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Virus cases surge, alarm up HIGH COURT GETS TOUGH ON TROS, INJUNCTIONS

Bato: Drug lords killed BuCor lawyer By Macon Ramos-Araneta Repatriation plan and Rey E. Requejo may leave out 52 on cruise ship

WHO: Hit hard vs. disease now or face serious problem later

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 372 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DRUG lords at the New Bilibid Prison could be behind the killing of Bureau of Corrections former legal counsel Anthony Fredric Santos, also a witness in the Good Conduct Time Allowance anomaly, said Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa

House defers action on ABS-CBN A

expires on March 30. The In aWorld press Health briefing,Organization Presidential warned nations they couldPanelo face a said serious Spokesman Salvador the problem if they fail to “hit hard now” President had nothing to do with the against new coronavirus, which has delay the in Congress or the quo warranto infected 75,000 inGeneral China and petitionmore filedthan by Solicitor Jose over 1,100 abroad. China pointed to official numbers showing a drop in new cases this week as evidence that its drastic containment measures are working, but fresh cases emerged at two Beijing hospitals and more than 200 other cases in two prisons. Chinese authorities have placed tens of millions of people under quarantine in hard-hit Hubei province and restricted Next page

Calida seeking to revoke ABS-CBN’s franchise. “What is important is, the President said, they should do something about it. Meaning to say, do their job. If there is a pending application before Congress, then members of Congress should deliberate on it and decide whether or not to grant or to deny the extension,” Panelo said. There are 11 bills seeking to extend ABS-CBN’s franchise for another 25 years are pending, but Cayetano said the House would be able to tackle Next page

on Thursday. Dela Rosa, who served as BuCor director before he ran for senator, came up with this statement based on his own experiences. “Most likely, those behind the killing, based on my experience, the drug lords jailed in Bilibid ordered the killing of our Next page

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

Immigration man tags 5 in ’pastillas’

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 373 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

N ERUPTION of new virus cases in South Korea, Iran By Maricel Cruz, MJ and and Chinese hospitals Blancaﬂ or, Rey Requejo prisons rekindled concerns SPEAKER Alan Peter Cayetano said Friday about the spread of the House is likely to delay hearings a on deadly disease thatuntil hasMay or ABS-CBN’s franchise August,more even though President Rodrikilled than 2,200 go Duterte said he wants lawmakers to people. discuss the issue before the franchise

(Story on A2)

AT LEAST 52 of the 558 Filipinos quarantined aboard M/V Diamond Princess might be left behind in Japan, but Health officials were unable to confirm if they all tested positive for the deadly new coronavirus (COVID-19). In a media briefing, Health Assistant Secretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the number might still increase since others might develop the symptoms before boarding the chartered plane that would bring them home to the Philippines. The repatriates from Japan will be placed under a 14-day quarantine at Athletes Village in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, just as the first batch of returnees—30 Filipinos from Wuhan, the center of the COVID-19 outbreak, completed their 14-day quarantine. Filipinos left in Japan who test positive for COVID-19 will be transfered to hospitals or other facilities in Japan. They will be allowed to leave the country only afterMacon being discharged from those hospiBy Ramos-Araneta tals. MJ Blancaflor and The 14-day quarantine of the more than 3,500 passengers and crew of the ORMER airport Diamond Princess docked in Yokohama, officials and employees Japan, ended on Wednesday. Earlier, Health Secretary of the Bureau of Francisco Duque III said he and Interior Secretary Immigration arewritten behind thelocal Eduardo Año have to the

Syndicate behind scheme exposed in Senate probe

F CORONAVIRUS CHECKED? This photo, taken

on Feb. 20, shows a doctor looking at a lung CT image at a hospital in Yunmeng county, Xiaogan city, in China’s central Hubei province. A day later, China touted a big drop in new cases of the coronavirus as a sign it has contained the epidemic. Below, a South Korean health official sprays disinfectant in front of a hospital where a total of 16 infections have now been identified with the COVID-19 coronavirus. AFP

China to test new vaccine in April

CHINa could start clinical trials for a po- China. Another 11 people died abroad, tential vaccine for the novel coronavirus with some 1,100 infections in around 25 around late April, an official said Friday. countries. Public and private researchers “Several research teams were trying difaround the world have ferent techniques to develop a pobeen working to detential vaccine, and the earlivelop treatments est vaccine is expected to and vaccines be submitted for clinito combat cal trials around late the COVApril,” Xu NanID-19 virus ping, vice science that first and technology emerged minister, told a in central press briefing. China in China’s December. vaccine deM o r e velopment and than 2,200 research is curpeople have rently “basically in I DO. Immigration officer 1 Allison Chiong (top left) tells a Senate committee hearing Thursday the source immigration process diedhe isand more of the video showing officers facilitating the step with other counfor Chinese POGO workers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Chiong named the current and 75,000 former immigration officials involved in the bribery scheme as Traffi Control than have tries,” he cadded. Enforcement Unit officers Bien Guevarra, Glenn Comia and Den Binsol. Chiong said these officials were under Ports Division Chief Marc Red Mariñas. Ey Acasio Next page been infected by itOperation in

“pastillas” system by which Next page Chinese workers and fugitives enter the country by paying bribes, a whistleblower said Thursday.

Ex-DOH chief indicted anew over Dengvaxia

In a Senate hearing on human trafficking and prostitution, Immigration officer Allison Chiong said these officials were behind the syndicate that facilitated the By Reyentry E. Requejo smooth of Chinese nationals who enter the country to work in Philippine THE Justice department has again recomOffshore Gaming Operators. mended the indictment of Health Chiong said these groupsformer worked with Secretary andtravel now Iloilo Rep. Janette GaChina-based agencies, who send rin and offiof cials in connection them a other list ofhealth names people who are with the second batch of complaints inabout to enter the country. volving the deaths eight schoolchildren “The syndicatedofgroups would often arising from inoculation uncompete withtheir each other towith gainthefavor proven vaccine. from theDengvaxia Chinese travel agencies,” Chiong Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida said. Acosta on Friday welcomed indictment He revealed that they gavethebribes rangof Garin severaland others. ing fromand P50,000 P200,000 so that evidence presented is overwhelmthe“The Chinese nationals—even those that ing,” she told the Manila Standard. have been blacklisted—can freely enter Dengvaxia full the“The country, passing victims throughexpected Immigration indictment and prosecution at the proper counters without any question. Next page court with jurisdiction.” In a statement released on Friday, Justice Assistant Secretary Neal Bainto said the panel of prosecutors that conducted the preliminary investigation had found probable cause to charge Garin and nine other toldcials reporters. offi of the Department of Health, the “If Espenido want to ask for any Food and Drug would Administration, Research protective the government, Institute formeasure Tropicalfrom Medicine and Sanofi then heInc. canfor so reckless request imprudence just like anyresultother Pasteur citizen. ing in homicide. Next page Meanwhile, Espenido welcomed the due process granted by Philippine NaFormer tional Police Chief Archie Gamboa to the Health policemen on Duterte’s latest drug watch Secretary list, including him. Next page Janette

Fund lackscoff blocks move develop 'Pastillas' Palace offhard ers govt protection to controversial cop to break, says DOJ ’Presstofreedom Trump s at Oscars winner E. Requejo, By Rey MJ Blancaﬂ or vaccines; Duque prefers buy option non-issue in ABS’ ByMacon Ramos-Araneta

PRESIDENT Donald Trump on ThursBy scorned MacontheRamos-Araneta day best picture Oscar for South Korean ﬁlm “Parasite,” asking THEa Philippines hascould no budget develhow foreign movie get theto honor. op“How its own vaccines, which would need bad was the Academy Awards billions and billions of pesos that it this year?” Trump asked the crowd atcana not afford, Health Secretary packed reelection campaign rallyFrancisco in ColDuqueSprings, III saidColorado. Thursday. orado In an interview over radio dzMM, “We got enough problems with South Duque said it was more cost-effective Next page to buy vaccines from rich countries that have the capacity to develop the drugs.

“They have economies scale,” Duque By MJ Blancafl or and said, adding that this made their vaccines Macon Ramos-Araneta cheaper.

He dismissed reports that developing FILIPINOS still enjoy in press countries are would being sidestepped the freedom even if ABS-CBN forced distribution of vaccines, sayingisbig comto shut because of infranchise panies aredown mandated to lead developproblems, said Friday. ing vaccinesthe forPalace diseases such as the new In an interview on the ANC news coronavirus (COVID-19). channel, Presidential Spokesman Duque pointed to research in China Salvador Panelo said freedomNext of page the press will not diminish by the loss of one network, saying other news organizations continue to operate. “Assuming that ABS-CBN will be gone, are you telling me that freedom of the press will die? Of course not! There are other networks, other radio stations,” Panelo said. ABS-CBN has been the target of President Rodrigo Duterte’s ire. While his allies in Congress have delayed hearing bills that would renew its franchise, Solicitor General Jose Calida has filed a quo warranto petition before the Supreme Court seeking to isrevoke it altogether for alleged SUMMIT AGENDA. The deadly coronavirus set to dominate the agenda of PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursviolations. the high-level Vientianne summit Thursday, as China’s foreign minister meets with his day discouraged policemen from marryIn 2018, have a similar resulted Southeast Asian counterparts whose countries’ economies been petition hard-hit over ing their fellow offi cers, as he raised the Wednesday ouster of then ChiefaJustice Mafears of widespread contagion. Inset conis a photoin taken showing laboratory cern that children beofleft on at their technician holdingwould samples virus a laboratory in Hengyang in China’s central Henan ria Lourdes Sereno. own sinceAFP uniformed personnel could be province. But Panelo said Calida’s quo warassigned anywhere in the country. ranto petition does not attack anyone’s Speaking at the joint graduation cerright to criticize the government. emony of the Philippine National Police “The very grounds of the quo warpublic safety courses, President Duterte do is notnot even your right to VIENTIANE, Laos―China’s efforts ranto “China onlytouch protecting its own said womenthe offi cers should be assigned criticize, right editorito control deadly outbreak of a new people but your also the resttoofmake the world,” he page als,the right, so what is the connection of coronavirus “are working,”Next Beijing’s told summit in Vientiane, referencing of expression of theofpress? top diplomat said Thursday, attributing afreedom recent sharp drop in neworcases the viNone, right?” an easing in new cases to his country’s rus inside China,Panelo where said. it has killed more petition accuses ABS-CBN “forceful action” against the illness. thanCalida’s 2,100 people. unlawfully exercising its franchise Speaking in Laos before talks with ofPhilippine Foreign Minister Teodoro by allegedly offering peers from the 10 Southeast Asian Locsin Jr. thanked Chinapaid for itsbroadcast “unpreccontent domestic without government approv(ASEAN) countries, Wang Yi said the edented measures and quick al and by allegedly referring allowing foreign outbreak was “controllable and curable” action”―apparently to the despite the global panic it has seeded. Next Nextpage page

Cops told: Never marry own kind

Virus control efforts working—China

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will not let

and MJ Lt. Blancafl embattled Colonel or Jovie Espenido to

be harmed, the Palace said Thursday after Espenido Secretary said the government could go JUSTICE Menardo Guevarra after him since included incult its drug on Friday said he it was would be diffi to watchlist. break a syndicate operating within the Presidential Spokesmanbecause Salvador Bureau of Immigration ofPanits elo with said Espenido ties groups in could China.ask for protec“This seems to be a big syndicate that could have originated not from… [the] airport. This is why it’s a bit difficult to break this syndicate,” Guevarra said in an interview over radio dzMM. Guevarra said Chinese tour operators (First appear toof betwo in cahoots with errparts) ing BI officers and personnel who were implicated during a Senate hearing of By Jimbo Gulle pocketing P10,000 for every Chinese national into the country IF YOU they thinkallowed Metro Manila’s traffic is a problem, the garbage situation will, in modern social media-speak, tell you to “hold its beer.”

astion a tourist, but who later ifwould workfor from the government he feared inhis online hubs. life, gambling and assured him that President The Justice admitted that Duterte wouldsecretary not hurt anyone ‘‘outside itlegal mayprocesses. take “a little while” before the National Bureau can “If that is the of fearInvestigation of Colonel Esperelease a report the “pastillas” nido, then weon cannot stop himbribfrom ery scam, named for the rolls of grease entertaining such apprehension. But money rolled upwill in not paper like anyone milk the President allow candy. to be hurt outside legal processes or A whistleblower methods sanctioned tagged by law,former Panelo chiefs of the Ninoy Aquio International Airport terminals as conduits for the illegal Chinese entrants. Guevarra revealed that China is also providing local authorities information on hundreds of Chinese fugitives who Pundits and critics alike say the Nasupposedly bribed their trash way output into the tional Capital Region’s is a Philippines. ticking time bomb, indicative of a similar The Justice secretaryacross said the problem experienced theBureau country, ofand Immigration often reshufﬂ es personnelofrecent statements by government Next page ﬁcials have only underscored the issue. Last December, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the country was in the middle of a “garbage crisis.” Waste gener-

Garin

Garbage crisis in Metro: A ticking time bomb ation, he said, had become unprecedented, Filipinos selﬁshly threw their refuse everywhere―mostly into water systems― and massive clean-up drives only moved tons of litter from one place to another. In an environmental forum that month, Cimatu said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources would issue,

Rody rules out military pact with China, vows to heed SC

Turn to A3

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is not considering a military pact with China after he scrapped a key deal in the Philippines’ defense alliance with the United States, his spokesman said Friday. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo also said Malacañang was ready to heed the Supreme Court if it ruled that terminating the Philippines’ visiting forces agreement with the United States required a Senate concurrence. This came after some senators vowed they would petition the Supreme Court questioning President Duterte’s decision to terminate the country’s military with Washington. GABRIELA GEARS UP. Militants hold placards during a protest rally in front pact “We will seek the concurrence of the of the Department of National Defense in Manila on Friday. Members of the Gabriela Senate if the Supreme Court says so. Alliance for Women called for the termination of US-Philippines military exercises for There’s no problem with that,” Panelo 2020 as part of the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement and the immediate LAKAS GATHERING. Officers and members of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats led by House Majority Leader Martin Next page said. transfer of Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton to the New Bilibid Prison. AFP

Romualdez (center) pose for posterity during the lunch meeting of the party at the House of Representatives. Romualdez has said the party will always be a partner of the administration to ensure the swift passage of President Duterte’s legislative agenda. Ver Noveno

News

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

29 quakes shake Taal A TOTAL of 29 volcanic earthquakes were recorded and weak plume activity had been observed in Taal Volcano for the past 24 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Friday. The number of volcanic quakes was slightly higher than the 25 recorded the previous day. Volcanic earthquakes are caused by movements or eruptions of magma from the volcano. Weak plume emissions of 50 to 100 meters tall had been observed for the fourth consecutive day. A weaker eruption is based on the height of the plume coming out of the crater. A volcanic plume is a column of hot volcanic ash and gas emitted into the atmosphere during an explosive volcanic eruption. Taal Volcano is still under Alert Level 2 (decreased unrest). PHIVOLCS earlier announced it would lower the volcano’s alert status to Level 1 (low-level unrest) should there be a continuous downtrend in the monitored parameters after a sufficient observation period. PHIVOLCS executive director Renato Solidum Jr. said the standard operating procedure was two weeks of continuous downtrend to trigger a lowering of the alert level. Meanwhile, PHIVOLCS reiterated that entry into Taal Volcano Island, Taal’s Permanent Danger Zone, was strictly prohibited. Local government units are advised to additionally assess previously evacuated areas within the seven-kilometer radius for damage and road accessibility, and to strengthen preparedness, contingency and communication measures in case of renewed unrest. People are advised to observe precaution 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, Solidum said.

Trump... From A1

Korea, with trade. On top of it, they give them the best movie of the year?” Trump asked in disbelief. “Parasite,” a dark comedy exploring class divides, made history by becoming the first non-English-language film to win Hollywood’s biggest annual prize. Saying “was it good? I don’t know,” Trump seemed to indicate he had not watched the film. Neon, the US distributor for “Parasite,” answered the president on Twitter, saying his opposition to the subtitled film was “Understandable, he can’t read.” Trump, whose presidency has been built on a nationalist “America first” slogan, said it was time to bring back classics from Hollywood’s golden age. “Let’s get ‘Gone With the Wind.’ Can we get ‘Gone With the Wind’ back please? ‘Sunset Boulevard?’” he said. Trump also took a crack at Best Supporting Actor winner Brad Pitt, calling him “a little wiseguy.” Pitt used his award acceptance speech to support the impeachment of Trump. AFP

Cops... From A1

nearest to their homes so they could look after their children. “The wife must be—who is a policewoman, police officer—assigned as near as where the family home is. Because if not, the children will suffer. That’s why I have serious misgivings about this new batch of police officers who are married with their classmates,” Duterte said. In his speech, Duterte also said he might return to teaching when his term ends on June 30, 2022, adding he could convey in a 30-minute lecture what criminal law is. “In 30 minutes, in a very clear and concise language, I can convey to you what criminal law, criminal procedure, and criminal evidence is. Too bad, but anyway maybe in a few years, if I’m no longer President about two years from now, I could devote my time lecturing,” Duterte said. The President said he wanted to give a lecture to the graduating police officers but did not have much time. He said he could have shared with them “a little knowledge” of his as a prosecutor. Duterte told his audience that he used to teach at a police academy until he became mayor of Davao City in 1986. He also asked police officers to perform their duty well and avoid getting involved in any irregularity, as he renewed his warning that those who engage in illegal drug trade will die. The President also said he would help officers facing charges in the performnce of duty. “All the police officers who had cases in the performance of duty, I chased and helped. You are safe with me...just give me the report. As long as you do not give me a false story, I will take care of the rest,” he said. MJ Blancaflor

House sidesteps Charter change change. Rodriguez’s committee is pushing for the approval of the bill despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s and Congress’ loss of interest in the measure. “Everyone would like to have their own position and we cannot stop our own members from expressing their views on each and every section amendments that the Interagency Task Force on Constitutional Reform has given. We don’t want to rush this because precisely haste makes waste. What you will do is try to really have them discuss all the provisions that are proposed by the IATF,” Rodriguez said.

franchise among others. “We postponed deliberations because there are more pressing controversial issues. It’s hard to reach a good decision in an emotional setting like now. There are too many hot heads. The cooler heads will be out-talked,” Cayetano said.

He said postponing the discussions on Charter change would give lawmakers enough time to study thoroughly the proposed amendments to the Charter. “I want to get things done by consensus. I don’t believe that pressuring the chamber and its members is necessary to have the Charter change bill passed. Young legislators have to be persuaded rather than pressured, and that is the style now, which is better,” Cayetano said. Last Wednesday, the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments, led by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, prepared the ﬁnal draft of the proposed Charter

movements in other cities far from the epicentre. Countries have banned travellers from China and airlines have suspended flights to and from the country. But clusters and outbreaks continue to emerge, and 11 people have now died outside mainland China. South Korean sect South Korea on Friday confirmed 52 more cases, taking the country’s overall figure to 156, as the number of infections linked to a religious sect spiked, making it the worst-infected country outside China. More than 80 members of Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu have now been infected, starting with a 61-year-old woman who developed a fever on February 10 but attended at least four church services before being diagnosed. The mayor of Daegu--South Korea’s fourth-biggest city, with a population of

over 2.5 million-- has advised residents to stay indoors, while access to a major US base in the area has been restricted. Residents wore masks to go about their daily activities Friday, but the streets remained active. Outside the Shincheonji church in the city, Seo Dong-min, 24, told AFP: “With so many confirmed cases here I’m worried that Daegu will become the second Wuhan,” referring to the Chinese city where the virus first emerged. Iran confirmed three new cases after two elderly men died from the virus in the city of Qom, prompting Iraq to ban travel to and from its neighbour. Health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpour said two of the new cases were also in Qom and the other was in Arak, south of the holy city. In Australia, two people who had been evacuated from a virus-wracked cruise ship off Japan tested positive for mild cases of the COVID-19 illness. Hundreds of people have been allowed to leave the ship after testing negative for the disease and many have returned to their home countries to face

further quarantine. The two cases in Australia will fuel questions about Tokyo’s policy of allowing former Diamond Princess passengers to return home after testing negative. Two former passengers, both Japanese and in their 80s, died in Japan on Thursday. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Thursday that now “is the time to attack the virus” while the number of cases abroad remains low. “If we don’t hit hard now using the window of opportunity we might be faced with a serious problem,” he said. “This virus is very dangerous and it’s public enemy number one and it’s not being treated as such.” Prisons and hospitals China reported 118 more deaths on Friday, raising the toll to 2,236, most of the them in Hubei. The National Health Commission also said in its daily update that China tallied 889 new cases. The number is up from the previous day when it reported the lowest amount

of new infections in nearly a month, fuelling hopes that the epidemic is nearing its peak. But Beijing health ofﬁcials said 36 people, including medical staff, patients and their families, have now tested positive for the virus at Fuxing hospital. Part of the hospital had been under lockdown already after nine cases had appeared earlier this month. At Peking University People’s Hospital, a patient became infected after a visit from two relatives who tested positive for the virus. The discovery could dash hopes of a return to normality in the capital. Most of China remains paralysed over fears of contagion, with people slowly trickling back to work, schools remaining closed, and Beijing ordering returnees to self-quarantine for 14 days. Two correctional facilities in east China reported cases, with 200 prisoners and seven guards testing positive at Rencheng prison in Shandong province, ofﬁcials said. Another 34 cases were found at a prison in Zhejiang province. AFP AFP

China...

Repatriation...

The World Health Organization said Tuesday it could take a year or longer for a vaccine to become available. “The vaccine could be the long-term because it could take up to 12 to 18 months and this is like preparing for the worst situation,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. China is currently using five different approaches to develop the vaccine to curb the spread of the virus, said Zeng Yixin, deputy director of China’s National Health Commission These include using inactivated coronavirus to produce a vaccine, using genetic engineering to mass-produce proteins that could act as antigens for the novel coronavirus or modifying existing vaccines for influenza, Zeng said. “At present, some projects have entered the stage of animal testing,” he said. Scientists in the US announced Wednesday they had created the first 3D atomic-scale map of the part of the novel coronavirus that attaches to and infects human cells, a critical step toward developing vaccines and treatments. AFP

government of Capas to inform it of the “unanimous decision” of the Inter-agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IAFT-EID) to again use Athletes’ Village as quarantinne for the repatriates from the Diamond Princess. Vergeire said the ﬁrst batch of repatriates have not shown signs and symptoms of fever, cough or sore throat during their 14-day stay. She said they will now be allowed to go back to their respective homes. “We are glad that our repatriates are all well and safe from COVID-19. Our repatriation mission is not possible without the dedication and cooperation of the entire Interagency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases with all its member agencies. We are extremely grateful for the collective effort of the government,” she said. The Health department is coordinating with other agencies in the task force, the World Health Organization, the Philippine Embassy in Japan, and the Magsaysay Maritime Corp. for the repatriation of

around 460 to 480 Filipinos aboard the cruise ship who requested assistance to return to the Philippines. The DOH tracker showed that 35 more patients under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19 were discharged from hospitals. This brought to 455 the total number of patients discharged from hospitals. The DOH website also showed there are still 139 patients being checked for COVID-19 in various hospitals. Vergeire said there’s still no certainty that the COVID-19 outbreak would end despite a decrease in new cases. Citing the ongoing international health crisis around COVID-19, all kinds of cruise ships visiting the province of Ilocos Norte are temporarily banned. Gov. Matthew Joseph Manotoc, in an executive oder, said “all cruise ships shall be temporarily banned from docking at any ports in Ilocos Norte” as a proactive measure against COVID-19. Any person arriving in the province from countries with conﬁrmed COVID-19 cases must undergo mandatory self-quarantine for 14 days, the order states. Also on Friday, the Civil Service Commission issued guidelines on leaves of ab-

sence as a result of possible exposure to COVID-19. “Public sector officials and employees, whether permanent, temporary, provisional, substitute, coterminous, casual, contractual, or fixed term who feel sick with COVID-19 like symptoms or have been exposed to persons infected with the virus, are directed to immediately inform their supervisor, voluntarily seek immediate medical attention, or go on self-quarantine upon the advice and certification of a licensed physician,” the guidelines read. “Moreover, government workers who have history of travel from China and its Special Administrative Regions (Macau and Hong Kong) as well as from other countries declared or identified by competent Philippine authorities… must ensure that they have submitted themselves to selfquarantine in their homes or any appropriate health facility for 14 calendar days upon arrival in the Philippines. They shall not report back to work unless the self-quarantine period has elapsed or they are issued with a clearance as being fit to go back to work by proper health authorities.” Absences due to the quarantine will not be deducted from earned leave credits, the commission said.

The DOJ prosecutors have already found sufficient basis to indict those named as respondents in the first batch of complaints filed by the Public Attorney’s Office. Bainto said the DOJ panel found that there was an “inexcusable lack of precaution” on the part of Garin and the other respondent government officials in “fasttracking of the procurement process” for the Dengvaxia vaccine despite being aware of its low efficacy results and the potential risks associated with its use. Executive Order 49, series of 1993, requires Philippine National Drug Formulary listing before drug purchases by the government can be made, subject to certain exceptions. “The panel found that the respondent government officials were reckless when they allowed the purchase of the Dengvaxia vaccine despite the red flags already known to them,’’ the DOJ state-

ment said. It said the prosecutors noted that the clinical trials for the Dengvaxia vaccine were not yet completed when it was purchased and rolled out for use in the government’s mass immunization program. Despite the ongoing clinical trials, FDA approved the vaccine’s registration. The DOJ panel said reckless imprudence was exhibited by those who voluntarily, but without malice do or fail to do an act “from which material damage results by reason of inexcusable lack of precaution” of said person. “The panel concluded that the accomplishment of the procurement process for the Dengvaxia vaccine, with undue haste, within a limited time frame, and despite the red ﬂags known to Garin and the other respondents, amounted to Reckless Imprudence,” Bainto said. With Rio N. Araja

continues to have trust and confidence in Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, he was not off the hook yet. “As I’ve said, everyone is not off the hook. The confidence is there until [a] contrary statement is made by the President,” Panelo told Palace reporters. Chinese who work in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators allegedly pay P10,000 to get special treatment from Immigration officials and employees upon their arrival in the Philippines, Senator Risa Hontiveros bared on Monday. Panelo said Morente’s fate would also be taken up in the next Cabinet meeting. “It means he will be assessed, his performance,” he said. The National Bureau of Investigation has already started the investigation into the alleged “pastillas” racket. Panelo said Morente would also be subject of the ongoing probe. “When an office is involved in the scheme, all those working there are being investigated,” he said in Filipino. Senator Francisco Pangilinan said the fact that the bribery system thrived under Morente’s nose was proof of his incompetence.

Rody...

By Maricel V. Cruz

HARTER change is not a priority of the House of Representatives under the present leadership, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said Friday.

He said as far as the chamber was concerned, there were other priority legislation and more pressing concerns that lawmakers had to attend to than reviewing the 1987 Constitution, such as the coronavirus scare, the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement and the renewal of ABS CBN’s

Virus... From A1

From A1

Ex-DOH... From A1

‘Press... From A1

ownership in violation of constitutional restrictions. Several media groups have expressed their support for ABS-CBN, a company that employs 11,000 workers, and have linked the government moves against it as an assault on press freedom. The issue has also pit the House against the Senate, after Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano took senators to task for taking up the ABS-CBN franchise renewal when such bills should emanate from the House. On Friday, Senator Francis Pangilinan said holding parallel hearings in the Senate on bills that should emanate from the House—such as the budget bill, tax bills or franchise measures— was “standard parliamentary practice” for decades now. “It is certainly consistent with the law and parliamentary practice,” Pangilinan said. The Senate committee on public services, chaired by Senator Grace Poe, will start deliberating on the network’s franchise on Feb. 24, Monday, while Cayetano says the House would tackle such bills by August at the earliest. Cayetano said franchise bills should emanate from the House. Senator Panﬁlo Lacson said Cayetano may have a point since the Constitution provides that bills of local application like franchise measures must emanate from the House. But, he said Cayetano is wrong in equating it to a constitutional violation. He also said it has long been the practice of the Senate to conduct committee hearings on tax and budget measures even before the House transmits their approved version of the bills to the Senate.

Citing the 78-page resolution dated Feb. 19, the DOJ said the panel also found sufficient evidence to indict the president of Sanofi for violating the Consumer Act of the Philippines for manufacturing the Dengvaxia vaccine, which it said posed certain risks to seronegative, or to those who had not previously contracted the dengue disease. Copies of the resolution were not made available to the media. “Likewise, the panel found that the circumstances surrounding the dispensation of the Dengvaxia vaccine made the same a mislabeled drug and held liable the President of Sanofi and four of its other officers or directors for violating the same Act,” the DOJ statement said.

‘Pastillas’... From A1

who might be vulnerable to bribes, pending the approval of a law that would raise their salary and modernize the agency. The Palace on Friday said Chinese who entered the country illegally will have to be deported. “The President always says we should follow the law,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in Filipino. He issued the statement after the bribery scheme at the airport was exposed during Senate hearings. The President has also ordered Immigration officials employees linked to the bribery scam to be relieved. In Senate testimony, the whisteblower Allison Chiong, an Immigration officer, identified officials and employees involved in the bribery syndicate, saying Chinese nationals could skip the immigration process if their names were found in a master list. Chiong has been put in the government’s Witness Protection Program. Panelo said that while the President

From A1

Duterte last week ordered the termination of the two-decade-old Visiting Forces Agreement with the US after it canceled the visa of his former drug war chief and now Senator Ronald Dela Rosa. Asked if Duterte was open to a similar VFA with China, Panelo said “no.” “I asked him, Mr. President are you willing to enter into a new military forces agreement with another country? ‘No,’” Panelo told ANC. “He is decided that we stand on our own capability. If that will mean you will be spending more, then let’s spend more,” he said. The VFA is the legal framework for the presence of US troops on Philippine soil and is central to hundreds of annual joint military exercises, which are a major component of US-Philippine military ties. Defenders of the decades-old agreement say ending it could both degrade the Philippines’ ability to defend itself and undermine Washington’s moves against Beijing’s rise, particularly in the disputed South China Sea. MJ Blancaflor

News

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Quiboloy’s KJC execs plead not guilty in US arraignment

AWARDING.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte leads the awarding of diplomas to the graduates of Public Safety Officers Basic Course Class 2019-07 and Advance Course Class 2019-18 during a ceremony at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Davao City on Feb. 20. Presidential Photo

CSC clarifies law on 105-day maternity leave THE Civil Service Commission reminds government agencies to grant claims for benefits under Republic Act No. 11210, also known as the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law, to women who gave live childbirth, or suffered a miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy on March 11, 2019, and thereafter. RA 11210 took effect on March 11, 2019, and thus applies to instances of live childbirth, miscarriage, or emergency termination of pregnancy that occurred starting from said date. The CSC, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Social Security System recently issued a joint clarificatory statement explaining that the date of effectivity of the law is 15 days after the publication of RA 11210 in a newspaper of general circulation. The law was published on Feb. 23, 2019. The statement corrects the misconception that the effectivity date of the law is based on the publication date of the Implementing Rules and Regulations. The IRR was issued on May 1, 2019, and published in a newspaper of general circulation on May 3, 2019. Under RA 11210, women who underwent live childbirth are entitled to 105 days maternity leave with full pay, with an option to extend for 30 days without pay. On top of 105 days, solo parents are entitled to 15 more days of maternity leave. Meanwhile, women who suffered a miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy, or delivered stillbirth, can avail of 60 days maternity leave with full pay. Female employees in the government service can avail of maternity leave under RA No. 11210 regardless of their employment/ appointment status, whether permanent, temporary, casual, contractual, provisional, substitute, coterminous, or fixed term. The CSC has released a comprehensive guide on the availment of benefits under RA 11210 for female employees in government service. This can be accessed from the CSC website at www.csc.gov.ph.

NBI files graft cases vs. NCMH execs, employees By Willie Casas

HE National Bureau of Investigation-Anti-Graft Division has filed graft charges against 20 officials and employees of National Center for Mental Health and three private individuals for violation of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act), and gross negligence and serious dishonesty in relation to the procurement and payment of a CT Scan Project amounting to P30,407,706.25.

NBI Director Dante Gierran said among those charged before the Office of the Ombudsman include Dr. Bernardino Vicente, retired NCMH Medical Center Chief II; and incumbent officials and employees of NCMH, namely: Dr. Beverly A. Azucena, Clarita A. Avila, Dionisio A. Tolentino, Dulce V. Valerio, CPA, Godofredo S. Valles, MPA, Dr. Jenkin L. Go, Engr. Esteban L. Gamurot, Dr. Alden Cuyos, Dr.

Jumelyn Perez, Dr. Cynthia Agustin, Belma Cruz, Publio Plotena, Dr. Christopher Christian S. Chu, Jerry Rodriguez, Arturo C. Salcedo, Dr. Evelyn P. Belen, Engr. Darwin P. Pastor, Solidad G. Yambao, Ma. Charina Concepcion O. Aberin, and private individuals Portia Baviera of Technomed International Inc., Ronald T. Tan, general manager of RJJL Construction and Trading and Ronald Allan Gacoscos, general man-

ager of GACOSCOS Construction. Gierran said the case stemmed from the complaint of the Employees Association of NCMH. Investigation disclosed several irregularities in the procurement of CT Scan Equipment which includes non-compliance with the requirements of RA 9184 and Department of Health. He said the investigation also disclosed that notwithstanding the inoperability and non-functionality of the CT Scan Equipment, NCMH accepted and paid P24,500,000.00 to Technomed Int’l Inc. Moreover, the CT Scan Project was split into four contracts with aggregate cost of P 30,407,706.25 despite only an approved budget cost of P26,800,000.00 as per SubAllotment Advise (SAA) No. 201708-1646, purposely to circumvent the requirements of the law and the necessity of competitive bidding.

NAKED TRUTH.

Alpha Phi Omega holds its annual oblation at UP Diliman Palma hall in Quezon City. The Oblation Run is an annual event organized by the University of the Philippines' Alpha Phi Omega fraternity that is aimed to express the group's opinion on social issues. Some of these issues include climate change, disaster awareness, and rehabilitation of local rivers. Manny Palmero

Solon says DILG order displaced street vendors SIDEWALK vendors—the poorest among the poor streethawkers—were the main victims of an order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government to local officials to clear streets for smooth vehicular traffic as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte. This was revealed by a party-list lawmaker on Friday as she sought a con-

gressional investigation on the DILG memorandum order that she said has resulted in the displacement of thousands of sidewalk vendors. DILG Memorandum Order 121 Series of 2019, served as basis to displace several sidewalk vendors in Metro Manila and other cities, Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas said.

“The bases for the order should be reviewed because these were used to remove vendors who were deprived of their means of livelihood,” Brosas added. The DILG order should be reviewed because it resulted in clearing operations that adversely affected the vendors. It is not a crime to engage in a livelihood honorably,” she added. Maricel V. Cruz

‘Recycle, not ban single-use plastic,’ Villar appeals to public By Macon Ramos-Araneta AS THE Philippines remained to be the third largest producer of plastic waste that made its way to our oceans, Senator Cynthia A. Villar on Friday conceded that single-use plastic might be impossible to ban. “Yes, baka impossible to ban,” said Villar, chairman of the Senate committee on environment and natural resources.

Villar said she is yet to hear any replacement for single-use plastic. The senator, however, said a possible remedy is to recycle single-use plastic, “unless an opinion for its replacement will surface.” “I have read many articles abroad. What we can do is require them to recycle the single-use plastic, not prohibit since I have not heard of packaging other than glass,” said Villar.

“Maybe if they can recycle their packaging, that’s okay. But if they cannot, then technology should be tapped to invent something that can replace single-use plastic,” Villar said. She said that at present, there are no products yet where single-plastic use is prohibited. “No products. We are not yet prohibiting single-use plastic because it is the cheapest, but “we can recycle it, we can

allow. And I don’t think they have a replacement,” related Villar. Earlier, Villar conducted a hearing on Senate Bill No. 1331 or the Extended Producers Responsibility Act of 2020 that will mandate manufacturers to be responsible for the management of their plastic products. The proposed measure authored by Villar also seeks to institutionalize the practice of EPR in waste management.

TWO Kingdom of Jesus Christ administrators both entered “not guilty” on charges of human trafficking and immigration fraud during their arraignment on Thursday in Los Angeles, California (Friday in Manila). Guia Cabactulan and Marissa Duenas both pleaded not guilty during their arraignment. A third defendant, Amanda Estopare, did not make it to court as she was still on her way to Los Angeles from Virginia where she was apprehended. According to KJC’s lead legal counsel Michael Jay Green, the two entered a not guilty plea because they are innocent of the charges filed against them by several disgruntled former KJC members. “We intend to fight the charges that are based on lies and concocted stories. I am confident that the truth will come out and the name of KJC will be vindicated,” said Green. Earlier, Green claimed that KJC’s legal team has enough evidence to disprove the trafficking and immigration fraud charges filed against KJC’s three administrators in Los Angeles. Green emphasized that the witnesses against the administrators have lied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other concerned agencies to support their allegations. Green added that those who conspired to destroy Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s reputation have received favor from the federal government, including money and visas that would allow them to stay in the United States indefinitely.

Muslim students list for legitimate purpose—NCRPO By Maricel V. Cruz THE National Capital Region Police Office on Friday clarified that an updated list of Muslim students in the region is for a legitimate purpose. NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas made the remark after a photo of a memorandum on the measure went viral on social media. He said the data from this will be used for the Salaam Police Center which conducts programs geared toward strengthening the partnership between the police and Muslim communities. “[The Salaam Police Center was established to] oversee the diverse cultural differences and concerns, especially in the aspect of safety and security,” Sinas said in a statement. In a memorandum dated Jan. 31, the Manila Police District ordered its commanders to provide an updated list of Muslim students in their area of responsibility. He said among its function was to do close monitoring, networking and liaising activities with Muslim communities and other communities in addressing terrorism and lawless violence in their respective areas. “PNP conducts short ‘ugnayan’ (dialogues), training, seminars and continuing education for our Muslim brothers that aims to establish a good rapport with the community. We firmly believe that one’s religion should never hinder us in pursuit of lasting peace and harmony thus, PNP through the DPCR (Directorate for Police Community Relations) includes Salaam Police Center as one of its top priorities,” said Sinas. He noted that the NCRPO is one with Filipino Muslims in praying that peace and order, public safety, equality and progress of the nation will be achieved despite diverse beliefs. Sinas issued the clarification after Muslim lawmakers condemned the PNP for the alleged profiling, which they described as a “blatant profiling of Muslims” and “act of discrimination in its highest form.” Deputy Speaker Mujiv Hataman from Basilan and Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan both condemned the police directive and questioned the motive in prying into the lives of Muslim children in Metro Manila.

Opinion

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Confusion on ABS-CBN THERE’S a lot of confusion with regard to the franchise of ABS-CBN, which expires on March 30. Congress itself is confused on whether or not the network violated its franchise. Some claim that operations would cease on said day if the franchise is not renewed. Others say it can continue t operate until 2022.

Congress better fix this, and soon. There is also a lot of confusion about freedom of the press, freedom of expression and the people’s right to be informed. If we look at the power of Congress to grant franchises, it is clear that when expiration is nearing, it has the power to extend that franchise. Thus, it is all up to Congress! Amid the confusion, Congress has the duty to simplify the issue. It’s easy. Just have both chambers of Congress enact a law extending the franchise—of course, if it chooses to go against the rants of the President about the network not airing his ads during the 2016 campaign. I would be the first to fight for ABSCBN if I honestly believed that freedom of the press would be curtailed with the non-extension of the franchise. But I think these are two separate things. Granted that the franchise is not renewed, would ABS-CBN’s journalists lose their press freedom and freedom of expression? No. Some taipan could actually act as a white knight and buy the profitable network. It seems the network has so many supporters. Congress should just enact a law. Sure, President Duterte could veto it, but this veto can be overturned by a two-thirds vote.

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

I hope the confusion ends soon. *** An issue spawned by President Duterte’s open-door policy toward China is that Chinese cartels and syndicates are coming here, helped by the visa-uponarrival scheme facilitated by corrupt elements of the Immigration bureau. Look what is happening, my gulay. There are even prostitutes catering only to Chinese customers. Some hotels are being used as prostitution dens. Making matters worse is the entry of Chinese drug cartels, all with the protection of shady Filipino officials. I am insulted, as a Filipino, about the Chinese acting like our country were their playground. They commit crimes like kidnapping, extortion and prostitution. I am not promoting Sinophobia, but I believe the Duterte administration should review its China policy. *** Did it ever occur to the President that when he ordered Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddyboy Locsin to write Washington, D.C. to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement, we would have more to lose than gain? Obviously not. What makes it worse is that it was done in reaction to the cancellation of the US visa of Duterte ally, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. I agree that there are some onerous provisions of the treaty, but that is no reason for abrogation. Why not just amend? The VFA has its advantages. It has a purpose, mainly to act as deterrent to China’s growing expansionism. We need America’s presence in the event of emergencies. Yes, we have an independent foreign policy. But we should not risk aid and security, especially from China’s expansionism! *** According to the latest ranking of universities worldwide by Londonbased Times Higher Education, the University of the Philippines is the 70th among universities in emerging economies. De La Salle University slid in ranking. Ateneo—where I spent the best years of my life—was not even mentioned.

High note

IGNIFICANT scene, if successful, with surgeons at King's College Hospital in London able to remove, in a complicated brain surgery this week, a tumor from a 53-year-old woman violinist who had been battling the disease since 2013.

served function in the delicate areas of her brain that allowed her to play.” The doctors were able to remove more than 90 percent of the tumor, discovered after she suffered a seizure during a symphony, “including all the areas suspicious of aggressive activity, while retaining full function in her left hand.” Turner, who played music by Gustav Mahler, George Gershwin’s jazz classic Summertime and pieces by Spanish songwriter and singer Julio Iglesias during the surgery, plays in Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra and various choral societies. She is high in her hope as in her music she will be able to return to her orchestra before long, while praising the efforts of Ashkan, her fellow music lover. Said Turner: “The thought of losing my ability to play was heart-

The doctors had mapped Dagmar Turner's brain before the surgery to identify areas that were active when she played the violin and those responsible for controlling language and movement. Prof. Keyoumars Ashkan, her neurosurgeon and a musician himself who plays the piano, had said: “We knew how important the violin is to Dagmar, so it was vital that we pre-

breaking but, being a musician himself, Prof. Ashkan understood my concerns. He and the team at King's went out of their way to plan the operation—from mapping my brain to planning the position I needed to be in to play.” Interesting, the surgical scale, as it were, with doctors opening Turner's skull while she was under anesthesia, then woke her up and asked her to play while the tumor was removed. The hospital had said the tumor was located “in right frontal lobe of her brain, close to an area that controls the fine movement of her left hand” which Turner, whose passion is her instrument she has been playing since age 10, uses to play the violin. With her recovery, let the symphonic orchestra play once more da capo al fine.

Combating the lawfare virus THE start of the new decade has been far from kind. Among the series of unfortunate events that have shocked the world is the rapid spread of the novel coronavirus (now called COVID-19) that has claimed thousands of lives. Unknown to many, however, is the spread of another “virus” that can be just as deadly or destructive as COVID-19—a virus that attacks democracy and strips us of our basic human rights; a virus that weaponizes the law to persecute political adversaries.

It is one just as deadly and destructive as COVID-19. This virus is called “lawfare,” a disease that has afflicted leaders resulting to their complete disregard for others and justification for abuses. A portmanteau of the words “law” and “warfare,” lawfare depicts the spurious use of the legal and judicial system to eliminate those who criticize the government. Hence, raising awareness about this silent pandemic and drawing significant multi-sectoral cooperation regarding this issue is vital. This exactly is the main objective of the one-day forum entitled “International Forum on Lawfare: Weaponizing the Law Against Democratic Dissent,” organized by De La Salle University, Alternative Law Groups, Human Rights and People Empowerment Center, and the Committee for the Freedom of

Leila de Lima, with the support of Rappler as media partner. This milestone event, held yesterday Feb. 21, provided a venue for parliamentarians, political leaders, constitutionalists, academicians, human rights activists, researchers, civil society leaders and media practitioners across the globe to convene, share insights, and discuss how lawfare is being employed by oppressive regimes to silence dissent and political competitors. La Salle Brother Armin Luistro opened the conference with a call for resistance and action. He was followed by a defiant and determined Senator Leila de Lima, a prime mover of the forum, who delivered the keynote address. Clearly, she is not broken from her unjust detention, now three years in duration this week, and that she is even stronger today in championing human rights. The forum was divided into six breakout sessions, to wit: “Lawyering & Lawfare,” “Media & Lawfare,” “Political Opposition & Lawfare,” “Civil and Political Rights & Lawfare,” “Economic, Social and Cultural Rights & Lawfare” (subdivided to categories “Women, Youth, LGBT” and “Labor, Urban Poor and Agriculture”), and “Religion & Lawfare.” Forum speakers were asked to share their experiences and views on the misuse of the legal and judicial system to attack personalities or institutions that are critical to the government. They included Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senators Kiko Pangilinan, Sonny Trillanes, and Risa Hontiveros, Rappler founder Maria Ressa, Deans Pacifico Agabin and Chel Diokno, Commission on Human Rights Chair Chito Gascon, current and former Representatives Kit Belmonte, Eufemia Culiamat, Sarah Elago, Carlos Zarate, Walden Bello, Turn to A5

What can P7,000 get you? FOR us ordinary mortals, P7,000 can help us settle our utility bills, electricity, water, cable television subscription and internet services. Or it could get us a steak dinner for two at a midend restaurant. And for some, as per estimate of some government agencies, P7,000 could only be a little less of what a family of five needs a month to survive. But for the Matibag couples and their associates, if PBA Congressman Jericho “Koko” Nograles is to be believed, the return for a P7,000 investment could be beyond comprehension. With their connections strategically in placed, Nograles said the Matibags were able to corner the operations for the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, inheriting it from the PEMC, a government-owned and-controlled corporation, including its assets, even as their company, the IEMOP was only four months old then with a measly P7,000 paid-up capital which is not even enough to finance a food cart business. The secret? IEMOP’s well-placed connection. At the time the deal between PEMC and IEMOP was entered into, Nograles said the president of

IEMOP, lawyer Richard Nethercott was already married to Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Caron Aicitel Lascano. Also, IEMOP incorporator-treasurer Ma. Rene Ann Lourdes A. Garcia-Matibag, who also served as the corporate services head of the PEMC when the deal was entered into, was revealed to be married to DoE’s National Transmission Co. president lawyer Melvin Matibag.

Such a handsome payback. And now, their P7,000 investment is paying off. According to Nograles, IEMOP is now earning at least P3 million to P4 million a day or about P1.2 billion annually. With such huge earning, Ma. Rene Ann Lourdes, who

is also a provincial board member of the Province of Laguna, is said to be taking a helicopter ride regularly to the provincial board meetings. That’s just a sample of what their P7,000 investment, according to sources, as their lifestyle was said to have completely taken a drastic change, from what used to be a life of simplicity to an arrogant display of affluence. They have to prepare for the worse, though, as Nograles said they could be facing charges ranging from graft and corruption to plunder. *** Napanood ko na yan. It seems Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy is not yet done with his business expansion as he is now seeking to expand his shipping and logis logistics firm, by acquiring a new vessel. However, deep into debt with about P85 billion in loans. Uy’s request for new funding for a new vessel, amounting to P700 million, was said to have been turned down by bank creditors prompting the businessman to ask for a sovereign guarantee which would allow his logistics company to lock up the loan from “one of the main banks Turn to A5

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Opinion Re-teaching and relearning our history WHILE the interest has always been there, dabbling in Philippine history was really just a hobby. Never did I imagine that my fascination, particularly with the Philippine revolution, would become a passion that I would seriously pursue. In school, history was just a boring subject to me. I did not like how my former teachers tackled what otherwise are very interesting events in our collective past. The students of my time were subjected to the “banking education” type in which we were told what to learn. We were taught to memorize the what, who, and where of things, rather than challenging us to think, analyze, and discuss the how and the why of historical events. For instance, in college, we needed to go through the subject P. I. 100 or the Rizal course. Many of us then considered this as a most boring subject that it was given the moniker P***ang I*a 100. My own interest in the country’s history was awakened in the 80s when I was already involved in the women’s movement. We were discussing women’s participation in society and someone remarked that history is really “his story,” written, told, and taught by mostly men using men’s point of view. It is a fact that history books are full of stories of men giving the impression that women did not exist in the past, or if they did, they were not part of important events that happened and are worth remembering. This made me look into women’s participation in Philippine history and discovered a good number of them who did important work but were barely recognized for their own brand of heroism. Since then, I have written pieces about great Filipino women. My generation, especially those who studied in the University of the Philippines and those imbued with activism in the ’70s, were “indoctrinated” into the “cult” that worshipped Andres Bonifacio. After all, the Supremo was the radical and militant revolutionary who fathered the Katipunan and led the revolution to oust the evil Spanish colonizers. He was the epitome of the masses’ hero. He was of the masses with his red pants, camisa, neckerchief, and bolo. Dr. Jose Rizal was a moderate reformist and Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was a traitor who had the Supremo killed. Bonifacio possessed the much-needed attributes of the hero we wanted to have in the activist movements (plural because there were a few contending ideologies then). Activists then were out to oust a dictator as Bonifacio wanted to defeat our colonizers. No questions asked, I fell for this line. Bonifacio was my hero, Rizal was good but not enough, and Aguinaldo killed my hero. This line of thinking remains very much alive now especially with the re-

lease of films like General Luna and Goyo that abused “artistic license” and misrepresented historical events. People’s dislike of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was rekindled because of the films’ misleading portrayal of his character. Many engage in heated debates on history on social media based solely on what the twisted history learned from these films. After all, these movies were made primarily for profit. By the way, members of both the Aguinaldo and Del Pilar clans repeatedly called out the director of these films for the way they abused their “artistic license.”

Unfortunately, Filipinos are left to their own devices when they want to study our story as a nation. It is worth noting that when news came out that a film on General Miguel Malvar was being made with boxer and Senator Manny Pacquiao as lead character, some members of the Malvar clan expressed concern about how the General would be portrayed outside of the fact that they were not consulted about this project. While I am not for censorship, our film industry can better serve the people if it were more responsible in using its craft to really educate our people especially since film is a most effective way of sending messages to the public. It is unfortunate that our people have very few opportunities to seriously learn and relearn our valiant past. People are left to their own devices when they want to study our story as a nation. Even our formal educational system teaches very little Philippine history. If the way history was taught during my student days was bad, now it is worse. Our young people have very minimal knowledge of our roots as a people which makes them vulnerable to misleading or outright fake news or information. The virtual absence of rootedness divides us as a people. It makes it easy for our people to be critical of each other and our country, to be apathetic to the problems we face, and even to turn their backs on their citizenship and leave the country at the first sign of an opportunity. Rootedness in our national identity comes with a good understanding of what we went through as a nation—of how tens of thousands sacrificed their lives so we can claim this country as ours. We will have more productive, responsible, and patriotic citizens by developing in them a better appreciation of our country’s story. We need to re-teach and relearn Philippine history in a way that is more analytical and relevant to the present generation of Filipinos. @bethangsioco on Twitter Elizabeth Angsioco on Facebook

What can... From A4

in the country.” While Uy assures us he will honor his firm’s debt, a state or sovereign guarantee is an assurance for lending banks that the government, through Philippine Guarantee Corporation would have to shoulder Uy’s loans in case of default. Under its program for large accounts, the PGC may repay up to 90 percent of the borrower’s loan in case of a default. This is nothing new. Philippine taxpayers have long shouldered the payment for favored companies and individuals who have defaulted in the payment of their loans. Take the case of former Speaker Jose de Venecia who acquired a US$120million loan for his firm, Landoil during the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos. But de Venecia successfully shifted allegiance to Marcos’ successor, former President Cory Aquino, and there were questions about his debt being reportedly paid off using taxpayers’ money. In his article in 2011, the late Neal Cruz bared that the Lopezes owed the government P1.6 billion in loans for several of their businesses, which was eventually written off by the Development Bank of the Philippines, charged again at the account of the poor Filipino taxpayers. Now here comes Uy asking the government to guarantee his loan, of course with public funds. Just how can he convince us that his firm, the Chelsea Group, will be able to pay off his debts? While his company has raked in P47.35 million in profits in 2017, this was said to have been reversed in 2018 by a net loss of P622.13 million. And while his company’s total assets grew 22.3 percent year-on-year to P32.29 billion in 2018, its liabilities, including loans, grew faster by 51.2 percent to P15.62 billion. As my friend Obet de Castro opines, this is another case of one bullet scoring three hits. First, the state will guarantee a loan to be used for capital by a private business. Second, the profits will only be enjoyed by the said private company. But in the end, after siphoning off all the resources of the private company, it will just then declare bankruptcy and the government, using public fund, will end up paying for its debts. Bumenta na yan. Maawa naman kayo sa amin.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

ABS-CBN cannot invoke freedom of speech to secure franchise AS USUAL, ABS-CBN and its horde of patrons are raising the defense based on that worn-out libertarian precept of freedom of speech and of expression. They take that political tenet as immutable, and not subject to political persuasion or influence. They insist that such is enshrined in our Bill of Rights. Section 4, Article III of the Constitution provides, to quote: “No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or the press, or rights of the people to peaceable assemble and petition the Government for redress of grievances.” The owners of ABS-CBN in their battle to staveoff the non-renewal of their franchise, claim that this would result in curtailing their right to exercise freedom of speech and of expression to weaken the very foundation of our so-called democratic institution. Taking this particular issue of freedom as their primordial defense, one could not help but mention that this particular industry, commonly known as mass media, is owned and operated by a rather notorious oligarch that one cannot exactly see as a model for society to imbibe. One must note that the owners of ABS-CBN is not fighting for their rights, as individuals fighting for their rights, but one seeking to secure an extension of their rights through a franchise to operate. They are fighting for their propriety right as owners and/ or stockholders of a behemoth corporation. The right of the individual which is wholly circumscribed to the rights of the citizens enumerated in the Bill of Rights is far different from the rights of corporations seeking a franchise to operate. The right of an industry like ABS-

CBN is definitely not the same as the right of an individual seeking to protect his liberty, viz. his very existence. ABS-CBN is seeking to extend its freedom over and above the rights of the individual. ABS-CBN being engaged in mass media accords it the privilege to broadcast news and disseminate information and opinion with the end goal of influencing public policy and worse, in promoting and even undermining the credibility of the governments that refuses to give in to its demand for extra accommodation.

The right of the individual is far different from the rights of corporations. This means that the exercise of freedom using the instrumentalities and facilities of modern mass media to reach millions of listeners and viewers to farflung areas of the archipelago is totally different from the exercise of the individual demanding freedom of speech, of the press and expression. It is this delineation between the rights of the individual and that of a corporation why the rights of the individual is embedded in the Constitution as Bill of Right while the rights of the corporation, circumscribed to protecting public interest, are limited and prescribed to its franchise. They can never be the same because owners of corporations have enormous capital while individuals only have their sweat and their labor to be heard. The focus of the individual liberty is circumscribed to their freedom of speech and of expression which is basic to his existence as human being. Meanwhile, a corporation is anchored on their proprietary rights

to disseminate news and information to the masses. The consequence of their exercise of that privilege is to reduce the individual taken as public to mere listeners, digesting views fed unto them by the factory known as mass media. Often they equate their opinion as the view of the majority of the people and not of the stockholders. Mass media in layman’s language is a specialized venue to allow corporations to extend their freedom of speech, of the press and of expression which we all know is further specialized to different fields such as broadcasting, television and print media. A deeper circumspection of ABSCBN, which is the leading in the industry, would clearly indicate they are not exercising their freedom, but are doing the work to mould and influence the public to accept the views of the corporation rooted on their interest as owners. There is no way for the general public can rebut or object what they are saying. In fact, allowing one’s view to be published, aired, or shown on television is like a gift from God because their pre-examination of its contents is not considered by them as censorship but a prerogative by their editor or management. The franchisee as owners think it has every right to censor and or reject any view opposing or dissenting that of the management. The public is thus reduced to mere audience accepting every conceivable trash dished out by demagogues as thought lifted from the Holy Scripture. The unwary public can only swallow hook, and sinker lies, propaganda, or disinformation, and the government is often placed on the defensive for the fact that owners of the franchise easily hide behind the curtain of freedom of speech, of the press and of expression to confuse the general public. (To be continued)

Still at it IT’S A shame that we are beset yet again with a controversy over President Duterte’s “narco-list” with the inclusion in the dreaded roster of P/Lt. Col. Jovie Espenido, the brightest star in the government’s drug war since former PNP chief-turned-senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Espenido is best known for the killings of Rolando Espinosa, mayor of Albuera, Leyte and Reynaldo Parojinog, mayor of Ozamiz City who were both kingpins at the top of Duterte’s narcolist. Parojinog lorded over a notorious criminal gang whose trip to hell was long overdue. But as part of the sweeping reorganization initiated by Philippine National Police Chief General Archie Gamboa, Espenido was relieved of his recent assignment as Bacolod City Police Chief and relegated to floating status. Suddenly, it then surfaced that Espenido all the while had been on the President’s narco-list since 2016. Espenido has vehemently denied any involvement in illegal drugs trade

Combating... From A4

Teddy Baguilat, Neri Colmenares, Tom Villarin, and Teddy Casiño, senatorial candidates Samira Gutoc and Leody de Guzman, priests Fathers Albert Alejo and Flavie Villanueva, human rights lawyers Edre Olalia and Teddy Te, journalists Glenda Gloria and John Nery, and last but not the least representatives of sectoral, youth and other stakeholder organizations affected by Lawfare, including families that have been victimized by the war against drugs. Discussions were moderated by such distinguished academic leaders and prominent citizens such as Dr. Socorro Reyes, Ana Santos, Cielito Arlegue, Gian Arabejo, Nymia Simbulan, Pastor Hesed Alvarez, and former Secretaries Ging Deles and Dinky Soliman. The forum also had a number of foreign speakers, delivering in person or through video their solidarity messages

except to lead anti-crime and antidrugs operations since he entered the PNP in 1996 through lateral entry. He is not among the elite graduates of the Philippine Military Academy. Politics is likely behind the latest controversy, said Espenido, who had openly expressed his desire to become PNP Chief during Duterte’s term. He claims to have been mistakenly included in the narco-list and had his name stricken off the list in 2017.

Trillanes—alias Bikoy, if I may add— continues to peddle lies and fake news on social media. It made sense when Malacañang said the issue is all part of the usual black propaganda against the government’s drug war and that Espenido is assured of the President’s full support. "The President knows Colonel Espenido is clean," according to Presidential Spokesperson Sal Panelo. Indeed it may be a diversionary tactic to take away public attention from the

to Senator De Lima while also sharing their own experiences and insights of Lawfare. These include Cambodian parliamentarian (in exile) Mu Sochua, influential women and leader Jayanthi Devo Balaguru, French progressive politician Marina Mesure, Hong Kong activists Joshua Wong and Emily Lau, Princeton University professor and one of the top international law thinkers of the world Richard Falk, and David Kaye who is United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. I am proud to be one of the forum convenors and was assigned to deliver the synthesis and final remarks. Some issues that were discussed as glaring examples of weaponizing the law as a tool for abuse of vindictive leaders were the relentless political persecution of Senator De Lima, the quo warranto petition against ABSCBN, the constant attack on Rappler, the removal of Maria Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice, and the conspiracy to commit sedition case filed against Sen-

case against ex-senator Antonio “Bikoy” Trillanes and his cohorts who face charges for the “Bikoy video: Ang Totoong Narcolist” that maliciously implicated Manong Digong, Senator Bong Go, and his family in alleged illegal drugs trade. I hope what the PNP has in possession now is not Trillanes’ Bikoy narcolist! Apparently, Trillanes alias Bikoy is still at it, peddling lies and fake news in social media. It’s unfortunate that these rabid critics and Yellow Opposition would rather delve in dirty politics during this time of critical serious global and nationwide concern for the pandemic threat of coronavirus. And all the while, the clear and present danger posed by drug lords in and out of the New Bilibid Prison lurks. A potential key witness in the Senate probe into the massive irregularities in Bureau of Corrections (Bucor) Good Conduct Time Allowance was murdered in broad daylight outside his daughter’s school in Muntinlupa City. In all likelihood, the illegal drugs mafia is behind the ruthless shooting of lawyer Fredrick Santos, suspended chief of Bucor Legal Section. Over 10,000 hardened criminals, many of them drug dealers, bought their undeserved freedom through GCTA. They are now in our midst just like a deadly virus.

ator Trillanes, Fr. Albert, and Fr. Flavie. The issue on the “red-tagging” of the Duterte administration, by virtue of Executive Order (EO) 70 which was implemented in December 2018, was also one of the topics discussed during the forum. Good people, like human rights lawyer Ben Ramos in Negro island, have been killed because of such red-tagging. Young people, like Myles Albasin who is also entering her second year of detention, and more recently the Leyte 5, have had guns and explosives planted as evidence so that they would not be able to avail themselves of the right to bail. With the success of yesterday’s International Forum on Lawfare, I am hoping that many will be enlightened on this global pandemic threat before it arrives on their own doorstep and before it is too late to protect themselves. I am confident that this is just the beginning of bigger efforts to fight the misuse of law for political ends. Facebook: Dean Tony La Vina Twitter: tonylavs

News

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Drive vs. HIV, teenage pregnancies intensified By Willie Casas THE Manila Health Department is intensifying its drive against HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), as the city health office plans to conduct HIV testing in all barangays citywide. At the same time, Dr. Arnold Pangan, RSW, Acting City Health Officer, said they also planned to intensify the campaign against teenage pregnancies. “There will be a citywide, in all the 896 barangays, awareness and testing for HIV. We will go down to the barangays to conduct training, education and testing on HIV, for those who want to be tested,” said Pangan, in his message during meeting with the Manila Association of Public Secondary Schools Administrators, held at the Eulogio Rodriguez Vocational High School, in Manila, on Friday, Feb. 21. Pangan said the program called “School-based Fertility Awareness and Sexually Transmitted Infection Awareness” will again be implemented this year in all public schools hoping to bring down the incidence of HIV and also lower teenage pregnancies. He said, in the Philippines, there were 35 to 40 new cases every day of HIV infection in the whole Philippines. Pangan said Manila was second to the highest in this incidence, with Quezon City having the highest incidence in HIV infection. The age group with the highest incidence is ages 15 to 24 years of age, teenagers to young adults. In Manila alone, almost every day, there is at least one individual who tests positive for HIV infection, Pangan said. “And this includes some of the students in our public high schools,” Pangan said. “I am hoping that you would give your support to this program. I hope that we would be successful in this program. We were hoping that with this program, teenage pregnancy will go lower in the future, and eventually be eradicated in Manila,” said Pangan. Pangan said the MHD has taught the MAPEH (Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health) teachers about the reproductive health and contraceptive use so that the teachers, in turn, could teach the students in school, since he lamented that they do not have any control on what actions the students will do regarding sex.

DPWH, NLEX open Malabon exit By Darwin G. Amojelar

HE Department of Public Works and Highways and NLEX Corp. on Friday opened to the public the Malabon Exit of the North Harbor Link Project that will ease daily trafﬁc gridlock in Metro Manila.

“About 30,000 motorists per day will stand to benefit from this new road once the entire Harbor Link C3-R10 Section is fully completed, helping reduce travel time for the traffic-weary public, providing more turnaround trips for the trucking sector, and growing businesses for merchants and local communities,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said. “In the meantime, we are opening this new Malabon Exit to provide immediate relief from the daily bumper-to-bumper traffic in the CAMANAVA [Caloocan, Malabon,

Navotas and Valenuzuela] area especially along C3 Road. When we open the entire C3-R10 Section next month, travel time between NLEX and the CAMANAVA area will be reduced from 60 to 10 minutes, or a savings of 50 minutes,” he added. For its part, NLEX is committed to support the government’s aim to alleviate trafﬁc congestion in Metro Manila through high impact infrastructure projects such as the NLEX Harbor Link that improves commuter mobility between airports, seaports, and growth corridors in both the north and south.

“We are cognizant of the government’s desire to find quick solutions to the traffic problem in Metro Manila. That is why aside from expediting the completion of the entire project, we have also rationalized our construction sequence and resource planning to accommodate the early opening of this Malabon Exit,” J. Luigi Bautista, NLEX president and general manager said. Bautista explained the tollway company decided to open the Malabon Exit a month before the whole NLEX Harbor Link C3R10 Section is completed in response to the clamor of motorists for immediate relief from heavy traffic along the CAMANAVA area. This is while construction works are still ongoing for the rest of the Harbor Link alignment. “We can already see a light at the end of the tunnel as we are targeting the full opening of NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 section next month,” Villar added. The Malabon Exit is part of the 2.6-kilo-

Think tank supports CITIRA bill passage

MALABON EXIT. Public Works and Highway Secretary Mark Villar as well as (from left) NLEX Corp. president Luigi Bautista, Caloocan City Mayor Oca Malapitan and Malabon City Mayor Antolin Oreta lead the ceremonial Drive Thru opening the NLEX Harbor link Malabon exit aimed at reliving traffic for drivers and commuters alike headed for Malabon, Caloocan and Navotas. Manny Palmero

4 Chinese, fake cop arrested First OFW hospital to rise in Pampanga IN LINE with the relentless campaign of the National Bureau of Investigation against all forms of criminality, operatives of NBISpecial Action Unit arrested four Chinese nationals and a Filipino in Pasay City for kidnapping and serious illegal detention. In a statement released on Friday, NBI Director Dante A. Gierran identified the suspects as Dong Daheng, Lu Lihui, Zhang Xiaolin, Ye Jintao, all Chinese nationals, and Ann Michelle Del Rosario Melendez, a Filipino. Arrested suspects were presented on Feb. 16 for inquest proceedings before the Office of the City Prosecutor of Pasay City for Kidnapping and Serious Illegal Detention. They are currently detained at the NBI Detention Center. Meanwhile, operatives of the NBI-National Capital Region arrested a suspect for Usurpation of Authority and Illegal Possession of Firearm in Parañaque City. Gierran identified the suspect as Jay-Ar Fortuno Lim, who represented himself as a Police Officer under the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. Verification from the PNP-CIDG showed that suspect is not an officer nor an employee of PNP-CIDG. The suspect was charged for violation of Section 31 of R.A. 10591 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and Usurpation of Authority as punishable under Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code. The operation stemmed from a complaint alleging that suspect went to the house of the complainant and introduced himself as a Commissioned Officer of the PNP-CIDG.

PEOPLE POWER EXHIBIT.

On Feb. 25, 2019 multi-awarded photographer Sonny Camarillo was given the Freedom Award Plaque of Recognition by the EDSA People Power Commission and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, both under the Office of the President for his coverage and documentation of the Snap Election and the EDSA People Power Revolution that he exhibits for free public viewing with the help of sponsors such as Ayala Land Malls, PAGCOR, PCSO, Camerahaus, Fil-Estate Management Inc., CWC Interiors International Corp., JRS Express, Osmundo Furnitures and Antiques, Balikbayan Handicrafts, YKL Digital Imaging and dzRJ Radyo Bandido 810 AM and dzRJ 100.3 FM. With him were chairman Dr. Rene Escalante of the EPPC and NHCP, NHCP Acting Executive Director Ludovico Badoy, Chris Carrion of the Spirit of EDSA Foundation and EPPC co-chairman and GO Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion III. The EDSA Revolution photo exhibit titled EDSA 1986 BEFORE AND BEYOND— TULONG NA BAYAN LABAN SA KATIWALIAN will be at the TRINOMA Mall from Feb. 27 to March 8.

meter elevated NLEX Harbor Link C3-R10 Section between the new Caloocan Interchange in C3 Road, Caloocan City to Radial Road 10, Navotas City, connecting the previously opened 5.65-kilometer NLEX Harbor Link Segment 10 that traverses Karuhatan, Valenzuela City, Governor Pascual Avenue in Malabon City, and 5th Avenue/ C3 Road, Caloocan City. Aside from signiﬁcantly easing up the daily trafﬁc congestion and serving as an alternate route to Dagat-Dagatan Avenue, the Malabon Exit also aims to open up development potentials in the area. “Beyond providing safe and hassle free daily travel, this new exit intends to further unlock the tourism and business potentials of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and neighboring cities,” Bautista noted, adding that “NLEX is aiming to create an enabling business environment and bring in more opportunities to CAMANAVA.”

By Jess Malabanan CITY OF SAN FERNANDO— Overseas Filipino Workers and their dependents within the Central Luzon region need not worry over their medical needs once the 100bed capacity hospital dedicated for them will be completed. The medical facility will boost the provincial government health and wellness program, according to ofﬁcials. The project is at the center of this city in Barangay Sindalan and is equipped with complete amenities—from dialysis center to laboratory and pharmacy. Central Luzon Overseas Workers Welfare Administration recorded 987,117 OFWs, both for land and sea-based. OWWA3 Director Pat Cobbarubias said a total of 858, 204 for land based while 103, 041 for sea based. She said there are 25, 782

OFWs undetermined whether land or sea based distributed to different countries across the globe. Pampanga has more than a dozen of medical facilities distributed to four districts of the province and are now serving the medical needs of indigents. “The project is a joint effort between private and government agencies including Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation [PAGCOR], OWWA, Department of Labor and Employment [DOLE], Department of Health [DOH] and Provincial government of Pampanga,” said Gov. Dennis Pineda during the groundbreaking rites Wednesday. Pineda said P500 million was donated by Bloombery Cultural Foundation, P200 million from PAGCOR. The provincial government also alloted signiﬁcant amount for

the medical equipment such as for the procurement of dialysis machines and other vital medicines for cancer patients. Senator Lawrence “Bong” Go led VIPs during the groundbreaking ceremony. In his speech, Go said he had ﬁled a bill proposing the establishment of Department of Overseas Filipino Workers, in which the primary objective was to focus on the needs and welfare of those employed abroad. “Rest assured that the welfare of OFWs will be our priority,” Go said as he expressed his plans of putting up “Malasakit Center” at th OFW hospital once it is operational. Present during groundbreaking rites are different heads of line government agencies in the region, Vice Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and Engineerrs from DM Consunji Construction.

THINK tank Action for Economic Reforms welcomed the sponsorship of Senate Bill 1357 or the senate version of the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Reform Act (CITIRA) bill. In a statement on Friday, AER lauded the efforts of Senate Ways and Means chairperson Pia Cayetano in coming up with a reasonable, reform-oriented version that she was able to pass at the committee level despite much resistance from a few but noisy, fear-mongering vested interests. SB 1357 will make fiscal incentives given to firms “performance-based, timebound, targeted, and transparent” with priority given to business activities that generate domestic employment; promote research, development and innovation; promote agribusiness; and invest in areas that are less developed or are recovering from disasters and conflicts, among others. “We support this bill that seeks to sharpen the focus of the incentives and align them to broader development goals. We view the bill’s proposal to extend the sunset period for firms currently paying the rate of 5 percent of gross income earned [GIE] in lieu of all taxes, from five years in the House to seven years as a reasonable compromise. This will allow firms to gradually transition into the new regime of incentives, thus preventing shocks that may result in capital flight or massive job loss.” AER Coordinator Filomeno Sta. Ana III said. AER has advocated this reform for more than a decade. A long overdue reform has achieved a breakthrough. However, AER expressed caution over the manner of reducing the corporate income tax from the current rate of 30 percent to 20 percent by 2029, for this can possibly result in huge revenue losses. The bill has shown caution by reducing the rate by a percentage point a year till 2029, and also by having further reduction in 2025 and beyond contingent on meeting the programmed level of government deficit. AER urged the Senate to strengthen the safeguard by also making the further income tax reduction after 2025 contingent on a level of tax effort that will not go lower than 16 percent, which the country will achieve once the comprehensive reforms are in place. The safeguards are necessary to ensure that the country does not compromise its solid fiscal position. Willie Casas

EDSA Revolution photo exhibit @34 THE 34th anniversary photo exhibit on the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution will be hosted by Ayala Malls and presented by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the EDSA People Power Commission. They are both chaired by Dr. Rene Escalante, under the Ofﬁce of the President, the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corp. and CAMERAHAUS. The photo exhibit is by freelance photojournalist Sonny Camarillo, past president of the Press Photographers of the Philippines and the Camera Club of the Philippines founded in 1928. This will be Camarillo’s 30th presentation on the ‘live’ images of the revolution spanning 33 years that include a presentation at the Philippine Center in New York City in 2010 conducted by the Department of Foreign Affairs. During the silver anniversary in 2011 of the historic EDSA People Power, the DFA once again collaborated with Sonny Camarillo for the exhibition of some 35 iconic photographs that were exhibited in all Philippine Embassy, Consular Ofﬁces and Diplomatic Posts all over the world, under the supervision of Ambassador Virginia Benavidez. These photos were also enlarged to billboard sizes that were installed along the highway from Ortigas Avenue to White Plains. Through the years, this photojournalist has accumulated viewers’ comments that inspire him to mount those ‘a thousand and one images’ that make Filipinos more proud, patriotic and feeling nationalistic. To share some were from Jackie Cahuday of Muntinlupa, “Thank you

for this wonderful exhibit, this is truly appreciated. May you keep watch of our history for the sake of our nation and the Filipinos. May God keep and bless you for giving your talent in service of our country.” Shirley Rocabo of Alabang said “It is a must for the youth and students to see this exhibit about the story of EDSA People Power, complete with before and beyond. This is superb, inspirational, historical and very educational.” Dr. Alex Castillo suggested “please make this exhibit available in all schools, this is history in its purest form.” Yugel Losorata a musician and feature writer commented “the EDSA One photographs forever frozen by ace lensman Sonny Camarillo are not only showcases of peoples’ hatred of tyranny.” “These are heartfelt visual testament on Filipino pride. Looking at the pictures, I suddenly found myself teary-eyed. This is one unexpected moment I felt proud being a Filipino.” Dematingki Balindong of MSU, Marawi City gladly stated “this undertaking can help us History Majors/Historians to minimize or even eliminate historical blindness as we conduct our research. This collection of greatness must continue. Sonny we thank you for this.” But an FEU law student Mike Hughes lamented, “I am a political science student, we did not study the EDSA Revolution events, hardly at all. So it’s great blessing to have exposure to these missing pages of history. Thank you to the photographer/biographer as well as the corporations that sponsored.”

Sports

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

McIlroy grabs 2-shot lead at World Golf tilt

Pampanga, San Juan clash in semifinals ANGELES CITY—San Juan and Pampanga swept their opponents Thursday night and forged a semifinals tussle in the Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Season North division at AUF Arena here. The San Juan Knights blitzed the Pasay Voyagers in the homestretch to prevail, 74-67, while the Pampanga Giant Lanterns leaned on Dexter Maiquez to repel the Bataan Risers, 83-80, as they both cut short the bestof-three quarterfinal playoffs at 2-0. Maiquez scored Pampanga’s last six points as the Giant Lanterns, egged on by the overflow crowd, overtook the Risers, who briefly led at 78-77 following a triple by Reed Juntilla. Using his stocky body and pro experience wisely, Maiquez finished with 19 points and nine rebounds to tow his home province to its 10th straight victory dating back to the eliminations round where the ADG Group -backed Giant Lanterns emerged the fourth seed in the Fellow homegrown talents Mike Juico, Levi Hernandez and Larry Muyang complemented Maiquez’s heroics with 14, 14 and 13 points, respectively. The 6-foot-5 Muyang added 11 rebounds as Pampanga routed Bataan off the boards, 48-30. Bataan, being backed by Camaya Coast, fell despite the efforts of Juntilla and Chito Jaime, who finished with 22 and 21 points, respectively. The Knights, the Datu Cup champions, also tripped the Voyagers, 7574, while the Giant Lanterns trounced the Risers, 71-64, in the series openers on February 15. Tied at 62 with 2:33 to go, San Juan sped away from Pasay following an 11-2 salvo sparked by top gun John Wilson and completed by CJ Isit and Orlan Wamar, 73-64, only 17.5 seconds to go. Wilson wound up with 17 points and 16 rebounds, followed by Jhonard Clarito with 13 points and 12 boards. Orlan Wamar chipped in 10 points for San Juan, which lost starting center Larry Rodriguez early in the third quarter after incurring his second technical foul. Hometown fans, led by team owner Cong. Dong Gonzales, and Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda, lauded the efforts of the Giant Lanterns.

Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Christian Wood #35 of the Detroit Pistons fights for position at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. AFP

NBA-best Bucks crush lowly Pistons, 126-106 L

OS ANGELES—The Milwaukee Bucks, who have the NBA’s best record, continued their drive to clinch homecourt advantage in the playoffs with a 126-106 win over the struggling Detroit Pistons on Thursday.

Reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 33 points and 16 rebounds as the visiting Bucks disposed of their Central Division rivals for the 11th straight time. Khris Middleton tallied 28 points and eight rebounds for the Bucks, who have won 15 of their last 17 games. “That was a really impressive first half and I thought we did a lot of good things in the second half, too,” Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Our energy had been good the last two days, but that doesn’t always equate to good play. There were a lot of positives for the first game after the (all-star) break.” They have beaten Detroit three times this season after sweeping the Pistons in the opening round of last year’s playoffs. Eric Bledsoe had 19 points and six assists, and Brook Lopez delivered 18 points in the win in front of a crowd of

20,300 at Little Caesars Arena. The Bucks will conclude the season series against Detroit on March 23 at Milwaukee. Christian Wood led Detroit with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Bruce Brown had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Derrick Rose and Langston Galloway scored 12 points apiece for the Pistons, who lost their fifth straight game. The Bucks led 70-41 at halftime as Antetokounmpo powered the offence with 19 points, 12 rebounds and three assists. Antetokounmpo had 10 points and eight rebounds during the first eight minutes, and the Bucks led 32-18 at the end of the first quarter. Antetokounmpo was back in action against the Pistons after missing the last two Bucks’ games because of the birth of his first child. The way this season plays out could

have long-term implications on the team. He’ll be eligible for a contract extension this summer and could enter free agency following the 2020-21 season. But Antetokounmpo addressed his future during the recent all-star break, saying that he plans to remain in Milwaukee as long as the team is winning. The hapless Pistons, who are 29 games behind the Bucks in the standings, were without Blake Grifﬁn, who is out for the season after having knee surgery. Detroit is in a rebuilding mode after trading away centre Andre Drummond earlier this month and buying out guard Reggie Jackson. The Pistons appear to have packed it in for this season and are doing a lot of experimenting with their rotations as they seem to set their sights on getting a high draft pick. “With a young team, it takes getting smacked upside the head a few times to wake them up a little bit,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “Tonight showed everyone how far we still have to go when it comes to building our roster and developing our young players.” AFP

Battle Royale IX: Collaborating for Social Good FILIPINOS are no strangers to organized sporting fights and as Mixed Martial Arts now ranks among the world’s fastest growing sports, it is also getting bigger and brighter in the local scene. Despite the blood and heart pounding action, who would’ve known that the sport can actually be a vehicle in spreading social good? From a factory worker to being a professional MMA fighter, 22-two-year-old Daryl Mayormita of Midsayap, Cotabato shared that it has always been his dream as a child to become a boxer. But it was an unexpected surprise to him to become an MMA fighter. Mayormita said that when he came to Manila, he worked as a factory worker but after just about two months, an opportunity came for him to train for MMA for free. Because of his passion for martial arts, he grabbed the opportunity, resigned from his work, and found his calling as an MMA fighter. In a span of one-year training and as an amateur fighter, he had already won three competitions. Mayormita was also the main event

champion of “Battle Royale XI: Fight for #SocialGood,” a mixed martial arts charity event of U.P. BETA Sigma Fraternity in partnership with SM Foundation held last Feb. 14 at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños Laguna. He shared that his aspiration to be an internationally known MMA fighter stems from his advocacy for the youth to have other avenues of enjoyment and entertainment, not just through the use of gadgets. “I encourage the youth to engage themselves in sports, specifically in MMA instead of focusing more on social media because it promotes self-discipline and equips the youth with the necessary skills in defending themselves” he shared. Meanwhile, Los Baños, Laguna native Leo Vinci Diaz was Daryl’s opponent. The 28-year-old lad fi rst worked as a government employee before shifting as a Muay Thai fighter. His drive for MMA enabled him to impart to others the benefits of immersing, learning, and practicing the sport, which he believes is a tool for self-defense and self-discipline as well.

Wilder,.. From A8

Shown here are EJ Vargas, President of UP Los Baños Beta Sigma Fraternity (2nd from the left); Battle Royale IX: #FightforSocialGood champion Daryl Mayormita (3rd from the right) and SM Investment’s Assistant Vice President for Corporate Affairs Victor Persius Chan (2nd from the right).

ONE Championship to hold own version of The Apprentice in Asia

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong

MEXICO CITY—Rory McIlroy started strong in his bid to complete his WGC trophy collection, firing a six-under par 65 on Thursday for a two-shot lead in the Mexico Championship. The Northern Ireland star eagled his second hole of the day at Club de Golf Chapultepec, the par-five 11th. He closed with back-to-back birdies to break free atop a crowded leaderboard with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and 2017 PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas two shots back on four-under 67. It was a further stroke back to South African Louis Oosthuizen, Canadian Corey Conners and Americans Billy Horschel and Bryson DeChambeau. “I took advantage of how I drove the ball,” McIlroy said. “I made one bogey, I misjudged the lie on the fourth hole there, but apart from that just a really solid round of golf.” McIlroy, number one in the world again for the first time since 2015, is coming off a tie for fifth at the Genesis Open at Riviera in Los Angeles—where he shared the 54-hole lead but couldn’t match eventual winner Adam Scott in the final round. He said the Chapultepec greens were a little softer than those at Riviera, and a return to his old, 34-inch putter had him feeling more comfortable after he experimented with a 35-inch flat stick in California. “Sometimes my right arm position could get a little high,” he said, explaining the 35-inch putter let his right elbow “tuck in” better. “But on right to left putts, it just felt as if the putter felt a little too long,” he said. With his “old faithful” back in the bag, McIlroy rolled in a 10-footer at the ninth to cap his round. He’d drained a 27-footer at the sixth and a 15-footer at the eighth to move atop the leaderboard. McIlroy won the WGC-HSBC Championship in Shanghai for the first time in November, and a victory on Sunday would see him complete the “grand slam” of the elite series which also includes the WGC Match Play—which he won in 2015—and the WGC Invitational—which he won at Firestone in 2014. The only player to have won all four is Dustin Johnson, who relegated McIlroy to second at Chapultepec last year. “The first year we came here in ‘17, I think I had the lead after 36, didn’t end up winning,” McIlroy said. “Last year, finished second. “I like the place, like the golf course. I’ve always played well at altitude. Hopefully this year I can go one better.” AFP

SINGAPORE—The largest global sports media property in Asian history, ONE Championship recently announced the launch of ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition,’ under license from MGM Television. This brand new edition of ‘The Apprentice’ will feature 16 contestants handpicked from around the world in a high-stakes game of business competitions and physical challenges where the winner will receive a $250,000 job offer to work for a year directly under Chatri Sityodtong as his protege at the ONE Championship Global Headquarters in Singapore. For more information on The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition, please visit: http://onefc. com/the-apprentice/ In addition, a total of 12 of Asia’s top CEOs (1 CEO per episode) will be featured as guest judges alongside Sityodtong. The business competitions will focus on a variety of real-world problems and industries. Meanwhile, the physical challenges will be graced by the World Champions from ONE Championship where contestants will aim to outshine them in feats of athletic ability and cardio endurance.

‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ will be produced by ONE Championship’s production arm, ONE Studios, and will run on both streaming and linear platforms across the Pan Asian region in the second half of 2020. Speciﬁc market-by-market distribution and launch details will be announced at a later date. The program is slated for distribution on major television networks and digital channels worldwide. “I am thrilled to announce ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ as our biggest foray into the non-scripted series genre. This brand new concept brings a completely unique and original dimension to ‘The Apprentice’ with the high-stakes drama of real-life business competitions, coupled with herculean physical challenges, featuring some of Asia’s top CEOs, the world’s greatest martial arts world champions, and A-list celebrities from across the continent. In combining our respective IP and assets, ONE Championship will redeﬁne the non-scripted genre in Asia across scale and scope. ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ just might be the toughest in the history of all Apprentice shows!,” said Sityodtong.

fight in September. That was followed by a split with trainer Ben Davison, who had successfully guided Fury’s comeback in 2018 after a three-year hiatus spent battling depression, drink and drug problems. Fury has since turned to Javan “Sugarhill” Steward, the nephew of the legendary late cornerman Emanuel Steward. Wilder’s preparations for the rematch meanwhile have rolled along relatively smoothly. He demolished Dominic Breazeale in one round last May, and then scored a spectacular one-punch seventh-round knockout of Cuba’s Luis Ortiz in November. Although Wilder and Fury shoved each other at a face-off in Las Vegas on Wednesday, the American champion has appeared the more composed of the two men this week. A relaxed-sounding Wilder is sceptical of Fury’s vows to pursue a more aggressive gameplan, and in any case doubts the Briton possesses the power to carry it out. “I don’t believe nothing Fury says at this moment in time,” Wilder said. “He’s just a tall big man that can move around the ring. And that’s about it. As far as power, there’s none there. “I don’t believe he’ll be able to develop (power), no matter what trainer he brings in. You just don’t develop power in a couple of weeks. It’s impossible.” Wilder also believes he has left a lasting psychological mark on Fury after the crushing knockdown in their first meeting. “Deep down in his heart, I really feel that he’s nervous from the first time,” Wilder said. “When you knock a person out and get a concussion, you never forget that. AFP

Sports

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

sports@manilastandard.net

sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

Wet, punishing Ronda PH 1st stage on Sunday By Peter Atencio SORSOGON City—It will be a wet, cool and punishing time to many seasoned riders when the 10th LBC Ronda Pilipinas gets going this Sunday here. Rain has been pouring intermittently for the last two days and three-time champion Ronald Oranza is not used to such conditions. But he won’t be alone in his quest for glory when action fires off in Stage 1, a 137-km out and back chase around the mostly flat roads in the southernmost province of Luzon. Oranza, who took runner up honors to Spanish rider Francisco Mancebo last year, will have his Philippine NavyStandard Insurance teammates backing him up when he shoots for the Ronda top prize. “Hindi kami sanay. Pero lahat kami ay sasabak sa ulan,” said Oranza after his first practice following a five-day travel to Sorsogon. The rain and varying but strong wind conditions will determine which rider will take the lead when Stage 1 starts with a southward route down at the Sorsogon City Baywalk. “Lahat kami prepared. Hindi namin masabi kung paano gagalaw ang ibang teams,” said Navy coach Reinhard Gorrantes. There will be 11 teams of eight cyclists each battling it out in the 10-stage race. The other teams are Celeste Cycles, Team Ilocos Sur, 7Eleven-Cliqq, Go For Gold, Team Tarlac, Scratchit, Bike Extreme, Team Army-Bicycology, Team Nueva Ecija and Team South LuzonBatangas. The race is presented by LBC in cooperation with the Manny V. Pangilinan Sports Foundation. Oranza’s rivals for the top purse of P1 million will include returning champions Santy Barnachea (2011 and 2015), Reimon Lapaza (2014) and Mark Galedo (2012). A 163-km Sorsogon Legazpi Stage 2 takes place on Feb. 24.

Riders from Nueva Ecija prepare for the opener of the 10th LBC Ronda Pilipinas.

Southwoods seeks repeat PAL win M

ANILA Southwoods eyes an encore win in the Founders division of the 34th Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub golf team championships set Feb. 26 to 29 in Bacolod City. “We hope to duplicate our performance last year,” said Southwoods captain Freddie Mendoza who is fielding nearly the same lineup that gave them a 12-point victory over Valley in Cebu City. Theody Pascual, who led the team in scoring, will be back along with Thirdy Escano, Ryan Abdon, Alexander Ignacio, Jose Roy III, Danny Samaniego and

John Bayani Fontanilla III. Rading Decipeda is the team’s newest member, replacing Bong Sison. Mendoza said competition in the second-tier division is keen and expects an exciting contest among Valley, Riviera and host Negros Occidental. Last year, Southwoods held a precarious one-point lead over Riviera going into the ﬁnal round before sparkling

Wilder, Fury ready for rematch

Manila

Standard

TODAY

Honoring the Warriors of Light February 17, 2020 EIGHT hundred (800) delegates from 121 Electric Cooperatives (ECs) all over the country filled the seats of the House of Representative’s Session Hall last February 17 as they witnessed the recognition of the dedicated and skilled line workers who led the restoration of distribution and transmission lines destroyed by Typhoon Tisoy and Ursula towards the end of 2019. The “TASK FORCE KAPATID”, now known as the “Power Rapid Restoration Deployment Task Force (PRRD-TF)” is a volunteer service initiated by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association or PHILRECA along with the Power Bloc representations in the House of Representatives composed of the PHILRECA Party-list, APEC PartyList, Ako Padayon Pilipino Party-List and RECOBODA Party-List, and the One EC Network Foundation. This was organized in close coordination with the National Electrification Administration. The Power Bloc representatives honored the Electric Cooperatives who took part in Power Restoration Rapid Deployment Task Force (PRRD-TF) through heartfelt speeches detailing the courage and heroism of our line workers. Rep. Presley De Jesus (PHILRECA

with a closing 143 points. Major sponsors include The Boeing Riviera was beaten to second place Company, University of Mindanao by Valley. Broadcasting Network, Avolon AeroMendoza said they are still two years space Singapore Pte Ltd, Rolls Royce, away from competing against the Manila Broadcasting Company, Prilikes of Luisita and Canlubang in the max Broadcasting, Rolls-Royce Sinpremier championship division. gapore Pte Ltd, and CIGNAL TV Inc. “By that time Junjun (Plana) and Other supporters are Uniglobe Vince (Lauron) would be available,” Travelware Co., Inc. (The Travel Club), Philippine Manila Standard he said. The annual PAL Interclub event, Publishing Inc. (Manila Standard), hosted by national ﬂag carrier Philip- Ofﬁcine Corporation, GE Aviation, pine Airlines, is backed by platinum SEDA Hotels, BDO Unibank, Smart sponsors Asian Air Safari, Vanguard Communications, Inc., People Asia Radio Network, Fox Networks Group, Magazine, A+E Networks Asia (History), and Allianz PNB Life. and Radio Mindanao Network Inc. CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Party-list) underscored the critical role of line men and Bayanihan of Electric Cooperatives in restoration of electricity in areas affected by the recent calamities. The challenging and harrowing experience of the underappreciated and unnoticed line workers who responded immediately after the onslaught of Typhoon Tisoy and Ursula, was detailed by Rep. Adriano Ebcas (Ako Padayon Pilipino Party-list), with an emphasis on the dangers they faced during those trying times. A line man himself, Rep. Sergio Dagooc (APEC Party-list) expressed his utmost respect and vowed to always represent them in the best way he can, calling for his fellow representatives to expedite the passage of House Bill No. 3247, which proclaims the first Monday of August every year as a LINEMEN APPRECIATION DAY. In a more solemn tone, Rep. Godofredo Guya (RECOBODA Partylist) paid tribute to the fallen line workers who sacrificed their lives in the name of service. The Session Hall stood in silence to pay their respects to the late heroes. The line workers were awarded certificates, a small token compared to what they have given their Kababayans. The Power Bloc and One EC Network Foundation hopes to strengthen the movement through this momentous celebration of their modern heroes.

LAS VEGAS—The most-anticipated heavyweight showdown in nearly two decades will transfix the boxing world on Saturday when unbeaten WBC champion Deontay Wilder faces Tyson Fury in a longawaited rematch. In what is the biggest heavyweight collision since Lennox Lewis bludgeoned Mike Tyson into submission on the banks of the Mississippi River in 2002, Wilder and Fury go head-to-head 14 months after battling to a draw in Los Angeles. Tickets for Saturday’s bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas have been changing hands for up to $11,000, while promoters predict the event could generate more than 2 million pay-per-view sales in the United States alone. At the centre of the action are two of heavyweight boxing’s most charismatic and skilful protagonists, the hard-hitting “Bronze Bomber” Wilder and Fury, the eccentric, selfstyled “Gypsy King” from northern England. Both men will be taking unbeaten records into the 12-round contest, with the 34-yearold Wilder looking to add Fury’s name to a tally which reads 42-0 with one drawn and 41 knockouts. The fight is a classic clash of styles, pitting Wilder’s devastating knockout power against the more elusive, mobile defensive style of Fury. In their first fight in Los Angeles, Fury recovered from two juddering knockdowns to claim a draw, miraculously climbing off the

canvas in the 12th round to hang on for a share of the spoils. Until that final knockdown, Fury had been on course to snatch victory, outfoxing Wilder with a defensive masterclass which had the 6ft 7in (2m) American unleashing wild haymakers at thin air. Fury, (29-0-1, 20 knockouts) however has spent the buildup to Saturday’s rematch promising to adopt a more aggressive approach, insisting he is targeting an early knockout. Fists of destiny “My own destiny lies within my own two fists,” the 31-year-old said. “I’ll be letting them fly very aggressively. The mistake I made last time was not making him pay when he was hurt. This time when I get him hurt, I’ll throw everything but the kitchen sink at him and he won’t know what hit him.” Fury’s assertion that he is targeting an explosive victory to make the judge’s scorecards an irrelevance should be taken with a large pinch of salt. The British fighter is not renowned for raw knockout punching power, and his likeliest path to victory remains via the sort of elusiveness which has marked his most significant career performances. There are also question marks over Fury’s build-up. He required more than 40 stitches to patch up a horrific cut over his right eye in a laboured victory over Otto Wallin in his last Turn to A7

Sydney to host China’s football qualifier KUALA LUMPUR—China will play the “home” second leg of their Olympic women’s football qualifier against South Korea in Sydney, the Asian Football Confederation said Friday, after the deadly coronavirus made it impossible to hold the match in China. The game, which will decide qualification for the Tokyo Olympics, will be staged at Campbelltown Stadium on March 11, with the first leg in South Korea on March 6. “The winners of the two-legged playoff will seal their place in the Tokyo Olympics alongside hosts Japan and winners from the other play-off match, which sees Australia take on Vietnam on the same dates,” the AFC said in a statement. Sports in China have ground to a halt because of the coronavirus, which emerged in the central city of Wuhan in December and has killed more than 2,200 people, mostly in China. China’s women’s team reached the playoffs after coming through undefeated in three matches in a qualifying tournament in Australia this month, having first spent a week in quarantine in Brisbane. The competition was initially scheduled to be held in Wuhan. A raft of sports tournaments have been postponed or cancelled in China, the most prominent being Shanghai’s Formula One Grand Prix on April 19. AFP

IN BRIEF Air Asia PH offering more discounted fares AIR Asia Philippines Inc. has offered discounted airfares to its domestic flights in a bid to entice more local tourists to travel amid the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The Philippine unit of Southeast Asia’s largest budget airline said the 30-percent discounted airfares to all seat, all flights is in support to the Department of Tourism’s push for a livelier domestic tourism. The discounted base fares are available for local flights, including those from Manila to Caticlan, Puerto Princesa, Bacolod and Cebu. “We are pleased to provide great deals to our guests, especially those flying to our domestic destinations. We are committed to making travel more affordable and accessible to all, and have been working closely with Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat to achieve this,” said Air Asia chief executive Ricky Isla. “We hope that guests take advantage of our promotional fares and explore the options available when booking, such as discounted baggage, hotels, and activities for their future getaways,” he added. Meanwhile, the airline announced its fourth destination in Mindanao—Zamboanga—starting March 29. Darwin G. Amojelar

Business

Thrift banks warned about ‘20 challenges THE Chamber of Thrift Banks, the umbrella organization of the country’s thrift banks, urged members to strengthen their operations as the new decade began eventfully with environmental, social and geopolitical issues affecting the world’s economies. The country took an unexpected hit at the start of 2020 from several crises brought on by the Taal Volcano eruption, the outbreak of the African Swine Fever and a possible contagion from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) that originated from Wuhan, China. “CTB is taking a proactive stance with the view that risks are unavoidable but can be managed. We hope to prepare our member thrift banks to better address these risks,” said CTB president Cecilio San Pedro Friday. The Finance Department earlier told a Senate hearing that the Philippine economy would be able to sustain its momentum of growth this year despite these challenges. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III even said the Duterte administration was sticking to its earlier projection of a 6.5-percent to 7.5-percent expansion of the economy this year despite domestic and global headwinds. Julito G. Rada

Energy allows Uy to review proposed natural gas project THE Energy Department allowed Tanglawan Philippine LNG Inc., controlled by Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, to “re-evaluate” its proposed liquefied natural gas project after Phoenix Udenna Corp. acquired a stake in the Malampaya gas project in northwest Palawan. “Tanglawan, they asked for... suspension on their application because of the development of the Chevron share acquisition... We will allow them to reevaluate their position,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said. Tanglawan sought the suspension in the wake of Udenna’s acquisition of the entire 45-percent shareholdings of Chevron Malampaya LLC, a whollyowned subsidiary of Chevron Philippines Ltd., in the $4.5-billion Malampaya gas project. Phoenix and Udenna are both controlled by Davao businessman Dennis Uy. Phoenix was scheduled to forge a joint venture agreement with CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd., a unit of China National Offshore Oil Corp. and PNOC for the LNG project. Cusi said the suspension was not open-ended and that Tanglawan was given a certain period to review the project. Tanglawan secured an NTP from DOE on December 21, 2018. The company asked for an extension on June 20, 2019 after the NTP expired on June 22. The NTP was supposed to expire again on December 20, 2019. UC Malampaya Philippines Pte Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Udenna, signed an agreement on October 25, 2019 to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Chevron Malampaya. Alena Mae S. Flores

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

Ayala Land decides to hike share buyback plan by P25b By Jenniffer B. Austria

Cusi assures stable power supply ahead THE Energy Department and other energy stakeholders on Friday assured the public of concerted efforts to ensure the stable supply of power throughout the year, especially during dry months when demand is high. Grid operator National Grid Corp. of the Philippines on Thursday called for the intervention of government agencies, especially those in the energy industry, to address the power shortage looming over the Luzon grid during the dry months. “The DOE has been actively working with the entire energy family since November last year for all the necessary preparations, as well as the development of harmonized solutions to make sure that there will be adequate power supply all year round,” said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi. According to NGCP and Independent Electricity Market Operator, operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, thin electricity supply is forecast between April and June, even with an expected incoming 700-megawatt capacity from new power plants. Alena Mae S. Flores

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

NEW TOYOTA PRESIDENT. Toyota Motor Philippines welcomes Atsuhiro Okamoto (fourth from left) as TMP’s incoming president in a formal ceremony held at Grand Hyatt Manila. Following Toyota Motor Corp. president Akio Toyoda’s direction, Okamoto aims to lead TMP’s path toward mobility solutions by providing better cars and services to enhance the quality of life of Filipinos. TMP chairman Alfred Ty (center) leads the ceremonial toast with (from left) Philippine Economic Zone Authority director general Charito Plaza, Mitsui & Co. Ltd. first motor vehicle division general manager Tatsuji Hidaka, Senate minority leader Franklin Drilon, Toyota Daihatsu engineering and manufacturing president Yoshihiro Sawa, Toyota Asia Region chief executive Yoshihiro Nakata, Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda, chief presidential counsel and presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, outgoing TMP president Satoru Suzuki, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and TMP vice chairman David Go.

DOF: ‘Sin’ tax collections reached P269.1b last year By Julito G. Rada

HE Finance Department on Friday said tax collections from “sin products,” redefined recently to include sweetened beverages, have raised P269.1 billion in revenues in 2019, almost double the P143.5 billion collected from alcoholic drinks and cigarettes in 2015, the year prior to the assumption of President Rodrigo Duterte in office. DOF estimates show the government would be able to raise this year around P332.3 billion from ‘sin’ taxes, given that ‘sin’ products will also cover electronic cigarettes such as heated tobacco products and vapor (vaping) products. It also cited further increas-

es in the excise taxes on alcohol and tobacco products. ‘Sin’ tax collections will be primarily used to augment funding for the implementation of the Universal Health Care program, which starts this year. The program aims to provide affordable access to inpatient and outpatient services to all Filipinos, especially low-income families—in step with the ultimate goal of President Duterte to provide a decent life to every Filipino. Higher ‘sin’ taxes also aim to deter the consumption of unhealthy products to help lower healthcare costs and promote a healthy citizenry. “In 2015, the total revenues from ‘sin’ products was P143.5 billion. Last year, in 2019, the total was P269.1 billion or 87.5 percent more. Starting 2020, ‘sin’ taxes now include the collection of excise taxes on tobacco, alcohol, sweetened beverage and e-cigarette products,” DoF Undersecretary Karl Chua said in his report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III during a recent DOF executive committee meeting. Chua said the 2020 revenue estimate

of P332.3 billion from ‘sin’ products represent a 131.6-percent increase from the 2015 collection. By 2024, conservative DOF estimates show the government will be able to collect about P480 billion. “This is a low-end projection,” Chua said. The new set of ‘sin’ taxes comprise Package 2 plus of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program, which the state economic team is pushing to make the taxation system simpler and fairer for all Filipinos and at the same time raise sufficient funds for President Duterte’s high-and inclusive-growth agenda. Republic Act 11346, or the Tobacco Tax Reform that was signed into law in July 2019, increased excise taxes on tobacco products to P45 per pack starting this year and P5 per pack thereafter until the rate reaches P60 per pack in 2023. Starting 2024, the tax rate will be increased by 5 percent each year. The law also introduced a new tax on e-cigarettes such as HTPs and vapor products. RA 11346 is expected to raise P14.9 billion this year and P125.8 billion by 2024 from cigarettes alone, Chua said.

Lyceum of the Philippines University-Davao, embarking on a sustainability journey, teams up with AboitizPower Distributed Energy Inc. to install a 300-kilowatt-peak rooftop solar project.

Aboitiz Power set to install rooftop solar power in Lyceum-Davao By Alena Mae S. Flores LYCEUM of the Philippines UniversityDavao (LPU-Davao), an affiliate of Lyceum of the Philippines University, will soon be powered by solar under the Cleanenergy brand of Aboitiz Power Corp. LPU-Davao signed an agreement with Aboitiz Power Distributed Renewables Inc. to explore a 300-kilowattpeak rooftop solar project. “Going renewable is a landmark in the rich history of LPU. This highlights our commitment not only to achieving academic excellence but also to ensuring that LPU, as among the leading educational institutions in the Philippines, remains sustainable so it can serve the next generation of learners,” said Peter Laurel, president of LPU Davao, Batangas, and Laguna campuses.

APX will install, operate and maintain the solar rooftop solar panels. “We are very excited about this opportunity to work with LPU and to be part of its journey towards becoming a more sustainable institution. This marks our first foray into the education space for APX and we hope that it is just the beginning,” said APX director Carlos Aboitiz. APX is AboitizPower’s business unit focusing on rooftop solar projects. It is part of AboitizPower’s Cleanergy portfolio, which also includes hydro, geothermal and solar power plants that are strategically across the country. “We see great potential for distributed renewable energy in the Philippines. We look forward to helping more businesses reduce their energy cost and carbon footprint,” Aboitiz said.

Aboitiz Power is the holding company for the Aboitiz Group’s investments in power generation, distribution and retail services. The company plans to generate 65 percent of its generating capacity from renewable energy by 2030. The company is one of the largest power producers in the Philippines with a balanced portfolio of assets located across the country. Its generation portfolio includes several hydro, geothermal and solar power generation facilities. It also has thermal power plants in its generation portfolio to support the base load and peak energy demands of the country. The compan owns distribution utilities that operate in high-growth areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, including the second and third largest private utilities in the country.

MAJOR property Ayala Land Inc. has boosted its share buyback program by P25 billion to boost shareholder value. Ayala Land said in a disclosure to the stock exchange the additional P25billion budget to the company’s share buyback program would bring the available balance to P26.1 billion. “The program will be implemented through open market purchases executed via the trading facilities of the Philippine Stock Exchange,” ALI said. After hitting a 52-week high of P53.85 apiece in July, share price of ALI has been on the downward trend. Share price of Friday fell 0.5 percent to P42.25. Meanwhile, ALI said its board of directors approved the issues of up to P10 billion in fixed-rate retail bonds. The company plans to use proceeds from the sale to partially finance general corporate requirements and refinance maturing loans. ALI will issue the P10-billion bonds from the company’s-P50 billion bond shelf registration program approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission last year. The latest bond offering will be listed with Philippine Dealing & Exchange Corp. The property firm so far has issued three tranches from the P50-billion bond shelf registration program, including P8 billion of securities issued in May, P3 billion in September and P10 billion in November. ALI in 2019 registered a net income of P33.2 billion, up 13 percent from P29.4 billion in 2018, on aggressive project launches. Consolidated revenues climbed two percent in 2019 to P168.8 billion, driven by office, and commercial and industrial lots sales, and supported by higher contributions from new leasing formats. Revenues from property development rose three percent to P117.6 billion, boosted by sales of office, commercial and industrial lots.

BIR closes delinquent POGO firm THE Bureau of Internal Revenue on Friday closed an offshore gaming operation licensee for failure to pay the 5-percent franchise tax due on gross gaming receipts for taxable year 2019 amounting to over ₱114 million. The BIR said in a statement the amount was inclusive of incremental penalties. Amid intensified calls for the government to go after erring POGO and upon the directive of Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa, the BIR Task Force POGO enforced a mission order against Synchronization Anywhere For You Inc. with address at Eastfield Center, Macapagal Avenue, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. “SAFYI is the first POGO licensee/ operator closed by the BIR for failure to pay the 5-percent franchise tax due on its gross gaming receipts for taxable year 2019 amounting to over ₱114 million, inclusive of incremental penalties,” the BIR said. The entire gross gaming revenues or earnings from gaming operations of franchise holders are subject to a franchise tax of 5 percent, in lieu of all other taxes. “Under the leadership of Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Commissioner Caesar Dulay, the BIR remains committed to its duties to collect correct taxes and will vigilantly enforce tax laws against all erring entities,” the agency said. Dominguez said earlier there would be no letup in the ongoing crackdown as the BIR further steps up its campaign against errant POGOs in 2020. “Basically we’re going hard against people who are evading taxes,” he said. The BIR, through its Task Force POGO, began a crackdown with the temporary closure of the operations of Great Empire Gaming and Amusement Corp. in Quezon City on Sept. 25, 2019 for failure to pay the correct amount of taxes to the government. Julito G. Rada

Business

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market declines on profit taking S TOCKS fell Friday on profit taking as a spike in new virus cases outside China spooked Asian markets after Wall Street pulled back from record highs as more companies warned earnings could be hurt by the epidemic.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index dropped 43.22 points, or 0.6 percent, to 7,369.78 on a value turnover of P5.2 billion. Losers beat gainers, 104 to 76, with 51 issues unchanged. Megaworld Corp., the biggest lessor of office spaces, slumped 6.2 percent to P3.80, while parent Alliance Global Group Inc. declined 2.3 percent to P10.26. International Container Terminal Ser-

vices Inc., the largest port operator, sank 5.9 percent to P118, while ISM Communications Corp. tumbled 7.7 percent to P1.68. More than 2,200 people have died from the novel coronavirus, which has infected over 75,000 people, mostly in China, and spread panic around the world. While Beijing claims its epidemic control efforts are working, the rising death toll and number of new infections abroad have rattled investors. A batch of warnings from companies over the impact of the virus on bottom lines—including Danish ship operator Maersk and Air France-KLM—and weaker manufacturing data in Japan also fanned anxiety. Initial hopes that the virus would have only a short-term impact on earnings and economic growth have given way to the reluctant realization that it could linger.

“It took Apple to do what the coronavirus couldn’t—make stocks feel a little queasy,” said Stephen Innes of AxiCorp, referring to the tech giant’s warning Monday that it would miss its quarterly revenue forecast because of the disease. “The market seemed to absorb the initial Apple shock in its typically pleasant manner, but it’s the aftershocks when corporate America starts waving the warning flags in tandem that could prove to be the biggest gut check.” Seoul’s Kospi index fell 1.5 percent after the country confirmed 52 more virus cases, taking its total to 156—the second-highest national toll outside China. Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed down 0.4 percent as investors took to the sidelines ahead a long weekend. Mainland China’s key Shanghai Composite Index was up 0.1 percent follow-

ing central bank efforts to cushion the impact of the virus on the world’s second-largest economy, where manufacturing activity has been hit hard. Elsewhere, Sydney and Taipei both shed 0.3 percent while Singapore was off 0.1 percent. China reported Thursday a big drop in the number of new infections after it once again changed the method of counting patients with the virus. It was the second revision of criteria in just eight days and the flip-flopping “did not help the mood” of investors, noted Rodrigo Catril of National Australia Bank. The National Health Commission reported 889 new cases on Friday, up from the previous day. After the losses on Wall Street and in Europe, Jeffrey Halley of OANDA likened the reaction on Asian markets to “more a case of the sniffles, rather than a full-blown cold.” With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review Friday, FeBruary 21, 2020

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

FINANCIALS 51.25 1,690 84 4,588,920 147.5 1,120,480 25 72,500 18 5,000 11.56 103,800 3.79 6,000 0.63 8,000 0.41 630,000 60.85 2,463,020 0.75 155,000 13.3 55,100 19 100 31.85 467,300 176 70 110.3 1,000 52.45 1,880 20.45 1,176,800 170.2 80,030 1,820 5 58 6,500 1.17 1,921,000

86,395 388,057,323.50 165,624,007 1,812,605 90,000 1,211,732 22,560 4,640 260,350 149,997,070 115,230 716,624 1,900 14,982,790 12,330 110,300 97,609 24,066,155 13,769,259 9,100 376,469 2,244,010 1

-1,025 -38,731,520 -53,030,373 -1,400,000 -83,788 68,143,381.50 11,100 -4,593,740 -10,225 -4,844,418 581 ,290,299.9997

31.7 2.19 7.5 0.63 1.22 3.05 0.223 1.46 15.08 198 8.1 15.12 60.8 67 2.14 4.59 8.23 11.86 8.52 7.5 2.61 20 66 1.86 1.51 13.06 5.05 1.22 188.9 4.8 3 12.16 9.62 14.48 270 0.154 1.82 3.46 9.63 11.6 28.9 4.8 1.53 1.13 9.05 74 9.25 0.117 0.88 149.1 2.41 1.15 0.94

INDUSTRIAL 31.7 475,600 2.27 3,794,000 7.75 2,237,500 0.64 1,239,000 1.22 14,000 3.16 5,191,000 0.224 60,000 1.49 2,634,000 15.1 410,600 228 1,300 8.22 1,416,900 15.12 4,000 64.7 400 67 10 2.15 25,000 4.8 10,000 8.23 861,000 11.86 45,600 8.63 2,066,000 7.55 1,369,600 2.65 2,667,000 20.05 522,400 66 57,680 1.91 23,459,000 1.57 4,089,000 13.58 1,118,400 5.2 2,582,200 1.22 241,000 189 1,135,990 4.8 14,000 3 9,000 12.22 1,876,800 9.7 17,400 14.6 5,356,000 270 166,660 0.162 1,100,000 1.83 110,000 3.46 534,000 9.7 20,000 11.78 172,200 28.95 116,700 4.8 190,000 1.61 509,000 1.17 1,180,000 9.06 58,600 74 266,110 9.29 122,000 0.117 590,000 0.92 514,000 150 818,690 2.41 6,000 1.22 17,596,000 0.96 544,000

15,124,040 8,522,720 17,646,584 795,460 17,080 16,408,890 13,400 3,904,880 6,200,060 269,712 11,720,576 ( 62,060 24,726 670 53,700 47,690 7,097,911 543,522 17,993,661 10,293,682 7,257,530 10,480,450 3,812,506 44,686,960 6,278,980 15,211,700 13,427,291 304,360 215,162,162 67,200 27,250 23,001,470 168,396 77,685,080 45,641,630 170,340 201,000 1,858,130 192,736 2,027,100 3,392,775 917,000 811,170 1,357,630 532,501 19,715,792 1,134,107 69,030 461,590 122,713,480 14,460 21,013,400 522,720

-10,170,675 818,160 -4,949,963 -590,020 -1,148,170 -191,794 261,451.0001) -7,750 -5,644,698 -155,956 -11,746,670 -3,786,347 -638,400 -6,234,595 -2,851,562 -1,948,250 5,016,870 -1,597,128 -5,222,972 -12,584,410 -3,446,664 -22,195 -4,201,524 -23,006,576 74,060 -500,310 -101,260 -2,836,095 -677,000 8,050.00 -194,734 -1,191,767.50 -22,000 -75,427,757 -12,050 -157,260 -

0.89 51.9 10.56 0.7 6.1 10.3 0.94 0.94 760 2.57 6.3 5.7 12.3 741 4.87 76 0.49 4.05 10 0.59 3.28 4.31 1.1 2.7 135 1,045 0.8 1.16 170 166 0.229 0.19

0.86 50.5 10.26 0.67 6.1 9.99 0.93 0.94 748 2.48 6.25 5.6 12.3 731 4.62 75 0.485 3.81 9.5 0.59 3.17 4.25 1.1 2.7 132.8 1,016 0.77 1.1 155 162.5 0.212 0.184

HOLDING FIRMS 0.88 9,341,000 50.5 1,204,860 10.26 16,307,400 0.7 22,000 6.1 14,000 10.02 6,200 0.93 1,007,000 0.94 45,000 750 196,690 2.49 1,526,000 6.26 188,500 5.62 5,595,100 12.3 100 731 96,880 4.71 102,000 75.6 698,920 0.485 20,000 3.88 452,000 9.5 937,700 0.59 160,000 3.19 75,944,000 4.28 29,000 1.1 1,000 2.7 361,000 133 179,600 1,038 178,005 0.8 29,000 1.16 94,000 155 1,520 166 7,720 0.229 1,050,000 0.189 1,560,000

8,187,900 60,973,482 169,543,002 15,260 85,400 62,056 937,670 42,300 147,650,530 3,817,240 1,179,511 31,451,378 1,230 71,133,855 481,900 52,868,500 ( 9,750 1,754,790 8,947,715 94,400 243,888,110 123,780 1,100 974,700 23,869,920 184,161,675 22,420 105,140 244,950 1,262,504 237,150 289,070

1,225,690 39,600,020.50 38,944,426 85,400 -53,725,025 -196,911 -26,738,040 5,576,500 -472,180 20,963,509.5) -115,390 -4,802,790 -36,600,010 12,900 4,745,303 32,674,125 -61,420 -1,025,104 -

14.74 0.63 9.67 1.58 0.79 42.75 1.6 4.59 0.51 0.173 0.39 9.08 19.48 1.44 1.05 4.1 0.207 0.455 1.16 0.31 2.09 25.9

14.7 0.61 9 1.58 0.78 42.15 1.57 4.58 0.5 0.171 0.37 8.95 18.06 1.4 1.04 3.8 0.2 0.445 1.07 0.31 2.05 25.15

PROPERTY 14.7 768,000 0.63 678,000 9.67 22,500 1.58 2,000 0.78 575,000 42.25 14,983,200 1.58 519,000 4.59 228,000 0.51 6,913,000 0.171 780,000 0.38 990,000 9 26,300 18.4 688,500 1.4 18,048,000 1.04 74,000 3.8 39,890,000 0.2 6,910,000 0.455 11,520,000 1.08 3,550,000 0.31 20,000 2.08 24,000 25.3 2,435,400

11,305,660 424,130 216,756 3,160 448,680 635,224,265 822,000 1,044,820 3,492,710 134,000 370,150 236,740 12,894,684 25,391,610 77,060 155,970,590 1,388,160 5,239,650 3,906,620 6,200 49,690 61,894,845

1,312,200 26,460 208,592 -72,202,805 -47,420 -769,000 567,808 -15,377,900 -10,379,450 -127,260 72,240 -16,514,130

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

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

51 86 148 25.05 18 11.72 3.74 0.53 0.41 61 0.75 12.48 19 33 177 110.3 51.7 20.5 173.8 1,820 58 1.16

53 86 148.7 25.05 18 11.76 3.79 0.63 0.425 61.1 0.75 13.3 19 33.15 177 110.3 52.5 20.5 173.8 1,820 58.1 1.25

51 83.5 147.5 25 18 11.54 3.74 0.53 0.41 60.6 0.74 12.48 19 31.85 176 110.3 51.35 20.45 170.2 1,820 57.85 1.15

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

32.15 2.22 7.9 0.65 1.22 3.11 0.223 1.49 15.14 199.8 8.43 15.6 61 67 2.14 4.59 8.34 11.9 8.56 7.52 2.84 20 66.4 1.95 1.54 13.48 5.41 1.29 190.8 4.8 3.05 12.28 9.62 14.8 279 0.154 1.82 3.49 9.7 11.6 29.7 4.8 1.57 1.16 9.15 75.35 9.3 0.117 0.91 150.5 2.41 1.17 0.95

32.4 2.27 8.1 0.65 1.22 3.25 0.224 1.52 15.3 228 8.6 15.6 64.7 67 2.15 4.8 8.34 12 8.86 7.55 2.89 20.4 66.45 1.95 1.58 13.8 5.49 1.3 191.8 4.8 3.05 12.32 9.7 14.8 280 0.162 1.83 3.5 9.7 11.78 29.7 4.85 1.67 1.17 9.15 75.35 9.34 0.117 0.93 150.8 2.41 1.22 0.98

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

0.87 51.9 10.52 0.67 6.1 10.22 0.93 0.94 753 2.55 6.3 5.7 12.3 732 4.86 75 0.49 4.01 9.67 0.59 3.2 4.31 1.1 2.7 135 1,034 0.77 1.1 170 164.5 0.212 0.19

8990 HLDG A BROWN ANCHOR LAND ARANETA PROP ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND

14.72 0.62 9 1.58 0.78 42.6 1.6 4.58 0.5 0.173 0.37 8.98 19.18 1.4 1.04 4.07 0.2 0.445 1.12 0.31 2.06 25.9

VOLUME

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING),

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

2.05 41.65 2.42 1.72 6.81 5.08

2.05 41.75 2.5 1.78 6.92 5.23

2.03 41 2.42 1.61 6.8 5.01

2.05 41.3 2.49 1.62 6.81 5.16

32,000 6,633,600 45,000 8,353,000 3,406,400 108,900

65,520 274,574,850 109,640 13,844,640 23,207,751 555,711

11,203,690 -16,285,866 -

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL ALLHOME APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER ISLAND INFO ISM COMM JACKSTONES LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B MLA BRDCASTING NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

8 21.4 1.37 10.32 0.39 0.047 2.87 9.19 0.045 81 4.21 4 7 1,896 5.4 418 12.9 1.16 125.1 0.099 1.8 2 12.16 1.95 10.54 0.46 2.95 1.82 1.18 1.3 12.5 2.14 1.99 7.3 3.24 1,022 0.52 0.31 37.95 72.5 2.12 0.57 0.236 0.54 18.82

8.2 21.5 1.42 10.5 0.405 0.047 2.87 9.2 0.045 82 4.21 4 7.25 1,929 5.42 418 13.36 1.17 125.9 0.099 1.8 2.05 12.16 2.03 10.56 0.46 2.96 1.82 1.83 1.8 12.5 2.34 2.04 7.3 3.32 1,048 0.57 0.315 38.45 72.6 2.2 0.59 0.238 0.57 18.82

8 19.52 1.35 10.32 0.39 0.047 2.71 8.95 0.044 79.65 4.14 4 6.98 1,889 5.39 418 12.9 1.14 117.9 0.098 1.65 2 12.14 1.93 10.02 0.44 2.95 1.77 1.18 1.3 12 2.11 1.99 7 3.15 1,022 0.52 0.305 37.95 72.35 2.12 0.56 0.235 0.54 18.72

SERVICES 8.2 19.66 1.42 10.5 0.405 0.047 2.79 9 0.045 79.8 4.17 4 6.98 1,889 5.4 418 13.36 1.14 118 0.098 1.68 2.05 12.14 2.03 10.02 0.44 2.96 1.79 1.83 1.8 12 2.19 2.04 7 3.21 1,025 0.55 0.31 38 72.35 2.14 0.57 0.238 0.56 18.76

99,700 2,406,500 117,000 2,229,200 840,000 3,200,000 224,000 2,512,700 5,900,000 108,870 751,000 130,000 11,400 51,895 1,264,100 30 3,900 329,000 1,358,650 150,000 97,677,000 2,000 2,400 66,000 4,214,600 1,360,000 21,000 780,000 13,274,000 1,256,000 400 6,590,000 2,000 3,900 1,277,000 99,285 57,217,000 1,840,000 1,763,100 56,990 1,114,000 1,963,000 800,000 609,000 966,200

799,016 49,355,998 159,040 23,342,454 332,950 150,400 620,480 22,762,133 265,400 8,767,588 3,127,600 520,000 80,413 98,175,970 6,827,473 12,540 50,366 377,340 164,242,722 14,770 169,476,400 4,050 29,144 128,360 42,785,848 606,550 62,150 1,396,040 21,840,970 2,055,490 4,950 14,717,870 4,030 27,422 4,123,540 102,165,935 31,423,980 568,550 66,999,655 4,127,371 2,390,390 1,118,650 189,710 334,230 18,126,342

-4,100.00 -2,840 -15,711,530 -2,730 -10,839,899 -4,494,493.50 252,000 120,000 -15,121,445 -82,841,894 1,300 2,030.00 -5,128,454 -68,200 -164,000 108,420 50 17,500 -52,489,030 281,540 -427,175 483,001 -473,800 12,284,766

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

0.0013 7.3 1.03 2.4 11.6 1.15 3.04 0.27 6.78 1.31 0.204 0.095 0.7 2.58 1.01 0.66 0.01 0.012 0.01 3.07 7.66 20 0.005

0.0014 7.3 1.1 2.4 11.6 1.15 3.04 0.27 6.92 1.32 0.204 0.095 0.72 2.63 1.01 0.68 0.01 0.012 0.011 3.07 7.68 20.1 0.005

0.0013 7.04 1.03 2.4 11.5 1.15 2.95 0.27 6.65 1.29 0.2 0.094 0.7 2.56 0.99 0.63 0.0099 0.012 0.01 3 7.59 19.9 0.0049

MINING & OIL 0.0014 66,000,000 7.1 29,200 1.09 5,468,000 2.4 5,000 11.6 5,300 1.15 1,000 2.98 351,000 0.27 100,000 6.73 9,900 1.3 431,000 0.2 470,000 0.095 1,730,000 0.72 31,000 2.59 940,000 1.01 40,000 0.63 241,000 0.0099 6,200,000 0.012 1,200,000 0.01 30,000,000 3.02 1,009,000 7.6 345,400 19.9 797,000 0.005 5,000,000

88,900 206,825 5,864,670 12,000 61,324 1,150 1,047,340 27,000 68,067 561,240 94,650 164,170 21,720 2,451,010 39,640 153,120 61,700 14,400 304,600 3,066,070 2,628,056 15,870,226 24,800

-86,081 -147,650 227,200 -22,140 -345,760 -61,000 18,000 -11,490 -4,875,352 -

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 AC PREF B2R CPG PREF A DD PREF FGEN PREF G FPH PREF C GLO PREF P GTCAP PREF A GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PCOR PREF 2B PCOR PREF 3A PCOR PREF 3B PNX PREF 4 SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H

16.8 500 501 101 101.1 105 500 502 999 999 100 100.6 1,038 1,060 1,080 1,050 77.6 75.65 75.6 75.9 76

17 500 501 101 101.1 105 500 502 999 1,000 100.9 100.6 1,038 1,070 1,085 1,050 77.6 75.65 76.5 75.95 76

16 500 500 101 101 105 500 502 999 999 99.8 100.4 1,038 1,060 1,080 1,050 77.5 75.65 75.6 75.9 76

PREFERRED 16 638,000 500 1,960 500 220 101 3,400 101 1,000 105 2,000 500 2,000 502 1,600 999 50 1,000 4,170 99.8 3,510 100.4 10,200 1,038 5 1,070 1,010 1,085 4,400 1,050 750 77.6 1,270 75.65 20 76.5 52,820 75.95 2,010 76 51,000

10,415,744 980,000 110,020 343,400 101,002 210,000 1,000,000 803,200 49,950 4,169,000 350,909 1,026,091 5,190 1,080,600 4,765,940 787,500 98,502 1,513 4,027,262 152,609.50 3,876,000

-4,024,912 2,022 -54,000 -

LR WARRANT

1.06

1.12

1.04

WARRANTS 1.06 68,000

71,240

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

3.24 9.5 0.84

3.38 9.57 0.84

3.2 9.49 0.81

3.2 9.49 0.83

934,760 1,076,907 613,090

-117,200 -8,200

FIRST METRO ETF

111.7

111.9

110.4

599,351

-121,625

USD DMPL A1 USD DMPL A2

10.26 10.28

10.26 10.3

10.26 10.28

205,200 99,851.20

MS Trading Summary

FINANCIAL

14,763,301

INDUSTRIAL

89,678,835

HOLDING FIRMS

117,475,220

PROPERTY

130,997,640

SERVICES

221,169,930

MINING & OIL

120,510,582

GRAND TOTAL

695,747,228

SME

284,000 113,300 747,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 110.5 5,380 DDS 10.26 10.3

20,000 9,700

VALUE 1,738.92 (DOWN) 12.49 987,879,955.26 FINANCIAL 8,987.08 (DOWN) 65.99 INDUSTRIAL 781,395,802.366 7,218.98 (UP) 7.28 HOLDING FIRMS 1,027,923,827.65 PROPERTY 3,944.75 (DOWN) 38.20 1,444.81 (DOWN) 24.87 1,348,997,971.42 SERVICES 7,086.90 (DOWN) 22.24 MINING & OIL 1,016,189,151.175 7,369.78 (DOWN) 43.22 PSEI 32,838,796.845 All Shares Index 4,346.76 (DOWN) 29.11 5,198,453,782.42 Gainers: 76; Losers: 104; Unchanged: 51; Total: 231

Sale of 51% of company assets needs 2/3 approval By Jenniffer B. Austria THE Securities and Exchange Commission wants companies planning to dispose of at least 51 percent of their assets to obtain twothirds approval from their shareholders. The move is in line with SEC’s thrust to promote good governance and protect minority shareholders. The SEC, in a draft memorandum circular issued on Friday, said the sale or disposal of corporate property and assets amounting to at least 51 percent of the corporation’s total assets should be considered as sale of all or substantially all of corporate property and assets, whether such sale accrued in a single transaction or in several transactions taking place within one year from the date of the first transaction. The SEC said a sale of 51 percent of a company’s assets would require a vote of the stockholders representing at least two-thirds of the outstanding capital stock of the company The SEC said the determination of whether or not the sale amounts to at least 51 percent of the corporation’s assets must be computed based on total assets as shown in the latest audited financial statements. Concerned and affected sectors may submit their comments, feedback and inputs on the draft rules on the sale of corporate assets on or before March 7, 2020. The implementation of rules on sale of corporate assets is pursuant to SEC’s regulatory powers under Section 179 of the Republic Act 11232, or the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines. If, after due notice and hearing, the commission finds that any provision of this Memorandum Circular has been violated, the Commission may impose any or all of the sanctions provided under Section 158 of the RCCP,” the SEC said. The sanctions under the RCCP include the imposition of a fine ranging from P5,000 to P2 million and not more than P1 for each day of continuing violation, issuance of a permanent ceaseand-desist order, suspension or revocation of the certificate of incorporation and dissolution of the company.

Basic Energy quits geothermal service contract in Mabini By Alena Mae S. Flores BASIC Energy Corp. submitted on Friday a notice to the Energy Department to withdraw from Mabini geothermal service contract no. 8 Basic Energy disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange the department extended the Mabini service contract until 2021, provided the company commits to drill two wells during the extension period. “Considering, however, that the budget for these two wells goes beyond the contractual commitments of the company under the service contract, vis-a-vis the low potential return for this project and the long gestation period thereof, the company was constrained to withdraw from this project,” Basic Energy said. Basic Energy owns 100 percent of the Mabini geothermal prospect from 75 percent after Phinma Energy Corp. withdrew its 25 percent interest last year. The Basic Energy and Phinma Energy joint venture in 2016 started drilling on the San Teodoro, Mabini, Batangas geothermal prospect. The parties drilled the first well in GSEC no. 8 in the Calumpan Peninsula. The Mabini prospect covers 3,841 hectares with a potential to operate a 25-megawatt power plant. The company also submitted a notice to the DOE to withdraw from Mariveles geothermal service contract no. 201302-042. The department terminated the service contract on February 26, 2018, amid difficulties of Basic Energy in securing permits from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, the local government units involved and the host communities. “The company requested for a reconsideration of the termination, which is now being withdrawn considering that a review of the CSMT studies does not fully support a viable geothermal resource,” it said. Basic Energy said the withdrawal of the request for reconsideration of the earlier termination of the service contract would thus put into immediate effect the termination of the service contract.

World

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

70-something candidates spill baggage on the stage

W COMMITMENT CEREMONY. Elvis impersonator and owner Brendan Paul sings during a 'commitment ceremony' for a couple from France at the Graceland Wedding Chapel on February 20, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Paul said he performs 5,000 to 6,000 wedding ceremonies each year at the chapel. The coming Nevada Democratic presidential caucus will be held February 22. AFP

IN BRIEF Mexican drug lord’s son extradited to US MEXICO CITY―The son of a powerful Mexican drug lord was Thursday extradited to the United States, where he is wanted for trafficking, a government source told AFP. Ruben Oseguera Gonzalez, known as “El Menchito,” “was extradited this day on the charge of conspiracy to smuggle drugs” into US territory, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity. US-born Oseguera Gonzalez is the son of “El Mencho” Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, head of the powerful Jalisco New Generation drug cartel. Oseguera Gonzalez, 30, was denied an appeal against his transfer to the United States, where he will be tried in federal court in Washington. He was arrested and released four times between January 2014 and August 2015, when he was finally imprisoned on charges of being number two in the Jalisco New Generation cartel. The US Department of Justice regards the cartel as one of the five most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world, responsible for trafficking tonnes of cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl-laced heroin into the United States, and multiple acts of violence. AFP

Outpouring for bullied Australian boy SYDNEY―An Australian boy with dwarfism who was bullied to the point he wanted to “die right now” has received a deluge of celebrity messages and donations for a trip to Disneyland. A video of nine-year-old Quaden Bayles uploaded to Facebook by his mother showed him crying and repeatedly saying he wanted to die after being bullied at school. The clip had been watched more than 16 million times by Friday and the boy’s mother, Yarraka Bayles, said she was sharing it to raise awareness of the impact bullying was having on her child. “I’ve got a son that is suicidal almost every single day,” she says in the footage. Support for the boy built as the video spread online, and a GoFundMe page started by US comedian Brad Williams had raised over $150,000 to give Bayles a trip to Disneyland in California by Friday. “This isn’t just for Quaden, this is for anyone who has been bullied in their lives and told they weren’t good enough,” Williams, who was also born with achondroplasia—the most common type of dwarfism—wrote on the fundraiser page. AFP

Stone gets 40 months in jail amid row over interference WASHINGTON―Donald Trump’s longtime ally Roger Stone was sentenced Thursday to 40 months in prison for impeding a congressional investigation, in a case that ignited a firestorm over the US president’s political interference in the justice system. Stone, a veteran Republican operative and one of the president’s oldest confidants, was convicted in November of lying to Congress, tampering with a witness and obstructing the House investigation into whether the Trump campaign conspired with Russia to cheat in the 2016 election. “The truth still matters,” said US District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson as she handed down the sentence to Stone, who will remain free while his request for a new trial is considered. “Roger Stone’s insistence that it doesn’t, his belligerence, his pride in his own lies are a threat to our most fundamental institutions, to the very foundation of our democracy.” Trump said soon after he believed Stone had a “very good chance” of being cleared in the long run, accusing the jury without evidence of being “tainted.”

The president controversially commuted the sentences this week of nearly a dozen criminals with links to his friends and political allies—including a corrupt politician and a tax fraud police chief. But he ruled out immediately issuing a Stone the pardon many had been expecting. “I’m going to let this process play out,” he said at an event in Las Vegas. “At some point I’ll make a determination... We’re waiting.” Trump sparked outrage by decrying a “miscarriage of justice” after prosecutors he smeared as corrupt recommended Stone be jailed for up to nine years, in accordance with federal sentencing guidelines. The president has attacked the jury previously, as well as Jackson, who last year jailed former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for unlawful lobbying and witness tampering. Attorney General Bill Barr, who has been blasted for being too close to Trump, personally intervened to have the “extreme and excessive” recommendation withdrawn, prompting all four prosecutors to quit the case. AFP

ASHINGTON―Bernie Sanders is 78 years old. So is Michael Bloomberg. Joe Biden is 77.

The trio of septuagenarians topping the national polls for the Democratic presidential nomination tout their advanced years as the experience that is needed to serve in the White House. But with age comes baggage and they are all toting quite a bit as they seek to take on President Donald Trump―a 73-year-old with his own closets full of skeletons. Much of that baggage came spilling out on stage during a raucous debate in Las Vegas on Wednesday including mentions of the heart attack suffered by Sanders in October and coronary stents Bloomberg received 20 years ago. Vermont Senator Sanders, a selfdescribed “democratic socialist,” was accused by billionaire Bloomberg of seeking to “throw out capitalism” and replace it with “communism.” It was a line of attack trotted out already by Trump after video surfaced of a 10-day “honeymoon” trip Sanders, then a Vermont mayor, and his wife made to the Soviet Union in 1988. “I think of communism when I think of Bernie,” Trump said in a Super Bowl interview with Fox News aimed at convincing American voters that Sanders is too far to the left. Responding to Bloomberg, Sanders accused the former New York mayor of taking a “cheap shot” and said: “Let’s talk about democratic socialism, not communism.” Bloomberg’s own past was in the spotlight as he made his first appearance on the debate stage since jumping into the race in November. Bloomberg has surged in the polls by pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into television, radio and online ads, and his rivals assailed him from all sides over his lavish spending and his record on issues of race and women. Before declaring his candidacy, Bloomberg apologized for the policy

‘Iceman’ diver chases records in the deep

Trump scoffs at ‘Parasite’s Oscar COLORADO SPRINGS—President Donald Trump on Thursday scorned the best picture Oscar for South Korean film “Parasite,” asking how a foreign movie could get the honor. “How bad was the Academy Awards this year?” Trump asked the crowd at a packed reelection campaign rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “We got enough problems with South Korea, with trade. On top of it, they give them the best movie of the year?” Trump asked in disbelief. “Parasite,” a dark comedy exploring class divides, made history by becoming the first non-English-language film to win Hollywood’s biggest annual prize. Saying “was it good? I don’t know,” Trump seemed to indicate he had not watched the film. Neon, the US distributor for “Parasite,” answered the president on Twitter, saying his opposition to the subtitled film was “Understandable, he can’t read.” Trump, whose presidency has been built on a nationalist “America first” slogan, said it was time to bring back classics from Hollywood’s golden age. AFP

of aggressive policing of minorities in New York known as “stop and frisk” and he did so again from the debate stage on Wednesday. “If I go back and look at my time in office, the one thing that I’m really worried about, embarrassed about, was how it turned out with stop and frisk,” he said. “I’ve apologized. I’ve asked for forgiveness.” Young African-American and Latino men were disproportionally targeted by stop and frisk and Sanders noted that minority voters were key to Democratic hopes of winning the White House in November. “Mr. Bloomberg had policies in New York City of stop and frisk which went after African-American and Latino people in an outrageous way,” Sanders said. “That is not a way you’re going to grow voter turnout.” Bloomberg is also facing allegations that he has made sexist and sexually inappropriate comments to women in the workplace and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren tore into him over the issue. “We are not going to beat Donald Trump with a man who has who knows how many nondisclosure agreements and the drip, drip, drip of stories of women saying they have been harassed and discriminated against,” Warren said. Former vice president Biden, whose poll numbers have been sliding, has often been mocked for his verbal fumbles, but he was largely spared Wednesday night as Bloomberg and the front-runner Sanders drew the most fire. But Biden’s decades spent in the US Senate drew a withering comment from Warren, who accused him of being too chummy with Republicans and even once supporting the re-election of Mitch McConnell, who is now the Republican Senate majority leader. AFP

PREMIERE. A Mariachi band is seen during the premiere of Netflix's GENTIFIED Season 1 at Margo Albert Theater on February 20, 2020, in Los Angeles, California. Drug AFP

Tourists brave the cold for a night at Sweden’s ice hotel JUKKASJAEVI―High above the Arctic Circle and nestled in the snow-dusted forests of northern Sweden, gaggles of tourists gathered on a February morning for a glimpse of hallways, bedrooms and a wedding chapel sculpted from ice, part of the 30th incarnation of Sweden’s ice hotel. Stopping in blue-white hallways to take snaps of a chandelier and ornately decorated bedrooms entirely carved from ice, the tourists are among the 50,000 day visitors to the hotel every year, founded in 1989 by a hotelier looking to attract visitors to the remote town of Jukkasjarvi, 200 kilometers north of

the Arctic Circle. Built every October from the frozen waters of the nearby river Torne, the winter hotel has 35 bedrooms. Temperatures reach -5 degrees Celsius (23 Fahrenheit) in the rooms, which start at around three times the average price of a night in a three-star establishment in Stockholm. Individual suites cost more, and feature sculptures and designs by artists from around the world. One room inspired by the aurora borealis—the northern lights that can be seen in the skies nearby—features light-

ing that changes colour, as well as a giant snow sculpture of a reindeer’s head, all set to a soundtrack of ambient music and, occasionally, reindeer grunts. Around 20,000 guests spend a night in the hotel every year. But 25-year-old guide Julia Hansers said guests usually react less to the cold than to the tranquility. “A lot of people coming here live in the city, and there you always have some sort of sounds and noise around you, and inside the ice hotel it’s completely quiet,” said Hansers, peering out from under a thick woolly hat. AFP

WEISSENSEE―It was not the way Christian Redl’s latest deep-diving record attempt was meant to end: being hauled to the surface of Austria’s frozen Weissensee lake after losing consciousness in the icy waters. Redl―dubbed “the iceman”—had suffered a blackout, something he sees as par for the course in his quest to break the record for the deepest dive under ice. “For me, it’s not risky or dangerous. It just happened,” the 43-yearold told AFP matter-of-factly after his unsuccessful record attempt last Friday. The Austrian, who has had similar blackouts before, is part of a small group of freedivers in the world specialising in diving under ice. His aim was to dive 233 feet deep into the Weissensee―itself covered in 12 inches of ice―braving the two degree Celsius water wearing just a wet suit and fins. But exerting himself excessively on the way up resulted in a lack of oxygen to the brain, which caused a blackout. He was dragged up by one of his six safety divers and pulled onto the ice where a waiting medical team sprung into action with an oxygen mask. It is the latest chapter in a life dominated by a passion for diving that began at the age of six when Redl’s uncle gave him fins and a mask as a present. They were put to use snorkelling on a Vienna lake, before he started scuba diving aged 10. Seven years later he saw “The Big Blue,” French director Luc Besson’s film about the friendship and rivalry between two freedivers. AFP

Farming, tourism hub to rise in Davao

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

Joel D. Lacsamana, Editor jdlacsamana@gmail.com

Pushing the envelope in sustainability IDC gets edge through green building certification

By Alena Mae S. Flores

DAMOSA Land Inc. (DLI) recently launched a mixed-use, agri-focused development, Agriya, in Panabo City, Davao Del Norte. Just 30 minutes away from Davao City, the “agropolis” is envisioned to become the next prime agritourism address, composed of a nine-hectare residential, 24-hectare commercial, nine-hectare agri

tourism, and another nine-hectare institutional component, occupying 40-hectares of the property for its first phase. Agriya is DLI’s latest township which aims to strengthen the region’s tourism growth. At the ribbon cutting were are (left to right)Ricardo F. Lagdameo, first vice president, Damosa Land; Biboy Gavina, vice mayor, Panabo City; Hon.

Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, Secretary, Department of Tourism; . Anton F. Lagdameo, president, Industrial Group; Linda F. Lagdameo, chairperson, Anflo Management and Investment Corporation (ANFLOCOR); Vicente R. Floirendo, President, Agri Operations, ANFLOCOR; Ricardo R. Floirendo, President, Real Estate and Livestock Operations, ANFLOCOR.

EVELOPER Italpinas Development Corp. (IDC) believes EDGE, or the Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, a green building certification system focused on making new residential and commercial buildings more resource-efficient, has given the company an added advantage. Engr. Giuseppe Garofalo, IDC project manager for construction said EDGE, an innovation of the International Finance Corp., helped the company as far as developing sustainable projects are concerned. EDGE allows design teams and project owners to assess the most costeffective ways to incorporate energy and water saving options into homes, hotels, hospitals, offices and retail spaces. Projects that achieve a 20 percent projected reduction in use of energy, water and embodied energy in materials, compared to conventional buildings, are eligible for EDGE certification. Meeting the standard EDGE is comprised of a web-based software application, a universal standard and a certification system. Garofalo said that in order to be certified, IDC has to meet the standard. To achieve energy efficiency, Garofalo said IDC uses water ventilation using a shading system from the sun, water recycling from the sewerage treatment plant (STP), and rainwater harvesting. The water running from building is recycled to water green areas. Garofalo said IDC gathers all the information and data from the wind, the sun and wind exposure and it designs with the parametric model and put into consideration how the building should be oriented. “After putting all these considerations, we put on the best design for that building in that particular location,” the official said.

BIG TICKET INFRA LURES LOCATORS DOWN SOUTH. Property developer Cathay Land expects its industrial park in Cavite to continue growing as various locators gravitate towards the Cavite-Laguna-Batangas (CALABA) corridor due to the massive infrastructure developments in the region. These include big-ticket infrastructure projects such as the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX) and Cavite-Tagaytay-Batangas Expressway (CTBEX). Stretching 47 kilometers, CALAX aims to link SLEX-Mamplasan Interchange to CAVITEX in Kawit, Cavite. Jeffrey Ng, President of Cathay Land, remains bullish for the developer’s flagship industrial park development. Cathay Land plans to continues to expand its Cavite Light Industrial Park (CLIP) development located in the heart of Silang. “The strong interest that Cavite Light Industrial Park is getting from investors is really pushing us to roll out more lots to meet the rising demand,” Ng said.

DESIGNERS HONE TALENTS TO A BRIGHT SHEEN VIA AYDA TILT

Green commitment IDC is integrating passive green architecture features to a building that can result in saving energy and provide a cooler environment. It uses the energy sourced from the solar panel to maintain the quality of the common area. Garofalo also added that one advantage of IDC from its competitors is its green commitment. It is the only developer in Cagayan de Oro that seriously thinks sustainable development. “We are the only developer that delivers a true green building and this is why IDC stands out among the rest. IDC’s projects are meticulously designed to conserve energy and enhance natural resources such as ventilation and sunlight. Its Italian influence is an undeniable add-on feature,” Garofalo said. IDC is presently constructing the first phase, Citta Verde of the Primavera City project in Cagayan de Oro (Shown in photo). Expansion plans are being readied for the second, third and fourth phase development. Pioneering sustainable projects in Mindanao Claire Marie Asuncion Elizaga, director for corporate affairs and branding for Primavera City IDC said the Cagayan de Oro project has been receiving a warm reception from the market because IDC is pioneering the development of sustainable projects in the country. “We know other developers have integrated green components in their projects but for IDC all our projects are green-centric,” Elizaga said. “The reception of the market is enthusiasm over a new innovation, because we were the first in developing this type of building in Mindanao area. All our properties are green. We have both active and passive green technologies to date,” she said. At the same, Elizaga said IDC has a social obligation the need to keep educating the public because green technology is still new in the market. She said the company pursues an “informal” corporate social responsibility (CSR) program to promoting sustainable architecture to students pursuing architecture. “Whenever we are able to touch base with students, it is the company’s passion to share what it is,” Elizaga said. IDC currently has partnerships with the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines in Cagayan de Oro, Xavier University and Lyceum University of the Philippines in Alabang. Furthermore, the company is also conducting talks with students in real estate management courses about green building and its advantages in conserving and re-using energy and water. Higher resale value, a come-on Elizaga said being an EDGE-certified building gives a high-resale value for the owner because it can withstand the impact of climate change. “If you look 10 years from now, IDC is confident that their buildings will be in a better shape compared to the standard buildings,” she said. Both Elizaga and Garofalo agreed “that people are leaning more on green development and healthy options now.” They said “educating” the buyers on green buildings 10 years back was much harder but today, it is a conscious decision on the part of the buyer to buy a green project.

THE Nippon Paint Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA) Philippines 2019 recently granted special recognitions to budding innovators. The competition seeks to motivate interior design and architecture students to incorporate both creativity and innovation in their designs. It serves as a venue for the aspirants to hone their skills and establish connections with key industry players and fellows. For the Interior Design Category, San Carlos University in Cebu City student Abigail Florence Taghoy bagged gold, while De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts (SDA) Interior Design student Clarice Limsui,earned silver. The panel of judges was comprised of industry experts with support from the country’s leading professional organizations namely the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), Council of Deans and Heads of Architecture Schools in the Philippines (CODHASP), Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID), and the Council of Interior Design Educators (CIDE). Shown in photo are (left to right): Nippon Paint Coating Philippines (NPCP) marketing manager Lyra Castillo; NPCP President Mark Owen Webb; SDA faculty members and interior designers Lea Eljean Gatpandan and Candice Arboleda; and DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts (SDA) environment cluster associate dean architect Cynthia Funk.

Tambuli Seaside Living partners with KMC Savills for Cebu premier condotel

PREMIER condotel sets shop in Cebu. Tambuli Seaside Living recently tapped full service real estate firm KMC Savills, as its official property management partner for its Cebu condotel.

Tytans Properties and Development, Inc. opened its newest resort estate located in Buyong, Maribago, LapuLapu City, Cebu. The company is also moving beyond simple residential

developments. Tambuli Seaside Living will be venturing to the hospitality industry with the introduction of Tambuli Seaside Resort & Spa. The 11-hectare residential resort community houses a luxury serviced apartment. “We have always been a game-changer in Cebu and that reflects on our estates like Tambuli, ” said TSL chairman Montano Ty.“It’s a long time coming, and we are happy to introduce the luxury residential resort with worldclass amenities for condominium owners.” At the signing of the partnership were (from left to right): Tytans Properties and Development Inc. – Tambuli Seaside Living president Gerard Tan; chairman Montano Ty and KMC Savills, Inc.; managing director Michael McCullough; property management director Francis Fuellas.

Life

Bernadette Lunas, Editor manilastandardlife@gmail.com @manilastandardlife @MStandardLIFE

ARTS AND CULTURE

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

By Steph Llarena

“R

AMA, Hari,” an ancient Sanskrit epic about courage and love, provides a fitting end to Ballet Philippines’ 50th season—the last show under the helm of current artistic director, National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes. “This rock opera interpretation translates ‘Rama, Hari’ into a very human and contemporary terms,” Reyes said in a statement. One of the most celebrated ballet musicals of the company, “Rama, Hari” is based on the Indian epic “Ramayana.” It follows the story of Prince Rama on his quest to rescue his wife Princess Sita from Ravana. With the help of an army of monkeys, Rama sets out to save his beloved and reclaim the throne that rightfully belongs to him. But more than a tale of courage and enduring love, “Rama, Hari” is a creative collaboration of five National Artists: choreography and stage direction by National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes, libretto by National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, music by National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab, set and costume by the late Salvador Bernal (National Artist for Theater Design) and english translation by the late Rolando Tinio (National Artist for Theater and Literature). It was first performed during BP’s 10th season in February 1980, and again in November of the same year for its 11th season. Its 1980 staging starred Basil Valdez, Leo Valdez, and then unknown singer Kuh Ledesma—who then got her break from the wellreceived performance. “Rama, Hari” was then produced for

GOLDEN END. ‘Rama, Hari,’

a creative collaboration of five National Artists, closes the 50th season of Ballet Philippines— the last show under the helm of current artistic director Alice Reyes.

A tale of enduring love closes Ballet Philippines’

50 SEASON th

The 2012 staging of ‘Rama, Hari’ marked the fourth time the ballet musical was performed by premier dance company Ballet Philippines.

ASIDE from tall buildings, cars stopping and going, and busy people walking, another thing that makes Makati Central Business District alive is the art that flourishes in the atmosphere, in its corners, on its walls. The Makati CBD is home to museums where the public can appreciate art. And every year, the city hosts one of the biggest art events in the country, the Art Fair Philippines. The fair, which kicked off on Feb. 21 and runs until Feb. 23 at The Link car park, showcases Filipino art and the passionate community behind it. In addition to the actual event, art spills to other venues in the city. One of the initiatives of the fair is the 10 Days of Art, for which Ayala Land, Inc. and Make It Makati arranged several activities around the CBD. It began on Feb. 14 and runs until Feb. 23. The special activities highlight Filipino creatives, from visual artists to filmmakers and musicians to magicians. The activities for 10 Days of Art has begun by bringing art closer to the people by transforming a building facade into a canvas. Through the form of video projection mapping, Manila-based projection designer G.A. Fallarme and Dutch artist Henk-Gert Lenten light up the facade of The Link. The video projection mapping called “The Art of Now: A Selection of Philippine Contemporary Art” features artworks of various Filipino contemporary artists. The still pieces come to life as they are presented as vibrant and dynamic moving images, illuminating Makati Avenue. Movie lovers were treated to a unique experience on Feb. 14-15 with “The Unconfined Cinema: An Outdoor Cinema Experience,” an unconventional movie

Art in the CBD

‘The Unconfined Cinema’ features Filipino movies projected on the arched ceiling of Tower One and Exchange Plaza.

John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo during the surprise live script reading at the outdoor cinema on Valentine’s Day.

the third time in 1983 for its 30th season, and most recently in 2012 for its 43rd season. The fifth staging of “Rama, Hari,” will run from March 20 to 29. Performing on the Main Theater stage of the Cultural Center of the Philippines are lead singers David Ezra, Gian Magdangal, Aicelle Santos, and Nar Nabico, together with the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets are available at TicketWorld (8891-9999), CCP Box Office (88323704), and Ballet Philippines Box Office (8551-1003). Go to www.ballet. ph for more information.

screening event at the fountain area of Tower One and Exchange Plaza. The movies were projected on the arched ceiling of the plaza while the audience laid down on comfortable carpets and pillows. On Valentine’s Day, after the screening of the all-time favorite One More Chance, former love team John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo surprised the cheering audience with a live script reading of Antonette Jadaone’s hit film That Thing Called Tadhana. Meanwhile, a few areas around the CBD serve as stage for street performers busking during the span of the celebration (Feb. 14 to 23). Busking, a common yet unappreciated performance art form in the Philippines, is an activity wherein artists play their music live on the street or a public space for donations. Catch musicians along Greenbelt-Dela Rosa Walkway, Paseo Underpass, Sedeno Underpass, and at Ayala North Exchange from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Other events which already concluded were TranscenDance at Kondwi, Artist in a Box featuring Pablo Bermudez at Modeka Residency, La Luminosa pop-up exhibit at Almacen in Poblacion, and Learn How to Draw in 3 Hours by Gig De Pio at Rustan’s Makati. Also included in the initiative are various exhibitions happening in and out of the city during and beyond the 10 Days of Art period. Some of the exhibits include Lawrence Borsoto’s Nevertheless at Eskinita Art Gallery at Makati Central Square; Material Culture by Daniel dela Cruz at Art Cube Gallery along Chino Roces Ave.; Inscapes: A Retrospective by Agnes Arellano at Ateneo Art Gallery, Ateneo de Manila University; and Arte Povera: Italian Landscape at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, to name a few.

Life

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Lolos and lolas rock

Metrobank Foundation, Inc. president Aniceto Sobrepeña and SM Supermalls vice president for marketing Millie Dizon lead the opening of the 2020 Metrobank Art and Design Excellence.

36 MADE calls for entries, mounts exhibit th

Felicidad Tan-Sy and Lizanne Uychaco receive the rocking chairs from S.I.L.Y.A. founder and social entrepreneur Tito Lorete Alcala.

WHAT makes our beloved grandparents rock? A lot, but most commonly, a rocking chair. A timeless piece of furniture in many Filipino homes, the rocking chair has become a symbol of our elderly. It helps increase blood flow in the body, easing arthritis and back pain, and helps improve one’s balance—things even non-senior citizens can benefit from. To celebrate love for our grandparents, while keeping them relaxed and comfortable, Tito Lorete Alcala has made it his personal advocacy to care for the elderly through S.I.L.Y.A. An acronym of Sa Iyo Lola at Lolo Yantok aming Alay, S.I.L.Y.A.’s programs include providing rocking chairs to airports, malls, hotels, cafes, resorts, museums, libraries, restaurants, and recently to Sunshine Place: Senior

Recreation Center. During Sunshine Place’s fifth anniversary, S.I.L.Y.A. SM matriarch Felicidad Tan-Sy, together with Senior Members Social Club, Inc. president Lizanne Uychaco, received the rocking chairs from Alcala. The event marked a milestone for Sunshine Place and S.I.L.Y.A. as they join hands to thank, to honor,s and to inspire the elderly. At the Sunshine Place, the chairs promote socialization and creativity, as these were painted on by members of the center’s art classes. The senior recreation center under the Felicidad Tan Sy Foundation is a venue for adults to live actively, through engaging in recreational classes and ageappropriate physical training programs. It is located at No. 56 Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati City.

RT’S many possibilities will once again be explored as the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. has launched the 36th edition of its excellence recognition program for the visual arts—the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence or MADE.

Sunshine Place artist Cecille de Hoya paints flowers on the rocking chair together with art instructor Fidel Sarmiento.

Guided by the theme “SPECTRUM: The Art of Possibilities,” MADE challenges Filipino artists to channel their ingenuity in creating a spectrum of works that represents Filipino artistic excellence. On Feb. 1, a kick-off event, which also coincided with the celebration of National Arts Month, was held at S’Maison in Pasay City. Gracing the opening were MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepeña and SM Supermalls senior vice president for marketing Millie Dizon, with Fundacion Sanso director Ricky Francisco as guest of honor. The MADE Painting Recognition Program is open to

Heart beats for art

‘Sigbin with Tree’ by Leeroy New

Christian Maglente with his Untitled work.

all Filipino painters aged 18-35 years old who have not yet staged a solo exhibition. The MADE Sculpture Recognition Program, on the other hand, is open to all professional and amateur Filipino sculptors who have not won in any sculpture competitions of MADE. The deadline for submission of entries is on or before May 8. Two grand awardees for the Painting Recognition Program and one grand awardee for the Sculpture Recognition Program will be chosen by a distinguished panel of judges. They will each receive P500,000 worth of financial assistance and fund for artistic development, plus a “Mula” glass trophy designed by visual artist and MADE awardee Noel El Farrol.

The grand awardees will be recognized during Metrobank’s 57th anniversary in September, and will also become members of the MADENetwork of Winners (MADE-NOW), the alumni organization of past MADE awardees which implements pay-it-forward projects that benefit marginalized sectors. As part of this year’s edition, the annual Art MADE Public events are lined up in select venues in NCR (S’ Maison, Pasay City), Luzon (SM Angono, Rizal), Visayas (Gallery Orange, Bacolod City), and Mindanao (SM Lanang Premiere, Davao). The art event is ongoing until April 10. Held in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the

Arts, SM Supermalls, and United Architects of the Philippines, Art MADE Public will go around the country to promote Philippine art and heritage through several activities such as art exhibits, lectures, and workshops. This year’s exhibit showcases the recent artworks of past MADE awardees, highlighting new art forms and styles, unique themes, and exceptional works that reflect their journey. Featured works are by 2019 MADE awardees Jayme Lucas (“Sugat ng Tahanan”), Christian Maglente (Untitled), Cedrick De La Paz (“15/30”), Dave Alcon (“Distinct), and Arman Arago (“Ang Tanda ng Bata”). Recent masterpieces of Leeroy New (“Sigbin with Tree”), Mark Justiniani (“Hole”), Elmer Borlongan (“Record Digger”), Alfredo Esquillo (“Laban ng Loob 2”), and Anton Del Castillo (“In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted”) are also part of the exhibit, including those of Raffy Napay (“I Live Here”) and Mark Andy Garcia’s (“Existence”) are also included. On the other hand, the lectures feature talks by Eskinita Gallery owner Alfredo Esquillo and WTA Architect + Design Studio principal architect and Anthology Festival director William Ty. Call (02) 8898-8094 or email therese.macaraig@metrobank.com. ph for more information.

IN CELEBRATION of the National Arts Month, Save the Children Philippines and ARTipolo stage a group art exhibit, entitled “heARTbeat” at Café Lupe Restaurant in Antipolo City. At least 52 artist-members of ARTipolo showcase their masterpieces at the group show that runs until April 17. Part of the proceeds of sold artworks will go to Save the Children Philippines. Save the Children Philippines is an independent organization that helps children gain access to quality education and health services. ARTipolo, meanwhile, is a group known for its passion in visual arts and programs that instill creativity among children. “Save the Children is deeply honored to partner with ARTipolo,” said Save the Children Philippines chief executive officer Alberto Muyot. “ARTipolo shares the advocacy of Save the Children to reach the most deprived and marginalized children.” Among the ARTipolo members who showcase their artworks include group president Pol Mesina, Jr., Jerry Contridas, Nelson Dela Cruz, Carol Mencias Alayay, Eleanor Robleza, Dyna QuizonOndoy, Marie Claire De Chavez, and Jun Vicaldo. Save the Children Philippines

ambassador Katarina Rodriguez graced the opening of the exhibit. According to Mesina, the group holds art sessions for street children that include lessons in basic drawing and painting, coloring, pastel, and water color. The group also provides free art lessons to children in conflict with the law, as well as sexually abused children. “Art is an important tool for selfexpression among children including those with disabilities,” said Mesina. He added, “Children with autism spectrum disorder developed confidence and passion for painting after ARTipolo gave free art lessons to them through an institution.” Naida Pasion, chief business development officer of Save the Children Philippines, called for support from art enthusiasts to bring home a masterpiece and help ensure lasting change for the most deprived and marginalized children including those in Antipolo. Save the Children Philippines will implement the Bright Start Project in three barangays in Antipolo covering the indigenous families of the Dumagat tribe. The project provides opportunities to parents and caregivers of children 0 to 3 years old to learn responsive caregiving, early learning, and safety and security.

Save the Children Philippines ambassador Katarina Rodriguez (right) graces the opening of the ARTipolo group exhibition.

Entertainment

saturDaY, februarY 22, 2020 nickie.standard@gmail.com

‘Ilaban natIn ‘Yan!’ with Vicky

Democratic presidential candidates (left) Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and two-term South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg interviewed by Bev Llorente of BA. Both candidates expressed support for ABS-CBN and the value of press freedom.

Morales

US Presidential candidates talk about press freedom amid ABS-CBN shutdown threats

rom news reporting to granting wishes, broadcast journalist Vicky Morales has shown her versatility in public service through the years. Beginning today, the awardwinning broadcast journalist takes on yet another role, this time around as the “Ate ng Bayan” in the reality-drama program Ilaban Natin ‘Yan!. In the program, morales helps parties in conflict resolve their issues by reaching out to the people in the barangays, getting to the root of their problems, and encouraging them to make positive changes in their lives. Ilaban Natin ‘Yan! is not the viewers’ typical public affairs show as it gives a new flavor to “Serbisyong Totoo” through a traveling confessional called “Palaban Express”—a modern jeep that will go around various barangays where people from all walks of life can voice out their concerns. The show then showcases the most interesting stories which will be brought to life by various Kapuso actors. The featured individual and all the concerned parties will be given the chance to discuss the issue at hand, right in the comfort of their own barangay. Ilaban Natin ‘Yan! will employ experts and resource persons who will help in resolving the problem. “It’s a different show compared to the ones I’ve done before,” shares morales who has been a broadcast journalist for three decades already. “The show is for everyone. We can learn a few things from it. Hindi lang namin kayo pakikinggan, ilalaban natin yan!” she adds. Ordinary Filipinos can definitely relate to the issues that Ilaban Natin ‘Yan! features such as social media and gaming addiction, teen suicide, sibling rivalry, inheritance disputes, juvenile delinquency, child support and custody battles, adultery and other problems. On its first month, Ilaban Natin ‘Yan! tackles a wife being abused, a paranormal expert bullied online, and a woman being threatened. Some of the Kapuso actors set to be part of the episodes include Ruby Rodriguez, Anjo Yllana, Thea Tolentino, Anjo Damiles, and Jaclyn Jose. Catch Ilaban Natin ‘Yan! every Saturday beginning today, Feb. 22, after Tadhana on GmA-7.

LAs VegAs--massachusetts Senator elizabeth Warren expressed her support for the network amid efforts by Philippine government chief lawyer Jose Calida to nullify its existing franchise. “We need you here, we need you here. And you have friends. You have a friend in me,” said Warren. “I want you to be a part of the democratic process so, hold on. remember what happens when we get knocked down: we get back up and we persist. That’s what you’re about. That’s what we are about.” Warren is one of the fiercest critics of President Donald Trump whom she hopes to unseat in November. Trump himself has constantly attacked the media, even calling it the enemy of the people. Warren, in contrast, underscores the importance of an independent press. “our whole democracy depends on freedom of the press,” said Warren. “I think of it this way: every two years of three years, depending on the election, the voters hold elected officials accountable. But it is the press that holds them accountable in between. A press that is free to ask questions push on issues to raise facts and inquiries so that our elected officials are held accountable to the people. Freedom of the press is an important part of our democracy. If we lose that, we lose

Broadcast journalist and GMA News pillar Vicky Morales hosts a new reality-drama program, Ilaban Natin ‘Yan!.

one of the foundation pieces of our democracy.” Former South Bend, Indiana mayor Pete Buttigieg echoes similar sentiments, saying both leaderships in the Philippines and in the U.S. have a troublesome understanding of press freedom. Buttigieg is the current frontrunner in the delegate count for the Democratic nomination, after voting in the states of Iowa and New Hampshire. “These attacks on the press—whether they are happening in the Philippines or in the U.S. -- are so disturbing because the people value democracy, value free expression. one of the things that I think is such an important bond between the American people and the people of the Philippines is that we have shared values. Unfortunately, our presidents aren’t reflecting those values right now. In the U.S., it’s up to us to choose a better president.” Warren and Buttigieg’s comments reflect similar concerns raised by various human rights and media groups which have already said that moves to shut down the network are meant to silence the country’s independent media. But the future of ABS-CBN’s operations remains uncertain as Philippine lawmakers have yet to act on renewing its existing franchise. Bev Llorente

Docu... From C4

The London International Film Festival is an annual week-long series of events celebrated the global independent film industry through a series of professional lectures, workshops and seminars. With premieres and screenings in recognition of the year’s most promising independent and studio films from around the world, it likewise serves as an ideal platform for networking among the participating like-minded creatives and potential investors in a collaborative community setting. Alon!, which was produced by the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLSCSB) through the Office of the Vice President for Advancement, aims to create awareness on the immense impact of plastic pollution by presenting the contrast between the wonders of the Philippines’ growing surf tourism and its relationship with the looming environmental problem. It had a premiere at the Lola Sayong Eco Surf Camp in Gubat, Sorsogon, and then started its pilgrimage to the featured surfing communities to honor the eco-warriors. The film has already been screened in various schools, to include the Jaime Hilario School-De La Salle Bataan, La Salle Green Hills and De La Salle Lipa, The organizers will continue to schedule for more screenings around the country in pursuit of their advocacy.

Celebrating all kinds of love in ‘paw-some’ ways EvErYBoDY yearns to come home to love. may it be excited squeals from your kids, a warm hug from your spouse, or a hearty meal lovingly prepared by your mom. Love, indeed, comes in different forms. And for some families, a special love comes in the form of furs and wagging tails. Nowadays, pets are treated as family members capable of providing emotional support, unconditional love, and a sense of “home” for their loved ones. Families with pets share a truly incredible kind of bonding and loving relationship. On Feb. 14, PLDT Home celebrated the unique love shared by different kinds of families – including pet parents and their fur babies. In the video, concert and events director Paolo Valenciano, managing director and editor-in-chief gretchen gatan, CEo and cycling instructor Kristina sy, marketing manager Camille Tantoco, and musician and managing director JJ Pimpinio talked about how being pet parents changed their homes. Paolo says of his shih tzu Trooper, “He is really part of our family. That’s

why my daughter calls Trooper ‘kuya.’ He always makes sure that we’re okay. When I’m sad, he’d come to me and start kissing me. He knows our feelings.” For Kristina, her dog olie is the goto stress reliever of her and her husband. “It may sound cliché, but the truth is they really do make you a happier person,” she said. “It’s weird because it means more responsibility, expenses, and headaches. But the joy he gives you every day—even when you just leave him for like 10 minutes, when you see him again it’s like he hasn’t seen you in five years. It’s very unconditional.” Though unconventional, pet parents show unconditional love and meaningful connection with their fur babies in their own unique ways such as making sure that their home is safe and secured for their pets. Paolo shares, “If you want the dog to live a long and happy life, you have to treat them like a human being. I make sure that my daughter, Leah, and Trooper are always safe. I have a PLDT Home Fam Cam at home that lets me take care of them whenever and wherever I am.”

Gretchen treats her cat Bella as her own baby. She says, “When I got married, my husband and I had to look for a condo that is near our offices so that if something urgent happens with our pets at home, we can go to them right away. As a parent, I want to feel assured that my baby is okay. Home security is very important for us. We upgraded our PLDT Home Fibr connection and installed home monitoring cameras to ensure Bella is well-monitored at home.” A sweet treat for furry pals As a Valentine’s Day treat, PLDT Home held a paw-some date for pets and their owners at Paw Club Philippines, SM Mall of Asia and Bark Central in Eastwood City on Feb. 8. It was a fun-filled afternoon of bonding and pampering for humans and pets alike as they participated in different activities such as caricature painting, do-it-yourself collar crafting, and pet grooming. In addition, award-winning veterinarian and trainer Dr. Abel Manalo also held a special dog training activity to teach obedience, protection, and other disciplines.

TV personality and beauty queen Laura Lehmann decided to celebrate Valentine’s by showing love to the furriest member of her family.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2020

Docu on plastic waste wins at London fest ALON! (Wave), an expertly-curated documentary on plastic waste written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Gabby Fernandez, bested nine other nominees and took home the Science and Education Award at the recently concluded 2020 London International Film Festival. The film projects the issue through the lenses of the local surfers from the six leading surfing communities, namely, Siargao, La Union, Baler, Mati in Davao, Gubat in Sorsogon, and Sabang Daguitan in Leyte. They are eco-warriors who, in their own ways, are thriving to help save their breathtaking views, as resurfaced pieces of trash in form of packaged commodities hold proof of the extensive presence of plastic from Luzon to the Visayas and Mindanao. “I am just humbled to be able to give glory to the country and I hope that

the succeeding publicity coming from this international win attracts more people to see the ﬁlm in order to raise awareness of the utter environmental disaster that the plastic pollution problem has created,” Fernandez expressed. “It is a catastrophe whose dire effects our children and succeeding generations will and in fact already are reaping. As I always say, plastic waste pollution is not just drowning our oceans or killing our planet; it is doing more than that. The crisis is literally killing us, mutating our genes, causing damage to our physical systems we have yet to identify but are clearly related to the micro-plastics that are now saturating our environment,” he continued. Alon! was likewise nominated as the Best Foreign Language Documentary and Best Director of Foreign Language Documentary. Continued on C3

JULIA BARRETTO

tormented by one unfortunate event

Julia Barretto meets her doppelganger in iWant's latest offering, 'I AM U,' a mystery psycho-thriller that starts streaming on the digital platform on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Alon! (Wave) Director Gabby Fernandez, an award-winning filmmaker and a former Chairperson of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Production Design Program, with DLS-CSB Vice President for Advancement Robin Serrano.

Oscar-winning ‘Parasite’ in black-and-white WATCHING a black-and-white rerelease of his multi-Oscar-winning movie Parasite will give viewers a “different” and “strange” experience, director Bong Joon-ho said Wednesday ahead of the new version opening next week. The director has always had a fondness for monochrome films, saying they give viewers a more intimate visual experience. “When the colours are gone, you can focus more on the actors’ facial expressions and their eyes” and nuanced details, Bong told reporters in Seoul after his triumphant return from the United States. The film’s historic Best Picture Oscar—the first-ever for a nonEnglish-language movie—and three other statuettes, Best Director, Best International Feature and Best Original Screenplay, have created huge excitement in his home country, whose cultural output has gained popularity around the world. But Bong said he hoped “Parasite”

Director Bong Joon-ho says he has always been fond of black-and-white films.

would be remembered for its content as much as its accolades. “I understand that the ﬁlm will be remembered as a historic affair inevitably, but I hope the movie can be remembered as a ﬁlm itself,” he said. AFP

Bollywood’s first gay romcom: Loud, proud and sealed with a kiss

Ayushmann Khurrana stars in 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan' ('Be Extra Careful About Marriage'), which is being billed as India's first gay romcom .

A FOOT-TAPPING sequin-doused disco number, a hot-pink wedding, and a kiss between the two male leads: Bollywood’s latest release, billed as India’s ﬁrst gay romcom, is making no bones about its subject matter. Released last week, Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (Be Extra Careful About Marriage) stars popular actor Ayushmann Khurrana as a young man bucking social disapproval to be with his beloved—a time-tested Bollywood plotline, except the object of his affection is male. India’s Supreme Court scrapped a colonial-era ban on homosexuality in 2018. But the LGBT community remains on the fringes of society— many face discrimination or even violence, including at the hands of their own families, and their stories are rarely celebrated in mainstream cinema. Until now. Udita Jhunjhunwala, AFP

OUNG screen actress Julia Barretto ﬁnds it “so nice” to work with Tony Labrusca and with the people behind digital series I Am U. But same thing cannot be said of her character’s journey in the iWant series that starts streaming on Wednesday.

“This project enables me to explore different genres, I am able to work with different leading men, and different kind of materials, and different directors. It’s so nice to work with people, who are almost of my age,” Julia told reporters on Wednesday night during the series’ media conference. “At this point, I’m very grateful that I’ve been trusted with projects that are not the usual that I’ve done before. That I’m free to do some scenes and some roles and take more risks. That I can now take on roles fearlessly. Now I can be the actress that I’ve always wanted to be,” the 22-year-old actress added. In the series Julia ﬁnds herself tormented by one unfortunate event after she crosses paths with a doppelganger, a girl who looks exactly just like her. Julia plays Rose who unexpectedly meets Elise (a role she also plays). Their story later takes a dark turn as Elise’s friends face their deaths one by one. Both thankful and in awe of the their similarity in looks, Elise invites Rose into her world, treats her as her twin, and shares everything she has—including her house, family, and friends. As soon as Rose becomes comfortable, however, Elise sees her

From left: Director Dwein Baltazar, Julia Barretto, Tony Labrusca, and producer Perci Intalan.

as a threat and suddenly wants her out of her life. In a party that changes everything, Elise bullies Rose into hiding inside a closet during a game of “Truth or Dare.” While inside, an accidental ﬁre ensues, leaving Rose locked in. Elise and her friends cover up the tragedy and think everything is behind them--until one by one, they fall to their mysterious deaths. Produced by Dreamscape Entertainment in partnership with The IdeaFirst Company, I Am U also stars Ina Raymundo, Richard Quan, Cedrick Juan, Kokoy De Santos, Adrianna So, Claire Ruiz, Lander Vera Perez, Yayo Aguila, and Jenny Miller. ***

Centerstage’s impressive new concept

GMA’s newest and all-original musical competition, Centerstage, proved to be a world-class talent reality game show as it raked in glowing reviews all over social media during its premiere on Feb. 16. Kapuso viewers commented on the show’s fun overall concept set in a hitech and visually appealing stage.

'Centerstage' is hosted by screen superstar Alden Richards

As Centerstage kicked off its pilot episode, Hargie Ganza of Calamba Laguna was declared the ﬁrst-ever challenger bida when she out-performed her fellow bida kid,Xylia Banaag in the ﬁnal stage of the competition. This week, the race to the most coveted spot continues with two new pairs of contestants stepping up to the challenge to be the next bida. Watch out for the angelic voices of Daniela Cataytay, a 9-year-old Noranian and Mary Rose Ybañez, 10, who hails all the way from Baguio City. On the other side of the stage, an intense vocal showdown goes down between future scientist-singer, Ralph Dorio, 12, and singer-dancer, Jhon-Jhon Once, 12. Who among them will claim the centerstage and go against Hargie Ganza? And who will remain to step on the Ultimate Centerstage? Centerstage is hosted by Alden Richards together with side stage host Betong Sumaya, and judges Aicelle Santos, Mel Villena, and Pops Fernandez. Under the helm of Louie Ignacio, witness Bida Kids race for their dreams on Centerstage, every Sunday, after Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko on GMA-7.