Manila Standard - 2020 March 5 - Thursday

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

‘Stop House plot or else...’

HIGH COURT GETS TOUGH ON TROS, INJUNCTIONS

(Story on A2)

Bato: Drug lords killed BuCor lawyer

By Macon Ramos-Araneta and Rey E. Requejo

Speaker taunts plotters: Focus on job at hand

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

HouseOUPdefers action on ABS-CBN plotters”

By Maricel V. Cruz

“C

By Maricel Cruz, MJ planning to Blancaflor, Rey Requejo overthrow House

SPEAKER AlanPeter Peter Cayetano said Speaker Alan Cayetano the House is likely to delay hearings should stop spreading on ABS-CBN’s franchise until May or intrigue andthough focusPresident on theRodriAugust, even go Duterte said he wants lawmakers job at hand—or “they are to discuss the issue before the franchise going toonget what’s expires March 30. coming to them,” topbriefi congressman In athe press ng, Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the warned Wednesday.

President had nothing to do with the delaydeveloped in Congress or the quo warranto This as one of Cayetano’s alby Solicitor General Jose lies,petition Deputyfiled Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, said the lawmakers who were behind the rumored ouster plot against Cayetano would be named “in due time.”

“Members of Congress know who the plotters are,” Villafuerte said in a TV interview.

“If I get removed as Speaker, I will not run to the President for help. I will not blame anyone but myself,” added Cayetano, who also reaffirmed his commitment to honor the term-sharing agreement with Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, as brokered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Next page

China ‘invasion’ blamed on soft policy—Gordon

By Macon Ramos-Araneta, MJ Blancaflor, Rey E. Requejo and Maricel V. Cruz

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

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

on Thursday.

Dela Rosa, who served as BuCor director before he ran for senator, came up with this statement based on his own experiences.

“Most likely, those behind the killing, based on my experience, the drug lords jailed in Bilibid ordered the killing of our Next page

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

FIGHT! House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano (center) with (from left) Rep. Jonathan Sy Alvarado, Majority Leader andMacon Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, By Ramos-Araneta Appropriations Chairman and MJ Blancafl or Rep. Eric Yap, and Rep. Franz Alvarez flash the now easily recognized Duterte fist ORMER airport sign during the press conference at officials the Speaker’s officeand in theemployees House of Representatives. of the Bureau of Ver Noveno

Next page

F

VOL. XXXIV • NO. 24 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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

World Bank/ADB funds eyed for COVID-19 response US Fed rate cut

By Julito G. Rada and Macon Ramos-Araneta FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said on Wednesday the government is looking at the possibility of tapping the financial assistance from multilateral lenders such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to support countries’ response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

“We are currently in discussions with

the DOH [Department of Health] on a loan package with multilateral agencies…,” Dominguez said in a message to reporters.

He said the World Bank’s announcement Wednesday of the financing package for countries to counter the COVID’s impact was a welcome development.

Dominguez said if the Philippines taps the financing package, it would be used by the Department of Health “with emphasis of quick reactions to COVID-19 and similar events.”

Dominguez said the government was closely monitoring the effects of the contagion on tourism and the supply chain of different industries and preparing the appropriate fiscal responses.

“I am certain that the Monetary Board is ready as well with measures to counter the ill effects of COVID-19,” he said.

The World Bank said as COVID-19 reached more than 60 countries, it was making available an initial package of up to $12 billion in immediate support to Next page

THE “invasion” of the Philippines by almost half a million Chinese working for offshore gambling operators—and the money laundering, human trafficking and prostitution that came with it—was the result of policies that were too soft on China, Senator Richard Gordon said I DO. Immigration officer 1 Allison Chiong (top left) tells a Senate committee hearing Thursday he is the source of the video showing officers facilitating the immigration process Wednesday. for“This Chinese POGOnever workershappen at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Chiong named the current and former immigration officials involved in the bribery scheme as Traffic Control would if the Enforcement Unit officers administration were notBien tooGuevarra, soft onGlenn Comia and Den Binsol. Chiong said these officials were under Ports Operation Division Chief Marc Red Mariñas. Ey Acasio China,” said Gordon, chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee, which

to fight off virus hit on economies

In a Senate hearing on human trafficking and prostitution, Immigration officer Allison Chiong saidReserve these offi were THE US Federal oncials Tuesday behind syndicate facilitated the led thethe global charge that in response to the smooth of Chinese nationals who growingentry economic risk posed by the new enter the country to workaninemergency Philippine coronavirus, announcing Offshore Gaming Operators. interest rate cut after the UN health agenthese with cyChiong said thesaid world hasgroups enteredworked “uncharted China-based territory.” travel agencies, who send them list Fed’s of names of people who are Buta the stimulus, which came about enterthe theGroup country. hourstoafter of Seven finance “The syndicated often ministers and centralgroups bankerswould pledged to compete with each to gainpolicy favor take action using “allother appropriate from the wasn’t Chineseenough travel agencies,” tools,” to preventChiong Wall said.

Street stocks from tumbling as the virus He revealed that they gave bribes rangcontinued its global spread. ing The from P50,000 P200,000 sorose that death toll in and the United States the Chinese thosehome that to nine, manynationals—even linked to a nursing have blacklisted—can enter in thebeen Seattle suburbs, whilefreely the overthe through Immigration all country, number passing of infections shot past 100 counters without question. including cases any on both coasts Next and page the Midwest.

More than 90,000 people have been infected and 3,100 killed since the first cases were identified in China’s Hubei Turn to A3 province late last year.

Fund lack blocks move to develop Palace offers govt protection to controversial cop vaccines; Duque prefers buy option By MJ Blancaflor Duterte lifts loan

By Macon Ramos-Araneta suspension over rights resolution Next page

THE Philippines has no budget to develop its own vaccines, which would need billions and billions of pesos that it cannot afford, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Thursday.

In an interview over radio dzMM, Duque said it was more cost-effective to buy vaccines from rich countries that have the capacity to develop the drugs.

BUCOR MESS. Senator Richard

Gordon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, presides over the 10th public hearing on the Good Conduct Time Allowance and ninja cops, which also tackled the killing of the Bureau of Correction legal services chief lawyer Fredric Santos, gunned down in Muntinlupa City.

‘Super Tuesday’ gives Biden momentum

“They have economies scale,” Duque said, adding that this made their vaccines cheaper.

He dismissed reports that developing countries are being sidestepped in the distribution of vaccines, saying big companies are mandated to lead in developing vaccines for diseases such as the new coronavirus (COVID-19).

Duque pointed to research in China

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will not let embattled Lt. Colonel Jovie Espenido to be harmed, the Palace said Thursday after Espenido said the government could go after him since he was included in its drug watchlist.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said Espenido could ask for protec-

tion from the government if he feared for his life, and assured him that President Duterte would not hurt anyone ‘‘outside legal processes.

“If that is the fear of Colonel Espenido, then we cannot stop him from entertaining such apprehension. But the President will not allow anyone to be hurt outside legal processes or methods sanctioned by law, Panelo

told reporters.

“If Espenido would want to ask for any protective measure from the government, then he can so request just like any other citizen.

Meanwhile, Espenido welcomed the due process granted by Philippine National Police Chief Archie Gamboa to the policemen on Duterte’s latest drug watch list, including him.

Next page

By MJ Blancaflor

House tackles ABS-CBN billscrisis a dayinbefore Garbage Metro:itAadjourns ticking time bomb Next page

By Maricel V. Cruz, Joel Zurbano and Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE House of Representatives’ Committee on Legislative Franchises will begin on March 10 its deliberations on 11 bills seeking the renewal of the franchise to operate broadcast network ABS-CBN, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano announced Wednesday.

That date leaves lawmakers just one full day to tackle the issue before the parts) House(First adjournsof fortwo the third time for the First Regular Session of the 18th Congress on MarchGulle 11.

By Jimbo At a news conference with several IF YOU thinkand Metro Manila’s traffiand c is House leaders Majority Leader a problem, the garbage situation will, in Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, Cayetano modern socialheaded media-speak, tell you said the panel,

by Palawan Rep.to “hold its beer.”

Franz Alvarez, would conduct the hearing on the measures.

It would have three items on its agenda: Punditsopening and critics alike say the the NaAlvarez’s statement; setting tional Capital Region’s trash output is a ground rules for the discussion; and the ticking timetobomb, indicative of a similar instructions the National TelecommuproblemCommission. experienced across the country, nications and statements by meeting. government of“Werecent will hold the first There fi cials have only underscored the issue. are three reasons: One: to announce all Environment Secretary pro-Last andDecember, anti- [renewal of ABS-CBN Roy Cimatu saidtothe country wastointhe the franchise].

Two, make it clear middle of athe “garbage crisis.”

Waste generNTC that bills on the renewal of Next page

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has lifted the suspension of loan agreements with 18 countries which backed a resolution ation, heasaid, had become unprecedented, seeking probe into the country’s human Filipinos selfishly threw theirreleased refuse evrights situation, a document by erywhere―mostly into water systems― Malacañang on Wednesday showed. and massive clean-up drives only by moved A Feb. 27 memorandum signed Extons of litter from Salvador one place Medialdea to another. in ecutive Secretary In anofenvironmental forum that behalf the President informed allmonth, agenCimatu said Department of Environcies about thethe lifting of the suspension of mentand and grant Natural Resources loan deals with thewould statesissue, that Turn A3 voted in favor of the resolution bytothe Next page

GOV’T DARED: EXPLAIN DROP IN DRUG-RELATED KILLINGS

JOE Biden seized the momentum in the race to become the Democratic chal-coronavirus is set to dominate the agenda of SUMMIT AGENDA. The deadly lenger to President Donald TrumpThursday, with a as China’s foreign minister meets with his the high-level Vientianne summit string of Super victories against Southeast AsianTuesday counterparts whose countries’ economies have been hard-hit over leftist rival Bernie Sanders after hisiscanfears of widespread contagion.

Inset a photo taken Wednesday showing a laboratory technician virus at a laboratory in Hengyang in China’s central didacy had holding seemedsamples close toof collapse.

POLICE are digging deeper into Henan province.

AFP A self-described democratic socialist a shooting incident involving acTurn to A3 tress-television host Kim Chiu in Quezon City early on Wednesday.

Quezon City Police District VIENTIANE, Laos―China’s efforts director “ChinaRonnie is not only protecting Montejo said theits own to control the deadly outbreak of a new people but also the rest the world,” he 29-year-old actress, herofpersonal coronavirus “are working,” Beijing’s told the summit in Vientiane, assistant, and driver Wilfredoreferencing Tatop diplomat said Thursday, attributing aperla recent sharp drop new cases of the viwere safe andinunhurt. an easing in new cases to his country’s rusAuthorities inside China, it has killed more arewhere closely coordi“forceful action” against the illness. than 2,100 nating withpeople. barangay officials to SHOT AT, BUT UNHARMED. A van carrying actress Kim Speaking in Laos before talks with obtain Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro closed-circuit television Chiu (right inset) and two others after it was shot at repeatedly peers from the 10 Southeast Asian Locsin Jr. thanked China for its “unpreccamera footages within the scene by unidentified suspects onboard a motorcycle at the corner of (ASEAN) countries, Wang Yi said the edented domestic measures and quick of the crime.

GATHERING. OffiCity. cers The andactress, members of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats led by House Majority Leader Martin KatipunanLAKAS and C.P. Garcia Avenues in Quezon NEWS A3 has said the outbreak was “controllable and curable” action”―apparently referring thewas on Romualdez pose during the lunch meeting of the party at the House of Representatives.

Romualdez Two motorcycle-riding mento who her way to(center) a taping, andfor herposterity two companions were despite the global panic it has seeded. party alwaysincident. be a partner of the administration to ensure the swift passage of President Duterte’s legislative agenda. Ver Noveno Nextunharmed page Next page in thewill shooting Manny Palmero

Actress Kim Chiu's van shot at in QC

Virus control efforts working—China

A2

News

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

PH, US troops to forge ahead with war games THIS year’s Balikatan exercises between Philippine and US troops will push through despite the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement, the military said Wednesday.

Armed Forces spokesman Edgard Arevalo said the Balikatan exercises will take place in May, noting that it is within the 180-day period that the VFA would still be in effect.

“It will push through as scheduled,” Arevalo said.

“Walang mababawas sa original na plano ng number of attendees unless sa last minute may magsasabi na magbabago.”

Arevalo said 10,875 contingents from the Philippines and other countries will participate in the exercises.

Of that number, 4,302 soldiers will come from the AFP, 6,529 from the US forces and 44 others from Australia, Arevalo said.

President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered the termination of the VFA following the cancellation of the US visa of his ally, Senator Ronald dela Rosa.

The AFP has been saying that the Philippine military will survive without assistance from its US counterparts as it can get aid from other countries.

“May tulong tayo na na-establish sa ibang bansa... hindi po mahirap na mabigyan tayo ng tulong, Arevalo said.

WorldBank...

From A1

assist countries coping with the health and economic impact of the global outbreak.

In a statement, the World Bank said this financing was designed to help member countries take effective action to respond to and, where possible, reduce the harmful effects posed by the COVID-19.

The Manila-based Asian Development Bank earlier approved $2 million to help Asia-Pacific developing countries contain the COVID-19 outbreak and improve resilience against other communicable diseases.

On Tuesday, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a forum in Makati City that the country’s economic outlook remained bright despite the threats posed by COVID-19, most especially to the tourism industry, which is one of the pillars of strength of the economy.

Last week, Diokno said BSP was not ruling out the possibility of having bigger cuts in interest rates this year to counter the impact of the disease and to boost economic growth.

Diokno before the end of 2019 has committed to a 50-basis-point cut in interest rate in 2020. The Monetary Board last Feb. 6, 2020 had already cut the policy rate by 25 basis points to 3.75 percent.

More cuts are expected in the succeeding meetings.

The government earlier projected a 6.5 to 7.5 percent growth in gross domestic product this year. Dominguez in a Senate hearing said the government was sticking to this target despite the threats of the coronavirus disease.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Wednesday his department is seeking some P2 billion in funds to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as medical supplies are rapidly depleting globally.

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved a proposed supplemental budget but this still needs the approval of Congress, Duque said.

Duque on Wednesday said the InterAgency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) opted to relax the travel restrictions on South Korea as dependents of permanent residents of this country and Hong Kong, Macau are now exempted from the travel ban.

Actress...

From A1

fired at least six times into Chiu’s black Hyundai van while traversing the corner of Katipunan Avenue and C.P. Garcia Avenue.

The gunmen, both wearing black helmets, fled toward Commonwealth Avenue through Katipunan Avenue, investigators said.

ABS-CBN talent Chiu was on her way to the taping of a drama, “Love Thy Woman,” when the suspects attacked.

Despite the incident, the actress decided to push through with her scheduled work.

Upon investigation, Taperla said they first did not know they were the targets of the suspects.

In an Instagram message, Chiu said she was asleep inside her van when they were shot.

“Yes I am safe. I’m OK and my P.A. and my driver as well,” she wrote.

“Papa Jesus protected us. I don’t really have an idea what really happened, mistaken identity? I guess? Napag-tripan?

This is a bad joke,” Chiu added.

The actress said she has no known enemy in the showbiz industry and in her personal life, and that she has not aggrieved anyone. Rio N. Araja

Gordon slams unsolved slays

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

“If we are shown in America, they will laugh at us. If we are in London, we will be laughed at. You cannot solve cases. I am not trying to insult you but if I were a professional in investigating crimes, I will not stop until it is solved,” Gordon told police officers present during the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee hearing on the Good Conduct Time Allowance.

“Have we created a culture of complacency, a culture of helplessness?” Gordon said.

He said the the unsolved killings, the latest involving the ambush-slay of Bureau of Corrections’ suspended legal division chief Fredric Anthony Santos, indicated a culture of inefficiency.

“This shows a lack of passion,” said Gordon who aired his dismay over the

failure to solve the killing that happened within the prison area and involved motorcycle-riding gunmen.

He also voiced his “utter disgust for the system. He said the police and other law enforcers should serve the public with respect and efficiency.

Santos was gunned down on Feb. 19 near his daughter’s school, also near the Muntinlupa penitentiary.

But it was established in the hearing that the authorities were yet to have access to the dash camera inside Santos’ vehicle, which remained in the custody of SOCO. It was also discovered that the CCTV camera installed near the vicinity of the killing was not working.

Gordon said Santos should “not just be another statistic” in the deaths of BuCor personnel.

He said he was baffled about the un-

‘Stop House...

him.

Velasco has denied the accusations.

At the same time, Cayetano said he respects the sentiment of the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, which denounced his decision to remove Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab as chairman of the House appropriations committee, citing their “untenable working relationship.”

Ungab was “no longer productive,” Cayetano said.

HNP is led by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the President’s outspo-

ken daughter.

Cayetano also urged Velasco to vow that upon his assumption as Speaker, there would be no changing of the guard.

At the start of the current Congress, Cayetano and Velasco were the strongest rivals for the speakership, and it took Duterte to broker an agreement under which Cayetano was supposed to sit for the first 15 months and Velasco for the remaining 21 months.

Villafuerte lamented the fact that when he echoed Cayetano’s revelation about the alleged ouster plot, support-

ers of Velasco, specifically Mindoro Rep. Doy Leachon, took his statements against him.

On Monday, Leachon was removed as chairman of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal. He was replaced by Kabayan Party-list Rep. Ron Salo, who chaired the House public information committee.

Ungab, a known ally of Mayor Sara Duterte, was removed as chairman of the House committee on appropriations, and replaced by ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Eric Go Yap.

“We have a report that one individual was able to bring in huge amounts 45 times. That is what I call done with impunity,” the senator said.

Gordon warned that money laundering is a threat to national security because it can be used to fund organized crimes, destabilize governments and erode the integrity of the nation’s financial institutions.

“This is very alarming. We don’t know were the money comes from and where it will go, and we’re not monitoring who these people are,” he said.

He said the funds could allow syndicates to thrive and perpetuate criminality.

In extreme cases, it can be used to fund armies or finance a coup’d’etat.

“It is also a threat to our economy because it can cause artificial inflation. Often... dirty money is used to purchase real properties which will cause the value or price of these properties to increase by creating the illusion of a demand when there is none,” he said.

“It causes a decrease in productive employment by causing businesses to fail, hence workers lose their jobs,” Gordon added.

But Justice Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said that AMLC has been looking into the money laundering activities allegedly perpetrated by Chinese nationals, even though it has not yet filed any complaint.

“We’ve… coordinated with the AMLC to make sure that the matter is looked into and if there are appropriate complaints... that need to be pursued, we have told them that we are ready to help them pursue these cases,” Sugay said.

The DOJ official said, however, that his department cannot conduct investigations on its own into alleged money laundering without a complaint.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Wednesday slammed the concerned government agencies’ inaction

over the funneling of at least $370 million of suspected dirty money by some Chinese nationals into the country.

Barbers, chairman of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said the AntiMoney Laundering Council, the Bureau of Customs, the Department of Finance, the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, among other concerned agencies, appear tightlipped and helpless on how to resolve this issue.

“Worse, officials of these agencies knew the persons or personalities involved—the “Chinese Group” and the “Rodriguez Group”—and operatives of these syndicates are being escorted by police and military personnel in their very suspicious activities here,” he said.

Barbers said the sneaking in of huge amounts of suspected dirty money was being carried out “in your face” by unscrupulous Chinese nationals in the country’s airports without the authorities conducting deep background checks on these individuals.

At the same time, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo denied allegations that soldiers were providing security to money launderers.

At the Kapihan sa Manila Bay press forum, Arevalo said the involved personnel could be retired military servicemen working in private security agencies.

Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros said the President should speak against the ills brought about by the influx of POGOs. The Palace said the President could suspend the operations of Chinese offshore gaming hubs operating in the country if there are enough complaints that merit such action.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said those gaming hubs might suffer the same fate of lotto operations, which were also shut down by the President due

to alleged irregularities.

“The President, remember, has suspended the operations of lotteries when he received certain complaints of anomalies. That’s very much the same. If there is gravity in the complaints, the President will do something about it,” Panelo told Palace reporters.

The Palace official also said that Chinese gaming hubs are not enjoying “blanket protection” from the administration.

“Nobody is enjoying blanket protection. There are no sacred cows regardless of who they are, even if they are Filipinos,” Panelo said.

He also said the Chief Executive will evaluate the proposed measures to prohibit gaming hubs from operating in the Philippines.

On Tuesday night, President Rodrigo Duterte said in a speech that he has been finalizing a list of Bureau of Immigration officials he will dismiss for their alleged involvement in the “pastillas” bribery scheme which involves Chinese nationals working for POGOs. The list would be released by the President “sooner than we think” and those on it will face anti-graft charges, Panelo said.

The President also expressed frustration that some of the officials on his list were his fraternity brothers from the San Beda University-based Lex Talionis Fraternitas.

“I don’t like it because some of them I know personally. But some of them are my brods. Others were with me in ‘88 when I first ran for the mayorship, that was ‘88, ’98,” he said.

President Duterte earlier ordered the relief of around 19 BI personnel who were allegedly involved in the bribery scheme.

Amid the controversy, Panelo said President Duterte has given Commissioner Jaime Morente the space to improve the situation in his bureau.

House...

pired,” he said.

Cayetano said that during the first House meeting, officials of the ABSCBN and its management will not be invited yet as the committee will have to lay the ground rules first. “We do not want it to be a circus. We do not want the hearing to be a bull session.”

He said the next hearing will be scheduled either on May or when the second regular session of the 18th Congress opens in July where the ABS-CBN management’s side will be heard.

Cayetano stressed inviting both those for and against the ABS-CBN franchise renewal in one hearing would only result to a “word war.”

Last month, Alvarez’s panel urged parties concerned to submit position papers for or against the renewal of the ABSCBN franchise. The ABS-CBN Corporation’s franchise to operate will expire in May 4.

Meanwhile, labor group Defend Jobs Philippines on Wednesday urged the House to hasten its hearing on ABSCBN’s renewal.

“If the Congress was able to railroad and fast-track bills which it considers priorities, then House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano must exceed extra efforts to pass the bill seeking renewal of the legislative franchise bill of ABS-CBN before the scheduled House session break on March 12,” said DJP spokesperson Thadeus Ifurung.

DJP urged the House leadership to resort to all legal remedies and processes on how to grant a fresh 25-year new legislative franchise for the media network for the benefit of its 11,000 workers.

It stated that Cayetano must have the political will to approve the legislative franchise of ABS-CBN as “the time is ticking fast” for Congress to act on the pending bills in their chamber.

S

ENATOR Richard Gordon on Wednesday slammed law enforcers for the unsolved killings since 2011 of 16 New Bilibid Prisons inmates, the majority of which were masterminded by “money and influential” prisoners of the national penitentiary.

From A1

“I remain committed to what the President says. I remain true to my commitment,” Cayetano said at a news conference, saying that the plot to oust him was useless since Velasco would simply have to wait his turn.

Cayetano last week accused Velasco of trying to unseat him by promising committee chairmanships and budget allocations to lawmakers who would join

China...

From A1

is investigating Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators and their involvement in illegal activities.

Gordon stopped short of saying the government condoned the abuses being tied to the POGOs, but said there was an apparent hesitance, particularly on the part of the Anti-Money Laundering Council, to call out their money laundering activities.

“I think there’s a patina of doubt because the President is close to China, there might be secret negotiations on this matter... maybe there is a deal that we do not know about,” Gordon said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“Tolerance is tolerance. Take it for what the word means. You don’t order an arrest so there’s tolerance. Customs reported to you and AMLC did not act,” Gordon said.

He also said there is a failure in the existing foreign policies. “Yes, and it’s not the fault of the Foreign secretary,” he said.

Gordon said the suspiciously large amount of foreign currency, $470 million brought in by 47 individuals from September 2019 to February 2020 alone, all without being flagged—was a sign that the authorities were tolerating money laundering.

POGOs are required to report suspicious transactions to the AMLC to prevent the growing online casino industry, catering mainly to Chinese players, from becoming a conduit for money laundering.

“It appears that the relevant authorities chose to turn a blind eye to the nefarious activities that come with the prevalence of POGO in our country in exchange for a few billions in tax revenue, or perhaps because of pastillas or any other form it may take,” he said, referring to a bribery syndicate that eased the entry of Chinese nationals for a fee.

Duterte...

From A1

United Nations Human Rights Council.

In August 2019, the Philippines suspended negotiations and signing of loans with Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Iceland, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Uruguay.

The resolution drew the ire of President Duterte, who publicly mocked those countries and mulled cutting diplomatic ties with it.

“Please be informed that such directive is hereby lifted, effective immediately,” said the memorandum.

“It is understood, however, that all necessary approvals, authorities and clearances, as required by relevant laws, rules, and regulations should first be obtained prior to actual negotiations and conclusions of any agreement,” Medialdea added.

The Iceland-proposed resolution asked the UN rights body, among others, to prepare a comprehensive report on the killings in the Philippines amid the government’s anti-narcotics crackdown.

Malacañang had strongly condemned the UNHRC resolution for being “grotesquely one-sided, outrageously narrow, and maliciously partisan.”

Some signatories are members of the European Union, one of the Philippines’ largest sources of official development assistance.

Out of the UNHRC’s 47 member-countries, 14 states have opposed the resolution including China and Saudi Arabia, while 15 countries abstained such as Japan, South Africa, Brazil, and Pakistan.

Duterte launched his anti-drug campaign in 2016, and since then police say they have killed over 5,500 drug suspects.

However, human rights groups say the true toll is four times that number.

Meanwhile, an unscheduled inspection at the Correctional Institution for Women on Wednesday discovered cash in possession of two inmates, one of them convicted Chinese-Filipino drug queen Yu Yuk Lai, according to Chino Gaston’s report on Balitanghali, beamed nationwide.

Personnel from the Bureau of Corrections confiscated P91,000 from Yu Yuk Lai and P150,000 from another Chinese inmate.

Under BuCor rules, inmates are only allowed to have P2,000 cash on hand inside the cell, except in cases where they need huge amounts of money to cover legal expenses.

Yu Yuk Lai denied that the money was obtained through illegal transactions and said the cash was intended for her fellow inmates who needed financial assistance.

At the same time, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Archie Gamboa on Tuesday said the result of the adjudication process on the police officers allegedly involved in illegal drugs will be submitted first to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on March 9.

“We will submit that after a month so that’s March 7. [It’s actually done but the problem is] they have to prepare. It’s a very tedious process that they have to prepare resolutions for each and every single person. We are asking that it will be submitted probably March 9 and what I am planning to do is I have to present it to the [Interior Secretary Año] first before I will present it to the President Rodrigo Duterte,” Gamboa told reporters during a press conference at Camp Crame.

From A1

franchise of the broadcast network that is pending at the committee is being heard, and that the committee is hearing on these bills and so its operations will not be shut off,” Cayetano said.

This developed as the Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution “expressing the sense of the Senate” to allow media giant ABS-CBN Corp. and its subsidiaries to operate beyond the expiration of its franchise on May 4, 2020—the day when Congress resumes its session.

Senate Resolution 6, filed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Feb. 26, expresses the sense of the Senate that ABS-CBN “should continue to operate pending final determination of the renewal of its franchise by the 18th Congress.”

The resolution, in consideration with Senate Resolutions 7, 8 and 344 filed by “almost all” senators, was adopted without any objection from among those present in plenary.

The resolution can be used as basis by the National Telecommunications Commission to grant ABS-CBN a provisional authority to continue its broadcast operations after the franchise expires.

While the resolution tells the NTC “to allow” ABS-CBN Corp and its 2 sister companies, ABS-CBN Convergence and SkyCable, to operate while Congress is deliberating on the companies’ franchise renewal bids, Drilon emphasized that it does not effectively extend the companies’ franchises.

“We are not extending the franchise.

We are just reiterating what happened in the past where NTC allowed others to operate even if their franchise was ex-

solved cases when the masterminds were just inside Bilibid.

Pressed on who should take the initiative to compel law enforcers to act on the case, Gordon said the justice secretary should be the first person to react along with the BuCor director.

He said he wanted to see a summary of what had been done on the unsolved cases.

“We cannot close the book. Otherwise we will keep repeating that you do not solve anything,” he said.

He also expressed disappointment over the absence of BuCor chief Gerald Bantag in the Senate hearing, noting that it concerned his personnel.

Senator Ronald dela Rosa, former BuCor director and PNP director, renewed his stand for the re-imposition of the death penalty to serve as a deterrent to the killing of the bureau’s personnel.

News

A3

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Gov’t urged to explain drop in drug-related deaths

By Joel E. Zurbano

F

ORMER vice president and human rights lawyer Jejomar Binay on Wednesday urged the government to explain and justify its decision to revise the number of drug-related deaths in the country.

According to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the number of deaths in the country dropped to 5,601 from the previous 6,601. It said that the revision was intended to correct discrepancies in the figures submitted by agencies involved in anti-drug operations.

Recent reports showed that a total of 5,601 people were killed in police drug-related operations from July 2016

to January 2020 in connection with the government’s crackdown against suspected drug dealers.

PDEA chief Aaron Aquino admitted that there were discrepancies in the drug war data released by officials due to improper accounting procedures.

The number is significantly lower than the figures released by the Philippine National Police in July 2019.

Binay said a more acceptable reason

must be presented “rather than a socalled discrepancy in figures to justify the downward revision of the number of persons killed in anti-drug operations.”

“Otherwise, they will be open to allegations of manipulating data to downplay the extent of drug-related killings,” said Binay, who also serves as adviser of the human rights lawyers’ group Artikulo Tres.

The former vice president noted that while the intensity of the killings have subsided, “they do occur on a regular basis based on media reports.”

Binay asked PDEA, the Philippine National Police and other concerned government and law enforcement agencies to provide regular updates on the number of cases filed against policemen for their alleged involvement in summary killings

of drug suspects. He said these agencies should also give updates on the status of those cases.

“This is to assure the public that the leadership of these government agencies, particularly the PNP, are seriously pursuing the cleansing of their ranks and inculcating respect for the rule of law and human rights within their ranks,” he said.

When he assumed the leadership of the nation’s police force in January, PNP chief Archie Gamboa promised a “cleansing” of the ranks following the involvement of ranking police officers in the so-called ninja cops controversy.

He also said he wants all policemen to follow the rule of law and due process, and respect human rights in the conduct of operations.

NCRPO files criminal cases vs. Greenhills hostage taker POLICE on Wednesday filed criminal charges against Alchie Paray, the former security guard who held hostage at least 30 people inside a popular shopping mall in San Juan City.

Charges of serious illegal detention, frustrated murder, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, and illegal possession of explosive and incendiary device were filed against Paray before the San Juan City prosecutors office.

Paray, who is now detained at the San Juan city police station, was responsible in the shooting of fellow security guard Ronald Velita and holding hostage at least 30 employees at the Greenhills Shopping Center inside the mall’s administration office for 10 hours last Monday.

Paray claimed that he shot and wounded Velita and held hostage the mall workers to air his grievances and expose what he described as anomalies and unfair treatment in the security agency he was working.

Reports also showed that Paray was offered P1 million by his superiors but he refused to accept it, saying he just want to voice out his displeasure on the malpractice of security officers at the mall.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila police director Debold Sinas clarified a controversial video footage showing a policeman (not wearing a uniform) who tried to pull out something from his pocket when authorities were trying to pin down Paray following his 20-minute conversation with members of the media.

Sinas said the policeman was just pulling out a handcuff from his pocket.

“He pulled out his handcuff and tried to give it to the arresting officers. It was his intuition to lend a hand to his fellow police officers who were apprehending the resistant suspect,” Sinas said.

Sinas issued the statement released by the National Capital Region Police Office after the video caught the attention of concerned netizens. He urged the public not to be misled and misinformed on the incident.

Joel E. Zurbano

PROMOTED. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte pins the rank insignia on newly promoted Brigadier General George Blanco during the donning of ranks ceremony at the Malacañan Palace on March 3, 2020. Presidential Photo

House leader to probe delay in vehicle emission tests

By Maricel V. Cruz A LEADER of the House of Representatives on Wednesday is seeking a congressional inquiry into what he described as unconscionable delay in the smoke emission testing of motor vehicles before they are registered with the Land Transportation Office.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City’s second district filed House Resolution 742 in response to complaints reaching his office about delays of up to two weeks due to the lack of emission testing centers accredited by the Department of Transportation and the LTO. What is worse is that if a car owner fails to register his vehicle with the LTO on time due to the delay, the LTO collects a penalty for late registration that

is not entirely the owner’s fault, said Rodriguez, chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments.

“The DOTr and the LTO are penalizing car owners for these agencies’ failure to accredit a sufficient number of emission test centers that are easily accessible to the public that they should serve,” he said.

Rodriguez cited as an example Cagayan de Oro City, where “complaints have been filing up because what is happening is that owners of motor vehicles have to line up very early in the morning for four-five hours in order to get a number.”

“After getting their numbers, they wait for them to be called for an appointment for their emission test, which is at least two weeks away. This results in the owners having to pay penalties for late regis-

tration of their vehicles,” he said.

In some instances, Rodriguez said accredited test centers are located far from the place of residence or work of car owners, who are forced to travel long distances to comply with the smoke check requirement.

He pointed out that under Republic Act 8749, or the Philippine Clear Air Act of 1999, the DOTr is mandated to implement emission standards for motor vehicles and to set up or authorize a sufficient number of smoke test facilities.

“As a result of the law, private emission testing centers (PETCs) were put up. However, the DOTr has been shutting down PETCs for violating the law and falsifying test results, allowing car owners to still register their vehicles even if their vehicles fail to pass the emission standards,” he said.

Imee to ask Du30 to parcel military lands to displaced Marawi City residents

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

BROKEN PIPE. Residents of Barangay Mapulang Lupa in Valenzuela City

individually fetch water from a broken pipe of Maynilad, which resulted to the loss of water in several households in the area. Andrew Rabulan

SENATOR Imee Marcos on Wednesday said she will appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to give up part of a military reservation area in Marawi to hasten the return of the city’s internally displaced persons (IDPs) rendered homeless during the 2017 terrorist siege.

President Duterte, and members of the Special Senate Committee on Marawi City Rehabilitation is set to hold a closedoor meeting in Malacañang together with representatives of IDPs. “Presidente Duterte can do this under Administrative Code so the Maranaos can already go home and start a new life,” Marcos said.

Marcos said that the Mindanao State University, where IDPs converged Feb.

21 to air their grievances to the Senate special committee, stands on land once belonging to the military.

Land titling issues continue to delay the return of IDPs and the reconstruction of their homes in Marawi, after almost two and a half years since a five-month terrorist siege on the city ended in October 2017.

“How can Marawi residents return to their houses if they were being asked to come up with many documents aside from the fact that until now, there are no facilities for water and electricity? “ she asked.

Less than half of Marawi’s long-time residents hold land titles and other legal documents proving property ownership, which are required by the city government for them to visit and rebuild their homes.

Bid to include drivers’ drug history in licenses junked

By Rio N. Araja THE Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday rejected the proposal of Senators Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Francis Tolentino to include the history of drug offense in the driver’s license after going through treatment and rehabilitation.

The agency believes such proposal could do more harm than good.

In an official statement, the agency’s lawyer-spokesperson, Jacqueline Ann

de Guia, said that “the underlying assumption behind disclosing criminal offenses is that it is an effective measure to promote public safety by, in this case, allowing driver’s licenses to bear records of illegal drug use.”

“However, such proposal unfairly discriminates, especially for those who have fully rehabilitated and turned their backs on the use of dangerous drugs and other similar substances after undergoing proper interventions,” she added.

The proposal, if passed, would only deprive drug offenders accessing opportunities for employment and to be a productive member of the society, or “worse, possibly pushing them back to drug use and sale again,” “instead of allowing them to fully reintegrate.”

At the same time, it must be noted that not everyone who is undergoing or underwent rehabilitation was a result of a criminal offense. It seems to be a punishment for all those who voluntarily submitted themselves for treatment to

always bear that mark for simply wanting to be better,” De Guia said.

She cited Republic Act No. 10586 or the Anti-Drunk and Drugged Driving Act of 2013 “already” penalizing acts of driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous drugs and other intoxicating substances.

“This law already recognizes the importance of protecting the people from accidents and violence that may arise from drunk or drugged driving,” she said.

US Fed...

From A1

The vast majority of cases have been in China, but South Korea, Italy and Iran have also emerged as hot spots. The virus has also spread into Latin America and Africa, raising fears it could become established in conflict-hit countries with weak health infrastructure.

The World Bank unveiled a $12 billion aid package on Tuesday to help the world’s poorest nations with medical equipment or health services.

Global bourses have seen dramatic swings over the past week as concerns mount that the outbreak could threaten global growth and drive some countries in to a recession.

In a unanimous decision, the Fed’s policy-setting committee slashed its key interest rate by a half point to a range of 1.0-1.25 percent―the first between-meeting cut since the height of the global 2008 financial crisis.

“My colleagues and I took this action to help the US economy keep strong in the face of new risks to the economic outlook,” Fed Chairman Jerome Powell told reporters.

But the immediate impact seemed the opposite of what was intended: Investors fled to safe assets, sending the 10-year Treasury yield to its lowest ever return while stocks lost most of the ground recovered Monday.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished nearly three percent lower, though European stocks and oil markets were higher but off the day’s best levels.

Financial jitters followed a dire warning from the World Health Organization’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who said on Monday: “We are in uncharted territory.”

He added that “we have never before seen a respiratory pathogen that is capable of community transmission, but which can also be contained with the right measures.”

Countries across the world have imposed extraordinary measures in a bid to contain the virus, with millions of people across large swathes of China forced into quarantine.

Italy has also locked in entire regions, while many nations have imposed travel restrictions on visitors from badly hit countries.

Sports events, concerts and large gatherings have been canceled, including Google’s annual developer conference, one of its most important events, which was to be held in May. The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday it was pushing ahead with plans for the Tokyo Olympics kicking off in July. AFP

‘Super Tuesday’...

From A1

who wants to reshape America’s economy, Sanders had been the clear leader and was looking for a knockout blow on a day when nomination contests were held across 14 states.

Instead, the results signaled a remarkable comeback for Biden, a former vice president under Barack Obama, who will be vying once again for that front runner status.

“It’s a good night and it seems to be getting even better! They don’t call it Super Tuesday for nothing,” Biden told cheering fans in Los Angeles.

Sanders, 78, was projected to win his home state of Vermont, Colorado, Utah―with exit polls also pointing to a win in the biggest delegate-rich state of all, California.

Biden, whose centrist campaign had appeared to be floundering, was projected to win in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Arkansas and even Minnesota―a state where Sanders had been expected to win handily.

In Texas, where Sanders had also been polling ahead, Biden appeared set for an even split―or even a win.

A defiant, Sanders celebrated his wins by tearing into Trump, calling him “the most dangerous president in the history of this country.” But he also attacked Biden, 77, for having voted in favor of the invasion of Iraq and painted him as tarnished by billionaire contributors.

“We’re taking on the political establishment,” he said. “You cannot beat Trump with the same-old, sameold kind of politics.”

Biden saw the results as proof that his bid to bring American politics back to the center, after four years of Trump’s right-wing populism, is on a roll. AFP

A4

Opinion

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

A need for drastic action SANTA Banana, in the wake of what is happening in the country—the influx of some 800,000 Chinese in the guise of tourism, resulting crimes committed here by the Chinese against their compatriots, and the corruption of Immigration officials who facilitate their entry—why does President Rodrigo Duterte appear complacent and unmindful?

Why does the President appear so cool about what is happening?

It’s quite obvious that the illegal entry of workers of Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators is being done by Chinese syndicates in connivance with corrupt Philippine officials, even members of the police and the military, my gulay!

Syndicates from mainland China have made our country their playground. Crime is one thing. It is also an issue of national security. Imagine, some of the suspects in a killing were found to possess IDs from the People’s Liberation Army. Have we heard anything from the Department of Defense? No! There is also the reported entry of an estimated $370 million, snuck into our borders by two syndicates known only as The Rodriguez Group and Chinese Group.

The Customs chief himself said that backtracking and monitoring activities showed that the Rodriguez Group smuggled some P10.18 billion through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The Chinese Group brought in some P8.54 billion.

If Customs Chief Rey Leonardo Guerrero had known about this since last year, why wasn’t the Anti-Money Laundering Council informed? This is sheer negligence, considering the impact of all smuggled foreign currency on national security.

This is why I wrote last Tuesday that I am alarmed over what is happening in our country—even if our President appears cool with it. I lament the fact that the government has done nothing. I would like to ask Mr. Duterte, is all the money we are getting all worth it?

Why are we so in love with POGOs? *** Another thing that President Duterte should be concerned about is the impact of COVID-19 on our national economy.

World economies are reeling from the virus scare. Many industries and businesses are suffering.

Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia himself said that annual GDP growth could be cut by one percentage point. And what is the Duterte administration doing to address this? Sadly, I do not see anything.

From the looks of it, the Duterte administration is just folding its arms waiting for the worst to happen. I hope I am wrong, Mr. President. *** The pastillas racket resorted to by Immigration officials and personnel

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

Shirking responsibility T

HE Senate this week voted in favor of a resolution asking the Supreme Court to rule on whether or not the President needs Senate concurrence to abrogate a treaty.

The resolution, filed by Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, was passed by a majority of 12 senators, while seven administration allies abstained.

The impetus for the resolution was President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat in January to abrogate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States, after the US canceled the visa of one of his allies, Senator Ronald dela Rosa, presumably over his role in the government’s bloody war on drugs when he was still national police chief.

Ignoring calls from the Senate to reconsider his decision, the President ordered Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to send the US formal notice of the VFA’s termination on Feb. 11, setting in motion a countdown of 180 days until the agreement expires.

Throughout this process, the Palace and the President’s allies have insisted that he was acting well within his rights as the chief architect of foreign policy to terminate the agreement without going through the Senate, which had ratified the VFA in 1999.

A contrary view suggests that agreements that require Senate approval for ratification, by implication, also need the same for termination.

The Senate resolution would ask the Supreme Court, the final arbiter of the law, to settle this question once and for all.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said the vote was not an affront to the President but rather “purely a question of law”—but it was clearly a rare show of legislative independence.

Those who voted for the resolution were Sotto; Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto; Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri; Drilon; and Senators Francis Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Panfilo Lacson, Joel Villanueva, Juan Edgardo Angara, Nancy Binay, Richard Gordon and Lito Lapid.

Seven administration allies, Senators Christopher Go, Dela Rosa, Aquilino Pimentel III, Imee Marcos, Ramon Revilla Jr., Francis Tolentino and Cynthia Villar, abstained.

Two senators, Manny Pacquiao and Pia Cayetano, were not allowed to cast their vote after both arrived late after the voting was held. Their votes, however, would not have changed the outcome.

Drilon later expressed disappointment that they could not get a unanimous vote on such a simple question—while Dela Rosa said it

was sad that the majority bloc was unable to get the majority vote.

Sotto, for his part, said several of the administration allies—whom he did not name—abstained because they didn’t want to offend the President.

Pimentel and Marcos said they abstained due to "lack of information" on the resolution that would be filed before the Supreme Court, while Dela Rosa and Tolentino said there was no need to go to the Court to determine the Senate's role in the cancellation of treaties as the Constitution is "very clear" about it. Go said he abstained because "there are pending cases before the Supreme Court" on similar matters, while Villar and Revilla did not explain their abstentions.

The explanations were as unconvincing as their votes were timid.

How difficult, after all, would it be to obtain more information about the resolution from one of their colleagues? And if some of the President’s allies truly believed the Constitution was clear, why did they not vote “no,” instead of abstaining?

The senators who abstained for fear of offending the President shirked their responsibility as senators to serve the people in an independent branch of government.

After all, they swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not any one person.

Turn to A5

Maintaining vigilance against COVID-19 SINCE its outbreak, the new coronavirus has caused fatalities in 3,000 individuals worldwide. The virus continues to spread as cases rise in South Korea, United States, and European States, the total number of confirmed cases globally reaching almost 90,000. The World Health Organization (WHO) identified the Philippines as one of the countries able to contain the spread of the virus. Since January this year, there have only been three confirmed cases in the country—one died and the other two recovered.

More than six hundred individuals have been investigated by the Department of Health (DOH). So far, no local transmission has been recorded. ` The recognition by the WHO signifies that the infection can be prevented and its spread contained. More than that, this reflects the prompt and effective response of the government, particularly the Department of Health.

Initially tagged as ill-prepared, the government showed otherwise by implementing timely measures that suppressed the spread of this highly communicable disease. At the onset of the outbreak, panic ensued due to the contagious nature of this respiratory disease. There was a shortage of face masks as the outbreak coincided with the Taal eruption. The DOH immediately issued medical bulletins as to the recommended personal protective equipment and health precautions.

The Department also tracked down right away those who have been in contact with suspected and confirmed cases, and those who came from China and other countries afflicted by COVID-19. Public hospitals have been prepared for the confinement of patients and the department has religiously monitored suspected cases.

In Quezon, there were 71 individuals placed under investigation, 66 of which have already been out of

the mandatory quarantine, while the remaining five are still under home quarantine. There are no confirmed cases in the province.

The collective efforts of the people, the national and local health departments, and health workers are sincerely recognized. I thank our health workers and health officials for their hard work that earned the recognition of the WHO. The public’s cooperation, increased health awareness and voluntary reporting of possible infection also helped mitigate the threat of disease in the country. Without the public’s sense of community and obligation, it would be difficult to manage the crisis.

Hydrate, get enough rest, maintain a healthy diet, exercise, take vitamins C and D, and minimize stress.

Despite the low prevalence in the country, we have to brace for the effects of this pandemic, not only in terms of health, but also in tourism and economic growth. Travel bans have been issued by many countries against those with confirmed cases which are foreseen to pose a negative impact on tourism. The President has been careful in enforcing travel restrictions despite the COVID-19 outbreak.

Vigilance, therefore, is highly advised. We must maintain proper hygiene at all times. The best offense is defense. Hydrate, get enough rest, maintain a healthy diet, exercise, take vitamins C and D, and minimize stress—these are the standards in maintaining strong immune systems.

Those who are immunocompromised should avoid crowds and crowded places. We cannot be remiss in maintaining precautionary measures, until the threat of this virus abates.

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

Talking about a menstrual revolution: Asia’s period problems

By Liz Thomas OLIVIA Cotes-James wants us to talk about menstrual health.

Properly.

No more euphemisms, no more opaque marketing, no more superstitions, and no glossing over cramps, bleeding, or pain: Reframing current attitudes is vital for female empowerment and health, as well as the

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

environment, says the 29-year-old founder of LUÜNA Naturals, which hails itself as Asia's first period care company with an all-female leadership team.

She is not alone in wanting to change the conversation: Last year the UN warned that taboos around menstrual health were "disempowering" women worldwide, calling for action to end it.

"Period stigma is the biggest barrier to the global advancement of women," agrees Cotes-James, adding: "Periods can still cause us to feel dirty, ashamed and frustrated. If menstrual taboos persist and society continues to devalue our fundamental female biology, what hopes do we have of ever being seen as equal?"

On average women will spend up Turn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher 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 Dirty money THE activities of some Chinese nationals in the country should start to worry government leaders. In one murder incident, identification cards belonging to the People’s Liberation Army were left at the crime scene, prompting some senators to call for an investigation. This was followed by the revelation of Senator Richard Gordon that some Filipino and Chinese groups are bringing into the country hard currency in the hundreds of millions of dollars beginning late last year to February of this year. The amount as of yesterday has already reached $470 million.

Who are these groups bringing in the hard foreign currency? specula As a result, there is a lot of speculation that the money is illegal or being laundered here. The plot is therefore thickening. For the government, it is the legislative branch led by the Senate that seems to be taking the situation more seriously. The Executive branch did start looking into it but the effort has not been aggressive enough which is understandable considering the legality or illegality of the money brought in.

Money laundering simply is the process of converting money obtained illegally to become legal. For instance, if the money comes from the proceeds of a crime enters our banking system, then it could be said that the money has been laundered.

In the case of these millions of dollars entering the country, there are procedures for these as contained in the Anti-Money Laundering Law. Most countries including our own allow the entry of hard currency regardless of amount so long as it is declared with the Customs upon arrival.

The threshold is $10,000. Any excess amount must be declared.

Once this is done, that money can now enter our financial system legally and could be tracked. The amount declared could also be brought out.

This is perhaps why as far as the executive is concerned, the response has been subdued. In fact, so long as the money is used to buy real estate, start a business or deposited in our banks, the government will probably do nothing.

Still, there are legitimate questions that should be asked. Who are these groups bringing in the hard foreign currency? Are they legitimate businessmen who have the capacity to be holding huge amounts of money?

Could they just be carriers? One thing that the government can do is coordinate with the authorities of Hong Kong and Singapore to determine why and how the money could easily be brought out of these places. This kind of activity falls under the purview of transnational crime.

The Philippine National Police and

Talking...

From A4

to eight years of their lives on their period, according to UNICEF. They are vital to the continuity of the human race, but myths and misconceptions still dominate worldwide.

The arrival of menstrual cups, period underwear, which can remove the need for products entirely, and apps that track your cycle have led to a new culture of openness in a generation keen to verbalize the long-hidden realities of the female experience and reproductive rights—from #MeToo and #ShoutYourAbortion, to miscarriage awareness campaign #Iamthe1in4 and #Trustaftertrauma, where women share their stories of obstetric violence.

Bloggers and vloggers lay bare the realities of how period products work on social media. There is even a period emoji in the pipeline.

Myths and misogyny Normalizing menstrual health can only be good for women's overall health, says Cotes-James, whose firm sells organic cotton pads, liners, and tampons, as well as medical grade silicone menstrual cups, but also works

National Bureu of Investigation have transnational investigative capability which they have been building up for some years. The two could start the leg work and gather data in preparation for a full blown investigation.

The government also has a Special Envoy for Transnational Crime who could start coordinating all government efforts. These agencies could start by looking into the activities of the people identified by Senator Richard Gordon. Do they have records of illegal activities? Most of them are apparently known to the Customs people.

Whatever it is, there is a need for thorough investigation of the case so that the authorities can get to the bottom of this. Some are even saying that the money could be used for espionage operation which at face value does not seem to be the case.

Espionage, after all, is normally a state-sponsored activity and involves more sophisticated operations. It is for also ordinarily done through the foreign embassies located in the Metro area. It could, of course, be industrial espionage but I cannot think of any important trade secret that we have that other countries do no already know. If it has something to do with military espionage, the people that ob Senator Gordon is referring to are obviously the Chinese who are all over the place and were the ones involved in the murder case.

Gordon also referred to some Chinese nationals using the identities of dead Filipinos with the connivance of corrupt officials. This in fact is not new. This practice has been going on for a long time. Although the government estimates that there are about 150,000 Chinese nationals currently working in many POGO companies, the actual number according more reliable figures is closer to 470,000.

Why the huge discrepancy in the figures? This is why the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation must be thorough. It would give the public a clearer picture of what is really going and what the government intends to do about it.

Yes, the Secretary of Finance was reported to have given instructions for a robust investigation, but what some might be waiting for is for the President to give the specific instructions. This is because it is through him that the Executive branch marches more forcefully. *** About two weeks ago, General Archie Gamboa, the Chief of the PNP, announced a program to go after socalled ghost pensioners. These are people who continue to receive pensions when they are no longer legally authorized to receive them.

From what I was reliably informed, there are about 92,000 police pensioners. Out of this number, only 42,000 of could be accounted for and about 50,000 could not. Now, there is a command-wide accounting of retired personnel to determine where they are or whether they are still alive or already dead. The trouble with this process is the difficulty of elderly pensioners who are being told to produce so many records when, in fact, service records are more complete in Camp Crame. To our active serving personnel, please try to find ways to make it easier for us retirees.

to help low income communities across Asia who don't have access to safe, hygienic products.

She explains: "Instead of seeing menstruation as a powerful indicator of well-being we are taught to shun it.

In doing so, we ignore vital signs of underlying health issues. For example, around 1 in 10 women have endometriosis, yet it still takes almost a decade on average to diagnose.

"A huge part of this is the fact that we don't pay attention to telltale signs like how much blood we lose every month, or dismiss painful menstrual symptoms as normal because society has led us to believe that they are."

Using a menstrual cup, could help women gauge if the amount of blood they lose falls within the normal range, she says, adding that open discussions about cramps, nausea, or pain, will help us understand whether there is an issue within our bodies.

In parts of Asia, the situation is even more complex for women as deeply ingrained cultural and religious beliefs often add another layer of restrictions on them.

In rural Nepal, women are still exiled to outhouses during their periods, despite the practice being illegal and resulting in deaths from

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Legislators pushing back on foreign policy power THE recent notification by the Philippine government of its desire to terminate the VFA (Visiting Forces Agreement) with the US has again brought to the fore a concept that is a major element of the separation of governmental powers under the presidential system of government. I am referring to the concept that diplomacy is the preserve of the Executive Department and that the President of the Philippines is the sole determinant of this country’s foreign policy.

Never have I accepted that concept. Neither did the framers of the Constitutions of 1935, 1973 and 1987, who required that a proposed treaty obtain the concurrence of twothirds of the members of the Senate.

Obviously, they believed that the making of a treaty—one of the principal products of diplomacy—was a function that could not be entrusted solely to the Executive Department, of which the President of the Philippines is the head. The saying that two or more heads are better than one, is more true in a matter as consequential and as sensitive as entering into a treaty.

The conduct of a nation’s diplomacy by its Chief Executive can happen under the best of circumstances—the Chief Executive is statesmanlike, enjoys a high level of public trust, is known for expertise in international relations, etc.—but bad results ensue when the contrary is the case. Clearly, a nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and its standing in the international community are denigrated when the Chief Executive, acting without benefit of good counsel, acts wantonly

and deliberately fails to act to protect the nation’s territorial and other interests. Then the evil that the Constitution’s authors sought to prevent with the Senate-concurrence provision becomes a reality.

A nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and its standing in the international community are denigrated when the Chief Executive, acting without benefit of good counsel, acts wantonly and deliberately fails to act to protect the nation’s territorial and other interests.

The contrast between the three-coequal-branches form of government and the parliamentary system of government becomes relevant in this regard. In the parliamentary form of government, the issue of Executive Department/Presidential preeminence in external relations does not arise because the Executive Department and

A need...

From A4

of the NAIA has taken a new twist with the testimony of columnist Ramon Tulfo, who claimed that former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre was the protector of the racket and that he was also getting part of the loot.

Tulfo said that Immigration Bureau whistleblower Allison Chiong revealed to him that when Aguirre was justice secretary, there was a money trip to Mulanay, Quezon— where Aguirre lived—via helicopter that contained the ex-secretary’s loot from the scheme. Aguirre has denied all the allegations.

The face-to-face confrontation of Tulfo and Aguirre at the next Senate hearing is something to look forward to!

According to records, millions came as tourists through the pastillas scheme.

Videos have shown that Immigration people often give special treatment to mainland Chinese who come here to work for POGOs, legal or illegal.

Aguirre is a fraternity brother of President Duterte at San Beda Law. I wonder how the President would act on these accusations.

In this connection, the fact that Aguirre appointed the deputy Immigration commissioner, Marc Red Mariñas, who also became Immigration’s port division chief, is another thing. Chiong has given Senator Risa Hontiveros a

exposure as well as sexual and animal attacks. In parts of South Asia, menstruating women are seen as unclean, spreading disease, and are forbidden from touching communal food, while across the region having a period renders people too impure to visit temples.

Period plastic pollution Even among tech-savvy professionals in city centers, myths persist—some fear using tampons is akin to a sex act, others believe virgins cannot use menstrual cups or believe they cannot swim or exercise during their period.

LUÜNA takes a multi-pronged approach to tackling this: With offices in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as London, the company hosts workshops, myth-busting meetups and frank discussions about period products, fertility, and menstrual health for women and men.

Its social impact arm, The LUÜNA Period Collective, collaborates with a network of local initiatives. For every cup sold, it donates one, but it also provides education in disadvantaged communities where poor sanitation, a lack of clean water, and restrictive cultural norms, add to the stigma.

the legislature are joined in one body, to wit, Parliament. The Chief Executive is an MP (member of Parliament), and so is the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. All the foreign-policy moves of the incumbent administration, including treaties, are presented to, and discussed by, Parliament, from their initiation; they are joint Executive-legislative exercises from the very start.

In the US, from which the Philippine Constitution derived its provisions on intra-government relations, lawmakers have been pushing back against the notion that the Executive Department—more specifically, the President—can conduct foreign policy without the advice and consent of Congress. The most recent expression of this resistance was the new law prohibiting President Donald Trump from taking further offensive actions against Iran without prior consultation with and approval by Congress. In effect, the US legislators told Donald Trump: “Mr. President, the conduct of our country’s foreign policy is not your responsibility solely; it is a responsibility that you share with us, the elected representatives of the American people.”

The Senate petition regarding the notice of abrogation of the VFA is the Philippine Congress’ counterpart of the US legislature’s push-back against the Trump administration’s claim of Executive Department monopoly of diplomatic policymaking authority. In effect, Senators Sotto, Drilon and their colleagues are telling Rodrigo Duterte: “Mr. President, the conduct of foreign relations is a joint responsibility of your administration and the Senate.”

video of Immigration personnel giving special treatment to the Chinese. Hontiveros questioned the fact that while Mariñas became POD chief, his father headed the special division on security.

And then there is the guard who declared a P9.9 million net worth in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth.

These and many other things happening at Immigration will soon be revealed. *** One of the most common complaints of businessmen seeking to register businesses in local governments is the high number of signatures required to open a business.

Just to open a shop, one must get the clearance of the barangay. And then you have to have a construction clearance when putting up a structure. There is another one for sanitation; another one for plumbing. After everything, they also need a mayor’s permit. Businessmen shell out a huge sum of money “for the boys”—if you know what I mean.

I am well aware of this racket because when my son tried to open a gallery near Greenbelt, he had to endure the hassles which cost him more than P100,000. It was only when I called a councilor, upon the suggestion of a prominent businessman, that my son was able to get his mayor’s permit.

Oh well. Welcome to the Philippines.

"For us social impact is not a seasonal campaign, it's at the core of what we do. Encouraging the use of plastic pads in low income communities does not solve period poverty, and it exacerbates another urgent issue— plastic waste," she says.

In the developed world, the average woman uses 11,000 disposable menstrual products over 30 years, according to the Women's Environment Network. Switching to a cup, which could last up to ten years, would potentially save billions from landfill where they can take centuries to decompose.

Fight for gender equality Born in New Zealand but raised in the UK, Cotes-James now splits her time between Hong Kong and Shanghai. She's clear that while there are pronounced issues in Asia, universally women have been let down by inequality and archaic approaches to female reproductive health.

There is five times more research into erectile dysfunction than Premenstrual Syndrome, for example, according to science forum ResearchGate, despite the latter affecting far more people. A 2005 study by the University of Pennsylvania found female pain is more likely to be underestimated.

Cotes-James says it took her years to realize the painful symptoms she was experiencing during her period were actually an allergic reaction to the viscose and polyester found in some sanitary pads and tampons.

For decades men have decided everything about periods—from helming companies that make menstrual products and overseeing advertising of them, to setting legislation that taxes them as a luxury item and failing to require firms to declare what period care items are made of, she says.

Growing public anger at such gender inequality is driving change—India, Canada, and 13 US states have abolished the so-called tampon tax, while MPs in Scotland are backing a bill that will make period products free.

But Cotes-James warns: "Our bodies are still subject to decision making by predominantly male-led governments. We deserve the final say over our bodies—that includes everything from feminine care companies being required by law to disclose ingredients on packaging, to overcoming restrictive reproductive rights.

That is one of the biggest challenges we face in the fight for gender equality and we are still a long way from that being the reality." AFP

A6

News

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONALTRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 105, QUEZON CITY MA. NENITA CHING ET AL., Plaintiff, -versus-

CASE NO. R-QZN-15-10203-CV

SUMMONS HILARIA FRANCISCO VD. DE VILLEGAS, ET AL., Defendants. x---------------------------------------------x TO: HEIRS OF HILARIA FANCISCO VDA. DE VILLEGAS No. 29 Kalawag St., San Fancisco Del Monte, Quezon City

ANNEX “C”

(Sgd.) ARTURO S. SANTOS Counsel for the Plaintiff 6/F TRIDA Building, now Parkview Plaza T.M. Kalaw cor. Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila IBP LIFETIME MEMBER NO. 437471/01-05-98 PTR NO. 3817936/105-15/Manila ROLL NO. 24816 MCLE Compliance No. IV-0017322/04-23-13 Tel. No. 525-1355 VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION OF NON-FORUM SHOPPING I, MA. NENITA CHING, of legal age, Filipino, married to Jesse Ching and a resident of Unit C20 Landwealth, 1995 Juna Luna St., Tondo, Manila, after first having been duly sworn, do hereby depose and say:

You are hereby required, within fifteen (15) days after service of this summons upon you, to file with this Court and serve on the plaintiff 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 16th day of January 2020.

(Sgd.) DOMINADOR C. GUZMAN, JR. Branch Clerk of Court

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT QUEZON CITY, BRANCH ____ MA.NENITA CHING in her capacity as the Attorney-In-Fact of ANITA LAMORENA ANTONIO MARK JAYSON ANTONIO MASAGANDA, JEFFREY ANTONIO MASAGANDA SHEILA ANTONIO MASAGANDA and LIGAYA MASAGANDA MADRID, Plaintiffs, CIVIL CASE NO. R-QZN-15-10203-CV FOR: REVIVAL OF JUDGMENT AND SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE

R

2. I have caused the preparation and filing of the foregoing Petition, I have read and understood the same and all the material allegations contained herein are true and correct of my own personal knowledge and based on authentic records; 3. I certify that I have not commenced any similar action or proceeding in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, or any other tribunal or agency; to the best of my knowledge, no such similar action or proceeding is pending before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or any other tribunal or agency; and if I should learn thereafter that a similar action or proceeding has been filed or is pending before the aforesaid courts or agencies, I will promptly inform this Honorable Court within 5 days therefrom.

ICE prices could dip as low as P34 per kilo by the end of 2020, the lowest price in seven years, the National Economic and Development Authority said Wednesday.

NEDA Assistant Secretary Mercedita Sombilla said she was hoping for rice prices to further decrease from the current price at P36.53 per kilo as a result of the Rice Tariffication Law approved in 2019, replacing import quotas on rice with tariffs in a bid to bring down its cost.

“It’s now even dropping at a lower price. It exceeded more and we hope that it will still go a little bit lower so that more people will benefit from it,” Sombilla said in a Palace briefing.

She added the government was counting on the P10-billion fund for farm implements to further boost production and lower prices.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the fund, which has been in full effect since Oc-

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto affixed my signature this 5th day of November, 2015 at Manila.

(Sgd) MA. NENITA CHING Affiant SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 5th day of November 2015 at Manila, affiant presented to me her identification card with signature and photograph as competent proof of her identity.

DOC. NO. 486; PAGE NO. 98; BOOK NO. 59; SERIES OF 2015

ANNEX “A”

HILARIA FRANCISCO VDA. DE VILLEGAS, VILLAMOR I. DELOS SANTOS, SR. and BENJAMIN I.DELOS SANTOS, Defendants. x---------------------------------------------------x

Rice prices may plunge to P34/kg

By MJ Blancaflor

1. I am on of the plaintiffs in the above-entitled complaint;

GREETINGS:

-versus-

November 5,2015

tober of last year, benefited 491,756 farmers.

“The whole objective of improving productivity, competitiveness and profitability will always be our guiding objectives in the implementation of the rice competitiveness enhancement fund,” he said.

Dar also refuted the study of the Federation of Free Farmers which claimed that rice farmers lost P68 billion since the Rice Tariffication Law was implemented, noting that the government has stepped up to assist farmers.

“A farmer shouldn’t rely everything to the government. They should work harder to increase their harvest so that they could also decrease their cost of production. That will give him more opportunity in terms of higher income,” Dar said.

ANNEX “D”

COMPLAINT PLAINTIFFS, through counsel, to this Honorable Court respectfully allege: 1. The parties in this case are: a) MA. NENITA CHING, plaintiff, of legal age, Filipino, married to Jesse Ching and a resident of Unit C20 Landwealth, 1995 Juna Luna St., Tondo, Manila, in her capacity as attorney-in-fact of ANITA LAMORENA ANTONIO, MARK JAYSON ANTONIO MASAGANDA, SHEILA ANTONIO MASAGANDA and LIGAYA MASAGANDA-MADRID, as per Irrevocable Power of Attorney hereto attached as Annex “A”. b) HILARIA FRANCISCO VDA. DE VILLEGAS, as defendant, of legal age, Filipino and a resident of No. 29 Kalawag St., San Fracisco Del Monte, Quezon City; and c) VILLAMOR I. DELOS SANTOS, SR. and BENJAMIN I. DELOS SANTOS defendants, both of legal age, Filipinos and residents of No. 34 Umali St., San Francisco Del Monte, Quezon City.

FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION 2. Domingo delos Santos and Dominga delos Santos Masaganda (now both deceased) filed before this Honorable Court a complaint for Reconveyance with Damages docketed as Civil Case No. Q-90-7069 against Hilaria Francisco Vda. De Villegas.

3. After trial, Branch 94 of this Honorable Court rendered a Decision dated October 14, 1996 disposing the case as follows: “WHEREFORE, premises considered, judgment is hereby rendered: 1. Ordering the defendant to reconvey in accordance with law the subject property in favor of the herein plaintiffs; 2. Ordering the defendant to pay plaintiffs P30,000.00 by way of moral damages as well as P20,000.00 by way of exemplary damages; 3. To pay attorney’s fees of P20,000.00 plus costs.”

A copy of the decision is hereto attached as Annex “B”.

ANNEX “E”

4. Defendant Hilaria Francisco Vda. De Villegas timely appealed the said decision to the Court of Appeals docketed as CA-GR- CV No. 55828.

DENR’s Cimatu threatens Police nab 5, to shut down quarry firm seize P3.4m

5. After due proceedings the 10th Division of the Court of Appeals promulgated its decision affirming the Decision of the RTC, except pars. 2 & 3 thereof granting damages and attorney’s fees which were ordered deleted.

6. Consequently, the defendant Hilaria Fracisco Vda. De Villegas elevated the case to the Supreme Court via a petition for review on certiorari under G.R. No. 168212 and July 25, 2005, its 3rd Division the Supreme Court issued a Resolution denying the aforesaid petition for review.

By Rio N. Araja

7. The said Resolution of the Supreme Court became final on November 8, 2005.

8. However, the former counsel for the deceased Domingo delos Santos and Dominga delos Santos Masaganda did not take the necessary steps to execute or enforce the said judgment within the 5-year period, hence this action for revival of judgment pursuant to Section 6, Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, in relation to Articles 1144 of the Civil Code.

ANNEX “B”

SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION 9. During the pendency of Civil Case No. Q-90-7069 Domingo delos Santos and Dominga delos Santos Masaganda while still alive, entered into an Agreement dated March 15, 1995 with Irene Ong (now deceased), the mother of plaintiff M. Nenita Ching binding themselves to sell a 300-square meter portion of the property described in TCT no. 273575 with an area of 374 square meters in the event a decision is rendered in their favor, a copy of the said Agreement is hereto attached as Annex “C”.

10. The parties in the said Agreement have partially complied with their respective obligations thereunder.

11. Specifically, Ma. Nenita Ching a have paid substantial advances which Domingo delos Santos and Dominga delos Santos Masaganda have accepted as consideration of the sale.

12. On her part, Dominga delos Santos Masaganda executed a Deed of Absolute Sale dated August 22, 2008 in favor of plaintiff Ma. Nenita Ching, in substitution of her mother, a photocopy of which is hereto attached as Annex “D”.

13. However, the said Deed of Absolute Sale was not registered because the TCT No. 273575 covering the property had remained in the name of Hilaria Francisco Vda. De Villegas because the final judgment of Branch 94 Annex “B”, as affirmed by the Court of Appeals, have become stale.

14. Furthermore, Domingo delos Santos passed away on February 6, 2006. He was survived by spouse, Caridad Delos Santos and his legitimate sons Villamor I. Delos Santos, Sr. and Benjamin I. Delos Santos.

15. On December 3, 2008 Domingo delos Santos Masaganda died. She was survived by her legitimate children, Rodolfo Delos Santos Masaganda ang Ligaya Masaganda Madrid.

ANNEX “F”

16. Rodolfo delos Santos Masaganda passed away on June 2, 2011. He was survived by his spouse Anita Lamorena Antonio and his children Mark Jayson Antonio Masaganda, Jeffrey Antonio Masaganda, Sheila Antonio Masaganda and Christian Antonio Masaganda who died on August 6, 2013 without any issue.

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy Cimatu on Wednesday threatened to shut down a quarrying firm and cancel its permit for encroachment into the Masungi Geopark in Baras, Rizal.

“Aside from closure, we will summon and give them notice of violation with what they did here,” he said.

He identified the quarrying firm as Rapid City Realty and Development Corp., whose mineral production sharing agreement granted by the DENR in 1998 is now being looked into by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

In a recent area inspection, Cimatu, along with Undersecretary Benny Antiporda, removed and confiscated the barbed wires hammered into the Tibig

trees in the disputed area.

He blamed the quarrying firm for fencing off onefourth of the 2,000-hectare ecotourism and conservation Masungi Geopark.

According to Cimatu, he has instructed the Mines and Geosciences Bureau to scrutinize the mineral production sharing agreements of another two quarrying firms—Quarry Rock Group Inc. and Quimson Limestone Inc., along Rapid City Realty and Development Corp., that have also been operating within the Upper Marikina River basin protected landscape using agreements issued in the late 1990s.

“This is a watershed, and also a protected area.

We have already identified this as a protected area and these mining companies are within the protected area,” Cimatu said.

DAR has zero backlog

17. Ligaya Masaganda-Madrid who is still alive and the said heirs of Rodolfo delos Santos Masaganda have recognized the obligation of their ancestors under the Agreement hence they have executed the following documents to carry out and give effect thereto: a) Ligaya Masaganda-Madrid executed a Deed of Absolute Sale transferring her share in the property to plaintiff, a photocopy of which is hereto attached as Annex “E”. b) The heirs of Rodolfo delos Santos Masaganda, executed an Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate with Sale dated November 5, 2015, in favor of plaintiff, Ma. Nenita Ching, a photocopy of which is attached as Annex “F”.

18. The heirs of the deceased Domingo delos Santos have yet to comply with the obligation which they inherited from their father, but despite demands, the said heirs failed and refused to perform their said obligation.

THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION 19. Because of the failure of defendants Villamor I. Delos Santos, Sr. and Benjamin I. Delos Santos to comply with the obligation which prompted plaintiff Ma. Nenita Ching to file his action for specific performance, the said plaintiff was compelled to engage services of counsel thereby incurring the sumof P 100,000.00 as acceptance fee, P5,000.00 per appearance and the sum of P300,000.00 as attorney’s fees.

RELIEF WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed of this Honorable Court that after due proceeding, a judgment be rendered as follows: 1. The first cause of action in this complaint be granted and that the decision dated October 14, 1996 in Civil Case No. Q-90-7069 be revived pursuant to Rule 39, Section 6 of the Rules of Court; 2. With respect to the second cause of action, the defendants Villamor I. Delos Santos, Sr. and Benjamin I. Delos Santos be ordered to specifically perform the obligation of their deceased father Domingo delos Santos under the Memorandum of Agreement Annex “C” hereof; 3. Under the third cause of action, the defendants Villamor I. Delos Santos Sr. and Benjamin I. Delos Santos be ordered to solidarity pay plaintiff Ma. Nenita Ching the sum of P100,000.00 as acceptance fee, P5,000.00 per appearance and the sum of P300,000.00 as attorney’s fees, plus costs.

PLAINTIFF, further prays for other just reliefs.

SAMPALOC CRASH. A 6-wheeler truck carrying coco lumber crashes into the center island along Lacson Street in Sampaloc, Manila on Wednesday. Police reports did not identify the driver, or if there was any fatality. Norman Cruz

(MStandard - Mar. 5, 12 & 19, 2020)

THE Department of Agrarian Reform has been recently recognized as the first ever government agency that has complied with Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Government Efficient Delivery System Act. Secretary John Castriciones thanked Anti-Red Tape Authority director general Jeremiah Belgica for giving DAR a zero-backlog accomplishment, the first ever ARTA-compliance by a government agency.

DAR reported a zero-backlog accomplishment on land acquisition and distribution cases, resolving 100 percent of its pending cases related to agrarian justice delivery, he said.

He cited the speedy resolution of agrarian cases under the agrarian legal implementation and agrarian legal assistance could ease the tension between and among farmerbeneficiaries and landowners.

Following the President’s continuing reminder to process government transactions without delay and to implement ARTA’s mandate for an efficient delivery of government service, the 3-7-20 day specific processing time was established under RA 11032.

All government offices and agencies including local government units, government-owned-or-controlled corporations and other government instrumentalities must comply with the prescribed processing time of three working days for simple transactions, seven working days for complex transactions and 20 working days for highly technical applications. Rio N. Araja

worth of shabu

By Joel E. Zurbano POLICE arrested five individuals and seized P3.4 million worth of shabu during a buy-bust operation in Pasay City on Tuesday.

Arrested were Erwin Peredo, 29, alyas “Kiko”; Jairabelle Arandia, 24, alyas “Madam”; Domingo Maglague, 46, alyas “Biboy”; Carolina Perido, 50, and Jericson Arandia, 20. They are now detained at the Pasay City Police Station 4.

The authorities arrested the suspects at AMS Apartment along Santos Street in Barangay 166 in Malibay, Pasay around 5:30 p.m.

Police Captain Deni Mari Pedrozo of Pasay City Police Station Drug Enforcement Unit said his men conducted the buy-bust operation in close coordination with the Quezon City police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Pedrozo said the entrapment was initially planned in Ortigas, Quezon City but the suspects later agreed to change location resulting in their arrest in Barangay Malibay in Pasay.

Police seized from the suspects at least 500 grams of shabu with a street value of P3.4 million, the buy-bust money used in the police operation, four mobile phones, assorted bags and drug paraphernalia.

The suspects will be charged with violation of Sections 5, 11, 12 and 26 Article II of the Dangerous Drugs Act, Obstruction of Justice and Resisting Arrest before the Pasay City prosecutors office.

The latest operation, according Southern Police District acting director Col. Emmanuel Peralta, is part of the continuing crackdown on drug dealing in Metro Manila.

Sports Padilla pulls off triple-kill in PPS tilt JUDY Ann Padilla achieved what she had failed to do the last time out, sweeping three girls’ singles titles while young Pete Bandala matched his two singles-two doubles title haul to dominate the PPS-PEPP Mayor Roberto Uy Jr. national age group tournament in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte over the weekend.

Padilla, 14, survived Christine Gulagula, 4-0, 1-4, 10-6, in the semis then foiled doubles partner AJ Acabo, 6-4, 6-2, to claim the 16-and-under plum she missed in Sindangan last week.

The Ozamiz City ace earlier toppled Gulagula, 6-4, 6-0, to rule her agegroup for the second straight week then held off Acabo again, 6-3, 6-3, to clinch the 18-U trophy and complete a rare three-peat in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop.

Bandala, a rising star from Dipolog, also kept his win run going, scoring a 4-1(ret.) win over Adrian Albata in the 10-unisex finals then blasting Wyn Sanchez, 6-1, 6-2, to pocket the boys’ 12-U diadem in the tournament held in honor of the city mayor and sponsored by Palawan Pawnshop headed by president/ CEO Bobby Castro.

Bandala later linked up with Steph Omos to bag the 10-unisex doubles crown with an 8-3 rout of Alyssa Ignacio and Kevin Gallenero then teamed up with Penshoppe Erquita to crush Reynan Patangan and Sanchez, 8-2, for the 14-U trophy.

In other singles results, Oroquieta, Misamis Oriental’s Cielo Gonzales rolled past Marlyn Mesiona, 6-1, 6-1, for the girls’ 12-U crown; Eric Tangub, from Tukuran, Zambo del Sur, overpowered Nash Agustines, 6-1, 6-4, for the boys’ 18-U title while Agustines, also from Oroquieta, won the 16-U trophy with a 6-2, 6-4 romp over Lanao del Norte’s Aslan Carbonilla, who copped the 14-U crown with a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Dave Palanas.

Padilla also ended up with four titles as she and Acabo took the 18-U doubles plum with an 8-5 reversal over top seed Sydney Enriquez and Gulagula.

Chicano, Banzon lead TRI 2020 champs in Subic SOUTHEAST Asian Games gold medalist John Leerams Chicano of Team Apollo Petroleum Jelly and Lyllian Grace Banzon of Team Sante Barley posted the best time finishes among all standard distance competitors during the Apollo Petroleum Jelly TRI 2020 event held recently at the Subic Bay Freeport.

Chicano proved to be untouchable among all the men, finishing the standard distance 1.5 Km swim—40 Km bike—10 Km run race in 2 hours, 11 minutes and 42 seconds and easily winning the 25-29 age-group title.

Ronald Molit, the 35-39 champion, came next in 2:23:47, while 18-24 champion Joshua Alexander Ramos was the 3rd fastest with 2:25:00.

Among the ladies in the event presented by Apollo Petroleum Jelly and supported by Cleene, Mediplast, LeGARDE L-Carnitine, Vermosa Sports Hub, Alviera, Clark Global City, Smart, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, Acea Subic Bay and Court Meridian Hotel & Suites, Banzon (30-34 champion) and Ines Santiago (35-39 champion) finished less than a minute apart, respectfully timing 2:41:08 and 2:41:59.

Amanda Carpo came in next at 2:48:16 winning the 45-49 title.

In the Team Competition, Team Sante Barley emerged as the champion with the best time of 12:44:16.

For the relay categories, the champions declared were Maxi Atletika— Zalora 2 (All-Female), Maxi Atletika Multisports D (All-Male), and Fitness First—Salice (Mixed).

Regarding the quality of the event that was also backed by hydration partners Pocari Sweat and Sip Purified Water, timing partner Garmin, shoe partner Saucony and recovery partner Air Relax Massage Guns, Chicano described the race courses as well-crafted.

While the persistent wind prevented the heat from wearing him down, the SEA Games gold medalist still found the bike leg a nice challenge because of it.

For her part, Sprint Distance 1519 champion Lauren Plaza confirmed a similar experience regarding the wind’s effect on the bike leg and still she had an enjoyable racing experience and praised the cheering spectators and the race organizers.

A7

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

IOC readies for ‘successful Olympics’

L

AUSANNE—The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday it was busy with preparations for a “successful” Summer Games in Tokyo in less than five months and at a time when the coronavirus outbreak is widening.

IOC president Thomas Bach, speaking at the opening of the Olympic body’s two-day executive board meeting in Lausanne, said: “We are preparing for a successful Olympic Games, Tokyo 2020.”

The IOC, he later added, remained “fully committed to” and “very confident of” that success.

“We will continue this regular consultation with this taskforce to be able to address any development which would occur.”

Many sporting events around the world have either been cancelled or postponed in the wake of the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

More than 3,100 people have died and over 90,000 have been infected in more than 60 countries worldwide.

The vast majority of cases are in China, but South Korea, Italy and Iran have emerged as the countries with the most cases outside the epicentre.

The virus has infected at least 230 people across Japan and been linked to five deaths.

Following its board meeting, the IOC issued a statement in which it “expressed its full commitment to the success of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.”

Joint taskforce The IOC heard a report on “all the

measures taken so far to address the coronavirus situation, which was followed by a comprehensive discussion”.

“A joint taskforce had already been created in mid-February, involving the IOC, Tokyo 2020, the host city of Tokyo, the government of Japan and the World Health Organization (WHO),” the IOC said.

“The IOC EB (executive board) appreciates and supports the measures being taken, which constitute an important part of Tokyo’s plans to host safe and secure Games.

“The IOC will continue to follow the advice of WHO, as the leading United Nations agency on this topic.”

The IOC also welcomed the close collaboration and flexibility between sporting federations, Olympic committees and governments with regard to the preparations for the Games, and particularly the

qualification events.

“All stakeholders continue to work closely together to address the challenges of the coronavirus,” it said.

“The IOC EB encourages all athletes to continue to prepare for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. The IOC will keep supporting the athletes by providing the latest information and developments, which are accessible for athletes worldwide on the Athlete365 website.”

IOC president Bach earlier said that the board meeting would also be used to “prepare many of the final decisions that we will have to take” at a first pre-Games EB meeting between June 15-17, also in Lausanne.

“We will have to make some proposals for the session in Tokyo.”

The IOC EB is also set to meet on July 18-19 in Tokyo, with the Olympics running from July 24-August 9. AFP

Dutchman leads by 3 at windy TCC

Dutchman unleashed a couple of solid iron plays that produced birdies on Nos. 2 (622 yards—50 feet) and 8 (588 yards—two-putts from the fringe), both par-5s.

Fessap charts future at board meeting

By Graham C. Lim FEDERATION of School Sports Association of the Philippines President Angel Ngu reported the achievements of the association during their annual Board of Trustees meeting recently.

The members of the FESSAP Board of Trustees for the term 2019-2021 are Ngu, Chairman of the Board Alvin Tai Lian, Godofredo E. Gallega, Baldomero C. Estenzo, David U. Ong, Membership Committee chair Robert Milton Calo, Felix Tiukinhoy Jr., Diosdado Amante, Jesus Rodrigo Torres, Gregorio Rodis, Emanuel De Guzman, Jeane E. Monteverde, Ma. Cecilia Sarmiento, Joseph Sy, Ann Janeth Garcia, Alma Jocson, and Estrellita T. Enriquez.

During the meet, Ngu reported on the organization’s performance during the 30th Summer Universiade in Napoli Italy in July 2019 and laid down the issues to be tackled in the agenda.

“As you all know, the Philippines captured a gold medal in the Napoli Universiade in men’s athletics and for that alone, the FESSAP is very proud of this achievement,” said Ngu. The country romped away with its second Universiade gold medal since its initial participation in the Shenzhen Universiade, China event in 2011, through national athlete Ernest John Obiena in the pole vault event in athletics.

Obiena thus duplicated the feat of Grandmaster Wesley So, who snared the Universiade gold in men’s chess during

FESSAP president Angel Ngu (2nd from left) gives a Certificate of Recognition to Yang Hua Hong of Omni Electrical & Lighting, represented by Yolie Que (3rd from left). They are joined by (from left) FESSAP Official Joseph Sy, Chairman Alvin Tai Lian, Robert Milton Calo and Corporate Secretary Cecil Sarmiento.

the 2013 Summer Games in Kazan, Russia.

A product of Chiang Kai Shek College and the University of Santo Tomas, Obiena ruled the pole vault event on July 12, 2019.

Ngu also reported on the FESSAP’s participation in the 29th Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk, Russia from March 2 to 19 last year.

For the first time ever, the country sent an entry in the Winter Universiade through student-athlete, Mikayla Shalom P. Fabian.

Fabian competed in the women’s Figure Skating competitions during

the 29th Winter Universiade in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Heading the Philippine delegation was Michael Dodjie Fabian, who acted on the behalf of Professor Calo. Other members of the contingent were team officials are Sharon Fabian and head coach Ronan Jay Capili.

Ngu, together with Tai Lian and Calo, Ngu also distributed the Certificates of Recognition to the FESSAP patrons for supporting the organization in their participation in local and international sports competitions and other activities through the years.

STA. ROSA, Laguna—Guido Van der Valk flashed superb iron game to birdie the first two par-5s then barely survived the howling wind that stymied the opening round bids of the rest at the finish, wresting a three-stroke lead over Ira Alido in The Country Club Invitational at the TCC course here yesterday.

Trading length for accuracy on a long, treacherous course, the Manilabased Dutchman unleashed a couple of solid iron plays that produced birdies on Nos. 2 (622 yards—50 feet) and 8 (588 yards—two-putts from the fringe), both par-5s. But he bogeyed the backside’s two par-3s, including the long No. 11 when the wind was at its fiercest, and the signature No. 17 on a three-putt miscue that negated his other birdie from 10 feet on No. 13.

Still, his 34-37 card stood out in hot, blustery conditions on an exacting course where bogeys are the norm rather than the exception, seizing a three-shot cushion over Alido, who fumbled with a double-bogey and three bogeys against three birdies but still grabbed second spot at 74 in the P5 million event kicking off the 2020 Philippine Golf Tour.

“You never expect to shoot under-par on this course…it’s just so long (7765 yards) and I don’t think any golf course comes close anywhere I had played, so you have to grind it out,” said the 40-yearold Van der Valk, sixth in this event ruled by absentee Kim Joo Hyung and winner of the Cebu leg, both last year.

Tony Lascuña, champion here way back in 2004, missed wresting second place with a double-bogey mishap on the water-laced 18th, long regarded as one of the toughest closing holes in Asia, dropping to joint third at 75 instead with Ferdie Aunzo, Jay Bayron, Zanieboy Gialon and Rupert Zaragosa.

Albin Engino also yielded a stroke on No. 17 while American Lexus Keoninh bogeyed Nos. 14 and 15 that typified the elite field’s struggle on the Tom Weiskoph-designed course that puts every pro’s golfing skills to ultimate test that also saw the select field make 2 or 3-club adjustments to battle the wind and tackle the long course. They wound up with identical 76s.

Frankie Miñoza, the only other former winner in the field made up of the Top 30 players in last year’s PGT Order of Merit rankings, groped with two double bogeys and a couple of bogeys against a birdie but still lay just six strokes off Van der Valk at 77 in a tie with fellow Del Monte ace Clyde Mondilla.

Winner here with a two-over total in last year’s Solaire Philippine Open, Mondilla looked headed for a strong start with two birdies against a bogey in the first seven holes. But the recent record playoff winner of the Pradera Verde Classic closed out his frontside stint with back-to-back bogeys.

Benilde inaugurates Sports Bldg. to house Blazers, athletes, scholars THE De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde is set to inaugurate the college’s new Sports and Dormitory Building, a complex that boasts of state-of-theart facilities and student and athletecentric amenities geared towards providing an excellent training ground and housing facility for the athletes and scholars of Benilde.

The Sport and Dormitory Building is a five-storey building capable of housing at least 250 scholars in the residential areas.

The complex also has a multi-function court that also doubles as a varied sporting arena, a 25-meter swimming pool, a gym area for weight training, and a sports therapy facility as well. The complex will also serve as the homebase of the Benilde Blazers, alongside all the

athletes currently studying at Benilde.

With the completion of the Sports and Dormitory Building, Benilde’s Center for Sports Development could now undertake even more sports programs intended to benefit the student athletes and scholars of the college, providing an exceptional training ground for future excellence.

Most recently, Hidilyn Diaz and Agatha Chrystenzen Wong, both from Benilde, brought national pride to the country by bagging gold medals in 2019 SEA Games, in the 55kg woman’s weightlifting and women’s taolu taijiquan wushu, respectively. Diaz also won three gold medals in the 2020 Roma World Cup held in Rome, Italy, putting her in fourth ranking in the women’s 55kg category.

SPONSORS/CHAMPIONS’ NIGHT. Auto Nation Group president Felix Ang and

ANG chairman Greg Yu (sixth and seventh from left, respectively) pose with officials of the Gold sponsors of the 15th MercedesTrophy Golf Invitational during the Sponsors’ and Champions’ Night at Makati Shangri-La last Monday. They are (from left) Myke Soon of Remy Martin, Security Bank’s Rafael Simpao, Abe Abarquez of Cole Hann, Michelle Suarez and Kristin Tiongco of Boss, Primal Enterprise Corp.’s Paul Tecson, Enrico Micu of Boysen, and Sanjiv Vohra of Security Bank. The annual event, featuring Mercedes-Benz owners and clients, will be held March 16 at Sta. Elena Golf Club.

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

A8

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Davis sparks Lakers over Sixers; Nets stun Celtics LOS ANGELES—Anthony Davis produced a devastating burst of scoring as the Los Angeles Lakers came from behind to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 120-107 on Tuesday.

Davis led the Lakers scoring with 37 points at the Staples Center after the hosts recovered from a slow start to run out convincing winners.

The Sixers had led by 13 points at one stage in the first quarter but were reeled in by a relentless second quarter onslaught from the Lakers.

Davis poured in 18 points in the second quarter alone as the Lakers outscored the Sixers 37-19 to lead 65-54 at the break.

The Lakers stretched the lead in the third quarter before closing out the win in the fourth, LeBron James chipping in 22 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds.

The win leaves the Lakers on the brink of clinching a playoff spot.

They lead the Western Conference with 47 wins against 13 defeats.

“We were terrible in the first quarter,” Davis said afterwards.

“We weren’t locked into our gameplan. We had to come back in the second quarter and get it going. We can’t afford to rely on the offense as a buyout for our defense.”

But Davis said the Lakers were slowly building towards a playoff mindset as the regular season enters the home stretch.

“We’re close. We’re not too far off,” he said. “There’s still stuff for us to get better at.”

‘Masterpierce’ in Boston In Boston, Caris LeVert delivered the performance of the night after exploding for a career-high 51 points as the Brooklyn Nets downed the Celtics 129120 in overtime.

LeVert’s hot hand saw him drain 17 of 26 attempts from the field for a 65.4% shooting success rate as the Celtics fell to 41-18 in the Eastern Conference.

The 25-year-old LeVert erupted after half-time with 37 points. His final tally also included every Nets point in overtime, when they blew away the Celtics 11-2.

LeVert’s virtuoso display couldn’t have come at a better time for Nets coach Kenny Atkinson, who has already been without new signing Kevin Durant for the entire season and who has also lost Kyrie Irving to seasonending surgery.

“I know not having those guys, obviously it’s not ideal, but we’ve also learned a lot about the team, learned a lot about our players,” Atkinson said. AFP

PH Davis Cuppers attempt to pull off surprises vs Greece THE Philippines attempt to pull off couple of surprises when it clashes with World No. 6 Stefanos Tsitsipas and a heavily favored Greece Friday at the Philippine Columbian Association’s Plaza Dilao courts in Paco, Manila.

“We know they are tough especially with a world-class player like Stefanos Tsitsipas,” said Francis Casey Alcantara, a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, who will spearhead the country’s campaign.

“But we will do our best to make the country proud,” he added.

Apart from Alcantara, the host nation is also composed of Jeson Petrombon, Ruben Gonzales, AJ Lim and Eric Olivarez, Jr. with Chris Cuarto as nonplaying captain.

Tsitsipas missed his sixth title as professional after falling to Novak Djokovic in the finals of the Dubai Tennis Championship just a few days ago but should draw most of the attention because of his strong play.

His teammates are younger brother, Petros, Michael Pervolarakis and Markos Kalovelonis while Dimitris Chatzinikolaou as skipper.

The Filipinos will also try to rely on their home-court edge and use it to pull the rug from under Tsitsipas and the Greeks.

“Hopefully, the home court advantage will help us,” said Cuarto.

The team draw is set today.

The first two singles are scheduled on Friday, while the doubles and reverse singles are slated Saturday.

Sports Ronda Pilipinas champion George Oconer (left) is followed by Navy teammate and eventual Stage 10 winner Jan Morales.

Oconer, Navy crowned champs

By Peter Atencio

V

IGAN City--George Oconer relied on his teammates to formally claim the overall individual title even as his Standard Insurance-Navy squad captured team honors in the 10th and final stage crown of the LBC Ronda Pilipinas 10th anniversary race here on Wednesday.

Claiming only one podium finish since the start, Oconer coasted to 16th place inside a 26-man lead pack that reached the finish line of this 35.1-kilometer criterium race around the streets of Vigan City.

The 28-year-old Oconer was greeted by a big crowd of well-wishers as soon as he reached the provincial capitol finish line and formally capture the Ronda crown, his first general classification title since joining professional races back in 2011.

Oconer remembered his days as a rookie after he raised his two arms in victory and rode his ceremonial victory lap, with an appreciative crowd cheering him on.

“Pinagbutihan ko lang. Pinaghandaan ko ito. Matagal ko nang gusto ito, lagi lang pumapalya,” said Oconer, who stands to receive the P1-million champion’s cash prize.

With Oconer staying in the back most of the time, Stage 10 criterium honors went to his teammate Jan Paul Morales, who took it in 51 minutes and 20 seconds and led a 1-2-3 podium victory by the Navymen.

Their teammates Ronald Oranza and Junrey Navarra took second and third, respectively.

Oconer started out his professional career with a 20th place overall finish in the Le Tour de Filipinas, which included an eighth-place finish in Stage 2

nine years ago.

His biggest claim to fame prior to this Ronda triumph was when he placed 19th in the Tour de Singkarak in Indonesia.

Oconer said he dedicates his win to up-and-coming riders trying to make an impact in multi-stage races.

“Mahalaga ito para sa mga siklista na katulad kong nagsisimula. Iyung mga rookies, sa susunod ay sila naman ang nandito,” said Oconer after he got a congratulatory message from Ronda chairman Moe Chulani and Standard Insurance Group chairman Ernesto “Judes” Echauz.

Oconer placed fourth in Stage 1, a 129.5-km ride around Sorsogon. Then, Oconer followed it up by ending in third place in Stage 3, a 154.5-km ride from Sorsogon City to Legazpi City.

This saw Oconer move up from fourth to third place and then to second in in Stage 4, a 205.5-km Daet-Lucena journey where he stayed at ninth place and with the Navymen taking a 1-2-34-5 finish.

Southwoods opens 5-point Interclub lead BACOLOD—Fancied Manila Southwoods pooled 122 points to take a slim five-point lead over Luisita after 18 holes of the 73rd Philippine Airlines Men’s Interclub here.

Aguri Iwasaki, a Japanese set to make his pro debut in the Asian Development Tour next month, was the only player in the talented field to break par, shooting a one-under 70 worth 37 points to anchor the Carmona-based squad even as defending champion Cebu CC also struggled over at Binitin in Murcia town while playing in the Founders Division.

Yuto Katsuragawa closed out with an uncharacteristic bogey 6 and signed for 30 points, with young Josh Jorge shooting 28 and Vince Lauron, the comebacking veteran, chipping in 27 to round out scoring for Southwoods, which threw away the 21 of Santino Laurel.

Luigi Guerrero fired 33 points, Dan Cruz had 31, Jondie Quibol 28 and Ronel Tagaan 27 for the 117 of Luisita, which lost two points on a penalty after Tagaan was penalized for holing out for a double bogey on the par-4 17th.

“We’re happy with how things turned

out, considering how tough the conditions were,” SW team official Jerome Delariarte said. “It was very difficult out there and our players performed well enough to put the team in the lead.”

Mark Dy and Jon Alvarez accounted for 31 points each, Marco Mendoza fired 29 and Cebu CC counted the 21 of Martin Mendoza to trail the Championship division pace by six.

Cebu won the overall title last year also by coming from the lower division, and pulling off that feat once again here would make the club the only team to do it twice. Aguinaldo was the first to achieve it in 1988.

Del Monte trailed Southwoods by 16 points heading into Day 2 at Binitin after Rolando Bregente, who scored 31, failed to get enough support with Julius Langamin and Rene Langamin shooting 26s and Joel Bernaldez 23.

“I think that this is the first time that we’ve come within five points of Southwoods,” Luisita non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova said. “Considering that our top three players didn’t score that much, we’re OK with how (the first round) turned out.”

Yuto Katsuragawa leads the young and talented Southwoods squad at the start of the 73rd PAL Men’s Interclub at Bacolod City.

Ateneo starts title-retention football bid ATENEO opens its title-retention bid against Katipunan rival University of the Philippines Thursday in the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Football Tournament at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Blue Eagles and the Fighting Maroons clash in the featured televised match at 4 p.m.

Jarvey Gayoso, Julian Roxas, Rupert Baña and Jeremiah Rocha, key players from last season’s championship run, are gone, as Ateneo hopes to dig deep on its arsenal to remain in the throne.

The Blue Eagles hope to move on without their biggest star Gayoso, a two-time MVP who recently decided to forego his fifth and final year.

In the other nationally-televised game, last season’s runner-up De La Salle and Far Eastern University take the pitch at 1:30 p.m.

King Miyagi has decided to sit out this season to recover from an injury, but UP still has a lot of weapons in its disposal with Dan Saavedra, Miggy Clarino, Christian Lapaz, Orlan Togores, last year’s high school MVP Macky Tobias, and goalkeeper Harrel Dayan leading the charge.

Luke Alleje, Iñigo Herrera, Colin Mercado, William Grierson and Richard Fuentes will be the vital cogs for Ateneo along with its keeper AJ Arcilla.

The Green Archers, who lost to the Eagles in the one-game championship last year that extended their more than two decades of heartbreaks, lost Rookie of the Year winner Shanden Vergara, who went to the United States for better football opportunities.

With a young crew led by Xavi Zubiri and Jovan Marfiga, as well as Jed Diamante’s leadership, De La Salle is still a force to reckon with the acquisition of former high school Best Goalkeeper Jason Blanco and Best Defender French Talaroc from FEU-Diliman.

Media Wise repeats with Gold, Platinum at 55th Anvil Awards MEDIA Wise Communications/Muse Books at the 55th Anvil Awards held at the historic raced out into 2020 with a rare repeat of last Manila Hotel on Feb. 28. year’s trophy haul with a gold and a platinum The gold and platinum Anvils were for the

Shown here during the 55th Anvil Awards are (from left) Jones Campos, Rey Albert Fuentes, Ramoncito Ocampo, Cruz, Carlos Tan, Jenny Ortuoste, Atty. Christmas Joy Astronomo, Atty. Alfonso ‘King’ Reyno III, Atty. Ferdinand Domingo, Candice Lima, Achilles Mina, Atty. Peter Zagala and Andy Saracho.

coffee-table book The Manila Jockey Club: The Front Runner that Media Wise produced for the Manila Jockey Club, Inc. for its 150th anniversary.

The Platinum Anvil, the rarest and most coveted of the Anvils, is given only to the cream of the year’s crop of Gold Anvil awardees. Normally, just one or two are given by the awards body per year out of hundreds of entries. Media Wise’s platinum last year was for the award-winning coffee-table-book On the March: The Jesuits in the Philippines Since the Restoration.

The Front Runner chronicles the evolution of horse racing in the Philippines, as embodied in the 150-year history of the Manila Jockey Club. It celebrates a century and a half of local horse-

racing history, nostalgia, and excitement.

The Anvil Awards are given annually by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines to the best public-relations programs and individual practitioners of the year. Media Wise’s The Front Runner bagged the Platinum Anvil in the PR Tools Publications category. Although a boutique publication house, Media Wise has won many awards in PR and publications from various prestigious award-giving bodies locally and abroad.

Manila Jockey Club president Alfonso Reyno III and Media Wise president Ramoncito Cruz, together with their respective teams, received the gold and platinum trophies at this year’s Anvil awarding ceremonies.

IN BRIEF

ERC clears Meralco solar power supply

THE Energy Regulatory Commission approved the power supply agreement of Manila Electric Co. with Solar Philippines Tanauan Corp. with the buying rate pegged at P5.39 per kilowatt-hour subject to a 2-percent annual escalation.

Meralco disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Tuesday the ERC approved the deal executed with SPTANC on December 22, 2016. ”The dispositive portion of said decision provides that the ‘applicable rate shall be P5.39 per kWh, subject to two percent annual escalation as provided in the PSA.’ The PSA was executed in support of renewable energy and the rate approved by the ERC is significantly lower than the prevailing solar feed-in-tariff rates,” Meralco said.

SPTANC committed to supply 25 megawatts to Meralco from a solar power plant in Tanauan, Batangas and another 25 MW from Naic, Cavite. Alena Mae S. Flores

Business

Liquidity in January rose 1.9% to P12.8t DOMESTIC liquidity, or the money supply circulating in the financial system, rose 11.9 percent in January to P12.8 trillion year-onyear, faster than the 11.3-percent expansion in December 2019, driven mainly by sustained demand for credit, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Wednesday.

The BSP said in a statement domestic liquidity, or M3, increased 1.3 percent on a month-on-month seasonally-adjusted basis.

“Demand for credit remained the principal driver of money supply growth.

Domestic claims grew by 11.7 percent in January from 10.6 percent (revised) in the previous month due mainly to the sustained growth in credit to the private sector,” it said. Julito G. Rada

BSP warns public against scammers THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas warned the public on Wednesday against fraudulent e-mails, text messages, letters or any communication seeking submission of and payment for documents purportedly required by the monetary authority.

The BSP said in a statement scammers, pretending to be authorized BSP officials, provide these documents to individuals, corporations or institutions.

“Scammers claim that such documents will facilitate financial transactions in favor of the recipients, in exchange for confidential personal or corporate information, and subject to fees or charges,” the BSP said.

BSP advised the public that it does not issue or guarantee commercial documents or products. It also does not transact with individuals, corporations or institutions at random. Julito G. Rada

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

B1

By Jenniffer B. Austria

MIDDLE EAST EXPANSION. Philippine F&B companies Monde Nissin, Magic Melt, Goldilocks, Mama Sita’s, Century Pacific Agricultural Ventures and SL Agritech showcase their halal-certified products to Middle East buyers and distributors during a recent Department of Trade and Industry business matching mission in the United Arab Emirates. Attending the opening of the Philippine stand at Gulfood 2020 are (from left) Prime Group chief executive Mary Jane Alvero, DTI Undersecretary Abdulgani Macatoman, Consul General Paul Raymond Cortes and DTI commercial attache Charmaine Yalong.

DPWH: TPLEX’s Rosario toll plaza to open April T

By Darwin G. Amojelar

HE Public Works Department announced the formal opening of the Rosario Toll Plaza, representing the final phase of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway project, by April this year.

“We’re scheduled for April opening from Pozorrubio to Rosario, La Union―an 11-kilometer segment of TPLEX,” Public Works Secretary Mark Villar said.

“This is the final segment of the TPLEx,” he said.

Villar said the toll from Pozorrubio to Rosario, La Union would be around P40 to P50.

The DPWH temporarily opened in January the Sison-Rosario segment―a 4-kilometer road which cut the travel time to Baguio by up to 30 minutes and eased the traffic bottleneck along Manila North Road towards Kennon

Road.

San Miguel-led Private Infra Dev Corp. holds the concession for TPLEX, an 88.85-km, four-lane, high-speed toll road that connects Northern Luzon to Manila. It is designed to integrate with other major toll roads such as North Luzon Expressway and Subic-ClarkTarlac Expressway.

The construction of TPLEX began in 2010 in three phases. The first was completed in April 2014, running from Tarlac City to Carmen, Pangasinan.

The second stretch from Carmen to Urdaneta was completed in December 2014. Its third section is from Urdaneta

to Rosario, La Union.

A 59.4-km extension project is being planned from Rosario to Tubao, Naguilian and San Juan. The government granted an original proponent status to San Miguel Holdings Inc. after it offered to build the P23.95-billion TPLEX extension to San Juan.

San Miguel’s unsolicited project involves a 59.4-kilometer four-lane toll road from the exit of TPLEX in Rosario to San Juan.

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

San Miguel said the project aimed to promote the development of Northern Luzon and facilitate connectivity to Central Luzon and Metro Manila through a high-speed and secured access.

BLOOMBERRY Resorts Corp., the operator and owner of Solaire Resorts and Casino in Parañaque City, said consolidated net income climbed 38 percent in 2019 to P9.9 billion from P7.2 billion in 2018 on the back of a double-digit growth in gaming revenues.

Bloomberry chairman and chief executive Enrique Razon Jr., however, said the company was “off to a rough start” this year amid the threat of coronavirus disease.

“We are off to a rough start in 2020 as we contend with the tourism impact of an official world health emergency. However, we remain steadfast and aim to demonstrate our resilience by working towards another year of operating excellence,” Razon said.

“We continue to focus on our next leg of growth as work on Solaire North progresses smoothly. We are on track to complete the project in the second half of 2023,” he said.

Bloomberry said despite the increased competition, total gross gaming revenue at Solaire grew 17 percent to P59.8 billion last year from P51 billion in 2018. It said the growth was supported by higher hold in VIP and strength in the mass gaming segments.

Mass table drop and electronic gaming machines coin-in at Solaire reached P51.5 billion and P255.1 million, representing year-on-year growth of 15 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Non-gaming revenues jumped 21 percent in 2019 to P8.2 billion from P6.8 billion in 2018.

Non-gaming revenue at Solaire increased 23 percent to P8 billion, even as hotel occupancy declined to 90.5 percent from 92.6 percent in 2018.

It said that at Jeju Sun in South Korea, non-gaming revenues declined by 41 percent year-on-year to P129 million because of comprehensive renovation works that put 80 percent of the property’s hotel rooms and all four of its F&B outlets out of commission for most of 2019.

Retracted study on e-cigs validates vapers’ concerns

Local REIT market seen to match those of Thailand, Malaysia THE Philippines has the potential to expand its real estate investment trust market to as big as those of Thailand and Malaysia, given the country’s strong domestic economy, according to an executive of Bank of the Philippine Islands.

BPI head of corporate banking strategy, products and solutions Reginaldo Cariaso said REITs would likely appeal to investors looking for yield and attractive total returns.

A REIT is a corporation that primarily invests in income-generating real estate such as office spaces, malls, service apartments, hotels, hospitals, warehouses and the likes.

“It’s something that investors are very much looking forward to here in the Philippines,” said Cariaso.

“There’s a lot of potential. Interesting proxies for this potential in the Philippine REIT market are Malaysia and Thailand, which have been growing their REIT markets for the past five to seven years. These two countries have about $7 billion and $11 billion, respectively, of market capitalizations of REITs, which I think the Philippines is also capable of achieving,” he said.

Cariaso said despite the current high market volatility, REITs could thrive because of their defensive features.

“I believe that REITs have a place in the Philippines for investors to be able to get total returns especially during high market volatility,” Cariaso said.

He said the Philippines, just like Malaysia and Thailand, are emerging market economies that started their REIT markets later than Hong Kong and Singapore. Jenniffer B. Austria

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Bloomberry’s 2019 income increased by 38% to P9.9b

Land Bank to open 15 new branches STATE-RUN Land Bank of the Philippines, the fourth-largest lender in terms of assets, will open 15 new branches this year to bring banking services closer to unbanked and underserved areas in the country.

Bank president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo said in a statement Wednesday eight of the 15 new branches would be located in Mindanao. LandBank currently has 409 branches and extension offices strategically located nationwide.

The bank is set to officially inaugurate this week two new branches in Pangasinan—one in the municipality of Umingan and the other in the municipality of Mangatarem. The bank is the first and only commercial bank in Umingan serving 79 barangays from the municipality and nearby San Quintin. Julito G. Rada

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

PLDT GROUP’S AWARDS. PLDT Inc., wireless unit Smart Communications and mobile money and payments pioneer PayMaya Philippines take home 32 trophies, including the Platinum Award for PLDT’s Gabay Guro at the 55th Anvil Awards from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines. Receiving the awards are representatives of the three companies during the awarding ceremony at Manila Hotel on Feb. 28.

VFA repeal to embolden China on West Philippine Sea claim PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s push to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement is seen to further escalate tension and give China the upper hand in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), which is believed to hold huge oil and natural gas deposits.

Georgetown University professor Oriana Skylar Mastro warned that 2020 would be a year of intensifying security competition between China and the US as both are willing to take greater risks to gain advantage. “It is only a matter of time before this security competition in the South China Sea spills over into a crisis,” she said.

Duterte recently called for an end to the VFA between the Philippines and the US as he expressed outrage over Washington’s cancellation of the US visa of former police chief and incum-

bent Sen. Ronald de la Rosa. This is seen as part of the US crackdown on human rights violators.

Former Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. said this would likely embolden China in further militarizing disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea. The territories span mineral-rich areas such as Recto Bank which reportedly holds more natural gas than Malampaya field in Palawan.

“It will embolden China even more considering even with the MDT [Military Defense Treaty], the VFA, they have militarized those three reefs they grabbed from the Philippines,” Cuisia said.

“The visa dispute was something that can be addressed through diplomatic channels as Washington would be open for a review and a renegotia-

tion of the VFA,” Cuisia said.

Military analyst and historian Jose Custodio said the VFA was most essential in allowing the Philippines and US to carry out obligations under MDT which has been considered a deterrent to China’s aggressive tactics against claimant states in the South China Sea. The Senate and House of Representatives also expressed alarm over Duterte’s threats to end the VFA, calling it a “knee-jerk” reaction to de la Rosa’s canceled visa.

“A US visa is a conditional authorization granted to a foreigner. It may be canceled without explanation or justification. The VFA is a bilateral agreement between the PH and US that went through some careful and diplomatic discussion,” Senator Panfilo Lacson said.

LOCAL vaping groups lauded the decision of the Journal of the American Heart Association to retract the publication of a study, which implied that e-cigarette use is associated with increased risk of having had a heart attack. The JAHA editors said they were “concerned that the study conclusion is unreliable.”

“We believe that any study should be based on sound methodologies, validated equipment and internationally recognized practices. We are concerned by the growing number of studies that, like the Bhatta-Glantz study, do not meet these criteria, and whose communications may mislead smokers, vapers and the public in general. The retraction is a clear example of the validity of our concerns,” said Peter Paul Dator, president of The Vapers Philippines.

“Let us be clear. E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are not riskfree, and should not be used―among others―by people who have or are at risk of heart disease. However, the emerging evidence to date is clear: When subject to quality standards and scientific verification, e-cigarettes are a better option than combustible cigarettes for those who would otherwise continue smoking,” said Joey Dulay, president of the Philippine E-cigarette Industry Association.

“The JAHA retraction of the BhattaGlantz study serves as a warning to those who misuse science and twist the facts to further their misguided agenda against e-cigarettes and other forms of tobacco harm reduction. The purpose of retractions is the correction of the scientific literature, and there are experts on the subject who will call out study findings that are invalid or unreliable,” said Clarisse Virgino, Philippine representative to the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates.

B2

Business

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Market rallies; Metro Pacific rises T HE stock market advanced Wednesday in step with the rest of Asia, after the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates to combat the economic fallout from the coronavirus.

The Philippine Stock Exchange Index climbed 76.72 points, or 1.1 percent to 6,867.26 on a value turnover of P6.1 billion. Losers, however, beat gainers, 123 to 74, with 37 issues unchanged.

Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., the second-biggest lender in terms of assets, rose 4.9 percent to P56.10, while Metro Pacific Investments Corp., which is into toll roads, water and electricity distribution, hospitals and infrastructure, increased 4.2

percent to P3.44.

JG Summit Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei Group, rose 4.1 percent to P71, while Manila Electric Co., the largest retailer of electricity, advanced 3.7 percent to P267.40.

Most Asian equities, meanwhile, rose Wednesday, brushing off a Wall Street sell-off that was fueled by concerns the central bank was panicking.

All three main indexes on Wall Street ended almost three percent down.

However, Asian investors battled to build on the previous day’s gains and Tokyo ended up 0.1 percent, while Shanghai added 0.6 percent. Singapore, Wellington, Taipei and Bangkok also rose, with Jakarta up two percent on hopes for further Indonesian government stimulus.

Seoul was the standout, surging more than two percent as South Korea— which is the worst hit country outside China—reported a sharp drop in new

cases of the virus.

But Hong Kong dipped 0.1 percent in the afternoon as a gauge of Hong Kong manufacturing, construction, wholesale, retail and services fell to its lowest level on record in February.

The market was being supported by the city’s de facto central bank cutting rates with the Fed owing to the local dollar’s link to the US unit.

Sydney shed 1.7 percent, while was Mumbai also off.

The surprise cut came as central banks around the world pledge to do what they can to mitigate the fallout from the disease, which continues to spread to new countries and is crippling economic activity.

In announcing the reduction, the bank said US fundamentals “remain strong” but warned that the “coronavirus poses evolving risks to economic activity,” the Federal Open Market Committee said in a statement.

The move, which came two weeks before the Fed’s next planned policy meeting, initially sent Wall Street rallying but traders soon reversed course as they grew increasingly nervous about the economic outlook.

It also followed a much-anticipated but eventually underwhelming conference call between G7 finance ministers, which said only that they would use “all appropriate policy tools” to keep the virus epidemic from throttling growth.

Analysts questioned the Fed’s timing.

“The decision by the Fed was misguided from an image point of view as it gave off the impression they are extremely worried about the coronavirus situation,” said CMC Markets analyst David Madden. “And that’s why US stocks fell, as traders picked up on that nervousness. Cutting rates in a rushed fashion projects the wrong image.”

With AFP

Manila Standard BuSineSS daily StockS review wedneSday, March 4, 2020

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

78 136.7 0.79 24.8 8.46 17.96 10.82 3.1 753 0.38 54.7 0.71 11.98 28.15 160.1 110.2 19.8 154.5 1,750 57.45 1.15

78.3 137.9 0.79 24.9 8.46 17.96 10.88 3.7 753 0.385 56.1 0.74 11.98 28.25 160.1 110.2 19.98 156.8 1,750 57.6 1.19

76.45 135.1 0.79 24.75 8.46 17.9 10.8 3.08 752 0.38 53.75 0.71 11.98 27.85 155 110.2 19.8 153.5 1,750 57.3 1.12

FINANCIALS 77.75 1,809,740 136.8 2,374,800 0.79 50,000 24.9 9,200 8.46 100 17.9 41,300 10.8 133,900 3.7 21,000 752 120 0.385 30,000 56.1 2,702,740 0.72 65,000 11.98 4,000 28.15 539,700 155 5,220 110.2 580 19.98 21,000 155.6 432,040 1,750 45 57.45 42,150 1.18 352,000

140,200,244 324,994,874 39,500 228,460 846 739,626 1,449,280 65,540 90,260 11,450 148,561,497 46,820 47,920 15,182,175 823,586 63,916 416,514 66,924,512 78,750 2,420,193 398,900

-50,002,110 -29,169,972 -79,500 -739,626 -357,008 -8,116,383 -720 7,651,300 -12,720 -406,614 -30,650,782 -658,377 -

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

27.3 2.08 7.17 0.63 1.02 2.44 0.202 1.31 14.22 7.21 14.4 58.85 2.01 4 7.52 10.5 7.82 8.05 3.9 17.76 61.05 1.7 1.26 13.2 4.61 1.15 168.7 4.97 3.45 6.15 12.02 8.29 12.3 260 0.15 1.82 3.26 3.38 9.65 10.2 26.2 4.85 5 1.5 1.05 8.08 70.4 9 0.116 0.89 134.2 1.13 15.1 0.93

27.95 2.08 7.17 0.64 1.04 2.48 0.209 1.31 14.24 7.21 15.6 58.85 2.01 4.19 7.52 10.5 7.82 8.15 4.2 17.76 63.55 1.75 1.3 13.2 4.61 1.15 174.6 5 3.45 6.15 12.1 8.3 12.5 267.4 0.15 1.84 3.58 3.39 9.65 10.48 26.5 4.85 5 1.57 1.06 8.08 72.35 9 0.12 0.89 134.2 1.13 15.1 0.96

27 2.02 6.52 0.61 1 2.31 0.2 1.25 14.2 6.75 14.4 58.85 2 4 7.2 10.2 7.71 8.05 3.65 17.1 61.05 1.6 1.24 13 4.5 1.12 167.2 4.97 3.38 6.15 11.88 8 12.02 257.6 0.121 1.8 3.26 3.37 9.6 10.2 26.15 4.85 5 1.5 0.96 7.9 70.4 8.78 0.116 0.88 129.1 1.1 15.1 0.93

INDUSTRIAL 27.5 2,257,300 2.05 603,000 6.98 1,316,800 0.64 662,000 1.02 282,000 2.32 3,582,000 0.208 2,570,000 1.25 13,841,000 14.2 2,747,600 6.81 977,900 15.6 200 58.85 200 2 60,000 4.19 5,000 7.44 258,100 10.2 191,900 7.8 512,200 8.11 745,400 3.83 25,708,000 17.1 4,164,800 63.5 129,410 1.64 27,693,000 1.28 3,902,000 13.14 2,009,100 4.54 783,000 1.12 278,000 174.6 869,400 5 15,000 3.38 6,000 6.15 1,700 11.94 907,600 8.1 490,500 12.14 1,414,900 267.4 261,620 0.134 470,000 1.82 379,000 3.58 25,000 3.37 2,055,000 9.65 11,000 10.48 71,500 26.35 633,100 4.85 1,000 5 2,000 1.55 741,000 1 1,020,000 8 181,800 71.7 266,050 8.78 246,800 0.12 400,000 0.88 2,000 130.9 1,631,650 1.1 1,045,000 15.1 100 0.94 178,000

62,096,060 1,227,650 9,129,959 414,500 282,840 8,396,980 515,480 17,612,170 39,055,152 6,753,612 3,000 11,770 120,400 20,570 1,885,398 1,992,920 3,995,045 6,029,701 101,415,130 71,826,148 8,031,770 45,531,890 4,952,280 26,336,224 3,550,600 315,070 148,264,727 74,870 20,490 10,455 10,873,954 3,968,764(1, 17,205,622 69,062,774 62,730 690,300 83,100 6,936,780 106,045 748,600 16,650,065 4,850 10,000 1,140,070 1,011,690 1,452,439 19,051,811 2,187,396 47,600 1,770 212,831,633 1,159,160 1,510 166,950

16,755,195 -50,810 6,094,598 -3,180,320 1,616,690 373,596 -25,870 187,771 199,446 -25,740 -786,662 109,980 -34,487,866 -1,020,433 -577,630 -3,788,410 -10,546,076 -965,690 6,463,369 218,570 338,791.9996) -15,964,608 9,834,708 -9,750 -196,410 5,045,480 -11,110,810 -4,850 -9,500 10,000 -765,740 -2,634,260.50 1,731,424 -24,000 -61,218,109 -1,510 -

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

0.69 43.7 9.94 0.64 6.1 9.71 0.89 657 2.1 6.05 5.36 11.98 0.217 718 67.05 6.49 0.455 3.71 9.3 0.56 3.35 4.38 1.05 128 960 0.8 1.04 170 139 0.226 0.174

0.69 46 9.95 0.69 6.1 9.71 0.89 671.5 2.1 6.2 5.36 11.98 0.23 748.5 71 6.49 0.455 3.71 9.34 0.6 3.54 4.38 1.15 128 977 0.86 1.16 175 154.9 0.226 0.179

0.67 43.6 9.83 0.64 6.1 9.66 0.88 651.5 2.03 6.05 5.2 11.64 0.217 715 65.6 6.49 0.45 3.7 9.05 0.56 3.33 4.15 0.99 125.1 921 0.78 0.95 170 135 0.226 0.169

HOLDING FIRMS 0.69 2,199,000 46 959,000 9.93 8,023,500 0.69 72,000 37,200 6.1 9.66 8,100 0.88 1,099,000 665.5 321,040 2.1 201,000 6.12 2,387,700 5.32 11,331,600 11.64 18,300 0.23 850,000 748.5 59,580 71 1,914,240 6.49 350,000 0.455 1,170,000 3.7 427,000 9.34 1,627,700 0.6 379,000 3.44 73,544,000 4.29 13,000 1.04 757,000 126.5 265,190 945 447,420 0.8 639,000 0.95 210,000 175 200 154.9 2,190 0.226 50,000 0.173 10,240,000

1,498,740 43,659,525 79,527,741 47,950 226,920 78,416 976,620 212,689,020 415,010 14,614,996 59,972,172 216,888 195,330 43,864,810 131,652,954.50 2,271,500 532,300 1,582,390 15,090,575(9, 222,470 253,210,200 56,100 822,650 33,519,704 419,946,985 516,490 225,110 34,860 313,405 11,300 1,745,510(1,

11,836,780 19,997,798 226,920 -19,345,240 -37,080 -132,550 -34,011,282 -36,296 -115,000 4,016,620 -8,330,657 -2,271,500 -866,870 113,686.9996) -27,600 -15,236,210 -24,940 -10,243,811 -177,760,910 -3,290 -92,410 -90,660 166,310.0001)

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

14.1 0.74 8.8 1.39 0.73 39.4 1.58 4.59 6.1 0.49 0.76 0.79 0.163 0.32 8.45 16.98 1.25 0.98 3.52 0.185 0.395 0.94 0.295 2.05 23.1

14.2 0.87 8.9 1.4 0.73 40.75 1.6 4.59 6.35 0.495 0.76 0.79 0.165 0.33 8.45 17 1.27 0.98 3.53 0.185 0.43 0.95 0.37 2.06 24.5

14.1 0.7 8.8 1.26 0.68 39.25 1.58 4.54 6.02 0.485 0.76 0.79 0.163 0.32 8.3 16.64 1.23 0.98 3.45 0.175 0.395 0.93 0.295 2.04 22.45

PROPERTY 14.18 640,800 0.74 66,057,000 8.9 1,700 1.35 534,000 0.72 884,000 40.75 10,981,200 1.59 742,000 4.55 74,000 6.35 55,400 0.485 978,000 0.76 1,000 0.79 4,000 0.165 150,000 0.32 1,370,000 8.35 174,800 17 405,700 1.27 9,954,000 0.98 258,000 3.5 16,816,000 0.181 6,910,000 0.43 120,000 0.95 339,000 0.325 10,620,000 2.06 1,051,000 24.5 1,377,400

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

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

1.98 3.05 39 2.34 1.58 6.67 4.91

1.98 3.07 39.5 2.35 1.68 6.77 5.07

1.97 3.05 38.5 2.3 1.56 6.39 4.91

1.97 3.07 39.5 2.35 1.62 6.5 5.05

10,000 28,000 14,554,000 40,000 1,117,000 1,806,300 4,300

19,780 85,560 566,409,770 93,500 1,792,060 11,717,728 21,485

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

7.3 22 1.34 9.8 0.41 0.045 17.5 2.48 8 0.036 77.1 3.4 3.99 6.74 1,830 5.3 410 1.02 1.2 105.9 7.17 0.094 1.54 12.38 1.9 0.82 7.96 0.44 1.61 2.85 2.8 10.54 2 1.98 6.8 2.97 157.9 2.3 1,000 0.46 0.26 36.2 62.25 8.64 1.84 0.52 0.211 0.54 18.1

7.3 23.5 1.34 9.98 0.43 0.046 17.5 2.48 8 0.039 77.2 3.43 3.99 7 1,854 5.3 410 1.02 1.2 106.5 8.24 0.094 1.72 12.38 1.9 0.91 8.06 0.51 1.62 3.3 3.24 11.98 2 1.98 6.8 2.97 158 2.34 1,015 0.485 0.285 36.3 63.1 8.64 1.86 0.53 0.215 0.58 18.1

7.2 21.5 1.34 9.71 0.4 0.044 17.5 2.44 7.52 0.036 73.5 3.32 3.99 6.5 1,817 5.24 410 0.99 1.2 104.1 7.17 0.093 1.53 12.38 1.85 0.81 7.88 0.43 1.58 2.67 2.78 10.52 1.93 1.98 6.7 2.97 140.1 2.26 990.5 0.45 0.26 35.4 61.2 8.6 1.77 0.52 0.204 0.53 17.96

SERVICES 7.2 21.75 1.34 9.98 0.4 0.046 17.5 2.44 7.63 0.037 74.75 3.4 3.99 6.99 1,850 5.25 410 1 1.2 105.7 8.24 0.094 1.72 12.38 1.87 0.91 8 0.46 1.59 2.67 2.78 11.98 1.96 1.98 6.8 2.97 150 2.3 1,015 0.46 0.285 36 61.5 8.6 1.8 0.52 0.205 0.58 18.08

4,700 1,273,500 1,000 927,300 11,020,000 3,200,000 20,000 118,000 7,610,400 8,200,000 130,120 250,000 40,000 17,600 42,950 523,700 200 431,000 6,000 2,865,780 800 960,000 52,434,000 200 313,000 84,000 3,787,500 7,500,000 2,575,000 49,762,000 1,582,000 1,200 1,045,000 2,000 5,800 1,000 27,370 1,230,000 71,995 5,380,000 9,120,000 763,100 625,150 16,600 2,180,000 1,509,000 1,530,000 595,000 600,200

33,940 27,968,930 1,340 9,209,917 4,566,800 142,800 350,000 289,160 58,746,998 303,700 9,735,889 ( 846,000 159,600 121,275 78,994,485 2,747,241 82,000 431,310 7,200 302,848,701 5,950 90,040 87,217,660 2,476 587,300 68,330 30,254,703 3,555,850 4,119,610 151,509,140 4,807,570 12,774 2,037,270 3,960 38,970 2,970 4,108,397 2,815,230 72,554,220 2,466,850 2,518,100 27,465,070 38,706,382.50 143,220 3,917,060 784,710 321,660 333,300 10,814,444 27,900 1,824,520 873,220 6,570 4,506 1,243,540 18,900 23,288 11,815,290 19,540 63,900 7,660 7,300 61,620 23,040,780 19,200 39,900 1,452,270 651,165 8,767,844 24,000

MS 9,094,764 53,244,690 15,050 693,700 621,710 441,361,150 1,180,770 336,940 335,605 480,280 760 3,160 24,670 441,500 1,458,687 6,874,488 12,454,700 252,840 58,902,450 1,236,230 50,950 318,100 3,578,700 2,152,440 32,659,350

-399,876 -175,870 15,050 36,450.00 -63,700 62,163,610 131,940 22,830 -4,455 23,040 -564,251 4,672,720 -826,140 -196,000 -307,940 -128,650 6,983,550

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP -18,221,530 -692,040 -5,808,111 -1,697,005 342,650 -4,400 350,000 -16,016,237 555,942.5001) 111,720 26,150,120 21,022,867 1,919,010 -454,110 982,149 -1,840,710 -59,780 -122,986 38,730.00 7,680,987.50 -22,000 -100 -3,498,670 -16,200,917 858,730 -515,860 27,562.00

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

0.0013 6.46 1.02 2.19 11.42 2.7 0.27 6.49 0.93 0.197 0.09 0.096 0.0073 0.62 2.14 0.0096 0.0099 2.9 6.4 19.3 0.0048

0.0013 6.58 1.03 2.19 11.42 2.8 0.27 6.6 0.94 0.197 0.09 0.096 0.0073 0.62 2.14 0.0096 0.01 2.9 6.5 19.6 0.0048

0.0012 6.21 0.99 2.19 10.8 2.68 0.27 6.45 0.89 0.195 0.09 0.094 0.0073 0.61 2.08 0.0096 0.0099 2.8 6.05 19.12 0.0048

MINING & OIL 0.0012 23,000,000 6.58 287,700 1.01 863,000 2.19 3,000 11.42 400 2.8 449,000 0.27 70,000 6.47 3,600 0.89 12,921,000 0.196 100,000 0.09 710,000 0.094 80,000 0.0073 1,000,000 0.61 101,000 2.08 11,059,000 0.0096 2,000,000 0.01 4,000,000 2.8 513,000 6.18 106,000 19.42 452,700 0.0048 5,000,000

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

18.74 502 503 103 101.1 107.1 502 5.09 999 99 100.1 1,010 1,050 1,065 107.5 77.7 75.7 77 75.7 76.1

18.74 505 503 103 101.1 107.1 502 5.09 1,000 99 100.1 1,010 1,050 1,065 107.5 77.95 75.75 77.2 75.7 76.1

17.5 502 503 103 101.1 107 502 5.05 998 99 100.1 1,010 1,050 1,065 107.5 77.7 75.7 77 75.7 76.1

PREFERRED 17.5 650,300 505 270 503 50 103 10 101.1 100 107 3,250 502 100 5.05 6,800 1,000 1,180 99 39,300 100.1 25,180 1,010 460 1,050 1,500 1,065 50 107.5 300 77.95 1,220 75.75 1,000 77.2 2,950 75.7 280 76.1 2,000

11,712,590(10 135,600 25,150 1,030 10,110 347,765 50,200 34,364 1,179,390 3,890,700 2,520,518 464,600 1,575,000 53,250 32,250 94,834 75,725 227,540 21,196 152,200

LR WARRANT

1.01

1.01

1.01

WARRANTS 1.01 30,000

30,300

-

ITALPINAS KEPWEALTH XURPAS

2.6 8.05 0.76

2.65 8.15 0.76

2.45 8.02 0.75

2.51 8.02 0.75

599,790 138,305 663,590

49,200 -

FIRST METRO ETF

103.4

103.5

102.3

4,719,462

19,456

193,058.40

-

USD DMPL A1

10.28

Trading Summary

10.28

SHARES

FINANCIAL

10,723,688

INDUSTRIAL

110,235,367

HOLDING FIRMS

128,494,745

PROPERTY

156,981,427

SERVICES

181,704,775

MINING & OIL

62,819,991

GRAND TOTAL

652,144,692

10.28

SME

237,000 17,200 882,000

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 103.2 45,860 DDS 10.28

18,780

-487 -298,000 840,000 -7,927,870 -19,347,620 5,760 634,660.00 ,694,757.9996) -660,000 219,820 -

VALUE 1,615.83 (up) 11.71 951,530,286.71 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 8,154.62 (up) 32.46 1,004,174,063.196 HOLDING FIRMS 6,692.53(up) 66.99 1,679,170,794.36 PROPERTY 3,777.97 (up) 70.79 1,342.92 (down) 2.57 1,340,781,652.26 SERVICES MINING & OIL 6,327.67 (down) 31.86 1,052,429,133.20 PSEI 6,867.26 (up) 76.72 49,995,401.96 All Shares Index 4,089.06 (up) 26.81 6,084,209,401.54 Gainers: 74; Losers: 123; Unchanged: 37; Total: 234

Fruitas joins grilled chicken business, eyes new concepts

By Jenniffer B. Austria FRUITAS Holdings Inc., a leading food and beverage kiosk operator, is set to venture into the grilled chicken business as part of a strategy to expand core business.

Fruitas said in a disclosure to the stock exchange Wednesday it would use recent acquisitions—Heat Stroke Grill and Kuxina Ihaw Na—to launch the grilled chicken concept.

Fruitas plans to offer the new concept through its current kiosk network or by independently setting up strategic stores.

“Chicken has proven to be the leading protein offered in food service in the Philippines and Fruitas believes it can carve a niche in this wide and fast-growing market segment,” the company said.

Fruitas is also planning to launch a fresh store concept under the Babot’s Farm brand.

Babot’s Farm will initially have three product lines of fresh products in its own portfolio, including Fruitas’ leading buko beverage line, a new soy line under Soy & Bean featuring products from its recent acquisition, The Tofu Store and fresh dairy.

Soy & Bean’s soy-based products will initially include fresh soy milk, tofu, taho, and soy-based ice cream.

“Babot’s Farm is a collection of fresh products which Fruitas is excited to serve to Filipino consumers. Our mission is to make fresh products easily accessible to Filipinos, thus bringing the farm closer to them,” said Fruitas president and chief executive Lester Yu. “We are equally excited with our impending entry into the chicken business. We are confident that we can enter the market in a cost-effective manner yet come up with a well-loved product,” he added.

Fruitas as of end 2019 operated 1,068 stores across the country and over 20 brands in its portfolio.

The brands include well-loved food concepts Fruitas Fresh from Babot’s Farm, Buko Loco, Buko ni Fruitas, De Original Jamaican Pattie, Johnn Lemon, Juice Avenue, Black Pearl, Friends Fries, The Mango Farm, 7,107 Halo Halo Islands, Shou La Mien Hand Pulled Noodles and Sabroso Lechon.

PSBank increased net profit by 13.8% to P3.03b last year

By Julito G. Rada PHILIPPINE Savings Bank, the thrift banking unit of the Metrobank Group, said net income in 2019 rose 13.8 percent to P3.03 billion from P2.66 billion a year ago.

The bank said in a statement Wednesday the full-year performance translated into a return on equity of 10.3 percent and a return on assets of 1.3 percent.

Bank president Jose Vicente Alde said the bank’s strategy on core growth brought positive results despite the volatile environment in 2019.

“Challenges were met head on, reinforced by significant contributions from all the bank’s business units. We had big wins during the year as we were able to focus on operational efficiency and sustained cost discipline across the organization,” Alde said.

He said 2019 was also marked with the introduction of new digital initiatives, such as PaSend and Mobile Check Deposit, which effectively complemented the bank’s “Simple Lang, Maaasahan” mantra.

“We are looking forward to an exciting 2020, empowered with the same passion and commitment,” he said.

The growth of both core net interest margin and other operating income was supplemented by upsides from operating efficiencies. PSBank’s revenue grew 2.8 percent to P14.60 billion from P14.20 billion in 2018.

But operating expenses, excluding the provision for impairment and credit losses, amounted to P8.91 billion, P256.89 million or 2.8 percent lower than a year ago.

Total loan portfolio rose 4.7 percent to P164.11 billion, driven by the consumer loan business. Despite an increase in risk assets, the NPL ratio improved to 3.6 percent from 4.2 percent in the previous year from continued improvements in credit quality.

Total resources stood at P224.91 billion, down 5.4 percent, while total deposits were also lower by 14 percent to P172.51 billion, as the bank continued to rebalance its funding mix to focus on retail and alternative sources.

World

B3

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF $12 billion to fight coronavirus outbreak

WASHINGTON―The World Bank unveiled a $12 billion aid package on Tuesday that will provide fast-track funds to help countries combat the coronavirus outbreak.

“The goal is to provide fast, effective action that responds to country needs,” World Bank President David Malpass told reporters.

He said it is critical to “recognize the extra burden on poor countries” least equipped in the struggle to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The funds, some of which are targeted to the world’s poorest nations, can be used for medical equipment or health services and will include expertise and policy advice, the bank said in a statement.

The virus that erupted in central China in December has killed more than 3,000 worldwide and infected over 90,000 people.

Malpass said the money―$8 billion of which is new―will go to countries that request help. The bank has been in contact with many member nations, but he did not specify which are likely to be the first to receive aid.

“The point is to move fast. Speed is needed to save lives,” he said in a conference call.

“We want to make the best use of the World Bank’s extensive resources and global expertise and the historical knowledge of crises,” he said, citing similar crisis funding to combat the Ebola and Zika outbreaks in recent years. AFP

MASKED. Passengers wearing face masks arrive at the railway station in Hefei, China’s eastern Anhui province, on March 4, 2020.

China on March 4 reported 38 more deaths from the new coronavirus but a fall in fresh cases for a third consecutive day. AFP

Torrential rain kills 21Brazilians

SAO PAULO-At least 21 people have been killed in torrential rain that hit the Brazilian states of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, triggering flash floods and destroying homes, authorities said Tuesday.

Another 32 people are missing in Sao Paulo, raising fears the toll could rise further.

Violent storms in recent days have dumped a month’s worth of rain on some areas in a matter of hours, devastating the southern coast of Sao Paulo state and poor neighborhoods on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro, the country’s second most populous city.

At least 16 people were killed early Tuesday in Sao Paulo state after floods and landslides hit the coastal cities of Santos, Sao Vicente and Guaruja, authorities said.

One of the victims was a rescue worker who was killed by a landslide.

“I express my solidarity with those who are suffering from these heavy rains,” Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria wrote on Twitter.

Several highways were blocked by fallen trees and landslides, including some linking Santos, the biggest port in South America, to Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city and economic capital.

In Rio de Janeiro, authorities said the death toll had risen to at least five after three days of violent rain that destroyed houses, swept away cars, and left some communities covered in water or mud.

The victims were electrocuted, buried in landslides or drowned, emergency officials said. AFP

Tornadoes kill at least 25 in Tennessee W ASHINGTON― Tornadoes ripped through Tennessee early Tuesday, leaving at least 25 people dead, destroying buildings and toppling power lines hours before the southern US state voted in Super Tuesday primaries.

Voting hours were extended due to the devastation the twisters wrought when they touched down shortly after midnight―rubble was strewn across the state capital Nashville.

Residents ran for their lives as their homes came down around them. Tens of thousands lost power to their homes, officials said.

“TAKE COVER NOW! THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS STORM!!!” the National Weather Service tweeted as one tornado tore through an area west of Nashville.

Television broadcast showed cars piled up, hangars destroyed and what appeared to be dozens of aircraft smashed into each other at Nashville’s John C. Tune Airport.

The Nashville Police Department circulated aerial photographs of many buildings missing roofs and homes destroyed―standing next to houses that escaped damage.

“In the hours ahead, we will continue deploying search and rescue teams, opening shelters across the state, and sending emergency personnel to our communities hit hardest,” Governor Bill Lee wrote on Twitter.

Lee said late Tuesday that the toll had risen to 25 during the day.

Among the victims were two people in Nashville killed after being struck by debris, police said.

Mayor John Cooper said around 150 people had been transported to medical facilities while nearly 50 buildings had collapsed in the city, the hub of the US country music scene.

US President Donald Trump said that he would visit the stricken areas Friday.

“We send our love and our prayers of

the nation to every family that was af- their phone went off.

“Ten seconds later. the house just fected, and we will get there and we will recover and we will rebuild and we will exploded,” he told the local Tennessean newspaper, standing in front of his help them,” Trump said.

The series of severe storms that passed home, with its crumbled walls and dethrough Tennessee caused major dam- stroyed roof.

Cooper wrote on Twitter that “Nashage to buildings, roads, bridges, utilities and businesses, the Tennessee Emergen- ville is hurting, and our community has cy Management Agency (TEMA) said. been devastated,” as he urged people to “Tornado damage has been reported lend a helping hand. AFP throughout West and Middle TenManila nessee including downtown Nash- Standard TODAY ville,” it added.

Overturned tractor trailers and other vehicles littered interstate highways.

In the city’s East Nashville neighborhood, resident David Haskell said that he and his wife bolted into their storm shelter after an alarm on

Pakistan struggles to fight devastating locust plague PIPLI PAHAR―Pakistan’s farmers are struggling to combat the worst locust plague in nearly three decades as insect swarms decimate entire harvests in the country’s agricultural heartlands and send food prices soaring.

Heavy rain and cyclones sparked “unprecedented” breeding and the explosive growth of locust populations on the Arabian peninsula early last year, according to the United Nations.

The insects have since fanned out and wreaked havoc on farms from East Africa to India before making their way into Pakistan from the desert on the country’s southwestern border with Iran.

The crisis is so severe that the government has declared a nationwide emergency and urgently appealed for help from the international community.

Officials in southern Sindh province fear the infestation will devastate the supply of cotton, the local cash crop, ahead of its harvest in the coming months.

Local surveys of the damage are continuing, but the Sindh Chamber of Agriculture says nearly half of all crops have been destroyed near the port city of Karachi.

“I have not seen an infestation like this one in my career,” said Shehbaz Akhtar, an agricultural official charged with locust eradication efforts in the village of Pipli Pahar in central Punjab province.

Local authorities had “launched a combat operation” to clear the area of

infestation with pesticide sprays, he said.

Clouds of the noxious gas envelop the nearby fields each morning, where villagers gather the husks of dead insects for an official bounty of 20 rupees (13 cents) per kilogramme bag.

“We spray twice a day here,” says Fayyaz Azeem, clad in a face mask and thick industrial gloves on top of a tractor discharging pesticide into rows of crops.

But the process is slow and timeconsuming, and by the time locusts are killed off in one field they have often already destroyed the next.

The pesticides used by officials are also dangerous for consumption, so even when the locusts are dead the remaining crops have to be discarded.

Some farmers have been forced to opt for more desperate solutions while waiting for their fields to be sprayed and have attempted to scare off the swarms by shouting and banging pots.

A team of Chinese experts has arrived in Pakistan to survey the crisis, food security ministry chief Muhammad Hashim Popalzai told AFP. Beijing could also offer aerial spraying -- a much faster and more efficient method of pest control -- and Pakistan may also import pesticides from China.

Earlier reports circulating online suggested China was planning to send thousands of ducks to Pakistan to devour the scourge. Pakistani officials said no such plans were being considered. AFP

PREMIERE. From left, Writer and director Laura Kosann and Danielle Kosann

attend the New York premiere of ‘The Social Ones’ at Village East Cinema on March 03, 2020, in New York City. AFP

Amnesty says Iran killed two dozen children in November crackdown PARIS―Human rights group Amnesty International on Wednesday accused the Iranian security forces of killing 23 children, mostly with live ammunition, during a November crackdown on antigovernment protests.

Protests broke out across Iran from November 15 after the announcement of a surprise petrol price rise. The authorities responded with a crackdown that Amnesty has already said left 304 people dead, a figure vehemently disputed by Tehran.

Amnesty said in its new report it had evidence that at least 23 children were killed, with 22 of them killed by the security forces “unlawfully firing live ammunition at unarmed protesters and bystanders.”

The children killed included 22 boys, aged between 12 and 17, and a girl reportedly aged between eight and 12.

“There must be independent and impartial investigations into these killings, and those suspected of ordering and carrying them out must be prosecuted in fair trials,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty’s research and advocacy director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Twelve of the 23 deaths―recorded in 13 cities in six provinces across the country―took place on 16 November, a further eight on 17 November, and three on 18 November, according to Amnesty.

“The fact that the vast majority of the children’s deaths took place over

just two days is further evidence that Iranian security forces went on a killing spree to quash dissent at any cost,” said Luther.

Amnesty International said it had written to Iran’s Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli with the names of the 23 children recorded as killed but had received no response.

It said relatives of some of the children killed described being subjected to harassment and intimidation, including surveillance and interrogations by intelligence and security officials.

It said this corresponded with a broad pattern of families of those killed in protests being intimidated by the state to prevent them talking openly about the deaths.

“Families of children killed during the protests are facing a ruthless campaign of harassment to intimidate them from speaking out,” said Luther, denouncing a “state cover-up”.

Its report was based on evidence from videos and photographs, as well as death and burial certificates, accounts from eyewitnesses and victims’ relatives as well as information gathered from human rights activists and journalists.

In one child’s case, there were conflicting reports on the cause of death, with one source referring to fatal head injuries sustained by beatings by security forces and another referring to the firing of metal pellets at the victim’s face from a close distance, it said. AFP

(MS-MAR. 5, 2020)

LGUs

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

B4

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Taguig scholars gain allowances for 2nd quarter THE city government of Taguig has distributed the second semester allowances of a total of 3,400 scholars at the Taguig City University.

The allowance received by students from districts 1 and 2 comprising the first batch varies from P7,500 to P50,000.

The financial assistance given under the Lifeline Allowance for Neighbors In-need Scholarship program, is only one of many initiatives of the city government that is proof the local government has education as its top priority.

Every school year, students of Taguig also receive free school supplies and benefit from other services of the probinsyudad.

Just last week, Taguig City passed Ordinance No. 6, Series of 2020 during a special session of the Sagguniang Panlungsod.

This ordinance will continue the city’s existing programs, currently covering 55,000 scholars in tertiary and about 10,000 in high school, and create new scholarship packages covering athletes, students in a select number of fields, and public servants and their families or dependents.

The new ordinance stipulates that the Lifeline Assistance for Neighbors In-need Scholarship Program will remain, together with the other longtime schemes City Educational Assistance Allowance for Taguig City University Scholars and Taguig Learners’ Certificate Scholarship Program. Joel E. Zurbano

Calamba Medical hosts Cancer Summit at Tent

By Roy Tomandao CALAMBA, Rizal—In line with the upcoming opening of Calamba Medical Center’s new Calamba Cancer Center with a First Advanced Linear Accelerator machine and chemotherapy clinics, the hospital recently held a Cancer Summit at the Calamba Tent.

As part of its Post-Graduate Summit on Cancer, CMC aims to impart cancer awareness and educate participants in various topics on how to diagnose, prevent, and manage the dreaded illness.

The use of a radiotheraphy machine, which can help stop growing cancer cells was introduced by specialist Dr. Jose Ruel Resubal.

The cancer summit was organized

by CMC Medical Services Organization with Dr. Mico Galicia as President and coordinated by hospital Head Pathologist Dr. Jen Babasa Torres.

Looking forward to a new milestone for CMC this year is the grand opening of the Calamba Cancer Center, with Dr. Salvador Luis Villanueva, Onco Gynecologist, poised to become the biggest Cancer Center in the South.

Another huge step to adherence of CMC’s mission and vision for the best healthcare dedicated to the people of the South.

Calamba Medical Center is a prominent hospital in Calamba and is now tagged as The Healthcare City of the South due to its upgraded global standard facility and city-like design to accommodate a huge variety of clientele.

Student volunteers sweep the dried leaves at Arroceros Forest Park in Manila. On Tuesday, Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko’ Domagoso signed an ordinance making Arroceros a permanent forest park. Norman Cruz

donates Isko declares Arroceros Pasig 2 boats to MMDA ‘permanent forest park’ for river ferry line

By Willie Casas

M

ANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso has signed an ordinance declaring Arroceros Park, dubbed as the “last lung” of the capital, as a “permanent forest park.”

Domagoso signed Ordinance No. 8607 on Tuesday, declaring the piece of land along Arroceros Street, formerly property of the Department of Education, as a permanent forest park.

In a statement released by the Manila Public Information Office, Domagoso said the local government will allocate P1 million for the park’s operations.

“The use and enjoyment of the Arroceros Forest Park must be consistent with the principles of sustainable devel-

opment and the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology,” the ordinance read.

Under the ordinance, cutting trees, dumping waste products, and any form of excavation within the area of the forest park are prohibited.

Violators will be fined P2,500 on first offense, P3,500 on their second offense, and P5,000 and/or imprisonment not exceeding one year depending on the court’s discretion for the third offense.

The riverside park near Manila City Hall is home to some 3,000 species of birds and trees. The park was developed in 1993 but was closed to the public after portions of the area were occupied by informal settlers and gangsters.

The transformation of the park was one of Domagoso’s campaign promises.

“Let’s turn Manila into a green city,” he said.

After winning the mayoral election in 2019, he vowed to preserve and improve recreational areas like zoos and parks in Manila City, after some city properties were rumored to be for sale.

Officials of Calamba Medical Center stand beside the Linac, the medical linear accelerator used to diagnose cancer, and the first advanced machine of its kind in Laguna.

Pictured in lab coats are (from left) Dr. Salvador Luis Villanueva, Dr. Mylene Estefa, Dr. Marie Catherine Remollino, and Dr. Jose Roel Resubal. Roy Tomandao

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Pasig City government on Wednesday donated two 57-seater boats, bringing to 10 the total number of boats used by the Metropoalitan Manila Development Authority in its Pasig River Ferry Service program.

The brand new ferry boats—M/B Mutya ng Pasig 1 and 2—are equipped with closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and overhead electric fans for ventilation and toilet room for the convenience of passengers.

MMDA chairman Danilo Lim said he is grateful for the generosity of the Pasig City government, through the initiative of Mayor Vico Sotto.

“The two boats donated to the PRFS by the City of Pasig is surely a big help to continually give the best service to our passengers,” said Lim who signed an agreement with Mayor Sotto and other city officials in a turnover ceremony held at San Joaquin Ferry Station.

Sotto is confident that through their donated boats, the goal to increase ridership will be met.

“Improved facilities, more boats, information dissemination, and consistency will make the PRFS ridership increase and even double in number,” he said.

Since its relaunch on December last year, the average number of passengers riding the ferry daily is at 700 to 1,000.

MMDA Deputy Chairman and PRFS Head Undersecretary Frisco San Juan, Jr. said that other LGUs and the Office of the President pledged boat donations in support of the project.

San Juan said the Office of the President, thru the help of President Rodrigo Duterte’s friends and the Manila City government each pledged two boats as donation for the ferry service.

Fiesta Communities to build two new Subic subdivisions

By Butch Gunio SUBIC, Zambales—Fiesta Communities will build two new subdivisions in Subic, Zambales, the company said in a media gathering Tuesday.

“The new subdivision projects will

be Fiesta Communties Subic- Pamatawan and Fiesta Communities SubicAningway,” said the realty firm’s media officer Melissa Dizon.

Fiesta Communities is aggressive in Zambales because the company saw the need to build socialized housing projects in

the province, officials said in a statement.

Building the two subdivisions is seen as answer to the dream of many Subic families.

Subic is a thriving town with many families from other places settling in the area, given the wealth of economic

opportunities available in the former American naval base.

For almost a decade, FIESTA Communities has been a leader and a prime provider of quality, affordable homes to the low to mid-class market of the Northern and Central Luzon.

‘OMG’ enhances campus life at PWU

By Suzie Moya Benitez, PhD

The O My G club at Philippine Women’s University welcomes its new members.

A CENTURY ago, seven women had a dream, their vision was to prepare young women for leadership and service, successfully combining homemaking and career. Today, this time, women together with men are exposed to a holistic education one with quality and integrity.

This being University month, the flurry of activities at the PWU campuses in Taft Avenue, Indiana and Quezon City, will also include the installation of its 10th president, Marco Alfredo Benitez, the culmination of the centennial year celebration and the dramatic turn towards the next century.

The Homecoming celebrated at the Fiesta Pavilion of the Manila Hotel showcased some dramatic highlights in the life of the University presented in songs and dances.

While the focus is trained to this big event, campus life has never been this enriching. Just this week, O my G (a grow your own herbs and veggies club) opened its club doors to more members with the blessings of the new university president. Its adviser is Pwu faculty and core performing artist of Bayanihan Pam Corales.

The ongoing book club search for new members, headed by Petra Elepano, also PWU faculty and core artist of Bayanihan went on open critiquing and debate sessions attended by other members of the PWU community. This and many more from sports, dance, art exhibitions, outreach projects through Project Pag ibig , musical concerts, sessions on wellness and cross cultural exposures are handed on a silver platter right at the PWU campus. Interested alumni, friends and future students are welcome to the campus at any time.

Life

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

HOUSEHOLD

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

C1

STYLISH DINING. Dinnerware from Crate and Barrel’s Japan x Scandi line combines the elements in Japanese and Scandinavian design aesthetics, resulting in simple elegant style with a distinct warmth of being at home.

Fresh simplicity J

Indigo shines in the collection—as seen in the Kaito pillow (left) and Piega vase and Alya speckled vase (right)—and goes well with wooden elements like the Keenan sideboard (right) which is inspired by Japanese woodblock prints.

APAN and Scandinavia. Two places five thousand miles apart, both with revered design aesthetics that—a home furnishings brand reveals—sing well together.

Both design aesthetics are characterized by simplicity and minimalism; both famous for valuing natural light and wood. Their shared style elements and decorative techniques combined, exudes a feeling of calm, ease, and right at home.

Homeowners can introduce this fresh and simple style with décor and tabletop items from Japan x Scandi line of Crate and Barrel’s spring/summer 2020 collection.

Japan x Scandi mixes elements from each region, thereby meeting at the intersection of elegance and warmth, intricacy and simplicity.

Indigo creates a color story as it dominates this style using the elements of ceramic, wood, and woven fiber materials.

Crate and Barrel’s latest collection is now available in its stores located at SM Aura Premier, SM Makati, and SM Mega Fashion Hall.

Filipinos prefer real estate property inheritance

By Steph Llarena WHEN it comes to inheritance, the Filipino “silver market,” composed of those aged 60 and above, opts for real estate properties, among other tangible inheritances, to pass down to their heirs.

Residential property demand remains strong. Data from Colliers International show take-up of pre-sold condominium units in Metro Manila reached 54,000 in 2018, surpassing its previous record

of 52,600 in 2017.

According to the Canada-based real estate services company, the growth was driven by strong demand from starting families and the influx of Mainland Chinese in the Philippines.

As residential prices continue to rise—22.2 percent for properties in the National Capital Region during the third quarter of 2019, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas—they remain a hot investment.

Although options in real estate property are vast, the silver market is very selective and particular, a property developer said.

Premium condominiums, specifically, are their topmost consideration not only because they offer security, safety, princely amenities and convenience, but also guarantee their children and grandchildren a good future. Case in point, land prices in upscale Ayala Alabang in 2018 grew

Premium condominiums offer owners well-designed units and luxurious amenities, as well as profitable source of passive income.

Upscale condominium Botanika Nature Residences is tucked in the most exclusive area of Filinvest City.

15.8 percent from previous year.

Joining the growing list of premium condominium properties is Botanika Nature Residences by high-end real estate developer Filigree.

“Nestled in the most exclusive area of Filinvest City, Alabang, this low densi-

ty condominium serves as an ideal ‘living inheritance,’ especially for young families looking for a stress-free and healthier life,” the developer said.

The units and amenities are purposefully designed by global designers and Turn to C2

Life

C2

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

‘Elevator Girl’ named model employee of the year

T

HE mall elevator girl who charmed the nation with her perky attitude was recognized as “Model Employee of the Year” at the recently concluded Messengers of Hope Awards 2020 during the Standout Leadership Conference held at Subic Bay Travelers Hotel.

SM Elevator Girl Cheridel Alejandrino first rose to fame after a video clip of her at work went viral in 2013, drawing positive reactions from the viewers. The video clip shows her giving information to the shoppers in a perky manner.

“Buong puso po akong nagpapasalamat para sa walang sawa ninyong paniniwala sa aking kakayahan bilang isang empleyado—mula sa pagiging day-off at break time reliever sa comfort room, elevator attendant, Snacktime sales clerk at cashier sa SM City Olongapo, hanggang sa malipat ako sa SM Supermalls head office kung saan, sa pamamagitan ninyo at ng aking mga butihing boss, ay na-promote bilang isang marketing officer

Alejandrino rose to fame after a video clip of her at work went viral in 2013.

(Photo from Cheridel Alejandrino/Facebook)

(I am truly grateful for the public’s trust in me as an employee who started as day-off and break time restroom reliever, elevator attendant, Snacktime sales clerk and cashier at SM City Olongapo, until I was transferred to SM Supermalls head office, where, through the help of my bosses, I was promoted as marketing officer),” shared Alejandrino.

The Messengers of Hope Award is conferred to select Olongapeños who stood out and made significant contribution to the City of Olongapo. Their achievements have created a significant impact and have brought honor and inspiration to the youth and, in the process, strengthened their hopes for a more progressive and promising future.

From the 2013 video clip that launch Alejandrino’s career, she has been interviewed in several media outfits and TV shows, and was also given the chance to have her life story featured on ABSCBN’s drama anthology series, Maalaala Mo Kaya.

In 2016, her elevator etiquette “walk on the left, stand on the right” video, posted on SM Supermalls’ Facebook page, has also gone viral online.

Today, aside from being a wife and a mom, she is SM Supermalls’ brand ambassador and has become a source of joy of shoppers as she regularly visits SM malls nationwide.

“Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa biyayang natatanggap ko dahil ngayon ay nabibigyan ako ng pagkakataon na ikutin ang mga SM malls mula Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao na dati ay pangarap ko lamang (I still can’t believe I have received

Perky ‘SM Elevator Girl’ Cheridel Alejandrino has been named ‘Model Employee of the Year’ at the recently concluded Messengers of Hope Award, an award-giving body that selects outstanding Olongapeños.

all these blessings which have allowed and Mindanao, which only used to be a me to tour SM malls in Luzon, Visayas, dream),” she expressed.

DOMESTIC LIVING

Keeping home clean naturally

More than 400 wedding suppliers are coming together at the 36th edition of Wedding Expo Philippines on March 21-22.

400-plus suppliers

at 36th Wedding Expo Philippines

Soon-to-wed couples are invited to check out the Wedding Expo Specials to score deals and discounts.

From C1

consultants led by Architecture International and Leandro V. Locsin Partners to improve the well-being of its residents—for instance, the residential condominium has a zen garden with a meditative garden where residents can reflect or be one with nature.

There is also the tiered pool, a combination of infinity and kiddie pools, in the middle of the development where residents can take a leisurely dip.

Botanika also features lush landscapes to rejuvenate the soul, enliven the body, and instill a sense of belonging within the community.

The sprawling multi-purpose lawn in The Courtyard provides residents a place to enjoy the fresh air as they read books, socialize with neighbors, or simply commune with nature. In the Sculptural Garden, with its outdoor play area and unique tree houses, kids can freely run around and play.

Aside from pleasure and luxury, real estate properties help parents secure a good financial future for their heirs.

Double-duty cleaning products

Black encourages the use of natural cleaning products, which also work double-duty. For instance, Healthy Options’ ECOS Dishmate Free and Clear unscented and hypoallergenic dish soap can clean a “sinkful” of dishes in just a few drops thanks to its concentrated plant-powered cleaning agents.

Aside from dishes, it can also be used as hand soap, suitable for people with skin and fragrance allergies.

Speaking of washing dishes, the Natural Value Dual Surface Cellulose Sponge can be used for plates and utensils as well as non-stick surfaces.

Healthy Options’ other natural cleaning items include Ecover Zero Non-Chlorine Bleach, Cadia Free and Clear fabric softener, and Cadia Organic Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar.

Sara Black leads a talk on creating ‘Sacred Spaces’ by detoxifying one’s living space.

permint, for example, has antiseptic properties that may help repel ants, spiders, and cockroaches.

To make a natural all-purpose cleaner, mix one-fourth part white vinegar and three-fourth part water with 15 drops of a suitable essential oil. For a basic sink cleanser, combine one-half cup of baking soda with six drops of essential oil like eucalyptus which has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties; or tea tree oil which can fight off nasty bacteria.

Rinse the sink with hot water, sprinkle the combination into the sink, and pour one-fourth cup of vinegar over the top. After the fizz settles, scrub usCleaning with essential oils ing a damp sponge or cloth and rinse In lieu of chemical-based all-pur- again with hot water. pose cleaners, essential oils can be Filter air with plants added to inject additional antibacteTo help filter the air and create a rial, antiviral, and antifungal qualities to natural all-purpose cleaners. Pep- pleasant ambience at home, Black

THE biggest and longest running wedding expo is slated on March 21-22, covering the entire ground floor of SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia.

Over 400 top wedding suppliers are coming together to the 36th edition of Wedding Expo Philippines to present 1,001 ideas and offer promos to soonto-wed couples.

WEP major sponsor Studio 1 Photography will offer guests a keepsake studio portrait in a full studio set up.

Aside from souvenir photos, couples are in for hourly raffle prizes and treats from “generous” exhibitors.

Couples looking for deals and special promos are invited to check out the Wedding Expo Specials and the grand product launches happening during the two-day affair.

Filipinos...

PHOTOGRAPHER and modelturned-meditation coach and yoga instructor Sara Black recently led a talk on creating “Sacred Spaces” by detoxifying—as in cleaning and decluttering—home using natural products.

Adopting a mindset of minimalism and decluttering physical spaces, she said, have huge payoffs. By decluttering, staying clean and organized, we end up feeling better, becoming more productive, and even fitter.

“We’re holding on to too many things in our home that are not relevant anymore,” stated Black.

Condominiums for rent offer a profitable source of passive income, especially when it is situated in a bustling city where everything is within reach.

“Botanika’s enviable location in Filinvest City—the vibrant premier central business district in Metro South— makes it a winning investment.”

With the city experiencing unprecedented growth as a new hotspot for major infrastructure, and base for local and multinational companies, a variety of leasing opportunities are available, immediately guaranteeing high profitability. Botanika profits from this growth, enjoying approximately 56 percent increase in land values since it was launched.

Within reach are top-notch academic institutions like De La Salle Zobel, San Beda College Alabang, PAREF Woodrose, and Southridge; Westgate and Festival Mall for shopping, dining, and entertainment; and Asian Hospital and Medical Center for world-class healthcare services.

Filinvest City is also strategically linked to major thoroughfares such as South Luzon Expressway, Skyway, Daang Hari, and Alabang-Zapote Road.

suggested bringing the outdoors in through plants. Choose low-maintenance plants like mint, basil, or rosemary, which are not only fragrant can be used for cooking, too.

ECOS Dishmate Free and Clear dish soap (left) and peppermint essential oil.

Essential oils with antiseptic and antibacterial properties can be used in lieu of chemical-based all-purpose cleaners.

Entertainment

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

New seven-kilo gold coin unveiled to celebrate James Bond film

After almost 14 years, starring in five movies, Daniel Craig is ready to hang up his holster as James Bond.

BRITAIN’S Royal Mint on Monday unveiled a seven-kilogram gold coin with the highest face value in its 1,100-year history in honor of the latest James Bond film.

The one-of-a-kind new coin celebrating the release next month of the 25th movie in the legendary franchise, No Time To Die, has a face value of £7,000 ($9,000).

At 185 millimeters in diameter, it is also the largest coin ever made by the Royal Mint, Britain’s official coin-maker.

The piece is engraved with an image of the fictional British spy’s favorite

car—an Aston Martin DB5—and its famous BMT 216A number plate surrounded by a gun barrel.

It is part of a collection of several coins and metal bars launched to mark the release of No Time To Die, which premieres in London later this month.

The ensemble includes gold coins weighing two kilograms, one kilogram and five ounces—with face values ranging from £10 to £2,000—as well as a number of silver and other coins. The mint did not release the price tag for the seven-kilo gold piece, but the recom-

mended retail price of the two-kilo coin is an eye-watering £129,990.

Meanwhile, the metal bars, which will be available in gold and silver, are set to have all of the 25 official James Bond film titles engraved on them.

The latest installment of the British spy saga, due to start hitting cinemas around the world in early April, sees Bond drawn out of retirement in Jamaica by his old friend and CIA agent Felix Leiter. It is expected to be actor Daniel Craig’s last outing as 007, after starring in four previous films. AFP

The piece is engraved with an image of the fictional British spy’s favorite car, an Aston Martin DB5.

‘Elsa and Sarah’ is about the love between a mother with a visual impairment and her daughter with down syndrome

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino

beefs up for 4th edition

T

HE Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP), which will be on its fourth edition this September, has leveled up in four ways.

Firstly, it will produce an esteemed lineup of 10 films. Secondly, it will be choosing six finished films or films in post-production and four projects in their advanced development stage or production stage. Thirdly, it will be offering co-production funds of up to P2 million via the FilmPhilippines Philippine Co-Production Fund. Finally, it will hold a beefed-up Sine Kabataan 4, which will also offer production grants and film development lab sessions to young filmmakers.

PPP 4, which will be held from Sept.

11 to 17, is organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) in partnership with the Cinema Exhibitors Association of the Philippines (CEAP). The opening day of PPP is the final day of the year-long Philippine Cinema Centennial celebration as mandated by Presidential Proclamation No. 622, Series of 2018.

As the country officially closes the celebration of One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema, the FDCP aims for PPP to be the venue to gather the entire film

industry together as it looks to the future of the next hundred years of the industry.

In line with this momentous celebration, PPP has a lot more in store this year.

PPP 4 will feature 10 films, making it the second year in a row that PPP will be screening 10 entries in more than 900 cinemas nationwide. It will be accepting four projects in their advanced stage of development or production stage and six finished films or films in post-production. FDCP has set the deadlines for PPP applications: March 20, 2020 for projects in their advanced stage of development or production stage; and June 15, 2020 for finished films or films in post-production.

As for Sine Cabana, it will return on its fourth year as an amped-up short film competition that now has a film development lab program. Sine Kabataan aims to encourage filmmakers aged 18 to 30 to make short films on issues relevant to the youth revolving around family values, education, health, or security and peacebuilding. Sine Kabataan, which runs alongside PPP, will

Pageant Concept...

From C4 Luzineau’s court of honor are Mr. Greece Nikos Antonopoulos (1st runner up), Mr. Brazil Matheus Giora (2nd runner up), Mr. Spain Yeray Hidalgo (3rd runner up), and Mr. India Mayur Gangwani (4th runner up).

Mr. Philippines Luisito Daumier Corilla was named in the Top 16. Others semifinalists wereAustralia’s Riley Channells, Paraguay’s William Ocampos, Poland’s Adrian Michalowski, Sri Lanka’s Sajith Perera, Sweden’s Elvir Aljicevic, Thailand’s Sittipong Imsatian, Turkey’s Yekta Baki, UAE’s Mohammad Tamseer, United Kingdom’s Ben Spong, and Vietnam’s Pham Dinh Linh.

Luzineau, from Gorinchem, South Holland, also won the Face of the Year special award. He is the first Dutchman Paul Luzineau, representing Netherlands, is the new Manhunt International winner, succeeding Vicent Llorach of Spain.

also grant production funds to applications featuring story concepts.

Each Sine Kabataan finalist is set to receive a P50,000 cash grant and another P50,000 worth of post-production grant. The finalists’ short films (with a maximum length of 5 minutes) will be shown nationwide during the PPP duration, with one short film to be shown before an official PPP entry. Sine Kabataan 4 finalists will also get to learn about script development, film production, film editing, and post-production in the Sine Kabataan Film Lab sessions that will be held throughout the year. The deadline for Sine Kabataan applications is on March 20, 2020.

With all the new things happening in PPP 4, FDCP expects its flagship program to add vibrancy to the commemoration of the One Hundred Years of Philippine Cinema. PPP hopes to sustain the culture of support that it has created by encouraging Filipinos to watch local films in cinemas (student admission prices are P180 for Metro Manila cinemas and P130 for provincial theaters) and enjoining local filmmakers to showcase their creativity and originality with the support of production grants. to win the Manhunt International title.

Other special awards winners were: Mr. Paraguay Ocampos as Mr. Internet Popularity; Mr. United Kingdom, Best Fashion Model; Mr. Sweden, Best Commercial Model; Mr. Vietnam, Best Runway Model; Mr. Thailand, Mr. Photogenic; Mr. Nepal Bibesh Shrestha, Mr. Personality; Mr. Peru Alonzon Anasgo, Mr. Physique; Mr. Trinidad & Tobago Reon Elder, Mr. Friendship; and Mr. Philippines, Best in National Costume.

The 20th edition Manhunt International was hosted by Christi Lynn McGarry and Andrei Brouillette.

Among the judges were Manhunt International 2012 June Macasaet, Bb. Pilipinas International 2014 Mary Anne Bianca Guidotti, Manhunt International 2018 Vicent Llorach, and Manhunt International executive president Rosko Dickinson.

Manhunt International, which originally started as a male model ‘manhunt’ contest in 1988 in Singapore, is arguably the most prestigious of all pageants for men and aims to promote new faces for the male modeling and fashion industry.

‘Eklipse’ production team

FEU film ‘Eklipse’ wins back-to-back at Adamson, UP

By Seymour Barros Sanchez A MIDTERM project for an Introduction to Film class at Far Eastern University recently scored consecutive victories at Adamson University Silip@Lente’s Realifilm 2019 interschool competition and University of the Philippines Cinema’s Piling Obrang Vidyo XVI at the UP Film Institute Cine Adarna/UPFI Film Center.

Eklipse, written and directed by FEU sophomore Communication student Jessa Doydora, bested 11 other finalists to win the 2019 Realifilm Golden Award, Special Jury Award and Best Direction at Realifilm 2019: All Sacrifices for Passion in Adamson and also brought home the POV XVI Best Narrative Film award in UP Diliman.

Inspired by Dr. Jose Rizal’s Ang Pagong at ang Matsing (The Turtle and the Monkey), the film was originally submitted by Doydora and her Pelikulahar Production team for their film class under Prof. David Corpuz last semester, with Francis Tavas as producer, Qi Perez as co-writer and director of photography, Karlo Magboo as sound recordist, Sophie Casasola as camera operator, Migo Morales as production designer and actor, and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila Psychology student Glenn Villapando as Morales’ co-actor.

Doydora, who is also the director behind the Viddsee Juree Awards 2019 finalist, Press Pause and Play, said that she is overwhelmed by their film’s recognitions “but above it, we are happy to have that platform to voice out our advocacy.”

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde film majors Lester Cristal (Shannon Lester Paraico), Andre Joachim “Aki” Red, and Vahn Leinard Pascual won the other Realifilm major prizes with Cristal’s Swelas (Plan B Production) bagging the Realifilm Silver Award, Best Screenplay for Robin Estargo

and Best Production Design for Ged Cruz and Chelo Campos, Red’s Lilipad na si Birdie (Anakpula Production) taking the Realifilm Bronze Award, Best Supporting Actress for Deena De Guzman and Best Playbill, and Pascual’s Linya (Spontaneous Films) getting the Realifilm Excellence Award and Best Actress for Czkaira Borloza.

Ingat by Franz Pascual of Mga Words Production got the Realifilm Virtue Award. Pangyapak by Julius Melbourne Custodio of Malaya Production took home Best Cinematography, Best Editing and Best Actor for Brent Martinez. Jeroen Joyel from Aaron Agtay Films’Ongpin St. won Best Supporting Actor. Ako si Kat, Ako›y Sikat by Jherald Arizabal of Lente Production bagged the Audience Choice Award.

Meanwhile, at UP Diliman, another FEU entry, When the Sea Turns Red by Ian Caacbay, won Best Editing at POV for Jay Francis Guanga Letrillard.

In the film, a young girl in the middle of the sea was redirected by a man who will change who she is forever. Inspired by a controversial event that is still happening today, the film features both characters represented by huge names in the world.

The POV Best Performance went to Chin Chin Jongko of Garing directed by Dan Pablo of University of Santo Tomas. Jury Prize, Best Experimental Film and Best Direction were awarded to Window Shopping by Maryjoy Abrazado of UP Diliman. Best Documentary was given to Titser Gennie by Elijah Prades of University of Makati. Best Experimental Film also went to Routinary by Miggy Arnonobal of UP Diliman. Best Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Scoring, Cinemaster›s Choice and Viewer›s Choice were awarded to Proj. Imakulada by Jan Michael Bernardino of Mapua University.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Ricky Davao gets lead role in ‘Parole’

By Nickie Wang AFTER winning Cinemalaya 2019 Best Supporting Actor for his role in the provocative film Fuccbois, veteran actor Ricky Davao returns to the independent film fest, this time in a starring role.

Entitled Parole, the film tackles the story of a paroled ex-convict who tries to adjust back to society after being imprisoned for 30 long years for a crime he did not commit.

“The film is inspired by a documentary and the character was formed while I was

watching it. It is an untold story that we wanted the audience to see. The film also teaches people to give ex-convicts another chance to live like normal people and be accepted as reformed men,” film director Brilliant Juan told Manila Standard in an interview.

«The journey of the film revolves around the question whether the person should stay in prison or live outside. The prison has become his home and his inmate, his family. He doesn›t have any family outside. That›s the character›s dilemma,» the director added.

Also in the cast are Kent Gonzales, Richard Quan, Dino Pastrano, Royce Cabrera, Migs Almendras, and Renshi De Guzman.

From Uncle Scott Global Productions (which also co-produced last year’s Cinemalaya film Iska), Parole is written

by Lora Cerdan, associate director is Armand Reyes.

The Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival commences August 7.

Ricky Davao lands on a starring role in Cinemalaya official entry, ‘Parole.’

Ken San Jose’s killer tunes Singer-dancer Ken San Jose collaborated with Academy of Rock Singapore for his sophomore digital single ‘A Chance To Hold.’

T

HE allure of Michael Jackson’s act largely rested on the YUGEL LOSORATA way he danced or choreographed his performances. But that facet of his enigma takes the backseat when scrutiny is directed towards his first-rate music.

The King of Pop deserved his title because he so valued strong melodies he’d rather call “killer tunes.”

Dancer and singer Ken San Jose, a promising 17-year-old performer, probably understood that side of MJ that both his songs released in digital stores possess really strong chorus hooks. That alone separates him from others trying to flirt with girl-fans by grooving to forgettable upbeat songs.

“I listen a lot to the likes of Michael Jackson, Chris Brown, and Bruno Mars. I guess by saying these names you already got the idea of what my style is,” Ken recently pointed out to a small pool of media and bloggers inside the Cornerstone Studio in Quezon City.

His sophomore track, “A Chance To Hold,” was released under Cornerstone Music. As expected, the song hit Spotify’s New Music Friday Philippines upon release and quickly reached thousands of plays. The song, a follow-up to the equally hook-powered “Lose Control,” is a collaboration between him and the Academy of Rock Singapore.

He said of his early 2020 track, “I immediately fell in love with the song and I’m very proud of it.”

The fact he was a World Of Dance Junior Division champion makes him a dancer by claim to fame. His moves could have made up well for whatever weakness he may have. But this kid knew the importance of good quality music, same as his legendary idol whose dance steps were as iconic as his tunes were. Songs like “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” and “Thriller” had their respective dance steps to go with that could have been viral dance challenges if showcased today.

Ken has the making of delivering that kind of one-two

As young as 17, the rising star has evolved from an online dance sensation to a successful performer.

punch if he keeps his streak of good dancing and highrecall melodies.

“I’m so blessed doing what I love to do. I was singing first before I danced and I was lucky enough to be part of a wave that benefited from viral dance videos,” said the L.A.-born online dance sensation who went back to his Manila roots at 15.

Ken is set to collaborate with esteemed songwriter Jungee Marcelo who linked up his parents towards family and obviously a trusted friend. That’s another strong proof this guy knows how to differentiate a dance studio from a recording booth.

“I want to be a well-rounded artist and learn more like be able to fluently speak in Tagalog,” he pointed out, adding that consistency is the key to making things work. “In uploading videos online, you have to be consistently original. You have to be you.”

There is no doubt Ken’s star is on the rise.

Besides, he has a couple of good songs to dance his way up to.

ABS-CBN’s ‘Family is Love,’ other campaigns win big at Araw Values Awards NINE ABS-CBN TV spots that promot- anniversary feature on elderly woman ed positive values and showed moving Nanay Dolores’ love for street chilstories of Filipinos were honored at the dren also received Silver Awards.

The network’s 2018 Christmas sta11th Araw Values Awards of the Advertion ID, “Family is Love,” was hontising Foundation of the Philippines.

The Kapamilya network was among ored with a Bronze Award in the Revthe organizations recognized for up- erence for Family Unit or Marriage holding values-oriented advertising or Responsible Parenthood category. campaigns in the recent awarding “Elsa & Sarah,” a heartfelt Mother’s ceremony, which aired last Feb. 23 on Day plug about a blind mother and her daughter with down syndrome, took Sunday’s Best on ABS-CBN. Leading the list of awardees for home a Bronze as well.

All campaigns were produced by the ABS-CBN is the TV spot “Pamilya Garcia is Love” about three soldier- ABS-CBN Creative Communications brothers who fought together during Management (CCM) division headed the Marawi siege. It touched the hearts by Robert Labayen. On a Facebook of many when it showed the broth- post, Labayen took pride in the passion ers’ reunion with their mother, their for service of his team, a multi-awarded group of biggest hero. The plug, which was part of the creatives and network’s “Family is producers Love” Christmas camwho create paign, won ABS-CBN the station’s a Platinum Award in the plugs and Love of Country and station IDs. “ W h e n Respect for National Customs and Traditions it comes to category. promoting valThe “One Love, One The ‘Nanay Dolores’ plug for TV Patrol’s Filipino val ues, love for Pinas” Independence 30th anniversary won a Silver Award. country, and Day campaign won caring for kaGold in the same category, as it encouraged Filipinos to be babayans, feel na feel ng team CCM ‘yan [loves doing it]. They create from ambassadors of the country.

ABS-CBN raked in Silver Awards the heart,” he said.

Meanwhile, the late ABS-CBN Founfor its spots for “Halalan 2019,” “Galing Natin Ito,” and “Tipid Tubig.” “Ha- dation chairperson, Gina Lopez, was also lalan 2019” championed truth, honesty, honored at the ceremony. She was postand integrity. The “Galing Natin Ito” humously given the “Tanglaw ng Araw national cheer campaign celebrated ng Kalikasan” award for her outstanding the greatness of all Filipinos that bring legacy in environmental preservation.

The Araw Values Awards is an initiahonor to the country. “Tipid Tubig,” meanwhile, reminded people to con- tive of the Advertising Foundation of the serve water in light of Metro Manila’s Philippines. Its purpose is to promote and inculcate positive Filipino values for water crisis.

The Father’s Day plug on the success social changes along national developstory of mechanical engineer Rudy ment goals, and encourages Values AdGaspillo and the TV Patrol 30th vertising within the industry.”

The ABS-CBN Creative Communications Management division under Robert Labayen is behind ABS-CBN’s award-winning campaigns at the 11th Araw Values Awards.

Premier fashion designer to stage benefit show

Sample collection of celebrated fashion designer Arielle Agasa

CELEBRATED international and Asia’s premier fashion designer Arielle Agasang is set to stage a benefit fashion show entitled “Arielle Agasang, Ako ay Filipino: A Filipino Fashion Charity Gala & Tribute to the Most Influential Personalities of the Year 2020” at the Centennial Ballroom of Manila Hotel on June 13 at 6:30 p.m..

The Fashion Charity Gala was conceptualized by Agasang A1 Entertainment Productions as a way of recognizing and honoring distinct Filipinos with admirable and unparalleled contributions in aiding the nation and inspiring other people thru their hard work, success, popularity and patriotism.

With guest appearances of the country’s top performers, the gala show will feature the stunning haute couture collection of Arielle Agasang to be followed by the awarding ceremony. The awardees will come from the various sectors, in business and industry, doctors and medical practitioners, politics, sports, music, film and entertainment industry and members of the diplomatic community.

Known for his creative innovations on the native Barong Tagalog and Philippine Terno, Agasang is the first Filipino fashion designer to have held more than forty fashion show/gala nights in a year, both local and international. He has dressed beauty queens, local and international celebrities

and his creations have walked the red carpet at the Academy Awards.

Arielle Agasang Ako ay Filipino aims to raise funds for the construction and improvement of the Our Lady of Assumption Parish in Lavezares, Northern Samar, the chosen beneficiary for year 2020. * * *

Dutchman wins Manhunt International Paul Luzineau of the Netherlands edged out thirty-five candidates from around the world and was crowned Manhunt International 2020 during the pageant’s World Final Gala Night held at New Frontier Theater Saturday night.

Continued on C3