The Standard - 2016 May 22 - Sunday

VOL. XXX NO. 99 3 Sections 24 Pages P18 SUNDAY : MAY 22, 2016 www.thestandard.com.ph editorial@thestandard.com.ph

VISAYANS LEAD EXODUS FROM LP

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RODY’S NOMINEES COME UNDER FIRE

By John Paolo Bencito

DAVAO CITY—Contrary to the perception that he wanted to corner some appointments to the incoming administration, the camp of Christian evangelist Apollo Quiboloy questioned on Saturday the appointments that have so far been made by his longtime friend, President-in-waiting Rodrigo Duterte.

“We’re not saying that we’re against their appointments but why them? There should be an explanation,” Quiboloy’s spokesperson Mike Abe told The Standard in an interview. “If the pastor is part of the process, he would be asking why and there won’t be any questions left.”

“That’s the question of the pastor,” Abe said. “The pastor said, for the change that this country

needs, it’s the question you need to answer.’’

“There are millions of people who want change, while the President has all the power to place people in his Cabinet. But these are sensitive positions,” Abe quoted the pastor as saying.’’

Abe did not identify whose appointments they were questioning but maintained that their desire to be part of the

selection process was not based on a desire to have some nominee included in the incoming Duterte administration.

“It’s different,” Abe insisted, “unlike those people falling in line to see the [incoming] President as ‘well-wishers’ but actually want positions in the government.”

“Even before, the pastor did not ask for favors nor sought any Next page

HOT SEATS. Not even sworn into office by the incoming Duterte administration, prospective Cabinet members Salvador Panelo (left), named press secretary and presidential spokesman, and Mark Villar, designated public works secretary, are already being questioned by various quarters.

SIBLINGS RECHARGE APPLIANCE BUSINESS

B1

‘MINDANAO POLLS MARRED BY FRAUD’

By Joel E. Zurbano MINDANAO supporters of the Liberal Party were accused of engaging in massive election irregularities in the region during the May 9 elections and that affected the votes for national candidates, especially in the presidential and vice presidential race.

In the weekly news forum at Anabel’s Restaurant in Quezon City, two members of the Alyansang Duterte-Bongbong (Aldub), revealed several incidents of electoral fraud in Basilan in the recently concluded elections.

Aldub is a group of supporters named after presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte

and vice presidential bet Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Victor Abillo and Abdurasad Teodoro, provincial coordinators of Aldub in Basilan, said their watchers in Basilan towns reported that many voters were prevented from casting their votes by armed men who controlled the precincts.

Next page

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

VISAYANS LEAD EXODUS FROM LP

By Sammy F. Martin

AS EARLIER admitted by Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., the Liberal Party members who have jumped ship to support the speakership bid of incoming Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez are mostly from the “Visayan bloc,” headed by Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez.

Benitez led at least 30 congressmen, many of them LP colleagues of Belmonte, signed a manifesto that also declared “cooperation and support” to the Duterte administration.

Benitez also revealed that Belmonte was aware of the exodus while some of them were just waiting for the right time to shift loyalty for Alvarez.

Initially, at least 30 reelected and newly elected congressmen representing Visayan-speaking congressional districts signed a manifesto supporting Duterte and Alvarez, the presumptive president’s anointed for House speaker.

“We, the members of the Visayan Bloc, extend our cooperation and support to the incoming Duterte

administration in its pursuit for the development and enactment of pro-people and developmental policies and programs for our country,” the manifesto stated. ‘‘The bloc also manifests its support to the speakership bid of Congressman Pantaleon Alvarez for the 17th Congress,” it added.

Iloilo City Rep. Jerry Trenas, president of the organization composed of at least 45 members, is among the top LP lawmakers to defect to the Alvarez camp.

Other prominent LP solons who signed the manifesto are: Reps.

Lucy Torres Gomez (Fourth District, Leyte); Arthur Defensor Jr. (Third District, Iloilo); Rene Relampagos (First District, Bohol);

Cesar V. Sarmiento (Lone District, Catanduanes); Ben Evardone (Lone District, Eastern Samar); Paolo Javier (Lone District, Antique); Gerard Gullas (First District, Cebu) and Richard Garin (First District, Iloilo).

Neophytes also expressed their support for Alvarez. Among them: Reps. Lucille Nava (Lone District, Guimaras); Henry Ong (Second District, Leyte); Raul Boboy Tupas (Fifth District, Iloilo); Melecio Yap (First District, Negros Occidental); Manuel Sagarbarria (Second District, Negros Occidental); Greg Gasataya (Lone District, Bacolod City); and Arnie Teves (Third District, Negros Oriental).

Incumbent Rep. Sharon Garin,

sister-in-law of Health Secretary Jannette Garin, is the lone partylist solon to sign the manifesto.

But 10 more party-list congressmen have already aired their intention to sign the statement of support for Duterte and Alvarez, having been signatories of a similar document prepared by the Partylist Coalition, headed by Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe.

Outgoing Representatives Evelio Leonardia and Pryde Henry Teves, newly elected mayors of Bacolod City and Bayawan City, also signed the Visayan Bloc manifesto.

Benitez was himself being eyed as candidate for the speakership, but effectively withdrew his bid after signing the manifesto. PNA

NOT REALLY A FREE ELECTION. Mindanao residents, who are also supporters of vice presidential candidate Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., related the irregularities they witnessed during

the elections in Basilan, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao at a news forum in Quezon City. Also at the forum was former senator Aquilino ‘Nene’ Pimentel who spoke about the federalism proposal of the incoming Duterte administration. MANNY PALMERO

RODY’S...

From A1

audience with the mayor,” Abe said, insisting that they were only after the success of the Duterte administration. “We will just continue his promise to help him in any way possible.”

The Duterte camp claimed on Friday that there were already talks between Quiboloy and Duterte to thresh out the matter, but Abe said Duterte’s aides made no such attempt.

“There’s no meeting whatsoever, that’s not true. There’s no attempt from the camp of presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte,” he said.

Abe had earlier admitted that Quiboloy felt excluded in the selection process, particularly after the announcement of the appointments of Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar as secretary of public works and lawyer Salvador Panelo as press secretary.

Criticism of Villar’s appointment stemmed from the fact that his family was involved in real estate while Panelo’s was questioned because he once represented one of the suspected masterminds of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre of 58 people, including 32 media workers.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said Villar, who was just reelected Las Piñas congressman, should first be sworn in as representative and then resign from the post if he wants to accept the Cabinet position. Otherwise, he will violate the appointments of newly-elected officials to executive posts and could face up to six months

in prison as punishment.

But Panelo urged critics to respect the presumptive president’s choice of people who will form his Cabinet because they all “passed” qualifications required of Cabinet members.

“Let’s trust and respect the choices of Presidentelect Duterte. Do not worry because the mayor had already seen the worries and repercussions,” Panelo told The Standard. “Let us not indulge in unfair speculations on the appointees of Mayor Duterte.”

But a source inside the Duterte camp admitted that there were problems in the selection process because of the different competing groups within the Duterte camp.

“Depending on your level of access, you can get appointed to a position. But others are kept at the gate,” the source said.

In one instance, he said one applicant was given a key position “just because he’s being lobbied by a Manila politician close to the mayor.”

But Peter Laviña, the transition team spokesperson, said the selection process includes passing names to people who know of their qualifications, but another source said some appointments were made at the say-so of a third party without regard for their qualifications.

Aside from particular Cabinet appointments, Duterte’s decision to offer the Department of Agrarian Reform, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Labor and Employment and Department of Social Welfare and Development to the Communist Party of the Philippines has also drawn negative reaction from critics.

‘MINDANAO...

From A1

“There were no elections in many places in Basilan because people were prevented from voting and were told there would be no voting even if it was just six in the morning,” Abillo said.

In many of these areas, he pointed out, all the presidential and vice presidential candidates except the tandem of Liberal Party candidates—former Interior and Local Government secretary Manuel Roxas II and Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo—had zero votes.

Abillo and Teodoro said three other witnesses can attest that no voting was done in many parts of Basilan and witnesses were willing to execute sworn affidavits.

Abillo also presented the sworn affidavit of a winning councilor, Amina Muarip, who stated that she and her supporters were prevented from voting in Barangay Candiis in Hadji Mohammad Ajul in Basilan by LP supporters.

“The supporters of the Liberal Party in precincts 27A, 27B, 28A, 29B and 30A orchestrated the locking of the votes in favor of all the candidates of the Liberal Party,” Muarip said.

“The supporters of the Liberal Party also gave the amount of P1,000 to the voters of Barangay Candiis,

Hadji Mohammad Ajul to vote for the candidates of the Liberal Party, which acts obviously constitutes a violation of the Omnibus Election Law and other existing laws in the election,” she added.

She also witnessed the same LP members handpicked people in their precincts to shade ballots.

“That another fraud was committed during the election was the shading of the ballots by random people who were handpicked by the supporters of the barangay captain of Candiis to vote for the candidates of the Liberal Party.”

Muarip added that poll watchers of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and Nacionalista Party were also prevented from entering the precincts. Because of intimidation employed, Muarip said she and her supporters were not able to vote anymore.

She later learned, much to her surprise, that she won as councilor in her town.

Abillo said Muarip could have easily turned a blind eye to the electoral fraud in her town because she won in the election, but she decided to expose the violations in order to let the whole country know the kind of system that was employed in her province.

He added a number of witnesses from other provinces, like Lanao Del Sur and Maguindano, are willing to surface because they would like to change the system in their province.

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

SOLONS MEET FOR CANVASS TUESDAY

GRAND EYEBALL. Designated finance secretary Carlos Dominguez met with supporters of President-in-waiting Rodrigo Duterte who spearheaded the call for him to run for office through social media. JOHN PAOLO BENCITO

PALACE MAKES LAST DITCH PUSH FOR BBL

By Sara D. Fabunan

MALACAÑANG said it hopes that the next administration will prioritize the peace process with the Muslim rebels because the current government has already invested a lot in attaining peace in Mindanao.

In a radio interview Saturday, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. made the appeal even after incoming Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said they will not prioritize the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law because of the federalism championed by President-apparent Rodrigo Duterte.

“The final decision on what laws to pass is within the mandate of Congress. And there is separation

of powers—legislative, executive and judiciary—in our system of government, Coloma said.

“But our discussion on [the peace process] is not in a vacuum.

We can only renew our call to thoroughly study and ensure that the peace process is not stalled because our government and our people have already invested much in that,” he added.

Despite Alvarez’s declaration, however, the Moro Islamic

Liberation Front insisted on the need for a new autonomy law for Muslim Mindanao after the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law failed to be enacted by the 16th Congress.

“We will continue to insist on the implementation of the peace process,” said MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal.

Iqbal said it was important to differentiate Alvarez’s “personal point of view” with the policy of the incoming Duterte administration.

Iqbal stressed that that Philippine government already signed the Declaration of Continuity for Peace Negotiation with the MILF in 2010 and that cannot just be ignored.

The MILF, in its website, insisted that the agreement provides that the Philippine government resume

peace talks where they stopped or were forced to discontinue.

“Government cannot just set this aside. It is an obligation by both parties because it was an agreement we both signed,” Iqbal said.

Iqbal reminded the incoming administration that negotiations between the MILF and the government have been completed and both parties have already signed the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

But questions on the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the killing of 44 police commandos in an anti-terrorist operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2014 derailed the peace process.

THE Senate and the House of Representatives will jointly convene on May 24 as part of the National Board of Canvassers to count the votes for president and vice president in the May 9 elections.

Senate Secretary Oscar G. Yabes said that both houses of Congress will form the NBC, which is mandated to canvass the votes for the presidential and vice-presidential race, on May 24, a day after Congress resumes its sessions.

“On May 23, the Senate will first finish its work and pass on third reading a number of bills which are on the last stages of enactment.

The next day we will proceed to join the House in convening the NBC,” Yabes said.

According to Yabes, the Senate and the House of Representatives, led by Senate President Franklin M. Drilon and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., will adopt the concurrent resolution to call the joint public session on May 24, to be held at the House of Representatives building in Quezon City.

“During the joint session, the two chambers will adopt the rules for canvassing and create the Senate and House panels that will form the Joint Canvassing Committee, which will conduct the actual canvassing of votes,” he said.

Yabes then said that the two panels will then start canvassing of votes on May 25, which will also take place at the House of Representatives building.

He noted that the consolidated canvassing system which has received the electronically-transmitted Certificates of Canvass from provincial and city boards of canvassers, as well as special canvassing panels for overseas absentee voting, has been initialized and stored in the venue since May 9, the day of the elections.

“Likewise, we will physically transport to the House on May 24, Tuesday, all of the ballot boxes purportedly containing COCs and election returns which, as mandated by the Constitution, have been earlier transmitted to the Senate,” he said.

EL NIÑO MAY LINGER AT START OF LA NIÑA ALTHOUGH the El Niño dry spell phenomenon is weakening, a climate specialist said it might still persist even with the onset of the La Niña which is expected to emerge in the third quarter.

Joseph Basconcillo, a climate specialist at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, said El Niño was on the decline as normal weather conditions might be experienced during the May-June-July season.

“El Niño is in decaying stage,” Basconcillo said, summing up the global advisory from the International Research Institute at Columbia University, the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia, the Tokyo Climate Center in Japan and the Apec Climate Center in South Korea.

“With this current state, La Niña Watch is now in effect. A La Niña event is characterized by a persis-

tent cooler than average sea surface temperature anomalies [below -0.5 degrees Celsius] over the tropical Pacific,” he said.

Basconcillo said Pagasa predicted that there would be more rains from the month of May up to July as local thunderstorms, inter-tropical convergence zone, lower pressure areas, tropical cyclones and other factors would be coming in.

Pagasa also expected tropical cyclones, ITCZ and LPAs in the August-September season, he said.

In spite of the prospect of heavy rains in the later part of the year, Basconcillo said, the traces of El Niño would still be felt in the next few months from now.

“El Niño will still have a lingering effect,” he told reporters and government and nongovernment representatives during a forum on El Niño and La Niña in Cagayan de Oro on Friday. PNA

SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. A worker of the Metro Manila Development Authority arranges road barriers along Epifanio delos Santos Avenue to mark the lanes that will be closed during the construction of the Skyway Stage 3. MANNY PALMERO

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OPINION

EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

PLANE crashes always stir up some deep human anxieties. But Thursday’s downing of EgyptAir Flight 804—which crashed en route from Paris to Cairo, killing 66 people, among them three children—may be more unnerving than most.

The plane was relatively new, and it had no known maintenance issues. It was flying at cruising altitude in mild Mediterranean weather. Both pilots were experienced, and neither indicated anything amiss. In the end, the plane made two sharp turns before a quick, awful descent.

All of which points to the grim possibility of a terrorist attack, and more specifically a bomb on board. It’s always prudent to wait for the facts, and this case is no exception. But as the investigation gets under way, three larger points are worth bearing in mind.

One is that airport personnel increasingly represent a weak point in the global security cordon. Airport staff likely helped an Islamic State affiliate bring down a flight over Egypt in October. Two workers at Mogadishu’s airport helped get a laptop bomb aboard a plane in February. Intelligence officials have worried for years about radicalization among staff at Charles de Gaulle Airport, where Flight 804 originated. Addressing these worries will require better background checks, more intensive monitoring and an awful lot of vigilance. It won’t be easy.

Second, too many airports still lack sophisticated security technology and properly trained staff. Terrorists are getting better at making explosives. Yet it’s extraordinarily difficult to smuggle them onto planes when airports use advanced bomb-detecting equipment and a layered approach to security.

Rich-world governments should offer more help to countries that are making an effort in this regard, and make clear that there will be consequences for those that aren’t.

A final point—no less crucial for being counterintuitive—is to remember to keep calm. For all the dire headlines, last year was the safest on record for air travel. Much of the point of airborne terrorism is to stoke irrational fear in the flying public, and provoke governments into costly overreaction.

Refusing to acquiesce in this dark cycle is, in the end, the best repudiation to terrorists.

And putting better defenses in place is the best way to ensure their terrible schemes don’t pay off. Bloomberg

HERE COME THE BUTTERFLIES AT LEAST 50 newly elected congressmen from the Liberal Party have expressed interest to cross over to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDPLaban), according to Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

Alvarez, who is touted as the next speaker of the House of Representatives, added he was told by current Speaker Feliciano Belmonte—who leads the more than 100 Liberals in the current Congress—that he had given his political allies the freedom to join the predominant party once sessions open anew at the end of next month.

Then again it’s not as much freedom as it is convenience.

There used to be a word for those who abandon their current affiliations in favor of new ones: turncoats. These days, a more fashionable adjective has emerged: political resilience.

We cannot say though that we are surprised at all with this movement. It’s a fairly common spectacle in Philippine politics when a new administration assumes power.

It is a sorry reminder that our so-called party system does not offer clear ideological delineations.

The multi-party system in the Philippines is just that, a venue for parties that hardly differentiate themselves from each other. The formula stays and only the names and faces change. It was the Liberals in 2010; today, the PDP-Laban. The next dominant party is anybody’s guess.

What hardly needs guessing, however, is the pattern it will all take in the next six years. In the Philippines, herd mentality is strong and everybody likes to go with the winner. This not only earns goodwill but has very real financial consequences in terms of access to funds for local projects even as the prime mandate is to craft laws and not build bridges in one’s town.

It’s all for unity and moving on, they may argue, an argument that those forming coalitions with the incoming administration’s party may invoke. That parties: The Nacionalista Party, Lakas CMD and others holding talks right now, are joining forces to advance the nation is sound politics, just as long as—and this may be too much to ask—the individual groups can find something to make them distinct and separate from all the others they are linking arms with.

Otherwise, it’s all a farce, and the public will not be fooled that they have had a change of heart when in fact they just want to save their skin and secure their political future.

NO TO DEATH would justify the murder of a human being, even if it were for retribution for a wrong previously committed, and even if it were sanctioned by the state.

Another argument could be from an evolutionary perspective.

Yes, in the past, it was all right to punish somebody with death if it were commensurate with the wrong he or she had committed against the victims and against society in general. Often, it was imposed as a last resort.

The forms of bringing about death also evolved. People were burned, hanged, shot, caned, stoned, electrocuted and more recently, given poison shots.

To revert to the ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’ mentality just does not have a place in these times.

One could also argue using hard facts. There are claims that the death penalty, even if it was

A5

WARNINGS FROM THE EGYPTAIR TRAGEDY

[ EDI TORI A L ]

THERE are many ways to argue against the death penalty, which presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte says he will bring back to stem the alarming rate of criminality in the country.

One can take the religious route. I would not know about other groups, but for Christians—Catholics, at least— the thinking is that human life is God-given and only God can take it back.

Taking the life of another is a mortal sin—it says so in the Ten Commandments—and nothing

ADELLE CHUA

an option in the past, was not a deterrent to heinous crimes.

There are numbers out there to prove or disprove this, but then again, it presupposes that all heinous crimes are reported.

Yet another approach could be practical. Imagine, and knock on wood, that your daughter was raped or that your entire family was killed in a massacre.

Imagine all the brutal things that could happen to anyone— would you not want to exact the same suffering on those who committed this wrong?

The answer may vary, of course, and those who answer “no” may just say so because it

has not happened to them. Will death, however, bring back the lives of the dead, take away the vacuum that had been created by their loss and exact some form of satisfaction on the part of the bereaved? Is this necessarily justice?

In many parts of the world, the death penalty has been rejected as a form of punishment. Most societies have a justice system that focuses on the reformation of criminals—for them to ponder what exactly they are in prison for, reform their lives and hopefully become productive individuals whether they are given the chance to rejoin society

after their prison terms—or not. To revert to the “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” mentality just does not have a place in these times.

It is said the death penalty will just be imposed on extreme crimes like drug trafficking. All other lesser crimes will merit life imprisonment, at most.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, they say, and the runaway criminality rate definitely falls under the “desperate” category. I join, however, the call that rejects the return of capital punishment, for a mix of the above reasons and because I believe that our justice

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system is still so imperfect and wanting that it does not have the high ground to impose such extreme punishment on anybody.

In city jails, for instance, there remain thousands of prisoners who languish behind bars for petty crimes just because they do not have cash for bail nor money to pay for lawyers. Sure, there are public lawyers, but they are just swamped with cases that it is difficult for them be diligent with any one case.

In the meantime, those who can afford legal help go on with their lives despite the shadow of their misdeeds.

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Evidence gathering and storage also remains murky hereabouts. That cases should be decided by mere testimonies without hard, physical proof is tricky.

Witnesses may think they saw something when they could be mistaken, or they could have their own vested agenda in pinning down a suspect while ignoring another. In the meantime, despite the availability of DNA testing in the country, the cost and the access remain prohibitive.

In the end, if all these gaps in enforcing the law and delivering justice were addressed, and if decisions were handed

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Arnold C. Liong Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Jocelyn F. Domingo Ron Ryan S. Buguis

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down within a reasonable amount of time, would that not create conditions that would deter crime even without the fear of being put to death? And then there would be no need for such crude, extreme measure. Death is death, however it is carried out. A lethal injection is just as barbaric as any older method.

The death penalty should not be an option. Strengthening existing systems should be the priority in curbing crime and making the country safer for its citizens. adellechua@gmail.com 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, M AY 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

A4

OPINION

EDITOR

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

OPINION

PLANE crashes always stir up some deep human anxieties. But Thursday’s downing of EgyptAir Flight 804—which crashed en route from Paris to Cairo, killing 66 people, among them three children—may be more unnerving than most.

The plane was relatively new, and it had no known maintenance issues. It was flying at cruising altitude in mild Mediterranean weather. Both pilots were experienced, and neither indicated anything amiss. In the end, the plane made two sharp turns before a quick, awful descent.

All of which points to the grim possibility of a terrorist attack, and more specifically a bomb on board. It’s always prudent to wait for the facts, and this case is no exception. But as the investigation gets under way, three larger points are worth bearing in mind.

One is that airport personnel increasingly represent a weak point in the global security cordon. Airport staff likely helped an Islamic State affiliate bring down a flight over Egypt in October. Two workers at Mogadishu’s airport helped get a laptop bomb aboard a plane in February. Intelligence officials have worried for years about radicalization among staff at Charles de Gaulle Airport, where Flight 804 originated. Addressing these worries will require better background checks, more intensive monitoring and an awful lot of vigilance. It won’t be easy.

Second, too many airports still lack sophisticated security technology and properly trained staff. Terrorists are getting better at making explosives. Yet it’s extraordinarily difficult to smuggle them onto planes when airports use advanced bomb-detecting equipment and a layered approach to security.

Rich-world governments should offer more help to countries that are making an effort in this regard, and make clear that there will be consequences for those that aren’t.

A final point—no less crucial for being counterintuitive—is to remember to keep calm. For all the dire headlines, last year was the safest on record for air travel. Much of the point of airborne terrorism is to stoke irrational fear in the flying public, and provoke governments into costly overreaction.

Refusing to acquiesce in this dark cycle is, in the end, the best repudiation to terrorists.

And putting better defenses in place is the best way to ensure their terrible schemes don’t pay off. Bloomberg

HERE COME THE BUTTERFLIES AT LEAST 50 newly elected congressmen from the Liberal Party have expressed interest to cross over to the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDPLaban), according to Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez.

Alvarez, who is touted as the next speaker of the House of Representatives, added he was told by current Speaker Feliciano Belmonte—who leads the more than 100 Liberals in the current Congress—that he had given his political allies the freedom to join the predominant party once sessions open anew at the end of next month.

Then again it’s not as much freedom as it is convenience.

There used to be a word for those who abandon their current affiliations in favor of new ones: turncoats. These days, a more fashionable adjective has emerged: political resilience.

We cannot say though that we are surprised at all with this movement. It’s a fairly common spectacle in Philippine politics when a new administration assumes power.

It is a sorry reminder that our so-called party system does not offer clear ideological delineations.

The multi-party system in the Philippines is just that, a venue for parties that hardly differentiate themselves from each other. The formula stays and only the names and faces change. It was the Liberals in 2010; today, the PDP-Laban. The next dominant party is anybody’s guess.

What hardly needs guessing, however, is the pattern it will all take in the next six years. In the Philippines, herd mentality is strong and everybody likes to go with the winner. This not only earns goodwill but has very real financial consequences in terms of access to funds for local projects even as the prime mandate is to craft laws and not build bridges in one’s town.

It’s all for unity and moving on, they may argue, an argument that those forming coalitions with the incoming administration’s party may invoke. That parties: The Nacionalista Party, Lakas CMD and others holding talks right now, are joining forces to advance the nation is sound politics, just as long as—and this may be too much to ask—the individual groups can find something to make them distinct and separate from all the others they are linking arms with.

Otherwise, it’s all a farce, and the public will not be fooled that they have had a change of heart when in fact they just want to save their skin and secure their political future.

NO TO DEATH would justify the murder of a human being, even if it were for retribution for a wrong previously committed, and even if it were sanctioned by the state.

Another argument could be from an evolutionary perspective.

Yes, in the past, it was all right to punish somebody with death if it were commensurate with the wrong he or she had committed against the victims and against society in general. Often, it was imposed as a last resort.

The forms of bringing about death also evolved. People were burned, hanged, shot, caned, stoned, electrocuted and more recently, given poison shots.

To revert to the ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth’ mentality just does not have a place in these times.

One could also argue using hard facts. There are claims that the death penalty, even if it was

A5

WARNINGS FROM THE EGYPTAIR TRAGEDY

[ EDI TORI A L ]

THERE are many ways to argue against the death penalty, which presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte says he will bring back to stem the alarming rate of criminality in the country.

One can take the religious route. I would not know about other groups, but for Christians—Catholics, at least— the thinking is that human life is God-given and only God can take it back.

Taking the life of another is a mortal sin—it says so in the Ten Commandments—and nothing

ADELLE CHUA

an option in the past, was not a deterrent to heinous crimes.

There are numbers out there to prove or disprove this, but then again, it presupposes that all heinous crimes are reported.

Yet another approach could be practical. Imagine, and knock on wood, that your daughter was raped or that your entire family was killed in a massacre.

Imagine all the brutal things that could happen to anyone— would you not want to exact the same suffering on those who committed this wrong?

The answer may vary, of course, and those who answer “no” may just say so because it

has not happened to them. Will death, however, bring back the lives of the dead, take away the vacuum that had been created by their loss and exact some form of satisfaction on the part of the bereaved? Is this necessarily justice?

In many parts of the world, the death penalty has been rejected as a form of punishment. Most societies have a justice system that focuses on the reformation of criminals—for them to ponder what exactly they are in prison for, reform their lives and hopefully become productive individuals whether they are given the chance to rejoin society

after their prison terms—or not. To revert to the “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” mentality just does not have a place in these times.

It is said the death penalty will just be imposed on extreme crimes like drug trafficking. All other lesser crimes will merit life imprisonment, at most.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, they say, and the runaway criminality rate definitely falls under the “desperate” category. I join, however, the call that rejects the return of capital punishment, for a mix of the above reasons and because I believe that our justice

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system is still so imperfect and wanting that it does not have the high ground to impose such extreme punishment on anybody.

In city jails, for instance, there remain thousands of prisoners who languish behind bars for petty crimes just because they do not have cash for bail nor money to pay for lawyers. Sure, there are public lawyers, but they are just swamped with cases that it is difficult for them be diligent with any one case.

In the meantime, those who can afford legal help go on with their lives despite the shadow of their misdeeds.

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Evidence gathering and storage also remains murky hereabouts. That cases should be decided by mere testimonies without hard, physical proof is tricky.

Witnesses may think they saw something when they could be mistaken, or they could have their own vested agenda in pinning down a suspect while ignoring another. In the meantime, despite the availability of DNA testing in the country, the cost and the access remain prohibitive.

In the end, if all these gaps in enforcing the law and delivering justice were addressed, and if decisions were handed

MST Management, Inc. Philip G. Romualdez Arnold C. Liong Former Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno Jocelyn F. Domingo Ron Ryan S. Buguis

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down within a reasonable amount of time, would that not create conditions that would deter crime even without the fear of being put to death? And then there would be no need for such crude, extreme measure. Death is death, however it is carried out. A lethal injection is just as barbaric as any older method.

The death penalty should not be an option. Strengthening existing systems should be the priority in curbing crime and making the country safer for its citizens. adellechua@gmail.com 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

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S U N D AY, M AY 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

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OPINION

lettertotheeditor@thestandard.com.ph

THE PIANIST OF YARMOUK IN HIS NEW LAND

By Yannick Pasquet BERLIN—It was the only thing Aeham Ahmad saw when he entered the room. A shiny Bechstein piano on which he would play in a few hours, on a Berlin stage aptly named “The Home Port.”

We met ahead of the performance for our interview and the first thing I noticed were his huge eyes. And his backpack. I recognized it right away. It’s with this backpack that he traversed thousands of kilometers eight months ago, making his way from Damascus to Berlin. In battered buses, boats, trains, on foot. Like hundreds of thousands of other Syrians, forced into exile by the war in their land and after months arriving—exhausted—in Germany.

Aeham Ahmad was a pianist in a Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, at the gates of Damascus.

He had an old piano that he took around with him on the bombed-out streets of his neighborhood, in the middle of rubble. Children would gather around him as he played and they would sing. Despite the siege by government forces, the jihadists of Islamic State, the bombings and the hunger, they would sing.

He left Yarmouk last year, after Islamic State jihadists burned his piano. On his birthday. In front of him. Although he initially left with his wife and two small sons, they quickly decided that the journey would be too dangerous for his family, so they turned back and he continued on his own.

I met him as he was being sought for concerts throughout Germany, after he received a human rights prize, some eight months after he arrived in the country. He was living in a room with three other refugees in a center for migrants in the city of Wiesbaden, near Frankfurt.

The first thing that jumped out when you met the 28-year-old was his endless energy. As soon as we sat down for our interview (I on a chair, he on the bench in front of the piano), he raised his arms in the air, getting ready to play, and told me with a wide grin that the previous day he finally received his refugee papers. And good thing, too, as he had concerts booked up until “the 12th month.” By that he meant December—he speaks in an English

Aeham Ahmad plays in front of the train station in Cologne, where hundreds of women reported being sexually assaulted on New Year’s Eve in a crowd of mostly Middle Eastern and North African men.

AFP

sprinkled with Arabesque turns of phrase that only add to his natural charm.

As we spoke, he casually mentioned that German President Joachim Gauck had come to listen to his concert, “on the 25th of the fourth month,” and that Chancellor Angela Merkel was expected at another one “on the 31st of the fifth month.”

“But I am not a star, I am a refugee,” he added emphatically.

The refugees in Germany may not have a certain future, but at least they have reached the Promised Land. They no longer risk death.

That’s how I had dealt with my emotions when faced with people whose lives have been thrown into such turmoil.

And then one day the refugees arrived on my doorstep. Little before midnight on a Friday night, 150 Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans got off three buses. The city of Berlin had requisitioned a gymnasium near my house, with a view of turning it into an emergency shelter.

The transformation was chaotic.

The soldiers who were sent to

transform the gymnasium to accommodate the arrivals were still putting together Ikea bunk beds when the buses pulled up out front.

So their first night in Germany was spent sleeping on mattresses, or on the floor, below basketball nets, without privacy.

When Aeham Ahmad got to the end of his journey, he was sent by the German authorities to a suburb of Frankfurt. At first he lived in a motel converted into a refugee shelter where, by chance, he had a piano. So he did what he had always done. He played and sang with the children.

He soothed the refugees’ bruised hearts by singing of the mountains near the Syrian capital and the “sweet lost dreams” of his people.

When the refugees settled in the gymnasium next door to me, I could no longer contain and compartmentalize my emotions as before. The “migrant influx” now has a face for me, the many faces of my new neighbors—a hairdresser from Baghdad, a bus driver for Aleppo, a body builder from Kabul, a beautician from Damascus, a student from Babylon. And a

multitude of young Syrians, barely out of teenagedom, who left rather than be engulfed in the war that has destroyed their country.

They have told me their tortuous stories (“This is Daesh,” says one, using a name for Islamic State and rolling up his sleeve, revealing skin lacerated with scars.) They have pulled out their cellphones to photos of a father, mother, twin brother (“How do you say in German that we were together in my mother’s belly?”) who have stayed behind.

You should see them, all with the same haircut because Thamer, the barber from Baghdad, cuts their hair for free but without creativity or flourish. You should see how they battle with German declinations, the dative in red, the accusative in green. You should see them pose like matadors in front of the Reichstag, and post the photos on Facebook.

You should see them watch football matches on their smartphones, screaming in Arabic, gesticulating as they watch Real Madrid and Barcelona.

And once you are moved by them, you realize how awful it is that

Europe is indifferent to their tragedy and you wonder when will Europe open its eyes?

The night of our interview, when I saw Aeham Ahmad climb on stage in a country rich and at peace, when I saw a German audience, which normally restrains its emotions to an extreme, give him such an ovation that he came back on stage twice, it reminded me of another scene, in Yarmouk in ruins.

It’s a video that you can find on the Internet. His keffiye scarf wrapped around his neck, he is playing the piano in front of a ruined family store, on a street devastated by shells. A Palestinian flag flaps in the air. His father, blind, accompanies him on the violin.

His friends stand around his old piano. The oldest must be 25. They sing amid the ruins. Since then, some of them have died, Aeham told me so, holding back his tears.

I ask myself where he finds his strength, despite all that has happened to him and his people.

I think that the answer lies in his piano. “It’s my heart, my life,” he says. AFP

HOW TRUMP’S SELF-WORTH BECAME HIS NET WORTH

By Stephen Mihm THE Personal Financial Disclosure form that Donald Trump filed earlier this week with the Federal Elections Commission shows that the real estate holdings he has defined as the source of his vast wealth actually may be relatively modest. Rather, his most valuable asset is the Trump name, which the mogul has previously claimed to be worth $3 billion.

How did something as intangible as a family name come to acquire such value, on par with, or exceeding that of brick-and-mortar buildings or plots of land? A century ago, this question wasn’t remotely settled.

In the 19th century, celebrities didn’t own the rights to their own name or self-representations. Jenny Lind, a Swedish opera star who was one of the first global pop icons in the 1850s, became fodder for a host of manufacturers and advertisers.

Entrepreneurs hawking everything from chewing tobacco to parasols slapped her face and name on their products, without any compensation to the celebrity herself.

That one could own one’s name

and profit from it was a bizarre concept with no basis in law. And so it remained for the rest of the century. All kinds of public figures, including presidents, were fair game for advertisers, and while there was much grumbling about this practice, no one thought it possible for the famous to get a piece of the action.

The first critical shift in thinking took place in the 1890s. It involved ordinary people, not celebrities, but as the legal historian Stuart Banner has argued, it helped clear the way for the famous to profit from their fame.

The key case involved a pretty teenage girl named Abigail Robertson.

A local photographer took a picture of the young beauty that ended up in the hands of Franklin Mills, which sold flour. The company liked what it saw and put her face on posters hawking their wares. Robertson, aghast at her newfound celebrity, suffered a nervous breakdown—and then she sued.

The court that heard her case sided with Robertson, citing a novel legal doctrine: the right to privacy.

Robertson’s visage “is a property right which belongs to her,” the judge declared, “owing to its beauty as a trademark or an advertising

medium.”

The public sided with Robertson, too, and when the state Court of Appeals reversed the decision, the outcry was immediate. Within a year, Donald Trump’s home state of New York passed the first law in the nation to recognize a person’s right to control—under certain conditions—the commercial use of one’s name and representation, with criminal penalties imposed on anyone who appropriated those assets without prior agreement.

Other states quickly followed suit, and the US Supreme Court endorsed the idea in 1909.

But all of this, as Banner noted, “was not intended to help celebrities capitalize on their fame.” Instead, the laws were predicated on the idea of privacy, particularly the right that ordinary people possessed to protect themselves from the predations of advertisers.

Laws, of course, are rather malleable. A doctrine designed to protect one group in society can readily be expanded to benefit another, even if the motive for doing so is entirely different. And so it was with this new law on privacy.

Celebrities eager to capitalize on the commercial value of their

name soon filed suit under the new statutes. And legal theorists quickly endorsed the idea.

In an article published in 1913, the Michigan Law Review captured the emerging consensus: “Why should a stranger be permitted to appropriate the value which a party has, by his efforts and industry, caused to become attached to his name, any more than he can appropriate the value of a personal likeness, the writings of another, or trade-goodwill?”

In this new environment, advertisers foolish enough to appropriate the names and faces of the famous without their consent found themselves in court. More often than not, the courts sided with the celebrities. In the process, the law moved beyond the original preoccupation with privacy.

But it wasn’t until a 1953 court opinion that the right of well-known public figures to earn money off their good name was codified.

The case, Haelan Laboratories v.

Topps Chewing Gum, involved two chewing-gum companies, each of which sold baseball cards with the pictures of athletes. Haelan had purchased the exclusive right to

some of these images; Topps had used them without permission.

When the case reached the federal appeals court in New York, the judge upheld the existing consensus, declaring that the grant of a person’s name and likeness was an exclusive one, capable of being transferred to a third party (in this case, a chewinggum company). This marked the end of a convoluted evolution in the law. Instead of the original “right to privacy,” the judge endorsed something new: a “right to publicity.”

Since that time, the right to make money off one’s name has only expanded. In Trump’s case, the value of his name is a complicated notion, resting on both the “right to publicity” as well as the more conventional foundations of trademark law (Trump has filed more 200 trademark applications, including Donald J. Trump, The Fragrance).

But the value of a name can change, depending on the fortunes of the person who stands behind it. It is not a solid, fixed asset. All of which begs an obvious question: How much will the Trump name be worth after the election?

Bloomberg

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NEWS

editorial@thestandard.com.ph

POLL REFORMS UNDER WAY

By Sara Susanne D. Fabunan

The Palace on Saturday supported the plan of Commission on elections chairman Andres Bautista to initiate electoral reforms in time for the holding of the 2019 mid-term election.

Communications Secretary herminio “Sonny” Coloma agreed that it is time to revise the Omnibus election Code particularly on campaign spending.

“Most welcome ang reporma na itinataguyod ng Comelec at ng iba pang mga stakeholders [We most welcome the plan of the

Comelec and other stakeholders for an electoral reform],” Coloma said in an interview over stateowned Radyo ng Bayan.

Bautista proposed the reform in his speech during the proclamation of 12 senators and 46 party-lists, saying that there is a need for the amendment of

the Omnibus election Code in time for the midterm polls in 2019. he admitted that despite the “successful” automated elections last May 9, 2016, there are some provisions of the OCe or Batas Pambansa Bilang 881 which was passed in 1085, that have become obsolete.

“For me, although we had very good outcomes, there is still room for improvement and that’s what I’m aiming for now,” Bautista said.

The poll chief said that he will call for strategic planning conference among Comelec

officials to assess the previous voting exercises and determine what areas the agency should improve.

“That’s one of our priority agenda items. We want to come up with a draft Omnibus election Code that will be more reflective of the current situation especially on technology, how technology has changed our elections,” Bautista said.

Bautista said that the campaign spending limit also needs to be adjusted.

Coloma, on the other hand, agreed with Bautista advising the poll chief to also conduct a com-

prehensive study on the campaign finance and donors.

The issue on campaign finance is also included in the planned electoral reform, and it would be best if it is included in their comprehensive study, Coloma said.

Under the OeC, a presidential candidate is allowed to spend P10 per voter plus P5 from the political party.

Those running for senator down to local posts can spend only up to P3 per voter plus P5 from the political party, while the spending limit for an independent bet is P5 per voter.

postal id gets rid of fraud The Philippine Postal Corp. will issue an improved Postal ID card starting Monday (May 23) to the public as part of its goal to secure the integrity of identity and eliminate fraudulent transactions.

PhilPost said the improved Postal ID is available to the public at all post offices nationwide, while the issuance of the Basic Postal ID will be discontinued on the same date as well.

The Improved Postal ID is designed to address the issues encountered by the previous ID such as challenges on identity security and institutional access.

New physical security features that can be seen using just the naked eye were infused on the card, such as the hologram and ghost image, so that frontliners and tellers could outright reject questionable cards without having to use special equipment, the PhilPost said.

“This makes the ID verification process simpler and more reliable,” it said.

A biometrics-based test called the Automated Fingerprint Identification System has also been added.

It checks the applicant’s uniqueness and the integrity of his identity by comparing his fingerprints to the fingerprints record database.

Requirements to avail the Improved Postal ID are two copies of dulyaccomplished application form, a proof of identity and a proof of address.

Filipinos living in the Philippines or abroad, as well as foreign residents may apply for the Improved Postal ID. It costs P504.00 inclusive of tax and delivery fee.

Vito Barcelo

PREPARATION. School bags and supplies for public school students in Valenzuela City are farmed out to city residents through their barangay officials.

Public and private schools open on June 13. ANDREW RABULAN

Back-to-school oplan launched

SIMPLE JOYS. two children from dominican hill in Baguio city fashion out toys from scrap materials. DAVE LEPROZO

The Department of education and its regional and division offices nationwide are all set for the opening of classes on June 13, 2016—one of the most significant events for the education sector—setting into motion the nationwide Oplan Balik eskwela 2016.

Under the OBe, Deped activates quick response teams, emergency hotlines and helpdesks to respond to needs and queries pertaining to school opening.

Deped said it has already prepared and disseminated the guidelines and standard procedures in all schools on the conduct of the school opening event.

This year, Deped teamed up with a call center to set up a Senior high School help Desk with the hotline number 667-1188. The said helpdesk will be operational on Monday, May 23, 2016, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon-

days to Fridays until June 30, 2016.

“Our goal is to ensure that we will have a smooth opening of classes, with all concerns—major and minor —promptly addressed by the department and our partner agencies from other government agencies and the private sector,” education Secretary Armin A. Luistro said in a statement Saturday.

Deped is also rolling out the final leg of the K to 12 Law which is the ShS Program. This year, Grade 11 will be introduced in all schools nationwide—public and private.

The annual OBe aims to address all possible concerns and challenges that may arise from the school opening such as school records, room assignment, classrooms, teachers, power and water supply, traffic, peace and order, weather condition and prices of school supplies, among others.

A8

SUNDAY: MAY 22, 2016

NEWS editorial@thestandard.com.ph

SHAKY PEACE OVER TROUBLED SEAS

By Vito Barcelo

THE Department of Foreign Affairs welcomed the recent development in the disputed West Philippine Sea after Filipino fishermen said they can now freely fish near the Scarborough Shoal without being harassed by the Chinese coast guard.

The DFA received the report after officials from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources that Filipino fishermen were not harassed by the Chinese coast guard.

China has been particularly keen to thwart efforts by the Phil-

ippines and others to exploit resources it wants for itself.

Recently, the Philippines claimed Chinese naval vessels have fired warning volleys at Filipino fishermen, harassed an oil exploration vessel and put up markers on Philippine waters in

2011 year after China outlined its “9-dash claim” to the sea in 2009.

“But today, the situation in Scarborough Shoal have changed.

Our fishermen did not experience any harassment from the Chinese coast guard,” according to Rommel Banlaoi, chairman and executive director of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director Asis Perez confirmed that Filipino fishermen are now freely fishing in the shoal.

Perez said that they did not receive or hear any complaint from the fishermen, adding that this can be an indication there is no adverse incident over there.

Banlaoi said that it could be the result of his group’s continuous negotiations with their counterparts in China.

The Philippines has been asking the Chinese to allow Filipino fishermen to fish in the shoal as a gesture of their sincerity in declarations that they want to peacefully resolve the territorial dispute.

The Philippines calls the South China Sea the West Philippine Sea. Parts of the Spratly Islands, which the Philippines calls Kalayaan, or freedom—lie just over 100 miles from the Philippines but are more than 1,000 miles from China.

The Philippines has lead the effort to unite Southeast Asian nations against what it calls China’s

illegal “grab” of most of the South China Sea. In the South China Sea, the Philippines controls five tiny islands, two reefs and two sandbars.

Pagasa is a Philippine-controlled island in the Spratlys with a population of 50 and a small garrison.

China accused the residents of the island of trespassing on Chinese turf. Although tiny and a large part of it made up of a single gravel airstrip, the island is the biggest in a cluster that the Philippines claims as it own and calls Kalayaan group of islands.

The Philippines awaits the outcome of the UN tribunal’s decision which is expected to be released this year.

PROMOTIONAL GIMMICK. Cashing in on the popularity of the X-Men movie, a fuel marketing firm enlists the services of costume players to promote its products at a mall in Pasay City. EY ACASIO

HIV/AIDS CASES ON THE RISE IN PALAWAN

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—Two are confirmed dead in Palawan, both victims of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Ospital ng Palawan’s Dr. Louie Ocampo, chief of the Medical Professional Staff, confirmed Thursday that the two were late in seeking medical treatment.

Ocampo said 88 HIV cases have been recorded in the province, and the number is increasing.

In the ONP’s record alone, the youngest HIV patient is a 16-yearold male, and the oldest, 40.

The information is now part of the reason why on Thursday the DoH-Mimaropa held the opening of the Amos Tara! Community Center in Jose Abad Santos Street in Puerto Princesa.

The HIV/AIDS community center aims to provide fast, efficient, and free services to individuals who are suspected of having acquired the disease, according to DoH-Mimaropa regional director Eduardo Janairo.

“One of the purpose of this center will be to reach out to vulnerable individuals in the community and encourage them to voluntarily submit themselves for HIV testing,” Janairo stated during the formal opening of the facility. PNA

DPWH: 3 YEARS TO REBUILD E. SAMAR THE Department of Public Works and Highways completed the construction of 222 kilometers of all-weather, concrete paved road and 62 permanent bridges in Eastern Samar, nearly three years after Super Typhoon “Yolanda” struck the region.

Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said the province of Western Samar from Barangay Buray in the town of Wright is now connected to Guiuan, Eastern Samar involving a total of 15 municipalities.

Singson said that the road project known as Secondary National Roads Development Project worth more than P1.5 billion is a product of the continuing partnership between the United States of America

through the Millennium Challenge Corp. and the Philippine government.

The project was completed only last May 19, 2016 in Borongan City, Eastern Samar after 44 months of project implementation notwithstanding the devastating effects of Typhoon “Yolanda” in Eastern Visayas during the period of implementation, Singson said.

“The Samareños witnessed the realization of their dream road which created jobs, improved flow of goods and services, and better peace and order, as well as access to tourism, healthcare, education and other facilities,” he said.

The end of civil works activities for the project will,

however, mark the beginning of the community managed road maintenance program initiatives between DPWH, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Road Board for the San Julian to Guiuan road segment in Eastern Samar.

“The community managed road maintenance program is an opportunity for our people to demonstrate their sense of responsibility and participation in nation building,” he said.

“With the concerted efforts of government and the people in the locality, there is no doubt that we can preserve this legacy road project to enjoy the fruits of our cooperation for years to come,” Singson added.

Vito Barcelo

SUNDAY: MAY 22, 2016

Roderick T. dela Cruz EDITOR

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

THREE De La Salle University-educated siblings who inherited an appliance business from their parents 10 years ago now supply millions of Filipino homes with electric fans, rice cookers and other home appliances.

“It is a homegrown brand,” says Jevon Ong, referring to Hanabishi, which in Japanese means flower diamond, now represented by the brand’s logo. Jevon is the vice-president for purchasing and merchandising of Fortune Buddies Corp., the company behind Hanabishi appliances.

“Our vision is to have Hanabishi appliances in every Filipino home,” says Jevon, 34, who graduated from DLSU in Manila with a degree in Economics.

His older brother, Jasper Ong, serves as the president of Fortune Buddies Corp. Under Jasper’s leadership with the help of his two siblings, the company saw a double-digit growth in sales annually over the past five years, as Filipino families improved their disposable income and embraced the 30-year-old Hanabishi brand.

“In the past three to five years, the company grew 25 percent to 30 percent annually. Last year was a massive growth of almost 40 percent in terms of sales revenues.

We grew along with the nationwide expansion of SM, Robinsons and Puregold and we introduced new product lines while improving the existing lines. We also improved the design and pricing for our products,” Jasper, 37, says in an interview at a restaurant in Makati City.

Jasper, who has a degree in Manufacturing Engineering and Management at DLSU, took over the management of the Hanabishi brand in 2006, when their parents—Jose and Conchita Ong—retired from the business.

Cherish Ong-Chua, the sister of Jasper and Jevon, serves as vice president for marketing and operations.

Although the Ong siblings grew up in San Juan, Metro Manila, they are now mostly based in Meycauyan, Bulacan, where Fortune Buddies Corp. has a massive warehouse at Sterling Industrial Park and employs 300 people, on top of a sales force of more than 1,000 around the country. Jevon is married to lawyer Hailey Villarica, a daughter of Bulacan Rep. Linabelle Ruth Villarica and incoming Meycauayan mayor Henry Villarica, who is the president of Villarica Pawnshop.

Asked how the Ong family made its mark in the local appliance business, Jevon says it is about the brand. “It won’t last 30 years, if not for the high quality and affordability the brand represents,”he says.

This success caught the interest of Japanese conglomerate Hitachi, which last year signed a distributorship agreement with Fortune Buddies for Hitachi television sets. Fortune Buddies, which also distributes Hanabishi TV sets for the CDE income groups, now supplies Hitatchi TV sets targeting the AB segments.

Jasper says Hanabishi started in 1986, when his father, who used to sell porcelain dinnerware door-

B1

Fortune Buddies Corp. president Jasper Ong (left) and vice president for purchasing and merchandising Jevon Ong

3 SIBLINGS RECHARGE PH APPLIANCE BUSINESS

to-door in Binondo, travelled abroad and realized the potential of venturing into the appliance industry.

Jose Ong, the patriarch of the family, visited Thailand and Taiwan, which were strong in appliance manufacturing at that time.

He thought that the Philippines, being a tropical country, would have a rising demand for electric fan, and more Filipino families would buy the product if it was more affordable.

Jose, together with a business partner, searched for manufacturers who could offer practical and reasonably priced products. Then, they sold the products under the Hanabishi brand. Two years later, they established a manufacturing plant in Malabon with 10 employees and competed with other homegrown brands such as Asahi, 3D

and Standard.

“There were only few major players. The competition at that time was on price. Other foreign and local brands were very expensive. My father wanted to offer more affordable, and at the same time quality products. That’s how Hanabishi came to be known,” Jevon says.

The local market received the Hanabishi brand well. Encouraged by the success of Hanabishi electric fan, Jose Ong and his partner introduced more products such as rice cooker, flat iron, gas stove and other small appliances.

Before the Ong siblings took over in 2006, Hanabishi had a

product portfolio of 50 stock keeping units. Jasper says under Fortune Buddies Corp., Hanabishi gradually expanded by introducing more products and models. “From less than 100 SKUs in 2006, we now have 400 SKUs today,” says Jasper.

TURN TO B3

SUNDAY: MAY 22, 2016

B2

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

NEW TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMS BPO CLOUD services and data center pioneer IP Converge Data Services Inc. has launched IPC Voices, an on-demand, cloud-based solution that aims to revolutionize call centers and other business process outsourcing companies.

Voices is an acronym for Voice Over Internet Call Exchange Suite. IPC said the new solution would allow contact centers to run campaigns with minimal capital requirement and faster deployment.

It said the straightforward, plug and play technology within the robust infrastructure of IPC Data Centers was developed in partnership with Australiabased BlueCloud Technology, a company specializing in cloud-based applications for call centers.

IPC Voices is a cloud application that’s subscribed to

and paid for on a monthly basis and can be up and running in a very short time, the company said.

“This is perfect for BPOs that need immediate expansion to accommodate new campaigns, or those that are just starting up. It is also an ideal disaster recovery and business continuity contingency. All an agent needs is a computer, a headset, and internet connectivity to use the application,” IPC said.

“Voices is not just your run-of-the-mill call center solution. It doesn’t only

address common operational pain points in BPOs but also highlights resiliency, accessibility and adaptability,” said IPC director for product management and marketing Niño Valmonte.

“Being locally hosted in IPC Data Center, users of the application benefit from a globally-compliant, stateof-the-art facility and robust network infrastructure which ensures availability and security for their business operations,” Valmonte said.

IPC said with IPC Voices installed, contact center agents could work from anywhere as long as they were connected to the Internet. Administrators could also make necessary system changes even through their mobile devices.

“We consider this an important feature for high-

risk countries such as the Philippines. This product provides contact centers a contingency plan in the event of a calamity or a breach in their physical offices,” BlueCloud co-founder and chief executive Antoine Nookadu said.

Valmonte said the partnership between IPC and BlueCloud Australia stemmed from a common desire to bring operational efficiency via the cloud to Filipino businesses, particularly to the bustling BPO sector.

“We now urge an industry that has been around for decades to start using a cloudbased system that works. This will revolutionize the business of contact centers, accelerating growth and helping gain traction in an economy that has already gone digital,” said Valmonte.

HOW OPPO LIFTED SALES A promotional tie-up between consumer finance company Home Credit and smartphone brand Oppo has shown to be successful, generating nearly P50 million in loans for the Oppo F1 model.

Home Credit, a consumer finance provider that offers non-bank installment loans to Filipinos, offered the Oppo F1 smartphone, which retails at P11,990, at 0-percent interest, making the gadget more accessible to more consumers. Since its launch on Feb. 19, the promo has generated considerable demand from Oppo customers.

Six out of 10 products purchased through Home Credit in all establishments offering the promotion were Oppo F1. This means that the Oppo F1 outsold all appliances and gadgets offered by participating Home Credit establishments during the promo period of Feb. 19 to March 31.

It was also noted that out of all Oppo F1 units sold during the period, 30 percent were due to Home Credit financing.

Adam Bernasek, head of sales of Home Credit Philippines, said the successful turnout of the Oppo F1 promotion was a positive testament to the consumers’ growing tendency to make their purchases via legitimate non-bank alternatives such as Home Credit.

“The sales of the Oppo F1 has been outstanding. There were more Oppo F1 units sold by Home Credit than all the other appliances and gadgets in the participating establishments combined. We’re glad Filipinos are now more aware and open to avail themselves of non-bank installment loans, and we’ve also received positive feedback from those who took advantage of this promo,” he said.

Bernasek said with the success of the partnership, the promo was extended until May 31.

Hawaii eyes EDC partnership. Hawaii is exploring a possible collaboration with Energy

Development Corp. as part of the American state’s bold energy agenda to achieve 100-percent renewable energy by the year 2045. Luis Salaveria, a Filipino-American government official, who serves as the director of the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, visited the Philippines on May 14 to 18 to learn how Hawaii can incorporate geothermal power to reduce the state’s dependence on fossil fuel and increase efficiency measures. Shown during a meeting in Manila are (from left) EDC vice president Ricky Carandang, EDC board director Joaquin Quintos IV, Salaveria and EDC senior vince president Manuel Ogena.

MOBILE LENDING FACILITY LAUNCHED PNB Savings Bank announced the launching of the country’s first digital and mobile lending facility specifically targeted at pensioners of the government’s Social Security System powered by a platform called Lendr, developed by PLDT and Smart’s digital innovations unit Voyager Innovations.

SSS Pensioners with accounts at PNB and PNB Savings Bank can utilize the new facility powered by Lendr to apply for loans anytime, anywhere, using only their mobile phones or laptop devices.

“It has always been our thrust to put our customers first, and enabling our pensioners to take out a loan through Lendr echoes our commitment to making things simple and hassle-free for them,” said PNB Savings president and chief executive Joven Hernandez.

“The benefits of FINTQ’s digital platforms like Lendr are best reaped by hithertomarginalized segments like pensioners who don’t have access to financial services via traditional means. Because Lendr can be accessed by anyone at any time and wherever they may be, pensioner-clients of PNB and PNB Savings Bank no longer have to leave their homes in order to apply for a loan. All they need is an Internet connection,” said Voyager Innovations president and chief executive Orlando Vea. By making SSS pension loans available via mobile and online applications, PNB and PNB Savings Bank are making the process convenient and hassle-free for its pensioner-clientele, most of whom may have difficulty reaching traditional bank networks.

TRAVEL INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES HOLD ‘MADNESS’ EXPO LEADING members of the tourism industry are competing in a bargain showdown that aim to give the traveling public the biggest discounts.

The bargain showdown, made available at the forthcoming Travel Madness Expo, will involve at least 22 international airlines, 48 big travel agencies, 28 top hotels and resorts, four theme parks and six cruise ships, 13 national tourism organizations and 16 retailers and global service providers.

“Yet, their number continues to rise, compelling us to book all the four exhibit halls of the

SMX Convention Center Mall of Asia to accommodate them for this year’s Travel Madness Expo,” said Raymond Tee, president of Travel Innovators Inc., the event organizer.

Scheduled on July 8 to 10, the Travel Madness Expo is originally designed for advanced booking for the lean season in TII’s bid to make tourism a year-round affair. But since its first staging in 2012, the expo has evolved into an international event for travel promos, discounts and rock-bottom prices for the peak season and throughout the year.

Participating in the event, according to the TII’s roster, are the world’s prestigious international airlines led by national flag carrier Philippine Airlines, and the national tourism organizations of various countries with the support of their embassies in the Philippines.

“Various BSOs [business support organizations] are also participating in the Travel Madness Expo to make it a one-stop shop for all your travel requirements,” said TII vice president Maria Paz Alberto, citing the leading participation of the Bank of the Philip-

pine Islands for travel financing, and government agencies Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority and Duty-Free Philippines.

This year’s expo comes at a time when fuel prices are at their lowest in a decade and Southeast Asian nations are working together to promote world travel to the region.

“So, for the rest of the year, we expect a relatively low-fare regime that the traveling public can take advantage of as fuel accounts for at least 28 percent of an airline’s operating cost,” Alberto said.

SUNDAY: MAY 22, 2016

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

ATENEO TEAM WINS L’OREAL CHALLENGE L’Oréal, a leading beauty brand, launched the 2016 edition of Brandstorm, a business and innovation competition, which has attracted over 80,000 participants in its 24 years of existence worldwide.

In the last two years, Brandstorm has evolved to inspire students to come up with the best ideas on new challenges beyond product innovation.

This year, students are working with La Roche-Posay, a brand with a mission to bring a better life to those with sensitive skin, leveraging entirely on digital technology to attract the youth and move towards the brand vision of having one product in every home.

In the Philippines, over 100 teams joined the competition this year which concluded with the national finals awards night with two finalist teams each from De La Salle University (Team Magnifique and The Muffin Men), University of the Philippines Dili-

man (La Roche Poseurs and Team Star), and Ateneo de Manila University (Little Lion and SGB).

The program started with an introductory exchange between L’Oréal Philippines managing director Thibault de Saint Victor and L’Oréal Philippines corporate communications manager Car-

3 SIBLINGS RECHARGE...

From electric fans, Hanabishi now offers home appliances such as rice cooker, gas stove, oven toaster, flat iron, juicer, blender, exhaust fan, duct fan, turbo broiler, electric airpot, air-conditioning units, refrigerators, chest chiller, deep fryer, water dispenser, washing machine, microwave oven, electric oven and LED TV. Jasper says an appliance could have as many as 10 or more SKUs, depending on the model, size, design, color or features of the product. “Filipino consumers are now more choosy in terms of design and color. With many choices, consumers are now more empowered,” he says.

Jasper says the partnership with Hitachi Electronics Asia for the distribution of Hitachi TV sets is another milestone for the company, as it is now able to serve the AB income group. He says the plan is to look for more distributorship agreements with other foreign brands, while strengthening the Hanabishi brand.

“Last month, we also brought in digital electric oven, the first in the Philippines. We are the first to introduce that. We also have induction cookers, which are now the preferred cooking appliance in condominiums,” Jevon says.

Jasper says despite the entry of new players amid the onset of the Asean Integration, Hanabishi will continue to be known for its quality and affordable products. “We are in the mid-range in terms of price. We cater to practical customers and we have a strong 30-year-old brand. We are not pricey, yet we are not very cheap.

We don’t compromise on quality.

We need to protect the brand,” Jevon says.

Jasper says new players try to sell at a lower price than Hanabishi, and even below the produc-

FROM B1

tion cost. “But that could be substandard and could be risky. To assure customers of Hanabishi quality, we offer five-year warranty on motors of electric fan and five-year warranty on compressors of refrigerators and airconditioners,” Jasper says.

Jasper says along with traditional products such as electric fan and rice cookers, television is a fast-growing item. “We started distributing TV two years ago.

Slowly, in the past two years, we are growing in that segment,” he says.

Jevon says Hanabishi is now the country’s leading brand in the small appliances segment. “We are hoping to grow at least 30 percent this year. First-quarter results are very good. Retail companies such as Puregold, Robinsons, SM, Shopwise, CitiMall are expanding. We tag along with their expansion.

We are the preferred suppliers of these retail chains. Wherever they are opening new stores, we are also there, given our expanded range of appliances,”Jevon says.

Jevon says Hanabishi is present in 3,000 outlets nationwide, offering appliances for household kitchen and living room.

Jevon says growth would have been higher in the past two years, if not for the port congestion and heavy road traffic. “Infrastructure is one big concern among businessmen, because the lack of infrastructure leads to inefficient delivery and logistics,” he says.

Hanabishi products are manufactured in China, which is known for its high volume of production. “We source it where it is of good quality and affordable.

We are looking for other countries which could produce the same, but so far China remains the most viable source. Volume production in China makes it af-

mel Valencia.

A mixer among L’Oréal executives and Brandstorm participants followed, where students were given a chance to ask questions related to marketing and the professional setting. The top three teams were then called for a brief presentation of their campaigns

on stage before the announcement of winners was made.

The team of Ateneo’s Little Lion was declared the national champion, ahead of La Roche Poseurs (UP Diliman) at second place and The Muffin Men (DLSU) at third.

Little Lion was able to win over the panel of judges with its im-

pressive case study on digital disruption. The team will represent the country in the international finals in Paris, France on June 30, 2016 where they will be competing with 44 other teams (representing 58 countries as some countries within the same region are sending just one team).

La Roche Poseurs (UP Diliman) won best digital award, for their innovative digital disruption, while SGB of Ateneo was recognized for best communication plan. Patrick Kahn of DLSU’s Muffin Men was awarded best speaker while Team Star of UP Diliman was awarded best team spirit for exhibiting the most synergy. Team Magnifique of DLSU won the people’s choice award.

The national finals awards night ended with an inspirational speech from L’Oréal Philippines human resources general manager Tina Ampil leaving students even hungrier for more revolutionary marketing and brand ideas.

Every year, Brandstorm gives thousands of students the opportunity to turn theory into practice, immerse themselves in the world of innovation, and present their projects to senior L’Oréal management, with challenges that are becoming more and more digital.

GMA Kapuso Foundation and responded to the needs of calamity-stricken areas. It donated home appliances to 200 families in Iligan City affected by typhoon Sendong in 2011 and 600 families displaced by typhoon Yolanda in Leyte in 2013. A street in Palo, Leyte was named after Hanabishi to recognize its contribution.

Jevon says as a part of its marketing, Hanabishi teamed up with Eat Bulaga for its KalyeSerye series and tapped TV host Vic Sotto as endorser and face behind the “Kapartner ng Praktikal na Nanay at Bossing” brand identity.

“It has worked quite well,” says Jevon, as he credited the AlDub series, referring to the onscreen partnership of Alden Richards and Yaya Dub, in Eat Bulaga for helping boost sales of Hanabishi appliances last year.

Jasper says based on Securities and Exchange Commission data, Hanabishi has emerged as the leading homegrown appliance

brand, in terms of sales and revenues.

He says the outlook remains positive for the appliance sector.

“We are constantly on the lookout for new products. We attend various trade fairs abroad, where we search for innovative, new technologies and products,” says Jasper.

“We expect growth to be sustained in the coming years. Every year, sales have been growing. We work closely with big retailers and all of them have very good outlook and plan to open new stores in the provinces. The Philippine population is also growing, and so is their need for affordable, practical and quality appliances,” says Jasper.

Jasper credits the success of Hanabishi to hard work and constant search for affordable, quality products. “This is why we have loyal customers. They come back.

When we introduce more categories and appliances, they trust the Hanabishi brand,” he says.

Roderick T. dela Cruz

TV host Vic Sotto (second from left) seals a contract as the endorser of Hanabishi appliances. With him are the Ong siblings.

fordable,” Jasper says.

Jevon says Fortune Buddies has a team in China that is in charge of design and quality control.

“They ensure that the quality of the products and minimum standards are followed,” he says. The Fortune Buddies team dictates the color, design, pattern and shape of the Hanabishi appliances, according to Jevon.

Jasper says with the success of Hanabishi, Fortune Buddies is organizing a thanksgiving party in October this year to mark the 30th year of the brand. “We would like to recognize the people, customers, employees, sales force, business partners, dealers, consultants, marketing and advertising strategists who are behind the success of Hanabishi,” he says.

Jasper says the company has also teamed up with charitable organizations as a part of its corporate social responsibility.

Hanabishi has supported civic organizations and foundations such as the Bantay Bata 163 and

B4

WORLD

WB SPEEDS UP RELEASE OF FUNDS VS DISEASE OUTBREAKS THE World Bank announced Saturday a new program to mobilize funds quickly against virulent disease outbreaks after the world was caught unprepared in the 2014 Ebola disaster in West Africa.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said the new Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) will accelerate global and national responses to disease outbreaks that threaten large populations and fragile economies.

He said the PEF, a combination of catastrophe insurance and bonds, is a direct reaction to the sluggish donor response to the outbreak of Ebola, which eventually killed close to 11,000 in West Africa and shut down economic activity for months.

“Pandemics pose a serious threat to global health and economic security,” said Kim. “The recent Ebola crisis in West Africa was a tragedy that we were simply not prepared for. It was a wake-up call to the entire world.”

“There is no effective international system ready to respond quickly to a pandemic.”

Kim, a medical doctor and expert on health and disease in developing countries, put the World Bank in the lead of the response to Ebola at the time.

But he acknowledged that it took months to bring together the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to pay for deploying health personnel, supplies, and other relief to Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

In the meantime, he said, the death toll rose ten-fold.

Kim announced the creation of the PEF at the gathering of G7 finance ministers in Sendai, Japan.

He said the group of global powers had pressed the World Bank last year to develop a quicker way for the world to respond to pandemics.

Kim said Japan was the first to commit support for the PEF, with a $50 million contribution.

The insurance will cover outbreaks of several classes of infectious diseases most at risk for epidemics: new orthomyxoviruses including influenza pandemic viruses A, B and C; coronaviruses like SARS and MERS; filoviruses like Ebola and Marburg; and other zoonotic diseases—those that move between animals and humans—including Crimean Congo, Rift Valley and Lassa fever. AFP

Brexit. This photo illustration created on May 20, 2016 in Lille shows the flags of the European Union and the United Kingdom.

On June 23, 2016 Great Britain will hold a referendum on whether or not the United Kingdom will remain within the European Union, often referred to as “Brexit.” Group of Seven finance ministers on Saturday warned of the risks from a “shock” to the world economy if Britain votes to leave the European Union next month. AFP

G7 CAUTIONS MEMBERS VS CURRENCY MANIPULATION G7 MINISTERS warned Saturday against members manipulating their currencies, coming down against host Japan whose plans to tame the resurgent yen ignited a policy split in the club of rich nations.

The Group of Seven finance ministers and central bank governors also warned of the risks from a “shock” to the world economy if Britain votes to leave the European Union next month.

Their comments came at the end of two days of talks at a famous hot spring resort in northern Japan, focused on how the G7 can stoke the lumbering world economy which they said was under threat from an array of challenges.

“Uncertainties to the global outlook have increased, while geopolitical conflicts, terrorism, refugee flows, and the shock of a potential UK exit from the European Union also complicate the global eco-

nomic environment,” they said in a statement.

Japan came under pressure over its repeated threats to intervene in forex markets to reverse a rally in the yen, which had put it on a collision course with its G7 counterparts.

US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew kept up the pressure Saturday with a fresh warning, saying that commitments to “refrain from competitive devaluation and communicate closely have helped to contribute to confidence in the global economy”.

Washington’s policy is that the yen’s recent strengthening, which has dealt a blow to Japan’s exporters as the economy is hit by a slowdown, did not justify a market intervention.

In closing statements which were a clear rebuff to Japan, the group “reaffirmed existing G7 exchange rate agreements” and “underscored the importance of all countries refraining from competitive devaluation”.

A softer currency has been one of the pillars of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s more than three-year effort to revitalize the world’s thirdlargest economy.

Japan last intervened in currency markets around November 2011, when it tried to stem the yen’s rise against the greenback to keep an economic recovery on track after the quake-tsunami disaster earlier that year.

The finance chiefs, whose leaders will hold a summit in Japan next week, also vowed to cooperate in countering the financing of global terror.

“Countering violent extremism and bringing perpetrators to jus-

tice remain top priorities for the whole international community,” said the group which takes in the US, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Britain.

They identified “targeted financial sanctions” as critical to hindering the networks that support terrorist organizations and emphasized the need to freeze terrorist assets including those of individuals.

“The G7 commits to working together to strengthen the global fight against terrorist financing,” they said.

In or out?

As the vote on Britain’s future in the EU draws closer, finance minister George Osborne said his meetings with G7 counterparts underscored the gravity of the in-out decision.

If voters opt to quit the bloc in a June 23 referendum, Britain would find it “extremely difficult” to conclude trade deals with European Union countries, he told the BBC. AFP

SUMMIT SEEKS TO TRANSFORM AID TO HUMANITARIAN CRISES

GLOBAL leaders and key NGOs gather in Istanbul tomorrow for an unprecedented United Nationsbacked summit aimed at transforming the world’s response to humanitarian crises, despite skepticism the talks will have little impact.

With an estimated 60 million people displaced around the world and conflict and climate change posing a growing risk, there is widespread agreement among governments and aid groups that the current humanitarian system is in desperate need of an overhaul.

The two-day summit aims to establish a set of “concrete actions and com-

mitments” that would help countries better prepare to fight crises, lay out a new global approach to manage forced displacement, and secure dependable financing to respond to such situations.

But participants will need to overcome deep skepticism about the summit’s ability to realize its ambitious agenda, and not turn into yet another international talking shop with good intentions but zero outcome.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has pulled out of the event, fearing it could be a “fig leaf ” for a lack of global action.

The choice of Istanbul is symbolic, with

Turkey itself hosting at least 2.7 million of the estimated 4.84 million refugees who have fled the conflict in Syria.

If delegates step outside the metal security barriers separating the luxury venue from the outside world, they will see the desperate faces of Syrian refugees begging and selling low-value goods on many Istanbul street corners.

But with 60 world leaders due to attend including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, participants hope the summit will at least start to make a difference. AFP

Polls. A picture taken on Tuesday, in Strasbourg, eastern France, shows an election poster from a citizens’ organization “#MaVoix” for the upcoming legislative by-elections. AFP

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WORLD editorial@thestandard.com.ph

US bUckS joint air StrikeS with rUSSia vS jihadiStS Moscow on Friday proposed that Russia and United states, which have been flying separate bombing campaigns in syria, launch joint air strikes against jihadists from next week, a proposal the Pentagon swiftly rejected. “we are proposing to the Us, as the head of the International syria support Group, to take part as of May 25 in joint operations between the Russian air force and the air force of the coalition,” Russian defense minister sergei shoigu said in televised comments. shoigu said that the proposal included strikes against Jabhat al-Nusra and other illegal armed groups that do not support a frail truce brokered by Moscow and washington in February.

He also proposed that joint strikes target “convoys containing weapons and ammunition (and) armed units that illegally cross the syrian-Turkish border.” “we believe that adopting these measures will ensure the transition to a peace settlement process over all of syria’s territory,” shoigu said. “of course, the leadership of the syrian Arab Republic has agreed to these measures.”

Pentagon spokesman Navy captain Jeff Davis rejected Moscow’s proposal, saying the Us military does “not collaborate or coordinate with the Russians on any operations in syria.”

Us state Department spokesman John Kirby said nothing had been agreed. “what we are discussing with our Russian counterparts... are proposals for a sustainable mechanism to better monitor and enforce the cessation of hostilities,” Kirby said.

He added that the “vast majority” of the violations of the truce had been carried out by the regime, which is backed by Moscow.

“Russian operations are supporting and enabling the Assad regime and our focus is solely on degrading and defeating IsIL,” Davis said, referring to the Islamic state jihadist group. AFP

71 dead, 127 missing in sri Lanka fLoods Foreign aid began arriving in Sri Lanka Saturday, bringing help to half a million people who have been driven from their homes by heavy rains and landslides that have killed at least 71.

The heaviest rains in a quarter of a century have pounded sri Lanka since last weekend, triggering huge landslides that have buried some victims in up to 50 feet (15 meters) of mud.

The number of people missing now stands at 127.

Residents clung to ropes as they battled to cross torrents of water pulsing through the streets of the flooded capital colombo, with some forced to take shelter in rickshaws.

India has sent a military plane

carrying emergency supplies to colombo while Japan has also rushed in aid on a commercial flight, the sri Lankan foreign ministry said.

The Indian government has provided inflatable boats, outboard motors, diving equipment, medical supplies, electricity generators and sleeping bags, officials said.

Two Indian naval ships were also expected shortly at the port in the capital while Australia and the United states have made cash donations to help the victims.

Buddhist clergy urged the faithful to divert at least half of the money spent on holiday celebrations to help flood victims.

“There are lots of people who have lost their homes, some have only the clothes they are wearing,” top Buddhist monk warakagoda sri Gnanarathana said. “consider this your meritorious deed to celebrate Vesak.”

Vesak celebrations were muted saturday in colombo and elsewhere compared to previous years when the entire city was decorated with lanterns and colored lights. sri Lanka’s navy and the air force operated boats in some of the worst-hit areas, ferrying people to shelters and taking food to those stranded, officials said. AFP

Sympathy. relatives and friends of passengers of the egyptair plane that crashed in the Mediterranean, comfort each other on Friday during

prayers at abou bakr el-Sedek mosque in cairo. egypt found wreckage including seats and luggage from the egyptair plane, as investigators tried to unravel the mystery of why it swerved and plummeted into the sea. Search teams spotted personal belongings of passengers and parts of the airbus a320 about 290 kilometers (180 miles) north of egypt’s coastal city of alexandria, the military said. AFP

LawSUitS vS taiwan’S ex-preSident reopened DozeNs of lawsuits brought against former Taiwanese president Ma Ying-jeou reopened saturday as his presidential immunity lapsed after the island swore in its new leader.

Ma left the presidential office Friday as Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took the reins as the island’s first female leader, after winning a landslide victory in January.

Ma came to power in 2008 partly due to his “Mr clean” image, favored by a public fed up with the scandals of former DPP leader chen shui-bian, who was jailed for corruption.

However, Ma now faces his own court battles as political

Floodwater levels in parts of the capital subsided slightly overnight, officials said, but heavy downpours on saturday prevented many from moving back to their homes on the banks of the Kelani river. “colombo did not receive any significant rain last night and the water levels of the Kelani went down slightly,” Disaster Management center spokesman Pradeep Kodippili told AFP. “But there were showers upstream and we are worried that the water levels can rise again in a day.”

Buddhist holiday Nearly 300,000 people were staying in about 500 state-run relief centers on saturday, which also marks Vesak, a Buddhist holiday.

The country’s influential

rivals hurl suits at him on a range of allegations, including leaking political secrets and failing to declare assets.

His departure from office means he now faces 24 cases, according to the Taipei District Prosecutors office.

“The office has been actively taking inventory of cases relating to president Ma that were suspended due to immunity to criminal prosecution,” prosecutors said in an earlier statement.

“The investigations will restart according to law after the president steps down,” it said.

Local media reported Thursday that the High court had ordered a re-hearing on a request brought by a DPP law-

maker that Ma be prevented from leaving the country due to the cases he faces.

That request had previously been denied at district level. seemingly undeterred, a relaxed Ma was pictured going for a morning jog and doing push-ups in his old neighborhood in Taipei saturday, after moving back there from the presidential residence.

Ma took the leadership in 2008 by the biggest landslide in Taiwan’s democratic history, but saw his popularity plummet during his eightyear run, with the public unnerved by policies seen as linking the island too closely with rival china. AFP

Modi app. indian

prime Minister narendra Modi(r) speaks with apple ceo tim cook during a meeting in new delhi on Saturday. cook met with Modi in new delhi , launching a new version of the indian leader’s eponymous app on a visit aimed at pushing the technology giant’s expansion plans. cook, shown in a video using the premier’s gold-coloued iphone, launched an update to the narendra Modi Mobile app to include a new volunteering network, the government said. AFP

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SPORTS

RIERA MALL ARI EDITOR

sports@thestandard.com.ph

Ateneo star Alyssa Valdez, shown here hoisting her MVP trophy, will rekindle her rivalry with collegiate counterparts Michelle Gumabao and Melissa Gohing in the coming Shakey’s V-League Open Conference.

VOLLEY STARS RENEW RIVALRY IN SHAKEY’S V-LEAGUE ATENEO stars Alyssa Valdez and Denden Lazaro renew their rivalry with former La Salle counterparts Michelle Gumabao and Melissa Gohing when they play for Bali Pure and Pocari Sweat, respectively, in the 13th Shakey’s V-League Open Conference starting on May 28 at The Arena in San Juan City.

The country’s longest and premier women’s volley league will actually hold its opening rites tomorrow at The Arena City to introduce all the participating teams and players

but matches will only start next Sunday.

Valdez and Lazaro will spearhead Bali Pure, which also includes former Ateneo stars Dzi Gervacio, Bea Tan, Charo Soriano,

Amy Ahomiro and Mary Mae Tajima and reigning NCAA MVP Gretchel Soltones.

Other members of the squad are Karla Bello, Janine Marciano, Alyssa Eroa and Ivana Agbayani with Soriano, who heads the Beach Volleyball Republic, as playing coach.

Gumabao and Gohing, who beat Valdez and Lazaro for the UAAP crown in their last two seasons with La Salle in 2012-13, will banner an equally impressive Pocari Sweat crew that also features the likes of Myla Pablo, Elaine Kasilag, Gyselle Sy, Siemens Dadang and Rossan Fajardo.

Pocari will be coached by Thai Tai Bundit, Valdez and Lazaro’s mentor at Ateneo.

“We’re expecting an exciting conference with these eight teams,” said Ricky Palou, president of the organizing Sports Vision.

National U, a team headed by Jaja Santiago and Jorelle Singh with multi-titled Roger Gorayeb as coach, is also expected to contend for the crown while University of the Philippines, which defied the odds and made it to the UAAP Final Four this year, is also tipped to crowd the fancied teams for the crown in the league where it all started.

Completing the eightteam roster are KIA, Air Force, Baguio and Iriga City.

Meanwhile, six teams, led by Reinforced Conference champion Cignal TV, Inc. will vie in the second Spikers’ Turf season, an all-men league similar to the V-League, which also kicks off on May 28.

WBC: LETTING PROS FIGHT AMATEURS IS A REAL CRIME

By Ronnie Nathanielsz THE World Boxing Council, under its president Mauricio Sulaiman, has continued its criticism of the move of AIBA—the international governing body for the sport.

The WBC accusing the AIBA of of being “tarnished in recent years with scandals and accusations, with terrible officiating and with a confusing plan to become involved in professional boxing, and with only commercial vision, which have led the sport of boxing to be at the lowest levels in amateur competition ever.”

“Boxing is a founding sport of the original Olympics from Greece and has been one of the mayor attractions in the modern Olympic Games,” the WBC statement said.

“The Olympic glory has been fundamental stage in some of the greatest world champions in history. Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier,

George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar de la Hoya and Lennox Lewis, just to name a few, were Olympic medalists.”

It alleged that questionable officiating has led to “horrible injustice” and cited the cases of Roy Jones Jr., Evander Holyfield, Floyd Mayweather and Jeff Fenech and many others, who were robbed of Olympic glory.

“In recent years, AIBA, has been constantly changing its rules, which they apply worldwide with tremendous inconsistencies.”

Sulaiman said while the boxing world is facing an AIBA proposal to allow professional boxers to compete in the Olympics, the WBC wrote a letter to the International Olympic Committee, which responded by directing the WBC to communicate with AIBA directly.

The WBC president said the premier pro boxing organization in the world “representing the opinion and concern of thousands

around the world, is absolutely opposed to having professional boxers compete in the Olympic Games of Rio, which is only 78 days from now. There are many unanswered facts about this step but all leads to the danger of allowing a mature professional fighter facing a young inexperienced fighter. AIBA is using the names of Manny Pacquiao, Wladimir Klitschko, Andre Ward, Canelo Alvarez and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. as candidates to compete in the Olympic Games.”

The WBC noted that there are so many uncertain factors about eligibility and competition format, which is proof that AIBA is rushing into a decision, which could lead to tragic consequences.

The WBC has spoken to many fighters, who have expressed their opinion, saying that “letting professional versus amateur boxers is a real crime. It is attacking the very roots of boxing; it endangers the lives and ca-

Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has branded the move of allowing professional boxers to fight in the Olympics against amateurs a “total madness.” AFP

reers of young talented boxers and AIBA is behind this madness for money. The people must raise their voice against this measure and professional boxers should not even consider this criminal offering. Let’s create a common front in benefit of boxing”.

Hall of Fame trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain and Top Rank promoter Bob Arum have both branded

the move “total madness.”

“Olympic boxing is built for amateurs and is the highest achievement you can get, alongside being world amateur champion. All of a sudden you could have a scenario where someone like former world heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, who won Olympic gold in Atlanta and has so much experience, could go up against a kid of 18 who

has had just 10 fights,” said former heavyweight king Lennox Lewis.

Sulaiman also cited Britain’s heavyweight David Haye. “All it’s going to take is one 17-year-old kind from Sweden fighting an American 30-year-old current world champion, puts the poor kid into a coma and then everyone will ask: Why did you allow that to Turn to B7

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SPORTS sports@thestandard.com.ph

MUTUAL ADMIRATION CLUB

PAINTERS LAUD ACES

Members of the Alaska Aces display their runner-up trophy during the awarding ceremonies of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.

By Jeric Lopez

THE mutual respect of Rain or Shine and Alaska has always been there.

But after their very competitive Commissioner’s Cup finals showdown which the Elasto Painters won in six games to take the championship, that respect even grew.

With Rain or Shine well on its way to winning Game 6, the series and the championship last Wednesday night with over a minute left in the clincher, Alaska team owner Wilfred Uytengsu, in a sportsmanlike gesture, came over to Painters’ owners Terry Que and Raymond Yu to personally shake their hands and congratulate them for the title conquest.

Following this, the

Painters returned the favor as the entire team couldn’t help but express their appreciation for Alaska, not only for the tough fight it put up in the finals but more importantly, for it being a premier organization in the PBA. “He (Uytengsu) went to us and told us to enjoy the championship.

It was a really good gesture on his part,” said co-owner Ray-

WBC...

From B6

happen? Obviously, it is a contact sport so why would you allow that 17-year-old boy to fight this 30-year-old man who has already won the Olympics 10 years ago? What’s the point?”

Argentina’s popular former world champion Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez was quoted as saying: “AIBA has done it. They are now the terrorists of boxing, mercenaries that risk the life of young boys that dream with the Olympic glory by matching them against professional boxers. Our humanitarian obligation is to fight and put an end to these absurd practices that prioritize economic interests over the human life. Let’s create a common front in benefit of boxing.”

Mexico’s former world flyweight champion Jorge Arce said: “I think it is not wise to allow professionals on the Olympics. The Olympic games are

mond Yu in his championship speech.

Yu went on to share that the satisfaction of beating a top-notch ball club like Alaska is second-to-none for Rain or Shine.

“Alaska is an institution in the league.

They’re ranked up there with the San Miguel teams and they’ve been in the league for so long. For us, to have beaten them in a championship series really humbled us,” added Yu. Outspoken Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao echoed the sentiments of his team owner and admitted how tough the championship series was for Rain or Shine, thanks to Alaska’s grittiness.

“Alaska is a great

a great motivation and if this happens the dream will end.

It may occur a tragedy. Professional fighters have more capacity, better technique. Boxing is a process, if you remove the headgear from the amateurs and allow professionals to fight them, a tragedy may occur. I fought in the Olympics eight years ago, you can not allow fights between professionals or world champions and young amateur fighters.

That would be a big risk” Mexican legend Erik “El Terrible” Morales also joined the critical chorus. “Professional boxing is an art, is an exact way of winning or losing with skills, effort and technique. As amateur you are in a learning stage, the fights are scored different. You cannot compare both, for this kind of egoistic initiatives fatal accidents could happen. At the end of the day, amateur fighters are not familiar on what professional boxing is, that would be a great disadvantage to happen on the Olympics. They don’t have the

organization. Napakagaling nila. Hirap na hirap kami talaga sa kanila and I even had doubts if kakayanin namin and I’m glad we did,” said Guiao.

He also had a bold prediction moving forward. Guiao thinks that the recently concluded Commissioner’s Cup showdown won’t be the last time that the Elasto Painters and the Aces will meet in a finals’ war.

“They’re a really great organization and we’ll see them in the finals again I’m sure,” said Guiao.

Complimenting its worthy runner-up in the recent conference even more, Rain or Shine governor Mert Mondragon shared that Alaska is a franchise that the Elasto Painters

skills, the training, experience.

I don’t understand this, professionals have a lot of advantages over amateurs. Another Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera branded it “madness, I agree with Mauricio, we must not have fights between pros and amateurs. They would be dumping to the garbage all the illusion of the young fighters; they would be trampling on the dreams of amateurs. The professionals have a lot of experience and I think that definitively, the punches are really different. A big tragedy may happen. We should continue as now, amateurs vs. amateurs and pros vs. pros.”

The WBC concluded: “IOC has stepped out of the matter and directed AIBA to make all decisions. June the 1 will be the day in which the delegates of AIBA will vote about this matter and will be certainly a day in which all voting delegates will have in their hands the safety and well being of the amateur fighters of the world.”

are looking up to.

“Itong Alaska ay isa sa mga teams na aming tinitingala dito sa PBA,” said Mondragon.

“Nirerespeto namin sila not only because of the exceptional talent

and skills of their players, but also because of the quality of basketball that they bring to the league.”

Though the Aces are currently dealing with yet another heart-

breaking second-place finish, their fourth in the last five conferences, these uplifting words from their conquerors might be good enough to keep their heads up high.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF BASILAN BIDS AND AWARD COMMITTEE Provincial Capitol Bldg., Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300

Invitation to Bid for CONCRETING OF TAIRAN - LAWILA ROAD, LANTAWAN PHASE-I for the MUNICIPALITY OF LANTAWAN, PROVINCE OF BASILAN Under BAC Publication No. 003-2016 TheProvincial government of Basilan, intends to apply part of the sum of TWENTY MILLION THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY THOUSAND PESOS (P 20,370,000.00)being the Approved Budget for the Contract (ABC) under the MOA for CONCRETING OF TAIRAN - LAWILA ROAD, LANTAWAN PHASE-I, LANTAWAN MUNICIPALITY, BASILAN PROVINCE. Bids received in excess of the ABC shall be automatically rejected at bid opening.

1.

The Provincial government of Basilan now invites bids for supply and delivery of Construction Materials and Fuel for the CONCRETING OF TAIRAN - LAWILA ROAD, LANTAWAN PHASE-I, LANTAWAN MUNICIPALITY, BASILAN PROVINCE.Measuring 1,500 l.m. of length per approach. Completion of the Works is required within 112 calendar days. Bidders should have completed, within ten (10) years from the date of submission and receipt of bids, a contract similar to the Project. The description of an eligible bidder is contained in the Bidding Documents, particularly, in Section II, instructions to Bidders.

2.

Bidding will be conducted through open competitive bidding procedures using non-discretionary pass/fail criterion as specified in the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 9184 (RA 9184), otherwise known as the “Government Procurement Reform Act”.

3.

Bidding is restricted to Filipino citizens/sole proprietorships, partnerships, or organizations with at least seventy five percent (75%) interest or outstanding capital stock belonging to citizens of the Philippines.

4.

Interested bidders may obtain further information from The Provincial government of Basilan and inspect the Bidding Documents at the address given below from 8:00am to 5pm.

5.

A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested Bidders from the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for the Bidding Documents in the amount of TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P25,000.00) ANDONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00)for the Letter of Intent.

6.

It may also be downloaded free of charge from the website of the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) and the website of the Procuring Entity, provided that bidders shall pay the fee for the Bidding Documents not later that the submission of their bids.

7.

The Provincial government of Basilanwill hold a Pre-Bid Conference on 10:00 am, May 24, 2016 at BAC Office, Provl. Capitol, Isabela City, Basilan Province, which shall beopen to all interested parties.

8.

Bids must be delivered on Bid Opening to the address below on or before 10:00 am June 6, 2016 at BAC Office, Provl. Capitol, Isabela City, Basilan Province. All bids must be accompanied by a bid security in any of the acceptable forms and in the amount stated in ITB Clause 18.

Bids will be opened in the presence of the bidders’ representatives who choose to attend at the address below. Late bids shall not be accepted.

9.

The Provincial government of Basilan reserves the right to accept or reject any bid, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected bidder or bidders.

10. For further information, please refer to: The BAC CHAIRPERSON LGU- BASILAN Bids and Award Committee C/O BAC Secretariat Ground Floor, Provincial Capitol Building, Isabela City, Basilan Province, 7300 Fax No.: 062 200 3416 & 062 200 3417 E-mail Add: tigerlily_diamond@yahoo.com ( T S - M AY 2 2 , 2 016)

(SGD) INTAN GORDANA A. ABUBAKAR Chairperson, Bids

B8

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REUEL VIDAL EDITOR sports@thestandard.com.ph

SPORTS

Experienced bicycle riders join the first wave at the start of the 40-kilometer Challenge Ride. More and more bicycle riders continue to join the ever growing Alaska Cycle Asia Philippines with over a thousand cyclists of all ages in its 2016 edition held last weekend at the sprawling grounds of SM By The Bay within the SM Mall of Asia Complex.

MORE RIDERS JOIN AS ALASKA CYCLE ASIA CONTINUES TO GROW

By Homer Vidal

THIS just keeps getting bigger and better every year.

More and more bicycle riders continued to join the ever growing Alaska Cycle Asia Philippines with over a thousand cyclists of all ages participating in its 2016 edition held last weekend at the sprawling grounds of SM By The Bay within the SM Mall of Asia Complex.

Riders included cyclists as young as two years old riding bicycles with training wheels; to adults on folding bicycles hoping to sneak in a few minutes of exercise on a leisurely ride; to the more serious cyclists looking to test their stamina and their physical limits on longer distances including a 40-kilometer Challenge Ride.

Alaska Milk President and CEO Fred Uytengsu said Alaska Cycle Asia Philippines hopes to attract people to try bicycle riding, an enjoyable yet healthy activity which gets them to go out in the sun for a brisk morning exercise.

Bicycle riders have very limited opportunities to enjoy a long pleasurable ride especially if they live in the crowded, traffic grid-locked streets of Metro Manila. Alaska Cycle Asia Philippines was established in 2013 and affords participants of all ages and abilities the chance to ride safely on closed public roads.

“This is really about creating a healthy lifestyle. We want to encourage people to get on bicycles and ride. Every year this event continues to grow as more and more participants join,” said Uytengsu, who finished second to national champion triathlete August Benedicto in the 40-kilometer Challenge Ride for the more experienced and athletic riders.

Cycle Asia is part of Alaska’s “Nutrition. Action. Champion.” program of promoting a healthy and active lifestyle through participation in sports.

It allows Filipinos to be part of a community activity that will help them become physically fit and healthy, enabling them to become winners in life. Alaska Cycle Asia Philippines is organized by Cycle Asia in collaboration with Alaska Milk Corporation and Sunrise Events Incorporated.

Princess Galura, Managing Di-

rector of Sunrise Events said they organized the ride for the growing community of bicycle riders in the country.

“Participants may enjoy the closed roads. They can meet new riders because they won’t be just with their barkada but other riders of differing skills. Others may be better than them. Others may be less skilled.

And most important, they will be riding in complete safety, in a big group within the closed roads. Participants won’t have any worries and can just enjoy the ride,” said Galura.

Alaska Cycle Asia Philippines is not about competition. It is not a race. It is a ride which welcomes everyone to participate.

Bicycle riders of all ages – resplendent in bicycle regalia both for safety and style – came atop all kinds of bicycles. They came in racers, mountain bikes and all sorts of colorful bicycles of different sizes and makes. Casual riders, employees and executives alike came atop folding bicycles which they probably ride to their offices every day.

Children came riding brightly

colored bicycles. Many were just learning to ride and came with rides still fitted with training wheels.

Everyone came to have a fun, safe and enjoyable ride at the SM By the Bay within the SM Mall of Asia Complex.

For general information about Alaska Milk Corporation visit www. alaskamilk.com. For more information about Alaska Milk Corporation sports programs visit www.playph. com, Facebook: www.facebook. com/PlayPH; Twitter: @playph; Instagram: @alaskaplayph.

Riders as young as two years old riding bicycles with training wheels gather at the start of the separate course for children. The event introduces young people to bicycle riding, an enjoyable yet healthy activity which gets them to go out in the sun for a brisk morning exercise.

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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

Steamed seafood (left) that went under an ozonator before cooking. Ozonator is a device inserted in the water, meat, or vegetables that sanitizes and oxidizes the food, ridding it of pesticides and other poisonous chemicals, leaving the food toxin free. A perfect morning fuel – mixed fruits and muesli (right)

‘LET fOOD BE Thy mEDICInE, AnD mEDICInE BE Thy fOOD’ Carotid artery

By TATum AnChETA

W

hen people ask me out for lunch or dinner, I would usually request that they choose the restaurant because I don t want them to worry about what I will eat, or be pissed at my choices. I always tell them I m a bad date; the conversation would be like a quiz night but even the answers will be in question form. So what do you feel like eating? How about pizza? Is the crust gluten free? Sushi? Is the fish farmed or wild caught? Omelette? Do they use eggs from free-range chicken? Juice? Is it fresh or powdered? I would usually get a sneer, or K. Thanks. Bye. How about cardboard, do you eat cardboard?!

Ever since I went into a diet program for my gut restoration, I have been stuck with eating plant-based food and there are a lot I had to veer away from to rid my body of all the accumulated mercury from the fish I ve been eating for the past seven to eight years that I ve been a pesco-vegetarian, and to prevent GERD from gagging me all the time. I always just say that as long as there is vegetable, I m okay.

During event coverages, I either end up starved, or I’d be telling the entire story of why I can t eat what s on the plate. I met another writer during a coverage and she mentioned that she s also on a diet program. Her nutritionist checks up on her all the time so she couldn’t eat what had been served us because she needs to send the photo of the food that she ate for the day. I was like, wow, her nutritionist is so kulit.

Sometime ago, our president at The Standard walked up to my room and started talking about his nutritionist, how his weight has been maintained and how he s enjoying the fact that he is not starving himself. He said the best part is that this guy lets you have a cheat day of whatever stuff you want to eat, even KFC chicken, if you

Cassava bread that Eizza baked with cassava flour that they grinded and sun dried at home

Harvie De Baron and wife Eizza

please. What?! I was like, “What kind of nutritionist would make you eat fast food?”

Apparently that kind of nutritionist is named Harvie De Baron, and no, he doesn t encourage fast food binging but allows his clients to have a cheat day so as not to deprive themselves. It s impossible to tell people not to eat what they re used to for the rest of their lives. You can t tell them to avoid that, explains Harvie. Well, after a cheat day, really, you will have diarrhea.

After a while your own body rejects it, even your palate changes. You d find things too sweet, or too salty, he adds.

The true healthy is this: You don t put in food in your body that you don t know about. So if you are about being healthy, you should be in control of what goes inside, explains Harvie. His process is known as the Baron Method which is about the transformation of a person s health through the healing power of food.

He started this practice in 2009 when he made a complete lifestyle change due to his ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis depends on which side it affects you but basically you have lacerations in your colon, he explains. I would have diarrhea 30 times a day, all blood. So, you actually feel like you re gonna die, because you lose blood everyday from the lacerations.

His doctors put him on high doses of medication and steroids but he kept relapsing. The doctor said, We re going to have to take all your colon out because it s going to be bad for your liver with all the steroids. We just have to put a poop bag on you. And I was just 29. You think that will be cool meeting my wife at that time? he jokes.

He learned about the healing power of food and made a complete lifestyle change that eventually cured his illness. He took up Sports Nutrition at Oxford College and made it his life s mission to help others improve their quality of life. Since then, he s had a series of clients, from young ones to professional athletes to patients with hypertension, diabetes, adrenal issues, even cancer. His clients became his walking advertisers and people just started coming to him.

The problem with most diet is sustainability, Harvie says while we talk of the many fad diets and other preventive care programs available today. I think people now are much smarter than they were before, which is amazing, he continues. And while so much information is now available and getting menu plans for a healthier diet is as easy as contacting everyone s go-to doctor, Mr. Google, people still fail at following the steps and they eventually go back to their bad habits.

I understand how hard it can be to prepare your own food all the time especially if you have a busy lifestyle and the availability of resources can be scarce. With continuity, it s all about the right planning. When you look at successful people in my program, it’s really people who planned well, he shares.

He says that before leaving your house you have to have a concrete plan on what food you will put in your mouth for the day, as this makes a whole lot of difference than just saying “bahala na.”

The Baron Method as compared to most nutrition plans is very personal, invasive Continued on C3

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

Frances Amper Sales

@LIFEatStandard

Janice Villanueva

ThE rEwArDINg joUrNEYS oF 2 FILIpINA ‘momprENEUrS’

I

how janice Villanueva and Frances Amper Sales are empowering women through their blogs

t used to be that new mommies would turn to the late Dr. Benjamin Spock’s Baby and Child Care book for advice on a variety of subjects under the sun about child rearing, or call to their own moms in panic because the baby won’t stop hiccupping.

These days however, would-be-mothers, newbie mommies and even not-so-new mothers are increasingly turning to mom blogs whenever they want to get helpful information and insightful advice because these blogs were written by women who are equally passionate parents and therefore, have the experience and the empathy that mommies are looking for. These blogs are also becoming significant channels that help empower women and define their roles in shaping the country’s future.

In the Philippines, Janice Villanueva (MommyMundo) and Frances Amper Sales (Mommy Topaz/Topaz Horizon) – emerging as the top two influential mommy bloggers who are leading the mission in raising more empowered mothers who are striving to create their own life balance and become successful in their personal endeavors.

Janice Villanueva’s journey started when she realized that there was a dearth of useful information on pregnancy, breastfeeding, and many aspects of parenting. She then ventured into a personal advocacy to supply the lack of useful information that would help women make sense of the mystifying things that go with pregnancy or motherhood. Pretty soon, MommyMundo was born, a blog that has the distinction of being the country’s first established parenting resource portal for modern moms and moms-to-be. Just recently, another milestone in her journey was reached when MommyMundo was officially launched in Singapore through an international expo for maternity and child care products.

“Our mission is to empower moms, because through them, we raise an empowered generation of good kids. By touching the lives of moms, we help make a difference,” Villanueva says.

“Blogging is perfect for work-at-home moms. The flexible schedule allows them to achieve both worlds, maximize their time doing really productive and fulfilling work. They can work at their own pace while enjoying the moment with the family,” Villanueva adds.

This was also pretty much the story of Frances Amper Sales who avers that being an at-home working mom allows her to take advantage of opportunities that would have been difficult in a 9-to-5 world. A former magazine editor, Mommy Frances, a.k.a.

Mommy Topaz, says blogging “gave me a platform to share my empowered life! At

Jolly empowered 'mompreneurs' Frances (top) and Janice (above) are making a difference in the lives of millions of mothers

the start, I just blogged about my life. Then readers started sending me letters about how my life inspired them simply because I was living it on my own terms. I found out that sharing my life inspired other women to also live the life they want. Authenticity is indeed empowering,” she enthuses.

According to Frances, becoming a mother made her realize that “we really

don’t know what we’re doing. We basically act through instinct and follow a lot of old wives’ tales! So I made it a point to empower other moms through knowledge.

It’s easier to raise a healthy family if you know how vaccines keep us safe, how nutrition keeps us healthy.”

For Janice, empowered mothering begins with making mindful choices.

“Moms, especially the newbies, can be overwhelmed sometimes because of having an ideal of what a ‘perfect’ mom should be. The first thing that they should do is to snap out of that ideal and just focus on achieving their own set goals, one step at a time. Find your own standards, embrace your uniqueness,” she stresses.

Having a well-rounded life is a goal that most moms should strive for, to find balance between work and family while still having time for themselves. “Pampering doesn’t have to be always grand or luxurious like getting regular spas. Find enjoyment in simple pleasures… like savoring your favorite coffee, rewarding yourself with little things,” advises Mommy Janice.

One of the major challenges that moms face is how to provide the best nourishment for their families, and it helps when there are brands like Jolly which also help mothers.

“When we were chosen by Fly Ace Corp. to represent Jolly and empowered moms, we were really honored because just like us, Fly Ace is really discerning with the quality of its products,” says Janice, adding that the brand really connects with people especially moms, who find the wide range of products helpful when it comes to easily cooking great-tasting, nutritious and affordable dishes which kids can enjoy.

“I use my blog to share recipes that are easy to make, affordable and healthy.

Many working moms find kitchen tasks overwhelming after a long day at work!

But when I share with them that these Jolly recipes are budget-friendly, fast and easy to cook and are nutritious, too, then it becomes easy for them to make each family meal a Jolly occasion!” Mommy Frances shares.

With dedication, and given proper motivational support, these mommy bloggers agree that Filipina mothers can go a long way in their chosen paths of motherhood – whether as stay-at-home moms, full-time career women or workfrom-home “mompreneurs’ like themselves.

“We salute all amazing mothers and their relentless efforts in seeking ways to create meaningful changes to their lives and those of their loved ones. With this, Jolly is inspired to bring out the best nutritional and quality standards in our products,” says Jolly senior product manager Marilou Acuña.

Imported and distributed by Fly Ace Corp., one of the country’s leading food and beverage consumer goods companies, Jolly canned food products are available in leading supermarkets nationwide. For more delicious recipes and cooking tutorial videos, visit Jolly Foods official website www.jolly.com.ph. Also like its official FB fan page Jolly Eats or follow via Twitter at @jollyeatsph.

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

I

@LIFEatStandard

FedEx Express renews its commitment to educating young entrepreneurs

n a talk that came out on Stanford eCorner, Hearsay Labs founder Clara Shih said that being an entrepreneur at a young age allows one to solve problems with a fresh perspective. It also helps that the youth has the advantages of time, energy and high risk tolerance.

Seeing that more businesses will soon be owned and operated by young CEOs and believing that educating the youth on the fundamentals of economics and entrepreneurship in a global system should be one of the nations’ priorities, FedEx Express continues its commitment to support young entrepreneurs with the awarding of a $10,000 grant to Junior Achievement Philippines during the latter’s 47th Grand Awards Night.

Junior Achievement is one of the world’s largest organizations dedicated to inspiring and preparing young individuals to succeed in a global economy. The grant from the global transportation company will help

FedEx has sponsored the FedEx Express/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge in the Philippines since 2009. FedEx volunteers teach studententrepreneurs first-hand experience in running their own companies.

To date, the program has benefitted 3,844 students in the Philippines with 36 students representing the country at the regional challenge. In August 2015, three pairs of high school students represented the Philippines in the FedEx/Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge in Singapore, where they competed against 24 teams from eight countries, including Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Junior Achievement Philippines vice president Rafael Perez De Tagle Jr. (third from left) accepts the $10,000 grant from FedEx Express acting managing director for the Philippines, Brunei and Indonesia John Peterson (middle)

fund JA Philippines’ in-school and afterschool programs for students, which focus

on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

For more information on the program, visit FedEx Express Junior Achievement International Trade Challenge Asia-Pacific on Facebook.

‘LEt FooD bE thY mEDIcINE...

From C1

even, and Harvie is very hands on with each of his clients. It gets really personal that most of his clients end up being his friends. Unlike other clinics for preventive medicine with white washed walls and uniformed assistants that make you feel like you re entering a hospital, Harvie’s office is his home. It is welcoming, and gives clients a feeling of openness and warmth.

Together with his wife Eizza, a former Mutya ng Pilipinas Tourism International, they welcome clients in their home and show how they really live their lives, forming friendships and strong relationships in the process.

Going under the Baron Method allows clients access to an extensive program manual that gives them more than 100 easy to follow recipes that Harvie and Eizza developed themselves, complete with readily available ingredients at local grocery stores. It also contains lists of tools and appliances, vitamin and supplement recommendations as well as eating tips for travel and eating out. While on the program, clients get continuous personal consult for six months with Harvie. And oh, and he s the nutritionist who’d ask his clients to take pictures of what they ate for the day, working on clients’ schedules to make sure his clients don t miss a meal.

At the start of the program, he profiles clients and studies their lifestyle to see what program would be most suitable.

He then gives an extensive two-hour discussion on what they need to know, going as far as checking the person s pantry at home, interviewing maids, drivers and housemates to get a full grasp of clients’ habits and lifestyle. He even goes to the grocery with clients to educate them on the right items to put in their carts.

I m a no filter kind of person, Harvie explains. So, when I say crap, it’s crap.

Eizza says that trips to the grocery stores can be a funny experience It s so stressful to bring him to the grocery. Every aisle, he’d scream and curse about why they feed those ingredients to their kids, she shares. Literally, as he goes to every aisle, he would get louder. So, I will tell him, I will just add stuff but don t go with me ‘cuz you re making a scene, she adds.

A lot of his client testimonies are available on the website baronmethod.com. He often shows them to new clients especially families with kids and teenagers. Sometimes the videos work wonders because you have young people talking about all these diseases, he explains. They realize that could be them. I scare them a lot and that s how I get them. According to Eizza, Harvie

makes himself relatable to the kids. He talks about what they like and enjoy. He shows them the back package and asks the kids to Google the ingredients themselves and they usually get surprised what these things are and what it does to their bodies.

Even now that Filipinos are more attuned to wellness, sometimes it can be difficult to convert a household to commit to a healthy lifestyle. Harvie says, sometimes it takes one family member to be sick for everyone to convert to a healthier habit. They say, ‘Buhay pa naman ako eh.’ ‘Wala naman akong sakit ah’.

He explains that at a certain point, your body can only take up so much acidity, so much inflammation, so much downtime and whatever weakness your body has built, it’s going to fail. And when it hits you, it usually hits you pretty bad, he adds.

If you look at the way the body is, food has to be delicious; if it’s not delicious it’s not sustainable. Kakain ka ba ng lasang kahon araw-araw? Siyempre hindi. Even if they tell you it’s healthy, who cares, if it’s not delicious why will I eat it, Harvie explains, adding that the best diet are the ones that are delicious and make people feel full and good.

He says they maintain a group chatroom for people who undergo the Baron Method and update clients on products and new recipes that the couple develops at home.

They also have available products that you can buy from their office from cooking oil, organic hot sauce, sea salt, soy sauce, free-range chicken meat, organic eggs, beef, pork and plant-based recovery bars.

For families undergoing his program, the cheat day becomes a big event. Kids can take turns choosing where they will go, and this can be a fun activity. Afterwards, they go back to their healthy habit for the entire week. According to Harvie, they don t even have a cheat day anymore because they make food that tastes so good, you don t have to eat out anymore. But they provide tips on how to keep healthy when eating out.

The key is to always ask about the food you are ordering, where it comes from, if the fish is farmed to make sure that what you will eat does not contain high levels of mercury. If you are to eat meat, choose a big animal like lamb. Lamb is a good choice because, most lamb is grass fed, he explains.

They don t give them hormones and antibiotic injections. Most lamb comes from New Zealand and Australia. For beef, local beef, or New Zealand beef, or Australian beef is all grass fed. If you will choose between fish and chips or steak, steak all the

In harvey’s office, he has a pantry filled with 'good' and 'bad' grocery finds to show clients what to buy or watch out for

Cold meat sashimi

way, because steak is cooked in its own oil; fish and chips you have to deep fry. Seabass would be a good choice too, without all the cream sauces, get it with a nice salad or just a nice side veggies. If you regluten intolerant, then don t eat the bread or pastas. He says that if you re in the Philippines you order tuna, if you re in a country that produces salmon not by farm you can order salmon.

Harvie also recommends use of supplements, he makes an analogy of the food that we get from the market today, well, using my name. You know when Tatum O’Neal was young, the soil is different from the time that Channing Tatum was young.

The soil are both different. The soil today is much more poisonous than the soil before.

The pesticides of the soil before is not so much of the pesticides now. The pests before are not so immune to the pesticides today.

So, it doesn t hurt to ask. He says, people may laugh at you when you make informed choices, but unfortunately when they laugh at you they also laugh at themselves because they already know but close their minds about it.

For more information on Baron Method you may visit baronmethod.com, follow them on Facebook at baronmethod, and @baronmethod on Twitter and Instagram.

For comments, and topic suggestions, you may email me at tatum@thestandard.com.ph.

For my crazy life s adventures follow me at @tatumancheta on Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat.

PhoTos By sTAR sABRoso

S U N D AY : m AY 2 2 , 2 0 1 6

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LIFE life @ thestandard.com .ph

@LIFEatStandard

#INTHEMOMENT

By Francis de Leon

W

hat is the truth? That underlying question will continue to revisit our consciousness whenever we seek it. As to how our history was foretold and written, I would like to believe that we have long sought to define and understand it. Truth compels us to inquire and challenge the norm.

However, this Sunday’s column is not a commentary on the current political situation in our beloved country. Although its outcome will definitely set the course of Philippine history, I just pray for the enlightenment of our leaders to seek their own truth and find it in their hearts to serve our country genuinely so it can finally move towards progress.

The truth of the matter is that our pursuit for what is real inspires us in many ways, including the way we express the truth through art.

Just recently, I was invited to a private and exclusive art exhibit entitled “Impressionart: The Symphony of Slavic Art” at A Space in Legaspi Street, Makati City.

Its organizer, a lovely expatriate named Victoria Toregun, not only displayed beautiful paintings but also presented it in a fashion that celebrates the soul of her country, the Ukraine, through music, great food and an enigmatic lyrical ballet choreographed by Laurene Knowles.

She introduced the works of three artists, namely Artem Tolstukhin, Roman Agasyan and Polina Kuznetsova, who all hail from the stronghold of classical painting: the Ukraine and Russia. Their artworks debuts for the first time in the Philippines.

“I would like to introduce the enlightened Filipino and Southeast Asian collector to the world-class arena of artists from whom they may have been previously unaware, and to broaden their collecting horizons to a wide array of still affordable, classical European paintings,” expressed Victoria to this columnist.

She added, “The Symphony of Slavic Art represents well-known artists from the Ukraine whose recent sales include leading international galleries such as the Saatchi Gallery in New York and auction houses such as Christie’s and Sotheby’s, as well as a host of private collectors in Europe, middle Asia and China.”

As I was appreciating the beautifully curated artworks of the artists, I noticed the common expression of emotions and dreams – paintings that evoke romantic and poetic landscapes such as Turgenev’s and Tolstoy’s.

Victoria Toregun explained, “Impressionist and romantic, these paintings fulfill the critical gaps for the Asian collector: Pieces that are artistically pure, devoid of the commercial modernism of the auction house or the temporal showroom.”

Suffice it to say, these paintings are destined to endure time. According to the organizers, Impressionist paintings and romantic landscapes are not just 19th century period museum pieces. And while the modern art world will continue to edit out new forms, to the collector, classical European paintings shall always beckon.

“The classical art is eternal. It has no timeframe and trends (un)like contemporary art. It is part of our history, a part of our present and future.

Impressionism will never be out of fashion,” she further affirmed.

Many of us adore the paintings of famous Impressionist artists such as Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Paul Cezanne among notable others. However, it would entail travelling around the world and visiting famous museums just to have

‘Girl by the Window’ by P. Kuznetsova is an oil on canvas European style painting which is a classic example of Impressionist art

‘Pascha’ by P. Kuznetsova has depth and emotion

PUre as syMPHony a glimpse into the history of their art.

Through this exhibit, the Filipino collector has a chance to acquire academically perfect European paintings done in the traditional classical style at affordable prices.

During the exhibit, once such painting (as seen in this Sunday’s story) by Polina Kuznetsova intrigued this columnist.

According to the artist, the “Girl by the Window” is very symbolic. In her biography, she explained, “The image came up to me right at the beginning of dramatic political changes in Ukraine a couple (of)

Gabriella Wegfahrt, Serla Russell, Rebecca Singson and Manolyne Taylor

Fannie Guanzon

Hera Geriene, Len Olbes, Yoli Ayson, Jonathan Wagner and Manolyne Taylor

Yoli Ayson with her favorite painting during the Symphony of Slavic Art exhibit

years ago. In her eyes, both romantic and pleading, and in a state of near undress, she releases all her passions – good or bad – and the passions of humanity.”

While Polina was creating her artwork, the war in Ukraine has already started.

She added, “For me that is art: An allegory about life, about the emotions we feel and the passions we can control and sometimes, cannot.”

The new owner who acquired the masterpiece that evening will rest knowing that she bought a painting of great value. Its

Follow me on Twitter or Instagram @francis_deleon8 for my life’s moments or email: deleon_francis@yahoo.com if you want me to chronicle your milestones and capture your special moments.

George Sison and Yoli Ayson with Tina and Rupert Jacinto

Victoria Turegun with lyrical ballet dancers Leslie Ferrer Espinosa, Ehrlich Marz Ocampo and choreographer Laurene Knowles

‘ImpressionArt’ organizer Victoria Turegun

truth was definitely worth the investment.

That night, I learned that purity is at the core of Impressionist art. This columnist also discovered the truth about Slavic Art – and that it is quite simply a symphony that is as artistically pure as it should be.

That is the truth.

Vitaliy Laurenchuk, Inna Gavrylenko, Valentina Bolotova and Arthur Tselishchev

Lilibeth and Paqui Campos with Georgette Wilson

SunDAy : m Ay 2 2, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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Shaina magdayao as Joee in Cinema One’s “Single/Single”

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matteo Guidicelli as Joey in the hit rom-com produced by PhilStar TV and Cinema One

MORE REvElaTIOns In ‘sInglE/sInglE’ sEasOn 2

levating the kilig, fun and valuable lessons for millennials, Single/Single, the breakthrough romantic comedy series of PhilStar TV and Cinema One, is back for another run.

The premiere episode aired last Sunday, bringing back the wacky gang of Joee, Joey, Ranee, Benny and Tita Bianca, played by Shaina Magdayao, Matteo Guidicelli, Anna Luna, Brian Sy, and Cherie Gil. The Season 2 premiere episode picked up six months after former housemates Joee and Joey decided to go their separate ways. The friends haven’t seen each other for quite some time but there’s a reason to get together – it’s Joey’s birthday and he’s celebrating via glamping.

As old flames met again, hilarious catchups and a charade of feelings followed suit, putting Joee and Joey as well as Tita Bianca

and Brandon in funny, awkward moments.

More of these can be expected in the second episode of Single/Single Season 2.

Watch out if sparks would fly or completely die in the “Hugot Bonfire”. Expect to laugh and cry with the whole gang as they reveal their innermost thoughts and feelings. Will Joee and Joey, Bianca and Brandon, rekindle their romance? Will there be transferees from one tent to another?

Find out in the next episode airing on a special 8 p.m. timeslot tonight on Cinema One. Succeeding episodes will revert to the original 10 p.m. Sunday timeslot with replays every Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9 p.m.. Past episodes can also be viewed on philstartv.com one week after airing. For more updates, visit facebook. com/SingleSingleC1 and @SingleSingleC1 on Twitter and Instagram.

A scene from the romantic comedy ‘Single/Single”

Sarangani’s SarBay Fest sizzles Just like its tasty tuna that has tickled the world’s palate, Sarangani Bay will sizzle once more with the SarBay Festival, the country’s biggest beach party and sports and wellness event on June 3 to 5 in Gumasa Beach in Glan.

Now on its 10th edition, excitement fires off with the Swim Across the Bay Cross Channel Team Swim from Maasim to Glan, a 15-kilometer relay which is among Asia’s most extreme swim race. Gen. Santos City-based Dadiangas Torpedoes team will defend its back-to-back title against other challenger tankers from Mindanao.

This will be followed by the Sarbay Bancarera, which will display the skills of boat-

men and fishermen in maneuvering their fishing boats as the indigenous jetski.

Art takes center stage in the Pinta sa Baybayon body painting contest, and an intermunicipality Sand Sculpture Competition.

The Bay Bodies 2016 will turn on the evening heat as babes and hunks strut down their wares, while the Talk and Text-sponsored Foam Party will wrap up the night featuring the sultry duo of Natalia Moon and Luane de Lima known as DJ Lunatics.

Day Two begins with the Sarbay Swim-BikeRun for the Environment, a triathlon which will test the mettle of the local “Iron Men.” Both days will have a beach volleyball and football, skim boarding, Ultimate

Gumasa Beach in Glan, the venue for this year’s SarBay Festival

Frisbee Competition, fire dancing exhibitions, and Zumba with the Legendz, Gen. Santos City’s home-grown league of dance instructors.

Curtains draw to a close with an evening party with Franco, Cathy Frey, Jennifer Lee, Ron Poe and Italo rocking the night away.

The third day will be devoted to clean up activities and environmental projects such as mangroves and tree planting. Five nongovernment organizations are joining the I Love Clean SarBay program this year to help maintain the ecological balance of the Bay’s coastal ecosystem.

Sarangani Provincial Tourism Council president Michelle Lopez-Solon said

that this year’s edition which is themed #SarbayEvolution to celebrate the innovations it has embraced through the years, most notably its advocacy for environmental sustainability.

She said that this year’s edition aims to surpass last year which attracted some 126,000 guests, the biggest in its nineyear history.

A constant Best Tourism Event Awardee from the Association of Tourism Officers in the Philippines, SarBay Fest is organized by the Provincial Tourism Council and supported the Provincial Government, the Department of Tourism Region 12 and the Municipality of Glan.

Sarangani governor Steve Solon

Tourists marvel at SarBay’s sand art

A zumba session at the Gumasa Beach in Glan

A tourist swimming across the Sarangani Bay

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SunDAy : m Ay 2 2, 2016

SHOWBITZ

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

isahred @ gmail.com

‘THE SToRy of uS’ unfolDS nEw cHApTER

T

he Filipino Channel (TFC) makes history anew as it kicks off the “Touristas Global Trip” series with the Saipan leg of the widely followed teleserye The Story Of Us dubbed “Touristas” featuring Kim Chiu and Xian Lim, on May 29 at the Royal Taga Convention Center World Resort Saipan.

ABS-CBN Asia Pacific Managing Director Ailene Averion says that “TSOUristas” Saipan is the first of a series of TFC events dubbed “Touristas Global Trip,” which will share the entertainment value of ABSCBN’s most watched shows across the world.

“Bringing The Story Of Us first to Saipan marks another first in our efforts to bring a total content experience to new markets. We continue to expand our audience in new areas as we hear the needs of our Kapamilyas for world-class Filipino

Xian lim and Kim chiu otherwise known as KimXi

entertainment, guaranteed by a brand that is TFC,” Aversion says.

Averion adds, “Kim and Xian, two of this generation’s brightest stars will deliver an unforgettable experience that will make our Kapamilyas feel that we always try to deliver to them a piece of home.”

Labelled as one of the hottest and most enduring Filipino love teams of their time, Kim and Xian dubbed KimXi, will get closer to their fans as they bring the thrill of their tandem to Saipan shores as they share the songs from the teleserye.

Kim, also called the “Chinita Princess,” is not only an award-winning actress but a top-selling performer as well. Kim first came into the entertainment scene as the first Grand Winner of Pinoy Big Brother (PBB) Teen Edition. Since then, she has consistently made a name for herself from television, movies, even at the music industry.

Xian, a multi-talented artist himself will perform solos as well as much-awaited duets with Kim.

The love team was first put together by the network in the teleserye Binondo Girl, which was one of ABS-CBN’s most widely followed and much-talked about series. After proving their mettle as a team, they have since scored top-rating series and blockbuster movies.

The Story of Us is their comeback series after 2012’s top-rating teleserye Ina, Kapatid, Anak. Now, the reunion drama is set to create another milestone for both TFC and the love team.

“The Story Of Us Saipan” the concert or TSOUristas will create history also as the first major event in Saipan after a long time, on May 29 from 7 to 10:30 p.m. at the Royal Taga Convention Center, World Resort Saipan.

The event is made possible by Philippine Airlines (PAL), which also announces the launch of their flights to Saipan on June 15.

Ticket prices are at USD 40 (with group photo op with the artist) and USD 20.

For more information, visit facebook. com/TFCGuamAndSaipan.

Buy out campaign launched Not for Sale, a San Franciscobased NGO, in partnership with history Asia and CNN Freedom Project, launched #BuyOutSlavery campaign. Created to raise awareness about modern slavery through an online social movement across Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia, the campaign will be promoted throughout Southeast Asia’s most popular e-commerce websites. The campaign is inspired by the upcoming History Asia premiere of Roots, 9 p.m. on May 31.

The #BuyOutSlavery campaign aims to shine a light on the plight of enslaved individuals today and expose shoppers across Asia to the reality and prevalence of modern slavery. While shopping on participating sites, consumers will be encouraged to contribute to liberating modern-day slaves by making a donation to Not For Sale and also by sharing their actions online. All funds raised will

#BuyoutSlavery campaign aims to raise awareness about modern slavery through an online social movement

support Not For Sale in their efforts to provide survivors of slavery and at-risk communities with shelter and stability, education, healthcare and legal services, and economic opportunities.

According to David Batstone, (Founder and President, Not For Sale), “The impetus for this campaign came from the upcoming premiere on History Asia of

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Roots, a multifaceted, compelling and emotional story about the triumph of the human spirit, about identity, family, dignity and courage - seen through the lens of slavery-era America. Slavery in those historical terms no longer exists. However, modern day slavery is very much alive in all corners of the globe.”

Slavery is an ever-growing

SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2016

Hemp product Downright mean Herr’s home Ground breaker?

Pops, as a bubble Horizon, maybe Blackjack “Then — will guide the planets ...”

94 Record label 95 Sponges up 96 Income sources 97 Lay by the pool 98 Landed 100 Springs 101 Kill a bill 102 Glacial deposit 103 Bedtime story 104 Lazily 105 Sound in body 106 Harsh cry 107 Bought at a yard sale 108 Pines for 110 She went up the hill 111 Oxidizes, as iron 113 With, to Fritz 116 Vet office sound 117 Striped antelope 118 Gulls of northern seas 123 Honor greatly 125 Valhalla host 127 Happening 129 Diners 130 Mountain kingdom 131 Farm sounds 133 Raring to go 135 Uxmal resident 136 Unsophisticated 137 Fakes out, on the rink 138 Dormant 139 Bear down 140 Selling point 141 Phoenician port 142 Caregiver 143 Triangle part DOWN

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Cotton gin name Gaze at Sorry!

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W-2 collectors Fetched Nosegay holders Lip, slangily Tan slacks Dawn horse epoch Signed over Like late autumn Freight rider Neighbor’s kid NCAA Bruins Racetrack boundary Perfume bottles Dove shelter Average Hairy twin Jasperware creator Congeal Tux go-with (2 wds.)

Mo. expense Spiel Prize greatly Pole on a ship Kept secret Patrol boats Brunch favorite Old car Horseshoes toss Gator habitats Edible lichen Hunches Pith helmets Tightly curled Actor — Reeves Nintendo predecessor Entered data Clean the slate 9-digit IDs Go wild about Lose some Coal deposit NNW opposite Country addr.

blight on humanity that must be eradicated. There are over 30 million slaves in the world today, the highest number in the history of mankind. Men, women, and children are sold into this $150 billion industry where they are exploited for sex and labor. Slavery is present in almost every supply chain in every industry today including food, electronics, vehicle and apparel manufacturing. Creating awareness of this atrocious problem is the first step in conquering it.

“We are pleased that through our groundbreaking series, Roots, we have been able to help create and participate in a campaign that is focused on driving positive change. By reaching out to and enlisting the help of our industry partners and contacts, we are confident that we can assist Not For Sale in creating extensive awareness for this worthy cause.” said PremKamath, (Deputy Managing Director, A+E Networks Asia).

“The aim of the CNN Freedom

Project is to shine a spotlight on the horrors of modern-day slavery and champion those who have dedicated their lives to ending it. We are delighted to support this campaign to bring greater awareness of this critical issue to millions of people in Asia and around the world,” added Executive Vice President and Managing Director, CNN International, Tony Maddox.

Passion for online shopping is on the rise and plays a key role in the lives of Southeast Asians. By using these e-commerce sites, the campaign educates the audience about the products they are buying and what to look out for. Brands and celebrities are lending their names, people and resources to the cause.

Visit buyoutslavery.com to find out more on how you can make a difference to the lives of these modern slaves. To join the conversation, head over to History Asia’s Facebook page (facebook.com/HISTORYasia ) or #BuyOutSlavery.

SunDAy : m Ay 2 2, 2016

SHOWBITZ isahred @ gmail.com

ISAH V. RED EDITOR

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SmARt BRo kIckS off nAtIonwIDE touR foR PockEt wIfI In cDo

A

s summer is about to get hotter, Smart brought Smart Bro 4G Pocket WiFi nationwide with celebrity beauty queen “BRO-kadas” MJ Lastimosa and Bea Rose Santiago in Cagayan de Oro last weekend.

They made their way to Barangay Camamanan, Macadsandig, Nazreth, Divisoria, Agora, Lapasan, Gusa, Kauswagan, Bayabas, NHA, Bulua and Carmen - where Smart subscribers are experiencing faster and reliable data connections from the country’s leader in mobile because of recent connectivity enhancements.

This weekend the BRO-kadas are in Davao and Pampanga.

The last leg of the tour will be in Makati (May 27 to 29), where you can avail of Smart Bro’s best Pocket WiFi offer at only P888 and get a chance to bag awesome sur-

Smart “Bro-kadas” mj Lastimosa, michael Pangilinan, marco and michelle Gumabao

Smart Bro’s top gun Gary Dujali

prises and prizes for you and the whole BRO-kada, including Michael Pangilinan, Michelle and Marco Gumabao, and Gretchen Ho, among others.

“This tour is geared to em-

power our subscribers nationwide to enjoy their summer and share their fast and reliable Internet with friends through the Smart Bro 4G Pocket WiFi at only P888,” Oscar A. Reyes, first vice president and Wireless Consumer Broadband at Smart. “With awesome prizes for our subscribers and celebrities joining the fun, this is

definitely going to be a summer to remember.”

Inspired by millennials’ growing passion for better connectivity experience, Smart recently focused on network improvements in CDO to provide faster and better signal covering the entire city.

“We love the energy of this City and the fact that recent connectivity developments have

been done in the entire CDO so everyone can experience better data service means more reasons for us to celebrate with our BRO-kadas here. With network improvements and better signal, it’s the perfect time for Smart Bro to bring its 888 4G pocket WiFi devices to the beautifu people of CDO,” added Reyes.

Aside from this exciting broadband offer, you can get a chance to meet celebrities that will make your summer sizzle even more.

You can also win premium items from Smart and adventure vouchers worth P10,000 for a BROkada Trip by simply purchasing Smart Bro 4G Pocket WiFi. These adventure vouchers are for top summer getaway destinations like Sandbox Adventure Park, Enchanted Kingdom, a White Water Rafting adventure, and a resort stay in Samal Island.

national Artist Alice Reyes in ‘Art 2 Art’ Two icons of Philippine dance meet and converse about their shared passion in the May 22 episode of Art 2 Art as program host, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja, interviews National Artist for Dance Alice Reyes.

Produced by the Manila Broadcasting Company, Art 2 Art airs Sundays, 3:30 to 4 p.m. on radio via DZRH (666 khz on the AM band), on cable television via RHTV (Channel 18 on Cignal Cable) and online livestreaming at http://dzrhnewstelevision. tv. The show may also be viewed through the Facebook account DZRH News Television.

Named as National Artist in 2012, Reyes was officially conferred the title, along with eight other honorees from different fields, in a recent ceremony led by President Benigno Aquino III at Malacañang Palace.

A dancer, choreographer, teacher and director, Reyes is recognized for having made a lasting impact on the development

and promotion of contemporary dance in the Philippines.

In the Art 2 Art episode, she relates what is was like studying modern dance in the United States in the 1960s, returning to the country to eventually establish Ballet Philippines and spearheading the professionalization of dance locally.

Meanwhile, on May 19, Art 2 Art paid tribute to the late National Artist for Architecture Jose Ma. Zaragoza. Daughter Loudette Zaragoza-Banson was the resource person.

Zaragoza’s name is synonymous to modern ecclesiastical architecture that includes Santo Domingo Church, Our Lady of Rosary in Tala, Don Bosco Church, the Convent of the Pink Sisters, the San Beda Convent, Villa San Miguel and Pius XII Center.

For inquiries, please e-mail art2artdzrh@gmail.com. On Facebook, check out the account Ballerina ng Bayan for updates on Art 2 Art episodes.

national artist for dance Alice Reyes (right) with “Art 2 Art” host Lisa macuja

I-Bilibers moymoy Palaboy, Joyce ching and chris tiu

what’s up in ‘I-Bilib’?

A colorful volcano is one. But is there one like it, for real? Watch I-Bilib and you can believe there is one really.The gang calls it “glitter volcano.” Find out how this volcano will explode.

How can an apple be divided using just water. That is what the Discover Science Team will show the audience.

The team calls it “the water blade experiment.”

Just using heat, you can produce gas. Isn’t that amazing.

Watch and learn, the I-Bilibers tell us.

In “Life Hacks,” empty bottles will make you roll. Find out how you can help in the preservation of the environment using recycled bottles.

Last item, have you ever heard of Bento Box. That’s Japanese and its used when you want to

put food in separate chambers in a box for lunch or dinner. A chef will tell you how to prepare Bento Box. You can learn as much here in I-Bilb Sunday mornings on GMA 7. And what you read here are just among a few. So, keep on watching Chris Tiu, Momoy Palaboy and guest host Joyce Ching for more scientific discoveries in the show.

china’s millennials on cnn Entitled, empowered and unique – these are some of the words used to describe China’s millennials. This generation, of mostly only-children, has grown up in an era of unprecedented prosperity. But with the economy slowing down, can the Chinese government meet the expectations of young people accustomed to getting their way?

This month’s On China, CNN’s Kristie Lu Stout goes on the road to China’s commercial capital of Shanghai and meets Ctrip’s Chief Operating Officer Jane Sun; Shang Learning’s founder Nini Suet; and the author of China’s Millennials: The Want Generation Eric Fish.

(Left to right) cnn’s kristie Lu Stout with Jane Sun, Eric fish and nini Suet

They will discuss how China’s millennials are going to reshape the country and the challenges

that it presents.

On China airs May 26, 4:30 p.m on CNN International.

sunday : m ay 2 2, 2016

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IsaH V. REd EDITOR nICKIE WanG WRITER

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‘POPE, Thank YOu sa MalasakIT’ caMPaIgn lEaDs kaPaMIlYa QuIll WInnERs Team kapamilya. aBs-CBn wins the most number of awards among media and entertainment organizations at the recently concluded Philippine Quill awards

ISAH V. RED

a

BS-CBN Corporation bagged a total of 12 recognitions at the 14th Philippine Quill Awards, winning the most number of awards among media and entertainment organizations that participated in the prestigious honor program of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines.

The network’s “Pope, Thank You Sa Malasakit ” (POPETYSM) campaign for the 2015 Papal Visit to the Philippines received three Quill awards to lead Kapamilya winners. ABS-CBN’s initiatives for POPETYSM included a social media campaign that inspired and engaged the nation during Pope Francis’ visit, a Book of Thanks that showed the nation’s gratitude to the Pope, and a cross platform coverage that captured the nation’s message of gratefulness to the Pope.

The “Changing the Way you Look at TV with ABS-CBN TVPlus” campaign, meanwhile, was also honored for successfully launching the innovative “mahiwagang black box” of ABS-CBN TVPlus, which lets

audiences catch their favorite ABS-CBN programs on free TV and other premium channels in clear video and crisp audio for an ultimate TV viewing experience.

Furthermore, the country’s leading media and entertainment company’s global subscription TV channel TFC, The Filipino Channel, was recognized for its exemplary efforts in its “Galing ng Filipino, Ipagpatuloy Mo” 20th anniversary campaign, while Cinema One, the Philippines’ number one cable channel, was lauded for its “Cinema One Originals 2014: Intense” 10th anniversary celebration.

Company-wide events for employees also helped ABS-CBN tally trophies.

ABS-CBN’s intranet website e-Frequency, which aims to keep Kapamilya employees informed and united, also scored a win for its “e-Frequency Relaunch” campaign, and was a contender for the Top Award in its division. The “Kapamilya Thank You: The ABS-CBN Christmas Party 2014” also snagged a citation for its annual Christmas gathering for Kapamilya employees.

ABS-CBN Integrated Sports was recognized as well for their “Isang Bayan Para kay Pacman” campaign ahead of the People’s Champion’s fight against American boxing superstar, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. The campaign boasted of an interactive punching bag that counted punches to serve as Manny Pacquiao’s power, repre-

aBs-CBn Integrated sports’ “Isang Bayan Para kay Pacman” campaign is given due recognition in the 14th Quill awards

aBs-CBn’s team in a photo op for their “Pope, Thank you sa malasakit” campaign that received three Quill awards

Kapamilya darling Jessy mendiola performs for business communicators who graced the event

senting millions of Filipino fists, during his fight, and culminated with a concert on the eve of the fight to cheer on and honor the boxing icon.

“Patrol ng Edukasyon,” a public service project of ABS-CBN’s top-rating and multi-awarded news program “ TV Patrol” was also awarded with a Quill for its program that provides supplies to schools in

far-flung communities.

The marketing campaign “Revlon is Love” produced by ABS-CBN’s Digital Media Division, also bagged two citations.

The prestigious annual Philippine Quill Awards is presented by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) Philippines to honor excellent communications programs and tools.