BusinessMirror November 07, 2019

FARM OUTPUT UP 2.87% IN Q3

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

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ESPITE the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) and low farm-gate prices, the agriculture sector’s output recovered in the third quarter as it rose by an annualized rate of 2.87 percent, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Farm production in the July-toSeptember period last year contracted by 0.87 percent. The PSA traced the turnaround in the performance of the farm sector during the period to the production increases posted by all subsectors—crops, livestock,

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Thursday, November 7, 2019 Vol. 15 No. 28

‘Infra trap’ seen behind weak PHL trade data

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By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE Philippines may already be caught in an “infrastructure trap” with low average capacity utilization in many government projects, according to economists.

This is already creeping into the country’s external trade, with both imports and exports posting contractions in September.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed exports contracted 2.6 percent,

the lowest since January 2019 and imports declined 10.5 percent, the lowest since April 2015.

“I think [this is already an] infrastructure trap. We need to move fast and finish many of these projects,” Ateneo Center for Eco-

nomic Research and Development (Acerd) Director Alvin P. Ang told the BusinessMirror.“Imports of capital goods likely slowed, so it’s possible that GDP growth will also be low when they announce it tomorrow [Thursday],” he added.

“Imports of capital goods likely slowed, so it’s possible that GDP growth will also be low when they announce it tomorrow [Thursday].”—Ang

Ang said the slowdown in both exports and imports reflect the weakness in the investment environment. This is the link to the country’s infrastructure push.

While average capacity utilization in the manufacturing sector was at 84.4 percent, based on the Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (Missi), Ang said it is only a reflection of the private sector’s factory output.

See “Infra trap,” A2

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See “IMF,” A8

PESO exchange rates n

percent year-on-year.

Economist Pablito M. Villegas said favorable weather played a big factor in the performance of the farm sector. The country, he noted, was not hit by devastating typhoons in the third quarter, a period when the Philippines is usually visited by typhoons.

Buoyed by corn Crop production, which accounted for 45.19 percent of total agricultural output in the third quarter, rose by 2.01 percent year-on-year despite the dismal performance of the rice industry.

See “Farm output,” A2

P25.00 nationwide | 6 sections 64 pages |

Unjust trade policy subverts ILO’s decent work program Rene E. Ofreneo

laborem exercens

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rade is a powerful instrument to promote commerce and growth of an economy. It is a key to the creation of more and better jobs.

However, trade policy, poorly formulated and haphazardly implemented, can cause economic havoc, perpetuate economic backwardness and even cause massive displacement in the labor market. This is why countries have been adamant in asserting their respective national interests in trade negotiations.

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Govt adds more PPPs to flagship projects list

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IMF extends borrowing agreement terms of PHL

HE Philippines is one of 40 countries which received a one-year extension on the terms of their bilateral borrowing agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In a statement on Wednesday, the IMF said it has extended the terms of the 2016 Borrowing Agreements between the IMF and 40 members, following approval by the IMF Executive Board and consents from all 40 creditors to a one-year extension of the terms of their respective agreements.

The Philippines, through the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), is a net creditor to the IMF with a bilateral agreement of $1 billion.

The agreement will be effective through end-2020.

The IMF said the extension of terms preserves the global monetary authority’s overall lending capacity of about $1 trillion for an additional year and is a prudent step to provide confidence to members.

The move also “markets that the fund continues to have adequate resources to meet the potential needs of the membership.”

According to the IMF’s statement, the extension is a part of a broader package of actions on IMF resources and governance reform— including support for maintaining

poultry and fisheries.

The output increase recorded in third quarter surpassed the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) target of 2 percent to 2.5 percent.

“This is a much better performance. We will continue to enhance the proper and sustained implementation of programs and projects of the DA to further elevate the growth of the agriculture sector,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said in a statement on Wednesday.

The recovery in the third quarter pulled up production figures in the January-to-September period as output posted an increase of 0.77

FEAST FOR THE WEARY There are Christmas lights and there are Christmas lights, but one of the most awaited are those that light up Makati’s central business district. On Tuesday (November 5) night, Ayala Land opened the annual display of Christmas street lights along Ayala Avenue, transforming the place into a picturesque wonderland for both weary office workers on their way home and people just whiling away traffic jams with a night stroll. NONIE REYES

Recto flags ‘Hulk’-like growth of UA items in budget

By Butch Fernandez

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@butchfBM

ENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto vowed Wednesday to scrutinize the remarkable growth of unprogrammed appropriations (UA) the past several years, as he revealed that the P4.1-trillion annual budget for 2020 submitted earlier by Malacañang for Congress approval actually adds up P4.316.3 trillion.

“The actual 2020 budget is P216 billion higher, but the unprogrammed part lacks details,” Recto said. “While every literature states that P4.1 trillion is the national budget for 2020, in reality, it is not.”

Recto asserted that the“real amount” is P4.316.3 trillion, or P216.3 billion higher than what is commonly stated.

“My point is that these particulars should be openly declared in the NEP [national expenditure program], and

not swept under innocuously worded headings,” the senator said.

“Because these involve large amounts, I would raise this issue during the plenary debates, so that whatever good they will bring will be conveyed to the public who will pay for them,” said Recto, former director general of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) and chairman formany years of the Senate’s Ways and Means panel.

See “Budget,” A2

HE Duterte administration is now open to public-private partnership ventures as its updated list of flagship projects include more PPPs, which were all greenlighted by the government on Wednesday.

The list of 100 infrastructure flagship projects (IFPs) was jointly approved by the Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee (ICC-CC) and the Committee on Infrastructure (Infracom) Cabinet Level.

The flagship projects are now expected to cost P4.2 trillion. Of the 100 projects, around 26 will be implemented through PPP, nearly triple the nine in the original list.

“PPP projects under the Duterte administration should promote public interest. In other words, PPP must be for the people,” Presidential Adviser for Flagship Programs and Projects Secretary Vince Dizon said.

“Unfortunately, PPP concession agreements executed in the past failed to promote public interest.”

Dizon said the government will not be tied to provisions such as automatic rate increases and commitments of noninterference.

He added that there will be no noncompete clauses in PPP contracts, which will strip the government of its ability to require concessionaires to improve services.

These concessionaires, Dizon said, have been detrimental to public interest. Under the Duterte administration, such disadvantageous provisions will not be allowed.

“The swift implementation of these flagship projects is paramount to us and this sentiment is shared by the Filipino people; and the government, with the help of

“PPP projects under the Duterte administration should promote public interest. In other words, PPP must be for the people.”—Dizon

the private sector and our partner international agencies, will deliver,” said Dizon.

Not final

However, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia said the list of 100 flagship projects is still being finalized and is not yet available to the public as of press time. “[The list is] not yet final. [We need to make] a few more refinements,” said Pernia.

Nonetheless, Dizon said the 100 flagship projects cover five categories, with Transport and Mobility as the top priority. The other four are Power, Water, Information and Communications Technology, and Urban Development and Renewal.

Included in the list are the Metro Manila Subway Project, North South Commuter Railway, Clark International Airport Expansion Project, Cebu Monorail System, Panay-Guimaras Negros Bridge, Samal Island-Davao City Connector Bridge, and the Mindanao Rail Project.

The list, however, is an “evolving list” as new projects of national and regional importance will be included later on, especially in Visayas and Mindanao.

See “PPPs,” A8

US 50.5430 n japan 0.4630 n UK 65.1449 n HK 6.4539 n CHINA 7.2145 n singapore 37.2023 n australia 34.8443 n EU 55.9612 n SAUDI arabia 13.4778

Source: BSP (6 November 2019 )

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BusinessMirror

A2 Thursday, November 7, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Electronics exports could hit $40B for 2019

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

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@alyasjah

XPORTS of electronic parts could hit an all-time high of $40 billion by the end of the year should it grow by over 3 percent in the fourth quarter, according to an industry leader.

Danilo C. Lachica, president of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc. (Seipi), said the electronics industry is maintaining its target of 2019 growth of from flat to 3 percent. However, if things go the way of electronic parts makers, then their shipments could reach a record high $40 billion by year-end.

“While it’s possible to exceed,

Leni. . .

Continued from A8

He said they expect Robredo to soon meet with Duterte to determine the former’s responsibilities and powers as the Icad cochairman, sharing that title with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Chief Aaron Aquino.

Reactions

Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara said he was “surprised” by Robredo’s “change of heart” since she had publicly indicated her reluctance to take on the job. “We wish her

Infra trap. . .

we maintain our maximum forecast of 3-percent [growth], which could take us up to $40 billion for the year,” Lachica told the BusinessMirror.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Wednesday reported ex ports in September slipped 2.64 percent to $5.89 billion, from $6.05 billion during the same month last year. This was the first time exports declined

well and hope she succeeds in helping solve the menace of drugs which destroys lives and communities. If she meets with success in her new role, it will be good for the country and the administration, which delegated the job to her.”

Sen. Panfilo Lacson praised Robredo “for accepting the daunting challenge,” adding that, “Nobody in this world cannot be incapable of accomplishing a task as long as he or she puts his or her mind and conscience into the job.”

In Lacson’s view, “experience counts but sincerity and mental honesty, not to mention the willingness to learn, should count more.”

Continued from A1

Based on data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), infrastructure disbursements in the January-to-September period contracted 4.3 percent.

As a result, imports of capital goods only grew 0.3 percent to $2.93 billion in September 2019 from $2.92 billion in September 2018.

Economists, such as University of Asia and the Pacific School of Economics Dean Cid Terosa and BPI Lead Economist Emilio S. Neri Jr. agreed and told this newspaper that slow infrastructure spending is a factor in the country’s lackluster external trade performance.

The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) said this is the reason the government needs to fast-track its infrastructure program.

“The government must sustain faster infrastructure spending in the fourth quarter to achieve the target disbursement performance for the year,” according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia. “The push for high impact and imple-mentable infrastructure projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program is expected to improve transport and logistics, which are crucial in supporting the growth of exports,” he added.

Pernia added that the timely passage of the proposed 2020 national budget is important to sustain the implementation of construction-related projects and activities.

Trade war

Meanwhile, the more obvious reason for the decline in both imports and exports was the US-China trade war, according to economists and Neda.

This is particularly evident in the 7.1-percent contraction in September electronic imports and nearly flat growth of only 0.1 percent in the January-to-September period.

In terms of exports, PSA data showed electronic products only grew 3.8 percent in September and 2.2 percent in the January-to-September period.

“This highly suggests that Philippine trade continues to be impacted by the protracted US-China trade conflict, and import performance, particularly, has not picked up yet with the government’s supposed spending catchup,” a UnionBank Economic Research note stated. Neda said the country’s export performance in September was dragged by the decline in manufactured goods and mineral products.

The oversight agency lamented that the positive performance in major markets, such as Japan, China, Korea and Hong Kong, failed to offset the slide in earnings from the US, Asean and the European Union.

In terms of imports, Neda said the decline was due to steep declines in raw materials and intermediate goods. This brings the three-month moving average growth rate of exports and imports for September 2019, to 0.6 percent and -7.8 percent, respectively.

Pernia said the trade tensions have escalated beyond tariffs as the US blacklisted certain companies and imposed visa restrictions on Chinese officials.

Widespread cost

The far-reaching and widespread cost of the trade war also finds its spotlight in the latest IMF World Economic Outlook, which estimates a near standstill in trade growth and a slowdown in growth in nearly 90 percent of the world.

“Despite the overall decline in export performance, our export trade to Korea posted double-digit growth rate for the third consecutive month and exports to Japan showed a significant turnaround from a decline in the previous period,” Pernia said. He added “These export bright spots will pave the way for the country’s trade recovery over the near term.”

Data from the PSA showed exports to Japan accounted for the highest value of $957.06 million, or a share of 16.2 percent to the total exports in September 2019.

Exports to this country grew by 19.1 percent, from $803.9 million in September 2018.

Other major export trading partners were US, $904.15 million; Hong Kong, $868.59 million; People’s Republic of China, $780.24 million; and Republic of Korea, $329.43 million.

China was the country’s biggest supplier of imported goods with 23.6-percent share of the total imports in September 2019. Import payments from that country amounted to $2.13 billion, from $1.95 billion in September 2018. Other major import trading partners were Japan, $831.88 million; the US, $643.50 million; Republic of Korea, $626.21; and Thailand, $621.31 million.

since March, and the steepest this year since the 6.72-percent drop in January.

Bucking this slowdown, electronic products, the country’s largest export item, improved nearly 4 percent to $3.59 billion, from $3.46 billion, PSA data showed.

After three quarters, shipments of electronic products rose 2.17 percent to $29.65 billion, from $29.02 billion in the same period last year. This put the electronics industry in a position to achieve its maximum growth target of 3 percent this year, which should boost its exports close to $40 billion in value.

This also plays well with the industry’s long-term objective of hitting $50 billion worth of exports by 2026, although Lachica said “incentives rationalization puts this at risk.”

Based on PSA records, exports last year grew flat to $69.3 billion, from $68.71 billion in 2017.

Lacson, a former National Police chief, said he is “ready and willing to humbly share whatever modest law enforcement experience I gained in my previous life.”

Robredo’s party-mate in the Liberal Party, Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, in a statement in Filipino said Robredo had made it clear that in accepting the task, “she will object to daily killings, she will make ninja cops liable, and will run after drug syndicates and those who allowed them to smuggle tons of shabu through the Bureau of Customs.”

He said the LP has discussed the offer at length, and while Robredo knows it may be a trap, “she has accepted the challenge” because

Farm output. . .

Continued from A1

Unhusked rice production fell 4.53 percent due to the substantial reduction in harvested area and insufficient water supply.

“This was attributed to the substantial reduction in harvested areas in Western Visayas and Soccsksargen due to insufficient water supply,” the PSA said in its latest report.

“The same reason was cited for decreases in harvested areas in Calabarzon, Mimaropa Region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Caraga,” it added.

In contrast, the PSA report noted that the corn industry recovered from its lackluster performance last year as output jumped by an annualized rate of 23.47 percent. Corn production rose to 2.723 million metric tons from the 2.205 MMT recorded last year.

The PSA attributed the increase in corn output to the expansion in harvest areas in some provinces and higher yield in key-producing regions.

Resilient livestock

PSA figures also showed that livestock output went up by 1.63 percent due to higher hog production, which expanded by 1.96 percent to 551,620 metric tons from last year’s 541,030 MT. “There were reports of increases in slaughtering activities and early disposals of stocks in Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa region and Zamboanga Peninsula due to the fear of being affected by African swine fever [ASF],” the report read.

“Higher average liveweight of hogs disposed of in Calabarzon, Western Visayas and Central Visayas was also cited. In addition, there was higher demand for pork in Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen and Caraga during the reference quarter,” it added.

ASF also spurred the production of chicken meat

SOT tack. . .

Continued from A8

“The moment it is incorporated in the law, then the Department of Labor and Employment will be in a better position to regulate the practice,” Patron said.

Patron, however, said they opposed the provision of the DOLE draft, which, he said, limits management prerogative in contracting out jobs.

He noted this was also the same reason cited by President Duterte when he vetoed the SOT bill of the 17th Congress.

DOLE proposed the “performance or completion of a specific job, work, or service may be contracted out except for core business activities or function unless in cases of seasonal or project-work arrangement.”

Nonnegotiable

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP)

“It’s disappointing that the electronics sector, while [its exports is] up 2 percent, is not pumping the usual expected figures. We were expecting for it to grow at least 3 percent by this time. Its underperformance is a big blow to our export performance.”—Ortiz-Luis

Accounting for over 55 percent of this, shipments of electronic parts increased about 5 percent to $38.32 billion, from $36.53 billion.

However, instead of raising the industry’s ceiling, Seipi opted to set a target of flat to 3-percent growth this year, as manufacturers junked their expansion plans—which would have improved their operations—amid uncertainty over the government’s move to rationalize fiscal incentives.

The Seipi is one of several industry groups opposing the pas-

the welfare of the poor who become victims of the bloody drug war weighs on her.

For her part, Sen. Risa Hontiveros said that “despite the observation of many that she is being set up to fail, the Vice President’s decision is extremely laudable.

It demonstrates her readiness to lead and sacrifice for the people and provide better solutions to the country’s drug problem.”

If Robredo “is provided all the necessary powers and resources, and given the full liberty to implement a public health approach coupled with a rights-based law enforcement strategy, she can do a much better job in responding to the drug problem,”Hontiveros added. With Butch Fernandez

and eggs. Output of the poultry subsector, which accounted for 19.44 percent of total farm production, expanded by 8.41 percent year-on- year.

Chicken production grew 8.48 percent to 465,150 MT due to higher demand for broiler chicken in Central Luzon and Calabarzon as poultry served as substitute for pork due to the ASF scare.

The PSA said the production of chicken eggs expanded by 8.84 percent to 145,540 MT from 133,720 MT due to better egg laying efficiency in commercial layer farms. In a notification to the World Organisation for Animal Health, Manila said the outbreak of ASF in Luzon started in July.

Falling prices

Villegas warned, meanwhile, that that the decline in the farm-gate prices of unhusked rice and copra could discourage farmers from planting.

He said the government should be more aggressive in addressing the drop in palay prices, which he said is no longer a “food security”issue but a “national security concern.”

“If prevailing farm-gate prices continue to decline, farmers may move out of their farms and may opt to plant other profitable crops or sell their lands,”Villegas said.

“The price signals are not positive enough so that farmers will invest and put money in their lands. This is coupled by the serious erosion of labor which makes cost of labor more expensive for the farmers,” he told the BusinessMirror.

“The rice farmers in marginal areas would just be growing rice for their own use but naturally, they would shift to other crops that are more profitable than rice,” Villegas added. The average farm-gate price of palay in the third quarter declined by 26.49 percent to P16.11 per kilogram from last year’s P21.92 per kg.

Villegas also said the government should immediately address the plight of coconut farmers who have been suffering for two years due to low copra prices.

Vice President Louie Corral rejected Patron’s twin-bill proposal, stressing both provisions of the SOT bill should be passed together for the proposed law to be effective.

“Management prerogative should be regulated the same way the right to security of tenure is subject to regulation,” Corral said.

“What they want is unfettered management prerogative and that is not acceptable in any decent society,” he added.

The labor leader also belied Patron’s claim that the current SOT bill is disadvantageous for employers.

Corral stressed the determination of the jobs that can be contracted out will be through the National Tripartite Industrial Peace Council, where both management and labor are represented.

“This will provide a soft landing already to employers. The rollout [of the contractualization] protocol will be gradual through the tripartite discussion. This will not be forced,” Corral said.

Samuel Medenilla

sage of the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act bill. The Citira bill will cut corporate income tax to 20 percent by 2029, from 30 percent at present, but will overhaul the set of incentives granted to firms operating in economic zones in exchange.

When passed into law, the measure will lift incentives that investors find crucial in keeping their operations here, including the 5percent tax on gross income earned paid in lieu of all local and national taxes.

Economic zone firms, mostly multinationals, warned they will pack up business here and relocate to another Southeast Asian country if their tax perks are removed from them. The Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines estimated more than 700,000 jobs will be lost as a consequence of this looming capital flight—a figure that Department of Finance officials have cast doubt on and would want them to validate.

Well below expectations

Meanwhile, for Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr., president of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc., the electronics industry’s performance in September may be positive, but it is well below what is expected of it as the country’s leading exporter.

In a phone interview, Ortiz-Luis argued that exports of electronic parts should be growing at least 3 percent by now in the buildup toward the Christmas season, when demand for consumer items is at its highest. As such, he attributed the exports slowdown in September to the supposed underperformance of electronic parts makers.

“It’s disappointing that the electronics sector, while [its exports is] up 2 percent, is not pumping the usual expected figures. We were expecting for it to grow at least 3 percent by this time. Its underperformance is a big blow to our export performance,” Ortiz-Luis said.

BI resumes stamping on Chinese passports with nine-dash line

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FTER seven years, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) will resume the stamping of Philippine visas on the regular e-passports of nationals from the People’s Republic of China (PROC) which bear the nine-dash-line map, but officials explained this was mainly on account of “security concerns” because the separate sheets of paper issued by officials were easily lost.

The BI had stopped the practice of stamping visas directly on Chinese passports in 2012 amid the heightened tension between the two countries over the standoff at Scarborough Shoal and other issues in the South China Sea (SCS).

China had used the nine-dashline map to illustrate its claim over 90 percent of the SCS, but in 2016, a UN arbitral panel ruled the nine-dash line without legal basis. Beijing has never accepted the jurisdiction of the international court over the case that Manila fled against it.

When the tensions got heated in 2012, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) decided to place Philippine visas of Chinese nationals on a separate

Budget. . .

Continued from A1

After reviewing the budget documents submitted for Congress consideration and approval, Recto reported that the P216.3 billion represents the so-called unprogrammed appropriations (UA). While the release of funds from this is governed by several “triggers,” the authority to spend it comes with the passage of the national budget, he added.

“Thus, P4.316 trillion is the implied ceiling of the proposed 2020 budget,” the Senate President Pro Tempore said, adding: “Once the latter becomes law, it confers standby authority to the executive to spend it, provided conditions are met.”

He raised the alarm over the “barely discussed” manner by which the UA portion of the budget bill has grown, in a manner so fast he said it could “have been on steroids.”

Recto recalled that in just two years, the UA has“grown in Incredible Hulk-like proportions and speed,” and trotted out the data: in 2016, the UA was P67.5 billion; it was the same amount in 2017.

“Then it nudged a bit to P75.3 billion in 2018. But 2019 saw it ballooning to P197.1 billion.”

According to Recto’s computation, “the hyperinflation continues next year with a UA amount of P216.3 billion.”

He explained that the national budget can be broken down into two: the socalled programmed part (P4.1 trillion), and the unprogrammed (P216.3 billion). The former, he added, can be defined as funded appropriations, while the latter is conditioned on the availability of funds.

The senator also noted that under the fine print of the national budget, any amount in the UA can only be released if revenue collections exceed target, new sources of revenue are created, or when foreign loans or grants or borrowings are received. “It can be likened to a parking mall of vehicles, each with a trip ticket to proceed but

sheet of paper.

However, in a memorandum issued

by BI Commissioner Jaime Morente, immigration officers in various ports have been given the go-ahead to affix their stamps adjacent to the Philippine visa of a regular e-passport presented by a PROC passenger.

M orente explained that the change in policy was in compliance with the DFA’s recently issued foreign service circular instructing its Philippine consular officers to affix the Philippine visa on the pages of Chinese passports where the nine-dash-line map is drawn.

The agency, according to Morente, adjusted its own procedures in support of the change in policy of the DFA. Morente said the previous practice of stamping on a separate sheet of paper raises security problems as these sheets are easily lost and misplaced by holders.

“We support this policy update of the DFA. In the past, we have also expressed security concerns over the old practice because sheets of papers can easily be lost,” he added. Joel R. San Juan

all waiting for fuel to arrive,” he said.

Recto acknowledged concerns that the UA is “also plagued by lack of transparency,”adding that “it is not your ideal itemized section of the budget. Rather, large amounts are placed in generic boxes whose specifics lack elaboration.”

As example, he pointed to the biggest item in the UA—the P90.4 billion for “Support to Foreign-Assisted Projects.” It is bigger, he said, than the DOH agency budget for 2020. [For whatever this is, it wasn’t detailed in the] National Expenditure Program [NEP].” He likened it to a “check with an amount stated, but no particulars.”

The next biggest UA item is the P61.9 billion in so-called Budgetary Support to GOCCs. The third is the P30 billion for the Risk Management Program. “Here, at last, is a UA item with its purpose painted in broad but economical strokes. It is reserved for government commitments and agreements related to PPP projects, the names of which are, again, not specified.”

He, however, was quick to clarify that “it will be wrong to say that all projects under UA are devoid of merit” because, “in fact, some are good,” like the P5.4 billion for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program, the P5 billion for the Bangsamoro Normalization Program and the P5 billion for AFP Modernization.

Recto also listed the P2.4 billion for the National ID Project.

There is, however, an item for P1.2 billion to repay local government units and another P2 billion to pay the “previous IT contractor” of the Land Transportation Office.

At the same time, Recto reported that “we were able to pry from the executive the projects to be funded by the mega P90.3-billion projects to be funded by foreign debt, and the P61.8 billion for select GOCCs, including the two big ticket items: P40.6 billion for the NFA where previous payments made by the government for its loans will be converted into subsidy; and five rail projects worth P75. 8 billion.

News BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Pentagon official tells PHL: Stick to US-made weapons

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ASHINGTON, D.C.—Although the Philippines is free to choose which country to source its military hardware and armaments, the Pentagon has expressed hope that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will continue using US-made military equipment for interoperability and ease of use.

US Department of Defense Spokesman David Eastburn issued the statement at the Pentagon briefing room before Filipino journalists after he was asked to comment on the Philippines’s plan to purchase Russian Mi-17 helicopters.

“We’re not gonna obviously dictate to a sovereign nation, their ability to work with purchase of equipment from foreign countries. What I would say is obviously we have a deep history with the Philippines and we do a lot of interoperability, training, a lot of engagements, exercises with our Philippine counterparts, and it’s easier to do it when we use the same equipment,” Eastburn said.

He stressed that military training between Filipino and American troops would be “easier” if both sides use the same equipment.

The Philippines’s Department of

National Defense earlier expressed interest to buy 16 Russian-made Mi17 helicopters worth P12.7 billion as part of the AFP modernization thrust and to boost the capabilities of the Philippine Air Force.

The mode of procurement for the “16 + 1” helicopters is being packaged to be a government-to-government deal.

The United States, a treaty ally for the last 68 years, is the country’s biggest supplier of military hardware and arms.

The 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty calls on the US military to come to the Philippines’s aid in the event of an armed attack. Both sides also conduct annual military drills.

“I will say we always encourage our partner and treaty allies to continue to use the equipment that we use because if the time comes when we need to fight alongside each other, it’s always a lot easier when we’re using the same equipment,” Eastburn said.

President Duterte sought for closer engagements with China and Russia, and vowed to realign the country’s foreign policy by befriending America’s two rivals, while cutting back on military engagements with the US. Recto Mercene

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Thursday, November 7, 2019 A3

Troops slay 3 suicide bombers at military checkpoint in Sulu

By Rene Acosta

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@reneacostaBM

HE military killed on Tuesday afternoon three suspected suicide bombers—two of them an Egyptian and his teenage son—as the government intensified its manhunt against suicide bombers in Sulu, which President Duterte wanted cleared of terrorists by the end of the year.

Officials did not say whether the three, who were flagged down at a military checkpoint but reportedly chose to fight it out, are members of the Islamic State, whose leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was recently killed in a daring raid by US Special Forces in northwestern Syria.

A news statement issued by Lt. Col. Gerald Monfort, spokesman of the military’s Joint Task Force Sulu, said that the suspects, a local Moro and the father-and-son team with Egyptian nationality, were neutralized at around 4:50 p.m. on Tuesday by soldiers who were manning a checkpoint at Sitio Itawon, Barangay Kan Islam, Indanan, Sulu.

“The terrorists, composed of two

foreign terrorists and one local ASG [Abu Sayyaf Group] member, were about to carry out their suicide bombing mission in Metro Jolo when they were neutralized by AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] during the implementation of a military operation intended to apprehend foreign terrorists in Sulu,” Monfort said.

“Accordingly, the terrorists fired at the apprehending AFP personnel from the 41st Infantry Battalion and 1102nd Infantry Brigade when they were flagged down along the national road in Indanan, Sulu. The incident prompted the government forces to fire back which caused the instantaneous death of the three terrorists,” he added.

According to Monfort, the two Egyptians were allegedly the husband and son of the woman suicide bomber, who attacked a military outpost in the village of Tagbak in Indanan, Sulu, on September 8, 2019. The woman, a foreigner, who was wearing a black abaya, was killed by soldiers before she could breach through the gate of the outpost.

AFP Western Mindanao Command Commander Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana

said the relationship of the two foreigners with the woman suicide bomber had not been ascertained yet, although he confirmed that the father and son were Egyptians.

“Father and son. But as to their relations to the female suicide bomber, it was not yet validated,” he said.

Sobejana initially identified the Egyptian father as Abduramil, while son’s name was Abdurahman.

“We are checking their last name,” he said, adding the father was about 40- to 50-year-old, while the son was about 18 years old.

Sobejana said the killing of the three suicide bombers was a result of a case buildup by the military in Sulu following reports of a planned suicide bombing in the province, which led to the putting up of a checkpoint.

“Three suspected individuals, coming from Maimbung [Sulu] onboard a motorcycle, were sighted and within the range, fired on the troops. An exchange of fire erupted and ended in a running gun battle that lasted for five minutes,” he said.

Monfort’s statement said that sol-

diers recovered from the three were a .45 caliber pistol with ammunition, a hand grenade, and two vests with explosives and triggering devices that were identical to the vest that was used by the suicide bomber during the attack of the military outpost in Tagbak.

It also resembled the bomb that was used by Filipino suicide bomber Norman Lasuca during his attack of the camp of the Army’s 1st Infantry Battalion in the village of Kajatian, still in Indanan on June 28.

Col. Ignatius Patrimonio, commander of 1102nd Infantry Brigade, said the planned suicide bombing in Sulu by the Egyptians and the ASG member “could have caused tremendous casualties and could have tarnished the image of this country, if not immediately acted upon by our soldiers.”

Sobejana believed that the dead foreign suicide bombers were terrorists that form part of the ASG subgroup under Hatib Sawadjaan and it can be a retribution to the recent neutralization al-Baghdadi in Syria.

A4

Thursday, November 7, 2019

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BusinessMirror Thursday, November 7, 2019 A5

DOLE braces for jobless count spike in Mindanao after quakes

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

T

HE Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Wednesday said it is now keeping a close eye on the possible increase of jobless workers in Mindanao after it was devastated by strong earthquakes last month.

In an interview, Labor Assistant Secretary Benjo M. Benavidez told the BusinessMirror they are anticipating a rise in permanently displaced workers in Mindanao following the strong tremors that left many buildings in Mindanao severely damaged.

“There is a possibility some workers will permanently lose their jobs, especially after inspection of their workplace reveal it is no longer fit for occupancy,” Benavidez said.

He said DOLE’s labor inspectors are now coordinating with local government units and other government agencies to check the structural integrity of workplaces affected by the earthquakes.

“The operations of the offices will remain suspended until they are inspected...we don’t want work to resume in a building only for it to collapse later,” Benavidez said.

“We hope to complete this as soon as possible,” he added.

Last week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported at least 2,704 infrastructures were damaged in five regions in Mindanao due to the strong successive earthquakes on October 16, 29 and 31.

Field reports

AS of Wednesday, Bureau of Local Employment Director Dominique R. Tutay said they are still waiting for reports of any retrenched worker because of the earthquake.

Trade Union Congress of the Philippines President Raymond Mendoza said they already identified at least 1,545 of their members alone, who were displaced because of the earthquakes in Mindanao.

“But we have yet to determine if they are displaced permanently or only temporarily,” Mendoza told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

He said they already mobilized their members to extend aid to the affected members.

Continuous operation

FOR his part, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Chairman George T. Barcelon said

College bond fund bill for poor up for House plenary approval

By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

T

HE House Committee on Higher Education has endorsed for plenary approval a measure mandating the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) to issue an “Educational Bond Fund.”

House Bill 1219, or the Universal Capital for Higher Education, authored by Bicol Rep. Joey S. Salceda seeks to ensure that all Filipinos shall have the minimum amount resources to pursue higher education once they are about to reach college.

The measure mandates BTr to issue a corresponding number of treasury bonds with par value of P25,000 each and maturity term of up to 18 years on behalf of and for the account of all newborns to poor mothers.

“Out of 1.7 million babies born per year, we estimate about 383,000 are born to poor families. This amounts to about P10 billion per year,” said Salceda.

The lawmaker said the primary objective of the bill is to put up a mechanism for the issuance of government securities, or treasury bonds, that would guarantee future funds for the college education of underprivileged Filipino youth and equalize opportunities for their advancement.

It will operate like a layaway plan, which would dedicate the proceeds to one future need—college education.

Salceda said the bill guarantees the poor the right to an access to higher education at birth and insulates them from the va-

garies of politics and economic uncertainties.

Under the bill, all proceeds of the bond shall be pooled and invested in government securities whose income is accumulated and held in trust by the National Treasurer in a fund called “Educational Bond Fund” which will then be unlocked once the child enters college provided their families are still poor based on Department of Social Welfare and Development assessment.

Accord ing to Sa lced a, t he P25,000 initial fund must have already accumulated to P150,000 within over 18 years.

“It will be divided into four equal releases to the beneficiary, which he can use to support school expenditures and other costs of tertiary education, or any part or portion thereof. Release of the amount to the beneficiary shall be subject to conditions,” he added.

Meanwhile, Salceda said the measure will not impact the deficit until the 18th year and is spread over four years.

“In the short term, it will merely add P10 billion to debt load every year which can easily be accommodate by the 42 percent NG [national government] debt-to-GDP [grosss domestic product] ratio which is the lowest in the region,” he added.

Salceda said education is seen as a leveling factor that will help students compete for better jobs and better salaries.

However, the lawmaker, citing the Philippine Statistics Authority’s 2017 Annual Poverty Indicators Survey (APIS), said the percentage of dropouts remains high.

they have yet to get any report from their members, who were forced to retrench their employees due to the earthquakes.

“Our members are reporting effects in their communities but not so much on their business,” Barcelon said in a phone interview.

“So we are now soliciting funds among PCCI [member-companies] to send through our Davao chamber,” he added.

Barcelon attributed the continuous operations of their members firms, which are mostly micro, small, and medium enterprises, in quake-stricken Mindanao to the availability of power and undamaged roads there.

“The main roads in the affected areas suffered no significant damage [from the tremors]. [But] this was not the case logistics of businesses there would have really suffered,” Barcelon said.

He, however, shared DOLE’s view that some companies with heavily damaged offices, would have to shut down, at the moment at least.

“There are some offices, particularly the old ones, which were damaged and will no longer be safe to work in. These must be demolished causing displacement,” Barcelon said.

Japan pledges assistance in crafting of Subic devt master plan

By Jove Moya

@BMJoveMoya

T

HE Philippines has welcomed the Japanese government’s commitment to prov ide technical assistance for crafting a development master plan for the Subic Bay Freeport and its surrounding areas.

In a news statement issued on Wednesday, the Department of Finance (DOF) said that Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe conveyed the country’s commitment to President Duterte during their bilateral meeting on Monday at the sidelines of the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and Related Summits in Bangkok, Thailand. “ T he t wo leaders affir med that the Japanese assistance is a testament to the deepening strategic partnership between Japan and the Philippines,” the DOF said.

According to the DOF, the proposed master plan will outline possible projects in Subic Bay and its surrounding areas in the fields of road network development, logistics terminal development, disaster risk management and other public utilities development.

As of this post, Japan remains to be the No. 1 provider of Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans and grants to the Philippines, totaling $8.26 billion, or 46-percent share of the country’s total ODA loan portfolio.

CDC and CDA ink pact for co-op project in Clark

C

LARK Development Corp.

(CDC) recently inked a memorandum of agreement with the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) for the launching of a cooperative program for employees in this free port.

During the event held at the Clark Skills and Training Center, CDC President Noel F. Manankil and CDA Executive Director Ray E. Elevazo signed the said MOA for the provision of the cooperative program for employees here.

Manankil said that the creation of a cooperative will encourage locators to help workers stretch their salaries once a commissary is built within the free port.

“We [are] committed sa CDC, kung mayroon ng good number ng cooperatives then we can federate the cooperatives. I hope we can count on your support,” Manankil said referring to the members of various cooperatives present during the signing of agreement here.

CDC employees have established its own cooperative, ACCES MultiPurpose Cooperative, in 2005.

The cooperative program with a theme “Kooperatiba: Kaagapay sa Kabuhayan ng Manggagawa” aims to provide better working conditions for employees in entire free port.

Pampanga Vice Gov. Lilia “Nanay” Pineda and Mabalacat City Mayor Cris Garbo’s representative, Frank Madlangbayan are also present during the said event.

A6 Thursday, November 7, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

editorial

It’s time to act

A

6.5-MAGNITUDE earthquake rocked Central and Eastern Mindanao on October 31, leaving a trail of destruction never before seen in the region, particularly in Cotabato City, Kidapawan City and other hard-hit areas in Davao del Sur. Two days later, a stronger 6.6-magnitude temblor jolted the same areas. The calamity left 22 people dead and hundreds injured. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, a total of 35,661 families or 178,305 persons in the Soccsksargen and Davao regions were affected.

As hotels, condominiums, and other buildings collapsed following aftershocks that hit the region, some quarters used social media to air suspicions that substandard materials were used in building weak infrastructure. They said authorities should do something to stop contractors from using substandard steel bars. Others recalled that the collapse of a supermarket in Pampanga on April 22 following a 6.1-magnitude earthquake was blamed on the use of substandard steel.

Earlier, Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza said he will ask the House of Representatives to look into alleged collusion of government agencies and local steelmakers in passing substandard steel bars being used in constructing high-rise buildings. He believes that local steelmakers are not violating laws related to manufacturing steel products, but when they stretch the law by colluding with government agencies to have a grade 40 steel bar passed as grade 60, that is what worries him. “I am particularly alarmed by the lack of proper testing and labeling of steel rebars [reinforced steel bars]. We should not wait for the ‘Big One’ to strike before we act to save thousands of lives,” Atienza said. (See, “Substandard steel bars pose big risk in disaster-prone PHL,” in the BusinessMirror, July 29, 2019).

In the wake of the Mindanao earthquakes that flattened infrastructure and other properties in affected areas, a group of legislators are pushing for an inquiry on the smuggling and proliferation of substandard steel products. They want to go to the bottom of the alleged collusion between large steelmakers and officials of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Bureau of Customs in bringing in substandard steel products.

The lawmakers said they want to know why big steelmakers shifted to using quenched-tempered steel bars instead of micro-alloyed bars without informing the general public and the developers. They also want to know why the Department of Trade and Industry allowed this? QT bars, they said, are now banned in China, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand, Canada and the US. In China, the changes in the rebar regulations were triggered by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake that killed more than 69,000 people and injured 374,176.

The good news is that the Bureau of Customs has started auditing big steel companies as it cracked down on undervalued steel importations amid reports of poor quality steel products being smuggled. On the other hand, the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission reportedly found sufficient evidence to pin down those behind the alleged technical smuggling of billions worth of steel bars.

As the recent Mindanao calamity has shown, earthquakes are a powerful reminder of the intensity of nature’s forces. In a matter of seconds, temblors can topple buildings and kill people. For concerned government agencies, it’s time to act to protect people’s lives. A good start is to punish steel smugglers and tighten procedures to ensure that steel products in the market meet standards.

Why asset ‘bubbles’ burst…and don’t burst John Mangun

OUTSIDE THE BOX

O

N its maiden voyage the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912. Of the estimated 2,224 passengers and crew, more than 1,500 died.

The ship was sailing farther north at a higher speed than would have been “normal” maybe to break the trans-Atlantic speed record. Warnings from other vessels of icebergs in the area may have been ignored. The ship only carried enough lifeboats to accommodate about half the people on board.

Substandard rivets joining the ship’s plates may have been used in the welding process. The Titanic had a “double bottom” but not a double hull that is common today. Had the water-tight compartments been extended the length of the ship, the hull breech might have been contained.

But all of that is the “how” of the

sinking, not the “why.” The reason the Titanic went down was because the ship was “unsinkable.”

Years before the actual voyage, Titanic Captain EJ Smith—who went down with his ship—said “I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.”

One British newspaper on the day the Titanic left on its voyage wrote, “Thus undemonstratively was born this the most marvelous creature yet conceived by the art of naval architecture and the science of marine engineering.”

An apocryphal story sums the situation up nicely. An unknown

Managing violence

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Cecilio T. Arillo

DATABASE

M

ANAGING violence must be made an indispensable strategy because the country today remains seriously riven by three types of pervasive threats.

These threats are illegal drugs and other serious crimes, the Moro separatists and the insurgents of the communist New People’s Army (NPA), who are separately stalking our regions in Mindanao and the provinces in Luzon and Visayas, oftentimes staging ambuscades, political assassinations, banditry, kidnappings, revolutionary taxation and predatory raids on local communities.

Worse, these threats have made the military and police organizations inordinately very large, expensive and indispensable to the orderly conduct of public affairs.

In normal times, for instance, the military is a sword kept in the scabbard in preparation for external enemies; now, it is a sword perpetually unsheathed because of real and formidable challenges to public safety.

Apart from the foregoing, many external factors in the military and police organizations have also contributed to cynicism and disenchantment, such as the inability of the civilian government to provide the armed services with a clearly defined tactical and strategic anti-insurgency plan.

For instance, is it the primary mission of the military and police organizations to find and kill Moro and NPA terrorists? To attack and dismantle

their political, social and economic structure? To provide security to threatened areas? Or all of these?

The truth is that the military and police organizations are still stuck to the Vietnam-body count syndrome that is quite misleading because what is merely reported in the media is the number of terrorists killed, wounded, captured or surrendered.

What is not reported is that the terrorists produce more recruits faster than the military and the police could attrite them. This is so, because for the separatist and leftist terrorists, the most important battlefield is not the military one but the political, social and economic fronts where they built their foundation and have made tremendous gains over the past five decades.

This is validated by the presence of more than 100 front insurgent organizations with headquarters in Utrecht, the Netherlands, a network in other countries similar to Bin Laden’s alQeada, and many of their members are already sharing power with the government after having successfully infiltrated Malacañang, Congress, labor, church, media, schools and universities, and other sectors of the society.

As the late Sen. and Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople once said, many of them supported then-Vice President

Titanic crew member is reported to have said to passenger Mrs. Sylvia Caldwell, “God Himself could not sink this ship!”

I spent three months in the late 1970s reading the New York Daily Newspapers to understand the stock market crash of October 1929. I wanted to see if there was any clue, any comment that could have foretold the future. There was not. Everything seemed normal. It was not.

And like Captain Smith, Yale economist Irving Fisher said nine days before the crash, “Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.” But like all good economists, Fisher did not go down with the ship. He wrote books and became a strong advocate of vegetarianism and alcohol prohibition.

In July 2005, the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers and future Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said, “We’ve never had a decline in house prices on a nationwide basis.” Two months before Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac collapsed he predicted that “they will make it through the storm.” And on August 2, 2010, “The financial crisis appears to be mostly behind us, and

the economy seems to have stabilized and is expanding again.”

Ships sink and asset bubbles burst when “everybody” thinks that they cannot.

You and I make “life and death” decisions nearly every day. I have lived almost 25,000 of those days, and never once did I stop my car on a railroad track with an oncoming train or make a wrong turn into Manila Bay. When you know the risks, you can adjust and prepare for them.

The point is that regardless of all the “facts” that prove the sovereign debt, stock, real estate, commodity (take your choice) markets are in “bubbles” and ready to break, bubbles do not burst when the risk is recognized as it is now.

Further, the coming economic problems are not about economics.

The government elite in the West ignored the political chaos of the past four years. They will reap the economic chaos in the next four years.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the Edsa 2 power grab. “Thus, they claimed the right to give advice to President Arroyo as members of her political alliance.”

Some of the American observers who secretly visited the country were wondering why Arroyo in her time excluded the leftists as targets in her 14-point anti-terrorism agenda she submitted to the Senate and the House when, on record, they killed more Americans than the Abu Sayyaf and MILF combined in the past.

Subsequently, Arroyo also issued 100 safe-conduct passes to top members of the leftist organization and declared a unilateral cease-fire that hampered on going military operations and further exposed the country to security risk. The job to eradicate the root causes of insurgency belongs to the civilian authority, but it often received only lip service from the policy-makers although they are at the frontlines of the guerrilla war in the countryside, as well as in the urban centers.

Because the functions and responsibilities of the police and military are not clearly defined and prioritized, there is no agreed means by which the people can gauge the military’s overall capabilities and performance.

Some years ago, former AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Diomedio Villanueva promised that the military would be able to settle the Abu Sayyaf problem before the end of November 2001. Before this, President Arroyo bragged that “isang bala lang kayo” (Abu Sayyaf).

Clearly, those who anticipated spectacular battlefield victories are not familiar with the way the enemies operate, and will undoubtedly be disappointed at the outcome of the war.

The classic guerrilla tactic the enemies employ and their extensive support structure from the population make them an elusive and difficult target even for an armed forces not suffering

f rom a ser ious leadership and structural problems.

Because for the insurgents, the military is not the most important battlefield but the political, social and economic fronts where the causes of rebellion are rooted.

This is so because insurgency and separatism have two fronts: the guerrilla wars between the NPAs and the military, on one hand, and the military and the separatists, on the other. The military and police forces are stuck to the body-count syndrome—how many were killed, wounded, captured and surrendered—and this is the most visible front to the public because of the daily news reporting of armed encounters and battlefield casualties.

The other is the political, social and economic front where the communists and separatists built their foundation and have made tremendous gains over the years. And in our supposedly democratic politics, partisans of the Administration and the Opposition cannot make contact without heaping insults at each other.

This is aggravated by many politicians who looked at soldiers and policemen being just “security guards” without realizing that they are guards who are putting their lives on the line, and many of them are dying without the proper support and direction.

In short, the crisis is a political one, in which the military and the police are only one factor among so many.

In military science or in the management of violence, the task of the military and the police are many times more complex and expensive because there is so much violence to manage.

Indeed, the military and police here are involved in nearly every problem of violence that occurs today.

E-mail me at mangun@gmail.com. Visit my web site at www.mangunonmarkets.com. Follow me on Twitter @mangunonmarkets. PSE stockmarket information and technical analysis tools provided by the COL Financial Group Inc.

To reach the writer, e-mail cecilio.arillo@ gmail.com.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Opinion

Lending trap

Life hereafter

BusinessMirror

Msgr. Sabino A. Vengco Jr.

Val A. Villanueva

BUSINESSWISE

ALÁLAONG BAGÁ

T may not be an exaggeration to say that probably more than half of the Philippine population today is languishing in debt.

The debt cycle in paying off credit-card bills, monthly car or home amortization, cash lifeline for maintaining small businesses, among others, would probably remain unpaid until the very last of a borrower’s breath.

ESUS finally reached Jerusalem after a long pedagogical journey that we have been following for many Sundays now in our liturgy of the Word, even as our liturgical year is also nearing its end. Significantly, Jesus spoke about the resurrection of the dead at the very place where He knew He was to die (Luke 20:27-38).

I

J

Sadducees: No afterlife Being mired in debt, most especially if you’re in the middle to the bottom end of the wealth hierarchy, could be an ugly caricature of how people grasp at straws just to make it to the next day.

To the lenders, it is just another day at the office, their eyes probably glued on their respective computer screens, counting how much money they earn from their atrocious interest charges.

It’s a pit that is difficult to escape from, unless you stumble upon a pot of gold, or miraculously win big at any numbers game—jueteng and other forms of gambling—that continue to flourish in our country.

Lack of funds forces some people to gamble on the future. Small wonder then why there are people who would resort to day-dreaming of a good life with the aid of mind-bending narcotics, bought with, you guess it, borrowed or stolen funds.

Are we financially better off now than we were years ago? Some may have been lucky; many others still feel boxed-in, living hand to mouth.

This was the usual topic of conversation I had with my good friend, the late Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Nestor “Nesting” Aldave Espenilla Jr., for many months before he succumbed to tongue cancer.

In one of our midafternoon coffee sessions, he narrated the hardship faced by some public-school teachers whom he had encountered in one of his provincial sorties years before he became BSP’s top honcho. With their salaries, they could hardly make ends meet. They were forced to sell stuff on the side from the capital they borrowed at exorbitant rates from lending hawkers.

When he became BSP governor, Nesting was thinking of ways on how to make cash accessible to people who had little or no gateway to traditional lending institutions.

There are just too many requirements that these lending facilities impose on borrowers, which turn off and drive salary-challenged individuals to borrow from unregulated fund sources.

This is why I’m heartened by the recent move by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to halt what it calls “predatory lending” when it asked the BSP to put a cap on interest rates and other emoluments which lenders charge: payday loans or debts paid on monthly installments (every 15th or 30th).

After all, the BSP’s monetary board has the authority to set a limit on the interest rates, fees and other charges that these lenders could levy on borrowers.

This is just one of the moves that would make cash available to those in need, exactly what Nesting had in mind and, had he lived longer, would have been a reality sooner.

Lenders are mandated by the Lending Company Regulation Act of 2007 to impose “reasonable” rates and charges on borrowers. In it, the Monetary Board, in coordination with the SEC and other stakeholders, has the power to set ceilings on interest rates, depending on prevailing economic and social conditions.

Predatory lenders can levy as much as 2.5 percent a day exclusive of other fees and charges, amounting to 60 percent a month or 720 percent annually! This is unconscionable! Compare this to credit-card rates of 2 percent a month or about 24 percent a year. Banks, on the other hand, earn an interest of 10 percent a year on loans from their valued customers.

The SEC’s move could have been prompted by the mounting complaints forwarded to it by the National Privacy Commission. NPC has been hearing the grievances of those who have been shamed by online lenders—a tactic they use to force borrowers to pay up. These lending entities, accessed via online apps, have been accused of violating the Data Privacy Act. Readers who have been victimized by online shaming have emailed me to air their disappointment with the outcome of the first NPC hearing held on October 15.

“There were 40 of us, and lawyers of the apps were also on hand to defend their clients’ position. Although NPC ‘was not forcing settlement,’ it sounded like it, because we were told that it would take forever if we’d pursue the case,” my readers reported. “We also noticed that they were friends with the apps lawyers and agreed with their position that what has happened is just a simple case of wrong practice of collection.”

Shady online lending firms are the worst kind of predatory lenders.

Not only do they charge exorbitant rates, they also hack their victims’ contact numbers to shame them.

The NPC should be reminded that online shaming falls squarely within its jurisdiction. Collecting the debts of these shamed borrowers should be treated differently from these lenders’ reckless violation of the Data Privacy Act. I must admit though that online lenders serve a purpose. They provide ready funds for cash-strapped individuals without the wearisome documentation, collateral and guarantor requirements of traditional banks. But more than just putting a cap on lending rates, the government, through the BSP and the SEC, should also make sure that these lenders are legitimate companies that have undergone a rigid registration and accreditation process.

Otherwise, their operations should be immediately stopped.

What I find disturbing are commentaries blaming the borrowers for spending needlessly, or spending beyond their means. Let us not lose focus on the real issue: the blatant violation of the borrowers’ right to privacy.

Just to be clear, lawful online lending is definitely a legitimate business activity. I am not lumping all online lenders in one disreputable heap. Online lenders, such as FCash Global Lending Inc., have been insisting that the good guys have to be distinguished from the bad guys.

According to Dean J.V. Bautista, lawyer of FCash Global Lending Inc., “the company’s business operations are completely legal and regulations-compliant. It is duly registered with SEC as a corporation, and has been issued the requisite license to operate as lending company.”

For Bautista’s information, however, his company is one of those reported to me by my readers to be guilty of online shaming. “FCash calls us, threatens us, asks money from our relatives. It harasses our officemates, parents, friends in our phone contacts regarding our loan.

We were so humiliated,” these readers lamented.

There has to be a firm and aggressive action from the government to regulate online lending.

For comments and suggestions, e-mail me at mvala.v@gmail.com

LUKE for this one time shows Jesus speaking with the Sadducees, then the second-largest group of influence next to the Pharisees in the Jewish society. Coming mainly from the aristocratic and priestly classes, they were religious conservatives who accepted only the Pentateuch as normative and who claimed the exclusive right to preside at the temple rites.

And they denied there is a resurrection of the dead or life hereafter.

The Sadducees presented Jesus with a problem designed to demonstrate the absurdity of the resurrection of the dead. The case brought up is based on the levirate law (Deuteronomy 25:5; Genesis 38:8) which provides that a woman widowed

without a child marries her deceased husband’s brother, to assure the continuance of the family line. The highly improbable example of seven brothers marrying in sequence one and the same woman is supposed to underline the messy situation for this family in the hereafter, if there is in fact an afterlife!

Life in the hereafter

JESUS did not take the bait to engage the Sadducees in a petty debate as to who of the seven brothers would be considered the husband of the woman in a hereafter. Instead, Jesus clarified to the Sadducees that according to the Torah, which alone they accept, Moses testified that God in the burning bush appearance

Thursday, November 7, 2019 A7

identified Himself as God of the living, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Though long dead, these patriarchs must somehow be alive because they are God’s, and God is the God of the living.

Our intimate relationship with God cannot be dissolved by death.

As Paul affirms, “I am certain that neither death nor life…nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). About the resurrection, Jesus explains that it would not be merely a continuation of this present life with its usages and institutions like marriage and rights and duties, as the Sadducees imply.

The life of those resurrected would be entirely a new mode of existence where marital claims would be absolutely irrelevant, for these belong to “this age” but do not apply at all to the “age to come.” Those given the new life after death are referred to as “angels,” “sons of the resurrection,” “sons of God,” who are “no longer liable to death.”

Alálaong bagá, in our hereafter in eternity is the meaning and fulfillment of our faith in God. But this faith is to be lived here and now first. We should be constant in our efforts to remain faithful to Jesus

and consoled in the fact that ours is truly the life that will culminate in the everlasting communion of the Triune God. May we be able to repeat Job’s ringing profession of faith: “But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that He will at last stand forth upon the dust, whom I myself shall see: my own eyes, not another’s, shall behold Him, and from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing” (Job 19:2527). We, who have just celebrated All Souls’ Day, proclaim in our creed our belief in the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the pledge of our own resurrection. Our first Preface for Christian Death announces this: “In Him, who rose from the dead, our hope of resurrection dawned. The sadness of death gives way to the bright promise of immortality. Lord, for Your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.” This Christian faith is exemplified to us by St. Therese of Lisieux who, at the hour of her death, said, “I am not dying; I am beginning to live!”

Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.

Unjust trade policy subverts ILO’s decent work program Dr. Rene E. Ofreneo

LABOREM EXERCENS Continued from A1

E

XAMPLE of how trade rules perpetuate backwardness: The Philippine experience under the American colonial rule. In the 1900s, the United States enacted a US-Philippines “free trade” law and imposed this law in a one-sided manner on its colony.

This arrangement was conceived to reinforce the complexion of the economy as a producer of primary agricultural/mineral products and an importer of the more expensive industrial goods. In short, the free-trade regime was used to keep the Philippines as a “hewer of wood and carrier of water” for the metropolis. The US-Philippines free-trade arrangement lasted until the 1940s. Thus, for five long decades, no significant manufacturing industry was developed in the colony.

Example of poorly formulated and haphazardly implemented trade rules: rice trade liberalization through the abolition of the regulatory functions of the National Food Authority and granting of full importation powers to the private sector. Immediately after the passage of the law, over 2 million tons of imported rice entered the market, precipitating a palay price crisis for 2.4 million Filipino palay farmers. No transition and adjustment programs were crafted for the domestic palay producers, millers and small traders.

No protection measures instituted against the predatory behavior of the big rice importers-distributors. The defanged NFA could not even inspect rice warehouses because it no longer has powers to monitor and inspect rice imports. And worse, the Philippines surpassed in importation and trade liberality the big rice-producing countries, which import 5 percent to 10 percent of their national requirements, such as China, India, Indonesia and South Korea. These countries have maintained their respective State-controlled grains trading agencies whose task is to stabilize prices for producers and consumers alike, have set higher tariff rates and have remained steadfast in sustaining the modernization of their rice industry.

Examples of countries asserting national interests in trade talks: many. The most recent is the withdrawal of India from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement that was finalized in Thailand in the just-concluded Asean Summit. India said it is not prepared to expose its domestic industrial and agricultural producers

to competition with their Chinese counterparts under the RCEP discipline. And then there is President Donald J. Trump, who has launched a trade war with China and who has caused the withdrawal of the United States from the American-sponsored Trans-Pacific Partnership. Trump’s blunt explanation: America First.

There has also been a global backlash against the global free-trade rules being pushed by the developed countries through World Trade Organization, and various regional and bilateral free-trade talks. In the WTO, the battle cry of the powerful countries is “equal rules” for all.

Member countries should open up their industrial, agricultural and services markets, and should not discriminate against any trade partner under the so-called principle of mostfavored nation treatment.

But equal rules for the heavyweight and lightweight players naturally have predictable unequal outcomes. This is the reason why developing countries have been asking: where are the rules based on the principle of “special and differential treatment,” a principle which gives a developing country space and flexibility in trade (e.g., tariff adjustments and exemptions for certain products) so that it can meet its development priorities in line with its existing level of development.

In the case of the contentious issue of agriculture, the United States and the European Union have been pressing developing countries to liberalize markets and remove government assistance to the small farmers.

And yet, the United States and the EU have not budged on the demand of the latter to remove the huge price

support subsidies that the United States (under the US Farm Law) and the EU (under the Common Agricultural Policy) have been giving their farmers, as much as $65 billion a year for the EU farmers. This is one reason why the WTO has failed to conclude its so-called Development Round, a trade negotiation round that started in 2000.

The backlash against the unjust “equality” trade rules in the global market also applies to the neoliberal “Washington Consensus” free-trade thinking, which became the “in” thing among the economic policy-makers after the collapse of the USSR. The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, which observe their 75th anniversary this year, played a leading role in convincing the world, especially the debtor countries, that the path to growth and development lies on the adoption of the Washington Consensus dogma. Debtor countries were asked to embrace a program called “structural adjustment program” or SAP, a comprehensive program which entailed not only the wholesale or “unilateral” liberalization of a country’s market but also the adoption of debt-oriented austerity programs.

And yet, the SAP outcomes in Latin America and other developing countries were extremely bad. In the case of the Philippines, studies of the Fair Trade Alliance, Focus on the Global South and the Federation of Philippine Industry show that SAP was instrumental in putting the economy on a slow-motion process, and, in stunting manufacturing, desolating agriculture and squeezing the populace through a series of belt-tightening measures such as the adoption (and gradual upgrading) of the value-added tax system. The SAP decades of the 1980s-1990s-2000s were lost decades for the Philippines.

The Philippines, a middle-income country in the 1970s, got stuck in a low level of development and was bypassed by its Asean/Asian neighbors in the SAP decades. But thanks to the economic saviors—the overseas Filipino workers and the ICT-enabled workers in the call center/BPO sector, the country is now hailed as Asia’s next dragon.

So what is the impact of the global backlash against neoliberal globalization? The WTO Ministerial in Seattle in 1999 was shut down by the protest action of trade unions, farmers’ organizations and Church activists coming from developed and developing countries. The WTO Secretariat tried to mollify those opposed to WTO’s one-size-fits-all trade liberalization by promising

a “development round.” As to the World Bank, it came up with new versions of SAPs such as “SAP with institutional reforms” (e.g., campaign against corruption) and lately, the WB has been promoting programs on social protection such as conditional cash transfer for those who have not benefited from SAP. In the International Labor Organization, there were also intense debates on how to tame runaway globalization that rides roughshod on workers’ rights, as multinationals take advantage of “borderless” global markets to drive wages down and prevent unionism everywhere.

Thus, in 1998, the ILO Secretariat in Geneva made extra efforts to push for the “reaffirmation” of “international core labor rights” through the adoption by the International Labor Conference of the landmark “Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work” recognizing the workers’ basic rights: freedom of association, collective bargaining, nondiscrimination, prohibition against forced labor and elimination of extreme forms of child labor. Subsequently, the ILO Secretariat, under DG Juan Somavia, organized its various international development programs under the theme “Decent Work,” defined as work obtained in conditions of freedom, dignity, equality and security. ILO was back as the conscience of the UN family.

It is against the foregoing background that one can appreciate the linkage between trade policy and the ILO’s decent work advocacy. Bad and unjust trade policy leads to unemployment, poverty and backwardness. A number of industrial relations scholars also trace widespread labor precarity such as the “Endo” phenomenon to the neoliberal SAP trade policy regime.

Now, recently, the ILO Manila Office came up with a book report, The impact of trade on employment in the Philippines: Country report.

The book tried to summarize three theoretical economic approaches in understanding the country’s economic performance: neoclassical, political economy and new structural economics. The problems of “jobless growth,” weak industry performance and agricultural decline were also cited.

However, the book is strangely hesitant in pinning the lack of decent jobs in the Philippines on SAP and neoliberal trade policy. It is also silent on whether the Philippine trade policy regime needs an overhaul given the country’s sad performance under SAP. Without such an overhaul, can decent jobs, as envisioned by ILO, blossom?

A8 Thursday, November 7, 2019

Leni to Palace: Challenge accepted

A

By Samuel P. Medenilla

@sam_medenilla

RE they ready for me? Vice President Leni Robredo posed the question to Cabinet members after announcing on Wednesday that she has accepted—after days of publicly expressing extreme caution— the offer of President Duterte to become his anti-illegal drugs czar.

This comes despite her supporters warning that accepting the offer would allow the administration to pass on to her the accountability for its widely criticized war that critics say

have needlessly killed thousands without substantially denting the armor of big syndicates.

In a press conference, Robredo stressed she is aware of such risks, but decided to accept the post if

only to prevent more bloodshed in the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign.

In fact, she said, she would not be surprised of some of the government agencies that will be placed under her would defy her orders.

“I am prepared to endure [all this burden] if it will allow me to save even one innocent life.

My principle and heart compels me to try,” Robredo said in Filipino.

Robredo said she plans to prioritize ending the deaths of drug suspects linked to the government’s campaign against illegal drugs, as well as holding accountable to people responsible for

such acts. “I did not ask for this.

The idea [for me to become antiillegal drug czar] came from the President,” Robredo said.

“He knows what I plan to do,” she added.

Robredo was widely believed poised to reject the post, which Malacañang formalized on Tuesday by releasing the President’s order with the official designation of cochairman of the Interagency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (Icad), as most of her advisers and party-mates had warned that the Palace may be setting her up for failure.

On Wednesday morning, however, Robredo, looking determined, said she decided to accept

the post despite contrary advice, and expressed hope, her entry may signal serious reforms in the conduct of the bloody drug war, which she had said she supported in principle while objecting to the thrusts and methods.

In a separate press conference, Presidential SpokesmanSalvador S. Panelo welcomed Robredro’s decision to rejoin the Cabinet.

“We will give all the support.

Being a member of the Cabinet, it behooves all of us to help each other—because her success is the success of the Cabinet, as well as this administration and ultimately the Filipino people,” Panelo said.

19 senators sign report vs ninja cops, endorse PNP reforms

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ENATE probers, after conducting an inquiry into socalled ninja cops linked to the alleged recycling of seized illegal drugs and their resale in the streets, pressed for major reforms in the Philippine National Police, starting with “strengthening” the PNP’s Internal Affairs Service (IAS) tasked to go after wayward policemen.

“Make IAS a truly independent institution, not within the PNP, not within the Department of the Interior and Local Government [DILG],” was high among the sevenpoint recommentations submitted

by the investigating Blue Ribbon Committee chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon. “We are looking at creating a new section in the Department of Justice or a new office within the Ombudsman for the Military and Police,” Gordon said.

What they have in mind, he indicated, is “an independent office for police conduct, like in the UK [United Kingdom] to handle these cases exclusively.”

The investigating commitee also proposed that Congress amend the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, to tap “persons of good repute [retired judges, lawyers, teachers, etc.]” to

TROPICAL STORM “QUIEL” 455 KM WEST NORTHWEST OF CORON, PALAWAN TAIL-END OF A COLD FRONT AFFECTING NORTHERN LUZON as of 4:00 pm - November 6, 2019

monitor if the procedures on chain of custody and drug buy bust were followed.

It also endorsed the suspension or dismissal of rogue policemen, not their mere reassignment to other posts, and the confiscation of their service firearms and badges, These are cops who have been dismissed or suspended or facing criminaladministrative charges. A shorter review period for the administrative cases filed against rogue policemen is also proposed.

The panel also pressed for the creation of a training program that will conduct mandatory training

“on values, character formation and leadership for all policemen” in order to professionalize the police force in all levels.

In addition, the committtee recommended that police officers should have four-year college course, though not necessarily taken from the Philippine National Police Academy, even as it also recommended that the PNPA “focus on specific after-collegiate training [boot camp 27 weeks], as well as specialized training in forensics, in IT crimes, white collar crimes, investigation techniques.”

Butch Fernandez

Employers, labor split on twin-bill SOT tack

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O boost the chances of passing the security of tenure (SOT) bill, employers are now proposing for its provisions to be separated in two different legislations.

Philippine Society of Management Services Inc. representative Danilo L. Patron made the proposal at the hearing of the Labor and Employment Committee of the House of Representatives on the SOT bill of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

Patron said the SOT bill should focus on regulating “fixed-term” employment, which is approved by both workers and management.

He said a separate job contracting bill should be crafted to determine what positions could be contracted out by employers, and what should still be restricted for regular workers.

“Because if we are going to incorporate that and enjoin the issues with job contracting rules and laws, then it is going to be an endless and protracted argument; we won’t be able to arrive [at] a new law,” Patron told BusinessMirror in an ambush interview.

Mixed position PATRON, together with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce, and the Philippine Association of Legitimate Service Contractors Inc., backed the regulation of fixed-term employment since it will significantly fast-track the resolution of labor disputes on the said issue.

Currently, Patron said, resolving such cases takes a long time since it relies on jurisprudence and practice rather than on an actual law.

Under the proposed SOT draft bill of DOLE, fixed-term employment will generally not be allowed except for certain conditions. Per the draft, the scheme should be agreed upon by both management and workers.

See “SOT tack,” A2

See “Leni,” A2

ROBREDO

OVP PHOTO

P2.2-B JAPAN LOAN WILL FORTIFY 2 NCR BRIDGES

T

HE Japanese government is extending a P2.2-billion loan to the Philippines to strengthen two Metro Manila bridges.

Japanese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Masato Ohtaka told reporters in a recent briefing this was part of the bilateral talks between Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Duterte.

The amount will cover the Guadalupe and Lambingan bridges.

Ohtaka said this will contribute to the “Build, Build, Build” program of the government and help strengthen public infrastructure in preparation for the “big one.”

“Prime Minister Abe mentioned the additional loan regarding the strengthening of the bridge in Manila against the earthquakes. This is the project that Japan will be helping Manila through loans and will be helpful in supporting the BBB campaign,” Ohtaka said.

The two leaders met in Thailand where they attended the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Summit and Related Summits last week.

Apart from the loan, the Department of Finance said the Japanese government has also pledged to extend technical aid for the Subic master plan.

The proposed master plan will outline possible projects in Subic Bay and its surrounding areas in the fields of road network development,

PPPs. . .

Continued from A1

“Continuity is what is most important for President Duterte.

This is why all of the 100 flagship projects will be started under his term, with a significant number completed while some will be partially operational by 2022. The rest will have significant progress moving into the next administration,” said Dizon.

“The Build, Build, Build program was never just about the Duterte administration. It’s about building for the future to propel the Philippines to a developed-country

IMF. . .

Continued from A1

the IMF’s current resource envelope and considering a doubling of the New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB) and a further temporary round of bilateral borrowing beyond 2020.

The IMF has entered into several rounds of bilateral borrowing agreements over the past decade to supplement its quota and NAB resources and meet the potential financing needs of its members.

logistics terminal development, disaster risk management, and other public-utilities development.

Japan remains the top source of Official Development Assistance to the Philippines, accounting for $8.26 billion, or 46 percent of the country’s total ODA loan portfolio.

In April, Japanese steel company Taiyo Subic Philippines Corp. was reported to invest P392.5 million for the Subic factory to produce gear parts for industrial robots and specialty steel products for other companies here and abroad.

The new company has located in Subic to engage in the business of importation and exportation of special steel materials, and manufacturing of parts for use in the automobile industry, industrial machineries, plant machineries and information technology.

“This only goes to show the continuing confidence among Japanese investor-companies in Subic.”

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said.

Over 10 loan agreements providing Japanese funding support for several big-ticket infrastructure projects under the Duterte administration’s Build, Build, Build program have been signed between Manila and Tokyo since 2016.

Cai U. Ordinario and Jove Moya

status by 2040 and make the lives of Filipinos more comfortable,” he added.

The interagency ICC-Cabcom has also approved four road and transportation-related projects on Wednesday.

Pernia told reporters via SMS that the ICC-Cabcom approved the Samal Island-Davao City Connection and the Camarines Sur Highway Project.

He also said the interagency committee approved the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project—a Bus Rapid Transit project—and the unsolicited proposal for the New Bohol International Airport. Cai U. Ordinario In 2016, in view of continued uncertainty in the global economy, the membership committed to maintain access to bilateral borrowing, as a third line of defense and under a revised governance framework, with an initial term through the end of 2019, extendable for a further year by the Executive Board and with creditors’ consents.

The total commitments under the 2016 borrowing framework from 40 members amount to about $433 billion at end-September 2019 exchange rates. Bianca Cuaresma

www.businessmirror.com.ph

News BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 7, 2019 A9

Manila office workers consider dorms to cope with world’s worst traffic

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EARLY half of working professionals in the Philippines capital region consider living in a dormitory to avoid traffic jams, according to property services company Colliers International Group Inc.

About 45 percent of respondents in a Colliers survey are “willing to stay in a coliving facility” as financial and personal costs of worsening traffic in Metro Manila mount, research manager Joey Bondoc said at a briefing on Wednesday.

Workers spend as much as P4,500 ($89) monthly on commuting and are on the road for more than three

hours for a one-way trip, Bondoc said. They are willing to spend as much as P6,000 to live in a dormitory-type lodging closer to work, he said.

The Philippine capital region is set to top Waze Inc.’s 2019 ranking of the world’s worst cities to drive in, beating the likes of Bogota and Jakarta. Worsening

mobility in Manila has prompted builders from Ayala Land Inc. to SM Prime Holdings Inc. to offer worker dormitories.

Colliers, which tracks coliving spaces in three districts in Metro Manila, forecasts beds in shared accommodations to rise by 51 percent to 11,010 in the two years to 2021.

Some professionals are also considering sharing with friends a studio or one-bedroom apartment in key business districts, Bondoc said.

Builders which offer dormitories “should start offering differentiating features,” such as fitness centers and private lounges to compete, he said. Bloomberg News

A10 Thursday, November 7, 2019

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

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 7, 2019

B1

SMIC income grows 26% in Jan-Sept

By VG Cabuag

S

@villygc

M Investments Corp. (SMIC) on Wednesday said its net income grew 26 percent during the three quarters of the year ending September to P33.1 billion from last year’s P26.17 billion.

Consolidated revenues rose 14 percent to P350.7 billion from

P307.4 billion last year.

“Our core businesses continue to

deliver notable performance led by banking and property. We are satisfied with our financial results as these reflect the continued growth in our core businesses. This quarter, we are also pleased that our efforts to strengthen our environment, social and governance practices are being recognized,” SMIC President Frederic C. DyBuncio said.

The company’s banking business accounted for 44 percent of its reported net earnings, followed by property at 39 percent

and retail at 17 percent.

Retail operations under SM Retail Inc., which consist of both food, such as SM Markets and nonfood, such as the department stores and specialty retail, reported growth in total revenues by 12 percent to P253.9 billion.

Net income stood at P7.8 billion, down 1 percent due to the effect of the implementation of the Philippine Financial Reporting Standards 16 which took effect this year. Excluding the impact

of PFRS 16, net income grew by 8 percent. Revenues from Specialty Retail grew 15 percent.

The company’s department store opened a branch in Olongapo City in September. Total gross selling area of all 64 department stores stood at 802,219 square meters. The food retail group added seven Savemores, two SM Supermarkets and four WalterMart stores for a total of 13 new stores. Alfamart added 174 stores.

By end-September, SM Retail

Pilipinas Shell in talks with PNOC on sale of Malampaya banked gas A

had a total of 2,693 stores comprising 64 department stores, 1,565 specialty retail stores, 58 SM Supermarkets, 51 SM Hypermarkets, 199 Savemores, 56 WalterMarts and 700 Alfamart stores.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. reported consolidated net income growth of 18 percent to P27.6 billion, while BDO Unibank profit grew 49 percent to P32.1 billion.

China Banking Corp. reported that consolidated net income rose 21 percent to P6.7 billion.

AboitizPower posts ₧13.5B in net income from Jan-Sept

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

P

ILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. (PSPC) is in talks with Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) for the sale of Malampaya banked gas, according to the state firm’s president.

PNOC President Reuben Lista said he was informed that PSPC is interested to purchase unused Malampaya gas, or more known as banked gas.

“Isn’t it that PSPC is buying?

Magbebenta na naman si Glenda.

Sila ang nag ne-negotiate. Di ba bumili sila ulit [Glenda is selling again.

They’re negotiating. Aren’t they buying again?]” Lista said, referring to PNOC Senior Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services Glenda Martinez, whom he asked to confirm this.

Though there were discussions

FedEx: Setting up stakes in Clark, but we’re not moving out of China

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LOBAL courier giant FedEx clarified on Wednesday that, while it was indeed returning to the Philippines after a decade’s absence, it was not abandoning its hub in China.

“FedEx is not relocating and has no plans to relocate its Asia Pacific Hub,” FedEx said in a statement sent to the BusinessMirror, to clarify a story published on November 6, where senior reporter Recto L. Mercene spoke to Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel Romualdez, in Washington, D.C. The article was published in the Companies section of B usinessM irror and in the B usiness M irror online portal.

The article, citing statements from Ambassador Romualdez, “appeared to imply that FedEx is relocating its Asian Hub to the Philippines and is moving out of China.

This is unequivocally incorrect,” said FedEx. “Our planned operations in Clark will enable us to better serve our customers in the Philippines and are part of our ongoing expansion throughout the Asia-Pacific region as our business continues to grow,” it added.

The article by Mercene said FedEx, which left Subic in 2009, was returning soon, this time to the other former US military base at Clark Freeport. The chairman of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, Vince Dizon, was expected to make the formal announcement, the report said.

In its statement on Wednesday, the global courier said, “FedEx is committed to the Asia-Pacific region, including our customers and employees in both China and the Philippines, and we continue to consider opportunities and make strategic investments to expand our service, enhance our network and provide greater global connectivity.”

on this, Martinez said PSPC has yet to put its offer on the table.

“It’s 2.7 petajules [Pj], pero wala pang presyo [but there’s no price set yet],” she said, while adding that PNOC’s previous computation on the value of banked gas reached $10.50 per Pj. Lista said the ideal price for banked gas in the international market is $10.52 per Pj, “but we are selling it at $9.70 something.”

The total remaining banked gas is recorded at 97.67 Pj valued at $700 million to $750 million.

The PNOC board earlier authorized the PNOC management to enter into comprehensive discussions or negotiations below the $6.616 per Pj under the Ilijan gas-fired power plant’s gas and sale purchase agreement (GSPA).

Ilijan power plant, one of the gas plants fueled by the Malampaya gas facility, has a contract with the

Malampaya consortium that will expire in 2022.

PNOC-Exploration Corp. (PNOCEC), which is part of the consortium, bought 108.6 Pj in 2009 valued at P14.4 billion. Of this, 4.61 Pj was sold to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp.

(PSALM) in 2013 for P937 million.

PNOC also sold 6.324 Pj to PSPC in 2015 for P2.5 billion.

“Don’t worry about the banked gas, we will sell it at the proper time [when it will benefit the nation, instead of selling at $2.50 [when there’s no benefit],” Lista said in a mix of English and Filipino. He pointed out that “whoever puts up today an LNG power plant, aside from Ilijan and First Gen,” will have nowhere to turn to but “banked gas only” to buy cheaper gas.

He said earlier three firms have signified interest to purchase the remaining banked gas. He declined

to identify them, as they have yet to submit a formal letter of interest.

Earlier, Phoenix Petroleum and China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) signed a memorandum of understanding with PNOC. The MOU will allow the three companies to explore and discuss business opportunities and cooperation in relation to the equity investment in Tanglawan Philippine LNG Inc. and other companies relating to the project, PNOC facilities, market development, PNOC banked gas and future energy projects.

Tanglawan is a planned joint venture between Phoenix Petroleum and CNOOC Gas and Power Group Co. Ltd., China’s largest LNG importer and terminal operator.

PNOC and Tanglawan are trying to find ways to maximize the remaining banked gas.

First Gen Corp. is also putting up its LNG facility.

Metro Mla office market grows in Q3 amid uncertainty–Colliers

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MID market uncertainty, Col l iers Inter n at ion a l reported on Wednesday the improved performance of the real-estate industry’s office segment, with the completion of about 291,000 square meters of workspace in Metro Manila, thus bringing the total stock to 11.7 million sq m in the third quarter of 2019.

The leading global real-estate services and investment management company said Quezon City covered 37 percent of the new supply from July to September this year, followed by Ortigas Center at 35 percent, Bay Area at 22 percent, and Fort Bonifacio in Taguig at 6 percent.

“Seventy-two percent of office space demand is from Pogo [Philippine offshore gaming operators] and traditional [occupiers]. So the rest, the 28 percent, is only from BPOs [business-process outsourcing],” Colliers International Senior Research Manager Joey Roi H. Bondoc said after the property market briefing held in Makati City.

He attributed the decline in the office takeup of the BPO—traditionally the main tenant, absorbing 60 percent of the inventory four or five years ago—to its “wait-andsee” stance due to issues on taxation and availability of economic zones.

The government’s tax-reform bill rationalizes tax perks granted to outsourcing tenants, and some industry groups say this could hike taxes by 130 percent to 170 percent and cut industry growth

by as much as 50 percent. This has caused BPO locators to be cautious about expanding.

The outsourcing sector, meanwhile, has mixed sentiment toward the state’s moratorium on the acceptance, processing and evaluation of applications for Philippine Economic Zone Authority ecozones in Metro Manila by virtue of Administrative Order (AO) 18 given its perceived impact on its future expansion.

“More than the higher tax or the decentralization push, it’s really the uncertainty that is holding them back. That makes them wait and see. Will they expand now or will they expand after the next administration?” Bondoc said.

Meanwhile, the Pogo keeps outpacing the BPO and other locators in terms of its share of total rental transactions in the National Capital Region office market. For the first nine months, offshore gaming firms constantly expanded in the NCR, accounting for 37 percent of all closed deals, based on the quarterly study of Colliers Internationals. These are mostly in the Bay Area and the fringes of Makati and Ortigas.

W hile there’s concern over the sustainability of the Pogo in the country due to the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.’s directive to suspend the issuance of permits to online casinos for Chinese gamblers, the Colliers official is bullish that it will still propel office demand over the next three years due to an “accommodating government policy” in general.

The traditional occupants continuously propelled the office market in the metropolis, accounting for 35 percent of transactions from January to September, or a 34-percent share in the same period in 2018. Colliers, though, sees a lower absorption from this segment in the next 12 to 24 months, especially with the slower economic growth forecast of multinational banks, credit rating firms and multilateral aid agencies.

The national government has cut its economic growth projection to 6 percent from the already downgraded 6.2-percent forecast.

Bondoc said the comprehensive tax-reform program may provide a boost for tenants. Reducing corporate income tax to 20 percent from the current 30 could stimulate further expansion of micro, small and medium enterprises that, eventually, will contribute to greater office space takeup.

Colliers observed that office vacancy stood at 5 percent only during the period in review, nearly unchanged from the 4.9 percent recorded in the previous quarter.

Absorption was strong across almost markets, especially in Quezon City, Fort Bonifacio, Bay Area and Alabang. A marginal rise in vacancy was in Ortigas because of the delivery of 102,700 sq m of new leasable space.

Looking forward, leasable office stock in NCR is seen to reach 14.1 million sq m by the end of 2021, or 28 percent higher than the Metro’s stock of 10.9 million sq m at the end of 2018. Roderick L. Abad

BOITIZ Power Corp. recorded P13.5 billion in net income for the nine months of the year, 19 percent lower than the P16.7 billion recorded in the same period a year ago.

The power firm posted nonrecurring losses of P220 million versus last year’s losses of P1.7 billion. Without these one-off losses, the company’s core net income was P13.7 billion, 26 percent lower than the P18.4 billion recorded in the same period last year.

This was primarily due to the higher volume and cost of purchased power, lower spot market revenues, and lower plant availability, it reported.

“It has been a tough year for AboitizPower with the supply issues that resulted in the high cost of replacement power for our customers.

“The company has also generated lower revenues from the spot market due to challenges that caused some of our power plants to shut down,” said Emmanuel V. Rubio, AboitizPower chief operating officer.

Still, Rubio said the company remains confident that it will surpass its 2020 target of 4,000 megawatts of attributable capacity. If successful, this will ensure sustainable growth for the company, shareholders and the customers and communities it serves.

The company’s generation and

retail supply business recorded consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) of P28.7 billion in the first three quarters of 2019, or 13 percent lower than the P33 billion recorded during the same period last year.

This was driven by the higher volume and cost of purchased power, lower spot market revenues, and lower plant availability.

It explained that spot market prices were high in the first half of 2019 and during that period, the company purchased replacement power due to outages and contracting ahead in preparation for Therma Visayas Inc.’s incoming capacity.

Also, plant availability was lower versus the same period last year due to outages from the company’s coal facilities.

In the distribution business, the company recorded consolidated Ebitda of P6 billion, 3 percent lower than the P6.2 billion recorded during the corresponding period in 2018.

This was primarily due to lost margins from the decommissioning of the Bajada power plant.

Energy sales increase to 4,341 gigawatt-hours, which was 5 percent higher than the 4,136 GWh recorded in the first nine months of 2018. This was primarily driven by the increase in new customers across all segments. Lenie Lectura

Robinsons Retail’s 9-mo income falls on effects of accounting standard

R

OBINSONS Retail Holdings Inc. said its net income fell 22 percent during the three quarters of the year ending September to P3.35 billion from last year’s P4.33 billion, mainly on the effects of the implementation of a new accounting standard.

For the quarter alone, the company’s income fell 10 percent to P1.25 billion from last year’s P1.38 billion.

The company said that were it not for the effects of the Philippine Reporting Standard 16, its income would be up 10 percent.

Net sales grew 26 percent to P116.15 billion in the nine months of the 2019 from last year’s P91.81 billion. The increase was attributable to the 3.2-percent same store sales growth (SSSG)—additional sales coming from new stores opened in the last 12 months— and the consolidation of Rustan Supercenters. The share of the supermarket segment expanded to 55 percent of the entire business, from 47 percent in the same period last year pre-Rustan.

Consolidated net sales for the quarter increased by 24 percent to P38.9 billion from last year’s P31.35 billion.

Blended SSSG, which includes all of its businesses, for the quarter was at 1.9 percent, coming from a high base of 6.4 percent last year.

In 2018, Robinsons Retail felt the

positive impact of higher consumption spending resulting from the implementation of the TRAIN law.

In addition, there was a surge in bulk sales in the third quarter last year due to Typhoon Mangkhut/Ompong.

“Despite this, SSSG for nine months of 2019 stood at 3.2 percent, still within our SSSG target of 2 percent to 4 percent,” it said.

Its drugstores SSSG reached 10.7 percent, followed by supermarket at 3.6 percent, convenience store at 2.7 percent, do-it-yourself shops at 2.6 percent and specialty stores at 1.3 percent. Blended gross profit for the nine months grew 29 percent to P26.7 billion, with gross margin up by 50 basis point to 23 percent.

“The improvement in gross margins was attributable to our larger scale, improvement in category mix and the consolidation of higher margin business of Rustan,” it said.

Excluding the franchised stores of The Generics Pharmacy, Robinsons Retail ended September with a total of 1,918 stores comprising 258 supermarkets, 50 department stores, 215 do-it-yourself stores, 509 convenience stores, 517 drugstores and 369 specialty stores.

The group’s gross floor area expanded by 20.3 percent year-on-year to 1.44 million square meters.

The company said it spent a total of P2.2 billion in capital expenditures. VG Cabuag

B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 7, 2019

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

November 6, 2019

Net Foreign Stocks Bid Ask Open High Low Close Volume Value Trade (Peso) Buy (Sell) FINANCIALS

ASIA UNITED BDO UNIBANK BANK PH ISLANDS CHINABANK EAST WEST BANK METROBANK PB BANK PHIL NATL BANK PSBANK RCBC SECURITY BANK UNION BANK BRIGHT KINDLE BDO LEASING COL FINANCIAL FERRONOUX HLDG IREMIT MEDCO HLDG MANULIFE NTL REINSURANCE PHIL STOCK EXCH SUN LIFE

54.45 156.6 96.6 25.65 12.8 67.5 13 44.9 57.4 25.85 201 61 1.16 1.94 18.4 4.51 1.25 0.4 780.5 0.87 174.5 1835

55 158 97 25.7 12.82 67.55 13.1 45 58.1 25.9 202 61.2 1.24 2.05 18.5 4.65 1.27 0.425 805 0.88 175 1850

55 160 100 25.45 12.82 67.6 12.7 45.8 58.1 25.9 204 61 1.15 2.01 18.5 4.56 1.25 0.4 780 0.88 175.1 1840

55 160 100 26.2 12.92 67.9 13.1 45.8 58.1 26.2 204 61.5 1.16 2.02 18.6 4.66 1.25 0.4 810 0.88 175.6 1840

55 156.5 96.2 25.4 12.72 67.4 12.7 44.9 57.3 25.9 200 60.75 1.15 1.94 18.5 4.5 1.25 0.4 780 0.88 175 1835

55 158 96.6 25.7 12.82 67.55 13.1 45 57.4 25.9 202 61 1.15 1.94 18.5 4.66 1.25 0.4 805 0.88 175 1835

1000 680540 2391940 176600 764700 851460 4500 35000 1810 520400 177310 28840 106000 29000 2500 34000 2000 100000 500 132000 1580 160

55000 107474032 234252668 4568125 9797462 57550717.5 58550 1583560 104221 13590325 35783922 1759895 121970 58430 46360 153530 2500 40000 397600 116160 276837 293850

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

HOLDING & FRIMS ABACORE CAPITAL ASIABEST GROUP AYALA CORP ABOITIZ EQUITY ALLIANCE GLOBAL AYALA LAND LOG ANSCOR ANGLO PHIL HLDG ATN HLDG A COSCO CAPITAL DMCI HLDG FILINVEST DEV GT CAPITAL HOUSE OF INV JG SUMMIT LODESTAR LOPEZ HLDG LT GROUP MABUHAY HLDG METRO PAC INV PACIFICA PRIME MEDIA SOLID GROUP SM INVESTMENTS SAN MIGUEL CORP SOC RESOURCES SEAFRONT RES TOP FRONTIER WELLEX INDUS ZEUS HLDG

19401882 -39592504.5 626100 -1086476 38489384.9996 -942955 -881220 5719518 -1529828.5 -24050 -65120 -75293 -128450

2.65 1.28 39.1 0.241 25.2 78.85 344 19.12 5 10.84 33.45 7.81 13.52 4.07 15.1 5.41 8.37 6.99 90 0.65 48.15 227 46 9.02 13.22 1.69 11.6 1.83 5.46 1.96 0.126 154.9 1.28 65.25 70 2.56 15.22 10.34 14.5 17.6 9.2 1.06 1.09 120 2.11 1.65 3.55 5.36 30.15 2.28 8.1 1.47 0.94 8

2.66 1.29 39.15 0.243 25.95 78.9 347 19.16 5.01 10.94 33.5 7.9 13.78 4.08 15.2 5.59 8.38 7 90.05 0.66 49 229.2 49.6 9.32 13.3 1.7 11.68 1.84 5.5 2.06 0.129 155 1.29 68.7 75 2.57 15.38 10.4 14.52 17.8 9.5 1.09 1.1 135 2.13 1.72 3.59 5.4 31 2.29 8.18 1.49 0.98 8.01

2.74 1.28 39.95 0.242 25.5 79 350 19.18 5.05 10.82 33.8 7.58 13.94 4.15 15.06 5.59 8.36 7 92.9 0.66 47.6 233 46 9.34 13.28 1.73 11.42 1.81 5.51 1.95 0.129 157.5 1.27 65.35 71 2.57 15.22 10.66 14.58 17.68 9.4 1.1 1.09 120 2.14 1.65 3.55 5.4 31 2.28 8.21 1.48 0.99 8.47

2.76 1.28 39.95 0.246 25.95 79 350 19.2 5.07 11 33.85 7.94 13.94 4.16 15.2 5.59 8.4 7 92.9 0.67 49 234.2 46 9.34 13.3 1.76 11.7 1.85 5.51 1.96 0.129 157.5 1.3 68.7 75.2 2.58 15.28 10.66 14.58 17.8 9.5 1.1 1.1 120 2.14 1.65 3.55 5.4 31 2.3 8.24 1.48 1 8.47

2.65 1.28 38.85 0.241 25.2 78.9 343.4 19.1 5.01 10.82 33.5 7.58 13.36 4.04 15.02 5.41 8.36 6.99 90.05 0.65 47.5 226 46 9 13.2 1.69 11.42 1.74 5.47 1.94 0.126 155 1.27 65.35 70 2.54 15.22 10.4 14.5 17.36 9.4 1.06 1.08 120 2.12 1.65 3.55 5.36 30 2.25 8.01 1.47 0.94 7.86

2.66 1.28 39.15 0.243 25.95 78.9 344 19.16 5.01 11 33.5 7.9 13.78 4.07 15.1 5.41 8.38 7 90.05 0.66 49 227 46 9.01 13.22 1.69 11.6 1.83 5.47 1.96 0.126 155 1.28 67 75.2 2.56 15.22 10.4 14.52 17.8 9.5 1.09 1.09 120 2.12 1.65 3.55 5.36 31 2.29 8.18 1.48 0.98 8

9062000 20000 2753200 130000 897200 30700 156830 725000 768900 6400 397400 186000 199700 4251000 1199100 2700 2489700 612100 416730 1923000 48000 672150 100 8100 16800 3003000 228800 3499000 30800 91000 440000 324370 2440000 450 430 980000 20600 123600 301900 1319200 13100 81000 3348000 90 329000 1000 5000 121400 156500 3621000 105300 59000 328000 1164800

24443140 25600 107785045 31500 23192140 2423469 54038586 13894502 3,860,223( 70108 13354090 1456477 2725000 17390830 18108850 14915 20846361 4283976 37918131 1268790 2338360 154317320 4600 73161 222358 5160170 2630884 6219620 168855 177180 55800 50334745 3140370 30172 30302 2509900 313568 1290806 4383606 23099046 123492 86260 3678140 10800 700230 1650 17750 655144 4830275 8252930 858623 86880 312090 9372067

-1503720 -19851475 3338880 -1171507 -11448122 -6657598 1,257,732.9997) 1176989.9997 790 898686 4654430 -562936 -14915 12902015.9999 -4034430 -14121742.5 841765 -29054244 35696 -358340 40180 -5430 -14749152 -298410 -210630 238948 125760 -3384648 -14193956 1090 -540000 -838485 1068709.9997 13065 147253

0.82 12.9 860 54.4 11.5 3.59 6.63 0.73 1.11 6.94 8.27 13.18 904 5.61 77.55 0.495 4.31 13.06 0.55 4.75 0.037 1.43 1.32 1057 168.5 0.85 2.25 225.2 0.213 0.23

0.83 13.12 862 55.1 11.56 3.6 6.89 0.74 1.13 6.95 8.3 13.4 905 5.65 78.1 0.5 4.32 13.22 0.57 4.77 0.039 1.44 1.35 1062 169 0.87 2.34 226 0.225 0.235

0.84 13.2 878 56.5 11.8 3.61 6.89 0.74 1.13 6.93 8.35 13.4 910 5.61 79.05 0.51 4.37 13.38 0.55 4.95 0.038 1.41 1.3 1091 171.3 0.89 2.34 226.6 0.217 0.23

0.84 13.2 878.5 56.95 11.8 3.64 6.89 0.75 1.14 6.97 8.41 13.4 914 5.65 79.05 0.51 4.37 13.56 0.57 4.96 0.038 1.46 1.39 1091 171.3 0.89 2.34 226.6 0.226 0.23

0.82 12.92 858 54.4 11.5 3.6 6.61 0.73 1.1 6.93 8.26 13.36 900.5 5.61 77.35 0.495 4.29 13.08 0.55 4.75 0.038 1.4 1.3 1055 167.8 0.87 2.34 225.2 0.212 0.23

0.82 13.12 862 54.4 11.5 3.6 6.89 0.73 1.13 6.95 8.3 13.4 905 5.61 78.1 0.5 4.32 13.08 0.57 4.75 0.038 1.44 1.34 1057 168.5 0.87 2.34 226 0.212 0.23

2097000 12700 354440 929800 10149100 347000 6950500 115000 1681000 5944300 15518300 5500 66850 79500 623200 21000 281000 6107600 36000 31931000 200000 362000 599000 219775 169490 2000 103000 560 1020000 100000

1739770 164900 306794990 51156146.5 117794380 1255740 45942945 84630 1872820 41311240 129018934 73648 60693535 446175 48730530.5 10430 1212850 81135802 19880 153285650 7600 520220 802910 234276885 28537316 1760 241020 126570 217940 23000

-93110 -130666075 6693065.5 20112498 112010 -45939500 -6323129 -26266112 -6688 47596800 -434955 30473411 -984260 -12643684 10506230 -88450 1900195 -18384923 -45200 -

PROPERTY

ARTHALAND CORP 0.87 0.88 0.87 0.88 0.86 0.88 318000 275950 ANCHOR LAND 9.53 9.88 9.58 9.58 9.58 9.58 20000 191600 AYALA LAND 47 47.2 49 49 46.75 47 13879600 657967955 -374955530 ARANETA PROP 1.7 1.78 1.78 1.78 1.78 1.78 1000 1780 BELLE CORP 1.99 2 2 2 1.99 2 1243000 2485450 -1514000 A BROWN 0.81 0.82 0.82 0.82 0.81 0.82 178000 144340 CITYLAND DEVT 0.84 0.87 0.84 0.87 0.84 0.87 4000 3390 CROWN EQUITIES 0.203 0.208 0.208 0.208 0.206 0.206 100000 20660 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.59 4.6 4.58 4.66 4.58 4.59 309000 1431650 -198490 CENTURY PROP 0.58 0.6 0.59 0.6 0.58 0.58 20031000 11838590 -13570 CYBER BAY 0.455 0.46 0.475 0.48 0.455 0.455 7140000 3300750 -22750 DOUBLEDRAGON 20.35 20.4 20.8 20.8 20.2 20.4 218500 4457385 261380 DM WENCESLAO 10.22 10.32 10.36 10.36 10.2 10.22 94100 967258 EMPIRE EAST 0.465 0.47 0.465 0.47 0.465 0.47 1330000 619600 46500 FILINVEST LAND 1.62 1.63 1.65 1.65 1.63 1.63 10986000 17930300 -603300 GLOBAL ESTATE 1.25 1.26 1.26 1.26 1.25 1.25 122000 153490 8990 HLDG 14.88 15 14.88 14.9 14.88 14.88 527000 7841762 -61006 PHIL INFRADEV 1.54 1.55 1.53 1.57 1.53 1.55 1043000 1616290 CITY AND LAND 0.77 0.79 0.77 0.77 0.77 0.77 32000 24640 MEGAWORLD 4.86 4.9 4.98 4.98 4.86 4.86 14800000 72636630 -26471830 MRC ALLIED 0.29 0.295 0.295 0.295 0.29 0.295 840000 246050 PHIL ESTATES 0.4 0.415 0.4 0.415 0.39 0.415 1130000 444550 PRIMEX CORP 2.03 2.04 2.04 2.04 2.01 2.03 196000 395430 ROBINSONS LAND 26.3 26.4 27 27 26.15 26.3 2596200 68269525 29660805 PHIL REALTY 0.375 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 0.38 10000 3800 ROCKWELL 2.26 2.3 2.26 2.26 2.25 2.26 11000 24820 -6779.9999 SHANG PROP 3.27 3.33 3.31 3.33 3.31 3.33 14000 46360 STA LUCIA LAND 2.57 2.59 2.66 2.66 2.55 2.59 339000 879220 15600 SM PRIME HLDG 38.8 39 40.6 40.6 38.8 38.8 7057700 277766360 -32708540 VISTAMALLS 5.45 5.49 5.56 5.56 5.35 5.49 6500 35221 SUNTRUST HOME 1.53 1.54 1.45 1.61 1.43 1.53 57682000 88446700 VISTA LAND 7.67 7.69 7.67 7.72 7.67 7.69 1837500 14130629 -6696934

SERVICES ABS CBN 18.3 18.58 18.6 18.72 18.3 18.58 225200 4175978 GMA NETWORK 5.25 5.26 5.29 5.29 5.25 5.26 40600 214059 MANILA BULLETIN 0.41 0.425 0.42 0.42 0.42 0.42 30000 12600 GLOBE TELECOM 1824 1830 1880 1886 1824 1824 30380 56230320 -25790940 PLDT 1114 1121 1133 1133 1108 1121 64050 71728395 -1482260 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.04 0.041 0.041 0.041 0.041 0.041 3800000 155800 DFNN INC 5.36 5.89 5.9 5.9 5.9 5.9 1900 11210 ISLAND INFO 0.105 0.109 0.106 0.11 0.105 0.109 3530000 371660 ISM COMM 4.77 4.78 4.79 4.83 4.74 4.77 1635000 7809590 306850 NOW CORP 3.5 3.51 3.55 3.57 3.44 3.51 5057000 17771360 941940 TRANSPACIFIC BR 0.32 0.325 0.33 0.33 0.32 0.32 7730000 2504050 PHILWEB 3.01 3.02 3.07 3.07 3 3.03 373000 1124240 -108510 2GO GROUP 10.86 11 11 11 10.8 10.86 10400 113090 CHELSEA 6.59 6.6 6.67 6.76 6.59 6.59 868100 5755523 -56359 CEBU AIR 96.1 96.15 96.7 96.7 95.5 96.15 118040 11348469.5 2397743.5 INTL CONTAINER 123.7 123.9 122.8 124 122.2 123.7 965640 119294610 28043333 LORENZO SHIPPNG 0.94 0.95 0.91 0.95 0.91 0.94 246000 229940 MACROASIA 19.88 19.9 21.15 21.15 19.72 19.9 1435300 28845813 -3936436 PAL HLDG 8.88 8.98 8.19 10.5 8.19 8.88 827000 7931899 -168135 HARBOR STAR 1.57 1.58 1.62 1.62 1.58 1.58 844000 1342980 ACESITE HOTEL 1.53 1.55 1.54 1.62 1.54 1.54 54000 83750 WATERFRONT 0.67 0.68 0.67 0.68 0.66 0.67 501000 335940 CENTRO ESCOLAR 6.9 7 6.9 6.9 6.9 6.9 200 1380 STI HLDG 0.67 0.68 0.67 0.68 0.66 0.67 807000 540940 -416500 BERJAYA 2.54 2.55 2.56 2.6 2.54 2.55 325000 834480 12800 BLOOMBERRY 10.82 10.84 10.6 10.84 10.4 10.82 36727800 392970628 -138911638 PACIFIC ONLINE 2.66 2.75 2.7 2.79 2.7 2.79 71000 191880 2700 LEISURE AND RES 3.14 3.19 3.03 3.21 3.02 3.2 1026000 3245620 -232860 MANILA JOCKEY 3.44 3.45 3.45 3.45 3.45 3.45 92000 317400 PH RESORTS GRP 4.83 4.85 4.88 4.88 4.85 4.85 7000 34010 24250 PREMIUM LEISURE 0.67 0.68 0.68 0.68 0.67 0.68 927000 623350 -79060 ALLHOME 11.4 11.42 11.48 11.48 11.4 11.42 11534200 131711078 -71512732 METRO RETAIL 2.58 2.59 2.51 2.59 2.51 2.59 2065000 5239340 3730580 PUREGOLD 40 40.3 40.5 40.8 39.7 40 1840800 74067655 1013220 ROBINSONS RTL 76.25 76.85 77.3 77.3 76.05 76.25 537080 40963457 -6399238 PHIL SEVEN CORP 150 152.5 150 150 150 150 172210 25831500 -0 SSI GROUP 2.68 2.69 2.71 2.76 2.68 2.69 2826000 7685200 1689000 WILCON DEPOT 17.1 17.2 16.94 17.2 16.84 17.2 3004200 51315160 25258476.0003 APC GROUP 0.51 0.52 0.51 0.53 0.5 0.52 2181000 1113820 510 EASYCALL 9 9.08 9 9.1 9 9.05 18900 170564 GOLDEN BRIA 424 430.8 430 430.8 419 430.8 2740 1166018 8600 PAXYS 2.65 2.7 2.66 2.66 2.65 2.65 10000 26580 PRMIERE HORIZON 0.485 0.49 0.48 0.5 0.475 0.485 8110000 3977900 165550 SBS PHIL CORP 9 9.29 9.05 9.15 9.05 9.05 24000 218300

MINING & OIL ATOK 11.7 12.24 12 12.28 12 12 35700 428574 APEX MINING 1.11 1.12 1.12 1.14 1.12 1.12 2392000 2687220 -572219.9999 ABRA MINING 0.0016 0.0017 0.0016 0.0017 0.0016 0.0017 2000000 3300 1700 ATLAS MINING 2.56 2.59 2.58 2.59 2.58 2.59 20000 51790 BENGUET B 1.1 1.2 1.12 1.12 1.1 1.1 9000 10000 COAL ASIA HLDG 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.29 0.28 0.29 130000 37600 CENTURY PEAK 2.56 2.59 2.59 2.59 2.56 2.56 270000 694800 DIZON MINES 7.3 7.73 7.59 7.77 7.2 7.76 109400 797884 FERRONICKEL 2.04 2.05 1.97 2.06 1.97 2.05 58480000 117986890 9122130 GEOGRACE 0.206 0.211 0.207 0.214 0.206 0.21 810000 169030 LEPANTO A 0.104 0.105 0.104 0.104 0.104 0.104 220000 22880 LEPANTO B 0.107 0.11 0.108 0.11 0.108 0.11 30000 3280 MARCVENTURES 1.11 1.14 1.11 1.14 1.11 1.14 361000 404490 NIHAO 1.04 1.07 1.08 1.08 1.05 1.07 61000 64740 NICKEL ASIA 3.95 3.96 4.04 4.07 3.9 3.95 18097000 71,586,950( 14,912,479.9996) ORNTL PENINSULA 0.83 0.84 0.84 0.84 0.83 0.83 250000 207870 PX MINING 3.46 3.47 3.46 3.47 3.46 3.46 136000 470600 SEMIRARA MINING 23.05 23.2 23.1 23.25 23 23.05 238900 5506880 -412970 UNITED PARAGON 0.0059 0.0062 0.0059 0.0061 0.0059 0.0061 4000000 24000 ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.011 0.012 18600000 218000 PHILODRILL 0.01 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.01 0.01 11200000 119000 PHINMA PETRO 10.52 10.54 10.3 10.7 10.3 10.54 386300 4080370 51624 PXP ENERGY 12.28 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.04 12.28 1353200 16517874 -757188

PREFFERED

HOUSE PREF A 98.2 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.5 99.5 90 8955 4975 AC PREF B1 501 502 501 501 501 501 200 100200 ALCO PREF B 100.1 102 101 101 100.1 100.1 8530 854347 DD PREF 100.5 101 101 101 100.5 101 80240 8091760 SMC FB PREF 2 993 999 998 998 998 998 660 658680 FGEN PREF G 109 109.5 109.5 109.5 109.5 109.5 18700 2047650 -2047650 GTCAP PREF A 990 995 990 990 990 990 20 19800 GTCAP PREF B 971 980 970 971 970 971 190 184460 LR PREF 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.03 1 1 6000 6030 MWIDE PREF 100.7 101 101.5 101.9 101 101 21290 2151594 PCOR PREF 2B 1013 1034 1012 1034 1012 1034 110 111540 PCOR PREF 3A 1026 1050 1050 1050 1050 1050 1480 1554000 SMC PREF 2C 78.15 78.2 78.5 78.5 78.15 78.15 33070 2584512 23475 SMC PREF 2D 75 75.35 75.35 75.35 75.35 75.35 3700 278795 SMC PREF 2E 75.3 75.75 75.3 75.3 75.3 75.3 2380 179214 SMC PREF 2F 76.05 76.1 76.2 76.2 76.05 76.05 64760 4926682 -2237340 SMC PREF 2H 75.2 75.7 75.2 75.2 75.1 75.15 52290 3927853.5 SMC PREF 2I 75.7 76.6 75.7 75.7 75.7 75.7 135000 10219500 -

PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR GMA HLDG PDR

17.36 5.1

17.6 5.14

17.7 5.14

17.7 5.14

17.3 5.14

17.36 5.14

169700 14400

2975566 74016

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.58

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES ITALPINAS 6.39 KEPWEALTH 11.72 XURPAS 1.1

1.62

1.57

1.67

1.55

1.64

124000

199850

-

6.41 11.78 1.11

6.46 11.8 0.99

6.46 12.02 1.11

6.32 11.7 0.98

6.39 11.78 1.11

190600 261100 45669000

1218176 3097792 48918950

33925 -125500

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

119.8

-1257460 -

120

122.9

122.9

120

120

7150

870423

145170

www.businessmirror.com.ph

9-mo MPIC income down, higher forex losses blamed

M

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

ETRO Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) said its core net income grew a measly 2 percent to P12.5 billion for the nine months of the year ending September P12.2 billion last year.

Revenues rose 8 percent to P66.59 billion from last year’s P61.34 billion.

Consolidated reported net income attributable to owners declined 5 percent to P11.8 billion for the period from last year’s P12.48 billion due to P695 million of nonrecurring expenses, in contrast with a P297million gain in 2018.

The company said it still had a 6-percent increase in operating contributions from Manila Electric Co., higher volumes and tariffs at Maynilad Water Services Inc. and continued traffic growth on its domestic toll roads.

Power accounted for P9 billion or

55 percent of net operating income, toll roads contributed P3.7 billion or 22 percent, water contributed P3.2 billion or 19 percent and the hospitals group provided P681 million or 4 percent of the total.

Nearly all of this swing was due to foreign-exchange translation losses in 2019 versus gains in 2018, it said.

“Our 6-percent growth in contribution from operations is due to meaningful volume increases in our businesses, and the quality of our management in raising operating efficiencies,” Jose Ma. K. Lim, the company’s president and CEO, said.

“I am pleased to report that the P30.1-billion proceeds from our previously announced transaction with our hospitals business will go far toward reducing our borrowings and our interest payments,” Lim said.

Meralco’s core net income for the first nine months of 2019 rose 11 percent to P18.5 billion, driven by a 6-percent increase in energy sales and lower borrowing costs on lower debt.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., meanwhile, recorded core net income of P3.7 billion for the period, a 13-percent increase from P3.3 billion last year on domestic roads and lower traffic on our regional roads, tariff adjustments in Nlex and SCTEx, and higher financing cost from borrowings used to partially finance increased investment in PT Nusantara.

Maynilad’s core net income rose 6 percent to P6.5 billion, driven by revenue growth partially offset by increased concession amortization and provision for taxes. The company said it is allocating some P2 billion in mitigating measures to

address the current water shortage in its concession areas.

Revenues rose 9 percent to P18 billion from P16.6 billion for the period, lifted by a 2-percent increase in volume sold and a combination of basic and inflation-linked tariff increases of 2.7 percent in October 2018 and 5.7 percent in January 2019.

“We are cooperating with government to address issues surrounding Maynilad’s sewage coverage, where we have actually diligently followed the requirements of our regulator, and adequacy of available water supply. These may take some time to resolve,” MPIC Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said.

“The improvement in our operating results has been reduced by higher interest costs. Moving forward, this will be ameliorated by the benefit of our recently announced transaction for the hospitals business. The process of raising funding for MPIC is continuing with further portfolio rationalization to be announced in the coming months,” he said, adding that he expected the company’s fullyear core income “to be moderately ahead of 2018.”

Iloilo LGU seeking ₧90-M realty taxes from Peco

T

HE Iloilo City government said Wednesday that Panay Electric Co. (Peco) needs to settle P90 million worth of unpaid real-estate taxes to the city government before it can renew its business permit.

Norman Tabud, head of the city government’s Business Permits and Licensing Office, said in a letter that Peco did not secure a business license to operate in 2019, in violation of the city’s Tax Revenue Code. It did this because the City Treasurer’s Office flagged its failure to pay an assessed P90 million in real-estate taxes, including penalty. “[Peco] had failed to secure a business permit to operate since last year [2018] because of an instruction from the City Treasurer’s Office to hold in abeyance the issuance of the permit pending the company’s payment of its realty tax obligations,” Tabud said.

Such violations could affect Peco’s temporary Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), which requires all distribution utilities to comply with all legal requirements for any business to operate in any area, Tabud pointed out.

Peco’s temporary CPCN is valid for two years to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity in Iloilo City until More Electric and Power Corp.

(MEPC), the legislative franchisee, has established and can fully operate its own distribution system.

Tabud explained that Peco’s obligations arose from a new ruling from the City Treasurer that the lot on which Peco’s aged electricity poles are located are also taxable real estate.

However, according to Tabud, Peco has contested the City Treasurer’s ruling in a case filed with the Iloilo City Regional Trial Court. The case remains pending. “We must note that the amount owed by Peco to the city is now more than P90 million since the penalties are piling up,” Tabud said. “For Peco to be issued a business permit renewal, they have to settle first their real property tax as a matter of procedure pursuant to our local revenue code.” Peco is already facing investigation by the ERC because of a complaint filed by Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas.

Treñas has asked the Office of

the President to direct the ERC to address the mounting complaints against the threat to public safety by “inadequately maintained lines, power outages and hazardous electric posts” owned by Peco.

Under ERC Resolution 5, Series of 2008, any distribution utility granted a CPCN to operate a distribution system in any area must comply with standards set under the Philippine Grid Code and the Philippine Distribution Code, especially those that concern public safety. Based on the report of Bureau of Fire Protection to City Hall, nine incidents of fire were recorded from October 19 to 21 that involved PECO’s electricity poles.

Peco explains

PECO was not able to provide comments on alleged unpaid taxes.

However, it explained on Wednesday that the widespread power outage came at a time when power distributorship in Iloilo is being contested by MEPC. “The blackout happened because of factors beyond the control of Peco and yet MORE Power conveniently used the incident to show us in a bad light by conveniently overlooking the facts,” Peco Head of Public Engagement and Government Affairs Marcelo Cacho said.

He observed that the recent power problems in Iloilo have been met with suspicion as talks of sabotage are going around among industry insiders.

“First of all, we must clarify that Peco is a power distributor and not a power generator,” Cacho stressed.

“We only distribute the power that is generated by the NGCP [National Grid Corp. of the Philippines].”

“NGCP did not restore power after 30 minutes,” Cacho stressed. “In fact, we were checking for updates from the NGCP, but nothing came.

They only advised us that we can already restore power 11 hours after the power outage started. It was NGCP and not our supplier who held back the clearance to restore because they had to stabilize the supply of the grid,” explained Cacho.

“The statements issued by MORE Power are not based on actual facts but rather an attempt to do black propaganda against us, most probably to hide the fact that they have no experience in power distribution at all and are currently incapable of serving Iloilo,” Cacho stated. Lenie Lectura

MUTUAL FUNDS

November 6, 2019

NAV ONE YEAR THREE YEAR FIVE YEAR Y-T-D

PER SHARE RETURN* RETURN STOCK FUNDS ALFM GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 263.24 7.34% 1.62% 0.11% 4.38% ATRAM ALPHA OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 1.528 10.59% 3.97% 0.01% 6.05% ATRAM PHILIPPINE EQUITY OPPORTUNITY FUND, INC. -A 3.9956 4.86% -0.2% -1.77% 2.37% CLIMBS SHARE CAPITAL EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND CORP. -A 0.9573 9.69% N.A. N.A. 6.25% FIRST METRO CONSUMER FUND ON MSCI PHILS. IMI, INC. -A 0.8927 10.65% N.A. N.A. 8.77% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN EQUITY FUND,INC. -A 5.5912 10.96% 3.14% 0.56% 6.03% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,6 0.8999 11.75% -1.07% N.A. 7.55% MBG EQUITY INVESTMENT FUND, INC. -A 113.89 4.19% N.A. N.A. -1.96% PAMI EQUITY INDEX FUND, INC. -A 53.9294 13.17% 4.1% N.A. 9.56% PHILAM STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 558.52 12.66% 2.85% 0.61% 8.51% PHILEQUITY DIVIDEND YIELD FUND, INC. -A 1.3534 10.44% 3.73% 1.66% 7.93% PHILEQUITY FUND, INC. -A 39.853 11.77% 4.65% 1.61% 8.79% PHILEQUITY MSCI PHILIPPINE INDEX FUND, INC. -A,1 1.0705 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILEQUITY PSE INDEX FUND INC. -A

5.4873 14.47% 4.94% 2.67% 10.66% PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND CORP. -A 916.24 14.46% 4.87% 2.6% 10.6% SOLDIVO STRATEGIC GROWTH FUND, INC. -A 0.9214 10.8% 2.66% N.A. 7.14% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE EQUITY FUND, INC. -A 4.429 12.06% 4.27% 1.69% 9.12% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY PHILIPPINE STOCK INDEX FUND, INC. -A 1.0522 14.02% 4.7% N.A. 10.26% UNITED FUND, INC. -A 3.8307 12.73% 6.01% 3.18% 9.42% EXCHANGE TRADED FUND FIRST METRO PHIL. EQUITY EXCHANGE TRADED FUND, INC. -A,C 122.8084 14.76% 5.61% 3.61% 10.89% ATRAM ASIAPLUS EQUITY FUND, INC. -B $1 8.57% 4.38% -0.03% 7.63% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY WORLD VOYAGER FUND, INC. -A $1.3257 9.48% 9.12% N.A. 19.95% BALANCED FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ATRAM DYNAMIC ALLOCATION FUND, INC. -A 1.6094 -0.88% -2.07% -3.49% -2.53% ATRAM PHILIPPINE BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 2.3083 6.35% 0.65% -0.18% 4.49% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN BALANCED FUND INC. -A 2.707 9.78% 2.78% -0.55% 6.44% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN F.O.C.C.U.S. DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A,5 0.2408 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. GREPALIFE BALANCED FUND CORPORATION -A 1.3711 6.89% N.A. N.A. 5.12% NCM MUTUAL FUND OF THE PHILS., INC. -A 1.9948 10.73% 2.99% 1.45% 8.23% PAMI HORIZON FUND, INC. -A 3.8828 13.37% 2.34% 0.81% 10.02% PHILAM FUND, INC. -A 17.3735 12.76% 2.24% 0.71% 9.21% SOLIDARITAS FUND, INC. -A 2.19 8.24% 2.34% 1.53% 5.84% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BALANCED FUND, INC. -A 3.9855 11.41% 3.34% 1.27% 9.15% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2028, INC. -A,D,2 1.0474 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2038, INC. -A,D,2 1.0403 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY ACHIEVER FUND 2048, INC. -A,D,2 1.0377 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DYNAMIC FUND, INC. -A 1.0114 11.41% 2.95% 0.62% 9.73% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES COCOLIFE DOLLAR FUND BUILDER, INC. -A $0.03814 10.17% 2.25% 2.06% 8.05% PAMI ASIA BALANCED FUND, INC. -A $1.0127 9.87% 3.42% 0.29% 10.84% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ADVANTAGE FUND, INC. -A $3.8169 8.56% 6.68% 3.58% 15.36% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR WELLSPRING FUND, INC. -A,7 $1.1145 7.37% 3.95% N.A. 10.9% BOND FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 355.84 4.15% 2.62% 2.27% 3.6% ATRAM CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC. -A 1.9236 3.43% 0.29% -0.11% 3.46% COCOLIFE FIXED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 3.0968 4.94% 5.23% 5.21% 4.06% EKKLESIA MUTUAL FUND INC. -A 2.2178 4.54% 1.96% 1.95% 4.16% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN FIXED INCOME FUND,INC. -A 2.3484 6.11% 1.85% 1.55% 6.5% GREPALIFE FIXED INCOME FUND CORP. -A P 1.6086 2.9% 0.08% -0.11% 2.83% PHILAM BOND FUND, INC. -A 4.3448 14.2% 1.97% 1.68% 10.84% PHILEQUITY PESO BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.755 8.49% 2.47% 1.53% 6.76% SOLDIVO BOND FUND, INC. -A 0.9562 9.28% 0.83% N.A. 7.29% SUN LIFE OF CANADA PROSPERITY BOND FUND, INC. -A 3.0584 11.45% 3.79% 2.53% 10.58% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY GS FUND, INC. -A 1.6896 10.79% 3.22% 2.05% 9.72% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES ALFM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $466.17 4.48% 2.13% 2.84% 3.96% ALFM EURO BOND FUND, INC. -A Є219.75 3.15% 1.31% 1.41% 3.33% ATRAM TOTAL RETURN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -B $1.2032 7.35% 2.41% 2.56% 6.88% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $0.0258 4.03% 1.19% 1.29% 4.03% GREPALIFE DOLLAR BOND FUND CORP. -A $1.7101 1.29% -1.2% 0.25% 1.18% PAMI GLOBAL BOND FUND, INC -A $1.0959 7.21% 0.09% -0.98% 5.75% PHILAM DOLLAR BOND FUND, INC. -A $2.3933 12.44% 2.23% 3.13% 10.25% PHILEQUITY DOLLAR INCOME FUND INC. -A $0.0602557 5.95% 2.05% 2.04% 5.71% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR ABUNDANCE FUND, INC. -A $3.1587 9.93% 1.74% 2.65% 9.98% MONEY MARKET FUNDS PRIMARILY INVESTED IN PESO SECURITIES ALFM MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 125.12 4.14% 2.74% 2.11% 3.51% FIRST METRO SAVE AND LEARN MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A,3 1.0275 N.A. N.A. N.A. N.A. PHILAM MANAGED INCOME FUND, INC. -A 1.2473 6.2% 2.52% 1.58% 5.53% SUN LIFE PROSPERITY MONEY MARKET FUND, INC. -A 1.2589 3.83% 2.83% 2.25% 3.26% PRIMARILY INVESTED IN FOREIGN CURRENCY SECURITIES SUN LIFE PROSPERITY DOLLAR STARTER FUND, INC. -A $1.0347 2.13% N.A. N.A. 1.85% A - NAVPS AS OF THE PREVIOUS BANKING DAY. B - NAVPS AS OF TWO BANKING DAYS AGO. C - LISTED IN THE PSE. D - IN NET ASSET VALUE PER UNIT (NAVPU).

1 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 3, 2019. 2 - LAUNCH DATE IS JANUARY 28, 2019. 3 - LAUNCH DATE IS FEBRUARY 1, 2019. 4 - LAUNCH DATE IS AUGUST 1, 2019.

5 - LAUNCH DATE IS SEPTEMBER 28, 2019. 6 - RENAMING WAS APPROVED BY THE SEC LAST OCTOBER 12, 2018 (FORMERLY, ONE WEALTHY NATION FUND, INC.).

7 - ADJUSTED DUE TO STOCK DIVIDEND ISSUANCE LAST OCTOBER 9, 2019.

"While we endeavor to keep the information accurate, the Philippine Investment Funds Association (PIFA) and its members make no warranties as to the correctness of the newspaper’s publication and assume no liability or responsibility for any error or omissions. You may visit http://www. pifa. com.ph to see the latest NAVPS/NAVPU."

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Thursday, November 7, 2019 B3

Feed millers unfazed by ASF outbreaks in Luzon

By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

by a Global Agricultural Information Network (Gain) report published recently. “We are optimistic that the ASF outbreaks would be controlled as long as everybody follows the approved protocol, guidelines and restrictions, and if [ASF] will not spread to Visayas and Mindanao,” he said.

He disclosed that his group has received reports that hog growers in Visayas and Mindanao are planning to ramp up hog production to augment the supply of pork in Luzon.

@jearcalas

T

HE Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. (Pafmi) said the outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in backyard farms in key hog-producing provinces has not dampened the demand for animal feeds.

Pafmi President Terence S. Uygongco said the prices of hog feeds remained firm at P30 per kilogram despite the onslaught of ASF in Luzon, including areas in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“So far, prices are stable; there’s

no pressure, yet. [The price of animal feeds] has remained at an average of around P30 per kg. There’s no price pull yet,” Uygongco told the BusinessMirror in an interview.

He said the culling of hogs to contain ASF has not dented demand for

‘Not alarming’ A BACKYARD raiser in Rodriguez, Rizal, is feeding hogs in this BusinessMirror file photo.

animal feeds as the number is small in relation to the total hog population in the Philippines.

However, the Pafmi official noted that backyard hog raisers are hesi-

tant to restock following the ASF outbreaks.

Nonetheless, Uygongco said he does not see a 10-percent drop in feed demand next year as projected

DESPITE the spread of ASF in more areas in NCR, Pampanga and Bulacan, the Department of Agriculture maintained that the outbreaks are not yet alarming. ASF Task Force Head Reildrin Morales said the outbreaks are still “manageable.”

“At this point it is still [manageable]. The level of spread of this

House OKs on 2nd reading rice purchase resolution

By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz @joveemarie

T

HE House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on second reading a joint resolution that will authorize the use of government funds for rice subsidy in the 2019 budget for the purchase of unhusked rice from planters.

Through viva voce voting, lawmakers greenlighted House Resolution 22 mandating government agencies and local government units, in coordination with the National Food Authority (NFA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), to directly purchase palay from planters.

The resolution also allows government agencies concerned to distribute the subsidy in the form of rice instead of cash.

Lawmakers passed the resolution after the surge in imported rice in recent months which depressed the farm-gate price of the staple. Farmers’ groups said imports flooded the domestic market following the effectivity of the rice trade liberalization law in March.

The joint resolution urged the Departments of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Interior and Local Government, National Defense (DND), Transportation, and Environment and Natural Resources, in coordination with the NFA and the DA to buy the staple from local planters.

It also indicated that the distribution of rice subsidy shall be in accordance with the procedure, guidelines, and distribution system to be determined by the concerned departments and agencies, taking into consideration

actual levels of production and possible areas of priority, especially in identified rice-producing provinces.

Under the 2019 General Appropriations Act, the total allocation for rice subsidies amounts to P33.9 billion.

Bulk of the subsidy is given to the beneficiaries of the DSWD’s 4Ps. The 4Ps grants the beneficiaries rice subsidy in the form of financial assistance in the amount of P600 per month, equivalent to 20 kilos of rice.

Earlier, the DSWD said P6.97 billion remained undisbursed under the rice subsidy program.

There is also P 2.89-billion rice subsidy program for members of the Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Under the program, uniformed personnel should be given 20 kilograms of rice per month, but this is given to them in cash.

House Committee on Agriculture and Food Chairman Wilfrido Enverga said the resolution will help ease the plight of rice farmers who are now grappling with low farm-gate prices.

On Monday the Senate passed a Joint Senate-House Resolution mandating major government departments and local governments to directly purchase palay from local farmers.

Pressure has mounted in past weeks for the government to speed up assistance to farmers, who have been reeling from the eight-year record-low palay prices in the months following the implementation of the rice trade liberalization law.

Farm-to-market road seen hiking coco production in Davao Oriental town

T

HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said the completion of a farm-tomarket road (FMR) will allow farmers in Lupon, Davao Oriental, to increase their production.

Public Works Secretary Mark A. Villar said the improvement of the 2.37-kilometer access road traversing Barangay Maragatas to Barangay Langka Road started in July.

“The new 2.37-kilometer FMR shall

boost agricultural production of coconut, corn and rice in the resource-rich province [Davao Oriental],” Villar said in a statement. The DPWH chief said the government alloted P45 million for the road improvement project under the 2018 General Appropriations Act. In his report to Villar, DPWH Region 11 Allan Borromeo said the construction and improvement of the FMR leading to Lupon Public Terminal is set for completion by March 2020, and is

expected to amplify the local government’s agricultural programs, reduce transportation costs of farm outputs and minimize postharvest loses.

“We have also revised the infrastructure department’s design standards for FMR and tourism roads to ensure quality and safety of national roads in the country,” added Villar.

The construction of more farmto-market roads is one of the strategies being undertaken by the Duterte

administration to hike agriculture production.

The economic team, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia, considers FMRs as important components of the government’s infrastructure initiative. “[FMRs are important game changers for the agriculture sector] besides irrigation, mechanization, better seeds, competent extension workers, etc.,” said Pernia.

Milk revival boosts battered farmers in key states for Trump

S

TRUGGLING dairy farmers are finally getting some relief after a wave of closures that hit particularly hard in the presidential election battlegrounds of Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Even as Americans drink less milk, prices on commodity markets have surged to five-year highs, providing some help to those still operating.

While it may be too late to save many farms, the turnaround eases the financial pressure on a swath of President Donald J. Trump’s rural base ahead of next year’s election. The Trump campaign is trying to pick up Minnesota, which he narrowly lost in 2016, and fighting to hold onto neighboring Wisconsin, which he won last time by fewer than 23,000 votes.

Dairy is especially important to Wisconsin. “America’s Dairyland” as the slogan reads on the state’s license plates. Residents embrace the nickname “Cheeseheads,” and foam cheese-wedge hats are staples at sports events and tourist shops.

Towns across the state depend on the money dairy farmers spend at equipment dealers, feed stores, cafés and local retailers.

“By spring, if we keep the prices where they are now, farmers are going to be in a better mood,” said John Rettler, 57, who with his three sons operates a 240-cow dairy operation near Neosho, Wisconsin.

He and his neighbors have endured

HOLSTEIN cattle at Skyline Dairy, owned by David Wiens, near Grunthal, Manitoba, in this 2018 file photo. BLOOMBERG

a five-year glut and trade disputes that have cut access to key export markets.

Weather hasn’t been kind either, with a wet spring delaying grain planting and then early snowstorms in October ruining some of the crop of silage and hay farmers planned to feed their cows with over the winter.

Dairy farmers are “very crabby” right now, said Rettler, who also presides over the FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative board. “They’re beaten up so badly. How many times do you get kicked in the stomach and get back up?”

Many didn’t. In the 12 months ended October 1, 1 in 10 dairy farms in Wisconsin closed and 1 in 8 in Minnesota. All those closures are finally having an impact on the downtrodden United States milk market. Class III

futures, which represent milk used to make cheddar cheese, are up about 40 percent in 2019, heading for the best year since 2007.

“People will recover some footing,” said Marin Bozic, a dairy economist at the University of Minnesota. “They’re stepping back from the brink. And they have time to make strategic decisions on their own terms.” Traditional dairy farmers still face tough competition from larger operations, with some groups owning tens of thousands of cows, Bozic said.

US per-capita milk consumption has been declining since the late 1970s as Americans shifted away from cereal for breakfast and more people drink other beverages, including water and plant-based substitutes such as

almond milk.

Dairy farmers were hit with more competition from abroad when the European Union lifted milk production caps in 2015. The shift in the US toward more large dairies added to the glut, driving down prices.

Low prices and environmental concerns are now finally keeping global production in check. In the US, despite the price downturn, the dairy herd initially continued to grow, with larger dairies adding cows as smaller farms closed, Bozic said. More dairy cows finally started to go to slaughterhouses early last year. In August, there were 48,000 fewer cows in the 24 largest producing states than a year earlier, according to US Department of Agriculture.

The milk price increase is already hitting food companies such as Dean Foods Co., the top US dairy processor, which cited higher costs for milk in reporting a wider-than-expected loss in the second quarter. Starbucks Corp. singled out higher dairy costs in the current year in an October 30 earnings call. Kraft Heinz Co., meanwhile, said it boosted prices last quarter in the US on products such as macaroni and cheese, and Philadelphia cream cheese.

Food processors with out-sized exposure to dairy, including cheese, butter and infant formula, face lower margins, said Amit Sharma, an analyst with BMO Capital Markets. Consumers are switching to other beverages as milk prices rise, he added. Bloomberg News

disease is [manageable],” Morales told reporters in a news briefing in Malacañang on Wednesday.

Morales was part of the government’s team that eradicated the foot and mouth disease that also struck hogs.

“Our culling rate is lower compared to that of Vietnam. The spread of the virus is slower. Our [problems] are the uncooperative farmers who do not want to surrender their hogs and the predatory traders,” he added.

Morales disclosed that the government has culled about 70,000 pigs to contain and control the spread of the ASF. Of the total figure, only a third or about 23,100 pigs were infected with ASF. He noted that the figure is lower compared to the 600,000 pigs being culled by Vietnam and the 140,000 hogs being culled in South Korea per month to control ASF.

MinDA promotes bamboo planting in idle tribal lands

By Manuel T. Cayon @awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

D

AVAO CITY—The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) is rolling out a project that would encourage tribal communities and settlers in interior and hardto-reach areas to plant trees and bamboos in idle lands.

MinDA Chairman Emmanuel F. Piñol said the Green Mindanao Project will be launched next month in Davao del Norte after Gov. Edwin Jubahib volunteered the vast tribal lands in Talaingod town as the pilot area.

“It’s a move to convert unproductive tribal lands into tree and bamboo farms, and generate income for the indigenous communities and bring back trees to bared mountains,” said Piñol.

He said the Green Mindanao Project came up after a three-day trip around the eastern coast of Mindanao, from Davao Oriental to Surigao del Norte, last month.

“I was confronted with the sights of deforested mountains and problems of water supply in coastal communities,” said Piñol.

He said the areas he saw have vast potential for tree and bamboo farming “which will provide a livelihood to tribal communities given a high demand for stable wood and bamboo supply.”

“I learned that wood processors alone would need an estimated 200,000 cubic meters of wood for doors, windows and cabinet,” said Piñol. “Instead of importing wood from other countries, especially Eucalyptus, they can source their wood and bamboo supplies from the vast tribal lands of Mindanao.”

He said Green Mindanao would address “multiple problems” of deforestation, flooding and landslides, water problems, and provide sustainable income to indigenous peoples.

“The project is designed to bring back trees in the deforested mountains, ensure sustainable water supply and provide a livelihood to the Tribal communities which have long been neglected,” Piñol added.

Despite its versatility, the bamboo is not cultivated as extensively as rice and corn. Compared to these two crops, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development said there are only around 39,200 hectares to 52,700 hectares of bamboo plantations in the Philippines.

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization said the bamboo can be used in the construction of houses, bridges, furniture, fishing poles, water pipes, weapons, bags, baskets and cloth.

B6 Thursday, November 7, 2019

The World BusinessMirror

Xi says Macron visit boosts multilateralism, free trade

B

EIJING—Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Wednesday hailed a visit by French President Emmanuel Macron as giving a boost to multilateralism and free trade, amid ongoing economic tensions with Washington.

Following a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing, Xi said the two leaders had “sent a strong signal to the world about steadfastly upholding multilateralism and free trade, as well as working together to build open economies.”

In his remarks, Macron said China and the European Union (EU) must “build a stable partnership on the big questions of the world in a world that is more and more destabilized.”

“Developing market access and partnerships between our companies is a priority,” Macron said.

Macron started his three-day

E.U.’S BARNIER WARNS OF TOUGH TIMES AHEAD ON U.K. TRADE DEAL

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ISBON, Portugal—European Union Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier on Tuesday drew the battle lines for the upcoming free trade talks with the UK once it has left the bloc and warned Britain not to undercut EU standards.

Barnier said the trade talks after Britain leaves as expected on January 31 might be as tough as the long-running Brexit divorce negotiations, which have consumed much of the last three years. He said whatever trade agreement emerges, it will cost UK businesses, since they would now be outside the 28-nation bloc.

Currently, there is seamless trade and zero tariffs under common regulations since the UK is part of the EU and has unfettered access to a market of almost half a billion consumers.

With its Brexit departure, the UK hopes to maintain as much access as possible to that wealthy market, while at the same time be free to revamp its whole economy, unshackled from EU rules and regulations.

Barnier’s message was clear—there is no way that will happen.

In the EU, there are fears that Britain will transform itself into a low-regulation economy that would undercut stringent EU social, environmental and other standards.

Barnier warned that “the UK should not think that zero tariffs, zero quotas will be enough. The EU will insist on zero tariffs, zero quotas and zero dumping.”

“There will be more economic competition—OK—between the EU and the UK, and that is normal. But the EU will not tolerate unfair competitive advantage,” he warned at the Web Summit in Lisbon.

Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted he wants a “best-in-class” free-trade agreement, which comes down to the best trade deal that still allows the UK to diverge from EU standards, and potentially head to a US-style low regulation economy.

The EU definition of “best” is different, Barnier said.

“For us, it means a free-trade agreement whose aim is not only economic and financial profit with zero tariffs and zero quotas, but which is also in the interest of the people, their environmental and living standards,” he said.

Current plans call for Britain to leave the bloc on January 31 and end a transitional trade period as soon as the end of 2020. Considering that major international trade deals can often take over half a decade to clinch, that seems a precipitously short time.

Barnier told the Web Summit that by next summer, it will be clear if the Brexit trade transition period will have to be extended beyond the end of next year. AP

visit by announcing that the EU had struck a deal with China to prevent counterfeiting of agricultural products like wine and cheese. Further agreements were signed on Wednesday.

The French leader’s visit is timed to ease some of the tensions that are stifling global commerce, with the US and China in a bitter fight over tariffs and the EU pressing China to make good on commitments to boost imports of agricultural products and manufactured goods, while opening its market for financial products and other services.

Macron first visited the com-

FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron (left) listens as Chinese President Xi Jinping talks during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday, November 6, 2019. AP PHOTO/MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

mercial hub of Shanghai, where he visited a sprawling import fair and presided at the ribbon cutting for a branch of Paris’s famed Centre Pompidou modern art museum along the Chinese city’s riverfront.

Designed by British architect David Chipperfield, the Pompidou Shanghai embodies China’s aspirations to become a center of culture,

as well as business, although the ruling Communist Party’s strict demands for ideological purity have caused some to question whether it can succeed at such a quest.

The Pompidou will assemble items for exhibit at the Shanghai outpost from among its huge collections under a five-year contract. AP

Senior US official says Moon-Abe meeting was ‘encouraging sign’

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EOUL, South Korea—A senior US official said on Wednesday an unexpected meeting this week between the leaders of South Korea and Japan was an “encouraging sign” that the Asian US allies are on track to improve a relationship strained by deep disagreements over trade and history.

David Stilwell, US assistant secretary of state for East Asia and the Pacific, spoke while visiting South Korea weeks before the expiration of a military intelligence-sharing agreement between Seoul and Tokyo. The Trump administration has been pressuring its allies to keep the deal, which symbolized the countries’ trilateral security cooperation with Washington in face of the North Korean nuclear threat and China’s growing influence.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Monday initiated an unscheduled 11-minute meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of a regional forum in Thailand, the latest step taken by Seoul to deescalate the

feud with the deadline on the military agreement approaching.

“President Moon and Prime Minister Abe had the opportunity to talk, and that’s an encouraging sign as we watched the relationship improve,” Stilwell told reporters after a meeting with South Korean Prime Minister Kang Kyung-wha.

Seoul’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Kang during her talks with Stilwell and Keith Krach, US undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, explained South Korean efforts to find “rational solutions” through dialogue over the issues with Japan. South Korean and US officials didn’t confirm whether there were any specific discussions over the Seoul-Tokyo military agreement.

Seoul and Tokyo in past months have seen their relations sink to a low unseen in decades.

Japan has denounced South Korean court rulings calling for Japanese companies to offer reparations to aging South Korean plain-

tiffs for their World War II forced labor, insisting that all compensation matters were settled when the two countries normalized relations under a 1965 treaty.

South Korea accused Tokyo of ignoring the suffering of South Koreans under Japan’s brutal colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945 and furiously reacted to Japanese moves to tighten controls on key technology exports to the country and downgrade its trade status.

The dispute spilled over to security issues with Seoul, saying it plans to terminate the military agreement with Tokyo. Following an angry reaction from the Trump administration, Seoul said it could reconsider its decision to end the military agreement if Japan relists South Korea as a favored trade partner. The pact will expire in late November.

Monday’s meeting between Moon and Abe was their first since they held a summit on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2018. AP

IN this photo provided by South Korea Presidential Blue House, South Korean President Moon Jae-in (center right) talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (center left) ahead of the Asean+3 Summit in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on Monday, November 4, 2019. SOUTH KOREA PRESIDENTIAL BLUE HOUSE VIA AP

EU hopes US will rethink choice to pull out of climate pact

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RUSSEL S —T he Europea n Union (EU) has voiced regret at the US government’s decision to pull out of the Paris climate agreement and expressed hopes that one of the world’s biggest CO2 emitters will backpedal on its decision and rejoin.

European Commission Spokesman Mina Andreeva said on Tuesday that the global deal signed in

2015 remains “the most important international agreement on climate change” and insisted that the EU will continue to “fight global climate change under this legal framework.”

Despite the US departure, Andreeva added that the 28-member bloc will continue working with various US-based entities and stakeholders who remain commit-

Editor: Angel R. Calso

Used to impunity, Bangladesh elite face corruption crackdown

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HAK A, Bangladesh—As gamblers called out bets around craps and roulette tables at a sports club in Bangladesh’s capital, dozens of black-clad security forces burst inside.

Gamblers were ordered to the floor as police and members of Bangladesh’s Rapid Action Battalion, which normally handles major counterterrorism operations, cracked open iron vaults full of cash.

By the end of the raid, more than 140 people had been taken out of the makeshift casino in handcuffs.

At the same time in another part of Dhaka, commandos were raiding the home of the suspected casino organizer, Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, an influential member of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party.

They say they discovered stashes of liquor, cash and illegal arms.

The raids are part of a sweeping anti-corruption campaign Hasina has launched in this Muslim nation where gambling is illegal, alcohol consumption requires a permit and where paying bribes is common not just for lawbreakers, but for those seeking normal government services.

Emboldened by December’s landslide election victory for her ruling Awami League party, Hasina has declared stamping out corruption as her government’s priority and promised even political allies won’t be spared.

“This is an acknowledgement that corruption, extortion and unlawful activities have permeated the ruling party to the grassroots,” said Ali Riaz, a professor of political science at Illinois State University and expert on Bangladeshi politics.

It remains to be seen how high up the campaign will be allowed to reach, Riaz said.

“Casinos and the unbridled power of the party leaders are just the tip of the iceberg of the corruption and absence of any accountability in the country,” he said.

So far the campaign, which was launched in September, has netted several ruling party members charged with running illegal casinos, money laundering and possessing illegal arms. Security forces have recovered millions of dollars’ worth of cash, and stockpiles of weapons and gold. More than 600 bank accounts have been frozen.

Hasina has been able to attempt such a crackdown because she wields immense power after 10 years at the helm of government.

She’s firmly in charge of her own party and faces no effective opposition in Parliament, with her party having 301 seats in the 350-seat Parliament. Her archrival, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is serving 17 years in jail for corruption.

That dominance could be exacerbating the corruption problem.

While Bangladesh has a long history of ruling party members manipulating business and government contracts in their favor, experts say the total absence of political opposition has engendered a sense of impunity among some in power.

“Investment and politics become synonymous in Bangladesh,” said Ifekhar Zaman, executive director of the Bangladesh chapter of Transparency International. “A collusion of politics, business, and bureaucracy and law enforcement” has created an “infrastructure” of corruption.

When she launched the campaign, Hasina seemed to acknowl-

edge that if corruption were allowed to spiral, it could set the stage for a repeat of events of January 2007, when a military-backed caretaker government took control of the country. The events are known locally as 1/11, for the date they began.

“We’re taking measurers in advance so that no 1/11-like incident can happen again in the country,” Hasina said in September. “The purge must begin from my own house.”

One of the people recently arrested, GK Shamim, a construction company owner who has ties to the ruling party, is accused by investigators of corruption on government projects, including building the headquarters of the Rapid Action Battalion, the same security force conducting the anticorruption raids.

A government anti-corruption commission is now investigating more than 20 people in Hasina’s inner circle for possible involvement with illegal casinos, money laundering and other financial crimes, including Omar Faruk Chowdhury, who heads the ruling party’s influential youth wing and is Hasina’s cousin’s husband. In a meeting led by Hasina, Chowdhury was stripped of his post while a criminal investigation continues.

Bhuiyan, who is accused of running the casino, Shamim and Chowdhury have all maintained their innocence in court.

Hasina’s office declined requests to interview the prime minister about the crackdown, and her press secretary, Ihsanul Karim, gave only a one-sentence comment when asked about the campaign.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is determined to continue the crackdown and no wrongdoers will be spared,” Karim said.

Some analysts see the campaign as a response to increasingly brazen corruption that could threaten Hasina’s ambitious development agenda.

Bangladesh’s economy has averaged more than 6-percent annual growth since Hasina came to power in 2009, largely fueled by its garment-exports business, the second largest in the world. That growth has lifted millions out of poverty, helping Bangladesh surpass wealthier neighbors like India on some human development measures such as life expectancy and reproductive health.

But anti-corruption campaigners say corruption has cost the country 2-percent to 3-percent annual growth. Hasina herself has blamed corrupt “termites” for eating into her government’s development budget.

So far the punishment for those convicted in the crackdown has been fairly light. Another ruling party member accused of running a Dhaka casino empire and found with illegal drugs and liquor among other contraband, Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat, was expelled from the party and sentenced to six months in jail. For the crime of money laundering alone, he could have faced up to 12 years in prison.

The anti-corruption campaign has proven popular with the public, and so far has proven risk-free for Hasina.

“As of now, I think it’s a low-risk campaign,” Riaz said. “The campaign hasn’t touched central leaders, any bureaucrats or legitimate businessmen. The risk, if any, is of image of the party.” AP

ted to the deal.

“The Paris agreement has strong foundations and is here to stay. Its doors remain open and we hope that the US will decide to pass [them] again one day,” Andreeva said.

Germany said the US government’s decision is “regrettable” but no surprise.

Environment Minister Svenja Schulze said the US had announced

its plan to withdraw from the pact two years ago and “luckily it has remained alone in doing so.”

Nearly 200 nations signed the landmark 2015 climate deal to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degress Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, with each country providing its own goals for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. AP

The World

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, November 7, 2019

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Bank of Thailand cuts interest rate to record low to rein in surging baht

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HE Bank of Thailand cut its benchmark interest rate for the second time in three months and said it will ease rules on outflows to curb the currency’s gains.

Five of the 7 Monetary Policy Committee members voted to cut the key rate by a quarterpercentage point to 1.25 percent, the central bank said in a statement. That matches a record low and was in line with the forecasts of 16 of the 26 economists in a Bloomberg survey.

Officials told reporters in Bangkok that the central bank is worried about the strength of the baht, which may continue to

weigh on the economy. The bank will ease rules on outflows and consider further steps to rein in the currency, they said.

The baht extended losses, falling as much as 0.7 percent to 30.399 per dollar, and was at 30.377 as of 2:15 p.m. in Bangkok.

Thai authorities are stepping up monetary and fiscal support to spur an economy that’s on course for its weakest growth

in five years in 2019. The baht has gained more than 8 percent against the dollar in the past year, the best performer in emerging markets, curbing exports and tourism in the trade-reliant nation.

Inflation remains subdued, slowing to a more than twoyear low of 0.11 percent in October, well below the central bank’s 1 percent to 4 percent annual target. Finance Minister Uttama Savanayana said this week t he centra l ban k has proposed to narrow the band for next year for better monetary policy management.

The central bank has already taken measures to curb shortterm inflows to rein in the currency, and said it’s planning to ease rules on capital outflows.

Bloomberg News

German manufacturing shows signs of recovery

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REBOUND in German factory orders is adding to signs that the euro-area economy has passed the worst of its recent troubles.

Demand rose 1.3 percent in September, far exceeding estimates of a 0.1 percent gain. The first increase in three months was driven by a solid pickup in investment and consumer goods, with demand from outside the euro area providing a particular boost.

The euro rose after the report and traded at $1.1076 at 8:54 a.m. Frankfurt time.

The unexpectedly strong jump prompted cautious optimism at the Economy Ministry that German industry had a promising start to the fourth quarter.

Paired with slowly brightening sentiment this “could signal a bottoming out of orders,” according to a statement.

Yet, orders were still down 5.4 percent from the previous year, suggesting momentum will continue to be weak. Germany probably went into a technical recession during the last quarter, and the labor market started to deteriorate.

“Today’s factory order figures are consistent with our view that the dip will be shallow, though economic growth will remain weak going into 2020,” said Bloomberg’s economist Jamie Rush.

The data follow a report showing euro-zone manufacturing near its weakest in seven years, with job losses accelerating and order books declining.

Even as the global economy shows signs of passing the trough, Germany has continued to struggle.

The government’s council of economic advisers is set to

slash its growth forecasts for this year and next when it presents Chancellor Angela Merkel with its annual report later on Wednesday.

Policy-makers at the European Central Bank have called on European governments to step in with fiscal support, arguing that monetary stimulus alone can’t deliver the necessary boost. A call for additional spending also featured in President Mario Draghi’s farewell speech last week, and his successor Christine Lagarde is likely to continue his efforts.

Yet, governments have been reluctant, with Germany’s administration indicating that the situation has to deteriorate before significant aid will be unlocked. Finance Minister Olaf Scholz has said the economic situation doesn’t require a rushed fiscal response. Bloomberg News

Oil slips from six-week high on stockpiles, mixed trade signals

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IL retreated from a six-week high as investors weigh indications of expanding American crude inventories and mixed signals on the progress of US-China trade talks.

Futures lost as much as 0.7 percent in New York after rising 5.6 percent over the past three sessions. The American Petroleum Institute (API) reported crude stockpiles increased by 4.26 million barrels last week, according to people familiar with the data. China is seeking a rollback of US tariffs before signing a deal, while it’s unclear if President Donald J. Trump will be willing to cut any duties.

While prices have rallied recently on optimism trade tensions are easing, oil is still down from an April peak as the prolonged spat dented demand. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries cut its estimates for the amount of crude it will need to pump in coming years as American shale floods the market, while the US registered its first petroleum trade surplus in over four decades as production surged to a record.

“There’s lots of feel-good things with China and the US saying they want to sign a partial deal, but looking beyond the headlines, what exactly are they saying about the removal of tariffs?” said Vandana Hari, founder of Vanda Insights, in a Bloomberg TV interview. “Some of the optimism over the trade deal that is being baked into oil prices might be a bit premature.”

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for December delivery lost 28 cents to $56.95 a barrel on the New York

Mercantile Exchange as of 7:32 a.m. in London. The contract rose 69 cents to $57.23 on Tuesday, the highest close since September 24.

Brent for January settlement fell 35 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $62.61 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe Exchange. The contract rose 83 cents to $62.96 on Tuesday. The global benchmark traded at a $5.61 premium to WTI. US crude stockpiles at the key storage hub of Cushing increased by 1.25 million barrels last week, according to the API. Nationwide inventories are forecast to expand

by 2 million barrels, according to a Bloomberg survey before Energy Information Administration data on Wednesday.

Beijing has asked the Trump administration to pledge not only to withdraw threats of new tariffs but also to eliminate duties on about $110 billion in goods imposed in September, according to people familiar with the deliberations. Negotiators are also discussing lowering the 25 percent duty on about $250 billion of imports that Trump imposed last year, the people said.

Bloomberg News

B8 Thursday, November 7, 2019

SM Foundation, MSDC turn over 100th school building to Looc Elem School

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TAYING true to its commitment in spreading social good in grassroot communities, SM Foundation (SMFI) and the Manila Southcoast Development Corp. (MSDC) recently turned over SM’s 100th school building to the Looc Elementary School (LES) in Nasugbu, Batangas.

This two-story, four-classroom SM school building is complete with armchairs (some are designed for lefthanded students), teachers’ desk and chair, wall fans, concave panoramic whiteboards, wall clocks, and washroom in each classroom. One of the rooms was also converted to a fully-furnished library

– which intends to promote the love for reading among the students of LES and at the same time, improve their reading and comprehension skills. The library was also equipped with computers and printers in order to prepare the students to be digitally competitive.

It also boasts a ramp and a toilet for persons with disabilities (PWDs) on the first floor. The building is also emergencyready (with fire and earthquake alarm bells) and emergency lights at the landings of both staircases for safety.

In his speech, SMFI Trustee Ramon Gil Macapagal noted that this building is the first SM school building to be made of all-

steel, all-concrete materials, making it termite-proof and disaster-proof.

Macapagal also highlighted the use of whiteboards to replace the traditional blackboards but still retaining the usual concave panoramic look. A concave panoramic board ensures that writings on the board are visible on all sides of the room.

The building also has an insulation on the roof to protect the students from severe heat. All of these innovations aim to offer a comfortable and better learning experience to students – which in turn improve their academic performance.

Furthermore, in support to the recent celebration of the Global Handwashing Day, a 10-faucet handwashing area at the side of the SM school building were installed.

This feature of SM’s School Building Program aims to promote handwashing among the students of LEC – which decreases the chance of the students in terms of having diarrhea and other gastro-intestinal diseases.

According to Looc ES principal Luciana Tulagan, the school will now have a single shift class schedule (before they have double shift) and their classroom to student ratio will now be ideal at 1:35 (previously it was around 1:45) because of the construction of the SM school building.

Social Media Week Manila brings stories together on Nov 11-12, 2019

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ITH over 1,200 participants last year, Social Media Week Manila celebrates its success with a two day event this 2019 at the following venues: Nov 11 - Day 1: Estancia, Capitol Commons, Pasig. Nov 12 - Day 2: Samsung Hall, SM Aura, Taguig International speakers and industry experts are coming to this year’s conference.

Among them are Angeline Tham CEO of Angkas, Frederick Levy of GCash (Mynt), Donny Eryastha of TikTok, Jolly Estaris of youtube, and many more.

Join us and buy your tickets here: www. ticketworld.com.ph or visit TicketWorld Outlet now!

China holds 2019 Zhejiang International Trade Exhibition in Manila

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HE Zhejiang Intenational Trade Exhibition (Philippines Manila) 2019, co-organized by the Philippines Globallink Exhibition company, will be unveiled at the World Trade Center of the Philippines on November 7-11, 2019.

Zhejiang province, as a major export province of China, has organized a total of 89 well-known enterprises in the province and 100 booths to showcase their products in the Philippines. This is the first large-scale building materials exhibition organized by Department of Commerce of Zhejiang in the Philippines.

The products to be exhibited includes hardware tools, plumbing fittings, flooring, mechanical and electrical pump valves, decorative materials, etc. ZHEJIANG exhibition group adheres to the tenet of " ZHEJIANG MADE, ALL NEED" and leads the high-quality ZHEJIANG products.

In recent years, the Philippines has made great efforts to strengthen its domestic

construction and the demand for building materials are growing up. This exhibition is expected to attract buyers from many countries including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, South Korea, Japan and countries from other regions.

The show will hold multiple communication BBS, that will provide a good communication platform for purchaser including construction engineer, real estate developers, designers, decoration companies, such as building materials association.

Senator Manny Pacquiao and Mayor Isko Moreno will be present to deliver a welcome speech and welcome the exhibitors and visitors.

Mr. Xie Kang, Chairman of the Philippines Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce and officials from Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office of the Embassy of China in the Philippines are also invited.

Sports BusinessMirror

BOXING TAKES L BACK SEAT TO UFC

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| Thursday, November 7, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

CANELO ALVAREZ (center) stands over Sergey Kovalev as referee Russell Mora steps in during their light heavyweight title bout last Saturday in Las Vegas. AP

WAR VS. DOPING GOES TO GENES I

NTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said that gene testing could be introduced in time for next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo.

It could be accompanied by dried-blood-spot testing (DBS), another significant new weapon in the war against drug cheats, Bach told the opening session of the fifth World Conference on Doping in Sport organized by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) in Katowice, Poland, on Tuesday.

“With research on genetic sequencing progressing well, this new approach could be a groundbreaking method to detect blood doping, weeks or even months after it took place,” Bach told an audience of 1,600 delegates from the Olympic Movement, National Anti-Doping Organizations (Nado) and government agencies.

“If approved by Wada, such new gene testing could be used already at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

“These new methods will again strengthen deterrence,” he said. “We want the cheats to never feel safe, anytime or anywhere.”

The new gene test, believed to be in the final stages of development, has been pioneered by Yannis Pitsiladis, a professor of sports science and genetics at the University of Brighton in the United Kingdom, who has been developing it since 2006.

It is designed to identify the abuse of certain performance-enhancing drugs more accurately than existing methods. It has been hailed as the most significant advance in drug testing since the athlete biological passport was formally introduced in 2002.

Genetic sequencing will be used to detect all forms of doping—it is hoped—but research is currently focused on blood doping.

The method involves identifying changes to the body’s genetic signature as a result of the two forms of blood doping—a transfusion or the use of a banned product that increases the production of red blood cells, including erythropoietin (EPO), the most widely abused drug used to boost blood.

Research by Pitsiladis, a member of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission, has shown that there are approximately 21,000 genes in the body, and several hundred turn on when an athlete has taken EPO or undergone a blood transfusion.

It has been discovered that this change in the athlete’s genetic signature will remain detectable for weeks—maybe even months—after the doping took place.

Even if the new test is not validated in time for Tokyo 2020, the IOC claimed to store samples so they can analyze them when it is ready.

“This will add to the fact that the pre-Games testing program for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, will be the most extensive program ever, aimed to maximize both detection and deterrence,” Bach said.

Wada announced last month it had signed deals with seven organizations, including the IOC and International Testing Agency, to develop and implement DBS. Described as a potential “game changer” for antidoping at major events, Wada believes it could lead

Bach urged international federations and Nados to follow the IOC example by storing samples for up to a decade after they are taken, so they can be reanalyzed when new detection methods are developed.

Following its meeting in Lausanne last month, the IOC executive board announced that they planned to establish a long-term sample storage scheme for preGames testing programs.

Bach has now acted upon that decision with this promise of funding.

“The IOC is initiating a global long-term storage and reanalysis program, also for samples collected during the pre-Games testing period,” he said. “This means that these samples should be stored for up to 10 years, as the IOC already does for the samples taken during the Olympic Games. Insidethegames

DRIED-BLOOD-SPOT testing, which will make samples easier to collect and cheaper, could be introduced in time for Tokyo 2020, following a collaborative effort between several groups, according to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.

to a quicker and easier system which would allow for more tests and, in turn, the potential to catch more cheats.

It could also be favored by athletes as an alternative to the inconvenience of urine and blood tests, as a sample can be taken via a simple finger prick.

“Based on the progress with regards to antidoping research, which has been made thanks to the joint efforts with the governments and Wada, we can look confidently to the future,” Bach told the audience. “In this respect, one of most the promising collective research projects is the driedblood-spot method.”

“This DBS method could very well revolutionize the anti-doping fight, since it will allow for fast, simple and cost-effective collection of samples that can be easily and cheaply transported and stored,” he added.

Only a small amount of blood would be needed after a DBS test, making samples less expensive to collect and transport.

They would also take up less space in storage and not degrade as quickly.

Funding worth up to $5 million, meanwhile, will be provided by the IOC to International Federations and Nados to encourage them to store drug samples for up to 10 years.

Bach made the offer as part of a new $10-million funding package, with the additional promise of $2.5 million into research and another $2.5 million into strengthening the Wada’s Intelligence and Investigative Unit.

AS VEGAS—The ring was empty, boxing’s biggest attraction was taking a nap and fans who paid more than $1,000 a ticket to see Canelo Alvarez and Sergey Kovalev face off for the light heavyweight title were instead watching a UFC fight from New York, on the big screens at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

There was plenty of time for those watching at home on DAZN to take a nap themselves. The fight wouldn’t start until 1:15 a.m. on the East Coast because the streaming service didn’t want to go headto-head with a UFC event—even with a fighter so popular that DAZN signed him to a $365-million contract that seemed to defy the logic of boxing economics.

What that means to the future of boxing can be debated, as can DAZN’s role in that future. The sport has taken its lumps over the years, though DAZN is spending hundreds of millions of dollars in a gamble to televise some of its biggest fights.

But there’s no debating that the bow down to UFC was not only an affront to paying fans, but an embarrassment to the sport itself.

“I absolutely see it as a slap in the face to boxing and it was self-inflicted in a way,” said Stephen Espinoza, who heads boxing at the Showtime network. “No one forced this decision on the promoters or the broadcaster in this case. They just made an incredibly bad decision to delay the fight.”

If the decision was bad, the optics were even worse. Here was the television platform with designs to take over boxing delaying one of its biggest fights of the year simply because it was afraid of competing with UFC. That meant the unsuspecting fans at the MGM Grand sitting and watching an empty ring much of the night. It meant boxing fans at home having to stay up watching mostly filler material until the fight finally ended after 2 a.m.

It should have meant an apology from DAZN for both. But inconveniencing fans is the norm in sports these days, and boxing is no exception.

Joseph Markowski, DAZN executive vice president for North America, argued that the company made the right decision for the future of boxing—at least as it pertains to his company.

“Ultimately, we saw a surge in both subscription sign ups and audience from the end of the UFC fight to the beginning of our fight,” Markowski said. “The bottom line was that more people watched Canelo because of that. And that was a good result for us.”

That may be true, though without seeing any numbers it’s hard to say for sure.

Imagine, though, if the NBA had decided to delay the start of the Lakers-Clippers game on opening night because it went against Game One of the World Series.

Again, it didn’t have to happen. And it cheapens the product when boxing is seen as subservient to UFC when, in fact, both sports have audiences of their own that don’t overlap nearly as much as it might seem at first glance.

“We’re seeing the visibility and stature of some of sports’ biggest events depressed,” said Espinoza, whose network is a rival of DAZN and has lost some big fights to the service. “And that’s bad for all of us.”

Markowski declined to say how many new subscriptions were sold or how many fans are subscribers to the service, which offers an attractive alternative for fans turned off by the high price of boxing pay-per-views. Since its inception a few years ago, DAZN has refused to give out numbers on how many fans spend either $20 a month or $100 a year for the fights.

But it’s no secret that the company needs viewer revenue after handing out big contracts to fighters like Alvarez, Anthony Joshua and Gennadiy Golovkin.

Still, it’s hard to imagine people at home pulling out credit cards at 1 a.m. to sign up. That’s especially true if they were UFC fans who had just spent $80 on a largely unsatisfactory card topped by a fight that featured a made-up belt held aloft by The Rock like it was a WWE event instead.

The puzzling decision to delay the fight came after a week that DAZN was touting its place in boxing and its lineup of fights over the next few months.

It’s an impressive schedule that includes the heavyweight title rematch between Joshua and Andy Ruiz Jr., though fight fans again will have to check their clocks. The fight will be held in the Saudi Arabia, on December 7, and with the time difference, fans in the US will have to watch in the afternoon—not a prime time for drawing viewers—and the fight will go off against college football conference championships.

It doesn’t make sense for a service looking for subscribers. And once again it cheapens what should have been a huge fight.

In the end it’s DAZN’s money and the company can do what it wants.

But that doesn’t make it right for the paying fans who are getting played along the way. AP

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Thursday, November 7, 2019

TIGERS OUST TAMARAWS

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

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NIVERSITY of Santo Tomas (UST) sent Far Eastern University (FEU) packing for home via an 8171 victory in the first phase of the stepladder semifinals of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 82 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tigers growled and clawed their way past the Tamaraws to claim the win they wrapped with most of the individual awards that the league gives out close to the season’s end.

Most Valuable Player Soulemane Chabi Yo validated his season-long brilliance that earned him the coveted trophy by scoring 25 points that went with 11 rebounds and three assists.

Chabi Yo led an early Tigers onslaught that surprised the Tamaraws for a commanding 54-28 lead at the half.

Yet, what looked like a cruise almost flopped when FEU cut the gap to five points with seven minutes remaining in the game.

Fortunately, the España-based squad regained its footing with Renzo Subido’s triple with 1:26 left pulled the Tigers to a safe perch, 78-65.

“Nothing comes easy. That’s always been our season,” UST Head Coach Aldin Ayo said. “Right from the start, it was really hard because we knew FEU will fight until the end.”

“They are well-coached. They have good players,” he stressed.

Brent Paraiso had 18 points and five rebounds, while Renzo Subido added 14 points and five boards. They made up for the anemic performance of athletic forward Rhenz Abando and Rookie of the Year Mark Nonoy.

Abando scored nine points on three-of-11 shooting, while Nonoy added six points on a measly two-of-eight clip.

Paraiso engineered the first-half storm where the Tigers nailed nine triples that gave them a 26-point lead at the break.

The Growling Tigers now face a daunting task of overcoming the twice-to-beat advantage of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons in the second phase of the semifinals made excruciatingly tedious by the Ateneo Blue Eagles’ 14-game sweep of the eliminations.

Ken Tuffin led the Tamaraws with 20 points and five rebounds, while L-Jay Gonzales added 11 points.

After finishing the elimination round with an 8-6 card for a better finish

than UST, FEU closed out its campaign with the farewell performances of graduating players Hubert Cani and Wendell Comboy.

Chabi Yo averaged 16.9 points, 14.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists in the regular season for 76 statistical points (SPs) to become the first Tiger to win the MVP title since Dylan Ababou in 2009.

Justine Baltazar of De La Salle took second place with 64 SPs, while his teammate Jamie Alonzo landed in third with 63.23 SPs. Completing the top 5 for the season are University of the Philippines’s Kobe Paras (62.08 SPs) and University of the East’s Rey Suerte (60.93 SPs).

Nonoy was also the first Tiger to earn top rookie honors first since Jeric Teng bagged the award also in 2009.

The Growling Tigresses were as impressive with Congolese Grace Irebu emerging women’s MVP. Irebu amassed 90 SPs. Also in the women’s Mythical Five were Adamson University’s Nathalia Prado of (86), National University’s Jack Animam (78.57), FEU’s Clare Castro (66.64) and De La Salle’s Kent Pastrana (57 SPs).

UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas’s Zach Huang and Far Eastern University’s Barkley Ebona get physical in a crucial game. NONOY LACZA

Perlas Spikers one win away from podium

THE North’s Jobim Carlos and South’s Clyde Mondilla hope to lead their respective team’s bid in The Duel VI.

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PHL TOUR’S ‘THE DUEL’ UNWRAPS T

HE men of the Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) wrap up the milestone 10th season of the country’s premier circuit by clashing in team play where the best from Luzon slugs it out with the top guns from the Visayas and Mindanao in The Duel-North versus South from November 13 to 15 at the Santa Elena Golf Club.

The North team scored a wire-to-wire triumph in the last edition of the event at Camp John Hay in 2017, cutting the South squad’s lead to 2-3 in the series that kicked off in 2012 at Alabang featuring the top 24 players in the PGT Order of Merit (OOM) ranking at the close of each season.

Heading to next week’s battle in the country’s version of the Ryder Cup put up by ICTSI, the Northerners hope to come up with another strong start in the four-ball (better ball) and foursomes (alternate shot), and sustain their pace in the deciding singles in an attempt to level things up in the series also held to further foster camaraderie among the country’s leading players and showcase their skills in team competition.

Last year’s PGT OOM winner Jobim Carlos banners Team North handled by Coach Cookie La’O with Miko Alejandro as assistant with former PGT Asia leg winners Justin Quiban, James Ryan Lam and Joenard Rates backstopping the squad.

Other members are former PHL Open

titlist Gerald Rosales, Mars Pucay, Jun Bernis, Fidel Concepcion, Eric Gallardo, Michael Bibat, Keanu Jahns and Ira Alido.

But Team South Coach Charles Hong and assistant Rufino Bayron remain confident of getting back at their counterparts with a veteran crew led by reigning Philippine Open champion Clyde Mondilla, former four-time OOM winner Tony Lascuña, Jhonnel Ababa, the winningest player on PGT Asia with four victories, former Masters titlist Jerson Balasabas and multititled Jay Bayron.

Completing the South cast are Elmer Salvador, Albin Engino, Pueblo de Oro leg champion Reymon Jaraula, Zanieboy Gialon, Arnold Villacencio, Nilo Salahog and former PGT Asia leg winner Rene Menor.

Team South ruled the event’s inaugurals with a 16-12 decision but the North squad fought back with a thrilling 14 1/2-13 1/2 win the following year before the former routed the latter with a 20-8 romp in Duel III in Cebu.

Outplayed in team play, the Southerners dominated the singles to snatch a 12 1/2-11 1/2 victory and keep the crown in 2015 at Wack Wack before the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. made the series a biennial affair.

The opening foursomes, featuring six matches, will be played on November 13 with the four-ball, also a six-match event, set on November 14 with the deciding singles, featuring 12 matches, to be held on November 15.

JAMES

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Dan Cruz of Eagle Ridge, Southwoods’ Paolo Barro and Masaichi Otake, Alabang’s Miguel Ilas, Don Petil of Luisita, Josh Jorge, Aguinaldo’s Pierre Ticzon and Riviera-based Koreans Lee Sang Min and Lee Seung Hoon.

Others vying in the 54-hole championship organized and conducted by the NGAP, and sponsored by the MVPSF with PLDT Group, Cignal and Metro Pacific Investments as other backers are Tagaytay’s Christian Acero, Perry Bucay of Aguinaldo, Dylan Castillo of Anvaya Cove, Apo’s Miguel Fusilero, Jet Hernandez of Alabang, Orchard’s Kim Min Sung and Kim Tae Soo, and Guam’s Nalapon Vongjalorn and Redge Camacho.

Malixi is also bracing for another tough

outing in the women’s side of the annual event hosted by Riviera and held under the PLDT National Amateur Tour but she remains confident of nailing her fourth victory in the season. She ruled the PHL Junior Amateur Open at Sherwood, the PHL Amateur Open Match Play at Luisita and the recent Northern Luzon Regional where she fought back from four down and nipped Sophia Blanco in sudden death.

But the rising star from Veterans Golf Club faces a spirited challenge from the likes of Laurea Duque of Alabang, Anvaya Cove’s Jody Castillo and club bets Kwon Min Seo, Kwon Tae Yon and Kim Seo Yun from Korea, guaranteeing an equally exciting battle of shotmaking and wits at one of the country’s toughest courses.

LeBron gets job done with 3rd triple-double

HICAGO—LeBron James and Anthony Davis watched and cheered as Kyle Kuzma powered a big fourth-quarter run for Los Angeles.

Sure, James was his usual brilliant self. But Kuzma’s performance was a big deal for the rolling Lakers.

James had 30 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his third consecutive triple-double, and Los Angeles rallied to beat the Chicago Bulls, 118-112, on Tuesday night for its sixth straight victory in the National Basketball Association.

Kuzma scored 11 of his 15 points in the final period during his third game after missing the start of the season with a right ankle injury. The 24-year-old guard got hurt while playing for USA Basketball this past summer.

“I’m getting there,” Kuzma said. “It’s a process, I know. It’s all about being patient right now because I haven’t really had much

basketball time since August.”

Kuzma averaged 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game last season. The Lakers are hoping he can provide a viable third option alongside the leading duo of James and Davis.

“Kuz got into a rhythm, and that’s what he’s capable of,” James said.

Los Angeles trailed by 19 before outscoring Chicago 38-19 in the fourth during the finale of a three-game trip. Kuzma began the quarter with seven straight points, part of a 16-0 run that lifted the Lakers to a 96-93 lead with 8:12 left.

James was on the bench for most of the big spurt, and Davis watched the entire run from the sideline.

“AD was in foul trouble. Bron was exhausted,” Lakers Coach Frank Vogel said. “Both of those guys needed to stay on the bench and other guys needed to step up, and they did.”

DAVIS

Chicago lost for the fifth time in six games.

Zach LaVine scored 26 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. had 11 points and 11 rebounds in his third straight double-double. Coby White and Otto Porter Jr. each scored 18 points.

Those familiar chants of “M-V-P!”meanwhile, weren’t for Stephen Curry this time but rather a rookie named Eric Paschall, who delivered a special performance on his 23rd birthday.

Not to mention the Warriors’ first win at new Chase Center—finally—in San Francisco.

Paschall hit a key 3-pointer with 4:05 remaining, and finished with 34 points and 13 rebounds, leading injury-plagued Golden State to a 127-118 victory over Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.

“That was a little crazy. For a rookie you hear MVP, that’s a ‘wow’ moment,” Paschall said. “I thank Dub Nation for believing in me.” AP

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ESPITE trade rumors surrounding Vic Manuel, the Alaska big man still proved to be a trooper and played well enough to help the Aces stay in contention for a playoffs berth in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors Cup. Manuel muscled his way for 23 points and 10 rebounds as the Aces turned back NorthPort Batang Pier, 106-99, to win for the third time in their last four outings.

It was the first back-to-back victory for Alaska under Coach Jeff Cariaso as the team continues its rise in the standings with a 3-6 record after losing its first five games in the conference.

The 32-year-old Manuel has a lot to do with that as the forward from Licab, Nueva Ecija, has been delivering consistently on both ends of the floor, unmindful of the trade talks involving him.

Manuel’s numbers in the win over NorthPort clinched for him the PBA Press Corps-Cignal Player of the Week for the period October 28 to November 3.

“The Muscleman” edged rookie teammate Abu Tratter for the weekly honor.

Tratter, who also got his fair share of the votes, finished with 17 points and nine rebounds against the Batang Pier.

Seven other players vied for the weekly honor namely, Kiefer Ravena, Jericho Cruz, and Poy Erram of NLEX, rookie Bong Quinto, Chris Newsome, and Raymund Almazan of Meralco and veteran Barangay Ginebra guard LA Tenorio.

Ryniel Berlanga

Berkeley School tops Luzon hoops

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RAMOS, MALIXI MARKED IN AMATEUR GOLF TOURNEY ‘Muscleman’ Manuel makes S Alaska proud EAN RAMOS and Rianne Malixi hope to ride the momentum of their recent come-frombehind victories as they aim for another pair of title runs in the Riviera MVP Sports Foundation (MVPSF) Amateur Championship unfolding on Friday at Riviera’s Langer course in Silang, Cavite.

Ramos rallied from four strokes down and snared the crown in the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) Northern Luzon Regional Championship with a closing 73 at Luisita two weeks ago with the Orchard bet all set for another crack at the crown in the run-up to his SEA Games stint next month.

But a slew of others are going all-out to spoil his bid, including recent Cangolf Am Open winner

ANKO-PERLAS survived a string of injuries to its key players by beating Motolite, 25-23, 25-23, 25-18, to close in on a podium finish in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Sue Roces flashed vintage form with her 55 percent attack performance (11 of 20) behind her vaunted “runners,” while Dzi Gervacio and Jem Ferrer played through pain to help anchor the Perlas Spikers’ straight-set victory in Game One of their best-of-three series for third.

Motolite controlled the tempo in the first set and kept the match close in the second but couldn’t sustain their form and failed to neutralize BanKo’s assault at the end of each set.

Motolite forced an 11-all count in the third but BanKo—behind Roces, Gervacio, Nicole Tiamzon, Kathy Bersola and Roma Doromal—snatched six of the next nine points to build a 17-14 cushion then held sway to the end capped by another Gervacio hit at the middle that the Motolite defenders had failed to keep in play.

“It’s all about teamwork,” said Roces, who finished with 11 points in bagging the game’s top honors.

The crisp-hitting Tiamzon topscored with 13 hits, including 11 attack points, and added eight excellent receptions, while Gervacio matched Roces’s output.

BanKo also lost Ella de Jesus in the second set after hurting her right foot but Doromal stepped up to score six points in two sets, while Bersola came through with four kill blocks and finished with 10 markers.

Carlos and Myla Pablo put in a pair of 14-point games, while Molde was held to seven markers while finishing with 13 digs for Motolite.

The Perlas Spikers, who bowed to the Petro Gazz Angels in their Final Four face-off, shoot for the bronze on Saturday, also at 4 p.m. at the San Juan venue.

The Angels and the powerhouse Creamline Cool Smashers were slugging it out in the opener of their side of the finals at press time.

While the veteran-laden BanKo-Perlas showed its composure, Motolite cracked under pressure and fell prey to its miscues, including a net violation that clinched the win for BanKo in the first set.

Threatening at 23-24 in the second frame on an Isa Molde’s through-the-block hit, Motolite yielded the set on a Tots Carlos’s attack error.

VIC MANUEL is picked Player of the Week.

OHN PAUL DIONISIO scored on a lay-up with six seconds left to lift home team Berkeley School past Lucena City representative International School for Better Beginnings (ISBB), 55-54, for the Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP) Luzon crown over the weekend at the Easter College court in Baguio City.

All the host squad needed to do after that was clog the lanes and force the visitors to take a hurried attempt from beyond the arc which failed, denying ISBB a chance to keep the crown.

ISBB made sure it did not go home empty-handed, however, as it defended the Passerelle crown over Don Bosco Technical Institute, 75-63.

Berkeley School and ISBB will march to the national finals of the tournament organized by the Basketball Efficiency and Scientific Training Center and sponsored by Milo, and backed by Rain or Shine, Chris Sports and SKLZ. The national championships will be held in Roxas City on a date to be announced by BEST Center Founder and President Nic Jorge.

Also seeing action in the national finals of the SBP are La Salle-Greenhills (National Capital Region) and Corpus Christi School of Cagayan de Oro (Mindanao).

The national Passerelle championships will have Nazareth School of National University (NCR) and Xavier School Junior High School of Cagayan de Oro (Mindanao).

The Visayas Regional Finals will be held at the Pototan Astrodome in Iloilo on November 9 and 10.

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sMirror

Thursday, November 7, 2019

SPARKLE BELLES TEST NATIONALS

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FTER displaying chemistry in its first game, the national women’s team takes on a different challenge as it clashes with Sparkle in the Philippine Superliga (PSL) Super Cup on Thursday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

Action starts at 7 p.m. with the Nationals looking to tie up the loose ends in the series of friendly matches that serve as a warm-up tournament before they march to the 30th Southeast Asian Games that the country will host

from November 30 to December 11.

In the first game at 5 p.m., University of Tsukuba tests the mettle of Shine following a dominant 25-8, 25-12, 25-20 win over Sparkle in the opener of the pocket tournament.

Despite the absence of Alyssa Valdez and Jia Morado, the national squad still delivered an impressive 25-14, 25-18, 25-16 victory over a very competitive Shine squad powered

by MJ Phillips, Denden Lazaro, Remy Palma and Ria Meneses.

Mylene Paat delivered eight points while Ces Molina and Majoy Baron chipped in significant numbers for the Nationals, who displayed chemistry at the defensive end with Maddie Madayag and Aby Maraño at the helm.

Head Coach Shaq de los Santos liked what he saw, but stressed that reaching their peak form is a work in progress with barely three weeks left before the Games open at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.

“Of course, we’re happy with the win, but we’re still a work in progress,” said de los Santos, the Petron coach noted, who is anticipating for the “real test” against the college girls from Tsukuba, the reigning champions in the All-Japan Intercollegiate League on Friday.

“Despite having some absences, the rest of the team still helped each other and that is all that matters.”

Meanwhile, Tsukuba Head Coach Nakanashi Yasumi stressed that PSL Sparkle pushed them to their limits so they are bracing for an all-our battle with PSL Shine.

“We just got lucky on our first day because PSL Sparkle didn’t have combination plays,” said Yasumi, noting the selection team’s lack of cohesiveness and familiarity. We took advantage of that and, fortunately, we won.”

Ryniel Berlanga THE national team’s Aby Maraño tries to score against Shine’s Fiola Ceballos during their game on Tuesday.

FACELIFT OF RIZAL IMPRESSES SOLONS A

TEAM of congressmen hailed the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for giving the historic Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC) a major facelift for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

PSC Chairman William Ramirez gave members of the House Committee on Youth and Sports Development, chaired by Eric Martinez (District 2, Valenzuela City), a tour on Tuesday morning of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and the Ninoy Aquino Stadium (NAS) 24 days before the SEA Games open at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.

Ramirez said he was moved by the support shown by congressmen, who were awed by the work being done especially on the coliseum which served as venue to countless memorable sports events, both domestic and international.

“It’s a good sign that we really value this historical landmark of Philippine sports known as the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. We welcome our congressmen, this is your home,” Ramirez told the complex’s visitors during a press briefing at the PSC press conference room.

With Martinez were Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III (Fifth District of Isabela), Strike Revilla (Second District of Cavite), John Rey Tiangco (Lone District of Navotas City) and Jose Teves Jr. (Talino at Galing ng Pinoy Party-list).

The Rizal Memorial Coliseum will be the venue for gymnastics while the NAS will host the weightlifting and taekwondo tournaments. The football stadium and tennis center are the other competition venues inside the facility.

“Thank you Chairman Ramirez for hosting us.

We were here in the 1991 (SEA Games) closing ceremony, and the complex looks far different this time,” Martinez said. “This will be the most prepared in terms of facilities, and the icing on the cake will be the overall championship.”

“I would like to congratulate the PSC, I am impressed. Although this is a major challenge, I am

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UNSPARK and Onic PH will represent the Philippines in the first Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship 2019 set from November 15 to 17 in Malaysia.

Teams from Asia, Europe and the United States are vying in the competition that offers a prize pool of $250,000 and serves as warmup for the Filipino squads for the 30th Southeast Asian Games where “Mobile Legends: Bang Bang” will be one of the events in eSports.

The M1 championship kicks off with group stages from November 11 to 14, followed by the main event as the teams from Malaysia,

Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines go through regional qualifiers for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League.

The M1 qualifiers for countries without MPL include teams from Cambodia, Thailand and Lao PDR, Vietnam, Japan, Turkey, Russia, the US and Brazil.

All the action will be livestreamed on YouTube Gaming from battleground Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil in Kuala Lumpur.

The eSports competitions in the SEA Games are set from December 5 to 8 at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.

2,000 MMDA traffic enforcers tasked to manage Metro during SEA Games

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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Correspondent

HE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has tasked 2,000 of its enforcers to man key areas in Metro Manila to help manage traffic flow and provide assistance during the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

The Games are set from November 30 to December 11 with Metro Manila hosting the bulk of 22 sports out of the 56 programmed for the country’s fourth hosting of the biennial multisport competition after 1981, 1991 and 2005.

“Aside from deployment of traffic personnel to strategic areas, we shall provide motorcycle and mobile car escorts, ambulances, tow trucks, as well as monitoring of road activities during the SEA Games,” MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim said.

Lim also said the agency will provide personnel and equipment along designated routes for seamless movement of delegates from the airport to billeting hotels, sports venues and other engagement areas at the least inconvenience to the general public.

The Games will be held in sports and nonsports venues within Metro Manila, including the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Cuneta Astrodome, SM Mall of Asia Arena, SM MOA Skating Rink, World Trade Center,

Philippine International Convention Center Forum and SM Megamall.

The other venues are the Filoil Flying V Centre, Filinvest City, University of the Philippines Diliman Gym, Marine Corps, Muntinlupa Sports Complex, Starmall Edsa, Makati Coliseum, Manila Hotel Tent, SM Megamall Ice Rink, World Trade Center, PhilSports Arena, Amoranto Sports Complex and Manila Polo Club.

To give way to the convoy of vehicles going to and from the venues, stop-and-go traffic schemes will be implemented on Edsa and other major roads and intersections to facilitate the fast movement of the delegates.

A temporary stop of traffic will be observed as delegates’ convoy pass through roads and intersections. Convoy carrying delegates will use the yellow lane, flyover and underpasses while traveling along Edsa.

To maximize road space for all road users, Lim said traffic personnel has started conducting clearing operations of all obstructions and eyesores along the routes with the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and concerned local government units (LGUs) starting this week toward the event.

The MMDA’s preparations are in coordination with the Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee, PNP, LGUs, government agencies and stakeholders.

The SEA Games are set from November 30 to December 11.

National Supercross up at Speedworld

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The National Motocross Championship and FIM Asia Supercross Championship are organized by Namssa and FIM Asia President Stephan “Macky” Carapiet.

“The Supercross track in Manila is of international standards and, surely, the FIM championship will be the most exciting motorsports’ event to hit Manila this year, with high thrilling jumps and aerial maneuvers from the top Asian MX riders,” Carapiet said.

“It will be a fierce battle for Asian supremacy and bragging rights. Motocross enthusiasts will be in for a treat,” he added.

These events are supported by Foilacar, Karcher, Monark Cat, ICTSI, Shell Advance, Shell V-Power, SM Bicutan, Maynilad, Asia Brewery, KYT, Alpinestar, Partas Bus, YSS, Shakey’s and 4 BROS Racing.

Globe reiterates full support behind jr tennis sensation Eala’s campaign PHILIPPINE Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez (third from left) is flanked by members of the House of Representatives (from left) Faustino Michael Carlos Dy III, Committee on Youth and Sports Development Chairman Eric Martinez, Strike Revilla, John Rey Tiangco and Rep. Jose Teves Jr.

inspirations to the youth, those who will come here and witness the Games,” Tiangco said.

Dy said: “I am thankful that the PSC is preserving the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex for the future generation of athletes.”

For Teves, the site inspection was a feast for the eyes.

“It makes me feel good to see where

HIGH HOPES FOR MEN’S TENNIS TEAM

Grand Slam tournaments.

Gonzales and Alcantara, meanwhile, have been racking up titles in recent years in the International Tennis Federation Futures and Association of Tennis Professionals Challengers.

Lhuillier also aims to help Huey and Gonzales or Alcantara qualify for the doubles event in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

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PHL squads vie in eSports worlds

NTENSE motocross racing returns as Rounds 1 and 2 of the National Motorcycle Sports Safety Association (Namssa) Philippine National Supercross Championships reel off on November 10 at the Speedworld Circuit at the SM Bicutan Open Grounds on Doña Soledad Avenue in Bicutan, Parañaque City.

CARAPIET Champion racers—led by multititled Kenneth San Andres, Jethrick Marquez and Moymoy Flores—and a sprinkling of up-andcoming riders from Visayas and Mindanao, will pit guts and skills in the racing extravaganza held under the auspices of the Namssa.

The opening rounds will serve as tune up races for the FIM Asia Supercross Championship set from November 21 to 24, featuring strong riders from Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, India, China, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

sure we can hurdle this one” Revilla said.

Tiangco said he was equally awed by the facility that is being honed to world-class standards and aired his desire not only for a memorable hosting of the Games, but as importantly for the country emerging as overall champion anew.

“Let these facilities and the Games be

NIFIED Tennis Philippines (UTP) President Jean Henri Lhuillier is optimistic of the country’s chances in the tennis competitions of the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

A longtime patron of Philippine tennis, Lhuillier said the core of the team could live up to expectations in the Games set at the refurbished Rizal Memorial Tennis Center in Manila.

The team is composed of Treat Huey, Ruben Gonzales, Francis Casey Alcantara, AJ Lim and Jeson Patrombon.

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“I expect the team to do well in the SEA Games.

I have been supporting Treat, Ruben and Nino [Alcantara] for quite some time now because I believe in their talent and their potential to be at par with the world’s best.” said Lhuillier, also the president and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier.

Under Lhuillier’s guidance and support, Huey, Gonzales and Alcantara achieved their highest world ranking in doubles in recent years with Huey reaching No. 17 that includes semifinals and multiple quarterfinals finishes in

NATIONAL athletes (from left) Treat Huey, Ruben Gonzales, Jeson Patrombon and Francis Casey Alcantara pose with tennis patron Jean Henri Lhuillier (right).

government funds goes—specifically in this complex,” he said.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. funded the rehabilitation of the facilities at the Manila complex—and the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City—for P800 million.

The coliseum will be ready on November 15 and the NAS six days later, according to Ramirez.

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LOBE reiterated its support to Alexandra Eala’s bid to crash the elite top 10 of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Juniors World Ranking for girls under 18 years old.

Eala is the highest ranked female Southeast Asian athlete in the ITF World Juniors after rising to career best 13th last month.

The 14-year-old sensation, however, is not stopping there. Eala is setting her sights on competing in the junior events of the four grand slam events—Australian, French, Wimbledon and US Opens—next year.

To realize her dream, Globe reiterated its support of the country’s newest tennis star.

In her courtesy call to Ernest Cu, president and CEO of Globe, Eala expressed her gratitude for the support she has received from the telecom company for the last six years.

“I have always been very close to Globe. I’ve virtually grown up with them. They’ve sponsored me since I was eight, supporting me whether the tournament was local or at a Grand Slam,” Eala said.

Cu called on all Filipinos to rally behind Eala as she continues to bring honor to the country, but cautioned the player not to let her current success get into her head.

“Just ignore the noise and focus on your game and your goals,” Cu said. “Do not worry about other things. We’ll take care of them.”

Eala is the first Filipino to qualify for a Grand Slam tournament since Jeson Patrombon in 1991. She is also the youngest among the top 50 junior players in the world.

From No. 247 rank last year, Eala rose to No. 13 after posting impressive runs the past few months. She made it to the second round in the US Open Juniors last August then won the Grade A ITF Tournament in South Africa in September, and was runner-up finish in the World Super Juniors Tennis Championships Osaka Mayor’s Cup in October.

Eala has been a Globe Ambassador since 2013. Eala is flying back to Spain to resume her training and preparations at the prestigious Rafa Nadal Tennis Academy.

SOUTH AFRICA REJOICES! S Sports

By Gerald Imray

BusinessMirror

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| Thursday, November 7, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

SOUTH Africa team captain Siya Kolisi holds the Webb Ellis Cup as he is greeted by hundreds of fans upon his arrival at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo airport on Tuesday. AP

The Associated Press

IYA KOLISI kept hoisting the Rugby World Cup trophy in the air and the thousands of South Africans who gathered to welcome home their triumphant Springboks team cheered louder each time.

The Springboks’ first black captain gave his nation another golden rugby moment when he paraded the Webb Ellis Cup through a packed arrivals hall at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

The surprisingly dominant 32-12 win over England in Saturday’s final in Japan delivered South Africa’s third Rugby World Cup title. There’s a mood at home that this one might be as meaningful as the first in 1995, won in front of Nelson Mandela and in the immediate aftermath of the dismantling of apartheid.

That gave hope but nearly a quarter of a century later South Africa is still weighed down by the legacy of the apartheid system of racial segregation, and by some new problems on top.

South Africans in 2019 worry almost incessantly about poverty, unemployment, violent crime, corruption and a struggling economy in their young democracy.

But this was not a day for frowning in South Africa.

Not even when the people packed into the airport arrivals hall, and the balconies overhead, were made to wait nearly four hours to see Kolisi and the trophy because of airline delays.

As Kolisi emerged from the airplane and walked down a corridor with the cup, airport workers abandoned their stations and followed, singing, dancing and gyrating alongside him. In the arrivals hall, boys and girls were hoisted onto dad’s shoulders for a better view, bed time on a school night irrelevant as the clock ticked past 8 p.m. A huge South African flag hung from a balcony and down one wall.

When Kolisi and the trophy finally came into view, the crowd—noticeably multiracial—erupted over and over.

“I think we won because we definitely wanted it a lot. I know they [England] also wanted it a lot but I must say the people outside here and the people inside here did help us a lot,” Kolisi said after he and Coach Rassie Erasmus were shepherded by a line of police officers into

a side room at the airport to address the nation on live TV. “It gave us another reason to fight even harder because we knew what was going on back home. I think coach reminded us we have a privilege of doing what we’re doing and that can give a little bit of hope to the people. And it did drive us.... We knew it was much more than our personal gains. It was for the country.”

It made for quite a celebration for Erasmus’s 47th birthday.

But the mastermind of South Africa’s triumph said his main wish was for the feel-good factor to last in the country when the World Cup euphoria was over.

“It’s [the World Cup celebration] going to last for a week or two, or for a month,” Erasmus said. “But what we want to see lasting is what we see here at the airport and here in this room.

Black and white, and different religions, all people of differences, working together and coming together, and getting it right.”

The Springboks’ mystique is second to no team in South Africa. Hated by millions when the team was aligned to the racist apartheid regime, it is now loved by the same millions because of its diversity. Kolisi and other black players like him from impoverished backgrounds have made it representative of a nation that is 80 percent black, and has millions living in poverty.

Another inspiring story is Makazole Mapimpi, the wing who scored one of the Springboks’ two tries in the final. He had a tough upbringing, went to an unfashionable school, and came through family tragedy to only make his debut for the Springboks last year at the age of 27.

Mapimpi was among a group of players who arrived on an earlier flight. As he emerged into view in the arrivals hall, he held his hands up and clasped them together as the crowd roared. Cheslin Kolbe, the other tryscorer in the final, was recording the scenes on his cell phone.

Damian de Allende, with his gold medal draped round his neck, pumped his arms in the air and Duane Vermeulen, the player of the match in the final, dished out high fives to fans.

Mapimpi then surprised everyone by swearing—twice—on national TV as he attempted to explain how hard the Springboks trained at times to prepare for the World Cup, and also how he sat in the dressing room in disbelief at his own story after the victory in the final in Yokohama.

A TIME TO WORK. A TIME TO PLAY. A TIME TO SAY....

THANK YOU FOR A FUN DAY OF GOLF!

WINNERS CLASS A ANTHONY TAN: Champion JUN ARCEO: Runner-Up CLASS B FRANCISCO DE LEON: Champion HERMIE PEREZ: Runner-Up

L I PA C I T Y , B ATA N G AS OCTOBER 24, 2019

CLASS C VIC DE GUZMAN: Champion ADAMSON GO: Runner-Up LADIES DIVISION MA. CECILIA MADRIAGA: Champion CAROLINE MAGPANTAY: Runner-Up SENIOR ROY RAFAEL ACLAN: Champion JAY OCAMPO: Runner-Up SUPER-SENIOR ROLANDO MEDINA: Champion GERARDO ELAZEGUI: Runner-Up OPEN DIVISION FELICIANO BARON: champion NATALIO ALBANA: Runner-Up LOW NET: LEO GERARDO LOW GROSS: RAYMUND SANGIL

D

Just God

EAR God, Your judgment is sound and Your ways are true. In hope we pray: Have mercy on us, oh God. Lead all the baptized to study, embrace and embody the Church’s social teachings. Animate teachers, principals and school staff with good zeal and attentive care for students.

Comfort and heal those afflicted with scrupulosity, regret or troubled spirit. May God who raises us to life in Christ, stir our memories so that we may recall with gratitude the blessings we have received and sing God’s praise. Amen.

GIVE US THIS DAY, SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

Life

‘GOODNESS AND HUMOR’ CELEBRATED AS ‘SESAME STREET’ TURNS 50 D4

BusinessMirror

Thursday, November 7, 2019

D1

Australia’s iconic rock Uluru scaled by final climbers TOURISTS line up waiting to climb the sandstone monolith called Uluru that dominates Australia’s arid center at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, on October 25, the last day climbing was allowed. The end of visitors enjoying the panoramic views of the incongruously flat Outback surrounds from the rock’s summit also marks indigenous Australians finding a new voice in national decisionmaking. AP

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The AssociATed Press

LURU, Australia—Nature seemed to be siding with indigenous Australians’ demand for Uluru to be respected as a sacred site on Friday when high winds threatened to prematurely end the generations-old tradition of climbing the sandstone monolith.

Rangers warned hundreds of anxious tourists who gathered at the base of the iconic rock before dawn that they would miss their last opportunity to ever scale its 348-meter (1,140-foot) summit unless blustery conditions subsided.

But the winds calmed and the first of around 1,000 climbers began their ascent at a chain handhold up the steep western face three hours later than scheduled.

An indigenous onlooker booed them.

The ascent was permanently closed to climbers late in the afternoon, while those already on the rock had until sunset to find their way down. A potential medical problem was reported with a climber but authorities could not immediately provide details.

Janet Ishikawa flew from her Hawaiian home to central Australia to make the climb on the final possible day. She likened the Uluru controversy to a furor over plans to build a giant telescope on Hawaii’s highest peak, which protesters consider sacred.

“It’s a total overreaction. All of a sudden they want to take ownership of all this stuff,” Ishikawa said.

“They say you shouldn’t climb because of all this sacred stuff. I can still respect it and climb it.”

The ban was a unanimous decision made two years ago by 12 members of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Board of Management. But it’s an outcome that has divided both indigenous Australians, as well as the wider world. The polarity of opinions has been highlighted in recent months as thousands of visitors converged on one of Australia’s most famous landmarks to make a final trek to the top.

Tourists have been illegally camping on roadsides for miles (kilometers) because the local camping ground and accommodation were booked.

Sammy Wilson, who chaired the board that banned the climb, described the prohibition as a cause for celebration. Wilson is member of the Anangu tribe who are Uluru’s traditional owners.

“If I travel to another country and there is a sacred site, an area of restricted access, I don’t enter or climb it, I respect it,” Wilson said. “It is the same here for Anangu. We welcome tourists here. We are not stopping tourism, just this activity.”

There has long been tension within the indigenous population around the money that climbers bring and the rock’s significance as a sacred site.

“I am happy and sad, two ways,” said Kevin Cooley, a resident of the Mutitjulu indigenous community in the rock’s shadow who collects the Uluru tourists’ garbage. He fears that tourist numbers and the local economy will decline.

The biggest drop in foreign visitors could be the Japanese who have proven to be the most committed climbers. Signs around the rock have long discouraged climbing, describing Uluru as a “place of great knowledge” and noting that Anangu traditional law prohibits climbing.

The proportion of visitors who climb has been steadily declining, with more than 4 in 5 respecting the Anangu’s wishes in recent years.

The Anangu refer to tourists as munga, or ants. The analogy was clearest in recent weeks with queues forming long before the climb opens at 7 am each day at the base of the rock’s steep western face. From there, an eclectic mix of climbers begin their ascents in narrow columns.

Prominent indigenous academic Marcia Langton reacted to the stream of climbers with a tweet: “A curse will fall on all of them.”

“They will remember how they defiled this sacred place until they die & history will record their contempt for Aboriginal culture,” Langton added.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt said he was disappointed by the final rush to climb the rock, which is renowned for its changing colors with

the seasons and the time of day.

“It would be equivalent to having a rush of people climbing over the Australian War Memorial, if I can be so brazen in that regard, because sacred objects, community by community, are absolutely important in the story of that nation of people,” said Wyatt, who is indigenous.

Reaching the rock doesn’t guarantee the summit is attainable. Climbing is often canceled at short notice because of high winds or heat.

At least 37 climbers have died, mostly from medical events, since 1948, when the first road was built in the hope of attracting tourists. Every death causes the Anangu anguish.

Denying climbers access to the World Heritagelisted landform is part of an evolution of the Australian narrative since British colonization that has traditionally edited out the original inhabitants.

While the rock had been known as Uluru for thousands of years, British-born explorer William Gosse was credited with discovering it in 1873 and named it Ayers Rock after the then-premier of the British colony of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers.

In 1993, it became the first official dual-named feature in the Northern Territory when it was renamed “Ayers Rock/Uluru.” The order of the names was reversed a decade later at the request of regional tourism operators.

But the tourist accommodation nearest Uluru

retains the name Ayers Rock Resort, in deference to the monetary value of the international brand recognition that has built up around it.

The date of the closure is also significant in the history of restored indigenous influence in the region. Saturday—the day from when climbing becomes punishable by a AU$6,300 ($4,300) fine— marks 34 years since the federal government gave the Anangu the land title to the national park in which Uluru stands.

The traditional owners immediately returned the park to the government under a 99-year lease on condition that the park is jointly run by a board with a majority of Anangu members.

Grant Hunt, chief executive of Ayers Rock Resort operator Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia, dismissed predictions of a significant decline in tourism. He said bookings in November after the climb’s closure were at a record high, with around 95 percent occupancy booked for the first three weeks.

“The traveling public have become much more culturally mature than they were 20 years ago,” Hunt said. “Most people expect this and, in fact, want it to happen.”

“There’s a minority who still don’t, of course, and you always get that with any decision, but certainly our research and feedback says about 80 percent of people are supportive of the climb closing,” he added. n

4 unique ways Gab Perez manages his growing hotel chain GAB PEREZ is unlike other 31-year-olds. He still uses a phased-out Nokia phone, along with his newly acquired smartphone. He’s not on social media, except on Facebook, which he maintains only to keep in touch with friends. He also works for no one. In fact, he’s expanding his very own business-leisure hotel chain Privato Hotel Group (www.privatohotels.com).

Despite this, his age is still seen as a bit of a crutch in the hospitality industry. But don’t be fooled: Perez has turned his youth into his greatest asset, approaching every new experience with the knowledge of those he looks up to and the earnest

CASAS+ARCHITECTS and Jose Aliling Construction Management are among the firms that Privato Hotel Group collaborates with. Perez believes in partnering with those known for their unwavering commitment to quality.

ambition of an intelligent young professional.

In the 10 years since he started Privato, Perez has racked up lots of valuable business insights. Here are four ways the hotelier is managing his chain like a well-oiled machine. n MAKE MENTORS OUT OF INDUSTRY PLAYERS. Whenever older entrepreneurs would dismiss Perez because of his age, he’d shift the odds in his favor by turning them into his mentors. “I started fresh out of college, so, of course, there were people who didn’t take me seriously. But that’s a given already, so I couldn’t do anything about it. Instead, I just maximized the opportunity I had working with more established people.” Making someone your mentor doesn’t have to be a formal setup, adds Perez. Just watch them work, observe how they manage their business and curiously ask questions about their career.

Perez’s mentors aren’t even limited to people he’s met. “I’m a voracious reader. I read a lot of biographies, business and political ones,” he says. “I read a lot of business books to get ideas and inspiration.” n COLLABORATE WITH THE BEST. You can’t enter the business of hospitality without taking the customer experience seriously. To get things exactly right for Privato guests, Perez doesn’t try to do everything on his own—he partners with people who are known for their unwavering commitment to quality.

“I make sure that for the areas that aren’t my core competency, like engineering or architecture, I always work with the best. So, we’ve always worked with Casas+Architects for Privato’s design and Jose Aliling Construction Management.”

Another one of Privato’s key partners is none other than Enderun Hospitality, which manages the daily operations of the hotel chain. “They’ve really studied how to run a hotel, so they’re

always two steps ahead,” says Perez. “What we do is Enderun looks for the people and I have the final say. So, I set the vision and direction, and Enderun professionally implements the day-to-day.

In terms of culture, branding, and the macro level, that still comes from my side.” n KEEP AN EYE ON THE “BORING” THINGS. Running a hotel chain is nothing like staying in one. The ins and outs of management are routine, precise, and, yes, boring. “The way I see business is not about one big task being able to change everything,” says Perez. “It’s really the accumulated little items.

I like to think that business and leadership are the same in its essence. Governance, whether in the private sector or in public service, is something that should be boring. It’s about one brick over another and one step after the next. Nothing grandiose or flamboyant.” n GUARD YOUR TIME. Perez has a little rule he sticks by, one that helps him manage his time efficiently. As much as possible, he tries to cap every meeting he presides at a maximum of 20 minutes. By imposing a time limit, he’s able to accomplish more things in a day and attend to all three Privato properties in a week.

Perez believes that when meetings go on for too long, people get less productive. And even when he’s free, Perez is still very Privato-focused. “My passion is really real estate, so whenever there’s downtime, I end up going to a different job site. Or if I’m inside my village and I see a new house being constructed, I ring the doorbell and ask if I can see it.”

With a discipline that could rival even the most experienced hoteliers, Perez is making Privato a brand to be reckoned with, and it might not be too long before he pays it forward and becomes a mentor himself.

ONLY a fresh graduate when he started in the hospitality business, Gab Perez made mentors out of established people. Now 31, Perez is the founder and president of his own emerging chain, the Privato Hotel Group.

D2

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Entertaining BusinessMirror

Shrimp, garlic, oil and wine equals a tasty and quick dinner

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z

N theory, Garlic Shrimp Pasta has all the makings of an ideal weeknight meal. Toss a few quick-cooking ingredients—shrimp, garlic, oil, wine—with boiled dried pasta, and only the salad’s left holding up dinner.

But there are challenges. Delicate shrimp overcooks in a matter of seconds. Volatile garlic can easily become overbearing or bitter (or simply disappear). Add to that the feat of getting a brothy sauce to coat the pasta, and this simple recipe turns into a precarious balancing act. But we still wanted it all: al dente pasta and moist shrimp bound by a supple sauce infused with a deep garlic flavor.

By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Lorde, 23; Adam DeVine, 36; David Guetta, 52; Joni Mitchell, 76.

a

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Be receptive to suggestions and ready to act on short notice.

Your ability to recognize what needs to be done and your willingness to work alongside others will make a difference to the outcome of a crucial situation that can determine your future. HHH

b

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Share information; it will help you get ahead.

A physical change you make will bring greater security, as well as add to your experience and proficiency. A partnership can be renegotiated and changes put in place. HHH

GARLIC SHRIMP PASTA Servings: 4-6 Start to finish: 45 minutes

c

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Concentrate on personal change that will make you feel and look your best. Ask questions that will help you decipher exactly what you want to do in order to complete unfinished tasks. A passionate attitude will draw attention. HHH

Chef’s note: Marinate the shrimp while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Use the smaller amount of red pepper flakes for a milder sauce.

d

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t look for excuses. Evaluate what needs to be done and get busy. Take the lead and make your position clear. Set a high standard and strive to reach your goal. HHHHH

1 pound large shrimp (26 to 30 per pound), peeled, deveined, and each shrimp cut into 3 pieces 3 tablespoons olive oil 9 garlic cloves, peeled (5 cloves minced and 4 cloves smashed) Salt and pepper 1 pound penne, ziti, or other short, tubular pasta 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour 1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine 3/4 cup bottled clam juice 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 teaspoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

e

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): An even temperament will help you stay out of trouble. If you let someone’s anecdotes get to you, problems will arise. Focus on personal change and being your very best. Let your accomplishments and success be your revenge. HH

f While pasta cooks, return skillet to medium heat.

Add shrimp along with marinade, spread into even layer, and cook, without stirring, until oil starts to bubble gently, one to two minutes. Stir shrimp and continue to cook until almost cooked through, about one minute longer. Remove shrimp with slotted spoon and transfer to clean bowl.

Add remaining minced garlic and pepper flakes to skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Slowly whisk in vermouth and cook for one minute. Stir in clam juice and parsley

and cook until mixture starts to thicken, one to two minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter until melted, then stir in lemon juice.

Add shrimp and sauce to pasta and toss to combine. Add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with pepper to taste. Serve immediately, passing lemon wedges separately. n Nutrition information per serving: 474 calories; 130 calories from fat; 15 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 111 mg cholesterol; 692 mg sodium; 60 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 20 g protein.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Initiate your plans. Change will do you good. Business trips or meetings will lead to interesting prospects. What you learn will encourage you to expand your knowledge and skills. Share your feelings; the response you get will lead to new developments.

HHHH

g

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Take your time.

Look at all your options and consider the best scenario. Don’t let someone else make decisions for you. It’s up to you to decide what’s in your best interest. Personal changes and protecting your assets are encouraged. HHH

h

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Take on a physical challenge to change the way you do things in the future. Strength coupled with ingenuity and creativity will lead to advantages that will outmatch any competition you face. HHH

i

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You’ll find yourself in a difficult situation if you have taken someone’s word as truth or have shared information that isn’t accurate. Choose your words wisely; observe and ask questions if something doesn’t appear to make sense to you. HHH

‘Bida para sa bida’ in new Kuya J TVC BEHIND every delectable Filipino dish is a team who relentlessly work hard to make every salo-salo celebration a meaningful experience for you and the people you love.

This was the main message shown in the newest Kuya J (www.facebook.com/KuyaJResto) commercial with its “Bida Team” passionately and meticulously preparing its best-selling dishes. The TVC showcased their well-loved Crispy Pata, deep-friend crispy pork skin with tender juicy pata meat; the Kare-Kare in Kuya J peanut sauce; and Kuya J’s milky smooth ice HaloHalo Espesyal that’s packed with toppings, homemade leche flan, sprinkled with crunchy cornflakes, and drizzled with sweet ube cream.

The 30-second spot also featured its endorser, Jericho Rosales, who narrated how to make celebrations meaningful with your loved ones, only at Kuya J. “Meron kaming game plan,” Jericho explains.

“To make dishes na binabalik-balikan, at higit sa lahat pinaghihirapan. Para bawat baso, ikasasaya ninyo.”

Today’s Horoscope

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Learn as you go and rely on what you know and have experienced to help pull things together. Bring about positive change by drawing on your ability to see the possibilities. Changes at home will help ease stress and give you greater leeway to focus on what’s most important to you. Curb anger and focus on physical fitness and good health. Your lucky numbers are 5, 12, 19, 24, 30, 37, 43.

By America’s Test Kitchen The Associated Press

Combine shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, one-third of minced garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Heat smashed garlic and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until garlic turns golden but not brown, four to seven minutes. Off heat, remove garlic with slotted spoon and discard. Set skillet with oil aside.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.

www.businessmirror.com.ph

j

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Bring something unique to whatever job you are given.

Doing things with a twist will draw attention and give others a better idea of what your capabilities are.

It’s your turn to shine, so don’t hold back. HHHH

k

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take a moment to relive past experiences before you jump into something that could turn into a repeat performance. Don’t trust anyone who has a habit of overreacting or being excessive. HH

l The commercial ends with Jericho saying, “Sa Kuya J, we make everything espesyal. Lahat ng hain, binibida because you deserve only our best. Kuya J, bida para sa bida.”

Whether it’s an intimate affair or a grand festivity, Kuya J’s Bida Team guarantees to make it memorable, giving only their best through their carefully and passionately prepared dishes.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t let someone’s uncertainty make you angry. Be fully prepared to move forward with or without others by your side. Trust in your ability to create the base you need to build a successful future; eventually others will jump on board. HHHHH BIRTHDAY BABY: You are affectionate, caring and kind.

You are original and ambitious.

‘here’s hoping’ BY EVAN MAHNKEN The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 American in Canada, e.g., briefly 6 Seedy fruits 10 Pick from a deck 14 “Cool!”

15 Making a Murderer genre 17 One making a diagnosis before school 18 Boston bowler’s target 19 Nolo contendere, for one 21 Once known as 22 Roulette bet 23 “How dare you!”

27 Occupied 28 Psychological mediator, per Freud 29 Trash bag brand 30 Microwave measures 31 Thorn in one’s side 33 PC hookup 34 ___ Enterprise 35 Drink made with weeds 40 Dilbert’s is askew 41 “Bad” cholesterol, for short 42 Cod or Hatteras 44 Put in, as a link 47 Lotion ingredient

8 Nada 4 49 Close at hand 50 Geeking out in front of a celebrity, say 53 ___ Taylor 54 Favorite 55 Keep away from 56 Charity that hints at the starred answers’ starts 60 D-Day beach 63 Shopping on Amazon, e.g.

64 Video game character that runs on many consoles?

65 Car collector Jay 66 Control, with “in” 67 Go ballistic DOWN 1 Last word of many books 2 Gen ___ 3 Running of the bulls site 4 Reef formation 5 Marisa of Spider-Man: Far From Home 6 Fraud watchdog org.

7 Retirement plan letters 8 Revved

9 Passover repast 10 Bay Area rap legend Mac ___ 11 Remove roughly, as a page 12 In the thick of 13 McDonald’s rival 16 Browns, on scoreboards 20 Gemini Man director 23 Charlotte’s message board 24 “Good lord!”

25 Airline to Israel 26 Neapolitan flavor 27 Having a high pH 30 Opposite of ENE 32 Key that can sometimes replace clicking 34 Word before an aha moment 36 Accomplished 37 Locker-room feature 38 Mork’s goodbye 39 It’s a long story 43 Yellowstone animal 44 Tooth cover 45 Dennis the ___ 46 Place trust in 47 Subject of dress codes 50 Drainage system

1 “___ were the days” 5 52 “Little birds” spread one 54 Jim’s colleague on The Office 57 Comic Philips 58 Elementary school subj.

59 Rooster’s mate 61 With it 62 One of five in Hamlet Solution to yesterday’s puzzle:

Parentlife BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Thursday, November 7, 2019

MALNUTRITION’S BURDEN: 1 IN 3 CHILDREN ARE NOT GROWING WELL

By Mutya Frio AT 16 years old, Chynna Abcede is navigating motherhood to her 11-month-old baby Xiamara Blessy, while juggling with school. During pregnancy, she regularly went for prenatal checkups, faithfully took supplements and gave up soft drinks.

Chynna is among the 16 million adolescent girls around the world who give birth every year. Most come from low-income backgrounds with inadequate nutritional status even before conception.

As a result, 1 in 3 children across the globe born unto mothers lacking in nutrition are not growing well. Adolescent mothers are more vulnerable as they are still growing and tend to have limited access to resources.

One in 3 children in the world are stunted, according to Unicef, the United Nations children’s organization (www.unicef.org/philippines). In its recently released flagship report “State of the World’s Children 2019: Children, food and nutrition,” infants and young children are getting below the required 5 out of 7 food groups per meal that will provide them the necessary nutrients as they grow.

Similarly, 1 in 3 Filipino children are stunted, a glaring reminder that plenty of children are not getting adequate nutrition for their growth and development. Stunting affects a child’s health, education and social mobility, and is often permanent and irreversible.

The report found that the triple burden of malnutrition—undernutrition, ‘hidden hunger,’ or vitamin and mineral deficiency, and overweight and obesity—results in more children not thriving in the first 1,000 days of life. The time of conception up to two years is the most critical period in a child’s life, when the foundations for healthy, lifelong physical growth and brain development are laid.

Chynna’s daughter seemed to be eating well when she was introduced to solid food. But is she getting all the nutrients she needs?

“We eat a lot of pork, almost every day. I eat vegetables maybe only twice a week. I eat two to three cups of rice every day. I don’t cook a separate meal for my daughter because she eats what we eat anyway,” Chynna says.

This is typical in low-income settings where 44 percent of children aged six to 23 months are not fed fruits or vegetables, and 60 percent are not fed eggs, dairy, fish or meat, the study cited. Poor diets drive malnutrition, such as stunting in early childhood.

ADOLESCENTS ARE MISSING OUT, TOO EVEN Chynna herself, at 16, is still an adolescent and falling behind the minimum dietary diversity as her brain and body continue to develop and demand more nutrients for development.

Many school-going adolescents consume highly processed foods, according to the report. Around 42 percent drink carbonated soft drinks at least once a day and 46 percent eat fast food at least once a week.

“I can’t have my meals without soft drinks,” Chynna says, who consumes up to four glasses a day.

Ironically, even as the rate of stunting is slowly declining, childhood and adolescent obesity is rising as processed foods and sugary drinks become more available, accessible and affordable.

To reverse the trend, food systems need to change.

The study recommends that national policies and programs need to create better food environments for children and adolescents, wherein healthy options are affordable, convenient and desirable. So then, children and families are able to make better food choices.

CLOCKWISE: Meagan’s worn-out copy of the graphic biography of Steve Jobs by Jessie Hartland; my 1995 planner with a poem and a named necklace on the cover plus the entry January 11/12, 1995 where I headed the Poveda delegation for the World Youth Day; and entries from my 1997 college planner of an illustration of “My Castle” and cutouts from the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes.

M2M2: What’s your story?

MOMMY NO LIMITS

MAYE YAO CO SAY

mommynolimits@gmail.com

I

REMEMBER buying this graphic biography of Steve Jobs at the Hong Kong International Airport in 2015. I gave it to Meagan first. At age nine, I was surprised to see her read it cover to cover around 10 times that month. Even for Costume Day in school a few years later, she still chose to dress up like Steve Jobs.

It made me realize more how deliberate our choices must be in the story we eventually leave behind. I wonder how great people, like Steve Jobs, “write their story.” Do they “write” it for themselves, or know from the onset that people will be “reading” their life one day? For us parents, are we aware of the “as of” story we have been “writing” all this time?

Would we like our kids to “read” it one day? This week, let me add another entry to my series, called M2M2 (Mom to Meagan and Marcus).

“This past long weekend had been a restful and reflective time for Mom. I found time to organize our photos and videos by year. I was able to compile the more special ones from years 2004 to 2013 into one folder. I saw the celebrations, the travels and the funny moments. Marcus, you had so many cheeky photos doing sports. Meagan, all your photos had that model pose and witty smile.

“I also found out my favorite cousin was getting married, so I went through my memorabilia drawers to look for past invitations I had compiled

through the years. In that drawer I found two of my schedule books—one from 1995, the year I graduated from high school; and one in 1997 when I was a sophomore in college.

“In these schedule books were not just my homework assignments. It had my journal entries, chosen quotes, my poetry, my art and even letters I could not send out. Meagan, you were so curious you started reading through the pages, and even read out loud some entries. While I was hearing words which I wrote more than 20 years ago, I felt I was transported back to the same emotions. While I was going through each page, I felt I was reading a chapter of my own story.

“I never understood where or how I got the compulsion to document my life with so much facts and feelings. But today, I feel grateful that I have these snippets of my life to concretely share with both of you. It makes you see Mom’s story. It allows you to see Mom’s joys and strengths, as well as Mom’s sadness and imperfections. Below are some of the quotes or thoughts found in these schedule books that I hope can inspire both of you: 1. “A life worth living is knowing that each day we experience is a gift.”—Mom 2. “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, touch our hearts and we are never the same...thanking you for touching my life.”— My classmate, Luisa Evangelista 3. “You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call ‘failure’ is not the falling down, but the staying down.”—Mary Pickford 4. “You may fight a battle more than once to win it.”—Margaret Thatcher 5. “The world is round and the place which may seem like the end, may also be only the beginning.”— Ivy Baker Priest 6. “When life becomes all snarled up, offer it to our Lord and let Him untie the knots.”—Anonymous 7. “Contentment is not the fulfillment of want you

Promoting breast cancer awareness BREAST Cancer Awareness Month kicked off with the annual Pink Ribbon for Breast Cancer, led by the Philippine Breast Cancer Society (PBCS) and SM Cares, supported by the Department of Health (DOH) and participated by hundreds of women led by community leaders, employees and volunteer doctors at SM City San Lazaro.

Pink Ribbon for Breast Cancer offered free clinical breast examinations and featured inspirational talks from breast cancer survivors Melissa de Leon and Bibeth Orteza, joined by PBCS President Dr. Victor Gozali and DOH representative Dr. Clarito Cairo, and hosted by celebrity Suzi Entrata-Abrera.

want, but the realization of how much you already have.”—Anonymous 8. “There is no such thing as half-trying.”—Mom 9. “Forgiveness is letting what was, be gone; what will be, come; what is now, be.”—Anonymous 10. “Regret seeps in...when the will is weak.

Capture your soul...and affirmation would come. Bear this power...and time will have none.”—Mom “Mom started journaling since I was in grade school. I think I have always intended to write an autobiography for my future kids. I was always fascinated to hear the stories of my grandparents and relatives, that I always wished more had been written down. I believe it is in those stories that allowed me to pick the values I admired and shape the person I have become today.

“Through the years of documentation, I discovered my most favorite form of personal poetry. I freely dirtied my hands with art materials, then organized my free piece with words. I consequently realized that reading one’s past made me more liable for my own future. I became more aware of mistakes I would not want to repeat. I became more sure of what mattered most in my life.

“I know both of you are still young. However, I hope for each of you to see your life as an ongoing story. You are the author, so you are accountable.

There might be different characters, but you decide the depth of their role. The ending is inevitably beyond our control, but the present is definitely ours to own. And regardless of the positivity or the hurt an experience may bring, you control the next page of your story.

“Mom’s life is far from perfect. At times, there are ‘chapters’ I felt at that time I wanted to omit, or even tear out. And yet, I chose to leave it be. As I read them today, I actually appreciate more my perfectly imperfect life.

“Happy story-writing, Meagan and Marcus! May you write your own wonderful stories each day!” n

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Thursday, November 7, 2019

Show BusinessMirror

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‘Goodness and humor’ celebrated as ‘Sesame Street’ turns 50

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By Mark Kennedy The Associated Press

EW YORK—Fifty years ago, beloved entertainer Carol Burnett appeared on the very first broadcast of a quirky TV program that featured a bunch of furry puppets.

“Wow, Wanda the Witch is weird,” Burnett commented. And then—poof—she was gone.

That show was Sesame Street and Burnett, like a lot of kids, was instantly hooked. She would return to the show multiple times, including visits to demonstrate to preschool viewers where her nose was and to smooch a rubber duckie.

“I was a big fan. I would have done anything they wanted me to do,” she said. “I loved being exposed to all that goodness and humor.”

This first episode of Sesame Street—sponsored by the letters W, S and E, and the numbers 2 and 3— aired in the fall of 1969. It was a turbulent time in America, rocked by the Vietnam War and raw from the assassination of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. the year before. The media, like today, was going through disruption.

Enter Sesame Street creators Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett, who worked with Harvard University developmental psychologist Gerald Lesser to build the show’s unique approach to teaching that now reaches 120 million children. Legendary puppeteer Jim Henson supplied the critters.

“If they could harness that power to teach them the alphabet and their numbers as opposed to the words to beer commercials, you may be able to make a really big difference,” said Steve Youngwood, the chief operating officer of Sesame Workshop.

The show was designed by education professionals and child psychologists with one goal: to help low-income and minority students aged two to five overcome some of the deficiencies they had when entering school. Social scientists had long noted white and higher income kids were often better prepared.

So, it wasn’t an accident that the show was set on an urban street with a multicultural cast. Diversity and inclusion were baked into the show. Monsters and humans and animals lived peacefully together.

Bert, Ernie and the gang made an instant impression on actress Sonia Manzano. She saw a neighborhood that looked like hers. She saw people who looked like her. She would become a cast member, Maria, on the show, starring and writing for it from 1971-2015, including getting married on air.

“I was raised without seeing people of color on television. So, when I was given the opportunity to be a person of color on television, I jumped at it,” said Manzano, who is of Latino descent. “And I think I was successful as Maria because I never forgot that there could be a little kid like me watching television and forming ideas about the world.”

Over the years, Sesame Street has welcomed many more: It’s had puppets with HIV and, in foster care, invited children in wheelchairs, dealt with topics like

ALEC BALDWIN SUES MAN WHO ACCUSED HIM OF PARKING SPOT RAGE

NEW YORK—Alec Baldwin filed a defamation lawsuit on Friday against the man who says Baldwin hit him in the face during an argument over a New York City parking space.

Baldwin wrote in his lawsuit that contractor Wojciech Cieszkowski’s claim that he was violently assaulted by the actor is “objectively false.”

“When two New Yorkers get into an argument over a parking space, typically what happens is they exchange a few sharp words and then move on with their lives,” Baldwin wrote in the suit filed in Manhattan state Supreme Court. “But that is not what happened here.”

The lawsuit says Cieszkowski made up a false story about the skirmish in an effort to extort money from Baldwin.

“Hospital records and video surveillance footage prove that it was a lie,” the complaint says. “But Cieszkowski told it to the police and medical professionals anyway.”

Police arrested Baldwin after the November 2, 2018, scuffle over a parking spot in front of Baldwin’s Manhattan apartment building. The actor pleaded guilty to harassment in January and agreed to take an anger-management class.

Cieszkowski sued Baldwin claiming that Baldwin’s assault was “physically painful and psychologically traumatic.” The Pearl River, New York resident referenced Baldwin’s recurring Saturday Night Live role as President Donald J. Trump in his lawsuit filed in March and amended May 17. “When you’re a star, they let you do it—hit ’em right in the face,” the lawsuit said. “Like the man he plays on television, Alec Baldwin is an entitled celebrity with a long history of verbally and physically mistreating others he sees as beneath him.”

Baldwin wrote in the lawsuit that he “lightly pushed Cieszkowski in the chest with one hand” but did not seriously injure him.

Douglas Lieb, a lawyer for Cieszkowski, called Baldwin’s lawsuit “a desperate tactic designed to silence Mr. Cieszkowski.” AP

LYNN FINKEL, stage manager for Sesame Street, slates a taping with Big Bird, performed

by Caroll Spinney, in New York.

jailed parents, addiction and recovery, homelessness, women’s rights, military families and even had girls singing about loving their hair.

It introduced the bilingual Rosita—the first Latina Muppet—in 1991. Julia, a four-year-old Muppet with autism came in 2017. And Sesame Street became the first children’s program to feature someone with Down syndrome. So important is the show that Peta recently asked for the creation of a vegan Muppet.

“We are a mirror to society here even though we’re dealing with birds and chickens and monsters,” said Matt Vogel, the puppeteer who portrays Big Bird and the Count, and who grew up watching Sesame Street.

When actor Will Lee, who played the grocer Mr. Hooper, died in 1982, the show explained death to children. When Big Bird lost his nest to a hurricane, the community rebuilt his home. To help kids after 9/11, Elmo was left traumatized by a fire at Hooper’s store but was soothingly told that firefighters were there to help.

Celebrity appearances—starting with Burnett and now numbering 650—aren’t just a fun component of the show, they’re part of the lesson. From Janelle Monae to Sarah Jessica Parker, from Anderson Cooper to Danny DeVito—they’re all part of an attempt to lure parents to watch, as well.

“When parents watch the show with their kids, the learning is deeper because you have a conversation

about what you watched together. You talk about it,” said Benjamin Lehmann, executive producer. “The parents are there to scaffold on the lessons.”

Not everyone has adored the show, especially those who grouse about federal funds going to a nonprofit that earns millions on licensing for everything from lunch boxes and toys to diapers and commercials for Farmers Insurance.

In 2015, the longtime PBS show inked a five-year pact with HBO that gave the premium cable channel the right to air new episodes nine months before they air on PBS. That prompted some criticism that Sesame Workshop favored viewers who could afford HBO over those who could not.

Before each season, educators and creators gather to align the curriculum with the latest thinking. In the past, for example, narrative stories were broken up into little chunks because the thinking at the time was that kids couldn’t follow a long story. That turns out not to be true, and Sesame Street now delivers 10-minute narratives.

Some shows have lasted longer—Meet the Press and The Tonight Show among them—but few have had as big a cultural impact. Sesame Street is shown in more than 150 countries, has won 193 Emmys, 10 Grammys and will get a 2019 Kennedy Center Honor for lifetime artistic achievement in December, the first time a television program will receive the award. n

‘Bubble Gang’ celebrates 24th anniversary with two-part superhero telemovie special THE country’s longest-running and multi-awarded gag show, GMA’s Bubble Gang treats viewers with a two-part superhero telemovie special for its 24th anniversary, titled The ScAvengers, airing on November 15 and 22.

Michael V., whose monumental contributions for Bubble Gang lead to the show’s unwavering success, playfully shared what loyal viewers and fresh audiences alike should look forward to in the anniversary special: “Medyo baliw at ambisyosong project ito. Sa totoo lang, laro lang ’yung gusto namin and, yet, gusto namin ipakita na kahit kami naglalaro, ’yung quality hindi mawawala. So this time around, it’s a visual treat na talagang sa teaser pa lang gugulatin namin kayo.”

“We have new audience every single day and episode.

It’s like our duty and also our pleasure to create something for these new audiences, sa mga bagong sumusuporta at sumusubaybay. At the same time, we are maintaining ’yung mga suki na namin,” he added.

The ScAvengers, which is a word play on Marvel Studio’s team of iconic superheroes, revolves around an outcast group of homeless people who scavenge for a living and find extraordinary scraps which fell from the outer space. Little do they know that these garbage possess superpowers that will transform them from outcasts to their barangay’s greatest superheroes, collectively called as The ScAvengers.

Michael V. is Allan Peter Kuya Thanos, the main villain who is determined to wipe half of the universe’s population with a snap of his fingers; and the ScAvengers whose mission is to stop him and save the world are: Antonio Aquitania as Thorpe/Tor; Paolo Contis as Plantsa Man/Mr. Tonio; Kim Domingo as Black Panty/Tasia; Boy2 Quizon as Capt.

American Tiki Tiki/Esteban; Sef Cadayona as Hukay-Ukay/Boy

MICHAEL V

Pana; Betong Sumaya as Hulkluban/T’yo Bruce; Analyn Barro as Regyula; Archie Alemania as Mang Stan; Mikoy Morales as Squatterman/Pedrito; and Chariz Solomon as Gumorah.

Valeen Montenegro, Lovely Abella, Arra San Agustin, Jak Roberto and Denise Barbacena play Kuya Thanos’s cohorts, while Arny Ross, Liezel Lopez, Roadfill, Mykah and Diego are townspeople.

The ScAvengers also features the special participation of Manila Mayor Isko Moreno as Yorme and Spiderman star Jacob Batalon as Need.

Under the helm of esteemed creative heads Chito Francisco and Caesar Cosme, and directors Rico Gutierrez and Bert de Leon, Bubble Gang’s two-part anniversary special The ScAvengers airs on November 15 and 22 after One of the Baes. Fans across the globe can also catch their favorite shows via GMA’s international channels GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International.

More information is available at www.gmapinoytv.com.

SYD HARTHA TAKES CHARGE OF MUSICAL PATH WITH NEW SINGLE ‘PARUPARO’ FAR from rehashing the hugot formula for her own gains, syd hartha sets a blueprint for young singer-songwriters to explore deeply personal and socially relevant themes in the face of troubling times. Her work treads a road less traveled by peers and contemporaries in the local music scene, navigating on narratives that are pulled straight from the headlines.

“It got to the point where I realized it’s time for me to step outside my comfort zone and make music with more power, something that speaks to a wider audience and can make an impact,” says the 18-year-old folk artist.

“I’m given the opportunity to share my music and help raise awareness on important issues affecting the country. Since then, when something isn’t right or needs to be addressed, I knew I had to do the best I could about it, and I do it mostly through my music.” syd continues to take charge of her own musical and lyrical direction with the release of her new single “paruparo,” under Sony Music Philippines.

With earthy, stripped-down arrangements that soar toward a climatic plane, syd sings about how the power of words or how even the absence of it can change situations and affect lives.

“If everyone is aware of how we could use the freedom of expression that we all have correctly, conflicts would lessen and understanding each other would be easier,” says the outspoken singer-songwriter. “‘paruparo’ is a song to remind everyone to practice being responsible with our words, and being considerate of how others could take it. I am a strong believer that there is always a right time to speak and that some words are better left unsaid.”

Recorded and produced by Brian Lotho and Not Vinzons in Sonic State Audio, “paruparo” features syd hartha on vocals and guitars, Raisa Racelis on bass, Pat Sarabia on drums, Bea Fabros on guitars and Jason Gildore on percussions. syd hartha’s brand-new single is now available on all streaming and download platforms, such as Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and Deezer.

SYD HARTHA

Envoys&Expats

www.businessmirror.com.ph | Thursday, November 7, 2019 E1

WOMAN POWER IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE

Diplomat gleams like gold, shines as silver

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By Recto L. Mercene

@rectomercene

OOD things come in small packages—so goes the old saying. Former ambassador and foreign affairs secretary Delia Domingo Albert is like a tiny magnum of Chanel No. 5 Grand Extrait—perhaps the most expensive on the planet fetching a price tag of $4,200 an ounce.

Albert speaks French, Japanese, English, Spanish and Filipino—a formidable talent but gentle soul in the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) during her tenure.

The latest feather in her cap was bestowed on May 23 at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo by no less than the emperor of Japan: The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star— one of the highest recognitions given by the said country.

Japanese Ambassador Koji Haneda, who recently hosted a celebration of her achievement, provided a perspective of the accolade: “It is awarded to select individuals who, through their work in various fields,

have made tremendous contributions toward furthering the friendship and mutual understanding between our two peoples.”

“It is worth noting that Albert is one of the very first recipients of this award in the new Reiwa era of Japan. In all these instances, she has consistently shown her sterling character as an exemplary leader and professional, strongly dedicated to strengthening the friendship between our two nations.”

Haneda then declared: “She is truly a class of her own.”

In a statement, the Japanese Embassy noted that during her tenure as foreign affairs secretary from

2003 to 2004, Albert took the initiative of negotiating for the JapanPhilippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa), which greatly contributed to the enhancement of the economic relationship between the two countries, especially in the area of their people exchanges.

When she served as Presidential Advisor for Multilateral Cooperation and Development in 2004 and 2005, the diplomat also contributed to the promotion of inviting Japanese private sectors in the Philippines in the mining industry.

Further, as senior advisor of Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co., she has been supporting Japanese companies in the Philippines in various ways.

Celebrated career

ALBERT responded to Haneda’s gracious words with a brief summary of her years in the Philippine foreign service: “My own Japanese story began at the University of the Philippines [UP], where a noted specialist on Japan, Professor Josefa Saniel, impressed me with her keen knowledge and appreciation of the [Land of the Rising Sun] that I aspired to see for myself what I had learned about the fascinating country.”

Opportunity came in 1962 when, just fresh out of UP, she participated

in an international student seminar at Tsuda College in Tokyo. This was followed by a work camp in Awajishima, “where, together with Japanese and foreign students, we all worked in a road that would link [a small fishing village called Nigoro to its adjacent places].”

“It was my first experience not only in physically building a road with a pick and shovel, but an opportunity to build friendships with people from different nationalities and cultures, especially with [the local] people.”

Inspired by the activity, it became the subject of her speech, Dai San No Michi, or “The Third Road,” which earned her a prize in a competition for foreign students sponsored by broadcast network NHK and national newspaper Asahi Shimbun.

That recognition led to an appearance on television and a magazine cover, “which gave me the opportunity to promote [and create] awareness of the Philippines in Japan.”

She narrated that after her stint in the foreign service, “I became the first woman-career diplomat to serve as secretary [minister] of foreign affairs in Asia.”

“I felt a natural responsibility to promote women participation not only in diplomacy, but especially in the economy,” she proudly

announced.

Coming back to the country in 1962 after her studies, she was invited “to introduce then-secretary of Foreign Affairs Narciso Ramos at the annual Soiree Diplomatique of the UP Foreign Service Corps.

She found Ramos’s curriculum vitae so brief and could find nothing more to provide him with a more compelling description. “I introduced him in three languages: English, French and Japanese,” she gleefully recounted.

The “intro” impressed Ramos “more than the audience—that on the spot, he appointed me as his social secretary because, as he said, I could say ‘no’ in different languages and [qualified me] as his cordon sanitaire.”

“Soon, I was arranging negotiations on the host agreement between the Philippines and the Asian Development Bank, which [at that time] had just been founded.”

In her acceptance speech, Albert acknowledged a dear friend as well as a partner in economic diplomacy, and who was a fellow recipient of the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star: Lilia de Lima. The latter, according to the former DFA chief, is a trusted and respected director general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority or Peza. It was de

Lima who successfully convinced Japanese companies to invest, as well as increase their presence in the Philippines.

Albert profusely thanked Haneda, “for [the] kind and generous hospitality,” then his countrymen and government for the singular honor of her recent conferment.

The former DFA chief proudly claimed that it was no less than Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who handed her gleaming symbols, “followed by a most heartwarming and memorable audience with His Majesty, Emperor Naruhito.”

‘Womenomics’

IN 2016, Albert led a group of Filipino women-entrepreneurs who met with their Japanese counterparts at the 26th Global Summit of Women in Tokyo, “in support of Prime Minister [Shinzo] Abe’s policy of ‘womenomics.’”

She recounted that in July, Haneda and his wife Ihoko visited her hometown of Baguio City. There, they met the new set of city officials, as well as descendants of former Japanese settlers “who worked on the construction of the famous winding mountain road of Kennon from 1903 to 1909.”

Continued on E2

Envoys& BusinessMirror

E2 Thursday, November 7, 2019

FILIPINAS IN FOREIGN SERVICE

Book on women-envoys hits shelves

Ambassador chairs intl atomic energy body

FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia D. Albert (front row, seventh from right) with women ambassadors and key officials during the launch of her book. VANESSA UBAC/DFA

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HE Department of Foreign Affairs, through the initiative of former Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia D. Albert, held an official launch of the book Women in Diplomacy: The Remarkable Ambassadors in the Philippine Foreign Service at the Carlos P. Romulo Library on October 11, with key officials and ambassadors—both active and retired—as well as DFA personnel, in attendance.

Albert introduced the book and thanked all her fellow women ambassadors who contributed their re-

flections that were featured in the book. She also mentioned of drawing inspiration to undertake the publica-

tion as a project from an observation by former United Nations SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan when she chaired the UN Security Council in 2004. The latter’s observations made the former secretary contemplate on the many remarkable Filipino women diplomats who served with dedication around the world whose achievements are worth recognizing.

A mba ssadors Joce ly n BatoonGarcia, Narcisa Escaler, Celia Anna Feria, Linglingay Lacanlale and Grace Princesa, whose stories were featured in the book, served as panelists. They shared highlights of their journeys as diplomats and how they were able to overcome the challenges of working in a male-dominated profession as they advanced not only the national interests of the country, but also addressed

the aspirations of a Filipino diplomat, regardless of gender.

A first-of-its-kind, the book was well-received by key officials, ambassadors and the DFA personnel. Ambassadors Eduardo Meñez and Rosalinda Tirona, as well as Foreign Service Officer 4 May-I Fabros, who served as reactors, expressed their commendations during the launch. They said the stories in the book would serve as an inspiration to the new generation of Filipino diplomats who aspire to serve the country well.

To date, a total of 90 women ambassadors have served in the Philippine foreign service. Albert announced that she had already begun work on the second volume, which will include many others who have yet to contribute their stories. DFA

AMBASSADOR to Austria Maria Cleofe R. Natividad chairs the Committee of the Whole of the 63rd IAEA General Conference. VIENNA PE

V

IENNA—Ambassador of the Philippines to Austria Maria Cleofe R. Natividad was elected chairman of the Committee of the Whole (COW) of the 63rd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), held in the Austrian capital city from September 16 to 19.

The COW deliberated on 12 agenda items—including 16 resolutions—related to various aspects of the agency’s work.

Under the Philippine chairmanship, the COW was able to complete its work in a historic and unprecedented record of under three hours spread throughout one-and-a-half days, which garnered acclaim from delegations and officials from the IAEA secretariat.

Natividad attributed her success as chairman to the Viennese’s spirit of consensus, cooperation and flexibility that followed weeks of intensive informal negotiations. DFA

Woman power in the foreign service: Diplomat gleams like gold, shines as silver Continued from E1

It was shared that, during her visit in the Baguio market, Ihoko was pleasantly surprised to see familiar fruits and vegetables ichigo and daikon, “introduced by the Japanese communities who settled mainly in Trinidad Valley, which [eventually] became known as the ‘Salad Bowl of the Philippines.’”

“For me personally, road-building—whether in the island of Awaji-shima or in Kennon Road—represents a very special connection between the Philippines and Japan,” she pointed out, and added that not only did they connect places. “They also connected people.”

Decorated diplomat

ALBERT obtained her Bachelor’s degree in international relations from the State University’s Diliman campus before she matriculated in a number of institutions overseas, including the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, the Diplomatic Institute in Salzburg, Boston University, and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, among others.

She was a career diplomat and was the country’s secretary of Foreign Affairs from December 22, 2003, until August 18, 2004.

Albert’s career in the DFA began as an assistant in the Office of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in 1967.

In 1969, she began to serve in various capacities in Filipino diplomatic missions abroad: at the delegation to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, (1969–1975); at the embassy in Romania, which also managed Filipino relations with Hungary and East Germany, (1975–1980) and at the embassy in Bonn. The former envoy also represented the Philippines in Switzerland, Romania, Hungary,

ALBERT (fourth from left) at the unveiling ceremony for the Fukuda Doctrine Memorial Marker and symposium in 2018

FORMER Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia D. Albert (center) at her recent conferment, with Ambassador Koji Haneda and wife Ihoko

Germany and Australia.

The Philippine Women’s University conferred on her the title of Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa, for building a gender-fair society. Her alma mater distinguished her as the Most Distinguished Alumna in 2012.

For her meritorious and exceptional service to the country, Albert was conferred the Presidential Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu, and, in 2004, was given the title BaiA-Rawatun sa Pilipinas for assisting Muslim women in their search for peace and development.

Albert also received the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit with Star (BundesVerdienstKreuz) from the Federal Republic of Germany.

She, likewise, helped midwife the Asean, after being tasked by Ramos “to arrange calls and meetings of the secretary’s counterparts in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and, later on, with Singapore.”

By coincidence, and much later in her career, she was involved in connecting the youth of Asean, made possible by the Fukuda fund, now known as the Asean Cultural Fund.

“To my mind,” Albert opined, “it was, and remains, the most effective investment-building in the Asean sociocultural community.”

Albert said this prompted her to hail former Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda as the “Father of Asean-Japan relations.”

When economic diplomacy be-

came the focus of the Philippines’s foreign policy, she averred that the country pursued the negotiations for the Jpepa, “which provides the framework for increased bilateral trade relations.”

Also an author

FAST-FORWARD to a few weeks back, in an informal exchange during the Austrian National Day, Albert said she fondly remembers former President Fidel V. Ramos, “for his far-reaching vision for the country.”

During his tenure, Albert shared that Ramos told her to go to Australia to negotiate a defense cooperation agreement.

“He knew what was important.

So, [there I went] and negotiated the most important cooperation agreement for training our military, because I wanted them to be real professionals.”

At that point, she broached the idea of relaunching her book, Women in Diplomacy, a 250-page tome, at the Manila House in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, on November 27.

The original introduction happened at the DFA, “when we invited all our diplomats to come home,” with an aim to give our envoys “an idea what [real] foreign policy means.”

(See related story in this page.)

The former career diplomat revealed that her book documents the stories of our remarkable ambassadors in the Philippine Foreign Service.

She revealed that former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the Ghanaian diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner, told her when she used to be the chairman of the UN Security Council: “I’m so glad that a woman is chairing the SC. And, by the way, I have met remarkable women dip-

lomats from the Philippines.”

“So, I used that as the title of my book.”

Putting context into the tome, Albert explained the foreign policies of Philippine presidents, from Emilio Aguinaldo to Duterte.

She said among the many busts at the lobby of the DFA headquarters, “I’m the only woman in that lineup of foreign ministers. I’m the first female ambassador-foreign minister in Asia.”

According to Albert, “That’s what challenged me to do this book. It is not for me; it’s to lift the image of the country, [because] we are suffering from…” She paused to place her listeners in suspense, then just rolled up her eyes.

“Having been a diplomat for 44 years, I should know. We are professionals. We serve the office, not the person. That’s the big difference.”

&Expats

envoys.expats.bm@gmail.com |Thursday, November 7, 2019 E3

SYNERGIES AND COLLABORATIONS

Balancing biz, sustainability–the Dutch way

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HE Orange Asean Factory (OAF) recently conducted an intense three-week sustainability consultancy program for talented young professionals, entrepreneurs and students from Southeast Asia and the Netherlands, initiated by the ministry of foreign affairs of the said country and its embassy in the Philippines, led

by Ambassador Saskia de Lang.

According to its web site, the OAF is “supported by experienced consultants, academics and field experts, as participants work in dedicated teams on business cases for real-life issues from our partners, designing innovative solutions for sustainability challenges in the region. Our partners range from multinational companies to local nongovernment organizations and government institutions.

Yearly, several factories are organized at different capital cities...”

Participants from the European country, as well as from the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam worked on live, reallife sustainability business cases with the direction of members from Netherlands-based TheRockGroup. It also gave them the opportunity to diversify their network through events supported by international companies and local nongovernment organizations while they boost their international collaboration experience with other Dutch and young professionals from the region.

The just-concluded program was the seventh developed and hosted

courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and local Dutch embassies.

Stimulating local biz

THE teams were given business topics that stimulated local businesses through sustainability, circular economy, clean energy, social impact and quality of life improvement. They provided concrete and implementable solutions to their clients, with the guidance of TheRockGroup’s Bertus Tulleners and Kelsey Walker. Nineteen participants with backgrounds from multiple disciplines delivered their final presentations on October 31, which highlighted recommendations for their cases.

“We’ve been here [for about] a month. We often work in the region with local partners. Agriculture is one of our core sectors,” shared Tulleners, a member of TheRockGroup managing the OAF. In one instance, they coordinated only with farmers, “but the whole supply chain and all [of its] players: processors, traders, retailers and consumers can play a role in this transformation of value chain.”

ORGANIZERS and participants of the recent Orange Asean Factory program

He added, “It’s not about philanthropy, but [linking] the core business of companies to societal challenges. We find solutions to problems they encounter, which are not only business [in nature,] but also societal problems such as sustainability and pollution. [We] see how they can transform their business in a way that makes sense, and that they can actually do it.”

“It’s about how they earn their money and where they can add real value in a way that suits their business,” TheRockGroup official added.

To make sense of OAF advocacy, he cited the example of a local gasoline company whose machineries are plagued with corrosion problems. With the help of OAF, they trained engineers to address the problem and came out with a solu-

tion by inventing a paint that would protect their machines from corrosion. The move eventually saved millions of pesos in the long run.

Engaging young pros

T U L L EN ER S e x pl a i ned t h at TheRockGroup brings together about 20 young people in a particular company in the country and trains them for three weeks.

“We work with them from teams, addressing different questions and basically exploring as consultants and as researchers,” the Dutchman explained.

He said his company engages in in-depth conversations with clients, then provides the same level of recommendations or perspectives of what the latter could do.

“In the end, we present them with the solution.”

Denmark speaks out vs obesity

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

tack, diabetes, and other cardiovascular events.”

@brownindio

G

LOBAL health-care company Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals (Philippines) Inc. recently formed a partnership with concerned sectors in “One Against Obesity,” an awareness forum about the health disorder.

The engagement aimed to change the public’s perspective on obesity and the stigma surrounding it, while encouraging the provision of care for people who are obese and overweight.

Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to the Philippines Grete Sillasen graced the gathering and delivered the opening remarks.

During the open fourm, she said the fight against obesity requires a holistic approach, which includes a comprehensive urban planning to ensure a balanced and healthy lifestyle.

“In Copenhagen, more than 50 percent of the population bike or walk to stay healthy,” she pointed out. “However, it is quite different to Metro Manila, as it is smaller in size and easier to manage.”

Nevertheless, the ambassador said the fight against obesity has to start somewhere, because it opens the window to a lot of diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

To fight obesity, society, she averred, has to become more sensitive and empathic toward people living with the condition, encourage them to live better, and fight this disease.

Tulleners described the firm as being operational for a decade, but the initiative for innovation has been around for about four years.

TheRockGroup was in Manila before, he pointed out, and that the event is their second edition.

“We had been to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam.”

Meanwhile, Walker said: “We call [ourselves] a ‘pop-up’ company, because we’re popping up in all the different countries in Southeast Asia and doing the same set up.”

Being a consultancy and a training program from a pop-up company, she added that, “We hope to engage young professionals from the region and also from the Netherlands. Together, [they can] create business relationships.”

There are two main objectives or

initiatives, according to Tulleners: The first one is to create an output for all the clients that they can actually use to create value for society. The second, he said, is to train young professionals—for those just starting in their careers—to learn about their expertise.

“Because some of them are engineers and marketers, they are encouraged to use their skills or their ambitions in creating societal value in a professional way.”

He went on to say: “We work with companies and other stakeholders like governments and civil societies in [changing] the way we do business. Those can be independent companies [or] the whole supply chain. We look at business models, [check on] how can we improve, and work with companies to change that.” Recto L. Mercene

UNDP hails Lanao del Sur guv for free Wi-Fi roll-out

Fat stats

NOVO Nordisk Philippines’s Vice President and General Manager Cihan Serdar Kizilcik

In his speech, Novo Nordisk Philippines Vice President and General Manager Cihan Serdar Kizilcik said, “There’s more to obesity than what meets the eye. There are a number of environmental, physical and psychological factors involved needing a multistakeholder approach.”

T he e x e c ut i v e e x pl a i ne d , “ Fi rst , we mu st u nderst a nd that obesity is a critical health issue in the Philippines. We must be concerned for people with obesity not because of appearances, but because of [the effects in] their overall well-being, including risk for early death.”

Kizilcik pointed out that society should be committed to fight obesity.

This starts by educating people to live a healthy lifestyle: “It is important to bring awareness to the people”

Lifestyle change

HEALTHIER food and lifestyle choic-

es need to become easier and more accessible options especially in cities, combined with empathetic support from family and society. Advances in pharmacotherapeutic options can also help augment lifestyle changes in achieving and maintaining weight goals for patients with obesity.

“We need to view obesity as a chronic noncommunicable disease with its own challenges, including that of weight regain,” according to Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity Vice President Dr. Nemencio Nicodemus.

“To support obesity prevention and treatment, we need to provide the necessary education and treatment from doctors and other healthcare professionals, as well as opportunities for lifestyle change,” the physician exhorted. “A 5 percent to 10 percent weight loss will make a big difference in the quality of life, but also lower the risk for heart at-

IN the Philippines, 3 out of 10 Filipino adults are overweight or obese.

In a decade, the prevalence of obesity among Filipino adults almost doubled from 20.2 percent in 1998 to 37.2 percent in 2018. One out of 4 Filipino children aged six to 10 years old, and 1 out of every 10 Filipino adolescents, are either overweight or obese as of last year.

Research has also pointed out that obese children are more likely to stay in the same condition until they become adults. Overweight and obesity are the top nutrition issues in eight cities of Metro Manila, according to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, with the prevalence of being overweight and obese in highly urbanized cities more apparent than the national estimates.

By 2025, it is estimated that 2.7 billion adults will be suffering from obesity.

In 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) projects that at least 2.8 million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese associated with the occurrence of chronic diseases, which has dire social and economic consequences.

The WHO also recorded that globally, more than 1.9 billion adults were already overweight, and 650 million of them were obese. Meanwhile, 340 million children and adolescents between the ages of five to 19 years old were considered as such.

I

N a memorandum released on October 23 to all city and municipal mayors of Lanao del Sur, Gov. Mamintal A. Adiong Jr. expressed his staunch support to the province’s swift implementation of the “Free WiFi for All” program.

Adiong emphasized that “the provincial government…will facilitate the rapid rollout of the facility,” which is overseen through the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the United Nations Development Program me (UNDP). Under the direction of Information and Communications Technology Secretary Gregorio B. Honasan II, the Free Wi-Fi for All is a flagship project of the DICT that aims to provide free Internet to 104,867 sites across the Philippines by 2022.

In the last three years, the DICT has faced the challenge of reaching the so-called last mile in providing data connection to the most remote and disadvantaged communities in the country. To date, much of its efforts have been focused on more populated areas with better telecommunication infrastructure in place.

The DICT has tapped the support of the UNDP in the Philippines in expediting project delivery for the program and in reaching 6,000 remote areas where connectivity is most needed. By January of 2020—within merely nine months of the partnership—the UNDP aims to have 4,500 far-flung, at-risk and vulnerable sites under implementation.

Of these chosen locations, more than 1,000 are in Lanao del Sur, with the support of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The Free Wi-Fi for All collaboration with the DICT allowed UNDP to draw on its global expertise in connecting remote communities and supporting digital literacy programs.

Adiong’s support and that of the mayors in the province will be critical in facilitating the successful and rapid implementation of the program in Lanao del Sur, where access to the Internet will be critical in improving livelihood, information and better education, as well as delivery of social services through digital platforms.

Envoys&Expats BusinessMirror

E4 Thursday, November 7, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

EMBASSIES, EVENTS, ETC.

BATTLE FOR THE PACIFIC Embassy of the United States’s Charge d’Affaires John Law MOLD TECHNOLOGY Ambassador of Korea to the Philippines Han Dong-man (third from

right), with Science Secretary Fortunato de la Peña (fifth from left) lead guests and officials in the ceremonial groundbreaking of the $6.3-million Mold Technology Support Center project site in Barangay Bacao, General Trias City, on October 30. PNA/BEN BRIONES.

DAY OF AUSTRIA Ambassador Bita Rasoulian hosted a local reception on October 23

to celebrate Austria’s National Day and the European country’s excellent relations with the Philippines. In addition to commemorating the adoption of Austria’s constitutional law in 1955 on permanent neutrality, the event also highlighted the inclusion of the Viennese coffeehouse and Austrian pastry cultures in the Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. EMBASSY PHOTO

(from left); American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) Commissioner Robert O. Wefald, Pacific Superintendent Larry A. Adkison and Director Kelly K. McKeague join the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig on October 19 during the ABMC’s new visitor center. The Manila branch is the first in the Pacific and tells the story of the battles in the Pacific during World War II. PNA/GIL CALINGA

PHL, INDIA TALK TRADE Agriculture Secretary William Dar (right), with GMR

EURO LEARNING Commission on Higher Education’s Aldrin Darilag (left) and

NEED FOR SUBMARINES At a press conference with select defense and foreign

European Union Delegation to the Philippines’s First Counselor Rafael de Bustamante Tello head the opening of European Higher Education Fair 2019 at the Edsa Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City. NONOY LACZA

Korea kicks off movie fest

Construction CEO Vivek Singhal and the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce Phils. Inc. President Rex Daryanani (second and third from right) discuss matters with other officials at the Philippine-India Trade Consultations on October 18 under the theme: “Strengthening our Future Together.” PNA/GIL CALINGA

journalists on October 22, Ambassador of Russia Igor Khovaev says the Philippines has the right to develop its submarine force. According to him, the country—being an archipelagic state— needs a submarine fleet to protect its waters. PNA/JOEY O. RAZON

HUFF: Third time’s a charm

C

ELEBRATING the 70 years of Philippine-Korean friendship, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, the Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange and SM is presenting the Korean Film Festival in seven cities around the country.

This year’s festival, with the theme: “Sailing Beyond Together,” will kick off on November 6 at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura Premier.

Director Jeon Go-woon of the opening film, Microhabitat, will grace the opening night with a talk about his opus.

Microhabitat is an award-winning comedy-drama film that follows the story of Miso, who gets by in her life through housekeeping. When the government doubles the price of her favorite things: cigarettes and whiskey, she decided to leave her house.

Before doing so, she makes a list of friends who may or may not, be willing to make a space for her.

Film enthusiasts can also look forward to watching Parasite, the critically acclaimed and most talked-about 2019 movie in Korea by Bong Joon-ho, which won the prestigious Palme d ’Or at

the Cannes Film Festival. It is about the poor and unemployed Ki-taek who lives with his family in a damp, insect-infested semibasement apartment at the lowincome area in Seoul. His son, Ki-woo, is offered a tutoring job while he’s abroad, as the former enters the life of the wealthy Park family with his own family lurking in the background.

Other festival must-sees include the comedy Miss Granny by Hwang Dong-hyuk, drama flick Little Forest by Yim Soon-rye, House of Hummingbird by Kim Bo-ra, The House of Us by Yoon Ga-eun, and romance flick Architecture 101 by Lee Yong-joo.

Throughout the festival, Filipino audiences will experience the masterful storytelling, acting and technological advancement in Korea’s thriving film industry. A total of sev-

T en films will be screened simultaneously on November 7 and 8 in seven SM malls: SM City Fairview, SM City Cebu, SM City Iloilo, SM City Davao,

SM City Olongapo Central, SM City Clark and SM City Dasmariñas. All screenings are free and on a firstcome, first-served basis.

Japan Fiesta fosters deep friendships

T

HE Embassy of Japan in the Philippines announces the staging of Japan Fiesta 2019 on November 9 and 10 at the SMX Convention Center of the SM Aura Premier in Taguig City.

Japan Fiesta 2019 is the biggest event of its kind, and is expected to be the flagship event in Manila to promote the friendship between Japan and the Philippines. This event aims to foster a deeper mutual relationship between the people of the two countries by experiencing “all the charms of Japan.”

The event will feature Japanese culture, tourism and cuisine, among

others, and promote the best of Japan to Filipinos. Artists and performers who enjoy popularity in the Philippines and Japan will join the event to provide entertainment and added attraction.

Aside from the embassy, the event is organized through the cooperation of the members of the Japan Fiesta Council: Japan National Tourism Organization Manila Office; the Japan Foundation, Manila; the Japanese Association, Manila Inc.; and Primer Media Inc. For more details, visit https://japanfiesta.ph/ and register to get more updates.

HE Embassy of Hungary, in cooperation with the Film Development Council of the Philippines and Edsa Shangri-La Plaza Red Carpet Cinema will open the third Hungarian Film Festival (HUFF3) in the country, which will also see its expansion in the cities of Cebu and Davao to present the essence of Hungarian cinema to more Filipinos.

The embassy also said it will expand the scope of the festival “in time, not just in space.” While it remains a weeklong event in Manila, the two provincial cities will be treated to monthly screenings beginning in June and will run until December 2019.

At the inaugurals, the embassy and its partners will screen Kincsem–Bet on Revenge on November 13 at 7 p.m. at the Red Carpet Cinema. It is a historical adventure film loosely based on the exploits of Kincsem, a worldfamous racing horse of unparalleled speed. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century political turmoil in Hungary, the film is tale of love, revenge and sportsmanship.

Other cinematic works lined up for HUFF3 will include Brazilok (Bra-

zils), an ethno-tale filled with humor and tears about gypsy football team.

Also in the selection is Genezis (Genesis), a dramatic depiction of sin, catharsis and rebirth. With strong biblical roots, the story is told via the journeys of very different individuals from completely separate sections of society, whose paths never cross. Nonetheless, their fates become intricately entwined as they twist through the shadow cast by a horrendous crime.

Moszkva tér (Moscow Square) is a period piece set in April 1989 during the collapse of Communist regimes in Europe. Four friends spend their evenings hanging around the clock tower in Moscow Square, while all around them the old regime is teetering on the brink.

Tales from the Lakeside is an animated feature film that will please younger audiences. Fully dubbed in English, it introduces a wonderful microcosm around a small lake, where inspiring creatures defend their quiet corner of the world.

All screenings are free of charge and subtitled in English. For more information, visit the Embassy of Hungary’s Facebook page.

BusinessMirror

Health&Fitness

CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT THE GALLBLADDER?

ANDROMACHI MITROPOULOU | DREAMSTIME.COM

November 7-13, 2019

ESAKAY PROMOTES ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE WAY TO COMMUTE

A

LLIANZ PNB Life, the world’s most sustainable insurer for three years running, recently partnered with eSakay to launch seven Electric-jeepneys (or E-jeepneys) that currently ply the Makati and Mandaluyong routes.

“Allianz has always been supportive of environmental sustainability.

Through these E-jeepneys, we are offering Filipinos cleaner and greener alternatives to get to their destinations within two major business areas in Metro Manila,” said Allianz PNB Life President and Chief Executive Officer Alexander Grenz. eSakay is the electric vehicle unit of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), and they introduced E-jeepneys back in 2010, according to its operations head, Yuri Sarmiento.

“At that time, we started the Green Route here in Makati, covering Legaspi and Salcedo Village. We initially had three vehicles that provided free rides.

Now, we are glad that with the help of companies, such as Allianz PNB Life, we are able to sustain our efforts in transitioning to green alternatives of mass transportation,” Sarmiento said.

He added that the initial objective for the deployment was to present an alternative technology to run vehicles that can help address the problem of air pollution.

“In the Philippines, we have 5,000 deaths every year due to environmental diseases, and 70 percent of our CO2 emission comes from mobile vehicles.

If we cut down the emissions, we can also cut down the pollution problem in the country, especially here in the city,” Sarmiento added.

More sustainable way of doing things

GRENZ said that the E-jeepney is just one of Allianz PNB Life’s corporate social responsibility activities that is focused on the environment.

“As a global company, Allianz has always been mindful about its impact on the communities it serves, especially today with the threat of climate change.

We are glad to have found a partner in eSakay to promote our message of environmental sustainability, and we are looking forward to launching more projects that will lead to a healthier planet,”

2 Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019

Grenz concluded.

The Allianz Group achieved the top position among all rated insurance companies in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the third time in a row since 2017. The DJSI is one of the world’s most recognized sustainability ratings.

In its assessment, it considers a wide range of economic, environmental and social topics, such as human resources programs, executive compensation, tax policies, shareholder rights, compliance and anti-corruption programs, environmental management and performance, corporate social engagement, customer satisfaction, among others.

Comfort and Tech features

APART from being environmentally friendly, the E-jeepneys also offer a more comfortable way to travel. Each vehicle can seat 23 people and accommodate eight to 10 people standing.

Each vehicle is equipped with a dash cam, GPS tracking system, and CCTV cameras to ensure passengers’ safety.

It also comes with multiple fans and offers its passengers internet access.

The vehicles also come with USB ports, so there is no need to worry about phone batteries running low for passengers onboard. “We are also developing software that would allow passengers to download an app so that they can monitor the vehicles,” Sarmiento said. eSakay will soon be launching an electronic payment system, as well.

Currently, passengers pay their fares in cash. The minimum fare is P9, the same as that of regular jeepneys.

Apart from the Makati and Mandaluyong routes, there are plans to bring the E-jeepneys to Pampanga next year.

Health&Fitness

is published and distributed free every Thursday by the Philippine Business Daily Mirror Publishing Inc. as a project of the BusinessMirror.

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FAT-FIGHTING FOODS W

E all love to eat but the problem is we don’t want to gain a single pound. Good thing, there are foods that we can enjoy and help us shed that extra weight. The webmd. com says that there are “certain foods that can keep you satisfied longer, speed your metabolism and even curb your appetite.” Check this list if you want to enjoy eating and still get that fit body.

1Greek yogurt.

Greek yogurt has almost twice as much protein as other yogurts. It takes longer to leave your stomach, keeping you satisfied longer. Plus, you burn more calories digesting protein than carbs. Choose nonfat, low-fat and low-sugar types.

weight loss plan. This whole grain has 8 grams of hunger-busting protein and 5 grams of fiber in one cup, and you'll also get iron, zinc, selenium and vitamin E. Quinoa is as easy to cook as rice. For a quick dinner, mix in some vegetables, nuts or lean protein.

2Quinoa.

3Cinnamon.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a nutritional all star that belongs in your

4 Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019

Some studies suggest cinnamon may have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar

levels. This could curb your appetite, particularly in people with type 2 diabetes. Nearly everyone can benefit from cinnamon in its traditional role. Stir some into your coffee, tea or yogurt to add sweetness without adding calories.

briefly affect the metabolism. To get the most benefit, you may need to drink green tea several times a day. Try taking your tea hot, because it takes longer to drink, providing a soothing, mindful experience.

4Hot peppers.

6Grapefruit.

5Green tea.

7Watermelon.

Hot peppers have a flavorless chemical called capsaicin. It’s more plentiful in habaneros, but jalapeños also have it. Capsaicin seems to curb appetite and speed up metabolism slightly, but only for a short time. It probably doesn’t have a big impact on weight, unless you eat less food because it’s spicy.

Several studies suggest green tea may promote weight loss by stimulating the body to burn fat.

Green tea contains catechins, a type of phytochemical that may

Grapefruit doesn’t have any magical fatburning properties, but it can help you feel full with fewer calories.

That's because its soluble fiber takes longer to digest. Having half a grapefruit or a glass of grapefruit juice before a meal fills you up, so you eat fewer calories during the meal.

Foods that are rich in water take up more room in your gut. This signals the body that you’ve had enough to eat and leaves less room for other foods. Many raw

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fruits and vegetables are full of water and nutrients and low in calories. Watermelon is a great example. It’s a good source of the antioxidant lycopene and gives you some vitamin A and C, too.

8

Pears and apples.

Pears and apples are also high in water content. Eat them with the peels for extra fiber, which will keep you full longer. Go for whole fruits rather than fruit juice.

You'll get more fiber, and you have to chew the fruits. This takes longer and you'll burn a few calories chewing, as opposed to gulping down a smoothie.

9Grapes versus raisins.

Compare 2 cups of grapes to 1/4 cup of raisins. Either choice has a little more than 100 calories, but you’ll probably be more satisfied with the grapes. Dried fruit has its place. When used sparingly, a few raisins or dried cranberries can liven up a salad.

10Berries.

Like other fruits, berries are high in water and fiber, which can keep you full longer. They’re

also sweet, satisfying your sweet tooth for a fraction of the calories you would get from cookies or brownies. Blueberries are a good example because most stores carry them and they’re loaded with antioxidants.

11Raw vegetables.

Raw vegetables make an outstanding snack. They satisfy the desire to crunch, they’re full of water to help you feel full, and they’re low in calories. Half a cup of diced celery has just 8 calories.

Coat celery with a little peanut butter or dunking carrots in salsa.

When you’re in the mood for chips and dip, replace the chips with raw veggies.

12Sweet potatoes.

Think of the typical toppings on your baked potato—butter, sour cream, maybe cheese and bacon bits. If you substitute a sweet potato, you might not need any of that. Baked sweet potatoes are so full of flavor, they don’t need a lot, unless you want to try a sprinkle of cinnamon. This can save you loads of calories. As a bonus, sweet potatoes are packed

with potassium, beta-carotene, vitamin C and fiber.

13Eggs.

One egg has only 75 calories, plus 7 grams of protein along with other vital nutrients. Remember, your body will burn more calories digesting eggs than a carb-heavy breakfast.

And the good news is that eggs are no longer on the “no-list” for people concerned about high cholesterol. It’s saturated fat not dietary cholesterol we need to be wary of.

14Coffee.

It sounds too good to be true: One of your favorite beverages may rev the metabolism and help you lose weight. Coffee does stimulate the metabolism, but only a little. Don’t count on this for weight loss, especially if you add calories with toppings.

15Oatmeal.

Oatmeal has three things going for it: fiber-rich whole-grain oats, lots of water and it’s hot. It's a very filling combination. Hot food takes longer to eat, and all that liquid and fiber will help you feel

full longer. Avoid super-sugary oatmeal. Stirring in cinnamon or nutmeg will give you a sweet taste with less sugar.

16Crispbreads.

Whole-grain rye crackers, sometimes called crispbreads, offer a low-fat, fiber-packed alternative to traditional crackers. Research suggests people who replace refined grains with whole grains tend to have less belly fat. Whole grains also provide a richer assortment of plant nutrients. This doesn’t just apply to crackers. You can get the same benefits by switching to whole-grain breads, cereals and pastas.

17Tabouli.

A standout whole grain is bulgur wheat, the type found in tabouli.

It’s high in fiber and protein but low in fat and calories. That helps you fill up with a minimum of calories. It also tastes great. To turn this dish into a meal, you could add beans and stir in extra tomato, cucumber and parsley.

Continued on page 6

Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019 5

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Continued from page 5

18Soup.

Soup —we’re talking broth-based, not creamy—has a lot going for it.

It’s full of water, which fills you up with the fewest possible calories. It’s hot, which prevents you from eating too much. Have it before a meal, and soup can take up space that might have gone to higher-calorie foods. You can also make a satisfying, lowcalorie meal out of soup alone by adding chicken, fish, cut-up vegetables or beans.

19Salad.

Another way to fill up before a meal is by eating salad. Lettuce has plenty of water content to take up space in the stomach. That leaves less room for fattier foods that might come later in the meal. Make your salad interesting by adding a variety of fruits and vegetables or grated cheese. Be careful about

6 Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019

dressing, which can add a lot of calories.

20Vinegar.

Dress your salad with oil and vinegar. It’s easy to make and it’s full of flavor that can make salad more satisfying—and it has fewer calories than most pre-made dressings.

21Nuts.

Nuts are an excellent way to curb hunger between meals. They’re high in protein, fiber and hearthealthy fats. Studies suggest nuts can promote weight loss and improve cholesterol levels when eaten in moderation. They’re also rich in calories, so limit your portions. If you have to get them out of their shell, you’ll slow down and not eat as much.

22Air-popped Popcorn.

Three cups of plain, air-popped popcorn may

seem like a lot, but you’re not getting a lot of calories. All that air adds volume without adding fat or sugar.

than 4 grams of saturated fat per serving. Stick with a 3- to 4-ounce portion.

23

One of the best sources of protein is fish.

Most fish is low in fat, and the exceptions usually have a good form of fat: omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3s, which are found in salmon, herring, and other fatty fish, may help protect against heart disease and other chronic conditions.

Skim milk. Skim

milk provides plenty of protein, calcium and vitamin D with none of the fat found in whole milk. And even though it's fat-free, skim milk can help you feel full. It takes longer to leave the stomach than drinks with less protein.

24Lean meat.

You know that protein can keep you full longer and burn more calories during digestion.

Choose your protein carefully.

Dark meat tends to be high in fat, which could cancel out some of the benefits. Skinless chicken breast is a great choice. And some cuts of beef can make the grade.

Flank steak, eye of round, and top sirloin are extra-lean with less

25Fish.

26Beans.

Beans are a vegetable, a protein, and a great source of fiber. You feel full for very few calories. Open a can of garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chickpeas) and toss them into soup or salad, or mash them up to use as a dip. One cup packs 12.5 grams of fiber, just 4 grams of fat and almost 15 grams of protein.

Source: www.webmd.com

RADYO KLINIKA

By Marou Pahati-Sarne

CAN YOU LIVE WITHOUT THE GALLBLADDER?

A

PEAR-SHAPED organ at the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, just below the liver, stores the bile, which breaks down and digests fats from the food that we eat. The liver produces the bile (in liquid form) and sends it to the gallbladder for storage so that the body can use this in the future.

DR. Rey Salinel Jr.

have migrated to the pancreas, thus causing pancreatitis, the doctor would recommend surgical removal of the organ.

Can the body cope without the gallbladder? Dr. Salinel says yes.

The bile from the liver will go directly to the bile ducts, on to the small intestine. But the patient will be advised to refrain from eating greasy or fatty food.

Women are more likely to have gallstones than men, and the weight plays a major role. Those who are overweight or obese and who often eat fatty foods and doesn’t have that much fiber in their diets are oftentimes the victims of this condition.

Dr. Salinel recommends a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains like brown rice, lean meat, chicken and fish, low-fat dairy products and yoghurt to avoid developing gallstones.

SEBASTIAN KAULITZKI | DREAMSTIME.COM

When we eat, the gallbladder instantaneously releases the bile, and then the small intestine produces a hormone called cholecystokinin. And here’s where the breaking down of fats start.

This organ starts to have problems when bile or cholesterol hardens and become gallstones.

Rey Salinel Jr., Infectious Disease doctor and Diabetes Specialist, says that when these gallstones obstruct the flow of bile at the ducts, the patient will experience severe pain at the lower part of the right rib or at the abdominal area.

Cholelithiasis or gallstones are hard deposits usually caused by cholesterol. Salinel told Radyo Klinika that the bile stored in the gallbladder which is used for the digestion in the small intestines, becomes gallstones if the bile has too much cholesterol or bilirubin. It also develops as hard deposits if the gallbladder cannot release the bile.

Most people with cholelithiasis don't have symptoms but some experience the following: very painful abdomen, vomiting, nausea, and difficulty in breathing or heartburn. If the bile ducts become blocked, this can cause inflammation of the gallbladder or infection.

The pain usually becomes unbearable when the patient eats fatty and greasy food. The patient could also have jaundice or yellowing of the skin and eyes, and also dark urine and light stool.

When the gallbladder becomes inflamed or diseased, or the stones

Dr, Salinel holds clinic at HiPrecision Diagnostics Taft Avenue, Manila and Balbidos Clinical Laboratory in Pasay. Contact him at 0942.471.4353.

Radyo Klinika is a health and wellness program on DWIZ 882 KHZ AM which airs every Tues-

day to Friday, 7:00 – 8:00 pm. It streams live on Facebook via the page: DWIZ 882. It is the recipient of the 2016 KBP Golden Dove Award for Best Radio Magazine Program. For inquiries and request for guesting, please contact the author at: marou70@gmail.com or at 0917.515.4559.

Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019 7

FIGHTING THE BATTLE AGAINST OBESITY THROUGH AWARENESS AND EMPATHY

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BESITY is now recognized as a progressive chronic disease similar to diabetes or high blood pressure by expert societies, such as the Philippine Association of the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PASOO), the American Medical Association, the World Obesity Federation, the European Association for the Study of Obesity, the US FDA, Obesity Canada, the European Medicines Agency, and the World Health Organization. Obesity is characterized by excess body fat that can threaten or affect your health.

By 2025, it is estimated that 2.7 billion adults will be suffering from obesity. In 2016, The World Health Organization estimated that at least 2.8 million people die each year as a result of overweight/obesity associated with the occurrence of chronic diseases that has dire social and economic consequences. The WHO also recorded that, globally more than 1.9 billion adults were already overweight, and 650 million of them were obese. Meanwhile, 340 million children and adolescents between the ages of five to 19 years old were considered obese.

In the Philippines, 3 out of 10 Filipino adults are overweight or obese. In 10 years, the prevalence of obesity among Filipino adults almost doubled from 20.2 percent in 1998 to 37.2 percent in 2018 . One out of 4 Filipino children aged six to10 years old, and 1 out of every 10 Filipino adolescents are overweight/obese as of 2018. Research has also pointed out that obese children are more likely to stay obese until they become adults..

Overweight and obesity are the top nutrition issue in the eight cities of Metro Manila according to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute with the prevalence of overweight and obesity in highly urbanized cities (HUCs) higher than the national estimates.

Knowing that obesity has become one of the most important public health concerns in the world, global health-care company Novo Nordisk Pharmaceuticals (Philippines) Inc. is collaborating with other stakeholders in an obesity awareness media forum titled “One Against Obesity,” which was aimed at changing the public’s perspective on obesity, the stigma surrounding it, and how to care for people who are obese and overweight.

“There is more to obesity than what meets the eye. There are a number of environmental, physical and psychological factors involved needing a multi-stakeholder approach,” said Mr. Cihan Serdar Kizilcik, vice president and general manager of Novo Nordisk

8 Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019

Philippines. “First, we must understand that obesity is a critical health issue in the Philippines. We must be concerned for people with obesity not because of appearances but because of how this affects their overall well-being including risk for early death.”

Many representatives from the health sector including the government discussed how to overcome the challenge of obesity as a nation. Grete Sillasen, ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to the Philippines, will grace the forum as guest of honor to show her support for obesity awareness.

Dr. Mia Fojas, president PASOO shared the current statistics on obesity prevalence in the Philippines, risk factors, and treatments available, while Vice President Dr. Nemencio Nicodemus will discuss the challenges in weight management.

Ms. Azucena M. Dayanghirang, executive director III of the National Nutrition Council focused her discussion on debunking diet myths.

The Department of Health also shared the various efforts of the government to combat obesity through awareness and management, while fitness coaches from FitFil gave tips on living a healthy lifestyle through its Move It to Lose It program.

Raising awareness on obesity and its causes

ROUGHLY, a person is considered obese if he/she has a body mass index (BMI), or weight and height correlation, of 30 and above but in order to better diagnose obesity, a person needs to see a doctor so other evaluation can be made. Ten other factors seen in obesity include appetite dysregulation, endocrine dysfunction and insulin resistance.

Obesity leads to higher chances of acquiring diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and more. Obesity can therefore result to more deaths as a result of the numerous noncommunicable diseases it is

IN its aim to curb the on-going risks of obesity, Novo Nordisk Philippines, a global health care company held the "One Against Obesity" forum at Grand Hyatt hotel, BGC. The event seeks to change public's perspective on obesity, the stigma which surrounds it, and how people suffering from it can recover.

associated with.

The biggest factor that contributes to weight gain is associated with eating more calories than burning them through physical activity.

The environment one lives in also plays a role in a person’s inability to stay fit and maintain a healthy weight. Such environmental factors include the lack of affordable gyms, not having parks or sidewalks conducive to jogging or cycling, and the lack of supermarkets that sell affordable healthy food.

Some medical conditions and other factors may also lead to obesity such as genetics, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in women, and an underactive thyroid. There are also certain medications that may cause weight gain, such as steroids and antidepressants. Lack of sleep, stress, and emotional factors may also lead to higher food intake.

Treating obesity takes commitment and empathy

ONE of the reasons why it has become difficult for people living with obesity to overcome this disease is the discrimination they suffer from society.

Weight stigma refers to discriminating or negatively perceiving people based on their weight and size.

The consequence of weight stigma includes low self-esteem and depression. The fear of being stigmatized may lead to avoiding medical attention, disordered eating patterns, such as binge eating, and increased levels of stress hormones which could impact cardiac health. In more severe cases, weight stigma may even lead to suicidal tendencies.

Obesity is preventable and manageable but it takes a shift in perspective,

as well as empathy toward people living with obesity in order to make this fight successful.

The first line treatment for obesity is lifestyle therapy. This involves proper diet and exercise, as well as counselling in order to help patients overcome obstacles in weight loss. For those with a body mass index above 27, and have obesity-related complications and 30 above with or without complications, doctors may also recommend anti-obesity medication in addition to lifestyle therapy. Weight loss surgery may also be an option for patients with a BMI of 40 and above and also have obesityrelated complications.

To fight obesity, society must become more sensitive and empathic toward people living with obesity in order to encourage them to live better and to fight this disease.

Healthier food and lifestyle choices need to become easier and more accessible options especially in cities, combined with empathetic support from family and society. Advances in pharmacotherapeutic options can also help augment lifestyle changes in achieving and maintaining weight goals for patients with obesity.

“We need to view obesity as a chronic noncommunicable disease with its own challenges including that of weight regain, according to Nicodemus. “To support obesity prevention and treatment, we need to provide the necessary education and treatment from doctors and other health-care professionals, as well as providing opportunities for lifestyle change. A 5 percent to10 percent weight loss will make a big difference in the quality of life but also lower the risk for heart attack, diabetes, and other cardiovascular events.”

DEKADA: ENJOY AUTHENTIC FILIPINO CULINARY DISHES WITH A STORY

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NEW restaurant in Tagaytay located inside the Royale Parc Hotel Tagaytay offers a culinary experience that takes guests on a journey through Philippine history.

Dekada (from the same group that operates SumoSam) elevates authentic Filipino dining with its interpretation of wellloved local dishes named after heroes and historical events, which give gatherings a festive patriotic mood.

Here, classic and contemporary tastes merge well: the restaurant’s interior features traditional and modern elements— wood and capiz create a nostalgic atmosphere while industrial finishes and pop artworks of Filipino heroes give it a touch of the present. The dining ambience is even more endearing because of the tranquil vibe of its location within Royale Parc Hotel Tagaytay.

Aside from ambience, its location also plays a role in its offerings. As Tagaytay is known for its abundance of local produce, guests can expect to feast on freshly prepared dishes made with ingredients that came straight from the local market.

Dekada’s walk down Philippine history starts with “Lumpiang Palabok”—bitesized palabok wrapped in rice paper with grilled mahi-mahi. This is inspired by Antonio Pigafetta’s first account of the Spaniards’ visit to the Philippines when they were served roast mahi-mahi with rice wrapped in leaves.

Fresh greens are also abundant in the highland city—and Dekada makes use of these through their ‘Ensaladas de Alianza’ or Salads of Alliance, which refer to the first alliances of the Filipinos and Spaniards, inspired by the best regional flavors. The “Legazpi’ (Sinuglaw Salad), for example, hails from Cebu and Davao with its tanigue and smoked liempo, finished off with Davao’s pomelo and sinamak vinaigrette, a famous spiced vinegar from Iloilo.

Tourists, especially balikbayans, troop to Tagaytay not only to savor the cool weather but also to enjoy a comforting bowl of soup. They will surely find com-

10 Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019

fort in “Melchora,” Dekada’s version of chicken binakol named after the “grand woman of the revolution.” Guests can also enjoy a hearty bulalo named “La Solidaridad.”

Dekada’s main dishes involve a short history lesson on the “Sons of the Revolu-

tion,” which includes “Del Pilar” (chicken inasal), “Aguinaldo” (twice-cooked adobo), and Pinoy-style oven-roasted chicken named ‘Ponce’.

The piece-de-resistance is named after National Hero Jose Rizal: Sizzling bulalo steak made with Tagaytay’s freshest beef.

If you are in a celebratory mood, go ahead and indulge in the “Dekada Crispy Pata” or choose its garlic version called

the “Malvar” for more flavor.

Of course, gastronomic journeys must have a sweet ending. Choose from “Sweet Nostalgia,” a medley of chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream and bananacue. There's also the creative “Suman at Mangga Pandan Crepe Rolls,” “Choknut Turon ala Mode” and the “Taho at Kesong Puti Cheesecake”—truly divine and Filipino!

For drinks, Dekada offers its “Thirst for Freedom” lineup: fresh juice and shake flavors like dalandan, calamansi, and watermelon, as well as dessert drinks like Ube Shake and Mango Sago.

Lastly, don’t leave Dekada without taking home its very own version of buko pie. The Buko Crumble Pie is filled with soft coconut meat with a warm pie crust topped with delectable crumble that is perfect with coffee or tea.

Want to experience authentic Filipino dining that goes beyond the plate? Visit Dekada where you can learn the stories of our nation as you share the goodness of Philippine cuisine.

Dekada is located in Royale Parc Hotel Tagaytay, Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Silang Junction West, Tagaytay City. Visit Facebook (Royale Parc Hotel Tagaytay) or IG (@royaleparc.tagaytay).

THOUSANDS JOIN 34TH INTERNATIONAL COASTAL CLEANUP AT DOLJO

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HE Bellevue Resort has vowed to continually host green initiatives in hopes to move towards a cleaner and greener Bohol. After the success of the largest International Coastal Cleanup initiative in Bohol last 2018 and holding the first ever Plogging Event last March 2019; The Bellevue Resort, for the second time in a row hosted a clean-up in the Doljo Coast. The activity was done in partnership with Ocean Conservancy, Plastic Free Bohol, Scotty’s Action Sports Network Philippines, and the Municipality of Panglao.

On September 21, 2019, at 7 o’clock in the morning, 2,651 volunteers from various local organizations, educational institutions, and private sectors gathered the beachfront to participate at The Bellevue Resort’s second run of the International Coastal Cleanup. Among the volunteers were 55 licensed divers who conducted a cleanup underwater. It was a wonderful sight to see as eager volunteers from different backgrounds, age, and status came together to participate in a movement that focuses on the preservation of the beautiful island of Bohol.

Volunteers were able to collect 2,300 kgs worth of non-biodegradable trash in the coastline and underwater. With the remarkable outcome of the event, the resort will continue to support the in the International Coastal Cleanup worldwide movement in the coming years.

The resort also hosted an environmental awareness and waste segregation talk after the cleanup to help further educate the members of the community of the importance of taking care of Mother Earth!

An Eco Fair was also held during at The Bellevue Resort during the International Coastal Cleanup 2019 which featured various eco-friendly products from our local partners in Bohol.

The movement was supported by 43 participating organizations and the management of The Bellevue Resort – Bohol would like to acknowledge

the following sectors that chose to be was present last September 21, 2019 - Cristal e-College, Modala Resort and Moadto Strip, Barangay Doljo, GreAtMinds Leadership Academy, Biking Technical Vocational High School - Campus Ministry Student Catholic Action, Diocesan Commission on Youth, Diocese of Tagbilaran , CAAP Bohol-Panglao International Airport, Philippine Navy (Hukbong Dagat in Pilipinas), University of Bohol, Bohol Bankers

Association, Toyota Tagbilaran City, BFP / Bureau of Fire Protection – Bohol, Holy Name University, Bohol Northwestern Colleges, Suzuki Raider Bohol, Municipality of Panglao, Civil Service Commission – Bohol, Royal Palms Dos, Bohol Raider150 United, Philippine National Police – Bohol, P&K Hue Dev'l Corp, Josie International Travels, Department of Tourism VII - Bohol Satellite Office, Rotary Club of Panglao Island, CPG Construction Corp, RHU Loboc, Spooks Troop, Beautiful horizon Inc, Sunlife of Canada, Doljo Elementary School, STEPS Missionary School, Bohol Casa Niño, Life Philippines Foundation, Mlhuiller Panglao, Eden Dive, Sol Dive, Castleking Dive, Lucky Clover Dive, Blue Revival Diving and the Philippine Coast Guard – Bohol.

The resort would also like to thank the following sponsors; Totes by Van and Ads and Prints Republiq for providing the giveaways and collaterals for the cleanup.

The Bellevue Resort it a recipient of the ASEAN Green Hotel Standard for 2018-2020 at the ASEAN Tourism Standard.

Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019 11

LADYBUGMULLEN | DREAMSTIME.COM

WHAT YOUR FOOT’S ARCH MEANS FOR YOUR HEALTH

By Kevin Jones

A

NYONE who knows me knows how much I love running. It’s a simple and inexpensive way to get amazing health benefits whether you jog for few minutes or pound the pavement for hours at a time.

Chasing my hobby has had its share of hurdles, one of them being my high foot arches. When I got into running in my twenties, I didn’t know why I kept experiencing pain in certain parts of my feet until a podiatrist pointed out my high arches were to blame. Since then, I’ve had to be extra aware of the problems I may face while running.

If you’ve been having similar problems with your feet, perhaps it’s time you paid more attention to your foot’s arch.

What your arches mean for your overall health THE arch, also known as the instep, is the curved part of the middle of the foot. One foot has three arches

12 Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019

supported by the foot’s ligaments and tendons — most notably the plantar fascia connective tissue. The arch’s curved shape makes your foot flexible and literally puts a spring into your step, making it easier for you to walk and run.

We all don’t have the same arch type. The type of arch you have can affect your gait, your feet’s shape and size, as well as how pressure is distributed on the soles of your feet.

There are three different types of foot arches and each determines the kind of foot problems you are likely to experience:

1Low or flat arches.

This type of foot has a little arch defini-

tion (since the arches sit very close to the ground), making it flat. Although these arches make the feet very flexible, with supple tendons and relaxed muscles, they have a tendency to flatten and overpronate or roll inward, causing numerous problems.

Potential foot problems: Overpronation (where your arches collapse and put extra stress on other parts of the leg), plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the thick tissue at the bottom of the heel), and bunions are common issues with this arch type.

2

Normal arches. About

60 percent of people have this type of defined arches, making their feet biomechanically efficient and flexible since pressure gets evenly distributed.

Potential foot problems: Heel pain, which is mostly caused by wearing poorly fitting shoes and metatarsalgia, which is an overuse injury, characterized by inflammation and pain in the ball of the foot where the metatarsal bones are found.

3High arches.

This kind of foot, also known as a cavus foot, is rigid, with a well-defined arch. Having a high arch means the foot has a smaller surface area to absorb impact, leading to excessive pressure being applied to the hind foot and forefoot.

Potential foot problems: Plantar fasciitis, calluses, arch strain, claw toes, and heel pain.

Preventing and managing foot pain HERE are some ways you can curb or minimize foot pain: n Ensuring your footwear has a proper fit. n Getting custom orthotics for maximum cushioning and foot support. n Doing exercises that strengthen tendons and build leg muscles. n Regularly indulging in a foot massage to relax your muscles. n Whether you are a runner or not, take good care of your feet.

Source: www.bewellbuzz.com

HEALTHY FINDS n FEEL FREE TO SHOW OFF YOUR SMILE

TODAY’S youth is like no generation before.

They have a strong sense of self that pushes them to pursue dynamic and social lifestyles.

Confidence is their fuel, a trait that is by no means easy to have. But it’s trickier for those who might feel different—like denture wearers.

Surprisingly, millennials and Gen Z make up almost half of the denture wearers in the country, according to the Denture Care Research by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Philippines.

With the stigma attached to denture wearing, such as bad breath and poor dental hygiene, their insecurities are heightened, preventing them from eating, smiling and laughing confidently.

But don’t fret. If you are a young denture wearer, Polident is here to help you get over those difficulties. The leading denture-care brand has a lineup of adhesives and cleansers that will provide you with maximum support and protection.

The number one concern with having dentures is the risk of them falling out. Imagine finally scoring a date with your long-time crush, only to mess it up by having your dentures fall off right when things are about to get intimate. For the most part of your social activities, you stay on alert mode to make sure you won’t get caught in an embarrassing turn of events. To drive away the worries of loose dentures, Polident formulated adhesive creams that keep them firmly in place for up to 12 hours. Adhesives also prevent food particles from getting trapped under the dentures, which causes bad breath and gum irritation.

You can now pursue that romantic evening with no worries.

Another challenge you may regularly face is keeping dentures fresh for a long time despite constant toothbrushing. It is commonplace to think that since dentures replaced missing teeth, it is only natural to clean them the same way. However, false teeth are more delicate than real ones. Toothpaste causes microabrasions where food and plaque buildup, which leads to bad breath and deterioration of the denture frame.

You don’t have to bid goodbye to your favorite ham and sausage pizza forever though.

For deep cleansing of your dentures without scratching, Polident has cleanser tablets that remove tough stains, food residue and plaque.

These cleansers can kill 10 times more odorcausing bacteria than toothpaste to give you the confidence you need in seizing the day, or your favorite food. The tablet only needs to be dissolved in water where dentures are soaked to get fresh and clean.

With knowledge on proper denture care through Polident, you can once again choose to reclaim the possibilities of every day, free from distractions. Be confident to have the freedom to smile, eat and laugh without worries.

For more information about Polident, visit polident.com.ph or facebook.com/PolidentPH.

14 Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019

n HYPERTENSION IS MANAGEABLE IF DETECTED EARLY

HALF of the 12 million hypertensive Filipinos are unaware of their condition and the threat it poses, according to a survey by the Department of Health. Hypertension-related complications cause the death of 120,000 Filipinos annually, making hypertension the leading cause of illness and mortality in the Philippines.

In many cases, hypertension is hereditary.

Individuals with hypertensive parents have a higher risk of acquiring the condition, especially if both parents are affected. The risk is also high for individuals who lead an inactive and unhealthy lifestyle. Dubbed as the silent killer, hypertension is not an illness in itself, but it could lead to serious complications, even death, if left unmanaged.

Omron Connect app assists users in recording, viewing and managing their health data with just a few taps on their smartphone.

The HEM-6181 ensures convenient blood pressure monitoring with its advanced measurement posture-guide-sensor to ensure the user’s arm is at the proper angle for an accurate and precise reading. The portable wrist blood pressure monitor also comes with body movement detection, hypertension indicator and irregular heartbeat detection. It features 60 sets of measurement and an Intelliwrap cuff for reliable readings anywhere.

The HEM-6161 is the perfect wrist blood pressure monitor for an on-the-go lifestyle.

With 30 sets of measurement and Intelliwrap, this clinically validated device is built to detect irregular heartbeat and loaded by cuff wrap guidelines to ensure continuous proper blood pressure readings.

EARLY DETECTION STARTS AT HOME MEASURING blood pressure regularly at home makes prevention easier, not only for the 28 percent of Filipino adults who are hypertensive, but also for everyone who could potentially develop the condition.

Early detection is key to managing high blood pressure, avoiding unnecessary expensive tertiary care and saving lives. This should start at the comfort of the home where preventive measures, continuous care and intervention can be done by families and individuals.

Blood pressure self-monitoring at home lets users check and record their readings without having to go to a clinical setup, which comes with an extra cost. The relaxed setting also reduces the incidence of white coat and masked hypertension, conditions wherein the blood pressure readings are influenced by the environment.

Constant and accurate home monitoring prevents high blood pressure from developing into a more serious health condition and helps doctors closely keep track of the patient’s condition.

REGULAR HOME BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING OMRON Healthcare, a leading manufacturer of health equipment for home and medical uses, makes blood pressure home monitoring easier with its latest innovative wrist blood pressure monitors.

The HEM-6232T uses Bluetooth connectivity to make health tracking simpler and easier. Integrating the Omron Healthcare’s promise of accuracy, quality and ease of use, the HEM-6232T lets users access their data anywhere, get detailed visual insights, track health progress and manage their lifestyle via the BP Diary. The wrist-type BP monitor, with the flexible cuff type and 100 memory, makes measuring, synching and sharing of readings convenient via the Omron Connect app. The

n ADIDAS ANNOUNCES THE 2019 STAR WARS COLLECTION

ADIDAS, in collaboration with Lucasfilm, unveiled the Sdidas x Star Wars 2019 collection.

The capsule collection debut on November 1 with the Lightsaber-themed pack, followed by the Space Battle pack launching November 21 and the Characters pack launching November 29. Each of the three capsules celebrates an iconic element of Star Wars.

The Lightsaber-themed pack is designed for the players who wear them. Inspired by the unbreakable bond between a Jedi and their lightsaber, the design is highlighted by kyber crystal-themed elements that are featured on each silhouette’s UV midsole. The pack features eight custom basketball iterations: The Harden Vol. 4 is designed with purple accents and pays homage to Mace Windu, while the Dame 5 takes inspiration from Luke Skywalker’s green lightsaber. Rivalry Lo design sheds light on Darth Vader and the dark side, while the classic Top Ten design is dedicated to the legendary Jedi hero, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

The collection also includes a juniors’ edition of D.O.N. Issue #1, in addition to Pro Next which features characters from both the light side and dark side of the Force. Unique Star Wars detailing is featured throughout all silhouettes including Aurebesh callouts, stamping the footwear with the official written system of the galaxy. To complement the

HEALTHY FINDS Lightsaber-themed pack, the apparel capsule includes hoodies, crewnecks and sweatpants.

The Lightsaber-themed pack releases on November 1 at adidas.com.ph and select Adidas stores, with price points between P2,600 to P7,000.

Star Wars and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates.

n EXPERIENCE HOLISTIC LIVING THEY newly launched Omron digital home blood pressure monitors are available in major drugstores, such as Watsons, Southstar and Rose Pharmacy. Online shoppers may also purchase the devices through the official Omron online stores on Lazada and Shopee.

For the longest time, it has become the norm for average Filipino families to settle for whatever is available, to manage with less, or to reduce their expectations. This is especially true when it comes to choosing the homes they live in. Now Bria Homes is here to show that even ordinary Filipinos can savor a holistic living experience—to reside in a community where they “have it all:” well-designed homes, proximity to key destinations, amenities for recreation and security, and affordability.

n DEPED, VETERANS BANK SIGN MOA

THE Department of Education (DepEd) and Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) recently signed a memorandum of agreement for the opening and maintenance of bank accounts for nonimplementing unit schools (non-IUs).

Led by DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones and Finance Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla and PVB President and COO Renato A. Claravall, the MOA was signed to implement COA-DBM-DepEd Joint Circular 2019-1, or the

This idyllic scenario is made possible by Bria Homes’ winning formula: Affordability ( Mura) + Quality ( Dekalidad) = a Beautiful Bria Home for Every Filipino.

Considered the fastest-growing mass housing developer in the Philippines with over 50 projects in the country to date, Bria Homes goes beyond making Filipino families’ dream of owning a home come true. Bria envisions a holistic living experience for them; beginning with cleverly laid-out condominium units and house and lot packages all geared toward accommodating the evolving needs of prospective Filipino homeowners.

Bria communities are located close to retail establishments, hospitals, schools, religious institutions, major roads and highways. Different modes of public transportation are available to take Bria residents from here to there.

Aside from providing high-quality homes in convenient locations, Bria Homes takes pride in its family-friendly recreational amenities such as basketball courts, lush, green spaces, guarded entrances and exits, 24/7 CCTVs and perimeter fences.

Future residents are also assured of efficient administrative and maintenance services to be provided by competent BRIA employees.

Savor a holistic living experience in all Bria communities, where ordinary Filipinos can have everything they want in their home.

To know more about BRIA Homes, like Bria Official on Facebook, and follow @TheBriaOfficial on Twitter and Instagram.

Management of Cash Advances to DepEd nonIUs for School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses and Program Funds. In the said circular, heads of public elementary or secondary schools are allowed to open and maintain bank accounts under the name of the school, where cash advances for school operating budget and program funds shall be deposited. The MOA details the uniform provisions on account opening, maintenance, reporting, etc.

Also in the MOA, a non-IU may open a checking account with a DepEd-accredited

bank that is located near the school. The accounts terms have been made beneficial to the schools, for example account opening and maintaining balance requirements are only at P500.

“Through these memorandums of agreement, at least 42,000 school heads in so called nonimplementing unit schools will now be given the chance to manage their cash advances more securely in financial institutions,” the education secretary said in a statement.

Deped, PVB sign MOA for the opening and maintenance of bank accounts for nonimplementing unit schools. PVB Manager Eduard Atienza (from left), PVB Atty./FVP Jason Villanueva, PVB FVP Mike Villa-Real, PVB VP Ofelia Oliva, PVB President Renato Claravall, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, Education USec Annalyn Sevilla, Deped Assistant Secretary Ramon Fiel Abcede, Deped Atty./Director IV Anne Rachel Miguel, DepEd Director III Bettina Aquino and DepEd Chief Administrative Officer/Dir IV Armando Ruiz.

Health&Fitness October 31-November 6, 2019 15

5 13 in

T

HE broader look at today’s business is obviously well appreciated.

The country’s premier national business daily was named “Business Newspaper of the Year” for 2018-2019 at the Rotary Club of Manila’s Centennial Journalism Awards. It is the fifth time the Rotary Club of Manila has recognized the BusinessMirror in its short—13—years of existence.

In 2006, on its first year as a business daily, BM was adjudged “National Newspaper of the Year,” an honor it would receive again in 2011.

In 2013 and 2017, the RCM named the BusinessMirror the “Business Newspaper of the Year.”

Five Rotary awards in 13 years of bringing the best in business reporting.

Certainly the best way to cap multiple triumphs from the most prestigious institutions of Philippine journalism in 2018 and 2019.

The business broadsheet was recognized in October 2018 as the “Business News Source of the Year” by the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (Ejap), the country’s premier organization of business reporters, editors and wire agencies.

It also swept half of the individual categories at the Ejap awards, with its seasoned reporters adjudged as best in their respective coverages: Bianca Cuaresma for Banking; Cai Ordinario for Macroeconomy and the National Economic and Development Authority; Catherine Pillas for Trade and Industry; and Jasper Emmanuel Arcalas for Best Business Feature.

The BusinessMirror was also distinguished as the inaugural “Data Champion” of the Philippine Statistics Authority’s first awards rites, as Arcalas bagged the individual category award for “Best Data Reporting.”

It was quickly bestowed yet another honor in the Institution category for print in the first “Bantog Science for the People” awards for media from the Department of Science and Technology, where Science Photojournalist Stephanie Tumampos captured the grand prize in the individual category.

Thereafter, BM also shone brightest at the 12th Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards where, for the first time in its history since 2007, a single news outfit won two awards in two consecutive years. Arcalas bagged the “Best Agriculture Feature Story (National)” and with Ordinario the “Best Agriculture News Story (National).”

The streak continued with Environment Reporter Jonathan Mayuga getting the Luntiang Aligato award by the Climate Reality Project, a nonprofit organization founded by Nobel

Laureate and former US Vice President Al Gore.

The most recent awards before the Centennial Rotary Journalism rites came from the Philippine Agricultural Journalists-San Miguel Corp. (PAJ-SMC), which bestowed eight trophies on BM at the 2018 Binhi Awards.

Multi-awarded Agriculture/ Commodities reporter Arcalas repeated his feat in 2017 and was again named Agricultural Journalist of the Year (1st place) for 2018.

Arcalas also ranked third in the Agribeat Reporter of the Year

category, tying up with Madeleine B. Miraflor from the Manila Bulletin.

Veteran and multi-awarded Environment reporter Jonathan L. Mayuga was adjudged the second top Environmental Journalist of the Year.

The BusinessMirror’s Agriculture/Commodities Section edited by Associate Editor Jennifer Ng was named the Best

Agriculture/Environment Section of a National Newspaper. The BusinessMirror has won this award for the fourth consecutive year.

Six prestigious award-giving bodies, unanimous in their choices.... At “13 and forwardlooking,” the BusinessMirror not only gives a broader look at today’s business: It provides the best in business journalism.

The BusinessMirror @13

FORWARD-LOOKING