BusinessMirror April 25, 2019 by BusinessMirror

M.W.S.S. FINES MANILA WATER P1.1B By Jonathan L. Mayuga

dation of the MWSS Regulatory Office on the imposition of the penalty relative to Manila Water’s failure to comply with Article 10.4 of its concession agreement with the MWSS. The Resolution was signed by Demonteverde and Velasco, who sits as concurrent vice chairman of the MWSS Board, together with members Melchior I. Acosta Jr., Mariano C. Alegarbes, Merly M. Cruz, Jose R. Hernandez, Valeriano F. Pasquil, Melanie Sia-Lambino and Elpidio J. Vega. The additional penalty of P600 million was imposed on Manila Water to be allocated in the funding of new water source. In a separate statement, Manila Water said, “We will abide by the MWSS

@jonlmayuga

HE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has slapped Manila Water Co. Inc. with a total P1.134-billion fine in connection with the severe water shortage which continues to affect water customers in the East Zone concession area since March 6. The decision, which includes a P534,050 million fine and additional P600-million fund for the development of a new water-supply source, was jointly announced by MWSS Chairman Franklin J. Demonteverde and Administrator Reynaldo V. Velasco after the MWSS Board unanimously approved the recommen-

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decision to impose a penalty. While we are not the root cause for the inadequacy of the raw water supply coming from Angat Dam, which we are mandated to treat and distribute, Manila Water, as agent and contractor of water services of MWSS, hold ourselves accountable for our inability to provide our consumers with the usual uninterrupted water service.“ Manila Water President and CEO Ferdinand de la Cruz added: “Our inability to provide our usual 24/7 water supply to some of our consumers are because Manila Water’s allocated water supply from Angat Dam is no longer sufficient for the total demand of the East Zone consumers. See “MWSS,” A2

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Thursday, April 25, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 197

Study: TRAIN law hurt lower-income folk more T

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law may have worsened the plight of lowerincome households, according to studies commissioned by state-owned think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

In a study, titled “Assessing the TRAIN’s coal and petroleum excise taxes: Macroeconomic, environmental and welfare effects,” Philip Tuaño of the Ateneo de Manila

University said the results showed an increase in poverty incidence, and only the top 3 income deciles did not see a reduction in their incomes.

Tuaño said taking into consideration all the changes introduced by TRAIN 1 and the scenario on all the changes of the TRAIN 1 plus the Unconditional Cash Transfer,

World Bank: Friend or foe? Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS

FEW days ago, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, speaking in Washington, D.C., cited the World Bank as the country’s leading development partner. He announced that the Philippines is now poised to graduate as a middle developing country, partly with the help of the World Bank, the country’s biggest source of ODA funds for infrastructure and other development projects. Accordingly, the Philippines shall now become an “upper middleincome economy” this year, three years ahead of the target 2022 schedule. An upper middle-income status means a per-capita income that ranges from $4,000 to $12,000. Continued on A11

See “Train law,” A2

Duterte at Belt-Road Forum; talk on West PHL Sea still a big ‘if’ By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

RESIDENT Duterte is now in Beijing for the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to affirm the country’s commitment to further enhance regional connectivity and economic integration. President Duterte is also scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang on Thursday prior to the forum to talk about key developments in bilateral relations and regional affairs, including issues surrounding West Philippine Sea. The President will also meet with Filipino and Chinese business leaders to explore ways to further enhance two-way trade and investments also before the forum. Upon the invitation of Chinese President Xi, the President will then be attending the forum, together with over 35 leaders and heads of international organizations, to discuss, among others, how to boost connectivity, further strengthen policy synergy and build closer partnerships and promote greener and sustainable development. The forum, which runs until April 27, is also an “opportunity for the Philippines to explore synergies on connectivity” initiatives, such as projects under the Belt and Road

BSP issuing 1st part of IRR on national payments law

“China has always insisted on its own position and has given very little concession to the Philippine position. I don’t expect any difference this time around. There will probably be little relief in the situation, especially since President Duterte has always presented the Philippines to be in the weak position vis-à-vis China.”—Batongbacal

the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. The Panatag or Bajo de Masinloc has been a traditional fishing ground of Filipinos for generations. It is located about 198 kilometers (123 miles) west of Subic. “We are now looking into the possibility of declaring Pag-Asa Island and Eastern Kalayaan as marine protected areas.

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Wednesday it is releasing the first part of the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 11127, or the National Payment Systems Act (NPSA). The NPSA, the landmark legislation that gives the BSP authority to handle its mandate of maintaining a safe and reliable payment system, was signed by President Duterte in October 2018. “As the first comprehensive legal and regulatory framework governing the payment systems in the Philippines, the NPSA can well support the twin objectives of maintaining a payment system that is necessary to control systemic risk and providing an environment conducive to the sustainable growth of the economy,” the BSP said. The draft circular is part of the first phase of the BSP’s implementation plan of the law. As such, the BSP said it is looking to prioritize the creation of a baseline inventory of all operators of payment systems (OPS) with the new circular. This is required under Section 10 of the NPSA, which provides that all OPS shall register with the Bangko Sentral. According to the BSP, this inventory will also be used as inputs to

See “Pag-Asa,” A2

See “BSP,” A4

Initiative and the country’s “Build, Build, Build” program, as well as other development programs.

West Philippine Sea

MEANWHILE, maritime law expert Prof. Jay Batongbacal said it is “probably better to keep expectations low” on the Duterte-Xi side meeting even though there is a possibility that the two leaders will take up the situation in the West Philippine Sea. “So far, China has always insisted on its own position and has given very little concession to the Philippine position. I don’t expect any difference this time around. There will probably be little relief in the situation, especially since President Duterte has always presented the Philippines to be in the weak position vis-à-vis China,” Batongbacal said in a message to the BusinessMirror. See “Belt-Road,” A4

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“What happens is that under the TRAIN 1 and the Unconditional Cash Transfers, it’s the seven lower-income deciles that suffer even with the cash transfers.”—Tuaño

the higher incomes gained under all the changes in the TRAIN 1 and the introduction of the UCT did not affect the lower-decile people’s incomes. “What happens is that under the TRAIN 1 and the Unconditional Cash Transfers, it’s the seven lowerincome deciles that suffer even with the cash transfers,” Tuaño said.

2017 EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

HYBRID E-TRAIN The new Hybrid Electric Train is seen after its inaugural run on Wednesday (April 24) by the Department of Science and Technology at its Biñan, Laguna, station. The hybrid train, a joint project of the DOST and the Philippine National Railways, is touted to help provide a solution to the country’s mass transport problems. The inaugural run began from Alabang PNR Station to Biñan. Story on page A12. ROY DOMINGO

Locsin backs Pag-Asa marine protection bid

OREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr., said he welcomes a proposal to declare Pag-Asa (Thitu) Island and Eastern Kalayaan in the West Philippine Sea as marine protected areas. “A great idea and a step toward a larger solution he and I share,” he said, referring to National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. The latter said

declaring the concerned areas as marine protected would promote efforts toward environmental and marine biodiversity protection in the West Philippine Sea or South China. Esperon’s proposal to declare PagAsa (Thitu) Island and Eastern Kalayaan as marine protected areas came in the wake of the reported harvesting of giant clams by Chinese vessels in

n JAPAN 0.4644 n UK 67.2129 n HK 6.6242 n CHINA 7.7211 n SINGAPORE 38.2913 n AUSTRALIA 36.8869 n EU 58.3302 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.8523

Source: BSP (24 April 2019 )

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Watchdogs to SC: tell Comelec to use VVPAT

By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

EVERAL poll watchdogs on Wednesday filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking to compel the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to fully comply with its 2016 order to activate the so-called Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail or VVPAT as one of the minimum systems capabilities of the automated election system and a major security feature of the vote counting machine under Republic 369 or the Election Automation Law.

TRAIN law. . . Continued from A1

However, Tuaño acknowledged that the presence of the UCT helps cushion the negative impact of TRAIN 1, including the increases in excise taxes for oil. The largest increase in poverty incidence at 0.32 percent was observed among the farmers under the first scenario of the PCEX, which only incorporates changes in the excise taxes. The lowest reduction in poverty incidence under the scenario was seen among households which saw a 0.16-percent increase in poverty. Under the TRAIN 1 scenario, the largest increase in poverty was seen among fisherfolk at 3.2 percent while the smallest was among households at 1.72 percent. The TRAIN 1 plus UCT scenario showed that the highest increase in poverty was seen among fisherfolk at 1.35 percent while the lowest increase was seen among farmers at 0.06 percent. Tuaño also noted that transport workers actually reduced poverty by 8.16 percent under the TRAIN 1 plus UCT scenario due to the Pantawid Pasada program. “Poverty incidence rises slightly under the PCEX (changes in excise taxes) scenario; rises substantially under TRAIN 1 due to increase in prices,” Tuaño’s presentation read. “Significant decline in poverty incidence

of transport workers under the TRAIN 1+UCT; implications on the Pantawid Pasada program. The UCT offsets increases in poverty incidence across all sectors,” it added.

Higher revenue losses

MEANWHILE, in another study titled “Assessment of Republic Act 10963: The 2017 Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion,”PIDS Senior Research Fellow Rosario G. Manasan said TRAIN 1 would lead to higher revenue losses for the government. She estimated that losses of around P210 billion are due for 2018; P223 billion for 2019 to 2022; and P238 billion in 2023. These are all higher than government estimates and are based on data from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES). Further, Manasan said that while TRAIN 1 seems to tax the rich more given the higher income rates for higher income earners, in truth the main impact is on the “very, very rich.” She said the average effective tax rate (ETR) on compensation income will decline from 5.4 percent in the old tax regime to 1.1 percent in 2018 to 2022; and 0.9 percent from 2023 onward. However, for the self-employed and/or professionals (SEPs), the decline in average ETR declines at a slower pace from 1.7 percent under the old regime to only 0.8 percent in the 2018 to 2022 period; and 0.7 percent in 2023 onward.

The petition was filed less than a month to go before the national and local midterm elections set this coming May 13. Among the petitioners are AES Watch, Buklod Pamilya, Capitol Christian Leadership, Citizen’s Crime Watch, Connecting Businesmen in the Marketplace to Christ, Latter Rain Harvest Ministries, One Vote Our Hope, Upper Room Brethren Church and several other individuals. The VVPAT consists of physical paper records of voter ballots as voters have cast them on an electronic voting system. It allows every voter to confirm whether the machine cast the vote correctly based on the choice of the voter, thereby ensuring the integrity of the elections.

“The gap between the average ETR between compensation earners and SEPs is expected to narrow but the average ETR of SEPs is projected to continue to be lower than that from 2022 onward,” Manasan said. Manasan earlier said total tax revenues will see a reduction of P66.097 billion in 2018 and P33 billion in 2019 as well as an addition of P6 billion in revenues. The TRAIN also had an adverse impact on the poorest households requiring the government to provide unconditional cash transfers of P300 to P400 a month in the next three to four years. Manasan said the tax revenue estimates of the incremental revenues are lower than the official estimates which place the revenue gains from the TRAIN law at P63 billion in 2018, P104 billion in 2019 and P140 billion in 2020. She said actual revenue from the personal income tax may fall below its 2018 target by P43 billion which suggests that the revenue loss from Personal Income Tax (PIT) reform may actually be closer to P190 billion, larger by 43 billion than the Finance Department’s P146billion estimate and higher than Manasan’s paper’s P210-billion estimate by P20.5 billion. Further, she said October 2018 collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and Bureau of Customs (BOC) indicate that excise and VAT revenues may fall short of their collection targets for the entire year of 2018 by a combined total of P36 billion.

T-bonds. . .

Pag-Asa. . .

to the previous auction rate for the security of 6.716 percent. “The secondaries is about 6.053 [percent], so if we accept based on the simulation it would be about 6.18 [percent] but [even] much higher because it could be 6.215 [percent]; that would be higher than the secondaries,” she added. The reissued 20-year T-bond has a remaining life of 19 years and nine months.

These areas are within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone,” Esperon said in a statement released on Wednesday. Esperon stressed that extraction of giant clams or taklobo in the Scarborough Shoal is illegal and affects the biodiversity, as well as communities surrounding it. He pointed out that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources had declared taklobo as endangered species. “The taklobo are part of the ecosystem that sustains the food security not only for the Filipinos, but for the world’s people, as well,” the National Security Adviser said. The Cabinet official noted that the Philippine government had taken diplomatic and legal actions to address illegal fishing, poaching and environmental abuse in the West Philippine Sea. Last year, Esperon also pro-

posed to build the Philippines’s own weather station in the PagAsa Island, following reports that China has begun operating weather stations in the disputed Spratly Islands. He said Philippines troops can use the weather station that would also benefit the government’s civilian operations. “That gives better capability for our troops to plan their movements there for civilian purposes,” Esperon said. The Chinese foreign ministry announced last year that Beijing had begun operating weather stations on artificial islands in the South China Sea, specifically Nansha Islands or what are locally known as the Spratlys. C h i nese Foreig n Mi n ist r y Spokesman Lu Kang said China’s construction in disputed waters are meant to provide “public goods and services” to countries in the region. Defen se Sec ret a r y De l f i n Lorenzana earlier said the government could not confirm Lu announcement. Recto L. Mercene

Angat Dam, both to ensure sufficiency of water supply as well as resiliency in case of any calamity around the Angat Dam system. “However, the development of new water sources is, under the Concession Agreement, ultimately the responsibility of MWSS,” de la Cruz added. The severe water service interruption, which was blamed on a combination of population growth, an increase in the number of water customers, and a spike in water demand that was aggravated by a “weak El Niño,” caused President Duterte’s outburst as he threatened to sack MWSS officials or even cancel Manila Water’s concession agreement with the government for the mess. The President then met with MWSS and officials of its private water concessionaires to give them a dressing down and warning. Acknowledging that it is partly to be blamed

for the water shortage episode, Manila Water has announced its voluntary and one-time bill waiver program for its consumers which began implementation on April 1. Under the program, all consumers of the East Zone will receive a waiver equivalent to the first 10 cubic meters of their March consumption which will be reflected in their April bills. Severely affected consumers or those consumers who experienced absolutely no water service for at least seven days between March 6 and 31, meanwhile, will not be charged for their March consumption. Meanwhile, Manila Water’s service recovery efforts are now geared toward addressing those residing in the elevated and farthest areas of the concession who are still inconvenienced due to the water supply shortage. “As of April 23, we have made water available for at least eight hours, at least at the

Continued from A12

Panda bond in May

MEANWHILE, de Leon said the planned Panda bond issuance eyed for this month may be pushed to May 2019 since the approvals from the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors (Nafmii) and the People’s Bank of China are still pending. “We are still waiting for the approval [for the Panda bond issue]. Most likely, it will be in May,” she said. Rea Cu

MWSS. . .

Continued from A1

This raw water allocation has remained unchanged at 1,600 MLD since the Concession started in 1997 when the East Zone had a population of only 3 million people. Today, Manila Water serves a population of almost 7 million people whose per capita consumption has significantly increased through over two decades of economic progress in Metro Manila. We cannot source any more from our system losses which have already been brought down to 12 percent from a high of 63 percent when we inherited the East Zone concession of Metro Manila in 1997,” he added. De la Cruz maintained that Manila Water has strongly advocated for many years the development of new water sources beyond

Continued from A1

The petitioners are also seeking to nullify the ban being imposed by the Comelec on using digital cameras and cellular phones during election proceedings. They argued that the poll body should allow even after the close of polls the use of digital cameras and cellular phones to audit the totality of votes inside the precinct after shuffling the VVPAT receptacle. The petitioners claimed that Comelec and Smartmatic came up with an innovation early this year by deciding to print QR (quick response) codes on each VVPAT. While they acknowledged that a QR code may be an audit tool, the petitioners accused Smartmatic of trying to be an “impostor auditor.” “The very purpose for VVPAT in Republic Act 9369 is to empower the

voter [not Comelec and certainly not Smartmatic]. VVPAT is the one and only rare opportunity for a voter to be sovereign in at least that specific moment of auditing the trustworthiness of a machine,” the petition read. The VVPAT, according to the petitioners, is mandatory for audit purposes from the time of vote casting until vote counting.

Discourage corruption

MEANWHILE, the petitioners said the existing election laws have allowed the taking of photographs in polling sites as a way to discourage corruption. “The basic provision on taking photographs has been in force for decades since the December 3, 1985, approval of the Omnibus

Election Code and...this has been a verbatim part of a long line of Comelec General Instructions even under the automation setup,” the petitioners argued. However, the use of cameras to record the counting process or the proceedings and incidents was set aside during the term of Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. after the poll body promulgated on February 15, 2013, an order for the May 13, 2013, national elections that allowed the taking of photographs during elections proceedings “provided the secrecy of the ballot shall be maintained at all times.” The petitioners insisted, “That vague colatilla and that alone has been the excuse for suppressing the taking of photographs during the May 13, 2013, elections.”

DOLE to issue implementing rules of expanded maternity law on May 1 By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

he Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is set to release the implementing rules and regulation (IRR) of the Expanded Maternity Leave during its Labor Day celebration next week. Apart from the IRR of Republic Act (RA) 11210, Labor Undersecretary Ana C. Dione said Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III is also expected to sign an interagency agreement harmonizing policies for work permits application of foreigners during the event. Dione said both documents will be presented before the Tripartite

Industrial Peace Council (TIPC) on Thursday for approval. “There will no longer be any contentious issue [for both issuance] since it already passed through TEC [Tripartite Executive Committee] before being elevated to the TIPC, so it is now approved in principle,” she said. Dione said possible revisions in documents presented in the TIPC are usually done while it is being discussed in the level of the TEC. The IRR for RA 11210 will finally pave the way toward the full implementation allowing mothers to avail of 105-day maternity leave. The interagency issuance for work permits is expected to reduce the number of foreign workers

Rotational brownouts as Luzon grid loses 1,500 MW Continued from A12

for the month. The NGCP earlier raised the red alert last April 10, 11, 12, 15, 23 and 24. At the same time, the grid operator raised the yellow alert notice from 8am to 10am, 4pm to 6pm and from 7pm to 11pm. As such, manual load drop (MLD) or rotational brownout in Luzon Grid was implemented. The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) said households in some parts of Laguna, Quezon, Las Pinas, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Makati, Pasig and Rizal experienced power outage. However, a total of 248.88 MW of power has been committed by ILP (Interruptible Load Program) participants which will allow the plants to operate their generating sets as support to the limited power supply. The DOE also said that 98.5 percent of power has been restored in Pampanga Electric Cooperative II (PELCO II). The remaining 1.5% covers around 2,300 households in the municipalities of Guagua, Lubao and Porac. The electric cooperative’s facilities were damaged after the earthquake last Monday. While the rest of Luzon has already been reenergized, PELCO II is targeting the full restoration of power in its service area by tomorrow morning.

ground floor level, to 99 percent of our customer base. We have narrowed the gap of our supply deficit which has been reduced to 57 million liters per day from a high of 150 million liters per day through various supply augmentation efforts.”“We reaffirm our commitment to work closely with MWSS to address the remaining water supply deficit. We continue to seek understanding from our consumers as we finetune our operations to spread the still limited water supply across our customer base,” de la Cruz said. Velasco said the water crisis episode that proved costly to Manila Water highlighted the lack of strategic preparedness on the realistic allocation of water supply to meet the growing population in the National Capital Region (NCR), as well as the need to develop new water supply sources and the much-needed improvement of the Angat-Ipo-La Mesa tunnel

E-train. . .

Continued from A12

the P3.5-billion economic loss per day due to traffic.” dela Peña cited several projects that his group has implemented to support this vision, such as the automated gateway transit, the Hybrid "Electric Train in PNR, and the hybrid electric road train in Isabela. He added that his agency also supports new transport projects such as the Local Traffic Simulator, a microscopic traffic simulation software that is designed to be used by road and traffic engineers as a decision support system for effective traffic management. Likewise, it has developed the Detection and Identification of Legitimate Public Utility Vehicles (Dilaw), a system made up of devices that easily determine vehicles without valid franchises. De la Peña also cited the Contactless Apprehension of Traffic Violators on 24-hour Basis, All Vehicle Detection System (CATCH-ALL), which is a camera-based traffic management system for traffic violations detection. On the aviation side, the Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enterprise Inc. has developed transponders for aircraft, vessels, and vehicles for costeffective monitoring and tracking. “Apart from producing new systems that would add to our current lineup of mass transport technologies, we also want to ensure that each solution we offer speaks of the quality we are committed to providing to the people. Through DOST’s mass transport solutions and intelligent transport systems, we are providing the public with fast, productive, and cost-effective options,” De la Peña said. Lorenz S. Marasigan

and conveyance system.

New roadmap

availing of the Special Work Permit (SWP). The Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) said the issuance will contain a “white list” of 14 occupations, which could qualify for the SWP. An SWP is a document issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for foreigners, if they will be working in the country for less than six months. The main celebration for the 2019 Labor Day, which will be attended by Bello, will be held in Pampanga. Among the highlights of the event is the groundbreaking for the first hospital dedicated to overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and the traditional nationwide jobs fairs.

MEANWHILE, in a related development, Velasco said that he will recommend the issuance of an Executive Order by President Duterte to fast-track the water security roadmap of the Duterte Administration for Metro Manila and its serviced areas. With the concurrence of the MWSS Board, the water agency has crafted a short, medium and long water security roadmap that will provide potable and sustainable water supply in the next 5, 10 and even 50 years with at an increase of at least 1,518 MLD by 2022. Being fast-tracked under the new water security roadmap are the following projects: 150 MLD Putatan (2019); 100 MLD Cardona (2019); 188 MLD Sumag (2020); 50 MLD Rizal Wellfield (2020); 80 MLD Calawis

Wawa (2021); 100 MLD Putatan 3 (2022); and 250 MLD Lower Ipo. These, aside from the 600 MLD Kaliwa Dam projects whose implementation began in 2017 and is expected to be completed in 2023. According to Velasco, to complement the New Water Security Roadmap (2019-2022), there is the urgent need to fast-track the completion of Aqueduct 6 and Tunnel 4, both started during the Duterte Administration by the present MWSS Board and Management. The two projects are expected to be operationalized by January 2020. MWSS also expects to complete by June 2022 the Aqueduct 7 and Tunnel 5 which are now on stream to provide another 1,600 MLD to flow towards La Mesa. The completion of these aqueducts and tunnel system will optimize the flow of excess water from Angat to La Mesa Dam.

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, April 25, 2019 A3

War with China is last option, says National Security Adviser Esperon

By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

HE military is ready to wage a war with China over the Pag-Asa Island, but this should be the last option that should be considered by both countries, and even by the United States, which regularly conducts freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. “Let me just assure you that we will go to war if so directed. If so directed, the soldiers will not back down,” said National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. during a forum in Pasig City on Wednesday. President Duterte recently warned China, whose maritime militia have been swarming around Pag-Asa, not to touch the island, warning he would not hesitate to send soldiers there, even on a suicide mission there. Esperon said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is ready to wage war for the island. But if China were to up the ante and attack Manila and the rest of the country, then it would be the war of Filipinos and against Beijing. “If they like [to] go and attack Pag-Asa, we [will] go to war. [You should] know that we will not clash, but we will go to war. It’s only up to there. If they hit Manila, then that’s your war,” he said. Esperon, a retired chief of staff of the AFP, however, said war should be the last option for both sides, and even for the United States, although he noted that Beijing has been consistently build-

LOCSIN TO HEAD OF MISSION TO LIBYA: TAKE CARE OF OFW WOUNDED IN BOMB BLAST

OREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. instructed Philippine Head of Mission in Libya Elmer Cato on Wednesday to take care of a Filipino migrant worker who was wounded by a bomb explosion that also resulted in the death of his Sudanese coworker. “Take care of him. Offer help to the dead coworker.... We will do it. I wish I was there,” Locsin tweeted. Chargé d’Affaires Cato, in his tweet, earlier said “a Filipino working for an oil and gas services provider becomes our second casualty in Libya after he was wounded, while his Sudanese coworker was killed when a mortar round fell on their compound in the outskirts of Tripoli on Tuesday morning.” Cato said the company that employed the wounded Filipino “should have evacuated them two weeks ago but they did not,” adding that the firm moved the workers to safer ground only after he was wounded. “Their compound is where most of the fighting has been taking place,” Cato added. Earlier, Cato said four other Filipinos were evacuated from the Libyan capital Tripoli on Tuesday and “are now on their way to Manila.” “They were repatriated from Tunis a few minutes ago by a team from DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] Philippines and Libya.” Recto Mercene

LGUs told to prioritize disaster preparedness By Butch Fernandez

@butchfBM

FFECTED local government units (LGUs) were advised to wisely spend their disaster funds by focusing on disaster planning and risk management, even as Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara suggests this is a “more proactive and cost-effective” disaster response. The senator stressed that “it is always better to be prepared than hope for the best and deal with the consequences after disaster strikes.” Angara advised LGU officials they “should not hesitate to spend their calamity funds for disaster preparedness.” In a news statement issued on Wednesday after strong earthquakes shook the country in two days with magnitudes 6.1 and 6.5 in Luzon and the Visayas, Angara acknowledged that while disasters can occur without warning, the “risks can be managed in order to reduce loss of lives, homes, infrastructures and economic activity.” He added that disaster preparedness plays a vital role in saving lives and livelihood, “particularly when integrated into an overall disaster risk reduction approach.” The senator suggests that in order to prevent casualties and damages during calamities, concerned LGUs could implement precautionary measures, including stricter enforcement of the Building Code and limiting developments in disaster-prone areas, while identifying potential sites for relocation and evacuation when disaster strikes. According to Angara, these steps could “help lessen the impact of future disasters” even as he added: “it does not prevent earthquakes and extreme weather events, but it makes us more resilient to those impacts. At the same time, he reminded LGUs to strictly comply with the provisions of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 embodied in Republic Act 10121. The law, he said, strengthened the country’s institutional capacity for disaster-risk reduction and management, as well as building resilience of local communities to disasters with local government units as first responders. As provided in RA 10121, Angara adds that LGUS are required to set aside five percent of their revenue from regular sources as Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund to support disaster risk management activities.

ing up its military capability. “They build up, they can afford to go to war, [but it] depends who is really on the other side. The other question is, can the Philippines go to war? Should China go to war?” Can the US afford to go to war? Everybody would go to war. Would they want to go to war? There would be no end. War is the last option,” he said. The national security adviser said that while the Chinese are beefing up their military might and firepower, they may be completely sold to the idea of a

war, unless they are drawn into it, and which is also the case for Filipinos. “I would like to think that they would also dissipate to go to war. If forced to go into war, maybe. If we are forced to go to war, we go to war,” he said. Meanwhile, in Basilan, four Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits were killed during operations by the military on Wednesday. Col. Gerry Besana, spokesman of the Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command, said the bandits who are

under ASG Subcommander Furuji Indama died during a firefight with soldiers at Sitio Gipitan, Barangay Bohe Pahu, Ungkaya Pukan, Basilan. Three high-powered firearms—an M16 and M14 rifles and one R4—were also recovered by the troops. “The sustained military operations of Joint Task Force Basilan manifest the commitment of the AFP in fulfilling its mandate of bringing internal peace and security in the province of Basilan,” said Westmincom Commander Lt. Gen. Arnel de la Vega.

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Cruise ships barred from visiting Boracay during peak tourist seasons By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

ORACAY ISLAND will be closed off to passenger cruise ships during certain times of the year, to ease the pressure on the island’s ecosystem, especially during the peak seasons for tourists. Instead, cruise ships are encouraged to visit other alternative destinations such as “Subic, Bataan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Bohol [Tagbilaran Port], [and] Bacolod,” according to Undersecretary for Tourism Regulation Coordination and Resource Generation Arturo P. Boncato Jr. of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in his letters to various stakeholders, including shoreexcursion agents. Shorex agents are tour operators who offer land tours on cruise passengers, assuring them seamless transfers from ship to shore. This developed as island residents aired their complaints on Facebook over a visiting cruise ship off Boracay Island during Holy Week, which they believed

led to the surge in tourists during that period. Resident Freida Dario-Santiago provided the BusinessMirror with the photo which she posted on April 15, Holy Monday, when the cruise ship docked across the island’s main beachfront. “The arrival of this particular cruise ship on the Monday of Holy Week was alarming, to say the least. True enough, from a serene Monday morning, the island was suddenly inundated by a worrisome influx of Chinese tourists—not exactly model tourists.” She lamented: “It pains me that it seems we haven’t learned our lesson. Quantity over quality is still the name of the game…. We, the Boracaynons did not sacrifice six months of closure [and still try-

Insurance . . .

For the Philippine Life Insurance

Association (Plia), the deferment to 2023 of the shift to IFRS 17—from the original 2021 timeline—is beneficial for local players as implementation requires hefty investments from the companies on top of the increase in minimum net-worth requirement asked of local insurance companies. “Of course, for the multinational companies, this will be dictated by the global decision makers, and for most cases I’ve seen, there is really no delay in the implementation for the multinational. But what is of concern for the industry association would be the smaller companies,” explained Plia Board Secretary Reynaldo C. Centeno. Centeno added that implementation of the IFRS 17 will significantly change the revenue recognition and income recognition of insurance companies, among others. As such, discussions with tax authorities should be included in line with the preparations for the implementation of the financial standard. “I’m not sure whether we have actually involved already the tax authorities in all the talks because the IFRS 17 will significantly change all the revenue recognition, income recognition, but we have a tax code that is primarily based on the old setup. And everybody in the life-[insurance] industry is aware [of] what happened—we’ve just shifted in valuation requirement from net premium level to cost gross premium valuation. There was a lot of going back and forth with the BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue],” said Centeno, who is also the president

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and CEO of Generali Life Assurance Philippines Inc. In January this year, Insurance Commissioner Dennis B. Funa said that insurance players are not being prevented from adopting the IFRS 17 ahead of the deferment of the commission for its implementation in 2023. It was earlier reported that the IC deferred the effectivity date for the shift to the IFRS 17 for life and nonlife insurance companies in the country to January 1, 2023, from the original January 1, 2021, proposed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB). According to the IC, the implementation of IFRS 17 was fraught with challenges such as a tight timeline, determination of model, lack of clarity, resources and expertise, tight budget, report and disclosure, and lack of information-technology (IT) infrastructure. Funa noted that other countries and territories also have varying implementing periods for IFRS 17 in their jurisdiction. China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates are still assessing the feasibility of implementing the IFRS 17, he said. The IFRS is a set of accounting standards recognized by at least 166 countries, including the Philippines, and provides a guide on how particular types of transactions and other events should be reported in the financial statements. The new system supersedes IFRS 4 Insurance Contracts, which establishes principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of insurance contracts issued.

Belt-Road. . . Duterte’s meeting with the Chinese leader comes days after the Philippine government issued strong statements against China’s actions in the disputed waters, including the presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, particularly around Pag-Asa Island, among others. The Department of Foreign Affairs has also since said it had fired off a salvo of protests against these recent developments in the West Philippine Sea. However, De La Salle Political Science Prof. Francisco Magno said the President’s meeting with Xi is more than just

ing to recover from the massive losses] for these cruise ships to haul tourists over that don’t pay a centavo here!” Dario-Santiago, who moved to Boracay from Manila in 2003 averred “the government should definitely clamp down on cruise ships, especially to tiny, fragile islands such as Boracay. We are not a city! I don’t know about the actual numbers and the carrying capacity of the island when these cruise ships arrive, but one thing’s for sure, traffic congestion along the roads and beaches is shoulder-toshoulder, garbage is overflowing, public transportation is hijacked to cater to the sheer volume of visitors, and yet local businesses don’t benefit from all this chaos, and we are left to cleanup after their mess.” She also pointed out the environmental impact from the visit of the cruise ships. Several studies have shown cruise ships are among the world’s worst polluters of oceans. Data from the Caticlan Jetty Port administration office confirmed a visit on April 15 of the MS Voyager of the Seas of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. The ship was said to be carrying 3,334 passengers. The arrival of the cruise ship passengers on Boracay increased

the number of tourists that day to 10,753, a huge volume considering it was only Holy Monday. Data from the DOT Region 6 showed tourist volumes on Monday after Palm Sunday are normally among the lowest for the Holy Week; in 2018, arrivals were just 5,203, and in 2017, just 6,752. The jetty port office also reported the MS Voyager of the Seas visited Boracay on April 10, carrying 2,853 passengers. Three other cruise ships made port calls on Boracay earlier this year—the Star Legend (Windstar Cruises) on February 27, the SS Navigator (Regent Seven Seas Cruises) on March 4, and MS Europa (Hapag-Lloyd) on March 22—but carried only 246 passengers, 384 passengers, and 300 passengers, respectively. Additional data from DOT Region 6 showed the number of tourists who visited Boracay from Holy Monday to Easter Sunday, or from April 15 to 21, 2019 reached 62,371. This was 34 percent more than the volume received during the same holiday season in 2018, which was from March 26 to April 1. Tourists who departed from the island from April 15 to 21, 2019 numbered 61,665. The 2019 data did not make a distinction between foreign and domestic tourists. In a separate interview, Bon-

cato assured that the cruise ship, which made a port call on Boracay on Holy Monday, did not violate any government regulation as the close-out period for that week was from April 16 to 23, or from Holy Tuesday to Easter Tuesday. In the Philippines, the Holy Week usually starts on Palm Sunday and ends on Easter Sunday. He also said other close-out dates for cruise ship visits, are this summer, from April 24 to May 31, 2019; during the All Saints’/All Souls’ Day holiday or from October 26 to November 8, 2019; the Southeast Asian Games from November 23 to December 19, 2019; and during the Christmas/New Year holiday, from December 20, 2019 to January 5, 2020. Passenger cruise ships were also barred earlier from docking in Boracay from January 29 to February 12, 2019, during the Chinese New Year festivities. Boncato added, among the regulations agreed on by members of the BIATF with other relevant government agencies, is that ships carrying only 2,000 passengers or less will be allowed to visit Boracay starting April 16, 2019, “except during close-off dates.” The new cruise ship regulations were affirmed by BIATF principals in a meeting on February 1.

Japan won’t give up tariffs on PHL agri products in latest PJEPA talks By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

ENEGOTIATING the country’s only bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) appears to be turning up to be a Herculean task for the Philippine government, as Japan during talks last week, played hardball to retain its substantial tariffs on farm goods, according to a senior trade official. Trade Undersecretary Ceferino S. Rodolfo said Japan showed little to no intent to bring down tariffs on agricultural products in the latest round of the periodic review of the Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (PJEPA). Philippine trade negotiators sought a small quota from Japan for the entry of high grade and specialized rice. However, their Japanese counterparts could only go as far as putting the appeal on the agenda, saying it will be difficult for Tokyo to grant Manila market access for imported rice. “Everything is on the table. They said let us table [that proposal], but admitted it will be difficult [to get it approved],” Rodolfo said in an interview with reporters late Tuesday. “What we are asking from them [Japanese] is to give us even a small quota for our specialized rice to enter their market at preferential rates,” he added.

According to Rodolfo, when Tokyo negotiated the PJEPA, it pushed for the protection of its rice sector to secure livelihood for its octogenarian farmers. However, with the retirement of these farmers, he said, the barriers should be lifted, and rice be committed under the trade deal. On top of specialized rice, the Philippines is demanding Japan to reduce tariffs on tropical fruits, such as bananas, mangoes and pineapples. For one, Philippine banana exporters pay a maximum of 18 percent import duty to Japanese Customs during winter season, and 8 percent during summer. This is in contrast with banana growers from Vietnam and Indonesia who are shipping to the East Asian country at zero percent. In exchange, Manila is open to reducing tariffs on Tokyo’s offensive interest: automobiles. Japanese trade negotiators are asking the government to trim tariffs on vehicles not exceeding 3,000 cc to 5 percent from 20 percent. This will allow Japan-made brands to compete with South Korean cars, which are imposed a lower 5 percent under the FTA between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and South Korea. In a separate interview, Rodolfo said, Japan has to come to terms with the Philippines on its proposal to review and renegotiate many pro-

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an economic front. “Against the backdrop of polls indicating that Filipinos continue to distrust China, the President needs to show that the country’s constructive engagement with China is reaping win-win results. This is not limited to the economic front, in terms of forging more investment and trade deals, but also in stemming the tide of further Chinese incursions in Philippine waters,” Magno said. While Magno is “optimistic” that the President will raise the issue on the West Philippine Sea, he does not expect China

to respond positively. “We don’t expect China to react favorably, but it will be a good step for Philippine diplomacy. After all, China is making moves to recalibrate its Belt and Road Initiative after facing criticisms on its opaque financing practices. It is not immune to international pressures,” he added. Nonetheless, Magno still considers the President’s participation in the Belt and Road Forum a good move. “Yes. China, together with Japan and the United States, are our top 3 trading partners,” he said.

visions of the PJEPA. Over the past decade, regional and global developments eroded the preferential rates granted under the PJEPA, the trade official argued. For one, Philippine farmers lost the cover they had before when Japan over the years signed newer FTAs, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. “The PJEPA, as the first FTA we negotiated and entered into force on a bilateral level, has to improve because there are so many developments in the regions that eroded the preferences on both sides,” Rodolfo said. The PJEPA is the country’s first and only bilateral FTA that entered into force in December of 2008. It covers trade in goods, trade in services, investments, l abor, i nte l lec t u a l proper t y, among others. Japan is one of the largest export destinations and foreign investment sources of the Philippines. Last year it was the country’s third top export market in spite of a 12.71- percent decline in shipments to $9.47 billion, from $10.85 billion in 2017, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority. Further, Tokyo was Manila’s third-largest foreign investor, even as approved investments fell 38.33 percent to P19.72 billion, from P31.98 billion.

BSP. . .

BIR releases draft RR on estate tax amnesty proposal By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

HE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) released on Wednesday the draft revenue regulation (RR) on estate tax amnesty offering under Republic Act (RA) 11213, or the Tax Amnesty Act of 2019, to enable the public and other stakeholders to air their recommendations and suggestions for the final implementing rules and regulations of the amnesty proposal. The BIR held a public consultation on Wednesday in line with its pending issuance of the RR on estate tax amnesty, with the draft RR uploaded to the bureau’s web site for assessment. Under the draft RR, the government will provide taxpayers a onetime opportunity to settle their respective estate tax obligations under its tax amnesty program as mandated by RA 11213, which will provide relief to those applying for the amnesty. The amnesty is seen to cover the estates of those who died on or before December 2017 that has remained unpaid. Exemptions under the RR include delinquent estate tax liabilities, which have become final and executory and covered by tax amnesty on delinquencies; and properties involved in cases pending in appropriate courts. “An estate tax amnesty rate of 6 percent shall be imposed on each decedent’s total net taxable estate at the time of death without penalties at every stage of transfer of property in cognizance with the rules of succession under the Civil Code of the Philippines on the transmission of properties, interests, rights and obligations of the decedent, provided that the minimum amnesty tax for the transfer of the estate of each decedent shall be P5,000,” the draft RR stated. In the payment and filing for the estate tax amnesty, availees should secure an estate tax amnesty return form, among others, and shall file their estate tax amnesty applications within two years from the effectivity of the RR. The forms shall be filed at the respective Revenue District Office (RDO) having jurisdiction over the last residence of the decedent. “In case of a nonresident decedent, with executor or administrator in the Philippines, the return shall be filed with the RDO where such executor/administrator is registered or if not yet registered, at the place of domicile. If there is no executor or administrator, the return shall be filed with RDO 39-South Quezon City. The foregoing provisions notwithstanding, the Commissioner of Internal Revenue may exercise his power to allow a different venue/place in the filing of tax returns,” the draft RR added. It was earlier reported, that President Duterte partially vetoed the general amnesty provision under the Tax Amnesty Act of 2019 or RA 11213, which was signed on February 14 this year, retaining only the provisions on estate tax amnesty and the amnesty on delinquency taxes.

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the specific criteria for designating payment systems, as well as the oversight rules to be applied to such systems and the participants. Also among the salient points of the first tranche of the IRR are descriptive examples—albeit not exhaustive—of activities to sufficiently guide the stakeholders on which persons are required to register with the Bangko Sentral as an OPS under the NPSA. The draft Circular contains a simplified registration process and streamlined documentary requirements. The BSP also said the draft Circular pro-

vides a transitory provision that allows said OPS to register with the Bangko Sentral within a reasonable period. “Through a safe, efficient and reliable payment system through which funds are transferred among banks and other institutions to discharge payment obligations arising from economic and financial transactions across the entire economy, the cost of exchanging goods and services is reduced. It is likewise an essential tool for the effective implementation of monetary policy, and the smooth functioning of money and capital markets,” the BSP said. Bianca Cuaresma

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If you have any information / objection to the above mentioned application/s, please communicate with the Regional Director thru Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW) Division with Telephone No. 400-6011.

ATTY. ANA C. DIONE, CPA REGIONAL DIRECTOR

Thursday, April 25, 2019

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In the ad material of Notice of filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on April 23, 2019, the position of Mr. Tee Yong Jie under RUNNINGMAN CORPORATION should have been read as Asian Regional Customer Support Officer - Malaysian Accounts and not as published. In the application published on March 5, 2019 the applicant of GENX SPORTS & MEDIA PRODUCTION CORP. should have been read as Mr. Xiang, Yanlong and not as published. In the application published on January 22, 2019 the applicant of FIRST GREAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES INC. should have been read as Mr. Sun, Jianping and not as published. If you have any information / objection to the above mentioned application/s, please communicate with the Regional Director thru Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW) Division with Telephone No. 400-6011.

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WB: $1.90/day poverty gauge no longer suitable for PHL By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

EASURING a country’s progress in poverty reduction using the global poverty threshold of $1.90 per day may no longer be advisable, especially for lower- and middle-income countries like the Philippines, according to the World Bank. In a videoconference briefing on Wednesday, World Bank East Asia and the Pacific Acting Chief Economist Andrew Mason said the international poverty threshold, which is based on 2011 purchasing power parity (PPP), is only used to measure extreme poverty. Mason said poverty thresholds should reflect changing economic conditions, especially in developing countries where 20 years ago, over 50 percent of the population was considered poor. Today, more than 50 percent of the population is “economically secure or middle class.” “The high growth rates that have been experienced in this region have lifted many, many boats, and in doing so, have nearly eradicated extreme poverty. Now, what we’re finding is that, as countries move toward middle income, that when you get to about 3 percent or less, then you need a better measure to understand how to lift up the people from the lowest end of the income distribution,” Mason said. Based on the World Bank’s East Asia and the Pacific Update, the lower middleincome country (LMIC) poverty threshold is at $3.20 per day per using 2011 PPP, while the upper middle-income country (UMIC) poverty threshold is at $5.50 per day. The Washington-based lender said there are 30 million people in the region who live on less than $1.90 per day; 168 million living on less than $3.20 per day; and 538 million who live on less than $5.50 per day. “Rising incomes and wealth have led to legitimate questions as to whether the international poverty line [$1.90/ day 2011 PPP] is now too low to define whether someone is poor in developing East Asia and Pacific. Higher poverty lines are needed that are better suited to track progress and match aspirations in more developed countries,” the report stated. Adjusting the rates, the report stated, would also lead to better targeted results since the adjustments will reveal “pockets of poor” even in well-off countries. The World Bank said that, in the Philippines, the LMIC poverty rate is about 5.8 percent in the capital region. However, in the conflict-affected region of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the LMIC poverty rate is 68.3 percent. “An important aim for policy-makers is not only to reduce poverty but also to help protect households from falling back into poverty or experiencing significant income losses in case of shocks,” Mason said. Apart from measuring poverty in monetary terms, Mason said, it is also important to consider the fact that poverty is multidimensional. This means income deprivation is not the only one that the poor experiences.

This is the reason it is also recommended by the report that countries give the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) a second look to ascertain other social deprivations experienced by their citizens whether in terms of health, water and sanitation, and other basic needs. In the Philippines, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has released the initial findings of the MPI, which showed that Filipinos were most deprived of education. These means that 6 out of 10 families in 2016 and 5 out of 10 families in 2017 were deprived of basic education; that is, 6 out of 10 families had at least one family member aged 18 years old and above who did not complete basic education in 2016, and 5 out of 10 in 2017. “Poverty is not one-dimensional. Being poor encompasses not only a shortfall in income and consumption but also low educational achievement, poor health and nutritional outcomes, lack of access to basic services and an unsafe living environment, making poverty a multidimentional concept,” the World Bank said. Last week, the PSA reported that the poverty threshold per family per month increased by 10.9 percent to P10,481 in 2018, from P9,453 in 2015. The PSA explained that this was needed to meet both basic food and nonfood needs of a family of five in a month. In terms of food or subsistence thresholds per family per month, PSA said it increased by 11.2 percent to P7,337 in 2018 from P6,600 in 2017. The food threshold is the amount needed to meet the family’s basic food needs for a month. With this, the PSA computed a firstsemester poverty-incidence rate among population of 21 percent, a 6.6-percentagepoint decrease from the 27.6 percent posted in 2015. In terms of families, povertyincidence rate declined to 16.1 percent in 2018, from 22.2 percent in 2015. This translated to 23.1 million poor Filipinos, a reduction of 5.7 million from the 28.8 million recorded in the first semester of 2015. PSA also said a million households were lifted out of poverty in 2018 when there were only 4 million poor families. In terms of subsistence incidence per population, PSA said 8.5 percent of the population was considered food poor, a decline from the 13 percent posted in 2015. In terms of families, data showed that 6.2 percent of households were food poor, a decline from the 9.9 percent posted in 2015. PSA data also showed that by magnitude, there were 1.5 million food-poor Filipino families, a decline from the 2.2 million recorded in 2015. This translated to 9.3 million food-poor Filipinos in 2018 from 13.6 million in 2015.

Regional wage board OKs ₧500 wage hike for W. Visayas HSWs

OUSEHOL D ser v ice workers (HSWs) in Western Visayas will be enjoying an additional income next month. This comes with the implementation of the new wage order issued by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity BoardRegion 6 (RTWPB-Region 6) granting Western Visayas HSWs a P500 wage hike. The National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) said the wage order will take effect on May 8 after being published on April 23, 2019. “Upon effectivity of this Wage Order, the new monthly minimum-wage rates of domestic workers in the region, covering the Provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental, including their respective component cities and the highly urbanized City of Iloilo and Bacolod, shall be P4,000,” RTWPB-Region 6 said in its new issuance.

The new rate was the result of the RTWPB-Region 6’s two public hearings conducted in February. Prior to the new wage order, the minimum wage for HSWs in cities and first-class municipalities in Region 6 was P3,500, while those in other municipalities was pegged at P3,000. RTWPB-Region 6 approved the wage hike to allow HSWs within its jurisdiction to cope with the rising cost of living. The new minimum-wage rate will cover any person who regularly performs domestic work in one house on an occupational basis like general househelp, yaya, cook, gardener and laundry person. However, it will not apply for persons who perform work occasionally or sporadically and not an occupational basis, such as service providers; family drivers; and children under foster family arrangement. Samuel P. Medenilla

A10 Thursday, April 25, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

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Was there collusion among power plants?

‘T

HERE are no quick fixes to the Luzon power mess.” Coming from Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, that’s a disturbing statement for electricity consumers in Luzon who recently suffered rotating brownouts. Cusi said: “Based on the figures, we were supposed to have sufficient power supply. Regrettably, what could not have been forecasted were the simultaneous unplanned outages of several power plants.” To the skeptics, greed must have something to do with what is happening in the Luzon grid. Most everyone knows that when the supply decreases, the price of electricity at the spot market naturally increases. The Luzon grid should have an excess of 1,131 megawatts over peak demand. However, the shutdowns of several plants at the same time resulted in a 1,502-MW loss of available capacity. This prompted Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy, to ask the Department of Energy and Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) to investigate a possible collusion among power plants. He said the price at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) went up to P8 per kilowatt-hour because of the series of yellow alerts. According to Wikipedia, collusion is a secret cooperation or deceitful agreement in order to deceive others. A secret agreement between two or more parties to limit open competition by deceiving, misleading or defrauding others of their legal rights, or to obtain an objective forbidden by law typically by defrauding or gaining an unfair market advantage is an example of collusion. It is an agreement among firms or individuals to divide a market, set prices, limit production or limit opportunities. The Philippine Competition Commission said it will look into allegations of collusion or abuse of dominance against power-generation firms for the spate of plant outages in Luzon. In a statement, the PCC said the string of shutdowns among power plants may have resulted in higher prices reflected in electricity bills of consumers. The PCC issued the statement a week after the Luzon power grid was placed under red alert for three consecutive days, the last of which was on Good Friday, after an unexpected outage at a Bataan plant. As a result, rotational brownouts were experienced in many parts of Luzon, including Manila, Quezon City, Bulacan and Pampanga. The PCC said these outages should be probed to assess whether they were orchestrated to manipulate electricity prices, or were legitimate unplanned breakdowns that affect supply conditions. Warning power producers from engaging in anticompetitive or collusive behavior, the PCC said that violation of the competition law can lead to a fine of as much as P250 million and imprisonment of responsible officers for up to seven years. Under the Philippine Competition Act, the PCC is mandated to promote fair market competition, prohibit anticompetitive behavior among businesses across sectors, including the power sector, and advance consumer welfare in the process. Energy Undersecretary Felix William Fuentebella told a press conference on Tuesday that the agency is still collating all data that will be submitted to the Energy Regulatory Commission and the Philippine Competition Commission, which has served notice it will conduct an investigation to rule out possible collusion among power-plant operators. Although the Energy chief has said “the entire industry must share collective responsibility over what happened,” he must see to it that the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines complies with its concession agreement, including sufficient power-reserve requirements under the Grid Code. The Department of Energy, the NGCP, the ERC, the distribution utilities and the generating companies must get their act together and find ways to prevent a similar incident from happening again.

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An easier path to wisdom John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

EING knowledgeable means to have information. In this age, there is absolutely no excuse for not knowing the facts. Wisdom is the successful application of knowledge through experience. Unfortunately, most “wisdom” is gained through a process of applying knowledge by trial and error. A child learns quickly that too much heat is painful. The child also learns that stoves create heat. The wisdom comes from knowing when a stove is too hot to touch, and that usually comes from trial and error. To avoid having to go through many trial and error experiences, we need to learn from others. Consequently, there are certain writings that everyone should read to gain acquired wisdom. If you have not read the Old Testament book of Proverbs—regardless of your religious beliefs—you are truly ignorant about the world.

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recommendations to tyrants to help them maintain their power.” Welcome to the real world. Most controversial is his “Upon this a question arises: whether it be better to be loved than feared or feared than loved? One should wish to be both, but, because it is difficult to unite them in one person, it is much safer to be feared than loved.” However, “A prince ought to inspire fear in such a way that, if he does not win love, he avoids hatred. But above all things he must keep his hands off the property of others, because men more quickly forget the death of their father than the loss of their patrimony.” Also, the fear that Machiavelli speaks of in his contemporary setting is a specific sense of respect, awe and submission. If you are going to prepare for the future, you have to learn from the past. Otherwise, you end up bouncing from error to error and hopefully to eventual success. E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stockmarket information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

China’s great pig pandemic should worry all of us

✝ Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Publisher

In the prologue, it says the book was written “for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair.” What Proverbs offers is the wisdom of a man/men who had “been there, done that, and bought the souvenir t-shirt” without the reader having to go through a personal learning process. Another must-read is Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. Characterized as a political history and the perils of political ambition, it is a tale of a

man who cannot handle his success and his own ambition. It is like the person who works hard for a promotion, becomes the manager and then turns into a raging ass to his subordinates. Financial success can do the same thing to a person, and Macbeth is a handbook on what can happen. If you have not read The Art of War, attributed to the Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu, then you had better pray that any competitor you come up against in business or even love has not read the book either. It is the ultimate textbook on strategy and successful tactics for every competition we face in life. Renaissance-period Italian diplomat, politician and philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli wrote The Prince, published as a treatise after his death. It is a complex work about how to gain political power, keep that power and use the power gained to your advantage. The simple-minded—most of whom have never read the book—focus on themes like describing immoral behavior, such as dishonesty and the killing of innocents, as being normal and effective in politics. Some claim that it teaches “evil

T’S a familiar and ominous story. A deadly pathogen with no known cure begins spreading in China. Rather than acknowledge the problem, officials throughout the Chinese government shut down media coverage, while underreporting infection and mortality rates for fear of career and political repercussions. Just as the true scale of the epidemic emerges, Chinese officials declare victory. In 2002 and 2003, that was roughly the course of the deadly, incurable SARS pandemic that emerged in southern China and disrupted global travel, commerce and health. In 2018 and 2019, it’s an accurate description of how China has mismanaged an epidemic of African swine fever that’s on course to kill 130 million pigs— or roughly one-third of China’s herd, the biggest in the world. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Post-SARS, China supposedly reformed its system so that secrecy, careerism and concerns over China’s international image wouldn’t again take precedence over public health. Thankfully African swine fever only affects pigs. But the epidemic highlights how hard old habits die, and how systemically unprepared China

is to report and manage the inevitable next epidemic that kills people. For decades, the Chinese government’s top priority has been the preservation of social stability. Mainly this is promoted through economic development policies designed to enrich and placate China’s vast population, especially in the countryside. Meanwhile, events that the government views as potentially threatening tend to be suppressed. For example, in 1976, the government censored reporting on the Tangshan earthquake, a catastrophic event that killed more than 500,000 people, for fear of how the public would react to the death toll and the government’s inadequate response. That preference for secrecy in the

face of natural and human-made disasters didn’t dissipate in the wake of China’s economic opening. In fact, it’s strengthened over the decades as the government has prioritized economic growth as the all-purpose solution to China’s ills. Insofar as news about natural disasters might inhibit investment and disrupt business, it’s clearly unwelcome. Meanwhile, China’s hierarchical system remains fragmented and autonomous below the top levels of power. Despite President Xi Jinping’s efforts at bureaucratic reform, this chaotic structure tends to bog down policy-making and confuse lines of authority. For example, during the SARS crisis in 2002 and 2003, the Ministry of Health was politically subservient to provincial governments and its recommendations were viewed as guidelines, not directives. Likewise, provincial governments had limited obligations to communicate with the Ministry of Health or the central government. The result was an uncoordinated political process in which local officials prioritized provincial needs —most notably, promoting growth (and thereby, their own careers)— rather than calling attention to the emerging epidemic. The Communist Party also proved reluctant to distract officials and the public from a politically crucial Party Congress. The immediate needs

of the public, insofar as they were considered at all, were subservient to the needs of the bureaucracy. At first glance, African swine fever doesn’t seem to have much in common with the SARS pandemic. But, from the perspective of officials, it’s also a serious threat to social stability. In China, where pork is the staple protein, rising pork prices play an outsized role in the country’s inflation rate. That fact appears to be undercutting postSARS reforms intended to create more transparency during natural disasters. In recent months, there have been numerous reports of pig death undercounts and cover-ups, and widespread efforts to suppress and censor news coverage while promoting a false narrative that the epidemic is under control (it’s not). While the outbreak may not be as immediately dangerous to humans as SARS, the official response should worry Chinese, as well as public health authorities globally. Thanks to its geographic position on migratory bird routes, its vast and largely unregulated livestock industry, and its weak public health institutions, China is a prime candidate to serve as the incubator for the next pandemic capable of killing millions of humans. Ensuring that Beijing responds to that epidemic in a responsible manner must be a global priority. (See related story on page B3)

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Comelec now solely elections keeper

Sharing in the legacy of Easter Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

ALÁLAONG BAGÁ

Val A. Villanueva

BUSINESSWISE

INCE 2010, the Commission on Elections has worked together with technology provider Smartmatic to administer the country’s automated elections. Through the government’s efforts and the technology of Smartmatic, the Philippines was finally able to experience the Comelec’s 18-year-old plan of a fast, secure and accurate voting process. Over the years, however, a number of contrasting views have made automated elections a contentious issue. Its advocates point to the undeniable speed in which election results are transmitted and tallied, as well as the lack of manual interference that usually prefaces fraud. On the other hand, detractors claim that electronic systems can be manipulated, referring to it with the often(mis)used and vague umbrella term “hacked.” Although these protests have been conclusively (and repeatedly) disproven, many critics remain adamant that “insiders can alter and affect the votes.” Not surprisingly, a big brunt of the backlash has been directed toward Smartmatic, despite its being merely the technology provider. To a lesser degree, the Comelec has likewise received some peripheral damage to its reputation, owing to countless conspiracy theories being floated around. While the vote-counting machines are not perfectly tamperproof, any form of cheating presents an insoluble task that requires enormous resources, manpower and precise timing. For one, every vote is logged and stored into the sealed machine at precinct level. This means that there is foundation for verification. Yes, the final results are ultimately taken from the information transmitted to the Consolidated Canvassing System (CCS), but if any erroneous or anomalous transmissions were detected, such a comparison could easily be done with the results stored in the transmission chain, from the National Board of Canvassers, Provincial Board of Canvassers and Municipal Board of Canvassers, all the way down to the information stored at the VCMs at precinct level. As far as “erroneous or anomalous transmissions” are concerned, a time-delayed firewall prevents the entry of any other transmissions that are not sent within a set time interval. It would be extremely difficult to synchronize any unauthorized or altered transmissions with this system because the system will only take specific transmissions from specific VCMs at specific times. The CCS would immediately report any mismatch among these. In the case of failed transmissions, the system protocol is to have the results manually transmitted. While these may seem like a window of opportunity for cheating, the results must still be transmitted by transporting the entire VCM itself via a computer authorized by the system that is also under the care of the Municipal Board of Canvassers. Speaking of VCMs, the Comelec has decided to buy, instead of rent them. The poll body has relied on them in the past elections and found them to be reliable. They have already been tried and tested under real-life conditions. Purchasing the machines was more economical. Consider these: For the 2016 Presidential Polls, the Comelec reportedly spent somewhere around P8 billion to rent almost 97,000 VCMs from Smartmatic. For the upcoming 2019 midterm elections, therefore, that figure will likely remain the same, if not higher, due to inflation. Fortunately, in the existing Comelec-Smartmatic contract—yes, this is a foregoing stipulation of a previously signed and approved contract,

so conspiracy theories about “midnight deals” have no basis whatsoever—the poll body has the option to purchase the machines for P2.21 billion after a certain period of time. Compare the rental fee of P8 billion to a purchase cost of P2.21billion. Doesn’t that sound like a no-brainer in the name of prudent spending? Furthermore, there is a clause that requires Smartmatic to fully repair and/or refurbish each VCM free of charge before the sale is completed. Accordingly, there is no risk of obsolescence or significant depreciation. The VCMs are guaranteed to be reliable for the 2019 elections, and even in 2022. This effectively saves the Comelec over P5 billion, which it could use for other endeavors, such as voter registration and distribution of Voter IDs. God knows they need a lot of help in those areas! Of course, there will always be some pundits and armchair analysts questioning the dependability of the VCMs. This brings to mind a recent conversation I had with an insider from the administration, who confided that, thus far, the ongoing vice-presidential vote recount has mirrored the exact results of the ones coming from the automated VCMs. Now that the election machines have been bought by the Comelec, the next step will hopefully be putting a stop to candidates buying the election itself. So, in less than three weeks, the Comelec will be firmly and solely in charge of the upcoming elections, owing to their full purchase of Smartmatic’s technology. Truth be told, I can’t help but worry for our official poll body, but not because I lack confidence in their ability to manage and hold elections. Indeed, those following the Commission’s history know that they have gone through far worse conditions in the preautomated days. What worries me is the Comelec’s resiliency to fake news, fake facts, and wild claims that Smartmatic was subjected to over the years. We have to remember that Smartmatic is a global company. Even though the company is controversial in the Philippines due to accusations of manipulating results and cheating, Smartmatic has an entire portfolio of proofs that their system works in first-world countries, such as the United States, United Kingdom and Finland, which continue to vouch for their technology. The Comelec, on the other hand, has a history of tampering and corruption: Ballots were blatantly switched and numbers were glossed over during the martial-law era, and more recently, there was the “Hello, Garci” scandal. Now that there is no Smartmatic to bear the heat from insidious propaganda machines, the Comelec is virtually alone to defend the integrity of the upcoming 2019 polls. Just to reiterate, I trust that the Comelec can do its job and give us a clean and honest elections. They had a good eight years to learn everything they could from Smartmatic, and transition the tech provider out of critical processes. I just hope that their mettle can withstand the culture of hate and divisiveness pervasive in our society these days, fueled by and serving only those with selfish political agenda. For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

Thursday, April 25, 2019 A11

ASTER Sunday presented to us an empty tomb and abandoned burial cloths, which do not a resurrection make. Now we are filled in on the appearances of the Risen Christ that were the basis for the faith in Jesus’ resurrection. John’s account (20:19-31) narrates two appearances, one on the evening of Easter and another a week later. These appearances of Jesus give us the living legacy of Easter according to the fourth gospel, detailing together the various aspects of the one event.

Peace from the one crucified and risen ON the evening of that eventful first day of the week that revealed the empty tomb, Jesus all of a sudden was in the midst of His disciples gathered together behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. To their troubled spirits He brought peace, not just the customary Jewish greeting, but the peace and joy that signal the set reality of the messianic times. His resurrection triumph indeed meant the disenfranchisement of the gloom and fear that had been shadowing humankind living in a world of sin and death. Easter morn has ushered in the light which vanquished alienation and substituted instead a new covenantal order between heaven

and Earth in a realized eschatology. Paradoxically, peace came delivered by one who was unjustly crucified and died and was buried. The evangelists were all intent on pointing out the continuity and identity between the crucified Jesus and the risen Lord. Jesus spontaneously showed His wound marks to His disciples. The evidence established the unity between the cross and the resurrection, and precluded any Gnostic downsizing of the ignominious passion and death of Jesus in a truncated picture of the glorious Christ.

Holy Spirit: Mission and life of faith

THE risen Jesus breathed on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy

Spirit.” Jesus fulfilled the prophecies (Joel 3:1; Ezekiel 36:27) with His gift of the Holy Spirit. He anointed and empowered His disciples with the same Spirit of God that in the beginning of creation hovered over the primeval wasteland and chaos and presaged order and life, the one Spirit of God that was later breathed into the formed piece of clay and brought forth a living human being (Genesis 2:7), and the same Spirit that anointed prophets, priests and kings. John beautifully coalesced with the resurrection the moment of the giving of the Holy Spirit, as well as the moment of the commissioning of the disciples. The anointing and inspiration with the Holy Spirit programmed to action spells the mission. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” His disciples are now to continue what He has begun. The Christian community is to exist according to the mandate of mercy and forgiveness. The risen Jesus sent forth His followers to forgive sins in the context of His victory over sin. They are not only to regulate admission into the fellowship of faith, but must primarily be concerned with testifying to and establishing peace and forgiveness in the world. Christians are to share in the power of the cross over sin because they have been admitted into the unity of the Spirit of the risen Lord. Part of the living legacy of the resurrection of Jesus is the life of

World Bank: Friend or foe? Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS Continued from A1

ND yet, weeks before the Dominguez declaration of love for the World Bank, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., fending off claims that the Philippines is entering a “debt trap” with China, disclosed that the World Bank, IMF and the western financial system were the bad loan givers. In particular, they were responsible in keeping the Philippines in “debt bondage” right after the 1986 Edsa Revolt. The World Bank, IMF and the Western banks forced the administration of Corazon Aquino to “honor” the entire $26 billion accumulated by the Marcos regime, including the fraudulent or tainted loans secured by the Marcos cronies. What the good DFA secretary failed to mention was that it took the government three harrowing decades to service this Marcosian debt. The debt service included the full payment for the Bataan nuclear debt, which ballooned to over $2 billion, even if the said facility failed to generate a single kilowatt for the nation. And because the Marcosian law on automatic debt servicing was never repealed by the post-Edsa administrations, there were years when the debt service even reached two-thirds of the national budget, thus violating the Constitutional provision that the highest budgetary priority shall be given to education and other social services needed by the citizenry. This budgetary stress was further aggravated by the fiscal austerity program imposed by these foreign creditors. This, of course, did not stop the post-Edsa administrations in securing new loans, which doubled, trebled

and even quadrupled the nation’s total debt. Through the decades, the total debt service reached over $100 billion. Debt begets debt. Big debt becomes bigger debt, and high debt service becomes higher debt service. Meantime, in the decades that the country was under the debt leash of the external creditors, the Philippines was bypassed one by one by its debtfree neighboring countries—Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan in the 1980s; Malaysia and Thailand in the 1990s; and China in 2000s. The question now: Will Vietnam bypass us also? And yet, the Philippines, per-capita GDP-wise, was ahead of all these countries in the 1960s-1970s. The World Bank itself rated the Philippines as No. 2 in East Asia in terms of industrial development in the 1960s. In the mid-1970s, the World Bank also rated

the Philippines as a middle developing economy. In short, the Philippines has the distinct dishonor of being classified as a middle-income developing country for about four decades! Is this what the Asian Development Bank economists are saying when they coined the term “middle-income trap”? But who is responsible for trapping us in this status? Why have we failed to graduate at a higher level? Obviously, the draconian debt arrangements with the World Bank, IMF and the western banks disclosed by DFA Secretary Locsin were part of the explanation. Part of the debt arrangements was Philippine acceptance of a policy program opening up the economy wholesale through three interrelated programs: trade and investment liberalization, privatization (of government corporations, assets, services, etc.) and deregulation of various sectors (industry, agriculture, finance, etc.). The whole idea is anchored on the belief or assumption that such liberalization programs will alter the economic structure of the Philippines, pushing it to become an outward-looking one and to develop into a dynamic producer of export-oriented products to the global market. Hence, the term “structural adjustment program” or SAP. The various post-Edsa administrations assiduously pushed for the implementation of the SAP, now labeled by CSO critics as the neoliberal Washington Consensus program. However, the SAP outcomes are way below the projected gains from SAP. For example, instead of growing, the agricultural sector has been stagnating under SAP. This is compounded by the lack of a clear development vision for the sector and a holistic or integrated approach to agricultural development. Just look at how the government has mismanaged the agrarian-reform

faith it engenders. For the first Christians, the situation of having doubts and questions even as one believed got an encouraging boost. The saying “To see is to believe” was taken in earnest because Jesus Himself showed the scars of His suffering to His disciples and likewise to Thomas later. But the case of Thomas also exposed the saying to be inadequate. For later believers, the situation of seeing nothing at all really probes the depth of one’s faith. Without seeing the risen Lord, we rely on the testimony of authoritative eye-witnesses. Alálaong bagá, faith is not based on evidence or on what one can see firsthand. Thomas believed because Jesus asked him to, although he was literally humored to see and feel things for himself, and for the evangelist to debunk any theory that the appearances were delusions or illusionary fantasies of the disciples. To believe and to be committed, one must move on beyond the sensational and the sensual. And that was what Thomas did with his final affirmation of Jesus: “My Lord and my God!”—representing the growing consciousness of the early Christians that the risen Jesus was one with and the equal of the almighty Lord of all creation. Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

program in over three decades of implementation. More and more people are leaving the countryside not because of the success of agricultural transformation/modernization program under SAP. The sector is simply in crisis. As to the industrial sector, growth in some export-oriented industries such as electronics and auto parts assemblies was not enough to compensate for the decline of domestic industries, e.g., textile, rubber, etc., that collapsed under SAP liberalization programs. The Philippines still has to witness the emergence of industry champions that can conquer the global market. But why is the economy growing and poised to graduate at a higher-level status? Thanks for this should not be given to the World Bank and the SAP advocates in government. The economy’s growth is marginally related to SAP. The authors of growth are the nation’s life savers, the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who have grown in number, 10 million to 11 million (or at least 10 percent of the resident population). Their remittances, over $30 billion a year, are the reason the economists keep describing growth as “consumption-led.” The remittance-driven growth has been supplemented in the last 10 to 15 years by the call-center/BPO phenomenon, which, like the OFW phenomenon, was not in the original SAP blueprint or forecast. The two phenomena are the two legs of the economy today. So, is the World Bank a friend or a foe? Should it be credited for the supposed graduation of the Philippines into a high-income middle developing country? Or should it not be asked: Why has it’s SAP program failed to deliver? What is the World Bank’s culpability in the pains suffered by the Filipinos through several decades of debt peonage with the Bank and the western banks?

When will the UN’s chief speak up for the Uighurs? By Eli Lake

Bloomberg Opinion

HERE are a lot of people in the world who can plausibly claim ignorance of China’s foul campaign against its Muslim minority, but UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is not among them. Six months ago, the UN’s own committee on the elimination of racial discrimination released a devastating report on how China arbitrarily and systematically detains Uighurs in the western part of the country. Just last month, the UN high commissioner for human rights pressed the Chinese for access to the Uighur minority, only to be stonewalled again.

And yet Guterres is acting as if it’s business as usual with China. This week he will travel to Beijing to attend a forum to promote China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative, an ambitious plan where China provides often-predatory loans to other countries to build ports, railways and other transportation infrastructure. In and of itself there is nothing right or wrong with this project. Wealthy countries loan poorer countries money all the time. Free trade is usually a good thing. What’s more, it’s part of the UN secretarygeneral’s job to promote international cooperation. But that’s only one part of the secretary-general’s portfolio. He also should promote and exemplify the core values of the United Nations. And there

is a risk that Guterres’s appearance at the Belt and Road forum will lend a powerful rogue nation some unearned legitimacy. Just listen to what Guterres said in September in Beijing at a forum on China-Africa cooperation, only a few weeks after the UN committee issued its report on China’s treatment of minorities. “China is today a global leader in climate solutions,” he said, promising that the UN will continue to support China’s development efforts in Africa. Why would Guterres say such a thing? Chinese engagement in Africa is, for the most part, notable for its partnerships with tyrants and thugs. Beijing partnered with Zimbabwe’s former dictator, Robert Mugabe, for years. And while it

didn’t object to his ouster in 2017, it was happy to help prop up his regime while he purged his opposition and drove his country into ruinous debt and hyperinflation. In Sudan, China was a primary financier of the country’s north-south oil pipeline in the 1990s, a period marked by a vicious government campaign against local tribes along the pipeline’s path. It should not be surprising that China’s foreign policy is often amoral. Its domestic policy is amoral, as well. Look no further than China’s war against the Uighurs. The UN report from August discussed reeducation camps in Western China where Uighurs are “held incommunicado and often for long periods, without being charged or tried.”

2nd Front Page BusinessMirror

A12 Thursday, April 25, 2019

PHL insurance players seen to comply with IFRS 17 by ’23

By Rea Cu

@ReaCuBM

HE Insurance Commission (IC) is confident that the local insurance industry will implement measures to comply with the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 17 on or before 2023, which will help the Philippine insurance industry comply with global standards. At the 15th Insurance Summit at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City on Wednesday, IC Deputy Commissioner George S. Ongkeko Jr. said the commission is hopeful that local players will complete their compliance with IFRS 17 four years from now, noting that such will not only improve their accounting and actuarial processes, but also their data gathering and storing capabilities. “IFRS 17 is really a monster of a standard. I hope the industry as a whole would really move forward from taking seminars to really looking at systems to help them by 2023. The commission actually

encourages the companies to move ahead in terms of their preparations for IFRS 17 just because it’s a standard that not only encompasses actuarial and accounting [systems] but [also] data gathering, structure, software, hardware. It’s very much in-depth,” Ongkeko said. He explained that the IC has created a separate group within the commission to survey local insurance companies to check the changes in their systems in line with their compliance with the IFRS 17. “The commissioner has already instructed a certain team in the IC to have a survey in terms of prog-

National Treasurer Rosalia V. de Leon said the rate would have gone up to 6.215 percent, higher than the secondary market rate as shown under the Bloomberg Valuation Service (BVAL) of 6.053 percent. “Full rejection because if you would look at the average it would be like 18 to 20 basis points higher

EASTERLIES AFFECTING SOUTHERN LUZON, VISAYAS AND MINDANAO as of 4:00 pm - April 24, 2019

U.S. CITED FOR BIODIVERSITY WORK AT MISSION: PHL RITES

HE United States government was recently recognized for its efforts in promoting biodiversity at the culminating ceremony of Mission: PHL, the BusinessMirror Envoys&Expats Awards. Patrick Wesner, deputy mission director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), received the Embassy Award for Biodiversity from Director Crisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez of the Biodiversity Management Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). In his remarks, Wesner said: “On behalf of the US Embassy and the USAID, I humbly accept this Biodiversity Award which reflects our strong partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or DENR. Our work with DENR has spanned decades and demonstrated that responsibly managing precious natural resources and mitigating its threats are vital to inclusive and resilient economic growth.” Wesner added: “To our partners at DENR, to the private sector, civil society,

and other stakeholders, it’s truly been a great time working with all of you. To the BusinessMirror team, thank you for generating public appreciation for those who work with the Philippine government at improving the lives of the Filipino people. The US government remains a steadfast friend, partner, and ally of the Philippine government and the Filipino people as you pursue your goal of a warm, prosperous, nation. Maraming salamat po. Thank you very much.” The Mission: PHL is the first and only recognition awards for the country’s development partners, and for its first edition gave out category awards in eight sectors with the help of technical working groups marshaled by government agencies at the forefront of vetting official development assistance. The overall awards went to: the Development Agency Partner, the Embassy of the Year and the Project of the Year. Watch for the next round of Mission: PHL, the BusinessMirror Envoys&Expats Awards in 2021. Read updates on Mission: PHL in the BusinessMirror ’s Envoys&Expats Section.

RAMON DIMACALI (left), 15th Philippine Insurance Summit chairman, chats with Deputy Insurance Commissioner George S. Ongkeko Jr. on Wednesday at the opening of the forum. Its theme was “Coping with and Managing Technological Disruptions In the Insurance Industry.” NONIE REYES

ress in the IFRS, and one key item we would like to indicate in the survey is whether there is already a system that is being bidded out,” he added. Multinational companies are seen to take the lead in implementing the IFRS 17, as they have

regional support. “I guess most multinationals will implement globally so they will be the lead in so far as implementing, that will be a good blueprint for the local companies to follow suit,” Ongkeko said. See “Insurance,” A4

BTr rejects all bids for reissued 20-yr T-bonds HE Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) rejected all bids for the reissued 20-year Treasury bond (T-bond) auctioned off on Wednesday, as the rate would have gone higher than that of the secondary market rate if the auction committee had fully awarded the P20 billion on offer.

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than the secondaries right now. BVAL is about 6.18 [percent], the average is 6.18 [percent] based on some of the simulations but it would be higher.... So if we’re going to accept, then definitely the secondaries will really trend upwards. And, of course, given our huge accumulations, we still have to see how the

spending pattern will be,” de Leon said. Bids for the security amounted to P31.717 billion, with the average annual rate of 6.215 percent showing a 50.1-basis point decrease if the auction committee fully awarded the P20 billion on offer, compared See “T-bonds,” A2

Rotational brownouts as Luzon grid loses 1,500 MW

PATRICK WESNER, deputy mission director of the USAID, receives the Embassy Award for Biodiversity from Director Crisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez of the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the DENR. ROY DOMINGO

DOST-PNR’s hybrid e-train now on test drive from Alabang to Biñan

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

V ER 1,500 megawatts (MW) of power generating capacity was shaved off from the Luzon grid on Wednesday, resulting in rotational brownouts that lasted for one to two hours. The reasons for the power outage include high system demand and the forced outage of power plants damaged by the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that hit Luzon last Monday. The Department of Energ y (DOE) said a total of 990MW of installed capacity was not supplied by GN Power Mariveles Coal Power Plant (GMPC) Units 1 and 2 (690MW) and SMC Consolidated Power Corporation (SCPC) Limay Coal Units 1 and 2 (300MW). Moreover, Pagbilao Unit 3 of Pagbilao Energy Corporation (PEC) has only declared 133 MW or 32 perccent of its 420 MW total installed capacity due to an ongoing assessment of the condition of their boiler. Two more plants did not deliver full capacity. Calaca unit 2 and Malaya unit 1 were de-rated by 100MW and 150MW, respectively. In all, 1,527MW was not delivered to the grid. The power generation deficiency prompted the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to declare a red alert in Luzon from 11am to 4pm and from 6-7pm. This is the sixth red alert notice issued Continued fon A2

FROM left, Metal Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) Executive Director Robert Dizon, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, Philippine National Railways Officer in Charge for Train Control Division Ricarte Galope, PNR OIC for Operations Francis Vegas, DOST Undersecretary for Research and Development Rowena Guevara and DOST Undersecretary Leah Buendia lead the ceremonial ribbon cutting and toast for new Hybrid Electric Train at Biñan station on Wednesday (April 24). ROY DOMINGO

HE Philippine National Railways (PNR) will start the 150-hour run time exercise for the Hybrid Electric Train (HET), the first train developed and produced by Filipinos, on May 6. This means that PNR riders have 19 days to enjoy the free test drive for the new train, before it is officially deployed for commercial operations. The train will initially run the Alabang-Biñan route of the PNR. The run is part of the guidelines of the PNR, which has the discretion to decide if it will use the train for the whole line. Developed by t he Depa r tment of Science and Technology (DOST), the HET is equipped with a CCTV system, LED TV sets and automatic sliding doors, and is fully air-conditioned. This is part of the DOST’s thrust to help develop the country’s transport systems, according to Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña.

“The problem of weak mass transport in the Philippines grows everyday as the number of passengers increases and the roads and current transport systems as we know it, remain at a halt,” he lamented. “A solution for this problem has been in the works from one government administration to another, since the 1970s. Until now, however, we are still yet to figure out an efficient and cost-effective solution towards a more accessible and hassle-free road. We at DOST, want to be part of that solution,“ de la Peña said. He added that his office intends to “address volume and behaviorbased traffic congestion, overloading, road pollution, dependence on expensive foreign technology, insufficient mass transportation systems, limited capability to maintain existing systems, lack of local industry for mass transport, and See “E-train,” A2

Editor: Efleda P. Campos

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 25, 2019

SMC Global Power lists ₧30-B bonds with PDEx

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

MC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGP) on Wednesday listed with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange (PDEx) Corp. P30 billion worth of fixed-rate bonds, representing the first tranche of P60-billion shelfregistered retail bonds and the company’s fourth local bond issuance. “The funds provided by these bonds come at an opportune time as our country faces the daunting challenge of ensuring that adequate and affordable supply of power is available to meet our constantly growing demand. “SMC Global Power stands ready to take on these challenges, and pursue a business model and an expansion strategy, all within a

culture of excellence and innovation, that not only supports the government’s national and regional energy policies and needs, but also unequivocally show that there are better ways of conducting day-today business operations in a socially and environmentally responsible manner,” SMCGP General Manager Elenita Go said. Go said proceeds will be utilized to

finance the power firm’s expansion projects. “We have many expansion projects. It’s hard to tell at this point what these expansion projects are.” SMCGP is now one of the largest power companies in the Philippines with a diversified portfolio utilizing a mix of coal, natural gas and hydroelectric power plants. Its total capacity is 2,903 megawatts (MW) representing 22 percent of the Luzon grid and 17 percent of the national grid. SMCGP is the independent power producer administrator (Ippa) for the Sual, Ilijan and San Roque power plants. Moreover, it operates the 218-MW Angat hydroelectric power plant in Bulacan; the 450MW greenfield power plant in Limay, Bataan; the 300-MW greenfield power plant in Malita, Davao Occidental; and the 684-MW Masinloc power-generating facility in Masinloc, Zambales. Two units of SMC Consolidated Power Corp.’s Limay coal facility went offline the other day due to the Luzon earthquake. Both units,

with a combined 300-MW capacity, are expected to be synchronized with the grid this weekend. “We were able to help in the supply requirements of the grid. However, we just had a problem because of the earthquake,” she said, adding that SMCGP is not colluding with other power companies. “We are fully contracted. We are not in collusion. We are competing in prices,” Go said. PDS group President Theresa B. Ravalo welcomed the power firm’s listing. “We are delighted to note that since its debut three years ago, San Miguel Global Power has issued and listed their securities every year. And this year, with an oversubscribed issuance, it is a testament to the SMCGP corporate name that it is able to tap the market in a sizeable amount amid competition from large issues of financial institutions.” The frequent return to the market by an issuer is a metric of that issuer’s sustained relationship with its investors, Ravalo noted.

WMPC asks Zamcelco to honor supply contract

ESTERN Mindanao Power Corp. (WMPC) of the Alcantara power group on Wednesday called on the new management of Zamboanga City Electric Cooperative Inc. (Zamcelco) to honor its contractual obligations and pay for electricity already supplied and paid for by its consumers. The joint venture of Crown Investments Holdings Inc. and Desco Inc. won the investor-management contract for Zamcelco. It has filed a motion with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for the grant of withdrawal of its powersupply agreement (PSA) application

with WMPC and claim for refund of the overbilled amount totaling P441,152,972.16. But WMPC, in a press briefing, said it is Crown that refuses to settle its obligations despite repeated demands for payment. Its refusal caused Zamcelco’s unpaid accounts to WMPC to balloon to P467 million from October 2018 to February 2019. This prevented WMPC from procuring the fuel needed to run its power plant, which provided the voltage support needed by Zamboanga City. Joseph Nocos, vice president for business development of WMPC, said on Wednesday that the provi-

Kabayan Hotel targets to fully operate new tower by 2020

Clark airport reopens after quake causes ₧30-M damage

IVEN the ongoing construction of its third building, Kabayan Hotel said it is on track to meet its target opening by January 2020, offering guests with 307 more rooms. Legend Hotel International Corp. (LHIC) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Celine Marie L. King said they are expanding their city hotel brand in Pasay City due to the growth of province-based traveler and overseas Filipino worker (OFW) markets for the hospitality industry. “We are already running at 84-percent occupancy, which is really good for any hotel,” she said of their improved business performance amid competition in the Bay Area where they are located. “But I think because we are truly Filipino, they can associate with it like a kabayan; and it’s a local brand, that’s why we continue to grow that market.” Kabayan is part of a portfolio of different properties owned and managed by LHIC, including The Legend Palawan (TLP), The Legend Villas, Pinoy Pamilya Hotel and My Place. At present, it operates two seven-story towers with a combined inventory of 280 rooms. The soon-to-rise 10-story building will bring the hotel’s total number of rooms to 587. King said they have invested “a little over P500 million for the whole project” and will hire 40 more to add to their current pool of 100 employees. She said that Kabayan Hotel, prior to full operation of the newest accommodation structure, is scheduled to open a few floors by the middle of this year and soft launch it towards the last quarter of 2019. Roderick L. Abad

sionally approved contract by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) is binding. He also pointed out that a motion to withdraw the application for final approval of the PSA must be jointly filed by both parties, which the WMPC will not do. “It has to be mutually agreed upon by both parties, which we will not. The contract will expire in December 2020, until then Zamcelco can’t terminate it even. If there is a motion to withdraw the PSA application, then both parties must agree to that motion. However, we will not be a party to that because Zamboanga

HE Clark International Airport has sustained P30 million worth of infrastructure damage from Monday’s quake, but the government was able to fully resume the air hub’s operations on Wednesday afternoon. After announcing the airport could only accommodate “partial operations“ on Tuesday, the government decided to fully open Clark at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, as it claimed to have successfully repaired the damaged areas of the old passenger-terminal building. “Clark airport is business as usual, from counters to manifest to boarding gates,” said Jaime Melo, Clark International Airport Corp. president, on Wednesday. He noted this was made possible as his group immediately started the clearing operations and repairs the morning after the 6.1-magnitude quake. The government reported the quake caused parts of the terminal’s buildings to collapse. Power, flight information systems and CCTVs have been fully restored in time for the resumption of flights. On Tuesday evening, cargo carriers FedEx and UPS already serviced flights via Clark. Libiran noted there are still areas that need to be repaired, and finishing these could take “a month” from today. Meanwhile, four-star carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) on Wednesday announced that it is resuming flights to Clark International Airport (CIA) following a two-day closure of the airport terminal building slightly damaged by the Monday earthquake

needs quality power supply, which only WMPC can provide,” Nocos said. Since the forced stoppage of WMPC’s operations in February 2019, unscheduled power outages ranging from one hour to six hours have become a daily occurrence in Zamboanga City as the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has been struggling to maintain grid stability in the Zamboanga Peninsula. “Without the reactive power support provided by WMPC, there will always be blackouts in the city despite the abundance of power supply in the Mindanao grid,” he said.

“Philippine Airlines is pleased to resume all flights to and from Clark International Airport starting April 25, 2019, following the decision to reopen for full normal operations,” PAL said in a statement. CIA, which serves as an alternative to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, announced it would reopen on Wednesday. Following the resumption of flights, PAL announced the resumption of about a dozen local and international flights originating from Clark. PAL said Clark aviation authorities advised passengers to check flight status from the respective airlines. Meanwhile, due to operational limitations, Cebu Pacific (CEB) announced the cancellation of flights to and from Puerto Princesa, Bacolod, Tacloban, Davao, Zamboanga, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Butuan and Cagayan de Oro. “We apologize for this inconvenience. Rest assured, we are working towards recovery of our operations as soon as possible,” the CEB said in a statement. CEB said affected passengers are being notified via e-mail or text message. “Passengers on canceled flights may take any of the following options: Rebook their flights for travel within 30 days from original departure date, free of charge; get a full refund; place the full cost of the ticket in a Travel Fund; or reroute to or from alternate airports for travel within 30 days, subject to availability of seats. In addition, passengers on canceled flights will receive a round-trip travel voucher, which they can redeem for future flights, the airline said. Lorenz S. Marasigan, Recto Mercene and Ashley Manabat

Ayala Land to list 1st REIT company in PHL By VG Cabuag @villygc

ROPERTY developer Ayala Land Inc. plans to have the country’s first offering of real-estate investment trust (REIT), hoping to raise between P25 billion and P26 billion in proceeds and become the first company to do so using the current rule. Jose Emmanuel H. Jalandoni, the company’s group head for commercial business, said the company will list the REIT at the Philippine Stock Exchange using the current rule of floating a minimum of 67 percent of the company that it called Ayala Land REIT Inc. “The intent is to list based on current regulations, which is a minimum ownership of 67 percent. We are working with BPI as underwriter for this, and we hope to list within the year with the appropriate approvals,” Jalandoni said in a briefing held after the company’s stockholders’ meeting. “We’re testing the framework. We’ll start with the few assets only—primarily Makati CBD [central business district] assets. Basically the offices,” he said. He declined to give details as the company is still to file its registration statement. Ayala Land will be the first company to list the REIT a decade after the law was passed in 2009, a measure mostly riled by investors and the property company themselves mainly due to taxation issues and public float rule. Jalandoni said what the company has only accomplished so far was to rename its One Delarosa Development Property Development Inc. into Ayala REIT, the vehicle it will use for the listing. “We are listing this vehicle, and we want to see how the market reacts. Because of the size of about half a billion dollars, I think the domestic market can absorb it,” he said.

Bernard Vincent O. Dy, the company’s president and CEO, said the company is looking at the new business model to grow the REIT as it is another leg of growth. “We will also use this vehicle to basically acquire third-party assets. It doesn’t mean the only assets we will put in this vehicle are the Ayala Land assets. We could actually explore third-party assets as well to be used into this REIT vehicle,” he said. “There seems to be a demand; there’s something to invest in the REIT. We feel that this is an opportune time to actually come in the market,” he said. Jeffrey Lim, president of SM Prime Holdings Inc., said they are also prepared to do its own REIT, but it still awaits the change in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the REIT law. “But if we see an IRR that we think is good for us to set up a REIT, then we will [float]. I think the minimum public ownership is settled, and then the tax angle also. So we don’t know what other provisions the regulators want to change,” Lim said. The REIT law was enacted in 2009, under the Arroyo administration, with the main aim of broadening the participation of the public in the ownership of real estate in the Philippines and use the capital market as an instrument to help finance and develop infrastructure projects. The IRR of the said law, however, were crafted by the Aquino economic team. The said law was designed to recycle real-estate assets by placing them in another REIT company in which the public can invest into by purchasing shares. The shares of the company can also be traded at the PSE. REIT owners are required to sell to the public a majority stake, or at least 67 percent, in three years from the initial 40 percent upon listing.

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 25, 2019

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

April 24, 2019

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALS ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BDO LEASING COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH

58 133.6 81.95 26.1 11.6 75.65 52.5 58.6 25.6 178.7 60.75 2.17 18.92 0.6 4.51 1.38 0.495 795 0.98 179.8

58.6 133.7 82 26.2 11.62 75.7 52.95 58.95 26 178.8 61 2.25 18.94 0.65 4.69 1.42 0.5 820 1.01 182.9

58.6 133.6 82 26.2 11.58 76 54.9 58.95 25.75 178 60.7 2.18 18.7 0.59 4.69 1.42 0.52 800 1.02 179.5

58.6 133.8 82.5 26.3 11.62 76.15 54.9 59 26 179 61.4 2.19 18.98 0.59 4.69 1.42 0.53 800 1.02 182.9

58.6 133.4 81.5 26.1 11.5 75.35 51.8 58.9 25.7 177.9 60.7 2.17 18.7 0.59 4.51 1.42 0.495 795 0.97 179.5

58.6 133.6 82 26.2 11.62 75.7 52.5 58.95 26 178.8 60.75 2.17 18.94 0.59 4.51 1.42 0.5 795 1.01 182.9

1000 2426270 1773370 274800 60400 2655190 283640 2710 1400 173270 2680 17000 8900 2000 21000 12000 3070000 150 419000 910

58600 324135993 145343346 7189785 697864 201188377.5 14974838.5 159802 36290 30961581 163470 37110 168414 1180 95720 17040 1535440 119850 415910 163963

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

1.4 36.6 0.239 22.15 80.05 381 22.7 6.38 4.58 1.44 11.8 44.9 6.98 16.2 15.58 5.6 11 7.38 113.5 0.85 29.2 300.4 50 10.2 14.5 0.196 1.22 12.96 1.65 2.15 0.128 145.2 1.39 2.5 68.4 1.95 5.81 15.9 9.3 11.32 22 9.04 0.98 1.16 108.2 1.95 1.59 3.45 5.05 45 2.74 12.54 1.77 6.11 1.25 27.3

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

0.61 18.82 881 55.85 14.5 6.52 0.76 1.37 1.39 7.51 11.7 14.82 0.24 850.5 6.5 64.1 5.5 4.91 0.495 5.06 15.8 0.56 4.38 0.039 2.93 1.33 430 942 177.2 0.97 0.235 0.33

1.43 36.9 0.243 22.2 80.25 382.8 22.9 6.41 4.6 1.45 12 45.2 7 16.34 15.68 5.94 11.08 7.39 114.6 0.86 29.8 301 53.2 10.4 14.56 0.202 1.24 12.98 1.7 2.22 0.129 145.5 1.4 2.54 73.95 1.96 5.82 15.98 9.32 11.34 22.1 9.27 1 1.17 110 1.96 1.68 3.61 5.3 45.5 2.76 12.58 1.78 6.2 1.27 27.8

1.4 36.65 0.245 22.5 80.2 382.6 23.1 6.4 4.61 1.45 11.78 45 6.98 16.4 15.76 5.99 11.14 7.36 115.5 0.87 29.5 301.8 50 10.02 14.56 0.194 1.22 12.9 1.65 2.18 0.129 147.6 1.46 2.5 69 1.91 5.75 15.9 9.4 11.4 21.95 9.1 1 1.18 110 1.96 1.68 3.65 5.12 45.05 2.84 12.44 1.83 6.2 1.29 28

1.43 36.9 0.245 22.5 80.6 383 23.1 6.42 4.61 1.47 12 46.4 7.06 16.4 15.76 5.99 11.4 7.45 116.3 0.88 29.9 302.8 50 10.54 14.56 0.209 1.24 13.02 1.65 2.38 0.129 147.8 1.48 2.5 69 1.98 5.87 15.96 9.4 11.4 22.1 9.1 1.03 1.18 110 1.96 1.68 3.65 5.12 45.25 2.85 12.56 1.83 6.2 1.29 28.25

1.4 36.45 0.238 22 80 377.6 22.4 6.37 4.58 1.43 11.78 44.45 6.98 16.2 15.68 5.53 11 7.36 113.1 0.84 29.5 300 50 10.02 14.3 0.193 1.21 12.8 1.64 2.18 0.129 145.5 1.37 2.5 68.35 1.89 5.31 15.74 9.26 11.3 21.75 9.1 0.97 1.16 110 1.95 1.68 3.6 5 45 2.69 12.44 1.78 6.2 1.25 27.25

1.4 36.9 0.243 22.15 80.05 382.8 22.7 6.38 4.6 1.45 12 45.2 6.98 16.34 15.68 5.6 11 7.39 114.6 0.85 29.9 300.4 50 10.2 14.5 0.209 1.24 12.98 1.65 2.22 0.129 145.5 1.39 2.5 68.35 1.96 5.81 15.96 9.3 11.34 22.1 9.1 0.98 1.17 110 1.95 1.68 3.61 5.05 45 2.74 12.54 1.78 6.2 1.27 27.8

165000 747100 220000 1535900 18800 122360 2865400 2480300 16000 11905000 39300 202000 40200 333100 7000 24500 7401000 3904800 395660 3605000 3100 1141800 10 18500 1112500 250000 1882000 373300 51000 14000 100000 755270 5838000 528000 270 13910000 47200 104000 1516700 1739200 2543400 1000 1126000 489000 650 209000 1000 9000 256800 71400 11492000 177400 163000 2000 227000 138800

232650 27455635 53160 34235195 1508997 46725710 65088580 15845352 73600 17277790 468648 9165140 281540 5444712 110078 137064 81990702 28895350 45297195 3069290 91490 343598008 500 186768 16071638 48610 2304700 4847072 84120 31640 12900 110627828 8354080 1320000 18467.5 27122270 274206 1654954 14113677 19742652 56029135 9100 1108070 572000 71500 407680 1680 32550 1302365 3213305 31568540 2222540 293910 12400 285850 3854590

HOLDING & FRIMS 0.62 19.06 884 55.95 14.56 6.65 0.78 1.38 1.42 7.6 11.72 14.92 0.25 851 6.6 65.65 5.55 6.42 0.51 5.07 15.82 0.57 4.4 0.04 2.94 1.34 487.6 950 177.3 0.98 0.24 0.34

0.64 19.28 867 55.05 14.5 6.5 0.8 1.38 1.41 7.6 11.76 14.96 0.247 850 6.6 63.85 5.98 4.91 0.52 5.15 15.88 0.56 4.44 0.04 2.92 1.33 430 930.5 177.8 0.98 0.236 0.35

0.64 19.28 885 56.35 14.78 6.5 0.8 1.39 1.41 7.6 11.86 14.96 0.255 865.5 6.6 65.65 5.98 4.91 0.52 5.15 15.88 0.56 4.47 0.04 2.95 1.33 430 950 179.1 1 0.236 0.35

0.6 18.78 867 55.05 14.4 6.5 0.76 1.37 1.39 7.45 11.56 14.72 0.24 848 6.6 61.75 5.1 4.91 0.5 5.03 15.5 0.56 4.33 0.039 2.91 1.33 430 930.5 177.3 0.96 0.236 0.325

0.61 18.82 884 55.85 14.5 6.5 0.78 1.38 1.4 7.6 11.72 14.92 0.25 851 6.6 65.65 5.55 4.91 0.51 5.06 15.8 0.56 4.4 0.04 2.93 1.33 430 950 177.3 0.98 0.236 0.33

12851000 10600 499250 1483230 8170900 15700 81000 1981000 671000 281300 6491800 108000 340000 52130 100 1636560 13600 1000 7000 2405100 992700 26000 55146000 4400000 219000 71000 70 141690 270550 862000 220000 11190000

7879420 200738 438127415 82904534 118992614 102050 61840 2741310 938780 2129405 76101176 1606470 84740 44478890 660 106049667 76388 4910 3530 12205324 15680144 14560 242320400 172200 641160 94430 30100 134161715 48257976 845700 51920 3735950

58600 -13814588 -7861477.5 -4422335 -35898 -115337912 -2836497.5 2163015 -63192.5 56758 -119850 -7000 8502525 7726090 -939606 9673426 -6970900 -3300597 581080 5520845 711500 -88046 -126678 15558462 -991392 -25590634 -14450 32093156 -5804426 309720 -833740 -41350242 -2102760 1320000 -13966500 1171888 -4161457 3071856 47749495 2340 1680 -994199 -135175 -529100 424986 2540 -2330535 -258630 -73009550 -36398106 -35115030 102050 508800 239321 -44321530 593498 -16007975 34845865.5 -4816624 -4905282 -92579110 80902665 18116653 74800

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.78 0.79 0.76 0.78 0.76 0.78 1338000 1021900 AYALA LAND 47.9 48 47.4 48.1 47.1 48 19145700 915979600 245981455 ARANETA PROP 1.96 1.98 1.9 2 1.9 1.98 133000 258820 -57600 BELLE CORP 2.45 2.46 2.5 2.5 2.45 2.45 251000 617790 41410 A BROWN 0.76 0.78 0.76 0.78 0.76 0.78 57000 43360 1560 CITYLAND DEVT 0.9 0.92 0.91 0.92 0.91 0.92 13000 11840 CROWN EQUITIES 0.24 0.242 0.242 0.242 0.24 0.241 4410000 1061570 CEBU HLDG 6.34 6.49 6.32 6.32 6.32 6.32 28800 182016 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.28 4.29 4.26 4.3 4.26 4.28 1686000 7217150 -126100.0003 CENTURY PROP 0.5 0.51 0.5 0.52 0.5 0.51 8946000 4548740 184990 CYBER BAY 0.385 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39 0.39 60000 23400 DOUBLEDRAGON 25.8 25.85 25.05 25.8 25.05 25.8 1515400 38771110 13225645 DM WENCESLAO 10.8 10.82 10.9 11.08 10.8 10.82 413700 4512524 -738424 EMPIRE EAST 0.49 0.5 0.495 0.5 0.49 0.49 860000 423350 FILINVEST LAND 1.52 1.53 1.54 1.54 1.51 1.53 33152000 50404170 -1075910 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.29 1.3 1.33 1.33 1.29 1.3 2751000 3590200 -12900 8990 HLDG 13.92 13.94 13.94 14 13.66 13.94 581100 8054994 -769902 PHIL INFRADEV 1.75 1.76 1.81 1.81 1.76 1.76 3283000 5831100 150800 CITY AND LAND 0.82 0.85 0.82 0.82 0.82 0.82 65000 53300 MEGAWORLD 5.59 5.6 5.53 5.75 5.51 5.6 45193800 253795471 -39792721 MRC ALLIED 0.335 0.34 0.35 0.35 0.335 0.34 7970000 2699450 -42000 PHIL ESTATES 0.48 0.5 0.485 0.485 0.48 0.48 920000 445800 PRIMEX CORP 2.39 2.41 2.42 2.42 2.39 2.41 692000 1663110 -77120 ROBINSONS LAND 23.85 24.25 24.35 24.35 23.85 23.85 2486300 59969810 5188340 PHIL REALTY 0.42 0.43 0.42 0.43 0.42 0.43 270000 114100 ROCKWELL 1.98 2 1.98 2 1.98 2 26000 51730 49730 SHANG PROP 3 3.05 3 3.05 3 3.05 322000 967550 STA LUCIA LAND 1.66 1.67 1.67 1.68 1.66 1.67 2220000 3686820 SM PRIME HLDG 39.8 40 39.85 40 39.2 40 5467900 217966340 89103290 STARMALLS 6.99 7 7.02 7.04 6.9 6.99 139000 965403 SUNTRUST HOME 0.73 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.74 0.74 5000 3700 VISTA LAND 7.29 7.3 7.29 7.32 7.26 7.29 4635200 33809432 21596554 SERVICES ABS CBN 19.2 19.28 19.02 19.32 18.9 19.2 324800 6238104 GMA NETWORK 5.18 5.19 5.22 5.22 5.18 5.18 166800 867082 MANILA BULLETIN 0.6 0.61 0.61 0.62 0.6 0.61 1282000 781390 GLOBE TELECOM 1790 1794 1831 1874 1790 1790 71455 129106045 21668645 PLDT 1232 1238 1230 1238 1227 1232 54865 67565720 38791475 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.039 0.041 0.039 0.039 0.039 0.039 5000000 195000 ISLAND INFO 0.126 0.129 0.13 0.13 0.125 0.126 5800000 727690 ISM COMM 4.9 4.93 4.96 4.96 4.82 4.9 643000 3139180 -44140 JACKSTONES 2.97 3.03 2.97 2.97 2.97 2.97 18000 53460 NOW CORP 2.32 2.33 2.37 2.39 2.3 2.32 4363000 10106120 -16670 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.37 0.375 0.375 0.385 0.37 0.37 2470000 925800 PHILWEB 3 3.02 3 3.08 2.93 3 1375000 4093400 -785030 2GO GROUP 12.58 12.98 13.08 13.08 12.5 13.02 26900 345948 ASIAN TERMINALS 15.02 15.64 14.92 16.46 14.92 15.54 9700 149312 CHELSEA 5.09 5.1 5.08 5.14 5.08 5.1 383100 1954546 CEBU AIR 82.2 82.3 83.2 83.2 82 82.2 18580 1536921 413768.5 INTL CONTAINER 121.4 121.5 120 121.9 119.3 121.4 3486780 422837418 79406800 LBC EXPRESS 15.6 15.74 15.6 15.6 15.6 15.6 100 1560 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.84 0.87 0.87 0.88 0.84 0.87 155000 134030 MACROASIA 21.55 21.6 21.3 21.55 21 21.55 2000500 42814890 6087175 METROALLIANCE A 1.7 1.8 1.78 1.78 1.76 1.78 12000 21320 PAL HLDG 10 10.46 10 10.6 10 10.26 15400 158726 HARBOR STAR 2.85 2.87 2.83 2.9 2.82 2.87 323000 922690 BOULEVARD HLDG 0.07 0.071 0.072 0.072 0.07 0.071 18480000 1306110 GRAND PLAZA 10.22 11.28 10.22 10.22 10.22 10.22 200 2044 WATERFRONT 0.66 0.67 0.68 0.68 0.66 0.66 5880000 3918630 IPEOPLE 11 11.76 11.02 11.04 11.02 11.02 17700 195078 STI HLDG 0.67 0.68 0.67 0.68 0.66 0.67 3236000 2159550 -641550 BERJAYA 2.28 2.32 2.32 2.34 2.27 2.28 193000 441180 47500 BLOOMBERRY 12.6 12.62 12.66 12.7 12.4 12.6 5235200 66018922 1531952 PACIFIC ONLINE 4.23 4.28 4.21 4.31 4.21 4.26 25000 106240 4040 LEISURE AND RES 3.81 3.82 3.74 3.9 3.74 3.82 1026000 3922870 -630160 MANILA JOCKEY 4.75 4.8 4.75 4.75 4.75 4.75 10000 47500 PH RESORTS GRP 3.9 4 4.07 4.18 3.9 3.9 268000 1062810 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.75 0.76 0.75 0.76 0.75 0.75 1828000 1377100 -37590 TRAVELLERS 5.63 5.65 5.61 5.63 5.61 5.62 113300 636708 -174225 METRO RETAIL 3.47 3.48 3.42 3.5 3.41 3.48 8040000 27828600 -11195450 PUREGOLD 43.15 43.35 44.2 44.2 42.4 43.15 3401200 146211650 -66609865 ROBINSONS RTL 78.2 78.3 78.7 78.7 77.7 78.3 248260 19433400.5 17770.5 PHIL SEVEN CORP 119.6 120 120 120 119.5 120 156270 18720265 -12000 SSI GROUP 2.69 2.7 2.6 2.72 2.6 2.7 16316000 43730900 5054290 WILCON DEPOT 17.04 17.06 17.1 17.3 17 17.06 9266300 158284354 -11013944 APC GROUP 0.415 0.43 0.415 0.42 0.415 0.415 90000 37400 EASYCALL 11.3 11.98 10.28 12.48 10.1 11.98 424600 4869292 -34612 GOLDEN BRIA 408 418 420 425 408 408 9820 4070020 IPM HLDG 7.04 7.05 7.05 7.05 7.05 7.05 13000 91650 PAXYS 3.26 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 3.3 2000 6600 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.95 0.96 0.98 0.99 0.96 0.96 21014000 20345050 -926350 SBS PHIL CORP 8.82 9.04 8.73 9.05 8.73 9.04 391100 3512126 MINING & OIL ATOK 11.72 12.34 11.88 12.6 11.12 12.34 18500 222650 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www.businessmirror.com.ph

Philab to dispose of units making health-testing kits

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

HILAB Holdings Corp. on Wednesday said it is disposing its noncore assets that include Philab Industries Inc. and LABit Pte. Ltd. In its disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the company said its board decided to divest all of its investment in the two firms that mainly manufacture healthtesting kits, such as those that can detect dengue. “The proceeds of the sale are to

be used to settle liabilities incurred by the subsidiary Philab Industries,” it said. Philab industries is engaged in the health-care and education sectors and supplies life science equipment in a number of industries. Former housing executive Janu-

ario Jesus Gregorio Atencio III last year extended P50 million in credit line Philab to boost the company’s dengue health kits that will be sold to the public and possibly exported to other countries in the region. Atencio extended P30 million for the purchase of receivables for Philab Industries and another P20 million for product and marketing for LABit, the maker of dengue-testing kits. In return, Philab has signed a five-year licensing agreement with Atencio’s holding firm Januarius Holdings Inc. for the manufacture and distribution of the testing kits all over the country. Philab Industries earlier had

plans to export the testing kits to other countries that have dengue incidents, such as Sri Lanka, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia. Philab’s laboratory business is also earlier seen to triple its revenues to P75 million next year from the expected P25 million in 2018 as cash-flow challenges, stemming from government contract collection delays. LABit, meanwhile, signed a nationwide distribution deal with cold chain Pharma Distribution Co., which would allow more efficient access to various sales channels such as doctors’ clinics, pharmacies, hospitals and wholesale sub-distributors.

Singapore’s Best World tumbles after short seller report

EST World International Ltd. plunged to its lowest in six months after activist short seller Bonitas Research published a report questioning the company’s accounting and sales. The Singapore-based firm has overstated sales and profit in China, Matthew Wiechert’s Bonitas said in the report, which was based on onthe-ground research on the Chinese mainland. Bonitas believes that Best World’s “Chinese sales are a fraction of what was reported to shareholders,” it said. Best World wasn’t immediately available to comment. The firm received a query on trading activity from Singapore Exchange after shares dropped by as much as 11 percent. Trading was then halted after a request from the company, pending the release of an announcement. Singapore Exchange’s regulatory unit expects “the company to call for a full independent review of all matters raised in the report,” it said in a statement after market hours. “We expect to be consulted on the terms of reference of the review.” Best World is the most-shorted stock in Singapore, with short interest standing at 13 percent of the free float as of April 22, according

to data from IHS Markit Ltd. Short interest as a percentage of the free float has almost doubled this month, the data show. Best World said in February that it conducts “all areas of its business ethically and in compliance with applicable laws and accounting standards,” in response to a report in the Business Times that said it was “challenging to figure” where in China the company is selling its DR’s Secret line of premium skin-care products. Best World also said it had appointed an independent auditor to review and address issues raised in the report. Analysts have had concerns about the stock. DBS Bank Ltd.’s Carmen Tay suspended coverage in August, citing “limited visibility on underlying consumption trends under the new Franchise model” in China. CLSA Ltd.’s Horng Han Low maintained a sell rating in a report early this month, saying there is a “significant gap between consumer interest and revenue” in China. Best World shares have tumbled 32 percent this year through Tuesday’s close after almost doubling in 2018. Of four analysts covering the stock, three recommend selling, while one has a buy rating, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Taiwan’s top stock investor sees tech frenzy getting extreme

AIWAN’S top investor of 2019 is dialing down her massive bet on technology stocks, warning that expectations for earnings growth are now far too high. As the island’s shares climb and the Nasdaq hits new highs, Corrina Xiao of Allianz Global Investors is taking some money off the table. She plans to cut tech this quarter to about 60 percent of her portfolio, from 70 percent at the end of March. She’ll boost cash to as high as 20 percent from 9 percent, predicting some of Taiwan’s frothier stocks may fall as much as 30 percent. With the impact of trade tensions between the US and China receding, stock prices running ahead of fundamentals have become the bigger concern, she said. A dovish Federal Reserve is driving abundant liquidity, helping boost shares of suppliers to the likes of Apple Inc. at a time when prices for memory chips and other components are declining. “That’s a negative sign,” she said on Tuesday in Taipei. “The stock-market rally is based on high expectations for a better second half of the year, but investors are not paying attention to negative signals.” Xiao’s move to increase tech holdings ahead of the first quarter paid

off after the Allianz Global Investors Taiwan Fund returned 19 percent in the three-month period, compared to 9.4 percent for the Taiex index. That’s the fund’s biggest outperformance versus Taiwan’s benchmark gauge since its 2000 launch. It beat 98 percent of peers over the past year, data compiled by Bloomberg show. While orders from China’s Huawei Technologies Co. have lifted shares of its Taiwan-based suppliers this year, Xiao is doubtful as to whether the order momentum will continue. She says Huawei “has already ordered more supply than it needs.” Xiao, who manages NT$4.2 billion ($136 million), may start buying more tech stocks in Taiwan after their shares correct. She plans to position for expected new product launches by Apple and others in the second half of the year. Xiao allocated 7.4 percent of her fund to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. at the end of March, according to its web site, making the contract chipmaker her biggest investment. It closed at a record high on Wednesday. Her next biggest holdings were Unimicron Technology Corp., Merry Electronics Co., Makalot Industrial Co. and Elite Material Co. Bloomberg News

Bonitas, which Wiechert started after parting ways with Glaucus Research cofounder Soren Aandahl last year, previously published short reports on stocks in Hong Kong including Chong Sing Holdings FinTech Group Ltd., Hengan International Group Co. and Hosa International Ltd. Chong Sing lost about 85 percent

MUTUAL FUNDS

of its value through Tuesday’s close since Bonitas questioned the company’s financial reporting in September and said the stock was worth zero. Hengan, however, gained almost 20 percent since the short seller said in December that its shares were worth “close to zero.” Both companies strongly denied the allegations made in the reports. Bloomberg News

April 24, 2019

NAV ONE YEAR THREE YEAR FIVE YEAR Y-T-D PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 260.02 -1.46% 0.82% 0.83% 3.09% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.6035 2.52% 9.41% 3.09% 11.29% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 4.0705 -2.65% 1.15% -0.06% 4.29% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.9284 0.43% N.A. N.A. 4.26% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.8589 2.23% N.A. N.A. 4.65% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.4329 1.51% 0.8% 0.65% 3.07% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 127.55 10.63% N.A. N.A. 9.52% ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC. -A 0.8665 -0.96% -3.91% N.A. 4.1% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 51.4911 1.59% 1.86% N.A. 4.65% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. - A 537.83 1.18% 0.87% 0.61% 4.49% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.2986 1.78% 2.37% 3.44% 3.56% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 38.2785 1.59% 3.19% 2.81% 4.49% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,3 1.0265 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A 5.214 1.66% 2.72% 2.91% 5.15% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 870.27 1.78% 2.4% 2.83% 5.04% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.9296 4.72% 2.03% N.A. 7.94% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 4.2747 2.83% 2.77% 2.05% 5.32% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 1.0007 1.29% 2.4% N.A. 4.86% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.6865 3.89% 4.66% 2.79% 5.3% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C,2 116.4486 2.09% 3.47% 3.91% 5.15% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $1.0398 -5.19% 6.94% 1.54% 11.91% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.2886 0.26% N.A. N.A. 16.6% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.7071 -0.74% -0.7% -1.58% 3.39% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.3032 -0.48% 1.03% 0.64% 4.25% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.6185 1.6% -0.75% -1.6% 2.94% GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION -A 1.3463 -1.34% N.A. N.A. 3.22% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.9071 2.14% 1.15% 1.12% 3.47% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.6504 0.56% -0.17% 0.19% 3.43% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 16.4774 1.53% 0.05% 0.24% 3.58% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.8185 2.34% 1.17% 1.28% 4.58% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D,4 0.9883 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D,4 0.9869 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D,4 0.985 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 0.9738 2.54% 1.2% N.A. 5.65% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.03599 2.54% 0.31% 1.48% 2.1% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -A $0.9999 -5.37% 3.47% -0.29% 6.8% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $3.7089 0.56% 5.86% 2.86% 12.11% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A $1.09 -0.2% N.A. N.A. 7.92% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A,1 1.8832 0.94% -0.12% -0.25% 1.29% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.0174 5.35% 5.26% 5.29% 1.57% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.2539 1.82% 0.32% 0.88% 2.02% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP. -A P 1.6033 0.33% -0.83% 0.28% 2.49% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.024 1.91% -0.55% 0.74% 2.66% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.6042 3.15% 0.95% 1.19% 2.48% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 0.9173 1.3% -0.58% N.A. 2.77% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 2.8779 3.88% 1.18% 1.74% 4.05% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A 1.5949 3.3% 0.6% 1.25% 3.57% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $454.08 2.7% 1.71% 2.85% 1.29% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є215.91 1.38% 1.38% 1.58% 1.53% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.1667 4.42% 1.5% 2.3% 3.63% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $0.0252 1.61% 0.67% N.A. 1.61% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP. -A $1.7126 0.13% -1.44% 0.88% 1.33% MAA PRIVILEGE DOLLAR FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. MAA PRIVILEGE EURO FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. ЄN.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC -A $1.0599 2.18% -0.77% -2.34% 2.15% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.2542 4.18% 0.21% 2.76% 3.82% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.0581457 2.64% 1.14% 1.78% 2.04% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $2.9612 1.71% -0.4% 2% 3.1% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. N.S. FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A,5 1.0087 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 1.1961 2.73% 1.18% 0.76% 1.2% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.2349 3.3% 2.5% 1.87% 1.3% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.0238 2.08% N.A. N.A. 0.78% * - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY ** - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO *** - LISTED IN THE PSE. **** - RE-CLASSIFIED INTO A BALANCED FUND STARTING JANUARY 1, 2017 (FORMERLY GREPALIFE BOND FUND CORP.). ***** - LAUNCH DATE IS NOVEMBER 6, 2017 ****** - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 08, 2018 ******** - RENAMING OF THE FUND WAS APPROVED BY THE SEC LAST APRIL 13, 2018.

********* - BECAME A MEMBER SINCE APRIL 20, 2018. ******* - ADJUSTED DUE TO CASH DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST JANUARY 29, 2018

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, April 25, 2019

CNO price drop seen affecting PHL copra

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

ILIPINO coconut farmers should brace for steeper declines in the price of copra as global coconut oil (CNO) prices are expected to plunge further this year due to the global vegetable oil glut. In its Commodities Market Outlook for April, the World Bank projected that global CNO prices this year would average $720 per metric ton, 27.78 percent lower than the average of $997 per MT recorded last year. The World Bank made the forecast following the global vegetable oil glut which is expected to persist in the short term as output “continues to look promising due to favorable growing conditions.” “Global output of the 17 major edible oils [including palm, soybean and rapeseed, which together account for two-thirds of global output] is forecast to increase 2 percent

in the 2018-19 season,” the World Bank said in the report, which was published on Wednesday. “More than two-thirds of the production gains are projected to come from palm oil. Indonesia and Malaysia are the primary producers of palm oil, and both are experiencing favorable weather conditions,” it added. Global CNO prices in the first quarter have declined by 42.41 percent to $721 per MT, from $1,252 per MT in the January-to-March period of 2018. “ The World Bank ’s Oil and Meals Price Index remained broadly stable in the first quarter of 2019

but stands 14 percent lower than 2018 Q1,” World Bank said. “Although there was price weakness across the board last year, it was more pronounced in coconut, palm kernel and palm oils, whose prices plunged by 42, 38, and 17 percent, respectively, from 2018 Q1 to 2019 Q1. Low prices reflect favorable harvests across all regions and, to a lesser extent, Chinese tariffs on soybean,” it added.

Lower copra prices

UNITED Coconut Associations of the Philippines (Ucap) Chairman Dean A. Lao Jr. said lower CNO prices would mean lower copra prices, as domestic quotations track the movement of prices in the international market. The decline in CNO prices could also mean lower export receipts from the Philippines’s top agricultural export commodity. “We are a low for [export] price and volume right now,” Lao told the BusinessMirror. He said the “best intervention” for hiking copra prices is the increase in the coco methyl ester (CME) content in biodiesel to 5 percent from the current 2 percent.

“ T he best inter vention for inclusive growth is increasing coco-biodiesel blend. That is the demand that would support price and encourage replanting. [And it] works for the environment, and improves vehicle mileage and lowers emissions,” Lao added. Philippine CNO exports in marketing year (MY) 2019-2020 may fall by 5 percent to 950,000 metric tons (MT) due to the persistent global vegetable oil glut and the anticipated drop in copra output. The Global Agricultural Information Network report, which was prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture-Foreign Agricultural Service in Manila said CNO exports may decline by 50,000 MT, from the estimated 1 million metric tons in MY 2018-2019.

Recovery

NONETHELESS, the World Bank projected that global CNO prices would recover starting 2020 until 2030 on the heels of various external factors, such as higher energy and fertilizer prices, and the resolution of trade frictions among the biggest economies in the world.

However, World Bank projections show that average world CNO prices would only return to its usual above $1,000-per-MT level by 2030, when it is expected to reach $1,200 per MT. The World Bank estimates global CNO prices to hit $754 per MT next year, $790 per MT in 2021, $828 per MT in 2022 and $951 per MT in 2025. “Several risks underpin these forecasts: the direction of energy and fertilizer prices [both of which are key inputs to grains and oilseeds]; whether trade frictions are resolved; changes to domestic support policies; strengthening of the US dollar; and currency movements of major exporters of particular commodities,” it said. “Other risks include adverse weather patterns, including the ongoing [weak] El Niño, and diversion of food commodities to biofuels,” it added. The average farm-gate price of copra as of April 16 reached P13.07 per kilogram, 41.34 percent lower than the average quotation of P22.28 per kg last year, Philippine Coconut Authority data showed.

Neda urges farmers to plant, export special rice varieties F ARMERS should increase their production of special rice varieties which they can sell to the international market now that the restrictions on exports have been repealed, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said on Wednesday. The Neda said the rice trade liberalization law, or Republic Act (RA) 11203, not only replaced the quantitative restrictions on imports with tariff, but also repealed all laws, rules, regulations, guidelines and other issuances imposing the QR on the staple. “We encourage producers of special varieties of rice, such as heirloom, organic, and aromatic long-grain rice, to continue striving to be competitive, and to increase their export volume capabilities,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said in a statement. “These kinds of rice command higher premium, [which could] result in higher earnings for farmers,” Pernia added. After 40 years of “hiatus,” the Neda noted that the Philippines began to export rice in 2013 with the shipment of 15 metric tons of organic black rice and 20 MT of aromatic long grain rice. The Neda said the value of rice exports last year reached only $470,000, 46.87 percent lower than its level in 2017. “Rice exports hardly made a dent in the total exports earnings from agricultural products, which reached $6.03 billion in 2018.” Prior to the enactment of RA 11203, the Neda said the Philippines had an export quota on rice by virtue subparagraph xiii in Section

6(a) of Presidential Decree (PD) 4 of 1972, as amended. Under PD 4, exporters of rice needed to secure an export permit from the National Food Authority. They had to submit an application, including the documentary requirements, which would be up for NFA’s review and approval. This particular section was repealed in RA 11203. “The government has already started supporting the export of special rice varieties by removing the export quota power of the NFA in RA 11203. Now, these special rice varieties have tons of room for growth,” Pernia said. The Neda chief noted that special rice varieties are in high demand in the United States, Canada, and countries in the Middle East and Europe. The Neda’s call, Pernia said, is line with the government’s goal of providing rice farmers with more and diversified livelihood and income opportunities. He said the creation of the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund assures the support for the development of high-yielding rice seed varieties, along with improvements in farm mechanization and other productivity enhancing programs. “The rice sector must work toward raising productivity with better farm methods and tools,” Pernia added. Rice produced in the Philippines is usually sold to local consumers. This year, the Department of Agriculture is optimistic that the Philippines would still produce 20 million metric tons of unmilled rice despite the onslaught of El Niño.

HARVEST FESTIVAL Participants to the 188th SM Foundation Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farmers’ Training Program held their

harvest festival in Barangay Sampiruhan, a few meters from Laguna de Bay. The members of the 188th Batch were taught rural and urban farming. Participants came from Barangays Bagong Kalsada, Bubuyan, Bunggo, La Mesa, Laguerta, Lecheria, Looc, Majada, Palingon, Palo Alto, Real, San Cristobal, Sirang Lupa and Uwisan. The harvest festival was attended by SM Foundation officials led by Executive Director Debbie P. Sy with SM Foundation AVP for Outreach and Livelihood Cristie Angeles, and Harbest Agribusiness Corp. President Arsenio Barcelona. SM FOUNDATION PHOTO

DA to implement P890-M projects in Davao del Sur By Manuel T. Cayon

@awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—The government is rolling out various farm infrastructure projects costing P890 million in Davao del Sur in its bid to improve the income of planters and hike agriculture production. The six infrastructure and six agricultural enterprise projects will be bankrolled by the World Bank-funded Philippine Rural Development Project. The PRDP is currently being implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA). Of the P890 million, the DA said P834 million will go to infrastructure projects “that aim to improve road networks linking production areas with markets to achieve efficient transportation of agricultural products.” Projects under its I-Build (Intensified Building up of Infrastructure and Logistics for Development) program component include four farm-to-market roads with a combined length of 35.16 kilometers. These have a combined funding of P539 million. These farm roads would be laid in the towns of Hagonoy, Malalag and Magsaysay where the construction of two farm roads is ongoing. The DA said the rehabilitation of the 14.29-km Waterfall-Osmeña farm road would include its 122.5-liner meter long PSCG Bridge in Sulop town and has been allocated P251 million. This project was recently issued with the “No Objection Letter” and would be up for bidding. The municipality of Matanao has a package of postharvest facilities worth P43 million. The construction has been started for the facilities which consist of 14 units of warehouses with solar dryer. These structures, the DA said, could reduce postharvest losses and increase the market value of banana by 100 percent per kilogram, rice by 40 percent, corn by 39 percent and coconut by 64 percent. The six infrastructure projects would benefit 15,675 households. “We need to fast-track our implementation so that we can achieve our objectives to increase the income of our farmers and household beneficiaries in agri-fishery sector, and to develop a more marketoriented and climate-resilient agriculture,” said DA-Davao Regional Director Ricardo M. Oñate Jr., who is also the concurrent PRDP Mindanao project director. Enterprise projects under the Investments in Rural Enterprises and Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity component would include two projects costing P19.54 million, according to the PRDP. These are the Cardava Banana Consolidation and Marketing Enterprise in Magsaysay amounting to P7.904 million and the Organic Fairtrade Banana Chips Processing in Padada, which costs P11.637 million.

China hog scourge profits US as long as contagion avoided

ITH the unprecedented outbreak of a deadly pig disease sweeping through Asia and parts of Europe, North American hog producers like David Herring are taking every precaution to keep the scourge out of their borders. Herring won’t allow international travelers to enter his farms in North Carolina, Indiana and Illinois for at least five days after they arrive in the United States. And then, like all farm visitors, they have to shower before walking into a barn. The goal is to keep out African swine fever, the contagious viral disease that’s forced China’s farmers to cull more than 1 million animals since August. For Herring and other American farmers, it’s a precarious balancing act. The pig pandemic means big demand for North American exports as hog herds are decimated in China, the

world’s largest pork producer and consumer. But if even one pig is infected in the US, foreign buyers likely would quickly ban pork shipments, potentially causing prices to plunge. “When they announced the first case, it was a whole new world for pig farming,” said Herring, who produces about 700,000 hogs annually and is also the president of the National Pork Producers Council. Now, “it’s in half the world’s pigs. It will create a lot of opportunity for US pork to sell more product, but it does put all of our pork producers at risk.” Humans can’t be infected, but pig populations can be wiped out from African swine fever, known as ASF. The disease has been around since the early 1900s, but there’s never been a reported US case. So far, American pork producers have seen a boon. Chicago hog futures for June deliv-

ery have surged more than 30 percent since August 1. Shares of Brazil’s meat giant JBS SA more than doubled in that time. Meanwhile, Matt Riddleberger, vice president of supply chain for US sandwich restaurant Firehouse Subs, said he’s already locked in ham needs for the year and is considering hedging 2020 prices earlier than normal as increased shipments to China could make domestic supplies more expensive. Earlier this month, China made its biggest-ever purchase of American pork. “We could be looking at some pretty hefty increases next year if we don’t get our arms around this,” Riddleberger said.

Risk

FORTUNES could quickly reverse if the disease comes to the Americas. The risk of spread into the US has now more than doubled, most likely

by passengers bringing pork in luggage to airports in California, New York or Texas, according to the Swine Health Information Center. The first year of a US outbreak would mean revenue losses of $8 billion for pork producers, $4 billion for the corn industry and $1.5 billion for soybeans, according to a study led by Dermot Hayes, an Iowa State University economics professor. Corn and soybean meal are principal feeds for hogs. “If we got ASF, within a week our export markets will close,” said farmer Herring. That would leave the US market flooded with 25 percent more supply than usual, he said. Last month, federal agents seized 1 million pounds (454 metric tons) of pork smuggled from China to a port in New Jersey—it was the largest-ever US seizure of agricultural products. An illegal import of pork prod-

THREE-WEEK-OLD pigs stand in a nursery at the Paustian Enterprises farm in Walcott, Iowa, on April 17. DANIEL ACKER/BLOOMBERG

ucts “is probably our highest risk,” said Patrick Webb, director of swine health programs for the US National Pork Board. Feed grain and supplements also pose a threat.

The National Pork Producers Council this month canceled its annual World Pork Expo that was scheduled for June in Iowa, the biggest US hog producer. Bloomberg News

TheBroa

Business

B4 Thursday, April 25, 2019 | www.businessmirror.com.ph

UNITED ON THE NET: LABOR WIE

TO ADVANCE RIGHTS IN A I

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

T only took one wrong post in an online chat room to create the firstever labor union in the businessprocess outsourcing (BPO) sector. Unified Employees of Alorica (UEA) President Sarah Prestoza recounted how their labor union started as a small personal group in Facebook four years ago. At that time, she said the Facebook group was just a venue where she and 10 other colleagues exchanged concerns about the looming takeover of their then employer, West Contact Services Inc. (WCSI), by Alorica Philippines Inc. (API). “We were warned by some of our colleagues who left Alorica before transferring to our company about the exploitative treatment of their previous employer,” Prestoza told the BusinessMirror in an interview. With this in mind, she said they were already considering forming a union to protect the labor rights of the employees of WCSI. “We decided to inquire [with] the BLR [Bureau of Labor Relations] through a letter [about] how to form a union,” Prestoza said. “But I made the mistake of posting it in the wall of our groups instead of within our chat room.” After just 24 hours of being posted online, she said the letter was shared multiple times and raised their membership from 11 to more than a thousand. “That was when we decided to finally push through with the creation of our union,” Prestoza said.

Social media

IN mid-April, the Trade Union Cong ress of t he Ph i l ippi nes (TUCP) also recorded its firstever labor union affiliate formed through a social-media organization. The country’s largest labor group noted how Cebu Pacific airline’s over 1,200 crew organized using a secret Facebook and Viber group. TUCP Vice President Louie Corral recalled how social media played a crucial role in the formation of the labor union since they could not do it via conventional means. “The nature of the job was such they cannot be together in one place at one time. The nature of their job was [such that] to congregate them in one place would have subjected them to immediate retaliation from management,” Corral said. He noted that, while nothing will replace traditional face-toface organizing as practiced by seasoned labor leaders, social media serves a new avenue to increase union membership in the country, especially among the youth. “ You have to combine t he old way of organizing which is through cell groups entering into communities identifying strategic industries with the new,” Corral said. Currently, he said, the use of technology among labor unions remains limited due to the lack of training and orientation on its use among their members. This, however, he said, is now slowly changing as more unions m a x i m i ze t he tec hnolog y i n their operations.

Modern forms

MUCH has been written about the possible impact of new technology to existing employment oppor t u nit ies in t he f ut u re, but there is still little available infor mation on its potentia l application for regulation and organization of workers. Both Alorica and Cebu Pacific’s unions were an example of the increasing role of new technology, specifically of social media, in improving the organization of the labor movement. No less than the United Nations (UN) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) recognized the importance of utilizing technological developments to achieve a “human-centered” development during its international Centennial celebration earlier this month. “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development puts people and planet at its center and embraces three dimensions of sustainability—economic, social and environmental—to tackle changes and challenges, including in the world of work and its future,” Ola Almgren, United Nations resident coordinator, had said in a speech. “We cannot predict the future of work, but with our combined capacities, we can unite to ensure an inclusive future that leaves no one behind through decent work,” he added. The Philippines was among the 24 countries tapped to showcase its culture as well as achievements in the world of work. The country presented its gains on the field of fair migration, value chain, and a specific emphasis on labor unionism and collective bargaining—one of the cornerstones of ILO’s tripartism.

Slow union growth, casualization

THE ILO noted that labor union density in the Philippines, like that in most countries, has been stagnating in previous years. Union membership growth in the private sector remains slow, rising only by 15 percent over a nine-year period, from 1.3 million in 2008 to 1.5 million in 2017, according to a BLR report. For the public sector, the increase was significantly higher in the last decade compared to its private counterpart. “Union membership [in the public sector] increased by 24 percent from about 364,000 in 2008 to 450,686 in 2017,” BLR said. ILO Labor Standards and Labor Law Specialist Jajoon Coue said a key factor in the slow growth rate in union membership is the global proliferation of “new forms of employment” leading to the “casualization” of work, wherein the direct employer of a laborer cannot be immediately determined. Consequently, employees under such arrangement would usually have no clear access to labor rights. “It goes by different terms and shapes in each country: outsourcing, subcontracting. We call it the phenomenon of casualization,” Coue told the BusinessMirror in an interview. “It is especially

pronounced in the Philippines; but it is hardly confined in the Philippines alone.”

Development goals

THE ILO emphasized that addressing w idespread precar ious work lies in strengthening the presence of workers during policy discussion in the form of labor unions. “If you establish a social dialogue mechanism, then you could immediately get the pulse of the stakeholders. This is important for an organization like ILO if it wants to be relevant,” ILO SafeYouth@Work Programme Coordinator Katherine Brimon said in an interview. The ILO is the only arm of the UN that is tripartite in nature; meaning, it functions by building consensus among government, employer and labor representatives. Out of the 189 ILO Conventions—legally binding international treaties that may be ratified by member-states—eight are considered fundamental conventions. Included in the so-called eight core conventions is Convention 87 or the Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize and Convention 98 or the Convention on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining Agreement. T he Ph i l ippi nes i s i nc luded among t he countr ies t hat have rat i f ied a l l of t he sa id core convent ions. Here in the Philippines, the ILO coordinated with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the European Union (EU) for the creation of the National Action Plan on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining (FOACB). The 15-page document contained the 2017 to 2022 road map for the country to create an atmosphere conducive to labor unions. Among its goals is the better monitoring of labor cases filed before international bodies and information-gathering related to complaints, ensuring that government and uniformed personnel respect labor rights. Also included in its recommendations is the legislative reform on removing the 20-percent membership requirement for union registration; and the reduction from 30 percent to 10 percent of the membership requirement for government to organize. This is part of the country’s compliance with the Sustainable Development Goal of the UN, particularly its indicator 8.8.2 referring to the level of national compliance with labor rights as freedom of association and collective bargaining. “Fundamental principles and rights at work comprising international labor standard are at the heart of ILO’s work since 1919. Freedom of association and collective bargaining are core ILO values,” ILO Country Office for the Philippines Director Khalid Hassan said in his speech for the ILO Centennial celebration.

Empowerment solutions

UNFORTUNATELY, Coue noted that organizing contractual workers is par ticu larly cha llenging since they tend to be assigned to different employers on short-term basis. “Precarious groups of workers often work under short-term contracts so it’s also harder for them to organize,” Coue said.

PHOTO BY NONIE REYES

It is on this front, ILO said, that new technology could be helpful. As earlier mentioned by UEA and TUCP, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW ) a lso believes social media is a great way to link workers. “When we build chat groups in [FB] messenger or in Viber we are able to quickly resolve questions and issues related to unionism and concerned companies,” FFW Vice President Julius Cainglet said. “In organizing [workers], everything happens so fast, which would entail quick decisions and quick actions. This is facilitated by communication and information technology,” he added. This is also true for the public sector, which has fewer union members than the private sector. “It provides us more efficient

communication and use of resources when disseminating information for our activities, invitations, or meetings,” Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK) Advocacy Head Jillian Roque said.

New technology, multiemployer bargaining

ROQUE said new technolog y could pave the way toward their much aspired for sectora l or multiemployer bargaining especially in the public sector. Under a sectoral or multiemployer bargaining scheme, labor unions will collectively bargain with multiple companies. Compared to the usual per company bargaining, the scheme is more inclusive since it will cover even nonunion members including contractual workers

in a specific sector. Despite its apparent advantages, multiemployer bargaining is still not being practiced in the Philippines. DOLE’s Institute for Labor Studies (ILS) has an ongoing study for the creation of a possible framework for such work arrangement. In her preliminary paper on the topic, ILS researcher Joyce Lumuctud affirmed Roque’s pronouncement on the benefits of the multiemployer bargaining. However, she also extensively discussed existing restrictions for its potential implementation like lack of information on it from stakeholders; the varied financial situation of establishments in the country, which are 89.53 percent comprised by micro and

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Editor: Dennis D. Estopace | Thursday, April 25, 2019

ELDS CAPITAL’S NEW OFFSPRING

A CHANGING WORKPLACE “Some unions are already doing that. Some of them even have a web site for it where they have a running counter for complaints that they receive, and then they refer that to DOLE,” she said. Pastolera explained the uploaded complaints will be valuable for DOLE, especially since the government agency has a shortage of labor inspectors and thus relies on “targeted” inspections. C u r r e n t l y, t h e l a b o r d e pa r t me nt h a s a rou nd 8 0 0 l a b or i n s p e c tor s t a s k e d to re g u l a rly i n s p e c t o ve r 9 0 0,0 0 0 e st a bl i sh me nt s n at ionw ide.

Labor migration

ILO Fair Recruitment Program National Project Coordinator Hussein Macarambon said they are now also considering tapping the same reporting mechanism for the protection of vulnerable overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). His project focuses on ensuring household service workers (HSWs) bound for Hong Kong are not charged any fees by their recruiters. The goal of his program is particularly challenging since it deals with legal jurisdiction issues of both Hong Kong and the Philippines. Further complicating the matter, he said, is the nature of HSW employment, which is confined within the homes of employers. “The challenge is, how do you monitor compliance at the household level, where inspection will be very hard to conduct? I think this is where new technology, particularly mobile phones, will play a key role,” Macarambon said. To address this, he said they are currently coordinating with Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA) to tap its Migrants Rights Violation Reporting System (MRVRS). “It can be seen as an application, where they [HSWs] could repor t abuses and even g ive positive feedback on employer,” Macarambon said.

Leveraging agreements

small enterprises; and the proliferation of nonstandard forms of employment. Yet another limiting factor, Lumuctud said, is that only workers who are union members may avail themselves of this arrangement. Employer action against labor organizing remains another hindrance. Fi n a l ly, one of t he m ajor roadblocks for its implementation is the voluntar y nature of multiemployer bargaining. “Employers may simply refuse to be covered by multiemployer CBAs,” Lumuctud said. Even w it h t hese rest r ictions, however, Lumuctud said some labor unions such as t he Nationa l Union of Bank Employees (Nube) have engaged in mu ltiemployer barga ining. She said the Nube was able to

sign a memorandum of agreement, which resulted in an encompassing collective bargaining agreement for employees of the parent and subsidiary companies of Banco de Oro. “The benefits that they gained from this agreement included standardized wages and benefits, which could pave the way for industry-wide bargaining that, as studies show, correlates with higher collective bargaining coverage,” Lumuctud said. “It can take out the factor of wages and benefits competition among firms.”

Improved compliance

BEYOND fostering closer ties among workers, social media also has the potential of boosting data gathering for labor regulators. ILO Labor Law Compliance

System Project Manager Cerilyn Pastolero said social media and a strong labor presence will be an important tool for workplace inspection initiatives. Pastolero noted that the Philippines is a “trailblazer” in terms of labor inspection due to its mandatory participation of workers. She believes engaging workers in labor inspection results in better compliance rates by establishments w ith general labor standards (GLS), as well as occupational safety and health standards (OSHS). “For the Philippines, there is improvement in compliance, but the challenge is sustaining compliance,” Pastolera said. “How do you ensure enterprises will continue to be compliant after the inspection? This is where labor unions [come in].”

Data obtained by the BusinessMirror from the Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) showed improving GLS and OSHS compliance for local establishments in the four years. In 2015, compliance rates of local establishments for GLS ranged from 79.38 percent to 92.83 percent. For OSHS, it ranged from 75 percent to 96.90 percent. As of 2018, GLS compliance rates were at 86.07 percent to 95.66 percent, while OSHS have compliance rates ranging from 83.22 percent to 98.22 percent. Pastolera noted how labor u n ions cou ld now ea si ly re por t possible GL S a nd OSH v iolations by taking pictures through mobile phones; thus ensuring consistent compliance from their employers.

IN furthering ILO’s cause on fair recruitment, Macarambon said, they are also negotiating for the support of employers in Hong Kong. “The funny thing is, the employers of household ser v ice workers a re u n ion members themselves like the teachers and flight attendants,” Macarambon said. “That is why it should be easy for them to realize and appreciate the concept of fair [recruitment].” W it h pre s s u re f rom b ot h Hong Kong employers and labor groups, he said, they hope recruiters would finally opt not to charge any fees on the HSWs they process. Cainglet noted they also have similar attempts to use the same kind of pressure to compel multinational companies to respect labor rights through international framework agreements forged by the global labor groups they are affiliated with. The FFW is a member of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the Building Wood Worker’s International (BWI), which have such international framework agreements. “This is especially true for BWI, which has several international framework agreements with the construction-related companies like Holcim,” Cainglet said. The labor leader said such agreements work just like international treaties, which they could effectively use during CBA

negotiations. “We are able to use it as leverage when we talk to the local counterparts [of the multinational firms],” Cainglet said. However, he admitted this scheme is still underutilized by local labor groups due to the operational costs it entails since its negotiations are held at the international level. Cainglet said the scheme is fairly new, only becoming available in the last five to six year ago as global consumers demand for more accountability from multinational firms.

Advocating change

BRIMON said more and more countries are now putting premium on the adherence of multinational companies to international laws, particularly human and labor rights, as well as environment protection. More so, she said, as more production becomes more globalized, wherein products are now being made in multiple countries, raising new decent work concerns. This is the reason, she said, ILO has put up an entire unit to focus on value chain analysis. The former labor assistant secretary explained how the ILO unit analyzes the stages of how a product is manufactured focusing on its labor aspect. “We cannot just look at a sector wholesale,” Brimon said. In the Philippines, the ILO currently has an existing partnership w ith EU specifically to measure the impact of international trade agreements to quality employ ment. She said this is another aspect of labor rights promotion improved by new technology. I n d e t e r m i n i n g t h i s , s he pointed out they need accurate data on several labor indicators minimum wage, female participation in the labor market and compliance to standards. “ Technolog y w i l l a lways be helpf u l in prov id ing rea l-time i n for m at ion a nd he lpi n g i n ana ly tics,” Br imon sa id. To note, EU uses its Generalized Scheme of Preference (GSP), wherein it gives certain trade benefits to countries that comply with international laws. The Philippines is one of the beneficiaries of the GSP. Brimon noted this is one of the reasons the EU is helping the country improve its labor l aw compl i a nce, s pec i f ic a l ly on Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining on Trade Employment (FOACB). Aside from the FOACB, the initiative resulted in the review of the mechanism on worker liberties and trade union rights; checklist for small enterprises on their compliance with labor standards; training manual of freedom of association and labor rights; DOLE e-Learning course on labor rights and standards; and a tool kit for employers to determine how many jobs will be created and destroyed by a given trade policy. Hassan said they hope the new instruments will help the country be on track of its labor standardsrelated target in the coming year. “These tools will help ensure a coherent policy framework to generate and upgrade and employment,” Hassan said. “All actors—including governments, workers, employers and multilateral institutions—will have a role to play,” he added. “We are not advocating an overnight change. This will take time.”

The World BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Meeting with North Korean leader gives Putin more leverage with US C

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Death toll rises to 359 in Sri Lanka bombings, more suspects arrested

OSCOW—For Russian President Vladimir Putin, a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offers a chance to raise Moscow’s clout in the region and gain more leverage with Washington. While Russia’s ability to influence Kim’s position is limited compared to that of China, a dialogue with Kim could allow Putin to emerge as an essential player in the North Korean nuclear standoff. With Russia-US ties at their postCold War low over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and Russia’s meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, the crisis over North Korea is a rare subject where Moscow and Washington could find some common ground and engage in political dialogue. “There are areas where Washington and Moscow can and do cooperate, and North Korea is one of those areas,” said Dmitri Trenin, the director of the Carnegie Moscow Center. He noted that Putin wants to send a message to Washington—as well as Beijing and Seoul—that “Russia should be factored in when Korean issues are discussed.” Moscow’s involvement comes at a tense moment when talks between Washington and Pyongyang are on hold following the failure of US President Donald J. Trump’s summit with Kim in Hanoi. For Kim, the meeting with Putin would be a win even if he just gets a cautious statement of solidarity with the North, or a rebuttal of Washington’s policies. “Right now, after the failure of the Hanoi Summit, Russia can play a role,” said Georgy Toloraya, a former Russian diplomat who has extensive experience in the North Korean affairs. “That would be very useful. If Putin ever meets Trump, it will be one of the issues on the agenda.” Russia has a border with North Korea and, like the US, strongly opposes Pyongyang’s nuclear bid. “Russia is worried that Korea could become potentially a battleground for a new conflict...potentially with nuclear overtones,”

Trenin said. “It is also worried that the North Korean nuclear and missile programs could lead to accidents that could endanger Russian security.” Moscow has argued that the crisis should be settled through US providing security guarantees to the North and easing sanctions against Pyongyang. Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov hailed the importance of US-North Korean talks and promised on Tuesday that the Kremlin will seek to “strengthen the positive trends and work to create preconditions and positive atmosphere for reaching solid agreements.” Putin has welcomed Trump’s meetings with Kim, but urged the US to do more to assuage Pyongyang’s security concerns. Trenin predicted that Putin “will try to steer the North Korean leader toward a productive, constructive dialogue with the US,” but added “Russia will not go out of its way to help the US to try to push Pyongyang closer to accepting Washington’s view.” “We don’t need to punish North Korean people or even elite, we need to find a new way for them to be incorporated into the modern world,” Toloraya said. “The US knows that we don’t have our own egoistic interests in North Korea, unlike China.” A supportive statement from Putin would be a big gift for Kim, who is also hoping to woo Russian investment to help build up its infrastructure. Russia’s past efforts to engage the North haven’t always been successful. Moscow maintained strong ties with Pyongyang during the Soviet era, building dozens of factories, sending supplies and providing weapons. Those ties fell apart after the 1991 Soviet collapse, with Russia withdrawing its support for for-

IN this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves at an undisclosed train station in North Korea on Wednesday, April 24, 2019, before leaving for Russia. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY/KOREA NEWS SERVICE VIA AP

mer Soviet allies amid an economic meltdown. Putin visited Pyongyang months after he was first elected in 2000. Seeking to steal the global limelight, Putin boasted about securing then-leader Kim Jong Il’s promise to abandon Pyongyang’s missile program in exchange for foreign help in launching satellites, but he suffered a setback when Kim quickly disavowed his statement. Despite the flop, Putin continued courting Kim, who crossed Russia by train to visit Moscow in 2001. The North Korean leader again visited regions in Russia’s far east the following year, and made another trip across the border in 2011. When Kim Jong Un came to power, the Kremlin hoped that he would visit Moscow to attend a 2015 Red Square parade marking the 70th anniversary of its WWII victory. Kim didn’t show up. Russia also was involved in the Chinese-led six-nation talks, aimed at persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear programs in exchange for aid and security guarantees. The North withdrew from those talks in 2009. For many years, Moscow has pushed for building a trans-Korean railway, natural gas pipeline and power lines—massive projects that would allow Russia to significantly increase its regional clout. No visible

progress has been made. While Russia’s leverage with North Korea was dwarfed by that of China, Pyongyang’s main sponsor and ally, the North has been wary of its overdependence on Beijing and willing to accept Moscow’s engagement. “China and the US are two superpowers, and North Korea has a reason to stand up to both in different ways,” Trenin said. “Russia is a country whose attractiveness to North Korea lies precisely in it not having major leverage. Russia has this potential of being seen as a relatively benign actor by the North Koreans.” Russian-North Korean military cooperation and most of the trade was stopped by United Nations sanctions, but Moscow supplied grain and provided humanitarian aid to the North, and tens of thousands of North Korean migrant laborers have worked in Russia’s underpopulated Far East. Toloraya warned against underestimating a role Russia could play in the standoff, saying that Moscow has taken a cautious line but could emerge as a top player if need be. “We have the tools, we don’t use them. If we would like to supply a dozen or so of S-400 [air defense missile systems] to North Korea, it will change the whole balance of power in Korea, it’s just one example.” AP

of the death toll incurred in the cross fire, such as during searches for militants, according to the report. At the same time, insurgent attacks left 736 civilians wounded, compared to the government and international forces, which wounded 303 civilians, the report said. The UN first began compiling statistics on civilian casualties in 2009. Most of the civilian deaths were the result of aerial attacks, most often carried out by international forces. Though the report does not mention any Nato country specifically, US forces carry out air strikes when called to assist Afghan forces. It also follows a trend reported in last year’s UN annual report on civilian casualties, which showed a dramatic hike in civilian deaths by pro-government forces, including more than 1,000 civilian casualties from air strikes, the highest since the UN began keeping track 10 years ago. In September last year, Masih Rahman’s family of 12—his wife, four daughters, three sons and four nephews—were killed when a bomb flattened their home in Mullah Hafiz village in the Jaghatu district of Afghanistan’s central Maidan Wardak province.

“It’s not just my family, there are dozens of families just like mine who have been lost in bombings,” he said in an interview on Tuesday. Rahman was working in Iran when he was told his family had been killed in an air strike on his village, which is controlled by the Taliban. He has sought redress from the UN and has taken his case to Afghanistan’s Independent Human Rights Commission, which put out its own report on civilian casualties on Tuesday. In that report, the commission said 11,212 civilians were killed or wounded between March 31, 2018, and March 31 this year. In just the last 10 years of Afghanistan’s 17-year war, the commission said 75,316 Afghan civilians had died. “A shocking number of civilians continue to be killed and maimed each day,” said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN secretary-general’s special representative for Afghanistan. He said insurgents need to stop deliberately targeting civilians and using improvised bombs, which cause indiscriminate harm, while pro-government forces are called upon “to take immediate measures to mitigate the rising death toll and suffering caused by air strikes and search operations.” AP

OLOMBO, Sri Lanka—The death toll from the Easter suicide bombings in Sri Lanka rose to 359, police said on Wednesday, as the country’s leaders vowed to overhaul the security apparatus amid a series of intelligence lapses before the attacks. US Ambassador Alaina Teplitz, meanwhile, told reporters that “clearly there was some failure in the system.” Sri Lanka’s leaders have said some of the country’s security units were aware before Easter of possible attacks, but did not share those warnings widely. Teplitz said the US had “no prior knowledge” of a threat before the bombings. She said a team of FBI agents and US military officials were helping in the investigation. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility and released images that purported to show the seven bombers who blew themselves up at three churches and three hotels on Sunday in the worst violence this South Asian island nation has seen since its civil war ended a decade ago. The government has said the attacks were carried out by Islamic fundamentalists in apparent retaliation for last months’ New Zealand mosque massacre but has said the seven bombers were all Sri Lankan. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said investigators were still working to determine the extent of the bombers’ foreign links. Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara said on Wednesday morning that 18 additional suspects were arrested overnight, raising the total detained to 58. The Islamic State group has lost all the territory it once held in Iraq and Syria and has made a series of unsupported claims of responsibility around the world. Sri Lankan authorities have blamed a local extremist group, National Towheed Jamaar, whose leader, alternately known as Mohammed Zahran or Zahran Hashmi, became known to Muslim leaders three years ago for his incendiary speeches online. Teplitz declined to discuss whether the embassy or US officials had heard of National Towheed Jamaar or its leader prior to the attack. “If we had heard something, we would have tried to do something about this,” Teplitz said. The Islamic State group’s Aamaq

news agency released an image purported to show the leader of the attackers, standing amid seven others whose faces are covered. The group did not provide any other evidence for its claim, and the identities of those depicted in the image were not independently verified. Meanwhile, in an address to Parliament, Ruwan Wijewardene, the state minister of defense, said “weakness” within Sri Lanka’s security apparatus led to the failure to prevent the nine bombings. “By now it has been established that the intelligence units were aware of this attack and a group of responsible people were informed about the impending attack,” Wijewardene said. “However, this information has been circulated among only a few officials.” In a live address to the nation late Tuesday, Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena said he also was kept in the dark on the intelligence about the planned attacks and vowed to “take stern action” against the officials who failed to share the information. He also pledged “a complete restructuring” of the security forces. Wijewardene said the government had evidence that the bombings were carried out “by an Islamic fundamentalist group” in retaliation for the March 15 mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, that killed 50 people, although he did not disclose the evidence. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters in Auckland on Wednesday that she’d had no official word from Sri Lanka, or seen any intelligence reports, to back that up. However, she added that Sri Lanka was in the early stages of its investigation. An Australian white supremacist was arrested in the Christchurch shootings. The history of Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, a country of 21 million including large Hindu, Muslim and Christian minorities, is rife with ethnic and sectarian conflict. In the 26-year civil war, the Tamil Tigers rebel army had little history of targeting Christians and was crushed by the government in 2009. Anti-Muslim bigotry fed by Buddhist nationalists has swept the country recently but Sri Lanka has no history of Islamic militancy. Its small Christian community has seen only scattered incidents of harassment. AP

Myanmar lawmaker: 50 believed UN: Pro-government forces kill more Afghans than insurgents dead in mudslide at jade mine

ABUL, Afghanistan—Afghan and international forces have killed more civilians in the war with the Taliban and other militants in the first three months of this year—the first time deaths caused by government forces and their allies have exceeded those of their enemies, a new UN report said on Wednesday. Still, the insurgents were responsible for the majority of the killed and wounded civilians combined, according to the report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. The report also said that overall 1,773 civilians were killed or wounded in the three months—a significant drop from the same period last year, when 2,305 civilians were killed or wounded in conflict. Last year, suicide bombings by the insurgents were blamed for the high number of casualties. Between January 1 and March 31, the report said 581 civilians were killed and 1,192 were wounded. While insurgents caused a significant majority of the injuries, it was progovernment forces, including Nato, that killed the majority of civilians. They were responsible for 305 civilian deaths, nearly half of them in air strikes. The remainder

SYRIA CALLS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT CLOSURE ‘WAR,’ SITE SAYS ERROR

IN this Tuesday, April 23, 2019, photo, Masih Rahman speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Kabul, Afghanistan. In September last year Masih Rahman’s entire family of 11 people, his wife, four daughters, three sons and four nephews, were killed when a bomb flattened their home in Mullah Hafiz village in Jaghatu district of Afghanistan’s central Maidan Wardak province. Afghan and international forces had killed more civilians than insurgents in the first three months of the year, the UN announced on Wednesday, the first time the deaths caused by the government and its allies exceeded their enemies. AP Photo/Rahmat Gul

EIRUT—The Syrian Presidency says its official account on the socialmedia site Instagram has been shut down, calling it an “unjustified” closure that is part of the war against the government of President Bashar Assad. Instagram, however, said on Tues-

day the Syrian Presidency account was removed “in error” and has since been restored. The Syrian Presidency said it opened a new account. It apologized to its over 7,000 new followers for the few posts.In one of only six posts, the presidency said

the shutdown was part of an escalating “soft war” against the government after its military successes in the civil war now in its ninth year. The US has tightened sanctions imposed on Syria’s government in recent weeks.TheywerefirstimposedoverDamascus’s bloody crackdown on protesters. AP

AYPYITAW, Myanmar— More than 50 people are believed to have died in a mudslide at a jade mining site in northern Myanmar, a lawmaker representing the area said on Tuesday. Tin Soe said three bodies have been recovered and 54 people remain missing after the accident on Monday night in the Hpakant area of Kachin state. “The rescue process will not be easy as they’re under the mud, not just ordinary soil. It is really difficult to get the bodies back,” he said. The mud flowed down on the workers from a collapsed reservoir made from a disused mining pit to contain materials discarded from the mining process. The landscape in the area is extremely uneven, with mountains of debris and valleys formed from abandoned mines. The mud covered not only the workers but also mining equipment, including bulldozers and backhoes, from the Myanmar Thuya Co. and 9 Dragons Co. Tin Soe said the missing were buried under mud up to 100 feet (30 meters) deep. “There is no machine to pump out the mud,” he said by phone. “It could cost millions of dollars.” Local officials did not answer phone calls seeking comment on the accident. Myanmar’s Information Ministry said on its Facebook page

that rescue operations have been carried out since Tuesday morning by local authorities together with social welfare organizations. A similar accident involving the release of a massive amount of mud occurred in March, damaging some equipment but causing no deaths. Acc idents involv ing heav y casualties in the jade mining area are not rare, but usually have a different cause. They usually occur at the foot of giant mounds of discarded Earth that has been mined in bulk by heavy machinery, with scavengers searching for scraps of jade at their base. The scavengers are usually itinerant workers from other areas who are not registered with local authorities, so the identities of victims, and even the death toll, often remain unknown. Scavenging for jade remnants is dangerous and not well regulated. More than 100 people were killed in a single landslide in November 2015. Hpakant, 950 kilometers (600 miles) north of Myanmar’s biggest city, Yangon, is the center of the world’s biggest and most lucrative jade mining industry. According to Global Witness, a London-based group that investigates misuse of revenues from natural resources, the industry generated about $31 billion in 2014, with most of the wealth going to individuals and companies tied to Myanmar’s former military rulers. AP

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The World BusinessMirror

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Oil rally wanes as US stockpile signal counters Iran concerns

U.S. EXPANDS PROBE INTO AIRBAG FAILURES TO 12.3 MILLION VEHICLES

ETROIT—US auto-safety regulators have expanded an investigation into malfunctioning airbag controls to include 12.3 million vehicles equipped with bags that may not inflate in a crash. The problem could be responsible for as many as eight deaths. Vehicles made by Toyota, Honda, Kia, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and Fiat Chrysler from the 2010 through 2019 model years are included in the probe, which was revealed on Tuesday in documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It involves airbag control units made by ZF-TRW that were installed in the vehicles. The control units can fail in a crash, possibly because of unwanted electrical signals produced by the crash itself that can disable an airbag control circuit housed in the passenger compartment, according to NHTSA documents. The electrical signals can damage the control circuit, the documents say. ZF, a German auto parts maker that acquired TRW Automotive in 2015, said that it’s committed to safety and is cooperating with NHTSA and automakers in the investigation. The case is another in a long list of problems with auto industry airbags, including faulty and potentially deadly Takata airbag inflators. At least 24 people have been killed worldwide and more than 200 injured by the Takata inflators, which can explode with too much force and hurl dangerous shrapnel into the passenger cabin. The inflators touched off the largest series of automotive recalls in US history with as many as 70 million inflators to be recalled by the end of next year. About 100 million inflators are to be recalled worldwide. On April 19, NHTSA upgraded the ZF-TRW probe from a preliminary evaluation to an engineering analysis, which is a step closer toward seeking recalls. So far, only Hyundai and Kia and Fiat Chrysler have issued recalls in the case. Four deaths that may have been caused by the problem were reported in Hyundai-Kia vehicles and three in Fiat Chrysler automobiles. NHTSA opened an investigation in March

of 2017 involving the TRW parts in Hyundais and Kias. The upgrade came after investigators found two recent serious crashes involving 2018 and 2019 Toyota Corollas in which the airbags did not inflate. One person was killed. Toyota said it’s cooperating in the probe, doing its own investigation and will take “any appropriate action.” Jason Levine, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a nonprofit consumer group, said the ZF-TRW case shows the auto industry thus far has learned very little from Takata. “A single supplier of an important safety component provided what appears to be a defective part across multiple manufacturers and 12 million cars,” Levine said. “While the first fatality reports emerged three years ago, it has taken a higher body count for more significant action to be taken by NHTSA and most impacted manufacturers remain silent. The industry needs to do better.” NHTSA said it will take “appropriate action” based on the investigation’s findings. In the ZF-TRW investigation documents, NHTSA said that it didn’t find any other cases of electrical interference in Hyundai, Kia or Fiat Chrysler vehicles that used the ZFTRW system but were not recalled. Also, the agency has not identified any other cases of electrical interference in other Toyotas including Corollas, since the company started using the ZF-TRW parts in the 2011 model year. In addition, no electrical interference cases have been identified in Honda or Mitsubishi vehicles with the same parts, the agency said. NHTSA will evaluate how susceptible the airbag control units are to electrical signals, as well as other factors that could stop airbags from inflating. The agency also “will evaluate whether an unreasonable risk exists that requires further field action.” Last year, Hyundai and Kia recalled nearly 1.1 million vehicles because of the problem, about a year after NHTSA opened its investigation. AP

IL pulled back from a sixmonth high as an industry report signaling a gain in US crude inventories partly offset concerns over America’s campaign to halt Iranian exports. Futures in New York fell as much as 0.7 percent, after climbing 3.6 percent over the previous two sessions. Crude stockpiles rose by 6.86 million barrels last week, the American Petroleum Institute (API) was said to report on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia was said to be planning a cautious response to tighter US sanctions on Iran, and will hold off on significant supply shifts until it sees actual declines in the Islamic Republic’s shipments. Oil’s gained further after posting its best quarter since 2009 as the Saudis led output cuts by a coali-

tion of producers, including Russia to avoid a global glut. Disruptions in fellow members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries such as Venezuela, Libya and Nigeria also squeezed cargoes. The Donald Trump administration added to the supply woes by refusing to extend sanctions waivers beyond May 2 for importing oil from Iran. “The estimated gain in American inventories is pacing down the rally we’ve seen earlier,” said Sungchil Will Yun, a commodities analyst at HI Investment & Futures Corp. in Seoul. “Oil’s expected to stay steady

until we see more details on how the Saudis and its allies will bump up their output, going a step further from just signaling a boost.” WTI for June delivery declined as much as 43 cents to $65.87 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange before trading at $65.92 a barrel at 12:01 p.m. in Singapore. Prices gained $2.30 over the previous two sessions to close at $66.30 on Tuesday, the highest close since October 29. Brent for June sett lement dropped 39 cents to $74.12 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. It increased 3.5 percent in the first two days of the week. The global benchmark crude was at a premium of $8.19 to WTI. While the API reported a gain in nationwide inventories, its data showed a 389,000-barrel drop in the hoard at Cushing, Oklahoma. That would be a third consecutive draw at the US storage hub if confirmed by government figures due on Wednesday. The median forecast

of analysts in a Bloomberg survey signals American crude stockpiles may have risen by 1 million barrels last week. In Saudi Arabia, people familiar with policy deliberations said the kingdom is ready to help fill the void left by Iranian oil supplies, but it doesn’t plan any radical moves. The caution of Opec’s de-facto leader stems from its experience last year when President Trump backtracked on his initial pledge to completely halt Iranian exports by granting exemptions to eight buyers. The Saudis in the meantime had boosted production to an all-time high. The International Energy Agency also said it’s ready to act if necessary to ensure the market is well supplied, according to a statement. The Paris-based IEA said global oil markets are currently at “comfortable” levels of spare capacity and that it will continue to monitor closely and remain engaged with major producers and consumers. Bloomberg News

May wants Parliament to legislate Brexit deal

HERESA MAY is considering a new tactic in her desperate bid to deliver Brexit. The prime minister’s deal has been rejected three times by Parliament, and if she doesn’t get it done within a month she’ll have to fight European elections that will be punishing for her party. So instead of putting the deal itself back to lawmakers, she’s going to try her luck with a proxy instead—a piece of legislation that would enshrine her deal in law. It’s a gamble, and she’s lost many of those already, but the idea is that her opponents will be able to add their own Brexit wishes to the legislation with amendments. Once they’ve done that it might stand a chance of passing, according to one person familiar with government thinking. She’s pinning her hopes on Labour members of Parliament voting for the bill, even though talks with the Labour leadership aimed at finding a Brexit consensus have so far failed to make progress.

‘Soon as possible’

IF she fails, then more chaos and upheaval follows, and there’s no chance she can deliver Brexit in time to avoid EU elections. But there’s little to lose by trying—if she doesn’t put the bill to Parliament in the next couple of

according to one person familiar with the meeting. But in reply, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond pointed to dangers: The bill might be voted down. If that happens, May wouldn’t be able to bring it back without ending the current parliamentary session and starting a new one. That involves time-consuming process and procedure, though not a new election.

‘Serious,’‘difficult’

BRITAIN’S Prime Minister Theresa May STEVE PARSONS/PA VIA AP

weeks, there’s no way the UK can leave before the poll. Many Tories are frustrated with May’s leadership, and some take the view that the only way through the Brexit deadlock is to remove her and try again with a different leader. Although she has promised to quit, she has said she’ll do so only once a deal is passed. Under Tory rules, there is no mechanism to remove her against her will before December. One option would be to change those rules, and the executive committee of the 1922 Committee, which speaks for

backbench Conservative lawmakers, met on Tuesday evening to discuss the situation. Before the meeting, its chairman, Graham Brady, went to see the prime minister. The Cabinet on Tuesday agreed that the Withdrawal Agreement Bill should be put before the House of Commons “as soon as possible,” May’s spokesman, James Slack, told reporters. The question, he said, was how to ensure its “safe passage.” The meeting was split on the tactics. Ministers including Home Secretary Sajid Javid made the case for bringing the bill forward quickly,

PARLIAMENT has rejected May’s Brexit deal three times. The only reason for May to hope that the Withdrawal Bill could have a better chance is that its passage would allow different parliamentary factions the chance to amend it to include their preferred Brexit outcomes. That’s the argument for doing it, according to one person familiar with the government’s thinking. One person familiar with May’s thinking said the decision about whether to bring forward the Withdrawal Bill would be made depending on developments in the next few days as talks with Labour continue. The bill could be a vehicle for carrying commitments that the opposition Labour Party is asking for on employment rights and environmental protections. Bloomberg News

Popular heart medications tainted by carcinogens face wave of lawsuits

OZENS of lawsuits have been filed against drugmakers and sellers over widely prescribed generic heart medications tainted with potential carcinogens, the first claims in what some lawyers expect to be a wave of litigation. Millions of Americans have taken the drugs, which are at the center of a widening recall being overseen by the US Food and Drug Administration, and have been for decades used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and other common conditions. A lawyer involved in an effort to combine about 50 lawsuits, including at least 27 by patients who say they contracted cancer by using the recalled medicine, told a US federal court he expects a surge of legal action. “My best estimate sitting here today is I expect that we will have approximately 2,000 personal-injury cases on file in the next two years,” Daniel Nigh, who has filed 12 such lawsuits so far, told judges at a conference in the US District Court in New Jersey last month, according to a transcript. The FDA has been coordinating a recall of adulterated heart medications since last July, when the carcinogen NDMA was discovered in valsartan manufactured by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical Co. The contaminated valsar-

tan was sold to a number of major drugmakers and used as an ingredient in other popular cardiovascular therapies. Zhejiang Huahai and its affiliates are the primary targets of the lawsuits. Other companies named in the complaints include generic-drug giants Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Mylan NV, as well as CVS Health Corp., which operates large pharmacy and drug-benefit management businesses. Almost 40 defendants have been sued so far. The FDA has said that the pills may have been contaminated with NDMA for as long as four years before the problem was found. The number of patients, if any, who developed cancer as a result of taking valsartan is unknown. Earlier this year, Bloomberg News reported wide-ranging problems with testing data used to assure drugs’ safety and effectiveness. Bloomberg found that FDA inspectors who’d expressed concerns about data integrity at some manufacturing facilities were at times overruled by senior officials at the agency. At a Zhejiang Huahai plant in Linhai that’s at the center of the recall, an FDA inspector determined that some of the drugs produced there were substandard—14 months before the agency took steps to facilitate the removal of valsartan and its combinations from the

US market. A spokeswoman for Zhejiang Huahai declined to comment. Representatives for Teva, Mylan and CVS didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. The FDA said last month it plans to revamp rules governing how medicines are manufactured to ensure the safety of the nation’s drug supply, in response to what former Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said were inadequate quality controls that have led to “a lot of instances” of contaminated products. “I expect that we will have approximately 2,000 personal-injury cases on file in the next two years.” Andres Rivero, an attorney for MSP Recovery, a Florida-based claims recovery service, told judges at the New Jersey hearing last month that his client represents insurers covering 73,311 people who took valsartan and that their claims were worth more than $91 million. In 2018, 1.5 million people in the US took contaminated valsartan, said Nigh. Other drugs that are similar to valsartan—losartan and irbesartan—have also been recalled. It’s unclear if those drugs will be included in the combined litigation, plaintiffs’ lawyers told the court, because not as much is known about the degree of contamination

of those pills. Other carcinogens, NDEA and NMBA, have been found in the drugs as well. Zhejiang Huahai didn’t make all of the valsartan found to be tainted, though carcinogen levels were highest in its drugs, according to the FDA. The US agency has said it’s looking into how the chemicals could have been created during the manufacturing process. Proving the link between exposure to the contaminated medication and the plaintiffs’ cancers may be difficult, Senior US District Judge Robert Kluger told the lawyers at the March 27 hearing. “There’s a number of people who claim, I understand, that they’ve contracted cancer from taking this drug,” Kluger said. “It’s probably going to be a heavy lift to prove that, but you know, we’ll see what happens.” NDMA, which is also found in cured and grilled meat, has long been known as a carcinogen. Plaintiffs’ lawyers said in the complaints that the amount contained in valsartan was far above accepted levels. Shortly after the recalls started in July, the FDA said that it’s reasonably safe to consume up to 0.096 micrograms of NDMA a day. FDA test results released on October 5 found NDMA levels in recalled valsartan ranging from 0.3 micrograms to 17 micrograms.

“Thus the pills contained somewhere between 3.1 and 177 times the level of NDMA deemed safe for human consumption,” lawyers for plaintiff Priscilla Kleinman, who has esophageal cancer, said in her lawsuit filed in February. There is more NDMA in a single pill of valsartan than a person could consume in a month, said plaintiffs’ attorney John Boundas, who is reviewing medical records of dozens of potential claimants. “One pill is the equivalent of 30 pounds of bacon,” he said. Shortly after it announced the start of the recall in July, the FDA estimated that for every 8,000 people who took the highest dose of valsartan, there would be one additional case of cancer. In addition to the personal-injury cases, attorneys in the federal-court cases in New Jersey are also proposing class actions to cover economic losses, including allegations by consumers and third-party payers such as health-insurance companies that they spent millions of dollars for tainted drugs. MSP Recovery is suing on behalf of health insurers including New York Group Health Inc. and SummaCare Inc., an Ohio provider, according to its lawsuit, filed in February. Greg Hansel, an attorney for the Maine Automobile Dealers, told the court the group has been in touch with

“a number of larger health insurers” that are “actively monitoring what’s happening.” A separate class action was filed with the New Jersey court on April 5 on behalf of patients who may not exhibit symptoms until years from now. Those patients took contaminated valsartan and may have sustained cellular damage, suffered genetic harm or developed cancer but haven’t yet been diagnosed, according to the complaint. The suit seeks to create a fund to finance independent medical monitoring, including examinations and preventive screening, and provide cancer treatment. All the cases have been combined before Judge Kluger in federal court in Camden in a so-called multidistrict litigation, where he will oversee selection of plaintiffs’ leadership, pretrial motions and evidence-gathering, as well as any initial trials. The next hearing in those lawsuits is set for Wednesday. Such litigation, known as MDLs, can include thousands of claims, some of which would never pan out or even be brought if filed separately, said law professor Carl Tobias of the University of Richmond law school. As such, it can attract weaker cases that piggyback on strong ones, he said. “You can never tell with MDLs on the number of viable or strong cases as opposed to the weak ones,” Tobias said. Bloomberg News

B8 Thursday, April 25, 2019

MATIMCO INC. OPENS NEW SHOWROOM IN ALABANG

O promote env ironmenta l ly friendly architectural products and expand market reach, the new Matimco House of Wood at Westgate Hub in Alabang, Muntinlupa City, has officially opened its door to the public. Charlie H. Liu, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Matimco Inc., along with Edwin Hernandez, president of Jardine Distribution Inc.; Susan Liu; Christine Jacob-Sandejas; Architect Gelo Mañosa, CEO of Mañosa and Co.; and Architect and Interior Designer James

Jao, CEO of ECO JAO Development, unveiled the fully furnished showroom. At the launching event, Liu pointed out why wood is a superior material, especially when it comes to residential- and commercial-construction projects. “More than the beauty and versatility of wood, we are passionate about wood because of three major things. Wood is good for the environment and good for the economy. It also brings social justice.” According to Liu, these three aspects represent what Matimco House of Wood

advocates for over 55 years. He also explained why people are shifting to wood again, despite the emergence of modern materials. “ Wo o d i s s u r e l y t h e m o s t environment-friendly material. It’s the only green construction material known to man.” Moreover, Liu sees the potential of the Philippines when it comes to producing quality wood products. “[T he] Phi l ippines has a ver y conducive area to grow trees. In fact, trees grow faster in our country due to our weather.” Promot ing wood const r uct ion products, however, requires work, too. Matimco Inc. joins different building expos to show how their products can keep up with time. He also mentioned how they use special coatings and technology to extend their products’ service life. Apart from providing high-end interior and exterior wood materials, Matimco Inc. offers start-to-finish services, from choosing the right wood product to maintenance, to help their customers make the right decision and maximize their investment. By 2021 Matimco Inc. aims to reach a total of 21 stores, adding 12 more branches to its current nine showrooms. Trisha Jean V. De Leon

FAIR PLAY Dr. Jose Rizalino L. Acuzar (left), chairman, Manuel L. Quezon University; Zack Castro, senior vice president for finance, Go Vote movement; and lawyer Erickson H. Balmes, Go Vote Movement president, were in attendance at the non-governmental organization’s grand launch held at the Victoria Sports Tower in Quezon City. NONOY LACZA

MERALCO HEAD CONFERRED WITH UNIVERSITY OF MANILA MEDALLION Dr. Emily Dodson de Leon (left), president of the University of Manila, awarded the Dr. Mariano V. de los Santos Memorial medallion of honor and scroll of commendation to Joe R. Zaldarriaga, assistant vice president and head for corporate communications of the Manila Electric Co. Public Information Office, at the 104th commencement exercises on March 30. He was cited for his contribution to nation-building through relevant public affairs programs and as exemplar of communication excellence. Zaldarriaga was also the commencement speaker.

SUN LIFE, LIFEDATA INKS INSURANCE PLAN

N partnership with leading local lifeinsurance company Sun Life Grepa Financial Inc. (Sun Life Grepa), LifeData clients are now secured with a brighter future ahead of time. LifeData clients who avail themselves of the LifeCare product will gain access to group life-insurance coverage of P150,000 from Sun Life Grepa. This benefit is on top of services provided by LifeData, which include online consultation and prescription, and 24/7 online access to their medical records. “Protecting the financial future of every Filipino so that they can live healthier lives has been our mission statement,” Sun Life Grepa President Richard S. Lim says. “We are confident that our partnership with LifeData can help Filipinos build a bright future.” LifeData gives their clients access

to their personal medical records from participating health-care institutions around the Philippines, therefore, building for themselves a comprehensive, shared personal medical record, so they can be appropriately diagnosed, whether face to face or from a remote location. “We believe that access to one’s medical information is a right all Filipinos should have,” LifeData Chief Executive Officer Malou Florendo says. “LifeData has dedicated its medical and technological expertise in ensuring that we develop secure channels that enable both doctor and patient to immediately address health concerns.” In photo are (from left) Joen Songco, vice president for affinity marketing of Sun Life Grepa; Lim; Florendo; and Kyzel Dagdag, business development manager of Life Data.

PROVIDE SHELTER TO MORE FILIPINOS—ANGARA

ENATE Ways and Means Committee chairman Sen. Sonny M. Angara called for the aversion of the housing crisis at the third monthly business meeting of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders’ Associations Inc. (Creba) held in Makati City on March 29. In his message, Angara vowed to work with the Creba, whose 5-point agenda envisions “A Home for every Filipino” by intensifying housing production to the level of 500,000 units per year, or 10 million homes in 20 years. To achieve this, the Creba is supporting the bill filed by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Sen. JV Ejercito, which pools together

a P270-billion comprehensive home financing program granting long-term and affordable home loans to low-income earners. In photo are (from left) Creba national chairman Charlie AV Gorayeb, Angara and national president Noel Toti M. Cariño.

Thomas launches foundation for children, military

USTIN THOMAS is the latest Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour player to launch a foundation, and it wasn’t anything he threw together overnight. “We’ve been talking about it the last couple of years,” Thomas said. “My mom has done an unbelievable job of making sure everything was done properly. We’ve talked to so many other athletes, their wives, people who have run other foundations who said, ‘If we had to do it over, make sure you to do this or do that.’ There’s no reason to do it if it’s not done right.” The Justin Thomas Foundation officially launched last Wednesday in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. It featured a dinner with 544 guests and a waiting list, always a sign of support. Along with a silent auction, Thomas invited an auctioneer for other items because, he said, “I’m not very good at talking real fast to get people to donate money.” Peter Jacobsen conducted a fireside chat with Thomas, who at 25 has nine victories, a major at the PGA Championship, a FedEx Cup title and has reached No. 1 in the world. Kelley James provided the entertainment. Thomas grew up in Louisville, where father Mike was the longtime pro at Harmony Landing. “I wanted it to be local because of how special Louisville is to me,” he said. Thomas said the three cornerstones of the foundation would be children in need, military families and junior golf. Charities the foundation initially plans to support are the Boys and

Sports BusinessMirror

| Thursday, April 25, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

JUSTIN THOMAS hits a hole in one on the 16th hole during the final round for the Masters. AP

Girls Club of Kentuckiana, The First Tee of Louisville, Folds of Honor, The First Tee of Tuscaloosa, Kentucky Golf Foundation and Convoy of Hope. The next step? “As I said at the dinner, I need to make sure I’m playing good golf so I can help fund this thing,”Thomas said with a laugh.

EARLY START

TIGER WOODS and part of his US team can expect to be bleary-eyed at the Presidents Cup this year. Woods announced on Tuesday that his Hero World Challenge will return to the Bahamas in December and end on December 7 instead of Sunday to give him and some of the players a little extra time to get to Australia for the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne.

The matches start on December 12. Even leaving the Bahamas on Saturday, a charter would not arrive until Monday morning. This will be the latest the Presidents Cup has ever been played. The first time in Melbourne—1998, the only International victory—ended on December 12. Still to be determined is who makes the teams, and who plays in the Bahamas. The Hero World Challenge will be held the same week as the Australian Open, which was moved to the week ahead of the Presidents Cup with hopes of attracting a stronger field as it did in 2011, the second time Royal Melbourne hosted the Presidents Cup.

ONE COURSE, TWO TOURS

MEGHAN MACLAREN of England will be playing with the

men for the third time this year, even if she’s not on the same golf course. MacLaren missed the cut in the Vic Open in Australia, in which men and women competed in separate competitions for equal prize money. She was runner-up to Daan Huizing in the Jordan Mixed Open, in which players from the Challenge Tour, Ladies European Tour and Staysure Tour (Europe’s 50-and-over tour) competed against each other on the same course. Next up is the Lalla Meryem Cup on the LET in Morocco, held the same week as the Trophee Hassan II on the European Tour. The men are competing on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, while the women are playing on the neighboring Blue Course. All players use the same driving range, practice green and players’ lounge. AP

TOUR BRACES FOR NEW ROUND OF TIGERMANIA T

By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press

HIS was in Minnesota, though it could have been most any city that hosts a Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) Tour event. His 15th major, and most improbable considering what Woods had to overcome, set off a fresh round of Tigermania. “I got called by two affiliates, either the Monday or Tuesday after the Masters, and they wanted to come over with a camera crew,” said Peter Mele, tournament director of the new 3M Open the first week in July. Rumors were swirling that Woods might return to the Twin Cities, which already has a loaded field with Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson, Jason Day and Bryon DeChambeau. Mele could only tell them that Woods has a history of playing two weeks before a major—the British Open in this case—so the timing was favorable and the tournament was cautiously optimistic. “I wouldn’t have had those calls had he not won the Masters,” Mele said on Tuesday. The buzz Woods generated from winning a fifth green jacket is as big as ever. His schedule figures to be as small as ever. Still to be determined is whether that presents the problem of a generation ago when the PGA Tour schedule was largely divided between the tournaments Woods played and those he didn’t. “The haves and have-nots,” said Mele, who experienced both sides of it as the longtime tournament director of the tour’s New York event. “When he was struggling with his health, it was more of a curiosity if he played. Now with the buzz after the Masters...it’s the way it used to be back in the day.” Even when he was young and healthy, Woods never played more than 21 times in a PGA Tour season. He played 18 times on the PGA Tour last year, adding a few tournaments for which he was not eligible at the start of the year. Woods had said even before this year started he would not be playing as much. He is 43. Good health is no longer taken for granted. Kym Hougham remembers what it was like during the first wave of Tigermania. He became tournament director of the John Deere Classic the year after Woods made his pro debut (and never returned). Hougham later ran the Wells Fargo Championship until last year, which Woods missed only three times when healthy. A decade ago, offer a tournament director Woods and

no one else from the top 10 in the world, or eight of the top 10 minus Woods, and it was an obvious choice. “Back in those days, most would have taken Tiger,” Hougham said. “I’m not sure that’s the feeling of every tournament because every tournament has a different personality. Most title sponsors would have done that because that’s when the media shows up, and it’s on the front page of the sports page. “If you had your choice, you’d take Tiger.” The Valspar Championship discovered his value a year ago when Woods added the Florida event to his schedule and the gallery at Innisbrook stood a dozen deep behind some tee boxes. And that was six months before he returned to winning. Any tournament would love to have Woods, especially now that his Masters moments—the cheers, the chants, the emotion—are so fresh and won’t be forgotten. But that doesn’t mean it’s Tiger or bust. Even if the new Minnesota event doesn’t get Woods, it already has an All-Star lineup. The Travelers Championship never had much of a chance of getting him because the tournament Woods hosted in Washington was the following week. It created its own identity through building strong relationships with young stars and since has attracted some of the best—Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas—with Koepka, Day and Francesco Molinari expected this year. The stock question for every tournament—”Is Tiger playing?”—does not seem as make-or-break as it once did. “That happened a lot more in ‘07 and ‘08,” said Nathan Grube, in his 14th year as tournament director of The Travelers. “When the field started getting stronger and stronger, we stopped getting that question.” Woods missed so much time—partially in 2010, 2011 and 2014, effectively all of 2016 and 2017— that it allowed younger players to emerge. Golf was in a good spot before Woods returned from a fourth back surgery last year, and Woods took it to another level that only he can. Eight players have been No. 1 since Woods was last there in 2013. Seven players—five younger than Woods—have won multiple majors in the 11 years Woods went without a major. “What happened two weeks ago changes the dynamic,” Hougham said. “He’s back on top. But with the change in schedule, the fields are deeper. The tour did a nice job building up a lot of these kids.... And they’ve earned their way up there. They were not in Tiger’s shadow, but their own sunlight. And the sun is bright enough now. I don’t think Tiger is going to overshadow them.”

RUMORS are swirling that Tiger Woods (above) might return to the Twin Cities, which already has a loaded field, including Brooks Koepka. AP

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LILLARD 3-POINTER BRINGS BLAZERS TO NEXT ROUND P

ORTLAND, Oregon—After Damian Lillard hit his walk-off 3-pointer to send the Trail Blazers along in the playoffs, he waved goodbye to the Thunder bench. “That was the last word,” he said afterward. “That was having the last word.” Lillard finished with a franchise playoffrecord 50 points and Portland eliminated Oklahoma City from the postseason in five games with a 118-115 victory on Tuesday night. With the game tied, Lillard dribbled just inside of halfcourt near the Blazers logo and then pulled up and hit the game-winner at the buzzer from 37-feet. After his wave, Lillard was mobbed by his teammates and the crowd chanted “MVP! MVP!” Lillard finished 10 three-pointers, secondmost ever in a National Basketball Association (NBA) playoff game. “All of those things that we did to give ourselves a chance to win were huge,” Lillard said. “And my part in it, I think, was probably my most important performance.” Portland advances to the Western Conference semifinals to face the winner of the series between the Nuggets and San Antonio. Denver won 108-90 earlier in the night to take a 3-2 lead in that series. It was the 12th straight road playoff loss for the Thunder, who have been eliminated in the opening round for three straight seasons. Russell Westbrook had 29 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists for his 10th career playoff triple-double and his second of the series. Paul George added 36 points. Kyle Lowry scored 14 points as the Raptors finished off the Magic with ease, 115-96, bouncing back from a Game One defeat to win by double-digits in three of the next four. Toronto led by as many as 37 in the clincher— their biggest-ever margin in a playoff game. It’s the fourth straight year the Raptors have reached the second round. Joel Embiid scored 23 points and had 13 rebounds, and Ben Simmons added 13 points to help the Philadelphia 76ers rout the Brooklyn Nets, 120-100, and close out their Eastern Conference playoff series in five games. Up next, a second round series against the Toronto Raptors, who dropped their

LUKE WALTON is in hot water. AP

Luke Walton’s accuser Tennant: I thought he was going to rape me

DAMIAN LILLARD is doused for his heroic on his way to the locker room. AP

playoff opener before winning four straight against Orlando—the same thing the Sixers did to Brooklyn. Jamal Murray’s 23 points led six Nuggets in double figures and Denver routed the San Antonio Spurs, 108-90, to move within one win of their first playoff series triumph in a decade. Up three games to two, the Nuggets can wrap up the series on Thursday night in San Antonio, where they won last weekend for the first time since 2012, regaining the homecourt advantage.

Marinerang Pilipina joins Superliga

ARINERANG Pilipina becomes the ninth team of the women’s club league Philippine Superliga when its AllFilipino Conference unfurls in June. Team manager Jed Montero said they would go all out to join contenders Foton, Cignal, Sta. Lucia, Generika-Ayala, United VC and PLDT Home Fibr in challenging heavyweights Petron and F2 Logistics, which are still in the thick of the semifinal bids in the Grand Prix. Champion Coach Vilet Ponce-de Leon will coach Marinerang Pilipina. It will be a homecoming of sorts for Poncede Leon, who took a leave from coaching at the club level after steering Foton to the Grand Prix title in 2016. The squad is in the process of beefing up its lineup, but Montero said University of the East stars Judith Abil and Seth Rodriguez, as well as Cesca Racraquin of San Beda University, are expected to join them in their maiden campaign.

“Very, very disappointing. It’s as simple as that,” George said. “We let this one slip away but it is what it is.” Lillard had 34 points in the first half alone—more than Westbrook and George had combined (32) for the Thunder—but the Blazers had just a 61-60 edge going into the second half. The Thunder led 90-88 going into the final quarter. Westbrook hit a 3-pointer to extend the lead while Lillard took a break on the bench. Oklahoma City went up 105-90 with 7:45 SHANE LONG does not wait long enough to set a record. AP

The Lady Skippers started their training last on Tuesday and Ponce-de Leon is tipped to be very aggressive in her recruitment once the University Athletic Association of the Philippines is over. “Just like any new team, our goal is to be competitive right away,” said Montero, a University of the Philippines stalwart before playing for RC Cola-Air Force in the early years of the Superliga. Bitter rivals Petron and F2 Logistics, meanwhile, seek to book another finals duel, while Cignal and PLDT Home Fibr fight for survival in Game Two of their best-of-three semifinal series on Thursday at the Filoil Flying V Centre.

“It’s nice to have a record like that, but it would have been nicer if it was the winning goal.” Andre Gray scored in the 90th minute to grab a point for Watford. Catalan club Barcelona, meanwhile, is on the brink of another Spanish league title after beating Alaves, 2-0, on Tuesday to move within three points of clinching the championship. And that was with Lionel Messi staying on the bench until after both goals had been scored. The celebrations for a second consecutive league trophy—and eighth in 11 seasons— could even start as early as Wednesday if Atletico Madrid loses at home against fifth-place Valencia. If not, a win against relegationthreatened Levante at home on Saturday would also secure Barcelona a 26th league title. “It doesn’t matter when it happens,” Coach Ernesto Valverde said. “We just want to win it

whenever we can, because we know it’s very hard to win this league.” Carles Alena and and Luis Suarez scored goals six minutes apart after halftime to leave Barcelona 12 points ahead of Atletico. If Diego Simeone’s team fails to earn at least a draw, it won’t be able to catch Barcelona in the final four matches because it loses to the Catalan club on the head-to-head tiebreaker. “We’ll see what happens in Atletico’s match,” Alena said. “I would like to win it on Saturday at home so we can celebrate with our fans, but if it happens tomorrow, it will be welcome, as well.” AP

“I don’t care what anybody says that’s a bad shot,” George said about Lillard’s three. “But he made it and that story will be told, but it was a bad shot. You live with it.” McCollum finished with 17 for the Blazers, and Enes Kanter had 13 points and 13 rebounds. The Blazers stole one in Oklahoma City, winning 111-98 on Sunday. Westbrook went cold, finishing was five of 21 from the field for 14 points. He missed his final 10 shots. Lillard finished with 24, including 15 in the third quarter. AP

Simultaneous age group tennis meets set in Luzon, Mindanao

LONG SCORES GOAL IN 7.69 SECONDS, FASTEST EVER IN PREMIER LEAGUE ATFORD, England—It was the Long and short of the Premier League. Shane Long scored the fastestever goal in the competition on Tuesday, netting after 7.69 seconds for Southampton against Watford. Long intercepted Craig Cathcart’s clearance and ran onto the loose ball before dunking a shot over goalkeeper Ben Foster. Based on the Premier League’s timing, the goal was quicker than the 9.9 seconds it took Tottenham’s Ledley King to score against Bradford in 2000. Immediately after the game, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Long said he didn’t realize he had put himself in the record books. “It’s a record, is it?” Long said to broadcaster Sky Sports. “Straight from the kickoff we wanted to put them under pressure. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred you block it and it doesn’t work but this time it did.

left on Dennis Schroder’s pull-up jumper as Portland struggled. Lillard’s 3-pointer pulled the Blazers within 108-103, but Westbrook answered with his own three. CJ McCollum’s bank shot cut Oklahoma City’s lead to 113-109 with 1:39 left. Maurice Harkless added free throws to get the Blazers within two. McCollum tied it with a jumper with just under a minute left, but George scored on the other end. Lillard’s layup retied it then Westbrook missed a layup with 18.3 seconds left to set up Lillard’s epic buzzer beater.

UNIOR players get busy this summer as the Palawan PawnshopPalawan Express Pera Padala (PPS-PEPP) national age group circuit resumes in key cities in Luzon and Mindanao beginning with the Ipil leg which got under way on Wednesday at the 102nd Igsoon Brigade Tennis Courts in Zamboanga Sibugay. Close to 120 players are vying in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop featuring nine age group divisions with Faith Regencia, Glaze Omos and Jalia Elumba leading the bidders in the girls’ 16- and 18-U classes, and Lex Estillore, Zarc Denopol, Al Dree Pan, Miggy Omos and Al Ritz Pan gaining top seeding in the top 2 categories in the boys’ side. Meanwhile, the

Luzon swing actually fired off on Monday with the Pulilan, Bulacan leg, with San Pablo, Laguna, hosting the next stop of the circuit put up by PPS-PEPP from May 4 to 12 for the Escudero Cup. The Cainta Open, which will feature

the country’s top players, will be held from May 13 to 21 while the two-weekend PPS-PEPP UP National Student Open will be played on May 18 and 19, and on May 25 and 26. “This annual PPS-PEPP nationwide summer circuit is part of our continuing commitment not only to develop the sport and help produce future stars but also to keep our youth away from vices,” Palawan Pawnshop President and CEO Bobby Castro said. The Mindanao tour, on the other hand, will hold its next stop starting on April 28 in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte, with Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte hosting the next leg from May 2 to 5. Action then shifts to ZDN capital Dipolog while Oroquieta, Misamis Occidental, takes its turn to stage the circuit from May 8 to 11. Registration for all tournaments is ongoing. For details, call PPS-PEPP Sports Program Development Director Bobby Mangunay at 0915-4046464. Also tipped to contend for top honors in the Ipil tournament are Sean Esick and Andrei Tan in the 12-under, and RJ Cagatan, Penshoppe Erquita, Marc Fernandez and Denopol in the 14-under of the boys’ division, while Cielo Gonzales, Neach Domiguez and Elumba head the chase in the girls’ 12- and 14-under categories.

OS ANGELES—New Sacramento Kings Coach Luke Walton has been accused of sexual assault in a lawsuit by a former sports reporter. “I thought he was going to rape me,” Kelli Tennant said at a news conference on Tuesday, one day after TMZ reported that she was suing Walton. Tennant alleges that Walton attacked her when he was an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, which was from 2014 to 2016. Tennant said Walton, whom she considered to be a longtime friend and mentor, had written the foreword to a 2014 book she had written. She went to give him a copy while he stayed at a hotel in Santa Monica during a Warriors road trip to Los Angeles. Tennant said Walton met her in the lobby and invited her back to his room. After discussing the book, Tennant said Walton suddenly grabbed her. “Out of nowhere, he got on top of me and pinned me down to the bed and held my arms down with all of his weight, while he kissed my neck and my face and my chest,” Tennant said, adding that when she asked him to get off, “he laughed at me.” Tennant said Walton relented and she started to leave the room when he grabbed her again and kissed her ears and neck. She said he finally stopped, laughed and said “good to see you” before she left the room. Tennant said she confided with people at the time but never filed charges. “I was scared,” she said. “I felt coming forward would jeopardize every aspect of my life.” Walton’s attorney, Mark Baute, called the allegations “baseless.” “The accuser is an opportunist, not a victim, and her claim is not credible,” Baute said in a statement. “We intend to prove this in a courtroom.” Tennant said she was afraid of Walton and it took her time “to be able to muster up the courage” to go public. “When someone assaults you and you think you’re going to be raped, coming forward is a scary thing. I have spent years now trying to deal with this,” she said. Her attorney, Garo Mardirossian, said because years had passed, he believed it would be difficult to file a report now with police and put together a criminal case. “Police departments are not very likely to get involved in a case this old at this time,” Mardirossian said. Tennant filed the suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Tennant said Walton continued to harass her after he became coach of the Lakers and she was working as a broadcaster in Los Angeles for Spectrum SportsNet and SportsNet LA. She now does a wellness podcast. Mardirossian accused the National Basketball Association (NBA) of having a sexist culture. “Aided by their fame, money and power, and motivated by a culture that tolerates misogynistic gender bias, too many men in professional basketball inappropriately abuse women,” he said in a statement issued before the news conference. Walton was dismissed by the Lakers this month and hired by the Kings. The Kings said they are aware of the report and gathering information. The team had no other comment. The Lakers said the allegation was never reported to the team before or during Walton’s employment. “If it had been, we would have immediately commenced an investigation and notified the NBA,” the Lakers said, declining further comment. AP

SINGLES CHAMP Singles champion Jeson

Patrombon (second from right) holds his trophy as he poses with (from left) doubles winners Noel Damian Jr. and Mark Alcoseba, singles runner-up Johnny Arcilla and Judge Edralin Reyes during awards ceremony of the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala Gov. Alfonso Umali Cup Tennis Championship in Oriental Mindoro recently.

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Corpus, Ramos in quarterfinals

OP seed Carl Corpus survived a scare from Korean Ha Tae Won, scrambling for a 1-up victory after 21 holes, while No. 2 Sean Ramos rolled past Seo Dong Bin, 3&2, to advance to the quarterfinals Philippine Amateur Open Match Play Championships at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac on Wednesday. Laure Duque, meanwhile, racked up another win, edging Laia Barro, 2&1, to notch her third straight point in the roundrobin girls’ division, while Rianne Malixi stepped up her bid by beating Kim Ga Yeon, 4&2, for two points. Barro and Kim pooled identical 1.5 points while Bang Hee Yeon outlasted winless Kristine Fleetwood, 2&1, to post her first win in the novel format of the event among six players. Corpus actually battled back from two holes down with seven left in regulation but toughened up and won two of the last three, including a clutch par on the 18th to extend the match. They matched pars on their return trip to Nos. 1 and 2 but Corpus, who nipped Ramos in the playoff to bag the low medal honors after the 36-hole stroke play eliminations on Tuesday, kept his composure and made another par on the third then watched Ha flub his own bid to snatch victory for a Last 8 clash with Kristoffer Arevalo. The ninth ranked Arevalo turned back No. 8 Don Petil, 3&1. Ramos broke off a tight duel with a birdie on No. 12, went 2-up with a par on the 14th, and built a three-hole cushion with another par on No. 15 then matched Seo’s par on the par-five 16th to seal a quarters face-off with No. 7 Paolo Barro, who eased out No. 10 Zachary Castro. No. 13 Kim Tae Soo pulled off the day’s three reversals, upending fourth ranked Perry Bucay, 1-up, after 19 holes for a clash with No. 12 Paolo Wong, who edged No. 5 Masaichi Otake, 1-up. Leandro Bagtas toppled Josh Jorge, 5&3, in the other half of the draw to set up an encounter with No. 11 Jacob Rolida, who trounced sixth ranked Dan Cruz, 4&3, to keep his title hopes in the weeklong tournament organized and conducted by the National Golf Association of the Philippines and backed by Cignal and Metro Pacific. The survivors brace for a grueling duel with the quarterfinals set this morning with the winners clashing for the finals berth in the afternoon where conditions are expected to get hot and tougher.

Lady Spikers easily beat Lady Warriors

E LA SALLE swiftly disposed of University of the East (UE), 25-17, 25-16, 25-19, to enhance its chances for a Final Four incentive in the University Athletics Association of the Philippines Season 81 women’s volleyball tournament on Wednesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City. The Lady Spikers barely broke a sweat in booking their fifth straight victory and 10th overall against three losses. The Final-Four bound defending champion Lady Spikers assured themselves of at least a playoff for a twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals. They could grab the bonus if they beat the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws on Sunday. Rookie Jolina dela Cruz and Aduke Ogunsanya each registered 10 points for the Lady Archers, while Tin Tiamzon and Des Chenge combined for 17 points against the hapless UE side. Despite the victory, De La Salle Head Coach Ramil de Jesus warned his players not to lose their aggressiveness

Thursday, April 25, 2019 C3

KIM, MONDILLA WREST CONTROL Y

OUNG Korean Kim Joo-hyung came out better than a slew of local top guns in another battle of survival at The Country Club’s tough finishing holes, saving a one-under 71 and gaining a share of the lead with Clyde Mondilla at the helm halfway through the TCC Invitational in Santa Rosa, Laguna, on Wednesday. In another punishing day, three-time champion Angelo Que actually took charge with a one-over overall card after 15 holes but bogeyed the last three for a 75, opening round leader Jerson Balasabas double bogeyed the 18th for a 76 and Keanu Jahns fumbled with three bogeys at the back to, likewise, hobble with a three-over card. Juvic Pagunsan, also aiming for a record fourth TCC title like Que, also went one-under after with a birdie on No. 15 but bogeyed the next two holes for a 73, while Aussie Tim Stewart matched Que’s horrible windup for a 76, their wobbly finishes enabling Kim and Mondilla, who salvaged a 73, to seize control at 146 heading to what looms to be a wild, wooly final 36 holes of the P5 million championship kicking off the Philippine Golf Tour’s (PGT) 10th season. Kim, who became the circuit’s youngest winner at 16 when he edged Jobim Carlos by one at Pueblo de Oro last year, thought he had figured out the Tom Weiskophdesigned layout with three birdies in the first five holes at the back to go two-under in another hot, windy day. But he bogeyed the 16th, barely saving a 71 that proved to be the best in such adverse conditions. “I got lucky I made this score. It was windy and very hot out there,” said Kim, seeking to keep the crown won by compatriot Micah Shin in record fashion last year. Over in San Rafael, Bulacan, Pauline del Rosario put on a blistering start before slowing down at the backside to card a six-under 66 and open a whopping six-shot lead over amateur Eagle Ace Superal at the start of the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) Royal Northwoods Ladies Classic at the Royal Northwoods Golf Club Inc. on Wednesday. Del Rosario, out to end a title spell after racking up four victories to win the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Order of Merit title in 2017, birdied the first four holes then added

LAGO SETTLES FOR FIFTH IN I.T.T. OF ASIAN ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS

By Jun Lomibao

AZALKENT, Uzbekistan—Marc Ryan Lago was a young man possessed as he pedaled against the cold and rain but settled for fifth place in the Men Junior individual time trial, where riders used to freezing weather frolicked in the Asian Cycling Championships for Road on Wednesday. Lago raced for the first time outside of Philippine soil—and in 11-degree (Centigrade) cold at that—but he overachieved. The 18-year-old from Taguig City, the reigning Philippine juniors champion, pedaled no slower than 40 kph in the first half of the 30-km ITT and even went faster at 55 kph going back. He passed five riders sent off ahead of him at one-minute intervals, fanning hopes of a podium finish at the team car which Head Coach Ednalyn Hualda drove herself. Lago crossed the finish situated in the middle of a long expressway in the outskirts of this quaint and laid back Uzbek city in 41 minutes and 37.45 seconds.

Kazakhstan’s Maxim Popugayev clocked 39:49.40 to win gold in the out-and-back ITT raced on a flat course, followed by Thailand’s Tullatorn Sosalam (40:16.66) and Uzbekistan’s Behzodbek Rakhimbaev (40:18.25) occupied the podium. “It was so cold, but I tried to ignore it,” said Lago, who was dazed after crossing the finish and had to be carried by Hualda to the team car and get the electrolyte his muscles needed after that unrelenting ride in conditions deplorable for Filipino cyclists. Despite the fifth-place finish, Lago heaped praises from the race officials that included International Commissaires Tatsuo Hayashi of Japan, Ibrahim Omar of Malaysia and Nuthapong Lohitvany—who at one time or another were the president of the commissaires panel (PCP) of the Le Tour de Filipinas—as well as Australian Greg Griffiths, the championships’ PCP, Jamal Mohamud of Japan, Majid Nasseri Khorram of Iran and Andy Leong of Macau. Thirteen riders competed in the Men Junior ITT, which was followed by the Under-23 ITT where 2018 Le Tour de Filipinas Best Young Rider Daniel Ven Carino is entered.

Uy settles for pole vault bronze medal in Qatar

EAM Pilipinas Athletics wound up wit another medal—a bronze from Natalie Uy in women’s pole vault—in the 23rd Asian Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday. Uy cleared 4.20 meters to make the podium of the continental championships were, a day earlier, saw Ernest John Obiena setting a men’s pole vault record of 5.71 meters to win the gold medal. Obiena and Uy’s performance marks one of the most productive stints of Filipino athletes in the biennial event. Uy’s bronze medal performance in the 45-nation championships equalled the Philippine record which the 23-year old Fil-American established in the Ayala Philippine Athletics Championships in the City of Ilagan, Isabela, in March. Uy, a magna cum laude graduate at East Michigan University, cleared 4.20 m in her first attempt setting herself

up for at least a bronze medal finish. She had the bar raised to 4.3m but failed in all her three attempts thus paving the way for China’s two entries to pocket the gold and silver medals. “Our team’s performance is totally remarkable. Pole vault as an athletics discipline has indeed a huge medal potentials in major international competitions including the upcoming SEA Games. Our team got even commended by the French coach of China, branding the Philippines as a ‘pole vault country,” Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association President Philip Ella Juico said. With the two medals, the Philippines tied for 10th spot in the medal tally as of Tuesday night. Uy said that she will concentrate on jumping 4.3 m between now and the 30th Southeast AsianGames which she and Obiena are expected to rule in December at the New Clark City.

PART OF THE GAME

Jr. NBA All-Star Dreams

two more on Nos. 6 and 7 to turn in a career-best start. A bogey on the ninth broke that stirring birdie-binge but the former amateur star birdied the par-three 12th before settling for pars for a 31-35 card. Superal matched par 72 to wrest solo second as recent Southwoods leg winner Thanuttra Boonraksasat stumbled with a 73 and Marvi Monsalve carded a 74. But standing in Kim and Mondilla’s way is a host of local aces, led by Mondilla, who missed grabbing the lead with a worse score than Kim on the par-four 16th, a double bogey although the recent Philippine Open champion here remained confident of his chances for back-to-back feat at one of the

YOUNG Korean Kim Joo-hyung and Clyde Mondilla are at the helm halfway through the The Country Club Invitational on Wednesday. even against a lowly team. “I told them not to go slow. It would be better if we have a good performance in this last part of the eliminations,” de Jesus said. “UE also wanted to win and this is an important game. We needed this one.” The Taft-based team was down, 10-12, before the Lady Spikers unleashed an 8-2 run for an 18-14 advantage in the third set. The Lady Warriors failed to come back from that deficit and absorbed their 10th loss in 13 games. Mean Mendrez nursed a fever and missed the match. UE went to Judith Abil who had 16 points with 20 excellent receptions and 10 digs. Kath Arado contributed 15 digs and 12 excellent receptions. The Lady Warriors will play the Ateneo Lady Eagles on Sunday for their last assignment this season. Ramon Rafael Bonilla

TESSA JAZMINES tessa4347@gmail.com

country’s toughest courses. “I hit some good shots but also made some bad decisions. One has to play steady here to win,” said Mondilla, who birdied two of the first five holes, hit two more birdies against three bogeys from No. 6 before yielding the lead with that late 6. The Del Monte ace actually hit a good drive on No. 16 but dumped his 7-iron approach shot from 190 yards into the bunker and needed two blasts to put it on. “I had a bad lie,” rued Mondilla, who bested a tough international field to clinch his biggest win thus far in a flourishing career that included the PGT Order of Merit crown in 2017. But Kim and Mondilla stood just two shots ahead of Que, who pooled a 148 for joint third with Balasabas, while Jahns assembled a 149 and Pagunsan lurked at 150, ready to pounce on the leaders and step his drive for a victory in this event also known as the Don Pocholo Razon Memorial Cup put up by ICTSI Chairman Ricky Razon in 2003 to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder. Despite a 76, Stewart also stayed in the hunt at 151 in a tie with Albin Engino and Macedonia’s Peter Stojanovski, who limped with a 75 and 76, respectively, while former champion Tony Lascuña wavered with a 79 and slipped to joint 10th at 152 with Dutch Guido van der Valk and Jay Bayron, who carded 74 and 75, respectively.

GUIAO WANTS TUNE-UP DOWN UNDER

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

OW is perfect time to rebuild basketball relationships with Australia. This was the wisdom expressed by Team Pilipinas Head Coach Yeng Guiao as he hinted that the national team could play a tune-up match with the Aussies as both teams gear up for the Fiba World Cup in China in August. Guiao told the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday that the bad memories of the infamous brawl at the Philippine Arena last year must be forgotten for the sake of “goodwill.” According to the NLEX Road Warriors coach, a tune-up game could benefit both sides in as far as putting together

what was shatered by the infamous brawl. “It’s my personal assessment of the situation, we’ve all learned our lessons,” Guiao said. A trip to Down Under is ideal, according to the coach, considering the proximity of Australia to the country. Guiao also looked to sending the national pool to Europe for a training camp. But it would cost a lot, and the availability of the players from the Philippine Basketball Association remains a big challenge for Team Pilipinas. “On the practical side, Australia is much closer to us than having a trip to Europe. Australia plays the same brand of basketball that we need to be exposed to,” Guiao said. “Also, we want to gain bank the goodwill for both sides. Trying to restore the friendship and put it behind us.”

San Miguel wants to wrap up semifinal series with Phoenix

AN MIGUEL Beer has nothing but strong will to barge to its fifth straight Finals appearance when it faces Phoenix in Game Five of their Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal series on Thursday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. Holding a 3-1 series lead, the Beermen looked poised to enter the championship round and defend the throne they occupied for the past four conferences. The odds favors San Miguel, while Phoenix is expected to pour it all out and live another day in the match that fires off at 7 p.m. “I think it’s really going to be hard for them at 3-1, but still, they have a chance,”Beermen Head Coach Leo Austria said. San Miguel Beer scored a lopsided 114-91 win in Game Four on Tuesday. Terrence Romeo scored all his 20 points in the second half as the Beermen mounted a big cushion that the Fuel Masters could not topple. Trailing at a manageable 48-59 at halftime, Romeo uncorked 17 points, with 15 coming from beyond the three-point line. From there, the Beermen stayed up front and posted their biggest lead at 112-81 late in the fourth quarter. Alex Cabagnot was also instrumental with his 18 points, while Arwind Santos finally got his groove back with 16 points that went with eight rebounds and two blocks. Austria told his players to stay aggressive in Game Five. “We have to be tougher because it will not be easy,” he said. “We will work hard because we don’t want to extend the series.” Ramon Rafael Bonilla

PHOENIX’S Calvin Abueva and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and San Miguel Beer’s Christian Standhardinger mix it up under the basket in Game Four.

THE Jr. NBA program has been in the Philippines for the past 12 consecutive years, but this year is quite special for its target people: boys and girls aged 10-14. For the first time in the history of the program here, the young basketball athletes have something to really be excited about. This year’s batch of Jr. NBA All-Stars—whose identities will be known during the National Training Camp from May 17 to 19—will have the rare privilege of participating in the first Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific Camp, a weeklong event in June that will feature counterpart top youth players in the region. In those qualifiers, the best players will be chosen from among young ballers from Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines to represent the Asia-Pacific region in the second Jr. NBA Global Championship that will be held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida, in August. In that August basketball event, the Asia-Pacific representatives will compete with talented youth from the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, China, Mexico, Africa and India. The teams representing Asia Pacific in the Jr. NBA Global Championship consist of boys and girls from Jr. NBA leagues, clinics and events across six Asian countries. But before all that happens, Jr. NBA Philippines 2019 presented by Alaska is going through the last phases of its program as we speak. The fifth and last Jr. NBA regional tryouts will be held this weekend at Don Bosco Technical Institute in Makati. Boys and girls who will represent Metro Manila at the national camp will be chosen and will join the other talented young ballers culled from selection camps held in Lucena, Benguet and Dumaguete last March and in Butuan City earlier this month. The National Training Camp will be made up of 80 representatives from North Luzon, South Luzon, the Visayas, Mindanao and the NCR alongside talented ballers chosen at the Alaska Power Camp. At the regionals, all Jr. NBA participants received world-class basketball instruction and experienced fun basketball activities from Jr. NBA coaches led by Carlos Barroca of the NBA, Philippine Basketball Association Legend Jeffrey Cariaso, Alaska coaches and regional volunteer coaches. Each Regional Selection Camp is two days long, with the first day devoted to vitals tests and skills tests at various stations that test their dexterity in dribbling, passing, shooting, layup and footwork. Top performers on the first day progress to Day Two and are coached on advanced basketball concepts. They also participate in team exercises and scrimmages that help determine who will be chosen to advance to the next stage and represent their region in the national camp. At the National Training Camp in May, as many as five boys and five girls will be chosen as this year’s Jr. NBA All-Stars and will be sent to the first Jr. NBA Global Championship Asia Pacific Camp, where they will aspire to be part of the team that will represent the Asia-Pacific region in the Global Championship. The Jr. NBA Global Championship, now only on its second year, is a youth basketball tournament for the top 13 to 14 year old boys and girls from around the world. The tournament has boys and girls divisions, with each division composed of 16 regional champions—eight US teams and eight international teams. In the US Regionals, eight regional tournaments will be held across the US in the first half of the year with the winning boys and girls teams advancing to the Jr. NBA championship. The NBA introduced a new layer of local competitions, including more than 20 local tournaments—14 of which are hosted by NBA teams in their respective areas—to expand the pool of participating boys and girls teams in the US. The International Regionals meanwhile leverage on the global reach of the Jr. NBA that reaches 26 million youth in over 70 countries. Eight boy teams and eight girl teams will represent the international regions at the Jr. NBA Global Championship. More than 300 boys and girls from 35 countries participated in the first Jr. NBA Global Championship in 2018. At that event, all 32 teams got to experience offcourt activities that included life skills sessions, Disney park visits, a community service project, and educational meetings that got them in touch with current and former NBA and WNBA players and coaches. In 2018, the Central girls from Kansas City, Missouri, defeated the Europe girls, while the Central boys from Overland Park, Kansas, topped the Africa and Middle East boys team in the global championship games. You must agree. The very idea of traveling and competing with the best young players in the region after the thrill of making it in the Jr. NBA Philippines Regional Selection Camp is exciting enough for this year’s Jr. NBA National Campers. But the possibility of excelling and making it as a regional representative in the Asia Pacific Camp, then qualifying for the Jr. NBA Global Championship, making new friends, experiencing Disney World, meeting NBA stars and legends, and competing on the world stage is the stuff of dreams. And totally mind-blowing. This is a lucky batch of Jr. NBA All-Stars indeed! Even past All-Stars like Ricci Rivero, Kobe Paras, Aljun Melecio, Thirdy Ravena, Kiefer Ravena, Aljon Mariano and Kai Sotto did not have this basketball dream to aspire for during their Jr. NBA lifetimes.

Who can nominate?

Professional level: Entries may be submitted by any person or organization wishing to direct

the attention of the CMMA to a meritorious program, series, article, material and the like. A person or a company may submit more than one entry in each category. Entries need not be Christian and nominees need not be Catholics. All entries must be those media works released from May 2018 to April 2019.

Student level: All bona fide students enrolled in any of the participating schools, colleges and

universities within the school year 2018-2019.

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Your saving word

EAR God, Your saving word is our hope and our refuge. In faith and love we pray: God of the living, hear our prayer. Renew the spirits of those who are disillusioned, disappointed or discouraged. Relieve the burden of those with great responsibility and inspire them to serve more for the good of others. Rescue those who are tempted to take their own life, and make them more closer to You with the help of Your grace. May the word of God take root in our hearts and bear fruit in peace and love, through Christ our Savior. Amen. GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

Life BusinessMirror

REELING: WRITING DISASTER D4

Thursday, April 25, 2019

‘The goal is to stay on top’ Marco Polo Ortigas Manila is on a historic roll, earning in February the coveted Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating for the third straight year. The brand’s GM explains how they take in the high distinction, while the Forbes Travel Guide CEO contextualizes the feat by detailing their impossibly stringent inspection process.

BY JT NISAY

N 2017, at just under three years of operations, Marco Polo Ortigas Manila became the first hotel in the Philippines, along with another brand, to win the highest honor from the gold standard of hotel star rating systems around the world: the Five-Star rating from the annual Forbes Travel Guide Star Award Winners. The brand’s general manager, Frank Reichenbach, humbly deflected the milestone victory to luck. The following year, Marco Polo Ortigas made it back-to-back wins, and the GM described the feat as magic. This year, the brand completed a three-peat, and Reichenbach credited the victory to hard work. “This is a big challenge on a daily basis,” the GM said to a roundtable of media members at the hotel’s award-winning Cantonese restaurant, Lung Hin, with the lapel pin of the Forbes Travel Guide win shining from his blazer. Marco Polo Ortigas opened in 2014 as the country’s first “sky hotel” as it sits atop a 45-story mixed-use building. It is also the first brand in Manila owned by the Hong Kong-based Marco Polo Hotels Group, following its properties in Davao and Cebu. Located in the Ortigas Commercial Business District, Marco Polo Ortigas offers 316 rooms designed to evoke luxury and comfort with modern design touches and high-end features from the subtle to the obvious, such as mounted hair dryers, in-room bath salts and a Nespresso machine. But what sets the brand apart, Reichenbach maintains, is its software of unparalleled service that he calls “the extra touch.” He said one of the major qualifications they look for in potential hires is attitude. “When a staff knocks on the door and have a little interaction with the guest, that’s important. One can be perfect technically, but if you cannot make that moment a little special, then it’s nothing. If you do, to the customers...that’s what they call luxury.” Such is the buzzword for Forbes Travel Guide,

tagged as the “global authority in luxury travel.” Launched in 1958 as the Mobil Travel Guide, it is the only independent star rating service and online travel guide for hotels, restaurants and spas. It also takes credit for creating the Five-Star rating system, which, unfortunately, countless hotel brands and star ratings services have taken advantage of. It is not unusual in the global hospitality landscape for brands to slap themselves with the “five-star” title, as guests rarely show the slightest of care to verify the source. Thus, claims could grow outrageous. One example is the rise of so-called seven star-rated hotels a few years ago. “Of those seven-star properties,” said Flip Boyen, chief executive officer of Forbes Travel Guide, “check how many have Forbes Five-Star ratings.” Boyen was in the country recently as part of a whirlwind three-week Asian tour composed of stops at 128 hotels, including Marco Polo Ortigas. He said what distinguishes them from other star rating services is their “DNA” of integrity—their ratings are not for sale. Forbes Travel Guide has 56 full-time inspectors who check-in disguised as regular guests for a minimum stay of two nights, with all expenses paid for by the Atlanta-based group. “The inspectors go home and the hotel doesn’t even know they’ve been there,” Boyen said. Each inspector is highly trained to operate on a 900-point objective criteria. Under those standards, 75 percent are service-based, or dependent on the emotional aspect of one’s stay. It is a given that top hotels have beautiful lobbies, beautiful rooms and great beds, Boyen said, but what makes the difference is the emotional experiences and memories in which the modern luxury traveler is much more interested in. “However, emotions are not too easy to explain. It’s not a tick box,” the executive said, adding that this degree of articulation makes the job of an inspector exclusive to a select few. One of the most important qualifications for the post is having the experience in luxury hotels to understand what the

manifold standards are based on. Being smart and young helps, too. Boyen took the post as Forbes Travel Guide CEO late last year. He asked around about the average age of inspectors, and was told it was 38 years old. He thought it was too young for people who should have more than enough hotel experience, but was stopped short at the moment the inspection process was explained to him. It starts, in Boyen’s words, with the hotel inspector arriving at the hotel by car. The porter opens the car. In five seconds, the inspector needs to see how is he dressed. How are the hand hygiene, nails, hair, uniform? What exactly does the doorman say? Does he say, “Welcome?” Does he say, “Welcome to the hotel?” Does he say, “Welcome to Manila?” The inspector goes out of the car and through the hotel door. The doorman opens the door—exactly the same: The inspector needs to see in five seconds how does he look, what does he say? Then the clock starts ticking. The inspector goes to reception. The clock goes on. How long does it take for me to checkin? How does this check-in happen? Do they look me in the eyes? Is there a relationship being built? Are they really welcoming? Do they really want me to be here? What exactly do they say to me? How long does it take? Now the inspector goes to the elevator. Second clock starts ticking. How long does it take for the inspector’s luggage to be delivered to the room? The guy that brings it to the room, what does he say in the elevator? Does he say, “We have a wonderful spa, three restaurants” and “This is the way you get there”? Does he then open the room door? Does he give a room orientation and explain how everything works in the room? Then the staff leaves the room. The inspector locks the door, and he or she has everything that has just happened in his head to write down. According to Boyen, the person whom he asked the average age of inspectors had this to say: “We tried it with the few people that were 55, 60 years old. By the time the room door closed, they had

Choosing the right cabin for the best flight experience WHETHER you’re traveling to your dream destination or flying for work, you know the importance of having a good flight seat. Your journey starts with picking the right cabin, and international carrier Delta Air Lines has created a guide to help you choose one for your trip. If you’re traveling for more than 20 hours and have to go straight to your first event right after landing, choose Delta One for its unparalleled comfort, privacy and luxury. Arrive at your destination well-rested and refreshed with exceptional services and amenities, such as: 180-degree flat-bed seats, featuring Westin Heavenly In-Flight bedding; refined dining experience including chefcurated menus served on Alessi serviceware and wines selected by Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson; in-seat power and USB

outlets, seat-back entertainment screens with free entertainment, noise-canceling LSTN headsets and a TUMI amenity kit with Kiehl’s products; complimentary Delta Sky Club access on the day of your flight; and Sky Priority check-in, security, and baggage handling and Premium Boarding. Designed with an emphasis on exceptional customer comfort and privacy, the Delta One suite offers each customer a private space accessed by a sliding door with thoughtfully designed personal stowage areas, an advanced in-flight entertainment system and premium trim and finishes to create an unparalleled business class experience with a comfortable, residential feel. In addition to full flat-bed seats with direct aisle access, which the airline introduced eight

years ago, the award-winning Delta One suite features: residential, private feel with a full height door; in-suite, customizable ambient lighting, including soft blue lit horizon light and “Do Not Disturb” feature; dedicated stowage; memory foam-enhanced comfort cushion; universal power outlet and high-powered USB port at every seat; and sliding privacy dividers between center suites. If your international flight is less rushed but you’d still like to make the most of your time, fly with Delta Premium Select with which you will enjoy your trip right from the start as the added features and amenities on this cabin will let you feel relaxed and completely content in the air. More information is available at www.delta. com.

forgotten everything.” “I nearly fell off my chair,” Boyen said, laughing. Aside from routine mental exercises, Forbes Travel Guide inspectors have to clock in travel mileage, as well. For the 60th Forbes Travel list published in 2018, covering the year prior as the inspection period, inspectors, trainers and other team members of the star rating company traveled a total of 4,697,296 miles around the world. That’s equivalent to 10 trips around the moon. For this year’s list, inspectors spent 190 days on the road, boarding 84 flights and writing 727,000 words in reports. The epic novel War and Peace, which took Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy six years to write, has 587,000 words. This level of dedication and expertise coats the annual Star Award Winners of Forbes Travel Guide with prestige equivalent to that of the Olympics or the Oscars. There are three categories in the coveted list. The entry-level is the Recommended, or “excellent properties with consistently good service and facilities.” Next is the Four-Star, or “exceptional properties, offering high levels of service and quality of facility to match.” Finally, the top of the heap, the Five-Star, or “outstanding, often iconic properties with virtually flawless service and amazing facilities.” Boyen said that winning the Five-Star honors for three consecutive years, especially the way a young brand like Marco Polo Ortigas Manila did, is “amazing.” He said standards are made more difficult every year to keep up with evolving trends. “Standards today are very different from what they were 20 years ago,” he said. “For next year, we’re going to develop some sustainability standards and integration of technology.” For Reichenbach’s part, the Marco Polo Ortigas general manager, their focus is to deliver awardwinning service constantly, with sights set on a fourth Five-Star rating from Forbes Travel Guide. “Our goal is to make sure we stay on top,” he said. “We have to deliver every day—today, tomorrow. It’s a good challenge. It’s also a good training.” ■

Thursday, April 25, 2019

SHREDDED Beef Tacos, the recipe of which in the cookbook How to Braise Everything. AP

Entertaining BusinessMirror

Short ribs in beer and cider vinegar lead to great tacos

Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: America Ferrera, 35; Melissa Joan Hart, 43; Conan O’Brien, 56; Jane Leeves, 58.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Deal with each situation you face separately. There will be highs and lows, but regardless of what comes your way, control will be what makes the difference between stagnating and reaching your objective. Don’t let the past interfere with what you want in the future. Show how individualistic you can be, and you’ll gain respect, followers and help achieving your goals. Your lucky numbers are 2, 16, 22, 24, 30, 36, 44.

ARNE deshebrada, literally meaning “shredded beef,” is a common offering at Mexican taco stands. It’s made by braising a large cut of beef until ultra-tender and then shredding the meat and tossing it with a flavorful rojo sauce made with tomatoes and/or dried chiles. Although short ribs are a bit nontraditional, their ultra-beefy flavor made them an excellent choice. To achieve flavorful browning, we raised the beef up out of the braising liquid by resting it on onion rounds; the ambient heat browned the short ribs just enough for this dish. Next, we created a braising liquid that would infuse the beef with flavor and later act as a base for our rojo sauce. Beer and cider vinegar provided depth and brightness, and tomato paste boosted savory flavor. Smoky-sweet ancho chiles gave the sauce a rounder flavor and a gentle, spicy kick. Cumin, cinnamon, cloves, oregano, and bay leaves added warmth and complexity. Once the beef had finished cooking, we pureed the braising liquid into a sauce with a smooth, luxurious consistency. A bright, tangy slaw provided a nice counterbalance to the rich meat. Use a full-bodied lager or ale such as Dos Equis or Sierra Nevada.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Consider the possibilities, but don’t be too quick to let others know your plans. Preparation will make a difference to the way things unfold. If you lack confidence, someone else will take over, as well as take credit for what you do. HH

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Step into the spotlight. If you stand up for your beliefs, you will encourage others to do the same. Opportunity is something you go after, not something that comes to you. Be ready to jump in and take over. HHHHH

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Choose the people you associate with carefully. Having common interests and goals will help you avoid involvement in situations that aren’t conducive to getting ahead. HHH

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put less emphasis on appearances and more on your pursuits. Don’t worry so much about what others think when it’s what you do that counts. Surround yourself with people who are supportive and willing to offer positive suggestions and hands-on help. HHH

SHREDDED BEEF TACOS Servings: 6 to 8 Start to finish: 3 1/2 hours 1 1/2 cups beer 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1/2 inch pieces (1 cup) 1/2 cup cider vinegar 2 tablespoons tomato paste 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled 3 bay leaves 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons dried oregano Salt and pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 large onion, sliced into 1/2 inch-thick rounds 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed and cut into 2 inch cubes 18 (6 inch) corn tortillas, warmed 1 recipe Cabbage-Carrot Slaw (recipe follows) 4 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup) Lime wedges Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325°F. Combine beer, anchos, vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cloves, and cinnamon in Dutch oven. Arrange onion rounds in single layer on bottom of pot. Place beef on top of onion rounds in single layer. Cover and cook until meat is well

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Explore possibilities, meet new people and consider what you want to do next. Communication and educational events will lead to the guidelines required to change what isn’t working for you into something that will. Romance is on the rise. HHH

f browned and tender, two-and-a-half to three hours. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to large bowl, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and set aside. Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer into 2 cup liquid measuring cup (do not wash pot). Discard onion rounds and bay leaves. Transfer remaining solids to blender. Let strained liquid settle for five minutes, then skim any fat from surface. Add water as needed to equal 1 cup. Pour liquid into blender with reserved solids and blend until smooth, about two minutes. Transfer sauce to now-empty pot. Using two forks, shred beef into bite-size pieces. Bring sauce to simmer over medium heat. Add beef and stir to coat. Season with salt to taste. (Beef can be refrigerated for up to two days; gently reheat before serving.) Spoon small amount of beef into each warm tortilla and serve, passing slaw, queso fresco and lime wedges separately.

CABBAGE-CARROT SLAW 1 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup water 1 tablespoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 head green cabbage, cored and sliced thin (6 cups) 1 onion, sliced thin 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded 1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro Whisk vinegar, water, sugar and salt in large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cabbage, onion, carrot, jalapeño, and oregano and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours. Drain slaw and stir in cilantro right before serving. AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN/AP

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Refuse to let anyone stand between you and the things you want to do. Walk away from people using emotional tactics or lies to squelch your personal growth. Gravitate toward opportunities and selfimprovement. HHHHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Walk away from unfair situations. Form relationships with those who want to learn and explore the same things you do. Partnerships can be good if you are with the right person. Don’t saddle yourself with responsibilities that don’t belong to you. HH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): If you crave change, do something about it. Attending a reunion or connecting with someone from your past will help you revisit dreams and ideas you have yet to accomplish. An unexpected proposal will lead to research and new possibilities. HHHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Home, family and personal relationships are highlighted. Refuse to let anyone interfere in the importance of spending time with the ones you love. Don’t let anyone meddle in your personal affairs. HHH

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You stand to make some money or improve your assets if you make changes to your home or the way you live. Cut costs or sell off things you no longer need, and you’ll feel good about what you’ve achieved. HHH

Meat-free meal prepared the way you like it WHETHER as a matter of health or principle, consumers can enjoy sumptuous red meatless meals at Isla Sugbu Seafood City at Venice Grand Canal Mall in Taguig City. At Seafood City (www.seafoodcity.ph), you can abstain from meat by opting for its unique offering called Paluto All-You-Can. Select from a wide array of fresh and live seafood, and have it cooked the way you like it until you have your fill. If you do not have any dish in mind, you can choose from its delectable selection of bestselling dishes, such as salted egg shrimp, oysters topped with garlic and cheese, fresh crabs in chili sauce, squid in garlic teriyaki sauce and steamed parrot fish. Whether you want something

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extravagant or just a simple, well-cooked dish, Seafood City is ready to serve appetizing meals for you and your family and friends. You can enjoy all that seafood goodness at the promo rate of P888 until May 31. Actual price per head is P1,300. Isla Sugbu Seafood City, Cebu’s best seafood restaurant, is operated and managed by the Kuya J Group, which also owns concept foodie destinations Tsay Cheng Chinese Cuisine, Majestic Restaurant and the heritage Grand Convention Center of Cebu. Recently, the group agreed to develop and grow locally one of the most popular fast-food chains in the US, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): How you handle your domestic affairs and personal finances will make a difference to the way others perceive you. If someone tries to recruit you or persuade you to be a follower, find your own path and do your own thing. HHH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Avoid trouble. If someone is being impossible to deal with or trying to entice you into something decadent, walk away. You’ll do best if you associate with people pursuing a good cause. HHHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are ambitious, risky and opportunistic. You are aggressive and courageous.

‘me first!’ BY ROSS TRUDEAU The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Italian automaker 5 What straphangers do 10 Mad ___: Fury Road 13 Start of a play 14 Robbie skating biopic, 2017 15 College wall vine 16 Bronx cheer 17 Hang around 18 Pince-___ 19 Eckhart monster film, 2014 22 Crooner Mel 23 Movie lot locales 24 Executive washroom access, say 27 Senior’s workplace concern 29 “Scout’s honor!” 30 Interrupting jazz technique 35 Captain’s journal 36 “So excited!,” or a hint to the starred answers 39 Luau staple 40 Illusionist’s coy explanation 41 One-eighty 43 Camera memory chip

7 Peninsula south of California 4 48 Brunch, e.g. 52 Swiss calculus pioneer 53 Trevino Newbery winner about a portrait, 1965 56 Graffiti, to some 58 Policy unfriendly to Tibetans? 59 Wide-eyed 60 Possesses 61 Asimov sci-fi book, 1950 62 H.S. class with sines 63 Nahasapeemapetilon of The Simpsons 64 Fork prongs 65 Counting rhyme opener DOWN 1 Sizzling tortilla dish 2 Arctic mist 3 Pied-___ 4 Coffee-flavored Italian dessert 5 Messy rooms 6 1,000 kilograms 7 Teen feeling 8 Vetoes, in Moscow

9 “Double-dog” challenge 10 Broadway legend Liza 11 Many a Monopoly property: Abbr. 12 ABC counterpart 14 Type 20 Uses as a roost 21 Wall St. debut 25 Really funny person 26 Gunpowder container 28 ___’s applesauce 29 Fresh thought 31 Mac alternatives 32 Scottish topper 33 Once ___ blue moon 34 Corporate gatherings: Abbr. 36 Least bit 37 Grappling martial art 38 Precise 39 Place to play darts 42 The Big Bang Theory role 44 Porto ___, Brazil (REGALE anagram) 45 Sign up for again 46 Seemingly endless 48 Native Kiwi

9 Conclude with 4 50 Southwest brick 51 Toy bricks 54 Inch or ounce 55 S.F. winter hours 56 “Eureka!” 57 Childish Gambino genre

Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Parentlife BusinessMirror

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Thursday, April 25, 2019

SWIM in style with this exclusive fashionable Flamingo inflatable

CLOCKWISE: Meagan at one of the trade fairs when she was nine; Meagan and I with Charo SantosConcio in one of our officesponsored events; Marcus helping me at the check-out counter when he was six; Marcus trying out new samples in my office; and Meagan and Marcus amusing themselves with “rock, paper, scissors” while I was on a store check

It’s all about fun THE favorite family destination Toy Kingdom brings the most amazing inflatables, trendy floaters and splashy pools, giving families more reasons why we “Gotta Love Summer.” Plunge into the cool waters in style with unique and vibrant inflatables like the Flamingo Island, Mega Unicorn Island, Camel Pool Float and Pop Rhino Ostrich Floater. There are also trendy floaters inspired by kids’ favorite snacks: Popcorn Mat, Potato Chips Float, French Fries Float and Hamburger Island that will surely make you crave. Summer is also more fun with exciting pool parties with family and friends. Check out this Prism Frame Oval Pool Set that is easy to assemble and comes in a huge size for the entire family to enjoy. Toy Kingdom also has other stylish swim essentials for kids; Hydro Swim Glider Set and Metallic Mermaid Tail for a more fun water adventure. Keep cool in stylish inflatables and floaters at Toy Kingdom (www.toykingdom.ph). These amazing summer treats are available at Toy Kingdom Express outlets in The SM Stores and Toy Kingdom stores in most SM Supermalls.

M2M2: The lifelong benefits of ‘playful labor’ MOMMY NO LIMITS

MAYE YAO CO SAY POP in the summer fun with this Popcorn Mat

mommynolimits@gmail.com

L COLORFUL and vibrant Pop Rhino Ostrich fun floater

ENJOY a family pool party with this Prism Frame Oval Pool Set

ABOR Day is coming up. I thought it best to do another M2M2 series for my kids. M2M2 means “Mom to Meagan and Marcus [M squared]” reflecting our common love for Math. Here goes my first M2M2 about work: Marcus, remember last year when you were so into Marvel, I was amazed that you would be in your room forming every Marvel Lego brick set with such speed and precision. We started with blocks as early as when you were one. Mom would teach you colors using blocks because you preferred holding things than just looking at pictures. We would play bowling with blocks stacked up vertically and you loved seeing them fall down. When I got you your first brick set, you got frustrated because you found the directions hard to follow. Later on, you just did them on your own. We were amazed with your concentration. Each attempt of finishing a set was a great practice of “work.” Meagan, when you were in Prep II, your teacher called my attention that you told her, “I will only listen to my mom.” She said you can listen to me at home but you said, “My mom is always out of the country.” I had a scheduled business trip coming up at the time, and your dad suggested I take you along so you could understand what mom did when I was not with you. I was amazed how behaved you were... from riding public buses to factories in China, to just sitting by the corner drawing, gadget-free, while I was

in meetings. By our last showroom, you even took me to one corner and showed me your own chosen footwear design. Since then, you have been with me to countless trade shows. Last year, you were with me to a Quinny convention where you even insisted I asked your question. The head of product development told me afterwards that they appreciated how thoroughly our company thought of their product because of that question. Marcus, you would always say, “Mom, why do you work so much? You need to be more balanced.” I would always tell you that I don’t really feel what I was doing “work” because I enjoyed it. You would always have that doubtful look on your face. I hope my stories below would enlighten you. When I was growing up, everyone in the house had full-time jobs. However, my grandaunt, would still prepare me a glass of milk every night and read me Chinese bedtime stories. My grandparents would be there every breakfast and send us off to school. They would even surprise me with a hamburger from the corner shop as a treat when I would help at their textile shop. Because of many similar experiences as a child, I saw early on that work was never confined to the four corners of the office or to a set “role.” It was a choice made because a task needed to be done. It was a task done well because the task was done out of genuine love and care. Second, many of my afternoons were spent doing “playful” work. The family was selling large spools of thread in the early 1980s. We would weigh them to determine the price. When there were no customers, I would ask the helper to repeatedly lift me and put me on the scale. It was fun to see how much I weighed each time. Last, your kongkong (grandfather) would always warn me not to be picky about tasks. This means that when a task is open, do it, because every task is bound to teach you a lesson. I remember the company closed a deal with a branded drink. Part of the deal was we had to put

a logo sticker on each of the boxes. To avoid double handling, we did this sticker procedure in their warehouse. I was sent there everyday to perform this task. I saw the number of boxes and felt the impossibility of finishing this task. There was a lot of trial and error but after a few days, I knew exactly which side of the master carton to open so I could attach the sticker without having to take out each box anymore. Looking back, I would always treat work like a playful science experiment. All the work performed came without any reward. Slowly, I realized the reward of work was work itself. Meagan and Marcus, thanks for keeping yourself entertained when you were with mom at work. During your summer breaks, Meagan, it is good that you voluntarily ask for your office assignment. Both of you should thank Chichi (how my kids fondly call my sister) for planning tasks that provide learning moments, as well as making break times fun for you. I hope that these playful work experiences have helped you gain confidence in school. I hope you feel that since you “practiced” work outside, a lot of work in school has become less intimidating. Remember some of mom’s advice below: ■ FIND WORK.—The more you are given small jobs to do, the more you should be thankful that the person trusts you to perform this task even if you are young. That’s why I let you put the groceries at the check out counter. ■ TRY WORK LIKE PLAY.—We love to play as kids. We love the feeling of finishing a puzzle or playing the role of adults like cooking or driving. Work is no different. The key is being interested enough and putting in the time and effort to finish the task. ■ THE AIM IS NOT PERFECTION. IT IS FAMILIARITY AND CONFIDENCE.—Remember that familiarity does not mean perfection. There would always be better ways of doing things. Be open to them. The aim is not to be perfect nor to be always right, but to learn from every task. ■

Women’s Summit: Focus on bettering the ‘balance’ MARKING an extraordinary celebration of all kinds of women, CNN Philippines held its Women’s Summit, billed as “Taking Charge: #BalanceforBetter,” at the Samsung Hall SM Aura Premier recently. Now on its second year, the summit highlighted women empowerment and further raised awareness on gender equality in society. Vice President Leni Robredo delivered the opening remarks, saying, “The woman of today has never been as empowered, as strong and as remarkably confident than ever before. And today, we gather as one community to celebrate how far we have gone. Today, we celebrate our women’s resilience, strength and bravery throughout history.” The summit aimed to inspire women to take a stand toward creating a non-gender

biased community and celebrate women who have succeeded in different aspects of life. Keynote speakers for the event included women leaders Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat, parenting, relationship and family life specialist Dr. Michele Alignay, and CNN International senior correspondent Paula Hancocks. Alignay took center stage to underscore the importance of being a woman in the family and taking care of each member’s well-being. Alignay has collaborated with SM Supermalls (www.smsupermalls. com) this summer for the campaign #WeHaveEachOther, a weekly video series ongoing until May tackling the topic of social play for parents to spend more time with their kids and loved ones.

The Women’s Summit also set up a marketplace which featured women entrepreneurs and their products, such as handcrafted goods, locally made designer wares, cosmetics and healthy snacks. The fair offered health and financial advice to attendees. A panel discussion was also held, led by The Moment Group restauranteur and Cofounder Abba Nappa; The Center of International Trade Expositions and Missions Executive Director Pauline Juan; Dentsu Jayme Syfu Chairmom and Chief Creative Officer Merlee Jayme; Evident CEO and Founder Cecile Dominguez-Yujuico; Grrrl Gang Manila Cofounder Marla Darwin; and AHA Learning Center Executive Director Jaton Zulueta.

CNN Philippines’s Pinky Webb onstage with CNN International Correspondent and keynote speaker Paula Hancocks at this year’s Women’s Summit

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Thursday, April 25, 2019

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PHOTO BY NONIE REYES

PRINCE Louis at home in Norfolk, England. The photo was taken by his mother, Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. AP

New photos mark 1st birthday of Britain’s Prince Louis LONDON—Britain’s Prince William and his wife, Kate, have released new photos of their youngest child Prince Louis to celebrate his first birthday. Prince Louis reached the milestone on Tuesday. The photos, taken by Kate, show him playing in the garden of the family’s home in Norfolk, on England’s eastern coast. Louis is fifth in line to the throne, behind his grandfather, Prince Charles; his father, Prince William; his brother, Prince George; and his sister, Princess Charlotte. Louis is a great-grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, who turned 93 on Sunday. He has largely been kept out of the public eye since he was born. AP

Writing disaster REELING

TITO GENOVA VALIENTE

titovaliente@yahoo.com

TICKETS TO PARK BO-GUM’S FAN EVENT UP FOR GRABS K-DRAMA fans are in for a treat. TNT and Ovation Productions are bringing in South Korean breakthrough actor and superstar Park Bo-gum to the Mall of Asia Arena for the Manila stop of his 2019 Asia tour, titled “May Your Every Day Be A Good Day.” The fan meet is Park Bo-gum’s way of expressing his gratitude to fans who have supported his blossoming career, and TNT is here to give fans the exclusive Hi-Touch experience with one of K-drama’s biggest stars. Park Bo-gum fans can win tickets to his fan meet on April 27 by joining TNT’s online promos on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. First, answer one of Park Bo-gum related questions in the Facebook 360 post at www.facebook.com/ TNTph. Then create your own GIF or photo meme using Park Bo-gum’s videos or photos and post it on Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #TNTParkBoGumMNL. Create your own Park Bo-gum Good Day fan art and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #TNTParkBoGumMNL At the actual fan meet event, all fans will get the Hi-Touch royalty experience from Park Bo-gum and Good Day Manila official posters. Park Bo-gum has had a steady rise in Korean pop culture since his debut in 2011, eventually breaking through in the 2016 K-drama series Love in the Moonlight, which earned him a number of awards including Outstanding Korean Actor at the Seoul International Awards, Most Popular Actor for Television at the Baeksang Arts Awards, and No. 1 on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list, just to name a few. Park is the youngest artist to be awarded the Actor of the Year by Gallup Korea, and also served as the country’s torchbearer in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The latest news and promos about Park Bo-gum fan meet are available at www.tntph.com.

T was five in the afternoon in a bookshop called BookSale. I was holding on to three books. Three nice books, nice in the chill way: All About Men (a collection of essays about the male experience in war, vanity, love, infidelity, violence and more), for P50; The Rough Guide to the Yucatán (described as one of the classiest series of travel books around), for P20; and The Opposing Thumb: Decoding Literature of the Marcos Regime. The third book is written by Leonard Casper, an American writer and literary critic who stayed and taught in the Philippines from the 1950s to the 1970s. The book, engaging enough, was a treasure and a steal for P5. I was traveling through the cushy highways of Cancun and was about to enter the muggy river valleys of the Chiapas when the fluorescent lights started to flicker. There were three of us in the bookstore and we all looked up, in anticipation of a brownout. The lights came back and we felt something else. The shelves and the books were shaking. I was feeling dizzy. The older man beside me said, almost in a whisper: Earthquake. There was an earthquake. Then it stopped. We all looked around and at each other. We became friends in those seconds. Then the tremors came back. I found myself outside. People rushed outside: the clients in a nearby beauty spa and the workers from the huge grocery. The rocking continued. I saw the driver of an SUV almost about to fall on his knees, as he repeatedly made the sign of the cross. The other people were looking around and making furtive glances at each other. The shaking never seemed to stop. The crowd was getting bigger and all were looking at the direction of the cranes on top of the construction behind Gateway Mall. “The crane is swaying,” one man announced

to those milling around the curb, near the sidewalk, under the eaves of the stores and beneath the trees. Shouldn’t we be looking down, at the ground, where the shaking was coming from? Would the Earth open up and swallow men, women and children? I remember the film Earthquake, featuring an all-star cast, where Charlton Heston still looking like Moses shoved a very beautiful and elegantly dressed Ava Gardner under a van. I guess I have been watching too many bad disaster films that when real disasters come, my reflex is to go back to my memories of disaster. These memories all came from films. I did not notice when the tremblor ceased but as I turned to my left, dear friend Frank Peñones, the writer, was walking toward me grinning. He said he was checking about the status of the provincial buses if they were still being allowed into the city. Frank is a Bicolano like me and we travel regularly from Naga (in my case) and Iriga (in Frank’s case). Frank then looked around and asked why people were all outside, on the street. “Didn’t you feel the earthquake?” I asked him. Obviously, his mind was on the banning of provincianos into the city, that he did not all notice the Earth shook. It was already m0re than 20 minutes after the earthquake but it was only that time the many employees from the surrounding offices and stores began to troop outside their buildings. Most of them were wearing black. Frank and I did not get what was happening then. Are people protesting? Is this the beginning of the rebellion? Unfortunately, Frank had already left. He did not find the answers to our queries. Two insights were gleaned that afternoon: there were many call-center agents and staff in the area, and most of them wore black. That evening, the news that filled the Internet were all about the earthquakes. The new technologies were providing us with the updates. Photos were being shared and they were earthshaking, to say the least. There was a photo of the pool from one of the high-rise buildings in Bonifacio Global City falling off the side of the structure. The building appeared to be spewing mist and smoke. Pampanga turned out to be the most devastated of the places in the country. Malls collapsed; welcome arches made of cement crumbled. There were deaths in the area.

There was, however, no need for the old networks and their predictable newscasting. Observers online were more original and creative. Siegfried Barros Sanchez, a noted filmmaker who goes by the Facebook name “Boy Bardagol,” observed something which he termed ironic at the time of the earthquake in Ortigas. He noted how the “office boys” and “office girls” started to rush out chatting about what they experienced as nakakatakot (scary) while those working in construction just continued working. Boy Bardagol summed it all up in a loud statement: THE RISKIER THE WORK, THE MORE DEDICATED THE WORKERS ARE! He contrasted this work ethic to those who started whining after the Wi-Fi stopped working. Marne Kilates, multi-awarded poet and translator, was acerbic about the kind of reporting we get from mainstream TV news programs: “One of the reasons I seldom watch our own TV programs is that there seems to be no professional, adequate, or minimally accurate news reporting that can be had from the news or talk shows, whether they’re conducted in Filipino or English [or even when the hosts and interviewees freely shift between the two languages [nothing wrong there]. The quality of the reporting leaves much to be desired. The host, the interviewer, the field reporter, the interviewee, or on-cam news source all appear to be minimally literate or educated about the topic they’re trying to discuss.” Kilates cited an example about an interview question: “‘Is the Zambales fault connected to The Big One?’ How can any fault be ‘connected’ to the Big One? The so-called Big One is something hypothetical; fault systems are geologically quite established. The source tried to explain that the fault in Zambales belongs to another group of faults that is not connected to the Marikina fault that might cause the The Big One [in Metro Manila]. [For that matter, there might be a ‘big one’ that can occur not necessarily in Metro Manila.]” Kilates described the news as “quite a mouthful”, and that it is the writer’s task is to make the statement brief but understandable to the public. Kilates also called our attention to newscasters who describe earthquake as difficult when the truth is no one could predict an earthquake, not yet anyway. Later in the evening, the death toll in Pampanga began to rise. By that time also, the number of jokes about earthquakes started to increase. Bad jokes, evil jokes. We never learn. We never know when to stop. ■

Hard Rock Café sets stage for new location HARD Rock is celebrating the grand opening of its cafe in Manila by bringing the brand’s one-of-a-kind blend of music, entertainment, iconic merchandise and authentic, American fare to the region. The 223 square-foot, state-of-the-art café is hosting its grand opening party on April 30, 7 pm, with a smash—a guitar smash. The new café will open at S Maison in the Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. The event will be a rock star affair with Arnel Pineda, Journey’s lead vocalist, joining Anibal Fernandez, vice president of franchise operations and development for Hard Rock International; Steve Yang, area vice president of development and operations for Asia Pacific at Hard Rock International; and John Paul Manuud, The Bistro Group’s chief operating officer, to set the stage for this epic celebration. “We are excited to reopen our doors in Manila

with a bang by hosting a guitar smashing event,” said Fernandez. “Hard Rock Café Manila will provide a best-in-class entertainment and dining experience for guests, which fans will be able to experience firsthand at our grand opening event.” The party will be kicked off by a motorcade steered by the Harley Davidson Group Manila. After Pineda’s performance, The Ice Bucket Band, a weekly mainstay at Hard Rock Café Manila, will take center stage with their outstanding renditions of songs by Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Styx and many more of the greatest rock idols of all time. Guests of Hard Rock Café Manila can enjoy fresh, high-quality items from Hard Rock’s menu, including a selection of fan-favorite Legendary Burgers, each featuring unique toppings, savory sauces and rich, melted cheeses. Hard Rock’s smokehouse offerings utilize the

very best Hickory wood chips to slowly cook its ribs, chicken and pork to juicy, tender perfection. In addition to its food, Hard Rock Café’s extensive, award-winning drinks menu includes Hurricanes, Margaritas, signature favorites and Alternative Rock (alcohol-free) beverages, all available in Hard Rock’s souvenir, collectible glassware. The Manila café’s Rock Shop offers musicinspired items, as well as collectible Hard Rock Café merchandise. Fans can acquire exclusive Manilaspecific merchandise and much-coveted signature pins at this retail location. Since it was established in 1971, Hard Rock has been committed to a wide variety of philanthropic causes and activities around the world. In every Hard Rock city, the staff makes it a priority to become a valuable community partner and Hard Rock Café Manila looks forward to continuing this tradition.

ARNEL PINEDA, Journey lead vocalist

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, April 25, 2019 E1

EARTH MONTH FEATURE

American biologist wages crusade on this side of the world

By Henrylito D. Tacio

ARRELL BLATCHLEY first caught the attention of Davao City residents and local media when he opened D’Bone Collector Museum in Barangay Bucana. But it was his findings on the cause of death of a juvenile Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) that he became the draw of international press and conservationists. The animal died a day after beaching in Barangay Cadunan in the municipality of Mabini in Compostela Valley. Recovered from the belly of the 15.4-foot sea creature were almost 40 kilograms of plastics—the most the marine biologist had ever seen inside one of those. “Plastic was just bursting out of its stomach,” Blatchley, who has

conducted several marine mammal post-mortems, told National Geographic. “We pulled out the first bag, then [a] second. By the time we hit 16 sacks—on top of the plastic, snack bags and big tangles of nylon ropes, I was like, ‘Seriously?’” He could not believe what he saw. “The plastic in some parts was so dense, it was almost becoming calcified; almost like a solid brick,” the New York Times quoted him as saying. “It had been there for so long, it had started to compact.” After finding the cause of the

whale’s death, the marine biologist wrote in a Facebook post: “It’s disgusting. Action must be taken by the government against those who continue to treat waterways and oceans as dumpsites.”

Plastic-driven economy

IN the last 10 years, Blatchley reported that 62 whales and dolphins have already died in the vicinity of Davao City. At least 47 of those pointed to plastic products and their variants as culprits. “It’s clear that we need to stop plastic at the source,” the biologist pointed out. “Not only is plastic killing marine wildlife; it’s also killing us as well.” In a report released a few years ago, the Ocean Conservancy singled out the Philippines as one of the five countries from where the majority of plastic originates. Also on the list were China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. “As rapidly developing economies,

[some] countries are now passing through a typical stage of economic growth, as consumer demand for disposable products grows more rapidly than the waste-management infrastructure,” the report said. No wonder, plastics are “now part of the Filipinos’ daily life,” to quote Senior Environmental Management Specialist Juvinia P. Serafin of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau. Plastics come in the form of acrylics, food containers and packages, utensils, sachet packs, kitchenware, toys and furniture, among others. But the most common of all are plastic bags, which British Prime Minister Theresa May dubbed as “the greatest environmental challenge facing the world.” Though more often used only once, plastic bags can’t be recycled. Other similar pollutants include single-use plastics such as straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles

and most food packaging materials. The country’s so-called sachet economy has also contributed to the proliferation of plastics. Products sold in single-use sachets include instant coffee, soap, shampoo, cooking oil, food seasoning and toothpaste. Once they’re used, they are just thrown away. “Plastic, particularly those for single-use packaging, has greatly contributed to the degradation of the environment,” deplored Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu. “Plastic pollution continues to poison our oceans and injure marine life. When not properly disposed, they clog waterways and cause flooding.”

Efforts recognized

RECIPIENT of the Datu Bago award (the highest given to Davao City residents), Blatchley couldn’t agree more. That was one of the reasons he posted in his Facebook account photos of a clogged canal in Barangay 37-D, which everyone can see as

they visit his bone museum. One netizen commented: “You always complain; why don’t you clean it yourself?” That sort of challenged the biologist, and so he did clean the waterway together with his two staff members. He again posted in his page what transpired with a caption: “SERIOUSLY, Davao?” as the post went viral. The local government took notice of his deed, and so the city engineer’s office in the Davao capital joined him in the cleanup effort. Addressing Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and her constituents, Blatchley said that as an American, he is just “a guest” in their locale. “Davao has been my home for 24 years [now],” he said. “I love it here, [and] for that very reason, I am a public servant doing my part to make the Philippines cleaner and better. Continued on E2

Envoys& BusinessMirror

E2 Thursday, April 25, 2019

EFFORTS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

PHL bolsters commitment to environmental protection

AIROBI—The Philippines strengthened its commitment to environmental protection at the Ad Hoc Open-Ended working group of the United Nations Office in Nairobi’s first substantive session entitled, “Towards the Global Pact for Environment [GPE].” Head of the Philippine Delegation and Ambassador to Kenya Uriel Norman R. Garibay reiterated the country’s position, as he revealed that there already exists an integrative framework for bringing the global community’s work on the environment. He referred to the 2030 Agenda on the sustainable development goals, which brings together the social, economic and environmental spheres

supporting human development in a sustainable manner. Garibay underscored that the main concern is the delivery of commitments, anchored on the principle on “Common but Differentiated Responsibilities” (CBDR). He also thanked the UN secretary-general for his report on the Gaps in International Environmental Law and Environment-related Instruments.

PHILIPPINE Ambassador to Kenya Uriel Norman R. Garibay underscores the country’s commitment to the environment within the context of international efforts. ENB.IISD.ORG

The ambassador nevertheless assured that the Philippines will meet the constructive engagement in the GPE process, that the process cannot be rushed, and that the same should be transparent and consultative. He also emphasized that the engagement of the Philippines in the process is with the understanding that there will be “no renegotiation of already agreed principles and commitments; no disruption or dis-

traction from the continuing implementation of existing international environment agreements; and no dilution or backtracking of existing internationally commitments on the protection of environment.” Other members of the Philippine delegation to the session included Minister Leila C. Lora-Santos of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York, and May Ofrasio of the Philippine Embassy in Nairobi. DFA

Asian forest cooperation organization pact enters into force in the country

HE agreement on the establishment of the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO), which will further strengthen regional forestry cooperation in Asia, took effect in the Philippines on March 22. Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu signed the agreement on June 4, 2018, as the country deposited its Instrument of Ratification on February 20 at the AFoCO Secretariat in Seoul, South Korea. Pursuant to Article 19 of the AFoCO agreement, it takes effect in the country 30 days after the date of deposit of the instrument. The Philippines will benefit from the agreement by transforming proven technology and policies into concrete actions in the context of sustainable forest management to address the impacts of climate change. It shall promote and undertake action-oriented programs in Asia in the areas of biodiversity conservation, climate-change adaptation, foreign disaster risk reduction and capacity building, among others. Philippine biodiversity is among the most threatened in the world, and the country is losing approximately 47,000 hectares of forest cover every year, according to data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Forest Management Bureau.

This, as forests remain among the most valuable natural resources in the Philippines. It provides a range of ecosystem services: from the provision of food crops, livestock and fish, to recreational experiences. Forests also serve as home to some 12 million to 15 million indigenous peoples, provide livelihood to many families, are vital for biological conservation and environmental protection, locations for education and research, and serve as habitat for indigenous flora and fauna, as well as resettlement areas. The Republic of Korea (ROK) proposed AFoCO’s establishment at the Asean-ROK Commemorative Summit in June 2009. It evolved from the Asean-ROK Forest Cooperation, which aimed to facilitate forest cooperation, undertake projects and translate sound forest policies into action, as well as provide a platform for dialogue between Asean member-states and the ROK toward the establishment of AFoCO. Meanwhile, the AFoCO officially entered into force on April 27, 2018. As of March 2019, 14 countries have signed the agreement: Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Republic of Korea, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. DFA

Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission for the Western Pacific holds PHL session

HE Philippines hosted early this month the 12th Intergovernmental Session of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission for the Western Pacific (IOC-WESTPAC), a joint project of the Department of Foreign Affairs’s Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office and the Unesco-National Commission of the Philippines, in cooperation with the University of the Philippines-Marine Sciences Institute (UP-MSI). At the opening ceremony, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Generoso D.G. Calonge welcomed the delegates and recognized the role of the IOC-WESTPAC in ocean science and ocean management. He said that through the IOC-WESTPAC, the region is able to contribute to the global effort to better understand the oceans research

and development, science-based policy guidance, capacity building and models of cooperation. A mini-symposium on the UN Decade of Ocean Science was also organized, featuring IOC Executive Secretary Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin and UP-MSI Director Dr. Fernando P. Siringan. A signing ceremony for the letter of intent on the hosting of a regional training and research center between IOC and UP-MSI was also held on the sidelines of the meeting. The IOC-WESTPAC was established in 1989 to promote international cooperation and to coordinate programs in marine research, ocean observations, and services, as well as capacity building in the Western Pacific and adjacent seas. These are done with the aim of learning more about the nature

and resources of the ocean and coastal areas, and applying that knowledge for the improvement of governance, sustainable development and protection of the marine environment. The organization currently consists of 22 member-states mainly in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Pacific and the eastern Indian Ocean. DFA FOREIGN AFFAIRS Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office Generoso D.G. Calonge (left photo) delivers his welcome remarks, as the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission’s Executive Secretary Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin and University of the Philippines’s Chancellor Dr. Michael Tan sign the letter of intent between their institutions (right photo). DFA MOAO

American biologist wages crusade on this side of the world

BLATCHLEY poses with the author.

ALMOST 40 kilograms of plastic pulled out of the whale’s belly.

Continued from E1

“If you are a guest and the host’s house is on fire or flooding, is it not right to inform them and help?” the marine biologist rhetorically asked. Truth is, when a canal becomes full of plastic, water cannot flow. “That causes flooding,” Blatchley emphasized. “[It harbors] diseases such as leptospirosis. The flooding causes damage to roads and homes. [When that happens], the government has to repair the roads, [which cost] taxpayer’s money.” “It’s not the fault of the plastics,” he went on to say. “It is caused by the lazy, undisciplined person who dropped [them]. We blame plastics when in reality, it’s us human beings [who are solely responsible for this dilemma].“ The biologist waxed philosophical: “A bullet cannot kill without the human behind the gun. [The manner we] dispose our trash now affects everything.”

Museum owner, curator

BLATCHLEY opened D’Bone Collector Museum to the public on January 27, 2012. In the beginning, the space it occupied was only 250 square meters, housing the preserved remains of more than 150 specimens.

THE biologist pulls out a sack from the carcass of a beaked whale after its beaching in Compostela Valley. PHOTOS DARRELL BLATCHLEY

Today, the museum occupies three floors, with more than 750 sq m of displays, and over 6,500 specimens on display, thus making it the largest collection of its kind in the Philippines. “We strive to continuously raise the bar on quality,” he told this author. “Additions and new specimens are added often. Through our collection, we help educate our visitors on the importance of these species when

they were still alive, and how to save [the remainder of their kind].” The museum is on top of TripAdvisor’s list for the best places to visit in Davao, and fifth for all of Mindanao. “We want the museum to become the ‘Smithsonian of Southern Philippines,’ and will continue to raise the standards [for curation in this side of the country],” the American biologist declared.

&Expats

envoys.expats.bm@gmail.com | Thursday, April 25, 2019 E3

EMBASSIES, EVENTS, ETC.

DFA hosts nonproliferation, disarmament initiative meet

ROK names Pacquiao as honorary diplomacy envoy

AMBASSADOR of Korea to the Philippines Han Dong-man and Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao DELEGATES of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Initiative Senior Officials Meeting (NPDI-SOM) flank Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo (front row, second from left) and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s First Assistant Secretary for International Security Amanda Gorely (front row, third from left). DFA UNIO

HE Philippines was cocoordinator and cochair with Australia to prepare for a series of engagements, as Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo led the Philippine hosting of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Initiative (NPDI) Senior Officials Meeting last month in Manila.

France presents classic comedy play

HIS month for Les Jeudis culturels (Cultural Thursdays), the Embassy of France to the Philippines and the Cultural Center of the Philippines present Baka Naman Hindi, a Filipino theater adaptation of French playwright Georges Feydeau’s La Puce à l’oreille (A Flea in Her Ear) from April 25 to 29 at the CCP’s Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater). Adapted in Filipino by Virgilio “Beer” Flores and starring Ricky Davao, Randy Villarama and Lou Veloso, the play will be presented as part of the sixth edition of “Les Jeudis…” The embassy is pleased to extend its cultural program to institutional partners to reach a broader and more diverse audience for French art and culture. Baka Naman Hindi is a classic farce filled with innuendo, physical comedy and snappy dialogue. Dealing with jealousy, love and lust between longtime couples and new friends, it is a humorous tale set amid the French “belle époque” of the early 1900s. Tickets are priced at P1,000 and P1,200 (with a 50-percent student, 20-percent senior citizen, persons with disability and governmentemployee discounts), and may be purchased at the CCP Box Office or through TicketWorld.

The meeting was part of the preparations for the upcoming third Preparatory Committee of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to be held from April 29 to May 10, 2019, in New York, and ultimately for the NPT Review Conference in 2020. NPDI members discussed the next vital steps and approaches it will take on nuclear disarmament to promote concrete and practical measures toward a successful 2020 NPT Review Conference, such as refining the group’s working papers and its outreach activities with other concerned parties.

The country welcomed 24 delegates from the NPDI country members, who included those from Australia, Canada, Chile, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland and Turkey. The Philippines joined the NPDI in 2013, recognizing its significance in the NPT process and to take part in the efforts to bridge the gap between states with differing positions on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. From then on, the country has sought out areas of convergence on the implementation of the NPT and how to best move forward. DFA

New hotel resident manager named

EW World Manila Bay Hotel announces the promotion of Nantha Kumar as the hotel’s resident manager. With almost two decades of hospitality experience, Kumar has imparted his managerial expertise to New World Manila Bay Hotel since becoming its executive assistant manager for food and beverage (F&B) in 2016. For this new role, he will oversee the hotel’s day-to-day operations with a strong regard toward sustainability. Kumar also aims to keep the hotel’s top position on TripAdvisor by sharing the same passion with the team in providing guests with genuine and heartfelt service. The new appointee has a rich understanding of luxury hospitality, being able to hold executive posi-

NEW World Manila Bay Hotel Resident Manager Nantha Kumar

tions with several international hotel brands. He was with Shangri-La

Hotels and Resorts before joining Rosewood Hotel Group in 2012 as the director of F&B for two hotels; New World Shanghai Hotel and Pentahotel Shanghai. He was then promoted to become the hotels’ executive assistant manager for F&B before joining Rosewood Sanya’s preopening team in 2016. In the same year, he headed over to the Philippines to become the executive assistant manager for F&B of New World Manila Bay Hotel. A Malaysian national, Kumar is a graduate of Stamford College in Kuala Lumpur, holding a diploma in American Hotel and Motel Association. During his downtime, he watches English football following his favorite team, the Arsenal Football Club. Given a chance, he plans to take up a course in interior design.

Ambassador decorates entrepreneur with Star of Italy

HE Italian government recently knighted the cofounder of Bacchus International Inc. Alex Lichaytoo with a Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia (Order of the Star of Italy) on March 16 in recognition for his contributions in bridging Philippine and Italian culture. Ambassador of Italy to the Philippines Giorgio Gulielmino personally presented Lichaytoo with the award. Lichaytoo and his brother Clifford established Bacchus International in 1995 with the goal of bringing premium wines to the country. Over the years, Bacchus has become a household name in the Philippines for its excellent collection. The newly knighted Filipino businessman had also regularly visited the regions of Piedmont and Parma in Italy to look at various food products that would expand the horizons of the Filipino’s palate.

AMBASSADOR of Italy to the Philippines Giorgio Gulielmino and Alex Lichaytoo

HE embassy of the Republic of Korea has designated Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao as honorary ambassador for Public Diplomacy and president of the Platinum Jubilee Committee. The appointment was made on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee, or the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and South Korea, which began on March 3, 1949. According to the embassy, Pacquiao was recognized as “the perfect candidate for this position, because he is a man of great discipline and determination, having risen from a life of adversity to achieve success not only in the ring of professional boxing, but also in the arena of politics and governance, and also because he is exceptionally popular all over the world as a legendary athlete with boxing championship titles in eight divisions.” “Notably, Senator Pacquiao is beloved not only in the Philippines, but, likewise, in Korea,” according

to a statement from the embassy, and added, “When he and his family went to Korea in December 2017, he was named as Seoul Global Ambassador for his leading role in enhancing the relationship and exchanges between Korea and the Philippines.” “During his extended vacation, he also appeared in the Korean variety show Infinite Challenge, which was viewed by millions of Koreans and Filipinos. Significantly, he donated his entire TV appearance fee to Loving Hands, a [nongovernment organization] that provides one-onone mentoring to single parents, children and teenagers.” It went on to state: “His accomplishments in sports and politics, coupled with his family values and Christian charity, as well as his esteemed status in the Philippines and in Korea, give him the ability to act as a vital link to further strengthen relations between the two countries in the wake of 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between them.”

Indian singer serenades in annual ‘musical soirée’

WONDERFUL night is set to unfold as Roma Pradhan takes to the stage anew for her annual Musical Soirée V, which is sure to be filled with “great music.” The musical will take place on April 27 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium in RCBC Plaza, Makati City, starting at 6 p.m. According to organizers, the fifth installment of her annual fund-raising show promises to be even better than previous years as Pradhan will be performing a variety of Hindi music genres ranging from Bollywood classics to modern hits. As in previous years, Pradhan is also known for performing a Tagalog song in each show. This time, she will be singing “Tagumpay Nating Lahat,” originally by award-winning international Broadway star Lea Salonga. Proceeds of Musical Soirée V will finance the education of 33 elementary school students from “Tahanan ng Pagmamahal.” This is the second year that Pradhan’s concert will benefit the Taguig-based nonprofit organization. In its first year, the profits of this charity event helped the organization Ang Misyon. The various stagings of musical soirée have also supported the orphanage Shepherd of the Hills for the past two years. Likewise, the show exposes these organizations to potential donors, further supporting their

ROMA PRADHAN

charitable causes. Pradhan, who hails from Calcutta, India, is a successful artist who uses her God-given talent for the good of others. Growing up in a traditional household, singing has been her passion as well as her brother’s since their childhood. She started learning Indian classical vocal music at the age of 7. Since then there was no looking back for her. She is considered as “Sangeet Prabhakar” in Hindustani classical music and has won numerous singing competitions and awards. This led her to become a sought-after singer who has performed at both intimate venues and bigger stages as a professional. The event is sponsored by Citi, Globe, HGS and Gulf Oil. Ticket price is at P900. For inquiries or reservations, call 090-8888-5888.

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

E4 Thursday, April 25, 2019

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MISSION: PHL

EU ambassadors, LGU celebrate Tarlac recovery clinic award A MBASSADOR of the European Delegation in the Philippines Franz Jessen visited on April 12 the Tarlac outpatient recovery clinic, distinguished in the recent MISSION: PHL awards, together with fellow diplomats Michel Goffin of Belgium, Jozsef Bencze of Hungary and Elizabeth De Lang of The Netherlands.

(Editor’s note: The model recovery clinic in Tarlac was acknowledged as the very first Project of the Year of MISSION: PHL Envoys&Expats Awards. The next set of awards will be handed out in 2021.) In his message, Jessen said: “I share this award with [Tarlac] Governor Susan A. Yap and the Tarlac Recovery Clinic team for their dedication and commitment, under the leadership of the Department of Health [DOH] and the Dangerous Drug Board, [as well as] for the successful establishment of one of the first pilot recovery clinics set up in the country, with support from the European Union [EU] and other partners.” He added, “This initiative is a very good showcase of the [EU’s collaboration] with the government on its fight against illegal drugs as we, at the same time, illustrate our own experiences in addressing drug issues in Europe.”

Collaboration of many

JESSEN also paid tribute to the men and women working in the recovery clinics, to the patients and their families, communities, as well as the provincial and city governments who have supported the recovery clinics.

While in Tarlac, the ambassadors also paid a courtesy call on Yap and other mayors from Central Luzon. The Tarlac outpatient recovery clinic is one of the first to be operational out of the six pilot sites identified by the DOH. Others are in Pasay City, Mandaue City in Cebu, Oriental Mindoro, Compostela Valley and Ifugao. Said facility in Tarlac is now moving toward becoming a recovery clinic center of excellence that will serve as a training facility for others. It offers evidence-based drug abuse medical treatment in a voluntary outpatient setting that preserves human dignity via medical records privacy and confidentiality protection under Philippine laws. Likewise, the clinic has a holistic approach not only focusing on addressing addiction, but also reintegration into the community after treatment. Through this initiative, the EU supported the DOH for the development of a model voluntary medical treatment for non-severely addicted drug users. The Tarlac recovery clinic closely cooperates with the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the provision of the patients’ food and transport expenses, as well as the Technical

AMBASSADOR Franz Jessen shares details of the MISSION: PHL Project of the Year Award bestowed on the European Union’s model recovery clinics.

THE EU envoy (in barong Tagalog) listens to updates from Dr. Reena S. Boquiren (standing, left).

JESSEN (from left), together with Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra, Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año and Angeles City Mayor Edgardo D. Pamintuan inaugurate the Angeles City Justice Zone.

ON behalf of the EU, Jessen signs the message wall at the launch of the justice facility.

Education and Skills Development Authority for vocational training support to promote reintegration into the community.

Justice Zone

MEANWHILE, the EU also welcomed the establishment of the Angeles City Justice Zone by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) on the said date, in support of justice-sector reform in the Philippines. The JSCC, jointly headed by the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government, made Angeles City the first “Justice Zone” on the basis of Joint Resolution 01-2019 signed on March 7 at the meeting of the principals in Manila City. The Justice Zone is an area where local justice-sector agencies such as the police, prosecutors, judges, public attorneys and managers of deten-

tions facilities identify problems and arrive at common solutions to address them. Through an agreed structure and through two-way communication with the JSCC, the piloting of new activities could take place within the zone. During the work planning of the Angeles City Justice Zone, the members proposed to improve institutional case management by strengthening communication, coordination and cooperation within and among criminal-justice sector agencies, to enhance the capacity of criminaljustice sector agencies through improved human resources, facilities and equipment, and to improve jail conditions, as well as the paralegal program of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. Collectively, they have committed to move forward with reforms with the theme: “Abe-abe ban matibe” (translated as “Stronger Together”).

Angeles City is the fourth Justice Zone under the JSCC supported by the EU. It was selected because of its pioneering justice-sector reforms in the region. It is home to pilot projects such as the eCourt, automated hearing, eSubpoena and e-Notice, and is the site of a model Hall of Justice. The first Justice Zone was introduced in Quezon City in 2014 and continues to be an effective mechanism among justice-sector agencies in the area. The EU likewise supported the establishment of the same in Cebu City in 2018, and one in Davao City in March 2019 through the Governance in Justice (Gojust) Program. “The EU remains committed to the Philippine Development Plan by supporting the JSCC at the national level and the Justice Zone at the local level,” Jessen. “This initiative has been made possible under the collective leadership of Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin, Justice

Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra and [Local Government] Secretary Eduardo M. Año. We are confident that this event will spur similar efforts in other parts of the country on local justice coordination. “ Ambassador of Spain to the Philippines Jorge Moragas joined the rest of the envoys for the event later in the day. The establishment of the new Justice Zone is supported by the Gojust program, a three-and-ahalf-year justice sector-support endeavor funded by the EU as an important mechanism for sustainable and long-term reforms. Gojust also works in the area of decongesting the dockets of the courts and the prosecution service, capacity building in financial and administrative management for justicesector agencies, and the automation of various services for case management.

PHILIPPINE VISIT Secretary of State for Internationalization and concurrent Asian Development Bank (ADB) Alternate Governor for Portugal

Eurico Brilhante Dias (third from left) recently met with ADB President Takehiko Nakao (third from right) at the ADB Headquarters in Manila and discussed avenues to deepen the collaboration between the European country and the multilateral development bank. Both committed to explore cofinancing platforms that could allow Portugal to play a more active role in the ADB in supporting the implementation of the former’s Strategy 2030. With the gentlemen are (from left) advisor Catarina Vultos, Ambassador Rui Carmo, Honorary Consul Antonio Rufino and ADB Alternate Executive Director Enrique Martinez Galan.

DIAS (fifth from left) also led a trade mission of Portuguese companies, which participated in the ADB’s Business Opportunities Fair, and met his counterparts in the Philippines, including those from the Makati Business Club (MBC): Trustee Roberto Ocampo and MBC Chairman Edgar Chua (third and sixth from left), Rufino (fourth from left), Carmo (seventh from right) and members of the Portuguese trade mission.

BusinessMirror

Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019

GEM L. ZENAROSA, GROWING HIS BUSINESS BY FAITH

EXCLUSIVE

A MOTHER’S TALE OF PAINS AND TRIUMPHS AFTER SON’S PASSING

SUMMER VIBES AT CANARY LOUNGE

T’S summer time! Make the most out of your yearlong awaited season and indulge in an exclusive summer experience here at the Home of Happy Experiences. Spend your summer at F1 Hotel Manila as we bring back our picturesque cityglamping vibe at Canary Lounge. Fire up your Friday nights this March to May with our Barbeque Nights at Canary Lounge; a sizzling barbeque spread prepared by our chef’s and live acoustic performance by a crowd favorite, Jet Barrun. Feel the island vibes at the heart of BGC while dining alfresco, available every Friday from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at P788 net per head. Cap the moment and enjoy a Colossal Mojito good for four persons because the bigger the better! Quench that thirst for only P983 net per glass. And to make it more exciting, give our Deconstructed Burrito a try. This out of the ordinary burrito completes the experience, available daily for only P450 net per serving. Satisfy your evening staycation outdoors with some blockbusters at our Outdoor Movie Night every Saturday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., available to all hotel guests. A great way to bond with your family or end the day is with drinks, a bit of snack and quality movies at Canary Lounge. Make your day sweeter when you avail yourselves of our Cashew Nut Sansrival at P1,200 net, baked to per-

2 Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019

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DENGUE CURE IS COMING WHILE CASES SURGE

By Henrylito D. Tacio

URING the National Research and Development Conference 2019 convened by the Department of Science and Technology at the Philippine International Convention Center, a team of researchers reported that they are already doing the Phase 1 clinical trials on a herbal medicine that can hopefully cure dengue. Dr. Rita Grace Alvero, a pharmacologist-epidemiologist from the De La Salle University-Dasmariñas’s Medical and Health Sciences Institute who led the study and presented the findings, pointed out that “they were determined to pursue the full drug -development process to make the breakthrough drug to help

4 Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019

cure and stop deaths from dengue,” the Philippine Star reported. The potential dengue drug, which was formulated from a cocktail of three endemic plants, will be available by the end of 2020. “We’ve done the pre-formulation tests, we’ve done animal studies, we’ve tested for efficacy,” The Star’s Rainier

Allan Ronda quoted Alvero as saying. “We’ve done the capsule, we’ve documented the efficacy results.” The result is very encouraging. “It was given to patients with very, very low platelet counts who are bleeding already,” Alvero reported. “It reversed [the progression of the disease], and improved the wellbeing [of the patient].” But instead of being enthusiastic, Davao-based Dr. Richard T. Mata seemed to be reluctant with the findings. “Plasma leakage is the problem in dengue that causes severe internal dehydration,” pointed out Dr. Mata, a dengue consultant with the World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines. He acknowledged the team for doing such extensive study but suggested, however, that what “they

need to do” is “to replicate plasma leakage in animals and then try to cure it.” According to Dr. Mata, Thailand and Sri Lanka have zero casualties when it comes to dengue (compared to 1,000 deaths annually in the Philippines). “These countries never said they got a drug from an herb; they said it’s about correct fluid management,” he said. Research in the aforementioned countries is focused more on fluid management. In comparison, most Filipino researchers are “focused on herbs, which are actually or are already being used by many, but still the deaths are high,” Dr. Mata lamented. Once taken for granted, dengue is indeed lethal. Six-year-old Lenny was struck with fever one night af-

ter two days of rain in the town of Bansalan. But there was something different; she appeared flushed. She was irritable and had poor appetite, although she never complained about food. Sarah, the mother, observed that her daughter’s flushed skin had some white areas, but she just ignored it. Sarah thought the fever was just ordinary, so she didn’t bring her daughter to the doctor and instead gave her paracetamol, which she believed would help subside the fever. The fever indeed vanished one day only to return the following day. On the seventh day of on and off fever, Lenny experienced what most doctors called as “shock.” “Lenny was breathing rapidly,” Sarah recalled. “She was restless, and her pulse was beating fast. Her skin was cold and clammy, and she felt drowsy all the time. She was vomiting, and blood was oozing from her mouth. Before long, she completely lost consciousness.” Sarah brought her daughter to the nearest hospital, some 30 minutes away from home. One of the doctors tried to pull Lenny out of shock by replacing the fluids and blood she lost, but it was all in vain. The doctor failed to save her. Lenny died of dengue, one of the most widespread mosquito-viral diseases in the world. “After a dengue patient has gone into shock,” explained the doctor who tried to save Lenny, “it is just a matter of time before multi-organ failure occurs and death becomes inevitable.” Bansalan is in Davao del Sur, one of the provinces in Davao region to be included as a “hot spot” in the Den-

gue Surveillance Report of the Department of Health. Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley also made it to the list. Other dengue hot-spot provinces listed in Mindanao were Zamboanga del Sur, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, South Cotabato, Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte. Also included among the dengue hot-spot provinces were Aurora, Bulacan, Isabela, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro and Romblon in Luzon and Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol and Samar in the Visayas. Within three months (from January 1 to March 30 of this year), the health department reported 55,976 dengue cases. The figure was higher compared to dengue cases recorded in the same period last year: 31,247. The number of deaths was also higher: 227 this year compared to 168 last year. Most of those deaths were recorded in Central Visayas (37), followed by Western Visayas (27), then Cagayan Valley (22) and finally Calabarzon (20). The higher figure of dengue cases and deaths is inevitable. As Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo told reporters in Manila: “It really seems were seeing a lot of cases this year. It’s the natural cycle. Two years with low cases, one year with high cases. It looks like this is that year.” The dengue virus is transmitted to human beings through the bites of infected female mosquitoes. “After virus incubation for four to 10 days, an infected mosquito is capable of transmitting the virus for

the rest of her life,” the WHO states in its web site. However, it is the infected humans who are the main carriers and multipliers of the virus. This is the reason if there is someone in your neighborhood who has dengue, it is most likely that more people will become infected. “Patients who are already infected with the dengue virus can transmit the infection [for four to five days; maximum 12] via Aedes mosquitoes after their first symptoms appear,” the WHO says. According to the UN health agency, dengue should be suspected when a high fever is accompanied by two of the following symptoms: severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint paints, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands or rash. “Symptoms usually last for two to seven days, after an incubation period of four to 10 days after the bite from an infected mosquito,” the

MEDICATIONS, LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS KEY TO COPING WITH MIGRAINE

IGRAINE headache at its most severe feels like being smashed on the head with a hard object such as a hammer, according to 49-year-old Rowena Lazaro. “I have low tolerance for pain, but I can withstand moderate headaches and continue to function. It is only when the migraine headache becomes severe that I cry out for help and ask my husband to take me to the emergency room.” Migraine is among the top 10 most disabling disorders worldwide. It is particularly burdensome among the young and the middle-aged women. Diagnosed in 2009, Lazaro admitted that her migraine has negatively affected her lifestyle and relationship with her children. She has frequent mood swings and the most minor of reasons would make her very angry. Her children struggled to understand their mother and her condition. Fortunately, Lazaro’s husband understands the debilitating symptoms of migraine

and its heavy burden on sufferers and their loved ones. “Whenever I suffer a migraine attack, my husband turns off the lights in our bedroom and gives me my medications. I depend on him so much.” “Some people tell me ‘migraine lang naman ‘yan [It’s just migraine]’. They have no idea how debilitating migraine symptoms are because they have not yet experienced a migraine attack,” Lazaro lamented. She confessed that she can no longer live a normal life because of her migraine. “But my doctor said the best thing I could do was to accept my condition and learn how to cope with it.” Dr. Corina Maria Socorro Azores Macalintal said, “Migraine sufferers can cope with their condition and maintain quality of life through medications and lifestyle adjustments.” An Adult Neurologist at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center and Certified Headache Master by Inter-

WHO states. Dengue fever “seldom causes death,” WHO points out, but it becomes deadly when it develops into severe dengue, “a potentially deadly complication due to plasma leaking, fluid accumulation, respiratory distress, and severe bleeding or organ impairment. “Warning signs occur three to seven days after the first symptoms in conjunction with a decrease in temperature and include: severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums, fatigue, restlessness and blood in vomit,” the WHO says. Once those symptoms appear, the next 24 to 48 hours of the critical stage can be lethal. “Proper medical care is needed to avoid complication and risk of death,” the WHO urges, adding that “maintenance of the patient’s body fluid is critical to severe dengue care.”

national Headache Society (IHS), Macalintal is also a migraine sufferer. Macalintal underscored the importance of avoiding migraine triggers such as certain medications (nitrates, some antihypertension medicines, antibiotics, etc.), flashing/bright lights, strong odors, cigarette smoke, chocolate, aged cheese, monosodium glutamate-containing foods, emotional stress, inadequate sleep, among others. “Medical treatment focuses on addressing the symptoms of individual migraine attacks,” explained Macalintal. Treatment goals are to relieve migraine-related disability, pain and other symptoms; achieve maximum effectiveness by taking acute medications as early as possible after headache onset while the pain is still mild; and abort migraine attacks. Lazaro and Macalintal spoke during the “Migraine In Women Mini Round Table Discussion” organized by Novartis Healthcare Philippines on March 21, 2019, in line with this year’s celebration of National Women’s Month and the company’s advocacy to promote awareness on migraine and enhance the quality of life of migraine patients. To learn more about migraine, visit the Speak Your Migraine Facebook page at https://www. facebook.com/speakyourmigraineph.

Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019 5

20 WAYS YOU CAN GET

FOOD POISONING Salmonella: n Poultry and eggs

SALMONELLA bacteria can taint any food, although there’s a greater risk from animal products because of contact with animal feces. In chickens, it can infect eggs before the shell forms, so even clean, fresh eggs may harbor salmonella. Symptoms include stomach cramps, fever and diarrhea which usually lasts of up to 12 to 72 hours after exposure. Illness usually lasts four to seven days. Safety: Never eat raw or lightly cooked eggs. Cook poultry to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep raw poultry separate from cooked poultry and other foods. Wash hands, cutting boards, utensils and countertops after handling.

n Fresh produce

FRESH produce is catching up with poultry as a cause of salmonella infections. Outbreaks have been traced from tomatoes, hot peppers, salad greens and papayas. Sprouts, too, may harbor salmonella because they’re grown in warm, humid conditions—and are often eaten raw or lightly cooked. Infections can be severe or even fatal in people at higher risk, including babies and the frail elderly. Safety: Thoroughly wash and dry produce, and store in the fridge at 40°F.

CHIPS, crackers, soup, peanut butter, even frozen meals may pose a slight risk for salmonella infection. One salmonella outbreak was linked to peanut butter and packaged foods made with peanuts, including granola bars and cookies. In cases like these, salmonella bacteria at a processing plant can contaminate many products, which must then be recalled. Safety: Never use a product that has been recalled—immediately return it to the store or throw it away. Heating foods thoroughly to 165°F can kill salmonella bacteria.

n Raw meat

RAW meat, particularly ground meat, is at risk for salmonella contamination. Ground turkey has been linked with several salmonella outbreaks. You usually can’t tell the food is contaminated because it looks and smells normal. Safety: Cook beef, pork and lamb to at least 145°F and poultry (includ-

6 Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019

FREEPIK.COM

n Processed foods

ing ground poultry) to at least 165°F. Ground beef, pork, and lamb should be heated to 160°F. Avoid cross-contamination by washing hands and all surfaces with warm soapy water after contact with raw meat .

E. coli:

n Ground beef

E. COLI lives in the intestines of cattle and can contaminate beef during the slaughtering process. Ground beef is especially risky, because the bacteria can spread when meat is ground up. Symptoms of E. coli in-

fection include severe abdominal cramps, watery diarrhea and vomiting. The illness typically develops several days after exposure and can be severe in vulnerable people. It lasts about a week. Safety: Cook meat thoroughly (160°F, no pink in the center). Do not put a cooked burger back on a plate that held raw meat. Wash utensils, including the meat thermometer, with warm, soapy water.

n Raw juice and milk

PASTEURIZATION uses heat to kill bacteria. Since most juices you’ll find

at the grocery store have been pasteurized, they pose no risk. However, unpasteurized juices and ciders sold at farms, stands, or in health food stores, can harbor E. coli. The bacteria can also get into raw milk as a result of unclean milking equipment, or manure-soiled or infected udders. Safety: Buy only products that have been pasteurized. If you’re not sure, boil before drinking.

n Fresh produce

FRUITS and vegetables can be tainted with E. coli if the fertilizer or water used to grow them carries the

bacteria. Leafy greens are at highest risk. E. coli has been linked to fresh spinach. But produce growers have put safety measures into place to minimize the risk. Experts say the health benefits of eating fruits and veggies are far greater than the risk of food poisoning. Safety: Separate and individually wash the leaves of leafy greens, and cook vegetables to kill bacteria.

Botulism: n Canned foods

BOTULISM is a rare, potentially fatal illness linked to improperly canned or preserved foods. Homecanned foods are especially at risk, as well as honey, cured meats, and fermented, smoked or salted fish. Babies have the highest risk of getting sick. Symptoms include cramps, vomiting, breathing problems, difficulty swallowing, double vision, and weakness or paralysis. If you suspect botulism poisoning, call 911. Safety: Never give honey to children under 12 months. Throw away bulging cans, leaking jars, or foul-smelling preserved foods—or if liquid spurts out upon opening. Sterilize home-canned foods by cooking at 250°F for 30 minutes.

C. Perfringens: n Meat, stew and gravy

CLOSTRIDIUM perfringens is a type of bacteria that causes cramps and diarrhea lasting less than 24 hours. Stews, gravies, and other foods that are prepared in large quantities and kept warm for a long time before serving are a common source of C. perfringens infections. Safety: Sauces, gravies, and stews should be cooked thoroughly and then kept at a temperature above 140°F or below 41°F. Serve food hot right after cooking. Promptly refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers to allow for proper cooling.

Staph: n Sandwiches, Salads, Pastries

YES, you can get a staph infection from food when an infected person—especially someone with an open wound or skin infection on his hand—prepares it. Foods at highest risk include sandwiches, salads (including egg, tuna, chicken, potato and macaroni), cream-filled pastries, and puddings. Symptoms come on quickly, in as little as 30 minutes, and include vomiting, cramps and diarrhea. They come on so quickly because they’re caused by a preformed toxin rather than the bacteria, which also is why the condition is not contagious. The illness usually runs its course in one to three days. Safety: Wash hands thoroughly before handling food. Do not handle food if you are sick, or have a nose or

eye infection, an open wound, or infection on your hands or wrists.

Hepatitis A: n Improper food handling

HEPATITIS A is a virus that attacks the liver, and can cause fever, fatigue, nausea, weight loss and jaundice. Most infections are mild. It can spread when an infected person doesn’t wash hands properly, then touches food or items that are put in the mouth. Recent outbreaks were traced back to workers in food processing plants or restaurants. Safety: Get vaccinated against hepatitis A, especially if you are traveling to a country where hepatitis A is common. Check restaurant health ratings. Always wash hands thoroughly before handling food.

as many other foodborne illnesses, but in people with weakened immune systems it can develop into a life-threatening blood infection. Safety: Only eat thoroughly cooked shellfish. Frying, baking, boiling and steaming reduces the risk of infection. Throw away any shellfish that doesn’t open during cooking.

n Paralytic shellfish poisoning

‘Campylobacter’:

PARALYTIC shellfish poison is produced by certain types of algae. When algae “blooms”—called a red tide—it produces high levels of toxin and shellfish can be contaminated. Symptoms of PSP include tingling lips and tongue, numbness, difficulty breathing and eventual paralysis. Death from PSP can happen as soon as 30 minutes after extreme exposure. Luckily, PSP is extremely rare. Shellfish are regularly tested for toxins before being sold to the public.

n Undercooked poultry

Scombrotoxin:

AS little as one drop of raw chicken juice can cause campylobacter illness—a little-known illness that is the second-leading cause of food poisoning in the US. Symptoms can include fever, cramps, watery or often bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. The diarrhea and vomiting may not always be present. Most people recover in less than a week, but it can lead to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare, serious illness. Guillain-Barré develops a few weeks after diarrheal illness and can cause temporary paralysis. Safety: Avoid cross-contamination by washing hands, cutting surfaces, utensils, and countertops in warm, soapy water after handling raw poultry. Cook poultry to at least 165°F.

‘Norwalk Virus’: n Improper food handling

NOROVIRUSES are the most common culprits in what we think of as the “stomach flu.” They cause vomiting and watery diarrhea, and usually last 24 to 48 hours. Norwalk viruses contaminate food when a food worker doesn’t wash his or her hands after using the restroom. Foods like salad or raw shellfish pose a risk because they aren’t cooked before eating. While the virus commonly spreads by people eating contaminated food, it can also be passed from person-to-person. Safety: Always wash hands with hot, soapy water for 30 seconds after using the toilet or changing diapers, and before handling food.

‘Vibrio Vulnificus’: n Raw oysters

VIBRIO vulnificus is a bacteria that lives in warm seawater and can contaminate shellfish, particularly oysters. V. vulnificus infection causes the same gastrointestinal symptoms

n Fresh tuna

SCOMBROTOXIN poisoning is an allergy-like reaction to eating fish that has begun to spoil. Fish associated with scombrotoxin include tuna, mackerel, amberjack, and mahimahi. In the early stages of spoilage, bacteria produce histamines in the fish. This causes a burning sensation in the mouth, itchy rash, dizziness, headache and diarrhea. Symptoms usually subside within four to six hours, and antihistamines can help.

Ciguatera Poisoning: n Fish

THIS develops from eating reef fish like grouper or snapper that have consumed some types of sea algae. Symptoms develop within six hours of exposure and can include: n Burning or painful tingling in arms or legs n Headache n Nausea, vomiting n Diarrhea n Hallucinations n Temperature reversal (cold objects feel hot, hot objects feel cold) There is no cure for ciguatera poisoning, and although it usually goes away after days or weeks, neurological symptoms can sometimes last for years.

Listeria: n Raw fruits and vegetables

LISTERIA bacteria causes an infection that affects the whole body and that’s particularly dangerous for pregnant women and newborns. The bacteria can contaminate fresh produce, like cantaloupes, as well as some processed foods, like cheeses. Symptoms of infection, which can occur within a month, include fever, muscle aches, upset stomach, or di-

arrhea, which typically appears four to 10 days after exposure. Safety: Scrub raw produce and dry before cutting. Store in fridge below 40°F. Clean everything in contact with a whole melon. Also avoid unpasteurized soft cheeses, sprouts, hot dogs and cold cuts.

n Unpasteurized dairy

DAIRY products made with raw milk, including yogurt and soft cheeses like Brie, feta, and Mexican queso, can harbor listeria. Because listeria can live at colder temperatures, simply refrigerating these foods won’t kill the bacteria. People at highest risk of getting sick include the elderly, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems. Safety: Check the label. Make sure it’s clearly marked “pasteurized.”

n Deli meats and hot dogs

SOMETIMES listeria finds its way into a food processing factory, where it can live for years. Heat kills listeria, but contamination may happen after cooking but before packaging—for example, if a food is placed back on a counter that had raw meat on it. Safety: Never keep precooked or ready-to-eat foods past their use-by date. Heat hot dogs and lunch meats until steaming (165°F) before eating.

When to call a doctor

MOST foodborne illnesses resolve on their own, but you should call the doctor if you have: n A high fever n Bloody stools n Prolonged vomiting n Diarrhea lasting more than three days n Signs of dehydration (dry mouth, dizziness, reduced urination)

Tips for safer food handling

n Thoroughly wash hands before handling food. n Wash cutting surfaces, utensils and countertops after contact with raw meat. n Wash produce under running water and dry with paper towels. n Discard outer leaves of lettuce or cabbage. n Cook meat, poultry and eggs to proper temperature. n Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.

Special precautions

CERTAIN groups are at increased risk of contracting a foodborne illness or getting very sick from it. Pregnant women, the elderly, young children and people with compromised immune systems should avoid eating undercooked meats and eggs, unpasteurized dairy products, uncooked hot dogs and deli meats, and raw seafood. Source: www.webmd.com

Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019 7

EXCLUSIVE

LIVING WITH GRIEF IN MY ONE YEAR AFTER MY SON By Sheila Guevara-Suntay

T’S almost been a year since I last smothered you with kisses and held you in my arms. If only I knew that would be the last, I would never have let you go.

But this is what it is for me today. I’ve learned to make room for grief in my life. I no longer look for a cure because it can’t be cured; it’s part of who I am now. I allowed it, I welcomed it, I nurtured it with love because it is a product of a deep love that was one of the most beautiful gifts in my life. Is my grief gone? No. It’s already embedded in my bones and living in my heart. Not only do I carry grief but trauma, as well. How I lost my son did something to my being that cannot be reversed, that no counseling or any form of professional help I’m getting can completely remove. It’s a very complicated grief. And while I would have desperately paid someone in the first few months for it to be removed forever, I no longer look for a cure, for a fix, for it to be removed. And the reason I write and share with you is because it lessens the pain when I unload, it helps me heal. Each time the pain comes back, I know the love is still there. I don’t want to erase the 21 beautiful years of memories with my boy just so I won’t feel the pains of sadness. The pain and sadness will always be there, but I’m letting it be. I stopped pushing it away, I no longer pretend it doesn’t exist. My sadness connected me more to God, it

8 Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019

made me more compassionate and connected to others. It detached me from the worldly life, made me more human and made me a better person. I have healed a lot in the last 12 months. I no longer have anxiety and/ or panic attacks, I no longer cry all day, take sleeping pills or submerge myself in alcohol just to sleep on and numb the pain. I no longer believe my baby is still coming home. I have come to acceptance. I have healed enough to move forward, to look forward to things with excitement and to fall in love with life all over again. Currently, I just surround myself with family and a handful of friends who I can trust in helping me carry my

SHEILA GUEVARA-SUNTAY

pain and sorrow with no judgment. People who are drawn to my light but are also in love with my darkness. I stopped looking for a cure for my broken heart. Though I am right now, with all these shards of glass in my

heart, I already have come to accept that I will live with this grief and trauma until my final days on Earth, but the love of my husband and remaining four children sustains me. Their love makes me want to keep fighting, keep breathing, keep living. My adventures with them bring joy to my soul. I am contented with my life and all the happiness that tomorrow will bring. To my dearest Renzo, it is of great honor being called your mom. I will forever be beholden to the almighty God for choosing me to be your mom and blessing me with 21 beautiful years with you. You taught your dad and me so much about life and love. To give not until it hurts but even when it hurts. You are now in a place where hurt nor can pain can ever come close to you. You are now being rewarded for your untiring love and generosity and have been receiving the bountiful graces of God and the richest joy that only a mother’s heart could know, feel and understand. Sweetheart, our love story isn’t over. Mommy will continue loving you through my advocacy. I will continue our story by loving the world and emulating you by living with daring spirit

Y HEART N’S PASSING she wanted to do a mental-health project with me, and that she would take care of the speakers. She gave me the name Yolo. I said, how timely that Bong and I are both celebrating our birthdays in November. Perhaps, instead of that usual party, we thought of having that mental-health event on our joint celebration. It was indeed a very successful event supported by family, our closest of friends and friends of our son. Days, weeks, months passed by, and Yolo never moved anymore because I was too depressed to move on and too busy grieving for my loss. on March 21, 2019, I decided to register Yolo Inc. for my son. It got me thinking that I have been wasting too much time trying to figure out why my son took his life, and finally, I came to the conclusion that I will never get the answer until I see him again. So, I thought it’s now time to turn my pain into a purpose, my mess into a message and my test into a testimony. I do not want my son’s death to be in vain. I want his death to serve its purpose in touching, changing and saving lives of others. So I started moving for Yolo.

and joy. Grief and love are conjoined; you don’t get one without the other. The reason we never heal is because love never dies. And the reason love never dies is because we keep the hope alive, the hope that one day, we will see our son again in God’s perfect time. I’m finally moving forward, son, and I’m taking you with me, for everyday I am grateful to grieve one of the biggest loves of my life that is you.... Lorenzo Suntay.

Changing perspective: Advocating for mental health

I LOST my son, Renzo, at the age 20 by suicide, that was one month before his birthday. I struggled severely with my grief over and above the fact that I also had to look after the grief of each of my four children, and that of my husband’s too. The pain of losing a loved one could be too overwhelming, so we decided to seek professional help individually and as a family. Losing my son to suicide did something to my soul that can no longer be healed; it brought so much trauma in my life. In October 2018, my friend Giselle Sanchez called me and said

The Versozas: Mental health warriors

I STARTED moving Yolo by contacting different mental-health organizations and offering my services of giving a talk and sharing my experiences pro bono if only to help parents keep their children fighting for their lives. Ari Versoza was one of those who responded, and so he and his wife, Raquel, drove down from Baguio on March 25 to meet me. We talked a lot about working together and doing collaborations. Ari also mentioned he had an upcoming event that Sunday, March 31. I offered to go to Baguio and give a talk. He accepted my offer, and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Today, the Verzosas, together with the Suntays, are working on a collaboration to do a mental-health campaign.

A message for everyone

TO my dearest co-parents who are not aware of mental health, I suggest you go out and start knowing more about it. This is not the time for you to say, “I don’t need to know or attend conferences, my children are all ok.” The truth is, none of us know that anymore because the family, in most cases, are always the last to know.

RENZO SUNTAY

Mental conditions choose no one. It could happen to the rich, the poor, the middle class, the successful ones, the celebrities, etc. No one is exempted from this anymore. It is not easy for me to come out in the open and talk to strangers about my sadness. I have to keep enduring so much pain each time I bring myself back to that tragic day, but I do it anyway to spare you from unfathomable pain. So if you do not wish to be as broken as I am today.... Be mindful, watchful and more vigilant toward the behavior of your children. They could be crying for help in the most subtle way. To the children who are not diagnosed with any mental condition, please extend a hand to your friends who are undergoing struggles in life. It is not enough to say “idasal mo lang yan” or “alak lang katapat nyan.” We need to empathize with them and be more sensitive to the very fact that every day they are struggling just to keep themselves alive. Let us stop calling them weak. People suffering in silence are not weak, they need help. Most important of all, please talk to the parents of your friend any time they tell you that they are depressed or want to die. Do not keep it a secret among yourselves because you need an adult and/or a professional doctor to help you. Keeping it among yourselves does not solve the problem; you are actually putting your friend’s

life in danger by keeping it to yourselves. Let’s go out and talk about it and fight for the stigma to be removed with the high hopes that, one day, nobody takes their lives anymore. To the children who are suffering in silence, know that help is here, but you need to cry for it and talk about it for help to come your way. People cannot read your minds. I want you to know that you are doing a fantastic job fighting everyday to keep yourselves alive. Kudos to all of you for being so strong. Always remember that suicide does not eliminate that ugly situation you are in. Suicide eliminates the chances of your situation to get better for you to reach your maximum potential of being truly happy in life. Lastly, do not let other people’s timelines define you. Everything happens at your own time and pace. Don’t let your frustrations get into you and consume you. Getting married at 33 and starting a family at 35 is still beautiful. Buying a house at 50 is still a great achievement. What is important is for you to be able to create a meaningful purpose and fulfilling lives for yourselves, and learn how to use that to make an impact and a difference in the lives of others. So continue all that you are doing in fighting for your life every day.... Know that your mental health matters because you matter, you are worthy and you are loved!

Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019 9

PINK CUNNING THOUGHTS By Eleanor A. Leyco-Chua

GEM L. ZENAROSA,

GROWING HIS BUSINESS BY FAITH

EM ZENAROSA, the man behind the success and growth of the food retail chain, Turks, has always believed in the power of prayer and that everything in his life should happen according to the will of the Lord.

Zenarosa said that success is about surrendering your plans to the Lord God. A devout Iglesia ni Cristo who was born and raised by an INC minister, Zenarosa never thought that he will manage his own company at the age of 26.

Humble Beginnings

FROM being a simple and ordinary guy to one of the most successful Pinoys in the food business, Zenarosa said that hardwork and faith in the Lord is the best formula for success, he, however, pointed out that getting to where he is now was never a walk in the park. “I remember when I was in high school at the New Era University in Commonwealth, Quezon City, there were many instances that I didn’t pay my jeepney fare from school going to Malabon. To evade payment, I always sat in the middle of the jeepney and voluntarily handed the fares of other passengers to the driver so he won’t think that I haven’t paid,” Zenarosa said. “Though I still experienced having not enough money to get to school, it didn’t stop me from finishing my education. My parents were just simple people who know the importance of faith and belief in God, education, hard work and perseverance. These were just the few things that they instilled in me, which inspired and drove me to dream big.” While studying BS Nursing at the Fatima University in Fairview Quezon City, Zenarosa said that in 2003, he

10 Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019

met Angel Glo N. Zenarosa, whom he married after a year even if they were both still in college studying. “My father-in-law gave my wife a brand new car as a graduation gift in college, and we were so happy for his generosity. And as the man of the house, I took different jobs to provide for my wife. I got into buying and selling cars, and this equiped me the knowledge on how to manage my finances and earnings,” Zenarosa said. “I was busy with buy and sell, then one day I told my wife what if we start a business." As a man who grew up in the knowledge of God, Zenarosa said he prays for everything that he does and waits for the will of God before making a decision, so when he contemplated on starting a business and got the answer for his prayers, he decided to make that jump into the unknown. Without so much money to fund the business that he and his wife will put up, they decided to sell the car, which his father-in-law gave to his wife. “We shared our plans to our relatives and friends and, of course, they had their opinions and suggestions especially about our option to sell the car. They asked what if our business plan failed; there were many ifs and buts. However, I pushed on and the year 2007 was really unforgettable.” Zenarosa, together with his wife Angel Glo Zenarosa, determined to make their business a success putting their hearts to it.

GEM L. ZENAROSA

“In 2007, shawarma stalls were all over but there were none in shopping malls because of the aroma of the beef while cooking it. So it was really a challenge for me to get into the shopping centers especially in SM Malls. What I did was, I designed my own cart. Considered a newbie in the business industry, Zenarosa who was only 26 at that time was full of enthusiasm and creativity to guarantee that his business will prosper and

last for generations to come. Zenarosa with his brilliant mind innovated the usual shawarma kiosk we see everywhere. To keep the aroma of the beef from spreading, he designed Turks cart with a glass to keep the smoke and scent within the cooking area. With his design, Zenarosa’s Turks cart was approved by the SM Mall, and they opened their first branch in SM Sta. Mesa. “With our limited capital, running the business was really difficult and I

GEM L. ZENAROSA RUDY ESPERAS

had to do everything from being the marketer down to being the cashier,” he said. He recalled going to Balintawak market early in the morning while everybody are sleeping to buy vegetables. He would rush home after to prepare the products before he delivers them to the store. Together with his wife, they manage the store operations from cashiering to serving the customers with their baby on a trolley at one corner of the store. “And our work didn’t stop there, we were also the store staff,” he added. Holding onto the promises of the Father that He will bless the works of our hands, Zenarosa witnessed how God fulfilled his promises. In the same year, Zenarosa opened five more branches in other SM Malls. As the years passed by, Zenarosa who used to prepare everything in the small kitchen of his house, Turks now has a commissary with an area of 3,000 square meter in Cavite. From five branches of which he was doing all the works from marketer, delivery and crew, Zenarosa grew the business steadily and opened several Turks kiosks in other parts of Metro Manila. By the year 2011, Turks started converting their stores from a simple cart into a big foodstalls and full dining restaurants with its expanded menu. “The growth of our business, of our company is overwhelming and I know I owe it first to God, then to our commitment to bring palatable, quality and fresh products to our customers, to our business partners/ franchisees, to our staff and of course to our loyal patrons who trust our foods. And this is also the reason why I personally don’t stop from researching and developing our product line so we can provide them with better food offerings,” he noted.

Building Turks empire

FROM a food cart that nobody notices that it was growing speedily but the clamor of the people for its products was very strong, Turks become a habit of mall goers, its goodness spreads by word of mouth, by those who have experience and tasted the Turks shawarma. As the Turks popularity in the food industry for its quality and staying

power and as the pioneer in sharwarma food cart business placed in malls and other locations with very high foot traffic, many aspiring and already made entrepreneurs clamored for franchising, however, being very meticulous in everything that he does, it took a while for Zenarosa to open his business to franchising. “From day one I opened this business, I was hands on. I know the busi-

ness and the operations from inside out and it really took me a long time to finally open this to franchsing because I know how hard it is to start a business, the sweat, money, effort and time among others....You can’t gamble at the expense of others. I dont want to disappoint people. I have seen other businesses in this industry closed down, and it is heartbreaking when you see someone loses something. And I don’t want that feeling that is why I really studied everything,” Zenarosa explained. After reaching 52 branches in 2016 and after the result of his research and studies in doing franchise, Zenarosa opened Turks door to franchising. “We are currently offering two packages for our franchising, the Package 1 is for Turks Cart, Turks Kiosk and Turks Take-out Counters. The Package 2 is for Food Stall an inline product, this package is the full restaurant set up, which offers different meals,” he explained. According to Robert Ignacio, one of the many franchisees of Turks, he attested that it is a good investment. “We all know that ROI depends on many different factors but based on my experience and other investors, ROI can be achieved within six months to a year,” Ignacio shared. Backed by his years of experiences being very hands-on in managing and growing his food business, Turks is now one of the fast-growing food franchise businesses in the country. With at least 498 branches nationwide and targeting to open 222 more branches for the rest of the year. “Turks was able to capture the discriminating palate of Pinoys and we are happy to announce that Turks this year will open its branch in Hong Kong and the United States,” Zenarosa revealed. Zenarosa who is now only 38 years old and already a self-made business innovator, is really a living testimony of how the Father works in the lives of those who work hard according to God’s will. For more information about Turks franchising packages call 990-9992 or e-mail jhoanna.borricano@turks.ph. You can also visit www.turks.ph.

Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019 11

HEALTH MONITOR

‘INFANT CARE PROJECT,’ HELPFUL TOOL AGAINST MATERNAL, INFANT MORTALITY By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

HE program, on March 27, centered on a tool modeled after Finland’s touted baby box, which has helped new moms and babies in that European country since 1938 and lowered infant mortality there in the long term. Taguig’s version is a 3-in-1 foldable baby bag that can transform into a diaper bag, a crib or a changing pad. Several compartments of the baby bag given away free of charge are filled with soap, alcohol, baby oil, wipes and diapers. Some 110 mothers received free units at the launch, a highlight of the Buntis Congress event held at Lakeshore Hall in Barangay Lower Bicutan. The Buntis Congress is a biannual gathering of soon-to-be mothers and postpartum mommies to give them the proper knowledge on safe motherhood, breastfeeding, immunization and family planning. On regular days, the item can be claimed after a baby is delivered in a medical facility and the parents get birth registration. Before

the delivery, too, the mother must have undergone some steps. Below is the list of requirements to avail the baby bag compliments of the probinsyudad: n Completing four prenatal checkups: one each during the first and second trimester and two in the last trimester; n Getting the appropriate tetanus vaccine injections; n Delivering the baby in a licensed facility, such as a hospital, certified lying-in center or Super Health Center; n Going through a postnatal checkup; n Having the baby immunized with BCG and Hepatitis B vaccines; and n getting a birth registration. Except the last item, all the steps alleviate the risk of maternal and infant mortality, a bid to further lower the numbers for Taguig City. Vanessa Acompañado, a 34-year-old working mom, was among the Taguigeño mommies who received a baby bag during the Buntis Congress. She just gave birth to already her third child—Luke Andy—last March 2.

“This baby bag is truly a huge help for mothers like me,” explained Vanessa, who is currently on maternity leave to focus all her attention on her new child. “I am now worrying less because I can turn it into a portable crib where he can be safe while I do household chores or turn it into a bag where I can organize his things when we go out.” In the Buntis Congress, the participants also availed of free HIV and AIDS counseling, blood typing, dental services and nutrition counseling. There was a PhilHealth booth for their inquiries. The Infant Care Project and Buntis Congress are not the only programs of the probinsyudad zeroing in on mothers and babies. In 2015, the Department of Health dubbed the city-owned Taguig-Pateros District Hospital (TPDH) “Mother-Baby Friendly,” recognizing its outstanding implementation of a breastfeeding policy, staff training on lactation management, strong link with the community to sustain breastfeeding, and compliance with Executive Order 51, also known as the Milk Code, and Republic Act

7600, or Rooming-In and Breastfeeding Act of 1992. In the same year, the Taguig City Human Milk Bank was launched, the third established by a local government unit in the country. It has helped a total of 473 breastmilk beneficiaries and recruited more than 2,989 breastmilk donors. Some 14,669 Taguigeño babies have also benefited from Taguig City’s free newborn screening that ensures the early detection of conditions in newborn babies that need immediate treatment. Taguig’s PhilHealth-accredited Super Health Centers in Barangays North Signal, Central Bicutan and Napindan also offer free lying-in services for pregnant women. “The city administration is well aware of the struggles of every soon-to-be and new mother, and of every human born. Through this Infant Care Project and our many other programs in infant and maternal care, we offer our solidarity with them. Ultimately, we want the same thing: a more caring environment for the mothers and infants in our city,” Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano said.

BULLETIN BOARD

ASEAN GREEN HOTEL AWARDEE LAUNCHED

REGION’S FIRST PLOGGING EVENT THE Bellevue Resort in Bohol is proudly family and eco-friendly. As a recipient of Asean Green Hotel awards for two consecutive years, the resort vowed to continuously launch new and sustainable green initiatives. After the success of its largest International Coastal Cleanup initiative in Bohol last 2018. This year, The Bellevue Resort held Panglao’s first-ever Plogging Event in support of the worldwide campaign, Earth Hour 2019. According to DENR 7 Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) head, Charlie Fabre, the event was actually first held in the entire region. On March 30, 2019, as early as 5 a.m., 310 dedicated Earth Heroes from various sectors and local volunteers gathered at The Bellevue– Pavilion to participate “plogging” activity, a combination of jogging while picking up litter that encourages wellness and awareness—promoting the importance of keeping our environment clean and safe. A total of 1,095 kilograms of nonbiodegradable trash were collected from Doljo Road to Doljo Beach. This event is in support of The Bellevue Resort’s sustainable tourism advocacy playing an active role in protecting our environment. With the success of the event, the resort will hold the plogging event annually. The resort also hosted environmental awareness talks after plogging and waste segregation to further educate the members of the community of the importance of taking care of

Mother Earth. Other activities held at The Bellevue Resort during Earth Hour 2019 was an eco-fair that featured various eco-friendly products from our

local partners in Bohol, Bellevue Kids Club’s Organic farm educational tour with tree-planting activities for local kids in Doljo and a lights-off dinner event from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m.

HAVE AN UNFORGETTABLE AND HASSLE-FREE SUMMER HOLIDAY IN ILOILO CITY PLANNING a vacation with family and friends can be a real challenge especially if everyone has different interests. But if you’re looking to explore more of the charm and beauty of the Philippines, then Iloilo City is your best bet for a fun and exciting summer getaway with its myriad of attractions that will appeal to any kind of traveler! Organizing a trip for your group or even just for yourself is simple and easy with Richmonde Hotel Iloilo’s Iloilo Summer Holiday Packages, which come complete with all the essentials for a splendid visit to the City of Love. Get luxurious and spacious accommodations in the heart of premier township Iloilo Business Park, and just a few steps away from the modern and trendy Festive Walk Mall. Enjoy a sumptuous buffet of international breakfast favorites at the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, The Granary, to fuel up your adventure-filled day. Sightsee in comfort and get the most

out of your daytrips with guided tours you can book through the hotel at 15-percent discount. Whether you enjoy the sun and sand, food, history and culture, nature, farms and gardens, religion, and popular tourist attractions, there is a tour for you. Available tours include heritage, pilgrimage, countryside farm, culinary, mystery house, Isla de Gigantes, Sicogon Island and Guimaras. After a day of exploration, you can relax in the comforts of your room and de-stress with a soothing inroom massage, or even indulge in some pampering like threading, manicure and pedicure—all at 15-percent discount for package takers. If you still can’t get enough of the sun, you can take pleasure in the posh resort-feel of the hotel’s picturesque pool area with its glorious sunset view. Spend the day lounging by the poolside with a refreshing drink in hand, or keeping your cool and making a splash in the water. The Summer Holiday

room package also includes buy one, get one vouchers on Zabana cocktails, and 10-percent discount on food and beverage orders which can both be availed either at Zabana Bar or BizBar. For those who want to keep the adrenalin rush after an exhilarating tour, the hotel’s Fitness Center gym is available for use 24/7. The Iloilo Summer Holiday package rates are marked down from April 12 to June 30, 2019, and start at only P4,800 net. Room only rates are also available for as low as P4,200 net. For inquiries and reservations email rhireservations@richmondehotel.com.ph. To get instant confirmation, book online at www.richmondehoteliloilo. com.ph. Terms, conditions and blackout dates apply to this promotion. Rates are not valid in conjunction with other promotions and discount privileges. Per DTI Iloilo Permit 03-081, Series of 2019.

Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019 13

HEALTHY FINDS

n WAKING UP WITHOUT BAD MORNING BREATH

ONE of the worst things is waking up to strong stinky morning breath especially for married couples and for those who are always on-thego. Even worse is the realization that you might never get rid of it. Brushing your teeth, flossing and even gargling mouthwash the night before can only do so much but the very next day, your minty fresh breath (and every part of your mouth it has touched) has gone sour. This is because our saliva works overnight and clears out any odor-causing bacteria. But

when we sleep, the normal flow of saliva decreases and our mouths become drier. That’s when the bacteria accumulate, dries up and inevitably results in strong sour morning breath. This is why Dentiste’ has created the “world’s first nighttime natural toothpaste” made from a unique combination of 14 natural extracts, such as mint, cinnamon and clove, as well as Vitamin C and Xylitol that gets rid of bad morning breath in just one use. Bad breath is reflected by problems with teeth and gums so good dental health is important to prevent other serious dental compli-

cations from developing. Try Dentiste’ Natural Nighttime now and get rid of bad morning breath while you sleep. Dentiste’ has been a global leader in premium oral care solutions with its products spreading across 20 countries in six continents. This premium oral care brand eliminates odor-causing bacteria while you sleep, so you wake up with fresh breath come morning. Made from natural extracts, their products are proven safe and effective. For more information check Facebook: @dentisteph, Instagram: @dentistephilippines or visit www.dentistetoothpaste.com.

they could get diseases especially with the recent measles outbreak, but thankfully my kids are vaccinated, and that takes away a lot of stress and worry for us,” said mommy of three and children’s book author Teresa Dumadag. If your kids will run around in the afternoon, be sure to put sunblock to protect them from harmful UV rays and bring mosquito repellent to keep dengue-carrying mosquitoes away.

will cause more harm and they’re more likely to catch diseases].”

PREPARING FOR EMERGENCIES

n THIS SUMMER, PREPARE YOUR KIDS FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS!

WHILE it is important to let your kids have fun under the sun, certain precautions must still be set to ensure that they are safe from harm and discomfort. Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo, together with several moms from various walks of life shared tips on how to arm their kids for a fun and safe day outdoors.

PROTECTING THEM FROM ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS THE outdoors can also cause harm to your kid if you do not take safety measures to avoid possible natural risks. “Of course, I worry that

14 Health&Fitness April 25-May 1, 2019

FOR Mommy Teresa, prevention is better than cure. Whenever she and her husband take their three boys to the park, she always makes sure they are ready for whatever accidents and emergencies that may occur. “Just recently, my eldest son fell while running and wounded his knee. Thankfully, we had wet wipes to clean the wound and found a restroom he could wash it in,” she shared.

TEACHING YOUR KIDS PROPER HYGIENE WHILE putting several safety measures for your kids is important, nothing is more effective than teaching your kids to take care of themselves. Mommy Heart Calimlim, virtual assistant and freelance writer, said that she makes sure to explain to her kids the importance of proper hygiene: “It’s for their own sake. Kung hindi ko sila tuturuan na alagaan ang sarili nila, baka ikapahamak pa nila at lalo silang magkasakit [It’s for their own sake. If I don’t teach them to take care of themselves, it

KEEPING IT CONSISTENT AT HOME PROTECTING your kids is a daily and consistent thing. Promoting a healthy diet, as well as regular vitamin intake can build up your child’s strength so that he is ready to face everything when he plays outdoors. Your kid should not be the only one being protected, but also the whole family. Mommy Teresa shared, “There was a time when we had a maid who had lice. She was the one taking care of my son so he also got head lice and so we had to buy head lice shampoo for the both of them.” Shampoo specifically made for head lice infestation is the best treatment you can give to your child. In case of head lice infestation, use Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo twice a week for two weeks, and once a week for prevention of head lice recurrence. That way, your child is safe from head lice infestation, especially when they interact with other kids. At the end of the day, it is always our child’s happiness that we care about. Taking the time to spend a whole day of playing outdoors with your kids is also a great opportunity to bond and of course, there is no better way for parents to show their love for their kids than to spend quality time with them. To know more about Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo, visit www.facebook.com/ licealiz.