Manila Standard - 2020 February 20 - Thursday

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‘Power firms owe gov’t P95b ‘

By Maricel V. Cruz

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 371 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A JOINT committee in the House of Representatives on Wednesday discovered P95.3 billion in unpaid debts by the power firms and electric cooperatives to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.

As a result, those debts will be

passed on to the Filipino people.

PSALM lawyer Irene Joy BesidoGarcia made the disclosure to lawmakers at a hearing conducted by the House committees on public accounts and on good government hearing led

by Representatives Michael Defensor and Jonathan Sy-Alvarado, respecNext page tively.

PH crew to leave virus ship But 100 of them opt to stay even as many more infected

By Rey E. Requejo and Macon Ramos-Araneta

F

OREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. has ordered the immediate repatriation of Filipinos aboard the quarantined M/V Diamond Princess cruise liner, where 41 of them have already tested positive for the deadly new coronavirus (COVID-19).

PERFECTLY PLEASED. Passengers, some in wheelchairs (left) take a taxi after disembarking Wednesday from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, in quarantine at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, while others pull their carts (right) after they started leaving the coronavirus-wracked ship after testing negative for the disease that has now claimed more than 2,000 lives. The Philippine government has also set its repatriation plan in motion to bring home 531 crew. AFP

ABS-CBN needs a law to extend its franchise—Palace

By MJ Blancaflor, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Rey E. Requejo and Willie Casas THE Palace on Wednesday said lawmakers should pass a law extending the validity of ABS-CBN’s franchise, which expires on March 30, if they are really inclined to renew it.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said this would enable the broadcast giant to continue operating until its new franchise is granted.

Earlier, Rep. Antonio Albano, vice chaiman of the House committee on legislative franchises, said that in practice, ABS-CBN may be allowed to operate while Congress debates bills to extend its franchise.

But Panelo said a simpler way was to simply pass a new law to extend its Next page validity.

COVID-19 deaths exceed 2,000; virus hits 74,000 in 25 nations THE death toll from the new coronavirus outbreak surged to 2,000 on Wednesday, as Chinese and international health officials warned against excessive measures to contain the epidemic.

More than 74,000 people have now been infected by the virus in China, with hundreds more cases in some 25 countries.

The situation remains serious at the epicenter, with the director of a hospital in the central city of Wuhan becoming the seventh medical worker to succumb to the COVID-19 illness.

But Chinese officials released a study showing most patients have mild cases of

the infection, and World Health Organization officials said the mortality rate was relatively low.

The outbreak is threatening to put a dent in the global economy, with China paralyzed by vast quarantine measures and major firms such as iPhone maker Apple and mining giant BHP warning it could damage bottom lines.

Several countries have banned travelers from China and major airlines have suspended flights--something that Beijing’s ambassador to the EU warned was fueling panic and threatening attempts to Next page resume business.

Espenido: Gov’t could go after me PUSHED against the wall with his inclusion in President Rodrigo Duterte’s drugs watchlist, beleaguered Police Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido told an interview in Cebu the “government” could go after him and kill him.

At the same time, following his statement there was a failure of intelligence on the drugs watchlist, PNP chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said the issue would be investigated, saying that was an internal matter to the national police command.

“There would be no other entity that would kill me. It would be the government, the police,” he said in Bisaya in the interview with radio dyHP in Cebu City on Tuesday morning, heard in some parts of the country.

Espenido was among 357 police officers on the President’s drugs watchlist.

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Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, however, said some 100 of the 531 Filipino crew members on the ship, which has been quarantined and docked at Yokohama, Japan since Feb. 4, have declined repatriation, saying they fear they would lose their jobs.

“More than 100 Filipinos want to stay; they refused to be repatriated. We will respect their decision,” Duque said.

The ship has the highest concentration of COVID-19 infections outside of China.

On his Twitter account, Locsin said he ordered the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo to immediately work for the return of the Filipinos onboard the cruise ship.

“It’s our duty to take care our overseas Filipinos wherever they are. I want them home now!”

Locsin said on his Twitter account.

A total of 41 Filipinos aboard the cruise ship have tested positive of COVID-19 and are being Next page treated at Japanese hospitals.

END OF THE ROAD. The daughter in school waited to be picked up Wednesday by her father, chief legal officer of the Bureau of Corrections (inset) Fredrick Anthony Santos, who would never arrive. Elsewhere, her father was gunned down by two unidentified gunmen. Santos was rushed to hospital by police but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Palace condemns slay of BuCor lawyer

By Joel E. Zurbano

CAUTION IN CHURCH. Catholic faithful wear masks at the Baclaran Church Wednesday. As part of precautionary methods against COVID-19, no holy water was placed at the entrance of the church. Norman Cruz

TWO men gunned down the chief legal officer of the Bureau of Corrections while he was about to pick up his daughter from school Wednesday afternoon in Muntinlupa City, police said.

Personnel of the Muntinlupa City Rescue Team rushed Fredrick Anthony Santos to a hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival due to gunshot wounds in the head.

Malacañang condemned Santos’ murder but said the ambush will not stop the government’s probe on the implementation of the Good Conduct Time Allowance.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the incident was unlikely to affect the ongoing investigation, claiming other officials would come out to expose the irregularities at the national penitentiary.

We don’t know exactly whether or not this might be a retaliation from some personal wrongdoing he has committed,’’ he told reporters.

Senator Richard Gordon said President Rodrigo Duterte and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra should step into the case.

“This is very serious. I call on the President and the Secretary of Justice.

Muntinlupa is under the Secretary of Justice,” he said in an interview. Next page

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After pastillas, lifestyle check on BI personnel

By Rey E. Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday supported calls for the conduct of lifestyle checks on officials and personnel of the Bureau of Immigration suspected of involvement in the so-called “pastillas scheme.”

He said he supported the suggestion of some lawmakers to subject Immigration officials and personnel manning the airports to lifestyle checks to determine if they were living within their means.

Senator Francis Pangilinan said the recent exposé of blatant corruption, abuse and trafficking surrounding the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators industry was appalling and must not be tolerated.

For the past three years, he said, the country had experienced an influx of illegality―from billions worth of illegal drugs slipping through the Bureau of Customs to illegal immigrants claiming housing and job opportunities that should have been for Filipinos first, and to the everincreasing cases of prostitution and sex trafficking surrounding POGO that target Filipino women and children.

Meanwhile, the Manila International Airport Authority on Wednesday sympathized with the Bureau of Immigration which has been under fire for the alleged bribery scheme involving its officials and Chinese workers in the Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators We sympathize with the bureau if that has been the label [to them], so we are hoping that this will be fixed’’ MIAA General Manager Eddie Monreal said in a Malacañang briefing.

According to Guevarra, lifestyle checks are often conducted in government agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs to verify if the employees and government officials are living beyond their means.

I support Sen. [Risa] Hontiveros’ recommendation to conduct such a lifestyle check on suspected corrupt personnel of the BI, in the same way that lifestyle checks are conducted on suspected BIR, BOC and other government officials and employees,’’ Guevarra said in a text message.

But he said the results of lifestyle checks alone could not be used to determine if a government employee or official was indeed corrupt.

A lifestyle check is not conclusive but only indicative of a government employee’s possible unethical conduct,’’ he said.

Guevarra also said there was no need to issue another department order for the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the allegations of the “pastillas scheme” reportedly committed by some Immigration personnel assigned at the airports.

With Macon Ramos-Araneta and MJ Blancaflor

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QC stops MRT 7 for encroaching on park

By Rio N. Araja

But the department said Tuesday the underground construction for the MRT 7 station at the Quezon Memorial Circle was not affected by the cease-anddesist order issued by the Quezon City government.

Assistant Transport Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran said the temporary order issued by Belmonte concerned only the rail line’s above-ground construction.

‘‘We understand that the concern is about the above-ground structure and that the construction of underground areas may proceed,” Libiran said.

Belmonte reacted to the complaints raised by environmentalists and historians that the station was encroaching on the park’s integrity.

She said the city government was in full support of the national government’s

“build build build” program, but she expressed reservations on the desecration of the famous heritage site, especially as the construction was affecting the surface of the park.

“We put a temporary stop to the construction of the Quezon Memorial Circle station because it would affect the landmark’s identity as a national heritage park,” she said.

“We want to look for a win-win solution that would protect our open spaces while advancing the welfare of thousands of commuters who will benefit from the mass transport project,” Belmonte said.

The Quezon Memorial Circle is the city’s most famous landmark and is a heritage site.

Belmonte immediately directed a review of the project, saying “it has greatly exceeded the agreed area for construction.”

Based on the project’s permit and

PH...

disembarked a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship in Japan Wednesday after testing negative for the disease that has now claimed more than 2,000 lives in China and spread panic worldwide.

With 542 positive cases, the Diamond Princess is easily the biggest cluster outside China, and Japan has faced mounting criticism for its quarantine arrangements as the passengers disperse into the wider world.

“I’m relieved... I want to take a good rest,” said a 77-year-old Japanese passenger, who declined to give his name. He said he would be boarding Japan’s famously crowded railway system home.

A fleet of yellow-dotted city buses, plus a dozen or so taxis, whisked away the passengers, many of whom dragged their luggage behind them and waved to former shipmates on balconies as they disembarked.

For the 500 passengers disembarking the Diamond Princess after testing negative, a difficult 14-day quarantine period has come to an end after their dream cruise turned into a nightmare of fear and boredom confined in many cases to small windowless cabins.

Many were left onboard with an anxious wait for test results that would allow them to disembark.

Asked how he felt seeing others disembark while remaining on the ship, American lawyer Matt Smith said: “I need an emoji for envy.”

Kentaro Iwata, a professor at the infectious diseases division of Kobe University, blasted the on-ship quarantine as a “major failure, a mistake.”

“It is highly likely secondary infections occurred,” Iwata said, saying scepticism from abroad of the quarantine was “only natural.”

He later said in a video published online that he was self-quarantining after a brief visit to the ship where he raised major concerns about the procedures on board.

Elated passengers also began disembarking from a second cruise ship that has been

at the center of coronavirus fear, the Westerdam, which made shore in Sihanoukville in Cambodia.

Hundreds were departing after receiving a clean bill of health, as Prime Minister Hun Sen greeted the first passengers with hugs and flowers.

American Christina Kirby, fretted about the stigma some Westerdam passengers could face once they return home. “I want people to remember that... there’s a human behind each of these stories and those who are ill deserve compassion,” she said.

Several countries appear to have lost patience with the quarantine on board the Diamond Princess and chartered planes to repatriate citizens.

In the first such evacuation Monday, more than 300 Americans flew home even though 14 had tested positive.

Britain, Hong Kong and Australia are among other countries that have vowed to repatriate people from the ship but will insist on a further 14-day quarantine on home soil.

Nathalie MacDermott, a medical expert at King’s College London, recommended a further 14-day self quarantine for those leaving.

“Given the circumstances on board the Diamond Princess, those passengers leaving the boat should be managed in a similar manner to those individuals departing a highly affected city or region,” said MacDermott.

South Korea vowed to block foreigners who have been on board the Diamond Princess from entering the country.

Disembarkation is expected to take around three days as more test results become available. The crew will begin a new quarantine when the last passenger has left.

Japan faced mounting criticism for its handling of a coronavirus-afflicted cruise ship, with questions over a patchy quarantine, incremental testing and the decision to let people walk away after 14 days. With AFP

transfer her from Camp Crame to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology in Camp Bagong Diwa, Bicutan, Taguig City.

She is facing illegal possession of drugs and firearms before Branch 228 and 95, respectively.

Through her legal counsel, Parojinog said the charges should be dismissed “not because of any failure on the part of the prosecution to present but rather due to the testimonies and credibility of the police witnesses being inherently weak.”

“The truth of the matter is that the police witnesses are simply incapable of proving the charges filed against the accused because their version of the events of the implementation of the search warrant in the accused’s (sic) house reeks of a cover-up and set-up rolled into one, and is replete with utter falsities--all of which have been repeatedly pointed out by the accused in this demurrer,” the twin motion read.

Authorities arrested Parojinog inside their home in Ozamiz City in July 2017, during which her father, then Mayor Reynadlo Parojinog Sr., mother Susan, brother Octavio, sister Mona and several others were killed.

Parojinog’s brother, Reynaldo Jr., was also nabbed, and was meted out 40 years of jail term in 2019 for illegal possession of drugs.

Nearly three years ago, at dawn of Sunday, July 30, 2017, Criminal Investigation and Detection group and the Ozamiz City police conducted a simultaneous raid in the house of the Parojinogs in Ozamiz and other associated properties, leaving 15 persons

killed including incumbent Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog and his wife.

Another member of the Parojinog family died in the hospital three days after the raid.

Parojinog was the third mayor to be killed during the country’s war on drugs after Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte eight months prior and Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi-Ampatuan, Maguindanao nine months before.

Espenido said he was not worried about himself, and he announced during the radio interview that he would be an easy target as he often did not carry a firearm with him.

Espenido believed his name’s inclusion in the President’s narco-list stemmed from a picture that showed him in the company of then mayor Espinosa and Espinosa’s lawyer Rogelio Bato Jr. inside a restaurant in Ormoc City.

The meeting took place before the deaths of Bato and Espinosa in 2016, and when Espenido was still the Albuera police chief.

Espinosa is the father of Kerwin, who according to authorities had been Eastern Visayas’ biggest drug lord before he was arrested in Abu Dhabi in October 2016.

Before he met Espinosa and Bato, Espenido said he had received a phone call from then PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa, who instructed him to fetch Espinosa after the mayor decided to surrender himself to authorities in August. Duterte had identified Espinosa as a drug lord.

In the same month, Bato and his companion, an 18-year-old girl, were killed in an ambush in Tacloban City, Leyte. Rio N. Araja

New Bilibid Prison.

Santos was also suspended for six months without pay by the Office of the Ombudsman after finding that he, along with 29 other officials of the bureau, “allowed the questionable release of prison convicts” in violation of the expanded Good Conduct Time Allowance under the Revised Penal Code.

Senator Panfilo Lacson also accused Santos of using illegal drugs with Chinese drug lords detained at the national penitentiary.

At least three BuCor officials have been killed since September 2018, with the police saying they were investigating the possible connection of the killings with the release of hundreds of heinous crime convicts for good conduct.

In August last year, a lone gunman shot and killed 53-year old Ruperto Traya Jr., a chief administrative officer 3 assigned

at the New Bilibid Prison in a parking lot near Amparo Street, also in Barangay Poblacion.

Traya was about to park his motorcycle when the gunman on board a motorcycle appeared and shot him in the head.

The BuCor acknowledged that almost 2,000 former inmates jailed for heinous crimes were among 22,049 inmates released since 2013 due to the passage of the GCTA law.

Four Chinese drug lords were among the inmates released, Senator Lacson said.

The possible release of former Calauan Mayor Antonio Sanchez, convicted for the 1993 rape and murder of college student Eileen Sarmenta and the murder of her friend, Alan Gomez, has ignited a public debate on the application of the GCTA law. With MJ Blancaflor and Macon Ramos-Araneta

Q

UEZON City Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered a cease-and-desist order on the above-ground construction of the Metro Rail Transit 7 Quezon Memorial Circle station pending talks with developer San Miguel Corp., contractor EEI Corp. and the Transport department.

From A1

The government earlier repatriated 30 Filipinos from the Chinese province of Hubei, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak.

They, along with two consulate staff, have been in quarantine at the New Clark City Athletes’ Village in Capas, Tarlac.

In a briefing Wednesday, Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said six more Filipinos on the ship tested positive for COVID-19.

“All Filipino passengers and crew of the MV Diamond Princess who will request repatriation will be accommodated by the Philippine government in accordance with the guidelines set by the Department of Health,” Vergeire said.

The Philippine Embassy in Tokyo said the Japanese government and the Diamond Princess management are finalizing repatriation details and schedule as the quarantine on the ship ended Wednesday.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, the evacuees will be required to undergo another 14-day quarantine as precaution, Duque said. There are a total of 538 Filipinos on the Diamond Princess, seven of whom are passengers.

Duque said all of the repatriates would be checked for symptoms of COVID-19 before boarding the chartered plane for the Philippines.

“Definitely, those with signs will not be allowed to board the plane,” Duque said.

The Diamond Princess, operated by Carnival Corp., has been quarantined in the port of Yokohama since Feb. 4 after a passenger who disembarked in Hong Kong before traveling to Japan, was diagnosed with the virus that has already killed over 2,000 in China, mostly in Hubei province.

Hundreds of relieved passengers finally

ABS-CBN...

Espenido:...

From A1

From A1

Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin previously said that the franchise of GMA Network, another broadcast company, expired on March 20, 2017, but it continued to operate with its authority renewed through a law signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 21, 2017.

Garbin also said the franchise of the 29 radio stations of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines expired in 2017 but they continued to operate even if the franchise was only renewed by the Congress in 2019.

Under Republic Act 3846, radio and television stations are required to seek a franchise from Congress.

ABS-CBN’s current franchise was approved through Republic Act 7966 on March 30, 1995.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go on Wednesday said House members should act immediately on bills seeking to renew ABS-CBN’s franchise.

He said the lawmakers should vote according to their conscience and assured the public that President Duterte would not pressure them to vote one way or the other.

Go, a constant companion of the President, said Duterte was not being vindictive when he publicly declared that he would block the renewal of the network’s franchise.

He said Duterte merely expressed displeasure over ABS-CBN’s failure to air his political advertisement when he was running for president in 2016.

Go would not say, however, if he would support an extension to ABS-CBN’s franchise.

On the other hand, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said he is in favor of the extension, saying none of the complaints against the network were “fatally defective.”

“I’ll put it this way. Here in the Senate, I think all of us got hit by ABS-CBN. Nobody here… was spared, but I don’t think that’s fatally defective on their franchise, or for any other media network. That’s your job. You’re the fourth estate,” Recto said.

The Senate public services committee chaired by Senator Grace Poe is set to hear the ABS-CBN’s franchise extension on Feb. 24.

He reported to Camp Crame, the Philippine National Police headquarters, after he was relieved from his post as Bacolod City Police deputy director for operations and head of the City Drug Enforcement Unit last Feb. 7.

Espenido said there were drug lords planning to kill him.

Gamboa told a news briefing: “Regarding Colonel Espenido, leave it to us. It’s purely an internal issue, I will deal with Espenido squarely as the chief PNP and he being a member of the PNP.” According to Gamboa, it is a general instruction for the policemen included in the drug watch list to remain silent on the issue pending validation.

Asked if what Espenido did was a defiance of authority, Gamboa said: “Not yet.

That’s why he will be investigated.”

Meanwhile, former mayor Nova Princess Parojinog of Ozamiz City is seeking the acquittal of the cases of illegal possession of drug and firearms filed against her before the Quezon City courts.

Parojinog’s lawyers filed a demurrer to evidence for each of the two cases, asking the courts to clear her name of the criminal charges for supposed insufficiency of prosecution evidence.

The accused also filed a response, opposing a motion filed by the prosecution to

Palace...

From A1

Gordon, head of the Senate Blue Ribbon, said he was saddened that this happened because Santos was the 15th Bilibid personnel killed since 2011 “within and outside the gate” of Bilibid.

Initial investigation showed that the incident happened in front of Southernside Montessori School along Katihan Street in Barangay Poblacion around 1:50 p.m.

Santos was about to fetch his daughter at her school on board a Toyota Hilux pick-up when two armed men appeared and shot him at point-blank range.

Last year, Santos was one of the BuCor officials who were placed under the custody of the Senate after senators cited them in contempt for “lying” repeatedly during the probe into the nomalies in the

clearance, the contractor indicated 4,997 square meters as its floor area.

The proposed floor area is more than five times the approved figure.

“We have initiated talks with the DoTr, contractor EEI, San Miguel Corp., National Housing Authority and other stakeholders for clarification and guidance,” Belmonte said.

Because of park’s status as a historical landmark, she wants the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the Quezon-Avanceña family, the descendants of the late Manuel L. Quezon, to have a say on the matter.

The MRT 7 is one of the seven mass transit infrastructure projects of the Duterte administration to link San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, to North Avenue, Quezon City, and cut travel time between the two locations from two hours to 34 minutes.

COVID-19...

From A1

Russia on Tuesday said no Chinese citizens would be allowed to enter its territory from Feb. 20.

The epidemic has triggered panic buying in Singapore and Hong Kong, concerns about cruise-ship travel and the postponement of trade fairs, sports competitions and cultural events in China and abroad.

Authorities have placed about 56 million people in hard-hit central Hubei and its capital Wuhan under an unprecedented lockdown.

The city was carrying out “very good public health practice” with door-to-door surveillance, said Michael Ryan, head of WHO’s health emergencies program.

Other cities far from the epicenter have restricted the movement of residents, with a 14-day self-quarantine for people returning to Beijing.

President Xi Jinping, in a phone call with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, said China’s measures were achieving “visible progress,” according to state media.

The official death toll in China hit 2,000 after another 132 people died in Hubei, where the virus emerged in December.

Liu Zhiming, the director of Wuchang Hospital in Wuhan, became its latest victim, sparking an outpouring of grief online.

Earlier this month, the death of Wuhan doctor Li Wenliang--who had been punished by authorities for sounding the alarm about the virus in late December-triggered anger and calls on social media for political reform.

Official figures, meanwhile, showed there were nearly 1,700 newCOVID-19 cases on Wednesday in Hubei.

New infections have been falling in the rest of the country for the past two weeks.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that it was too early to tell if the decline would continue.

A study among tens of thousands of confirmed and suspected cases showed that 81 percent of patients had only mild infections.

The study released by China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention also showed the death rate stood at 2.3 percent, falling below 1 percent for people in their 30s and 40s.

WHO officials said the COVID-19 illness was “less deadly” than its cousins, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

But it is higher than the mortality rate for the seasonal flu, at around 0.1 percent in the United States. AFP

‘Power...

From A1

In her power point presentation, Besido-Garcia said the arrears or “overdue receivables” by the agency were inherited in the past after the power plants where sold to private companies. ‘‘Ultimately, your honors, it is the national government that will have the burden of paying this amount come June 2026 when PSALM’s life will expire,” Besido-Garcia said in response to a query from lawmakers if President Rodrigo Duterte knew about the matter, adding that PSALM had a total of P422 billion in arrears.

Besido-Garcia said South Premiere Power Corp. under San Miguel Corp. had an outstanding P23.9 billion in debt or “overdue receivables” since December 2019, and had been under litigation.

The SPPC is under the independent power producer administrator Agreement with PSALM for the 1,200-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant in Ilijan, Batangas.

Besido-Garcia also disclosed the overdue accounts for generation payments under the IPPA from Northern Renewables Generation Corp. at P4.579 billion, FDC Misamis Power Corp. at P2.630 billion, FDC Utilities Inc. at P1.167 billion, Good Friends Hydro Resources Corp. at P1.214 billion, and Waterfront Mactan Casino Hotel Inc. at P87 million.

She said PSALM was set to receive P14.9 billion from Manila Electric Co. under litigation for reconciliation and adjustment payment.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Lakas-CMD welcomes lawmaker as new member

By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE of Representatives’ Majority Leader Martin Romualdez on Wednesday afternoon administered the oath of another lawmaker as new member of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats.

Biliran Rep. Gerardo Espina Jr. was sworn in as new party member, increasing its strength to 30 with 15 congressional districts and 15 party-list lawmakers as Lakas-CMD allies.

“We will continue to solidify and strengthen our political influence nationwide,” said Romualdez, president of the Lakas-CMD and chairman of the House Committee on Rules, during the ceremony held at the Batasan Pambansa Complex in Quezon City Wednesday afternoon.

Espina, vice chairman of the House Committees on Health and on Agrarian Reform, was a former member of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino– Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Romualdez, representative of Leyte’s First District, reiterated the strong commitment of Lakas-CMD to support the passage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s legislative agenda.

“Lakas-CMD remains and will always be a partner of the administration in ensuring the swift passage of President Duterte’s legislative agenda needed to make the life of Filipino people more comfortable,” said Romualdez.

CEASE AND DESIST. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered a temporary cease and desist order to the above-ground construction of the Metro Rail Transit 7 at the

Quezon Memorial Circle station pending talks with developer SMC contractor EEI and the DOTr after environmentalists and historians pointed out that the station was encroaching on the park’s integrity. Photo shows the MRT 7 construction at a portion of the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

Congress closer to easing foreign ownership limits

By Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas

3 honest airport employees lauded THE Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has commended three employees of Puerto Princesa International Airport for honesty.

The three—Reywelyn Macabutas, Aika Carceller, and Richard Guillermo —returned a black bag containing cash amounting P100,000 and other valuables left by a foreigner at the airport last Saturday.

The airport workers found and took the bag left unattended at the table in the terminal’s arrival area, and turned it over to the CAAP Security and Intelligence Service office.

A few hours later, 45-year-old American-Vietnamese traveler Tien Trung Bui, a passenger of Philippine Airlines with flight PR 2347 from Mactan, Cebu, arrived looking for his bag inside the arrival area.

Upon confirmation that Bui owned the bag, the CSIS officers returned it to him. Joel E. Zurbano

‘Suspend Florida Bus for deaths’ A COMMUTER group has asked the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board for the suspension of the franchise of the Florida Bus Services Inc. particularly those plying the ManilaCagayan route.

Lawyer Argee Guevarra, convenor of the PASADA CC, a non-governmental organization which aims to pursue the welfare of Filipino commuters and consumers, said that Florida buses had figured in a series of accidents in Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija in recent weeks which led to the deaths of several people, including a pregnant woman and injured commuters and innocent bystanders.

Last Feb. 14, 2020, a Florida bus rammed four houses in Nueva Vizcaya injuring seven people and destroyed private property. Willie Casas

T

HE House of Representatives is poised to approve on final reading anytime soon a bill amending the 84-year-old Public Service Act.

This came after the chamber, in plenary session, approved on second reading House Bill 78 that provides a clear definition of a public utility. The House approved the bill second reading via voice voting.

Congress will adjourn on March 13 for a Holy Week break.

The bill defines public utility as a “person that operates, manages, and controls for public use” any of the following: electricity distribution, electricity transmission, and water pipeline distribution or sewerage pipeline system.

The bill also proposes that the National Economic and Development Authority Secretariat, in consultation with the Philippine Competition Commission, shall recommend to Congress the classification of public service as a public utility on the basis of several criteria, such as the person regularly supplies and

directly transmits and distributes to the public through a network a commodity or service of public consequence; the commodity or service is necessary to the public and a natural monopoly that needs to be regulated when the common good so requires; the commodity or service is necessary for the maintenance of life and occupation of residents; and the commodity or service is obligated to provide adequate service to the public on demand.

Lawmakers welcomed the bill’s imminent enactment.

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, the bill’s author, said, the bill will “significantly contribute” to increasing competition, as well as protecting the public interest.

“More competition among providers would result in lower prices and improved quality of basic services in the Philippines creating a more competitive economy towards a better quality of life

‘Tourist arrivals down due to COVID-19 outbreak’

By MJ Blancaflor PHILIPPINE airports have lost about 20 percent or 322,000 international and domestic passengers in three weeks since January due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Manila International Airport Authority reported Wednesday.

After the government imposed a travel ban to China, Hong Kong and Macau in a bid to contain the virus, the international tourist arrivals from Jan. 25 to Feb. 17 decreased by 16.74 percent or 272,006 from the figures recorded during the same period in 2019.

The Philippines posted 1,352,692 international arrivals from Jan. 25 until Feb. 17, slightly lower than the 1,624,698 last year.

Meanwhile, domestic travel fell by 3.42 percent, as the country recorded 1,406,876 arrivals this year, down from 1,456,705 in 2019.

Speaking to Palace reporters, MIAA general manager Eddie Monreal said the losses will be bigger if the Philippines did not lift the travel ban on Taiwan on Feb. 11.

Monreal said that Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade has already directed airlines to replace canceled flights from countries covered by travel ban with domestic flights.

“There’s still time to recover and I hope we will recover soon,” Monreal said.

TSA, an agency of the US Department of Homeland Security, has authority over the security of the traveling public

in the US. Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific has reduced its year-round low fares across over 70 domestic destinations in support of government initiatives to spur domestic tourism to alleviate the impact of travel restrictions caused by the spread of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19). This is on top of promotional seat sales for key destinations the carrier has been running since late last month.

Starting today (February 19), yearround low fares of Cebu Pacific will sell for as low as P88 (base fare)—even for travel within the next few days.

Routes with reduced fares include those originating from Manila, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro (Laguindingan), Davao, Iloilo and Zamboanga.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta ASIDE from the implementation of the Maximum Retail Price on 133 medicines, Senator Imee Marcos on Wednesday said the government can still do more to make medicine prices the cheapest possible.

She said exempting the sale and importation of medicines from the value-added tax could further reduce the maximum retail and wholesale prices of select medicines, which Executive Order No. 104 will subject to a review every six months.

The 56 percent average discount seen in the EO’s regulation of medicine prices, she said, could be larger because pharmaceutical companies themselves have said they could afford price reductions of up to 75 percent, before the EO was signed.

Citing Philippine Statistics Authority numbers, Marcos said more than half of the P413 billion Filipinos spent on health services in 2018 went to pharmaceutical companies.

She added that Department of Health estimates put the present cost of branded drugs at as much as 22 times higher than in other countries, especially in private hospitals and pharmacies.

Her campaign promise to make medicines cheaper is now a provision in Section 1 of Republic Act 11467, otherwise known as the sin tax law.

The said law adopts the VAT exemptions proposed by Marcos in Senate bills 218 and 219, which were put into effect last January for diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension medicines, and will apply in January 2023 for medicines to treat cancer, mental illness, tuberculosis, and kidney disease.

Amid the financial and logistical problems hounding the government’s Universal Health Care Program, Marcos said lowering the prices of medicine is the quickest way to help the sick.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go reiterated his commitment to push for measures to provide all Filipinos with better access to affordable essential medicines.

Active, ex-PhilHealth officials charged

Mental health policy in firms pushed THE Department of Labor and Employment has mandated the adoption and implementation of mental health policies and programs in workplaces.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III signed and issued Department Order No. 208 on Feb. 11 stating the guidelines to employers and workers for the effective implementation of mental health policies and programs in accordance with Republic Act 11036 or the Mental Health Act. “The directive hopes to raise further awareness, prevent stigma and discrimination among Filipino workers in as far as mental health conditions are concerned and provide support to workers with mental health issues for them to gain access to medical health services,” Bello said.

He said the directive covers employers in the formal sector, including those that deploy overseas Filipino workers.

Joel E. Zurbano

for all,” Salceda, chairman of the House committee on ways and means, said.

AAMBIS-OWA Party-list Rep. Sharon Garin, the chairperson of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, lamented that the Constitution limits the operation of public utilities to Filipino-owned corporations, with the same limitations being applied to all public services and so “Philippine competitiveness, as well as its economic growth and development, is hampered.”

“By eliminating the ambiguity of the law, more economic opportunities will be provided to the Filipino people. The passage of House Bill 78 will allow new players to invest in the Philippines, therefore ushering competitive industries and reducing prices for Filipino consumers,” said Garin.

As this developed, the Gabriela Women’s Party warned that the proposed amendments to Public Services Act will set the stage for the total foreign control of several vital sectors and services in the country, including the media industry.

House Bill 78, which is one of the priority measures of the Duterte administration, allows full foreign ownership of media entities, railways, transport systems, telecommunication systems, among others.

Exempt sale, importation, sale of ‘meds’ from VAT—Imee

GRAFT COMPLAINT. Lawyer Harry Roque, the author of the Universal Health Care

Law, and whistleblower Ken Sarmiento, formerly of PhilHealth, filed a complaint for graft against senior executives of PhilHealth who they said failed to act on fake PhilHealth receipts issued for the premium payments of overseas Filipino workers before the Office of the Ombudsman.

FORMER presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, along with an exPhilippine Health Insurance Corp. employee, on Wednesday filed a graft complaint against former and active PhilHealth officials before the Office of the Ombudsman for issuing fake premium receipts to overseas Filipino workers.

The complainant—Roque and Ken Sarmiento—accused ex-National Capital Region vice president Dennis Mas, ex-chief operating officer Ruben Basa, ex-vice president for Member Management Group Narisa Sugay and vice president Gilda Diaz of the Office of the Actuary of dereliction of duty and grave abuse of discretion.

They alleged that the respondents failed to act on the issuance of fraudulent PhilHealth receipts to OFWs that led to a P16-million loss in

2014 to 2018.

Claiming they had collated over 1,000 fake PhilHealth premium receipts issued by liaison officers of manning agencies, Roque said the accused were able to convince the involved OFWs that they had already settled their annual P2,400 premium each.

Sarmiento, who was then detailed at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, said the false PhilHealth premium receipts were being submitted

by OFWs to PhilHealth’s operations office in the POEA. “There was report (about the fraud), and that they (accused) had been informed about it. Yet, they had not done anything about it,” Roque said.

“We cannot let this corruption go on just like that. It has been happening right in front of them,” he added.

Rio N. Araja

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Opinion

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020

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What happens now?

“WHAT now my love, now that it’s over?”—so goes the refrain of an old song.

It is a good question to ask since the administration went ahead and sent the notice of termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States in spite of pleas not to do so from various sources, including from some administration allies who wanted a review instead of outright termination. They were unable to prevent the wishes of the President.

Not much to do but hope for the best.

The VFA basically operationalizes the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement that we have with the US. The notice of termination, if it becomes final, virtually renders both the MDT and the EDCA useless no matter how the administration tries to explain that the two agreements are not affected. US military personnel who are here on a temporary rotational basis will now have to withdraw together with all their equipment.

The yearly military exercises—the Balikatan—will now also stop. Our military personnel, notably our Marines, will no longer be able to benefit from the valuable training that Balikatan affords like amphibious operations which the Americans are noted for.

Another thing that will be lost is the assistance that we get from the US during natural calamities that visits the country quite often.

Still another casualty which may be the most important is the protective umbrella that the agreement provides against would-be intruders leaving us

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

to fend for ourselves in case of military emergency. The US will also no longer build military facilities and depots where equipment we can use in times of emergency can be stored.

These are just some of the benefits of the VFA with all of its imperfections that will be gone with the abrupt VFA termination. The Senate, which approved and ratified the agreement, intends to go to the Supreme Court to question whether the President on his own can simply terminate an agreement that has been approved and ratified by the Senate. This appears to be the only avenue left for those against the abrogation but it is doubtful whether the Supreme Court will agree.

Is the termination of the VFA more consequential than when the bases agreement was terminated in the 1991?

Recall that this required Subic and Clark to be vacated. Maybe not—because if the two huge military bases had not been vacated, Scarborough Shoal would still be just a shoal instead of an artificial island now controlled by China. The US 13th Air Force used the Shoal for aerial target practice and the fact that the mere presence of the two huge bases in the country provided the much-needed protection.

The strategic situation in our region has change radically since the 1990s.

China has emerged from her long slumber and is now the second dominant power in the world. It has huge ambitions. While most countries in the Asia-Pacific region are strengthening their current alliances, we, on the other hand, have decided to chart a so-called independent foreign policy by terminating the VFA with our longest ally, the US, a country we supported and fought alongside with in two World Wars—the Korean and the Vietnam wars.

Why did the President abrogate the agreement in spite of the fact that by all accounts, the public prefer to have the Americans (more than anyone else) as friends? There is no simple answer to this complicated question. It may be tied to how the President views the world.

T

Too much static

HE fate of broadcast giant ABS-CBN is generating a lot of static, as the expiration of its legislative franchise draws near, and as the administration launches a legal challenge that threatens the network’s continued existence.

In Congress, bills seeking to extend the franchise have stalled as the March 30 expiration approaches, amid accusations from some lawmakers that the network took sides during the 2010 and 2016 elections.

Earlier, the Solicitor General filed a quo warranto petition asking the Supreme Court to nullify ABS-CBN’s franchise by arguing that it had violated its terms as well as constitutional restraints on foreign ownership. The government’s top lawyer has since asked the Supreme Court to impose a gag order on the network while the case is pending.

President Rodrigo Duterte, too, has been vowed several times to block the

renewal of ABS-CBN’s franchise. In a speech in December, he addressed the network’s owners directly: “If I were you, just sell it. Because it’s only now that the Filipino can retaliate against your abuses. And I will make sure that you will remember this episode of our times forever.”

Duterte accuses ABS-CBN of “swindling,” claiming that the network did not air his political ads during the 2016 campaign despite his having paid for them.

Despite government denials, the campaign against ABS-CBN has been portrayed as an attack on press freedom.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines called the quo warranto

petition a direct attack on press freedom and freedom of expression. The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines also denounced moves by the government to shutter the country’s largest broadcaster. The group Human Rights Watch slammed the administration’s “misuse of regulatory powers” by mounting “politically motivated legal actions against the network.”

Even Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia begrudgingly acknowledged that the looming shutdown of ABS-CBN could hurt investor confidence.

The government’s lawsuit against ABS-CBN just adds more static to the picture. Congress is clearly the proper venue to determine if the network deserves to continue operating. For the sake of stability and investor confidence, lawmakers need to address the issue directly— and promptly.

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Inclusive quality education ONE OF the key ingredients to national development is quality education. Education is essential to having an informed population that exercises various political and democratic rights. These, in turn, influence the course of growth of a country. It cannot be overemphasized that an educated society contributes greatly to the nation’s progress.

Our fundamental law itself reflects this principle. The Constitution mandates the State to give priority to education and further guarantees it the highest budgetary priority. Despite our laws, the performance of our students remains dismal. It can be recalled that the 2018 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) results released last December showed that our students ranked poorly in Reading Comprehension, Mathematics and Science. Recently, the Department of Education (DepEd) Region V also found that thousands of grade school students in the region are struggling readers after taking tests in reading comprehension in English and Filipino. This is alarming.

I recall when I was young, I could already read as early as grade 1. Besides attending school, I learned to read by reading the day’s newspaper for it was the most accessible publication back then. Today’s generation of students, however, appears to have better circumstances and more convenient resources. Yet, their academic performance is not up to par.

In response to the PISA results, the President recently approved the review of the K-to-12 program. The Department of Public Works and Highways also announced that 4,000 classroom projects are ongoing and

hoped to finish by 2021. These spark hope for our education system. Yet, are these enough?

We need more inclusive education programs. Reports show that Metro Manila is one of the regions leading in academic performance. This entices students from the provinces to move to Manila to study, and creates an impression of inequity in the quality of education provided across regions. Starting with basic facilities, many provinces suffer shortages of classrooms, school buildings, and even teachers for many years now.

In Quezon, for example, many classrooms damaged by past typhoons are still awaiting repairs. Some municipalities still lack classrooms and teachers to accommodate the K-to-12 program.

We need to create an environment that promotes learning.

I urge the government to give equal priority to the quality of education in every region. I call for the expedited construction of school buildings to meet the increasing demand every year. Annual typhoons in the country leave schools damaged, and the delay in the repairs affects the learning progress of children and leads to extended school days and added expenses on both the government and families. I call on our implementing agencies to prioritize the repair and reconstruction of school buildings and classrooms to minimize disruption of classes and ensure a conducive learning environment.

Aside from increasing the wages of our teachers, there is also a need to ensure that teachers are truly competent to teach, and that Turn to A5

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Germany to tighten screws on online hate speech

By Mathieu Foulkes WITH growing dangers from farright extremist groups and torrents of threats against politicians, Germany is set to toughen online speech laws and tighten the screws on social networks.

Ministers in Chancellor Angela Merkel's government are expected to wave through a new package of measures on Wednesday, days after 12 men were arrested for planning deadly attacks on mosques, communicating in part via chat groups.

"In future, those who make threats or spread hate online will be prosecuted more toughly and more effectively," Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht said on her ministry's website.

One headline measure in the draft law will step up the pressure on social networking firms like Facebook and Twitter to quickly remove the offending content.

In future, the Silicon Valley giants will also have to report certain types of illegal posts to the federal police, who will be able to pass on actionable data to prosecutors.

End up where they belong Covered under such rules would be neo-Nazi propaganda or plans to

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

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

commit a terrorist attack.

But people approving of crimes, making death or rape threats or sharing child pornography images could also be caught in the widened net.

Social media platforms that refuse to cooperate will face fines of up to 50 million euros.

"Hate crimes will finally end up where they belong: before a court," Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said.

On top of the new reporting processes, Berlin wants to toughen potential sentences, including up to three years in prison for online death or rape threats.

Especially in recent months, the spread of anti-Semitic messages online—including a bizarre screed written by the perpetrator of an attack targeting a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle in Octboer 2019—has also grown.

The draft law would sharpen sentences still further for crimes arising from an anti-Semitic motive, which the justice ministry says have increased 40 percent since 2013.

But there are limits to the rules, leaving it up to the person affected to pursue cases of insult or libel.

In the most serious cases, such as terrorism or murder, network operators will be required to give up users'

passwords to the authorities if ordered to by a judge—including if they are encrypted, a typical security measure.

"Extremists don't radicalize themselves out of nowhere," justice minister Lambrecht said.

"Inhuman spreading of hate and threats online lower the thresholds" to violence, she added.

Ministers' plans have not gone unopposed in Germany, where debate is fierce between those who value online anonymity as a shield against the state and those who see unregulated online spaces as a threat.

Bullied out of office Elsewhere in the draft law, the government aims to reinforce its ability to protect prominent personalities like politicians.

Threats and verbal or physical attacks have become more common against office holders, with 1,241 politically-motivated attacks targeting elected officials in 2019 and increasing numbers requiring police protection.

Some local politicians have in recent months given up their posts or said they will not stand for reelection following such threats.

In mid-January, bullet holes Turn to A5

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A5

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Keynote speech of Finance Maritime advice for government-targeted Secretary Carlos Dominguez corporations Joint Assembly of Financial Institutions held on Feb. 13, 2020 (Conclusion) IN ADDITION, some of these firms cheat the government of some 63 billion pesos by abusing transfer pricing rules or by shifting profits and costs to reduce tax liabilities. The total is a staggering 504 billion pesos in one year alone. That amount is equivalent to around 93 percent of the Department of Education budget and more than 5 times that of the Department of Health in 2017. In other words, we have to account for the 504 billion pesos that we gave up and ensure that

our capital markets, boost investor confidence, and enhance financial inclusion.

After 11 long years, we have finally released the set of regulations that will allow the Real Estate Investment Trust or REIT to finally take off. It will democratize wealth by opening access to thousands of small investors wanting to be shareholders in secure and profitable real estate projects. In turn, this will allow big players in real estate to raise up more capital to further invest in our country, a win-win situation for all.

MANY Filipinos are confused and perplexed regarding the negative treatment that some prominent business enterprises are currently receiving from the government. But undoubtedly the most confused and surprised of all are the thousands of men and women employed by those enterprises. All these years they have thought that they were employed by law-abiding and God-fearing institutions; now the government is telling them that their employers are owned and operated by plunderers and economic saboteurs. They are reduced to asking themselves: “Are these the kinds of people we have been working for all these years?”

What instruction should these beleaguered corporations—all of whom are among the largest and most respected business enterprises in this country—give to their work forces in the face of such ferocious treatment at the hands of the government? They should borrow the instruction that the captain of a ship gives to the crew when the ship is headed in the direction of, or is about to be hit by a big storm: “Batten down the hatches.” To non-maritime folk that means securely closing all the possible means of water entry into the ship so that the ship is watertight and can stay afloat.

Battening down the hatches is the most sensible action that the belea-

REIT is a powerful financial instrument that will boost investments in property development while ensuring that funds raised using this mechanism are reinvested exclusively within the country’s real estate and infrastructure sectors, thereby ensuring that the money invested by Filipinos will stay in our domestic economy.

More recently, the Philippines issued its lowest and first ever zero-coupon Euro Global Bond in the international capital markets. The overwhelming response from the market for our 3- and 9-year global bond issuance worth 1.2 billion Euros underscores the international investor community’s deepening confidence in the Philippine economy.

The wider public also patronized the first-time sale of our Premyo Bonds last year, enabling us to raise 4.96 billion pesos or over 65 percent more than the initial issue size of 3 billion pesos. Access to the bonds were made easy and convenient through the use of online purchasing platforms. These bonds open yet another channel for ordinary Filipinos to be included in the financial mainstream.

The continuing review of government contracts is an effort to protect taxpayers and ordinary citizens from onerous provisions. This review sends a clear message that this government is determined to create a pro-business environment in the country. But while the government is interested in inviting businesses to our economy, the interests of the whole nation should be a primary consideration.

The most recent independent, professional surveys find President Duterte’s job approval ratings at unprecedented high levels during the second half of his term. That should not be surprising. The key reforms already in place, and the ones forthcoming, have produced a pro-people economy and tangibly improved quality of life at the grassroots.

We will pursue the socioeconomic reform program of President Duterte with a decisiveness that this administration proved it can deliver.

What happens...

Germany...

refugees, was murdered outside his home last June.

A neo-Nazi with a history of racially-motivated violent crimes is the prime suspect in the case.

In future, the authorities will be able to more easily protect personal data, including public registers, belonging to people in the public eye like politicians, journalists and activists.

Such individuals will be warned if someone else requests their personal information. AFP professional development should not be overlooked. Apart from this, our teachers should be allowed to focus on teaching by relieving them of the various administrative tasks that they need to accomplish

apparently inflicted by a pellet gun appeared overnight in the windows of an office belonging to Germany's only black MP, Karamba Diaby, provoking widespread outrage.

Politicians from across the spectrum declared solidarity with Diaby.

The apparent attack came months after regional politician Walter Luebcke, a vocal proponent of accepting

Inclusive...

From A4

teaching and evaluation materials are adequate and appropriate. Teachers’

Batten down the hatches. principal duty of a Philippine corporation is to stay afloat and not sink beneath the waves. That will entail having to absorb—to the greatest extent possible—the unrelenting onslaught attacks of the Chief Executive. “Just keep the ocean’s water from getting into the interior of the ship” should be the instruction given to the ship’s complement. To weather the storm should be the corporations’ strategy; the current storm, like all storms, will eventually pass.

Pursuing the opposite strategy— fighting the government for every

How a Canadian start-up used AI to track China virus

the taxpayers’ hard-earned money was not wasted.

CITIRA, by contrast, adopts the best practices, such as those in Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, to ensure a truly contested market that will benefit consumers and ensure that the healthiest enterprises survive. Moreover, this reform measure will create about one and a half million jobs for our people.

We also expect the Passive Income and Financial Intermediary Taxation Act or PIFITA to be a game changer when it is passed later this year. This reform will make the country more attractive for long-term investments.

PIFITA will fix a complicated tax structure by cutting into half the 80 combinations of tax base and tax rates on passive income and financial transactions. The complicated tax structure makes tax administration and compliance difficult and costly for both government and the private sector.

It will also remove the tax on initial public offerings and reduce the stock transaction tax from six tenths of one percent to one tenth of one percent to further encourage capital market expansion. Low- and middle-income earners will benefit by way of reducing the tax burden on their bank deposits, insurance premiums, and other passive investments. PIFITA will allow our country to be more competitive in attracting capital and investments to finance large-scale public and private-sector projects that create jobs and boost the economy.

Meanwhile, the real property valuation reform bill aims to adopt globally benchmarked standards and inculcate a higher degree of professionalism in property valuation. These, in turn, will promote investor confidence in property markets. It will likewise enhance the revenue-generating capacities of our local governments. As a beneficial side effect, it will help clear right-of-way issues currently inhibiting many key infrastructure projects.

While we await the passage into law of these remaining tax reform packages, we continue to implement measures that will invigorate

From A4

guered enterprises can take in the face of the current government campaign against the Philippines’ Big Business, which is without precedent in the history of this country.

In the face of the biggest sea storm that it can experience—the wrath of the President of the Philippines—the

yard of ground, as in trench warfare— would be valiant but impractical. The people at City Hall have the ability to level one charge after another at private-sector entities and personages they dislike; if Offense A proves to be legally untenable, there is always Offense B, and if that also proves to be a losing battle, there is Offense C, and so on. The battle against City Hall can often be won, but it is almost always bruising and exhausting.

“Survive and live to fight another day” should be the beleaguered business enterprises’ mantra for a near term that is getting closer by the day. Being merely defensive and choosing to just parry the governments’ blows may appear cowardly and obsequious, but it is the way to ensure survival for the “another day” when they will be able to wage a lawful and less unfair fight.

That day is not too far off.

The vicissitudes that the government-targeted corporations are experiencing shall pass, like most of the bad things that this country has undergone in its lifetime. There will be a reckoning and a return to just governance. Until that day comes, those corporations should—to repeat—batten down the hatches and keep the government-created waves from sending their ships down to the bottom of the sea.

That’s an excellent piece of maritime strategy.

By Olivier Monnier ON THE shores of Lake Ontario, a Canadian start-up raised one of the earliest alarms about the risk posed by the mystery virus that emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

How did it do it? Artificial intelligence.

BlueDot has developed an algorithm that can sift through hundreds of thousands of news stories a day along with air traffic information in order to detect and monitor the spread of infectious diseases.

It sent an alert to clients on Dec. 31 about the new coronavirus outbreak—a few days before major public health authorities made official statements.

BlueDot, which is based in Toronto, also correctly predicted the countries in which the risk of contagion was most acute.

"What we are trying to do is to really push the boundaries—to be using data and analytics and technology to keep moving faster," the company's founder Kamran Khan told AFP in an interview.

"Ultimately when you're dealing with an outbreak, time and timing is everything."

The 49-year-old Khan, an epidemiologist by training, first had the idea to launch BlueDot after the SARS epidemic of 2002-03.

At the time, Khan was a doctor specializing in infectious diseases at a Toronto hospital. He watched helplessly as the illness left 44 people dead in Canada's largest city.

"A number of health care workers were infected including one of my colleagues. We had a number of health care workers who died," he said.

"This was a really eye-opening experience and was the motivation behind everything that we're doing at BlueDot."

65 languages, 150 diseases In 2014, Khan launched BlueDot, which now has 40 employees—a team of physicians, veterinarians, epidemiologists, data scientists and software developers.

Together, they thrashed out a real-time warning system based on natural language processing and machine learning.

Every 15 minutes around the clock, the company's algorithm scans official reports, professional forums and online news sources, searching for key words and phrases.

It can read text in 65 languages and can track 150 differ-

ent types of diseases.

"We call it the needles in the haystack," Khan says.

"There's a massive amount of data and the machine is finding the needles and presenting it to the human experts," who then review it and train the machine to understand if that information corresponds to an actual threat.

If it is credible, it is punched into a database that analyzes the location of the outbreak, nearby airports and commercial air travel itineraries from around the world.

Climate data, national health system databases, and even the presence of mosquitoes or animals that transmit diseases to humans are also taken into account.

Once that analysis is complete, BlueDot sends an alert to its clients—government agencies, airlines, hospitals— where the majority of those airline passengers might land.

The goal is to allow authorities to prepare for the worst: a major disease outbreak.

Elements 'similar' to SARS So on Dec. 31, in the early morning, the BlueDot system picked up an article in Mandarin that mentioned 27 people suffering from pneumonia, all linked to a wet market in Wuhan.

The virus was not yet identified, but the BlueDot algorithm noted two key phrases: "pneumonia" and "cause unknown."

At 10:00 a.m., a first alert went out to clients, notably in Asia.

"While we didn't know this was going to become a big global outbreak, we did recognize that it had certain ingredients that were similar to what we saw during SARS," Khan explained.

BlueDot also was able to predict that the virus was at risk of spreading from Wuhan to Bangkok, Taipei, Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

All of those places have since reported cases of the novel coronavirus, which has killed 2,000 people, almost all of them in China.

BlueDot already had a feather in its cap: in 2016, it predicted the spread of Zika from Brazil to south Florida.

"These viruses are complex and these diseases are complex, but we are continuously pushing the envelope in learning from each one of these outbreaks," Khan said. AFP

It is no secret that right from the very start, he has shown his dislike for the United States. He is very sensitive to what he believes is the interference of US politicians in the domestic affairs of the country when they have little understanding of our situation. This lack of understanding and respect culminated in the withdrawal of the visa granted to Senator Bato dela Rosa, which probably triggered the termination.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said that the decision was not a spur-of-the-moment action but a

deliberate process. This is probably closer to reality, because the President, on many past occasions, have actually been saying it.

Whether this will now be the beginning of a new relationship based on respect, as Panelo is saying, we will have to wait and see. What will probably happen is the same as when the Americans vacated Subic and Clark.

We were left to our own devices for almost a decade until the VFA was crafted. It will not be the end of the world but there will be serious problems along the way, even if we try to look at the bright side of things as suggested by the AFP Chief of Staff General Felimon Santos Jr. Even if the country is not as eco-

nomically hard up as it was 20 years ago and in fact could afford some armaments, the country does not have all the money to buy all the defense materials that we need. Furthermore, no man—country, in this case—is an island when it comes to security issues. There will always be a need for alliances. Even the developed countries that can afford all the armaments that they need still have and see the need for allies.

We do not know yet how the government intends to go forward on this issue. From the way it has acted so far, it would seem that it is really determined to end the agreement. There is not much that we can do but wait and hope for the best for our country.

on top of their teaching workloads.

Hiring administrative officers in our schools may help our teachers devote their full attention to the education of our children.

I urge families, especially the par-

ents, to be involved in the education of the children. We need to create an environment that promotes learning.

This encompasses provision of adequate and healthy food and poverty reduction measures. As Secretary

Briones said before, it takes a nation to educate a child. We need the cooperation of everyone to ensure that we provide quality education to every Filipino child anywhere in the country.

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Phivolcs reports downtrend in Taal activity T

HIRTY volcanic earthquakes, weak plume emission and “below instrumental detection” sulfur dioxide emission have been observed in Taal for the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Wednesday.

Volcanic earthquakes are caused by movements or eruptions of magma from the volcano, unlike tectonic quakes which are caused by fault movements.

The 30 volcanic quakes are fewer compared to the 41 volcanic quakes recorded the previous day.

On the other hand, this is the second consecutive day that PHIVOLCS announced a “below instrumental detection” SO2 emission since lowering Taal Volcano’s Alert Level status to 2 (decreased unrest).

Plume emission was similar to the previous day—50 to 100 meters tall. A weaker eruption is based on the height of

the plume coming out of the crater.

Volcanic plume is a column of hot volcanic ash and gas emitted into the atmosphere during an explosive volcanic eruption.

Meanwhile, PHIVOLCS reiterated that entry into Taal Volcano Island, Taal’s Permanent Danger Zone, is still strictly prohibited.

Likewise, people are advised to observe precautions due to ground displacement across fissures, frequent ashfall, and minor earthquakes.

A fissure is a linear volcanic vent through which lava erupts. The magma intrusion from below causes the fissures to form.

PHIVOLCS earlier announced it would lower the volcano’s alert status to Level 1 should there be a continuous downtrend in monitored parameters after a sufficient observation period.

Taal Volcano has been under Alert Level 2 since Feb. 14, three weeks after it was put under Alert Level 3 (decreased tendency towards hazardous eruption) on Jan. 26.

Standard

JPUm= the JPU reference coal index (USD/MT) published on the 25th of the calendar month; provided that if such day falls on a non-Business Day, the JPU ref erence coal index on the immediately preceding Business Day shall be used

Republic of the Philippines ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City

TODAY

FXm = the average of the daily PHP/USD exchange rate for the last three calendar months prior to the Billing Period for which the Invoice is being prepared, as published in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas website

IN THE MATTER OF APPLICATION THE FOR APPROVAL OF THE ANCILLARY SERVICES PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NATIONAL GRID CORPORATION OF THE PHILIPPINES AND AP RENEWABLES, INC. (For MAKBAN A), WITH PRAYER FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

Operation and Maintenance Rate (OM) = PhP 0.8121/ kWh REVWESM = WESM Revenue attributable to the kWh dispatchfor RPS 13.

Applicants submit that the rates represent a reasonable recovery to provide the procured AS.

14.

The rates under ASPA was subjected to a simulation by NGCP, the results of which are as follows:

ERC CASE NO. 2019-100 RC NATIONAL CORPORATION OF PHILIPPINES AND AP RENEWABLES, INC., Applicants. x ---------------------------------------------------------- x

Ancillary Service

Indicative Rate Impact Php/kWmonth

PhP/kWh equivalent

Reactive Power Support-Lagging (Makban A)

0.6278

0.0012

Reactive Power Support-Leading (Makban A)

0.0468

0.0001

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES: Notice is hereby given that on 27 December 2019, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and AP Renewables, Inc. (APRI) filed an Application, seeking the Commission’s approval of their Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (ASPA) for Makban A, with prayer for the issuance of provisional authority.

A copy of the Rate Impact Simulation is attached as Annex “C”.

The pertinent provisions of the said Application are hereunder quoted as follows: NATURE OF THE CASE This Application is for the approval of the Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement (“ASPA”) between the NGCP and APRI dated 18 November 2019 pursuant to the Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC entitled: “In the Matter of the Application for the Approval of Ancillary Services - Cost Recovery Mechanism (ASCRM) of the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan, with Prayer for Provisional Authority.”

15.

Consistent with the AS-CRM, all the related and incidental expenses which NGCP will incur as a result of the procurement and operation of the ancillary services shall be recovered from all the load customers in the Luzon Grid.

16.

The ASPA shall be effective for a period of five (5) years, to commence immediately upon the effectivity of the provisional approval (“PA”), or in the absence thereof, the final approval (“FA”) of the instant Application. In the event that the PA or FA, as the case may be, does not state a particular date of effectivity, the Agreement shall be effective on the date agreed upon by the Parties.

17.

Attached are copies of relevant documents proving APRI’s due registration as a generation company, the Certificate of Compliance of the Generation Facility issued by the Honorable Commission, APRI’s audited financial statements, and other documents, as follows:

THE PARTIES 2.

Applicant NGCP is a corporation created and existing under the laws of the Philippines, with office address at NGCP Building, Quezon Avenue corner BIR Road, Diliman, Quezon City. It holds a franchise under Republic Act No. 95111 to engage in the business of conveying or transmitting electricity through highvoltage back-bone systems of interconnected transmission lines, substations and related facilities, and for other purposes. The franchise also includes the conduct of activities necessary to support the safe and reliable operation of the transmission system.

3.

Document

Applicant APRI is a corporation duly organized and existing under and by virtue of the laws of the Republic of the Philippines with principal office at NAC Tower, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. It may be served with orders, notices, and other legal processes through its undersigned counsel. It is the owner and operator of a Geothermal Power Plant (“Generation Facility”) located in Bay, Laguna Province, which was certified and accredited by NGCP to be capable of providing Ancillary Services (“AS”) in the form of Reactive Power Support (“RPS”).

ANTECEDENT FACTS

4.

Republic Act No. 9136 provides that it is the responsibility of NGCP to ensure and maintain the reliability, adequacy, security, stability and integrity of the nationwide electrical grid in accordance with the performance standards for its operations and maintenance2 , as set forth in the Philippine Grid Code (“PGC”), adopted and promulgated by the Honorable Commission, and to adequately serve generation companies, distribution utilities and suppliers requiring transmission service and/or ancillary services through the transmission system.3

5.

18.

AS as defined in Section 4(b) of the EPIRA “refer to those services that are necessary to support the transmission of capacity and energy from resources to loads while maintaining reliable operation of the transmission system in accordance with good utility practice and the Grid Code to be adopted in accordance with this Act.” These services are essential in ensuring reliability in the operation of the transmission system and consequently, in the reliability of the electricity supply in the Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao grids.

7.

In order to implement and regulate the procurement of AS, the Honorable Commission approved the Ancillary Services Procurement Plan (“ASPP”) through its Order dated 9 March 2006 in ERC Case No. 2002-253 and the Ancillary Services-Cost Recovery Mechanism (“AS-CRM”) through its Decision dated 3 October 2007 in ERC Case No. 2006-049RC.

8.

Pursuant to its mandate, NGCP on 25 June, 2 July and 9 July 2018, published in the Philippine Star and Philippine Daily Inquirer5 a Notice of Invitation for Prospective Ancillary Services Providers, inviting all grid-connected merchant plants and independent power producers to participate in the provision of ancillary services. Upon receipt of the intention from APRI to provide RPS, NGCP commenced negotiation for the execution of an ASPA.

9.

NGCP agreed to procure and APRI agreed to supply RPS under a non-firm arrangement. A copy of the Ancillary Services Procurement Agreement for AP Renewables Inc. dated 18 November 2019 is attached as Annex “A”.

10.

During the period of negotiation, NGCP conducted several tests on the Generation Facility, and certified that the generating units have met and complied with the Standard Ancillary Services Technical Requirements of the ASPP as capable of providing RPS. A copy of NGCP Accreditation Certificate No. 2019-L021 dated 1 August 2019 is attached as Annex “B”.

NON-FIRM CONTRACTED CAPACITY RATE AND IMPACT SIMULATION 11.

Under Clause 3 of the ASPA, APRI shall provide NGCP with the following AS as specified in Schedule 1 of the ASPA: Non-Firm Contracted Capacity: Reactive Power Support (RPS) Available capacity of Reactive Power outside the range of 85% lagging and 90% leading power factor, as provided in Schedule 6.

Note that the nomination and schedule shall be based on the latest AS Accreditation Certificate.

12.

The Applicable Rates under the ASPA as provided in Schedule 3 are as follows:

B. Energy Payment IERPS = [G x (Fuel + O&M) ] - REVWESM

“F”

2018 Audited Financial Statements

“G”

Certificate of Compliance (COC No. 15-05-M-00007L)

“H”

WESM Registration Approval Form of APRI

“I”

APRI Acquisition Cost and Additional Investments in the Plant

“J”

It is a declared policy of the State to ensure the quality, reliability, security and affordability of the supply of electric power (Section 2(b), EPlRA). To this end, there is a need to comply with the system requirements for AS to ensure grid system security and reliability. As mentioned above, NGCP has the mandate to procure the required AS. The current levels of available contracted AS in the Luzon Grid have not yet reached the desired levels necessary for the system security and reliability. Thus, Applicants executed the ASPA. A copy of the relevant actual data showing the RPS Simulation for APRI MAKBAN is attached as Annex “K”, respectively.

20.

As the demand for power in the Luzon increases, the requirements of the system to ensure stability, reliability, and security likewise increases. Ensuring the integrity of the system is essential to protect the interests of the public. The absence of system reliability and stability will certainly discourage investments and growth. The importance of AS, from APRI to ensure and maintain the reliability, adequacy, security, stability and integrity of the Luzon Grid cannot be overemphasized.

21.

Applicants respectfully submit that the immediate approval of the ASPA by this Honorable Commission is a necessity to maintain the reliability, adequacy, security, stability and integrity of the Luzon Grid. In support of these allegations, NGCP submits a copy of the Judicial Affidavit of Engr. Lisaflor Bacani-Kater of the Revenue and Regulatory Affairs Department of NGCP, which is attached as Annex “L“.

a)

Immediately ISSUE a provisional authority to implement the subject ASPA executed on 18 November 2019; and

b)

APPROVE, after notice and hearing, the subject ASPA.

On 17 January 2020, APRI filed a Motion to Set Venue for Hearing (Motion), praying that the hearing be set at the ERC Main Office considering that the location of Makban A, along with other potential venues for hearing in Batangas, where the hearing is to be held, is still at risk due to the unpredictability of the possible explosion of the Taal Volcano.

The Commission granted the said Motion pursuant to the Order dated 21 January 2020.

Likewise, the Commission has set the Application for determination of compliance with the jurisdictional requirements, expository presentation, pre-trial conference, and presentation of evidence on 12 March 2020 (Thursday) at ten o’clock in the morning (10:00 A.M.), at the ERC Hearing Room, 15th Floor, Pacific Center Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City.

All persons who have an interest in the subject matter of the instant case may become a party by filing with the Commission a verified Petition to Intervene at least five (5) days prior to the initial hearing and subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure, indicating therein the docket number and title of the case and stating the following: 1)

The petitioner’s name and address;

2)

The nature of petitioner’s interest in the subject matter of the proceeding and the way and manner in which such interest is affected by the issues involved in the proceeding; and

3)

A statement of the relief desired.

All other persons who may want their views known to the Commission with respect to the subject matter of the case may file their Opposition or Comment thereon at any stage of the proceeding before Applicants rest their case, subject to the requirements under Rule 9 of the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure. No particular form of Opposition or Comment is required, but the document, letter, or writing should contain the following:

Compensable kVARh = Actual kVARh - Base kVARh

Base kVARh = corresponding kVARh at 0.85 power factor lagging or 0.9 power factor leading, for the unit’s MW loading. For clarity, the MW loading is the unit’s Pmin, or RTD schedule, whichever is greater.

2019 General Information Sheet

Applicants pray for other just and equitable relief.

Incidental kVARh Rate: Php 4.00/ kVARh

Actual kVARh = aclual reaclive power provided wilhin each interval

“E”

PRAYER

Total Payment = kVAR Payment + Energy Payment

Where:

Certificate of Filing of Amended Articles on Incorporation (Company Reg. NO. CS200715979)

19.

Payment of Cost of Incidental Energy (IE)for RPS

Real Time Incidental kVARh Utilization while providing energy. This shall be paid based on the total recorded kVARh delivered/absorbed beyond 0.85 power factor lagging or 0.9 power factor leading from the time when the dispatch of RPS was instructed. The compensable kVARh shall be paid at:

“D”

WHEREFORE, premises considered, Applicants respectfully pray that the Honorable Commission:

Payments to the AS provider shall have the following components, depending on the way the RPS was scheduled and utilized by the System Operator:

A. kVAR Payment = Incidental kVARh Rate x Compensable kVARh

Annex

Summary of Existing Power Supply Agreements of Aboitiz Power Renewable Inc. (APRI)

ALLEGATIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PRAYER FOR PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY

Similarly, the PGC provides that NGCP, as System Operator, is responsible for determining, acquiring, and dispatching the capacity needed to supply the required Grid AS and for developing and proposing Wheeling Charges and AS tariffs to the ERC.4

6.

Members of the Hawkers Division under the Bureau of Permits of Manila conduct a clearing operation in various streets in the capital city on Wednesday.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government Office has set a 75day deadline for the second round of road clearing operations in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to reclaim public roads.

Norman Cruz

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Manila

1.

CLEARING CONTINUES.

1)

The name and address of such person;

2)

A concise statement of the Opposition or Comment; and

3)

The grounds relied upon.

All such persons who wish to have a copy of the Application may request from Applicants that they be furnished with the same, prior to the date of the initial hearing. Applicants are hereby directed to furnish all those making such request with copies of the Application and its attachments, subject to the reimbursement of reasonable photocopying costs. Any such person may likewise examine the Application and other pertinent records filed with the Commission during the standard office hours.

WITNESS, the Honorable Chairperson and CEO AGNES VST DEVANADERA and the Honorable Commissioners ALEXIS M. LUMBATAN, CATHERINE P. MACEDA and PAUL CHRISTIAN M. CERVANTES,, Energy Regulatory Commission, this 21st day of January 2020 in Pasig City.

Where: G = summation of energy dispatched to produce the scheduled kVAR less the energy for the BCQ

N m = the Newcastle index (USD/MT) published on the 25th of the calendar month; provided that if such day falls on a non-Business Day, the Newcastle index on the immediately preceding Business Day shall be used

JOSEFINA PATRICIA A. MAGPALE-ASIRIT Commissioner

1

2 3 4 5

An Act Granting the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines a Franchise To Engage in the Business of Conveying or Transmitting Electricity Through High Voltage Back-Bone System of Interconnected Transmission Lines, Substations and Related Facilities, and for other Purposes; Section 9 (c) and in relation to RA No. 9511; Section 9 (d); Section 6.3.1.2; Recently, NGCP published Notices of Invitation on 07, 14, 21 and 28 October 2019 in the Philippine Daily Inquirer; and on 21 & 28 October, 4 & 11 November 2019 in the Manila Times.

(MS-FEB. 13 & 20, 2020)

Spitting Chinese nat’l arrested by authorities

By Joel E. Zurbano GOVERNMENT agents detained a 50-year-old Chinese national who was recently caught on viral video showing him spitting on a policeman who arrested him for a traffic violation in Manila.

The Manila Police District released Zhou Zhiyi from detention after posting bail, but government agents again placed him under arrest for violating the Immigration Law. The foreigner is locked up at the detention facility of Bureau of Immigration in Bicutan, Taguig City following his arrest at the MPD headquarters along United Nations Avenue in Ermita.

Immigration commissioner Jaime Morente ordered the alien’s arrest for violation of the Philippine Immigration Act upon learning that the latter was granted bail by the court.

“I immediately dispatched a team of operatives from our Intelligence Division to effect his immediate arrest so he could also be charged for violating our immigration laws,” said Morente.

According to BI acting intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr., Zhou will be charged for overstaying and being an undesirable alien.

Zhou arrived in the country as a tourist last November and was admitted for only 30 days.

On Feb. 6, traffic enforcers flagged Zhou in Binondo for a coding violation but he sped through traffic trying to escape. He ended up at Tayuman Street on the corner of Abad Santos Avenue, slamming into three motorcycles, one e-tricycle, and one car along the way.

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

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

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

Bill to expand Leyte ID Estate

By Maricel V. Cruz TINGOG Party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez and her husband, House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez have sought to convert and expand the Leyte Industrial Development Estate into the Leyte Ecological Industrial Zone to further propel economic growth.

In filing House Bill 1419, the Romualdez couple sought the convertion of LIDE in the municipality of Isabel, Leyte and expand it to include other municipalities in the province of Leyte adjacent to LIDE and the Eastern Visayas Regional Growth Center in the City of Tacloban into LEIZ. “The establishment of an ecological industrial zone aims to attract more investors and businesses to locate in Leyte and the City of Tacloban, jumpstarting the revival of economic activities in the area and provide more employment opportunities. The establishment of the LEIZ and development of a copper industry cluster in Leyte will serve

as our medium to long-term strategic economic objective consistent with the country’s industry development goals,” the Romualdez couple said.

The proposed zone, they said, is expected to initially house potential locators in the field of copper wire rod casting facility, downstream copper industry such as but not limited to copper wire producers, major industrial concerns that need power, and port facilities such as steel, and copper-using industries.

“However, the long-term objective is develop LEIZ into a self-sustaining and ecologically sustainable industrial, commercial and investment zone that will put in place wide-reaching employment and investment generation mechanism as well as incentives to ensure the free flow and movement of goods and commodities within the free port area and their exportation from therein,” they added.

The LIDE is a 425-hectare special economic zone established by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1978 through Letter of Instruction 962, series of 1979.

Pag-IBIG loan up 15% HOME loan releases of Pag-IBIG Fund posted double-digit growth for the fourth consecutive year with the agency setting new recordhighs in housing accomplishments in 2019.

According to top executives, home loans released by Pag-IBIG Fund amounted to P 86.74 billion last year, which is the highest amount ever released under the agency’s housing loan program.

The amount released increased by 15 percent or P11.43 billion compared to the P75.31 billion released in 2018.

Members who benefitted from the loan program also increased to 95,276 from the 90,375 who borrowed last year.

“We have again set a new record-high and achieved a new milestone in our home loan releases in 2019. We are also happy because the number of members who achieved their dream of owning a home through Pag-IBIG Fund also grew last year. We look forward to setting new records and milestones in our pursuit of providing decent and affordable home financing to even more Filipino workers this 2020. This is our commitment as one of the key players in President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s drive to uplift the lives of Filipino families,” said Eduardo D. del Rosario, chairperson of the 11-member Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees and secretary of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development.

Del Rosario added that out of the total amount, P10.64 billion were released as socialized home loans for the benefit of 27,145 Pag-IBIG Fund members belonging to the minimum-wage and low-income sectors.

Meanwhile, Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti said that the growth of the agency’s housing operations has been remarkable, especially in recent years.

Sports Velez, Padilla lead PPS winners JOHN David Velez and Judy Ann Padilla frolicked at home and came away with a pair of victories to lead the winners in the PPS-PEPP Mayor Oaminal national age group tournament at the Asenso tennis courts in Ozamiz City last weekend.

Velez, 16, trampled Brent Cortes, 6-4, 6-2, to rule his age bracket then hacked out a 7-6 (4), 3-4(ret.) win over Nash Agustines in the 18-and-under finals to match fellow Ozamiz bet Padilla’s two-title feat in the girls’ side of the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

The 14-year-old Padilla rapped Christine Gulagula, 6-1, 6-0, to dominate her age category then trounced Zeiah Toribio, 6-2, 6-0, in the 16-U finals of the event which kicked off the Mindanao swing of the country’s long-running talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/ CEO Bobby Castro.

Sharing the spotlight are Cebu’s David Sepulveda (10-unisex), Mark Solis from Tangub City and Cielo Gonzales from Oroquieta (12-U) Cyd Villamar from Lanao del Norte (boys’ 14-U), and Zambo del Norte’s ace Sydney Enriquez (girls’ 18-U).

Sepulveda stunned top seed and doubles partner Pete Bandala, 5-3, 5-3; Solis stopped Sepulveda in the semis, 4-1, 4-5 (5), 10-8, in the semis then foiled Bandala, 6-3, 6-2; Gonzales held off Rose Mesiona, 6-4, 7-5; Villamar shocked top seed Neo Maratas, 0-4, 4-1, 10-7, in the semis then warded off No. 2 Penshoppe Erquita, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 10-2; and Enriquez romped off with a 6-1, 6-1 triumph over doubles partner Karylle Baco.

Enriquez and Baco later edged siblings Jude Ann and Carmel Padilla, 8-7 (6), to snare the 18-U doubles crown with Alexis Acabo and Nilo Ledama snaring the boys’ title with an 8-5 victory over Agustines and Cortes.

Erquita and Solis bagged the 14-U diadem with an 8-4 triumph over Bandala and Sepulveda while AJ Acabo and Gulagula claimed the girls’ plum with an 8-3 rout of Shandy Cailing and Myushe Plariza and Sepulveda and Bandala thumped Rio Aguinid and Harlene Hangka, 8-2, for the 10-unisex title.

Meanwhile, action moves to Sindangan in Zambo del Norte on Feb. 20-24 with Liloy hosting the next leg on Feb. 27-March 2. For details, call PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464.

The circuit moves to Zambo del Sur on March 5-9 for the Molave leg with Maranding serving as the next stage on March 12-16 before it goes to Lanao del Norte for the Lala Maranding leg on March 12-16.

Kai...

From A8

games, and life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication. The final day featured a singleelimination tournament culminating with the boys and girls championship games.

The camp featured 15 current prospects from NBA Academies, the league’s network of elite basketball training centers around the world for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S., and 12 prospects who participated in The NBA Academies Women’s Program, a series of basketball development camps for top female prospects from outside the U.S at the league’s academies. Since October 2016, NBA Academies have been launched in Australia, China, Mexico, India and Senegal, and more than 20 NBA Academies prospects have committed to NCAA Division 1 schools.

Follow the camp using the hashtag #BWBGlobal on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Find out more about NBA Academies at nbaacademy.nba.com and on Instagram (nbaacademy).

A7

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

James, MLB stars rip Astros as cheats L

OS ANGELES—NBA superstar LeBron James joined a growing chorus of Major League Baseball stars ripping the Houston Astros as cheaters Tuesday for a sign-stealing scheme in their 2017 World Series championship season.

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Angels slugger Mike Trout and several members of the Los Angeles Dodgers—who lost the World Series to Houston three years ago— have spoken out about the high-tech cheating scheme exposed in an MLB investigation last month.

“Listen I know I don’t play baseball but I am in Sports and I know if someone cheated me out of winning the title and I found out about it I would be F*^king irate!” James tweeted. “I mean like uncontrollable about what I would/ could do!”

James also called for MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to listen to the criticism coming from stars across the league, many impacted by the cheating scheme.

“Listen here baseball commissioner

listen to your players speaking today about how disgusted, mad, hurt, broken, etc etc about this,” James tweeted.

“Literally the ball is in your court (or should I say field) and you need to fix this for the sake of Sports!”

James closed with the hashtag: “Just My Thoughts Coming From A Sports Junkie Regardless My Own Sport I Play.”

The findings of an MLB probe have led to the firings of three managers linked to the 2017 Astros, although no players have faced punishment and Manfred said the team would not be stripped of the 2017 crown.

“I feel like every single guy over there needs a beating,” Atlanta’s Nick Markakis said of the Astros.

“Just sick to my stomach to find out,” Judge said Tuesday.

The scandal, involving cameras in the outfield and a monitor near the dugout plus beating on trash cans to signal batters what type of pitch was coming, has been compared to the 1919 Chicago “Black Sox” match-fixing scandal or the 1990s steroids era in giving baseball another black eye.

Dodgers star Cody Bellinger said he felt the Astros “stole” the World Series crown from the Dodgers, that Jose Altuve “stole” the American League Most Valuable Player Award from Judge in 2017 and owner Jim Crane’s apology was “weak.”

Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner objected to Manfred calling the MLB championship trophy, known as the commissioner’s trophy, just “a piece of metal.”

“I don’t know if the commissioner has ever won anything in his life. Maybe he hasn’t,” Turner said. “But the reason every guy in this room is working all offseason and showing up to camp early and putting in all the time and effort is specifi-

cally for that trophy.

“So for him to devalue it the way he did just tells me how out of touch he is with the players in this game. At this point, the only thing devaluing that trophy is that is says ‘commissioner’ on it.”

Yankees star Judge ‘mad, upset’ Judge added he was “pretty mad, pretty upset” that the Yankees’ seven-game American League Championship Series loss to Houston in 2017 could have been impacted by the cheating scandal.

“No matter what anybody says, that impacts the game—going in there, knowing what’s coming,” Judge said. “That’s more people on base, you’re getting more walks, you’re getting more hits. You come to the plate with more opportunities with guys on base, so it definitely impacted the results of that.”

Judge called the MLB punishments “pretty weak for a player-driven scheme” and referred to comments by Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish, who was beaten twice by the Astros in the 2017 World Series while with the Dodgers. AFP

Australia targets 5th title at T20 World Cup

Justin Verlander of the Houston Astros celebrates with the fans after defeating the Seattle Mariners, 7-1, to win the American League West crown at Minute Maid Park on Sept. 17, 2017 in Houston, Texas. Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred defended his decision not to strip the Houston Astros of their scandal-tainted 2017 World Series crown on Feb. 16, 2020, saying removing the title would have been a “futile” act. In an interview with ESPN, Manfred said the league had considered taking the 2017 title away from the Astros, but had been reluctant to impose what would have been an unprecedented sanction.

Newman awake, speaking after horror crash MIAMI—Veteran US stock car driver Ryan Newman was awake and speaking with doctors and family members on Tuesday, a day after a horrifying crash at the Daytona 500 auto race.

Roush Fenway Racing updated the condition of the 42-year-old American, whose Ford Mustang had been leading on the final lap but spun out of control, struck the wall and went flying into the air before flipping onto its roof and bursting into flames.

Several ambulances raced to the scene of the wreck by the 2008 Daytona 500 winner, who was extracted from the car and taken to a nearby hospital in serious condition with injuries that Roush Racing officials said were not life-threatening.

“Ryan Newman remains under the care of doctors at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida. He is awake and speaking with family and doctors,” Roush Fenway Racing said in a statement.

Ryan Newman, driver of the #6 Koch Industries Ford, crashes and flips during the NASCAR Cup Series 62nd Annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. AFP

“Ryan and his family have expressed country. They are grateful for the untheir appreciation for the concern and wavering support of the NASCAR heartfelt messages from across the community and beyond.” AFP

SYDNEY—Mighty Australia go into their home Twenty20 World Cup this week as overwhelming favorites as they look to cement their superiority in women’s cricket and draw a worldrecord crowd in the process.

Meg Lanning’s defending champions, and four-time winners, were rarely tested through the second half of 2019 when they whitewashed an injury-ravaged West Indies and a developing Sri Lanka team in the short format.

Giving a glimmer of hope to their rivals, they surprisingly slumped to defeat against major rivals India and England this month, before rallying to win the warm-up tri-series.

“To be put under pressure like this heading into a World Cup is extremely good preparation,” Lanning insisted.

Despite the recent losses, Australia are widely expected to contest the March 8 final at the Melbourne Cricket Crowd, where organisers are hoping to draw a world-record attendance for a women’s sporting fixture.

The cavernous MCG holds 100,000 fans, while the record stands at 90,185 for the 1999 football World Cup final when the United States beat China on penalties in Pasadena, California.

It is hard to look past Australia— who are paid as much as the men’s national team, and play domestic T20 cricket in the popular Women’s Big Bash League —as one of the potential finalists.

Along with Lanning, Australia boasts wicketkeeper-batswoman Alyssa Healy, all-rounder Ellyse Perry and bowling sensation Jess Jonassen, all among the world’s best.

They have been dominant since the World Cup was introduced 11 years ago, winning four of the six tournaments so far and crushing England by eight wickets in the 2018 final in the West Indies.

The only other teams to lift the trophy were England on home soil in 2009 and the West Indies in 2016.

Lanning’s side open the 10-team tournament on Friday in Sydney against an Indian side boosting teen batting sensation Shafali Verma. AFP

Mineski Global, PCCL sign collegiate Esports partnership

Shown here are [from left] Mineski Global Philippines Country Manager Ron Castro, PCCL Esports Manager JP De Borja, Mineski Global Head for Strategic Partnerships Marlon Marcelo, Mineski Global CEO and Founder Ronald “Rhom” Robins, Chot Reyes, PCCL President Rey Gamboa, PCCL Corporate Secretary Atty. Pablo De Borja, and PCCL Chairman Oscar Reyes.

MINESKI Global signed a landmark contract in their headquarters at San Juan City last Feb. 7 with the Philippine Collegiate Champions League to create a sustainable, consistent, and widely accessible esports program exclusively for Philippine schools and universities.

With the partnership, Mineski Global’s advocacy of responsible gaming, along with high-octane esports action will be in the spotlight. The PCCLMineski esports partnership also hopes to promote a sustainable esports community all over the Philippines.

“It’s time to show everyone that esports represent a viable career option, inclusive, and that it should be accorded the same treatment as regular sports.

Both PCCL and Mineski are mindful of our responsibility to promote positive values through esports and games,” said Mineski Global CEO and founder, Ronald Robins, during the contract signing.

PCCL chairman, Reynaldo D. Gamboa, stated that the inclusion of esports at the recent SEA Games, where Filipino student-athletes performed well against the best gamers in the region, was an eye-opener. “Esports is another field in sports where Filipinos can excel and can win honors for the country in international competition. For this reason, the PCCL has included esports in its grassroots and school-based development program,” Gamboa added.

Sports

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

A8

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020

Nominations for PH Sports Hall of Fame start in March THE Philippine Sports Hall of Fame 2020 Committee, headed by Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez, yesterday set the start of nominations to March during their first meeting for the awards body’s fourth enshrinement event.

“This is good that we met early so we have ample time to study the nominations,” said Ramirez, while welcoming the members of the screening committee composed of Games and Amusement Board Chairman Abraham Mitra, Philippine Olympic Committee Secretary-General Atty.

Edwin Gastanes, Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines Secretary-General Atty. Avelino Sumagui, University Athletic Association of the Philippines Executive Director Atty. Rene Saguisag Jr., and SEA Games gold medalist and Philippine Olympians Association President Akiko Thomson Guevara.

The HOF or Republic Act No. 8757, enshrines Filipino athletes, coaches, and trainors, who have brought honor and pride to the country in their career, and exhibited exemplary character.

Already, the board has issued two resolutions to be affected this edition.

Seeing some areas for improvement, the body agreed to craft recommendations to amend the PSHOF law. Another resolution is to automatically include as nominees previous eligible nominees but did not make the final cut.

The board is also studying to double the cash gift from P100,000.

“We will check if this is possible with the budget that we have,” said Ramirez.

The PSC, as the government’s sports agency is directed by law to organize the Screening Committee and the awarding of the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame title to the chosen athletes.

Nomination guidelines and forms will be released in time for the start of nominations on March 1.

The awards night is tentatively scheduled for November 5.

Kai Sotto participates in the Basketball Without Borders in Chicago.

Kai 24 in 2021 NBA mock draft th

N

EW YORK and MIES, SWITZERLAND – Filipino basketball standout Kai Sotto is currently ranked 24th in the NBA mock draft for the class of 2021.

This is according to the draftsite. com, which also lists Fil-Am Jalen Green of San Joaquin Memorial High School (HS-California) as the no. 4 pick in the talent-rich 2021 draft.

The 225-pound, 7’1” 17-year-old Sotto, who is hoping to become the first Filipino to make it to the NBA, was part of the sixth annual Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at Quest Multisport as part of NBA All-Star 2020 in Chicago, where the top 64 boys and girls from 34 countries and regions took part.

Sotto, who played for Ateneo in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, is currently in the US honing his skills at The Skill Factory in Atlanta, Georgia in the hopes of someday making it to the NBA. NBA 2020 All-Star Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012), Davis Bertāns (Washington Wizards; Latvia), Tacko Fall (Boston Celtics; Senegal) and 2017-18 NBA AllRookie First Team member Lauri Mark-

kanen (Chicago Bulls; Finland; BWB Europe 2014; BWB Global 2015) coached the top high school age campers from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.

Siakam, Bertāns, Fall and Markkanen were joined by former WNBA players Ashley Battle, Michele Van Gorp and Ebony Hoffman, as well as select players in NBA All-Star 2020.

Chicago Bulls assistant coach Karen Stack Umlauf, Milwaukee Bucks assistant coaches Vin Baker, Josh Longstaff and Ben Sullivan, and Chicago Sky director of player development John Azzinaro aldo served as BWB Global coaches.

Among the record 30 former Basketball Without Borders campers on opening-night NBA rosters for the 2019-20 season (active and inactive), 14 participated in the BWB Global Camp, including 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie First Team member Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns; Bahamas; BWB Global

2016), 2019 No. 3 overall draft pick RJ Barrett (New York Knicks; Canada; BWB Global 2017), 2019 No. 9 overall draft pick Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016), 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder; Canada; BWB Global 2016) and 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets; Canada; BWB Global 2015).

Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia), Gersson Rosas (Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations; Colombia), Marin Sedlacek (Philadelphia 76ers international scout; Serbia) and Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors President; Nigeria) were the camp directors.

Windy City Bulls head athletic trainer Matt Comer served as the camp’s athletic trainer.

Players and coaches led the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, skill development stations, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 Turn to A7

Arevalo inches closer to record Ladies’ Golf romp

Abby Arevalo, getting an advice from her caddie, carded a twounder 69 to post an imposing 11-stroke lead over Rianne Malixi in the second round of the Philippine Ladies Open at the Manila Golf Club in Forbes Park, Makati.

ABBY Arevalo took another conventional approach in dealing with the tight, par-71 layout and primed herself up for a record championship run on her special day, carding a two-under 69 to post an imposing 11-stroke lead over Rianne Malixi in the second round of the Philippine Ladies Open at the Manila Golf Club in Forbes Park, Makati yesterday.

The San Jose State U product and member of the SEA Games gold-medal winning squad hinted at shifting to high gear in today’s final round in pursuit of a revered spot in the elite roster of winners of the country’s premier championship organized and conducted by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines.

“I played conservative again because that was my game plan. But I think it was too much today (yesterday),” said Arevalo, citing her failed bids on a couple of reachable par-5s that, however, failed to slow down her charge in the event she took charge of with a solid 68 Tuesday for a 137 aggregate and followed up with a five-birdie, three-bogey game.

“They can be reached (in two) but there are lots of trees and would need to hit exact shots. But this is a course-management layout and I don’t think I can be too aggressive with any of these pin placements and go for it,” she added.

So did the rest, including Malixi, who humbled

Arevalo in last month’s National Stroke Play at Riviera that took three extra holes to finish but who failed to mount a challenge and fumbled with a 75 to fall 11 strokes behind at 148 with 18 holes left in the 58th staging of the event sponsored by San Miguel Corp., Diamond Motors, Sunsports and Eva Air. Eagle Ace Superal bounced back from a 76 with a 74 but lay too far behind at 150 while Mafy Singson made a 76 for a 151 and Kiara Montebon wobbling with a 78 after a 74 and tumbling to fifth at 152 in the tournament backed by Globe, the National Golf Association of the Philippines, Copok (Seascape Village), Inquirer Golf, Mercedes-Benz, New World Hotel, Pocari, Manila Golf Ladies, Regent Travel, Hyundai, Poten-Cee, Pascual Lab, Net25, Lake Shore CCY, FHLCI and Tagaytay Ladies.

Arevalo thus moved 18 holes away from besting Bianca Pagdanganan’s nine-stroke win over Thai Atthaya Thitikul at Wack Wack on a day she turns 21. 2018 Asian Games gold medalist and now pro Yuka Saso ruled this event back-to-back, including a five-stroke victory here last year.

Grace Quintanilla recovered from a 79 with a 74 for a 153 while Nicole Abelar stumbled with a 79 for a 155 followed by Laurea Duque and Sam Dizon, who pooled similar 156s after a pair of 80s.

Banario tries to regain lost ground in ONE IF Honorio “The Rock” Banario wants to prolong his mixed martial arts career, he has to prove he still belongs in ONE Championship.

That is exactly what he plans to do in his return to the featherweight division when he takes on Shannon “OneShin” Wiratchai at ONE: King of the Jungle on February 28 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

“This is everything now. I am all-in during training,” the Mankayan, Benguet native said.

“I think this is the break that I need to start again. I’ve been training non-stop and I’ll do everything to get the win.”

Competing regularly is also a neces-

sity for Banario, especially now that he is starting to build a family.

“My main motivation now is my family. I have a son now and I want them to live a comfortable life. Being a professional fighter, I know I have to show more, and they are my main motivation.”

After racking up five consecutive wins in the lightweight division, Banario lost four of his last five bouts and got finished in three of those matches in the first round.

Those losses had some people questioning if the former ONE Featherweight World Champion’s head is still in competing, but he would hear none of it.

“Win or lose, it is not going to stop me

from building on my career, because this is my livelihood as well,” Banario said.

“For me, I am not affected with whatever I hear from other people. I planned this, I wanted this. They don’t get to plan for me.”

In fact, “The Rock’s” dreams are still intact, and he is not the type to be discouraged after repeated setbacks.

“If I can win here, maybe I’ll get two to three more impressive wins and that would get me back to contention talks,” Banario said.

“But I have to give everything I have to get there. I have to get those wins to reach my ultimate destination.”

Honorio Banario

Cocolife Tigers edge Volcanoes KING Tiger Mark Yee posted his first double-double performance in the playoffs as he led Davao Occidental Cocolife to a hard-earned 77-71 victory against the Bicol Volcanoes at the start of the top seed versus 8thranked best-of-three encounter in the south division of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Lakan Cup Monday night at Rizal Memorial Colleges Gym in Davao City.

The visiting Bicolanos dictated the tempo in the early goings, sparked by their torrid outside shooting. They looked headed to an upset win as they led the half, 36-27.

But the depth of Davao squad of Dumper Party List Rep. Claudine Bautista, backed by Cocolife President Atty. Jose Martin Loon, FVP Joseph Ronquillo, AVP Rowena Asnan and SVP Franz Joie Araque, made the difference as the Tigers grabbed the lead at the end of third period, 5553, from the combined efforts of Yee, Ivan Ludovice, Emman Calo, Billy Robles and Jayvee Mocon.

A pair of dagger treys from snipers Ludovice and Joseph Terso in the winding final quarter put the Tigers to safer grounds, but the Volcanoes refused to be silenced.

A back-to-back explosion by Jerome Garcia put Bicol to within striking distance at 71-74 and a danger zone for the host team, which stood its ground in the end to notch the win.

Ludovice’s conversions at the line sealed the win for Davao, pushing the Tigers a win away from advancing to the next playoff phase (Final Four) of the league organized by Senator Manny Pacquiao.

Davao will eye a sweep against Bicol on Friday in Batangas City Gacia top-scored for Bicol with 15 points output. He was backed by Chris Lalata (12), Alwyn Alday (11) and Ronjay Buenafe (10).

“Ipagpatuloy lang namin ang dapat gawin sa next game versus Bicol. Depensa at talino sa laro. Respeto rin sa kalaban dahil lahat naman magagaling,” said game’s Best Player Yee, who scored 20 points and had 12 rebounds and 4 assists.

IN BRIEF

Taal victims receive AXA payment relief AXA Philippines extended the due date for premium payments of customers who may have been affected by the Taal volcano unrest to 90 days, instead of the usual 30 days. The extension applies to policyholders in selected affected areas in Batangas, Cavite and Laguna.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families who are heavily affected by this natural calamity. We offer this amnesty program to help our customers and give them one less thing to worry about, while they try to restore their lives,” said AXA Philippines president and chief executive officer Rahul Hora.

The assistance program will help AXA customers with life insurance policies. All Batangas province residents are covered by the amnesty.

In Cavite, policyholders in Alfonso, Amadeo, Indang, Mendez, Silang and Tagaytay City may avail of the amnesty.

Also qualified are AXA clients in Calamba City, Laguna.

Under the amnesty program, any payment deduction via account value (for life insurance plans with unit-linked investment features) will be reversed if payments are made before the 90th day. For traditional life insurance plans with no account value, premium payments can be made until 90 days after the due date.

Business

Ray S. Eñano, Editor Roderick T. dela Cruz, Assistant Editor business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020

B1

Air Asia begins flights to GenSan from Clark AIR Asia Philippines said it will mount flights to General Santos from Clark and Cebu starting March 29 this year.

“Our General Santos flights will provide access to Mindanao, a beautiful region rich in culture and history. I am confident that AirAsia’s announcement of these new flights will contribute to local tourism and the economy,” said AirAsia Philippines chief executive Ricky Isla.

“We are committed to growing our domestic connectivity this year, and you can expect more exciting destinations to be announced later in 2020,” he added.

Air Asia Philippines carried 8.55 million passengers last year, up 25 percent from 6.87 million passengers in 2018.

The budget airline’s load factor stood at 88 percent, up 3 percentage points from 85 percent in 2018.

Air Asia Philippines recorded total passengers of 2.25 million in the fourth quarter, up 21 percent from 1.86 million passengers year-on-year.

Load factor, however, dropped 4 percentage points to 85 percent in 2019 due to the large increase in capacity.

Darwin G. Amojelar

Alternergy unit wants dedicated power line KIANGAN Mini Hydro Corp. sought the approval of the Energy Regulatory Commission to develop a dedicated point-topoint facility to connect its P17.83-million hydro plant in Lagawe, Ifugao to the transmission network of National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

“KHMC hereby seeks the Honorable Commission’s authorization to develop, own and operate a dedicated point-to-pint limited interconnection transmission facility, to connect the project to the grid,” KMHC said.

KMHC, wholly-owned by renewable energy firm Alternergy, plans to connect the P145.5-million transmission facility to the system of NGCP through a dedicated line consisting of a 69kV switchyard, 69 kV transmission line and 69kV switching station.

The company said the mini hydro project was expected to be completed, including testing and commissioning of the transmission facility, by 2022.

Alena Mae S. Flores

PPA’s income climbed 31% to P7.28b in 2019 STATE-RUN Philippine Ports Authority said Wednesday it recorded a 31-percent increase in net income to a record P7.28 billion in 2019.

It said the figure exceeded by 47 percent the agency’s 2019 income target of P4.941 billion. PPA said combining all the growth percentages in the first three years of the current administration, net income grew at an annual rate of 17 percent, the highest revenue growth percentage in the last 15 years.

“With this strong performance, the PPA again shall be able to help government achieve its goal of giving comfortable lives to every Filipino not only through higher dividend remittance but also through efficient, effective and fast delivery of port services to our stakeholders and port users,” said PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago.

The agency said that the port management offices that posted significant positive performance were South Harbor, Batangas, Davao, Surigao and Bataan/Aurora. The positive deviation came mainly from lay-up fees, Ro-Ro fees, domestic dockage fee, pilotage, utilization of the Vessel Traffic Monitoring System and other income.

PPA said total revenues increased by 5 percent last year to P18.352 billion from P17.5 billion in 2018. It said that against the target, it increased by 0.92 percent.

The agency’s total expenses decreased by 15.5 percent to P8.008 billion from the 2018 figure of P9.476 billion with the significant decreases in the repair and maintenance aspect related to land improvement and other financial expenses.

Darwin G. Amojelar

CADET PILOTS. Seventeen aspiring aviators successfully complete flight training under the Cebu Pacific cadet pilot program.

Now on its third batch, the program enables aspiring commercial pilots to avail of flight training, type-rating and licensing with guaranteed employment for successful cadets under Cebu Pacific. The third batch of Cebu Pacific cadet pilots are (from left) Isiah Wallace Aba, Raphael Alberto Alba, Raul Alonzo Arellano IV, Ramon Timothy Banta, Alyanna Kara Batallones, Robert Berao, Dan Philip Bonsay, Paolo Trystan Chan, Aeron Marlowe Cruz, Karl Nino Dionson, Giorel Kristoffer Francisco, Vince Nathaniel Lim, Welco Orejola, Tiffany Erika Piccio, Emar Jude Ranara, Disney Rea and Jay Angelo Sering.

S&P reduces ’20 growth forecast on virus threat D

By Julito G. Rada

EBT watcher S&P Global Ratings on Wednesday reduced its 2020 growth forecast for the Philippines to 6.1 percent from the previous estimate of 6.2 percent amid the threat of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease that is expected to affect AsiaPacific economies.

S&P, however, said the Philippines would continue to outperform most of its peers in the region.

The 6.1-percent gross domestic product growth forecast for the Philippines this year is higher than 5 percent for China, 4.9 percent for Indonesia, 4.3 percent for Malaysia, 1.2 percent for Singapore and 2.2 percent for Thailand.

Only Vietnam (6.2 percent) and India (6.4 percent) are seen to grow faster than the Philippines this year.

S&P said that in 2021, the Philippines would likely grow stronger at 6.4 percent, next only to Vietnam’s 6.6 percent.

The report said Hong Kong and Singapore would be affected the most by the CoVID-19 outbreak while Australia, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam would be heavily affected. S&P said Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines would be less affected.

S&P said that in case of the Philippines, “people flows are less important than for many neighbors. Tourism-related exports are only 3 percent of GDP, and less than a fifth of visitors are from China. More uncertain is the impact on supply chains.”

“The Philippines is both upstream and downstream from China with processed intermediate trade with the country accounting for about 15 percent of overall trade,” S&P said.

“This is dominated by electronics

components which may experience region-wide disruptions. The OECD estimates that the Philippines domestic value-added in gross exports is over 75 percent which is high by emerging market standards, although it is likely to be lower in the electronics industry,” it said.

S&P said that on the investment side, inward foreign direct investments in the country was only 3 percent of GDP, while the Chinese share of approved FDIs was typically less than 3 percent.

S&P said the disruption i≠≠≠≠≠n China would flow to Asia-Pacific through four channels including people flows, supply chains, goods trade and commodity prices.

“Our baseline is a temporary shock.

Prolonged disruption into the second quarter would tip the region into recession, stress corporate cash flow and have substantial credit implications,” it said.

S&P anticipates the region’s GDP to expand by 4.3 percent in 2020, or 0.5 percentage point lower than its pre-out-

SMC open to new design of MRT-7 in Quezon Memorial Circle

By Darwin G. Amojelar SAN Miguel Corp. said Wednesday it is open to a revision of the design of the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 station in Quezon Memorial Circle following the suspension order issued by Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte.

The private proponent also expressed optimism the Transportation Department and the Quezon City government would soon resolve the design issue.

Belmonte ordered the suspension of construction of the QMC station on Tuesday, saying it would “affect the landmark’s identity as a national heritage park.”

She also called for a “win-win” solution to protect open spaces and advance the welfare of commuters.

San Miguel assured it would co-

operate with stakeholders to deliver the project with minimal delays, even with a possible redesign of the station’s above-ground structure which would be finalized with the DOTR. “The resolution of issues is really up to DOTR as main proponent, and the LGU. For us, while the order is a setback, we will do everything we can to make sure we keep to the timetable, and at the same time take into account the mayor’s concerns. This includes revisions to the design,” said SMC president Ramon Ang. Ang said most of the works at the Quezon Circle were underground and that no major above-ground structure was built yet.

He said the design of the aboveground station was still being finalized with DOTR. The QC LGU expressed

CEO OF THE YEAR. BDO

Unibank Inc. president and chief executive Nestor Tan is named the Banking CEO of the Year in Asia for his exemplary decision-making skills in steering the bank. BDO is also awarded as the Best in Innovation in Retail Banking in the Philippines during the International Banker Awards 2019. The global financial publication awards “top-ranking individuals and organizations that set new benchmarks for performance and push the boundaries within the financial industry.”

concerns over the original design, which was approved by the previous local administration.

The MRT7 project, classified as a national infrastructure project, suffered several delays from the time of the signing of the concession agreement in 2008. When SMC finally took over the project in 2016, construction officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

It was further delayed by right-ofway issues. As of February 2020, the entire project was over 50-percent complete.

MRT7 is composed of 14 stations and aims to cut travel time from North Avenue in Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to 35 minutes. It is seen to serve 850,000 commuters daily once it becomes operational.

Metro Pacific back in property business, signs Dusit agreement

By Jenniffer B. Austria INFRASTRUCTURE conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp. is returning to the property business with a P1.6-billion investment agreement with Dusit International of Thailand.

MPIC and Dusit signed an agreement to develop and jointly manage hospitality and residential properties in the Philippines.

MPIC and Dusit will develop two hotels and three condominiums within the properties long held by the conglomerate in Batangas and upgrade Dusit’s properties in the Philippines this year.

“We hope to play a significant role in changing the landscape of this thriving industry in the Philippines through our partnership with Dusit International―a company with over seven decades of experience in bringing hospitality all over the world,” said MPIC chairman Manuel Pangilinan.

“We will seek to develop additional sites over time as demand grows for tourism and travel in the country,” he said.

MPIC’s newest real estate, hospitality and tourism subsidiary, Metro Vantage Properties Inc., will lead the design, development, marketing and sales of the real estate properties, while Dusit Thani Philippines will oversee the hospitality and tourism side of the business.

“This partnership comes at an ideal time as the tourism industry in the Philippines continues to expand.

This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our expertise in bringing distinct Thai hospitality and MPIC’s place in the Philippine market to deliver unique hotel experiences fulfilling the needs of our guests,” said Dusit International Group chief executive Suphajee Suthumpun.

Pangilinan said the company’s move to invest in real estate development was in line with its goal to seek investment opportunities that create value for stakeholders and contribute to the inclusive and sustainable development of the country.

PCC clears AC Energy’s solar plant deal

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Philippine Competition Commission said Wednesday it approved the acquisition of the shares of Philippine Investment Alliance for Infrastructure fund in San Carlos Solar Energy Inc. by AC Energy Philippines for P2.772 billion.

AC Energy Philippines, which is controlled by the Ayala Group, is acquiring the 70-percent interest of PINAI investors, composed of Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) Pte. Limited, Langoer Investments Holding B.V. and the Government Service Insurance System, in SACASOL. “The company received a copy of the Philippine Competition Commission’s Decision No. 05-M-004/2020 dated Feb. 13, 2020 finding that the transaction ‘will not likely result in substantial lessening of competition’ and resolving ‘to take no further action with respect

to the transaction’,” AC Energy Philippines said in a disclosure to the stock exchange.

SACASOL owns and operates a 45MW solar farm in Negros Occidental.

The solar farm is operating under the feed-in-tariff regime of the Renewable Energy Act. “By acquiring controlling interest in SACASOL, the company will increase its ownership interest in a generating asset that is operating under the FIT system of the Renewable Energy Act,” AC Energy Philippines said.

It said the acquisition would support the company’s strategic objective to achieve at least 2,000 megawatts (2 gigawatts) of attributable renewable energy capacity by 2025.

The company signed a share purchase agreement with the PINAI investors for their ownership interest in SACASOL on Nov. 11, 2019.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stocks rally; ICTSI, Ayala Land up T HE stock market rallied Wednesday as hopes the deadly new coronavirus will have only a short-term impact on corporate earnings and economic growth prevailed.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index advanced 74.05 points, or 1 percent, to 7,396.94 on a value turnover of P6.5 billion. Gainers beat losers, 101 to 91, with 48 issues unchanged.

International Container Terminal Services Inc., the biggest port operator, climbed 3.8 percent to P142.20, while major property developer Ayala Land Inc. rose 2.7 percent to P42.20.

Universal Robina Corp., the largest snack food maker, increased 2.6 percent to P153, while SM Investments Corp. of the Sy

Group also added 2.6 percent to P1,038.

The rest of Asian markets rebounded Wednesday.

Falls on US and European markets— after Apple’s warning that it would miss its quarterly revenue forecast due to the epidemic—did not carry over to Asia as investors bet on policymakers doing what is needed to minimize the fallout.

The illness, which has killed more than 2,000 people and infected over 74,000, has disrupted supply chains and forced the cancellation of high-profile sporting and cultural events.

As stimulus measures are rolled out in China and elsewhere, “Asia seems confident that the region’s governments will ‘do what it takes’ to offset the coronavirus slowdown,” Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst for Asia at OANDA, said in a commentary.

After four straight sessions in the red, Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index

closed up 0.9 percent.

Hong Kong was up 0.4 percent but mainland China’s key Shanghai Composite Index was off 0.1 percent.

Elsewhere, South Korea was flat as the number of confirmed cases of the virus jumped by nearly half.

Taipei gained 0.9 percent and Sydney put on 0.4 percent.

The more sanguine mood came as Chinese officials released a study showing most patients have mild cases of the coronavirus, and World Health Organization officials said the mortality rate was relatively low.

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva has said there could be a cut of around 0.10.2 percentage points to global growth but stressed there was much uncertainty about the virus’s economic impact.

Anne Anderson of UBS Asset Management in Sydney played down concerns.

“It’s important to contextualize the

impact of the virus—we’re not expecting a permanent cut in global growth,” Anderson told Bloomberg TV. “The combination of the fiscal-monetary and the belief that we will transition through this over the coming months mean we’re still on steady footing.”

Apple’s announcement that it would miss its March quarter revenue forecast while global iPhone supplies would fall jolted markets and sparked renewed demand for safe-haven assets such as gold.

Not everyone is convinced the economic impact will be fleeting, however, suggesting Wednesday’s gains could be temporary.

“The debate on whether (COVID-19) is a transient economic shock or worryingly a more longer-lasting global economic headwind appears to be shifting in favor of the latter following Apple’s admission,” said Rodrigo Catril of National Australia Bank. With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review wedneSday, FeBruary 19, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

50.45 84 148.2 0.87 25 18 11.46 1.08 0.405 58.35 0.76 11.66 19.02 32.15 173.2 53.8 20.75 170.2 1,825 58.05 1.12

53.2 85.85 148.9 0.87 25 18 11.54 1.08 0.415 59.3 0.76 12.1 19.02 32.25 173.2 53.8 20.75 173.9 1,825 58.1 1.16

50.45 84 147.1 0.87 24.95 18 11.42 1.08 0.405 58.35 0.74 11.66 19 31.85 173 51.7 20.45 170 1,815 58.05 1.12

FINANCIALS 53 330 85.2 1,202,400 147.7 1,262,090 0.87 10,000 25 465,800 18 310,700 11.5 80,300 1.08 10,000 0.41 160,000 59 1,533,610 0.74 42,000 12.1 5,300 19 15,000 32 888,200 173 20 53.4 960 20.5 254,700 170.9 522,610 1,815 170 58.1 30 1.16 2,333,000

16,955 102,091,110 186,493,098 8,700 11,643,470 5,592,600 920,422 10,800 65,800 90,452,428.50 31,280 62,410 285,012 28,442,010 3,462 49,917 5,226,080 89,224,884 308,905 1,742.50 2,613,340

-530 -10,343,370.50 -84,873,780 610,000 -5,590,800 -371,224 -8,321,501 4,427,845 -407,155 -55,527,357 1,162 -

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

31.9 2.15 7.32 0.67 1.19 3.09 1.55 15.1 180 8.12 15.62 31 60.75 73.85 2.1 5.39 8.44 11.78 8.42 7.49 2.9 19.98 66.8 1.96 35 1.49 12.02 6.25 1.22 184.6 4.41 3.08 12.48 9.79 14.78 269 0.156 1.85 3.2 3.47 9.8 11.58 29.1 5.24 1.51 1.52 1.17 9.16 75 9.17 0.119 0.94 149.2 2.4 1.11 0.96

32.2 2.15 7.82 0.68 1.2 3.09 1.57 15.1 193.9 9.18 15.62 31 66.85 73.85 2.15 5.4 8.5 12.2 8.99 7.6 3.03 20.1 66.95 2.01 35 1.53 12.08 6.25 1.22 185.4 4.97 3.08 12.52 9.79 14.84 279 0.156 1.85 3.55 3.55 9.8 11.8 29.65 5.25 1.63 1.52 1.23 9.29 76.45 9.28 0.119 0.95 153 2.4 1.13 0.99

31.6 2.1 7.32 0.65 1.19 2.85 1.45 15 180 7.95 15.62 30.05 60.75 73.85 2.1 5.39 8.15 11.7 8.42 7.38 2.76 19.96 66.8 1.94 35 1.46 11.9 5.5 1.18 181.5 4.4 3.07 12.12 9.65 14.74 267.6 0.156 1.83 3.2 3.47 9.65 11.5 29 5.1 1.51 1.52 1.15 9.12 74.5 9.12 0.119 0.91 149 2.4 1.11 0.94

INDUSTRIAL 32.2 1,317,600 2.14 658,000 7.66 2,006,200 0.67 3,386,000 1.2 111,000 2.94 2,769,000 1.46 12,837,000 15.1 94,400 193.9 120 8.92 3,578,700 15.62 1,000 30.05 1,600 66.85 200 73.85 10 2.15 62,000 5.4 35,000 8.4 3,028,900 11.72 381,600 8.87 6,300 7.53 459,500 2.96 1,995,000 19.98 592,700 66.8 225,350 1.97 28,896,000 35 43,500 1.53 876,000 12.04 796,700 5.54 2,451,800 1.2 82,000 184 1,798,180 4.8 414,000 3.07 35,000 12.24 3,468,900 9.68 34,500 14.8 576,200 279 143,670 0.156 300,000 1.83 152,000 3.55 80,000 3.48 2,165,000 9.7 10,600 11.8 106,100 29.15 26,900 5.1 1,100 1.61 1,432,000 1.52 110,000 1.2 428,000 9.26 508,900 74.5 266,110 9.28 26,400 0.119 50,000 0.94 39,000 153 807,040 2.4 44,000 1.13 613,000 0.94 1,226,000

42,041,055 1,398,770 15,373,935 2,258,630 133,100 8,207,800 19,080,000 1,421,588 21,739 31,431,052 15,620 48,365 12,211 738.5 130,800 188,964 25,125,306 4,509,556 55,333 3,452,665 5,732,840 11,840,172 15,064,828 57,159,860 1,522,500 1,319,200 9,569,572 14,136,840 98,220 331,463,000 1,964,760 107,500 42,749,038 334,657 8,525,598 39,336,976 46,800 279,810 258,070 7,548,430 102,695 1,242,734 787,495 5,654 2,270,950 167,200 508,570 4,711,805 19,891,641.50 242,880 5,950 36,700 121,286,583 105,600 685,650 1,167,890

-31,120,945 -44,610 2,615,156 -332,220 -2,340,180 1,335,834 573,042 -39,065 -6,391,477.00 -4,182,208 223,235 -11,560 2,883,488 2,944,168 485,060 1,473,500 -74,080 -646,896 -4,466,000 -10,800 25,492,361 0 15,300 -9,707,536 48,500.00 -5,905,110 21,193,240 -10,840 34,760 -395,770 35,270 8,260 -22,990 -188,846 -15,651,193 96,000 -

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

0.91 50.4 10.26 0.71 10.22 0.9 0.91 750.5 2.46 6.3 5.8 12.6 3.6 0.22 734 4.91 75 6.15 5.51 0.49 3.77 10 0.58 3.13 4.37 1.12 131.1 2.05 1,018 0.81 1.11 170 163 0.22 0.186

0.91 51.95 10.44 0.71 10.22 0.92 0.93 756.5 2.53 6.3 5.8 12.6 3.6 0.22 734 4.91 75.5 6.66 5.51 0.49 3.78 10 0.59 3.2 4.38 1.12 134.9 2.05 1,038 0.81 1.16 180 169 0.22 0.189

0.88 50.4 10.24 0.7 9.99 0.9 0.88 750 2.46 6.23 5.6 12.3 3.6 0.213 724.5 4.91 73.95 6.15 5.51 0.48 3.75 9.75 0.54 3.13 4.37 1.1 131.1 2.02 1,014 0.81 1.1 165 163 0.215 0.181

HOLDING FIRMS 0.88 13,342,000 51 890,220 6,115,900 10.4 0.7 5,000 9.99 6,200 0.91 652,000 0.93 110,000 754 202,200 2.48 254,000 6.25 411,700 5.65 12,179,700 12.3 900 3.6 5,000 0.213 2,020,000 727 108,880 4.91 3,000 75.5 484,780 6.66 2,100 5.51 200 0.49 1,720,000 3.75 509,000 9.8 926,300 0.54 384,000 3.16 23,843,000 4.38 2,000 1.1 30,000 132.4 103,000 2.02 8,000 1,038 1,205,185 0.81 1,000 1.16 81,000 180 200 169 610 0.215 810,000 0.188 2,230,000

11,822,960 45,538,208 63,458,124 3,520 62,051 592,380 100,050 152,467,230 628,760 2,574,856 68,856,872 11,100 18,000 444,330 79,249,810 14,730 36,413,222.50 13,909 1,102 825,850 1,918,430 9,108,703 223,160 75,342,010 8,750 33,020 13,620,983 16,280 1,240,962,690 810 89,630 33,350 99,602 178,150 411,800

772,740 4,889,258 3,210,312 -18,209,260 -51,660 -191,989 -63,618,677 -1,230 -418,000 12,591,530 690,734.00 -519,880 -5,459,805 -29,319,130 -4,945,713 1,127,423,035 -12,200 -9,892 -154,000 -18,400

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND 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 FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED

14.72 0.64 9.64 1.59 0.78 41.45 1.62 4.5 6.2 0.485 0.77 0.81 0.175 0.39 9.16 18.86 0.38 1.42 1.05 3.95 0.202

14.72 0.66 9.64 1.59 0.79 43.5 1.63 4.59 6.59 0.49 0.77 0.81 0.175 0.39 9.16 18.88 0.38 1.43 1.05 4.06 0.212

14.7 0.61 9.64 1.59 0.78 41.3 1.57 4.49 6.01 0.485 0.77 0.81 0.175 0.37 8.99 18.64 0.375 1.41 1.03 3.95 0.2

PROPERTY 14.72 980,600 0.64 338,000 9.64 2,000 1.59 18,000 0.78 591,000 42.2 18,788,000 1.6 2,465,000 4.54 842,000 6.49 103,100 0.49 4,090,000 0.77 1,000 0.81 2,000 0.175 1,590,000 0.375 3,920,000 9 112,500 18.76 129,100 0.375 1,540,000 1.43 9,006,000 1.04 2,412,000 4.03 20,377,000 6,430,000 0.209

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

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

0.44 1.06 0.315 2.07 25.15 1.95 3.06 41.1 2.5 1.68 6.85 5.12

0.44 1.08 0.32 2.07 25.85 1.95 3.12 41.5 2.51 1.71 6.85 5.24

0.44 1.03 0.315 2.05 24.7 1.9 3.03 40.85 2.5 1.68 6.8 5.02

0.44 1.06 0.32 2.05 25.2 1.9 3.03 41.1 2.51 1.7 6.85 5.19

240,000 1,018,000 50,000 90,000 3,935,300 499,000 39,000 8,956,100 5,000 987,000 5,036,800 133,200

105,600 1,070,860 15,900 184,670 99,897,250 950,770 118,550 367,378,750 12,510 1,668,370 34,440,374 679,805

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL ASIAN TERMINALS BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR 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 MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PH RESORTS GRP PHIL RACING PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

8.7 17.68 1.33 10.5 0.39 0.047 17.5 2.68 8.95 0.047 80.3 6.52 4.5 4 7.49 1,935 5.39 417 9.9 1.16 1.53 119 7.96 0.1 1.84 1.75 12.14 2.1 10.9 0.46 3 1.81 1.3 1.29 2.11 2 7.49 4.8 8.01 149 3.25 1,025 0.52 0.315 38.2 71 8.96 2.25 0.59 0.24 0.55 18.72

8.85 18.1 1.4 10.66 0.39 0.047 17.5 2.78 9.01 0.047 80.6 6.52 4.5 4 7.49 1,949 5.43 424 13.38 1.17 1.53 124.7 8.92 0.1 1.91 1.75 12.14 2.14 11.2 0.46 3.02 1.84 1.31 1.29 2.15 2.05 7.49 4.8 8.5 150 3.27 1,045 0.53 0.32 38.5 71.4 8.96 2.25 0.6 0.24 0.56 18.74

8 17.26 1.33 10.26 0.39 0.047 17.5 2.65 8.92 0.045 79.5 6.52 4.28 3.66 7.1 1,918 5.37 417 9.9 1.13 1.53 119 7.5 0.099 1.82 1.75 12.12 2.07 10.8 0.45 3 1.81 1.16 1.21 2.05 2 7.1 4.8 8.01 149 3.16 1,023 0.51 0.31 38.2 71 8.74 2.18 0.59 0.236 0.54 18.7

SERVICES 8.5 18.1 1.33 10.6 0.39 0.047 17.5 2.72 8.96 0.045 80 6.52 4.28 3.9 7.12 1,919 5.4 424 13.38 1.16 1.53 124.2 8.92 0.099 1.86 1.75 12.12 2.1 10.9 0.46 3.02 1.82 1.24 1.28 2.09 2.05 7.3 4.8 8.5 150 3.24 1,045 0.53 0.32 38.3 71.3 8.76 2.18 0.59 0.236 0.54 18.72

67,700 1,093,200 19,000 2,225,000 130,000 4,700,000 2,600 352,000 2,432,600 7,400,000 375,550 8,300 1,517,000 307,000 12,100 30,440 260,400 60 473,300 177,000 1,000 1,717,720 26,400 650,000 27,420,000 4,000 6,700 35,000 2,445,000 1,100,000 100,000 235,000 632,000 8,000 1,879,000 26,000 8,100 5,000 1,100 252,820 842,000 53,680 9,429,000 1,200,000 2,267,300 429,510 92,800 1,197,000 153,000 1,280,000 192,000 3,551,600

566,611 19,438,258 25,660 23,380,562 50,700 220,900 45,500 945,810 21,830,944 334,900 30,052,798.50 54,116 6,582,020 1,225,030 86,985 58,607,390 1,405,936 25,300 4,686,388 201,790 1,530 212,140,885 200,813 64,900 51,291,020 7,000 81,244 73,390 27,000,742 499,050 301,500 429,110 776,980 9,830 3,921,330 52,700 60,194 24,000 9,301 37,912,804 2,687,210 55,718,920 4,904,890 379,350 86,846,560 30,625,357 814,936 2,614,440 90,330 303,070 105,330 66,513,534

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

0.0014 7.42 0.99 2.24 11.5 3.02 0.27 6.62 1.31 0.094 0.095 0.77 2.63 1.01 0.45 0.01 0.01 0.01 2.9 7.69 20.1 0.0052

0.0014 7.42 1.01 2.24 11.58 3.03 0.27 6.84 1.31 0.096 0.096 0.77 2.69 1.01 0.45 0.01 0.01 0.011 3.15 7.8 20.2 0.0052

0.0013 7.02 0.97 2.24 11.1 3 0.27 6.61 1.29 0.094 0.091 0.7 2.57 1 0.44 0.0099 0.01 0.01 2.9 7.65 19.7 0.0049

MINING & OIL 0.0014 35,000,000 7.27 179,500 0.99 2,814,000 2.24 3,000 11.5 2,800 3.03 713,000 0.27 20,000 6.64 2,900 1.3 397,000 0.095 1,070,000 0.091 460,000 0.72 728,000 2.57 9,226,000 1.01 3,000 0.45 710,000 0.0099 31,900,000 0.01 157,000,000 0.011 10,200,000 3.02 1,866,000 7.7 385,400 20.2 453,200 0.005 30,000,000

48,900 1,301,760 2,793,460 6,720 31,712 2,151,680 5,400 19,267 517,160 101,560 42,910 517,470 24,091,870 3,020 315,800 315,900 1,570,000 109,600 5,643,170 2,964,172 9,022,167 151,400

-100,399 630 -14,410 192,610 33,620 40,107 2,918,885.00 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A FGEN PREF G GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

15.86 500 101 107.8 5.27 990 999 100.5 1,012 1,050 1,070 1,050 77.6 75.1 76 76.6

15.9 500 101 107.8 5.3 990 999 100.6 1,012 1,060 1,075 1,050 77.6 75.1 76 77

15.72 500 100.9 107 5.27 990 999 100.5 1,000 1,050 1,070 1,050 77.6 75.1 76 76.6

PREFERRED 15.9 556,400 500 20 100.9 3,000 107 210 5.3 55,000 990 1,210 999 740 100.5 15,820 1,000 515 1,060 4,070 1,075 1,830 1,050 9,505 77.6 11,000 75.1 6,000 76 30,000 77 13,380

8,839,112 10,000 302,810 22,478 290,883 1,197,900 739,260 1,589,952 515,270 4,291,140 1,965,250 9,980,250 853,600 450,600 2,280,000 1,029,860

-2,860,000 -243,880 2,012 -10,520 -1,050,000 -

LR WARRANT

1.16

1.16

1.16

WARRANTS 1.16 1,000

1,160

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

3.22 9.51 0.79

3.29 9.6 0.8

3.21 9.5 0.78

3.29 9.56 0.8

FIRST METRO ETF

110.5

111

110

MS 14,425,750 210,960 19,280 28,620 461,100 790,235,970 3,928,560 3,817,780 630,044 1,994,200 770 1,620 278,250 1,479,100 1,013,057 2,425,500 581,300 12,789,160 2,498,230 81,782,080 1,320,180

932,906 11,477,305 1,998,640 149,380 -24,500 -18,750 -658,540 -210,834 -390,050 -7,379,450 -3,642,520 -26,020

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

Trading Summary

SHARES

FINANCIAL

9,097,720

INDUSTRIAL

82,582,436

HOLDING FIRMS

69,763,057

PROPERTY

94,776,300

SERVICES

80,107,016

MINING & OIL

283,241,157

GRAND TOTAL

621,158,222

SME

63,000 63,900 1,457,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 111 5,580

203,160 608,907 1,151,400 614,886

3,542,780 9,240 -109,179,380 -24,353,384 -291,308 -2,121,950 28,000 -4,122,396.00 16,167,589 194,440 487,330 -8,270,705 -16,960 4,682,700 88,350,274 110,500 2,034,040 -67,330 3,630 317,230 -40,600.00 6,530 771,804 -18,691,255 -127,400 12,800 -14,320,470.00 -787,472 1,919,610 23,600 28,838,882

3,210 -558,487

VALUE 1,737.25 (up) 9.95 523,571,366.25 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 9,061.88 (up) 103.40 1,022,624,524.42 HOLDING FIRMS 7,229.99 (up) 83.64 2,612,673,514.63 PROPERTY 3,946.66(up) 18.69 1,471.68 (up) 16.92 1,426,817,661.06 SERVICES MINING & OIL 7,103.79 (up) 26.41 849,394,912.18 PSEI 7,396.94 (up) 74.05 51,743,912.622 All Shares Index 4,362.09 (up) 21.11 6,489,407,569.48 Gainers: 101; Losers: 91; Unchanged: 48; Total: 240

SEC clears SMC unit’s bond issue worth P15b

By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission approved the P15-billion maiden bond offering of San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc., the food and beverage subsidiary of San Miguel Corp.

The SEC said SMFB would offer P15 billion of fixed-rate bonds in two series at face value. The Series A Bonds will mature in five years while the Series B Bonds will be repaid seven years from the issue date.

San Miguel Food will issue the bonds in minimum denominations of P50,000 each and in integral multiples of P10,000 thereafter. They will be listed and traded in denominations of P10,000 on Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp.

The company plans to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund the redemption of outstanding 15,000,000 Series 2 Perpetual Preferred Shares. San Miguel Food will redeem the shares on March 12, 2020 at a redemption price of P1,000 per share.

San Miguel Food may redeem in whole the outstanding Series A Bonds at 101.0 percent on the third year or at 100.5 percent on the fourth year. For the Series B Bonds, the company may redeem the bonds at 101.0 percent on the fifth year or 100.5 percent on the sixth year.

BDO Capital & Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., China Bank Capital Corp., Philippine Commercial Capital Inc., PNB Capital and Investment Corp., RCBC Capital Corp. and SB Capital Investment Corp. have agreed to act as joint lead underwriters and book runners of the offering.

San Miguel Food, earlier known as San Miguel Pure Foods Company Inc., was listed with the Philippine Stock Exchange on June 29, 2018 after parent San Miguel approved and implemented the internal restructuring and consolidation of its food and beverage businesses under San Miguel Food.

San Miguel Brewery Inc. and Ginebra San Miguel Inc. were consolidated with the food division under San Miguel Food, thereby establishing a unique unit within the San Miguel Group focused on the food and beverage businesses.

Ayala’s IMI posts net loss of $7.78m on weak markets

INTEGRATED Micro-Electronics Inc., a unit of Ayala Corp., registered a net loss of $7.78 million in 2019, a reversal from a profit of $47.18 million in 2018, amid a slowdown in global markets.

IMI said in a disclosure to the stock exchange consolidated revenues declined 7 percent in 2019 to $1.25 billion from $1.35 billion in 2018.

“The marked slowdown in global markets continues to hinder revenue growth across majority of IMI’s operating units,” IMI said.

“Significant investments in capacity and technical capabilities for growth areas also increased company’s overhead expenditures partly impacting its gross profit margins,” it added.

Despite the weak global market, IMI said it managed to bag new projects across all facilities that could potentially generate $407 million annual revenues.

IMI’s wholly-owned businesses made $1 billion in revenues,down 3 percent from 2018.

Income of Asian operating units fell 11 percent as China’s domestic market, especially in the automotive space, continues to underperform.

Meanwhiile, IMI Europe, which is largely automotive-based, achieved a three percent growth following the opening of the company’s newest production facility in Serbia and despite the widespread industry slowdown and the euro depreciation.

Mexico, which serves the US market, also continues to show a strong positive trajectory with a 50-percent revenue growth in 2019.

Recently-acquired Via Optronics and STI Ltd. posted combined revenues of $248 million, down 21 percent from the previous year.

IMI said the drop in Via revenues was mainly driven by the slump in the computing consumer segment and the delay in the release of the new generation Intel chip.

Meanwhile, the Brexit caused delays in STI’s program awards. STI, however, continues to have a strong pipeline wins amounting to $124 million in 2019.

“Despite the continuing decline of the market environment, we are resolute in setting the bar to key technological advancements and remain ahead of the curve,” said IMI chief executive officer Arthur Tan. Jenniffer B. Austria

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

World

TODAY

B3

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF

Iran dissidents urge vote boycott

Former South Korean president jailed

WORLD PREMIERE. This is a view of the atmosphere at the world premiere of Disney and Pixar’s ONWARD at the El Capitan Theater on February 18, 2020, in Hollywood, California. AFP

PARIS―Opponents of Iran’s theocratic leadership are urging an outright boycott of its parliamentary elections, arguing that it is anything but democratic and that casting a ballot serves only to bolster the country’s Islamic rulers.

The country’s supreme leader has urged Iranians to “disappoint the enemy” by participating en masse in the vote on Friday, which coincides with one of the most testing periods for the country since the ousting of the pro-US shah in 1979.

“Participating in elections and voting... is a religious duty” that will strengthen the Islamic republic against the “propaganda” of its enemies, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tuesday.

Analysts say Iran’s leaders want to see a high turnout to bolster their legitimacy as they battle an economic crisis spurred by crippling American sanctions imposed after Washington abandoned the 2015 deal curtailing Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

The crisis prompted some of the most potent protests since the Revolution and the ferocious crackdown that followed.

The elections have been overshadowed by mass disqualifications of over 7,000 mainly moderate and reformist candidates by the Guardian Council oversight body.

The council threw out more candidates than it allowed in, including most incumbent MPs. In a message from her jail cell, posted on her husband’s Facebook page, Iranian rights activist Narges Mohammadi said a boycott of the elections was the only peaceful means of protest left now that demonstrations are no longer being authorised.AFP

SEOUL―Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak was taken to prison Wednesday to begin a 17-year term for bribery and embezzlement after losing an appeal against a lighter sentence.

Lee, in office from 2008 to 2013, was briefly jailed in 2018 after being sentenced to 15 years and fined 13 billion won ($11 million), but was granted bail while he appealed.

He was found guilty of creating slush funds of tens of millions of dollars and accepting bribes from Samsung Electronics in return for a presidential pardon for its chairman, Lee Kun-hee, who was jailed for tax evasion.

At a hearing on Wednesday, Seoul’s Central District Court ordered a heavier sentence, saying Lee “did not show a sign of remorse or sense of responsibility” for his wrongdoings.

He instead blamed civil servants he worked with and Samsung employees, the court said.

Several South Korean presidents have ended up in prison after leaving office―often as a result of investigations started by political rivals.

Lee’s successor, Park Geun-hye, is currently serving 32 years in jail for bribery and abuse of power after being ousted in 2017 over a nationwide corruption scandal that prompted massive street protests.

Another former leader, Roh Moo-hyun, committed suicide after being questioned in a corruption probe involving his family. AFP

Weinstein trial jury reaches no verdict N EW YORK―Jurors in ex-Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein’s high-profile sex crimes trial ended their first day of deliberations Tuesday without reaching a verdict in the case seen as a watershed in the #MeToo movement.

The disgraced movie mogul, 67, faces life in prison if the jury of seven men and five women convict him of a variety of sexual misconduct charges in New York.

They began considering their verdict just before 11:30 am (1630 GMT) and adjourned five hours later. They will reconvene on Wednesday at 9:30 am.

More than 80 women have accused

Weinstein of sexual misconduct since allegations against him ignited the #MeToo global reckoning against men abusing positions of power in October 2017.

But the jury is considering charges related to just two: ex-actress Jessica Mann and former production assistant Mimi Haleyi, with many claims too old to prosecute.

Mann, 34, says Weinstein raped her in March 2013, while Haleyi alleges he forcibly performed oral sex on her in July 2006.

The trial, which began hearing testimony on January 22, threw up complicated issues surrounding consent and abuse of power for the jury.

Under cross-examination, both Mann and Haleyi acknowledged at least one consensual sexual encounter with Weinstein after the alleged assaults.

Defense lawyers presented dozens of emails and text messages in court that appeared to show both Mann and Haleyi on friendly terms with Weinstein years after

the alleged attacks.

His team said the relationships were consensual and transactional, arguing that the accusers used sex with the defendant to advance their own careers.

Prosecutors said he was an aggressive and manipulative career sexual predator who took advantage of his powerful position in the American film industry to prey on aspiring young actresses.

Weinstein, the producer of “Pulp Fiction” and “Sin City,” is the first man accused of abuse in the #MeToo movement to face a criminal trial.

In closing arguments Thursday, lead attorney Donna Rotunno urged the 12 jurors to make themselves “unpopular” by acquitting him, telling them his innocence had been clear from the start.

She stressed that prosecutors had failed to present any forensic evidence or witness accounts.

The prosecution’s case rests on whether

the jury believes the six women, including actress Annabella Sciorra of “The Sopranos,” who testified that Weinstein had sexually assaulted them.

Lead prosecutor Joan Illuzzi-Orbon said in her closing arguments Friday that they had “no motive to lie.”

“They sacrificed their dignity and privacy and peace for the prospect of having that voice” heard, she said.

Father-of-five Weinstein wore a light gray suit as he hobbled into court using a walker —a feature of his trial appearances—to hear Justice James Burke instruct the jury.

The judge reminded jurors that to convict, they must be sure of Weinstein’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

“If the people fail to satisfy their burden of proof you must find the defendant not guilty,” Burke said.

Weinstein faces five counts: two of predatory sexual assault, two of rape and one of engaging in a criminal sexual act.

ORIENTAL MINDORO ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE (ORMECO, Inc.)

Mediterranean diet boosts good bacteria, curbs bad ones PARIS―Switching in old age from a bland, unvaried diet to a Mediterranean mix of fresh veggies, fruits and fish restores a balance of intestinal bacteria linked to good health, researchers said Tuesday.

In a clinical trial with 612 volunteers aged 65 to 79 across five European countries, those who adopted a typical MedDiet for a year showed more “good” microbes linked to better brain function, and a net drop in gut flora thought to trigger inflammation and increased frailty.

The results held true regardless of age or weight, both of which influence the community of bacteria species―numbering up to 1,000―that make-up the human microbiome, the scientists reported in the journal Gut. “This diet might act on gut bacteria in such a way as to help curb the advance of physical frailty and cognitive decline in older age,” lead author Paul O’Toole, head of the School of Microbiology at University College Cork in Ireland, told AFP. In the later stages of life there is a natural decline of bodily functions and a tendency for the immune system to overreact, leading to a clinical condition known as frailty.

“In an older person, the immune system is striking at shadows,” O’Toole explained. “It is constantly turned on and firing into deep space.”

Cognitive function―especially shortterm memory―also “goes downhill as we get older,” he added.

Previous research has suggested that the restricted diet common among older people, especially those living alone or in institutions, sharply reduces the range and types of bacteria found in the gut, thus helping to speed the onset of these conditions.

“At the same time, we have long known the Mediterranean diet”—rich in fresh produce and olive oil, and fish rather than red meat—“is good for you,” O’Toole noted. AFP

The jury must reach unanimous verdicts on each count. If they cannot, the judge may be forced to declare a mistrial, which could mean a fresh trial with new jurors.

A split verdict is possible where Weinstein is convicted of some charges and cleared of others.

The jury asked Burke why it could convict Weinstein of predatory sexual assault related to Sciorra when the statute of limitations prevents it from ruling on her rape allegation against him.

“They’re almost reaching for what can we find him guilty of,” former New York City prosecutor Roger Canaff told AFP. “To me that’s pretty powerful. I’d be worried about if I were Weinstein or on his team,” he added.

Even if found not guilty, Weinstein’s legal troubles are far from over. He is facing a separate sex crimes investigation in Los Angeles and is also the subject of several civil complaints. AFP

Brgy. Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro

INVITATION FOR THE SUPPLY OF NET 10MW EMERGENCY POWER AT CALAPAN CITY (ORMECO COMPOUND)

DISPLACED. A Syrian girl walks at a makeshift camp for displaced people who fled pro-regime forces attacks in the Idlib and Aleppo provinces on February 18, 2020, north of the city of Idlib, near the Turkish border. AFP

US tightens the rules on China state media WASHINGTON―The United States on Tuesday tightened rules on Chinese state media organizations as it classified them as foreign missions, decrying what US officials described as Beijing’s growing “propaganda.”

In a step likely to anger Beijing, the State Department told five outlets including the Xinhua news agency and the China Global Television Network that they will need to seek approval to buy any property.

They will also be required to submit lists of all employees, including the growing number of US citizens on their staffs, the State Department said.

The State Department said it would not impose any restrictions on Chinese media’s journalistic activities inside the United States.

State Department officials, who said they informed the outlets of the new rules Tuesday morning, described Chinese media as increasingly a tool of the state since President Xi Jinping took office in 2013.

“There is no dispute that all five of these entities are part of the [Chinese] party-state propaganda news apparatus and they take their orders directly from the top,” an official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

“We all know these guys have been state-controlled forever, but that control has gotten stronger over time, and it’s far more aggressive,” he said.

The official was mindful that China could take retaliatory action but said that Chinese journalists in the United States would “continue to enjoy our free and open system.” AFP

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros Street, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Hosuing Project under the Preferred List-Mass Housing (Urban Deca Homes Marilao Phase 2A) with a capacity of 101 house and lot units on a Non-Pioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. Abangan Sur, Marilao, Bulacan.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-FEB. 20, 2020)

N OTICE Notice is hereby given that 8990 HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION with office address at 8990 Corporate Center, Negros Street, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City is applying for registration with the Board of Investments (BOI) as an Expanding Developer of Economic and Low-Cost Hosuing Project under the Preferred List-Mass Housing (Urban Deca Homes Marilao Phase 2B) with a capacity of 86 house and lot units on a Non-Pioneer status, with project site located at Brgy. Abangan Sur, Marilao, Bulacan.

Any person with valid objection/s on the abovementioned project may file his/her objection in writing, under oath, with the BOI within three (3) days from the date of this publication.

(SGD) ANGELITA F. ARCELLANA Director Infrastructure and Services Industries Service (MS-FEB. 20, 2020)

1. In compliance with the jurisdiction requirements of the Department of Energy (DOE) as per Circular No. DC-201802-0003, Section 2.2.2 Negotiated procurement of emergency power supply, ORMECO, INC. now calls for the submission of Eligibility Documents and Project Proposal. Submission of the same by the interested power provider must be duly received by ORMECO, INC. from February 20, 2020 to March 04, 2020 at ORMECO, INC. Main Office, Sta. Isabel, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro. The Eligibility Requirements may be viewed and downloaded at https://web.facebook.com/ OrmecoOGMOfficial, and may be requested through email ormeco_coop@yaho.com, including the numbers listed above; 2. The schedule of activities are as follows: ACTIVITIES Publication Invitation

DATE & TIME of

February 20, 2020 February 27, 2020

VENUE General Circulation National Newspaper: Website:https:// web.facebook.com/ OrmecoOGMOfficial, NEA and DOE Websites: LGU Bulletin Boards: ORMECO,Inc Offices, ORMECO, INC. Office of the General Manager

Submission of Letter of Intent (LOI) and Eligibility Documents and Project Proposal Deadline of Receipt Letter of Intent (LOI)

February 21, 2020 to March 5, 2020: (0800HH to 1700HH)

Evaluation of submitted Eligibility Documents and Project Proposals of New Power Provider Endorsement of evaluation report of qualified NPP to the Board Awarding of Notice to Proceed and signing of contract of Power Supply Agreement Target of Commercial Date

March 6 - 9, 2020

ORMECO, INC. Board Room

March 10, 2020

ORMECO, INC. Board Room

March 11, 2020

ORMECO, INC. Board Room

March 5, 17ooHH

2020;

ORMECO, INC. Board Room

March 26, 2020

Certified by:

Noted by:

(signed) ENGR. HUMPHREY A. DOLOR Chairperson – Emergency Power Purchase Committee

(signed) ATTY. NORBERTO M. MENDOZA Project Supervisor/ Acting General Manager

(MS-FEB. 20, 2020)

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

LGUs

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

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TREES FOR THE FUTURE. Employees of Baguio Country Club plant trees on Monday to celebrate its 115th year, and later release 115 white pigeons as an expression of good luck for the company's future and further growth in business. Dave Leprozo

Donors renew support for BARMM

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OTABATO CITY—International donor agencies reaffirmed their strong support to the Bangsamoro peace process, as they pledged to continue carrying out initiatives that will help unleash the full economic potential of the region and bring long-lasting peace to its people.

This was the upbeat atmosphere here Wednesday during the Bangsamoro Friends Forum co-organized by the Embassy of Japan and the United Nations, with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The day-long event aimed to update stakeholders on key developments in the Bangsamoro, as well as identify the major challenges confronting the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and propose ways to best address them.

“Japan will never tire of lending a hand to the Mindanao peace process.

We share with the Philippine government the dream of enduring peace and a better life for the Bangsamoro,” said Embassy of Japan Deputy Chief of Mission Yamamoto Yasushi.

The Japanese government has been actively supporting the Bangsamoro peace process through its participation in various mechanisms such as the International Monitoring Team, International Contact Group and Independent

Commission on Policing.

Japan is also implementing programs and projects across the country under its Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development.

Moreover, the government of Japan has also been involved in the operationalization of the first Joint Peace and Security Team deployed in the region.

JPSTs will ensure the safety and security of areas where the decommissioning process is being held.

COVID-19 won’t stop Pahiyas fete, Mayor Dator vows

By Maricel V. Cruz UNDETERRED by the threat of the deadly novel coronavirus or COVID-19, this year's Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon, scheduled on May 15 will push through.

Lucban Mayor Celso Olivier T. Dator said that this year, the town will once again try to establish a new record in terms of tourist arrivals during what is considered the country's most colorful harvest festival.

"Yes, we will celebrate this year's Pahiyas Festival," said Dator in an exclusive interview with the Standard.

The event makes Lucban the festival capital of the Philippines, the mayor said, because it marks the harvest of the crops that farmers raised during the year just passed.

With 7.2 million tourists, per tourism department count, attending the 2019 Pahiyas Festival, Dator said the celebration last year chalked up the biggest attendance so far.

Dator said that while local officials do not downplay the threat of the virus currently disrupting the world, he is optimistic this year's Pahiyas will be as successful as last year, if not better.

But he admitted Covid-19 poses a great challenge to the successful staging of this year's Pahiyas.

“This 2020 Pahiyas Festival, we will try to make history again by surpassing the number of tourists last year," Dator said, citing the importance of tourism in his province to uplift the lives of his people.

He said it is business as usual in his town of 59,892 despite the virus hysteria, although they have done their best to augment the efforts of the national government in handling the global threat.

Hand sanitizers have been provided by the local government to all government buildings and offices, and it encouraged business establishments to do the same, Datol added. The town also gave away face masks to personnel in the frontline of health services.

However, he said the townspeople have not been restricted from visiting government offices to ask for help or for business transactions.

“We have no tents outside the town hall. Thus, we still expect the celebration to be noisy, colorful and happy, he added.

Dator said Lucban is an agri-tourism town. "We encourage people to invest in agriculture because of its importance in developing the town,” he said.

FACE MASK DONATION. Undersecretary Dave Almarinez (center), president and CEO of the Philippine International Trading Corp., donates 10,000 pieces of N88 surgical mask to the City of San Pedro in Laguna as received by City Councilor Aaron Cataquiz (third from right) and city employees on Monday. The cities of Santa Rosa and Biñan also received 10,000 N88 surgical masks, part of 125,000 pieces distributed to government offices from the Department of Trade and Industry headed by Secretary Ramon Lopez, Almarinez said. Roy Tomandao

Navotas passes DILG financial housekeeping marks

By Jun David FOR practicing financial transparency, the City Government of Navotas has passed the 2019 Good Financial Housekeeping standards of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

“Passing the good financial housekeeping standards validates our efforts to spend public funds in a transparent and honest manner,” Mayor Toby Tiangco said.

“I thank everyone for their continued commitment to good governance and quality public service.

Receiving this recognition means we are on the right track in ensuring that taxpayers’ money is spent judiciously for services and programs that benefit Navoteños,” he added.

A local government unit that passes the GFH is compliant with the Full Disclosure Policy of Local Budget and Finances, Bids and Public Offerings such as Annual Budget, Statement of Receipts and Expenditures, Annual Procurement Plan or Procurement List, and Bid Results On Civil Works, Goods and Services and Consulting Services, among others.

It also has an unqualified or qualified

Commission on Audit (COA) opinion of the immediately preceding year.

Navotas has received COA’s Unqualified Opinion, the highest mark it can give an LGU or government agency, for four consecutive years. It is the only LGU in Metro Manila with such track record.

The city was also conferred last year the DILG Seal of Good Local Governance.

The GFH is a component of the SGLG along with Disaster Preparedness, Social Protection, Business- Friendliness and Competitiveness, Peace and Order, and Environmental Management.

BPI to help build disaster facility THE Bank of the Philippine Islands has turned over an initial P2.7 million to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation to develop a multi-purpose infrastructure facility for shelter, livelihood, disaster preparedness, and recovery activities for the communities significantly affected by the recent Taal Volcano eruption.

BPI employees led the initial fundraising drive, where the amount they raised was matched by BPI Foundation. The second wave of fundraising will be open to the general public.

All BPI branches nationwide and the BPI online channel will facilitate and accept donations starting Feb. 14 until March 13.

Photo shows (from left) BPI corporate affairs head and BPI Foundation executive director Owen Cammayo, BPI chief operating officer Ramon Jocson, BPI president and chief executive officer Cezar P. Consing, PDRF president Rene ‘Butch’ Meily, PDRF executive director Veronica Gabaldon, and PDRF OIC operations director Carl Vincent Caro.

Makati boosts drive vs. drunken, druggie drivers

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Makati City government has intensified its anti-drunk and drugged campaign with continuous operations to rid the streets of public utility jeep drivers using illegal drugs.

On Wednesday, 58 jeepney drivers at JP Rizal Street corner Pasong Tirad were flagged down and randomly tested for illegal drug use.

Seven of them tested positive for drug use.

Mayor Abigail Binay said the drivers will be arrested and charged with violation of Republic Act 10856, an Act Penalizing Persons Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Dangerous Drugs, and Similar Substances, and for other Purposes.

The Makati City police station led the operation in coordination with the City’s Public Safety Department, Makati Anti-Drug Abuse Council, Police-Highway Patrol Group, and the Land Transportation Office.

Mayor Binay reiterated her warning that drug users are not welcome in Makati, especially drivers who endanger the lives of countless motorists and pedestrians.

Aside from the intensified campaign against drivers under the influence of liquor and using illegal drugs, the city government also resumed its road clearing and antiillegal parking operation to further improve the flow of traffic in the city’s major thoroughfares.

Recent operations conducted by personnel of the city’s Public Safety Department resulted in the apprehension of more than 500 individuals, most of them drivers and operators of public utility vehicles.

Other violations recorded in the operations include illegal terminal, disregarding lane markings, and obstruction of roads.

The PSD is conducting the clearing operations daily on the directive of Mayor Binay to maintain orderliness and cleanliness and promote road discipline and obedience to traffic rules.

The city chief executive started the intensified drive against illegal parking, illegal sidewalk vendors, and other road obstructions in the city in 2017.

PSD officials recently met with presidents of the United Transport Federation of Makati and the Makati Tricycle Federation at city hall to continue discussions on the safety of the city's riding public, implementation of traffic rules and regulations, and other transport-related matters.

The meeting covered traffic violations, road clearing operations, Illegal terminals/stationing areas, and random drug testing.

Mayor Binay said the city government needed to be relentless in promoting order and discipline on the streets, given the heavy vehicular volume in the city especially during rush hours.

“As it is, our roads are already congested. We have seen how even a minor traffic offense or an improperly parked car can lead to a major traffic gridlock because of the sheer volume of vehicles.

Leniency with disobedient motorists is, therefore, not an option in Makati,” she said.

Councilors’ body is ‘biggest think tank’—Salceda WITH a membership of over 17,000 city and town councilors, the Philippine Councilors’ League is undoubtedly the country’s biggest think tank.

Bicol PCL chairman Jesciel Richard Salceda said Wednesday that since their members are organic to, and strategically positioned nationwide, PCL can be a potent force in helping steer local government units, in partnership with the national government in addressing economic issues, poverty and other social ills towards meaningful countryside development.

PCL members, Salceda said, are capable to be “modernizing agents of the society in pushing for—among others—constitutional change, and in fortifying the role of local governments and their legislative bodies in pursuing local economic development.”

A three-term councilor of Polangui town in Albay and representative of their local league to the Albay Provincial Board, Salceda is running for the PCL national chairmanship in theit league’s upcoming 11th National Congress on February 26 to 28 at SMX MOA in Pasay City.

He is a graduate of Yale University and nephew of Albay Second District Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, ways and means committee chairman.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020

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Where forever begins PROMISES IN THE PALACE. Events and art center Palacio de Memoria in Parañaque City offers picturesque spots and ornate features that make it a splendid choice for nuptials and receptions.

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NEW venue in Metro Manila is getting the local wedding industry’s attention.

Palacio de Memoria general manager Camille Lhuillier (left) with Philippine Association of Wedding Planners board members Marex Gaba and Liza Alviedo.

Monchet y Compania curator Jose Ramon ‘Monchet’ Olives and PAWP board chairperson Celia Cunanan

Recently, some of the country’s most sought-after wedding planners were treated to an exclusive luncheon and tour of Palacio de Memoria, the seven-story, restored pre-war mansion that now functions as a one-of-a-kind heritage house, events place, and art center located in Parañaque City.

Palacio de Memoria general manager Camille Lhuillier welcomed the members of the Philippine Association of Wedding Planners (PAWP) with a sumptuous lunch at the Palacio’s Ambassador’s dining room and gave them a walking tour, which showcased the picturesque spots, sprawling grounds, and ornate features that make it a splendid choice for nuptials and receptions.

One of the highlights of the walking tour was the Palacio’s grandiose foyer where the beautifully restored terrazzo floors and luxurious, six-foot Murano chandelier provide an impeccably opulent backdrop for wedding pictorials.

Members of PAWP also got the chance to take a closer look at the outdoor area, which includes a pool area with patio and outdoor kitchen which can serve as a great setting for cocktails and parties.

For al fresco garden wedding, there is a sprawling garden area where couples have the option to pitch the air-conditioned tent. “It is a gorgeous setting for stylish outdoor receptions in the summer and under the stars, and having a tent can shield guests from the rain,” Palacio de Memoria said in a statement.

The Bunker Bar, located at Palacio’s top level is a cozy, masculine space perfect for bachelor’s parties, intimate gatherings, and other events that deserve a celebratory toast. Another jewel in the Palacio’s crown is the Mosphil Lounge, a passenger plane from a now-defunct airline that flew to and from Zamboanga. It reflects the swanky and hip spirit of the 1960s and ‘70s and makes for a fun after-party venue.

Palacio de Memoria is located at 95 Roxas Boulevard, Barangay Tambo, Parañaque City. Guided tours can be arranged by appointment. For more information, visit www.casadememoria. com, call (02) 8253-3994, or e-mail hello@casadememoria.com.

Love on the train

Train operators John Louie and Ansherina celebrate their love where it all began, on LRT-1.

NEXT stop: a life together.

Train operators-turned-couple John Louie and Ansherina took their love for each other on a wonderful ride after sealing it with an engagement photo shoot right where they met.

Their love story unfolded while working together for Light Rail Manila Corporation, as operators of LRT-1. John has been with LRMC for four years, and Asha for three years.

They were engaged as a couple last December 2019.

The two had a fun engagement photo shoot on the launch day of LRMC’s LRT1 Love Train. Dressed in their work uniforms, John Louie and Ansherina were

Holding on to their love for each other.

so in character as they pose inside the coaches, with design themes representing the different stages of love.

No time to do laundry? Call Jeff THE name is Jeff, and he is always ready to handle mountains of laundry.

Busy parents, workers, and students who spend so much precious time or don’t have time to wash their dirty clothes and linens were in mind when Spanish techpreneurs Eloi Gómez, Adrián Lorenzo, and Rubén Muñoz founded Mr Jeff, a laundry service app.

It is available in the Philippines.

“In our research, Filipinos already spend an average of four hours a day commuting (in traffic, waiting for public transport or locating parking space),” shared Jeff vice president of marketing Aaron Rodriguez.

He added, “Those who live in big cities usually stay in homes that are less

The laundry is processed at Mr Jeff Laundry Hubs located in several areas, offering busy homemakers, workers, and students an option to easily outsource this tedious chore.

Mr Jeff app lets users book a pick up, have their laundry washed and folded, and delivered— all in 48 hours.

than 100 square meters where they don’t have space for a washing machine or a place to hang their clothes. So they turn to neighborhood laundry shops. However, laundromats these days are mainly do-it-yourself. You pack your laundry, bring it to the shop, load it up on the washer, dryer, pay for the laundry detergent and conditioner. By the time they’re done, they have already spent a big part of the day at the laundromat.”

Mr Jeff guarantees a 48-hour turnover from pick-up to delivery. To use, download the app or go to its website and select location, time, and day of laundry pickup. A driver will then pick up the custom-

er’s laundry and deliver them washed and folded, ironed or dry-cleaned.

The laundry is washed at Mr Jeff Laundry Hubs located in several areas (such as Alabang, Las Piñas, Ermita, Congressional Avenue, West Fairview, Tiendesitas, and Sta. Rosa) More hubs are opening in Metro Manila and Cebu in the coming months.

The app is available through subscription to either two options: Plan LITE includes four regular laundry bags, (approximately 4-5 kilograms) at P960-1060/month or P240-265/week and is good for one to two persons.

Plan MAX includes four large laundry

bags (8-10 kilograms) and usually costs P1280-1399/month or P320-350/week.

Extra services such as additional laundry bags and ironing (for one, three, or 12 pieces) are also available.

The subscription plans include one laundry service per week or four pick-ups and four deliveries per month. Customers can change the date and time of pick-up and delivery via the app. Subscriptions are renewed monthly but they can cancel any time before their month renews.

Customers are also allowed to “pause” their subscriptions if they’re going on holiday. Payment can be done via cash, card, or the Jeff card (wallet).

Life

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Building homes for every Filipino Mass housing developer Bria Homes has announced more projects to be launched this year, offering a variety of options for those looking to own a residential real estate.

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WNING a home used to be a luxury only those who can afford to shell out a huge sum of money can have.

Backed by its goal to provide quality and affordable homes for hardworking Filipinos, mass housing developer Bria Homes announced more projects in the pipeline.

Being in the real estate industry for only five years, Bria Homes, a subsidiary of Golden Bria Holdings, Inc., cements its name with over 50 projects nationwide.

This year, the housing brand is transitioning its message from providing needs, into materializing aspirations; and into focusing its services for nation-building.

Bria is continuously expanding to reach more aspiring and hardworking Filipinos in new areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao with eight new communities to launch this year: Alaminos in Pangasinan, Pililla in Rizal, Montalban in Rizal, General Trias in Cavite, Naga in Camarines Sur, Danao in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, and Maco in

Affordable quality homes and flexible payment schemes have enabled the residential developer to provide homes to many hardworking Filipinos.

Davao de Oro. In addition, the developer is also expanding its product line.

Bria Homes Executive aims to cater to a bigger market neighboring the existing ones within the in-demand areas: Alaminos, Cagayan de Oro, Maco, Pililla, and Naga.

This year, Bria Condominiums also aims to establish its new line of condominiums for young professionals and starting families. These projects will soon rise in key cities, including General Trias, Cavite; General Santos, South Cotabato; and Tagum, Davao del Norte.

The five-hectare development Bria

Homes Cityville will also make its entrance this year in inner-city developments in Montalban, Rizal; and Danao, Cebu.

For prospective homeowners who are looking for more spacious homes to reside in and expansive green spaces to enhance wellness, Bria Premier will be the best choice. These will be

occupying prominent areas all over the Philippines.

To kick off 2020, groundbreaking and land developments have started for the Montalban, Rizal; Mariveles, Bataan; Maco, Davao de Oro projects; as well as more areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

MONEY MATTERS

Tips to keeping finances on track MONEY can’t buy happiness, but it can buy peace of mind.

Managing finances begins with having a vision and action plan. A Filipino fintech company recommends adopting smart money management practices and taking advantage of digital credit solutions to help develop responsible financial management habits.

Here are three ways to being smarter with money.

Follow the 50/30/20 Budgeting Rule

Celebrity moms (from left) Andi Eigenmann with Ellie, Nikki Gil-Albert with Finn, and Pauleen Luna-Sotto with Tali.

Young moms choose organic milk

ANDI Eigenmann, Nikki Gil-Albert, and Pauleen Luna-Sotto have one thing in common: they prefer organic milk for their children.

Actress, surfer, and mom of two, Eigenmann shared that her first daughter Ellie grew up with Hipp Organic, a brand of organic milk from Germany.

Now at 8 years old, Eigenmann said her daughter enjoys the natural taste of Hipp Organic Kindermilk, which is free from added artificial sugars.

Meanwhile, Gil-Albert and LunaSotto related they would introduce the same milk to their kids when they reach 3 years old.

Hipp Organic Kindermilk for 3 years old and above is “developed from the best principle of nutrition science.” It contains organic lactose or “brain sugar”

which is the natural sugar found in milk.

It’s also made with natural Omega-3 that helps support brain development, calcium and vitamin D for strong bones, and organic prebiotics or galactooligosaccharides that help support healthy digestion.

Edwin Feist, chairman and chief executive of Advanced Nutritional Technologies, partnered with Stefan Hipp to bring Hipp Organic milk products to the Philippines in 2013.

According to the German baby food brand, its products are free from any chemical synthetic pesticides or insecticides, artificial growth hormones, prophylactic use of antibiotics, and GMOs. Further, the brand’s formulations are also free from gluten, artificial flavors and colors, and soy protein.

Budgeting can sometimes be overwhelming, but the 50/30/20 Budgeting Rule makes things simple. The method works as follows: allocate 50 percent of income on basic needs like food, and utilities; 30 percent on hobbies, shopping, travel plans, and other things that add value to life; and 20 percent goes to savings.

This rule not only teaches discipline but also offers an easier way to map out budget plan, and ensures that monthly income is spent equally in terms of importance.

The Automatic Savings Plan

Saving money becomes much simpler and more natural when it becomes part of one’s life; you’re only halfaware that you’re actually doing it.

How does Automatic Savings Plan work? Go to your bank to set up an automated deposit that automatically transfers a fixed amount of money into your savings account at specified intervals.

This way keeps savings steadily flowing without having to manually deposit funds.

Take advantage of digital credit solutions

Big-ticket items such as appliances are sometimes hard to accommodate.

This is where innovative customerfriendly digital credit solutions help by enabling mindful expenditure over time.

For example, Cashalo’s “Shop Now and Pay Later” is a digital consumerfinancing product that allows consumers to shop for multiple items without having to worry about paying the total amount at the point of sale. They can buy these items on credit and settle the amount in easy, transparent monthly installments, depending on the most convenient payment schedule for each customer. Through the app, they can get preapproved for a

Create a sustainable budget that makes room, not only for neccessities, but also for ‘wants’ and savings.

fixed amount to better plan purchases Further, the company offers financial literacy program, CashAcademy (www.CashAcademy.ph), aimed at delivering a holistic and practical overview of sound financial management to help Filipinos become Pera Experts— financially reaware and re sponsible.

Saving money becomes much simpler and more natural when it’s already part of one’s life.

Entertainment

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2020

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nickie.standard@gmail.com

Training the spotlight on local animation

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HE Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI), in partnership with SM, recently held the Animahenasyon 13: Philippine Animation Festival at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier.

Animahenasyon, which is a combination of the words “animation” and “imagination” in Filipino, is an annual animation festival that aims to promote the country’s animation industry by showcasing works of both aspiring and professional animators locally and internationally.

Hundreds of animation professionals, students, and enthusiasts gathered at this year’s Animahenasyon conference, which featured prominent international and local guest speakers. These included Kitaro Kosaka, director of the Japanese animated feature film Okko’s Inn, whose portfolio includes work at Studio Ghibli, MADHOUSE Productions, Oh! Productions and more; Mikki Crisostomo, a staff writer at Disney TV Animation; Pancho Burgos-Goizueta, a film score composer who has worked on High School Musical 2 and 3, Wheels, and God’s Not Dead: A Light in Darkness, among several other films; and Carl Papa, an IT professional whose films, The Unforgetting and Manang Biring, have been recognized locally and internationally.

Filipino content creators who also shared their insights and expertise in the animation industry included Magoo del Mundo, Marketing & Strategy and Sales Manager of Toast & Brew Studios which specializes in 3D animation and game development; and Avid Liongoren, award-winning director of 2016 Metro Manila Film Fest (MMFF) blockbuster live-action animated film Saving Sally.

During the festival’s awards night, Pass by Kinn Arden Galdones and Christian Lemuel Ibong garnered the Grand Prize and Best in Storytelling Award in the student division. Other winners in the student’s division were Cotton Cloud by Kristine

From left: Japan Foundation, Manila Program Coordinator Kanami Namiki, Filipino comic book artist Harvey Tolibao, and Japanese Animator Kitaro Kosaka

Student Division’s Grand Prize winner Christian Lemuel Ibong (right), who also won the Best in Storytelling prize for his film “Pass” with Film Development Council of the Philippines (FCDP) Executive Director Wilfredo Manalang

“Billy & Bonnie in All Shapes & Sizes” creators (2nd from left) John Cyrolle Vendivil, Ian Tamara, and Karla Circe Consolacion with Animation Council of the Philippines, Inc. (ACPI) Program Director Ricky Orellana (1st from left) and Conference Director Grace Dimaranan

Joi Gonzales for the Best Non-Narrative Animation Award; and Proud by Are Jay Peralta for the Best Production Design Award and The John Martin Award, a special award

honoring John Alexander Martin’s contribution to the local animation industry.

Billy & Bonnie in All Shapes & Sizes by Ian Tamara, Karla Circe Consolacion, and John Cyrolle Vendivil, on the other hand, won the Grand

Madrasta...

From C4 Juancho Trivino revealed that Sean has helped him reach a certain level of maturity in real life, “This is the second time for me to play the lead in a teleserye but this is the lost challenging.

The character requires a different kind of maturity. So, I guess it helps me mature, too, in real life.”

Seasoned actress Gladys Reyes, who

Prize and the Jury’s Special Citation for Production Design and Overall Excellence.

In the professional division, Magical Holiday by Sofia Dominique Abellera received the Best Non-Narrative Animation Award, while Rip Rollerz: Episode 1 by Johanna Kaye Boncodin, Marvin Paracuelles, and Deborah Tudtud won the Best Production Design Award. Rivelle Mallari’s Iced Gem Biscuits: Fun in Every Bite won him the Best in Tech-

nical Award. The Best in Storytelling Award was given to Kirk Daren Hiwatig for his film Little Boy Blue.

In addition, Owo by Jessamyne Roux Ado, Jed Mañago, and Kathryn Bernalisa D. Canoso got the Audience Choice Award, while Pula by Dominic James Barrios won the Best in Technical Award in Student Division and Best Regional Entry.

The Animahenasyon Festival is one of the many exciting creative events at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier.

played the role of Sean’s doting mother Elizabeth, expressed her admiration towards her co-actors and their professionalism whenever on set, “Nakakatuwa dahil ‘yung mga kaaway ko rito sa Madrasta ay friends ko talaga in real-life kagaya ni Manilyn (Reynes) and Almira (Muhlach). Masarap din kaeksena si Thea dahil talagang totohanan ‘yung mga bangayan scenes naming dalawa. Hindi ako sanay na pinepeke ‘yung mga eksena so nakakatuwa na game na game siya.”

With the failure of Katharine’s last resort to break Audrey and Sean apart, will the two finally get their long overdue happily ever after? Is this the end of Katharine’s unceasing ploys to ruin Audrey and Sean’s relationship? Will Audrey finally take her rightful spot in the life of Sean and his children?

Under the helm of esteemed director Monti Parungao, don’t miss the finale of Madrasta tomorrow Feb. 21, after Prima Donnas on GMA Afternoon Prime.

Anthony Castelo hosts YouTube show

Miguel Odron, who had an exceptional run in ‘Idol Philippines,’ launches his debut single.

Miguel Odron debuts under ABS-CBN Music International FORMER Idol Philippines contestant Miguel Odron is poised to introduce his unique sound with the upcoming release of his debut single under ABS-CBN Music International titled “Chevy Cruze.”

Miguel teased fans with the very first performance of “Chevy Cruze” at his first ever concert he headlined alongside JMKO, Jeremy G, and Sam Mangubat titled Song Feels held at the Music Museum last Jan. 24.

The young artist first gained attention when he joined the first season of “Idol Philippines” and placed in the Top 5. Fans value his striking sound, which he attributes to a childhood of listening to unconventional singers such as Amy Winehouse and Nai Palm.

“I’ve always been drawn to nostalgic confabulation. I’m not old enough to

have lived through the ‹70s, but I can try to tell you what I think that must have been like. . . . That feeling often ends up injecting itself into my music,” he shared.

Miguel is also active with gigs. Early this month, he performed at the New Rules Live in Manila, the British boy band New Rules first tour in the Philippines.

His voice was also heard in the new ABS-CBN TV series Love Thy Woman in the song “Each Day With You.” Late last year, he did the opening number for the Manila show of Leigh Nash of Sixpence None the Richer.

Miguel is one of the fresh talents under ABS-CBN Music International, ABS-CBN’s music label that seeks to introduce the exceptional artistry of Filipinos to global audiences.

LOVE songs, Pinoy humor, little known historical trivia, and so much more, await online viewers in In The Islands with Anthony Castelo, a show that airs on YouTube.

A pre-recorded program featuring the music of the OPM legend and his guests, the musical-variety show is designed for Filipinos here and abroad. In The Islands, says Castelo, promotes national pride and Filipino values.

“The series will also exhibit the unique and colorful character of our island nation,’’ the singer behind timeless songs “Balatkayo,” “Kaibigan,” “Nang Dahil sa Pag-ibig,” among many others, says.

For the program, Castelo has composed a theme song called “I’m Coming Home, Philippine Islands,’’ written straight from the heart. Anthony lived in the United States for several years.

The singer-composer’s nationalistic bent has given rise to another new song,” Minamahal Kita, Philippines.”

Guesting in various episodes of the show are Pilita Corrales, Freddie Aguilar, Teresa Loyzaga, DJ Alvaro, Carla Castelo, Aileen Papin, and Hannah Villame, among

52 phenomenal...

From C4

others. Amay Bisaya and Rey Valenzuela are resident comedians.

In The Islands with Anthony Castelo, which premieres on Valentine’s Day, is produced by Oxin Entertaiment Productions, and directed by Xion Lim. Post-production supervision is by JayV Chua and Raymark Aguilar.

Check out Castelo Media Productions on YouTube every Friday or at any time of your convenience.

Singer-actor Anthony Castelo

Maria Regina Malana, Adelma Benedicta, Kim Chi Crizaldo, Noreen Mangawit, Krizha Ocampo, Jo-Ann Flores, Chiara Lyn Markwalder, Ivanna Pacis, Lara Hamid, Sigrid Grace Flores, Kim- Lou Dominique Piczon, Alexandra Abberly Hakenson, Tracy Maureen Perez, don, Maria Lianina Macalino, CaroWe’am Ahmed, Mariel Joyce Pascua, line Joy Veronilla, Maricres Castro,

Angela Aninang, Adee Akiyama, Jennifer Linda, Patricia Mae Santos, Maria Niña Soriano, Zandra Nicole, Riana Pangindian, Michele Gumabao, Faye Deveza, Ericka Evangelista, Maria Fee Tajaran, and Carissa Rozil, Perlyn Y. Cayona.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

THURSDAY, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 20, 13, 2020 2020

‘Madrasta’ airs suspenseful finale TOP-rating GMA series Madrasta is set to air its heart-tugging finale tomorrow, Feb. 21.

Thw afternoon series delved on the colorful character of Audrey (Arra San Agustin) whose ordinary life is changed when she met Sean (Juancho Trivino) who happens to father two children alongside his ex-wife Katharine (Thea Tolentino) who makes her life a living hell.

Arra San Agustin, who breathed life to the character of Audrey, shared what she loved most about portraying her character, “She’s a loyal person.”

“Imagine the challenges and troubles she’s gone theough– nakalimutan siya

ng asawa niya, pinagtabuyan siya, nakaaway niya ‘yung nanay ng asawa niya, may malditang ex-wife – hindi ka ba mapapagod ‘pag ganoon ‘yung nararanasan mo every day? Siguro ‘pag nagkaroon ako ng friend na katulad ni Audrey, sobrang ite-treasure ko siya dahil alam kong hindi niya ako iiwanan and alam kong ipaglalaban n’ya ako until the end.”

Arra also expressed her gratitude towards her co-stars and the production team for the newfound friendship, “We›ve created a different kind of friendship.

We became close as we bond on the set.

I think that›s what I›m going to kiss the

most, the friendship. « Thea Tolentino, who has convincingly given justice to her role as the infuriating Katharine, shared that all kontravida roles she has portrayed had an underlying depth to them, “Not all baddy roles that I do are naturally evil. They have reasons why they behave the way they do. Like in Madrasta, lahat ng sinasabi ng nanay ko sinusunod ko dahil sa kanya lang ako nakakatanggap ng pagmamahal.”

Continued on C3 ‘Madrasta’ lead stars Arra San Agustin and Juancho Trivino

Band girl

Biliran’s Skelly Ivy Florida is a Tourism student

Maria Ysabella Ysmael of Paranaque

52 phenomenal Filipinas vie for local pageant’s most coveted crown O

N VALENTINE’S Day, fifty-two candidates—vying for the most coveted title in local pageantry, Miss Universe Philippines—were presented to the press at the Maynila Ballroon of Manila Hotel.

As the Philippine franchise makes the search for that one Queen, it is only fitting that the lovely ladies be publicly introduced via the glamor and muchdeserved royal treatment of a Red Carpet affair in the hotel that truly represents Filipino history and tradition, The Manila Hotel.

In keeping with the theme, the ladies donned amazing modern Ternos, some made of indigenous fabrics, to highlight not just Filipino artistry but local culture and creations as well.

Present at the glitzy affair was Miss Universe Philippines National Director Shamcey Supsup and other luminaries, hosts Christi McGarry (Ms Intercontinental 2015 1st runner-up) and Andre Brouillette, as well as VIP guests and numerous members of the media.

The 52 candidates of the inaugural Miss Universe Philippines pageant headed by its national director Shamcey Supsup.

To become agents of meaningful change, the new Miss Universe Philippines will embody a strong commitment in promoting three key pillars, namely, beautiful transformation, to achieve the best version of herself; beyond the coastlines, to open their eyes on the best the country has to offer with focus on sustainable tourism; and inspiring women with action, to train and support contestants with their chosen advocacies.

One candidate that is a force to be reckoned with is ballerina Maria Ysabella Ysmael, a niece of former Miss Universe Margie Moran and granddaughter of veteran actress Marita Zobel. She’s representing Parañaque City. Other standouts were Davao City’s bet Alaiza Malinao,

who has semblance with former Miss Universe Lara Dutta, Quezon City’s bet and volleyball superstar Michele Theresa Gumabao, Bohol’s Pauline Amelinckx, Iloilo City’s Rabiya Mateo, Sorsogon’s Maria Isabela Galeria, Cebu Province’s Apriel Smith, Albay’s Paula Madarieta Ortega, Taguig City’s Sandra Lemonon, and Biliran’s Skelly Ivy Florida.

The rest of the candidates to give these ladies a good run for their money come finals night on May 3, at the Mall of Asia, are: Christelle Abello, Christine Nicole Silvernal, Joecel Marie Robenta, Princess Marquez, Bea Maynigo, Jan Alexis Elcano, Nathalia Urcia, Dianella Louise P. Loya, Vincy Vacalares, Danica Reynes, Krizzia Lyn Moren, Mariam Continued on C3

Cerise Limueco is no doubt the center of attraction of new band Zerise as she writes and sings their originals.

OFTEN the problem of a young band is the tendency to focus on the production of noises instead of creating ear-pleasing melodies from which musical elements take their route. Too much youth energy may affect group dynamics in unfavorable ways, resulting to acts with overloaded attitude but lacking musicality.

New band Zerise may have gotten the memo early on and was careful enough not to fall into such trap. It is evident in their song Wala that the group embraces a natural understanding of what good melody is. The words are, without surprise, pulled from the deep well of Pinoy hugot lines, yet possessing a strong recall that puts a set of words you’re familiar with in a colorfully new, radiating light.

Lead vocalist and songwriter Cerise Limueco, obviously the focal point of this quintet, is making effective use of her musical influences like Taylor Swift and Macklemore. That you can create melody runs that stand out means you have tinkered with music as a tool to make your messages get across listeners primarily by way of that. Isn’t that poetic passages become easily recallable when there’s a sweet tune carrying them through?

Zerise gathered friends and a select pool of music writers at their EP Album Listening Party last month at Archipelago 7107 in El Pueblo, Ortigas Center. There they performed songs written and lead-sung by Cerise herself. Her live act gets ample help from her skilled backing group of lead guitarist John Daniel Bardoc, rhythm

guitar player Jared Isaiah Cortado, bassist Christian Maranan, and drummer/ YUGEL keyboardist Bryanne LOSORATA Tuazon. That slashed dual duty proved more spectacular when seen live. Bryanne’s the dude who has learned how to mix up the current technology and superb playing ability in really cool fashion his group doesn’t need a sixth member.

“We want to build a music career that we will be proud of,” noted Cerise whose voice on record boasts an emotional pull that matches her lyric writing.

Live-wise, she could get extra excited that somehow lessens the grip of the songs. Well, that matter is best treated by gig routine and years of public exposure which a band still looking for breakthrough would have to go through. Nothing’s easy in the music scene but an artist with a gift for melody-making and lyric writing always has an advantage in moving forward.

Producer Mally Paraguya, of P.O.T fame, is likely to have seen it that he got himself on board.

The band’s showcase of original songs displays their knack for Tagalog songs, all with refrains and choruses.

Somehow the singer has a big dosage of bitterness over romance, with lines like “Kailangan kong tanggapin na hindi tayo para sa isa’t isa” or “Di na kita pipilitin pang manatili sakin kung di lang ako ang kaya mong mahalin” spilled all over her palette. Here’s to hoping their music will help in the process of healing. Besides, that’s what music is about.

Villancico Vocal Ensemble at Bamboo Organ fest THE Villancico Vocal Ensemble is a group of choral music enthusiasts founded in 2009 by the Junior Music Educators Guild of UP Diliman College of Music under the baton of conductor Eudenice V. Palaruan. It formed out of spontaneous music-making during leisure time, which eventuVillancico Vocal Ensemble

ally turned out to be an established nonprofit singing group.

The vocal ensemble is mainly composed of student conductors, professional musicians, and active members from various university and church choirs. Their repertoire primarily centers on early music, particularly works from the Renaissance and Baroque periods.

The Villancico Vocal Ensemble has

been performing since 2012 yearly at the International Bamboo Organ Festival along with guest artists from abroad.

Currently under the musical directorship of Dr. Beverly ShangkuanCheng, the Villancico Vocal Ensemble continues to uphold its mandate to perform choral music in its highest standard and to make it accessible to its growing audience.