BusinessMirror December 06, 2019 by BusinessMirror

Friday, December 6, 2019 Vol. 15 No. 57

Nov inflation up 1.3%, snaps 5-mo slow rise

By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

ONSUMER prices in November ended a five-month streak of slower growth as base effects dissipated during the month, and analysts said any further rate cuts this year are unlikely. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday that inflation rose to 1.3 percent in November this year from the 0.8 percent seen in the previous month. The November number puts the

country’s 11-month inflation average at 2.5 percent— well within the government’s 2-percent to 4-percent target range for the year. According to the PSA, the inflation uptrend during the month was

Growth has returned to fast lane–experts

HE country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to make a full recovery and grow faster in the fourth quarter of the year after a dismal performance in the first half of the year, economists said in a recent assessment. Analysts at First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC) and the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) agree that growth will hit 6.5 percent in the fourth quarter of the year, up from 6.2 percent in the third quarter of the year and 5.5 percent in the first half of 2019. “ T he PH economy has re turned to the fast lane with the 6.2-percent GDP growth in Q3, and we expect this to accelerate to 6.5 percent and above by Q4, as consumer, government and investment spending get into higher gear moving forward,” economists said in the latest is-

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n

sue of the Market Call, a joint monthly research publication by FMIC and UA&P. “Low inflation, huge job gains, and low interest rates will drive more robust consumer spending, while national government [NG] continues to ramp up infrastructure spending, and private sector propels PPP and capital goods investments. The exchange rate shall see renewed pressure as the BBB gains expand trade deficits again,” the think tank added. The experts’ positive outlook stemmed mainly from the national government’s heavy spending acceleration. “NG stepped heavily on the accelerator to post a hefty spending increase of 39 percent in September. This came after a decent 8.8-percent expansion in the preceding month. This marked the fastest increase in disbursement, See “Growth,” A2

mainly brought about by higher annual increases in prices of alcoholic beverages and tobacco. The uptick in November this year also coincided with the deceleration of inflation in the same

P25.00 nationwide | 5 sections 48 pages |

medal tally as of december 5, 2019 | 5:30 p.m. contingent

gold

silver

bronze

total

philippines

130

The BSP will carefully consider all the latest developments here and abroad at its upcoming monetarypolicy meeting on December 12, 2019 to ensure that the monetarypolicy stance remains consistent with the BSP’s price stability objective.” —Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

vietnam

indonesia

malaYsia

singapore

thailand

CamBodia

mYanmar

BrUnei

month last year—from its peak of 6.7 percent down to 6 percent in November 2018, indicating the

laos

timor-leste

Continued on A2

DOJ to push for scrapping water deals By Joel R. San Juan @jrsanjuan1573

MOBILE LEGENDS Bang Bang, Dota 2, Hearthstone, StarCraft II, Arena of Valor and Tekken 7 take center stage as eSports makes its debut in the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Thursday, with the 27-man Philippine team holding fort against the best professional gamers from the region in the six-day competition at the Filoil Flying V Centre, in San Juan City. SEA Games stories and photos on pages C1-C3. BERNARD TESTA

USTICE Secretary Menardo Guevarra said on Thursday the government will push for the scrapping of the 1997 concession agreements between the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) private firms Maynilad Water Services and Manila Water. These were onerous and disadvantageous to the government and the consuming public, he said. The government, Guevarra also said, is unlikely to enter into a compromise agreement with the concessionaires in connection with the ruling of The Permanent Court of Arbitration in Singapore last month, directing it to pay Ayalaowned Manila Water P7.39 billion

US 51.0670 n JAPAN 0.4692 n UK 66.9335 n HK 6.5233 n CHINA 7.2427 n SINGAPORE 37.4666 n AUSTRALIA 34.9911 n EU 56.5924 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.6186

See “DOJ,” A2

Source: BSP (5 December 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Friday, December 6, 2019

Neda: 3.4M out-of-school, jobless youth need govt help

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

VER 3.4 million young Filipinos could face an uncertain future if they continue to stay out of school or remain unemployed, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda). The October round of the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Labor Force Survey (LFS) showed that Filipino youth who were Not in Employment, Education and Training (NEET) had actually dropped to 17.1 percent from last year’s 18.7 percent. However, Neda Undersecretary for Regional Development and Officer in Charge (OIC) Adoracion M. Navarro noted it is still a considerable number that she said should prompt the concerned agencies to ramp-up their youth-oriented programs. She cited the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Government Internship Program (GIP), which provides temporary employment to students, and the JobStart Philippines Program, which targets marginalized youth and provides them with the necessary training and on-the-job experience. “These will develop competencies and capabilities, including life skills and work ethics, to prepare the youth to join the work force and thrive in a competitive world

of work,” said Navarro. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) earlier said it usually takes a while for NEET youth to secure employment.

Improvements

THE latest LFS featured other positive developments for the country’s 45.1 million workers, foremost of which is the rise in the employment rate to 95.5 percent—the highest in all previous October rounds of the survey since 2009—from 94.9 percent in October 2018. Majority, or 57.1 percent, of the 43.1 million workers are in the services sector. It was followed by the agriculture sector with 23.5 percent and the industry sector with 18.9 percent. Of the three sectors, the services sector recorded an increase in its share in the number of employed persons. The agriculture sector’s share contracted to 23.5 percent, from last year’s 24.1 percent. The farm sector had to grapple with a number of developments including the implementation of the rice trade liberalization law and the

57.1%

Percentage of the 43.1 million workers who are in the services sector, followed by the agriculture sector with 23.5 percent and the industry sector with 18.9 percent outbreaks of African swine fever this year. The October round of the LFS indicated that total net employment generation was at 1.8 million. Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III welcomed this development, saying the figure exceeded the government’s target. “We are inspired by the increase in employment [as the rate] went beyond the target of 900,000 to 1.1 million [jobs] for the year,” Bello said in a statement. The unemployment rate also dropped to 4.5 percent, from 5.1 percent last year. Navarro noted that the figure is the lowest in the last 10 years. The rate of underemployment, or the proportion of those already employed but still wanting more work, also fell to 13 percent, from last year’s 13.3 percent.

‘Not accurate’

LABOR groups said the rosy results of the October LFS “do not portray the real picture on the ground.” Par tido Mang gagawa (PM) Chairman Renato Magtubo also questioned the definition of an unemployed worker used by the PSA. “It is so because if a person

covered by the survey on a given week only worked and was paid for an hour, he/she is counted as employed,” said Magtubo. Sentro ng mga Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (Sentro) Secretary-General Joshua Mata also raised this concern. “Unfortunately, the PSA uses statistical measures that easily exclude from the labor market all those who have been discouraged from looking for jobs. Those not actively looking for jobs are considered out of the labor force,” said Mata. PSA defines unemployed as persons who are “15 years and over as of their last birthday and are reported as: without work and currently available for work and looking for work; or without work and currently available for work but not looking for work due to the following reasons like being tired or believed no work available.” Magtubo said, “It would greatly help policy-makers in addressing the lack of opportunities for gainful employment, if government surveys paint a real picture of adults having no jobs and the reasons why they are out of work.” Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Spokesman Alan Tanjusay criticized the nature of work of those considered employed in the LFS. “There is [an increasing number of] contractual and five-month end-of-contract jobs that do not provide quality and long-term employment,” Tanjusay said. “So these so-called gains in the labor market that they are talking about are fleeting and temporary.”

P3-B fund transfer to ease farmers’ post-RTL woes

P3-BILLION amendment in the 2020 budget of the National Food Authority (NFA), pushed by Sen. Cynthia Villar, is expected to boost funding for the government’s subsidy program for small farmers. In moving to augment the farmers fund, Villar, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, asserted that the additional allocation is intended to “help farmers affected by the initial phase of the implementation of rice tariffication law” embodied in Republic Act 11203. Explaining why she proposed to transfer P3-billion fund from NFA to the Land Bank of the Philippines, Villar said it was “a given that there are difficulties

encountered by farmers when the law took effect, that is why we are looking for ways [on] how to extend more assistance to them through a bigger budget.” At the same time, the senator promptly sought to allay apprehensions that the fund transfer will adversely affect the NFA’s palay procurement program, saying “the NFA will continue to buy palay from our farmers.” “Dapat nilang gawin ito para ang mga magsasaka, hindi na sila lalapit sa mga mapagsamantalang traders na babaratin lang ang palay nila [The NFA needs to do this so that farmers would not have to deal with unscrupulous traders buying their palay at much lower prices],” she explained. As provided in the Villar

amendment, the P3 billion will be transferred from NFA to the Land Bank of the Philippines in the 2020 budget to assist the farmers in adjusting to the implementation of the rice trade liberalization (RTL) law. “This fund,” she added, “will go to 600,000 farmers tilling farms of one hectare or less, kaya sigurado tayo na ang assistance mapupunta talaga sa kanila. Wala nang excuse para hindi makarating ang tulong ng gobyerno sa kanila [so we are certain the assistance will rerally go to them. There’s no more excuse for government aid not to reach them].” At a recent Senate hearing on the implementation of RA 11203, Villar had chided NFA officials as she rejected “excuses blaming lack

SC orders Sandiganbayan to try Lapid in fertilizer case Continued from A16

The SC noted that the case against the respondents started on May 2, 2011, upon the filing by the Field Investigation Office-Task Force Abono of the Ombudsman, and that the Sandiganbayan even observed that there was no evidence to show that the Ombudsman commenced and conducted a fact-finding investigation as early as 2006. The panel found probable cause to indict Lapid and his co-accused for graft on September 18, 2013, or two years and four months from the filing of the complaint, the high court pointed out. “Thus, from the filing of the formal complaint until the Ombudsman’s approval of the resolution finding probable cause against Lapid, et al, the length of time

consumed for the preliminary investigation was three years and one month,” the SC ruled. “In sum, delay becomes inordinate only in the presence of arbitrary, vexatious and oppressive actions or inactions that are discernible from the proceedings. No such delay attended the Ombudsman’s proceedings that would warrant the dismissal of the criminal case against herein respondents,” the SC said. Lapid and his co-accused are facing trial for violation of Section 3 (e) and 3 (g) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for the alleged anomalous purchase of overprized liquid fertilizers amounting to P4.76 million from MPTC. Based on the information filed by Ombudsman, the purchase was

made without holding a public bidding. Lapid, based on the certification he issued, had claimed there are no suitable substitutes to MacroMicro Foliar Fertilizer despite the availability of a suitable substitute offered at a much lower price in the locality. The Ombudsman further alleged that the purchased items were overpriced by as much as P4.268 million. The offense was allegedly committed by Lapid and his co-accused in 2004 when he was still the governor of Pampanga The money for the purchase of the questioned items supposedly came from the P728-million funds of the Department of Agriculture for its “Ginintuang Masaganang Ani Program” of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

of machinery and high moisture content of palay” for their refusal to buy the rice supply from local farmers. In a statement on Thursday, she pointed out that under the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund provided for in the RTL law, P5 billion will be spent to procure farm machinery to be distributed to more than 900 rice-producing municipalities in the country; P3 billion for the production and promotion of the use of inbred seeds to increase the production of palay by 50 percent; P1 billion for skills training; and P1 billion for cheap credit, to be managed by LandBank and the Development Bank of the Philippines. Butch Fernandez

Growth. . .

Continued from A1

amounting to P415.1 billion,” the report read. The analysts also noted the purchasing managers index PMI’s further rise to 52.1 level in October from 51.8. “ T his sug gests renewed strength in manufacturing. This may be seasonal but given the improved Consumer Confidence Index and Business Confidence [as surveyed by BSP], we see a good recovery in the fourth quarter,” the review read. “Given that confidence, more jobs arising from even stronger infrastructure spending and private construction boost, we see consumption spending accelerating further in Q4 and, thus, ensuring above-6.5 percent GDP growth,” it added.

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Nov inflation up 1.3%, snaps 5-mo slow rise Continued from A1

waning of base effects during the year. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the uptick in inflation was within their expectations for the year. In a statement, the BSP said: “The latest inflation outturn remains consistent with the BSP’s prevailing assessment that inflation has bottomed out in October and is expected to gradually approach the midpoint of the target range in 2020 and 2021.” In their November meeting, the BSP reduced their forecast for inflation to 2.4 percent for 2019, from the September forecast of 2.5 percent. This means that the BSP expects inflation to average at about 1.3 percent in the last two months of the year. “The BSP will carefully consider all the latest developments here and abroad at its upcoming monetarypolicy meeting on December 12, 2019 to ensure that the monetarypolicy stance remains consistent with the BSP’s price stability objective,” it added.

Upwards on

ECONOMISTS believe that the uptick in the November inflation will start an upward inflation trajectory in the coming months. In a statement following the inflation data release, JP Morgan economist Nur Raisah Rasid said headline CPI (consumer price in-

DOJ. . .

Continued from A1

to compensate it for losses suffered between June 2015 and November 2019. Also last year, the arbitration court held that the government was liable to pay the Manny V. Pangilinan-led Maynilad P3.4 billion due to the Philippine government’s refusal to allow it to increase prices from 2013 to 2017. “The government is more interested in getting a new deal than in compromising the arbitral award,” Guevarra said, in apparent reference to Manila Water’s statement on Wednesday that it had reached out to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III to convey its willingness to negotiate on the implementation of the award, considering that the penalties were meant for previous administrations, not Duterte’s. Manila Water has disclosed that it is discussing with the Department of Finance the possibility of coming up with a compromise agreement regarding the P7.3-billion refund ordered by the Singaporean arbitral tribunal.

Economic sabotage

E A R LIER , Duterte lambasted Manila Water and May nilad, and threatened to file a case of economic sabotage against the two water firms due to the

Poverty. . .

Continued from A16

[ h i g he s t 10 - p e rc e nt i ncome group]. The average annual income of families in the tenth decile was about eight times of those in the first decile, while nine times of those in the first decile in 2015,” the PSA said. “The national per-capita income decile is obtained by ranking the percapita family income of all sample families from lowest to highest, and was compiled into 10 groups. The first tenth, meaning those with the lowest income, is called the first decile, the second tenth, second decile, and so on,” it added.

dex) will likely trend higher, in part reflecting the implementation of higher excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol beverages from January next year. “Headline CPI will likely average 2.4 percent in the first half of 2020, and rise to 3.1 percent in the second half of 2020. The CPI profile suggests that inflation will likely remain comfortably within the BSP’s 2 to 4 percent target range through 2020,” the economist said. “Amid ongoing growth concerns and a well-behaved CPI trajectory, we continue to expect a 25-basis-point policy easing in the first quarter of 2020,” the economist added. Security Bank economist Robert Dan Roces, after seeing the November inflation print, also said there will be no more monetary policy cuts this year. “BSP Governor Ben Diokno has mentioned the possibility of another rate cut this year; however, today’s inflation print would suggest prudence on the part of the Central Bank as price increases fell within its anticipated trajectory,” Roces said. “We expect the BSP to hold [off] on a policy rate cut in the upcoming December 12 meeting, with its data dependence stance suggesting a further validation of where inflation is headed in 2020 in order to manage real rates on the back of a tighter reverse repurchase once inflation falls within target,” he added. “onerous” 1997 contracts with the government. Duterte made the remark after the Justice department found the extension of these contracts to 2037 irregular, considering that the extension was granted 12 to 13 years before the original expiration of the 25-year concession agreements in 2022. The President had ordered the DOJ review during the water crisis last summer and before the ruling of the arbitral court was released. Guevarra said as of the moment, the DOJ is looking into all legal options against Manila Water and Maynilad. At the same time, it would start drafting a new version of the concession agreement sans the provisions that are contrary to law and public policy, and prejudicial to the interest of the consuming public. The DOJ secretary stressed that the government is not barred from questioning the concession agreements, although these have been in force since 22 years ago. “The State is not estopped by the mistakes of its agents, especially if the acts committed are constitutionally or legally infirm, and the statute of limitations does not apply if the act sought to be set aside is void for being contrary to law or public policy. In any event, there is a standard separability clause that leaves other valid provisions effective,” Guevarra explained. Across regions, families in the National Capital Region had the highest average annual family income at P460,000 in 2018 while those in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) had the lowest average annual income at P161,000. The Gini coefficient of the income of families at the national level was estimated at 0.4267 in 2018. Across regions, the coefficient ranged from 0.2819 to 0.4457. The Gini coefficient is a measure of income inequality within the population which ranges from 0 to 1, with 0 indicating perfect income equality among families, and 1 indicating absolute income inequality.

The Nation BusinessMirror

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Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Friday, December 6, 2019 A3

Airport authorities foil ‘big-time’ human trafficking try at Naia

By Recto Mercene

@rectomercene

FRESH case of human trafficking was derailed in its tracks last week when airport immigration agents “rescued” 34 Filipino women poised to leave for Saudi Arabia to work as household service workers (HSW). The victims, mostly in their 20s and 30s, were not allowed to depart after immigration officers noticed glaring discrepancies and irregularities in their travel documents.

Airport Immigration Operations Chief Grifton Medina said the victims were intercepted at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) passenger Termi-

nal 1 last Saturday afternoon as they were about to board a Saudi Airways flight to Riyadh. “Our primary inspectors initially encountered two of their companions who happen to have been previously barred from leaving on suspicion of being trafficking victims,” Medina said. “It was while they were undergoing secondary inspection that our men uncovered that they were traveling as a group with 32 other victims.” Ma. Timotea Barizo, Travel Control and Enforcement Unit (TCEU) chief, said the incident “marks one of the biggest interceptions of suspected trafficking victims by Bureau of Immigration [BI] and Naia person-

nel in recent years.” Barizo said the 34 women presented documents attesting they are overseas Filipino workers, “but upon verification, numerous inconsistencies were discovered.” “The job descriptions on the visas of the victims indicated that they were hired as household service workers but their overseas employment certificates [OECs] and job contracts state that they were recruited as cleaners in companies.” She said this kind of discrepancies is a red flag for their agents to automatically disallow the passengers from leaving the country, “especially when the actual work is in households rather than in com-

panies, which puts our workers in greater risk,” said Barizo. She explained they were able to establish that their OECs were spurious as confirmed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) representatives at the airport. The travelers’ names were not divulged due to a prohibition in the anti-trafficking law. They were later turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance and further investigation. BI Commissioner Jaime Morente lauded the agents responsible for rescuing the victims, as he observed that the trafficking attempt

was made during the peak season and the opening of Southeast Asian Games (SEAG). “Our officers are working day and night to ensure that our kababayan will not be victimized by these human traffickers and illegal recruiters,” said Morente. “I wish to remind aspiring OFWs not to fall prey to these unscrupulous individuals.” Morente earlier placed on heightened alert the BI’s airport and other major ports to thwart any attempts by syndicates to facilitate the illegal entry and departure of foreign and local travelers during the holiday season and the duration of the SEAG.

DILG chief shrugs off NPA liquidation threat Soon-to-be Davao de Oro province bags two Digital Governance Awards I By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO C I T Y— Compos tela Valley, soon to be renamed Davao de Oro, won two national awards in the recently concluded Digital Governance Awards 2019 for its digitized operation in document management and blood distribution management. The province won for the Document Management System application developed by George Dan Gil Duran and the Blood Distribution Management System developed by Kent Vincent Gonzales. Duran and Gonzales are computer programmers of the provincial government. Duran’s work won the Government to Government (G2G) Award and Gonzales’s application was recognized in the “Government to Business [G2B] Award.”

In a plaque signed by Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II of the Department of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Eduardo M. Año of the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and Jonathan D. de Luzuriaga, president of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), the province was recognized for Best In Government Interoperability Award (G2G) Provincial Level and 2nd Place in the “Best in Business Empowerment Award [G2B] Provincial Level.” The Digital Governance Awards recognize local government’s best practices in the use and application of ICT in promoting effective and efficient public service. The provincial government said the two winning applications were “in line with the provincial government of Comval’s 4Ps+ Program, and both systems were developed to provide

Thousands of Manila businesses face closure over garbage crisis

convenience for the Comvaleños’, as well as for the good governance in the province.” “Thank you for the support and leadership Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy and Vice Gov. Maricar Zamora, and to my team, the ICT ManCom and ITCDD, we made it again. I would like to specially mention George Dan Gil Duran and Kent Vincent Gonzales, the developers of the systems.” said Joyzel Odi, Information Technology and Communications Development Division head. The awarding was held at the Jose Rizal Hall, Philippine International Convention Center Complex, Pasay City, on November 26, 2019. Both awards were received by Uy, who was accompanied by Provincial Voluntary Blood Services Program Coordinator Leonardo Merced and Information System Analyst Wilfredo M. Galagala.

Customs installs two new x-ray machines at MICP

BUSINESSMIRROR FILE PHOTO

ORE than 4,500 businesses around Manila Bay could face closure for violating environmental laws as the Philippine capital fights a garbage crisis, Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu said. “No matter how many times we clean the shoreline of Manila Bay, the garbage always comes back. We have to start addressing it at the source,” Cimatu said at a forum organized by Stratbase, a Manila-based consultancy group. The heavily polluted Manila Bay, which has a coastline of 190 kilometers and connects 17 major river systems in the capital and nearby areas, is being cleaned and should be 80 percent complete in the next two years, he said. Metro Manila produces 9.3 million kilograms of solid waste every day, of which only 85 percent is collected, while the remaining ends up in waterways, according to data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The DENR has also expanded garbage collection to hard-to-reach neighborhoods of informal settlers, whose waste usually ends up thrown in waterways, Cimatu said. New guidelines for pilot waste-to-energy projects for municipal solid waste will be issued this month, he said.

Other highlights

THE Environment Department will issue rules regulating the use of singleuse plastics this month, after President Duterte called for a nationwide ban in November, Cimatu said. A separate bill on single-use plastics has been filed in the Senate, prohibiting the importation and use in food and retail establishments, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar said in the same conference. The 2020 national budget will allot funding for the construction of a plastic recycling facility in every city and province, according to Villar, who chairs the Senate environment committee. The budget will also allocate funds for a compost facility in every municipality.

HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Thursday installed two portal-type x-ray machines at the Manila International Container Port (MICP). Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero led the opening of the newly installed machines that will increase the port’s maximum inspection capacity with an additional 7,680 containers per day more than its previous capacity. He said one x-ray machine has the capacity to scan 160 containers per hour. Previously, the MICP was only equipped with seven mobile-type x-rays, used in rotation, which can scan only 25 containers per hour, or 600 containers per day, and one pallet and cargo x-ray used for scanning boxes and crates. MICP District Collector Guillermo Pedro Francia IV said with this enhanced inspection capacity, the MICP is ever more ready to protect the Philippine borders from illicit trade, illegal drugs and contraband. With about 3,000 shipments passing through the MICP every day, he said the new x-ray machine will ensure a balance between trade facilitation and stringent border protection. The BOC said the portal design allows container trucks to move through the x-ray machine as opposed to the mobile x-ray design where the machine has to move along the length of a container. It will result in faster and more efficient scanning time and a higher number of containers scanned per hour. At the same time, the X-ray Inspection Project and MICP will be setting-up training for the x-ray operators to take full advantage of the new equipment. PNA

NTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday shrugged off threats from communist rebels. “I will not be intimidated by such an evil plot. We are prepared for that. We will get them before they can execute their plan. We’ll keep this country safe against these godless communist terrorists/bandits,” Año said in a text message. Año’s remarks came after Maj. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., a ranking official of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, said he and other government officials are targeted by the communist front groups for leading President Duterte’s counterinsurgency program. “There is no need because my security measures are enough. Like a soldier, I am always prepared to

fight!,” he added. In a media forum Wednesday, Parlade, also the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) deputy chief of staff for Civil-Military Operations, said aside from him and Año, included on the “hit list” of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) are National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and National Commission on Indigenous Peoples Chairman Allen Capuyan. He said also included on the list, as well, are five former communist leaders who are helping the government’s anti-insurgency campaign. “We just have to show to the people that there is a job to be done, somebody has to do it. Matakot ka, sino gagawa nito, pero ako, sabi ko nga, wala akong kinakatakot sa kanila kasi wala akong utang na dugo, wala ako

inagawan o kinamkam na lupa, wala akong kasalanan sa masa nila. Ang akin lang ay i-share ang mga katotohanan na ito sa mga kababayan para magkaroon ng kalinawan ang ating mga kababayan kung ano itong duplicity ng [Get scared, who will do this? But as for me, I am not afraid of them because I don’t have a blood debt. I did not take anything or any land from somebody. I did not sin against their masses. As for me, I just want to share these truths to our fellow Filipinos so that they will know the duplicity of the] CPP,” Parlade said during the forum in Quezon City. The CPP and its armed wing, the New People’s Army, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Philippines. PNA

A4 Friday, December 6, 2019 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy

PHL to miss cruise ship targets this year, as Boracay continues to be off itineraries By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo @akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

HE Department of Tourism (DOT) is hoping for a growth in cruise passengers in 2020 as the industry finally recovers from the sixmonth closure of Boracay Island. This developed as only 90,571 cruise passengers were recorded from January to September 2019, according to the latest data from the DOT obtained by the BusinessMirror. The ships that carried these passengers made 83 port calls in the country. The number of cruise passengers in the nine-month period this year, however, was almost 55-percent off the arrivals in the same period in 2018, which was at 199,865 cruise passengers arriving on 80 ships, which made 143 port calls. DOT Undersecretary for Tourism Market Development Benito C. Bengzon Jr. told the BusinessMirror, “There were redeployments of ships to other neighboring destinations, like Vietnam and Thailand, due to the closure of Boracay [in 2018]. However, the reopening of the island after six months of tourism moratorium [in October 2018], paves the way for the resurgence of cruise tourism.” Data showed cruise calls in Boracay dipped to 15 last year from 17 in 2017. The number of cruise passengers, likewise, fell by 18 percent to 5,553 in 2018 from the previous year’s 6,781, as “blocked-out dates” were enforced to conform to the government-mandated carrying capacity of the island at 19,215 tourists per day, at any given time. “While the rehabilitation work continues, the window for cruise lines follows guidelines that take into consideration the island’s carrying capacity. This accounts for the slight decline in cruise calls this year, but this is expected to reverse in the coming months,” said Bengzon, adding that the island would be back on the cruise ships’ itineraries in 2020. He underscored in a recent news brief-

ing though that the blocked-out dates, i.e., periods where cruise ships will not be allowed to make port calls on Boracay, will continue to be implemented. These periods will be on Chinese New Year, Holy Week, All Saints’ All Souls’ days, Christmas and New Year, among others. The DOT is targeting an increase in port calls to 150 and cruise passengers to 220,000 in 2020, from this year’s targeted 109 port calls and 180,000 passengers. The nine-months to September figures indicate, however, this year’s targets would likely be missed. Overall, there was a 154-percent increase in cruise passengers to 241,652 in 2018, aboard 100 ships that made 178 port calls. Meanwhile, Bengzon said there are ongoing discussions with Star Cruises for a possible homeporting arrangement in Manila again. “We’re talking about it. We’re just trying to address some issues with Star Cruises like how to make it easier for cruise passengers to enter the country. Basically, visa requirements.” SuperStar Virgo, the flagship of Star Cruises, homeported in Manila in 2017 and 2018, but failed to do so this year. The DOT official hailed these as a “big achievement in a way, because if you look at the configuration of the current terminal, they use Pier 15, the fact that we got this ship to homeport is a major achievement already, because ordinarily their requirements are stringent.” To attract more cruise ships to the Philippines, Bengzon underscored the need for a “better and purpose-built terminal.” Sureste Properties, a unit of Bloombery Resorts Corp. is targeting to complete its cruise ship terminal beside its Solaire Resort in 2021. It has been designated a tourism enterprise zone by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority. The DOT-attached agency is also eyeing to construct a separate cruise port terminal at the CCP complex. Overall, there was a 154-percent increase in cruise passengers to 241,652 in 2018, aboard 100 ships that made 178 port calls. More than half, called on Manila.

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New road map seeks to regain PHL’s status as cloth-making ‘powerhouse’

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

HE struggling garments industry is moving to bring back the Philippines as one of the world’s largest exporters of clothing items by accelerating shipments by over 12 percent annually until 2022. In the road map presented on Thursday, the industry is eyeing to make the country as among the top 20 garments exporters across the globe by 2022. This will require it to improve clothing shipments by 12.3 percent annually starting next year. In the medium term, the industry has to grow figures by an average 21.7 percent from 2023 to 2025 that will push the Philippines to enter the circle of 15 largest garments exporters. Further, the industry is targeting to increase shipments by 45.8 percent annually between 2026 and 2029. This should result in Manila becoming one of the top 10 garments exporters in the world, reminiscent of 1970s when the country was a recognized cloth-making “powerhouse.” To hit the short-term objective, the government is asked to address the problems on smuggling and ukay-ukay, the domestic version of flea market where secondhand and mostly knockoff apparel brands are dumped.

The road map is also demanding authorities to “strictly implement Republic Act 4653,” which prohibits the commercial importation of textile articles, commonly known as used clothing and rags. As such, the government is asked to cancel business permits related to ukay-ukay. Also, the state is told to provide access to capital and land to garments firms, one suggested way is the grant of financial assistance for the purchase of raw materials, and new machineries and equipment. The road map stated the government should incentivize the adoption of innovative production processes that promotes sustainability and green environment, the use of solar energy, and the employment of waste disposal and upcycling. Moreover, garments firms should pay reduced value-added tax under their road map. To achieve the medium-term target, the road map is asking the state to streamline connections between the industry’s upstream and

downstream producers, as well as to reduce logistical, infrastructure and power rates. The country must also diversify not only its product offering, but also its export destinations. Under this strategy, the Philippines should reduce dependency on major markets, particularly the United States and Europe, and focus on establishing channels to emerging economies. In the long run, however, textile manufacturers should fully complement and support garments firms for the industry to accomplish its 2029 goal. Figures as of last year are against the industry’s optimism as displayed in the road map. Based on records from the Philippine Statistics Authority, exports of clothing products in 2018 slipped 13.1 percent to $889.38 million, from $1.02 billion in 2017. The industry is also experiencing uncertainties brought about by the government’s proposal to rationalize fiscal incentives under the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira) bill. Mostly located in economic zones, garments makers are enjoying tax perks, particularly the 5-percent tax on gross income earned paid in lieu of all local and national taxes, that they say are crucial in keeping their operations here in the Philippines. These incentives will be lifted once the Citira bill hurdles past Congress. The road map for the garments industry was authored by Myrna S. Austria and Mitzie Irene P. Conchada, economic professors from the De La Salle University.

HOUSE PROBE INTO WATER SUPPLY CONCESSION AGREEMENTS SOUGHT By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

@joveemarie

HE chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday filed a resolution directing the lower chamber to look into the P7.39 billion ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Singapore, the concession agreements of Manila Water and Maynilad, and current water resources management. Dasmariñas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said he filed the resolution after the PCA in Singapore ruled that the Philippine government has to pay Manila Water P7.39 billion for the company’s losses from June 1, 2015, to November 22, 2019, after the government refused to pay its demand amounting to P79 billion from 2015 to 2017 when it was not allowed to raise tariffs. According to Barzaga, a review of relevant existing laws must be done this 18th Congress. The lawmaker said the P7.39 billion are supposed losses suffered by Manila Water despite the fact it posed gross income of P6.5 billion, a net income increase of 6 percent from the previous year. On the other hand, he said, Maynilad reported a net income of P7.3 billion in 2018, up from P6.8 billion in 2017. According to its 2018 annual report, its core income increased by 5 percent due to the combined effect of a 3-percent growth in billed volume and several rounds of tariff increases. “The P7.39 billion comes after the country went through a recent water shortage that brought misery to tens of thousands of Filipinos that still looms when the summer time comes,” he added. In a separate resolution, the Bayan Muna Party-list also called on the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization to look into allegedly onerous concession agreement signed between the government and Manila Water and Maynilad. Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said the concession agreement imposes that the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has the obligation to pay for the legal cost of Maynilad and Manila Water should they challenge any regulatory decision that disapproved their rate increase.

“Whether the case brought to the international courts end up favoring the government or the concessionaires, the consumers will be on the losing end. If the case favored the government, the consumers will still have to shoulder the expensive legal cost of the concessionaires as obligated by the agreement. If the case favored the concessionaires, apart from the legal cost, the consumers will be the one paying the fines or penalties through tariff,” Zarate said. In a related development, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Thursday said the government is exploring its options in provisions found within the agreements between the government and water concessionaires, Maynilad and Manila Water. In a message to newsmen, Guevarra said the government is “more interested in getting a new deal than in compromising the arbitral award” issued by the Singapore arbitration center which awarded billions to the firms. Guevarra stressed that the contracts are not iron-clad and noted that “there is a contractual provision on amendments to the concession agreement.” The DOJ chief, likewise, explained that under law, the government cannot be held hostage to unlawful provisions. “The state is not estopped by the mistakes of its agents, especially if the acts committed are constitutionally or legally infirm. and the statute of limitations does not apply if the act sought to be set aside is void for being contrary to law or public policy. In any event, there is a standard separability clause that leaves other valid provisions effective,” Guevarra said. “Our legal remedies are not mutually exclusive,” Guevarra said, noting that the Office of the Solicitor General is contemplating judicial remedies locally and/or abroad. He added that some members of the Cabinet want an overhaul of the existing concession agreements and that others are thinking of more drastic actions. “PRRD has asked the DOJ to come up with an integrated solution. We’ll do,” Guevarra said. Manila Water is a subsidiary of Ayala Corp., while businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan’s Metro Pacific Investments Corp. owns a controlling stake in Maynilad. The two private companies distribute water in Metro Manila and other parts of the country under agreements signed with state regulator MWSS in 1997. In a speech on Tuesday night, President Duterte lashed out at the water concessionaires after a review conducted by the DOJ showed the water contracts were “onerous and disadvantageous to the people, relative of the terms or periods, government noninterference, as well as concessionaire indemnification for losses.” Due to the two provisions, the government was ordered by the Singapore arbitration court to pay Maynilad about P3.6 billion and, recently, P7.4 billion to Manila Water as compensation for losses and damages. The DOJ chief said another onerous provision is the extension of these contracts to 2037 considering that the extension was granted 12 to 13 years before the original expiration of the 25-year concession agreements in 2022. With PNA

DPWH completes P405-M rural health clinic projects in N. Luzon By Lorenz S. Marasigan @lorenzmarasigan

HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed 92 new rural health units in Northern Luzon, bringing primary healthcare facilities and services closer to residents. Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said the 92 health-care facilities in Region 1 are spread in several

barangays in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan. The government spent P405 million to build these facilities. Aside from specialty clinics, the health-care units are equipped with dental facilities, ward rooms, nurses’ areas, animal bite treatment centers and consultation rooms. They are also equipped with birthing and family planning rooms, and various laboratories. “With the completion of these fa-

cilities, residents can have more convenient and reliable services within their reach,” Villar said. Among the completed rural health units are those located in Aringay, Rosario, and Bauang in La Union; and San Fabian, San Jacinto, Alcala, Villasis, and Pozorrubio in Pangasinan. The government is now fasttracking the completion of six other health-care centers in La Union and Pangasinan. These are slated to be completed before the end of 2019.

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WORK-FOR-PAY PROGRAM EMPLOYS 100 SENIORS

OME 100 senior citizens living near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) were the latest batch to be enlisted in the work-for-pay program, a lawmaker said on Thursday. Rep. Ronnie Ong of Ang Probinsyano Party-list said his group, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, Manila International Airport Authority (Miaa) General Manager Ed Monreal, Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano and representatives of Parañaque City local government and senior citizens groups signed Tuesday a memorandum of agreement which would allow the employment of senior citizens at the Naia. “We’ve been focusing so much on giving discounts and other perks but I believe that our senior citizens should continue to have economic opportunities not just to have extra money but to also feel that they are still contributing to our society,” Ong said. The lawmaker said same work-forpay program for senior citizens was implemented in Central Visayas last week. Ong initially launched the program at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines before the same program was initiated at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, and the National Bureau of Investigation. Ong has forged a partnership with Department of Labor and Employment to tap the Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (Tupad) program to provide employment for senior citizens not only to give them economic opportunities but also to make them feel important and still useful to the society despite their old age.

Ong said that senior citizens who will be hired to work will do tasks that are important but not physically strenuous. Employment will be given priority to senior citizens who live around the various program venues and their salaries will be drawn from DOLE’s Tupad allocation. The salaries of the senior citizen workers under this program shall be based on the minimum salary in each region. Ong is also pushing for the institutionalization of this special workfor-pay program by filing House Bill 5362 or the Senior Citizens Employment Opportunity Act to ensure the automatic employment allocation for Filipinos aged 60 years old and above. Ong’s bill seeks to amend Section 5 of Republic Act 9994, or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, to ensure that senior citizens whose annual income is below the poverty threshold as determined by the Philippine Statistics Authority are given priority employment through job matches provided by the DOLE and the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC). HB 5362 also compels all government offices to invite, select and hire qualified senior citizens for positions, qualifications and functions initially determined by DOLE, the NCSC and the Civil Service Commission. The private sector is also encouraged to hire senior citizens and in return, they shall be entitled to an additional tax deduction from their gross income equivalent to 70 percent of the total amount paid as wages to senior citizens subject to compliance or the pertinent provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

NGCP upgrades Mindanao power transmission facilities By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

HE National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has carried out various upgrading of power transmission facilities in Mindanao, to secure and maintain the integrity of the transmission network. The grid operator said that under its Mindanao Substation Upgrading Project, a total of 90 MegaVolt Ampere Reactive (MVAR) substation capacity has been installed in seven substations from

@joveemarie

HE chairmanoftheHouseCommittee on Economic Affairs on Thursday urged the leadership of the lower chamber to act on a pending measure promoting transparency in food-related transactions. In a news statement, AAMBISOWA Party-list Rep. Sharon Garin said her House Bill 3597, or the proposed Affordable Food Transparency Act, underscores the right of every Filipino to affordable and adequate food supply by way of full public disclosure of all government transactions involving food and basic commodities. According to Garin, the bill is pending with the Committee on Human Rights since August 14, 2019. The Special Committee on Food Security will have its initial

deliberation on bills related to the Affordable Food Transparency Act on December 11, 2019. “A more transparent system when it comes to food transactions should lead to more honest dealings by the government and all other parties involved,” said Garin. With the ongoing march toward a hunger-free Philippines, Garin said there is a need to redirect attention to this often overlooked aspect of human rights. She said access to nutritious and affordable food is a basic human right. “We need to see it as such. In addition to this, we must also acknowledge that transparency, accountability, and people participation are imperative in ensuring food security and the protection of Filipino farmers,” Garin added. Citing the second-quarter report

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is eyeing to attract more persons with disabilities (PWD) to participate in future elections by coming out with additional policies that will assist and cater to their needs. Comelec Spokesman James B. Jimenez said they held their firstever voter simulation for PWDs on Thursday at Bahay Toro Hill, Elementary School in Quezon City, specifically to get inputs from PWDs for this purpose. “This will serve as data gathering activity for us and, at the same time, will provide confidence building to

published by the Philippine Statistics Authority for the year 2018, she said 41.5 percent of the total household expenditure of an average Filipino family was spent on food. To address the perennial problem of “hoarding,” the bill aims to prevent any and all forms of collusion and cartel that would restrict people’s access to affordable food and adequate food supply. If enacted into law, the Department of Agriculture will be mandated to publish information on importation permits granted for basic commodities, such as rice, corn and sugar. A penal provision in the bill also proposes a P20,000 to P40,000 fine for any public official or employee who is proven guilty of denying access to information or providing false/misleading information on food supply and prices.

Eleazar gets three-star rank; vows strong antidrug drive

HILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Directorial Staff Chief Guillermo Eleazar on Thursday vowed to further intensify the antidrug campaign as he formally received the rank of Lieutenant General (three-star). “Having seen the success of the President’s war against illegal drugs, I, in my personnel and current official capacity shall intensify my efforts to win as many battles in this war [on illegal drugs],” Eleazar said in his speech after the oath-taking and donning ceremonies at Camp Crame. Eleazar cited the crackdown not only on the drug suspects but also against the narco cops. “Today, after decades of uncertainty, fear and terror, the Filipino is beginning to enjoy peace of mind, a priceless commodity, a constitutional right, a heavenly gift that has eluded us for a long, long time,” he said. One of his accomplishments as former chief of the National Capital Region Police Office was the alliance among the government’s anti-illegal drugs law-enforcement groups through the Quad-Intel Force—composed of the NCRPO, Philippine Drug

Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-NCR, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-NCR, and the military’s Joint Task Force NCR against drug lords operating in Metro Manila, particularly convicted drug lords who are detained at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP). “I personally declared war against the big-time drug lords and cartels when I joined hands with BuCor [Bureau of Corrections] Director General Gerald Bantag in demolishing the kubols in the Bilibid a few months back,” Eleazar said in his speech. “In the process, General Bantag and myself must now be in the top of the hit list of the drug cartels,” he added. Eleazar said he gave particular attention to government detention facilities, particularly the NBP, as they have become both a comfort zone and a war room of big-time drug lords in the country with the help of corrupt prison officials. This is one of the reasons, Eleazar said, why the Philippines was plagued by illegal-drug problems. When Bantag was appointed as BuCor chief, he immediately request-

October 26 to November 1, 2019. These substations are located in Nabunturan, San Francisco, Maco, Placer, Butuan, General Santos and Tacurong Substations. “The additional substation capacity which we installed will help in boosting voltage in these areas, and will help prevent unnecessary power interruptions,” NGCP said. The company also recently energized the Maramag-Bunawan 230 kiloVolt (kV) lines 1 and 2, as well as two new power transformers in Bunawan Substation. These

components are part of NGCP’s larger Mindanao 230-kV backbone project, which is slated for completion in January 2020. The project, it said, is critical to ensure stable and continuous power from north to southern Mindanao. Two more 7.5 MVAR capacitor banks in the Pitogo Substation are slated for energization before the year-ends. “We are committed to improving the reliability of our power transmission services, which is why our projects are focused on

both long- and short-term solutions to address the needs of the target area,” stated NGCP. “Mindanao is full of potential for economic growth, and these projects completed and ongoing will make sure that quality power flows continuously throughout the island,” added the company. NGCP is a Filipino-led, privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining and developing the country’s power grid, led by majority shareholders Henry Sy Jr. and Robert Coyiuto Jr.

Comelec eyes bigger PWD participation in future polls

Lawmaker pushes passage of food-transparency measure By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz

Friday, December 6, 2019 A5

ed for back up from Eleazar, then Metro Manila police chief, after he implemented a purging of corrupt prison guards at the NBP. Eleazar, with a go-signal from Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, sent more than 500 policemen to act as prison guards. “I told myself that this is the opportunity I have been waiting to finally put a stop to the glory days of these drug lords because almost all of the big operations in Metro Manila, pointed to the Bilibid as the location where the command and control of drug circulation emanate,” Eleazar said. “I am up to the challenge even if it means risking my life. I shall work to wipe out all the kubols in all other penal colonies in the country. This will be my war,” he added. Eleazar is one of the top contenders for the country’s next PNP chief which remains vacant after the resignation of Oscar Albayalde. The other two contenders are current PNP officer in charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa and deputy chief for operations, Lt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, both members of the PMA Class 1986. PNA

PWDs so they will know there is such process for them,” Jimenez told reporters in an interview. Comelec-National Capital Region Assistant Regional Director Jovencio G. Balanquit, one of the organizers of the simulation, said they interviewed the participants to collect feedback on their voting experience. Among the questions they asked to the participants is if the voting centers have been accessible for them and if the assigned personnel there have been responsive to their needs. Balanquit said the activity is also Comelec’s participation to the 2019 International Celebration for PWDs, which is held ev-

ery December 3.

Responsive resolutions

JIMENEZ said all the comments, reactions and recommendations they will get from the initiative will be used by the Comelec en banc to come out with new resolutions benefiting PWDs. During the 2016 polls, Jimenez said, the Comelec en banc came out with a resolution establishing the Emergency Accessible Polling Places (EAPP) and gave PWDs a more convenient voting experience. EAPP, which is usually setup at the ground floor of voting centers, allows PWDs and other marginalized voters to cast their ballot without personally going to their

designated precincts. “The EAPP was very successful in terms of cutting down the problem of inaccessibility [for PWDS]. But there is still room for improvement,” Jimenez said. Since the introduction of the new policy, Jimenez said the number of registered PWD voters continued to increase. Based on data from the Comelec’s Election Records and Statistics Department, the number of registered PWD voters as of October 30, 2019, was already 346,255. This was higher compared to the registered PWD voters during the May 2018 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election, which was only at 312,884.

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Factory output down for 10th consecutive month

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

HE value and the volume of the output of factories in the Philippines fell for the 10th consecutive month in October, according to the latest data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Thursday. PSA data showed that the volume of production index fell 3.7 percent, while the value of production was 4.3 percent lower compared to the same month last year.

Average capacity utilization rate for total manufacturing in October was at 84.5 percent. Twelve, or 60 percent, of the 20 major industries had at least 80-percent capacity

utilization rates during the month. These include petroleum products, basic metals, machinery except electrical, nonmetallic mineral products, food manufacturing, and chemical products. The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) has recommended the extension of the validity of the 2019 national budget to boost construction spending and drive the growth of manufacturing after the sector’s index declined for the 10th consecutive month this year. The Neda on Thursday said the validity of the 2019 national budget should be extended to sustain the implementation of construction related activities and help fuel the recovery of the manufacturing sector. As well, legislators are asked to pass

the 2020 General Appropriations Act (GAA) in time. Neda Undersecretary and Officer in Charge Adoracion M. Navarro in a statement said the slowdown in manufacturing performance was not enough to temper business and consumer outlook. The holiday season this December, she argued, will likely result in a favorable macroeconomic condition that should help in the recovery of manufacturing. “Despite manufacturing’s performance, business and consumer outlook remains positive with the anticipation of higher consumer spending during the holiday season, a much favorable macroeconomic condition and a likely recovery in government spending on infrastructure,” Navarro said.

“The extension in the validity of the 2019 budget is important not just for the construction of infrastructure projects, but also for critical pre-feasibility, feasibility and other project development studies,” she added. Navarro also said accelerating the implementation of the infrastructure development programs and continued investment on human capital this December is critical to achieve the government’s targeted disbursement. “We are glad that the Department of Public Works and Highways and other infrastructure-focused agencies, the Department of Education, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development have signified commitment to accelerate their respective disbursements for the rest of the year,” the Neda acting chief said.

Nutrition key to students’ academic performance–Pangilinan

HE dismal ranking of the Philippines in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) could be rooted in hunger among Filipino children, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said on Thursday. The results of PISA, which primarily “measures 15-year-olds’ ability to use their reading, mathematics and science knowledge and skills to meet real-life challenges,” showed that among 79 participating economies, the Philippines ranked lowest in reading and second lowest in both mathematics and science. “Naniniwala akong resulta rin ito ng gutom sa mga batang Pilipino na

marami ay underweight, stunting, or even wasting,” Pangilinan said in a news statement. One in five Filipino children (19.1 percent) under five years old is underweight, one in three (30.3 percent) is stunting, and one in 18 (5.6 percent) is wasting, latest figures from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) showed. FNRI’s Expanded National Nutrition Survey—conducted every five years in 2018 and released on Nutrition Month this past July—also finds that one in four adolescents (over 10 years old to 19) is stunting and one in nine is wasting.

According to Unicef, “stunting, or low height for age, is caused by long-term insufficient nutrient intake and frequent infections. Stunting generally occurs before age two, and effects are largely irreversible. These include delayed motor development, impaired cognitive function and poor school performance. “Wasting, or low weight for height, is a strong predictor of mortality among children under five. It is usually the result of acute significant food shortage and/or disease.” “Kapag gutom ang bata, paano natin siya ma-expect na makapag-aral nang maayos?” Pangilinan asked. “Tungkulin nating lahat—nasa loob

at labas ng gobyerno—na siguraduhing merong sapat at abot-kayang pagkain para sa lahat ng Pilipino. ’Yan ang ibig sabihin ng pagiging food secure,” said the former Presidential Assistant on Food Security and Agricultural Modernization. Pangilinan also noted that hunger occurs the most in the agriculture and fishing sectors where 70 percent of workers are poor. “Hindi tama na ang nagpapakain sa atin ang nagugutom. ’Pag lumala ng lumala ang sitwasyon, wala ng magpapakain sa atin,” said Pangilinan, whose principal advocacy is raising the incomes of Filipino food producers and raising their standard of living. For Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, instituting a rewards and incentives system for public schools might be a way to goad them to strive to be better. “Bigyan ng incentive ’yung magagaling at bigyan ng disincentive ’yung mahihina para naman magkaroon ng [Give incentives to top schools and give disincentives to the poor performers so that they will have a] wish to excel or challenged to be better,” Villar said in an ambush interview. She also proposed that nonperforming schools should be disbanded altogether by the Department of Education (DepEd).

Villar said a similar reward system should be accorded to “bright students.” She said some sort of national exams could be held to show who are the bright students to be rewarded. “’Yung magagaling na estudyante, ang school nila dapat may mga national exams tapos na-me-measure mo, and then yung magagaling na estudyante, bigyan natin ng reward [For bright students, their schools should hold national exams as a kind of measure, then we reward the bright students],” Villar said. On the other hand, Sen. Joel Villanueva said proper nutrition and appropriate learning and play environments as early as preschool play an important role in the learning and academic performance of a student. He said it is for this reason he filed Senate Bill 858, which seeks to amend existing laws to strengthen the barangay day-care system. “This is to give them proper care while their parents go to work. This will ensure proper nutrition and development support,” Villanueva said in a statement. “I hope my proposal will be considered and will contribute to improving not just the academic performance but the overall welfare of underprivileged children,” he said. With PNA

DepEd vows to improve quality of education after PISA showing By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco Correspondent

HE Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday stressed the urgency of addressing the issues and gaps in attaining quality basic education after the Philippines’s low ranking in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Released on December 3, 2019, the latest PISA results revealed that the Philippines scored 353 in mathematics, 357 in science, and 340 in reading, all below the average of participating Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said that the failure of the government to spend portions of its gross domestic product (GDP) for education apparently resulted the current quality of education in the country. In a news statement, Briones said that it is the first time that the Philippines joined the PISA in 2018 as part of the Quality Basic Education reform plan and a step toward globalizing the quality of Philippine basic education. “By participating in PISA, we will be able to establish our baseline in relation to global standards, and benchmark the effectiveness of our reforms moving forward. The PISA results, along with our own assessments and studies, will aid in policy formulation, planning and programming,” she said. The education chief noted that DepEd will lead the national effort for quality basic education through “Sulong Edukalidad” by imple-

“We envision that no Filipino learners should be left behind and it takes a nation to educate a child. Hence, DepEd calls the entire nation to take active involvement, cooperation and collaboration in advancing the quality of basic education in the Philippines.” —Briones

menting “aggressive reforms” in four key areas: K to 12 review and updating; Improvement of learning facilities; Teachers and school heads’ upskilling and reskilling through a transformed professional development program; and Engagement of all stakeholders for support and collaboration. “We envision that no Filipino learners should be left behind and it takes a nation to educate a child. Hence, DepEd calls the entire nation to take active involvement, cooperation and collaboration in advancing the quality of basic education in the Philippines,” Briones stressed. On Tuesday, results of the PISA 2018, which compared the quality of basic education of the 79 member and partner countries of the OECD showed the Philippines ranking at the bottom for performance in reading, and second-lowest for both mathematics and science. The Philippines scored 340 points in reading, below the average of 487 points of OECD member and partner countries, 353 points in mathematical literacy, below the average of 489 points, and 357 points in science, below the average of 489 points.

SC orders transfer of Batocabe slay case trial to Manila

HE Supreme Court has ordered the transfer of the venue of the criminal cases filed against former Daraga Mayor Carlwyn Baldo in connection with the death of Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe and his security escort last year. In a notice dated November 27, 2019, and made public on Thursday, the High Court’s Second Division granted the request filed by Batocabe’s family, represented by his wife Gertrudes and son Justin, and current Party-list Rep. Alfredo A. Garbin Jr., for transfer of venue of the cases. The court, through Deputy Division Clerk of Court Teresita A. Tuazon, directed the Clerk of Court of the Legazpi City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10 in Albay to forward the records of the cases to the executive judge of the Manila RTC. The court, in the notice, also directed the executive judge of the Manila RTC to raffle the cases among the judges in the Manila court that would “hear and decide the cases with utmost dispatch.” It noted that the request for transfer of venue “is anchored on the alleged bias and partiality of Judge Maria Theresa San JuanLoquillano toward accused Baldo, claiming the cannot have a fair trial before the sala of Judge San Juan-Loquillano, and that they fear for the safety of their family and witnesses should the trial continue in Albay or any part of the Bicol region.” In September, the Legazpi court allowed Baldo to post a P8.72-million bail, prompting protests from Batocabe’s supporters. Baldo is facing double murder and six attempted murder complaints for the death of Batocabe and his security escort, Sgt. Orlando Diaz, as well as injuries sustained by bystanders in an attack during a Christmas gift-giving activity in a village in Daraga, Albay, on December 22, 2018. PNA

200 indigent Muslim Pinoys join Hajj 2020

AVAO CITY—At least 200 indigent Filipino Muslims would be able to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca next year with a similar number of sponsored slots being offered by the government, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) said on Thursday. Dimapuno Datu Ramos Jr., the head of the NCMF’s Bureau of External Relations, said the sponsorship is “as promised by President Duterte during the Eid’l Fitr Dinner, in Davao City held early this year.” He said the NCMF, under Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan, had set eligibility criteria to make sure that only indigents would be included on the list. Datu Ramos said those who want to apply should first secure a certification from the Department of Social Welfare and Development that they are indeed financially incapable of performing the hajj on their own. Applicants should also be at least 50 years old, who had never performed the hajj—one of the five pillars of Islam; physically and mentally fit as certified by a licensed physician or the NCMF medical officer; and a devoted Muslim as certified by the local mufti or recognized Imam or sheik. Datu Ramos said applicants should also ensure that they have valid passports. “The deadline for submission of required documents to the respective NCMF office of the applicant’s residence is on January 6, 2020. A raffle to determine the final list may be done in the NCMF Central Office,” he added. PNA

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Opec nations grapple with oversupply of oil

HE world may be heading for an even greater oversupply of oil, and that possibility—which could drive down fuel and energy prices—is hanging over members of the Opec cartel as they head into negotiations on Thursday. The oil-producing nations will decide whether to stick with production cuts they’ve endured for the past three years, relax them or deepen them in the hopes of propping up prices. They’re negotiating through a tangle of tensions driving members in competing directions. Saudi Aramco’s stock market debut, which will get off the ground on Thursday when the state-run oil giant prices its shares, has put Saudi Arabia in a precarious position as it bets on what volume of oil production will hit a sweet spot for prices, with the added pressure of considering the interests of its shareholders. The nation is already bearing the burden of the largest share of Opec’s production cuts. But some nations such as Iraq have been ignoring the agreement and producing more than their allotted amount. “If people are already not complying to the current agreement, what’s the point to those that are complying cutting more? So the others can go on cheating?” said Bhushan Bahree, executive director of global oil at research group IHS Markit. “I think the Saudi position is they’re willing to cut more if needed, but they want better compliance.”

Brent crude oil hovered around $61 per barrel on Wednesday afternoon. Prices have f luctuated throughout the year, reaching nearly $75 per barrel in April after US sanctions on Iran and Venezuela limited world supply, but lingering trade tensions between the US and China dampened economic expectations, pushing prices back down. West Tex as Inter med iate, the US benchmark crude, was trading at around $56 on Wed nesd ay a f ter noon , a nd its price followed a similar trajectory throughout the year. As it stands, Opec nations have agreed to cut production by 1.2 million barrels per day through March 2020, and most analysts expect Opec nations to extend those production cuts until at least summer. “If they just keep the existing situation, then you get this massive oversupply,” said Jacques Rousseau, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners. Rousseau believes Opec nations will cut production by an additional 400,000 barrels per day to keep supply and demand in balance during the first half of next year, with the cuts made mainly by Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. But substantial cuts may

IN this March 8, 2018, file photo, wetlands are seen beyond the Shell Norco refinery in Norco, Louisiana. The world may be heading into an oversupply of oil, and that possibility is hanging over members of the Opec cartel, which will meet later this week to decide whether to further cut production to boost prices. AP PHOTO/GERALD HERBERT

be difficult to achieve with some Opec members following their own agendas. “Iraq has exceeded its production target every month this year,” Rousseau said. “Granted, there’s some unrest going on in the country, but I don’t think they’ll voluntarily reduce.” Meanwhile, Russia, which is not part of Opec but has been following its lead on production limits in recent years, has indicated it wants its oil production recalculated in a

way that’s in line with Opec nations. That could enable it to produce more oil. And even if members of the cartel cut production, there’s more oil coming online from non-Opec nations, including the US, Canada, Brazil, Norway and Guyana, which will more than make up for any drop in production, according to IHS Markit. The dynamic to watch will be whether Russia and Saudi Arabia will come to an

agreement on production levels in the early and middle parts of next year, said Heather Heldman, managing partner at Luminae Group, a geopolitical intelligence firm. “If something goes awry with Saudi production in the next few months, and there’s a fairly good chance something will happen ...Russia’s going to be the first party looking to fill that gap,” Heldman said. “And I think the Saudis know that.” AP

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181.

FURUSHIMA PHILIPPINES INC. Phase II CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. YOSHIHIRO KOGISO / Japanese

Production Assistant Manager

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 141. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. JIAJIA DENG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

182.

DAEGYOUNG APPAREL INC. CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MS. HYUNSOOK LEE (SPOUSE OF VENTURA) / Korean

Warehouse Manager

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 142. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. CHONG MA/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

183.

ATLAS COPCO (PHILIPPINES), INC. Laguna Technopark, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. MUHANNAD SOUD MASOUD ODEH / Jordanian

General Manager

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 143. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. KAI LIU/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 184. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JINTAO YANG/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 144. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. YUEMEI FU/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 185. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. XUEYAN SUN/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 145. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. PENGZHI LI/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 186. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YAPENG LIAO/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 146. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YUAN FU/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 187. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. CHAOJIN LUO/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 147. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. PENGCHENG WANG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 188. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. SHUANGYE XU/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 148. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHENPEI CHEN/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 189. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. DAXIONG LUO/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 149. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. MINGLIANG XIA/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 190. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. SISHI MO/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 150. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. BAOPING XIA/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 191. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZIYI HUANG/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 151. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHENHUA LIANG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 192. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. XIAOFANG XIONG/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 152. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. PEIPEI QU/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 193. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XIAO XIAO/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 153. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. GANG LIU/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 194. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XIANWEN WENG/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 154. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. CONG YI/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 195. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YASHUAI CAO/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 155. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. CHUNCHAO WANG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 196. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. QIHU LUO/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 156. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. WEI ZHU/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 197. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHAO YANG/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 157. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. WANGHUI LING/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 198. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. GE QIU/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 158. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XIAOEN LI/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 199. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. DEFU WANG/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 159. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YUJI DENG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 200. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. XINYUE BAO/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 160. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. BAO ZHANG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 201. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YANG LI/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 161. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. QIUXIA HUANG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 202. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. CHANPING YUAN/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 162. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. SIYU HAO/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 203. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. LIQIANG BAI/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 163. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XIAOTING CHEN/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 204. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HAO YUE/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 164. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHONGBAO WANG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 205. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. LINGDA HU/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 165. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. YUXIU HUANG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 206. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. TIANYONG QI/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 166. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZOULIN HUANG/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 207. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. WEI HUANG/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 167. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. SHANSHAN GAO/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 208. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. PING WU/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 168. SOLUTIONS, INC. Brgy. San Francisco, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. FENG ZHU/ Chinese

Chinese Speaking Customer Service Representative

SMART WIN TECHNOLOGY, INC. 209. 4-12F Southwoods Tower 2, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. BO LIU/ Chinese

Mandarin Customer Service Representative

Plating Manager

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The World BusinessMirror

Friday, December 6, 2019 A11

French trains stop as mass strike begins over pensions

ARIS—French trains rolled to a halt on Wednesday evening, kicking off massive nationwide strikes and protests against President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to overhaul the retirement system, seen as an untouchable symbol of the French way of life. Tourists canceled travel plans and Paris deployed thousands of police to cope with what was expected to be a challenging day on Thursday. The walkout was expected to hit transportation the hardest, as flights, trains and buses canceled service and most of the Paris subway system came to a halt. Workers at the national railway SNCF stopped work on Wednesday evening, while other services planned to shut down on Thursday morning for an indefinite period. In Paris, where workers’ unions were planning a big march on Thursday, police warned of possible violence and damages, and ordered all businesses, cafés and restaurants along the protest route to close. Authorities also issued a ban on protests on the Champs-Elysees Avenue, around

the presidential palace, parliament and Notre Dame Cathedral. Paris police chief Didier Lallement said that 6,000 police officers would fan out around the city, notably amid fears that protest groups and extremist troublemakers could join the action. The Eiffel Tower warned tourists to delay a visit to the iconic monument because the strike would disrupt access on Thursday. The Louvre Museum said its opening on Thursday could be delayed, and some viewing rooms may be closed. Hotels across Paris reported receiving numerous cancellations ahead of the strike, as wary tourists eyed closing transportation routes and decided to skip their Paris vacations.

IN this May 14, 2018, file photo, a striking rail worker walks on the tracks of the Saint-Charles train station, in Marseille, Southern France. France’s rail operator SNCF and the Paris Metro say nationwide strikes will wipe out most services on Thursday, impacting millions. The SNCF expects that 9 out of 10 high-speed trains won’t run and that half of the Eurostar services linking France and Britain will be canceled, too. AP PHOTO/CLAUDE PARIS

The SNCF railway expected 9 out of 10 high-speed trains to be canceled. International train lines were expected to be affected, too. No tickets were available on Eurostar trains across the English Channel until Tuesday.

Air France said about 30 percent of its domestic flights would be canceled. The government said 55 percent of teachers would be on strike on Thursday, and hospitals also would be affected. Workers are angry at Macron’s plan to

streamline the country’s 42 state pension systems, fearing they will have to work longer and earn less upon retirement. For Amina Hamade, 17, who lives in the Paris suburb of Poissy and takes the train to her high school in the nearby town of Les Mureaux, the strike provides a good excuse to skip school on Thursday and Friday. Ta r i k Sl i m a n i, a butc her i n L es Mureaux, sees the strike as a political stunt that will hurt the economy. Everyone who relies on public transportation to get to work will pay the price, he said. At Montparnasse train station, Samira Quasan, a 28-year-old tourist from Chicago, described moving around her travel plans to and from Bordeaux because of the strike. Parisian Marie Boudal had to do the same for her grandchild’s baptism in Lyon. Some travelers complained about the disruptions, while some showed support for the striking workers. “They really are attacking something that was one of the few remaining things that we had”—the pension system, said Sylviane Charles, a 57-year-old school principal whose school was slated to close on Thursday. “And so you end up with widespread despair.” AP

A12 Friday, December 6, 2019

The World BusinessMirror

Editor: Angel R. Calso

US feels the heat as Trump leaves global climate pact

ASHINGTON—President Donald J. Trump is aiming to make the annual UNsponsored climate talks under way in Madrid the last ones for full participation by the United States, which is the world’s No. 1 economy and the second-biggest carbon emitter. Tr u mp d i s m i s s e s c l i m ate change and he thumbed his nose at previous climate talks by twice sending White House delegations to promote climate degrading coal. He is due to complete the US withdrawal from the landmark Paris global climate accord on November 4, 2020, the day after next year’s US presidential election. If Trump loses that election, the next president could put the brakes on the withdrawal. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other political and business leaders, scientists and activists are traveling to Spain this week and next week to drive home a counter message: US cities, states and businesses representing a sizable chunk of the US population and economy are committed to a global effort to slash emissions. “We’re still in it,” Pelosi told reporters at the talks, where she appeared with 14 other congressional Democrats on Monday to call

climate change a growing threat to public health, economy and national security in the US. Her comments were echoed by Mandela Barnes, Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor. “Regardless of whether or not we have the support of the nation’s highest office or not, this work is going to get done,” Barnes said. This year’s conference is expected to focus on fine-tuning the rules for reducing fossil-fuel emissions by the roughly 200 signatories of the Paris agreement. It comes ahead of a big push at next year’s climate summit for more ambitious emissions-cutting targets. Experts say the US’s repeated about-faces on the threat of climate change likely have done lasting damage. Even before Trump repudiated the deal backed by President Barack Obama, former President George W. Bush’s administration renounced the landmark Kyoto

HOUSE Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California speaks during a press conference at the COP25 climate talks summit in Madrid on Monday, December 2, 2019. The chair of a two-week climate summit attended by nearly 200 countries warned at its opening that those refusing to adjust to the planet’s rising temperatures “will be on the wrong side of history.” AP PHOTO/ANDREA COMAS

emissions protocol, negotiated in the late 1990s during Bill Clinton’s presidency, said Nigel Purvis, a State Department climate negotiator under Clinton and Bush. “The international community has concluded the US is an unreliable partner,” Purvis said. Although the United States served formal notice last month that it intends to become the first country to withdraw from the Paris accord, it technically remains a participant until next November 4. Marcia Bernicat, a senior State Department official, is leading the official US delegation. The administration is taking part to ensure a level playing field that protects US interests,” the State Department said in a statement.

Advocates of the Paris accord say the US withdrawal will leave American businesses to compete internationally under carbon-cutting rules set by other countries. Behind the scenes, US diplomats have played a helpful role despite the planned US withdrawal, pushing for transparency and solid rules as countries commit to specific targets for cutting emissions, delegates from other nations say privately. Publicly, Trump has catered to his base at the yearly talks. That includes dispatching a team to the 2017 and 2018 climate meetings to stage side events promoting coalfired power production, one of the main sources of climate wrecking emissions.

His administration stood by fossil fuels “unapologetically,” White House Energy Envoy Wells Griffith said at the US pro-fossil fuel event at last year’s talks in Poland. That drew chants from the audience of “Shame on you!” Griffith, who helped broker a coal deal in Ukraine, apparently refused a request by House impeachment investigators to discuss administration actions there. A woman who answered the phone at Griffith’’s office on Tuesday said no one there would say whether he planned to appear in this year’s climate negotiations. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last month repeated Trump’s argument that the Paris accord was an economic burden for the United States. Pompeo said technological innovation and the free market have made for continued US declines in climate-changing emissions. It’s true US carbon emissions are still falling under Trump, according to a study by Global Carbon Project, a group of international scientists who track emissions. The US saw emissions drop 1.7 percent from 2018 to 2019, the same decline as in the European Union, even as China led in a 0.6-percent rise in emissions globally over the last year, the study said. US experts say the drop in US fossil-fuel emissions is due in part to the decline of coal-fired power plants, losers in marketplace competition against cheaper natural gas and renewable sources despite

Trump’s 2016 campaign pledges to save coal. The 2018 midterm elections, which gave Democrats control of the House, showed that embracing top-down government action to cut fossil-fuel emissions can be part of a winning platform, at least in some parts of the country. In August 2017, 46 percent of Americans opposed US withdrawal from the international agreement, while 29 percent supported it, according to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago. This August, another AP-NORC poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans said the federal government should bear a lot of responsibility for combating climate change. “We hope...this is only a temporary farewell” for the US, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said last month at a diplomatic conference. Regardless, he said, other governments can’t count on Americans sorting out a lasting climate policy anytime soon. Ultimately, said Carla Frisch, a former energy policy expert at the Department of Energy under three US administrations, US climate action demands US climate regulation, making cutting emissions the law and policy of the land. “We have to be all in,” Frisch said. “We also need the federal government, to get where we need to go.” AP

Boris Johnson juggles Nato summit with electioneering

A BP oil refinery is at work in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Wednesday morning, December 4, 2019. The UN Climate Change Conference COP25 takes place in Madrid until December 13, 2019, under the Presidency of the Government of Chile with logistical support from the Government of Spain. AP PHOTO/MARTIN MEISSNER

EU climate leadership in doubt as bloc set to miss 2030 target

ADRID—The European Union said on Wednesday that it will likely miss its target for reducing greenhouse gases by 2030, dealing a blow to the bloc’s efforts to be a leader in the fight against climate change. The European Environment Agency said existing measures put the EU on course to cut its emissions of carbon dioxide and other planet-warming pollutants by 30 percent in the next decade compared with 1990 levels. Currently, the 28-nation bloc is aiming for a reduction of 40 percent by 2030, and some leaders have called for this target to be raised to 55 percent, with a long-term goal of ending virtually all new emissions by 2050. “Recent trends highlight a slowing down of progress in areas, such as reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, industrial emissions, waste generation, improving energy efficiency and the share of renewable energy,” the agency said in a report. “Looking ahead, the current rate of progress will not be enough to meet 2030 and 2050 climate and energy targets.” The report was released as officials from almost 200 countries meet in Madrid for UN climate talks. The EU’s new executive Commission is expected to present its long-term plan for tackling global warming—dubbed the European Green Deal—next week. Environmental campaigners said the EU should step up its efforts to ensure that the aim of the 2015 Paris climate accord of keeping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century remains possible. “Current EU leaders are the last generation that can prevent the climate breakdown,” said

Wendel Trio, director of the campaign group Climate Action Network Europe. Trio noted that the European Parliament recently declared a symbolic “climate emergency.” “Citizens want them to act now, and not in 30 years,” he said. The European Environment Agency report said that “there is still a chance to meet the longer-term goals and objectives for 2030 and 2050” if countries ratchet up their efforts, adding that this will require tackling politically sensitive issues such as fossil fuel subsidies. A separate study published on Wednesday by a group of international scientists found that both the EU and the United States saw emissions drop 1.7 percent from 2018 to 2019, but China saw a 2.6-percent increase and India had a 1.8-percent rise. Swedish activist Greta Thunberg said the study showed that “instead of the drastic reductions desperately needed, our CO2 emissions keep increasing.” “We’re still moving fast in the wrong direction,” Thunberg said in a tweet. Thunberg is expected to travel to Madrid for a mass protest on Friday outside the climate talks. Under the slogan “The world has awakened to the climate emergency,” the rally is expected to gather “at least 100,000” protesters from all over the world, including representatives of Latin America’s indigenous people at the front of it, activists said on Wednesday. Small-scale protests of barely dozens of activists have been taking place almost daily since the summit began. On Wednesday, some 40 Extinction Rebellion activists broke into a fashion store in a major shopping thorough-

fare, gluing their hands to the windows to protest the impact of the garment industry on the environment. Police removed the protesters, who carried signs reading “The Earth pays for fast fashion” and “Green words, toxic truths.” One of them was arrested for disobeying police orders. “2019 has been the year of the awakening of civil society and the youth who have stood up to urge politicians and business heavyweights for more ambition against the climate emergency,” said Pablo Chamorro, a spokesman for March for Climate, one of the hundreds of social justice and environmental groups signing the manifesto for Friday’s scheduled march. The march has been hastily organized in Madrid after the UN climate talks moved to the Spanish capital from protest-hit Chile. Activists will also hold a march on the same day in the Chilean capital of Santiago. NGOs and activist groups will also hold from December 7 until the end of the summit, on December 13, a “social summit” at a university in Madrid to push for greater and fairer action against global warming. The alternative summit mirrors a similar gathering in Chile where activists want to provide a platform for unofficial voices. “Climate change has been hijacked by a technical language that seemed not to leave space for normal people to have a voice,” said Estefanía González, a Chilean activist also behind Friday’s march. “I wish there are more people like Greta taking over the microphones and not allowing the same people to keep monopolizing the climate message,” she added. AP

ATFORD, England—British Prime Minister Boris Johnson juggled election campaigning with hosting a meeting of Nato leaders on Wednesday, keeping a polite but noticeable distance from unpredictable US President Donald J. Trump. The gathering was intended to celebrate the 70th birthday of the 29-member military alliance, but fissures were on display as the leaders met at a luxury country hotel outside London. On Tuesday, Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron sparred over Macron’s criticism of Nato and Turkey’s military operation in northern Syria. The next day, the US president called Canada’s prime minister “two-faced” after Justin Trudeau was caught on an open microphone gossiping about Trump at a royal reception. Johnson insisted the Nato meeting had been “extremely practical and extremely harmonious.” The visit by Trump, who is widely unpopular in Britain, was a complication as UK politicians campaign ahead of the country’s December 12 election. Johnson—who is ahead of the main opposition Labour Party in opinion polls—wants to avoid being too closely associated with the US leader. He was not photographed alongside Trump on Tuesday, though the two met in private at 10 Downing Street and appeared together in a group photo of leaders. Johnson denied avoiding Trump, saying he was “going to be photographed with every possible leader of Nato” at the gathering. But when asked whether Trump contributed to the security of the West, Johnson spoke only of the role of the United States, calling it “a pillar of stability for our col-

lective security.” On Tuesday, Trump praised Johnson as “very capable,” but largely avoided commenting on the UK election. He denied that the US intended to include Britain’s statefunded health service in negotiations on a future trade deal with Britain. The fate of the much-loved health service is a key Labour campaign plank. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn alleges that once Britain has left the European Union, Johnson will seek a trade deal with the US that would drive up the cost of drugs and open up the state-funded service to US firms. Trump denied that the US was interested in the National Health Service, saying on Tues-

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, left; and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, center; greet US President Donald J. Trump during official arrivals at a Nato leaders meeting at The Grove Hotel And Resort in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, on Wednesday, December 4, 2019. Stoltenberg rejected French criticism that the military alliance is suffering from brain death, and insisted that the organization is adapting to modern challenges. PETER NICHOLLS, POOL PHOTO VIA AP

Oil holds surge as stockpiles add to trade optimism before Opec

IL held its biggest surge in more than two months as signs of a potential USChina deal and tightening American crude stockpiles bolstered prices ahead of the Opec+ meeting. Futures were little changed in New York after jumping 4.2 percent on Wednesday, the biggest gain since the attacks on Saudi Arabia’s energy facilities. The US and China are moving closer to agreeing on the amount of tariffs that would be rolled back in an initial trade deal, according to people familiar. American crude inventories fell more than expected last week, while Oman’s Oil Minister Mohammed Al Rumhi said Gulf Arab members of the Opec+ coalition have reached a consensus on the need to prolong output cuts.

day that “If you handed it to us on a silver platter, we want nothing to do with it.” In June, however, Trump said that everything— including the NHS—would be “on the table.” Labour says leaked documents from preliminary trade talks held between 2017 and this year show that drug pricing was part of the agenda. “If it is off the table, then why is it included in all the talks?” Corbyn said on Wednesday. “Why did they continue for months having these discussions with the NHS totally on the table?” Johnson rejected the Labour claim, saying “I think by now that everybody has rumbled this for the nonsense that it is.” AP

Oil has rallied since early October on optimism Beijing and Washington are close to a breakthrough in the prolonged trade war that has dented demand. While Iraq backed away from a proposal for steeper production curbs, Saudi Arabia may lead the way in deepening cuts if other countries better comply with their quotas, according to delegates from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The precise terms of any proposed deal remain unclear. “Any hint of tariff rollback is absolute positive mood music to the oil market’s ears,” Stephen Innes, chief Asia market strategist at AxiTrader, wrote in a note. “An extension of the existing Opec+ agreement and stricter enforcement of compliance would be the bare

minimum to expect, but the real debate is on whether deeper cuts will be announced.” West Texas Intermediate for January delivery fell 17 cents to $58.26 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange as of 8:02 a.m. in London. The contract advanced $2.33 to close at $58.43 on Wednesday, the highest level in two weeks. Brent for February settlement lost 13 cents to $62.87 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe Exchange. The contract gained 3.6 percent to close at $63 on Wednesday. The global benchmark crude traded at a $4.71 premium to WTI for the same month. US negotiators expect a phase-one deal with China to be completed before American tariffs are set to rise on December 15, people familiar with the talks said. Outstanding issues include how to guarantee China’s purchases of American agricultural goods and exactly which duties to roll back, they added. Bloomberg News

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Friday, December 6, 2019

A13

Indonesia preps $40B for rail network to rival Singapore’s

AN SMBC employee walks toward the company’s head office on September 2. TORU HANAI/BLOOMBERG

Japanese bank says it takes more than changing dress code to shake things up

APAN’S second-largest bank wants to change the mindset of its staff. It made a start by upending its dress code, a revolutionary move in an industry dominated by dark suits and formal wear. But that’s not enough, according to Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. President Jun Ohta. “I am telling them: ‘Change your ideas, don’t just change your clothes,’” Ohta said on Thursday at Bloomberg’s Year Ahead conference in Tokyo. Sumitomo Mitsui introduced one of the most relaxed dress codes of any major Japanese financial institution in September, allowing its Tokyo headquarters staff to wear jeans and sneakers to work. Those working in the branches can dress down if their managers approve. Ohta, 61, said he introduced the new rules as part of his effort to transform the bank to meet its

various challenges, including the entry of technology firms into financial services. Since taking the top post in April, he has warned that Sumitomo Mitsui customers may be lured away by new, more nimble competitors. “We have 100,000 employees worldwide. We cannot change unless we change the mindset of each one of them,” said Ohta, dressed in a dark suit and blue tie. Ot her Japa nese ba n k s have made l im ited steps towa rd more casua l attire at work, but t hey a re usu a l ly conf ined to t he depa r t ments work ing on tec hnolog y init i at ives. W hile Ohta was spea k ing, photos of Sumitomo Mitsui staff arriving at work wearing shorts, backpacks and casual footwear were displayed on the screen behind him. “Well, this is awful,” Ohta joked. Bloomberg News

Malaysia’s Anwar denies ex-staffer’s sexual harassment claims

HE political leader touted as Malaysia’s next prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, is facing fresh allegations of sexual harassment from a former staff member as his party prepares for its annual national congress this weekend. T he 72-year- old pol itician on T hu rsd ay den ied m a k i ng multiple physical advances last year against the alleged victim, who appeared to sign a statutor y declaration uploaded on a Facebook page. Anwar’s aide has lodged a police report over the matter, while his law yer also planned to send a letter of demand to the accuser. “This action was done to destroy my image ahead of the 14th National Justice Congress and the national leadership transition process,” Anwar said in a statement released on Thursday. “On the alleged date, I was busy carrying out my campaign for the Port Dickson by-election and attend ing t he Ma hat ma Ga nd h i 150t h Bir t h A nniversa r y Me mor i a l Event in Ku a l a Lu mpu r a nd ret u r ned to Por t Dic k son to resu me my ca mpa ig ning.” In a video uploaded to a Facebook page, the man who ident if ied h i msel f a s t he v ict im said the incident was morally repugnant, criminal and had left him deeply traumatized. A family member later said in a statement issued through Anwar’s party that the man was manipulated by politicians to ser ve their own interest.

‘Question marks’

THE accusation comes months after Azmin Ali, the minister of economic affairs widely seen as a rival to Anwar, fought against allegations that he was featured

in videos showing him engaged in sexual acts with another man. Malaysia’s police failed to link the people in the videos with the accused minister, and concluded that a political party leader was the mastermind behind the clips. The police, who didn’t name the leader or the party, remanded and then released Anwar’s political secretary in July. Anwar was accused of committing the offense at his home in Kuala Lumpur last October, just five months after he was pa rdoned a nd relea sed f rom prison in May over an unrelated sodomy conviction. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has said he will hand over the leadership to former rival Anwar once the country is on good footing, but the scandals may see him extend his stay in power as the ruling coalition struggles to contain internal rifts. Mahathir looks set to stay until at least November next year, when he plans to become the only prime minister to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting twice. The accusations emerged just days before Anwar is set to attend and officiate the People’s Justice Party, or PKR, annual congress for the first time in his capacity as the party president. “I don’t see these accusations as having any effect on the party,” said PKR leader Nik Nazmi Nik A hmad, who dismissed the issue as political. He said there were too many question marks over the timing of the accusation, and the dates produced by the accuser. “So many allegations have been thrown about, this is nothing compared to what the party has gone through in the past.” Bloomberg News

NDONESIA is preparing to spend about $40 billion to extend Jakarta’s metro network, a bigger-thanexpected outlay that’s poised to boost the country’s construction companies and reignite a rivalry between China and Japan over building the project. The spending plan, detailed in an interview with the head of the operator of the capital’s subway, is part of President Joko Widodo’s ambitious road map to create a $7 trillion economy by 2045. While his administration has outlined a requirement to spend about $455 billion on infrastructure over the next five years, policy-makers have until now revealed few specifics. PT MRT Jakarta is currently selecting financiers to help fund the expansion, said William Sabandar, its president director. It’s seeking to add an additional six lines to the one that partially opened earlier this year, he said, which could rival Hong Kong and Singapore in terms of length. The decision to broadly extend the network may surprise some analysts who were expecting the operator to work only on completing the first line. “We have a target of building 230 kilometers by 2030, that’s the master plan,” Sabandar said in an interview in Jakarta. “We only have 16 kilometers right now, so

the key is how we can do this in an accelerated way. We can no longer just build them one by one.” Improving the country’s rail network is a crucial next step in Jokowi’s ambitions to develop the Southeast Asian country’s infrastructure, expediting the flow of goods and people and alleviating congestion, after he spent aggressively to build the toll road network in his first term. But his efforts to date, which also include the construction of ports, dams and power plants, have put a strain on the banking system and the balance sheets of stateowned construction companies.

China, Japan

INDONESIA will need assistance and funding from abroad for the plan to materialize, according to Yayat Supriatna, a transportation analyst at Trisakti University in Jakarta. That opens the door for China and Japan to renew their rivalry in the country, something that Indonesia will

have to navigate, he said. “We have to acknowledge that Indonesia doesn’t have the technical capabilities and the financial resources for this,” Supriatna said in a phone interview. By making Japan and China compete against each other, “we can make sure that we can pick the offer that gives us the best benefit.” The two Asian powerhouses have both had success in winning rail-related projects in Indonesia. Japan was awarded the first subway line in the capital, while China secured the first high-speed train deal connecting Jakarta and Bandung. “The Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank are among those who are serious and have submitted financing commitments,” Sabandar said, adding that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has also expressed interest in the new lines. The plan has some overlap with an earlier goal to spend about $43 billion to sort out the city’s traffic, which includes extending the MRT, completing a 44-kilometer (27.3-mile) light-rail project, rejuvenating the bus system and developing overpasses and other toll roads.

Other agreements

IN September, Indonesia signed an agreement with Jica for a 60 trillion rupiah ($4.3 billion) project to add an express line between Jakarta and Surabaya

on the island of Java. Indonesia has also commissioned a $6 billion, 142-kilometer high-speed train to connect Jakarta and Bandung, the capital of West Java. The project, which was awarded to China Railway International Co. and a consortium of Indonesian state companies, was scheduled to be completed last year but has faced several delays. Indonesia is also planning to build train networks in Sulawesi and Kalimantan, as well as connecting some of the country’s key airports with nearby cities by rail, according to a document from the National Development Planning Ministry. Indonesia’s railway and subway expansion plans mean more opportunities for the country’s construction companies, such as state-owned builders PT Waskita Karya, PT Adhi Karya and PT Wijaya Karya, according to Jemmy Paul, chief executive officer of Sucorinvest Asset Management, whose equity fund has beaten 97 percent of peers over the past five years. Shares of Waskita Karya rose 3.2 percent in Thursday trading in Jakarta. Adhi Karya gained 3.7 percent, while Wijaya Karya climbed 4.2 percent. Governmentcontrolled cement producer PT Semen Indonesia added 1.3 percent. “The revelation of these projects helped provide positive sentiment for construction and related companies today,” said John Teja, a director at PT Ciptadana Sekuritas Asia. Bloomberg News

DEADLY DEFECT FOUND IN ANOTHER VERSION OF TAKATA AIR BAGS

ETROIT—A new and distinct problem has been discovered in air bags made by the now bankrupt company Takata which has led to at least one death. The recently discovered malfunction is different than the defect that led to at least 24 deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide, though the result, like the earlier issue, leads to air bags that can explode and hurl shrapnel, killing or injuring people. Takata is adding about 1.4 million front driver inflators to recalls in the US, according to government documents posted on Wednesday. BMW is warning owners of some older 3-series cars to stop driving them. A driver in Australia was killed by an air bag malfunction, while another Australian and a driver in Cyprus were injured, according to government documents. Included in the recall on Wednesday are more than 116,000 BMW 3-Series cars from the 1999 to 2001 model years. About 8,000 definitely have faulty inflators and should be parked, BMW said. The rest can still be driven. In addition, certain Audi, Honda, Toyota and

Mitsubishi vehicles made from 1995 to 2000 also are being recalled, but information on which models was not available on Wednesday. Unlike previous recalls, the Takata non-azide inflators do not use volatile ammonium nitrate to fill the air bags in a crash. But the air bag propellant can still deteriorate over time when exposed to moisture and explode too fast, blowing apart the inflator body. They also might not fully inflate to protect people in a crash. Takata says in government documents that it made about 4.5 million of the inflators worldwide but only a portion are still in use because the vehicles are so old. The faulty inflators have problems with insufficient seals. Toyota and Honda said they’re still figuring out which models will have to be recalled. US safety regulators said they were told by Mitsubishi that the only US vehicle affected is the 1998 through 2000 Montero. A company spokesman was seeking more information. In a statement, Audi said it is investigating whether any 1997 to 1999 model year A4, A6, A8, or TT vehicles are affected in the US. The US National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration said in a statement that it is in discussions with automakers about the recalls. It urged owners to search for recalls in the coming weeks by entering their vehicle identification number at www.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls. In the BMW recalls, the company is recommending that people stop driving certain 1999 323i and 328i sedans made from July of 1998 through January of 1999. Spokesman Oleg Satanovsky said those cars have inflators that were made at a Takata factory and are known to be faulty because they were manufactured before production improvements. The company also is recalling another 34,000 323i and 328i sedans from 1999-2000 and, 323Ci and 328Ci coupes from the 2000 model year. These cars were made from March of 1998 through March of 2000 and have inflators made at two Takata plants that could be defective. Satanovsky says these cars will be inspected and some could get new inflators. A third group of cars, just over 74,000, is being recalled. This group includes 323i, 325i, 328i, 330i sedans from the 1999 through 2001 model years. They were produced from May 1999

through July of 2000 and may have had air bag inflators replaced by defective ones. They also will be inspected. BMW is still developing a remedy for the problem, but the company intends to replace faulty inflators with new ones. The company says owners will be notified when parts are available. The recall is another in a long saga of problems with Takata inflators that sent the company into bankruptcy. Nineteen automakers are recalling about 70 million inflators in what has become the largest string of automotive recalls in US history. The company is recalling about 100 million inflators worldwide. Most of the recalled inflators use ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion and inflate the air bags. But the chemical deteriorates when exposed to high temperatures and humidity and can burn too fast, blowing apart the canister designed to contain the explosion. The remnants of Takata were purchased by Chinese-owned Key Safety Systems for $1.6 billion (¥175 billion). A message was left seeking comment from the successor company, Joyson Safety Systems. AP

Huawei asks court to throw out US telecom funds ban

HENZHEN, China—Chinese tech giant Huawei is asking a US federal court to throw out a rule that bars rural phone carriers from using government money to purchase its equipment on security grounds. The lawsuit announced on Thursday is Huawei Technologies Ltd.’s second legal challenge this year to Trump administration efforts to reduce its already minimal US market presence. The company is scrambling to preserve its global sales of smartphones and network gear following sanctions announced in May that limit access to US components and technology. Huawei, which says it is employee owned and has no government ties, denies US accusations it is a security risk and might facilitate Chinese spying. Huawei is at the center of US-Chinese tension over Beijing’s technology ambitions and complaints the communist government steals or pressures foreign companies to

hand over know-how. Huawei’s lawsuit in US federal court in New Orleans says the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) acted improperly when it voted last month to bar rural carriers from using government subsidies to buy equipment from Huawei or its Chinese rival, ZTE Corp. The decision “is based on politics, not security,” Huawei’s chief legal officer, Song Liuping, told a news conference. The lawsuit says the FCC exceeded its a u t h o r i t y by m a ki n g n at i o n a l s e c u r i t y judgments, designated Huawei a threat without evidence and violated its own procedures by adopting a rule without citing a legal basis. American courts have traditionally been re l u c t a nt to s e co n d - g u e s s g ove r n m e nt judgments about national security. In a separate lawsuit filed in March, Huawei is asking a federal court in Texas to strike down a ban on the US government using

its equipment or dealing with any contractor that does. Meanwhile, US prosecutors are trying to extradite Huawei’s chief financial officer from Canada to face charges she lied to banks about dealings with Iran. Chinese authorities say the United States is exaggerating security concerns to block a potential competitor. Huawei warned the FCC rule will hurt rural American carriers, which buy the Chinese vendor’s equipment because other major suppliers such as Nokia and Ericsson are more expensive. Song said that while potential lost sales are minimal, if the rule is allowed to stand, Huawei might suffer “reputational losses” that will “have a further impact on our business.” H u awe i ’s U S s a l e s p l u n g e d a f te r a congressional panel warned in 2012 the company and ZTE were security risks, and told carriers to avoid them. However, its sales in

Europe and developing markets in Asia and Africa have risen steadily. Huawei earlier reported its global sales rose 24.4 percent in the first nine months of 2019 over a year earlier to 610.8 billion yuan ($86 billion). The Trump administration imposed curbs in May that threaten to disrupt Huawei’s sales of smartphones and network gear by blocking access to US technology and components including Google’s music, maps and other mobile services. The Trump administration has announced a series of limited reprieves that allow vendors to supply technology needed to suppor t wireless networks in rural areas. In November, Huawei started selling a folding smartphone, the Mate X, made without US-supplied processor chips or Google apps. The company also has unveiled a smartphone operating system it says can replace Google’s Android if necessary. AP

A14 Friday, December 6, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

November inflation and global food prices

The current inflation rate is “just right”—not too high or too low—in comparison to our regional neighbors. Other Southeast Asian countries recorded the following data for November: Vietnam, 3.52 percent; Indonesia, 3.00 percent; Malaysia, 1.1 percent; and Thailand, 0.21 percent. Local prices should react to external conditions but preferably not overshoot or undershoot. Having said that, prices were 6 percent higher in November of 2018 from the previous year, showing that we were coming off a high price base in 2018. Core inflation—the price increase of basic goods—rose at 2.6 percent, exactly the same as in October 2019. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, “The index of the heavily weighted food and non-alcoholic beverages registered an annual growth of zero percent in November 2019, from 0.9-percent annual drop in October 2019.” Further, “The food index at the country level posted an annual decline of 0.2 percent in November 2019. Inflation for food in October 2019 was recorded at -1.3 percent, while in November 2018, it went up by 7.7 percent.” We must take note of this also. “Annual decreases were still noted in the indices of rice at 8.3 percent; corn, 2.2 percent; and sugar, jam, honey, chocolate and confectionery, 3.8 percent.” Other nations are not as fortunate as the Philippines. The two nations with the largest populations—China and India—are experiencing high food price inflation because of pork prices in China and onion prices in India. The latest reports from October show that India’s inflation is running at 4.62 percent and China posted a 3.80-percent inflation rate. The German data company Statista reports, “In China, pork prices doubled because of the swine fever epidemic in the country. With the disease spreading to Vietnam, the country could be next to fall victim to a food price crisis.” India has seen the price of onions increase by 26 percent year-on-year. However, they are not the only countries experiencing rising food costs. In October, the price of food around the world increased at the fastest pace in two years, according to the FAO Food Price Index (FFPI). The FFPI is an index of prices as the 2002-2004 form a base at 100. The index was at 94 in 2001 and for October 2019 stands at 172. During the global debt crisis, the FFPI reached 230 in 2011. The situation could become more serious. Food inflation in Turkey stayed above 15 percent for much of the year. Supply problems in Africa are driving up prices. The Cereal Price Index averaged 164.0 points in October, up by 4.2 percent. Globally, food prices rose at nearly 6 percent year-on-year in October. The follow-on effect could be not only more economic unrest but that nations facing high food inflation might be forced to raise wages to keep up with increasing costs. While certainly not food selfsufficient, the country’s supply and demand factors are stable and, therefore, food inflation is low. Since 2005

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HE Philippine inflation rate for November was 1.3 percent, well within the government’s target. Most local economic forecasters hit the number exactly, so there were no surprises. The weakened peso and the increasing crude oil price in November contributed to the inflation rate increase.

PISA 2018 results Sonny M. Angara

BETTER DAYS

HIS past week, there has been a watershed moment of sorts for Philippine education. The newly released PISA 2018 results put the Philippines at the bottom of 79 countries when it came to reading, science and mathematical skills. To be fair, we were not at the very bottom of science and math, but the fact that our country, as a whole, has always taken pride in our English proficiency makes the very low testing score for reading a very sore point. What is PISA? PISA is short for the Programme for International Student Assessment. It is run by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), whose goal is to build better policies for better lives. PISA tests the knowledge and skills of students directly. Metrics for the test are based on international agreements, and data from students, teachers, schools and education systems are also considered. In this way, PISA helps educational systems and policy-makers make necessary changes to improve education in their own countries, by giving them the capability to make informed decisions. The test is given to 15-year-old students, following a rigorous selection process to take country and socioeconomic data into account. Given what PISA is for, we should look at their analysis and interpretations of the data on hand.

One important point is that economically disadvantaged students were less likely to attain even the minimum level of proficiency in reading. The Philippines was mentioned as a country where the correlation between socioeconomic status and educational performance is particularly strong. Hence, the suggestion of the OECD is that interventions should be targeted in schools where there are many disadvantaged students. If we look further, the OECD’s own notes on structural policy for our country reveals that there may be a mismatch between labor supply and industry demands. 44.5 percent of those with high-school education were unemployed in 2012, and 34.8 percent of those with college education were unemployed, as well. Even though the unemployment rates for that time fall sharply in the 25-to34 age bracket, it shows that there is

difficulty in finding employment for the youth, even back then. But socioeconomic issues aside, what is disturbing is another analytical point that the test revealed. In countries like the Dominican Republic, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Panama and the Philippines, at least 60 percent of the students tested agreed that intelligence was something that could not be changed much at all. The data analysis concluded that these students were not likely to invest in themselves so they could succeed in school and, consequently, in their lives. This analysis isn’t helped by the fact that in Kosovo, Morocco and the Philippines, even our highestperforming students scored only around the OECD average. Indeed, in our own 2013 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS), there is a significant percentage in our youth who have cited lack of interest in education as a reason for not going to school—15 percent overall in the ages of six to 24 years old, and highest at 46.1 percent among those aged 12 to 15 years. How humbling it is to realize that even our best and brightest 15-year-olds who were tested in PISA were only at the average level globally—and that statistically, many of our youth feel that they cannot rise above their current circumstances, or even see the benefits of proper, quality education. But faced with the PISA results, we should not be let down or angry; in fact, we should thank the OECD for giving a second opinion on how our literacy and, in the larger scope, our education measures up to global

standards. I would say that we should take it up as a challenge to do better, to become world-class not only in our own eyes, but in the eyes of other countries in the world. To this end, I applaud development on two fronts: the first is that Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones has ordered a review of our basic education curriculum, with the launch of the “Sulong Edukalidad” battlecry and initiative, with “KITE” as its main focus—1) K to 12 Curriculum review and update; 2) Improvement of learning environment, 3) Teachers’ upskilling and reskilling, and 4) Engagement of stakeholders for support and collaboration. The second one is that the Philippine Statistics Authority issued on October 4 this year the clearance to conduct the 2019 FLEMMS. This will surely help the Department of Education and other government and private partners in education with data that they can use to rise to the challenge that PISA has given us. It is in the spirit of the challenge arising that we encourage that our education, labor, and industry stakeholders come to the table to discuss how we can best address the challenge of the PISA 2018 results—what actions or interventions should be done, both for the short- and long-term. Sen. Sonny Angara has been in public service for 15 years—nine years as representative of the Lone District of Aurora, and six as senator. He has authored and sponsored more than 200 laws. He recently won another term in the Senate. E-mail: sensonnyangara@yahoo.com|Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @sonnyangara.

Saudis offer carrot and stick to get Opec to defend oil prices By Bloomberg News

AUDI Arabia, the dominant force in Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), is using both carrot and stick to talk other members of the oil cartel into defending prices at Thursday’s ministerial meeting. Saudi Oil Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, in Vienna for his first meeting since taking the top job, is willing to raise production slightly if other countries keep failing to meet their existing output target, according to Opec delegates. The potential reward for complying: Riyadh will lead the way in deepening curbs. The outcome of the meeting remained open on Wednesday evening as Opec officials shuttled between sit-downs in the suites of luxury hotels. The precise terms of any proposed deal were unclear. Iraq, the country with the poorest track record complying with the pact, had talked about a production cut of 400,000 barrels a day, but later on Wednesday, the minister said instead he favored an extension of the current

plan, which expires in March 2020, until the end of next year. For the oil market, a new deal would be a psychological boost as traders fret about possible oversupply next year, but may take relatively few barrels out of the physical market. Saudi Arabia has already been pumping significantly below its official Opec level, and few are likely to believe that nations such as Iraq, Nigeria or even Russia, which haven’t complied with the deal so far this year, are about to start. “The kingdom has explicitly communicated to Opec that it will no longer tolerate under-compliance and that if it continues, Saudi Arabia can easily return to producing at or above its current quota,” said Amrita Sen, chief oil analyst at Energy Aspects

Ltd. The so-called Opec+ alliance has an agreement to reduce output by about 1.2 million barrels a day since the start of the year in order to eliminate a surplus and bolster crude prices. Next year’s oil market could prove tricky. Demand growth is slowing and another big expansion in rival production is coming down the pipeline. Together those factors could create another oversupply that drives international prices back down toward $50 a barrel. That’s too low for most Opec members to balance their budgets, and would make an unfortunate epilogue for the record-breaking initial public offering of Saudi Arabia’s state oil company, Aramco. Still, prior to this week, the vast majority of analysts and traders surveyed by Bloomberg considered an extension at current production levels to be the most likely outcome. Iraq’s abortive push for a bolder move fanned speculation that the cartel could have a surprise in store. Brent crude dropped by 21 cents to $62.79 a barrel on Thursday

morning. It had gained more than $2 on Wednesday.

Skeptical reaction

IRAQ’S status as an unlikely advocate for deeper cuts—it has actually increased production since last year’s agreement—prompted some skepticism about whether a genuine supply reduction was imminent. “As is often the case with Opec, one has to incorporate a fair degree of psephology to see what’s going on behind the headlines,” analysts at Redburn Ltd. said in a note. The additional 400,000 barrel-a-day reduction proposed by Iraq “would actually leave physical production broadly unchanged” because the group is already pumping less than its official target. Prince Abdulaziz offered little clarity when he arrived in Vienna on Wednesday morning. He declined to answer specific questions when he arrived in the city, saying simply that the market outlook was “sunny” like the weather. United Arab Emirates Energy See “Saudis,” A15

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The ‘cauldron’ will become a unifying symbol for Filipinos Manny F. Dooc

TELLTALES

AY the US President prohibit a senior-level presidential aide who has been issued a congressional subpoena from testifying before Congress? This question was answered by US District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson who ruled that the White House official must comply and testify before the congressional body. The White House defense that the President’s senior aide enjoys absolute immunity, which shields him from testifying before Congress, has been completely debunked by the judge who argued that such “defense simply has no basis in law. However busy or essential a presidential aide might be, and whatever his proximity to sensitive domestic and national security projects, the President does not have the power to excuse him from taking an action that the law requires.” And he concluded by saying that “the presidents are not kings.” This ruling should resonate everywhere where the highest official of the government is elected by the people. In a democracy, sovereignty resides in the people and any president who thinks otherwise suffers from a great delusion. The avalanche of medals harvested by our super athletes at the ongoing SEA Games has more than made up for the initial problems that plagued the arrival of foreign players. In barely two days of competition, the Philippine contingent has almost doubled our total medal haul during the last staging of the event in 2017 in KL where the country placed last among the original members of the Southeast Asian nations. Now, every Tom, Dick and Harry will claim credit for our outstanding performance in the SEA Games. Defeat is an orphan; victory has many fathers. Recognition should go to the respective sports associations, sports leaders, trainers and coaches who have labored hard to achieve this extraordinary feat. Likewise, credit should also go to our government and our generous sports patrons who have provided the wherewithal to ensure that our athletes get the best training and preparations here and abroad. The 30th SEA Games will go down in history as a major sports event where there would be no fingerpointing among our sports leaders to pin the blame for the usual debacle, which normally characterized our participation in sports events in the past. When, not if, the Philippines wins the overall championship in this sports meet, the “cauldron” will finally become a unifying symbol for all Filipinos that we can overcome our differences and win as one country. nnn

THE controversy that hounded the ouster of US Secretary of the Navy, Richard Spencer, provides us a valuable lesson in constitutional government. Secretary Spencer’s case stemmed from the trial of a decorated Navy SEAL, Eddie Gallagher, who was accused of murdering an ISIS prisoner, shooting civilians and threatening his subordinates who squealed about his criminal acts during his stint in Iraq. He was eventually acquitted of the various charges filed against him, but the Navy still demoted Gallagher after he was found guilty of posing next to the dead body of a detainee. President Donald Trump took strong interest in his case and ordered the restoration of his previous rank and to stop the review to determine whether Gallagher would be removed or

Saudis. . .

continued from A14

Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei wouldn’t confirm which proposals will be discussed, while Kuwait’s Oil Minister Khaled Al-Fadhel said he hadn’t heard a suggestion for an additional

not from the elite commando unit. Such a removal would automatically mean the cancellation of Gallagher’s coveted decoration, the Gold Trident Pin. Despite Trump’s pressure and incessant tweets denouncing Spencer who was leading the review, the Navy vowed to continue the disciplinary process. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, a recent Manila visitor, had asked for Spencer’s resignation due to loss of trust and confidence in him by the White House. Esper added that he received an order from Trump for Gallagher to keep his pin but Spencer told him he would rather resign than implement that directive. Rep. Anthony Brown, a Democrat who chairs the House Armed Services committee and a former judge advocate general in the US Army, said that Trump “subverted our military justice system and undercut all those who serve our country while upholding its values.” In his resignation letter, Secretary Spencer clearly clarified his strong disagreement with Trump when he wrote: “The rule of law is what sets us apart from our adversaries. Unfortunately, it has become apparent that in this respect, I no longer share the same understanding with the Commander-In-Chief who appointed me in regards to the key principle of good order and discipline.” And Spencer concluded: “I cannot in good conscience obey an order that I believe violates the sacred oath I took in the presence of my family, my flag and my faith to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” The last statement should be the bedrock principle that should guide the conduct of every appointive government official in a constitutional government like in the US and the Philippines. The Spencer case is not an isolated one. Many before him, and even up to now, have been subjected to the same, if not more severe, test except that they had supple spine and flawed character to stand by their conviction. Indeed, rare is a government official who will not compromise good governance just to keep his position and stay in power. In the present government, the late Environment Secretary Gina Lopez exemplified that vanishing breed when she showed that she would rather lose her Cabinet post than betray her principles. cut of 400,000 barrels a day. Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak is due to arrive in Vienna, on Thursday morning. In reality, Opec+ has already gone deeper than the agreed 1.2 million reduction due to a combination of voluntary and involuntary measures. The group’s Joint Technical

Friday, December 6, 2019 A15

Bridges speak Tito Genova Valiente

ANNOTATIONS

T was Sunday and I was walking on Jones Bridge. The river seemed clean below because it was night, and maybe because I was looking down on Pasig River from this bridge that was not only renovated but also refurbished with these huge baroque lamps. I was not the only one interested in the new project of Mayor Isko Moreno. After cleaning the Bonifacio monument off Mehan Garden, he surprised us with a bridge that had really seen better centuries, to use an expression. This was the Jones Bridge. Before Jones Bridge, there was the Puente de España or Bride of Spain. It was the bridge that connected the Binondo Area and the Santa Cruz neighborhood to what was then Manila. Books and documents show how there were other bridges before that. The construction of bridges were indicators, as history books would stress, of the desire of the Spanish colonizers to go beyond—to go out of—the Walled City. Wasn’t it also written that when this concept of a bigger Manila was brought out that there was the accompanying plan to remove the Binondo area? As the years have witnessed, the Binondo area was not only preserved but expanded to compose a new economic zone, albeit observers would call it the shadow economic center. The changes in the naming of the bridge was also an index in our history: from Spain we went to the United States of America. From a name carved in the Spanish language, the bridge assumed an English title. When I went with a friend to visit Jones Bridge, I was not keen about nostalgia and history. I was curious how a new mayor could make a difference. Being not a Manileño, I have no love lost when this loyal, royal city became one of the ugliest, dirtiest places in the country. I have seen this bridge before, the area from the Post Office and the streets fronting the huge arch of Chinatown. It was

like the migrant scholar’s description of the jobs that overseas Filipino workers always do: dirty, difficult, dangerous. That Sunday, the bridge that greeted me was no less than a park, a social space. Everyone became a history/heritage buff. Everyone was looking out into the river. Everyone was scanning the horizon, loudly asking each other what those buildings were, what those places were near the river. The bridge was so different, so elegant I felt being kind to strangers. It was a bridge of many strangers, each one enduring the presence of each other. That Sunday, the mobile phone and its concomitant capacity to take so-called selfie became the mobile historian par excellence. Who would ever think that a bridge named after a politician would soon rekindle our love for an old decaying city? When history lessons were still astutely taught as early as grade school, we knew Jones for the “Act” and not really for the bridge. The Jones Act promised sovereignty for the Philippines when it was stable and strong enough to stand on its own. We know the tricks of histories but a promise made under whatever circumstances and under any star is always a food for the heart. My Sunday, I must say, did not end with the bridge. The bridge, from which wafted kundiman and old Tagalog songs that night was the beginning of other things. It was for me as it was for many on that bridge. Coming down from the bridge, one would hit on the right side as one walked toward Binondo, “Savory,” a restaurant older than the bee proffering chicken of different persuasions. Savory was established, as

Fake news in SEA Games

the signage said, in 1950. That was interesting because during the war, Jones Bridge was destroyed, cut in half, as photos would show. It was in the ’50s when it was rebuilt again under the war reparations. Down the street, away from the bridge were older buildings and bakeshops built in 1910s. Coming home from that Sunday walk, I had to look for my notes gathered when for a week I stayed in the National Library of the Philippines, just curious about the past. Being anti-historian in the sense of not being interested in heroes and battles, I opted to look at the ordinary, the wonderful world of the quotidian. There was a lot to reminisce about and be amazed for. There was this newspaper called The Tribune. The copy I stumbled upon was dated February 8, 1900. It was some 16 years before the Jones Bridge was built one block up river. The reference of the world in 1900 was still the Puente de España. While the main pages were still dealing with the “rebellions” and “insurgencies,” the advertisements spoke of a world of comfort and elegance. Binondo was not scrapped and Escolta was starting to rear its lovely head. With the news about fatal ambuscades and Filipinos hiding bolos under their clothes, were announcements of the opening of “American Bazaar,” which sold badges, medals and pins for American soldiers. The amount was in Mexican peso. On the same page could be read a

mystical ad “A Heavenly Scrape.” It was explained as “one of those Delightful Shaves which you can get only at the Tonsorial Parlors of F. O. Roberts, the Prince of Barbers.” The barber shop was located on No. 12, Plaza de Goiti, “just east of the Escolta near the Post Office.” On the next page, a big advertisement of “La Extremena” by Perez and Co. announces the availability of “Groceries, Provisions, and Liquors of all kinds” on No. 4, Escolta, at the north end, Bridge of Spain.” The place is described as the most central part of Manila and patronized by Americans. The provisions are so numerous that, as the management boasts, they could not enumerate them all for the list would “fill up several entire issue of The Tribune.” The store even sells all kind of cheeses, like Roquefort, Brie, Bola, Menarita, Gruyere. This was 1900 and the luxuries available were amazing. Now, I would not question why during Christmas our feast would not be complete without cheese. The store was quite modern in its strategy: it delivered products to private homes. Still in Escolta, a store named “Fin de Siglo” or “End of the Century,” sells “ice cream, candies and cakes and ice-cold lemonade.” It is 1900 and the Jones Bridge is not yet in sight. And mobile phones and selfies are not even specks in the imagination of the universe.

be properly addressed. It is said in the social teachings of our Church that the people have the right to receive truthful information regarding public events. This is needed in order for them to engage in social issues and to promote the common good that is the duty of every Catholic. Brothers and sisters, the government must not violate the essence of truth in order to avoid their responsibility. A rightful reminder for our leaders from the book of Efeso 4:25: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” It is easy to spread wrong information. Even the government may be the source, when it is being used by politicians to deceive the public to cover their mistakes and avoid liability. This just shows how important it is to be vigilant and observant, particularly regarding social issues that affect us.

Olivier Jakob, managing director of consultant Petromatrix GmbH, which is based in Zug, Switzerland. “A cosmetic cut might feed some automated buying on headlines, but that would be a rally hard to sustain.” With

With these rants and complaints, the government and the officials of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee tried to shift the blame to the opposition because of the late approval of the budget, and second, the media and journalists who are allegedly spreading “fake news” when they revealed the athletes’ complaints and the difficulties

before the start of the SEA Games. The first concern is the spread of wrong information, while the second is the suppression of press freedom, the pillar of a democratic society. It is not right to blame a senator from the opposition for the delays in the 2019 budget because, if we remember, it was in the middle of April when the President approved the national budget. Why was it that the approval

of the national budget was severely delayed? If we recall the many previous statements and news during the first four months of this year, we will remember the reasons for the delay of the national budget, which are the congressional insertions for projects by lawmakers in Congress, after the approval of the Bicameral Conference Committee of the proposed national budget. Since this is against the Constitution, the senators objected to the insertions by some members of the House. It was right for these senators to question these inserted allocations because they violated the correct process of legislating a budget. Hence, the congressmen allied with the administration, and not the senators from the opposition, should be blamed for the delay in the approval of the budget. Meanwhile, blaming journalists and telling them to only cover the good circumstances would violate the freedom of the press and the journalists’ duty to inform the people of the true events in our country, including the complaints adversely affecting our SEA Games hosting. It is good that they continue to inform the public of the SEA Games organizers’ inefficiency, so these issues will

Committee concluded that cuts exceeded that target by about 40 percent in October, meaning the additional curbs Iraq is proposing are actually in place, albeit unofficially. Saudi Arabia, wishing to lead by example, has pumped well below its quota for the duration of the agreement. Other nations including An-

gola, Venezuela and Mexico have simply been unable to sustain their production due to industry mismanagement, sanctions or years of underinvestment. The kingdom’s extra efforts have offset lax implementation of output reductions by several other nations. On average this year, Russia has

implemented just 72 percent of its pledged cuts, while Nigeria and Iraq have actually increased output, according to data from the International Energy Agency. “Saudi Arabia could easily reduce its official production allowance by 300,000 barrels a day without affecting its actual production,” said

Rev. Fr. Antonio Cecilio T. Pascual

SERVANT LEADER

ROTHERS and sisters, before the formal commencement of the Southeast Asian Games currently being held in our country, many controversies arose that revolved around the Philippines’s hosting of the said games, which was hoped to give honor to all Filipinos. Apart from the expensive kaldero monument that became controversial, some foreign and Filipino athletes complained about the inappropriate transportation and unfinished facilities, and the lack of hotel reservations for them. There are also complaints about the quality and sufficiency of food given to the athletes that allegedly lack the nutrients they needed for the competitions.

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SC orders Sandiganbayan to try Lapid in fertilizer case

By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Supreme Court has ordered the Sandiganbayan to proceed with the trial of the graft charges filed against Sen. Manuel “Lito” Lapid and three officers of a trading firm in connection with his alleged involvement in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam. In a 13-page decision penned by Associate Justice Jose Reyes Jr., the SC’s Second Division reversed and set aside the resolu-

tion issued by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan on September 30, 2016 and December 13, 2016, dismissing the graft cases against

Lapid, Malayan Pacific Trading Corp. (MPTC) officials Ma. Victoria Aquino-Abubakar, Leolita Aquino and Macro-Micro Fertilizer Resources proprietor Alexander SD. Vasquez. The Sandiganbayan had, in dismissing the case, cited violation of the respondents’ right to a speedy disposition of their cases. However, the SC held that the Sandiganbayan gravely abused its discretion in dismissing the cases against Lapid and his coaccused supposedly due to the inordinate delay on the part of the Office of the Ombudsman in conducting its fact-finding investigation. Continued on A2

Delay becomes inordinate only in the presence of arbitrary, vexatious and oppressive actions or inactions.... No such delay attended the Ombudsman’s proceedings that would warrant the dismissal of the criminal case.” —Supreme Court

Poverty rate in 2015 higher at 23.5%–PSA By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released on Thursday its revised poverty estimates which indicated that the country’s poverty rate in 2015 was higher at 23.5 percent.

The PSA pegged the poverty rate at 21.6 percent in October 2016. The new figure translates to 23.5 million Filipinos who lived below the poverty threshold estimated at P9,452 monthly on average, for a family of five in 2015. “Back estimation of the full-year 2015 poverty statistics was made

due to the following—rebasing of the Consumer Price Index [CPI] market basket prices from 2006 to 2012, and adoption of the 2015 Census of Population [PopCen] results for the weights in the FIES [Family Income and Expenditure Survey],” the PSA said. In October 2016, PSA estimated

PHL 2ND MOST AFFECTED BY EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS–GLOBAL REPORT

HE Philippines, still reeling from Typhoon Tisoy (international code name Kammuri) which claimed the lives of 17 people and destroyed more than P800 million worth of crops, has ranked second among countries most affected by extreme weather events in 2018, after Japan and before Germany, according to a global report. Germanwatch, an environmental think tank, released its Global Climate Risk Index 2020 report at the UN climate negotiations (COP25) on Wednesday afternoon, in Madrid. Renato Redentor Constantino, executive director of the climate and policy NGO, the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, joined the launch to highlight the injustice of the climate crisis, and was quoted in the press release of Germanwatch.

Extreme weather events are massive challenges especially for poor and vulnerable countries, but ‘high-income countries are threatened more and more by climate risks,’ as well.” —Germanwatch

According to the Global Climate Risk Index, Japan and Germany were hit hardest by heat waves and drought in 2018, while the Philippines ranked No. 2 among those struck by tropical cyclones. The Germanwatch said “extreme weather events are massive challenges especially for poor and vulnerable countries,” but added that “high-income countries are threatened more and more by climate risks,” as well. Looking at the years from 1999 to 2018, poor countries had to face much higher impacts, said the report: Seven of the 10 countries most affected in this period are developing countries with low- or lower middle-income per capita. Puerto Rico, Myanmar and Haiti were most affected, according to this long-term index. In the past 20 years, globally nearly 500,000 fatalities were directly linked to more than 12,000 extreme weather events. The economic damage amounted to approximately $3.54 trillion (calculated in Purchasing Power Parity, PPP). “The Climate Risk Index shows that climate change has disastrous impacts especially for poor countries, but also causes increasingly severe damage in industrialized countries like Japan or Germany,” said David Eckstein of Germanwatch. “Countries like Haiti, Philippines and Pakistan are repeatedly hit by extreme weather events and have no time to fully recover. That underlines the importance of reliable financial support mechanisms for poor countries like these not only in climatechange adaptation, but also for dealing with climate-induced loss and damage.” Constantino, executive director of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (Philippines), noted that, “Those who are least responsible for the problem, are the ones who are suffering the most. This is

treme heat spells are now up to 100 times more likely than a century ago. Furthermore, due to a lack of data, impacts of heat waves on the African continent may be underrepresented. The climate summit needs to address the still lacking climate finance to help the poorest people and countries cope with losses, said Laura Schaefer of Germanwatch. “They are hit hardest by climatechange impacts because they lack the financial and technical capacity to deal with the losses and damages,” she strtessed. “The climate conference therefore needs to result in a decision to regularly determine the support needs of vulnerable countries for future damages. Furthermore, COP25 has to decide upon necessary steps to generate reliable financial resources to meet these needs. Nevertheless, implementation of adaptation to climate change must be strengthened, too,” said Schaefer. Germanwatch receives its data for annually calculating the Global Climate Risk Index from the NatCatSERVICE database of the reinsurance company Munich Re, as well as the socioeconomic data of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Even though the evaluation of the rising damages and fatalities do not allow for simple conclusions on the influence of climate change on these events, it shows the increase of heavy disasters and does give a good impression of the affectedness of states and territories. Since 2006, Germanwatch has presented the index at the annual UN climate conference. Germanwatch, based in Bonn and Berlin (Germany), is an independent development and environmental organization which works for sustainable global development. It actively promotes North-South equity and the preservation of livelihoods.

unacceptable.” Heat waves were one major cause of damage in 2018. Of the 10 most affected countries last year, Germany, Japan and India, were suffering from extended periods of heat. Recent science has confirmed the long-established link between climate change and the frequency and severity of extreme heat. In Europe, for example, ex-

that there were only 21.9 million poor Filipinos who lived below the poverty threshold estimated at P9,064 a month on average, for a family of five in 2015. The PSA said these changes were incorporated in the 2015 full-year poverty estimates for comparability with the full year 2018 official poverty statistics, which will be released Friday.

Food expenses

TAIL-END OF A COLD FRONT AFFECTING EASTERN SECTION OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL LUZON as of 4:00 am - December 5, 2019

PSA data also showed that despite the increase in the incomes of Filipinos in 2018, food continued to account for a big chunk of the expenses of households. Data showed that on a per-capita income basis using current prices, total expenditures of Filipinos reached P5.921 trillion in 2018, a 19.42-percent increase from P4.958 trillion in 2015. T he bottom 30 percent of Filipinos spent P792 bil lion, while the upper 70 percent spent P5.128 trillion. The expenses of the bottom 30 percent increased 7.03 percent from P740 billion, while expenses of the upper 70 percent grew 21.57 percent from P4.218 trillion in 2015. Food expenses accounted for 42.6 percent of the total expenses of all households in 2018, 0.8 percentage points higher than the 41.8 percent recorded in 2015. Spending for food products accounted for 58.2 percent of the expenses of the poorest Filipinos, while those who earned more set aside 39.5 percent of their income for food items in 2018. In 2018, the share of food expenses for the bottom 30 percent contracted while that of the upper 70 percent went up. PSA data showed in 2015, food accounted for 59.6 percent of poor households’ expenses while in rich households, the share was 38.7 percent.

Family income

LAST year, PSA data showed that Filipino families earned P313,000 on average while their expenses averaged P239,000. Their average annual savings amount to P74,000, according to PSA data. Adjusting for inflation in 2015 to 2018, using 2012 prices, the average annual family income in 2018 is valued at P267,000, while the average annual family expenditure for the same year is valued at P203,000. “The average family income ranged from P113,000 for the f i r s t i nc o me d e c i l e [ l o w e s t 10 -percent income g roup] to P867,000 for the tenth decile See “Poverty,” A2

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San Miguel raising ₧210B to bankroll major projects

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

HE board of conglomerate San Miguel Corp. has approved a $3-billion note program, which it will issue overseas while it will also submit the shelf registration of P60 billion in short-term commercial papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The said issuance, with a total of more than P210 billion, is meant to fund its huge infrastructure projects, both ongoing and those still to start. In its disclosure, San Miguel said it will initially issue some $500 million in perpetual notes overseas. “The program and the initial issuance of perpetual securities will be both registered at the Singapore Exchange,” it said. The notes program will allow the company to tap the financial market for funding through bond issuance. “The establishment of the program will give the company ready access to funding and will give the company the flexibility to fund its

contemplated investments and projects, such as the MRT 7 construction, Bulacan airport project as well as the refinancing of its existing obligations and for other general corporate purposes,” it said. The overseas issuance will not be registered with a local regulator. Meanwhile, of the domestic shelf registration, San Miguel said it will initially issue P20 billion, some P15 billion of which will be the principal amount and P5 billion will be an oversubscription option. “The short term commercial papers shall be listed with the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp.,” the company said.

Citing dirty fuel, consumer, clean-energy groups ask ERC to block Meralco’s power-supply deals

COALITION of power consumers and clean-energy advocates wants the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to reject the power-supply agreements (PSAs) of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) on their allegation that the fuel source involved in the contracts, if implemented, will harm the environment. The Power for People Coalition’s (P4P) trooped to the ERC on Thursday to demand the denial of Meralco’s PSA applications, which are now being evaluated by the commission. “Right now, as the application process is still going on, the ERC acts as a floodgate that keeps another onslaught of dirty coal and fossil fuels upon Metro Manila power consumers at bay. We are here to urge the commission to continue doing so by denying the approval of Meralco’s PSAs,” said Gerry Arances, convenor of the P4P. T he PSA s involved under went competitive selection process (CSP), in which Meralco called for bids for a 500-megawatt capacity and another for 1,200 MW. Among the six bids that won and are now applying for approval are two coal contracts and two gas contracts, and a fifth application seeks to provide power to Meralco through a mix of coal and solar power. “ERC should not allow the approval of these coal and natural gas power contracts. There is no reason even in business and economic sense that fossil fuels be allowed to corner a significant portion of the total 1,700 MW that are placed in bidding. “Three years from now, these contracts will become stranded as the world and the United Nations will deal with stringent climate mitigation actions. It will place our country under a scary energy insecurity, since these plants will be retired before their contract life,” warned Ian Rivera, national coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice. Rivera cited the risk analysis tool launched last month by Climate Central. It said that if burning of coal and fossil fuel continues and pollution levels remain unchecked, by 2050 a large portion of National Capital Region and the rest of the country will be underwater due to sea level rise. “Paying for electricity for these Meralco contracts would mean Metro Manila consumers are paying for our own death and destruction as the coal and fossil plant fleet will further heat up the planet.” Arances said majority of the power plants on forced outage and scheduled shutdown run on coal. “There were over 60 red and yellow alerts mostly due to shutdowns of coal and fossil fuel plants, which were soon after followed by rate hikes. We hope the ERC

Friday, December 6, 2019

Peco ‘surprised’ by ERC findings of operational lapses, says regulator ignored ‘valid points’ By Lenie Lectura @llectura

ELEAGUERED power-utility firm Panay Electric Co. Inc. (Peco) said Thursday it was “surprised” by the probe results released by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), saying “multiple valid points” were not taken into consideration by the agency. “We in Peco are surprised by the seeming slant that the ERC is taking and we just hope that the ERC will not allow itself to be manipulated by the propaganda of economic saboteurs and give Peco a fair assessment,” Peco said in a statement. The ERC said last Wednesday that it found “operational lapses” on the part of Peco and has directed the utility firm to explain the apparent operational lapses found by the ERC’s inspection team. “We aim to respectfully clarify the points brought up in the notice given to Peco since we see that multiple valid points that were also seen by the ERC ocular inspection team were surprisingly not taken into consideration in the order given,” Peco said. Regarding ERC’s claim that Peco’s protective devices were not properly rated and designed, Peco gave assurances that it has multiple protective devices with proper ratings and designs for each of its feeder lines and down to its secondary lines. Moreover, it explained that the fires that happened didn’t involve Peco’s lines as most of them are attributed to the improper bundling of telecom

and cable lines which oftentimes short out. On the failed voltage tests in certain locations, Peco said the areas with low voltage levels visited by the ERC ocular inspection team were actually places with electrical pilferage—a problem that resulted in the dropping of the voltage level due to the unregistered loads in the areas. ERC also raised the issue of leaning poles and those in unsafe positions. “We would like to stress that Peco has a regular pole replacement and relocation program in place every year in order to cope with the DPWH projects being implemented around Iloilo City. We also have maintenance activities in order to straighten certain poles that tend to lean after some time. This is a year-to-year activity since coordinating with telco and cable companies take time,” it said. Peco, it added, has filed for 40 Elevated Metering Center sites during the last regulatory period, contrary to the ERC’s findings. Also, contrary to the ERC’s report, Peco claimed it has been constantly coordinating with the ERC Visayas Head Office with regard to its documentary requirements in relation to the renewal of its Meter Shop Certificate of Authority. “Peco has been trying its best to abide by the rules and regulations of the ERC despite multiple external factors beyond our control. We communicated to the ERC that should they need further clarification on certain matters, we are very much willing to cooperate as we have been doing so consistently,” it said.

AC Energy working on 550 MW of power projects starting 2020

BUSINESSMIRROR FILE PHOTO

had been listening to the consumers’ groans and had in how we had long been saying that we want cheaper and more sustainable electricity.” Arances cited a Pulse Asia survey released in August 2018, which revealed that 97 percent of Metro Manila consumers favor tapping into renewables for their power needs. “ We a re concer ned t h at e ven though the application states that no certificate of compliance with the CSP has been issued by the Department of Enegy, the application has been accepted and hearing has started. We are also facing difficulties in accessing the actual power-supply agreements prior to and even during the first hearing, which makes it difficult for power consumers to ensure that they are not being given the short end of the stick with these contracts,” said Arances, who is also the executive director of the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED). “Meralco can be assured that its customers will not stop opposing power projects and contracts that would further burden our already heavily loaded backs. As the government body mandated to avert and penalize abuses in the power sector, we hope that the ERC would be a friend to us consumers in this struggle,” Arances added. Meralco, however, has stressed that two competitive biddings resulted in billions of savings for the consumers. They are projected to

enjoy total savings of around P13.86 billion per year, or a rate reduction of P0.41 per kWh, Meralco said. Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa had said the prices resulting from the auction are the least cost to consumers. In fact, the allin rate already includes line rental and VAT, and the cost of replacement power for all

plant outages. Also, if the generator companies are unable to deliver power, they will be liable to pay a fine, which will be used to reduce the generation cost to consumers. Morevoer, he sa id, t he prices from the PSAs are significantly lower than the average generation cost today of around P5.88/kWh (VAT inclusive). Lenie Lectura

C Energy Philippines Inc. , formerly Phinma Energy Corp., is all set to undertake 550 megawatts (MW) of power projects in the country starting next year, its top official said. Company President Eric Francia identified three projects with a combined capacity of 330 MW that are up for implementation starting 2020. Details of the remaining 220 MW of power projects have yet to be finalized. Francia, however, said these are mainly solar and wind projects. Up for construction next year are the 330-MW diesel power project in Pililla, Rizal; 120-MW solar power facility in Alaminos, Laguna; and the 60MW solar power project in Palauig, Zambales. “We’ll be focusing a lot on renewables and peaking plants. The 120 MW in Alaminos in Laguna, 60 MW in Palauig, Zambales, and the 150 MW peaking plant in Pililla, Rizal. We already announced those approvals and we expect to start construction soon, in the next few weeks or months,” said Francia. For solar, Francia said the company will release the notice to proceed very soon, “but we’ve already disclosed the board approval for the investment

in these two solar projects.” For the diesel power project, Francia said the company prefers to build it in two phases starting with a 150-MW capacity. “We’ll start with the 150 MW...and then we expect that to be completed by end of 2020,” said Francia. The power plant will be put up beside the Malaya thermal power plant. He explained that diesel-run power plants are used to provide ancillary services, such as backup power, load following, system frequency and voltage regulation. They are like standby power plants if, say, a wind power facility does not provide too much wind or if it rains in an area that hosts a solar power farm. “We believe the country will need more peaking and reserve ancillary capacity, especially in a world where you need renewable energy. This is in line of thinking if RPS [Renewable Portfolio Standards] succeeds, then you need ancillary for that,” Francia had said earlier. The three power projects are going to be developed by AC Energy Development Co. Inc., formerly Bronzeoak-San Carlos Clean Energy. “So, the 330 MW is okay. For the 220 MW, just wait. We have a lot of projects that we’re developing,” he said. Lenie Lectura

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PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

December 5, 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 PB BANK PBCOM PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE BDO LEASING COL FINANCIAL FIRST ABACUS IREMIT MEDCO HLDG NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE

53.25 157.8 89.9 25 12.86 67.95 12.7 20.5 36.75 58.05 24.4 197.9 58.15 0.95 1.85 18 0.53 1.19 0.375 0.8 175.1 1765

53.4 158 89.95 25.05 12.9 68 12.98 20.8 36.8 58.1 24.8 198.1 58.2 0.96 1.91 18.38 0.59 1.28 0.395 0.86 178.3 1870

53.75 159 89 25.2 13.16 67.2 12.7 20.5 37 57.95 24.6 199 58.15 0.96 1.85 18.38 0.59 1.19 0.38 0.8 175 1760

53.75 159 89.95 25.2 13.2 68.2 12.96 20.5 37.1 58.1 24.6 199.6 58.4 0.96 1.91 18.38 0.59 1.19 0.38 0.8 175 1875

53.1 157 88.95 24.95 12.9 67.2 12.7 20.5 36.8 57.95 24.4 197.5 58.1 0.95 1.85 18.38 0.59 1.19 0.38 0.8 175 1760

53.25 158 89.95 25 12.9 68 12.96 20.5 36.8 58.05 24.4 197.9 58.2 0.95 1.91 18.38 0.59 1.19 0.38 0.8 175 1875

6180 2096500 2918240 212100 442300 1629000 88700 500 471900 1200 72600 1427610 9870 45000 35000 3500 3000 1000 210000 649000 2000 10

331000 331584595 261953570.5 5296600 5768420 110755923 1126750 10250 17,406,035( 69644 1780630 282599561 574304.5 42920 64870 64330 1770 1190 79800 519200 350000 18175

-16004 -31054709 30474151 -3344020 643096 45853475 7,022,280.0004) -1150210 -105126223 -421990 34200 -4000 -

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

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG 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 LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA HLDG PRIME MEDIA SOLID GROUP SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SOC RESOURCES SEAFRONT RES TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

2.42 1.23 34.4 0.225 23.8 73.55 320 16.9 4.26 3.91 10.74 33.5 7.85 13.5 3.03 17.5 15.34 5.04 8.55 7.18 87.9 0.57 1.42 40.5 204.8 7.8 12.04 0.179 1.35 10.3 2.07 5.35 1.9 140.2 1.1 2.5 64.75 2.13 5.19 14.62 10.16 13.56 16.8 9.4 1 0.92 167.1 2.02 5 2.07 7.68 1.32 5.21 0.96 4.83

2.44 1.24 34.5 0.237 24.2 73.6 321 16.92 4.27 4.09 11 33.6 8 13.72 3.05 18.52 15.38 5.28 8.56 7.19 89 0.58 1.43 40.95 205 8.04 12.06 0.189 1.36 10.4 2.08 5.44 1.95 140.5 1.11 2.59 69 2.14 5.45 14.98 10.3 13.88 16.88 9.6 1.03 0.93 171.8 2.06 5.16 2.08 7.75 1.4 5.6 0.98 4.86

2.49 1.25 34.5 0.237 24.7 74 322 17.7 4.42 3.91 10.82 33.55 7.8 13.5 3.11 18.52 15.4 5.2 8.79 7.2 88.15 0.57 1.5 41 198 7.81 12.36 0.18 1.29 10.48 1.99 5.45 1.95 144 1.08 2.59 67.95 2.2 5.35 14.68 10.48 13.56 16.8 9.7 1.07 0.93 163.1 2.02 4.98 2.05 7.8 1.4 5.24 0.98 5.12

2.49 1.25 34.65 0.237 24.75 74 322 17.78 4.42 4.09 11 33.85 8 13.74 3.2 18.58 15.46 5.28 8.79 7.2 89.3 0.58 1.54 41 205 8 12.36 0.18 1.36 10.5 2.07 5.45 1.95 146.9 1.12 2.59 68.95 2.22 5.35 15 10.48 13.88 16.9 9.7 1.07 0.94 171.5 2.06 5 2.09 7.8 1.4 5.6 0.98 5.2

2.42 1.25 34.15 0.237 23.6 73.5 320 16.66 4.23 3.91 10.7 33.3 7.71 13.26 3 17.22 15.34 5.2 8.37 7.17 87.8 0.56 1.4 40 198 7.81 12.02 0.179 1.29 10.24 1.99 5.35 1.95 138.1 1.08 2.5 64.75 2.14 5.19 14.6 10.1 13.56 16.64 9.5 1 0.92 163 2.02 4.98 2.05 7.67 1.4 5.2 0.96 4.65

2.44 1.25 34.5 0.237 23.8 73.55 320 16.9 4.26 4.09 11 33.5 8 13.74 3.03 18.56 15.34 5.28 8.56 7.19 89 0.57 1.42 40.9 205 8 12.06 0.179 1.35 10.4 2.07 5.44 1.95 140.2 1.1 2.5 68.95 2.14 5.19 14.62 10.3 13.88 16.88 9.6 1.05 0.94 171.5 2.06 5 2.08 7.75 1.4 5.6 0.98 4.83

1461000 1000 754700 10000 1144600 111110 97200 3299100 1413000 10552000 55200 518300 458400 310500 3159000 21400 126000 51100 3643000 177900 81560 201000 41524000 6700 533030 6300 40100 50000 3820000 55000 620000 92800 18000 1293180 4181000 3000 800 3291000 273600 1692400 518600 56100 1114900 207500 46000 951000 910 23000 4500 4690000 125600 26000 13300 9000 1110100

3553910 12150 1250 -1250 26026035 -12702375 2370 27351315 -9646790 8170732 -5611022.5 31180140 -1604342 55,783,504( 12,547,316.0004) 6060700 -3057030 41260290 599962 17401435 13367344.9999 3611288 837370 4257212 4165710 9611820 1014710 378318 1935178 658838 268492 -26000 30,970,082( 9,033,508.9999) 1276250 -1217409 7206054.5 -3347239.5 115370 60285230 410730 268515 -76020 108452301 38804820 50210 485358 -84796.0001 8960 5129770 1195320 572868 -411424 1267890 -40000 500401 -162530 35100 181998289 -95072820 4591680 -45600 7680 54022 7125280 -376990 1425554 25369870 -122844 5338702 -2230476 776936 -38020 18698464 -9511280 1988765 47270 876440 -268280 152875 11665 47260 22420 9729090 56160 969392 -639434 36400 69445 8760 5366246 -106032

0.74 12.16 827 51.75 11.06 3.38 6.6 0.69 0.91 0.93 6.92 6.12 12.96 0.226 894.5 5.36 77.6 0.485 3.88 11.4 0.55 3.8 6.65 1.34 1.23 1070 158.6 0.77 2.2 210.2 0.22 0.202

0.75 12.26 830 52.35 11.12 3.39 6.89 0.7 0.92 0.95 6.99 6.13 13 0.227 895 5.4 78.6 0.5 3.91 11.46 0.57 3.84 6.75 1.36 1.24 1076 160 0.81 2.44 212 0.225 0.203

0.76 12.32 820 50.05 11.04 3.42 6.79 0.72 0.91 0.94 6.86 6.25 13 0.228 893.5 5.4 79 0.5 3.91 11.46 0.55 3.92 6.51 1.36 1.23 1063 162 0.77 2.2 216 0.224 0.205

0.77 12.32 830 52.35 11.12 3.42 6.8 0.72 0.91 0.95 7.05 6.3 13.28 0.228 900 5.4 79 0.5 3.91 11.48 0.57 4 6.76 1.41 1.24 1080 162 0.77 2.2 216 0.225 0.205

0.73 12.14 811 49.65 11.04 3.37 6.7 0.7 0.9 0.93 6.81 6.12 13 0.226 891 5.4 76.7 0.49 3.87 11.22 0.55 3.8 6.2 1.34 1.23 1063 158.5 0.77 2.2 207.2 0.214 0.202

0.75 12.26 830 52.35 11.06 3.39 6.8 0.7 0.91 0.93 6.92 6.13 13 0.226 895 5.4 77.6 0.5 3.88 11.4 0.57 3.8 6.75 1.36 1.23 1070 160 0.77 2.2 212 0.22 0.202

5918000 8100 616370 2386590 16632100 364000 24200 126000 1350000 665000 2053100 20816100 179300 420000 45140 300 818170 7000 377000 5892800 53000 56389000 68200 998000 62000 797495 165040 22000 1000 2380 910000 2860000

4423800 98556 506258005 121693337 184055046 1231690 162557 88900 1228100 623450 14227761 128349751 2333900 94960 40389345 1620 63511175 3450 1465910 67141330 29170 216714150 447165 1389650 76280 857044815 26218578 16940 2200 502146 200800 584380

278060 -32842 36713970 -1572121.5 13409978 -284100 441800 -6754491 -45516639 -1632840 -8110150 1421654.5 -1454270 -164986 -73178150 130000 -586370 596012970 -3865031 -218040 205000

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.83 0.84 0.81 0.83 0.8 0.83 3307000 2692200 3260 AYALA LAND 45.5 45.6 45.45 45.75 45.45 45.5 19353700 880921955 -86216510 ARANETA PROP 1.48 1.49 1.5 1.51 1.48 1.48 237000 352540 -7400 BELLE CORP 1.98 2 1.99 1.99 1.97 1.97 546000 1083780 -759990 A BROWN 0.73 0.75 0.72 0.76 0.72 0.75 458000 341680 CITYLAND DEVT 0.84 0.86 0.84 0.86 0.84 0.86 9000 7600 CEBU HLDG 6.3 6.4 6.4 6.47 6.4 6.4 36400 233605 216229 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.71 4.76 4.8 4.8 4.71 4.71 51000 243290 CENTURY PROP 0.54 0.55 0.55 0.56 0.54 0.55 6006000 3322970 91800 CYBER BAY 0.395 0.415 0.405 0.405 0.4 0.4 120000 48100 DOUBLEDRAGON 19.1 19.26 19.36 19.46 18.96 19.1 96700 1868044 484900 DM WENCESLAO 10.34 10.38 10.2 10.38 10.2 10.34 58500 600236 -80108 EMPIRE EAST 0.435 0.44 0.435 0.44 0.435 0.44 190000 82700 -43500 EVER GOTESCO 0.121 0.125 0.121 0.121 0.121 0.121 200000 24200 FILINVEST LAND 1.49 1.5 1.46 1.52 1.46 1.5 26601000 39910370 6858220 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.18 1.22 1.2 1.2 1.18 1.18 1287000 1526250 8990 HLDG 14.82 14.84 14.84 14.86 14.82 14.82 265400 3938510 -1662056 PHIL INFRADEV 1.3 1.32 1.3 1.33 1.29 1.32 601000 785200 -65500 CITY AND LAND 0.7 0.75 0.7 0.75 0.7 0.75 3000 2150 MEGAWORLD 4.3 4.33 4.2 4.35 4.2 4.3 19280000 82858420 20608370 MRC ALLIED 0.202 0.203 0.209 0.209 0.202 0.203 8870000 1811290 -51000 PHIL ESTATES 0.415 0.42 0.405 0.415 0.405 0.415 290000 118350 PRIMEX CORP 2.01 2.02 2.02 2.02 2.01 2.01 89000 178930 -80399.9999 ROBINSONS LAND 25.6 25.7 25.3 25.8 25.3 25.7 1130000 29009615 994935 ROCKWELL 2.12 2.15 2.13 2.15 2.13 2.15 7000 14950 4300 SHANG PROP 3.19 3.23 3.2 3.23 3.18 3.23 10842000 34477910 STA LUCIA LAND 2.46 2.51 2.52 2.52 2.49 2.51 209000 525220 SM PRIME HLDG 40 40.2 39.75 40.2 39.75 40 7935600 317647710 9089425 VISTAMALLS 5.27 5.5 5.26 5.5 5.25 5.5 11900 63188 -36951 SUNTRUST HOME 1.21 1.22 1.31 1.33 1.17 1.21 8824000 10743000 PTFC REDEV CORP 45 54.75 46 46 46 46 4000 184000 VISTA LAND 7.42 7.52 7.5 7.58 7.43 7.52 10596700 79522767 -43536210 SERVICES ABS CBN 16.76 16.78 16.62 16.9 16.5 16.78 107700 1796398 GMA NETWORK 5.2 5.25 5.2 5.28 5.18 5.2 128700 670193 MANILA BULLETIN 0.41 0.415 0.405 0.415 0.4 0.405 200000 81050 GLOBE TELECOM 1934 1935 1935 1970 1935 1935 23210 44947195 8534260 PLDT 1042 1051 1071 1088 1040 1042 116825 122962960 -36905835 ISLAND INFO 0.1 0.101 0.101 0.101 0.1 0.1 2010000 201210 62970 ISM COMM 4.05 4.06 3.9 4.13 3.9 4.05 3559000 14372940 -57410 NOW CORP 2.77 2.78 2.79 2.79 2.73 2.78 739000 2048150 -66250 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.28 0.285 0.28 0.285 0.28 0.285 1900000 532300 -70000 PHILWEB 2.71 2.72 2.73 2.73 2.68 2.71 101000 271930 -40300 2GO GROUP 9.95 10.1 9.7 10.1 9.7 9.95 4800 47355 ASIAN TERMINALS 16.3 18.26 18.26 18.26 18.26 18.26 600 10956 CHELSEA 5.53 5.55 5.59 5.79 5.52 5.55 398600 2239961 -52323 CEBU AIR 91.7 92.9 93 93.35 91.3 91.7 46600 4287540.5 -429221.5 INTL CONTAINER 119 120.8 123.2 123.3 118.5 119 1934710 231182986 -114779180 LBC EXPRESS 13.52 14 13.52 14 13.52 13.98 6200 86340 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.9 0.92 0.89 0.9 0.89 0.9 36000 32120 MACROASIA 17.3 17.38 17.68 17.68 17.3 17.3 962700 16756968 -12326688 METROALLIANCE A 0.99 1 1 1 1 1 22000 22000 METROALLIANCE B 1.03 1.15 1.03 1.03 1.03 1.03 4000 4120 PAL HLDG 7.5 7.74 7.78 7.78 7.5 7.74 9900 75988 1554 HARBOR STAR 1.27 1.28 1.17 1.29 1.17 1.28 3098000 3845370 -61300 ACESITE HOTEL 1.48 1.49 1.42 1.5 1.42 1.48 43000 63920 WATERFRONT 0.6 0.61 0.6 0.61 0.6 0.6 170000 102600 FAR EASTERN U 891 905 893 893 890.5 890.5 200 178255 62335 IPEOPLE 7.56 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 4700 35720 STI HLDG 0.65 0.67 0.65 0.67 0.65 0.67 1533000 1002750 505050 BERJAYA 3.58 3.6 3.58 3.85 3.11 3.58 10760000 37749060 388760 BLOOMBERRY 10.34 10.5 10.88 11.08 10.3 10.34 3014400 31595046 -18263294 PACIFIC ONLINE 2.49 2.5 2.5 2.58 2.5 2.5 52000 130080 -2500 LEISURE AND RES 2.7 2.73 2.74 2.74 2.71 2.71 99000 269180 -0 PH RESORTS GRP 4.44 4.84 4.45 4.84 4.44 4.84 24000 109200 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.59 0.6 0.6 0.61 0.59 0.6 2919000 1753890 -1352850 ALLHOME 11.48 11.52 11.46 11.52 11.46 11.52 4354700 50091692 9609816 METRO RETAIL 2.12 2.13 2.1 2.15 2.1 2.13 1373000 2903330 -112030 PUREGOLD 39 39.1 39.8 40.15 38.8 39.1 350600 13715980 1437440.0003 ROBINSONS RTL 74.25 74.95 75.4 75.4 74.05 74.95 422420 31529198.5 -685969.5 SSI GROUP 2.42 2.44 2.34 2.44 2.34 2.43 1759000 4247410 2138429.9997 WILCON DEPOT 18.96 18.98 19 19 18.82 18.98 1781400 33772422 6448430 APC GROUP 0.46 0.47 0.47 0.475 0.46 0.47 250000 117200 -23500 EASYCALL 8.7 8.97 8.7 8.7 8.7 8.7 400 3480 GOLDEN BRIA 419.2 424 419.2 425 419.2 425 30 12634 IPM HLDG 4.7 4.8 4.7 4.7 4.7 4.7 1000 4700 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.45 0.455 0.465 0.47 0.445 0.455 7680000 3491800 -200050 SBS PHIL CORP 8.97 9.14 8.98 9.14 8.98 9.14 1500 13550 MINING & OIL ATOK 10.02 10.9 10.96 10.96 10.96 10.96 100 1096 APEX MINING 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.04 1.04 734000 769460 -481760 ABRA MINING 0.0015 0.0016 0.0015 0.0016 0.0015 0.0016 28000000 42900 ATLAS MINING 2.39 2.5 2.38 2.38 2.38 2.38 6000 14280 BENGUET A 0.98 1.13 0.98 0.98 0.98 0.98 5000 4900 CENTURY PEAK 2.57 2.58 2.58 2.58 2.58 2.58 267000 688860 DIZON MINES 7.39 7.55 7.39 7.55 7.39 7.55 600 4450 FERRONICKEL 1.47 1.49 1.45 1.5 1.44 1.49 2103000 3106290 614620 GEOGRACE 0.202 0.21 0.21 0.211 0.202 0.21 190000 38900 -14140 LEPANTO A 0.096 0.1 0.096 0.096 0.096 0.096 270000 25920 LEPANTO B 0.099 0.104 0.1 0.105 0.098 0.105 100000 10010 MANILA MINING A 0.0081 0.0084 0.0082 0.0082 0.0082 0.0082 6000000 49200 MARCVENTURES 0.93 0.94 0.94 0.95 0.9 0.93 955000 869450 85500 NIHAO 1.01 1.05 1.05 1.05 1 1.05 8000 8150 NICKEL ASIA 2.92 2.93 2.9 3 2.87 2.92 3296000 9663020 -86930 OMICO CORP 0.47 0.485 0.47 0.47 0.47 0.47 30000 14100 ORNTL PENINSULA 0.77 0.81 0.77 0.81 0.75 0.81 17000 13100 PX MINING 3.14 3.15 3.28 3.3 3.14 3.15 225000 710780 -110490 SEMIRARA MINING 20.7 20.8 21.35 21.35 20.65 20.8 1430800 29798505 -1860735 UNITED PARAGON 0.0054 0.0061 0.0055 0.0055 0.0054 0.0054 4000000 21700 -5400 AC ENEXOR 7.81 7.9 8.2 8.49 7.68 7.81 724900 5751827 -81152 ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.012 12100000 143100 PHILODRILL 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.01 0.011 37400000 409400 PXP ENERGY 9.04 9.26 9.98 9.98 9.02 9.04 1502600 14273919 -141272 PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 97.65 99.6 97.65 97.65 97.65 97.65 20000 1953000 AC PREF B1 503 508 502 502 502 502 10000 5020000 ALCO PREF B 101.3 101.5 101.3 101.3 101.3 101.3 84000 8509200 AC PREF B2R 501 504 500 501 500 501 200 100100 DD PREF 100.3 101 100.3 100.3 100.3 100.3 15000 1504500 FGEN PREF G 112 112.9 112.9 112.9 112.9 112.9 190 21451 GLO PREF P 500.5 506 500 500 500 500 4000 2000000 GTCAP PREF A 971 1000 1000 1000 1000 1000 2845 2845000 GTCAP PREF B 858 995 995 995 995 995 2180 2169100 LR PREF 1 1.03 1.03 1.03 1 1.01 55000 55530 MWIDE PREF 100.2 101 101 101 101 101 7500 757500 PNX PREF 4 1026 1027 1026 1028 1026 1027 825 846880 PCOR PREF 2B 1026 1049 1026 1026 1026 1026 3510 3601260 PCOR PREF 3A 1017 1030 1016 1017 1015 1017 4650 4728150 SMC PREF 2C 78 78.05 78.15 78.15 78 78 183070 14282244.5 SMC PREF 2D 75.25 75.7 75.25 75.25 75.25 75.25 1100 82775 SMC PREF 2E 75.95 76.1 75.95 75.95 75.95 75.95 13700 1040515 SMC PREF 2F 76.65 77 77 77 77 77 110 8470 SMC PREF 2G 75.3 75.8 75.3 75.3 75.3 75.3 10400 783120 SMC PREF 2H 75.4 75.5 75.45 75.5 75.45 75.5 650 49065 SMC PREF 2I 75.95 76.8 75.5 75.95 75.5 75.95 6630 501560 -

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

15.9 5.03

15.94 5.04

15.9 5.04

15.9 5.18

15.8 5.04

15.9 5.04

60400 239400

959796 1207927

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.35

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 3.94 KEPWEALTH 11 XURPAS 0.86

1.44

3.95 11.12 0.87

4 11.5 0.86

4 11.74 0.88

3.95 11 0.86

214000 482800 726000

850580 5437340 627390

-3970 -26270 -172000

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

116.7

-11130 -1044069

117

116.8

117.2

116.6

116.7

6230

728243

1169

www.businessmirror.com.ph

ICTSI bets on Congo’s future with $100-M expansion bid

By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

ORT operator International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) is spending $100 million to further develop its port in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as it strengthens the Matadi Gateway Terminal’s (MGT) position as the country’s “most efficient and cost-competitive gateway.” Included in the capital expenditures are the expansion of the

quay from 375 meters to over 500 meters, and the doubling of

the terminal’s yard area to 10.5 hectares. Construction works are expected to start next year. The Filipino company is also deploying a third Kone mobile harbor crane that has a capacity to turn a 2,500-twenty-foot-equivalent unit (TEU) vessel in under 12 hours. It will also be equipped with the a pair of ship-to-shore gantry cranes, new landside yard handling equipment, and the latest technology systems for optimized terminal operations. Once completed, the port will be afforded a “substantial flexibility” in servicing vessels. “ T he ex pansion of MGT is aligned with actual and projected container growth rates for the DRC, and corresponds with cargo owner

and shipping line requirements for the medium term,” Hans Ole Madsen, ICTSI senior vice president and regional head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa said. Matadi is the closest port to capital city Kinshasa. This proximity provides for the lowest inland transport cost for cargo owners. “The market is seeing positive growth albeit off a relatively low base in terms of total demand. Studies suggest that DRC will achieve emerging market country status within the next 10 years and as such, we are very confident that this nearly $100-million expansion plan anticipates the market’s requirements over this period and will deliver unrivaled efficiencies,” Madsen said.

Epson bullish about achieving 2025 decarbonization targets

ECHNOLOGY giant Epson is on track to meet its goals of reducing its greenhousegas (GHG) emissions in a bid to help mitigate the effects of extreme weather conditions and achieve sustainability. “Climate change is a serious issue facing our planet and Epson is doing its utmost to address this issue,” Epson Global President Minoru Usui said of the firm’s commitment to decarbonization in support of the 25th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25), which is ongoing in Madrid until December 13. By 2025, the company aims to lessen its scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions by 19 percent compared to fiscal year (FY) of 2017. “These targets have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative [SBTi] as being consistent with climate-change science. I am happy to report that Epson is well on its way to achieving these targets,” he said. Epson has already made significant success toward achieving its goal with a 15-percent reduction in its carbon footprint in FY 2018 that ended March 2019. The top executive attributed this to their initiative to reduce GHG emissions in production and across

their value chain to help drive a shift toward a decarbonized future. This is in addition to their ecoconscious products and heat-free inkjet technology, he noted. Just recently, Epson launched in the Philippines the environmentalfriendly WorkForce Enterprise WFM20590. Catered to enterprises, this multifunction monochrome inkjet printer can print at a rapid speed of 100 pages per minute (ppm) while reducing the impact to the environment when compared to laser printers. “We have set targets for reducing GHG emissions in our own business activities and across the value chain to achieve the Paris agreement,” Usui said, while adding that their innovations can also play a major role in accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Moving forward, Epson plans to achieve its target via the energysaving initiatives focused primarily on production innovations and the use of renewable electricity. The global technology leader manufactures inkjet, visual communications, wearables and robotics. Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corp., the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than $10 billion.

Araneta City now smarter, faster with Smart Wi-fi and Smart 5G

PLDT-SMART Enterprise Head Juan Victor I. Hernandez (from left), PLDT Chief Technology and Information Advisor Joachim Horn, PLDT Chief Revenue Officer and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel Pangilinan, Araneta Group of Cos. Chairman and CEO Jorge L. Araneta, Araneta Group’s Senior Management Consultant Rowell Recinto, SVP for Business Development John Castelo and SVP Operations Antonio Mardo CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

RANETA City, the City of Firsts, is now the country’s first Smart 5G Lifestyle hub as Araneta Group seals a partnership with PLDT and Smart Communications Inc. enabling 5G technology in and around the city. The partnership also includes the activation of fast, free and open fiber-powered Wi-fi connectivity through Google Station in key Araneta City areas, including Gateway Mall, Smart Araneta Coliseum, New Frontier Theater and Araneta City Bus Port, to name a few. The recent contract signing at the Gateway Mall Activity Area was led by Araneta Group of Cos. Chair-

manandCEOJorgeL.AranetaandPLDTChairmanand CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan along with top executives of both companies. “SmartandAranetahavehadalongfruitfulrelationship. Think of Smart Araneta Coliseum and many other things, and lately we have been putting Wi-fi connectivityinmajoroutlets,andwearethankfulfor that.Asyouknow,welaunchedthenewbrandname, we are now Araneta City, the City of Firsts, and today we are having a very significant first, the first Smart 5G Lifestyle hub in Araneta City. This is a big deal, this is a game changer, as they say. This will change the way we work, we live and we play,” said Araneta.

Its business in Southeast Asia spans an extensive network of 11 countries with a comprehensive infrastructure of close to 500 service outlets, seven Epson solution centers and seven manufacturing facilities.

MUTUAL FUNDS

In the Philippines, Epson has an extensive network of 94 authorized service partners in 130 locations nationwide, over 400 dealers and more than 800 shops across the country. Roderick L. Abad

December 5, 2019

NAV ONE YEAR THREE YEAR FIVE YEAR Y-T-D PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 252.33 -2.41% 1.48% -1.08% 0.05% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.4228 0.24% 1.81% -2.38% -1.25% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 3.7425 -6.83% -1.14% -3.14% -4.11% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.9056 -0.69% N.A. N.A. 0.51% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.8544 -0.14% N.A. N.A. 4.11% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.3231 -1.67% 2.53% -0.84% 0.94% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,6 0.8548 -0.65% -1.37% N.A. 2.16% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 106.73 -7.68% N.A. N.A. -8.12% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 51.336 1.06% 3.97% N.A. 4.29% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 534.64 0.92% 2.62% -0.48% 3.87% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.2928 0.12% 3.18% 0.61% 3.09% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 38.0208 0.94% 4.1% 0.45% 3.79% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,1 1.021 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A 5.2262 2.09% 4.64% 1.44% 5.39% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 872.15 2.01% 4.54% 1.36% 5.28% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.8667 -2.11% 1.88% N.A. 0.78% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 4.2259 0.47% 3.79% 0.45% 4.11% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 1.0014 1.64% 4.34% N.A. 4.94% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.6721 1.88% 5.88% 2.26% 4.89% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C 116.9586 2.41% 5.28% 2.35% 5.61% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $0.9686 -1.34% 3.91% -0.51% 4.25% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.3306 8.38% 9.14% N.A. 20.39% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.568 -6.78% -2.06% -4.11% -5.04% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.2103 -1.26% -0.07% -1.25% 0.05% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.6251 2.08% 2.71% -1.29% 3.22% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN F.O.C.C.U.S. DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A,5 0.2292 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION -A 1.3296 0.23% N.A. N.A. 1.94% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.9605 5.1% 3.21% 0.92% 6.37% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.7861 5.38% 2.57% 0.09% 7.28% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 16.9395 4.8% 2.35% 0.01% 6.49% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A 2.1312 1.53% 2.13% 0.71% 3% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.8599 3.17% 3.43% 0.36% 5.71% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D,2 1.0131 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D,2 0.9944 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D,2 0.9917 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 0.9762 3.04% 2.78% -0.59% 5.91% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.03815 9.28% 3% 1.91% 8.07% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -A $0.9955 3.17% 3.85% 0.24% 8.95% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $3.8119 7.68% 7.28% 3.3% 15.21% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A,7 $1.1115 6.95% 4.39% N.A. 10.6% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 356.67 4.09% 2.77% 2.26% 3.84% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A 1.8978 2.38% 0.13% -0.64% 2.08% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.1088 5.01% 5.21% 5.2% 4.46% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A 2.2144 4.05% 2.37% 1.82% 4% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.349 6.48% 2.1% 1.42% 6.53% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP. -A P 1.6072 2.64% 1.31% -0.3% 2.74% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.3419 11.09% 2.64% 1.48% 10.77% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.7563 7.52% 2.77% 1.33% 6.8% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 0.956 7.27% 1.33% N.A. 7.27% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.0464 10.02% 4.74% 2.37% 10.15% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A 1.6851 9.49% 4.38% 1.84% 9.43% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $467.14 4.42% 2.68% 2.74% 4.18% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є219.65 3.34% 1.66% 1.34% 3.28% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.2038 7.11% 3.08% 2.55% 6.94% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $0.0258 3.61% 1.46% 1.29% 4.03% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP. -A $1.7091 1.23% -0.13% 0.11% 1.12% PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC -A $1.0964 6.76% 1.45% -0.72% 5.8% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.3953 11.35% 3.49% 2.91% 10.34% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.0602736 5.84% 2.28% 1.95% 5.74% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $3.1729 10.6% 3% 2.56% 10.47% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 125.52 4.17% 2.81% 2.15% 3.84% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A,3 1.0265 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 1.251 6.13% 2.8% 1.63% 5.85% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.2619 3.79% 2.86% 2.3% 3.5% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.036 2.09% N.A. N.A. 1.98% FEEDER FUND PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM GLOBAL MULTI-ASSET INCOME FUND INC. -B,D,4 $0.99 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. A - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY. B - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO. C - LISTED IN THE PSE. D - IN NET ASSET VALUE PER UNIT (NAVPU). 1 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 3, 2019. 2 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 28, 2019. 3 - LAUNCH DATE IS FEBRUARY 1, 2019. 4 - LAUNCH DATE IS AUGUST 1, 2019. 5 - LAUNCH DATE IS SEPTEMBER 28, 2019. 6 - RENAMING WAS APPROVED BY THE SEC LAST OCTOBER 12, 2018 (FORMERLY, ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.). 7 - ADJUSTED DUE TO STOCK DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST OCTOBER 9, 2019. "While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa. com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

Banking&Finance www.businessmirror.com.ph

BusinessMirror

Friday, December 6, 2019 B3

Fintech firm believes tech is key to financial inclusion

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

AKING cue from monetary authorities, private companies joined the bandwagon carrying financial inclusion. Many companies found its most unlikely success. There’s the GCash, product financial technology affiliate of mobile phone operator Globe Telecom Inc., now owning the largest transaction in the Philippines that use the fintech, or financial technology, platform. There’s also PLDT Inc.’s PayMaya, which is partly owned by China’s Tencent Holdings Inc. Since the Philippines consists of thousands of inhabited islands, financial inclusion is easier said than done, especially when the services are difficult to deliver in far-flung areas and, especially, when there’s slow Internet connection. “Accessibility has always been the challenge,” Cathal Brendan Foley, CEO of Fexco Philippines Inc., said. Foley added that having a cashless system is still far from a reality in the Philippines, where cash is the main basis of transactions.

System enhanced

FEXCO, an Irish firm, was one of the companies that participated the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program in the Mindanao area during the time of the Aquino administration. Foley said the company does not want to the disrupt the system by introducing a new ATM card or a

new platform, but mainly to enhance the system. The system that it used in the government’s CCT program, mainly in Mindanao, was simple so that movement of money will be easier, Foley said. Each of the recipient was given an account where they will be registered and an ATM card. The money will be deposited to the account through digital means using Fexco’s platform. The recipient withdraws cash from the ATM. Fexco is now using almost the same platform for a new venture it calls Springpoint, a fintech solution for banking and nonbank financial service institutions. Springpoint, a fintech solution company, will deploy to partners, such as the banks and key merchants, a device that it called micro point of sale and an ATM device, which only runs on 2G, or secondgeneration telecommunications network, so it can run on any part of the Philippines. “About 77 percent of adult Filipinos remain unbanked and our technology aims to eliminate friction in the move toward financial inclusion for all,” Foley said. “By working with relevant local partners, we will be able to make significant progress

towards providing financial services to every Filipino.

Rural banks

FEXCO deployed across the Philippines about 1,700 of the devices running with Springpoint. The company hopes to expand the number to as many as 10,000 in the near future. Foley said the company already enjoys a good relationship with many rural banks across the country via EasyDebit, the flagship product of Fexco Philippines. Fexco has developed strong partnerships with institutions, like Cantilan Bank, Al-Amanah Islamic Bank, Rural Bank of Rizal and CTBC Bank. “Rural banks are key partners in our goal to make banking services more accessible for every Filipino,” Foley said. “Through their network, we are able to bring EasyDebit to more people across the country while enabling us to introduce Springpoint as [an] accessible innovation for all.” The four-year-old Fexco Philippines introduced EasyDebit in December 2017 as a micro ATM to augment the lack of ATMs in the country. “To date, EasyDebit has processed P3.5 billion in terms of cash-out transaction value and has seen a 200-percent year-on-year growth in transactions,” Foley said. “By putting an ATM in small-scale and medium-scale businesses around the country, the nearest grocery, pawnshop or even sari-sari store can be a place for every Filipino to make safe, secure and instant withdrawals from their accounts. That level of access can prove transformative for many Filipino communities,” Foley said.

SSS pensioners to receive 13th-month pension

HE state-run Social Security System (SSS) announced on Wednesday that more than 2.83 million pensioners will receive their 13th pension starting today, December 6. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said the pension fund has released more than P12.71 billion for the 13th-month pension, both through-the-banks and through-checks. “We have already requested our partner banks to credit the 13th-month pension to the respective savings

accounts of our pensioners on or before December 6 so that they could enjoy the money in time for the holiday season,” Ignacio said. The amount of 13th-month pension released this year was 7.6 percent higher than the P11.81 billion released for 2018 following the increase in the number of pensioners from 2.66 million on the said period. Of the total number of pensioners who will receive their 13th-month pension, majority, or about 2.82 million, will receive it through their assigned bank accounts, while the remaining

14,000 will still receive it through check payments. “The checks were released and mailed as early as November 26 so that our pensioners will receive it on time for the Christmas season. We are hoping that we will eventually shift 100 percent of our pensioners to throughthe-bank system for faster, convenient and more secure way of receiving their benefits from the SSS,” Ignacio said. SSS also reminded the pensioners that the basis of the 13th-month pension is the basic monthly pension of a pensioner excluding the dependent’s pension, if any.

Building blocks for the Taiwan Society of Association Executives

PON the invitation of the Taiwan Convention and Exhibition Association (TCEA), and the Meet Taiwan project, I spoke at their association leaders meeting and at their seminarworkshop on “Transformational Developments and Challenges of Associations in Taiwan” on November 15, 2019. The event, supported by the American Society of Association Executives (Asae), was held at the newly opened Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 2 (TaiNEX 2). A small group, composed of a dozen TCEA board members and officers, association representatives and external resource persons, including myself, attended the morning session. The objective of the meeting was to explore the possibility of setting up a common platform for associations in Taiwan to learn from each other, share experiences and network with peers, as well as association executives around the world. The idea was to start the building blocks of a Taiwan Society of Association Executives (TSAE) as an education, best practice and networking organization for associations. It is interesting to note that there are over 48,000 civil society organizations in Taiwan, of which more than 42,000 are associations, both at national and community levels, in the service and advocacy sectors. There is an opportunity for TSAE to take root and help further professionalize association management in Taiwan.

Association World Octavio Peralta As founder and chief executive officer of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives, I shared how the PCAAE came about from its beginnings in 2013 to become the community of association leaders and executives in the country, as well as in the formation of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations (Apfao) in 2015 to put together in one community similar associations like the PCAAE that already exist in Australia, Korea, Malaysia and India. The afternoon seminar drew over 50 association leaders and executives in Taiwan. There were seven speakers in all, four from Taiwan and three from overseas—two from the United States and myself. The two general topics were on internationalization and sustainability, and on strategic alliances and differentiation. On internationalization, Greta Kotler, Asae’s chief global development and credential officer, shared, among others, five strategies of “growers” in the quest for global outreach for associations: (1) dedicate

commitment and effort; (2) research opportunities and challenges; (3) include a variety of relevant products and services; (4) integrate global and local operations; and (5) secure partnerships to open market access. Four associations in Taiwan presented their own experiences in this regard: Zi Xian Zhuang, international affairs team leader of the Taiwan Nurses Association; Li Juan Huang vice president of the Taiwan Floriculture Development Association; Liang Hung Ho, honorary chairman of the Association of Taiwan Master Tailors; and Wan Jung Wei, CEO of the International Organisation of Scenographers, Theatre Architects and Technicians. Dorothy Deng, Esq. of US law firm, Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Llp., talked about differentiation and strategic partnerships in the context of legal aspects, regulations and documentations that govern associations in the US. I presented the topic on association sustainability which I wrote about in my column that was published here on November 8, 2019, available in this web site: https:// businessmirror.com.ph/2019/11/08/ association-sustainability/ The column contributor, Octavio Peralta, is concurrently the secretary-general of the Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific, and the CEO and founder of the Philippine Council of Associations and Association Executives.

B4 Friday, December 6, 2019

National Expo

Business

NATIONAL EXPORT CONGRESS PREPARES By Stephanie Joy Ching

CCORDING to Presidential Proclamation 931, Series of 1996 and House Resolution 33, the first week of December is declared as the National Exporters’ Week. This was done in order to obtain total commitment of the government and the private sector to continuously work together to sustain export promotion and development. Over time, this annual event became one of the most important business events of the year. It is usually celebrated by the regional offices of DTI, Philexport and academe, with various activities that are in line with the theme of that year. One of the biggest highlights of any NEW is the National Export Congress (NEC), which updates and helps businesses become the best and most competitive version they can be.

This year’s NEC, with the theme “Driving Exports Through Digital Transformation,” will be held from December 2 to 6 at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City from 8 am to 4 p.m. It is also the 24th NEC, marking over 20 or so years of constant innovation in the export industry. The event will be organized by the Department of Trade and Industry through the Export Marketing Bureau, in collaboration with the Philippine Exporters Confedera-

tion Inc. (Philexport) and Export Development Council. As the world is in the middle of the Fourth Industrial Revolution the theme is quite timely. Technology is changing at a never before seen rapid pace, forcing businesses into an age of digital transformation, lest they want to be left behind. FIRe demands businesses to innovate to stay on top, or create new business models all together. Compared to the previous industrial revolutions, which centered on mechanization, mass production, and computing and automation, FIRe’s central focus is on the merging of physical and digital technologies, its disruptive and redefining industries. With technology rapidly changing by the day, the export sector must learn to adapt to them and learn to thrive in a digitally oriented economy. Moreover, adapting to a digital world will also “futureproof” the people working within the system, allowing them to enhance and develop new skills as entry, level jobs are expected to phase out some time in the near future due to FIRe. The succeeding generations must be prepared to become business analysts and business intelligence practitioners that are adaptable and quick to learn in order to keep up with the pace of the constantly developing technologies. The congress will help people adjust to the digital world so that they will not be caught off guard and be able to go through uncertainties with a bit more ease. “NEW 2019 is timely as digitalization is rapidly revolutionizing the trade and commerce landscape,” said Philexport President Dr. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. He also made mention the results of a recent Philexport survey on e-commerce, which showed that most Filipino firms are already aware that going digital is crucial. Half of the companies here in the Philippines have already engaged in e-commerce, while those that have not stated that

they have plans to do so in the foreseeable future. For them, this only proves the pressing need for companies to go digital if they want to continue their businesses. Indeed, technologies such as cloud computing, big data and analytics, mobile solutions, social and collaborative systems, Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) are changing the economic landscape faster than anything done in the previous years. Through this congress, Filipino micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) exporters alike are offered a look at different, innovative ways to enhance their competitiveness through digitalization. Along with this, they can learn the ins and outs of digitalization and use it to their advantage. The congress will also take a look at the critical role of technology and collaboration in growing exports. Some of the common questions the congress will answer are; do businesses under the export industry have the strategic clarity or focus to grow under such a dynamically changing, competitive exports landscape? How can the digital economy or FIRe in general, support export growth and promote sustainability? What are the imperatives for the export leaders, policy-makers, and even workers? Through answering these questions, they hope that more and more Filipino businesses will become more educated and well versed in the new world of digital marketing, propelling the Philippine economy to newer and greater heights. Along with this, the congress also aims to showcase the solutions for each topic being presented from the point of view and/or actual experiences of relevant stakeholders such as government, academe and industry leader. It will analyze the technological landscape and discuss how new and emerging technologies are shaping the Philippine industries and the export sector. The congress will also examine industries and the export sector

to find out if they are agile and resilient enough to face the risks and challenges by these disruptive technologies. They will analyze whether the country’s policy environment is conducive to the development of resilient industries like the export sector. Finally, they will identify the implication of FIRe for the country’s human capital development, trade and industrial strategies and examine supply and demand side constraints that need to be addressed to ensure that Philippine industries and the export sector and work force are able to adjust and flourish under FIRe’s new normal. The congress invited many esteemed guests to serve as speakers from different sectors, such as Philexport President Dr. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. and Managing Director-Center of learning at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Pia Roman-Tayag. The event will also include panels that will educate participants on how one can use digitalization in the export industry. It will line up top experts to provide updates and information on, among others, financing support and fintech, self-certification, electronic certificate of origin, innovation programs for exporters, and SME-oriented solutions and technologies. It also invited government officials such as Under Secretary Abdulgani Macatoman, the Department of Trade & Industry Chairman and Ana Mae Lamentillo, the spokesman and chairman of the Build,Build Build Committee, to give updates on the state of the local economy and how digitalization can affect it. NEC will also give due recognition to the top Filipino exporters of 2018. However, the congress is not the only thing the NEC has to offer. National Exporters’ Week will also feature Usapang Exports, which are free information sessions for exporters, and the exporters’ bazaar. Philexport will also be conducting several regional and sectoral consultations with SME exporters during the week’s activities.

THE National Exporters' week bazaar opened last Monday at the DTI International Bldg. in Makati City. The #NEWBazaar will run until December 13, 2019.

orters Congress

sMirror

Friday, December 6, 2019 B5

ES BUSINESSES FOR THE DIGITAL WORLD NATIONAL EXPORT CONGRESS 2019 Theme for 2019 -‘DRIVING EXPORTS THROUGH DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION’ PROGRAM TIME Morning Session 8:00-8:45

ACTIVITY

SPEAKERS

Registration Sec. Ramon M. Lopez Mr. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr.

8:45-9:00

Ribbon Cutting for Booth Exhibits

U/Sec. Abdulgani Macatoman EDC Members (Council & EXCOM) PHILEXPORT BOT Members PCCI BOT Members Other VIP Guests

Plenary/Opening Ceremonies 9:00-9:10

Mr. Raison Arobinto &

Doxology

Ms. Golda Kristy Grospe Mr. Al-Mahdi Jul-Ahmad &

National Anthem

Ms. Adriele Dominguez

9:10-9:20

Special Thematic Presentation

9:20-9:40

Opening Statements

Government U/Sec. Abdulgani Macatoman Department of Trade & Industry Chair, EDC Exec. Committee Private Mr. Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. President, Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) Vice-Chair, Export Development Council

9:40-10:00

Keynote Speech: “Driving Exports Through Digital Transformation”

Sec. Ramon M. Lopez Department of Trade and Industry Chair, Export Development Council Mr. Francis S, del Val

10:00-10:15

Are you ready to go digital?

10:15-11:15

President & CEO, Founder Cobena Business Analytics and Strategy, Inc.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

Session 1. The Critical Role of Technology and Collaboration in Growing Exports Moderator: Ms. Salve Duplito Proposed Panelists:

Topics: a)

Making it easy to Export (National Single Window, Selfcertification, E-CO) Innovative Financing to grow Exports (Digital payment, fintech, policies on digitalization, blockchain)

Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Breakthroughs

Build3 for the Digital Economy

Dir. Angelica Sarmiento Department of Finance

Ms. Pia Roman-Tayag Managing Director-Center for Learning Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

OIC U/Sec. Rolando Enrique Domingo, FDA

Ms. Ana Mae Lamentillo Spokesperson, Chairperson – Build,Build Build Committee, (DPWH) Usec. Rafaelita Aldaba

Innovation Programs for Exporters

Department of Trade and Industry ASec. Emmanuel Caintic

DICT, Digital Philippines Session 2: Enabling Exports through Digitalization Moderator: Mr. Mykel V. Teodoro President, CAI-STA / Philexport Trustee for ITPS Sector 11:15-12:15

Topics:

Proposed Panelists: a)

Emerging Technology Breakthroughs (3D Printing and Internet of Things (IOT))

Mr. Earl Qua Vice-President Ionics EMS, Inc. Mr. Samuel Bautista

Exports in the Digital Economy

Financing: Trade Credit Insurance

12:15-1:30 1:30-2:45 2:45-3:00

Logistics In the Digital Era

Boosting exports through digital channels

President & Chief Learning Officer Academy of Developmental Logistics, Inc. Mr. Dale Jose Technology Strategist Microsoft Ms. Cecilia Intal VESL Ms. Glenda Victorio CEO, Brilliant Skin Essentials

LUNCH AWARDING CEREMONIES (Recognition of 2018 Top Exporters) Closing Remarks

Dir. Senen M. Perlada

Director Senen M. Perlada Master of Ceremonies

Friday, December 6, 2019

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Sumitomo Mitsui to create securities business in Indonesia

UMITOMO Mitsui Financial Group Inc. wants to add securities, credit card and consumer finance operations to its existing commercial banking presence in Indonesia, the lender’s President Jun Ohta said. The new services are part of plans to create a “financial conglomerate” in the Southeast Asian country, Ohta said Thursday in an interview on Bloomberg Television. Sumitomo Mitsui owns Jakarta-based PT Bank BTPN, which it bought in 2013. Plagued by low interest rates and weak business prospects in Japan, Japan’s second-largest bank is hoping to make fast-growing Asian

markets its second home by offering banking services to both retail and corporate clients. Sumitomo Mitsui has also been expanding in mature economies through acquisitions in leasing and buyout financing. Overseas countries provide the “engine for growth” for Sumitomo Mitsui, since it’s hard to boost topline revenues in Japan, according to Ohta. The bank has a two-pronged

strategy of buying assets in developed countries that improve its return on equity, and adding platforms for the wider business in emerging markets, such as Indonesia. Ohta named the Philippines, Vietnam and India as other developing markets where the bank may expand. Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group member Sumitomo Mitsui Bank Corp. (SMBC) is the first foreign bank to open a branch in the Philippines in September 2015 after the amendment of the law on foreign bank liberalization to allow for the full entry of foreign banks in the country. “SMBC Manila offers core banking, cash management, trade finance, and treasury services to serve the growing needs of local and multinational corporates in the country,” its web site said. Bloomberg News

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Credit Suisse wins order keeping critical report from prosecutor

REDIT Suisse Group AG secured a court order blocking Geneva prosecutors from using details of a critical report by the country’s financial regulator into the bank’s failure to prevent fraud at its wealth management unit. A Geneva court granted the bank’s request, made in October, to seal a 2018 report by Swiss regulator Finma, the Geneva Prosecutors’ office said. Prosecutors have now asked the court to lift the order in a bid to get access to the documents as part of an ongoing investigation into Patrice Lescaudron. Credit Suisse, which is a party to the case, is relying on a clause in the Swiss legal system designed to prevent self-incrimination during a criminal investigation. The Zurichbased bank also invoked the right to keep confidential bank data secret. Lescaudron is a former Credit Suisse wealth manager who dipped into client accounts to cover up millions in trading losses. While he was convicted in early 2018 and released in November of that year, numerous victims have appealed parts of the verdict, meaning the criminal case remains open. Victims of the former wealth manager have long maintained that the bank should have

more liability for his crimes. Geneva prosecutors have started a probe into allegations of forgery not covered in the original case and have been ordered to re-examine claims from another client about Lescaudron’s past behavior. Officials at Credit Suisse and Finma declined to comment. A spokesman for Geneva prosecutors confirmed the order and the appeal, declining to give more details. While a decision on whether to lift a seal order is supposed to be made within 30 days, such cases can often linger for months, as happened with a long-running bribery case involving Royal Dutch Shell Plc. and Eni SpA. Finma scolded Credit Suisse in a September 2018 report for numerous “deficiencies” in its money-laundering detection efforts in the case of Lescaudron, and how it managed assets tied to scandals at soccer’s global governing body Fifa, oil-producers Petrobras in Brazil and Venezuela’s PDVSA. The bank wasn’t fined, but was ordered to make a number of changes to bolster its compliance practices. That full report wasn’t publicly released, but the regulator issued a press release last year that summarized the findings. Instead of disciplining Lescaudron for repeatedly breaching the

bank’s compliance rules, “the bank rewarded him with high payments and positive employee assessments,” Finma said in the press release. Credit Suisse has since adopted several measures to strengthen its compliance and combat money laundering, Finma said.

Code name ‘Dino’

FINMA’S report, code named “Dino,” was considered sensitive enough by the bank that it wrote to the federal bank watchdog six weeks later, requesting that the financial regulator put it under seal, according to three people familiar with the correspondence. To share it with Swiss prosecutors, the bank argued, would be neither fair nor consistent with Article 248 of the Swiss Criminal Code which dictates how and when documents can be sealed or should be returned to their original owners. Any disagreements about the possible release of the report seemed to have died down for at least a year. But on September 11, Finma sent a copy of the report to the Geneva Prosecutor’s Office, two of the people said, who didn’t want to be named discussing an ongoing investigation. Bloomberg News

Deutsche Bank tech start-up factory hiding its true identity

EUTSCHE Bank AG wants to level the playing field with the start-ups that want to disrupt the finance industry. The bank has set up a start-up factory called Breaking Wave that it’s keeping at arm’s length to be able to attract staff who wouldn’t otherwise want to work for Deutsche Bank, according to Thomas Nielsen, who oversee new ventures at the German lender. “They have an unfair advantage,” Nielsen said of financial technology companies. “And by the way, they’re building better products than we do. They’re solving a problem that needs solving and they’re doing it faster and better than most of the big companies do, which annoys the heck out of me.” Banks around the world are partnering with fintech firms and developing in-house expertise to ensure they’re not left behind as clients seek quicker and simpler electronic applications in place of traditional banking services. Yet, they can face difficulty in attracting talented staff, while their size and complexity means they’re often hamstrung by regulation. Nielsen said the company can pursue a broad range of financial services, but suggested that the way it can distinguish itself from smaller fintech firms is by catering to larger companies with complex business that stretches across borders. “If you have just graduated and you have a job offer from Microsoft, from Apple, from Google, Facebook

and Deutsche Bank, I don’t think you choose Deutsche Bank,” Nielsen said at a conference in Frankfurt on Wednesday. “I just don’t think you do. We don’t have that brand name, yet.” That’s why Deutsche Bank’s new start-up factory has its own brand, physical space and e-mail server, even though it sits with Deutsche Bank’s offices in London, he said. That means it isn’t all that comparable to incubators at other banks, according to Nielsen. “What we care about is to not have the same restrictions on what software, what processes, what culture, what payroll do we want, so we want all the benefits of a fintech and the upside of having Deutsche Bank” as its backer, said Nielsen. “This is not hundreds of millions of euros, it’s a small team,” he said. The company will have a maximum work force of 75 and won’t staff any project with more than 15 people until it’s “validated from a commercial and technology perspective,” said Nielsen. Breaking Wave has a “bespoke risk and control framework” to keep it in line with Deutsche Bank policies and regulation, and doesn’t have a banking license or the intention to engage in trading, “so all our financial risks do not apply,” he said. Many of the projects started in the factory will probably fail to become “big” and the majority of them may be spun off to investors, according to Nielsen. Bloomberg News

Japan’s investors taking more dollar risks

S the decade that welcomed unprecedented quantitative easing comes to a close, one thing is clear: Japan life insurers are taking more and more risk with their investments. A combination of ever lower bond yields and elevated costs have seen Japanese life insurers cut their hedges on dollar investments to the lowest in at least 10 years, according to calculations by Bloomberg. Despite holding $354 billion in dollar-denominated assets, nine of the biggest insurers had hedged just $164 billion of them against a decline in the greenback, the data as of the end of September showed. The steady reduction of protective bets against adverse dollar moves comes as elevated hedging costs turned Treasuries into negative-yielding debt for Japanese investors. While the carry-trade like strategy adopted by life insurers will boost returns, a sudden surge in the yen will leave them with big capital losses. The reduction in hedging suggests “life insurers expect any strength in the yen to be limited,” said Shinichiro Kadota, a senior foreign-exchange and yen-rates strategist at Barclays Plc in Tokyo. “Given caution has receded toward a stronger yen, a sharp gain could see an undue impact” on hedging activity, he said. Four life insurance companies, including the biggest players Nippon Life Insurance Co. and Japan Post Insurance Co., said in October that they plan to increase holdings of unhedged foreign debt in the second half of the fiscal year ending in March. The yen is on track for its fourth straight year of modest gains against the greenback and has been trading in the smallest range on record this year. A

combination of factors such as the unhedged outflows and the steady growth in Japanese acquisitions abroad have all helped keep a lid on yen strength. Strategists are expecting a mild appreciation of just 3 percent to the 105 level by the end of 2020, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Meanwhile, buying protection against a stronger yen for six months costs Japanese investors 2.14 percent on an annualized basis, according to Bloomberg data. That compares with the 1.76 percent yield available from benchmark 10-year Treasuries, and the 2.21 percent an investor would get from its 30-year equivalent. “There is little demand for Treasuries from Japanese investors because hedging eats up their yields,” said Hiroshi Yokotani, managing director and portfolio strategist for fixed income and currencies at State Street Global Advisors. Almost seven years of unprecedented Bank of Japan stimulus has driven much of the domestic yield curve into negative territory, sending the country’s investors abroad in search of returns and adopting riskier strategies such as unhedged positions. The top life insurers are now turning to equities and corporate bonds to safeguard returns, according to recent strategy presentations. The nine insurers studied are hedging 46.3 percent of their dollar-denominated assets as of September, down from 73.2 percent a decade ago, according to a Bloomberg analysis. As an industry, they own 100 trillion yen ($919 billion) in foreign securities. Bloomberg News

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Friday, December 6, 2019 B7

B8 Friday, December 6, 2019

Intelligent Car Park Opens at SM Megamall VFS Global launches Hungary visa application center in the Philippines

UST in time for the Christmas rush, SM opened its first Intelligent Car Park located at the Bank Drive in SM Megamall. The new facility will not only add 107 parking slots, but will also give mallgoers an easy, secure, and efficient shopping at SM by lessening parking time from 20-30 minutes to 3 minutes. The new car park system is expected to ease traffic caused by motorists looking for parking spaces. More than that, SM Intelligent Car Park has a low environmental impact and minimal disruption of its natural surrounding landscape. The car park is 100 percent Japanese-designed and Japanese-made, in partnership with Park Solutions, Inc., a

subsidiary of Oroza Group of Companies The automated car park offers convenience as it is very easy to use. The driver needs to go to the booth near the car park, have their car measured, park in the multi-level car park entry, and get the ticket to claim the car later. The machine then lifts the car to an available space. When claiming the car, the driver will just wait for a couple of minutes for the machine to bring it down. Vending machines are also available at the carpark. SM Intelligent Car Park is open every day from 6:00AM to 1:00AM. Parking fee is P70 for the first four hours and P20 for every succeeding hour.

FS Global has commenced Hungary visa services for the residents of the Philippines with the launch of its new Visa Application Center in the City of Manila. The center accepts applications for processing key categories like tourism, business, education and private visit visas. The newly launched centre in Manila was formally inaugurated on November 25 by H.E. Dr. Bencze József, Ambassador of Hungary to the Philippines, in the presence of Roberto T. Bernardo, Special Assistant, Office of Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns, Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Balazs Ratkai, Consul of Hungary, Atul Lall, Regional Head of VFS Global, Rahul Chatterji, General Manager of VFS Philippines along with other representatives from the Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines, local press and VFS Global staff members. “It is a privilege for us to offer our services as a trusted partner of the Embassy of Hungary in the Philippines, to ensure a seamless and convenient visa application process for residents of the Philippines. As part of our global

endeavour, we remain deeply committed to providing highly efficient and convenient services to all travellers applying for Hungary visas across the country and streamline the process for them,” Rahul Chatterji said. H.E. Dr. Bencze József said: "Hungary is a member of the Schengen zone for almost 12 years which provides borderless travel for Hungarians and visa bearer third-country nationals within the 26 countries of the area. The Schengen Information System provides backing for participating governments providing an online database on overstaying or other abusive travellers.” “Hungary reopened ist Embassy in

Manila just 2,5 years ago nevertheless, visa applications rose rapidly since then. That is why the Hungarian Foreign Ministry is teaming up with VFS Global making a more convenient, fast process for clients. VFS not only cooperate with 23 embassies in the Philippines but is a trusted partner of Hungary in 13 countries around the world. We plan to provide access to visa procedure also for residents of Cebu and Davao next year as Hungary hosts the 52nd Eucharistic Congress September 2020 and there will be a large number of religious travellers from the Philippines is the most populous Catholic country in the world,“ he added.

Christmas Festivities with Family and friends at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria

ANTERING get-togethers, blissful reunions and family banquets have long been a tradition whenever the yuletide season arrives At Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria, a smorgasbord of holiday gustatory delights await yearning guests. White Christmas Party Package, Indulge in Seven Corners’ international cuisines buffet spread at Php2,000.00 net per person (lunch) and Php2,200.00 net per person (dinner) which includes one round of iced tea, soda or chilled juices. Partake in an unlimited serving U.S. Rib Eye Steak, gourmet pasta dishes cooked a-la minute and ice cream teppanyaki alongside Western, Japanese, Indian,

Italian and Asian cuisines. Let it Snow Party Package, Intimate yet bountiful feast await at the Crowne Plaza’s premier Chinese restaurant, Xin Tian Di. Delight in set menus for ten (10) persons which features traditional wooden oven crispy Peking Duck with Chinese pancake & condiments, double boiled suikaw dumpling with shimeji mushroom & barley soup, and Wok-fried minced duck in lettuce cup to name a few. Avail of any of these packages and get a complimentary gift certificate for an overnight stay at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria with breakfast, and one (1) Bar One voucher featuring our ‘buy one, get one” promo on all alcoholic beverage orders for two hours for a maximum of six persons. Offers are valid until December 30, 2019, excluding December 24 and 25, and requires a minimum of 40 persons to avail. For inquiries and reservations, call (02) 8633 – 7222 or email fandb. reservations@ihg.com. Like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ crowneplazamanilagalleria and follow them on Instagram: @ crowneplazamanilagalleria.

Your best immunity booster – right in your pocket!

OST people who breathe in and out a toxic, super busy work-lifestyle daily tend to experience fatigue or burn out, as they miss out on the most important facet of their life: good health. But not anymore. ORGANIQUE ACAI BERRY from the Amazon rainforests in Brazil offers an easy-to-remember daily routine with its convenient and handy, take anywhere ORGANIQUE ACAI FREEZE-DRIED CAPSULES now in new classic package design, containing powerful antioxidants with the highest ORAC value (among other fruits, berries and vegetables studied), and other equally potent nutrients like minerals, vitamins to help strengthen an individual’s immune system to be able to combat the daily stresses of a harsh, toxic environment and prevent onset of debilitating illnesses. Organic and natural since it’s contained in easily absorbed veggie caps, the ORGANIQUE ACAI FREEZE-DRIED CAPSULES is made in the US, that’s why it’s 100% USDA certified organic and also HALAL Certified. ORGANIQUE ACAI FREEZZ-DRIED CAPSULES come in a box of 10 packets. Each packet contain 10 capsules that is packed with the best nutritional defense your body needs to give you the energy, stamina, mental clarity, heart health and memory boost that daily meals cannot fully provide. They’re convenient to bring and do not occupy much space in the bag, purse or pocket.

For those very much engaged in an active lifestyle, driven and always on the go, take ORGANIQUE ACAI FREEZE-DRIED CAPSULES daily, wherever you are and feel energized, alert and active the whole day, ready to take on the day’s challenges, including toxic deadlines. ORGANIQUE ACAI FREEZE-DRIED CAPSULES is available in all Mercury Drugstores and other leading drugstores nationwide. Your powerful antioxidants for natural good health and overall wellbeing is now right in your pocket.

JERMYN PRADO: QUEEN OF CYCLING! Sports BusinessMirror

| Friday, December 6, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

JERMYN PRADO wins for cycling, its third gold-medal win at women’s individual time trial on Thursday, in the Nasugbu-Tagaytay City course. NONIE REYES

BIANCA PAGDANGANAN is all precision at the Luisita Golf and Country Club, in Tarlac.

By Jun Lomibao

ERMYN PRADO was sobbing minutes before she was to ride the women’s individual time trial of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Nasugbu

in Batangas, on Thursday morning. Prado’s teammate, Marella Salamat—the 2015 ITT champion—was also in tears as they warmed up on the rollers at the Team Philippines tent uncertain whether or not they will be allowed to race the 25-kilometer time trial. The reason? Their equipment were triathlon bikes. Panic struck Philippine Head Coaches Ednalyn Hualda and Reinhardt Gorrantes as they scampered to get replacement bikes. All they had were road bikes with no aero bars. Suddenly, Salamat told her coaches that one elite European rider used the same type of bikes that they have in the UCI World Cup. Go to Google the coaches did and lo and behold, their prayers were answered. The commissaires panel agreed to let the Filipinas use their bikes provided that they were stripped of two contraptions that were nonregulation. Prado was the first to be flagged off in the race against the clock. Off she rocketed from the ramp. Forty-four minutes and 44.742 seconds later, she crossed the finish, pedaling some 200 meters further before collapsing on the paved highway past the Praying Hands monument in Tagaytay City. “I did my very best sir,” Prado told a PhilCycling official, again in tears as she tried to catch her breath and recover from the grueling race. Hardly did she know that she won the race.

“I gave my all. It was too hard, but our sacrifices paid off. I’m happy,” said Prado, a native of Pagbilao, Quezon, and a member of the Philippine Navy-Standard Insurance cycling team. For an ITT race, Prado’s victory was close to convincing. Singapore’s Lou Yiwei (44:48.518) was 3.776 seconds off to settle for the silver medal, while Thailand’s Phetdarin Somrat (44:58.152) grabbed bronze. Prado’s gold medal was the third for cycling after a downhill of mountain bike sweep on Sunday by Lea Denise Belgira and John Derick Farr at the world-class track in Laurel, Batangas. The men, however, missed out on the gold medal in the 35-km ITT that started in Tuy town, on Thursday afternoon. Ronald Oranza (1:00:48.400) and former ITT champion Mark John Lexer Galedo (1:00:51.135) could only finish fourth and sixth, respectively, behind gold medalist Aiman Cahyadi (58:37.003) of Indonesia, silver medalist Thanakan Chaiyasombat (59:20.535) of Thailand and Goh Choon Huat (1:00:14.593) of Singapore. Prado will again compete in the women’s

massed start on Friday with Salamat— who wound up seventh in the 11-athlete ITT field—and youngster Kate Yasmin Velasco. Also on tap in cycling, according to PhilCycling President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino, are the men’s team time trial on Saturday, road race on Sunday, the BMX time trial on Monday and, racing and flatland of freestyle on Tuesday. Cycling also earned two silver medals—Eleazar Barba Jr. (downhill) and Niño Surban (cross country)—and two bronze medals—EJ Flores (cross country) and Avegail Rombaon (cross country)—of mountain bike.

MARGIELYN DIDAL and Christiana Means make sure the game of skate gold medal stays in the country. NONIE REYES

Spo

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Friday, December 6, 2019

GILAS EYES WIN NO. 2 VS. VIETNAM

T Cambodia finally wins gold medal

AMBODIA finally clinched its first gold medal—Petanque—after beating Malaysia in the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Thurdsay at the Royce Hotel and Casino in Clark, Pampanga. Sorakhim Sreng, Yary Khoun and Dina Duong trounced the Malaysian trio of Nurashimah Senin, Nur Farah Hana Nusa and Edie Sufiqriyani, 13-4, in the finals of the triples event to win the first gold medal for their country. Cambodia turned back Lao PDR, 13-9, in the semifinals to arrange a final showdown against 2017 SEA Games silver medalists Malaysia, which beat Myanmar, 13-9. Malaysia settled for silver while Myanmar and Laos pocketed bronze medals. In the men’s triples, Malaysia dethroned Thailand after posting a 13-11 victory in the finals. Composed of Mat Daud Muhamad Hafizuddin, Syed Ali Akmal Fikri and Musmin Saiful Bahri, the Malaysian team imposed its might against the trio of Srimueang Wanchaloem, Chamchoi Piyabut and Roeksanit Panukorn. Malaysia has two medals from men’s triples (gold) and women’s triples.

HE men’s basketball team battles Vietnam on Friday hoping to bring the momentum of a 52-point rout of Singapore in its first assignment in the 30th SEA Games men’s basketball action. The Philippines-Vietnam game is set at 8:15 p.m. at the Mall of Asia Arena. The all-pro Gilas team was a runaway 110-58 winner over Singapore on Wednesday night. They expect a tougher customer in the Vietnamese, who waylaid Myanmar 131-52, also the other day. “We’re a little bit herky-jerky. We weren’t smooth offensively. We had to make an adjustment at halftime,” Cone said of their battle against the Singaporeans, adding they can’t afford to do the same against Vietnam.

Cone is in his second tour of duty as coach of the national team, having called the shots for the Philippines in the 1998 Asian Games. He said he was a little bit anxious early against Singapore “getting the feel of calling the shots again for the national team. I was still young then, but now I think I have gone wiser, and mature enough now for the games.” Myanmar and Singapore clash in the opening game of a four-game bill at 12 noon, while Malaysia and Cambodia battle at 2:15. The lone women’s match at 6 p.m. pits Thailand against Indonesia, with the Thais out to score a big follow-up to their shock 70-47 win over defending champion Malaysia on Wednesday.

TABAL PLUNGES INTO ACTION

UBIC—Mary Joy Tabal kicks off the Philippine campaign in track and field team when she defends her women’s marathon gold medal on Friday at the New Clark City. The diminutive Cebuana and the rest of the field answer the fun at 6:15 a.m. at the world-class New Clark City Athletics Stadium in Capas, Tarlac. She will be joined by Christine Hallasgo in the women’s side, while Jerald Sabala and Anthony Nerza will run in the men’s category that flags off earlier at 6 a.m. “I prepared for five months and my training went well. We’re into our final conditioning and

preparations,” said Tabal, who embedded herself in a two-month training camp in Japan. The five-time national champion scouted the two-loop route that starts and ends at the Athletics Stadium. “I checked the route and it’s challenging because it’s not a flat course, it’s a combination of uphill and downhill portions,” she said. Tabal clocked two hours, 48 minutes and 26 seconds to win gold in Malaysia, two years ago. She qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics with a personal best of 2:43:31 she booked at the Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon.

Ramon Rafael Bonilla

“I don’t think we’ve played our best basketball [against Singapore],” Cone said. “I feel like our guys came out and took a serious approach. I think they’re trying to show the country that they’re gonna take a serious approach and respect the game. When you respect the game, you respect your opponent.” Cone said he is wary of Thailand, which opened its campaign by beating Indonesia, 98-76, and Malaysia. “At this point, you can’t say anything on each team now, just like Thailand beating title contender Indonesia. You can’t count out Malaysia which is constantly improving. We just play it by ear and have my other coaches do the scouting,” Cone said.

Ryniel Berlanga

Indon bowlers win, Pinoys miss podium

NDONESIANS swept the doubles titles in bowling of the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Wednesday at the Star Mall Edsa Shaw, in Mandaluyong City. Billy Mohammad Islam and Hardy Rachmadian rolled 2592 pinfalls to bag the men’s crown while Sharon Limantoso and Tannya Roumimper had 2552 pinfalls for the women’s gold. Thailand’s Atchariya Cheng and Surasak Manuwong settled for the men’s silver with 2564 pinfalls, while Malaysian Tun Hakim and Rafiq Ismail bagged the bronze with 2556. Singapore’s New Hui Fen and Shyna Ng finished second in the women’s class with 2476, while Malaysia’s Sin Li Jane and Esther Cheah finished third with 2458. Fen topped the women’s singles competition Tuesday night while Malaysian Timmy Tan bagged the men’s gold. Lara Posadas Wong and Liza del Rosario of the Philippines finished No. 4 in women’s doubles 2396 pinfalls. Up next are the mixed doubles on Thursday and the team of four in the men’s and women’s classes on Friday. The men’s and ladies’ masters will be played on Saturday and Sunday.

MARGIELYN DIDAL (right) and Christiana Means finish 1-2 in the women’s category and Daniel Lederman emerg

SKATEBOAR WATANABE By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

SIAN Games gold medalist Margielyn Didal didn’t disappoint and got herself a worthy backup in skateboard’s game of skate at the Sigtuna Hall of the Tagaytay City

Centrum. But Didal wasn’t the only bright spot on Thursday. Another skateboarder, Filipino-American Daniel Lederman also drew the spotlight but not without surviving a scare from a very young opponent from Indonesia. Filipino-Japanese judoka Kiyomi Watanabe was so dominant she hardly worked out a sweat in claiming her fourth straight judo title. Didal remained the country’s No. 1 skateboarder when she won gold before an enthusiastic home crowd that included Philippine Olympic Committee President Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino and Chairman Steve Hontiveros. But it was Christiana Means, the boyish but pretty Filipino-American find, who cemented the country’s stature in the event when she completed a 1-2 finish by the hosts—who mightily stayed on top of the medal standings with 63 gold, 45 silver and 34 bronze medals. The Philippines remained way on top of

CAPT. Dayno Dinopol clinches a silver medal in shooting.

Rowing, canoe-kayak teams start gold hunt

ITH Typhoon Tisoy no longer in the horizon, the Philippine rowing and canoe-kayak teams expect to add to the country’s gold-medal haul in the 30th Southeast Asian Games, in Subic. The canoe-kayak competitions start on Friday at the Malawaan Park, while the rowing events will be held at the Triboa Bay. Philippine Canoe Kayak Head Coach Len Escollante is confident of winning the gold medals in the 1,000-meter and 200-meter mixed standard boat events, as well as the in the 500-meter men’s race. “We are eyeing to win at least three of the six gold medals at stake,” said Escollante, who noted that the good weather and familiarity of the venue will help the team. “ We have an advantage on the climate, wind condition and the boats. We want to come up with a good finish and make the

country proud,” Escollante said. Set for Friday are the 1,000-m singles men’s elimination at 8:45 a.m. followed by 1000-m men’s doubles eliminations at 9:45 a.m. and the 500-m singles women’s elimination scheduled at 10:45 a.m. The semifinals and finals are also set later Friday. The Philippine rowing team, meanwhile, expressed its readiness to capture three to four gold medals. The competitions kick off on Friday with Head Coach, Olympian Edgardo Maerina, hoping for the overall honors. The Philippines will be led by multi-SEA Games gold winner Nestor Cordova, the promising Cris Nievarez and top female rower Melcah Jen Caballero, who made a splash when she won gold in Hong Kong last month.

WATANABE GETS JOB DONE

Divers plunge into action at NCC

ITH modest expectations, Filipino divers plunge into action on Friday at the start of the pre of the 30th Southeast Asian Games diving competitions at the New Clark City Aquatics Center in Capas, Tarlac. Filipino-American Monique Demaisip, a double gold medalist in the Asian age group championships in Bangalore, India, last October, and Rose Ann Ocmer will make their SEA Games debut in the women’s three-meter springboard diving event starting at 12:30 a.m. They will go up against divers from Malaysia,

Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. There is no entry in the men’s synchronized three-meter springboard competition set at 3:30 a.m. On Saturday, hand Francis Deorelar, who also won a gold in the Asian age group meet, will be the lone entry in the men’s three-meter springboard diving event while Demaisip and Ocmer will team up in the women’s synchronized three-meter springboard event. Filipinos skipped the diving event in the 2017 Malaysia SEA Games, while the last Pinoy

Last Wednesday, Didal and Means sent home Indonesians Nyimas Cinta and Kyandra Susana, respectively. Lederman, on the other hand, disposed Tien Son Nguyen of Vietnam in the semifinals but teetered against12-year-old Indonesian Bastral Hutomo before winning the men’s gold medal. In the game of skate, a skater makes a routine that his or her opponent must imitate. Didal will participate in street, the event that earned her the gold in last year’s Jakarta Asian Games, on Saturday at the Tagaytay City Extreme Sports Complex, while Means sees action in street and park.

divers bagged gold in the meet was during the 2007 Thailand edition. This was when Davao City native Sheila Mae Perez ruled the women’s three-meter springboard diving event while the pair of Ryan Rexel Fabriga and Jaime Asok topped the men’s 10-meter synchronized competition.

NAKANO SHUGEN (white) beats Cambodia’s Moeu Meas on his way to the gold medal. ROY DOMINGO

Vietnam (31-35-41 gold-silverbronze), Indonesia (27-36-39), Singapore (26-19-29) and Malaysia (23-16-24).

THE Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia each won two gold medals in judo on Thursday at the LausGroup Events Centre in San Fernando, Pampanga. But the star of the mat was obviously Watanabe. Watanabe won her fourth straight Games gold by sweeping the minus 63 kgs division—she dominated Malaysia’s Nik Norlydiawati Nik Azman and Myanmar’s Chu Myat Noe Wai via two quick Ippon. “Thank you for the support. The support from the home crowd was great,” Watanabe said. Sharing the limelight was 22-year-old Shugen Nakano, who defeated Indonesia’s Budi Prasetiyo via Ippon 3:43 into the match to win gold in the men’s -66 kgs division. “Dahil sa suporta ng mga Pilipino kaya ako naka-

Sepak takraw bets settle for team

UBIC—Team Philippines settled for bronze medals as Myanmar and Indonesia set up a gold-medal duel in men’s sepak takraw team doubles on Thursday at the Subic Gymnasium. With reigning champion Thailand skipping the

Games, Myanmar and Indonesia wasted little effort to advance to the final. They will lock horns in the gold-medal tussle set at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Myanmar advanced after frustrating the Philippines in front of its home crowd, 2-1, while Indonesia took a convincing win over Vietnam, 2-0. Bothered by the roaring local crowd,

orts

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Friday, December 6, 2019

PHL gamers off to rousing start

EAM Sibol gave the host nation a rousing start with a clean record in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang category of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City on Thursday. Composed of homegrown professional gamers, Team Sibol blanked Laos in two games and forced a draw with powerhouse Indonesia to earn three points in the inaugural staging of eSports in the biennial event.

The national squad needed less than 10 minutes to get the job done against the hapless Lao gamers, who were clearly in disarray againt the aggression of the Filipinos. Led by Jeniel “Haze” Bata-anon, Angelo Kyle “Pheww” Arcangel and Allan Sancio “Lusty” Castromayor, Team Sibol used two massive fights in the top and bottom lanes for 9-1 kill advantage and a 5,000 gold lead just three minutes into Game One.

The early cushion proved enough as the damage from the hero lineup of X.Borg, Granger and Lylia finished the job in less than nine minutes. It was a similar result in Game Two. Kagura, Selena and Granger core of Team Sibol left a trail of destruction in team fights, while allowing the multi-role Masha to create space with two towers destroyed in the top lane. Victory was sealed in nine minutes. Other members of the team are Kenneth Jiane “Kenji”Villa, Karl Gabriel “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno, Carlito “Ribo” Ribo and Jason Rafael “Jay”Torculas. Ramon Rafael Bonilla

Four Filipino boxers gain semis berths

ges as a new force in game of skate.

RDERS SWEEP; E UNBEATABLE

OUR Philippine boxing team members scored smashing victories on Wednesday and advanced to the semifinals of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the PICC Forum on Wednesday. Former world champion Josie Gabuco, Aira Villegas, Irish Magno, and Carlo Paalam won their respective quarterfinal matches at the start of the boxing competitions in the biennial meet.

Paalam, Villegas and Magno won their bouts via shutouts, with only the 32-year-old Gabuco, winner of a gold medal in the 2012 Aiba World Championship, receiving stiff resistance from Thai opponent Raksat Chuthamat in the women’s light-flyweight division. Gabuco pulled off a 4-1 victory over Chuthamat, a former bronze-medal winner in the world championship.

In the women’s bantamweight class, Villegas whipped Vijayphone Vongphachan of Laos, 5-0, while Magno pulled off the same score against Singaporean Leona Hui in the flyweight class. Paalam, the lone male Filipino boxer to see action on opening day, cruised to a 5-0 victory over Khamphouvanh Khamsathone of Laos in the light-flyweight class.

CHARLY SUAREZ knocks his foe from Myanmar down.

KIYOMI WATANABE (blue) dominates Malaysia’s Nik Norlydiawati in a semifinal duel. ROY DOMINGO

gold. ‘Yung lakas ko, nanggaling talaga sa mga suporta. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!” said Nakano, who improved on the bronze medal he clinched in 2017, in Kuala Lumpur. Thailand’s Masayuki Terada kept the women’s -73 kg gold, while her compatriot Kachakom Warasiha won her first SEA Games title in the -52 kg division. Terada swept her division while Warasiha needed just one minute and 32 seconds to defeat Myanmar’s Khin Khin Su in the final. Iksan Apriyadi and Ni Kaek Anny Pandini won the -52 and -57kg divisions, respectively, for Indonesia. The Philippines’s Khrizzie Pabulayan and Thi Thanh Thuy Nguyen shared the bronze medal the -52 kg, with another Filipino, Rena Furukawa, settling for third in the men’s -57 kg and Keisei Nakano in the -73 kg category.

BRONZE FOR RELAY TEAM IN POOL

THE Philippines salvaged a bronze medal in the women’s 4x200-meter relay event in the second day of swimming competitions at the New Clark City Aquatics Center on Thursday night in New Clark City. Running the anchor leg, Fil-Am Remedy Rule faded while veteran Thai swimmer Natthanan Junkaragang pulled away in ensuring the Thais took the silver in eight minutes and 11.88 seconds. The host team, also composed of Nicole Oliva, Xiandi Chua and Jasmine Alkhaldi, settled for bronze (8:15.46) in the field of three teams while Singapore tankers capped their dominant showing at the pool in clinching the gold in 8:07.00. Under the new competition rules adopted by the Southeast Asian Games Federation Council for the country’s fourth hosting of the SEA Games, the

m doubles bronze Myanmar actually started on a wrong foot as it suffered a stunning 15-21, 17-21 defeat in the first regu. But the Burmese regained ground in the succeeding frames, getting the better of the Filipinos with huge a 21-16, 21-13 win in the second and an even emphatic 21-13, 21-12

bronze medal will still be awarded even if there are only three teams in a sport or event. The night might have been a total washout for the hosts as the individual qualifiers failed in their bid for a podium finish. Ranged against tough opposition, Fil-Am Luke Gebbie (24:34) and Alkhaldi (29.79) could only muster fourth and fifth place, respectively, in the men’s 50-meter butterfly and women’s 50-meter backstroke events. Others who fell short were Alberto Batungbacal in the men’s 1,500, Desiree Mangaoan in the women’s 200-meter backstroke and Thomas Justin

Peregrina in the men’s 200-meter individual medley. Singapore’s Tzen Wei Teong stunned illustrious compatriot Joseph Schooling, dethroning the defending champion in ruling the 50-meter butterfly in 23.55 seconds to the latter’s 23.61. Indonesia’s Glenn Susanto (23.84) bagged the bronze. Singapore’s Elena Pedersen also turned the table on reigning titlist Nguyen

triumph in the last regu. After copping a twinkill in the men’s and women’s hoop event back in the opener, the Philippines bled for the bronze medal this time together with Vietnam. The hosts will try to bounce back in the next men’s team regu event against Malaysia, while Myanmar and Indonesia mix it up at the start of the team regu events on Thursday.

Ramon Rafael Bonilla

ThiAnh Vien in clinching the 50-meter butterfly gold in 29.40 secons, relegating the fancied Vietnamese to the silver (29.65) while Indon Anak Injung Istri Ratih took the bronze (29.77) Both Gebbie and Alkhaldi, however, were consoled by the fact that they booked new national records in the morning heats. Gebbie clocked 24.69 seconds in eclipsing the 10-year-old mark of 24.71 set by Daniel Coakley in the 2009 world championships in Rome while Alkhaldi timed 29.53 seconds in resetting the old standard of 29.79 by Fil-Am teammate Chloe Isleta.

GERMAN, ARBILON AVOID GOLD SHUTOUT IN SUBIC S

UBIC—The sun set at this former US naval facility with a golden hue—the same color as the medals that hung from the necks of youngsters Samuel German and Princess Arbilon. The Ormoc City prides German and Arbilon breathe life to an anemic medal production in this side of the 30th Southeast Asian Games by winning gold in modern pentathlon on Thursday.

German, who clinched silver in men’s individual race on Thursday morning, teamed up with Arbilon—fourth-placer in women’s individual—to top the modern pentathlon beach laser run mixed relay. The duo, under the care of athlete-turnedactor and now Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez, clocked 13 minutes and 27.34 seconds to beat close rivals Muktapha Changhin and Narong Deck Taparak of Thailand (13:28.32)

and Cintya Nariska and Frada Saleh of Indonesia (13:59.54). Making its debut in the biennial event, modern pentathlon is an Olympic sport that usually comprises five events that test the skill and endurance of each participant. The sport is like that of decathlon in athletics, but modern pentathlon offers other disciplines. Running out of gas due to exhaustion, German puffed all his energy in the last of the four-lap, 800-m sprint around the beachfront of the Subic Bay Boardwalk. After each lap, athletes were tested in the shooting range, then back again in the run section.

The 18-year-old athlete chanced upon his coach, Benny Garcia, and Gomez. They fuelled his drive to finish the race. “Sinabi ko talaga na babawi kami sa mixed relay para madagdagadan ’yung silver ko,” German said. “Tinanong ko sarili ko, paano pag nag-stop ako, at ‘di ko itinuloy, sana ‘di na lang ako tumakbo.” “Nakita ko ‘yung coach ko, pati si mayor, kaya na-inspire ako,” he added. The pair’s victory was the product of months of rigorous training. They had to go through seven tough qualifiers to make the national team. “Hindi ko rin ini-expect kasi fourth lang ako nung umaga. Nag-focus kami sa mga mali namin at di na namin inulit,” the 17-year-old Arbilon said. German took silver in the individual race with a time of 13:27.29. Indonesia’s Mohammed Taufik nabbed the gold with 13:02.24, while Singapore’s Ming Wei Ong settled for bronze at 13:34.28. The duo’s gold medal was a saving grace for the national teams competing at the Subic Cluster. Sepak takraw could only clinch bronze in team doubles, with the duathlon mixed relay bets also finishing third. If Subic’s production was a little underwhelming, gold mints were raining over at Clark. Shugen Nakano beat Budi Prasetiyo of Indonesia to win men’s judo 66kgs division, while Kiyomi Watanabe successfully defended her title in women’s 63kgs when she took down Myanmar’s Chu Myat Noe Wai at the LausGroup Event Centre. Mark Striegl, meanwhile, defeated Ashvin Jaswant Singh of Singapore to clinch the gold in combat sambo 74kgs at the Angeles University Foundation in Angeles, Pampanga.

YOUNGSTERS Samuel German and Princess Arbilon top modern pentathlon’s beach laser run mixed relay. NONOY LACZA

BILES AND FRIENDS LEAD UNIQUE TOUR OLYMPIC champion Simone Biles will headline post-Olympic tour. AP

By Will Graves

The Associated Press

IMONE BILES wants to bring gymnastics to the masses and plans to bring some of her friends along for the ride. The Olympic and world champion is headlining a tour in the fall of 2020 that will be a mixture of sports and entertainment intended to inspire the next generation of female athletes. The “Gold Over America” tour will visit more than 35 cities, including Biles’s hometown of Houston, as well as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The idea originated when Biles was in the early stages of her return to gymnastics in the fall of 2017 after taking a year off following her memorable performance at the 2016 Olympics, where she won four gold medals and five in all, becoming the face of her sport. “When we found out I was coming back, we kind of sat down and talked about things I would want to do,” Biles told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “They said it could be as small as starting a perfume line or maybe as big as a tour. I was like, ‘Actually, that would be pretty sweet. That would be the coolest thing ever.’” The women-only roster will reunite Biles with longtime friend Katelyn Ohashi. Ohashi and Biles competed against each other growing up. Like Biles, Ohashi—the 2012 junior national champion—had designs on competing at the Olympics before injuries sidetracked her elite career. She instead attended UCLA, helping the Bruins win the national title in 2018 and becoming a viral sensation last winter with her Michael Jackson-themed floor routine. “She made her mark,” Biles said. “She put college gymnastics and gymnastics...back on the map. She has impacted a lot of female gymnasts and I think this really brings us full circle.” The tour will also finally allow Biles to join forces with former UCLA Coach Val Kondos Field. Biles verbally committed to compete for the Bruins before turning professional in 2015. Kondos Field, who retired last spring, will serve as executive producer and supervising choreographer for the tour.

Details confirmed for Tokyo Olympic marathon, walks

Biles said the goal is to bring the sport closer to the audience and also to loosen things up a bit. The plan is to utilize giant video screens, pyrotechnics and an in-house DJ. “We want this to be completely different,” Biles said. “There will be dancing. Hopefully trampoline. Something people have never seen before.” Biles captured five gold medals at the 2019 world championships to boost her career total to 25 medals overall, a record for both men and women. She is widely considered the greatest gymnast of all time and her face has been at the forefront of television promos for the 2020 Olympics, where she will try to become the first woman in more than 50 years to repeat as gymnastics champion. While there are times she admits she’s still processing her fame, she’s is starting to understand her influence on the sport. It’s one of the reasons she agreed to headline the tour. “In a way, it’s scary,” Biles said. “But, at this point, I also feel like it’s really exciting to have a platform that I do and to be able to do some of the things that I’ve been blessed with. I think it’s a combination of both. So I don’t know. We went back and forth on if we wanted my name in it, but you never know. I think it’ll be OK.” USA Gymnastics typically coordinates a post-Olympic tour of its own, though there are no plans for one in 2020. The organization remains in bankruptcy court as it tries to reach a resolution with athletes who were sexually abused by former national team doctor Larry Nassar, who abused gymnasts—Biles included—under the guise of treatment. Biles said she hasn’t spoken to anyone at USA Gymnastics directly about her tour but added, “I know they’re aware about it and they’ve been pretty supportive.” “Simone is an amazing athlete and person, and having her own tour will give her a stage to showcase her skills and talent, as well as those of other women,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement. Just how many athletes will join Biles and Ohashi remains uncertain. “We’re looking at the top of the line and the best gymnasts from elite and maybe we did think from around the world, but that gets really, really difficult just because of the visas and all of that stuff,” Biles said. “Right now in the circle, I know a couple of college gymnasts and then elite gymnasts [who will be on the tour], like world class.

Sports BusinessMirror

| Friday, December 6, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Maneja, Jarata score Philam ‘twinkill’

USTINE MANEJA and Andrei Jarata dished out fierce form and came away with a pair of emphatic victories in their respective sides in the PPS-PEPP Philam national age group 2019 at the Philam Tennis Club in Quezon City recently. The top-seeded Maneja overwhelmed three rivals via straight-set romps to cruise to the finals then took the girls’ 16-and-under crown with a 1-0(ret.) scoreline over No. 2 Mica Emana. The rising star from Santa Mesa proved tougher in the premier 18-U play, dropping just one game in three matches before dispatching Kaye Ann Emana, 6-4, 6-1. The seventh-ranked Jarata matched that romp with a 6-4, 6-4 decision over Aix Gonzaga in boys’ 16-U finals then

the Agoo, La Union, find repeated over Gonzaga with 6-1, 6-3 triumph to clinch the 18-U plum and share the MVP honors with Maneja in the five-day tournament presented by Dunlop and held under the Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala nationwide circuit put up by President and CEO Bobby Castro. Sharing center stage were Samuel Davila from Cainta, Rizal (10-unisex), Prince Lim from Urdaneta, Pangasinan (boys’ 12-U), La Salle-Greenhills’s Mateo Rivas (boys’ 14-U), Reece Ballado from Muñoz, Nueva Ecija (girls’ 12-U), Makeilah Nepomuceno from Mandaluyong (girls’ 14-U). The second seeded Davila ripped No. 3 Novak Brazal, 4-2,

EGYPT LOSES APPEAL

THIS marks the first year that women are on the ballot with Christy Martin joining Bernard Hopkins and Juan Manuel Marquez (left) in the batch. AP

AUSANNE, Switzerland—Egypt has lost its appeal against a two-year ban from all international weightlifting competitions. The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday upheld the sanction imposed by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). It’s the latest chapter in a story dating back to 2016, when seven Egyptians tested positive for the banned substance methandienone at a training camp ahead of the African Junior and Youth Championships. Five of the athletes were minors at the time. Sensitive legal issues concerning the involvement of children in anti-doping offenses slowed down the processing of the case and meant few details were published until this year. The sanction applies to IWF competitions, including crucial qualifying events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, like this year’s world championships. The Olympics are organized by the IOC and not technically covered by the sanction—although it makes it extremely hard for any Egyptian to qualify. The IWF did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment on how or whether Egyptian weightlifters could compete at the Olympics. CAS also upheld a fine of $200,000 imposed against the Egyptian Weightlifting Federation and a two-year ban from international events for various people who were Egyptian team officials around the time of the failed drug tests. CAS hasn’t yet issued a full decision outlining its reasoning when judging the appeal. AP

AUSANNE, Switzerland—Dates and details of the routes to be used for the Tokyo Olympic marathon and race walk events in Sapporo were announced Wednesday, weeks after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ordered the switch in search of cooler temperatures despite opposition from city officials. The IOC and the Tokyo organizing committee said the women’s and men’s marathons will run on back-to-back days, August 8 and 9, on the final weekend of the games. Both races will start at 7 a.m.—later than the scheduled times in Tokyo, where the women’s race was to be on August 2. All five marathon and race walk events will be condensed in a four-day span to help coaches and team officials support athletes in Sapporo. Sapporo Odori Park will host the race walks in 1-kilometer and 2-kilometer loops. A 20-kilometer loop will provide the first half of the marathon course. World Athletics will join a site visit this month to study options for completing the marathon route. The IOC abruptly announced moving the races in October, fearing Tokyo’s summer heat could repeat TV images of struggling athletes in Doha, Qatar, during the recent world championships. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said the IOC was inconsistent since it had known about Tokyo’s heat since the games were awarded in 2013. “We want to be good partners [with host cities] but, first and foremost, also looking at the athletes’ welfare, safety and security,” the IOC’s executive director of the Olympic Games, Christophe Dubi, said Wednesday Dubi said the IOC would look at meeting some of the extra costs of moving the races, such as accommodation, while Sapporo would also help pay for organizing events now taking place in the city. Sapporo, which was the 1972 Winter Olympics host, is a potential candidate to bid for the 2030 Winter Games. It is unclear if the medal ceremony for the men’s marathon, ending in mid-morning on the final day, can be held in Tokyo. IOC sports Director Kit McConnell said a discussion about transferring the medalists in time could now happen after the schedule was confirmed. AP

4-0; Lim repulsed Frank Dilao, 6-4, 3-6, 10-3; the unranked Rivas upended No. 6 Darwin Cosca, 6-4, 6-2; Ballado upset top seed Abejail Ansay, 6-2, 6-2; and Nepomuceno, another unseeded bet who shocked top seed Marielle Jarata, 6-2, 6-1, in the semis, subdued Mica Emana, 6-2, 6-2. Jarata actually completed a three-title feat as he later teamed up with Charles Torres to beat Emmanuel Davila and Pablo Gonzaga, 8-3, for the 18-U doubles crown with the Emana sisters foiling Joshea Malazarte and Paula Uy, 8-7(5), for the girls’ title. Other doubles winners were siblings Prince and Roque Lim, and Jayden Ballado and Kaye Mustaza (14U), and Brazal and Samuel Davila (10-unisex). AP

MARQUEZ, MARTIN, HOPKINS IN HALL OF FAME CLASS OF ‘19 C

ANASTOTA, New York—Middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins, four-division champion Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico, three-division champ Shane Mosley and women’s star Christy Martin have been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. This was the first year that women were on the ballot and Barbara Buttrick of England and Lucia Rijker of the Netherlands joined Martin in making history as the first female boxers elected. Buttrick was elected in the Trailblazers category, while Martin and Rijker were elected in the Modern category. Also elected by members of the Boxing Writers Association and a panel of international boxing historians were promoters Lou DiBella and Kathy Duva in the NonParticipant category, and journalists Bernard Fernandez and Thomas Hauser in the Observer category.

Posthumous honorees include lightweight champion Frank Erne in the Old Timer category, Paddy Ryan in the Pioneer category and promoter Dan Goossen in the NonParticipant category. Nicknamed “The Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Martin, a native of West Virginia, began boxing on a dare in 1986 while still in college, entering and winning a “tough woman” contest. Although she graduated with honors from Concord College, Martin elected to pursue the sweet science and turned pro in 1989 while working as a substitute teacher in Tennessee. Martin brought women’s boxing to the mainstream in the mid-1990s, becoming the first woman to sign a promotional contract with promoter Don King and landing on the cover of Sports Illustrated. She won the World Boxing Council super welterweight championship in 2009 and compiled a 49-7-3 record with 31 KOs in her career.

“I just wanted to be a fighter and fit into the world of boxing, and this is a dream come true,” Martin said. “I’m always excited to come back to Canastota, but to come back this year will be very special.” Hopkins holds the record for the most successful title defenses in middleweight boxing history at 20. He’ll join former middleweight champions Carlos Monzon, who successfully defended 14 times, and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, who defended 12 times, as a Hall of Famer on induction Sunday next June 14. “I’m glad I’m entering the house of greatness past and present,” Hopkins said. “Thanks to boxing, I became a greater inspiration to the world.” Mosley, known for his quick hand speed, beat Oscar de la Hoya twice during a pro career that produced a record of 49-10-1 with 41 KOs.

“I’m so happy and honored,” Mosley said. “I’ve worked my whole life for this. Even when I started as a kid at eight years old I knew this is what I wanted to do and what I wanted to be. I have accomplished my goals to be one of the greats and go into the Hall of Fame, so this is a great honor.” Buttrick, who began boxing in her native England, came to United States in the 1950s to box legally and won a world championship while breaking down barriers. “This is wonderful news. It means a lot to me,” Buttrick said. “After I started out with everybody against me back in the 1940s, it is nice to be recognized.” Rijker, the first licensed female boxer in her home country, was nicknamed “The Dutch Destroyer” and certainly lived up to the moniker. She made her pro debut in 1996, signed a promotional contract with Bob Arum’s Top Rank and won all 17 of her professional fights with 14 knockouts. AP

Righteous God

EAR God, You are always with those who live in love. In trust we pray: God, come to our aid. For Pope Francis and all who are working to help heal those scarred by abuse of physical and mental anguish and to root out the seeds of this sin. For government servant leaders, peacemakers, and all who engage in dialogue, activity, and prayer toward making our world more peaceful. For parents, catechists, Religion teachers and all who nurture the faith of the young. May God heal us of our affliction in our hearts and minds and other sin, and renew us in love, through Jesus our peace. Amen. GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

➜D2

Life

No Tinder: Jane Seymour on finding new love in her mid-60s

BusinessMirror

DOMINGO’S ACCUSERS: NOTHING ‘CHIVALROUS’ ABOUT GROPING WOMEN D4

Friday, December 6, 2019

Cover Story BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Today’s Horoscope

ACTRESS Jane Seymour posing at The Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles to promote her role in The Kominsky Method.

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Scarlett Johansson, 35; Mark Ruffalo, 52; Jamie Lee Curtis, 61; Steve van Zandt, 69. HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Keep your life simple, moderate and sincere. If you exaggerate, you will be held accountable. This is a year of change but also one that could cost you physically or financially if you aren’t careful. Persuasive tactics may work to help you get your way, but don’t expect to get anything for free. The payback will be greater than anticipated. Your lucky numbers are 4, 17, 20, 28, 35, 42, 46.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Keep track of your money. Unnecessary purchases will add up quickly. A responsible attitude regarding your personal documents and keeping things updated will ensure you don’t have any problems come tax time. Love and romance are highlighted. HHH

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Finish what you start, regardless of setbacks. Staying on top of your responsibilities will help you avoid a run-in with someone counting on you to do your part. HHH

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): While looking for opportunities, don’t get saddled with someone’s problems or projects. The best way to get ahead is to do whatever it takes to promote yourself, your skills and your ideas, not working to promote the interests of others. HHH

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Look at partnerships carefully. If you think both parties will benefit, great, but if not, be prepared to walk away. Do a background check; honesty may be an issue. Do your best to build up strength and endurance. HHHH

No Tinder:

Jane Seymour on finding new love in her mid-60s

By Amanda Lee Myers The Associated Press

OS ANGELES—Jane Seymour was in her mid-60s when her husband of 20 years decided it was over. The actress was floored. “I had a long marriage and never thought it was going to end,” the 68-year-old said recently while promoting the second season of Netflix’s The Kominsky Method, costarring Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. “I’m going, ‘I what? I date? What? Are you crazy? How does this work?’” Seymour said. “And then my kids would say, ‘Mom, there’s this thing called Tinder.’ And I’m like, ‘No, that’s not going to happen.’” But similar to her character in The Kominsky Method who runs into an old flame, fate intervened, and Seymour stumbled upon new romance. She has been with boyfriend and British film director David Green since 2014, about a year after her divorce from filmmaker James Keach, who directed Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Seymour’s iconic role. “Accidentally I ran into somebody I knew 38 years earlier who had been in a long marriage and his marriage ended,” she said. “It wasn’t his choice and my marriage ended, it wasn’t my choice. And we randomly met accidentally 38 years later and realized we were free, and we’ve been together ever since. So I do not have to date.” Her experience drew Seymour to The Kominsky Method, in which she plays Madelyn, who reconnects

with Arkin’s character (Norman) at a funeral following the deaths of their spouses. “I do get this whole thing of having a relationship with someone that’s a contemporary, you know?” Seymour said. “We’re both dealing with older children, exes and our future...how long will we live? How can we stay healthy? How can we tick off our bucket list? Do we still want to work or do we feel like we’ve only just started, which is the case with me and David.” The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actress has four children and two stepchildren from her four marriages. On top of acting and a busy family life, Seymour designs furniture and jewelry. Seymour recently had a one-woman art show in Washington, D.C., she writes books, runs a nonprofit and produces movies. “I do what I do because I love it,” she said. “I don’t think of it ever as a job...It’s called living. So I don’t see retiring. You don’t retire from life.” In fact, Seymour said her own children have a tough time keeping up with her. “Inside of me, I’m 20. OK? I hang out with my 23-year-old boys, and the other day I was with them running around Europe and they said, ‘Mom, can you slow down?’” she said. “I went, ‘No, this is the pace at which I go and you are a third of my age, so you better just catch up with Mama.’ I just love life.” With age, she said, has come “more of a freedom in kind of accepting who I am and what I look like, and how I feel now than I did when I was younger, when I was trying maybe too hard to be something.”

Seymour first caught the eye of audiences when she played Bond girl Solitaire in 1973’s Live and Let Die. Asked what it’s like to be a sex symbol for nearly five decades and well into her 60s, Seymour scoffed. “I’ve never thought of it that way,” she said, noting that she and her Bond character were both virgins. “So hardly a sex symbol. I didn’t know what sex was.” Since then, Seymour has posed in Playboy three times, in 1973, 1987 and last year, when the magazine said the actress “is more of a sex symbol now than when she played a Bond girl.” To Seymour, sexy means being comfortable in your own skin at every age. That’s why she hasn’t had plastic surgery, the actress said. “I made a choice a long time ago not to do all the things that other people do because I’m not trying to look like me when I’m 20 or 30. It’s kind of pointless,” she said. “So, I just thought, let’s put on a gray wig and have some wrinkles and actually play characters.” Seymour said she’s one of the lucky actresses who’ve landed great roles after 40. “Hollywood’s been pretty good to me, actually,” she said. “Back in the day, they used to say if you’re a woman and you’re 40, you’re done. Well, when I was 40, I got Dr. Quinn. So that’s when I started. And to be honest, right now I feel like this is my moment because there’s all these amazing characters that I can now play without having to worry about whether I look like a leading lady.” Her eyes glimmered: “And I can still play it like a leading lady if I put my hair and makeup together.” n

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t let the little things get to you. Socialize with people who motivate you to be your best. Monitor those who have bad habits and who try to coax you to join in. HH

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Participate in trade shows, courses or meetings that will broaden your sense of awareness and give you a better understanding of what’s possible. Refuse to let a personal problem you are dealing with stifle your chance to learn something new. HHHHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Short trips, getting together with old friends or colleagues or just taking a moment to gather your thoughts and formulate new plans will do you good. HHH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Put more effort into emotional relationships. Take time to listen to problems, nurture connections and protect against love loss. Don’t evade issues or mislead someone about the way you really feel. Honesty is the best policy. HHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Anger will mount if someone misleads you. Don’t engage in a battle you cannot finish or win. You should do your best to nurture partnerships, not disrupt them. Put your time and energy into something constructive that will help you get ahead. HHH

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Spend more time on domestic issues. Make changes at home that will improve your life and personal relationships. Your effort won’t go unnoticed and will ward off someone’s complaints. HHHHH

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Finish what you start, and positive changes will come your way. Taking on a job that requires your full attention will also end up lining your pockets with extra cash. A personal gain will change your life. Romance is encouraged. HH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Stick close to home, and don’t let important personal documents lapse. Keeping everything in order will help you avoid getting into trouble with authorities. Look to someone you know you can trust for good advice. A reunion will be informative. HHHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are generous, entertaining and influential. You are impressive and energetic.

‘wheels on a dairy farm’ BY EMILY CARROLL The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 “I Do” singer Lisa 5 Purpose 8 Brown spot? 14 Humorist Bombeck (circle letters 2 and 3) 15 Hot off the presses 16 Tennis great Andre 17 Out of the wind 18 Student’s respite (5 and 6) 20 Carrot’s cousin 22 Oil grp. 23 Genetic letters (2 and 3) 24 Knoxville sch. 26 Pass over 30 Stevenson of 1950s politics 32 Soldier’s denial (4 and 5) 35 Dogfish Head brew 36 “Judge me by my size, do you?” speaker 37 Alps, e.g.: Abbr. 38 Justification 40 Tasteless sorts, or a hint to each starred group of circled letters 43 Some believers 45 Start to “starter”

6 Taunt 4 49 It may be framed 50 Game with rooks (1 and 2) 52 Eddie Van ___ 53 ___ Mawr 55 Choice word? 57 Winter D.C. setting (1 and 2) 58 Bug-eyed 61 Rashly 63 AC controller (5 and 6) 67 ___ Xtra (soda) 68 Zany 69 I, on a clock 70 No aristocrat (2 and 3) 71 Pizza party leftovers 72 Fashionable initials 73 Lug around DOWN 1 Quadrennial occurrence (3 and 4) 2 Universal Studios Florida site 3 Dorothy’s destination 4 Sweethearts, in modern lingo (3 and 4) 5 Ill-suited 6 Cobras and such 7 Female sheep

8 Dogpatch cartoonist Al 9 A Death in the Family author 10 Call before “Polo!” (4 and 5) 11 Last Greek consonant 12 G.I. entertainers 13 Punk rocker Vicious 19 Ages and ages (2 and 3) 21 Rapa ___ (Easter Island) 25 What a fool makes 27 Launch facility 28 Wall St. debut 29 Beachgoer’s goal 31 Contented sounds 33 Tehran’s land 34 Theologian’s subj. 37 Go well together 39 Bit of pond scum 41 Abbr. after a comma 42 Sarajevo residents 43 Small amount 44 Mess up 47 Greatest chance 48 African site of a 1976 rescue (4 and 5) 51 Brain scans, for short (2 and 3) 52 Snicker syllable

4 Drug cops (1 and 2) 5 56 Recon mission aim 59 Future MBA’s hurdle 60 “My bad!” 62 Datebook entry, briefly (1 and 2) 63 Network for cinephiles 64 Laugh syllable 65 End of Yale’s URL 66 Kind of poodle Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

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AXA Philippines commits finlit program with DepEd ONE of leading insurance providers in the country, AXA Philippines together with Metrobank Foundation take part in a multi-stakeholder partnership with the Department of Education Manila, to train select teachers in a financial literacy enrichment program, and to develop a savings plan for Grade 6 students in six partner schools: Licerio Geronimo Elementary School, Melchora Aquino Elementary School, Geronimo Santiago Elementary School, Moises Salvador Elementary School, Centex Elementary School, and Gen. Miguel Malvar Elementary School. Shown in photo are DepEd Chief of School Governance and Operations Division Virgilio A. Santos (from left), chief of curriculum implementation division Aida H. Rondilla, and schools division superintendent Jenilyn Rose B. Corpuz, with AXA Philippines Chief Human Resources Officer Jaspreet Kakar, Metrobank Foundation Education Unit Head Joyce Dyan A. Tee, and AXA Corporate Social Responsibility Head Eliza delos Santos.

THE rain vortex is one of the main attractions at Jewel Changi Airport. PHOTOS: STELLA ARNALDO

Stuck in a moment SOMETHING LIKE LIFE

MA. STELLA F. ARNALDO

@akosistellaBM

KÄRCHER PARTNERS WITH SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH FOR CULTURAL PRESERVATION PROGRAM THE world’s leading provider of efficient, resource-conserving cleaning systems, Kärcher recently inked a memorandum of agreement with the San Agustin Administration to do a cleanup of the Unesco World Heritage Site San Agustin Church, along with its adjacent convent, Convento de San Agustin. The partnership is part of Kärcher’s cultural sponsorship program that aims to preserve historic landmarks around the globe. Shown in photo are Ramon Ramirez, Kärcher Philippines marketing manager (from left); Rev. Fr. Roy Gallano, San Agustin Church Friar of the House; Mark Palisoc, Kärcher Philippines general manager; Rev. Fr. Ricky Villar, San Agustin Church director; Rev. Fr. Arnold Sta. Maria, San Agustin Church parish priest; and Louella Revilla, San Agustin Church chief conservator.

NOT the Joshua tree outlined against the city landscape of Singapore at dusk.

OING to Singapore always gives me a heartache. There was a time I considered working there, just because, as you all know, it is a superefficient city. It’s also clean, safe, with a fantastic devotion to arts and culture, especially food. OK, they pay their workers very well, too. The minute you land at Changi Airport, there are signs everywhere showing how to get to the arrivals area, where to get your baggage, how to get to the Skytrain if one were to go to the other terminals, how to get to the MRT or public bus headed to the city, etc. In fact, I think the profuse amount of signs can get overwhelming especially for first-time visitors (a middle-aged German lady asked me how she could go to Terminal 1 from where we were, Terminal 2). But there are always knowledgeable airport staff on the ground to explain where things and places are. I was in Singapore last weekend to watch U2’s 2019 “Joshua Tree Tour.” And I can tell you, I was not alone: our plane was chock-full of Pinoys flying out to watch the concert, as well. I overheard my seatmates talking about it, and met some friends on the same flight who were going to watch it, as well. And judging from the ticket pricing at the Philippine Arena, where the beloved rock band would be playing next week, it was a good decision. Tickets in Singapore are cheaper (because Manila organizers usually have some Pinoy

artists’ protection tax to contend with), and getting to and from the National Stadium, where the band would play, way more...that word again...efficient. (I’ve heard horror stories of people trapped for two to three hours in traffic on the way out of the Philippine Arena after the Katy Perry concert. But I hope the arena’s management will be able to resolve this issue satisfactory.) Singapore runs like a well-oiled machine. Buses and trains are on time. Announcements of the next stop are made and when a train is arriving. Electronic signs are everywhere indicating how long the wait until the next train comes (usually three minutes tops). In fact, the only inefficiency I encountered was when, on concert day, the ticket vending machines decided to conk out all at the same time, and many commuters had to go to another machine at the other end of the terminal. The queue was so long and so slow, when I finally got my ticket, it was close to an hour before the designated showtime. At the stadium stop, there was a good number of staff announcing and pointing people the direction toward the concert site. They were all over the place, so it was impossible for anyone to get lost. (To its additional credit, the stadium’s web site also published a notice saying certain major roads would be closed that night due to a marathon, so concertgoers were advised to leave their cars and just take the MRT. Again, well-organized. And considerate.) I won’t go into the details of how the U2 concert went, just to say that it was a blast! It was the best show I’ve experienced so far—and that’s saying a lot since I caught Madonna, Lady Gaga, and a whole lot of big names in the past. And I’m sure you’ve already read the reviews and your friends who were also in Singapore have been raving about it and probably have been nagging you not to miss the Manila gig— “because Bono might have a special message for us [Pinoys],” like he did in Singapore. After all, U2 would not be U2 without Bono, the activist.

In Singapore, food and drink are reasonably priced, if you know where to eat. Supermarket items and pharmaceutical products are not. (The Kewpie mayonnaise I buy is several pesos less here, so are my eye drops.) There were “Black Friday” sales at the malls, although 30-percent off isn’t really that great a deal considering how this American sales initiative actually operates. But my niece did manage to purchase a Tumi soft case at 60-percent off, which was a great bargain. And if you’re after great-tasting single malt whisky, Changi’s duty-free retailers are the best channels to buy from. Departing Singapore, we checked in early and dropped off our bags at the airline desk, four hours before our flight to Manila. I just had to check out Jewel, the newest addition at Changi Airport, where the main attractions are a rain vortex and waterfalls amid lush greenery. The nature space the Singaporeans created in this busy airport has become a natural magnet for travelers. Sure, there were people who were there mainly for selfies and to take photos of the rain vortex, but there were those who just sat, took it all in, and relaxed. I swear I could stay in there all day, and enjoy the relatively calm and peaceful surroundings, even if, ironically, there were a lot of people going to and fro just to take photos. For the Singaporeans, the bigger payoff in creating this new attraction is, of course, that more people will mill about the terminal taking their meals and buying more stuff from the airport retailers. Singaporeans just have that unique ability of combining art, culture and profit. And so coming home to our corner of the world, where even getting through Immigration takes a bit of time despite the e-gates, I got that heartache and yearning again—for the more orderly, competent, safe, artistic and rich Singapore. With it comes a prayer that we will achieve that level of development in my lifetime. Unfortunately, we’re still stuck in a moment we can’t get out of. n

Research shows why even consensual office romances can be a problem By VAnessA k. BoHns Cornell University MCDONALD’S ousted its CEO over a consensual relationship with an employee, just a week after US Rep. Katie Hill stepped down due to a similar allegation. Both McDonald’s and the House of Representatives ban sexual relationships between supervisors and employees. Whether such bans on consensual relationships are really necessary has been debated many times. And it seems reasonable to ask: Shouldn’t mutually consenting adults be allowed to make these decisions for themselves? Based on my research on power and influence, I believe the short answer is probably not.

that 78 percent of human resources executives said their employers didn’t allow relationships between managers and direct reports, up from 70 percent in January. And academic institutions—including my own—are also increasingly prohibiting relationships between professors and students, deeming them inherently problematic. In the past, some organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund, have been much more permissive. Opponents of these sorts of bans consider them to be paternalistic overreach, arguing that institutions ought not police the private lives and relationships of mutually consenting adults. In other words, they believe two intelligent people with good intentions should be trusted to manage the power dynamics in their own relationship.

BANS IN THE WORKPLACE MCDONALD’S and the House are hardly the first organizations to introduce bans on workplace relationships. A growing number of companies are clamping down on office romances, particularly those marked by power imbalances. A June 2018 survey found

AN UNBALANCED RELATIONSHIP A KEY problem is that people in positions of power have a hard time recognizing the coercive nature of that power in an unbalanced relationship. In one of my studies, participants asked other people for various favors ranging from the innocuous, such as to donate money to charity, to the unethical—

to lie for them. In each case, the people making the request underestimated how uncomfortable others would feel saying “no.” Follow-up work my PhD student Lauren DeVincent and I conducted found that similar dynamics play out in romantic relationships at work. Individuals who make romantic advances toward coworkers underestimate how uncomfortable the targets of their advances feel rejecting them. Notably, in a phenomenon dubbed the “power amplification effect” by psychologist Adam Galinsky, these dynamics can be, as the name implies, amplified when there’s an uneven power dynamic. Even simple, polite requests can feel like directives when they come from your boss. Yet, people in positions of power tend to be oblivious to the influence they wield over others because they are less likely to take the other party’s perspective. This makes it difficult for powerful people to recognize when another person feels compelled to go along with their requests. All of this means that people in positions of power can’t be trusted to recognize abuses of power they may commit when engaging in a romantic relationship with a subordinate.

SUBORDINATES HAVE BLIND SPOTS, TOO THAT ultimately leaves it up to the subordinate to recognize and highlight such abuses if and when they occur. However, despite how emboldened someone might imagine they would feel to do so, research finds that we tend to overestimate how comfortable we would actually feel. For example, in research by psychologists Julie Woodzicka and Marianne LaFrance, the majority of women who read a hypothetical scenario about being sexually harassed during a job interview said they would confront the interviewer. Yet, when these researchers staged an actual episode of sexual harassment during what participants thought was a real job interview, hardly any of the participants actually did so. Bans on sexual relationships between supervisors and subordinates serve multiple purposes, such as protecting the involved parties from the risk of retaliation and preventing concerns about favoritism. And they recognize that even intelligent, wellintentioned people can have blind spots when it comes to the power dynamics at play in their own relationships. AP

Friday, December 6, 2019

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Cavill: Door ‘hasn’t closed’ on Superman, but 1st, ‘Witcher’ By Ryan Pearson The Associated Press

Domingo’s accusers: Nothing ‘chivalrous’ about groping women S

By Jocelyn Gecker The Associated Press

AN FRANCISCO—Two opera singers who accused Placido Domingo of sexual misconduct said Tuesday that it was disappointing and disturbing that the opera legend recently claimed he has always behaved like a gentleman and never acted improperly toward women. Angela Turner Wilson and Patricia Wulf were among more than 20 women who accused Domingo of sexual harassment or inappropriate sexually charged behavior in two The Associated Press reports this summer. Their new statement came in response to comments Domingo made in two recent interviews with European publications, in which he disputed the allegations against him and said he never abused his power. He said he always behaved like a gentleman but that “gallant gestures are viewed differently nowadays.” “There is nothing ‘chivalrous’ or ‘gallant’ about groping a woman in the workplace, in any country or era,” Wilson and Wulf said in the statement issued through their attorney, Debra Katz. The Grammy Award-winning singer is one of the most celebrated men in the opera world and regarded as one of the greatest opera singers of all time. The long-married, Spanish-born star also is a prolific conductor and longtime administrator, having served

as the general director of both the Los Angeles Opera and Washington Opera. In the AP stories, several singers, a dancer and backstage staff at opera companies accused Domingo of sexual harassment and other inappropriate, sexually charged behavior that included unwelcomed kisses, touching and late-night phone calls. Many said Domingo tried to pressure them into sexual relationships and sometimes punished them professionally if they rejected him. The accusers and dozens of others interviewed said Domingo’s behavior was an open secret in the opera world. Until recently, the 78-year-old had not spoken publicly about the allegations and had limited his reaction to statements from his lawyer and publicist. He had called the accusations “in many ways, simply incorrect” without elaborating. Domingo recently gave an interview to Spanish online newspaper El Confidencial in which he again stopped short of flatly denying the women’s allegations but insisted he had never behaved improperly. He added that Spaniards are by nature “warm, affectionate and loving. “I have been gallant but always within the limits of gentlemanliness, respect and sensitivity,” he said. Domingo also spoke to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, denying he abused his power and saying casting decisions were not made by him but by “a team of four or five people.” He said that “very offensive things were said about me as a human being.” Turner and Wulf’s statement said Domingo’s

“continued failure to take responsibility for wrongdoing or to express any remorse is extremely disappointing and deeply disturbing.” “He did not behave like a gentleman when he repeatedly propositioned women for sex in the workplace...and when he groped them and kissed them over their objections,” the statement said. “He did not behave respectfully when he offered to assist with the careers of aspiring female opera singers if they came to his apartment and had sex with him.” The most serious allegation lodged against Domingo came from Turner, a soprano, who told the AP that he forcefully grabbed her breast in a makeup room at the Washington Opera in 1999 after she rejected his advances for weeks. Wulf, a mezzo soprano, said Domingo persistently propositioned and harassed her during performances at the Washington Opera in 1998, when he was general director. Another singer said when she worked with Domingo at the Los Angeles Opera in the mid-2000s, he stuck his hand down her skirt after asking her to sing for him at his apartment. Others said he forced wet kisses on their lips. “It is deeply upsetting and unfair that Mr. Domingo can retreat to another world without having to come to terms with what he has done to many, many women here,” Wulf said. The women’s statement said Domingo’s comments show an attempt to absolve his misconduct by blaming cultural differences, and changing rules and standards. n

‘MAGPAKAILANMAN’ CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY WITH SPECIAL TWO-PART SUSPENSE DRAMA GMA’s award-winning drama anthology Magpakailanman, hosted by GMA News multi-awarded anchor and Kapuso Foundation Founder and Ambassador Mel Tiangco, celebrates its anniversary with a special two-part suspense drama, titled “OFW Most Wanted” airing this December 7 and 14. Throughout its run, the show has grown to be a household name among viewers and a trending topic among netizens every Saturday night. It has brought relevant and real-life inspirational stories that have touched the lives of many Filipinos and promoted good family values to its viewers. For its anniversary, Magpakailanman turns over a new leaf as #MPK to create a fresh and more interactive storyline with the new breed of viewers in today’s digital age. The weekly anthology continually innovates and finds creative ways to showcase uplifting narratives of ordinary and famed personalities, while shedding light on existing social issues. And with #MPK, viewers and netizens alike are welcome to instantaneously be part of the narrative by getting involved with their comments and sharing their experiences. “For years now, Magpakailanman has always been true to its mission of being a ray of hope to Filipinos. Through these stories of people from different walks of life, the show hopes to ignite values and convey a sense of belongingness among its viewers. We continue to want to present real-life stories that will not only be relatable to people my age but to the

MULTI-AWARDED broadcast journalist and host Mel Tiangco

younger generation, as well,” Mel added. In “OFW Most Wanted,” multi-awarded actor Dennis Trillo takes on the thrilling and inspiring travails of Rens Tuzon, a DJ, writer and painter who decided to work in a furniture company in Saudi Arabia in the hope of building a better future for his wife and son.

Looking forward to an exciting new life as an OFW, Rens is clueless that a life-threatening experience awaits him as 12 of his fellow OFWs, who have been subjected through years of physical and psychological abuse from their Arab employers, all conspired to escape. Rens gets entangled in the scheme and is accused of being their leader. When he decides to escape as well, the pursuit of their employers and the Arab police for all 13 of them begins. Meanwhile, back home, unknown to Rens, his wife has begun an illicit affair with another man. Will Rens end up in jail along with the other OFWs, or will he manage to save their lives and return home to his now broken family? Joining Dennis in the suspense-drama episode are Lito Pimentel, Ina Feleo, Paolo Paraiso, Lui Manansala, Ricky Pascua, David Remo, Seth dela Cruz, Karl Medina and Richard Quan. Under the helm of esteemed director Zig Dulay and writer John Roque, don’t miss #MPK’s two-part anniversary special “OFW Most Wanted” on December 7 and 14 after Daddy’s Gurl. Viewers from across the globe can also catch their favorite GMA shows via the network’s international channels GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International. For program guide, visit www.gmapinoytv.com.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, California—Henry Cavill is allin on his Netflix fantasy series The Witcher, but he says the “door hasn’t closed”on a return as Superman in the DC cinematic universe. Cavill last played the superhero in 2017’s Justice League and it’s unclear whether any upcoming movies will feature the character. There are several films based on DC superheroes in the works, including sequels to Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Cavill dons a long white wig to play monster hunter Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher, an ambitious eight-episode adaptation of Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski’s books. With intense magic, scheming political factions and epic battles, it’s targeting the audiences that made Game of Thrones a worldwide phenomenon. “I live in the fantasy genre anyway, that’s my hobby. And so for me, it was always—it was always obvious. It was like yes, of course, these shows can be popular,” Cavill said. “It was always a target. I always wanted to bring things like this to to the screen in one way, shape or form.” The show premieres on Netflix on December 20, and production begins early next year on a second season. The series features Cavill’s Geralt engaging in intricately choreographed swordplay, relaxing in a bath and talking to his horse—all recognizable moments for fans of the acclaimed hit 2015 roleplaying game “The Witcher 3.” Cavill says his horse chats recalled his real-life dialogue with his American Akita dog Kal, who shows up regularly on his Instagram feed. “That’s exactly what I was channeling when I was interacting with Roach [the horse], it was 100 percent the relationship Kal and I have,” he said. “Geralt may be a little harder. Generally, he’s been living in a harsher world and hated by a lot of people for longer than I have.” Cavill was a fan of “The Witcher 3” before he landed the series. He says he imagined himself in the role while playing the game, which runs for dozens of hours. “What CD Projekt Red did with the game was extraordinary,” he said of the company that created the game series. “And so all the work is kind of done for you. It’s all visualized in a spectacular world.” He added: “Every time I played the games, all I thought was how can I recreate this in a certain way? And where would it be possible? How is it possible? Is there anywhere in the world that looks like this?”

FILIPINO OFFERINGS ON NETFLIX THIS DECEMBER

NETFLIX has a great selection of Filipino films to enjoy anytime, anywhere. Along with Christmas, celebrate Philippine cinematic achievements and watch with friends and family a plethora of Filipino titles, including Aurora, a Yam Laranas thriller headlined by Anne Curtis as an islander innkeeper with a deathly encounter; Eerie, a Mikhail Red film in which a clairvoyant school guidance counselor leans on a ghost to uncover the convent’s abusive past; Sons of Nanay Sabel, starring comedy actress Ai-Ai delas Alas as an eccentric single mother who seeks to reconnect with six of her estranged sons (played by The Ex Battalion boys); Joyce Bernal’s Miss Granny, in which a grandmother (Sarah Geronimo) snaps a magical photo that turns her 20 years younger, after which she joins her unsuspecting grandson’s band; Sid & Aya: Not a Love Story, the Irene Villamordirected romance film in which Sid (Dingdong Dantes) wants a conversation while Aya (Anne Curtis) needs cash; and Ang Babaeng Allergic sa Wi-Fi, starring Markus Patterson, Sue Ramirez and Jameson Blake, in which an Internet-obsessed teen develops a rare illness that forces her to move to a remote town in which she must navigate her relationships without technology.

Motoring Kia launches BusinessMirror

Henry Ford Awards Best Motoring Section 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 2011 Hall of Fame

Editor: Tet Andolong

Friday, December 6, 2019

the all-new Seltos A

Story & Photos by Patrick P. Tulfo

FTER the successful world premiere held last July in South Korea, wherein they flew several members of the motoring beat to take first dibs of their upcoming entry in the subcompact crossover segment, Kia has formally launched the Seltos in the country recently at the Blue Leaf McKinley in BGC. In his opening remarks, Kia Philippines President Manny Aligada quipped, “On January 30, we launched the partnership between Ayala and Kia motors, and opened the first of the three boxes, which held the Soluto. Now it’s the biggest-selling model in our lineup. We followed suit with the debut of the Stinger sports sedan at summer’s Manila International Auto Show [MIAS]. Now the brand closes the year strong with the Seltos.” Aligada proudly added, “We said we would bring back the glory of the brand known worldwide. And we committed to two things. First, we said we would enhance the current lineup, which we did. The second is that we would bring in three new models.” The Seltos is the culmination of that promise made at the start of the year. Kia Motors Asia-Pacific President Ted Lee on the other hand reported that, “In July, when Kia had the world premiere of the Seltos, we received huge attention from the media, customers and even competitors globally. In the Korean market, Seltos has been a top-selling model in the B-SUV segment, with sales volume much higher than the next model in the segment. In India, where Kia was not present until last July, the Seltos has received, despite the market’s slowdown, more than expected inquiries and customer’s bookings.” He added, “Today, I am thrilled to be at the beginning of another success story of the Seltos here in the Philippines, which is the first country to launch this beautiful

It is only available in one engine so far, the 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle engine that produces 149 hp and 179 N-m of torque

model in the Asean market.” The Kia Seltos was named after Celtos, the son of legendary Greek God Hercules, who was known for his brave and assertive spirit. It is said to be bigger than its competitors in the segment with a measurement 4,370 x 1,800 x 1,615 millimeters and a wheelbase of 2,630 mm. Its styling is characterized by a long hood with strong and sharp lines that lends it an air of sportiness. This is accentuated with LED headlights with unique lighting elements, that also extends to the company’s trademark tiger nose grille with a diamond pattern and finished with chrome garnish and skid plate. The side profile, on the other hand, features a voluminous black wheel arch cladding, chrome beltline moldings and C-Pillar Garnish. The rear has LED taillights with similar lighting elements found in the front end, a sophisticated 3D rear bumper design, tailgate garnish and a dual-chrome muffler garnish to complete its sporty styling. There is only one engine available for the models sold here and that is 2.0-liter in-line-four DOHC D-CVVT Atkinson Cycle gasoline engine, which is mated to an allnew Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT) that according to Kia produces, “power, response, smoothness and fuel economy.” It is rated at 149 hp and 179 N-m of torque. A huge P50,000 discount was offered to buyers to all three variants, LX (P1.048 million), EX (P1.148 million), and the top variant SX

The Seltos looks like another runaway success for Kia

The interior offers new technology and infotainment

(P1.448 million) to those who ordered before November 30. T he S e ltos i s sou rce d d i rect ly f rom Sout h Korea and offers an extensive five-year or 160,000 k i lometers war rant y and is now ava i lable in a l l K ia dea lerships nationw ide.

Kia Philippines President Manny Aligada and Kia Motors Asia-Pacific top honcho Ted Lee proudly pose besides their newest offering

Moto

Business

E2 Friday, December 6, 2019

GAC GS3 UNVEILED

JAC MOTORS W

‘FORGET N J

EGADO Motors Inc., the exclusive distributor of GAC Motor in the Philippines, launches one of its flagship models—the GS3. The GS3 is a modern subcompact crossover that has been well-received in many countries and markets across the globe since its launch in China in November 2018. The GS3 is a game-changer in the SUV market with its design, specifications and features that surpass expectations in its class. Both the exterior and interior styling of the GS3 create a premium riding experience. The GS3’s exterior combines classic chrome elements with a trendy, sporty aerodynamic design, while the vehicle’s cockpit experience is enhanced by the premium leather and fabric lining of its interiors. Digital conveniences, such as a state-of-the-art infotainment system that integrates an 8-inch TFT color display with Bluetooth handsfree phone connectivity, make the GS3 more luxurious. The GS3 is a performance pow-

erhouse that is versatile enough for both daily city driving and more challenging long-distance trips, all while achieving top fuel efficiency. It is available in two variants, both gasoline-powered with six-speed automatic transmission and compliant with Euro 5 emissions standards. The 150N variant has a 1.5-liter, DCVVT engine that produces 113hp and 150 n-m, while the 200T variant has a 1.3-liter turbocharged DCVVT engine rated to make 136hp and 202 N-m. The GS3 boasts of a five-star safety rating through features like electronic stability control, antilock brake system (ABS), electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), traction control system (TCS), hydraulic brake assist (HBA), hill-start hold control (HHC), hill descent control (HDC) and electronic parking brake with auto-hold. “We are extremely pleased with the launch of the GAC GS3 here in the Philippines, and we are excited to enter the market at a time where

there is great demand for vehicles that respond to the modern lifestyle of consumers,” said Legado Motors Chief Executive Officer Wilbert A. Lim. “GAC, as a pioneering global Chinese brand, is set to conquer the automotive scene in developing markets such as the Philippines, and we are confident that our value propositions will have discerning Filipino car owners take a second look at our innovative vehicles and own the GAC experience,” he added. The GS3 is an embodiment of GAC’s thrust toward value for money, with all its smart features and worldclass design packaged competitively. The GS3’s entry-level 150N variant costs P888,000, while the premium 200T variant is P1.058 million. GAC Motor dealerships in the Philippines are located at Metrowalk, Pasig City; San Fernando, Pampanga; and Tarlac City, Tarlac. More dealerships are soon to open in Alabang, Muntinlupa City; Imus, Cavite; and Mandaue City, Cebu.

Story & photo by Randy S. Peregrino

AC Motors tagline, “Forget Normal,” is not only about offering vehicles equipped with unmatched high-tech features and affordable price points, but also about its vision to change the way consumers look at cars. Aside from that, the Chinese state-owned company is also keen at establishing its credibility as a car manufacturer. We recently toured its headquarters in Hefei, China, and was awed by its technologically advanced plant facilities.

THE entire Xingang Base facility in Hefei, China. JAC M

THE JAC R&D Center JAC MOTORS

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INSIDE the passenger cars assembly plant JAC MOTORS

Established in 1964, Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Corp. Ltd., or better known as JAC Motors, is a comprehensive automotive manufacturer in China. Aside from manufacturing, sales, and service of commercial and passenger vehicles, including powertrains, it also covers its research and development.

Xingang Base

ONDA Cars Philippines Inc., automobile business unit in the Philippines, announces extension of its early Christmas promotion, entitled Cheers for Deals. The promo covers the City, BR-V, CRV, Brio and Civic with the following cash discounts and low downpayment offers: The City 1.5 VX Navi CVT, New BR-V 1.5 S CVT, New BR-V 1.5 Prestige CVT, All-New Brio 1.2 S MT, and All-New Brio 1.2 RS CVT are all available through a 10-percent special all-in cash-out with 36 up to 60 months payment term through BPI Family Savings Bank, RCBC, Security Bank Corp., China Bank Savings and

Bank of Commerce only. On the other hand, the CR-V Touring Diesel 9AT and New Civic 1.8 S CVT are available through 15-percent or 20-percent low net cash-out with 36 up to 60 months payment term through BPI Family Savings Bank, RCBC, Security Bank Corp., East West Banking Corp., PNB Savings Bank, Philippine Savings Bank, China Bank Savings, Bank of Commerce, Sterling Bank of Asia, Maybank Philippines Inc., BDO Unibank Inc., United Coconut Planters Bank and Robinsons Bank only. Moreover, other financing promo option offers are the Free One

Month Amortization, available for 60 months payment term only; and the Low Monthly Amortization, available for 15-percent and 20 percent all-in downpayment for 36 to 60 months payment term. All offers include three-year LTO registration and chattel mortgage. Free one-year comprehensive insurance with acts of nature is also available through select bank partners. To learn more about the other special sale and promos, visit your nearest Honda dealership, or Honda Cars Philippines Inc.’s official web site at www.hondaphil.com. Hurry, offers are available until December 31, 2019, only.

OUR first stop was the main production base of JAC light commercial vehicles. This new 3,900-acre port base not only houses the primary production of light commercial vehicles. Consisting of three phases, one is for lights trucks, another is for commercial cars and SUVs, and the third one is for passenger vehicles. Each of these phase factories has its stamping, welding, coating and general assembly, as well as three-parts factories of the frame, front axle and chassis. Solar panels were installed in order to utilize renewable and ecofriendly energy. The welding workshop alone already covers 24,000 square meters of the area. Impressively, the factory section has 101 robots equipped for automatic transportation of internal logistics and welding. There’s also the

THE JAC/NIO headquarters

Whole Process Torque Value System section for tightening accuracy and torque control. Then the Vacuum Filling Machine section where all kinds of vehicle lubricants on site are stored and transported in a centralized way.

High-speed circular test track

NEXT was the super-elevated runway. Completed in 2018, this 5.2-kilometer long, three-lane test track is intended to accommodate vehicles running continuously (24 hours without interruption) at high speed of up to 160 km/h. According to JAC, the design adopted the international mainstream McConnell curve and based on the six-dimensional motion sensitivity of the human body. The run will ultimately determine the test vehicle’s reliability and stability. There, we also did a couple of shotgun laps to passenger cars and were able to experience the tilting curves.

JAC/NIO Factory

WE also toured the high-end EV manufacturing base. This JAC and NIO automobile partnership established the first full aluminum body production base, as well as the most advanced and intelligent assembly plant. With a total project invest-

ment of about 2.3 billion yuan, the targeted annual production capacity is 100,000 (expandable to 150,000) pure electric vehicles. Currently, the project mainly produces ES8 high-performance smart electric seven-seater SUV model. The four-process workshops under the factory are stamping, body, painting and general assembly. The stamping section is equipped with seven straight-line seven-axis robots achieving unmanned production. The car body section, meantime, processes laser welding, aluminum spot welding and edge coating equipped with 261 ABB robots. The all-aluminum body ES8 alone has seven kinds of connection processes. These are hot melt self-piercing riveting, self-punching riveting, aluminum spot welding, cold metal transition arc welding, structural adhesive, laser welding, high-strength core pulling riveting. The external assembly line, which mainly completes the overall assembly have 17 stations. There’s a gluing Kuka robot from Germany, 16 ABB robots for FO 050 station (controlled by four loading robots, eight riveting robots, two rotating screw robots, and two aluminum spot welding robots) through

oring

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Friday, December 6, 2019

ALABANG-SKYWAY RAMP NOW OPEN D

EPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced the opening of the new, two-lane Alabang-Skyway ramp, and the reopening of a third lane at the at-grade section. Villar, together with San Miguel Corp. (SMC) President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, opened the newly completed two-lane ramp ahead of schedule. “The initial phase of the Skyway Extension project will ease traffic on the South Luzon Expressway [Slex], by giving motorists the access to the Skyway from Susana Heights and the MuntinlupaCavite Expressway [MCX],” Villar noted. “Northbound traffic will now have up to five lanes during rush hour with the new ramp and the reopening of the third at-grade lane,” he said. “Given the tight timetable we had to implement major engineering and construction works, we could not have completed the new ramp and the initial phase of construction for the Skyway

MOTORS

Extension, without the bayanihan spirit demonstrated by the team of President Rodrigo Duterte, led by the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Department of Transportation,” Ang said.

Skyway Extension to open in 2020

VILLAR said that DPWH and SMC is also fast-tracking the completion of the alternate route bypassing Edsa, the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3—an 18.68 kilometer elevated expressway

from Buendia, Makati City, to the North Luzon Expressway in Balintawak, Quezon City. “When this alignment is completed, travel time from North to South will be reduced from two hours to just 15 to 20 minutes,” Villar noted. “The Skyway Extension project which will be substantially completed by the end of the year will be fully operational by first quarter of 2020,” he added. The Skyway Extension project is a joint effort of DPWH, the Toll Regulatory Board and SMC.

CALTEX OPENS NEW STATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

PLC program and operates in one go.

JAC Passenger Vehicle Factory

NEXT, we toured the 1 million-sqm factory, which started operation in 2006 with a total investment of 2 billion yuan. Currently, the first mass-produced model JAC S4, and the brand-new hatchback car JAC J7, which appeared in the Chengdu auto show in September, are all produced in this factory. Likewise, the JAC Volkswagen ventured brand, SOL, is also produced in this factory. There’s the Blue Light Automatic Detection (Stamping and Welding Plant), which is the latest investment and has the world’s advanced level of workstations. Its primary detection and monitoring are for parts of JAC J7, JAC Volkswagen SOL, JAC S4, JAC S7, and other models. Torque on-line monitoring system (TLD) Torque Control (Assembly Plant), meantime, has the system equipment that meets the quality requirements of German Volkswagen. Its primary role is for the online torque monitoring, torque tracing, and data analysis of JAC J7, JAC Volkswagen SOL, JAC S4, JAC S2, JAC S7, and other models in production. Then, we saw the Rain and Water Leakage Detection Probe (General

Assembly Plant), where rain and water leakage detection are done. This system was introduced and used by German Volkswagen experts at the end of 2018. The automobile body spray test is a crucial stage to test the rainproof sealing performance of the automobile body.

JAC R&D Center

VISITING the R&D plant validated JAC’s commitment to achieving customer satisfaction. The EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) laboratory alone performs a test to avoid undue electromagnetic disturbance to other electrical appliances during operation. Then there’s NVH laboratory where the quality of riding comfort, interior noise and details are tested. As a critical factor in vehicle ride comfort, it is also an important indicator of vehicle quality. Completed in 2015 and covering an area of about 6,000 sq m, with more than 50 million yuan invested. There are four parts, namely: acoustic performance laboratory, acoustic quality evaluation room, modal stiffness laboratory, and vehicle silencing drum laboratory (including twowheel drive and four-wheel drive).

Automobile safety laboratory PERHAPS, the most crucial visit was the automobile safety laboratory of Jianghuai Automobile Technology Center. Started operating in August 2015, the building area boasts more than 13,000 sq m of space with a total investment of more than 100 million yuan. It has more than 20 sets of world-class and domestic leading test systems, such as traction system, lighting system, high-speed camera system, test dummy, sensor and data collection system. With a test capacity of more than 150 vehicles per year, this facility saves more than 8.5 million yuan in the cost of outsourcing test and development every year. It is also designed mainly for the passive safety test and verification of the whole vehicle and system components in the R&D stage. All kinds of low-speed (below 25 km/h), medium speed (between 25 km/h and 50 km/h) and high-speed (above 50 km/h) tests in the whole vehicle development process are being done based on the requirements of national standards, American standards, European standards, and NCAP standards.

UALITY Caltex fuels are made available to more motorists in the country as Caltex, the brand that delivers record-breaking fuel performance, opens more stations across the country. In the last six months, 11 Caltex stations have already opened in various provinces making a total of 20 new Caltex sites up to November this year. The opening of new Caltex stations assures the public that quality fuel is made available in more locations throughout the country. With more fueling options, motorists can choose to load up on fuels that assure them of quality and performance like Caltex with Techron fuels. Caltex fuels are also the first fuel brand to comply with the government’s fuel marking, assuring the consumers that their fuels do not come from unscrupulous and even criminal enterprises. “We want to help private motorists, transport groups, and fleet operators gain access to clean, safe and record-setting fuel that is Caltex. We want to give

them the freedom of choice instead of settling for the nearest untested fuel station. They can experience for themselves the big difference that Caltex with Techron can have on their motoring experience or transport business,” said Louie Zhang, country chairman of Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketer of the Caltex brand of fuels and lubricants. Zhang also added, “We invest a lot in R&D for Caltex and we also put in a lot of expertise and technology into our facilities. These ensure that our fuel and service stations offer the best product and experience to our customers no matter where they are.” Everyone can now access premium quality fuels offered by Caltex in the following service stations: n Puerto Princesa South Road, Santa Monica, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; n JASA Road, Santa Cruz, Lubao, Pampanga; n National Highway, Mawab, Province of Compostela Valley; n Barangay Saduc, Marawi City,

Lanao Del Sur n Rizal Street, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental; n National Highway, Diplahan, Zamboanga Sibugay; n Taytay-El Nido Highway, Taytay, Palawan; n Manila East Road, Tayuman, Binangonan, Rizal; n National Highway, Arevalo, Iloilo; n Poblacion, Iriga City, Camarines Sur; and n Barangay Bucana, El Nido, Palawan Aside from retail site openings, Caltex has programs that bring loyal customers more bang for the buck. Earlier this year, Caltex partnered with MVP Rewards and Loyalty Solutions Inc. which gives MVP Rewards cardholders P1 cashback for every 5 liters of Caltex with Techron purchase. With MVP Rewards and two other rewards cards, which are Happyplus and Robinsons Rewards Card, Caltex is the only fuel brand with loyalty programs covering utilities, food and shopping.

Motoring BusinessMirror

E4 Friday, December 6, 2019

Slex/Skyway job completion ends traffic woes

S promised, San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has reopened the third at-grade lane of the Skyway and inaugurated a new, two-lane steel ramp connecting the Alabang viaduct to the elevated Skyway. The additional lanes are seen to ease traffic on the South Luzon Expressway (Slex) while construction of the Skyway Extension project is ongoing. This is good news to all our Slex users, especially those Bicol-bound to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones in the South. I, for one, will motor this month to Calauag, Quezon, for the cherished tradition of renewing ties with family and friends, a timehonored Filipino ritual.

On the latest Slex thrust, let’s have Jon Hernandez, the SMC point man, do the talking: “SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang, Department of Public Works and Highways [DPWH] Secretary Mark Villar, Department of Transportation [DOTR] Secretary Arthur

Tugade, and Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, led the opening rites on December 1, announcing completion of the program. “Ang credited Villar, Tugade, and Fresnedi, for providing all the support needed to ensure that the additional lanes will be opened in time before the Christmas rush, a promise he made at the start of construction.” “I know that our motorists from the South—Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, Cavite, Laguna and B at a n g a s — h a d a h a rd t i me these past two months. Again, I sincerely apolog ize for the inconvenience this project has c au s e d . O u r S l e x mot or i s t s will now have up to five lanes northbound during rush hours. This is already a big improvement from just three lanes at the viaduct, before the start of construction,” he said. “It is largely because of Secretary Villar and Secretary Tugade that we are able to open the new ramp and the third lane,” Ang said, citing that the DPWH even lent them construction materials for the steel bridge. “Ang lamented how traffic has been a major problem for Filipinos for many years, and that if nothing was done about it, it could only get worse. “Our population continues to grow. We add about 1 million new vehicles on our roads every year. “And yet we are still using the same main roads and inner roads

Ramon S. Ang Photo by goodnewspilipinas

from 30, 40 years ago. Fortunately, President Duterte understood the problem and appointed two of the most hardworking, and most dedicated people to handle ‘Build, Build, Build,’ he said of Villar and Tugade. “The Skyway Extension project is a P10 billion initiative by SMC that will extend the Skyway from Alabang to Slex near Susana Heights and the MuntinlupaCavite Expressway. “The project will allow for an additional capacity of 4,500 vehicles per hour northbound, and an additional 3,000 vehicles an hour southbound. “With the slated opening of the Skyway Stage 3 project from Buendia to the North Luzon Expressway in a few months, Ang

said that motorists from the South will be able to take the Skyway Extension to bypass the Alabang viaduct and even Edsa. “With the traffic measures now in place, Ang said construction of the Skyway Extension will advance. “He appealed further to the public for their understanding. “Mga kababayan, ginagawa po namin ang lahat para mapabilis ang trabaho, at mapaganda ang daloy ng trapiko. Mahirap, pero kailangang gawin. Hindi na po uubra ang reme-remedyo lamang. Ang kailangan po natin, pangmatagalang solus yon, [To our countrymen, we are doing everything to fast-track construction and improve the traffic situation. It is a challenge, but we need to do it. We can no longer afford quick solutions, we need long-term solutions],” And said. “We all deserve better, and we will work to give you better.”

Entrance exams traffic

NOT only rains, floods and undisciplined drivers are causing traffic jams in the metropolis. School entrance examinations, too. Human traffic, composed mainly of high-school students taking up entrance exams on universities of their choice, also contribute to vehicle entanglements. Public conveyances that transport them to the examination sites clog main arteries and, worst, they are joined by private

motorists with their son/daughter on board, not wanting their kids to be late for their date with history, if not destiny. The latest traffic gridlock happened only last weekend at España, Manila, when University of Santo Tomas held its entrance exams. The queue of vehicles loaded with entrance exams hopefuls took virtually kilometers long. I had to take the circuitous route of Magsaysay Boulevard/ Santa Mesa via Legarda on my way to R iza l Memor ia l Coliseum on Vito Cruz, Manila, to catch our world champion Carlos Yulo’s spectacular performance of winning the SEA Games gymnastics’ all-around gold. It was worth the trip as my wife and two grandkids enjoyed ever y second of Yulo’s breathtaking somersau lt s a nd i mprobable acrobatic leaps. W hat’s more, I retraced the same route on our way home and we reached our destination in no time. Ah, with today’s unpredictable road/traffic situations, using Waze has become but a waste.

PEE STOP

Do you k now t h at G e e l y, a g l o b a l a u t o m o t i v e group headquartered in Hangz ho u , Z h e j i a n g p r o v i n c e i n China, has 80,000-plus employees? And one of them is Froi Dytianquin, formerly a highranking top gun of Mitsubishi Philippines? Welcome back to the groove, Froi.

LEGO brings Nissan GT-R NISMO in bricks S

INCE the introduction of the Lego wheel in 1962, cars have played a central role in thousands of Lego sets and in the hearts, minds and play of millions of children across the world. Today, the Lego Group and Nissan have revealed a model that pays tribute to one of the most iconic Japanese supercars, the Nissan GT-R Nismo. This is the first-ever partnership between Lego and a Japanese automaker.

T he L ego model was revea led by L ego Group CEO Niels B. Chr istiansen and Asako Hoshino, executive vice president at Nissa n, at t he automa ker’s globa l headquarters in Yokohama today. Christiansen sa id: “In add ition to of fer ing a wonder f u l and f un bui ld ing and play e x per ience, we hope t he model w i l l a lso inspire chi ldren to lear n more about eng ineer ing and how to create t hings

in rea l life. Just as eng ineers across decades have improved t he desig n and performance of this car, children bui ld, unbui ld and rebui ld dur ing pl ay— st imu l at ing a nd developing cr ucia l sk i l ls, such as creativ it y, re-

si lience, problem-solving and critical thinking. Inspiring them to become the builders of tomorrow is our mission.” Hoshino said: “The Nissan GT-R and the Lego brand are both renowned and loved by fans of all ages throughout the

world, and we are honored to be the first-ever Japanese car manufacturer to partner with the Lego Group. Many of our Nissan customers can trace their automotive passion back to when they built Lego cars as children. With this partnership, everyone can be a takumi— the specialized craftsmen that build the GT-R. And, it’s the GT-R’s 50th anniversary this year, so what better way to celebrate than to share the GT-R with Nissan and Lego fans around the world!” The Lego Speed Champions Nissan GT-R Nismo will be available globally in January 2020. It’s one of the first in the 2020 Speed Champions themed sets, which will be 25 percent bigger than in previous years. The GT-R Nismo model, made from 298 Lego elements, captures the authentic and intricate details of the life-size race car in a relatively small Lego model. This posed an interesting challenge for Lego design lead Chris Stamp.

Bactakleen bacterial system for automobiles

RE you worried about your love ones being infected by the flu or other airborne diseases at school or at the mall? Bacteria and viruses are widespread on surfaces that we touch every day or in the air that we breathe. In a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), the areas most likely to be contaminated by bacteria are surfaces like doorknobs, offices, restaurants, escalators, handrails, shopping trolleys and even in the cool comforts of your car or SUV. Just by touching these surfaces or by merely breathing air in a confined contaminated space, we all are a risk of infection. Mold and bacteria usually breed inside your air-conditioning system affecting the air you breathe. The inhalation of pathogenic bacteria into the body can result to dire consequences, which can affect your health on a shortto long-term basis.

Fast and efficient cleaning system

Bactakleen is a two-in-one bacterial treatment system that effectively kills 99.9 percent of the bacteria and germs in your vehicles, home and office. Bactakleen uses a proven technology which is widely used in Japan and in the United States. The device encompasses a specially designed fumigation device to atomize the concentrated antibacterial solution into an ultra-fine

mist made up of hundreds of millions of microscopic “nano-sized” cleaning particles. It can penetrate virtually all areas of the ventilation system, including the car’s air-conditioning system and interior and, those hard to reach places of the vehicle where mold and bacteria thrives. Bactak leen can effectively clean Esherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureaus, Candida albicans (yeast), Aspergillus niger (mold), Pseudomonas aeroginosa, S.

Epidermidis, bacillus, salmonella and M2 virus (type of inf luenza virus). Aside from cars and SUV’s, Bactakleen is ideal for bus, vans, trucks, planes, ta x is and other establishments, such as schools, homes, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls and hospitals. The Bactakleen showroom is along 341 G. Araneta Avenue, Quezon City 1113. Visit their Facebook page at Bactakleen PH.