Manila Standard - 2020 February 26 - Wednesday

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

manilastandard.net

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circulation@manilastandard.net

HIGH COURT GETS TOUGH ON TROS, INJUNCTIONS

(Story on A2)

Bato: Drug lords killed BuCor lawyer on Thursday.

Dela Rosa, who served as BuCor director before he ran for senator, came up DRUG lords at the New Bilibid Prison with this statement based on his own exbe behindFEBRUARY the killing of Bureau of periences. • mst.daydesk@gmail.com VOL. XXXIV • NO. 16 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • could P18 WEDNESDAY, 26, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net “Most likely, those behind the killing, Corrections former legal counsel Anthobased on my experience, the drug lords ny Fredric Santos, also a witness in the jailed in Bilibid ordered the killing of our Good Conduct Time Allowance anomaNext page ly, said Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo

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

House defers action on ABS-CBN

By Maricel Cruz, MJ Blancaflor, Rey Requejo SPEAKER Alan Peter Cayetano said the House is likely to delay hearings on ABS-CBN’s franchise until May or August, even though President Rodrigo Duterte said he wants lawmakers to discuss the issue before the franchise expires on March 30.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the President had nothing to do with the delay in Congress or the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose

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

Immigration man tags 5 in ’pastillas’ Syndicate behind scheme exposed in Senate probe

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and MJ Blancaflor

F

ORMER airport officials and employees of late theTuesday Bureau COMING HOME. More than 400 Filipinos, in two chartered Philippine Air Lines flight from Haneda, Japan (left), started boarding for their 4 hour-20 minute flight home to Manila, scheduled nightof and midnight, while the Filipino crew have started disembarking (right) from the MV Diamond Princess cruise ship at Yokohama for processing in Haneda where they are scheduled to exit forImmigration home. DFA are behind the “pastillas” system by which Chinese workers and fugitives enter the country by paying bribes, a whistleblower said Thursday.

Pinoys on ship home finally

In a Senate hearing on human trafficking and prostitution, Immigration officer Allison Chiong said these officials were behind the syndicate that facilitated the smooth entry of Chinese nationals who enter the country to work in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators.

Chiong saidDiamond these groupsPrincess worked with VER 400 Filipinos from the MV travel agencies, who send were expected to arriveChina-based in the country Tuesday night, them a list of names of people who are THE new coronavirus (COVID-19) has the Department of Foreign (DFA) aboutAffairs to enter the country.said as two peaked in China but could still grow into “The syndicated groups Airport would often flights bringing them home left Manila for Haneda a pandemic, the World Health Organizacompete with each other to gain favor tion warned, as infections mushroom in on the same day. from the Chinese travel agencies,” Chiong other countries. said.

Financial markets have gone into a The first chartered plane departed from crew aboard ship.

He members revealed that theythe gave bribes rangtailspin after grim news of deaths and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at ingDFA Undersecretary Brigido Dulay from P50,000 and P200,000 so that outbreaks in the Middle East, Europe and around 10:30 while the second one left at the saidChinese the number of Filipinos infected with nationals—even those that Asia, even as the Chinese epicenter apabout 12:20 p.m. coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) I DO.toImmigration offiwith cer 1the Allison facilitating the immigration process have been blacklisted—can freely enter peared be calming, deathChiong toll (top left) tells a Senate committee hearing Thursday he is the source of the video showing officers“Both flights will as beTraffi bringing home a the from the cruise ship spiked 80. forits Chinese workers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Chiong named the current and former immigration officials involved in the bribery scheme c Control country, passing throughtoImmigration at lowestPOGO for almost three weeks. total of over 400 Filipinos from Haneda Meanwhile, at least 10 have recovEnforcement Unit officers Bien Guevarra, Glenn Comia and Den Binsol. Chiong said these officials were under Ports Operation Division Chief Marc Red Mariñas. Ey Acasio counters without any question. Next page But the situation is worsening in other Airport tonight,” the DFA said in a state- ered from the disease and have since countries, with more than 2,000 cases ment Tuesday. been discharged from hospitals around and around 30 deaths reported abroad, “The first batch of MV Diamond Prin- Tokyo. prompting a raft of restrictions on travelcess repatriates are expected to arrive in “(The) remaining Filipino crew for reers from infected nations.

Clark sometime before 9 p.m... The sec- patriation today have all tested negative,” South Korea, Italy and Iran have ond batch is expected to arrive sometime Dulay said. logged particularly sharp increases in inbefore midnight,” the DFA if said a series Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, tion from the government hein feared for told reporters.

By MJ Blancafl or fections and deaths, while several counof its assured Twitter account. saidwould the Inter-agency hisposts life,on and him that President meanwhile, “If Espenido want to ask forTask any tries in the Middle East reported their first Offi cials from the Philippine Embassy Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will not let Duterte would not hurt anyone ‘‘outside protective measure from the government, “They have economies scale,” Duque cases of the novel coronavirus.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta Tokyo and the Department of Health will posembattled Lt. Colonel Jovie Espenido to inlegal processes. then meet he canWednesday so request to justdiscuss like anya other But WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghe- said, adding that this made their vaccines were at the Yokohama Port for the disemsible travel ban on South Korea, where be harmed, the Palace said Thursday after “If that is the fear of Colonel Especitizen.

THE Philippines has no budget to develbreyesus insisted the virus could still be cheaper. of we the more 400him Filipino casesEspenido are rising.welcomed Espenido said the government could go barkation nido, then cannotthan stop from COVID-19 Meanwhile, the Next page op its ownpraising vaccines, whichdrastic wouldquarneed He dismissed reports that developing contained, China’s after him since he was included in its drug entertaining such apprehension.

But due process granted by Philippine Nabillions and billions of pesos that can- countries are being sidestepped in the antine measures in several cities forithelpwatchlist. the President will not allow anyone tional Police Chief Archie Gamboa to the nottoafford, Francisco distribution of vaccines, saying big coming preventHealth an evenSecretary bigger spread.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panto be hurt outside legal processes or policemen on Duterte’s latest drug watch Duque III said Thursday. are mandated to lead in develop“For the moment we are not witness- panies 34TH ANNIVERSARY. Former Vice President Jejomar Binay,could formerask Sen.for Rene elo said Espenido protec- methods sanctioned by law, Panelo list, including him.

Next page In an interview over radio dzMM, ing vaccines for diseases such as the new ing the uncontained global spread of this Saguisag, and members of the August Twenty One Movement mark the anniversary of the Duque said it was more cost-effective coronavirus (COVID-19).

Next page so-called People Power Revolution Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino statue at the corner of Paseo the National Telecommunications Comto buy vaccines from rich countries that deDuque pointed to research in China

By Rey E. Requejo Roxas and Ayala Avenue.

Lino Santos mission to grant a provisional authority to have the capacity to develop the drugs.

Next page FORMER Chief Justice Renato Puno the broadcast network to operate pending said Tuesday ABS-CBN Corporation the renewal of its franchise. cannot operate franchise expires Punohecited 2003 decision of the SuPundits and once criticsitsalike say the Na- ation, said,ahad become unprecedented, above our petty political differences so in May―and even with a temporary perpreme Court involving the case of As(First of two parts) tional Capital Region’s trash output is a Filipinos selfi shly threw their refuse evBy MJ Blancaflor that we may, together, ensure that the mit granted Congress.

Communications andsystems― Wireless ticking timeby bomb, indicative of a similar sociated erywhere―mostly into water of EDSA will remain relevant in problem Puno’s experienced view contradicts thattheofcountry, Justice Services vs NTC that expressly PRODUCTION of the latest film in the PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte urged Fili- legacy across and massive clean-up drives onlyrequired moved

By Jimbo Gulle pinos on Tuesday to set aside petty politithe years ahead,” the President said in his Secretary Menardo Guevarra who earlier the need for a license before “Mission: Impossible” series starring and recent statements by government of- tons of litter from one place atocorporation another.

Congress could allow orthe authorize could operate.

IF YOU think Metro Manila’s traffic is said Tom Cruise has been stopped in Italy cal differences as the country commemo- message. ficials have only underscored issue.

In an environmental forum that month, Next page bloodless revolution toppled thein aThe problem, the garbage situation will, following the coronavirus outbreak, rated the 34th year of the EDSA People Last December, Environment Secretary Cimatu said the Department of EnvironPower Revolution, which he called a regime the late dictator Ferdinand modernofsocial media-speak, tell you to Roy Cimatu said the country was in the ment and Natural Resources would issue, Paramount Pictures said Monday. “catalyst” for the restoration of democ- Marcos and installed his political nem- middle of a “garbage crisis.” Waste gener“hold its beer.”

Turn to A3 Next page racy in the Philippines. esis’ widow, Corazon Aquino, as presiDespite skipping the official commem- dent. Her son, Benigno Aquino III, was orative rites at the People Power Monu- Duterte’s predecessor in Malacañang. ment in Quezon City, the President hailed In his message, the President also exthe non-violent uprising in 1986, saying pressed his “renewed hope” that the suc- By Vito Barcelo SUMMIT AGENDA. The deadly coronavirus is set to dominate the agenda of EGYPT’S forit remains “one of the most remarkable ceeding generations of Filipinos will be the high-level Vientianne summit Thursday, as China’s foreign minister meets with his mer long-time events in ourhave nation’s inspired to protect and preserve the liber- THE Bureau of Immigration on TuesSoutheast Asian counterparts whose countries’ economies beenhistory.” hard-hit over day warned it will not extend the Feb. 28 president Hosni “Inspired by theshowing freedoms that we se- ties won during the EDSA revolution. fears of widespread contagion. Inset is a photo taken Wednesday a laboratory Mubarak died curedinin Februaryin China’s 1986, let us all rise Next page deadline for foreigners to comply with technician holding samples of virus at a laboratory Hengyang central Henan Tuesday at age the BI annual report, saying those who province. AFP fail to meet the deadline will be fined and 91 at Cairo’s face possible deportation for violating Galaa military hospital, his immigration and alien registration laws. brother-in-law Immigration Commissioner Jaime MorVIENTIANE, Laos―China’s efforts By “China is not only protecting Honor Blanco Cabie its own Catholic Bishops Conference of the PhilGeneral Mounir to control the deadly outbreak of a new people but also the rest of the world,” he ippines, no thanks to the spreading COV- ente advised foreigners to avoid the rush in Thabet told AFP. TODAY, Feb. 26, andreferencing Aglipayan ID-19, the CBCP issued liturgical advice making their annual report to his agency. coronavirus “are working,” Beijing’s told the summit inCatholic Vientiane, Thabet, a for“We encourage registered aliens to many this of predomitop diplomat said Thursday, attributing apriests recentin sharp droptowns in newofcases the vi- in a circular to reduce the risk of transmismer high-ranking military official, consubmit themselves early to avoid bigger nantly Christian Southeast archi- sion of the coronavirus, particularly duran easing in new cases to his country’s rus inside China, where it hasAsian killed more crowds that will put them at greater risks firmed the family was still at the hospelago, including “forceful action” against the illness. than 2,100 people.the cities of Manila and ing the Holy Week. pital and said the Egyptian presidential will separately intone before their Speaking in Laos before talks with Makati, Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro In its circular released on Feb 20, the of exposing themselves to suspected CO- office would organize the funeral. parishioners “Remember, that CBCP recommended sprinkling or drop- VID-19 carriers, he said. peers from the 10 Southeast Asian Locsin Jr. thanked China for O its man, “unprecMubarak was in power from 1981 “We urge foreigners to report to the BI you are dust, and unto dust you re- ping (ASEAN) countries, Wang Yi said the edented domestic measures andshall quick small portions of blessed ash LAKAS GATHERING. Offion cersthe and members of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democratsuntil led by Majority Leader Martinamid heHouse was overthrown in 2011 satellite and extension offices throughout turn.” outbreak was WORLD “controllable referring to the crown of the(center) head during nthe imposition Romualdez pose for posterity during the lunch meeting of the party at the House ofthe Representatives.

Romualdez has said the B3 and curable” action”―apparently region’s Arab Spring protests.

AFP the country.” page Duterte’s legislative agenda. Ver Noveno page With some added guidelinesNext frompage the ofparty despite the global panic it has seeded. the ashes today.be a partner ofNext will always the administration to ensure the swift passageNext of President

WHO warns of pandemic

400 crew members tested negative, board 2 flights to Clark

O

Fund lack blocks move to develop Palace offers govt protection to controversial cop vaccines; Duque prefers buy option

'Mission: Impossible' halts production

'ABS can't operate sans franchise' crisis in Metro: A ticking time bomb Rody: Let EDSA legacyGarbage remain relevant

WEINSTEIN CONVICTED

Ash Wednesday spooked by coronavirus Virus control efforts working—China

Immigration sets Egypt's Mubarak deadline for aliens passes away at 91

A2

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Cops, soldiers urged: Best drills win prize

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday ordered the military and police officers to conduct daily drills that can be watched by the public, adding that he would ask his “rich” friends to donate cash prizes for those who will showcase the best moves.

The President issued the directive during the change of command rites of the Presidential Security Group at Malacañang Park where Army Col. Jesus Durante succeeded Brig. Gen. Jose Niembra as group commander.

“You guys can arrange the frequency of the drilling but I want the people to see soldiers and policemen doing the drill every day,” Duterte said.

“It gives our people a sense of security and proud to see the uniformity in the cadence when military drills do it,” he added.

He cited his many rich classmates and friends who could donate cash prizes, including “billionaire” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.

“I have so many rich friends. I have so many classmates who made it. One of them is Tugade. He’s a billionaire even before... Tell him [to give] one million [pesos],” Duterte said.

Under Niembra’s term, the PSG conducted the first Presidential Silent Drill Competition for training schools such as the Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy.

Duterte said he was inspired to conduct a silent drill contest when he went to China and saw daily sundown drills.

‘Mission:...

News

De Lima jailers’ names sent to US D

ETAINED Senator Leila de Lima has submitted to the United States government the list of Philippine officials allegedly responsible for her detention, and who will be recommended for a possible US travel ban.

“Yes. That is correct, De Lima’s chief media officer Ferdie Maglalang said when asked on the matter on Tuesday.

He made his statement even as Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra expressed hope the US State Department would exercise prudence in reviewing the list of people that De Lima considers were responsible for her imprisonment and recommended to be denied entry to the United States.

De Lima, who is in detention while facing trial for illegal drug cases, did not

reveal the identities of those who would be banned from traveling to the US, but Guevarra urged the US State Department to be fair in evaluating her so-called persecutors.

“I am not interested to know who are in her list. I trust that the US State Department will do its own independent evaluation and exercise prudence and circumspection, Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

De Lima earlier this year said she was in the process of completing the list that she likened to popular Game of Thrones character Arya Stark’s list of names in-

Pinoy...

From A1

The DFA had earlier urged Filipinos to forego travel plans to South Korea.

Authorities reported Tuesday a fourth person has died after becoming ill aboard the Diamond Princess.

Nearly 700 people on board the Diamond Princess, which spent two weeks quarantined off Japan, have so far tested positive for the virus.

Four people who were hospitalized after being taken off the ship have died, the latest a man in his 80s, according to local media.

The Yomiuri Shimbun daily said the man had tested positive for the new coronavirus and died of pneumonia. The health ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reports.

Three others, all Japanese, have so far died after becoming sick on the ship. Two were confirmed to have the new coronavirus, while the health ministry declined to comment on the diagnosis of the third.

Japan has come under increasing pressure over its handling of the ship, particularly after it emerged that some passengers allowed to disembark after testing negative were subsequently diagnosed with the virus.

Some of the disembarking passengers were not even tested during the quarantine period, the health ministry has acknowledged.

Several government officials working on the ship have them-

volved in her father’s death.

“An ‘Arya List’ so to speak, if you will,” De Lima said in a statement in January.

“Yes, I have their names stored in my mind all this time (not unlike the names Arya Stark used to recite like a litany, after her father was falsely branded and punished as a traitor by the power players in the Kingdom, who were acting out of fear of the truth he might reveal), even before this whole issue of the US visa ban cropped up.

I’ve recently converted my mental list into a written formal list, and am now finalizing the same,” De Lima said.

She said the list would be complete with a summary and citation of references justifying their inclusion. It would only be recommendatory and not binding on the US government.

selves contracted the infection, but authorities have defended a policy of not uniformly testing those working on the boat.

“We are aware of the risks of them getting infected when they take off a mask or gloves, so we will have thorough measures to prevent infections under these circumstances,” Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said, while stressing no change in policy was planned.

Many nations have evacuated their citizens from the ship, with 450 Filipinos due to be flown home on Tuesday on two chartered flights.

Another 80 who have tested positive for the virus will stay in Japan.

As the situation on the ship has come under scrutiny, infections have spiked inside Japan, with 156 cases including one death.

“As we see patients whose infection routes are not clear in several regions in Japan, now is a crucial phase to prevent the spread of infection from happening on a huge scale,” government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters on Tuesday.

“It is important that we contain the spread in Japan by slowing the speed of the increase of new patients as much as possible,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said at a cabinet meeting on the outbreak.

“To this end, we shall thoroughly strengthen measures against patient clusters.”

The government is expected to take measures including expanding the number of hospitals that can receive suspected patients, as well as asking people with moderate symptoms to stay at home.

The health minister has already urged people to avoid crowds and unnecessary gatherings, and the government has called for businesses to encourage teleworking and off-peak commuting. AFP

Rody:...

From A1

Duterte has never attended EDSA anniversary ceremonies since he became president in 2016.

He led the Presidential Security Group change of command ceremony on Tuesday afternoon.

Duterte earlier declared Feb. 25 a special non-working holiday.

Key personalities from the February 1986 EDSA Revolution gathered on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino statue in Makati City to commemorate the 34th anniversary of the peaceful uprising.

Among them—former Vice President Jejomar Binay, former senators Rene Saguisag and Sergio Osmeña III, and former Tourism secretary Antonio Gonzales—offered flowers before the Ninoy Aquino statue and sang “Bayan Ko” together with some supporters of the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.

Binay, a human rights lawyer during the martial law period, said commemorating People Power is important especially during this time, when people seem to forget the events that led to the bloodless revolution.

“We are here to remind the younger generations of the importance of EDSA in our country’s history. Some people seem to forget its essence and the events that led to the bloodless revolution,” Binay said.

The former vice president was the first local government official appointed by President Corazon Aquino after the 1986 EDSA Revolution.

Saguisag reminisced about the events that led to the EDSA revolt in 1986, saying there are only a few veterans from that time.

The EDSA veterans said they will go around the country and talk to the younger generations to avoid historical revisionism.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines accused on Tuesday the government of launching sustained and intensifying attacks against the people’s rights and liberties through the shrinking of various spaces and institutions crucial in the democratization of Philippine society. With Joel E. Zurbano and Willie Casas

WHO...

From A1

virus and we are not witnessing large-scale deaths,” Tedros told reporters in Geneva on Monday.

He added, however, that countries should be “doing everything… to prepare for a potential pandemic.”

The term “pandemic” is used to describe an illness that spreads across numerous communities.

The White House plans to spend $2.5 billion to combat the epidemic, according to US media. There are 53 cases in the United States so far.

South Korea, which has the largest number of cases outside China, reported 60 more infections and one more fatality on Tuesday, raising its death toll to eight and total patients to nearly 900.

South Korea’s outbreak has centered around a religious sect in Daegu, the country’s fourth largest city.

The country is on its highest “red” alert.

As part of the containment efforts, school holidays were extended nationally while the 2.5 million people of Daegu were told to remain indoors.

For the previous three days, the Korea Centers for Disease Control had reported triple-digit increases each morning as the outbreak took hold in South Korea, the world’s 12th-largest economy.

The United States and South Korea may scale back a spring military drill because of the outbreak.

The US Centers for Disease Control raised its caution level to warn Americans against “all nonessential travel to South Korea.”

Immigration...

From A1

But the bureau said there was no crackdown on Chinese citizens reportedly working in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations following reports that the Chinese government has canceled thousands of passports of its citizens suspected of working in POGOs. Immigration spokesman Dana Sandoval said the bureau had yet to receive any official communication from the Chinese government regarding the cancellation of passports of Chinese POGO workers involved in illegal activities.

Ash Wednesday...

From A1 The CBCP also recommended against kissing or touching the Cross during the Celebration of the Passion of the Lord on Good Friday, strongly suggesting to the public to just genuflect or make a profound bow.

In Quezon City, Rev. Fr. Aris Sison, rector of The Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao, told GMA News Balitanghali in an interview, beamed nationwide, some churches would offer Catholic devotees the choice of sprinkling ash on the crown of their heads instead of marking their foreheads as a precaution against COVID-19.

He said the diocese of Cubao would still follow the traditional ritual – marking the foreheads with ash, but the devotees would have the option to receive the ashes on their

‘ABS...

From A1

Italy, which has reported seven deaths and over 200 cases, has locked down 11 towns, while upcoming football matches in its Serie A and the Europa League will be played behind closed doors.

With police manning checkpoints to enforce a blockade, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said residents could face weeks of lockdown.

In Japan, a fourth former passenger of the coronavirus-stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship died, according to local media.

The man was in his 80s.

The disease—officially known as COVID-19—spread to new countries including Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and Oman.

At least 12 people have died in Iran, the highest toll outside China.

The semi-official ILNA news agency quoted one local lawmaker in hard-hit Qom—a religious center—who said 50 people had died there.

The Iranian government denied the report, and pledged transparency.

Even so, authorities have only reported 64 infections in Iran, an unusually small number that would mean an extremely high mortality rate.

Michael Ryan, head of WHO’s health emergencies program, said a team from the UN agency would arrive in Iran on Tuesday.

Several countries have taken measures to prevent arrivals from Iran.

In China, 508 new cases were reported, with all but nine at the epicenter in central Hubei province. Although that was up from 409 on Monday it was much lower than new infections being reported just a week ago.

China’s death toll reached 2,663 on Tuesday, after 71 more people died.

Reassured by the official numbers, the

country is gingerly getting back to business.

Beijing is seeing more cars on the street, factories are resuming work, Apple is reopening several of its stores, and some regions are relaxing traffic restrictions.

But schools remain closed, Beijing has a mandatory 14-day quarantine for people returning to the capital, and authorities are keeping some 56 million in Hubei and its capital under lockdown.

On Monday China declared an immediate and “comprehensive” ban on the trade and consumption of wild animals, a practice believed responsible for the coronavirus outbreak.

WHO’s Tedros said the epidemic peaked in China between Jan. 23 and Feb. 2.

Bruce Aylward, leader of a WHO mission of international experts, said late Monday it was time for China to start lifting some of the restrictions.

“Obviously they want to get society back to a more normal semblance of what probably is the new normal, because this virus may be around... for months,” Aylward said.

Reflecting the disquiet, global markets plunged on Monday, with Wall Street off 3.6 percent.

Bargain buying helped some Asian markets into the green on Tuesday, but disquiet remained, with Tokyo closing down more than 3 percent.

The Atlantic magazine reported that Harvard University epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch is predicting the coronavirus “will ultimately not be containable” and, within a year, will infect somewhere between 40 and 70 percent of humanity. But Lipsitch said many people won’t have severe illnesses or even show symptoms at all, which is already the case for many people who have tested positive for the virus. AFP

A report has said Chinese POGO workers have been informed by the China Public Security Bureau to return to China and show proof to the police that they are not working in the POGO business.

Under the 1951 Alien Registration Act, all registered aliens who are holders of immigrant and non-immigrant visas are required to report to Immigration within the first 60 days of the year.

Covered by the law are foreigners who are living, working and studying in the Philippines.

BI Alien Registration Division chief Jose Carlitos Licas reminded foreigners to bring their passports and present their alien certificate of registration identity

card or ACR I-Card.

Foreigners must pay P300 for the annual report fee and P10 for the legal research fee.

“For those who are abroad, they should make the report within 30 days from the date of their return to the country, provided they have valid re-entry permits, Licas said.

If the foreigners are minor aged 14 and below, their parents or guardians should report to Immigration on their behalf.

Senior citizens and people with disability are exempted from personal appearance, but they are required to submit a special power of attorney for their representative.

He also cited Republic Act 7925 or the Public Telecommunications Policy Act which, among other things, says no person may start or conduct the business of being a telecommunications entity without first securing a franchise to operate.

“They cannot operate because of that decision by the Supreme Court. We were unanimous in holding that there is a need for a franchise before the NTC can grant a provisional permit,’’ Puno said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

Recalling that he wrote the decision that was concurred in by the rest of the magistrates, Puno said that without a franchise, a network had no choice but to stop operations.

“They cannot operate because of that decision and by the laws we have, particularly RA 7925, Puno said.

He says the NTC does not have the power to grant a temporary license “without the franchise given by Congress.”

“This is also in RA 7925, which defines the powers of the NTC, Puno said.

But a 1994 Memorandum of Understanding between the House of Representatives, the NTC and the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas allowed the NTC to issue a temporary permit to operate to broadcast networks while their application for franchise renewal was pending.

Sought for comment, Guevarra said he was aware of the 1994 MOU but it would still depend on the House if that would be considered sufficient.

“But in my opinion, it may have to be refreshed or replaced by a formal resolution of the House, Guevarra said.

He said his office will reply to the NTC’s request for a legal opinion today, Wednesday, “but will issue guidance instead of a formal legal opinion.”

Puno, though, said even without Congress’ move, ABS-CBN should still be allowed to operate, given that some companies with expired licenses were able to do so in the past.

In related developments: • Senate Minority Leader Frankin Drilon said he would file a concurrent resolution in the Senate to allow ABS-CBN to operate until the end of the 18th Congress in 2022.

He said the concurrent resolution was different from Senate Joint Resolution resolution 1I, which he also filed to extend the network’s franchise until Dec. 31, 2022.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said if Congress could pass anything jointly, then it would be better if Congress passed a law that was also a joint effort.

Senator Joel Villanueva said he would support Drilon’s resolution for the sake of the 11,071 workers of the television network.

• Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday maintained that the House of Representatives would weigh the merits of the renewal of the franchise of broadcast network ABS-CBN in “a sober discussion through a committee hearing.”

Cayetano also vowed that the hearing on pending bills calling for the renewal of the franchise to operate of ABS-CBN Corporation would be organized and that the issues to be raised would be made clear even before the hearing began.

This developed as Cebu Rep. Raul Del Mar filed House Joint Resolution 28 extending the franchise of ABS-CBN until the end of the 18th Congress in June 2022.

The joint resolution was filed on Feb. 18.

• The labor group Defend Jobs Philippines on Tuesday called on Congress to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN. With Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas

foreheads or not “since they might be afraid of infection.”

In many Ilocano towns up north, like Pinili in Ilocos Norte and Binalonan in Pangasinan, the priests will say “Tao, sika ket tapok, ket iti tapok agsublikanto.”

In Bayambang, Pangasinan, the Catholic priest will say in Pangasinense “Tuo, sika et abo, umpawil ka ed abo.”

In Cabagan, Isabela and other Ibanagspeaking towns where the Mass will be said, the priest will tell the faithful “Y tollay ay naggafu ta davvung ay manoli ta davvung.”

In Minglanilla, Cebu, the Catholic priest will himself declare “Ikaw tao gikan ka sa abu ug mabalik ka sa abu.”

Separately, the priests will be echoing, in at least four regional languages, what the Benedictine priest at the Our Lady of Montserrat Abbey near Malacañang or what the parish priest at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in

Brookside, Cainta in Rizal will be saying from the book of Genesis, at about the same time.

Feb. 26, 2020 is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, its official name being “Day of Ashes,” so called because of the practice of rubbing ashes on one’s forehead in the sign of a cross.

Theologians say that since it is exactly 40 days (excluding Sundays) before Easter Sunday, it will always fall on a Wednesday—there cannot be an “Ash Thursday” or “Ash Monday.”

Religion scholars say the Bible never mentions Ash Wednesday—fact is, it never mentions Lent.

They add Lent is intended to be a time of self-denial, moderation, fasting, and the forsaking of sinful activities and habits.

Among Catholics and Aglipayans—the Aglipayans are basically Catholics except that they confess directly to God and their priests can get married—Ash Wednesday commenc-

es the period of spiritual discipline.

Fr. Jaime Padilla, the 57-year-old parish priest of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in the middle income subdivision Brookside Hills, says putting of the ash on the foreheads of the faithful “is a reminder to us that we are all human beings, of flesh, dust and sin, and we ought to change and improve from out sinful ways.

“We ought to listen to the Lord, turn away from sin, be sorry for our sin, make sacrifices and turn to holiness instead of remaining in sin and dust… Ash Wednesday is a wake-up call for us Catholics who live our faith.”

He adds, during an interview with the Manila Standard, “At the start of Lent, we are reminded to do prayer, fasting and almsgiving—the three pillars of good Christian life—which prepares us for the commemoration of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord.

From A1

The seventh installment of the franchise was scheduled to shoot in Venice for three weeks, the first location for production.

“Out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew, and efforts of the local Venetian government to halt public gatherings in response to the threat of coronavirus, we are altering the production plan for our three week shoot in Venice,” a Paramount spokesperson said in a statement to AFP. The spokesperson added that crew members were allowed to return home until production resumed.

Italy reported its seventh death from the new coronavirus on Monday, but officials called for calm and reported a lower rise in the number of infections after a spike over the weekend.

The number of cases in the country now stood at 229, the head of Italy’s civil protection department Angelo Borelli said at a press conference Monday evening, the highest number in Europe. AFP

“The final determination as to who will be part of the official list as subjects of the US entry ban lies entirely on [the State Department]. It may or may not publish said list,” De Lima said.

In December, US President Donald Trump signed the 2020 US federal budget that included a provision banning the entry of Philippine government officials involved in De Lima’s detention.

The ban would apply to an official if US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo found “credible information” about his or her involvement in the “wrongful imprisonment” of De Lima, who was arrested in February 2017 on her alleged involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prisons during her stint as Justice secretary. Rey E. Requejo

News

A3

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Reinstate 51 employees, CA orders GMA-7 execs THE Court of Appeals (CA) has ordered broadcast firm GMA Network to reinstate 51 of its employees who filed a labor suit for their regularization.

“Accordingly, the court finds the employees to be regular employees of respondent GMA and is entitled to reinstatement without loss of seniority rights, full back wages inclusive of allowance and any and all benefit regular employees of GMA receives computed from the time his or her compensation was withheld up to the time of his or her actual reinstatement,” the CA’s 15th Division said in a decision dated February 19 and released Tuesday.

The court said out of the 51, the 15 talents who picketed outside GMA’s premises are not guilty of gross habitual neglect of duty under the Labor Code.

Aside from particular dates when the 15 were absent, it held that GMA did not present any other instance when they committed other “unauthorized absences, which negates the very definition of habituality.”

The rest of the employees who were not renewed, the CA said, are considered regular employees adding that “the non-renewal of their talent agreements constituted constructive and/or illegal dismissal on the part of GMA.” GMA had insisted that the 35 employees were simply not renewed on the ground that some of them refused, failed to reply to their offer or performed poorly.

The court, however, noted that in the General Terms cited by GMA in its actions, the renewal of contracts should be done prior to the expiration of the contract.

Du30 seeks ADB support for ‘infras’

By MJ Blancaflor PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he wants an “enhanced support” from the Asian Development Bank to finance his administration’s infrastructure programs.

In a meeting with ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa, President Duterte also asked the bank’s assistance to improve the capacity of the government to undertake public-private partnership projects with increased private sector participation.

“We look forward to ADB’s enhanced support to our Build, Build, Build Program,” Duterte said.

The ADB intends to lend the Philippines a record-high of $3.3 billion this year, with about half supporting the government’s infrastructure projects, according to its website.

The projects include the South Commuter Railway, the EDSA Greenways Pedestrian Walkways, and the Angat Water Transmission Aqueduct 7, as well as initiatives to boost social protection, sustainable tourism, and capital market development Last December, the DOF and the ADB signed three loan agreements amounting to $623 million to support the Philippine government’s initiatives on infrastructure, competition capacity-building and youth employment.

Salas’ son pleads pa’s case at SC

WARM WELCOME. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gives a warm welcome to Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa who paid a courtesy call to the President at the Department of Finance Building inside the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex in Manila on February 24, 2020. Presidential Photo

‘Witness vs. cartel deals to be given immunity’

By Rey Requejo

I

NDIVIDUALS who would testify against cartel operations and transactions may be given immunity in exchange for information on some businessmen or companies that enter into anti-competitive agreements, the Department of JusticeOffice of Competition said on Tuesday.

Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete said that the DOJ-OFC has completed its work on the draft rules on the implementation of the criminal provisions of Republic Act No. 10667, otherwise known as the Philippine Competition Act. The draft rules clarify the elements of the crime committed in entering into anti-competitive agreements, and the special rules governing the filing of information and venue for these cases.

Perete explained that under the draft rules, the “DOJ-OFC is empowered to

grant immunity to cartel members in exchange for their testimony and evidence regarding an illegal act relating to competition.”

It also establishes the procedure for applications for immunity by cartel members who would provide information and assistance essential to the successful prosecution of competition cases, he added.

Likewise, the proposed rules enumerated the qualifications in order for a cartel member to qualify for immunity

Old ROTC ‘repackaged’ in new bill—lawmaker

By Maricel V. Cruz AN OPPOSITION legislator on Tuesday denounced the substitute bill on Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), now packaged as Citizen Service Act, mandating military training for public and private tertiary schools and senior high schools.

“Aside from being another militarist policy, one that will expose the youth to the culture of impunity and corruption, this bill will give families financial burdens even heavier than they are bearing now,” ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said.

“This so-called ‘Citizen Service’ is nothing but the old ROTC in a new packaging,” she said.

Castro said aside from alleged corruption, hazing, and murders in the military training program course hat led to the

abolition of the ROTC in 2001, cadets and their parents also complained of the various expenses brought by the program.

She said the CSA via Basic Citizen Service Training Course (Basic CSTC) and Preparatory Citizen Service Training Course (Preparatory CSTC) in Grades 11 and 12 in public and private tertiary schools and senior high schools, respectively will surely require more expenses attendant to military training.

“The CSTC will cost additional expenses to parents and students. For example, families will have to spend at least P2,000 or P3,000 for the full Type A fatigue uniform per each cadet which includes the coat, pants, garrison belt, cap, and outside belt (P1,000 to P1,300), combat boots (P500 to P600), lanyard (P100), patches (P200), custom-made nameplate, shoulder blades, and even

Bulacan lawmakers seek probe of toll fee hike

By Orlan Mauricio MALOLOS CITY—A senator and a congressman from Bulacan are asking the Department of Public Works & Highways and the Toll Regulatory Board, the office tasked with the supervision, operations and maintenance of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEx), to immediately explain to the public why even minor repairs and construction of additional exit and entry points along the highway will translate into an additional increase in toll fees.

“The representatives of these government agencies should explain to the motorists and the general public what is the policy they are pursuing.

Who are they protecting? Is it the public or the concessionaires?” he asked.

and the obligations expected from the person once he is granted immunity. It also cites the evidence that should be submitted and the process to be followed.

Citing an example, Perete said that, for instance, there are “three companies that entered into an agreement to peg the price of a product or its substitutes which agreement defeats competition. One of them may be granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for evidence regarding the offense.

Which one to choose and how to grant it is specified in the rules.”

The DOJ-OFC had published the draft rules online and solicited comments from the public before it is finalized.

It will hold a consultative workshop on the draft rules today (Wednesday) at the Philippine International Convention Center.

Senator Joel Villanueva, whose sister is currently the municipal mayor of Bocaue where Iglesia ni Cristo’s Ciudad de Victoria is located, was responding to a question why the NLEX Corporation, the concessionare-operator of Nlex is charging an additional toll fees to motorists exiting at the Arena although the said portion was originally part of the ‘Open System’ or fixed-rate being implemented at the expressway.

Villanueva shares the stand of 2nd District of Bulacan Representative Gavino ‘Apol’ Pancho who has requested the TRB to make an immediate audit, check and investigate if there’s a real basis of charging additional toll fees along the stretch covering the entire length from Balintawak to Tabang Exit in Guiguinto, Bulacan.

“Based on the provision of the renewed concession granted to NLEX management, it is allowed to increase its rate every three years, provided that they are losing money in their operations. And this is what we have to check and verify if there is basis because, as far as we know, NLEX Corp. is earning huge profits in billions of pesos every year,” Pancho said.

NLEx, formerly known as North Diversion Road and Manila North Expressway was initially built in the early 60s from Balintawak to Barangay Tabang in Guiguinto, Bulacan, where McArthur Highway (the main and only road then going to Central and Northern Luzon provinces) meets Maharlika Highway leading to Nueva Ecija, Isabela and other provinces in Cagayan Valley.

the appropriate haircut (P50 as cheapest) for men or hairpins and hairnet for women, to name a few.

“This doesn’t yet include the other type of uniforms and more expensive items like the sword or saber,” Castro added.

The proposed substitute bill, according to Castro, the CSTC will be administered for at least four semesters over two school years unless otherwise allowed by the Citizen Service Training Board.

In addition to the said CSTC to be held within the semesters, the bill also requires the completion of Summer Citizen Service Training Camp (Summer CSTC) which shall consist of 30 days in two tranches of 15 days a year. “The length of mandatory training, uniform and activities will lead to additional expenses and burdens to the students and parents,” Castro said.

A PETITION for writ of habeas corpus has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking the immediate release of former Communist Party of the Philippines leader Rodolfo Salas, alias “Kumander Bilog.”

Through lawyers from the Free Legal Assistance Group, Salas’ son, Jody, also pleaded the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order enjoining the Manila City Regional Trial Court Branch 32 from proceeding with the communist leader’s arraignment for multiple counts of murder.

Salas was nabbed last February 18 in Angeles City, Pampanga through an arrest warrant for 29 counts of murder in connection with the Inopacan massacre in Leyte, which were allegedly committed by the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the CPP in the 1980s. He is now detained at the Manila City Jail.

Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of RTC Branch 32 in Manila issued the arrest warrant on Aug. 28, 2018 in connection with the two criminal cases.

The petitioner told the SC that Salas is being illegally detained “in violation of his right to due process as a protection against hasty, malicious, and oppressive prosecutions, and his right against being put twice in jeopardy of punishment for the same offense.”

“Only the Court’s issuance of the Writ of Habeas Corpus and the grant of the Privilege of the Writ can remedy these continuing violations of Rodolfo’s Constitutional rights,” the petitioner said. Rey E. Requejo

Bidder files case vs. gov’t printer officials

By Rio N. Araja A BIDDER in the 450-million project for the support and maintenance of tobacco stamps of the Bureau of Internal Revenue has filed a criminal and administrative complaint against officials of a government printer before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Myrna Gonzales, Kolonwel Trading assistant sales manager, filed the complaint against Apo Production Unit Inc. (APUI) chairperson Michael Dalumpines; board of trustees Philip Dionisio, Guilmar Vidanes, Alvin Reyes, Joel Caminede, Joecel Obenza and Jose Julio; and bids and awards committee members Karl Paulo Damian, Josefina Omol, Frederick Tarun, Dominic Tajon, Michael Santiago and Ramon Matibag.

In a 17-page complaint, he said the 13 accused manifested partiality in awarding the contract to the joint venture of IRSIS Corp. and Mara Linux and Business Solutions Inc. despite the recommendation of the technical working group to disqualify them for failure to comply with the procurement procedures.

She said IRSIS and Mara were not able to provide the government printer with the “necessary” information or data in their bid documents as to how they arrived at its bid price of P202,450,113.60, therefore they should be considered “nonresponsive” and “automatically disqualified.”

She also accused Dalumpines and the other officials of being biased toward IRSIS and Mara for accepting a similar contract awarded in 2013 despite not even one of them was a bidder.

ANOMALOUS.

Whistleblower Mryna Gonzales has spilled the beans over an alleged grossly anomalous bidding contract amounting billion pesos at a Government Controlled Corporation under PCOO in the procurement of Internal Revenue Stamps for Tobacco

by Apo production unit incorporated.

Photo shows Peter Go Ching with a copy of complaint during a press conference held in Quezon City.

Manny Palmero

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Tullahan

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

entire Manila Bay influence area in implementation of the mandated obligations under existing laws and as being monitored by the Supreme Court J.A. in compliance with its outstanding DE LA CRUZ writ of kalikasan mandamus order.

LOST in the din of headline-grabbing With just over two years to go benews on the COVID-19 epidemic, fore bowing out of office, there is no POGOs and "pastillas" and, yes, the doubt this gargantuan task will test ABS-CBN franchise chase, is the the administration’s mettle no end. continuing Manila Bay clean up beMahathir bows out ing undertaken by an Inter-Agency ‘Shocking’ is all that we can say Committee headed by Secretary Roy about the abrupt resignation of MaCimatu and their partners from the laysian Prime Minister Mahathir Moprivate sector, here and abroad. hamad two days ago.

So far, this undertaking has resultThe world’s oldest head of governed in relatively lower coliform lev- ment, the 95-year-old PM, came out els along the Manila Bay baywalk of retirement after serving for 18 years stretching to the Baseco area, the in- in that position, the longest in Malaystallation of huge sewage treatment sia’s history, to lead the four-party plants in the more problematic out- Pakatan Harapan (PH) ruling coafalls and esteros, lition in ending the bridge lightthe long-standing ing and dredgingreign of the then cum-clean up of ruling UMNO coThe storied river the entire Pasig system is being cleaned alition.

River and allied What was beup. river systems ing held then as within the greatMalaysia’s best er Metro Manila hope for a new area and surrounding provinces. deal in politics and governance, PH One such tributary, the Tullahan-Ti- degenerated into a warring coalition najeros river in the Navotas-Malabon apparently over the “spoils of war.” area, was formally launched yester- As putative PM and former Deputy day. This P1-billion initiative is be- PM Anwar Ibrahim noted after the ing underwritten by San Miguel Cor- surprise Mahathir resignation, he has poration (SMC). This has long been been betrayed by his very partners in the depository of waste and related the coalition. debris from industrial, commercial That is putting it diplomatically. From and, of course, households/commu- the very start, it was clear that the coanities from Quezon City, Bulacan lition was founded on shifting sands. and the northern metro area. Thus, In the first place, majority of its leaders this initiative will not only open up were erstwhile senior UMNO officials the river to its once-pristine and vi- who had to leave the party over the brant flows but will significantly re- same issue now rocking PH—power duce flooding in the flood plains all sharing. In the course of time and perthe way to Manila Bay. haps even before the coalition got into Hopefully, by the time this admin- government, the publicly announced istration bows out in 2022, fish sanc- values-based governance principles tuaries and other water-based liveli- which PH used to oust UMNO was hood activities, not to mention sports thrown out of the window in favor of facilities, will abound along the entire naked power politics. A band of coalength and breadth of the storied river lition MPs was out to deny Anwar the system. prime ministership in violation of what We are told that similar multi-year was agreed upon and promised by PM clean-up initiatives using the same Mahathir himself. Now the coalition public private partnership are also un- is breaking up—and all too suddenly, der way in other tributaries within the Malaysia is in a tailspin. Sayang.

CROSSROADS

#MeToo after Weinstein

A

MERICAN producer Harvey Weinstein was found guilty of two of five sex crime charges against him. After the verdict was handed down, the judge said that he would be immediately sent to jail to await his March 11 sentencing. He faces anywhere between five and 29 years in prison.

While the circumstances of the attacks and the nature of Weinstein’s relationship with the women varied, what was established was a clear pattern of predatory behavior. For far too long, Weinstein was considered one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, who could make or break careers. He offered tremendous opportunities for those he found promising, and dashed the dreams of those whom he did not.

His lawyers argued that the women who accused Weinstein simply used him to get ahead in their show business ambitions. The trial, however, showed how Weinstein used this power in getting what he wanted from the many women who came his way.

The issue looms larger than the

jailed producer. Sure, it was accusations against him that sparked the #MeToo movement, a global cause that sought to prompt women who have been preyed upon to come forward, because there is no shame in doing so. But this has been happening, long before the terms “hashtag” or “sexual harassment” had been coined. It will likely still happen for generations to come.

The idea behind #MeToo is to point at the predators that abound in every industry, everywhere. It is the perpetrators, not the victim, who must feel shame.

But often, the situation is hardly in black and white. Sometimes, accusers have their own agenda, and they bring down other people out of pure

spite. There are many cases where the women are tormented by the possibility of their own complicity. Victims are blamed and maligned, and are told they should have dressed less provocatively, or voiced their objections more vigorously, or fought back forcefully, or stopped speaking to their attacker as soon as their intentions were known.

Weinstein is most certainly going to be in jail for a long time—perhaps until the end of his life. This does not end the worldwide malaise, borne out of prejudice and bias. It’s not even about sex but power; about whether one would even dare complain. It’s also often not just between two individuals, but an environment that could be encouraging such behavior by looking the other way.

Let us neither be the individual who takes advantage of other people, nor be part of the environment that does not raise hell in the face of abuse and injustice.

‘Micro-pollution ravaging China and South Asia’

By Marlowe Hood NEARLY 90 percent of the 200 cities beset by the world's highest levels of deadly micro-pollution are in China and India, with most of the rest in Pakistan and Indonesia, researchers reported Tuesday.

Taking population into account, Bangladesh emerged as the country with the worst so-called PM2.5 pollution, followed by Pakistan, Mongolia, Afghanistan and India, according to the 2019 World Air Quality Report, jointly released by IQAir Group and Greenpeace.

China ranks 11th.

Particulate matter of 2.5 microns or less in diameter—roughly 1/30 the width of a human hair—is the most dangerous type of airborne pollution.

Microscopic flecks are small enough to enter the bloodstream via the respiratory system, leading to asthma, lung cancer and heart disease.

Among the world's megacities of 10 million or more people, the most PM2.5-toxic in 2019 was the Indian capital New Delhi, followed by Lahore in Pakistan, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Kolkata in India, Linyi and Tianjin in China, and Jakarta, Indonesia.

Next on the list were Wuhan—epicenter of the new coronavirus outbreak—along with Chengdu and Beijing.

The IQAir report is based on data from nearly 5,000 cities worldwide.

Most of the seven million prema-

ture deaths attributed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to air pollution are caused by PM2.5 particles, which originate in sandstorms, agriculture, industry, wildfires and especially the burning of fossil fuels.

"Air pollution is the world's leading environmental health threat," said IQAir CEO Frank Hammes. "Ninety percent of the global population is breathing unsafe air."

China's average urban PM2.5 concentration dropped 20 percent in 2018 and 2019, but last year it still counted 117 of the 200 most polluted cities in the world.

All but two percent of China's cities exceeded WHO guidelines for PM2.5 levels, while 53 percent exceeded less stringent national safety limits.

Less data from Africa The UN says PM2.5 density should not top 25 micrograms per cubic meter (25 mcg/m3) of air in any 24-hour period. China has set the bar at 35 mcg/m3.

More than a million premature deaths in China each year are caused by air pollution, according to the WHO. Recent calculations put the toll at up to twice that figure.

Across a large swathe of northern India and north-central China, meeting WHO standards year-round for PM2.5 pollution would increase life expectancy up to six or seven years, according to the Air Quality Life Index, developed by researchers at the Energy Policy Institute of Chicago.

Turn to A5

‘Bushfires burned a fifth of Australia’s forest’

By Patrick Galey AUSTRALIA'S wildfires have destroyed more than a fifth of the country's forests, making the blazes "globally unprecedented" following a years-long drought linked to climate change, researchers said Monday.

Climate scientists are currently examining data from the disaster, which destroyed swathes of southeastern Australia, to determine to what extent they can be attributed to rising temperatures.

In a special edition of the journal Nature Climate Change, Australian researchers examined several other aspects of the blazes, including investigations into their extent and possible causes.

One study showed that between

September 2019 and January 2020 around 5.8 million hectares of broadleaf forest were burned in New South Wales and Victoria.

This accounts for roughly 21 percent of the nation's forested area, making this fire season proportionately the most devastating on record.

"Halfway through Spring 2019 we realized that a very large part of the eastern Australian forest could be burned in this single season," Matthias Boer, from the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University, Penrith, told AFP. "The shock came from realizing that this season was off the charts globally in terms of the percentage of the continental section of a forest biome that burned."

Boer said his study almost certainly underestimates the extent of forest loss as the island state of Tasmania was not covered in the data.

Australia's annual average forest loss to wild fires is typically well below 2 percent.

Droughts linked to sea temperature Another study published Monday looked at the conditions that made the fires so damaging—a years-long dry spell in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin.

Droughts create more fuel for wildfires and make it harder for forests to recover after each blaze.

Andrew King, from the University of Melbourne, and colleagues looked at a phenomenon known as the IndiTurn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

Published Monday to Sunday by Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. at 6/F Universal Re Building, 106 Paseo de Roxas, corner Perea St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Telephone numbers 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558 (connecting all departments), (Editorial) 832-5554, (Advertising) 832-5550. P.O. Box 2933, Manila Central Post Office, Manila. Website: www. manilastandard.net

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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

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

Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Lino M. Santos Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion And now, locusts LAST Monday, we wrote about the negative economic impact of the CoViD 19 epidemic. We made comments particularly on tourism, which is of course easy to see. And we worried about food security, particularly on rice, which is the country’s staple food.

Early into DA Secretary William Dar’s appointment, he was confronted with the African Swine Fever infecting livestock in Rizal and Bulacan.

Quick action prevented the spread of the hog disease, but of late, ASF has begun affecting piggeries in Davao del Sur and elsewhere in Southern Mindanao. That is worrisome.

In Hunan province, the H5N1 disease has wreaked havoc on a big broiler farm, and hopefully effective quarantine actions could prevent its spread. Otherwise, Asia will have to worry about bird flu, the negative impact on food production being incalculable.

But we are particularly worried about rice, whose impact on overall inflation is quite huge. Notice how in 2018, rice prices drove inflation to highs of 5 percent and more. In 2014, we also experienced high prices for the staple. In 2009, there was a world rice price crisis which made the Philippines the world’s largest rice importer at prices exceeding $1,000 per ton, and non rice-producing regions such as NCR experiencing long queues for the staple. Similarly in 1995, people were stopping rice delivery trucks on the streets, demanding their share because stores had run out of the staple.

As immediate response early last year, Congress passed the Rice Tariffication Law at a time when the national grains agency had low inventories. The law practically neutered the NFA and opened up rice importation to the private sector, sans quantitative controls. The private sector responded bybimporting unprecedentedly huge volumes, which USDA estimated at 3 million tons.

This resulted in the depression of palay-buying prices, leaving most of the country’s rice farmers impoverished. The NFA could only buy so much, even as it upped its prices by orders of the economic managers. How much could the castrated agency do with a P7 billion budget for palay purchases, and even if increased belatedly to P10 billion, the same could only buy a little over 500 thousand tons, equivalent to 6 million bags when milled into rice. That is equivalent to nine days of the country’s overall requirement, Philippine per capita consumption being among the highest in the world.

But now, worry about the externalities.

China’s major rice-producing provinces are Heilongjiang in the north, Hunan, Jiangxi, Hubei (!), Jiangsu, Anhui, Sichuan, Guangdong and Guangxi. Look at the map and realize that most of these provinces are close to Hubei. Together, these

central China provinces produce 140 million tons out of China’s total production of 208 million tons.

With CoViD 19, would you expect farmers to plant their paddy fields well enough considering the threat to their health? Hubei province alone, where the virus began, produces 20 million metric tons, equivalent to 10 percent of China’s total production, and equivalent to the Philippines’ total rice consumption needs.

Thailand is limiting its exports, preferring to export only the high-quality and high-priced jasmine. India is cutting its exports of rice, preferring to export more of its high-priced basmati, with its farmers likewise shifting from locally consumed lower varieties to export-demanded basmati.

There is cause for worry.

Many Vietnamese paddy fields have been converted to other crops over the past ten years because of stagnant prices for their staple export.

With the depression of palay farmgate prices owing to the over-importation of the staple by the private sector last year, it is likely that many of our own palay farmers switched to other crops. By how much, only the DA knows at this point. Add to that the impact of strong typhoons which devastated the Mindoros and Panay, major rice-producing provinces.

That may have delayed planting.

With demand being inelastic, the 3 million tons in the hands of the private sector should be just enough for the market until the beginning of the lean months, if not earlier sold out.

Now look at the outlook for the world market.

On top of CoVid 19’s impact on Chinese rice production, on top of India and Thailand’s self-imposed constriction of their exports of low and medium-quality rice, now comes locusts.

There is a major, major swarm of desert locusts travelling from Kenya, Ethiopia and other Horn of Africa nations to India and Pakistan. India alone is suffering its worst hit from locust infestation in the last 60 years.

And India and Pakistan are among the world’s biggest rice exporting countries, along with Thailand and Vietnam.

The International Grains Council is looking at high world prices. Even the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, noted that “today, locust swarms are as big as major cities and it is getting worse by the day.”

Hopefully, those locust swarms will not migrate to China, and hope that the mountains of Tibet and Xingjiang will prevent them from invading China.

Our current secretary of agriculture, having worked as head of ICRISAT, which specializes in the semi-arid countries now affected by the locusts, knows exactly how devastating these insects can be.

There is cause for worry. Once again, our staple food will hound our day-to-day economics in 2020.

Micro-pollution...

From A4

In India, small particle pollution exceeds WHO limits by 500 percent, even if air pollution in general declined significantly last year, with 98 percent of cities monitored showing improvements.

Among the club of 36 rich OECD nations, South Korea was the most polluted for PM2.5, counting 105 of the worst 1,000 cities on the index. In Europe, Poland and Italy count 39 and 31 cities, respectively, in this tranche.

Other parts of the world such as Africa and the Middle East lacked data.

"What cannot be measured cannot be managed," Hammes said. "Africa, a continent of 1.3 billion people, currently has less than 100 monitoring stations that make PM2.5 data available to the public in realtime."

As of 2018, China alone had more than 1,000 such stations in 200 cities.

Climate change has begun to amplify the health risk of PM2.5 pollution, especially through more intense forest fires and sandstorms made worse by spreading desertification, the report found.

Global warming and PM2.5 also have the same primary driver: the burning of coal, oil and gas.

While the link with lung cancer was well established, a recent study showed that most excess deaths from air pollution are caused by heart attacks, strokes and other types of cardiovascular disease.

Small and larger particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3) have likewise been linked to drops in cognitive performance, labor productivity and educational outcomes.

Of cities with more than one million people, the least affected by PM2.5 are Adelaide, Helsinki, Stockholm, and San Jose in central California, followed by Perth and Melbourne in Australia, and Calgary in Canada, and New York. AFP

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

ABS-CBN cannot invoke freedom of speech to secure franchise

(Continued from Saturday) THE public are less discernible that seldom would they be able to distinguished raw information from black propaganda. Even among newspapermen, seldom do they know the duties and responsibilities of a reporter from that of a columnist or opinion writer. This explains now why owners of mass media like ABS-CBN are required to secure a franchise to remind them about the delicate nature of their privilege which is to eructate, not mis-educate, the public by observing its duty for the common good of society. The state is duty-bound to act as pater familia or the head of the family to ensure that society may not be affected by the slanted presentation of news to negate altogether the purpose of freedom of speech, of the press and of expression Corporate owners try to avoid the issue of ownership of the industry for that could instantly cause a meltdown in their argument of freedom of the press. Besides, the franchise is not a

given as birthright but is limited to protect the good order and well-being of society. This justifies why we say why the privilege of a franchise is far different from the right of the individual. While a right can be exercised by anybody with limited responsibility, a privilege is not. It is rather given to a few and according to their capacity to operate it, which means that even if that privilege is given to all, not all have the capacity it, which reason why it could equally be withheld or withdrawn from the grantee or franchisee.

If ABS-CBN can swindle the President, how much more its ordinary customers?

The refusal to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN is equally a constitutional right, much that the main reason cited Solicitor General Jose Calida is expiration of franchise. Expiration connotes a legal and constitutional end to the period for ABSCBN to operate. Note that the issue of violation of franchise was only cited to strengthen the non-renewal of an expired franchise. The Sol-Gen Calida is even generous for strictly

speaking he simply waited for the franchise to expire, and did not order its closure for that could mean a different interpretation; that the government forcibly closed the industry. He did not even mention that ABS-CBN committed estafa against Duterte during his campaign for the presidency, when he paid several million for his political ads that were not shown.

No explanation was made, nor did it offer to return the amount knowing that would constitute evidence of estafa or swindling. So, if ABS-CBN can swindle the President, how much more its ordinary customers?

Most dangerous is the discovery that ABS-CBN allowed aliens to become stockholders in gross violation of the Constitution prohibiting aliens, foreign entities or corporation to own, participate or have control in the country’s mass media that operate radio to broadcast and television beamed all over the country. There is danger for as the government could already feel and see it, their minions and blind followers in the show business industry and corrupt politicians are babbling out demagoguery in lambasting the government for refusing to renew the franchise of ABS-CBN but nobody has rebutted point-by-point the charges of violation of the franchise. rpkapunan@gmail.com

Tiger widows shunned as bad luck in rural Bangladesh

By Sam Jahan ABANDONED by her sons, shunned by her neighbors and branded a witch.

Mosammat Rashida's crime? Her husband was killed by a Bengal tiger.

Women like her are ostracized in many rural villages in Bangladesh, where they are viewed as the cause of their partner's misfortune.

"My sons have told me that I am an unlucky witch," she told AFP in her flimsy plank home, in the honey-hunters' village of Gabura at the edge of the Sundarbans—a 10,000-square-kilometer (3,860-square-mile) mangrove forest that straddles Bangladesh and India.

Her husband died while out collecting honey in the jungles there.

"Honey-hunters prefer to collect honey mostly in the southwestern Sundarbans, where most of the man-eaters (tigers) live," leading Bengal tiger expert at Jahangirnagar University, Monirul Khan, told AFP. Tigers are an endangered species but climate change and human development is reducing their wild habitat, often forcing them towards villages in search of food.

Wildlife charities estimate there are some 100 tigers in the Bangladesh side of the Sundarbans.

At least 519 men died from tiger attacks in 50 villages in one district—home to half a million people—between 2001 and 2011, according to Ledars Bangladesh, a charity helping widows reintegrate back in the villages.

Their deaths are a double blow for the women left behind.

Already grieving the loss of their partner, overnight they become 'tiger widows'—pariahs in their homes and villages at a time when they most need support.

They are often left with little means to support themselves or their families.

Bring bad luck Rashida is heartbroken but unsurprised that her adult sons, aged 24 and 27, abandoned her and their two young siblings.

"They are part of this society after all," the 45-yearold said, as she wiped tears from her eyes.

Her tiny shack has no roof—it was blown off by a deadly cyclone—but there have been no offers of help from neighbours or officials, who she claims helped others in the village but shunned her.

Instead she uses an old tarpaulin to keep the elements

Bushfires...

From A4

an Ocean Dipole (IOD), which has a direct effect on rainfall levels in Australia and elsewhere.

Since 2017 much of Australia has experienced widespread drought, something the study attributed to a relative lack of negative IOD events—when there are warmer than normal sea surface temperatures in the east Indian Ocean with cooler waters in the west.

out. Next door, Mohammad Hossain was fixing his broken tin roof, and confessed he had been instructed by his wife not to talk to Rashida.

"It would mar my family's well-being and could bring bad luck," the 31-year-old honey-hunter said.

Officials denied omitting Rashida from the help they provided after the cyclone.

But the head of Ledars Bangladesh, Mohon Kumar Mondal, said the mistreatment of "tiger widows" was widespread in highly conservative communities, which often held "centuries old" prejudices.

"They (charities) are working to restore the widows' dignities. The main challenge is to change people's beliefs," he explained.

"The change is very slow. Still, I'd say there has been progress," he added, noting that younger, more educated villagers were less fearful of the widows.

Staying alive Rijia Khatun, who said she has learnt to cope with being ostracized by her fellow villagers after her honey-hunter husband's death 15 years ago, has been secretly supported by her nephew and his family.

"My sons were young. But nobody helped me. I felt bad at first as they kept blaming me for my husband's death. I didn't know what was my fault," she recalled, adding: "But now I've learnt to live with this adversity."

Her nephew Yaad Ali, who has witnessed several attacks including his uncle's, explained that while he wanted to help, he could not do so publicly.

"We had to do it (help Khatun) with confidentiality or else the village society would have ostracized us as well," he confessed.

Honey hunting has traditionally been seen as a more accessible vocation for villagers who can't afford the equipment or boats needed to undertake the region's other main profession—fishing.

But fears of being killed by the predators—and the consequences for the wives they leave behind—has meant more and more men are opting for a different trade.

Harun ur Rashid, whose father was killed by a tiger, said he was now a fisherman, despite coming from generations of honey-hunters.

The 21-year-old said: "My mother doesn't want me to end up like my father. And I want to stay alive and take care of her because she has suffered a lot and endured enough abuses after my father's death." AFP

These events tend to shift weather patterns and typically bring greater rainfall to southeast Australia, and are made less frequent as global sea temperatures warm.

King and the team examined rainfall statistics and found that the winter of 2016 saw extremely heavy precipitation and a corresponding negative IOD event.

Since then, the Murray-Darling Basin has experienced 12 consecutive seasons with below-average rainfall, the longest period on record since 1900.

"With climate change there have been projections that there will be more positive IOD events and fewer negative IOD events," King told AFP. "This would mean that we'd expect more dry seasons in Australia and possibly worse droughts."

Boer said that climate change was all but certain to make Australia more prone to wildfires and urged the government to strengthen fire readiness measures and "take urgent and effective action on climate change." AFP

A6

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Solon mulls over drug test revival

By Maricel V. Cruz

A

HOUSE of Representatives’ leader has called on Congress to reinstate the mandatory drug testing requirement in securing a driver’s license, citing the series of deadly road accidents involving drivers who are under the influence of illegal drugs.

House Transportation Committee chairman and Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento expressed dismay that this requirement which was previously required by the Land Transportation Office for driver’s license applicants had been removed.

Meanwhile, a female legislator has filed a bill mandating public transport vehicles to install dashboard camera, closed circuit television, and global positioning system as standard safety equipment before they are allowed to service the riding public.

“There are far too many incidents of crimes in our public utility vehicles. Almost every day, we hear of various cases

of theft and violent robberies in jeepneys, buses and taxis. Other incidents involve kidnapping, rape and murder of innocent riders, sexual harassment and sexual assault, among others,” Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera said.

Herrera filed House Bill 3341 that requires public utility vehicles and transport network vehicle services, school transport services, and government service vehicles to install dash cams, CCTV and GPS. “Our vision is for our public transportation system to be safe and reliable for all Filipinos. Dashboard cameras, CCTV and GPS are now widely available and are useful in documenting events, inci-

dents or accidents that occur on roads, streets and highways,” Herrera, deputy majority leader, said.

“These technological advancements that we are experiencing should be utilized for the security and safety of the Filipino people,” she added.

With the rising number of deaths and injuries caused by reckless drivers who are under the influence of illegal drugs, Sarmiento said that Congress should now amend Republic Act 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act to reinstate drug testing for driver’s license applicants.

“Now is the time to bring back the mandatory drug testing as a requirement for obtaining a driver’s license, especially for our public utility drivers. If we cannot implement this for everyone, the requirements should be at least more stringent to those who earn their living from the transportation sector,” Sarmiento said in a privilege speech Monday.

Just last week, a Grade 8 student in Makati was killed while seven others were seriously injured when they were

run over by a speeding jeepney driven by a self-confessed drug user.

Only a day after the incident, an 18-wheeler truck driven by a shabu user plowed through several vehicles before ramming into several roadside establishments killing a 17-old woman and her three-month old baby.

Sarmiento said that the two incidents should serve as a grim reminder on the danger posed by drivers who are drug users.

He noted that in 2017 alone, 31 people dies every day due to road accidents and many of these involve drivers who are either drunk or are under the influence of drugs or both.

“Just last week, an incident occurred in Makati City which resulted in the death of a 14-year old student and the injuries of 7 others. These students were on their way home to their families after class. While crossing the pedestrian lane, a jeepney ran over them. The reckless driver tested positive for methamphetamine use.

He has confessed that he was using illegal drugs. Yet, he was still able to drive a public utility vehicle,” Sarmiento said.

Villanueva seeks inquiry into water preparation

By Macon Ramos-Araneta SENATOR Joel Villanueva has sought an inquiry into the preparation of different government agencies and stakeholders to avert the negative effects of the anticipated water shortage in the summer months.

“The water shortage in 2019 caught most of our people by surprise.

It’s almost a year since the shortage happened so we’re expecting that the MWSS and its two concessionaires are better prepared this time,” Villanueva said in a statement.

Villanueva’s resolution cited problems experienced by different establishments last year such as hospitals, especially those in severely affected areas that reportedly “turn[ed] away patients with less urgent cases.”

He also mentioned drastic water conservation efforts of businesses whose facilities resorted to streamlining toilet operations, among other incidents.

“Our experience last year shows that Metro Manila has inadequate water supply. Our regulator and concessionaires should be able to respond to this upcoming problem,” Villanueva said.

Proposed Senate Resolution 329 pointed out that “there is a need to closely monitor the national water programs, activities, and projects being implemented and undertaken by the government to demand not only its prioritization, but also its timeliness and effectivity in recognition of the people’s Constitutional right to health and to a balanced and healthful ecology.”

“This is especially more so considering that Angat Dam has not reached its ideal level of 212 meters,” the senator explained.

As of 6:00 AM of Feb. 25, the dam’s water level is at 202.23 meters, according to the monitoring of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

The resolution, which the senator filed on Feb. 18, also sought updates on the accomplished, ongoing, and pipelined projects of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) including the Bulacan Bulk Water Supply Project, the Kaliwa Dam, and the Ipo Dam 3 Project, among other issues.

NOT AGAIN. A truck carrying gravel and sand leans on its side Tuesday morning in a freak accident due to overload along NIA Road in Baclaran, Parañaque, causing heavy traffic in the area. Norman Cruz

Green groups want improved air quality in PH

By Willie Casas AIR pollution is a silent killer in the Philippines, and the government must take urgent steps to address the problem before it gets worse, according to environmental groups calling for action to improve air quality in the Philippines.

Environmental, science and health groups on Tuesday raised the alarm following recent reports on poor air quality in the country.

A global report launched this week showed that air quality in the Philippines contains PM2.5 pollution levels that significantly exceed the safety limits prescribed by the World Health Organization.

The groups—Greenpeace Philippines, Clean Air Asia, Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED), Health Care without Harm, the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), and the World Wide Fund for

Nature (WWF) Philippines—also called on the Philippine government to revamp and improve current air pollution monitoring systems in order to provide more reliable information on whether the air in our communities is still safe for daily living.

According to them, the recent 2019 Air Visual report places the Philippines in the 58th spot out of 98 countries with locations from where air quality data was collected.

But the groups emphasize that while available Air Visual data did not place the Philippines as among the countries with the worst air quality, the data nevertheless shows that the country still has very polluted air.

Year-on-year data also shows that the country’s air quality is getting worse.

Average PM2.5 pollution levels in Air Visual sites increased from 14.6 μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter) in 2018 to 17.6 μg/m3 in 2019. The safety limit set by the WHO is 10 μg/m3.

The groups also noted that the report only looks at PM2.5 pollution, and does not include other pollutants such as sulfur oxide, nitrous oxide, ozone and other contaminants that carry deleterious health risks.

A report released by Greenpeace Philippines earlier this month showed that these and other toxic emissions can cost Filipinos as much as 1.9 percent GDP loss and 27,000 premature deaths.

The groups are calling for better air pollution standards in the Philippines, including improved monitoring, transparency and analysis. In the case of the 2019 Air Visual report, the quantity and placement of air monitors from which data were collected provide only a small snapshot of the threat of PM 2.5 air pollution.

To be effective, the groups say that the government should monitor places close to main sources of air pollution, such as coal-fired power plants and high traffic areas of motorized vehicles.

Senate committee to inquire into govt’s industrialization program THE Senate Committee on Finance is set to hold an inquiry tomorrow on the implementation of the government’s programs on industrialization and employment-generation to determine what these have accomplished so far, which ones are working and the next steps needed to ensure its sustainability.

Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Sonny Angara, in pursuing the inquiry, said there was a need to bolster Filipino or “Tatak Pinoy” productive sectors and encourage inclusive growth across the country.

As a result, he said “small and medium businesses will have a greater chance to make it big, more jobs will be created for the people, and the Philippines will move closer towards becoming an industrialized country.”

The inquiry will go over the various items lodged under the P4.1 trillion General Appropriations Act for 2020 that are geared towards boosting productivity and generat-

ing employment, which will provide both the executive branch and Congress valuable inputs for the crafting of the 2021 GAA and for future national budgets.

Angara said there is an urgent need to conduct an inventory of the investments government plans to make in the next five to ten years for such initiatives covering information technology and business process outsourcing, tourism, creative industries, trade, manufacturing, agriculture and fisheries, logistics, shipping, research and development and other productive sectors.

“We will assess whether such investments are in line with the constitutional mandate to promote industrialization and full employment; expand productivity and sustain the increase in the goods and services produced by Filipino workers, craftsmen, artisans, creatives, entrepreneurs, professionals, scientists and researchers,” Angara said. Macon Ramos-Araneta

CHINESE NABBED. Philippine National Police–Anti Kidnapping Group present Tuesday arrested kidnapping suspects Chinese national Zhu Li (left), and driver body guard Julius Gangan Tumolva following the alleged kidnapping of Chinese national Chenger Qiang and Zhoang Song Qin last Feb 24 at Clark Pampanga. Photo shows Maj. Ronaldo Lumactod interrogating the suspects. Manny Palmero

Davao Or. Conducts quarantine procedure DAVAO CITY—To ensure that the province of Davao Oriental will remain free of African swine fever (ASF) virus, the provincial government conducted a veterinary quarantine procedure training for village watchmen or “barangay tanod” on Monday.

Some 30 barangay tanod members, also residents of the barangays where the checkpoints were strategically installed, participated in the training held at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Operation Center.

In a statement on Tuesday, the said personnel will serve as additional manpower to become force multipliers in enforcing quarantine procedures for the ASF in the province.

Provincial veterinarian, Dr. Eric Dagmang said the training will strengthen the enforcement of the checkpoints in the entry and exit points of the province.

“This has long been planned by the province after the ASF-affected the livestock in our neighboring provinces, like Davao Occidental and Davao del Sur, and portion in Calinan, Davao City,” Dagmang said.

He also added that even before ASF hit Mindanao, there were already measures implemented in the province, like the creation of the ASF Task Force, and the banning of pork and pork products from ASF-affected areas.

However, since the quarantine is only a portion of the many tasks of the law enforcers, the province is capacitating personnel who will not only augment the manpower but also efficiently implement the ASF quarantine at the checkpoints.

“These checkpoints are located in Barangay Maylaya in Cateel town, Barangay Carmen in Boston town, Barangay Pintatagan in Banaybanay, and Barangay Marayag in Lupon,” Dagmang said. He added that the initiative is an upgrading of their measures against ASF. “We are also strictly checking their documents like the veterinary health certificate and the veterinary shipping permit. Once they are not complied with, cargoes or the shipment will be sent back to their origin,” he added.

Dagmang also appealed to the public to patronize local pork products to avoid problems and inconveniences, like confiscation of their products, as they are trying their best to make considerations in dealing with intercepted products, like sending them back to their origin.

Senate urged to act on Carcar’s heritage zone A LAWMAKER from the Visayas region on Tuesday appealed to the Senate to prioritize the passage of a bill approved in the House of Representatives proclaiming Carcar City in Cebu as a national cultural heritage zone.

“Congress has to move fast to safeguard Carcar’s historical structures, which include various works of art, in the interest of enriching the national patrimony,” Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas, chairman of the House Committee on Land Use, said.

“The old-fashioned buildings that still stand up to now in Carcar are national treasures that will surely help remind future generations of the grandeur and aesthetic splendor of the architectural creations of the past,” Gullas said.

“Carcar is just like Vigan City in Ilocos Sur, boasting of several architecturally significant vintage houses built during the Spanish era and a classical church,” Gullas, former Cebu provincial governor, pointed out.

The House passed on third and final reading in December the bill seeking to declare Carcar a cultural heritage zone.

House Bill 5644, authored by Gullas, was transmitted to the Senate the same month, and is now awaiting action by the Senate committee on basic education, arts and culture.

A heritage zone refers to historical, anthropological, archaeological and artistic geographical areas and settings that are culturally important to the country.

Once tagged as a heritage zone, Carcar’s streets, parks, monuments, buildings and even natural water bodies would be kept as close as possible to their forms at the time when they were of greatest importance to Philippine history, as determined by the National Historical Institute.

They would be restored, if necessary, and then preserved and properly maintained. Maricel V. Cruz

Sports

A7

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Events across globe postponed T

OKYO—Japan’s J-League postponed its cup competition on Tuesday over the deadly coronavirus, which has affected dozens of sports events across the globe.

The football league postponed seven cup games scheduled for Wednesday, and said it will discuss suspending all matches until March 15.

“J-League will provide its maximum cooperation for the prevention of the spread (of the virus) and anti-infection measures,” a statement said.

The football leagues in China, the epicentre of the outbreak, and South Korea have been suspended, while some games in Italy will be played behind closed doors.

On Monday, a panel of medical experts advising Japan’s government warned the coming weeks will be a “critical” period to preventing the new

suspended over the weekend, and the Tokyo marathon on March 1 has been closed to all but elite runners.

At least 156 people diagnosed with new coronavirus in Japan, along with nearly 700 on a cruise ship that was quarantined off the country for two weeks.

Four people who became ill on the ship have died. Domestically Japan has reported one fatality linked to the virus.

Meanwhile, the table tennis’s world team championships, due to take place next month in the South Korean city of Busan, were postponed on Tuesday following a leap in novel coronavirus cases.

The International Table Tennis Federation said the event, originally planned for March 22-29, had been provisionally rescheduled for June 2128 following an emergency meeting

coronavirus from spreading out of control.

Japan’s health minister has already urged people to avoid crowds and unnecessary gatherings, and the government has called for businesses to encourage teleworking and off-peak commuting.

The latest decision was made as the clock ticks closer to the Tokyo Olympics, which start in five months’ time on July 24.

Organizers have repeatedly stressed that the Games will not be cancelled or rescheduled despite mounting fears over the spread of COVID-19.

Training for Olympic volunteers was

with local organisers.

South Korea’s K-league had already postponed the start of the new football season on Monday as the virus causes chaos in the country’s sporting calendar.

Volleyball, basketball and handball have taken similar measures as confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose to 893 in South Korea, with eight deaths.

“In light of the emerging situation in Korea Republic and to best preserve the health and safety of players, officials and fans, the Hana Bank 2020 World Team Table Tennis Championships in Busan have been postponed with the dates of 21-28 June provisionally reserved,” said an ITTF statement.

“By continuing to work hard and in close cooperation with all stakeholders in Busan, the ITTF remains confident about putting on a great World Championships in June.” AFP

Bandala shines in PPS Sindangan net tourney PETE Rafael Bandala came away with a pair of lopsided wins in boys’ singles then sustained his fiery form to match his output in doubles play in the PPS-PEPP Mayor Labadlabad National age group tournament in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte over the weekend.

The rising star from Dipolog City swept his way to the 10-unisex championship without dropping a set in three matches, capping his romp with a 4-0, 4-0 rout of Clint Gallenero. He also trounced Bryzen Sanchez, 6-0, 6-2, in the 12-U finals of the Group 2 tournament presented

by Dunlop.

Bandala later teamed up with Yaela Macaraya to subdue Kevin Gallenero and Steph Omos, 8-5, and pocket the 10-U doubles crown before claiming the 12-U title with Penshoppe Erquita via an 8-0 victory over Kurtney Malmis and Miggy Omos.

Judy Ann Padilla, on the other hand, kept her win run going in the country’s longest talent-search put up by Palawan Pawnshop, winning the girls’ 14-U title with a 6-2, 6-2 romp over Christine Gulagula.

The Ozamiz City find then stopped Rica Labrador, 6-2, 5-7, 10-5, to snare the 18-U diadem after Labrador shocked top seed and doubles partner Sydney Enriquez, 7-5, 6-4, in the semis.

“Padilla continues to serve as inspiration to her fellow players with her work ethics and determination while Bandala is reaping the fruits of his hard work with his string of victories in the circuit aimed at discovering and developing future stars,” said Palawan Pawnshop president/ CEO Bobby Castro.

Labrador, meanwhile, gave the crowd something to cheer about as the Sindangan ace foiled Padilla’s three-title bid with a 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 reversal in the 16-U finals, while Cavite’s Jana Diaz bagged the 12-U trophy with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over top seed Marly. Mesiona.

Other boys’ singles winners were Eric Tangub from Tukuran, Zambo del Sur (18-U); Lanao del Norte’s Brent Cortez (16-U); Zambo del Norte’s Neo Maratas (14-U); while Enriquez and Labrador took the girls’ 18-U doubles title; and AJ Acabo and Gulagula pocketed the14-U diadem.

US boxer Deontay Wilder reacts to the stoppage of his World Boxing Council Heavyweight Championship Title boxing match against British boxer Tyson Fury at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. AFP

Wilder seeks rematch with Fury LOS ANGELES—Deontay Wilder plans to activate his rematch clause for a third fight with Tyson Fury after his seventhround TKO loss to the Briton, US media reported Monday.

Yahoo Sports reported Wilder would seek a rematch—and that he says a miscalculation with his ring-walk costume proved costly in the first defeat of his career.

Wilder told Yahoo Sports the embossed armor-like costume, complete with a full face mask, weighed 40 pounds (18 kg), and by the time he’d made his way to the ring at the MGM Grand Garden Arena his legs were compromised.

Britain’s Fury knocked Wilder down in the third round with a straight right hand and the American, who lost his World Boxing Council heavyweight belt, never looked really steady after that.

Wilder went down again in the third in what was ruled a slip, and Fury knocked him down with a punch to the body in the fifth.

Certainly Wilder didn’t have the foundation to throw his right with its usual fearsome power.

“The simple fact is that my uniform was way too heavy for me,” Wilder told Yahoo Sports. “I didn’t have no legs from the be-

ginning of the fight.

“In the third round, my legs were just shot all the way through. But I’m a warrior and people know that I’m a warrior.

“A lot of people were telling me, ‘It looked like something was wrong with you.’ Something was, but when you’re in the ring, you have to bluff a lot of things,” added Wilder, who had said in his immediate post-fight comments that his legs were weak coming in “due to other things.”

Fury was landing blows almost at will when referee Kenny Bayless called a halt at the behest of a battered Wilder’s corner. AFP

TCC Invitational kicks off PH Golf Tour

In-form Tony Lascuña targets third TCC diadem

THE Philippine Golf Tour ushers in a new decade with its flagship championship— The Country Club Invitational—unfolding March 4, featuring an elite 32-player field all geared up for four days of battle of power, stamina and mental toughness at the wind-swept TCC course in Laguna.

Two-time champion Tony Lascuña and 2013 titlist Frankie Miñoza head the select cast in the country’s richest championship (P5 million) outside of the Philippine Open, upbeat but wary of their respective chances against the tour’s revered names and rising stars making up the Top 30 in the 2019 PGT Order of Merit ranking.

They, however, will also have to deal with the Tom Weiskoph-designed layout, feared for its sheer length and unsettling hazards and roughs not to mention its undulating surface and the wind that come into play in most holes.

Kim Joo Hyung pooled a two-over 290 to edge Fil-German Keanu Jahns

by one in a thrilling finish last year, keeping the crown at the hands of the Korean-Americans for the second straight year after Micah Shin humbled Miguel Tabuena in 2018.

But Kim, Shin and some of the past champions, including Juvic Pagunsan and Angelo Que, both three-time titlists, and Tabuena, won’t be around to chase for another diadem to honor previous commitments although the depth of the field remains as talent-laden as ever with Clyde Mondilla also going for back-to-back wins at TCC after ruling the Solaire Philippine Open last year.

There are also the likes of young guns Ira Alido and Reymon Jaraula and veterans Jay Bayron, Jhonnel Ababa, Michael Bibat, Elmer Salvador, Ferdie Aunzo, Jerson Balasabas and Zanieboy Gialon along with foreign bets Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands, American Lexus Keoninh, Kei Matsuoka of Japan and Spain’s Marcos Pastor.

Union Bell, Bell Racing Stable lead Philracom awardees FOLLOWING an undefeated 2019 racing season, champion horse Union Bell and its owner Bell Racing Stable led the honorees of the 2020 Philippine Racing Commission (Philracom) Awards on Sunday at the Chantilly Bar of the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite.

The undisputed 2YO champion was crowned 2019 Stakes Races Horse of the Year by the Philracom after going a perfect six for six wins last year, including five scintillating stakes races victories—the most by any horse in the 2019 racing calendar.

The two-year-old colt (sire Union Rags, USA; dam Tocqueville, ARG) started its streak with a win in a 2YO regular race on September 25, 2019, before sweeping the rest of its five stakes

races assignments, namely all the three legs of the Philracom Juvenile Colts and Stakes Races and the two legs of the Philtobo Juvenile Championships.

Union Bell’s undefeated season netted for the Bell Racing Stable of owner Elmer de Leon the award for Stakes Races Horse Owner of the Year, with his son Loel and brother Joseph receiving the awards from Philracom officials Chairman Andrew A. Sanchez, commissioners Victor Tantoco and Lyndon Guce and executive director Andrew Rovie Buencamino.

Star jockey Jonathan B. Hernandez, who steered Union Bell to all of those triumphs, was named Stakes Races Jockey of the Year.

Sharing the spotlight with Union Bell was Real Gold, which was crowned as

Top Earning Horse of the Year with a total of (P7.4M) by virtue of its two of three wins in the Triple Crown Series of the Philracom. Real Gold is owned by Jesus Ramon Mamon of C&H Enterprises.

Named 2019 Stakes Races Horse Trainer of the Year was Danilo Sordan.

Ruben Tupas was awarded as Top Earning Trainer of the Year (P2.6M), while Atty. Narciso Morales was crowned as the Top Earning Horse Owner of the Year (P38.9M).

The Top Earning Jockey of the Year award was given to Jesse B. Guce (P3.7M), while the Horse Breeder of the Year title was handed to Joseph C. Dyhengco, whose Breeder’s Purse earnings amounted to P578,000 on 115 wins.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Char-

ity Sweepstakes Office Presidential Gold Cup was named as the Most Successful Racing Festival of the Year, while the Manila Jockey Club emerged as 2019 Racing Club of the Year Based on Total Gross Sales of the Day. The MJC also got the award for 2019 Racing Club of the Year (Based on Total Amount of Horse Prizes), with its racing manager Jose Ramon Magboo receiving the club’s awards.

“These awardees prove that the Philippine horse-racing industry will always have an abundance of achievers despite the challenges. We at the Philracom look forward to more achievers in the 2020 racing calendar so that the industry can stay vibrant and dynamic,” said Sanchez.

‘Indigenous Peoples, PWDs must get equal opportunities’

By Macon Ramos-Araneta INDIGENOUS Peoples and Persons with Disabilities should be afforded equal opportunities in the field of sports, said Senator Francis Tolentino.

During the sponsorship of Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on the Senate Bill No. 1086, also known as “The Philippine High School for Sports Act of 2019,” Tolentino stressed how underappreciated the two sectors are in sports.

“Do we have space form our Lumad? The Aetas? Those from Kalinga and the PWDs here in our proposed measure to have sports high school or will just this be an elitist school?” asked Tolentino “’Yung mga walang sapatos baka naman hindi na makapunta na o baka ma-discriminate sila,” he also said.

He stressed it is about time that IPs and PWDs are supported.

Tolentino also cited the Republic Act 8371 or The Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1987 and the Republic Act 7277 or the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities, underscoring the need in giving the IPs and PWDs equal treatment and a fair chance to thrive in the society.

Novak makes Dubai netfest 2nd round DUBAI—Novak Djokovic continued his hot early season form on Monday, cruising past Tunisian wild card Malek Jaziri 6-1, 6-2 into the second round of the Dubai Championships.

The top seed and four-time champion made short work of Jaziri, who is ranked 260 in the world.

Djokovic owns a perfect 14-0 record this season after winning a title for Serbia at the ATP Cup followed by a record-extending eighth Australian Open crown.

The world number one crashed seven aces past Jaziri in a match that lasted little more than an hour.

“A one-hour match.. .I did everything as well as I imagined it to be for the first match.

Of course, t h e r e ’ s things that a l w a y s can be imp r o v e d , things that can be better.

“But I have to be satisfied with the performance.”

He reeled off the openDjokovic ing set in less than half an hour, broke twice in the second set and served out the win on his first match point.

He will face Philipp Kohlschreiber in the next round after the German veteran advanced past Egyptian Mohamed Safwat 4-6, 6-4, 6-0.

“It’s a great way to start out the tournament,” Djokovic said who is playing the event for the first time since 2016. “I missed playing here. I really enjoy it. I enjoy night sessions.

“Philipp can deliver his best game in these kind of matches. He’s very capable. I’ll try to be ready.”

French third seed Gael Monfils, winner of back-to-back events this month in Montpellier and Rotterdam, beat Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-4, 7-5 in a match that lasted two hours.

“It was a battle for me, I didn’t play my best and I’m disappointed about that.” Monfils said.

“I was just running to cover the court, I still believed even if I was playing poorly. I’m not so happy about tonight.”

Earlier, Karen Khachanov earned a 7-6 (7/2), 6-1 win over Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin to reach the second round.

The world number 17, who lives in the emirate, twice hit back from a break down in the opening set before cruising through the second.

“The first round is pretty tough, I always try to get used to it,” said Russian Khachanov. AFP

Sports

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

A8

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

Luisita starts defense of PAL seniors crown BACOLOD CITY—Luisita starts defense of its title when the 34th Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub golf team championships kick off today at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club (NOGCC) and the Bacolod Golf Club.

Luisita is hoping for a good start, according to Luisita captain Jeric Hechanova.

“It is important for us to play well on the first day and hopefully lead or just a few strokes behind the leaders,” said Hechanova who is fielding virtually the same team that scored a three-point victory over Canlubang last year in Cebu City.

Only Edmund Yee is not around for Luisita, his spot taken by returnee Jingy Tuason.

The other Luisita players are Eddie Bagtas, Benjamin Sumulong, Chino Raymundo, Chito Laureta, Rafael Garcia, Rodel Mangulabnan and Demetrio Saclot.

Hechanova said they are counting on their veterans to deliver, “but nevertheless try their best and display good sportsmanship to the highest level.”

Standing in Luisita’s way are Canlubang, NOGCC and Cebu Country Club (CCC) which complete the championship division.

“The courses’ conditions are the best that I have ever seen,” said Canlubang star Tommy Manotoc who squeezed in 24 holes in both courses last Monday.

“Light rains made the fairways softer.”

Manotoc, who at 70 remains Canlubang’s leader, will be backstopped

by Abe Rosal, Zaldy Villa, Rolly Viray, Damasus Wong, Abe Avena, Mari Hechanova and Rene Unson.

NOGCC, led by veteran Francis Gaston, looms as tournament dark horse while CCC hopes to duplicate its success in the regular PAL Interclub last year.

Ninety-five teams are seeing action in the four-day tournament divided into four other divisions aside from the championship: Founders, Aviator, Sportswriters and Friendship.

Gilas snub motivates Bulanadi BASILAN—When the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas revealed its 12-man lineup for the first window of the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers, Gilas cadet Allyn Bulanadi’s name was nowhere to be found.

But instead of dwelling on it, the 22-year-old Bulanadi chose to divert his energy on things that he could control. And he used this as motivation when he suited up for Basilan-Jumbo Plastic against Iloilo-United in the Game Two of the 2019-20 Chooks-toGo/MPBL Lakan South quarterfinals.

“Motivated ako, excited ako na makapaglaro dito tapos yun nga, nakakadagdag siya ng motivation sa akin na mas lalo kong i-go hard pa kasi ayun na nga, nasama tayo sa cut, so ayun lang. Talagang go hard lang all the way,” shared Bulanadi, who missed Basilan’s 83-68 Game One victory due to national team commitments.

“Siguro ano lang, siyempre dagdag na rin siyang motivation sa akin saka yung kumpiyansa mo iba e, lalo na nakapagtraining ka kasama yung mga pro.”

With the game on the line, Bulanadi took matters into his own hands and sliced the heart of Iloilo’s defense for a lay-in. This gave the Steel a two-point advantage, 65-63, with 1:27 left to play.

Bulanadi then fired a deep threepointer to completely put the game out of reach, extending Basilan’s lead to five points with 48.9 ticks remaining in the game. It paved the way for Basilan to take a 70-63 victory over Iloilo and advance to the semifinals of the South Division.

The 6-foot-3 swingman, who scored five of Basilan’s last seven points, wounded up with 11 markers and five boards.

And for Bulanadi, his clutch performance against the sixth-ranked Iloilo will come down as one of his favorite moments in a Steel uniform.

Team Scratch It rider Jerry Aquino (center) celebrates atop his bike after winning Stage 3 the LBC Ronda Pilipinas Anniversary race which ended in Naga City.

Aquino rules Ronda Stage 3

By Peter Atencio

N

AGA City—For 27-year-old Jerry Aquino, everything went according to plan. Team Scratch It picked the right moment to prevail in a skirmish between riders from 7-Eleven and Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance.

And, Aquino fought the biggest fight of his career in a five-kilometer stretch of flat road inside Naga City to claim his first-ever stage win yesterday in Stage 3 the LBC Ronda Pilipinas Anniversary race.

Aquino sneaked past Navyman Jan Paul Morales and El Joshua Carino, and 7-Eleven bet James Mendoza during last stretch to reach the Panganiban Street finish line in two hours, 47 minutes and 12 seconds.

Aquino’s efforts gave him the red jersey (overall individual honors), with an overall clocking of nine hours, 43 minutes and 39 seconds, with Bordeos relegated in second spot, some seven seconds behind.

His familiarity in the roads leading to Naga helped Aquino get his timing right.

“Kabisado ko rin kasi iyung ruta. At alam ko rin kasi kung sino ang babantayan ko,” said Aquino, who was with an 11-man pack that arrived together at stage 3’s destination.

Stage 3 is a 119-kilometerlong descent from Legazpi City to Naga City.

Go For Gold rider Ronnel Hualda took second spot, followed by Army-Bicycology’s Dominic Perez in third.

Mendoza and Morales followed in fourth and fifth, with Elmer Navarro, stage 1 winner Mark Julius Bordeos, Carino, Christian Timbang, Arjay Kaul and

Lorenzo Rellosa joining Aquino in the lead pack.

“Dalawa kami ni Kuya Pot (Ronnel Hualda) ang nili-leadout nila.

Pero mas maganda ang kundisyon ko,” said Aquino.

Navyman George Oconer, who was 16th, moved up to third and fourth with 711 bet Rustom Lim. Hualda’s second place finish towed Go For Gold to the stage team crown, with 7-Eleven and Bicycology-Army in second and third.

7-Eleven’s second place performance vaulted them into the lead of the overall team classification with a total time of 36 hours, eight minutes and 59 seconds.

The Navymen now trail them by 2:31.

And this was after riders from both teams continuously skirmed after leaving Sorsogon City and made their way to Dios Mabalos town, which is a municipality next to Naga City.

San Miguel opens 45th PBA season

PBA officials led by, front row from left: PBA Board Treasurer Siliman Sy, PBA Chairman Ricky Vargas, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial and PBA Vice Chairman Bobby Rosales join TV5 President Robert Galang during the launch of the league’s 45th season.

Behind them are PBA Board of Governors from PBA teams. Lino Santos

DEFENDING champion San Miguel Beermen find themselves in the unfamiliar role of underdog when they open the 45th Philippine Basketball Association season in the lone game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on March 8.

The Beermen will be playing without five-time (2014-2018) PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo who will likely miss the entire conference because of a leg injury.

The Beermen face the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok at 7:30 p.m. which will follow the annual Leo Awards where Fajardo is expected to win a sixth consecutive MVP title.

Without the dominant Fajardo PBA teams have feasted on the vulnerable Beermen in a pre-season mini-tournament where SMB lost all its games.

NLEX Road Warriors defeated San Miguel, 103-97. Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters trounced the Beermen, 108-90. The Alaska Aces beat SMB, 81-79.

Meanwhile, PBA Governors’ Cup champion Barangay Ginebra, regarded as the team to beat this conference, starts its PBA Philippine Cup bid on the road when it battles Blackwater Elite in Balanga, Bataan on March 14.

The league’s most popular ballclub also enters the new season without its

own big man Greg Slaughter who will sit out for personal reasons.

Slaughter however is hardly at the level of Fajardo with the Gin Kings winning the past Governors’ Cup largely through the heroics of Japeth Aguilar and import Justin Brownlee.

The PBA continues its games on March 11 with TNT KaTropa facing Phoenix 4:30 p.m. and the NorthPort Batang Pier taking on the Road Warriors 7 p.m. also at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Three other teams see action on March 13 at the Araneta Coliseum. The Alaska Aces battle the Columbian Dyip at 4:30 p.m. while the Beermen return to the floor against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at 7 p.m.

Middleton lifts Bucks past Wizards LOS ANGELES, United States— Khris Middleton scored 40 points to help the Milwaukee Bucks withstand a 55-point outburst from Washington’s Bradley Beal in a 137-134 NBA overtime victory on Monday (Tuesday Philippine time).

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo fouled out and the Bucks, who led by as many as 20 points, were in trouble in Washington.

But Middleton, with key support from Eric Bledsoe and Robin Lopez, pulled out the victory.

For much of the night, it looked like the league-leading Bucks— who secured a playoff berth on Sunday to set a record for the earliest clinch in NBA history—would celebrate with a win.

But Beal scored 22 points in the fourth quarter as the Wizards rallied from a 15-point deficit.

When Antetokounmpo, limited by foul trouble throughout the second half, fouled out with 1:36 left in the fourth, the Bucks’ lead was just three points.

Beal knotted the score with a threepointer, and after neither team could break the deadlock in regulation, the Wizards gained a four-point edge with less than two minutes remaining in overtime.

Middleton, who had missed six straight shots from late in the fourth, drew a foul and made both free throws. He drained a pull-up jumper to tie the score and with 31.2 seconds left, drained a three-pointer.

Beal made two free-throws, with Middleton then making two as well and the Bucks had the win after Troy Brown’s three-pointer at the buzzer failed to fall.

“I think we responded well,” Middleton said of the Bucks’ answer to Beal late in the game. “He was great, but we still found a way to make it tough for him there at the end.”

Beal, who scored 53 points against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, became the first player since the late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant to score 50 points on back-to-back-nights. AFP

Tearful Jordan commemorates Kobe

Michael Jordan speaks during The Celebration of Life for Kobe & Gianna Bryant at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. AFP

LOS ANGELES, United States—A tearful Michael Jordan on Monday (Tuesday Philippine time) remembered his “little brother” Kobe Bryant at a star-filled memorial in Los Angeles for the basketball great and his daughter Gianna, who died with seven others in a helicopter crash last month.

“When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died, and as I look in this arena, across the globe, a piece of you died,” the NBA legend said with tears streaming down his face.

“I promise you, from this day forward, I will live with the memories and knowing that I had a little brother,” Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest player in history, added.

“I tried to help in every way I could.

Please rest in peace, little brother.”

The public memorial—dubbed “A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant”—was held at Staples Center, the arena where Bryant wowed fans for 17 years, and known as “the house that Kobe built.”

The 2/24 date carries special significance as it coincides with Bryant’s jersey number—“24”—and Gianna’s “2” jersey number.

Another basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal, also spoke at the ceremony, drawing cheers as he recalled the three NBA titles that he and Bryant won together.

“Kobe and I have pushed one another to play some of the greatest basketball of all time and I am proud that no other team has accomplished the three-peat the Lakers have done since Shaq-and-

the-Kobe Lakers did it,” O’Neal said.

He also spoke of their well-known feuding, saying that even though “we fought, bantered or insulted each other with off-handed remarks,” there was mutual respect between the pair.

“Make no mistake,” O’Neal said.

“Folks thought we were on bad terms, (but) when the cameras were turned off, he and I would throw a wink at each other.”

Beyonce, backed by a choir, opened the ceremony with one of Bryant’s favorite songs “XO,” from her 2013 album, followed by “Halo.”

“I’m here because I love Kobe,” said the 70-time Grammy-nominated singer, who was dressed in a golden suit— the color of the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant’s team for two decades. AFP

IN BRIEF IMI sees backlog due to COVID-19

INTEGRATED Microelectronics Inc., a company led by the Ayala Group, said it could register $14 million in revenue backlog in the first quarter because of the coronavirus disease 2019.

IMI said in a presentation during a recent analysts’ briefing while its four manufacturing sites in China resumed operations, they were not yet at 100-percent level.

IMI said its facility in Jiaxing was at 50 percent while the Chengdu facility was 90 percent back in operations. Its facility in Shenzhen was at 60 percent while the Suzhou plant was still 25-percent operational.

“Travel between IMI global sites and affected areas are strictly controlled and monitored, health and safety measures are deployed in all facilities,” IMI said.

IMI last month reported that it delayed resumption of work in its four facilities in mainland China until Feb. 10 following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan. Jenniffer B. Austria

Business

BIR files 347 cases over P24-b tax debt

THE Bureau of Internal Revenue said it filed 347 complaints involving tax liabilities worth P24.02 billion in 2019.

BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa said during a recent executive committee meeting of the Department of Finance that this is the first time that the bureau filed many complaints for tax evasion against various individuals and corporations before either the Department of Justice or the Court of Tax Appeals.

The BIR said in a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that under its Run After Tax Evaders program, 309 cases for preliminary investigation were filed by the bureau before the DOJ last year for tax liabilities of various individuals and corporations estimated at P19.06 billion.

This marked an increase of 57 percent over the 197 cases filed by the BIR in 2018 involving some P15 billion worth of tax liabilities, Guballa said.

It said the bureau filed with the CTA 38 cases for tax liabilities worth P4.94 billion combined, or more than triple the 12 cases filed before the tax appeals court in 2018. Darwin G. Amojelar

DOTR on track to restore MRT 3

THE Department of Transportation said it is on track to restore Metro Rail Transit Line 3 to its original, high-grade design state by July 2021.

Transportation Undersecretary for railways Timothy John Batan said the 26-month rehabilitation of MRT3 by Sumitomo-Mitsubishi Heavy was ahead of schedule.

“We are three months advance,” he said.

Batan said the agency planned to increase the number of trains running from 15 to 20, speed up the train speed from 30 kilometers per hour to 60 kph and lower the headway to 3.5 minutes from 7.5 minutes “by July 2021 if not earlier.”

He said that by July next year, the MRT capacity would also increase to 600,000 passengers per day from the current 300,000 passengers a day.

The rail replacement works for the whole stretch of the MRT 3 mainline started in November 2019 and was expected to be completed by February 2021. Rail replacement works can only be done during the evening non-operating hours.

Darwin G. Amojelar

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

B1

By Darwin G. Amojelar

SCHOOL DONATION. Officials of Philam Foundation, in partnership with LBC Foundation, turn over three new classrooms to Jordan National High School in Poblacion, Jordan, Guimaras. The two foundations have been collaborating since 2017, building 28 classrooms in 13 provinces nationwide. ‘Our goal is to build classrooms in all 83 provinces across the Philippines, especially in remote areas where education becomes inaccessible to students who live too far from the center of the town,’ says Philam Foundation president Max Ventura.

Udenna gets PCC approval to buy Chevron Malampaya

By Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE Philippine Competition Commission approved the acquisition by Udenna Corp. of the entire shareholdings of Chevron Malampaya LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chevron Philippines Ltd., in the Malampaya natural gas project.

“Upon the review of the findings and recommendation of the Mergers and Acquisitions Office and the parties’ submissions, the commission finds that the acquisition by UC Malampaya of shares in Chevron Malampaya [the transaction] will not likely result in substantial lessening of competition,” PCC said in a decision.

PCC said there are “no horizontal or vertical relationships between the parties.”

“Accordingly, the commission resolves to take no further action with respect to the proposed transaction between UC Malampaya and Chevron

Malampaya,” PCC said.

UC Malampaya Philippines Pte. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Udenna owned by businessman Dennis Uy, signed the SPA on Oct. 25 to acquire 100 percent of the shares of Chevron Malampaya, which owns a 45-percent interest in Service Contract 38, or the $4.5-billion Malampaya gas field.

“At Udenna, we believe in the benefit of promoting natural gas as an essential fuel to support the country’s growing energy needs and economic growth.

The acquisition of Chevron’s interest in the Malampaya gas field marks an important milestone for Udenna, fitting

strategically with our long-term ambitions of developing a sustainable clean energy business in the Philippines,” Uy, Udenna chief executive and chairman, said in an earlier statement.

Other Malampaya consortium members are Shell Philippines Exploration BV with a 45-percent stake and staterun PNOC Exploration Corp. with 10 percent.

“It’s a private transaction and as long as it meets the terms and standards in the concession agreement, the interest of the country is protected, it’s fine with us,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said earlier when asked about the transaction.

The Malampaya gas field, located in Palawan, is an energy asset of significant national importance, being the Philippines’ largest and only commercially producing gas field.

Malampaya has been the cornerstone of the country’s gas industry and continues to service approximately 20 percent of the national demand for electricity.

Vivant denies having unpaid dues to PSALM LISTED Vivant Corp. said Tuesday it has no delinquent account with the government and is no longer related to Vivant-Sta. Clara Northern Renewables Generation Corp., or Northern Renewables.

Vivant said Vivant-Sta. Clara was a remnant of its previous engagement with Northern Renewables as the company sold its 48-percent stake in October 2018.

“That said, we are not connected to the Bakun hydroelectric power plant in Bakun, Alilem, Ilocos Sur. That project is fully-owned by Northern Renewables.

We have no delinquent accounts with PSALM,” Vivant said.

Vivant issued the clarification after the Finance Department and Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. issued pronouncements they were seeking to collect P4.19 billion in unpaid dues from Vivant-Sta. Clara, which administers the independent power producer administrator agreement for the 70-megawatt Bakun hydro power plant in Ilocos Sur. PSALM said it was expecting to collect additional payments from Northern Renewables this year in view of a settlement agreement they submitted to the court. ivant said the company and its subsidiaries Vivant Energy Corp. and Vivant Renewable Energy Corp. were not connected with Vivant - Sta. Clara.

Vivant also said they were “fully compliant and up to date with all our payments.”

Vivant, incorporated on May 28, 1990, through subsidiaries and affiliates, has interests in various companies engaged in electric power generation (renewable and non-renewable energy), electric power distribution and retail electricity supply business. Alena Mae S. Flores

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

DOTR expects Bulacan airport groundbreaking to push through

Meralco optimistic on 3rd PSA bidding

POWER retailer Manila Electric Co. is optimistic the revised terms of reference for the competitive selection process for 1,200-megawatt baseload power requirement starting 2024 will receive strong investor interest.

“We’re confident that with the way the TOR has developed, it will be looked at by potential bidders as a good terms of reference and should attract a good number of qualified, serious bidders,” Meralco president Ray Espinosa said.

Meralco is waiting for an approval from the third-party bids and awards committee before publishing the revised terms of reference which were already approved by the Energy Department.

This will be the third CSP of Meralco after successfully completing the CSP for 1,200-MW and 500-MW mid-merit capacities to cover power supply agreements which expired on Dec. 25, 2019.

“We want new capacities to come in, the sooner the better, and we must encourage investors to build new plants. That’s why it became important to work out a good terms of reference, so we’re able to attract more bidders,” Espinosa said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

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

THE Department of Transportation said the groundbreaking of the P734billion New Manila International Airport in Bulacan province is pushing through, pending clarifications from proponent San Miguel Holdings Corp. over the joint liability undertaking for the project.

“I don’t see any problem with the groundbreaking. It is just proper to clarify observations such as joint guarantee,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

The groundbreaking of the Bulacan airport was postponed in December last year after the Finance Department raised clarifications over the joint undertaking for the project.

“The DOF never questioned the contract. In fact, they were helping to expedite our communication. If they asked a question, it is not by nature objecting to the contract. It is by nature of putting clarifications so that the highest interest of government will be maintained,” Tugade said.

Transportation Undersecretary for planning and project development Ruben Reinoso Jr. said the Finance Department wanted San Miguel Corp., the parent firm of San Miguel Holdings Corp., to be responsible for the liabilities of Bulacan Airport, not only in terms of equity.

“That’s something that we need to bring back to the proponent,” Reinoso said.

Reinoso said San Miguel already issued joint and several undertaking for the financing of Bulacan Airport as SMHC could not finance the project based on its balance sheet.

“The SMHC’s net worth will not be able to provide equity for each phase.

Phase 1 amounted to P544 billion.

How much is the 30 percent of that?

That’s easily P200 billion. If you look at San Miguel Holdings, which is the proponent, it does not have a net worth of P200 billion,” Reinoso said.

The airport project in Bulakan, Bulacan was supposed to start construction by the end of 2019 in line with its target to launch commercial operations within four to six years.

San Miguel tapped the services of global firms Groupe ADPi, Meinhardt Group and Jacobs Engineering to design and build the New Manila International Airport.

Cigarette excise tax payments rise 8% to P147.50b

SAFETY AWARD. Geothermal power producer Energy Development Corp. is chosen as the National Occupational Safety and Health Champion at the Department of Labor and Employment’s 11th Gawad Kaligtasan at Kalusugan Award. The recognition is given to EDC’s 108-megawatt Mount Apo Geothermal Project for the exemplary implementation of its safety and health programs and promotion of occupational safety and health toward zero accidents in the workplace. Receiving the award are members of EDC’s health, environment and safety team led by Joel Handugan, Ronnie Andador, Drigo Rizo, Engellau Flores and Paulo Gooco.

Energy looking into lawmaker’s call to invalidate IEMOP contract THE Energy Department assured it will look into the call of a lawmaker to invalidate the contract between Philippine Electricity Market Corp. and Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines Inc. “Transparency is good, and we welcome that. And based on that, we’re looking into it. As soon as I got all info from the two concerned bodies, I will make my decision,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.

Cusi said he directed PEMC, the supervising body and IEMOP, the operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, to submit their position papers.

He said while IEMOP already submitted a report, PEMC asked for more time because its board had yet to meet.

Cusi also said the transfer of the

operations of WESM from PEMC to IEMOP was carefully studied by a technical working group.

Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta Partylist Rep. Jericho Nograles earlier urged Cusi to invalidate the contract between PEMC and IEMOP because “it is void ab initio” or invalid from the beginning due to several legal infirmities.

“To be fair to Secretary Cusi, he has assured me that he is looking into the matter,” Nograles said, but stressed that Congress would continue its own investigation.

PEMC transferred to IEMOP, through an operating agreement, the operation of WESM on Sept. 26, 2018.

Nograles said that during the House energy committee meeting, the Governance Commission of GOCCs confirmed that PEMC needed to go

through a process to become a private entity, in accordance with Republic Act No. 101149.

Nograles said to become a private entity, PEMC should seek the endorsement of the Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporations to the President of the Republic who will make the final approval.

PEMC earlier assured that the transfer of WESM operations to IEMOP went through consultations, studies and relevant approvals.

PEMC officials also said the cost of operating the market was recovered through market fees collected from the WESM market participants that were approved by the ERC as mandated by the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001. Alena Mae S. Flores

THE Finance Department said excise tax payments of cigarette manufacturers increased 8 percent in 2019 to P147.5 billion, accounting for more than half of the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s total six tax collection.

Data from the DOF showed the fullyear excise taxes paid by cigarette manufacturers represented 54.77 percent of the BIR’s P269.1-billion collection from the so-called “sin” products and equivalent to 6.76 percent of the agency’s P2.18-trillion revenues last yer.

Sin tax revenues from alcoholic beverages, which accounted for 29.61 percent, rose 12.1 percent in 2019 to P79.7 billion from P71.1 billion in 2018.

The agency collected P42 billion from sugar-sweetened beverages, up by 10.52 percent from P38 billion in 2018.

It said revenues from sin products, including sweetened beverages, almost doubled between 2015 and 2019 from P143 billion to P269.1 billion.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said sin tax collections accelerated because the Duterte administration, “is the first government to have pushed more than one ‘sin’ tax hike bill in the Congress during its term.”

The DOF expects revenues from sin taxes, particularly cigarettes, to further rise to P332.2 billion this year following the introduction of new levies on heated tobacco and vapor products and the further increases in taxes on alcohol and tobacco.

Based on the conservative DOF estimates, the government would raise about P480 billion in sin taxes by 2024.

The DOF expects revenues from heated tobacco and vapor products to reach P14.9 billion this year and P125.8 billion by 2024. Darwin G. Amojelar

B2

Business

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

US economy faces lasting damage from trade conflict

W

ASHINGTON―The trade conflict of the past two years likely left a mark on the US economy, even with the recent agreement to defuse the situation, a Federal Reserve official said Monday.

Traders work during the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on February 24, 2020 at Wall Street in New York City. Wall Street stocks finished with steep losses February 24, 2020, joining a global rout on mounting worries that the coronavirus will derail economic growth. AFP

Asian stocks mixed after virus-fueled global bloodbath HONG KONG, China―Asian markets were mixed Tuesday as bargain-buying after the previous day’s bloodbath tempered fears that the coronavirus will develop into a pandemic and hammer the global economy.

News at the weekend that COVID-19 was now spreading and claiming lives far beyond China sparked a flood to safety on trading floors across the world, with the Dow on Wall Street suffering its worst day in two years.

With the death toll at around 2,700 and 80,000 infected, the World Health Organization said the outbreak had “peaked” in China but warned that all countries should prepare for a “potential pandemic.”

“As the number of COVID-19 infections outside of China rises, investors are considering the potential ramification on the global economy beyond weaker growth in China and supply

chain disruptions,” JP Morgan Asset Management’s Tai Hui said in a note.

“Equity markets will remain volatile in the near term, driven by new infection numbers around the world.”

Tokyo led losses as markets reopened to play catch-up with Monday’s global sell-off.

The Nikkei ended more than three percent lower, while Sydney and Wellington each shed more than one percent and Shanghai dipped 0.6 percent.

There were also losses in Bangkok and Jakarta.

However, Hong Kong added 0.2 percent, while Seoul jumped 1.2 percent, having plunged almost four percent Monday in reaction to a spurt of infections in South Korea at the weekend.

Singapore added 0.6 percent, Taipei rose 0.1 percent and Mumbai put on 0.3 percent.

“There is no question financial mar-

kets are coming round to the realization that this particular crisis is likely to have a slightly longer shelf life than many thought was the case a couple of weeks ago,” said CMC Markets UK analyst Michael Hewson in a note.

“However, flu outbreaks are hardly anything new. They happen every year and according to the World Health Organization flu kills up to 650,000 a year, yet markets are reacting to an outbreak that has so far only affected a fraction of that number.”

While the region is suffering another broad retreat, the losses are being tempered by bargain-buying, while reports said a US firm had developed a possible vaccine that had been sent for testing.

And analysts said the recent losses would provide a good buying opportunity as they looked past the virus and contemplated an improving economic outlook. AFP

The outbreak of the new coronavirus in China adds another risk factor to the outlook, which otherwise seemed poised to provide steady growth, said Loretta Mester, president of the Federal Reserve’s regional bank in Cleveland.

“At this point, it is difficult to assess the magnitude of the economic effects, but this new source of uncertainty is something I will be carefully monitoring,” she said of the epidemic.

With the partial agreement signed with China to call a truce in the dispute with Beijing―despite leaving many tariffs in place―as well as a new continental free trade pact with Canada and Mexico, Mester said the trade picture is “somewhat better” heading into 2020.

“Nevertheless, some long-lasting effects arising from the trade war are likely,” she said in a speech to the National Association for Business Economics.

While the reduced uncertainty means businesses that had put plans on hold might now be more likely to invest, some foreign companies “have reoriented their supply chains away from US firms, which means these exports may be permanently lost.”

Sluggish investment, too, is a source of concern.

“Without investment in new technologies and capital, productivity will continue to be weak, dampening the economy’s growth potential and living standards.”

Mester, a voting member of the Fed’s interest rate setting committee this year, was relatively upbeat about the economy, which she said should continue to

perform well with a strong job market and growth around two percent, slightly slower than last year.

The epidemic in China casts a cloud of uncertainty over the outlook, she cautioned, and is hard to compare with past health issues, like the SARS epidemic in 2003, which caused a minor slowing in the US economy.

“China was not as big a player in the global economy back then as it is today, so there is the potential for a larger impact,” if supply chains are disrupted or investment postponed, she said.

“On the other hand, China now has more resources with which to address the epidemic than it had in 2003,” which might mean “less protracted” damage to the economy.

Meanwhile, the US economy is starting the year in a strong position but the virus outbreak in China has the potential to create drag, a top Federal Reserve official said Thursday.

Recent US trade agreements have eased uncertainty for American businesses, but Fed Vice Chair Richard Clarida said the central bank is closely watching the impacts from the new coronavirus.

“The fundamentals of the US economy were solid in 2019 and continuing into 2020,” Clarida said in an interview on CNBC. But he cautioned that the epidemic will have a “noticeable impact on Chinese growth” at least in the first three months of the year, and that could spill over to US companies that rely on components from China. AFP

Expedia bares Libya export blockade helping OPEC meet oil production cuts—analysts plan to cut 3,000 jobs worldwide WASHINGTON―Online travel giant Expedia will cut 3,000 jobs worldwide after what the company called a “disappointing” performance in 2019, US media reported Monday.

The firm, which operates its flagship travel site as well as Hotels. com, Hotwire, Travelocity, Cheaptickets, Egencia and CarRentals. com, said the decision was made after determining it had been “pursuing growth in an unhealthy and undisciplined way,” according to an email sent to staff.

“I am confident that simplifying our business and clarifying our focus by making these difficult changes, our teams can get back to working on the projects and priorities that make the most sense for us, our customers and our partners,” said Expedia chairman Barry Diller in a statement to The Seattle Times.

During a February 13 earnings call, Diller called the organization “bloated” and said many employees didn’t know what “they were supposed to do during the day.”

Diller also said he was aiming for savings of $300-500 million in 2020.

Over the course of 2019, sales increased by eight percent, net income by four percent and earnings per share by six percent.

By the end of December, the company had 25,400 employees around the globe. The job cuts will eliminate about 12 percent of the workforce.

But company leadership revealed that in the last quarter, net profit had gone down four percent and earnings per share had gone down one percent.

In early December, Expedia announced the immediate departures of chief executive Mark Okserstrom and chief financial officer Alan Pickerill after what the company termed “disappointing” third-quarter results. AFP

LONDON, United Kingdom―Libya’s almost total retreat from the world oil market as unrest blocks its vital terminals, is helping OPEC meet production cuts, analysts say.

But a dramatic drop in output by a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries has not propped up crude oil prices, owing to a big fall in demand by China owing to the new coronavirus.

Libyan oil output has slumped since January 18, when forces loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar blocked exports from the country’s main ports.

Oil is the North African nation’s main source of income.

The blockade on the eve of an international summit aimed at bringing peace to the Libya came after Turkey sent

troops to back up Fayez al-Sarraj, who is Haftar’s rival and head of Tripoli’s UN-recognized government.

The UN said Monday however that Libya’s warring sides had proposed a draft ceasefire agreement.

Libya produces about 120,000 oil barrels per day, according to the country’s National Oil Corp.

Yet the NOC and OPEC had reported output at around 10 times that level before the blockade. At roughly 1.2 million barrels per day, that represented about four percent of the cartel’s total production and one percent of world supplies.

“Given the geographical proximity, traditional Libyan crude oil buyers are Spain, Italy, France and Germany―with some volume going as far as China and South Korea depending on the actual price,” noted Tamas

Varga, analyst at oil brokers PVM. While Libya’s slashed output was estimated by the NOC to have cost the nation more than $1.85 billion, its effect on global prices has been minimal, barely helping to limit heavy losses triggered by the coronavirus.

Benchmark contracts Brent North Sea and New York’s West Texas Intermediate on Monday slumped close to five percent on fears of a potential pandemic that could slash world oil demand.

The Libyan crisis has not wiped out a global glut of oil driven by ample US supplies and weak demand.

“Libya has lost around 1.0 million barrels per day of production and is suffering from heavy financial losses on a daily basis,” said Varga.

“This, however, does not cause a

major headache in the oil market as it is pre-occupied by the bearish implications of the coronavirus.”

Libya’s absence from the oil market is still seen as a gain for OPEC however, as it helps the cartel meet output cuts agreed with key non-member Russia.

“While Libya is exempted from the OPEC+ cut agreement, the current crisis there does make the group’s job to rein in supply in the face of the coronavirus easier,” noted Jasper Lawler, head of research at trading group LCG. OPEC earlier this month lowered its forecast for growth in global oil demand this year by nearly one fifth owing to the virus outbreak.

In December, OPEC and its allies extended an existing agreement to curb crude oil production to prop up prices.AFP

Italy’s fragile economy, tourism strained by coronavirus measures

By Celine Cornu MILAN, Italy―As Italian authorities battle to contain the new coronavirus, measures to stem the spread of infections in the industrial north are impairing the eurozone’s third-largest economy.

The Italian economy was already sluggish before drastic isolation measures took effect, and it must now contend with plunging stock prices in Milan, cancelled trade shows and threats to tourism.

The week-end saw a surge in new cases, with 219 identified by Monday.

Authorities have reacted in the two worst-affected regions, Veneto and Lombardy, by closing schools and museums and scrapping sporting and cultural events.

The epidemic and measures to contain it “are having a very big impact on the service sector,” says Luca Paolozzi of the REF research institute, giving the example of restaurants and bars in the Lombardy region being shut from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., when they do the most business.

“Since the service sector was allowing the Italian economy to keep its head above water, it is quite probable that we

A woman wearing a protective facemask takes pictures with her mobile phone at the Gallery Vittorio Emanuele II, in central Milan, on February 24, 2020, following security measures taken in northern Italy against the COVID-19 the novel coronavirus. AFP

will see GDP shrink in the first quarter of 2020, but also the second,” he says.

Hobbled by a slowdown in the global economy and internal political instability, in 2019 Italy registered the EU’s lowest growth rate at a mere 0.2 percent.

The government had been forecasting growth of 0.6 percent in 2020 but that could now be in danger.

“Veneto and Lombardy alone represent between 25 and 30 percent of Italian GDP and are a motor of productive activity,” says Paolozzi.

The Milan stock market suffered heavy losses on Monday and was down by almost six percent in afternoon trades.

Luxury brands like Salvatore Fer-

ragamo (down 9.3 percent) and industrial groups such as CNH and Brembo were among those worst hit.

Milan Fashion Week, which ended on Sunday, saw a 50-percent drop in Asian buyers and safety measures led to two shows―including Giorgio Armani’s― taking place without an audience.

Several big trade fairs have been cancelled or postponed, including the Mido eyewear show.

Fears are now growing that the same fate could befall the Milan Furniture Fair, scheduled for April 21-26.

The event industry association Federcongressi&eventi has “raised the alarm,” saying that businesses in the sector in the Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna regions stand stand to lose more than 1.5 billion euros (1.6 billion dollars) in the space of a month.

The hospitality industry is concerned as well.

“The situation is worrying. Apart from the canceling of events, businesses are starting to cancel bookings and delay trips,” Maurizio Naro, the Milan head of the Federalberghi trade body, told AFP. “For this week, there is an initial estimate of a cancellation rate of 25 percent,” he said. AFP

Manila

World

Standard WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

B3

TODAY CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Democrats to use debate to blunt Sanders nomination

LAST NIGHT. Members of the Beija Flor samba school perform during the last night of Rio’s Carnival parade at the Sambadrome Marques de Sapucai in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on February 24, 2020. AFP

WASHINGTON―Democrats take the stage for a debate in South Carolina on Tuesday in what could be the final opportunity for Joe Biden and the party’s other presidential candidates to halt Bernie Sanders’ drive to the nomination.

The 78-year-old senator from Vermont is in pole position heading into South Carolina’s Democratic primary on Saturday.

Sanders finished in a virtual tie with former South Bend, Indiana, mayor Pete Buttigieg in the first nominating contest, in Iowa, and then went on to win in the next states to vote―New Hampshire and Nevada.

Seven candidates will take part in the debate beginning at 8:00 pm in Charleston, South Carolina, on Tuesday night (0100 GMT Wednesday), the 10th debate of the campaign cycle.

Besides Sanders, Biden and Buttigieg, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, Minnesota Senator Amy

Klobuchar, media magnate Michael Bloomberg and billionaire Tom Steyer will also be on the stage.

Bloomberg, 78, will be looking to rebound from his disastrous performance in his first debate and prove that he is a credible, moderate alternative to the leftist Sanders.

Biden, 77, has also been staking out the center and will be hoping to bounce back from his dismal performance in Iowa and New Hampshire, where he finished fourth and fifth respectively.

The former vice president came in second in the Nevada caucuses, but with 20.2 percent, he was well behind Sanders’ 46.8 percent.

Biden has been counting on his strong support among African-American voters in South Carolina to recharge his flagging campaign.

But Sanders has been surging in the polls in the southern state in recent weeks and Biden’s lead there has dwindled to single digits. AFP

Weinstein convicted of sex assault, rape N EW YORK― Harvey Weinstein was convicted Monday of rape and sexual assault but acquitted of the most serious predatory charges, a verdict hailed as a historic victory by the #MeToo movement against sexual misconduct.

The 67-year-old was remanded in New York’s notorious Rikers Island jail after the jury of seven men and five women found the once powerful Hollywood producer guilty of criminal sexual

acts in the first degree and rape in the third degree.

However, he left Rikers Monday evening and was admitted to Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan for chest pains, his spokesperson told AFP. Oscar-winner Weinstein, whose films include “Shakespeare In Love,” was found not guilty of first-degree rape and predatory sexual assault, charges that could have seen him jailed for life.

But he faces up to 29 years in prison on the two felony convictions.

The ashen-faced defendant, who attended the trial hunched over a walker, showed little emotion after the verdict was delivered to a packed New York courtroom. He was taken into custody pending sentencing, which was sched-

uled for March 11.

His lawyer Arthur Aidala said a “shocked” Weinstein was muttering ‘I’m innocent, I’m innocent. How could this happen in America?’”

Lead attorney Donna Rotunno promised an appeal, saying “the fight is not over” and applauded Weinstein for taking the decision “like a man.”

The mixed verdict offered a large measure of vindication for the dozens of women who made allegations against him.

It was the most high-profile sex assault conviction in the United States since Bill Cosby was found guilty in 2018 of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman 15 years prior.

The Time’s Up foundation, formed

great personal pain.”

More than 80 women have accused Weinstein of sexual misconduct since allegations against him ignited a global reckoning against men abusing positions of power in October 2017.

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

The predatory sexual assault charges included testimony from “The Sopranos” actress Annabella Sciorra, who said Weinstein raped her in her New York apartment in the winter of 1993-94.

Six women took the stand to say they had been sexually assaulted by Weinstein. AFP

Chile music festival riot fuels fear of a broader return to violence

IN BRIEF East Timor leader says he’s quitting

DILI—East Timor’s prime minister said Tuesday he was quitting after a political coalition that supported him collapsed, setting up the tiny Southeast Asian nation for another round of instability.

Taur Matan Ruak―a one-time guerrilla fighter in the former Portuguese colony later annexed by Indonesia―said he had filed a resignation letter to President Francisco Guterres, citing a “political impasse”.

“I was in a meeting with President [Guterres] and I asked to resign from the PM position,” Ruak told reporters in the capital Dili, adding that he would remain in the job until his resignation request was accepted.

Ruak was sworn in as prime minister in June 2018 following a protracted political crisis that had paralysed the half-island nation of some 1.3 million squeezed between Indonesia and Australia.

That marked East Timor’s second government in less than a year in the impoverished nation that won independence in 2002 after a brutal 24-year occupation by neighbouring Indonesia.

Born Jose Maria Vasconcelos but universally known by his nom de guerre Taur Matan Ruak-which means “two sharp eyes”―Ruak was a commander in the East Timorese resistance before becoming chief of the newly independent nation’s army.

He also served in the largely ceremonial role of president between 2012 and 2017. AFP

RECEPTION. White House senior adviser Ivanka Trump arrives for a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, The Presidential Palace, in New Delhi on February 25, 2020. AFP

Ousted president stands trial for graft

YEREVAN―Former Armenian president Serzh Sarkisian on Tuesday goes on trial charged with corruption, nearly two years after he was ousted from power by a popular uprising following a decade in office.

Sarkisian, who dominated Armenia in two consecutive terms as president from 2008, resigned in 2018 when his plan to stay in power by taking the post of prime minister sparked mass protests led by journalist-turned-politician Nikol Pashinyan.

Sarkisian initially adopted a low profile in the months after his resignation. But over the last year he has reemerged and harshly criticised Pashinyan, who succeeded him as premier.

The 65-year-old former military officer was charged in December with organizing an embezzlement scheme that allegedly helped enrich government officials.

He was banned from leaving the country and if convicted could face up to eight years in jail.

Prosecutors have said that in 2013 Sarkisian helped to organize a scheme for a private company to supply diesel fuel for the government’s agricultural assistance program at a deliberately inflated price.

The surplus of 489 million drams ($1 million) was then pocketed by the officials and businessmen involved in the scheme, prosecutors have said.

There is no direct indication in the indictment over whether Sarkisian had personally benefited from the plot.

Sarkisian and his Republican Party have denounced the charges as “fabricated and aimed at silencing political opponents”, calling them “dangerous developments jeopardising democracy.” AFP

in the wake of the Weinstein case, celebrated the outcome as marking “a new era of justice.”

“Abusers everywhere and the powerful forces that protect them should be on notice: There’s no going back,” it said in a statement.

Manhattan’s top prosecutor Cyrus Vance praised the women who testified against Weinstein as having changed “the course of history.”

“This is the new landscape for sexual violence survivors. This is a new day,” Vance told reporters outside the New York courthouse.

“We all owe an immense debt to you, who had the courage beyond measure to speak your story to the world, to the courtroom, at great personal risk, and in

SANTIAGO―Chile’s President Se- a tentative return to normality after an bastian Pinera on Monday condemned atmosphere of violence forced the govrioting that disrupted the opening of ernment to cancel several other major Latin America’s biggest music festival events, including November’s COP 25 amid fears of a broader return to vio- climate change conference.

Instead, thousands of protesters lence next month in the troubled South armed with stones, sticks and Molotov American country.

Authorities said 23 police officers cocktails clashed with police near the were injured in clashes when rioters festival venue, a resort about 120 kilolooted around 30 stores, torched vehi- meters (75 miles) west of Santiago.

Riot police, backed by a helicopter cles and forced the evacuation of a hotel and a balloon with surveillance camerin the coastal resort of Vina del Mar. Smaller clashes occurred Monday as, drove back the protesters with water cannon and tear gas. night outside the festival grounds.

After failing to get into the festival “Chile has already had too much violence,” Pinera said after a cabinet meet- grounds, protesters attacked nearby ing Monday, his first since returning shops and the renowned O’Higgins Hotel, forcing the evacuation of the guests, from vacation.

“We need to ensure public order and who included some of the artists schedlive in peace to have a plebiscite that is uled to perform at the festival. AFP democratic, clean and transparent,” he said, referring to an April 26 refRepublic of the Philippines erendum to update the dictatorshipREGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION era constitution.

Branch 220, Quezon City “The time has come for a great agreement for democracy, against vio- SPOUSES BENJAMIN A TANGO TANGO lence and for peace,” the president said. and NENA F. Plaintiff The referendum was one of sev- - versus Civil Case No. R-QZN-19-05832-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of Transfer eral concessions made by conser- Certificate of Title, Deed of Absolute vative Pinera to quell a four-month Sale, Real Estate Mortgage, Reconveyance with Damages. wave of protests over economic inANGELA F. MEJIA, BPI FAMILY equality that ignited across Chile in SAVINGS BANK and the REGISTER OF DEEDS OF QUEZON CITY; October.

Defendants.

The Vina del Mar festival was x-------------------------------------------------x

Independent media in the firing line in Cuba HAVANA―Monica Baro’s investigation into cases of lead poisoning in Havana won her a prestigious Latin American journalism award but few friends in the Cuban government, which views independent media outlets like hers with growing suspicion.

Baro’s report for the Periodismo de Barrio website― which won Colombia’s Gabo award for journalism―took two years to pull together and a further six months to factcheck, but has helped throw light on the difficulties facing Cuba’s independent media.

“Maybe in a less hostile context this investigation could have been done, written and revised in a year, but here everything is much more complicated,” said the 31-year-old, seated on a sofa in her apartment which doubles as her office.

When she first heard reports of lead poisoning in the teeming district of San Miguel del Padron in 2016, Baro went to meet the locals to hear their story. Many were too afraid to speak to her and information was scarce.

Most official sources gave her the cold shoulder. Instead, while working away on $2-an-hour public wifi, she said she feared being threatened and harassed.

Cuba is ranked 168 out of 180 countries for press freedom

by Reporters without Borders (RSF). Independent journalism is officially illegal, though tolerated to an extent, ensuring bloggers are constantly walking a legal tightrope.

Despite this, Cuba’s online independent media has won kudos abroad-a Gabo for El Estornudo in 2018, a Spanish

environmental award for Periodismo de Barrio, and an online journalism award for El Toque.

But the higher profile has come at a cost. In January, officials published a list of 21 independent media organizations decried as “platforms for the restoration of capitalism in Cuba.”

Two days later, several of the sites were temporarily inaccessible on the island. Some had already been permanently blocked.

The communist government equates such organizations with Miami-based opposition sites funded by the US government, which also feature on the list.

It’s the view espoused by Francisco Rodriguez Cruz, a 49-year-old journalist with the official Trabajadores weekly.

“Independent media does not exist. Not in Cuba nor, I believe, anywhere in the world.”

Cuba is too easy a target for the independents’ biased views, says Cruz: “It’s easy in a society like ours, under American government embargo, and with myriad economic difficulties.”

Emerging during the brief detente in Cuba-US relations during President Barack Obama’s term, and boosted by the arrival of mobile internet in 2018, Cuba’s independent media outlets see themselves as offering an alternative to polarized state and opposition media, stripped of ideology.

Funded variously by a Swedish foundation, the European Union, a British NGO and a Dutch radio station, they are the product of around a dozen young journalists who graduated from the same journalism schools as their state media colleagues. AFP

SUMMONS TO:

ANGELA F. MEJIA No. 0202 Standford Street, South Points Townhouse, Sun Valley, Parañaque City,

Greetings: You are hereby required, within SIXTY (60 ) DAYS after service of this summons upon you, to file with this Court and serve on the third-party plaintiff your answer to the complaint, copy of which is attached, together with the annexes.

You are reminded of the provision in the IBP-OCA Memorandum on Policy Guidelines dated March 12, 2002 to observe restraint in filing a motion to dismiss and instead allege the grounds thereof as defenses in the Answer. If you fail to answer within the time fixed, the plaintiff will take judgment by default and may be granted the relief applied for in the complaint.

WITNESS my hand under the seal of the Court, this 18th day of October, 2019.

(Sgd.) ANA LISSA B. AMORIN Officer-In-Charge

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION Branch 220 Quezon City SPS. BENJAMIN A. TANGO & NENA F. TANGO. Petitioners.

-versusCIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-19-05832-CV For: Declaration of Nullity of TCT, Deed of Absolute Sale, Real Estate Mortgage, Reconveyance with Damages ANGELA F. MEJIA. ET AL..

Respondents. x--------------------------------------------x

ORDER

Acting on the Motion for Leave of Court to Serve Summons by Publication filed by the plaintiffs, through counsel, on September 24, 2019, finding the same to be well-grounded, the same is hereby GRANTED. Accordingly, let a Summons by Publication be served to the defendant, Angelia Mejia, and at the same time Summons to be served simultaneously at her last known address.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Philippines, September 27, 2019 (MStandard-Feb. 19 & 26, 2020)

(Sgd.) JOSE G. PANEDA Judge

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

B4

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

LGUs LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

VIRGIN’S ESCAPE. The people of Antipolo City hold a procession to celebrate the 75th Paglikas ng Birhen Patungo sa Colaique on Feb. 22. The event traces back to February 17, 1945, when Antipolo was heavily bombarded by American planes. Its residents evacuated to Sitio Colaique and up to the towns of Angono, Santolan and Marikina. To protect the image from being destroyed, Stevenson Sayson, then the sacristan mayor, and members of the community brought with them the Virgin of Antipolo. The bombings destroyed the church, but after the war, a temporary church was built and the Virgin of Antipolo was returned from the Quiapo Church on October 15, 1945. Teddy Pelaez

Cagayan launches MAKATI ANTI-PROSTITUTION DRIVE anti-Red VOWCA, Mamba seeks unity

By Jessica M. Bacud TUGUEGARAO—Cagayan Governor Manuel N. Mamba led the formal launching of the first Victims, Orphans, and Widows of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) Atrocities or VOWCA in the province on Monday during the Flag Raising Ceremony at the Capitol grounds here.

Mamba emphasized that the populace should be unified in its objective to fight insurgency. He also stressed the importance of democracy and in choosing the right leaders.

“That is why I kept telling people that we should empower people so that they know how to choose. I will not allow that everything will end here, that is why we keep fighting against insurgency not only for ourselves but for the next generation in order that they won’t suffer the same experience we did throughout these years,” Mamba stressed.

Meanwhile, Lt. Cl. Camilo Sadam, Batallion Commander of the 5th Infantry Division Philippine Army based in Gamu, Isabela, said the program seeks to end Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) in the province and in the countryside.

“The victims of insurgency are all victims of senseless killings, of violence, and are victims of deceptive recruitments. We did this activity with the Governor so that we will have a rallying point,” Sadam said.

“This is not only our fight for our soldiers who were killed, the civilian victims but also their family their wife and children.

BPSU conducts 15th research in-house review BALANGA CITY, Bataan—Twenty six completed research papers of Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU) researchers were presented in the recent 2-day university research inhouse review.

Vice President for Research, Extension, and Training Services Dr. Hermogenes Paguia said, “The in-house review was being conducted to provide rooms for the improvement of the completed researches before publication”.

“The university wants more faculty members to conduct researches. We aim to sustain the conduct of research focusing on the agenda and thrusts of BPSU,” he added.

Paguia said BPSU President Dr. Greg Rodis is pushing for the university to become a dynamic research institution in Central Luzon.

Earlier, Rodis said there is an urgent need for experts’ innovation by way of researches to improve the quality of living of the people.

“We should do researches the people need and can use”, he pointed out.

Of the 26 papers presented, 19 were social researches and 7 technology researches. There was also poster competition. Butch Gunio

Cops raid another spa

By Joel E. Zurbano

P

olice raided another establishment suspected of involvement in a prostitution racket in Makati City.

The authorities also rescued 13 women in the latest anti-vice operation conducted early Tuesday morning at SPA Osaka on 5353 Gen. Luna corner Mariano Street in Barangay Poblacion.

Based on the spot report released by the Southern Police District, one of the police operatives acted as a customer at the establishment and gave P3,000 to a therapist in exchange for sexual favors.

“After giving the pre-charge signal, police operatives rushed inside ro om 3 of the said spa and they caught in the act the said therapist about to do ‘extra service’ with the police asset,” the police report stated. “Several sex pharaphernalia were recovered inside the show room of the spa.”

Makati City police commander Rogelio Simon said they noticed a menu posted on the wall of the spa showing the women were being paid from P2,000 to P4,000 for their “services.”

“The price depends on what kind of services the customers want,” he said.

Simon said there is an ongoing investigation if the establishment caters to foreigners, especially Chinese nationals working at Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO).

On orders of Mayor Abigail Binay, the Makati City police is conducting a series of coordinated raids targeting syndicates engaged in prostitution and other vices at multiple locations, including condominiums, hotels, massage parlors and residential units.

The police said they will continue to work with the community on information related to vice activities, and will take tough enforcement action against those involved.

Mayor Binay earlier directed the city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) to shut down establishments and entertainment spots in the city that engage in prostitution, whether direct or via

the internet.

“There is no room for prostitution in Makati. We will hunt down prostitution dens, karaoke bars, spas, condominiums, and even computer shops that exploit young men and women in the sex trade.

We will shut down your operations and make sure that you are unable to do business in Makati. I will say this again, illegal activities are not welcome here,” the city chief executive said.

Three months ago, Mayor Binay also declared an indefinite moratorium on the issuance of new business licenses and permits to service providers of POGO due to rising criminality and prostitution.

She cited the “overheating” market for residential and commercial space and the rising criminality and prostitution as major reasons for her decision to stop more POGOs from operating in the country’s financial district.

The influx of thousands of foreign workers employed by POGOs increases the demand for housing and work stations, thus causing property rates in the city to spike. This puts the local property sector at risk of overheating, where its growth becomes unsustainable, said Binay.

Tiangco lauds DENR, SMC for dredging project

By Jun David NAVOTAS Mayor Toby Tiangco has thanked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and San Miguel Corp. for the start of a sustainable dredging program on a river that goes through the city.

“We need to have a sustainable dredging program to ensure that the success we will achieve through this will last for a long time and benefit future generations,” Tiangco said in his speech during the official launch of the dredging of the Tullahan-Tinajeros river system.

The mayor noted that silt, sediments, and garbage, continue to accumulate at the bottom of rivers and other bodies of water but are not removed regularly.

“Previously, budgetary constraints hamper dredging efforts. This is why the partnership between DENR and San Miguel Corp, which has pledged P1 billion for this project, is a welcome development,” he added.

Tiangco also ordered all barangay executives to strictly implement the city’s anti-littering ordinance.

“Dredging efforts are futile if we allow residents to continue practicing improper waste disposal. Discipline and strict implementation are also key to achieving success in our campaign to clean up our water bodies,” he stressed.

The dredging of the 36.4-kilometer Tullahan-Tinajeros river system is part of the ongoing campaign to clean up and restore the marine ecosystem of Manila Bay. The river system extends from La Mesa Dam in Quezon City to the Centennial Park in Navotas.

SMC will undertake the project in partnership with the DENR. Both SMC President and Chief Operating Officer,

Ramon S. Ang, and Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu led the launching.

Aside from Tiangco, other officials who attended the ceremony were Vice Mayor Clint Geronimo, city councilors and department heads, and barangay chairpersons.

Also present were Malabon City Mayor, Antolin A. Oreta III; Bulacan Governor, Daniel R. Fernando; 2nd and 3rd District of Bulacan Representatives, Gavini C. Pancho and Lorna C. Silverio; and Meycauyan and Obando Mayors Li-

nabelle Ruth R. Villarica and Edwin C. Santos.

Other key personalities were Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Danilo D. Lim; Department of the Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Operations, Epimaco V. Densing III; Department of Public Works and Highways Assistant Secretary, Antonio V. Molano Jr.; and DENR Undersecretaries Rodolfo C. Garcia, Atty. Jonas R. Leones, Analiza Rebuelta-Teh, Juan Miguel T. Cuna, and Benny D. Antiporda.

Davao drivers, operators nix jeep phaseout

By Willie Casas DRIVERS and operators of public utility jeepneys (PUJs) and multicabs in Davao City, along with commuters and supporters, recently launched the Dabawenyo Kontra Jeepney Phaseout Coalition to oppose the city government’s phaseout of the jeepney to be replaced by modern buses.

During the launching at the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Compound, in Davao, the coalition aired their side on this issue.

IFI clarified they are not against modernization and development of public transport, but point out that the High-Priority Bus System (HPBS) is an “anti-people project” that will slowly burden Davaoeños with job losses, fare hikes, and tax increases, since the budget for the project will be loaned from the Asian Development Bank.

“The government only shows what is good about the HPBS [High-Priority Bus System]—they have air-conditioning and Wi-Fi. However, the truth is, the minimum fare will be set at 26 pesos, and the bus stop will be 400 meters apart from each, which will further inconvenience the commuters,” said Dodong Francisco, a jeepney driver and one of the conveners of the coalition The transport group TransmissionPiston Davao pointed out that the PUJs and the Filcab are not the root cause of the worsening traffic condition in the city.

“Government data itself reveals that only 20 percent of the vehicles on the road are PUJs and Filcab. This just proves that they are not the root cause of the traffic crisis we are experiencing right now, and phasing out the PUJs and Filcab will not solve the problem,” said Larry Arguilles of Transmission-Piston Davao.

Quirino MSMEs to benefit from ordinance

By Brenda Jocson CABARROGUIS, Quirino—A provincial ordinance to support some micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with less than P100 million in capitalization has been approved.

The ordinance also seeks to ensure the MSMEs’ continuing viability and growth, and aims to assist at least 3,850 MSMEs or 78 percent of the total number of registered businesses in the province.

Giovanni Eustaquio, Provincial Councilors League president, said the ordinance he sponsored in the provincial board also aims to know and answer the specific needs of the MSMEs and will undertake to promote entrepreneurs, encourage the establishment of MSMEs and ensure their continuing viability and growth.

Also chairman of the committee on labor, trade, commerce and industry, Eustaquio said the ordinance is in support of Republic Act No. 9501 or the Magna Carta for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) issued in 2008 which recognizes that MSMEs have the potential for more employment generation and economic growth.

“It can help provide a self-sufficient industrial foundation for the country, and thus declared the policy of the state to promote, support, strengthen and encourage the growth and development of MSMEs in all productive sectors of the economy particularly rural/agri-based enterprises,” Eustaquio said.

Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco joins Metro Manila Development Authority Chair Danilo D. Kim, DILG Undersecretary Epimaco V. Densing III, DPWH Assistant Sec. Antonio V. Milano Jr, DENR Sec. Roy Cimatu, Malabon l Mayor Antolin A. Oreta, and Bulacan Governor Daniel E. Fernando during the Tullahan - Tinajeros River dredging inauguration. Jun David

Life

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

FASHION AND BEAUTY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

C1

Crushing on these fashion items in

Crash Landing on You

By Bernadette Lunas

I

F THERE’S anything we love more than the chemistry and romance between the star-crossed— dare we say, “bordercrossed”—lovers, the funny and adorable (sometimes pouty: Captain Ri) antics of the lead and their friends, and the stunning filming locations, it would be those fashion moments of Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin), with special mention to Seo Dan (Seo Ji-hye), too.

Son Ye-jin (as Yoon Se-ri) and Hyun Bin (Ri Jeong-hyuk) star in the hit Korean drama series ‘Crash Landing on You.’ A dusty gray Gucci Zumi grainy leather tote bag ($3,200 or about P163,680) is the perfect neutral bag to complement her navy plaid suit in the intro at the beginning of each episode.

Se-ri’s choice of bags

Se-Ri made it clear in the beginning, she has expensive taste, and that includes the designer bags she was seen toting around.

Se-ri makes a strong comeback in white asymmetric power blazer, punctuated with a black Roseau top handle tote from Longchamp ($510 or about P26,087).

The lady boss carries her essentials in Gucci Sylvie 1969 mini patent leather shoulder bag ($3,200 or about P163,680).

It perfectly complements her preppy boss look in Episode 1.

Even when traveling, Se-ri does it with style matching her basic denim and T-shirt ensemble with an animal printed Tod’s D-Styling Medium hand carry ($3,845 or about P196,600) and red Hermes Herbag Zip Retourne Cabin Bag ($3,750 or about P191,743).

Se-ri’s choice of jewelry

Penélope Cruz Moonsun Pierced Earrings and Necklace (white and rhodium plated)

The heiress has mastered how to accessorize subtly, and at the same time monetize it.

Naughty Hoop Pierced Earrings (white and rose gold tone plated) Naughty Pierced Earrings (black and rose gold tone plated)

All pieces from Swarovski

Seo Dan’s designer bags

Dan can take her enemies down a peg whatever she wears, she says.

She proves that she’s got power dressing down to a T with her black and white Michael Kors ensemble and Jimmy Choo Cloud clutch bag (£2,995 or about P197,565).

Lifelong Heart Pierced Earrings (white and rose gold tone plated)

Magic Pierced Earrings (white and rhodium plated)

Attract Soul Pierced Earrings (pink and rhodium plated)

Nice Stud Pierced Earrings and Necklace (white and rhodium plated)

Dan goes for laid-back lady boss when sightseeing with Jeong-hyuk in Switzerland. She wears a checkered tailored linen coat from Loewe and Gate Small Leather cross-body bag, also from Loewe ($2,290 or about P117,091).

Step into athleisure DANISH footwear brand Ecco takes the next step into the continuously rising athleisure trend with its latest releases.

For spring/summer 2020, the label launches the ST.1 line that combines form and function with craftsmanship and technology, thereby bringing sophisticated street-ready sneakers with the casual comfort for which it is known.

The ST.1 line includes a three-component sole unit which incorporates the all-new Shock Thru Technology. The three-component sole brings together softness, rebound, and durability.

Meanwhile, the re-engineered Ecco Shock Thru Technology delivers double the shock absorption and cushioning than the previous shock technology.

The line consists of a variety of colorways.

The ST.1 is Danish label Ecco’s newest entry to the athleisure trend, featuring street-ready style, form, and function.

Ecco has a shop at SM Megamall and shop-in-shop concepts at SM Stores in Mall of Asia, SM Makati, SM North Edsa, SM Aura, Megamall, SM Southmall, and Estancia.

The three-component sole brings together softness, rebound, and durability.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 C2 TODAY

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

@ 25

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

C3

advertise@manilastandard.net

PEZA turns 25: Optimistic amidst all odds, threats, challenges

T

AGUIG City—The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) today celebrates its 25th year anniversary despite odds, threats and challenges in the country and around the world, including the Novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA) bill for passage

by Congress.

PEZA Director General Charito global competitiveness should B. Plaza said that “the Philippines’ be enhanced and protected in

the face of global competition and crisis happening due to trade and military wars, coronavirus, and other natural disasters. The PEZA’s one- stop-shop and working incentives should be carefully sustained because they kept hold of our investors and helped to contain the transfer of companies abroad, especially the footloose companies.”

“The COVID-19 illness and the proposed CITIRA bill both had

economic implications and created uncertainty in the local and international market; endangering the status of our globally competitive investors in the Philippines. Such concern has been echoed by PEZA’s industries associations like the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (SEIPI),” explained Plaza.

With the effects of COVID-19, SEIPI President Dan Lachica ex-

pressed in news reports this month their concern on their growth forecast. “We’re banking on the electronics sector for growth this year. They expect around five percent growth.

However, our five percent growth forecast for 2020 is at risk because 40 percent of our supply comes from China and Taiwan,” he said.

As for CITIRA, Plaza has explained that “for two years in a

From left to right: Mr. Tereso O. Panga—Deputy Director General for Policy and Planning, Ms. Mary Harriet O. Abordo—DDG for Operations, BGen. Charito B. Plaza MNSA, PhD.—Director General, Mr. Justo Porfirio Ll. Yusingco—DDG for Finance and Administration

Batangas residents benefit from CDC, Clark locators’ relief operations SIX communities in the Province of Batangas recently benefitted in a relief operations spearheaded by Clark Development Corporation (CDC) in partnership with various locators here.

Extending their help to uplift the lives of the affected communities after the disruption caused by Mt. Taal, CDC in cooperation with its locators donated a total of 1,100 boxes of relief goods to residents of Sta. Anastasia, San Rafael, San Tiago, San

Manufacturing Philippines, Korean Apple Core Corporation, AIW International Development Corporation, Ate Malou’s Catering, H3 Technology Philippines, APAC Medical Equipment Inc., K-Seowon Development Corporation, Widus Hotel, Uber Phils., GLTEK Trading Corporation, Sumidenso Automotive Technologies Asia Corp., and Gentry International School.

Other firms who lent a hand during the relief operations are Nanox Philippines, Ori-

CLARK CARES. Volunteers from Clark Development Corporation, Philippine National Police and Philippine Airforce lent a hand in the distribution of goods during the relief operations for the affected communities in Batangas. The activity was spearheaded by CDC—External Affairs Division headed by Assistant Vice President Rommel Narciso and supported by various locators in Clark Freeport Zone. (CDC-CD Photo) Roque, Poblacion and Talisay all in the said province.

The distributed goods include hygiene kits, ready to eat food, bottled water, canned goods, noodles, biscuits, blankets, and clothing materials among others.

Volunteer employees from CDC also assisted in the distribution of donations.

They were likewise accompanied by the members of the Philippine Airforce and Philippine National Police.

Meanwhile, CDC was able to raise and collect the said donations through the collective effort of its locators. Some of the companies who extended their support are Intertech Marketing and Services, Inc., Philexcel Business Park, Yokoisada Philippines Corporation, Gotto Denshi

go BPO Philippines, Clark Premiere Industrial Park, Sky Call Asia Technologies, UPS International Inc., HBA Design Philippines Inc., Aerotech Industries Philippines Inc., Hilton, SPT Clark Corporation, Shore 360, SMK Electronics Phils. Corp., On Demand Office Inc., Australian Fine Foods, Wyndham Services Asia Pacific Philippines, Inc., Profit Master BPO, Pishon Clark Philippines, and PPT Philippines Corporation.

The activity was the first batch of the relief operations conducted by CDC and its locator companies. For the 2nd batch of donations, CDC External Affairs Department—Corporate Social Responsibility (CSRPD) partnered with Widus Foundation Inc. and distributed some goods to students and residents of San Nicolas, Batangas.

row, export industries kept hold their expansion plans while new investors are having a ‘wait-andsee’ attitude, hoping for an enhancement instead of a decrease of incentives given by PEZA to its investors under the CITIRA bill.”

Plaza noted that “PEZA has passed its proposed enhancements to the CITIRA bill in the Senate.” The proposed enhancements include a longer transition period or the retainment of the grandfather rule.” She hopes that “a final CITIRA that is investor-friendly will be finalized to end the agony of the investors.”

“Let’s keep praying. We must not quit for miracles happen every day. So, never stop believing. God can change things very quickly in our life. Maybe to many of us, waiting is wasting. But, to God, waiting is working the best plan for our lives,” said Plaza.

“There must be no fear in love, for if we have true love, it drives out fear because fear has to do with being afraid of punishment.

The one who fears is not made perfect in love,” she added.

PEZA Milestones (1995 to 2020) Plaza noted that, “When PEZA took over the functions of the former Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) in 1995, the Authority worked on its mandate in promoting investments, generating exports, and creating jobs for the country.

The PEZA Chief lauds President Duterte’s signing of Administrative Order No. 18 last 2019 which ordered the spreading of development of ecozones to the countryside.

“This paves the way for utilizing and making idle lands productive and for bringing about the transfer of technology.”

From EPZA’s 16 operating ecozones, PEZA now has a total of 404 operating ecozones nationwide with the IT sector having the majority at 286.

Meanwhile, PEZA now has a Turn to C4

C4

@ 25

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

advertise@manilastandard.net

PEZA...

From C3

Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) Manila North Harbor Port (NorthPort) Subic Bay International Terminal (New Container Terminals 1 & 2), Subic Bay Freeport

POWERING THE PHILIPPINES WITH GATEWAYS TO GROWTH

Cavite Gateway Terminal, Tanza, Cavite Laguna Gateway Inland Container Terminal, Calamba City, Laguna

PHILIPPINES

Bauan International Port, Bauan, Batangas

International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) strengthens trade and supply chain synergies in the Philippines.

At the heart of Philippine trade is the Port of Manila, where ICTSI operates the country’s sole dedicated international container terminal (MICT) and the largest multi-use domestic cargo hub (NorthPort).

North of Manila, ICTSI serves the central and northern Luzon markets at the Subic Freeport. South of Manila, ICTSI boosts supply chain synergies: giving Cavite a sea

Mindanao Container Terminal, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental Hijo International Port, Tagum City, Davao del Norte

off (ro-ro) container barge terminal; extending the Port of Manila to an inland container park and future intermodal facility in Laguna; and supporting the auto industry via a Batangas ro-ro terminal.

Sasa Wharf, Davao City Makar Wharf, General Santos City

In the agricultural powerhouse that is Mindanao, ICTSI optimizes gateways for the exports of the country’s top produce: Davao bananas, Gen. Santos City tuna, Bukidnon pineapples, and Mindanao’s copra and coconut products.

From country to global markets—ICTSI powers the Philippines with world class gateways to growth.

HEAD OFFICE ICTSI Administration Bldg., Manila International Container Terminal MICT South Access Road, Port of Manila 1012 Manila, Philippines +632 8 245 4101 info@ictsi.com www.ictsi.com

ARGENTINA • AUSTRALI A • BRAZIL • CHINA • COLOMBIA • CROATIA • D.R. CONGO • ECUADOR • GEORGIA • HONDURAS • INDONESIA • IRAQ • MADAGASCAR • MEXICO • PAKISTAN • PAPUA NEW GUINEA • PHILIPPINES • POLAND

total of 4, 478 locator companies as of September 2019. As of December 2019, PEZA has generated P117.541 Billion investments and $54.597 Billion exports, 540 number of projects, and employed 1,601,492 Filipino workers.

Meanwhile, one of the challenges PEZA identifies is the lack of a comprehensive or official Cost and Benefit Analysis by the NEDA. In addition to this, PEZA will be affected by removal, if not reduction, of its authority to administer ecozones by the creation of Fiscal Incentives Regulatory Board (FIRB) under the proposed CITIRA bill.

Notwithstanding, the largest investment promotion agency in the country is still doing its best efforts to perform its goals and attract more investors to the Philippines.

PEZA has 10-point programs and special projects that will be successively launched and implemented this year.

These are as follows: 1. Creation of the online Philippine ecozones map; 2. Creation of different types of green healthy, sustainable, and smart ecozones; 3. Establishing Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Institutes; 4. Building eco-towns, eco-cities, and new metropolitan areas in every region; 5. Expanding PEZA’s investment promotion partnerships with its Ka-PIPPS (i.e. foreign and domestic industry associations and business chambers); 6. Creating the Ecozone Tourism Investment as inbound businessmatching activity; 7. Enhancing PEZA’s structure towards decentralization and regionalization; 8. Affiliation of PEZA employees, ecozones developers and industries as Military Reservist Units and Disaster Resilience and Emergency Management (DREAM) response teams; 9. Creation of food terminals, transportation, logistics hubs, communication and information and support infrastructures in every region; 10.Development Outreach for Labor and Livelihood Advancement of Resources (DOLLAR) program; and Special projects and programs.

PEZA is mandated by the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995 (Republic Act No. 7916 as amended by Republic Act No. 8748) which was enacted on February 21, 1995.