Manila Standard - 2020 February 14 - Friday

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TRUMP

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 365 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Trump pooh-poohs PH scrapping of VFA

‘If they like to do Duterte appeals for calm, trust in gov’t amid deadly disease surge that, that is fine.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta Saves us money’ and Maricel V. Cruz CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC CORONONAVIRUS source: AFP

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte asked for Filipinos’ trust in government and cooperation in containing the spread of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) following the sharp rise in confirmed cases worldwide.

“I call on our people to remain calm, vigilant and responsible and I also ask your trust and cooperation, support as we face the challenge. Let’s unite as one nation, this challenge can be overcome,” President Duterte said in a recorded message aired on state-run RTVM on Thursday morning.

Duterte said the government, together with the World Health Organization, medical societies, and partners in the private sector are addressing the problem and preparing for any eventuality.

He also assured Filipinos staying in China that the government is prepared to repatriate them anytime they wanted to return home.

“To our kababayans who remain in lockdown areas in China, I assure you that the government is ready to bring you home if you want. We won’t leave you behind,” Duterte said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Next page

China death toll spikes to 1,355 CHINA’S official death toll and infection numbers from a new coronavirus spiked dramatically on Thursday after authorities changed their counting methods, fueling concern the epidemic is far worse than being reported.

Two top-ranking politicians overseeing the epicenter of the outbreak were also sacked, adding to questions over China’s handling of the crisis, just hours after President Xi Jinping claimed “positive results” in battling the outbreak.

The World Health Organization also quickly countered Chinese reassurances that the epidemic, which has now officially killed more than 1,350 people in China, would peak in a matter of weeks.

“I think it’s way too early to try to predict the beginning, the middle or the end of this epidemic right now,” said Michael Ryan, head of WHO’s health emergencies program.

Next page

CASES OUTSIDE MAINLAND CHINA

218 242

Nearly 60,000 cases, of which 560+ are outside mainland China.

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#INFOGFX

/ anilaStandardPH /M

@MlaStandard

@manilastandard Peter Paul Duran

—Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen

But Washington’s top military officer in Asia-Pacific Admiral Philip Davidson warned ending the security pact would hurt counter-terrorism efforts in Mindanao, putting him at odds with his commander-in-chief.

The 1998 VFA created a legal framework for the presence of US troops in the Philippines and for organizing joint military exercises.

Manila announced its decision Tuesday—a move the US Embassy in the Philippines called a “serious step”— touching off a six-month countdown to the end of the deal.

“If they would like to do that, that’s fine, we’ll save a lot of money,” Trump told reporters at the White House, touting his “very good relationship” with President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Palace on Thursday shrugged off Next page Trump’s remark.

Palace: Travel ban may expand to other countries Defense treaties

By MJ Blancaflor

PRESIDENTIAL Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Thursday the Philippines was also open to impose a travel ban to other countries with confirmed cases of COVID-19.

He also insisted that the travel ban on Taiwan was a “health” issue and not a political one after authorities received reports that Ta i p e i would

implement retaliatory measures against the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III on Thursday appealed to lift the travel ban on the Filipino workers in Taiwan, saying the expanded travel ban might have detrimental effects on them.

Bello said he was in constant coordination with the Department of Health, and had already requested the lifting of the ban on departing Filipino workers.

“For those who are affected

‘‘

In the light of the COVID-19 global health emergency and the existence of other pathogens, I propose that we postpone Valentine’s Day. Holding hands and kissing should also be discouraged. Those without significant others, pasulyap-sulyap is alright, especially if long practiced.

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S PRESIDENT Donald Trump dismissed concerns Wednesday about the Philippines canceling its Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States, saying the decision would save Americans money.

by the travel ban in Taiwan, we ask for your patience and in a few days, there will be a review. While waiting for the lifting of the ban, we are providing financial assistance,” Bello said.

Taiwan is considering countermeasures if the Philippines does not lift the ban on Taiwanese citizens visiting the country over fears of the coronavirus, the island’s foreign ministry said on Thursday.

The Philippines, more than 115,000 of whose nationals work in Taiwan in factories and as domestic helpers, said this week it had included Taiwan as part of a ban on people from China visiting the country.

Next page

next to be axed?

By MJ Blancaflor, Macon Ramos-Araneta and Willie Casas PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte might also terminate the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Philippines and the United States based on his “body language,” the Palace said Thursday.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President wants the country to strengthen its own defense Next page

Rody hails press freedom, journos’ safety

By MJ Blancaflor DAYS after the state attorney moved to revoke the franchise of ABS-CBN, President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday recognized the importance of press freedom and vowed to protect journalists from harm.

He made his statement even as senators on Thursday expressed their support for a resolution seeking to conduct

an inquiry into the franchise compliance of ABS-CBN following the allegations made by the Solicitor General against the network.

And a day after he said that congressmen were feeling pressure from the President with regard to the renewal of the franchise of ABS-CBN, Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano said there had been no communication from the President for or against the ABS CBN issue.

“I never said that President Duterte directly pressured us congressman,” Albano, vice chairman of the House committee on legislative franchises, said.

Next page

Facebook Dating app for online lovebirds IN FULL BLOOM. Grab a memory and moments of affection, much like Filipino actress and model Danielle Claudine Ortega Garcia-Crawford, known professionally as Coleen Garcia, at SM Megamall’s floral installation at Mega Fashion Hall. Step inside the cage decked with red roses and iconic lines from romantic movies. You have your Valentine’s date.

ALL’S fair in electronic love and dating or is it? The battle for hearts and minds of couples seeking their perfect match online has taken a new turn.

If you’re a flirty mobile warrior Tindering on the brink or Bumbling from Next page

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News

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Cebu imposes temporary ban on pork meat from Mindanao TWO government officials in Cebu have imposed a temporary ban on live pigs, pork and pork products from all regions in Mindanao to protect the island from the African swine fever that affects the Davao region.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the pork ban throughout Cebu province took effect on Feb. 13 and would last for 90 days.

“Despite the strict measures taken by the provincial government to prevent the entry of the ASF virus into the province of Cebu, there is still a prominent risk of the virus entering Cebu from other areas of Mindanao,’’ Garcia’s Executive Order 7 says.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture in Davao (DA-11) confirmed Wednesday that two of the four villages in Davao del Sur under tight watch for ASF had been found positive of the disease.

Ricardo Oñate Jr., DA-11 director, reported to Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas that the first case of ASF in the province was established after taking blood samples of pigs from Barangay Palili and Barangay Laperas, both in Sulop town.

In Cebu City, Mayor Edgardo Labella on Thursday also decided to prohibit live pigs, pork and pork products from Mindanao for 60 days.

“Since there is a problem in Davao, better include all from Mindanao, Labella said.

Palace...

From A1

But Panelo denied that the inclusion of Taiwan in the travel ban was due to the Philippines’ “One-China Policy”—a concept that Taiwan is part of China.

President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the inclusion of Taiwan in the travel ban due to confirmed cases of the COVID-19 disease there, Panelo said.

“Last night, the President said, ‘My primary concern is the health and safety of our countrymen. We have to do what is necessary to secure their safety,’” Panelo told reporters in Malacañang.

Panelo, however, on Tuesday said that Taiwan was included in the travel ban because it was a “part of China.”

“Since there is a ban on China, necessarily Taiwan, being part of China, is included. And we always follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization,” Panelo told reporters last Tuesday.

Aside from Taiwan, the Philippines banned travel to China and its special administrative regions Hong Kong and Macau in a bid to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

Earlier in the day, President Duterte urged the public to remain calm in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak and asked Filipinos to trust the government.

“I call on our people to remain calm, vigilant and responsible and I also ask your trust and cooperation, support as we face the challenge. Let’s unite together as one nation. This challenge can be overcome,” Duterte said in a taped message aired on state-run RTVM. With Joel E. Zurbano and Macon RamosAraneta

Facebook...

From A1

one swipe to the next be aware there’s another game in town as Facebook muscles in to place its own tanks on the lawn.

As online dating becomes the virtual norm--some experts suggest half of British couples will meet that way come the end of the decade--Facebook’s gradual arrival on the dating scene--launched progressively in the Americas and Southeast Asia--looks set to shake up the market.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said last month he saw the company as moving towards the forefront of online dating having promised at the outset a service “for building real long-term relationships--not just hook-ups.”

But rivals are not quaking in their boots just yet, despite the size of the social media giant’s global footprint with more than two billion monthly active users some of whose data it now could leverage for romantic purposes.

“Facebook [Dating] has been going in certain countries for more than a year now and, for the moment, we’ve seen nothing change in terms of market share,” said Didier Rappaport, founder and managing director of popular French dating app Happn-motto, ‘crushes don’t fall from the sky’. AFP

Retirement won’t clear ’narco-cops’ T

By MJ Blancaflor

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after PNP chief Archie Gamboa announced that 15 of the 357 cops in President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug list had decided to retire early after being given the chance to do so.

“Giving them the retirement option doesn’t mean they won’t be prosecuted if there is evidence that they have been involved in drugs, Panelo told reporters.

“If there is evidence against you, you will still face charges, and by getting that retirement you are admitting you’re involved...If you retired, then it means you are involved.”

Gamboa on Wednesday said he allowed a one-star general in the controversial drug list of Duterte to retire early and avail himself of benefits.

“I told them this is a final option for you, because once we send you to the validation committee, anything that’s going to happen in the process, you can’t blame me anymore. I already gave you a chance,” Gamboa told reporters.

Meanwhile, Duterte said Wednesday there were only four remaining rogue cops and generals in the PNP who resell illegal drugs captured during police operations, and warned that they would end

up dead because of their “sins.”

The President said he was detemined to kill those “ninja” cops following the revelation that Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, the controversial police officer who gained notoriety in the government’s anti-drug campaign, was included in his drug list.

“My sworn duty is not to protect the people who are into drugs. My sworn duty is to protect the people and preserve the Republic of the Philippines,” Duterte said during the oath-taking of the officers of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas.

“They [drug syndicates] have runners... the generals and ninja cops. They are still around but they have been reduced to about four, and they will all die because they have sins to the nation.”

Panelo could not tell yet if Espenido had a scheduled meeting with President Duterte.

Espenido made the headlines when two suspected narco-politicians ended up dead in the towns where he was police chief.

He was the chief of police of Albuera

Trump...

the US canceled the travel visa of senator and former national police chief Ronald dela Rosa.

The VFA is divisive in the Philippines, with leftist and nationalist critics arguing it guarantees preferential treatment for US service members accused of crimes.

Its defenders say ending the agreement would compromise the nation’s ability to defend itself and undermine the US goal of containing Beijing’s ambitions in the South China Sea. Davidson on Thursday said he hoped Duterte’s decision to scrap a deal allowing US forces to be based in the country would be rethought.

Manila has given “180 day notice so we have some time for diplomatic efforts,” Davidson said at an event in Sydney. “I hope we can get to a successful outcome.”

Davidson insisted the termination of the VFA would hamper military operations in Duterte’s home island of Mindanao-where separatist and Islamist violence has killed some 100,000 people.

“Our ability to help the Philippines in their counter-violent extremist fight in the south, our ability to train and operate within the Philippines and with Philippines armed forces would be challenged without that visiting forces agreement,” he warned.

Though a landmark peace deal with the largest of the rebel groups, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, was sealed in 2019, the most brutal extremist factions were not included.

Those groups include the Islamic Statealigned BIFF and Abu Sayyaf, a kidnapfor-ransom gang that has been behind some of the nation’s deadliest attacks.

In late December at least 17 people-including soldiers--were injured in a dual hand grenade and IED attack on the island.

The rotating deployment of US troops in the country--coupled with a long-standing mutual defence pact and regular military exercises--is also seen as a bulwark against rising Chinese influence in the region.

Davidson praised the efforts of Indonesia in fending-off Chinese poaching in their waters and called for further cooperation among Pacific nations.

“I’m optimistic that the region is not only waking-up to that aggressive behavior but, more importantly, beginning to take a stand against,” he said.

He warned Australia to be aware of the threat of a Chinese base in the Pacific, which would help project Beijing’s influence well beyond its territorial waters. MJ Blancaflor with AFP

HE Palace said Thursday it sees nothing wrong with the retirement offer made by the Philippine National Police to the policemen included in the drug watchlist, saying those policemen are not yet off the hook and will still face charges.

From A1

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said it was “natural” for Trump to make such comment and he might be expressing his agreement with President Duterte’s view that the Philippines should strengthen its own defense capabilities.

Panelo insisted that the Philippines has gained respect from the US after it terminated the joint military pact, claiming that the Washington needs Manila since their “perceived enemies” are near the country.

Duterte, he added, is determined to abrogate the VFA and will no longer entertain any initiatives from the US to save the deal.

The Palace official also said the President is not keen on forging other military deals with other countries, a possibility that was earlier floated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Famously outspoken Duterte has threatened since his 2016 election to put an end to the Filipino-American alliance, with an eye toward cultivating relationships with Russia or China instead.

He specifically mentioned a desire to do away with the VFA again in January, after

China...

From A1

The virus has had massive ramifications globally since emerging from the central Chinese province of Hubei last month, with many countries banning travelers from China in a bid to stop people spreading the disease.

In Hubei, where tens of millions of people are trapped as part of an unprecedented quarantine effort, 242 new deaths were reported on Thursday.

Another 14,840 people were confirmed to be infected with the virus, with the new cases and deaths by far the biggest oneday increases since the crisis began.

The jumps raised the death toll to 1,355 and the total number of nationwide infections of the virus--officially named COVID-19–to nearly 60,000.

Hubei authorities said the huge increases were because they had broadened their definition for cases to include people “clinically diagnosed” via lung imaging.

Up until now, authorities had been documenting cases using a more sophisticated laboratory test.

The commission said it looked into past suspected cases and revised their diagnoses, suggesting that older cases were included in Thursday’s numbers.

About 56 million people in Hubei and its capital, Wuhan, are being banned from leaving as part of the quarantine efforts.

Rody...

From A1

“And I clarified that by saying that ‘In fairness to the President, he never called any of us congressmen and never issued any marching orders to tell us what to do.”

Duterte dared reporters to pursue the “truth” even if it destroyed him despite his repeated attacks against news organizations that he perceived to be critical of his administration. ‘‘Be assured that this administration will uphold equal protection of rights and your safety in the performance of your duties,’’ Duterte said as he led the oathtaking of the newly elected officers and trustees of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas. ‘‘Report to the public because you owe it to the republic to inform them. I’m just asking you to simply [report] the truth. If the truth will destroy me, so be it...if the truth will destroy me, that’s the price of being in public service.”

Senator Grace Poe, head of the Senate public services committee, filed a resolution on Wednesday that seeks to look into “the operations of ABS-CBN to determine its compliance with the terms and

Tens of millions of others cities far from the epicenter are also enduring travel restrictions.

China had been praised by the World Health Organization for its transparent handling of the outbreak, in contrast to the way it concealed the extent of the deadly SARS virus epidemic in 2002-2003.

But it has faced continued scepticism among the global public, and US officials have also called for more openness from China’s Communist Party rulers, leading to fears that there may be similarities with the way it dealt with SARS. Authorities in Hubei have been accused of concealing the gravity of the outbreak in late December and early January.

The death of an infected doctor who had tried to raise the alarm about the outbreak in December, but was silenced by authorities, triggered an outpouring of anger in China.

On Thursday, the leaders of Hubei and Wuhan were sacked, the highest-profile political scalps of the crisis.

Hubei’s two top health officials had already been sacked this week.

Analysts said Hubei’s new methodology to count infections might be for medical reasons and could be because Xi wants officials to be more transparent, but the immediate impact was to sow more distrust.

“Oddly, this now is a moment of greater transparency,” Sam Crane, political science professor at Williams College in Massachusetts, said. AFP conditions of its franchise under Republic Act 7966.”

Poe believes the hearing will not preclude any action in the House of Representatives or the Supreme Court. ‘‘The issue on subjudice regarding legislative inquiries has long been resolved by the Supreme Court in Sabio vs.

Gordon and in the cases that reiterate it: ‘‘On-going judicial proceedings do not preclude congressional hearings in aid of legislation’,’’ she said.

Duterte also recognized that government officials should not shield themselves from the scrutiny of the media. ‘‘We in government are really in a fishbowl. We should not begrudge anything that is publicized or brought out in public in your desire to perform your duties,’’ Duterte said.

His remarks came after Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN at the Supreme Court, accusing the broadcast giant of having foreign ownership.

Duterte had repeatedly threatened that ABS-CBN would lose its franchise. His grudge against the network stemmed from its not airing his paid political advertisements during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Duterte...

From A1

As for the first batch of Filipino repatriates who are currently staying in the quarantine facility inside the Athletes’ Village at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, Duterte assured them that government is taking care of them.

Earlier, Malacañang said the government will shoulder the costs of tests, medicines, confinement, and all hospital-related expenses for those undergoing quarantine in government hospitals and facilities.

Government has also banned the entry of all foreign nationals from mainland China and its administrative regions Hong Kong and Macao as well as Taiwan. However, Filipinos and foreigners with permanent resident visas are allowed in the Philippines but will have to undergo quarantine.

Duterte acknowledged that it is “normal” to feel anxious, concerned, and afraid of the possibility of a local outbreak but reminded them to observe safety precautions to minimize the chances of being infected.

“Be clean. Wash your hands frequently, repeatedly. In every handshake, when you sneeze, cover your mouth and make sure you don’t contaminate other people. If you are coughing, wear a mask,” Duterte said.

He also urged Filipinos to be wary of false information about Covid-19 being spread to spark panic and paranoia.

“Be careful and listen to important information coming from the WHO. Don’t listen to rumors,” Duterte said.

Instead of believing fake news, Duterte reminded Filipinos to believe only information coming from reliable sources such as the WHO and government.

“Focus on government. Real information comes from government, not on rumors that have no other purpose but to instill fear among us,” he said in Filipino.

In an interview over radio dzBB, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo rejected criticism that Duterte considers the Covid-19 as a political issue.

“That’s not true because we don’t work that way. It’s always a health issue for us,” Panelo said.

There are three confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Philippines, all of which are foreigners, according to the Department of Health.

There is no evidence yet of local community transmission in the country, health authorities said.

The death toll from Covid-19 increased to 1,367, nearly all of the fatalities in China, while the total confirmed cases worldwide reached more than 60,000, only about 500 cases were reported outside China.

when the drug-linked mayor Rolando Espinosa was shot dead inside his jail cell in 2016. A year later, as Ozamiz police chief, Espenido led the drug raids that led to the killing of mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and several others.

On Feb. 5, Espenido was relieved by the Philippine National Police as Bacolod City police chief and was transferred to the Office of the PNP chief in Camp Crame.

In his speech, Duterte said he was ready to shoot the rogue policemen even if he was no longer in power.

“I would shoot them if I [saw] them, whether president or ordinary. If I see them and I know they are angry with me because of drugs, we will really end up shooting each other,” he said.

More than 5,000 drug suspects have died since Duterte launched his brutal war on narcotics in 2016, which has been criticized by both local and international groups who claimed that there have been police abuses and the number of the dead was much higher.

Defense...

From A1

capabilities after the commander-inchief terminated the Visiting Forces Agreement.

“To be consistent with his stand, then all treaties must go… by the tone of his body language. Because when we said that we have to stand on our own, not rely [on others]–it means we’ll have to strengthen our own resources,” Panelo told reporters in a press briefing.

This was contrary to his earlier statement that the country’s other military pacts with the US will remain despite the termination of the VFA. The MDT states that Manila and Washington would come to each other’s defense in case of an attack by a foreign state, while the EDCA allows the US military to maintain barracks and weapons storage structures inside five military camps in the Philippines.

Asked if Manila’s treaties with other countries would also be terminated, Panelo said: “Ah, I don’t know that portion but what I’m saying… I’m not saying that all treaties must go. I’m just reading the body language of the President.”

The Palace official, however, clarified that he has not yet asked the President if the other treaties, aside from the VFA, would be terminated.

Panelo agreed with some lawmakers and experts that ending the VFA is as good as terminating the MDT and the EDCA, but he said he’s not sure if the Philippines would have to send the US another termination notice to make that happen.

“I understand the Senate is going to review these two treaties...So we’ll wait for their recommendation,” Panelo said.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday said military exercises with American forces scheduled for this year will continue despite the termination of the VFA. “With the formal serving of the notice of termination of the VFA, this year’s planned military exercises with the Americans shall proceed as scheduled within the 180 days that the VFA remains in force,” Lorenzana said in a statement sent to reporters.

However, Lorenzana said the United States always has the option to cancel military drills planned for 2020 before the lapse of the 180-day period.

“Once the termination is final, we will cease to have exercises with them,” he added.

Earlier, President Duterte ordered Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to send a formal notification to Washington DC regarding Manila’s decision to revoke the VFA, which was signed in February 1998.

On Tuesday, Locsin announced that the formal termination notice has already been received by the US government.

The VFA’s effectivity will end 180 days from the day the US formally received the formal notice from the Philippines.

The agreement exempts American forces from passport and visa regulations and allows them to use their permits and licenses in the Philippines.

It also gives the US jurisdiction over its troops who committed unlawful acts in the Philippines.

Senator Panfilo Lacson said while the VFA is not equitable, the reasons for its abrogation were “way off the mark.”

Repealing the VFA, he added, was “not the smartest move” of the President.

“The thing is, it is not the smartest move of the President to expose ourselves naked first before looking for other options for cover,” he said.

Lacson said maintenance and repairs of military hardware, mostly air assets provided by the US under the AFP modernization program will also be affected by the VFA’s abrogation.

He welcomed the AFP chief’s statement that the Philippines may push for similar defense treaties with other allied countries like Japan and South Korea, the senator said the reality is that it would not happen overnight.

News

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Gov’t to run after POGOs who don’t pay taxes—Palace

Taal Volcano can still erupt anytime —Phivolcs

By MJ Blancaflor

By Rio N. Araja

THE Palace on Thursday vowed to go after Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators in the country which failed to pay at least P50 billion in taxes last year.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after it was reported that the government only collected P5 billion of the P50 billion tax revenue expected to be generated from POGOs. “We’ll run after them. President Duterte is very clear on that. No sacred cows in this government. You owe the government? We’ll run after you,” he said.

“The way he did in the Philippine Airlines, Mighty Cigarette Corp. and now the water concessionaires. The President is not favoring anybody. If you transgressed the law, then you can’t get away with it,” he added.

On Wednesday, Senator Risa Hontiveros presented to the media a Taiwanese worker who was rescued from trafficking in POGOs, alleging that it was protected and backed by a certain Michael Yang.

It was not clear if the Taiwanese worker was referring to the Yang who once served as President Rodrigo Duterte’s economic adviser.

Panelo said the Taiwanese worker should file a complaint against the person she was referring to.

In November last year, Duterte warned POGOs to settle their tax liabilities in just three days or he would turn them into “pugo,” a pun on the Filipino word for “quail” in English.

Resolve cases quickly, CJ orders judges

By Rey E. Requejo CHIEF Justice Diosdado M. Peralta on Thursday urged new officials of the Philippine Trial Judges League Inc. to help the Supreme Court’s reform programs intended to speed up resolution of cases in various and to weed out misfits in the judiciary.

In his speech, Peralta stressed that the SC under his leadership is determined to “get rid of the misfits and those who are not conforming to the standards.”

According to him, the de-clogging of court dockets is being implemented from the lowest courts to the SC. A check with the Office of the Court Administrator showed that as of December 2018, there were 8,852 pending cases with the SC; 19,732 with the Court of Appeals; 5,237 with the Sandiganbayan; 1,353 with the Court of Tax Appeal; 546,182 with the regional trial courts and 160,153 with the first level courts like municipal courts and metropolitan trial courts.

Peralta warned that misfits in the judiciary will face stiff administrative punishment if found guilty of committing impropriety, graft and corruption.

The chief magistrate earlier said the SC will “impose timelines in resolving administrative complaints, including complaint initiated by the court and timelines for the court to resolve these complaints.”

Peralta inducted the national officers and regional directors of the PTJLI for 2020 to 2022 at the En Banc session hall of the SC in Ermita, Manila.

The PTJLI is an association of judges of the municipal trial courts and the municipal circuit trial courts.

BLOODLETTING. Members of the Anti-Kidnapping Group conduct a Blood Letting Activity during Philippine National Police-AKG 8th Anniversary held at the AKG office in Camp Crame Quezon City. Manny Palmero

MMDA starts crackdown vs. ‘habal-habal’ riders

By Joel E. Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

T

HE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Thursday launched a crackdown on riders, particularly those driving and operating habal-habal or illegal motorcyle-for-hire units.

This after the Department of Transportation tapped the MMDA to begin the campaign and apprehend erring riders and those driving motorcycle taxis illegally operating in Metro Manila.

MMDA general manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said the agency will particularly apprehend riders not in the master list of three motorcycle ride-hailing mobile applications “Angkas”, “Joy Ride” and “Move It” included in the pilot study of the DOTr Technical Working Group being chaired by Antonio Gardiola Jr. “Other ride-hailing apps like Sampa, Kandong, etc. which are not permitted to operate and therefore are all illegal. We will also be on the lookout against habalhabal riders and terminals,” said Garcia.

Garcia urged the public to report the locations of habal-habal terminals and report them to the MMDA through its social media accounts in Facebook and Twitter.

As to the procedures of apprehension, Garcia cited that traffic enforcers would check their driver’s license and verify the names in the master list. Those not

included in the list will receive a citation ticket.

Gardiola has already turned over the master list which will be used as the traffic enforcers’ basis of apprehension.

“Names of riders not included in the master list will be apprehended as colorum and their motorcycle units will be impounded. Let us not abuse the government and make sure that riders are all legitimate,” said Garcia.

Gardiola said they received information that a firm have exceeded the overall cap allotted for it while other ride-hailing firms are not permitted to operate in the ongoing pilot test which will run until March.

He warned illegal ride-hailing firms caught with blatant violations could be blacklisted by the end of the study.

In Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam, “motor taxis” are accepted as a practical mode of transportation which gets millions of people past gridlock. Owing to its slim form, motorbikes allow passengers to weave through traffic jams and navigate

side-streets in ways that four-wheeled vehicles cannot.

In the Philippines, motorbike transportation is available in the form of habal-habal, most commonly found in the cities of Makati and Taguig. Yet habal-habal have no safety measures or standardized in place, so the issue of safety always remains a question in the minds of commuters.

Meanwhile, a total of 16 senators signed the Senate committees on public services and local government report allowing the use of motorcycle taxis to transport passengers all over the country.

Committee Report No. 46 of Senate Bill No. 1341 or The Motorcycles-for-Hire Act now classifies motorcycles-for-hire as among the public utility vehicles regulated by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

“We are inching closer to having a law that will make motorcycle taxis a part of our public transportation system,” Poe, head of the public services panel, said Poe. Aside from Poe, the other authors of the bill are Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto, Imee Marcos, Juan Edgardo Angara, Joel Villanueva, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Francis Tolentino.

The bill defines motorcycles-forhire as any two-wheeled motor vehicle registered with the Land Transportation Office, which transports passengers and goods on a for-hire basis, and which may utilize online ride hailing or pre-arranged transportation platforms.

Villar airs warning vs. fake text messages on ‘SIPAG’ SENATOR Cynthia Villar on Thursday warned anew the public against fake text messages using the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance of the Villar Foundation to deceive and profit from unsuspecting people.

Villar cited as example a text message saying that the Villar Foundation has an ongoing contest and has been offering cash prizes to winners.

“We urge everyone to be more discriminating and to be more vigilant against text scams. It is not true that our foundation has an ongoing contest or raffle draw,”

Villar said.

She noted that the Villar SIPAG’s projects are communicated through its official website and validated social media accounts.

The lady senator also urged all those who received the scam text message to immediately report to their office, contact details of which can be found on www.villarsipag.org.

“It is not the first time that text scams were circulated to spread disinformation against the Villar Foundation and the Villar name. It is unfortunate that these scammers are targeting innocent people,” Villar said.

She also added that they have coordinated with the National Telecommunications Commission and the National Bureau of Investigation and will not hesitate to take appropriate legal actions against the people or groups behind the disinformation.

The Nacionalista Party senator also said the proliferation of text scams prompted her to file Senate Bill 340 which mandates the registration of all users of subscriber identity module (SIM) cards as a deterrent to text scams, misleading advertisements and fraudulent sales promotion.

Macon Ramos-Araneta

DESPITE lesser volcanic earthquakes, Taal Volcano in Batangas could still possibly erupt, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The Taal Volcano Network recorded 71 volcanic quakes in the past 24 hours (Feb. 12-Feb. 13, 5 a.m.) compared to the 101 quakes in the previous 24-hour observation period (Feb. 11-Feb. 12).

“These volcanic earthquakes signify magmatic activity beneath the Taal edifice that could lead to eruptive activity at the main crater,” PHIVOLCS bulletin read.

Activity in the main crater in the past 24 hours was characterized by weak emission of steam-laden plumes rising 50 meters to 100 meters before drifting southwest.

Sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 59 tons per day on Feb. 12, while Feb. 11 had an emission of 67 tons per day.

Alert Level 3 remained over Taal Volcano.

MMDA to adjust traffic in Alabang, Balintawak, QC

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority announced on Thursday it will enforce a major traffic adjustment and rerouting scheme in areas of Alabang in Muntinlupa City and Balintawak in Quezon City to give way for the ongoing construction of Skyway Extension and Skyway Stage 3 projects.

Beginning 11 p.m. today, one lane closure will be implemented on the northbound lane of EDSA Balintawak towards North Luzon Expressway to give way to the erection of vertical bridge support under the EDSA Bridge as part of the Skyway Stage 3 project.

Light vehicles going to NLEX and Monumento may take the Balintawak Interchange ramp going to Cubao and take the U-turn slot after Cloverleaf Market going to NLEX. Meanwhile, two lanes will be closed on EDSA Balintawak going to Cubao on Sunday (Feb. 16) for the erection of interconnection flatform tower on top of EDSA Bridge.

Light vehicles coming from Monumento via EDSA before reaching Balintawak may turn right to A. De Jesus Streeet then left to C3 to destination.

The lane will be closed until March 5.

Further, girders will also be launched along A. Bonifacio where one lane going to NLEX will remain passable and two lanes for those going to Manila for 8 nights from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Feb. 22 to 29.

Motorists are advised to take the following alternate routes: Light vehicles going to NLEX and Monumento may take the Balintawak Interchange Ramp going to Cubao and take the U-turn slot after Cloverleaf Market going to NLEX; light vehicles going to Novaliches and NLEX may take zipper lane at the left immediately before the construction site towards destination while light vehicles from NLEX (going to Manila/Caloocan) may take the Balintawak Interchange Ramp going to Monumento via EDSA then left to A. De Jesus Street then left to C3 to destination.

Shell, DOH aim to wipe out malaria in PH by 2030 GO VEGAN. A PETA supporter garbed in biohazard suits assembles outside the Department of Health headquarters in Manila and urged the public to help prevent deadly outbreaks by going vegan.

Norman Cruz

TO HELP eradicate the last traces of malaria in the country, Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. on Thursday launched its “Move Against Malaria” campaign in Taguig City, with the aim to stamp out the mosquito-born disease within 10 years or by 2030.

Four provinces in the country remain afflicted by malaria, according to the Department of Health (DoH), and it is these last few vulnerable groups that are proving to be the most challenging to help, PSFI Executive Director Sebastian Quiñones Jr. said.

“The mission to help communities does not stop until 100 percent elimination is achieved,” he said at a panel discussion with the DOH held in Bonifacio Global City. “At-risk indigenous people are located in specific terrains and territories that are not as easy of reach and help.”

Malaria was among the top 10 causes

of morbidity in the Philippines in 1999.

Through the combined effort of the PSFI, the DOH, and local government units across the nation, malaria cases have dropped from over 50,000 in Palawan alone in 1999 to less than 5,000 in 2018.

As of end-2018, 50 out of 81 provinces in the country have been declared malaria-free and 27 are currently in the elimination phase, leaving only four provinces as having local transmission—Palawan, Sulu, Occidental Mindoro and Sultan Kudarat.

PSFI has taken special measures to effectively stamp out the disease before the country’s 2030 deadline to eliminate the infection, Quiñones said.

In addition to sending regular volunteer expeditions into the mountains, the Foundation has hired anthropologists to study the groups in order to develop nondisruptive methods for providing aid, he

added.

“We need to come up with proper sensitivities and strategies before we begin any efforts,” said Quiñones.

The resounding success of the concerted effort to fight the infection has attracted millions of dollars in global aid.

What started in 1999 as Kilusan Ligtas Malaria, a community-driven social volunteer program created to fight malaria in Palawan, grew into the nationwide Movement Against Malaria effort in 2009 when a US$31.4-million grant from the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis, and Malaria was awarded to PSFI. “The MAM program values its partnerships., particularly with the government, for a more widespread and effective approach to tackle the malariafree mission,” said Marvi Trudeau, PSFI’s deputy executive director, who has been with the program since the beginning.

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Opinion

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A brutal year THE years 2019 and 2018 were years of underperformance for the Philippine economy. Growth targets were missed.

2019 and 2018 were also challenging years for the country’s largest corporations in revenues and profits.

Still, the companies, big and small, somehow managed to navigate the rough waters of 2018 and 2019. They reported a double-digit rise in sales and a single-digit gain in profits.

Growth targets were missed.

The economy, as measured by the total output of goods and services (the Gross Domestic Product or GDP), grew by just 5.9 percent in 2019 and 6.2 percent in 2018.

These rates are lower than the growth rate of 6.7 percent in 2017 and 6.9 percent in 2016. The 2019 GDP growth of 5.9 percent is the lowest in eight years, since the disappointing 3.7-percent growth of 2011.

The four-year average (2016-2019) GDP growth is 6.425 percent—below the low-end target of 6.5 percent and the high-end goal of 7.5 percent in those four years, under the Duterte administration.

The lower-than-average 5.9 percent growth in 2019 was blamed by the World Bank on “a rapid deceleration in investment growth and a weak external environment.”

The Philippine economy was hampered by the delayed approval of the 2019 budget and the adverse impact of weak global manufacturing and

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

trade, and trade tensions between the United States and China, two of the Philippines’ biggest trading partners and export markets.

To be sure, the Philippines has had unprecedented 84 quarters or 21 years of consecutive growth—the longest economic expansion in the country’s history.

This 2020 should have been better, with the economy projected by the World Bank to grow by 6.1 percent in 2020 and by 6.2 percent in 2021.

2020 has proved brutal not only for corporations but most Filipinos.

On Jan. 3, Iran’s famous general, Qassem Suleimani, was assassinated by the United States in a drone strike.

This raised tension in the Middle East, if not the possibility of a larger war on a global front.

On Jan. 7, Chinese officials announced they had identified a new virus, the novel virus, 2019-nCoV ARD (acute respiratory disease).

On Jan. 11, China announced its first death from the virus, a 61-year-old man who had bought goods from a seafood market in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in Central China.

On Jan. 12, restive Taal Volcano erupted with full fury, devastating the agriculture, industry and tourism of CALABARZON and paralyzing Metro Manila for several days.

On Feb. 11, the now-named COVID-19 had killed 1,016 and infected 42,638. Thirty-eight airlines stopped flights to and from China. The virus had spread to 28 countries and territories.

On Feb. 11, President Rodrigo Duterte finally sent notice to the US to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement. For the first time since Magellan in 1521, there won’t be foreign troops in the Philippines. Congratulations, President Duterte.

Volcano, virus, VFA. The three apocalypse horses of the First Quar-

Still bullish on PH economy

G

LOBAL financial institutions are not a bit worried over the Philippine economy despite the coronavirus outbreak and other external headwinds.

On the contrary, they are upbeat on the country's growth prospects given the strong macroeconomic fundamentals in place.

The International Monetary Fund has kept its 6.3-percent growth projection for the Philippine economy in 2020, noting the strong performance of the gross domestic product in the fourth quarter of 2019 and a manageable inflation rate. The institution has endorsed government's accelerated spending program to boost economic growth and its accommodative monetary policies, or lower interest rates, to reduce the borrowing cost.

Global debt watcher Fitch Ratings shares a similar assessment on the Philippine economy. It upgraded the credit rating outlook of the Philippines to “BBB” positive from “BBB” stable, stressing the country’s solid macroeconomic fundamentals could weather external headwinds, including the outbreak of 2019-novel coronavirus. The improved outlook puts the Philippines closer to the coveted “A” credit rating that will draw more foreign investments and reduce further the cost of borrowing in the country.

Fitch expects economic growth to accelerate to 6.4 percent and 6.5 percent in 2020 and 2021, respectively, after slowing to 5.9 percent in 2019, adding the Philippines would remain among the fastest-growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region in 2020-2021.

Fitch does not believe the virus outbreak will make a dent on the Philippine economy. “It is still early to evaluate the effects of the outbreak,

but the economy appears somewhat less vulnerable than regional peers as tourism accounts for less than 3 percent of GDP. In addition, the Philippines retains room in our view for monetary and fiscal easing to offset the potential short-term impact on growth,” it said.

Japan-based Rating and Investment Information Inc., meanwhile, upgraded the Philippines’ credit rating by a notch from “BBB” to “BBB+.”

The National Economic and Development Authority said the upgrade would enhance the country’s investment climate and creditworthiness.

The stamp of approval obtained by the Philippines from these three venerable institutions reflects the sound economic policies being implemented by the government. President Rodrigo Duterte has let his team run the economic affairs of the Philippines with little or no political interference. He should keep it that way and ignore shortsighted solutions that will do more harm to the economy.

Turn to A5

Gov’t should leave ABS-CBN alone NO MATTER how stridently Malacañang denies that President Rodrigo Duterte had a hand in the filing by Solicitor General Jose Calida of a quo warranto petition urging the Supreme Court to forfeit ABS-CBN's franchise for alleged "abusive practices," his repeated diatribes against the media conglomerate clearly indicate that Calida's surprise move had his fingerprints all over it.

President Duterte accuses ABSCBN of "swindling" him because it did not run his political advertisements during the 2016 election campaign although he had already paid for it, instead airing his bete noire Antonio Trillanes' ads. If that is true, then the proper recourse would have been to go to court and ask them to return the money, plus legal fees and other damages, rather than to shut it down lock, stock and barrel. In short, it has all the makings of a political vendetta against a media outfit that is no match against all the awesome powers vested in him by the Constitution.

Calida's move asking the High Tribunal to cancel the media outfit's franchise ahead of its expiration on March 30 appears to be another example of weaponizing the law to silence critics of the administration.

The quo warranto petition is the same tactic used to strip Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno of her post, ahead of what would have been lengthy impeachment proceedings at the House of Representatives and possibly in the Senate where she could have ably

defended herself.

We agree with the view that Calida has usurped the power of Congress on the matter of granting legislative franchises.

That same Congress, however, also appears in no hurry to deliberate on 11 pending bills seeking to extend the ABS-CBN franchise.

From where I sit, this looks like a tag-team effort by the legislative and executive branches of government to leave the beleaguered media outfit no option but to accept the non-extension of their franchise to operate. Or perhaps, as Duterte himself suggested, to just sell it to whoever has the moolah to cough up in short order.

The secret dating lives of young Saudis

By Anuj Chopra

What happens after March 30 and ABSCBN has no extended franchise?

What happens after March 30 and ABS-CBN has no extended franchise? One view says that it can still operate its radio-TV facilities if Congress fails to act on the pending franchise bills. Another says that it can shutter its radio and TV facilities for the meantime and concentrate on other aspects of its media operations, such as digital film production. Still another is that it can establish a joint venture with another TV channel and use it as a platform for airing news, public affairs, and entertainment programs it can still produce, perhaps under another corporate entity.

Whatever happens, one thing is Turn to A5

IN SAUDI Arabia's rigid past, religious police once swooped down on rose sellers and anyone peddling red paraphernalia around Valentine's Day, but now a more open—albeit risky—dating culture is taking root.

Pursuing relationships outside of marriage in the conservative Islamic kingdom once amounted to a death wish, and would-be Romeos resorted to pressing phone numbers up against their car window in hope of making contact with women.

Now a sweeping liberalization drive—which has rendered the religious police toothless and allowed gender mixing like never before— has made it easier for young couples to meet in cafes and restaurants.

Well-heeled millennials also hunt for romantic liaisons via Twitter and Snapchat, and apps such as Swarm— designed to log places the user visits but often repurposed to look for dates.

"Selling red roses was like selling drugs," one young Saudi filmmaker told AFP, sitting in a music-filled Ri-

yadh cafe with his girlfriend while a courting couple gazed into each other's eyes on the next table.

"Even this was once unthinkable—a woman sitting next to an unrelated man," said the girlfriend, a media professional.

"Now women are asking men out."

Pre-marital relationships remain a cultural minefield though in a country steeped in Islamic tradition and where matchmaking is typically overseen by family elders, forcing couples to keep unsanctioned romance under wraps.

Covert dating operations illustrate how Saudi Arabia's mainly young population is often compelled to lead dual lives in the pursuit of social liberties that may outstrip the kingdom's capacity for change.

Secrets and lies Samirah, a 27-year-old finance executive in the Saudi capital, felt a flutter of nerves when her boyfriend's mother stumbled upon a handwritten birthday card and gift she gave him—and that risked her own family

finding out.

In a society where family honor is often tied to female chastity, the revelation would have provoked fury from her family and jeopardized their months-long courtship that began through common friends.

Her boyfriend managed to deflect his mother, but the scare prompted the young couple yearning for more freedom to plan a forbidden rendezvous—a long weekend in Dubai disguised as a business trip.

"Saudi society is more open, but everyone lies about relationships because people are judgemental," said Samirah, who like other interviewees requested that her real name be withheld.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the millennial heir to the Saudi throne, has loosened social norms in a seismic cultural shift away from hardline Islam, allowing cinemas and parties while reining in clerics opposed to events like Valentine’s Day. In scenes unimaginable until just two years ago, women have been seen Turn to A5

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Opinion BOC ninjas ‘recycle’ seized contrabands THE Bureau of Customs missed its target collections in 2019 and promised to recoup this year, but the downtrend continued last January.

BOC officials blamed the dismal performance for the first month of the year on the Taal Volcano eruption.

Customs insiders could not yet tell how much the 2019 novel coronavirus would affect the BOC’s revenue collection for the rest of the year. I would say we should also be extra careful with the massive imported goods from China.

I am sure that BOC Comm.

Leonardo Guerrero knows that the persistent corruption among BOC officials accounts for the agency’s continued losses.

While the Commissioner is keeping watch to prevent any more illegal drugs from being smuggled into the country through airports and seaports, some BOC officials are keeping busy with their lucrative racket.

He should keep an eye on the Auction and Cargo Disposal Division which auctions off confiscated contrabands to their cohorts through rigged bidding, said my reliable informants.

“The supposed auction is just a moro-moro. It’s really a pre-arranged bidding where the syndicate is sure to win,” said my spy in BOC. It may be unknown to Guerrero that a certain alias “GM” runs this illicit “ninja” operations at the ACDD. The whole thing, however, is in fact an open secret among the rank and file in Aduana.

Aside from the fake bidding, another modus that this henchman GM uses is the “condemnation” wherein contrabands that are supposed to be auctioned, are “condemned” or declared unfit for human consumption or utilization, including “ukay-ukay,” fruits, vegetables, among others.

Corruption at the agency is a hopeless case.

But instead of discarding the con condemned cargoes, GM’s group actu actually recycles them—selling them to ready buyers.

The BOC ninjas headed by this hotshot GM in cahoots with crooked middle-level BOC officials and Customs officers rake millions of pesos day in and day out, according to my informant.

So, these clandestine operations must be part of the reason why the good Commissioner fell short by more than P30 billion of BOC’s target collections, and P2 billion shy of last January’s supposed target revenues.

The collections of BOC, as well as the Bureau of Internal Revenue, make up the bulk of the country’s revenues, with other collections coming from the Bureau of the Treasury.

The government must operate on a deficit if its expenses cannot be covered by its ability to sufficiently generate revenue.

Corruption at the BOC is a hopeless case. No man can put an end to it because that is the culture and it is there to stay.

Gov’t...

From A4

clear: The administration's threats to close down ABS-CBN are a clear infringement on press freedom against which media, rights groups and all those seriously concerned over the dangerous downward drift toward dictatorship should all be vigilant.

Vetting the VFA Even Jose Ma. Sison, the founding chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines, seems overjoyed that Duterte has sent notice to the US that he is terminating the Visiting Forces Agreement.

The Bayan coalition as well as Bayan Muna Party-list have also hailed Duterte's move as a welcome development as this signals a shift from overdependence on Washington's imperial outreach to a more independent foreign policy.

But would this not mean simply jumping from one world power to another for our military and economic requirements?

It would have made more sense for the government to propose a thorough review of the VFA with the end in view of maximizing the benefits we get from it and junking its onerous provisions.

As pointed out recently by Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. when he appeared recently before the Senate in a lengthy briefing, the Philippines derives a number of benefits from the VFA. These include, apart from joint military exercises where Filipino soldiers can learn from their US counterparts, offers of humanitarian assistance in the aftermath of natural disasters; assistance in AFP modernization efforts; technical support to the AFP in fighting insurgency and terrorism; and schooling/ training of military and police personnel in the US. Can we afford to lose all of these? Duterte thinks so, and forthwith ordered his subalterns to send a formal notice to the US government to terminate the VFA. We recall that Duterte first sounded out his plan to terminate the treaty in the aftermath of the US government's cancellation of the visa of Senator Ronald de la Rosa, the chief implementor of Duterte's blood-soaked war on drugs. But we did not know then that the moment of pique over a unilateral move on the part of the US government would lead to a big rift in Philippine-American relations that had so far gone smoothly in the post-war era except for a few irritants regarding extraterritoriality rights given to US servicemen who commit crimes while in the country.

The US Defense secretary has described Duterte's move as a "step in the wrong direction." That is understandable given China's military build up in the South China Sea. But whether this would adversely affect over-all bilateral ties is still everyone's guess. We'll have to wait and see. ernhil@yahoo.com

The secret...

From A4

swaying on the shoulders of men at music concerts as the kingdom tears down the walls of sex segregation.

But while the religious police have stepped back, the internal policing within Saudi families and society at large has not stopped, highlighting the limits of a Western-style liberalization

drive in a deeply conservative country.

A Saudi woman in her late 20s told AFP she suspected her "control freak" brother, who works in the military, had deployed official spyware to track whether she was meeting men.

"Young Saudis are caught between the old and new," said Nour, another woman who works in social development.

"Many suffer from the Madonna-whore complex. Just because you

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PDRs: To ABS-CBN with love CROSSROADS

J.A. DE LA CRUZ

(First of three parts) TODAY being Valentine's Day, I will refrain from commenting on the Very Urgent Omnibus Motion filed by Solicitor-General Jose Calida against the giant media network ABS-CBN. Based on Rule 66 of the Rules of Court, the quo warranto petition seeks to nullify the franchise of the network for a number of violations resulting in the "unlawfully exercise" of the said privilege.

Coming as it does just over a month before the expiration of the network's legislative franchise, and as the House of Representatives where legislative franchises originate has drawn all kinds of comments, there are concerns and speculations from all kinds of people and groups to the point that the grounds raised in the petition have been unduly drowned out.

Calida accused ABS-CBN of committing "highly abusive practices benefiting a greedy few at the expense of its loyal subscribers" alleging in the process that while its franchise was for broadcasting "free TV/radio," it has been doing otherwise by operating a pay-perview channel in ABS-CBN TVPlus, KBO Channel without getting the necessary permits.

Likewise, the petition alleged that the company has "resorted to ingenious corporate layering to transfer its franchise to ABS-CBN Convergence Inc. without the necessary congressional approval."

Finally, the petition alleged that the network has clearly violated Section 11, Article XVI of the 1987 Constitution which states "The ownership and management of mass media shall be limited to citizens of the Philippines or to corporations, cooperatives or associations wholly owned and managed by such citizens" with its issuance of PDRs—Philippine Depository Receipts—to foreigners which,

based on its latest financial report, constituted 22 percent of its shares.

While the petition raised legally compelling issues indicating the network's violations of the terms and conditions attached to its franchise, it is the matter of PDRs which is of particular interest to keen observers of the scene. This is not only because of the novelty attached to such a financial instrument; instead it is the sneaky, ingenious way it was used to get around the constitutional prohibition.

Here’s an expert on the matter.

In this regard, I have taken the liberty of devoting this space to a well written, scholarly treatise on the subject written by Lorenzo E. Delgado, editor-in-chief of The Bedan Review.

It is my hope that with this enlightening piece the public will have a clearer and better appreciation of the constitutional issue raised in this quo warranto case which, for all intents and purposes, is at the heart of this controversy.

Here goes: Philippine Depositary Receipts: Mass Media’s Existing or Emerging Loophole To Constitutionally Mandated Full Filipino Ownership?

Quando aliquid prohibitur ex directo, prohibitur et per obliquum.

What cannot be legally done directly cannot be done indirectly. If acts that cannot be legally done directly can be done indirectly, then all laws would be illusory.

Need not be told that the State has and will always recognize the great importance of mass media in the stability and development of the nation. Mass media acts as “gatekeepers,” the determining factor that decides whether or not a message can successfully flow from the transmitter to the receiver. The State therefore has the duty to protect said industry, ensuring that the same is within the control of its citizenry and far from the fetching influence for-

A brutal...

From A4

ter Storm circa 2020.

COVID-19 could shatter from 30 percent to 50 percent of Philippine tourism arrivals and revenues.

Ending the VFA, which gives US soldiers visa free stay and access to major military facilities and military operations in the Philippines, could upset the power balance in the Asia Pacific as Duterte pivots towards China away from the apron strings of America.

Meanwhile, in 2018, the BizNewsAsia 1000 Largest Corporations registered combined revenues of P19,166 billion (P19.166 trillion), up a respectable 12 percent or P2.048 trillion from the P17.118 trillion they posted in 2017.

Combined 2018 profits of the BizNewsAsia 1000 reached just P1.925 trillion, up a paltry P51 billion or 2.7 percent from the P1.874-trillion profits reported in 2017.

The P1.925-trillion profits were good enough to turn in a return on equity of 11.16 percent, more than double the 2018 inflation rate of 5.2 percent. With a return on sales of 10 percent, the BizNewsAsia 1000 earned P10 for every P100 of sales. Return assets was single digit but still respectable, 3.33 percent.

The 50 largest corporations chalked up P10.1 trillion in sales, up 15.66 percent over 2017, and a hefty 52.7 percent of the total revenues of the BizNewsAsia 1000.

The Top 50 made P930.9 billion in profits, up just 4.9 percent but better than the 2.7 percent gain of the BizNewsAsia 1000 in net income. The Top 50’s profits represented 48.34 percent of the BizNewsAsia 1000’s combined income.

For the 10th consecutive year since the BizNewsAsia

are willing to go on a date does not mean you have a loose character."

'Full of risks' Saudi women also bridle at pervasive sexism in a society that—despite undergoing change particularly in urban areas—some say reduces them to their future role as wives and mothers.

Sex outside of marriage remains a criminal offense in most of the Arab world, and the restrictions also fuel

eign control carries.

With the current trend of customization and diversification of financial instruments to heed the need of investments and thus entailing ways and machinations to suit the wants and demands of potential and existing investors, Philippine corporations engaged in mass media sought the use of Philippine Depositary Receipts to obtain foreign investment without being under the sanction of violating the Constitution.

Hence, will the issuance of PDRs to foreigners, regardless of its un underlying shares and whether the same will be exercised or not, cur curtail the Constitutional mandate of total Filipino ownership in mass media?

It is believed to be so.

Regardless of different scenarios pertaining to the issuance of PDRs of mass media corporations to foreigners such as whether the underlying shares are entitled to vote or not and whether the said PDRs are exercised or not, the primordial consequence of which is that the said PDRs will enable foreigners to control mass media corporations, a situation which was sought to be prevented by the Constitution.

Mass media corporations namely ABS-CBN, GMA and Rappler, even at the expense of recognizing the constitutional prohibition of foreign ownership in the industry of mass media, have acknowledged the ability of PDRs to obtain foreign investment, to wit: “The PDRs unlocked the share value of ABS-CBN, allowing foreigners to participate in a media enterprise whose ownership is constitutionally limited to Filipinos.

With foreigners allowed to buy PDRs, ABS-CBN shares which have long been undervalued, can now play catch-up with regional media counterparts.”

“Holders of the PDRs will enjoy only the economic benefits of the shares underlying the receipts without voting and other ownership rights. PDRs will allow foreigners to invest in a media enterprise whose ownership is constitutionally limited to Filipinos.”

Continued on Monday

1000 begun, diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. topped the list, with commanding revenues of P1.024 trillion, a record, and a huge increase of 24 percent from its previous high of P826-billion revenues in 2017.

Under Chairman Eduardo C. Cojuangco Jr. and president Ramon S. Ang, SMC has successfully remade itself over the past 10 years to become the business behemoth that it is today.

In 2019, San Miguel is poised to again become the largest private industrial company in revenues.

SMC posted revenues of P758.634 billion in the first nine months of 2019, a minuscule drop from the P761.173 billion in 2018. If you annualize the nine-month sales to produce revenues of 12 months, SMC will again hit the P1-trillion mark. Revenue gain, however, could be flat and so will probably the profits.

In the first nine months of 2019, SMC profits hit just P39.69 billion, down 5.27 percent from P41.9 billion in January to September 2018.

RSA reengineered SMC into what it is today—a nimble, green, colossal, hugely profitable money-spinner with No. 1 position in at least eight industry areas—beer (San Miguel Brewery), food (San Miguel Pure Foods), packaging (San Miguel Packaging Group), power generation (SMC Global Power Holdings), fuel and oil (Petron Corp.), infrastructure (SMC Infrastructure), fun to drive premium cars (BMW), and cement (Northern Cement).

About 60 percent of San Miguel’s business, revenues, and profits is the handiwork of Ramon S. Ang. In 2008, SMC had revenues of only P168 billion. By end-2018, revenues had ballooned to a record P1,024 billion (P1.024 trillion), a six-fold or a 509 percent increase in 10 years or a 50.9 percent rise every year. biznewsasia@gmail.com

the risk of blackmail.

"It is a big concern if you break up on bad terms," said Samirah.

"Women live in terror: What if he recorded photos and videos of me?

What if he tells my father? What if he lands up at home?"

Modern romance is also perilous for men—getting a hotel room can cause huge anxiety as couples are often expected to prove they are married at check-in.

Nasser, a 25-year-old advertising professional, said last year one of his friends was caught kissing his girlfriend inside a private booth in a Riyadh restaurant.

The restaurant manager threw open the screens and started filming them while shouting: "This is haram!" or un-Islamic.

"Sometimes the only safe place to date is in your car," Nasser told AFP. "Dating is full of risks." AFP

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

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News

TODAYFEBRUARY 14, 2020 FRIDAY,

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CHR takes swipe at govt’s 2016 narco-list

NGOs urge China: Stop Kaliwa fund

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Human Rights on Thursday took a swipe at the government’s 2016 narco-list linking Maguindanao’s Talitay mayor Abdul Wahab Sabal, who was recently gunned down in Malate, Manila.

“Sabal is not the first local chief executive who was killed after their inclusion in the administration’s list,” its lawyer-spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement.

“This incident is another notch in a pattern of impunity and violence that has taken root in this country,” she added.

She said the rule of law must be prioritized above all, and that the release of the supposed narco-list in 2016 was a “violation of due process and has predictably led to violence.”

Citing Rappler wire service’s report, the CHR said at least 13 mayors and eight vice mayors were killed between July 2016 and August 2019.

Judgment and justice can only be achieved by going through the proper channels, De Guia noted.

“This continued bloodshed is a failure of the State in protecting its citizens, as primary duty bearers and protectors of human rights,” De Guia said.

“Good governance cannot come if public servants are living in fear; action must be taken before more lives are lost, so that we can focus on working towards a better Philippines,” she added.

She said the government should take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of its elected officials—“this cycle of violence must be addressed, for its lasting effects and consequences are already being felt.”

The commission called for a peaceful and long-term solution to solve the drug problem “so that the Filipino people are provided with a safer environment where all can thrive.”

On Feb. 10 at past 10 p.m. in front of the Manrra Hotel on Quirino Avenue, Malate, Sabal got from his car when a motorcycle-riding gunmen shot Sabal.

ROMANCE AT CANAL. A couple

spend some romantic space on a gondola under a Valentine’s Day decorated tunnel at the Venice Grand Canal Mall in Taguig City Thursday.

Norman Cruz

Police raid controversial French writer’s publisher F

RENCH police on Wednesday raided the headquarters of the company that published the works of Gabriel Matzneff, accused of raping a minor, as a date was set for his trial on a charge of justifying paedophilia.

The search at publishing company Gallimard’s Paris offices was conducted by a police unit specialzed in investigating violence against minors, a source close to the probe told AFP. Investigators were looking for written passages that never appeared in any of Matzneff’s published work, said the source.

Prosecutors on Jan. 3 launched a rape investigation after a bombshell book by publisher Vanessa Springora claimed she had a sexual relationship with the author three decades ago, starting when she was 14.

In her book “Le Consentement” (Consent), Springora described how

her seduction by Matzneff, now 83, left lasting scars.

Matzneff has never made any secret of his preference for sex with adolescent girls and boys, including on trips to Asia.

In the mid-1970s, he published a notorious essay called “Les Moins de Seize Ans” (The under 16s).

In an interview in 2008, he said he had “self-censored” certain portions of his writings he feared would be judged “especially scandalous”, and hid these away in a bank safe.

The safe had been “located” by investigators, according to the Mediapart investigative website.

Matzneff has long been tolerated, admired and even protected in Paris literary circles. In 2013, he won the prestigious Renaudot prize.

But Gallimard said in January it was halting the sale of his works, and Matzneff risks losing two major state honors as officer of Arts and Letters and knight of the Order of National Merit.

He said in an interview with French television in January that he “regrets” his trips to Asia to have sex with minors, claiming that at the time “no one ever said it was a crime.”

On Tuesday, police launched an appeal for witnesses and victims to come forward in the case.

Confirming a Mediapart report, a source told AFP that investigators are also interested in Christian Giudicelli, Matzneff’s editor at Gallimard and travel companion to the Philippines. AFP

Marino party-list dismayed by low STCW compliance rate

By Maricel V. Cruz TWO party-list lawmakers representing seamen on Thursday urged maritime schools to comply with the standards set by international organizations.

Rep. Sandro Gonzalez of Marino Party-list made the statement in the wake of reports that 61 out of the 91 maritime schools in EXTRA-JUDICIALSETTLEMENT

the country are recommended for closure for non-compliance with the standards set by the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers.

The Philippines is undergoing an audit by the European Maritime Safety Agency on its STCW compliance, failure in which would put thousands of seafarer jobs at risk, as certificates of Filipino seafarers would no longer be honored by the

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late RODRIGO DEL ROSARIO TORT has been extra-judicially settled among his heirs consisting of parcels of land with improvements, to wit: • 1/5 share in TCT No. 218380; • 1/2 share in TCT No. S-48605.

As per Doc. No. 245; Page No. 50; Book No. V; Series of 2019 before Notary Public ATTY. VERNA LYNN V. ACEVEDA. (MS-FEB. 14 , 21 & 28, 2020

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC Please be inform that Mark Phillip Laurilla, Ma Angelica Natan, Janice Arrajo,Cherry Arnaiz are no longer connected with our office, Next Wave Maritime Mgn’t Inc., Malate, Manila. Any transaction made by the above mentioned individuals will not be honored by our office.

(MS-FEB. 14, 2020)

1. That I purchased Memorial Lots with Loyola Memorial Parks located at Paranaque City and had been issued Certificate of Ownership; a. Contract No. 813458-7 Garden of Eden, B12 Sec. G. Lot #10 (1 lot); b. Contract No. 808712-4 Garden of Eden B125, Sec. G. Lot #1 (1 lot); Garden of Eden B126 Sec. G, Lot #8 (1 lot); c. Contract No. 808713-2 Garden of Eden B126 Sec. G. Lot #2 (1lot); d.

Contract No. 808715-7 Garden of Eden B126 Sec. G. Lot #6 #7 (2lots); Total memorial lots of: 6 lots; 2. That I noticed that the original copies are missing. I can’t find it all my files. The aforementioned lots was never mortgaged, sold, pledge conveyed, disposed of, or encumbered, to any other person or entity; 3. I attest to the truth of the foregoing statements to the best of my personal knowledge and based on authentic documents of records. I am executing this Affidavit of Loss to support my application of issuance of new Certificate to submit to Loyola Memorial Parks and for whatever purpose and intents it may deem serve.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hands this 10th day of FEB, 2020, at Makati City

OPAPP: Let’s have local peace talks

TODAY

FEB. 03, 2020 MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 03 Series of 2020 TO

:

ALL CONCERNED

SUBJECT

:

SUPPLEMENTAL TO MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 18, SERIES OF 2019, REVISED IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES (IG) TO THE MOA BETWEEN MIAA AND AIR CARRIERS ON THE INTEGRATION OF THE PASSENGER SERVICE CHARGE (PSC)

GENERAL STATEMENT 1.

Republic Act No. 9049, an Act Granting Monthly Gratuity and Privileges to an Awardee of the medal of Valor, Providing Funds Therefor, and for Other Purposes, dated March 22, 2001 and Board Resolution No. 2019-063, mandated the MIA Authority to exempt from the payment of PSC the Medal of Valor (MOV) Awardee, Dependent/Beneficiary

2.

This Memorandum Circular (MC) shall be referred to as Supplemental to MC No. 18, Series of 2019.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE 3.

This MC shall govern the inclusion of the Medal of Valor Awardees and Dependents/Beneficiaries to the list of Locally-Recognized Exempted Passengers for international and domestic travels.

DEFINITION OF TERMS 4.

Medal of Valor Awardee (MOVA) – refers to a person who was given by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) due recognition for his / her supreme self sacrifice and distinctive acts of heroism and gallantry.

5.

MOVA’s Dependent – refers to the spouse and qualified children below 18 years old of a living awardee as defined in the Implementing Rules and Regulations of R.A. 9049.

6.

MOVA’s Beneficiary – refers to the spouse and qualified children below 18 years old of a deceased awardee as defined in item no. 5 above.

7.

Locally Recognized Exempted Passenger refers to the following: Details

International Travel

Domestic Travel

Overseas Filipino Worker

/

N/A

Pilgrim

/

N/A

Philippine Sports Commission Delegate

/

N/A

MOVA

/

/

MOVA’s Dependent / Beneficiary

/

/

SYSTEMS AND PROCEDURE 8.

Exemption for Locally-Recognized Exempted Passengers (International and Domestic) shall be honored at the point of sale of airline ticket.

9.

The other provisions of Memorandum Circular No. 18, Series of 2019 shall remain in full force and effect.

SUPERSEDING CLAUSE JERRY DY SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this 10th day of FEB, 2020 at Makati City affiant exhibiting to me his Passport ID Card NO EC6889474 issued on March 2, 2016 valid on March 1, 2021.

10.

All MIAA issuances in conflict herewith are hereby superseded.

EFFECTIVITY 11.

ef This MC shall take effect on March 1, 2020.

EDDIE V. MONREAL General Manager

(MS-FEB. 14, 2020)

world,” said Gonzalez.

Gonzalez, vice chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, said he will file a resolution to look into the matter.

The Commission on Higher Education and the Maritime Industry Authority share responsibility over maritime schools under Executive Order 63, series of 2018.

Marino Party-list Second Rep. Macnell Lusotan said the congressional inquiry is necessary to find out what went wrong.

Manila

Standard

AFFIDAVIT OF LOSS I, JERRY DY, of legal age Filipino, married and with residence address at Unit 511 Blue Danube Building, Manila Rivercity Residences, Delas Alas St. Sta Ana Manila after being sworn in accordance with law dispose and say;

European Union, the party-list group said.

“I am deeply disturbed that this only came to light now, when it was already known we have problems as early as 2006. The fact that these schools were able to operate after several administrations without being caught points to a problem with the regulatory agencies, something that we need to address to maintain the credibility and competitiveness of Filipino seafarers around the

(MS-FEB. 14 & 21, 2020)

THE conduct of localized peace engagements across the country aims to put an end to the decades-long communist insurgency in the country by directly addressing the needs of the rebels themselves.

According to Assistant Secretary Wilben Mayor, chief of staff and spokesperson of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, there is a growing disconnect between the leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front of the Philippines and their people in the frontlines who are actually suffering the most from the armed conflict.

Mayor said during a live phone patch interview Thursday morning: “There is a disconnect between those in the CPP leadership and those on the ground.

The ones on the ground face hardship, while the people up the ladder, they are abroad, and they live comfortably.”

Mayor stressed that in case the peace talks between the Philippine government and the CPP-NPANDFP resumed, the Reds should not impose preconditions which would be against the Constitution.

“Localized peace engagements prove that peaceful dialogue and consultation with the rebel group can be conducted without violating the Constitution,” he said.

VARIOUS non-government organizations on Thursday urged China to stop funding the Kaliwa Dam, a new water source to be put up to meet the increasing water needs of Metro Manila, Rizal and Quezon.

Fr. Pete Montallana of Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance questioned the Chinese government over its awareness of supposed violations being committed in the implementation of the Kaliwa Dam project or the New Centennial Water Supply Project “on the ground.”

He said China had failed to put in place and monitor safeguard measures and protocols in its development projects’ investments abroad, asking “what more the Kaliwa Dam?” Renato Ibañez, leader of the indigenous group Sukatan-LN in Tanay, Rizal, hit the dam project, saying “how can we fully understand the project when we are being deprived of our right of a democratic process toward an informed approval?’

He lamented that before a series of consultations, they were requesting documents from the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System for documents written or translated to their dialect, to no avail.

“There were also reports that many of our indigenous peoples are being bribed of, are being promised of material things, and are being pressured just to get their ‘yes’ to the project. Just like last December, the MWSS gave us Christmas gifts, which the government never used to do so in the past,” said Marcelino Tena, another indigenous peoples leader from the SAGIBIN-LN. The groups belonged to the STOP Kaliwa Dam Network.

Lawyer Ryan Roset of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center handling the free, prior, informed consent (FPIC) process appealed to teh National Commission on Indigenous Peoples to facilitate the release of the resolution of non-consent “immediately.”

“The FPIC is not a bureaucratic roadblock to a government project, rather it is an inherent indigenous peoples right inextricably intertwined to the rights to self-governance, self-determination and collective decision-making,” he said in a statement. Rio N. Araja

4 aliens blocked at NAIA

By Joel E. Zurbano

GOVERNMENT agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport blocked the entry of four foreigners, one of them an Iraqi national suspected of being a terrorist.

CYAN Bureau of Immigration port operations chief Grifton Medina refused to give the name of the passenger, citing the request of the intelligence community. He, however, said the man arrived at NAIA Terminal 1 last Feb. 5 on board a Jetstar flight from Singapore.

“The passenger was immediately excluded after the immigration officer saw that his name registered a positive hit in the Interpol’s database of suspected international terrorists,” Medina said.

He added that the three other foreign nationals, who were traveling with the alleged terrorist, were also barred and were booked on the first available flight to their port of origin.

Medina said the International Police database do not provide information about the passenger’s alleged involvement in terrorist activities, except that he was included in the list at the instance of United States intelligence authorities.

He explained under the Immigration Act, the bureau can deny the entry of any foreigner suspected of having links or association with a group that advocates the overthrow of duly constituted government.

“He is just one of thousands of international terrorists whose names were included in the Interpol’s database based on information supplied by the various law enforcement and intelligence agencies here and abroad,” Medina said.

COURTESY CALL.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (right) and TUCP Party-List Rep. Raymond Mendoza (left) flash welcome gestures with Mrs. Philippines World 2019 and Mrs. Guam World 2019 Meranie Rahman (center) with three-yearold son Jaleel during a courtesy call at the Majority Floor Leader’s office in the House of Representatives.

Ver Noveno

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Sports

A7

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Kobe, daughter buried in private LA ceremony LOS ANGELES—Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were buried last week near their family home in Newport Beach, California, in a private ceremony, according to death certificates.

A death certificate for the basketball legend, who was killed in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles on January 26 along with his daughter and seven others, states that he was buried last Friday at Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar, US media reported.

A memorial service for Bryant and Gianna is planned February 24 at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles which can hold 20,000 people.

The Center, also the home of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and venue for concerts and events such as the recent Grammy Awards, has hosted memorials for recording artists Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle.

Byrant’s wife Vanessa on Monday took to Instagram to express her grief saying “my brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone.”

“It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me,” she added.

“It feels wrong. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad.

She had so much life to live. Then I realize I need to be strong and be here for my 3 daughters.”

Br yant had an iconic 20-year career playing with the Los Angeles Lakers. AFP

Tri ‘20 set Feb. 23 in Subic Bay THE new multisport season of Bike King events will launch with the Apollo Petroleum Jelly TRI 2020, firing off on the morning of Feb. 23 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, the nation’s triathlon capital.

Apollo Petroleum Jelly TRI 2020 features two race courses of Standard Distance (1.5 Km swim—40 Km bike— 10 Km run) and Sprint Distance (750 M swim—20 Km bike—5 Km run), which will take participants from the waters of Acea Subic Bay to Argonaut Highway (followed by a challenging climb up Ocean Adventure) and to the 4-loop run course towards All Hands Beach.

A scenic view of Subic Bay and a festive atmosphere await both triathletes and spectators at the Acea Subic Bay area, where the finish line and transition area are located.

At stake in the event presented by Apollo Petroleum Jelly and supported

by Cleene, Mediplast, LeGARDE L-Carnitine, Vermosa Sports Hub, Alviera, Clark Global City, Smart, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, ACEA Subic Bay, Court Meridian Hotel & Suites, hydration partners POCARI Sweat and Sip Purified Water, timing partner GARMIN, shoe partner Saucony and recovery partner Air Relax Massage Guns are medals for all finishers, trophies and gift packs for the winners in each category. The categories include individual (Standard and Sprint) and relay (Standard Distance only), which have sub-categories, namely all-men, all-women, and mixed team.

Title-sponsored by Apollo Petroleum Jelly and organized by Bike King, the Apollo Petroleum Jelly TRI 2020 promises to be a great venue for athletes put test their limits, to eventually break their boundaries and ultimately better themselves. Over 500 participants from around the nation have signed up for the event.

For more information on the race and other upcoming events, visit BikeKingPhilippines.com.

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. AFP

Lakers edge Nuggets in overtime L

OS ANGELES—Anthony Davis scored a team-high 33 points as the Los Angeles Lakers beat Denver 120-116 in overtime in the final game before the all-star break for two of the top teams in the West.

“Our defense got us back in the game and we came down and finished at the end of the game,” said Lakers all-star Davis.

“We wanted to make sure we came in and got a win on the road heading into the allstar game.”

LeBron James showed his two way prowess, finishing with a triple double of 32 points, 14 assists and 12 rebounds and making several clutch stops on defense down the stretch.

James recorded his 12th triple double of the season to tie Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks for the league lead.

Davis scored seven points in the extra session, including a three pointer

that made it 119-116 for the Lakers with 2:41 remaining.

Davis said he enjoyed the first half of the season but added wins are going to be harder to come by in the second.

“It been a fun first half of the year,” he said. “We had our struggles, but we continued to fight.

“We are going to try to have a better second half. We got to pick it up defensively in the second half.”

Nikola Jokic finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, who missed their final five shots in overtime.

Dwight Howard had 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Alex Caruso and Avery Bradley scored 10 points each

for the Lakers.

Jamal Murray had a team high 32 points and 10 assists and Jerami Grant had 15 points for Denver, who had their four-game win streak stopped.

Gary Harris scored 13 points and Monte Morris added 12 for Denver, who lost both home games to Los Angeles this season.

Elsewhere, TJ Warren scored 35 points as the Indiana Pacers ended a six-game losing skid with a 118-111 win over the shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee clawed their way back from a 25-point second-quarter deficit to pull within five points early in the fourth but the Pacers were able to take advantage in the absence of star Giannis Antetokounmpo and pull out the victory.

Warren shot a blistering 16 of 19 from the field for the Pacers, who made 62 percent of their baskets in the first half in

front of 17,000 fans at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

Malcolm Brogdon collected 17 points and 13 assists against his former team and Domantas Sabonis had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who handed the Bucks their second loss in the last 16 contests.

Donte DiVincenzo scored a team-high 19 points and Khris Middleton added 17 for the Bucks, who also suffered their first loss in six games, without reigning league MVP Antetokounmpo in the lineup.

Antetokounmpo sat out his second straight game following the birth of his first child, Liam Charles.

Milwaukee missed just one of 25 free throws on the night but they still had their five-game winning streak stopped.

Indiana were blown out in their first two meetings of the season against Milwaukee, losing 102-83 in November and 117-89 on the road a month later. AFP

3 winners crowned 7-Cock Derby champs

PH cerebral...

CARMONA— Circle 8 GF, Haring Bastos and White Ears ruled the 7-Cock Derby Qualifiers 1 of the Manila Cockers Club, Inc., the country’s cockfighting industry game changer, recently at the Cockers Arena.

Circle 8 GF of Geronimo Sona III/ Engr. Ernie Baldo; Haring Bastos of Kon. Aldwin Garcia and White Ears of JB Vinluan finished with 7 points each to win the qualifiers.

Runner-ups include 3 Brothers of Francis and Frank Arellano and JA RDC of Joseph Aquino.

MCC invites all interested breeders to join its 2020 Cock Season Derbies, namely the 7-Cock Derby Qualifiers 3 until February 16; the 7-Cock Derby Qualifiers 4 from February 21 to 29; the 7-Cock Derby Qualifiers 5 from March 3 to 11; the 7-Cock Derby Qualifiers 6 from March 14 to 22 and the 7-Cock Derby Qualifiers 7 from March 26 to April 3.

A guaranteed P6.5 million, plus a P1 million additional fund will be awarded

especially since training would be from 3 to 6 months,” Moran said.

Aside from the insurance coverage, Allianz gave cash support for the CP Rascals’ football camp and housing.

“It is our honor to support a team that embodies Allianz’ ideal of overcoming life’s challenges in fulfilling one’s dreams. We are giving our para athletes the support to help them achieve their goals in their chosen sport, and we are looking forward to cheering them on in the 2020 ASEAN Para Games,” Allianz PNB Life Chief Marketing Officer Gae Martinez said.

This is not the first time that Allianz and the Henry V. Moran Foundation have worked together in promoting football in the country. For the past three years, they have staged the Allianz National Youth Futsal Invitational (ANYFI), a grassroots football program held nationwide.

Some of the kids who have participated in the program have gone on to train at the Allianz Explorer Camp in Germany under FC Bayern.

Moran added that it is their dream to continue strengthening the CP Rascals so that they can also participate in the 11th ASEAN Para Games in Vietnam in 2021.

Winners of the 7-Cock Derby Qualifiers, namely Geronimo Sona III and Engr. Ernie Baldo (Circle 8 GF), Kon. Aldwin Garcia (Haring Bastos)and JB Vinluan (White Ears) are shown with MCC officials, headed by president Jose Ramon Magboo (2nd from left)

per derby.

All derbies will have no entry fees and no minimum/maximum bets; featuring a 3-4 derby format and a weight limit of 1.900 to 2.400 kg.

For more information, call the MCC hotline at (02)696 1120 or

(63)917 582 2615.

Visit the MCC’s website, manilacockers.com for more details or head to the Cockers Arena, located at the G/F Turf Building of the San Lazaro Leisure Park, Barangay Lantic, Governor’s Drive, Carmona, Cavite.

Virtual Bundesliga series slated

NEW PACT. STADA Group is expanding its portfolio in the Asia-Pacific

region. As the global manufacturer of high-quality generic drugs and consumer health and wellness products, STADA is acquiring the FERN portfolio in the Philippines, one of the leading brands in the local Vitamin C Market. Shown here are after signing a Memorandum of Agreement is FERN CEO Tommany Tan and STADA Philippines’ General Manager, Sharmaine Abarientos.

THE Bundesliga is taking the next step in expanding its eFootball tournaments across the world as it launches the Virtual Bundesliga International Series 2020.

As part of the competition online and offline tournaments will take place in multiple countries as they aim to identify the top players from Asia and the Americas.

The finalists will win a unique trip to Germany for a once in a lifetime experience to compete in the VBL International Final.

They will be given the opportunity to meet professional Bundesliga and professional VBL players, visit some Bundesliga clubs and experience the most exciting football league in the world, live.

The VBL International Series will kickoff with Regional Qualifiers hosted in several countries including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, East Timor and Vietnam in Asia, as well as Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, the USA and Canada in the Americas region.

In the second stage of the competition, the top performers from each Regional Online Qualifier will then represent their region at the VBL Continental Qualifiers in April 2020. These will be run as offline events—

with one tournament taking place in Asia and one for the Americas respectively.

Those playing in the VBL Continental Qualifiers will be kitted out in official Bundesliga club jerseys. In line with the spirit of the competition, they will represent the respective club throughout the remaining period of the competition into the VBL International Final, which will take place in Germany in May 2020.

To organise all VBL International Series Regional Qualifiers, the Bundesliga is partnering with Battlefy. Battlefy is a well-known platform in the global FIFA eSports scene, ideal for coordinating the high number of participants and creating a spectacular experience across 21 countries.

The VBL International Series is a separate competition to Germany’s Virtual Bundesliga. As the first football league in the world to launch an eFootball tournament back in 2012, the VBL now incorporates the German VBL Open, VBL Club Championship and the VBL Grand Final, which is an Official Licensed Qualifier and awards points as part of the FIFA 20 Global Series ecosystem. The VBL has an impressive track record of over 100,000 participating online gamers every season.

From A1

Pascua...

From A1

second with 3.5 points, followed by IM Jan Emmanuel Garcia in third with 2.5 points and Quizon with two points.

Pascua joins early qualifiers, which is composed GM Rogelio Barcenilla, GM Julio Sadorra, GM John Paul Gomez and IM Paulo Bersamina.

Orbe, following a meeting with Philippine Sports Commission chairman William Ramirez, said the selection process will now shift to the women’s tryouts this March.

GM Janelle Frayna has already made it with Shania Mendoza and Catherine Secopito.

A playoff for the fourth seat will happen among aspirants Bernadette Galas, Antoinette San Diego and Joy Mordido. Peter Atencio

Sports

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

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

A8

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

PSC resets 80 sports programs AROUND 80 various grassroots sports programs in the Visayas, spearheaded by the Philippine Sports Commission under the Philippine Sports Institute, are rescheduled midyear in the wake of the sports agency’s announcement of the postponement of all its managed events in light of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

PSC commissioner Ramon Fernandez said they are targeting the resumption of their programs by July. ”We are playing it by ear with the recent situation in the country. But definitely, the PSC is ready to proceed,” said Fernandez.

Thirty editions of the UNESCOrecognized Children’s Games are scheduled in cities and municipalities of western, central and eastern Visayas, with seven editions of Consultative Planning and Coaching Certification along Negros Occidental, Cebu and Southern Leyte.

Young athletes from Aklan, Bohol and Samar will also receive Talent Identification programs, with a Sports Journalism Seminar to be provided for campus sports writers.

“We want to capitalize in bringing sports to the youth sector of the regions and raise awareness among children and parents of sports,” added Fernandez.

One of the lined-up events is the Coastal Children’s Games in Limasawa, which will coincide with the island’s celebration of the 499th anniversary of the first mass.

Fernandez explained that the local government, under Mayor Melchor Petracorta, is now coordinating with the Department of Health and other pertinent government agencies on whether they may proceed with the celebration.

“Despite our current situation, preparations for these programs are on-going,” said Fernandez.

Pascua makes PH chess team INTERNATIONAL Master Harridas Pascua took the last slot in the national men’s team seeing action in the 44th World Chess Olympiad later this year.

Pascua earned his seat despite losing his final-round game with IM Daniel Quizon during the Philippine Chess Olympiad Selection playoffs last Wednesday at the PACE Center in Quezon City.

“Pascua has earned his seat in the national team. He may have lost his last game, but, he still made it,” said National Chess Federation of the Philippines executive director Cliburn Orbe.

The 26-year-old Pascua will see action in the Olympiad, which takes place on August 5 in KhantyMansiysk, Russia.

“Natalo po ako sa last round. Pero masaya pa rin po ako kasi meron akong ilu-look forward,” said Pascua.

Pascua finished with a fourth point tally of three wins, a draw and a loss.

Grandmaster Darwin Laylo placed Turn to A7

BENILDE CLINCHES TENNIS PLUM. Joseph Gadon of College of St. Benilde lies down on the court, while teammate Francis Lera rejoices after the duo won the doubles’ event of National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 tennis championship at the Philippine Columbian Tennis Court in Plaza Dilao, Paco, Manila on Thursday.

The CSB pair defeated Kenneth Dumapit and Jayson Saavedra of Perpetual Help, 6-4, 4-6, 5-2, while their teammate Karl Baran won over Jeremiah Macias in the singles, 6-1, 6-3, to annex the season 95 tennis crown. Dennis Abrina

PSA honors Mr. & Ms. Volleyball

A

N IMPOSING 2019 was all Cherry ‘Sisi’ Rondina and Bryan Bagunas needed to cement their status as the new toasts of Philippine volleyball.

Rondina and Bagunas won MVP honors for University of Santo Tomas and National University, respectively, in leading their schools to the UAAP volleyball finals, while finding time suiting up for the national team in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, where they ended up winning a medal each.

The impact both made on the sport will have them conferred as Ms. and Mr. Volleyball in the coming SMC-Philippine Sportswriters Association Annual Awards Night on March 6 at the Centennial Hall of the Manila Hotel.

A native of Compostela, Cebu, the 23-year-old Rondina is the latest to be recognized with the honor given in the past to Alyssa Valdez three times, Mika Reyes, and Dawn Macandili.

Bagunas, 22, on the other hand is the first to get the nod for the award outside of two-time winner Marck Espejo of Ateneo.

The special award accorded to Rondina and Bagunas is just one of several to be handed out by the country’s oldest media organization during the gala night presented by the Philippine Sports Commission,

MILO, Cignal TV, Philippine Basketball Association, AirAsia, and Rain or Shine.

For winning the overall championship of the SEA Games, Team Philippines will be the recipient of the coveted Athlete of the Year award.

Rondina actually scored a double in UAAP Season 81 as she also ran away with the MVP plum—her fourth—in the beach volleyball tournament, where she paired with Baby Love Bar- Bagunas bon to give UST its sixth championship overall.

In doing so, she became the second player to win both the indoor and beach volleyball MVP awards in a single season after Wendy Semana of Far Eastern University did the trick in Season 70.

Rondina likewise guided the Tigresses to the finals where they dethroned the La Salle Lady Spikers and make the championship round for the first time in seven years. The school though lost to the Ateneo Lady Eagles in the deciding game of the best-of-three title series.

By the end of the season, Rondina was named UAAP Athlete of the Year in collegiate team sports, the only female bet to be accorded the award.

Soon after, Rondina was back on the sands to spearhead the country’s beach volleyball campaign in the SEA Games, where the team, also composed of Bernadeth Pons, Dzi Gervacio and Dij Rodriguez salvaged a bronze to end the Philippines’ 14-year medal drought in the sport.

Bagunas’ season was just as dominant.

The NU star proved it was Rondina his time to shine after capturing the Season 81 men’s MVP plum, the first ever Bulldog to win the award in the Final Four era and the first player to clinch the prized trophy following the five-year reign of Espejo.

He later teamed up with Espejo and together, steered the men’s team to the SEA Games finals following a dramatic five-set win over dethroned champion Thailand in what many regarded as one of the best moments of the country in the biennial meet.

The team later lost to Indonesia in three sets in the Filipinos’ first finals stint in 42 years, though the silver medal they won surely glittered like a gold.

Bagunas currently plays as an Asian import for Japanese club team Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler in the V-League.

Cavs, Warriors eye finals DEFENDING chamdent and CEO Dr. Games Sunday (Paco Arena) pion Armed Forces Daniel Razon.

3:30 p.m. – Judiciary vs AFP of the Philippines and Backstopped by 5 p.m. – NHA vs DENR newcomer Departformer PH team ment of Environment members Eugene Natural Resources look to seal a title Tan and Boyet Bautista, the Cavaliers duel as they go for series-clinching own the distinction as the winningest wins against respective semis rivals team in the league with three titles. on Sunday in the 8th UNTV Cup at The DENR Warriors, on the other Paco Arena in Manila. hand, are likewise favored to prevail Determined to become the first over the National Housing Authority back-to-back champions of the an- Builders in their 5 p.m. showdown. nual tournament for public servants, With Ralph Lansang, Melvin Bangal the AFP Cavaliers try to put away and Ed Rivera combining for 50 points, the Judiciary Magis in Game 2 of the Warriors easily beat the Builders of their best-of-three series at 3:30 p.m. coach Benneth Palad, 79-63.

Coming through with a well-balThe chosen charity of the champianced attack, the Cavaliers took the on team will earn a tax-free P4 milopener, 79-74, last Sunday to move lion top prize while the runner up’s within the threshold of securing own foundation will get P2 million. their fourth finals’ appearance in the The third and fourth placers shall reevent organized by UNTV Presi- ceive P1 million and P500,000.

Baby Falcons reach 2nd semis phase

By Peter Atencio

Veteran Eugene Tan hopes to lead AFP to a series clinching win over Judiciary on Sunday in the UNTV Cup at Paco Arena in Manila.

PH cerebral palsy football team to join ASEAN Para Games

Danny Moran (standing, far right) of the Henry V. Moran Foundation is with the coaches and players of the CP Rascals, the Philippines’ representative to this year’s ASEAN Para Games. The football team is comprised of athletes with cerebral palsy.

THE Philippines is about to field its first cerebral palsy football team in the ASEAN Para Games.

Known as the CP Rascals, the team was formed last year by the Henry V. Moran Foundation, the non-profit organization that has long focused on developing football programs for public school youth in the country.

“Our search for players started in March last year after we were appointed by the PHILSPADA (Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled) to form a team to represent the country in the 10th ASEAN Para Games. Our special football arm, CP Football Philippines, toured 12 cities, coordinating clinics and tryouts with the heads and officers of local govern-

ment units. By July, we had discovered some players and training for the team began,” said Danny Moran, head of the Henry V. Moran Foundation.

The CP Rascals currently has 12 members, with plans to add two more before the ASEAN Para Games begins.

Moran said that they are grateful for the support that private organizations have given for the new team players and coaching staff. He cited insurer Allianz PNB Life, in particular, for providing the CP Rascals’ life, medical, and travel insurance.

“Our main concern was life and accident insurance as bringing football to persons with disability has its risks,

Turn to A7

THE Adamson Baby Falcons took control in the last period and repulsed the Ateneo Blue Eaglets, 84-75, Wednesday to reach to the second phase of the 82nd University Athletic Association of the Philippines junior basketball stepladder semifinals.

John Erolon showed the way 16 points for the Baby Falcons, who posted their ninth win in 15 games at the Filoil Flying V Sports Center.

John Figueroa, who is the frontrunner in the MVP race, drilled in 15 points and 22 rebounds for the Baby Falcons, who will next clash with the Far Eastern University-Diliman Baby Tamaraws in the second phase.

The Blue Eaglets, led by Forthsky Padrigao with 22 points, were in front in the beginning of the fourth period, 58-57.

That’s when Figueroa scored on a drive and charity in the last 9:04, touching off a 9-0 run.

The Baby Falcons, who are in the semis for a second straight season, then went on take a 66-58 advantage.

“They (Ateneo) had their way nu’ng first half tapos relaxed lang kami. Ang usapan namin, pahirapan sila at medyo nag-click. Tapos nakaratsada na,” said Baby Falcons’ coach Mike Fermin.

The Blue Eaglets, who will miss the finals after reaching it for two straight seasons, got 20 points from Joaquin Jaymalin.

LeBron Lopez was held to 13 markers, four boards and seven blocks after incurring three fouls in the first half.

The semis match between Adamson and FEU will be played on a later date after all UAAP games were canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

IN BRIEF

BIR’s online tax take increases 92%

TAX payments collected by the Bureau of Internal Revenue through electronic channels jumped 92 percent in 2019 to P1.2 billion from P626.35 million a year ago.

The BIR said in a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III electronic tax payments last year reached 446,753 transactions, up by 60 percent from 278,602 transactions done through e-channels in 2018.

BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa said the electronic payments were done through the Union Bank Online Tax Payment Facility using automated teller machines or debit cards, the PayMaya smartphone app and the PESONet fund transfer service.

Guballa said that for 2020, BIR aimed to further simplify its paper application forms and reduce processing times, the number of documentary requirements and signatories for taxpayers to enhance the bureau’s delivery of frontline services and help improve the ease of doing business.

Tax payments processed online increased in 2019 when the BIR, on Aug. 15, 2019, launched PESONet, an electronic funds transfer service which enabled the taxpayers to conveniently pay their taxes anytime and anywhere. Julito G. Rada

27,000 beep cards get another year

AF PAYMENTS Inc., the operator of the beep tap-and-go payment system, said some 27,000 cards as of Feb. 12, were extended through the beep expiry date extension program.

The company said this is in line with its thrust to maximize the utility of beep cards and minimize the environmental impact of disposing expired cards.

The beep expiry date extension program is valid for standard beep cards with a minimum balance of P10 and will run until December 2020.

Cards can be extended 60 calendar days prior and 60 calendar days after the expiry date of the card. The new expiry date will be the last day of the same month as the original expiry date month but with one year added.

It said that beep cards with less than P10 load balance (excluding concessionary cards) and blacklisted cards are not eligible for the one-year extension, alongside cards with expiry dates that do not fall within the period specified for the extension.

There is a P10 transaction fee for the expiry date extension.

Business Coronavirus to weaken PH growth, says Moody’s

By Julito G. Rada

G

LOBAL debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service said the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease will weaken the Philippines’ economic growth and employment outlook this year.

Moody’s said in a report that economies that rely on travel and tourism― like the Philippines―would be badly affected by the viral disease.

“As travel demand softens due to disruptions from the outbreak, growth in economies that are highly reliant on foreign visitors―those from China in particular―will weaken,” Moody’s said.

“Such economies include Thailand and the Philippines, where the direct

contribution of travel and tourism industries is more significant as a share of GDP. Employment conditions will also weaken because these industries are large employers in APAC [Asia-Pacific] countries,” Moody’s said.

Moody’s also said the economic slowdown and deterioration of employment conditions would lead to increases in loan losses for banks, with the latter hurting quality of consumer loans in particular. This in turn will drive credit costs and weaken banks’ profitability.

“Exposures to small and mediumsized enterprises related to tourism and travel will be most at risk because these borrowers have lower financial flexibility compared to the more diversified corporate,” Moody’s said.

Oxford Economics, an independent global advisory firm, also listed the Philippines as one of the economies in the region that would be affected by COVID-10 because its tourism industry relies on Chinese tourists.

Oxford said in a separate report that

weaker Chinese imports and tourism, and disruption to global supply chains, would take a toll on the rest of the world, particularly the Asia-Pacific region.

“Economies where travel and tourism accounts for a significant share of GDP and which are more reliant on Chinese tourists are likely to be impacted by this crisis the most, include Hong Kong, China; Macao, China; Thailand; Cambodia; and the Philippines,” Oxford said.

It said China’s outbound travel grew steadily over the past two decades, with its significance as a tourism source market increasing substantially since the previous SARS outbreak in 2003.

Data showed there were more than 73 million departures from China last year, roughly a tenfold increase from the departure levels in 1999. As a share of global departures, China accounted for 6.9 percent of all departures in 2019, with only Germany and the United States accounting for a higher share of global departures.

RCBC allots P39b for environment

RIZAL Commercial Banking Corp. said it allocated P39 billion―net proceeds from the bank’s issuance of Green and Sustainability Bonds last year―to environment-related programs and social development projects that support the country’s commitment to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and The Paris Agreement.

It said these investments were intended to mitigate the impact of climate change and improve lives, RCBC, in its first-ever Green and Sustainability Bonds Impact Report, said it channeled P29.8 billion to fund 17 eligible green projects on renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation and sustainable water management, in its effort to decrease the country’s carbon footprint.

The bank also participated in 12 renewable and energy efficiency financing deals, provided direct financial support to Southeast Asia’s largest solar power plant and largely funded a 132.5-MW solar farm in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.

The bank is also the sole lender to AC Energy, BIM Group, with a $232-million project financing for a 330-MW solar power plant in Vietnam.

“The Green and Sustainability Bonds Impact Report is an important milestone for RCBC. It is a first such initiative by a domestic bank in the country to publicly disclose the positive impact of its investments in sustainable activities,” said RCBC chief risk officer Jamal Ahmad.

PNR acquires 2 new trains to boost capacity THE Philippine National Railways said it acquired eight brand-new rail cars, or two train sets, as part of the refleeting program to increase capacity.

The state-run agency said the eight new 8100 series of diesel multiple unit rail cars were docked at the Port of Manila and awaiting transfer to the PNR depot.

It said the eight rail cars would form two trains, with each train composed of four cars. The new rail cars are part of the 2018 train procurement and PNR’s refleeting strategy that aimed to increase capacity and frequency of trips.

PNR said that once fully deployed for operation, the new trains were expected to carry 1,000 passengers per trip and would be used for Tutuban to Alabang route.

The trains will undergo 150 hours of RAMS validation test before they are deployed for commercial operations.

RAMS refers to reliability, availability, maintainability and safety test.

PNR said it was also expecting to receive two more DMU, three locomotive, 15 passenger coaches and two shunters in the first half of 2020.

It deployed six brand-new DMU rail cars from Indonesia in December that increased the line’s capacity to 73,500 passengers a day from the previous 60,000 passengers.

Manufactured by Indonesian company PT-INKA, the six brand-new DMU train cars were converted into two train sets of three rail cars each.

They added 18 to 20 more trips per day on the line’s routes from Tutuban (Manila) to FTI (Taguig City) and from Malabon to FTI. The PNR’s metro line runs from Tutuban in Manila to Los Baños, Laguna.

The two Indonesian train sets were designed to accommodate 13,500 additional passengers daily.

Darwin G. Amojelar

MODERN LOGISTICS HUB. Officials of logistics service provider MetroPac Movers Inc. and Markeenlo Realty Inc. sign a lease agreement on the construction of the Philippines’ most modern logistics center on a 52,000-square meter site along the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna. Leading the signing ceremony are (from left) Markeenlo legal counsel Sheila PasicolanCamerino, MetroPac Movers president and chief executive Jose Ma. Lim, Markeenlo chief executive Mark Belo, MetroPac Movers head of business transformation Riviera Rathore and MetroPac Movers chief financial officer Anna Bengzon.

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

B1

Aboitiz Power plans to boost renewables to 65% of output

By Alena Mae S. Flores ABOITIZ Power Corp. said Thursday it plans to increase the company’s renewable energy footprint to 65 percent of its power generation portfolio over the next 10 years.

Aboitiz Power president Emmanuel Rubio said the company planned to shift its focus on more RE development by participating in the government’s renewable energy portfolio standard and green energy option programs.

“RPS and GEOP will provide significant opportunities for renewable energy. We expect DOE will be strict in compliance, resulting in a requirement for additional capacity by 2029 of just a little less than 10,000 MW [megawatts], assuming the capacity factor of the RE technology that will be installed is around 18 percent,” Rubio said.

RPS is a policy mechanism that requires electric power industry participants such as generators, distribution utilities and suppliers to source or produce a specified fraction of their electricity from eligible RE resources.

The program is anchored on the country’s aspirational target of 35 percent RE share in the energy mix by 2030 and takes effect this year.

Meanwhile, GEOP guides users and developers on the options to take in RE sourcing.

“We are preparing to participate and capture a piece of this market.

We are also looking at RE opportunities in SEA [Southeast Asia], particularly in Vietnam. All of these will contribute to a shift in our portfolio by 2029 to a more balanced RE to thermal ratio,” Rubio said. Thermal plants include coal, oil and natural gas-fed generating facilities.

Rubio earlier said the company was bullish about business prospects in the next 10 years.

PSALM doubles proceeds from privatization of assets to P72b STATE-RUN Power Sector Asset and Liabilities Management Corp. said proceeds from the privatization of its assets more than doubled to P71.97 billion in 2019 on the back of collection efficiency and real property sale.

“PSALM’s total privatization proceeds in 2019 is way higher than the total proceeds in 2018 which was at P33.34 billion,” PSALM president Irene Garcia said.

Garcia attributed the significant increase in the agency’s privatization proceeds to the sale of real property assets, efficient collection of independent power producer administrator lease payments and aggressive collection of past delin-

quent power accounts.

“For 2020, we will aggressively work on privatizing the remaining NPC [National Power Corp.] assets and raising more privatization revenues,” she said.

PSALM manages the assets and liabilities of NPC as mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, the law which restructured the power sector.

Garcia said PSALM was bent on privatizing the 650-megawatt Malaya Thermal Power Plant and its land in Barangay Malaya, Pililla, Rizal in April this year.

PSALM is bidding the Malaya power plant facility for the third time with the bid opening scheduled on April 15.

Garcia earlier said PSALM was able to reduce the outstanding financial obligation of NPC to P416 billion by end-October from P449 billion in 2018.

“Note that the obligation transferred to PSALM was at a high of P1.24 trillion, plus the P16 billion loans of electric cooperatives with NEA [National Electrification Administration] assumed by PSALM,” Garcia said.

She said PSALM allowed flexible payment schemes to encourage entities and electric cooperatives with non-current/delinquent accounts to viably settle their outstanding obligations.

Garcia said that through restructuring agreements and special pay-

ment agreement schemes, PSALM put less pressure on their cashflows while allowing them to improve their operations.

She said PSALM was able to collect P2.617 billion in non-current arrears from various entities.

Garcia also said PSALM achieved a collection efficiency of 93.7 percent.

“The uncollected accounts are those from LASURECO [Lanao del Sur Electric Cooperative] and MAGELCO [Maguindanao Electric Cooperative] and we have been closely coordinating with the DOE on how this matter may be resolved to lessen the financial exposure to PSALM,” she said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

Globe vows to implement mobile number portability by third quarter

By Darwin G. Amojelar GLOBE Telecom Inc. said Thursday it will start implementing the mobile number portability by the third quarter of the year, allowing subscribers to keep their mobile phone number for life and lifting interconnection fees for domestic calls and texts.

Globe said the move was in compliance with Republic Act 11202, or the Mobile Number Portability Act, which allows consumers to keep their mobile number even if they switch service providers or change their subscription from postpaid to prepaid free of charge.

“What we are doing in the Philippines is we are setting up the clearinghouse. That’s being set up by Globe, PLDT and DITO. So the three of us are investing, and we will set it up,” Globe chief commercial officer Alberto de Larrazabal said.

“We will be ready in time for when the clearinghouse will be operational by third quarter,” he said.

Globe, PLDT and DITO Telecommunity earlier formed a new company called Telecommunications Connectivity Inc. for the implementation of the mobile number portability.

The three companies tapped Syniverse, the world’s most connected company to be the mobile number portability service provider. It will bring in the technical infrastructure to fulfill its primary function as clearinghouse for the telcos and ensure the smooth implementation of number porting services.

Under the implementing rules and regulations of the MNP Act, the mobile operators will equally share the capital expenditure for the software, hardware and other facilities required by the MNPSP.

POWER RATE REDUCTION. Manila Electric Company announces that power rates decreased for the second straight month in February to P8.8623 per kilowatt-hour, the lowest level in two years. Meralco spokesperson Joe Zaldarriaga says that with the rate reduction, a typical household consuming 200 kWh monthly will experience savings of around P118 in their February 2020 bill. The implementation of new power supply agreements starting Dec. 26, 2019 helped bring down the generation charge. 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.

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Business

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks rise slightly; GT Capital up S TOCKS rose slightly Thursday in mixed trading, with investors weighing the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the Philippine economy.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index added 20.02 points, or 0.3 percent, to 7,403.12 on a value turnover of P4.8 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 124 to 64, with 43 issues unchanged.

GT Capital Holdings Inc. of the Ty Group climbed 2.2 percent to P740, while PLDT Inc., the biggest telecommunications firm, advanced 2.1 percent to P1,034.

Megaworld Corp., the largest lessor of office spaces, however, fell 4.3 percent to P3.75, while Manila Water Co. Inc. declined 3.7 percent to P12.10.

The rest of Asian markets fell on Thursday after a dramatic spike in the

number of coronavirus deaths and cases in mainland China, with traders concerned about the economic impact of the epidemic.

Chinese authorities have changed the way they count infections from the virus—officially named COVID-19—and the latest reports propelled the nationwide death toll to 1,355 and the infection count to nearly 60,000.

Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed 0.1 percent down, while Shanghai ended the day 0.7 percent lower.

Elsewhere in afternoon trade, Hong Kong dipped 0.2 percent, Seoul dropped 0.2 percent, and Singapore lost 0.3 percent.

Sydney and Taipei, however, were higher.

The new virus numbers dampened the positive cue from Wall Street overnight, where the three main indexes all set fresh records.

Traders in Europe were also in a posi-

tive mood on Wednesday, with Frankfurt hitting a record close and Paris ending at its highest level this year.

The jump in China coronavirus numbers “has initially hit like a ton of bricks given this is one of the market’s biggest fears,” Stephen Innes, chief market strategist at AxiCorp, wrote.

But he added that despite the “gnarly” headlines, the rise could be the result of a testing backlog being cleared over the weekend in Hubei province, where the virus emerged late last year.

China has been praised by the World Health Organization for its transparent handling of the outbreak.

There is, however, still skepticism among the global public, with suggestions that Beijing may be concealing the scale of the problem the way it did during the 2002-2003 SARS epidemic.

“Just when markets were getting comfortable with the idea that the COVID-19 infection increase was trending

lower, the sudden jump in the number of new cases in Hubei has jolted them out of this sense of complacency,” Khoon Goh, head of Asia research at Australia & New Zealand Banking Group, told Bloomberg News.

COVID-19 has threatened to harm the Chinese economy, the world’s secondlargest, with ANZ bank warning that China’s first-quarter GDP growth would slow to 3.2-4.0 percent, down from a previous projection of 5.0 percent.

In a Wednesday meeting, China’s top leadership called for efforts to minimize the impact of the outbreak and pledged measures to help firms deal with the economic fallout.

A day later, the ruling Communist Party fired two top-ranking officials in Hubei.

China is the world’s biggest importer and consumer of oil, and crude prices have been particularly sensitive to the epidemic. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review thurSday, FeBruary 13, 2020

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ASIA UNITED BANK PH ISLANDS BDO UNIBANK CHINABANK COL FINANCIAL EAST WEST BANK FERRONOUX HLDG MANULIFE MEDCO HLDG METROBANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK SUN LIFE UNION BANK VANTAGE

53 86.5 151 25 18 11.16 3.6 850 0.42 59 31.8 51.6 20.6 173.2 1,850 58 1.1

53 87.95 154 25.05 18 11.2 3.74 860 0.425 59.7 32.4 51.6 20.7 175 1,852 58.5 1.14

52.5 86.3 150.5 24.95 18 11.14 3.5 841 0.41 58.45 31.6 51.6 20.5 169.1 1,850 58 1.1

FINANCIALS 53 1,320 87 3,930,070 151.5 999,770 24.95 157,100 18 44,800 11.16 279,700 3.74 87,000 841 210 0.425 280,000 59.35 1,950,020 31.85 122,800 51.6 320 20.5 22,600 170.5 439,930 1,852 295 58.25 2,660 1.14 171,000

69,810 342,602,040 151,359,685 3,926,795 806,400 3,122,514 306,980 178,270 117,650 114,952,215.50 3,906,770 16,512 464,530 75,471,237 545,800 155,565 191,620

-1,060 112,128,952 -1,489,357 -799,200 -2,027,856 -5,540,880 -3,180,030 10,320 -33,556,911 159,700

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

32.2 2.09 7.24 0.61 2.84 0.225 1.43 15.04 207.6 9.92 16.58 30.15 59 69.95 2.13 4.5 9.05 12.1 8.83 7.27 2.9 20.1 66.8 1.84 35.7 1.7 10.38 6.55 1.25 192 3.1 6.87 12.5 10.2 14.5 264.2 0.165 4.71 1.84 3.78 3.49 9.66 11.32 30.45 4.72 5.29 1.56 1.24 9.5 75.2 9.47 0.95 151 2.4 1.13 0.99

32.55 2.09 7.48 0.63 2.86 0.225 1.49 15.04 207.6 10.14 16.58 30.15 59 69.95 2.14 4.59 9.05 12.2 8.89 7.3 2.9 20.95 67 1.89 36.45 1.7 10.38 6.55 1.27 195 3.24 6.87 12.5 10.38 14.98 268 0.165 5.29 1.85 3.78 3.58 9.87 11.86 30.5 4.72 5.29 1.56 1.27 9.5 76.35 9.47 1 151 2.54 1.13 1.02

31.8 2.02 6.83 0.61 2.71 0.22 1.4 15 185 8.65 15.7 30.05 59 64 2.13 4.48 8.27 12 8.71 7.24 2.4 19.9 66.8 1.73 35 1.55 10.08 6.13 1.17 191 3.1 6.87 11.96 9.98 14.48 262 0.163 4.71 1.84 3.78 3.47 9.61 11.32 29.4 4.71 5.23 1.46 1.1 9.01 75 9.1 0.9 146.8 2.4 1.05 0.98

INDUSTRIAL 32.4 665,300 2.07 3,832,000 6.89 2,512,500 0.62 1,061,000 2.76 2,098,000 0.225 70,000 1.41 5,864,000 15.02 278,000 189.9 340 8.86 4,902,600 15.7 600 30.05 174,600 59 410 64 170 2.13 25,000 4.48 20,000 8.6 1,685,500 12 41,400 8.74 1,117,000 7.26 4,521,600 2.4 2,909,000 20 2,763,100 66.85 2,438,100 1.82 42,950,000 36 18,300 1.55 2,922,000 10.38 456,500 6.21 359,600 1.17 247,000 195 275,400 3.1 10,000 6.87 1,000 12.1 18,307,400 9.98 349,400 14.98 539,700 263.2 316,510 0.163 1,100,000 5.29 1,100 1.84 360,000 3.78 10,000 3.48 206,000 9.7 18,500 11.86 37,300 29.5 903,200 4.71 62,000 5.23 14,100 1.5 132,000 1.14 3,987,000 9.39 111,700 76 266,630 9.15 100,200 0.93 649,000 149 2,424,700 2.54 5,000 1.1 4,929,000 1 2,508,000

21,472,555 7,846,300 17,376,860 650,210 5,825,940 15,500 8,423,600 4,176,196 65,099 45,412,141 9,508 5,264,140 24,190 11,179.50 53,350 90,020 14,345,838 498,728 9,784,508 32,781,507 7,640,790 55,247,963 163,091,564.5(3, 77,635,330 643,855 4,670,820 4,716,510 2,257,335 294,790 53,091,504 31,190 6,870 223,090,238 3,548,654 8,039,546 83,427,972 180,300 5,239 663,480 37,800 717,820 178,560 440,034 26,673,855 292,170 74,343 194,850 4,584,690 1,048,724 20,200,710.50 923,194 600,300 360,559,232 12,140 5,400,040 2,501,010

-8,835,385 -455,090 -6,706,032 -6,200 106,260 -2,088,840 -2,543,146 780,936 0 -8,919,635 -382,978 -128,516 27,085,384 33,000 -13,779,371 052,236.5001) -439,980 10,710 -33,400 227,370 395,822 48,400 -869,766 -27,950 1,159,398 -820,726 1,081,460 -56,194,566 9,780 -58,890 -306,670 -15,959,325 61,360 20,397 -47,680 -286,203 -18,892,706 36,760.00 -49,854,376 0 700

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

0.87 50.85 10.54 0.68 6.2 9.9 0.89 0.9 750 2.54 6.34 6.01 0.213 724 71.45 6.15 0.495 3.8 10.58 0.54 3.05 1.11 134 1,004 0.78 1.11 179 170 0.206 0.195

0.88 50.85 10.54 0.68 6.2 10.18 0.9 0.9 755 2.56 6.4 6.02 0.221 740 74 6.82 0.495 3.8 10.62 0.58 3.05 1.14 136 1,010 0.78 1.12 183 170 0.215 0.195

0.83 49.35 10.32 0.67 6.2 9.9 0.88 0.9 748 2.5 6.26 5.76 0.213 722.5 71 6.1 0.485 3.77 10.52 0.54 2.97 1.11 131 995.5 0.78 1.1 165 167.6 0.205 0.181

HOLDING FIRMS 0.87 31,473,000 49.8 1,010,390 10.36 10,554,900 0.68 100,000 6.2 3,000 9.9 4,500 0.9 2,023,000 0.9 102,000 755 419,640 2.5 1,118,000 6.37 284,900 5.8 8,487,900 0.214 1,170,000 740 154,790 74 807,310 6.73 164,000 0.49 40,000 3.77 1,792,000 10.56 3,217,400 0.58 32,000 3 22,486,000 1.14 74,000 136 102,090 1,010 91,985 0.78 10,000 1.12 11,000 183 350 170 1,770 0.205 140,000 0.19 1,010,000

26,780,250 50,481,444.50 109,701,130 67,900 18,600 44,819 1,811,090 91,800 315,684,880 2,816,970 1,801,003 49,470,640 256,870 113,046,730 59,481,307.50 1,092,362 19,550 6,801,930 33,985,980 17,320 67,459,120 83,760 13,581,822 92,421,172.50 7,800 12,130 61,750 298,962 29,860 189,390

8,300 -15,885,288 -16,425,076 -200,218,225 20,150.00 778,005 -6,748,167 -220,100 17,258,675 19,142,330.50 7,580 -5,991,202 5,812,370 -4,328,338 -2,832,467.50 -11,010 -268,415 -

14.7 0.63 1.6 0.78 42.3 1.58 4.48 6.23 0.465 0.73 0.82 0.175 0.35 8.91 18.32 0.385 0.092 1.42 1.04 3.8 3.72 0.202 0.44 0.96 0.305 2.04

PROPERTY 14.7 826,600 0.64 290,000 1.6 10,000 0.79 484,000 42.9 4,686,700 1.61 2,613,000 4.5 120,000 6.58 5,100 0.47 6,150,000 0.76 2,000 0.82 4,000 0.175 1,900,000 0.35 1,430,000 8.94 72,400 18.46 496,500 0.385 150,000 0.092 120,000 1.43 22,875,000 1.07 1,661,000 3.8 29,000 3.75 40,796,000 0.202 5,820,000 0.44 5,820,000 0.97 2,330,000 0.305 380,000 2.05 574,000

12,161,178 184,900 16,050 377,990 201,535,225 4,289,090 539,780 31,843 2,892,450 1,490 3,280 332,550 507,900 649,631 9,384,852 57,750 11,840 32,857,320 1,767,100 112,760 155,317,070 1,187,630 2,642,100 2,285,220 116,400 1,172,840 (

110,400 -45,461,085 200,640 99,000 -19,400 283,000 -558,735 -368,510 -25,995,440 -57,735,140 139,970 1,950 113,109.9999)

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

14.7 0.63 1.61 0.8 43.6 1.58 4.5 6.58 0.475 0.73 0.82 0.175 0.365 9.05 19.18 0.385 0.1 1.46 1.04 4 3.92 0.213 0.44 1 0.31 2.08

14.74 0.66 1.61 0.8 44 1.7 4.5 6.58 0.49 0.76 0.82 0.176 0.365 9.1 19.26 0.385 0.1 1.46 1.15 4 3.94 0.213 0.465 1.03 0.31 2.08

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

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

24.65 2.1 3.08 42.05 2.52 1.74 6.4 5.18

24.7 2.1 3.08 42.25 2.52 1.77 6.4 5.29

24.4 2 3.07 41.3 2.5 1.71 6.24 5.03

24.7 2.02 3.07 42.25 2.51 1.72 6.35 5.06

659,300 908,000 20,000 7,860,300 233,000 2,938,000 2,605,900 126,900

16,219,940 1,828,550 61,430 328,726,125(60 586,220 5,087,430 16,539,636 654,747

-182,580 -1,385,410 ,305,394.9996) 10,040 -13,577,117 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR IMPERIAL INTL CONTAINER IPEOPLE ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN METRO RETAIL NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG 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 16.92 1.31 9.69 0.4 0.048 3.29 8.95 0.046 80.2 4.53 4 7.22 2,008 5.41 415.8 13.38 1.15 1.56 121.6 8 0.106 2 1.87 12.14 2.16 0.9 10 0.47 1.86 2.13 2 7.35 8 138 3.34 1,015 0.52 0.32 38.4 73.65 8.7 2.28 0.57 0.249 0.59 18.86

9 17.42 1.41 9.9 0.4 0.048 3.3 8.95 0.048 80.2 4.56 4.18 7.7 2,008 5.41 428 13.38 1.16 1.56 124.7 9 0.106 2.07 1.87 12.14 2.16 0.96 10.26 0.475 1.87 2.15 2.01 7.4 8 145.6 3.48 1,045 0.53 0.32 38.5 73.8 8.99 2.28 0.59 0.249 0.59 18.9

8.9 16.9 1.31 9.2 0.375 0.047 2.75 8.56 0.046 77.05 4.45 4 6.96 1,990 5.39 415.8 13.38 1.1 1.56 121.4 8 0.102 1.79 1.87 12.14 2.07 0.89 9.85 0.455 1.8 2.02 1.94 7.3 8 131.1 3.07 1,015 0.51 0.31 38.25 72 8.7 2.18 0.57 0.237 0.53 18.8

SERVICES 8.9 16.9 1.31 9.7 0.38 0.048 2.8 8.57 0.046 78 4.45 4.18 6.97 1,996 5.4 428 13.38 1.12 1.56 123.4 9 0.102 1.84 1.87 12.14 2.08 0.96 9.95 0.455 1.84 2.04 2 7.3 8 131.1 3.18 1,034 0.51 0.315 38.25 72.7 8.99 2.24 0.58 0.237 0.55 18.86

35,300 210,700 55,000 1,754,100 2,190,000 1,800,000 3,287,000 2,195,400 14,500,000 177,240 607,000 50,000 58,100 15,630 809,600 60 8,400 926,000 12,000 667,510 59,500 650,000 92,620,000 3,000 100 265,000 78,000 1,705,400 2,960,000 907,000 2,499,000 72,000 8,000 100 5,310 3,530,000 60,485 17,135,000 2,980,000 936,800 99,320 3,500 1,147,000 1,033,000 2,710,000 1,544,000 772,500

314,200 3,581,466 74,330 16,885,747 1 851,200 86,100 9,729,990 18,958,728(7, 674,800 13,861,407.50 2,735,520 204,480 411,879 31,213,655 4,371,724 25,070 112,392 1,035,050 18,720 81,628,883 476,140 67,540 172,554,180 5,610 1,214 557,230 70,040 16,957,776 1,371,000 1,660,860 5,224,240 142,370 58,780 800 715,232 11,297,130 62,266,580 8,837,150 938,050 35,957,745 7,222,576.50 30,885 2,572,620 592,740 652,070 846,460 14,570,106

-248,310 ,015,268.0004 20,640 089,667.9999) -51,700 -5,775,827.50 90,610.00 9,537,310 66,600 -19,712,573 693,370 2,090 7,042,067 -560,290 -53,770 -39,600 -47,249 68,900 4,828,295 -443,670 -961,905 -4,099,651.50 -885,400 580 23,700 4,928,298

ABRA MINING ACE ENEXOR APEX MINING ATOK BENGUET A CENTURY PEAK 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

0.0014 7.21 0.99 10.8 1.05 2.98 6.52 1.3 0.209 0.091 0.091 0.0078 0.75 2.66 1 0.52 0.68 0.01 0.011 2.85 8.45 20.05 0.0055

0.0015 7.39 1 10.86 1.05 3 6.65 1.32 0.212 0.095 0.091 0.0078 0.78 2.66 1.02 0.52 0.68 0.01 0.011 2.88 8.7 20.2 0.0055

0.0013 7.03 0.96 10.54 1.05 2.92 6.4 1.27 0.198 0.091 0.091 0.0078 0.72 2.56 0.98 0.52 0.68 0.0099 0.01 2.82 8.4 19.98 0.0055

MINING & OIL 0.0015 422,000,000 7.18 141,600 0.96 762,000 10.86 4,400 1.05 3,000 2.96 1,311,000 6.5 14,800 1.27 2,668,000 0.198 960,000 0.095 290,000 0.091 10,000 0.0078 2,000,000 0.78 57,000 2.58 1,227,000 1.02 73,000 0.52 1,000 0.68 2,000 0.01 9,000,000 0.011 5,700,000 2.87 144,000 8.4 226,600 20.2 238,600 0.0055 1,000,000

590,500 1,014,643 736,790 46,784 3,150 3,867,400 95,395 3,438,600 199,320 27,020 910 15,600 42,720 3,174,030 71,640 520 1,360 89,900 62,200 410,460 1,925,006 4,784,420 5,500

-16,800 -84,162 -41,000 38,390 -142,370 -721,310 -199,359 -1,209,995 -

ABS HLDG PDR ALCO PREF C CPG PREF A FGEN PREF G MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 3A PNX PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

14.84 103 101 107.8 100 1,036 1,051 1,070 102.3 109 1,055 77.1 75 75.05 76.95 75.1 76 75.95

15.02 103.1 101 107.8 100 1,036 1,051 1,070 102.3 109 1,055 77.1 75 75.1 76.95 75.1 76 76

14.84 103 101 107.8 100 1,030 1,050 1,062 102.3 109 1,050 77 74.8 75 76.8 75.1 76 75.3

PREFERRED 14.86 163,600 103 6,000 101 500 107.8 100 100 10,450 1,030 670 1,050 7,500 1,062 2,010 102.3 2,100 109 50 1,050 10,575 77 51,000 74.8 79,500 75.05 76,800 76.8 95,020 75.1 7,800 76 3,930 75.3 177,340

2,448,130 618,110 50,500 10,780 1,045,000 690,975 7,879,500 2,136,690 214,830 5,450 11,103,825 3,928,295 5,950,982 5,763,874 7,297,539 585,780 298,680 13,477,712

-2,431,666 1,995,000 -585,780 -

LR WARRANT

1.07

1.07

1.04

WARRANTS 1.04 30,000

31,680

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

3.2 9.75 0.78

3.29 9.98 0.8

3.19 9.62 0.78

3.19 9.7 0.79

FIRST METRO ETF

111.6

111.6

110.2

USD DMPL A1

10.26

10.28

10.26

MS Trading Summary FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL HOLDING FIRMS

SHARES 8,489,887

122,014,206 98,970,861

PROPERTY

134,237,796

SERVICES

163,487,263

MINING & OIL

450,218,930

GRAND TOTAL

978,227,429

SME

67,000 200,400 532,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 110.9 6,440 DDS 10.28

10,000

-

214,600 1,941,844 417,860

9,650 -

712,425

21,214

102,631.40

-

VALUE 1,764.07 (up) 8.25 698,206,630.82 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 9,031.68 (down) 31.97 1,376,203,785.512 HOLDING FIRMS 7,129.93 (up) 61.64 1,020,635,979.29 PROPERTY 3,995.26 (down) 37.22 1,454.70 (down) 2.16 1,115,962,404.72 SERVICES MINING & OIL 7,102.85 (down) 29.85 534,978,592.415 PSEI 7,403.12 (up) 20.02 20,630,718.6622 All Shares Index 4,357.24 (up) 1.78 4,769,913,056.54 Gainers: 64; Losers: 124; Unchanged: 43; Total: 231

Cemex back in the black, posts P1.28-b net income

By Jenniffer B. Austria CEMEX Holdings Philippines Inc. posted a net income of P1.28 billion in 2019, a reversal from a loss of P971 million in 2018, on higher operating income and foreign exchange gains.

CHP said in a disclosure to the stock exchange 2019 sales inched up one percent to P23.6 billion from 2018 as domestic cement volumes decreased three percent due to a slowdown in construction activity related to the delay in the approval of the national budget and the mid-term elections held last May. “I am pleased with what we accomplished in 2019, as these were a result of our efforts to maintain efficiencies, optimize costs, and improve our customers’ experience,” CHP president and chief executive Ignacio Mijares said.

The company plans to invest P7.4 billion in 2020 mainly to fund the expansion of the Solid cement plant and maintenance capex.

Funding for this year’s capital spending will come from the proceeds from the company’s recently concluded P12.77-0billion stock rights offering.

CHP is expanding Solid cement’s plant with the construction of a new cement line capable of producing 1.5 million metric tons annually.

The $235-million expansion plant is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2021.

CHP, meanwhile, said the net income in the fourth quarter of 2019 reached P405 million, also a turnaround from a loss of P307 million year-on-year.

Net sales in the fourth quarter decreased three percent on year due to lower volumes, as adverse weather conditions in December affected Luzon and Visayas.

Cost of sales as a percentage of sales also fell two percentage points in 2019, while operating expenses as a percentage of sales were lower by 2 percentage points on year.

CHP expects total cement volumes to increase by three to seven percent this year.

CHP is an indirect subsidiary of CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V., one of the largest cement companies in the world based on annual installed cement production capacity.

Cirtek obtains SEC nod to issue P2-b commercial paper THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the plan of semiconductor firm Cirtek Holdings Philippines Corp. to raise P2 billion from the issuance of commercial paper.

Cirtek said in a disclosure to the stock exchange it would issue and list the CP with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. on February 20.

The company engaged the services of Multinational Investment Bancorporation as sole arrange and lead underwriter of the offering.

Cirtek may issue the CP in lump sum or in tranches and fix the interest rate prior to the issuance.

The succeeding tranches, if any, will be issued within three years from the date of effectivity of the subject amended registration statement filed with the SEC. Cirtex plans to use the net proceeds from the offering to refinance debt and fund working capital requirements.

Cirtek plans to pay P1.33 billion worth of short term loans from China Banking Corp. and Security Bank Corp.

It also plans to spend P400 million for Quintel USA’s working capital requirements and use P150 million as working capital of subsidiaries Cirtek Advanced Technologies and Solutions Inc. and Cirtek Electronics Corp.

Cirtek through its subsidiaries is mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of semiconductor packages and value-added, highly integrated technology products.

Cirtek has obtained a credit rating of PRS A with a stable outlook from Philippine Rating Services Corp. (PhilRatings) for the P2-billion commercial paper.

A company rated PRS A has an above average capacity to meet its financial commitments relative to that of other Philippine corporates. A stable outlook indicates that the rating will likely be maintained or remain unchanged in the next 12 months.

The company, however, is more susceptible to adverse changes in circumstances and economic conditions than higher-rated corporates.

Jenniffer B. Austria

World

B3

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sanctions against Maduro defended CARACAS―Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaido on Wednesday defended foreign sanctions against his country 24 hours after he was attacked at Caracas international airport by state airline employees shouting “fascist”.

Guaido returned on Tuesday from a three-week international tour that took him to the US, Canada, Colombia and Europe. He was met by some angry Conviasa workers enraged that last Friday the US placed sanctions on the state airline company.

The US action criminalizing transactions with the flag carrier is the latest of many sanctions by Washington aimed at toppling leftist President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, particularly by cutting his government’s oil revenue.

One protester appeared to douse Guaido with a fizzy drink.

But speaking to journalists after a legislative session held in a Caracas plaza, the National Assembly speaker defended the use of sanctions.

He said they are “the free world’s tools to confront regimes (that) violate human rights, torturers and murderers.”

He said the sanctions imposed on the top officials in Maduro’s government were an “effective” form of pressure.

Guaido’s uncle Juan Marquez, who vanished after flying back with him, had been arrested, top Maduro ally Diosdado Cabello said, accusing him of smuggling explosives.

On his state television program, Cabello said Marquez was detained for allegedly carrying C-4 explosives hidden inside flashlights and perfume refills, and was wearing a bulletproof vest.

Guaido had denounced the “disappearance” of his uncle at the airport and said he would hold Maduro responsible for whatever happened to him.

Maduro retains the support of Venezuela’s powerful military and has resisted Guaido’s challenge, even as the United States ramps up the pressure.

“Yes, there will be more sanctions for the criminals and everyone that supports the dictatorship,” warned Guaido, who on Tuesday had told supporters to “look out for new announcements.” AFP

IN BRIEF

New South Wales bushfires contained

SYDNEY―All the blazes in Australia’s hard-hit state of New South Wales have been brought under control, firefighters said on Thursday, signaling the end of a months-long crisis that claimed 33 lives nationwide.

“As of this afternoon, all fires in New South Wales have now been contained,” a Rural Fire Service spokesman told AFP, as fresh rainfall helped extinguish blazes that have burned along the east coast since September.

“It is very good news.”

Blazes scorched more than 10 million hectares in the country’s east and south, killing at least 33 people and an estimated one billion animals while destroying more than 2,500 homes.

The crisis cloaked major cities like Sydney in smoke for weeks on end, saw towns cut off and prompted the deployment of the military to rescue stranded citizens.

The fires were exacerbated by prolonged drought and worsened by climate change in the country’s hottest and driest year on record.

But days of rainfall―the heaviest in 30 years―have extinguished the largest fires and brought those that remain under control.

Beleaguered volunteer firefighters have fought the blazes day-in-day-out in what has been described as Australia’s “black summer”.

“After what’s been a truly devastating fire season for both firefighters and residents who’ve suffered through so much this season, all fires are now contained in New South Wales,” New South Wales Rural Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said in a Twitter video. AFP

PATTAYA DESERTED. This photograph taken on February 12, 2020, shows empty tourist boats at the Floating Market in Pattaya. Pattaya is one of the main destinations for Chinese tourists but is almost deserted due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. AFP

Stranded foreigners tell of fear in Wuhan HONG KONG―Hunkered down at the epicenter of China’s virus epidemic and cut off from the world, the remaining foreigners in Wuhan are eking out a life in fear.

A coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 1,300 people and locked down the central Chinese city has left thousands of foreigners trapped as authorities impose an unprecedented quarantine.

“We want to go back. We can’t survive any more,” said Gaurab Pokhrel, a Nepali doctoral student in Wuhan and one of 200 from his country yet to be evacuated.

He said food was in short supply and foreign students were competing with locals at the few stores that were open.

As of Monday, 27 foreigners in China had been infected with the virus―22 of whom were in quarantine, officials said.

Two of those have died―an American and a Japanese man.

While many have managed to es-

cape on government-chartered planes, a dwindling group of the unlucky―or in some cases hardy―remain, either adapting to life or still seeking a way out.

They told AFP of their plight via phone, email, text messages and social media.

Ruqia Shaikh, a Pakistani postdoctoral researcher stranded at Wuhan’s Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, said most students at the school were confined to their dormitories, watching TV. She said the university was providing students with essential commodities, but at double the usual price.

“We are fed up of eating the same food—boiled rice and vegetables—over and over again. The only physical activity we have is a walk on the terrace, and that exposes us to the risk,” Shaikh said.

“Last week I went to Walmart. It was the first time I had gone out in weeks. It was scary...

“Since I came back I have been count-

Official in charge of HK demoted

ing the days until I was very sure I didn’t have any virus.”

She added that while many Pakistani students wanted to leave, there were risks in returning to their country.

“We are worried about how the authorities are going to treat us when we go back to Pakistan—some students who went back told us the officials treated them very badly,” she said.

Pakistani authorities say more than 500 students from the country are in Wuhan, but they have not announced any plans for an evacuation effort.

Unlike many countries, Islamabad has maintained flights to and from other cities in China. The health ministry justifies the move with assurances that all passengers are screened on landing in Pakistan.

Yemen too has no plans to evacuate its 115 nationals from the virus-hit city.

Fahd al-Tawili, a 31-year-old Yemeni under quarantine at the China University of Geosciences, said conditions were desperate.AFP

Love, lust and heartache: The secret dating lives of young Saudis RIYADH―In Saudi Arabia’s rigid past, religious police once swooped down on rose sellers and anyone peddling red paraphernalia around Valentine’s Day, but now a more open―albeit risky-dating culture is taking root.

Pursuing relationships outside of marriage in the conservative Islamic kingdom once amounted to a death wish, and would-be Romeos resorted to pressing phone numbers up against their car window in hope of making contact with women.

Now a sweeping liberalization drive―which has rendered the religious police toothless and allowed gender mixing like never before―has made it easier for young couples to meet in cafes and restaurants.

Well-heeled millennials also hunt for romantic liaisons via Twitter and Snapchat, and apps such as Swarm―designed to log places the user visits but often repurposed to look for dates.

“Selling red roses was like selling drugs,” one young Saudi filmmaker told AFP, sitting in a music-filled Riyadh cafe with his girlfriend while a courting couple gazed into each other’s eyes on the next table.

“Even this was once unthinkable―a woman sitting next to an unrelated man,” said the girlfriend, a media professional.

“Now women are asking men out.”

Pre-marital relationships remain a cultural minefield though in a country steeped in Islamic tradition and where matchmaking is typically overseen by family

elders, forcing couples to keep unsanctioned romance under wraps.

Covert dating operations illustrate how Saudi Arabia’s mainly young population is often compelled to lead dual lives in the pursuit of social liberties that may outstrip the kingdom’s capacity for change.

Samirah, a 27-year-old finance executive in the Saudi capital, felt a flutter of nerves when her boyfriend’s mother stumbled upon a handwritten birthday card and gift she gave him -- and that risked her own family finding out.

In a society where family honor is often tied to female chastity, the revelation would have provoked fury from her family and jeopardized their months-long courtship that began through common friends. AFP

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT Fourth Judicial Region BRANCH 9 BALAYAN, BATANGAS

6-7-8

SW

8-9-10 NW 10 to 24 NW

IN RE: APPLICATION FOR LAND REGISTRATION, L.R.C. CASE NO. N-577 RONALDO R. ELEPAÑO, JR., Applicant. x-----------------x ORDER A verified Application for Land Registration has been filed by applicant Ronaldo R. Elepaño, Jr. praying that, after due notice and hearing, an Order be issued that the subject land be brought under the operation of the Property Registration Decree; directing the Administrator, Land Registration Authority, to issue the corresponding Decree of Registration over the subject land under the name of the Applicant and directing the Register of Deeds of Batangas to issue an Original Certificate of Title covering the subject land in the name of the applicant, which is more particularly described as follows, to wit: “TECHNICAL DECRIPTION Survey Plan No. : Csd-04-045733-D Lot No. : 810-B Portion of Lot : 810, Cad-842-D, Calaca Cadastre LRC Record No. : Land Owner/Claimant: Gregorio Caisip Location : Brgy. Dacanlao Municipality of Calaca Province of Batangas Island of Luzon

PARTICIPANT. Kyle Richards attends the Kendra Gives Back event at Kendra Scott on February 12, 2020, in Century City, California. AFP

Boundaries: Line Direction Adjoining Lot/Feature 1-2 NE Barangay Road 2-3 SE Lot 811, Csd-842-D, Calaca Cadastre 3 to 6 SE Lot 1401, Csd-842-D, Calaca Cadastre

24-25-1 NW

Dacanlao River (30-40 m. wide) with a Legal Easement (20.00 m. wide) Lot 1252, Csd-842-D, Calaca Cadastre Lot 810-C (River), Csd-04-045733-D Lot 810-A, Csd-04-045733-D

Tie Point: Lot Description: Line Tie Point -1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 18-19 19-20 20-21 21-22 22-23 23-24 24-25 25-1

BLLM #1, Csd-842-D, Calaca Cadastre Bearing N 81º 15’W S 07º 33’E N 82º 51’W S 12º 28’W S 10º 01’W S 10º 01’W N 62º 35’W N 44º 27’W N 07º 41’E N 07º 41’E N 41º 35’E N 33º 57’E N 49º 49’E N 39º 42’E N 19º 42’E N 19º 42’E N 36º 51’E N 18º 42’E N 07º 05’E N 09º 30’W N 00º 04’E N 08º 19’E N 10º 36’W N 11º 29’W N 80º 41’E N 80º 41’E

Distance 3778.29m 137.80m 14.29m 71.32m 23.31m 20.95m 22.94m 52.62m 25.34m 56.00m 6.29m 11.41m 11.53m 10.95m 5.57m 6.79m 9.37m 8.64m 14.12m 7.22m 13.04m 9.05m 11.93m 6.19m 16.83m 11.67m

Area: TWELVE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY NINE SQUARE METERS AND FIFTY SQUARE DECIMETERS (12,659.50) SQUARE METERS. Description of Corners: Corners 2,3,4,6,7 & 8 are Old PS cyl. conc. Mons. 15x50 cms. and the rest are PS cyl. conc. mons. 15x40 cms.

Bearings : Grid Date of Original Survey: March 7 to April 29, 1989

BEIJING―China has demoted the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, the State Council said Thursday, following months of pro-democracy protests in the semi-autonomous city.

The shuffling of officials at China’s top policy body on the financial hub’s affairs comes after months of political unrest -- the starkest challenge to Beijing since the former British colony was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Senior Beijing official Xia Baolong, currently secretary-general at the national committee of China’s top political advisory body, was promoted to director while Zhang Xiaoming was re-appointed as a deputy in charge of daily operations at the office.

In Hong Kong, millions have taken to the streets since June last year, originally in opposition to a now-abandoned proposal to allow extraditions to mainland China.

The movement then morphed into demands for greater democratic freedoms and police accountability.

In recent days, Hong Kong’s leaders have faced criticism as well over shortages of masks and resources that emerged in their handling of a virus epidemic starting from the mainland. AFP

US diplomacy called ‘amoral’

WASHINGTON―The former US ambassador who was a key figure in President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial criticized US foreign policy on Wednesday as “amoral” and based on threats.

Marie Yovanovitch, who Trump abruptly recalled last May from her post as US ambassador to Ukraine, spoke at Washington’s Georgetown University where she received a prize from the school’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy.

“Right now, the State Department is in trouble,” she said. “Senior leaders lack policy vision, moral clarity and leadership skills.”

“To be blunt, an amoral, ‘keep-em-guessin’ foreign policy that substitutes threats, fear and confusion for trust cannot work over the long haul,” Yovanovitch said.

Trump last year disparaged Yovanovitch in a telephone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky which was the center of his impeachment for abuse of power.

The House of Representatives impeached him for pressuring Ukraine to announce investigations, including into his political opponent Joe Biden.

In October Yovanovitch testified to Congress that she was recalled due to “unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives.” AFP

Date of Subd. Survey Date Approved Geodetic Engineer

: March 12, 2016 : Feb. 2, 2017 : Paulino Z. Regalado”

under the provision of the Property Registration Decree.

Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is set for hearing on March 4, 2020 at 8:30 in the morning before this Court, sitting at the Hall of Justice, Regional Trial Court, Balayan, Batangas, at which time, date and place any interested person is hereby ordered to show cause why the petition should not be granted.

The applicant is hereby directed to have this Order published at its expense once in the Official Gazette, once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, and once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the province of Batangas.

Let this Order be posted at the main door of the Provincial Building of Batangas, at the Bulletin Board of the Hall of Justice, Regional Trial Court, Balayan, Batangas, and at the Bulletin Board of the Municipal Building of Calaca, Batangas, at the expense of the applicant.

Notify the Office of the Solicitor General, the Land Registration Authority, and the Bureau of Lands, which may file, within fifteen days from receipt hereof or from the last date of publication, their opposition.

The applicant is hereby ordered to furnish the Office of the Solicitor General, the Land Registration Authority, the Bureau of Land, and the adjoining owners of the subject land, within fifteen (15) days from receipt hereof, with a copy of the application and its annexes and manifest to this Court compliance herewith.

SO ORDERED. Balayan, Batangas, October 11, 2019.

(Sgd.) CAROLINA F. DE JESUS Presiding Judge Copy furnished: Office of the Clerk of Court Official Gazette Counsel for Applicant

BL/OSG/LRA/RD Applicant

Manila Standard / Feb. 14 & 21, 2020

LGUs

COMMITMENT. Standard SERVICE Pangasinan Vice Gov. Mark Manila

TODAY

Lambino (front row, 6th from left) joins officials of Globe Telecom and nurses, doctors, and local representatives in raising their index fingers in a show of unity after a recent forum at the Capitol Resort Hotel in Lingayen, Pangasinan.

Lambino, who is committed to bringing excellent service to the community, introduced telemedicine as the fastest way to proffer medical assistance to Pangasinenses, as this allows healthcare providers to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients at a distance.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

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

B4

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

‘Suspend franchise of killer jeep’

By Joel E. Zurbano

M

AKATI City Mayor Abigail Binay has asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to suspend the franchise of the public utility jeep that figured in a road mishap late Wednesday, killing a 14-year-old student and seriously injuring seven other students.

The accident led to the death of Jules Villapando and his schoolmates Villapando, a student of Gen. Pio del were walking on the pedestrian lane Pilar National High School in Barangay along JP Rizal Avenue on their way Poblacion. home when the jeepney, driven by Cri-

zalde Tamparong, hit them around 7:25 p.m.

Police arrested Tamparong, who said his jeep lost its brakes but managed to pull over a few meters after the pedestrian lane, after the incident.

“I am deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic accident last night in Barangay Poblacion that has claimed the life of a 14-yearold student of Pio del Pilar National High School and caused

serious injuries to his seven other schoolmates as they were walking home,” said Binay.

“My heart goes out to their parents, especially to the parents of Jules Villapando, whose young life was abruptly cut short by the senseless tragedy. I offer my heartfelt condolences to them,” she added.

Binay tapped Makati City police commander Rogelio Simon to conduct a thorough investigation on the matter.

DV Boer gets Taguig steps up precautions to fight COVID-19 SEC ban lifted on ‘Paiwi’ tack

VINDICATION “is such a sweet victory” according to DV Boer, a successful goat farm and agribusiness enabler based in Batangas, when the Securities and Exchange Commission recently lifted its advisory on their Paiwi program.

“This will exonerate DV Boer in the eyes of our partners, investors, believers, supporters and the general public because no less than the SEC, the government agency tasked to oversee big businesses, has already cleared us without any exceptions,” said Dex Villamin, the founder and president of the company established in 2014.

“Our Paiwi program was designed to genuinely help boost Philippine agriculture thru organized livestock raising,” he added in a statement.

In the order, the SEC stated that the case “is now deemed settled without any determination of guilt or fault on the part of DV Boer Farm International Corp.”

The commission previously warned against the firm’s “Paiwi” program in April 2019 through an advisory.

“Paiwi” is a widely-accepted Filipino backyard farming where a person who owns livestock hires a neighbor or close associate to grow and nurture the animal until such time that is it ready to be sold, milked, grown for its eggs or offsprings, or slaughtered for its meat.

DV Boer offered the unique Paiwi business program to help traditional poultry farms and livestock growers around its main farm in Balibago, Lian, Batangas to earn more and develop their farms into efficient, profit-oriented ventures.

The firm also educated them on how to run the business properly by providing new technology and best practices.

THE Taguig City government continues to implement precautions against the dreaded coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

A series of meetings and discussions are being held in public schools, daycare centers, hotels, hospitals, and other establishments in the city to protect residents and prevent the spread of the infectious disease, the city government said in a statement.

Mayor Lino Edgardo Cayetano also ordered the immediate distribution of hand sanitizers and non-contact thermal scanners in schools and daycare centers to monitor the body

temperature of students, faculty, and other school personnel upon entering their campuses.

The city government also provided infrared thermometers and stationed hand sanitizer dispensers at the TLC Park, Taguig Lakeshore Hall, Center For The Elderly, and Taguig Manpower Training Center.

Cayetano said the health equipment is one of the many efforts by the local government to help combat the COVID-19 threat. This initiative is part of the city’s mandate to ensure preparedness.

The city government recently laid out its two-pronged approach in re-

sponse to the threat of COVID-19.

First is on prevention and protection by: a. Releasing advisories and updates on its social media channels (Facebook and Twitter); b. Distributing masks for employees, frontliners, public school students, daycare students, tricycle and jeepney drivers and vulnerable sectors; C. Distributing infrared thermometers and hand sanitizers to all daycare centers and DepEd schools; and d. Recommended the use of thermal scanners for homeowners, schools and business establishments with a high volume of people. Joel E. Zurbano

THE Manila Health Department and National Voluntary Blood Services Program of Manila recently held a whole-day bloodletting event at the Universidad de Manila lobby grounds.

With the theme “Isang Bag Na Du-

-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.

(Sgd.) EDGARDO B. BELLOSILLO Presiding Judge (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:

MWF PRIZE. Manila Water Foundation recently honored four Filipino engineers who made significant social impact at the MWF

Prize for Engineering Excellence Awarding Ceremony at Seda Hotel Vertis North in Quezon City. Pictured is Dr. Ruel M. Mojica (2nd from left), who was recognized for his microcontroller-based roasting machine, Bravura, which increases the financial viability of low-income coffee farmers. The Prize is the only recognizing body in the country that honors engineers who made notable contributions in solving development problems in the areas of water, sanitation, environment and sustainability.

gong Alay Kada Barangay, Karugtong Ng Inyong Buhay,” the program aims to provide adequate and safe blood supply for the City of Manila through the NVBSP. NVBSP holds special blood drives regularly to generate more blood donations and augment the dwindling supply

of this most precious commodity in the hospitals in Manila.

Aside from NVBSP Manila chief Dr. Jocelyn Denoga, also attending the event were Acting City Health Officer Dr. Arnold M. Pangan, doctors and other medical health professionals, school officials of the UDM, as well as several

volunteers who donated blood.

The bloodletting event was able to generate several bags of blood to be used in hospitals and other medical facilities of the city.

Meanwhile, the MHD reported that Manila’s “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” has achieved a 99.13 percent coverage for the city’s anti-polio campaign.

CEMEX ‘Yakap’ aids Taal evacuees DRIVEN by its mission to “Build the Nation Together,” CEMEX Holdings Philippines has initiated its own relief operation program for Taal Volcano evacuees called “Project Yakap” to provide much-needed supplies and resources for the affected residents.

Through the generosity of CEMEX employees and sponsors who extended their support, relief goods were gathered and distributed to the evacuees in different areas of Batangas.

Blankets, sleeping mats, toiletries, and food were given to 100 evacuees in Kumintang Ilaya, 50 each in Paharang East, El Sitio Dumantay, Sico Jail, Sirang Lupa and Banaba East, 62 in Calicanto, and 35 evacuees in the Provincial Sports Complex.

“We felt the urgency to respond immediately and lend our help to those who were directly affected by the Taal

HENS REALTY CORPORATION, Plaintiff,

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

Manila Health Department leads bloodletting drive at UDM

By Willie Casas

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 95, QUEZON CITY

eruption,” says Chito Maniago, Regional Corporate Communications and Public Affairs director at CEMEX Philippines.

“It is devastating to see so many families lose their homes and livelihood, and so we reached out to all CEMEX employees and some of our partners in order to gather donations and mobilize volunteers for the ‘Project Yakap’ relief operation,” he added.

“We are very happy to have been able to offer at least some form of aid to several evacuees in Batangas, and we are still continuing the Project Yakap effort to help more of the affected families,” Maniago said.

The Project Yakap relief operation was also made possible through the cooperation of the Batangas provincial government, Acro Distribution Network, Inc., and Vouno Trade and Marketing Services Corp.

CEMEX Philippines Foundation extends assistance to Batangas residents displaced by the Taal Volcano eruption. The group was led by the foundation’s executive director, Chito Maniago (fourth from left), and the firm’s employee-volunteers, including CEMEX’s tax director Adrian Bancoro, Tina Gallardo, Erlinda Lizardo and Esteban David. Jr.

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)

Motoring

RAMON L. TOMELDAN Editor

C1

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

Dongfeng Dealers Summit cites Autokid for word-class service

The Najima Drive: Nissan’s #GoAnywhere

N

adventures

ISSAN Philippines has launched a new video series with its president and managing director, Atsushi Najima, proving his passion for Nissan’s strong LCV line-up by literally ‘getting behind the wheel.’ Featuring scenic drives across the Philippines during #GoAnywhere adventures, Najima drives leading media personalities to experience the best features, technology and comfort of the Nissan Patrol, Nissan Terra, and Nissan Navara.

Isuzu dominates truck sales

HOMEGROWN Filipino company Autokid has fast become the leading truck solutions company in the Philippines— thanks to its widest range of international truck brands, the most comprehensive selection of truck parts, and world-class after-sales services.

As the one-stop-shop for everything trucks, businesses and institutions need not look further than Autokid. And this was proven once again with two international recognitions.

Last December 2019, Autokid was named Top Overseas Dealer at the Dongfeng Dealer Assembly Summit in China.

The homegrown Filipino company bested other Dongfeng dealers from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Chile, and Pakistan, among others.

The company also received the Best 4S (Sales, Service, Spare parts and Survey) Award for Customer Service.

Founded in 1969, Dongfeng Motor Corporation is one of China’s largest automotive groups with business in commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, newenergy vehicles, engines, auto parts and components. Autokid launched its partnership with Dongfeng Automotive Co., Ltd. (DFAC) and Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd (DFCV) in June 2019.

“The awards are the results of all our work as we strive to uphold the trust and exceed the expectations of both our clients and our suppliers,” said Autokid CEO Kevin McHale Yao.

Yet even with the awards it continues to reap, Autokid doesn’t stop in innovating and improving its after-sales services.

Headquartered in Quezon City, the company is aggressively expanding nationwide to service more Filipinos in need of truck solutions. As of today, it already operates 11 Service Care Centers located at Roosevelt, EDSA and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, Guiguinto in Bulacan, Subic in Zambales, Dagupan in Pangasinan, Batangas, Cavite, Naga, Oas and Davao. It also plans to open new locations in the coming months.

The Service Care Centers have over 200 service bays that can accommodate trucks of all size from all over the country.

Autokid has also partnered with TESDA to set up a training school at its main Service Care Center in Sta. Rita, Bulacan.

Not only are the mechanics now TESDAcertified, they are also skilled in repairing Euro IV trucks. With this, they are able to adhere to international standards.

There’s also Truckstop, its store for truck brand new and original truck parts.

It continuously invests on brands to provide part needs for every customer.

Lastly, the company is also making its products and services more accessible to customers and clients. It has introduced its new fleet management system, as well as an online delivery and payment option for Truckstop.

All these in place for Autokid, 2020 couldn’t look more promising for the truck solutions company.

3, 4, and 5 trucks, representing a strong 45% market share of the total 14,049 brand new trucks sold during the year, an increased of 2 points from the previous year.

IPC dominated the Category 3 (Light duty truck) sales with 4,241 units sold, while also holding number one spot in Category 4 (Medium Duty truck) with 1,566 units sold. In the Category 5 (Heavy-Duty truck), IPC landed a strong 2nd, with 472 units sold.

IPC President Hajime Koso attributed the brand’s continued success to Isuzu’s global reputation as a world’s leading truck maker, the durability and reliability of its trucks, and the full aftersales service of an extensive nationwide dealership network. This comprehensive product lineups and services that embodies IPC’s commitment as a “your responsible partner” to its customers.

Reinforcing IPC’s sales is its Isuzu

Advantage– the sum of IPC’s different customer support programs bolstering its world-class trucks. The first advantage is IPC’s roster of durable, reliable, fuel-efficient vehicles. The second is its nationwide dealer network that now counts 43 outlets complete with servicing facilities.

The third is the reliable and prompt nationwide parts availability. Finally, IPC’s team of expert service technicians and field support personnel are on call to provide technical assistance whenever and wherever needed.

Koso said, “By being your responsible partners, IPC does not just supply worldclass vehicles, but we also provide solutions to meet their business needs. Their growth is essential to IPC’s growth, the development of the Philippine transport sector and of the economy in general.

Hence, we provide total support to our partners’ businesses with great products and aftersales support.”

The series kicks off with ‘Najima-san and the Terra Trio’ on Siquijor Island. Atsushi Najima is joined by media friends as they embark on a drive through the island, discussing life, careers, and their common thirst for adventure all while behind the wheel of the Nissan Terra.

“There is no better way to show my personal passion for each of our Nissan vehicles, than driving them across the diverse landscapes of this beautiful nation and showcasing what they can do. At Nissan, we are committed to enriching Filipino lives.

And this series showcases our ability to enable the best adventurers to take the journeys of their dreams, with complete confidence in the Nissan vehicles that take them there,” Najima says.

THE 2019 Philippine truck sales results are in. According to the latest figures supplied by the Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. (CAMPI), Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC), the assembler, importer, and distributor of brand-new Isuzu

commercial vehicles (CV) and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) in the country, has emerged as the overall leader anew in the CV (truck) category.

This marks the 20th straight year that IPC has emerged number one overall in truck sales. From January to December 2019, IPC sold a total of 6,279 Category

C2

Entertainment

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

nickie.standard@gmail.com

South Border heads north for Winford Manila gig SOUTH BORDER, the band behind hits like “Rainbow,” “Kahit Kailan,” and “Love of my Life” is set to perform live at Winford Manila Resort & Casino (WMRC) tomorrow night at 8:00.

Bannered under the Saturday Special concert series held at Hippodrome Bar & Lounge, the one-night only performance is free for casino floor viewing Southboarder fronted by Jay Durias with members Janno Queyquep, Otep Concepcion, Manuel Tabuñar, Edward Picache, and Kell Gatdula

for all WMRC members and guests who are 21 years old and above.

For those after a more intimate concert experience, VIP tickets are available for only P1,250 nett per person.

Each ticket includes a prime seat near the Hippodrome stage and is inclusive of food and drinks.

Formed in 1993, South Border quickly gained recognition and acclaim in the local music scene. Having undergone permutations throughout its storied career, the band has nevertheless retained its progressive pop sound and has even

moved up along the current global trends in music.

South Border keyboardist, chief songwriter, arranger, producer, and musical director Jay Durias is widely credited for being the staunchest unifying force that has kept the band thriving over the decades.

Visit www.winfordmanila.com for more information or call the hotline at +63 (2) 528-3600 for inquiries. Follow Winford Manila on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates on special events and promotions.

Celebrating

perfectly imperfect J

stories of real love

OLLIBEE kicked off the month of love by unveiling #KwentongJollibee Valentine’s Series 2020: #CoupleGoals, Space, and Apart in an exclusive press preview held recently at Estancia Mall - Ortigas Cinemas.

As today’s modern times have brought about varied definitions of love, the series theme “True Love Conquers All” aims to bring back the true definition of love.

Directed by Ianco dela Cruz (Vow, Choice), #CoupleGoals tells the story of Matt and Lisa, a happy couple who couldn’t be more perfect for each other, or so their social media photos say. Is their relationship as flawless as it appears?

Space follows the story of funnyman Dan, who goes out of his way to show his girlfriend Mae how much he cares but their differences have pushed the couple apart. Directed by Sigrid Bernardo, this episode begs the question: In the age where finding someone new as easy as a swipe, is true love is just as easy to find?

Lovebirds Myles and Ron are the center of

the story titled Apart, directed by Pepe Diokno.

Myles is strong-willed and self-sufficient, and Ron feels like he doesn’t have a place in her world.

Does true love prevail or are they better off apart?

“Relationships can be complicated when people set unrealistic expectations about love, believing that it’s always easy and picture-perfect especially in today’s digital age! This year, our goal was to highlight that the best love stories are those of couples who understand and value true love, and the hard work and commitment that it takes to make it work,” shared Jollibee Global Brand Chief Marketing Officer, JFC Philippines Country Business Group Marketing Head and concurrent Jollibee Philippines Marketing Head Francis Flores.

Valentine’s Day is no longer complete without Jollibee making viewers swoon and inspired by

TRENDING. Since its debut on YouTube, ‘#CoupleGoals’, which tells a story of a happy couple who couldn’t be more perfect for each other according to their social media posts, has amassed more than 18 million views.

its #KwentongJollibee series. Last year’s episodes — Choice, Proposal, and Anniversary — encouraged fans to keep their faith in love and hit over 50M views on Facebook and YouTube. Jollibee,

‘Space’ and ‘Apart’ spark conversations on social media because of the love issues they tackle.

through its Jollibee Studios branded entertainment initiative, has produced up over 33 Kwentong Jollibee short films, garnered over 350 M views and nearly 700M in reach.

The Kwentong Jollibee series has cemented its industry leadership and the well-loved films continues to bag global and international recognition.

In 2019 alone, the fast-food brand brought home the APAC Tambuli Awards’ Gold Tambuli for the total Kwentong Jollibee campaign; three Bronze awards in the Family-Centered Brand category for Kwentong Jollibee Mother’s Day Series, Kwentong Jollibee Biyahe, Kwentong Jollibee Grand Thank You Project, and a Bronze award in the Seasons Celebration category for Kwentong Jollibee High Five (Father’s Day). Since 2016, Kwentong Jollibee has also remained to be a regular in the YouTube Ad Leaderboard’s Top 10 Ads in the Philippines. In 2019, YouTube recognized Kwentong Jollibee: Choice and Schoolboy as its most effective ads for the year.

Watch the three #KwentongJollibee films on Jollibee Studios (www.youtube.com/user/jollibeedigital1) and on Jollibee’s Facebook page (www. facebook.com/JollibeePhilippines).

Ivana, Tony, and Donny ink contract with ABS-CBN

RISING star Ivana Alawi, Tony Labrusca, and Donny Pangilinan are now officially Kapamilya artists as they ink their respective contracts with ABSCBN recently.

Ivana, who is currently seen in FPJ’s Ang Probinsiyano, said, “This is a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to be part of this network, and today’s the big day.” She also signed contracts with Star Cinema and Star Music.

Meanwhile, James & Pat & Dave star Donny Pangilinan is working on a new music release which he described as “very different from his past music releases.” Apart from the new music release, Donny is looking forward to

do an action movie this year.

On the other hand, Tony Labrusca is set to do a horror movie, a new television series, and an iWant Originals series with Julia Barretto this year.

Present in the signing were ABSCBN chairman Mark Lopez, ABSCBN president and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak, chief operating officer of broadcast Cory Vidanes, TV production head Laurenti Dyogi, head of films productions Olivia Lamasan, head of ABS-CBN Music Roxy Liquigan, head of treasury Rick Tan, head of finance operations Catherine Lopez, and head of Dreamscape Entertainment Deo Endrinal.

SOLID KAPAMILYA. (From left) Tony Labrusca, Ivana Alawi, and Donny Pangilinan officially became ABS-CBN contract starts after signing a contract with ABS-CBN early this month.

From left: GMA bigwigs Enri T. Calaycay, Redgie Acuña-Magno, Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, Felipe S. Yalong, Janine PiadNacar, and Bang Arespacochaga, with SBS Korea Chief Global’s Kim Yong Jae (4th from left) and Kim Soo Hwan (3rd from right)

South Korea’s ‘Running Man’ dashes on local TV THE excitement of Kapuso fans ran high as GMA Entertainment Group inked a co-production deal with SBS Korea for the reality-comedy game show, Running Man Philippines, earlier today, Feb. 11, at GMA Network Center.

Present during the contract signing were GMA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, President and Chief Operating Officer Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong, Vice President for Entertainment Group Redgie AcuñaMagno, Vice President for Business Development Department II - Comedy/Infotainment/Reality Productions Janine Piad-Nacar, Assistant Vice President

for Business Development Department II Bang Arespacochaga, and Senior Program Manager/Producer Enri T. Calaycay.

Representing SBS Korea were Chief Global Contents Officer Kim Yong Jae and Global Production & Business Team Director Kim Soo Hwan.

For Atty. Gozon, the partnership with SBS Korea is another milestone for GMA and the country, “We are very delighted to partner with a great institution in content. We know that Running Man is a top-rating program not only in South Korea, but in other countries as well.

And we hope to make it a top-rater, too, here in the Philippines.”

Kim Yong Jae, in turn, is elated to

bring the hit Korean show to the local audience, “This is the first time to co-produce this show in the Philippines. We experienced big success in Vietnam, China, and we are expecting a lot here, too. We are adapting the Filipino culture and artists, so Filipino fans have a lot to be excited for.”

Running Man is one of South Korea’s most popular variety shows, featuring well-loved top Korean stars as cast and special guests like Jackie Chan, Tom Cruise, and Henry Cavill as guests competing in fun challenges, games, and races in different locations. After being on-air for almost a decade, the show has gained legions of fans not just across Asia, but all over the world as well.

Life

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2020

C3

Bernadette Lunas, Issue Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com

YOUNG LIFE

Love lessons from K-drama L

OVE can mean different things to different people.

It can be expressed in so many ways that oftentimes, it gets confusing. These Korean dramas, available on Netflix, shed a light on the many facets of love.

The story of young people's encounters with first love.

Friendship is a great foundation for a romantic relationship, only if you’re willing to put in the hard work. (My First First Love) It’s a fairy tale ending many people hope for, but being good friends do not automatically translate into being compatible lovers. Often, it requires extra work to make the relationship last especially since it’s easy to fall into that comfort zone of familiarity. Friendship is a great way to start but romantic love requires a deeper commitment.

The story of loneliness and finding love in an unconventional way.

Pain and loneliness teach us to love ourselves. (My Holo Love) Nobody wants to be lonely or suffer pain, but it is inevitable. If any- our pain, we become stronger. It’s overused but also true. Learning to thing, it is essential to growth. Through our missteps, we learn. Through love ourselves is important so we can learn to love others better.

LOVE IN THE TIME OF APPS Meet your SO halfway

The story of love in a digital world.

Technology can be a third wheel in a relationship.

(Love Alarm) It’s an all-too familiar scenario—you’re together but you’re both fixated on your mobile phones. Mobile technology can change lives and relationships for the better. But if unchecked, it can also drive a wedge in a relationship. Love Alarm depicts an example of what happens when we become too reliant on technology to nurture relationships

Pinoy-made commuter app Sakay.ph makes dating easier this Valentine’s Day with its new service.

Sakay Halfway is a special in-app feature that lets two people know where they can meet halfway in Metro Manila. Once users enter their location, the app automatically recommends their midway point and its nearby restaurants, malls, hotels, and other establishments that can serve as their date spot.

“We think the greatest barrier to true love isn’t strict parents or incompatible preferences,” says app co-founder and chief executive Philip Cheang.

“Traffic and distance, actually.”

Sakay.ph app is available for free on Google Play Store and App Store.

Sakay Halfway lets two people know where they can meet halfway.

Binge watch episodes of these K-dramas at full speed with PLDT Home TVolution Lite powered by Roku for P99.

The youth’s solutions to nexus issues TEN groups of high school students prove our national hero was right when he said “The youth is the hope of the motherland,” with their innovative solutions addressing the food-water-energy nexus issues.

The winners in last year’s NXplorers: The Bright Ideas Challenge showcased their problem-solving skills in coming up with answers that protect and maximize the world’s vital resources.

Nxplorers is a global education of Shell, introduced to the Philippines in 2019 to involve the youth in addressing the foodwater-energy nexus issues. The systems that provide access to the three critical resources are tightly interlinked—water generates power; energy treats and transports water; and both water and energy are needed to produce food.

“Young people today are vital to ensuring the security of these resources tomorrow,” said Cesar Romero, Shell Companies in the Philippines’ country chairman. “At Shell, we believe that by teaching the youth how to critically identify and solve problems, they will be better equipped as future leaders and positive agents of change.”

The program teaches a combination systems thinking, scenario planning, and a theory of change methodology to show the youth how to understand and address increasingly complex global problems.

Oriental Mindoro National High School’s Team NX-US won the grand prize for creating a smart watering system that detects soil moisture content and sends users a text message with crop data.

PayMaya offers discounted Tinder subscriptions.

Discounted Tinder subscription PayMaya has partnered with popular dating app Tinder to offers discounted Tinder Plus and Tinder Gold subscriptions.

Users paying for Tinder Plus subscription using PayMaya get as much as 75 percent off (for one month), while those purchasing Tinder Gold (one, six, or 12 months) enjoy 50 percent discount.

To avail of the promo, open the PayMaya app, choose Treats, find the Tinder subscription you want, and tap Buy. And if you want to gift it to your friends, just tap the share button, choose the channel you want to use, and send the generated coupon to a friend.

CREATIVE TREATS Something sweet and musical

Chocolate label Toblerone gets more imaginative this Valentine season by launching blank packs inspired by the classic Pinoy harana culture.

The six designs reflect Filipinos’ love for music and sweets with a romantic touch. “For these special Valentine’s Day packs, we wanted to infuse two things close to Filipinos’ hearts: sweetness and music,” said Nicole Girvin, brand manager of Mondelez Philippines.

A curated playlist was made for each design.

To enjoy Toblerone’s special playlists, simply open your Spotify account, click Search from the bottom menu bar, then tap the Search icon on the top part of the search page. Click the Camera icon and scan the Toblerone bar. This playlist is exclusively accessible to those who purchase the limited edition Valentine packs.

The Valentine packs are available in super- Spotify playlists in chocolate bar packs. markets until Feb. 15.

Oriental Mindoro National High School's Team NX-US bags the grand prize.

The first runner-up was Gusa Regional Science High School’s Team Marigold, who designed a handheld generator that produces energy by utilizing heat difference through the Seebeck effect.

Philippine Science High School Cagayan Valley’s Team Agribon, took the second runner-up title with their drone that can water and spray crops with fertilizer.

Team NX-US took home P100,000, while Team Marigold and Team Agribon took home P70,000 and P50,000, respectively. Team NX-US also won the people’s choice award, getting an additional P5,000 cash prize.

Meanwhile, Bansud Regional Science High School’s Team Antipara and Ramon

Teves Pastor Memorial Dumaguete Science High School’s Team A-Team both won merit awards of P20,000.

The other remaining five schools were awarded P10,000 each All winning teams received an equivalent prize for their school’s respective STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) funding.

Romero said, “Innovative problemsolving needs a good understanding of how change happens.”

“Shell supports the development of local STEM education, because it will help the youth learn the creative and critical thinking skills needed to envision the future.”

Something delicious and unique

Chef Josh Boutwood invites lovers to a dinner date at his “creative and imaginative” restaurant.

Savage serves today until Feb. 15 a four-course Valentine Dinner priced at P4,400 per couple. The meal begins with a selection of snack to tease the palate, followed by the appetizer—in-house smoked salmon chive and dill.

Mains are a choice among dry-aged Australian Wagyu striploin with house chimichurri, Roast Chicken for Polenta, and Grilled Seabass with Manila Clams and Thai Basil. The meal ends with Eton Mess, a delightful, traditional English dessert made with strawberries, broken meringue, and whipped double cream.

Savage is at G/F The Plaza, Arya Residences, McKinley Parkway, Taguig.

Chef Josh Boutwood in the kitchen.