BusinessMirror October 14, 2019 by BusinessMirror

‘DISHEARTENING’ Q3 PHL GROWTH SEEN By Bianca Cuaresma

2 Filipino WORLD CHAMPS IN LESS THAN 24 HRS Carlos Edriel Yulo pulls off an awe-inspiring display of grace, artistry

and athleticism to win the men’s floor exercise title for the Philippines’s first-ever gold medal in the 49th International Gymnastics Federation Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany. Less than 24 hours later on Sunday afternoon in Ulan-Ude, Russia, Nesthy Petecio clinches her own gold medal in the International Boxing Association Women’s Boxing World Championships, beating the host’s Liudmila Vorontsove in the featherweight final. Story on C3

@BcuaresmaBM

FTER two quarters of lower -t h a n- e x pec ted g ross domestic product (GDP) growth this year, the Philippines is headed toward a “disheartening” third-quarter print anew, a local economist said. In a recent analysis, ING Bank Manila economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa said recent economic indicators are pointing to a disappointing third-quarter number that is threatening to pull the overall 2019 annual GDP even lower than earlier expected. Mapa cited the continued contraction in capital goods and pullback in construction materials, which point to a potential weak print for capital formation in the third quarter of 2019. This, coupled with base effects from last year’s capital formation—which grew at 19.3 percent—will “likely be a

daunting hurdle” for the economy, according to Mapa. The economist also cited lackluster road vehicle sales, with the August print showing a 2.4-percent contraction. The decline—which came more than a year after the excise tax buying spree—shows that households “are bearing the brunt of recent rate hikes as well, with the once-promising investment-driven growth strategy abruptly ended,” the economist said. As such, Mapa said the growth for 2019 is resting solely on the back of the household consumer. “Inflation stalling to sub-1-percent levels should give households a fighting chance to pull off rally all the more with BSP Governor [Benjamin] Diokno pledging further progrowth policies after rattling off a total of 75 bps worth of rate cuts to restore some semblance of investment momentum,” Mapa said. “While investment and government spending remain sidelined by

separate ‘injuries’ that slowed them down in the first half, household spending will be tasked to hold the fort and salvage growth of 6 percent for 2019 with a significantly better second-half performance for the year,” he added. For the local currency, Mapa said the August trade numbers— which showed a sur pr ise contraction of the trade gap—will help bolster the local unit given expectations for softer demand for hard currency ahead of the deluge of remittances in time for the holidays. The World Bank and Asean+3 M ac roeconom ic R ese a rc h O f fice (Amro) recently downgraded growth prospects for the Philippines in 2019 and 2020, citing external headwinds emanating from the ongoing US-China trade spat. The World Bank now expects the local economic growth to average at 5.8 percent while Amro’s forecast is down to 6 percent for the year.

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Monday, October 14, 2019 Vol. 15 No. 04

Palace okays DA bid to raise ASF indemnity ₧5,000 P By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

@jearcalas

RESIDENT Duterte has approved a proposal to increase the indemnification to backyard raisers whose hogs were culled due to African swine fever (ASF)—to P5,000 from P3,000 per pig, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

In a bulletin released on Sunday, the DA said Duterte approved the department’s recommendation to increase the indemnification during the Cabinet meeting last Friday. “This means previous recipients will receive an additional P2,000 per culled pig,” it added. The DA said the President also approved other measures to contain and prevent the spread of ASF to areas in Luzon. See “ASF,” A2

New per-pig amount approved by President Duterte to give to hog raisers affected by the African swine fever

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CITIRA ‘AS IS’ COULD LOSE FOR PHL VITAL AEROSPACE M.R.O. By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

HE Philippines is bound to lose its aerospace parts manufacturing, aircraft maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) industry, projected to pump close to $3 billion in exports by 2022, if the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira) bill is passed as is, an industry player has said. Lufthansa Technik Philippines

President and CEO Elmar Lutter said MRO firms will relocate to another Southeast Asian country if their fiscal incentives are stripped from them. He argued that the industry depends on the exemptions from paying import duties for capital gear and spare parts, and VAT for local purchases granted by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) to its locators under the existing incentives setup. See “Aerospace,” A2

See “Exports,” A2

DBM studies nurses’ pay ruling impact on govt hike

OLLOWING the Supreme Court ruling entitling government nurses to a higher basic pay, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is now studying its impact on the planned salary hike for civilian government employees next year until 2022. Acting Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado said the DBM will look into how the high court ruling could impact the pay hike on other government employees since there could be an “overall implication for all positions.” “We are complying with the Supreme Cou r t dec ision a nd are now studying its impact/ effect in relation to the salary increase already considered for approval and adoption for next year up to 2022,” Avisado told the BusinessMirror. See “DBM,” A2

PESO exchange rates n

NO COLLAPSE, ‘JUST’ TRAFFIC JAM The Sevilla Bridge in Kalentong area near the corner of Shaw Boulevard—the right portion of which has been closed for rehabilitation for months now—is seen on Sunday morning (October 13), a day after social media reported that its makeshift bridge had collapsed. As the photo shows, there was no such collapse, but the traffic flow was congested, as expected, with thousands of vehicles daily making their way through the busy route. ROY DOMINGO

PHL could be 2nd top rice importer

HE Philippines’s rice imports this year could reach a record-high 3.1 million metric tons, nearly matching China’s, the world’s top buyer of the staple, with its purchase of 3.15 MMT, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said. In its monthly global grain situation report, the USDA pointed out that the Philippines would become the world’s second top rice buyer this year, accounting for 7 percent of total global imports. “In just a few years, the Philippines has emerged as one of the top global importers of rice, nearly on a par with China,” it said in its report published recently. “The Philippines’s rice imports have nearly quadrupled, from 800,000 metric tons in 2016 to 3.1 million anticipated for 2019, representing 7 percent of total global rice imports,” it added.

“In comparison, China’s share of global rice imports has almost reduced by half, to just over 7 percent,” the report added. The country’s estimated rice imports this year is 24 percent higher than the 2.5 MMT recorded last year, following the opening up of the domestic rice market in March. This is the first time that the country’s rice imports breached the 3-MMT level. “While China rice imports continue to shrink, Philippine purchases provide muchappreciated reprieve from nearby exporters in Southeast Asia,” the USDA said. “Vietnam is its primary supplier with a market share of about 70 percent, followed by Thailand, Pakistan, and Burma,” it added. The country’s rice imports next year is forecast to decline by 12.9 percent to 2.7 MMT due to higher ending stocks this year, USDA said. See “Rice importer,” A2

US 51.6890 n japan 0.4788 n UK 64.3270 n HK 6.5916 n CHINA 7.2648 n singapore 37.6029 n australia 34.9469 n EU 56.8993 n SAUDI arabia 13.7815 Source: BSP (11 October 2019 )

News

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A2 Monday, October 14, 2019

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‘No feud’ with Navy as Marines turnover set By Rene Acosta

@reneacostaBM

HE commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps will officially relinquish his post on Monday amid reports of his alleged differences with Navy Flag Officer in Command Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, but the latter has dispelled this, and said he maintains a professional relationship with his subordinate who is also his former classmate at the Philippine Military Academy.

Major Gen. Alvin Parreño will turn over the command of the Marines to Naval Inspector General

ASF. . .

Continued from A1

Among the measures are the imposition of “lock-down” procedures in the provinces of Bulacan and Pampanga, which includes cordoning off validated ASF-infected areas, the DA said. This, the DA noted, would pave the way for the “easier movement control of pigs and pork products.” In yet another move to tighten controls, the DA will now also pursue the apprehension and filing of charges against hog raisers and

Aerospace. . . Continued from A1

“The MRO industry is not properly represented in the [Citira] bill. We are normally treated as an export manufacturer because planes leave again. Manufacturers are exempted for duties for their raw materials and, in similar provision, [for their] spare parts, which is currently given in Peza zones,” Lutter said in an interview with reporters last week. “With the new Citira [bill], there’s no special representation for MRO companies. We consider that a technicality, but if you don’t solve that, we cannot survive,” he warned.

$2.57-B export receipts

Under the road map, the MRO industry is estimated to bring in $2.57 billion in export receipts and employ 14,900 workers by 2022, which should make the Philippines a major manufacturer of aircraft parts and provider of allied services for aerospace players globally. This potential is put at risk by the legislation of the Citira bill, as the measure will rationalize the menu of incentives granted to Peza locators. Describing it as“catastrophic”in its current form, the Citira bill will raise the cost of doing business in the Philippines, Lutter claimed, due in large to the termination of tax perks MRO firms want to keep.

Major Gen. Nathaniel Casem, five months before Parreño’s official retirement from the service. Reports

traders caught selling, buying and transporting live hogs, as well as those slaughtering ASF-infected pigs and selling ASF-tainted pork products. “We must step up our surveillance and monitoring of transport of live pigs as well as pork products,” the DA said. The ASF is a fatal disease to hogs with a mortality of up to 100 percent, with no known vaccine yet, and no cure. However, the ASF poses no threat to human health. Last week, the DA disclosed that the number of pigs infected with ASF in the Philippines has

“Much higher taxes will reduce our ability to invest. The [exemptions] on spare parts, customs duties and VAT, these are very special provisions which have to be inserted for MRO industries. Otherwise, the whole industry cannot survive,” Lutter explained. “In short, if it [Citira bill] is passed in the current form, we cannot survive at all. We have to have those provisions for MRO companies because we are [engaged in] an export business, not just manufacturing,” the local Lufthansa chief added. Citing the case of Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Lutter disclosed the firm will close down all of its facilities in the country, including its headquarters in Pasay City—employing over 3,000 workers nationwid—if the Citira bill is passed into law without the vital tweaks they have flagged. He said it should be easy for the MRO firm to transfer its operations to another country in the region, as it has manufacturing bases in Shenzhen and Beijing in China and in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. The firm is also moving to increase its production capacity in Asia, that’s why it is planning to expand in either Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam or Thailand, but highly unlikely in the Philippines.

Asian expansion

“We are in the process of sorting out a new base in Asian production because we don’t

had said his early exit was raising a howl among the senior officers of the Marines. Empedrad said Parreño, his classmate in PMA Class of 1986, will be assigned to his office, apparently as the latter winds down his months into the service. The Navy chief dismissed reports that Parreño’s decision to leave his post has something to do with an alleged quarrel between him and the outgoing Marine commandant, including Empedrad’s alleged meddling in the issue of promotions in the Marines. The Philippine Marines is under the Navy. “I do not meddle in the movement of minor positions in whatever unit of the Navy, but I officially

reached 12,000 after two more new outbreaks were confirmed in Quezon City.

Task Force

The DA Crisis Management Task Force on Swine said ASF has spread to over 20 barangays in Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga and Quezon City. The task force said the number of ASF-positive hogs is only one third of the total depopulated pigs or about 36,000 heads in all ground zeroes, or within the 1-kilometer quarantine zones. To date the DA has named at

have a big Asian base so far,” Lutter said. “We are contemplating to increase our production base and that’s where we do site selection at the moment. Several countries participated [in that] and the Philippines is also there, but it is not on top.” In July, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced Lufthansa Technik Philippines plans to invest an additional $40 million in the country. Lutter said that expansion is put on hold since then and its realization will depend on the outcome of Citira bill discussions. In the 2019 Aerospace Manufacturing Attractiveness Rankings, Manila placed 39th among 209 economies in terms of competitiveness for MRO players, obtaining the highest rating in labor (first) but getting average scores in infrastructure (71st) and tax policy (94th). Some of its manufacturing rivals in the region, however, secured better positions in the survey. The Philippines lagged behind Singapore at third, Malaysia at 22nd, Thailand at 30th, Indonesia at 36th, but led Vietnam at 48th, Cambodia at 108th, Brunei Darussalam at 112th, Lao PDR at 123rd and Myanmar at 154th. The Citira bill will bring down corporate income tax rate to 20 percent by 2029, from 30 percent at present—the highest in the region— but in exchange will overhaul incentives granted to firms operating in economic zones.

Rice importer. . .

Safeguard. . .

“With a forecast for adequate production and large stocks, Philippine rice imports are expected to decline in 2020, but still remain above the fiveyear average,” it added. Due to the opening up of the domestic rice market, the country’s demand for the staple is projected to increase next year to 14.6 MMT, 3.55 percent over the 14.1 MMT estimated consumption this year, USDA said. Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) data showed that a total of 208 private entities, including big firms, imported more than 1.6 MMT of rice seven months after the government eased import restrictions on the staple. Figures from the BPI, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), showed that cooperatives, traders and institutions imported 1.614 MMT of rice as of October 4 after the rice trade liberalization law took effect on March 5. The BPI data indicated that importers bought rice from India, Italy, Myanmar, Pakistan, Spain, Thailand and Vietnam. Topping the list of importers is Puregold Price Club Inc., the grocery-chain operator owned by businessman Lucio Co, which imported 52,021.850 metric tons during the seven-month period. Puregold accounted for 3.22 percent of the total rice volume that arrived in the country.

“If the DA Secretary felt that the economic managers should be consulted on the matter, he should have done this in advance given the urgency of the situation. Now it appears he is simply tossing the problem to the EDC,” Montemayor said. In a news statement on September 21, the DA said it initiated the preliminary investigation to “arrest” the influx of imports, “particularly this forthcoming main harvest season.” The DA pointed out that the imposition of a safeguard duty on rice imports is one of the measures it is banking on to stabilize the supply and price of rice. “We have to holistically and systematically protect the consuming public and much more, our small farmers,” Dar was quoted as saying in the statement. “So, I have taken the necessary steps and the direction where we will enforce legal measures during these times when we have greatly exceeded the volume needed to fill up the slack in national rice supply, most particularly in Metro Manila and major urban rice consumption centers,” Dar added. Dar said at least 2.4 million metric tons of rice have entered the country, which “has gone beyond what is needed by the country.” “We will protect our small farmers by not allowing additional imports especially this main harvest season. We want them to benefit from the respectable farm-gate prices of palay set by the government through the National Food Authority (NFA),” he said. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Continued from A1

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

Continued from A12

“It’s just plain rumor and I am assuring [the public] that the leadership of the Navy is solid and the incoming commander [of the Marines] is a seasoned commander and a veteran warrior of the Philippine Marine Corps.”—Empedrad

decide in positions involving colonel and up because the positions of colonel and up in the Navy falls under my authority. I decide who will take up this or that position,” Empedrad said. “But for the positions of Lt. Col. and down in any unit of the Navy, I do not. I do not meddle in any promotions. In fact, I encourage promotion,” adding “it was even me”

least 17 barangays affected by ASF: Rodriguez, Rizal (Barangays San Isidro, San Jose, Macabud, Geronimo, San Rafael, Mascap, San Mateo Slaughterhouse), Quezon City (Barangays Bagong Silangan, Payatas, Tatalon, Pasong Tamo, Commonwealth and Tandang Sora), Antipolo (Barangays Cupang and another unidentified area), Barangay Mapandan, Pangasinan, and Brgy. Pritil, Guiguinto, Bulacan. The DA added that it has deployed 100 additional staff to support laboratory operations and airport and checkpoint inspections.

DBM. . .

Continued from A1

Moreover, Avisado said there is also a need to know the cost of implementing the SC ruling and up to what extent the salary adjustments will be. The DBM earlier said it already allotted P31 billion to fund the salary increases for civilian government employees under the proposed 4.1-trillion 2020 national budget. “We have to also study the implication of that ruling by the Supreme Court in relation to the other positions of senior rank,” he added. When asked, however, if this would mean that the government will no longer be appealing the SC decision, Avisado deferred the query to the Office of the Solicitor General, being the government’s legal counsel.

SC ruling

Last week, the SC ruled that the minimum base pay of nurses working in public health institutions shall not be lower than Salary Grade 15 as stated in Section 32 of Republic Act 9173, or the Philippine Nursing Act of 2002. Penned by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the SC decision stemmed from Ang Nars Party-list’s petition questioning the validity of Executive Order 811 signed in 2009 by then- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, which stated that the salary grade for the position of Nurse I shall be increased from Salary Grade 10 to 11. However, the SC did not grant the party-list’s petition to compel its implementation. The high court said enforcing it would “require a law passed by Congress providing the necessary funds for it.” Depending on the income class of cities, municipalities and provinces, entry-level employees under Salary Grade 15 receive a monthly salary ranging from P19,845 to P30,531, according to the latest tranche of the salary standardization law that took effect this year. Currently, entry-level government employees including nurses under Salary Grade 11 receive a monthly salary of from P13,490 to P20,754. The SC ruling came after the DBM had already submitted its proposal for salary adjustment to the Office of the President (OP) for the President’s approval. Prior to the submission of the proposal, the DBM and the Governance Commission for Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations, with the help of an independent firm, conducted a compensation study to benchmark the pay of civilian government personnel with private sector workers doing comparable jobs. Once the proposal is approved by OP, it will be transmitted to Congress. The DBM chief said he expects that the President would be able to finish before yearend the review on the proposed salary hike for civilian government employees. Bernadette D. Nicolas

who had been promoting people. Empedrad said that when the vice commander of the Philippine Navy retired, he offered the post to Parreño, but the latter declined and said he would just give way to Casem. “So there’s no truth to what you are hearing about,” Empedrad said. “It’s just a plain rumor and I am assuring [the public] that the leadership of the Navy is solid and the incoming commander [of the Marines] is a seasoned commander and a veteran warrior of the Philippine Marine Corps,” he added. The Navy chief admitted that previously, he and Parreño had differed on the issue of whether or not the Marines should be separated from the Navy and turned into an-

other service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The Marine leadership had pushed and supported this. However. the “rift” had been settled, with Empedrad allowing the Marines to take charge of their own budgetary requirement and spending. “The President had said that instead of separating the Marines, it will just become a key budgetary unit, meaning, the Navy would no longer manage its finances, and that’s what we did. All of the budget of the Marines has been given to the Marines,” he said. Empedrad said the Navy is a very professional organization and it is “professional enough” to handle any differences.

Use ₧1.3-B marijuana research fund to just feed children—Atienza By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE government should spend more to augment school-feeding programs instead of allocating resources for marijuana research, according to Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza. In a statement, the former threeterm mayor of the City of Manila lashed out at the P1.3-billion proposed Marijuana Research and Development (R&D) Fund. The fund is part of House Bill 3961 or the Act establishing the Philippine Cannabis Development Authority or PhilCADA filed by Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. “It is a huge waste of taxpayer money that could be put to better use to augment funding for vital social programs, such as the SchoolBased Feeding Program for halfstarved children,” Atienza said. Under Villafuerte’s proposed bill, P1 billion will be used to establish the Marijuana R&D Fund, and another P300 million will be used for the operations of PhilCADA. In contrast, Atienza said the Department of Education (DepEd) only spends P16 for every fortified meal freely supplied to underweight children from kindergarten

Tourist arrivals. . . In third place was the United States, with arrivals rising by 2.3 percent to 731,534 in the first eight months of the year. This year’s cumulative growth was lower than the 8.2-percent rise posted in the same period in 2018, possibly due to the travel advisory issued by the US Department of Homeland Security against the Philippines on security and safety concerns at the Naia. The warning was released in December 2018, and was only lifted in August. In fourth place was Japan, which grew by a slight 6.84 percent to 461,333, just slightly higher than the 6.46-percent growth in the same period in 2018. On a monthly basis, however, arrivals from Japan grew a respectable 20.82 percent to 78,699, a massive leap from the 1.6-percent rise recorded in August 2018. “Good news! Japan is gaining,” gushed Romulo Puyat, attributing the improvement in arrivals from the market to the massive promotions effort of the government and the private sector. Aside from using Japanese celebrities to attract the travel to the Philippines by the female market, President Duterte even met with leaders of Japan’s travel industry last May while leading the Philippine Business Mission. Members of the influential Japan Association of Travel Agents said then they would meet with Philippine stakeholders to “and explore possible areas of cooperation.” (See, “Japan travel agents to help develop, market PHL destinations,” in the BusinessMirror, May 31, 2019.) The DOT chief added there were increasing numbers of Japanese travelers arriving via Naia

to Grade 6 under the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP). Atienza said the DepEd is spending P5 billion this year and another P6 billion in 2020 for the SBFP. “If wealthy nations wish to squander public funds on marijuana research, then that’s up to them. But in our case, we don’t need it, and we certainly can’t afford it,” Atienza said. “If other countries want to play with fire and develop marijuana for supposed medical or recreational purposes, then let them destroy themselves,” he added. At present, marijuana is the second most commonly abused illegal drug in the country, after methamphetamine hydrochloride, or shabu, and ahead of MDMA, or Ecstasy. Currently, under the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, marijuana is tagged as a banned substance, just like shabu, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin. Under the law, mere possession of at least 500 grams of marijuana, or at least 10 grams of marijuana concentrate (resin or resin oil), is punishable by life in prison plus a fine of up to P10 million. Carrying lesser quantities of the drug is punishable by 12 to 20 years in prison plus a fine of up to P500,000.

Continued from A12

and the Mactan International Airport in Cebu. Arrivals from Taiwan also recorded a massive increase at 37.85 percent to 224,871, a turnaround from the 2.6-percent dip in the eight months to August 2018. The impressive hike was traced to stronger promotions. On Taiwan’s heels were Australia at 181,725; Canada at 159,664; and the United Kingdom at 141,124. Despite the strong performance of major source markets for tourists, the tourism sector isn’t out of the woods yet. Sluggish growth can be noted in the rest of the markets, with Singapore even dropping 9.54 percent to just 106,278 arrivals in the eight months to August. Arrivals from Australia increased by only 1.72 percent compared, much lower than its 7-percent rise in January to August 2018. Tourists from Canada grew by only 5.52 percent in the first eight months of 2019, compared to the 12.53-percent rise in the same period in 2018. The UK also slowed to a 3.26-percent growth in the January to August 2019 period, compared to the 9.32-percent increase in 2018, perhaps still due to the uncertainties brought on by Brexit, and its impact on the value of the British pound. Lastly, arrivals from India saw a lower growth at 9.66 percent to 91,690 in the eight months to August 2019, from the 15.52-percent increase recorded in the same period in 2018. The DOT aims to attract 8.2-million foreign tourists this year, up 15.5 percent from the 7.1-million arrivals in 2018. It hopes the reopening of Boracay Island will reinvigorate the arrivals from markets abroad.

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Bill creating govt unit for OFWs a Congress priority–lawmaker By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas @jearcalas

OUSE Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund F. Villafuerte Jr. on Sunday assured overseas Filipino workers (OFW) that lawmakers are prioritizing the creation of a department dedicated to their needs and concerns. In a statement, Villafuerte said the House of Representatives is “giving top priority” to the creation of the Department of Filipino Overseas (DFO) “to address the concerns of this ever-burgeoning sector.” This is line with President Duterte’s commitment during his State of the Nation Address last July to establish a Cabinet-level office for the exclusive benefit of the OFWs Villafuerte said. “The creation of this new department for OFWs is a top priority of the House leadership, and in recognition by the House of the vital contribution to the domestic economy of the ever-increasing number of OFWs who are our modern-day heroes,” the solon said. Villafuerte, who represents Camarines Sur’s Second District, is a member of the government’s Legislative-Executive Development Advisor y Council or Ledac. The lawmaker made the commitment after the Ledac met with leaders of an organization of OFWs to fine-tune the bill that would create the DFO. The House of Representatives is set to approve the bill creating the DFO before the year ends. In an interview following a technical

“The creation of this new department for OFWs is a top priority of the House leadership and in recognition by the House of the vital contribution to the domestic economy of the everincreasing number of OFWs who are our modern-day heroes.”— Villafuerte

working group (TWG) meeting on the proposals creating a single agency for overseas Filipino workers, Albay Rep. Jose Maria C. Salceda echoed that the measure creating the DFO is one of the top priorities of the Duterte administration and the 18th Congress. Salceda, head of the TWG, said the proposed DFO would absorb the functions of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, with the POEA as the lead agency. “We [the TWG] will finish the draft bill this week as this was identified as top priority of the small group Ledac and [it will be submitted to the plenary for approval when session resumes in November],” he said. “We are recognizing the contribution [of Filipino workers abroad] as the most stable source of money for the economy. [Therefore], we must be able to provide their needs by having a single department that will protect them and their families,” Salceda added.

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, October 14, 2019 A3

Govt subsidies for health, education increased in ’17

By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE national government increased its subsidies for health and education but cut its support for transportation and storage in 2017, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Based on final results of the 2017 A n nu a l Su r ve y of Ph i lippine Business and Industr y (A SPBI), t he PSA sa id education subsid ies increased 29.5 percent, while health increased 17.1 percent. In the transportation and storage sector, the national government reduced its subsidies by 4 percent, according to the PSA. “Subsidies are special grants in the form of financial assistance or tax exemption or tax privilege given by the government to aid and develop an industry,” the PSA explained. The PSA said total subsidies for the education sector increased to P3.7 billion in 2017. The subsidies were composed of grants to sec-

ondary or high-school education, primary education, higher education, other education services and preprimary education. Data showed subsidies for highschool education reached P2.11 billion, which accounted for 56.5 percent of the total subsidies for the sector. The second-highest subsidy in the sector went to higher education worth P1.15 billion, or 30.97 percent of the total. The rest of the subsidy was spent for primary or elementary education worth P252.625 million; other education support services, P212.159; and preprimary education, P1.589 million. Meanwhile, in terms of health, the total subsidies received by the sec-

tor reached P132.9 million in 2017, higher than the P113.5 million subsidies in 2016. Hospital activities received more than half of the total subsidies granted by the government worth P79.5 million, or 59.8 percent of the total. Other social work activities without accommodation or not elsewhere classified (NEC) followed, receiving P45.4 million or 34.1 percent of the subsidy. The rest of the subsidies went to other residential care activities NEC worth P5.789 million; social work activities without accommodation for the elderly and disabled, P1.8 million; and residential care activities for the elderly and disabled, P450,000. In terms of transportation and storage, PSA data showed total subsidies granted by the government for the sector totaled P9.2 billion in 2017, a 4-percent contraction from the P9.5 billion subsidy in 2016. Transport via railways received the highest subsidy of P8.6 billion, or 94 percent of the total. The other industries that received subsidies in 2017 were sea and coastal water transport, P11.6 million; support activities for transportation, P2.4 million; and, warehousing and storage, P233,000.

A4 Monday, October 14, 2019 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

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MGB wants separate anti-illegal mining bureau By Jonathan L. Mayuga @jonlmayuga

HE Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) is making a pitch for the transformation of its anti-illegal mining task force into a separate bureau, as it bats for more resources, manpower and leverage to fight illegal mining activities. MGB Director Wilfredo G. Moncano was referring to the National Task Force Mining Challenge (NTFMC), which was established on January 26 last year “to squash illegal mining operators.” The NTFMC had its so-called

baptism of fire when it stopped the illegal mining activities in a Baguio City mine near the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) grounds in February last year, or a month after its creation. Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu led the anti-illegal mining operations. “Through NTFMC, we aggressively apprehend illegal mining operators, as well as seize, confiscate and dismantle their equipment, including blasting tunnel entrances or portals to the mining sites,” Moncano said in a statement. The NTFMC was later reestablished as the Environmental En-

forcement Task Force, expanding its management of environmental protection laws beyond mining and now including the violation of logging laws, wildlife protection and agricultural policies. “We are now pushing for the task force to be made into a separate bureau. In this way, it will have more resources, more manpower and more leverage to work with other law enforcement bodies. The environmental laws are there, but we need to be as strict as possible with the enforcement and that means a lot of collaboration from the bottom going up,” Moncano pointed out.

The proposal came in the heels of renewed calls for greater responsibility from mining companies nationwide. In response, Moncano said the agency is fully committed to fighting environmental abuse caused by illegal mining operators in the Philippines. ‘”There is no room for illegal mining in the Philippines.” Moncano said the Duterte administration has been working to enhance environmental protection and rehabilitation in the Philippine mining industry in partnership with local law enforcement agencies. It has also crafted

Group urges govt to conduct study on labor impact of Citira By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

HE country’s largest labor group said there can be no real debate on the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira) if the government will not conduct an evidencebased study on the bill’s potential impact on workers. Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) Vice President Louie Corral criticized government economic managers for “holding out crucial information” on

the bill, which seeks to rationalize fiscal incentives. “Tell us how many workers are really going to lose their jobs in order to formulate an evidence-based intervention once the Citira is enforced,” Corral said. Officials of the Department of Finance (DOF) and Albay Rep. Joey Salceda have been saying the passage of the ta x reform will lead to a net employment of 1.5 million. However, the DOF and Salceda have yet to issue more details on where these jobs will be created and workers who may lose their jobs if the Citira bill is enacted. A business group has estimated that at least 700,000 jobs will be lost if Citira is implemented. Corral said the government study on the impact of Citira on the labor sector will determine the intervention that the State should

implement for those who will be displaced once Citira takes effect. “[Officials] are saying workers will be protected and new jobs will be created with Citira, but if you take a closer look at the measure, these provisions are insubstantial and vague when it comes to protecting jobs and providing safety nets for workers,” Corral said. The labor leader is urging the Department of Labor and Employment to conduct the study on Citira’s impact with stakeholders, including labor groups. The Citira bill, which hurdled the House in September, will reduce the CIT rate to 20 percent by 2029, from 30 percent at present—the highest among Southeast Asian economies—and will overhaul the menu of incentives granted to economic zone firms. It also removes the perpetual 5 percent on gross income earned. Under the bill, it will strive to encourage investors and locators to reapply after the five-year or seven-year period, to qualify for another five years of incentives.

new policies further enhancing the protection of the environment and local communities. Currently, the MGB is also seeking to reduce illegal mining operations by allowing small-scale miners to formally register and join cooperatives. The MGB is an attached agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “We are now seeking to formalize the informal. We’re pushing for them [small-scale miners] to join the Minahang Bayan,” said Engr. Teodorico Sandoval, officer in charge of the MGB Mining Technology Division.

A Minahang Bayan, under the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act, is a cooperative of small-scale mines operating as one unit. In line with this, the government has waived the income and excise tax of gold from small-scale miners as an incentive for them to stay away from the black market and comply with government regulations. “We tried taxing before,” mentioned Moncano, referring to the taxation of the sale of gold to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in 2011. “But that resulted in a 99-percent drop in domestic gold purchases.”

Asean nations to exchange trade documents via ASW by year-end By Jove Moya

@BMJoveMoya

HE Philippines and seven other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will exchange customs and trade-related documents over a platform that is intended to facilitate cargo clearance and economic integration of Asean countries by year-end. The Asean Single Window (ASW) is a regional initiative which seeks to enable cross-border electronic exchange of customs documents among Asean’s 10 member-states. Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran said that starting next year, additional documents that will be exchanged through the ASW include sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certificates, animal health certificates, self-certification of product-origin and shipping documents. Beltran also said the United States, Australia and New Zealand will provide technical assistance to Asean to ensure that its members take full advantage of the ASW by 2020. “Once the ASW is streamlined and used across Asean, businesses will benefit through lower transaction costs and less time to export their goods to countries within the region,” he said in a statement. “Lower transaction costs will, in turn, enhance Asean’s trade competitiveness.” Other Asean member-states that will go live on the ASW platform are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalamam and Cambodia. Myanmar and Lao PDR are also expected to join the ASW by November and December, respectively. The Philippines will join the ASW via its National Single Window (NSW) dubbed

“Once the ASW is streamlined and used across Asean, businesses will benefit through lower transaction costs and less time to export their goods to countries within the region. Lower transaction costs will, in turn, enhance Asean’s trade competitiveness.” —Beltran

TradeNet, which will facilitate the processing of permits, licenses and other clearances for the export and import of goods across the region. TradeNet will be connected and integrated to the NSWs of the other Asean members to expedite cargo clearance and promote regional integration. The Philippines’s goal is to eventually have all 76 trade regulatory government agencies across 18 government departments fully interconnected. TradeNet will simplify import and export documentary processes covering an initial 7,400 regulated products. Last week, the Department of Finance and the Department of Information and Communications Technology said it will work closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA) on the full rollout of the TradeNet. The DA is a key component of TradeNet as it is among regulatory bodies that process permits for imports and exports, particularly of agricultural products, such as rice, which is now freely imported under the rice tariffication law subject to the compliance by traders of SPS requirements.

Mimaropa MSMEs eye ₧80M in sales from annual agri, tourism fair By Elijah Felice E. Rosales @alyasjah

ICRO, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) from Mimaropa are targeting to bag P80 million in sales from this year’s run of the region’s annual trade exhibit in Metro Manila. At least 280 MSMEs from Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan— collectively known as Mimaropa—will be bringing to the nation’s capital their products in the fifth edition of Mimaropa Naturally Agri-Trade and Tourism Fair. They target to generate P80 million worth of sales from the expo, P10 million higher from last year’s total. Trade Regional Director Joel B. Valera said Mimaropa MSMEs are expecting higher sales from this year on quality and competitiveness improvement of their merchandise items. “Mimaropa MSMEs’ enthusiasm in this agri-trade and tourism fair is very high since we started this trade fair in 2015, we set the bar higher by providing them business technical assistance. We make sure we closely monitor the MSMEs’ progress so we can allure buyers from the capital,” Valera said in a statement last Friday. “Hopefully, we can reach or even exceed the target,” he added, taking inspiration from last year when the target sales was just P50 million, but the turnout was P70 million. Products that will be exhibited at the

five-day expo include processed food, furniture and home furnishings, wearables, such as fashion accessories, bags and footwear, and gifts and holiday décor. With the variety of products the exhibitors will bring, they hope to penetrate mainstream markets, both domestic and export, to expand their presence. The expo will also showcase more than 150 new and upgraded product designs under the One Town, One Product (Otop) Next Gen special setting. The Otop Next Gen special setting will feature products made by Mimaropa MSMEs that were assisted by the Department of Trade and Industry through the Otop Next Gen program. The goods went through improvement and innovation in the areas of quality, product development, design, packaging, standards compliance, marketability, among others. Also, over 500 institutional buyers from Metro Manila were invited to closed-door meetings with the Mimaropa exhibitors to help them link with large firms. The 2019 edition of the Mimaropa Naturally Agri-Trade and Tourism Fair will run from October 16 to 20 at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. The trade fair is in partnership with the Departments of Agriculture, Agrarian Reform and Tourism, and in coordination with the provincial and local governments in Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan.

Agriculture/Commodities BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Lawmaker pitches intercropping in 23 rice-producing provinces

he government must rethink its plan of shifting 23 provinces from planting rice to other crops and hog raising, as indicated in a draft industry road map which seeks to improve the competitiveness of the rice sector. Under the Philippine Rice Industry Roadmap, which the government is currently finalizing, the 23 provinces are more competitive in producing other agricultural products. The crafting of the PRIR was mandated by the rice trade liberalization law, which took effect on March 5. Sen. Francis N. Pangilinan said farmers in the 23 provinces should be encouraged to try intercropping, as this will strengthen local production and allow the Philippines to achieve food security. “Farmers can plant rice and other

crops at the same time. They don’t have to choose one crop. In fact, some rice planters, who have extra funds do this [intercropping]. They are aware that they should not put all their eggs in one basket,” Pangilinan said in a statement. “The entry of imported rice should all the more prompt the government to boost the rice farmers’ production and well-being,” he added. The lawmaker issued his statement in reaction to a BusinessMirror report which revealed that rice farmers in 23 provinces will be encouraged to plant other crops (See, “Rice farmers in 23 provinces to plant other crops–PRIR,” in the BusinessMirror, October 7, 2019). Under the draft PRIR, the government will prioritize public investments, particularly the roll

out of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, in 57 out of the 80 rice-producing provinces in the country. Using a set of criteria, the Department of Agriculture identified “high-priority” provinces that would benefit from government programs that aim to make production in their localities more competitive. The criteria covered yield, area harvested, cost of production, and percentage of irrigated area harvested, according to the draft blue print. These high-priority provinces, according to the road map, “have medium to high yield” (above 3 metric tons per hectare) and their palay production costs are less than P16.94 per kilogram, the break-even farm-gate price under the new rice trade regime.

PHL to host international conference on bees

he Philippines will play host to Madhu Duniya 2019, the premier conference on forest and honeybees in Asia, which will tackle the benefits of forest honey and the urgent need to save bees from extinction. The conference was organized by Non-Timber Forest Products-Exchange Program (NTFP-EP), the Philippine Forest Honey Network and its regional partners with funding support provided by the Swiss Development Council, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, International Union for the Conservation of Nature-Netherlands, and Forest Foundation Philippines.

The events from October 21 to 24 in Rizal, Quezon and Metro Manila will gather representatives from nongovernment organizations, producer groups, the academe and private sector from Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. From Sanskrit Madhu (Honey) and Arabic Duniya (World), the conference this year is themed “Conservation and Characterization: Asian Bees Unique and Threatened” as a response to the threats faced by bee populations around the world. A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

estimates that 40 percent of pollinator species (such as bees) are threatened with extinction due to human activity. The same report says wild bees are more prolific pollinators than domesticated bees, but are significantly more vulnerable to loss of habitat, such as forests. “The loss Asian forests do not only mean loss of oxygen needed for human life, nor the loss of plant diversity, but it also means loss of habitat and nectar sources for native bees crucial to pollination of food crops and other plants,” Crissy Guerrero, senior advisor for strategic programmes of NTFP-EP Asia said in a statement. Jonathan L. Mayuga

Editor: Jennifer A. Ng • Monday, October 14, 2019 A5

US firm to help Pinoy rice, corn farmers hike output

By Manuel T. Cayon

@awimailbox Mindanao Bureau Chief

AVAO CITY—A global agriculture company has committed to set up farm schools in the Philippines where they can train rice and corn planters, and expose them to technologies that can improve their productivity.

Corteva Agriscience said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Agriculture on Friday. The DA said the MOU was a “collaboration to establish rice and corn educational farms [EduFarms] towards a food secure Philippines.” The company said the collaboration would focus on three projects: Rice EduFarm, Corn EduFarm and Fall Armyworm Mitigation. “Rice and corn smallholder farmers from across 40 municipalities would benefit from 80 EduFarms and 800 Techno Farms covering a total of 50,000 hectares,” Corteva said in a statement sent to BusinessMirror. The Techno Farms would serve as

educational training facilities across the Philippines, it added. “The project aims to improve Filipino farmers’ rice and corn productivity and profitability through access to agronomic education, as well as new seed and crop protection technologies,” it said. The educational farms would provide farmers with “season-long, on-field and in-classroom training.” The topics would cover a wide range of issues—land and seed preparation, farm mechanization, planting density, weed control nutrient management, insect and disease control, harvesting and processing, marketing and

financial management. “Across Asia, Corteva Agriscience’s focus is on enabling smallholder farmers to produce more and help put food on every table. We are also playing our part in supporting nations achieve their food security and self-sufficiency goals,” the company said. Corteva said it wanted to help shape the future of agriculture in the country by providing better access to agronomic education, as well as seed and crop protection technologies. Farra Siregar, managing director at Corteva Agriscience for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said the company wants to train Filipino farmers “to help them flourish and better contribute to the success of [their] nation’s economy.” The company said the DA will soon encourage “progressive” farmers in eligible municipalities to participate in the EduFarms. The project will start in November and the first batch of students will graduate in May 2020. Headquartered in the United States, Corteva became an independent public company in June. It used to be an agriculture division of DowDuPont, which was formed following the completion of the merger between DuPont and Dow Chemical in 2017.

BusinessMirror

A6 Monday, October 14, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. LIRONG CHEN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. WENWEN GUAN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. YULU ZHENG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Position and Brief Description of Functions

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. HU WANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Regional Office No. IV-A 4th Flr. Andenson Bldg. II, Brgy. Parian, Calamba City Telefax No.: (049) 545-7362 October 14, 2019

NOTICE OF FILING OF APPLICATION FOR ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMIT (AEP) Notice is hereby given that the following employers have filed with this Regional Office application/s for Alien Employment Permit/s.

Name and Address of Company/Employer

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

TDK PHILIPPINES CORPORATION SEPZ, Laguna Technopark, Bi単an City, Laguna

MR. CHIN-HSIEN LEE/ Chinese

Senior Adviser for CMA Operations

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. XINBO CHEN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

NAKASHIMA PHILIPPINES CORPORATION 2nd St., North Drive, CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. HIROYUKI YAMAKAWA/ Japanese

Department Head, Production Department

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. HAOXIANG HUANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

EDS MANUFACTURING, INC. Anabu II-A, Imus, Cavite

MR. RYOICHI ENOKIDA/ Japanese

Assistant Senior ManagerCPD/CWD, MIS, PPC Departments

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. XIAOHANG GUO/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MORIROKU PHILIPPINES, INC. Laguna Technopark, Bi単an City, Laguna

MR. KATSUHIKO KATO/ Japanese

Assistant Vice President and Treasurer

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. JIANJIAN CHEN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION CORPORATION (A.P.C.) B.V PEZA, CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. CHARLES MIGUEL ROGER BERESFORD BOWEN/ British

Asset Advisor

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. JIANJIN GUO/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

AMERICAN POWER CONVERSION CORPORATION (A.P.C.) B.V PEZA, CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. PIERRE BERNARD GEORGES CHARLET/ French

End to End Control Tower Manager

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. ZHANWEI LIU/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

DOHO METAL (PH) CORPORATION CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. DAIKI KOBAYASHI / Japanese

General Manager

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. BOBO YANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MR. TAKANORI HAGIWARA / Japanese

Position(s): Vice President/ Treasurer Nationality

ARTNATURE MANUFACTURING PHILIPPINES INC. FPIP, Brgy. Sta. Anastacia, Santo Tomas, Batangas

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. YUAN ZHANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. JUAN XU/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. XIN LIU/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. ZHOU WANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. JIU LIAO/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. FEIFEI CUI/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. BANGHUI TAO/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. HAOEN WANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. TINGTING GONG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. CHONGYANG HE/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. YI LI/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. FENG WU/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. MEIJIA ZHANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. QINGYU BAI/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. HONGYU JIN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Assistant Section Head-Human Resource, Corporate Support and Finance

JFE SHOJI STEEL PHILIPPINES, INC. Laguna Technopark, Bi単an City, Laguna

MR. SHOGO YOSHIMORI / Japanese

SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS PHILIPPINES CORPORATION CPIP, Brgy. Batino, Calamba City, Laguna

MR. HASUNG HWANG / Korean

SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS PHILIPPINES CORPORATION CPIP, Brgy. Batino, Calamba City, Laguna

MR. DOOSUNG LEE / Korean

PHILIPPINE MANUFACTURING CO. OF MURATA INC. FPIP, Brgy. Pantay Bata, Tanauan City, Batangas

MR. YOSUKE IMAGAWA / Japanese

Manager-Production Department

PHILIPPINE MANUFACTURING CO. OF MURATA INC. FPIP, Brgy. Pantay Bata, Tanauan City, Batangas

MR. KOJI WATANABE / Japanese

Assistant ManagerMachine Engineering Section

C & F MANUFACTURING PHILIPPINES CORPORATION FCIESEZ, Langkaan, Rosario, Cavite

MR. DAMIAN GAVIN / Irish

General Manager

FANDER TECHNOLOGY PHILIPPINES CORPORATION FCIE, Brgy. Langkaan, Dasmari単as City, Cavite

MR. MINGYUN LUO / Chinese

Position(s): Production Manager Nationality

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. SHUAI HU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. HENGTONG LIU / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. ZHIHUAN CHEN / Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. WEI ZHAN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. PENG YANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. JIE DENG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. XIAOBO XU/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. WANLI YAN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. YANGHUA LIU/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. HAOJIN HUANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. YU-CHUN LEE/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. YULIN HAN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. RUIZHUO ZHANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. ZHONGWEI YIN/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. XIAOHUA OU/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. HUANHUAN LIU/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. XINMING WANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. YINHUI PANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MR. ZHEN YANG/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

MOA CLOUDZONE CORP. Brgy. Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite

MS. PENGYU LI/ Chinese

Chinese Customer Service Representative

Senior Manager

Manager

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Editor: Angel R. Calso • Monday, October 14, 2019 A7

Finance chiefs head to US amid slowdown concerns T

HE guardians of the world economy head to Washington this week under the cloud of a slowing world economy. The annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank kick off with the new leaders of both expressing concern over the outlook. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva is already hinting her economists will cut on Tuesday their projections for global growth from 3.2 percent this year and 3.5 percent next year. That will be the fourth downgrade since last October and reflects what Georgieva last week called a “synchronized slowdown” in which 90 percent of the world is experiencing weakening demand.

The question for central bankers and finance ministers is what can they do to prop up their economies. Much will depend on the path of the trade talks between the US and China, which on Friday ended in a partial agreement. That doesn’t mean, though, that a curtain is being drawn on the uncertainty President Donald J. Trump’s trade wars have brought to the global economy. Here’s what happened last week and below is our weekly wrap of what’s going on in the world economy this week.

United States

FEDERAL Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is not scheduled to appear in public this week, meaning investors

will have to wait for any signs from the very top of the central banks as to whether it will cut interest rates this month for a third time this year. The Fed’s Beige Book comes out on Wednesday, giving a snapshot of economic conditions across the nation. That is published hours after retail sales data for September with economists predicting another month of modest growth. Industrial production may have contracted the same month, underscoring recession fears.

Europe, Middle East and Africa

INDUSTRIAL production for the euro area will be released on Monday, giving another indication of how the German slowdown has marred overall growth. Meanwhile, multi-

ple European Central Bank officials may use the IMF meetings to extend the recent spat over stimulus. In the UK, labor market, inflation and retail sales data will illustrate the economic backdrop during a crunch political week as another Brexit deadline looms and an extension or deal remains clouded in doubt. Israel’s inflation on Tuesday is likely to stay below the central bank’s target range of 1 percent to 3 percent, showing why a rate cut to near zero is in the cards. A financial crisis may be looming in Lebanon as pressure on the currency peg mounts and investors increasingly ask how long the government can continue to repay its debts. In Ghana, September inflation data will be out on Wednesday.

Latin America

ARGENTINA’S government will start publishing a final round of key economic indicators before the October 27 presidential election. September consumer price figures are due on Wednesday, and economists surveyed by the central bank expect a month-on-month jump of 5.8 percent, which would be the biggest in a year. A delegation of Argentine officials will head to Washington for the IMF meetings. Tensions have risen between them and the lender since they signed a record $56 billion credit deal in 2018.

Asia

CENTRAL banks in two bellwether trade economies—Singapore and

South Korea—will announce monetary policy decisions this week, with both likely to ease as growth outlooks worsen. Singapore output data on Monday will likely show the economy narrowly missed a recession, enabling central bankers to take a gradual approach to policy easing. A raft of data out of China will likely show an economy that’s hurting: GDP growth probably slowed further in the third quarter, exports continued to contract and producer prices are deflating again. In Hong Kong, Chief Executive Carrie Lam will set out her economic policy objectives in a key speech, coming against the backdrop of a worsening political crisis and deepening economic slump. Bloomberg News

Typhoon Hagibis leaves 19 dead as Japan launches major rescue Trump touts US-China phase one trade deal, delays tariffs

OKYO—Helicopters, boats and thousands of troops were deployed across Japan on Sunday to rescue people stranded in flooded homes as the death toll from a ferocious typhoon climbed to at least 19 with more than a dozen missing. One woman fell to her death from a rescue helicopter. Public broadcaster NHK said 14 rivers across the nation had flooded, some spilling out in more than one spot. The Tokyo Fire Department said a woman in her 70s was accidentally dropped 40 meters (131 feet) to the ground while being transported into a rescue helicopter in Iwaki city in Fukushima prefecture, a northern area devastated by the typhoon. She was rushed to a hospital but died, a department official said. The casualty toll was compiled by Kyodo News service and was higher than one given by the government spokesman earlier Sunday, a day af-

ter Typhoon Hagibis made landfall south of Tokyo and battered central and northern Japan with torrents of rain and powerful gusts of wind. The typhoon was downgraded to a tropical storm Sunday. “The major typhoon has caused immense damage far and wide in eastern Japan,” government Spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters, adding that 27,000 military troops and other rescue crews were taking part in the operation. News footage showed a rescue helicopter hovering in a flooded area in Nagano prefecture where an embankment of the Chikuma River broke, and streams of water were continuing to spread over residential areas. The chopper plucked those stranded on the second floor of a home submerged in muddy waters. Aerial footage showed tractors at work trying to control the flooding and several people on a rooftop, with one waving white cloth to get the at-

tention of a helicopter. Nearby was a child’s school bag. In another part, rows ofJapan’sprizedbullettrains,parkedin a facility, were sitting in a pool of water. A stretch of Fukushima, in the city of Date, was also flooded with only rooftops of residential homes visible in some areas, and rescuers paddled in boats to get people out. Parts of nearby Miyagi prefecture were also under water. The Tama River, which runs by Tokyo, overflowed its banks, flooding homes and other buildings in the area. Authorities warned of a risk of mudslides. Among the reported deaths were those whose homes were buried in landslides. Other fatalities included people who got swept away by raging rivers. Suga said recovery was on its way. Some 376,000 homes were without electricity, and 14,000 homes lacked running water, he said. Boats, as well as helicopters were

sent to the flooded areas, while rescue crew dug through dirt elsewhere to try to get people out from homes buried by landslides. Several train service in the Tokyo area resumed early morning, although others were undergoing safety checks and were expected to restart later Sunday. Ruling party politician Fumio Kishida said the government will do its utmost in rescue operations, including making sure that those who moved to shelters were taken care of. He acknowledged Japan’s power grids need to be strengthened so people in disaster areas can rely on timely information. “So many risks remain, and it is a reality we must stay on guard,” Kishida said on an NHK TV news talk show. “We must do our utmost. In these times, a disaster can hit anytime.” The Rugby World Cup match between Namibia and Canada, scheduled for Sunday in Kamaishi, northern Japan, was canceled as a precautionary measure, but organizers announced Japan will play Scotland as scheduled Sunday evening. Matches on Saturday had been canceled. Stores and amusement parks had also closed. As the typhoon bore down on Saturday with heavy rains and strong winds, the usually crowded train stations and streets of Tokyo were deserted with people advised to stay indoors. But life was quickly returning to normal under crisp clear skies Sunday. Evacuation centers had been set up incoastaltownswithtensofthousands seeking shelter. Kyodo News service said evacuation warnings had been issued to more than 6 million people. The typhoon disrupted a threeday weekend in Japan that includes Sports Day on Monday. Qualifying for a Formula One auto race in Suzuka was pushed from Saturday to Sunday. The authorities had repeatedly warned Hagibis was on par with a typhoon that hit the Tokyo region in 1958. But the safety infrastructure that Japan’s modernization had brought was apparent. The typhoon six decades ago had left more than 1,200 people dead and half a million houses flooded. AP

HE United States and China agreed on the outlines of a partial trade accord on Friday that President Donald J. Trump said he and his counterpart Xi Jinping could sign as soon as next month. As part of the deal, China would significantly step up purchases of US agricultural commodities, agree to certain intellectual-property measures and concessions related to financial services and currency, Trump said on Friday at the White House. In exchange, the US will delay a tariff increase due next week as the deal is finalized, though new levies scheduled for December haven’t yet been called off. The agreement marks the largest breakthrough in the 18-month trade war that has hurt the economies of both nations. Important, Trump said the deal was the first phase of a broader agreement. The president indicated he could sign a deal with Xi at an upcoming November summit in Chile. While the limited agreement may resolve some short-term issues, several of the thorniest disputes remain outstanding. US goals in the trade war center around accusations of intellectual-property theft, forced technology transfer and complaints about Chinese industrial subsidies. Xi told Trump in a letter— which the White House distributed on Friday —that it’s important the countries work together to address each others’ concerns. “I hope the two sides will act in the principle and direction you and I have agreed to, and work to advance China-US relations based on coordination, cooperation and stability,” the letter said. Chinese state news agency Xinhua said negotiators made efforts toward a final agreement, but stopped short of calling Friday’s outcome a deal. The editor in chief of China’s most prominent staterun newspaper Global Times, Hu Xijin, noted on Twitter that official reports from China didn’t mention

Trump’s goal of signing the deal next month, which indicates Beijing wants to keep expectations low.

Phase two

THE Trump administration also said issues related to Huawei Technologies Co. aren’t part of Friday’s deal and will be a separate process. The Chinese telecommunications equipment maker, which was placed on an export blacklist in May, will be discussed in a second phase of the negotiations, the president told reporters later on Friday. Trump’s announcement drew a wary welcome from even Republicans on Capitol Hill. “After so much has been sacrificed, Americans will settle for nothing less than a full, enforceable and fair deal with China,” Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley said in a statement after the announcement. “Farmers in Iowa know far too well that the trade war has caused real financial pain in the heartland. But we need to know more about this deal and followthrough from China will be key.” On Thursday and earlier Friday, Liu He and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer held the first senior-level discussions between Washington and Beijing since a previous agreement fell apart in May and tariffs were raised in the months after. “Past experience is that US–China trade agreements aren’t worth the paper they are written on, and this one hasn’t even been written down. For now, though, indications on trade are a little more positive. If that persists, it could help put a floor under sliding global growth,” said Bloomberg economists Tom Orlik and Yelena Shulyatyeva. The US was threatening to increase tariffs on Tuesday on about $250 billion of Chinese imports to 30 percent from 25 percent. More duties on $160 billion of Chinese products were targeted for December 15.

Kim Jong Un may be hiding a hog apocalypse from the world

Y official accounts, the pig contagion wreaking havoc across Eastern Asia has virtually skipped over North Korea, with a single outbreak reported there in May. But wayward feral pigs have stoked concern that Kim Jong Un’s reclusive state is hiding an African swine fever disaster. Three wild boars were found dead in border areas separating the two countries earlier this month before being tested positive for the viral hemorrhagic disease, officials in South Korea said. The finding reflects the freedom with which animals roam the 4-kilometer (2.5 mile) wide buffer zone that divides the nations, and creates an involuntary park and refuge for fauna. It also hints at a spillover of the deadly virus from North Korea, where unofficial reports indicate

the disease is spreading out of control. South Korea has deployed helicopters to disinfect parts of the 250-kilometer-long border-barrier, near which more than a dozen outbreaks have occurred on farms since the virus was first reported there a month ago. African swine fever has spread to almost all areas of North Korea, and pigs in the western province of North Pyongan have been “wiped out,” said Lee Hye-hoon, who chairs the National Assembly’s intelligence committee, citing South Korea’s National Intelligence Service. The virus killed 22 hogs in May on a cooperative farm about 260 kilometers north of Pyongyang, near the border with China, North Korea’s agriculture ministry said in a May 30 report to the World Organization for Animal Health, or OIE.

But since then, there have been no follow-up reports to the Parisbased veterinary body, and scant coverage of the event in state media.

UN delegate

THE Food and Agriculture Organization has no information beyond the report received by the OIE, said Wantanee Kalpravidh, the United Nations agency’s Bangkok-based regional manager of the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases. The FAO is awaiting approval to send a delegate to North Korea, she said in a text message on Friday. Widespread transmission of African swine fever, which isn’t known to harm humans but kills most pigs in a week, may put North Korea’s food security in graver jeopardy. Bloomberg News

Green Monday BusinessMirror

A8 Monday, October 14, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Consumer goods giant Unilever vows to slash use of plastic

HE HAGUE, Netherlands— Consumer products giant Unilever, whose brands include Dove soaps and Lipton teas, said last week that it aims to halve its use of non-recycled plastics by 2025. CEO Alan Jope said that the plan to slash the use of the socalled virgin plastics will require a “fundamental rethink” in its packaging policies. The company aims to achieve the goal by reducing its use of all plastics by 100,000 metric tons and using more recycled plastic. Unilever, previously pledged to make all its plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, and to use at least 25 percent recycled plastic in packaging by that year. The company also said it aims to collect and process more plastic

packaging than it sells by 2025. “Plastic has its place, but that place is not in the environment,” Jope said. “We can only eliminate plastic waste by acting fast and taking radical action at all points in the plastic cycle.” He said meeting the new targets will require “new and innovative packaging materials,” and a rapid increase in packaging that can be reused or refilled. Unilever has already started selling products including toothbrushes made of bamboo, and cardboard deodorant sticks and refillable toothpaste tablets.

Singapore offers Indonesia help to combat ‘scourge’ of haze

The logo for Unilever appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on March 15, 2018. AP/Richard Drew

Even so, t he A nglo -Dutc h company says it produces some 700,000 metric tons of plastic packaging annually. Elv ira Jimenez, a pl ast ics campaigner with Greenpeace, welcomed the announcement, “ in the sense that they are the first ones that are actually acknowledging that there has to be a reduction.”

However, she said the environmental organization would like to see Unilever shift its focus even further toward packaging and products that can be reused or refilled. Experts say that some 9 million tons (8 million metric tons) of plastic waste, including plastic bottles, bags, toys and other items, flow annually into the world’s oceans. AP

Legos lying around? Toymaker tests way to recycle bricks

EW YORK—Lego is looking to keep its plastic bricks out of the trash. The Danish toymaker is testing a way for customers to ship their unwanted bricks back and get them into the hands of other kids. It said last week that customers in the US can print out a mailing label on its site, dump their used Lego bricks in a box and ship them off for free. Lego said the pieces will be cleaned, put in a box and given to Teach for America, a nonprofit that will donate them to classrooms across the United States. Some bricks will be also sent to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston for their after-school programs. Lego said if the test is successful, it may expand the program beyond the US next year. The company typically tells its customers to keep their bricks or pass them on to others. But some have asked for another way to donate them, said Tim Brooks, Lego’s vice president of environmental responsibility. Lego, like other big brands, is looking to please customers worried about plastic’s impact on the environment. Plastic doesn’t dis-

finding one as durable as plastic has been a challenge, Brooks said. Last year, however, it began making Lego trees and bushes out of sugarcane. Rival Hasbro, which makes Mo-

predictability around weather and climate. n “We will not tolerate the irresponsible actions of errant companies, whether Singaporebased or otherwise, that harm our environment,” and the National Environment Agency still has cases open with four companies that were issued lega l notices in 2015 to take immediate measures to stop fires that caused haze affecting Singapore. Noting that consumer choices and demand can help shape forestry and palm oil industries’ actions, MEWR says, “as more consumers opt for sustainable products, this will incentivize companies to adopt more sustainable practices which, in turn, contributes to reducing haze.” The government maintains a 28-agency Haze Task Force, in place since 1994, that has been focused since mid-September on protecting especially vulnerable groups, such as elderly, pregnant women, children and people with chronic diseases. A ll primar y and secondar y school classrooms have been equipped with air purifiers, and the Haze Task Force is ensuring that sufficient stocks of masks are in warehouse and available to be pushed to retail stores. Bloomberg News

Pru Life UK hands over 100 bikes to SBMA

A visitor looks through Lego pieces provided for a project at the Tate Modern, in London. Lego is testing a way for customers to ship their unwanted bricks back and get them into the hands of other kids. AP/Frank Augstein

integrate but instead can break down into tiny pieces and be eaten by birds or other wildlife, endangering their health. It is also working to find other materials for its colorful bricks. But

ingapore has reached out to Indonesian authorities to offer assistance and urge action in combating the “perennial scourge” of haze on the region, with no response from Indonesia thus far, the Ministry for the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) said in written responses to Parliament queries last week. He re a re more com me nt s f rom the ministr y regard ing the haze issue: n Fires in Indonesia have released 360 million tons of carbon dioxide since August, equivalent to more than Spain’s emissions for the whole of 2018; the twomonth haze episode of 2015 cost Singapore S$1.83 billion ($1.33 billion) in health costs, lost productivity, and diminished tourism and business. n “Singapore is supportive of the Indonesian government’s continuing efforts to suppress the forest and land fires. We recognise President Joko Widodo’s personal attention and efforts in tackling this problem. The key is to prevent the fires from starting in the first place.” n Singapore has contributed S$5 million to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre for a regional capability building program to monitor haze, including hot spot activities, and build

nopoly and Mr. Potato Head, said it plans to eliminate plastic use in its packaging by 2022. It, too, has said that finding a material to replace the plastic in its toys has been tricky. Bloomberg News

Salmon farmers fight to protect your dinner from climate change

he salmon farms in the far south of Australia, where icy winds roar in from Antarctica, seem an unlikely casualty of global warming. But as tropical waters flow further south, ocean temperatures are rising even around the island state of Tasmania— stressing fish and stunting their growth. That’s prompting companies like Huon Aquaculture Group Ltd. and Tassal Group Ltd. to find new ways to mitigate the impact of climate change. Both belong to an industry and government partnership that’s selectively breeding fish to tolerate the warmer waters. Huon is experimenting with “for tress pens” to withstand wild weather so it can farm further offshore where the water is colder. It’s a further sign that agriculture in all its forms must adapt to survive human-induced climate change—from breeding heat-tolerant cattle in Florida to growing salt-resistant crops in Egypt. While Australia represents only about 2 percent of worldwide salmon production, the nation is providing valuable lessons to a global industry worth $15.4 billion. Huon’s pen designs are being studied by salmon producers as far away as Norway and Chile, according to Deputy Chief Executive Officer Philip Wiese. “There’s a lot of interest in that technology,”

said Wiese. “People like coming to visit us because we are on the forefront of change in the industry.”

Warmer waters

Tasmania’s salmon farmers are facing a serious problem. Surface waters have warmed by 2 degrees Celsius in the past 60 years, and will rise another 3 degrees C in the next half century as a tropical current running down Australia’s east coast brings warm water to the deep south, according to government forecasts. Marine heat waves that have stunted fish growth in two of the past five years will become more prevalent, government scientists say. The salmon industry’s selective-breeding program, overseen by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (Csiro), is having some success. Waters in a test hatchery are warmed to see which fish are thriving despite the stressful environment, and they’re sent to farmers’ test pens. DNA samples of fish that grew more, and had a higher tolerance to a disease that’s prolific in farmed salmon, are sent back to the hatchery. Those families are then selected for commercial production. The program has improved growth rates and tolerance to amoebic gill disease by 10 percent in

every three-year breeding cycle since it began in 2004, according to the Csiro. Salmon farmers are also shifting production from sheltered inlets to further offshore. That’s partly being driven by the state environment regulator halving the production cap in Macquarie Harbour on Tasmania’s west coast to prevent the estuary from collapsing from over-farming. Concerns about the environmental impact of intensive salmon farming have spurred a campaign by community groups and commercial, and recreational fishers against the companies. Campaigners at the Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection nonprofit organization want an immediate halt to the expansion offshore until the impacts on wild fisheries are known. They complain that debris from the farms clutters waterways and shorelines, and that fish waste alters the biodiversity of areas. Tassal and Huon say they’re creating local jobs and are environmentally responsible. The shift offshore is also prompted by the search for cooler waters. And it’s a risky move.

Damaging storms

Work can’t be done in harsh weather and pens can be destroyed by violent storms. Huon lost 120,000 fish last year when six-meter waves and wind gusts in excess of 100 kilometers per

hour from the Southern Ocean tore through the aptly named Storm Bay. Huon spent two years developing a twin-net pen, at a price of A$1 million apiece, to withstand the weather and keep seals out. Moorings help anchor an outer predator net as far as 7 meters from the inner net, which contains the fish. The company said it’s working with global equipment suppliers to export the technology to Norway and Chile. Tassal, which also has a lease in Storm Bay, is developing “sanctuary” pens to keep seals out. The company, Australia’s largest salmon producer, is also investigating farming off King Island in the Bass Strait, a notoriously rough stretch of water, according to its 2018 sustainability report. The company didn’t respond to requests for comment. The climate mitigation efforts appear to be working. Tassal sees gradual growth in salmon production from about 33,000 tons last financial year, according to company filings. Huon expects production to climb almost 60 percent in the next two years from just under 19,000 tons in the 12 months ended June 30. It’ll only happen if the fish aren’t stressed, said Wiese, overlooking a pen as salmon jumped out of the water. “Happy fish, happy customers.”

Bloomberg News

Allan Tumbaga, Pru Life UK’s senior vice president and chief customer marketing officer, turns over 100 bicycles to SBMA Chairman Atty. Wilma Eisma.

ritish life insurer, Pru Life UK, recently turned over 100 bikes to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) as part of its initiative to promote cycling across the country. During the signing of the deed of donation with Pru Life, led by its Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Marketing Officer Allan Tumbaga, SBMA Chairman Atty. Wilma Eisma said the bikes will be distributed to respective SBMA departments for official use. SBMA hosted the 2019 edition of the annual cycling festival PRUridePH in May. With over 2,500 participants form over to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, it

is the biggest cycling festival in the country. After this successful partnership, Pru Life UK is looking forward to SBMA’s support in its future WeDO Health endeavors. Tumbaga said Subic was the perfect venue for PRUridePH 2019 as its environment and transport system are conducive to cycling. “The handing over of bikes is our sign of gratitude and support to SBMA’s mission of growing an environmentally sustainable Freeport community,” he added. “We hope that this partnership will encourage more people to preserve the environment and choose a healthy habit by promoting cycling.”

Biodiversity Monday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Monday, October 14, 2019

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Environment ministers declare new Asean Heritage Parks

i v e protec ted areas from Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam have joined the network of Asean Heritage Parks (AHPs), which are areas of high conservation value that best represent the region’s rich natural resources and cultural identity. Environment ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations declared Hat Chao Mai National Park, and Mu Ko Libong Non Hunting Area and Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park in Thailand; Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park and Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve in Vietnam; and Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary in Myanmar as new AHPs during the 15th Asean Ministerial Meeting on the Environment (Amme) and related meetings early this month in Siem Reap, Cambodia. “We are happy to announce that we now have 49 Asean Heritage Parks. These are models of effective protected area management,” said Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, executive director of the Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). The ACB serves as the secretariat of the AHP Programme, a flagship initiative of Asean that recognizes national parks and nature reserves with outstanding wilderness and biodiversity values. “These additions to our growing list of protected areas in the region demonstrate Asean’s intensified and unified efforts to conserve a wider area and cover all types of ecosystems,” Lim said noting that of the 49 AHPs, 12 are marine and coastal parks. The AHP Programme encourages the sustainable and equitable management of protected areas to contribute to the progress of achieving Aichi Target 11 under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Target 11 calls for the conservation of at least 17 percent of terrestrial and inland water areas and 10 percent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, by 2020. “The AHPs represent the rich and diverse species and ecosystem of the Asean region. We hope to cover more areas in line with our main goal of reducing the rate of biodiversity loss in the region,” Lim said. For a protected area to be an AHP, it must meet several criteria, including ecological completeness, representativeness, naturalness, high conservation importance, legally gazetted conservation areas, approved management plan, transboundary, uniqueness, high ethnobiological significance, and importance for endangered biodiversity. The Amme is held every two years to discuss a wide range of environmental issues. The 15th Amme tackled biodiversity conservation, climate change, environmentally sustainable city, coastal and marine environment, environmental education, chemical and hazardous waste management, transboundary haze pollution control, and eco-schools. The Asean environment ministers also attended related meetings, including the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, the 16th Asean plus 3 (China, Japan, and South Korea) Environment Ministers Meeting, and the Asean-Japan Ministerial Dialogue on the Environmental Cooperation.

Biodiversity Fund. The conference aims to improve the AHP network and strengthen camaraderie among AHP stakeholders and other development partners.

Heritage park conference

Ngoc Linh is the second-highest mountain range in Vietnam, following the Hoang Lien Mountain, the highest in South Vietnam and Indochina. The Ngoc Linh mountain has a strongly fragmented terrain and is a transitional area between the Northern Annamite Range and the Southern Annamite Range, between the coastal plain and the Central Highlands. With these characteristics, Ngoc Linh has a unique location that creates high and unique values of biodiversity.

The new AHPs and other conservation topics are expected to take the spotlight at the Sixth Asean Heritage Park Conference (AHP6) on October 21 to 24 in Pakse, Lao PDR. With theme “Sustainability and Innovation for Parks and People—Celebrating 35 years of Asean Heritage Parks,” the AHP6 will gather protected area managers, representatives from international environmental organisations, businesses, academe, traditional and local communities, and youth to discuss knowledge and best practices in managing protected areas. It is organized by the ACB and the Department of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Laos, with support from the European Union, the German Development Cooperation through the KfW, German development agency GIZ, SwedBio, Convention on Biological Diversity and Japan

Hat Chao Mai National Park and Mu Ko Libong Non Hunting Area

Hat Chao Mai National Park and Mu Ko Libong Non Hunting Area are protected areas beside each other in Trang Province in Southern Thailand, towards the Andaman Sea. Declared as Ramsar wetlands of international importance in 2002, the two sites possess high ecosystem diversity—including evergreen, karst, and beach forests, limestone cave ecosystems, mangroves, seagrass meadows and coral reefs. The areas are known as home to dugong, a marine mammal listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They also host other threatened flora and fauna, including 265 identified floral species and 50 faunal species, which have been listed as critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable species and nearly threatened. Unique rock formations, such as caves, limestone formations, cliffs and sinkholes can also be found in the sites.

Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park

The Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park is a protected area in Surat Thani Province in Thailand. With an area of 102 square kilometers, it is an archipelago and a protected area composed of diverse ecosystems, such as coral reefs, seagrass, mangroves, and karst ecosystems. It is a popular tourist destination featuring panoramic views, geological formations and sandy beaches. The area is also known to offer numerous ecosystem services, especially on the life cycle of mackerels, which is a very important commercial fish in Thailand. It is home to endangered and threatened species. Among others, the orchid Ang Thong Lady Slipper is endemic to this area. The area was recognized as a Ramsar site in 2002. It was also awarded a five-star beach rating by the Pollution Control Department of Thailand for the sound environmental management of the area.

Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park

Located in Tay Ninh Province of Vietnam, Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park covers a total area of 191.50 square kilometres of core zone and 186 square kilometres of buffer zones. It plays an important role in the conservation and development of biodiversity values, border protection and natural landscapes, especially the forest and wetlands habitats of the transitional region between the Central Highlands, Southern Lowlands and Mekong Delta ecoregions of Vietnam. The park was established to conserve threatened plant and animal species. It serves as a location for scientific research, environmental education and ecotourism development. The site is also important for transboundary conservation between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Ngoc Linh Nature Reserve

Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary

It is also a haven for other animal and plant species, including: 16 orchids, 38 mammals, 266 birds, 77 reptiles and amphibians, and more than 100 butterflies. This 215,072-hectare sanctuary can be found in Sagaing Region in Northern Myanmar.

Planning to cut down a tree? Think again C By Jonathan L. Mayuga

@jonlmayuga

utting down trees in urban areas is often driven by the need for space, fuel or construction material and, in some cases, to prevent it from causing an accident when it shows signs of falling down.

Even in public places, roadwidening projects often result in cutting down trees. In school premises, trees are cut down to build extra schoolrooms or provide more space for children’s activities. However, there are good reasons for not cutting down trees. It takes years to grow a tree. Sometimes, one will not even survive its first year. Trees are needed for the oxygen they produce. They also provide shades—natural protection against sunlight and rain—plus the beauty they provide to the natural environment. Fruit-bearing trees provide food and serve as home to wildlife—birds, bees, all sorts of insects, fruit bats—which help in maintaining ecological balance in both rural and urban settings.

Law against killing trees

The law against cutting down trees, or killing trees, Presidential Decree (PD) 705, or Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines that was signed on May 19, 1975, regulates the act in both public and private lands. It calls for the prior approval or permission from the government, specifically the Bureau of Forest Development whose mandate now rests on the Forest Management Bureau (FMB), one of the four bureaus of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Section 68 of PD 705 states that “any person who shall cut, gather, collect, or remove timber or other forest products from any forest land, or timber from alienable and disposable public lands, or from private lands, without any authority under a license agreement, lease, license or permit, shall be guilty of qualified theft as defined and punished under Articles 309 and 310 of the Revised Penal Code.” Moreover, the same section states that in the case of partnership, association or corporation, the officers who ordered the cutting, gathering or collecting shall be liable, and if such officers are aliens, shall, in addition to the penalty, be deported without further proceedings. Under the 1930 Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, the penalty for qualified theft depends on the value of the property stolen. Essentially, however, since a tree is valued at least P50,000 nowadays, a tree-cutting violation may land the culprit up to a maximum jail term of 25 years.

Chainsaw Act

WILD GEESE Like other migratory birds, wild geese find the Magat Dam Reservoir in Ramon, Isabela, a perfect place to fish for food. CEASAR M. PERANTE

Cutting of trees, even with a permit from the DENR, is also tricky because there’s a law regulating the use of a chainsaw, which can also put one in trouble if it is used without license or permit from the DENR. The Chainsaw Act, or Republic Act 9175, signed on November 7, 2002, regulates the ownership, possession, sale, importation, and

use of chainsaws and penalizes violators. Reg u lating chainsaws is not w it hout a good reason. A chainsaw can cut a f u l ly g row n t ree in m inutes, a nd it t a kes on ly a few hou rs to c ut 10 0 t rees using t h is equ ipment. Hence, the law’s Section 7, which provides for the penal provision, states that actual unlawful use of chain saw may land one in jail from six years and one day to eight years or a fine of not less than P30,000 but not more than P50,000.

Exception to the rule

However, the cutting of trees and the use of chainsaw are not strictly prohibited. All one has to do is apply for a permit with the DENR or with the concerned Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, or with the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, and cite the reasons, officials of the DENR said. In fact, the DENR is lenient in implementing the law in urban areas where trees are fast becoming extinct. “Cutting of trees, even in private land for a registered tree plantation, needs a permit. That is why we are trying to liberalize tree cutting,” said Environment Assistant Secretary Ricardo Calderon, also the concurrent director of DENR’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB). He explained that liberalizing means that if one “has a registered tree plantation, then you will no longer need to apply for a tree-cutting permit.” A draft policy for registered pl a nt at ions i n pr ivate l a nd , Calderon said, is in the works. “Why will you invest in tree plantations when the law makes it hard for you to cut them later on?” he asked in Filipino. In the case of cutting of trees in private lands that are not covered by a registered tree plantation, he said the DENR encourages the landowner to still apply for a treecutting permit whenever possible. “That is what the law says. In some cases, we let the local government units help monitor these activities,” he said.

Obsolete law

According to Calderon, the Revised Forestry Code is already obsolete and needs revisiting. “That has been the consensus and the clamor of [those] in the wood industry,” he said, adding that the 1975 Revised Forestry Code was meant to regulate logging at a time when the country’s economy is largely dependent on logging. FMB Director Nonito Tamayo agrees. He said cutting of trees needs to be liberalized to promote investment in forest or tree plantations that will support the country’s wood industry requirement. The current annual wood requirement of the Philippines is 6

A narra tree DENR-SCIS

million cubic meters. However, the country can only produce 1 million cubic meters. This means it is importing around 5 million cubic meters of wood every year, according to the latest DENR-FMB estimates. I n pr iv ate l a nd s, Ta m ayo s a id c ut t i ng of t rees for noncommercia l pur poses requ ires no s pec i a l per m it. “If they intend to sell, that is the time they really need to apply for a permit. But if it is to cut the tree that is endangering people, it is okay,” he said. However, he encourages the public not to cut down trees without a valid reason.

Trees and urban biodiversity

Even in an urban setting, trees are very important to keep the biodiversity alive and well, said Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) Executive Director Theresa Mundita S. Lim. Mainstreaming biodiversity in urban and infrastructure development is one of the programs of ACB. In the Philippines, although the concept is new in the country, some cities are starting to adopt green infrastructure and to promote green spaces and green buildings, she said. “Singapore and Thailand are leading this concept in the Asean, but there is also an emerging interest in some of the cities in the Philippines,” she said. According to Lim, a former director of DENR-BMB: “If nature or biodiversity is taken into account in cities’ development, where a large part of the land is already privately owned or managed, then logically, even trees in private land or small patches of trees in the urban setting must have some kind of protection, especially if they are indigenous trees and vegetation.”

Communication is key

According to Lim, there’s really a need to communicate the importance of trees in urban areas where the competition for space is very stiff. “There is a need to advocate the protection of trees in urban areas, as well as allocating spaces for tree planting and revegetation. There are studies that show that more trees in urban areas can reduce respiratory problems, and trees and greens around hospitals and health-care centers can hasten the healing and reduce stress-related illnesses,” she said. According to Lim, if a tree poses danger, they may be cut, but she added that weak trees that might

collapse could be prevented from cutting. “Remember some trees that were planted in cities years ago might not be the appropriate species, and were not managed to grow well in urban settings with their roots growing and expanding to destroy concrete roads and sidewalks. Cutting the roots and branches improperly or nailing signages onto trees would make trees vulnerable to rotting and diseases,” she said. Cutting trees just because the landowner wants these for timber or to make more space for infrastructure, must be looked into more carefully by concerned government agencies, in this case, the DENR and local government units (LGUs), she said. “The species of trees must be taken into account, and there is a need for green spaces and corridors. Also, it should not just be the DENR’s responsibility, but the LGUs, as well, in making sure that they set aside the proper proportion of green areas when they prepare their land use and development plans,” she said.

Beneficial to homes

Environmental group K alikasan-People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) added that trees in urban and suburban lots are actually beneficial to the overall wellbeing of residents. “Trees sequester air and noise pollution, provide shelter from the rain, stormy winds and extreme temperature shifts,” KalikasanPNE National Coordinator Leon Dulce said. According to Dulce, all treecutting activities require a permit from the DENR. But because household construction is seen as a small-scale activity that would have a smaller impact on the urban forest cover, regulating them would be seen as too much of an effort to cover all 24.2 million household units across the country. “Practically speaking, ensuring a green architectural intervention in this situation would also be expensive,” Dulce said. What the government can do, he added, “is to ensure that we have clear environmental architecture guidelines, and that we have in-house green architects and engineers across all cities and towns that will be available to guide the integration of trees in the construction instead of building over trees.” That said, before we have to think again before we decide to cut down a tree.

A10 Monday, October 14, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

The PHL economy is better than you think

nation’s economy is highly complex and even complicated. Understanding the data requires putting it all in context and analyzing the implications. As they say, the devil is in the details. Unfortunately, many of the self-proclaimed “thought leaders” are either ignorant, or intellectually dishonest in order to, perhaps, serve a political agenda. We are often compared to our regional neighbors that are allegedly doing a much better economic job and we should follow their example. The Philippine current account—the net difference between outflow and inflow—is talked about frequently. While the Philippines recorded a current-account surplus of $566 million in June 2019, this is only the second surplus in the past 12 months. On the other hand, one of our neighbors recorded a surplus of $4 billion in August, and has run a surplus in 11 months of the past year. And, this is not the only area of lesser numbers from the Philippines. The best we could do was show the Philippines’s trade deficit narrowed to $2.41 billion in August 2019, while still showing 12 months of consecutive deficits. Our neighbor shows a trade balance of $2.05 billion surplus in August. The neighbor’s annual inflation rate fell to 0.32 percent in September 2019 from 0.52 percent in August. Ours fell to 0.9 percent in September 2019 from 1.7 percent in the previous month. Our base interest rate is 4 percent. Our neighbor’s is 1.5 percent. The Philippine peso has appreciated against the US dollar by 1.4 percent in 2019. Our rival’s currency is up by 5.9 percent. The Philippine stock market index is basically flat for the year as against a 4-percent increase for our neighbor’s stock market. Maybe the critics are correct that we are doing it all wrong in the Philippines. Our money flow is worse. Our interest rates are high. Our trade balance is in a deficit. Our currency is not appreciating like the others. Except for one factor that tells an entirely different story and paints a completely different picture that some choose to ignore. Thailand’s economy expanded 0.6 percent quarter-on-quarter in the three months to June 2019. The Philippines gross domestic product advanced 1.4 percent quarter-on-quarter in the three months to June of 2019. Thailand’s GDP grew by 2.3 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2019. The Philippine economy expanded 5.5 percent year-on-year for the same period. London-based economic research consultancy firm Capital Economics explains what the thought leaders are missing about the strength of the Thai baht and the country’s Current Account surplus, and why the Thai economy is not growing. “The continued strength of the Thai baht is mainly the result of the country’s huge current account surplus, which, in turn, reflects a very weak domestic economy that has been operating at below potential for a number of years.” The situation is so critical that Capital says that “policy-makers may also soon start to consider the introduction of capital controls.” Don’t believe all the negatives about the Philippines. Much needs to be done to make our economy better, but we are still on the right path.

Take it from the expert Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

ast October 5, Old Manila Eco Market, the Intramuros Administration, the Department of Tourism, and Colegio de San Juan de Letran gathered in one event some of the movers in the Philippines’s environment protection landscape. The event was called “Sustainability Summit Manila,” and its special guest was none other than the chairman and founder of Mother Earth Foundation Philippines, Sonia Mendoza.

Tita Sonia, as she is lovingly called by many, was instrumental in the passage of Republic Act 9003, or the Philippines’s Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 which, incidentally, is a model legislation in Southeast Asia. Mother Earth Foundation Philippines works with different cities and provinces nationwide to help them on the journey

‘Déjà vu’ Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan

legally speaking

Since 2005

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toward becoming zero-waste model communities. She talked at length about the different zero-waste communities in Taguig, Malabon, Pampanga, Tacloban and Nueva Vizcaya. According to her, zero-waste efforts are also currently underway in places like Navotas, Batangas, GMA Cavite, Siquijor and Dumaguete. Aside from

ver the last weekend, I had the distinct experience of watching firsthand the violent protests in Hong Kong. I had attended a Zonta International District Conference at the Hong Kong Convention Center and stayed (overnight) at the Grand Hyatt, Wanchai District, where the protests were held. For over 18 weeks, militant protesters marched the streets of Hong Kong. Workers by weekday, protesters by weekend. All shops were closed, the MRT service was shut down, the city was paralyzed. We could not get any taxi to or from the hotel to anywhere—so we did the next best thing—join the protesters (vicariously) on CNN/BBC. What is this all about? A South China Morning Post Editorial by Cliff Buddle “Stick With Out Carrot” (October 10, 2019) aptly summarizes the situation in Hong Kong. “The deepening political divisions in Hong Kong leave little room for a consensus on anything. But one point which both sides can agree on, after four months of anti-government protests and escalating violence, is the need for the government to act. Something has to be done.” Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has faced growing pressure from her pro-establishment allies to take a tougher line and to invoke colonial-era emergency laws in a bid to end the violence. Democrats and protesters, meanwhile, have called on her to meet their demands. The push for a crackdown, no doubt, intensified during Lam’s visit to Beijing to mark the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. As she celebrated, Hong

Kong burned. Three days later, the Emergency Regulations Ordinance was invoked for the first time since the 1967 riots. The dusting off of this outdated and draconian legislation, passed in one day in 1922, is a dangerous step. Despite assurances from the government that it will be used cautiously, there are understandable concerns that now it has been triggered, further measures will follow. The ordinance, first used by the colonial authorities to crack down on a seamen’s strike, empowers the chief executive to make “any regulations whatsoever” that she may consider desirable in the public interest. This can be done on “any occasion” the chief executive considers to be of emergency or public danger. The scope is breathtaking. It is difficult to see how it can be reconciled with the human-rights protection provided by the Basic Law and Bill of Rights. There were calls in the 1990s

these, she also shared some of her personal practices and some advice for regular citizens like us. Never buy bottled water. Always bring your own water in washable bottles. While you’re at it, always bring your own cutlery, to-go containers and eco bag. But not the handwoven commercial eco bag, Tita Sonia says, because these contain polypropylene, a form of plastic. Avoid buying packed items and always refuse plastic bags. Even paper bags are not advisable because they are not sturdy and would usually just be thrown out after one use. The best option would be washable cloth bags that lasts for a long time. When she goes to the market, she would bring a pail for her fish and seafood purchases, and a bayong for the vegetables and fruits. At the supermarket, she would use reusable plastic containers for meat purchases. The most problematic packaging is the single-use plastic packets of shampoo, noodles, juice, coffee and similar products; and the single-use

plastic bag. These always end up in the ocean, killing marine life, and eventually, ending up on our plate and inside our bodies because the seafood that we eat ingested plastic particles. Do not use or purchase products in problematic packaging like this. Mother Earth Foundation advocates for reduction of consumption. “We can recycle but we have to reduce first,” Tita Sonia says. It would be best if we can take a close look at our lifestyle and buying habits to see if we are buying only what we need, and if we are buying them wisely. It is not an easy journey. A lot of people will find the changes uncomfortable. But we have to make sacrifices for the sake of our planet. Tita Sonia assures us that there are many steps that we can take to reduce our waste. She encourages everyone to innovate, to be creative in how we reform our habits and lifestyle for the better.

for the law to be repealed by the colonial administration. Even more draconian regulations make under it in the 1940s and 1960s were removed. But the ordinance, described by Democrat Martin Lee Chu-ming as a landmine, was left in place. One columnist wrote in the Post at the time that this was done as a “futile conciliatory gesture toward Beijing.” Almost no other law “symbolizes quite so trenchantly as the Emergency Regulations Ordinance the underlying colonial nature of much of Hong Kong’s legislation”, said a report by the Hong Kong Journalists Association and the human-rights organization, Article 19, in 1993. It called for an urgent review of the legislation. The first regulation to be imposed under the legislation bans the wearing of masks during protests. This law achieves little beyond allowing Lam to show her political allies and Beijing she is doing something. The wearing of masks to hide a person’s identity or to protect them from the police’s tear gas and pepper spray (or both) has been a feature of the protests. But those taking part in recent demonstrations are breaking the law anyway. The idea that people who are prepared to join unlawful protests, carry offensive weapons, vandalize MTR stations or throw petrol bombs would be deterred by a law against wearing a mask is absurd. What will be next? A ban on umbrellas? A government source told the Post that officials knew the mask ban would not stop the hard-core protesters. It was hoped, instead, that their more moderate supporters, described as the outer lawyers of the onion, would be deterred. But the reasoning is flawed. The law is

being broken anyway. The mask ban, which can lead to a HK$25,000 fine or jail for a year, has caused confusion. The government has sought to limit its scope, no doubt aware that legal challenges would swiftly be brought. Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah even mentioned the tests used by the courts to determined whether restrictions on rights are permissible at the press conference announcing the new law. It is a defence for a person to wear a mask at a protest if they have a “reasonable excuse.” Those who need to wear a mask for their safety while working are regarded as having a reasonable excuse. This is of great importance to journalists, who need to wear masks to protect themselves while covering the protests. The problem, as the Hong Kong Journalist Association has pointed out, is that it is only a defense. There is nothing to stop the police sweeping up everyone wearing a mask, including journalists, leaving them to raise their “reasonable excuse” later. The new law must not become an excuse for the police to obstruct the media’s operations in violation of the Basic Law’s protection for freedom of the press. Further use of the emergency law has not been ruled out. There have been calls for a curfew to be imposed. That can already be done under the Public Order Ordinance. It is not clear how this could work in Hong Kong, or what it would achieve. The use of the emergency law raises the stakes. It is no surprise that it has sparked further protests, escalating violence and multiple arrests. Watching the Hong Kong protests on television and reading up on it was a “déjà vu” experience for me, like I

To be continued

See “Kapunan,” A11

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Opinion

‘Alright sir?’

Overpopulation and congestion: The roots of misery

BusinessMirror

Dr. Jesus Lim Arranza

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

THE PATRIOT

MAKE SENSE

he ongoing controversy involving the so-called ninja cops has once again pitted two different versions of the truth in the perception of two respectable graduates of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). One academy graduate confirmed the allegation of a phone call, while the other refuted what was said during that phone call regarding the dismissal of several police officers involved in a drug case in Pampanga way back in 2013.

ow many billions of pesos are spent by the government each year for its Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor? And how much will the government spend each year for its Universal Health Care program that guarantees health service to all Filipinos?

A few years ago, in a similar Senate hearing regarding the issue on payouts to retiring military officers, a witness gave his testimony which was found highly doubtful by a sitting senator. Both the witness and the senator asking the questions were PMA alumni. In a subtle yet daring remark, the senator (PMA ’71) asked the witness (PMA ’66), “Alright sir?,” to which the witness replied, “I am still under oath, Your Honor.” The Alright Challenge is a timehonored doctrine in PMA where every night cadets are asked such a question to which they ought to reply with an “Alright Sir!” only when they can consciously admit that they did not violate the Cadet Honor Code. Such practice allows the Cadet Corps to self regulate and monitor compliance to the Code, which implores all cadets not to lie, cheat, steal or tolerate those among them who do. Some say that the Alright Challenge is only applicable while inside PMA. I disagree. If and when challenged, PMA graduates should correctly reply with an “Alright Sir!” to indicate that they are telling the truth, under PMA standards! Under Philippine law, the lawyer has a duty to the profession, to society, to the court and to the client. These duties apply whether a lawyer is an in-house counsel doing compliance work or a litigator defending the criminally accused. While both will perform very distinct and different duties as lawyers, both are still bound by their overarching duty toward the proper administration of justice. As such, a lawyer’s duty to the administration of justice always trumps the duty to the client. The conflict between the duty to the administration of justice (as an officer of the court) and to the client (as his lawyer) may likely require that a practitioner perform acts to the possible disadvantage of his client, even if the client expressly gives instruction to the contrary. Relatedly, the In-House Community, comprised of 20,000 individual members with a responsibility for legal and compliance issues, recently came up with a Corporate Counsel Credo to help its members uphold their ethical, legal and business commitments and responsibilities within their organizations. Among the nine responsibilities in the Credo, an in-house counsel has to remember that he is “the legal and ethical conscience of my [his] organization and conduct myself [himself] accordingly” and that he is “a lawyer first, with an overriding duty and responsibility to my [his] profession and the general public.” Hence,

corporate counsels need to advice business leaders, both legally and ethically. Being transparent, truthful and fair to everyone are some of the basic ethical principles known to mankind. As a lawyer, I am not bound to follow all of my client’s instructions, especially when such instructions, even though they are legal, can be seen as unethical, unfair or immoral. In a speech delivered at the Judicial Conference of Australia Colloquium in Melbourne in October 2009, Hon. Marilyn Warren AC said “it is incumbent upon practitioners to continue to examine the ethical dimensions of their behavior and consider their actions in the context of their role as officers of the court.” To me, such ethical dimension may arise by the simple choice of telling the truth, especially if such truth is to the detriment of the client. A lawyer should never act on the instructions of a client if he will end up compromising his own integrity or become unethical in the process. In the Bible, Colossians 3:23 reminds us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” As such, whether we are in the legal profession, military organization, business sector, media or in any other vocation, we must ultimately do our best, which usually starts and ends by telling the truth. As His children, we have an obligation not to engage in conduct that will displease Him. Thus, whenever graduates of the PMA, bound by the Honor Code, or whenever lawyers, bound by the Code of Professional Responsibility, fail to tell the truth, they do a disservice to their organization and to society as a whole. Most are afraid to tell the truth out of fear of being isolated, downcast, or discriminated against. Some suppress the truth out of selfish interests. Worse, those who hide the truth fail themselves as workers, not for men, but for God. In the Bible, 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” Those who compromise their integrity in exchange for job security can never sleep tight and be all right. May each day, whether in a Senate hearing, in a board meeting, in a courtroom or just in front of a mirror, be a day when we can silently ask ourselves, “Alright sir?” and respond, with a clear conscience, “Alright sir!”

Both programs could easily cost the government over P100 billion each year, if only to address issues that are principally borne out of overpopulation, congestion, irresponsible lifestyle and environmentally disastrous habits. In 2018, the Philippines had a population of 106,651,922 people, which represents an increase of 1,731,922 people compared to 2017. With its 1.72 percent average population growth rate, the Philippine population is projected to reach 142 million by 2045. With about 21.6 percent of the Philippine population living below the national poverty line based on a 2015 survey, life for the poorest of the poor, especially for those living in big cities, could only get worse. And while the common purpose of both the 4Ps and Universal Healthcare program is to help improve the lives of Filipinos, especially the poorest of the poor, the government

Kapunan. . .

Edsa is not hopeless

continued from A10

had already seen this scenario before. The UP Diliman barricades and the protests over centavo increase in gasoline prices, threats to academic freedom, corruption in government, abolition of the writ of habeas corpus, among others, during my campus days in the early ’70s came to mind. We were “young and angry” then, now we are “old and angry” over almost the same issues. I hope the Hong Kong protests will not be a model for our current protesters and nationalists. We cannot descend into the same kind of madness of escalating violence and multiple arrests. The government in Hong Kong needs to act. Our own government must, likewise, respond to the demands of our militant youth and nationalist groups. Locking everyone up is not the answer.

For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

One year after

There are so many ER interventions but top of my mind now as I traversed Edsa on Friday are the following: Move, Move, Move. Yes to Build, Build, Build, but we need to focus also on Move, Move, Move. Every second saved counts. To a certain extent, micromanage Edsa. Because experience will tell us, one vehicle stalled contributes exponentially to congestion. Intervening presence. More than enforcer visibility is appropriate enforcement intervention. Example: Every morning, traffic problem is southbound, then have more enforcers southbound. Toward the afternoon, the same thing, but northbound. Also, lessen the focus on yellow lanes during peak hours. Let’s be honest. There is shortage of road space at specific times. When it is rush time, be more forgiving but control the flow. Take out what’s not supposed to be there. Jeepneys for one are not allowed on Edsa. But you see them at the fringes—in Balintawak, the Heritage/ Taft, Baclaran area. They have to go. Also, pedicabs on Edsa. Why? Truck Ban—

impose it. Even those peddling mineral water on foot, take them out. Enforcers from the local government units along Edsa? No business being there. They will only create confusion and opportunities for you know what. Long vehicle lines at the malls on Edsa? Take out the mall entrances off Edsa. Be strict on the details. That is the only way. Technology 24/7. Use Metrobase. And coordinate this on ground. Radio commentator Ted Failon always mentioned this when I was at the MMDA. And he is right. The technology is there. But use it. Not just for no-contact apprehension—but to coordinate minute by minute what’s happening on the ground. Proper place at the proper time. Take the case of the buses. Ensure that they strictly utilize the designated bus stops and bus lanes. Sorry, but right now, I still see buses with their door open loading and unloading passengers anywhere. This is not minor. Imagine if just half of the 4,000 plus buses do that just once everyday—that is roughly eight hours that could be converted to more

bus trips on Edsa daily. I firmly believe that MMDA should still remain as the traffic authority in Metro Manila, more so on Edsa. Its powers should be strengthened. And in its present form, be supported. The proposal to make Department of the Interior and Local Government as the concurrent central traffic authority won’t work. Besides, the DILG’s mandate is national and that should not be sacrificed for Metro Manila alone. My advice though to those whose task is Edsa. Stop saying traffic will only worsen. We know that. Don’t make it an excuse for the job that you need to do. It only disrespects the agency and your bosses that you work for. Let’s look at the MMDA as the ER doctor. It needs to resuscitate Edsa and stabilize it. We have no choice.

he Philippines will take its turn in hosting the 94th Asean Coordinating Committee on Services on October 21 to 25, 2019. It has been more than five years when the Philippines last hosted these simultaneous meetings of Asean regulators, professionals and its associations coming from the accountancy, engineering, architecture, surveying and health-care professions. The attendees to these meetings discuss various issues of concerns, including the mutual recognition arrangement (MRA) for the various professional services.

‘E

DSA traffic is hopeless.” We have heard this so many times and we begin to believe, seeing how it is every day. I beg to disagree. Edsa is not hopeless. There are still so many things that can be done to increase travel speed in Edsa. It can be done. It has been done before. emergency room (ER) traffic doctors. Think of the Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Works and Highways as the major surgical doctors. They are important but right now patient Edsa is at a critical level. And the ER doctor’s only mission is making sure that the patient stabilizes in time for the long-term major traffic surgical operations.

Dr. Arranza is the chairman of the Federation of Philippine Industries and Fight Illicit Trade, a broad-based, multisectoral movement intended to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries from the ill effects of smuggling.

ic needs of Asean member-states.” Specifically, the MRA seeks to provide mobility of accountants in the Asean where there will be minimal restrictions imposed on qualified accountants pursuing employment opportunities in the various countries in the region. With the MRA, Filipino certified public accountants (CPAs) will be able to take advantage of the demand for accountants in Singapore, Malaysia, and the other Asean members and consider employment in these countries.

Part Four

STREET TALK

these areas. By relocating informal settlers living along the rivers and creeks to more humane relocation sites outside urban centers and dispersing industries to these areas, as well to provide access to employment and livelihood, it should significantly improve the quality of life, not only in highly urbanized areas, but in the countryside as well. Moreover, the government can save billions of pesos on its 4Ps and Universal Health Care program as living conditions for many Filipinos improve. The country can also maximize its revenue potential as the estimated P3 billion to P5 billion losses in potential revenues due to Metro Manila’s horrendous traffic could also be reduced. Depopulating Metro Manila will help ease its worsening traffic situation. And, most important, providing the right solution mix to the country’s congestion and overpopulation concerns will not only result in the equal distribution of government resources, as the billions of pesos now spent for social development programs to help the poorest of the poor can be used for other projects that would be enjoyed by all Filipinos, but it will also set the premise for establishing an inclusive and more balanced economic development program for the country.

the Accountancy MRA has limited information, compared to its counterparts in the Engineering and Architecture professions. To help my fellow accountants know more about the Asean accountancy landscape, I recommend reading the Asean Handbook on Accountancy Services that can be downloaded from https:// www.aseancpa.org/images/FINA L _ ASEAN_Handbook_03_Accountancy_ Services.pdf. Filipino accountants need to be aware and ready to meet the opportunities and benefits derived from the MRA and the Acpa. At the same time, we should all be ready to face the challenges from other Asean accountants that are gradually upgrading their skills to compete with their Asean neighbours.

DEBIT CREDIT

For the accountancy services, the MRA was signed in November 2014. This was approved when I was then the Board of Accountancy (BOA) chairman. The MRA can be downloaded from this link: https://www.prc.gov.ph/sites/default/files/4.%20ASEAN%20MRA%20 on%20Accountancy%20services_e.pdf. As indicated in the MR A, the agreement intends to “promote the f low of relevant information and exchanging expertise, experiences and best practices suited to specif-

where informal settler communities (squatter colonies) thrive. These overcrowded communities are not only fire hazards, if not fire traps, because they are mostly inaccessible to fire trucks. Almost all kinds of waste, including human feces, are also being thrown into the rivers, creeks and other water tributaries from the homes of these communities because many of them do not have toilets. The irresponsible and unsanitary habits of some, if not many, residents in squatter colonies increase the health risks posed by polluted shorelines, rivers and creeks, not only to its residents but to other communities, as well, where health conscious Filipinos who pay taxes to fund the government’s 4Ps and Universal Health Care program live. Poliovirus is usually spread from person to person through infected fecal matter through the mouth, food or water containing human feces. And while the poliovirus had practically been controlled many years back, its resurgence has alarmed the government, prompting a massive anti-polio vaccination and information campaign. This again, would cost the government hundreds of millions of pesos, if not billions. In fairness to the responsible and law abiding Filipinos who are exposed to the health risks posed by polluted shorelines, rivers and creeks because of the inconsiderate, insensitive and unsanitary habits of some informal settlers, the government should strengthen its resolve to depopulate highly urbanized areas and remove squatter colonies from

Under the MRA, accountants in Asean can qualify to become Asean Chartered Professional Accountants. For Filipino CPAs, the process and requirements to become an Acpa are contained in guidelines or assessment statement issued by the Monitoring Committee established for this purpose by the Professional Regulations Commission (for details go to this link: https://www. aseancpa.org/images/ACPACC10_07_ Revised_Philippine_Assessment_Statement_Accountancy_2018-1120A.pdf ). I note that only a few Filipino CPAs have become Acpas. As indicated in the Asean CPA web site (https://www. aseancpa.org/), out of 3,770 Acpas registered as of the current date, there are only 18 Acpas coming from the Philippines. Indonesia leads with 1,291. It is surprising that Myanmar even has more registered Acpas with 403 compared to the Philippines. The BOA should look into the reasons for the low turnout of CPAs seeking the Acpa qualification. Are our Filipino CPAs shying away from becoming Acpa because they perceive that they can derive the benefit of mobility of accountants even without the Acpa credential? Or, should there be a more effective information dissemination and marketing effort to make our CPAs aware of the MRA and Acpa? A perusal of the PRC web site at https:// www.prc.gov.ph/asean-mra shows that

Joel L. Tan-Torres

Thomas M. Orbos

I am not even talking about the ongoing projects, such as the MRT rehabilitation that will increase passenger capacity; the bridges that will destress Edsa and even San Miguel’s Edsa elevated skyway. Yes, all of these will definitely help, but not yet. Think of our situation as a seriously ill patient brought to the emergency ward. And let the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) be the

should also strengthen its resolve to depopulate highly urbanized areas and address the country’s population growth. We already have the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012 (Republic Act 10354), informally known as the reproductive health law, or RH Law. It is a law that guarantees universal access to methods on contraception, fertility control, sexual education and maternal care. Overpopulation exacerbates many social and environmental factors, including overcrowded living conditions, pollution, malnutrition and inadequate or nonexistent health care, which wreak havoc on the poor and increase their likelihood of being exposed to infectious diseases. This type of living condition is common along the shorelines, rivers, creeks and water tributaries in highly urbanized areas, like Metro Manila and Metro Cebu, for instance,

Monday, October 14, 2019 A11

To be continued

Joel L. Tan-Torres is a certified public accountant who placed No. 1 in the May 1979 CPA Board Examinations. He is currently a partner of Reyes Tacandong and Co. He was the former commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue on 2009 and 2010, and the chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy from 2014 to August 2018. This column accepts contributions from accountants, especially articles that are of interest to the accountancy profession, in particular, and to the business community, in general. These can be e-mailed to boa.secretariat.@gmail.com

Thomas Tim Orbos was former DOTr undersecretary for roads and general manager of the MMDA. He is currently undertaking further studies at the McCourt School of Public Policy of Georgetown University. He can be reached via e-mail at thomas_orbos@sloan.mit.edu

A12 Monday, October 14, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

8-mo foreign tourist arrivals up 14% to 5.5M By Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo

@akosistellaBM Special to the BusinessMirror

ISITOR arrivals in the Philippines increased by 14.08 percent to 5.55 million in the period January to August 2019. On a monthly basis, foreign arrivals reached 702,843 in August 2019, up 27.54 percent from the 551,088 arrivals in August 2018.

Data from the Department of Tourism (DOT) showed South Koreans leading the pack of tourists in the country, rising by some 22.3 percent to 1.06 million. This indicates a substantial recovery in the market, which last year fell slightly by 0.91 percent in the same period to August 2018. In an interview with the BusinessMirror, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat attributed the upswing in the South Korean market to the “reopening of Bora-

1.06M

Number of Korean tourists who entered the Philippines in the January-to-August period, a rise of 22.3 percent. For August 2019 alone, arrivals from South Korea grew almost 43 percent to 185,334.

cay. From zero arrivals in Kalibo last year, more than 42,000 tourists from Korea visited this top destination.” For August 2019 alone, arrivals from South Korea grew almost 43 percent to 185,334. She added the Korean arrivals in the airports of Manila and Cebu also “rose significantly.” The second-largest source market for tourists in the eight months to August this year was China, which jumped by 39.16 percent to 1.21 million arrivals. The market also posted the highest growth rate

among the Philippines’s top source markets for tourists. Romulo Puyat noted the increasing number of Chinese tourists arriving via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia), aside from their growing arrivals via Kalibo Airport “to visit the renewed Boracay Island.” In August 2019 alone, arrivals from China expanded by an overwhelming 60 percent to 170,903, dwarfing its 11-percent growth in August 2018. See “Tourist arrivals,” A2

SENATORS HIT 780% water rate hike threat ‘DELAYING SAFEGUARD

ENATORS are bristling over the “warning” issued by private water concessionaires that complying with a Supreme Court order slapping them with nearly P2 billion in fines for breach of their commitment to set up sewerage systems in timely fashion could force them to pass on the costs to consumers. “Increasing rates by 780 percent is unconscionable and downright a highway robbery. No business in the world earns 780 percent in profit! Government regulators should never allow this inhumane increase,” Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said in a statement. “And why should the fine be passed on to consumers. Were they the ones who broke the law? This isn’t right and so unfair. It’s the people who already suffered from bad service, and yet, they will bear the brunt of the penalties,” Gatchalian added, in a mix of English and Filipino. He noted that “both Manila Water and Mayni-

lad have been given ample time to comply with the Clean Water Act. The government should not let Manila Water threaten to hold the public hostage with exorbitant price increases just so it could blackmail the Supreme Court into reversing its decision.” Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel lll joined over the weekend the mounting opposition against the looming imposition of a 780-percent increase in water rates. The protest was prompted by reports that Manila Water Co. intends to pass on to consumers the heavy penalties imposed by the Supreme Court on the utility firm, jointly with the other private concessionaire, the Maynilad Water Services Inc., and the regulator, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS). “Passing on to consumers the fines is not only unfair but also utterly baseless. An additional P26.70 per cubic meter in their water bill is a

NORTHEASTERLY SURFACE WINDFLOW PREVAILING OVER LUZON as of 4:00 am - October 13, 2019

heavy burden on our people. They’re burdened enough as it is, why make it harder for them?” Pimentel said in a mix of English and Filipino. Pimentel protested as the MWSS issued a statement that under Manila Water’s concession agreement the utility firm cannot recover said penalties by passing it on to consumers. “It cannot be that the public will be made to pay for their environmental violations. It must be noted that consumers already suffered from the monthlong water interruption last June,” Pimentel said, adding that the private stock owners of the water concessionaires must bear the cost of their penalties, this being the nature of the business they entered. “Less or no profit for them this time. Their profits are not guaranteed by their customers. They must run their businesses professionally, ethically, and lawfully,” the senator added. Butch Fernandez

BusinessMirror named best business news source for 2018

OR the second year in a row, the BusinessMirror was adjudged as the country’s best business news source of the year in the prestigious Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (Ejap) Awards last October 9, this time tying with the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) for the distinction after both papers had four of their reporters named Best Reporter in their respective beats. The recognition came as the BusinessMirror celebrated its 14th year of providing Filipinos with a broader look at today’s business. The BusinessMirror has won the award of best business news source thrice in the past four years. Bianca Cuaresma, one of the BusinessMirror’s mainstays, bagged the Banking Reporter of the Year for the second consecutive year. Lorenz Marasigan was named Telecommunication/Transportation Reporter of the Year. In 2016, Marasigan was recognized by Ejap for writing the best business feature story that year. Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas was recognized as the Best Agri/Mining Reporter for 2018. Last year, Arcalas won the Ejap’s Best Business Feature Story award. Elijah Felice E. Rosales was named the Best Trade Reporter of the Year for 2018. Rosales won the award in his rookie year in the beat, the second BusinessMirror reporter to accomplish such a feat. Mary Grace Padin, now with the Philippine Star, also won the award in her rookie year in the Agri/Mining beat. The other winners in the 2018 Ejap awards are: are PDI’s Doris Dumlao-Abadilla (capital markets), Ben de Vera (Finance and Macroeconomy), Miguel Camus (business feature story) and the Philippine Star’s Danessa RiveraAngeles (energy).

DUTY ON RICE IMPORTS TO HURT FARMERS MORE’

HE delay in the imposition of safeguard duties on rice imports could further hurt farmers, as the inflow of the staple is expected to continue amid the harvest season, the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) has warned. FFF pointed out that this “runs counter to President Duterte’s public instructions not to allow imports during harvest time.” The imposition of safeguard duties, which could effectively double tariffs on rice imports, is a measure seen by groups like FFF to deter further entry of imported rice. Under the rules of the WTO and Republic Act 8800, general safeguard duties may be temporarily imposed on imports of rice, on top of regular tariffs, if there is evidence of a surge in rice imports and this surge has resulted in, or threatens to cause, serious injury to the rice farmers, FFF explained. “There seems to be no sense of urgency and no appreciation of the serious difficulties that rice farmers are facing at present because of the surge of cheap rice imports,’ FFF National Manager Raul Q. Montemayor said in a statement over the weekend. “The rules on general safeguard duties were designed by the

WTO precisely to allow governments to quickly and effectively address market emergencies brought about by trade liberalization. Delaying a decision defeats the purpose of the law, and may make the harm on farmers irreparable,” Montemayor added.

Safeguard probe terminated Last Friday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) revealed that it terminated its safeguard investigation on rice imports pending a dialogue with the government’s economic managers. “We started the study on the possibility of having to tap the general safeguards duty. The decision of the department is to have this discussed first with economic development managers,” said Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, in a five-minute press briefing on Friday. “That’s our decision: we terminated the first study. We will now actively discuss with the economic development managers on October 24,” Dar added. Dar’s disclosure came a day after the DA’s 30-day deadline to reveal the findings of its preliminary safeguard investigation. See “Safeguard,” A2

Red Cross to join DOH polio vaccine campaign

OME 550 trained volunteers and staff of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) will be mobilized on Monday as the Department of Health (DOH) will conduct a massive oral polio vaccination. The DOH will conduct mass immunization on October 14 to 27, 2019, in the National Capital Region and Mindanao areas (Davao del Sur, Davao City and Lanao del Sur). “Our target number for the children to be vaccinated is 30,000. PRC wants your children to be safe. Vaccines will keep away your children from diseases. It is the most effective way to prevent polio. Together, we can stop the spread of polio,” said PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon. He said the 550 volunteers and staff will be divided into four member-teams composed of a leader, vaccinator, recorder and a health educator/ hygiene promoter. Support items for the mass vaccination activity like dossarts, masks, gloves, alcohol, and vaccine carriers have already been distributed to all PRC chapters in NCR and the selected Mindanao areas. A Technical Training on Polio and Response Planning Workshop was also held recently as part of the preparations for the “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio.” PRC has a master list of the children who will receive

the vaccination. Once vaccinated, a record will be made to make sure that no child will miss the two remaining doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV). These are planned to be administered between November 2019 and January of next year. Parents will also be briefed about the importance of adhering to all government-required child vaccinations. Red Cross volunteers and staff will also ensure the parents understand the importance of Oral Polio Vaccine. They will be given information education and communication materials explaining the polio outbreak and its implications, and a general knowledge of vaccination. The synchronized Oral Polio Vaccine is in partnership with the DOH and with support from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Recently, The IFRC released 336,302 Swiss Francs ($336,700) from its disaster relief emergency fund to support PRC’s house-tohouse visit in administering the OPV. The target number of Red Cross is 20,000 children in Metro Manila alone. Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, October 14, 2019

PSE to do another buyback, nixes preferred shares offer

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

HE Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE), the operator of the equities market, has shelved plans to issue nonvoting preferred shares, but will, instead, siphon off more common shares still being held by the brokers to further reduce their shares to 20 percent to comply with regulations.

PSE President Ramon S. Monzon said they have decided against issuing 3.5 million preferred shares to those selling brokers, since the holders get to vote on certain corporate matters. Common shares holders have voting rights. The PSE needs to comply with provisions of the Securities Regulation Code, which placed an ownership cap of 20 percent of the voting stock for any industry, including

stock brokers. “So we have Nasdaq to configure our system [to track brokers’ ownership]; it took a while. So finally configured our trading system… that was my commitment to the PSE that we will not only comply but we will make sure that it will be a continuous compliance,” Monzon said. The PSE then found out that there were about some shares still owned by the brokers that caused the breach in the 20-percent cap, of which 3.4

percent still owned by First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC), which were mainly left over from the its stock rights offering last year which was also meant to dilute stock brokers’ shareholdings. More than 2 percent comes from the affiliated parties of the brokers. FMIC, the investment bank of the Metrobank group, was one of the underwriters of the issue and had to buy the PSE shares that were not subscribed by shareholders. The firm also owns a stock brokerage. After the P445-million share buyback concluded last month, Monzon said the brokers’ stake in the PSE is now down to 23.8 percent. They plan to talk to more brokers and persuade them to sell their PSE shares, he said; a second round of buyback is necessary to siphon off these shares being held by brokers. When the PSE made a stock rights offering, its offer price was P252 per share. The market price of PSE, however, is now down to P175 apiece, translating to a potential loss of almost P200 million for FMIC.

Monzon said they have yet to figure out how FMIC can divest these shares. “We’re looking at ways to address it. We’re exploring other options to address that. We keep telling First Metro how can we work together so you can divest,” he said. Aside from the FMIC shares, Monzon said they need to buy back only about 900,000 to 1 million PSE shares from brokers and they will already be compliant with the ownership cap. “We are having what we call a directed buyback of shares. Basically, we’re telling the brokers, PSE is willing to buy the shares of brokers at a certain price,” Monzon said. Monzon, however, said they are not buying these shares at a premium since this will be unfair to other shareholders who are not part of the buyback since they are not stock brokers. “I have a deadline that by the end of the year we should be compliant so we can move forward with our plans,” Monzon said.

Napocor seeks ERC’s approval to collect ₧18.5-B UCME in 2020 By Lenie Lectura @llectura

HE National Power Corp. (Napocor) is seeking regulators’ approval for the issuance of a provisional authority (PA) to collect from consumers P18.46 billion in basic universal charge for missionary electrification for 2020, an amount higher than its pending UCME application for 2019. In a 12-page application filed before the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), the state firm proposed a basic UCME of P18,460,843,967.62 for 2020 or an equivalent rate of P0.1920 per kilowatt hour. If approved, this will result in an increase of P0.0740 per kWh from the previous rate.

UCME is a form of subsidy to assist Napocor in providing electricity in areas not connected to the transmission grid. Consumers, however, are the ones paying for this as provided for under Republic Act 9136 or the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2011 (Epira). It needs to seek regulatory approval before this is collected from the consumers. In its petition, Napocor said the UCME would sufficiently cover the estimated requirements for areas served by NPC SPUG (small power utilities group), as well as operating costs in mini-grids, including the fixed cost of transmission, and the cash incentive payment to renewable-energy (RE) developers. Continued on B2

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, October 14, 2019

PSE STOCK QUOTATIONS

October 11, 2019

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

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

55 146.5 92.9 24.9 11.92 67.8 12.8 20.55 42.8 57.85 111.6 26.1 197.7 59 1.12 1.91 18.5 4.8 1.21 0.4 730 0.89 175.5

57.4 147 92.95 24.95 12.04 68 13 21.9 42.85 57.95 135 26.5 198 59.1 1.28 2.07 18.58 4.87 1.25 0.42 770 0.91 178.8

57.4 145 91.45 24.8 11.82 67.8 12.8 20.55 43.45 57.85 139.9 26 198.8 59 1.17 2.11 18.6 4.72 1.21 0.4 770 0.91 178.9

57.4 147 93 24.95 12.04 68.45 12.8 20.55 43.45 57.95 139.9 26.5 199 59.05 1.3 2.11 18.6 4.87 1.21 0.4 770 0.91 178.9

57.4 143.7 91.45 24.8 11.82 67 12.8 20.5 42.8 57.85 135 26 194.8 59 1.17 1.91 18.58 4.63 1.21 0.4 770 0.91 175.5

57.4 147 92.95 24.95 12.04 68 12.8 20.5 42.85 57.95 135 26.5 198 59 1.28 2.09 18.58 4.87 1.21 0.4 770 0.91 175.5

1500 1205100 1061230 38700 383000 2603060 86500 1200 387500 710 450 17500 494960 20060 679000 13000 1300 186000 2000 70000 50 7000 160

86100 176291819 98614734.5 963680 4587954 176740572 1107200 24650 16653745 41117.5 62302 455920 97558704 1183604.5 811720 26370 24164 886160 2420 28000 38500 6370 28185

83568925 11236937 1566142 -34688226 -3745130 -22067104 -789482 -

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

1.29 38.35 0.246 25.2 79.3 363.4 20.2 5.09 4.03 10.82 34.1 7.35 15.6 4.49 17.34 15.08 5.5 8.56 6.99 89.9 0.68 47 231 7.82 13.02 0.183 1.69 11.18 1.99 5.05 2.33 0.122 157.5 1.17 70 2.41 6.01 15.3 10.4 14.8 18.08 9.46 1.03 1.1 2.03 5.18 3.22 5.41 31.4 2.39 8.39 1.51 5.04 1.02 8.92

1.32 38.4 0.25 25.25 79.5 365.2 20.25 5.1 4.3 11 34.2 7.38 15.88 4.5 18.58 15.1 5.65 8.6 7 89.95 0.69 47.5 231.2 8.3 13.08 0.201 1.7 11.2 2 5.1 2.38 0.127 158.5 1.19 71.45 2.43 6.14 15.6 10.46 14.9 18.1 9.7 1.04 1.11 2.06 5.28 3.52 5.48 32 2.4 8.42 1.52 5.44 1.03 8.99

1.29 37.3 0.25 24.95 79.35 365 20.25 5.02 4.3 11 34.05 7.38 15.8 4.53 18 15.12 5.65 8.35 7 90.2 0.67 46.9 229.2 7.84 13.1 0.187 1.7 11.32 2 5.1 2.33 0.122 158 1.19 71.45 2.42 6 15.4 10.06 14.46 18.4 9.48 1.02 1.08 2.03 5.18 3.23 5.33 31.4 2.35 7.87 1.47 5.44 1 8.5

1.32 38.35 0.25 25.3 79.5 365.2 20.3 5.17 4.3 11 34.25 7.4 15.94 4.58 18.58 15.12 5.89 8.58 7.03 90.5 0.69 47.8 232 7.84 13.1 0.201 1.72 11.4 2.04 5.1 2.33 0.122 159.8 1.2 71.45 2.44 6 15.66 10.5 15 18.78 9.7 1.05 1.13 2.03 5.28 3.52 5.56 32 2.4 8.47 1.54 5.44 1.03 9.14

1.29 36.65 0.249 24.6 79.3 359 20.1 5.02 4.02 10.78 34.05 7.3 15.8 4.44 18 15.04 5.65 8.35 6.95 89.9 0.67 46.5 229.2 7.82 13 0.182 1.66 11.14 1.93 5.1 2.33 0.122 157 1.17 71.45 2.4 6 15.4 10.06 14.34 18.04 9.44 1.01 1.08 2.03 5.18 3.23 5.33 31.4 2.35 7.87 1.47 5.04 1 8.5

1.32 38.35 0.25 25.25 79.3 365.2 20.25 5.1 4.3 11 34.2 7.35 15.88 4.5 18.58 15.08 5.65 8.58 7 89.95 0.69 47 231.2 7.82 13.08 0.201 1.7 11.2 2 5.1 2.33 0.122 158.5 1.19 71.45 2.41 6 15.6 10.46 14.9 18.1 9.44 1.04 1.11 2.03 5.28 3.52 5.48 32 2.4 8.42 1.52 5.04 1.03 8.92

91000 1289000 730000 1171200 34470 83270 1239500 939300 98000 18500 761100 74800 29500 9932000 1600 351400 5400 6072300 2464300 275070 420000 224500 216770 1700 32200 540000 1858000 270000 3368000 1000 2000 340000 284200 1621000 10 1075000 30000 1065400 244800 665100 1546900 48000 393000 1743000 1000 20200 7000 259200 200 7270000 463100 127000 300 25000 1314900

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

0.86 12.52 869.5 53 10.78 3.49 6.6 0.69 1.11 1.15 6.8 8.99 13.1 4 843.5 5.64 71.65 5.03 0.485 4.32 13.26 0.58 4.92 0.038 1.46 1005 163.1 0.84 2.44 220.2 0.223 0.22

0.87 12.66 870 53.2 10.8 3.5 6.9 0.71 1.14 1.17 6.81 9 13.38 4.45 844 5.65 72 5.54 0.51 4.38 13.28 0.6 4.95 0.039 1.47 1010 164 0.86 2.49 222.2 0.23 0.24

0.86 12.76 861.5 52.4 10.78 3.45 6.61 0.72 1.13 1.14 6.69 8.75 13.02 4 840.5 5.63 70.9 5.56 0.5 4.34 13.44 0.6 4.88 0.038 1.43 1000 161.9 0.84 2.44 220.8 0.23 0.221

0.87 12.76 877 53.8 10.9 3.53 6.61 0.72 1.14 1.15 6.81 9.02 13.38 4 852 5.63 72.4 5.56 0.51 4.38 13.46 0.6 5 0.038 1.5 1050 164 0.88 2.44 223.2 0.23 0.23

0.85 12.22 861.5 51.9 10.74 3.4 6.6 0.69 1.11 1.13 6.69 8.72 13.02 4 839.5 5.63 69.3 5.56 0.48 4.32 13.22 0.58 4.85 0.038 1.42 989 161.8 0.84 2.44 220.6 0.221 0.22

0.86 12.66 870 53.2 10.78 3.49 6.6 0.71 1.14 1.15 6.8 9 13.38 4 844 5.63 72 5.56 0.51 4.38 13.28 0.6 4.95 0.038 1.47 1010 164 0.84 2.44 220.6 0.223 0.23

5131000 54700 247560 674240 3994700 7623000 5700 537000 709000 112000 1074600 15633500 12300 120000 112300 182700 686080 1000 89000 282000 3544500 212000 11353000 100000 2060000 299910 138120 302000 294000 1240 650000 580000

HOLDING & FRIMS

117420 48,984,100( 12,189,245.0004) 182390 -2490 29372315 6505465 2736121.5 -1373950 30284200 10220968 25099945 -12799730 4795685 787968 398720 203104 26014655 18136004.9996 547767 468586 132276 44822790 -5772040 28858 5304420 3361950 31302 51608417 -546827 17237626 -13888413 24751973 15079875 284910 10560240 9854970 50111330 8540718 13308 420106 -50840 100110 3149050 338880 3021494 -2313586 6630640 204000 5100 4660 41480 44922095 -2425394 1933300 45230 714.5 2596460 -636420 180000 16565984 6862408 2540524 -1435206 9772702 -671204 28696864 -8243234 457142 403470 1942080 55100 2030 104646 23170 1417150 408744 6340 -3200 17329700 26150 3839441 1479141 191340 1592 25170 11760452 266206 4388960 685386 215376280 35621504 43178502 26103650 37640 372390 794140 128170 7280138 139863887 161570 480000 94521935 1028601 49131474 5560 43205 1221470 47064586 124320 56112900 3800 3026200 303828240 22560528 253750 717360 273878 145900 128320

-97920 -68458585 2169671 -19493260 119070 -275999.9999 -91700 3393488 -45117923 -3930 -80160925 -1028601 -2326963.5 -207660 -3795084 60180 6081360 -29400 19711142.5 -1085041 -181142 -

PROPERTY ARTHALAND CORP 0.86 0.87 0.85 0.87 0.85 0.87 1181000 1017130 22360 47.75 47.95 46.9 47.95 46.7 47.95 2754900 131207910 23490960 AYALA LAND 1.8 1.88 1.88 1.88 1.88 1.88 3000 5640 ARANETA PROP BELLE CORP 2.04 2.06 2.06 2.06 2.01 2.04 216000 435770 -10180 A BROWN 0.81 0.82 0.83 0.83 0.79 0.82 4881000 3918090 0.84 0.87 0.87 0.87 0.87 0.87 500000 435000 CITYLAND DEVT CEBU HLDG 6.1 6.29 6.08 6.29 6.08 6.29 5800 35385 CEB LANDMASTERS 4.72 4.73 4.71 4.78 4.71 4.72 78000 367720 -37720 CENTURY PROP 0.54 0.55 0.54 0.55 0.54 0.55 9126000 4966260 30240 20.5 20.75 20.4 20.8 20 20.5 463300 9502360 1752540 DOUBLEDRAGON 9.81 9.82 9.8 9.84 9.8 9.82 50600 496643 37285 DM WENCESLAO EMPIRE EAST 0.435 0.44 0.435 0.44 0.435 0.44 640000 278550 FILINVEST LAND 1.55 1.56 1.53 1.57 1.52 1.55 26786000 41431760 18885830 1.19 1.2 1.18 1.2 1.18 1.2 153000 181940 GLOBAL ESTATE 8990 HLDG 15.04 15.06 15.04 15.04 15.04 15.04 54500 819680 -24064 PHIL INFRADEV 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.37 1.34 1.36 380000 514110 4.2 4.61 4.61 4.61 4.61 4.61 20000 92200 KEPPEL PROP CITY AND LAND 0.72 0.75 0.73 0.73 0.73 0.73 10000 7300 MEGAWORLD 4.62 4.63 4.57 4.66 4.57 4.62 15916000 73476920 -33388040 MRC ALLIED 0.3 0.305 0.3 0.305 0.295 0.305 3140000 943650 0.44 0.45 0.44 0.44 0.44 0.44 340000 149600 PHIL ESTATES PRIMEX CORP 2.01 2.03 2.04 2.04 2.01 2.03 91000 183810 ROBINSONS LAND 25.3 25.35 25.5 25.5 24.9 25.35 1439400 36504895 4726995 ROCKWELL 2.3 2.32 2.29 2.32 2.29 2.32 17000 39350 3.21 3.26 3.25 3.25 3.25 3.25 203000 659750 9750 SHANG PROP 2.74 2.75 2.8 2.8 2.71 2.75 870000 2387790 STA LUCIA LAND SM PRIME HLDG 38.75 38.8 38.45 38.9 38.2 38.8 6410300 248419120 129242150 5.67 5.75 5.67 5.76 5.65 5.75 31300 177417 VISTAMALLS SUNTRUST HOME 0.91 0.93 0.94 0.94 0.9 0.93 299000 274020 VISTA LAND 7.52 7.6 7.6 7.73 7.5 7.6 16108500 122201591 -15234912 SERVICES ABS CBN 18.08 18.28 18.3 18.32 18.1 18.28 37000 671364 5.2 5.23 5.18 5.24 5.18 5.2 35100 182919 GMA NETWORK GLOBE TELECOM 1817 1818 1820 1823 1812 1818 17100 31074720 -1061970 PLDT 1107 1108 1110 1133 1108 1108 93580 104469955 24204785 APOLLO GLOBAL 0.043 0.044 0.043 0.043 0.043 0.043 7000000 301000 0.107 0.108 0.11 0.11 0.108 0.108 320000 34600 ISLAND INFO ISM COMM 4.97 4.98 4.96 5.05 4.9 4.98 1632000 8109370 383170 JACKSTONES 2.81 2.9 2.84 2.84 2.84 2.84 2000 5680 NOW CORP 2.94 2.98 2.96 2.98 2.92 2.98 1244000 3672560 -107200 0.315 0.32 0.315 0.32 0.31 0.32 3080000 976550 TRANSPACIFIC BR PHILWEB 3.13 3.17 3.15 3.17 3.11 3.16 198000 623730 -47240 2GO GROUP 10.2 10.3 10.32 10.32 10.2 10.3 14700 151604 ASIAN TERMINALS 17.22 17.24 17.54 17.54 17.22 17.24 10600 183620 45404 6.92 6.93 6.8 6.96 6.8 6.92 545900 3766952 13800 CHELSEA CEBU AIR 92.2 92.4 92.3 92.4 91.85 92.2 134830 12428545 2392051.5 INTL CONTAINER 119.9 120 120.3 121.4 118.5 120 2132150 255899034 -86467850 13.56 15.46 11.5 15.98 11.5 15.5 7500 107778 LBC EXPRESS MACROASIA 18.8 18.82 19 19 18.8 18.82 201900 3807626 3264860 PAL HLDG 8.07 8.29 8 8.29 8 8.29 2800 22709 HARBOR STAR 1.6 1.61 1.58 1.62 1.58 1.61 304000 485190 1.66 1.67 1.67 1.67 1.66 1.66 39000 65070 ACESITE HOTEL BOULEVARD HLDG 0.049 0.05 0.048 0.05 0.048 0.05 16200000 797400 245000 GRAND PLAZA 10.24 10.96 10.2 10.96 10.2 10.96 600 6196 WATERFRONT 0.69 0.7 0.68 0.7 0.68 0.69 867000 596100 0.67 0.68 0.68 0.68 0.67 0.68 1342000 910700 -703250 STI HLDG 2.3 2.38 2.34 2.38 2.31 2.38 95000 224340 BERJAYA BLOOMBERRY 10.92 11 10.9 11.06 10.74 11 2469500 27033706 -11353892 2.83 2.88 2.83 2.88 2.83 2.88 22000 62910 PACIFIC ONLINE LEISURE AND RES 3 3.04 2.97 3.03 2.97 3.03 31000 93220 6030 MANILA JOCKEY 3.4 3.45 3.4 3.4 3.4 3.4 5000 17000 PH RESORTS GRP 4.82 4.99 4.98 4.99 4.98 4.99 12000 59870 0.69 0.7 0.69 0.71 0.69 0.7 322000 225300 PREMIUM LEISURE ALLHOME 11.5 11.54 11.52 11.54 11.48 11.54 29707700 342197856 -144386464 METRO RETAIL 2.43 2.44 2.46 2.47 2.41 2.44 110000 268510 -48680 PUREGOLD 40.55 40.6 40.7 40.7 40.45 40.6 367000 14900995 1945140 77 79.9 77.05 79.9 76.4 79.9 728120 57864279.5 574475 ROBINSONS RTL 139 139.4 138 138 138 138 107830 14880540 -0 PHIL SEVEN CORP SSI GROUP 2.51 2.53 2.53 2.54 2.48 2.51 1391000 3488860 -227610 WILCON DEPOT 16.7 16.78 16.8 16.88 16.66 16.78 307400 5161722 471126 0.58 0.59 0.6 0.61 0.59 0.59 7510000 4462210 -1190000 APC GROUP 9.24 9.26 8.9 9.26 8.9 9.24 82300 752685 EASYCALL GOLDEN BRIA 430 440 430 440 430 440 430 187600 0.52 0.53 0.52 0.53 0.51 0.53 5666000 2947980 -16640 PRMIERE HORIZON 9.19 9.27 9.2 9.2 9.2 9.2 2400 22080 SBS PHIL CORP MINING & OIL ATOK 11.8 12.6 12.64 12.64 12.6 12.6 9100 114668 1.13 1.14 1.13 1.15 1.13 1.14 973000 1111060 -278619.9999 APEX MINING 0.0016 0.0017 0.0017 0.0017 0.0017 0.0017 10000000 17000 ABRA MINING ATLAS MINING 2.51 2.52 2.51 2.51 2.51 2.51 96000 240960 BENGUET B 1.13 1.31 1.13 1.13 1.13 1.13 2000 2260 -2260 2.6 2.61 2.6 2.64 2.6 2.6 711000 1857840 26000 CENTURY PEAK 1.73 1.74 1.7 1.75 1.7 1.74 27517000 47627000 FERRONICKEL GEOGRACE 0.204 0.215 0.213 0.217 0.204 0.215 930000 191360 LEPANTO A 0.106 0.107 0.106 0.106 0.106 0.106 150000 15900 0.0097 0.0098 0.0096 0.0097 0.0096 0.0097 11000000 105800 MANILA MINING A MARCVENTURES 1.1 1.14 1.11 1.14 1.1 1.14 64000 71040 3300 NIHAO 1.01 1.05 1.04 1.07 1.01 1.05 334000 342910 NICKEL ASIA 4.14 4.15 4.09 4.22 4.09 4.14 8268000 34426100 -7219100 0.475 0.5 0.475 0.48 0.475 0.48 60000 28600 OMICO CORP ORNTL PENINSULA 0.85 0.9 0.85 0.9 0.85 0.85 197000 167650 PX MINING 3.67 3.7 3.65 3.7 3.65 3.7 1041000 3829100 -961900 22.9 22.95 23 23 22.7 22.9 1370600 31384050 -9076700 SEMIRARA MINING 0.0061 0.0064 0.0061 0.0064 0.0061 0.0062 4000000 24800 UNITED PARAGON ORNTL PETROL A 0.011 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 0.012 6800000 81600 PHILODRILL 0.011 0.012 0.011 0.011 0.011 0.011 24800000 272800 10.48 10.5 9.8 10.54 9.75 10.5 3433700 35086903 -236526 PHINMA PETRO 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.88 12.26 12.3 1595500 20065702 3259056 PXP ENERGY PREFFERED HOUSE PREF A 97.1 98.25 98.25 98.25 98 98.25 520 51057.5 502 509 509 509 502 502 70 35280 AC PREF B1 DD PREF 100.3 100.8 100.3 100.3 100.3 100.3 20 2006 FGEN PREF G 107.5 110 109 109 109 109 341510 37224590 LR PREF 0.99 1 0.99 0.99 0.99 0.99 565000 559350 101 101.4 101.4 101.4 101.4 101.4 300 30420 MWIDE PREF PNX PREF 3A 101 102 102 102 102 102 1000 102000 PNX PREF 3B 106 108 108 108 108 108 1000 108000 PCOR PREF 3A 1023 1049 1040 1050 1040 1050 415 434540 1065 1079 1079 1079 1079 1079 5 5395 PCOR PREF 3B SMC PREF 2C 77.7 78.25 77.65 77.65 77.65 77.65 5250 407662.5 SMC PREF 2F 76.05 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 76.5 5000 382500 SMC PREF 2G 75.9 77.45 75.9 75.9 75.9 75.9 5000 379500 75.75 76 75.7 75.7 75.7 75.7 11500 870550 SMC PREF 2H SMC PREF 2I 75.7 76.6 76 76 75.65 75.65 161380 12208880 PHIL. DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ABS HLDG PDR

17.64

17.9

17.8

17.4

17.64

48100

848972

WARRANTS LR WARRANT

1.54

SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

ITALPINAS 6.36 KEPWEALTH 11.38 0.9 XURPAS

1.64

1000

1640

6.44 11.4 0.91

6.34 10.28 0.89

6.48 11.52 0.9

6.31 10.28 0.89

6.44 11.4 0.9

149200 3625500 1051000

949385 39849526 940290

27306 -81700 -

EXHANGE TRADE FUNDS FIRST METRO ETF

117.2

-813692

117.5

116.8

117.6

116.5

117.5

2390

280058

www.businessmirror.com.ph

SBPL’s 500 MW coal-fired plant to switch on Tuesday

By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

AN Buenaventura Power Ltd. (SBPL) will “switch on” its 500-megawatt (MW) supercritical coal-fired power plant in Mauban, Quezon, on Tuesday, injecting the much additional capacity needed in the Luzon grid. SBPL, a partnership between Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGen) and New Growth BV, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Electricity Generating Public Co. Ltd. (Egco Group) of Thailand, will supply power for 20 years to Meralco, which is Metro Manila’s only electric distributor and holds the power distribution franchise for 22 cities and 89 municipalities. “SBPL’s 500 MW will prove to be a significant contributor for Meralco to fulfill its mandate to

provide adequate, reliable supply of electricity at the least cost,” said Meralco Vice President and Head of Regulatory Management Atty. Jose Ronald Valles. SBPL’s incoming capacity will prove critical in the coming months, particularly in light of the scheduled maintenance shutdowns of Luzon’s biggest power generation suppliers. Ilijan unit 1 (600 MW) is on planned maintenance for 13 days from October 3 to 15. Also, its capac-

ity will be curtailed from October 16 to 18, 2019. Sual 2 (647 MW) is also slated to shut down for 30 days from October 19 to November 17, 2019. San Lorenzo Module 50 (250 MW) is scheduled to go on maintenance for five days on October 26 to 30, 2019. Masinloc 2 (344 MW ) will also be on scheduled outage for 35 days, beginning October 30 to December 4, 2019. The country’s biggest natural gas facility, Malampaya, will not supply fuel to generation facilities from October 12 until October 15, 2019. Malampaya supplies more than 40 percent of Meralco’s power requirement, and provides natural gas fuel for Santa Rita, San Lorenzo, Ilijan, San Gabriel and Avion. SBPL’s commercial operation date was targeted at September 15, 2019, but was deferred due to questions raised by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) on SBPL’s utilization of water rights. The ERC eventually issued a PAO,

or a provisional authority to operate SBPL’s power plant. “On September 23, ERC received from NWRB [National Water Resources Board] its explanation. ERC lost no time and, hence, on September 24, the PAO was issued to SBPL,” ERC’s Chief Agnes Devanadera said. ERC said SBPL submitted incomplete requirements, the most important of which was the Conditional Water Permit (CWP). This, it added, was issued in the name of Meralco and not under the name of SBPL. “A PAO has to be issued instead of a COC [Certificate of Compliance] in view of the other requirements which must be submitted within a specific period of time,” said ERC. Devanadera said the ERC is mindful of the present supply situation but advised parties to do their share in securing the necessary permits from other agencies. She asked them to be more diligent in their work, and not pass on to ERC the burden of having to divine the documents that they submit.

Napocor seeks ERC’s approval to collect ₧18.5-B UCME in 2020 Continued on B2

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK Last week

SHARE prices rebounded last week after two companies made their debut at the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), but volume of trade was still low. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) gained 145.94 points to close at 7,849.94 points. “We saw average trading volumes with turnover value at P36.54 billion, although trading volumes would have still come in below average as a big chunk of trading was in the two new listed companies,” Christopher Mangun, research head at AAA Securities Inc., said. Coconut manufacturer Axelum Resources Corp. and Villar-led AllHome Corp. made their maiden listing at the PSE last week, on Monday and on Thursday, respectively. Foreign investors were net buyers at P3.1 billion, but most of the trades for the week were done by the foreigners, and local investors just sit on the sidelines, Mangun said. Average value of trade for the week was at P4.96 billion, below the year-to-date average of P6.4 billion. “Foreigners repositioned themselves this week as we start the fourth quarter. Most companies are at very low support levels and investors are betting on companies that they expect to perform in the next few months,” Mangun said. All other subindices ended on the green. The broader All Shares index gained 65.69 points to 4,741.49 points, the Financials index was higher by 15.58 to 1,821.17, the Industrial index added 200.12 to 10,677.38, the Holding Firms index rose 118.80 to 7,670.38, the Property index climbed 118.78 to 4,129.68, the Services index was up 15.68 to 1,526.32, and the Mining and Oil index soared 335.29 to 9,178.36. For the week, gainers outnumbered losers 117 to 95, and 37 shares were unchanged. Top gainers for the week were Phinma Petroleum and Geothermal Inc., Kepwealth Property Phils. Inc., Bright Kindle Resources and Investments Inc., LBC Express Holdings Inc., Prime Media Holdings Inc. and Manila Mining Corp. B. Top losers, on the other hand, were IPM Holdings Inc., Synergy Grid and Development Philippines Inc., Omico Corp., Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corp., Boulevard Holdings Inc. and Nihao Mineral Resources International Inc.

This week

Trading may remain lackluster this week as many analysts are now pessimistic if the main index can continue its rally over the next few weeks. “Moves next week would likely be swayed by any developments in Trump and the Chinese Vice Premier’s meeting soon. Resistance is only a few points away at the 7,900-8,000 mark, or the 200-day moving average to the psychological round number,” Gabriel Jose F. Perez of Papa Securities Inc., said. Mangun, on the other hand, said many investors are only trading on sentiment, the main reason that the main index may not climb as much. “We do not think that the gains [last] week are enough to bring investors completely back into this market. These may be investors [who] are bargain-hunting as most stocks are at incredibly strong support levels,” he said. “We have not talked about fundamentals in the last few months, although economic fundamentals remain extremely strong except for the GDP [gross domestic product], which we believe, will not come in within the government’s target for the end of the year due to the unnecessary rate hikes that we saw last year and the budget impasse earlier this year which restricted government spending,” he said.

Stock picks

Broker Regina Capital and Development Corp. recommended to buy during pullbacks on the stock of JG Summit Holdings Inc. as its technical indicators show some leftover of selling pressure despite closing on the green for five consecutive trading days for the past two weeks. “There is a possibility that the stock will pull back given the lack of bullish push from its indicators,” it said, giving a weekly target for the stock at P70.17 per share. JG Summit shares closed last Friday at P72 apiece. On the other hand, it gave the same recommendation on the stock of Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) after the latter clawed back up to its position above both its short- and long-term moving averages last week. “There is a likelihood that BPI will be trapped in consolidation between P91.50 and P93.25 at least in the near term, as its indicators do not have uniformity in signal and have tapered momentum,” it said. BPI shares closed last week at P92.95 apiece. VG Cabuag

“The proposed basic UCME rate of P0.1920 per kWh inclusive of RE cash incentives for 2020 is necessary in order to cover the required subsidy requirements and, at the same time, maintain a reliable and stable funding source for its operating costs requirements, including a sufficient subsidy for payment to new power providers/qualified third parties and RE devel-

mutual funds

opers,” it said in its application. The UCME will be remitted to the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM), another state firm tasked to privatize the assets of Napocor. Napocor has a pending application for provisional approval to collect in 2019 up to P17.805 billion from electricity users, or an increase to P0.1948/kWh in their power consumption. The ERC has yet to act on Napocor’s 2019 UCME application.

October 11, 2019

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 250.39 4.97% -1.59% -0.91% -0.72% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.5055 9.91% 2.86% 0.17% 4.49% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.8682 4.05% -2.91% -2.2% -0.89% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.932 9.36% n.a. n.a. 3.44% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.8503 8.03% n.a. n.a. 3.61% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 5.3187 8.27% -0.11% -0.44% 0.86% 8.58% -4.34% n.a. 2% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,6 0.8534 MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 114.68 2.37% n.a. n.a. -1.28% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 51.0793 10.16% 0.51% n.a. 3.77% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 531.6 10.19% -0.54% -0.46% 3.28% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.2829 6.98% 0.33% 0.71% 2.3% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 37.7939 8.37% 1.23% 0.64% 3.17% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,3 1.0133 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 5.1916 11.43% 1.28% 1.54% 4.69% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 866.74 11.47% 1.17% 1.47% 4.62% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.8909 10.59% -0.11% n.a. 3.59% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 4.2064 9.06% 0.86% 0.73% 3.63% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 0.9957 11.02% 1.09% n.a. 4.34% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.6596 10.5% 2.56% 2% 4.54% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c,2 116.2138 11.7% 1.93% 2.5% 4.94% ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.9404 -1.97% 0.91% -1.14% 1.22% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.2657 0.22% 6.63% n.a. 14.52% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.5973 0.07% -3.52% -3.55% -3.26% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.2505 5.28% -1.29% -0.53% 1.87% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6198 7.97% 0.32% -1.6% 3.02% First Metro Save and Learn F.O.C.C.U.S. Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a,8 0.2298 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Grepalife Balanced Fund Corporation -a 1.335 5.22% n.a. n.a. 2.35% NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9485 9.33% 1.14% 0.97% 5.72% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.7526 11.38% -0.16% 0.14% 6.33% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 16.8235 11.07% -0.05% 0.07% 5.76% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.1292 6.55% 0.54% 1% 2.9% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.8445 8.95% 0.84% 0.62% 5.29% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d,4 1.0094 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d,4 0.9933 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d,4 0.99 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.9747 8.49% 0.39% 0.04% 5.75% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03863 11.49% 2.45% 2.5% 9.43% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -a $0.9755 3.17% 1.28% -0.24% 6.76% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.7127 2.93% 5.01% 3.18% 12.21% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a $1.1024 4.13% 2.95% n.a. 9.15% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 355.01 3.97% 2.35% 2.29% 3.36% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a, 1 1.9185 3.22% 0.22% -0.04% 3.19% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.0883 5.03% 5.26% 5.24% 3.77% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.2111 4.44% 1.52% 2% 3.85% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.3359 5.57% 1.53% 1.52% 5.93% Grepalife Fixed Income Fund Corp. -a P 1.6088 2.21% -0.67% 0.13% 2.84% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.308 13.85% 0.98% 1.69% 9.9% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.7464 8.43% 1.9% 1.56% 6.52% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 0.9515 8.97% -0.01% n.a. 6.77% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.0342 10.23% 2.83% 2.55% 9.7% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.6777 9.6% 2.23% 2.1% 8.95% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $466.01 4.56% 2.02% 2.88% 3.93% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є220.38 3.39% 1.39% 1.52% 3.63% 7.52% 2.24% 2.57% 6.97% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.2042 First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0259 4.44% 1.19% 1.62% 4.44% Grepalife Dollar Bond Fund Corp. -a $1.716 1.67% -1.6% 0.51% 1.53% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -a $1.1039 7.98% 0.1% -1.02% 6.52% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.4188 13.27% 2.09% 3.59% 11.42% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0602976 6.06% 2.02% 2.13% 5.79% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1799 10.64% 1.47% 3.07% 10.72% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 124.87 4.16% 2.67% 2.1% 3.3% 1.0237 n.a. n.a. n.a. First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a,5 n.a. Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.2407 5.91% 2.33% 1.47% 4.98% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2564 3.88% 2.81% 2.21% 3.05% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0335 2.19% n.a. n.a. 1.73% 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 - Adjusted due to cash dividend issuance last January 29, 2018. 2 - Adjusted due to stock dividend issuance last June 5, 2018. 3 Launch date is January 3, 2019. 4 - Launch date is January 28, 2019. 5 - Launch date is February 1, 2019. 6 - Renaming was approved by the SEC last October 12, 2018 (formerly, One Wealthy Nation Fund, Inc.). 7 - Launch date is August 1, 2019. 8 - Launch date is September 28, 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."

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Banking&Finance BusinessMirror

Robinsons Bank tapping MultiSys to boost digital security, hasten automation

Weather index-based crop insurance pitched for farms By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

EATHER-based crop insurance will help release assistance for disaster-affected farmers “with less argument,” according to House Deputy Majority Leader Las Piñas Rep. Camille A. Villar.

Robinsons Bank Corp. President and CEO Elfren Antonio S. Sarte (left) and MultiSys Technologies Corp. Founder and CEO David L. Almirol Jr. shake hands to seal the two firms’ agreement on digital security.

ultisys Technologies Corp. recently sealed a partnership with JG Summit Holdings’ financial services arm “to develop an advanced software solution that will strengthen the bank’s data security and streamline operations through automation,” Robinsons Bank Corp said. A statement said MultiSys is set to create a digital Operational Risk Management System (ORMS) for the commercial bank. “This is in line with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s mandate, which requires all supervised financial institutions to adopt an effective risk management system to ensure healthy and safe operations,” Robinsons Bank said. The ORMS will further secure data and automate the operational and other risk management tools of the bank to promote a more effective and compliant enterprise-wide risk management system. According to Robinsons Bank President and CEO Elfren Antonio S. Sarte, companies in the banking and finance industry need to speed

up their efforts on digitalization to improve business operations and meet the evolving needs of Filipino consumers.1 Sarte added he sees the partnership as bringing the bank “a step further in our digital transformation journey as the ORMS will enable us to counteract internal and external risks systematically.” “Through its expertise in innovative digital solutions, MultiSys will help improve our internal operations in order for us to better serve our clients in this ever-evolving digital age,” Sarte was quoted in the statement as saying. With this partnership, MultiSys promotes technology adoption and data security in the Philippine banking and finance industry. “The ORMS will not only ensure data security, but it will also help the company [Robinsons Bank] prepare and avoid risks that will negatively affect its business and consumers,” MultiSys President and CEO David L. Almirol Jr. was quoted in the statement as saying.

Monday, October 14, 2019 B3

Villar is proposing that crop insurance extended to agriculture sector should be based on weather conditions, such as rainfall, typhoon or drought. This was the main reason for her to file House Bill 3310 or the Free Index-Based Agriculture Insurance (Fibai) Act of 2019. “Weather index-based crop insurance or Wibci, is a unique insurance product based on the occurrence of breach of a weather-based parameter,

which serves as legal proof of the occurrence of extremely adverse weather conditions and proxy for the expected crop damage,” Villar said. The lawmaker hopes that through the bill, the government will be able to expand the coverage and mandate of the Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC). Apart from weather-based insurance, the bill also supports reinsurance to provide a second layer of protection to help the originating

insurance providers in absorbing shocks from disasters and spreading out their risks. This enables originating insurance providers with predictable financial relief, greater capacity to insure more and more farmer clients and strengthen societal resilience. She said the program will require around P5.8 billion per year to be initially sourced from the Risk Management Fund (unprogrammed appropriations) to potentially cover the premiums for 2.8 million hectares of rice lands. “To effectively reach and serve more of the country’s 5 million smallhold farmers, provide them with greater resiliency, there is a need for the country to involve the private sector and adopt a more relevant strategy and also safeguard the food security of the broader rural population,” the young House leader said. From 2013 up to 2017, Villar said Congress has appropriated an average of P1.55 billion annually to subsidize PCIC insurance premiums of

up to 600,000 hectares of rice farms nationwide. However, Villar said out of almost P380 billion in palay production in 2014, the PCIC only insured around P12.2 billion, representing roughly 3 percent of potential insurable value. She added that majority of small farmers were uninsured because of the inadequate resource base and outreach of the PCIC. “Weather Index-based Crop Insurance or Wibci has become a very popular mode of providing risk transfer on the part of millions of farmers in a growing number of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America,” Villar said. The lawmaker pointed out that the country has around 5.5 million small-hold farms nationwide. Majority of them are in Luzon, Mindanao, Negros and Panay Islands, and the Mimaropa island group. Around 2.4 million farmers are into rice production, each tilling an average of 1.14 hectares or a total rice area of 2.88 million hectares.

Looming rate cut, foreign inflows, belie weakness in Korea bonds

UGE foreign inflows into South Korean bonds belie returns that are among the lowest in Asia—and an expected interest rate cut by the central bank may not be enough to change the picture anytime soon. Despite a consumer price index that’s dropped below zero, most economists see the Bank of Korea (BOK) standing pat after a likely reduction in benchmark borrowing costs on Wednesday. While overseas investors in Korean bonds are boosting profits with exchange-rate hedging, local currency returns on the nation’s debt rank near the bottom of 46 sovereign markets tracked by Bloomberg. Even with deepening

disinflationary pressures, yields on 10-year Korean yields have fallen at half the pace of those for US Treasuries this year. Swaps suggest that the BOK will lower its policy rate twice from 1.5 percent in the coming year, adding to a reduction in July. That is less aggressive than the Federal Reserve, with overnight-index swaps pointing to at least two more cuts following two reductions so far this year. “The US typically moves in a wide range when it’s cutting or hiking rates, while Bank of Korea looks like it’s walking on eggshells,” Cho Yong-gu, a fixed-income strategist at Shinyoung Securities Co., citing the economy’s vulnerability to external shocks said. “The BOK tends to be

more conservative than others like the central banks of Australia and New Zealand.” Korean debt may start to catch up with moves in Treasury yields early next year, but for now it is also being held up by an excess of supply, according to Lee Mi Seon, an analyst at Hana Financial Investment Co. “The government plans to issue more bonds later this year and local funds seem reluctant to buy more debt as they’ve filled most of their allocations already,” she said. Spending plans for next year may see the government issue as much as 130.6 trillion won ($110 billion) in bonds. To be sure, the central bank emphasizes that borrowing costs

are already accommodative, and a 25 basis points cut would match a previous record low. Even as the US-China trade war weighs on Korean exports and inflation shows no signs of returning to the BOK’s 2-percent target, officials can point to signs that the situation will improve. The 0.4 percent drop in prices in September, partly reflects the base impact of a spike last year, and the nation’s corporate champion, Samsung Electronics Co., reported earnings this month that beat estimates as demand picked up for smartphones. “If an economic rebound is confirmed, October may end up as the last rate cut,” said Shinyoung Securities’ Cho. Bloomberg News

LandBank’s role in growth Focus on value and performance first–not tech of Sarangani co-op cited Perspectives

EW roadblocks continue to appear as companies race toward greater “Industry four-point-zero,” or i4.0, competence. Many are still blinded by the technology. They fail to focus on opportunities to enhance performance and value across the entire spectrum of the value chain. Real interconnectedness can only be attained through a cross-functional approach, with new value opportunities explicitly identified. We use cross functional teams and a performance and value-based approach to defining the i4.0 road map. This helps companies focus on the appropriate scalable initiatives en route to a more connected environment. The critical component, however, is that strategy and businessrelated questions are answered before the technology questions. “We see a marked difference when companies engage us with strategic business transformation objectives [versus one-off implementations] in mind. They are knowledgeable about the benefits of enterprise interconnectivity, decisive about their digital requirements, clear about the strategic value they are pursuing and understand the urgency to act in order to seize opportunities and/or mitigate risks,” says Howard Heppelmann, vice-president and general manager, connected operations, at leading industrial IoT (Internet of Things) software provider PTC Inc. “Their confidence is a direct reflection of the mandate and support they are receiving from top leadership.” Unfortunately, many companies launch i4.0 initiatives aligned around a specific technology—augmented reality or digital twinning, for example—rather than as a component of an integrated plan or road map. Diverse projects or use cases are simultaneously conducted—but rarely aligned. This picture is complicated by the traditional organizational structure in which projects are

managed within separate functional groups. Ultimately, these businesses are working backwards. Yes, analytics tools will deliver new customer insights. Digital twinning may improve design and performance. Robotics and machine-to-machine capabilities can accelerate production. So your factory might run a bit more smoothly. Costs could decline. Customer satisfaction may rise. But maximizing i4.0 value hinges on interconnected technologies whose vast capabilities are integrated at a product and value-chain level. “If you are like many companies with isolated or technology-led i4.0 initiatives already in play, it is time to take stock, evaluate the results from your efforts to date and engage the C-suite to pursue a more strategic vision that includes performance and value creation,” says Michele Hendricks, executive director for global i4.0, KPMG in the United States. “Avoid analog thinking in a digital world,” warns Philip Harris, associate partner and i4.0 country leader, KPMG in the United Kingdom. “Functional silos are the historical legacy of a time when we kept things simple so that we could make decisions in our heads. Now, technology frees us to look broader and further, finding the sweet spot of performance for the organization as a whole.”

The need for speed should be obvious by now

TODAY’S global leaders on transformation have bolted from the starting blocks with a vengeance. Forrester Research is projecting that global purchases of technology software, hardware and services by businesses, and governments will rise by 4 percent this year. Software and tech consulting services spending are expected to show the strongest growth—spending in both categories jumping by more than 6 percent this year alone. That is not surprising, considering the

explosive and sustained growth of the so-called Big 5 technology giants that are among firms and start-ups disrupting every sector. Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft are, combined, worth in excess of $3 trillion. And the disruptors are growing by the day. According to KPMG International’s 2018 Global CEO Outlook survey, meanwhile, just over half of the manufacturing CEOs we surveyed said they are actively looking to disrupt the sector in which they operate. “What surprises me the most is that companies are failing to see the impending disruption that integrated data and IoT is bringing to every industry. Manufacturers large or small are in no way insulated from this disruption,” says Greg Corlis, managing director, advisory and global IoT leader, KPMG in the US. Businesses need to respond now, as we continue to stress to the organizations and leaders we encounter. “The coming decade and beyond is expected to produce a massive realignment in every industry and slower-moving players will become irrelevant on tomorrow’s redefined playing field,” says Martin Saier, manager and i4.0 country leader, KPMG in Germany. “Businesses have no time to lose in their quest to respond to how future value will be derived via i4.0 amid the changing ecosystem of new business models, products and markets,” he adds. “I emphasize with clients the critical need to choose a long-term view that transcends short term, siloed, technology-led gains.”

The excerpt was taken from the KPMG article titled “A Reality Check for Today’s C-suite on Industry 4.0.” © 2019 R.G. Manabat & Co., a Philippine partnership and a member-firm of the KPMG network of independent memberfirms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative, a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. Printed in the Philippines For more information on KPMG in the Philippines, you may visit www.kpmg.com.ph.

and Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) cited its nearly three-decade support to the Pangi Multi Purpose Co-operative (Pamulco) for the growth from a four-employee co-op in Maitum, Sarangani Province, in 1991. “Pamulco began with only P25,000 on hand,” a statement by LandBank said. “Today, operating mainly in Barangay Pangi in Maitum, it has 37 employees on the regular payroll, with 809 total members. It has financed a collective estimate of around 500 hectares for palay and 280 hectares for corn.” “This is on top of its regular agri-trading and consumer store operations that cater to its farmer-members and general public,” the statement said. “All these endeavors came to fruition with the financing it started to avail from LandBank that same year.” LandBank claims that through its “rediscounting line, Pamulco was able to bring interest rates for members’ loans down to 12 percent per annum.” “The bank’s low interest rates for this type of credit facility are contingent upon financial conduits, such as rural banks and cooperatives, like Pamulco, to pass on the same beneficial low interest rates to its eligible borrower members with convenient repayment schedules,” the bank said. “At only 1 percent per month, farmers can easily see the glaring contrast to seeking loans from loan sharks and some local traders who charge 20 percent interest for the same period. Additionally, the coop’s income is given back to farmer members in the form of annual dividends and patronage refunds.” According to the bank, the co-operative was also able to purchase hauling trucks and upgrade its rice mill that can now process 60 bags an hour, a step up from the 20 bags to 25 bags its old machinery used

Pamulco General Manager Ronald C. Briones Sr. inspects the rice quality from the cooperative’s warehouse.

to churn out. LandBank said that last year, Pamulco was able to purchase palay worth P52.42 million, most of which came from Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat. “The co-op also took care of the processing and other post-harvest requirements to market the farmers’ rice,” LandBank said. “The trucks kept raw inventory low and quick-moving, thus avoiding wastage of hard-earned palay.” Pamulco General Manager Ronald C. Briones Sr. was quoted in the statement as attesting LandBank fulfills its mandate.

B4 Monday, October 14, 2019

Visionspring, Asian Eye Institute Partner to provide checkup and eyeglasses to crafts workers

ISIONSpring and Asian Eye Institute partnered up to provide vision screening and reading and prescription eyeglasses to handicraft workers in Parañaque, Laguna, and Pampanga. VisionSpring is an international social enterprise that has distributed over 5.4 million pairs of vision correcting eyeglasses around the world. Over 600 employees of Asia Ceramics Corporation, Terra Cotta Art Works, Inc., Anastacio’s Ceramics, and Basket

and Weaves Handicrafts underwent eye checkups.502 or 78% of them were provided prescription and reading glasses, and of the 502, 76% were first-time wearers. Meanwhile, those who had signs of other eye conditions like cataracts and pterygium were advised to see an ophthalmologist for further tests and treatment. “These are actually very high numbers,” shares Asian Eye Chief Operating Officer Mr. Alwin Sta. Rosa says, “A lot of these people didn’t want to get their eyes

checked. They thought that they didn’t need it or that eye checkup was only important for older people. Our partnership with VisionSpring is driven by our mission to help Filipino workers enjoy happy and productive lives. It is important to realize that having a clear, healthy vision is crucial to our daily lives because it allows us to work and care for our families.” Apart from eye checkups and quality eyeglasses, Asian Eye’s medical team also took the opportunity to teach the handicraft workers about different eye problems and proper eye care. “Many Filipinos don’t realize they have an eye condition until they feel pain or lose their vision. Through these efforts, we can show them how having clear, healthy vision can ensure they can continue making handicrafts like houseware, pottery, and baskets to provide the needs of their family members,” says Sta. Rosa. The partnership is part of the two companies’ program to help Filipino workers enjoy happy and productive lives. Asian Eye, a provider of quality eye service, is also the country’s largest ambulatory eye institute. VisionSpring is a pioneering, global social enterprise creating access to affordable eyewear, everywhere. It sells radically affordable, durable, attractive eyeglasses to consumers earning less than $4 per day.

Republic Cement Hosts Lusog Tibay Medical Mission in Brgy Rosario, Pasig

O support the health and wellness of Barangay Rosario, Pasig City, Republic Cement Services, Inc. (Republic Cement), in partnership with Dee Concrete Inc, hosted the Lusog Tibay Health Day, a medical mission for over 200 community members on September 28. This initiative is in line with Republic Cement’s mission to build stronger communities through ensuring the safety, health, and wellness of its community members. The community was represented by former Councilor Shalani Romulo, representing Lone District of Pasig Representative Roman Rumulo, and Barangay Captain Aquilino De La Cruz. Representatives from Republic Cement included Vice President for Commercial PV Aquino and Segment Sales Manager James Yuan. During the medical mission, community members of all ages received

general medical check-ups, including blood pressure checks, ECGs, and x-rays, alongside mother and child care consultations. Dee Concrete Inc. President & Owner Ellie Dee expressed her support to the day’s activities. “If cement and concrete is what brings strength to a nation through stronger homes and structures, health and family is what brings strength to our communities. Dee Concrete Inc. is proud to be a part of the Lusog Tibay Health Day.” For the past 60 years, Republic Cement has been a close partner in the Philippines’ transformation story. Vice President PV Aquino shares, “It is in our DNA to build stronger communities through sincere concern for the health, safety, and welfare of our Filipino brothers and sisters. We are committed to playing our part as a nationbuilder and ultimately building a stronger Republic for all.”

Sheraton Manila Launches Plant-based Dishes for an Immense Awareness to Sustainability

By Stephanie Joy Ching

HERATON Manila Hotel introduces a holistic approach to sustainable dining this September during the first Philippine Sustainable Month. With the launch of their 300-sqm Sheraton Farm in partnership with Nurture Farmacy, they are expanding the farm-to-table dining concept and its positive impact on health, environment and the community. Starting September 15, comfort dishes in their menu get a sustainable transformation with the use of plant-based meat alternatives. SUSTAINABLE FOR THE HEALTH

PLANT-BASED alternatives have been slowly entering the Philippine market, much of this is caused by the growing demand for healthier options. Sheraton Manila not only wants to cater to the demand, but to also lead an advocacy of mindful eating. Sourced from Nurture Farmacy, the plant-based meat alternatives are made from soy protein. They contain no cholesterol and low amounts of saturated fat. It is also high in nutrients to support the immune system and energy production.

Sheraton Manila incorporates this plantbased protein into familiar dishes across their outlets. “We want to eliminate the stigma that healthy eating, or vegetables, are dull. So we go back to basics, switching meat on well-loved foods to plant-based but still with the same enticing flavors,” says Executive Chef Kiko Santiago. Available for a la carte in both their S Kitchen and in-room dining, there are six varieties to choose from. First is Vegan Brownie with Caramelized Popcorn, Php 360

OFFICIAL OPENING AND TURNOVER OF THE SHERATON FARM BY (L-R) Sheraton Executive Chef Kiko Santiago, Sheraton’s Director of Operations Brendan Mahoney, Sheraton’s General Manager Cathy Turvill, Nurture Farmacy’s Owner Cathy Turvill, Nurture Farmacy’s Sustainability Consultant Robert Pescoe, Philippine Sustainability Month Head Christian Schmidradner

a hearty salad using kale, the most nutrientdense vegetable, with plant-based longganisa in tomato salsa. To appeal to the mainstream appetite, the chefs also turned local signatures like sinigang, pancit bihon and embutido into absolutely meat-free dishes. The Indonesian dish, Beef Rendang, gets a plant-based twist too. There is also something for kids like spaghetti with dairy-free daiya cheese. For a guilt-free dessert, their classic cheesecake uses stevia, Plant-based “Beef” Wraps

a plant-based sweetener that has no calories. They also have Vegan Brownie, topped with caramelized popcorn, that is flourless, eggless and dairy free. While majority may think eating healthy is expensive, the hotel made these dishes affordable and good for sharing; appetizers start at Php 360 and entrees at Php 640 to Php 690 only. Over at the hotel’s The Lounge, they’ve introduced a sustainable way of crafting cocktails paired with plant-based bar chows. Using Arc Lava Rock Vodka made from multiple locallysourced botanicals, this cocktail collection has minimal to zero waste by infusing the peeled citruses into the drink. With a nature-inspired presentation, these concoctions are priced from Php 495 to Php 575. Pair these handcrafted mixes with all-vegetable options like plantbased wraps and crispy kale chips, with Korean breading and plant-based longganisa salsa for Php 480.

Plant-based Tacos

Plant-based Embutido with chopseuy, Php 680

Crispy Fried Kale with Plant-based Longganisa-Tomato Salad, Php 360 Kale Salad with Lemon-Basil Dressing, Php 380

Plant-based “Beef” Sinigang (served with rice), Php 675

SHERATON FARM, a 300-sqm exclusive land patterned to their brand logo

SUSTAINABLE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

THIS initiative also shines a light on the severe environmental impact of industrial and animal agriculture, so Sheraton Manila wants to move the spotlight back to vegetable farming. Not known to many, industrial agriculture is a large contributor to climate change because of its greenhouse gas emissions, massive production of waste and pollution, and is a huge cause of deforestation. To raise awareness, the partnership of Sheraton Manila with Nurture Farmacy encourages their guests to immerse in nature with day tours and visits to their farm.

SUSTAINABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY

SHERATON Manila views sustainability beyond food intake. By supporting the local produce of farmers here in Amadeo, Tagaytay, it also opens opportunities for local talent to progress. The hotel wants to invest in initiatives that would engage each community, one at a time. “We believe this is just the start of the many things we can still build on, in relation to sustainability. We plan to create more projects to support the talent and produce here in Nurture Farmacy, and bring them to our luxury platform in our hotel,” says Anna Vegara, General Manager. These plant-based offers are available starting September 15 until end of October, however, the hotel is considering to make it menu staples as they continue to progress their culinary spread. For more information or reservations, please call (632) 902-1800 or follow @sheratonmanila on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Sports

| Monday, October 14, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

BusinessMirror

NBA-CHINA CRISIS:

NATIONALISM OVER FANDOM B

publishes a newsletter about China called Sinocism, appeared to defend the decision to keep the teams quiet by asking on Twitter “what can they or their players say that won’t make things worse on either side?” That was a sentiment some shared in the US, as well. Golden State’s Draymond Green said it wouldn’t be wise for him to comment on specifics of the China-Hong Kong matter because he did not understand every nuance, a stance that Warriors Coach Steve Kerr also expressed in recent days. “I think it would be naive of me to say, ‘Oh, I think it’ll all be fine and blow over,’” Roberts said. “I wish I could say that with some confidence, but I can’t. It certainly stunned me that the government would take the position that it took. Having said that, the one thing I don’t allow myself to forget is the Chinese people love basketball. They absolutely love basketball.” This rift involving China and the NBA began October 4, when Morey tweeted an image that said “Fight For Freedom. Stand With Hong Kong.” Chinese officials—and, apparently, even former Rockets star Yao Ming—took offense to Morey using

Twitter to express support for anti-government protesters. Yao is now the president of the Chinese Basketball Association, which suspended its ties to the Rockets over the tweet. Events in China promoting the Lakers-Nets series were canceled, NBA media partner Tencent said it was evaluating its plans to cover the league, and China state broadcaster CCTV did not air either preseason game— despite the fact they would have likely drawn massive viewership in the basketball-crazed country. Other Chinese corporations suspended their relationships, at least for now, with the NBA as well as part of the fallout. The NBA is not the first major corporation to deal with criticism from China over political differences. Mercedes-Benz, Delta Air Lines, hotel operator Marriott, fashion brand Zara and others also have found themselves in conflicts with China in recent years. In most cases, those firms snuffed out the issues with an apology. The NBA has not gone that route, instead supporting Morey’s right to expression. AP

By Yanan Wang

The Associated Press

EIJING—When Wu Xintong’s favorite team, the Los Angeles Lakers, played the Brooklyn Nets in Shanghai, on Thursday, she broke a viewing streak of more than 10 years and deliberately missed the game. Until recently, the 20-year-old student in northern Hebei province had followed her idol, Kobe Bryant, religiously. She meticulously recorded in a notebook the details of every Lakers performance, down to the time stamps of certain players’ moves. By her own accounting, two-thirds of her closet is filled with Lakers jerseys, and other purple and gold apparel, not to mention the Lakers mugs, stickers and cellphone cases she keeps in a box. But then Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey tweeted last week in support of anti-government protests in Hong Kong, and everything changed for fans like Wu. A new chant flooded Chinese sports forums: “I can live without basketball, but I can’t live without my motherland.” The burst of patriotic fervor—buoyed by Chinese companies swiftly suspending their National Basketball Association (NBA) partnerships—came on the heels of a grand celebration marking 70 years of Communist Party rule in China. President Xi Jinping, the country’s most powerful leader in decades, has rallied the populace around the promise of a Chinese Dream and national rejuvenation, a stronger domestic economy paired with global influence to rival that of the US. It is a vision increasingly trumpeted by ordinary Chinese people, who have found solidarity amid a protracted trade war and Hong Kong democracy movement, crises that the government has portrayed as deliberate bids to contain China’s inevitable development. On China’s National Day, as audiences across the country tuned in for a military parade that showed off long-range missiles and a nuclear-armed glider, black-clad demonstrators in Hong Kong were burning the national flag and defacing photographs of Xi. The government has depicted the mass prodemocracy protests, which began peacefully in June, but have grown increasingly violent, as fringe riots led by foreign-influenced separatists bent on destroying the

A WOMAN wearing a mask stands near promotion boards for the preseason game between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers as fans take pictures of the Lakers’ Dwight Howard in China. AP

semiautonomous Chinese city. This narrative has largely succeeded on the mainland, where Internet memes deride the protesters as “trash youth” and refer to Hong Kong as China’s “high-maintenance girlfriend.” After NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he supported Morey’s right to free speech, angry online nationalists set their targets on the basketball league. “You eat at our house and then spit in our food,” said commenters on the Twitter-like Weibo platform, referring to the NBA’s multibillion-dollar ties to China. The NBA controversy may have been the most highprofile, but it was far from the only debacle to involve an

American corporation offending the ruling Communist Party’s political sensibilities within the same span of days. Apple and jeweler Tiffany & Co. suffered immediate censure for appearing to support the Hong Kong protests, video-game giant Activision Blizzard punished a highranked gamer for shouting Hong Kong protest slogans during a Web cast, and “South Park” published a tonguein-cheek apology for an episode about US corporations succumbing to Chinese censorship. On online forums and Weibo, Web users reveled in the power of the Chinese consumer. One circulated image depicted Morey as a cartoon character lying

They came, they played, they left (quietly)

awake at night, sleepless after squandering the Chinese market. “The outpouring of anger from Chinese Internet users appears to be real rather than manufactured, with hardly any sign of dissent,” said Jessica Chen Weiss, a Cornell University professor who studies Chinese nationalism. “But this chorus of outrage also reflects how effective the Chinese government’s messaging and propaganda have been at fanning popular nationalism, depicting the Hong Kong protests as an illegitimate separatist movement, and framing the ongoing trade and tech war as a national struggle against foreign aggression.”

The outrage coincides with a swell of patriotism from the National Holiday at the start of this month. Nationwide, flags handed out by the government festooned shop entrances and residential buildings. As homework for the weeklong holiday, elementary schoolchildren were assigned to take a photo of themselves standing beside a flag, as well as to write poems about their feelings toward the motherland. A film called My People, My Country depicted seven pivotal moments in the history of the People’s Republic, featuring major stars as a fighter jet pilot, an atom bomb scientist, a taxi driver and others who have played roles in China’s development. Many Chinese people said they couldn’t stop humming the movie’s theme, sung by pop idol Faye Wong and played on a loop in many public venues. Historical events covered in My People, My Country included the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, and the 1997 handover, when Hong Kong was returned to China from British rule. “No force can stop the progress of the Chinese people,” Xi said in a televised speech on National Day. In a country where criticizing the Communist Party invites censorship and even arrest, expressions of love for the nation are a safer and more straightforward bet. “Online nationalism is an outcome of patriotic education efforts: identification with the Chinese nation has become part of many people’s identities, as have the stories of national humiliation at the hands of foreign imperialists and the recent rise to glory,” said Florian Schneider, director of the Leiden Asia Centre in the Netherlands. Schneider added, however, that much like angry online commentary elsewhere in the world, Chinese nationalist sentiments can rapidly fade as people lose steam or other topics vie for their attention. Fans and companies’ eagerness to attack and dismiss the NBA has not gone unquestioned in China. Some online commentators, including the editor in chief of the nationalistic Global Times, challenged the fruitfulness of completely disassociating from the NBA. “Ending cooperation with the NBA does not have to become a kind of trend,” said Hu Xijin, who, in a separate commentary, called patriotism one of China’s greatest resources. JC Wang, a 23-year-old sports microblogger in central Henan province, said he hopes young people won’t blindly harass Chinese fans and NBA players in the name of patriotism, though he also feels that Morey and the NBA should apologize. “For a large number of Chinese basketball fans, NBA is already an indispensable part of life,” Wang said. Then he echoed a conviction expressed by many online: “I love basketball and the NBA, but I also know why I can comfortably lie in bed at home and watch the NBA in the first place.” In other words, without China’s economic progress, opportunities to enjoy such leisure activities wouldn’t even be available. This week, the Communist Party has proven that it can just as swiftly take these luxuries away. While the preseason Shanghai game between the Lakers and Nets went ahead as scheduled, it was not broadcast online or aired on state television. No Chinese media outlets reported on the game. “If no one else around me is watching, [NBA fandom] may just become something that never happened,” Wang said.

HE Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets are heading home from China, their roles as unwitting participants in a geopolitical drama that neither team had any role in starting or escalating now over. The Nets beat the Lakers, 91-77, in Shenzhen, China, on Saturday, capping a two-game preseason series in China that was overshadowed by the fallout from a tweet on the protests in the country about Hong Kong by Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey. The league has played preseason games in China every year since 2007, with the exception of the lockoutshortened season in 2011. Now it’s unclear if the fractured relationship can be mended for the series to continue next year. “The guys went over there to play and they don’t want to let those fans down that want to see them play,” National Basketball Players Association Executive Director Michele

Roberts said in an interview from New York between the two games. “It’s totally not what anyone expected, but they were there and prepared to play.” So they played. Saturday’s game had a feel very similar to Thursday in Shanghai, when Chinese officials did not permit the teams and National Basketball Association Commissioner Adam Silver to hold pregame or postgame media sessions inside the arena. This time, it was the call of the NBA and the teams to not hold news conferences—a decision made without consulting the Chinese, and it wasn’t clear if government officials would have slapped the same restrictions on the NBA for the matchup in Shenzhen anyway. There were posts on the Chinese microblogging site Weibo suggesting fans boycott the game, though that

apparently did not materialize. Many fans arrived in Shenzhen wearing jerseys, though some taped over the NBA logo in a show of protest. Wang Yiwei, 24, wore a Cleveland Cavaliers jersey with James’s name and number on the back. He applied a Chinese flag sticker over the NBA logo. “I don’t have any opportunity to watch him playing in the United States,” Wang said. “So it would be my oncein-a-lifetime chance to watch his match tonight. The NBA controversy came out right before the match and I have mixed feelings right now.” The NBA and its players have been criticized by both Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the US for playing the games, and for not saying more about China’s human-rights record. Journalist and entrepreneur Bill Bishop, who writes and

Spo

Business

Monday, October 14, 2019

SUB-2 HR MARATHON, BUT IT’S NOT A RECORD

Japan’s rugby team player Jiwon Koo carries teammate James Moore in a flooded walkway at a stadium in Tokyo as the team practices ahead of their match against Scotland on Saturday. Tokyo and surrounding areas braced for a powerful typhoon forecast as the worst in six decades, with streets and trains stations unusually quiet Saturday as rain poured over the city. AP

Ferrari’s Vettel in pole position at Japanese GP

UZUKA, Japan—Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel grabbed pole position at the Japanese Grand Prix (GP) on Sunday in a windy qualifying session that was moved to race day because of the powerful typhoon that hit Japan on Saturday. Vettel secured his first pole position since the Canadian GP in June with a lap of one minute, 27.064 seconds, 0.189 seconds ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc. “It was not easy, the conditions were very different from Friday and we didn’t expect to be on the front row,” Vettel said. “What we had was unbelievable, the car felt light and there was a headwind which is what you like.” Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton were third and fourth, respectively, followed by the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen in fifth and Alexander Albon in sixth.

“We seemed quite strong, but we always knew Ferrari might have something in reserve,” Bottas said. “In Q3 they looked untouchable.” Organizers canceled Saturday’s qualifying session with Typhoon Hagibis set to hit Japan’s main island. At least seven people have died while 15 are missing after the massive typhoon lashed a wide area of the country. Qualifying at Suzuka was also moved to Sunday morning as a result of bad weather in 2004 and 2010. While the track was dry Sunday morning, lingering winds from the typhoon resulted in several crashes early in the morning session. The Williams of Robert Kubica crashed into the wall just two minutes into qualifying bringing out the red flag. Haas driver Kevin Magnussen also crashed early in the session.

Hamilton, who has a commanding 73-point lead over Bottas with five races left, has won here in four of the last five races. If Hamilton is able to win here, he will equal Michael Schumacher’s record for the highest number of wins at the Japanese GP with six. Hamilton won with McLaren in 2007 and with Mercedes in 2014, 2015, 2017 and last year. Vettel has also had success here, winning four times between 2009 and 2013. McLaren driver Carlos Sainz Jr. was seventh followed by teammate Lando Norris. Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly was ninth while Haas driver Romain Grosjean rounded out the top ten. AP

IENNA—Roger Bannister, 1954. Eliud Kipchoge, 2019? Like the sub-four minute mile, running a marathon in less than two hours had seemed impossible—until Saturday. But this time there’s an asterisk: Olympic champion Kipchoge performed his feat under conditions so tightly controlled to maximize his success that it won’t appear in the record books. The 34-year-old Kenyan completed the 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) in one hour, 59 minutes and 40.2 seconds at the Ineos 1:59 Challenge, an event set up for the attempt. Ahead of the event, Kipchoge even compared the feat to being “like the first man on the moon.” Afterward, he drew comparisons to Bannister, the late Briton who, 65 years ago, became the first athlete to run a mile in under four minutes. “It is a great feeling to make history in sport after Sir Roger Bannister,” Kipchoge said. “I am the happiest man in the world to be the first human to run under two hours and I can tell people that no human is limited. I expect more people all over the world to run under two hours after today.” With all variables tailored to his advantage, it was still the full marathon distance but it was no regular marathon race, which means his jaw-dropping finishing time will not be ratified by International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). Different to an ordinary race, event organizers had set a nine-day window to be flexible and stage the run in the best possible weather conditions. Also, Kipchoge was supported throughout his run by 36 pacemakers who accompanied him in alternating groups, with five athletes running ahead of him in a V-shape and two others closely following. Unlike a normal race, a timing car just in front of the pack also helped keep the scheduled pace, and was equipped with a laser beam, projecting the ideal position on the road, parts of which also had painted stripes to indicate the optimum running line. Furthermore, Kipchoge received drinks handed over by a cyclist to prevent him from having to slow down. Even though his attempt was never meant to set an official world record, Kipchoge was understandably

delighted and twice punched his chest in celebration while smiling when he finished. “That was the best moment of my life,” he said, before adding that he trained 4½ months for his extraordinary race against the clock. “The pressure was very big on my shoulders. I got a phone call from the president of Kenya.” In a statement, President Uhuru Kenyatta said: “Hearty congratulations, Eliud Kipchoge. You’ve done it, you’ve made history and made Kenya proud. Your win today will inspire future generations to dream big and aspire to greatness.” Kipchoge said his mission went beyond athletics. “We can make this world a beautiful world and a peaceful world,” he said. “The positivity of sport. I want to make it a clean sport and an interesting sport.” Kipchoge was cheered by thousands along the course in Prater Park and there were celebrations in his home country before he had even finished. Hundreds of joyous Kenyans brought traffic to a standstill in the middle of the capital, Nairobi, as they gathered to watch the end of the run on a large screen. People pumped their fists, clapped and fell to their knees as Kipchoge cruised to the finish line. In Kenya’s running mecca of Eldoret, called the home of champions, hundreds of people burst on to the streets in celebration. “We should line up the entire road from the airport to Nairobi. Receive him like the hero he is,” prominent activist Boniface Mwangi said on Twitter. Running at an average pace of two minutes and 50 seconds per kilometer (around 4:33 per mile), Kipchoge was 11 seconds ahead of schedule halfway through his run. He then maintained his tempo until the pacemakers left him for the final 500 meters, where he sped up. “I was really calm, I was just trying to maintain the pace,” said Kipchoge, adding he was never in doubt about breaking the barrier. “For me it was not 50-50, it was 90 percent.” Jim Ratcliffe, founder of the chemicals company backing the attempt, exchanged highfives with Kipchoge after the finish. “He even accelerated in the final kilometer, he is a superhuman,” Ratcliffe said. “I can’t believe he’s

done it. He did the first half in less than an hour and then he’s just done that again.” Organizers said normal anti-doping regulations were in place, and that Kipchoge and all the pacemakers were being tested in and out of competition by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The team behind the event “has ensured all athletes involved in the project are undergoing extensive intelligence-led testing that has been pioneered by the partnership between Abbott World Marathon Majors and the AIU,” they said in a statement to The Associated Press. The Prater Park in the Austrian capital offered long straights, protected from the wind by high trees, for most of the 9.6-kilometer course, which Kipchoge completed more than 4 times. It was his second attempt at breaking the twohour barrier, after missing out by 26 seconds at a similar event on the Formula One track in Monza, Italy, in May 2017. Kipchoge, who took Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and has won 10 of his 11 marathons, holds the official world record of 2:01:39 since shattering the previous best mark by 78 seconds in Berlin last year. In the near-perfect circumstances at the meticulously planned attempt, Kipchoge shaved almost two minutes off that time. Longtime coach and mentor, Patrick Sang, a former Olympic and world steeplechase silver medalist, said it was “really exciting.” “I am happy for him and what he has achieved. He has inspired all of us that we can stretch our limits and that we can do more than we think we can do,” Sang added. Under Sang’s guidance, Kipchoge won gold in the 5,000 meters at the world championship in 2003, the start of a distinguished track career which includes Olympic bronze and silver medals from 2004 and 2008. After missing out on qualification for the 2012 London Olympics on the track, Kipchoge switched to the marathon and has since been pushing the boundaries of the discipline. But he still faces one big challenge—to run under two hours in a regular marathon race. AP

Dutch wins Tour of Lombardy

OMO, Italy—Dutch cyclist Bauke Mollema produced a solo ride to victory at the end of the Tour of Lombardy on Saturday to claim one of the most important wins of his career. The Trek-Segafredo rider raised his arms over his head as he traveled the finishing straight of the 243-kilometer route from Bergamo to Como, and was in tears after crossing the line. It was Mollema’s first victory in a Monument—cycling’s five hardest and most prestigious one-day races. “To win a Monument, to win this race...,” said Mollema, who also struggled to hold back tears of joy on the top step of the podium as his

national anthem was played. “This is my 11th Lombardia and I only once before finished in the top 10.” Alejandro Valverde edged out Egan Bernal in a sprint for second. The pair were 16 seconds behind Mollema, who set off on his solo attack on the penultimate climb of the Civiglio, with just over 18 kilometers remaining. “I wasn’t the favorite so maybe the other riders underestimated me a bit,” Mollema said. “I found the right moment to attack. I just went full gas in the last 10 kilometers. It’s unreal.” The 32-year-old Mollema won a stage of the Tour de France in 2017. AP

Eliud Kipchoge points to his time after accomplishing a feat done in “customized” conditions. AP

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER RECORD FOR BILES

Biles

New wave of champions set to challenge traditional powers

TUTTGART, Germany—From his back garden to the world championship podium, Rhys McClenaghan has come a long way. McClenaghan became the first gymnast to represent Ireland in a world championship final on Saturday. Winning bronze on the pommel horse made him Ireland’s first medalist. He’s part of a new wave of gymnasts from countries with little history in the sport now challenging the traditional powers. Growing up in Northern Ireland, where athletes can choose to represent either Britain or Ireland at the Olympics, gymnastics was a very niche choice. “When I say I’m creating history, I don’t mean it for myself. I mean it for the whole gymnastics nation in Ireland, and it’s exciting,” McClenaghan said. “Even when I was in school, when I say I’m a gymnast, it’s unheard of. The first question is ‘Why aren’t you doing rugby?’” On Monday, he secured an Olympic spot with his qualifying score. “The future’s big for me,” he said. “I called up

my mom as soon as I heard I was going to the Olympics and I cried like a baby, I really did. That was the childhood dream come true.” As a child, McClenaghan practiced on a pommel horse in his garden. He did that again last year when his local gym ended his coach’s contract, though they stayed together and soon relocated to train in the Irish capital, Dublin. It’s not just Ireland. There’s Turkey, the Philippines, Taiwan and Mexico, too. Around the world, gymnastics is taking hold in new countries ahead of next year’s Olympics. There’s the Philippines, celebrating its first world champion in Carlos Yulo in floor exercise. With gymnastics deep in the shadow of basketball in his country, Yulo had to move to Japan to train. He’s hoping his gold medal will grow the sport back home. “Filipinos, they like basketball, but we’re small,” he joked, suggesting gymnastics was a better fit. Taiwan and Israel both matched their best world championship showings with silver medals

on Saturday. Turkey has gone from also-ran to medal contender thanks to the likes of Ibrahim Colak, who became the country’s first world champion Saturday on rings. “This is our history,” Colak said. “Turkey is coming, just wait.” Turkey could add more medals with two athletes in Sunday’s parallel bars final. The landscape is changing faster in the men’s events than on the women’s side, where traditional powers like the United States, Canada and Russia have a tighter hold on the podium. Still, Belgium’s Nina Derwael won her country’s first world title last year on the uneven bars and retained it Saturday, while Mexico’s Alexa Moreno made history with a bronze medal on the vault in 2018. Qualifying for the Olympics will be a big step for many of gymnastics’ rising powers, but their athletes have shown their ambitions don’t stop there. Even in his country’s first world championship final, McClenaghan thought he could have done better than bronze. AP

Rhys McClenaghan has come a long way as Simone Biles extends her record streak. AP

TUTTGART, Germany—Another day, another record for Simone Biles. In a week where she’s written even more history than she usually does, the US gymnastics star won her 23rd world championship medal on Saturday in vault. That matches the all-time record by any gymnast, male or female—and expect Biles to be back on the podium in two more events Sunday. “I think it’s impressive. Also, I don’t really think of it going into the competition, because I feel that kind of weighs heavy on me,” Biles said. “I just go in, do what I’m supposed to, and whatever the outcome is, I just kind of let it happen.” Biles didn’t need the vault which bears her name to win gold Saturday. Instead of the Biles, which she landed at last year’s worlds, she picked two vaults which are slightly more familiar, though still fearsomely difficult, the Cheng and the Amanar. Still, she hinted the Biles will be back in time for next year’s Olympics in Tokyo. “We haven’t trained [the Biles] that much. It definitely didn’t go, as well as the training last year, but going into the gym we’ll focus a lot more on that vault,” she said. Biles scored 15.399 to win, while US teammate Jade Carey took the silver on 14.883, with Ellie Downie of Britain third on 14.816. By adding another medal to the safe where

Mom stores her awards, Biles matched the mark of 23 medals set by Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo. Biles already broke a tie for the women’s medals record on Tuesday. She still has the chance to overtake Scherbo in Sunday’s balance beam and floor events. The 22-year-old American could have made it 24 in the uneven bars on Saturday, but couldn’t repeat her silver-medal performance from last year and finished fifth. Belgian uneven bars specialist Nina Derwael retained her world title with a score of 15.233, ahead of Britain’s Becky Downie on 15, one of two sisters to win medals Saturday. Sunisa Lee took bronze for the US on 14.8. Biles scored 14.7, finishing by sticking the landing on a dismount with two flips and two twists. The uneven bars has traditionally been her weakest event and was the only one in which she didn’t win a medal at the 2016 Olympics. “Right now, I couldn’t be more happy with the performances I put out today. Obviously no medal on bars, but I’m not even mad about it,” Biles said. “I knew going into today there was a very slim chance that I would even medal, but to make a bar final and get to represent the country, I feel really proud because this is not one of my strong suits. But it’s getting up there and I just feel really proud.” AP

orts

sMirror

Monday, October 14, 2019 C3

World-class course up for Black Arrow 5150

Lady Falcons beat Tigresses, snatch PVL Collegiate crown

damson University (AdU) crowned itself the new Philippine Volleyball League Collegiate Conference champion, blasting University of Santo Tomas (UST) with its superb all-around game to fashion out a 25-19, 25-6, 25-17 victory and complete its sweep of their best-of-three series at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan over the weekend. Trisha Genesis capped her tournament-long brilliance with 14 hits, including 10 attack points, while rookies Lucille Almonte, Lorene Toring and setter Louie Romero, likewise, sustained their veteran-like forms to power the Lady Falcons to a repeat victory over the fancied Tigresses for the coveted crown. “We really prepared hard for a UST comeback—defense and even on our offense,” said Adamson University Coach Lerma Giron, whose wards’ victory, likewise, served notice of the San Marcelino-based school’s bid for the next University Athletic Association of the Philippines wars. After a tough 23-25, 25-17, 25-16, 21-25,

ATENEO REPEATS VS. DLSU

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

teneo was simply too tough to contain for De La Salle in the final period as the defending champion Blue Eagles repeated over their archrivals, 77-69, to book their sixth straight semifinals appearance in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 82 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The Blue Eagles stepped on the pedal in the fourth quarter to transform a slim five-point led into a huge margin the Green Archers could not recover from. It was reminiscent of their first round when the defending champions wasted a big lead but pulled their act together in the payoff period. Adrian Wong scored seven of his team-high 18 points in the fourth quarter, he highlighted with a triple with 2:03 left that hiked Ateneo’s lead to 71-58. “It’s a good game of basketball. We’re really nervous in the first half. They were very composed. I think if Adrian doesn’t come hot, we’re in trouble. Fortunately he did,” Ateneo Head Coach Tab Baldwin said. Truly, the Blue Eagles had to hold fort when Encho Serrano and Justine Baltazar clicked for the Green Archers in the first half. Unlike in the first round when three-peat seeking Ateneo already rode a 22-point cushion in the third quarter, the team couldn’t sprint forward as Aljun Melecio’s trey in the eighth minute pulled De La Salle to within two, 36-38. Luckily, the troika of Wong, Mike Nieto and Gian Mamuyac delivered the goods in the fourth to bring the game out of reach. “It’s really a tough game playing against La Salle with so much at stake. That’s the nature of this game. I really admired them for coming into this environment and playing good basketball,” Baldwin said. Thirdy Ravena had 13 points and seven boards for the Blue Eagles, while Ivory Coast big man Angelo Kouame added 10 points, 14 boards and three blocks. The victory sent the Katipunan-based squad to the Final Four with an unblemished10-0 record. Serrano finished with 15 points and eight rebounds for the Green Archers, while Baltazar and Andrei Caracut added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Despite the loss, De La Salle stayed in contention for the semifnals with a 4-4 card.

riathletes priming up for bigger endurance races or those who simply want to do short distance but challenging races now have one world-class course to test their skills when Subic Bay stages the second Black Arrow Express 5150 on October 27. Long regarded as the country’s triathlon hub, Subic has hosted some of the biggest national and international races, including the Ironman 70.3 and the first-ever full Ironman in the country in 2018. In fact, the pristine waters of Subic Bay and the well-paved roads inside and around the Subic Bay Freeport Zone will host the region’s top and rising endurance racers in the coming 30th Southeast Asian Games. Australian Mitch Robins and Manami Iijima of Guam are back, both geared up for back-to-back title romp in the event put up by one of

15-11 decision in the series’ opener, the Lady Falcons stamped their class right at the start of Game Two and never gave the Tigresses a chance to recover, cruising to their first major victory since winning in the defunct V-League Season 7 Second Conference in 2010. Genesis went on to bag the MVP honors, while Toring actually paced AdU’s charge with 15 markers she highlighted with six kill blocks. Rizza Cruz, also a rookie, produced 10 points, while Almonte came away with nine points and 10 excellent receptions for AdU, which only lost once against Saint Benilde in five sets in their semifinals duel. Eya Laure scored 11 points and made 11 excellent digs but sister EJ was held to just four points, and top rookie Imee Hernandez struggled in a must-win game and finished with just six markers for UST.

CARLOS YULO performs his gold medal winning routine. COURTESY JAN TENORIO

YULO SLAYS GIANTS OF GYMNASTICS! C

arlos Edriel Yulo capped his campaign in the 49th International Gymnastics Federation Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on a stirring golden note on Saturday by clinching the men’s floor exercise title at the Hanns Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Germany. Performing next to last among the eighth finalists, Yulo came through with an awe-inspiring display of grace, artistry and athleticism in securing the gold with an eye-popping score of 15.300 points. The shoulders of Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat, the erstwhile frontrunner with a seemingly untouchable tally of 15.200 points until the Filipino bet’s turn came up, sagged when Yulo’s score was flashed on the huge LED screen proclaiming who had won the event by a hairline. Also playing a major factor in the victory was the degree of difficulty of Yulo’s routine—the

highest among the entries at 6.500 to Dolgopyat’s 6.400—that proved to be the winning edge. In a country marking its annual popular Oktoberfest, there was much to celebrate inside the 15,000-seat arena as the gallery of 14,000 roared in approval when the Filipino gymnast pumped his fist as the score flashed—aware that the gold was in the bag.

THIRDY RAVENA punctuates Ateneo’s domination of De La Salle with a slam. NONIE REYES

Sta. Elena clinches WGAP crown at home

ta. Elena saved its best at home, posting podium finishes in all three divisions, including a victory in Class A, as it turned what had appeared to be a tight finish into a runaway title romp in the 2019 Champion Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines (WGAP) Circuit at Santa Elena Golf Club in Laguna recently. With Candice Yulo firing 41 Stableford points and Divina Nemec backing her up with 36 points, and Carina Ricamonte and Therese Dabao churning out a pair of 33 points, the Sta. Elena ladies pooled a 143 and edged Forest Hills (141) by two in Class A worth three points. Fernando Air Base placed third with 139. The hosts also finished second in Class C with a 129 total worth two points, yielding the honors to Eagle

the country’s top cargo movers in what promises to be another grueling test of endurance over the Olympic distance of 1.5-km swim/40-km bike/10-km run race. The chase kicks off at the Acea Subic Bay beach following a counter-clockwise flow. The swim course is divided into 650 meters, 200 meters and 650 meters. After completing the swim, participants will exit the beach following the path to Transition 1 at San Bernardino Road. From Transition 1, they move to the bike mount area in San Bernardino Road corner Argonaut Highway for the threeloop 40-km course around the scenic flat coastal roads of Subic Bay with the field to head toward the Malawaan Park for the first turnaround at KM 6.67 then to KM13.3 for the second turnaround and to the Malawaan Park for the next turnaround at KM 20 then back to Acea Subic Bay for turnaround 4 at KM 26.67. Participants will then make their final turnaround at KM 33.33 at the Malawaan Park.

Ridge, which scored a 132, while Camp Aguinaldo scored a 126 to place third. Sta. Elena also assembled a 137 and salvaged third place worth one point in Class B ruled by Camp Aguinaldo (143), which beat Villamor (139) by four. Scorers for Sta. Elena’s Class C team were Belinda Baluyot (35), Jennifer Um-Choi (33), Helen Lisuy (31) and Kasinee Duncan (30), while its Class

LASCUñA STREAK

B members were Lily Chan (40), Nancy Ortiga (34), Mary Jane Ishihara (32) and Marilen Bantug (31). That decisive six-point haul netted Sta. Elena a total of 22 points after the eight-leg, course-hopping circuit organized by WGAP and cosponsored by Champion and Hana with San Miguel Corp., Eva Air, Alveo and Vermogen as the closing leg’s other backers.

Tony Lascuña (center) holds his glass trophy as he poses with Julien Domingo (left), general manager of DIPSSCOR, a subsidiary of the sponsoring International Container Terminal Services Inc. and South Pacific Golf and Leisure Estates GM Elson Alvaran after winning the ICTSI South Pacific Classic over weekend, his third straight after ruling the Philippine Golf Tour Asia leg in Taiwan and Apo Golf Classic.

Also eclipsed by Yulo’s triumph was China’s Xiao Ruoteng, the men’s all-around silver medalist in the 2018 edition in Doha, Qatar, who seemed a cinch for silver with his score of 14.933, only to be relegated to the bronze in the face of the Filipino’s virtuoso performance. Japanese Coach Munehiro Kugimiya, whose stern training over six years had molded the once rough diamond into a world-beater, was in tears while watching his ward humble the giants in the sport. Among them was newly crowned Russian all-around champion Nikita Nagornyy, who could only muster 14.166 in opening the allaround finals and wallowed in sixth place. The same for defending floor exercise champion and compatriot Artur Dalaloyan, who placed fourth (14.800), as the diminutive Filipino stood head and shoulders above the rest of the impressive field. Yulo’s outstanding performance apparently unnerved Briton Dominick Cunningham, the 2018 European floor exercise champion and the last gymnast to perform, and he wound up dead last with a tally of 13.566 points. And for the first time in the 41 editions of the global gymnastics showcase, the Philippine national anthem was played in the tournament that drew the best gymnasts from 92 countries to this picturesque German City. “I am speechless because I did not expect to win because I thought the Israeli’s score was far too high,” Yulo admitted. “But I wanted to show everyone what I could do so I just wanted to do my best. I am very very happy.” “I am happy for Caloy [Yulo’s nickname] because all his hard work and sacrifice paid off,” Kugimiya said. “Actually he has done better in practice so I was confident about his performance.” During the post-event interview, Yulo paid tribute to Kugimiya by taking off the gold medal and draping it around the Japanese mentor’s neck. “I was more confident with my landing than during the all-around final last Friday,” Yulo said. “It was God who gave me this gold

because I could not have done it on my own.” The golden finish also assured Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) protege will see action in two men’s artistic gymnastics events in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. He qualified for the men’s all-around event as early as Monday when he finished 18th in the qualifiers, and underscored that the feat was no fluke when he placed No. 10 in the finals last Friday. “I’m a bit scared now,” admitted Yulo, knowing that he would be a marked man in the event in Tokyo . “Caloy’s victory will have a huge impact on Philippine gymnastics since he have proven that we can produce world champions in the sport,” GAP President Cynthia Carrion pointed out. “We hope that we will get more supporters for the sport now with his success.” Back home, Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez praised Yulo’s performance. “We are thrilled with the golden performance with Yulo at the world champs. President Rodrigo Duterte is happy, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and [former Special Assistant to the President and] Sen. Bong Go have been monitoring the competition,” Ramirez said. “The Office of the President and the PSC family congratulates Caloy on this achievement. Mabuhay ang atletang Pilipino!” he added. “We would to congratulate Caloy Yulo and the Gymnastics Association of the Philippines in producing a world champion. His hard work and dedication paid off,” Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino said. “His accomplishment should inspire our other athletes to do well in the 30th Southeast Asian Games in December.” Yulo and Kugimiya, who were earlier scheduled to fly back to Tokyo to resume training, were prevailed upon by Carrion to return to Manila on Monday because Ramirez was arranging for all three of them to pay a courtesy call on President Duterte in Malacañang on Wednesday.

Rick Olivares bleachersbrew@gmail.com

Bleachers’ Brew

A wrestling homecoming

My eyes welled up on several occasions during Philippine Wrestling Revolution (PWR): Homecoming last Saturday at the ABS-CBN Tent in Vertis North. This isn’t my first time to attend a PWR show. It is my fourth. Like all the others I’ve seen, they were all enjoyable. Homecoming...was historic and memorable. While the presence and talent of Filipino-American professional wrestlers TJ Perkins and Jeff Cobb accounted for a good chunk of that, I’d give huge props to the local wrestlers, the organizers and the fans. I grew up watching those old World Wrestling Federation shows on IBC-13 (Thursday nights if I am not mistaken) that were shown late nights around 10:30 p.m. I was in grade school at that time and I couldn’t stay up that late as there was school the next day. When I got to high school, I could afford to rent Betamax tapes of WWF house shows. Later on in my adult life, I got to watch Wrestlemania XX in New York, plus a few other shows in the United States and in Manila. As much as I was a fan of the WWF (later the WWE) and other foreign circuits, I was thrilled by the Pinoy Wrestling put up by music man Ramon Jacinto back in the late 1980s with Max Buwaya, Joe Pogi, the Smokey Mountain Boys, and others. Yes, it was crude, imperfect, and at time, lacking in wrestling and mike skills, but I enjoyed it as only a kid can. It might have been several notches below the established norm of pro wrestling, but it was ours. So you can imagine how I felt when Philippine Wrestling Revolution was organized in 2013. I have been to their shows intermittently because of scheduling conflicts and work. But through each one, I have seen the marked improvement across the board. I was worried about the discrepancy in skills, and while it was clear that Perkins, Cobb, and the others operated at a much higher level...the local wrestlers held their own and put on a show. Sometimes, you worry about fans. Do they copy much of what they see in American pro wrestling? But is sure is nice to see the crowd chanting, cheering and clapping. Scripted this ain’t...it is pure unadulterated bliss. I wonder at times about Fil-foreigners trumping their ethnicity. I am wary about that. Not that I doubt their lineage. Sometimes, I feel they know they are swimming against the huge tide abroad so they look for a more focused audience. Perkins though has worn his heart on his sleeve, costume and tattoos. He bared his being asked to wear as mask and compete as a “Mexican” but his burning desire to represent the Philippines and he did that. The Cruiserweight Classic was engrossing and intoxicating. The talent out there is unbelievable. For Perkins to win a title and become a phenomenon is mind-boggling. And I am hugely appreciative of his efforts. Watching him on WWE (I was hugely disappointed when he was released) or other promotions, he is always impressive. I love these technical wrestlers and he’s one of the best in this generation. Yet, to see him perform up close is amazing. I loved his passionate post-match talk where he bared his heart and soul. He even engaged the local fans who urged his to cuss in the vernacular (he did). I also like the fact that he patiently took the time to pose for pictures and chat with a lot of fans after the conclusion of PWR Homecoming. It was late and yet, he did not disappoint. I thought back to the time when the WWE made its return to this shores after a long absence and I was in a room with Edge and Lita. Maybe they were tired and jet lagged, but they did not hide their unhappiness. They pouted and slouched. The other fans and I who waited for two hours for them to show up were so disappointed. Maybe it is because Perkins is half-Filipino, but I don’t think so. Recently, Irish wrestler Sheamus who is massively popular (you can tell that too because he has his own Funko Pop) graciously gave a lot of time to the local wrestling fans. And I had a grand time interviewing him and women’s champ, Bayley who is one of my favorites. When I learned that PWR wrestlers Jake de Leon, Crystal and Ken Warren were invited to a WWE tryout in Shanghai, China, I felt proud and happy. While others from regional promotions were invited as well, it sure is nice to be recognized. In the midst of PWR Homecoming, I felt transported back to those days when I was a kid and I would hope my parents would come home late on a Thursday night so I could watch even a few minutes or WWF wrestling. When my brothers and I would stage our own bouts (safely I must impress) at home and make our own championship belts. When I got to my one and only Wrestlemania event. Who says that you can’t go home again? Thanks, PWR.

NIKE IN DOPING CONTROVERSY Sports BusinessMirror

| Monday, October 14, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

Eritrean soccer players live in fear in Uganda

ALERMO, Italy—Soccer gave Mewal Tesfai Yosief hope in an authoritarian nation, a job in a country of forced military conscription and, possibly, freedom at last. After scoring two goals for Eritrea’s national under-20 soccer team during a tournament in Uganda late last month, Mewal defected with three teammates. But after applying for asylum they are in hiding in Uganda, fearful that authorities from home are looking for them. “The only way for you to survive is by getting out [of Eritrea] and we all know this,” Mewal told The Associated Press in a telephone interview this week. “I had

to take this opportunity because if I didn’t take this one who knows how long it would have taken me.” Eritrea’s government under President Isaias Afwerki is one of the most tightly controlled regimes in the world, ranked with North Korea and Syria by Freedom House. Opposition parties in the East African nation are prohibited, and humanrights monitors say an independent judiciary is nonexistent. Eritrea’s system of indefinite national service and forced military conscription are meant to control the population, according to Human Rights Watch.

NIKE CEO Mark Parker finds himself in the middle of the doping controversy. AP

Questions sent to Eritrea’s soccer association and government brought no response. The four young Eritreans described their life as part-time soccer players and part-time military conscripts, where they were required to build roads, guard buildings and follow the army’s whims. Though they had special status as soccer players, they were still arrested for basic activities like walking in the street in a group. “If you are more than two people hanging out there is always suspicion that you are organizing something,” said one player, Hermon Fessehaye Yohannes. Everyone is required to have “permission papers” from the government that allows them to travel in the streets, the players said. Hermon recalled being stopped one night while walking from his work to his home, a distance of roughly 100 meters. His permission papers were at home, and a policeman stopped him and refused to listen to his pleas. “He started beating us up with a stick,” Hermon said, asserting that he was then briefly taken to jail. “This is our daily normal life, this is how we live.” It was impossible to independently confirm the incident. Eritrean athletes, especially soccer players, have been known to defect while traveling abroad. In 2012, 17 soccer players defected while in Uganda. Some players reportedly have been forced to pay a bond worth nearly $7,000 to ensure their return. The newly defected players said their interest in soccer was sparked by the professional team Manchester United. While playing in the streets of the capital, Asmara, they heard that the team was the best in the world. “They were our first inspiration,” Mewal said. The players said their love of soccer transformed into a way to support their families and, eventually, escape the country. “I knew since I was a child the only way to get out of Eritrea was to be a footballer,” said Simon Asmelash Mekonen. The players said their escape plan began when they landed in Uganda. “The previous days whenever we tried there were a lot of people guarding over us, watching us, it was just impossible,” Mewal said. But after defeating Zanzibar and scoring five goals, the team was in a celebratory mood. The players asked permission to go for a walk, then called the only person they knew in Uganda and defected. But now they fear that Eritrean authorities are searching for them as they wait for word on their asylum claims with the Ugandan government. AP

Eritreans (from left) Hermon Fessehaye Yohannes, Simon Asmelash Mekonen, Hanibal Girmay Tekle and Mewal Tesfai Yosief talk together in a house where they are staying in Uganda. AP

By Rob Harris

The Associated Press

IKE is closing its elite Oregon Project track and field program overseen by Alberto Salazar following his recent four-year doping ban in a move welcomed by the sport’s governing body. But the sportswear giant and Salazar’s protégée, Galen Rupp, are backing the disgraced coach’s efforts to overturn the ban. Salazar was found guilty last week by the US AntiDoping Agency (Usada) of running experiments with supplements and testosterone that were bankrolled and supported by Nike, along with possessing and trafficking testosterone. The verdict didn’t directly implicate runners from the Nike Oregon Project. But the company is partly blaming the scrutiny on the stars of the training center for its decision to shut the program that began in 2001. The 61-year-old Salazar has consistently denied being involved in doping schemes. Nike is supporting his plan to appeal the ban. In the meantime, Salazar cannot coach and his credential was revoked during the world track and field championships last week. “This situation including uninformed innuendo and unsubstantiated assertions has become an unfair burden for current OP athletes,” Nike said in a statement Friday. “That is exactly counter to the purpose of the team. We have, therefore, made the decision to wind down the Oregon Project to allow the athletes to focus on their training and competition needs.” The Oregon Project athletes now seeking a new training center include Donavan Brazier, the first US athlete to win a world 800-meter title last week, and Sifan Hassan, the Ethiopian-born Dutch runner who, last week, became the only woman to win the 1,500 and 10,000 at the same world championships or Olympics. “We will help all of our athletes in this transition as they choose the coaching set up that is right for them,” Nike said. A building on Nike’s Oregon campus was named after Sebastian Coe, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president whose track and field governing body is welcoming the decision to shut down the tarnished track program. “In light of Usada’s recent decision, closing the program seems the only thing to do as athletes will inevitably vote with their feet and choose not to be associated with a program surrounded with controversy,” the IAAF told The Associated Press. The announcement was the talk of the news conference ahead of the Chicago Marathon is Sunday, where Oregon Project runners Jordan Hasay and Rupp are competing along with Mo Farah, who was coached by Salazar until 2017. Rupp, a 2012 and 2016 Olympic medalist, worked with Salazar before the ban. Rupp said he’d support any appeal. “I haven’t any sport-related contact with him, professional contact with him,” Rupp said when asked Friday in Chicago about his dealings with Salazar since the verdict. “I am not really going to comment on the report. It’s obviously out there.” Farah was irritated to be pressed on whether his achievements had been tainted by association with Salazar, claiming there was an agenda against him. “I haven’t done anything wrong—these allegations are about Alberto Salazar not Mo Farah,” said the Briton, who won back-to-back Olympic doubles in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters. “I have no tolerance for anyone who has crossed the line.” Usada released last week a pair of 100-plus-page decisions by an arbitration panel that delivered the suspensions for both Salazar and Dr. Jeffrey Brown, the endocrinologist who did contract work for NOP and administered the medicine. The documents, combined with earlier reporting by the BBC and ProPublica, portrayed a coach and doctor who used athletes and employees as guinea pigs to test theories on how supplements and medicine in various doses could enhance performance without breaking anti-doping rules by triggering a positive test. The documents also showed they went to great lengths to produce falsified and incomplete medical records that made their master plan hard to detect. “It is the right thing and now let’s hope they accept that mistakes were made, and truly commit to clean sport and the health, well-being of athletes,” Usada CEO Travis Tygart said. Nike has already shut down the OP web site, which detailed how Salazar and Tom Clarke founded the program in 2001 after bemoaning the state of American distance running. Clarke is currently president of Nike Innovation. Nike wrote the contracts and paid the athletes in the training program at the company’s campus in Beaverton, Oregon. “Nike has always tried to put the athlete and their needs at the front of all of our decisions,” the Nike statement said. “While the panel found there was no orchestrated doping, no finding that performance enhancing drugs have ever been used on Oregon Project athletes and went out of its way to note Alberto’s desire to follow all rules, ultimately Alberto can no longer coach while the appeal is pending.” Documents released by the Usada showed that Nike CEO Mark Parker was aware of experiments that Salazar and a doctor conducted on employees and athletes, and even Salazar’s own sons, to test the amounts of substances like testosterone cream that could be applied to enhance performance without breaking anti-doping rules.

NORWAY PUTS AN END TO SPAIN’S PERFECT RUN

ergio Ramos was seconds away from celebrating his record for most appearances for Spain with a victory that would have ensured his country a spot at next year’s European Championship. But Norway’s last-gasp push for an equalizer paid off in their evenly fought qualifier on Saturday which finished 1-1. That ended Spain’s perfect run of six wins in six matches. Italy did stay perfect by overcoming Greece’s defensive tactics in a 2-0 victory and qualified for next year’s continent-wide tournament. Spain slipped up after goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga gave away a penalty by fouling Omar Elabdellaoui in stoppage time, allowing Joshua King to step up and equalize from the spot just before the final whistle in Oslo. Spain will have another chance to advance on Tuesday at Sweden, but it will do so without Ramos, who will be suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards. Saúl Ñíguez had put Spain ahead with a long-range goal only two minutes after halftime, and Fabián Ruíz went close to sealing the win when he hit the post on two occasions. The 33-year-old Ramos surpassed Casillas’ mark by making his 168th appearance for “La Roja.” “I would trade [the record] for a win,” Ramos said. “But it is a reward for all these years of sacrifice. It is an honor. Every time I put on this shirt I am moved with emotion.” Ramos and Sergio Busquets are the last remaining members of the great Spain teams that won the 2010 World Cup and European Championships in 2008 and 2012. Spain leads Group F with 19 points. Sweden has 14 points after beating

Malta 4-0 with Sebastian Larsson scoring twice from the penalty spot in the second half. Romania beat the Faroe Islands, 3-0, and has 13 points, three more than Norway. Meanwhile, it was a night of European soccer to forget for England, and one to remember for Andorra. England conceded a late goal against the Czech Republic on Friday and paid the price with its first defeat in a qualifying game in 10 years, while France and Portugal made progress in their bids for places at next year’s European Championship. As for Andorra, it ended a 56-match losing streak. A goal five minutes from the end halted England’s unbeaten streak in qualifying for a major competition with the Czechs beating Gareth Southgate’s team, 2-1. A victory in Prague would have secured a spot for England at the finals with three games to go. Instead, England squandered a one-goal lead and lost its first match in European or World Cup qualifying since falling to Ukraine in 2009. That loss came with England already qualified for the 2010 World Cup. Its last meaningful defeat in qualifying was against Croatia in 2007. England had won all four of its previous games in Group A. It is tied atop the standings with the Czechs on 12 points but has one more game to play. Group strugglers Bulgaria and Montenegro drew 0-0. Top-ranked Belgium became the first team to qualify for next year’s tournament on Thursday. The top 2 teams of each group advance automatically. The other four qualifiers will come through four tiers of playoffs in March. AP

Gracious and loving God

EAR God, in Jesus You show us the path to life. Secure in Your love, we pray: Lead us to wonder, oh God. Deepen in Your Church a sense of reverence for all life. Awaken us to the power of Your Spirit alive in us, and in our brothers and sisters. Open our eyes to behold the beauty of the Earth and its creatures. May God bless us with wisdom and knowledge to live a life worthy of the calling we have received, through Jesus our brother. Amen. GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

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AND THEN SOME: PONY PARK LAUNCHES LE COLLECTION WITH MAKEUP BRAND D4

Monday, October 14, 2019

‘A History of Fashion in 100 Objects’ PHOTOS BY MISS CHARLIZE

ATH, England—One of the best collections of historical and contemporary dresses can be found here, a city declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 1987. Thanks to my cousin Rhoda and her husband Douglas, who graciously drove 156 kilometer west of London to the largest city in the county of Somerset so we could visit the Fashion Museum Bath (www.fashionmuseum.co.uk) and marvel at its sartorial treasures. The museum’s headline exhibition, A History of Fashion in 100 Objects, gives a glimpse of the more than 100,000 pieces in its archives. Five thousand

CONTINUED ON D2

1610s undress

1750s costly luxury

1760s French fashion

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Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Usher, 41; Natalie Maines, 45; Lori Petty, 56; Ralph Lauren, 80. Happy Birthday: A positive attitude will help you alter the way people treat you. Your priority should be to surround yourself with people who are upbeat and willing to make the most of each day. Partnerships look promising, although they will also change constantly. Adjusting to an ongoing flow of unique and innovative trends will lead to new possibilities. Your lucky numbers are 7, 12, 20, 28, 33, 36, 41.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): High energy can be both good and bad. Concentrate on what you want to achieve, not dealing with no-win situations. Arguing will not help you get ahead or gain respect. Say little, do a lot; doors will open. HHH

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your emotions will fluctuate, and if not handled with care, can lead to trouble. Look at all sides of a situation before you make a decision. If you are disciplined and resourceful, you’ll accomplish a lot. Romance will improve a meaningful relationship. HHH

1840s dress

1840s wedding dress

1958 Elizabeth Taylor beaded dress

1968 Sir Noel Coward jacket

1982 David and Elizabeth Emanuel

‘A History of Fashion in 100 Objects’ Continued from D1 dresses were donated by the collector and writer Doris Langley Moore in 1963, when it was then known as the Museum of Costume. The earliest pieces date back to the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. The oldest piece would have been worn by a Tudor man of fashion in the 1600s: an undershirt with handembroidered flowers and insects. A long-sleeved garment from the 1610s, called a waistcoat, looks ornate but is said to be an informal attire to receive guests at one’s home. The piece is attributed to Lady Alice L’Estrange, who lived during the reign of James I. Menswear in the 1700s was every bit as dazzling as womens wear. An example is a red velvet sculptural coat with big, turned-back cuffs paired with breeches. By the 1760s, French fashion was at its peak, with Madame de Pompadour, the official mistress of Louis XV, as style arbiter. She favored the sack-back, or robe à la française. On display is an opulent saffron yellow silk gown woven with metal thread. The 1810s was when Jane Austen, a resident at Bath, introduced her headstrong heroines in her novels. They usually wore white cotton frocks, the rage at the time. By 1846, the sewing machine was patented by Elias Howe, so the production of dresses got ramped up and women adapted to trends just as quickly. A prime example is a dress in striped wool with blue silk pompoms on the front. Also at about this time, the royal influence in fashion became even more evident when Queen Victoria chose to wear a white Spitalfields dress with Honiton lace to her wedding to Prince Albert in 1840. Fashion advanced in the 1900s with the use of technology and the rise of the star designers. “The late Monsieur Christian Dior helped to launch the venture [Fashion Museum] by allowing the first collection he ever brought to England to be shown for our benefit [at the Savoy Hotel in 1950], and it is fitting that he is represented by a large number of his creations,” Moore said in 1965. A black wool jacket and skirt from Dior’s 1947 New Look collection, a gift from Dame Margot Fonteyn, is supposed to be part of the exhibit but is currently on display at The Museum at FIT in New York. In its place is a Renarde town suit from Dior’s Haute Couture Autumn-Winter 1952 collection. By the mid-20th century, Hollywood and its glamorous goddesses dictated—as they still do—what is deemed fashionable. In 1948, Vivien Leigh wore a black and red wool crepe appliqué jacket with black sequins designed by Lucien Lelong. In 1958, Elizabeth Taylor wore a short evening dress by London couturier Norman Hartnell, made of synthetic silk fabric and applied “crystal” beads. The Youthquake in the 1960s is represented by the trouser suit by Mary Quant, who sold her wares at her Bazaar

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Look for opportunities and head in that direction. Refuse to let anyone lead you astray or take advantage of you. Partnerships will be difficult if you cannot maintain equality. Do for others only what they will do for you. HHH

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Anger won’t help you advance. Use your imagination, and you’ll come up with an alternative way to get what you want. Change may not be your thing, but if you use your intuitive intelligence, you’ll get good results. HHHH

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Stay put if you aren’t sure what’s best for you. It doesn’t matter what others do or how persuasive friends or peers can be; if something doesn’t sit right with you, don’t join in. Don’t feel you have to share your thoughts. HHHHH

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Connect with people who have always given you sage advice in the past. An open mind will lead to optimal changes that will help you move forward personally. Travel down a path that is void of divisiveness. HHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Be open to suggestions. Someone you least expect will offer a solution that will bring about positive change to a partnership that has been on shaky ground. Update your look or your attitude, and it will make people view you differently. HHH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): It’s decision time. Stop pondering over possibilities, and start implementing your ideas. Speak up about the way you feel and what you want to do, and you’ll persuade others to bend to your needs and wishes. Romance is in the stars. HHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Consider the whole scope of a situation before you make decisions that will affect how you live or the lives of others. A change may be in the cards, but how you go about it will determine the outcome. HHH 2014 Gareth Pugh

2018 Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton and Kim Jones for Dior

boutique in Chelsea, in 1966. Beside it on the display window is a 1965 Mondrian wool shift dress by Yves Saint Laurent, another gift from Dame Fonteyn, described as “the dress of tomorrow...assertive abstraction.” The flamboyant Coward donated an ostentatious purple jacket, made in 1968 by Michael Fish. David and Elizabeth Emanuel, the designing couple behind Princess Diana’s wedding gown, has a red and black spotted silk ball-gown, with bows and puffed sleeves, from 1982. It represents the era of Eighties Excess. Each year, the museum invites a top fashion insider to select an outfit they think “encapsulates the prevailing mood of fashion” chosen from that year’s collections for its “Dress of the Year” collection. Some of the outstanding pieces are also among the “100 Objects.” In 2011, Vogue Editor at Large Hamish Bowles picked a white dress with feathery embroidery and sculptural pleats by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Vanessa Friedman,

then the Financial Times fashion editor, chose a dress from Raf Simons’s debut collection for Dior in 2012: a 1950s-style dress cut to tunic length and paired with sharp trousers. Top stylist Katie Grand chose an iridescent layered plastic ensemble, worn with tied kimono-style belt and twisted calico boot trousers, by Gareth Pugh as the Dress of the Year 2014. Alexander Fury, fashion features director of AnOther Magazine and men’s critic of the Financial Times, chose two outfits as Dress of the Year 2018: a womens wear look by Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton (a “silk embroidered redingote style coat worn with white silk cropped long sleeve blouse with ruffles, light blue jersey shorts and ‘Archlight’ sneakers”) and a menswear look by Kim Jones from his debut collection for Dior Men (a “light pink cashmere twill double-breasted ‘Tailleur Oblique’ jacket and high waist wide trousers, ‘B24’ light pink calfskin and mesh sneakers, and a chunky metal necklace with pink rhodonite detail and ‘CD’ closure”). n

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Do your research, take care of the paperwork and clear the way. Having an open channel to change will show how thorough and able you are to lead the way. Express your thoughts, nurture meaningful partnerships and embrace new beginnings. HHHHH

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be careful what you say, who you listen to and what you decide to do. Put everything in place, and concentrate on budgeting, legal matters and who you can call upon for help. Make adjustments based on necessity, not emotions. HH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Looking back will help you move forward. Take care of matters that affect your physical and emotional well-being. Update your plans, refresh your look and prepare to make changes that will encourage you to follow your heart. HHHH Birthday Baby: You are perceptive, convincing and changeable. You are possessive and unique.

‘starter home’ by jules p. markey The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Pencil remnant 5 Poses a question 9 “Who’s there?” response 14 Killer whale 15 Bottle for a model 16 ___ 6 17 Like some basketball drills 19 Hyde Park buggies 20 Spanish candy heart words 21 Sugar maple, for Vermont 23 Japanese drama 25 French playwright Jean 26 Rural byway 31 Rare, and then some 34 Fuse unit 35 Crew propeller 36 Actress Garr 37 Group at family gatherings? 38 Palindromic text 39 Made bread, e.g. 40 Part of, as a scheme 41 Rom-___ 42 Certain tropical vacation 43 Title of nobility

44 Sony console 46 Bit of salt 48 Very, very long time 49 Military’s capability 52 Word after “heavy” or “sour” 57 Do a whiteboard chore 58 Big event for a Realtor, or what each word in the starred answers can do 60 Color of honey 61 City north of Carson City 62 Opera piece for one voice 63 “Yum!” 64 Palindromic title 65 Horse color DOWN 1 Blanket descriptor 2 Faithful 3 School that anagrams to ACLU 4 Lip application 5 “Four score and seven years ___...” 6 Like some winter walkways 7 Author Vonnegut 8 Do an early project-planning step 9 Loom 10 Rich cake

11 Sci-fi sequel subtitled The Wrath of Khan 12 Internet sensation 13 “What ___ is new?” 18 Prefix related to anti 22 Rip 24 Mined matter 26 Sleeveless undergarments, for short 27 Yemeni’s neighbor 28 Not yet claimed 29 Dusseldorf dissent 30 Spacious 32 “Am not!” rebuttal 33 Add a lane to, say 36 Like a drumhead 38 “Kinder-garten” or “juggernaut,” linguistically 39 Satellite office, e.g. 41 Emmy : TV :: ___ : ads 42 VIP at a Silicon Valley co. 44 Thin and dry 45 Placid 47 Stopwatch button 49 Accomplishment 50 ___ Pince, librarian at Hogwarts

51 Olympian sword 53 Simba’s sound 54 Bread for a Bologna sandwich? 55 Its smallest country is Maldives 56 Intend 59 Tacit approval

Solution to Friday’s puzzle:

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Nicole Laurel Asensio is in full control Nicole Laurel Asensio and Novert Guillaume

FROM left: Ai-Ai de las Alas, Christian Bautista, Lani Misalucha, Golden Cañedo with concert director Paolo Valenciano

‘All 4 You: The Clash Concert’ brings world-class Pinoy musical extravaganza to U.S.

GMA Pinoy TV is adding more excitement to the festive season for Filipinos in the United States as it presents the musical showcase All 4 You: The Clash Concert, featuring AiAi de las Alas, Christian Bautista and Lani Misalucha, together with The Clash first winner Golden Cañedo. The world-class Pinoy concert goes onstage on October 19 at the Arcadia Performing Arts Center, 188 Campus Drive, Arcadia in Los Angeles, California. Gates open at 6 pm, and the main show starts at 7 pm. All 4 You: The Clash Concert is GMA Network’s way of ushering in the Christmas season and celebrating a great year with its loyal viewers abroad through GMA Pinoy TV. The concert, which also coincides with the Filipino American History Month this October, promises to be a fun-filled twohour extravaganza as it showcases Filipinos’ love for music. Ai-Ai will surely go all out with her show-stopping performance, like she always does. “Alam naman natin ang pakiramdam na malayo ka sa mga mahal mo sa buhay, lalo na ngayong simula na ng Pasko sa Pilipinas. Sana, dahil dito sa mga alay naming kanta at performances sa kanila ay masiyahan sila at maramdaman nila na parang nasa Pilipinas na rin sila.” Christian Bautista, on the other hand, will provide a sentimental and heartwarming vibe with his medley of love songs and power ballads that the audience will definitely sing along to. “I am very thankful to GMA Pinoy TV for trusting me to be a part of shows like this for our Kapuso abroad. Hindi ko po kayo bibiguin.” The world-class vocal prowess of Lani Misalucha is also set to enchant Filipinos in the West Coast. “I am so excited to be back in the US and to perform for the Kapuso abroad. We promise that all of you will have a good time because this show’s not for us, it’s for you. See you guys soon!” Meanwhile, The Clash’s very first grand champion Golden Cañedo is ready to bring her A-game when she belts out the biggest hits from well-loved OPM classics. “Maraming salamat po na nabigyan ulit ako ng chance na makapunta sa US at maging part ng concert na ito. At nagpapasalamat na rin po ako sa Kapuso abroad for supporting my latest single ‘More Than Before.’” The show is produced by Kapuso Concerts, a joint project of GMA Pinoy TV (www.gmapinoytv.com), GMA Entertainment Group, GMA Sales and Marketing Group, and GMA Regional TV, in association with Starmedia Entertainment. For tickets, visit www.starmediaentertainment. com or www.purplepass.com, or call 818-9135998, 8185222567, 323-4403174, 714-4487512, or 626-8211782. Tickets may also be purchased at All Island Pacific Supermarket.

Michelle Obama’s next project is a companion to ‘Becoming’ NEW YORK—Michelle Obama’s first project since Becoming is more about her readers than about herself. Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice will be published on November 19 by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House. The new release was announced on Monday. It is a companion to her multimillion-selling Becoming, which came out last November. It features an introduction by the former first lady, and quotations and questions related to her memoir. It is designed to help readers tell their own stories. In the introduction, Obama writes that she hopes the journal will encourage people to write down their “experiences, thoughts, and feelings, in all their imperfections, and without judgment.” AP

ER work schedule for this month is already full, but the ethereal chanteuse Nicole Laurel Asensio knows that she needs to seize every moment in order to keep her musical foundations strong and her artistic pursuits uncompromised. She has just released the video of her new song, “Love Me or Don’t,” and it is starting to create a buzz in the local music circuit. Asensio composed the song in only 15 minutes, while she was waiting for a friend to arrive and she was engulfed by a barrage of inspiration. “I think about all the animosity that goes on online and how people can be quite combative, and I was thinking about whether or not I should let it affect me. And I thought of the line ‘You can like me or don’t’ and I decided to just play with the entire lyric of the song in that way. Then it evolved and it kind of became a love song,” she shared. “I guess when I write songs, I create characters in my head, and it doesn’t always necessarily mean that I get into these characters. The character for this particular song is a woman who is tired of being jerked around in a relationship, and manipulated, so she finally puts her foot down and say, ‘You can love me or don’t.’ That was how the song came about,” she added. Because she is well-loved and revered by her fellow musical artists, Asensio didn’t find it hard to work on the song and she recorded it with these A-listers in the music industry: Michael Alba on drums, Karel Honasan on base, Nikko Rivera on keys, Ira Cruz on guitar, Lester Sorilla on trumpet, Michael Guevarra on sax, and Isla Antinero on the trombone. Asensio’s mom Iwi Laurel came on board with Yosha Honasan and Pauline Lauron to do the backup vocals. The music video was also a collaborative work among Asensio’s friends. Filmmaker Gorio Vicuña wore the hat of director and Asensio tapped her good friend Max Eigenmann to star with her. Then they cast handsome French model and actor Novert Guillaume, who was in town during the video shoot. Looking back, Asensio credits the high level of musicality from both sides of her family that lured her to explore more her God-given gifts during her growing-up years. “I’d sit beside my grandmother Fides [Cuyugan-Asensio] while she played on the piano. I’d do the same with my Uncle Cocoy [Laurel], who is one of the best influencers that led me to this

career. Then there is my Lola Celia (Diaz-Laurel), who is also a very passionate musical artist. Of course, there’s my dearest mom Iwi who prodded me to try out theater through Repertory Philippines so I could develop both my confidence in performing for an audience and my discipline as an artist.” A big part of Asensio’s growth as a musical artist happened when she formed the all-female band General Luna. “That was like our baptism of fire in the music industry. I’m glad the group was composed of my bestest friends and we learned a lot about music, about gigs, about the business side of music and about ourselves, too.” And when it was ripe for Asensio to explore going solo, she was more than ready. This independent woman writes her own songs, fixes her own

schedules, manages her own upswing career, and does most of her chores by herself. She is fun, fierce, fabulous and always in full control. Even this early in her very promising career, Asensio was already able to move into a new home she purchased, and she finished all the fixing, the refurbishing and the decorating by herself. Of course, she continues to draw strength, passion and inspiration from the love of her life, the gorgeous Ira Cruz, who is an esteemed music celebrity himself. “Ira is precious,” she once told us, and we couldn’t agree more. Like it or not, Nicole Laurel Asensio will continue creating her music, and performing for more and more audiences around the globe. And we are sure you’ll love her, like we do. n

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Pony Park launches LE collection with makeup brand Korean beauty blogger Pony has collaborated with MAC Cosmetics for a 17-piece limitededition

HEN I think about K-beauty, the name Pony is one of the first that comes to mind. Pony, Park Hye-min in real life, is a YouTuber with over 5 million followers on the platform and 6 million on Instagram. She has parlayed this online fame into real-life success. I first learned about Pony from friends who told me how she transformed herself into Taylor Swift with the power of makeup techniques. Since then, I have followed her and I’m continually amazed at her talent. Among Pony’s very popular videos are tutorials for hijab wearers and those with monolids. The news that she was collaborating with MAC Cosmetics for a 17-piece limited-edition collection sent chills down the spine of every legit makeup addict. Pony has many fans. Even people who don’t wear makeup love her. “Pony Park is synonymous with K-beauty. She is South Korea’s biggest and most sought-after beauty blogger and inspires her fan base to tap into their own creativity. In her forthcoming collaboration with MAC, you’ll find formula innovation and shades from punchy sweet to deeply delightful berry tones and mysterious shimmers, all in special tarot-inspired packaging. If you’ve always wanted to try K-beauty, this color collection is for you,” said Regan Rabanal, Apac senior manager of Makeup Artistry, Hong Kong. The collection is best described as a celestially styled collection. All are packaged in collectible sun, moon and star-touched packaging inspired by tarot cards—each imbued with spiritual meaning. “Her new, limited-edition collection brings this vision to life with versatile colors, unique textures and edited essentials that can be mixed and matched for an endless variety of looks. The sky’s the limit,” said MAC Cosmetics in a press release. For me, the star of the collection is the “groundbreaking Matte Lip Mousse, an ethereally weightless formula that glides on evenly for misty soft-matte color. While sublimely comfortable and easy for everyday wear, the lip color also lends itself to next-level, Pony-worthy looks.” This is a new lip product texture from MAC, and as such, has elicited a lot of curiosity. There are nine shades: Stone’s Throw (deep burgundy red), Privacy Please (bright pinky coral), Cordon Bleu (bright warm pink), My Better Half (intense vivid cool red), Moot Point (deep warm claret red), Love Is Blind (bright cool fuchsia), Beck and Call (bright cool mid-tone pink), One-Hit (warm nude) and Off The Record (deep wine red). To create the blurred, Korean-style ombré lip that is so popular these days, Rabanal recommends the following steps: Start by softening the edge of lip lines with Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 and the 217S Brush. Smooth Prep + Prime Lip over lips, then apply a thin amount of Matte Lip Mousse in My Better Half to the inside center part of the lips. Blot and blend the edges. Use Matte Lip Mousse in Privacy Please to outline the edges of lips and meet the first color. Blot lips again to blur the edges together and use the 217S Brush to diffuse around the lip line. The result should have a

watercolor effect. Pony is so popular that One-Hit, the shade she wore in one of the pictures used by MAC, sold out immediately when the collection dropped on Lazada last week. Already, my friends are strategizing as to how they can get their hands on One-Hit. “My collection with MAC is super meaningful to me, that I am able to bring K-beauty, Korean culture, and Asian beauty and culture to the global market,” said Pony. “I’ve been showing various looks on my social networks and videos for years, and through this collaboration with MAC, I’m able to bring the actual experience to global consumers so they can experience my vision directly and hands-on as they try the products.” The Matte Lip Mousse shades coordinate effortlessly with the rest of the collection: tinted Plenty Of Pout Plumping Lip Gloss, a neutral-hued Eye Shadow x 8 Palette, two cosmic-embossed Extra Dimension Skinfinish shades, a softly iridescent Prep + Prime Fix+, a Face Powder Brush, a Duo Fibre Eye Shader Brush and a pair of lashes. “To me, this collection tells a beautiful story about luminosity,” said Lyne Desnoyers, global executive director of Makeup Artistry, in press release from the brand. “Core to K-beauty is this idea of a radiance that is present in every step of the beauty regimen, from skin care to makeup. This has hugely influenced makeup lovers around the world—the gestures and details that create glowy makeup have become essential for everyone. But luminosity is not onenote anymore. From a fresh eye to a flushed cheek to radiant skin, it can be conveyed in many different ways. Radiance through flat color is particularly fascinating and the shades of Matte Lip Mousse are good examples of that. From rich plums to warm pinks to cool fuchsias, these colors instantly brighten the face whether worn as a stain or fully defined. The effect is a luxe, flattering, velvety finish with saturated hues that remind me of refined, natural lip tones. I also love how easy it is to create looks with the eye shadows. Since they’re all rich, neutral colors which naturally have an affinity with all skin tones, they marry effortlessly with any lip color.” The collection will be available in the Philippines at selected MAC locations on October 15. n

BusinessMirror

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Monday, October 14, 2019 E1

Establish expertise inside your company

By Dorie Clark

n a competitive marketplace, developing a reputation as an expert is one of the best forms of career insurance. Here’s how you can become recognized for your expertise inside your company. expert who can compete with industry giants, you risk losing credibility when you’re faced with a question or challenge you’re unsure about. As your profile grows, it’s also important to ensure that your company understands the value of your public brand. This is especially important if, like Leckie, you’re cultivating expertise on a subject that isn’t part of your core responsibilities. He didn’t assume his boss’s boss would understand why it was important for him to speak at a conference—Leckie explicitly articulated the keynote’s business benefits to him. Finally, it’s important to recognize when it’s time to expand

Technology is blurring the line between field sales and inside sales By Andris A. Zoltners, PK Sinha & Sally E. Lorimer

ield sales and inside sales have traditionally had their own domains. Field salespeople did the heavy lifting, working with customers in person. Inside salespeople sold over the telephone and Web, and were responsible for the uncomplicated products, remotely located customers and simpler sales tasks, such as lead generation and renewals. The blending of field and inside sales is driven by the digital revolution in three related ways. First, digital is powering “freemium” and subscription sales businesses, which steer customers to buy from digital and inside sales channels, rather than from expensive field salespeople. Second, digital communication tools have become ubiquitous as the quality of technology continues to soar. Finally, data and analytics are informing more decisions for salespeople, sales managers and sales leaders, for both field and inside sales. Sales managers should consider three changes to help their organizations deal with these changes:

Flexible structures. Structures are evolving to give customers flexibility to connect using field sales, inside sales, digital channels or all three, simultaneously. The choice depends on each customer’s level of knowledge and the complexity of needs.

Waves of change in customer knowledge, markets and the digital landscape are colliding with the traditional rigidity of sales force structures. The number and mix of field and inside salespeople need to adapt almost continuously.

New enablers. As field salespeople become more data-driven, silos of field sales, inside sales and marketing are crumbling. Inside salespeople also need new tools to help them venture beyond scripted customer interactions and engage in more autonomous problem-solving. And as inside salespeople have a more direct hand in closing sales, their performance metrics and incentives must align. Changing sales talent.

Field salespeople still need face-to-face interpersonal skills. But to win in the changing world, field salespeople must also excel at leveraging databased insights and communicating virtually, using methods, such as online video, e-mail and social selling. At the same time, inside salespeople need new skills for succeeding in customer acquisition roles. Sales force hiring and training must adapt to these new success profiles. Andris A. Zoltners is a professor emeritus at Northwestern University. PK Sinha is a founder and cochairman of ZS Associates. Sally E. Lorimer is a consultant and a business writer.

Rawpixelimages | Dreamstime.com

It’s important to recognize that you don’t have to start out as a worldwide expert. You can coach others on writing better business memos, even if you’re not Shakespeare. Michael Leckie was a vice president of human resources for a prominent research company when he developed an interest in coaching. Although the subject was related to his job, it wasn’t part of his actual responsibilities. “You don’t need to be the best in the world; you just need to be the best one there,” he told me. In these early stages, it’s important to be clear about what you know and what you don’t. If you try to prematurely position yourself as an

what you’re known for strategically. “Sometimes, your brand is more happenstance than thoughtful,” said Leckie. “It may be about things you like, but it’s not necessarily leading you where you want to be moving toward.” Leckie realized he’d been so successful at building his expert reputation around coaching and talent development that those skills were beginning to overshadow others deemed more critical inside his company. That’s why he decided to make coaching a “sub brand.” He didn’t abandon it, but he started emphasizing it less in favor of talking about his ability to drive the bottom line. It’s important to balance the unique mix of your skills and interests with your company’s needs and sensibilities. But when done right, cultivating a brand as a “local expert” inside your company can enhance your professional reputation and ensure you’re valued the way you should be. Dorie Clark is a marketing strategist and professional speaker who teaches at Duke University. This article was originally published August 19, 2015.

Retraining workers is a corporate social responsibility

By Adam Medros

t’s no secret that the age of automation is not just on its way; it’s here. Last year, the World Economic Forum estimated that 1.4 million people would lose their jobs by 2026, as a result of technological change, with more than 70 percent of those job losses happening because the job type will cease to exist. I believe that the power to create immediate change and impact lies with corporations. Companies already implement corporate social responsibility (CSR)

programs to give back to their communities and make a positive impact. They should now use these initiatives to join the fight against economic disparity and inequality by safeguarding the future labor force. More education has historically had a positive impact on both average earning potential and the unemployment rate—and the data proves that employees are not only willing to accept the help, but that it would be a game changer for them. According to LinkedIn’s 2019 Workforce Learning Report, 94 percent of

employees would stay at a company longer if it simply invested in helping them learn. Skeptics should look to companies that are already tackling skills gaps by investing in education opportunities. For example, Amazon’s Career Choice program pays up to 95 percent of tuition and fees toward a professional certificate or diploma in qualified fields of study, augmenting established skills and allowing recipients to apply for in-demand jobs. More than 10,000 employees have participated in this initiative so far. It is both a moral and economic

imperative for companies to help protect the future labor force. This means focusing on removing the biggest barriers—time, cost and location—to high-qualit y education in popular fields. By viewing training and development as a CSR initiative and investing in f lexible pathways that make it easier for individuals to pursue lifelong learning, corporations can win the talent war, while also investing in their local communities. Adam Medros is president and chief operating officer of edX.

How to improve your company’s net promoter score

By Thales S. Teixeira & Renato Mendes

here is a surefire way to increase your company’s net promoter score (NPS), or the likelihood that customers will recommend you to others. There’s also a surefire way to learn about your operational vulnerabilities using customer surveys. The key in both cases is to give customers the chance to evaluate you at exactly the right moment. Most customer surveys, including NPS, are conducted at the very end of a purchase and consumption experience. But it can be instructive to think about what steps the cus-

tomer goes through in the course of acquiring, using and disposing of products and services (what we call the customer value chain and to consider asking them to fill out the form at a different point in their journey. Any business can—and should— classify their customers’ value chain into value-creating, monetizing and value-eroding activities. If you want your customers to do something positive on your behalf, like review your business online, make a recommendation, repurchase, subscribe or sign up for a mailing list, the ideal moment is just after their most positive experience. Why wait for the end of the experience,

particularly if something negative may occur? One of us tested this idea recently, while consulting for a fintech start-up that offers a cash-back benefit for using its online peer-to-peer payment service. We started by mapping out the typical customer value chain and measuring satisfaction rates after each major activity. After users sign up, or link their new account to their funding sources, they are indifferent. After paying someone online, they might be slightly more satisfied than when they started out, but not blown away. But when they receive funds from an acquaintance or as a cashback deposit for a payment transac-

tion, their satisfaction skyrockets. Having learned this, the author advised the fintech start-up to ask users for referrals immediately after they’re told that they have received the cash deposited. This simple change was responsible for a 119-percent increase in the number of customers that referred the start-up to acquaintances. It turns out that this approach to word-of-mouth referrals works well for all businesses we have tested it with. Thales S. Teixeira is the cofounder of Decoupling.co. Renato Mendes is a professor at Insper in Brazil and a founding partner of Organica.

Education BusinessMirror

E2 Monday, October 14, 2019

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Tech-voc seen as viable option for Gen Z

By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes @brownindio

major Philippine education technology start-up, Edukasyon, recently announced its partnership with the Enrique Zobel Foundation that aims to promote technical-vocational education and training (TVET) as a viable and sustainable option for young Filipinos.

The grant from the foundation enables Edukasyon to add 50 technical-vocational (tech-voc) schools across the country to its online search-and-apply platform, offering prospective students information on and access to alternative education to employment pathways. “There is too often a notion among Filipino students that conventional degrees are the sole path toward a secure livelihood. By broadening and diversifying offerings like tech-voc on our platform, through the generous support of

the Enrique Zobel Foundation, we want to show that there are different paths for different individuals and each one can lead to a successful future,” Edukasyon CEO and Founder Henry Motte-Muñoz said in a news statement. Motte-Muñoz said the joint initiative between Edukasyon and the foundation will help ensure the young Filipinos to be more aware of the quality tech-voc choices as they are about college options, recognizing that students have varying needs, priorities and resources when planning for their future ca-

Gabay Guro culminates yearlong initiatives with tribute for teachers

abay Guro, PLDT-Smart Foundation’s flagship advocacy program for teachers, recently celebrated its 12th anniversary with a prize-filled and all-star Grand Gathering, along with the launch of the Gabay Guro app at a mall in Pasay City. This year’s Gabay Guro event gathered over 20,000 teachers from all over the country to experience a historical Teachers’ Tribute. In support for Gabay Guro, talent managements Cornerstone Entertainment Inc. and Eat Bulaga enlisted their celebrity talents to perform for the Grand Gathering as volunteers. In addition to all the artists that entertained the teachers during the event, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones also graced the evening with her presence. It was headlined by the country’s biggest stars such as Aegis, Angeline Quinto, Christian Bautista, Eat Bulaga’s Jose and Wally, BakClash and Broadway Boys, Erik Santos, Ian Veneracion, Jaya, Jay R, Jayson Dy, Jed Madela, Jona, K Brosas, Klarisse de Guzman, Kyla, Kuh Ledesma, Martin Nievera, Moira de la Torre, Ogie Alcasid, Piolo Pascual, Pops Fernandez, Regine Velasquez-Alcasid, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Zephanie Dimaranan. Gabby Concepcion and Sharon Cuneta, were reunited by a performance on-stage after a very long time. Many prizes were given away to the attendees. The two lucky teachers who won the event’s grand prizes—Mary Jean Libot of Mother Divine Providence School won a brand-new Foton Gratour van, while Maricel Bustillo of Las Piñas City National Senior High School-CAA Campus won a new house and lot.

Innovations pillar launched

The highlight of the celebration was the launch of Gabay Guro’s seventh pillar—the Digital Innovations app.

The Digital Innovations Pillar takes its place among the original six core pillars established in 2007: classroom donation, scholarships, teachers’ training, livelihood programs, connectivity and computerization, and the Teachers’ Tribute. The Digital Innovations Pillar aims to reinforce the digital transformation for Filipino teachers, school leaders and stakeholders by equipping them with new modes of teaching and the latest technology that will enable them to create, grow, and evolve their craft for the benefit of their students. Backed by this new learning pillar, Gabay Guro introduces an application for teachers that will provide e-learning content and interactive technology and ready-to-use online tools that are aligned with the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education curriculum. This will provide teachers with the latest and easily accessible educational resources right at their fingertips. “Gabay Guro continues to develop innovative programs for our teachers and our partners in nation-building,” Gabay Guro Chairman Chaye Cabal-Revilla said. “Every year, it is our great honor to be able to give back to our teachers through a grand tribute and we always look forward to continuing this mission and empower them through Gabay Guro’s previously six and now seven core pillars of learning,” she said. On October 24, Gabay Guro is bringing the program closer to the teachers in the northern part of the country. A regional Teachers’ Tribute will be staged in Ilocos Norte, to bring quality entertainment and to give away a lot of prizes to the Ilocano teachers who did not make it to the grand gathering. It is one of Gabay Guro’s ways to show its sincerity in giving back and being inclusive to all the teachers all over the Philippines.

PLDT-Smart Foundation’s flagship advocacy program for teachers, Gabay Guro, recently celebrated its 12th anniversary. Gracing the event are Gabay Guro Chairman, PLDT SVP and Smart CFO Chaye CabalRevilla (left) and Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones.

At the signing ceremony of the Edukasyon and Enrique Zobel Foundation partnership are (from left) Enrique Zobel Foundation Chairman Dee Ann Zobel, Edukasyon CEO and Founder Henry Motte-Muñoz, Edukasyon Partnerships Manager Patricia Matias, and Enrique Zobel Foundation Executive Director Joselito Rodriguez.

reers. In addition, he said tech-voc institutions onboarded to the platform will benefit from increased online visibility and engagement with potential enrollees. More than 30 tech-voc schools have been added to Edukasyon’s platform to date. These include Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Women’s Center, Asian Caregiving and Technology Education Centers, Tarlac School of Arts and Trade, Davao Institute of Technical Education, and Cebu Science of Welding and Skills Technology. Edukasyon welcomed the first

batch of Manila-based tech-voc institutions to its online platform by hosting a luncheon on September 25. The representatives were briefed on completing and managing their online profiles—receiving, managing and tracking student inquiries and applications—as well as opportunities to maximize engagement through digital content. Grace Ann Lira, Enrique Zobel Foundation’s program officer, said at the onboarding event that the foundation is developing partnerships from both private and public sectors to serve the marginalized

people through education. “ We col laborate w it h bot h public and private organizations, including Edukasyon, to bring relevant changes to the communities and schools that we serve. As our founder has said, ‘the greatest social equalizer is giving quality education to the less privileged,’” Lira said. She added: “We recognize that technical-vocational education and training plays an important role in sustainable development, and we look forward to more years of collaboration, growth and positive social impact.”

Meanwhile, Kristeljem Ann Estacio from Tesda Women’s Center said tech-voc is a viable option for students who cannot pursue four-year degree courses because of financial constraints. “In my experience, tech-voc has been beneficial for students who may not be able to afford four-year college degrees or those who prefer to work immediately instead of studying. Edukasyon can help us gain more enrollees, especially women, and more important, advocate for tech-voc by sharing more information and access to skills training,” Estacio explained. Launched in 2015, Edukasyon is now visited by more than 10 million students each year. In partnership with more than 500 schools and 50 corporations, and foundations, it aims to empower Filipino Gen Z to make better-informed decisions about their education, career and life. Motte-Muñoz said Edukasyon invites partners across sectors to join in its ongoing efforts to promote and advance TVET in the country, to help young Filipinos of all backgrounds become industryready and equipped for a promising future.

Playschool, playgym facility opens in Clark

L A R K F R E E P O R T— Un ique a nd nont r ad i tional learning methods are now being applied in this free port as a new school facility here opened its door to help young children learn and develop in their formative years. Making the free port not only a premier business destination but also a preferred learning hub, The Happy Headstart Playschool and Playgym recently launched its programs here. Chie Mayrina-Angeles, owner of the Happy Headstart, shared that they offer tailored programs intended for each children’s age group. The playschool also aims to help in the learning process of every child while tapping into their natural urge to play. Angeles said that their “Play and Learn” program is organized for

Aimed at helping every child to learn and develop socially by integrating fun activities, the Happy Headstart Playschool and Playgym recently had their soft opening in Clark Global City, Clark Freeport Zone. CDC-CD

children ages two to three years old. This is where they integrate free play, music and movement, art activities, sensory play and motor

activities among others which are all aimed at helping each student to learn and develop socially. The playschool also has a pro-

gram called “Path to School Readiness” that focuses on the child’s skills in prewriting and writing, literacy and numeracy. This particular program for preschoolers aged three to four years will help in developing the confidence, curiosity and communication skills of each student. Early childhood learning activity also awaits toddlers 14 to 22 months old with the “Teeny Tikes” program. This course includes activities, such as visual feast, musical treat, tactile play and obstacle course or adventure play among others. Angeles also assured parents that proper childcare and quality learning experiences will be provided to their kids. The Happy Headstart in Clark is located at Unit1 W-101 One West Aeropark Building, Clark Global City.

Zubiri leads turnover of Tesda training centers in Bukidnon

enate Majority Leader Miguel Zubiri led the turnover ceremonies last week of four Technical Education and Skills Development Authority training centers in Bukidnon to Tesda Secretary Isidro Lapeña. The training centers in Impasugong, Cabanglasan, Lantapan and Maramag towns are part of Zubiri’s initiative to establish local government unit-based Tesda training centers in Bukidnon aligned with antipoverty and anti-insurgency goals of the province. “We want Bukidnon to be the pioneering tech-voc–educated province in the country,” Zubiri said. The partnership between Zubiri and Tesda is geared toward providing accessible tech-voc education to the province. More Tesda training centers will be established in the city of Malaybalay, and the towns of Kitaotao, San Fernando, Kibawe, Quezon, Talakag, Malitbog, Baungon, Kalilangan, Sumilao, Damulog, Kadingilan and Dangcagan. With the recent turnover, Bukidnon now has Tesda training centers in its two cities and 20 towns, making it the pioneer province to have local government unit-based Tesda-operated training centers, bringing skills education to grassroots communities. The creation of Tesda training

centers are part of Zubiri’s educationfocused poverty alleviation projects for the province, complementing the expansion of Bukidnon State University through its extension campuses. Joining Zubiri for the turnover ceremonies in the four towns were Lapeña, Gov. Jose Ma. Zubiri and Rep. Manuel Zubiri of the Third District. Also present were Mayor Anthony Uy and Vice Mayor Norly Pepito for Impasugong; Mayor Renante Inocando and Vice Mayor Lolita Obsioma for Cabanglasan; Mayor Ernie Devibar and Vice Mayor Sulpicio Gallano for Lantapan; and Mayor Jose Joel Doromal and Vice Mayor Ed Laure for Maramag. “We want every single person in Bukidnon to physically have access to our schools. It is hard enough to balance school and work—as many of our youth have no choice but to do— and it just becomes more difficult when geographical challenges get in the way, discouraging attendance or even application,” Zubiri said. “Bukidnon is one of the largest provinces in the nation in terms of land area. It follows that we would need a large network of educational centers to reach all our constituents, at minimal cost to them,” he added. “With these Tesda training centers in every city and municipality of the province, we are bringing education and opportunity right to our peoples’ doorsteps,” he explained.

Makati Mayor Abigail Binay (center) hands a teacher a kit during the recent World Teachers’ Day.

Makati pampers teachers on World Teachers’ Day

he Makati City government, led by Makati Mayor Abigail Binay, feted some 3,100 public-school teachers in the city with kits and other treats. Distributed to the teachers were bags each containing a Bluetooth speaker, wireless presenter, tumbler, Teacher’s Plan and Students Data Record, first-aid kit, Makatizens pouch with school supplies, notepad, 64GB flash drive, voice amplifier, laptop bag and a Makatizen jacket. Earlier, the mayor, in an executive order, suspended classes

in all public schools in the city from elementary to college on October 4, to give way to the daylong tribute to the educators at the Makati Coliseum. The teachers were treated to a caravan of services ranging from free massage and spa to medical checkups, free medicines and eyeglasses, among others. Other officials who attended the event were Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo, Rep. Luis Campos, Department of Education Makati Superintendent Rita Riddle, and City Councilors.

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Monday, October 14, 2019 E3

Experiential marketing and how to do it right PR Matters By Millie F. Dizon

Part Two

n last week’s column, we answered the inquiry of Bernie S. who asked us to know more about a growing trend, experiential marketing, and the best way we can do it well. We first defined it as marketing a product or service through experiences that engage customers and create an emotional attachment to the product or service. That is why it is also called engagement marketing, on-ground marketing or participation marketing. We then got a little help from John Millard, from his marketingprofs.com article, “The How and Why of Experiential Marketing: 7 Tips to Do It Right,” who shared with us some tips on how to do it right. Some of Millard’s tips: n Experiences make people happy. n Focus on people and relationships. n Don’t try to save time, invest in it. n Enhance, never interrupt. n Human connection is key. n Solve, not sell. n Bring the joy. This week, we will cite some of the best practices in experiential marketing, which Braden Becker lists in “11 Examples of Experiential Marketing Campaigns That’ll Give You Serious Envy Content” in hubspot.com. Join in the fun and be amazed as we go through five of these amazing experiential marketing ideas:

1Red Bull: Stratos.

Red Bull has been at the forefront of extreme sports coverage for as long as the brand existed. But in 2012, the company brought its content marketing to literally new heights with a world record height. Stratos, Red Bull’s superterrestrial marketing campaign, featured Felix Baumgartner, a skydiver from Austria who partnered with Red Bull to set the world record for the world’s highest skydive. That record: 128,000 feet, above 24 miles above the Earth’s surface. To pull off this amazing stunt, Red Bull housed Felix in a small communication capsule and sent him up to the stratosphere using a large helium-filled balloon.

Digital: Impact Hub Eyes Guinness World Record on Biggest Hackathon this October

MANILA, Philippines— Impact Hub, the global network of purpose-driven entrepreneurs, announced today their official attempt to stage the world’s biggest hackathon, Impact Hackathon that will commence at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on October 30 and 31. Aiming to beat the current Guinness World Records record-holder Hajj Hackathon last year with 2,950 participants, the Impact Hackathon is expecting 10,000

ethical students, professional coders, and start-ups to put the Philippines on the world stage of progress, inclusivity and innovation. An estimated number of 3,500 participants will be housed at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the remaining 6,500 will be stationed across 15 cities nationwide. “I have always believed that access to opportunity is the key differentiator between those who make it and those who don’t. That’s why bringing in the global network of Impact Hub is so important, in that it’s a platform for Filipino entrepreneurs to aspire for, helping them scale globally,” said Impact Hub Manila Founder and CEO Ces Rondario. The 24-hour rebirth hackathon will be a codefest that will revolve around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development

With that, Red Bull set another record by streaming the entire event online and saw the highest viewing traffic of any live stream ever broadcast on YouTube with just over 8 million viewers. Becker’s takeaway for marketers: “Don’t underestimate the power of suspense when hosting an event your audience can own a piece of themselves. Being able to witness something new, and maybe a little scary is such a personal experience. And the better the result, the longer your audience will remember and reminisce over it.”

Piano Staircase. 2Volkswagen:

In 2009, Volkswagen caught people at their most musical by turning a subway staircase in Stockholm, Sweden, into a giant piano when no one was looking. The next day, each step produced the sound of a different piano key as people climbed up and down the stairs. The campaign was part of “The Fun Theory,” which suggests people are more likely to do something if it looks fun. In the case of Volkswagen, it wanted to help make people’s personal habits healthier to go along with it. Fun was clearly the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better, as 66 percent more people chose the stairs over the escalator at that particular subway terminal, as a result of Volkswagen’s piano staircase. Becker’s takeaway for marketers: “With every marketing campaign you launch, find the ‘fun factor.’ Once you find our fun factor, find the ‘good’ factor. Hosting an experience is your chance to make an impact on your community, not just the users of your product.”

Building a better Bay Area. 3Google:

When the search engine giant gave away $5.5 million to Bay Area nonprofits, it let the public decide where that money would go—in an unconventional, interactive way. Google allowed people to vote online, but also wanted to involve the Bay Area community in a tangible way by installing large interactive posters—in places like bus shelters, food trucks, and restaurants—that locals could use to vote for a cause. With the help of the online voting integration—

Goals, specifically smart cities, education, food and agriculture, health care, and climate change. The five categories were chosen according to their relevance. Apart from this, Impact Hackathon is bringing together the biggest network of brands from the technology, start-up, and entrepreneurship sectors in the region namely: the Asian Development Bank, Dentsu Aegis Network, KMC, GIZ, SparkUP Business World, Forest Foundation, WWF, KumuMedia Technologies, Smart, PLDT, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, the League of Cities of the Philippines, Microsoft, Team Bam Aquino, UnionBank, and Gawad Kalinga.

and a branded hashtag: #GoogleImpactChallenge—the campaign ended up generating 400,000 votes over the course of three-and-a-half weeks. Becker’s takeaway for marketers: “Create a branded hashtag that participants can use to share the experience in social media. Then make sure you’ve integrated an online partner with another brand to create an even better experience.” Also, “don’t be afraid to nurture your leads. Find a way to remind someone that they’ve participated.”

4Guinness: Guinness Class.

For a few weeks, ambassadors dressed in Guinness-branded flight attendant uniforms entered bars across the United Kingdom, where they surprised unsuspecting customers with a chance to win all kinds of prizes. In order to participate, bar-goers had to order a pint of Guinness, after which they would shake a prize-generating mobile tablet that displayed what they won, which included passport cases and keychains. But one player per night would get the ultimate prize: a free trip to Dublin—via private jet— with four friends. This experience associated Guinness with something

aspirational, like traveling by private jet. It also allowed a brand that’s nearly 257 years old to maintain its authenticity, while also adapting to a changing landscape and audience. Becker’s takeaway for marketers: “78 percent of millennials would rather spend money on a memorable experience or event than buy desirable things. Think about what things your target audience might aspire to, and that you’d like to associate with your brand. Then, build an experience around that.” Likewise, “if you do require a product purchase in order to participate in the experience, make it convenient. In this case, people had to buy a pint of Guinness to win a prize, but they were already in a bar that served it.”

5Facebook: Facebook IQ Live.

Facebook—who also owns Instagram—has always understood how much data it has on how people use these platforms. For that reason, it created the Facebook IQ Live experience. For this experience, that data was used to curate live scenes that depicted the data. Among them was the IQ Mart, a “retail” setting that represented the online

shopper’s conversion path when using social media, an Instagram café, chockfull of millennial-esque photo opportunities. The campaign wasn’t just memorable, it also proved to be really helpful—93 percent of the 1,500 attendees said that the experience provided them with valuable insights on how to use Facebook for business. Becker’s takeaway for marketers: “Build an experience for people who aren’t sure about how they would use your product or service. Find ways for them to interact with your brand in a way that creatively spells out how it can benefit them.” PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdom-based International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie F. Dizon, the senior vice president for Marketing and Communications of SM, is the former local chairman. We are devoting a special column each month to answer the reader’s questions about public relations. Please send your comments and questions to askipraphil@gmail.com.

Perspective BusinessMirror

E4 Monday, October 14, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

For Russia, talk of Trump impeachment is the gift that keeps on giving

AN inflatable “Baby Trump” is erected outside The Saloon, October 9, 2019, in anticipation of President Donald Trump’s visit in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. AARON LAVINSKY/STAR TRIBUNE VIA AP

By Cynthia Hooper | College of the Holy Cross

THE CONVERSATION

HE Russians are calling it “Ukrainegate.” “I never thought I’d say it, but CNN is right,” remarked one pundit on Russia 1, the county’s most-watched television station. “The person who wins in this situation is Putin.” Commentary in Russian media about the impeachment investigation of US President Donald Trump in many ways echoes the language of US coverage. Just a few of the jokes are different. “Of course, if Trump is impeached, he could probably return here, if you believe the American press,” laughed one Moscow-based moderator. As a historian who studies contemporary Russia, I have seen the pro-Kremlin Russian political and media establishment grow increasingly skilled at spinning stories to highlight US political weaknesses over the past five years—since conflict between the US and Russia first erupted over Russia’s annexation of a portion of Ukraine. This latest scandal, revolving around a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is a gift for those wishing to advertise US dysfunction without seeming to engage in heavy-handed censorship or promote obviously deceptive propaganda. One tactic is comedy. In a catchy

YouTube feature by the Kremlinfunded English-language media service RT, titled “Ukrainegate: The Next Best Thing,” an enthusiastic young woman with a British accent gives a synopsis of the impeachment investigation. In less than three minutes, she succeeds in mocking both the US and Ukrainian presidents, the US political system, and the ignorance and condescension of the average Democratic operative. She begins: “Despite all the effort that went into Russiagate, the claims against Donald Trump just won’t stick. Luckily for the Democrats, there are plenty more Eastern European countries that can be used to bring down a president.” Ukraine is, of course, the country she’s referring to. “If you squint, it could even be Russia,” she says. “It’s big, it’s cold, and everyone speaks Russian…sort of.”

Who is to blame?

MOST Russian newspapers are echoing Republican condemnation of Democrats for allegedly concocting another scandal involving

This latest scandal, revolving around a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, is a gift for those wishing to advertise US dysfunction without seeming to engage in heavy-handed censorship or promote obviously deceptive propaganda. Trump after failing to find proof his campaign colluded with Russia to swing his 2016 election. “The Democrats are making a laughingstock of themselves. If they are not careful, this could end up exposing a lot of Democratic corruption dating back to the Clinton years. But at least it’s keeping them busy—otherwise they’d return to interfering in the Russian economy.” So remarked one panelist to general applause on “Vecher” (“Evening”), a popular prime-time talk show with pro-Putin host Vladimir Soloviev. “The actions of US Democrats are exposing their country to global ridicule,” wrote Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Facebook. Russian pundits are also presenting the US intelligence community as highly politicized and unreliable. Many repeat variants of Trump’s own angry tweets, accusing the security organs of trying to orchestrate a coup. At the opening of Russian Energy Week in Moscow on October 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin likewise criticized their actions, which he claimed had little to do with defending rule of law. During Watergate, Putin said, US President Richard Nixon got into trouble “for eavesdropping on his political rivals. But here we have

a totally different situation. Here Trump was eavesdropped on…and some kind of anonymous employee of the special services distributed that information.”

Trump slump

EVEN in defending Trump, the Russian establishment casts him as far more vulnerable than their own leader. Putin, meanwhile, is taking a cool, professorial tone in describing the US situation to international audiences. “I was taught long ago to be aware that any of my conversations could end up published,” Putin remarked at the Energy Week panel, alluding to his past training in espionage. He claimed that, consequently, he had nothing to hide and did not oppose making public the transcripts of his meetings with Trump. Nevertheless, even independent Russian media services generally critical of the Kremlin have pointed out that Trump, not Putin, might be the one with something to hide. Citing The Washington Post, internet news company Meduza reported that in one redacted meeting Trump held in 2017 with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Trump allegedly said that “he wasn’t greatly upset about Russian meddling in the American

presidential election of 2016, given that America has done the same thing in many other countries.” Russian talk-show hosts, meanwhile, are expressing incredulity at the fact that a sitting US president can’t apparently manage to keep his would-be secrets secret. As nationalist Eduard Limonov argued: “If I were in Trump’s position, I’d create my own secret service, answering only to me, and I wouldn’t drink or eat anything that wasn’t vetted by my own people.” Even as Russian commentators defend both Trump and to some extent Ukrainian leader Zelenskiy, they also are taking the opportunity to remind viewers that the two men both lack political experience. Trump probably thought he and Zelenskiy, the star of a popular television sitcom before he became president, could be “kindred spirits, able to reminisce about promising TV careers ruined by a move into politics,” RT joked.

Looking like a global leader

AMID a barrage of increasingly sensational Western headlines, Russian journalists can allow the US media to do their work for them. Selective quotes from US coverage of Washington’s bitter political battles are held up, in the Russian press, as examples of US

hypocrisy and decay. At the same time, Russian leaders are presenting themselves as statesmanlike and above the fray. Their benevolent attitude, at least for the moment, appears to extend to Ukraine, thanks to Zelenskiy’s apparent willingness to make peace with the Kremlin. “I don’t envy him,” said Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on a trip to Cuba, refusing to get drawn into a reporter’s question about whether “Zelenskiy has become Trump’s Monica Lewinsky” but still laughing at the jest. Meanwhile, Putin continues to position himself to look strong on the global stage. Taking questions with a panel of oil and gas executives in Moscow on October 2, he joked about planning to interfere in 2020 US elections. But, speaking the next day at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi to an audience that included the King of Jordan and the presidents of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and the Philippines, Putin emphasized that today’s complex world requires global cooperation and a sense of “common responsibility.” Taking the tone of a parent talking about a small child, Putin suggested the US try hard to correct its all-consuming domestic chaos. He stressed that Moscow will be willing to work with whomever the future US leader might be. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation. com/for-russia-talk-of-trump-impeachment-is-the-gift-that-keeps-ongiving-124689.