The Standard - 2015 November 08 - Sunday

VOL. XXIX  NO. 269  3 Sections 24 Pages P18  SUNDAY : NOVEMBER 8, 2015  www.thestandard.com.ph  editorial@thestandard.com.ph

PLANT MEMORIES, NOT BULLETS, SAYS VALTE

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‘DISASTER PRESIDENT’ PNOY DRAWS FLAK OVER NEGLECT OF ‘YOLANDA’ SURVIVORS

By Mel Caspe, Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and Maricel V. Cruz

SCORING the government’s “criminal neglect, corruption and exploitation of typhoon victims,” a youth group labeled the Aquino administration a “disaster government” as the nation marked the second anniversary of one of the biggest disasters to strike the country.

“It has been two years now after Yolanda, but the people are suffering from the bigger disaster that is the Aquino government,” Anakbayan chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said as he and other activists lit candles to remember the estimated 7,000 people killed by the typhoon that hit Luzon on Nov. 8, 2013.

“Instead of helping the victims, the government pocketed the funds allotted for the victims and paved the way for private contractors and big businesses to profit from the misery of our kababayan,” Crisostomo said, noting that the official death toll 6,340 with 1,061 Next page others still missing.

6 MORE BODIES DUG UP 2 YEARS LATER

By Christine F. Herrera and Ronald O. Reyes

DISAPPEARED FOUND. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (left) and his cousin Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez inspect three of the

six cadavers that were found at the San Jose Central School in Tacloban City on the second anniversary of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ which killed 6,340 people and caused the disappearance of 1,061 others. SONNY ESPRITU

TACLOBAN CITY—Six remains have been recovered under the debris two years after Typhoon ‘‘Yolanda’’ devastated the province of Leyte.

Mayor Alfred Romualdez said firewood gatherers found the bodies behind the San Jose National High School in Barangay 87 in this city’s San Jose district.

Only three of the remains have their skulls intact and one of them is believed to be a child because of the size of its skull.

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COUPLE FINDS LOVE AT YOLANDA’S HEELS

By Imelda Magbutay

AFTER losing her husband and six children to the fury of Typhoon Haiyan, Juvelyn Luana has found fresh hope among the misery and crushing poverty as she rebuilds her life with a new family.

Two years after the monster storm devastated the coastal city of Tacloban, killing thousands, Luana has a new partner, a new son and a shack far from the deadly shore.

“Having a husband and a baby gave my life direction,” the 32-year-old told AFP as she scooped water into four grey drums to take to their brick and tin shanty that lacks tap water and electricity.

She fetches water from a distant swamp at night because her partner Joel Aradana, also widowed by Haiyan, works during the day and there is no one else to look after their five-month-old baby Jacob.

Built just 500 meters from a landfill, the shanty bakes under the tropical sun by day and the stench is overpowering.

“It smells like raw fish mixed with rotten food. I’m worried that my baby might get sick,” Luana told AFP during one re-

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Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez went straight from the airport to join his mayor-cousin where the remains were found.

“Running priest’ Robert Reyes and another priest blessed the bodies that could no longer be identified because only the skull and skeletons had remained of the victims who were believed to have been washed away by the storm surge during the Yolanda onslaught.

“Every now and then, we find bodies in the swampy areas,” the mayor said.

The congressman said bodies will continue to be found two years after the calamity.

Barangay Chairman Leo Bahin of Barangay 87 San Jose confirmed that the remains were indeed recovered at the back of San Jose National High School.

“Yung lima kanina (Saturday) lang nakita, yung isa two days ago pa nakita ng mga mangangahoy,” Bahin said.

According to Bahin, since 2013, there are incidents were firewood gatherers recovered bones and other body parts but this is the first time that they saw skulls.

Two of them were suspected to be woman because they still had their underwear and bra.

The remains were laid at the barangay hall awaiting for representatives of Bureau of Fire, who were tasked to make proper identification of the victims.

“Sa ngayon wala pang mag claim, mahirap naman ito ma identify kasi dalawang taon na silang nakabaon sa debris at buto na lang.

Turn-over na lang namin, bahala na ang Bureau of Fire na mag identify,” Bahin said.

It was in San Jose where there were several casualties of Typhoon Yolanda were recorded.

“We still feel the pain. Nararamdaman pa rin namin ang lungkot na dulot ng Typhoon Yolanda,” Rep. Romualdez said.

The senatorial candidate of Lakas-CMD said the local government here continues to provide assistance to the survivors.

“We will see how we can help in identifying them, para maibigay sa kanilang pamilya at mabigyan ng disenteng libing,” the congressman added.

Meanwhile, a typhoon survivor-turnedauthor said that the victims still could not contain the surge of emotion two years after Yolanda (international name, Haiyan) hit the province.

“We are still healing and it will take a long

cent humid evening.

A few plastic chairs, a gas stove and a tiny solar-powered television set that works only in daytime are the sum of the couple’s possessions.

Unable to afford even a bed, they sleep on a straw mat laid out on the floor.

Pictures of their former spouses and children who perished in the storm hang from the wall, beside a picture of the new couple being interviewed on local television that featured their unconventional love story.

Outside, children played noisily with their pet dogs and elderly women traded gossip on their doorways.

But the couple can consider themselves among the lucky ones.

They were among the first 929 families to get new homes from the government, which is still struggling to shelter more than a million people displaced by the deadliest known typhoon to have struck the Philippines.

Haiyan smashed already impoverished fishing and farming communities in the central islands on Nov. 8, 2013, leaving 7,350 people dead or missing.

A P150-billion ($3.2-billion) government plan to build 205,128 new homes by 2017 in devastated areas, along with roads, bridges and classrooms has crawled under the weight of a cumbersome bureaucracy.

Thousands of the less fortunate survi-

vors still live in cramped palm-thatch and wooden temporary shelters.

Though opportunities are scarce, Luana’s partner gets occasional carpentry work that pays P350 ($7) a day.

“We are okay, rebuilding our lives slowly,” she said.

“One look at Jacob every night and all my body aches disappear.”

“But life here is very difficult.”

The couple hopes to marry as soon as Aradana secures a death certificate for his wife, whose body was among hundreds that have not been found.

Luana said she gets no sleep at night fanning her son while Aradana rests his aching body after long hours at work.

Like many other Haiyan survivors, Luana said aid has not come fast enough.

A promised government loan she had been counting on to start a small business selling rice from her home has not been given.

A third of Aradana’s pay is spent on the 18-kilometer (11-mile) commute to the city where he works, leaving them with barely enough to buy rice and sardines.

“I want to help my husband. He doesn’t always have construction jobs so we need a steady source of income,” said Luana, a high school graduate, who used to give manicures and massages to her neighbors.

“I also want to buy a television set. My neighbors are crazy about soap operas but I want to know when the next typhoon is coming so I can prepare.” AFP

time to process that but let that not waste away what we have worked so hard in rebuilding back our lives,” said Albert Mulles, a storm survivor from Tacloban City.

Out of his struggles to survive and immortalize the terrible experience he and his family had experienced, Mulles published a book entitled ‘‘Haiyan: Untold Story: A Story of Hope and Survival”.

The book’s launching came about as the province remembered the second anniversary of Yolanda, the world’s worst storm to hit land, survivors and their supporters around the country trooped to the city to pay tribute to the dead, whose numbers have reached over 7,500 mostly in Tacloban and nearby towns, according to government’s estimate.

“For us, it is important to remember—not only the most disastrous and fiercest supertyphoon in the world—but the courage and determination of people at the ground zero rising up forming the broadest survivor network and holding our government and world leaders accountable,” said Efleda Bautista, convenor of People Surge, a broad coalition of storm survivors in central Philippines.

“The stronger the rain poured the louder were the people’s chant. People Surge pushed through the march despite strong rain…Everyone was soaked in the rain but hearts filled with warmth and determination,” she added, as they welcomed thousands of fellow survivors from various parts of Leyte, Samar, and outside Eastern Visayas who marched to the city on Saturday.

Aside from holding a vigil to remember those who died, the group also led a protest marched dubbed as “Global Day of Rage against Neglect and Impunity” to what they said as government’s “criminal negligence” and “snail-paced rehabilitation” in Yolandahit communities, nothing that thousands of families are still in bunkhouses and temporary shelters two years after the storm.

They also assailed the government for its lack of transparency in spending the billions of donations and funds for the survivors.

“Watching the news on TV about how the government still does not reveal the real Yolanda casualty count even after two years, brings back painful memories... And confirms a lot about those in power. Well, for one, they still want to be in control of all those donations, and second, it will only prove how poor our disaster preparedness and handling are,” said Aaron Almadro, 32, a survivor in Palo, Leyte, expressing his frustration on the social media.

“We lost more than 20,000 loved ones, twenty thousand people, including both my parents and a lot of friends! Why can’t they say the numbers? They’re all busy campaigning for next year’s elections but they aren’t even finished with the rehabilitation and assistance.

Yolanda happened, government. We will never forget. So, government, whatever you say, whatever you try to do, is already two years late,” he added.

Meanwhile, Fr. Amadeo Alvero of the Palo Archdiocese in Leyte, said that there are also enough reasons to thank for during this year’s commemorative event.

“Looking back two years ago when Yolanda destroyed almost everything that we had I was amazed and very grateful of the many and different kinds of assistance extended to us. I would never forget the love in action of the many organizations, both national and international who helped us,” Alvero told The Standard.

“Without them it would have been difficult for us to bring our life back to where we are now. But with them our life after Yolanda is getting better. Thanks to all who have helped us and brought us hope. Their sacrifices and love will always be remembered. I thank God for all of them,” he added.

“We in the Church gratefully recognize the role played by private charities, of international and national non-government organizations for the people’s recovery and healing.

These organizations have been a vital source of relief and comfort,” also said Msgr. Ramon B. Aguilos of Palo Archdiocese.

Reflecting on the Yolanda tragedy, Aguilos wrote that: “Among the ‘blessings in the disguise’ that transpired is the opening of new links, partnership and relationships with development institutions.”

On January 17 this year, no less than Pope Francis visited Tacloban and Palo to bring comfort to pray for the victims and comfort to the survivors.

While many humanitarian organizations also came to revive the city immediately after the storm.

“To date, PRC’s Haiyan Recovery program has built 66,011 homes out of the target 80,203 or 86 percent of the target number of houses to be built, amounting to around 2.2 billion pesos. The Red Cross Haiyan shelter program is spread across nine Haiyan-affected provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Cebu, Eastern Samar, Iloilo, Leyte, Palawan, and Western Samar,” said Philippine Red Cross chairman Richard Gordon.

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“The continuing neglect for the welfare of victims of Yolanda shows the heartlessness of the Aquino ‘tuwid na daan [straight path]’ government,” he said, noting that the government allowed aid donations to sit idle in trust accounts while disaster victims begged for assistance.

The Commission on Audit discovered at least P382 million in local and foreign cash donations for the victims kept idle and locked in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s bank accounts while P923 million were kept idle in the bank accounts of the Office of Civil Defense.

Recently, the government admitted that funds for Yolanda victims have been kept idle in bank accounts and have yet to be released like the P18-billion “emergency shelter assistance” funds.

“The failed Yolanda rehabilitation, aimed to benefit big business and corrupt bureaucrats, is proof of the failure of the [Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation]type model of ‘disaster management’ and ‘disaster resiliency.’ Is this what they are set to adopt for the region?” he asked.

“Biktima na nga, binibiktima pa ulit. Hindi na nga tinulungan, ginagamit pa [Victims are being victimized again. They got no help and yet they are being used],” Crisostomo said, stressing that Aquino and [then Interior Secretary Mar] Roxas “should be jailed for their crimes.”

Senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, whose district includes the regional center of Tacloban City which was flattened

by Yolanda, urged that the Aquino administration immediately release more than P1 billion in disaster funds that have not been released.

He said the unused disaster fund amounted to P1.308 billion as of December 2014 and it can still go a long way to ease the suffering of people who had already been victimized by Yolanda.

It is unacceptable that the OCD, a calamity agency of the Department of National Defense, could give the “lousy excuse” that it could not release funds for victims because they cannot comply with requirements.

“Common sense dictates that people are in dire need of these calamity funds, therefore the OCD should do away with its stringent requirements,” Romualdez said.

“I propose to overhaul the present system to address the inefficiencies by making the process keep it short and simple as malasakit [compassion] to the calamity victims,” Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, added.

Romualdez, head of the

House Independent Bloc, had earlier lamented the CoA finding that OCD had a “very low” utilization of calamity funds which include P384.95 million in foreign and local donations and P923 million in quick relief funds, or a total of P1.308 billion, as of December 2014.

“By its nature and character, calamity funds need not stay long in bank accounts to earn interest because these are for emergency purposes.

We should remove the obstacles so that genuine help will reach the victims of calamity as soon as possible,” Romualdez said.

Even government projects that managed to get off the ground are being questioned by the very people the projects are supposed to help.

More than 1,000 Yolanda survivors held a prayer rally at the Deparment of Public Works and Highways in Tacloban City on Friday to question the P7.9-billion tide embankment project in the city because it will again displace more than 14,000 families.

“We joined the prayer rally to voice our concern on the tide embankment. We were not consulted about the project, we were just told that our houses will be affected by the tide embankment which means we have to go,” said Nestor Deveyra, 57-year-old vendor of local rice cakes.

“But DPWH representatives cannot even tell us where we should transfer.

We have been asking our mayor to provide in-city resettlement. Our jobs are here and my children, two in college and one in high school, are all studying in Tacloban.

“If they move us away from Tacloban, it will be impossible for me to find job and I fear that my children will stop schooling. I don’t want that to happen,” Deveyra said.

Some 30 poor people together with Urban Poor Associates and Catholic priest Robert Reyes met with DPWH Eastern Visayas regional director Rolando Asis to discuss the tide embankment.

Denis Murphy, UPA executive director, said, “the government must listen to the people and must ensure that the people are part of the decision making that concerns their welfare.”

“Technology has limits.

We do not solve problems through quick-fix technologies. We have to befriend, respect and defend nature.

The government is rushing programs that may be shortsighted,” said Reyes, the UPA spiritual adviser.

“We will be needing more time, than building embankments, because people now are on a defensive mode to protect us from nature. That is why we need scientists, who are not corporate in nature. Scientists who are genuinely pro-nature and pro-people,” Reyes added.

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PALACE ADDRESSES ‘TANIM-BALA’

By Sara Susanne Fabunan and Vito Barcelo

AS FILIPINO reel in shame and overseas workers watch in fear because of the tanimbala controversy, Malacañang said the Aquino administration will showcase Filipino talents to “plant” a memory that will make foreigners to visit the Philippines again.

APEC READY. Two young ladies play badminton in front of vehicles that the government bought for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that will be held Nov. 18-19. JANSEN ROMERO

SOLON HOPES PNOY HAS ‘MALASAKIT’

By Maricel V. Cruz HOUSE Independent Bloc leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Saturday expressed hope that President Benigno Aquino III will show ‘malasakit’ [compassion] to his “bosses” by agreeing to prioritize the congressional passage of a bill updating income tax brackets.

Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, said he believes that the scheduled meeting of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon with President Aquino next week will yield positive results.

“I wish them good luck and hope for the best that the meeting could yield pos-

itive results,” said Romualdez, a senatorial candidate of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance. “A good outcome of the meeting means malasakit to our ordinary workers.”

The scheduled meeting next week between congressional leaders and Aquino came after the Tax Management Association of the Philippines and 21 groups submitted a compromise tax cut bill.

Belmonte said he himself is hopeful that he will bear “good news” after meeting with the President next week after he was able to put on the agenda with Aquino.

“The Senate President and I will meet the President on Monday, and among the important things we [will discuss will be] income tax.

The version pending with us is an indexation of the values of the amount mentioned, without changing the rates of the particular taxes,” Belmonte said.

TMAP president Terence Conrad Bello earlier said that “while a compromise proposal involving only the updating of the tax brackets is not what TMAP and its coalition partners had in mind, TMAP believes that the compromise proposal will immediately alleviate somehow the plight of salaries of individuals who are overtaxed under the current system.”

Signatories to the TMAP proposal include the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ca-

nadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and Australia-New Zealand Chamber and Commerce of the Philippines.

Government data show the Philippines has the second highest individual income tax rate in the region at 32 percent next to Thailand and Vietnam’s 35 percent, and the highest value added tax at 12 percent as the country’s current individual income tax bracket has remained unchanged since 1997.

To address this, the TMAP appealed to Congress to pass their proposed version of the measure intended to increase the take-home pay of Filipino workers.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said foreigners, particularly the delegates to the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, will see world-class Filipino talents “up close and personal” during the welcome reception.

“Maybe news that Filipinos win prestigious contests because they sing or dance well will give visitors the chance to see world-class Filipino talents up close and personal,” Valte said in an interview on state-owned Radyo ng Bayan.

“We hope that the totality of the experience will be the memory our visitors will bring back to their countries,” Valte said.

But the Department of Labor and Employment had a more concrete measure for the tanim-bala controversy and created an inter-agency team to protect overseas Filipino workers who may be victimized by the syndicate planting bullets in the luggage of airline passengers.

“We want to protect our overseas Filipino workers from being victims of the tanim-bala or laglag bala scheme. This deplorable modus operandi is sowing fear among our OFWs who are either going abroad or coming home,” said Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

The inter-agency team will be composed of Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, International Labor Affairs Bureau, Legal Service, and Labor Communications Office.

“The main responsibility of the Inter-Agency team is to assist overseas Filipino workers who will be apprehended for alleged possession of ammunitions or bul-

lets,” said Baldoz.

Undersecretary Ciriaco A. Lagunzad III is tasked to lead the inter-agency team which will coordinate with agencies, such as the Manila International Airport Authority, Office for Transportation Security, Philippine Aviation Security Group, Philippine National Police Aviation Security Group, Department of Justice, National Bureau of Investigation and Public Attorney’s Office.

Baldoz said that if an OFW is apprehended for alleged possession of ammunition or bullets, the POEA and OWWA shall, through their respective Labor Assistance Center and Welfare Officers stationed at the airports, immediately assist the concerned OFW. The DoLE assistance shall include legal advice; psycho-social counseling; free communication lines to immediate family, friend, recruitment agency, or lawyer; and food and accommodation.

The POEA and OWWA shall immediately advise the ILAB of any OFW’s apprehension or involvement in the said modus operandi.

ILAB, on the other hand, will communicate with the concerned Philippine Overseas Labor Office to advise the foreign agency or employer on the OFW’s situation and, if possible, request that the OFW be given reasonable time to thresh-out the issue.

The POEA shall also inform the OFW’s recruitment agency of the incident for any assistance, such as coordination with the foreign principal/employer and possible placement to other employer in case the OFW’s employment is forfeited.

9 HURT IN HELICOPTER CRASH

By Francisco Tuyay NINE soldiers deployed for a rescue mission were injured after the helicopter they were riding—one of the refurbished Bell choppers purchased by the government —crashed at a forested area in Sarangani province Saturday morning.

Capt. Alberto Caber, spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division, said the chopper—a 1963 Bell UH-D1—was attempting to land at Malapatan town around 9:40 a.m. when it was buffeted by strong winds and forced to crash.

“There were prevailing strong winds when the chopper was landing,” Caber said adding that the nine soldiers luckily suffered only minor injuries.

The helicopter was among the 21 refurbished choppers the Department of National Defense acquired at a cost of P1.2 billion from the Rice Aircraft Services sometime in July this year. However, only seven units were delivered.

Authorities terminated the contract after the supplier failed to deliver the remaining UH-D1 units on time.

Caber said the chopper along with the nine soldiers left Rajah Buayan Airport in General Santos City to extricate wounded army soldiers at the outskirts of Malapatan after a series of skirmishes with the New People’s Army.

The identities of the wounded military men were not immediately available at

press time.

The series of fighting between security forces and local insurgents in Malapatan that erupted Thursday, have so far left an army man killed and five wounded.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad said the chopper was supposed to rescue the critically-wounded soldiers on Friday, but bad weather aborted the mission.

“The chopper was dispatched early morning Friday to pull wounded army troops from the encounter site, but it could not penetrate the thick and black clouds accompanied by strong winds prevailing in the area,” Baladad said.

YEAR 40. Traffic constables march past Metro Manila Development Authority

Chairperson Emerson Carlos and Philippine National Police chief Director General Ricardo Marquez during ceremonies celebrating the MMDA’s 40th anniversary. DANNY PATA

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

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OPINION

CHINA AND TAIWAN NEED A BORING SUMMIT

[ EDI TORI A L ]

LESSONS LEARNED IT has been two years since the day Typhoon“Yolanda”came and altered the lives of Filipinos. Thousands were killed, millions were displaced, billions of pesos in infrastructure and agricultural produce were laid to waste. November 8 will always stand out in our memory as an ominous day.

Two years on, life has not returned to normal for those who were affected. How could it? We in the capital and other places can only remember during anniversaries, or when other developments are reported in the media. We are shielded by our distance from the disaster site, by our many other concerns. But for those who were affected, this is their reality—and two years on, it still does not look good.

Focus has been on how the government handled the response and the rehabilitation and recovery phase. Most of the feedback is disheartening. Despite the suffering being universal, government response has sometimes been determined by politics.

Funds that came in from numerous sources have been found to lie idle in banks instead of serving the purpose for which they were donated. Families who lost their homes still live in tents and makeshift shelters.

Efforts to mitigate disaster and prepare for them should equally take center stage. More natural disasters like Yolanda and human-induced ones are likely to happen in our lifetime.

Science is an indispensable ally in determining and anticipating the risks we face. Organizational and institutional preparations on the other hand will allow systems that can be activated at a moment’ s notice.

Yolanda has given us much to grieve about, but also to learn.

We acknowledge that we are not completely clueless and helpless in the face of disaster. We can be informed about the risks we face and take action to mitigate these risks. We can organize ourselves so that we would not be as surprised and as lost. We can build back not only to recover what we have lost but also to be stronger and better prepared for the next test.

RUBIO’S RACKING UP ENEMIES

By Francis Wilkinson IT looked, until today, that Marco Rubio would be subjected to a pincer maneuver by Donald Trump and Jeb Bush. Trump wants to bruise Rubio in part because the Florida senator is on the rise, and in part because Trump knocks people down just because he can. Bush wants to remove Rubio from the presidential field in particular because Rubio is getting traction in inverse proportion to the degree that Bush is losing it.

Now, in what can only be an unpleasant development for Rubio, Ted Cruz has decided to make it a threepronged attack. A super-PAC (political action committee) supporting the Texas senator’s presidential ambitions

launched a radio ad in Iowa on Friday attacking Rubio for a lack of accomplishments except one: “his gang of eight amnesty bill.”

Rubio, whose talent for the slippery getaway is on par with Trump’s for shoves from atop the jungle gym, is desperately trying to avoid being pinned down on immigration.

Trump, in particular, has been pushing Rubio to define his nebulous, shifty positions. In the shorthand of conservative immigration restrictionists, Rubio was against “amnesty” before he sponsored a Senate bill providing a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US. When that plan went down in the House, a victim of conservative outrage, Rubio slipped

back through the battle lines to take shelter on the amnesty opponents’ side. It is in no one’s interest, save Rubio’s, for him to find safe refuge there.

Trump has already had success smoking out Rubio, as Bloomberg’s Sahil Kapur reported this week: Rubio also toughened his position on immigration, making clear for the first time he’d end President Barack Obama’s program to shield young undocumented “Dreamers” from deportation by stopping new enrollments. Obama’s program is designed to temporarily protect people who were brought to the US by their parents when they were children.

The Cruz super-PAC’s radio salvo, which may or may not be welcomed

Rubio could find himself under siege very quickly, if Bush— or, more likely, the super-PAC supporting him —picks up the “do nothing” theme of Cruz’s attack and if Trump zeroes in on the cleaner, more deadly shot: that immigration restrictionists can’t trust the wavering Rubio.

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by Cruz’s campaign, is no doubt music to Bush’s ears, since his resurgence is in all likelihood dependent on Rubio’s weakening. “He’ll go through the wringer, just like I’m going through it, and he’ll have to defend himself,” Bush told the Wall Street Journal. “There’ll be scrutiny on him, just as there should be for everybody.”

Rubio could find himself under siege very quickly, if Bush—or, more likely, the super-PAC supporting him—picks up the “do nothing” theme of Cruz’s attack and if Trump zeroes in on the cleaner, more deadly shot: that immigration restrictionists can’t trust the wavering Rubio.

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Rubio may be the only candidate in the field who could provoke an attack from Cruz, Bush and Trump. Bush and the others are, after all, competing to capture entirely different voting blocs. Rubio is sufficiently malleable (and talented) to be a threat to compete against all three. Yet as Scott Walker found, in attempting a run similar to Rubio’s, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and discarded in a large field that has yet to find its indispensable man.

If Rubio fails to commit irrevocably to the Trump-Cruz “no amnesty” position, he will have serious troubles with the Republicans’

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restrictionist base. If he capitulates fully to the restrictionists to prove his faithfulness, he’ll have little room to maneuver in a general election, when Hispanic and Asian voters will be looking for clear signs of inclusiveness from whatever Republican nominee emerges from an ugly primary.

In effect, Trump and Cruz are driving Rubio to be as unacceptable to a general electorate as they are likely to be themselves. That doesn’t mean Bush, who has mostly stuck to his lonely support for immigration reform, will survive the primary. But it would be a delightful irony if it did. Bloomberg

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THIS Saturday’s first-ever meeting between the leaders of China and Taiwan signals, on the face of it, a warming of relations. Unfortunately, it’s a little more complicated than that. Both sides need to take care that their historic summit isn’t too exciting, and doesn’t set this delicate and potentially dangerous relationship back.

The complication is politics. Taiwanese elections are coming up in two months. Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou (who will leave office next year regardless) is thinking about his place in history. Chinese President Xi Jinping may be more interested in suggesting to the island’s voters that the best way to keep improving ties with the mainland is to support Ma’s Kuomintang Party (KMT), rather than the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, whose policy toward China is more cautious.

That’s fine, so long as the status quo isn’t unsettled. The best feasible way forward for China and Taiwan is more of the formula that’s worked well for both: commerce plus ambiguity about the island’s status. During and after the meeting, Beijing, the KMT and the DPP all should take care to maintain that balance.

With exports driving 70 percent of Taiwan’s gross domestic product, increased trade has, until recently, sustained relatively healthy growth in Taiwan, and encouraged both countries to avoid conflict. The DPP, whose platform still includes a clause calling for Taiwanese independence, has moderated its stance. Its presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen says she seeks to maintain the status quo.

Yet the election will take place against a background of discontent. Trade has not enriched all Taiwanese. There’s a perception that the main beneficiaries have been the wealthy businessmen—the “taishang”—who live and work in China. For the average citizen, wages are stagnant. Graduates complain of a lack of good jobs, and high property prices have fueled resentment at rising inequality. Thanks in part to the recent slowdown in Chinese demand, the island’s gross domestic product fell in the third quarter.

Fewer than 10 percent of Taiwanese favor reunification with China—and many of these, only if the mainland first democratizes. Twice that number favor independence. But the great majority of citizens want to maintain the current ambiguity.

It’s in China and Taiwan’s interests to let that majority have its way, regardless of the election results. It’s also in their interests to avoid inflaming opinion, before and after the vote.

Some fear that if Tsai wins the vote on Jan. 16, China may express its displeasure by throwing up new barriers to trade, or by redoubling its efforts to block Taiwan from joining regional free-trade agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It would be smart for Xi to say that won’t happen.

In the event Tsai wins, she and Xi should use the four months before her inauguration to deepen private channels of communication and quietly air their differences. And Xi should leave open the possibility of a formal meeting later as well: Open, consistent contact would give Tsai reason to stick to her moderate position and rein in the pro-independence firebrands in her party, continue a steady pace of economic liberalization, and allow cross-strait ties to strengthen.

It’s an untidy and unsatisfying prospect—but vastly better than the alternatives. Bloomberg Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor Senior Deskman Art Director Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

S U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

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OPINION

ADELLE CHUA EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

CHINA AND TAIWAN NEED A BORING SUMMIT

[ EDI TORI A L ]

LESSONS LEARNED IT has been two years since the day Typhoon“Yolanda”came and altered the lives of Filipinos. Thousands were killed, millions were displaced, billions of pesos in infrastructure and agricultural produce were laid to waste. November 8 will always stand out in our memory as an ominous day.

Two years on, life has not returned to normal for those who were affected. How could it? We in the capital and other places can only remember during anniversaries, or when other developments are reported in the media. We are shielded by our distance from the disaster site, by our many other concerns. But for those who were affected, this is their reality—and two years on, it still does not look good.

Focus has been on how the government handled the response and the rehabilitation and recovery phase. Most of the feedback is disheartening. Despite the suffering being universal, government response has sometimes been determined by politics.

Funds that came in from numerous sources have been found to lie idle in banks instead of serving the purpose for which they were donated. Families who lost their homes still live in tents and makeshift shelters.

Efforts to mitigate disaster and prepare for them should equally take center stage. More natural disasters like Yolanda and human-induced ones are likely to happen in our lifetime.

Science is an indispensable ally in determining and anticipating the risks we face. Organizational and institutional preparations on the other hand will allow systems that can be activated at a moment’ s notice.

Yolanda has given us much to grieve about, but also to learn.

We acknowledge that we are not completely clueless and helpless in the face of disaster. We can be informed about the risks we face and take action to mitigate these risks. We can organize ourselves so that we would not be as surprised and as lost. We can build back not only to recover what we have lost but also to be stronger and better prepared for the next test.

RUBIO’S RACKING UP ENEMIES

By Francis Wilkinson IT looked, until today, that Marco Rubio would be subjected to a pincer maneuver by Donald Trump and Jeb Bush. Trump wants to bruise Rubio in part because the Florida senator is on the rise, and in part because Trump knocks people down just because he can. Bush wants to remove Rubio from the presidential field in particular because Rubio is getting traction in inverse proportion to the degree that Bush is losing it.

Now, in what can only be an unpleasant development for Rubio, Ted Cruz has decided to make it a threepronged attack. A super-PAC (political action committee) supporting the Texas senator’s presidential ambitions

launched a radio ad in Iowa on Friday attacking Rubio for a lack of accomplishments except one: “his gang of eight amnesty bill.”

Rubio, whose talent for the slippery getaway is on par with Trump’s for shoves from atop the jungle gym, is desperately trying to avoid being pinned down on immigration.

Trump, in particular, has been pushing Rubio to define his nebulous, shifty positions. In the shorthand of conservative immigration restrictionists, Rubio was against “amnesty” before he sponsored a Senate bill providing a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US. When that plan went down in the House, a victim of conservative outrage, Rubio slipped

back through the battle lines to take shelter on the amnesty opponents’ side. It is in no one’s interest, save Rubio’s, for him to find safe refuge there.

Trump has already had success smoking out Rubio, as Bloomberg’s Sahil Kapur reported this week: Rubio also toughened his position on immigration, making clear for the first time he’d end President Barack Obama’s program to shield young undocumented “Dreamers” from deportation by stopping new enrollments. Obama’s program is designed to temporarily protect people who were brought to the US by their parents when they were children.

The Cruz super-PAC’s radio salvo, which may or may not be welcomed

Rubio could find himself under siege very quickly, if Bush— or, more likely, the super-PAC supporting him —picks up the “do nothing” theme of Cruz’s attack and if Trump zeroes in on the cleaner, more deadly shot: that immigration restrictionists can’t trust the wavering Rubio.

A5

by Cruz’s campaign, is no doubt music to Bush’s ears, since his resurgence is in all likelihood dependent on Rubio’s weakening. “He’ll go through the wringer, just like I’m going through it, and he’ll have to defend himself,” Bush told the Wall Street Journal. “There’ll be scrutiny on him, just as there should be for everybody.”

Rubio could find himself under siege very quickly, if Bush—or, more likely, the super-PAC supporting him—picks up the “do nothing” theme of Cruz’s attack and if Trump zeroes in on the cleaner, more deadly shot: that immigration restrictionists can’t trust the wavering Rubio.

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Rubio may be the only candidate in the field who could provoke an attack from Cruz, Bush and Trump. Bush and the others are, after all, competing to capture entirely different voting blocs. Rubio is sufficiently malleable (and talented) to be a threat to compete against all three. Yet as Scott Walker found, in attempting a run similar to Rubio’s, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and discarded in a large field that has yet to find its indispensable man.

If Rubio fails to commit irrevocably to the Trump-Cruz “no amnesty” position, he will have serious troubles with the Republicans’

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restrictionist base. If he capitulates fully to the restrictionists to prove his faithfulness, he’ll have little room to maneuver in a general election, when Hispanic and Asian voters will be looking for clear signs of inclusiveness from whatever Republican nominee emerges from an ugly primary.

In effect, Trump and Cruz are driving Rubio to be as unacceptable to a general electorate as they are likely to be themselves. That doesn’t mean Bush, who has mostly stuck to his lonely support for immigration reform, will survive the primary. But it would be a delightful irony if it did. Bloomberg

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THIS Saturday’s first-ever meeting between the leaders of China and Taiwan signals, on the face of it, a warming of relations. Unfortunately, it’s a little more complicated than that. Both sides need to take care that their historic summit isn’t too exciting, and doesn’t set this delicate and potentially dangerous relationship back.

The complication is politics. Taiwanese elections are coming up in two months. Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou (who will leave office next year regardless) is thinking about his place in history. Chinese President Xi Jinping may be more interested in suggesting to the island’s voters that the best way to keep improving ties with the mainland is to support Ma’s Kuomintang Party (KMT), rather than the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, whose policy toward China is more cautious.

That’s fine, so long as the status quo isn’t unsettled. The best feasible way forward for China and Taiwan is more of the formula that’s worked well for both: commerce plus ambiguity about the island’s status. During and after the meeting, Beijing, the KMT and the DPP all should take care to maintain that balance.

With exports driving 70 percent of Taiwan’s gross domestic product, increased trade has, until recently, sustained relatively healthy growth in Taiwan, and encouraged both countries to avoid conflict. The DPP, whose platform still includes a clause calling for Taiwanese independence, has moderated its stance. Its presidential candidate Tsai Ing-wen says she seeks to maintain the status quo.

Yet the election will take place against a background of discontent. Trade has not enriched all Taiwanese. There’s a perception that the main beneficiaries have been the wealthy businessmen—the “taishang”—who live and work in China. For the average citizen, wages are stagnant. Graduates complain of a lack of good jobs, and high property prices have fueled resentment at rising inequality. Thanks in part to the recent slowdown in Chinese demand, the island’s gross domestic product fell in the third quarter.

Fewer than 10 percent of Taiwanese favor reunification with China—and many of these, only if the mainland first democratizes. Twice that number favor independence. But the great majority of citizens want to maintain the current ambiguity.

It’s in China and Taiwan’s interests to let that majority have its way, regardless of the election results. It’s also in their interests to avoid inflaming opinion, before and after the vote.

Some fear that if Tsai wins the vote on Jan. 16, China may express its displeasure by throwing up new barriers to trade, or by redoubling its efforts to block Taiwan from joining regional free-trade agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It would be smart for Xi to say that won’t happen.

In the event Tsai wins, she and Xi should use the four months before her inauguration to deepen private channels of communication and quietly air their differences. And Xi should leave open the possibility of a formal meeting later as well: Open, consistent contact would give Tsai reason to stick to her moderate position and rein in the pro-independence firebrands in her party, continue a steady pace of economic liberalization, and allow cross-strait ties to strengthen.

It’s an untidy and unsatisfying prospect—but vastly better than the alternatives. Bloomberg Rolando G. Estabillo Jojo A. Robles Ramonchito L. Tomeldan Chin Wong/Ray S. Eñano Francis Lagniton Joyce Pangco Pañares Adelle Chua Romel J. Mendez Roberto Cabrera

Publisher Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Associate Editors News Editor City Editor Senior Deskman Art Director Chief Photographer

Emil P. Jurado Chairman Emeritus, Editiorial Board

S U N D AY, N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

A6

OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

HITLER’S RETURN MAKES FOR UNCOMFORTABLE COMEDY

By Leonid Bershidsky THE MOVIE “He’s Back,” a comedy that revolves around the return of Adolf Hitler to modern-day Germany, is a huge hit. There may be more than meets the eye to this success, however.

The film, which opened a month ago, tops the German box office, and has been seen by more than 1.7 million people. It’s based on an equally successful first novel (titled “Look Who’s Back” in English translation) by the former journalist and ghostwriter Timur Vermes that became a surprise hit in 2012. The three years between the two releases have only made the subject matter more relevant.

In Vermes’ first-person story, Hitler awakens in a construction site in modern Berlin, a little dirty and disoriented, but in full control of his faculties. He has slept 66 years. Wandering the streets, he is soon adopted by a newspaper salesman, who thinks the fuehrer is a down-on-his-luck actor. Hitler becomes a TV star and even starts a modest political career. Throughout, he doesn’t make the slightest effort to hide who he is, which is the catalyst for dozens of comical situations: Some think he’s funny, others like him, even though he spouts the same virulent rhetoric that brought him to power.

At the end of “Look Who’s Back,” Hitler gets a book deal. “We don’t want a comedy book,” the publisher tells him. “I think it’s in your interest, too.

The fuehrer doesn’t make jokes, right?”

Hitler accepts.

As it happens, Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” is being reissued in Germany early next year, for the first time since World War II. Vermes said the Nazi leader’s ideological treatise/autobiography provided the inspiration for Hitler’s voice in the book—stilted, pretentious and old-fashioned. Vermes couldn’t have bought his copy in a German bookstore: the Bavarian government, which owns the copyright to “Mein Kampf,” has not allowed it to be published. The copyright will run out on Dec. 31, 2015, though, and IFZ, the Munich-based Institute for Contemporary History, will publish an edition of the book with painstaking notes explaining where Hitler’s ideas came from as well as their consequences.

So, with the return of “Mein Kampf,” the fuehrer really will be back: Anyone who wants to hear him out will be given that chance. It’s far from certain, however, that all readers will be more interested by historians’ commentary than by Hitler’s ideas. Vermes’ story of a returning fuehrer has already repeated itself as a farce this year.

A year ago, the anti-immigration group Pegida (an acronym for “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West”) held demonstrations in the eastern German city of Dresden to protest the influx of Muslim immigrants.

At the movement’s peak, 26,000 people were in the streets, scaring

mainstream German politicians and giving rise to counter-demonstrations in many cities. Pegida was derailed, however, when Facebook posts by its leader, the businessman Lutz Bachmann, came to light that contained hate speech (he called immigrants “animals”) as well as a picture of Bachmann

quired to change it for the better.

When he accepted the daunting challenge, Secretary Gazmin encountered an Armed Forces that badly needed modern defense materiel to raise its capability and mission readiness.

With the President’s support and commitment to the AFP Modernization Program, the DND was able to procure more helicopters, ships, individual troop equipment and mobility assets, to name a few. In fact, we are pleased to mention that the first batch of FA-50 lead-in/fighter/ trainer planes from South Korea is due to be delivered before the year ends, signaling the AFP’s return to the supersonic age in terms of its aircraft.

Mr. Lopez brought up the controversy surrounding the UH-1 Helicopter Acquisition Project. It will be recalled that Secretary Gazmin ordered the creation of an In-

vestigation Committee to look into the transaction. The exhaustive investigation took into account affidavits, attachments, and relevant documents from concerned DND and AFP officials and the project proponents. Ms. Rhodora Alvarez, however, declined to submit her affidavit or attend the Committee’s clarificatory hearings.

The results of the investigation were issued on July 29, 2015, which found that Republic Act 9184 or the “Government Procurement Reform Act” and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations were followed in the bidding process for the UH-1 Project. In addition, the Committee found that the technical specifications of the UH1D were compliant with the Terms of Reference of the project, and that the allegations of Ms. Alvarez were unsubstantiated and marked with inconsistencies, ultimately amounting to hearsay evidence.

A special demo was also conducted for the media and some members of the House of Representatives, wherein pilots flew all seven helicopters accepted by the Philippine Air Force from different parts of the country to Camp Aguinaldo, proving their airworthiness and capability to conduct missions.

Regarding “Gazmin’s able executive director” of the NDRRMC who “abruptly quit reportedly because he could not stand the procurement scandals at the DND,” Mr. Lopez might be referring to former Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense, Undersecretary Benito Ramos. Usec. Ramos has put on record that he resigned to care for his ailing wife. There is also absolutely no truth to Secretary Gazmin’s supposed “hand in naming corrupt top officials at the Bureau of Immigration and the National Penitentiary.” The Defense Secretary does not meddle in

decked out as Hitler.

Bachmann’s version: He’d been posing for the cover of an audiobook of “Look Who’s Back,” but given his politics, the explanation didn’t fly and he was forced to resign as Pegida leader. “Anyone who puts on a Hitler disguise is either an idiot or a Nazi,” Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said at the time. Gabriel has a cameo in Vermes’ book: He has a telephone conversation with Hitler, who considers his social-democratic SPD party a successor to his own.

Bachmann was reinstated as Pegida chief after it was discovered that the mustache—though not the hairstyle—had been added to his photo. The headline in the German tabloid Bild said, predictably, “He’s Back.”

Pegida, however, has made a comeback recently, revitalized by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to let in hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria. On Oct. 12, Pegida demonstrators in Dresden set up a mock gallows for Merkel and Gabriel (the incident is under investigation). A week later, 20,000 people turned out for a Pegida rally, a number the group could only dream of a few months ago.

Had Vermes, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, written the book now, he could have described a political spectrum with far more activity on the far right. Apart from Pegida, there’s Alternative fuer Deutschland, founded in 2013. AfD has about 5 percent support in the polls, a strong showing for a xenophobic party in Germany, where such views have been discouraged for decades.

Germans who flock to see “He’s Back” mainly want to have a laugh; the country has changed so much that the fictional Hitler’s incredulity and unease are both funny and comforting.

Vermes, however, didn’t intend to write just a comic novel. He said he also wanted to explore how Germans had been taken in by Hitler. If Vermes were to write a sequel today, he might have some new material to work with. Bloomberg

MAIL MATTERS FIRST of all, we would like to take this opportunity to thank The Standard for its interest in the Department of National Defense, and for keeping a fair and balanced reportage of the department and its programs throughout the years.

Having said that, we wish to address the points raised by Mr. Tony Lopez in his Nov. 4, 2015, Virtual Reality column entitled “Gazmin, Abaya, Honrado.”

Defense Secretary Voltaire T. Gazmin has never hidden the fact that he is close to the President and the Aquino family. In fact, he has been quoted in news articles that if it were not for his closeness to the Aquino family, he would have never come out of retirement to serve as secretary of National Defense, as he is well aware of the problems plaguing the defense establishment, as well as the gargantuan task of implementing reforms that are re-

the internal affairs of other government agencies, let alone appointments of their key officials.

Secretary Gazrnin is a handson, no-nonsense type of leader as reflected in his sterling military career and track record. He was at ground-zero during the most tumultuous and challenging times under the Aquino administration, including the Zamboanga crisis and Typhoon “Yolanda.” We believe that branding him as a leader who “is lethargic and far removed from reality” is both uncalled for and unfair.

We hope this response to Mr. Lopez’s column merits your attention and space in one of your future issues. Once again, thank you and more power to The Standard.

DIR. ARSENIO R. ANDOLONG, MNSA Chief, Public Affairs Service Department of National Defense

S U N D AY : N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

RED CROSS HOUSING NEARS COMPLETION 80,000 Yolanda survivors benefit from post-disaster rehab

MORE than 66,000 families now have safer, more disaster-resilient homes in Typhoon “Yolanda” (Haiyan)-affected areas, as the Philippine Red Cross has already completed 86 percent of its target number of homes to be built in its shelter project under its Typhoon Haiyan recovery program.

So far, a total of 66,011 families were provided homes out of the target 80,203, scheduled for completion until the end of 2016.

This is the largest ever shelter assistance that the Red Cross has provided in any

post-disaster operations locally and globally, in terms of number of houses built and amount of shelter assistance provided.

The shelter project covers the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Cebu, Eastern

Samar, Iloilo, Leyte, Palawan, and Western Samar; as well as the cities of Bogo, Ormoc and Tacloban.

“We aim to do more for the Yolanda victims, and this would not be possible without all the kind-hearted corporations and individuals, and our Red Cross and Red Crescent partners and other organizations worldwide, who donated to the effort,” said PRC chairman Richard Gordon in a press conference at the PRC Headquarters in Edsa.

In building shelter, the

PRC involves the community in all aspects of the building process. The beneficiaries themselves were part of the consultations regarding designs and plans for the shelters that the Red Cross and its partners built for them. Beneficiaries were even involved in the actual building of the houses.

Houses built through the PRC housing project were built employing the “build back better” principle for disaster resilience and have been proven to withstand some of the strongest ty-

phoons that came after Yolanda.

The housing project is supported by PRC’s partners in the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, composed of the International Committee of the Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and several National Societies.

RCRC National Societies involved in the Haiyan housing project include the Finnish Red Cross, Spanish Red Cross, German

Red Cross, Hong Kong Red Cross, Taiwan Red Cross, French Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross, Norwegian Red Cross, British Red Cross, American Red Cross, Australian Red Cross, Netherlands Red Cross, Palang Merah Indonesia or Indonesian Red Cross, Qatar Red Crescent Society, Swiss Red Cross, and Bahrain Red Crescent.

PRC’s private partners that have contributed to the housing project include Air Asia, HSBC, CUBE, Citibank, and AusAID.

VOTING AT MALLS BACKED

By Maricel V. Cruz

RIDE AND FIRE. Members of the NCRPO Highway Patrol Group conduct a massive drill during the Motorized Tactical Response training at Camp Karingal in Quezon City in preparation for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. MANNY PALMERO

THE leadership of the House of Representatives on Saturday gave its full support for the Commission on Elections’ plan to use facilities of shopping malls nationwide as voting centers in next year’s local and national elections.

House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said he is confident that the Comelec will be able to hold the elections in malls orderly and peacefully.

“The proposed mall voting is a good idea. I am confident that the Comelec will be able to carry out this plan competently,” Belmonte told The Standard.

Belmonte’s statement came as Comelec chairman Andres Bautista had earlier said the poll body is all set to implement its plan to use malls as polling precincts.

Belmonte, a lawyer, also agreed with Bautista in saying that there is no legal impediment to the Comelec’s proposal.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, House contingent head for the Minority Bloc of the Commission on Appointments, said he doubts that the Comelec will not succeed in its plan if has prepared a lot for it.

BDO, SUN LIFE FOUNDATIONS TEAM UP TO BUILD A SCHOOL BDO Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank, has sealed an agreement with Sun Life Financial-Philippines Foundation Inc. for the construction of a new school building in Panalaron Central School in Tacloban City, Leyte.

The memorandum of agreement was signed by BDO Foundation president Maureen C. Abelardo, BDO Foundation trustee and corporate secretary Lazaro Jerome C. Guevarra, Sun Life Foundation president Rizalina G. Mantaring and Sun Life Foundation trustee Alexander S. Narciso.

According to Abelardo, “We are pleased to be partners with a

reputable organization that is as passionate as we are in responding to the needs of marginalized members of our society especially those affected by disasters. We eagerly look forward to the completion of the project for the benefit of the schoolchildren.”

The four-classroom, two-story school building in Tacloban is the first partnership project of BDO Foundation with Sun Life Foundation, the philanthropy arm of Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) Inc. Tacloban is covered in BDO Foundation’s rehabilitation program for provinces affected by Typhoon “Yolanda.” The con-

ADOPT A SCHOOL. The corporate foundations of BDO Unibank and Sun Life of Canada (Philippines) have joined hands to fund the construction of a school building in Tacloban, Leyte.

struction of the school building fulfills the foundation’s disaster

response and educational advocacies, and supports the Adopt-

A-School Program of the Department of Education.

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SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 8, 2015

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

LGUS ASKED TO SOLVE PARKING ISSUES

QUEEN TRIXIE.

Trixie Maristela of the Philippines is crowned Miss International Queen 2015 in Pattaya, Thailand on Nov. 6, 2015. Miss International Queen is the world’s largest beauty pageant for transgender-women from all around the world. AFP

By Joel E. Zurbano THE Metro Manila Development Authority has asked local government units to review and amend traffic and street regulations to prevent incidents similar to the confrontation between its constables and San Juan City personnel over illegally-parked vehicles last Thursday.

“If they can amend ordinances, it would be better. I think this is the best solution to solve the problem,” said lawyer Emerson Carlos, MMDA chairman.

The government recently formed an inter-agency task force led by the MMDA to kick off an all-out campaign against illegallyparked vehicles and other obstructions such as basketall courts, eateries and ambulant vendors on major thoroughfares and secondary roads.

The campaign, according to Secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras, aimed to ease traffic flow along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and use the secondary roads for 21 Mabuhay Lanes (formerly Christmas Lanes), identified by the government as alternate routes for private motorists particularly in the runup to the APEC summit on Nov. 17, 2015.

But last Thursday, members of the MMDA Traffic Management Unit led by Nestor Mendoza were conducting operations along Annapolis Street when they were stopped by the San Juan City government personnel, saying the parked vehicles were using the street, which is part of the Mabuhay Lane routes, for pay parking.

A heated argument ensued as the MMDA men were about to impound the vehicles and motorcycles.

Report showed that the San Juan local government, under its city ordinance, allowed car owners to park in the area and charged them P30 for the first three hours and an additional P10 for every succeeding hour.

PROGRAM OF THE YEAR. Meralco’s

comprehensive health and wellness platform, Orange Fit, has been named the ‘People Program of the Year’ by the People Management Association of the Philippines, the premiere organization of human resource professionals and the highest HR award-giving body. Meralco head of sports and youth advocacy Paul Ryan C. Gregorio (left) shares with Meralco chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan the PMAP Trophy as a testament to the company’s investment in enhancing its employees’ quality of life. Spearheaded

by Meralco’s Sports and Youth Advocacy group, Orange Fit initiatives include daily health tips for the employees, sports tournaments, exercise routines, and spiritual rejuvenation.

PNOY STIFLING DISSENT, SAYS MILITANT GROUP

By Joel E. Zurbano

A MILITANT youth organization on Saturday denounced the Aquino administration for enforcing road closure, banning street protests and shutting down communications in Metro Manila during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit of leaders.

“Martial Law aims to stifle dissent, hide the country’s real situation from the world and cover up Apec’s crimes,” said Anakbayan chairman Vencer Crisostomo. He added the planned shutdown of Metro Manila “smacks of paranoia and is an assault to freedom of expression, dissent and information.”

“Aquino is trying to hide from

the public and the world the truth behind Apec’s globalization and what it has meant for Filipinos and the region: it is a bane and has left the people poor, miserable and oppressed. It has pushed wages down, prices high and has attacked rights and welfare,” Crisostomo said.

The group also called on the

government to allow protest rallies during the meeting.

“The most fitting welcome that we should give the leaders of big, oppressive nations like the Unites States and China, which have violated our national sovereignty, is protest. We should be allowed to tell the world that we disapprove of bullying, abuse and exploitation of our nation,” Crisostomo said.

The group also called for campus walkouts, protest camps and demonstrations against the holding of Apec event from Nov. 17 to 20.

The meetings will be the second high-profile global event that the country will be hosting after the World Economic Forum on East Asia last May where the administration of President Benigno

Aquino III trumpeted the Philippines as the “next Asian miracle.”

Amid the threat of street protests, Metro Manila police director and APEC-Task Group Manila chief Joel Pagdilao assured the safety of 21 leaders of different countries participating in the meeting.

He said all police commanders in the National Capital Region —Central Police District, Manila Police District, Eastern Police District, Southern Police District and Northern Police District—were ordered to secure the venues, routes, and billets intended for APEC delegates and participants.

Pagdilao said his office also formulated traffic management and security plans in close coordination with the Metro Manila Development Authority.

EU PRESSES FOR DEAL AMONG SEA CLAIMANTS THE EU urged all parties Friday to settle peacefully territorial disputes in the South China Sea, where Washington has challenged Beijing’s efforts to bolster its claims through an island-building program.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini said the European Union was an “interested” party in a dispute pitting China against Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia over control of a crucial seaway.

“We are committed to a maritime order based upon the principles of international law,” Mogherini said in Luxembourg at the end of a two-day Asia-Europe foreign ministers meeting.

“We oppose any attempt to as-

sert territorial or maritime claims through the use of intimidation, coercion, force or any unilateral action which could cause further friction,” she told a closing press conference.

The meeting brought together the 28 EU member states plus more than 20 Asian countries, including emerging giants China and India, alongside their smaller neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Asean has tried and failed for years to reach a modus vivendi with Beijing on the South China Sea where it claims most of the area, a hugely important transit point for global trade between Asia and Europe and believed to hold important oil reserves. AFP

SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 8, 2015

Roderick T. dela Cruz EDITOR business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

BUSINESS

B1

LAZADA CEO STARTS ONLINE REVOLUTION Lazada Philippines co-founder and chief executive Inanc Balci

INANC Balci, the 30-year-old investment banker from Turkey who helped establish Lazada in 2012, is starting an online revolution in the Philippines.

Balci, who has a double degree in Industrial Engineering and Economics from Purdue University in the United States, overseas a team of 1,800 young Filipinos, nearly half of them handling calls at the Lazada Philippines’ headquarters in Makati City to talk to customers and merchants about more than a million products.

Over the past two months, his company has been recruiting more people in preparation for Nov. 11, which he expects to be the biggest one-day e-commerce phenomenon in the country, with the offering of 200,000 special deals.

500 orders a minute Lazada Philippines expects 500 orders worth P3 million per minute at peak on Nov. 11. More than 5,000 people, including Lazada employees and third-party logistics personnel, are expected to pack, ship and deliver packages. Delivery is expected to take only 1.7 days starting from the time of online transaction, according to the company.

“This is the biggest event of the year. We have a one-day event on Nov. 11, starting at midnight. Then, we have a month long activities. On Nov. 11, we have for customers up to 95-percent discount versus the market price. We talk to our merchants and suppliers and we make sure that they give the best price possible in the market,” Balci, the chief executive of Lazada Philippines, says in an interview in his office at Salustiana Dy Tower along Paseo de Roxas.

Lazada Philippines occupies three floors of Salustiana Dy Tower, where around 700 employees handle calls from customers and merchants. The company has become so big, it now has to find additional office space,

he says. Lazada Philippines has more than 4,000 merchants selling over 1,000 local and international brands.

“We are finally moving to the Fort.

We have been here in this building [Salustiana Tower] for three years.

The company is getting bigger, so we will be moving some of the people to the Fort. We will still keep this building, so some of them will still stay here,” he says.

Lazada Philippines also employs more than 1,000 in its two giant warehouses in Muntinlupa City and Cebu City and 12 logistic hubs. The company will add another warehouse to serve Mindanao customers, he says.

Balci says profit is not the motivation for holding the big event. “The reason why we do this event is not to make revenues, but to make e-commerce penetration in the Philippines bigger. It is like a step-up for the whole market, because it gives an excuse for first-time customers. There are millions of customers who never shop online. With this event, the price is so low, it is a nobrainer for them. If they say they will try and choose something, then they become life-long e-commerce customers,” he says.

Low e-commerce penetration E-commerce penetration rate, excluding food and travel, in the Philippines is around 1.5 percent, a figure that Balci hopes will double to around 3 percent, with Lazada’s online revolution. The company is teaming up with merchants, telcos, banks and logistic companies to provide the best online deals to customers, he says.

Aside from the 11/11 flash sales, Lazada will continue the promotion until Dec. 12, when customers can expect 200,000 marked-down deals across 13 product categories includ-

ing electronics, fashion, toys and home items. Lazada Philippines expects to set a new record with over 2 million visits to its website and mobile app. Among the brands that have confirmed participation in the sale are Asus, Lenovo, Alcatel, Cherry Mobile, Starmobile, Bosch, HP, Philips, Canon, Epson, Acer, Intel, P&G, Nescafe, Milo, Nido, Unilever, Belo, Huggies, Mamy Poko, Timex and Giordano watches.

Lazada Philippines, where Germany’s Rocket Internet holds a 25-percent share, now accounts for 80 percent of the e-commerce market in the Philippines and also has leading positions in other Southeast Asian countries, says Balci.

Presence in six countries “We started the company in 2012 in six countries. We have market leadership positions in five original markets. In the Philippines, we have around 80-percent market share, in retail commerce, excluding travel and food,” he says.

Balci denies that Lazada Philippines has a monopoly of the online market, saying he prefers the term market leadership. “Monopoly is usually in established markets. It is not a monopoly, but market leadership. We foresee that other companies will enter the market as well. At the same time, the market size will grow exponentially, which has been happening over the last three years,” he says.

Other major market players in Philippine online commerce are Zalora, where Rocket Internet also has an investment, and Metro Deal.

Balci says Lazada has 6.8 million customers across six Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. In the first half of 2015, the company handled 7.8 million transactions in the region.

“In six countries, the Philippines is one of the largest, between number 2 and number 3. Indonesia is the largest,” he says. “Lazada is No. 6 website in the Philippines. We have more

visitors than Wikipedia and Twitter.

It is the sixth most visited website, according to SimilarWeb,” he says.

Balci says while Lazada remains a startup, “we came to a size that also requires professional corporate governance. So, it is a mixed balance between the two for us.”

He says Lazada continues to invest in the Philippines, with a goal of growing in size, instead of making a profit.

“Profitability is not something that is extremely important for us at the beginning. We are actually investing in the market, especially in the Philippines, which is still in early days of the market. If we try to make profit, then the market will not grow as much as you want. That loss is like an investment into the market,” he says.

Explosive growth He says the e-commerce market in the Philippines enjoys an explosive growth. “We foresee that growth will continue in the market. It is very hard for us to predict growth, but I can tell you that the explosive growth is going to continue,” he says.

The company formed its own logistics company called Lazada Express, which now delivers half of the Lazada shipments. “At the same time, we use a pool of third-party logistic companies. We have been talking to them for more than two months, getting them ready for the surge of orders.

The team is ready to deliver for all our customers. We have been working for this for so long,” says Balci, referring to the Nov. 11 event.

Lazada is also the first and only online company with a cash on delivery network. “We are still the only company that can offer cash on delivery anywhere in the Philippines. We do it for free, for orders of at least P1,000.

This was one of the biggest driving forces behind Lazada,” he says.

“With this sale, we are getting extra employees. I think we are getting about 2,000 people, including the agency temporary workers. Let us see how it goes after the sale,” he says.

Balci claims that Lazada is not trying

to compete with shopping malls and stores. “Most of our merchants are already in shopping malls. So with these channels, we don’t compete with shopping malls. This is like additional channels to retailers to reach out to customers who don’t have access to shopping malls. Around 98.5 percent still buy at shopping malls,” he says.

Lazada’s customers in the Philippines are Internet users. “We have slightly more male customers, at 51 percent versus 49 percent female.

With age distribution, the biggest bucket is between 25 and 35 years.

There are a lot of millennials as well,” he says.

Mobile ecosystem What is driving the growth of e-commerce, he says, is the mobile ecosystem. “Not everyone can afford a laptop. What we see happening is that they get smartphones.

There is Android phone available at less than P1,000, which is very affordable. We see people use their smartphones. This year alone, there are additional 10 million people in the Philippines who are becoming smartphone users. The penetration is increasing from 30 percent to 40 percent,” he says.

“Right now, more than half of our volume is coming from mobile ecosystem, which is great for the Philippines. And we expect it to continue growing,” says Balci.

Balci says Lazada will expand to deliver “many more million products.”

“At the same time, we will continue to offer lower prices and provide the best available e-commerce service in the Philippines,” he says.

“Our mission is to be the online destination, selling and shopping company in Southeast Asia. Our mission is for both our merchants and customers. We want to be the destination website, so that people will come to Lazada if they want to buy something and at the same time have leading position in all of our markets,” says Balci.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 8, 2015

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BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

ACCIDENTAL JOURNALIST WITNESSES CHINA’S RISE

By Gabrielle H. Binaday

JAIME FlorCruz was a 20-year-old student of Philippine College of Commerce, now Polytechnic University of the Philippines, when he went to China for a study tour during Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution in August 1971. With the suspension of the habeas corpus by the late President Ferdinand Marcos, FlorCruz and 14 other student leaders decided to stay in China, for fear of being arrested, if they returned to the Philippines.

What happened over the next four decades became a legacy of an accidental Filipino journalist, who reported for the largest US media companies from one the world’s most secretive nations back then. FlorCruz witnessed how China, a slumbering giant in the 1970s, transformed into the planet’s second largest economy and now a world power.

He went on to become CNN’s Beijing Bureau chief and the longest serving foreign correspondent in China before he retired in December 2014.

FlorCruz was at the right place, at the right time, for a Filipino journalist. US media companies were looking for an English-speaking correspondent, who could explain what was happening in China, the most populous communist nation back then. FlorCruz, who met Shanghai Mayor Jiang Zemin before the latter became president of China, was the ideal choice. He joined the biggest US media companies such as Newsweek, Time magazine and eventually

Former CNN Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz speaks before members of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines CNN, where his reports were broadcast globally.

“I became an accidental journalist.

Even though I was the editor-in-chief of our school paper in Philippine College of Commerce, I had never imagined myself becoming a professional journalist,” FlorCruz tells members of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines at Ayala Museum in Makati City.

PCC is the same institution that produced well-known activists such as spiritual leader and former presidential candidate Eddie Villanueva, former Bayan Rep. Satur Ocampo and former House minority leader Carlos Padilla.

FlorCruz describes his first trip to Beijing as similar to visiting Pyongyang today.

“That time going to China in 1971 was like going to North Korea now,” he says.

He arrived in China with a group of 14 other student leaders supposedly for a three-week study tour. The study tour, however, became a 12year sojourn and a 43-year career in China. Through the initial years, FlorCruz and four others were accommodated by their host China Friendship Association.

His group wanted to study, but the schools and universities were closed to foreign students then, so they chose to work. They moved to the countryside, in Hunan province,

bended their knees, stretched their arms and became farmers.

At first, Jaime FlorCruz found his new life in the countryside romantic.

“But then romance kicked off very quickly, because farming was hard,” he says.

He had also worked for a fishing corporation for two years, where they would go out to high seas for five or six days at a time on two trawler ships, pulling a huge net. “China then was very spartan, unlike now..,” he says.

After a few years of digging the land and sailing the sea, he decided to learn Mandarin at the Beijing Foreign Language Institute. As he was still blacklisted in the Philippines then, he later enrolled in a four-year course in Peking University to earn a degree in Chinese history. Among the students in his class was current Premier Li Keqiang who studied law.

As a history student, FlorCruz keenly observed how China slowly opened up to the world, starting with allowing foreign students to take national examination in universities, allowing Western pop group Wham to hold a concert in Beijing and welcoming Coke as a new beverage.

As he was about to finish his course in Peking University, foreign news organizations started to open bureaus in the mainland. Adept both in Mandarin and English, he was hired by Newsweek magazine, one of the first

media companies to open a bureau in Beijing.

His big break came on Dec. 18, 1981 during the trial of the “Gang of Four,” a group led by Mao Zedong’s widow, Jiang Qing and three other ideological allies. They were accused of plotting to assassinate Mao and pull off a rebellion.

The trial of the “Gang of Four” was considered the trial of the century in China. It was hard for journalists like him to cover the event, because media coverage was restricted by the government.

At that time, FlorCruz was also an English teacher in a school where one of his students was the son of a presiding member of the Supreme Court in the trial of the Gang of Four. His student trusted him enough to tell him over-the-table discussions he had with his father at home. FlorCruz was able to deliver credible, detailed news of the trial.

He also broke the news of Jiang Qing’s suicide, days before it was reported by Chinese media. “[It was] the first time I got my byline in Newsweek for two consecutive weeks. It’s a big story and that’s how I started my career as a Chinese journalist,” he says.

He joined Time magazine’s Beijing bureau in 1982 and eventually served as bureau chief from 1990 to 2000.

He recalls his many first encounters as a journalist. He had the chance to interview then Shanghai Mayor Jiang Zemin, who would later rule China as president from 1993 to 2003.

FlorCruz recalls Jiang Zemin calling him little brother.

He says the media played a very important role in depicting China’s image as it opened up to the world.

Perception about China changed starting when former US President Richard Nixon visited the country in 1972. China was shown to be adopting Western influences. However, the negative image of China came back, when the 1989 Tiananmen massacre happened.

“When 1989 happened, we were all shocked,” says FlorCruz. “Because many people taught that China has greatly changed, not realizing that China was changing at its own phase with all the difficulties and the pain Baldwin Chua, director for hotel development of Marriott International and the 1989 was the part of that Inc.-Asia-Pacific and Daesik Han, president and chief executive of A woman sleeps under a ” painful change.

Widus International Leisure Inc. waiting shed inFlorCruz Manila. witnessed how China owners—and that, in turn, is reflect- tently delightful guest experiences, a recovered from the turmoil of Mao’s ed in the high levels of owner satis- value that we share with Widus Hotel era, the cultural revolution, Mao’s faction,” said Baldwin Chua, director & Casino,” Chua said. death, the death of Deng Xiaoping Widus International Inc. began for hotel development of Marriott in 1997 and the 1997 Hong Kong operating in Clark in 2008 through International Inc.-Asia-Pacific. handover. He also covered major “We are honored that Widus In- what was then known as Hotel Vida. events such as the outbreak of SARS ternational Leisure Inc. chose us to In 2010, Hotel Vida changed its name epidemic or severe acute respiratory manage their latest hotel and we are to Widus Hotel & Casino, which has syndrome in 2002, the Sichuan earthcommitted to making The Marriott since embarked on an aggressive quake in 2008, the Beijing Olympics at Clark the most successful hotel in expansion program, opening a secalso in 2008 and the ethnic unrest in Clark—in terms of innovative con- ond tower, expanding its casino and Tibet and Xianjiang. cepts and offerings, and attentive building a multi-function 600-seater He also recalls a “neck-breaking” guest care that translates to consis- convention center. interview with Yao Ming, a seven-

PAMPANGA’S FIRST FIVE-STAR HOTEL SET TO BREAK GROUND IN MAY 2016 WIDUS International Leisure Inc., owner of Widus Hotel & Casino, has signed a hotel management agreement contract with Renaissance Hotels International Corp. Limited, the company behind the successful chain of Marriott Hotels.

The contract will allow Marriott Hotels to operate Widus Hotel’s latest development, The Marriott at Clark, which is set to break ground in May 2016.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with the Marriott brand, which is trusted all over the world for their extensive experience in managing a diverse portfolio of successful hotel brands. The Marriott at Clark represents the latest and most innovative hotel within the Widus complex, a final cap to our vision of being the preferred one-stop leisure destination,” said Daesik Han, president and chief executive of Widus International Leisure Inc. For its part, the Marriott Hotel will bring proven systems, support and services, and its deep knowledge and experience in managing award-winning hotel brands around the world.

“At Marriott, we enjoy a strong collaborative relationship with our

foot-six basketball player who played for Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association.

“I have seen China evolve from Mao’s era to open China,” he says. “So what makes China tick? I think one is decentralization.”

FlorCruz says the press in China has also evolved. “I must also say China’s media has been changing compared to what it was 30 years ago, when I started as a journalist. It is a much more energetic, diverse media but the main staterun media is still controlled by the government,” he says.

“While the government still controls the media and censors the Internet, it’s getting harder and harder and in spite of the censorship, there’s still a lot of diversity now,” he says.

FlorCruz says the prosperity enjoyed by China today has a huge impact on culture, environment, religion and gap between rich and poor.

“Gone were the days were everybody was equally poor,” he says.

China has recently surpassed the US as the country with most number of millionaires.

China, the largest trading partner of the Philippines and most Southeast Asian countries, also affects the world, economically. “China moves market nowadays. Gone were the days 40 years ago when no one cared about what was happening in China.

In recent months, we saw how the market moved up or down because of what was going on in China,” he says.

“Whatever China does will affects us. If China catches flu, we will sneeze,” he says.

In December 2014, FlorCruz retired as bureau chief of CNN Beijing.

He says journalists in China today have easier access to information, as the government started holding press conferences.

“My challenge in working in China as a journalist was how to get accurate, timely information especially in the first two years of working there.

China was so closed off to the outside world, and also closed off internally even among themselves. It’s a very opaque system,” he says.

After living in China for almost 43 years, FlorCruz says it seems that his one foot remains in China. He is now finishing the draft of his first book about his personal account as a student in Peking University.

“I’m in transition, but my one foot is still in China, because I am researching and writing a book on my experiences in Peking University in 1977 to 1982,” he says.

FlorCruz says his classmates then now hold senior positions in government while others became captains of industry, professors, bank officials and officials of think tanks.

His first book is set to be launched early next year. He is also drafting an autobiography, which he hopes to finish late next year.

SUNDAY: NOVEMBER 8, 2015

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BUSINESS business@thestandard.com.ph extrastory2000@gmail.com

FIRST Gen Corp. and other Lopez Group companies within First Philippine Holdings Corp. are constructing 28 additional typhoon-resilient school buildings in eight more disasterhit areas as part of phase 3 of their ongoing school rebuilding program.

In expanding phase 3, the Lopez Group committed to construct schools in areas affected not only by super-typhoon Yolanda but also by other recent disasters. These schools are in Leyte, Eastern Samar, Sorsogon, Albay, Bohol, Bukidnon, Laguna and Panay Island.

FPH vice president Ramon Carandang disclosed the expanded scope of the school rebuilding program as the country remembers the second anniversary of super typhoon Yolanda’s visit.

“After completing phases 1 and 2 of the school rebuilding program, we realized that classrooms remain a great need in so many towns not just in Leyte but in other areas in the country. To this day, children continue to attend classes in partially repaired rooms and even in tents and other makeshift areas. This situation has prompted us not only to continue but to expand efforts to help the affected area,” Carandang said.

Launched in June 2015, phase 3 of the school rebuilding program—like the earlier phase 1 and phase 2 –originally focused on rebuilding schools in areas devastated by Yolanda, which struck the country in late 2013.

Those in the expanded list are Rizal Integrated National School in Sorsogon, Sorsogon; Nagotgot Elementary School in Manito, Albay; Impasug-ong Central Elementary School in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon; Imbatug Central Elementary School in Baungon, Bukidnon; Mandong Integrated School in Batan, Aklan; San Roque Elementary School in Mabini, Bohol; Hacienda Concita National High School in San Dionisio, Iloilo; Anabo National High School in Lemery, Iloilo; Dina-ut Elementary School in Altavas, Aklan; and OML Dayap Elementary School in Calau-

FIRST GEN, LOPEZ GROUP REBUILDING MORE SCHOOLS

The Lopez Group has constructed typhoon-resilient schools, similar to this one in Ormoc City, under phase 1 and phase 2 of the group’s school rebuilding program.

Lopez Group officials, led by First Gen senior vice president Renato Castillo (left) and Lopez Group school rebuilding program head Leonardo Ablaza (right), show a blueprint of a typhoon-resilient school for Sulat National High School in Eastern Samar. The blueprint is presented to Anthony Badando, the school principal. an, Laguna.

Under the expanded school rebuilding program, the target number of classrooms increased from 48 to at least 56, while the number of school sites went up from 18 to 28.

In the first two phases of the Lopez Group’s school rebuilding program, funds pooled from various donors

by ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. – Sagip Kapamilya were tapped to construct new school buildings or to repair damaged schools in Yolanda-hit areas. For phase 3, the Lopez Group, led by First Gen, pledged to shoulder the cost of constructing the new schools.

“My team went around and in-

spired other companies within the group to join the initiative and provide funding for the program,” said Leonardo Ablaza, head of the Lopez Group’s school rebuilding program.

“We are happy to note the strong support of our Kapamilyas for the program.”

FPH companies that pledged support for phase 3, along with the corresponding number of school buildings they are constructing are First Gen (16 school buildings), Rockwell Land Corp. (6 school buildings), First Balfour (4) and First Philec, along with ThermaPrime Well Services,Inc. (1 each).

First Gen is one of the largest in-

HOPE IN A BOTTLE GARNERS GLOBAL AWARDS HOPE in a Bottle garnered two awards at the recently held Global Bottled Water Congress in Lisbon, Portugal on Oct. 21, 2015.

Hope in a Bottle is the purified water company that donates 100-percent of profits to building public school classrooms. Represented by the founder, Nanette Medved-Po, at the awards, HIB won “Best New Brand” and “Best Community Initiative” at the 12th annual awarding ceremonies organized by beverage industry consultant Zenith International.

“I am grateful to the people at Zenith for scouring the globe and finding us. To have an international panel select our effort out of the many very worthy initiatives that have been nominated, honors both

the Philippines and the work we do at Hope,” said Medved-Po. Friends of Hope was started in 2012 in an effort to create a citizen movement for the benefit of public education. To date, HIB has built 28 classrooms and is looking to complete another 10 classrooms in the coming months.

HIB partnered with the Education Department to identify areas that have a classroom deficit. In 2012, the Philippine classroom shortage was estimated at 66,800 classrooms resulting in overcrowding, high dropout rates and classes being held in temporary structures.

HIB is available through retail and food service outlets such as 7-11, Rustan’s, South Supermarket, Starbucks and Krispy Kreme.

This is an architect’s perspective of a typhoon-resilient school being constructed by the Lopez Group for phase 3 of its school rebuilding program. dependent power producers in the Philippines with an installed capacity of 2,957 megawatts. It is the primary holding company for the power generation and energy-related businesses of the Lopez Group through FPH. Rockwell Land is acknowledged as the country’s foremost developer of luxurious real estate projects. First Balfour is the Lopez Group company engaged in construction and engineering services, while ThermaPrime is a leading geothermal drilling company.

First Gen’s subsidiary Energy Development Corp., the world’s largest vertically integrated geothermal company, supports the program by offering to work for free as project manager for the whole school rebuilding program.

At the same time, Kananga EDC Institute of Technology or KEITech, EDC’s technical-vocational school, responded by redesigning its courses to include short, three-month training modules. KEITech offers the training modules to Yolanda victims as an immediate livelihood support for them and as a way of addressing manpower needs of the school rebuilding program.

FPH subsidiary First Philippine Industrial Park Inc., owner of the premiere 457-hectare industrial estate in Batangas, pledged P1.3 million for the chairs that will be used in all schools donated by First Gen and First Philec, the intermediate holding company of FPH for manufacturing and technology-related investments.

The school rebuilding program (from phase 1 to 3) now cost at least P245.9 million, inclusive of EDC’s ad-

ministrative expenses for the school rebuilding program and allocation for KEITech’s own training program for Yolanda victims. Of the total, P84 million represented funds for schools pooled by Sagip Kapamilya from various donors; and P161.9 million from First Gen, EDC and other FPH companies.

“Phase 3 will now reach areas with no EDC business footprint but are well deserving of the donation, such as towns in Panay Island that were also devastated

by Yolanda; Bohol, which suffered a destructive earthquake in 2013; and the isolated mountain schools of Bukidnon. We also added among the recipients some schools in the Bicol provinces as our way of helping them recover from typhoons that frequent the region,” Ablaza said.

Ablaza said the group expected to complete the classrooms five to six months from start of construction.

“By the end of 2016 we will turn over 141 typhoon-resilient classrooms to the Department of Education,” he said.

The classrooms for turnover next year include those constructed under the early phases of the program. All new classrooms meet the requirement for Yolanda- or typhoon-resilient classrooms, which means they are designed to withstand winds of up to 250 kilometers per hour.

“We believe that as a corporate social responsibility activity, the school rebuilding program is a more visible and measurable undertaking for the Lopez conglomerate,” Carandang said.

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WORLD

NO SIGNS OF NEW NOKOR NUKE TEST TUNNEL —US EXPERTS US experts said Saturday that recent satellite photos showed no sign of North Korea preparing a new nuclear test, contrary to reports in the South Korean media.

Satellite imagery from Sept. 27 and Oct. 25 of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site indicate “no signs that the North is excavating a new tunnel”, the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins Univesity said on its closelywatched website, 38North.

The main observable activity is the construction of a new building at the Main Support Area, it said.

Activity at both the west and south portals of the site has been at a low level, an indication that the North continues to focus largely on tunnel maintenance, it added.

The North has conducted all its three nuclear tests—in 2006, 2009 and 2013—at the Punggye-ri site in the northeastern part of North Korea.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, quoting an unidentified government source, said the North was believed to be digging a new tunnel there in what could be a sign that the Stalinist state is preparing for its fourth nuclear test.

Fears had grown that the country might carry out a fresh nuclear test to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party on October 10 but none was carried out. AFP

CHINA, TAIWAN LEADERS OPEN HISTORIC SUMMIT THE presidents of China and Taiwan reached across decades of Cold War estrangement and rivalry for a historic handshake Saturday, before exchanging warm words in the first summit since the two sides’ traumatic 1949 split.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) and Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou shake hands before their meeting at Shangrila hotel in Singapore on Nov. 7, 2015. The leaders of China and Taiwan hold a historic summit that will put a once unthinkable presidential seal on warming ties between the former Cold War rivals. AFP

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou shook hands and smiled broadly as they met in Singapore, in a scene considered unthinkable until recently.

They later sat down across a table from each other, with Xi praising the summit as opening a “historic chapter in our relations” and repeating China’s oft-expressed desire for eventual reunification.

“The development of cross-strait relations over the past 66 years show that no matter what kind of winds and rains are experienced by compatriots on the two sides, no matter how long divisions last, there is no power that can separate us,” Xi said.

“We are brothers connected by flesh even if our bones are broken, we are a family whose blood is thicker than water.”

No agreements or joint statements are expected from the encounter between two sides that still refuse to formally recognise each other’s legitimacy, and the meeting’s lasting significance remains to be seen.

But the encounter is undeniably historic: the previous occasion was in 1945, when Communist revolutionary leader Mao Zedong met with China’s nationalist President Chiang Kai-shek in a failed reconciliation attempt.

The later Communist takeover forced Chiang’s armies and about two million followers to flee to Taiwan, then a backwater island province, leaving a national rupture that has preoccupied both sides ever since.

“Even though this is the first meeting, we feel like old friends,” Ma told Xi. “Behind us is history stretching for 60 years. Now before our eyes there are fruits of conciliation instead of confrontation.”

After their split, a hostile standoff ensued for decades, and the Taiwan Strait between them remains one of the world’s last remaining Cold War-era flashpoints. AFP

CHILDREN MASSACRED IN SOUTH SUDAN BATTLES: UNITED NATIONS

A picture shows internally displaced women and children waiting for their food ration after an humanitarian airdrop by World Food Programme (WFP) in a small locality in Mayendit County of Unity State. Weeks after UN-backed experts warned that thousands are dying of starvation in South Sudan war zones, aid agencies say they cannot access areas to stave off famine because of “spiralling” violence. AFP

DOZENS of children have been killed in fighting in South Sudan, where battles rage despite political deals to end almost two years of civil war, the United Nations has said.

The UN said that fighting in the northern battleground state of Unity has “intensified with grave consequences for civilians” in recent weeks, adding that 40,000 people are also starving to death.

The report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released late Friday detailed killings in just one area of Unity state during a

two-week period.

It said that in the Leer district of southern Unity, which has swapped hands multiple times between government and rebel forces, at least 80 civilians were killed between Oct. 4 to 22.

Almost three-quarters of those killed were children—at least 57 killed in Leer—while there were more than 50 cases of rape being used as “a weapon of war”, the report said.

Both sides are accused of having perpetrated ethnic massacres, recruited and killed children and carried out widespread rape, torture and forced displacement of populations

to “cleanse” areas of their opponents.

Hunger experts from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) have warned of a “concrete risk of famine” before the end of the year if fighting continues and aid does not reach the hardest-hit areas.

While some aid has reached two districts in Unity—Buaw and Koch—other areas are cut off.

Some 3.9 million people are in critical need of aid -- a third of the country’s population and a massive 80 percent rise compared to the same period last year, the UN said. AFP

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WORLD editorial@thestandard.com.ph

JET’S BLACK BOXES POINT TO ‘ATTACK’ BLACK box data from the Russian plane that crashed in Egypt last week indicate it was bombed, sources said, ahead of a first update Saturday from the Egyptianled probe into the disaster.

Both the flight data and voice recorders failed 24 minutes after the plane took off from Egypt’s Sharm elSheikh resort en route to Saint Petersburg on October 31, when it plummeted from the sky into the Sinai Peninsula killing all 224 people on board.

Cairo and Moscow initially dismissed a claim Islamic

State (IS) jihadists downed the plane, but mounting evidence that the Airbus A321 was attacked has prompted a growing list of governments to warn against travel to Sharm el-Sheikh.

On Friday, President Vladimir Putin ordered all Russian flights to Egypt halted, in a fresh blow to the country’s already struggling

tourism industry.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told news agencies the measure did not mean Moscow believed the crash—the worst aviation disaster in Russia’s history— was due to an attack, and the investigation continued.

The head of Russia’s emergencies ministry said Russian experts had taken samples from the crashed jet and were testing it for any traces of explosives.

But a source close to the investigation told AFP the black box data “strongly favours” the theory a bomb on board brought down the plane.

Another person close to the case in Paris said the plane had suffered “a violent, sudden” end, saying: “Everything was normal during the flight, absolutely normal, and suddenly there was nothing.”

Egypt’s Civil Aviation Minister Hossam Kamal and the head of the Egyptian-led investigation into the disaster are to hold a news conference at 1500 GMT on Saturday, the ministry confirmed.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s office said he called Putin and they agreed to bolster coordination to “strengthen security mea-

sures for Russian planes”.

Nearly 80,000 Russian tourists are estimated have been stranded in Egypt by their government’s decision to halt flights.

Britain on Friday lifted its block on flights out of Sharm el-Sheikh but just 1,200 of the estimated 20,000 Britons who were holidaying in the resort managed to get home.

There were angry scenes as thousands more who had hoped to fly home were sent back to their hotels after Egypt placed restrictions on the number of repatriation flights.

Those that did get out were forced to leave their check-in baggage behind to be transported separately after London ordered airlines to allow hand luggage only.

Egypt’s aviation minister said the restrictions on flights were imposed because the airport could not cope with all the luggage left behind.

“I think a lot of people will question whether they ever want to go to Egypt again,” said human resources manager Nicky Bull, as she arrived back in Britain on board one of the eight flights that made it out. AFP

6.8 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE ROCKS CHILE

People place flowers at the grave of Nina Lushchenko, 60, a victim of the Russian MetroJet Airbus A321 crash, during her funeral at a cemetery in the village of Sitnya in Russia’s Novgorod region on November 5, 2015. Russian airline Kogalymavia’s flight 9268 crashed en route from Sharm el-Sheikh to Saint Petersburg on October 31, killing all 224 people on board, the vast majority of them Russian tourists. AFP

A STRONG 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile early on Saturday but there was no tsunami alert and no immediate report of damage or injuries, seismologists said.

The quake hit the north-central Coquimbo region at a depth of 36 kilometers (22 miles) at 4:31 am (0731 GMT), the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue an alert.

The epicenter was close to the coast, 47 kilometers from the city of Ovalle and nearly 300 kilometers north of Chile’s capital Santiago.

ONEMI, the national emergency service, initially said that there was the possibility of a “minor tsunami,” but a few minutes later called off the warning.

Chile is no stranger to earthquakes.

In September, the same area of the country was hit by an 8.3-magnitude earthquake and tsunami that left 15 dead and over 16,000 homeless.

In February 2010, an 8.8-magnitude quake off the southern Chilean coast killed more than 500 people and inflicted an estimated $30 billion in damage.

Chile lies on what is known as the “Ring of Fire” —an arc of fault lines that circles the Pacific Basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The country has long put in place antiseismic engineering systems, applying a technique known as seismic isolation, or base isolation to protect buildings from the earth’s tremors.

ONEMI has also been leading a big push to educate the population, organizing frequent drills and visiting schools to simulate earthquake situations. AFP

CASTRO, PENA NIETO SEAL WARMER CUBA-MEXICO TIES

Handout picture released by the Mexican Presidency showing Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (left) shaking hands with his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro at the government palace in Merida, Yucatan State, Mexico. Castro’s first state visit to Mexico since he took office in 2006 takes place in the eastern colonial city of Merida, where the two leaders will discuss a range of issues and sign a series of agreements. AFP

CUBAN leader Raul Castro received a warm welcome in Mexico on Friday as President Enrique Pena Nieto sought to end a diplomatic chill and boost business opportunities on the island.

With the colonial Caribbean city of Merida serving as the backdrop, Castro was given red carpet treatment at the Yucatan state government palace for his first official visit to Mexico since taking power in 2006.

“Long live the indestructible brotherhood between the people of Cuba and Mexico,” Castro said as he delivered a speech alongside Pena Nieto following a private meeting.

For his part, Pena Nieto greeted Castro with an embrace and told him that “Mexico welcomes

you with open arms.”

The two governments signed five cooperation agreements in migration, education, diplomacy, fishing and tourism.

Both leaders made clear that the improved relations could lead to more investment opportunities for Mexican companies as the communist nation implements economic reforms.

“We committed both our governments to creating the conditions for Mexican businessmen and investors to invest in Cuba,” Pena Nieto said.

The diplomatic reconciliation between the United States and Cuba has raised the prospect of new business opportunities on the island, though the US embargo remains in place.

In May 2014, Mexico sent a business delegation to Havana representing 48 companies. It also opened a trade promotion office in Havana.

Mexico has several investment projects in Cuba’s Mariel megaport.

“We are pleased by the interest that Mexican companies have in doing business and investing in Cuba, especially at the special development zone of Mariel and in sectors like agriculture and tourism,” said Castro, who returns to Havana on Saturday.

In his bid to improve ties since taking office in 2012, Pena Nieto forgave 70 percent of Cuba’s $487 million debt in 2013 and held a state visit in Havana a year later. AFP

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SPORTS

RIERA MALL ARI EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

Lito Ramirez with the PH Volcanoes

LITO RAMIREZ

RUGBY’S GRASSROOTS PROGRAM BEARS FRUIT THE Philippine Rugby Football Union has reached a milestone as Lito Ramirez, the first player from the Union’s grassroots program, was selected to be part of the Philippine Volcanoes National Men’s Rugby Sevens team that is set to compete this weekend in the Asian Rugby 7s Qualifiers for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Since its inception, the PRFU’s mission has been to develop the sport of Rugby in the Philippines, to be played by Filipinos. One of its first grassroots programs was with charitable foundations such as Bahay Bata, Tuloy Foundation, Child Hope, SOS Children’s Villages and Duyan ni Maria Orphanage.

Lito learned his Rugby skills at the Tuloy Foundation in Muntin-

lupa, a haven built by the efforts of Fr. Rocky Evangelista, that provides hundreds of underprivileged, abandoned and homeless children the opportunity to learn academics and sports in a safe and caring environment.

He was only 13 when he was first introduced to the sport of Rugby Union seven years ago. His inherent speed, agility, ball handling

skills and ability to work with a team made him a natural fit for the game of Sevens Rugby.

Lito was then selected to represent the Philippines in the National U-16 team and continued to learn and play the sport with the goal of one day becoming a Volcano. He then went on to play for the Philippine National u18s and represented the National Men’s Development team in 2014.

Lito was also part of the Clark Jets team which swept all their matches to bag the Gold Medal at the 2015 Philippine National Games. It was at these games that Lito won his spot in the Philippine Volcanoes Men’s 7s training squad.

Coming from an underprivileged

background has given Lito the life experiences and determination to never give up—a trait that has now paid dividends, as evidenced by his inclusion in the Men’s 7s National Team.

The Volcanoes will face some tough opposition this weekend when they face Malaysia, Hong Kong and Iran on Saturday and then come up against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

The top team at the end the Olympic Qualifications will get an outright spot, while the next three teams win the right to move onto the World Repechage for a chance to make the final 12 teams that will compete at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Lito Ramirez, ready for action

Regardless of what this weekend’s results will be, Lito Ramirez’s achievement proves to other young Filipino athletes that with hard work, anything is possible and sport is a great way to achieve skills for success, both on and off the field.

GT TITLE WITHIN TORRES’ REACH FRONT-RUNNING Willie Torres of W Autosport Racing scored another big sweep that moved his title aspiration within his reach recently in the fifth leg of the 2015 Yokohama Philippine Grand Touring Car Championships Series at the Batangas Racing Circuit.

With defending champion Dondon Portugal missing action again, Torres enjoyed a smooth, pressure-free run as he went almost full-throttle all the way, hitting a fast laptime of 1:51.969 to capture the GT300 crown in both the Sprint and GT Main Race of this event sanctioned by the Automobile Association Philippines and

sponsored by Yokohama, the official tires and Sparco.

The victory fortified his grip on solo leadership in the GT300 class with a total of 230 points.

But for the overall Yokohama GT Driver of the Year plum, Portugal is behind by 11 points, holding a total of 140 points against Richmond dela Rosa, who tallied 151 points following his own sweep of both Sprint and GT Main races that further stretched his lead in the GT200 division.

Dela Rosa leads defending champion Paolo Mantolino, who continued to be hounded by a series of miseries.

Spectators were looking for-

Willie Torres and his trusted racing machine ward to an intense showdown with Dela Rosa’s return, but unfortunate events spoiled it all as Mantolino was bugged by transmission problems just

before the Sprint race started.

Later in the afternoon’s GT Main Race, Mantolino busted his engine on the fourth lap and forced his early exit.

Also pulling off their respective sweeps were Patrick dela Rosa over NR Joaquin in the GT150 class and Ivan Diaz over Joginder King Sin in the GT100 division.

Dexter Daquigan of Delta Star Transformer/ VW Santa Monica prevailed anew in the Classic Aspirated Cup, claiming the VW Modified crown by a sheer 0.630 of a second ahead of runner-up Francis Villafranca.

Arvir Gervacio checked in third to bag the Toyota Class crown over Robert Macapagal while Von Lehi Libid emerged the VW 1800 champion over Peter James Stubley and

Armand Hipolito.

With the win, Daquigan moved closer to a historic feat as the pioneer champion of the Classic Aspirated Cup as he now holds a total of 167 points.

The final leg is set today at the Clark International Speedway.

For more info, interested parties may contact the Batangas Racing Circuit c/o Nelson Gayola or Rodini Rivera at (632) 729-72 41-42, 729-5365 or fax 844-7766, Mobile # 0922 8858410 or like the event on Facebook, www.facebook. com/ Batangas Racing Circuit or check out our website www. batangasracingcircuit.org.

S U N D AY : N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

SPORTS

ARMAN ARMERO EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

KOBE Bryant, a five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, says he’ll never play for another team.

“I’ve said it so many times—I’m a Laker for life,” Bryant said Friday after the Lakers beat the Brooklyn Nets 104-98 for their first win of the fledgling season. “I bleed purple and gold.”

Bryant, 37, received a rapturous welcome from fans in what might have been his last appearance in the Nets’ Barclays Center arena.

But he couldn’t hide his impatience when asked after the contest about former coach Phil Jackson’s pre-season suggestion that Bryant might continue his career with another club after his Lakers contract—which pays him $25 million a year—expires at the end of this campaign.

“That’s Phil baiting you guys like he always does,” said Bryant, who has said he’ll make up his mind about retirement when the season ends.

Meanwhile, Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers notched their first win of the NBA season on Friday, rallying for a 104-98 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

In a Brooklyn arena packed with Bryant fans, the Lakers veteran shook off a slow start to score 18 points.

Rookie point guard D’Angelo Russell had his most productive game yet with 16 points, guard Jordan Clarkson also chipped in 16 and the Lakers upped their defensive intensity—much to the satisfaction of coach Byron Scott.

“We were just much more aggressive,” Scott said. “We played with much more sense of urgency.”

The Nets trailed by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter and by nine with less than four minutes to play.

And with 25.7 seconds to go they had trimmed the deficit to 98-95 when Nets point guard Jarrett Jack forced a turnover.

In-bounding the ball with a chance to tie the game, the Nets were called for a five-second violation.

Bryant then drained four free throws to rebuild the Lakers’ lead as chants of “Kobe! Kobe!” echoed around the arena.

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BRYANT SAYS HE’S ‘LAKER FOR LIFE’ LOS ANGELES, CA - Kobe Bryant (#24) of the Los Angeles Lakers posts up Andrew Wiggins (#22) of the Minnesota Timberwolves during a 112-111 Laker loss at Staples Center on Oct. 28, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. AFP

“It is great the fans appreciate him the way that they do and they’re showing their appreciation,” Scott said.

Even Jack said he could understand the admiration for a rival player at the Nets’ home arena.

“It’s a guy who’s a first ballot Hall

of Famer,” he said of the crowd’s reaction to Bryant, who could be heading into retirement after this, his 20th season. “We understand what it is.”

But the defeat was a bitter disappointment for the Nets—who had hoped to reverse their own fortunes

against the struggling Lakers.

Instead they fell to 0-6 and remain in search of a first win of the season, along with the Philadelphia 76ers and New Orleans Pelicans.

In other results, the Toronto Raptors vowed to come back stronger from their first defeat of the NBA

season after dropping a 92-87 decision to the Orlando Magic.

“We’ll learn from this,” All-Star guard DeMar DeRozan promised after the Magic ended the Raptors’ club-record season-opening winning streak at five games. “One game is not going to define us.

“But one game can teach you things. You have to be prepared every night if you want to be a contender.”

DeRozan scored a game-high 23 points, including 20 in the second half.

But he missed a crucial free throw that could have tied the game with 25 seconds to play.

When the Raptors regained possession, he failed to get the shot he wanted, and the Magic made four free throws in the waning seconds to seal their first home win of the season.

Orlando forward Tobias Harris scored 20 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Guard Victor Oladipo had 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

The Raptors’ defeat left the reigning champion Golden State Warriors as the league’s only unbeaten team.

The streaking Warriors improved to 6-0 with a 119-104 victory over the Denver Nuggets.

Stephen Curry scored 34 points in another dominant performance by the Warriors, who led 40-23 after the first quarter and 74-44 at half time.

James LeBron James scored 31 points and handed out 13 assists to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 108-102 victory over the winless 76ers.

James became the 20th player in NBA history with 9,000 field goals made in a career—slamming home a dunk in the first half to reach the milestone.

“King” James is one of five active players with 9,000 baskets, along with Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki. AFP

COACH ‘TURO’ STARTS CAGE CAMP

By Arman Armero

IT was hot and humid, but the more than fifty boys, some of them as young as eight years old, appeared to be unmindful of the weather as they go about doing the drills being taught by the coaches.

The place is the covered basketball court inside the Paraiso ng Batang

BEST MOVE. Participants to the 1st Executive Professional Rapid Chess tournament at the Larry and Mau Diner in Eton Centris pose before the start of the tournament.

The event was organized

by Lito Dormitorio.

Maynila located along Quirino Avenue in Manila and near Leveriza St. The drills form part of the free basketball camp and clinic organized by legendary coach and former basketball Olympian and PBA player Turo Valenzona, who grew up and learned to play the game of basketball in the very same place.

“Dito ako lumaki. Dito rin ako

natuto ng iba’t-ibang sports, hindi lang basketball,” said Valenzona, in-between shouting instructions to the young kids doing the drills.

Valenzona, who is best remembered for steering the San Sebastian Stags to five championships, in the 90s, organized the free clinic as part of his desire to discover future basketball super-

CAGE CLINIC. Former Olympian and coach Arturo ‘Turo’ Valenzona

addresses the kids and their parents at the start of the Youth Basketball Camp in Leveriza, Manila. HENRY VARGAS

stars. And from all indications, the clinic was a resounding sucesss, as the kids, watched intently by their parents, dutifully performed the drills, excitement evident on their faces.

The clinic itself had a “community feel” into it, as Valenzona’s former neighbors, kumpares and even his sons and other relatives were involved.

“Mga kaibigan ko yan, ito kumpare ko,” Valenzona said, as he pointed to a thin, elderly man who was assisting in the drills.

Coach Nap Garcia, an assistant coach of NCAA champinn Letran Knights and a friend of coach Turo, was also there to guide the young kids, who later engaged each other in a friendly game which was the highlight of the clinic.

In the end, as he surveys the scene before him, there was pride written all over the face of the man behind it all. Coach Turo Valenzona, with a lot of help from well-meaning friends, has fulfilled his heart’s desire, and the boys of Manila are the better for it.

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RiERA U. MAllARi EDITOR sports@thestandard.com.ph

sports Fajardo must assert leadersHip

San Miguel Beer behemoth June Mar Fajardo (right) posts up against Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters big man JR Quiniahan. Somehow the Beermen forgot all about the reigning MVP to lose to the hard-charging Elasto Painters.

By Homer Vidal

THE San Miguel Beermen’s loss to the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters showed that the biggest threat to SMB’s titleretention bid may be the Beermen themselves.

It’s not easy to ignore a 6’10” giant who just happens to be the reigning Most Valuable Player.

Somehow the San Miguel Beermen managed to do just that as they chucked up one three pointer after another – instead of passing the ball inside to June Mar Fajar-

do – to lose to the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters.

Credit the Rain Or Shine coach Yeng Guiao for his blood and guts defense on Fajardo.

Bruisers Beau Belga, JR Quinahan or Raymond Almazan routinely double-team Fajardo inside and dared the Beermen’s shooters to beat them from the outside.

And when the Beermen missed the Elasto Painters were off and running to start their high-octane fastbreak offense.

San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria complained about his team falling in love with jumpshots instead of going to their strength which just happens to be dumping the ball inside to Fajardo.

The Beermen could only con-

7 col x 10 cm

How do you want your news served today? www.thestandard.com.ph

vert 7-of-35 shots from beyond the three-point arc while Fajardo took only seven attempts from the field.

“Masyado kaming na-in love sa three-points naming. We never executed our plays, especially June Mar getting the ball at the post.

Our strength is not in our outside shooting. We should get the ball to our big man,” said Austria.

Despite being denied touches Fajardo still finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Fajardo made a killing from the free throw line where he scored seven points.

Overall, the Beermen shot 23 percent (31-of-96) of all field goal attempts. The poor shooting was exploited by the Elasto Painters who ran at every missed attempt by the Beermen

Arwind Santos missed nine of his 11 attempts from three-point distance. Alex Cabagnot missed seven of nine.

“We took a lot of bad shots.

That’s why they were able to run.

I think that was a wake-up call for us. We were expecting Rain Or Shine to come out really strong.

They did. I have to give the credit to coach Yeng (Guiao),” said Austria.

Meek, mild-mannered Fajardo may be one of the Beermen’s problems. The hulking giant may be the best big man in Philippine basketball right now but he is modest, humble and alarmingly deferential to his teammates.

While counterpart big man Beau Belga bellows and shouts

every time he scores Fajardo is quiet and unassuming and just goes about his game. Fajardo makes no move to draw attention to himself.

It’s almost like he’s too shy to admit that he’s the biggest, meanest and best player on his team.

His demeanor is definitely endearing. It’s so Filipino. And it’s also the biggest obstacle to his becoming the best player that he could be.

Fajardo must step up and take his role as this team’s leader. He must demand the ball and call out teammates if they don’t give it to him.

If this giant of a man can assert his leadership a second San Miguel Beer Grand Slam is looming on the horizon.

S U N D AY : N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

TATUM ANCHETA EDITOR

BING PAREL A S S O C I AT E E D I T O R

BERNADETTE LUNAS

life @ thestandard.com .ph

WRITER

@LIFEatStandard

S U NDAY L IF E

LIFE

Geox founder Mario Moretti Polegato

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Villa Sandi, the home of the Moretti Polegato family where their winery business is headquartered

TALKING ITALIAN WITH MARIO POLEGATO

Geox founder shares his story and bares expansion plans

BY BING PAREL PHOTOS BY RAMON RUIZ

I

t is said that necessity is the mother of invention, and it looks like this was the case with Mario Moretti Polegato, founder of leading footwear brand Geox. We had an opportunity to sit down with the gentleman from Crocetta del Montello in Italy (during the 15th Forbes Global CEO Conference at the Marriot Hotel that gathered over 400 of the world’s tycoons, multinational CEOs and successful entrepreneurs), who shared the interesting story on how he started out in the business of shoes.

“Geox is an Italian brand,” he begins, “and we are based near Venice, in Northeast Italy.” The Moretti Polegato family is well known all throughout Italy for its wineries, having been focused on agriculture and wine production for generations, producing about 30 million bottled wines a year, specifically the Prosecco. Trained as a oenologist, Mario Polegato then joined the family business and was sent to a wine convention in the US. “I was originally educated as a winemaker, but in the early ‘90s, my father asked me to participate in a wine convention in Reno, Nevada,” he avers. This is where the Geox story started, he says, recalling that he decided to “spend a little vacation.” It was while walking through the Nevada desert wearing sneakers with rubber soles that he felt his feet “suffer” due to the heat. Showing early on his savvy for innovation, Signor Polegato took out a Swiss army knife from his pocket and started to cut out holes in both soles for ventilation – a eureka! moment as it gave him the idea to create “breathable shoes” that would help keep the feet dry and prevent the unpleasant odor due to wetness.

Upon his return to Italy, he began studying the technology that would bring his idea into fruition, then made a pitch to several

Gekto B Abx

Signor Polegato explains the revolutionary technology behind the ‘breathable shoes’ made by Geox

sportswear companies who, unfortunately, did not have the foresight and the vision and even considered the idea as preposterous.

Undaunted, Signor Polegato decided to produce the shoes himself, believing he had hit on an idea that would revolutionize the footwear industry, and took out a loan from a local bank to get himself started.

“In our own village in Italy where I live, I found five people and I convinced them about my idea. They shared my enthusiasm and each one in the team was given a different responsibility. One handled the production, the other the marketing, another one took care of sales, and we started working together. From five people in the organization, we now have about 30,000 working directly and indirectly for us,” he smiles, proud that Geox has become the number one shoe company in Italy and the leading brand in the lifestyle category.

Today, Geox – which is a combination of “geo” which means earth in Greek while the “x” stands for technology – operates in 120 countries with over 1,200 stores all over the world. Mario Polegato, who in 2014 was ranked the 13th

Nebula

richest man in Italy with a fortune estimated at $2.3 billion, continues to be as enthusiastic about Geox and the technology that goes behind the “shoes that breathe.” In fact, a significant percentage of the company’s budget goes into research and development.

Retrieving something from a big black bag, the Italian business tycoon then showed us a sample of a perforated sole with a protective layer and a full-size membrane that protects the foot and allows air ventilation. A bestseller is the Nebula, an all-season footwear that is water repellent and utilizes “3D breathing engineering” that allows for exceptional breathability for the entire foot.

“Geox produces fashion shoes for women, children and men and not just sportswear or shoes for athletes,” the Geox founder also discloses, adding that they are now into apparel with the same kind of technology applied for men and women’s leather jackets.

According to Signor Polegato, the Filipinos working and living in Italy were the ones who urged him to introduce Geox here, and so in 2004, Officine – a multibrand footwear specialty concept store that features a variety of styles under one roof – brought the brand to the Philippines. Aside from shoes, Officine also carries Geox apparel and accessories (bags for men

and women, wallets and belts for men) in its 17 stores mostly in Manila with some also located in Davao, Cebu and Cagayan de Oro. By the end of the year, there are plans to open three more stores in SM Iloilo, SM Seaside and one in KCC Mall in Zamboanga.

“A lot of people ask us about the secret to our success,” the oenologist-turnedshoemaker shares. “Technology first, and second is because we are Italian and we applied the technology with Italian design and style. Italian shoes are really appreciated in the world because they are the best in terms of the quality and the leather used,” he adds.

Mario Polegato, who has received numerous accolades and awards including knighthoods from the presidents of Romania and Italy as well as entrepreneur of the year awards from Ernst & Young and a European Business leader Award for the Innovator of the Year category, devotes part of his time teaching students and young entrepreneurs about intellectual property at some of the most prestigious universities in Italy and around the world.

“I share my experience to students and always close the lecture by telling them my motto: ‘One idea is worth more than a factory’,” he ends. We couldn’t agree more.

For more information on Geox, visit OfficinePh on Facebook and log on to www.geox.com

SUNDAY : NOVEM B ER 8, 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

SECOND CHANCES CAROTID ARTERY

BY TATUM ANCHETA No, this is not about the much awaited movie of Popoy and Basha, though I know some fanatics of their first movie can’t wait to see them on screen again and relive what most of us “do” or “do not” get – a second chance.

If you don’t know that movie, I don’t know what rock you’ve been hiding under all these years but a little hello with Google will lead you to countless sites and blogs or Twitter posts about this perennial love story.

Over the past days, I have been in turmoil as to when to give people that second chance.

I have friends who have been complaining about their employees or their love life, and I have had my patience and energy drained by some people who get their second chance at work but simply do not change and still manage to mess everything up for themselves.

I don’t get it. Are these people who mess up their chances simply not fully “evolved” or they just don’t understand the concept of being better? Everyone deserves a second chance, whether in love, relationships, work, health, and a new life – but with second chances comes the responsibility of turning things around because a third or fourth is just too costly. You lose your job because you f*ck up, you get back up again and do better; you almost lost your life because of your abuse of alcohol, drugs, and other vices, you get your energy back and be an ambassador for wellness; you lost the love of your life because of one mistake, you get them back and treat the relationship as a gift the second time around.

My mentor once said, “Don’t be afraid to commit mistakes; crash and burn and then make a good comeback!” And it’s true.

Sometimes, “failure is the gateway for success.”

There are so many popular people who treated their second chance as an opportunity for greatness. A great one would be Steve Jobs.

In 1985, he was ousted from Apple. Years later, Apple got him back – it was a second chance for the company and him to redeem Apple’s glory and so he did just that: he turned a nearly bankrupt enterprise into one of the world’s most important product companies.

Then there’s Robert Downey Jr., notorious for his trail of drug abuse cases from 1996 to 2001. In 2008 he got cast as Tony Stark in

Ironman, and this marked his second chance in life after a series of downfalls for his drug use. He was even paid less than his co-actor Terrence Howard for the first movie. Come 2013 until 2015, he is now top-billed as one of the highest paid actors in Forbes’ list. Then everyone probably had a brother, dad, or uncle who have had their shares of rehab stories but end up being better after.

Everyone deserves a second chance. But if you are the “giver,” don’t just freely give away these second chances; it’s not candy.

Sometimes it can make or break a person and most times, you as “giver” can end up being the one broken. So when do you say “That’s it, bye-bye-bye (with an NSYNC chorus playing

in the background)! Go get your chance somewhere else”? Maybe, when you know that for this person, change is improbable, then it’s a lost cause. Saying no to these kinds of people may be the best gift you can give them, for them to learn and to do better next time – but somewhere else.

Are you also having thoughts about second chances? I may not be able to give it but it makes for a good conversation. Hit me up at tatum@thestandard.com.ph, share your comments, suggestions and violent reactions, for my crazy life’s adventures follow me at @tatumancheta on Instagram and Twitter.

SUNDAY : NOVEM B ER 8, 2015

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

SM NAMED PHILIPPINES’ TOP RETAILER

I

n October 1958, SM, then known as Shoemart, was nothing but a lone store along Rizal Avenue in downtown Manila. Fifty-seven years later, it has become a part of the lives of millions of Filipinos across the country and abroad.

And with more than half a century of retail experience under its belt, SM Retail once again received the Gold Award as the Philippines’ Top Retailer at the recently held Retail Asia-Pacific Top 500 Awards.

Each year, Retail Asia Publishing recognizes the largest and most outstanding retail companies in the 14 Asia-Pacific economies. Three retailers stand our from the pack and receive Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. SM Retail has consistently been a Gold recipient, while Puregold Price Club and Mercury Drug Corporation received the Silver and Bronze Awards, respectively.

Two other companies affiliated with the SM Group, Watsons Philippines and Ace Hardware also received Certificates of Distinction during the awarding ceremony.

Retail Asia Publisher Andrew Yeo commended the retailers that made it in the Retail Asia-Pacific Top 500 list for having “risen to the many challenges

SM Retail received the Gold Award as the Philippines’ Top Retailer during the recent Retail Asia-Pacific Top 500 Awards held recently at the Solaire Resort and Casino. Photo shows SM Retail Chairman Tessie Sy Coson receiving the award from Mr. Douglas Lawson, UnionPay International Southeast Asia’s Head of Regional Products. Each year, three top companies in 14 Asia Pacific economies receive Gold, Silver, and Bronze top retailing awards, with SM Retail consistently a Gold recipient. Two other companies affiliated with the SM Group, Watsons Philippines and ACE Hardware also received Certificates of Distinction during the evening.

confronting the industry, reviewing and revamping their operation to provide seamless shopping experiences for today’s highly connected shoppers.”

Since its establishment, SM Store has undergone major transformations to serve a new generation of customers. SM Makati introduced the shop-in-shop concept

wherein each category is designed and conceptualized like an individual boutique with its own look and feel.

Here, elements work together to create a bolder, more innovative kind of retail environment, which highlights and defines the merchandise, engaging the elite customer to experience a new sense of space.

Apart from the SM Store, SM’s Retail Group also has specialty store formats that serve niche markets by focusing on a wide selection of merchandise for each category.

Part of this is the Food Retail Group, which recently unified its three formats – SM Supermarket, SM Hypermarket, and Savemore – under one brand name known as SM Markets to emphasize the group’s commitment to bring the same friendly service, wide selection, and great value across all its stores.

The Non-Food Group, on the other hand, has store formats including appliance stores, fashion discount and toy superstores, as well as Kultura Filipino, a showcase of the best Filipino products.

“You have not only proven yourselves to be adaptable and versatile, but also able to win and maintain the critical core value that all retailers must nurture in their drive to win and retain their customers – trust,” said Yeo.

Rev. Fr. Anton Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila, led the opening ceremony with Mayor Arlene Arcillas of Santa Rosa, Laguna and Arden Jacel, lease manager of Greenfield City

SEGUNDA MANA OPENS NEW OUTLET AT PASEO DE STA. ROSA

I

Shoppers delight in their finds at the Segunda Mana outlet at Paseo de Sta Rosa in Laguna

n a bid to further spread the spirituality of stewardship, non-profit organization Caritas Manila recently opened the 22nd charity outlet of Segunda Mana at Paseo de Sta. Rosa in Laguna.

Segunda Mana is the donations-in-kind program of Caritas Manila that accepts pre-loved items that donors no longer use, such as clothes, shoes, bags, toys, home and fashion accessories as “gifts for charity.” Proceeds from this fund-raising project fund Caritas Manila’s flagship program, Youth Servant Leadership and Education Program, which currently has 5,000 poor youth beneficiaries.

Rev. Fr. Anton Pascual, executive director of Caritas Manila, led the opening ceremony with guests Mayor Arlene Arcillas of Santa Rosa, Laguna and Arden Jacel, lease manager of Greenfield City.

The newest Segunda Mana charity outlet is the second sponsored outlet of Greenfield Development Corporation, through the generosity of its chairman, Jeffrey Campos. The first charity outlet is located at Greenfield District in Mandaluyong City.

The 21 other charity outlets are located in Caritas Manila’s main office at 2002 Jesus St., Pandacan, Manila, and in its partner malls: Starmall – EDSA, Alabang, Las Piñas, and San Jose, Bulacan; Sta. Lucia East; Victory Mall – Caloocan, Alabang, Pasay, and Lacson-Quiapo; Isetann Recto; Riverbanks Marikina; Farmer’s Plaza Cubao; Makati Square; Harrison Plaza; Metropoint Pasay; Comoda Ville Antipolo; San Roque Cathedral in Caloocan; Ang Palengke Natin Service Cooperative Malabon and Sancti Josef Commercial Malabon.

Through Seginda Mana, Caritas Manila advocates the 3Rs: reuse, reduce and recycle. It also provides opportunities for livelihood to about 900 Segunda Mana “suki” micro-entrepreneurs.

To know more about Segunda Mana and other programs of Caritas Manila, visit www.caritasmanila.org.ph. For donations, call DonorCare at (02) 563-9311, (02) 5640205, 0999-7943455, 0905-4285001 and 0929-8343857.

S U N D AY : N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 5

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

Frances Espinoza, German Embassy Charge D’Affaires Michael Hasper, Austrian Embassy Cultural Attaché Lisbeth Strohmeier, Anjana Das-Hasper and Pia Heide Salman

Entrance of the Bavarian Sound Express band

Table setup

Guests dancing to the Oktoberfest Fliegerlied song

Tapping of the barrel: Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila’s general manager Adam Laker, German Embassy Commercial Counselor Dr. Andree Buhl and Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto

The Bavarian Sound Express band

Oktoberfest host Michael Scheile, German Ambassador Thomas Ossowski, Gerhard Zimmer, Claus Sudhoff and Sofitel’s Adam Laker with Oktoberfest host Eiffelene Salvador- Howard

Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila’s Yasmine Hidalgo, executive chef Denis Vecchiato, executive pastry chef Rolando Macatangay, German Club House Committee chairman Gerhard Zimmer, director of Sales and Marketing Alice Jenkins

A FEAST FOR THE THIRSTY – PROST! #INTHEMOMENT

BY FRANCIS DE LEON

Last year, during my trip to Hong Kong, I attended a huge gathering to experience my first authentic Oktoberfest. It was a large-scale event supported by the HK Tourism Board and was held in a tented venue overlooking Victoria Harbour. Actually, it was quite overwhelming with the big number of Hong Kong nationals and the expatriate community who came in droves – hungry, thirsty and ready to party the night away on a rainy evening.

This year, I found myself on a parallel scenario. I breezed through Manila’s stormy weather to catch the biggest gathering of the German Club in the Philippines held at the Sofitel Harbor Garden Tent for their version of the Oktoberfest.

This time, I was mindful and came to the venue prepared – hungry, thirsty and more ready to party the night away!

The only difference was that I am on familiar ground and certain that I was in for a bigger and more festive treat. In my book, nobody celebrates like us! After all, “It’s more fun in the Philippines!”

According to Sofitel’s director of Public Relations Yasmine Hidalgo, that evening was the 77th Oktoberfest celebration of the German Club and the 5th event to be hosted and organized by the dynamic team of Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.

The hotel’s Harbor Garden Tent played host to over 4,000 guests during the Oktoberfest.

Upon entering the venue, you literally feel the intense energy of

From left: PADI Master Scuba instructor Ralph Joerger, Divina Joerger, Ottilia Taus, European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines President and JEC Philippines Managing Director Guenter Taus, and European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines executive vice president Florian Gottein

German Embassy Commercial Counsellor Dr. Andree Buhl and BAG Electronics’ Roland Odenthal

Filminera president Chris Acosta, Intelligent Touch president Robert Yap, Asia Waterjet regional sales managers Chris Parkhill and Rob Barrows

Belinda Laker, Siobhan Bonny Horgan, Jenny Moriarty, Sofitel’s Alice Jenkins, Iva Kerto and Alfredo Denage

Clockwise from left: Actor Dingdong Dantes, Carlo Gonzalez, actor Arthur Bosch’s project manager Toby Theis and Steffen Rittner with Claus Sudhoff and Accounts and Finance manager Solinap, Andre Gonzalez, Ricky Chua, JP Quema and Gabby Pastor Dominic Bauer

the German-Filipino community and friends singing “Ein Prosit Ein Prosit.” Naturally, this columnist joined in the “endurance-testing” (pun intended) dancing with the world-famous Bavarian Sound Express band that flew in all the way from Munich.

The stunning milieu was converted into an authentic beer garden (or Biergärten in German) complete with Oktoberfest tables and benches. Adding to the festive spirit were ladies donning the dirndl and gentlemen in their

Lederhosen – German Oktoberfest traditional costumes.

Sofitel treated us to an authentic Oktoberfest experience with musicians playing all-time favorite Bavarian and English music. From the opening of the first keg, San Miguel beer was free flowing and the sumptuous Bavarian spread prepared by the hotel’s master chefs that everyone enjoyed. And it was no ordinary feast! Mind you, I was told that more than 9,000 liters of beer and two tons of German sausages were consumed!

Bambi Intoy, Kae Lopez, King Esquerra, Paul Lopez, Eman Lopez and Malou Lopez

“The Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila is delighted to continue to be the home of Oktoberfest for the next three years. We have seen how Oktoberfest has helped promote camaraderie among the Filipinos and Germans and we are extremely pleased to have contributed to this,” expressed hotel general manager Adam Laker.

Sofitel’s Oktoberfest fever is a festival that has brought together a large crowd of diverse nationalities.

Most significantly, it has promoted a sense of community. Everyone

satisfied their thirst (to their heart’s content) for beer, evident in their utter state of jubilation.

Laker added, “The GermanFilipino community can expect more excitement and thrill at next year’s Oktoberfest right here at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza.”

And judging by the huge turnout and the (alcohol infused) happiness that abounded at the venue – Sofitel did a magnifique job!

Prost!

Follow me on Twitter or Instagram @francis_deleon8.

SUNDAY : NOV EMBER 8, 2015

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

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New aND excitiNg culiNary shows

D

elightfully gastronomic shows dominate FYI this month, with two new series and a special centered on food.

Never before had faceless online critics have so much power over the success or failure of restaurants. Just one mistake with one disgruntled customer can drive a chef to face an uphill battle to get diners back through the doors.

In the new series Say It To My Face!, airing Thursdays at 10 p.m., restaurants and critics meet face-to-face for the first time.

Chef co-hosts Andrew Gruel and Anthony Dispensa help each owner and chef to make over their restaurant in hopes that their toughest online critics will change their reviews, while helping to encourage new customers to come through the door.

Can a team of five child culinary prodigies stage a cook-off with a prolific executive-level chef? That’s exactly what happens in the fantastic Man VS. Child: Chef Showdown, airing 9 p.m.

Thursdays as well. Each week, a new executive chef will face off against the team of Cloyce (13), Holden (14), Emmalee (12),

Dylan (11) and Estie (7) to defend their culinary abilities. Will raw talent and imagination prove to be enough for the first generation of kids raised on cooking shows? Great chefs will be put to the ultimate test against the food stars of tomorrow.

With the holidays fast approaching, the Epic Meal Empire stages a Thanksgiving Special at 10 p.m. on Nov. 26 , seeking culinary inspiration from history, and hopping aboard a massive, somewhat Mayflower-ish boat for a crash course in all things Pilgrim. They also drop by a farm to humbly thank their favorite animals for being so delicious and – following a rigorous screening process – welcome a select batch of Turkey Day strangers to their table for a most gracious feast of hogs.

Also on FYI this month, Tiny House Hunting Season 2, Mondays at 10 p.m., with realtors helping pair the perfect tiny home for newlywed professional cooks, and create the ideal place to complement a writer wife’s needs, and her husband and kids’ wants.

FYI™ is available on SKYCable Ch 79; Cable Link Ch. 44; Dream Satellite Ch 21.

Epic Meal Empire stages a Thanksgiving Special on Nov. 26, Thursday at 10PM, seeking culinary inspiration from history, and hopping aboard a boat for a crash course in all things Pilgrim.

Tiny House Hunting Season 2 begins Nov. 2, Mondays at 10PM, with realtors helping pairs find the perfect tiny home for them.

What happens when a team of five child culinary prodigies stage a cook-off with a prolific executive-level chef?

Find out in the fantastic Man VS. Child: Chef Showdown, premiering Nov. 5 and airing Thursdays at 9PM.

Restaurant critics meet face-to-face for the first time in Say It To My Face!, premiering Nov. 5 and airing Thursdays at 10PM.

New games oN gamestart 2015 Following the success of its inaugural show last year, GameStart 2015 will take place Nov. 13 to 15 in Singapore at the Suntec Convention Centre, Halls 401 and 402, with double the floor space from last year at almost 4,000 square meters.

This year, visitors can expect to see numerous trial stands and demo booths across all platforms – PC, console and mobile - and over 60 hot new games, including several that have yet to be launched. There will be meet-the-producer sessions, show matches, eSports tournaments, cosplay runway showcase and exclusive promotions for game bundles and show merchandise.

Visitors to GameStart 2015 will be the first in Southeast Asia to try the PlayStation VR headset peripheral.

When worn during gameplay with PS4 VR games, the headset gives the user a truly immersive experience.

Bandai Namco Entertainment will showcase upcoming games Dark Souls III and Gundam Extreme vs.

Force. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will be presenting Lego Marvel’s Avengers, which is expected to launch in January.

A new kind of video game that appeals to both male and female gamers

Thanks to the Star Wars fans at Geek Culture, GameStart 2015 attendees will also be the first in Singapore to experience the Star Wars™: Battle Pod™, an experiential arcade game that features a dome-shaped screen, transporting players into heated battles in a galaxy far, far away. In iconic locations like the Death Star, players will be able to take control of some of the most memorable vehicles and moments in the Star Wars universe and pilot them to victory.

No Average Joe, GameStart 2015’s Production Partner for the show, has brought back the popular retro gaming section “Retro DNA”, where gamers can check out vintage game consoles, games and arcade machines from the 1980s to the early 2000.

Celebrity cosplayers Johnny (Junkers Cosplay) and Karin (Acanthastar Cosplay) from the United States and TUNA from South Korea will be at the show to meet their fans and will also be judges for the Game On! Cosplay Runway Showcase on Nov. 15, organized by cosplay partner Neo Tokyo Project.

With events and games that will appeal to everyone from core and casual gamers to cosplay enthusiasts, this year’s organizers have expanded the show to include an industry-focused Business Day and conference session on Nov. 13 themed “Gaming in Asia: Trends & Insights”. The Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) is the supporting agency for the Conference, with the aim of

profiling and promoting the career opportunities within this dynamic and exciting industry.

Ubisoft Singapore Senior Producer Hugues Ricour will be the keynote speaker for the conference and will share his views on how AAA HD game titles put Singapore on the map.

Attendees will also get the inside scoop from experts from Facebook, Mad Catz and Twitch, among others.

The first 500 visitors to the show on Saturday and Sunday will receive a “Random Loot Bag,” which contain anything from exclusive T-shirts to games, posters and other exclusive items.

All paid ticket holders qualify for the show lucky draw in which they can win prizes such as consoles and gaming accessories. These include

A cosplayer at Game Start

a SecretLab chair, Obutto racing seat, products from Armaggeddon and Razer, Kinetiquettes Street Fighter statues, and more. Full details will be revealed on the GameStart.asia website.

Homegrown gaming gear company Armaggeddon will be also be launching exciting new products at the show.

Merchandise for fans and collectors include official Blizzard merchandise including items from Blizzcon 2015 that will be sold in limited quantities, exclusive

pieces from Simply Toys, and Arc System Works from Japan will be offering exclusive merchandise of their critically acclaimed fighting game franchises, BlazBlue and Guilty Gear.

Official apparel partner for GameStart, Xmashed Gear will be debuting new designs for sale at the event.

Also available for sale will be game-themed socks specially created for GameStart 2015, in collaboration with Freshly Pressed. A total of 17 designs will be available at the event.

SUNDAY : NOV EMBER 8, 2015

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SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

CNN ‘On The Road’ explores Indonesia

I

t is one of the most diverse places on the planet – an archipelago of 17,000 islands – spanning more than 5,000 kilometers from east to west.

Around 250 million people call Indonesia home. And while the country may be best known for its sprawling capital, Jakarta, and the island paradise of Bali, there is much below the surface that remains unexplored. From the mystical to the exotic, join CNN International correspondent Paula Newton as she goes On The Road in search of the unchartered places and people that make up this vibrant nation.

Highlights of the special week of coverage include: Beyond The Beach Indonesia may be the largest Muslim nation in the world, but in Bali, the majority of people practice a form of Hinduism. That spirituality pervades virtually every aspect of life, including traditional rice cultivation, known as Subak. CNN journeys to the Jatiluwih Rice Terraces where farmers rely on both the natural and spiritual using a technique that has remained unchanged for 11 centuries and has earned a place on UNESCO’s world heritage list.

Balinese Spirituality Water is at the core of Balinese spirituality. CNN journeys to the mystical Pura Ulun Danu Bratan, the ‘floating temple’ on the shores of Lake Bratan, as we observe how holy water pervades throughout Balinese practices. Then it’s on to Tirta Empul, the holy spring Hindu water temple, which legend says is the elixir of immortality.

Uncharted Territory CNN travels to the island of Sulawesi, up into the magnificent panoramas of the Toraja highlands. Here, we delve into unique Torajan rituals surrounding their perspective on life, and death. A celebrated extension of life, funeral ceremonies can take up to a week and involve entire villages – a time not just for mourning, but a time to renew family ties and to renew continued unity.

Welcome to the Gili Islands The Gili Islands are paradise found: a tiny archipelago, a short speedboat ride from Bali, and stone’s throw from its lesser known neighbor, Lombok. Here, there are no

Kapuso programs anytime, anywhere in HK

CNN On The Road features exotic Indonesia

engines allowed, as well as no police. We take a look at the string of islands and how locals are fighting to carve out a model of sustainable tourism that balances the island way.

Healing The Waters CNN takes to the crystal clear seas with the Gili Eco Trust, as we look into an initiative created by locals to protect its coral reefs from overfishing and degradation.

In a partnership with famed Indonesian sculptor Teguh Osterink, we dive in to explore ARTificial Reef Park – a series of underwater sculptures designed to grow coral with an artistic flare.

On The Road airs Nov. 9-13 within CNN Today at 8 a.m. and News Stream at 9 p.m. with a 30-minute special airing Nov.13-17.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE

ANSWER FOR PREVIOUS PUZZLE ACROSS 1 Apply a mudpack 5 Harness parts 10 Rock cushions 16 Montgomery —

of Hollywood 21 Caesar’s bones 22 Without exception 23 Ms. Lansbury 24 “Walk Away —” 25 Doctor’s advice 26 Out of the sack 27 Array 28 Shout for joy 29 Xylophone

cousins 31 Flow back 33 Sun-dried brick 35 “Road”

movie locale 36 Furry friend 37 Sincer k.d. — 40 Flight dir.

41 Mountainous st.

42 Mme. in Madrid 45 Once called 46 Genetic material

48 50 52 54

55 57 58 59 60 62

66 67 69 71 72

74 76

78 79 80

83

Physics unit Long steps It gets whacked Cambodia neighbor Jungle knife Show distress As should be Like one Ranger Top off Kid who rode Diablo Hit the books Mild Account book Razor brand Type of socks (2 wds.)

LIII doubled Minneapolis suburb Wolf, say Breezy refusal Copter’s landing place Like most covered bridges (hyph.)

85 Roasting rods 88 Speaks hoarsely 89 Pouts 90 Crystal’s sister 93 First 95 Sums for CPAs 97 Capitalize on 98 Poet W.H. — 100 — Dawn Chong 101 Marble basis 106 Counting-rhyme

opener 108 Cultivated soils 110 Wandered around 112 Sheik colleague 113 Improbable wish 115 Oahu neighbor 116 Gov. agent (hyph.)

117 Malfoy at

Hogwarts 118 Umbrella spoke 120 Pharaoh’s river 122 Bogus 123 Spurted forth 124 Tight braid 128 What RNs

dispense 129 — Lobos of music 130 Contented sighs 131 Exist 132 Makes haste 133 Cleveland

hoopster 135 NYC district 137 Tent securer 139 Antiquity 140 Electrical unit 142 Famous Khan 144 Mollycoddled 148 Keen 150 Repairs pipes 153 “Hare Krishna,” e.g.

155 Rub the wrong way 156 Tex-Mex snacks 157 Writer — Welty 158 Oasis sight 159 Like some chatter 160 Hagar’s pooch

GMA International, in cooperation with now TV, launches its first over-the-top service with the now Pinoy TV app, which gives viewers in Hong Kong easy access to GMA Pinoy TV through their mobile phones.

It started on Oct. 19, when users downloaded the app and catch GMA’s topnotch entertainment and news and public affairs programs on GMA’s flagship international channel, GMA Pinoy TV. Users need not worry about missing an episode of their favorite programs as the app also offers 16 hours of catch-up video-on-demand each month.

“We are continuously innovating ways to reach our diverse Kapuso audiences abroad and expanding our services in the face of ever-changing consumer preferences,” shares GMA First Vice President and Head of International Operations Joseph T. Francia. “With the now Pinoy TV app, we endeavor to address the broad demand for Kapuso content, making it more accessible anytime and anywhere in Hong Kong, where over 200,000 Filipinos reside.”

The app was developed by now TV which carries GMA Pinoy TV, along with GMA Life TV and GMA News TV

24 Oras

International, in Hong Kong.

“We are delighted to provide Pinoys in Hong Kong with their favorite home country content anytime, anywhere via the new now Pinoy TV app,” says Loke Kheng Tham, PCCW’s executive vice president of Pay TV. “Now TV is Hong Kong’s largest pay-TV provider, offering more than 190 top-class channels to over 1.2 million customers. A wide range of Filipino content is available currently on our TV platform and the launch of this new now Pinoy TV app further demonstrates our commitment to providing even more flexible content

access for Hong Kong’s Pinoy community,” she adds.

GMA Pinoy TV showcases the best of what the Kapuso Network has to offer with a diverse line-up of programs.

These include popular Kapuso entertainment programs - Beautiful Strangers, My Faithful Husband, The Half Sisters, CelebriTV, Wowowin, Sunday PinaSaya, and Eat Bulaga, which features the popular KalyeSerye segment starring the AlDub tandem of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza a.k.a. Yaya Dub. It also delivers news straight from the Philippines through its flagship newscast 24 Oras, the late night newscast Saksi, and hourly news bulletins through Flash Report.

The now Pinoy TV app is now available for download on Google Play Store for Android users, while iOS users can download the app through the Apple App store.

For more information, visit www.store.now.com.

GMA First Vice President and Head of International Operations Joseph T. Francia

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2015

161 Cactus habitat 162 Feeling no pain 163 Gazed at

DOWN 1 Campus building 2 Between ports 3 Gorbachev’s

domain 4 Tie-dye cousin 5 Chamomile

infusion (2 wds.)

6 Fly 7 Not neat 8 Prior to 9 Dec. 31 word 10 Deadly

black snake 11 — — whim 12 Barracks off.

13 Vaccines 14 Miss a syllable 15 Early Brits 16 Hudson Bay tribe 17 Villain — Luthor 18 Toughened 19 Catty?

20 Wyoming range 30 Tangy 32 Lesage hero Gil — 34 Gambles 38 Bird beak 39 Composer

Ferde — 41 Fibula companion 42 Fire starter 43 Age on the vine 44 Columns 46 Sweet roll 47 Eggnog time 49 Coasted along 51 “Arabian Nights”

bird 53 Firm, as pasta

(2 wds.)

54 Nessie’s hideout 56 Gymnast —

Korbut 59 Balcony section

61 63 64 65 67 68 69 70 73 75 77 81 82 84 85

Engineering toy Swipe Flivver starter Singers Hall and — Brief swim Cream puffs More sassy Was a candidate Shade-loving plant Panoramic view Robins’ domiciles Urn homophone Happy — — clam Sheens Fishtailed

86 Baffling question 87 Nobelist — Curie 91 Egyptian boy-king 92 Take — — view of 93 Know somehow 94 Andes ruminants 95 Revival shout 96 Sz. option 99 Verve 102 Mosque official 103 Old cattle town 104 More polite 105 Form a gully 107 Sailors’ tales 109 Grades

111 He overthrew Galba

114 Cosmonaut’s lab 117 Twilights 119 — Raton, Fla. 121 Kind of system 122 Trudge on wearily 123 Horrifying 124 Swindles 125 Garage squirter 126 Mark down 127 Buckled, as

lumber 130 Rights a wrong 134 Prize greatly

136 Laces into (2 wds.)

137 Rascal 138 Ghostly 140 Oktober ending 141 Clothing, slangily 143 IRS employee 145 Orderly 146 She, to Marie 147 Legal document 149 Rocky crag 151 One of the

Stooges 152 It’s c-c-cold!

154 Yes, in Tokyo

SUNDAY : NOV EMBER 8, 2015

C7

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza fuel GMA 7 in the ratings race

Ismol Family

Pepito Manaloto

Gma NetwoRK wideNs lead iN NatioNwide RatiNGs iN oCtoBeR

R

iding on the momentum of its first place finish in nationwide ratings in September, GMA Network further strengthened its dominance in National Urban Philippines in October, according to data from the industry’s most trusted ratings provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

In October (with the dates of Oct. 25 to 31 based on overnight readings), GMA doubled its lead over ABS-CBN in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) to 5.3 points from the previous month’s 2.5 points with a 39 percent total day household audience share, beating ABS-CBN’s 33.7 percent, as well as TV5’s 8.8 percent.

GMA spiked up its lead over ABS-CBN in the morning block with 37.1 percent, ahead of ABSCBN’s 30.2 percent by 6.9 points.

GMA also reinforced its solid performance in the afternoon block with 47.8 percent, 19.7 points higher than ABS-CBN’s 28.1 percent. GMA rated higher than TV5 across all day parts in NUTAM. The Kapuso Network also continued to rule over competition across all day parts in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which respectively account for 77 per-

From C8

cent and 59 percent of all urban TV households in the country, with double-digit margins in the morning and afternoon blocks.

GMA registered a 43.9 percent total day average in Urban Luzon, remarkably ahead of ABS-CBN’s 29.1 percent by 14.8 points and TV5’s 7.8 percent by 36.1 points.

GMA also remained undisputed in Mega Manila with a dominant 46.1 percent, up 20.5 points from ABS-CBN’s 25.6 percent and up 38 points from TV5’s 8.1 percent.

Moreover, GMA led in the top programs list for October in NUTAM, Urban Luzon and Mega Manila.

Eat Bulaga continued to break records as it emerged as the most watched program in Urban Luzon and Manila, while leading the list of Kapuso programs in NUTAM. The program’s Oct. 24 episode, featuring the sold-out “Tamang Panahon” concert at the Philippine Arena, posted an overwhelming 42.9 percent household rating in NUTAM and 51.3 percent in Mega Manila (based on official data). It is now the mostwatched single episode on Philippine TV so far.

Pepito Manaloto, Ismol Family, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, 24 Oras Weekend, Magpakailanman, and

Vampire Ang Daddy Ko also had high ratings in their respective timeslots, and were in the top programs list.

Also included in the list were 24 Oras, Sunday PinaSaya, Imbestigador, Karelasyon, Wowowin, Marimar, Beautiful Strangers, The Half Sisters, The Ryzza Mae Show Presents: Princess in the Palace, Celebrity Bluff, My Faithful Husband, Juan Tamad, Kapuso Movie Festival, Buena Familia, Wish Ko Lang, Destiny Rose and GMA Blockbusters.

HHHHH Glaiza de CastRo’s dReams NeveR eNd iN sNBo Kapuso fans will have a free access to Glaiza de Castro’s first major solo sold-out concert, Dreams Never End, in GMA’s SNBO tonight.

Glaiza, considered as one of the most-respected actresses of her generation, will give us a glimpse of her artistry in her heartfelt renditions of songs from her soldout album like “Waiting Shed,” “Barcelona,” “Memo” and the hit “Dusk ‘Til Dawn.”

In the concert, she shares the stage with music industry’s best and iconic figures, including 90s female rock icon Kitchie Nadal, Asia’s Golden Voice Cooky Chua and the one and only Asia’s Songbird, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid.

Glaiza revealed that it has been her dream to perform live with these musical women who have inspired her to write and perform original Pinoy music. “Masaya po akong nabigyan ng pagkakataon na makasamang mag-perform ang mga hinahangaan ko sa isang entablado.

It’s really a night to remember.”

Aside from her musical idols, Glaiza will also be joined by her friends in the industry to perform pop-rock songs including Kapuso leading lady Rhian Ramos, director Quark Henares, actor Ketchup Eusebio, Kapuso leading man Gabby Eigenmann and the King of R & B, Jay-R. HHHHH UNBeataBle KapUso weeKeNd pRimetime Comedy shows What fares well with Kapuso fans, apart from the slew of drama series, is the string of comedy shows on weekend.

Proof of that is when Pepito Manaloto and Ismol Family eased into the Top 10 programs nationwide with the highest ratings in October.

This could mean the network will continue to support programs that not only entertain but also gives valuable lessons to the network’s audience.

HHHHH deNNis tRillo waNts to staR iN a RomaNtiC Comedy If given the chance, Dennis Trillo would like to be in a romantic comedy with My Faithful Husband co-star Jennylyn Mercado.

“Para naman maiba,” the actor said, “Considering na napakabigat ng My Faithful Husband.”

Meanwhile, the actor had a good time with Solenn Heusaff when they were shooting Lakbay2Love, an indie movie. He said they enjoyed the scenes they did together because they were mostly what they enjoy off screen, like biking.

Dennis Trillo wants to star in a romcom for a change, also with Jennylyn Mercado

Glaiza de Castro stars in a concert airing on GMA 7 tonight

Alex GonzAGA in ‘MTRCB UnCUT’

t

V star Alex Gonzaga, the creative mind behind Klik and best-selling book Dear, Alex, Break Na Kami, Paano?! Love, Catherine, guests in MTRCB Uncut today.

Get updates straight from the Kapamilya talent about her book’s upcoming film adaptation plus

preparation details on its soon-tobe-released second edition.

In this week’s “books to movies” episode, watch out for local Wattpad fictionist Marcelo Santos III, popularly known for his work Para Sa Hopeless Romantic, as well as Segundo “Jun” Matias Jr., co-founder of the company that

publishes some of the industry’s hit paperbacks, Precious Hearts Romances. Joining them in an engaging “Prangkahan” is no less than famed writer and MTRCB Board Member Alfred “Krip” Yuson.

MTRCB Chairman Eugenio “Toto” Villareal responds to inquiries sent to the Agency. Know

more about the significance of the color-coded advisory of the revised classification system as well as the duties and responsibilities of an MTRCB Deputy in “I-Share Mo Kay Chair.”

Hosted by Bobby Andrews and Jackie Aquino, MTRCB Uncut airs every Sunday, 7 to 8 p.m.on Net 25.

Bobby Andrews with Alex Gonzaga in Klik, a segment in MTRCB Uncut

SUNDAY : NOV EMBER 8, 2015

C8

ISAH V. RED EDITOR isahred @ gmail.com

SHOWBITZ

Kate Brios plays a loving wife turned aswang in Maria Labo

Kate with co-star Sam Pinto Newcomer Kate Brios plays the title role in Maria Labo

aswang in The 21sT cenTury ISAH V. RED Many say that we are now in an age where the folklores about supranaturals are becoming nothing but a thing for computer games.

But not in the movies where the characters from the other sphere of the universe seem to be dominating the screens.

Take for example the story of a woman from the Visayas. It has now become an urban legend.

Urban legends have a way of affecting us, and for a long time now, that of Maria Labo has elicited terror and repulsion especially in the Visayas where her story is said to have taken place. She is believed to be the aswang from Iloilo (others claim Capiz and Sorsogon) who butchered her own children and fed them to her husband after she

herself feasted on them. To this day, many believe that she is still out there looking for victims to satiate her cravings. Intrigued by this blood-curdling story, Roi Vinzon turned it into a movie. This month, Maria Labo is set to put viewers on the edge of their seats and stir emotions other than fear.

Maria, played by newcomer Kate Brios, is a loving wife and mother who wants to help her husband Ermin (Jestoni Alarcon) make ends meet. Encouraged by her friend Emily (Sam Pinto), she grabs the opportunity to work as a caregiver in Dubai despite her husband’s hesitation. She finds a friend in a fellow OFW, Nanay Leng, but falls prey to cruel, drunken foreign men. Now mentally disturbed, Maria is sent back to the Philippines. Worse than being insane, she has turned into a monster who devours human flesh. As her husband looks for answers about her mysterious trans-

formation, the town is in serious danger as she remains at large.

“Labo”, which means “to hack” in Ilonggo, is attached to Maria’s name because of what was done to her face. The movie took the liberty in changing some details, like making Maria an OFW in Dubai, while the original tale says that she worked in Canada and it was her employer who passed on the supernatural powers to her. Another version has it that Maria was killed by a Spaniard and it is her ghost that’s prowling the town.

Though this is Kate Brios’ first film, Vinzon praises her sensibility as an actress and she is able to hold her own in the company of seasoned actors, like Jestoni Alarcon, Baron Geisler, Mon Confiado, Dennis Padilla, Rez Cortez, Sam Pinto, and Rey ‘PJ’ Abellana.

Maria Labo premires on Nov.10, 7 p.m. at SM Megamall, Cinema 7.

It opens on Nov.11 natiowide.

Viva Films distributes the film.

Wesley Snipes is The Player

HHHHH The Player, exclusive on rTl cBs exTrme hD The Player, the action-packed Las Vegas-set thriller will premiere first and exclusive on RTL CBS Extreme HD 10 p.m. on Nov. 10.

From the executive producers of The Blacklist, this new TV series co-stars Wesley Snipes as a pit boss and Charity Wakefield

as the dealer for a high-stakes game where an organization of wealthy individuals gamble on the ability of former military operative-turned-security expert Philip Winchester to stop some of the biggest crimes imaginable from playing out.

“We’re delighted to have acquired The Player for RTL CBS Extreme HD, our male-skewed action entertainment channel,” says Jennifer Batty, EVP Programming, RTL CBS Asia Entertainment Network. The series compliments the channel’s strong programming that audiences in the region appreciate.”

John Rogers serves as writer and executive producer. Patrick Massett, John Zinman, John Davis, John Fox and director Bharat Nalluri also executive produce.

The Player is produced by Sony Pictures Television, Davis Entertainment and Kung Fu Monkey. ➜ continued on c7