Manila Standard - 2020 November 10 - Tuesday

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Calida tells Leonen to inhibit self from Marcos poll protest • Bongbong asks SC to raffle off case again • Leni chides him for ’acting like a spoiled brat’

By Rey E. Requejo, Rio N. Araja and Willie Casas

HE Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) on Monday called on the Supreme Court to compel Associate Justice Marivic Leonen to inhibit himself from any involvement in former Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo, citing the magistrate’s “evident bias and manifest partiality.”

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PROTEST FILED. Former Senator Ferdinand 'Bongbong'

Marcos shows his filed motion for the immediate inhibition of Associate Justice Marvic Leonen from participating in any of the proceedings relating to the electoral protest filed at the Presidential Electoral Tribunal on Monday. Norman Cruz

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In seeking for Leonen’s recusal as justice-in-charge, the OSG through Solicitor General Jose Calida accused Leonen of bias and deliberately delaying the resolution of the Marcos poll protest by sitting on it for almost one year.

“There are sufficient and reasonable bases for the impression, if not outright conclusion, that Honorable Justice Marvic M.V. F. Leonen, arising from the clear and convincing evidence...is biased or partial against the interest not only of the protestant

Duterte keeps an ’open mind’ on Biden, will work with him

BEIJING—China declined Monday to congratulate Joe Biden as the winner of the US presidential election, saying the outcome of the vote was still to be determined.

While incumbent Donald Trump has yet to concede and has launched several legal challenges, many world leaders congratulated Biden and running mate Kamala Harris after the Democrats were declared winners at the weekend and spontaneous celebrations erupted across American cities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is also waiting for official results from the US presidential election before congratulating a winner, the Kremlin said on Monday.

"We consider it correct to wait for the Next page

COVID-19 PH AT A GLANCE

(AS OF 4 PM NOV. 9) BIDEN'S BATTLE PLAN. This graphic shows the platform Joe Biden will pursue once he assumes office as the 46th president

of the United States. AFP

By Vito Barcelo, Julito G. Rada, Rio N. Araja and Alena Mae Flores PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will most likely place the entire Bicol region, Mi-

ACTIVE

7,647

108

361,784

182

DEATHS

RECOVERIES

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tional Police (PNP), Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday.

President Rodrigo Duterte appointed the controversial officer as the 25th chief of the PNP, replacing Gen. Camilo CasNATIONAL Capital Region Police chief colan. who will reach the mandatory reMaj. Gen. Debold Sinas has been named tirement age on Tuesday after only servas the new chief of the Philippine Na- ing for over a month.

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Silent Xmas night: 3 die, 64 hurt in fresh Bilibid riot No singing, parties

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NEW

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By Vito Barcelo, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Maricel V. Cruz and Willie Casas

RIOT QUELLED. An inmate with a chest wound is restrained by officers of the Bureau of Corrections following a riot at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City on Monday, when at least three people died and 64 were injured. It was the second major riot with deaths at the penitentiary within a month. BuCor photo

Police, particularly the Special Action Force and the National Capital Region Police Office-Special Weapons And Tactics, and the Bureau of Fire Protection to contain the situation that took place Monday morning.

“I have been informed that violence among inmates broke out again at the NBP maximum security compound this

maropa, and Calabarzon under a state of calamity due to the damage caused by super typhoon “Rolly,” Malacanang said Monday, enabling them to tap emergency funds.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction

2,058 29,018

Sinas succeeds as PNP chief

Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas

THE Department of Justice on Monday said at least three people died and 64 were injured during a riot at the New Bilibid Prison.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) was being assisted by other enforcement units under the Philippine National

398,449 TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES

3 provinces in state of calamity

By Rey E. Requejo

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China declines to congratulate new US leader

By Vito Barcelo and Macon Ramos-Araneta THE Palace said it sees no major changes in the ties between Manila and Washington with the election of former US Vice President Joe Biden as president, and expressed hope that the new administration might help Filipinos who were in the United States illegally to legalize their stay.

“When it comes to immigration, we hope there will be a policy shift under a Democratic administration because many Filipinos are living in the United States,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Monday.

Although some of them are... illegals, they have played a huge role in the United States and we hope they will be given an opportunity to [egalize their stay]," Roque added.

President Rodrigo Duterte had said he won't lift a finger to help illegal Filipino immigrants if they are caught violating Next page the law.

Marcos but also that of the people who have waited for the resolution of the election protest,” the OSG’s omnibus motion said.

In his motion filed earlier in the day, Marcos asked the Court to raffle off his case again to another justice, who could resolve all pending incidents for a speedy resolution of his appeal to nullify the proclamation of Robredo, whom he accused of massive cheating in the vice presidential rice four years ago.

By Willie Casas and Othel V. Campos THE Department of Health on Monday warned the public against caroling as loud singing increases the risk of coronavirus transmission.

The agency earlier released guidelines on holiday celebrations and urged limited face-to-face activities.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

News

Senate sets budget priorities T Angara said that starting today (Tues- ship speech. day), he will report out to the Senate the "And then traditionally, the next day, 2021 national budget through a sponsor- Wednesday, the interpellation and de-

bates on the budget among the members of the Upper Chamber (will begin)," said Angara.

According to Angqra, they are looking at calamity funds as they're not sufficient due to the many disasters that hit the country for this year and for the past years "so definitely, the funds should be bigger for 2021.

"Secondly, the health system natin although the numbers (of Covid-199 cases are being better every day; the number of Covid-19 victims are much better compared to the past months."

But he admitted that the country is still in the middle of a health crisis.

"We still do not have the vaccine.

The state of emergency will not be lifted," Angara added.

He said they will also focus on the internet system because the national broadband is very much needed during these time.

"At nasa dako po tayo na hindi talaga 100 percent coverage tayo sa buong bansa," Angara said.

The senator said the Senate aims to pass the budget on third and final reading on November 24. They will then convene the Bicameral Conference Committee November 26 until December 1.

trademark move of Mr. Marcos. If he doesn't get what he wants, he moves to attack the integrity of an institution or a person to force them to give in to his desires," their statement read.

But Marcos said given the “clear and convincing evidence of bias, partiality and prejudice” on the part of Leonen, his continued presence as justice-in-charge would deprive him of his constitutional right to due process of the law.

He added that no fair and speedy resolution of his protest was possible while Leonen is in charge of his case.

“Justice Leonen has left us no choice but to file this motion. It is very clear that the justice has shown a pattern of prejudice, of bias, of partisanship and you can see that all the people who came to his defense are all on the other side of the political aisle,” Marcos said in an online press conference.

“All I want is for this case to be finished before it becomes moot and academic. At this instance, it becomes urgent,” Marcos said.

Marcos cited Leonen’s well-documented bias against him and his family as one of the main reasons why the justice sat on his election protest for almost a year.

Leonen took over the case from Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa as the justice-in-charge in October 2019.

Both are appointees of former President Benigno Aquino and are known to be staunch allies of the Liberal Party.

“It is clear that we’ll never get justice if Leonen is around because of his hatred towards me and my family. This is evidenced by his past decisions where he unequivocally condemned me and my family. Its obvious he’s doing everything in his power to suppress the real story behind the 2016 vice-presidential elections, disenfranchising millions of Filipinos who wanted nothing but credible elections," Marcos said.

Marcos mentioned instances where Leonen showed disdain for the Marcos family, including his opposition to the burial of his

father, former President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Marcos noted that Leonen was appointed by then President Aquino to be the chief negotiator during peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). These led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE), which was eventually struck down by then Senator Marcos who, at that time, was chairman of the committee on local government.

Marcos's camp believes that Leonen was using the election protest to exact 'vengeance' because he had rejected the BJE. Last week, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) submitted their respective Comments on the election protest in compliance with an order from the Supreme Court, sitting as the presidential electoral tribunal (PET). Both affirmed Marcos’ position that the PET had power to declare the annulment of votes in Basilan, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, the three areas identified in Marcos’s third cause of action.

“The fact that both the Comelec and the OSG agreed with my position is a clear sign that the protest should move forward. However, Justice Leonen's bias and deliberate procrastination continue to drag the case," Marcos said.

"The right thing to do is for Justice Leonen to recuse himself from participating in my election protest so that the case can finally move forward. We need to resolve the issue of legitimacy -- one way or another,” he added.

Marcos said the fact that Leonen inquired about PET’s jurisdiction over his protest when hearings have been conducted and it has been pending for four and a half years was “clearly a delaying tactic.”

He said he has no intention of further delaying his protest.

Marcos said he believed Calida was only doing his job “as the counsel for the state, for the government” when the OSG asserted before the SC, sitting as a Presi-

dential Electoral Tribunal, that it has sole jurisdiction to declare the annulment of as part of its mandate to decide all election contests for president and vice president.

As part of his election protest against Robredo, Marcos has sought the annulment of election results in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan due to alleged terrorism and voter harassment.

Recently, Calida and lawyer Lorenzon Gadon, a Marcos supporter, have asked the Supreme Court for copies of Leonen's Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth "for purposes of preparing a quo warranto petition.” However, the SC denied their request.

Marcos admitted that he has been "in touch" with Gadon.

"May we remind Mr. Marcos that it’s already 2020. This is no longer the period of his father’s reign of terror where they can do anything they want," Robredo's lawyers said.

“Stop acting like a spoiled brat who cries when he doesn’t get his candy,” the lawyers said.

A group of former martial law detainees said Marcos’s motion was “an act of a sore loser and a spoiled brat.”

“You cannot exclude an independent voice in the process because he dissented on the Supreme Court’s approval on the hero’s burial of Ferdinand Sr. and voted based on his conscience,” Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto said in a statement Monday.

“This petition of Bongbong Marcos shows the classic intolerance of dissent of the Marcoses. It is malicious, it is baseless, it is Marcosian,” they said.

They urged the Supreme Court to junk Marcos’s petition so that the truth would prevail.

“Vice President Leni Robredo won over Bongbong Marcos in the 2016 elections because the people see through the historical lies and schemes of the Marcoses to politically rehabilitate their bloody record of injustices they committed. These acts are desperate stunts of a sore loser and a spoiled brat,” the group also said.

Duterte had earlier declared he would abrogate the country’s Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States, but later put the move on hold.

"I think the President is keeping an open mind, as he should," Roque said.

“It will be a new start, but we have no prejudgements as far as President-elect Biden is concerned other than the position that we're able and willing to work with all leaders of the world."

Biden had served as vice president under the administration of US President Barack Obama, who drew curses from Duterte for questioning the country’s bloody war on drugs.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin M.

Drilon said the Philippines stands to gain from the new Biden administration, but this would require “a proactive approach.”

“I see a Biden presidency positive for the country and the rest of the Southeast Asian nations. I see a myriad of opportunities for the Philippines that has close historical, political, economic, cultural, and emotional ties with the US. Among the Southeast Asian nations, the Philippines is in the best position to actively pursue its interests,” Drilon said in a statement on Sunday.

“The Philippines is a longtime ally of the US. Around 40 percent of overseas Filipino workers remittances come from the US and 70 percent of business process outsourcing revenues come from the

US. The Filipinos are on the top four ethnic groups in the US,” he said.

Drilon said these give the Philippines an edge over other countries in the region, but the gains will not be automatic.

“The US foreign policy under Biden would be naturally anchored on US national interests. That will determine US foreign policy vis-a-vis the Philippines, on issues such as the West Philippine Sea, extra-judicial killings, climate change, [and] trade, among others,” Drilon said.

That is the reason the Duterte administration, through the Department of Foreign Affairs headed by Sec. Teddy Locsin Jr., must actively engage the US and leverage the country’s unique advantages, Drilon said.

all legal challenges are resolved, while Trump ally President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil has yet to make any official comment.

Trump's four years in the White House have been marked by a costly trade war and increasingly icy relations with China, with the two powers sparring over areas from blame for the COVID-19 pandemic to Beijing's human rights record in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

China—among a handful of major countries including Russia and Mexico that has not congratulated the PresidentElect -- said Monday it had "noticed that Mr. Biden declared he is the winner of the election."

3 provinces...

homes and flattened 20,000 more, said disaster management chief Ricardo Jalad.

Rolly is the 18th to hit the Philippines this year and one of the strongest typhoons since Yolanda killed more than 6,300 people in 2013.

Tropical Depression “Ulysses,” meanwhile, picked up some speed and may possibly reach the tropical storm category within 24 hours, the weather bureau said Monday.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said "Ulysses" was last seen 635 kilometers east northeast of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, or 605 km east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar.

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

HE Senate Finance committee led by chairperson Sen. Sonny Angara on Monday said that the budget allocations for calamity, health system due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the internet would be top priorities when Senate starts its delibarations on the P4.5billion budget next year.

Calida...

From A1

“A refusal to inhibit, given the political stakes involved, will destroy the reputation of an independent judiciary. Noninhibition will likewise result to [sic] the sense that whoever loses the case was not accorded due process given the contrasting expectation,” Calida said.

"The people need to know who the actual winner is in the vice-presidential race.

It is unfair for the sitting vice president to be accused of cheating, and equally unfair for the protestant to give him false hope in the guise of calculated yet very slow progress of the protest,” Calida added.

This was the first time that the chief state lawyer intervened in a pending vice presidential electoral protest.

Marcos filed his motion for inhibition with the SC on Monday morning, while Calida sent his messenger and filed his motion in the afternoon.

The OSG also accused Leonen of branding all the Marcoses as plunderers.

"As evident from the above, Justice Leonen gave the impression that the Marcoses are guilty of the crime of plunder.

Yet a quick perusal of Republic v. Sandiganbayan from where he purportedly sourced his ad hominen arguments reveals that the Supreme Court in said case merely ordered the civil forfeiture of treasury notes and bank accounts of foreign foundations. And while the word 'kleptocracy' was, by way of allegation, used by petitioner Republic in said case, said word and the other similar words were never used by the Supreme Court," the OSG said.

Marcos said he had not discussed his motion with Calida.

Robredo’s camp, meanwhile, told Marcos to "stop acting like a spoiled brat" by seeking Leonen’s inhibition.

Robredo's lawyers Beng Sardillo and Emil Marañon accused Marcos of a "mind conditioning game again.”

"We are not surprised. This is another

Duterte...

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There were about 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants in the US in 2017, according to think tank Pew Research Center. Recent reports have estimated the number of Filipinos illegally staying in the US to be about 300,000.

"I hope they will help Filipinos who are now living in the United States but who have no papers because that is a major policy difference between Republican and Democratic administrations. Otherwise, we expect everything to be stable, [with] no major change," Roque said.

China...

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official results to be finalised. I want to remind you that President Putin repeatedly said he will respect the choice of the American people," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and other European countries sent congratulations to Biden, along with Australia, Canada, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan and South Korea.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said he would wait until

Sinas...

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Sinas became controversial over the mañanita on May 8 to mark his birthday, which allegedly violated the ban on mass gatherings and the social distancing rules amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calls for his resignation mounted in May for violating restrictions.

He and his subordinates were charged for the surprise birthday party.

Despite the controversy, the President said he would not remove Sinas from his post, saying it was not his fault that his subordinates serenaded him on his birthday.

Sinas was director of the Central

Visayas’ regional police office in Cebu City from July 2018 until January this year, when he was appointed head of the National Capital Region Police Office.

His mandatory retirement is on May 2021, when he turns 56.

Asked for Duterte’s reason for appointing Sinas, Roque said it was “presidential prerogative”.

“Presidential appointments are really very executive in character. It is a prerogative of the President and he need not make any explanation for his appointment,” he said.

Roque assured that Duterte looked into Sinas’ track record and contribution to the administration’s aggressive anti-illegal drugs campaign.

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and Management Council (NDRRMC) earlier recommended placing the three regions under a state of calamity, after Rolly did at least P14 billion in damage to agriculture and infrastructure.

The world's strongest typhoon of the year left at least 22 dead after it battered provinces south of Manila last week with gusts of up to 310 kilometers per hour.

Of the deaths, 13 were recorded in Albay, five were in Catanduanes, one was in Camarines Sur, and three were in Batangas, according to the NDRRMC report.

Rolly damaged more than 55,000

3 die,...

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morning. Three persons were killed and 64 wounded. The BuCor security force, PNP-SAF and PNP-NCRPO-SWAT are conducting clearing operations,” Guevarra said in a text message.

Since this would be the second time that a riot took place inside the prison facility, Guevarra said he would investigate if there was negligence on the part of the BuCor officials, if proper measures were put in place to prevent another riot inside the NBP. “These BuCor officials should have learned their lesson from the previous

violent incident where several PDLs were killed,” Guevarra stressed.

Because of this, the DOJ said he ordered the BuCor to submit a detailed report on the latest violence. “The DOJ has ordered the BUCOR to submit a detailed report ASAP (as soon as possible).”

Guevarra also instructed the National Bureau of Investigation to widen the scope of their investigation, covering not only the tumultuous affray that took place last October 9 that resulted in the death of seven members of the Sputnik Gang and two members of the Commando Gang, but yesterday’s incident as well.

“I will direct the NBI to conduct a parallel investigation or expand its ongoing probe into the previous violence,” he stressed.

Prices of diesel, kerosene up, gasoline down

By Alena Mae S. Flores THE country’s oil firms raised the price of diesel and kerosene by P0.20 per liter and P0.40 per liter but cut the price of gasoline by P0.20 per liter effective 6am Tuesday.

“Petron will implement the following price adjustments effective 6 a.m. on November 10: P0.20/li rollback for gasoline; P0.20/li increase for diesel; and P0.40/li increase for kerosene.

These reflect movements in the international oil market,” Petron Corp. said in its advisory.

Aside from Petron, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Seaoil Philippines Inc., Cleanfuel Group of Companies, PTT Philippines Corp. and PetroGazz also implemented a mixed oil price movement while other oil companies are expected to follow suit.

World oil prices reacted to the continuing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the global economies that could affect demand. Reports of a surge of coronavirus cases in the US and Europe created worries of global oil demand amid abundant oil supply.

Uncertainties about the outcome of the US elections also affected the movement of world oil prices last week.

Gov’t issues new motor taxi guidelines

By Darwin G Amojelar THE government on Monday issued operational guidelines for the resumption of motorcycle taxi pilot study and tricycle back riding.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases issued Memorandum Circular No. 03,s.2020, which intends to provide guidelines on minimum health and safety protocols to be observed by tricycles that will be accepting back-riders and motorcycle taxis following a systematic and coordinated approach in augmenting the pubic transport options for the commuting public while ensuring continue mitigation of COVID-19 Under the circular, all motorcycle taxi providers participating in the pilot study must ensure all payments for riders are made via cashless channels.

The motorcycle taxi operators must also ensure all drivers to undergo the required COVID-19 testing and ensure compliance by the drivers on the usage of NTF approved barriers between driver and passengers.

Silent...

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It has yet to decide whether to permit caroling, said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

"A study was released this past week that states singing loudly is the topmost activity that can yield the most virus,” she told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

"That being said, let's avoid this kind of activities so that we can prevent further increasing the transmission of infection,” Vergeire said.

Vergeire also urged the public to practice minimum health standards such as wearing of face masks and face shield and frequent hand washing even when around relatives.

Vigilance needed As the Christmas holiday approaches and quarantine restrictions lighten in different parts of the country, DOH reiterated their warning on Monday for the public against holding and attending in-person gatherings and different kinds of celebrations which might increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

In DOH’s weekly kapihan with the media on November 5, DOH revisited specific risk factors that contribute to the spread of the disease and called on the public to continue complying with the standard health protocols that protect them from infection.

“Let us limit the number of people in social gatherings and activities, preferably to people within the same household.

Avoid activities that require travel to areas with higher quarantine classification and keep activities as short as possible,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a statement Monday.

Crowding risks To begin economic recovery, the government has recently begun allowing certain businesses and establishments to resume operations.

Minors are also now allowed to engage in certain activities outside their houses which can be related to schoolwork, play time, and shopping but preferably with parental oversight.

News

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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‘Plantdemic’hits as demand grows A GARDENING craze dubbed “plantdemic” has spread across the Philippines after coronavirus restrictions fueled demand for greenery, sending plant prices soaring and sparking a rise in poaching from public parks and protected forests.

Photos of delicate flowers and broadleafed foliage cultivated in backyards and on balconies have flooded social media as housebound Filipinos turn to nature to relieve stress and boredom.

“It’s unbelievable. People are super interested in plants these days,” said landscape gardener Alvin Chingcuangco, who has seen prices for some varieties of monsteras reach 55,000 pesos ($1,140) each, compared with 800 pesos before the pandemic.

Manila plant seller Arlene GumeraPaz said her daily turnover tripled after she reopened her doors following months of lockdown.

Demand remained robust even as prices for the most popular varieties of indoor plants, such as alocasias, spider plants and peace lilies, doubled or even quadrupled.

“It’s hard to understand people. When plants were cheap, they were ignored,” said the 40-year-old, who buys her plants in bulk from growers in nearby provinces.

But as demand has grown, authorities have warned that many plants on the market may not have been legally obtained.

Rangers patrolling the forests of Zamboanga in the country’s south for illegal loggers and wildlife poachers were ordered to watch out for plant thieves, after officials noticed some species posted on social media could only be found in the region’s protected areas.

“Prior to the pandemic we hadn’t observed many plant poachers,” said Maria Christina Rodriguez, Zamboanga regional director for the Department of Energy and Natural Resources.

“This only became popular during lockdown.”

Removing threatened species from forests is illegal under Philippine law and carries hefty penalties. Collecting other native plants is allowed but only with a permit. AFP

SNATCHING SUSPECTS. Four minors suspected of snatching the mobile phone of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III (on the desk) listen to members of the Manila Police District

Robbery and Theft section after they were rounded up on Monday at the MPD headquarters in Manila.. They were caught along with two accomplices and the person who bought the phone from them for P25,000 (inset). (See story on A4) Norman Cruz

DOF extends LGU tax deadlines

By Julito Rada

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HE Department of Finance has issued a circular extending to Dec. 19, 2020, the payment of all local taxes, fees and charges imposed by local government units, with the deadlines falling on or after Sept. 14 this year, in compliance with the provisions of Republic Act 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act or Bayanihan 2.

Under a circular issued by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the counting of the period within which to pay local taxes, fees and charges are also suspended until Dec. 19, 2020, including the period for the redemption of real properties sold

or forfeited at public auctions.

“In the event that an LGU had already extended the deadlines prior to the effectivity of RA 11494, such deadlines, if earlier than 19 December 2020, shall be deemed modified with the period set forth

herein. Any further extension of deadlines beyond 19 December 2020 shall be authorized in accordance with the provision of RA No. 7160,” the circular said.

As a result of the mandatory extension of these payment limits, no interest, surcharge or any form of penalty will be applied on any local tax, fee or charge accruing on or due and demandable during the period covering such deadlines.

As for the local tax delinquencies prior to the effectivity of Bayanihan 2 on Sept.

15, all payments will be due and demandable upon the expiration of the Dec. 19 deadline.

All applicable interests, penalties and surcharges will begin to run again, if due and demandable, after the lapse of the ef-

State workers’ bonus this week

By Maricel V. Cruz

AID FOR GIGMOTO. Philippine Red Cross volunteers lay our relief goods for transport to Gigmoto, Catanduanes, one of the worst affected towns by typhoon ‘Rolly.’ The assistance will reach the three barangays of Gigmoto - Poblacion District 1, Poblacion District 3 and San Vicente - and include 124 non-food items, including tarpaulins that could be temporary roofs or walls, jerry cans with water containers, sleeping and hygiene kits. PRC Photo

PH to support China candidate to int’l justice court

By Vito Barcelo THE Philippines will back China’s candidate to fill one of the five seats at the International Court of Justice that will become vacant next year, according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

Roque says the country will support China because of the Philippines’ “very close” ties with Beijing.

Since coming to power in 2016, President Duterte has pursued better relations with Beijing despite its intrusions into Philippine territory and its bullying Filipino fishermen.

Four of the eight candidates contesting the five positions are incumbent judges whose nine-year terms are due to expire on Feb. 5 next year. One of the four is Chinese Judge Xue Hanqin, who is also the vice president of the ICJ, also known as the World Court.

“Judge Xue, who is already a sitting ICJ judge, is also a further manifestation of the very close relationship between the Philippines and China,” Roque said.

Xue is among the founders of the Asian Society of International Law, Roque said.

On Sunday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. ordered the country’s

mission to the United Nations “to cast the Philippine vote for the Chinese candidate to the international court of justice.”

He said instructions were given to vote as well for the candidates of Japan and Germany.

“Stop there until further instructions.

And remember no quid pro quo. We don’t trade on such important matters,” Locsin said on his tweeter account.

The ICJ, the highest United Nations court for inter-state disputes, is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. Judges are eligible for re-election.

THE more than 1.5 million workers in the government will receive their Christmas bonuses this month, most likely starting this week, a congressional leader said Monday.

At the same time, Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor, chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on public accounts, urged private-sector employers to release the 13th-month pay or yearend bonus of their employees early.

Citing Section 8 of Republic Act 11466 or Salary Standardization Law 5, Defensor said the year-end bonus equivalent to one-month salary, plus a P5,000 cash gift, “shall be given in November of every year.”

He said the mandate of the law was restated in National Budget Circular 579, which Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado issued in January this year.

“I am assuming that the budget secretary has released the funds needed for the payment of the government workers’ Christmas bonus and P5,000 cash gift,” Defensor said.

He said if the funds were already available, agencies could begin giving the bonus on Nov. 15.

“And since this week’s payday falls on Sunday, the bonus could be advanced as early as Thursday for personnel on a fourday work week, or Friday for those on the usual five-day work schedule, or on Monday,” he said.

Defensor noted that last year, most agencies released the Christmas bonus in mid-November.

Leni: Calamity work ‘not a photo op’

By Rio N. Araja VICE President Leni Robredo believes her presence in relief operations gives hope and assurance to the victims of typhoons and other calamities.

She reacted to detractors who claim she is using calamities as photo opportunities.

On the other hand, people loyal to Robredo fear that her field work could only increase her exposure to COVID-19.

“I am always being asked why I bother to be there in our relief operations when I can always assign a team to do that for me. During relief operations after calamities, personal presence is very important,” Robredo said.

“Perhaps it is even more important than the relief packs we give.

Our presence on the ground gives people hope and an assurance that they are not forgotten.”

Robredo said the people appreciate her public presence.

“Reassuring presence is not so much about holding big events or meetings but in the simple, everyday conversations with ordinary people,” she said.

“Just giving people access to us without worrying about protocols or formalities is very much appreciated already.”

FOOD PROTEST.

The Stop Golden Rice! Network (SGRN) Philippines lay down some food crops along with their protest posters as they trooped to the Department of Agriculture office in Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City on Monday to call for the halt of the Golden Rice (GR) experimentation and production.

fectivity of Bayanihan 2 on Dec. 19, the circular says.

The circular was issued by Dominguez to provide guidelines on the uniform implementation by LGUs of Section 4 of theBayanihan 2 Law, which provides for stretching the statutory deadlines and timelines for the filing and submission of any document, the payment of taxes, fees and other charges required by law, and the grant of any benefit.

This provision under Bayanihan 2 aims to ease the burden on individuals and enterprises affected by the severe disruption of economic activities resulting from the stringent community quarantines that the national and local governments had imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19.

IN BRIEF Villar bats for Nov. as environment month SENATOR Cynthia Villar is rallying the country to celebrate November as “National Environmental Awareness and National Clean Air Month,” saying protecting the environment will save people from disasters and calamities.

“Calamities are an added burden to us.

They can make one poorer because all efforts would be futile,” said the head of the Senate committee on the environment, natural resources and climate change.

“Better results would be achieved through more people and groups’ collective efforts geared towards environmental protection,” said Villar who has been opposing projects that could result in environmental degradation.

She has been particularly objecting to reclamation plans along the coast of Manila Bay, which she maintains would be harmful to the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park, a declared national protected area under Philippines laws. She said those could compromise the livelihood of more than 300,000 fishermen in the nearby communities.

On the problems with plastic waste, Villar has been advocating implementing the extended producer responsibility, a measure being practiced in European nations to limit the use of plastic and asking producers of plastic waste to build recycling facilities for them. Macon Ramos-Araneta

DHSUD to go after real estate scammers THE Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development on Monday urged realestate brokers to join hands with the government in going after real-estate scammers.

Secretary Eduardo del Rosario issued the call during the Real Estate Brokers Association of the Philippines’ 42nd Annual National Convention.

He recognized the group’s crucial role as intermediators in real-estate transactions, which places them in prime position as vanguards of the general public, legitimate developers and even brokers and salespeople.

“I take this opportunity to ask REBAP’s active participation in our campaign to protect not only the general public, but also your organization and members and legitimate developers,” Del Rosario said.

“The proliferation of real-estate scammers who prey on innocent homebuyers deprive you, the legitimate salespersons, of your hard-earned and professional livelihood.”

In October, the housing czar spearheaded the launch of an intensified campaign against real-estate scammers and directed all of his department’s regional offices to run after unscrupulous developers and realestate brokers and agents engaged in the illegal selling of real estate properties.

The department is coordinating with other agencies, such as the Department of Interior and Local Government, Land Registration Authority, Department of Justice and local government units to halt such illegal activities. Rio N. Araja

LGUs

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

A4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020

IN BRIEF 4 minors who snatched Bello’s phone caught THE Manila Police District (MPD) arrested four minors who allegedly snatched the cellphone of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, just two days after the labor chief lost his phone.

The minor boys, aged 15 to 18 years old, were apprehended in Manila by MPD cops. The suspects allegedly sold Bello’s phone for P25,000.

Police also arrested the man who allegedly bought Bello’s phone for violation of the anti-fencing law.

A report from the Ermita Police Station indicated the first two suspects were arrested after a follow-up operation along Elisondo Street in Quiapo, Manila on Sunday, November 8.

Two others were arrested later during a follow-up operation.

This comes after Bello’s mobile phone was snatched along the vicinity of the Manila City Hall and Mehan Garden on Friday, November 6. Willie Casas

‘Parul’ makers get P20k aid from San Fernando

SENIOR INCENTIVE. With its full support to Valenzuela City’s senior citizens, the City Government awards cash incentives up to P50,000 to its 12 centenarian residents at the Valenzuela City Hall last October 30. Mayor Rex Gatchalian distributes the cash incentive for each centenarian in time for the celebration of the Elderly Filipino Week. Jun David

73 Manila villages gain P100k reward

Isko settles city’s P127m debt to GSIS STATE pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has signed an agreement with the City Government of Manila (CGO Manila) to finally settle a total of P127 million in unpaid premiums of its 15,976 employees covering January 2012 to June 2019.

GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signed the memorandum of agreement between the two agencies.

“The affected CGO Manila employees may now look forward to receiving their correct benefits when they retire and correct proceeds when they take out a loan,” Macasaet said during the event held at the Manila City Hall last October 28.

GSIS relies on premium contributions of members and their respective agencies to be able to dispense social insurance benefits. The period of service with paid premiums is the basis for the computation of their benefits. Government agencies that fail to promptly remit the mandatory premium contributions incur an interest of not less than 2% per month.

In July 2019, GSIS and the CGO Manila formed a task force to update the service records and reconcile the remitted premiums of the affected employees for the determination of the amount that must be settled by the local government.

The signing of the MOA formalizes CGO Manila’s commitment to finally settle its obligations.

“Tayo ay nakatipid ng P68.5 million. Ang dapat nating bayaran ay humigit kumulang P195 million, ngunit naging P127 million na lamang. Ito ay babayaran natin sa GSIS simula January 2021. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng bumubuo ng GSIS,” Mayor Domagoso said.

By Willie Casas

M

ANILA City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced on Monday that no new COVID-19 cases were reported in about 73 barangays for two months, from September 1 to October 31 this year.

The local government gave P100,000 in cash rewards each to these barangays in line with his incentive-based approach to containing and delaying the spread of the coronavirus infection in the city.

About 12 barangays were tallied in District 1, 9 barangays in District 2, 20 barangays in District 3, 9 barangays in District 4, 10 barangays in District 5, and 13 barangays in District 3.

The awarding ceremony was held after the regular flag-raising ceremony at

the Kartilya ng Katipunan.

The following barangays where the Manila Health Department (MHD) reported no new COVID-19 cases for two months are as follows: District 1 barangays ― 3, 8, 30, 44, 83, 87, 124, 126, 127, 139, 143, 145 District 2 barangays ― 188, 217, 239, 240, 243, 244, 252, 258, 261 District 3 barangays ― 268, 270, 271, 272, 273, 295, 300, 303, 306, 307, 326, 330, 332, 344, 348, 349, 362, 363, 380, 390

District 4 barangays ― 446, 462, 469, 490, 501, 546, 552, 573, 577 District 5 barangays ― 661, 706, 711, 716, 742, 663-A, 749, 757, 758, 795 District 6 barangays ― 606, 608, 610, 613, 614, 626, 635, 647, 853, 865, 886, 891, 895 Domagoso announced the incentivebased approach last August 31.

He said that all COVID-19 data come from the MHD, headed by Acting City Health Officer Dr. Arnold Pangan, to verify whether or not the barangay recorded zero COVID-19 infection for two months.

“Ang goal natin ay zero COVID-19 infection for two months sa barangay, and I believe that you can do it. That is why we want to give you incentives,” he said.

TAINAN-CAVITE LINK. Tainan City in Taiwan donates personal protective equipment to its Filipino sister metropolis, Cavite City. On November 4, Deputy Representative Joy Yen of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines donated, on behalf of the Tainan City Government, 1,000 pieces of goggles and 500 pieces of face shields to Cavite City. The Philippines Cavite Taiwan Association and the Taiwanese Compatriot Association in the Philippines also donated 10,000 pieces of medical masks, respectively. Cavite City Mayor Bernardo Paredes received the donation in person and expressed gratitude for the support from Tainan and local Taiwanese communities.

Medical City Clark awarded ISO certification despite pandemic THE Medical City Clark, a premier healthcare institution located at the Clark Freeport Zone, has achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification. ISO 9001:2015 is the world’s most widely recognized quality management standard. This standard and certification was selected specifically to validate TMC Clark’s commitment to

deliver quality healthcare to ensure customer satisfaction.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2015 is the world’s most popular and commonly used standard for Quality Management Systems. It is an international consensus on good management practice and it focuses on meet-

ing customer requirements and other interested parties. It has distilled into standard requirements that covers any organization, whatever the size, industry or culture.

“To have achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification during this COVID-19 pandemic is a testament of our staff’s dedication and strict adherence to qual-

SMC to partner with LGUS to build bicycle lanes from recycled plastics ALMOST a year after it first built and started testing the country’s first asphalt road made with post-consumer plastic waste, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is eyeing the next phase of its plan to widen the application of the environment-friendly material ― by building bicycle lanes made of recycled plastics in partner cities and provinces.

SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang said the company is looking to work with technology partners and local governments willing to put up dedicated bike lanes to accommodate cyclists whose numbers have risen due to quarantine and transportation restrictions brought about by the

COVID-19 global pandemic - starting with its home base in Mandaluyong.

“It has almost been a year since we started our plastic road initiative and so far, our pilot site has held up very well. It’s in our logistics facility―used heavily everyday by large vehicles with heavy loads. Very soon, I think we can graduate it for light public use, specifically, for bicycle lanes,” Ang said.

Ang said that the company hopes to apply the technology more widely someday, particularly for public use on roads, but development is still considered to be in the early stages, considering the need for continuous testing to determine its long-term viability.

ity management systems and to go beyond our patients’ expectations,” said Dr. Almario Jabson, TMC Clark President and CEO. “This pandemic has taught us to always look out for best practices so that we will be able to provide quality care not only to COVID-19 patients but to non-COVID 19 patients as well.”

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga ― The city government has distributed P20,000 to each lantern maker in this city to help them revive the lantern industry of the province that was extremely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The assistance came in cash and materials to be use in making colorful lanterns. It is part of the Lantern Industry Rehabilitation and Support Program of the city government.

A total of 30 “parul” makers have benefited the program, according to Mayor Edwin Santiago.

He said the program aims to assist potential and existing micro, small, and medium enterprises, especially during this time of pandemic. Jess Malabanan

No more areas under special lockdown: QC

By Rio N. Araja

FOR the first time since it was enforced in May to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), no more areas in Quezon City are under special concern lockdown (SCL), Mayor Joy Belmonte said Monday.

She announced the lifting of the last remaining SCL in Alleys 1 and 2 in Block 17, Barangay Bungad on Nov. 6.

The lockdown imposed in some portions of Iba Street in Barangay Paang Bundok and three streets in Zytec Riosa compound in Barangay Pasong Tamo was also lifted.

Since May, 68 areas with around 11,134 families were placed under SCL. The City Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit (CESU) conducted 9,020 swab tests in those areas, 1,230 of which came back positive.

“This is another positive development in our fight against the virus.

This is another indication that we’re headed in the right direction, in addition to the drop in number of our active cases,” the mayor said.

“Despite this, I am reminding all of you that this should not be a reason to set aside the health protocols, such as the wearing of a face mask and face shield, handwashing and social distancing,” Belmonte said.

Dr. Rolly Cruz, CESU head, said the lockdowns are now unnecessary at this point since they have not monitored any more clustered cases so far.

The city started enforcing SCL in May to contain the spread of COVID-19, initially placing 20 areas in five barangays under lockdown.

“Those tested positive were immediately brought to HOPE facilities so as to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the communities,” Cruz said.

Meanwhile, the city government is giving tax exemptions for idle lands if used for urban agriculture.

PPE FOR POLICE.

Retired police major general Lucas Managuelod (second from left), Chairman and CEO of the Public Safety Savings and Loan Association, Inc. (PSSLAI), turns over personal protective equipments for use of Central Luzon policemen to bolster their defense against the coronavirus disease.

Jess Malabanan

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World

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Tropical storm ‘Eta’ makes landfall in Florida Keys TROPICAL Storm Eta made landfall at the Florida Keys late Sunday and was set to bring hurricane conditions after slamming Cuba and earlier cutting a deadly path through Central America and southern Mexico.

The US National Hurricane Center warned that Eta was bringing “strong winds, heavy rains, and dangerous storm surge” over portions of southern Florida and the Florida Keys.

Eta made landfall at 11 p.m. local (0400 GMT) in Lower Matecumbe Key in the Florida Keys, the NHC said, adding the “strong tropical storm” was blowing maximum sustained winds of 65 miles (100 kilometers) per hour.

A tropical storm is considered a hurricane when it hits wind speeds of 74 miles per hour.

A hurricane warning and storm surge warning were in effect for the Florida Keys, and a storm surge watch—which is of slightly lower urgency—was in effect for the state’s southern coast. AFP

Australia’s biggest dailies go on trial AUSTRALIA’S biggest news organizations and editorial staff members went on trial Monday on charges they breached a 2018 gag order on coverage of Cardinal George Pell’s now-quashed sex crimes convictions.

Several of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp mastheads as well as former Fairfax group newspapers, now owned by broadcaster Nine, are among those who dispute that they breached the court order.

The 18 accused editorial staff members, who include reporters, editors and broadcasters, face potential prison sentences if found guilty of being in contempt of court, while the media companies could be slapped with fines.

All of the accused deny the charges.

A judge issued the suppression order in December 2018 to prevent news of Pell’s convictions from prejudicing jurors in an expected second trial on child sex abuse charges that were subsequently dropped in early 2019.

But the order meant Pell’s 2018 convictions for abusing two choirboys in the 1990s—which were overturned in April this year—initially could not be reported in Australia, including on the internet. AFP

Russian serviceman kills 3 colleagues inside base A RUSSIAN serviceman killed three colleagues in a shooting Monday on a base near the southern city of Voronezh, news agencies reported citing the military.

“Three servicemen sustained lethal injuries as a result of the attack,” Russia’s Western Military District said in a statement carried by Interfax.

“The command of the military unit, acting together with law enforcement agencies, is working to track down and detain the assailant,” it added.

The statement said the attack began in the early hours of Monday.

An unnamed Interfax source said the shooting was sparked when an altercation broke out between the soldier and an officer during an inspection.

The soldier “grabbed a handgun” from the officer’s holster and fired, the source said, with three colleagues reported dead.

Authorities on the military base were negotiating with the suspect who had locked himself in a building, Interfax reported.

Shootings at military facilities in Russia are not uncommon and rights groups have sounded the alarm over brutal hazing rituals that were routine in the 1990s but have improved in recent years. AFP

BERLIN WALL RELIC. People walk along a stretch of the remains of the Berlin Wall known as the East Side Gallery in the German capital on Monday, the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. November 9, 2020 is the 31st anniversary of the day when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. It was built in 1961, at a time when Europe was divided in two and the wall itself divided the German capital city of Berlin for 28 years. AFP

Biden vows to go after virus

T

HE global tally of people infected by the coronavirus shot past 50 million on Monday, as United States President-elect Joe Biden geared up to name the scientists who will lead the country’s response to its disastrous outbreak.

The incoming leader made the pledge in his first speech since being projected as the winner of the presidential election, signaling the plans to prioritize the pandemic from the outset.

Covid-19 has left more than 237,000 people dead in the US and is surging across the country, which last week voted out Donald Trump in a nailbiting poll.

“On Monday I will name a group of leading scientists and experts as transition advisers to help take the BidenHarris plan and convert it into an actual blueprint that will start on January 20,

2021,” Biden told supporters, referring to the day he will be sworn in as commander-in-chief and get the keys to the White House.

“The team being assembled will meet these challenges on Day One,” his new transition website said.

According to a Johns Hopkins University tracker, the number of cases in the US is nearing 10 million and shows no sign of slowing, despite Trump’s claim the world’s biggest economy is “rounding the corner.”

Myanmar street parties The raging pandemic—which first

emerged in central China almost a year ago—did not deter voters in Myanmar, where excited crowds bunched together in their eagerness to cast their ballots.

Hundreds of die-hard supporters ignored warnings and gathered in a premature celebration, dancing, singing and waving flags outside the Yangon headquarters of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy.

“We’ll happily go to hospital for an NLD victory!” 25-year-old Thazin Swe said, as she hailed Aung San Suu Kyi’s likely win.

Schoolteacher Hnin Wut Yee, 23, said she had “concerns” about the lack of social distancing, adding: “We’re all watching each other with suspicion.”

Cases of the coronavirus in Myanmar have spiralled upwards in recent months, sending swathes of the country into lockdown and forcing campaigns online,

where hate speech between rival factions has festered.

But Suu Kyi refused to postpone the polls—a decision that could see “serious public health ramifications”, the International Crisis Group watchdog said.

1.25 million dead The virus has now claimed more than 1.25 million lives worldwide, according to an AFP tally, and over 50 million cases have been registered across the globe.

Europe—with 12.6 million cases and 306,000 deaths—is once again the epicenter of the pandemic.

Under new measures in Greece, people can only leave home if they make a mobile phone request and receive authorisation.

Essential shops can stay open, including supermarkets and pharmacies.

Hairdressers have also been allowed to stay open, but just for two more days, and they were booked out. AFP

WHO snubbed Taiwan on China’s urging TAIWAN on Monday said Chinese “obstruction” had prevented it from attending a key World Health Organization meeting focused on the coronavirus, accusing the global body of prioritizing politics over health.

The self-ruled island of 23 million has seen remarkable success in combatting the pandemic—with only seven deaths and fewer than 600 confirmed cases—as many parts of the world report surging numbers of infections and deaths.

But it is frozen out of the WHO by Beijing, which regards Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to take it by force if necessary.

The WHO’s decision not to invite Taiwan to its annual assembly -- due to resume virtually on Monday after being cut short by the pandemic in May -- was a result of “political considerations”, Taipei’s foreign ministry said Monday.

“The ministry expresses deep regrets and strong dissatisfaction over China’s obstruction of Taiwan’s participation,” it said in a statement.

“As the world is still under serious threat of the Covid-19 pandemic... it is an irony to the ‘health for all’ goal under the WHO charter” to exclude Taiwan, it added.

Taiwan attended the annual assembly between 2009 and 2016 as an observer, under the name Chinese Taipei.

But Beijing has blocked its participation since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who has refused to acknowledge the island is part of “One China”.

A growing number of countries, including the United States, have called for Taiwan to regain its observer status at this year’s assembly, amid fears its exclusion could jeopardise efforts to curb the pandemic. AFP

SEXUAL HARASSMENT. Former Canadian producer Gilbert Rozon (right) arrives for

the last day of his trial on charges of sexual assault and harassment, on November 6, 2020, at the Montreal courthouse. Rozon, 65, was charged in December 2018 for events that allegedly occurred in 1980 involving a victim whose identity was not revealed. The Quebec public prosecutor’s office did not file charges from 13 other alleged victims. AFP

Mexico sees ‘potential’ in Biden win Algerian journalist’s

PROTEST PORTRAIT. People walk past a Black Lives Matter 80-foot-mural (24-meter) unveiled by ArtBridge on 6th Avenue in New York City on November 5, 2020. The inaugural installation is part ArtBridge’s ‘Not a Monolith,’ program, which calls for 12 BLM-engaged murals over the next six months. AFP Manila

LEGAL NOTICE Standard

TODAY

Notice is hereby given to the public that an Extra-Judicial Settlement has been executed by the heirs of the late MARCELINO G. CADA, namely: CRISTINA B. CADA, MARCELINO S. CADA, JR., ESTRELLA CADA LARUAN, ALFREDO S. CADA, PERLA CADA JUBELAG, DARIO S. CADA, ALDRIN B. MEDINA, CATHALINA ELAINE CADA MEDINA, MARICRIS B. CADA, MARIS B. CADA, MA IRIS B. CADA, EDITA S. CADA, all of legal age, over personal and real properties, per deed executed on 4 November 2020 before Notary Public, ATTY. ANTHEA A. MAGPANTAY, per Doc. No. 114; Page No. 24; Book No. II; Series of 2020.

(MS-NOV. 10/17/24, 2020)

MEXICO’S foreign minister said there was “huge potential” for US ties, a day after the Mexican leader said it was too soon to congratulate president-elect Joe Biden.

After years of a close relationship with America under Donald Trump—who is still refusing to concede the US presidential election—Mexico’s leadership must now reshape their ties under his democrat victor.

“We don’t want to be imprudent.

We don’t want to act lightly and we want to respect people’s self-determination and rights,” President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters on Saturday.

But on Sunday his foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard told El Universo

jail term reduced

newspaper: “What we see coming is a step with a huge potential.”

AN Algerian journalist on Sunday had his He added that “from what I heard jail term reduced on appeal to one year, from Joe Biden’s speech, it is clear including six months behind bars, a pristhat there is going to be a cooperaoners’ rights group said. tion policy at a global level and with Abdelkrim Zeghileche, head of the Mexico.” web-based Radio-Sarbacane, was senLopez Obrador has managed tenced in August to two years in prison for to maintain cordial relations with “undermining national unity” and “insultTrump—visiting him in July—deing the head of state”.

He had been accused of posting calls spite the US leader’s remarks. on Facebook to create a new political parHe branded Mexican migrants ty, according to his lawyer. “rapists” and drug dealers during his Zeghileche has been in custody since 2016 election campaign, and has conJune 24 and is expected to be released sistently vowed to build a border wall at the end of December, prisoners’ rights between the two countries. group CNLD said.

Trump has launched a slew of legal During Zeghileche’s appeal on Octochallenges and refused to concede afber 25, the prosecution had called for his sentence to be increased. ter the major US television networks His was one of a string of trials of announced Biden’s win. AFP CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK media and pro-democracy figures in the

Austrian cops raid 60 addresses linked to Islamists AUSTRIAN police on Monday launched raids on more than 60 addresses allegedly linked to radical Islamists across four regions, with orders given for 30 suspects to be questioned, prosecutors said.

The Styria region prosecutors’ office said it was “carrying out investigations against more than

70 suspects and against several associations which are suspected of belonging to and supporting the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas organizations”.

It stressed in a statement that “the operation has no connection to the terror attack in Vienna of November 2” but was the result

of “intensive and comprehensive investigations carried out for more than a year.”

Among the alleged offences are forming a terrorist association, financing of terrorism and money laundering.

The raids took place in the Styria, Carinthia, Lower Austria

and Vienna regions.

Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said the raids were aimed at “cutting off the roots of political Islam”.

“We are acting against these criminal, extremist and inhuman organisations with all our strength,” he said in a statement. AFP

North African country in recent months.

The growing crackdown on Algeria’s press has drawn international condemnation.

Reporters Without Borders ranked Algeria 146 out of 180 countries and territories in its 2020 World Press Freedom Index.

Critics say the authorities have been targeting journalists and activists in order to prevent a resumption of the “Hirak” anti-government protests, which swept ailing president Abdelaziz Bouteflika from power last year. AFP

Business

B3

TUESday, NOVEMBER 10, 2020 || extrastory2000@gmail.com

Foreigners join China’s livestream sales army

PSEi November 9, 2020

TOP GAINERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DFNN FNI WPI MARC MAC ACEN ABG CAT MM LC

LAST PRICE 4.4 1.51 0.67 1.05 6.18 4.14 8.88 13.4 4.14 0.172

CHANGE 0.79 0.16 0.07 0.09 0.52 0.33 0.7 1 0.29 0.012

% CHANGE 21.88% 11.85% 11.67% 9.38% 9.19% 8.66% 8.56% 8.06% 7.53% 7.50%

TOP LOSERS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

MAB DWC V MRC COAL PRC OM LBC TBGI MWIDE

LAST PRICE 0.011 1.6 1.02 0.425 0.26 6.65 0.315 15.14 0.25 7.25

CHANGE -0.001 -0.11 -0.07 -0.025 -0.015 -0.35 -0.015 -0.66 -0.01 -0.29

% CHANGE -8.33% -6.43% -6.42% -5.56% -5.45% -5.00% -4.55% -4.18% -3.85% -3.85%

MOST ACTIVE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

DITO SMPH BDO PGOLD ALI AC SM TEL MM ICT

VOLUME 76,220,900 10,681,800 4,010,150 8,895,300 10,096,200 355,570 282,695 183,520 60,079,000 1,911,020

VALUE (PHP) 455,970,255.00 373,669,595.00 371,429,636.50 365,103,270.00 348,440,835.00 281,390,985.00 280,856,767.50 255,888,475.00 243,667,230.00 238,970,031.00

Singapore Airlines suffers record loss as virus hits travel SINGAPORE—Singapore Airlines on Friday reported a record net loss for its fiscal second quarter as the carrier continued to reel from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on global air travel.

The airline, which has shed thousands of jobs and grounded much of its fleet, said its net loss in July-September totaled Sg$2.34 billion ($1.7 billion), down from a net profit of Sg$94.5 million in the same period the year before.

Revenue for the quarter plunged 81.4 percent to Sg$783.8 million, the airline said in a statement.

First half net losses totaled Sg$3.47 billion.

“The recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to remain patchy, given the new waves of infections around the world and concerns about imported cases,” it said.

The carrier added that it had concluded talks with Airbus on a revised schedule for the delivery of aircraft orders and similar negotiations with Boeing were at an “advanced stage.”

Last month the firm said it was cutting about 4,300 jobs—around 20 percent of its workforce.

With the aviation industry in deep crisis due to the pandemic, airlines have turned to alternative ways to raise cash, from offering “flights to nowhere” to tours of aircraft.

Singapore’s flag-carrier scrapped earlier plans for no-destination flights following an outcry over the potential environmental impact.

But it offered passengers the chance to dine on board two parked A380 superjumbos—the world’s biggest passenger jet—and is also offering home deliveries of plane meals.

Industry body the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that airlines operating in the Asia-Pacific region stand to lose a combined $27.8 billion this year.

IATA forecast in July that global air traffic is unlikely to return to pre-coronavirus levels until at least 2024—a year later than previously projected.

AFP

ReAdy FoR douBle 11. Delivery workers handle packages at a warehouse in Beijing on November 9, 2020, to be delivered to customers ahead of the Singles’ Day, also known as the Double 11 shopping festival—the world’s biggest shopping event- which falls on November 11. AFP

Global markets advance on Biden election victory G lObAl stocks rallied with oil and high-yielding currencies Monday after Joe Biden was declared winner of the US election at the weekend, lifting a major source of uncertainty, while traders are hoping lawmakers will now focus on passing a new stimulus for the world’s biggest economy.

While Donald Trump has yet to concede and has launched several legal challenges, it is widely accepted that Biden will become the 46th president, removing a crucial hurdle for equity traders this year.

Observers said the focus will now be on Biden’s economic and foreign policy ap-

proach, with optimism for a less tumultuous leadership following four years of the bombastic real estate tycoon.

“Mr Biden is perceived in Asia as being likely to reengage in international trade, a positive for Asia,” said OANDA’s Jeffrey Halley.

“There may also be some dialing down of the geopolitical tensions in the region, although I suspect that China and American butting heads are now entrenched as the new normal.”

Markets were already surging last week as it became apparent the former vice president was on course for victory and that Republicans would likely hold the Senate, allowing them to rein in any big regulatory or tax policies.

On Monday Tokyo led the gains, surging more than two percent to end at a 29-year high, while Hong Kong, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Seoul, Wellington, Mumbai and Taipei were all up more than one percent. Bangkok also added more than two percent. The benchmark Philippine Stock exchange

Index was virtually flat at 6,685.85.

Wall Street futures also rallied, with the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq all seen opening more than one percent up.

London, Paris and Frankfurt all opened more than one percent higher.

Traders are now looking to Capitol Hill hoping for a fresh rescue package for the economy after lawmakers failed to hammer out anything despite months of haggling, though any new plan will not likely be as big as what would be expected from a Democrat-led Congress.

“More fiscal support is likely forthcoming,” said Invesco strategists including Brian Levitt. “While it may not be the outsize fiscal package that the Democrats had envisioned, it will likely be large enough to provide an additional boost to the economic recovery.

“Paradoxically, a more modest fiscal bill may serve to extend the market and business cycles, as it would be unlikely to bring forward the inflationary pressures that presage Fed tightening and the end of cycles.” With AFP

BEIJING, China—Late at night, Lalo Lopez heads to a small Shanghai studio for a live stream, punting Chinese products from cycling shorts to vacuum cleaners to Spanish speakers around the world.

The 33-year-old Spaniard, who describes himself as an artist, DJ and YouTuber, is in the vanguard of the growing ranks of foreigners hired by mainland agencies to extend China’s live stream sales mania beyond its borders.

By some estimates, live stream shopping is a near $70 billion industry inside China, attracting influencers who scour markets and malls for items to peddle to live audiences via social media.

Once an obscure form of shopping, live streaming is predicted to change the habits of global consumers, whose footfall has already headed from the high street to online marketplaces.

Buoyed by the success of live stream at home, Chinese companies crave bridgeheads for their goods overseas.

Enter hosts such as Lopez, who has lived in China for around nine years and was approached by Beijing-based marketing firm Linkone Interactive after it saw videos he posted on YouTube and Instagram.

“When I speak, I look at the product through my culture, through my experience,” said Lopez, whose streams can attract up to 15,000 viewers.

The medium allows him to answer viewers’ questions on everything from clothing and household appliances to gadgets in real-time, while entertaining them with trivia and flamboyant sales patter.

In one live stream, Lopez appears wearing a pink bathrobe over his regular clothing as he demonstrates using a handheld vacuum cleaner, at one point testing it on his hair.

“It’s easier (for me) because of the cultural background we share,” said Lopez, who earns up to 1,500 yuan ($226) per session, referring to his foreign customers. AFP

Danish fishermen hope to keep access to British waters in Brexit deal Time running short The looming January 1 expiry of current EU agreements is rapidly approaching but so far it’s impossible to say when a deal could be reached—the exact scenario Hansen was hoping would be avoided.

In Thyboron, a large part of the fish caught in British waters are turned into fishmeal for fish farms, like at TripleNine, Scandinavia’s largest fishmeal and fish oil company.

For chief executive Jes Bjerregaard, “a good Brexit would be a Brexit where it continues to be as it is today.”

Pending a deal, “we’re just awaiting the conclusions after which we’ll have to take necessary actions to minimize a potential loss.”

And time is running out, he says.

His concerns are echoed at Nordsotrawl, which makes fish nets for trawlers.

In a large building by the dock, overlooking the moored boats preparing to head out to sea, employees are busy at work on a big order from a Norwegian vessel.

Weaving the shimmery colorful nets by hand, the 20 employees chat away as the local radio plays in the background. Here, nobody knows what their future holds.

“It will have a big impact on the fishing fleet but on us as well,” says the head of Nordsotrawl, Flemming Ruby. AFP Boxes full of fish are waiting for transport after being auctioned in the port of Thyboron in Jutland, Denmark on September 30, 2020. Among the 300 members of the local fishing association, the largest in the country, many of them nowadays realize between 10 and 70 percent of their catches (cod, herring, sandeel) in the rich British waters of the North Sea. The British want to regain exclusive control of it, causing great concern among “continental” fishermen from the Atlantic to the North Sea via the English Channel. AFP

By Camille Bas-Wohlert THYBORON, Denmark—In Thyboron, a port in western Denmark, the sky is grey and overcast and fishermen look just as gloomy as soon as the word Brexit is mentioned.

Almost all of the 2,000 people who live here know a fisherman whose livelihood depends largely on catches in British waters.

For several years now, Tamme Bolt’s trawler has increasingly fished in British waters, following the fish as they migrate further north in the North Sea. Bolt, a good-natured fisherman in his 50s who heads a crew of 10, tells AFP that if he no longer has access to British waters, “we will lose one third of our income” and he might have to lay off people.

Many of the 300-strong local fishermen’s association, Denmark’s biggest, catch between 10 and 70 percent of their haul in the British part of the North Sea, reeling in cod, herring and sand eel among others.

The “Tina Jeannette,” a gleaming 247-ton trawler, catches its entire haul in the British zone.

Britain left the EU in January, and negotiators have failed so far to agree on how to assign fishing quotas in its waters as it regains its status as an independent coastal state—sparking concern among Europe’s fishermen used to plying their trade in the Atlantic, the North Sea and the English Channel.

“The whole value chain is in fact at risk of the negative consequences of a hard Brexit,” warns Thyboron harbor captain Jesper Holt Jensen.

Here, the entire community would be affected: in the Lemvig municipality that includes the port, five percent of jobs depend on the fishing sector.

Failing an agreement, non-British fishermen will not have access to British waters, which could lead to considerable losses: up to 10 million kroner locally, and a billion kroner (134 million euros) nationwide, estimates Alfred Fisker Hansen, the head of the association.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETING OF FRUITAS HOLDINGS, INC. Please take notice that the 2020 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting (“ASM”) of Fruitas Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”) will be held on 01 December 2020 (Tuesday) at 2:00 pm via remote communication. The virtual ASM is necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic situation during which physical gatherings are highly discouraged.

The Agenda for the ASM shall be as follows: 1. Call to order 2. Certification of service of notice and presence of quorum 3. Reading and approval of the minutes of the last Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on (August 24, 2019) 4. Ratification of all acts and resolutions of the Board of Directors and Management from the date of the last annual stockholders’ meeting until the date of this meeting 5. Presentation of the President’s Report 6. Management Report and Approval of Audited Financial Statements for the year 2019 7. Election of the members of the Board of Directors, including the Independent Directors, for the year 2020 8. Appointment of External Auditors 9. Other Matters 10. Adjournment The Minutes of the 2019 ASM is available for examination on the website of the Company at www.Fruitasholdings.com The record date shall be on October 26, 2020 for the purpose of determining the list of stockholders of the Corporation who are entitled to vote in the 2020 ASM. The Company will allow attendance by stockholders only by remote communication and voting in absentia, subject to validation procedures, though the directors will be in the principal office of the Company.

Stockholders who will participate in the ASM by remote communication should send an e-mail indicating their intent to participate to IPO.Compliance@fruitasholdings.com. They will then be sent a link to a registration form requiring certain information and documentation. Upon their successful accomplishment of the registration form, they will receive an e-mail invitation with a complete guide on how to join the ASM and how to cast votes in absentia. Registration and voting must be accomplished by November 26, 2020. For any registration concerns, please contact IPO.Compliance@fruitasholdings.com.

Please refer to the Definitive Information Statement (“DIS”) on the guidelines on attendance by remote communication and voting in absentia. The DIS is posted on the website of the Company at www.Fruitasholdings.com. Only stockholders who have successfully registered within the prescribed period, together with the stockholders who voted in absentia and by proxy, will be included in the determination of quorum.

Proxies, in the form provided by the Company, must be scanned and emailed to the Company’s Corporate Secretary at IPO.Compliance@fruitasholdings.com not later than November 23, 2020. The proxies shall be validated by November 26, 2020. The Corporate Secretary’s decision shall be _nal and binding on the shareholders, and those not settled during the proxy validation shall be deemed waived and may no longer be raised. WE ARE NOT, HOWEVER, SOLICITING PROXIES. Stockholders may send their questions about the ASM and the Company to IPO.Compliance@fruitasholdings.com.

Pursuant to SEC Notice dated April 20, 2020, the Stockholders may examine the Definitive Information Statement, Management Report, and SEC Form 17A at the Company’s website and through the PSE Edge Portal.

There will be an audio and video recording of the ASM. All votes cast shall be validated by the Stock and Transfer Agent, BDO Unibank, Inc. Quezon City, Philippines, 13 October 2020.

For the Board of Directors, MARVIN C. YU Corporate Secretary

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

B4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020

IN BRIEF Peso advances further to 48.145 vs. US dollar THE peso on Monday posted a fresh fouryear high against the US dollar, tracking the appreciation of regional currencies following the results of the US presidential elections.

The local currency closed at 48.145 against the greenback, stronger than its 48.22 finish Friday. It was the peso’s strongest level since closing at 48.10 per dollar on Oct. 20, 2016. Total volume turnover reached $679.3 million on Monday, down from $779 million on Friday.

“The PHP continues to track regional peers, albeit one of the slower to appreciate, as the US dollar dips in reaction to the US elections,” ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa told Manila Standard via e-mail.

“Only time will tell if we finally pierce through to the 47 handle, but will depend largely on US dollar sentiment while BSP [Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas] keeps an eye on the recent developments as they maintain their presence in the market,” Mapa said.

Bank of the Philippine Islands lead economist Jun Neri earlier predicted a recovery in imports in the coming months as the economy gradually reopens. He said this would mean a pickup in dollar demand, making the peso move to the 49-per-dollar level. Julito G. Rada

Business

Total Volume Total Trades Total Value Advances

6,685.85

1,713,781,915 140,631 8,019,790,160.33 131

Declines Unchanged

83 43

F oreign e xchange r ate Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2020

Unit

US Dollar

Peso

United States

Dollar

1.000000

48.2720

Japan

Yen

0.009679

0.4672

Agriculture sector grew 0.7% in 3rd quarter—PSA

UK

Pound

1.316700

63.5597

Hong Kong

Dollar

0.128972

6.2257

Switzerland

Franc

1.111976

53.6773

Canada

Dollar

0.767048

37.0269

Singapore

Dollar

0.741950

35.8154

Australia

Dollar

0.727300

35.1082

Bahrain

Dinar

2.655126

128.1682

Saudi Arabia

Rial

0.266638

12.8711

Brunei

Dollar

0.739208

35.6830

Indonesia

Rupiah

0.000070

0.0034

Thailand

Baht

0.032755

1.5811

UAE

Dirham

0.272272

13.1431

By Othel V. Campos

Euro

Euro

1.189200

57.4051

Korea

Won

0.000892

0.0431

China

Yuan

0.151334

7.3052

India

Rupee

0.013518

0.6525

Malaysia

Ringgit

0.242365

11.6994

New Zealand

Dollar

0.678900

32.7719

Taiwan

Dollar

0.035005

1.6898

A

GRICULTURE production grew 0.7 percent in the third quarter from a year ago, led by higher rice and corn harvests, the Philippine Statistics Authority said Monday.

The PSA said crop production, which contributed 52.7 percent to the total agricultural output, rose 4.8 percent, with palay and corn harvests improving 15.2 percent and 3.5 percent, respectively.

Livestock production decreased 7.6 percent, pulled down by the 7.7-percent drop in hog output. The poultry output declined 3.8 percent, with production of chicken dropping 7.2 percent.

Fisheries registered a 1.9-percent growth on higher output of bigeye tuna, Bali sardinella and blue crab, according

to the PSA. Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the performance of the Philippine agriculture in the third quarter was commendable after the sector faced various challenges, such as the impact of the COVID-19 crisis and severe weather in the months of July to September.

“The 0.7 percent positive growth is welcome news, as it confirms that we are on the right track particularly on our palay and corn production program initiatives in partnership with farmers’

groups, local government units and the private sector,” Dar said.

The PSA placed the value of agricultural production at P404.6 billion in the third quarter based on current prices, up by 4.1 percent from the previous year’s level.

Dar said the lackluster performance of hog and poultry sectors was expected because of the lingering effects of the African swine fever and low demand for poultry products.

“In all, we commend our ‘heroes’— the farmers and fisherfolk—who continue to persevere and toil despite the odds, and that the Duterte administration through the Department of Agriculture will provide needed support and interventions to further increase their productivity and incomes and subsequently propel the growth and competitiveness of Philippine agriculture,” Dar said.

RECYCLED PLASTICS.

Almost a year after it built and started testing the country’s first asphalt road made with post-consumer plastic waste, San Miguel Corp. is looking at the next phase of the plan to widen the application by building bicycle lanes made of recycled plastics in partner cities and provinces. Cycling to work is on the rise due to quarantine and transportation restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic. San Miguel also started a program to help provide bicycles for employees.

THE country’s two largest telecom companies are likely to raise capital expenditures next year because of regulatory pressure and the looming competition from a new entrant, Fitch Ratings said in a report Monday.

“Strategic execution will be key amid the challenges posed by the pandemic and rising competition,” the credit rating agency said in a statement.

PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc. are accelerating their network rollout in mobile and fiber broadband in the coming quarters, ahead of Dito Telecommunity’s entry in March 2021.

“The country’s new common-tower policy is also likely to hasten tower builds and access to cell-sites, which were previously held up by the lengthy regulatory approval process for permits,” Fitch said.

“We forecast the incumbents’ capex will increase by 20 percent to 25 percent in 2021.

The Philippines has among the highest capex/revenue ratios in Asia-Pacific, at around 40 percent,” it said. Darwin G. Amojelar

D&L’s income surged to P573m in 3rd quarter

Meralco announces power rate reduction in November

By Alena Mae S. Flores MANILA Electric Co. said Monday power rates will decrease by P0.0395 per kilowatt-hour in November to P8.5105 per kWh from P8.55 per kWh in October.

The lower rate is equivalent to around P8 in savings in the monthly bill of residential customers consuming 200 kWh. “We are happy to report a P0.4-perkWh reduction in the rates of our customers for this month of November,” Meralco spokesman Joe Zaldarriaga said.

Meralco’s generation charge decreased P0.0215 per kWh to P4.2018 per kWh in November from P4.2233 per kWh in October because of the P1.28-

per-kWh reduction in charges from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor for electricity.

Charges at WESM declined on improved power supply situation in the Luzon grid in October.

Meanwhile, the cost of power from Meralco’s independent power producers also went down by P0.0842 per kWh following lower Malampaya natural gas prices and slight peso appreciation.

Meanwhile, charges from Meralco’s power supply agreements inched up by P0.2118 per kWh because of the forced outage of the San Gabriel natural gas power plant during the supply month.

Meralco secured the bulk of its supply requirement, or 53 percent, from its

PSAs, followed by IPPs at 35 percent and WESM at 12 percent.

Transmission charge, taxes and other charges for residential customers also registered a net reduction of P0.0180 per kWh in November.

Meralco said the collection of the universal charge-environmental charge amounting to P0.0025 per kWh was still suspended, as directed by the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Meralco’s distribution, supply and metering charges were unchanged for 64 months.

The power distributor assured customers that it would fully comply with the ERC advisory on the non-disconnection policy.

LBC Express to pursue expansion plan, open 100 branches this year LOGISTICS provider LBC Express Holdings Inc. said Monday it is keeping its target to open 100 new branches this year as businesses start to recover from the impact of the pandemic.

LBC Express said in a statement it would carry on its network expansion plan and capacity expansion program that include new warehouses in several parts of the country. The company has 1,520 branches.

“As the group has embarked on a recovery plan, its main objectives are to rebalance and reposition its services toward new consumer needs and behaviors, and rapidly innovate its services and capabilities to leverage on the accelerated shift of consumers to e-commerce.

With this, LBC has been expediting its digital services both for retail and corporate customers,” the logistics firm said.

The group recently launched PayCollect, a convenient and efficient service for corporates, micro-, smalland medium-enterprises and online sellers, with any of the company’s branches serving as payment collection stations.

0.16 PT.

Currency

Telecom firms seen to raise 2021 capex

FOOD ingredients manufacturer D&L Industries Inc. said Monday net income in the third quarter doubled to P573 million from P287 million posted in the second quarter.

D&L president and chief executive Alvin Lao said in a virtual press briefing all business segments—food ingredients, specialty plastics, aerosol and biodiesel—posted quarter-on-quarter growth as the government gradual reopens the economy.

“The recovery in the third quarter confirms that we’ve survived the worst of this pandemic. Our income for the third quarter doubled from the income recorded in the second quarter and even managed to surpass our first quarter income which was not fully impacted by the pandemic yet”, Lao said.

The strong third-quarter profit boosted D&L’s nine-month net income to P1.37 billion, still down by 32 from a year ago, but an improvement from the 43-percent earnings decline in the first half.

Export sales continued its positive momentum in the third quarter as it jumped 58 percent year-on-year and brought ninemonth growth to 37 percent.

Jenniffer B. Austria

PSE INDEX

Monday, November 9, 2020

LBC Express said it would also launch SoShop!, an end-to-end solution for those who transact business via social media in response to the rapid growth of e-commerce in the country.

It said that through this program, the company would provide exclusive access to tools and initiatives, payment solutions, skills training and a tracking solution, negating the need to invest in proprietary software.

Meanwhile, LBC Express saw its third quarter net income hit P448.5 million, up 37.6 percent from P325.9 million in the same period last year.

LBC Express said third-quarter revenues improved 6 percent to P3.90 billion, largely driven by a 33-percent increase in retail logistics sales.

Nine-month net income, however, went down by 86 percent to P53.23 million from P397.2 million recorded a year ago.

LBC Expresses said revenues from January to September dropped by 16 percent to P9.63 billion because of lower volumes brought by the lockdowns and additional depreciation and amortization.

Jenniffer B. Austria

Source: BSP

Jollibee booked P1.58-b net loss in third quarter as sales fell 29%

By Jenniffer B. Austria FASTFOOD chain operator Jollibee Foods Corp. said Monday it posted a net loss of P1.58 billion in the third quarter, a reversal of the P1.67-billion profit it recorded in the same period last year, following store closures and weak sales in domestic and foreign markets.

Jollibee said in a disclosure to the stock exchange system-wide sales, a measure of all sales to consumers both from company-owned and franchised stores, decreased 29.2 percent in the third quarter to P40.6 billion.

It said the net loss in the first three quarters reached P13.5 billion.

“While the negative impact of the crisis is still affecting us, as we reopen stores, we are introducing new products, resuming strong marketing campaigns, strengthening our systems and infrastructure particularly for digital connections with our customers and for off- premise consumption of our products and opening of new stores mostly in our international business,” Jollibee president Ernesto Tanmantiong said.

“We are now crafting our operating plans for 2021 and the years ahead.

Our vision remains the same: to be one of the top 5 restaurant companies in the world,” he said.

The company said while 93 percent of the group’s total store network were operational as of end-September, the speed of recovery varied in different regions.

Global same-store sales fell 35.3 percent in the third quarter, while store sales growth in the domestic market went down by 45.6 percent.

Jollibee said that as part of its business transition program, it permanently closed down 339 stores in the first nine months, including 118 in the Philippines and 221 overseas. It said 507 stores would be permanently closed this year.

The company said, however, that it opened 180 new stores, including 48 in the Philippines and 132 overseas as part of expansion plans.

GSIS-MANILA DEAL.

State pension fund Government Service Insurance System signs an agreement with the city government of Manila to settle P127 million in unpaid premiums of its 15,976 employees covering January 2012 to June 2019. GSIS president and general manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet and Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso pose with an elbow bump after signing the memorandum of agreement where Manila agreed to pay the amount for a period of one year with an interest of 12 percent per annum.

3 power investments certified as ‘projects of national significance’ THE Energy Investment Coordinating Council, through the Department of Energy, identified three investments as energy projects of national significance under Executive Order No. 30.

The EICC granted Texas-based Excelerate Energy LP with a certificate of energy project of national significance for the commerciality of its liquefied natural gas project in Luzon, which it expects to complete by the second quarter of 2022.

Excelerate Energy is developing the country’s first open access LNG import terminal in offshore Batangas with an investment of P11.3 billion ($230 mil-

lion).

Meanwhile, the DOE also granted a CEPNS to Batangas Clean Energy Inc., a company controlled by tycoon Lucio Tan for the commerciality of its integrated LNG project.

BCE, a joint venture of Gen X Energy, LLC and LCT Energy and Resources Inc., plans to start the construction of the integrated LNG project in 2021, with completion eyed by 2025.

The BCE LNG terminal and power plant will rise on a 38-hectare property in the boundaries of Barangay Pinamucan Ibaba and Pinamucan Proper, Batangas City.

The DOE also approved the CEPNS of Bacman Geothermal Inc., which is on the pre-development phase of its 29.5-megawatt Bacon-Manito expansion project.

BGI, subsidiary of Energy Development Corp., operates the 140-MW BacMan geothermal facility that straddles between Manito, Albay and Bacon, Sorsogon, and supplies clean and reliable power to the Luzon grid and retail electricity customers.

The DOE issued the CEPNS to the three companies on Oct. 30. It has so far issued CEPNS to 149 projects with estimated total investments of P794.52 billion. Alena Mae S. Flores

POC polls’ committee to tackle E-voting THE possibility of casting ballots electronically is being brought up when Philippine Olympic Commission holds its elections on Nov. 27.

The election committee of the POC is considering this after the body, headed by Atty. Teodoro Kalaw IV as chairman, met with various stakeholders in a virtual conference yesterday.

“We are dealing with it (E-voting) right now,” said Kalaw during the two-hour meeting on Zoom.

Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association president Philip Ella Juico was one of the national sports association leaders, who expressed concern, saying that he might not be present at the polls because of safety and health protocol concerns during the pandemic.

Juico said that his age and health, considering that he recently had surgery, will most likely keep him from attending the gathering.

The POC election committee was informed of Juico’s concerns in a letter sent last October.

“As I mentioned in my letter, I am senior citizen and there are rules that govern my travel, and also because of a recent surgery,” said Juico.

Kalaw said they are now in the process of putting up health and safety protocols that will cover the day of the election.

They will now get unexpected assistance from Dr. Raul Canlas, who has worked with the Interagency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases on its protocols.

Canlas, who heads the national sports association for surfing, was also among the authorities behind the bubble being implemented in the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup in Angeles City, Pampanga.

A a sports medicine specialist, Canlas offered his services to help the POC set up its protocols on election day.

Current POC president Abraham Tolentino is running for reelection.

Tolentino’s ticket will have triathlon’s Tom Carrasco, who is a candidate for chairman; and Al Panlilio, president of Smart Communications and Chief Revenue Officer of PLDT, seeking the post of first vice president.

Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, who is the president of the fencing and the modern pentathlon federation, is batting to become second vice president. Gymnastics’ head Cynthia Carrion will run for treasurer, along with baseball’s Chito Loyzaga as auditor, while named in Tolentino’s list of board members are muay secretary general Pearl Managuelod, judo’s Dave Carter and Canlas.

House Deputy Speaker and Surigao rep. (first district) Prospero Pichay Jr., president of the National Chess Federation of the Philippines, has also joined Tolentino’s lineup for board member.

On the other hand, archery chief Aranas will seek the presidency opposite Tolentino.

Sports

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

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020

C1

Alaska Aces guard Maverick Ahanmisi (13) glides to the hoop against NLEX Road Warriors defender Anthony Semerad (33). Looking on are Alaska’s Jeron Teng (10) and Kiefer Ravena of NLEX. PBA

Monster Ahanmisi game fuels Aces past Warriors

By Reuel Vidal

T

HE Alaska Aces proved steadier in the clutch to beat the NLEX Road Warriors, 122-119, in overtime yesterday, Monday, November 9, 2020 at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena & Cultural Center Powered by Smart 5G.

The Aces got a big lift from Maverick Ahanmisi, who played his best game in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, to give the Aces a big push in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Ahanmisi finished with a double-double of 25 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals to win Player of the Game honors.

“We just wanted to come out and play aggressive. We knew how big this game was. We just wanted to come out strong against a very tough NLEX Road Warriors team,” said Ahanmisi in the postgame interview.

The Aces (7 wins, 4 losses), who closed out their elimination round schedule ahead of all the other teams, climbed to solo fourth place behind TNT Tropang Giga (7-3), Barangay Ginebra (7-3) and Phoenix Super LPG (7-3).

The Aces thus formally advanced to the 8-team Quarterfinals and stayed in the hunt for a possible twice-to-beat advantage if they end up in the top 4 after the eliminations.

In the other game Phoenix came back from the dead overhauling a 16-point deficit to beat Blackwater Elite, 100-95.

Trailing from the start Phoenix finally

listened to the exhortations of coach Topex Robinson to grab the lead for good after a layup by Matthew Wright which pushed them ahead 81-79 with seven minutes left to play.

Robinson said he reminded his players to play to their potential regardless of who they were playing against.

“We talked about accountability. Accountability is everybody’s responsibility.

We have to keep our culture from who we are and what we stand for. They just kept on talking and talking and communicating and finding ways to win because they know that they are accountable to what we are trying to build here,” said Robinson.

With Alaska’s victory San Miguel Beer (6-4), Meralco Bolts (6-4) and Magnolia Hotshots (6-4) also formally advanced to the next stage. The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (5-4) gained at least a tie for the last spot in the Quarterfinals.

The Road Warriors (4-6) were pushed to the brink of elimination and will bow out if Elasto Painters win one of their last two games.

Blackwater Elite (2-8), NorthPort Batang Pier (1-8) and Terrafirma Dyip (1-8) have already been eliminated days before.

Kiefer Ravena, pressed by the Alaska close out, missed a three-pointer at the buzzer as the third quarter ended at 75-all.

Jvee Casio drilled three-of-three free throws to push Alaska to a two-point, 8179 lead with 10 minutes to play.

Maverick Ahanmisi drilled backto-back three-pointers to push Alaska ahead by three points, 87-84. Jeron Teng followed that with a jumper to extend the advantage to 5 markers, 89-84, with 8 minutes to play.

The Road Warriors were red-hot from distance. Jericho Cruz and JR Quiñahan each scored a triple to tie the count at 93all with 6 minutes to go.

Robbie Herndon proved steady under pressure converting a three-pointer at the buzzer to push Alaska ahead by four points, 103-99, with 2 minutes to play in regulation.

Jvee Casio converted a layup to tie the count at 108-all with seconds to go in regulation period. He missed a layup at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

Mike DiGregorio drove past Kiefer Ravena to convert a layup plus the bonus free throw to push Alaska ahead, 111108, with 3:39 in OT. Kevin Alas converted two-of-two free throws to tie the count at 111-all with three to go in OT. Maverick Ahanmisi followed up his own miss to push Alaska back on top but JR Quiñahan countered with his own to tie the count at 113all in OT.

Mo helps SMC bounce back from slump

By Peter Atencio MO Tautuaa scored his biggest output in a quarter as he helped pull the San Miguel Beermen out of a two-game slump.

The 6’7” Tautuaa knocked in 12 of his 20 point tally in the first quarter as the Beermen took charge early.

Tautuaa’s heads-up game contributed to the Beermen’s pivotal 81-66 triumph over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings last Sunday at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena in Pampanga.

“I think this is the best start we had but in the bubble, but it’s really hard for a four or f ive (winning) streak. Sooner or later you’re really going to have a bad game,” said Beermen

coach Leo Austria.

This allowed the Beermen to earn their sixth win in 10 outings for a 6-4 win-loss record.

The Beermen were able to redeem themselves from a 34-point loss to the NLEX Road Warriors.

“With this wi n, I thi n k we have a lit tle bit of an advant age. I have to com mend the players especially the veterans at the start,” added Austria.

After Tautuaa made 12 points in the first period for a 27-22 edge, the Beermen outscored the Gin Kings, 26-14, in the second canto to take a 53-36 halftime lead.

Chris Ross added 11 points, 14 boards, four assists, and four steals for the Beermen.

The Beermen will next clash with NorthPort Batang Pier at 6:45 p.m. on Nov. 10.

Daniil Medvedev

Medvedev in better shape for ATP Finals PARIS—Newly-crowned Paris Masters champion Daniil Medvedev said on Sunday he is in “better shape” to compete for the ATP Tour Finals title this season ahead of the season-ending event in London.

The Russian lost all three of his group matches last year on his Finals debut, having seen a run of six successive finals ended by an early defeat at the Paris Masters.

Medvedev’s first final since saw him come from a set behind to beat Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 at Bercy Arena on Sunday. “(I’m) coming (in) better shape than last year,” said the world number five, with the ATP Finals starting in a week’s time.

“Last year (I) was real exhausted, lost first round in Paris. That’s when you lose your confidence. When you lose first round you always lose your confidence. “(I’ve) just won the tournament, going to have a few days off. Come to London, practise good. Hopefully can get some wins there.”

The most disappointing of Medvedev’s ATP Finals defeats in 2019 came against Rafael Nadal when he imploded from 5-1 up in a deciding set with a match point.

But the 24-year-old says he feels as though he is far less likely to suffer that type of collapse now.

“You will not all your life just be there crying about this match,” said Medvedev, who also lost to Nadal in an epic 2019 US Open final. “(It) was almost (the) last match of the season for me. I knew I had to leave it behind.

“Just learn from it and learn how, okay, if you’re up 5-1 and you lose even your serve on 5-2, you should not go crazy, because you are still up. AFP

Mo Tautuaa leads SMC’s hot start vs Ginebra.

Team Lakay vs world at ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III

Kevin Belingon

IT WILL be another big night for the Philippines when three Team Lakay stars represent the country at the previously recorded ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III, which airs to the public on Friday, November 13.

At the Singapore Indoor Stadium, former ONE Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon turns his attention to fifthranked bantamweight John “Hands of Stone” Lineker in what is expected to be an action-packed main event between two of the hardest hitters in ONE Championship.

This matchup has been on fans’ minds ever since Lineker signed to The Home Of Martial Arts last year, and it’s finally set to happen. With 24 knockout wins

between the two athletes—and their willingness to stand and trade—expect this bout to be a banger.

“It’s a match everyone has been looking forward to for a long time, and now we’re finally here,” Belingon said.

“This match is going to be exciting given our styles, and fans are up for a treat. Expect me to be at my best against him.”

Aside from Belingon, another exWorld Champion in Geje “Gravity” Eustaquio returns to action on Friday night.

The former ONE Flyweight World Champion takes on “The Running Man” Song Min Jong in the co-main event of the evening, as Eustaquio continues his road back to the top of

the division.

“Gravity” is targeting consistency this time around, though. He has not won consecutive matches since 2018, the year he beat Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes for the ONE Flyweight World Title, and a win will put him back on course.

Meanwhile, fifth-ranked strawweight and Team Lakay’s hottest athlete, Lito “Thunder Kid” Adiwang, targets his eighth straight win when battles debuting Shooto Champion Hiroba Minowa in the event’s curtain raiser.

Catch the previously-recorded ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III this Friday, November 13, on One Sports and One Sports+ or stream it for free by downloading the ONE Super App.

Sports

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020 C2 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Carlos Ortiz of Mexico celebrates with his wife, Haley, on the 18th green after winning the the Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course in Houston, Texas.

AFP

Ortiz stuns Johnson for 1st PGA title W

ASHINGTON—Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz captured his first US PGA Tour title Sunday, firing five birdies in a fiveunder par 67 for a two-shot Houston Open victory over top-ranked Dustin Johnson and Hideki Matsuyama.

Ortiz padded his margin with the final flourish of a birdie on 18 at Memorial Park Golf Course, a municipal layout in the Texas city hosting a PGA event for the first time since 1963.

“It was awesome finishing with this birdie putt on 18,” said Ortiz, who rolled in a 22-footer at the last for a 13-under par total of 267.

The Guadalajara native played college golf at North Texas University in Dallas, and maintains a home in Texas.”This is like my second home,” he said. “There was a bunch of people cheering for me, Latinos and Texans.

I’m thankful for all of them.”

The tournament was the first to allow fans since the PGA Tour resumed in June after a three-month coronavirus hiatus.

A total of 2,000 spectators were allowed each day, with face mask requirements

and social distancing precautions in place.

The victory gives Ortiz a spot in next year’s Masters, although not in the final major of the pandemic-reshuffled season that starts on Thursday at Augusta National.

The week provided an encouraging tuneup for the Masters for Johnson, Japan’s Matsuyama and others, including four-time major winner Brooks Koepka.

World number one Johnson, winner of the Northern Trust and the Tour Championship who had a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship and a share of sixth at the US Open, missed two planned October starts after testing positive for coronavirus.

He had six birdies and a bogey in his closing 65 for an 11-under total of 269.

He was joined by Matsuyama, who had seven birdies without a bogey in his 63.

Matsuyama, a five-time US tour winner remains without a victory since 2017, when he won the Phoenix Open and the WGC Bridgestone Invitational.

But he said his performance this week was a good sign going into Augusta.

“My good finish over the weekend is going to really hopefully help me in the Masters this week coming up,” Matsuyama said.

Johnson and Matsuyama kept the pressure on Ortiz all afternoon, Matsuyama briefly grabbing a share of the lead on 11-under when he rattled in a 16-foot birdie putt on the 17th.

But Ortiz moved a shot ahead with a birdie at the par-five 16th, eight feet from the pin and two-putted for a birdie that put him 12 under.

Finishing strong Johnson, 11-under after a 10-foot birdie at the 15th, couldn’t take advantage of the par-five 16th and Ortiz pulled away.

“I played great and it was challenging at the end,” said the 29-year-old, who fought back tears after the victory was secured and he became the first player

born in Mexico to win a US tour title since Victor Regalado won twice in the 1970s. “I saw there’s a couple people playing really good, too, so I knew I couldn’t just, like, lay it up to the greens and then expect to win so I had to finish strong.”

Ortiz’s five birdies also included two putts of more than 30 feet from off the green—a 36-footer at the fourth and another long bomb at the ninth.

“That putt on four kick-started my round,” he said. “It was in a tough position and I ended up making it, so it was awesome.

“Then that putt on nine, it was unbelievable. I read it perfectly and as soon as I hit it, I knew I had a good chance of making it.”

American Talor Gooch matched Matsuyama’s 63 to finish alone in fourth on 271, and Koepka, the former world number one heading into the Masters after a season disrupted not only by coronavirus but by injury, closed with his second straight 65 to share fifth on 272 with Austrian Sepp Straka, who carded a 69. AFP

Kyrgios reveals battle with depression SYDNEY—Polarising Australian Nick Kyrgios Sunday admitted to be being in a “lonely, dark place” during recent years as he battled depression sparked by the relentless grind of the tennis tour.

The temperamental star is one of the sport’s biggest drawcards, but has also faced intense criticism for his combustible antics on court, with a long list of misdemeanours to his name.

They include an explosive racquet-smashing and expletive-ridden meltdown at last year’s Cincinnati Masters that saw him put on probation by the ATP and ordered to seek professional help.

“I don’t think people understand how lonely tennis can be,” he told Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph magazine.

“You’re out there on the court on your own.

You can’t really talk to anyone. You have to figure things out for yourself. I did struggle with that.”

Kyrgios said he had always been emotional and found it tough spending so long away from his Canberra home and family while on tour, admitting there were times when he was “seriously depressed”.

“I remember waking up in Shanghai one year and it was 4pm and I was still in bed, curtains closed. I didn’t want to see the light of day,” he said.

“I felt like no one wanted to know me as a person, they just wanted to get a hold of me as a tennis player and use me. I didn’t feel like I could

FREE THROW SHOOTER NATHANIEL DELA CRUZ THIS is not in defense of Luis Suarez.

If anything, this is coming to terms with the fact that great athletes are never without their sins, and more importantly, it has always been more complex than our perceived false dilemma. Clearly, there is a lot of fertile ground between black and white, and Luis Suarez was never ashamed to saunter here.

And while many of those, who erred sought the forgiveness and made good on the promise to be better, Luis Suarez seems cut from a different cloth: he appears content in letting his mortal frailties roam wild, freely, and unchecked.

So while he is heroic in fulfilling his role as a reliable scorer, his life story is that of an antihero.

Luis Suarez is comfortable in his own skin, though. It is us—the fans, the observers—who are unsettled, disappointed, displeased, and perplexed. I think it is largely because of our idealism and our hopeless effort to keep this beau idéal from eroding and un-

trust anyone. It was a lonely, dark place. And things came from that.

“A lot of people were putting pressure on me, I put a lot of pressure on myself. I just lost joy for the game and I was spiralling out of control,” he added.

“I fell into depression because of the things I thought I had to be.”

But the 25-year-old gained new respect by spearheading fundraising efforts for Australia’s deadly bushfires last summer, a crisis which he said gave him a new perspective.

He has also been hailed as a voice of reason during the coronavirus pandemic, calling out fellow players—notably Novak Djokovic—for not taking it seriously enough.

Kyrgios opted out of the US Open and French Open this year due to Covid-19, with the break allowing him to reconnect with family and live a more stable lifestyle.

“Nothing beats playing in some of the best parts of the world against tough opponents and doing all the work off the court to have success. I’m definitely missing it. But I don’t live and breathe tennis,” he said.

“I love being at home with my family and my girlfriend, and working with my foundation (for underprivileged children) and helping the community. There are plenty of other things I love doing.” AFP

MADRID—Chris Froome brought down the curtain on his Team Sky/ Ineos career on Sunday, describing it as “a love story which lasted 11 years”.

The 35-year-old captured the Tour de France four times with the outfit as well as the Vuelta a Espana twice and a single Giro d’Italia.

Next year, he will compete for Israel Start-Up Nation.

“It’s a love story which lasted 11 years,” Froome said at the end of the 2020 Vuelta.

“It was a very emotional day, my last with the team. I had this on my mind and a lot of memories came back to me.”

The Kenya-born British rider won the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.

He was Giro winner in 2018 and Vuelta champion in 2011 and 2017.

On Sunday, he was finally presented with his 2011 Vuelta trophy after original winner Juan Jose Cobo was disqualified for doping last year.

“What comes back to me is 2011, my first victory on a Grand Tour, it was the first time that I reached this level and I received this trophy this morning,” said Froome.

He first knew about his 2011 Vuelta win as he recovered in an intensive care unit after a horror training crash last year which kept him out the 2019 Tour de France.

This year’s Vuelta was his first Grand Tour since that nightmare.

“I was in ICU still when I was told: ‘Congratulations, you’ve won La Vuelta.’ That was a really strange feeling,” he said.

“That was such a special race. It’s where I first discovered myself as a Grand Tour rider and a GC contender.

“It gave me confidence to then go on to the Tour de France, to keep targeting Grand Tours.”

Froome was never a contender in this year’s Vuelta with his role dedicated to supporting Richard Carapaz in the Ecuadorian’s bid to catch champion Primoz Roglic.

Carapaz had led the race for five stages but was unable to deny his Slovenian rival a second successive Vuelta title.

He eventually finished runner-up.

“Richard is happy because he gave it everything,” said Froome. AFP

Juico discusses volley, athletics at PSA Forum

Nick Kyrgios: In a lone, dark place

Antihero raveling, with every Luis Suarez-esque athlete we encounter shaking the glass globe until everything is blurred and fuzzy and close to breaking point.

When we say sports is a religion to many of us, a big part of it is expecting athletes to be saintly. We want them worthy of being idolized for our own selfish ends: we want to believe that we keep inside us the aspiration to become better, or at least, a semblance of it, by looking up to athletes, who have achieved great success through admirable values: hard work, diligence, persistence, optimism.

This is why it frustrates us that someone as good as Luis Suarez has allowed controversy to overshadow his superb athletic skills and his excellence in the sport he chose to master, not because he reneges on some imagined obligation to be without fault, but because every time he embraces bad behavior to serve his own ends, we are reminded that we are just as flawed, so we lash out, hoping to veil the face umasked by guilt.

This is our Luis Suarez dilemma. His journey is not the first revealing reality that exposed our sometimes twisted re-

Froome ends ‘11-year love story’ with Team Sky

lationship with sports, athleticism, and idolatry. This won’t be the last.

True to what he has embraced and worn—the antihero suit—Luis Suarez will move on, so would we. And if it has always been about the here-and-now for the Uruguayan forward, everything in the past will remain in the rearview mirror especially if looking ahead is an exciting proposition, not just for him but for the fans as well: Atletico Madrid versus FC Barcelona.

Luis Suarez will be squaring off with his former team, and it is no secret the break-up was not on good terms.

Luis Suarez brings with him the momentum and pride from his streak of 29 straight La Liga matches wherein he scored at least one goal for every game. The match against Barcelona is tinged with the color of revenge and vindication, and it is a delicious flavor, an intoxicating aroma that fans breathe in and savor regardless of their La Liga allegiance.

If his streak continues and he helps Atletico Madrid defeat Barcelona, it will be a very satisfying evening at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

And knowing Luis Suarez, he will

do everything he can to disappoint the Barça people, who wore the boots that kicked him off the team.

He was unapologetic celebrating at the touchline when Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty shot and Uruguay was able to advance to the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

This was the first time Luis Suarez became an (infamous) household name.

Ghana could’ve won if not for Luis Suarez’s illegal defense of stopping the ball with his hand.

Ten years hence and Luis Suarez continues to add to his list of controversies. Last September, he was being investigated for allegedly cheating on his Italian language test, which he needs to pass if he wants to get an Italian passport and join a Serie A team.

By hook or by crook is not a state of desperation for Luis Suarez. It is a casual option, a privilege given only to those who have long abandoned the challenging task of walking the straight line and taking the higher road. Infallible by design. Machiavellian by choice.

By hook AND by crook.

Luis Suarez is one unique apple. Not everyone is willing to take a bite.

ATHLETICS and volleyball will be on the discussion table when Philip Ella Juico appears as special guest in the Philippine Sportswriters Association webcast Forum this Tuesday.

Juico talks about the two sports closest to his heart in the 10 a.m. weekly session.

The former Philippine Sports Commission chairman is currently the president of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association and chairman of the Philippine Super Liga.

Juico is likewise running for the 1st vice presidency in the coming Philippine Olympic Committee election under the ticket of president candidate Clint Aranas.

The Forum is presented by San Miguel Corp., Go For Gold, MILO, Amelie Hotel Manila, Braska Restaurant, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and powered by Smart, with Upstream Media as official webcast partner.

The session is livestreamed via the PSA Facebook page f b.com/ PhilippineSportswritersAssociation and also shared by Radyo Pilipinas 2 Facebook page.

Philip Ella Juico

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020

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EXTRA INTERNATIONAL Angelica shares memorable experience lending voice to animated character FOR actress Angelica Panganiban, it was a new experience doing the animated film Hayop Ka! The Nimfa Dimaano Story produced by Rocketsheep Studio and Spring Films that is now streaming on Netflix.

It was her first time to lend her voice in an animated movie. She plays the title role, Nimfa -- a perfume sales kitty in a department store.

“I found it difficult since I don’t have any past experience doing stuff like this.

I don’t know anything about the world of animation. It’s my first time to become a voice actor,” she admits.

Pia Wurtzbach

gets real about condo living

F

OR a milestone as monumental as owning a first home, the journey can be riddled with uncertainty. Choosing the right property takes research and taking that first step can be full of doubts. If you’re still second-guessing yourself, Century Properties homeowner Pia Wurtzbach poses this question, “if not now, when?”

In the second episode of At Home with Pia Wurtzbach, now posted on the developer’s Youtube channel, Queen P shared how condo living is perfect for her lifestyle.

From savoring the conveniences it offers to relying on the professional management team of the property she lives in, Pia loves being a condo homeowner.

“I love living in a condo because I don’t have worries, relax ka lang and everything is being taken care of,” she says.

Pia, who juggles different engagements and often flies abroad because of work commitments, values the peace of mind condo living offers. If you’re thinking of buying or moving into a condo unit, here are lessons Pia learned that can help you along the way, too: Transform the condo unit into your dream space.

“One thing I learned, hindi naman pala natin kailangan lumabas to get things done. It’s just a little adjustment in the beginning. Make sure you have everything you need in your home,” Pia

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach raves about owning a home in a lateral community, essentially built with many lifestyle benefits in mind.

shares.

The beauty queen believes that as long as you have everything you need in your condo, you can accomplish so many things. By making the most of the space you have, you can work, exercise, and have fun.

What else can complete a home?

Your furry friends, of course. Century Properties takes pride in its pet-friendly communities. After all, our dear pets are part of the family, too.

Make the most of the amenities.

Prior to the pandemic, Pia says that she uses the available amenities in the property she lives in.

“Laman ako ng gym, sa swimming pool,” she muses.

Who says there’s nothing much to do in a condo? It’s up to you to utilize the facilities available around you. Depending on the features of the property, you can walk around an open space, stay active, swim, learn how to cook, and many more.

With safety protocols in place, Century Properties puts your health above all else by making sure common areas and amenities are sanitized.

To learn more about Century Properties and its projects, visit www.century-properties.com.

You can visit each property’s website, take a virtual tour, and talk to a property specialist. #YouNeedSpace to grow and live comfortably— #OwnYourCenturyHomeToday.

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Love that matters

WHEN a seasoned director like Erik Matti generalizes the Pinoy BL drama craze with this post: “Philippine Entertainment is at its most diverse in 2020 – BL Zoomin’ BL Schoolin’ BL Coming of Age/ BL with Sakristans. BL Triangle. Unrequited BL,” one can immediately say that it’s laced with sarcasm, the driest of wit, and yes, an open attack to Philippine-produced boys love dramas.

Matti has a penchant for controversial posts. It was also him who made sweeping pronouncements about the Pinoys’ Korean drama fixation as detrimental to the business that is Pinoy showbiz.

Are his rants meritorious and valid? Must we take all of them with the proverbial grain of salt and just sweep them under the rug?

How can you teach someone way past his prime new tricks anyway or even let him see beyond and rise above his belief systems and passions he espouses?

Not all Pinoy BLs are created equal. Just like the motion pictures he directed, I daresay. Some of them are outstanding. Several are worth ones while. Others are more than the usual pink staples. And a handful, yes, are forgettable making you promise to discontinue watching the next episodes.

Speaking of “superior,” a BL drama that Matti must watch from the beginning is JP Habac’s Gaya Sa Pelikula. Episode 6 has become the talk and the toast of the BL community for a great number of reasons.

First, Karl’s (Paolo Panganiban) comprehensible panic that led to the cat literally out of the bag - him exposing the truth about his relationship with Vlad (Ian Pangilinan) that it was for convenience and not because of love.

The crystal clear anger and disappointment of Ate Judit (Adrienne Vergara) with regard to the not so secret anymore, Vlad’s reveal of how hurt he was with his sister’s mean words when he was still a boy.

“Ayan babakla-bakla ka kasi, iniwan tuloy tayo ni Dad. Tigilan mo na ang pagpapanggap na lalaki. Talented iyan kaso bakla. Sayang kaso bakla, ” these lines from Pangilinan delivered with the requisite pain stung, reminding all who had experienced his similar situation of

the wounds that never heal. His sister asked for forgiveness saying that she was also a confused kid who did not know any better and constantly tries to understand her brother’s predicament, are the second pluses in the episode that pulled the heartstrings.

Karl’s phone call realization that made most eyes well with tears: “Umuwi ka na Vlad. Hindi ko maintindihan. Wala akong makausap. Wala akong kasama. Malungkot ako rito kapag wala ka.” Tissue or hanky, please.

The literal opening of the closet and Karl’s accepting and coming out via a dance sequence and the surprise kiss shared by two leads, which to many opine as the best BL kiss ever and the afterglow, sharing of the secrets conversation wherein Karl and Vlad shared their most personal issues are the fourth and fifth reasons.

And finally, the national spooning moment that showed the new lovers’ emotional intimacy was the exclamation point of episode 6.

Of all the Filipino pairs in BL dramas, Ian and Paolo, exude the most truthful couple dynamics. There, PangPang couple made it all the more evident during the longish lip-locking moments. Vlad lovingly planted a kiss on Karl’s forehead, and prior to that, the finger caressing near the armpit area of Vlad by Karl, and yes, how the “bed scene” ended with a tighter than tight embrace.

In Gaya Sa Pelikila, Vlad and Karl’s love for each other is unapologetic and it is the source of their courage and happiness. To those who are so conditioned, cynical, and wired to their truth that the love being shared by two men is an outright sham, the PangPang couple tells us that is high time for us to not only believe but embrace that love indeed knows no gender.

Whether it’s pink or not, romantic, erotic, or platonic, all BL dramas are important, even those that make us cringe.

Ian Pangilinan (left) and Paolo Pangilinan, stars of the trending BL series ‘Gaya Sa Pelikula.’

Angelica Panganiban “I just took it as a challenge. Of course, in any challenge, you should enjoy the process. That’s what I did. I just followed the guidance of our director (Avid Liongoren). He instructed me on how to do the character, on how I would deliver,” she adds.

According to the 34-year-old actress, the director has his own vision for the movie, which he had to understand.

“I’m grateful because he guided me every step of the way. And one good thing about him, he gave me enough time to sink into the character of Nimfa,” she says.

The animated movie follows Nimfa, a perfume sales kitty in a department store whose living-in with her boyfriend Roger

(Robin Padilla), a mongrel. Nimfa dreams of improving her life and rise above poverty but Roger is already content with a simple life. Then Nimfa meets Iñigo Villanueva (Sam Milby), a rich business dog. Things get complicated from that point.

“Nimfa and I have so much in common.

Only, I haven’t cheated in my relationships. I don’t want to hurt another person. Definitely, I don’t want to achieve that. But Nimfa is such a relatable character. I understand her predicament in the film. In real life, all of us have our own dreams. We want this and that.

Life is really like that, right? We learn the hard way,” she says of her character.

Apart from Robin and Sam, Hayop Ka also features the voices of Piolo Pascual, Eugene Domingo, Empoy Marquez, Arci Muñoz, Yeng Constantino, Moira dela Torre, and Bb. Joyce Bernal. *** Reports have it that Marvin Agustin allegedly backed out from the iWant TFC project titled Hoy! Love You!, which would reunite him with former screen partner Jolina Magdangal.

It’s been a while since the two did a TV show together and many of their loyal fans got thrilled upon knowing that they were to star in the said project.

It would have been a lock-in shoot for the whole production team in a beach resort in Batangas in adherence to the health and safety protocols set by the InterAgency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).

This development surprised the production team since Marvin previously said yes to the project. He didn’t give his explanation yet why at the last minute, he came to such decision.

Rumor has it that the production is still in search of the actor’s replacement in the project that would also feature Winnie Cordero, Pepe Herrera, and Dominic Ochoa.

JM Magalona (left) is a model turned tapsilogan owner while Ysabelle Sarayba is owner of an online shop that sells woven materials to help the Itneg community in Abra.

Inspiring stories to uplift the spirits

FACING various crises such as typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions is not a new thing for Filipinos but their resilience is currently being put to test by the pandemic.

As such, many feel some level of anxiety and fear as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, living conditions deteriorate, and families and individuals suffer from economic difficulties, among other reasons.

Since most people cannot be physically present to help and spread cheer to friends and loved ones all the time, Globe is providing an opportunity to reach out to those who need emotional comfort through Hope Bank, a safe online space that serves as a venue for everyone to share inspiring stories and messages to uplift the spirits of those suffering from depression, stress, and other forms of mental health problems.

As part of Hope Bank, Globe launched the “Kwento ng Tagumpay” campaign that features real stories of individuals whose determination and perseverance enabled them to triumph against the devastating effects of the pandemic and allowed them to make a difference in the lives of others.

The stories encourage people to look at the positive side of things and move forward.

Jumpstarting the campaign are JM Magalona, a model turned tapsilogan owner; Pocholo Gonzales, known as the voice dubmaster of the Philippines, who resorted to teaching voice acting lessons online; Gela Penites, a diver and a community supporter who helped the

community raise funds by building their own online shops; and Ysabelle Sarayba, owner of an online shop that sells woven materials to help the Itneg community in Abra.

“This is the first time for most of us to experience an economic recession as bad as this one and to suffer from prolonged crisis. A lot may be feeling anxious and need support. With Hope Bank, we feel that Globe can be of help to Filipinos who are in this kind of predicament. We welcome everyone to join the Hope Bank community so that together we can spread positivity, share triumphs amidst adversity, and get our resiliency back,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and SVP for Corporate Communications.

Apart from inspiring stories, the Hope Bank Facebook Community accepts messages of positivity and hope in various forms, may it be through art, music, poetry, video, or feel-good quotes. To contribute, members can post messages using hashtag #StartANewDay both on their personal profiles and in the group.

For a long time, Globe has been an advocate of mental health and is committed to supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 3 on Good Health and Well-Being. It has partnered with organizations like UP Diliman Psychosocial Services (UPD PsycServ) and New Good Feelings (NGF) Mindstrong’s HOPELINE 2919 for free counseling or psychotherapy services.

Leanne and Naara release ‘Who’s Gonna Love You’ LEANNE and Naara, the duo known as two of the best young artists on the current music scene, have released a brand new electro-pop-R&B single titled “Who’s Gonna Love You” following the success of their single “Keeping Me Up.” The single, which is different is different from their previous offering, incorporates more electronic elements and shows technical proficiency and tight growth.

Originally written in 2017 by Leanne on the piano she shares that “Who’s Gonna Love You” was inspired by her best friend in a time when he was eager to meet someone and find something that lasts.

“Each failed attempt led to him feel more alone. This is something a lot of people our age experience. I started with the guitar intro which was originally in piano, then I wrote the first verse and the chorus but left it at that. We completed the song in the production of the album.”

“Who’s Gonna Love You” is a track listeners can vibe to mid-volume and eventually get lost in, leaving them dancing on their own.

“The song wasn’t in our initial list for the album but Brian Lotho, our producer,

DYNAMIC DUO. Leanne and Naara release a follow-up single, an electronic pop song titled ‘Who’s Gonna Love You.’ likes it. We were very pleased when Brian made the demo because it was different from the first version. Brian asked me to do the guitar intro, which turned out pretty well. I love the guitar solo after the bridge and I’m hoping to play it live! The electro-pop vibe of the song became one of our favorites,” shares Naara.

“Who’s Gonna Love You” and “Keeping Me Up,” now available on digital music platforms, are part of Leanne and Naara’s first full-length album Daybreak, which will be released under Warner Music Philippines.

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

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2020

Life

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

Catching ipon after the full moon A newly zygote fish, with the scientific name of Sycyopterus lachrymosus, measures about 1 inch in length and 1/4 OUND this time in Pias-Gaang in Currimao, Ilocos Norte inch in diameter. before the coronavirus pandemic 2019, fishermen and According to ichthyologists, who hawkers as well as buyers of the goby fries locally called specialize in the branch of zoology ipon would gather early on the shoreline. devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous Ipon belong to the tiny species of where the Cagayan River empties into fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha), the fish zygote is meroblasfish caught only in season, popular in the Babuyan Channel.

They appear in the months of August, tic, meaning the early cell divisions are Santa, Ilocos Sur south of here, and in Laoag City north of this coastal vil- September, October, November, Janu- not complete.

This type of meroblastic cleavage is lage, as well as in Aparri in Cagayan, ary to as late as the month of February. called discoidal because only the blastodisc becomes the embryo. Fish embryos go through a process called midblastula transition which is observed around the tenth cell division in some fish species.

They are also called lunar fish because they only appear after counting 10 days from full moon. The fishermen can catch this fish from three to five days once in a month, making one harvest in the morning and another in the afternoon.

There are at least two fish tales, pun none, that a huge egg hatches in the middle of the water. Another is that it comes from the sea water to migrate into the river water and later on when it grows bigger it becomes the bukto, or bunog (goby fish)—popular among dwellers of the coastal communities of the rugged Ilocos coastline that stretches from Ilocos Norte down to the towns The statue of María Josefa Gabriela Cariño de Silang (March 19, 1731-Sept 20, 1763) stands in in Pangasinan just beyond the border of La Union. front of the town hall of Santa, Ilocos Sur.

By Honor Blanco Cabie

R

The old, 4-span Quirino bridge (forecourt), named after then President Elpidio Quirino of Ilocos Sur, was reconstructed with a different third quarter K-truss portion, and is still passable. (Photos from tupanggala.com)

EATING IPON.

The zygote fish (Sycyopterus lachrymosus), measuring about 1 inch in length and 1/4 inch in diameter, is usually enjoyed steamed, raw, or cooked with scrambled egg.

(Photos from laoagcity. gov.ph and Ilocos Norte Library/Facebook)

This perhaps partly explains why the ipon are abundant in communities near river banks: Santa in Ilocos Sur has the 206-km long Abra River that empties into Luzon Bay, the 73-km Padsan or Laoag River in Ilocos Norte which empties too in the Luzon Bay, the 505-km Cagayan River that empties into the Babuyan Channel, and the 96-km long Amburayan River that originates from the Cordillera mountains and traverses the provinces of Benguet, La Union, and Ilocos Sur and empties into Luzon Bay. Of course, there is the Currimao River north of here and a stream in this village that meanders through from Lang-ayan in the east to Anggapang westward to Pias-Gaang.

With the eased lockdown restrictions in October, few fishermen, eager to replenish their fishing baskets and nets with this autochthonous delicacy, have been reported spotted on some stretches of the shoreline that stretches from the Salugan side north of here in Currimao to Sadiay Baybay due south in Badoc, Ilocos Norte.

The day’s catch may not be as voluminous as those caught in Santa, well known for this fish species, only 69 kilometers due south, or those caught in the shoreline barangay of La Paz in Laoag, only 27 kilometers farther north, and 284 kilometers from here to yet another popular place—Aparri in Cagayan—for this species they call in that area ludong.

In October, many, including Nana Apit and Nana Bikang, prepared their bamboo baskets for the postfull moon catch, with the second full moon appearing on October 31, with fish they intend to sell in the inland town of Pinili.

Sometimes, non-Ilocanos, as those from the national capital, mistake ipon

for their hipon or shrimp, the decapod crustaceans with elongated bodies and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion—most commonly Caridea and Dendrobranchiata, or the mobile savvy as the iPhone.

In Laoag previously, a kilo of ipon would have a price range of P300 to P400. Here, the price range is not far off the La Paz tag, but Ilocanos, who cook this or just squeeze some lemon or the indigenous dalayap, would have their appetite satisfied despite the seemingly extortionate price.

At times, they just have them steamed, eaten raw or the so-called kilawen with limitless sprinkling of onions, vinegar, and ginger, or do the Mexican cuisine torta with scrambled egg, paksiw with vinegar or the sukang Iloko, sinigang (ipon soup with tomatoes and ginger), adobo, or grilled ipon wrapped in banana leaf.

In Ilocos Sur, villagers cook it as tinubong—after sometime, they turn this into boggoong nga ipon (ipon fish paste).

There have been some who raise the red sign on eating raw ipon because, their thesis, eaters can catch the Paracapillaria philippinensis, which causes human intestinal capillarisis. Unlike C. hepatica, humans are most likely the main definitive host, with transmission occurring primarily through eating undercooked fish.

But Nana Apit and Nana Bikang swear none of their customers these many decades have gone to their final resting places because they relished at one point eating raw ipon.

And as the Ilocanos say, with a satisfied look in their profile, “Naimas ti ipon lokdit,” loosely translated as “Ipon is truly a delicacy,” with the added expression popular in many areas of the Ilocos and Cagayan.

Putting premium on dog’s food

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Fur-parents want the best for their four-legged best friend.

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