BusinessMirror December 28, 2019

ROTARY CLUB OF MANILA JOURNALISM AWARDS

2006 National Newspaper of the Year 2011 National Newspaper of the Year 2013 Business Newspaper of the Year 2017 Business Newspaper of the Year 2019 Business Newspaper of the Year

BusinessMirror A broader look at today’s business

EJAP JOURNALISM AWARDS

BUSINESS NEWS SOURCE OF THE YEAR (2017, 2018)

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

2018 BANTOG MEDIA AWARDS PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY

DATA CHAMPION

THE CHINESE AGENDA Taiwanese experts dissect Beijing’s ‘dominant’ demeanor

n

Saturday, December 28, 2019 Vol. 15 No. 79

P25.00 nationwide | 12 pages | 7 DAYS A WEEK

HYOTOGRAPHICS | DREAMSTIME.COM

www.businessmirror.com.ph

T

By Rene Acosta

HE manner by which China has been exerting its influence, including Beijing’s apparent attempt to impose itself abroad as of late, goes beyond the globally accepted norm that truly deserves international concern, an independent Taiwanese think tank has observed.

But while the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies (CAPS) has concurred in not only the observation, but even the complaints by countries about Beijing’s conduct, it also offered the best possible explanation behind mainland China’s demeanor.

Intimidation, infiltration

ACCORDING to CAPS secretary general Andrew Yang, the Chinese government has been dealing with the issue of its territorial claims in the South China Sea (SCS) mostly by way of intimi-

dation, an observation that had been consistently raised by Asean member-states, particularly by other claimant states.

Even outside of the region, a host of countries have been very vocal about China’s conduct in the SCS in pursuit of its claims. The United States, in particular, has criticized the activities, claiming they were not in accordance with the existing rules-based order.

The US, which regularly conducts freedom of navigation and overflights in the regional waters, Continued on a2

ANDREW YANG, secretary-general of Taiwan’s private think tank Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies

Goldman Sachs beware: China plans ‘aircraft carrier-sized’ banking rival

C

By Bloomberg News

HINA last week commissioned its first home-built aircraft carrier to project its military might. It’s now on a mission to create “aircraft carrier-sized” investment banks to take on Wall Street’s giants.

As the nation prepares to fully open its $45-trillion financial industry to foreign competition next year, policy makers and regulators are pushing to beef up its own players to go toe-to-toe with the likes of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Unlike its massive commercial banks such as Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (ICBC) which dominate at home and carry heft globally, China’s brokers are minnows in an international perspective. Beijing’s latest ambition is seen sparking a wave of necessary mergers among its over 130 securities firms, led by Citic Securities Co.

“Compared with either domestic banks, insurers, or their global peers, Chinese brokers are too small to play a meaningful role in the financial market,” said Jiang Zhongyu, a Shanghai-based analyst at Essence Securities. “The country’s capital market development calls for a heavyweight broker.”

Taken together, China’s 131 brokers have assets that are equal to what Goldman Sachs sits on by itself. They are also far from being full-service investment banks, counting on mom-and-pop traders across the country to contribute much of their revenue.

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 50.7440

GOLDMAN Sachs Headquarters (left) and American Express Tower (right) stand in front of One World Trade Center in New York, March 1, 2019. MICHAEL NAGLE/BLOOMBERG

Past efforts to expand out from China have born little fruit. Citic’s highly touted attempt to build an international presence by buying Hong Kong brokerage CLSA Ltd. in 2012 faltered amid a wave of infighting and defections. China’s fifth-largest, Haitong Securities Co., gets a significant part of its revenue from Hong Kong, but has struggled with a unit in Europe. China International Capital Corp., though, is among the top 10 in global initial public offerings this year.

The financial opening, which culminates in December next year when foreign securities firms are allowed to take 100-percent ownership of units in the country, is adding to the urgency of building a meaningful local player.

UBS Group AG, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Nomura Holdings Inc. have already gained majority control of local joint ventures, while Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and others have applied to follow suit in a bid to capture an estimated $9 billion in annual profits for brokers and banks.

Continued on a2

n JAPAN 0.4629 n UK 65.9926 n HK 6.5162 n CHINA 7.2512 n SINGAPORE 37.4909 n AUSTRALIA 35.2569 n EU 56.3512 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.5238

Source: BSP (December 27, 2019 )

A2 Saturday, December 28, 2019

News

BusinessMirror

THE CHINESE AGENDA Continued from a1

has called on the Asean, and even other states, to challenge Beijing’s “illegal” behavior, which it said is undermining both the region’s security and stability.

While America’s call makes sense for Taiwan, which is also among the claimants and has occupied the biggest island in the disputed territory, it could not, however, involve itself in the “united stand” that is being encouraged by US military officials, apparently because of the existing One China policy.

“We are not part of the mechanisms,” Dr. Lee Che-Chuan, director of the division of national security and decision-making of Taipei’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research (INDSR) told the BusinessMirror, which joined international journalists during a recent visit to the tiny island nation that Beijing considers a breakaway province.

Outside of the region, particularly in countries that include Australia and even the self-governing Hong Kong, China has been reportedly exerting efforts to undermine governments by recruiting spies and infiltrators to work for Beijing’s interests.

While Canberra already has an inclination of the Chinese government’s purpose, this could not be made clearer by the recent unmasking of Chinese Wang “William” Liqiang, a self-confessed spy, who had sought asylum in Australia.

Wang, who claimed he had

been working for Beijing, reportedly admitted that he had been tasked to penetrate Australia’s government, counter Hong Kong’s democracy movement by penetrating Hong Kong universities and media, and meddle in Taiwan’s political system and elections.

Taiwan is scheduled to hold its presidential elections on January 11, and its officials claimed earlier that China and its communist party officials are working hard to influence the results against reelectionist President Tsai Ing-wen because of her strong anti-Beijing stance.

Chinese communist model

ACCORDING to Yang, China’s method in dealing with and in conducting its affairs with other states does not adhere to the prevailing rules-based practice, and no less than the Asean, the US and even the European Union have raised concerns about this.

He said the regional body, along with the Americans and the Europeans, have strongly criticized Beijing for its upfront behavior, telling the Chinese government to cease committing the acts, while declaring that they should not be tolerated and must be stopped.

Yang said there is “hard evidence” to support the claim that China is undertaking activities to intervene in the domestic affairs of other countries by infiltrating their governments. As such, there is an international consensus about asking the Chinese government about its intent and purpose.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

“What is your intention? What is the Chinese agenda in exerting its influence?” Yang asked aloud as he echoed the international call.

When the BusinessMirror tossed back the question to the former official, who had held at least three Cabinet portfolios, including being a former defense minister, he said China intends to “export” its ideology of communism to other countries.

“China is trying to create a different kind of model based on Chinese one-party rule controlled by communists,” he said.

“China is trying to sell that kind of economic model,” he added, noting that “while other countries are enhancing their democratic processes, China is enhancing its domestic control” along the communist line.

Resisting communist rule

TAIWANESE officials said the same model is what Beijing now wanted to exert, or even impose, on democratic Taiwan, which it treats as a “renegade” province and which it has threatened to get back, with the use of a military force if necessary.

China’s line of reunification—and its means—accompanies regular acts of provocation and intimidation and even a consistent attempt to infiltrate the Taiwanese government by recruiting for spies and infiltrators among the Taiwanese.

Recently, former Taipei Defense Minister Michael Tsai had disclosed efforts by Chinese communist party officials to contact

TAIWAN is set to get 66 of the US F-16V fighter jets beginning in 2023 in order to beef up its defense and security. LOCKHEED MARTIN

him through intermediaries, apparently to goad him into working for Beijing’s interests against Taipei.

The effort was made right after he left office in 2008.

China’s threat of using force in reuniting Taiwan, for one reason, has encouraged the Taiwanese to keep the island nation politically, economically and militarily afloat.

Chen Ming-chi, deputy minister of the Mainland Affairs Council, said that while Taipei promotes and values its military cooperation and alliance with other countries, especially with the US, they fully know that Taiwan’s defense rests solely upon the country itself.

This is why Taipei maintains a robust defense posture. Taiwan is set to get 66 of the newest variant of US F-16 fighter jets beginning in 2023 in order to beef up its defense and security.

“We need to upgrade our weaponry system,” said Chen, emphasizing that while Taiwan does not want a conflict with Beijing, it, however, needs to ensure that it could confront the challenge once it arises.

The decision of the US government to sell new assets to Taipei, which had been frozen in years by previous US administrations due to the One China policy, had prompted Dr. Ou Si-fu, director of INDSR’s division of advanced technologies and war fighting concepts,

to declare that the US-Taiwan relations is “at its best” under the Trump administration.

Ou said that Taiwan is also building its capabilities in other areas of the military, and this included adding to its stock of warfighting vehicles for the army and acquiring Aegis system-guided frigates from Japan for its navy.

Indigenous weaponry

WHILE Taiwan’s defense is still no match for China’s military might, Taipei is working to improve its capabilities in asymmetrical warfare, one of which is by embarking on an indigenous military program (IMP) and ensuring the readiness of its citizens when called to respond.

One earlier study claimed that should China invade Taiwan, the latter can only deal with the aggression for at least a month before it would completely fall into the Chinese hands, but Ou said this is just a myth.

There are reasons why this would not happen, one of which, according to Ou, is China’s lack of command and control over its military, whose loyalty is divided between the country’s communist rulers and military officials.

At the Taipei Defense and Security Forum held in October this year, which focused on asymmetric strategy as a means “to fend off Chinese hybrid aggression,” defense and security researchers

pushed for the development of Taiwan’s indigenous weaponry.

“At the present stage, I think it’s necessary to have a comprehensive military strategy combining defense needs and industry development,” Dr. Hung Jui-min, an INDSR research fellow, said.

The INDSR, which called the forum, admitted that Taiwan, “in terms of number, could not match China ship-for-ship, bullet-forbullet, so the Taiwanese government must find the best way to use its limited resources to re-equip its military.”

The INDSR said that of the current indigenous military programs, the “submarine program is one of the big-budget items, with construction on a series of eight diesel-electric attack submarines scheduled for next year.”

As part of the IMP, the Taiwanese capital has deployed locally produced Kestrel missiles in order to protect its key infrastructures in the event of a Chinese attack. The deployment of the shoulder-fired home-built weapons followed the announcement that more would be domestically procured.

However it chooses to prepare for the worst, Taiwan seems bent on following the unofficial mantra it has held on to, that is, to meet “sustained pressure” with “sustained resistance.”

Goldman Sachs beware: China plans ‘aircraft carrier-sized’ banking rival Continued from a1

Size will matter more and more as Beijing urges brokerages to take a bigger role in supporting the economy. Less than one-quarter of China’s $2.9 trillion of financing last year was from bond and equity issuance, with the rest from bank loans, according to central bank data compiled by Bloomberg.

In a news statement last month, China Securities Regulatory Commission said it wanted to create investment banks with “aircraft carrier size” and would support mergers within the industry, enhance capital strength, expand the services they offer and promote “internationalization.”

Chinese brokerages have largely been involved in less capital-demanding business such as trading and underwriting after three decades of development.

They will need capital to build out a broader array of investment banking services, market making and margin lending. Meanwhile, many small- and medium-sized firms are struggling as an exodus of retail investors halved income in 2018.

Citic is most in the spotlight when it comes to consolidation.

The Beijing-based broker, already the largest in China, said earlier

‘C

ompared with either domestic banks, insurers, or their global peers, Chinese brokers are too small to play a meaningful role in the financial market. The country’s capital market development calls for a heavyweight broker.”—Jiang Zhongyu this year that it’s considering more acquisitions after snapping up rival Guangzhou Securities Co. for $2 billion in December. Citic has bought a number of brokerages over the years, including Wantong Securities Co. The firm’s market value is less than half of Goldman Sachs’s, but it’s competitive in various businesses in Asia, ranking the third in Asia ex-Japan equity offerings this year, after Morgan Stanley and CICC, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Citic declined to comment on any potential acquisition plans.

Smaller deals are popping up. Tianfeng Securities Co. said in June it plans to buy a 30-percent stake in Hengtai Securities Co. Last month, Huachuang Se-

curities Co. announced plans to buy a 6-percent stake in Pacific Securities.

The markets are also sensing that a turnaround could be coming for the struggling industry. A Bloomberg index of shares in Chinese brokerages is up about 10 percent from late November.

China Galaxy International Financial Holdings said in a December 15 note that Citic is “well positioned to benefit from potential policy support” as China builds bigger investment banks.

“We believe there will be more concrete measures to follow soon, such as support in strengthening the capital base and M&A,” Galaxy analysts Wong Chi Man and Mark Lau wrote.

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Editor: Angel R. Calso

China to complete Beidou competitor to GPS with new launches

B

EIJING— China said on Friday its Beidou Navigation Satellite System that emulates the US Global Positioning System will be completed with the launch of its final two satellites in the first half of next year.

Project director Ran Chengqi told reporters that the core of the positioning system was completed this month with the launch additional satellites bringing its total constellation to 24.

That was up from 19 the year before, making it one of rising space power China’s most complex projects.

Ran described the system at a rare news conference as having “high performance indicators, new technology systems, high localization, mass production networking and a wide range of users.”

“Before June 2020, we plan to launch two more satellites into geostationary orbit and the Beidou-3 system will be fully completed,” Ran said.

The latest launches mark the third iteration of Beidou, meaning “Big Dipper,” the first of which was decommissioned in 2012. Future plans call for a smarter, more accessible and more integrated system with Beidou at its core, to come online by 2035, Ran said.

“As a major space infrastructure for China to provide public services to the world, the Beidou system will always adhere to the development concept of ‘China’s Beidou, the world’s Beidou, and the first-class Beidou,’ serving the world and benefiting mankind,” Ran said.

China’s space program has developed rapidly along all lines over the past two decades and developing independent high-tech capabilities—and even dominating in fields such as 5G data processing— is a major government priority.

In 2003, China became just the third country to independently launch a manned space mission and has since constructed an experimental space station and sent up a pair of rovers to the surface of the moon. Future plans call for a fully-functioning permanent space station, a mission to mars and a possible crewed flight to the moon. AP

15 killed, 66 hurt after plane crashes in Kazakhstan

A

LMATY, Kazakhstan—A Kazakhstan plane with 98 people aboa rd h a s crashed shor t ly af ter ta keof f early Fr id ay, k i l ling at least 15 people, of f icia ls in A lmat y sa id. At least 66 ot hers surv ived w ith injur ies, 50 of them hospita lized.

The Bek Air aircraft hit a concrete fence and a two-story building after takeoff from Almaty International Airport. It lost attitude at 7:22 a.m. (0122 GMT), the airport said.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the airport said there was no fire and a rescue operation got under way immediately following the crash.

A round 1,000 people were working at the snow-covered site of the crash. The weather in Almaty was clear, with mild subzero temperature that is common at this time of the year.

Foot age showed t he f ront of the broken-up fuselage rammed a house and t he rear of t he plane ly ing in t he f ield ne x t to t he a ir por t.

T he plane was f ly ing to NurSu ltan, t he countr y’s capita l for merly k now n as A stana. AP

The World BusinessMirror

Saturday, December 28, 2019

A3

Japan approves plan to send naval troops to Middle East

T

OKYO—Japan on Friday approved a contentious plan to send its naval troops to the Middle East to ensure the safety of Japanese ships transporting oil to the energy-poor country that heavily depends on imports from the region.

The Cabinet’s decision ref lects tensions that have escalated between Iran and the US since President Donald Trump withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal.

“Taking into consideration the escalating tension in the Middle East, it is necessar y to strengthen our information gathering effort,” Chief Cabinet Secretar y Yoshihide Suga told a news conference.

Citing Japan’s heav y dependence on oil imports from the region, Suga added that “ it is extremely important to secure the safe navigation of Japan-affiliated ships.”

Despite being a US ally, Japan’s troop dispatch is not part of a US-led coalition protecting Middle East waterways, apparently an attempt to maintain neutrality in a show of consideration to Iran.

Under the plan, Japan will se nd about 26 0 M a r it i me Self-Defense Force personnel with a destroyer and a pair of P-3C reconnaissance aircraft, mainly for intelligence-gathering in the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Bab elMandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

Defense Minister Taro Kono issued an order for the troops to start preparing for the operation, which is planned for one year beginning early next year.

Kono is to visit Djibouti on the eastern coast of Africa and Oman this weekend to discuss Japan’s mission. Japanese troops have been based

in Djibouti as part of an international anti-piracy effort off the Somali coast, and a P-3C unit currently in that operation will be shifted to the new mission in January, he said.

Japan will stay away from the Strait of Hormuz, where the US-led coalition is operating.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe explained the plan to Iranian President Hassan Rou hani when he visited Tokyo last week.

Japan, which has friendly ties with both Iran and the US, also seeks to serve as a mediator between the two and play a greater role in restoring stability in the region, officials said.

The Middle East supplies more than 80 percent of Japan’s oil needs.

Sending warships to areas of military tension is a highly sensitive issue in Japan because its pacifist post-World War II constitution limits the use of force by the military strictly to self-defense. Abe, however, has gradually expanded Japan’s military role in recent years.

In June, a Japanese-operated tanker was attacked in the Gulf of Oman. Washington said Iran was responsible and urged Japan to join the US-led military initiative.

Petroleum Association of Japan Chairman Takashi Tsukioka welcomed a troop dispatch in a statement: “The Middle East situation continues to be uncertain and we believe it will contribute to the safety of ship navigation in the Middle East.” AP

WHEAT COULD BE BIG WINNER OF THE U.S.-CHINA TRADE DEAL

I

N the agriculture world, news of the partial US-China trade deal has sparked a lot of buzz about soybeans. It turns out, wheat could actually end up being a bigger winner.

Speculations is mounting that China will work to fill its wheat-buying quota as part of the detente, creating new demand since it’s failed to stick to the pledge in the past. Purchases of soybeans, meanwhile, are likely to be hampered by a deadly pig disease that’s reducing demand for the oilseed used to make a key ingredient in hog feed.

Wheat prices are already reacting as traders expect that China will soon release the quota, according to Chicagobased consultants AgResource. While the allotment, which is set by the World Trade Organization, could be filled by supplies from any country, it still means additional global demand at a time when international buyers have turned to American supplies.

If Chinese purchases were to reach the quota mark of 9.6 million tons, it would represent a huge jump in demand. In the six years through 2017, buying has averaged less than 50 percent of the allotment.

“The potential that China could secure an additional 5 to 6 million tons of world wheat annually is underpinning Chicago Board of Trade wheat,” Chicago-based consultant AgResource Co. said in a report on Thursday.

Wheat futures for March delivery climbed 1.5 percent on Thursday in Chicago. Soybeans and corn were little changed.

The potential sales to China would be well-timed for US farmers. Relatively tighter corn supplies in South America and wheat in top shipper Russia have made American grain more competitively priced, already prompting non-Chinese buyers to boost purchases. In the week ended December 12, American exporters sold the most wheat in six years, according to USDA figures, excluding skewed data released after the federal government shutdown earlier this year.

Corn could also benefit if China moves to fill grain quotas, but to a smaller degree. At 7.2 million tons, the allotment is not only smaller, but the Asian nation has historically done a better job of filling it, meaning it wouldn’t represent a very big increase in demand. Bloomberg News

PEOPLE hold placards protesting against a troop dispatch to Middle East outside the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo on Friday. Japan approved a contentious plan to send its naval troops to the Middle East to contribute to the peace and stability in the area and ensure the safety of Japanese ships transporting oil, a mission crucial to an energy-poor country that heavily depends on oil imports from the region. The placard at left reads: “Oppose a dispatch of Japan Self-Defense Forces to Middle East.” HIROKI YAMAUCHI/KYODO NEWS VIA AP

A4 Saturday, December 28, 2019

ExportUnlimited BusinessMirror

Halal food makers net $4.34-million sales in recent Abu Dhabi trade show

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

P

HILIPPINE food makers have netted about P219 million ($4.34 million) in sales in a major trade show in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, while two local innovators were recognized for their development of original recipes.

The Philippine delegation to the SIAL Middle East bagged the sales in their participation at the yearly expo. Part of the SIAL Network, SIAL Middle East is backed by over five decades of experience, industry know-how and a broad global network of eight leading business-tobusiness events.

Headed by the Department of Trade and Industry, through the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, the delegation exhibited food products across various segments that are certified

as halal in the Philippines.

These food items included fresh and processed fruits and vegetables; ethnic and gourmet products; nonalcoholic beverages; confectionery; biscuits; pastries; among others.

In a news statement issued last week, Trade Undersecretary Abdulgani M. Macatoman said Philippine exporters will gain wider market presence and buyers network in participating in trade shows like SIAL Middle East.

“It is through events, like SIAL Middle East, where we can look to strengthen our trade relations in the Middle East and North Africa region by looking for new business opportunities and collaborations through the exchange of culture and flavors,” Macatoman stated.

“We were able to attract interest through business-matching and food-tasting activities in the pavil-

ion which enabled us to exceed our initial target of $1.5 million worth, generating sales which almost triple that amount. These figures were only based on our initial inquiry, and we expect more sales to come as the companies report the progress of their deals with their newly found business partners in the Middle East,” he added.

The food manufacturers that represented the country in the SIAL Middle East were Edna and Rebecca’s Banana Chips and Coated Peanut; Filipinos Oro de Cacao Inc.; Fruits of Life Inc.; JNRM Corp.; Mapagmahal Foods; Mama Sita’s; Miguelitos International Corp.; Mira’s Turmeric Products; MS3 Agri-Venture Corp.; Prosource International Inc.; RPO Fine Foods Corp.; and See’s International Food Mfg. Corp.

Among the top sellers in the Philippine pavilion were turmeric-based

food options from Mira’s Turmeric Products; chocolate varieties from MS3 Agri-Venture Corp.; Nuco organic coconut wraps from Prosource International Corp.; banana chips from See’s International Food Mfg. Corp.; and homegrown Filipino meals and condiments from Mama Sita’s.

On the other hand, the 75-percent Dark Chocolate with Coco Sugar from MS3 Agri-Ventures bagged an innovation award for its original recipe composition. The product is wrapped in a packaging inspired by patterns from the Tausug group, and dons the color of dark purple signifying the royal color of excellence.

Further, the Mushroom Sisig from JNRM Corp. was also awarded in the SIAL Middle East Innovation Awards. The product puts a twist on the Filipino favorite using farm fresh whole oyster mushrooms as meat substitute.

MSME exporters told: Prioritize digital transformation to remain competitive

M

ICRO, small and medium enterprise (MSME) exporters are encouraged to immediately undergo digital transformation in order for them to better serve the overseas markets and become competitive.

Francis del Val, president and CEO of Cobena Business Analytics and Strategy Inc., said “bigger is not necessarily better” when it comes to digital transformation.

“In fact, we found out that smaller organizations are more likely to succeed in digital transformation.

For the MSMEs out here, that’s absolutely great news because that means that you can, in fact, potentially be disruptive, you can employ innovation...,” he said.

Del Val said Filipino exporters ship to the United States, European

IMAGE: WRIGHTSTUDIO-STOCK.ADOBE.COM

Union, China, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, which are highly digitally transformed economies.

“So, unless we embrace digital technology today, we are at risk of losing from other countries, particularly

within Asean, who are already rapidly digitally transforming,” he said.

To undergo digital transformation, del Val advised companies to understand first the kind of technology that fit in their organization.

“You can start small, you can start on platforms because nowadays, there are a lot of technologies that are already available as in service.

Therefore, the capital expenditure, need not be expensive,” he said.

“You need to have the [company’s] CEO [and chairman to] articulate the vision that digital transformation is going to be key to the organization. Second, you need to assign a role, someone in the organization who, in fact, will make it happen. So we ask ourselves: who is the person?” he added.

Del Val said digital transformation and data go hand in hand, noting that one without the other cannot be successful. “Don’t try to do everything yourselves, there is an ecosystem of companies, partners out there who are prepared to support you,” he added.

Chinese firm eyes $1-billion investment for Davao durian

DURIAN seedlings planted in Baguio district for the Durian 500 Program of the Department of Agriculture. PNA FILE PHOTO

D

AVAO CITY—A Chinese company is eyeing to invest a total of $1 billion for the export of durian, particularly the Monthong variety, to the People’s Republic of China.

The investment will cover assistance to durian farmers to maintain the sustainability of the supply of the Monthong variety, said April Marie Dayap, head of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center.

Dayap said Honju Fruits, a Chongqing-based company, took interest in importing durian because it has a huge market in China.

Davao City and the municipality of Chongqing recently agreed to sign a sisterhood pact.

“For now, Honju imports durian from Thailand. Thailand cannot supply the demand of Monthong variety. They want to import from us, from September to March, as these months are the low season of durian in Thailand,” Dayap said.

She said that officials of Honju Fruits will visit the city soon to personally discuss importation possibilities, and to find out if the city can supply the demand.

“This will be a big opportunity for our businessmen in the city to expand their business, and explore exporting their produce to China.

We also encourage them to plant

more durian,” she said.

Earlier, Candelario Miculob, the president of the Davao Durian Industry Development Council (DDIDC), acknowledged the growing demand in the export market to China.

Miculob said Davao City has high durian production, noting that the city shares half of the 40 tons of the total durian production in Davao region.

Last May, the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 11 launched the Durian 500 Program, which seeks to increase the productivity of the “king of fruits” in the city, as well as the entire Davao region.

The Durian 500 Program is a collaboration between the City Agriculturist Office and DA-High Value Crops Development Program that aims to expand up to 500 hectares the durian plantations in tribal communities here.

Based on the data of DDIDC, Region 11 has 6,000 hectares of durian farms that can produce around 40 tons—half of this from this city’s durian production.

Targeting about 78,000 durian fruit trees to be planted, Miculob added that the chosen land in Baguio district is one of the highly suitable areas for durian plantation due to its climate and rich volcanic soil. PNA

Negosyo Centers, big boost to DTI business name registration in Antique’s 18 towns

S

AN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique—The establishment of Negosyo Centers (NCs) throughout the 18 municipalities of the province of Antique gave a big boost to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Antique provincial office business name registration.

DTI Antique Information Officer Engr. Lynna Joy Cardinal said in an interview Thursday that from January to November 2019, they have already registered 1,047 business names, of which there were 792 as new registrations and 255 renewals.

“With the Negosyo Centers established in all 18 municipalities of the province,

the local businessmen were encouraged to register their businesses,” she said.

“Although they no longer expect more businessmen to apply for their business name registration as the year is already about to end, then the 1,047 business name registration is already quite high,” she added. “For the entire year in 2018, there were 1,405 applications for business name registration then composed of 1,106 new and 299 renewal.”

She said the lesser number of business name registrations this year as compared to last year could be due to the fact that numerous businessmen in the province had already applied previously.

“The DTI business name registration is then valid for five years.”

Cardinal added that most of these business name registrations in Antique were then applied for by the businessmen within their municipalities where there are now NCs established, thus, sparing them from traveling to San Jose de Buenavista.

“In 2016, when the first Negosyo Centers were established, the business name registration reached 1,402, of which 1,202 were new business registrations and the remaining 200 as renewal,” she said.

The business name registration in 2017 further increased to 1,900, of which 1,672 were new and 228 were renewals. PNA

THE establishment of the Negosyo Centers in Antique province enabled more businessmen to register their businesses with the DTI Antique provincial office. In the photo: micro, small and medium entrepreneurs attend DTI briefing on how to apply for their business name registration and avail other services, like the Kapatid Mentor Me Program.

PNA/ANNABEL CONSUELO J. PETINGLAY

OurTime BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, December 28, 2019 A5

Asking people with memory loss about past holidays can help them recall happy times

By Michael R. Nadorff & Mary Dozier

M

Mississippi State University The Conversation

ANY people love the holidays because they are a time to make happy memories with loved ones.

But what if you could do something that would help restore memories in some of the people you love?

Using a process called reminiscence therapy, that may be possible. In reminiscence therapy, elders are encouraged to discuss memories across their lifespan, particularly memories of positive experiences.

As researchers who specialize in geropsychology, and in preparation for the holidays, we wanted to explain this technique and encourage readers to use this evidencebased approach to connect with loved ones with impaired memory and dementia.

Benefits of happy memories

NEARLY 9 percent of American adults aged 65 and older meet criteria for dementia. Family members often function as formal and informal caregivers for loved ones who develop dementia, and these caregivers can experience a range of physical and psychological outcomes.

It typically involves asking the

person about different events from particular times in the person’s life.

Around the holidays, older adults may already be primed to discuss holiday-themed memories due to the influx of sensory cues, including the twinkling of holiday decorations, the smell of holiday cookies and, of course, seasonal music.

An analysis of several studies on research on reminiscence therapy for dementia suggests that it can improve quality of life, communication and mood. Individuals who engage in reminiscence therapy with their loved ones report that the experience is generally positive for them, too, and can be an effective coping strategy when other communication becomes difficult.

Another study found that caregivers reported feeling more emotionally close with their loved ones with dementia when practicing reminiscence therapy. Also, they reported lower informal care costs than caregivers who felt more distant from their loved ones.

IN this photo taken on December 5, 2019, Betty Briggs, feeds her husband Bob, who has Alzheimer’s disease, at the Cedars Care Home in Calistoga, California.

Holidays can help the elderly recall happy times. AP PHOTO/ERIC RISBERG

Ask for details

HERE are some tips to implement reminiscence therapy. Most center on asking questions that may help prompt older adults to reminisce about holiday-themed memories.

For example: What were your family tradi-

tions around the holidays when you were growing up?

Did you have a Christmas tree?

When and who would decorate it?

Were there particular foods you would make and eat around the holidays?

Did you ever travel for the holidays?

What was your first holiday season with your spouse like?

What were your holiday traditions when you were a parent?

What is your favorite New Year’s Eve memory?

Be an attentive listener

MAKE eye contact with your loved

one, and angle your body toward theirs so that they know they have your undivided attention. Ask follow-up questions when appropriate.

This indicates to your loved one that you heard what they said and are interested to know more.

Engage your loved one in lowimpact activities that engage multiple senses. For example, baking holiday-themed cookies can elicit memories through touch (rolling out dough, decorating), smell (of ingredients, while baking), and taste (of the finished product).

Encourage your loved ones to be mindful of their sensory experience at each stage of the activity and ask them about any memories that the sensation might bring to mind. Use visual aids to help with prompting retrieval of memories, such as pictures of past holiday events. Pictures can prompt older adults of specific past events.

Listening to holiday-themed music while baking will also engage the auditory part of the brain. A 2013 study of research on music therapy for dementia concluded that music therapy can be a useful intervention in its own right.

We hope you give reminiscence therapy a try this holiday season.

It may just be the start of a new family tradition.

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

A6

BusinessMi

Saturday, December 28, 2019 | Editor: Jun Lomibao | mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph

Dennis opens up to Thomas about BahrainMerida split

Barker focuse V

R

OHAN DENNIS has opened up publicly about his split with Bahrain-Merida in a podcast recording with his new teammates Geraint Thomas and Luke Rowe.

Dennis, who had his contract with BahrainMerida terminated in September, signed for Team Ineos in December. He will target the Olympic Games in 2020, as he looks to put a difficult period in his career behind him.

Talking on Thomas’s podcast “Watts Occurring,” Dennis talked about his shock decision to walk out of the Bahrain-Merida team on the eve of the Tour de France time trial in July.

“In the end, it just wasn’t good for me to be there,” he told Thomas and Rowe. “I was struggling mentally and, in the end, it was affecting home life. It was only going to get worse so I just decided on what was best for my family.”

“There were more things behind the scenes going on but it got to the point where...,” he added. “I wouldn’t go to the point of being absolutely depressed, but if I didn’t pull out right there and then it would have probably turned bad.”

Dennis never raced for Bahrain-Merida again, and spent the ten weeks after the Tour de France preparing for the defense of his world time trial title. During that period, he scrubbed himself from social media and sought help. He came back to competition at the Worlds, and duly won his second individual rainbow jersey on the road.

“It was a bit of a mental battle. I probably read into the shit online. Probably too much.” he said in relation to the post-Tour reaction.

“I wanted to know what was going on and where I stood in the cycling community. At first, I laughed about a lot of the stuff...journos... everything. I couldn’t fight back because it was all about keeping quiet. We agreed on keeping quiet and sorting it out behind closed doors, but a few things got out.”

Dennis’s resounding win at the Worlds was a highly emotional victory for the Australian.

“It was a good moment. I had my boy and my wife at the finish and it was special. It was really special.”

His move to Team Ineos came after lengthy negotiations and despite interest from several other teams, including CCC Team. Dennis believes that Team Ineos and their attention to marginal gains will provide him with the best environment to develop and succeed in the future. Cyclingnews ROHAN DENNIS looks to put a difficult period in his career behind him.

GERAINT THOMAS will likely decide against racing the Giro d’Italia or Vuelta a España.

Thomas: I’m targeting Tour de France G

ERAINT THOMAS (Team Ineos) has revealed that he is aiming to target the Tour de France in 2020, according to a report in the Guardian.

The 2018 Tour de France winner said that while his race schedule is not yet confirmed, he hopes to be at the French Grand Tour set to start on June 27 in Nice.

“I’m looking at targeting the Tour,” Thomas told the Guardian. “We need to confirm it all, to chat it through, but, at the moment, it’s all about the Tour again.”

Team Ineos have lined up at the Tour de France with multiple leaders in the recent years. Thomas won the 2018 edition of the Tour de France, while previous four-time winner Chris Froome placed third. This year, the team’s rising talent Egan Bernal won his first Tour de France title, while Thomas, who had wanted to defend his title, finished second.

Thomas told the Guardian that he was frustrated by the emergence of Bernal this year, particularly after he had spent so many previous seasons as a support rider for Froome at the Tour de France.

“Yes, to be honest,” Thomas said. “When there are better riders [in the team] it’s obvious. [Teamwork] is what you’ve got to do. It’s a team sport, and those two guys are special.

“Froome is the greatest Grand Tour rider of his generation, and Bernal...to win a Tour at 22, he could have 10 or 12 years of being supercompetitive. But at least I will always have that Tour win.”

Thomas said that he felt

confident in his lead up to the Tour de France this year, and so was disappointed not to win a second consecutive title. He said that the shortened Stage 19, due to hail and ice in Tignes, left him feeling like there was an unknown about the outcome of the race.

Despite the unknowns of the 2019 Tour de France, Thomas said that he was proud of his second place behind Bernal.

“With second in the Tour [in 2019] I can be happy and proud, but, at the time, it was disappointing,” Thomas said. “From the start, the way the season went, and the off-season. The buildup was nothing like 2018, but I was still confident.

“It was a shame about the canceled stage [in the Alps] and the shortened day. It leaves an unknown. You can’t say Egan shouldn’t have won, but there is a bit of an unknown.”

If Team Ineos give Thomas the green light to compete in the 2020 Tour de France, he could end up alongside defending champion Bernal and Froome, who will be racing for a fifth title. Froome did not compete in the Tour de France this year after sustaining serious injuries following a horrific crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

There could be opportunities for Thomas to race as a sole team leader of Team Ineos at the Giro d’Italia or the Vuelta a España, but he said he’s not likely to race in either Italian or Spanish Grand Tour next year.

“You have to weigh up your position in the team and it’s about what motivates you,” Thomas said. “There is no point going to the Giro just to be the leader and only being 95 percent motivated. You need to be all-in. I’d love to do the Giro [to win] one year, but next year what excites me is the Tour again.” Cyclingnews GAINING optimum speed on the velodrome involves several factors.

LIZZIE DEIGNAN: Cycling is only part of who I am.

ERSATILE road and track cyclist Elinor Barker (GBR) is now committing to the boards as she looks to retain the team pursuit Olympic title she so memorably won in Rio de Janeiro, alongside teammates Laura Kenny, Joanna Rowsell-Shand and Katie Archibald.

“I’ve raced a lot on the road this year, but I won’t be doing that at all next year. It will be entirely trackfocused, and even more so on the team pursuit because that’s what’s so important. It takes over, and everything else gets put to one side until the Olympics are over,” the Welsh athlete said.

Evidence of Barker’s total focus on the track came in November at the second round of the Tissot International Cycling Union (UCI) Track Cycling World Cup in Glasgow, Scotland, where she was part of the Great Britain quartet that beat Germany to take gold in an impressive 4:12.244.

The time was more than half a second quicker than that which brought recent European success in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, in October. Over the two events, Barker was joined by Archibald, Ellie Dickinson, Neah Evans and Kenny.

Exactly who, from that five, will line up in Japan 2020 remains to be seen, but Barker’s place looks set.

Will Barker also race the Omnium, whose new format of four races on one day includes

Lizzie Deignan said that becoming an athletemother has, sometimes, been a challenging process to navigate, especially when she first returned to the professional cycling.

She said that she looked to other women in sports, such as distance running, for guidance.

L

IZZIE DEIGNAN will embark on an important year ahead where she will devote her training, race schedule and focus toward a singular goal of winning a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

In an interview with Cyclingnews from the Trek-Segafredo training camp in Italy, the decorated British cyclist reflected on her first year of motherhood, breaking down barriers for other athlete-mothers and the Olympics.

“It’s been life changing,” Deignan told Cyclingnews about what it’s been like as an athlete after giving birth to her daughter Orla just over a year ago. “It teaches you to...well, I’m not the priority anymore. As an athlete, previously, I was the priority but I prefer not to be. It’s taken the pressure off me. I prefer it that

way. It’s not the be-all and end-all, whether I win a bike race or not. “[Bike racing] is a pretty small world when you’re away from it. It was quite overwhelming, the change in becoming a mom. It’s special, and I’m very lucky.”

Deignan announced in March of 2017 that she was expecting her first baby. A newly launched Trek-Segafredo welcomed her to the team, while she was still six months pregnant and effectively paid her salary while she was on leave. They agreed to a two-year term so that she could focus on the 2019 International Cycling Union (UCI) Road World Championships in Yorkshire and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Although she indicated retirement at the end of that two-year term, she has told Cyclingnews that she is now undecided and

will leave her options to continue racing open.

Deignan returned to racing at the Ardennes Classics in April at the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and raced through the Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of California. In June, she won the OVO Energy Women’s Tour in Britain. She also raced La Course, PostNord Vargarda Road Race and the Boels Ladies Tour. At the Yorkshire World Championships, she finished 31st after being involved in a chase group behind eventual winner Annemiek van Vleuten (Netherlands).

“Yes, [signing with Trek-Segafredo] has been huge,” Deignan said. “I did 22 races this year, which isn’t a huge amount, but they understood that mentally and physically, I needed that time to be able to figure out how it all worked.

They’ve been fantastic.”

HOW METICULOUS CAN TRACK CYCLING GO?

T

HE difference between victory and failing to qualify for a final can boil down to hundredths of a second, showing why track cyclists are meticulous about their preparation, especially when it comes to selecting equipment. Here we’ve pinpointed seven of the gains that are adopted by many of the world’s best, and can also be used by track cyclists of all levels.

1. Geometry and characteristics of the bike A track bike differs from its road counterpart in that it has a fixed gear and no brakes, meaning riders stop by decreasing cadence. It also features a higher bottom

bracket so that the pedals don’t strike the steeply banked tracks. A more acute angle between the seat post and horizontal tube helps power. The sprinters use traditionallooking dropped handlebars whereas time-trialists use aerobars, designed so that the rider can adopt a more streamlined and drag-reducing position. Frame shape is important with a teardrop tube profile shown to be significantly more aerodynamic than a round tube.

Track bike manufacturers are bound by a number of International Cycling Union (UCI) Regulations which ensure that—while technological performance developments

continue—the race remains on a “level playing field” with the emphasis on the performance of the human rider, rather than the benefits delivered by the machine itself.

2. Wheel selection “Great team performance, which led us to a new Belgian record at the Hong Kong World Cup,” said Lotte Kopecky on helping her nation to team pursuit silver. Kopecky also attached images to her social-media posts, including one that showed the team in action—all using disc wheels. This is down to the greater aerodynamic advantages offered by discs, which are allowed on both the front and rear in time trial events,

irror CYCLING

Saturday, December 28, 2019

A7

es on retaining team pursuit Olympic title the Scratch Race? In Poland in February, Barker won the second individual track world title of her career in the Scratch, adding to her points race gold at the 2017 UCI Track World Championships in Hong Kong. In Poland, Barker sprinted neck and neck against Dutch legend Kirsten Wild for a result that surprised many including herself.

“I don’t think I’ve ever won a Scratch Race in my life,” Barker said after her victory. “I thought I’d timed it ever so slightly wrong, and I’ve come second in a lot of Scratch Races. To win, feels amazing.”

OVERCOMING ILLNESS

BARKER’S world-class level of performance is even more incredible as she fought an undiagnosed condition for years, endometriosis. Its symptoms— including heavy periods, debilitating pain and intense fatigue—are similar to many other conditions, and diagnosis takes several years.

Barker underwent keyhole surgery in 2018, but not before winning points race gold at the Commonwealth Games. She has conceded that the condition has not completely disappeared, and the likelihood is that she’ll have further surgery down the line.

But right now, she’s fully fit and firing—and that’s despite another recent visit to the medical ward.

At early August’s RideLondon

Classique, Barker was brought down in a sprint crash, resulting in a broken collarbone. Typically, Barker saw the bright side, writing on Twitter the morning after: “They say you’re not a real cyclist, until you’ve broken a collarbone.

Avoided joining the club for the last 15 years, but [there’s] not much I could do yesterday.”

Barker was racing for the British-based UCI Women’s team, Drops, after joining them in the winter of 2018-2019 after Wiggle High5 folded. Barker’s enjoyed some solid road results, and Drop’s Manager Bob Varney has said that after the Olympics, Barker will commit more to the road.

With her noted endurance and devastating kick, could she match fellow Welsh rider and 2018 Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas in taking road cycling’s most prestigious stage race—in women’s racing the Giro d’Italia Internazionale Femminile?

MAINDY FLYERS SCHOOL OF CYCLING

BOTH Barker and Thomas’s journeys to world-class racing might never have happened if it hadn’t been for a small Welsh cycling club, Maindy Flyers. The Cardiff club was born in 1995, and has seen thousands of children pass through the club, including Barker, Thomas, Dani King and Team Ineos rider Owain Doull.

The club was also home to Barker’s sister, Meg, who now also has her

eyes set on Olympic glory.

Can she emulate her Olympic-winning sister? She can, at least, learn from her, especially Barker’s capacity to turn off from the highpressure environment of track cycling. Away from cycling, she relaxes but also enjoys pushing her mind as much as her body, and is currently studying for an Open University degree in human biology and mental health, as well as learning sign language.

Barker is clearly a woman on a mission, and the most pressing mission is reclaiming team pursuit gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Barker will still only be 25 come Japan, meaning there is still a bright, varied and competitive future for the Welsh rider. We’ll see if her focus then changes more to the road, but if she claims another victory in Tokyo, it’d be difficult to see Barker not attempting a hat trick of Olympic golds at Paris 2024. UCI News

FIVE-TIME Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain is disappointed with limited number of time trials.

ELINOR BARKER’S world-class level of performance is even more incredible as she fought an undiagnosed condition for years, endometriosis.

REFLECTING ON CYCLING CAREER, MOTHERHOOD Deignan said that becoming an athletemother has, sometimes, been a challenging process to navigate, especially when she first returned to the professional cycling. She said that she looked to other women in sports, such as distance running, for guidance.

“I would like to think [I’ve proved it’s possible to be an athlete and a mother] because it’s important to have role models,” Deignan said. “I looked to other sports to keep me going in those first few months where it seemed impossible. There are countless other athletes who have done it.

“Paula Radcliffe was an amazing example.

She won the New York Marathon six months after giving birth, which was impressive. Jo Pavey, as well, because she’s had two kids and made two comebacks. I was looking at endurance athletes

rather than someone like Serena Williams.”

Some of the unexpected challenges that Deignan faced after her postpartum return to high-performance sport was that she had lost much of her high-end speed and strength. She said that it’s taken over a year to build back the upper percentages of her fitness.

“My base fitness came back a lot quicker than I expected it to, but that final percentage has taken months because that physical topend speed and strength is what I lost, and it’s taken quite a while to build back up,” she said.

“I only feel like I’m getting that back now, so over a year later.

“I had been looking at my numbers from previous years as a benchmark, but the benchmark has moved on. Going into this winter with that knowledge is an advantage because

now I know where I need to be.”

The UCI has launch new reforms for professional women’s cycling with a two-tier team system—Women’s WorldTeam and Continental Teams. Trek-Segafredo is among the eight top-tier teams, which have increased financial requirements that include a minimum salary of €15,000 (employed) or €24,600 (self-employed), along with social insurances and benefits, such as maternity leave.

The new maternity leave clause is included in the self-employed standard contract, will allow for women to take three months leave while being entitled to 100 percent of their salary, followed by an additional five months at 50 percent of their salary.

“The maternity clause is a huge thing. [Having a baby] doesn’t need to be a limiting factor to an

athlete’s career. I had always assumed it would be.

I’ve even surprised myself.”

Deignan said that being a mother has been the defining moment of her life, and has provided with benefits to her athletic career, such as happiness, a new identity and a bigger focus in life.

“There’s happiness. It’s given me happiness, which is probably a bit corny, but it’s the truth. My life is a lot fuller and a lot busier, but it’s a lot more dynamic than it used to be. It’s not just about cycling anymore, and I’ve come to a point in my career where that was just too much and it was weighing too heavy on me, that was who I was becoming: Lizzie the cyclist. Now cycling is a part of my life, and I like it that way. It’s motivating that it’s my thing, my focus and my career, but it’s only a part of who I am.

“I had almost come to a plateau [as an athlete before becoming a mother], and so stepping away and then returning made me motivated and happy, and being excited to be on my bike everyday was huge.

“I don’t think I would still be riding if I hadn’t had Orla, honestly, because I was just over it. To be motivated is the majority of what it takes [to be a successful athlete]. I’m motivated, and a better athlete because of that.

“There’s no doubt my recovery isn’t what it used to be. I don’t come home from training, feed myself and then lay on the couch for the afternoon, but it’s manageable. There’s freedom to forget about cycling for the rest of the day, and not sit around concentrating on how the training session went or didn’t go. I move on quickly and, perhaps, that’s a good thing.” Cyclingnews

even though that does come at a cost both in terms of maneuverability and weight. It’s why many riders might instead choose a three-, four- or five-spoke front wheel. They offer a compromise of cutting drag, yet remaining lighter and easier to handle.

3. Second skin A skinsuit is designed to be the most aerodynamic piece of clothing a track cyclist will wear. Top-end skinsuits feature cuttingedge fabrics that reduce drag. Their fabrics are strategically placed and seams are carefully considered, often deriving from the rider testing in the wind tunnel. It’s suggested that up to 80 percent of the drag created by the rider-bike combination is what’s generated by the rider, highlighting just how important a form-fitting skinsuit is.

A rider can save up to 30 watts—or more—if they strike the sweet spot between aerodynamics and comfort.

UCI Regulations ensure that skinsuits can’t change the “morphology” (shape) of the rider, and don’t allow any nonessential clothing or devices other than for protection. Changes to clothing surface can only be made in the assembly of the fabric—by weaving or by threading—and the surface roughness of clothing must not exceed a depth of 1mm.

4. Aero helmets Aerodynamic helmets have been used for a number of years to smooth out the airflow compared to traditional vented versions that, while perfect for long distances on the road, churn up “dirty air” creating drag. Most track riders, such as New Zealand’s women’s pursuit

team who won gold in Cambridge, wear helmets that feature a teardrop tail. This further aids the airflow, as long as the rider’s head is level so that there’s a seamless line from head through to back.

Many use visors for further aerodynamic gains, which can total up to 25 watts.

6. Chain reaction Specially treated, or waxed, chains are popular at UCI World Cup level. They came to prominence when Sir Bradley Wiggins used one in 2015 en route to breaking the UCI Hour Record. It was treated by a specially formulated lubricant that could reportedly save up to 5 watts, and the equivalent equipment is now affordable for consumers.

A clean chain is given ultrasonic baths, where sound waves create bubbles that first clean the chain, and then apply a wax deep into the links. This reduces friction, makes the drivetrain more efficient and results in more speed!

7. Aero feedback British track cyclist Dan Bigham trained as an aerodynamicist, and is known to be

a fan of real-world aerodynamic feedback thanks to the Notio Konect. This device mounts to the underside of a front bicycle computer mount, and features a “pilot tube” that protrudes from its body.

Among other variables, it measures static pressure and dynamic pressure— and, therefore, can estimate drag. It’s predicted that these pitot tubes will become commonplace.

Of course, riders continue to look for more—marginal—advantages. They will use aerodynamic gloves, huge chainrings, aero skewers and even aerobar end plugs to keep one step ahead of the competition.

It all contributes to the combination of human rider, machine and manufacturing that makes for fast, exciting racing.

5. Socks and shoes Whether it was Lee Hye-jin powering to victory in the women’s keirin at the recent UCI World Cup in New Zealand, or the German duo of Roger Kluge and Theo Reinhardt taking gold at the previous round in Hong Kong, dragreducing socks and overshoes are omnipresent at elite level, and can save several watts.

Riders must keep within UCI regulations, which, broadly, stipulate they mustn’t rise any more than halfway up the fibula.

UCI News

Indurain on Vuelta: It’s a different kind of cycling these days

F

IVE-TIME Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain has expressed regret at the limited number of time trials in the 2020 Vuelta a España, and acknowledged that short stages make “a different kind of cycling these days,” but praised the route, nonetheless, for being “dramatic and with some classic climbs, like the Tourmalet.”

Next year’s race will have an opening team time trial, but only one individual race of 33.5 km against the clock in Galicia in the third week.

Indurain was one of the star guests at the 2020 Vuelta a España presentation, commenting on the stages for Spanish TV, alongside former teammate Pedro Delgado.

For the Spaniard, the Vuelta’s 2020 start in the Netherlands will bring back some mixed memories, given ’s-Hertogenbosch—where Stage 2 starts, was where Indurain began the 1996 Tour de France, the first he lost after five straight overall victories from 1991 through to 1995.

And there is also an early stage through his home region of Navarre, with a start in Pamplona just a few kilometers from his home town of Villava, and finishing in Lekumberri after the tough climb of San Miguel de Aralar.

Ourense, the finish town on Stage 17, was where Indurain moved into his first-ever Grand Tour lead in the first week of the Vuelta a España in 1985, becoming, at 20, the youngest ever rider to hold the top spot overall.

“It’s a pity there’s only one individual time trial in the Vuelta next year, but at least it’s an interesting one,” Indurain told Cyclingnews, referring to the partly rolling individual TT course culminating with a tough uphill finish in Ezaro at the start of the third week.

“The flat part will be challenging because the wind could be a big factor.

It’s very close to the coast there, but the spectacular part will come at the end with that really hard uphill at Ezaro.”

“Will the riders change bikes for that?

There’s going to be a lot of discussion about how to do that last part, and it could be really important for the GC battle.”

As for tackling the Tourmalet, one of cycling’s most mythical climbs, at the end of the first week, Indurain said: “I like these climbs like the Aubisque, the classic ones, that comes a bit earlier on the stage. These short, little, steep climbs they’ve brought in at the Vuelta in recent years, all coming one after the other, aren’t so much for me, but the fans like them and it’s now a part of modern cycling.

The stages in the Vuelta are much shorter than they used to be but, as I said, it’s a different kind of cycling these days and coming at the end of the season, it makes sense for the stages not to be so long.”

As for the stage through his home region of Navarre, Indurain said: “It could be important for the GC. We’ll have had Arrate, but San Miguel de Aralar isn’t just tricky and hard going up, it’s a tough, technical descent, as well. Riders will have to be careful. Stages like that are always complicated, particularly coming so soon after a rest day.”

Cyclingnews

Sports BusinessMirror

A COMEBACK STORY A8 Saturday, December 28, 2019

A

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph • Editor: Jun Lomibao

By Eddie Pells

The Associated Press

GREEN jacket. A heartmelting embrace. A stirring return to the top of golf by one of the sport’s all-time greats.

In choosing Tiger Woods’s victory at the Masters as The Associated Press sports stor y of the year, voters went with the uplifting escape of a great comebac k over opt ion s t h at were as much about sports as the issues that enveloped them in 2019: politics, money and the growing push for equal pay and equal rights for women.

The balloters, a mix of AP member sports editors and AP beat writers, elevated Woods’s rousing victory at Augusta National over the runner-up entry: the US women’s soccer team’s victory at the World Cup. That monthlong competition was punctuated by star Megan Rapinoe’s push for pay equality for the women’s team and an ongoing war of words with President Donald J. Trump.

Rapinoe’s efforts to use sports as a platform to discuss bigger issues was hardly a one-off in 2019. Of the top 12 stories in the balloting, only three—titles won by the Toronto Raptors, Washington Nationals and University of Virginia basketball team— stuck mainly to what happened between the lines.

All the rest—including the blown call that cost the Saints a chance at the Super Bowl, a California law that threatens to upend the NCAA and Simone Biles’s dominance at gymnastics’ world championships, set against the backdrop of the sex-abuse crisis consuming the sport in the US— were long-running sagas that went

beyond a single day or event. They painted sports not as an escape from the world’s problems but merely another window into them.

It ’s no st retc h to say t hat t he whole of t he Woods saga— na mely, t he sord id, pa in-r idd led, decade -long prelude to his v ictor y at Augusta National in Apr i l—wou ld f it into t hat categor y, as wel l.

His downfall began in the wee hours the day after Thanksgiving in 2009, when he ran over a fire hydrant outside his house in Florida, triggering an avalanche of stories about infidelity that would lead to the breakup of his marriage and play into the neardestruction of his career.

Part 2 was the injuries. Woods came close but did not return to his dominant form after his return to golf following his breakup with his wife. And as time went on, his physical condition deteriorated. He didn’t play in 2016 or 2017, and at the end of ’17, he conceded his back was so bad that his days of competitive golf might be behind him.

There were four risky back surgeries. Woods also required a good deal of inner healing after a mortifying DUI arrest in 2017 that exposed his reliance on painkillers.

Through it all, Woods somehow kept nurturing his love for golf. And eventually, he found his game again. He climbed his way back to the top. He had close calls at two majors in 2018—the British Open and Professional

THROUGH it all, Tiger Woods somehow keeps nurturing his love for golf. And eventually, he finds his game again. AP

Golfers Association (PGA) Championship—and then won the season-ending Tour Championship, as good a sign as any that, at 43, he could take on the best and win.

But regular tournaments are not the majors, and no major is the Masters.

It wa s on t hose h a l lowed grounds at Augusta National where Woods set the marker, starting a decade of dominance that would redefine the game. He

blew away the field by 12 strokes in 1997 to win the first of what has become five green jackets and 15 major titles.

On that day, Woods came off the 18th green and w rapped himself in a warm embrace with his father, Earl, whose death in 2006 left an undeniable void in the player’s life.

Though there had been a handful of close calls between his US Open victory in 2008 and the start

In choosing Tiger Woods’s victory at the Masters as The Associated Press sports story of the year, voters went with the uplifting escape of a great comeback over options that were as much about sports as the issues that enveloped them in 2019: politics, money and the growing push for equal pay and equal rights for women.

of 2019, it was clear that if there was a single course where Woods could conjure the old magic and end a major drought, it would be Augusta National. As a four-time champion, Woods built a career on studying every inch of the layout, knowing every fault line and every sneaky twist and turn of the slickest greens on Earth.

But where, at one time, he might have over powered the course and intimidated the competition, in 2019, he simply outlasted them both. He avoided mistakes while everyone else was making them. Instead of taking a lead into the last day, then never giving anyone a whiff of hope, this was a comeback. He started the day two shots behind.

As AP Golf Writer Doug Ferguson wrote in his wrap-up of the final day: “Woods never missed a shot that mattered over the final

seven holes, taking the lead with a 5-iron to the fat of the green on the par-five 15th for a two-putt birdie, delivering the knockout with an 8-iron that rode down the ridge by the cup and settled 2 feet away for birdie on the parthree 16th.”

W hen it wa s over, Wood s came to the same spot where he’d met Earl 22 years before.

He scooped up his son, Charlie, and held him in a long embrace, then did the same with his 11-year-old daughter, Sam, and mother, Tilda.

“For them to see what it’s like to have their dad win a major championship, I hope that’s something they will never forget,” Woods said.

Very few golf fans will. And in a sports year dominated by weightier topics, Woods at the Masters stood out—a comeback story that left people smiling at the end.

HEAVYWEIGHTS BARCA, MADRID LEAD FIELD INTO WINTER BREAK

B

ARCELONA, Spain—Even though Barcelona and Real Madrid have yet to dominate like in past seasons, the two heavyweights are at the top of the Spanish league for the winter break.

Lionel Messi ’s Barcelona will head into 2020 with a two-point adva nt age over second- pl ace Madrid after completing 18 of 38 rounds.

Barcelona got off to a slow start with only two wins in the first five rounds before newcomer Antoine Griezmann started to click with Messi and Luis Suárez, and the Catalan club ended the year without a loss in seven rounds.

“There are times when you win the league by a wide margin and when everyone expects you to wrap it up months in advance that it loses excitement,” Barcelona Coach Ernesto Valverde, who is seeking a third consecutive league crown with the team, said Tuesday.

“It is better when you win the league on the last round and by one point.”

Madrid has only one loss— a 1-0 defeat at Mallorca in October—but it has drawn seven games, including its last three.

Its continued scoring problems since Cristiano Ronaldo left two summers ago have left it without a goal in five encounters.

“We had difficulties at the beginning of the season, but now we are much better and strong defensively, improving every day,” Madrid Coach Zinedine Zidane said after Sunday’s 0-0 home draw with Athletic Bilbao. “Today we

couldn’t score, but the important thing is to create the chances and we’re going to turn this around in 2020 for sure.”

A Sevilla side that has been revitalized by former Madrid and Spain manager Julen Lopetegui, and by the new players brought in by sporting director Ramón

“Monchi” Rodríguez, is in third place at five points back.

Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid has experienced trouble up front after losing Griezmann in the summer, but its revamped defense has kept it in fourth place, seven points behind Barcelona.

Player of the season so far

MESSI leads the league with 13 goals in just 13 appearances due to an injury that kept him out of the opening games. He is also credited with six assists by the league as he continues at age 32 to be the team’s best scorer and playmaker.

An honorable mention goes to Karim Benzema for stepping up his play after the injury-hit Eden Hazard failed to make an impact since joining Madrid on a clubrecord transfer from Chelsea.

Benzema is second in the league with 12 goals in 17 matches.

Goal of the season

SUÁREZ scored not only the best goal so far this season in Barcelona’s 5-2 rout of Mallorca on December 7 but one of the best in his goal-studded career.

The Uruguay striker wowed Camp Nou when he used an audacious strike with the back of his right heel to scoop the ball around the diving goalkeeper and just inside the far post from a tight angle.

The goal put the perfect finish to a flowing passing combination between Frenkie de Jong and Sergi Roberto to break down Mallorca’s

tightly packed defense.

It unquestionably goes into the annals of Barcelona’s most beautiful goals.

best in the world. We have a great squad, and when we need a push, Messi provides it.”

Who’ll be champion?

WHILE Barcelona and Madrid will surely get Champions League spots, Sociedad and a Valencia side that is coming on strong after a tumultuous coaching change could threaten Sevilla and Atlético for the other two berths.

Getafe, which was in the running for a top- 4 finish last season until faltering late, cannot be ruled out despite its modest profile.

WITH Messi, defending champion Barcelona is favored to edge a Madrid team that has yet to replace Ronaldo’s missing firepower.

Messi has led Barcelona to 10 league titles in 15 seasons.

“We haven’t reached our ceiling,” Griezmann said after scoring the opening goal in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Alavés. “I am feeling good before the holidays. Messi is the

Champions league qualification

Surprise of the season

LIONEL MESSI’S Barcelona will head into 2020 with a two-point advantage over second-place Madrid after completing 18 of 38 rounds. AP

THE breakout player is Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Odegaard, who is playing at the Basque club on loan from Madrid.

Odegaard has excelled as a precise passer and is leading one of the most attractive attacks in the league. Sociedad is in fifth place, just one point behind Atlético.

Sev illa continues to introduce t a lented ne wcomers i n powerful defender Diego Carlos and physical for ward Lucas Ocampos, both of whom have stood out and are likely on the radar of bigger clubs.

RACE IS ON! Competitors race past spectators at the start of the 75th Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney Harbour on Thursday. Hong Kong yacht Scallywag has a narrow lead over Comanche early Friday as the race is slowed by light winds on its first night at sea. AP

BusinessMirror

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

Saturday, December 28, 2019 A9

France fines Google $166 million for abusing ad dominance PARIS—France’s competition authority fined Google €150 million ($166 million) on Friday for “abusing its dominant position” in the online ad market.

The agency said the US tech company mistreated buyers of ads based on keywords. Methods used by its Google Ads platform are “opaque and difficult to understand,” and the company applies them in an “unequal and arbitrary way,” it said.

It also ordered Google to clarify the rules for Google Ads and its procedures for freezing accounts, to avoid “brutal and unjustified” suspensions.

It’s the latest in a string of European fines against Google, which faces very little competition for search engine business across the continent.

The company has been hit in recent years with multibillion-dollar fines imposed by European Union authorities for unrelated antitrust cases, and is also facing increasing regulator pressure on other fronts in Europe and the US. Google said in a statement that it would appeal, and that its advertising policies are designed to protect consumers “from exploitative and abusive ads.”

The case originated from a complaint that online consulting company Gibmedia filed after Google suspended its ad account in 2015. During and after their protracted dispute, Google published similar ads to those run by Gibmedia, according to the ruling, which also cites other examples of companies Google suspended without justification.

While it says Google’s argument that it’s protecting consumers is “perfectly legitimate,” its rules are applied incoherently, with some companies’ ads allowed and others that sell similar services suspended, the authority said.

It accused the company of “at best negligence, at worst opportunism” by initially offering services to advertisers that it considers dubious and later suspends, just to grow profits.

The ruling details multiple questions about Google’s ad algorithms that the competition authority says have gone unanswered. AP

RELIABLE POWER PROTECTION FOR ESPORTS PROS AND ENTHUSIASTS

THE rise in the popularity and competitiveness of eSports and computer gaming in the Philippines has underscored the increased need for more durable and reliable gaming equipment. With the local gaming circuit fast becoming globally competitive, gamers, both professional and casual, need to be plugged in for longer hours to train for their chosen games. Consoles and high-performance computers are now considered an investment, making it necessary to ensure their lifespan and optimal capability are maintained.

Schneider Electric, the world’s leading provider of energy, automation and digital solutions, understands the need for reliable power supply and surge protection ideal for computers and other electronic devices.

Addressing this need, Schneider Electric introduces the APC Gaming UPS as the best ally to keep gaming systems protected from potential damage, especially during unexpected power disruptions.

“During unexpected power interruption, the APC Gaming UPS is the best backup available to keep gaming systems protected, connected and in the game,” says Schneider Electric Distributor Account Manager Danlyn Morales.

“Through our products, we combine protection with innovation, ensuring that power consumption is manageable and cost-efficient.”

The APC Gaming UPS is also the same product used

by Miraculum Gaming, a pro-league eSports team based in Manila, at a friendly Dota 2 tournament hosted by Schneider Electric. The tournament demonstrated the capacity to continuously power an ongoing game in a power outage scenario.

Some of the special features of the APC Gaming UPS include: battery backup and surge protector outlets; Sinewave power output that ensures power quality without distortion or power drop during an outage; two USB charging ports (Type C and Type A); AVR with boost and trim; and 1GB network protection.

LEE SUNG-KYUNG and Lee Seung-gi were two of the Hallyu stars who visited Manila in 2019

A busy year for Hallyu enthusiasts in PHL PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

I

F you are a Hallyu, or Korean Wave, enthusiast like me, 2019 was probably the year all your dreams came true. Nearly all those stars we only saw in pictures and videos came to Manila for concerts and fan meetings. I say “nearly” because boy group BTS and several other Korean celebrities did not come to Manila.

I became a Hallyu fan in 1999 when we had limited access to the Internet. Many of us (in the Philippines, at least) could not afford tickets of concerts here, much less in other cities abroad.

When Happee Sy brought in the Korean boy group Super Junior to Manila for a concert in 2010, she forever changed that. Suddenly, there was no more need to fly to another country to watch a K-pop concert.

It took a while before K-pop and K-drama became mainstream here, but Filipinos have now embraced Hallyu and Korean culture fully.

Seungri, then of the group Big Bang, was the first Korean artist to hold a concert in the Philippines in 2019. The Great Seungri Tour 2019 Live in Manila: The Seungri Show was held on January 19 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Momoland had their fan meeting “2019 Hello, Merry Go the Philippines” on January 25 at the Araneta Coliseum.

February was a big month, as Blackpink held its much-anticipated concert on February 2 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Park Hyung-sik held the first of many fan meetings of Korean actors for the year on February 16 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, while iKON performed at the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S10 smartphone toward the end of the month.

I remember being sad because I had an invitation for the iKON event, but I had a trip to Bangkok where the group also performed for a Samsung Galaxy S10 event at a mall in front of my hotel on my first night there. On March 7, Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism organized the the 2019 K-pop Friendship Concert with NCT Dream, NOIR and April headlining the event at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Park Ji-hoon, a former member of Wanna One, held his first edition of “2019 Asia Fan Meeting in Manila” on March 15

at Araneta Coliseum while Korean actor So Ji-sub held his Asia Tour “Hello” Manila at the New Frontier Theater in Quezon City. On March 24, girl group Dreamcatcher held their debut concert Dreamcatcher Concert: Invitation From Nightmare City in Manila at SM City North Edsa’s Skydome.

There was only only K-pop event for April. Stray Kids held their Unveil Tour “I Am...” in Manila on April 27 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Bae Jin-young, formerly of Wanna One and a member of the boy group CIX, headlined “IM YOUNG: Bae Jin Young in Manila” on May 18 at the New Frontier Theater, while actor Seo Kang-jun charmed fans at his The Last Charm: Seo Kang Jun in Manila event on May 25 at the New Frontier Theater.

Blackpink returned to Manila for a meet-andgreet for online shopping platform Shopee on June 6 at Samsung Hall of SM Aura in Taguig. It was an event that became controversial, and even trended for several days (#ShopeeScam). The K-pop World Music Festival 2019 in Manila was held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on June 9 featuring NCT 127, Red Velvet, Elris, Kim Dong-han and Sohee. Actor Park Bogum staged the “2019 Asia Tour: Good Day in Manila” on June 22, 2019, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. On June 29, TWICE filled the same venue for their first concert here, dubbed “TWICELIGHTS World Tour”, while The Boyz held their Asia Fan-Con Tour “The Castle” on June 30 at the New Frontier Theater.

Actress Lee Sung-kyung, who is best known for her drama Weightli�ting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, held her “Be Joyful: First Fan Meeting in Manila” on July 27 at SM City North Edsa Skydome.

August was another busy month for Hallyu lovers. NOIR held their first-ever fan meeting and concert in Manila, dubbed The Ninth Tour in Manila, on August 10, while Ailee, Hwanhee of Fly to the Sky and Guckkasten held a show on August 17. EXO returned to Manila for the Planet #5: The EXplOration concerts on August 23 and 24 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Meanwhile, GFriend held their 2019 Asia Tour “Go Go GFriend” on August 25 at the New Frontier Theater.

It was the first time in Manila for NU’EST, who held their 2019 NU’EST Concert Segno in Manila on August 31 at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Hallyu action escalated in September. N. Flying had their 2019 Live Up All Night in Manila show on September 1 at the New Frontier Theater, while Monsta X and Weki Meki performed at the second anniversary of Klook Philippines on September 7 at the World Trade Center. Boy group VAV held their “Meet and Live in Manila” on September 7 at the SM City North Edsa Skydome. On September 22, hip-hop artist Jay Park held his Sexy 4Eva World Tour at the New Frontier Theater. Actor Jung Hae-in staged his

“One Summer Night” fan meet tour in Manila 2019 on September 28 at the New Frontier Theater, while Park Seo-joon had a Fun Meet for local clothing brand Bench on September 29 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Filipino favorite Momoland and former Wanna One members Kim Jae-hwan and Ha Sung-woon opened October with a bang with the Good Friends in Manila concert at Araneta Coliseum on October 5. On that same day, actor Lee Dong-wook was the guest at the #LoveKorea Culture & Travel Fiesta 2019 organized by the Korea Tourism Organization Manila at SM Megamall. Lee Seung-gi finally met his Filipino fans with his “Vagabond Voyage” Asia Fan Meeting in Manila on October 12 at the New Frontier Theater. Former Wanna One center Kang Daniel came to Manila as a solo artist with his “Kang Daniel Fan Meeting: Color on Me in Manila” on October 19 at the Mall of Asia Arena. GOT7 returned to the country with the Keep Spinning 2019 World Tour on October 26 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. On the same day, boy group ASTRO member and actor Cha Eun-woo did his “Just One 10 Minute” show at the New Frontier Theater.

In November, boy group SF9 held their 2019 SF9 Live Fantasy #2 Unixerse on November 16 at the New Frontier Theater. Actor and model Jang Ki-yong had his “Filmography 1st Fan Meeting” in Manila on November 17 at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier.

On November 23, pop-rock band Day6 filled the Araneta Coliseum with their Gravity World Tour, while Park Hae-jin’s “Spark Fan Meeting” in Manila was held at the New Frontier Theater on the same day.

The busiest month for Hallyu in the Philippines was December with fan meetings until December 22.

ITZY kicked off the month’s activities with ITZY Premiere Showcase Tour on December 8 at the New Frontier Theater. IU held her four-hour Love, Poem concert tour in Manila on December 13 at the Araneta Coliseum. It was IU’s first-ever concert in the Philippines. UP10TION member Lee Jinhyuk charmed Filipino fans at his 1st solo “S.O.L.” fan meeting in Manila on December 14 at the New Frontier Theater. Super Junior, who started everything, returned to Manila with their Super Show 8 concert on December 15 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, while The Rose held their We Rose You Live in Manila show at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier. Victon held their Voice to Alice Tour on December 21 at SM City North Edsa Skydome. BTOB member Lim Hyun-sik had the last K-pop event in Manila for 2019 with the “Dear Melody in Manila” fan meeting on December 22 at the New Frontier Theater.

So, yes, it’s been a year full of excitement for fans of K-pop and K-drama. I predict that we’ll have more excitement in 2020. ■

BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, December 28, 2019

/

A UKRAINIAN security researcher says a database with the names, phone numbers and unique user IDs of more than 267 million Facebook users was exposed on the open Internet for at least 10 days this month. AP

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Data on 267 million Facebook users exposed A

BY FRANK BAJAK The Associated Press

UKRAINIAN security researcher reported finding a database with the names, phone numbers and unique user IDs of more than 267 million Facebook users—nearly all US-based—on the open Internet. That data was likely harvested by criminals, said researcher Bob Diachenko, an independent security consultant in Kyiv. The database, which Diachenko discovered with a search engine, was freely accessible online for at least 10 days beginning December 4, he said. He notified the Internet provider where it was hosted when he found it on December 14; five days later it was no longer available.

Diachenko said someone downloaded the database to a hacker forum two days before he discovered it so it may have been shared among online thieves.

He first reported the finding on Thursday in partnership with the UK tech news web site Comparitech, which editor Paul Bischoff said has been helping write up Diachenko’s discoveries of unsecured databases for about a year.

The researcher provided the AP with a 10-record sample from the database and the IDs—and two phone numbers that were answered—checked out against real Facebook users.

The evidence suggests the data was collected illegally, most likely by criminals in Vietnam who may have “scraped” it from public Facebook pages or by somehow obtaining privileged access to the service. Scraping is automated data-harvesting done by bots. A small fraction of the database include details on Vietnam-based users.

Diachenko said he did not share the database with Facebook, which did not directly confirm the finding. In a statement, the social network said it was investigating the issue and that the finding “likely” involved information obtained before Facebook took unspecified data-protection measures in recent years.

In 2018, the social-media giant disabled a feature that allowed users to search for one another via phone number following revelations that the political firm Cambridge Analytica had accessed information on up to 87 million Facebook users without their knowledge or consent.

Diachenko said he had not determined when the

Report: Popular UAE chat app ToTok a government spy tool

data was collected. He said all the records had time stamps from January to June 2019 but that it was unclear who generated them.

Security experts say the affected Facebook users are at higher risk of being targeted by spam, password-stealing phishing attacks and identity theft attempts. The information can be cross-referenced with physical and e-mail addresses, and other data obtained in other data breaches. Facebook user IDs are

unique numbers associated with individual accounts.

In September, the news site TechCrunch reported that Facebook IDs and phone numbers for more than 400 million users were similarly found exposed online by a researcher.

In March, Facebook disclosed that it had left hundreds of millions of user passwords readable by its employees on internal severs for years after a security researcher exposed the lapse. ■

HP enters analysis and forecasting processes

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES TECH computing titan Hewlett-Packard (HP) recently formalized its entry into the analysis and forecasting processes with the release of Megatrends, an annual study to identify the global, technological, economic and social developments that will serve as an inspiration how people will live and work in the world.

“Megatrends are major socioeconomic, demographic and technological shifts that will have a sustained, transformative impact on the world in the years ahead—on businesses, societies, economies, cultures and our personal lives,” Pallasena V Viswanath, managing director of HP Philippines Inc.-Tech Industry told BUSINESSMIRROR in a recent interview.

In the Megatrends study, Viswanath said cities in both developed and emerging markets are projected

to experience rapid growth, with cities in the Asia region expected to see some of the sharpest increases in household income by 2035.

“The rise of Asia encourages industries and businesses to explore new markets in AsiaPacific and Japan, particularly in the Southeast Asian bloc composed of ten countries, such as Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.

By 2030, Viswanath said demand for skilled workers will outstrip supply in nearly all major parts of the world, to an estimated 85 million-person talent gap. Moreover,

he said the labor gap may accelerate the pace of automation and may in some ways in some places change the composition of the labor force and the nature of the gap itself.

He said the continuous growth of Asia will encourage industries and businesses to invest in new markets in AsiaPacific and Japan, according to a study of a technology titan.

Megatrends 2019 also noted that China and India both have the population size and momentum to show growth numbers that dwarf other Asian players. However, the study pointed out that two Asian giants can distort the picture when taking a country-level view.

LANDERS SUPERSTORE, PAYMAYA OFFER FREE PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP CARD THE fastest-growing membership shopping establishment in the country, Landers Superstore (www. landers.ph) has tied up with PayMaya to offer something incredible to those who are looking for a new shopping experience.

Ongoing until December 31, the partnership entitles select PayMaya users to free Landers Premium Membership card. PayMaya users

who qualify for the offer will receive an SMS containing a unique voucher code that can be used to avail of the free membership.

This SMS voucher must be presented at any Landers Superstore membership counter, together with one valid ID. Users must fill out the registration form to redeem their Premium Membership card that will be valid for

one year from its purchase date.

A Landers Premium Membership offers a host of benefits, including access to a wide selection of top-notch local and international branded goods, participation in countless promotional activities, free haircut or shampoo and blow-dry services at Federal Barbers, discount at Capital Care Pharmacy, dining at Landers Central, Doppio, and Dough & Co.,

and convenient shopping on Landers’s online store.

PayMaya users who receive the SMS voucher but are already a member may use it for membership renewal. Application or renewal for a Landers Premium Membership under the promo should be done on or before December 31 as it will expire if not used. Business Memberships and extensions are not included.

NEW YORK—A chat app that quickly became popular in the United Arab Emirates for communicating with friends and family is actually a spying tool used by the government to track its users, according to a newspaper report.

The government uses ToTok to track conversations, locations, images and other data of those who install the app on their phones, The New York Times reported, citing US officials familiar with a classified intelligence assessment and the newspaper’s own investigation.

The Emirates has long blocked Apple’s FaceTime, Facebook’s WhatsApp and other calling apps. Emirati media has been playing up ToTok as an alternative for expatriates living in the country to call home to their loved ones for free.

The Times says ToTok is a few months old and has been downloaded millions of times, with most of its users in the Emirates, a US-allied federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula.

Government surveillance in the Emirates is prolific, and the Emirates long has been suspected of using so-called zero day exploits to target humanrights activists and others.

Zero days exploits can be expensive to obtain on the black market because they represent software vulnerabilities for which fixes have yet to be developed.

The Times described ToTok as a way to give the government free access to personal information, as millions of users are willingly downloading and installing the app on their phones and blindly giving permission to enable features.

As with many apps, ToTok requests location information, purportedly to provide accurate weather forecasts, according to The Times. It also requests access to a phone’s contacts, supposedly to help users connect with friends. The app also has access to microphones, cameras, calendar and other data.

A security expert who said he analyzed the app for The Times, Patrick Wardle, said that ToTok “does what it claims to do” as a communications app, which is the “genius” of the app if it is being used as a spy tool.

“No exploits, no backdoors, no malware,” he wrote in a blog post. The app is able to gain insights on users through common functions.

In a blog post Monday, ToTok did not respond directly to Sunday’s Times report, but said that with “reference to the rumors circulated today about ToTok,” the one goal of the app’s creators was to create a reliable, easy-to-use communications platform. The post said ToTok had high-security standards to protect user data and a privacy framework that complied with local and international legal requirements.

ToTok said the app was temporarily unavailable in the app stores from Google and Apple due to a “technical issue.”

The Times says that based on a technical analysis and interviews with security experts, the company behind ToTok, Breej Holding, is most likely affiliated with DarkMatter, an Emirati cyber-security company that has hired former CIA and National Security Agency analysts and has close business ties to the Emirati government.

E-mails sent to ToTok through its web site and to the Emirates Embassy in Washington were not immediately returned. AP

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Saturday, December 28, 2019 A11

/

Why some cities and states balk at face-recognition tech

BY MATT O’BRIEN The Associated Press

S

PRINGFIELD, Massachusetts—Police departments around the US are asking citizens to trust them to use facial-recognition software as another handy tool in their crimefighting toolbox. But some lawmakers—and even some technology giants—are hitting the brakes.

Are fears of an all-seeing, artificially intelligent security apparatus overblown? Not if you look at China, where advancements in computer vision applied to vast networks of street cameras have enabled authorities to track members of ethnic minority groups for signs of subversive behavior.

American police officials and their video surveillance industry partners contend that won’t happen here. They are pushing back against a movement by cities, states and federal legislators to ban or curtail the technology’s use. And the efforts aren’t confined to typical bastions of liberal activism that enacted bans this year: San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and the Boston suburbs of Somerville and Brookline.

Take the western Massachusetts city of Springfield, a former manufacturing hub where a majority of the 155,000 residents are Latino or black, and where police brutality and misconduct lawsuits have cost the city millions of dollars. Springfield police say they have no plans to deploy facialrecognition systems, but some city councilors are moving to block any future government use of the technology anyway.

At an October hearing on the subject, Springfield City Councilor Orlando Ramos said he doesn’t want to take any chances. “It would only lead to more racial discrimination and racial profiling,” he said, citing studies that found higher error rates for facialrecognition software used to identify women and people with darker skin tones.

“I’m a black woman and I’m dark,” another Springfield councilor, Tracye Whitfield, told the city’s police commissioner, Cheryl Clapprood, who is white.

“I cannot approve something that’s going to target me more than it will target you.”

Clapprood defended the technology and asked the council to trust her to pursue it carefully. “The facialrecognition technology does not come along and drop a net from the sky and carry you off to prison,” she said, noting that it could serve as a useful investigative

tool by flagging wanted suspects.

The council hasn’t yet acted, and the Springfield mayor has threatened to veto the proposal that Ramos plans to re-introduce in January.

Similar debates across the country are highlighting racial concerns and dueling interpretations of the technology’s accuracy.

“I wish our leadership would look at the science and not at the hysteria,” said Lancaster, California, Mayor R. Rex Parris, whose city north of Los Angeles is working to install more than 10,000 streetlight cameras Parris says could monitor known pedophiles and gang members. “There are ways to build in safeguards.”

Research suggests that facial-recognition systems can be accurate, at least under ideal conditions. A review of the industry’s leading facial-recognition algorithms by the National Institute of Standards and Technology found they were more than 99-percent accurate when matching high-quality head shots to a database of other frontal poses.

But trying to identify a face from a video feed—a potentially useful technique for detectives—can cause accuracy rates to plunge. NIST found that recognition accuracy could fall below 10 percent when using ceiling-mounted cameras commonly found in stores and government buildings.

The agency hasn’t studied the performance of facial recognition on body camera footage, although experts generally believe that its often-jumpy video will render the technique even less reliable.

In October, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a temporary ban on police departments using facial recognition with body cameras. Some other states have similar restrictions.

While California’s three-year moratorium was opposed by law-enforcement groups, companies that provide video-surveillance equipment have mostly reacted with shrugs. Many businesses were already moving carefully before subjecting themselves to the legal, ethical and publicity risks of a technology that is facing backlash from privacy, civil liberties and racial justice advocates, not to mention bipartisan concern in Congress.

Axon, which supplies body-worn cameras to most of California’s big cities and is the biggest provider nationwide, had already formed an AI ethics board of outside experts that concluded facial-recognition technology isn’t yet reliable enough to justify its use on police cameras. False identification could lead someone to be hurt or killed, said Axon CEO

Rick Smith. Even if facial-recognition software was perfectly accurate, Smith said in an interview, the ability to track people’s whereabouts raises constitutional and privacy concerns. “Do we want everybody who walks near a police officer to get their face identified and logged in a database?” he said.

Microsoft last year turned down an unnamed California police agency’s request to equip all police cars and body cameras with Microsoft’s facialrecognition software, the company’s President and Chief Legal Officer Brad Smith wrote in a new book on tech policy. He said police wanted to match a photo of anyone pulled over, even routinely, against a database of suspects for other crimes.

Smith said the technology would wrongly identify too many people, especially women and people of color. The executive has warned that unregulated facial recognition could unleash “mass surveillance on an unprecedented scale,” though he’s opposed to an outright ban. Microsoft in November hired an attorney to speak out against a proposed ban in Portland, Maine.

Other companies including Amazon, which markets a face identification system called Rekognition to law enforcement, have shown fewer qualms about selling their technology to police.

Some law-enforcement agencies feed images from video surveillance into software that can search government databases or social media for a possible match.

Todd Pastorini, general manager at biometric forensics company DataWorks Plus, said it’s important to distinguish between real-time crowd surveillance—which is rare in the US—and the “extremely effective” method of running images through a pool of known police mugshots or driver’s license photos to help identify a suspect.

“Society and the public are going to get frustrated” if governments block law enforcement from adopting a technology that keeps improving, he said.

Among his South Carolina company’s biggest facematching clients are Detroit and New York City, the latter of which first adopted facial recognition in 2011 and also uses software from French company Idemia.

“I’d absolutely be opposed to a ban,” New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill told reporters this fall. O’Neill, who retired in early December, added that facial-recognition hits are just one part of an investigation. “There is so much video in New York City today that to not use facial recognition would be irresponsible,” he said. ■

Smart PAL Travel SIM launch PLDT wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) has forged a partnership with Philippine Airlines (PAL) to provide exclusive, co-branded tourist SIMs to travelers arriving at the country’s major airports.

Under the agreement, Smart will provide Smart PAL Travel SIMs to international passengers arriving at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Clark International Airport, Cebu International Airport, Caticlan Airport and Davao International Airport.

The all-in-one Smart PAL Travel SIM is preloaded with 1 GB of open-access data, unlimited texts, and unlimited calls to Smart, TNT and Sun subscribers, valid for one day. In-flight vouchers for the Smart PAL Travel SIM will be distributed to travelers, who can then claim them for free at the Smart booths located at the airport arrival area.

The partnership was announced during PAL’s annual Grand OFW Salubong held at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, where OFWs from Riyadh and Doha were greeted with an exclusive mini-concert by Regine Velasquez upon homecoming.

Smart and PAL also distributed premium items and loot bags during the event.

Smart, Sun and TNT subscribers can also look forward to exclusive seat sales and other promos, as well as free access to PAL’s hot line, web site and app.

“We are happy to work with the country’s flag carrier in ensuring that our international visitors have access to the Philippines’s fastest network while they are traveling around the country,” said Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT chairman and CEO. “Philippine Airlines is delighted to forge a program partnership with Smart as it enables our travelers to experience the benefits of a local SIM card—convenient connectivity and saving on hefty

PLDT Vice President and Deputy Head for Public Affairs Carlo Ople (from left), PHAR CEO Marcus Wright, PAL AVP for Ancillary Business Programs Alfred Montemayor, PAL Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer Eugene Go, Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 Manager Irene P. Montalbo, PAL President and COO Gilbert Santa Maria, PLDT SVP for Consumer Business-Individual Group Oscar Enrico A. Reyes Jr., PHAR Managing Director for ASIA Prem Bahtia, FVP and Head of Key Accounts Precy Katigbak, and VP and Head of Smart Prepaid Marketing Gerard Milan

roaming charges. We look forward to sustaining this worthwhile collaboration,” said PAL President and COO Gilbert Santa Maria.

“With this agreement, our friends from other countries who are visiting our islands can share their travel experiences while on-the-go using the Smart PAL Travel SIM on the Smart LTE network that we have put in place across the country,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT chief revenue officer and Smart president and CEO. PLDT-Smart executives SVP for Consumer Business-Individual Group Oscar Enrico

A. Reyes Jr., Head of Key Accounts Precy Katigbak, and VP and Head of Smart Prepaid Marketing Gerard Milan attended the event.

Smart has been recognized by third-party mobile analytics firm OpenSignal for delivering the country’s best video experience, download speed experience, upload speed experience and latency experience.

PLDT and Smart have also been recognized as the fastest fixed and mobile networks in the Philippines

by Ookla, the global leader in Internet testing and analysis.

FROM left: DOT-NCR Senior Tourism Operations Officer and project head Ernesto Teston, Metro Manila food guide writer Margaux Salcedo, DOT-NCR Regional Director Woodrow Maquiling Jr., and Tourism Assistant Secretary Rica Bueno

OFFICIAL METRO MANILA FOOD GUIDE AND APP LAUNCHED BY D.O.T.-NCR

THE Department of Tourism-National Capital Region has launched the official Metro Manila food guide.

The 80-page book was written by food critic Margaux Salcedo and launched by the DOT-NCR on December 12 at the Glorietta 4 Activity Center.

Salcedo is a food critic who has been a columnist for a newspaper for the past 15 years. She was the first Filipino selected in 2006 to be part of the jury of the prestigious World’s 50 Best Restaurants, which she participated in until 2013, and also the first Filipino jury member of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, which she participated in until 2015. She was also the country editor for the Philippines of The Miele Guide, the first food comprehensive restaurant guide for Asia.

Salcedo emphasized, however, that the guide is the brainchild of DOT-NCR Regional Director Woodrow Maquiling Jr. and executed by DOT-NCR Senior Tourism Operations Officer Ernesto Teston. The concept for the book and its title, Metro Yummy Picks, were also by DOT-NCR. The book lists iconic dishes and restaurants in the 16 cities and one municipality of Metro Manila. According to Salcedo, the selection of iconic dishes and restaurants were done by the various local tourism offices of the DOT-NCR, although the final list of dishes and restaurants to include were determined by her.

Salcedo shares that she and the DOT-NCR team visited each recommended restaurant and tasted every product and iconic dish listed.

“This guide is really valuable because it contains dishes that are unique and representative of each locality, such as the everlasting of Marikina, the inutak of Taguig, the bibingkang abnoy of Pateros, etc. It is not only informative but also educational as it delves not only in interpretations of Filipino cuisine but in real culinary traditions,” Salcedo noted.

The book will be distributed by DOT-NCR to various tourism offices and tourism establishments in the Philippines and around the world. An ebook version will likewise be available.

J&T EXPRESS BARES 2020 PLANS

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor E-COMMERCE delivery provider J&T Express Philippines disclosed its plans for next year to further strengthen the market’s awareness on its brand and improve service delivery to its growing customers.

Part of this initiative is the increase in manpower, according to J&T Express Philippines Vice President Zoe Chi. In a chance interview, she told reporters that they will hire more riders so their current headcount of 10,000 will grow to over 30,000 in 2020.

She added that they will develop more training lessons to be provided to their employees.

Since the Philippines is an archipelago, J&T Express is challenged to widen its reach to serve even the far-flung areas.

“For example, there are some islands that are very far,” Chi cited. “[If] delivery before [took] a little longer, we want it to be shorter.”

The top executive shared that they also consider adding more trucks to their fleet, which now has 350 units.

“Sometimes because of the weather issue, if the airplane cannot fly, we can use our trucks to deliver to the islands,” she said.

While relatively a new player in the Philippines with its almost 10 months of operation since its launch last March, J&T Express has already made its presence felt in the logistics e-commerce industry with its more than 400 branches nationwide.

The VP said that they are looking at opening more outlets that are near the customers.

“If we do expand that’s because we consider from a customer side that we want to deliver them the parcels and packages easily and conveniently,” Chi stressed. “The customers’ experience is always our top priority.”

A leading e-commerce delivery firm in Southeast Asia, J&T Express provides top-notch delivery services with its state-of-the-art technologies for efficiency and advancement of the online business.

The company offers the domestic market a real-time tracking system for deliveries, high transmission speed, 365 operation days, a 24-hour hot line, and insurance claim facilities. It covers nine regions in the country at present.

Apart from the Philippines, J&T Express is present in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

BusinessMirror

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

Saturday, December 28, 2019 A12

VSCO-Girls and the Year of TikTok TECHNIVORE ED UY

whereiseduy@gmail.com

I GET GREAT HOLIDAY TREATS VIA THE GLOBE AT HOME APP TO celebrate the Christmas season, Globe At Home aims to delight consumers with exciting promos from top brands via their app.

The Globe At Home app is touted by the brand as the consumer’s best partner in managing their home Internet connection, delivering easy digital experience for postpaid and prepaid Globe At Home customers. It offers ease and convenience through features, such as bills payment, data usage tracking, activation of content subscription plans, promo alerts and resolving basic connectivity issues that make monitoring one’s plan hassle-free. And for a special holiday treat, exclusive promos and discounts are on offer via the app.

As a Globe at Home Postpaid customer, one can get discounts from Forever 21, Shopee and GCash.

The subscriber can also binge-watch with the whole family through free access to streaming sites iflix (three months), HOOQ (15 days) and iWant TV (one day premium). The kids? They’re in for extra learning fun and will get to practice their creativity with one month access to educational apps Da Vinci Kids and ABC Mouse.

Meanwhile, as a Globe at Home Prepaid customer, one can enjoy more family meals at their favorite restaurants and cafés with free 30 day access to Booky Prime, and one free order of Jr. Cracklings for every order worth P250 at KFC branches nationwide. They can also stream their favorite content via iWant TV (15-day premium access), iflix (seven- to 30-day VIP access) and HOOQ (15-day access).

Just load the Home Prepaid WiFi or Streamwatch Xtreme Prepaid unit with HomeSURF 199 and up. HomeSURF 199 will entitle the subscriber to one freebie, HomeSURF 599 to two freebies, and HomeSURF 999 to 1499 to three freebies.

Globe at Home Postpaid customers in Metro Manila may also inquire and apply for intelligent devices to automate their home. For as low as P547 per month, you can bundle your plan with a Connected Home package complete with Globe Connected Home WiFi Hub, Multipurpose Sensor, two Outlets and free installation by the Globe At Home Tech Squad. More details are available at shop.globe.com.ph/connectedhome.

As another bonus, select Globe at Home Prepaid customers will be eligible for a free family photo session with Great Image until January 15, 2020, at any Great Image branch nationwide. To cap it off, subscribers can make their holiday feasts even better with free donuts from Krispy Kreme via a Krispy Kreme OG card to satisfy their freshly baked donut cravings.

The Globe At Home App is free for download on Google Playstore and the App Store. More information is available at www.facebook.com/globeathome.

F you only know “Tiktok” as that song about getting drunk and wasted, you either live in a house with no teens or have totally abandoned your social-media feeds.

There is simply no escaping the wrath of TikTok and my dad makes sure I get my daily dose of viral TikTok compilations.

The app that allows users to post short videos, usually lip-syncing to a soundtrack (think Yaya Dub), or doing all sorts of challenges, dance moves, unique skills/talents and a lot of comedy. It has become a YouTube alternative for people with uber-short attention spans.

First launched in 2016 in China, TikTok debuted in the United States in August 2018, after Chinese parent company ByteDance acquired lip-syncing video app Musical.ly and combined them. Since then, TikTok has been downloaded 1.5 billion times, making it the top free non-gaming app in the US. In its first full calendar year in the US, the app wasted no time becoming a key part of Internet culture, and is now among the world’s five mostdownloaded non-game apps of 2019.

With an estimated 625 million monthly active users globally, it is closing in on competitors Instagram and Snapchat. And though the numbers are still small compared to Facebook’s 2.45 billion MAUs, its popularity has topped Google Trends this year, enough to draw the attention of the US military which has banned it from all its issued devices—for security reasons.

In Google’s annual “Year in Search” TikTok stars and trends were inescapable, proving that the app has life beyond its Gen Z niche.

In music, singer Lil Nas X made the leap from TikTok fame to mainstream fame after his song “Old Town Road” went viral on the app, then broke the record for longest-running No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. He was the fourth most-searched singer, and “Old Town Road” was the most-searched song of the year. On the other hand, Lizzo, the No. 7 most-searched musician, has been called the “queen of TikTok.” She found mainstream fame this year, but TikTok was full of viral trends set to her songs, with the starting line of “Truth Hurts:” “I just took a DNA test, turns out ....” #DNATest become a top meme.

Creators uploaded videos with audio from Lizzo’s song, and then after that line switch in audio about their identity, or a joke about themselves.

E-girls, e-boys, VSCO girls and the antiinfluencers of TikTok topped fashion and outfit searches. TikTok now has its own subculture and their popularity rivals the Instagram influencer. Those who are popular on TikTok use the platform to promote their Instagram and YouTube accounts, and vice versa.

E-girls are characterized by their heavy eyeliners, dyed hair, and often a septum piercing, while e-boys typically wear beanies and belt chains.

Then there are the VSCO girls. VSCO is a photo editing app, and the term was originally used as an insult describing a young, usually white woman who posts trendy pictures using the app, but it quickly became a popular hashtag on the TikTok, with users offering their own, oftentimes mocking takes on what it means.

A VSCO girl usually wears a very big T-shirt that covers the bottom of her shorts, has a scrunchie in her hair or her wrist alongside a Pura Vida bracelet, carries a Fjallraven backpack and drinks from and a

sticker-covered Hydro Flask. Completing the outfit are Birkenstock sandals, Crocs, Fila Disruptors or any other ugly trendy shoe.

Beauty influencer and YouTuber James Charles became even more famous on TikTok, and was the third-most searched person on Google this year.

TIKTOK PHL TRENDS TIKTOK broke down many barriers in 2019, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the diversity of its users and content. Creators from various backgrounds have increasingly turned to the platform to express and exchange their interests, whether that’s cooking, comedy, or simply just showing the world what their adorably cute pets can do.

Local celebrities have also jumped on the TikTok train and found themselves in the center of attention among the fun, loving TikTok community.

They include Steph Robles, Jodi Sta. Maria, Andrea Brillantes, Liza Soberano, Sofia Pablo, Iñigo Pascual, Donnalyn Bartolome, Patrick Quiroz and AC Bonifacio.

Local creators are also emerging as the breakout stars of 2019 on TikTok, as they leveraged the platform to grow their fan bases and engage the global audience. This year, TikTok launched its inaugural “TikTok All-Star Southeast Asia” competition, which cultivated creators from across the region to share their talents on a global stage.

The region-wide competition received 300K submissions and 650 million views. Local creator Yanyan de Jesus successfully emerged as the victor of the TikTok All-Star Talent category. Now, he continues to pursue dancing professionally by joining the popular dance group G-Force.

Simon Joseph Javier, on the other hand, made waves locally after receiving the Rising Star award.

Simon, as a travel blogger on TikTok, was introduced as one of the creators to promote the tourism campaigns brought about by the recently launched partnership between TikTok and the Department of Tourism (DOT).

TIKTOK PARTNERS WITH D.O.T. IN addition to cultivating talent across Southeast Asia, and launching record-breaking hits on a global stage, TikTok has further expanded its commitment to corporate responsibility. TikTok has cooperated with various nongovernmental organizations across Asia to drive real social impact. Some of the most notable challenges from 2019 include #SaveOurOceans, #ForClimate and #ZeroWaster which generated monetary donations and awareness among a growing user base.

Recently, TikTok partnered with the DOT to promote and showcase the beauty of the Philippines to the platform’s global audience. DOT is the first government agency to partner with TikTok and name the platform as its co-branding partner for its signature campaign: It’s More Fun in the Philippines.

The partnership was sealed with the signing of the memorandum of agreement between Donny Eryastha, TikTok head of public policy for the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia; and Howard Lance Uyking, Tourism assistant secretary for branding and marketing communications.

The partnership serves as the pilot program in the Philippines for #TikTokTravel, a global campaign launched by TikTok across 90 countries worldwide. #TikTokTravel is an initiative that aims to inspire users to creatively capture and share their favorite travel moments.

By empowering people to quickly and easily capture and, share moments that matter in their lives from their smartphones, TikTok has become increasingly popular for showcasing authentic travel moments, with almost 400,000 videos under the #TikTokTravel hashtag and a total of 5.6 billion views and counting. These videos range from creators interacting with nature in various ways, to immersing themselves in different cultures, such as tasting

street food, to trying their hand at uniquely local experiences.

LIFESTYLE UPGRADE AT TECHLIFE EXPO IT was an early Christmas treat for expo-goers during the first TechLife Expo held last month at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, as leading brands showcased their latest products and services. Visitors got to experience technology before they could even buy the products for amazing prices, including up to 50-percent discount on selected items.

The three-day expo highlighted the techintegrated lifestyle where digital experience becomes seamless and more accessible to the Filipinos.

The event officially opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Pasay City Mayor Imelda CalixtoRubiano, SMX Director for Events and Banquet Janytte Siega , celebrity guest Alex Gonzaga and TechLife Expo Organizing Head Haidie Esmero.

Guests were able to enjoy three days of booth hopping and shopping, and were able to take home loads of knowledge from industry thought leaders discussing various topics to help them upgrade their lifestyle through technology.

Alex was the first guest onstage and she recounted her journey as a celebrity vlogger and shared her piece of advice to aspiring individuals who would want to venture into video blogging: “You must love what you do...I love what I’m doing. I never felt any pressure in creating my first vlog because I did it for me.”

GetGo lifestyle rewards card offered a free flight promo during the event and gave away travel musthaves for those who availed themselves the CEB GetGo Prepaid Cards. Successful registrants can easily enjoy faster points-earning which they can redeem for everyday perks and rewards, especially free flights with Cebu Pacific. Top gaming peripherals producer Logitech delivered excitement and action among gamers as they showed off their skills during the daily live tournament. Popular among the younger guests was the Mobile Legends competition where players got to hear supreme audio quality with the Logitech G331 Stereo Gaming Headset.

More crisp and immersive sound experience were brought by Bluetooth audio device providers Ultimate Ears Wonderboom and Jaybird. ■