Manila Standard - 2019 April 16 - Tuesday

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RODY SIGNS NEW BUDGET, VETOES P95-B PROJECTS

By Nat Mariano PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday signed the 2019 national budget, vetoing P95.3 billion worth of public works appropriations, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Monday.

After weeks of scrutinizing the controversial spending plan, the President was finally able to affix his signature on the P3.7-trillion national budget for 2019.

“Yes, [he signed it]. The President, among others, vetoed P95.3 billion

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 65 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

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Energy probes brownouts Vows to elevate findings to Palace, lawmakers

By Alena Mae S. Flores

T

HE Department of Energy on Monday said it would elevate to Malacañang the findings of its investigation into a spate of yellow and red alerts that culminated in three-hour rotating power outages last week.

“All the information that we will get, we will give it to ERC [Energy Regulatory Commission], PCC [Philippine Competition Commission], Congress, [and] most especially the President,” said Energy Undersecretary Next page

DOWN DEPTHS OF DARKNESS. The sun goes down slowly, if reluctantly, recently into the eerie depths of the Caraballo Mountains, a range in the central part of Luzon between Cordillera Central and Sierra Madre mountain ranges which serve as the site of the headwaters of the Cagayan River, the longest in the country, forcing some parts of Santiago City in Isabela to suffer rotating brownouts, with the National Power Corp.-Luzon Grid piteously helpless. Ben Moses Ebreo

‘‘

“It’s not easy. It consumes the whole of your life and the whole of your time, days and nights. It’s like the work of a mayor magnified 1 million times.”

—Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio, speaking on the workload of a President, after her father—President Rodrigo Duterte—said she was unlikely to seek his post in the future.

Tiger Woods wins Masters, 15th major SPORTS A8

Oil prices resurge, gasoline up by P1.05/liter

By Alena Mae S. Flores PUMP prices went up by as much as P1.05 per liter effective Tuesday amid expectations of tight global oil supply.

Oil companies raised the price of gasoline by P1.05 per liter, diesel by P0.75 per liter and kerosene by P0.60 per liter.

This is the second consecutive weekly oil price increase after the oil firms increased pump prices by P0.25 per liter for gasoline, P0.20 per liter for diesel and P0.10 per liter for kerosene last April 9.

“Phoenix Petroleum Philippines will in-

P3.45 per liter for kerosene.

Oil prices went up due to involuntary supply cuts from Venezuela and Iran plus conflict in Libya which supported perceptions of a tightening crude market, the Department of Energy said.

DOE said upbeat Chinese economic data eased concerns about waning crude demand.

“The price has been driven upwards by OPEC [Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries]’s ongoing supply cuts, US sanctions against Iran and Venezuela, and strong US jobs data,” the agency said.

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Poll bets shy away from socmed listup

By Vito Barcelo THE Commission on Elections on Monday said that only 3 percent of the national and local candidates for the May 13 midterm elections have complied with the poll’s requirement for candidates to register their websites and social media accounts.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez warned candidates that failure to register the website names and addresses of their official blog and social media pages would be considered an election offense.

“They have still three weeks to comply before election day,” he said.

Under Comelec Resolution No. 10488, all candidates, political parties and party-list groups must register the Next page

World’s mega jet makes test flight WASHINGTON—The world’s largest airplane—a Stratolaunch behemoth with two fuselages and six Boeing 747 engines—made its first test flight on Saturday in California.

The mega jet carried out its maiden voyage over the Mojave desert.

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crease the prices of gasoline by P1.05 per liter and diesel by P0.75 per liter effective 6 a.m. of 16 April,” the oil company said.

Seaoil Philippines, Chevron Philippines, PTT Philippines and Petro Gazz also announced the price increase oil companies are expected to follow suit.

Unioil Philippines forecast over the weekend that diesel should go up by P0.60 to P0.70 per liter and gasoline should go up by P0.0.90 to P1 per liter.

Price adjustments since the start of the year to a net increase of P6.80 per liter for gasoline, P4.65 per liter for diesel and

China ‘far behind’ US, Locsin claims THE Chinese military is “far behind” that of the United States, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Sunday.

He made the statement nearly a week after he said the Western power was the only defense ally the Philippines would have.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte “effectively” invoked the arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claim over the South China Sea when he told Beijing to “lay off” Pag-asa Island.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo on Monday said the Duterte administration never shelved the Philippines’ victory against China in its international arbitration case in the West Next page Philippine Sea.

DFA chief declares ‘war on pedophiles’

PRICE ADJUSTMENTS. Oil firms have raised the price of gasoline by P1.05 per liter, diesel by P0.75 per liter and kerosene by P0.60 per liter—the oil prices going up due to involuntary cuts from Venezuela and Iran plus conflict in Libya which supports perceptions of a tightening crude market, according to the Department of Energy. PNA

Yangtze turtle facing extinction SHANGHAI—The world’s rarest turtle has moved a step closer to extinction after a female specimen died in a Chinese zoo, leaving behind just three known members of the species.

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FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Monday on Twitter the Philippines needs a “war on pedophiles,” adding he would raise the “rampant” pedophile trade in the country before the United Nations.

Locsin said the trade that caters to child sex offenders is “worse than the drug trade because [it’s] sicker” and that it’s “all over the country, as I will report to the UN.” “We need a war on pedophiles and in general men who like young women and little boys,” the secretary added. Next page

Devotee wants to be crucified for 33rd time

By Ben Cal FOR the 33rd time since 1986, wellknown Filipino penitent Ruben Enaje, 58, the only penitent to be nailed to the cross for the longest time, will again be nailed to the cross on Good Friday.

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News

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TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sara fumes over ATN drug video D

AVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Monday denounced the attacks against her family following the fresh accusation that her husband, Manases Carpio, was involved in the illegal drug trade.

Duterte-Carpio, chairman of the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago, said she already expected that the name of her husband would crop up in the succeeding videos of “Ang Totoong Narcolist” based on the documents that were posted in the previous videos.

She made her statement even as Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said Monday alias Bikoy could be held liable for violating the cybercrime law if he could not prove his allegations against the family of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“There’s cyber libel now. That’s part of the anti-cybercrime law,” Albayalde told reporters.

He said the PNP was willing to help Bikoy if he could prove his claims.

“We can even help him file a case against that person and if not, he will be made liable for all those things he has been saying. Albayalde said.

The Palace and pro-administration figures have branded as black propaganda the video series that linked different

Domestic worker in Hong Kong fired for cancer awarded damages HONG KONG―A Filipina domestic worker sacked after a cancer diagnosis was awarded damages by a Hong Kong court Monday, in a case that highlighted exploitation of foreign women toiling as maids in the wealthy financial hub.

Baby Jane Allas of the Philippines was diagnosed with stage three cervical cancer in January and fired the following month by her employer, who cited the illness as the reason for termination.

The 38-year-old single mother of five instantly lost the right to healthcare and has had to regularly apply for visa extensions as she navigated Hong Kong’s legal and immigration systems while battling cancer.

She has been undergoing radiation therapy five days a week, along with chemotherapy one day a week.

Allas and her former employer— who was absent from Monday’s proceedings—reached a settlement of HK30,000 ($3,800) at Hong Kong’s labour tribunal for sickness allowance, medical fees and wages in lieu of notice.

“I am standing here right now to encourage more workers to come out if they have these kinds of cases,” Allas said outside the hearing.

Allas added she hoped to find another employer “who can really under-

China...

From A1 “Effectively, his [Duterte] previous statement earlier when he said ‘do not touch our property, if you do any harm to our soldiers we will respond in kind.’ That effectively has already made a strong assertion of sovereignty and statement relatively to the arbitral ruling,” Panelo told reporters.

The spokesman, however, noted that Manila and Beijing should maintain “peace and equilibrium” in the disputed waters to avoid any conflict.

“We’re talking. We are supposed to be friends. So, let’s be friendly first—pag-usapan natin (let’s talk),” Panelo said.

“We have to forge a mutually satisfactory solution to the conflict in that area based on the directives of each [country’s] Constitution as well as the aspirations of the peoples of these two countries,” he added.

Beijing has refused to recognize a 2016 ruling from a United Nations-backed tribunal, which invalidated its claims over the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea. The Philippine military recently expressed concern over the Chinese “maritime militia” vessels that had been almost stationary since January near Pag-asa Island in the disputed territory on the South China Sea. A Twitter follower told Locsin that Beijing was making progress with striking capability, given the supposed development of new aircraft and surveillance ships.

“No. China is far, far, far, far behind the US in military destructive power,” Locsin said.

“The US military will remain 500 years ahead of the rest of the militaries in the world for the next 500 years. All aspiring powers must live with that prospect,” he said, quoting information from a book he did not identify.

Washington and Manila are bound by a half century-old Mutual Defense Treaty, and military forces from the two countries engage in regular war games that see thousands of US troops and American military hardware brought to Manila.

Locsin last week said the US “is and will remain our only military ally.”

He also said the West Philippine Sea “is ours” and that China, from whom President Rodrigo Duterte sought investments and loans, “took it.”

China refuses to recognize a United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal’s ruling that invalidated its sweeping 9-dash line claim over the resource-rich waterway.

Philippine authorities have repeatedly raised concerns over China’s activities in the disputed waters, particularly its militarization efforts, which Beijing denies.

Locsin said he was “surprised” that China had kept the same approach in the West Philippine Sea under the Duterte administration, which a Twitter follower said was “friendlier” with the Asian power compared to the previous administrations.

“I am surprised. It is weird,” Locsin said.

“It is also distressing to the Panda huggers or the China lobbies in the Philippines, especially the trolls on their payroll.”

Manila would not give up its claim over the disputed territories even as it would seek cooperation with Beijing, Locsin said.

“There is more to China than reefs; it is that more we want to connect with without sacrificing or ever ever ever giving up the reefs on which our national honor is anchored. It can be done,” he said. Nat Mariano

stand my situation and treat me well.”

She has separately filed claims with the Equal Opportunities Commission for wrongful termination and loss of earnings, which could be brought to the city’s District Court.

Allas previously told AFP that she spent just over a year working for a family of Pakistani origin who ordered her to work every day of the week.

She has also said she was routinely given stale leftovers to eat and slept on a thin comforter in a cluttered store room.

Nearly 370,000 domestic helpers work in the city. Most are poor women from the Philippines and Indonesia performing menial tasks for low wages while living in often miserable conditions.

Allas was accompanied to Monday’s hearing by supporters and family, including her eight-year-old daughter, who clung to her waist.

Her plight has generated widespread sympathy in Hong Kong and a fundraising campaign organized by her sister’s employer, Jessica Cutrera, has so far raised more than HK$900,000 for treatment.

A large part of Allas’ medical bills have been covered by hospital charities but expensive surgery will likely be needed to operate on her tumors, said Cutrera. AFP

Poll bets...

From A1

website names and addresses of their official blog and social media pages, and failure will be considered an election offense, which carries the penalty of one to six years imprisonment, removal of right to vote, and disqualification to hold public office.

Comelec data show only 1,473 of the 43,554 candidates had registered their websites and social media accounts, as of April 4, 2019 .

Of the 62 senatorial candidates, only 29 have been compliant while out of 134 party-list groups, only 69 had complied with the Comelec requirement.

For congressional candidates, the Comelec monitored only 58 congressional candidates had registered out of the 633 congressional candidates nationwide.

Jimenez admitted that not all candidates had put up websites and social media accounts for their campaign “so it’s possible that they have nothing to submit.”

Registering websites and social media accounts is not a “hard” rule but only a “directory requirement” by the Comelec, he said.

He said that since social media in the country are unregulated and distribution of campaign materials on the internet is largely free, it can monitor only expensive websites or those with well-produced videos or have celebrities as endorsers.

The new rules would not regulate the content of social media but only their cost.

Diplomats on Monday said overseas absentee voting (OAV) was generally successful as Filipinos abroad began casting their votes.

At the Philippine Embassy in Moscow, which covers the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Ukraine, and Belarus, more than 30 Filipinos cast their ballots on the first day of voting.

“Everything is well. No problems so far except for a few people whose names were not in the certified list of overseas voters for our post, which we hope to resolve soon with the Commission on Elections,” Ambassador Carlos Sorreta said in a text message. With PNA

Yangtze turtle...

From A1

The Yangtze giant softshell turtle, believed to be above 90 years of age, died in Suzhou Zoo on Saturday, according to the Suzhou Daily.

Its death came a day after zoo officials made a last-ditch effort at artificial insemination using semen from a male companion estimated to be more than 100 years old, according to the Suzhou Daily.

The zoo tried unsuccessfully for several years to get the pair to mate and reproduce naturally. It will now conduct an autopsy to determine what caused the animal’s death, the newspaper reported.

Conservations say there are now only two other known members of the species left, both living in the wild in Vietnam and of unknown gender.

The Yangtze giant softshell turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in the world, growing to 100 cm (39 inches) long and weighing up to 100kg (220 pounds).

The turtle’s main habitat was the Yangtze River and other inland China waterways.AFP

members of the Duterte family to the illegal drug trade.

“It’s an attack against the family and sinabi ko nga, it can be me dahil ako naman ang nakikita nila lagi ngayon because of the campaign for the senators. It could also be against the President dahil maraming hindi in favor of his administration,” Duterte-Carpio told reporters on the sidelines of HNP’s campaign sorties in Mati, Davao Oriental.

In the fourth installment of the video series, “Bikoy,” an alleged former drug syndicate member who claims to have knowledge of the Duterte family’s involvement in the illegal drug trade, said Duterte-Carpio’s husband had the code name “JENNABAY-TSG003” for his “tara” or grease money.

Energy...

From A1

Felix Fuentebella. “At the end of the day, we will remain answerable to all these and we will try to leave you with as many updates, as transparent and as timely as we can.”

Fuentebella said the root cause of the yellow and red alerts was the forced outage of power plants that reached as high as 1,500 megawatts.

This, coupled with the maintenance shutdown of power plants with combined capacity of 827 MW and the derated power plants with capacity of over 100 MW, resulted in a supply shortage.

“That’s a very high number, caused by forced outage. 2,500 MW can power the entire Mindanao grid,” Fuentebella said.

DOE has already directed the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines to look into the movement of prices at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market, the country’s trading floor for electricity.

Fuentebella said the DOE understands the plight of consumers and said it is “working doubly hard” to deliver their power requirements.

To ensure adequate power during the May elections, the DOE is also pushing for the entry of additional power plants, such as those from Therma Mobile Inc. and Millenium Energy.

Grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines issued a yellow alert from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. while it raised the red alert from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday. The red alert was lifted at 3:10 p.m. and no manual load dropping was implemented due to lower demand.

Fuentebella also said power supply will likely improve during the Holy Week due to low demand and the return of power plants that went offline.

Based on data from DOE, Limay 2 (150 MW) and Pagbilao 3 (420 MW) will be back online on April 16, Sual 1 (647 MW) on April 18 and SLPGC 2 (150 MW) on April 21.

Fuentebella also said the agency is looking at invoking Section 23 of the DOE Act to help speed up the approval of pending power supply agreements as part of longterm solutions toward energy security.

The power generators are waiting for approval of their PSAs pending with the ERC to start building their power plants.

On Monday, the department said there could still be power interruptions after yel-

DFA chief...

From A1

Locsin was responding to a netizen’s question on human traffickers who victimize Filipino women, why they weren’t being arrested, and how many more Filipino women should get victimized before they are put in jail.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has listed Southeast Asia as one of the “hotspots” of child sex tourism, based on data from 2014 to 2016.

Tens of thousands of girls in the Philippines are estimated by charities to be trapped in the sex trade, with a growing number abused online for global clients due to the country’s cheap internet, high standard of English and widespread poverty.

The Southeast Asian nation received about 60,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation last year—up a third on 2017— said a U.S. investigator working in the Philippines with the International Justice Mission (IJM)—an anti-trafficking group.

No data exists on the number of child victims of cybersex trafficking, but at least 784,000 people in the Philippines—or one in 130—are estimated to be trapped in modern-day slavery, according to the Global Slavery Index by the Walk Free Foundation.

Police say the crime is growing and has been fuelled by factors ranging from wellestablished money wiring services to affordable, high-speed internet coverage across the country.

Devotee...

From A1

In a telephone interview with the Philippine News Agency on Monday, four days before his “crucifixion,” Enaje said he was ready to be “crucified” for the 33rd time in a row to fulfill the vow he made more than three decades ago.

He made the vow “as my expression of self-sacrifice, thanking our Lord Jesus Christ for saving my life when I fell to the ground unscathed from a three-story building in 1985.

“I slipped from the bamboo where I had been standing, and while I was falling I uttered the words ‘Dios ko!’ [‘My God!’], and the next thing I knew I was on the ground, but fully conscious.

“It was a miracle I survived the fall without a bone broken. In fact, when I was on the ground I did not stand up immediately thinking I broke my legs and body, but after a few moments I found out I was okay.

“The near-fatal accident happened while I was painting a signage on the building. I owe my life to Jesus, and that’s why every Good Friday I have to undergo the crucifixion ritual.” PNA

Bikoy claimed Carpio had rural bank accounts that had been receiving drug money since 2010. He claimed the drug money was then funneled into Carpio’s international bank accounts.

Bikoy also said there was no evidence yet linking Duterte-Carpio’s youngest brother, Sebastian, to the illegal drug trade. He said Sebastian appeared to be only a drug user but did not present proof to back his claim.

Asked about Bikoy’s allegation against her youngest brother, Duterte-Carpio said: “In all statements and declarations especially sa kanila na may ganyang accusation, dapat siguro meron kang proof or evidence ng mga claims mo. Hindi ka basta-basta na lang mag-state ng something as if it is a fact without basis.” low and red alerts were issued for the Luzon grid, and as power remains thin due to non-functioning units of several power plants.

The NGCP said the yellow alert was up from 9 a.m-1 p.m., 4 p.m.-5 p.m., and 6 p.m.-8 p.m., while the red alert covered 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Available capacity for the day was at 10,669 megawatts while peak demand was projected at 10,619 MW. The DOE said a yellow alert does not result in power interruptions, but power outages from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. were still possible depending on system conditions.

Four power plants have units that are on forced outages to date, it added.

These are the Unit 2 of SMC Consolidated Power Corp. in Limay, Bataan; Unit 1 of Team Energy Corp. in Sual, Pangasinan; Unit 2 of Southwest Luzon Power Generation Corporation in Calaca, Batangas; and Unit 3 of Pagbilao Energy Corp. in Quezon province.

There are also two power plants that have de-rated capacity and these are the Unit 1 of Masinloc Power Partners Company Ltd., which originally has a 315-MW capacity but is only able to provide 304 MW due to a still undisclosed problem, and the Unit 2 of SEM Calaca Power Corp. from 300 MW to 200 MW due to half condenser operation.

With the thinning of reserves, the Energy Department said the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) will be implemented from 1:01 p.m. to 4 p.m. “to avert the possibility of a power interruption during the red alert status.”

Under ILP, electricity customers with huge requirement but has power generators are asked to use their units to ensure that overall demand in the system are met.

The power supply shortage has been aggravated by higher demand brought about by high temperatures as a result of the El Niño phenomenon.

In Isabela, agricultural officials said they have received reports that the drought has affected 1.15 hectares of fish ponds in the city and towns of Cabagan, Cordon and Quirino, causing tilapia fishpond owners to lose about P200,000 as a result of fish kills.

“The hot weather and low water level, both in fishpond and fish cage areas, speed up the decomposition process of organic matter and facilitate the release of harmful gases trapped in the pond or river bottom,” Emerson Tattao, aquaculturist of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic ResourcesCagayan Valley, said to explain the cause of the fish kill. With PNA

Rody...

From A1

pesos items of appropriations in the details of DPWH [Department of Public Works and Highways] programs and projects,” Medialdea told Palace reporters in a text message.

Asked if the President found the vetoed allocations for the DPWH’s projects “unconstitutional,” the Palace official said: “No. Not part of the President’s priority projects.”

On March 26, the Office of the President received a copy of the 2019 General Appropriations Act as the Congress broke a months-long impasse between the Senate and the House of Representatives.

Duterte then spent almost three weeks reviewing the budget with his legal team, even warning the public that he would veto the spending bill in its entirety if his legal team found irregularities.

The Senate previously submitted an enrolled copy of the proposed P3.757-trillion 2019 national budget to the OP. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, however, attached a letter citing his “strong reservations” about P75 billion worth of public works projects, recommending to the President to veto any unconstitutional provisions.

House Committee on Appropriations chairperson Rolando Andaya Jr., on the other hand, previously hit back at the Senate saying it “sabotaged” the government when it unilaterally decided to cut at least P83.7 billion allocation for the Duterte administration’s mega-infrastructure program and other priority programs. With Macon Ramos-Araneta and Maricel V. Cruz

World’s mega...

From A1

It is designed to carry into space, and drop, a rocket that would in turn ignite to deploy satellites.

It is supposed to provide a more flexible way to deploy satellites than vertical takeoff rockets because this way all you need is a long runway for takeoff.

It was built by an engineering company called Scaled Composites.

The aircraft is so big its wing span is longer than a football field, or about 1.5 times that of an Airbus A380.

Specifically, the wing span is 117 meters; that of an Airbus A380 is just under 80.

The plane flew Saturday for about two and a half hours, Stratolaunch said. Until now, it had just carried out tests on the ground.

It hit a top speed of 304 kilometers per hour (189 mph) and reached an altitude of 17,000 feet, or 5,182 meters.

“What a fantastic first flight,” said Jean Floyd, chief executive officer of Stratolaunch. AFP

’Joma’s opinion won't matter in peace talks’

By Nat Mariano THE opinion of Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Maria Sison on the peace talks does not matter with the Philippine government, the Palace said Monday, adding Sison has lost influence over the New People’s Army.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte remains open to the idea of achieving peace even after publicly stopping the peace negotiations with the communists last month.

“The President has always made himself open to any talks on peace. He always says, ‘Let’s leave a little window [open]’,” Panelo told reporters.

This developed as the President seeks the creation of a new peace panel to cap the decades-old armed conflict with the communist rebels, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez said on Monday.

In a statement, Galvez said the President plans the formulation of a new panel that will “directly engage the people on the ground to address the fundamentals of the problem.”

“The panel will oversee the localized peace engagements. It will act as the adviser for local peace dialogues through the establishment of protocols and other legal and systematic procedures,” Galvez said.

“This includes the vital component of a security lens in this process, hence the need for former security officials to be part of the panel,” he added.

In his speech over the weekend, Duterte again floated the possibility of forming a new peace panel to negotiate with the CPP. But Panelo said “nothing will change” with the localized peace talks, and that they would continue.

“We don’t have it [peace panel] right now. He hasn’t created anything. It’s still an idea,” Panelo said.

At the campaign rally of the ruling PDP-Laban in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, Duterte said: “I’ll look for a new one. New methods, new people to talk to. Maybe one, two, three of them are from the military. Maybe around five.

Two civilian members, three from the military.”

He said the previous peace panel was dissolved because of the slow pace of the peace negotiations.

“It took too long. Nothing happened in three years,” Duterte said.

But the National Democratic Front quickly shot down the President’s idea of creating a military-led peace panel.

For Sison, instead of forming a “peace” panel, the President would only create a “war” panel with his plan to include more military men to represent the government in the negotiating table.

“The NDF would not want to be baited into accepting a war panel, or a panel that is dominated by the military whose purpose is mainly to seek the impossible, such as the surrender of the revolutionary forces especially the NPA, the New People’s Army,” Sison said.

“Duterte is not serious and sincere in resuming the peace negotiations.

He wants to impose a war panel on the NDF, and the NDF will not accept that.”

But Panelo said the Palace could not care less about Sison’s rantings.

“It doesn’t matter whether he likes it or not. From our side, we feel that he’s not being followed by his men,” Panelo said.

In March, Duterte announced the termination of the peace negotiations between the government and the communist rebels.

He said he would no longer entertain any intervention or persuasion to hold peace talks with the NDF. As the Duterte administration advances the government’s intention to create peace, Galvez, meanwhile, found it “unfortunate” that the CPP rejected the President’s another attempt to take the path to peace.

“It is but fitting to educate Mr. Sison, who has been living in a foreign land for decades and is no longer in touch with actual realities in the Philippine situation, that the new peace panel is in line with the whole-of-nation approach as embodied in Executive Order 70 aimed at addressing the root causes of the problem,” he said.

“The government has learned its lessons, albeit the hard way, from the previous formal negotiations that produced lopsided agreements that are not totally beneficial to the people,” he added.

According to Galvez, the 80-year-old communist leader and his cohorts have been using The Hague declaration and the provisions of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) “not to push the peace negotiations forward but as tools to delay the resolution of the integrals of the conflict.”

Oil prices...

From A1 OPEC is set to meet on June 25 in Vienna to discuss extending the agreement to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per beyond end of June.

DOE’s latest monitoring also showed that gasoline prices in Metro Manila ranged from P48.50 to P62.44 per liter, diesel from P40.10 to P48.75 and kerosene from P45.20 to P55 per liter. Prices vary depending on the location, brand and market forces.

News

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TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

IN BRIEF Bill requiring blood types for IDs filed A FEMALE legislator on Monday pushed for the enactment of a measure mandating all government agencies to indicate the blood type of the individual applying for an identification card, certificate and license.

Mandaluyong City Rep. Alexandria Gonzales, principal author of the bill, admitted that lack of time will hamper the bill's passage as the 17th Congress is about to end by June 30, 2019.

Gonzales' House Bill 1530 was already approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives and is currently pending at the Senate.

Gonzales said the bill's enactment protects and promotes the right of health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.

In order to achieve this goal, the State shall implement measures that would ensure the safety of lives during disasters and medical emergency situations.

Maricel V. Cruz

LAST DAY. Taxpayers line up for the last day of tax payments at Revenue Region 7 BIR office in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

Manila RTC arraigns Ressa for libel

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE camp of Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa and a former reporter suffered another legal setback after a Manila City court found sufficient basis to proceed with the trial of the cyber libel case filed against them by businessman Wilfredo Keng.

This came after the Manila City Regional Trial Court, Branch 46, denied the motion to quash filed by Ressa and co-accused Reynaldo Santos Jr. The decision paved the way for the arraignment of the two accused Tuesday, before the court.

In dismissing Ressa and Reynaldo’s motion to quash, Judge Rainelda EstacioMontesa ruled that the Department of Justice was able to “sufficiently establish” the elements of cyber libel in the case.

Ressa and Santos had argued in their

motion that the DOJ wrongly applied the multiple republication principle as there was no basis in law for such application.

The two said that the update of the article linking Keng to alleged criminal activities such as human trafficking and drug smuggling merely corrected a typographical error.

“Since multiple republication is not applicable, the only basis for determining whether an offense exists is the original posting made in May 2012 and not the supposed republication on

February 2014. No offense exists as Republican Act 10175 or the Cyber Crime Law cannot be applied retroactively,” Ressa and Santos said in their appeal.

The accused also argued that they cannot be prosecuted under RA 10175 because the law was placed under temporary restraining order by the Supreme Court at the time of the allegedly libelous publication of the article.

The RTC, however, dismissed their argument saying that their argument on the republication of the article are matters that should not be raised in the motion to quash.

“The allegations of the defense as to the multiple republication rule are matters extrinsic in the information, thus, improper to raise in the motion to quash based on this ground,” the court said in its decision dated April 12.

The court also said the injunction issued by the High Court merely suspended the implementation of RA 10175, and not the effectivity of the law.

“The TRO merely suspends the implementation and enforcement of RA 10175, so that crimes committed during the said period cannot be prosecuted. However, it did not suspend its effectivity. So, while crimes committed during said period cannot be prosecuted during the effectivity of the TRO, they may be prosecuted after the lifting of the same just like what is done in this case,” it said.

The court also held that all the elements of cyber libel—the allegation of a discreditable act or condition concerning another, publication of the charge, identity of the person defamed, and existence of malice—are present in the instant case.

CA upholds Ombudsman junks Andaya plea to dismiss case indictment of Marinduque ex-solon

By Maricel V. Cruz

THE Court of Appeals has sustained the indictment of former Marinduque Rep. Regina Ongsiako Reyes for usurpation of official functions following her disqualification in the 2013 elections due to citizenship issue.

In a 12-page decision dated April 11, the CA’s Special 5th Division through Associate Justice Samuel Gaerlan dismissed the petition of Reyes seeking reversal of the Department of Justice resolution in 2017 that approved the filing of case for violation of Art. 177 of the Revised Penal Code against her.

The appellate court held that the DOJ was correct in finding probable cause in the complaint filed by Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, her rival in the elections who was proclaimed winner in the elections both by the Commission on Elections and the Supreme Court.

It denied the assertion of Reyes that she could not be held liable for performing her duties in good faith, arguing that only the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal could order her to vacate her post being a member of the House.

But the CA ruled that such claim of good faith was “directly in contradiction with the findings of the Supreme Court” in its 2013 and 2016 decisions.

In the said ruling, the SC ordered the House to administer the oath of office of Velasco because of the nullity of Reyes’s candidacy and the absolute lack of legal basis to let her keep the seat.

Inspite of her knowledge of the Comelec and the SC’s rulings, Reyes joined and took her oath before the Speaker of the House when Congress convened. Thus, the CA agreed there was probable cause to charge Reyes with usurpation of official functions.

“Despite the Resolution of the Supreme Court dismissing her petition and finding no grave abuse on the part of the COMELEC En Banc, Reyes continuously occupied the Office of the Marinduque Representative received the salaries, allowances, and other benefits intended for such position, as well as, the funds intended for the maintenance and operational expenses of the Office of the Marinduque Representative,” the ruling stated.

Rey E. Requejo

THE Ombudsman is opposing the plea of Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya Jr. for the Sandiganbayan to dismiss the graft and malversation charges filed against him in connection with the alleged P900million Malampaya fund scam.

In a 15-page opposition filed on April 10, Ombudsman prosecutors said Andaya's motion for reconsideration should be denied as the plea was filed beyond the five-day period reglementary period stated under the Guidelines for Continuous Trial.

Andaya earlier filed a motion to dis-

miss the cases but the anti-graft court denied his plea, thus Andaya filed a motion for reconsideration.

Andaya only filed his motion for reconsideration in late March when the resolution denying his original motion to dismiss was promulgated on March 6, the Ombudman said.

But even if Andaya filed the motion for reconsideration on time, the Ombudsman said the MR should still be dismissed “based on the merits” because he raised the same assertions from his denied motion.

In his motion for reconsideration, Andaya said the information containing the 97 counts each of graft and malversation

through falsification filed against him are “fatally defective” as “it failed to show how I participated in the scheme.”

The court, however, said that it had already ruled on the validity of the charges, saying all matters on the alleged role of Andaya in the scheme are best presented during the trial, the Ombudsman said.

The case involves the P900-million Malampaya fund that Andaya released to the Department of Agrarian Reform on 2009, when he was the Budget secretary, for relief operations, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of areas affected by Tropical Storm “Ondoy” and Typhoon “Pepeng” in 2009.

QC cops arrest notorious ASG member in Culiat

By Rio N. Araja THE Quezon City Police District on Monday announced the arrest of a "notorious" member of Abu Sayaff Group wanted for abduction and serious illegal detention.

Chief Supt. Joselito Esquivel Jr., QCPD director, identified the suspect as Abuhair Kullim Indal with the aliases, as Annual Dasil and Abu Khair, 32, of Basilan and residing at 104 Cotabato St., Salam Compound in Barangay Culiat.

Indal was arrested last April 12 at around 4:25 p.m. in his house by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, led by Major Elmer Monsalve.

Esquivel said a warrant of arrest for criminal case nos. 3432, 3551, 3552, 3566, 3567, 3569 and 3570 for abduction and serious illegal detention issued

by Judge Leo Jay Principe of the Isabela City lower court in Basilan.

Indal tried to resist arrest and took out a hand grenade under his pillow.

Ge was charged with the cases for Violation of Republic Act 9516 (Unlawful Possession of Explosives) in relation to Omnibus Election Code and Resistance and Disobedience to of Person in Authority.

According to Esquivel, Indal was one of the trusted men of ASG commander Furuji Indama and a former member of ASG sub-leader Nur Hassan Jamiri who surrendered last March 28, 2018.

The suspect also participated in the abduction of 15 victims at the Golden Harvest Plantation in Barangay Tairan Lantawan, Basilan last June 11, 2001 led by the late ASG leader Isnilon Hapilon.

NOTORIOUS. Officials of the Quezon City Police District, led by District Director P/Brig. Gen. Joselito Esquivel, present to PNP Chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde a notorious member of Abu Sayyaf Group wanted for kidnapping and serious illegal detention identified as Abuhair Kullim Indar a.k.a. Annual Dasil during a press conference at Camp Crame in Quezon City. Manny Palmero

Law on regulating alien labor pushed WITH the controversy about foreign nationals allegedly flooding the country's labor force, a pro-administration legislator has filed a bill protecting Filipino labor and strengthen regulations on the employment of foreign nationals.

Rep. Jericho Nograles of Davao City said he and his brother, former Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles who is now Cabinet secretary, authored House Bill 277, and subsequently House Bill 8368 which proposes to amend Articles 40, 41 and 42 of Title II, Book 1 of Presidential Decree No. 442, otherwise known as the “Labor Code of the Philippines.”

Nograles said the measure has been approved in third and final reading at the House of Representatives last November 11, 2018 and has been transmitted to the Senate for action on Nov. 27, 2018.

Once enacted, Nograles said that stricter rules on the employment foreign nationals would be in effect.

And with the increasing public sentiment against the influx of foreign nationals in the country’s labor force, Nograles said that the senators should prioritize the proposed law.

“There will be strict implementation and harsh penalties for those who will employ foreigners first before Filipinos. That is my proposal,” Nograles said.

“The influx of laborers will increase if we do not pass laws protecting the Filipino laborer. We still have time if the Senate fast tracks the passage of the Bill,” Nograles, a deputy majority leader, said Nograles’ HB 8368 seeks to adopt the Labor Market Test as basis in determining non-availability of a qualified and willing Filipino national to do services, for which the foreign national is being hired. This means that before hiring a foreign national for a certain job posting, an employer must advertise the position and review resumes for more than 30 days, but less than 180 days, prior to filing the application to ensure that there are no other qualified local workers available. Maricel V. Cruz

Fake OFW ‘nanny’ held by BI agents AN OVERSEAS Filipino worker was held by immigration officers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport by pretending to be the guardian of a minor whom she would accompany to visit the child’s mother in Macau.

BI-Travel Control and Enforcement Unit chief Erwin Ortanez said that posing as “guardian” of minors to accompany them abroad is a new ploy by a syndicate to illegally recruit Filipino workers abroad.

The female passenger was a former household worker in Saudi Arabia but did not finish her contract there for unknown reason and returned to the Philippines.

Immigration official said that a certain Lucille M. Capoy sponsored her trip to Macau to accompany her daughter but later found out that the former OFW will work as a “waitress” in Macau.

The woman, identified only as “Jacky” admitted that she is not related to the minor but was able to get a travel permit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development to accompany the minor.

The victim claimed that she already paid a total of P13,000 to “Capoy’s” and agreed to a ploy by using the minor as scheme in the attempt to deceive the immigration officer at the airport. Vito Barcelo

Water impounding facilities a must—Manicad BROADCAST journalist Jiggy Manicad, who is running for a Senate seat in the May 13 elections, is calling on the Duterte administration to build more water impounding facilities for the agriculture sector amid a looming water crisis.

Manicad noted that existing small water impounding facilities have been boosting agricultural yield and helping farmers cope with the dry season.

“Kailangan natin ng ganitong mga pasilidad. Ito ang maaari nating sagot sa El Niño lalo na’t marami sa ating mga sakahan ay kulang pa ng mga patubig,” Manicad said at the sidelines of

his campaign in Antique on Tuesday.

“Sinasabi rin sa atin ng mga eksperto na maaaring mas madalas at mas matindi ang mararanasan nating mga tagtuyot, kaya’t ‘wag lang natin tingnan yung El Niño ngayong taon. Paghandaan na natin yung next year, next two years, next five years,” he added.

Manicad noted that in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya, a Small Water Impounding Project have been helping farmers increase their yield.

He said the SWIP in Bambang is just around three hectares but supplies water to at least 100 hectares of farmland.

“Bakit hindi natin ito gawin sa mga lugar na palaging naaapektuhan ng tagtuyot? Ang mga small water impounding facilities ay makakatulong din sa atin para sa mas efficient na pagkalap ng rainwater,” said the veteran journalist.

“Tutulong din ito para hindi mabaha ang mga low-lying na lugar at para hindi masira ang ating mga pananim sakaling malakas ang buhos ng ulan,” added Manicad.

With the small water impounding facilities, he said, farmers could triple rice cropping, resulting in continuous harvest of vegetables.

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Opinion

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Two tales for Holy Week THIS is my only column for this week and as such I would like to share two tales.

The first one goes like this: A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When war broke out, the son was called to battle. He died rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and he grieved deeply for his only son.

May we all learn from these.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door.

A young man stood with a large package in his hands. He told the old man: “Sir, you don’t know me but I am the soldier for whom your son gave up his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart, and he died instantly. He often talked about you and your shared love for art.”

The young man held out the package.

“I know this isn’t much. I’m really not a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”

The father opened the package. It was the portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that soon he was crying. He thanked the young man and offered to pay for the painting.

“Oh no, sir. I could never repay what your son did for me.”

The father hung the portrait over his

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

mantle. Everytime visitors came to his home, he took them to see the portrait of his son.

A few months later, the father died.

There was to be an auction of the paintings owned by the old man. Many influential and wealthy people gathered.

The bidding started with the portrait of the son. The auctioneer asked: “Who wants to bid for this?” But the people said they wanted to see the great works of art. “Skip this one!” they said.

But the auctioneer continued: “The Son! Who will take the son?”

A man made a bid for $10, and the crowd wanted to continue with the auction. But the auctioneer said the bidding was over.

He said there was a secret stipulation in the will of the father. Only the painting of the son will be auctioned, and whoever bought the painting would get the entire estate. *** The other tale is good for reflection for this Holy Week and for all voters who will cast their votes on May 13.

There was this man of the world who died and soon found himself before the pearly gates which St. Peter was guard guarding.

St. Peter said the man had the choice to go to heaven or hell. The man said he wanted to look at Hell first, and so he boarded an elevator. He soon went down.

When the door of the elevator opened to Hell, a beautiful girl in a bikini appeared. “I’ll be your guide,” she told the man.

Hell is not so bad after all, he told himself. People were having feasts and naked girls were walking around. He even saw his best friends.

After a while, the man said he would like to talk to St. Peter and inform him that he now wanted to see Heaven.

Heaven seemed so boring. It was a quiet place where angels were flying around. People looked like they were at peace.

“I choose Hell!” The man told St. Peter.

When he returned to Hell, he found instead a place of suffering and torture.

The man asked Satan: “What happened?”

As good as the next one

A

LL the rage, quite literally, on social media these days are the advertisements of skincare products that play on Filipinos’ inferiority complex and colonial mentality.

Specifically, these products are marketed as magical solutions to make Filipinos conform to conventional notions of beauty—fair, instead of brown.

And while there are those who are proud of their darker skin tone, sadly there are many who still believe that fairer is better and would do anything to become it.

Unfortunately, instead of building self-esteem and pride in one’s natural attributes, these companies find it more rewarding to play on these misplaced insecurities.

After all, they stand to reap the benefits.

But the ill effects of such feelings of inferiority go beyond the choice of skincare products. On a grander scale, it also makes us less assertive at claiming what we rightfully deserve.

It makes us content with the dismaying array of political names we have to choose from in next year’s elections. Because we don’t believe we are entitled to anything better, we settle for what is familiar even though time and experience have told us otherwise.

Politicians exploit this feeling of inferiority by not holding themselves up against a stricter standard of performance and

behavior. They see public office as an entitlement and as a way to settle scores.

This inferiority also makes us think twice about asserting ourselves against neighbors that we perceive to be more powerful than ourselves.

Here, for instance, an increasing number of other nationalities are taking job opportunities that should go to Filipinos, and are behaving rudely in our own territory.

Such is reflective of what is happening geopolitically in the seas surrounding our land.

National pride does not only come into play when there is a compatriot who makes it big on the international scene. It is avoiding the trap of believing we are not as good, or do not deserve as much, as the next fellow.

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Pope Francis, on the days ahead IN THIS column, I quote extensively from the homily of Pope Francis on Palm Sunday six years ago, on March 24, 2013. His words—first joy, second Cross—are the perfect opening reflection for Holy Week. (He also offered a third word then—youth—because Palm Sunday in 2013 coincided with World Youth Day.) Pope Francis begins with a description of what happens on what we now call Palm or Passion Sunday: “Jesus enters Jerusalem. The crowd of disciples accompanies him in festive mood, their garments are stretched out before him, there is talk of the miracles he has accomplished, and loud praises are heard: ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’

Crowds, celebrating, praise, blessing, peace: joy fills the air. Jesus has awakened great hopes, especially in the hearts of the simple, the humble, the poor, the forgotten, those who do not matter in the eyes of the world. He understands human sufferings, he has shown the face of God’s mercy, and he has bent down to heal body and soul.

This is Jesus. This is his heart which looks to all of us, to our sicknesses, to our sins. The love of Jesus is great. And thus he enters Jerusalem, with this love, and looks at us. It is a beautiful scene, full of light – the light of the love of Jesus, the love of his heart – of joy, of celebration.”

Pope Francis observes how at the beginning of Mass, and we do this in the Philippines too, we we also wave our palms, our olive branches: “We too welcomed Jesus; we too expressed our joy at accompanying him, at knowing him to be close, present in us and among us as a friend, a brother, and also as a King: that is, a shining beacon for our lives. Jesus is God, but he lowered himself to walk with us. He is our friend, our brother. He illumines our path here. And in this way we have welcomed him today.”

Francis emphasizes what should be the first word for this Holy Week: Joy!

An unexpected, unlikely thing to say, a sentiment we are not accustomed to in our culture when Holy Week has been equated with sorrow and grief. But the Vicar of Christ admonishes us: “Do not be men and women of sadness: a Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a joy born of having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person: Jesus, in our midst; it is born from knowing that with him we are never alone, even at difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and obstacles that seem insurmountable, and there are so many of them! And in this moment the enemy, the devil, comes, often disguised

This week started with joy and will end with joy on Easter Sunday.

as an angel, and slyly speaks his word to us. Do not listen to him! Let us follow Jesus! We accompany, we follow Jesus, but above all we know that he accompanies us and carries us on his shoulders.

This is our joy, this is the hope that we must bring to this world. Please do not let yourselves be robbed of hope! Do not let hope be stolen! The hope that Jesus gives us.”

The second word, according to Pope Francis, is Cross. He asks: “Why does Jesus enter Jerusalem? Or better: how does Jesus enter Jerusalem? The crowds acclaim him as King. And he does not deny it, he does not tell them to be silent.”

But then, Francis asks, what kind of a King is Jesus? “Let us take a look at him: he is riding on a donkey, he is not accompanied by a court, he is not surrounded by an army as a symbol of power. He is received by humble people, simple folk who have the sense to see something more in Jesus; they have that sense of the faith which says: here is the Saviour.

Jesus does not enter the Holy City to receive the honours reserved to earthly kings, to the powerful, to rulers; he enters to be scourged, insulted and abused, as

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Dialogue, not confrontation FROM time to time, tension prevails in the South China Sea as claimantcountries assert their ownership of disputed islands in the vital waterway.

The Philippines claims part of the Spratly Islands that’s also claimed by China and other neighboring countries, such as Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. Calling this part of the West Philippine Sea, Manila asserts that the disputed area is part and parcel of its Exclusive Economic Zone encompassing 200 miles around the archipelago based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China, on the other hand, claims almost the entire South China Sea through what it calls the “nine-dash line,” asserting that its ownership goes back to thousands of years in history.

These show that both the Philippines and China are serious in finding common ground through dialogue and negotiation rather than through the use of force. Still, we would have wanted to read full details on what was actually agreed upon.

So how should the territorial dispute that threatens peace and stability in the region be resolved?

In the case of the Philippines and China, the two sides have agreed to commit themselves to finding a peaceful solution to conflicting claims.

They do this through a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) that has already convened four times since 2017.

The Fourth Meeting of the BCM was held on April 2-3, 2019 in Manila. The Philippine delegation was led by Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Meynardo Montealegre of the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs with the Chinese delegation led by Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou. Like in the Third Meeting of the BCM in October 2018, the Fourth BCM consisted of equivalent officials from the respective foreign ministries and relevant agencies.

Here are the highlights of the latest round of meetings: One, proceeding from an earlier joint statement on 21 November 2018 wherein the two sides agreed to exercise selfrestraint in the conduct of activities in the South China Sea that would compli complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, the participants affirmed the importance of the BCM as a venue for enhanced and regular dialogue.

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Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion Latest ratings are out THE first quarter 2019 survey by SWS shows Duterte’s gross approval rating up to 79%, a five-point improvement over his score in the last quarter of 2018. At the same time, his disapproval rating fell by two points to 13% from 15%. These two trends combined to increase his net approval rating by five points to a “very good” score of +66, equal to his personal best that was posted way back in June 2017.

I won’t be surprised if Pulse Asia’s findings, whenever they come out, paint the same picture. It’s enough to drive the yellows up the wall. After lambasting Duterte as “inexcusable, unworthy, irrational” in her latest column in the yellow rag Philippine Daily Inquirer, yellow doyenne Winnie Monsod looks at his ratings improvement and plaintively whines, “Why? What does that make us?”

Oh, I can think of any number of choice replies I could make to Ma’m Winnie. But in keeping with the Lenten spirit, I’ll confine myself to saying this: Quite clearly, the masses look at what Duterte does, not what he says. Thus is measured the vast gulf between them and the chatterati like Winnie who’re terminally absorbed by words and appearances. Que horror, que horror! *** The story only gets worse for the yellows. In their latest survey of senatoriables, both rating agencies virtually give the entire election to “anybody but otso sa nitso.” Only Bam Aquino is within shouting distance, in 12th or 13th place.

And poor Mar Roxas, who almost ran for the presidency in 2010, and in fact did so in 2016, has been shoved down to 16th place in both surveys.

The engine behind this stellar performance is, of course, Duterte himself. His ratings rise will only improve the prospects of his multi-party anointed ticket.

As his candidates close in on what may even become a clean sweep of all 12 seats, it’s time for the voters to go beyond the Duterte metric—whether the candidates are for or against him—and ask hard questions about their stands on the issues that matter to voters.

In my case, I have just two issues that concern me. One is federalism, an advocacy which the yellows led by former Chief Justice Davide have said will

“send us straight to hell”. Not all the proadministration candidates have spoken out in its favor, and a number of them in fact oppose federalism, whether secretly or openly. Voters who trust Duterte’s support for federalism should ask the candidates whether they too agree with him on it.

The other hot-button item for me, as an observant Catholic, is how the candidates line up on various issues that deeply matter to the Church—and I’m talking here about the global Church, not the local one many of whose princes have succumbed with all the best of intentions to the temptations of political partisanship.

The story only gets worse for the yellows.

ing to its much larger initial stock of goodwill with us. The Japanese are now talking about their own “quality technology”, an ill-disguised dig at the unflattering reputation of Chinese goods. Their claim is buttressed even by their choice of infra projects, such as the technically challenging Metro Manila subway, or revival of the discredited Northrail project first initiated with Chinese loans.

As for borrowing costs, it’s been rightly pointed out that Chinese loans may be even more expensive if you take account of expected relative depreciation of both currencies as reflected in their swap rates, not to mention other “nonstandard” language that might be lurking around in Chinese loan agreements.

Duterte has been responding in like manner, such as by reaffirming our country’s military ties to the United States through DFA’s Teddyboy Locsin, who might be described as a betterdressed homologue of his foul-mouthed boss. The message from both of them to the Chinese is the same: Back off. We hope it’s being heard loud and clear by the mandarins of Beijing. *** Today’s Readings: Today we read again from the Deutero-Isaiah, the mysterious oracles of Israel’s greatest prophet that foreshadow our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and which supply the first readings at Mass from Palm Sunday to the Easter Triduum.

God tells His servant, “It is too little…for you to be my servant…and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49: 1-6).

Thousands of years later, at a Passover feast, a haunted Jesus allows Judas to commit the treachery that will initiate His passion, even as He also rebukes Peter for his boastful declaration of loyalty.

And then He leaves His disciples with these incandescent parting words: “As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples” (John 13: 2138).

Between Jesus’ time and place in history, and the ends of the earth, lies an ocean of human sin and misery that can be terrible to contemplate. Bridging that ocean with the salvation message is a forbidding prospect. But His instructions for doing that are simple: Love one another as He loved us. What else could be so easy, and yet so difficult, for us to do?

Did the candidate vote for the RH bill? Has he shown sympathy for legalizing divorce? Will she defend basic principles like gender identity and ordered sexuality from the importunings of the LGBT agenda and the siren call of same-sex marriage? Will the candidate stand up for human life against all the threats raised against it by the modern world: abortion, assisted suicide, the death penalty?

Issues like these and others that matter to the voters could form the stuff of a debate series that might be aired over TV and social media for all of our benefit. *** The latest provocations by China, carried out by official spokesmen as well as through the maritime intrusions being launched by hundreds of Chinese fishing boats, mark a reversal in what to date was a fairly non-aggressive posture towards our assets and activities in the West Philippine Sea. We can only speculate about why this is happening now. My own guess is that they’ve decided to test how much goodwill they’ve been able to buy so far from their heightened investments into our economy. With louder mutterings among Filipinos about the presence and behavior of Chinese workers, as well as the illicit activities of Chinese drug smugglers, they may be wanting to measure how much respect they’re getting for their renminbi.

It hasn’t helped them that their an- Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@ cient rival, Japan, has quietly been add- yahoo.com.

Bong Go silenced the Yellows CHRISTOPHER Lawrence “Bong” Go went to the extent of baring himself before the national media just to satisfy his critics, particularly the oppositionbacked whistleblower Bikoy’s malicious designs to implicate President Duterte’s closest allies and his family members in illegal drugs trade.

Apparently believing their own lies, the Yellows had insisted that the longtime special assistant to Manong Digong show his alleged “Dragon” tattoo in his back, which would prove that he is a member of the so-called “Triad,” an international illegal drugs syndicate.

On Thursday, my friend Bong granted his salivating critics what they wished for, a happy hour-like “striptease” during a Hugpong ng Pagbabago campaign sortie in Agusan del Sur. But to their disappointment, the na-

Dialogue,...

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Two, they emphasized the significance of the BCM as a platform for pursuing measures to increase mutual trust and confidence. Both sides acknowledged that the BCM, as a forum for raising differences with a view to address them, preventing and properly managing incidents at sea, and enhancing maritime dialogue and cooperation, can play a significant role in the stable and steady development of bilateral relations.

Third, in a frank yet cordial and constructive manner, both sides raised specific issues and recent developments and actions in the South China Sea which have raised concerns to either side, and proposed ways to address them in a cooperative manner. They reaffirmed their commitment to cooperate and to continue to find ways forward to strengthen mutual trust and confidence.

Fourth, both sides reiterated that while the contentious issues in the South China Sea should not be ignored, these are not the sum total of the PhilippinesChina relations and should not exclude mutually beneficial cooperation in other fields. They reaffirmed the importance

ked truth instead belied the claims of a dragon tattoo in his back and the bold show did not come close to Jim Paredes’ blockbuster sex video...oh boy!

Now, the Yellows are saying Bong’s dragon tattoo must have been “erased,” either with the use of whitening substance or Photoshop, when no dragon tattoo was found on his back.

Unfortunately, presidential son Paolo “Polong” Duterte, would not go down to the level of his Yellow critics—at least not just yet.

If Polong’s rumored “Dragon” tattoo turns out to be non-existent, too, which I can guarantee is just a figment of imagination of Sen. Trillanes, I’m afraid they’d say it must have been “erased” likewise.

These Yellow idiots fail to realize that no amount of black propaganda will blacken the accomplishments of the Duterte administration and the beginnings of a better life for the disadvantaged Filipinos in the half of its term.

Come May 13 polls, certain things will remain indelible in the minds of an enlightened and wiser electorate: De-

crease in poverty incidence, decrease in unemployment, decrease in prices of commodities, decrease in crime incidence and, of course, decrease in the number of illegal drug dealers alive.

Still other certain things cannot be erased in the people’s mind: How Noynoy Aquino and Mar Roxas betrayed the SAF44, Noynoy and his cohorts sacrificed the health safety of thousands of poor children in their Dengvaxia scam, how Noynoy hijacked public fund under the unlawful Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), how they made DOTC contracts and Customs smuggling milking cows for the Yellow 2016 election campaign.

The Yellows can go on dragon tattoohunting all they want but I’m afraid they might have awakened a live political dragon instead.

The opposition, with their allies in media, are desperate because people nowadays do not believe in their socalled exposes and fabricated stories against President Duterte and his family, including those people close to him.

They are wasting their time.

of maintaining and promoting regional peace and stability, freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the South China Sea. Five, the two countries reiterated their commitment to address disputes by peaceful means, without resorting to the threat or use of force, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Six, they had a productive exchange of views on ways to enhance maritime cooperation in various areas, such as recent developments in the South China Sea carrying political and security implications, maritime search and rescue, maritime safety, marine environmental protection/marine scientific research, and fisheries in relevant Working Group meetings under the framework of the BCM. Without prejudice to their respective positions on sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction, both sides also exchanged views on oil and gas development.

Seven, the two countries also recognized the importance of other comple-

mentary multilateral platforms, including ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations, ASEAN Regional Forum, and East Asia Summit, in promoting peace and stability in the region.

Finally, both sides reiterated their commitment to full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and agreed to maintain the positive momentum of the negotiations towards the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, based on consensus.

While all these show that both the Philippines and China are serious in finding common ground through dialogue and negotiation rather than through the use of force, we would have wanted to read full details on what was actually agreed upon. For instance, we’re sure that Filipino fishermen would like to know where they can safely catch fish in the disputed areas. Nevertheless, we believe that if peace and stability are to prevail in our western flank, then the bilateral consultation mechanism should be given full rein in arriving at doable solutions to seemingly insurmountable challenges, even if it takes time. ernhil@yahoo.com

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Second district holding back Rizal economy These municipalities—San Mateo, Baras, Teresa, Morong, Tanay, Cardona, Piillia, Jalajala and Montalban— comprise the Second Congressional District of Rizal.

Just how pastoral and less-develLIKE the development of some na- oped the Second District nine mutional economies; the development of nicipalities have remained can be seen regional or provincial economies can from a car ride—perhaps during this proceed in an uneven and inconsistent Holy Week?—from Antipolo City to manner. As a result, some parts of a Montalban, the last municipality beregion or province end up showing fore Aurora. The entire nine-municiless—often, for less—economic prog- pality area has remained agricultural ress than other parts. A case in point is in character, there is hardly and manuRizal, the R in Calabarzon. facturing activity, infrastructure is dePrior to the inplementation of the ficient and the general enviroment is metropol concept—the clustering of characterized by lack of dynamism, a number of major population centers especially economic dynamism. The into a single administrative entity— Rodriguez political dynasty, which the province named after this country's was founded by the late Eulogio Ronational hero shared, with the city of driguez Jr., has presided over the fate Manila, the position of center of the of Rizal for many decades. Indeed, it entire Manila may be said that Bay area. Rizal the Rodriguezes was a much have been treatbigger province Rizal like Change might really ing then: all the mua family heirbe on hand. nicipalities east loom. If Rizal of Bulacan, west has been lagof Aurora and ging behind the north of Cavite Calamba trio— were parts of it.

Cavite, Laguna and Batangas—the Then came martial law and, with blame should be laid at the door of the the placement of legislative authority Rodriguez clan. The widespread sentiin the hands of the President of the ment in the nine municipalities of the Philippines, the beginning of rule by Second District of Rizal is that nothPresidential decree. At the behest of ing much will happen, and the District his wife Imelda, President Ferdinand will remain economically stagnant, Marcos issued a decree creativity a if the Rodriguez dynasty remains in Metro Manila Commission (MMC power. ) and placing Rizal municipalities— That may not be much longer. In Pasig, Marikina, Taguig, Pateros, the coming election the Rodriguez Mandaluyong, San Juan, Makati, dynasty's stranglehold on Second DisParañaque, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa, trict politics is facing serious challenge together with Manila, Quezon City, for perhaps the first time. The chalPasay, Navotas and Valenzuela under lenge has come from a young lawyer the jurisdiction of the MMC. brimming with idealism, competence Rizal was almost totally emascu- and a passionate desire to turn things lated. Its very own capital, Pasig, was around. The young challenger is Fidel taken away from in it and was made Nograles. into just another MMC component.

It is not only Fidel Nograles' exUnfortunately for its future develop- cellent academic preparation (Ateneo ment and progress, the municipalities Law School, Harvard Law School) taken away from Rizal with one stroke that makes him a dangerous challenger of the Presidential pen were the prov- to the incumbent. It is the governance ince’s high-income parts. What was experience as both the national and rhe left to Rizal were the less urbanized provincial level. He has served the Ofand agricultural municipalities to the fice of the President in various capaciprovince's north and east. ties, and before filing his candidacy for The removal of nine—almost Representative, Fidel Nograles was half—of its municipalities dealt a the provincial administrator of Rizal. heavy blow to the political standing Nograles is well aware that among of Rizal; its more developed, high- the provinces immediately surroundincome components had been taken ing Metro Manila—Bulacan, Cavite away. But the blow that the munici- and Laguna—Rizal has been the lagpalities' removal has dealt to Rizal's gard, and he knows that the slow progeconomy was near devastating. With ress of the Second District has operthe province no longer able to depend ated as a drag on Rizal's economic on the contributions to the Rizal trea- development. He says he knows just sury of municipalities like Makati, what to do, when he is elected.

Mandaluyong and Parañaque there With Fidel Nograles's election, was now for less provincial revenue change will come to the nine sleepy for the economic and social develop- municipalities of the eastern half of ment of Rizal's poorer municipalities. Rizal. That change is long overdue.

Two tales...

From A4

Courage to change the things I can And the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time Enjoying one moment at a time Accepting hardships as a pathway to peaceful Taking as He did this sinful world as it is Not as I would have it, trusting that He will make things right.

If I surrender to his willingness That I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with Him forever.

Amen.

Satan said: “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted.” *** Metro Manila is the best place to stay in this Holy Week where you can rest and reflect. Edsa will not be as bad. You can also do your “Visita Iglesia” here.

Unfortunately, many people think the Holy Week is the time to go to the beach.

How can anybody stand this heat? The rich go abroad.

My family and I decided to stay here.

In closing, I would like to share one of my favorite prayers.

God, grant me the serenity www.emiljurado.weebly.com To accept the things I cannot change

Pope Francis...

From A4

economic conflicts that hit the weakest, greed for money that you can’t take with you and have to leave.” He urges us to be aware of our personal sins – “our failures in love and respect towards God, towards our neighbour and towards the whole of creation.”

Pope Francis reminds us of Jesus on the Cross who carried the whole weight of the evil, and with the force of God’s love conquered it, he defeated it with his resurrection.

Yes, this week started with joy and it ends with joy on Easter Sunday. I echo Pope Francis: “This is the good that Jesus does for us on the throne of the Cross.

Christ’s Cross embraced with love never leads to sadness, but to joy, to the joy of having been saved and of doing a little of what he did on the day of his death.”

Christ has died. Christ has risen.

Christ will come again.

Isaiah foretold . . .”

Jesus enters Jerusalem and receives “a crown of thorns, a staff, a purple robe: his kingship becomes an object of derision.” Jesus enters Jerusalem to climb Calvary, carrying his burden of wood.

And this brings us to the second word: Cross. Jesus enters Jerusalem in order to die on the Cross. And it is precisely here that his kingship shines forth in godly fashion: his royal throne is the wood of the Cross! Why the Cross? Because Jesus takes upon himself the evil, the filth, the sin of the world, including the sin of all of us, and he cleanses it, he cleanses it with his blood, with the mercy and the love of God.” Pope Francis invites us to to look around us, at the world we have,at “how many wounds are inflicted upon humani- Facebook Page: Professor Tony La Viña ty by evil! “ He points to” wars, violence, Twitter: tonylavs

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Manila

Standard

News

TODAY TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 A6 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

DAR issues parcelization guidelines on lands

By Rio N. Araja THE Department of Agrarian Reform has issued guidelines and procedures on the parcelization of landholdings with collective certificates of land ownership award through Administrative Order 02 of 2019 to stabilize ownership, tenureship and control of the lands awarded to agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Secretary John Castriciones said pursuant to Section 25 of the Republic Act 5567 as amended by Section 10 of RA 9700, DAR is mandated to immediately undertake the parcelization of CCLOAs over lands that were not collectively farmed or operated in an integrated manner.

In the past decades, many landholdings were awarded to farmerbeneficiaries under a collective and non-subdivided form of ownership wherein qualified beneficiaries may opt for collective ownership, through farmers’ cooperatives, associations or some other form of organizations for the issuance of CCLOAs, he lamented.

Binay vows free skills training M

By Joel E. Zurbano

AKATI City 1st district congressional aspirant Jejomar Binay on Monday vowed to establish employment programs to his constituents, such as free skills training under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority through a scholarship grant.

“One of the first things I would do is to establish a scholarship fund with TESDA to provide free skills training to my constituents. They can choose which skills they want to develop and later on use to get employed or set up a livelihood,” said Binay, a former vice president.

Binay is running as the official candidate of the United Nationalist Alliance under the ticket of his daughter incumbent Makati Mayor Abigail Binay.

Prior to his election as vice president in 2010, he served as Makati mayor from 1986 to 1998 and from 2001 to 2010.

Binay said he wanted residents of the city’s first district to be equipped with skills and competencies that are in high demand in the job market. “I want more residents to get hired right away after training so they can earn a living and be self-reliant.”

During his stint as Makati mayor, the elder Binay championed new paradigms in education that promoted employability and entrepreneurship, especially among the youth.

“I have always believed that a diploma is not the be-all and end-all of education.

The most relevant and tangible outcome

of education is, of course, gainful employment,” Binay said.

With his full support, the city-run University of Makati became the pioneer institution in the country to adopt the Dualized University Education System under the stewardship of the late University president Tomas Lopez.

DUES is an educational and training strategy using duals or pairs, matching academic study with apprenticeship, university with industry, and classroom theory with real-world practice. It encourages ‘learning by doing’ and integrates a mix of academic and industryled training aimed to provide a careerfocused education.

Binay’s strong advocacy for publicprivate partnership paved the way to the continuing success of DUES in the development of highly competitive and employable UMak graduates. To date, the university has over 700 industry partners that provide on-the-job training to students and ready employment to graduates of UMak. “One hundred percent employability is the ultimate measure of success of

April 17-22: No number coding in Metro Manila

PAL urges passengers to be early

By Joel E. Zurbano LEGACY carrier Philippine Airlines urged passengers to anticipate an increased number of travelers going to the provinces and out of the country this Holy Week and advised them to allocate more time going to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“Please be advised that due to heavy traffic around NAIA’s four terminals, you must allocate more time in going to the airport to ensure that you will make it in time for your flight,” the PAL management said in a statement.

Domestic-bound passengers are advised to arrive at the airport at least 2.5 hours before their flight while international-bound passengers must be at the airport at least 3.5 hours before flight departure.

“Please check your updated flight status and terminal assignment before heading to the airport by: visiting www.philippineairlines. com/#PALflightstatus, clicking the Flight Status Tab in the PAL website, or by calling (02) 855-8888 then pressing 2 for Arrival and Departure Information.”

PAL also asked clients to take note of their flight information from Flight Status Tab, available two days before and until two days after the flight departure.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 98 – QUEZON CITY IN THE MATTER OF THE PETITION FOR USE OF HIS FATHER SURNAME ALVIN JOHN JAVIER REYES a.k.a.

ALVIN ESQUILLO JAVIER, Petitioner, R-QZN-19-01616-SP

-versus-

THE CITY CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, THE NATIONAL STATISTICIAN, AND CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL OF THE PHILIPPINES STATISTICS AUTHORITY (PSA), AVELINO C. REYES, JR. AND GWENDELINE EQUILLO JAVIER, Respondents. x----------------------------------------------------x

ORDER

Before this Court is a verified petition filed by petitioner Alvin John Javier Reyes a.k.a. Alvin Esquillo Javier through counsel, praying that after notice and hearing judgment be rendered allowing the petitioner to use the surname of his father and directing the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City and the Civil Registrar General/Chief of the Philippines Statistics Authority to make and effect the correction in the Certificate of Live Birth of the petitioner with Registry No. 1995-4204, Item No. 1-Namefrom Alvin John Esquillo Javier to Alvin John Javier Reyes.

WHEREFORE, notice is hereby given that the above-entitled petition will be heard before this Court located at the 2nd floor, Rooms 2007-208 Hall of Justice Building, Diliman, Quezon City on July 16, 2019 at 8:30 in the morning at which place, date and hour, all interested persons may appear and show cause why the petition should not be granted.

The Branch Clerk of Court is ordered to cause the service of copies of this Order on the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City, Office of the City Prosecutor of Quezon City and Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City, as well as the parents Avelino C. Reyes, Jr. and Gwendeline Esquillo Javier, at their last known address, who are directed to appear and show cause why the petition should not be granted.

Futher, the petitioner is directed to coordinate with the sheriff of this court for the service of the copy of the petition with annexes on the government agencies above-mentioned and to have this Order published in a newspaper of general circulation, to be chosen by raffle, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks at least two (2) weeks before the date of the hearing.

In the event that hearing should not take place on the said date due to fortuitous event or if the aforesaid scheduled date is directed a non-working holiday, it shall be held on August 2, 2019 at the same time and place without further notice.

SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, January 29, 2019.

Cc:

(Sgd.) MARILOU D. RUNES-TAMANG, MNSA Presiding Judge

Atty. Ann Loren Pastor-Counsel for the Petitioner – c/o PAO Office DOJ Bldg., QC Alvin John Javier Reyes - #643 Violeta St., Villa Verde Homes, Brgy.

Sta. Monica, Novaliches, QC Avelino C. Reyes, Jr. – 134 Narra St., Proj. 3, Quezon City Gwendeline Esquillo Javier - 6751 Unit 11-A. Tuscany, Ayala Ave., Makati City The Local Civil Registrar, QC The Phil. Statistics Authority, QC Office of the City Prosecutor, QC Office of the Solicitor General, Makati City (MStandard-Apr. 9, 16 & 23, 2019)

DUES, and it can only be made possible through our strong and sustained partnership with the private sector,” Binay said.

Over the years, UMak has registered above average passing rates in licensure examinations, particularly in Accountancy, Nursing and Education. The UMak College of Nursing has been ranked 9th oveall among the top nursing schools in the country.

In 2012, UMak accepted the challenge of piloting the K to 12 senior high school program of the Department of Education, and established the Higher School ng UMak. Since 2014, HSU has consistently achieved a 100-percent passing rate in the National Certification II and III assessment tests administered by TESDA. HSU and seven other public senior high schools in the city offer various academic tracks namely Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, Accountancy, Business and Management, Humanities and Social Science, General Academic Strand, and Technical-Vocational-Livelihood.

PATIENT WAIT. Filipinos eager to spend their

Holy Week vacation (above) in the provinces flock to the NAIA Terminal 2 to catch their flights on Monday to beat the exodus, while the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency conducts simultaneuos surprise mandatory drug test to bus drivers and conductors to help ensure the safety of travelers and the roads during Holy Week at the Araneta Cubao Bus terminal.

Norman Cruz and Manny Palmero

PDEA conducts unannounced drug tests

By Rio N. Araja THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Monday conducted simultaneous surprise mandatory drug tests to bus drivers and conductors, and K9 sweeping in bus terminals, airports and seaports throughout the country to to help ensure the safety of travelers and the roads during the Holy Week.

Director General Aaron Aquino said the agency implemented Oplan “Huli Week” in coordination with other government agencies as part of PDEA’s holistic approach to bring down the demand for illegal drugs, and promote drug-free workplaces, harm-reduction and reformation.

“We are also doing this to curb incidents of vehicular accidents caused by drugged drivers and make the roads safer, especially this Lenten season’s travel rush,” he said.

On Monday, PDEA, along with the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Philippine National Police, proceeded to the bus terminals of Five Star Inc., DLTB Inc., Philtranco Bus Line and JAM Bus Line, all in Pasay City; and Quezon City’s Araneta Center bus port, Araneta Center bus terminal, and the terminals of Bicol Isarog, Raymond Bus Line Inc., Dela Rosa Bus Inc., Partas Bus Inc., Five Star Bus Inc., ES

Transport Inc., Florida Bus Lune, JAC Bus Inc., Victory Liner Inc., Dagupan Bus Inc., DLTB Ibc., and JAM Bus Inc. and conducted surprise mandatory drug test to drivers and conductors.

PDEA, with the assistance of Manila International Airport Authority and Philippine Ports Authority, also swept high-risk airports and major seaports for illegal drugs using K9 dogs.

“Any driver who refuses to undergo the mandatory drug test will be reported to the Land Transportation Office.

To those tested positive for drug use, their driver’s licenses will be withheld pending the issuance of clearance by the PDEA. They must undergo the rehabilitation process before reclaiming their licenses,” Aquino warned.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC The movement of Knowledge Channel from 5th to 7th channel of ABS-CBN TVplus is rescheduled on April 19, 2019.

Starting on the said date, the channel will be available only in Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro and will temporarily not be available in Benguet, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Batangas, Iloilo, Bacolod, and Davao. ABS-CBN TVplus will advise subscribers when the channel will be available again in these areas.

Knowledge Channel will continue to be available on SKYdirect, and SKYcable.

Thank you for your continued patronage of ABS-CBN TVplus.

THERE will be no number coding for private and public vehicles beginning Holy Wednesday until Monday next week, according to the Metro Manila Development Authority.

In its advisory Monday, the MMDA stated the “Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program or the number coding scheme is suspended from Holy Wednesday, April 17 until Monday, April 22, in line with the observance of the Holy Week.”

“The suspension of the number coding is to ensure that there is enough public utility vehicles to serve commuters heading to their respective provinces and allow motorists to use their vehicles going to their destinations up to their return to Metro Manila after the Lenten break,” the agency stated.

The number coding scheme will resume on Tuesday, April 23.

The MMDA will enforce security measures in anticipation of an expected increase in the number of motorists and passengers headed for the provinces beginning Holy Wednesday.

MMDA chairman Danilo Lim ordered the deployment of 1,600 traffic personnel from April 17 until April 22 on major thoroughfares, major transport hubs, and key areas in the metropolis to ensure the safe and smooth flow of vehicular traffic during the observance of the Holy Week.

He also also imposed a “No Day Off and No Absent” policy among personnel tasked to manage and control traffic during the entire week.

“Traffic personnel will be fielded on traffic chokepoint areas in Metro Manila such as vicinity of bus terminals, roads leading to seaports, harbors, and airports; and major churches,” said Lim. Roy Taguinod, MMDA Traffic Discipline Office Director for Enforcement, said simultaneous sidewalk clearing operations against illegal vendors will also be conducted this week within the vicinity of major churches where devotees make their Holy Week pilgrimage. Joel E. Zurbano

UFS calls for fair trial vs 2 ex-MARINA execs

THE president of the United Filipino Seafarers, Nelson Ramirez, is expecting a speedy and fair trial for the cases filed against former Maritime Industry Authority administrators Maximo Mejia Jr. and Marcial Amaro III, along with other 10 co-accused in the allegedly behind the leak of 2,411 confidential security papers that have gone missing and were sold to aspiring seafarers in 2015.

This was after the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti Graft Division found probable cause to indict the 12 people, including three Fremarobi Skills Development Center officials for the leak of 2,411 security papers in 2015 used to manufacture fake certificates sold to seafarers for P3,000 to P15,000 each.

Amaro III and Mejia Jr. alongside 10 others were charge by the NBI at the Office of the Ombudsman cases such as Violation of Article 299 (Revelation of Secrets by an Officer) under the Revised Penal Code as amended; Violation of Article 226 (Removal, Concealment and Destruction of documents) under the Revised Penal Code, as amended; Violation of Article 210 (Direct Bribery under the Revised Penal Code, as amended; Corruption of Public Official under Article 212 of the Revised Penal Code; Violation of Section 3 A,E, and K of Republic Act No. 3019 known as the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act;” and Swindling under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code.

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK

Tech & Gadgets

A7

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Joy of traveling with Vivo V15 Pro T

RAVELING has now become an essential part of life, allowing people to make unforgettable adventures and wonderful memories. One’s bucket list will not be complete without a visit to a dream destination. With affordable travel, the world has become a smaller place in a good way, with people being able to experience different cultures.

There are different types of travelers—backpacker, experiential, luxury— with each one having their reasons for wandering, and along with it, their own set of travel must-haves.

Not all backpackers are budget travelers. They just find it easier to move around a city or a province with just a bag on their backs. What these adventure seekers need is a sturdy backpack made of light but durable materials, a good pair of shoes that can help make walking more comfortable, and clothes made from light materials that are not bulky to carry.

For experiential travelers who want to immerse themselves in a country’s culture, a language translation app would be very helpful in starting off a conversation with the locals. A pocket Wi-Fi is also essential especially if you rely on Google Maps or navigation apps.

Luxury travelers may not have to worry about many things, but they too should be mindful of travel essentials like cash especially since there are countries which still prefer currency over a credit card.

While they may have unique goals that require different items, these wanderlust-stricken individuals all share one travel need—capturing the priceless moments in their trips—that can be satisfied with using a high-quality smartphone that features the latest camera technology, like the Vivo V15 Pro. Having a smartphone with a powerful 48MP AI (artificial intelligence) Triple Rear Camera can bring peace of mind that every exciting moment is captured in images. Travelers can take professionalgrade photos that are not only IG-worthy but also ideal for printing. The lenses are powered with 48 Million Quad Pixel

Check Point’s Evan Dumas, Regional Director for Southeast Asia (left) and Grant Asplund, Cloud Evangelist (right) discuss the benefits of CloudGuard Dome9 to help enterprises do more while remaining secure.

Check Point Software announces CloudGuard Dome9 in PH Sensor, an 8MP AI Super Wide-Angle Camera, and a 5MP Depth camera.

The 32MP Elevating Selfie Camera now also serves as a personal photographer because gone are the days when selfies will only be that, selfies. With the Vivo V15 Pro, travelers can take their photos with the beautiful background. The photo might not look like a selfie shot because it can capture landscapes or even tall buildings.

Before, the panorama feature of phone cameras somehow distorts the image making the photos look like taken with fisheye lens. But what if you just want a normal looking photo of a beach from end to end?

The V15 Pro’s 8MP AI Super Wide-Angle will do the job of having your photograph and the background as well.

One of the most common nuisances among mobile photography enthusiasts is the low-light mode of some smartphones.

Vivo V15 Pro’s AI Super Night Mode

does the trick of shooting a beautiful city skyline. Nothing beats the happiness of a city slicker traveler when he or she is able to shoot an almost perfect night scene with either colorful lights or bokeh.

When a really good photograph is a must-have for a traveler, then a really good camera phone with the latest AI features should be a primary consideration when deciding on what smartphone to buy. Vivo V15 Pro just wants every traveler to eliminate needless worries like missing a good shot. Its design, especially the camera, lenses, and display, is perfectly suited not only for day-to-day photo ops but also for different kinds of travel, so you won’t miss a single shot that captures the joy of traveling.

Limited time offer Those who want to get the Vivo V15 Pro for its AI camera technology are in for a treat as Vivo is also giving away

a set of exclusive perks for those who make advance orders of its latest flagship smartphone.

Customers who pre-order the V15 Pro online until April 11 can score a JBL Clip 3 portable Bluetooth speaker, an extended 6 months phone warranty and can also avail of a screen protection warranty, wherein they will only need to pay P500 to have their damaged or broken screens replaced within 6 months from receiving their pre-ordered units. To pre-order the Vivo V15 Pro today, visit https://vivoglobal.ph/v15preorder/.

PLDT, Smart power GameCon at SMX Convention Center TELECOMMUNICATIONS leader PLDT and wireless unit Smart Communications support anew the local gaming and tech communities at this year’s GameCon gaming and entertainment convention.

The convention highlighted exhibits and competitions on various kinds of gaming, from mobile, PC, and video games to esports, virtual reality, robotics, cosplay, arcade, and tabletop, among other activities. The event also featured a workshop for aspiring game developers.

PLDT Home Fibr and Smart Developer Network empowered over 5,000 attendees by providing strong connectivity during the two-day event, which happened at SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, on April 6 and 7.

“We are now on our third year with GameCon, and this event gets bigger every year. PLDT and Smart continue to support this activity because it is in line with our commitment to help nurture and expand the community of aspiring local gamers and tech developers,” said Smart DevNet senior developer evangelist Paul Pajo.

“Our goal is to be a platform where different gaming communities come together to share their passion. The

cofounder Elaine Cedillo. “At the same time, we want to be a venue where families of all ages can come together and experience different types of play,” she added.

As the country’s leading digital services providers, PLDT and Smart are staunch supporters of the Philippines’ fastgrowing and highly competitive esports programs.

Filipinos are assured of the best gaming experience with PLDT and Smart’s fastest fixed and mobile networks, as recognized by the Ookla, the global leader in internet testing and analysis, and mobile industry analysts Tutela and OpenSignal.

The companies also recently launched their official professional esports team Omega, which will represent PLDTSmart in The Nationals, the country’s first-franchise based esports league featuring DOTA 2 for PC, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang for mobile, and Tekken 7 for PS4.

Smart DevNet is Smart’s developer community program targeted at desktop and mobile developers. It proSmart DevNet senior developer evangelist Paul Pajo takes a motes general awareness of mobile apps development selfie with cosplayers and attendees at GameCon after his talk. and technopreneurship while striving to foster a vibrant local game development industry is continuously grow- developer community in the Philippines by organizing ing, and it needs support from all sectors,” said GameCon and sponsoring tech events and meetups.

CHECK Point® Software Technologies Ltd., a leading provider of cyber security solutions globally, announced its Check Point CloudGuard Dome9 in the Philippines, a cloud service that allows for safer and more manageable cloud deployments for enterprises.

CloudGuard Dome9 is the latest addition to Check Point’s CloudGuard, a comprehensive cloud security portfolio, designed to prevent the latest fifth generation (Gen V), multivector cyberattacks targeting enterprise cloud services. CloudGuard Dome9 is a comprehensive software platform for public cloud security and compliance orchestration. Using Dome9, organizations can visualize and assess their security posture, detect misconfigurations, model and actively enforce security best practices, and protect against identity theft and data loss in the cloud. Dome9 delivers security capabilities across Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP).

“Fifth generation cyber-attacks are increasingly target enterprise cloud environments, and cyber security solution must effectively protect this vector.

The addition of CloudGuard Dome9 to Check Point’s total protection architecture, will enhance our ability to deliver the benefits of Cloud with the critical security that must extend from the networks, endpoints and data centres to the Cloud and Mobile enterprise-wide,” said Zohar Alon, head of cloud product line, Check Point Software Technologies.

“As more and more organizations in Philippines embark on a digital transformation journey, the exposure to attack vectors increases as well. Protecting applications and data on the cloud, even with a multi-cloud environment, should not be complex and CISOs can have full visibility and control” says Evan Dumas, regional director, South East Asia, Check Point Software Technologies.

“We are confident that Check Point’s cloud security solutions, with its unified approach to managing complex and multi-vendor cloud implementations, is the panacea to a secure infrastructure for organizations.”

Acer announces ConceptD for creators ACER launched ConceptD, a new brand of high-end Windows 10 desktops, notebooks, and monitors that are optimized for graphic designers, filmmakers, engineers, architects, developers and other creators.

ConceptD enables designers to get immersed in the creative process and build remarkable things.

“The ConceptD product portfolio was conceived to give creators the tools to focus on the creative process and make beautiful things,” said Jerry Kao, Co-COO, Acer Inc. “As the foundation of a full line of creator products, we’ve designed PCs with highperformance processors and graphics that can handle extreme workloads, and put them inside quiet, minimalist designs to inspire creators to unleash their creativity.”

ConceptD Timeless Design as a Blank Canvas ConceptD high-end desktops and notebooks come in a gorgeous, timeless design, featuring pure-white or matte-black finishes, with amber-colored keyboard backlighting, and a clean and thought-out design aesthetic that lets creative professions focus on the design process.

ConceptD High-end Desktops with NVIDIA Graphics for the Enterprise Studio The ConceptD 900 and 500 high-end desktops feature a range of NVIDIA GPUs up to the Quadro RTX™ 6000, enabling high-end visual effects rendering, complex 3D modeling, simulations, as well as AI and deep learning development. The high core count brings load times down and

multitasking to the extreme while achieving enterprise-class reliability, stability, and security. NVIDIA’s latest Creator Ready Drivers bring enhanced app support and performance for studio applications such as Autodesk® Arnold, Unreal Engine and REDCINE-X PRO®, accelerating creator workflows for video editors, graphics designers, animators and 3D artists, photographers and broadcasters alike.

ConceptD 900—A Creator’s Dream Machine The ConceptD 900 is a high-performance desktop for professionals running multiple complex and demanding applications. Featuring dual Intel® Xeon® Gold 6148 processors with up to 40 cores, and 80 threads, an NVIDIA Quadro RTX 6000 GPU, and 12 memory slots for a total of up to 192GB1 of ECC memory, it’s perfect for filmmakers, animators, product designers, and architects to get lost in the creative process without worrying about long render times. The ConceptD 900 is also ideal for AI and deep learning developers that need outstanding computing and graphics power. Creative professionals can work with more flexibility with up to two onboard M.2 PCIe slots, plus the efficient chassis design holds up to five storage bays with RAID 0/1-capable drives. Users can expand with extra onboard three PCIe x8 and four PCIe x16 slots.

The ConceptD 900 stays cool while running compute-intensive applications such as rendering and video production through a thermal design that uses six cooling fans to

The draw air in through the triangular patterned front air panel, circulating it throughout the C o n chassis. The ConceptD 900 features a wiry ceptD 500 matte-black metal chassis with an amber is an exLED accent on the power button for a sleek pandable desktop deprofessional look appreciated by minimalists. signed to grow with users to meet ever-changing ConceptD 500—Performance workload requirements.

Desktop for Designers The ConceptD 500 is a powerful desktop With four DIMM slots for for filmmakers, animators, product designers, up to 64GB 2666 MHz DDR4 and creators who want to bring their work memory, it has more bandwidth and ConceptD 5 to the professional level. It features up to capacity for fast performance when working CN515-51 9th Gen Intel® Core™ processors and on complex design tasks. The onboard PCIe GPUs including up to the NVIDIA Quadro M.2 NVMe SSD allows for large models and when not in use.

RTX 4000 GPUs1 to make workloads and complex 3D rendering in real time.

ConceptD Series Silenced Notebooks Optimal thermal ventilation through multi-media creation smoother and faster for Inspiring Creativity on complex projects so users can focus on three cooling fans draw air in through the ConceptD 9, 7, and 5 creator notebooks triangular front air panel, the creative process. circulating it throughout the feature the ConceptD timeless design, and Powered by the ConceptD 500’s chassis. And 4K UHD IPS PANTONE® Validated dislatest 9th Gen Inplays. Covering 100 percent yet, at a noise level of 40dB, tel® Core™ i9-9900K of the Adobe® RGB color it is still silent enough to be processor with 8 cores, 16 gamut, creators can be sure unobtrusive. threads and reaching up to that their colors are as accurate The ConceptD 5GHz, creator tools and as possible. With a wide color 500’s tower feaprojects run gamut, displays achieve an tures a white finish faster, smoother, impressive color accuracy of and smooth curves and more stably as low as Delta E <1. These for a minimalist-inspired on the ConceptD 500. Its ConceptD 9 CN917-71 creator notebooks stay quiet design. The compact tower multiple CPU cores achieve with Acer’s 4th gen AeroBlade™ high single-core speed while staying cool with fits in almost any working space, and 3D Fan with a noise reduction low heat output and low power consumption. the top-side features a woodgrainConceptD 500 mechanism that emits less than With GPUs including up to the NVIDIA inspired pattern. Customers can CT500-51A 40 db of noise—equivalent to Quadro RTX 4000 GPUs1, it supports four fast-charge modern Qi-compatible the sound level of a library— 5K displays (5120x2880 @ 60Hz) with devices wirelessly, and the headset cradle HDR color, making visual effects, motion uses a thoughtful push pop-out design that while maintaining high computing and graphics, and animation rendering a breeze. gives the freedom to use and tuck it away graphics performance.

Sports

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

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TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

Painters eye solid 3-0 edge; Hotshots try to stay alive

By Jeric Lopez

Tiger back on top with Masters’ win

Tiger Woods of the United States celebrates after sinking his putt on the 18th green to win during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. AFP

Thai pulls ahead as darkness halts play TARLAC—Thai Namchok Tantipokhakul came out of a two-hour rain delay in fierce form then came back from a bogey mishap with back-to-back birdies at the finish to shoot a five-under 65 and seize the clubhouse lead over unheralded Enrico Gallardo at the start of the ICTSI Luisita Championship here yesterday.

Gallardo came through with a fourunder card after 10 holes then settled for pars the rest of the way to settle for second as the first round of the $100,000 event was stopped due to darkness following a two-hour delay due to heavy rains and threats of lightning.

But Choo Tze Huang could wrest the lead at resumption of play early today (Tuesday) after the former Singapore amateur titlist fired a bogey-free fiveunder card with three holes to play.

Korean Kim Dae Won also had a fourunder card and Keanu Jahns went threeunder after 15 holes while Aussie Fidel Concepcion, Swede Sebastian Hansson and CAT Open champion James Ryan Lam and Mars Pucay all had two-under cards after 15 holes.

Tantipokhakul, coming off a joint sixth place effort in the Solaire Philippine Open two weeks ago, flashed superb touch off the mound then bucked the softened fairways with a near-impeccable iron game to produce six birdies against a lone bogey for a 33-34 card under preferred lies rule.

“I played solid and putted very well,” said Tantipokhakul, who missed just three fairways and two greens while anchoring his superb opening round bid with 25 putts. “Not bothered by wet conditions. It’s actually good for long hitters like me.”

Tantipokhakul gunned down birdies on Nos. 3, 5 and 9 at resumption to outclass flightmates defending champion David Gleeson of Australia and local ace Juvic Pagunsan in one of the featured flights in the $100,000 event put up by ICTSI. The 34-year-old power hitter from Chonburi birdied No. 12 then bounced back from a missed green bogey on the 14th with birdies on Nos. 16 and the difficult par-3 17th inside 10 feet.

Gleeson, who nipped Erwin Arcillas on the third playoff hole to nail his breakthrough win last year, hit three birdies but fumbled with the same number of bogeys while Pagunsan, seeking to atone for his missed cut stint in the Phl Open after dominating the PGT Asia Riviera leg last month, recovered from a double-bogey misadventure on No. 7 with birdies on the next and on No. 16 as the duo joined a big bunch of even par scorers but five shots off Tantipokhakul.

Jay Bayron checked a rollercoaster two birdie-two bogey game with three straight birdies from No. 13 but missed moving closer to or catching up with Tantipokhakul with flubbed birdies in the last three holes. He turned in a 36-33, the same nines put in by American Lexus Keoninh while Natthapong Niyomchon blew a solid backside 31 with two bogeys at the front to drop to Bayron’s group.

A

UGUSTA—Tiger Woods is still a game-changer.

And now the player who transformed golf with his first Masters title in 1997 is a major champion again after 11 years marked by personal turmoil and injuries that threatened not only his career but his prospects of living an ordinary life.

Woods expanded the sport’s reach as no one before him.

The sight of Woods, clad in power red and fist-pumping as the putts dropped, inspired a generation of golfers and launched millions of dollars worth of endorsement campaigns.

At 25, he became the first man to hold the US Open, British Open, PGA Championship and Masters titles at the same time, a feat dubbed the “Tiger Slam” when he completed it at Augusta National in 2001.

In 2002 he emulated Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus in winning back-to-back Masters.

In 2008, grimacing in pain with nearly every step, he beat Rocco Mediate in a playoff to win the US Open and despite ever increasing injury troubles his 14th major title appeared to have him within comfortable reach of Nicklaus’s record of 18.

But in November of 2009, a bizarre car accident outside his Florida home unearthed a series of infidelities that would destroy his marriage.

As sponsors began to flee, Woods took an “indefinite break from professional golf” to get his life together.

He returned, penitent, in 2010, but it would take until 2013 before he returned to the summit of the world rankings.

One year on he was battling back trouble that would relegate him to the sidelines for extended periods.

“I had serious doubts after what transpired a couple of years ago,” Woods said when asked if he ever wondered if he would win another major—or even resume his career. “I could barely walk. I couldn’t sit. Couldn’t lay down. I really couldn’t do much of anything.”

He underwent a last resort spinal fusion operation in April of 2017.

A month later he found himself tabloid fodder again when he was arrested after falling asleep at the wheel under the influence of several drugs he took to combat pain.

Eventually, however, the procedure proved a success, Woods saying it “gave me a chance at having a normal life”.

‘Another Chance’ “I was very fortunate to be given another chance to do something that I love to do,” Woods said.

“But more importantly, I’ve been able to participate in my kids’ lives in a way that I couldn’t for a number of years ... now I’m starting to be able to play with them and do things in their sports. That’s

something I always missed.”

Golf missed him, too.

The excitement that greeted his return to the PGA Tour in 2018 only grew as his game improved, his presence in a tournament guaranteed to boost attendance and television coverage.

The “Tiger Effect” persisted, despite past scandal and current uncertainties, with pundits and fellow pros noting that Woods “moved the needle” like no other player.

As his comeback season in 2018 progressed, Woods contended in two majors and finally won again, at the US PGA Tour Championship in September.

“I felt if I could somehow piece this together that I still had the hands to do it,” Woods said.

“The body’s not the same as it was a long time ago, but I still have good hands.”

After he sank his winning putt on Sunday—letting out a roar of release as he raised club and fist to the sky—fans began chanting “Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!”

Augusta National officials had scrapped the usual 18th-green presentation of the green jacket, wanting to clear the course before expected severe weather moved in.

But even the weather bowed to Woods— the storms held off, the fans stayed put and finally saw the jacket slipped over his shoulders for a fifth time.

“Incredible,” said Brooks Koepka, who finished tied for second behind Woods. “I mean, I think we all knew it was going to come ... as a fan, just of golf and of Tiger, it’s very special.” AFP

Best Center opens new sports venues THE multi-awarded Best Center opens a new venue for its basketball and volleyball clinics from April 21 to May 26.

The historical Bamboo Organ Church will also serve as the backdrop to the clinics when the St. Joseph’s Academy in Las Pinas welcomes basketball students in Preparatory Level and Level, and the volleyball students in Level 1.

The Las Pinas clinics sponsored by Milo, and supported by Rain or Shine, Chris Sports and SKLZ are from 8 a.m.12 noon each Sunday of the duration.

Volleyball classes at the Ateneo college covered courts on Wednesday (April 17), meanwhile, are postponed to give way to a school activity.

For details, call 372-3065 and 4116260 or connect to bestcenter.inqujiry@gmail.com, or facebook at bestcentersports inc.

PHL BMX BETS SHINE IN ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. Up-and-coming Patrick Coo (right) displays his two gold medals in the Men Junior and C1 events and Incheon Asian Games champion and London Olympian Daniel Caluag (left) shows his silver medal in Men’s C1 they won at the Asian BMX Championships in Kuala Lumpur, with PhilCycling President and Tagaytay City Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino personally overseeing their performances. Caluag finished fourth in the Men’s Race after skidding in the first corner of the track. Both Caluag and Coo are based in the US.

ON THE brink of a commanding series lead, Rain or Shine looks to step harder on the gas pedal when it goes for a 3-0 lead over stumbling Magnolia in their best-of-seven semifinal affair in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. The Elasto Painters gun for the near-insurmountable cushion as they look to slay the Hotshots for the third straight time in Game 3 at 7 p.m. today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum before the league takes several days off in observance of the Holy Week.

Rain or Shine wants no signs of complacency as it looks to push Magnolia on the brink.

“We are where we want to be at this stage,” said Painters coach Caloy Garcia. “We’re in a good position but the job is not complete so we need to keep our focus.”

In Game 2, the Rain or Shine bench mob took center stage as it lead the Painters to another smooth victory over the ailing Hotshots.

The collective efforts of Norbert Torres, Ed Daquioag, Javee Mocon, Mark Borboran and Kris Rosales fueled the Painters in their impressive 93-80 rout of the Hotshots Sunday night.

Rain or Shine veteran gunner James Yap expects his teammates to once again answer the call as they look to close in on a finals berth.

“Alam nila na sa semifinals, kailangan ready at magtulungan lahat para mai-panalo namin,” said Yap. “Kailangan ulit namin lahat para makalapit kami sa finals.”

For its part, Magnolia is looking to regain its success from the quarterfinals.

Arcilla seeks repeat in PPS Umali Cup JOHNNY Arcilla exudes confidence as he sets out for his title-retention drive against a crack field toughened up by the presence of a slew of young guns ready to prove their worth in the PPSPEPP Gov. Alfonso Umali Cup Tennis Championship firing off today (Tuesday, April 16) at the Bahaghari Tennis Club in Oriental Mindoro.

Arcilla bested fellow Davis Cupper and doubles partner Jeson Patrombon, 6-3, 6-4, to reign here last year but the veteran campaigner braces for a tough campaign this time given the depth of the 32-player men’s field clashing for the top P40,000 purse in the week-long event held in conjunction with the Pinamalayan Festival celebrations.

Patrombon gains the top seeding with Arcilla at No. 2 but the likes of Leander Lazaro, Mark Alcoseba, Noel Damian, Deo Talatayod, Fritz Verdad and Rodolfo Barquin, Kim Saraza and John Mari Altiche are going all out to spring a surprise or two against the field’s top guns in what promises to be a thrilling battle of power and endurance.

Also on tap in the event sponsored by Gov. Umali and the provincial government of Oriental Mindoro is the doubles competition with the Arcilla-Patrombon tandem looming as the team to beat with the Alcoseba-Damian, Lazaro-Verdad and Joseph Arcilla-Talatayod pairs raring to foil the fancied team’s bid in the event serving as part of the nationwide, year-long circuit Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro and presented by Dunlop.

The Umali Cup Open also comes on the heels of the twin staging of junior tournaments in Oriental Mindoro and Pangasinan sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of PPSPEPP, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg as part of PPS-PEPP’s talent-search.

Go for Gold riders brace for Asian Cycling Championships THE Go For Gold Philippines Continental Team is focused on developing its young riders in preparation for bigger races ahead.

Some of these promising Go For Gold cyclists will be tested in the forthcoming Asian Road Cycling Championships 2019 on April 23-28 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Ismael Grospe Jr. and Daniel Ven Carino will spearhead the country’s under-23 squad together with Joshua Mari Bonifacio while Ean Cajucom, Efren Reyes Jr. and Marc Ryan Lago are the talented bets in the junior road race. ``I believe that this group is even more talented than our last group, so I have the expectation that they will surpass our experience last year,’’ said Go For Gold godfather Jeremy Go. Carino is also scheduled to race in

the junior individual time trial event with Lago.

Reyes, Grospe and Carino gamely showed a glimpse of their potential on the scorching roads of Filinvest City in Alabang in a well-planned race during the recent PRUride Criterium 2019. ``From the start, we are really focused on developing our riders for the future of Philippine cycling,’’ said Go For Gold project director Ednalyn Hualda.

According to Hualda, the Go For Gold riders are bound for more international races after the ACC as they aim to earn a shot at qualifying to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

Other members of the squad are team captain Ronnel Hualda, Jay Lampawog, Rex Luis Krog, Ronnilan Quita, Elmer Navarro, Jericho Jay Lucero and Boots Ryan Cayubit.

Go for Gold riders: Ready for big races ahead

Aside from cycling, Go For Gold already has a stable of champions in skateboarder Margielyn Didal, the Philippine dragonboat team from the Philippine Canoe-Kayak Dragonboat Federation and reigning Southeast Asian Games men’s

triathlon champion Nikko Huelgas.

Go For Gold is also backing the national athletes from wrestling, sepak takraw, the Philippine Air Force volleyball squad and the San Juan Knights in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

IN BRIEF NLEX to spend P400m for SCTEx expansion

NLEX Corp. is spending P400 million this year to expand the capacity of Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway.

The company, which operates SCTEX, said it would build more lanes in Clark South A and South B exits; Clark North entry and exit; San Miguel northbound entry and exit; and Tarlac entry and exit.

NLEX said the construction would start on July 1 this year and be completed

by November this year .

The construction of the Bamban Interchange, which will link the expressway to New Clark City, is also ongoing in time for country’s hosting of the Southeast Asian Games.

The Bases Conversion and Development Authority and NLEX earlier implemented several enhancement projects along the 94-kilometer SCTEX. The projects include the NLEX-SCTEX integration in 2016, which reduced toll collection stops and improved travel time of motorists, the expansion of Tipo Toll Plaza and Mabiga Interchange, and the pavement rehabilitation of the entire expressway. Darwin G Amojelar

Business

Marinduque airport resumes operations

THE Marinduque Airport has resumed commercial service with the completed rehabilitation of its Passenger Terminal Building and extended runway after six years since halting operations.

“In making the Filipino life comfortable, as instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte, I want the farthest regions and the farthest provinces to be connected with one another, and integrated to Metro Manila,” said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.

Operating since 2010, the Marinduque Airport had its last regular commercial flight before its rehabilitation in May 2013. the mprovements include the replacement of accordion walls with glass walls, and The terminal’s installation of air conditioning units, CCTV cameras and X-ray machines, making for a more convenient, safe and secure airport facility.

A more efficient runway comes into play with the completion of a concreting project on November 9, 2018. The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines extended the usable length from what was previously 1,400 meters of asphalt runway into a 1,534-meter concrete airstrip that will allow the airport to accommodate turbo prop aircraft such as ATR and Q400. Darwin G. Amojelar

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

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By Julito G. Rada

NEW CLARK GANGWAY. Passengers pass through the newly-opened and renovated Domestic Arrival Gangway leading to the baggage claim area of Clark International Airport Domestic Arrival Terminal. Developed through funds allocated by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, the gangway provides a more convenient and safer passageway for arriving passengers of domestic flights.

PCC approves investment of Ayala in Phinma Energy

By Othel V. Campos

T

HE Philippine Competition Commission said Monday it cleared the acquisition of a 68.45-percent stake in Phinma Energy Corp. by Ayala Group’s AC Energy Inc. “Upon the review of the findings and recommendation of the Mergers and Acquisitions Office and the parties’ submissions, the commission finds that the proposed acquisition by AC Energy of shares in Phen will not likely result in the substantial lessening of competition,” PCC said in a decision dated April 11.

The transaction involves the acquisition by AC Energy of the shares of stock of Phinma Corp. and Philippine Invest-

ment Management Inc.in Phinma Energy and a subscription by AC Energy to new common shares. This would result in AC Energy’s ownership of 68.45 percent of Phinma Energy.

Ayala Corp. announced in January this year AC Energy signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Phinma Energy for P3.42 billion. AC Energy said it would acquire Phinma’s combined 51.48-percent stake in Phinma Energy via a secondary share sale.

The Ayala unit signed the agreement with Phinma Corp. and Philippine Investment Management Inc. “Phinma was one of our early partners when Ayala was new to the power sector. This partnership has prospered over the last eight years and we welcome the opportunity to now integrate Phinma Energy into AC Energy’s platform as we grow our presence in the power generation sector,” Ayala Corp. chairman and chief executive Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said in a statement

in January.

Phinma owns 1,283,422,198 common shares in Phinma Energy while Phinma Inc. owns another 1,233,642,502 common shares. AC Energy also subscribed to 2,632,000,000 new common shares of Phinma Energy.

PCC said it found no competition issues arising from the transaction because the competitive constraints were from other players in the markets for power generation for bilateral contracts and the provision of Retail Electricity Supply services in Luzon and Visayas.

The antitrust body said the transaction would not significantly strengthen the ability or incentive of the merged firm to engage in customer or input foreclosure.

It said that based on its merger review involving the power sector, the transaction would not substantially increase the likelihood that the said power companies would engage in anti-competitive coordinated behavior with other power generators.

Razon’s Prime Infra submits Wawa Dam study to MWSS head PRIME Metroline Infrastructure Holdings Corp., the infrastructure company led by businessman Enrique Razon Jr., and Manila Water Co. presented to Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System administrator Reynaldo Velasco on April 15 the results of their joint technical study on the Wawa water supply project.

The technical study was aimed at sorting out the best technical scheme, considering cost, risks, timeline and maximization of water supply source, Prime Infra said in a statement.

Prime Infra laid down an aggressive plan to ensure water supply security in Manila Water’s service area with more than 500 million liters per day of new water source, accelerate water availability by immediately delivering 80 MLD by 2021 and provide operational flexibility and reliability to bring water where it is needed most.

“We are excited to present the project for approval of the MWSS board on April 23 and get things going immediately,” said Prime Infra president and chief operating officer Guillaume Lucci.

“We hope to break ground by 2020’s dry season so we can deliver first water by 2021. At its full capacity, the project will boost Manila Water’s current available water supply by about 30 percent,” said Lucci.

Prime Infra said that with the leadership and strong commitment of administrator Velasco, the project was expected to be fast-tracked for the new water source for Metro Manila and Rizal province.

The Wawa water supply project is among the priority projects presented and committed to President Rodrigo Duterte to address the current water supply deficit and ensure future water supply security.

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

OFW money rose to $2.3b in February

PAP urges more oil and gas explorations

THE Petroleum Association of the Philippines is pushing for the exploration and utilization of indigenous fuels in the hopes of finding another Malampaya gas field to address future security of supply and avert possible brownouts.

PAP chairman Rufino Bomasang said the rotating brownouts affecting parts of Luzon and Metro due to thin reserves highlighted the urgent need for the country to ensure energy security or self-sufficiency of power supply.

“The recent spate of brownouts underscores the need for our country to focus on energy security or our self-sufficiency in energy by being able to draw from our own power stores instead of relying on global markets,” said Bomasang.

“But there’s no need to look far,” he added. “We have existing indigenous energy at our disposal, such as what we draw from the Malampaya gas field in northwest Palawan. Since natural gas is an indigenous energy, it also helps in energy security,” he said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

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

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION. Testech Inc. president and chief operating officer Elmer Lapeña (left) talks about the Philippine electronics manufacturing industry at the panel covering the digital transformation of Southeast Asia towards Industry 4.0 during the Asean Forum in Hannover, Germany.

Ecozone developers asked to build commercial, housing areas THE Philippine Economic Zone Authority asked economic zone developers to provide a complete package including designated areas for commercial and residential components.

Peza director-general Charito Plaza said the agency would carry out the new concept starting with the construction of new eco-industrial parks, smart and green ecozone townships and redevelopment of existing public ecozones with remaining idle lands.

“Integrated ecozones are already a requirement for applicants on ecozone development and existing ecozones will be transformed into this integrated ecozone concept towards building townships,” said Plaza.

Before the new concept of integrated development, Peza focused on develop-

ing sites solely as production areas or for plants and factories.

Plaza said the plan was to start with the four public ecozones in Rosario, Cavite; Baguio City; Mactan, Cebu; and Bataan. These areas are currently under review to find out if there are available land for commercial and residential spaces.

“These four Peza ecozones will now be redesigned and re-planned to comply with the new concept. Township is where locators and workers can work, live, learn and play hence, we encourage huge lands as economic zones and become future smart towns or digital cities, creating new metropolitan areas in every region,” Plaza said.

Peza is finalizing the Philippine Economic Zones Map to be launched

during the Peza Investors’ Night on April 30, 2019 where inputs such as the integration concept will be included.

The map is a guide for the government to determine the suitable sites for the different types of economic zones.

Peza also plans to add two public economic zones per region or about 36 in the next five years.

Peza deputy director-general Tereso Panga said several multilateral agencies such as the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the UN Development Program were doing their share to help Peza realize its vision for lowcarbon, energy-efficient and sustainable ecozones that are comparable to those of advanced economies.

Othel V. Campos

MONEY sent home by Filipinos working overseas increased 1.5 percent in February to $2.3 billion from $2.27 billion a year ago, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Monday.

Data showed the 1.5-percent expansion was the slowest in six months since the 0.9-percent decline in August 2018.

The amount brought cash remittances coursed through banks to $4.78 billion in the two-month period, an increase of 3 percent from $4.65 billion recorded in the same period last year.

“This growth was supported by the increase in remittances from both land-based [$3.73 billion] and sea-based [$1.06 billion] workers, which rose by 1.0 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively,” Diokno said in a statement.

The United States was the top source of remittances in the period at 35.5 percent of the total. It was followed by Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Canada, Qatar, Hong Kong and Germany.

The combined remittances from these countries accounted for 77.3 percent of the total in the two-month period.

Personal remittances, which include non-cash items, also rose 1.2 percent in February to $2.56 billion from $2.53 billion in February 2018. This brought the cumulative remittances in the first two months to $5.30 billion, up 2.3 percent yearon-year.

Personal remittances from sea-based and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year rose 8.5 percent to $570 million in February 2019 from $530 million in February 2018.

“This compensated for the 0.43-percent decline in the personal remittances from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more, to $1.93 billion from $1.94 billion,” Diokno said.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said despite the slower growth in February, overseas Filipino remittance flows remained at a healthy pace.

Credit ratings upgrade for PH possible this year THE Philippines can expect another credit ratings upgrade sooner than later from global rating agencies amid the country’s robust economic growth and strong external position, backed by the government’s ongoing reforms especially in the area of taxation, an economist said Monday.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said given its strong external position despite the possible global slowdown, the Philippines could look forward to a possible ratings upgrade as economic growth remained relatively robust.

“Given the dynamics akin to the Philippines, with aces in the form of steady overseas Filipino remittances and BPO receipts, the Philippines remains more insulated than regional peers even in light of the possible trade war,” Mapa said in a report.

“If the government can help support the growth momentum and at the same time ensure the infrastructure buildup continues, we can expect ratings agencies to take notice sooner rather than later,” Mapa said.

The Department of Finance earlier said there was a possibility that the Philippines would be granted another ratings upgrade in the near term with the country showing signs of resilience in the face of global headwinds.

The agency mentioned the ongoing tax reforms and the possible changes to bank secrecy law as key to getting the nod.

The Philippines currently enjoys investment grade ratings from Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings.

Latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that gross international reserves rose to $83.2 billion as of end-March 2019 from $82.78 billion in February. Julito G. Rada

B2

Business

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Stock market tumbles; PNB dips T HE stock market fell Monday as the budget impasse lingers and on concerns it will restrict economic growth this year.

The Philippine Stock Exchange dropped 92.84 points, or 1.2 percent, to P7,787.98 on a value turnover of P7.9 billion. Losers beat gainers, 107 to 87, with 47 issues unchanged.

The country’s economic managers earlier warned that growth in the gross domestic product would slow down with a re-enacted budget.

Philippine National Bank, the fifthbiggest lender in terms of assets, slumped 5.6 percent to P53.50, while conglomerate San Miguel Corp. declined 4.2 percent to P173.70.

Universal Robina Corp., the largest

snack food maker, lost 3.6 percent to P151.40, while Puregold Price Club Inc. of retail tycoon Lucio Co also fell 3.6 percent to P46.

The rest of Asian markets were mixed Monday, with an early rally in some cities pared, though investors remain upbeat thanks to a healthy start to the US earnings season and hopes for China-US trade talks.

Traders raced out of the blocks as they put last week’s stutter behind them, boosted by data last week showing a sharp jump in credit growth in China as easing measures kick in, while exports beat expectations and inflation perked up.

New York’s three main indexes provided a positive lead after Wall Street titan JP Morgan recorded a pick-up in profits, suggesting the economy remains in rude health and fuelling optimism for

upcoming corporate reports.

“The environment of easier financial conditions is beginning to have an impact on the broader economy,” Binay Chandgothia at Principal Global Investors told Bloomberg TV. “If that is the case and growth does pick up, you’ll see an uptick in analyst expectations and earnings as well, which should help continue the rally.”

Tokyo added 1.4 percent, Singapore and Sydney were flat, while Wellington added 0.8 percent. Seoul, Mumbai, Taipei and Jakarta were also higher.

However, profit-takers stepped in as the day wore on, leading Hong Kong and Shanghai to end with losses, while Singapore also suffered a sell-off. Investors are now looking ahead to the release of Chinese growth figures Wednesday.

Investors were back in a buying mood after last week’s gyrations that

came on the back of concerns about a possible new trade war between the US and the European Union as Donald Trump threatened to hit the bloc with tariffs over subsidies to aviation giant Airbus.

Buying was also being supported by comments from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said at the weekend that he was “hopeful we’re getting close to the final round of concluding issues” on the China trade talks.

The remarks were picked up as another positive sign that the trade war between the world’s top two economies, which helped hammer global markets last year, could be nearing an end.

The International Monetary Fund said the world economy should start to bounce back towards the end of the year, as long as China and the US resolve their differences. With AFP

MANILA STANDARD BUSINESS DAILY STOCKS REVIEW MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2019

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

FINANCIALS 58.6 6,650 80.7 1,987,080 2.16 24,000 132.2 1,524,720 1.3 8,000 26.9 46,800 19 23,600 11.82 835,500 4.5 27,000 1.43 66,000 824.5 10 0.45 290,000 77 2,849,710 0.92 97,000 13.56 25,600 53.5 3,834,030 181.5 360 57.4 640 25.9 2,200 177.6 231,490 1,800 170 61.8 2,910 1.14 21,000

389,683.50 161,035,201 52,010 201,913,137 10,400 1,256,690 448,940 9,959,190 122,050 91,680 8,245 134,200 223,243,138 90,440 349,178 198,530,157.50 66,165 37,048 57,080 41,149,031 306,000 178,775 23,750

351,600 -33,343,452 2,190 -46,197,360 -35,165 95,000 -575,600 4,700 -91,629,670 -46,000 6,850 -14,026,067.50 -29,000 2,590 -15,836,638 -28 -

35.5 16 0.96 1.43 0.242 89.4 1.82 15.5 108.2 28.9 46.1 1.94 5.23 5.7 11.54 15.74 9.78 7.25 1.59 21.6 81.25 29.9 2.7 10.96 12.8 1.74 305.8 3.84 3.69 10.28 23.15 14.6 21 378.2 0.19 5.96 1.2 4.4 6.42 9.15 1.61 11.62 45.55 5.2 4.5 1.69 2.18 1.31 12.6 110.8 7.45 0.128 1.02 151.4 1.7 1.16

INDUSTRIAL 35.5 642,000 16.14 479,000 0.97 2,604,000 1.46 380,000 0.247 660,000 97 50 1.82 27,542,000 15.6 2,644,400 108.2 100 29.4 47,700 47.45 79,200 1.94 262,000 5.23 2,400 5.8 28,200 11.58 1,860,100 15.84 254,700 9.8 5,683,500 7.31 222,600 1.59 3,000 21.85 458,100 81.95 70,430 29.9 64,900 2.74 5,466,000 11.02 2,344,800 12.8 427,800 1.81 157,000 310 1,037,610 3.84 103,000 3.7 30,000 10.28 10,700 23.15 282,900 14.82 1,171,700 21.05 963,300 380 121,770 0.19 70,000 6.35 4,800 1.26 36,223,000 4.58 459,000 6.48 1,171,800 9.15 1,000 1.64 39,643,000 11.94 512,900 45.55 1,434,500 5.25 88,800 4.5 3,000 1.69 68,000 2.18 121,000 1.35 1,491,000 12.8 279,900 112.7 4,404,170 7.45 799,300 0.128 1,030,000 1.03 286,000 151.4 583,540 1.72 1,697,000 1.19 2,751,000

23,002,895 7,707,958 2,538,590 551,360 160,770 4,546 51,717,510 41,469,246 10,820 1,396,715 3,761,850 511,390 12,552 164,445 21,609,114 4,041,914 55,984,774 1,616,569 5,020 9,945,020 5,780,466.50 1,950,830 14,962,740 25,818,030 5,519,086 281,340 320,423,108 395,520 110,950 110,056 6,578,125 17,332,518 20,384,350 46,386,406 13,300 28,697 46,297,050 2,072,560 7,587,626 9,150 65,316,210 6,079,580 66,588,845 464,620 13,600 114,920 266,720 2,022,550 3,575,090 493,301,711 5,999,665 131,880 295,180 89,320,969 2,915,730 3,250,020

-17,019,950.00 934,092 2,900 73,200 -5,301,550 630,454 -270,045 0 -96,060 2,917,828 -42,173,035 -1,071,937 1,740 2,576,235.00 -309,368.50 -212,340 -4,871,184.00 -428,252 -135,501,712 2,088 341,130 6,593,038 -4,886,210 -27,975,938 13,322,040 -45,000 -412,252 -1,579,920 244,230 49,599,690 -9,360 -13,600 -13,500 472,610 -18,575,157 2,277 -24,412,471 49,590 19,220.00

0.56 59 15.4 0.8 6.5 20 1.44 1.44 919 7.68 12.32 15.1 0.24 875 7.14 63.4 5.07 0.52 5.25 16.26 0.58 4.66 2.75 0.04 2.99 184 945 1.02 1.36 600 269 0.248 0.38

0.54 56 14.88 0.76 6.5 19.46 1.39 1.42 908 7.55 11.9 14.72 0.233 857 6.95 61.3 5.07 0.5 5.15 15.62 0.55 4.55 2.75 0.038 2.94 173.7 922.5 0.93 1.32 505.5 269 0.236 0.37

HOLDING FIRMS 0.56 2,069,000 56 1,215,110 14.98 11,692,200 0.78 430,000 6.5 151,100 19.9 29,600 1.4 2,007,000 1.42 1,315,000 908 206,780 7.6 531,700 11.9 2,033,200 15 544,400 0.239 260,000 857 110,780 6.95 99,900 61.3 730,170 5.07 3,000 0.52 122,000 5.15 1,136,800 15.62 4,610,500 0.58 111,000 4.55 19,162,000 2.75 10,000 0.039 11,500,000 2.95 988,000 173.7 624,860 922.5 166,070 1.01 3,418,000 1.36 20,000 598 6,290 269 30 0.245 580,000 0.375 9,500,000

1,130,020 70,022,381.50 176,489,632 331,520 982,150 578,188 2,826,780 1,880,730 188,673,910 4,056,697 24,420,100 8,133,226 61,340 95,679,505 703,899 45,199,579.50 15,210 61,040 5,873,351 73,003,920 61,350 87,802,040 27,500 445,100 2,920,490 111,104,091 153,791,640 3,331,060 26,840 3,672,950 8,070 140,310 3,574,750

-112,750 -43,438,237.50 -2,165,198 -106,260 585,650 1,634,490 -19,888,030 631,924 -14,875,324.00 -2,043,470 -65,290,495 354,339 -13,344,274 -601,516 -36,914,420 55,550 -54,387,070 442,500 -2,103,225 -118,173,415 128,340 1,489,935 2,690 -71,750

13.28 0.78 0.82 46.9 2.53 4.33 0.53 0.87 0.9 0.244 0.395 11.98 24 0.52 0.124 1.53 1.4 4.86 5.79 0.36 0.53 1.84 0.435

12.8 0.76 0.78 46.4 2.47 4.21 0.49 0.8 0.9 0.24 0.385 10.98 23.4 0.5 0.124 1.51 1.33 4.72 5.68 0.34 0.5 1.7 0.42

32,604,186 26,210 1,607,010 1,184,186,390 4,860,910 1,571,350 26,074,110 174,990 68,400 237,640 429,350 17,582,080 15,649,095 397,540 1,240 28,541,060 6,999,420 24,160 82,947,440 7,127,050 518,340 3,767,070 29,550

-14,515,978 11,700 141,463,895 -737,360 -151,000 61,350 39,500 -117,376 -893,240 -7,151,300 301,200 18,947,205 69,000 40,000 -26,980 -

NAME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

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

58.65 82.7 2.19 132.3 1.3 26.7 19 12.08 4.55 1.39 824.5 0.45 77.95 0.95 13.7 53 182.8 58.6 26 178 1,800 60.9 1.13

58.65 82.7 2.23 133.4 1.3 27.25 19.1 12.1 4.56 1.43 824.5 0.47 79.5 0.95 13.7 53.5 186.9 58.6 26 178.3 1,800 61.95 1.14

58.5 80.7 2.16 131.7 1.3 26.7 18.9 11.8 4.43 1.37 824.5 0.45 77 0.92 13.54 49.3 181.1 57.4 25.9 177 1,800 60.9 1.13

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

36.3 16.04 0.96 1.44 0.244 89.4 1.95 15.74 108.2 29.4 47.5 1.95 5.23 5.92 11.6 15.9 9.78 7.25 1.74 21.8 82.35 30 2.81 11.02 13.06 1.77 310 3.84 3.69 10.56 23.3 15 21 378.4 0.19 6.42 1.38 4.4 6.45 9.15 1.66 11.66 45.95 5.2 4.6 1.69 2.26 1.33 12.6 112 7.56 0.129 1.05 157 1.74 1.23

36.3 16.14 0.99 1.46 0.248 97 1.98 15.8 108.2 29.4 47.5 1.99 5.23 6 11.76 15.96 9.9 7.31 1.74 21.85 82.95 31 2.81 11.1 13.08 1.82 312 3.84 3.7 10.56 23.45 15 21.5 384.8 0.19 6.42 1.4 4.58 6.56 9.15 1.68 11.94 47.5 5.25 4.6 1.69 2.26 1.39 13 115 7.6 0.129 1.06 159 1.74 1.23

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

0.54 59 15.38 0.8 6.5 19.56 1.43 1.44 915 7.67 12.1 15.04 0.24 870 6.95 62.4 5.07 0.52 5.25 16.14 0.55 4.62 2.75 0.039 2.94 181.4 945 0.95 1.36 505.5 269 0.236 0.375

8990 HLDG A BROWN ARTHALAND CORP AYALA LAND BELLE CORP CEB LANDMASTERS CENTURY PROP CITY AND LAND CITYLAND DEVT CROWN EQUITIES CYBER BAY DM WENCESLAO DOUBLEDRAGON EMPIRE EAST EVER GOTESCO FILINVEST LAND GLOBAL ESTATE KEPPEL PROP MEGAWORLD MRC ALLIED PHIL ESTATES PHIL INFRADEV PHIL REALTY

13 0.78 0.78 46.4 2.48 4.31 0.53 0.87 0.9 0.24 0.385 11.7 23.4 0.52 0.124 1.53 1.4 4.72 5.77 0.36 0.53 1.8 0.435

VOLUME

OPEN

HIGH

LOW

CLOSE

VOLUME

VALUE

NET FOREIGN BUYING/(SELLING), PHP

PRIMEX CORP ROBINSONS LAND ROCKWELL SM PRIME HLDG STA LUCIA LAND STARMALLS SUNTRUST HOME VISTA LAND

2.59 23.7 1.99 39 1.66 6.85 0.73 7.25

2.59 24.1 2 39.5 1.67 6.97 0.76 7.3

2.48 22.8 1.98 38.9 1.64 6.74 0.73 7.25

2.5 22.8 2 38.95 1.66 6.95 0.76 7.27

654,000 3,254,500 65,000 6,793,300 583,000 318,200 61,000 7,968,700

1,631,110 76,415,005 129,480 265,525,410 966,810 2,173,995 45,130 58,027,955

-25,060 -11,303,085 -36,000 -6,425,825 -129,480 606,690 -49,252,220

2GO GROUP ABS CBN ACESITE HOTEL APC GROUP APOLLO GLOBAL BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY BOULEVARD HLDG CEBU AIR CENTRO ESCOLAR CHELSEA DFNN INC EASYCALL FAR EASTERN U GLOBE TELECOM GMA NETWORK GOLDEN BRIA GRAND PLAZA HARBOR STAR INTL CONTAINER IPM HLDG ISLAND INFO ISM COMM LBC EXPRESS LEISURE AND RES LORENZO SHIPPNG MACROASIA MANILA BULLETIN MANILA JOCKEY METRO RETAIL METROALLIANCE A METROALLIANCE B NOW CORP PACIFIC ONLINE PAL HLDG PH RESORTS GRP PHIL SEVEN CORP PHILWEB PLDT PREMIUM LEISURE PRMIERE HORIZON PUREGOLD ROBINSONS RTL SBS PHIL CORP SSI GROUP STI HLDG TRANSPACIFIC BR TRAVELLERS WATERFRONT WILCON DEPOT

12.5 19.98 1.31 0.425 0.041 2.41 12.3 0.072 84.05 8.12 5.31 6.8 10.5 890 1,891 5.35 399.8 10.12 2.94 126 7.07 0.129 5.02 15.4 3.7 0.94 21.75 0.67 4.79 3.46 1.69 1.7 2.42 4.49 10.1 4.42 120 2.95 1,183 0.86 1.02 47.75 80 8.7 2.51 0.69 0.39 5.66 0.71 16

12.8 20.1 1.36 0.425 0.041 2.45 12.4 0.076 85 8.12 5.31 6.8 10.66 890 1,915 5.4 400 10.12 2.95 127 7.07 0.133 5.09 15.4 3.78 0.94 22.4 0.68 4.79 3.5 1.8 1.7 2.42 4.49 10.1 4.7 120 2.95 1,186 0.86 1.02 47.8 80 9.03 2.71 0.69 0.39 5.66 0.75 16.44

12.4 19.3 1.31 0.42 0.041 2.36 11.9 0.072 83.8 7.03 5.2 6.8 9.98 890 1,879 5.28 390.4 10.12 2.8 125.1 7.07 0.129 4.94 15.38 3.69 0.91 21.75 0.64 4.41 3.4 1.67 1.7 2.25 4.3 10 4.32 120 2.8 1,160 0.8 0.98 46 79.7 8.7 2.5 0.67 0.38 5.64 0.71 16

SERVICES 12.8 19.34 1.36 0.425 0.041 2.36 12 0.074 84 7.03 5.2 6.8 10.24 890 1,884 5.3 400 10.12 2.81 127 7.07 0.132 4.94 15.38 3.72 0.92 21.95 0.65 4.79 3.42 1.8 1.7 2.27 4.45 10.08 4.7 120 2.85 1,160 0.8 1 46 80 9 2.6 0.68 0.385 5.64 0.73 16.18

25,400 141,700 6,000 590,000 7,700,000 253,000 9,421,300 100,860,000 215,200 1,000 578,100 2,000 70,400 150 21,655 1,090,300 2,930 100 2,866,000 1,276,840 13,000 1,240,000 1,098,100 45,400 351,000 397,000 419,400 1,134,000 11,000 910,000 79,000 3,000 2,575,000 63,000 34,500 48,000 81,220 669,000 63,785 12,911,000 14,716,000 2,955,000 240,130 41,200 43,108,000 1,345,000 5,230,000 45,000 7,209,000 4,693,500

320,270 2,768,758 8,060 248,850 315,700 607,990 113,221,956 7,499,070 18,138,499.50 8,008 3,024,420 13,600 711,770 133,500 40,897,225 5,807,955 1,166,440 1,012 8,257,190 161,424,552 91,910 162,370 5,474,049 699,120 1,314,440 363,720 9,230,250 740,780 52,310 3,129,140 136,260 5,100 6,019,310 272,880 345,728 211,220 9,746,400 1,914,550 74,678,495 10,672,590 14,681,260 136,532,105 19,200,327.50 370,552 113,054,280 911,360 2,013,250 254,595 5,276,620 76,200,720

-21,710 -20,211,408 259,200 -3,380,128 -93,394 1,360 2,733,060 17,580 49,931,251 -1,345,194.00 3,690 -101,200 1,334,095 -61,670 -427,960 21,500 236,400 -16,980 -19,325,555 840,200 -1,632,640 -51,239,020 -3,382,014.50 -9,668,990.00 -800 -3,950 -17,532 -6,825,264.00

5,800 5,523,080 2,372,870 1,288 14,010 22,500 2,725,350 5,800 2,433 11,656,770 497,950 174,290 4,830 113,860 8,825,080 41,980 2,727,000 78,300 4,746,800 43,400 12,914,660 48,538,457 40,551,445 124,000

37,010 -11,380 -8,160 2,836,850 -3,600 -1,631,440 -240,910 -3,244,837 5,138,320 -

NAME

MS

PROPERTY 13 0.78 0.82 46.8 2.48 4.31 0.5 0.85 0.9 0.244 0.385 10.98 23.7 0.51 0.124 1.51 1.34 4.86 5.79 0.34 0.51 1.75 0.42

2,509,000 34,000 2,000,000 25,336,300 1,945,000 366,000 51,590,000 215,000 76,000 990,000 1,110,000 1,560,600 659,400 782,000 10,000 18,817,000 5,159,000 5,000 14,391,500 20,650,000 1,019,000 2,152,000 70,000

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

0.0019 1.29 2.87 12.88 1.27 1.25 2.68 0.29 8.17 1.49 0.27 0.117 0.12 1.08 2.41 1.04 0.9 0.012 0.011 3.1 3.35 7.56 23.35 0.007

0.002 1.32 2.87 12.88 1.31 1.25 2.74 0.29 8.17 1.54 0.275 0.119 0.123 1.11 2.45 1.07 0.9 0.013 0.012 3.1 3.35 7.56 23.85 0.0076

0.0019 1.29 2.83 12.88 1.27 1.25 2.68 0.29 7.99 1.48 0.26 0.117 0.12 1.08 2.32 1.04 0.9 0.012 0.011 3.1 3.07 6.7 23 0.0068

MINING & OIL 0.002 3,000,000 1.32 4,239,000 2.83 833,000 12.88 100 1.31 11,000 1.25 18,000 2.74 1,003,000 0.29 20,000 8.17 300 1.5 7,679,000 0.27 1,850,000 0.119 1,470,000 0.123 40,000 1.11 105,000 2.35 3,697,000 1.05 40,000 0.9 3,030,000 0.013 6,500,000 0.011 431,500,000 3.1 14,000 3.09 4,019,000 6.84 6,909,600 23.85 1,709,900 0.0069 17,000,000

ABS HLDG PDR AC PREF B1 DD PREF GMA HLDG PDR GTCAP PREF B HOUSE PREF A MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 3A SFI PREF SMC FB PREF 2 SMC PREF 2B SMC PREF 2C SMC PREF 2D SMC PREF 2E SMC PREF 2F SMC PREF 2G SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I

19 466.4 98 5.52 926 92.1 102.7 100.5 1.45 975 75.9 76 72.5 72.65 74.7 73.75 72.35 73.5

19 467 98 5.52 926 92.1 102.7 100.5 1.45 975 75.9 76 72.5 72.65 74.7 73.75 72.35 73.5

18.06 466.4 98 5.23 926 92.1 102.7 100.5 1.45 970 75.7 75.75 71.7 72.65 74.7 73.75 72.3 73.5

PREFERRED 19 44,800 467 1,470 98 20 5.23 147,400 926 30 92.1 250 102.7 10 100.5 500 1.45 1,000 970 980 75.7 380 75.75 15,870 71.7 33,800 72.65 2,800 74.7 1,520 73.75 150 72.3 370 73.5 19,950

830,730 686,190 1,960 801,595 27,780 23,025 1,027 50,250 1,450 951,610 28,798 1,204,470 2,427,771 203,420 113,544 11,062.50 26,757 1,466,325

-303,760 15,140 11,062.50 -

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.9

1.95

1.87

1.94

97,000

182,990

-

SME ITALPINAS XURPAS

4.7 1.2

4.9 1.21

4.7 1.16

4.9 1.16

88,000 3,514,000

420,970 4,135,080

66,920

FIRST METRO ETF

117.6

118.2

117

2,386,089

8,232

USD DMPL A1 USD TECH B2

10.1 1

10.1 1

10.1 1

96,960 154,000

-33,532 -

TRADING SUMMARY

SHARES

FINANCIAL

12,492,685

INDUSTRIAL

152,103,868

HOLDING FIRMS

75,471,527

PROPERTY

216,884,721

SERVICES

227,373,933

MINING & OIL

494,766,145

GRAND TOTAL

1,182,718,496

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS 117 20,310 10.1 1

DDS

9,600 154,000

VALUE 1,727.20 (down) 6.06 885,508,853.87 FINANCIAL INDUSTRIAL 11,631.68 (down) 125.75 1,533,222,516.10 HOLDING FIRMS 7,497.96 (down) 166.33 1,073,314,959.04 PROPERTY 4,132.32 (down) 2.05 SERVICES 1,586.10 (down) 18.50 3,343,722,324.96 MINING & OIL 7,593.01 (down) 75.87 883,766,255.80 PSEI 7,787.98 (down) 92.84 141,731,358.40 All Shares Index 4,817.15 (down) 46.00 7,868,220,682.70 Gainers: 87; Losers: 107; Unchanged: 47; Total: 241

URC budgets P9.1b to fund expansion of food business

By Jenniffer B. Austria UNIVERSAL Robina Corp., the biggest snack food maker, has budgeted P9.14 billion in capital expenditures for 2019 mainly to finance the expansion of the branded consumer food group business.

URC said in a filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange it would earmark P7.31 billion for capacity expansions and improvement of information systems, handling, distribution, safety, quality control and operational efficiencies throughout the branded consumers foods group.

It is allotting another P1.25 billion to commodity foods group that includes flour mill and pasta manufacturing, sugar business expansion, improvement and maintenance, and P581 million for the agro-industrial group, packaging business facilities improvement and machine rehabilitation.

URC’s net income declined 15 percent to P9.5 billion in 2018 due to lower operating profit and foreign exchange losses due to the weaker peso.

Net sales in 2018 inched up two percent to P127.8 billion, driven by the agro-industrial and commodities divisions, the recovery in Vietnam and the consistent performance of Australia.

Operating income, excluding hogs market valuation, declined seven percent to P13.8 billion as a result of lower sales volumes, mainly in coffee and higher selling and distribution expenses in the Philippines. Higher input costs and expenses in the farm, feeds and flour business also affected the operating income.

“We have set strategies that will pivot the business back to achieving sustainable growth. Executing our transformation programs well will be key to deliver a step change in our performance in 2019 and beyond,” URC president and chief executive Irwin Lee said during a briefing on February 28 Stronger top line growth is expected from the company this year, with stronger commercial initiatives and a better macro environment in the home market.

Lee said the company would hold or slightly improve margins, reinvesting cost savings and efficiencies into distribution and brand building activities.

SSI Group’s net profit surges 121% to P608m SSI Group Inc., the country’s largest specialty store retailer owned by the Tantoco family, said net income surged 121 percent in 2018 to P608 million from P275 million in 2017, boosted by strong-fourth quarter sales.

SSI Group in a disclosure to the stock exchange revenues rose 10 percent to P20.2 billion from P18.4 billion in 2017, driven by the strong performances of the luxury, casual and fast fashion categories.

The group also posted strong samestore sales growth of 12 percent in 2018.

Net income in the fourth quarter jumped 362 percent to P240.4 million, while revenues increased eight percent to P6.4 billion.

“The group’s 4th quarter results were driven by resilient mid and high end discretionary spending as well as by a rationalized expense base. While we saw increased macro economic volatility in 2018, the group continued to leverage on the strength of its brand portfolio and store network.” said SSI president Anthony Huang.

Operating expenses declined 1.2 percent to ₱7.3 billion, as the group continued to implement store rationalization program and focus on maximizing scale and improving day-to-day cost efficiencies.

The group’s store network as of end 2018 consisted of 596 stores nationwide covering approximately 120,305 square meters.

SSI Group opened eight stores and closed 14 outlets in the fourth quarter.

SSI Group maintains a portfolio of 90 brands, which include many of the world’s most recognizable labels, and a store network located in prime retail locations nationwide.

The group’s store network includes e-commerce properties lacoste.com.ph, gap.com.ph, payless.ph, beautybar.com. ph, 158db.com.ph, superga.ph, bananarepublic.com.ph and dunelondon.ph Apart from an extensive portfolio of fashion and personal care brands, the group operates TWG and SaladStop! in the Philippines.

SSI Group will open the first Shake Shack in the Philippines during the first half of 2019. Jenniffer B. Austria

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World

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Sudan leaders face pressure for transfer to civilian rule K

HARTOUM―Sudan’s military rulers faced heavy pressure from protesters and Western governments to hand power to a new civilian government Monday as a mass protest outside army headquarters entered its 10th day.

UNREST IN ALGERIA. An Algerian woman wearing her national flag shouts as protesters demonstrate near Emir Abdelkader

square in Algiers on April 14, 2019. Mass protests that led Algeria’s ailing president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to step down last week after 20 years in power have grown into demands for broader political changes. Vast crowds marched through Algiers for the eighth Friday in a row on April 12 to demand the departure of key Bouteflika allies. AFP

North Koreans celebrate Kim Il Sung’s birthday PYONGYANG—Tens of thousands of North Koreans turned out to pay tribute to their leaders on Monday, the most important day of the isolated, nucleararmed country’s ritual calendar.

In the North April 15 is known as the Day of the Sun, the anniversary of the 1912 birth of the country’s founder Kim Il Sung, whose son Kim Jong Il succeeded him and grandson Kim Jong Un, the current leader, inherited power in turn.

North Koreans are taught from birth to revere the Kim family and the ceremonies surrounding such occasions are one of the ways in which authorities reinforce loyalty.

From early morning, a steady stream of citizens arrived at Mansu hill in Pyongyang, where giant bronze statues of the two elder Kims look out over the capital.

Platoons of soldiers, staff of work units, families, newlyweds and tourists all lined up before the images, advancing to place flowers at their base.

“Let us pay tribute to the great president Kim Il Sung and the great leader Kim Jong Il,” intoned an announcer

half-hidden by floral baskets, and all bowed in unison, the troops saluting.

Retired colonel Ra Man Ok, 84, wiped tears from her eyes as she stood before the statues, took a few paces backwards still facing the images, and bowed an extra, second time.

“I want to pay tribute with my spirit to the great leaders because I am too old to repay their benevolence with my labor,” she told AFP, wearing the uniform in which she had marched in a military parade decades ago.

“My motto is that everybody can realize their hopes only by following the leadership of our party through all trials and difficulties.”

Ordinary North Koreans always express wholehearted support for the authorities when speaking to foreign media.

In pride of place before the statues, cordoned off with a chain, stood a giant floral tribute in the name of Kim Jong Un. This year’s anniversary—which is also marked by other events including mass dances and a flower festival—

comes days after Kim reinforced his already unshakeable grip on power with a generational reshuffle at the Supreme People’s Assembly (SPA), the country’s rubber stamp legislature.

The nonagenarian head of the parliament Kim Yong Nam—who also acts as the North’s ceremonial head of state as Kim Il Sung officially remains Eternal President despite dying in 1994—was replaced by Choe Ryong Hae, considered one of Kim Jong Un’s right-hand men.

Outgoing premier Pak Pong Ju, who turned 80 last week, made way for Kim Jae Ryong.

Kim told the SPA meeting that he was open to another summit with US President Donald Trump after their February meeting in Hanoi broke up without agreement—but only if Washington adopted a “proper attitude”.

Their last talks foundered with Washington demanding North Korea give up its nuclear arsenal, while US officials say Pyongyang offered only limited concessions in exchange for lifting almost all the sanctions against it. AFP

Concern over proposed ‘fake news’ law SINGAPORE―Nearly 100 academics worldwide have expressed concern over Singapore’s proposed law against “fake news”, warning it could threaten academic freedom and hurt the city-state’s ambition to become a global education hub.

The government this month unveiled a bill containing tough measures, including powers for ministers to order sites like Facebook, Google and Twitter to put warnings next to posts authorities deem false, and extreme cases, to take them down.

If an action is deemed malicious and damaging to Singapore’s interests, companies could be hit with fines of up to Sg$1 million ($740,000), while individuals could face jail terms of up to 10 years.

Authorities in the tightly-controlled country insist the measures are necessary to prevent online falsehoods sowing social divisions, but the move has sparked anger from press freedom groups and tech giants such as Facebook and Google.

Now ninety-seven academics from around the world with expertise in Singapore and Asia have signed a letter warning

the proposed legislation “may deter scholarship and set precedents harmful to global academia”.

“We are concerned that the proposed legislation will have unintended detrimental consequences for scholars and research in Singapore,” said the group, who included academics from Harvard and Yale, as well as institutions in Britain, Australia, and parts of Asia.

The letter, released at the weekend, also warned the law could compromise “Singapore’s notable efforts to develop itself into an internationally-recognized hub for excellence in higher education”.

Singapore is home to several leading higher education institutes, which attract academics from around the world.

The group, called Academics Against Disinformation, also said they wrote to the education ministry to express their concerns.

The ministry was cited in local media as saying the draft law does not restrict opinion and will not affect academic research work, but the academics said they could not accept the response as a guarantee. AFP

IN BRIEF

Moon seeks fourth summit with Kim

World’s rarest turtle closer to extinction

SHANGHAI―The world’s rarest turtle has moved a step closer to extinction after a female specimen died in a Chinese zoo, leaving behind just three known members of the species.

The Yangtze giant softshell turtle, believed to be above 90 years of age, died in Suzhou Zoo on Saturday, according to the Suzhou Daily.

Its death came a day after zoo officials made a last-ditch effort at artificial insemination using semen from a male companion estimated to be more than 100 years old, according to the Suzhou Daily.

The zoo tried unsuccessfully for several years to get the pair to mate and reproduce naturally.

It will now conduct an autopsy to determine what caused the animal’s death, the newspaper reported.

Conservations say there are now only two other known members of the species left, both living in the wild in Vietnam and of unknown gender.

The Yangtze giant softshell turtle is the largest freshwater turtle in the world, growing to 100 cm (39 inches) long and weighing up to 100kg (220 pounds).

The turtle’s main habitat was the Yangtze River and other inland China waterways. AFP

SEOUL―South Korean President Moon Jae-in is willing to go anywhere to meet Kim Jong Un for a fourth summit, he said Monday, hailing the North Korean leader’s willingness to salvage high-stakes talks with the United States.

Kim said Friday he was open to a third meeting with US President Donald Trump if Washington offered “mutually acceptable terms” after their second summit in Hanoi broke down in part over Pyongyang’s demands for immediate sanctions relief.

Moon, who brokered the talks between Washington and Pyongyang, welcomed Kim’s “firm commitment for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula” and called for what would be his fourth meeting with the North’s leader.

“As soon as North Korea is ready, I hope the two Koreas will be able to sit down together, regardless of venue and form,” Moon told a meeting with his top aides.

“I will spare no effort to ensure that the upcoming inter-Korean summit becomes a stepping stone for an even bigger opportunity and a more significant outcome.”

The remarks come after Moon’s brief summit with Trump at the White House last week as he tries to reignite the stalled diplomacy. AFP

Thousands remained camped outside the complex in Khartoum overnight after protest leaders issued demands to the military council set up following the ouster of veteran president Omar alBashir.

The organization that spearheaded the months of protests leading to Bashir’s fall, the Sudanese Professionals Association, urged the council “to immediately transfer power to a civilian government”.

It said the resulting transitional government and the armed forces must bring to justice both Bashir and officials from his feared National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS).

The United States, Britain and Norway urged the military council and other parties to hold talks over the country’s transition to civilian rule.

In a joint statement by their embassies on Sunday, they warned against any use of violence to break up the protests, and said the “legitimate change” the Sudanese people demanded had not taken place.

“It is time for the transitional military council and all other parties to enter into an inclusive dialogue to effect a transition to civilian rule,” they said.

“This must be done credibly and swiftly, with protest leaders, political opposition, civil society organizations, and all relevant elements of society, including women.”

The military council on Sunday met with political parties and urged them to agree on an “independent figure” to be prime minister, an AFP correspondent at the meeting said.

“We want to set up a civilian state based on freedom, justice and democracy,” a council member, Lieutenant General Yasser al-Ata, told members of several political parties.

A 10-member delegation representing the protesters delivered a list of demands during talks with the council late Saturday, according to a statement by the Alliance for Freedom and Change umbrella group.

But in a press conference later, the council’s spokesman did not respond to the protesters’ latest demands, although he did announce the appointment of a new intelligence chief of the NISS. Protest leaders have called for the feared intelligence agency, whose chief Salih Ghosh resigned on Saturday, to be restructured and for NISS officials to face prosecution.

The foreign ministry said the military council’s chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was “committed to having a complete civilian government” and urged other nations to back the council in order to achieve “the Sudanese goal of democratic transition”.

On Saturday, Burhan vowed to dismantle Bashir’s regime, lifting a nighttime curfew with immediate effect.

He also pledged that individuals implicated in killing protesters would face justice and that protesters detained under a state of emergency imposed by Bashir during his final weeks in power would be freed.

Bashir ruled Sudan with an iron fist for 30 years before he was deposed last week following mass protests that have rocked the country since December. AFP

LGUs

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

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TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

Didipio Mine Officer-In -Charge Glen Duncan (fifth from left) leads other officials of OceanaGold Phils. Inc. in receiving the Global Corporate Social Responsibility Awards during the 11th Annual Global Corporate Socal Responsibility Summit and Awards 2019 in Sarawak, Malaysia.

OceanaGold bags Global CSR awards

By Ben Moses Ebreo BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya— OceanaGold (Philippines), Inc. recently bagged various awards during the 11th Annual Global Corporate Socal Responsibility Summit and Awards 2019 in Sarawak, Malaysia.

The awarding program saw different companies across all industries in the world and recognized the Didipio Mine as Best in Environmental Excellence (Platinum), Empowerment of Women (Platinum), Provision of Literacy and Education (Gold), and Best Workplace Practices (Silver).

The awards were received by Glen Duncan, Logistics and Services Manager, accompanied by Bonifacio Labatos Jr., Principal Social Ecology Advisor and Christian Co, Communications Specialist.

Marivic Walihon, L&D Specialist, and Tenessee Baguilat, Biodiversity Restoration & Forestry Sr. Supervisor, both from Didipio, also received the awards.

The Global CSR Summit and Awards is a vital opportunity to share best practices in Corporate Social Responsibility, enabling corporations to provide sustainable development to communities where they operate.

“As we move forward with the transparency, the social media, and the other forms that the media bring, along with reporting mechanisms, it’s essential that organization take the issues of social, environmental, and prosperity side of the equation very seriously,” Global CSR Awards Chairperson Dr. Martin Blake said.

Blake is a Director Speaker and Mentor with specialized expertise in board direction and governance.

David Way, Didipio Mine General Manager, said the awards demonstrate “the testament of how responsible mining continues to play a leading role in advancing cleaner, greener energy markets, economies and improved outcomes for society.”

“It is again proven that we from OceanaGold continuously strengthen our partnership with our government and our community creating impacts that go beyond mere business transactions – where we serve an extensive array of human values which cannot be captured by only concentrating on economic value and profit,” Way added.

Bataan’s Manila Bay coast ‘clean’—DENR

By Butch Gunio

P

ILAR, Bataan―Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu has declared three sitios here and Agwawan Beach in Barangay Sisiman in Mariveles town as “free for swimming” as he visited the province to monitor the implementation of the “Battle of Manila Bay” cleanup program.

Accompanied by Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Director Paquito Moreno and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Raul Mamac, Cimatu inspected the coastline of Barangay Sisiman, Mariveles. Other local environment officers also joined the tour.

They said the fecal coliform level in the area dropped significantly to less than 10 most probable number (mpn). The normal coliform level is 100 mpn and below.

Cimatu commended the PENRO and

A Red Cross Youth volunteer demonstrates bandaging techniques to the women.

By Rio N. Araja IN A bid to promote efficient and clean technologies, Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista is set to acquire 300 units of electric tricycles to donate to local drivers.

The 37-member city council passed City Resolution 7725, authorizing Bautista to enter into a deed of donation of 300 e-trikes in support of the Department of Energy’s e-trike project.

The mayor recognized the need to control and effectively manage air pollution in the city.

The city council said that based on the DoE record, five million tricycles in the country emit close to 10 million tons of harmful gases and use several billions of dollars worth of oil each year.

The measure cited the need to implement long-term solutions that ensure energy efficiency and sustainability for the present and future generations.

“A more holistic program or approach is needed to insulate the country from high oil prices and harmful effect of gases emitted by tricycles,” the resolution read.

Meanwhile, the council also approved a resolution authorizing Bautista to enter into an agreement with the qualified beneficiaries of various socialized housing projects under an in-house financing scheme.

Resolution SP 7718-2019 aims to address the concerns of informal settler families who cannot afford the socialized housing projects of the city government.

Navotas inks deal to boost kid protection

By Jun David THE City Government of Navotas has formally entered into a multi-sectoral partnership to strengthen its campaign to protect children.

Mayor John Rey Tiangco signed a memorandum of agreement with Mary Grace Esteban, Officer-in-Charge of Stairway Foundation Inc.-Manila; Orly Gallano, President of Samahan ng Mamamayan Zone One Tondo Organization; and Khim Hazzel Mendoza, representative of the British Embassy.

The partnership will pave the way for the formulation and implementation of the Local Plan of Action to End Violence Against Children.

In his speech, Tiangco cited studies that show an alarming number of abused Filipino children.

He mentioned that according to the United Nations Children’s Fun, the Philippines is the fourth country with the highest number of children involved in prostitution.

UNICEF also said one out of five Filipino children experience sexual violence in their home, school or community “As one big Navoteño family, we have a solemn duty to ensure the wellbeing of our children. Every Navoteño child is our son or daughter. They all deserve our love, care and protection,” he said.

Tiangco lamented that a high percentage of child abuse victims know the perpetrators but they are often scared or ashamed to report the incident.

He then stressed the importance of educating both parents and children on how to handle and address abuses.

Smart, USTP in CdO empower women in disaster preparedness AFTER joining Smart Communications’ TNT Tropang Ready training of trainers last year, faculty and students from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines-National Service Training Program and Red Cross Youth conducted their own disaster preparedness training for women of Barangay Lapasan in Cagayan de Oro City.

‘Make voting accessible to PWDs’ THE group Sulong Dignidad is asking the Commission on Elections to make polling precincts more accessible to senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Sulong Dignidad president and first nominee Atty. Rico Paolo Quicho said COMELEC should implement measures to help senior citizens and PWDs find their voting precincts and aid those who require assistance, especially those who have difficulties with mobility.

Republic Act 10366, an act that authorizes Comelec to establish accessible polling places for PWDs and senior citizens, was first implemented during

Mariveles local government’s effort to rehabilitate the waters in Sisiman, as piggeries and sewers that were dumping wastes in the coastal water have already been removed.

Mamac had led DENR workers, barangay personnel, and volunteers in the succcesive cleanup of the Lucanin coastline.

Mariveles Vice Mayor Lito Rubia and other local officials also joined Cimatu in the inspection.

Bataan has a 77.79-kilometer stretch of Manila Bay, from the shores of Her-

mosa in the north of the province to Mariveles in the south.

Meanwhile, the seven oldest churches in this province have become yearly pilgrimage sites for busloads of visitors from various provinces in Luzon for their Visita Iglesia every Lenten Season.

These religious sites now collectively known as the 7 Pilgrim Churches can be found in seven out of 11 towns and a city in the peninsula.

Visita Iglesia is a Lenten tradition among the Catholic faithful where they visit seven churches to pray and reflect on the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The devotees’ first stop for their Visita Iglesia in Bataan is the 263-year-old St. Peter de Varona Church in the town of Hermosa, followed by the 309-year-old Virgen Milagrosa del Rosario Church in Orani and the 423-year-old St. Catherine of Siena Church in Samal. With PNA

QC to acquire 300 e-trikes for local drivers

the 2016 national elections.

According to its implementing rules and regulations, in the event that no PWD or Senior Citizen registered voter manifests an intention to be assigned to an accessible precinct, “polling places shall, whenever practicable, be located at the ground floor which shall be made compliant with the requirements of an Accessible Polling Place.”

However, after the law took effect, many PWDs and seniors were still discouraged to vote citing long queues, difficulty finding their precincts, and lack of assistance from election board officers.

In time for the celebration of Women’s Month, Smart and USTP partnered with the Lapasan Barangay Council to empower women to be prepared for any calamity, through the TNT Tropang Ready in Action.

Barangay Lapasan, which is also the university’s adopted community, is a flood-prone area, according to Dr. Ma-

ria Teresa Fajardo, USTP director for extension of community relations.

“Empowering the women for disaster risk management is a means of boosting the capacity of the community to respond intelligently to any calamity,” she said.

Gio Cagurin, a registered nurse and NSTP faculty, has been an advocate

of disaster readiness for five years. He taught the mothers how to spot signs of dehydration and how to make a homemade Oresol solution.

“Dehydration, which often follows vomiting and diarrhea, is prevalent during disasters. To save lives, it is important to know how to spot the signs and know alternative treatments,” Cagurin added.

CANCER SUMMIT.

Dr. Bill Ramos (second from right), Vice President of the Philippine Society of Medical Oncology, speaks during the First Breast Cancer Summit held in Mandaluyong last Friday. The summit aims to highlight current cancer research and treatment advances to raise the bar in breast cancer management in the country.

Manny Palmero

Life

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

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

@MStandardLIFE TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

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How to beeaatt

the summer h

COOL DOWN, DRINK UP. A registered nutritionist-dietitian strongly advises staying hydrated, drinking water, and reducing consumption of sugar-laden and caffeinated beverages during the hot summer season.

By Tiffany Anne Santuyo, RND, MSTHM

E

XPOSURE to the rising temperature and extreme ambient heat may post a number of health risks to individuals across all ages. Our bodies generate internal heat from the different metabolic processes in our body, and our exposure to conditions where temperature rises beyond the usual compromises our body’s capacity to regulate temperature especially during continuous activity.

According to the World Health Organization, extended exposure to high temperatures causes cumulative physiological stress to the body which may aggravate chronic illnesses such as respiratory diseases, cardiovascular dis-

The author

eases, renal diseases, and even diabetes.

Even if we’re not suffering from these chronic medical conditions, the physiological stress brought about by high heat may still lead to life-threatening emergencies like heat stroke.

Choose beverages that are not sugar-laden

Although sugar urges us to hydrate more, increasing consumption of sugary drinks may also not be helpful. High-sugar beverages are those that have more than 25 percent of total energy coming from sugar such as sodas, juices, sports drinks, and others.

Artificial sweeteners in beverages are also found to increase our desire for sweetened food and beverages. Adding slices of fruits, especially the citrus family, to water makes the flavor more appealing and will help in drinking more water. Plus, you don’t need to worry about the extra calories while you hydrate.

Although we cannot change the climate nor the environment we live in, we can still prevent these possible fatal incidents through better dietary practices.

As a preventive measure, we are always reminded to stay hydrated. And water has always been the answer to dehydration as well as many ancient ails.

Water comprises 50-60 percent of our body weight and is essential in many bodily processes. Some of its benefits especially when we’re hydrated well are: • Keeps skin elastic and supple, • Aids in the metabolism by helping churn and digest food. Liquid keeps food passing through the large intestines moving, thereby preventing constipation,

• Regulates body temperature, • Prevents drying of eyes that causes eye irritation and eye strain, and • Ensures kidneys filter out wastes from the body.

Perspiration is the most visible sign of water leaving our body. However, even in the absence of perspiration, water is still lost through other channels such as urine, feces, and evaporation from the skin and lungs. Our respiratory system alone expires a bit amount of valuable water vapor.

Thus, water lost should be replaced and there are more ways than one to do that.

Stay hydrated this summer through these tips:

Opt for food with high moisture content

The Pinggang Pinoy developed by the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute recommends drinking five to nine glasses of water. This recommendation does not include juicy fruits and vegetables such as watermelon and cucumber, which have high moisture content.

Not only do these food items nourish us with nutrients but also aids in hydration.

Add sliced fruits to regular water

Watermelon has high water content

Consume caffeinated food and drinks in moderation

Keep it cool

Caffeine, a naturally occurring compound in coffee, cacao, and tea, has been known as a potent diuretic (i.e., increases urine output). Meaning, as you increase your intake of caffeinated drinks, you urinate more often. As this is the case, you will also have to increase your water intake. Coffee, chocolate, and teas are not at all bad. In fact, they have their own nutritional benefits, too.

Consuming in moderation suggests intake of not more than 400mg of caffeine for healthy individuals. A typical brewed coffee contains about 80-135 milligrams of caffeine per 8 ounce-cup and a cup of tea has between 30-50 milligrams of caffeine. Unless you are caffeine sensitive or restricted to consume Coffee and other caffeinated coffee due to health reasons, you can have up to three drinks are diuretic small cups or a venti (20 oz.) size of coffee per day.

Some studies have shown that ingestion of cooler beverages reduces our core body temperature thus making us feel refreshed or cooled down in a very hot weather. In a recent study done in adults, thirst is reduced when cold water is consumed. It is inferred that the lower the temperature of beverage, the higher their thirst-quenching properties. Also, cold drinks helps in regulating our body temperature especially when it is too hot. This helps prevent physiological distress brought about by increased external temperature coupled by increased humidity.

As the old saying goes, “A (healthy) man can live for days without food but not without water.” Make it a habit to hydrate even if you are not thirsty just yet. It is our lifestyle and behavior that dictates our hydrated state. Drinking our recommended dose of fluids per day, keeps ailments at bay...especially this summer season.

Registered nutritionist-dietician Tiffany Anne Santuyo is a full-time educator at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde. She previously worked as a figure consultant Iced water helps regulate for Slimmers World International, a diet coach for FitFactory.com, and nutrition body temperature consultant for Alaska Milk Corporation - Royal FrieslandCampina.

The woman behind the vision IDEAL Vision Center is already a household name in the eye health care industry for more than three decades, but the company looks farther.

Joy Go, IVC assistant vice president for marketing and merchandising, believes the company’s reputation should be treated as an opportunity to continue to educate, innovate, and research for the benefit of Filipinos.

“In the Philippines, eye health care is not a priority and we aim to change that mindset,” says Go. “It’s a long, ongoing process especially with the fast-changing business landscape but we look forward to seeing the light at the end of it.”

Go, whose grandfather launched Ideal Optical, is confident and determined to achieve their goals. As head of branding, marketing, and merchandising, she is always finding new opportunities to explore, expand, and

discover new solutions to make eye care accessible to everyone.

Despite growing up in a family of eye care professionals, Go’s involvement in the eye care industry is not a childhood dream. Her initial passion was food which explains why she has a degree in Culinary Arts and Related Services.

Her interest in eyewear and eye care was piqued only when she started working part-time in IVC. “More than the technicalities behind being an optometrist, I find the marketing and research side of the business very endearing. Aside from that, I am also very interested in eyewear fashion,” she shares.

Go got her degree in optometry at the Centro Escolar University and joined the family business in 2002. She still loves to cook and says the key to finding a balance between two passions is

“you don’t give up one or the other but enjoy both at the same time.”

Go also reveals that being in the eye care industry gives her a meaningful purpose of taking care of other people’s needs and well-being. It has also become important to her to provide only the best vision solutions.

To be able to do that, Go notes the importance of partnering with brands that share their vision. Hence, their partnership with Essilor, she says, gives them an opportunity to provide clients an access to world-class eye care products.

“Partnering with Essilor for more than 32 years is the best move we made to improve our service to our customers. We at IVC, knows that Essilor shares the same vision with us—to offer top-notch eye health care to Filipinos,” she enthuses.

Aside from this vision, Go shared her personal goal of leaving a legacy in the

Joy Go, IVC assistant vice president for marketing and merchandising

eye health care industry.

“It is my ambition, through IVC, to leave a legacy and be a part of every Filipino’s eye health care routine. It is a long

and challenging path but we will never stop improving and finding solutions so that quality eye health care will be more convenient and accessible to all.”

Life

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TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

Shoring up a fishing town’s marine ecosystem T

HE environmental situation in Medina, a fishing town in Misamis Oriental province, has been experiencing a 180-degree turn since the municipal government embarked on a comprehensive marine protection and conservation program last year.

A partnership with the Metro Pacific Investments Foundation, the Municipality of Medina has been reaping the benefits of the Marine Protection, Inspection and Conservation (MPIC) which has helped restore the balance of the area’s marine ecosystem.

Incepted in January 2018, the project trained and deputized 27 volun-

Divers doing coral reef transplant at Duka Bay in Medina, Misamis Oriental.

MPIC Guardians with Metro Pacific Investments Foundation president Melody Del Rosario during the recent sustainability forum in Medina.

teers who later became the MPIC Guardians who were instrumental in the enforcement of fisheries-related ordinances.

Municipal mayor Donato Chan said the local government has been implementing monthly cleanups in all coastal barangays, and conducting seaborne and foot patrols to enforce ordinances against illegal fishing which include prohibition of non-residents from fishing in municipal waters and the use only of hook and line fishing at fish aggregate device.

The town chief executive noted that the program has made positive economic and social impact on the community, evident in the increase of daily catch of fishermen of up to 8-10 kilograms. The community undertaking has also given birth to the operation of 16 tourist boats which has provided alternative livelihood to villagers in Barangay Duka.

Medina LGU and the foundation will jointly enhance the MPIC Guardians’ equipment and tools, and upgrade their skills in first aid, rescue, and scuba diving.

They will also undergo a study tour to

Del Carmen town in Siargao to benchmark on mangrove protection and propagation, eco-tourism, and homestay services for visitors.

As part of its sustainability efforts, other components will be put in place, such as the establishment of livelihood programs for women’s organizations, and capacity-building related to eco-tourism.

The MPIC Guardians is part of the Shore It Up, the award-winning corporate social responsibility program of the Metro Pacific conglomerate, which has been held in key coastal areas in partnership with local government units and community stakeholders.

For the past 10 years, it has gathered over 85,000 volunteers from the Metro Pacific firms, national government agencies, local government units, law enforcement agencies, civil society groups, dive industry stakeholders, and schools. A good number of these volunteers are recruits in the Junior Environmental Scouts, an environmental education initiative for grade school children.

Forum sheds light on family planning, responsible parenthood THE link between unchecked population growth poverty and other economic issues were the key topics of the Family Planning Certification and Forum on Responsible Parenthood, organized by the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecological Society (POGS), and Bayer Philippines.

Speaking at the forum, NCR regional director for the Commission on Population and Development Lydio Español introduced the concept of economic dividend, which occurs when population growth is kept to reasonable levels.

“In 1969, we had a population of around 35 million, almost the same as Thailand’s around 36 million, and South Korea’s around 32 million. In 2018, after 49 years, the Philippines had tripled its population to 107 million, Thailand just doubled, South Korea less than double,” said Español.

He said that Thailand and South Korea’s reasonable population growth was behind their economic boom. He showed several global studies that show conclusively that on the global average, “the more number of children in a family, the poorer those families will be.”

The ideal ratio is 2.1 children per family.

The Family Planning Certification and Forum on Responsible Parenthood seeks to equip doctors with the basic techniques in contraceptive counseling and to inform them of the different methods of contraception and their application to women’s individual reproductive needs.

“As medical practitioners, we are in a unique position to advise patients on sensitive yet critical matters such as the significance of responsible parenthood and the role of family planning in secur-

ing the overall health and well-being of the community,” shared Mario Bernardino, MD, president of POGS. The session also aims to understand the most common objections to starting women on oral contraceptives, as well as their reasons for discontinuation and switch to other forms of contraceptive methods.

“Bayer has always been a strong advocate of family planning and women’s healthcare.

We are happy to partner with POGS in our shared objective to educate women about their reproductive health options,” said Jun Il Kim, country division head at Bayer Pharmaceuticals.

From left: Christine Cervera, product manager, Contraception/GT; Dr. Bryan Christopher Uy-Barreta; POGS president Dr. Mario Bernardino; Bayer Philippines, Inc. country medical director Dr. Carmela Pagunsan; and POGS head of reproductive health Dr. Pilar Lagman-Dy

The year-round forum will be conducted in different parts of the country. It will seek to empower practicing OB-GYNs with the information and tools they need to counsel and educate their patients on different types of contraception, including special groups such as victims of violence, women of limited education, and those with other pressing medical conditions.

Entertainment

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

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ABS-CBN Integrated Creative Communications Management led by its head Robert Labayen wins again at the NYF.

ABS-CBN triumphs at the NY Festivals

A

BS-CBN continues to earn global recognition after taking home a Gold World Medal and a Bronze Medal from the prestigious 2019 New York Festivals (NYF) “World’s Best TV and Films” Competition, which was held on April 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Ging Reyes accepts the Gold World Medal and Bronze World Medal won by ABS-CBN at the NY Festivals.

Leading the winners from the Kapamilya network is ABS-CBN News’ Mother’s Day TV spot “Elsa and Sarah,” which won a Gold World Medal in the Station/Image Promotion category. It featured the inspiring story of Elsa, a blind mother, and her daughter Sarah, who has down syndrome.

In spite of their condition, Elsa and Sarah survive each day by looking after each other. Navigating through life handin-hand: Elsa became the voice of Sarah, while Sarah became her eyes. Their story was first featured in TV show Mission Possible hosted by Julius Babao.

“Elsa and Sarah” was produced by Creative Communication Management (CCM) led by Robert Labayen, Patrick De Leon, and Faith Zambrano-Pascual.

It was conceptualized and written

by Lawrence Arvin Sibug and was directed

by Lorenz Roi Morales. Last year, CCM won a Silver World Medal in the NYF for its “To Love and To Serve” campaign.

Also standing out among entries from all over the world in the Biography/ Profiles category was the ABS-CBN DocuCentral documentary series Local Legends, which also won at the NYF in 2018. The program, which promotes love and appreciation for Philippine culture and heritage, won a Bronze World Medal this time for its episode “Karne Norte” about traditional corned beef makers in Masbate.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN current affairs program Mission Possible received a Finalist certificate for its episode “Kapit Lang Anak” in the Best Public Affairs Program Category. Anchor

Julius Babao takes viewers for a day in the shoes of Elsa Sarah Badilla, showing their dedication to each other, and their resilience despite their present conditions. The program now airs every Saturday at 6:00 a.m. on ABS-CBN. The New York Festival’s World’s Best TV & Films competition honors programming in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries with categories that mirror today’s global trends and encourage the next generation of storytellers and talent.

A jury of 186 media professionals around the world will judge the finalists.

Among the jurors from the Philippines are ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs head Ging Reyes, who also serves on the advisory board, and ABS-CBN CCM head Robert Labayen.

Jessy not keen to work with Enrique ACTRESS Jessy Mendiola, without batting an eyelash, declares that she is no longer interested in working with fellow Kapamilya talent Enrique Gil on screen again.

It can be remembered that the two figured in an unpleasant incident on their flight to London in 2015 for an ASAP presentation.

“I think it is better that way. Let’s just leave it as it is.

Personally, I’m okay with the idea,” she says.

When it comes to JM de Guzman though, she has a different stand. It’s no secret that the actor is her former boyfriend and they parted ways at the same time with her rift with Enrique.

“I’m already prepared and willing to work with him.

Perhaps, he’s the one who’s not ready,” she directly says adding, “Please, don’t get me wrong. I’m just assuming. Maybe, it’s not yet time.”

For the lovely lass, it’s still their mother studio that will decide.

“Of course, they are the ones who call the shots,” she states. “It depends on ABS-CBN. The management has the say as to the projects we’re doing. They haven’t offered a project to me and JM yet so I guess, it’s not yet time. Let’s just wait and see.”

Lately, there were rumors that she will be moving to rival network GMA-7 soon.

“There’s no truth to that. I haven’t received any feelers from the Kapuso management. Besides, I have no plans of leaving my present station. But if there’s more work in GMA, why not? It’s just as of now, I’m still very much in touch with ABS-CBN,” she confirms.

Meanwhile, Jessy sheds light on why there are occasions when she answers back to her bashers in social media.

Jessy Mendiola credits boyfriend Luis Manzano for helping her deal with bashers and trolls online.

“I think it’s just right if, at times, you face this kind of people so that they’ll know the truth. I think that doesn’t make you a ‘patola.’ If you feel that things need to be clarified and corrected, then why won’t you speak your mind out, right? It’s more of letting the other person know the truth,” she explains.

Jessy doesn’t see anything wrong with talking back to bashers and trolls. She thinks it’s the right thing to do.

“It’s not healthy on your part if you will just keep mum even if negative words are already being hurled

CROSSWORD PUZZLE Tuesday, April 16, 2019

ACROSS 1 Actor Richard — 5 Gather after harvest 10 Boarded up 14 Poles’ connector 15 Cocoon dweller 16 Beginner 17 London elevator 18 Woodwinds 19 Hairstyle 20 Dozing 22 Prolonged (hyph.)

24 Charger 25 Travel downer (2 wds.)

26 Chatty starling 28 Yokels 32 Jowly canines 35 Puppy’s cry 37 Summer flower 38 Wallach or Lilly 39 Go to the polls 41 NEC competitor 42 Join the army 45 Beret cousin 46 Wan 47 Long-handled utensil 48 Cold — — icicle 50 Shallow lake 54 Thumbs through

58 Mountaineers, maybe 61 Agile 62 Not — — to stand on 63 Standing wide open 65 Norse god 66 Oater backdrop 67 Long-handled tools 68 Bolt holders 69 Plant anchor 70 Minor setbacks 71 “What — can I do?”

DOWN 1 Lavish parties 2 Are 3 Hunter’s need 4 Regards highly 5 Mashed potato serving 6 Experiment room 7 Wear away 8 Turn away 9 Type of spray 10 Taser (2 wds.)

11 Injection 12 Pakistan’s language 13 Beep 21 Ice cream name 23 Admonish 25 Clink or cooler

27 Boris’ refusal 29 Clingy seedpods (var.)

30 Per person 31 Do in 32 Orange skin 33 Radius neighbor 34 Cover with gold 36 Cherished 37 They need a PIN 40 “Misery” costar 43 Not kosher 44 Official imprint

46 Windflower 49 Actress — MacGraw 51 Motor parts 52 Piano kin 53 Port near Kyoto 55 Kareem — -Jabbar 56 Darts 57 Touch or taste 58 Edible tubers 59 Mock butter 60 He loved Lucy 61 Headland 64 Golf gadget

at you. In the first place, stars are also human beings.

We are capable of getting hurt, too. If we feel that things are already below-the-belt, we have the right to assert ourselves. Call it ‘patola’ but for me, it’s just but apt to get their facts straight,” she affirms.

Jessy is also thankful to her boyfriend Luis Manzano who has been helping her out when it comes to handling bashers.

“He’s got a very healthy attitude in confronting bashers. He doesn’t get affected. He just treats it as a joke,” Jessy avers. *** Kapamilya star Arjo Atayde is now more vocal in expressing his affection for the apple of his eyes Maine Mendoza.

“Perhaps, at this point, with the person who’s always with me, with my loved one, I’m super inspired. Right now, I know where I stand, I know my worth, I know who I am, I know what path I really want to take and what I really want to show them,” he says.

Many are curious about the way he shows his love for the popular Kapuso.

“Spending quality time together is on top of my list.

I’m the clingy type. Her company is one thing I love so much. So, it’s always something I look forward to.”

Arjo reveals that he’s “old school” when it comes to love. He goes for the formal and traditional way of wooing the person he likes.

“There’s nervousness all the time. Especially when you face the family. That’s what I exactly felt when I first met Maine’s family.”

In spite of this, Arjo insists that he and Maine are still on the dating stage.

“For the record, that’s the status of our relationship.

It’s still there,” he ends.

Hollywood...

From C4

Feminist manifesto A Floridian by birth, the petite Italian-American Grande moved to New York as a teen for a spot on Broadway before finding fame on US kids network Nickelodeon.

She forayed into pop music shortly thereafter, releasing her debut studio album to commercial success in 2013.

A fan of miniskirts rarely seen without her signature ponytail snaking down past her hips, Grande had all the makings of a teen pop droid -- batting her eyelashes and pouting her lips while wielding her impressive fouroctave range to deliver saccharine lyrics.

But in recent years the superstar has co-opted that traditional ingenue image, adding a heavy dose of sex appeal and a biting demand for control.

In 2015 she issued a feminist manifesto attacking the public appetite for news on her personal life and those of other women.

And while last year’s Sweetener album -- released in the midst of Grande’s turmoil -felt like an optimistic catharsis, her rapid follow-up “Thank U, Next” saw the star baring but owning her vulnerabilities, declaring this the year of Ariana.

Sexual empowerment Yet Grande’s celebration of feminine power while simultaneously flaunting her sexuality and pinning her art to her tumultuous love life has drawn criticism that she is propping up the very double standards she seeks to destroy.

Her hit “God is a Woman,” hailed as a coming-of-age empowerment anthem, was also derided as embracing tropes of women catering to male pleasure.

“In 2018, at the height of the #MeToo movement and when women are trying (and succeeding) at rising above our worth being tethered to our sexuality, this is the last thing we need,” wrote Erin Parker for the pop culture magazine Nylon.

Jacqueline Warwick, a scholar of music and gender studies at Canada’s Dalhousie University, agreed that Grande’s feminist bent can “feel a little hollow,” saying the star is “playing into these very conventional ways of looking at women’s bodies —and that seems certainly very well worn.”

But Warwick said Grande also “is articulating desire and speaking very frankly and candidly about her sexual pleasure—that’s certainly refreshing and possibly empowering.”

“It’s not easy for young women artists to be taken seriously and be successful in a pop medium without doing the things that she’s doing,” the academic told AFP. Maintain the buzz In recent days Grande—often celebrated for supporting LGBT rights—was also accused of “queerbaiting,” teasing gay fans by suggesting in her new collaboration track “Monopoly” that she is bisexual.

“I think she’s certainly figured out that people are interested in her sex life—that it’s not a bad thing to keep people interested by dropping hints,” Warwick said.

Creating such buzz maintains a steady base keen for Grande’s next bop, which she’s taken to releasing whenever inspiration strikes.

She has voiced irritation with the commodified packaging of pop stars, championing the free release model more associated with hip hop artists.

“My dream has always been to... put out music in the way that a rapper does,” Grande told Billboard recently.

“It’s just like, ‘Bruh, I just want to ... talk to my fans and sing and write music and drop it the way these boys do.’” AFP

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

Entertainment

TUESDAY, APRIL 16, 2019

Beautederm Corp. President and Chief Rhea Anicoche-Tan

SYLVIA reveals secret to her

ageless look agelesslook

NICKIE WANG

Seasoned actress Sylvia Sanchez looks “extra younger” than her actual age mainly because she's at the happiest stage of her life.

D

URING Sylvia Sanchez’s contract renewal with Beautederm Corporation, a premium distributor of beauty products, some members of the press were joking that the actress must have the fountain of youth in her backyard.

In two years’ time, Sylvia is hitting the big five-oh. That’s right, she’s turning 48 on May 19, and yet she appears to have hardly aged since we saw her on the small screen.

“Peace of mind is one of my beauty secrets. I guess when you’re happy inside, that reflects on the outside. I am blessed with good skin but the products I’m using make my skin look even better,” the actress revealed.

“I need to take care of my health and feel good about myself before I can spread love to both my family and my career. This product makes me feel beautiful. It has been part of my daily regimen for many years now, and it never fails to refresh my skin,” she continued.

As one of today’s most accomplished

actresses whose amazing career spans over three decades. She has appeared in over 50 mainstream films of various genres such as drama, comedy, action, and horror, including the recent cinematic release Jesusa and the upcoming film OFW – both of which she is the lead star.

On television she has appeared in over 40 series and drama anthologies until her breakthrough role as Teresita on the daytime, romantic-comedy Be Careful With My Heart, which led to her first ever lead role as Gloria on The Greatest Love, which ran with phenomenally high ratings and much critical acclaim on ABS-CBN from September 2016 to April 2017.

For her superb performance as Gloria on The Greatest Love, Sylvia was

honored with Best Actress Awards from prestigious award-giving bodies such as Gawad Tanglaw and KBP Golden Dove Awards. Currently, Sylvia started shooting for a brand new series on ABS-CBN titled Kapalaran where she will be starring opposite Arci Munoz, JM De Guzman, and Joey Marquez.

In her personal life, Sylvia is a mother of five and is happily married to businessman Art Atayde. As an actress and a homemaker, Sylvia juggles her time in between movie and TV sets and her beautiful home in Quezon City.

“Hindi madaling pagsabayin ang career at personal life,” said Sylvia. “But with hard work, determination, time management, and prayers anything is possible.”

And it is exactly hard-work, determination, and steadfast faith coupled with Sylvia’s unwavering commitment to excellence that makes her partnership with Beautederm a match made in heaven as both give high premium to the same values.

“Sylvia is a huge inspiration to so many women who are wearing so many

New TV programs amp up summer fun THIS summer, GMA turns the heat up a notch as the network debuts its summer campaign showcasing its latest program offerings that aim to keep the viewers’ eyes glued to the screen.

GMA recently launched the plug dubbed “Basta’t Ka-Summer Kota, Kapuso!,” which features the sizzling cast of new Kapuso dramas as their imagination takes them to a vibrant summer destination. The colorful sceneries were shot at the Inflatable Island in Subic, Zambales— the biggest floating playground in Asia.

Leading the list of GMA’s hottest offerings is the recently-launched series Bihag.

A thought-provoking tale of how one mistake can lead to another, Bihag is starred

by Max Collins, Mark Herras, Jason

Abalos, Neil Ryan Sese, Raphael Landicho, and Sophie Albert.

Beginning this April, the tandem of seasoned actor Gabby Concepcion and Jennylyn Mercado will bring good vibes to the Kapuso primetime habit as they form a wacky love triangle with Shaira Diaz in Love You Two. Also included in this romantic comedy series is Solenn Heussaff.

Set to launch soon is Dahil sa Pag-ibig, which will pair Benjamin Alves and Sanya Lopez for the first time. Also joining the cast are Pancho Magno and Winwyn Marquez.

Last but definitely not the least is the much-awaited TV debut of Derek Ramsay as the newest addition to the roster of

Derek Ramsay will headline 'The Better Woman' alongside Andrea Torres

Benjamin Alves, Sanya Lopez , Winwyn Marquez and Pancho Magno, stars of 'Dahil sa Pag-ibig.'

Kapuso stars. Derek will headline The Better Woman alongsideAndrea Torres.

The upbeat and fun jingle, “Basta’t Ka-Summer Kita, Kapuso!”, was performed by Kyline Alcantara with music and lyrics by Mikoy Morales.

Following the plug’s launch on Monday, April 8, netizens quickly shared their excitement about the upcoming Kapuso shows and at the same time applauded how the plug and song were nicely done.

Watch the “Basta’t Ka-summer Kita, Kapuso!” full video on www.GMANetwork.com and on GMA Network’s official social media accounts.

caps in their lives—women with careers who are also wives and mothers, like myself,” says Rhea Anicoche-Tan. “Sylvia represents so many working mothers who are balancing both career and family. She is also trusted by countless Filipinos and as a brand ambassador of Beautederm, I must say that she has really helped the company in its success today,” she added.

According to Sylvia, Beautederm has opened so many doors to a lot of people. It has given a lot of women the opportunity to be financially independent.

“I’m not just an endorser because I am also depot seller in my hometown of Butuan City. The brand has given countless women jobs that they can be proud of and that enables them to help their families.”

“We at Beautederm are proud and happy to renew Sylvia as one of our top celebrity endorsers,” said Rhea. “She is a very important part of the Beautederm family and we are looking forward to working with her in the months to come especially now that the brand is all set to celebrate its 10th anniversary.”

Reigning teen pop idol with a defiant edge BUBBLEGUM pop coquette on the outside, saucy master of celebrity on the inside, there is perhaps no current star better at re-fashioning her own trials into larger-than-life success thanAriana Grande.

While suffering a highly publicized burst of personal and professional upheaval —the deadly 2017 Manchester bombing at one of her concerts, the suicide of her ex-boyfriend rapperMac Miller, the demise of her whirlwind engagement to comedian Pete Davidson— Grande has p r o v e n poised in the face of tragedy and a deft manipulator of her own image, all while catapulting to global stardom.

Grande’s adept use of social media to slam her naysayers, drum up support from her “Arianator” fans and flirt with the gossip machine has created the perception that only she is in the driver’s seat.

*** GMA exec wins Hildegarde Award for Advertising GMA Network’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Lizelle G. Maralag is the recipient of the 13th Hildegarde Awards for Women in Media and Communication for the Advertising category.

The prestigious award is given by the Mass Communication Department of St. Scholastica’s College, Manila to recognize the outstanding women media practitioners who have helped pave the way to improve the welfare of the youth today.

With this year’s theme ‘Women and the Youth: Making Waves, Breaking Barriers’, the Hildegarde Awards honored Maralag as “one of the people responsible for driving GMA’s growth and marketing making it the only Philippine network with the most number of local and global marketing awards to date.”

Prior to joining GMA in 2010, Maralag held an outstanding career as an advertising media professional spanning two decades, wherein she also drove Starcom Mediavest Group Philippines, Inc. in becoming the number one media agency in the market during her time as the Managing Director. She was also the founding co-chairperson of the Media Specialists Association of the Philippines from 2008 to 2009.

Maralag is set to receive the award on April 24 at the St. Cecilia’s Hall, St. Scholastica’s College.

GMA Network’s CMO Lizelle G. Maralag

After a resounding year of hits that saw industry tracker Billboard name the 25-year-old teen idol its 2018 woman of the year, Grande is set to headline a number of major festivals as part of her global tour, including this weekend’s influential Coachella lineup.

She’s just the fourth solo woman to headline the premier festival in the California desert—and the youngest artist ever to nab the coveted spot.

The feat comes after Grande shattered a number of US chart records and released two albums in six months, feeding the streaming beast with earworms while carving out her own version of the modern female pop star. Continued on C3 Ariana Grande has proven poised in the face of tragedy and a deft manipulator of her own image, all while catapulting to global stardom.