BusinessMirror February 15, 2020

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MINDANAO GETS ASF ‘TERROR’ JOLT D

By Manuel T. Cayon

AVAO CITY—Until now, practically nobody could come up with a plausible explanation yet on how the dreaded African Swine Fever (ASF) managed to sneak into the sleepy and dusty down of Don Marcelino town of Davao Occidental in the final week of January, more than six months after the first case of ASF infection was recorded in the Philippines’s Luzon island.

AUTHORITIES ARE FIGHTING AN UPHILL BATTLE TO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF THE DREADED HOG DISEASE IN THE DAVAO REGION, NEIGHBORING AREAS

When the reports came of a lockdown in the transport of pigs (or swine, or hogs) and other pork products in the town, and the confirmation of the ASF incursion across the Davao region and the neighboring regions, authorities were jolted into the realization that the first case of infection just happened in Mindanao.

This southern Philippine island had put up a strong guard against incursions of other livestock diseases in the past, from the foot-and-mouth disease to bird flu,

that were infecting Luzon.

Apparently, the quarantine protocols remained in place, but the suspicious look was cast on port quarantine and the unchecked supply channel through the little piers in small provincial capitals and major towns.

This also includes the supposed impractical move to subject all travelers to individual search to ferret out those carrying possible infected pork meat products in small packages, an indication of the porosity of quarantine in the ports.

This may have been aggravated by the nonchalant behavior of the public since they may have not been informed or warned, or simply put, would not know any better.

Economic losses

THE economic consequence and serious production and supply problem, according to the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health, has been directed at the spread of the ASF, especially in Asia.

The impact is harsh among backyard hog-raisers, where bio-

safety procedures are practically absent and animal health issues are widespread but minimally attended to.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said losses in Luzon alone since last year have reached P1 billion every month.

Here, in the infected areas of Davao Occidental and Davao City, the losses could not be less than P80 million in the first week of containment amid culling and depopulation of swine farms. This Continued on a2

Virus death toll will get worse even as outbreak wanes

By Robert Langreth and Michelle Fay Cortez

A

Bloomberg News

S signs emerge that China’s coronavirus outbreak may be moderating, a morbid reminder of the disease’s toll is expected to persist, or even rise, in the days to come.

While new cases reported in China appeared to decline after a February 4, 2020, peak, the number of dead has grown to around a hundred a day—double the daily count of just a few weeks ago.

But those deaths aren’t a sign the virus is getting more deadly, according to experts.

“Deaths are a lagging indicator,” said Marc Lipsitch, an epidemiologist at Harvard University, who is modeling the outbreak. Once people are in-

fected, “it takes around three weeks on average for someone to die.”

On Thursday, the Hubei province where the outbreak is centered issued a revised count of cases and deaths, using a new methodology.

The new method adds 13,332 new cases and 135 deaths to the total in the province—infections that were diagnosed using medical imaging but not a lab test.

Across China, more than 1,300 people have died from the virus and

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WORKERS arrange beds in a convention center that has been converted into a temporary hospital in Wuhan in central China’s Hubei Province, February 4, 2020. CHINATOPIX VIA AP

more than 59,000 have been infected, according to authorities. Outside experts have said the number of cases is likely far higher, and Hubei’s announcement that it was counting thousands of new cases in its total will likely add to that analysis.

As of Wednesday, there were 8,204 patients classified as severe cases, according to numbers released

by Chinese officials. New confirmed cases have fallen to about 2,000 a day, down from a peak more than 3,500 daily cases last week.

“If cases only plateaued a week ago, we might expect numbers of new deaths to continue to rise for some time yet,” said Steven Riley, professor of infectious disease dynamics at Imperial College London’s MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis.

The chaotic nature of the outbreak combined with limited access by international experts to Hubei province, where it began, has made it hard to know the full extent of the epidemic. Bloomberg and other Continued on a2

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Source: BSP (February 14, 2020)

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Continued from a1

amount was based only on the indemnification equivalent for each pig culled. And depopulating the infected areas was yet to be completed.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has guaranteed payment of P5,000 for every pig culled, while some local governments have volunteered to give additional cash incentives.

The amount could still rise with total depopulation recommended for infected areas, with the animals to be buried in an identified common ground to be disinfected later. Davao Occidental alone has a swine population of 37,713. This would be about P188.56 million in indemnification equivalent alone, a financial burden aggravated by other serious challenges: the lack of supply in the market and the other accrued losses in hog trading.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has announced the city government would give another P5,000 on top of the DA indemnification.

As of Tuesday, the Davao City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) said it had completed depopulating the two barangays of its swine population, a total of 2,343 heads. CVO head Dr. Cerelyn Pinili said all affected hog raisers were given financial assistance as soon as they turned over their pigs to the authorities.

“We ensured that the raisers will receive the assistance immediately after they turned over their

pigs. We don’t want them to wait for…many days,” Pinili said.

The outbreak

ON the last Friday of January, Don Marcelino town, some 41 kilometers south of the Davao Occidental capital of Malita, was abuzz with activities by the local government officials and the regional offices of the department and nine other national government agencies after Mayor Michael Maruya locked down his town against the exit and entry of live pigs and pork products.

In his social-media post on January 31, the mayor ordered a “24/7 temporary lockdown of selling and buying pigs following the mortality of about 1,000 heads of swine in eight barangays, namely Linadasan, North Lamidan, South Lamidan, Calian, Mabuhay, Lawa, Nueva Villa and Baluntaya.”

He said swine deaths have been continuing but did not say when the infection started.

The temporary lockdown was recommended by DA’s Region 11 office and the Provincial Veterinarian Office as a measure to control the spread of the ASF and to ensure the safety of the consumers on the consumption of pork products in Don Marcelino.

Also on that day, Regional Director Liza Mazo of the Office of Civil Defense activated a task force and directed nine national government agencies and the disaster risk-reduction and management offices of the six provinces and one city of the Davao Region to coordinate with the DA all information

and results of initial investigation.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) also ordered the provincial police, barangay captains and other concerned offices to ensure the establishment of “24/7 animal quarantine checkpoints” in various entry points of Don Marcelino municipality.

The residents were also informed of the situation and were asked to cooperate.

Within that week and a few days later, belated reports reaching the office of Agriculture Secretary William Dar showed attempts to bypass the lockdown protocol, even as the scope of the lockdown was further widened by the provincial governor when infection reached neighboring towns—a surprise, as it had been thought all the while that the incursion was still confined to Don Marcelino.

The Sarangani and General Santos City quarantine checkpoints established since last year have reported of Davao Occidental hog traders attempting to sneak out live pigs into Sarangani through the less frequented and circuitous Jose Abad Santos-Glan border highway. They were turned back by checkpoint personnel, however.

One attempt by hog traders from Sulop town of Davao Occidental’s adjoining province of Davao del Sur succeeded in transporting 42 pigs to Koronadal City, the capital of South Cotabato, through the usual Davao del SurGeneral Santos City highway.

Quarantine personnel doing back-tracing of the transport of pigs

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Mindanao gets ASF ‘terror’ jolt were led to the Koronadal City holding area of the newly transported pigs. Laboratory samples taken from the pigs showed 11 of them were positive for the ASF virus.

Immediately, Sulop Mayor Jimmy Sagarino closed the auction market in Sulop; its pigs were sourced from the infected Malita and Don Marcelino towns of Davao Occidental. The DA could not immediately ascertain if the contamination has spread to other towns.

So far, the contamination surfaced in two northern barangays of Davao City, in Dominga and Lamanan, on the same week as the Don Marcelino infection. The DA said the first indication of ASFcaused deaths was reported on January 27.

The virus

THE World Organisation for Animal Health said the severe viral disease is responsible for serious production and economic losses in infected countries, mostly in Asia.

It described the ASF as a transboundary animal disease that can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and pork products.

“Furthermore, transmission can also occur via contaminated feed and fomites [non-living objects] such as shoes, clothes, vehicles, knives, equipment. etc., due to the high environmental resistance of ASF virus.”

No approved vaccine has been developed yet against the ASF, unlike the classical swine fever, or the hog cholera, which is caused by a different virus. Historically, outbreaks have been reported in Africa and parts of Europe, South America and the Caribbean. Since 2007, the organization said the disease has been reported in multiple countries across Africa, Asia and Europe, in both domestic and wild pigs.

Dar said the spread of the vi-

rus in Don Marcelino town, which has a swine population of 14,087 heads, was mainly through swill feeds, locally called lamaw. However, Dr. Ronnie Domingo, director of the Bureau Animal Industry, said the virus infection may have been caused by someone transporting infected pigs from Pampanga, Bulacan in Luzon, including Quezon City, in the national capital, or by the unchecked swill being shipped from Indonesia.

He said Indonesia may be an Islamic nation, but the eastern side of the country is populated by Christians from where the shipment may have originated through individual contacts.

Dar appealed to local government enforcers and households to refrain from raising pigs anew in their backyards. He said a sentinel growing program should be observed: rest the disinfected areas around where the pigs were buried for at least 30 days. Then the household may start a trial raising of pigs, to be regularly tested. And, if there would be no more sign of infection, then the raising of pigs in herds may start again.

“Families should not raise pigs immediately after deculling,” he said.

Vigilance

IN Davao City, Dr. Pinili imposed a quarantine prohibition on city personnel involved in the culling of pigs. They must refrain from visiting other barangays for the next three days. All vehicles and other logistics they used must first be thoroughly disinfected.

She said disinfection would continue daily for 30 days.

The city government, however, gave assurances that pork would still be around, but advised consumers to look for the certification from the National Meat Inspection

Commission which must be displayed in market stalls.

A woman stall owner in the Mintal market showed the BusinessMirror a copy of the certification and gave assurances that all the other pork sellers were complying with the city government requirement.

“These are from the corporate growers of pigs,” she told BusinessMirror on Monday.

Dar said it was fortunate that in the case of the pigs transported from the auction market in Sulop to a holding area in Koronadal, there was no indication that the virus had spread in the surrounding barangays after several days of monitoring.

“But the report from Sarangani only shows that residents in infected Davao Occidental made attempts to bypass lockdown protocols and attempted to smuggle them out,” he said. This action threatens the further spread of the disease if unchecked.

The situation also indicated that vigilance should be revived anew, especially among the local governments, which maintain these quarantine checkpoints. He said the DA and its attached agencies only provide augmentation and technical assistance.

“I am appealing now to all local governments across the country, not only in the Davao region and the rest of Mindanao,” he said. “Everybody must now be up on their feet and ensure that there would be no more spread and incursion anywhere else.”

Sarangani has increased its number of quarantine checkpoints and these were established along its eastern and northern boundaries with Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental. “We are still ASFfree—but for now,” said Sarangani veterinarian Bernard Cababat.

Virus death toll will get worse even as outbreak wanes Continued from a1

news outlets have reported on a health-care system overwhelmed by the disease, with some severe patients turned away and sent home—making a final count of deaths far more difficult.

“It may be by far that the vast majority of people are those who died at home,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota’s medical school. “We may never know how many people have died from this disease in China. I don’t think we ever will.”

Health experts have been working to estimate the deadliness of the disease. A crude analysis done by dividing the number of deaths by the number of confirmed cases yields a mortality rate of about 2 percent.

Other estimates that attempt to account for undiagnosed, milder cases have put it closer to 1 percent.

“It’s dropping every day as the number of tested patients is going up,” Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist of the World Health Organiza-

tion (WHO), said in an interview.

Making matters more confusing, the crude mortality rate mixes together a wide variety of disparate populations.

“We are seeing the tip of the iceberg, and it is a very large iceberg,” said Harvard’s Lipsitch.

Confounding numbers

THERE are people who were hospitalized for other conditions in Wuhan and who then acquired the infection from coronavirus patients in the same facility. The numbers also include severe cases in Hubei province and other parts of China who were diagnosed early, precisely because of the gravity of their illness. And there is a large swath of healthier patients with mild cases, who are more likely to recover but less likely to ever be diagnosed.

“You are seeing case fatality rates in different populations being glommed together,” said David Fisman, an infectious disease doctor at the University of Toronto. The coronavirus death rate in vulnerable patients may not be relevant to healthy people who get the virus through everyday contact, he said.

While many people want to compare the outbreak to SARS, a coronavirus outbreak from 2002 and 2003 that infected more than 8,000 people and killed almost 800, a better comparison is seasonal influenza, said Anthony Fauci, head of the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Seasonal flu kills about 0.1 percent of those infected, while pandemics in 1957 and 1968 had mortality rates closer to 1 percent. The catastrophic 1918 contagion, known as the Spanish flu, had a 2-percent mortality rate, similar to what’s seen now in Chinese hospitals, Fauci said.

“It’s very different from influenza, but it would be acting like a really bad influenza season,” he said.

The uncertainly about how nasty the virus will turn out to be is a problem for public health officials trying to prepare for its potential spread around the world.

The death rate “is a number that we really can’t nail down at the moment,” said Ian Mackay, a virologist at the University of Queensland in Australia. “It is hard because we need that number to know how much to prepare.”

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Saturday, February 15, 2020

DOLE’s Bello lifts HSW deployment ban to Kuwait

By Samuel P. Medenilla

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V ER a mont h a f ter they were barred from working in Kuwait, Filipino household service workers (HSW) will now be once again allowed to be deployed in the Arab country.

This, after the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) issued its governing board (GB) Resolution 7 on Thursday lifting the partial deployment ban for Kuwait.

Labor Secretar y and POEA GB C h a i r m a n Si lvest re H .

Bello III disclosed they made

the decision after the Kuwaiti government sued the suspects in the killing of Filipino HSW Jeanelyn Villavende.

“A f te r due con s u lt at ion with the Department of Foreign Affairs [DFA] and with t he f i ling of appropr iate charges against the perpetrators [in the killing] of OFW Jeanelyn Villavende, the Gover ning Board of t he POE A u na nimously approved t he lifting of the remaining ban in Kuwait with respect to the deployment of household workers,” Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.

On January 3, 2020, POEA, imposed the partial deployment ban in Kuwait barring HSWs from being deployed there until the Kuwaiti government could hold accountable the people behind Villavende’s and the full implementation of PhilippineKuwait 2018 Memorandum of Agreement for the protection of Filipino HSWs. The Kuwaiti government was only able to meet both conditions this month paving the way to the removal of the ban.

Unresolved issues

T HE rec r u it ment i ndu st r y

particularly those deploying Filipino HSWs to Kuwait welcomed the lifting of the partial deployment ban.

Kuwait is one of the top destination for Filipino HSWs. Around half of the documented OFWs in the countr y are Filipino HSWs. Blas F. Ople Policy Center head Susan Ople expressed her dismay over the “abrupt lifting” of the partial deployment ban even if, she claimed, there are still unresolved issues in the protection of Filipino HSWs in Kuwait.

Among the unresolved issues,

she said, is the refusal of the Kuwaiti government for the Philippine embassy to run the half way home for distressed OFWs. “Will we agree to that? That is clearly against the Migrant Workers’ Act,” Ople said.

The former labor undersecretary called on Bello to retain the deployment ban for newly hired HSWs until all the issues concerning OFWs in Kuwait are ironed out using inputs from civil-society groups and OFW organizations.

“We hope DOLE will listen to our requests,” Ople said.

PHIVOLCS: TAAL VOLCANO NOW UNDER ALERT LEVEL 2 BUT THREAT REMAINS

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HE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday lowered the status of Taal Volcano to Alert Level 2 (decreased unrest), three weeks after it was put under Alert Level 3 (decreased tendency toward hazardous eruption) on January 26, 2020.

Lowering its alert level status was due to fewer volcanic earthquakes and weak steam, or gas emission, at the main crater for the past three weeks.

According to Phivolcs, a daily average of 141 volcanic earthquakes has been recorded since January 26, 2020. Volcanic earthquakes are caused by movements or eruptions of magma from the volcano.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission, on the other hand, had an average of 62 tons per day since January 26, consistent with diminished plume activity or absorption of volcanic gas by a recovering lake at the main crater.

Activity in the main crater has been characterized by the generation of weak steam-laden plumes, consistent with decreased magmatic unrest.

Phivolcs Executive Director Renato Solidum

OVER 40 employees volunteered during the recent Poraqueño Para Sa Batangueño relief operations of Mekeni Food Corp. and the Municipality of Porac in Agoncillo, Batangas. Mekeni executives and workers prepared hot meals for over 800 families who were displaced by Taal Volcano’s eruption.

Jr. earlier explained that a weaker eruption is based on the height of the plume coming out of the crater. Volcanic plume or eruption plume is a column of hot volcanic ash and gas emitted into the atmosphere during an explosive volcanic eruption.

He also said magmatic activity means processes involving magma, which include

breaking of rocks and filling of cracks by magma or volcanic gas, movement of magma, and degassing of magma, boiling of underground water by magma.

Phivolcs, meanwhile, noted that despite the lowering of the status of Taal Volcano, it does not mean that unrest has ceased, as there is still an imminent threat of an eruption. PNA

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A4 Saturday, February 15, 2020

ExportUnlimited BusinessMirror

DTI bares ‘record level’ $70.3-B exports in 2019

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HILIPPINE exports reached record high $70.3 billion in 2019, from $69.3 billion in 2018, despite external headwinds from the global trade policy uncertainties, geopolitical tensions, and country-specific challenges, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez revealed this week.

“The relatively strong export performance of the Philippines transpired amid DTI’s [Department of Trade and Industry] strong efforts in attracting investments, spurring MSME [micro, small and medium enterprises] development, and promoting the ease of doing business,” the trade chief said.

Growing at 1.5 percent year-to-date, the country’s export growth is also the secondbest performer among East Asian economies, next to Vietnam. The Philippines,

China and Vietnam were the only three countries that reported positive export performance among 11 trade-oriented Asian economies last year.

“Our goal was to expand the productive capacity and export base, as well as in actively enhancing trade relations with existing partner economies, by marketing products abroad and exploring new export markets,” Lopez said.

For the first time, electronics exports hit $40 billion with a 4.4-percent year-

“The relatively strong export performance of the Philippines transpired amid DTI’s [Department of Trade and Industry] strong efforts in attracting investments, spurring MSME [micro, small and medium enterprises] development, and promoting the ease of doing business.”—Lopez

to-date growth. The sector comprised of 56.9 percent of total exports, with nonelectronic products the remaining 43.1 percent at $30.3 billion. For nonelectronic products, top growers are: mineral products; fruits and vegetables; and travel goods and handbags.

The top 4 destinations for Philippine merchandise items last year were the United States, Japan, China and Hong Kong. Lopez said that curbing inflation via aggressive price monitoring

activities has also contributed in making locally-made products attractive to the global market.

In December 2019, the Philippines was also the top performer with a 21.4-percent year-on-year growth, the fastest pace in 2019. This was largely on the back of a 24.9percent year-on-year jump in electronic exports, which accounted for 60 percent of merchandise exports in December. Other top export items for the month that also recorded growth include bananas, chemicals, copper metal, machinery and transport equipment, among others.

Meanwhile, Philippines’s merchandise imports decreased 4.8 percent to $107.4 billion in 2019. As the full-year’s export growth was positive and import growth negative, the country’s merchandise trade deficit narrowed 14.9 percent to $37.0 billion.

According to Lopez, this bodes well for the country’s external position since a smaller trade deficit would lead also to a narrowing current account deficit.

DTI unit spearheads new program to hone Manila port operators digital skills of exporters and entrepreneurs seek shorter free storage period for containers

By Kristina Noelle S. Andaya TIDS, DTI-EMB Knowledge Processing Division

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ANVA Philippines’s Events and Community Partnership Lead Tin Atanacio teaches participants in Graphic Design Basics and applying these design principles in their brands/ companies during the “Digital Design and Marketing” Information Session on January 30, 2020, at the Department of Trade and Industry International Building, Makati City.

D u r i n g t he s e s s ion , D T I Trade Promotions Group (TPG) Undersecretar y Abdulgani M. Macatoman encouraged exporters to take advantage of the free information sessions that the DTI-EMB organizes.

“As part of the DTI-TPG, the DTI-EMB is enthusiastic in executing different strategies to help our exporters innovate and be more globally competitive. The PECP is one of EMB’s major programs that will expand the exporters and would-be-exporters’ competitive stance and stakeholders through the information sessions and seminars. Entrepreneurs can capitalize on these free information sessions to further improve their companies and/or products or services,” Macatoman said.

In the first PECP info session for the year 2020, DTI-EMB’s Export Assistance and Business Matching Division (EABMD) collaborated with Canva Philippines in delivering a program, entitled Digital Design and Marketing.

AS part of the DTI-EMB’s goal to assist the Philippine exporters and entrepreneurs in embracing digital transformation, the first Philippine Export Competitiveness Program (PECP) information session for this year focused on Digital Design and Marketing which was held on January 30, 2020, at the DTI International Building, Makati City.

The DTI-EMB invited Atanacio and Community Team Lead Gladys Lacorte. They discussed the following topics: Graphic Design Basics: Design Principles; Presentations to Impress: Application of Basic Design Concepts; Branding for your Business: Design Principles and How to Strengthen your Brand Style; and Social Media Mastery: Boosting your Social Media Presence through Canva.

The program was specifically geared toward equipping the exporters with core digital design principles, and applied creativity to help them in developing innovative marketing strategies that will better connect them with their customers.

Last December, the 2019 National Export Congress (NEC) carried the theme “Driving Exports Through Digital Transformation”

focused on technology and innovation initiatives to grow exports, and promote collaboration among businesses.

In line with this, DTI-EMB Assistant Director Agnes Legaspi noted that the DTI-EMB moves forward by engaging industry experts who can help Filipino entrepreneurs to improve and innovate t heir products a nd services in which the exporters could take advantage of the free online tools.

For exporters interested to attend our free info sessions, contact DTI-EMB Export Assistance and Business Matching Division at telephone number 8465-3300 local 109 or e-mail pecp@dti.gov.ph.

Please visit our Facebook Page: fb.com/dti.export to stay updated on DTI EMB’s new and upcoming events and programs.

ORT operators Asian Terminals Inc. (ATI) and International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) are asking the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to shorten the period for free storage of containers to better control dwell time.

Separately, ICTSI is seeking an adjustment of storage charges for out of gauge (OOG) shipments, while ATI is proposing to establish a tariff for OOG shipments and arrastre rates for handling empty containers.

ATI wants to cut the allowed free storage period to seven days from 10 day—with storage starting from date of the Bureau of Customs’ (BOC) Online Release System (OLRS)— before penalties are imposed. The proposal aims to reduce the average dwell time of containers at Manila South Harbor, said ATI Assistant Vice President for Business Development Edward Ian Baking during a public hearing on January 24.

Ba k ing said reducing the period before penalties are imposed “will naturally control the dwell time of containers.” ”Data from ATI showed that the percentage of cargo owners able to release cargoes within 10 days peaked at 98 percent in 2016, then fell to 94 percent in 2019. Cargo owners who withdrew their cargoes within seven days were at 95 percent in 2016, and at 89 percent in 2019.

Baking noted that by reducing container dwell time by one day, yard capacity can increase by 200,000 twenty-foot equivalent units without having to expand the yard. ICTSI, on the other hand, is petitioning for the immediate start of the free storage period on the actual day the container is discharged from the carrying vessel, instead of the current rule where the free storage period starts after date of discharge of the last package from the carrying vessel.

ICTSI is also requesting that the reckoning time of the storage day start from the actual time the container is discharged from the carrying vessel, instead of the current policy of reckoning time of storage day starting from 7:01 a.m. up to 7 a.m. of the next day.

Manila International Container Terminal Management Services and Government Affairs Director Voltaire Wycoco, at the same public hearing, said ICTSI’s proposal seeks to reduce the effect of container dwell time on capacity and prevent high yard utilization at MICT, which will result in increased productivity, more efficient use of resources, and faster landside delivery

Demand for organic food on the rise in Europe

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HE appeal of organic foods continues to grow in Europe, presenting big opportunities for companies that can support this fast-rising consumer need, according to an export marketing official.

Agnes R. Legaspi, assistant director of the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), said that more than ever, European consumers are buying into the organic trend, noting that half of European consumers think organic is healthier.

The executive shared that 56 percent of French consumers buy organic food and drink products. In Spain, the percentage is 54 percent, in Poland 53 percent, Italy 49 percent, and Germany 45 percent.

“Organic food and drink products enjoy a perceived health halo among European consumers due to their clean label profiles,” Legaspi explained during a recent presentation on exporting to Europe.

To highlight the strong growth of the organic food market in Europe, she said that in 2015, about 19 percent of consumers in France were buying organic food products, but by 2017 this figure had jumped to 25 percent.

Comparatively, 18 percent of German consumers bought organic in 2015, and 25 percent of them in 2017. Italy’s figures were 18 percent in 2015, and 27 percent in 2017, while Spain registered 12 percent and 23 percent and Poland 14 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Legaspi said the world consumer market for organic food products broke $100 billion in 2018 with Europe and North America representing more than 90 percent of the market.

The best-selling products are dairy and eggs.

According to the European Commission in a market brief published in 2019, the EU is the second-largest consumer of organic food in the world, with €34.3 billion in retail sales in 2017 for a 37-percent global market share, behind the US with 47 percent.

“Over the last 10 years, the EU market doubled its size, and it continues growing at a significant pace [11 percent in 2017 compared to 2016], indicating that it has not yet reached its maturity stage,” the brief read.

Health concerns are the main driver for organic consumption, it continued. Environmental benefits of organic production and the growing concern over the effects on health of excessive exposure to pesticides and overuse of antibiotics are contributing to building a positive consumer attitude toward more natural alternatives.

The largest EU markets for organic food products currently are Germany and France, while demand in Denmark and Sweden is expanding substantially, it added. The EU report further stated that organic eggs dominate organic retail sales, and that “the growth remains high.”

Organic fresh fruit and vegetables represent another success story, and have a sustained growth rate in Europe, while consumption of organic dairy, including organic drinking milk is also significant.

Conventional stores and supermarkets represent the main distribution channel for organic food products, accounting for about 75 percent, while specialized channels also carry these products, according to the market report.

Legaspi urged Filipino exporters to avail themselves of the benefits under the EU Generalised System of Preferences+when shipping to Europe. For the Philippines, the GSP+ means that over 6,000 categories of goods are eligible for export to the EU without tariffs.

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Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, February 15, 2020 A5

Love in the time of COVID-19 ‘Deaths of despair’ are not just a US problem

ANTHONIUZ PAULITE, a floral designer, showcases his Valentine’s Day floral bouquet collection at his shop in Baguio City. The “care bouquet” includes alcohol, hand sanitizer, face mask, cotton, tissue and sanitary pad embedded alongside flowers. PNA PHOTO BY ZEDRICK JOHN MACARIO

By Liza Agoot | Philippines News Agency

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AGUIO CITY—Showing affection to loved ones during the onslaught of a dreaded disease inspired a floral designer to think outside the box in selling

items popular on Valentine’s Day. Anthoniuz Paulite, owner of Anthoniuz Floral Designs at the Ililikha Complex on Assumption Road here, thought of including sanitary and health-care products in flower bouquets he sells.

Calling it the “care bouquet,” Paulite said the continuous threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) inspired him to innovate.

“Our health officials continuously tell us to sanitize our hands if we are not able to use water for regular washing. Placing alcohol and hand sanitizer will remind us of the doctor’s advice so that we are protected from illnesses,” Paulite said.

The care bouquet includes alcohol, hand sanitizer, face mask, cotton, tissue and sanitary pad embedded alongside flowers.

Its price ranges from P1,500 to P3,500 depending on the items included, while ordinary floral bouquets range from P250-P1,500.

Paulite’s other designs include the “momma” (betel nut) bouquet, the “ginC2” bouquet, the vegetable bouquet, the fruit bouquet and the chocolate bouquet, among others.

He also customizes bouquets according to his customer’s preference or request.

Judy, a registered nurse, said she is hoping to get a care bouquet as Valentine’s Day present from her husband.

“I like the care bouquet the most because it shows he cares, and it serves as a reminder for us to take better care of our health,” she said. With a report from Zedrick John Macario/PNA

Guardian for elderly arrested on abuse and neglect charges O

RLANDO, Florida—A former guardian for the elderly and incapacitated who was accused of filing “do not resuscitate” orders without her clients’ permission has been arrested in Florida on felony charges.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) said local authorities arrested Rebecca Fierle-Santoian in a county northwest of Orlando late Monday on charges of aggravated abuse of an elderly person and neglect of an elderly person.

Online court documents hadn’t been filed in Tampa as of Tuesday morning, and it wasn’t clear whether she had an attorney.

Records show she was released from jail on Tuesday after posting $22,500 in bond.

The FDLE said in a news release that agents started an investigation into FierleSantoian following the death of a 74-yearold man under her guardianship in Tampa.

Fierle-Santoian obtained an order to cap the man’s feeding tube, ignoring doctors who told her this would likely cause his death.

The man had requested that he continue receiving nutrition through the feeding tube, the FDLE said.

IN this February 10, 2020, photo made available by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Florida, Rebecca Fierle-Santoian is under arrest. Authorities say Fierle-Santoian filed a “do not resuscitate” order without her client’s permission. She is charged with aggravated abuse and neglect of an elderly person.

Fierle-Santoian had 450 guardianships when she resigned amid a criminal investigation last summer.

MARION COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE VIA AP

“Medical professionals who examined him believed he was capable of making end-of-life medical decisions for himself, and informed Fierle-Santoian that her client had a strong desire to live and that he understood his condition,” the FDLE statement said. “Despite the wishes of the elderly man and those of his family and friends, Fierle-Santoian ordered his doctors not to perform any life prolonging medical procedures saying she preferred ‘quality of life versus quantity of life.’”

Guardians make decisions for thousands of people deemed incapable of handling their own legal, financial, housing and medical concerns. The state has hundreds of such professional guardians.

Fierle had been entrusted with 450 guardianships when she resigned amid a criminal investigation last summer.

The controversy surrounding her case prompted the resignation of Florida’s Office of Public and Private Guardians Director, Carol Berkowitz, at the request of Florida Elder Affairs Secretary Richard Prudom this summer. AP

By Matthew Goodwin | Bloomberg Opinion

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HE United States isn’t the only country experiencing what economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton called “deaths from despair.” The UK is one of the most economically advanced and stable democracies on the globe and yet the life expectancy of its people appears to be stalling, with striking differences by gender and geography.

According to a new report from the National Center for Social Research, life expectancy in the UK is expected to continue to increase but the size of these increases is substantially smaller than in previous years. A more detailed study by the Office for National Statistics compared 20 countries and found that between 2005 and 2010, and 2010 and 2015, the UK had the greatest slowing in life expectancy at birth for women and the second-greatest slowing for men (behind the US).

While the exact causes of these divides are still being debated, it’s hard not to draw parallels with the debate in the US. As Case and Deaton show in their book Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism, life expectancy in the US recently fell for three years in a row, a reversal not seen since 1918 or in any other wealthy nation in modern times.

The economists traced this not only to the rising number of deaths from suicide, drug overdose and alcoholism, but to deep and widening inequalities within modern capitalism, which they argue is no longer delivering for the working classes and, in particular, people without university degrees. The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies in Britain recently partnered with Deaton to conduct a comprehensive review of inequality in the UK. As in the US, deaths from suicide, drug overdoses and alcohol-related liver disease have also been rising among middle-aged people in England, although on a smaller scale and especially concentrated among the less well-educated.

There are also sharp and worrying differences across the country, with a gap in life expectancy at birth between the least and most deprived areas in England of 9.4 years for men and 7.4 years for women.

Between 2012 to 2014, and 2015 to 2017, for example, women who live in the most deprived areas of the country saw a statistically significant reduction in life expectancy at birth of almost 100 days while women who live in the least deprived areas saw an increase of 84 days in life expectancy. As one statistician at the Office for National Statistics noted, the fall in life expectancy at birth for women in the most deprived areas “has led to a significant widening in the inequality in life expectancy at birth in England.”

These differences are also reflected in the number of years that people spend living in “good health.” In 2016 to 2018, healthy life expectancy was 63.1 years at birth for men and

63.6 years at birth for women. However, as with life expectancy generally, our healthy life expectancy has been rising at a slower rate. It is also now falling for women.

While this means that most people can expect to live a larger proportion of their lives in poorer health, there are striking differences by gender and geography. Men have gained five months in healthy life expectancy since 2009 to 2011 but women have lost three. And while men who live in the most deprived areas of the UK can expect to have only 5.8 years of “good health” from 65 years of age, men who live in the least deprived areas of the country can expect to have more than double that (13.3 years).

Whereas the affluent, leafy borough of “Richmond upon Thames” has the highest healthy life expectancy for men, at nearly 72 years, head northwards to the town of Blackpool, a deprived area where unemployment, alcohol and opioid addiction is rife, this figure is nearly 19 years lower (53.3 years).

Northern towns, such as Hartlepool, which provided strong support to Brexit, have in recent years seen some of the steepest falls in life expectancy; whereas men could expect to live to nearly 78 years in 2012 to 2014 by 2015 to 2017 this had fallen to 76 years. This might not sound like a big change but any decline in life expectancy is largely unprecedented in a modern democracy.

These disparities are no doubt part of the frustrations that underpinned the Brexit vote in certain parts of the country, and it is not yet clear how the UK’s de facto departure from the European Union, to take place at the end of this year following a transition period, will impact areas that areas experiencing greater levels of deprivation. Some of them—particularly those reliant on manufacturing companies—will experience new trade frictions after Brexit.

For the Conservative government, the new data will be taken as further justification for an agenda that aims to close the stark economic and social divides between the regions. So far, this has involved committing £100 billion ($130.5 billion) toward infrastructure projects, devising new rules for government spending so that it benefits more deprived regions and sending new research agencies (and perhaps even the House of Lords) north.

Those may prove the easy calls to make. Any plans to address the imbalance in opportunity and economic prospects across the country will not only need to focus on trains and bridges but also introducing a radical new skills agenda, nonuniversity education and tackling the inequalities that plague primary and secondary school education. Given the government’s new “leveling up” mantra, and Boris Johnson’s awareness that he is now far more dependent upon nongraduates for votes, such an agenda is definitely on the radar. Whether it turns into concrete action remains to be seen.

AP was there: Nelson Mandela released from jail 30 years ago

By Greg Myre | The Associated Press

JOHANNESBURG—Editor’s note: To mark the 30th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, a key event in ending South Africa’s brutal apartheid system of racial oppression, AP is republishing its coverage of February 11, 1990.

N

ELSON MANDELA walked through a prison gate to freedom Sunday, setting set off joyous celebrations and violent clashes as blacks nationwide welcomed their leader back from 27 years in jail.

“Comrades and fellow South Africans, I greet you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom for all,” Mandela told tens of thousands of cheering supporters who thronged outside city hall at twilight, many getting their first look at the African National Congress (ANC) leader.

But he emphatically reaffirmed his commitment to the ANC’s guerrilla campaign and called for increased pressure to end white-minority domination—the same cause that resulted in his life sentence on charges of plotting against the government.

He also reiterated that talks with the government cannot begin until

it lifts the state of emergency.

“I stand here before you not as a prophet, but as a humble servant of the people,” said the white-haired Mandela, who looked much more an elder statesman in his suit and tie than a guerrilla leader.

“Today, the majority of South Africans, black and white, recognize that apartheid has no future. It has to be ended by our decisive mass action,” he said in a rousing half-hour speech frequently interrupted by roars of “Viva!”

“We have waited too long for our freedom.”

Violence broke out about the same time Mandela’s motorcade arrived in Cape Town from Victor Verster prison and delayed his speech. Police said a black looter was shot to death by officers, and first aid workers said more than 100 people were injured when riot police fired shotguns after groups of black youths smashed shop windows in the city center.

Some youths retaliated by hurling bottles at the officers. Hundreds of terrified people waiting to hear Mandela ran for cover as police fired blasts of shotgun pellets.

Clashes between police and celebrating blacks were reported in at least two other areas, including the tribal

IN this February 13, 1990, file photo, Nelson Mandela and his wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, gesture as they arrive at Soccer City Stadium in Soweto, South Africa, two days after being released after serving 27 years in prison. Mandela’s release set off joyous celebrations and violent clashes, as supporters welcomed Mandela back from years in jail. AP PHOTO/UDO WEITZ

homeland of Ciskei, where hospital officials said police shot three people to death and wounded 20.

In Natal province, where ANC supporters have been feuding with a more conservative black group, police said 12 blacks were killed in factional fighting Sunday. It was a harsh reminder of the bitter feuds involving black factions who disagree on the best way to fight for equality.

Elsewhere, hundreds of thousands of blacks danced and jogged through the streets of big cities and impoverished townships, rejoicing at Mandela’s freedom.

“Very good news, very good news,” President Bush said after Mandela’s release. Bush said he telephoned Mandela, told him all Americans “were rejoicing at his release” and invited him to the White House.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, speaking at a church service outside Cape Town shortly before Mandela was released, commended the South African government for making a “courageous step” but said “the pillars of apartheid remain in place.”

A thunderous cheer went up as the man who was the world’s most famous prisoner walked hand-inhand with his wife, Winnie, through the gate of Victor Verster prison in Paarl, 35 miles from Cape Town.

Under a brilliant blue sky, the Mandelas gave clenched-fist salutes to the hundreds of supporters who had waited for hours outside, many of them waving green, gold and black ANC flags, and wearing T-shirts emblazoned with a youthful image of Mandela.

Mandela appeared solemn and dignified, as he, and Winnie, walked to a white BMW sedan and climbed in. He broke into a broad smile as the car set off slowly in a policeescorted motorcade.

The decision to free Mandela, after a prolonged international campaign on his behalf, was announced Saturday by President F.W. de Klerk. Eight days earlier, de Klerk stunned the nation by lifting a 30-year ban on the ANC and announcing other reforms

aimed at clearing the way for blackwhite negotiations.

De Klerk, who spoke at length Saturday on Mandela’s release, stayed out of the public eye Sunday. Anton Pretorius, a de Klerk spokesman, said the president planned to comment on Mandela’s release later in the week.

Government television, however, broadcast live Mandela’s exit from prison and later showed most of the ANC leader’s speech.

His elderly appearance probably shocked many South Africans, the majority of whom were born after Mandela was last seen publicly in 1964.

Mandela has clearly lost weight since the 1960s; both his face and his body are leaner than when he was a sturdily built boxer decades ago. At 71, his face is creased with two thick lines that frame his strong, confident smile.

Mandela, in his speech, called de Klerk “a man of integrity” who had gone further than any previous National Party leader in accommodating black political aspirations.

But he said further steps—including the lifting of the state of emergency and release of all political prisoners—must be taken before talks can begin. The ANC shares these demands.

A6 Saturday, February 15, 2020 | Editor: Mike Besa

LAUNCHER REBORN

YOU NEED TO TRY THIS DRIVER

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By Mike Besa

SK your average Pinoygolfer what driver is at the top of his mind and you’ll get the usual answers; Callaway, TaylorMade, Honma/Beres, Titleist, PXG or Cobra. I’ll wager precious few of you think about Cleveland Golf when it comes to choosing a new driver. That would be a mistake, because not only does Cleveland Golf build a very, very good driver in their new Launcher HB Turbo, but it comes at a price well below that of its competition.

The Launcher brand was always closely aligned with distance of f the tee.

Cleveland had retired the Launcher name but pressed it back into ser vice two years ago. In 2020, they decided it was time to turbocharge the new Cleveland driver.

First this Launcher looks like none of its predecessors. The mat te finish with aerodynamic flicks on the crown gives the Launcher Turbo HB a pseudo-industrial look and feel, much in the way that PXG and the current Ping G-series drivers do. But the Launcher Turbo HB looks meaner.

The engineers then squeezed discretionar y weight out of ever y corner of the head in order to produce one of the most forgiving drivers Cleveland

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has ever made. That’s a pret ty big claim since Cleveland has always made ver y forgiving drivers.

When you’re working with something as small as a 200-gram driver head, ever y gram is of consequence. Although golf equipment companies have worked diligently to carefully position ever y gram of weight where it will do the most good, the hosel is the one par t of the clubhead that of ten escapes scrutiny.

One of the most wasteful par ts of any clubhead is the hosel. The original Cleveland Launcher HB was not adjustable, which meant it was already saving some mass, but the engineers at Cleveland went a step fur ther with the new HB Turbo and implemented more than

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just one technology beyond the hosel to tr y and find us more speed with this driver.

Cleveland is using a new cup face design in the Launcher HB Turbo driver.

Although they cannot make the center of the clubface any faster, Cleveland engineers redesigned the face with a new variable face thickness to provide

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1 LAUNCHER HB Turbo Driver Exploded 2 CLEVELAND Launcher HB Turbo Draw Driver 3 CLEVELAND Launcher HB Turbo HB driver

www.pinoygolfer.com | Saturday, February 15, 2020 A7

ER

LOCAL CLUBMAKERS HONORED

AS TOP 100 CLUBFITTERS IN THE WORLD C ONGRATUL ATIONS to Francis Go and Jake Ong who have again been honored as two of the World’s Top 100 Professional ClubFit ters in 2020.

Passion and commitment to excellence have catapulted Francis and Jake to the highest levels in their profession. Their fitting studio, Custom ClubMakers International, is considered the best in the country and is located in Mandaluyong City.

Despite the advent of sophisticated launch monitors, over 90 percent of all golfers are still playing with clubs that are

not properly fit to them.

Many buy of f the Internet, or of f the rack. Others seek the help of “ fit ters” who are inexperienced or who have limited access to a suf ficient number of options that would enable a qualified fit ter to selec t the design features required to per fec tly fit the golfer.

Another critical fac tor in get ting properly fit, is that the professional clubfit ter must take the responsibility to assure that their fit ting instruc tions are carried out precisely. Our two Top 100 Fit ters do just that as they ever y custom club is hand craf ted in their

own workshop located in Muntinlupa City.

The World’s Top 100 Professional ClubFit ters List is designed to help golfers find legitimate fit ters who are highly skilled, have earned outstanding reputations and who have integrity. No brick and mor tar venues are listed…only the ac tual professionals who qualif y.

Each professional listed has years of experience, has at tended numerous seminars to hone their skills, and who have ac tually built-up a solid reputation for helping golfers play their best.

INTERNATIONALS GEAR UP FOR WGC MEXICO

By Chuah Choo Chiang

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higher CT (charac teristic time) over a larger area for increased ball speeds and more distance because nobody hits the middle ever y time.

Then there’s the crown.

The newly shaped crown on the Launcher HB Turbo lowers the CG (center of gravity) by a full 2.2mm when compared to the Launcher HB. This improves overall forgiveness and helps to bet ter optimize launch parameters for shots hit all over the face.

The new L auncher HB Turbo is being paired with a new propriet ar y highbalance point Miyazaki C .

Kua shaf t. By raising the center of gravit y closer to the grip end of the club, player s have the abilit y to swing the driver fas ter, even though more mas s has been added to the head to give the L auncher HB Turbo a signific ant boos t in MOI. It’s good to see the techs look beyond the clubhead and consider the whole driver as a system. The bet ter the whole system works together, the bet ter you are going to hit the ball. It’s also beneficial that Cleveland is under the SRI Spor ts Umbrella, which also includes Srixon and Miyazaki. Miyazaki shaf ts are extremely high quality and are all proprietar y to SRI produc ts.

You’d expect a driver with this degree of technology to cost in the neighborhood of P30,000 neighborhood, but this is where Cleveland really surprises. The Cleveland Launcher Turbo HB with the Miyazaki shaft of your choice will set you back just P21,500 brand new from any of the Srixon Proshops. Brilliant value by any measure.

HE International Team’s flagbearers from Asia will be out to avenge their gutwrenching Presidents Cup loss by staring down the game’s greatest golfers at this month’s World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship.

The $10.5 million showpiece at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City will be the first World Golf Championships of the new decade and while no Asian golfer has lifted the trophy in its storied history, recent editions have witnessed some of the region’s leading lights delivering standout performances.

In 2018, young Indian Shubhankar Sharma delighted the golfing world by brilliantly taking the second and third rounds leads before settling for T9 with a closing 74 in the company of American legend Phil Mickelson, who won the tournament after a playoff against Justin Thomas.

Thai ace Kiradech Aphibarnrat crept into a top5 finish that year to emerge as the highest placed Asian finisher, thanks to a closing 65. The big-hitting Kiradech, the only Thai competing full-timeon the PGA Tour, showed his liking once more for the tree-lined and tricky Chapultepec layout by finishing a creditable third some 12 months ago where he produced three 68s and a 69 to serve another reminder of his potential to become a PGA Tour champion.

Japanese hero Hideki Matsuyama, Korea’s rising stars Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An were among the region’s stars in an Ernie Elsled International Team who came up agonizingly short to upsetting a Tiger Woodspowered United States side in the Presidents Cup in December.

While the narrow 1614 defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, the trio’s performances in Royal Melbourne, coupled with some wonderful showings

by C.T. Pan of Chinese Taipei and China’s Haotong Li, were another timely reminder of the growing strength of Asian golf.

Interestingly, three of the International Team members— Adam Scott, Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman—have gone on to taste individual

HIDEKI MATSUYAMA (left) and Byeong Hun An PHOTOS CREDIT GETTY IMAGES

JAZZ JANEWATTANANOND

wins in the immediate aftermath of Royal Melbourne which the likes of An believes is due to the Presidents Cup. “It was incredible to see Cam win [Sony Open in Hawaii]. Hopefully I can break through and win one day. Our [International Team] group chat has been going crazy of late. Hopefully someone else can step up, hopefully me or Sungjae [Im] or someone else. It shows the Presidents Cup has helped us. The group chat is still running and it’s great,” said An. Matsuyama, a five-time PGA Tour winner, remains as Asia’s only winner in the World Golf Championships, launched in 1999 with a vision to gather the world’s elite players from the various international tours four

times a year. The 27-year-old broke through at the 2016 WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai and followed up with another stellar victory in the 2017 WGC-FedEx St Jude Invitational.

Often a stoic figure during the heat of battle, Matsuyama showed a welcome fiery side of his game en route to a 2-11 record in the Presidents Cup, securing two wins in the Four-Ball sessions with straight-shooting Pan. He settled for a tie with Tony Finau in the Singles.

Nearly three years on since his last win, much is expected of Maruyama in 2020 as he seeks to end his victory drought and begin the new decade on a winning note. With top-25 finishes in Mexico in 2017 and 2019, and

at a course which demands precision, the Japanese ace is tipped to challenge in Chapultepec.

Korea’s Im continues to win over new fans and fellow competitors with his imperious golf, which is built upon the foundation of a rock-solid iron game.

The 21-year-old, who was the 2019 Rookie of the Year, delivered 3.5 points for the International Team which included a 4 & 3 drubbing over reigning US Open champion Gary Woodland in the Singles. Woods sought out the Korean to congratulate him after the showdown.

Im’s continued rise will be closely watched as he makes his debut in the WGCMexico Championship. The youngster from Jeju island has featured in one WGC previously, finishing T11 at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai last November and in 46 PGA Tour career starts (at the time of writing), he has notched 10 top10s and finished runnerup at the Sanderson Farms Championship and T3 at the inaugural Zozo Championship in Japan.

Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, who played with Im in Australia, said: “We call him ‘the weapon’. He is an unbelievable golfer. The guy just does not miss. He’s so, so good at what he does.”

Through his meteoric rise on the Asian Tour where he won four times and claimed the Order of Merit in 2019, Thailand’s 24-year-old Jazz Janewattananond will go head-to-head with the stars in Mexico for the first time.

Coached by Pete Cowen, the baby-faced Thai could well be a darkhorse.

He surprised many with a fantastic run at the PGA Championship last year before finishing T14 and matched that result in his WGC-HSBC Champions debut in November. Still, the freckled-faced Thai knows he still has plenty of work to do to step onto the next level. “I’m still trying to gauge myself to see how much I need to improve.

These guys are so good.

I’m not there yet but I know what are the right things that I need to work on with Pete to then try to get my game ready to compete against these guys.”

The likes of Kiradech, Li, Pan and Sharma have yet to quality for the WGC-Mexico but with Matsuyama, Im and Jazz already in the fray, the golfing world will be waiting eagerly to see who will step up on the plate in Mexico. n Chuah Choo Chiang is senior direc tor, communications for the PGA Tour and is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

A8

Saturday, February 15, 2020

CHASING DREAMS IN U.S. COLLEGES T

By Eric Olson

The Associated Press

HORIR THORBJARNARSON is one of the key pieces in Fred Hoiberg’s building project at Nebraska.

Jon Axel Gudmundsson of Davidson was the Atlantic 10 player of the year last season, and has filled up box scores in his career like few players in college basketball history.

Hakon Hjalmarsson is just starting his American basketball experience and trying to find his role at Binghamton.

Though at far-flung schools, the three are connected as the only Division I players from Iceland this season. They talk, text or Snapchat nearly every day, and follow each other’s games on television or streaming video.

“I know every basketball player in Iceland, essentially,” Thorbjarnarson said. “It’s a small family. We call ourselves the ‘basketball family.’”

Iceland is no basketball hotbed, but college coaches will go most anywhere for talent. The island in the North Atlantic is about the size of Virginia geographically, and has a population of 360,000. Basketball’s popularity in Iceland ranks far behind soccer and about even with team handball.

There are 6,800 registered male and female basketball players in the country, according to the sport’s national federation. That includes recreational players. Far fewer are at the elite level.

“When you play with the youth national teams, you’re always practicing in the same gyms, you’re always around each other, you take trips together,” Gudmundsson said. “And we played against each other in the adult league in Iceland, so we kind of grew close from there.”

The best basketball players must go to Europe or the United States to test themselves against top competition. Only one Icelander, Petur Hjalmarsson (no relation to Jon Axel), has played in the NBA. He logged 150 games for three teams in the 1980s.

Thorbjarnarson is the only player who suited up for the 2018-2019 Nebraska team that Hoiberg kept. He’s shooting 44.6 percent on 3-pointers to rank among the Big Ten leaders.

The junior guard from Reykjavik began drawing recruiting interest in 2016 when he played for Iceland’s under-18 national team.

He scored 30 or more points in four games at the European Championships, and was MVP of the Nordic Championships. He first heard from former Nebraska Coach Tim Miles in July 2017, visited Lincoln the next month and 10 days later was enrolled.

“I was mesmerized by the facilities, enjoyed the coaching staff and it’s not a big town. The people are similar to people in Iceland,” he said. “I was, ‘Sure, let’s do this.’ I wanted a challenge, so I decided to come.”

Gudmundsson grew up in a basketball family. His father played on national teams and professionally, and his brother, Ingvi, played one season at Saint Louis.

The senior guard from Grindavik has hit career marks of 1,500 points, 700 rebounds, 500 assists, 200 made 3-pointers and 150 steals. No other Division I player since 1993 has reached those milestones.

Gudmundsson starred on Iceland’s national teams beginning at age 15, and recruiters started showing interest when he went to a boarding school in Philadelphia. He didn’t like the fit, though, and he returned to Iceland

Sports BusinessMirror

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

Tokyo Marathon organizers to hand out masks to runners amid coronavirus concerns

O MEET Iceland’s “basketball family” composed of Thorir Thorbjarnarson (from left), Jon Axel Gudmundsson and Petur Hjalmarsson. AP

after one semester.

Davidson Coach Bob McKillop kept in touch, made a trip to Iceland to see him play and offered a scholarship.

“I always wanted to play in March Madness and also play in the NBA,” he said. “I felt the best way to do it was

RGANIZERS of next month’s Tokyo Marathon have revealed surgical masks will be distributed to runners and volunteers, upon request, as part of preventive safety measures against coronavirus.

According to a statement from organizers, four measures will be taken during the event due to be held on March 1.

Requested masks will be handed out at the packet pickup and at venues in the finish area on race day.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers will also be available at the Expo, packet pickup, volunteer check-in, and at venues in the finish area.

Furthermore, antibacterial wet wipes will be distributed in the finish area, and there will be operational revisions of the aid stations.

It is not clear, however, what revisions will be made.

“To our runners, volunteers and all other related parties, we request all to obtain the most up-to-date information from certified medical organizations and/or public authorities, and continue to adopt stringent hygiene practices,” the statement read.

“Also, to runners residing outside of Japan, please access respective web site, such as Japan National Tourism Organization, to obtain the latest information,” the statement added. “Please pay careful

New All-Star format could attract action

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coming to the States and proving yourself against the guys who are most likely to go to the NBA.” Gudmundsson nearly led

Davidson to an upset of Kentucky in the 2018 NCAA Tournament, making six 3-pointers in the second half and finishing with 21 points in a 78-73 loss.

Hjalmarsson, who turns 21 next month, is an older freshman who played on national age-group teams with Thorbjarnarson. The Reykjavik native started 10 straight games for Binghamton early in the season but his minutes have decreased.

“I think I’m progressing all right, but I’m not doing as well as I could. I have to be patient,” he said.

Hjalmarsson said he might not be playing college ball if he hadn’t been selected for an NBA-sponsored Basketball Without Borders camp in Finland four years ago. He met a scout who helps international players connect with college coaches, and Binghamton was among the first to show interest.

“Coming here, I didn’t think I would have to adjust to anything because I just thought it was basketball,” Hjalmarsson said. “After being here a few months, it’s a completely different sport. Not being able to hand check at all. I’m seeing all these illegal screens being called. It’s more physical [in Iceland] but I think guys here are more athletic, they’re faster, they jump higher.”

Being so far away from home, the three players lean on each other for support. And they never forget from where they came.

“You always think about who you’re representing, coming from such a small country,” Gudmundsson said. “My town is like 3,000 people.

Everybody knows me, and I know everybody in the town. This is like a beautiful thing, to come here and show the world what I can do and perform on the court. Being from such a small town in such a small country, I feel it symbolizes [the fact] you can do whatever you want if you are willing to put work into it.”

attention to your own health, and the decision whether to participate in the event is a personal choice and one each individual must consider carefully.”

“We would like to request the cooperation from all participants to monitor the body temperature, and if you have fever or experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness, we advise you to refrain from participating in the event. We will continue to provide further information through our Tokyo Marathon official web site and social channels as we monitor the situation.”

Organizers announced last week that runners living in China will be automatically entered into the 2021 Tokyo Marathon if they do not participate in the upcoming edition.

As reported by Gulf News, around 1,800 runners living in China are registered for this year’s event.

Since originating in Chinese city Wuhan, the coronavirus outbreak has caused the cancellation or postponement of numerous sporting events.

There are now more than 45,000 cases and more than 1,110 deaths, with the vast majority of these in China.

Twenty-eight countries and territories have had people infected, with the World Health Organization declaring a global emergency.

Insidethegames

TEAM Stephen center Joel Embiid (left) of the Philadelphia 76ers, leaps for the tip-off won by Team LeBron’s Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans in the All-Star game in Los Angeles in February 2018. AP

HILE some basketball purists are skeptical about this year’s new format for the NBA All-Star Game, the changes have curiosity brewing within the betting industry.

This year the league’s annual showcase is essentially multiple games within the game, which might entice more fans to get in on the action while it’s ongoing.

“I think there might be some fans who may view this as a very interesting and quite appealing introduction into the world of in-game betting, because the beauty of this format is it’s a huge talking point,” said Alex Donohue, a sports gambling expert for the web site Bet-NJ.com.

The NBA is doubling-down, hoping the changes energize players’ competitive juices. The contest is often more fun than game with players showing off their snazzy sneakers, but not their best defensive stances. So the league is implementing the new format believing the change will stop the laissez faire approach to defense.

Scores will be reset to 0-0 for each of the first three quarters. Each time a team wins a quarter, it earns $100,000 for charity. The totals will then be added and the fourth quarter will be played to a target score the winning team will have to reach, rather than a standard 12-minute period.

Everyone will find out Sunday if players and bettors are more engaged.

“Whenever there’s a big talking point in sports and among groups of sports fans,” Donohue said, “inevitably fans have an opinion and when

they’re legally allowed to bet it’s an opportunity to express that opinion.”

Donohue is based in Europe, where he says in-game betting can sometimes account for 70 percent to 80 percent of the action on a game.

In-game betting isn’t as popular yet in the US, but he believes the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Game in Chicago could

be a catalyst for change, saying it might be a “milestone” in sports gambling.

Opinions vary on the interest in the game as a betting event. When the league took its midseason spectacle to Las Vegas in 2007, it went under the condition that it couldn’t be bet there in the sports books. Gavin Maloof, whose family then owned the Sacramento Kings and the Palms, responded: “If you bet the NBA All-Star Game, you might as well get a life.”

Times have changed. There is currently gambling in 14 states and advances in technology allow bettors to put their money down on their mobile phones right from their living rooms. Bets can’t be placed on Donohue’s site, but it has links to regulated ones where they can.

These days, Johnny Avello, the head of race and sports book for DraftKings, said All-Star weekend, including the three-point shooting and dunk contests, draws a fair amount of interest. About 35 percent of DraftKings’ action is live wagering and he believes fans will jump in during the game Sunday night, particularly as they try to determine where the final total might land.

In the days before superteams, when players were foes first and friends second, the NBA didn’t worry about its All-Star game. Players may have taken it easy in the first three quarters, but the competitiveness came out in the fourth.

That’s why Kobe Bryant laughed in 2003 when Michael Jordan made a request of him before the game, and did so again when recounting the story in 2015 during his final season.

“I remember playing Michael his last All-Star Game in Atlanta, and he and I were catching up in the locker room, and he says—because this was his last game—he says to me, ‘I just want you to approach this like any other game. I want you to compete against me, just like it’s any other game,’” Bryant said. “And I remember saying, ‘Michael, what the hell about me led you to think I was going to approach this any differently?’”

That mindset was lost in recent years, with the low point in 2017 when players hardly attempted to defend in a game where the West won 192-182.

The league then scrapped the East vs. West format in favor of one in which two captains draft rosters.

Now comes another change and bettors will have to determine if they like it.

Paul Howard, who cohosts a radio show on the Vegas Stats & Information Network, doesn’t anticipate significant action. He said bettors don’t know what to expect with the changes.

“Hard to anticipate what’s going to happen. It’s new to bookmakers and bettors,” he said. “People used to bet it over every year because of no defense.

They don’t know what to expect now.”

That makes Avello’s job tougher. Reviewing recent All-Star results won’t help much in trying to set a final total, because the winning team will only score 24 points—a tiny number for the best players in the world—in the fourth quarter. The teams previously combined for about 75 in the last period, he said.

“There’s usually not much defense unless the game’s real tight and in this format you have to make it tight, because you have to have stops in that fourth quarter if you’re behind,” Avello said. AP

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

Saturday, February 15, 2020 A9

Express e-commerce delivery firm wins customer award

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor E-COMMERCE delivery company J&T Express was named Best Newcomer of the Year in the courier services industry at the recently concluded National Customers’ Choice Awards held at Diamond Hotel Philippines. “We are honored and humbled by this recognition. This award has proven to us that all our efforts in making J&T Express worthy of such an acknowledgement was worth it,” said Dean Ding, chief executive officer of J&T Express Philippines.

“We owe this to our loyal customers, partners and online resellers who trust us to be a part of their business success,” he added.

The National Customers’ Choice Annual Awards is an award-giving body that seeks to create public awareness on top-tiered companies, products, services, and professionals across different categories and segments via statistically accurate and independent market research surveys.

Likewise, it aims to push companies to work harder to make sure that the standards of excellence are sustained for the benefit of end-customers who patronize these firms, products or services.

Each of the winners for all the categories is chosen by the customers themselves—different from the tradition of other award-giving bodies.

Companies that have won the accolade have the privilege to use its logo, a mark that separates them from others. “This award means that as a partner to e-commerce businesses, we will double our efforts to improve how we do business. It is what we believe our commitment is to the public and our partners,” Ding said. J&T Express is dedicated to help grow the e-commerce sector in Southeast Asia by providing premium express delivery services.

The company applies advanced technologies, as well as efficient customer services to allow Web-based enterprises to leverage on today’s online business environment. To date, it has 400 branches across the Philippines.

PEOPLE crowd at the LG stand during the Mobile World Congress wireless show in Barcelona, Spain, in 2017. Sony and Amazon are the latest companies to pull out of a major European technology show over virus fears. Sony said Monday it’s scrapping its appearance at Mobile World Congress, the world’s biggest mobile industry trade fair, in Barcelona, Spain, later this month. AP

Sony, Amazon, others drop out of big tech show over virus

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BY KELVIN CHAN The Associated Press

ONDON—Two big Japanese companies are the latest to pull out of a major European technology show due to fears over the outbreak of the new coronavirus.

Electronics manufacturer Sony and mobile phone carrier NTT Docomo said on Monday they’re scrapping their appearances at Mobile World Congress, the world’s biggest mobile industry trade fair, in Barcelona, Spain, this month.

Sony Corp. will instead launch its latest devices through its YouTube channel on February 24, the first day of the show.

“As we place the utmost importance on the safety and well-being of our customers, partners, media and employees, we have taken the difficult decision to withdraw from exhibiting and participating,” Sony said.

NTT Docomo said that given the expanding impact of the virus, it canceled out of consideration of safety for staff, visitors and partners.

Amazon said over the weekend that it is withdrawing “due to the outbreak and continued concerns about novel coronavirus.” The e-commerce giant’s cloud computing division, Amazon Web

Services, was expected to have a big presence at the show. Software company Amdocs and telecommunications equipment maker CommScope also backed out on Monday.

Organizers and local authorities remained upbeat.

“We don’t envision any other possibility but the celebration of the Mobile World Congress,” Barcelona’s deputy mayor, Jaume Collboni, told reporters.

He noted that while the companies that have pulled out are among the show’s biggest exhibitors, they’re only a handful of the 2,800 taking part.

GSMA, the show organizer, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, but said Sunday it’s “moving ahead as planned” with the event, and outlined additional health and safety measures. They include banning visitors from China’s Hubei province, where the outbreak originated, requiring people who have been in China to prove they left at least 14 days earlier, and carrying out temperature screening.

“We are contending with a constantly evolving situation that will require fast adaptability,” the GSMA said. It had already planned to step up cleaning and disinfecting measures, recommend a “no handshake policy,” and make sure speakers don’t use the same microphone.

Swedish equipment maker Ericsson, one of the

show’s biggest exhibitors, has also dropped out, along with South Korean electronics giant LG and graphics chip maker Nvidia. China’s ZTE and handset maker TCL Communication, meanwhile, scaled back by dropping their press conferences.

More than 100,000 people, including 5,000 to 6,000 from China, typically attend Mobile World Congress, and organizers were expecting similar figures this year.

Meanwhile, the turmoil in China over the virus is disrupting supply chains around the world, with Nissan the latest manufacturer to announce a suspension. It said that due to supply shortages from China, the Nissan Kyushu facility in Japan will stop production on February 14 and 17.

Hyundai said last week that it was suspending production in South Korea, while Fiat Chrysler said it might have to do the same for a plant in Europe if disruptions continue.

General Motors said on Monday it would restart its halted production facilities in China, from February 15, though that depends on developments in the outbreak.

The trouble in supply chains was reflected in losses in the container business, estimated at about $350 million a week, according to industry site Maritime Denmark. ■

season. The cast was awarded the SAG (Screen Actors Guild) prize for Best Performance by an Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture.

For the Oscar Best Picture, Parasite won over Joker, Ford v Ferrari, The Irishman, Marriage Story, Little Women, 1917, Once Upon a Time in...Hollywood and Jojo Rabbit.

Before Parasite, only 11 other non-English language movies were previously nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. These include Roma, Amour, Babel and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Bong’s black comedy film about two families of different social classes also wowed the jury at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the prestigious Palme d’Or with a unanimous vote.

Parasite had been considered as one of the best films of 2019 by many critics.

In his winning speech, Bong honored fellow nominees Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. He also referenced a Scorsese quote, “the most personal is the most creative,” that serves as his inspiration as a director. Translating for Bong was aspiring director Sharon Choi.

On its road toward the Oscars with six nominations, Parasite had been gathering awards left and right from film award-giving organizations from around the world, including Golden Globe Awards,

SAG Awards, and British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards.

Parasite was shown in local cinemas last October, and is being shown again in selected cinemas. Viu is also bringing Parasite to its premium subscribers beginning today, February 15.

Viu is the go-to streaming platform for the latest Korean and Asian dramas, and variety shows. The Viu app is available on the Google Play and App Store.

You can also access it on your browser at www.viu. com. If you prefer watching on something bigger than your phone or computer, Viu is also available on select Smart TVs. You can get your Viu Premium subscription for as low as P29 for three days. Upgrade to Premium through in-app purchase or credit card. If you prefer charging your subscription to your mobile load, you can upgrade via Globe. For online shoppers, subscriptions are also available on Lazada and Shopee. To stay updated with Parasite, and the latest Korean dramas and movies, follow Viu Philippines on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

I have not watched Parasite and as a fan of Korean entertainment, I am ashamed. I really am. So this weekend, if I can’t make it to a cinema, then I will catch it on Viu. That’s a promise.

‘Parasite’ to be streamed on popular platform PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

THE Best Picture Oscar winner Parasite is now available for streaming via Viu.

THERE is no doubt that Parasite is the most talkedabout movie right now with four Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature, and many other plums from other award-giving bodies.

The historic Oscar triumphs made headlines in South Korea, where the movie originated, and everywhere else.

Filmmaker Bong Joon-ho, who directed Parasite, is the second director of a foreign language film to win the best director Oscar at the 92nd Academy Awards.

He follows Alfonso Cuarón, who won for Roma in 2018. Bong’s movie about a lower-income family who infiltrates a wealthy household has led the awards

BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, February 15, 2020

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Twitter shares jump on rise in user numbers, revenue S HARES in Twitter jumped on February 6, after the social-media company said revenue and user numbers exceeded forecasts in the latest quarter, though profit fell as expenses rose. The San Francisco-based tech company said that fourth-quarter net income fell 53 percent to $119 million, or 15 cents per share. That’s down from $255 million, or 33 cents, in the same period a year earlier.

Twitter had revenue of $1.01 billion during the quarter, a 11-percent increase and the first time revenue surpassed $1 billion.

Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal called it a “new milestone” for revenue. He said performance was solid in most of the world, with particularly strong advertising revenue in the United States.

The company averaged 152 million daily users during the last three months of the year, up from 145 million during the previous quarter.

While the net income figure was below analyst forecasts for $231 million, other figures cheered investors, sending shares up nearly 18 percent to $39.30 in early afternoon trading Thursday.

The sales figure was on the upper end of market expectations, according to data provider FactSet. And the number of active daily users was above the forecast for 147 million.

Last year, Twitter started disclosing its daily user base, or the number of users who log in at least once a day and see ads on the platform. The daily metric has replaced its monthly user count, which Twitter said it will no longer disclose. Other companies, such as Facebook, give both daily and monthly counts.

Twitter executives said the company is making it a priority to clean up its platform.

the first place. Both the ads ban and the new labels “should resonate positively with users and continue the growth in engagement in the next quarter,” said eMarketer analyst Nazmul Islam.

For the full year, Twitter had net income of $1.47 billion on revenue of $3.46 billion. For the current quarter, Twitter forecasts revenue to come in between $825 million and $885 million.

Dorsey said he wanted Twitter’s staff to be less focused on San Francisco, in an indication that he thinks the company should look more to fast-growing international markets.

“Our concentration in San Francisco is not serving us any longer,” Dorsey said. “We’ll strive to be a far more distributed work force which will help us improve our execution.” AP

HP DELIVERS LIGHTNESS RISING WITH NEW PC INNOVATION

“We’ll increase healthy public conversation,” CEO Jack Dorsey said on a call with analysts. “Misleading information is probably the biggest challenge facing us and our industry. This will be a key focus for us.”

Tech companies have been stepping up their efforts to remove misinformation, abuse, hate speech and spam. In Twitter’s latest move, announced this week, the company said it will start labeling or even taking down doctored or manipulated photos, audio

and videos designed to mislead people.

All that requires more staff, contributing to a 22-percent increase in expenses, to $854 million.

Twitter expects to grow staff company-wide by at least 20 percent in 2020, and expenses will grow about 20 percent, as well.

Twitter banned political ads from its platform starting in November. While a big symbolic move, such ads did not contribute much to its revenue in

PHL a relevant market for affordable phones

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES THE Philippines is a relevant market as far as the affordable phones are concerned, according to a top executive of HMD Global Philippines.

“We are developing our presence in the Philippines because it has a lot of potential in the affordable market category. HMD Global Philippines is aware that Filipinos enjoy using a mobile phone with an international calibre,” Charlotte Koa, senior business manager, HMD Global Philippines, said in an interview with reporters on the sidelines during the launching of their newest models held at Bonifacio Global City.

HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, recently launched the Nokia 2.3 in the Philippines. The Espoo, Finland-based HMD Global Oy is the new home of Nokia phones and tablets.

HMD designs and markets a range

of smartphones, and feature phones targeted at a range of consumers and price points. With a commitment to innovation and quality, HMD is the proud exclusive licensee of the Nokia brand for mobile phones and tablets.

Koa said the launching of the Nokia 2.3 is a sign that HMD Global wants to cater to the diverse segments of Filipino consumers. By offering the Nokia 2.3 to the local market, she said users enjoy value for their money with such features, such as industry-leading AI, large screen and the signature two-day battery life. To entice the market, HMD Global Philippines has also offered two years of operating systems (OS) upgrades and three years of monthly security updates. “What makes it even better is that the Nokia 2.3 comes at an affordable price tier,” Koa pointed out.

She said the Nokia 2.3 comes with a camera powered by AI to help a

user get the best shots, a large 6.2” HD+ screen and two-day battery life for long-lasting and immersive entertainment. Being Android 10-ready, the new Nokia 2.3 will receive guaranteed monthly security updates for three years and OS upgrades for two years, ensuring this smartphone gets better over time.

With a dual camera, Koa said the Nokia 2.3 comes with “Recommended Shot”, a brand-new Nokia phone feature helping a user choose the best picture. The new feature helps a user capture midair backflips, family portraits where everyone is actually smiling, and winning goals.

Recommended Shot automatically captures alternate images before and after the shutter button is pressed, and suggests which among the shots is the best one. The Nokia 2.3 boasts of AI-powered features, such as Portrait Mode and low-light imaging, which

enables fans to capture creative images in a variety of settings.

“We’re bringing the next-generation Nokia 2.3 to the Philippines as we want to reach more of our Filipino fans, especially those who are looking to level-up their smartphone experience with a phone that is not only reliable and packed with advanced features but also comes with a budget-friendly price tag. We at HMD Global are very excited for the launch of the Nokia 2.3 in the Philippines, and we look forward to more fans enjoying the Nokia smartphone experience that just keeps getting better,” Sancho Chak, general manager for Philippines, Hong Kong and Thailand, HMD Global, said in a press statement.

The Nokia 2.3 comes in Cyan Green and Charcoal color variants and for only P5,990.

Every purchase comes bundled with a free Bluetooth speaker and case.

HP Inc. introduced two PC innovations, bringing Lightness Rising to help Filipinos unleash their potential for freedom in workstyles and lifestyles. Both CES 2020 Innovation Award honorees, the HP Elite Dragonfly, the world’s lightest compact business convertible, and HP Spectre x360, the world’s smallest convertible, will fuel your passions, offer the freedom to choose how, where and when you connect, and deepen connections to those that matter.

“While young professionals today want to express their best selves through exclusive, premium and immersive experiences, they are challenged by the need to create work-life balance while putting family first,” said Christian Edmond Reyes, Philippines managing director of HP Inc. “HP understands that your need to do your best for the world while achieving seamless integration between work and life.

This is precisely why we designed the new HP Elite Dragonfly and the HP Spectre x360 to bring sustainable PC innovation that offers lightness, freedom and flexibility to Filipino workstyles and lifestyles.”

HP (www.hp.com) is lightening workloads through design innovation in the HP Elite Dragonfly. Perfect for the modern business professional whose demand a light, durable, always connected and secure computing device, the HP Elite Dragonfly is a sub-1-kilogram ultralight, powerful business convertible that offers up to 24.5-hour battery life to support long hours away from an outlet. Powered by an 8th Gen Intel Core vPro processor, it features the world’s highest screento-body ratio in a 13-inch PC at almost 86 percent, and instantly transforms from tablet to PC. The new HP Spectre x360 boasts an impressive size reduction of 13 percent from the previous generation, with an industry-leading 90 percent screen-to-body ratio. It is powered by a quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core processor with Iris Plus Graphics.

Craftmanship and detail are apparent in the device, which is available in stunning Nightfall Black with copper luxe accents, featuring a gorgeous gem-cut design that can only be achieved with aluminum CNC machining. The HP Spectre x360 also comes with an additional Type-C multi-port hub to provide additional connectivity options, and an instant privacy screen that can be activated at a touch of a button.

Huawei brings first 5G smartphone in the Philippines with Globe Platinum IN its efforts to push the boundaries of mobile technology, Huawei, together with Globe (www.globe.com.ph), brings the first 5G-capable smartphone to Philippine shores—the Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G. The global tech giant takes another bold step forward by equipping its latest flagship device with 5G capability.

The Mate 30 Pro 5G is powered by Kirin 990 5G, one of the world’s fastest processors that lets users take advantage of high-speed 5G NSA and SA networks.

Offering roughly 10 times the speed of 4G networks, the

device’s 5G capability delivers ultrafast speed with almost real-time latency (90 percent lower than 4G) that enables doing resource-heavy online activities like cloud gaming, HD livestreaming, and HD video calls with stunning ease.

In addition to marked enhancements on performance, battery life and overall efficiency, the Kirin 990 5G, and its boosted Image Signal Processing (ISP) promises significant improvements to the camera experience. The Mate 30 Pro 5G variant’s camera technology boasts of enhanced noise management, better stabilization, and wider dynamic range using the bokeh mode.

Equipped with a 40MP SuperSensing Camera, 40MP Cine Camera, 8MP Telephoto Lens and dedicated 3D Depth Sensing Camera, the latest installment to the Mate flagship series was hailed as the highest-rated smartphone camera by international benchmark authority DxOMark , with 123 points—two points above the previous leader, the Mate 30 Pro 4G. The latest flagship device from Huawei was officially introduced to select 40 Globe Platinum customers at an exclusive experiential event recently held at the BGC Amphitheater.

Esteemed guests including business leaders and

trailblazers took the first steps into the future powered by an ultrafast and high-quality connectivity brought by 5G. Leading the occasion was Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu who also took the stage with Huawei Philippines Carrier Network Business Group (CNBG) President Simon Sunluyuan in showcasing the power of the technology using the Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G through a speed test.

“Today is another milestone in our collaboration with Huawei that is consistently growing stronger,” Cu shared.

“A few months back, we brought together 5G technology to Filipino homes, and now we bring the most powerful and first-ever 5G-capable smartphone in the country to our mobile customers.”

The new Huawei Mate 30 Pro 5G is available for free via Globe ThePLATINUM 4999 Plan for existing and recontracting customers. Customers can also visit the Globe ICONIC and select Globe stores in Metro Manila to inquire on and experience the power of the device firsthand.

What’s more, for postpaid customers, Mate 30 Pro 4G and 5G versions are available in select Globe stores with recontracting hero offer: Mate 30 PLAN 1999 Free, Mate 30 Pro PLAN 2499 Free, Mate 30 Pro 5G PLAN 2499 with P16,800 cash out.

THE HP Spectre x360

THE HP Elite Dragonfly

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Saturday, February 15, 2020 A11

RELIVE HISTORY OF INTRAMUROS WITH AUGMENTEDREALITY APP

Cyborgs, trolls and bots: A guide to online misinformation

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BY DAVID KLEPPE� The Associated Press

EW YORK—Cyborgs, trolls, and bots can fill the Internet with lies and half-truths.

Understanding them is key to learning how misinformation spreads online.

As the 2016 election showed, social media is increasingly used to amplify false claims and divide Americans over hot-button issues, including race and immigration. Researchers who study misinformation predict it will get worse leading up to this year’s presidential vote.

Here’s a guide to understanding the problem: ■ MISINFORMATION VS. DISINFORMATION. Political misinformation has been around since before the printing press, but the Internet has allowed falsehoods, conspiracy theories, and exaggerations to spread faster and farther than ever.

Misinformation is defined as any false information, regardless of intent, including honest mistakes or misunderstandings of the facts.

Disinformation, on the other hand, typically refers to misinformation created and spread intentionally as a way to confuse or mislead.

Misinformation and disinformation can appear in political ads or social-media posts. They can include fake news stories or doctored videos. One egregious example of disinformation from last year was a video of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that was slowed down to make her sound as if she were slurring her words.

Research indicates that false claims spread more easily than accurate ones, possibly because they are crafted to grab attention.

Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology analyzed more than 126,000 stories, some true and some false, that were tweeted millions of times from 2006 through the end of 2016. They found that misleading or incorrect stories traveled six times faster—and reached more people.

Online misinformation has been blamed for deepening America’s political polarization, and contributing to distrust in government. The risks were highlighted in 2016 when Russian trolls created fake accounts to spread and amplify social-media posts about controversial issues.

■ WAR OF THE BOTS AND CYBORGS. The disposable foot soldiers in this digital conflict are bots. In the social-media context, these autonomous programs can run accounts to spread content without human involvement.

Many are harmless, tweeting out random poems or pet photos. But others are up to no good, and designed to resemble actual users.

One study by researchers at the University of Southern California analyzed election-related tweets

sent in September and October 2016, and found out that 1 in 5 tweets were sent by a bot. The Pew Research Center concluded in a 2018 study that accounts suspected of being bots are responsible for as many as two-thirds of all tweets that link to popular web sites.

While flesh-and-blood Twitter users will often post a few times a day, about a variety of subjects, the most obvious bots will tweet hundreds of times a day, day and night, and often only on a specific topic. They are more likely to repost content, rather than create something original.

And then there’s the cyborg, a kind of hybrid account that combines a bot’s tirelessness with human subtlety. Cyborg accounts are those in which a human periodically takes over a bot account to respond to other users and to post original content.

They are more expensive and time consuming to operate, but they don’t give themselves away as robots.

“You can get a lot from a bot, but maybe it’s not the best quality,” said Emilio Ferrara, a data science researcher at the University of Southern California who cowrote the study on Twitter bots.

“The problem with cyborgs is they are much harder to catch and detect.”

■ SPOT THE BOTS. Bots can be hard to spot, even for the best researchers.

“We have 12 ways that we spot a bot, and if we hit seven or eight of them we have pretty high confidence,” said Graham Brookie, director of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that studies connections between social media, cyber security and government.

Nonetheless, Brookie recalled the case of a Twitter account from Brazil that was posting almost constantly—sometimes once per minute—and displayed other bot-like characteristics. And yet, “It was a little grandma, who said, ‘This is me!’”

Their prevalence and the difficulty of identifying them has made bots into a kind of digital bogeyman and transformed the term into an insult, used to dismiss other social-media users with different opinions.

Michael Watsey, a 43-year-old New Jersey man who often tweets his support for President Donald J. Trump, said he has been repeatedly called a Russian bot by people he argues with online. The accusations prompted Twitter to temporarily suspend his account more than once, forcing him to verify he is a human.

“All I’m trying to do is use my First Amendment right to free speech,” he said. “It’s crazy that it’s come to this.”

■ TROLLS AND SOCK PUPPETS. The word troll once referred to beasts of Scandinavian mythology who hid under bridges and attacked travelers. Now, it also

refers to people who post online to provoke others, sometimes for their own amusement and sometimes as part of a coordinated campaign.

Sock puppets are another oddly named denizen of social media, in this case a type of imposter account.

While some users may use anonymous accounts simply to avoid identifying themselves, sock puppet accounts are used by the owner to attack their critics or praise themselves. In October, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney acknowledged operating a secret Twitter account under the name “Pierre Delecto,” which he used to defend himself against criticism.

■ FAKED VIDEOS: DEEP, CHEAP AND SHALLOW. Deepfakes are videos that have been digitally created with artificial intelligence or machine learning to make it appear something happened that did not. They are seen as an emerging threat, as improvements in video editing software make it possible for tricksters to create increasingly realistic footage of, say, former President Barack Obama delivering a speech he never made, in a setting he never visited. They are expensive, and difficult to create—especially in a convincing way.

Facebook announced last month that it would ban deepfake videos—with exceptions for satire.

Beginning in March, Twitter will prohibit doctored videos, photography and audio recordings “likely to cause harm.” Material that is manipulated, but isn’t necessarily harmful may get a warning label. And YouTube bans “deceptive uses of manipulated media” that could pose serious risk of harm.

By contrast, shallowfakes, cheapfakes or dumbfakes are videos that have been doctored using more basic techniques, such as slowing down or speeding up footage, or cutting it.

Examples include a doctored video posted by Britain’s Conservative Party before December’s UK election that made it seem like a Labour Party official was struggling to respond to a question about Brexit.

Because they’re easy and inexpensive to make, cheapfakes can be every bit as dangerous as their fancier cousin, the deepfake.

“Deepfakes are getting more realistic and easier to do,” said John Pavlik, a journalism professor at Rutgers University who studies how technology and the Internet are changing communication habits. “But you don’t have to have special software to make these simpler ones.”

Researchers who study Americans’ changing media habits recommend that people turn to a variety of sources and perspectives for their news, use critical thinking when evaluating information on social media and think twice about reposting viral claims.

Otherwise, they say, misinformation will continue to flow, and users will continue to spread it.

“The only solution,” Ferrara said, “is education.” ■

TOURISTS and culture buffs can now immerse themselves in the past of Intramuros via their mobile phones. Experience Philippines, an augmented-reality (AR) application available on iOS and Android, houses a treasure chest of visuals and information about the famed walled city of Manila.

This innovative tourism application is a joint project of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and iACADEMY, a school in Makati which offers specialized courses on computing, business and design. To download the free app, simply key in Experience Philippines on Google Play or the App Store.

The AR feature currently works only on the DOT logo and certain sites in Intramuros.

These include the Gallery of Presidents, the Fort Santiago Gate, the Ayuntamiento, the Manila Cathedral, San Agustin Church; and the Churches of Our Lady of Lourdes, of San Ignacio, of San Francisco and of Recollects.

To activate, simply tap on the “ARTech” button, and point at the tourist site.

“With the Experience Philippines app, tourists can relive the past of Intramuros city with just a tap on their mobile phone screens,” says Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat.

“We hope to be able to expand this cuttingedge technology to other tourist sites around the country with the help of iACADEMY.” Tourist sites that the DOT is eyeing for AR development include the Banaue Rice Terraces, Corregidor, Mount Samat, Puerto Princesa, Pampanga and Mount Pinatubo.

Intramuros Administration Administrator Atty. Guiller B. Asido believes the app will help attract more visitors to the city.

“Culture buffs will enjoy Intramuros more with this app as they will be able to see how Fort Santiago and other historical sites looked like before,” says Asido.

IACADEMY, meanwhile, says technology can be used to promote sustainable tourism. “We saw the opportunity to give back, and share our expertise on tech and design to provide cuttingedge materials that can help boost our tourism efforts,” says iACADEMY Chief Operating Officer Raquel Wong.

“Production of short films, and augmentedreality content, to showcase the Philippines not only makes it more accessible and experiential, but it’s also sustainable because it doesn’t require mass print production,” adds Wong.

The Experience Philippines app also serves as a compact version of the www.philippines.travel, which allows tourists to learn and explore their dream travel destinations online.

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

BusinessMirror

What 5G means for gamers TECHNIVORE ED UY

whereiseduy@gmail.com

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HEN Sibol, the Philippine national eSports team powered by Smart, won the gold medal for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, they not only made history for being the first gold medalists in the eSports debut, but they also proved that becoming a professional gamer is a career worth aspiring for. That more than the cash, the prizes or trophies, it served as a validation that they, too, deserve the same level of recognition just like any other athlete.

The success of team Sibol further sparked interest in eSports, and at the recently concluded NCR leg of the Smart Siklab Saya Mobile Legends Tournament, thousands of gamers gathered at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall and SM Skydome to try and make their own mark, and win the P1 million grand prize.

Siklab Saya is the biggest nationwide gathering and tournament for gamers and fans of MLBB, and it was also held in key cities, including Bacolod, Olongapo, and Tuguegarao.

The mobile services provider has always been a staunch supporter of Filipino gamers and even has its own team competing in The Nationals, the first and only franchise-based eSports league in the country.

With the deployment of 5G in more areas in the Philippines coming much sooner, Smart sees mobile gamers benefiting from this super high-speed mobile Internet connection.

Last week, athletes from The Nationals joined the country’s first 5G-powered eSports exhibition match held at the PLDT Headquarters in Makati City.

Using 5G handsets, such as the Huawei Mate 5G, OPPO Reno 5G and the ZTE Axion, athletes from PLDT-Smart Omega and Cignal Ultra Warriors battled it out on Mobile Legends using Smart’s 5G network.

PLDT Chief Revenue Officer, and Smart President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio said they have always been a staunch supporter of this growing industry, and part of this commitment is making the best of our technologies available for the advancement of eSports in the country.

During the SEA Games, Smart partnered with the Philippine national eSports team Sibol and offered incentives for gold medalists.

For Darren Vitug, commissioner of The Nationals, 5G is very promising and said the athletes would love the lower latency which would allow them to maximize their response times, and teams will benefit from other use cases like instant download of replays, and access of VODs for their reviews and strategy phases.

5G, or fifth-generation wireless broadband technology, has the capability to deliver extremely high speeds coupled with lower latency—two factors important in delivering an enhanced gaming

experience.

5G is super fast, maybe even 20 times faster than 4G, and gamers know the importance of low latency and how precious milliseconds could spell the difference between victory and defeat.

Lower latency delivered by Smart’s current 5G network will also be ideal for real-time AR/VR and game applications. Lag is one of the reasons that early ventures into virtual reality proved sickening for the player. Because of high speed and low latency, lots of the processing power can live in the cloud, freeing those headsets from cords, and allowing for an even better VR experience.

Of course, faster speeds can lead to even more growth in mobile gaming. A lot of mobile games are played while you are outside or on the move; with 5G, you don’t have to worry about playing online and dropping out of the game because of bad or slow connections. 5G SA has been described as “pure 5G” as it relies solely on 5G for data transmission and allows the full benefit of 5G capabilities to be tested and demonstrated. In contrast, 5G NSA (nonstandalone) combines the use of 5G and existing 4G/ LTE resources to transmit data.

Smart fired up the country’s first 5G base stations in Makati and Pampanga in 2018, transforming Makati City and Clark Freeport Zone into the country’s first Smart 5G Cities. Last year, Araneta City became the country’s first Smart 5G Lifestyle Hub and 5G-enabled shopping mall as it hosted the country’s first 5G indoor deployment. PLDT and Smart have also launched 5G at the Ateneo de Manila University, transforming it into the first Smart 5G campus.

Armed with both fixed and wireless infrastructure powered by the country’s most extensive fiber network (now over 307,000 kilometers), PLDT and Smart are best positioned to deploy 5G in the country.

In its ongoing LTE and LTE-Advanced roll-out, Smart is also deploying 5G-capable equipment and upgrading its network’s Core and Transport elements, including upgrading to fiber the backhaul connecting the network’s cell sites nationwide

SAMSUNG LAUNCHES S20 SERIES, GALAXY Z FLIP

IF there’s any indication that 5G adoption might be happening a lot sooner, it’s the commitment of smartphone companies in producing 5G-capable smartphones. Earlier this week, at their “Unpacked” event in San Francisco, Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy S20 series. The new devices boast of a new camera architecture capable of taking “pro-grade” photos and videos and, for the first time, Samsung is releasing a fully 5G lineup with all versions touting support for the emerging mobile technology. As of this writing, we are not sure which 5G variants will be available here in the Philippines.

This year, we get a trio of options, the base Galaxy S20, the S20+ and the S20 Ultra. Samsung says its decision to jump straight from the S10 to the S20 is meant to signal its shift to a new generation of devices as 5G becomes increasingly available—or maybe its just to match the year 2020?

Perfect for multi-hyphenates who juggle work and play—and everything in between—on their device, the Samsung S20 Series features both performance and an immersive display to let users switch from one productivity app to another, browse social-media

updates, and enjoy a much richer multimedia experience on the go.

The Galaxy S20 introduces an entirely new camera system—powered by AI and their biggest image sensor, yet—that brings out the best in every image and every moment. The S20 and S20+ have a 64MP camera, while the S20 Ultra—the most advanced in the series—offers a variety of perspectives in capturing precious moments on the fly with its powerful combination of cameras, including a 12MP Ultra Wide Lens, 108MP Wide Lens, 48MP Telephoto Lens and ToF Quad Camera with 100x Space Zoom at the back, and a 40MP front camera.

The S20 boasts of a Space Zoom technology that uses Hybrid Optic Zoom, which includes AI-powered digital zoom, up to 30X zoom on the Galaxy S20 and S20+, and an industry-first Super Resolution Zoom up to 100X on the S20 Ultra, with its revolutionary folded lenses. One interesting camera mode is Single Take, which captures a 10-second video of a particular moment and picks out the best frames, such as live focus, cropped, ultra wide, etc., and lets you choose the best one to save. As for videos, the Galaxy S20 can shoot in 8K, which you can later stream to your TV, if you have a Samsung QLED 8K TV, or upload it directly to YouTube.

The Galaxy S20 Series also debuts Quick Share, Samsung’s new feature similar to Apple’s Airdrop that allows users to send large files to each other.

Besides photography, the Galaxy S20, likewise, takes mobile gaming to the next level. With a 120Hz display, you’ll have the ability to experience incredibly smooth gaming. Combined with the fastest Exynos processor and 12GB of RAM, audio tuned by AKG, and a game booster working in the background to optimize settings for peak performance, the Galaxy S20 offers a powerful gaming experience.

Almost stealing the scene from the S20 is the sleek Galaxy Z Flip, the second foldable phone from Samsung. It features an ultrathin glass technology for its premium look and feel, and a revolutionary fold experience with its free-stop hinge, which allows users to conveniently take photos and videos hands-free. Moreover, it offers a fluid and immersive viewing experience with its 6.7” Dynamic AMOLED Infinity Flex-O Display, and gives users a seamless experience on their favorite apps while flipping from the cover to the main display.

Smart offers the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra at P3,199 per month with a one-time cash out of P15,020 for the device, and the Galaxy S20+ at P2,899 per month with a one-time cash out of P9,900 for the device. The Galaxy S20, which will be exclusively available to telco operators, goes for P2,699 per month with a one-time cash out of P9,700 for the device.

On the other hand, Smart offers the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip at P3,499 per month with a one-time cash out of P15,310 for the device.

These are all under the Signature Plan L, which comes with monthly 15GB data, unlimited texts to all networks, unlimited on-net calls, and 150 minutes of calls to all networks under a 24-month contract.

As a bonus, subscribers with approved preorders for Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Samsung Galaxy S20+ will get free Galaxy Buds Plus worth P6,990.

Moreover, Smart subscribers who are renewing their postpaid plans also enjoy discounts on their chosen plans. ■

Saturday, February 15, 2020 A12

Merkel allies resist full Huawei ban, sidelining hawks

BY PATRICK DONAHUE Bloomberg News GERMAN Chancellor Angela Merkel’s lawmakers moved to sideline hawks seeking to exclude Huawei Technologies Co. from next-generation wireless networks with a motion that stops short of a full ban of the Chinese equipment maker.

Legislators in Merkel’s Christian Democratic-led bloc on Tuesday backed a text with softer language than hardliners looking to ban Huawei outright from 5G networks had wanted. Merkel has warned against a blanket veto, saying Europe’s biggest economy can’t afford to shut out the Chinese and defying calls from US officials for Huawei to be excluded. Tuesday’s vote marks a victory over some hardliners in her bloc, though her faction must now forge an agreement with the Social Democrats, which have largely sided with the hawks. Ralph Brinkhaus, the group’s floor leader, has said a deal with the SPD could prove difficult.

Merkel has struggled to assert control of her China policy in a standoff that pits trade interests with China against security concerns raised by Washington and her own intelligence agencies.

The German leader’s efforts to prevent a Huawei ban had been slowed down by resistance in her own ranks, as well as from SPD members. They’ve echoed US warnings over Huawei’s ties to the Chinese Communist Party and the risk of state-sponsored espionage or sabotage—a charge the supplier has always denied.

Inside Merkel’s chancellery, senior officials believe that a ban on Huawei would be futile, since the Chinese could potentially infiltrate another supplier if they were determined to hack into 5G communications.

‘CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE’

THE UK and the European Union introduced policies last month that allow Huawei’s partial participation in next-generation wireless networks. Donald J. Trump responded by berating UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, having spent months trying to persuade the British government not to allow the Chinese company to take a role in 5G. The motion backed by Merkel’s bloc says 5G technology will be part of “critical infrastructure” and must be subject to the highest security standards.

But more specific language on barring components from state-controlled companies is absent, and it doesn’t single out China or Huawei. “The deployment of components by a vendor can be prohibited if it’s determined that they conflict with the broad public interest, in particular the security interests, of the Federal Republic of Germany,” according to a draft of the motion seen by Bloomberg News.

The language is far removed from a text floated by Bundestag lawmakers led by Norbert Roettgen, chairman of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee. Roettgen said in December that the government should have tools to block “untrustworthy” state-sponsored companies from 5G core and periphery networks, a clear reference to Huawei.

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Please inform DOLE NCR if you have any information on criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR