Manila Standard - 2019 August 13 - Tuesday

twitter.com/ MlaStandard

facebook.com/ ManilaStandardPH

S

manilastandard.net

Missed your copy of Manila Standard? Call or text our Circulation Hotline at 0917-8848655 or email: circ@manilastandardtoday.com

VOL. XXXIII • NO. 180 • 3 SECTIONS 16 PAGES • P18 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 • www.manilastandard.net • mst.daydesk@gmail.com

CASE FOR THE OCEAN. A Manila Yacht Club worker cleans up Monday the premises in preparation for the Baywalk Exhibition today on the “Gallery of the Sea,” an exhibit of 25 sail painting by Angono Ateliers and Cuadra Manila. Papal Nuncio Gabriele Caccia will be officiating the blessing at the Manila Baywalk by the Yacht Club headed by Commodore Robert Joseph. Lino Santos

PH bans China survey ships mulls over DepEd clarifies Dengue cases top 12,000; October spike feared DFA ‘universalized’ ‘extravagant’ list, invokes UN OOT sessions

By Macon RamosAraneta

THE Education department on Monday defended the more than P300 million in expenses on out-of-town training sessions after the Commission on Audit flagged the amount as “extravagant.”

State auditors pointed out the P316.62 million spent on the department’s training sessions in “lavish resorts and tourist spot locations.”

But the Palace on Monday backed Education Secretary Leonor Briones, saying she would never allow irregularities in her department despite the COA report showing some anomalies in its use of funds.

“The Secretary of Education is a very competent, intelligent educator and she is someone who had never allowed any irregularity or anomaly inside her department,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

The government auditing body claims the Education department had P13.9-billion worth of undocumented expenses that ranged from P3,000 to as much as P13 billion for 2018.

Meanwhile, Senator Win Gatchalian says he will look into the unused books and other learning tools worth P3.4 million Next page

THE number of dengue cases nationwide breached the 10,000 a week threshold as more than 12,000 cases were reported based on the latest surveillance report of the Department of Health-Epidemiology Bureau.

Epidemiology Bureau Director Ferchito Avelino said a total

SUSPICIOUS BITES.

Fumigation is in high gear in Barangay Payatas in Quezon City, where two died last week from suspicious mosquito bites.

The number of dengue cases nationwide has breached the 10,000 a week threshold as more than 12,000 cases were reported based on the latest surveillance report of the Department of Health-Epidemiology Bureau.

Manny Palmero

of 12,880 dengue cases were reported from July 21 to 27, a 70 percent increase over the 7,542 cases in the same period last year.

Thirty nine deaths from dengue were also reported in the same period, which brought to 661 the number of persons who succumbed to dengue from Jan. 1 to July 27.

Health Secretary Franciso Duque said there were 146,062 cases recorded from Jan. 1 up to July 20 this year,

House, Senate to keep track of priority bills

By Maricel V. Cruz A HOUSE leader on Monday suggested the reactivation of a joint congressional panel with the Senate that will monitor the progress of legislative action on priority and certified measures.

House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said he would recommend the reactivation of the joint congressional technical working group to Senate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri.

Romualdez said the House will work on tighter coordination with the Palace and the Senate to avoid a single

Israel deports PH worker, son

A FILIPINO migrant worker and her Israeli-born teenage son were in the process of being deported from the Jewish state on Sunday night after successive court appeals failed, an NGO lobbying for children of miNext page grants said.

prompting him to declare a national epidemic.

With the new cases, Avelino said the cumulative number of dengue cases from Jan. 1 to July 27 was pegged at 167,606.

In an earlier interview in the Senate, Avelino said they are bracing for a spike in the number of dengue cases by October as thousands of mosquitoes’ eggs would be hatched and they would start biting.

Next page

presidential veto of bills approved by the 18th Congress.

“The technical working group will not only help fasttrack the passage of the President’s priority bills, but will assist in spotting red flags for possible presidential veto,” Romualdez said.

“We aim to work closely also with the PLLO (Presidential Legislative Liaison Office) so that they can alert us what are the certain provisions of the bills that may need thorough discussion with Cabinet members concerned,” Romualdez added.

Romualdez said the Congressional Planning and

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE Philippines has already banned marine survey ships from other countries, including China, from entering the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Monday.

“I banned marine survey ships, amending [the] restriction to France and Japan by adding China,” Locsin said on his Twitter account. “To pick and choose invites suspicion of favoritism.”

“Will universalize the ban. Period.

Granting exception to one country will automatically lift ban universally.

Exception[s] invite bribes,” he added.

Next page

Oil players cut prices: P1.30/li

Gov’t sets anti-Reds propaganda in campus

By Alena Mae S. Flores

THE security sector will be conducting indoctrination sorties inside college and university campuses to discuss the plans and programs of the government to counter the alleged brainwashing of left-leaning students, the Interior department said Monday.

In a television interview, Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing said students had always been

MORE oil companies are expected to cut pump prices today, Tuesday by as much as P1.30 per liter to reflect the movement of oil prices last week.

Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and PTT Philippines announced separate price cuts of P1.10 per liter for diesel, P0.50 per liter for gasoline and P1.30 per liter for kerosene.

“Petron will implement the following price rollbacks effective 6 a.m. Aug. 13: P0.50 per liter for gasoline; P1.10 per liter for diesel; and P1.30 per liter

Next page

Next page

By Francisco Tuyay

Next page

K-Pop supertars to take a break

Versace apologizes for HK flap

K-POP superstars BTS will take a ‘longterm break’ from the music scene, their agency said Monday, after the boy band topped charts in the US and Britain earlier this year.

But the pause may only last a few

BEIJING—Luxury fashion brands Versace, Coach, and Givenchy have apologized for making perceived affronts to China’s national sovereignty with T-shirts listing Hong Kong and Taiwan as separate countries.

Next page

Next page

A2

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

ROTC revival bill refiled; two solons air optimism

By Maricel V. Cruz TWO congressmen on Monday expressed optimism a bill reactivating the Reserve officers’ Training Corps will be enacted during the 18th Congress.

Reps. Raneo Abu of Batangas and Jericho Nograles of the PBA party-list group refiled their ROTC bills soon after the 18th Congress convened.

Meanwhile, the the ACTS-OFW Coalition of Organizations said President Rodrigo Duterte’s plan to revive the ROTC would give future Filipino sailors the edge in the global market for ship officers.

International shipping companies prefer to recruit merchant mariners with basic military training,” said ACTS-OFW chairman Aniceto Bertiz III. Bertiz said the Philippines was now the world’s second-largest supplier of licensed ship officers after China and the largest supplier of unlicensed ship ratings or nonofficer crew ahead of China.

An ROTC bill was passed on third and final reading by the 17th Congress under the stewardship of Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, but the Senate failed to do the same.

It must be recognized that the school is the most powerful institution when it comes to shaping the hearts and minds of the youth,” Abu says in his House Bill 2087.

“It is essential, therefore, to use the school as an invaluable instrument to ensure that Filipino students are geared to become disciplined, active, responsive, participative and patriotic citizens and able defenders of our country. With Vito Barcelo

DOJ gives NBI ultimatum on NL terror plot

By Rey E. Requejo JUSTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Monday gave the National Bureau of Investigation until the end of this month to submit an initial report on the existence of a terror plot of the Islamic State in Northern Luzon.

Guevarra earlier directed the NBI to check on raw information received by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that the IS was planning to sow terror on some Catholic churches in Northern Luzon.

“I will give the NBI as much as time as is needed to validate, if not neutralize, this threat. I will direct the agency to submit an initial report before the end of this month,” Guevarra said.

“Terrorism, like illegal drugs, is topmost priority for the Department of Justice due to its violent nature and the widespread fear and anxiety that it brings to the general public,” the DOJ chief added.

Intelligence reports from the AFPNorthern Luzon Command (AFP-Nolcom) issued an alert memo allegedly about a “Crusader City” with business centers and “Crusader Churches” in their area as targets for terror attack.

“Crusader Cities” is reportedly a term used by the IS to refer to “target areas” to incite a religious war. The authorities are verifying intelligence reports that said jihadists are planning to bomb Catholic churches in the cities.

Israel...

From A1

Rosemarie Perez was arrested by immigration officials along with her 13-year-old son Rohan on Tuesday for overstaying her work visa.

On Sunday night the two were under escort at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, waiting to be put aboard an El Al flight to Hong Kong, from where they would fly to Manila, said Beth Franco of United Children of Israel (UCI).

“They’re flying out tonight,” she said, adding that Rohan had never been outside the Jewish state before.

Earlier Sunday a court rejected Perez’s latest plea to stay, immigration authority spokeswoman Sabine Haddad told AFP. “She has been here illegally for 10 years,” Haddad said.

UCI argues that it is cruel to send Rohan—and other children of migrants—to a country they have never seen and where they do not speak the language.

Last week migrants, their children and native Israelis staged a protest in Tel Aviv against the policy of deporting Israeliborn children of migrants.

Ronan has “never been to the Philipines, he doesn’t speak the language, Hebrew is his first tongue,” said Franco, adding that it had been his dream to serve in the Israeli army. AFP

NUP drops ‘national’ ambition T

are not entertaining any idea that any member of the NUP would run as a senator or even a higher position in 2022,” Barzaga HE National Unity Party that is emerging as said.

He said the NUP would rather be a “small a dominant political party at the House of political party” even if it had viable candidates.

Representatives will not dominate the ruling “It is possible we might have viable canPartido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, party didates but we are more than satisfied in having a small political party,” Barzaga president and Dasmariñas Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said said.

Monday.

Political observers have said the NUP will be a force to reckon with for having the I don’t think that they have to worry view.

President’s son, Davao City Rep. Paolo DuHe said the NUP, for now, would not terte, as its new member. about the NUP. In the first place we’re not interested in any national candidate field any candidate for national positions in But Deputy Speaker Roberto Puno of for President, vice president and sena- the 2022 elections.

Antipolo City, an NUP stalwart, said earlier “It is our position that as of this time, we the NUP did not intend to be the dominant tor,” Barzaga said in a television inter-

By Maricel V Cruz

party in the House of Representatives and its membership would be limited to 50 legislators or one-sixth of the 300-strong lower chamber.

Puno said he believed Duterte would be a great asset to the NUP. Barzaga said Duterte opted join the NUP as its adopted member as the President’s son was impressed by the camaraderie of the party members. “...We gave the idea you can join the party even without renouncing your party affiliation,” Barzaga said.

Barzaga also said he believed Duterte was not interested to be a Speaker.

“But of course in so far as politics is concerned, everything is still uncertain,” he said.

'Gift' remarks not impeachable—UP professor

By Rio N. Araja, MJ Blancaflor, and Macon Ramos-Araneta

GOODWILL VISIT. The Indonesian Navy training ship KRI Bima Suci docks at the Pier 15, South Harbor, Manila on August 12, 2019 for a goodwill visit that will last until August 15, 2019. Norman Cruz

PH...

From A1

Locsin made the statement after reports said two Chinese survey ships sailed within the country’s exclusive economic zone where Filipinos have the exclusive rights to explore and exploit natural resources.

Earlier, Ryan Martinson, assistant professor at the China Maritime Studies Institute of the US Naval War College, revealed that Chinese ship, Zhang Jian has been operating some 80 nautical miles of the east coast of the country since Aug. 3.

Another Chinese oceanographic research ship--Dong Fang Hong 3--has been found northwest of the Philippines, Martinson said, adding that the closest it got was Ilocos Norte.

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a ship conducting a scientific survey must ask or request permission from the country that has jurisdiction over the area where the survey will take place.

Both Manila and Beijing are signatories to UNCLOS. The reported presence of the survey ves-

House,...

From A1

Budget Office (CPBO) estimates that at least P3 million are being spent for the approval of any bill until third reading.

The amount covers the salary of congressmen and House personnel involved in the process as well as.government resources used in the proceedings.

“We do not want to waste the people’s money. A well-crafted legislative measure, discussed thoroughly with Cabinet members and other stakeholders, will ensure that government resources are spent wisely and prudently,” Romualdez said.

On Monday last week, a small group from the Legislative ExecutiveDevelopment Advisory Council (LEDAC) met with Cabinet secretaries at Malacañang where they agreed to hold a regular monthly meeting to ensure the swift passage of the President’s priority measures.

“We are eyeing zero veto for all bills to be approved by the Senate and the House,” Romualdez said.

“The House leaders will exhaust all means possible to make sure that the executive and the legislative departments are in sync with regard to priority and certified bills filed in the 18th Congress. We do not want to put to waste all the money, time and effort which are normally spent in passing bills,” he added.

K-Pop...

From A1

weeks, with the septet due to play a controversial show in Saudi Arabia in October.

The K-pop industry is known for cutthroat competition and around-the-clock work hours that include concerts, press events and gruelling singing and dancing training when the stars are offstage.

BTS will take their “first official longterm break since their debut” six years ago, managers Big Hit Entertainment said, adding it will be a time to “recharge and refresh

sels came on the heels of reports of several Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Army Navy ships, including Beijing’s lone aircraft carrier Liaoning, passing through Philippine waters without asking permission from Manila and with their automatic identification transponders turned off.

This also came after the DFA filed a diplomatic protest over the presence of hundreds of Chinese vessels near Pag-asa island in the Kalayaan Island Group.

On Sunday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the ship—thought to be Chinese--docked off Subic Bay is actually former Japanese vessel acquired and converted into a yacht by a businessman based in Subic.

The ship was seen anchored off Subic Bay early Sunday.

Further verification showed that the ship used to be the Japanese research-and-survey vessel Tankai Maru, he said.

“It has been bought and converted into a motor yacht. It caters to tourists that are already in Subic,” Lorenzana added.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) administrator, lawyer Amy Eisma, also confirmed that the yacht is registered in Subic as the Balena II. With PNA

Oil...

From A1

for kerosene. These reflect movements in the international oil market,” Petron, the country’s biggest oil company said.

Chevron Philippines, which markets the Caltex brand, also announced over the weekend that it will implement the same level of price rollback effective 12:01 a.m.

Aug. 13.

PetroGazz and Flying V also announced they will also implement their own price cut effective 6 a.m. Tuesday of P1.10 per liter for diesel andP0.50 per liter for diesel.

Phoenix Petroleum Philippines was first to implement the latest round of rollbacks, cutting prices at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Seaoil Philippines announced a rollback of P1.10 per liter for diesel, P0.50 per liter for gasoline and P1.30 per liter for kerosene at 6 a.m. Sunday.

World oil prices fell last week due to expectations of s softening of demand due to the ongoing US-China trade war.

The International Energy Agency reported last week that it expects oil demand to reach 1.1 million barrels per day this year, lower by 100,000 barrels per day than the forecast.

Last week, however, the oil firms did not move domestic oil prices.

The last oil price movement was on July 30, when the oil firms cut the price of gasoline by P0.95 per liter but raised the price of diesel by P0.15 per liter and P0.10 per liter. as musicians and creators”.

It would also be a time for them to “enjoy their daily lives as normal 20-something young men”, the agency said in a midnight statement.

“If you run into BTS at an unexpected place, we ask for the fans’ consideration to allow the members to enjoy their private time.”

BTS—or Bangtan Sonyeondan, which translates as Bulletproof Boy Scouts—have gained a massive global following in recent years, becoming the first K-pop group to top charts in the US and Britain with a string of sold-out shows in Los Angeles, Paris and London’s Wembley Stadium. AFP

A UNIVERSITY of the Philippine law professor on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte had not yet violated any provision in the 1987 Constitution for saying policemen may receive gifts from benefactors.

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview, aired nationwide, Rowena Daroy-Morales, a UP College of Law professor, said what a person does is different from what a person says.

“Some people are trying to say that he must be impeached for going against the Constitution,” she said.

“Violation of any law, generally, should be active. You must have done something against (the law). But if you have just said (something), it can be another thing,” she added.

Dengue...

From A1

He said eggs of dengue-carrying mosquitoes were being hatched four times in a month.

To stave off this problem, he said it was important to get rid of all breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

“There is a cycle for dengue- every three year is a dengue year in the Philippines.

And we are in our dengue year so we need to eliminate all places were mosquitoes will lay and breed their eggs,” Avelino said.

The latest surveillance report from the DOH EB also showed that Region I and the National Capital Region are on alert thresholds.

Meanwhile, Senator Richard Gordon warned of more deaths from dengue if the government doesn’t provide immediate help to children injected who were injected with the vaccine Dengvaxia despite being “seronegative”—meaning they had never been exposed to dengue before.

The former director of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp., Anthony Leachon, said there is no rapid diagnostic test to determine seronegative or seropositive status of each patient, making it risky to administer the Dengvaxia vaccine.

The government banned the sale of

While gift-giving is part of the Filipino culture, government employees must still consider the value of the items they would be receiving and the circumstance behind it, she said.

“If you are so rich and you are being given one sack of rice, that would be nothing.

That would just be an act of gratitude. But if you are not that rich, one sack of rice is really something big,” she stressed.

“If the transaction is already through and the recipient has nothing to do with it, is not from that office, or has nothing to do with the fact, that is not graft and corruptin,” she said.

She said the law might be amended if the time and situation would call for it.

“We have the so-called millennials, postmillennials, Gen X, etc. Our generation is changing nowadays. Are our laws already updated? I don’t think so, because certain laws still contain the values or institutionalized the values that should forever be here,” she said.

Dengvaxia in December 2017 after its manufacturer, Sanofi of France announced that the drug could bring about more serious symptoms for those who have had no exposure to dengue.

No available tests have been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to determine a previous dengue infection, Leachon added.

Gordon said it was crucial to monitor Dengvaxia-vaccinated children, especially those that had never been in contact with dengue before.

“We need to have a strong surveillance system for vaccinated children so that we can immediately send them to hospitals for immediate and proper treatment. We should protect these children from a more serious case,” Gordon said.

Health officials warned last week that the dengue epidemic will peak in October with an estimated 10,000 cases a week, even as local government units fail to stem the tide of infection and deaths, which have now topped 600, most of them children.

Interviewed at the sidelines of a Senate briefing, DOH Epidemiology Bureau Chief Dr. Ferchito Avelino said that at present, the department has recorded only half of the expected cases for the year.

“By October, we are expecting a peak in the dengue cases,” he said, as dengue-carrying mosquitoes will start biting. With PNA

DepEd...

Gov't...

From A1

From A1

in Department of Education warehouses as revealed by the Commission on Audit in its annual audit report.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate basic education committee, expressed alarm and dismay over the COA report.

“One of these were the books, the learners material. I was alarmed because 3.4 million books were stocked in the warehouse, and they’re worth P113 million.

Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla says that while the amount seems “alarming,” it is less than 1 percent of the department’s P4-billion annual budget for training. The agency currently has more than 900,000 personnel.

“We cannot avoid that the minimal part of it, although the figure is in millions but considering how big our structure is, looks like a very alarming figure,” Sevilla said.

She says the training sessions conducted by the department are done “everywhere” to cater to education personnel across the country and that a daily training budget for each person should not exceed P2,000. MJ Blancaflor and Macon Ramos-Araneta

exposed to the one-sided point of view of left-leaning organizations.

He said the security sector must be given the chance to talk to the students to provide them with a broader spectrum of the political realities.

“Ang maganda dito bigyan natin ng pagkakataon ang ating mga kabataan na makita ang kabilang kwento,” Densing said.

“Dalawang kuwento po ‘yan: kaliwa at kanan, at saka meron pang-gitna. Bigyan po natin ng pagkakataon ang kabataan na makita ‘yung buong spectrum.”

Reports sayd left-leaning organization targeting students in their recruitment activities depict the bad side of the government, a form of brainwashing, to convince them to join the underground movement.

Initially, students are tapped to distribute anti-government leaflets in several places within and outside the schools as

Versace...

From A1

Versace was criticized on Sunday for a T-shirt that implied Hong Kong and Macau—both semi-autonomous cities in China—were independent.

Hong Kong has become a particularly sensitive subject in mainland China as the Asian financial hub has been plunged into months of pro-democracy protests.

On Monday, images of a 2018 Coach Tshirt that said Taiwan—a self-ruled democratic island Beijing regards as its territo-

an initiation.

Densing says leftist personalities normally conduct initial surveys inside campuses and, once students are persuaded, they take them out of the campus for to continue the indoctrination.

ry—and Hong Kong were not part of China again provoked anger online.

Givenchy too was outed for a similar offense: a black T-shirt that listed Taiwan and Hong Kong separately from cities in mainland China.

All three companies have tried to minimize the damage over the mistakes that cost them their high-profile Chinese brand ambassadors.

Coach said in a statement Monday that the clothes with the “serious inaccuracy” had been pulled, adding it was “fully aware of the severity of this error and deeply regret it.”.AFP

News Sandigan suspends Romblon congressman

By Maricel V. Cruz THE Sandiganbayan has ordered the 90-day suspension of Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona of Romblon, who is facing a graft case in connection with the alleged irregular purchase of fertilizers 15 years ago, when he was the governor of the province.

In an order issued on August 5, 2019, the antigraft court’s Sixth Division imposed the mandatory suspension on Madrona to prevent him from tampering with the documentary evidence as well as the prosecution witnesses.

“All the requisites for suspension under Sec. 13 of Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) being present, this court is mandated to order the preventive suspension of accused Madrona,” the court said in the decision written by Justice Sarah Jane Fernandez, the chairman of the Sixth Division.

The other members of the division, Associate Justices Karl Miranda and Kevin Narce Vivero, concurred.

Madrona was alleged to have conspired with other provincial officials to award to Feshan Philippines Inc. a contract for the supply of 3,333 bottles of organic liquid fertilizer for P1,500 per bottle or a total of P4,863,823.

The Ombudsman said the purchase was done without public bidding, thus violating Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. Madrona’s co-accused, Geishler Fadri and Oscar Galos are no longer in government service.

A3

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Govt vows impartial probe of Iloilo-Guimaras tragedy

T

HE Department of Transportation (DoTr) on Monday gave assurances it would uphold fairness and impartiality in the conduct of an internal investigation on the tragic sea incident along the IloiloGuimaras Strait.

The DoTr, through the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), has already commenced an inter-agency probe on the mishap.

The investigating body will focus on existing and applied protocols on the suspension of voyages of motorboats. It is expected to make recommendations on the refinement and strengthening of such protocols, as well as on the use of wooden hull motorboats.

DoTr Secretary Arthur Tugade has

earlier ordered the relief of officials of PCG stations in Iloilo and Guimaras and MARINA Western Visayas Regional Office to ensure just and objective results of the investigation.

PCG commandant Admiral Elson Hermogino noted that the administrative relief is an opportunity for concerned officials to properly present their case.

“It is an opportunity to comprehensively hear their side, including the aspect of) search and rescue. If their case withstands the rigors of the investiga-

tion, the dignity of their names will be restored,” Hermogino explained.

MARINA OIC Administrator Narciso Vingson Jr. assured that on the part of the agency, it would exert all efforts to ensure an exhaustive and transparent investigation.

“The relief is merely procedural in investigations such as this. We just want to make sure that the investigation will not be influenced and instead make it 99 percent fair). We owe this to the victims and their families,” Vingson stated.

Meanwhile, the DoTr has directed the MARINA to fast-track the release of permits for Roll-On/Roll-Off (Ro-Ro) fastcraft vessels to service the IloiloGuimaras route, while wooden hull motorboat trips remain suspended to address inter-island transport concerns.

PNA

Urban poor panel wants informal settlers named

By Rio N. Araja THE Presidential Commission on Urban Poor wants to identify other informal settlers who have been relocated but have yet to receive the government’sP18,000 financial assistance.

Alvin Feliciano, PCUP chairperson and chief executive officer, said they were “determined” to complete the distribution of the financial aid this year for beneficiaries of Oplan LIKAS interim shelter fund of the Department of Interior and Local Government.

“Based on the recent coordination between the two government agencies, the PCUP has already distributed the aid to 55 percent, out of the 3,328 names endorsed by the DILG. We have a target distribution for the remaining 45 percent before the year ends,” he said.

“We are fast tracking the distribution of P18,000. They (beneficiaries) have long been waiting for this. We will put an end to this,” he added.

He vowed that the government’s assistance would go to the rightful beneficiaries.

The discussion conducted by the

PCUP’s resettlement team showed several of the relocated beneficiaries have failed to submit complete documents required of them, hindering them to avail of the financial assistance.

Feliciano said the PCUP is already in the process of identifying such beneficiaries in Luzon.

Oplan LIKAS (Likas para Iwas sa Kalamidad at Sakit) is a convergence and collaborative effort among 13 national government agencies to relocate informal settler families living along priority waterways and esteros.

‘Party-list accreditation should be stricter’ AN OFFICIAL of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said she wanted a stricter policy in the accreditation of party-list organizations that are looking to represent marginalized sectors at the House of Representatives in the May 2022 polls.

“We have been very liberal with some groups. We are going to be strict.

I am going to be strict now. That is the result of this issue (of former National Youth Commission Chairperson Ronald Cardema). Tell the PartyList Coalition that I am going to be very strict now with registration,” Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia Guanzon said in a statement Monday.

At the same time, she noted that she will ask other commissioners to do the same in approving accreditations of party-list groups.

“If they do not meet the documentary requirements, or they lack the requirements, I will deny their registration,” Guanzon said.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Audit has called the attention of the Comelec to “immediately liquidate” its P1.637-billion cash advance, including P1.202 billion used during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in 2018.

State auditors sent a management letter to Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas, informing him of unliquidated advances worth P1.418 billion used for payroll, official local and foreign travels and other undertakings and cash advances in previous years worth P219.184 million.

A4

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Pulse on PH polls DEMOCRACY as a concept is rather simple. It is a government for the people by the people, where leaders are elected by the majority. The people are given a voice through their elected representatives.

The process of accurately tallying and accounting for this majority voice, however, is another matter entirely. All you have to do is examine the countless issues associated with elections all over the world to give you a glimpse of how complicated it is.

The notion that our Commission on Elections only works when there are actual elections is sad.

The reality is quite the opposite. While elections only happen every three years, this is a distressingly short time to prepare voting logistics for an archipelago with over 7,100 islands, 16 administrative regions and a still-growing population of over 60 million people.

People trust the automated election system.

Santa banana! Given such a short time frame, I can only imagine the overtime and all-nighters that Comelec people have as Election Day draws closer.

On a bright note, it seems that the efforts of Comelec and the election technology provider, Smartmatic—a partnership often unsung, unappreciated and often maligned—are actually being felt by the public.

According to the latest Pulse Asia survey, 87 percent of Filipinos trust and approve of the Automated Election System used in the past two elections. Some 91 percent of respondents are in favor of keeping the elections automated.

My gulay, this is surprising amid certain lobby groups and personalities calling for a hybrid or manual system which,

Adelle Chua, Editor

EDITORIAL

as most of my readers know, I am not fond of because it will provide opportunities for cheating.

It’s nice to know that an overwhelming majority subscribes to the point of view that we need to use technology to make elections secure and convenient.

This only shows that complaints about automated elections come from a very small but very loud community.

This reminds me of the call of President Duterte for the Comelec to junk Smartmatic and the AES. Thank goodness the Comelec is an independent institution under the Constitution.

It has come to a point where no one loses an election here. You just have the ones who win—and the ones who claim they have been cheated.

I admire and pity Smartmatic or any other technology provider that wishes to do business in the Philippines. No matter how well they do their jobs and no matter how good their technology is, some people cannot just accept defeat.

The survey results have validated the efforts of both the Comelec and Smartmatic. I hope these two entities do not give in to propaganda. I hope they would just do their jobs despite the criticism. *** The current brouhaha over Presi President Duterte’s statement that the police should accept gifts when given by peo people who appreciate what they have done opens the door to a lot of questions.

How, exactly, are they supposed to conduct themselves?

This law applies not only to the police but all public officials. So why should cops be so lucky that they can receive gifts when they are already being paid by the people?

Worse, the police might be asking for more and more gifts, and their addiction to such “tokens” will eventually lead to corruption.

Who decides what is small and insignificant? What are mere tokens of gratitude or friendship?

If we are to accept this exception to the rule, giving gifts to public officials will be the norm, and everybody in government will be asking for gifts for every public service act they perform. We may soon have a government relying on gifts!

The law bars government officials and employees from soliciting or accepting, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity,

Safe zones

T

HIS weekend Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier with friends in high places and who had been convicted of pedophilia and accused of running a sex trafficking ring, died in his New York cell in an apparent suicide. There are questions—some are even fanning conspiracies—about why he was not placed under closer watch after he had tried to kill himself in July. Still, with his death, Epstein’s victims will no longer have the satisfaction of obtaining justice for what they experienced. power and intimidation to get what he wants.

Here at home, a prestigious literary workshop has been put on the spotlight after a female writing fellow relayed her experience on social media, accusing the workshop’s keynote speaker of raping her. Indeed the literary community, like any other community, is not immune to such incidents. People are people, after all, wherever they are placed.

The phenomenon is nuanced, and we must acknowledge that things of this sensitive nature are never quite so black and white. Foremost, the notion of “consent” is tricky. Motives of those who claim to be victims can be questioned. There remains the notion of an old boys’ club, or the sense of protecting an institution. Sometimes, it might

Two years ago, an equally big name in the US—movie producer Harvey Weinstein—was outed as a serial sexual abuser, using his power and influence to make or break the careers of aspiring actresses. Soon, the #MeToo movement was born. Women, girls, and even men came forward with their own stories of sexual harassment or assault in an effort to empower others cowed into silence and who think they are alone and powerless against their abusers.

Then again, we know all too well that these things do not just happen in Hollywood, or in the US. All around the world, in all industries—in the development sector, in the academe, in business, in government—there is always that person who believes he—or she in some cases—can get away with using

simply be an issue of miscommunication, mixed signals, or a date/ hookup gone bad.

No doubt, the culture of calling out abusers should be strengthened. Support must be given by individuals and by institutions. Workplaces and other environments should make clear that they will not tolerate such behavior regardless of who the perpetrator is.

Victims, whatever their stature, must realize it is always in their best intention to speak out about their abusers, even though the consequences of coming forward may be overwhelming. What is wrong is to believe one never has a choice except to be silent.

Then again, it is equally wrong to heap the blame on another person out of malice or spite. With today’s outrage against abusers, a mere allegation can destroy one’s life work and tar one’s reputation for good. Doing this also does a grave disservice to real victims—subjecting them to undue scrutiny or even disbelief, when they deserve to be truly heard and empowered.

Not even national officials joking about rape and other forms of abuse should confuse our moral compass as to what we should expect of others— and most importantly, ourselves.

Turn to A5

Activism empowers the youth

THE Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, in the context of its preparations for the 500th anniversary in 2021 of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, has declared 2019 as the Year of the Youth. The theme it has proclaimed: “Filipino Youth in Mission: Beloved, Gifted, Empowered.”

In a pastoral letter it issued last December, the bishops extolled the example of the young lay missionary catechist St. Pedro Calungsod and Richie Fernando, the young Jesuit who died shielding his students from a grenade explosion, appreciating “fresh and energetic youthfulness” as a gift that enabling the young to commit to serve others while renewing the Church and the world. The bishops also praised the youth for being empowered.

Youth empowerment is what my work is all about as a professor of law, governance and politics, and philosophy.

I have been teaching for 38 years starting in 1991 when I first taught philosophy as a Jesuit Volunteer in Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro. I am now teaching the children of my students, not to mention the children of my classmates and high school, college, and law school contemporaries. Currently, I teach in 12 learning institutions all over the country, mostly in law schools and in a judicial academy run by the Supreme Court.

I also teach political science, public policy and management, environmental and climate change policy, and philosophy courses to both undergraduate and graduate students in Ateneo de Manila.

The reason for this scaled-up teaching, as challenging as it is logistically to meet its demands, is a realization that we need a critical mass of empowered youth that will make another Philippines and world possible. Aside from teaching the youth directly, I have also prioritized teaching their teachers.

I emphasized this last Saturday when I had the honor of speaking at the Regional Assembly of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (Region 10—Northern Mindanao) held in Cagayan de Oro. I was asked to speak about empowering the youth. I echoed of course the words of our bishops and

shared my own reflections of how we educators could help in empowering the youth.

I proposed four Rs to do that—we must teach and inspire, provide tools, and accompany the young to RESIST EVIL, REINFORCE GOOD, REMEMBER OUR ROOTS, and REIMAGINE THE FUTURE. We must encourage our students to resist human rights violations and atrocities, whether it’s drug addicts or social activists that are the targets. They must resist the defeatist attitude of this government against China at the expense of our national sovereignty. I hope they will resist the erosion of democracy, among others the relentless attacks on the opposition.

Resist evil, reinforce good, remember our roots and reimagine the future.

We must reinforce the good things the government is doing and that is happening in society—helping the Bangsmoro succeed for example, should be a priority for us in Mindanao, likewise helping newly appointed agriculture secretary William Dar achieve his laudable objectives and participating in the effort to clean up the environment like in the case of Boracay and Manila Bay are important.

We must help the youth remember and learn from history—from making sure the history of the US-Marcos dictatorship is not revised to understanding better what make us a nation starting with the Philippine Revolution of 1896. Above all, we most accompany our young people in appreciating the gift of Christianity to our islands—as we approach the 500th anniversary of its landing in our islands. I highlighted the immense good that has given our people but also recognize the bad legacies of our colonial history.

Finally, I told my fellow educators that we must empower our young to reimagine another world, a better future—one where children are safeguarded and protected, where technology does not serve to alienate or divide us or render human Turn to A5

Are the happy days of POGOs numbered?

THE proliferation in recent years of Philippine offshore gaming operators or POGOs employing mainly Chinese nationals has raised serious concern among Filipinos. The issue is that thousands of Chinese are working here illegally and taking away jobs from locals, with not a few exhibiting rude behavior.

Last week, the Chinese Embassy broke its silence on the issue by coming out with an official statement.

At the outset, the embassy said it viewed with “grave concern” the announcement by a top official of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) that Chinese working in POGOs would be transferred to “self-contained” communities or hubs. This, it said, “may infringe on the basic legal rights of the Chinese citizens concerned.” It called on the Philippine government to “effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens in the Philippines.”

The statement also tackled other key points on the issue.

This should also allay fears among Filipinos that the Chinese government tolerates the involvement of its nationals in gambling overseas.

One, the Chinese government requires its citizens overseas to abide by local laws and regulations and to refrain from working illegally in other countries. The Chinese Embassy in Manila has also issued consular reminders in this regard, and clearly stated this position to the proper Philippine agencies.

Two, Chinese laws and regulations consider illegal any form of gambling by its citizens, including online gambling, gambling overseas, and opening of casinos overseas to attract Chinese as primary customers. A large number of Chinese nationals has been illegally hired in the Philippine gambling industry. In many cases, the employers of these gambling

entities do not apply for necessary legal work permits for their Chinese employees. Some Chinese nationals are even lured into working illegally even if they only have tourist visas.

Three, the operations of Philippine casinos, POGOs and other gambling entities targeting Chinese customers have resulted in a huge amount of Chinese funds flowing illegally into the Philippines through cross-border money laundering via underground banking, which undermines China’s financial supervision. The Chinese government estimates that gambling-related funds from China flowing into the Philippines amounts to hundreds of millions of Chinese yuan (renminbi) every year.

Four, the fact that many Chinese are lured into illegal gambling, has led to in an increase in crimes and social problems in China. For instance, gamblingrelated crimes and telecom fraud are closely connected, causing huge losses to the victims and their families. Chinese nationals working illegally in Philippine gambling entities are also subjected to a form of “modern slavery” due to severe limitation of their personal freedom.

Their passports are taken away or confiscated by their employers. They are conTurn to A5

Rolando G. Estabillo Publisher ManilaStandard

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

ONLINE

can be accessed at: manilastandard.net

MEMBER

PPI

Philippine Press Institute The National Association of Philippine Newspapers

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

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

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

Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor Opinion Editor

Emil P. Jurado

Honor Blanco Cabie Night Editor Jimbo Gulle City Editor Roberto Cabrera Chief Photographer

Chairman Emeritus, Editorial Board

Opinion

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

Divide one into two OR INTO three, in the case of the decades-long odyssey of the Marcos family through the country’s history.

In the aftermath of the autist PNoy’s presidency—the prospect of which terrified his own father Ninoy—the stained legacy of the Cojuangco-Aquino families is being held up to critical reevaluation, especially among a millennial generation that wasn’t even born during EDSA 1, but who’ve been continuously bombarded by yellow propaganda since their school years, churned out by leftist academics with longer and more bitter memories.

Inevitably, the reevaluation has also spurred revisionist views of the Marcos presidency itself. Revisionists are pointing out the economic growth and dismantling of political dynasties during the early years of martial law, the construction of iconic projects like the Heart Center and the Cultural Center by Mrs. Marcos—before the momentum was upset by oil price shocks and a slowing economy abroad, as well as an uprising within the business community that predictably was able to enlist U.S. support.

As for human rights abuses during martial law, people often forget that only one person was officially executed under martial law—the drug lord Lim Seng, a short, stocky Chinese gentleman who liked to bang his head against the cell wall as his morning exercise inside the Crame stockade we shared. The crackdown was precipitated as much by the bombing of Plaza Miranda by communist provocateurs as it was by the inevitable response of State forces, and there’s more than enough blame to go around for those years when democratic space was suspended. *** The second act in the Marcos saga, post-EDSA, was dominated by the largely successful efforts of the Cory presidency to dismantle pretty much everything that was Marcos—although, strangely enough, she never did get around to actually bringing to justice the mastermind behind her husband’s death. Perhaps the consequences of justice being done in his case might have been uncomfortable even for her.

This period is when intensive effrts began to recover billions of pesos of what’s claimed to be the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcoses. As during martial law, the record is decidedly mixed, with human rights claimants seeming to make headway in their legal battles in Hawaii but, most recently, the Marcos family winning a decisive victory in the Supreme Court. Some people blame this victory on the phenomenal legal skills of family lawyer Estelito Mendoza, forgetting that our government—any government—could always outspend a private party like the Marcoses if it truly wanted to win in court.

What of the Marcoses?

tention, especially in today’s regime of automated elections. It seeks to declare the May 2016 certificates of canvass (COCs) as “unauthentic” and, on that basis, nullify the proclamation of Robredo. The evidence may seem circumstantial, but taken together, it presents a compelling story and raises some pretty hard questions: The law requires all election results to be sent directly to seven public servers, located at the canvassing centers for city/municipal, provincial, and national results; the majority and minority parties; the KBP and a citizen’s watchdog.

But instead of doing this, Smartmatic installed a secret server through which the votes first had to pass. If this is true, what was that secret server doing to the votes passing through it?

On election evening, while the votes were already being counted, Marlon Garcia, a foreign employee of Smartmatic, broke into the system and changed one letter in the name of a senatorial candidate, Roy Seneres, who had died three months earlier. If true, why on earth did this happen? What else could Marlon have changed in the computer code? Marlon has long since skipped the country, together with thenComelec chairman Andy Bautista after he’d proclaimed the illegal action as “just a cosmetic change.”

Around the same time the system was compromised, about 7:30 p.m., news reports were proclaiming that Marcos was leading with over a million votes out of 79% of total votes already counted. But the rest of that night, the Marcos lead slowly melted away at a regular rate of 40 votes against him, one for him, almost like clockwork. Could this have been the joint product of that secret server together with Marlon’s meddling?

Some people spitefully say that the Marcoses had it coming, being no paragons of electoral probity themselves.

Apart from the obvious fact that Marcos Jr is not Marcos Sr, what should be remembered is that the real victims of such fraud are not the candidate himself, but the million-odd citizens who voted for him but may have been silenced. It’s these voters whom the electoral tribunal should keep in mind—not what kind of family Bongbong comes from—as they continue deliberations that, frankly, should already have been concluded by now.

After Cory, the Marcos family was able to come back home, and might even have reclaimed the presidency— just six years after going into exile—if they had not split the Marcos vote between two putative standard-bearers.

Today the political mantle has fallen on the shoulders of the 2nd and even 3rd generation, with a grandson as new Ilocos Norte governor, daughter Imee as a new senator, and namesake Bongbong Marcos fighting to reclaim his vicepresidential bid and keep the path open for a shot at the presidency. It’s the rise of this new generation that will define the third act in the family’s saga. *** I ran into the frustrated VP at a casual event last week and took hold of a short pamphlet published last May on “The election protest of Bongbong Marcos.”

The protest that he filed against Leni Robredo right after the 2016 elections is not something I’ve been following, so I found the pamphlet interesting enough to pass along to you.

In his filing at the Supreme Court constituted as an electoral tribunal, Marcos alleges three complaints against Robredo. The second and third ones have to do with alleged massive irregularities in various provinces in Mindanao and elsewhere. There’s a lot of detail there, but frankly it’s not very different from the kind of scandals that have regularly marred our elections as far back as I can remember.

Readers can write me at gbolivar1952@ It’s the first complaint that draws at- yahoo.com.

STL, PCSO crocs must talk now SMALL Town Lottery franchise holders and operators, as well as former officials of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, will have a lot of explaining to do before the Congressional panel on games and amusement.

They have to tell all the juicy stuff about PCSO’s supposed “losses.”

ACT-CIS Rep. Eric Yap, chairman of the House committee on games and amusement, said the franchise holders and operators, apparently in cahoots with some PCSO crocodiles may have been cheating the government of unbelievable amount of money.

I concur 100 percent that filing of plunder and other appropriate criminal charges are in order against former erring PCSO officials and gaming operators for conspiring with one another to steal money from the government.

Those franchise holders and operators who cannot prove or justify their “losses” should have their franchises and licenses cancelled, and their operations shut down altogether.

I agree with Yap that the citizens have a right to know why the PCSO was losing huge sums of money from the STL, EZ2 and other PCSO games.

It’s simply unbelievable!

These culprits have reportedly been earning some P400 million daily and remitting only P4 million per day.

Holy guacamole, that’s only one percent of the money they’re raking in each day!

Are...

From A4

fined to live and work in certain designated places and some of them have been victims of extortion, kidnapping, physical abuse and torture and even murder.

Five, the Chinese Government has begun a crackdown on cross-border gambling activities. It has started monitoring of “underground banks” and online payment platforms that facilitate crossborder gambling, as well as domestic network operators and companies that provide technical support to them.

Six, China will subject to criminal liability Chinese nationals involved in gambling overseas. The Chinese Embassy has already warned Chinese companies or individuals in the Philippines to immediately stop illegal activities; otherwise, they will be punished in accordance with Chinese law.

And finally, China called on the Philip-

Reports have it that franchise holders and operators are just remitting any amount they would want to and the PCSO would readily accept any amount.

I can’t blame Yap for complaining, saying it should be the government that dictates how much each operator must remit.

These crooks have been practically depriving thousands of poor people the medical assistance for which the PCSO proceeds are meant for.

Yap said the House panel will summon the PSCO officials and gaming operators in a day or two.

The crocs must talk now.

A piece of one’s self for common good

It was for every Filipino that President Duterte aired the message of selfsacrifice on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, calling for lending a piece of one’s self for the sake of the common good.

Along this line, we join the Islamic nation in celebrating the special occasion which began last Sunday and culminates on Wednesday.

Eid al-Adha is the most important event for the Islamic world (other than Eid al-Fitr) in which the Islamic world celebrates in honor of Ibrahim (Abraham for us Christians) who was willing to sacrifice the life of his own son to show his unconditional faith in God, Allah.

It should therefore be meaningful to both Muslims and Christians, as well as Jewish and Arabs, all of whom share a common patriarch in Ibrahim, known as the “Father of all Nations.”

Manong Digong’s message should neither come as a contrived lip-service, which he never does. And, it is pine Government to take effective measures against illegal employment of Chinese nationals in gambling entities and to crack down on crimes committed against them. It also urged the Philippine government to strengthen law enforcement cooperation with China and to jointly combat gambling-related crimes and to protect the rights and welfare of Chinese nationals in the country.

This official statement is timely and appropriate as it clarifies the stand of Beijing on the gambling issue. It should also allay fears among Filipinos that the Chinese government tolerates the involvement of its nationals in gambling overseas. Let’s wait and see what happens from hereon.

Justice for Maguindanao massacre victims The long wait for justice by the families of the 58 victims of the Maguindanao massacre that took place on November 23, 2009 may soon be over.

The good news from the Justice Department is that the case may be decided

this President’s agonizing self-sacrifice that he has done and continue to do for the nation that should inspire us to do the same.

“Now, more than ever, we are called to lend a piece of ourselves to endeavors that redound to the common good and benefit the most number of people,” said the President.

Manong Digong saw the dire need for a leader who thinks less of himself and more of the welfare, the common good of downtrodden nation that he answered his calling to run in the 2016 presidential race.

In extolling Ibrahim, he said the biblical account “does not only teach us the importance of personal sacrifice, but also inculcates in us the value of submission to a higher authority, even though, at times, our feelings and emotions compel us otherwise.”

We all know that there are mounting challenges and the clear and present dangers that confronts the country from within and without, even as we take further steps towards establishing lasting peace, particularly in the promised land of Mindanao.

Halfway through his term, Manong Digong has led by example and has given so much of himself as a caring father of this nation.

“Let us, therefore, reflect on the lessons we can learn today and deepen our faith and strengthen our resolve to bring about a society that is worthy of Allah’s continued blessings and protection,” he said.

It is now up for the rest of us to give a piece of ourselves Filipinos, and unite as a nation to boldly face these uncertain times. before the 10th year of the massacre in November this year.

The trial, held under the jurisdiction of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC), started on September 8, 2010, or 10 months after the attack, and was finally completed only on July 17 this year.

The parties were given until August 15 to submit their respective memorandum or written summation, after which the case shall be considered as submitted for decision.

The families of the massacre victims, including 32 media practitioners, will no doubt welcome what is expected to be a guilty verdict for those charged for the grisly murders. At the same time, there will be the usual lament over the length of time it takes for our courts to decide on cases. But a guilty verdict in this particular case will offer a glimmer of hope that justice can still be within reach despite the excruciatingly slow pace of court proceedings in our country. ernhil@yahoo.com

A5

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

The endo veto: Duterte chose reality ly the Secretary of Finance and the Director-General of NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority)—who feared the adverse impact of the Congress-approved measure on an FDI (foreign-direct investment) destination. But for Mr. Duterte, the DECISION-MAKING by the Presi- game-changer was the strong—but dent of the Philippines on legislative quietly conveyed—opposition to matters differs from decision-making the measure of the nation’s biggest by other CEOs in one very important private employers. These included respect. Whereas all other CEOs have San Miguel Corporation and the SM no choice but to approve or disapprove group of companies. a matter that has been brought up to Under the circumstances Rodrigo him or her for approval, the President Dutere had two choices: to be realistic of the Philippines is given two deci- or to play it safe. By allowing the ansion-making powers by the Constitu- ti-endo measure to simply lapse into tion: he or she either can approve or law, he would have chosen to play it disapprove outright a measure or can safe. But, to his great credit, Mr. Duallow the measure to lapse into law by terte chose to be realistic. not acting on it within 30 days.

Unfortunately, as in all closely In the case of the Security of Ten- contested policy issues President ure measure recently passed by Con- Duterte has ended up not pleasing gress—the measure intended to put anybody. The labor sector is grossan end to endo (end of contract) em- ly disappointed, believing that the ployment practice—President Rodri- Chief Executive did not fulfill his go Duterte could have availed himself “I will end all labor contractualof the Constituization” camtionally allowed paign promise. lapse-into-law And business option. Not havis unhappy be beThis, of course, is ing signed by him cause the endo within 30 days not the end of the issue has not from its receipt been taken off

by Malacañang, story. the policy table the endo measure completely and would have becould be resurcome a law. He rected during chose to not exercise the option. the remainder of Mr. Duterte’s term.

In deciding what to do with the endo There are many people outside the measure, President Duterte found him- labor sector who believe that to the self, proverbially, between a rock and a greatest extent possible, this counhard place. He was hard put to veto the try’s workers should receive all the measure because an end-to-endo was social-security and other benefits one of the key elements of his campaign mandated by law. The key words in platform. The labor sector would for- this statement are ‘should’ and ‘posgive him if he vetoed the measure ap- sible.’ There is no question about proved by Congress. The opposition to ‘should’; the question is about ‘posemployment by contractualization had sible.’ It may not be possible for busigone beyond a debate pitting regular ness establishments to regularize ememployment against employment by ployment either (1) because they lack five-month contracts; it had become the financial capability to give their heavily invested with emotionalism and employees social security and other anti-capitalist sentiment. benefits—around 96 percent of all From the other side of the business business establishments are MSMEs, spectrum came equally strong pres- aren’t they?—or (2) because not all of sure on President Duterte to veto the the employees of business establishendo measure outright. The nation’s ments need to be regular employees. largest business establishments and Survey after survey of would-be inthe employers’ organizations—espe- vestors in this country has indicated cially the PCCI (Philippine Cham- that the restrictiveness of Philippine ber of Commerce and Industry) and labor laws—you are not allowed to ECOP (Employers Confederation of do this, you must do that—is one of the Philippines)—were very loud in the main reasons why this country their opposition to what they claimed continues to receive one of the lowwas an unwarranted government in- est FDI totals in East Asia. An endo trusion into labor-management re- law would drive one more nail into the lations. They argued that business FDI coffin. establishments should be allowed to This, of course, is not the end of the maintain employment and pay poli- story. The labor sector, the business cies that are dictated by their financial community and Congress should go capabilities. back to the drawing-board and put toThe Chief Executive undoubtedly gether a labor-worker-tenure measure took careful note of the negative atti- that embodies the cold realities of the tude of the economic team—especial- Philippine economy.

Activism...

From A4

cellence the great tradition of activism that Jopson and Alejandro lived.

Jopson, Alejandro, and Elago are the tip of the iceberg. Because of my long history of teaching and mentoring, I have known and worked with student and youth activists of all ideological persuasions. Some of them are revolutionaries; others are military and police officials. But most are government officials in local and national agencies (some are even in the judiciary), in civil society organizations, social movements, or with the private sector. The country has been greatly enriched by those who have activist backgrounds.

Senator Bato should look at the faces of his or her colleagues in the plenary, including from his own party and he will be able to identity that many of them at one point or another were student leaders and activists in their university years.

Of course, student and youth activists will clash with their parents, their teachers, and school administrators. That comes as part of the definition of activism. That is what empowerment is all about. Parents, teachers, administrators and yes, the Senate should welcome that.

Without exception and conditions, I stand with all youth and student activist organizations. Activism empowers the youth and we are a better country because of that.

labour irrelevant but instead new technologies connect us better to each other and liberate us from poverty and exclusion, and yes where we overcome the challenge of the climate emergency.

It is in this context that I am concerned about the Senate hearings that are being conducted by the Senate Committee on Public Order chaired by Senator Bato de la Rosa. The premise of the investigation he is conducting is that student activism is bad for the young and bad for the country.

Based on my four decades as a teacher, the opposite in fact is true.

Many of our best and brightest students were and are activists. In times like the Marcos dictatorship when there was no democratic space to fight injustice, those best and brightest also became the most courageous. Every year, I bring my students to the Bantayog ng mga Bayani to tell them them the story of Edgar Jopson, certainly one of the greatest of alumni the Ateneo de Manila has produced, and Lean Alejandro, a product of the University of the Philippines that has inspired more Filipino youth than our alumni who has become president.

Sarah Elago of Kabataan PartyList in the great work that she is doing in Con- Facebook: deantonylavs gress has carried on with honor and ex- Twitter: tonylavs

Pulse...

From A4

that say there are terrorists in Northern Luzon. They should also remember that terrorists target churches.

What the President can do is assure the people that both the police and the military have been alerted to these threats. *** Many are wondering why the President has been packing the government with retired military and police officials.

Mr Duterte says he believes they are honest and disciplined. They take orders well. But is that all?

Just look at what happened to Customs. My gulay, is this agency cursed?

favor, entertainment, loan or anything of monetary value. But there is also an exception—unsolicited gifts not given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, favors. As yesterday’s editorial correctly said, the problem with these exceptions is that they are open to interpretation.

I have said very often that graft and corruption will be there so long as there is human discretion and intervention in government transactions. *** The police and local government units should not belittle intelligence reports www.emiljurado.weebly.com

A6

News

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Senate asked to probe prevalence of fake drugs

By Macon Ramos-Araneta

S

ENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has asked the Senate to investigate the “presence and prevalence” of counterfeit drugs in the Philippines after a United Nations agency tagged it as having the “highest incidence” of fake medicines in Southeast Asia.

In a Senate resolution, Recto said the country “being depicted as a hotspot for knockoff drugs” in the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 2019 report on “Transnational Organized Crime in Southeast Asia: Evolution, Growth and Impact” is a cause for “alarm and action.”

Citing UNODC’s findings, Recto said that from 2014 to 2017, fake medicines, mostly from Pakistan, India and China reportedly entered the Philippines through an illicit trade network.

On top of this is the reported market penetration of locally-manufactured

counterfeit over-the-counter medicines, Recto said.

The senator said government should unmask which of “these misbranded, spurious, fake, and falsely-labeled drugs” have entered the market and have duped Filipinos.

“In 2018, no less than President Duterte described the availability of counterfeited paracetamol brands in the country as a growing threat and ordered the arrest of their makers and sellers,” Recto said in his resolution.

He said if reports are true that fake medicines are sold for lower prices at sari-sari stores, “then they are victimizing the poor who often have to borrow

money to buy medicines or cost-cut by buying doses lower than what the doctor has prescribed.”

Recto said the trade in fake medicines is “a large scale swindle of the cruelest kind,” as their victims are of the illusion that they are taking authentic medicines that will cure them “and not something made of flour.”

“Hindi lahat ng drug dealers shabu ang ibinibenta. Ang iba, pekeng gamot sa infection, rabies, TB, cancer, ubo at lagnatang inilalako,” Recto said.

Recto said the staggering amount of money Filipinos spend yearly for medicines and pharmaceutical preparations should prod the government to protect

IN BRIEF

Makati solon seeks probe of looming ATM fees hike

Lifting of advisory on NAIA lauded TOURISM secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat welcomed the lifting of public advisory of the US Department of Homeland Security regarding security conditions at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

United States acting secretary of Homeland Security Kevin K. McAleenan ordered the immediate rescission of the Public Notice issued in December after the Transportation Security Administration found the Philippine’s premier international gateway demonstrate significant improvements to the security operations at the airport facility.

“We, at Department of Tourism, are very elated and encouraged by this development as we renew our commitment to extend to the public, particularly our international visitors, the highest potentials of the Filipino brand of service,” Puyat said.

"This development also augurs well for the DOT's efforts to increase tourist arrivals and for the development of a culture of resilient, inclusive, and sustainable tourism in the country," she added.

For the first half 2019, a total of 4,133,050 international tourists visited the Philippines, marking a 11.43% percent increase from last year’s figures, according to DOT. “We have already breached the 4 million mark within the first 6 months of the year. Seven years ago, it took the entire year to reach 4 million tourists.

The Philippine tourism industry has indeed come a long way with better and increased connectivity. New, rehabilitated and expanded airports have contributed much to this growth.," Puyat said. Joel E. Zurbano

BI saves 17 OFWs from illegal recruiters THE Bureau of Immigration rescued 17 overseas Filipino workers from illegal recruitment syndicates and arrested a suspected illegal recruiter at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The victims were intercepted at the NAIA when they attempted to leave the country by disguising themselves as tourists.

BI Port Operations Chief Grifton Medina declined to name the suspect and passengers as the anti-trafficking law prohibits the public disclosure of human traffickers and their victims.

Medina said the passengers were intercepted in two batches at the NAIA 3 terminal last Aug. 7 as they were about to board their Cebu Pacific Airways flights to Taiwan and Hongkong and Malaysia.

One batch consisted 12 of the passengers who were bound for Taipei while the other group of four passengers were bound for Hongkong.

“They all confessed during questioning that they are not tourists and that they were hired to work abroad by illegal recruiters,” Medina said. Vito Barcelo

Ship with 7 Pinoy crew sinks in Brunei THE Department of Foreign Affairs on Monday said that a fishing vessel carrying 11 crew members, including seven Filipino sailors, capsized off the coast of Brunei last August 7.

In a statement, the DFA said it is coordinating with Brunei authorities for updates on the rescue operation for the crew of the Brunei-registered fishing vessel, Radim 2 whose last communication with the ship owner was last August 7.

“Ambassador to Brunei Christopher Montero said that the embassy is closely coordinating with Brunei authorities for updates on Brunei’s joint search and rescue operation with Malaysia,” the DFA said.

It added that the search and rescue operations were halted on Monday as no crew members in the identified search area, other than the two previously rescued, were found.

The DFA said that since the ship’s last communication with its owner, the Brunei’s National Search and Rescue Coordination Committee has sought assistance from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in locating the missing crew members.

Rey E. Requejo

their health, safety and money.

About P187 billion, or half of the P372.8 billion “out-of-pocket” health expenditures of Filipino families in 2017 went to pharmacies.

“Households buy half a billion pesos worth of drugs a day. Hindi pa kasama ang binibili ng mga pribadong ospital, gobyerno atinsurance companies na nasa bilyun-bilyong piso din ang halaga tauntaon,” he said.

Recto said the Senate investigation's aim “is to know the gravity of the problem and formulate remedial measures that will strengthen the capacity of the Food and Drug Administration and all law enforcement agencies to defeat this problem.”

By Maricel V. Cruz

DEMOLISHED. Vendors along Commonwealth Avenue at Litex in Quezon City voluntarily demolished their stalls at the sidewalk as the deadline by the DILG to all local government to clear all obstruction in the streets in Metro Manila approaches. Manny Palmero

Inbred rice seeds result in to better yield—Villar FILIPINO farmers would have higher income and yields through the use of certified inbred seeds which was allocated a P3 billion budget, according to Sen. Cynthia Villar.

Villar, chair of the Senate agriculture and food committee, said the P3 billion funding was given to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to teach farmers how to produce and propagate inbred rice seeds.

“At present, we only produce 4 metric tons of rice per hectare. With this inbred seeds, we will be able to bring up the harvest to 6 MT/ha, in the process, raising also the incomes of our rice farmers,” Villar said.

Villar added that the law provides local rice farmers with the opportunity to become seed growers engaged in trade

because they will be taught to produce and propagate their own seeds.

“This will be one less expense for our farmers because they don’t have to buy seeds every cropping season. They will grow their own seeds and they can also sell them, ” she said.

Villar said the program under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) which is separate from the Department of Agriculture’s program on hybrid rice.

The law also allocated P100 million to PhilRice to lead in the training of trainors who will teach farmers rice crop production and modern rice farming techniques.

Villar said Republic Act 11203 created the P10-billion RCEF funds. It was enacted to protect local farmers after the

expiration of the quantitative restriction on rice importation.

The senator has asked newly-designated Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar to ensure the return to the RCEF of the P4 billion “unaccounted funds.”

Earlier, Villar filed Senate Resolution No. 39, seeking to account for the said amount released by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) last December since only P1 billion went to the accounts of the farmers.

She wants a clarification on the reported P5 million DBM release intended to help the rice farmers under the memorandum of understanding entered by the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) with LBP and DBP. Macon Ramos-Araneta

THE House of Representatives' committee on banks and financial intermediaries will investigate the looming increases in Automated Teller Machine (ATM) fees following the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) issuance of an order lifting a freeze imposed six years ago.

Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. has filed House Resolution 210, enabling the inquiry that he said “is consistent with the State’s duty under a 1992 law to protect the interests and general welfare of consumers and to establish standards of conduct for business.”

“We are worried that the forthcoming increases in ATM charges might harm consumers—the nation’s more than 58 million ATM cardholders,” Campos said.

“Even more vulnerable are our estimated 4.1 million minimum wage earners. Many of them receive and withdraw their salaries twice a month through their ATM cards at the machine nearest them,” Campos said.

The BSP issued Memorandum M-2019020 on July 19, 2019, “Lifting the Moratorium on Automated Teller Machine Fees.”

Banks had wanted to jack up their ATM charges by as much as 50 percent before the BSP enforced the standstill in 2013, Campos said.

A survey of ATM fees would indicate that banks currently charge between P10 to P15 per single interbank withdrawal transaction, and P2 per single interbank balance inquiry.

These charges could jump to as much as P15 to P30 per single interbank withdrawal, possibly even higher, with the removal of the moratorium, Campos warned.

In his resolution, Campos also pointed out “that there now exists a virtual monopoly in the network that interconnects all of the country’s 21,682 ATMs.” ExpressNet Inc. outsourced its ATM network to BancNet Inc. in 2008, and BancNet and MegaLink Inc. merged their ATM networks in 2015, with BancNet as the surviving entity, while MegaLink has since been repurposed, Campos said.

MIAA chief Monreal commends airport worker for her honesty

By Joel E. Zurbano MANILA International Airport Authority general manager Eddie Monreal on Monday commended another airport worker for honesty after she returned a lost wallet containing more than P130,000 to its owner.

Josephine Pagoyo, a mobile SIM card retailer, was on duty at the arrival lobby of Ninoy Aquino International Airport-Terminal 1 late night of August 5 when she saw a red wallet on the floor.

Pagoyo picked up the wallet and surrendered it to airport security guard on duty Michael Pascual who accompanied her to the airport’s Lost and Found section for recording and documentation.

The wallet was inspected and found inside were 2,000 US dollars, P30,390 in cash, and identification cards bearing the name of Ma. Nida B. Acuriba.

NAIA officials then used the social media

facebook where they located and informed Acuriba about her wallet.

Acuriba went to the NAIA the following day to claim her wallet and thanked the airport staff for their honesty and efforts in trying to locate her.

“I commend Ms Pagoyo for her honesty and turning over the wallet to the airport authorities. Her act of honesty sets a good example which all airport employees should emulate,” said Monreal.

The MIAA chief reiterated his request to all airport employees to continue setting a good example, saying the act of honesty creates a good impression for the airport.

Monreal recently commended an airport police officer who found and returned the missing bag of a passenger last week.

Passenger Lanie Leste, who had just arrived from the Middle East on July 28, made a statement posted on social media expressing her gratitude to Airport Police Officer 1 Brando Fortin for the help he extended to her.

‘YOUNIFIED’. Two youth organizations are helping develop Sangguniang Kabataan

(SK) OUofficials into becoming more effective leaders through a series of in-depth talks and activities in a program called ‘SK Younified.’

Youth groups to develop SK exes to become effective leaders TWO youth organizations are helping develop Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials into becoming more effective leaders through a series of in-depth talks and activities in a program called “SK Younified”.

SK Younified is a nationwide good governance development program that is a collaboration of two initiatives -- the Sangguniang Kabataan Academy Initiative (SKAI) run by the Hirayang Kabataan, a non-government organization, and the UpSKilled program run by the US Government Alumni Association of Negros Occidental. Further assistance is provided by the US Embassy in the Philippines

thru the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative’s (YSEALI) Seeds for the Future grant.

This camp aims to help SK leaders reflect on their personal leadership journey, learn more about the values of self-awareness, social awareness, and heroic leadership, deepen their understanding of their roles and responsibilities under the law, and teach them project management skills to help them implement their ideas in their respective barangays.

“The dream of Hirayang Kabataan is simple—a better Philippines led by the youth,” said by Julienne Joven, the project head of the SK Younified-SKAI. “And we

believe that this could be achieved if young Filipino leaders would be able to deepen their reasons for serving the people and give them the confidence to do public service excellently,” Joven added.

Last June 29, 2019 the first camp was launched in Isabela City, Basilan. Thirty out of 45 SK chairpersons attended the inaugural SK Younified camp at the 4th Special Forces Battalion. The event was followed by several sessions on community visioning, SK Reform Law, negotiation and data gathering skills, resource management, and root cause analysis.

“We hope to reach more young leaders

across the country and have collaborations with other organizations that may have similar goals,” said Carlo Africa, a young lawyer and a volunteer facilitator of Hirayang Kabataan.

“Not only do we need to unify these budding public servants but also those of us who are willing to provide support in any ways possible,” he added.

To cap off the first camp, the SK officials presented their Local Youth Development Plans and Federation Projects that is responsive to the current youth situation in their respective barangays.

A grant will then be awarded to the SK Federation to realize these plans.

Sports

A7

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

Balanga bows out with win over Russians TEAM Balanga of Bataan leaned on Travis Franklin, who made sure to give a good ending to the Philippines’ campaign in the Qualifying Draw B of the 2019 FIBA 3X3 Bucharest Challenger over the weekend.

Franklin drilled in the game-winning free throw to seal a 21-19 win in the last 2:18 over Russia’s Kochenevo at the Parklake Shopping Mall in Romania.

Balanga finished its sortie with a 1-1 win-loss record USA’s Colorado City went on to sweep the group stage to advance to the main draw in the sport where the first to score 21 points is declared the winner.

The Canyon Barry-led squad earlier defeated Balanga (19-18) and Kochenevo (21-11).

The pair of Karl Dehesa and Franklin started the game with the bang, lifting Balanga to a 10-3 start.

Franklin had five points while Dehesa added four.

Then, the Russians suddenly picked up steam midway through the game as the tandem of Dmitry Eltsov and Evgeny Arakcheev caught fire.

Behind the two, Kochenevo was able to cut the lead down to one, 17-16, with 3:23 left.

Lamar Roberson put the Russians ahead with an and-one, before Arakcheev knocked down his third deuce of the game.

Roberson ended the game with nine points, behind five one-point shots and four free throws. Peter Atencio

Race for 3rd heats up in PH Superliga Games Today

(Malolos Sports and Convention Center) 4:15 p.m. -- Foton vs Marinerang Pilipina 7:00 p.m. -- F2 Logistics vs Cignal

MALOLOS CITY—The race for the coveted third spot heats up as Foton and Cignal tackle separate foes when the Philippine Superliga All-Filipino Conference returns to Malolos Sports and Convention Center here on Tuesday.

The Tornadoes tackle listless Marinerang Pilipina at 4:15 p.m. while the HD Spiker collide with slumping F2 Logistics in the 7 p.m. main encounter of this prestigious women’s club tourney bankrolled

by Team Rebel Sports, SOGO, Eurotel, PCSO, Cocolife, UCPB Gen, Mueller, Senoh, Asics, Bizooku and One Sport.

After bowing to Petron during the Spike on Tour at Corpus Christi gym in Cagayan de Oro City over the weekend, Foton forged a tie with Cignal at the fourth spot with a 7-6 win-loss card.

Petron, however, remains on top of the team standings with a 13-1 win-loss card while erstwhile-unbeaten F2 Logistics fell to second spot with an 11-2 mark, no thanks to a heart-breaking five-set setback to PLDT Home Fibr also last Saturday.

Generika-Ayala is at solo third with an 8-6 mark, making the respective bids of Foton and Cignal very crucial as the league enters the final stretch of its double-round preliminaries where the top team faces No. 8; No. 2 battles No. 7; No. 3 collides with No. 6; and No. 4 tangles with No. 5 in the sudden-death quarterfinals.

The HD Spikers have a handsome chance of sealing the third spot due to superior quotient and a victory over the Cargo Movers will book them a quarterfinal showdown with PLDT, which is sitting at the sixth spot with a 6-8 record.

“This is our best and only chance to get the third spot so we have to give our all,” said Cignal head coach Edgar Barroga, who will surely take advantage of the bruised morale of the Cargo Movers following their back-to-back losses to the Blaze Spikers and the Power Hitters, respectively.

New Clark City hosts triathlon to test its venues

Matthew Justine Hermosa (right) and Eorol Belonquil run side-by-side in this file photo. Talisay City’s Hermosa surprised all the experts with a victory over Belonquil in Cebu.

Talisay City bet stuns taller, older opponents in Ironkids

By Reuel Vidal

M

ACTAN ISLAND, Cebu—Size doesn’t always matter.

Matthew Justine Hermosa proved that height is not everything as he outsprinted a strong field of participants —most of whom were a year older and some six inches taller than he was—to win the Alaska Fortified IRONKIDS held at the Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort & Spa last weekend.

Talisay City’s Hermosa was third out of the water, tallied the second fastest time in the bike but blitzed the field with a blazing run to win the boys 13 to 14 category convincingly.

“The swim was really the difficult part.

The waves were huge and I had a hard time swimming. I just waited for the right moment. I did my move in the run portion when I felt Eryk (John Omandam) was already tired,” Hermosa said.

Hermosa timed 35 minutes, 8.33 seconds. Belonquil (35:43.04) and Omandam (36:02.78) followed. Belonguil beat Hermosa in the Aquathlon (swim-run)

event in Davao last March.

This is Hermosa’s third title in the IRONKIDs since he started joining the race in 2015 but his first race in this age group beating kids many of whom were a year older.

Hermosa, a member of the Talisay City Luigi Triathlon Group (TLTG)/Go For Gold said there are no short cuts to winning which he managed only through hard work.

“Nag-ensayo lang po ako. Nagdisiplina. Sobrang disiplina ako. Alaska IRONKIDS is a super fun experience. It’s a fun way to learn new things and make

new friends,” Hermosa said.

Hermosa added that what he liked best about triathlon racing is being with his teammates and friends just before the race as they come together and get ready.

“The best part for me is when you prepare for the start together with all your teammates. This is the part where you support each other. Where everybody is there for each other,” said Hermosa a Grade 8 student of Paref Springdale.

Hermosa is the cousin of the country’s top triathlon athlete Andrew Kim Remolino also of Talisay City who will represent the Philippines in the coming Southeast Asia Games.

Meanwhile, Hermosa’s teammate in the (TLTG)/Go For Gold, Moira Frances Erediano ruled the girls 13 to 14 category.

Team TLTG/Go For Gold also swept all three spots in the podium in the mixed 11 to 14 years old category. The first team for TLTG finished in 20:47, the second timed 21:03 while the third finished in 21:05.

PH vies in Asian Taekwondo title in Vietnam TWENTY-NINE Filipino taekwondo athletes vie for international honors when they compete in the 2019 Asian Open Championships on August 12-18 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Carrying the colors of SMART/MVP Sports Foundation, 17 of the Filipinos will vie in kyorugi (free sparring) while 12 will compete in poomsae (forms).

Four coaches—Carlos Jose Padilla V, Christian Al Dela Cruz and Paul Romero {free sparring} and Rani Ann Ortega (forms) —will guide the PH athletes as they pit their skills against tough rivals from 34 other countries such as Korea, China, Iran, Chinese Taipei and Thailand.

The Filipino entries in kyorugi are: Male—Kurt Barbosa (-54kg), Dex Ian Chavez (-58kg), Kurt Pajuelas (-63kg), Arven Alcantara (-68kg), Dave Cea (-74kg), Samuel Thomas Harper Morrison (-80kg), Israel Cesar Cantos (-87kg), and Kristopher Robert Uy (+87kg); Female—Veronica Garces (-46kg), Rheza Aragon (-49kg), Rhezie Aragon (-53kg), Pauline Louie Lopez (-57kg), Realis Tabiando (-62kg), Darlene Mae Arpon (-67kg), Laila Delo (-73kg) and Kirstie Elaine Alora (+73kg).

The PH participants in poomsae are: Male—Rodolfo Reyes Jr., Raphael Enrico Mella, Dustin Jacob Mella, Jeordan Dominguez, Patrick King Perez, Darius Venerable and Marvin More; Female—Rinna Babanto, Jocel Lyn Ninobla, Juvenile Faye Crisostomo, Janna Dominique Oliva and Aidaine Krishia Laxa.

The Philippine Sports Commission, PLDT, Meralco, Philippine Olympic Committee and MILO are supporting the trip of the Filipinos,who are also tuning up for the Southeast Asian Games scheduled here late this year.

MP Promotions’ Gibbons to grace PSA Forum today Vietnam-bound Filipino Dex Ian Chavez (right) delivers an axe kick against his Egyptian foe in a recent international event.

Camsur sweeps home NBL games; Pampanga wins

Members of the Camsur Express team are shown prior to their NBL game.

CAPAS—The New Clark City sports complex is geared up for a triathlon race slated on Oct. 19 and 20, 2019.

At least 700 participants are expected at the New Clark City Triathlon 2019 to test the country’s new sports facilities before the upcoming 30th South East Asian Games.

“New Clark City is a perfect venue for a triathlon since it’s the first [modern] facility intended for the SEA Games. Participants will have a chance to be one of the first to use the pools at the Aquatics Center and the track oval at the Athletics Stadium,” said GoClark Sports and Events Director Jumbo Tayag. GoClark is an organization that promotes health and wellness through endurance and multisport events.

The 20,000-seater Athletics Stadium and 2,000-seater Aquatics Center are already more than 90 percent completed.

“This is totally a fresh change from the usual venues in Subic and Clark,” Tayag added.

He also cited the new access road from the new city to the SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway which will boost accessibility in the area and ease traffic especially during main events.

The race also serves as a send-off for the national triathletes who will compete at the biennial games.

Tayag will lead the opening ceremony of the race together with Bases Conversion and Development Authority President and CEO Vince Dizon and MTD Clark, Inc. President Engr. Patrick Nicholas David.

Celebrity athletes are also expected to join the race.

The first day will start with a 5-km fun run and a triathlon for kids or NCC TriKids, to be held in two categories: 1) 100-m swim, 6-km bike, and 1-km run; and 2) 300-m swim, 10-km bike, and 2-km run.

The triathlon is open for children aged 8 to 14 years old.

The major race, which will happen on the second day, consists of three distance categories: 1) NCC Tri Full involves a 900-m swim, 40-km bike, and 8-km run; 2) NCC Tri Sprint includes 450-m swim, 20-km bike, and 4-km run; and 3) NCC Tri Full Relay which also involves 900-m swim, 40-km bike, and 8-km run.

Registration is now open and will end on Oct. 8, 2019.

Guidelines on how to register, fees and other information about the race can be accessed through www. goclark.ph.

CAMSUR swept its will advance to the Games Saturday home games over playoffs.

Sports Complex, Taguig City) the weekend to so- (Hagonoy Ronn Romana had 4 p.m. – Laguna vs. Imus lidify its chances for 20 points and buried 6 p.m. – Quezon City vs. Taguig a playoff spot in the a triple with 17.3 secNational Basketball onds left in overtime League Season 2. to take the lead for the Express. Mark The Express beat the Dasmariñas Sornet missed a three on the next posBallers in overtime, 86-83, last Sunday, session for the Ballers to end the match. and won over the Zamboanga Valientes, Leonel Barde scored 25 points and 91-64, last Saturday to win all of their shot 11 of 18 from the field in the Exhome games this weekend at the Jesse M. press’ victory over the Valientes.

Robredo Coliseum in Naga City.

In other results, CJ Gania had 25 With the victories, CamSur capped points and 20 rebounds as the Pamthe eliminations at seventh place with panga Delta beat the Valientes, 98a 9-5 card and stepped closer to clinch- 81, Sunday to improve to 10-3, tying ing a spot in the playoffs. The top eight the Taguig Generals at second place teams at the end of the eliminations in the standings.

IT’S going to be a special edition of the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday as no less than the current president of Manny Pacquiao Promotions will be gracing the weekly session at the Amelie Hotel-Manila.

Sean Gibbons, international match maker and manager, makes his firstever appearance in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Beer, Braska Restaurant, Amelie Hotel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, as he talks about the next possible fight of Pacquiao, current International Boxing Federation super-flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas, and the other fighters under the MP Promotions.

Also invited in the forum is the Philippine Junior girls’ tennis team that placed fifth in the ITF World Juniors Championship.

PSA members are enjoined to attend the 10 a.m session.

Sports

Riera U. Mallari, Editor; Reuel Vidal, Assistant Editor sports@thestandard.com.ph; sports_mstandard@yahoo.com

A8

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

Foton star Jaja going back to Japan

By Lito Cinco

TIED SERIES. SMB’s Terrence Romeo loses the ball on his way to the basket in a PBA game won by the Beermen, who leveled their best-of-seven title series with the TNT KaTropa at 2-2.

Benilde’s Gutang back in action Games Today

(The Arena in San Juan) 10 a.m. Malayan vs EAC-ICA (jrs) 12 nn Arellano vs LSGH (jrs) 2 p.m. MU vs EAC (srs) 4 p.m. CSB vs Arellano (srs)

WITH more than two weeks of rest behind him, College of St. Benilde forward Justin Gutang is expected to be back to help the Blazers stay in the thick of their fight to remain in the lead.

Gutang may return when the Blazers meet the Arellano University Chiefs at 4 p.m. today at the FilOil-Flying V Sports Center in San Juan and when they seek their fifth straight win.

Earlier, the Arellano Braves (5-1) will try to seize the solo lead when they clash with the La Salle Greenhills Greenies at 12 noon.

The 6’3” Gutang suffered an injury to his left knee in their game against the Mapua University three weeks ago.

The team has enjoyed enough rest following the cancellations of matches due to bad weather.

A prized find from Burlingame, California, Gutang is averaging 12.7 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in three matches.

The Blazers already missed Gutang in their come-from-behind 77-72 triumph over San Sebastian College, allowing them to hike their record to 4-0.

With Gutang back, CSB can spread out its offense as five players are capable of coming up with double-digit outputs.

The Blazers can turn to Unique Naboa, who had 15 points the last time around. Also capable of contributing are Chris Flores, Clement Leutcheu, Jimboy Pasturan and Yankie Haruna, who is on his second game back since suffering from a broken jaw last summer.

“We want to play hard and try to sustain our efforts on the defensive end. But on the offensive end, we want to make sure that everybody can contribute,” said coach TY Tang.

Self-coached Medina wins in Thailand TWO-TIME Paralympic athlete Josephine Medina took home a gold medal in the 2019 International Table Tennis Federation Para Open at the Hua Mark Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

Medina, who said she coached herself during her campaign, ruled the women’s singles’ 7-8 category after beating Christine Wolf, 3-0, in the finals.

On her way to the finals, Medina swept past Wong Yue Ching of Hong Kong, 3-0, and Fadhik Sitti of Indonesia, 3-0, to reach the quarterfinals.

The 49-year-old Medina, a bronze medallist in the Rio Olympics, then upset Hamida (no second name) of Indonesia, 3-1, ro reach the semifinals.

She then stopped Suwarti after Medina pulled off a 3-0 win to reach the finals.

“Walang nag-coach sa akin dito.

Ako nga ang nag-coach sa sarili,” said Medina in a statement released online.

Peter Atencio

NSA’s plan to build new velodrome gains traction

By Peter Atencio

T

HERE are plans to demolish the velodrome inside the Amoranto Sports Complex and put up a new one.

Officials of the the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines believe that the velodrome is now outdated and has gone below standard.

“I’m going to write a position paper on this so this matter can be taken seriously,” said PhilCycling secretary-general Billy Sumagui.

“Sayang naman, we could be winning 12 medals in track cycling,” added Sumagui.

Sumagui is one of the two new legal counsels of the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Members of the national cycling team, according to Sumagui are no longer using the velodrome for training. They are

instead training in Naic, Cavite, with the help of a sponsor.

Standard Insurance top executive Judes Echauz is currently helping the national team prepare for the 30th Southeast Asian Games through the use of his property in Cavite.

Back in 2017, the Philippine Sports Commission made moves to take control of the facilities inside the Amoranto Sports Complex.

The agency has been taking care of renovations and repair of facilities that are under the care of the PSC since 2016.

Funding according to Sumagui, will have to be raised through other means, since the Quezon City government will not be able to come up with the money meant for the construction of a new velodrome.

Over the last three years, PSC Chairman William Ramirez has been discussing plans with Philippine Olympic Committee president and PhilCycling chief Abraham Tolentino on the renovation of Amoranto Sports Complex.

The last time the velodrome was seri-

ously used for competition was back in the 2013 when the POC-PSC Philippine National Games were held.

The Complex, which was inaugurated in 1966 by then President Ferdinand Marcos, was used back in 2005 as a cycling venue for the SEA Games.

Two years ago, national cyclists were still quartered inside the sports complex, but they rarely got a chance to practice in the steeply banked oval tracks.

At that time, there were reports that a religious group was allowed to hold prayer rallies thrice a week in the middle of the field, bringing in scaffoldings to build a stage and a number of tents.

Large wires which powered a sound system were laid on the track, making the velodrome off-limits for practice sessions.

It was reported that despite the prohibition, trucks were still allowed cross the track to deliver materials and equipment.

As of today, it is still unclear if such incidents are still happening and needs to be checked by the PSC.

FOTON player Jaja Santiago, arguably one of the best female volleyball players in the country today, is definitely going back to Japan in early September to fulfill her contractual obligation to her Japanese team.

Santiago, the other half of the explosive 1-2 Foton punch with sister Dindin Santiago-Manabat in the ongoing Pilipinas Super Liga All Filipino Conference, revealed her plans in an interview in Cagayan de Oro, where Foton played Petron recently.

“My contract with them (Japanese) is up to May of next year. I need to be with the team when the season begins there. One concern for me is how it may affect my playing for the SEA Games’ team and I really want to be with the national team.

I hope everything can be worked out to enable me to do that. The decision may be beyond me,” said Santiago.

She also shared that her dream right now is to play at the international level and her stint with her club team in Japan is the key to realizing that goal.

“I want to experience playing against the best players of the world and eventually, be a regular player in the circuit. I have learned so much from my first stint as an import last year and I know I still have so much to learn and improve on my game,” she added.

Going back to the local action at the PSL, Santiago believes that her team can go all the way to the finals.

“But we need to play at a consistently high level. We lost to Petron in CDO but that was the kind of game that Foton should play at all time. It is my dream to win again a championship with my new teammates here in Foton, and I think we can do it,” she said.

In that CDO game, Jaja had a 26-point performance that complemented the season-high 31 of Dindin in a losing cause for Foton.

Foton will meet either Cignal, Generika-Ayala, or PLDT in the knockout quarterfinals and if they get past the quarters, it will either be against Petron or F2 Logistics in the semifinals.

Presently, Petron is No. 1 followed by F2 Logistics, while the next two slots in the Top 4 are being contested by Generika-Ayala, Foton, and Cignal.

Teen sensation Mojdeh strikes gold in Hong Kong Open

Micael Jasmine Mojdeh

THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD Philippine junior swim sensation Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh stole the show on Sunday afternoon after snatching the gold medal of the Women’s 200m Butterfly event at the Hong Kong Open Swimming Championships in Victoria Park Swimming Pool.

Competing against much older swimmers in the Open Championships, the top-seeded Mojdeh showed maturity and fearlessness in the afternoon finals to reign supreme in the 200m fly event with a gold-medal time of 2:20.01.

It was a neck-to-neck battle for the gold with fellow Filipino swimmer, Rosalee Mira Santa Ana, and Thailand’s Sounthournchoke Supasuta.

SEA Games veteran Santa Ana narrowly finished second with a silver-medal time of 2:20.06,

while 23-year-old Supasuta took the bronze with 2:20.91 clocking.

Although Mojdeh’s gold-medal time was a bit slower than her 2:19.51 junior national record, which she clocked at the ASEAN Schools Games last month, the win still gave her enough confidence heading to the 1st Philippine National Open Swimming Championships at the end of the month, the last qualifying meet for 2019 SEA Games.

Mojdeh now ranks 4th in this event, overtaking Samantha Banos, who clocked 2:20.15 at the 43rd SEA Age Group Swimming Championships.

Remedy Rule is currently the top swimmer in the 200m fly event with 2:11.28, followed

by Santa Ana and Georgia Peregrina with times of 2:18.48 and 2:19.32, respectively.

Rule, Santa Ana and Peregrina have confirmed participation at the National Open.

Only the top two swimmers will be named to the 2019 SEA Games national team.

Meanwhile, Jasmine Alkhaldi again delivered a sterling performance in Hong Kong, snaring two more silver medals on the last day of the championships.

She placed second in both 100m Free and 50m fly finals with times of 56.57 and 27.62, respectively; while Camille Buico finished 5th in the 50m fly event after clocking 28.83.

Maurice Sacho Ilustre added another medal to his collection, this time taking the bronze in the men’s 100m butterfly event with a time of 56.02.

Thai ace eyes Ladies PH Golf Tour title repeat THAI Onkanok Soisuwan hopes to make her return to Mt. Malarayat a success the second time around as she shoots for back-to-back championship in the ICTSI Mt. Malarayat Ladies Classic which unfolds tomorrow (Wednesday) in Lipa City, Batangas.

Soiwusan marked her pro debut at Mt. Malarayat’s composite course with a wire-to-wire seven stroke romp over Filipina amateur Mikha Fortuna last year although she struggled in her succeeding stints on the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour, including a missed cut stint at Pradera Verde Classic, which also served as part of LPGA Tour of Taiwan, last month.

But for sure, she’ll be coming into the 54-hole champion well-motivated though she will be hard-pressed to duplicate her feat given the strength of the field, both from the local aces

and the compact roster of other foreign bidders in the P750,000 tournament serving as the 10th leg of the seventh season of the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour put up by ICTSI. They include rising Korean star Hwang Min Jeong, who humbled a stellar pro field to reign here as an amateur in 2015. She has actually joined the pro ranks last year and marked it by winning the Splendido Classic last January.

That makes the chase for top honors in the 54-hole event organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. keen and doubly interesting with Cyna Rodriguez, the former three-time Order of Merit winner, also heralding her return to action following a long hiatus due to health woes.

Backing Soisuwan are compatriots Chouvarest Chourkittisopon, Numa

Gulyanamitta, Nimmita Juntanaket, Ajira Nualraksa, Sangkagaro Pimpadsorn and Poomklay Preenaphan with Kang Da Yun and Kwon Taeyon joining Hwang in the Korean roster.

With Princess Superal, winner of the last LPGT leg at John Hay, back in the Japan LPGA Step Up Tour, former leg winners Chihiro Ikeda and Sarah Ababa will help lead the local challenge and try to keep the LPGT crown at home along with Alex Etter, Apple Fudolin, Pamela Mariano, Sheryl Villacencio and Marvi Monsalve.

Eight amateurs also toughen up the field with Eagle Ace Superal and fellow Team The Country Club mainstays Mafy Singson and Arnie Taguines making up the roster that includes Samantha Bruce, Nicole Abelar, Samantha Dizon, Laurea Duque and Sam Martirez.

Soisuwan

Business

IN BRIEF

Inflation to sustain downtrend this year

FINANCE Undersecretary Gil Beltran said Monday inflation rate is expected to sustain its downward trajectory until the latter part of the year.

Beltran said in an economic bulletin the general price level in July increased by 2.4 percent year-on-year, slower than 5.7 percent in the same month last year and 2.7 percent in June this year.

“Food items largely contributed to this decline, with the average rice price decreasing by nearly 2.9 percent. Non-food items rose by a modest 2.4 percent with major non-food items such as housing, utilities, and fuels contributing to the decline,” Beltran said.

Education rose by 4.3 percent in view of the opening of classes, reversing last year’s 3.9-percent decline. Beltran said month-onmonth, the price level increased by 0.25 percent or 3 percent if annualized which was within the inflation target range of 2 percent to 4 percent.

“If month-on-month price increase is at most 0.3-percentage point for the rest of the year, year-on-year inflation rate will continue its downtrend to low 1.2 percent before picking up to 1.7 percent in November,” Beltran said. Julito G. Rada

Hot money posted net outflow in July

FOREIGN portfolio investments or hot money posted a net outflow of $125.15 million in the week ending July 26, up significantly from the $17.34-million net outflow a year ago, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said over the weekend.

Total inflows for the week hit $339.04 million, higher than $171.57 million a year ago. Gross outflows reached $464.18 million, also higher than $188.91 million in the same period last year.

This brought portfolio investments since the start of the year to a net outflow of $688.19 million, a reversal of the $365.45-million net inflow in the same period in 2018.

Foreign portfolio investments are called hot money because of the ease they are invested in and taken out of the local financial markets.

Julito G. Rada

NFA sets up separate procurement account

STATE-RUN National Food Authority said it set up a separate account for procurement subsidy dedicated to palay buying from local farmers to dispel reports of alleged subsidy diversion.

NFA administrator Judy Carol Dansal said the issue was resolved in 2018 after a Commission on Audit report claiming that the 2018 subsidy was diverted to other purposes.

The agency said it had a hard time accomplishing its procurement targets for 2018 because farm-gate prices surged to very high levels, reaching as much as P25 per kilogram in many areas against the buying price of P17 per kilo of clean and dry palay.

The NFA said a part of its procurement subsidy in 2018, lumped under the agency’s corporate funds, was used to pay for the agency’s maturing loans early in the year. It said the full amount of P7 billion was eventually spent for the year’s food security buffer stock―both from local procurement and rice importation that arrived starting June 2018. Othel V. Campos

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

B1

By Darwin G. Amojelar

JCI-MANILA TAPS PAYMAYA. The Junior Chamber International-Manila steps up efforts to go cashless. JCI-Manila is now powered by PayMaya through its payment gateway and PayMaya One device. Shown are (from left) 2019 JCI-Manila executive treasurer Dino De Leon, 2019 JCI-Manila president Luis Angelo Sevilla, PayMaya vice president and head of growth and marketing Raymund Villanueva and PayMaya head of public affairs and communications Nick Wilwayco.

Foreign visitor arrivals hit record 4.1m in six months

By Othel V. Campos

I

NTERNATIONAL visitors arrivals in the first six months breached the 4-million mark for the first time on record amid the influx of East Asian tourists, data from the Tourism Department show.

The agency said international visitor arrivals rose 11.4 percent in the first half to 4.13 million from 3.7 million a year ago, on the back of the 21-percent increase in June.

“We have already breached the 4 million mark within the first six months of the year. Seven years ago, it took the entire year to reach 4 million tourists,” said Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat.

Puyat said local tourism came a long way with better and increased connectivity with rehabilitated and expanded

airports contributing to growth.

“By expanding our portfolio of tourism products and by developing and promoting our lesser-known but emerging destinations, we have attracted a large yet diverse set of foreign travelers and have sustained our growth in the highly-competitive South East Asian region,” she said.

The department said tourist arrivals in June, climbed 21.4 percent to 643,780 from 530,267 in the same month last year.

South Korea remained the top source market, followed by China, the United States, Japan and Taiwan.

The Tourism Department also welcomed the US Homeland Security’s decision to lift its public notice on travel against Ninoy Aquino International Airport following the “significant improvements” in the airport’s security operations.

“With the recent development of the US Department of Homeland Security to rescind its public advisory on security issues at Naia, we can expect more travelers

Cusi eyeing PSE as electricity spot market operator

ENERGY Secretary Alfonso Cusi is eyeing the Philippine Stock Exchange as the new operator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market to make it truly independent.

Cusi made the statement amid the ongoing review of the operations of the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines and Philippine Electricity Market Corp., the governing body of WESM. “First, their operations should really be independent. IEMOP is a mere contractor of PEMC. If IEMOP fails in its performance, we can give it to others.

We can give it to PSE,” Cusi said.

The PSE, the only stock exchange in the country, proposed to operate the WESM two years ago.

The Energy Department issued a circular creating a special task force to assess the performance of the WESM under the governance of PEMC and IEMOP in March.

“DOE deems it necessary to assess the performance of the WESM under the current regime to ensure transparency, competitiveness, protection of public interest and integrity of the WESM,” the circular stated.

The department said that under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001, it is mandated to supervise the restructuring of the electric power industry.

“As the government agency authorized to design the market and its governance, the market structure provided under DC2018-01-0002 is subject to continuing evaluation and assessment of the DoE to determine whether the said arrangement is still relevant to the implementation of the IMO,” the circular said.

Alena Mae S. Flores

business@manilastandard.net extrastory2000@gmail.com

Smart signs deal with two tower builders

Okada operator’s revenues rise 47%

TIGER Resort, Leisure and Entertainment Inc., the owner and operator of integrated resort and casino Okada Manila, said it generated P22.6 billion in revenues in the first seven months, up by 47.7 percent from P15.3 billion in the same period last year boosted by higher gaming and non-gaming income.

Universal Entertainment Corp., which owns TRLEI, said in a statement gross gaming revenues from reached P20.9 billion in the sevenmonth period, an increase of 27.1 percent from P14.2 billion.

Revenues from VIP segment posted a 45-percent increase to P9.9 billion. Revenues from gaming machines went up 39 percent to P5.7 billion while revenues from mass-market tables climbed 52 percent to P5.27 billion.

Non-gaming revenues contributed P1.34 billion, up 53.6 percent from P872 million posted in the first seven months of 2018.

Okada Manila visitors reached 3.32 million in seven months, or 26.7 percent higher than 2.62 million in 2018. Jenniffer B. Austria

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

from the US to visit the Philippines in the coming months,” Puyat said.

The US Homeland Security in its travel advisory in December 2018 said Naia “does not maintain and carry out out effective security consistent with the security standards established by ICAO. “After months of direct engagement with the United States, the government of the Philippines has made significant improvements to the security operations of MNL. Both the Manila International Airport Authority and the government of the Philippines civil aviation security authorities have demonstrated they are willing to work toward sustaining those improvements,” the US department said.

Global air traffic picked up in June on solid passenger demand, according to the International Air Transport Association.

It said that demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers or RPKs, rose 5 percent in June from a year ago, faster than the 4.7-percent growth recorded in May.

MARKETING AWARDS.

IAM Worldwide Corp. receives major awards during the Asian Networkers Convention & Expo 2019. Attending the award ceremony are (from left) Network Leadership executive counselor Jun Espinosa; IAM Worldwide vice president Aika Lorraine Uy who receives the Ance Business Leader of the Year 2019 award; Precious Grace Capili for Ance Best Leader of the Year Award (Female) 2019; Cecilia Razon who receives the award on behalf of son Hermilino Razon for Ance Best Leader of the Year Award (Male) 2019; IAM Worldwide general manager Joanna Mañego for Best New Company Award 2019; and IAM Worldwide president Allen Marvin Eder for Ance Vision Excellence Award.

Govt waiting for Cavite’s funding proposal on Sangley airport THE Department of Transportation is still waiting for a more feasible proposal from the Cavite provincial government on the P500-billion Sangley International Airport project, including a possible joint venture with the private sector.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said the Cavite LGU could even team up with private sector proponents such as the Solar Group to speed up the construction of an international gateway in Sangley Point, Cavite.

“It is possible. There is nothing illegal about that [joint venture],” Tugade said when asked about the possible partnership between the provincial government of Cavite and the Solar Group for the Sangley airport project.

Tugade said even the national government was teaming up with the

private sector for various infrastructure projects under the public-private partnership program.

The P500-billion Sangley International Airport proposal of the Cavite provincial government was still pending at the National Economic and Development Authority because of alleged incomplete documents, funding source issue and unclear implementing arrangement.

“They are still fixing its financial packages. I promise, I don’t want [it to take] forever because if it’s forever, the other projects will suffer,” Tugade said in an earlier interview.

Tugade’s deadline to Cavite provincial government lapsed in July.

Sangley airport is an important alternative to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. President Rodrigo

Duterte ordered the transfer of domestic flights from Naia to Sangley Air Base to ease airport congestion in Metro Manila.

Aside from the Cavite provincial government, Solar Group’s All-Asia Resources and Reclamation Corp. submitted a similar unsolicited proposal to develop Sangly into an international airport in 2016.

AARC’s unsolicited proposal to build the Philippine Sangley International Airport was estimated to cost $12 billion.

A crucial portion of the ARRC development plan is the rehabilitation of the Danilo Atienza Air Base and its transformation into a general aviation airport that can serve as an emergency alternative to Naia during the project development phase.

Darwin G. Amojelar

SMART Communications said Monday it signed an agreement with Malaysia-based tower provider edotco Group Sdn. Bhd. and local company Isoc Infrastructure Inc. to accelerate the rollout of cell sites across the country.

Under the memorandum of understanding, Smart will co-locate its mobile phone network facilities in towers jointly built by edotco in partnership with Isoc.

The agreement is in line with the common tower initiative of the Department of Information and Communications Technology which is designed to accelerate the rollout of cellular network facilities across the country.

Smart said its technology group had evaluated the list of available sites of edotco-Isoc and initially identified 71 sites where the two companies could build cell towers that fit within Smart’s own network rollout plan.

“Our agreement with the edotco-Isoc Group is a welcome development that will enable us to roll out our LTE, and, soon, our 5G base stations in a quicker and more cost-effective manner,” PLDT and Smart chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.

“We will thus be able to bring more advanced mobile phone services and faster internet to people in more parts of the country more expeditiously,” he said.

Ray Espinosa, the senior advisor to the president and chief executive of Smart, said the company supports a common tower policy which, consistent with constitutional standards, respects the right of a mobile network operator to select and contract with common tower providers that meet the operator’s commercial, technical and financial qualifications and requirements.

Smart is currently in discussions with other common tower companies as a part of Smart’s selection process and intends to sign agreements with companies that meet Smart’s requirements and completion timetable, the company said.

Suresh Sidhu, chief executive of edotco Group, said infrastructure sharing had proven to help mobile network operators alleviate the cost of building and maintaining towers and also allow them to focus on their core business and service offerings.

PSALM set to sell Malaya thermal plant next month

By Alena Mae S. Flores STATE-RUN Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. plans to bid out the 650-megawatt Malaya thermal power plant in Rizal province next month, an official said.

PSALM president Irene Garcia said the agency engaged a consultancy firm for the valuation of the facility and its underlying land.

PwC Philippines obtained the highest score among three consultancy firms during the negotiated procurement anchored on quality-based evaluation procedure that PSALM conducted in March.

“The third-party consultant PWC is almost done with their report.

Originally, we scheduled the bid submission this August...But we issued an SBB [supplemental bid bulletin] moving the bid submission date to September,” Garcia said.

She said PSALM decided to pursue the September bid date because the agency needed to comply with the new requirement of the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel.

The OGCC required PSALM to seek clearance for all agreements to be entered into by the privatization firm.

“In the case of Malaya, we will need to enter into an asset purchase agreement with the bidder. Thus, PSALM is now coordinating with OGCC to secure clearance on the provisions of the said APA. Once it is done, we can proceed with the bidding,” Garcia said.

B2

Business

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 extrastory2000@gmail.com

Chinese firms adapting to trade war

By Ryan Mcmorrow

B

EIJING―Export-reliant Chinese companies are slashing prices, moving production abroad, creating new domestic markets and even rebranding goods as they try to survive the escalating trade war with the United States.

Factories along the eastern coast, fish processors in the south, apple juice exporters in central China and farmers in the northeast have all been forced to change their business models since US President Donald Trump launched the conflict more than a year ago, hitting everything from motorcycles to MRI machines.

But no matter what the survival tactic, times are

tough and set get worse with newly threatened titfor-tat tariffs meaning that virtually all trade between the world’s two biggest economies would be covered.

“It’s impacted all of us exporters... we include the tariffs in our quotes now,” a sales manager at Shaanxi Hengtong Fruit Juice, who gave his surname as Liu, told AFP. Chinese apple juice exports have nosedived 93 percent in the first half of the year since Trump hit them with tariffs in September last year.

Shaanxi Hengtong Fruit Juice, which sends almost all of its product abroad, and some of its subsidiaries had to pledge shares as collateral for loans last year.

One of its juice plants also put up dozens of its machines and appliances as collateral for another loan.

The fish processing industry has been hit hard too.

China is the main supplier of frozen tilapia to the American market, but those exports are also down

this year and fish farmers have been forced to look inward.

“The United States is taking advantage of its market position and bullying the many scattered Chinese tilapia suppliers,” the Hainan Tilapia Sustainability Alliance said on its WeChat account.

“The trade war is the last straw to crush the industry.”

The trade group has been brainstorming how to grow sales at home, but different domestic tastes mean it has its work cut out for it.

“Tilapia has done very well in the US because it’s breaded and processed... it’s kind of bland. Chinese consumers like their fish fishy,” said Even Pay, an agriculture analyst at advisory firm China Policy.

Large fish processor Zhaoqing Evergreen Aquatic retrofitted its factory this winter to focus on the domestic market, according to industry publication Undercurrent News.

Firms in other hard-hit industries have simply had to absorb some of the tariff pain.

“We’ve dropped our prices for the US market to cover some of the tariffs,” said Andy Zhou of Anytone, which makes radio handsets.

Radio exports to the US were down to just $33 million in the first six months, from $230 million a year before.

Zhou, too, is looking to Asian and European markets now to boost sales.

Some struggling low-end radio manufacturers have been forced into drastic measures such as attempting to dodge US tariffs by swapping customs codes―where a product is incorrectly labelled to evade levies when it arrives in America.

Other firms have resorted to transshipment―rerouting their goods via neighboring Vietnam to pass them off as being made there.

Hanoi has vowed to crack down on Chinese manufacturers illegally using “Made-in-Vietnam” labels to dodge US tariffs, fearful of the punishment it could face from Trump over its annual trade surplus of $40 billion with the United States. AFP

Pot growers vs vintners in California wine region

By Jocelyne Zablit LOMPOC, California―A bitter war has erupted between pot growers and vintners in one of California’s famed wine regions where cannabis farms are proliferating, leading critics to denounce a “green rush” they fear could prove disastrous.

The battle, which began shaping up after California voters legalized recreational marijuana in November 2016, has pitted wine growers in Santa Barbara County and residents of the picturesque beach town of Carpinteria against a new neighbor they say literally stinks and threatens their livelihood and way of life.

“I think this is the single greatest threat to the wine industry that I have seen in my 25 years here,” said Stephen Janes, general manager at Pence Vineyards, located in the Santa Rita Hills.

At issue is the vast expansion of the cannabis market in the county in the last two years, thanks partly to loose licensing regulations at the local level that opened the door to a rush of growers keen to cash in on the lucrative crop.

Almost overnight, critics say, millions of flowering cannabis plants popped up in the Santa Ynez and Santa Maria valleys, a vast wine-growing area made famous internationally by the movie “Sideways.”

Further south in Carpinteria, greenhouses once used to grow flowers and located near residential areas have been repurposed to grow weed, much to the chagrin of some local residents irate over the pungent and pervasive odor that emanates from the plants.

“I have to wear a mask now when I go out to my garden, and my grandchildren won’t visit anymore because of the smell,” sighed Joan Esposito, who has lived in the town for 36 years.

In the Santa Rita Hills area, known for its Pinot Noir production and located about two hours north of Los Angeles, white plastic hoop houses for pot growing extend in places as far as the eye can see and sit near vineyards and avocado farms.

‘Cannabis ruling the roost’ “It’s not like any farming neighbor we’ve ever had, and this is all happening very quickly,” said Kathy Joseph, owner of Fiddlehead Cellars and Fiddlestix Vineyard.

“No one anticipated the visual impact, nobody in the region had ever experienced cannabis in this quantity.

HUAWEI’S OS. Richard Yu (bottom center), head of Huawei’s consumer business, is seen in front of a giant screen as he unveils the company’s new HarmonyOS operating system during a press conference in Dongguan, Guangdong province on August 9, 2019.

Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled its own operating system on August 9, as it faces the threat of losing access to Android systems amid escalating US-China trade tensions. AFP

S. Korea imposes new controls on exports to Japan

A cannabis growing operation (left) that was constructed in March is seen next to Fiddlestix vineyards (right) in the Santa Ynez Valley northwest of Santa Barbara, California on August 6, 2019. A bitter war has erupted between pot growers and vintners in one of California’s famed wine regions where cannabis farms are proliferating. AFP

“In many ways, cannabis is ruling the roost right now.”

Vintners, avocado growers and other farmers say they are having to adapt their farming practices―including by using organic pesticides often less effective than conventional ones―lest the newcomers sue them for inadvertently contaminating their high-value crop.

Wine growers add that they, in turn, fear that their grapes could be contaminated by particles from pot plants.

“This has turned into a living nightmare,” said Joseph, whose neighbor has filed a complaint against her over fears that the pesticides she uses on her vines may have contaminated his cannabis.

“I have committed over 40 years to making wine... and as wine growers we operate under strict controls,” she added. “But this year, I am probably going to lose my crop of Chardonnay, worth $50,000, because I had to switch to a pesticide that was not as effective for mildew.”

The cannabis association that represents pot farmers in the area did not respond to AFP requests for comment.

Members of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, which is responsible for setting policies on cannabis, acknowledged that the county should have anticipated the unintended consequences of pot farms on existing agriculture and residents in the region.

‘Community supports cannabis’ “I am very concerned about the impacts of outdoor cannabis operations concentrated in the Santa Ynez Valley and am working vigorously to protect existing vineyards and agricultural operations from the negative impacts of this new industry,” said board member Joan Hartmann.

She said the county had limited cannabis cultivation in the region to under 2,000 acres (800 hectares) and was exploring ways to defuse the escalating conflict.

Graham Farrar, CEO of Glass House Farms in Carpinteria and president of the local Cannabis Association for Responsible Producers, said pot growers have gone out of their way to be good neighbors, installing odor control systems and injecting much-needed tax dollars into the community.

“The community supports cannabis and the average individual walking down the street either doesn’t care, supports cannabis in concept or the farmers specifically,” he told AFP. He also dismissed complaints about odor, saying that while there may still be an occasional whiff of the skunk-like smell, it was hardly overwhelming.

“I think that many of the people who talk about the odor don’t like it because it reminds them that there is cannabis growing there and they think cannabis is a moral failing and society would be better without it,” Farrar said.

His argument, however, doesn’t sit well with everyone. AFP

SEOUL―South Korea on Monday put Japan into its own new export category, intensifying a trade war between the two neighbors and US allies.

The move came after Seoul announced earlier this month it would remove Tokyo from its list of trusted trading partners, reciprocating an identical move by Japan.

That followed Tokyo’s imposition of tough restrictions on exports crucial to tech titans such as Samsung following a series of South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese firms to pay for forced labor during World War II. The dispute has raised concerns over the potential implications for their security cooperation in the face of North Korean missile tests, and the possible impact on global supply chains.

South Korea’s list of trade partners is currently divided into two groups, those who are members of the world’s top four export control agreements and those who are not.

But Seoul’s trade ministry said Monday it added a new category for countries that had signed the four pacts “but operate an export control system that violates international norms.”

Japan is the only country in the new category.

“Since it’s hard to work closely with a country that frequently violates the basic rules... we need an export control system that addresses this,” South Korean trade minister Sung Yun-mo told reporters.

Sung did not offer examples of such violations by Japan.

The revision will be implemented in September, he said, adding that Seoul was open to negotiations with Tokyo.

Under the new regulations, South Korean firms must submit five documents―from the current three―to win approvals for exporting sensitive items to Japan, with the process taking up to 15 days. AFP

Asian markets mostly up; dealers fret with US-China row in balance HONG KONG―Most Asian markets rose Monday but investors remain gripped by concerns about the US-China trade war after Donald Trump said he was prepared to walk away from next month’s planned talks.

The president’s comments spooked US investors and added to the sense of pessimism across world trading floors after the White House last week announced fresh tariffs on China and labelled it a currency manipulator.

Beijing responded by halting all purchases of US agricultural goods.

Trump said Friday it would be “fine” if the negotiations were called off, telling reporters: “We’re not ready to make a deal but we’ll see what happens.” He added: “We have all the cards. We’re doing well.”

Market negativity is providing support to safe haven gold, which is sitting at a six-year high around $1,500.

The downbeat mood is being slightly offset by central banks’ shift to softer monetary policy though there are growing concerns about the outlook for the

global economy.

There was also some solace in remarks from key China hawk and top Trump adviser Peter Navarro, who said he still expected the talks to go ahead.

However, he raised concerns about Beijing’s weak yuan and warned officials needed to move on key issues including subsidies to state firms, forced technology transfer and cyber intrusion.

“Equities remain sensitive to trade headlines even as some of the initial shock announcement of a new offensive to be launched on September 1 has worn off,” said OANDA senior market analyst Alfonso Esparza.

“But with no clear olive branch being offered by either side the trade dispute has no end in sight, putting downward pressure on equities.”

In afternoon trade Hong Kong was up 0.2 percent but Cathay Pacific sank more than four percent after China imposed new rules banning airline staff involved in the city’s protests from flights to or over the mainland. AFP

Cathay shares sink after protest warning HONG KONG―Shares in Hong Kong’s flagship carrier Cathay Pacific plunged more than four percent on Monday, after Beijing banned airline staff supporting Hong Kong protesters from flights going through the mainland.

Cathay shares lost 4.37 percent to HK$9.85 by the break in Hong Kong, with the carrier’s parent company Swire Pacific Ltd. plunging 5.26 percent to HK$77.50.

The nosedive comes as the airline is caught up in pro-democracy protests that have rocked Hong Kong for more than two months.

On Friday, Beijing’s aviation regulator ordered Cathay to submit a list of the identities of staff working on flights to the mainland or passing through its airspace.

It warned any staff members involved in “illegal protests” would be banned from such flights.

Cathay’s CEO Rupert Hogg said in a message to staff on Saturday that the

airline was obliged to comply with the new rules set out by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC).

“Cathay Pacific Group’s operations in mainland China are key to our business.

In addition to flying in and out of mainland China, a large number of our routes both to Europe and to the USA also fly through mainland China airspace,” Hogg wrote.

“We are therefore legally required to follow CAAC regulations and, as is the case with any notices issued by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over us, we must and will comply.”

Cathay appears to have become a target of Beijing’s ire after some of its crew joined protests and media reported one of its pilots had been charged with rioting.

The carrier’s chairman John Slosar has defended his staff’s right to freedom of thought, saying “we certainly wouldn’t dream of telling them what they have to think about something.” AFP

World

B3

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 CESAR BARRIOQUINTO, Editor mst.daydesk@gmail.com

Hong Kong protests dividing some sectors

IN BRIEF Singapore to ban sale of ivory SINGAPORE―Singapore said Monday it will impose a blanket ban on the domestic sale of elephant ivory and products from 2021 as the government tightens its campaign against illegal wildlife trade.

The announcement on World Elephant Day followed two years of consultations with non-government groups, ivory retailers and the public.

Authorities in the city-state made their largest ever seizure of smuggled ivory last month, impounding a haul of nearly nine tonnes of contraband tusks from an estimated 300 African elephants valued at $12.9 million.

The illegal cargo was discovered in a container from the Democratic Republic of the Congo being shipped to Vietnam via Singapore and also included a huge stash of pangolin scales.

Singapore has banned international trade in all forms of elephant ivory products since 1990.

Such items could be sold domestically if traders could prove they were imported before that year or acquired prior to the inclusion of the relevant elephant species in an international convention protecting endangered species.

In a statement Monday, Singapore’s National Parks Board banned the sale of elephant ivory and products with effect from September 1, 2021.

Violators face a jail term of up to one year and fines on conviction.

Traders can donate their ivory stocks to institutions or keep them after the ban takes effect, the board said.

Public consultation by the government last year showed that 99 percent of those who responded were in favor of a total ban.

Elephant ivory is coveted because it can be fashioned into items like combs, pendants and other jewelry.

The global trade in elephant ivory, with rare exceptions, has been outlawed since 1989 after the population of the African giants dropped from millions in the mid20th century to around 600,000 by the end of the 1980s. AFP

Typhoon death toll in China rises to 44

BEIJING―A monster storm that smashed its way up the eastern China coast and forced more than a million residents to flee has killed 44 people, state media said Monday.

Footage on state broadcaster CCTV showed fields and streets flooded by muddy water, submerged vehicles, scattered debris and trees blown over as strong winds and rain from Typhoon Lekima pounded cities along the seaboard.

At least 16 people were still missing as the storm moved further up the coast near Beijing.

Official Xinhua news agency said the toll had risen to 39 in Zhejiang province, where Lekima made landfall on Saturday, packing winds of nearly 190 kilometers per hour (120 miles per hour) and pounding the coast with waves several meters in height.

At least 18 of those were killed in a landslide triggered by torrential downpours in Wenzhou, state media said.

More than a million people were evacuated from their homes ahead of the typhoon, Xinhua reported.

Lekima hit Shandong province later on Sunday, where the local emergency management department reported five dead and seven missing, as well as the relocation of more than 180,000 people and damage to 600 homes.

The natural disaster has inflicted economic losses of more than 24.22 billion yuan (US$3.4 billion) in Zhejiang alone, authorities said.

Rescue workers were shown on CCTV using boats and rope pulleys to carry out stranded residents over the weekend.

More than 3,200 flights have been canceled due to the typhoon, the state broadcaster reported, as Beijing, Shanghai and other cities grounded planes. AFP

RETREAT. Zhavia Ward attends Backstage Creations Celebrity Retreat 2019 on August 11, 2019, on Hermosa Beach, California. AFP

Water cannon trucks unveiled by HK police

H

ONG KONG― Hong Kong police on Monday unveiled water cannon trucks as a new way to combat prodemocracy protesters, after tear gas and rubber bullets failed to stop more than two months of rallies.

The brand-new vehicles, complete with real-time surveillance cameras and multiple spray nozzles, were wheeled out after police clashed with demonstrators at nearly a dozen locations on Sunday.

They fired tear gas on shopping streets and in subway stations, with protesters hurling bricks and spraying riot police with fire extinguishers and water hoses.

A government official said 45 people were injured in the clashes, including two who were in serious condition.

Among them was a woman who suffered a serious face injury, reportedly after being hit by a bean bag round.

Images of her lying on the ground with blood pouring from her face quick-

India imposes clampdown in Kashmir to head off Eid al-Adha festival protests SRINAGAR―Indian troops clamped tight restrictions on mosques across Kashmir for Monday’s Eid al-Adha festival, fearing anti-government protests over the stripping of the Muslim-majority region’s autonomy, according to residents.

The Himalayan region’s biggest mosque, the Jama Masjid, was ordered closed and people were only allowed to pray in smaller local mosques so that no big crowds could gather, witnesses said.

Kashmir has been in a security lockdown for eight days as the Hindu nationalist government in New Delhi seeks to snuff out opposition to its move to impose tighter central control over the region.

Internet and phone communications have been cut and tens of thousands of troop reinforcements have flooded the main city of Srinagar and other Kashmir Valley towns and villages.

Authorities had eased restrictions temporarily on Sunday to let residents buy food and supplies for Eid, one of the most important Muslim festivals of the year.

But security was tightened again after sporadic protests involving hundreds of people during the day, residents said. Police vans toured the streets late Sunday telling people to stay indoors.

“I can’t believe we are forced to be in our homes on this festival. This is the festival of joy and happiness,” resident Shanawaz Shah told AFP. Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh said people “have been asked to offer prayers locally”.

Singh insisted that Kashmir was peaceful despite the protests. “One incident in downtown Srinagar does not define the entire valley or the state,” he said.

Residents said the security crackdown had made them too fearful to celebrate.

A sheep trader at a Srinagar market, who gave his name as Maqbool, said the number of people buying animals for traditional feasts was sharply lower and he had gone from “huge profits” last year to a “big loss” this time.

Several thousand people took part in one rally after Friday prayers that was broken up with tear gas and shotgun pellets. But authorities denied there was any protest.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has insisted the constitutional changes to Kashmir are needed to bring peace and prosperity to a region blighted by a decades-old insurgency against Indian rule that has left tens of thousands dead.

He has won widespread backing in India for the move. AFP

ly went viral and featured on posters calling for new demonstrations.

“An eye for an eye” read one call for a protest on Monday afternoon at the city’s airport.

Police also arrested protesters across the city, with activists claiming plainclothes officers dressed in the movement’s signature black and infiltrated their ranks to detain demonstrators.

Police have defended themselves as accusations of using excessive force against protesters and on Monday unveiled two water cannons―a method that has not yet been used during the crisis.

They demonstrated jets of water from the trucks on several dummy torsos placed at different distances from the vehicles.

Hong Kong has reportedly ordered three of the vehicles at a cost of HK$27 million ($3.4 million), though police declined to confirm the exact price-tag.

Police would only use the trucks in the event of a “large-scale public disturbance” leading to “casualties, property being destroyed wantonly, or public order and public safety coming under grave threat”, senior superintendent Chan Kin-kwok told lawmakers.

PRAYERS.

Muslim women offer Eid alAdha prayers at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore on August 12, 2019.

Muslims around the world are celebrating Eid al-Adha (the feast of sacrifice), the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide marking the end of the annual pilgrimage or Hajj to the Saudi holy city of Mecca. AFP

The vehicles are “one of our options for our use of force or special tactics,” he added during the Monday presentation.

Pro-democracy lawmakers attended the presentation holding signs that read “HK Police Murderers” and quarrelled with pro-Beijing lawmakers, who praised the police for their response to the demonstrations.

“We saw recently that the police’s control of their emotions is extremely poor,” said Lam Cheuk-ting, who accused police of having “abused their power to attack many protesters who aren’t resisting”.

It was the tenth consecutive weekend that protesters have taken to the streets in a movement that began over opposition to a bill allowing extradition to mainland China.

The protests have morphed into a broader bid to reverse a slide of democratic freedoms in the southern Chinese city.

They have been seen as the biggest threat to Beijing’s rule since Britain handed Hong Kong over in 1997.

Mainland authorities have harshly condemned the demonstrators and Hong Kong’s flagship carrier Cathay Pacific has found itself caught in the crossfire. AFP

HONG KONG―Hong Kong’s prodemocracy protesters boast of a broad support base but their movement has divided some neighborhoods, including Wong Tai Sin, where many police officers live.

Poppy Chan, the wife of a police officer, was preparing dinner for her family when she heard the crash of a brick shattering the window of her third-floor apartment.

Tear gas flooded the home she shares with her two young daughters, her husband, and a domestic worker, in a complex where many police live with their families.

“At that moment, I was more scared than angry,” she told AFP. “Maybe they don’t know that what they’re doing is very wrong.”

“I just think it’s really sad, because it seems like they’re being used by others,” she added.

Chan’s family had cowered inside the apartment during three days of running protests in the neighborhood. When the brick came sailing into their home, she decided it was time to leave.

She packed some of their belongings and fled to a friend’s place.

The Wong Tai Sin neighborhood has seen some of the worst clashes in protests that began in opposition to a bill allowing extraditions to mainland China.

The protests have morphed into a broader movement seeking greater democratic freedoms in the international financial hub.

It has won support from a cross section of society, with lawyers, civil servants, older people and parents with small children turning out to rallies.

But in Wong Tai Sin, some are more ambivalent about protesters who accuse the police of brutality and have hurled bricks at officers and their homes.

“Throughout this entire thing, I have rarely felt anger, because I always think that sometimes people don’t know what they’re doing,” Chan said.

Other residents of the working class neighborhood are less forgiving of the demonstrators who targeted the local police station on August 3, spraying graffiti and dismantling security cameras. AFP

Airline warns it could fire staff joining protests HONG KONG―Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific warned its staff on Monday that they could be fired if they “support or participate in illegal protests”, as the airline comes under pressure from Beijing.

The warning follows new regulations imposed by China’s aviation regulator requiring Cathay Pacific to submit manifests of staff on flights to the mainland or through its airspace.

Beijing told the airline that staff involved in the protests that have gripped Hong Kong for more than two months would be banned from flights to the mainland.

The airline has already said it will comply with those regulations, citing the importance of its business in China and the requirement to adhere to local rules.

But in a Monday message to staff, chief executive Rupert Hogg reiterated that Cathay Pacific employees would also face “disciplinary consequences” if they get involved in the prodemocracy protests.

“Cathay Pacific Group has a zero tolerance approach to illegal activities.

Specifically, in the current context, there will be disciplinary consequences for employees who support or participate in illegal protests,” Hogg wrote.

“These consequences could be serious and may include termination of employment.”

Hogg also specifically warned employees not to support or participate in a new protest at Hong Kong airport called Monday.

And he reminded staff that the “actions and words of our employees made outside of working hours can have a significant effect on the company.”

The protests in Hong Kong have infuriated Beijing and left Cathay Pacific in a difficult position. AFP

LGUs

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

B4

LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

Joy wants more CSOs involved in QC planning

By Rio N. Araja RECOGNIZING the important role of civil society organizations, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte plans to intensify their involvement in crafting programs and plans for the city’s three million constituents.

“It would be best if we get our acts together with the people and the groups representing them to push their interest as we craft and outline our plans,” she said Monday.

“My style is to include the people toward a better life for them,” the mayor added.

Belmonte recently met with over 4,000 civil society organization members from Districts 1 to 6.

She cited the importance of their participation groups’ members, calling on other residents to join an organization that could advance their welfare and advocate their rights.

Belmonte said she was elated with the continuous growth of the CSOs, saying when she was still vice mayor, there were just around 1,000 registered organizations in Quezon City.

“Being part of an organization is one of the roles of an active citizen,” the city mayor said.

Belmonte said she also plans to pass a Freedom of Information ordinance to bolster her good governance initiative.

“We plan to make Quezon City as the first local government in Metro Manila to enact an FOI ordinance that will boost transparency and combat corruption,” she said.

The city government would put up Hotline 122 to pave the way for the residents to report any concern or complaint, she said.

The organizations, for their part, threw their full support behind Belmonte’s leadership and vowed to back her initiatives for the city’s development.

Belmonte said she takes to heart the role of CSOs because even as a fresh graduate, she joined the Jesuit Volunteers Philippines to help advance the need of far-flung and marginalized communities in Mindanao.

The blessing and turnover of the Dialysis Unit is led by Philippine International Trading Corp. CEO Usec. Dave Almarinez (2nd from right), 3rd Dist. Rep. Sol Aragones (center) and San Pablo City Mayor Loreto Amben Amante (3rd from left), joined by City Administrator Vicente Amante (2nd from left) 1st District Board Member Abigael Alonte (right) and the members of Sangguniang Panglungsod. Roy Tomandao

Police ‘overkill’ adds to Ceres bus family row

By Rey E. Requejo

T

HE president of Vallacar Bus Transit, which operates the Ceres Bus Lines nationwide, on Monday appealed to the Supreme Court for immediate issuance of a writ of amparo to allow him and other board members of the company to enter and leave their company head offices in the Ceres compound in Purok Hinaya, Mansilingan, Bacolod City.

Roy Yanson, president of Vallacar, made the statement after an estimated 300 heavily armed policemen from the provincial police office six led by Police Brig.

Gen Rene Pamuspusan entered their compound and prevented employees and anyone from entering or leaving the premises last August 8 and 9.

The forcible entry came despite the order by Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Albayalde last August 8 directing Pamuspusan, PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group chief Amador Corpus and their men, Police Colonel Benliner Capili of the Bacolod CIDG and newly installed Bacolod police chief Police Colonel

Henry Binas, to stand down.

Albayalde condemned the incident even as he assured the public that the PNP will remain impartial in the Yamson family’s corporate infighting.

The PNP chief also ordered a probe on the order given by Police Colonel Michael John Dubria, acting chief of the Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies, ordering the replacement of the new security agency, AY-76, with the old security agency of the bus company, the Armored Guard Negros Security Agency or AGNSA. Dubria’s order last August 2 was used

by Binas to deploy 300 of his men at the

North and South Ceres bus terminals, which led to the padlocking of the VTI South terminals in Sambok, Bacolod last August 7.

The SOSIA order contravened the former order of Brigadier General Noli Romana of the SOSIA last July 17, which essentially allowed the assumption of security duties of A-Y76 Security or ASSI over AGNSA. Emily Yanson-Ramos, one of the six siblings involved in the intra-corporate feud, in a press statement on Monday denied the claim of the camp of her younger brother Leo Rey, the company’s erstwhile president, that they are behind the loss of vital corporate papers.

“Why would we ransack our own offices and steal those documents which Leo Rey claims to be missing?” she asked.

Emily, one of the three Yanson sisters, was among the four siblings—together with Roy, Ricardo Jr., and Celina—who ousted Leo Rey as company president in a special board meeting held on July 7.

Matriarch Olivia, 85, and sister Ginette are siding with Leo Rey.

Rio Tuba mine adopts DOST waste converter RIO TUBA Nickel (RTN) became the first company in the local mining industry to use the Department of Science and Technology’s bioreactor that converts biodegradable wastes into organic fertilizers and soil conditioners.

RTN, a subsidiary of Nickel Asia Corp. (NAC), adopted this innovative soil conditioning technology through DOST’s technology transfer program.

According to DOST project supervisor Dr. Myra L. Tansengco, the principle behind the bioreactor developed by the department’s Industrial Technology Development Institute is to promote efficient solid waste management practices in the communities to comply with Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. “RTN is the first mining company to use the fertilizer and soil conditioner from this bioreactor for their rehabilitation programs and for use in the communities,” said Tansengco.

Engr. Cynthia Rosero, RTN Resident Mine Manager, said: “RTN intends to extend the use of these organic fertilizers for the ongoing vegetable production projects in the IP communities in Rio Tuba that aims to cater to the growing demands for organic vegetables in Palawan.”

RA 9003 was signed into law in 2001. It is the legal framework for a systematic, comprehensive, and ecological solid waste management program in the Philippines.

Almost 20 years after RA 9003 became a law, the challenge continues with enforcing proper waste segregation in the communities.

Engr. David L. Herrera, Senior Science Specialist at the DOST, explains that the challenge is mainly for the barangay-level folks to be able to visualize how solid waste can be useful, for the individual and for the community as a whole, for them to be really serious about waste segregation.

Workers at Rio Tuba Nickel demonstrate how to use the DOST bioreactor, which converts biodegradable wastes into organic fertilizers and soil conditioners.

San Pablo City dialysis center opens via PITC

By Roy Tomandao SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna—wThe Philippine International Trading Corp.

(PITC) has donated a 10-Dialysis Machine and InterRed system upon the initiative and effort of Laguna 3rd District Rep. Sol Aragones after requesting the office of PITC CEO Usec. Dave Almarinez.

Located beside the San Pablo General Hospital, the dialysis center helps the effort of LGU San Pablo City and Mayor Loreto Amben Amante to allocate resources toward the center.

Almarinez said: “We give priority to our kababayan Laguñeno for this project because I am a former 1st district board member of Laguna. Now this is the first dialysis unit and center found in all Calabarzon, so that we no longer need to proceed to manila to partake this facility. This is now in San Pablo City thanks to the effort of our office and the LGU.” Rep. Aragones said: “We have tried to find a way to get this system, and thanks to the help of Usec. Dave Almarinez, this is it. We got a 10-dialysis machine coming from the good office of Usec.

Dave, our pride of Laguna and one of the trusted officers of the President Rodrigo Duterte.”

San Pablo and Mayor Amante also thanked the support of Almarinez for building the facility.

Meanwhile, Department of Health inspectors have been making the rounds of hospitals located in communities under a state of calamity due to the spike in dengue cases, to inspect whether fast lanes are in place, and ascertain the prepositioning of blood supplies, intravenous fluids, rapid diagnostic/test kits, and medical supplies for dengue patients.

Undersecretary Enrique Domingo told a media conference that Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was originally scheduled to come to Laguna but was called to Iloilo City and Antique in Western Visayas where a state of calamity was also raised in the wake of soaring dengue cases.

“We have closely watched regions and those that declared (a) state of calamity in view of the dengue outbreak, like Cavite, Iloilo City and Antique in Western Visayas as the disease peaks during this month and August,” Domingo said.

He underscored the need for closer collaboration between the DOH and LGUs to help expedite the delivery of health services, especially during the current disease outbreak.

Work on P150-m Angeles diversion EPZA road begins

By Jess Malabanan ANGELES CITY—Local and other government officials on Monday led the groundbreaking of the P150-million “EPZA” diversion road, touted as the ultimate solution to decongest the busy Magalang-Angeles City stretch especially during peak hours.

The project will link this city to commercial areas and towns in northeastern Pampanga. It is a kilometer-long structure that will traverse Barangays Pulung Maragul and Pulung Cacutud, with a concrete bridge crossing the North Luzon Expressway also to be built.

First District Rep. Carmelo “Jonjon” Lazatin submitted the project plan and design three years ago, but the funding was released only this year. The much-needed bypass road will be completed October next year, he said.

A total of 41 houses situated along Pulung Cacutud will soon be demolished to give way to the construction works. Affected residences will have to claim their compensation from the contractors, the lawmaker said.

Affected residents will be top priority for the housing program of the city government, said Mayor Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin.

The diversion road will traverse the Infinity area in this city and end up at Don Aniceto Gueco Avenue. R11 Builders will construct the first phase of the project.

Once completed, a large volume of motorists is expected to use the by-pass road to avoid the congested Angeles-Magalang Road, the only access of residents to the City Hall and Marquee Mall shopping complex.

CMC marks Vision 20/20 Celebration

Dr. Jose Enrico Juliano (standing, 2nd from right) checks the eye of a child in a free eye vision screening during the opening of the Calamba Medical Center eye center.

Roy Tomandao

CALAMBA—Calamba Eye Center recently celebrated its 23rd year coinciding with August as “Sight Saving Month” with an array of health lectures, free vision screening for kids, contact lens awareness and corneal topography for adults, among other eye care services for the family as part of its Vision 20/20 for 2020.

Dr. Jose Enrico Juliano, the Eye Center’s founder-director and ophthalmologist, disclosed the Eye Center has come a long way from his dream of establishing the Eye Center with sophisticated equipment and all modalities available for its team of more than 20 ophthalmologists and optometrists, nurses and technicians.

“One of the five towers to be constructed at the Calamba Medical Center’s con-

cept of Health Care City of the South is the Eye Center building which will house the Eye Center services along with additional clinics for future doctors, as part of our Vision 20/20 in year 2020,” Juliano disclosed in an interview.

He said the CMC administration has been blessed through the years of serving then the town of Calamba, and now a booming city with the health care “city” complex.

“But a city is more than just the hospital, there is a need for the concept of a health care city especially now that we have the government’s Universal Health Care and expand eye care services with top-of-the-line equipment and facilities that are at par with Metro Manila eye centers,” he explained. Roy Tomandao

Life

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

HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

C1

How much trash can you pick up from the beach in 5 minutes?

T

HIS is the question an upcoming exhibition aims to answer.

The specially curated show, dubbed “Alon!,” shows photographs of surfers from the country’s six leading surfing communities—Siargao, La Union, Baler, Mati in Davao, Gubat in Sorsogon, and Sabang Daguitan in Leyte—each holding plastic trash they picked up from the beach in a five-minute period.

The photos intend to show the extensive presence of trash from plastic-packaged commodities in the country, may it be in Luzon, Visayas, or Mindanao.

In addition to these alarming photos on display, the exhibition, which aims to create awareness of plastic waste and eventually initiate change, also features the the eponymous Alon documentary, written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Gabby Fernandez. The docu will premiere on August 28, a day before the opening night of the exhibition organized by Benilde’s Center for Campus Art. The short film, also produced by the CCA, will feature interviews with 40 local surfers as they try to answer the question: Why is the Philippines the third worst plastic polluter in the world?

While the trash gathered by the surfers only represent what’s within sight, a mini photography exhibit featuring pictures by award-winning photographer Noel Guevara for Greenpeace Philippines will highlight the amount of non-biodegradable waste in the depths of the seas.

The photos were taken during a threeday dive and exploration at the Verde Island Passage, known as the “center of the center” of global marine biodiversity, located in Batangas.

Also on view will be the dead baby whale sculpture by artist Biboy Royong, first seen as part of the famous 78-by-10foot whale-like statue “Cry of the Dead Whale” recently installed in front of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Made from plastic bags, bottles, and various waste products found in the bodies of water, the dead baby whale, now separated from its mother, depicts the horrifying effects of plastic trash to sea creatures.

“Alon!” will also bring back a series of Benilde projects that illustrated both cause and effect of the issue: the 2016 TrashLation project in partnership with the Spanish Embassy Manila and RM de Leon’s 2018 class project Mga Plastik Kayo, a series of charcoal and pastel sketches of sea creatures trapped in various plastic packaging. “‘Alon,’ the surfers’ call when the waves come also pertains to the waves of plastic trash that threaten to engulf our oceans. This is not the first time, nor the last that Benilde will be raising this issue. We are here to remind people that this is a continuous battle,”

TIDES AND TRASH. Acclaimed surfers from the country’s six leading surfing communities show how much plastic waste they’ve picked up from the beach within a 5-minute period, highlighting the extensive presence of plastic trash on our beaches and in seas.

said CCA director and curator Architect Gerry Torres.

Torres added, “The exhibit hopes to promote the reduction of singleuse plastics, press multinationals to rethink their plastic packaging, ask the government to implement existing laws on waste management such as the RA 9003, or approve new ones

specific to plastic like Senator Francis Pangilinan’s Senate Bill 40 or the Single-Use Plastics Regulation and Management Act of 2019.”

“Alon!” will likewise showcase solutions by social and community leaders who try to start the change. Young student-designers from Benilde also contributed their promising works, in-

cluding the innovative end-product of accumulated plastic trash transformed into plastic tiles by Architecture Program student Prince Koo, as well as a number of stylish and sustainable ensembles made from unconventional and upcycled materials, including plastic, by the College’s Fashion Design and Merchandising students Kimble Adrienne

Quinto, Allana Nicolas, and Pamela Marie Casambros.

The exhibition will be on view from August 30 to December 14 at the12th floor Main Gallery, School of Design and Arts Campus, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.

Relax inside a Cocoon

Cocoon Wellness Pod, an ergonomically designed wellness machine.

DRAWING from the concept of metamorphosis, or the transformation that happens to an insect that physically develops after birth or hatching, Cocoon Wellness Pod is designed to promote wellness through rejuvenation and relaxation.

Distributed in the Philippines by the Medical Aesthetic Division of Technolux Equipment and Supply Corporation, the Cocoon combines thermal energy with an invigorating massage and aromatherapy, delivering a range of health and beauty benefits such as improving physical and mental performance, promoting better sleep, ridding the body of excess water and toxins, and slimming effects.

Its cutting-edge technology operates on “dry heat treatment” system, the same experience one gets when stepping into a dry sauna, only, the Cocoon utilizes the more advanced mid- and infrared light.

The dry heat from the pod accelerates heart rate, thus, fast-tracking blood circulation and speeding up metabolism— allowing the body to sweat toxins and calories off. It also reduces cellulites

and body fat, while shaping and firming up the skin.

The dry heating of the stationary body (or the so called “active thermal exercise”) can activate over two million sweat glands as the body seeks to cool itself. The Pod offers benefits one gets from physical exercises, as it increases the body temperature, circulation, and dilation of blood vessels.

When it comes to flexibility fitness, the Cocoon emits a range of motion exercises within the pod. It uses simultaneous heat and vibratory massage to promote flexibility and range of motion response equivalent to a regular stretching routine.

The machine is user-friendly: it has a color LCD touch screen display and comes as an ergonomic contour bed with a vibrating massage system.

Completing the ultimate sauna experience, the Cocoon has a cooling facial fan, mood lights, and aromatherapy system inside the pod. It incorporates Himalayan salt crystals and jade stones which, according to ancient and modTurn to C2

Life

C2

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 manilastandardlife@gmail.com

T

HERE are certain joys and perks that come with aging. But discounts aside, aging can become a source of stress and worry.

To help individuals enjoy the process, Phil-US registered nutritionist-dietitian Cheshire Que shares the seven golden rules of aging wisely.

7 ways to age wisely, gracefully Health experts say it is best for older people to surround themselves with people that give them joy and a sense of purpose.

Enjoy the life season with positivity

Aging is inevitable. It is a phase that everyone will go through that’s why it’s vital to accept it with positivity. Studies show that people who are positive and are able to manage stress well tend to be healthier and are less prone to mental health illnesses and heart diseases.

Let go of anything that causes you stress and surround yourself only with people that give you a sense of purpose.

Take it one step at a time and learn to live in the moment. Don’t overthink about what may or may not happen in a few years’ time.

Keep moving

Exercise prevents age-related illnesses by improving mobility, flexibility, strength, and blood circulation. Studies show that people who exercise are less likely to feel sluggish and exhausted; they are more energetic than those who just choose to sit at home. Exercise has also been proven to prevent depression and anxiety.

When we reach our 40s, we need to start thinking about the muscles that we don’t pay attention to, like our pelvic floor muscles. “Doing Kegels regularly will strengthen those muscles to prevent bladder leakage or incontinence issues later on,” says Que.

Nourish body with nutrientrich foods

This includes mindfully drinking water throughout the day because the sense of thirst may diminish as people age.

Drinking water also helps flush out toxins that speed up aging. Opt for whole foods, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and healthy fats.

“When it comes to clean eating, enjoying a variety of food in moderation will ensure our bodies are wellnourished,” says Que. “This also means that the older population should not adhere to any type of fad diet as they’re restricted to certain types of food, which will only prevent them

from taking in essential nutrients that doing art, cooking, and other hobbies they need.” not just help keep up one’s well-being, but also help in maintaining the sharpPractice sleep hygiene ness of mind.

Keep a regular sleeping pattern that is aligned with the body’s circadian Visit your doctor regularly rhythm, also known as body clock.

To manage age-related illnesses and This prevents hormonal imbalances concerns, the role of a physician spethat are associated with chronic ill- cializing in the care of mature and older nesses. Have a downtime one hour adults is vital. Que adds that “a regular before bedtime in a relaxing, sleep- trip to the doctor’s office will ensure promoting environment that is quiet, prevention and protection while maincold, and dark. taining the quality of life.”

To those who look after aging parNourish mind and soul ents or relatives, Que advises to never One of the best ways to maintain embarrass them when they see changes mental acuity is by keeping the mind in their bodies and with their behavior. engaged. Listening to music, reading, “Instead, encourage them to open up

Workshop on self-love for men

Coach Bernice Atienza on how to create your own workout.

DR. CHELSEA Elizabeth Samson, medical director of Centuria Medical Makati encourages everyone to practice self-care.

“We truly believe that the best way for you to take care of others is for you to take care of yourself first,” she said.

To spread awareness and promote the importance of self-love, Centuria Medical Makati recently launched #WeSelf Love, an advocacy that promotes the importance of self-care so individuals can be the best version of themselves.

A series of self-care workshops took place at the 28-story facility, with doctors and experts giving tips on how to get in shape—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

One of the workshops delved on selflove for men. The talk focused on preventing injuries, eating a healthy diet, understanding men’s health, and practicing mindfulness.

Angelica Binayug, a physiotherapist from ProHealth Sports and Spinal Physiotherapy Centre said that doing a proper warmup can help avoid injuries. “It prepares the body for the main event—before you engage in sports, in games, or a playing event. It’s up to you how long you’ll do a warmup, just make sure there’s mild sweating without fatigue,” she advised.

Meanwhile, talking about those who spend hours at the gym to stay in shape, Coach Gelo Abendan from Pinnacle

Performance Fitness Centre said “overtraining is real.”

“You’re making your body prone to maladaptation and burnout,” asserted Abendan. He reminded gym buffs to always consider their age, genetic background, and response to training before working out.

Experts also strongly recommended to replenish what is lost. Coach Tim Ting of Pinnacle Performance talked about aspects of nutrition one can focus on, but opined it was best to maintain weight first.

“In order to maintain weight, you need to remember the 80-20 rule: 80 percent must be allotted for whole, minimally processed food, while 20 percent can be for cookies and milk teas. Eat healthy food, but have a wiggle room to enjoy yourself.”

Men’s health is not only about the physical well-being of males. “It’s the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. It’s not just the absence of disease, it’s also about identifying and preventing conditions related to men,” explained Dr. Quincy Raya of Raya Wellness & Preventive Medicine.

Dr. Raya mentioned that most lifestyle diseases are preventable. The major lifestyle diseases encountered by men include high blood, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol. Aside from these, the medical expert said men also need to understand male sexual dys-

function, which can be a physical or psychological problem.

“Diseases are all inter-related. You need to do proper exercise, and manage stress and your weight. The key is early detection so you can have early treatment,” she added.

On the other hand, Dr. John Michael Dellariarte of NEU Advanced Aesthetics and Dr. MJ Torres of The Zen Institute discussed the importance of protecting the skin from sun damage, and face and body boost solutions for men, respectively.

“Solar radiation causes dermatological issues and skin cancer is on the rise. The moment the sun touches your skin, it damages the skin,” explained Dr. Dellariarte, who developed a unique fabric that blocks solar radiation and a one-of-a-kind umbrella, which won awards abroad.

Capping off the Self-Love for Men workshop, mindfulness teacher Dax Cobarrubias had a talk on how a few minutes of silence every day can help manage stress.

“Some say it’s hard to meditate because we have so many thoughts. When you have a lot of thoughts during meditation, just go back to your breathing.

Thoughts during meditation means stress is leaving your body,” said Cobarrubias.

He said when a person falls asleep during meditation, it’s the body’s way of telling them that they need more sleep.

about what they feel and speak up if In a report published by US Center they notice any changes in their body.” for Disease Control and Prevention, 50 percent of the older population is expeTake proper nutrient riencing incontinence or the inability to control urinating, and women are parsupplementation Mature and older people are at risk of ticularly vulnerable. nutrient deficiencies which lead to deAside from proper medication, and creased functionality and quality of life. possible surgical procedures for seVitamin D, calcium, vitamin C, omega 3, vere cases, an incontinence pad like So fiber, and even amino acids may be some Sure Bladder Leakage Pad is a practiof the nutrients that need to be considered. cal lifesaver for those who suffer. The “The bottom line is to always seek pads hug securely but discreetly without guidance and supervision of a physician the thickness of a diaper, and are three and a dietitian, don’t just buy something times more absorbent than a regular because of what you’ve heard or read. pad, anti-bacterial with odor control Risk for nutrient deficiencies must be features, and made of breathable, skinaddressed with individualized supple- friendly cotton material. It’s available in mentation,” notes Que. two variants, 340 mm and 450 mm.

A partnership versus malnutrition COINCIDING with this year’s celebration of Nutrition Month, the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute inked a partnership deal with Metametrics, a nutrienttesting laboratory, to boost government efforts to end the cycle of malnutrition in the country via the NutriCheck campaign.

Under the partnership, Metametrics will complement and optimize the campaign of DOST-FNRI using social media as well as other forms of communication materials to disseminate updated and more comprehensive information about proper nutrition.

According to DOST-FNRI director Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, the research institute needs new science-based information that can be used for further research. Part of this is the conduct of various tests to know more about the metabolic functions of different nutrients and how certain food items affect changes in the body.

“All these require certain biochemical testing, and although we have capabilities for some of the tests, there are

unique tests that only Metametrics can do,” said Capanzana.

Metametrics Laboratory has the most comprehensive nutrient-focused clinical diagnostics in Asia, which specializes in Metabolomics—the study of individual chemical fingerprints created during metabolic and cellular processes.

“We’re excited for this collaboration because this is the first major partnership that Metametrics will go into since it started operations September last year, and we’re happy that it is with DOST-FNRI, an agency that is at the forefront of food and nutrition and is committed to make a difference in the lives of Filipinos,” Metametrics general manager Rosalie A. Victorino said of the newly inked partnership.

According to Victorino, more than a nutrient testing, NutriCheck is an advocacy to make people more conscious about nutrition.

“People should know what they are eating; what they are putting on their plate. It’s about educating people, enabling them to make the right choices,” she said.

From left: Metametrics manager Lhea Laurel De Los Reyes, Metametrics general manager Rosalie Victorino, DOST undersecretary for regional operations Brenda NazarethManzano, DOST-FNRI director Dr. Mario Capanzana, Metametrics corporate vice president Alex Fernandez, DOST-FNRI chief science research specialist Dr. Milflor Gonzales, and Metametrics laboratory director Dr. Charina Paras-De Silva.

Relax...

From C1

ern medical practitioners all over the world, are considered as powerful healing factors.

Technolux said, a single session that lasts for 30 minutes provides users profound relaxation and calmed breathing, and help them achieve rejuvenation of mind and body.

“Most of our clients from the health and wellness industry prefer the Cocoon Wellness Pod because it is fully automated, requires no complex installation, plumbing, or configuration as it merely requires an electrical outlet,” says Technolux vice president Norell Ortega.

The Cocoon Wellness Pod is available at the Medical-Aesthetic showroom on the 5th floor of Technolux’s headquarters at 2176, Primo Rivera Street, La Paz, Makati City.

Entertainment Couch Potato...

From C4

Season 16 that will precede the finale season, if the producers would keep their word to end the series this year. *** ‘Hello, Love, Goodbye’ goes overseas The characters played by Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards are facing a dilemma. Will they choose love or family in the film Hello, Love Goodbye, written by Carmi Raymundo and directed by Cathy Garcia-Molina?

Joy (Kathryn) and Ethan (Alden) are two Filipinos working for a living in Hong Kong with different goals in life. Joy is a domestic helper who is determined to do everything to have a better life, compared to the life she had as a child. Ethan is a bartender who is building a permanent life in Hong Kong but has always been afraid of commitments.

In the process of getting to know each other, Joy and Ethan also discover new things about themselves, which could possibly affect the plans they have with their respective lives.

Hello, Love, Goodbye marks the first time that two of the prime stars today from Philippines’ media giants, ABS-CBN and GMA, are working on one project that tackles the lives of the overseas Filipinos.

The movie that already grossed more than P400 million in domestic box office is getting international exposures as well. On Aug.1, it was screened in Papua New Guinea and on Aug. 4 in Norway; Aug. 8 in the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and Brunei; Aug. 9 in the U.S., Canada, and Tel Aviv, Israel; Aug. 10 and 11 in United Kingdom also in Ireland, France, Austria, Italy, Malta, and Taiwan.

On Aug. 18 it will be seen in Hong Kong; Aug. 23 in Malaysia; Sept. 1 in Spain and Japan; Sept. 9 in Greece; Sept. 28 and 29 in South Korea; and soon in Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Kathryn and Alden will grace the movie premieres in Singapore on Aug. 18. There will also be a special screening on Aug. 25 in Cambodia.

Congratulations, Alden Richards and Kathryn Bernardo!

W

HILE it’s a given that there are countless good singers out there fronting Filipino bands, few of them really have that real remarkable voice that can’t be mistaken for someone else.

Ney Dimaculangan is a perfect example of one with a vocal gift special enough to carry a band’s career on its sheer distinctiveness. People who hear songs he recorded and sung need not argue who the singer behind it. His voice has that thumb mark rarely found even in a country of numerous musically inclined rockers.

Small wonder that fans get excited each time he publicly appears or delivers a song, original or cover. Each track he makes it his own.

At a special single launch gig last Thursday at the Pinoy band scene-hub 70s Bistro in Quezon City, Ney and his current bandmates delivered the latest from his voice, a composition he wrote called “Bahala Ka.” The song is an upbeat modern Pinoy pop rock gem anchored on his sweeping vocals that fit right where strong melody and relatable lyrics meet halfway. It is a track that should help bring his notable vocal skill en route to the next decade of OPM journey.

Ney has been around in the music scene practically for two decades, kicked off by a celebrated stint with hit-making machine 6 Cyclemind and a solo act powered by effective collaborations, special song projects, and an ongoing exciting run with a band named after him.

Bandang Ney, as fans fondly call his group, is composed of Ney’s backing crew of Patch Boogie Sanchez on Lead Guitars, Arnee France Escobedo on Rhythm Guitars & Back-up Vocals, Lui Lopez on Bass & Back-up Vocals, and Andrew Nebab Nianga on Drums.

The man now ably plays guitar as he sings in front of delighted crowds in select events, special guesting stints, production gigs, and roadshows.

Among Ney’s previous solo hits include “Habag,” and “Sa Akin Ka Na Lang,” while tracks like “Sabik Sa’yo,” “Tagapagligtas,” and “Velvet Skies”

Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards at the premiere of 'Hello, Love, Goodbye' in Dubai

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

ACROSS 1 Transmission part 5 — Downs (racetrack) 10 Great in quantity 14 Delightful 15 Mecca resident 16 Square footage 17 A law — itself 18 In an unflagging manner 20 Hangar occupant 22 Some buses 23 Foots the bill 25 Former latenight host Jay 26 Where a ghost is invoked 27 Damage superficially 28 Fast pace 32 Silver Skates boy 33 Lean-tos 35 Mystery writer — Paretsky 36 Inquire 37 Pilot’s dir.

38 Win at rummy 39 Pastrami place 41 Summa cum — 43 In a dither 44 Blissful spot 45 Mag fillers 46 Only

48 Pond makers 50 Watershed 51 Place of business 54 Dug for coal 55 Fraction 57 Kept cold 61 Oregon, to Madeleine 62 Snake venom, for instance 63 Ticket info 64 Metal containers 65 Be sparing 66 Talks on and on DOWN 1 Safari animal 2 One, in Frankfurt 3 Perform 4 Goes back into business 5 Villas 6 Special effort 7 Confident 8 Sonnet kin 9 Flour grinders 10 Good-luck bringers 11 Bear, to Brutus 12 Kind of phone 13 Fodders 19 Period of time 21 Fond du —, Wisconsin 23 Picked on

24 Not sit well 25 Put cargo on board 26 Window covering 27 Bills of fare 29 Tattered 30 Baltimore baseballer 31 Minty 34 Leads 40 Charges 41 Regrets deeply 42 Renowned 43 Dryness 47 Festive night

49 First-rate 50 Eat hearty (2 wds.)

51 Fuel cartel 52 Greek-salad topper 53 Tarkenton of football 54 Ankle-length 56 Moppet 58 Hush-hush org.

59 Cartoon shriek 60 AMA members

C3

nickie.standard@gmail.com

Bandang Ney releases ‘happy hugot’ new single

Vocalist Ney Dimaculangan (center) with his bandmates Patch Boogie Sanchez, Arnee France Escobedo, Lui Lopez, and Andrew Nebab Nianga

solidified his ever-increasing fan base. His 6cyclemind-hit composition “Aaminin” is obviously a fan favorite during gigs, as well as his vocal takes of classic covers “Upside Down” and “Prinsesa.”

His collaboration with Yeng Constantino resulted to “Walang Hanggan” famously used as theme for “Imortal.”

Ney is a professional artist who looks back at his roots with fondness, recently reminding his fans that he had been long replaced by his buddy Tutti Caringal as lead vocalist of 6cyclemind. By looking back with gratefulness, he carefully leads those who believe in the power of his

voice to keep up with the twist and turns of his music career.

His voice being competitive is a fitting description for his talent. A song he sung called “Kaya Mo” won as best theme song in the 2010 edition of Metro Manila Film Festival. Three years later, he participated in Philpop as interpreter for singersongwriter Johnoy Danao’s self-composed song entry “Kung ‘Di Man”.

He released a couple of solo albums, namely, Ney Dmac and Napapanahon.

Now based in Lipa, Batangas, Ney was only 14 years old when he started suiting up as vocalist of a band dubbed “Angel

in Disguise”. He took up Conservatory of Music.

If there is one keeping Ney out there performing, writing, and recording songs, it’s not even the fact he has the voice that deserves to be heard anywhere where music is appreciated and anytime where the timeless power of a great-sung song matters. It’s really about his generous heart to share his gift for singing.

That’s the backbone of Bandang Ney and its mouthpiece that delivers hits and great song interpretations. “Bahala Ka” will be available in Spotify and other digital distribution engines.

Is there something brewing between Gold Squad’s Andrea and Seth?

TEEN star Andrea Brillantes is currently happy with how things are going with her love team with Seth Fedelin in the hit ABS-CBN afternoon drama Kadenang Ginto.

The 16-year-old actress feels glad that her screen pairing is well-accepted by the viewing public. Proof is that they’re always trending and the show is a consistent top-rater.

Observers see that she’s tickled pink whenever Seth’s name is mentioned.

“Oh, that? Maybe, I’m just really happy with all the positive developments happening in our budding love team. It’s simply amazing,” she beams.

Some quarters think that they’re already playing beautiful music together.

“As in we have something special going on? I’m only sixteen and Seth is seventeen. Let’s just put it this way, we are presently in that stage of getting to

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

Kadenang Ginto's Gold Squad members Seth and Andrea

know each other better. We’re getting closer. I guess that’s it,” she says.

If in the coming days Seth would formally woo her heart, will she give him a chance?

“Hmmm…yes!”

Does this mean she’s already prepared to enter a romantic relationship at this point?

“Well, I’m still young and so is Seth.

One more thing, my priority as of now is my career. I want to work hard and accomplish more because I have so many dreams to fulfill. One of which is to build my own house. Anyway, Seth is with me in Kadenang Ginto so I see him almost every day,’ Andrea explains.

Speaking of her top-rating soap, a young girl fan recently impersonated her portrayal of Margaret and it went viral on social media.

“To be honest, I watch it every day.

I downloaded the video so I can watch it wherever I go. Even in the airplane, I watch it. In fact, I’ve already memorized it. It’s fun because I already met the young girl who impersonated me. Her name is Marjorie. Her impersonation is just flattering. I’m grateful for it,” she says.

Apart from being one popular teen star, she is considered as well to be a prime social media influencer. How does she feel about it?

“There is pressure on my part because your post is open to everyone. Before you post something, you have to consider and weigh things if it’s good and will help or inspire your followers instead of promoting hate. But it’s also fun at the same time since you can see all your followers. In this way, you can really feel how much they love you!” ends Andrea. *** According to Shaina Magdayao, she sees no possibility working with her former boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz in case he already decides to return to acting after his indefinite leave in showbiz.

“When we were together, we agreed not to star opposite each other in any project. But as they say, show business is just a small world. Who knows what the future holds, right? But to be honest, I don’t see it happening so I can’t answer,” she avers.

It’s a fact that Shaina had been single for years now. How does she feel about it?

“It’s been a long time already. I lost count actually. It’s that long. Although it’s hurting, it gave me the time to love myself better and that’s what matters. As the old cliché goes, before you can love another person, you have to be whole first,” she relates.

“Considering what I’ve been through emotionally, I felt I got consumed after giving so much. So I deemed it best to fix myself first, to be whole again. That’s what I worked hard for in the past years,” she adds.

Interestingly, is she dating at present?

“I can say I’m in a good place. I will not hide it if ever but as of now, there’s no particular person who can be credited,” says Shaina.

Entertainment

Nickie Wang, Issue Editor nickie.standard@gmail.com

C4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019

‘CALL ME TITA’

A love letter to middle-aged women

FROM work meetings and yoga sessions to salon appointments and tea time, nothing beats the flare of Filipino “titas” who seem like they got it all together. But how do they grapple with the challenges of being middle-aged and find meaning in the midst of uncertainty and menopause? iWant celebrates bold, fearless, and empowered women in its original comedy series Call Me Tita, starring Cherry Pie Picache, Agot Isidro, Mylene Dizon, Joanna Ampil, with Angelica Panganiban, and the special participation of Lorna Tolentino, which premieres simultaneously on ABS-CBN and iWant starting Aug. 18—a first for an iWant original.

All episodes will drop on the streaming service on the said date, while a new episode will be shown every Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. on ABS-CBN. Inspired by stories of Filipinas, Call Me Tita revolves around the lives of five spirited lifelong friends who seek out new experiences while coming to terms with getting older and finding purpose in life.

The thirst is real for successful bakery owner Ruth (Cherry Pie) as she finds herself fantasizing about her sexy chef despite her supposedly solid 25

VERY WANG NICKIE WANG

L

OCAL news continues to play an integral role in sharing important stories, including features that can easily capture the attention of the intended audience, that are no less valuable to communities.

This, in fact, is the main reason why local news program Balitang Amianan is expanding its reach.

“Local news programs immediately call the attention of the authorities. That means there’s an immediate action. It’s more about delivering tailored fit stories for the audience. We promote local destinations and people with inspiring stories, and news features that happen within the community,” TV journalist and Balitang Amianan anchor CJ Torida shared with Manila Standard during an interview in Dagupan City.

“It’s the news source for the locals.

Not everything in the national news is beneficial to them. We have to take into consideration that there are news that don’t interest some locals or let say they’re not affected by it. It’s our priority because with local news we are able to give more focus and provide immediate action,” added Joanne Ponsoy who co-anchors Balitang Amianan with Torida andJasmin Gabriel-Galban.

The GMA Regional TV’s top-rating local news program in North Central Luzon yesterday unveiled a fresh, new

years of marriage.

“Demure” Frida (Mylene), however, has just ended her 15-year relationship with her American husband. Hesitant to open up about her traumatizing life as a battered wife, she unexpectedly finds solace in a lesbian artist.

Retired beauty queen and failed starlet Frida (Agot) has a million followers on social media, yet is still unable to get the approval of her partner’s family. Another bump in the road comes her way as her son comes out of the closet and introduces his boyfriend—further messing up her “perfect life.”

Human rights lawyer Maya (Joanna), has been nothing but a perfect provider to her family, but has forgone starting her own. How can she, when she is deeply in love with her friend’s husband?

Meanwhile, the youngest of the five Gabbi (Angelica) has to step up as she and the Titas scramble to find her absentee mother Josa (Lorna) who is apparently involved in a drug ring.

Their search will uncover layers of their lives--friendships will be questioned, secrets will be revealed, alliances will change, and perceptions

'Call Me Tita' creator Andoy Ranay (leftmost) with the digital series' cast members (from left) Mylene Dizon, Agot Isidro, Lorna Tolentino, Cherry Pie Picache, Angelica Panganiban, and Joanna Ampil.

will be altered, with each Tita desperate to keep her secret in the dark.

Are they really as confident and courageous as they seem to be? How will their past and present revelations change their friendship?

Call Me Tita, directed by Andoy Ranay and written by Patricia Valenzuela-Kent and Noreen

Why local news

MATTERS

‘Balitang Amianan’ is anchored by seasoned TV journalist CJ Torida (center) and award-winning local news correspondents Joanne Ponsoy and Jasmin Gabriel-Galban.

From left: GMA North Central Luzon Station Manager Jonathan Balingit, GMA Regional TV Vice President and Head Oliver Amoroso, Balitang Amianan anchors Joanne Ponsoy, CJ Torida, and Jasmin Gabriel-Galban, and reporters King Guevarra, Russel Simorio, and Ivy Hernando.

look and leveled-up content as part of its commitment to deliver news from the regions.

The new set boasts of a more relaxed set-up not usually seen on typical newscasts—with the anchors seated on couches and not behind the desks. Indeed, the Balitang Amianan studio becomes an extension of viewers’ living room, further connecting the news anchors and the viewers.

Joining Torida, Ponsoy, and GabrielGalban are the various local news teams based in Pangasinan and local news stringers based in different parts of North Central Luzon.

With the tagline “Sandigan ng katotohanan. Serbisyong totoo lamang.

Solid Amianan,” Balitang Amianan features comprehensive and in-depth delivery of news and information in North Central Luzon. It airs from Monday to Friday at 5:00 p.m.

Capili, is co-produced by Dreamscape Digital and Heaven’s Best Entertainment. It is a love letter to middle-aged women who conquer life while making it more interesting—emotional, funny, sharp-witted, thought-provoking, selfdeprecating, self-questioning, but always rooted in truth.

GMA Regional TV’s flagship local news program in Luzon has been consistently lording over competition.

It is simultaneously broadcasted in key cities and provinces in North Central Luzon (NCL), specifically in Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, and Pampanga thru GMA Network’s local channels GMATV 10 Dagupan, GMATV 5 Ilocos Norte, GMA TV 48 Ilocos Sur, and GMA TV 7 Abra.

“We at GMA Regional TV continue to find ways to further improve the way we deliver news to our Kapuso all over the regions. As technology develops and with more people getting their information online, our regional news teams are challenged to be more efficient and creative in producing stories. But this only fuels us to be always on our toes and to be not complacent with what we have already achieved,” said GMA Regional

TV Vice President and Head Oliver Amoroso.

“This is why, starting Aug. 5, we are proud to present a bigger, better Balitang Amianan. Rest assured that we are not only modernizing our sets and studio— we continue to be consistent in providing quality service to our regional viewers,” Amoroso added.

On top of winning the ratings, the program has been consistently recognized by various award-giving bodies. Its “Kapuso sa Panagbenga: The Balitang Amianan Special Live Coverage” received an Anak TV Seal last 2018, affirming that the newscast is “child-friendly.”

At the 3rd Annual Aninaw Media Awards by the PHINMA University of Pangasinan’s Communication Arts Department, Balitang Amianan once again triumphed as Best News Program with its anchors gaining recognitions

as well. Torida was conferred the Most Outstanding News Presenter of the Year (Male Category) award and he also won as the Most Popular TV Personality of the Year. Jasmin was named as Most Outstanding News Presenter of the Year, while Russel Simorio took home the Best Field Reporter award.

Balitang Amianan also took home the Most Development-Oriented News Program award last year at the Gandingan 2018: The 12th UPLB Isko’t Iska’s Multimedia Awards.

“The high ratings performance and accolades we continue to receive are just small additions to what we have accomplished throughout the years—for Balitang Amianan to emerge as a force to reckon with in North Central Luzon in terms of news and information. We thank our Kapuso in the regions because we couldn’t have done these without them,” Amoroso shared.

GMA Regional TV marked another milestone in broadcast history as it made its local newscasts available to more viewers nationwide last July 27 through “GMA Regional TV Weekend News” which now airs on leading news channel GMA News TV every Saturday at 5 pm.

On Aug. 3, Balitang Amianan’s CJ Torida, Jasmin GabrielGalban, and Joanne Ponsoy brought the latest news from all over the Philippines straight from GMA Dagupan station.

COUCH POTATO IVY ROSSINI

Will Grey go to jail and free DeLuca?

I’VE finished watching Grey’s Anatomy Season 15 on Netflix (it is still telecast on FoxLife Wednesdays, 9:00 p.m.) and again it’s a cliffhanging season ender with Dr. DeLuca (Giacomo Giannioti), the new squeeze of Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), in prison for insurance fraud.

The last scene showed Grey visiting DeLuca and telling him that she loves him; and that she will turn herself in and will admit to the crime. Then she leaves the cell as the image cuts to Maggie Pierce (Kelly McCreary) on a foggy road to Seattle looking out for Jackson Avery (Jesse Williams), which leaves us the question whether Jesse Williams has departed the series.

Season 16 has already premiered on ABC (US) on Sept. 27, 2018. I don’t expect it will be telecast soon on FoxLife immediately after Season 15. Netflix subscribers, like me, can wait another year for the streaming service to show it.

Back to 15, there are other sub-stories given some kind of resolution, like Teddy Altman (Kim Raver) giving birth to a baby girl by Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) who professes his love to her hence leaving Tom Koracick (Greg German) hopes that Teddy would move in with him hanging in the hospital room while Amelia Shepherd (Caterina Scorsone) and Atticus “Link” Lincoln (Chris Camarck) acknowledge what they have for each other.

It was a rather feeble season with the producers (including Pompeo herself) trying to find that lost spark of the show when Patrick Dempsey was there and the others that had already left. One perceptible story ark the producers are desperately trying to strengthen is the budding relationship between Grey and DeLuca, but the latter is no heavy weight having appeared in two episodes of Station 19 before joining Grey’s Anatomy. The Rome-born Canadianraised actor gets his big break by being paired with Pompeo who has moved up as the series’ producer.

Even if the series has worked on the back story of Jo Wilson (Camilla Luddington) is given an entire episode and Alex Karev stepping into the shoes of Interim Chief, it seems they’re not enough for Grey’s fans to get hooked and be excited about.

Let’s see how this pairing goes in Continued on C3