84 1.03 0.45 0.68 0.011 0.011 2.9 8.9 20.6 0.0056

0.0015 7.45 1 2.3 11 2.99 0.27 6.53 1.43 0.198 0.094 0.091 0.0078 0.76 2.71 0.99 0.45 0.67 0.011 0.011 2.83 8.64 20.3 0.0055

MINING & OIL 0.0016 5,633,000,000 7.65 602,500 1.01 516,000 2.35 40,000 11.44 800 3.02 439,000 0.27 50,000 6.53 3,600 1.47 1,040,000 0.199 170,000 0.094 3,000,000 0.095 580,000 0.0078 2,000,000 0.78 78,000 2.78 5,010,000 1.03 55,000 0.45 20,000 0.67 94,000 0.011 6,600,000 0.011 10,000,000 2.85 174,000 8.7 170,800 20.35 316,600 0.0056 12,000,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A DD PREF GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

15.7 505 495 101 100.8 5.15 990 100 100 1,050 1,061 108.9 1,037 1,000 77 76 75.05 75.9

16.12 505 495 101 101 5.15 990 100 100.5 1,050 1,061 108.9 1,037 1,000 77 76.1 75.3 76

15.6 505 495 101 100.8 5.1 990 100 100 1,050 1,061 108.9 1,033 1,000 77 76 75 75.8

PREFERRED 15.7 163,300 505 60 495 240 101 500 100.9 38,040 5.1 55,000 990 1,000 100 10,500 100.1 26,200 1,050 1,010 1,061 50 108.9 500 1,033 795 1,000 1,010 77 8,110 76 62,400 75 268,050 76 91,800

2,569,340 30,300 118,800 50,500 3,836,056 283,005 990,000 1,050,000 2,629,010 1,060,500 53,050 54,450 823,235 1,010,000 624,470 4,742,500 20,104,690 6,973,820

LR WARRANT

1.08

1.19

1.07

WARRANTS 1.18 32,000

34,930

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

3.54 9.63 0.81

3.68 10 0.82

3.51 9.63 0.8

3.61 9.89 0.81

FIRST METRO ETF

110.8

112.4

110.8

Trading Summary FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS PROPERTY SERVICES

SHARES 7,467,679

198,469,955 87,407,361 128,246,010 124,690,757

MINING & OIL

5,675,974,581

GRAND TOTAL

6,223,653,692

SME

141,000 113,000 1,124,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 111.9 15,460

-

500,540 1,106,579 905,710

19,479 55,450

1,727,415

22,422

VALUE 1,784.38(UP) 25.59 691,351,667.04 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 9,384.98 (UP) 170.80 1,428,827,287.76 HOLDING FIRMS 7,172.04 (UP) 91.65 2,510,047,662.47 PROPERTY 4,027.00 (UP) 152.97 1,510.58 (UP) 16.99 1,155,857,596.07 SERVICES MINING & OIL 7,369.45 (UP) 68.46 1,210,129,692.61 PSEI 7,506.51 (UP) 153.66 40,204,295.67 All Shares Index 4,422.72 (UP) 68.47 7,040,669,146.62 Gainers: 115; Losers: 70; Unchanged: 46; Total: 231

Anchor Land sees revenues of P13.1b from Binondo condo

By Jenniffer B. Austria BOUTIQUE property developer Anchor Land Holdings Inc. expects to generate P13.1 billion from the newlylaunched One Legacy Grandsuites, a 69-story residential development on Benavidez Street in Binondo, Manila.

Anchor Land said in a statement it recently broke ground on One Legacy Grandsuites, the company’s 10th residential project in Binondo, It is the first skyscraper to rise along Benavidez Street that stretches right at the heart of Manila Chinatown. It is parallel to Masangkay Street, where the prestigious Chinese schools are found.

The luxury residential project offers condo units with two to five bedrooms, and bi-level condo units with four to five bedrooms.

Each residential floor will have only eight to 10 units, with access to seven passenger and one service elevators.

“Residents of One Legacy Grandsuites are bound to experience the new heights of leisure, wellness and entertainment through a wide range of amenities set in two floors,” Anchor Land said.

The 10th floor will have a gym with sweeping views of the city, adjacent to a yoga area and a badminton court; an entertainment area with KTV rooms and a billiard room; a lawn next to a barbecue place and sunken sofa; a children’s reading room; a kid’s play area; pool areas for children and adults; and a bar.

Other amenities include the Zen square in the middle of the entertainment area, the fountain plaza between the gym and the children’s reading room, and the glass lounge that hangs above the 30-meter pool area.

Meanwhile, the 69th amenity floor will have function and meeting rooms, and a sky bar with an overlooking view of the city.

The residential development is walking distance to Soler Street where Manila Chinatown’s popular shopping centers, like 168 Shopping Mall and 999 Shopping Mall, are found, and the wellstocked and vibrant Arranque Market along Recto Ave.

RFM increased net income by 10% to P1.22b in 2019

By Alena Mae S. Flores RFM Corp. on Thursday reported a 10-percent rise in net income to P1.22 billion in 2019 on the back of a ninepercent increase in revenues to P15 billion.

The board of RFM also approved a cash dividend of P366 million, or P0.106 per share, to shareholders of record as of February 19, 2020, with payment date set on March 17, 2020.

“RFM usually dividends out 50 percent of its net income in two tranches in the first and third quarter. For the income of 2019, RFM is looking at a higher payout rate of 60 percent due to the accumulation of cash and strength of the RFM balance sheet arising from the continuing growth of Selecta Ice Cream, Selecta Milk, RFM Flour as well as Royal and Fiesta Pasta and Sauces,” RFM president and chief executive officer Jose Ma. A. Concepcion III said in a statement.

“Even if we pay out 60 percent of 2019 income, the company still has ample liquidity notwithstanding that RFM has invested P1.7 billion in capex in the previous years to expand or upgrade its ice cream, milk, pasta and flour production as well as warehousing capabilities,” Concepcion said.

He said RFM’s Selecta Fortified Milk led the expansion in sales along with Selecta Ice Cream.

“Our Selecta Fortified Milk is our way of providing affordable and ready-to-drink milk to the Filipino family. Over time, we hope to contribute to a healthier populace thru our RTD milk products. At the same time, our affordable Selecta ice cream products continue to lead the category and provide livelihood to big and small retailers including the thousands of sari sari stores across the country,” he said.

RFM’s institutional bread and flour businesses also saw banner years, along with the Royal and Fiesta pasta brands.

“For 2020, we plan to sustain the growth of our key brands and businesses in light of the strong economic momentum and consumer income growth,” Concepcion said.

Sports Hawks get Capela in 12-player, 4-team deal LOS ANGELES—Swiss center Clint Capela moved from the Houston Rockets to the Atlanta Hawks as part of a reported massive 12-player, fourteam deal ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.

Multiple reports Wednesday outlined a major talent swap involving the Rockets, Hawks, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves as clubs make final transfers to set rosters for fights to reach the playoffs or improve their chances at a title run.

In the deal, according to ESPN and The Athletic websites, the Rockets get 3-point shooting forward Robert Covington and forward Jordan Bell from the TWolves, adding an outside scoring threat to star guards James Harden, the NBA scoring leader, and Russell Westbrook.

Houston also landed a 2024 secondround NBA Draft pick.

Capela, who has been sidelined in the past few games with a sore heel, and Brazilian big man Nene went from the Rockets to Atlanta, which was looking for centers.

The Nuggets obtained Keita BatesDiop, Shabazz Napier and Noah Vonleh from Minnesota plus injured Rocket Gerald Green and Houston’s 2020 firstroun NBA Draft pick.

Minnesota obtains Denver’s Malik Beasley, Juancho Hernangomez—a Spanish forward—and Jarred Vanderbilt plus Atlanta’s Evan Turner and a 2020 NBA Draft first-round pick from the Hawks.

ESPN reported the Hawks will release forward Chandler Parsons to create the roster space needed to complete the massive deal.

The Houston Chronicle reported that the deal might not be finalized until the NBA trade deadline and could yet be expanded to include other teams interested in assets as part of deals with the clubs or players involved.

Houston will have wing talent that can hit from the outside and bolster the defensive side for the Rockets, while Atlanta All-Star guard Trae Young now has multiple big men to partner with inside.

Covington averages 12.8 points and 6.0 rebounds this season while hitting an average of 2.3 3-pointers a game, shooting at 34.6 percent from beyond the arc this season and 35.8 percent for his career.

Capela, 25, is averaging 13.9 points and a career-high 13.8 rebounds a game.

The Rockets also seek a center to utilize in specific situations against Western Conference big men such as Utah’s Rudy Gobert or Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, but Houston will play a small and fast lineup much of the time.

Manila

Standard

Ibaka lifts Raptors past Pacers

L

OS ANGELES—Spanish center Serge Ibaka scored a season-high 30 points and powered the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors to a club-record 12th consecutive triumph on Wednesday by beating Indiana 119-118.

The 30-year-old Congo-born big man sank a go-ahead 3-pointer with 30 seconds remaining to cap a game-ending 11-0 Raptors run as the Raptors rallied from a 19-point third-quarter deficit.

“The key is we keep our composure during the game. We just didn’t give up. We kept digging and digging,” Ibaka said.

“We have the mindset of ‘Don’t give up.’ We don’t point the fingers when things go bad. We stay together and I think that’s what makes us special.”

Raptors guard Kyle Lowry scored 32 points, passed out 10 assists and grabbed eight rebounds while Cameroonian star Pascal Siakam added 25 points and nine rebounds for the reigning NBA champions.

Toronto, which trailed 69-50 early in the third quarter, improved the third-best record in the NBA to 37-14.

Ibaka, who won his first NBA title with Toronto last year in his 10th league campaign, was bolstered by Raptors coach Nick Nurse to keep firing 3-pointers even though he was only 1-for-7 from beyond the arc until hitting the decider.

“I missed a couple open threes earlier.

Coach told me keep shooting with confidence and moving the ball,” Ibaka said.

“That gave me a lot of confidence.”

Nurse likes what he has seen lately from Ibaka, saying: “He is getting better.

He has been really good. He’s way more than pick, pop and shoot.”

Paul George and reserve guard Landry Shamet each scored 23 points to lead eight double-figure scorers from the Los Angeles Clippers in a 128-111 home victory over Miami.

Heat star forward Jimmy Butler left after scoring 11 points in 26 minutes

with a strained right shoulder.

Serbian center Nikola Jokic’s triple double of 30 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists sparked the Denver Nuggets over host Utah 98-95, although Jamal Murray led the visitors with 31 points.

Jokic hit a go-ahead jumper with 59 seconds remaining and Murray sank two free throws with five seconds to play while Utah’s Bojan Bogdanovic missed a 3-pointer at the final buzzer.

Jayson Tatum netted 33 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics over visiting Orlando 116-100. Frenchman Evan Fournier led the Magic with 26 points.

Atlanta All-Star guard Trae Young scored 32 points and passed off 11 assists to power the Atlanta Hawks over host Minnesota 127120, dealing the Timberwolves a 13th consecutive defeat.

German guard Dennis Schroder scored 30 points off the bench to

power Oklahoma City over visiting Cleveland 109-103.

Andre Drummond scored 31 points and grabbed 19 rebounds while Reggie Jackson added 25 points to lead Detroit over visiting Phoenix 116-108.

Brooklyn’s Caris Levert had 23 points and eight assists in the Nets’ 129-88 rout of visiting Golden State. AFP REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 95, QUEZON CITY HENS REALTY CORPORATION, Plaintiff, -versus-

CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-19-09274-CV

LAS BUENAS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Defendants. x----------------------------------------------x

SUMMONS TO

: LAS BUENAS DEVELOPMENT CORP. No. 44 Amorsolo Street North Susana Executive Village Commonwealth, Quezon City

GREETINGS: You are hereby required, within fifteen (15) days after service of this Summons upon you, to file with this Court and serve on the plaintiff you answer to the complaint, copy of which is attached, together with annexes. You are reminded of the provisions in the IBP-OCA. Memorandum on Policy guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses in the Answer.

If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and may be granted the relief applied for in the complaint.

Witness the Honorable EDGARDO B. BELLOSILLO, Presiding Judge of this Court this 10th day of JULY 2019 at Quezon City, Philippines.

(Sgd.) Steve Hanzel D. De Jesus OIC-Legal Researcher

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 95, QUEZON CITY HENS REALTY CORPORATION, Plaintiff, -versus-

CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-19-09274-CV

LAS BUENAS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, Defendants. x----------------------------------------------x

ORDER Submitted for resolution is the plaintiff’s Ex-Parte Motion for Leave of Court for Publication of Summons.

In the motion, plaintiff aver that summons for defendant Las Buenas Development Corporation was not served for the reason that said defendant was no longer residing at the given address since year 2014 as per Sheriff’s report.

Likewise, the plaintiff has no personal knowledge as regards the new address or whereabouts of the defendant.

Upon considerations, the court resolves to grant the motion.

As prayed for, the plaintiff is allowed to serve summons to defendant by publication.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Philippines, October 28, 2019.

NTT’s Max Walscheid celebrates as he moves past the finish line.

German rules Langkawi Genting Criterium

By Charles Dantes KOTA KINABALU--The 25th Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi officially hit the road, with the NTT Pro cycling team taking the Resorts World Genting Criterium International yesterday, here.

NTT’s Max Walscheid snatched the win in the bunched sprint, besting local hero Harrif Saleh of TSG Cycling and St. George’s Blake Quick.

The German clocked in an impres-

sive 1:42:00 in the 80-km loop race, while Saleh and Quick were just a fraction of a second behind at 1:42:01.

Walscheid, the tallest rider in the race with a height of 1.99meters, commended his team’s efforts.

“I think the key for today was that we rolled as a team and communicated well,” said Walscheid.

“I think we did a really good job overall.”

On Wednesday night, the 25th silver jubilee of the Le Tour de Langkawi was celebrated with the team

presentation in front of an appreciative cycling crowd here.

Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahatmir Mohamad showed strong support to the event, through a recorded video message, even as Minister of Youth and Sports Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman applauded the organizers for a job well-done.

The Resorts World Genting Criterium on Thursday, served as an undercard for the main Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi today in Kuching, Padang Merdaka.

Boxing Cup set

By Robert Louis Pangilinan

The Nationals Commissioner Darren Vitug and Smart Consumer Wireless Head Jane Basas join Mobile Legends esports athletes from PLDT-Smart Omega and Cignal Ultra Warriors for the country’s first ever esports exhibition match powered by Smart 5G. PLDT-Smart Omega edged out Cignal Ultra Warriors, 12-4, at the game held at the PLDT Building in Makati.

esports events, including DoTA 2, Mobile Legends and StarCraft 2.

Staunch esports advocate “We have always been a staunch supporter of this growing industry, and part of this commitment is making the best of our technologies available for the advancement of esports in the country,” said PLDT Chief Revenue Officer and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio.

During the SEA Games, Smart partnered with the Philippine national esports team Sibol and offered incentives for gold medalists. PLDT and Smart also

Serena...

From B4 out of six singles ties she has contested since her 2017 debut.

However, Japan, whose best Fed Cup run was a semi-final spot in 1996, have a tough task this weekend, facing Spain in La Manga.

The tie is on clay, easily playing into the comfort zone of a Spain team led by Carla Suarez Navarro, her nation’s top player in the absence of Australian Open runner-up Garbine Muguruza.

It will be an emotional week for 31-year-old Suarez Navarro as the world number 55 is in her final season as a professional, 12 years after her Fed Cup bow.

Spain are five-time champions, behind the USA (18), Czech

mounted a special 5G showcase at New Clark City to demonstrate to Filipino sports fans the exciting new applications made possible by 5G. “5G is very promising and I am very excited to know that it will be promising for The Nationals. The athletes would surely love the lower latency which would allow them to maximize their response times and teams will benefit from other use cases like instant download of replays and access of VODs for their reviews and strategy phases,” said Darren Vitug, Commissioner of The Nationals.

Republic (10) and Australia (seven) on the all-time list.

Olympics are Fed Cup factor

(Sgd.) EDGARDO B. BELLOSILLO Presiding Judge

Cc: Atty Elsa I. De Guzman Counsel for the Plaintiff

Smart sees mobile games benefitting from 5G 1st Kannawidan WHAT can people use 5G for? Analysts have been studying the various use cases for the super high-speed mobile internet that 5G can deliver and have churned out reports talking of various applications like AI-powered automation of factories and driverless cars.

But there’s a fun way of using 5G, and PLDT wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is leveraging on their mobile games and esports market insights in driving 5G. Athletes from the country’s first and only franchise-based esports league The Nationals joined the country’s first 5Gpowered esports exhibition match held at the PLDT Headquarters in Makati City.

Armed with the latest 5G handsets, athletes from PLDT-Smart Omega and Cignal Ultra Warriors battled it out on Mobile Legends using Smart’s 5G network.

Showcased during the event were the Huawei Mate 5G, the OPPO Reno 5G and the ZTE Axion 5G handsets.

Smart is also set to deploy indoor 5G coverage to support the training grounds of various esports teams under The Nationals.

This comes at the heels of the country’s successful esports debut at the 30th Southeast Asian Games, during which the country bagged several gold medals in various

B3

TODAYFEBRUARY 7, 2020 FRIDAY, sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Places at the Tokyo Olympics are also up for grabs on Friday and Saturday in the eight ties.

Under Fed Cup rules, players are required to be part of a nominated team on at least three occasions in a four-year Olympic cycle.

That excludes players who have represented their nation 20 or more times in their careers, who must be nominated on at least two occasions in the Olympic cycle.

Crucially for this week, all players must be nominated at least once in the 2019-20 cycle.

Serena was 2012 Olympic champion in London while Rio 2016 gold medallist Monica Puig comfortably fulfils the basic qualifying criteria despite a current lowly world ranking of 83. AFP

VIGAN—The much-awaited Sagupaan sa Ilocos Sur at the very first Kannawidan Boxing Cup will push boxing fans at the edge of their seats on Feb. 7 at the Sto. Domingo Coliseum, Sto. Domingo, Ilocos Sur. The big boxing event is made possible by Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Singson with the coordination of Elorde Ilocos Sur Promotions and is a highlight at the celebration of the Kannawidan Ylocos Festival Singson 2020.

“We all know that Ilocanos are brave. And our Filipino boxers have brought honor to our country. This first boxing cup is a tribute to them as well as a symbol of the epic courage of Filipinos. This will be a yearly event at the Kannawidan,” said Gov. Singson.

Charly Suarez of Davao del Norte faces Dave Barlas of South Cotabato in the main event, the Luzproba Super Featherweight Championship (8 rounds, 130 lbs).

In the Luzproba Super Flyweight Championship (8 rds 115 lbs), Ben Fairtex of Ligas ng Elorde Gym/Fairtex fights it out with Joan Imperial of the Johnny Bravo Boxing Gym, while Argie Toquero of Elorde Plus BF Paranaque takes on Jimmy Borbon of Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte in the Luzproba Super Flyweight Championship (8 rds, 140 lbs).

(MStandard - Feb. 7 & 14, 2020)

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Quezon City, Metro Manila BRANCH LXXVIII (78) IN THE MATTER OF THE ADOPTION OF MINOR CHILD FRANZ INDIVAR LABANAN MACASAIT SP. PROC. CASE NO. R-QZN-19-12337-SP For: Adoption MELANIE CIEGO JAVISON, Petitioner. x--------------------------------------x

ORDER A verified Petition was filed by the petitioner Melanie Ciego Javison, through counsel, praying that after due notice, publication and hearing, this petition be granted and judgment be rendered to the effect that, henceforth, the subject minor, FRANZ INDIVAR LABANAN MACASAIT be freed from all legal obligation of obedience and maintenance with respect to his biological parents and that he be declared to all intents and purposes as the child of herein petitioner, that he be named and known as FRANZ CIEGO JAVISON which is the given name bestowed upon the subject minor as well as the surname of the petitioner, and that he be entitled to the issuance of an amended birth certificate by the Local Civil Registrar of Manila with the following details: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j. k. l.

Name of Child Sex Date of Birth Name of Mother Citizenship Religion Occupation Age at the Time of His Birth Name of Father Citizenship Religion Occupation

: : : : : : : : : : : :

Franz Ciego Javison Male August 11, 2013 Melanie Lim Ciego Filipino Roman Catholic Nurse 43 years old Benito Caro Javison Filipino Roman Catholic Government Worker

Petitioner is of legal age, widow, Filipino citizen and a resident of 34-B San Joaquin, San Francisco del Monte, Brgy. Paraiso, Quezon City. She is the adoptive mother of the minor child sought to be adopted. She may be served with orders, summons and other court processes through her counsel.

Petitioner was married to Benito Caro Javison on December 25, 2003 at the Office of the Mayor of Gandara, Western Samar. Petitioner and Benito have been married for almost thirteen (13) years or until the latter’s death on July 12, 2016. Out of their marital cohabitation as husband and wife, petitioner and Benito did not beget any child although they were desirous of having a child of their own.

That sometime in February 2013 while conducting a seminar in his line of work, Benito approached by a pregnant woman and asked if he can adopt her child because she and her husband can no longer afford to sustain the life of their unborn baby for they are already struggling to raise their two children.

Benito refused at first and explained the reasons of his refusal as well as the importance of keeping the child within the biological family. Also, he explained to them the various programs of the government thru the Department of Social Welfare and Development so they can sustain the needs of their family.

However, despite such acts, the parents of the unborn child insisted on giving to Benito and petitioner their unborn child. Hence, they accepted the child because they saw the persistence of the child’s parents to give him to any couple who are willing to adopt and a better future to their child.

The minor male child to be adopted by the petitioner is named and registered as FRANZ INDIVAR LABANAN MACASAIT who was born on August 11, 2013 at the Joe R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in the City of Manila to parents Jimmy E. Macasait and Jenelyn M. Labanan. He is six (6) years old as of the date of the petition and a resident of 34-B San Joaquin, San Francisco del Monte, Brgy. Paraiso, Quezon City. Petitioner, thereafter, named the subject minor child FRANZ INDIVAR LABANAN MACASAIT with “FRANZ” as his nickname for purposes of identifying him as her own child.

Sometime in October, 2013, Fran’s biological parents abandoned him, under the care of the Petitioner and her late husband. They gave Franz to petitioner and Benito without receiving any monetary consideration. The only request they made to petitioner and Benito is to raise and rear Franz as their own child. The minor child’s biological parents, Jimmy and Jenelyn, then unable to care for and support herein minor child, Franz, executed/signed a Kasulatan ng Boluntaryong Pagkakaloob on April 30, 2015 at Pasig City, through the Kagalingan Panlipunan at Pagpapaunlad, wherein they voluntarily, irrevocably and unconditionally surrendered the subject minor child, Franz, to the care and custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

IN VIEW THEREOF, and finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is hereby given due course.

Accordingly, let the instant petition be set for hearing on April 8, 2020 (Wednesday), at exactly 8:30 o’clock in the morning at Rooms B13-B14, Basement, Hall of Justice Building, Quezon City. Notice is hereby given that anyone who has any objection to the petition should file his/her opposition hereto within fifteen (15) days from the last date of the publication of this Order or appear in Court on the above-scheduled date of hearing and show cause, if any, why the petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be published, at the expense of the petitioner, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of national circulation in the Philippines, to be chosen by raffle under the supervision of the Executive Judge, Regional Trial Court, this city pursuant to P.D. 1079. The Court Social Worker is hereby directed to conduct a case study on the petitioner and on the minor subject of the adoption and to submit her report on or before the scheduled hearing.

Petitioner is hereby directed to coordinate with the Court Social Worker Ms. Mariebec Cariaga to facilitate the preparation of the case study report.

Petitioner is further required to furnish a copy of the petition, together with its annexes, the Office of the Solicitor General, Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City, the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Local Civil Registrar of the City of Manila, the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-National Capital Region (DSWD-NCR), and to submit compliance therewith before the scheduled hearing.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, September 4, 2019.

(Sgd.) FERNANDO T. SAGUN, JR. Presiding Judge (MStandard-Jan. 31, Feb. 7 & 14, 2020)

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

B4

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Local events canceled; Paragames in jeopardy TO SAFEGUARD Athletes and the public against the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, the Philippine Sports Commission is temporarily postponing its coming sports events – the National Sports Summit 2020, Philippine National Games, Batang Pinoy, and Children’s Games.

This was announced by PSC Chairman William Ramirez in a press conference at the Rizal Memorial Sports Coliseum.

“Yesterday morning, the board discussed the current situation, and we have decided that we are postponing major events of the PSC as a safety measure against the Novel Coronavirus,” said Ramirez.

Seminars and other gatherings that will have groups of people exceeding 40 are also shelved indefinitely considering the human-to-human transmission of the virus.

Ramirez also informed that the PSC also recommended the postponement of the scheduled holding of the 10th ASEAN Paragames this year.

“We have a board resolution advising the paralympics to possibly postpone the games,” said Ramirez.

The Board resolution states its position on the rescheduling of the multisport event with 11 participating nations due to the communicable illness. The decision, however, remains with the Philippine Paralympic Committee.

PPC President Mike Barredo, who was also present, announced that he would be flying to Thailand on Friday to consult with the ASEAN Para Sports Federation to discuss the decision to be taken.

Amid the global spread of the disease, the PSC remains proactive, most especially prioritizing the welfare of the athletes and coaches who are bound to train and compete abroad approaching the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

“In terms of preventive measures, we have put out information materials for our national athletes and coaches. The PSC Board will not approve any foreign trips and exposures to China. Caution will be exercised on allowing athletes and coaches traveling to other countries for international competitions,” shared Marc Velasco, PSC’s Chief of Staff and National Training Director.

Sports Participants attend a “fire extinguisher training” exercise during a “disaster preparedness drill” organised by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza, the venue for the badminton and the modern pentathlon events at the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in the Japanese capital. AFP

Virus worries Olympic chief

T

OKYO—The chief executive officer of the Tokyo Olympics admitted Wednesday that organisers are “extremely worried” about the possible effect of the deadly new coronavirus on this summer’s Games.

Toshiro Muto said he hoped the outbreak in China would be quickly contained to restore confidence in the run-up to the Olympics.

“We are extremely worried in the sense that the spread of the infectious virus could pour cold water on momentum for the Games,” he said before a meeting with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

“I hope that it can be eradicated as quickly as possible. We plan to cooperate with the IOC (International Olympic Committee), the IPC, the government and the city of Tokyo to tackle the disease.”

Speaking to AFP, the IOC urged calm following Muto’s comments.

“We have full confidence that the relevant authorities, in particular in Japan, China and the World Health Organisation (WHO), will take all the necessary measures to address the situation,” said an IOC spokesperson.

“Preparations for Tokyo 2020 continue as planned.”

More than 20 countries have confirmed cases of the pathogen, which has killed nearly 500 people and in-

Chief Executive Officer of the Tokyo Olympics Toshiro Muto (2nd right) admitted that organizers are “extremely worried” about the possible effect of the deadly new coronavirus on this summer’s Games. AFP

fected at least 24,000 in mainland China.

‘We will do everything’ Japan has had no reported deaths so far, but at least 10 people on a cruise ship carrying 3,711 passengers and crew quarantined off Yokohama have tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Saburo Kawabuchi, the mayor of the Athletes’ Village where an expected 11,000 sportsmen and women will stay, struck a sombre tone.

“I hope from my heart that we can overcome this

(virus) and have a smooth Olympics,” said the former Japanese football chief.

“We will do our everything we can to protect the athletes to allow them to produce their best performances.”

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike promised at the weekend to implement “thorough measures” to protect people from the coronavirus in the run-up to the Olympics.

Japan has warned citizens against non-essential travel to China and fast-tracked new rules including limits on entering the country as it tries to contain the spread of the virulent new coronavirus.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed earlier this week that the country would work with the WHO to ensure preparations for the Tokyo Olympics would not be disrupted.

He also revealed that Japan was developing rapid test kits for the virus.

“By coordinating our efforts with the WHO and other related agencies, we will take appropriate steps so that preparations to hold the events will steadily continue,” Abe told a parliamentary session.

The Japanese government has chartered three flights to repatriate 565 Japanese nationals from Wuhan, the central Chinese city hardest hit by the virus.

The health scare has led to the cancellation of Olympic qualifying events in China such as boxing and badminton.

The Tokyo Olympics begin on July 24 with the Paralympics starting on August 25. AFP

Balance of power in pro league shifting SAN Miguel Beer’s dominance in the 44th PBA season can be largely attributed to the play of five-time Most Valuable Player JuneMar Fajardo.

With the sidelining of the 6’10” Cebuano behemoth due to a shin injury, the other SMB stars and the rest of coach Leo Austria’s players certainly have to step up to keep their winning edge.

But not a few believe Fajardo’s absence will have a big implication in the league’s balance of power.

For one, there’s Barangay Ginebra, the other powerhouse team which will now be the biggest team with a frontline led by Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar and Prince Caperal.

Even before Fajardo’s exit, coach Tim Cone had declared they would go all out in chase of the crown missing in their resume – the Philippine Cup championship.

League officials, meanwhile, noted the improvement of the other teams and the league competitiveness, mentioning Phoenix Pulse’s No. 1 finish in the last Philippine Cup eliminations and NLEX’s similar showing in the recent Governors Cup. “Teams are improving. The so-called underdogs before are really playing and winning.

That’s something not usual. Teams are improving, and hopefully that includes us,” said Phoenix Pulse governor Raymond Zorrilla.

“The competitiveness of the teams is improving.

The recent draft was rich in talent kahit kinuha nila (Gilas) yung limang players. By and large, the competitiveness of the league has vastly improved,” said

Fajardo

Columbian Dyip’s Bobby Rosales.

It’s not lost on the SMB coach, and he’s realistic his other key players have step up to the plate if they’re to have a shot at a sixth straight all-Filipino crown.

“Mo (Tautuaa) has started to step up, maganda naman ang response niya and he’s trying his best to help the team. And the good thing is everybody is willing to help,” said Austria.

With Fajardo’s dominant presence, the Beermen topped the charts in scoring and blocks last campaign, ranked in the Top Five in rebounds and assists, and No. 7 in steals.

SMB was No. 1 in scoring with 102.8 points per game, followed by Columbian Dyip (101.5), NorthPort (101.1), TNT KaTropa (99.1), Blackwater (98.2), NLEX (97.9), Ginebra (97.3), Phoenix (96.2), Meralco (94.9), Alaska (92.2), Magnolia (90.6) and Rain or Shine (89.8).

But the Beermen were a bit bad on defense, giving away 100.5 points per game. They were at No. 9 behind the Hotshots (89.5), the Elasto Painters (89.8), the Aces (94.6), the Fuel Masters (95.5), the KaTropa (96.0), the Bolts (96.4), the Kings (96.6) and the Batang Pier (99.0).

Though not too big a team, the Fuel Masters were the rebounding kings (54.8). Runners-up were the Hotshots (53.3), the Batang Pier (51.74) and the Dyip (51.7).

Tops in the business of playmaking was Ginebra (25.6), followed by NLEX (24.3), NorthPort (22.2) then San Miguel (21.4).

Fajardo and his teammates ruled the shotblocking department with 5.4 per game, while the Batang Pier were the best in steals with 9.1 per outing.

Pampanga secures 4th spot in MPBL playoffs BALANGA CITY—Pampanga gained the homecourt edge, Cebu stayed alive, and Bataan sprang a surprise on Wednesday in the Chooks to Go MPBL Lakan Season at Bataan People’s Center here.

The Pampanga Giant Lanterns glowed in the fourth quarter and trounced the Pasig-Sta. Lucia Realtors, 71-62, to tally their eighth straight victory and secure the No. 4 spot going to the North division playoffs.

Cebu Casino Ethyl Alcohol held Paranaque-Yabo Sports scoreless in the last five minutes to prevail, 79-70, and

remain in contention for the eighth and last playoffs slot in the South division.

Already assured of a playoffs berth, the Bataan Risers bolstered their roster by reactivating resident gunner Gary David and got rewarded with an 82-76 victory over the Marikina Shoemasters in the nightcap.

David, still showing the shooting touch that made him a five-time PBA all-star, fired 16 points, including four triples, as the Camaya Coast-supported Risers surged ahead, 61-46, after three quarters and were never headed to finish the elimination round with a

20-10 record, displacing Bulacan (1910) at fifth spot in the North.

Bryon Villarias complemented David’s efforts with 19 points and 8 assists, while Gino Jumao-as contributed 10 points.

Way ahead, 73-52, the Risers saw the Shoemasters, who missed top gun Yves Sazon due to flu, move to within 75-81 through Daryl Pascual and Renato Ular only to fall short and tumble to 6-21.

Held to a 49-49 count after three quarters, Pampanga drew eight points from Levi Hernandez and four each from Michael Juico, Mark Cruz and

Reil Cervantes in the last frame to subdue the Realtors and close the elimination round with a 21-9 slate.

Juico wound up with 20 points and 6 rebounds, Cervantes 11 points and 6 rebounds, Cruz 8 points, 8 assists and 2 steals, and Hernandez 8 for Coach Bong Ramos’ charges.

Larry Muyang scored just 6 but snagged 13 rebounds for the Giant Lanterns, who dominated the boards (57-29) and will have the homecourt advantage in the playoffs against either the Bulacan Kuyas or the Risers.

Serena under pressure from rising net stars PARIS—Serena Williams enters her fourth decade as a Fed Cup player with the United States on Friday and Saturday as the 2020 qualifiers get under way.

The 38-year-old icon teams with newly-crowned Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin and teenage star Coco Gauff as the US tackle Latvia in Everett, Washington.

In total, there are eight ties with the winners earning places in the new-look Fed Cup finals in Budapest from April 15-17 where 2019 champions France, runners-up Australia, hosts Hungary and wildcard Czech Republic will be waiting.

AFP Sports looks at three talking points ahead of this week’s qualifiers:

Serena’s senior service

It was back in 1999 that Serena Williams made her Fed Cup debut in a semifinal win over Italy.

Teammate Sofia Kenin was just eight months old while Coco Gauff was still almost five years away from being born.

Williams has a 100 percent record in singles in the Fed Cup, winning 13 out of 13 rubbers.

However, despite her longevity, her relationship with the tournament has been very much on-off, playing only in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018.

Kenin, now the top-ranked US player at seven in the world after her stunning Grand Slam breakthrough in Melbourne, has a Fed Cup singles record of 1-3 while 15-year-old Gauff has yet to make her debut.

Osaka eyes Japan breakthrough

Two-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka is making her first Fed Cup appearance since helping Japan defeat Great Britain in the 2018 World Group II play-offs.

The world number 10 has won five

Turn to B3

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 || C1

Building on past triumphs

Santa Rosa

transforms vision to action

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HE City of Santa Rosa has been consistently recognized for its “integrity and good performance through continuing governance reform and sustained local development” as attested by the Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) that the city received from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for three consecutive years.

Perspective of the Dangal ng Pagbabago Rehabilitation Center to be transferred in Brgy. Sinalhan.

The proposed four-storey annex building of Santa Rosa Community Hospital as the City plans to upgrade it into a Level 2 hospital.

The City of Santa Rosa is one of the 57 citi es and among the 381 local

government units (LGUs) in the country conferred with the Seal on November 5, 2019.

“This is the third consecutive year that the city received the award, and I am very proud since the Seal recognizes remarkable performance of an LGU, which means we are doing it right in the City of Santa Rosa,” said Mayor Arcillas.

The seven local governance areas under which the LGUs were assessed include Financial Administration; Disaster Preparedness; Social Protection; Peace and Order; Business-friendliness and Competitiveness; Environmental Management; and Tourism, Culture and the Arts.

Prior to this, the city also received the Seal of Good Local Governance: Good Financial Housekeeping in 2015; the Seal of Good Housekeeping Silver Grade in 2014; and the Seal of Good Housekeeping Bronze Level in 2011.

Focusing on the seven areas of the SGLG criteria, the city is striving to implement programs that will benefit

the people today and in the future.

One of the projec ts currently being implemented is the Santa Rosa Greenway Project. It is aimed to provide a safer walking environment to pedestrians and a landscape that people would enjoy, thus lessening traffic congestion, air pollution and noise. It is located along Leon Arcillas Blvd., near the City of Santa Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex. The project complements the city’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan.

Accompanying the remodeling of the city is the improvement of the City Plaza.

A feasibility study is ongoing for the development of the Eco-Tourism Park in Barangay Aplaya, which will improve the city’s lakeshore areas.

The city center will developed into the Heritage Square, Santa Rosa’s own version of Vigan. This will enhance the image of the city as a cultural and heritage, particularly since Cuartel De Santo Domingo, which has been declared as an Important Cultural Property, is undergoing development as the city’s main heritage site.

The study for the Eco Tourism Park in Barangay Aplaya.

Also in the pipeline is the transfer of the existing Dangal ng Pagbabago Rehabilitation Center to a property of the city government in Barangay Sinalhan. Drug rehabilitation has been a priority of the city especially when the President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gave orders to LGUs to assist drug offenders in their road to recovery.

Since the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) was determined to make the city drug-cleared, the city, in partnership with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), put up the Balay Silangan Reformation Center.

The council also regularly works with the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) for the conduct of Community-

Based Rehabilitation Program. This commitment has earned the city the Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Award for years 2019 and 2018 conferred

by DILG. The city was declared drug-cleared by the Region IV-A Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing Operation on June 25, 2019.

The area in Barangay Sinalhan will also house the proposed Environmental Testing Laboratory for water and waste water analysis of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO).

In the current location of the rehabilitation center will rise the Santa Rosa City College, which Mayor Arcillas

The proposed environment-friendly LEED building of the soon to rise Santa Rosa City College.

Improvement of the City Plaza to complement the Heritage Square in the city center.

said will help address the gaps in the education and employment of the city’s youth. An Orientation Meeting on the Establishment of the Santa Rosa City College was held on January 29, 2020.

Alongside this is the construction of the division office of the Department of Education, the improvement of the Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School, and additional building for the Polytechnic University of Philippine – Santa Rosa Campus.

To i m m e d i ate l y re s p o n d to emergencies and crime in the upland area, a public safety office that will house a substation of the police and fire departments will be built in Barangay Pulong Santa Cruz. A multipurpose evacuation center will also be constructed in the all of the city’s 18 barangays.

The improvement of the City Public Market is also in the pipeline, along with the construction of a medium-rise housing project in Masiit in Barangay Labas.

With plans of upgrading the Santa Rosa Community Hospital to a Level 2 hospital, the city is currently completing the four-storey annex building. Once completed, the hospital will have a total of 223 bed-capacity, which is 150-bed higher than the current capacity of 83.

This will also mean more services to be added to existing facilities such as rehabilitation medicine department and dialysis section, among others.

In 2019, SRCH received a Certificate o f R e c o g n i t i o n ( Fi n a l i s t o f t h e Achiever’s Category) during the 2nd Regional Newborn Screening Award from the Department of Health – Ce nte r fo r H e a l t h D e ve l o p m e nt CALABARZON. Santa Rosa was also a recipient of various awards such as Seal of Child-Friendly Local Governance from DILG and DSWD; 3rd Overall Most Competitive Component City and 3rd Place on Government Efficiency in terms of Competitiveness from DTI; 2nd Outstanding CSF LGU Partner in the Philippines from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas; Selyo ng Kahusayan sa Serbisyo Publiko from the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF); Kabalikat Award from TESDA; and 3rd Place, Highest Enrollment with No Arrears and on time payment under the Sponsored Program of PhilHealth “These awards are not just testimonies of good performance but also an impetus for us to continuously move forward and institute reforms to further good governance practices for the benefit of the people we serve,” Mayor Arcillas said. (macarino)

This is how the Santa Rosa Public Market will look as it undergoes improvement.

The architect’s perspective for the new building of the Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School.

LGUs

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

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Isabela State U hosts facility for food supplements

By Jessica M. Bacud CAUAYAN, Isabela—The Department of Science and Technology committed to lead anf collaborate in scientific research, production and commercialization of organic herbal food supplements and similar products that will benefit Filipinos and the world.

DOST Undersecretary Brenda Manzano said this recently as she represented Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña at the groundbreaking of a facility at the Isabela State University main campus in Echague, Isabela.

Manzano affirmed the agency’s “full support for collaborative undertakings” that are related to DOST’s mandate and mission.

A 10-hectare portion of the ISU Echague campus has been set aside as a prototype model plantation of “malunggay” (moringa) plants and herbs like piperine (pepper), curcumin (turmeric) and guyabano fruit, which have been proven to contain medicinal properties.

The ISU facility would be the storage and processing center of materials to create herbal food supplements and alternative herbal medicine preparations, with financial assistance from DOST and the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Inc., facilitated by former ISU Board of Regents member Charles T. Lim. The project is an undertaking among DOST, ISU, FCCCI and Bauertek Corp.

The partner agencies’ officials signed an agreement for the project.

Manzano described the undertaking as a “rare and ideal partnership among the government, private industry sector and academe.”

Scientific botanical research studies on plant growth, nutrient enhancement, medicinal value exploration, and related concerns will be undertaken on the prototype plantation, which may later be expanded.

HEALING GARDEN. The 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division of the Philippine Army in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija shows off its ‘Hardin ng Lunas’ on Thursday. Pictured (from left) are LTC Galahad Apolinar L. Trabado, LTC Charles DZ Castillo, Ms. Isa Cojuangco Suntay of the Tarlac Heritage Foundation, and BGEN Henry A. Robinson Jr.

Taguig cold storage unveiled

By Joel E. Zurbano

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N LINE with Mayor Lino Cayetano’s agenda on economic dynamism, the Taguig City government welcomed the Philippines’ first-ever fully automated cold storage facility during its formal launching on Wednesday.

Situated at the Sta. Maria Industrial Estate in Barangay Bagumbayan, the world-class facility by ORCA Cold Chain Solutions aims to increase efficiency in the storage and retrieval of pallets and limit food contamination and spoilage.

“It is not just a slogan that in Taguig, we want it to be the best place to do business. Every day we work with our fellow

officials to continuously think of ways to serve you better,” Cayetano said during the launch of the cold storage facility.

Highlighting the city’s goal of inclusive growth, the city chief executive said that more and more businesses invest in Taguig because the processes concerning doing business are simplified for their convenience. He added that Taguig makes sure that they thrive in a

city that is business-friendly yet prompt in addressing their business needs.

The 6500-square-meter facility will cater to supermarkets, food processing companies, meat and seafood importers, pharmaceutical industries and others. “(The facility) puts the Philippines at par with our Southeast Asian neighbors who already have Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) and who have more advanced cold chain solutions, thereby allowing them to be agricultural powerhouses and even export hubs,” ORCA said in a statement.

The facility also allows for real-time monitoring using IT software and digital technology.

It also has a 22,000 MT static stor-

age capacity and the capacity to move 876000 MT on an annual basis.

Its launch comes only less than a year after the Board of Investments (BOI) conducted the site inspection on July 23, 2019 and awarded it with a pioneer status.

“Anchored on the government’s mission to steadily boost the Philippine economy, the BOI continues to drive in investments while nurturing local companies, helping them become competitive in their field with our programs and incentives,” BOI governor Angelica Cayas said after the facility’s inspection.

One of Cayetano’s 10-point agenda for Taguig City puts focus on economic dynamism which hopes to ensure full and productive local enterprises in the city.

Foodpanda riders bring meals, relief to Tagaytay and Tacloban WHEN calamity strikes, it interrupts plans—dinner plans, travel plans, career plans, marriage plans, family plans, 5- to 10-year plans, and life plans.

For a few hours in the cities of Tagaytay and Tacloban, Foodpanda riders interrupted their schedule to bring affected families—from the recent typhoon and volcanic eruption—companionship and good food to everyone in the area, and created a Global Soup Kitchen.

Global Soup Kitchen aims to help families and children by bringing smiles to affected people through the warmth of food. Over the last two years, Foodpanda partnered with different orphanages and communities in Manila, Cavite, and Cebu to bring warm meals to more than

1,000 special children.

Given the recent calamities, foodpanda riders continue to extend their reach to more people in Tagaytay and Tacloban.

In the recent activities headed by the Foodpanda heroes, the riders were able to deliver love and food to a total of 300 families and 1,200 evacuees in both cities.

As a food delivery service, Foodpanda will continue to make food more accessible, especially to the less fortunate and victims of calamity through the Global Soup Kitchen. With each success, the company will continue to give back, and bring its mission of giving good food to everyone—as plans are still waiting to happen for these people.

POLICE IN ACTION. Philippine National Police personnel under the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations Northern Luzon, led

by Maj. Gen. Gilberto DC Cruz (left), join their Southern Luzon and Baguio City counterparts in distributing hygiene kits to the students of Pinget Elementary School, Upper Pinget, Baguio City during a recent trip. Roy Tomandao

DENR Bataan, villages build river trash traps

By Butch Gunio

DINAGYANG FEEDING. PLDT Community Relations

Division head Katherine Diaz de Rivera gives a child a packed meal as the telecom firm conducted a feeding program and hygiene promotion to around 300 public school students at the MV Hechanova Memorial Elementary School in Barangay Buhang, Jaro, Iloilo City. It was part of PLDT’s efforts in improving the quality of healthcare in the country. In partnership with the Philippine Red Cross Iloilo Chapter, PLDT also distributed 300 hygiene kits to the students to create a more sustainable healthcare system especially in the rural areas.

BALANGA CITY, Bataan—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in Bataan and barangays in the province recently signed an agreement to install trash traps in rivers here in support of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Project.

“We just signed the MOA (on Jan. 30) with Barangays San Vicente and Bilolo, Orion. Mayor Tonypep Raymundo was there as witness,” Provincial Environment Officer Raul Mamac said.

“We will execute MOA with the barangays we have already installed the trash traps,” he added.

During the recent celebration of the 1st Anniversary of the launching of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation at Balanga Wetland and Nature Park, DENR Bataan and the barangay governments of Sisiman and Mariveles executed agreement for trash traps installation in Aguawan River.

Mamac and Barangay Sisiman Captain Honesto Cabanillas signed the documents, with Mariveles Mayor Jocelyn Castaneda as witness.

Mamac said 12 trash traps were already installed in the rivers in the province last year.

“The number of trash traps will be increased this year,” he said.

Based on the agreement, DENR Bataan will provide technical assistance for the maintenance and protection of the trash traps and hire estero rangers to monitor the traps.

Foodpanda riders in the cities of Tagaytay and Tacloban gather after helping build a Global Food Kitchen to help distressed families in those areas.

Bank aids Batangas families ABOITIZ-LED Union Bank of the Philippines, through its employee-driven corporate social responsibility program Go Beyond Communities, recently donated a total of P494,850 in funds and in-kind donations for around 1,200 families in the evacuation centers of Bauan and Banaba and Bauan Technological High School in Batangas.

Dubbed “Bangon South Luzon,” the bank’s employee-led donation campaign showcased the Ubuntu spirit, a core value of UnionBank that centers on teamwork and a sense of belonging in a community.

The donation and relief campaign was activated immediately after the eruption of Taal Volcano in early January. Toiletries, ready-to-eat food, hygiene and sanitary kits, medicine and masks were identified as the top priorities of the 26,000 displaced families from the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna.

“UnionBank takes pride in its employees who demonstrated immediate and ardent response to the call for help to ensure that no one gets left behind,” said Edna Reyes, branch manager of UnionBank Batangas City.

World

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

HK panic sparks run on toilet paper H ONG KONG―Panic buyers in Hong Kong have descended on supermarkets to snap up toilet paper after false online claims of shortages, prompting authorities to appeal for calm as the city’s seven million residents fret about a deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Videos obtained by AFP showed long queues of frantic shoppers packing trolleys with multiple packs of toilet rolls, with some arguments breaking out.

Rice and pasta have also become a popular target for panic buying.

Lois Strange, a 32-year-old Briton who teaches at a city school, said she was greeted by chaotic scenes at her local supermarket on Wednesday morning.

“It was packed,” she told AFP. “Everyone was just grabbing as many toilet rolls as they could, packs and packs of them.”

She said she managed to get a couple of them herself in the melee.

“I literally have one roll left at home myself. So I needed to go buy some, not because I’m panicking like everyone else,” she added.

Hong Kong’s government released a statement late Wednesday saying false rumors over shortages of goods such as rice and toilet paper were “leading to panic buying and even chaos”.

The statement blamed people “with evil intentions” for carrying out “the malicious act of spreading rumors when the

city is fighting against the disease”.

While Hong Kong has closed most of its land borders to mainland China, where the coronavirus outbreak began, freight services have not been affected, the government said.

“There are sufficient stocks of staple food including rice and pastas. There is no need for the public to worry,” the statement added.

Harold Yip, founder of Mil Mill, a Hong Kong-based waste paper recycling company, told AFP they received over 100 enquiries from members of the public about toilet paper on Wednesday alone.

RTHK News reported that toilet paper and rice at one supermarket in the district of Wan Chai—which had been fully restocked overnight—were cleared within 30 minutes of the store opening on

Thursday morning.

But the supermarket chain Wellcome said rumours of shortages were unfounded.

The coronavirus has killed more than 550 people in China since spreading from the central city of Wuhan late last year.

Hong Kong now has 21 confirmed infections, including one patient who died.

The majority of those infected came from mainland China.

But in recent days there has been a spike in carriers with no history of travel to the mainland, sparking fears local transmissions were growing.

The city’s pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam has faced growing calls to close the border with China, a step she has been reluctant to take saying it would be economically damaging and discriminatory. AFP

IN BRIEF Israel strikes Gaza again GAZA CITY―Israeli aircraft struck Hamas positions in Gaza early Thursday, the military said, after Palestinians in the enclave again launched projectiles and explosive balloons at the Jewish state.

“Fighter jets and (other) aircraft targeted Hamas terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip,” it said in an English language statement.

Palestinian security sources and eyewitnesses in Gaza reported hits on unspecified targets north of Al Shati refugee camp near Gaza City and a Hamas facility in the southern Gaza Strip. They said nobody was injured.

On Wednesday night the army reported “two mortar shells were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory” at open areas.

There were no reported casualties.

Since US President Donald Trump’s announcement last week of his plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, rockets, mortar shells and explosive balloons have been launched almost daily from Gaza into southern Israel, provoking Israeli retaliation.

Palestinians strongly reject the US plan, seen as heavily favouring Israel.

Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since 2008 but over the past year the Islamists have gradually shaped an informal truce with Israel, under which the Jewish state has eased its crippling blockade of Gaza. AFP

Spared prison for bringing dog JAKARTA―A Christian woman charged with blasphemy has escaped jail for bringing a dog into a mosque, the latest religious case to draw headlines in Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation.

The case of Suzethe Margareth, 52, sparked outrage last summer when a video emerged showing her in a mosque in Bogor, near the capital Jakarta, wearing shoes and letting her dog run loose.

Dogs are considered impure in Islam, and wearing shoes is forbidden in a mosque.

A Bogor court ruled Wednesday that Margareth was guilty, but decided not to impose a prison term because she has paranoid schizophrenia.

Prosecutors had demanded a nine-month jail term.

But Margareth testified that she went into the mosque because she was being chased and heard voices in her head saying her husband was getting married there.

Her lawyer welcomed the decision, saying her condition was clear from the way she spoke.

But mosque representative Ruslan A. Suhady slammed the mental health defence.

People will mental illnesses “usually roam on roads naked. This woman wore neat clothes,” he said.

The dog involved in the incident reportedly died soon after being hit by a car.

This is the latest in a string of controversial blasphemy cases in Indonesia, where rights groups have long campaigned against laws they say are frequently misused to target religious minorities. AFP

Turkey plane crash kills three ISTANBUL―Three people have died and 179 were injured when a plane skidded off the runway at an Istanbul airport, caught fire and split into three after landing in rough weather.

Live images broadcast on Turkish television showed several people climbing through a large crack in the severed aircraft and escaping onto one of the wings at the rear.

The Boeing 737 operated by Turkish lowcost carrier Pegasus Airlines had flown into Istanbul’s Sabiha Gokcen airport from the Aegean port city of Izmir on Wednesday, NTV television reported.

The plane was apparently buffeted by strong winds and heavy rain lashing Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city.

Three Turks were killed and 179 injured, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters.

“Some passengers evacuated the plane by themselves but others are stuck inside and our rescuers are working to free them,” Transport Minister Mehmet Cahit Turhan said on CNNTurk television.

The plane was carrying 177 passengers and six crew members, state news agency Anadolu said, revising the previous total given by Turkish authorities. Turkish media reports said there were 12 children on board.

Istanbul governor Ali Yerlikaya said the plane “slid some 60 metres (200 feet)” after skidding off the runway, and then “fell about 30-40 meters” down a bank.

The accident, which he attributed to bad weather, “could have had more serious consequences”, he said.

NTV showed images of the badly damaged plane and flames inside, which were later put out by firefighters. AFP

DESERTED CAPITAL. A woman walks past abandoned shared bicycles in the deserted central business district in Beijing on

February 6, 2020. The number of confirmed infections in China’s coronavirus outbreak has reached 28,018 nationwide with 3,694 new cases reported, the National Health Commission said on February 6. AFP

US astronaut Koch ready to return to earth ALMATY―US astronaut Christina Koch is set to return to Earth Thursday having shattered the spaceflight record for female astronauts by spending almost a year aboard the International Space Station.

Koch of NASA is expected to touch down in the Kazakh steppes with colleagues Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency at 0912 GMT after 328 days in space.

The 41-year-old Michigan-born engineer by training surpassed the previous record set for a single spaceflight by a woman—289 days, held by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson—on December 28, 2019.

Koch had already made history by that point after she became one half of the first-ever all-woman spacewalk along with NASA counterpart Jessica Meir in October.

Koch told NBC on Tuesday that she would “miss microgravity” as she answered questions from journalists ahead of her three-and-a-half hour journey back to Earth.

“It’s really fun to be in a place where you can just bounce around between the ceiling and the floor whenever you want,” she said, smiling as she twisted her body around the ISS. Koch called three-time flyer Whitson “a heroine of mine” and a “mentor” in the space program after she surpassed the 59-year-old’s record.

She also spoke of her desire to “inspire the next generation of explorers.”

Koch’s return comes after an advert produced by the skincare brand Olay ran during an intermission in the American football Super Bowl with a call to “make space for women.”

The advert featured NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and saw the company promise to donate up to $500,000 to the nonprofit Women Who Code, which works with young women seeking careers in tech and scientific fields.

This year’s Super Bowl was watched by over 100 million people while advert space costs more than $5 million for a 30-second commercial.

The first woman in space was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova whose spaceflight in 1963 is still the only solo mission carried out by a woman. AFP

Harrison Ford says US has lost its moral leadership MEXICO CITY―Harrison Ford, in Mexico City on Wednesday to promote his latest film, decried the collapse of US “moral leadership” on issues such as improving the environment and immigration policy.

“We need moral leadership. We’ve lost some of our credibility and we are anxious to regain it,” the Hollywood star told reporters.

Ford was in town to talk about his starring role in “The Call of the Wild,” an adventure film set in Alaska in the 1890s and based on a novel by US author Jack London.

Relaxed and smiling, the veteran actor also touched on his iconic Hollywood roles in the “Star Wars”, “Indiana Jones” and “Blade Runner” movies.

A fifth “Indiana Jones” movie, starring as the swashbuckling archaeologist with the unusual first name, is also in the works.

“To do another ‘Indiana Jones’ movie, it seems like a good idea, if we had a good script and I believe we are very close to have the script that we really want, so I am excited about the idea,” he said.

Speaking on the day the US senate acquitted President Donald Trump on impeachment charges of abusing his office and obstructing Congress, Ford got sidetracked talking about politics.

“We need a complete reform of our immigration policies,” said Ford, 77.

Cracking down on migrants has been a primary focus of Trump’s administration.

“We need to invite people into the country, and not to keep them out. This is the history and America depends on immigration,” Ford said.

Yet “despite the lack of commitment from the United States government, efforts are being made” towards immigration reform and improving the environment, he said.

He was especially impressed with Swedish teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg. AFP

Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas dead at 103 LOS ANGELES―Kirk Douglas, one of the last superstars of Hollywood’s golden age of cinema who was renowned for his intense, muscular performances in “Spartacus” and “Paths of Glory,” died Wednesday aged 103.

The US leading man, producer and director came to prominence in the late 1940s and never lost his popularity, taking on nearly 100 movies over a six-decade career that endured beyond a severe stroke in his later years.

His death at his family home in Beverly Hills was confirmed by his son Michael, the Oscar-winning actor and filmmaker.

“It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” Michael Douglas said in a statement posted to Facebook.

“To the world he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years.”

Tributes poured in from across Hollywood and around the world on social media, with many declaring “I am Spartacus!” in a nod to Douglas’s legendary role as a rebellious Roman slave.

Director Steven Spielberg said Douglas “retained his movie star charisma

right to the end,” while actor Danny DeVito tweeted: “103 years on this earth.

That’s got a nice ring to it! Great hanging with you man.”

“Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander praised Douglas as “an absolute legend of a star and human” and added that “we could use a true Spartacus.”

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which awards the Oscars, tweeted: “Goodbye to a Hollywood legend.”

Not unlike his title character in “Spartacus,” Douglas was known throughout his life for his fiercely rebellious streak.

In his early movie days he would clash with studio heads over his choice of roles, before ultimately splitting off to form his own production company, Bryna―one of the first major post-war stars to do so.

“It was pretty rare then,” Variety senior vice president Tim Gray told AFP. “Kirk Douglas was very stubborn but he wasn’t self-indulgent―he wasn’t a party boy wasting people’s time showing up late, things like that.”

Douglas also defied more established directors by teaming up with a young Stanley Kubrick for both “Paths of Glory” and “Spartacus.”

And on “Spartacus,” Douglas hired Dalton Trumbo―one of the “Hollywood Ten” blacklisted as a suspected communist under the McCarthy era―to write the screenplay.

Unlike many producers during the time, Douglas refused to hide this fact, instead using Trumbo’s real name in the credits.

Gabrielle Carteris, head of Hollywood’s actors union, Wednesday praised Douglas as “a powerful voice who helped end the blacklist in our industry,” as well as “an “extraordinary actor.”

Nonetheless Douglas missed out on taking home the trophy on each of his three Oscar nominations, the last for his performance in the 1956 film “Lust for Life,” and never won a competitive Academy Award.

He was instead granted an honorary lifetime achievement statuette by the Academy in 1996―just months after his stroke-”for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community.”

Douglas, born Issur Danielovitch to Jewish-Russian immigrants in upstate New York in 1916, began as a stage actor before serving in the US Navy during the Second World War. AFP

GO RED FOR WOMEN.

Celebrity models walk the runway during the finale of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection 2020 at the Hammerstein Ballroom on February 05, 2020, in New York City. AFP

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2020

Hyundai starts CNY with a bang

KNIVES ARE OUT. Red Bull’s 22-year-old Formula One driver Max Verstappen has served notice about his ambitious bid to wrest the crown from reigning and six-time champion Lewis Hamilton (inset) of Mercedes.

FORMULA ONE RACING

R

Verstappen out to dethrone Hamilton

ED BULL’S Max Verstappen says he can beat Lewis Hamilton to the Formula One title if his car is good enough, insisting Britain’s six-time world champion is “not God”.

The 22-year-old Dutchman could prove Hamilton’s closest challenger this year, following Red Bull’s strong finish to the end of last season.

Hamilton, 35, has dominated F1 in recent years, winning five of the past six championships, and will this year equal Michael Schumacher’s record haul of seven titles if he secures another triumph.

But asked if he could beat Hamilton over the course of a season, Verstappen said: “Yes. Of course, it is very car-dependent in Formula One. Lewis is very good. He is definitely one of the best out there. He is not God, maybe God is with

him, but he is not God. “When you can put the pressure on it is a lot harder for the guy in the lead.

If he never really has pressure, he can drive at 97 or 98 percent and then you never make mistakes.

“If we start the season within twotenths (of a second of Mercedes), we can mount the pressure. I am looking forward to when we get that fight and if we are really close I am pretty sure we can do better.”

Verstappen, speaking at a Red Bull media event on Monday, resisted the lure of a move to either Mercedes or Ferrari by committing his long-term fu-

ture to Red Bull with a four-year contract extension.

Hamilton’s next move is uncertain, with his Mercedes deal set to expire at the end of the year.

“It is a good thing my future is sorted because it takes away any doubt,” said Verstappen, who won three times last year and finished third in the championship behind Hamilton and his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.

“There are no question marks any more. When you go into a season and your contract is up at the end of the year, at one point it is going to be a bit awkward. I didn’t want to have any of that.

“This is the right place. I see the motivation and hunger to fight for victories and a championship. Looking at this year we want to mount a challenge to Mercedes and I think we can do that.”

The first race of the season takes place in Australia on March 15. AFP

ON THE Eve of Chinese New Year, Hyundai, the No. 1 Korean automotive brand in the Philippines, unveiled Hyundai Baguio City, its first-ever full-service passenger car (PC) dealership in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

The Summer Capital of the Philippines is an acknowledged center of tourism, business, commerce, and education in Northern Luzon. Recently, Baguio City bagged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Clean Tourist City award for outstanding performance in its conservation and beautification campaign. It was also honored as a UNESCO Creative City under the Crafts and Folk Arts category in 2017.

Hyundai Asia Resources, Inc. (HARI) President and CEO Ma. Fe Perez Agudo said: “We start the year and the new decade strong by proudly hoisting the Hyundai flag in Baguio City, fortifying our growing Hyundai dealership network and reiterating that Hyundai continues to reach out to provide Filipinos better automotive products, better after-sales services, and ultimately, better journeys.”

The Grit and Grace of Hyundai Baguio City Hyundai Baguio City, managed by Grit Motors Corporation, takes pride in its being a pioneer Hyundai PC dealership in CAR. Said Dealer Principal Archimedes Go, “Grit is our main message. This is what Hyundai Baguio stands for. Blessed with supportive family, friends, and colleagues, we shall work with grit and grace, excellence and honesty, to make Hyundai No. 1 in Baguio.”

As the latest member of the Baguio business community, Hyundai is poised

to offer Cordillera residents and businesses a fresh take on excellence in mobility, service, and worry-free ownership.

“We dedicate Hyundai Baguio City to driving Baguio’s sustainability through our excellent lineup of current and soonto-come innovations. Count on Hyundai to contribute to the restoration and preservation of the City of Pines,” said Ms. Agudo.

The presence of Hyundai in Baguio City is aligned with Hyundai’s grand vision for 2020 and beyond. “We want more and more Filipinos to experience the next level of Hyundai mobility,” furthered Ms. Agudo.

Hyundai Baguio City complies with Global Dealership Space Identity (GDSI) standards, the modern design philosophy of Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) that mirrors and complements its topperforming vehicles, such as the Reina, Accent, Kona, Tucson, Grand Starex, and Santa Fe. HARI hinted that this year’s new and soon-to-open dealerships will showcase the latest in Hyundai’s innovative mobility solutions that are slated for 2020.

Hyundai Baguio City is part of HARI’s aggressive PC and Commercial Vehicle (CV) network expansion into the country’s high growth corridors. Last 2019, HARI sold 33,763 units (full-year figures) and generated 2.9% growth in December versus the same month in 2018, enabling it to maintain its position in the market as one of the top automotive brands in the Philippine market.

Customers can now visit Hyundai Baguio City which is located along C. M. Recto St., Baguio City.

CONQUERING THE NORTH. House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano leads the ribbon -cutting ceremonies to mark the formal opening of Hyundai’s first full service dealership in Baguio City. From left: Hyundai Baguio Dealer Principal Archimedes J. Go, HARI president-CEO Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, Rep. Marquez Go, HARI Chairman Emeritus Richard Lee and Grit Motors Corp. president Soledad Go.

Toyota sets price slash IN THIS love season, Toyota Motor Philippines is offering great deals and flexible payment schemes on its best-selling models.

With light payments as low as P6,593 a month or affordable down payment as low as P83,550, you can already own a vehicle with Toyota’s signature quality, durability, and reliability. You can even enjoy cash savings as much as P125,000.

From February 1-15, enjoy P30,000 discount on the Avanza, Innova, Rush, Hilux, FMC Hiace GL Grandia, and FMC Hiace Commuter Deluxe. Pay Light (Low

Monthly Plans) schemes are also available for the Avanza, Rush, and Hilux.

From February 1-29, get 5-year extended warranty on top of the P125,000 discount on the locally-assembled flagship passenger car Toyota Vios, Discounts, Pay Low (All-In, Low Down Package), and Pay Light are also available for the pre-FMC Hiace Commuter and Wigo.

Up to P20,000 trade-in rebate is also available for the following models: Vios, Innova, Fortuner, Avanza, Corolla Altis, Hilux (except Cab and Chassis, and FX), Wigo, Rush, and pre-FMC Hiace Commuter.