BusinessMirror September 23, 2019 by BusinessMirror

$.5-B ODA HANGS WITH LOAN TALKS’ HALT By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE Palace order to suspend negotiations on loans and grants from countries which cosponsored and/ or voted in favor of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution to probe the human-rights situation in the country is ill-advised, a veteran lawmaker and several analysts said. Their initial estimate of the resources that could be passed up by the Philippines is at almost half a billion dollars’ worth of financing. Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman reminded the administration that the forgone loans are earmarked for the development of infrastructure, trade and transport. “This false pride of the Duterte administration foisted to block the UNHRC probe may ostracize the Philippines

NICK JOAQUIN LITERARY AWARDS Aliw Media Group Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon (left) and BusinessMirror and Philippines Graphic Publisher T. Anthony C. Cabangon (right) flank this year’s winners of the prestigious Nick Joaquin Literary Awards (NJLA) 2019, held last September 20 at the Citystate Tower Hotel in Manila. The winners are (from second left): Patricia Celina Ngo (Sky Painter) third prize; Sydney Paige Guerrero, (Matches) first prize and Vincen Gregory Yu, (Perfect Sons) second prize. BERNARD TESTA

from concessional foreign finance and would conveniently justify the country’s availment of Chinese loans with much higher interest rates and shorter grace periods,” Lagman said in a statement at the weekend. The resolution dated July 11, 2019, was approved by 18 UNHRC members with 14 against and 15 abstentions, prompting the Philippines to call it a minority vote, given that there are 47 council members. It requested the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights “to prepare a comprehensive written report on the situation of human rights in the Philippines.” The 18 countries that backed the resolution are Argentina, Austria, Australia, Bahamas, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Iceland, Italy, Peru, Mexico, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland and Uruguay.

ODA reckoning

The Philippines has received over $500 million worth of active Official Development Assistance (ODA) loans and grants from at least three of the 18 countries, per government records. Based on data from the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda), the country has a total of $2.06 billion worth of ODA loans and grants from Italy, Spain and Australia as of the first semester of 2019. Only one of the 62 projects funded by these countries is a loan. The only loan worth P1.571 billion or $29.442 million (using an exchange rate of P53.36 to the dollar) came from the Italian government which financed an agriculture project. The project, titled the Italian Assistance to the Agrarian Reform Community Development Support Program (IARCDSP), Continued on A2

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Monday, September 23, 2019 Vol. 14 No. 348

Oil firms set biggest ’19 price hike; inquiry poised

By Lenie Lectura & Butch Fernandez

@llectura @butchfBM

IL companies announced on Sunday the biggest fuel price hikes for the year, and the first adjustment to input the impact on global markets of the drone attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities.

The oil price hike announcements came on the eve of a Senate inquiry to review, with key energy players, the options to mitigate the

impact of the Saudi Aramco attacks on the oil supply-price outlook of the Philippines, which imports almost its entire crude oil requirements.

Announcements of the new price hikes‚ a whopping P2.35 per liter of gasoline, P1.80 for diesel and P1.75 for kerosene, to take

68% The share of petroleum supply in the Philippines that’s consumed by transportation. Power generation uses 5 percent; commercial use, 11 percent; manufacturing, 5 percent; other industries, including agriculture, mining, and construction, 11 percent.

effect 6 a.m. of Tuesday—were made by Pi l ipinas Shel l and PetroGazz, with other oil firms expected to follow suit. Continued on A2

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GOVT BRACES FOR SURGE OF FAKE CIGS AS TAX RISES

FTER capturing close to P14 billion worth of counterfeit items from January to July, authorities are stepping up operations over the next months as they expect fake cigarettes to flood the market in the aftermath of higher tobacco taxes. The interagenc y National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights (NCIPR) seized P13.73 billion of counterfeits between January and July, bulk of which were brought in by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) at P9.32 billion. This was followed by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) with a haul of P3.9 billion, and the Food and Drug Administration with P2.82 billion. However, only P1.83 billion, or over 13 percent, of the sevenmonth haul has been verified by the NCIPR so far, and preliminary

Plan to slap safeguard duty on rice backed By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

LANTERS and farm workers belonging to the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) Inc. expressed their support for the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) plan to impose a safeguard duty on rice imports to prevent palay prices from sliding further. FFF National Manager Raul Montemayor said if this measure were only put in place as early as July, the price of unhusked rice or palay would not have declined to as low as P8 per kilogram. Based on the ground monitoring of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), palay farm-gate prices plummeted to an average of P8 to P10 per kg in August. “Yes, [we support the pronouncement of Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar]. If they did this earlier, say in July, when there was already enough basis to declare an import surge, we could have preempted the

PESO exchange rates n

slide in palay prices,” Montemayor told the BusinessMirror. “Unfortunately they focused on SURE [Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance program for Rice Farmers] and government procurement,” he added. Montemayor also allayed fears that slapping safeguard duties would lead to higher retail prices. He noted that cheap rice imports are now in the country so the safeguard duty on new shipments will not affect prevailing rice prices. The Philippines has enough rice until June 2020, he added. A safeguard duty of 35 percent, according to him, will effectively double the tariffs on rice imports. “If the imports are causing injury [to the domestic industry] and your safeguard is to stop further injury, it should be at a level that will stop further imports.” “Nobody will import when the safeguard is imposed. But I am afraid that this move is too late for this season. See “Rice,” A2

data showed majority of the counterfeits are cigarettes and alcohol products at P456.8 million, or nearly 25 percent of the validated inventory. This was closely followed by fake pharmaceutical and personal care items at P455.2 million, or almost 25 percent, too. Further, authorities seized P449.88 million of knock-off handbags and wallets; P190.72 million of pirated optical media; and P130.12 million of fake footwear. The NCIPR has yet to authenticate the NBI’s P8-billion confiscation of fake tobacco products, as well as the BOC’s P3.9-billion capture of mostly wearables in a Divisoria mall.

IpoPHL chief: Ready Intellectual Property Office of See “Fake cigs,” A12

State pay hike, DOFW top common priority list By Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

REDEFINING URBAN LUXURY Shang Robinsons Properties Inc., a joint venture between Shang Properties Inc. and Robinsons Land Corp. recently launched the Aurelia Residences, touted to bring a new meaning to luxurious living for Filipinos wishing to reside in an elegant high-rise address in the heart of Bonifacio Global City. Gracing the launch and ceremonial toast are: (from left) Atty. Karlo Marco P. Estavillo, COO and CFO, Shang Properties Inc. and president of Shang Robinsons Properties Inc; Frederick D. Go, president and CEO of Robinsons Land Corp. and chairman of Shang Robinsons Properties Inc.; Taguig Mayor Lino Cayetano; James L. Go, JG Summit Holdings Inc. chairman; Wilfred Woo, executive director of Shang Properties Inc. and vice chairman of Shang Robinsons Properties Inc.; and Lance Y. Gokongwei, president and CEO of JG Summit Holdings Inc. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

@joveemarie

LEADER of the House of Representatives on Sunday said the LegislativeExecutive Coordinating Council (LECC) has identified four common priority measures for passage before Congress’ Christmas break in December. House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez said the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) 5 for civilian state workers, the creation of the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers (DOFWs), the postponement of the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls to May 2023, and the free legal assistance to the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were included in President Duterte’s legislative agenda.

US 52.2800 n japan 0.4841 n UK 65.4912 n HK 6.6758 n CHINA 7.3665 n singapore 37.9308 n australia 35.4929 n EU 57.7276 n SAUDI arabia 13.9387

See “DOFW,” A4

Source: BSP (20 September 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Monday, September 23, 2019

Trade row with China stalls US’s FTA talks with Manila

By Elijah Felice E. Rosales

@alyasjah

“I think the major thing right now is we are dealing with China. We have to really get that thing done before anything else.” —Michalak

HE United States has suspended all efforts to negotiate a freetrade agreement (FTA) with the Philippines until Washington resolves its trade conflict with Beijing, a war that has been hurting the global economy since last year, a former US diplomat has revealed.

US-Asean Business Council Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director Michael W. Michalak said Washington is prioritizing the resolution of its tariff war with Beijing over anything else. As such, its planned trade deal with Manila, which gained headway last year after a series of talks between state officials, has to wait until the trade conflict is neutralized. In his latest dialogue with Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) executives, Michalak said he was informed of the US government’s decision to settle the China situation first before negotiating new FTAs with trading partners, including the Philippines. “The situation with China is taking up a lot of attention in USTR. We actually met with some of the officials in USTR last week. I asked specifically about the FTA with the Philippines, and they said it’s on the list. They are a little bit busy right now with a bunch of other stuff, but they have not forgotten about it,” Michalak said in an interview

with the BusinessMirror.

Hard look at proposed FTA

“The clearest statement I was able to get is they are going to take a hard look at this [proposed FTA with the Philippines] after China,” he added. The US and China have been engaged in a protracted trade conflict since last year, starting from when US President Donald J. Trump applied duties on washing machines and solar panels, and subsequently increased tariffs on steel and aluminum. The past year saw the US imposing 25-percent tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports. The tariff race between the world’s largest economies is slowing down global economy. In August, the World Trade Organization (WTO) projected growth of world merchandise trade will likely remain weak in the third quarter and in the months after. “I think the major thing right now is we are dealing with China. We have to really get that thing

done before anything else,” argued Michalak, who was former US ambassador to Vietnam. As for the Philippines, trade officials are hoping they can secure an FTA with the US to provide preferential treatment and better market access for the country’s export items. Part of Manila’s interest is the elimination of tariffs on garments and textiles, on which Washington applies average MFN duties of 11.7 percent and 8 percent, respectively, based on WTO data. On the other hand, the US is asking the Philippines to reduce duties on vehicles that can go as high as 30 percent, especially for passenger cars, at present.

Maximize GSP

With the proposed FTA hanging in the balance, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez admitted the situation is now “beyond our control,” and the Philippines will just maximize its trade privilege with the US under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). “We will maintain a healthy trading relationship with the United States under the current GSP trading arrangement. Philippines will maximize usage of the program,”

Lopez said in a text message. The GSP allows the Philippines to export a total of 5,057 products, or nearly half of the 10,600 US tariff lines, to the US at zero or reduced tariffs. However, the Philippines could lose this preferential treatment once it has been classified as an upper middle-income economy by the World Bank. The government is targeting to develop the Philippines into an upper middle-income economy by 2022 under the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022; therefore, the country could lose its GSP status that year. All hope for an FTA is not lost, Michalak said, as Manila and Washington can resolve their trade issues for the meantime while the Beijing situation is being handled. Based on records from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), trade in goods between the Philippines and the US last year improved 7.16 percent to $18.69 billion, from $17.44 billion in 2017. This made the US the country’s third-largest trading partner next to China and Japan. Further, exports to the US grew 10.04 percent to $10.63 billion, from $9.66 billion, making it the country’s top export destination to lead Japan, Hong Kong, China and Singapore. Electronic products accounted for bulk of the shipments at $5.13 billion. Aside from this, top exports to the United States include manufactured items; apparel and clothing; ignition wiring sets; machinery and transport equipment; and coconut oil.

$.5-B ODA HANGS WITH LOAN TALKS’ HALT aims to stabilize the incomes of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in the Southern Philippines and improve their access to key services. Meanwhile, majority or 53 of the ODA grants received by the country as of the first semester were financed by the Australian government. The total amount granted reached $476.19 million as of the first six months of the year. The largest grants were the $107.75 million extended for the Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) Program, followed by $64.65 million for the Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao (Pathways) and the $57.95 million for the Peace Building in Conflict-Afflicted Mindanao project. The August 27 memo on loan negotiation

suspension, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror, was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea “by order of the President.” “In light of the Administration’s strong rejection of the Resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council which was carried through by the votes of the minority of the Council members on July 11, 2019, and calls upon the Philippines to take certain actions in relation to alleged human-rights violations in the country, all concerned officials are directed to suspend negotiations for and signing of all loan and grant agreements with the governments of the countries that cosponsored and/or voted in favor of the aforesaid resolution, pending the assessment of our relations with these countries,” the memo read. “This directive shall take effect immediately and remain effective until lifted by this office,” it added. Malacañang has since denied that such a memo was issued by the Office of the President. However, a copy of the August 27 memo was obtained independently by the BusinessMirror on Friday while a separate copy was even uploaded at the Bureau of Customs web site until Saturday morning, but has since been taken down.

‘More harm than good’

The suspension of negotiations and signing of loans and grants with the 18 countries that approved the UNHRC resolution will do more harm than good to the country, political analysts said. “It was an unwise and reckless decision. Some of those countries in the list are our defense partners. More critically, we have had longstand ing diplomatic and economic relations w ith many in

Continued from A1

this group. A sudden decision without any rational basis could damage these long-established relationships,“ said lawyer Michael Ll. Yusingco, a nonresident research fellow at the Ateneo School of Government, in an e-mail interview with the BusinessMirror. While Yusingco said he does not know the exact impact yet of the memo, the decision “will definitely compromise the delivery of public mandates.” “It was clearly a decision made without consideration of its long-term effect on our country’s national interest. Filipinos will then have to bear the negative effects of this decision,” Yusingco added. More than the material benefits that the country will be giving up, the suspension of aid talks is also a “setback for the Philippines’s international reputation of being ardent advocate of human rights,” according to University of the Philippines Political Science Professor Jean Encinas-Franco. “The foreign policy of Duterte is a step backwards in terms of adherence to human-rights norms and it will enhance the perception that the administration can forgo such, loans and ODA [Official Development Assistance] since we are now relying heavily on China,” Encinas-Franco told the BusinessMirror. “The memo will also put us in a weaker position when we bargain for the rights of our labor migrant workers,” she said. National security analyst Chester Cabalza said, “These donor countries have chosen our country given the many vulnerabilities that [it has] in elevating human-rights awareness. Deprivation of such act, by cancellation of future contracts from 18-countries, would mean a loss of confidence for our government to protect Filipinos’ human rights which is a basic and universal right.” Moreover, he said the government should have “cleverly weighed its recommendation,” adding that the action should not be “reactionary” and overprotective” of the UNHRC resolution. As to the confidentiality of the memo, Cabalza believed it would have been more prudent for the government to have dealt with the issue bilaterally. “It would have been good if they [government officials] kept it among themselves and perhaps called first the attention of these countries,” he said. Cai U. Ordinario, Jovee Marie N. dela Cruz

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Oil firms set biggest ’19 price hike; inquiry poised Continued from A1

The oil price increase reflects movements in the world oil market. One factor that led to this week’s price adjustment was the September 14 drone attack on Saudi Aramco’s facilities. Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, energy committee chairman, confirmed over the weekend that Resolution 139 mandated the committee to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, on the short, medium, and long term plans of the Department of Energy (DOE) “to achieve energy security to mitigate the adverse repercussions of supply shocks on Philippine oil supply and prices” following the attack. Invited to testify on Monday were officials of the DOE and its Oil Industry Management Bureau (DOE-OIMB), the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC), National Power Corp. (Napocor), National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), Phil. Competition Commission (PCC), Department of Transportation (DOTr), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), among others. Invited as observers were: Aboitiz Power Corp., Team Energy, SEM-Calaca Power Corp., AES Power Corp., Phinma Energy, Millennium Energy, Vivant Corp, UniOil Petroleum, Phoenix Petroleum, Eastern Petroleum Corp., SeaOil Phils., PTT Philippines Corp., Jetti Petroleum Inc., Flying V Oil, Total Phils. Isla LPG Corp. and South Pacific Inc.

Stable supply

The DOE assured the public last week that the country has stable fuel supply. However, it was uncertain on how pump prices will behave after the drone attacks. “There is no supply problem. If there are concerns on supply, they should not be worried,” said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, adding that his office can at least assure the public that “the inventory we have is sufficient to keep the economy running.” The DOE reminded the oil firms to strictly implement the minimum inventory requirement (MIR), equivalent to stocks of 30 days for oil refiners, 15 days for bulk marketers, and seven days for liquefied petroleum gas players. In a meeting with the oil firms, the DOE proposed to increase the MIR to 60 days, but the oil representatives said the immediate creation of new infrastructure along with the added logistical demand may prove costly and detrimental to the current operations. The DOE also proposed staggered oil price hikes. The oil players took note of this proposal and said that based on indicative figures in the world oil market, present pump prices remain lower than 2018 figures even with the 2019 tranche of the TRAIN law in effect, and that the country as a whole is affected by world oil price volatility. The DOE also raised possible contingency measures, which includes the preparation of oil supply replacement, and a possible increase in the biofuel blends as an option to mitigate potential supply shortages. In filing the resolution for a Senate inquiry into the Saudi drone attacks fallout, Gatchalian said on Friday the “DOE, as the primary agency in charge of planning and implementation of comprehensive programs for the supply of energy, needs to inform the Filipino public

Rice. . .

Continued from A1

At least it will arrest the further decline in palay prices,” he added. Under the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Safeguard Measures Act (RA 8800), FFF said the government can impose so-called general safeguard duties on imports of rice on top of regular tariffs if imports are found to have caused, or threaten to cause, injury to rice farmers. Dar has initiated an investigation to determine if additional duties are warranted.

Digital PHL. . . Continued from A12

signals that more lawmakers now see the value of ICT development. “It warms my heart to see proposals coming from the minority bloc to increase our budget; it means that we are generating unified support,” he said. “They now realize that in the digital age—in digital transformation—there is a common ground.” Rio noted that given the small budget allocation for 2020, his agency will have to make do with what is available, and maximize it to its full potential. He added that despite the pal-

about the effects of the Saudi Aramco attack on oil supply and prices in the Philippines.” He wants the DOE to state “its shortand medium-term plans and strategies to ensure continuous and sufficient supply and reasonable prices amid strains in the Middle East, as well as its long-term plans and strategies to achieve energy security in order to prevent vulnerability to supply shocks and insulate consumers from unexpected shortages and sharp price increases.” According to Gatchalian, as of June 2019, almost all, or 99.9 percent of crude oil in the Philippines is imported, with 12 percent of that coming from Saudi Arabia. Sixty-eight percent of petroleum supply in the Philippines is consumed by the transportation sector, while power generation uses 5 percent. At least 11 percent is for commercial use, 5 percent for manufacturing, and the remaining 11 percent is used by other industries including agriculture, mining, and construction, the Energy panel chief said.

Consumers: Inventory is pre-Saudi

Meanwhile, Laban Konsyumer Inc. (LKI) said the DOE should determine that existing inventory products are priced at their pre-Saudi oil incident. “The oil industry must not take advantage of a force majeure situation at the expense of the consumers. “The DOE is clothed with powers under the oil deregulation law to take affirmative action for the interest of consumers,” said LKI President Victor Dimagiba. The meeting with the oil industry players was presided by Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos and cochaired by OIMB Assistant Director Rodela I. Romero. The representatives from the office of Gatchalian, the Philippine Institute of Petroleum (PIP), and other oil industry representatives were in attendance. “The DOE is working 24/7 to address these oil-related concerns brought about by the attacks in one of our biggest oil sources in the Middle East. We are reminding everyone to practice energy-efficiency measures like carpooling and the use of public transport so that we may all contribute to help the nation and the environment” Cusi said.

Task force

The DOE also met with the proposed members of the Oil Contingency Task Force (OCTF) to finalize the working draft establishing the interagency working group that implements the country’s contingency strategies. The OCTF is activated in preparation for natural or man-made disasters to address the country’s immediate oil supply concerns and, in this case, the impact of the geopolitical and disaster-related events that may cause supply disruptions or sharp volatility in the world oil prices. “We realize the importance of addressing issues beforehand so that the government may have contingency measures to sustain the country’s economic growth and provide basic services to the people. The activation of the OCTF is vital to our resiliency because we are currently dependent on oil imports,” said Cusi.

Manila has the option to impose a provisional duty for a maximum of 200 days. The Tariff Commission will then conduct its own investigation within 60 to 120 days to determine whether the provisional duty should be retained, amended or removed. Montemayor acknowledged that safeguard duties may be used by traders and retailers as a pretext to raise rice prices. “That is a problem that the DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] and other government agencies should try to prevent. It is not the fault of farmers that imported rice is being sold at P40 per kg even though it costs only P25 [per kg] to bring in,” he said. try budget in 2019, “the ICT sector contributed the highest investment as per BOI this 2019. Even if you combine the contributions of other sectors, we are still higher at P308 billion.” Investments in the ICT industry ballooned to P308.8 billion in January-to-August period of 2019 from only P340 million in 2018, including programs for the creation of shared telco infrastructure and fiber layout. “These investments show that even without higher appropriations, we are able to attract investments,” Rio said, noting, however, that a better fiscal setup can help the department accelerate its vision for a Digital Philippines.

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National government briefs BARMM officials on customs, taxation duties

HE national government reported developments to the formation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), including briefing their officials on their operational duties with concerns to customs and taxation responsibilities. In a statement over the weekend, the Department of Finance (DOF) reported that the Bureaus of Customs (BOC) and of Local Government Finance (BLGF) have coordinated with the BARMM on their respective structures and functions to assist Mindanao’s new autonomous region on how to organize and effectively run its finance, budget and management ministry. BLGF Executive Director Niño Raymond B. Alvina and Julito Doria, the chief of staff of BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero, recently presented an overview on how officials of the BARMM can coordinate with the national government in appointing local treasurers, assessing the performance of local government units (LGUs) and in creating special procedures for customs processing in areas within BARMM’s jurisdiction. DOF officials led by Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran also met with officials of the Bangsamoro government to explain the setup and functions of the DOF so that Mindanao’s new autonomous region’s finance, budget and management ministry can consider these in

its organizational structure. The briefing was part of the meeting of the technical working group composed of DOF officials and representatives of the BARMM. This TWG was formed to assist the BARMM in setting up its government, particularly in handling its fiscal affairs. Finance Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresa S. Habitan said the next meeting with BARMM officials to be attended by representatives from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) will focus discussions on the “taxable elements, taxing power limitations, and the disposition on assets and personnel” of the Mindanao autonomous government. The DOF cochairs with the BARMM minister of budget, finance and management the Intergovernmental Fiscal Policy Board, which is designed to address revenue imbalances and fluctuations in the regional financial needs and revenue-raising capacity of the BARMM government. The other IGBF members are the DBM, Department of Trade and Industry, National Economic and Development Authority, and other BARMM appropriate ministries. The BARMM consists of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi- Tawi, and the cities of Cotabato, Marawi and Lamitan, and 63 barangays in six North Cotabato towns. Bianca S. Cuaresma

Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug • Monday, September 23, 2019 A3

SC orders Comelec to proclaim Nograles as So. Cotabato rep

By Joel R. San Juan

@jrsanjuan1573

HE Supreme Court has ordered the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to proclaim former Vice Mayor Shirlyn L. Bañas Nograles as the winner in the elections for the first legislative district of South Cotabato. The SC also unanimously nullified the resolution issued by the poll body suspending the elections for the first legislative district of South Cotabato. “The election for the First Legislative District of the Province of South Cotabato scheduled on May 13, 2019, should not have been suspended, and the candidate obtaining the most number of votes for the said position must be proclaimed,” the SC said in a ruling penned by Associate Justice Rosmari D. Crandang. “Consequently, the holdover provision under Section 2 of Republic Act 11243, or an act reapportioning the first legislative district of the province of South Cotabato, thereby creating the lone legislative district of General Santos City, would be inap-

plicable since there would already be a newly elected and qualified representatives,” the Court added. The magistrates also ordered the Comelec to convene a Special Provincial Board of Canvassers to proclaim Nograles as the winning candidate in the May 13 midterm polls. T he cont rovers y stem med following President Duterte’s signing into law of R A 11243 on March 11, 2019. Under the said law, the first district was reapportioned, thus, creating the lone legislative district of General Santos City. The said law also states that the creation of the lone legislative district of General Santos City was to commence in the next national and local elections after the effectivity of the said law. RA 11243 took effect on April 4,

2019, just over a month before the 2019 general elections. The same law directed the incumbent representative of first and second legislative districts of South Cotabato to continue representing their respective districts until the election of new representatives. However, on April 11, the Comelec issued a resolution suspending the election of representatives for the first legislative district, including General Santos City. In issuing the suspension order, the Comelec claimed that the electoral data for the first legislative district of South Cotabato, which included General Santos City, as well as the names of the candidates for the said position, have already been configured into the automated election system. As such, voters of the first legislative district will vote for one position for member of the House of Representatives. The Comelec said this configuration was inconsistent with Section 1 of RA 11243 which reapportioned the first legislative district of South Cotabato. Since the said configuration can no longer be revised for the May 13, 2019 elections without jeopardizing the preparation for the election of other positions, the Comelec decided to suspend the conduct of election in the said province.

Despite the Comelec’s order to suspend the elections in the district, there were still votes cast and Nograles garnered 68.55 percent of the votes or 194,929 out of the total 284,351 votes. In seeking the nullification of the Comelec’s suspension order, Nograles camp argued that it violates RA 7166 that states that the elections for the elective members of the House of Representatives should be on the second Monday of May, every three years. They pointed out that the Comelec’s order for the election to be held six months from May 13, violated RA 11243 that intended the reapportionment to commence in the next national and local elections after the effectivity of the said act or on the second Monday of May year 2020, and not May 13 of this year. It was also pointed out that when RA 11243 was passed, the legislators were aware election period for the 2019 general elections had already begun and they doubted the feasibility of holding a special election six months after May 13. The SC agreed with the petitioner that under the 1987 Constitution “elections of Congress should be held on the second Monday of May unless otherwise provided by law.”

A4 Monday, September 23, 2019 • Editor: Vittorio V. Vitug

Economy BusinessMirror

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Resistance to Citira not data-driven—Salceda

By Bernadette D. Nicolas

@BNicolasBM

HE chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means scored information technology and business-process management (IT-BPM) firms for claiming that their taxes will go up “dramatically” if a bill rationalizing fiscal incentives is enacted.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, the panel chairman and lead author of Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira) bill, also challenged IT-BPM firms to show him their figures. “I told them, ipapaputol ko ang daliri ko kung may isang piso na

malugi sa inyo [I told them, I will have my finger cut if you will lose even a peso],” Salceda told reporters in a recent news briefing held in Malacañang. The lawmaker issued the statement after IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (Ib-

pap) President Rey E. Untal said the cost of doing operations in the country will rise “dramatically” if firms are forced to relinquish their fiscal incentives. Salceda also said the resistance of Citira critics is not “numbersbased and data-based.” “That is an ideological resistance because they haven’t read the bill passed by Congress,” he said. Locators will need to give up their incentives, including the 5-percent tax on gross income earned (GIE), if the Citira bill is applied to them. Under the proposal, they are given between two years and five years to surrender their tax perks and to eventually shift to paying corporate income tax (CIT). Currently, economic zone firms are allowed to enjoy income tax holiday for up to six years for pioneer activities and four years for non-pioneer activities. Upon the expiry of their ITH, they will

perpetually pay 5-percent tax on GIE, be exempted from all local and national taxes, enjoy dutyfree importation of raw materials, capital gear and spare parts, among others. Although the Citira bill will reduce CIT to make the Philippines more competitive, the rate of this tax is still higher compared to the GIE. Under the Citira bill, the CIT rate of 30 percent will be reduced to 28 percent in 2021; to 26 percent in 2023; to 24 percent in 2025; to 22 percent in 2027; and to 20 percent in 2029, as part of government efforts to attract more investments to the Philippines. Essentially, if locators give up their tax perks and shift to paying CIT, they will pay 28 percent right away in 2021. The Ibpap has also expressed concern that the industry will struggle to grow by 8 percent this

year as firms are having difficulties expanding their operations due to the ban on economic zone development in Metro Manila. President Duterte signed Administrative Order 18 in June, which mandated a moratorium on the processing of new applications for economic zones in the National Capital Region. Thus, the Philippine Economic Zone Authority was directed to no longer accept, process, or evaluate proposals to put up new economic zones in NCR, resulting in an office space crunch for the IT-BPM industry. Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrick Chua said this can be addressed by expanding their operations outside Metro Manila. “The NCR is already very congested. There is a need to create jobs outside NCR, in the adjacent provinces and in other regions,” Chua told the BusinessMirror.

He also noted that the ban was only for new economic zones so ITBPM firms may invest in existing ecozones in Metro Manila. When asked whether the tight competition for office space in Metro Manila was due to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs), Chua said: “Well space is limited everywhere.” Untal said available office space in Metro Manila is down to 115,000 to 120,000 square meters due to the influx of POGOs. Last year, the IT-BPM industry expanded 420,000 sq m. This year, it requires 450,000 sq m to accommodate expansions and new operations. With a labor force of 1.23 million workers as of last year, the industry accounts for at least 32 percent of office spaces in the Philippines. Under its road map, the industry is projected to create 100,000 jobs annually to employ a total of 1.8 million workers by 2022.

House leader to Senate: Act quickly on economic bills PHL firms may hire fewer By Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz @joveemarie

LEADER of the House of Representatives on Sunday urged the Senate to immediately act on the economic bills that were recently approved by the lower chamber. Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte appealed to his fellow lawmakers to pass economic reform measures before year-end to make the country more investor-friendly, and help offset the restrictions un-

der the Constitution that have been deal-breakers for investors. “We need to relax the restrictions in doing business in the country that have become deal-breakers for foreign investors despite the Philippines’s emergence as one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia,” Villafuerte said. The lawmaker said the investorfriendly bills that have already been acted upon are House Bill 4157, or the proposed Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira);

HB 304, or the Passive Income and Financial IntermediaryTax Act (Pifita); HB 1026, or the new “sin” tax bill on alcoholic drinks and electronic cigarettes; and HB 300, or the amendments to Republic Act 7042 or the Foreign Investments Act (FIA). The Citira bill, which was approved on third and final reading last September 13, aims to gradually lower the current corporate income tax rate (CIT) of 30 percent to 20 percent and redesign the fiscal incentives system to make it performance-based, time-

bound, targeted and transparent. The Pifita bill, which was approved on third and final reading last September 9, aims to harmonize taxes in the financial sector. HB 1026, or the new sin tax bill on alcoholic drinks and electronic cigarettes, which was approved on third and final reading last August 20, aims to substantially raise excise taxes on alcohol products, including alcopops and e-cigarettes, such as heated tobacco and vapor (vaping) products. The approval of the bill will help the government fill the huge funding gap of the Universal Health Care program. Also, HB 300 or the amendments to FIA, which was approved on third and final reading on September 9, seeks to lower the threshold for foreign investors to own small and medium enterprises by allowing them to do so with a minimum paid up capital of less than $100,000 if the business involves advanced technology or if they employ at least 15 direct employees. The lawmaker said another priority measure—the HB 305, or the valuation reform bill—was approved by the House committees on government reorganization, and on ways and means on September 10 and 11, respectively. This measure seeks to institute reforms in the country’s property valuation system to align it with international standards and enable local government units to raise additional revenues by updating their schedule of market values.

DOFW. . . continued from a1 In a statement, Romualdez, who chairs the House Committee on Rules, said Congress leaders and top Cabinet officials will push for the immediate approval these measures. “Let’s wait for the official communication from the Palace about the final list of priority legislative measures it would be submitting to Congress. These are just the initial list. In the meantime, we agreed to pursue these as our common priority measures,” said Romualdez after attending the LECC meeting in preparation for the LegislativeExecutive Development Advisory Council (Ledac). “Under the leadership of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, we are committed to expeditiously act on these measures. We will continue to work in harmony with the Senate and Cabinet members,” he added. Romualdez said the House leadership is eyeing the passage of the common legislative measures before Congress adjourns on December 20. With Romualdez in the small group meeting were Cayetano and Deputy Speaker Luis

workers in Q4–BSP survey By Bianca Cuaresma

@BcuaresmaBM

IRMS may hire fewer workers in the fourth quarter despite the expected uptick in business activity due to the holiday season, according to the results of a recent sur vey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Results of the BSP survey indicated that the employment outlook index of local businesses in the fourth quarter remained positive, although lower at 19.6 percent. Their index for the third quarter was at 26 percent. “This suggests that more firms will continue to hire new employees, although the number that said so are lower compared to the previous survey result,” the BSP said. Their expansion plans are also bleaker for the next quarter, with the percentage of businesses with expansion plans falling to 30.4 percent for the fourth quarter, from 33.5 percent in the third quarter. The muted expectations for employment and expectations mirrored the firms’ sentiment for their business operations in the third quarter of the year. The BSP said the sentiment of firms on the volume of business activity was less upbeat across sectors, while the outlook on the volume of total orders booked of the respondent firms was less optimistic across all sectors, except for the services sector, which was broadly steady. The overall confidence index of businesses in the countr y fell to 37.3 percent from 40.5 percent due to seasonal factors, such as the slack in the demand and slowdown of business activities during the rainy season; decline in orders leading to lower sales; lack of supply of raw materials; and the perceived unfavorable effects of various government policies, such as the rice tariffication law and stiffer competition. The sentiment of businesses in the Philippines mirrored the less buoyant business outlook in Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, India and Norway. However, business sentiments in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Greece, Hungary, Israel and Ukraine were more optimistic. The survey was conducted on July 10 to September 10, and involved 1,487 firms nationwide.

Raymund Villafuerte. Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sens. Bong Go and Joel Villanueva, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, and Acting Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado, also attended the small group meeting. Earlier, House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Joey Salceda said the Duterte administration will spend P110 billion for the salary increase of government employees, including nurses and teachers, in the next three years as part of the proposed SSL 5. According to Salceda, SSL 5 needs no new taxes to underwrite it. Meanwhile, Cayetano vowed to approve the creation of the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers and Foreign Employment (DOFW). Cayetano said the absence of a single agency to address foreign employment concerns has made it difficult for government to focus on the needs and demands of migration in general and of OFWs in particular.

For the postponement of barangay elections, there are 33 pending bills before the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms postponing the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls. A bill has also been filed to provide free legal assistance to the members of the AFP.

Zero veto

MOREOVER, Romualdez said the House leadership is forging tighter coordination with the Palace and the Senate to avoid even a single presidential veto of bills to be approved by the 18th Congress. “We are eyeing zero veto for all bills to be approved by the Senate and the House. Hopefully, we can avoid any possibility of a Presidential veto by working closely with Cabinet members and Senate officials. This would smoothen the process and avoid the unfortunate experiences of having vetoed measures, especially those declared as priority measures by the Executive,” said Romualdez.

BusinessMirror

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT Regional Office No. IV-A 4th Flr. Andenson Bldg. II, Brgy. Parian, Calamba City Telefax No.: (049) 545-7362 September 23, 2019

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

MR. JACKSON TAN CHENG YUE/ Malaysian

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. WEIWEI WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MS. JIAOQING PENG/ Chinese

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

MR. NENGYI XIE / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. XIAOBIN XU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. HONGKANG YIN / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. ZHENGJU YE / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

Position and Brief Description of Functions

Monday, September 23, 2019 A5

YAMAHA MOTOR PHILIPPINES, INC. Lima Technology Center, Malvar, Batangas

MR. NORIO OTA / Japanese

EPSON PRECISION (PHILIPPINES) INC. SEPZ-LTC, Lipa City, Batangas

MR. TAKUYA MIZUGUCHI / Japanese

XUDONG PHILIPPINES INC. CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. WEI YU / Chinese

EXCELLENT LANGUAGE AND CULTURE TRAINING SCHOOL INC. Meadowood Ave, Panapaan V, Bacoor, Cavite

MR. AKIHIRO ADACHI / Japanese

Japanese Language Assessor

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MR. LIANKAI LIAN / Chinese

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TERUMO (PHILIPPINES) CORPORATION Laguna Technopark, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. SATOSHI KAGAYA / Japanese

Director-Product Engineering Department

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MR. DAIPEI HOU / Chinese

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KOLEN PHILIPPINES INC. CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. JANGHEE LEE / Korean

Coating Manager

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

MS. YUANFANG NIE / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

KOLEN PHILIPPINES INC. CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. JUNG SOO SON / Korean

Production Director

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

MR. ZHILING LI / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

KOLEN PHILIPPINES INC. CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. YOUNGTAE KIM / Korean

Production Manager 39

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

MR. XINGCHEN YANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

KOLEN PHILIPPINES INC. CEZ, Rosario, Cavite

MR. YOUNSEOK LEE / Korean

Injection Manager 40

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

MR. YANGYANG WANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

ROYAL BRITISH COLLEGE, INC. Fiesta World Mall, Brgy. Marawoy, Lipa City, Batangas

MS. MEIJIN YU/ Chinese

MR. HAIGAN TANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

OMON GROUP INC. 2nd Floor Fastech Bldg. Cor. West Road LISP-1, Cabuyao, Laguna

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

MS. XIAOXUE WANG/ Chinese

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

MR. JUN FANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. MINGKAI YANG/ Chinese

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

MR. LIANGKUN LAI / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. TONGKAI LI / Chinese

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

MR. ZHIPENG YI / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. QIANG LIU / Chinese

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

MS. HUI ZHAO / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. CHONGSHAN GAO / Chinese

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

MS. ZHIHUI ZENG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. JIXIANG ZHANG/ Chinese

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

MR. WEN ZHOU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. TAO CHEN/ Chinese

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

MR. YING NIE / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. HONGBO WANG/ Chinese

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

MR. JINZHANG WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. KAI ZHANG/ Chinese

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

MR. WEI CHEN / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. TIAN ZHOU/ Chinese

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

MS. XIAONA ZHU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. XI ZHANG/ Chinese

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

MS. XIAOTING YU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. ZHIYU MIAO/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. YAO ZHANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MS. DANDAN FENG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MS. JUN ZENG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. JIANGHUAI WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. LIUCHENG ZHU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. FAZHENG YIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. HAICHENG HU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. XIAOFEI MO/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. BO LYU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. XIUQI WU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. FEIYANG LIANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

Sales and Marketing Adviser

IJP Production Control And Procurement Technical Support

General Manager

Curriculum Developer

Marketing Analyst (China Representative)

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

BusinessMirror

A6 Monday, September 23, 2019

Name and Address of Company/Employer

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Brief Description of Functions

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

MR. JUN WANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. YI GAO/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. SHUANGQUAN CHEN / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. WENLONG YU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. QIUYU WANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. YAXIONG YU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. LINLIN LIU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MS. SHITING JIAN / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

Name and Address of Company/Employer

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

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

MR. DEGAO CHEN / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. YICUN LI / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. XIAOHUI LIANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. RENSHAN WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. XI ZHU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YONGCHUN XIE/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. WEI ZHANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. SHUFANG HOU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YONGXIANG YIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. MINGLANG ZHANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. PENG ZHOU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. ZHIJIE LIU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MS. WANTING YIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. HANYANG WAN / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 100 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHUOMING WU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. HONGFENG YANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 101 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YUNGUO WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

MR. TIANBAO WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MS. XUE LI / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 102 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YEQIAO CHEN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 103 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HONGFENG YANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 104 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. CHUIHUO LIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MS. XUE LI / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 105 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JINJIU PAN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. HONGWEI ZHANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 106 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHIXIONG WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. JIASHENG WU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 107 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. PINGWEN ZENG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. PENG SU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 108 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JINJIU PAN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. JIANSI ZHU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 109 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XUAN XIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

MR. XING LIU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MS. QIAN CHEN / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 110 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHEN YANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 111 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. TAO LIU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 112 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. JIEYING LIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. SHAOBO HUANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 113 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. BIN WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. YONGCHENG LI Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 114 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. SHUPING XU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. GENYUAN LIU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY 115 SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HONGMING YU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. YUANMING QIN / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

116

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. SHUJING LI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. HAO WANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

117

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. JIE PAN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. HONGZHOU DENG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

118

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. PENGFEI WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. XIAOLONG LI / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

119

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. TINGSHENG ZHANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

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

MR. JUN LI / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

120

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. BAO ZHANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Name and Address of Company/Employer

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Brief Description of Functions

Name and Address of Company/Employer

Monday, September 23, 2019 A7

Name and Citizenship of Foreign National

Position and Brief Description of Functions

121

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XINWEI DAI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

150

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. SIWEI ZHANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

122

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZIHAN FANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

151

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YINJIE LIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

123

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JIAJIE ZHANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

152

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. BENYIN WANG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

124

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. FANLONG MENG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

153

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. GUANPING ZENG / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

125

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JIE DU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

154

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HENG YU / Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

126

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YAO LI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

155

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XIANHUI WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

127

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HAIQIANG BI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

156

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. NINGLIN LAI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

128

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JIAN WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

157

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHIWEI YANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

129

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHIYONG PAN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

158

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. CHUIHUO LIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

130

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHIFENG DING/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

159

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. BITONG DENG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

131

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. CHUANWEI HUANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

160

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHITAN HU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

132

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. LIUBIN HUANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

161

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HUI CHI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

133

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. PING LIU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

162

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YANG ZHOU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

134

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. FANGWEN FENG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

163

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. YILAN LIN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

135

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. LINGZENG LI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

164

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. WEN LIU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

136

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JUN LIAO/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

165

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XUEJIAN LI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

137

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YUANZHEN XIANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

166

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. WANJUN HU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

138

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MS. HUI LIANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

167

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. WENYUAN XU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

139

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. BO HE/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

168

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. CHAOBO LI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

140

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. XIANGRU XIAO/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

169

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. KUN WANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

141

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YANFAN SU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

170

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YONGMING LI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

142

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JIANZHOU WEI/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

171

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HAIFENG SUN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

143

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HAO RUAN/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

172

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YU HU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

144

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JIN ZHANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

173

INTEGRATED MICROELECTRONICS, INC. Laguna Technopark, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JUAN JOSE MORALES ACEVES / Mexican

145

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. ZHENDONG LIU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

174

SINAG PRECISION MANUFACTURING LAGUNA, INC. Laguna Technopark, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. RYOJI TAMURA/ Japanese

146

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. RENXING HUANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

147

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. JINGFEI XIAO/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

148

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. YANFAN SU/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

149

LANCE EXPERT TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, INC. Southwoods City,, Biñan City, Laguna

MR. HONGYU JIANG/ Chinese

Customer Service Representative (Chinese)

System Engineering Associate

Senior Manager/ Director

Any person in the Philippines who is competent, able and willing to perform the services for which the foreign national is desired may file an objection at the DOLE Regional Office within 30 days from the date of publication. Please inform the DOLE Regional Office if you have an information of any criminal offense committed by the foreign nationals.

HENRY JOHN S. JALBUENA Regional Director

To avail of free job referral, placement, and employment guidance services, visit the nearest Public Employment Service Offices (PESO) or log on at http://www.philjobnet.gov.ph AEP20191007217

Green Monday BusinessMirror

A8 Monday, September 23, 2019

Study: Air pollution reaches placenta in pregnancy

ASHINGTON—A new study suggests that when a pregnant woman breathes in air pollution, it can travel beyond her lungs to the placenta that guards her fetus. Pollution composed of tiny particles from car exhaust, factory smokestacks and other sources is dangerous to everyone’s health, and during pregnancy it’s been linked to premature births and low birth weight. But scientists don’t understand why, something that could affect care for women in highly polluted areas. One theory is that the particles lodge in mom’s lungs and trigger potentially harmful inflammation. Last week, Belgian researchers reported another possibility, that any risk might be more direct. A novel scanning technique spotted a type of particle pollution—sootlike black carbon— on placentas donated by 28 new mothers, they reported in Nature Communications. T he pl ace nt a nou r i shes a

developing fetus and tries to block damaging substances in the mother’s bloodstream. The Hasselt University team found the particles accumulated on the side of the placenta closest to the fetus, near where the umbilical cord emerges. That’s not proof the soot actually crossed the placenta to reach the fetus—or that it’s responsible for any ill effects, cautioned Dr. Yoel Sadovsky of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a leading placenta expert who wasn’t involved with the new research. And it’s a small study. Still, “ just finding it at the placenta is important,” Sadovsky said. “The next question would be how much of these black carbon particles need to be there to cause damage.” Scientists already had some

A doctor performs an ultrasound scan on a pregnant woman at a hospital in Chicago in this August 7, 2018, photo. A new study released on Tuesday, suggests when a pregnant woman breathes in air pollution, it can travel beyond her lungs to the placenta that guards her fetus. During pregnancy, particle pollution is linked to premature births and low birth weight, but scientists don’t understand why. AP/Teresa Crawford, File

clues from animal studies that particles could reach the placenta, but the study is a first with human placentas. The Belgian researchers developed a way to scan placenta samples using ultra short pulses from a laser that made the black carbon particles flash a bright white light, so they could be measured. The researchers included placentas from 10 mothers who lived

in areas with high pollution and 10 others from low areas. The higher the exposure to pollution, the more particles the researchers counted in the placentas. “As the fetal organs are under full development, this might have some health risks,” said Hasselt environment and public health specialist Tim Nawrot, the study’s senior author. He is doing additional research to try to tell. AP

Soccsksargen folks cautioned vs ‘unhealthy smog’ from Indonesia

ENERAL SANTOS CITY— The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Soccsksargen has cautioned residents over last weekend about the possible spread of “unhealthy smog” in the area due to the raging forest fires in Indonesia. In an advisory, EMB-Soccsksargen said the intense forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan in recent weeks could cause “high levels of air pollution” to be blown toward the southern part of the country, including Soccsksargen, in the coming days. EMB-Soccsksargen said it has been conducting daily air quality monitoring in at least three sites as an initial intervention. The monitoring stations are in this city, Koronadal City and Tupi town in South Cotabato. EMB -Soccsk sargen noted last week that the air concentration in the three sites remain under nor ma l levels, and considered as “still in good and fair condition.” “[The air quality level] does not pose an [adverse] impact to human health,” the agency declared. With the result, it advised the general public to maintain normal activities. “As for healthy precautions, sensitive individuals especially children, elderly, pregnant women and those with heart and lung conditions, are advised to reduce

Report: Airlines’ carbon emissions growing fast

nited States airlines are increasing their emissions of climate-changing gases much faster than they are boosting fuel efficiency, according to an environmental group’s report. T he Inter nat iona l Counci l on Clean Transportation said recent ly t hat carbon- d iox ide emissions and fuel burning rose 7 percent from 2016 to 2018, overshadowing a 3-percent gain in fuel efficiency. The report’s authors say airlines could reduce emissions and fuel consumption more than 25 percent by buying newer planes and filling them with more passengers. The report ranked Frontier the most efficient among the 11 largest US airlines. The Denverbased carrier has added more than 40 Airbus jets with more efficient engines. N e w Yo r k - b a s e d J e t B l u e ranked last. JetBlue Spokesman Tamara Young said the airline’s score dropped because researchers considered seating density—JetBlue has fewer rows in coach—and it burns fuel by operating more of its flights in congested areas like New York. The airline has ordered more fuel-efficient Airbus jets. The transportation council is a nonprofit group that works with governments to set fuel-economy standards and pushes for stricter regulations to limit pollution. The council hired the researchers who uncovered Volkswagen’s emissions cheating. A trade group for US airlines d i s puted t he env i ron ment a l group’s findings. “The fact is that the US airline industry is a green economic engine,” said Airlines for America Spokesman Carter Yang. “When you look at the bigger picture, the US carriers transported 42 percent more passengers and cargo in 2018 than in 2000, and we did it with just a 3-percent increase

in total emissions.” Yang said airlines are investing in fuel-efficient planes and developing alternative jet fuels. He called it “a record of sustainability to be proud of.” Dan Rutherford, one of the report’s authors, said airlines are slowly boosting efficiency, but not enough to keep up with the growth in travel. “We are heading off an emissions cliff right now. This is becoming even more urgent,” he said. Aviation accounts for a small but rapidly grow ing share of g re e n hou se - g a s e m i ssion s — about 2.5 percent worldwide. Forecasters expect air travel to grow rapidly in the coming years. Without huge strides in efficiency, aviation will fall short of contributing its share toward meeting the Paris accord goals for reducing emissions and curbing climate change, Rutherford said. After terror attacks and recession led to big losses from 2001 through 2009, US airlines have turned hugely profitable in recent years. They have spent billions to buy new planes, but they have also used those planes to add scores of new flights that contribute to higher emissions. Reports like Thursday’s could give a boost to flight shaming— discouraging people from flying to avoid pumping more carbon into the atmosphere. “It’s crazy that you can get all this data on the cost of your ticket and amenities on your flight, but you have no information about how carbon-intensive your flight is,” Rutherford said. The aviation body of the United Nations has proposed putting limits on aircraft carbon emissions for new plane models beginning next year and previous models still being produced in 2028. Many environmentalists consider the standards too weak. AP

Asian climate organizers: ‘Our house is on fire’

H Indonesian President Joko Widodo walks on a burnt forest as firefighters are seen spraying water to extinguish the remaining fire in Pelalawan, Riau, Indonesia, on September 17. Widodo traveled to the area hardest hit by forest fires, as neighboring countries urged his government to do more to tackle the blazes that have spread a thick, noxious haze around Southeast Asia. Laily Rachev, Indonesian Presidential Secretariat via AP

prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities,” it said. Engr. A lex Jimenez, EMB Soccsksargen director, assured residents that it would continue the daily monitoring of the air quality level in the area as part of their mandate. “We will make this information

Preserving Makiling’s forest oyota Motor Philippines Corp. (TMP) recently conducted tree planting in its 10-hectare adopted area inside the Makiling Botanic Gardens at the University of the Philippines Los Baños in Laguna. A total of 40 volunteers from TMP and TMP Foundation planted hundreds of seedlings to contribute to the preservation of Mount Makiling, an Asean heritage site and home to a diverse species of flowering plants, ferns, mosses, insects and animals.

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The activity was part of “All-Toyota Green Wave Project,” an initiative by all Toyota affiliates around the world, which aims to contribute to the restoration and enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystems. Besides tree planting, TMP also implements other programs aligned with the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050, which focuses on achieving zero environmental impact in all aspects of its operations and creating a future society in harmony with nature.

available to the public as soon as we get them,” Jimenez said. Based on EMB-Soccsksargen’s monitoring, the particulate matter (PM10) in the air as of Saturday in Koronadal City was at 63.81 micrograms per normal cubic meter (ug/Ncm) or under the “ fair” level.

PM10 particles, often described as coarse particles, are smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter. The international standard for PM10 is 60 ug/Ncm. It was measured at 37.28 ug/ Ncm in Tupi and 45.26 ug/Ncm in this city or under “good” level.

Allen Estabillo/PNA

undreds of Asians across nine countries—Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Myanmar, Cambodia and Thailand—will be coming out on the streets throughout September 20 to 27 to demand the end for fossil fuels and climate justice for communities, along with millions of strikers of all ages in more than a hundred countries around the world. We call on our respective national governments to heed our call for declarations of climate emergency. There is no sugarcoating it— East Asia is one of the most v ulnerable regions in the world to climate-change impacts. More frequent and intense heat waves, melting glaciers, rising sea levels and, most recently, a devastating tropical cyclone in the Bahamas. This is not to mention millions of vulnerable communities on the frontline of climate change threatened by, food and water scarcity, displacement, pollution and illnesses, and even human-rights violations and displacement in the face of the rapid expansion of fossil-fuel projects and both slow-onset disasters and extreme weather events. Countries in Southeast Asia are blanketed by smoke—with major cities recording more than 200 US Air Quality Index, people are choking every year as the transboundary haze became an annual occurrence. Throughout the next few days, Asia and the world will hold a series of events including strikes, rallies, as well as workshops, panel discussions and gatherings.

If you live on Planet Earth, we are inviting you to join, because this fight is not just for our home planet—it’s for us the people. We are demanding our governments to declare a climate emergency, as a first step to address the climate crisis and work in alignment with the Paris Agreement goal in reducing carbon emissions to keep global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Some of our groups, especially in Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, are also demanding a just transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The burden of our uncertain future should not just be left up to climate scientists and environmentalists, but to everyone, might you be a student, businessperson, father or mother, a friend, a mayor, a cyclist, a farmer or an artist. Regardless of who we are or what we do, we all need food, water, air and shelter—and these very basic human needs are being threatened by inaction to climate change. Our human rights are being violated by our governments’ lack of response to the collapse of ecosystems around the world. Together we stand, millions of us youth strikers will be back on the streets not just for ourselves, but also for the billions of people living on this planet. Climate change is already happening everyday. To hold polluters accountable, we are striking to spark a much-needed conversation about this injustice. Your life and your voice matters, so let’s fight for it at the Global Climate Strike Week.

Biodiversity Monday BusinessMirror

Asean Champions of Biodiversity Media Category 2014

Monday, September 23, 2019

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

Ambassador Evan P. Garcia (second from left), Philippine permanent representative to the United Nations and other organizations in Geneva, receives the Clark Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award last month on behalf of DENR official Josefina de Leon, whose efforts to protect endangered species placed the country at the forefront of curbing illegal wildlife trade. With him are (from left) Animal Welfare Institute’s DJ Schubert, CITES Director General Ivonne Higuero and Species Survival Network’s Will Travers. Alessandro Ponzo/Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines Inc.

PHL rallies intl support to protect endangered species; official awarded

ENEVA—The Philippines successfully rallied support for international cooperation to protect Philippine animals threatened with extinction during the 18th meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), held in August in Geneva. During the event, a Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) official was also recognized for her role in strengthening the country’s conservation efforts and helping put a stop to domestic ivory trade. Suppor ted by ot her cou ntries, the Philippines was able to include local species of otters and butterflies in Appendix 1 of the Convention, and geckos and wedgefish in Appendix 2. Appendix 1 offers the highest protection to species already threatened with extinction by limiting trade and requiring the issuance of export and import permits in exceptional cases, while Appendix 2 includes animals that may face extinction due to uncontrolled or illegal trade. Meanwhile, former DENR Biodiversity Management BureauWildlife Resources Division division chief Josefina de Leon received the Clark Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award from the Species Sur vival Network and Animal Welfare Institute for

her crucial role in strengthening wildlife law enforcement in the Philippines. Apart from developing standards and protocols for wildlife law enforcers, de Leon was among the key figures in the destruction of more than four tons of elephant tusks seized in 2013. Ambassador Evan Garcia, Philippine permanent representative to the UN and other organizations in Geneva, received the award on her behalf in a side event held on August 20, 2019. The ambassador also hailed the inclusion of Philippine animals in the CITES appendices. “The listing is a victory not just for the animals whose survival is endangered because of unmitigated trade, but for present and future generations whose access to the benefits of biodiversity rests on our current resolve and ability to recognize threats, respond quickly to dynamic situations, and modify destructive patterns of consumption,” Garcia said. Members of the Philippine delegation included representatives from the DENR, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Save Philippine Seas, Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, Center for Sustainability PH Inc., Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines Inc., and Crocodylus Porosus Philippines Inc.

32 years of intl cooperation protect world’s ozone layer, biodiversity By Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim

Executive Director, Asean Centre for Biodiversity

n September 16, 32 years ago, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was adopted to regulate the production and consumption of man-made ozone-depleting substances. As of yet, the only United Nations treaty to have been ratified by all 197 countries of the world, including the 10 Asean member-states (AMS), the Montreal Protocol was humanity’s response to the alarming havoc these chemicals are wreaking on the stratospheric ozone layer, the Earth’s protective shield against harmful levels of ultra-violet (UV) radiation from the sun. According to the 2018 Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion report, parts of the ozone layer have recovered at a rate of 1 percent to 3 percent every decade since 2000. The Parties’ commitment to the Montreal Protocol has led to the phase-out of 99 percent of ozone-depleting chemicals in refrigerators, air-conditioners, and many other products. The Montreal Protocol is considered to be one of the most successful international environmental treaties in history. This year’s theme for the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is “32 Years and Healing.” The Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) joins the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in celebrating over 30 years of successful international cooperation to protect the world’s ozone layer. The ACB is an intergovernmental organization facilitating cooperation and coordination among the AMS, and with regional and international organizations, on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of such natural resources. As an organization that facilitates international cooperation, the ACB recognises the potent power and the global impact of the

Parties’ commitment to the Montreal Protocol. As an organizwation working to halt biodiversity loss, the ACB welcomes the continued healing of the ozone layer, the protective benefits of which reap gains for biodiversity. Without the ozone layer’s protection, the sun’s UV rays penetrate deep into oceans, damaging coral reefs and adversely affecting marine life, a vital source of the world’s food supply and livelihood. The depletion of the ozone layer also affects plant growth, disrupting photosynthesis. Uncontrolled ozone depletion significantly reduces crop yield worldwide. It also threatens the wild flora that serve as forest cover and provide various ecosystems services. UV radiation also contributes to the loss of fauna globally. According to a 2017 Climate Change Responses report, UV rays are one of the drivers of the declining numbers of amphibians worldwide. In the Asean region, the ACB commends the AMS for their efforts to restore and protect the ozone layer. The 2017 Asean State of the Environment report shows that the consumption by AMS ozone-depleting substances has dropped over a five-year period. The 2018 Asean Cooling Summit that was held in Bangkok, Thailand, tackled the use of energy-efficient and climate-friendly airconditioning technologies in the region. Currently, most air-conditioning systems use hydrofluorocarbons, which have been found to be potent greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, another threat to biodiversity. The summit brought together leaders from government, business, civil society, and academe to discuss sustainable solutions to the growing demand in air-conditioning in the Asean. While much work still needs to be done in protecting biodiversity and securing a thriving world for present and future generations, our decades-long cooperation that has led to the healing of our ozone layer is a gain we celebrate today for our planet and our future. Happy World Ozone Day!

Jamaica coral reefs shows nature can heal O

CHO RIOS, Jamaica— Everton Simpson squints at the Caribbean from his motorboat, scanning the dazzling bands of color for hints of what lies beneath. Emerald green indicates sandy bottoms. Sapphire blue lies above seagrass meadows. And deep indigo marks coral reefs. That’s where he’s headed. He steers the boat to an unmarked spot he knows as the “coral nursery.” “It’s like a forest under the sea,” he says, fastening his oxygen tank before tipping backward into the azure waters. He swims straight down 25 feet carrying a pair of metal shears, fishing line and a plastic crate. On the ocean floor, small coral fragments dangle from suspended ropes, like socks hung on a laundry line. Simpson and other divers tend to this underwater nursery as gardeners mind a flower bed—slowly and painstakingly plucking off snails and fireworms that feast on immature coral. When each stub grows to about the size of a human hand, Simpson collects them in his crate to individually “transplant” onto a reef, a process akin to individually planting each blade of grass in a lawn. Even fast-growing coral species add just a few inches a year. And it’s not possible to simply scatter seeds. A few hours later, at an underwater site called Dickie’s Reef, Simpson uses fishing line to tie clusters of staghorn coral onto rocky outcroppings—a temporary binding until the coral’s limestone skeleton grows and fixes itself onto the rock. The goal is to jump-start the natural growth of a coral reef. And so far, it’s working. Almost everyone in Jamaica depends on the sea, including the energetic 68-year-old Simpson. Once a spear fisherman and later a scuba-diving instructor, he started working as a “coral gardener” two years ago—part

of grassroots efforts to bring Jamaica’s coral reefs back from the brink. Coral reefs are often called “rainforests of the sea” for the a ston ish ing d iversit y of l ife they shelter. Just 2 percent of the ocean floor is filled with coral, but the branching structures sustain a quarter of all marine species. Clown fish, parrotfish, groupers and snappers lay eggs, and hide from predators in the reef ’s nooks and crannies, and their presence draws eels, sea snakes, octopuses and even sharks. In healthy reefs, jellyfish and sea turtles are regular visitors. With fish and coral, it’s a codependent relationship—the fish rely on the reef to evade danger and lay eggs, and they also eat up the coral’s rivals. After a series of natural and man-made disasters in the 1980s and 1990s, Jamaica lost 85 percent of its once-bountiful reefs. Meanwhile, fish catches declined to a sixth of what they had been in the 1950s, pushing families depending on seafood closer to poverty. Many scientists thought most of Jamaica’s coral reef had been permanently replaced by seaweed, like jungle overtaking a ruined cathedral. But tod ay, t he cora l s a nd tropical fish are slowly reappearing, thanks in part to a series of careful interventions. The delicate labor of the coral gardener is only one part of restoring a reef. Convincing lifelong fishermen to curtail when and where

Diver Lenford DaCosta cleans up lines of staghorn coral at an underwater coral nursery inside the Oracabessa Fish Sanctuary on February 12 in Oracabessa, Jamaica. AP/David J. Phillip

they fish and controlling the surging waste dumped into the ocean are even trickier endeavors. Still, slowly, the comeback effort is gaining momentum. “When you give nature a chance, she can repair herself,” says Stuart Sandin, a marine biologist at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. “It’s not too late.” Sandin is studying the health of coral reefs around the world as part of a research project called the “100 Island Challenge.” His starting assumption was that the most populated islands would have the most degraded habitats, but he found instead that humans can be either a blessing or a curse, depending on how they manage resources. W hen Jamaica’s fish populations began to collapse two decades ago, something had to change. In the past 10 years, more than a dozen grassroots-run coral nurseries and fish sanctuaries have sprung up, supported by small grants from foundations, local businesses, such as hotels and scuba clinics, and the Jamaican government. At the White River Fish Sanctuary, which is only about 2 years old and where Simpson works, the clearest proof of early success is the return of tropical fish that inhabit the reefs—as well as hungry pelicans, skimming the surface of the water to feed on them. The solution was to create a protected area for immature fish to reach reproductive age before they are caught.

Most of the more established fishermen, who own boats and set out lines and wire cages, have come to accept the nofishing zone. But some younger men still hunt with lightweight spearguns, swimming out to sea and firing at close-range. These men—some of them poor and with few options— are the most likely trespassers. Once it became clear that a no-fishing zone actually helped nearby fish populations rebound, however, it became easier to build support. The number of fish in the Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary has doubled between 2011 and 2017, according to Jamaica’s National Environment and Planning Agency. And that boosts catches in surrounding areas. Oracabessa was the first of the grassroots-led efforts to revive Jamaica’s coral reefs. Its sanctuary was legally incorporated in 2010, and its approach of enlisting local fishermen as patrols became a model for other regions. After word got out about Oracabessa, other regions wanted advice. “ The fishermen are mostly on board and happy—that’s the distinction. That’s why it’s working,” sanctuary manager Inilek Wilmot says. Belinda Morrow, a lifelong water-sports enthusiast who runs the White River Marine Association, notes that, in Jamaica, “We all depend on the ocean.” “If we don’t have a good healthy reef and a good healthy marine environment, we will lose too much,” she says. “Too much of the country relies on the sea.” AP

Dolphin, whale colonies spotted in Sarangani Bay

round 270 dolphins and whales have been recently spotted in various parts of Sarangani Bay by marine biologists and divers from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)Soccsksargen and its partner agencies. More species, including those considered critical and vulnerable, are believed to be thriving in the area based on the results of the third quarter monitoring of the bay. Based on the DENR report, 50 to 200 Fraser’s or Sarawak dolphins were monitored in the waters of General Santos City and Glan, 40 to 60 spinner dolphins in Glan and Malapatan, six Risso dolphin in Glan, four pygmy killer whales and two dwarf/pygmy sperm whales in Malapatan. A protected area under Republic Act 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Area System Act of 2018, the bay covers 215,950 hectares with a 226.4-km coastline, embracing Sarangani’s coastal municipalities and General Santos City. The quarterly monitoring was initiated by the DENR and the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape to track the daily activities of establishments within the bay. The team is composed of personnel from the DENR-Office of the Protected Area Superintendent, Bureau of Fisheries

Dolphins are swimming beside a boat in Sarangani Bay

and Aquatic Resources, Sarangani’s Environmental Conservation and Protection Center, and the General Santos City Environment and Natural Resources Office. According to DENR Regional Executive Director Sabdullah Abubacar, the latest monitoring showed that Sarangani Bay remains a key marine biodiversity area, which

should be protected against the proliferation of potentially hazardous wastes. “DENR alone cannot protect it. We have to synergize our work and activities to help and preserve the bay,” he said, reiterating the need for local stakeholders to continue working together to improve its ecosystem. Abubacar, who chairs the PAMB,

directed the Environmental Management Bureau-12 to provide issuances, violations and actions taken on establishments to determine its accomplishment in terms of enforcement. The monitoring team also observed nonbiodegradable waste materials, and spotted several fishing vessels conducting various activities within the bay, which may harm the cetaceans and marine organisms. Sarangani Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon, who is also the PAMB vice chairman, pointed out that local government units in the area should intensify efforts to prevent wastes and conduct regular patrol to regulate the activities within the bay. He committed to provide financial assistance to the agency for the conduct of monthly monitoring of marine mammals. “Rules should be strictly implemented, so we can achieve economic development and preservation of the protected seascape at the same time,” he said. Regarded as the diving haven of Soccsksargen region, Sarangani Bay’s coral resources cover more than 2,293 hectares spread over 20 coral reef areas with about 60 important live hard coral genera, 411 reef species in 46 families. Its seagrass cover is placed at 912 hectares, with 11 species.

A10 Monday, September 23, 2019 • Editor: Angel R. Calso

Opinion BusinessMirror

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editorial

The amazing stability of the peso

ome two decades ago the Philippine peso depreciated from the mid 40 to $1 to the mid 50 to the dollar in less than 12 months. One of our local prominent business leaders made a public prediction that we would see the peso depreciate perhaps to as high as 100 to the dollar. It is difficult to argue with a multibillionaire. However, the exchange rate never breached the 58 level. The other factor to consider was that one of the more important business interests of this taipan generated revenues in dollars and the bulk of its expenses were in pesos. His company would have greatly profited from a P100:$1 exchange rate. In 2018, as the peso was moving from 50 to 52, there was absolutely certainty from some quarters that an exchange rate of 58 was inevitable. Once again, the peso failed to live up to the negative forecast. Even when the peso depreciated by 3.9 percent this past August, more voices of impending doom hit the press and media. Since then, the peso has appreciated by about 1.4 percent. The Philippine peso holds a unique position in the currency markets for two reasons. The first is that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas has followed a firm policy for decades of not interfering in the exchange rate of the peso. Other central banks believe that intervening in the exchange rate is the only reason for their existence. Here, the BSP may come into the foreign exchange market if there is a great short-term imbalance between peso buyers and sellers, not to set a price but to provide liquidity and reduce volatility. The second reason is that—because of that Central Bank policy—currency speculators are very hesitant to test the BSP especially with its foreign currency reserves of $80 billion. South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia have all been hit with currency speculators in the past. Foreign currency traders know that it is a fool’s game to go against the market. So they wait to see a central bank artificially move the currency in one direction or another, and then they pounce like a lion on a wounded gazelle. Despite all the howling about the peso, the net year-to-date change against the US dollar is a negligible appreciation of 0.77 percent. By comparison, the Korean won is down almost 7 percent and the Thai baht is up almost 6 percent. Interestingly also is that the peso is down against the Japanese yen for the year by 0.77 percent. For an economy, currency stability is critical and the Philippine peso has that stability. A market-driven currency exchange rate is influenced only by money coming in and money going out. While the headlines capture short-term factors like last month’s remittances or this quarter’s “hot money” leaving, it’s only the bigger picture and trend that are important. While the Current Account has been in a deficit trend since the last quarter of 2018, the overall money flow is in balance between going out and coming in. You can always argue about the accuracy of government data, but you cannot argue with the markets.

The state of the world according to the UN Atty. Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II

RISING SUN

his is a continuation of my sharing on the United Nations update about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). On Gender Equality, the UN found that there is more work to be done despite the fact that the world is generally kinder to women today. They are still underrepresented in politics and business, and many are denied decision-making power. While 39 percent of the total work force is made up of women, only 27 percent holds managerial positions. Plus, women still suffer from violence and practices like female genital mutilation, and unfair domestic situations. While there are more who have access to clean drinking water now, compared to the year 2000, 785 million people still lacked basic drinking water services in 2017. And in the same year, around 3 billion people were still unable to wash their hands hygienically at home. On the matter of Affordable and

Clean Energy, this type of power is becoming more sustainable and widely available: 89 percent of the global population now has access to electricity, compared to only 87 percent in 2015. But, there are still 840 million people in rural areas who don’t have access to electricity. This translates to about 9 out of every 10

Material Related Party Transactions

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people worldwide having access to electricity. This goal is seen as one of the SDG’s success stories. Real gross domestic product grew by 4.8 percent annually in least developed countries from 2010 to 2017. But this is less than the SDG target of 7 percent. In 2018, about one-fifth of the worldwide population of young people were not studying, working or training. This has an impact on their future and the progress of their countries. Even as we see progress all around us, the report stated that industrialization in less developed countries is not progressing fast enough to meet the SDG target. Manufacturing even suffered a dip in 2018. There is more investment on research and development in countries in North America and Europe, but there is about five times less spending in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, 96 percent of the world is connected—this means they lived within range of a mobile signal. However, many are still unable to afford the means to access this technology.

Atty. Lorna Patajo-Kapunan

legally speaking

o promote good corporate governance and the protection of minority investors, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), pursuant to its regulatory power under Section 179(d) of the Revised Corp. Code of the Philippines (Republic Act 11232) issued the Rules on Material Related Party Transactions (RPT) for publicly listed companies (PLCs) (Memorandum Circular 19) dated April 25, 2019, and published on April 27, 2019. The Rules on Material Related Party Transactions recognize that transactions between and among related parties may create financial, commercial and economic benefits to individual institutions and to the entire group where said institutions belong. In this regard, related party transactions are generally allowed provided, that when RPTs amount to 10 percent or higher of a company’s total assets, it shall be considered as material related party transactions subject to these Rules. Compliance to these Rules shall be mandatory for all PLC. Disclosure/Reportorial Requirements 1. All existing PLCs shall be required to submit to the SEC a policy on Material RPT in accordance with these Rules within six months from the effectivity of the Material RPT Rules. Companies

listed after the effectivity of these Rules shall be required to submit their Material RPT Policy in accordance with these Rules within six months from listing date. The policy shall be signed by the company’s chairman of the Board and compliance officer. 2. The Material RPT Policy with accessible link shall be posted on the company’s web site within five days from submission to the SEC. 3. The Advisement Report on Material RPTs (Annex A of the Rules) shall be filed within three calendar days after the execution date of the transaction. The Advisement Report shall be signed by the reporting Plc.’s corporate secretary or authorized representative. 4. A summary of Material RPTs entered into during the reporting year shall be disclosed in the company’s Integrated Annual Corporate Governance Report (I-ACGR) submitted annually every May 30.

An interested director or officer of a corporation shall be disqualified from being a director, trustee or officer of any other corporation on the basis of a final judgment rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction against the interested director or officer for abusive Material RPTs. Abusive Material RPTs refer to the material RPTs that are not entered at arm’s length and unduly favor a related party. Imposable penalties a. For Non/late filing of, or incomplete/incorrect signature in, the Material RPT Policy, the imposable penalties are a basic penalty of P10,000 and monthly penalty of P1,000, which will continue to accrue until the Material RPT Policy is submitted to the SEC. b. Non/Late filing of Incomplete/Incorrect Advisement Report includes a penalty of Reprimand, Basic Penalty of P30,000 to P40,000 and Daily Penalty of P200 to P400, without prejudice to administrative penalties that may be imposed by the SEC. Abusive Material Related Party Transactions An interested director or officer of a corporation shall be disqualified from being a director, trustee or officer of any other corporation on the basis of a final judgment rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction against the interested director or officer for abusive Material RPTs. The disqualification shall be for a period of at least one year or more, as may

As far as income is concerned, there was a 40-percent growth in the income of the poorest members of the population. But inequalities are still present in many countries as their top 1 percent income earners do receive an increasing share of the total income. Generally, we would consider the rise of infrastructure as progress— but this can be true only if there is enough support as far as services and the structures themselves are concerned. The forecast is that by 2030, 60 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities. Unfortunately, there may not be enough infrastructure and service support to accommodate all of these people. Currently, slums and informal settlements are home to more than 1 billion people. Progress seems detrimental to our health, too, as the UN found that in 2016, 90 percent of urban residents were living in places where air pollution has reached dangerous levels. To be concluded next week

be determined by the Commission. Abusive Material RPTs refer to the Material RPTs that are not entered at arm’s length and unduly favor a related party. At a minimum, Material RPT policies shall include, but not be limited to the following: a) Identification of related parties. The policy shall clearly identify persons and companies that are considered as the company’s related parties. b) Coverage of Material RPT policy. The Material RPT policy shall cover all transactions meeting the materiality threshold. c) Adjusted thresholds. The company shall be allowed to set a threshold lower than the materiality threshold provided under these Rules upon determination by the board of directors of the risk of the RPT to cause damage to the company and its shareholders. The adjusted threshold, when applicable, shall be contained in the company’s material RPT policy. d) Identification and prevention or management of potential or actual conflicts of interest, which may arise out of or in connection with material RPTs. The policy shall cover the identification and prevention or management of potential or actual conflicts of interest which may arise out of or in connection with the material RPTs. Directors and officers with personal interest in the transaction shall fully and timely disclose any and all material facts, See “Kapunan,” A11

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Opinion

Government first

‘Hit The Target’

BusinessMirror

Siegfred Bueno Mison, Esq.

Thomas M. Orbos

THE PATRIOT

STREET TALK

uch has been said lately about the private sector being part of the solution to the traffic problem. Government definitely cannot do it alone and we in the private sector need to appreciate that and do our part. But there are many things that government can do immediately—simple and doable actions that can contribute in a big way in lessening the traffic burden. And if it is the government that leads the way, not only will the level of success be higher, but also the message of exacting sacrifice from everyone becomes even more heartfelt. Apologies to my former colleagues in government but here are some suggestions: Flexitime: Instead of expecting this of the private sector first, why not government begins with a Metro Manila-wide flexitime of all its agencies? Start work in two batches. One at 7 a.m., then the other half at 11 a.m. Ends at 3 p.m. and at 7 pm. Having government come in at a different time than the rest of the commuting public will contribute to lesser vehicles during peak time. Government ride sharing, not just carpooling: Government need not buy that many vehicles. Yes, it is understandable for the agency heads and senior officers to have their own mode of transport, not as a matter of privilege but more out of necessity; but this does not definitely apply to everyone in government. Either a government office offers an in-house carpooling service, which many are already doing; or even better, get the services of a ride sharing company, such as Grab or even Angkas. A commercial agreement can be made with these ride sharing companies to provide a lower rate for government employees utilizing their services for official business. In that manner, not only will government agencies save a lot on vehicle purchase and maintenance but they will also contribute to reducing congestion, as well as resolving the lack of parking spaces that even now is a problem for most government offices. Let’s have more of Department of Transportation’s move to transfer to Clark or out of Metro Manila: The foresight of Transportation Secretary Arthur P. Tugade to move his agency to Clark should lead other agencies to follow. Indeed, it was a sacrifice to wake up at 4 a.m. to make it to the 8 a.m. flag ceremony in Clark, but it worked. It was also nice to know that our efforts helped in lessening congestion, as well as spurring development in the countryside.

Kapunan. . .

continued from A10

including their respective interests in the material RPT and abstain from the discussion, approval and management of such transaction or matter affecting the company. In case they refuse to abstain, their attendance shall not be counted for purposes of assessing the quorum and their votes shall not be counted for purposes of determining majority approval. e) Guidelines in ensuring arm’s length terms. The policy shall have clear guidelines in ensuring that no preferential treatment shall be given to related parties that are not extended to non-related parties under similar circumstances. f) Approval of material RPTs. All individual material RPTs shall be approved by at least two-thirds vote of the board of directors, with at least a majority of the independent directors voting to approve the material RPT. In case that a majority of the independent directors’ vote is not secured, the material RPT may be ratified by the vote of the stockholders representing at least two-thirds of the outstanding capital stock. g) Self-assessment and periodic review of policy. The internal audit shall conduct a periodic review

Utilize idle government properties for low cost in-city dormitories, instead of doing joint ventures for commercial purposes: There are so many idle government properties in Metro Manila. Convert them to dormitories where government, as well as private employees can stay for the week instead of doing the daily three-hour commute to the suburb residences. A similar effort was successfully initiated by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority some years ago under Chairmen Bayani Fernando and Francis Tolentino. Aptly named as the Worker’s Inn, the cost of an overnight stay then was P50 and had a full occupancy year around. And finally, something we can never over emphasize—let those in government follow the marching orders of the President. Unless you are of cabinet or senior rank, in the police, military or in emergency services, kindly do away with your escorts and line up just like the rest of us. Having those escorts only alienates the very public that you vow to serve. And before I forget, and I address this to the law and traffic enforcers, let us stop this practice of riding public transport for free by just showing your badges. How do you expect the bus drivers to follow the law and respect you? And… it is just not right. Indeed, we all need to work together to bring a long-term solution to this traffic problem. But government needs to take the lead—in everything, including sacrificing for the common good. Just like the general at the war, front leading everyone to battle, a government that leads and not exempts itself from the measures it imposes will surely have the public lining up to follow. 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

of the effectiveness of the company’s system and internal controls governing material RPTs. The company’s compliance officer shall ensure that the company complies with relevant rules and regulations. h) Disclosure requirement of material RPTs. The members of the board, substantial shareholders, and officers shall fully disclose to the board of directors all material facts related to material RPTs, as well as their direct and indirect financial interest in any transaction or matter that may affect or is affecting the company. Such disclosure shall be made at the board meeting where the material RPT will be presented for approval and before the completion or execution of the material RPT. i) Whistle-blowing mechanisms. The policy shall include effective whistle-blowing mechanisms consistent with the corporate values and Codes of Conduct set by the board of directors. j) Remedies for abusive material RPTs. The policy shall include measures that would cut losses and allow recovery of losses or opportunity costs incurred by the company arising out of or in connection with abusive material RPTs. It is hoped that this circular will be honored more in its observance than in its breach!

few days ago, the Bureau of Customs, Ninoy Aquino International Airport District Office celebrated its 59th year anniversary. Under the leadership of District Collector Carmelita Manahan-Talusan, the BOC-Naia managed to achieve most of its monthly revenue targets as set by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero by simply setting its sights to the bullseye, literally. Manahan-Talusan and her team bombarded the district office with all kinds of paraphernalia, such as coffee mugs, printed handouts, standee posters, shirts and even toilet stickers, with the mantra of the district: “Hit The Target” and the logo of a bullseye. The team even came up with monthly slogans, similar to a marketing campaign, to emphasize the need for all team members to exert more effort to meet the revenue target.

This kind of visioning exercise has been proven effective and useful when driving a large-scale change or in strategic planning. All companies have revenue targets, key performance indicators, key result areas, or any other specific goal to measure performance. Without a numerical gauge, business leaders will have difficulty in setting a direction. Ideally, targets should be reasonable and realistic. Whenever there is a variance in the target, leaders can be creative to drive greater motivation. For instance, whenever our law firm exceeded a monthly profit target, our employees

get a share in the profit with a corresponding increase in the target for the succeeding month. In some companies, whenever targets are not met, blame should be the last resort. Those who set such targets must first assess whether adjustments should be made, taking into consideration the basis or assumptions in setting such targets. Unless missing the target is inexcusable, habitual, or due to factors beyond the control of the responsible unit, leaders should be mindful of what martial artist Bruce Lee once said, “A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as

One year after Joel L. Tan-Torres

DEBIT CREDIT Part Two

t was during my term as chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Accountancy (BOA) that the reform of the accountancy educational and board licensure systems was initiated. It is necessary that the academic system and the professional qualification process be upgraded to meet the requirements of the stakeholders and the demands of the changing times. The past years have seen the emergence of so many developments affecting the business environment, in general, and the accountancy profession, in particular. Significant changes and innovations have arisen in the areas of technology, governance, business models, industry expectations, competencies and many others that necessitate the reform of the ecosystem that molds the future accountants of the land. The Bachelor of Science in Accountancy academic program was prescribed by the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) way back in January 2007. It has been over 10 years since the BSA was first offered in schools. Realizing that the 2007 BSA program has become antiquated, the Boa collaborated with the Ched to promulgate Ched Memorandum Orders (CMO) 27 to

30 on May 9, 2017. These CMOs prescribe the Philippine Accounting Education Framework and the Program Standards and Guidelines for a revised BSA program and three new accountancy degree courses, namely, BS in Accounting Information System, BS in Internal Audit and BS in Management Accounting. These courses will address the requirements of

Monday, September 23, 2019 A11

something to aim at.” At a personal level, we become what we think. We tend to follow the picture in our mind created by our influencers—parents, friends, communities, societies, but, most of all, ourselves. Thus, we must come up with a personal target, not necessarily quantifiable as in companies, to be able to visualize what we can become in the future. As we try to hit the target, we must come up with an image of our destination (foresight), a road map of the journey (insight), and the visual analysis of circumstances around us (oversight). Foresight is looking ahead and connects us to our future. Author and Pastor Kris Vallotton says that foresight, like looking through a telescope, is the element of vision that gives us the motivational direction—something to aspire for. On the other hand, insight, like looking at things under a microscope, allows us to understand roadblocks in our path and helps us find ways around them. Finally, oversight, like seeing things from a satellite image, puts the vision in a larger context to know where we are in the journey in relation to the target and with everyone else’s. Thus, armed with a telescope, a microscope, and a satellite, becoming who we are based on the vision we made of ourselves can be accomplished with much greater confidence, knowing what lies ahead. Focus is provided by foresight; uneasiness is lessened by insight; contingencies are

industry of specialization in accountancy competencies. Accounting schools began offering these programs in school year 2018 to 2019. Another breakthrough innovation of the CMOs is the offering of an intensive internship and research activities for all programs. The internship requires a minimum of 400 hours of mentored practical experience with an industry partner. The accounting students are also required to complete a capstone research project. These two activities are intended to provide the practical insights and exposure to accounting students that the industry community expects. All stakeholders, from the schools to industry to Boa, should be focused on ensuring that the appropriate efforts are put in place to produce successful outcomes by the time the first batch of students of these new programs graduate in 2022. With the introduction of three new additional accountancy programs prescribed in the CMOs, there is a need to revise the licensure examination provisions of Republic Act 9298 or the accountancy law (Section 13 on the Licensure Examinations provision). Under the existing law, only graduates of the BSA are qualified to take the Certified Public Accountants licensure examinations. The surveys conducted by the Boa during my term as chairman indicate that there is a

minimized because of oversight. However, for believers, according to Vallotton, an eternal perspective (His sight) would complement a person’s foresight, insight and oversight. His sight, like seeing things with the instruction from the Spirit, can only be made possible if the vision is guided by His Word. Vallotton added, “when your vision is honestly birthed by God himself, He will be delighted to direct your steps.” In the Bible, Psalms 119:105, tells us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Companies led by servant leaders, such as Starbucks, Marriott and Nordstrom, have managed to inculcate values-based processes and ethical behavior to drive performance by incorporating Scripture-based principles in their human resources management programs. At the BOC-Naia, while there have been months that the team was off the target, the morale of the people remains constant principally due to the visioning strategy of Collector Manahan-Talusan. BOCNaia has always set its eyes on the prize—the revenue target. But, for all of us to hit our goals, in business or in our personal lives, we must not lose sight of the very purpose of hitting the target—becoming who we are based on our foresight, insight, oversight and, most importantly, His sight. For questions and comments, please e-mail me at sbmison@gmail.com.

clamor that graduates of the three new accountancy programs or degree courses be allowed to take the examinations. There is a proposal that the examinations be changed to two levels: namely the first level certified accountant examination and the second level certified professional accountant and the certified public accountant examinations Those who pass the CA examinations shall be allowed to engage in the general practice of accountancy. The second level CPA examinations shall be optional for those who have passed the CA examinations and would qualify the passers to pursue specified and/ or specialized accountancy work or practice. It is imperative that dedicated attention be given on the accountancy education, the building blocks of the accountancy profession. 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 & Co. He was the former commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue from 2009 to 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

The dangers of posting children’s records online By Jose Acorda

any proud and eager parents seem to always post their kids’ activities and achievements, including their next field trip on social media. Some parents even take photos of their children’s examination results and post them online. Without them knowing it, parents are becoming the biggest violators of their kids’ privacy, leaving potentially harmful digital footprints well before they finish school. Social media could be responsible for an increasing number of young children falling victim to online criminals. For example, a recent article published online by inews.co.uk said a massive 85 percent of respondents have shared personal details on Instagram that could leave them open to ID theft,

and a shocking 6 percent say they would allow someone remote access to their bank account. While there’s no similar survey available locally, parents should start educating themselves and their kids about the dangers of irresponsible socialmedia conduct. Irresponsible social-media conduct by parents today could potentially ruin their children’s career in the future. And the posts made by their children on social media to humiliate their classmates, for example, could also have an adverse effect on them. Vicious treatment and hateful words between students often lead to violence, suicide, depression and discrimination among the student body. When a student turns to social media, or any online space as a forum for hurtful speech, the risks are immeasurable. Not only does that

student face expulsion, but also serious criminal prosecution. Therefore, it’s important for parents to teach their kids how to be sociable and responsible on social media. Pew Research asked in 2012 five questions about the profile teens use most often, and found that among teen social-media users: 92 percent post their real name to the profile they use most often; 84 percent post their interests, such as movies, music, or books they like; 82 percent post their birth date; 62 percent post their relationship status; and 24 percent post videos of themselves. Actions like these can make teens easy targets of online predators and others who might want to cause them harm. It’s important, therefore, for parents to remind their children that what they post can be used against them. For example, letting the world

know that you’re on vacation or posting your home address would give robbers a chance to strike. Most children are still learning that certain actions have consequences, which can make their activity on social media dangerous. Parents must see to it that their kids are not crossing the line in terms of what to post or comment online. Helping children to understand what their activity can lead to will help them to think before they do something that they will regret in the future. Parents must always remember that good parenting includes teaching children good manners, and following the “Golden Rule” will allow them to understand that even in the virtual world, it always pays to remain respectful of others. The author is Principal 2 at Enrile East Central School in Cagayan.

A12 Monday, September 23, 2019

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House nixes ₧36-B outlay for ‘Digital PHL’ ₧3.7B T By Lorenz S. Marasigan

@lorenzmarasigan

HE Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) suffered a double blow on Friday, when the House of Representatives slashed its budget for 2020 by 16 percent to P3.7 billion, an amount that is 90 percent lower than its requirements to achieve what its newly installed chief calls the Digital Philippines vision. Under its proposed budget for 2020, the department is seeking P36.3 billion, an 88-percent hike from the current budget of P4.3 billion, to start turning into

reality its plan to transform the Philippines into a digital nation. Besides not granting this for 2020, the House further slashed the existing budget.

The amount approved by the House for DICT in 2020, which is even lower by 16 percent from the existing P4.3-billion budget.

“Of course that’s just a proposal, but it is for the Digital Philippines concept, where we will hasten the development of infrastructure to build digital classrooms, workplaces, and communities,” Information Undersecretary Eliseo M. Rio Jr. told the BusinessMirror. Gregorio B. Honasan II, the newly installed secretary of the ICT department, conceptualized

this vision. He said it involves a people-centered initiative that will create a digital government, where public services are responsive and accessible; a digital work force, where the labor force is equipped and adaptive to digital competency skills; and a digital workplace, where productivity and innovation are key to achieving growth. It also involves the building of digital classrooms, where students are fully equipped with ICT-enabled learning experience; and ultimately digital communities, where citizens are digitally empowered to thrive and enjoy economic growth. The department, the youngest in the Cabinet circle, has never been cited as one of the top 10 agencies with the highest budget allocations,

even as other countries have already started ramping up their investments in the ICT sphere given the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Measly budget

House members were critical of the measly budget that the ICT department will receive. For instance, Rep. Bienvenido M. Abante Jr. of the sixth District of Manila said the department should have received a higher allocation, given that the whole world is now going digital. “It is critical for the country to be fully prepared to embrace the digital age. To fail to do so could be an injustice not just to our countrymen today, but to future generations of Filipinos because we must lay the foundations for

building a digital Philippines today or we risk being left behind by other developing nations,” he said. Rep. Bayani F. Fernando of the first District of Marikina also said the government must ramp up spending on “infostructure”—soft and hard ICT infrastructure—as it will be beneficial for government programs. “ICT is now a must in the implementation of social programs and services. It is also vital to national security,” he said. “We need to invest in a digital government to improve public service delivery with ICT infostructure as proposed.” This unified call from both the minority and majority blocs of the House, according to Honasan, See “Digital PHL,” A2

‘Genuine’ quarantine setup urged F

ARMING advocates belonging to the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (Pcafi) urged the government to put in place a “genuine quarantine system” that would keep meat products infected by African swine fever (ASF) out of the Philippines. Sans this quarantine system, Pcafi said the government must impose a blanket ban on all imported meat products to protect the domestic hog industry in Visayas and Mindanao. The group claimed that the Bureau of Customs does not have the capability to implement a strict biosecurity system. “The current ‘make-do’ second border system inside the cold storage facility of the importer is meaningless in terms of proper collection of tariffs and duties, quarantine and food safety,” Pcafi

President Danilo V. Fausto said in a statement. Pcafi said the BOC’s deficiencies include the absence of refrigerated facilities where the meat products may be adequately inspected for quarantine systems by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the system for proper collection of tariffs and duties. These deficiencies, the group said, derail the implementation of proper animal and food safety measures, along with the collection of the correct revenue from meat imports. Pcafi said the government’s practice of allowing meat imports to be directly transported to warehouses of importers before these are evaluated for quarantine procedures and charged with tariffs and duties had long been questioned

by agriculture stakeholders.“Poultry and livestock industry stakeholders have long recommended that all meat imports should just go through a single port with the necessary facilities for a full quarantine process,” the group said.

Backyard raisers

The group also said local government units will have a critical role in implementing biosecurity measures considering that nearly 70 percent of all hog production in the Philippines comes from backyard raisers. PCAFI said all LGUs should require all backyard hog raisers to obtain business permits for their operations, even as some LGUs do not even know that hog backyard raisers exist in their jurisdiction. Cai U. Ordinario

ALC’S LEGACY AT U.S.T. The awardees for the first University of Santo Tomas-Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua Research Grant for the Humanities were announced on September 20 at the 2019 Nick Joaquin Literary Awards at the Citystate Tower Hotel. The winners and the guests who graced the event are from left (front row): ALC Group of Cos. President Benjamin Ramos, Sharon Tan, Ces Cabangon, BusinessMirror and Philippines Graphic Publisher T. Anthony C. Cabangon, UST Secretary Gen. Fr. Jesus Jay Miranda, OP; awardee Carlomar Daoana for “Biography as Destiny: Danilo Dalena and His Pursuit of the Everyman”; awardee Maria Alexandra Chua for “Raul Sunico: The Virtuoso in the Performance of the Filipino Identity;” and ALC Media Group Chairman D. Edgard A. Cabangon. Back row: Prof. Joselito de los Reyes (with glasses), Levine Lao, Prof. Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo, Prof. John Jack Wigley, Head of UST Public Affairs Prof. Giovanna V. Fontanilla and Felipe Salvosa II. RUDY ESPERAS SOUTHWEST MONSOON AFFECTING NORTHERN AND CENTRAL LUZON as of 4:00 am - September 22, 2019

Total debt service nearly doubles in July on higher interest payments By Cai U. Ordinario

@caiordinario

HE national government’s total debt service nearly doubled in July due to higher interest payments, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr). BTr data showed debt payments reached P92.46 billion in July, 95.84 percent higher than the P44.841 billion recorded last year and 10.32 percent higher than the P83.811 billion posted in June. Interest payments in July reached P50.965 billion, 13.66 percent higher than last year’s record of P44.841 billion 75.16 percent more than the P29.096 billion recorded in June. The BTr attributed the increase in interest payments to payments for

Fake cigs. . . Continued from A1

the Philippines Director General Josephine R. Santiago said state agents are starting to get ready for the prevalence of fake cigarettes and alcohol as a result of new fiscal policies. President Duterte in July signed Republic Act (RA) 11346 further raising the tax applied on tobacco goods. RA 11346 increases the excise tax per pack of tobacco to P45 in 2020, from P35 at present, followed by a series of P5 hikes until the amount hits P60 in 2023 and 5-percent yearly increase from 2024 and thereafter. “The implementation of the hike in new and huge taxes on tobacco will start next year. Also, we are closely watching developments on the proposal to impose taxes on alcohol prod-

Fixed Rate Treasury Bonds amounting to P21.627 billion, or 23.67 percent higher than the P17.425 billion last year and 226.49 percent higher than the P6.624 billion in June. Foreign interest payments, according to BTr data, contracted by nearly 1 percent to P20.326 billion in July, from last year’s P20.521 billion. The figure, however, is 260.01 percent higher than the P5.646 billion in June. Amortization payments reached P41.495 billion in July 2019, a 1,650.84-percent increase from the P2.37 billion posted a year ago. However, it is 24.16 percent lower than the P54.715 billion posted in June. In the January-to-July period, total debt payments reached P477.714 billion, a 3.15-percent increase from the P463.109 billion posted in the

same period last year. Total interest payments in the seven-month period this year reached P231.036 billion, 9.83 percent higher than the P210.351 billion posted last year. In terms of total amortization payments, BTr data showed it contracted by 1.63 percent to P246.678 billion from last year’s record of P250.758 billion. The Department of Finance said in May that the country’s level of debt will continue declining, as recorded debt ratios for the first quarter of 2019 showed decreases, on the back of a more proactive debt management under the Duterte administration. The DOF economic bulletin said the “proactive debt management” of the government enabled it to maintain a continuously decreasing debt level which led to a more expanded fiscal space.

ucts and e-cigarettes and other vapor products,”said Santiago, who is also the NCIPR vice chairman, in a statement over the weekend. “As early as now, we are readying ourselves for the possible rise of counterfeiting of these products by intensifying our exploration of new enforcement strategies to employ,” she added. The January to July 2019 haul is almost 60 percent of the NCIPR’s 2018 capture of P23.6 billion, which is the interagency’s all-time high since its formation in 2008. By far, the trend appears to be the same, with fake cigarettes, alcohol, pharmaceuticals and personal care products topping the inventory. NCIPR member agencies will meet on Wednesday to discuss concerns such as intellectual property rights enforcement in the virtual space; allocation of funding to boost personnel of NCIPR dedicated to IP rights enforcement;

eradication of the use of unlicensed software in government offices, among others. Santiago said the NCIPR wants to include more government agencies to its group. The Wednesday meeting will discuss the possible addition of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Bureau of Immigration and the Department of Information and Communications Technology. Last year, authorities confiscated P23.6 billion worth of counterfeit products, bulk of which are cigarettes and alcohol valued P20.25 billion and P3 billion, respectively. This was an increase of nearly 188 percent from the NCIPR’s 2017 capture of P8.2 billion. The NCIPR is a 12-member panel, headed by the Department of Trade and Industry, that formulates plans and implements policies for the protection and enforcement of IP rights in the Philippines. Elijah Felice E. Rosales

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Companies BusinessMirror

Monday, September 23, 2019 B1

SBMA: Measures for ‘ease of doing business’ in place

By Henry Empeño | Correspondent

UBIC BAY FREEPORT—The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) took exception to the reported delay in the processing of business permits here and stressed that it has put in place various measures to improve locator services in line with President Duterte’s directive to simplify business procedures and expedite transactions.

SBMA Chairman and Administrator Wilma T. Eisma said among the measures “already operationalized” by her office are extending the validity of business permits from one to three years, and establishing one-stop shops to automate the processing of permit renewals. “In fact, we established the OneStop Shop Business Processing Center [OSSBPC] in February 2018 and then released the first batch of the three-year Certificates of Registration and Tax Exemption [CRTEs] in June last year,” she said. Republic Act 11032, or the Ease

of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, was signed by President Duterte in May 2018. “Then, following the issuance this July of the implementing rules and regulations for RA 11032, we formed our anti-red tape unit with key officials as members, and also created three technical working groups to oversee compliance with the law,” she said on Friday. The SBMA official cited these initiatives in the wake of a report that some businessmen here were urging the Subic agency to “adhere to the ‘ease of doing business’ law.”

A report in another daily newspaper last week quoted the Subic Coastal Development Corp. (SCDC), developer of the Moonbay Marina commercial area here, that securing business permits in Subic like the CRTE “could take an excessive amount of time” and that some locators “have gone without this important document for months for unclear reasons.” Meanwhile, the chief executive of Brighterday Subic Ltd. Inc. (BSLI), which operates the A ll Hands beach resort, was quoted as saying that “there is no such thing as ease of doing business in the Subic Freeport.” He also described the SBMA’s collection policy as “punitive rather than corrective.” A not he r bu s i ne s s m a n w ho heads the Subic Bay Marine Exploratorium Inc. (SBMEI), operator of the Ocean Adventure marine park, remarked that the SBMA should toe President Duterte’s order “to help move our country forward.” “Now where are these [complaints] coming from?” Eisma reacted. “What could be their agenda when we have been initiating business-friendly measures and adopting best practices to improve locator services?”

“Could it be that because these locators have pending contractual issues with the SBMA, they are now trying to coerce the agency through the media? Why don’t they sit down with us and talk?” she asked. According to SBMA records, both the SCDC and the SBMEI have been taken to task by the SBMA for failing to comply with their development commitments for the areas they occupied, in alleged violation of their respective lease contracts with the SBMA. In the case of the SBMEI, the SBMA added, the company also failed to settle billings of at least P6.8 million; had undertaken illegal reclamation and construction; made unauthorized closure of public roads; and also subleased properties without SBMA consent. On the other hand, BSLI was contesting SBMA’s computation of the firm’s lease obligations, something that Eisma said “could be settled on the negotiating table, not through media exposure.” “It appears that their complaints have nothing to do with RA 11032, because ease of doing business does not mean you can continue defrauding the government. We cannot let that happen,” Eisma said.

PSE schedules activities for Financial Literacy Week

HE Philippine Stock Exchange Inc. (PSE) has prepared several activities for its Financial Literacy Week, an initiative in line with the observance of World Investor Week (WIW) f rom September 30 to October 4, this year. The PSE will take part in the first global

Ring the Bell for Financial Literacy event spearheaded by the World Federation of Exchanges. The bell ringing activity is WFE’s way of supporting the WIW program of the International Organization of Securities Commissions. It aims to promote the importance

of financial literacy and raise awareness about WIW. “We are proud to be among the participating exchanges in this global initiative. We are joining this event as we have long advocated the need for financial literacy in

the country,” PSE President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon said. During the week, materials related to investor education and protection will be posted on PSE’s social-media accounts. There will also be a daily quiz on the Exchange’s offi-

Axelum further cuts IPO price, offer size to ₧4 billion OCONUT manufacturer Axelum Resources Corp. has its initial public offer (IPO) at P5 per share, and also reduced the secondary offer to 100 million secondary shares from an earlier planned 400 million shares. This will gross for the company P4 billion, some 700 million of which are primary shares and 100 million secondary shares, in an offer that will run on, and with a target listing date of October 7, 2019. Previously, the company offered its IPO price at P5.72 per share at an offer size of P6.46 billion. Axelum will carry the trading symbol AXLM in the main board of the Philippine Stock Exchange. Market capitalization is estimated to reach P20 billion upon listing. “We decided to sell only 100-million

shares instead of the initially planned 430-million shares after the final price was set, as we believe Axelum is worth more than the set price of P5 per share,” Axelum Director Jason Rosenblatt said. First Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, is the issue manager, bookrunner and joint lead underwriter. BPI Capital Corp. is also joint lead underwriter. The IPO’s proceeds from the primary shares will be used to fund the company’s strategic acquisitions, expand its domestic and international distribution networks, install new manufacturing facilities for new products, and improve and expand the company’s existing manufacturing facilities. A portion of the proceeds will also be utilized to retire the company’s loans, reduce payables and fund other capital expenditure requirements.

cial Facebook page wherein the winners will receive various PSE merchandise. As a closing activity, PSE will hold its weekly stock market 101 seminar on Saturday, October 5. This will mark the start of the Saturday seminar sessions hosted by the PSE. “The global celebration of World Investor Week may only be until October 4, but we are extending it for a

day as we launch a new schedule for our regular basic stock market seminar. We have been receiving requests to hold our weekday seminars on a weekend to accommodate more participants, particularly those who are working, and those who live in nearby provinces. So beginning October 5, our seminars will now be held on Saturdays,” Monzon said. VG Cabuag

By VG Cabuag

@villygc

Monday, September 23, 2019

Companies BusinessMirror

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Political risks dampen Meralco zeal for Ghana power project By Lenie Lectura

@llectura

TOP official of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) said the utility firm may opt to discontinue its investment in Ghana due to political risks. The deal is still on for now, Meralco President Ray Espinosa said. “Hindi [No],” Espinosa said when asked if Meralco has decided to withdraw from the concession agreement. “Naghihinay lang kami [We’re in a waiting mode]. It’s a Ghana government issue.” Meralco’s concession for the

briefs RLC to list unit as property dividends to shareholders

ROBINSONS Land Corp. (RLC), the property development arm of the Gokongwei family, will list its unit by way of introduction. In its filing before the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company is listing Altus Property Ventures Inc. as a property dividend to shareholders as of August 15, 2019. Altus has an authorized capital stock of P100 million divided into 100 million common shares with a par value of P1, and currently owns and operates the Robinsons Place Ilocos mall in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. The company said property

operation and maintenance of the assets and facilities of the Electricity Co. of Ghana (ECG), which was awarded to the Power Distribution Services Ghana Ltd. last March 2019, was suspended by the government of Ghana effective July 31, 2019. Alleged material breaches in the provision of the demand guarantees by PDS were cited as reason. Meralco leads the consortium with a 30-percent stake in PDS, which takes over the operation and management of state firm ECG for 20 years. Personally, Espinosa said he

dividend is at a ratio of 1 Altus shares for every 51.9384 RLC shares, and will have Altus listed with the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) upon completion of the property dividend without the usual initial public offering. RLC submitted to regulators Friday the necessary documentation for the issuance of the property dividend, as well as for Altus’s listing by introduction, at an initial listing price of P10.10. Altus shall serve as a vehicle for possible future real-estate ventures and opportunities, the Gokongwei firm said. Its current asset, Robinsons Place Ilocos, is the first and largest, and only full-service mall in Ilocos Norte, which sits on a 20-hectare land. It is a twolevel building, with a gross floor area of 20,190 square meters, which houses a

is slowly losing interest because Meralco had offered the best terms and yet the government of Ghana suspended the concession agreement. “We’re exposed to political risk, ang layo layo pa [and to think it’s so far]. So, maganda naman yung aming terms [our terms are good], but if we will be exposed to these types of uncertainties, we might as well pull out and just devote our attention to the country. And even in Asia, it’s more stable. Maybe we don’t have the constitution or the DNA for that kind of

department store, a supermarket and an appliance store. Altus had a profit of P57.8 million last year, up 21 percent from 2017. Revenue stood at P129.3 million, up 10 percent from the previous year. It has an asset of P713.9 million as of end-2018. VG Cabuag

Aboitiz taps Astoca

ABOITIZ Power Corp. has tapped asset disposal expert Astoca to sell its 8.8-megawatt biomass power plant operated by its wholly-owned subsidiary, Aseagas Corp.(Aseagas). “We’ve appointed a company called Astoca to liquidate the assets, to look for buyers,” said AboitizPower Chief Operating Officer Emmanuel Rubio. The power firm has been trying to sell this asset for over a year now. To

risk in Africa, yet. But that’s where it stands today,” he said. PDS is composed of Meralco, through Meridian Power Ventures Ltd., AEnergia SA, an Angolan company and three Ghanaian firms— TG Energy Solutions Ghana Ltd., Santa Power Ltd. and GTS Power Ltd. Meralco had said it is currently coordinating with its local partners in PDS to obtain more information and clarification on this matter, and will fully cooperate with the Government of Ghana to address any issue affecting the same. The consortium had planned to

invest more than $580 million for capital expenditures and is expected to strengthen the governance, management and operations of the ECG, and improve the delivery of power to end-users, as well as support Ghana’s socioeconomic growth. Of that total amount, Meralco’s share may amount to $40 million over five years. The bid of PDS included equity ownership and management of the concession company that will take over ECG, which supplies 80 percent of the population of Ghana through 3 million accounts.

attract more potential buyers Rubio said the company has decided to tap the services of Astoca. “Let’s see, I think that’s going to be a better process than us going direct,” said Rubio. AboitizPower and Astoca “formalized the agreement two months ago.” There is no target date set for the asset disposal. The biomass plant in Lian, Batangas, ceased operations in

November 2017 due to unavailability of the supply of organic effluent wastewater from Absolut Distillers Inc. This organic material was used to produce electricity upon conversion into renewable energy. Rubio said last year the total value of the asset is estimated at P3.7 billion, which represents Aseagas’s equity investment of P3.45 billion and the company’s remaining obligations of around P250 million. Lenie Lectura

mutual funds

September 20, 2019

NAV One Year Three Year Five Year Y-T-D per share Return* Return Stock Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Growth Fund, Inc. -a 256.95 4.67% -0.88% -0.07% 1.88% ATRAM Alpha Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 1.5651 10.76% 3.53% 1.29% 8.63% ATRAM Philippine Equity Opportunity Fund, Inc. -a 3.9836 4.32% -1.98% -1.63% 2.07% Climbs Share Capital Equity Investment Fund Corp. -a 0.9623 9.93% n.a. n.a. 6.8% First Metro Consumer Fund on MSCI Phils. IMI, Inc. -a 0.8565 6.05% n.a. n.a. 4.36% First Metro Save and Learn Equity Fund,Inc. -a 5.4314 7.04% 0.38% 0.02% 3% First Metro Save and Learn Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,6 0.8713 7.14% -3.83% n.a. 4.14% MBG Equity Investment Fund, Inc. -a 117.54 3.19% n.a. n.a. 1.18% PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. -a 52.09 8.99% 0.95% n.a. 5.82% Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 541.33 8.52% -0.12% -0.16% 5.17% Philequity Dividend Yield Fund, Inc. -a 1.3106 7.09% 0.85% 0.95% 4.51% Philequity Fund, Inc. -a 38.5615 8.16% 1.8% 0.9% 5.27% Philequity MSCI Philippine Index Fund, Inc. -a,3 1.0312 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Philequity PSE Index Fund Inc. -a 5.2923 10.08% 1.72% 1.82% 6.73% Philippine Stock Index Fund Corp. -a 883.54 10.13% 1.61% 1.75% 6.65% Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. -a 0.9136 9.57% 0.56% n.a. 6.23% 8.47% 1.41% 1.07% 5.63% Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Equity Fund, Inc. -a 4.2874 Sun Life Prosperity Philippine Stock Index Fund, Inc. -a 1.0151 9.66% 1.54% n.a. 6.37% United Fund, Inc. -a 3.7061 8.75% 3.05% 2.29% 5.86% Exchange Traded Fund First Metro Phil. Equity Exchange Traded Fund, Inc. -a,c,2 118.4507 10.4% 2.39% 2.79% 6.96% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ATRAM AsiaPlus Equity Fund, Inc. -b $0.9603 -4.31% 2.18% -1.22% 3.36% Sun Life Prosperity World Voyager Fund, Inc. -a $1.2992 0.37% 8.02% n.a. 17.55% Balanced Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ATRAM Dynamic Allocation Fund, Inc. -a 1.6508 1.19% -2.7% -2.85% -0.02% ATRAM Philippine Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 2.2928 5.08% -0.79% -0.08% 3.78% First Metro Save and Learn Balanced Fund Inc. -a 2.6554 7.37% 0.61% -1.28% 4.42% 4.18% n.a. n.a. 3.43% Grepalife Balanced Fund Corporation -a 1.3491 NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils., Inc. -a 1.9593 7.86% 1.17% 1.08% 6.3% PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. -a 3.7861 8.63% -0.09% 0.32% 7.28% Philam Fund, Inc. -a 16.9676 8.96% 0.02% 0.25% 6.66% Solidaritas Fund, Inc. -a 2.147 5.96% 0.75% 1.38% 3.76% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Balanced Fund, Inc. -a 3.8844 8.2% 0.94% 0.84% 6.38% Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2028, Inc. -a,d,4 1.0196 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2038, Inc. -a,d,4 1.0094 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Sun Life Prosperity Achiever Fund 2048, Inc. -a,d,4 1.0067 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Sun Life Prosperity Dynamic Fund, Inc. -a 0.9869 7.59% 0.61% 0.22% 7.07% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Cocolife Dollar Fund Builder, Inc. -a $0.03837 9.5% 2.2% 2.38% 8.7% PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. -a $0.9896 2.29% -0.73% 8.31% 2.15% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Advantage Fund, Inc. -a $3.7693 2.78% 5.91% 2.98% 13.92% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Wellspring Fund, Inc. -a $1.1144 4.05% 3.64% n.a. 10.34% Bond Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 353.9 3.68% 2.22% 2.28% 3.04% ATRAM Corporate Bond Fund, Inc. -a,1 1.9155 2.97% 0.13% 0.07% 3.03% 3.58% Cocolife Fixed Income Fund, Inc. -a 3.0826 5.16% 5.31% 5.26% Ekklesia Mutual Fund Inc. -a 2.205 3.98% 1.28% 2.04% 3.56% First Metro Save and Learn Fixed Income Fund,Inc. -a 2.3323 5.21% 1.42% 1.56% 5.77% Grepalife Fixed Income Fund Corp. -a P 1.6079 2.19% -1.16% 0.29% 2.78% Philam Bond Fund, Inc. -a 4.2852 9.51% 0.59% 1.8% 9.32% Philequity Peso Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.7395 8.05% 1.42% 1.64% 6.32% Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. -a 0.9493 6.17% -0.24% n.a. 6.52% Sun Life of Canada Prosperity Bond Fund, Inc. -a 3.016 9.45% 2.13% 2.6% 9.05% Sun Life Prosperity GS Fund, Inc. -a 1.6687 9.11% 1.55% 2.11% 8.36% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities ALFM Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $464.82 4.44% 1.89% 2.84% 3.66% ALFM Euro Bond Fund, Inc. -a Є220.11 3.28% 1.28% 1.54% 3.5% ATRAM Total Return Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -b $1.1967 6.83% 2.03% 2.52% 6.31% 1.06% n.a. First Metro Save and Learn Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $0.0258 4.03% 4.03% Grepalife Dollar Bond Fund Corp. -a $1.7168 1.05% -1.65% 0.52% 1.57% PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc -a $1.0959 6.38% -0.2% -1.21% 5.75% Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. -a $2.4113 11.41% 1.99% 3.67% 11.08% Philequity Dollar Income Fund Inc. -a $0.0600509 5.63% 1.89% 2.05% 5.35% Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Abundance Fund, Inc. -a $3.1558 9.13% 1.16% 3% 9.88% Money Market Funds Primarily invested in Peso securities ALFM Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 124.59 4.07% 2.62% 2.07% 3.07% First Metro Save and Learn Money Market Fund, Inc. -a,5 1.0221 n.a. n.a. n.a. n.a. Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. -a 1.2366 5.5% 2.29% 1.4% 4.63% Sun Life Prosperity Money Market Fund, Inc. -a 1.2543 3.9% 2.79% 2.18% 2.88% Primarily invested in foreign currency securities Sun Life Prosperity Dollar Starter Fund, Inc. -a $1.0325 2.21% n.a. n.a. 1.63% 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.).

"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."

STOCK-MARKET OUTLOOK Last week

SHARE prices fell last week, partly on weak volume, and the rebalancing of the Financial Times Stock Exchange ( FTSE) index which pushed investors sell down on their holdings. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) shed 121.21 points to close a 7,871.11 points. The main index was down almost all week with the exception of Monday when it barely moved. Foreign investors were net sellers at P1.75 billion, with most of the selling happening on Friday when the FTSE rebalancing was announced. Average value of trade reached P5.5 billion, with volume of trade was thin throughout most of the week except on Friday when trade value reached P9.75 billion. All other subindices went south, led by the broader All Shares index that fell 50.62 points to 4,772.35. The Financials index plunged 46.04 to 1,786.58; the Industrial index declined 73 to 10,938.94, the Holding Firms index was down 69.49 to 7,849.10, the Property index retreated 78.32 to 3,985.76, the Services index shed 1,588.84, and the Mining and Oil index dropped 216.43 to 9,375.03. For the week, losers edged gainers 156 to 80, and 13 shares were unchanged. Top gainers were Phinma Corp., APC Group Inc., Acesite (Phils.) Hotel Corp., Omico Corp., Zeus Holdings Inc., and Italpinas Development Corp. Top losers, meanwhile, were Jolliville Holdings Corp., F and J Prince Holdings Corp. A, Kepwealth Property Phils. Inc., IPM Holdings Inc., Phinma Energy Corp. and Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc.

This week

SHARE prices may again try to pierce the 8,000-point level this week, as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is expected to cut its policy rate when the Monetary Board meets this week. “With the FTSE rebalancing overhang over, next catalyst next week should now be the BSP’s policy decision. Consensus expects the Central Bank to cut by 25 basis points,” Gabriel Jose Perez of Papa Securities Inc. said. Luis Limlingan, managing director at Regina Capital Development Corp. said there are expectations of range trading between 7,800 and 8,000 points, but volume may be up as a result of the early quarterend window dressing. “Some events that may influence the market to break out of the consolidation would include, but not be limited to, the status of rehab of Saudi oil facility, the decision of BSPs policy meeting and more updates on the latest trade war,” he said.

Stock picks

REGINA Capital gave a buy rating on the stock of Globe Telecom Inc. when its share price managed to hold its support price of P1,863 per share. “The stock has fallen below both its short- and long-term moving averages after spending several days in consolidation. The drop in price has pushed GLO near its support of 1,879.92 and also resulted in the sudden pick up of bearish momentum,” the broker said. Globe’s shares closed Friday at P1,910 apiece. The broker gave the same recommendation on the stock of First Gen Corp. giving it a support price of P24.95 per share. “Like GLO, trading pushed the stock close to an immediate support level of P25.70. Falling by nearly a percent did very little to stimulate the indicators’ momentum,” the broker said. First Gen closed last week at P24.80 per share.

The World BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Iran envoy won’t rule out war after US sends aid to Saudis

ranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif refused to rule out military conflict in the Middle East after the United States sent more troops and weapons to Saudi Arabia in response to an attack on oil fields the US has blamed on the Islamic Republic. “I’m not confident that we can avoid a war,” Zarif said in an interview with CBS to be broadcast Sunday on its Face the Nation program. “I’m confident that we will not start one, but I’m confident that whoever starts one will not be the one who finishes it.” When asked to elaborate, Zarif said: “That means that there won’t

be a limited war.” Zarif was interviewed in New York, where he will attend the United Nations General Assembly session. The US said on Friday it will send a “moderate” number of troops to the Middle East and missile defense capabilities to the Saudis in response to last weekend’s attack on oil facilities.

policy is driven by the hardline Revolutionary Guard Corps. instead of the president and his top diplomat. US and Saudi analyses of the attack have described the strike as complex, involving a mix of low-flying drones and cruise missiles coming from the north. The attack exposed vulnerabilities in Saudi Arabia’s defense capabilities, despite the Kingdom Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif Bloomberg having spent hundreds of billions of dollars on weaponry Iran’s response has been a mix of in recent years. defiance and an attempt to ease the American officials blame Iran for tension. President Hassan Rouhani the attack that knocked out half the said on Sunday the Islamic Republic production of oil from a key Saudi field. would lay out a peace initiative for the Houthi rebels fighting a Saudi-led coregion at the United Nations General alition in Yemen took credit for the atAssembly that would involve a coalitack. “I’m confident that Iran did not tion of regional and foreign countries. play a role,” Zarif said. Anybody who His overture will likely be met with “conducts an impartial investigation skepticism in Saudi Arabia and the will reach that conclusion,” he said. US, where many believe that foreign Bloomberg News

Sheriff says 2 dead, 8 wounded in South Carolina bar shooting

ANCASTER, South Carolina—Two men were fatally shot early Saturday at a South Carolina sports bar and eight other people were wounded in the gunfire, authorities said. A suspect was being sought. The shooting occurred in Lancaster, a community about 45 miles (72 kilometers) south of Charlotte, North Carolina. Coroner Karla Deese told news outlets that the dead have been identified as Henry Lee Colvin, 39, of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Aaron Harris, 38, of Kershaw, South Carolina. Authorities said four other people with injuries were airlifted to medical facilities for treatment after the shooting and that four others received treatment locally for noncritical injuries. An 11th person had minor injuries while falling in an attempt to flee the scene, officials said. The shooting broke out at the Old Skool Sports Bar and Grill in Lancaster. “I believe it was one person targeting another,” Sheriff Barry Faile said at a news conference Saturday. “Unfortunately, we had 10 victims that got shot.” “This was a violent incident of huge magnitude

that was witnessed by lots of people,” he added. “The shooter or shooters are out there.” Investigators have identified a person of interest “but no one is in custody at this time,” Faile told reporters. “We’re doing all we can to locate this person.” Authorities had not named the person of interest by Saturday afternoon. The sheriff said authorities believe the apparent shooter had been having a disagreement for some months with one of the men who was fatally shot. Faile did not say which one. He also declined to disclose the type of firearm authorities believe was used in the shooting. The sheriff said investigators do not yet know whether more than one person fired a weapon, but noted many people were inside the sports bar at the time. “We need to talk with everybody who was at the club when the shooting happened, and I encourage those witnesses to contact us immediately so those responsible for these deaths and injuries can be taken into custody,” Faile said. AP

Australia will join US for 2024 moon mission, Mars exploration

ustralia will join the United States on the mission to return to the lunar surface and then fly to Mars. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Saturday announced his government will join the Moon-to-Mars project, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Artemis lunar program. Morrison pledged to more than triple the Australian Space Agency’s budget, according to a statement from Nasa during Morrison’s US visit. The potential Australian contributions will include robotics, automation and remote asset management— similar to systems used in its mining operations. Australia, which formed a space agency a year ago, provided land-based communication links to orbiting manned flights for Nasa, and handled the initial videos from Apollo 11 during the historic walk on the moon 50 years ago. Artemis is a US project to send astronauts to the lunar surface and establish sustainable missions with commercial and international partners by 2028. Bloomberg News

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Monday, September 23, 2019 B3

HK protesters take over mall, fold origami cranes

Tear gas fills the street as protesters continue to battle with police on the streets of Hong Kong on Saturday, September 21, 2019. Protesters in Hong Kong threw gasoline bombs and police fired tear gas on Saturday in renewed clashes over anti-government grievances. AP

ONG KONG—Young protesters, many wearing masks to disguise their identity, filled the open area of a Hong Kong shopping mall on Sunday and folded paper “origami” cranes in the latest twist in a pro-democracy movement that has stretched into a fourth month. They first chanted slogans and sang a song that has become their anthem, backed by a small group playing on woodwind and brass instruments through their masks. Many lined the balustrades of the three higher floors overlooking where others gathered in the wide space below. Transit authorities closed the two stations on the airport express train to guard against a possible disruption of transportation to the transportation hub. The Hong Kong International Airport Authority said that the train would operate only between the airport and the terminus station in the center of the city on Sunday. Some airport bus routes were also suspended. Passengers were advised to leave sufficient

time to reach the airport. The latest gathering came after a night of violent clashes in which the police used tear gas and rubber rounds against protesters who threw gasoline bombs toward them and set fires in streets. The protests generally begin peacefully, but often degenerate into confrontations that hardline protesters say is needed to get the government’s attention. Hong Kong’s leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, has agreed to withdraw an extradition bill that first sparked the protests in June. But the anti-government protesters are pressing other demands, including fully democratic elections in the semiautonomous Chinese city and an independent investigation of complaints about police violence during earlier demonstrations. Protesters say Beijing and Lam’s government are eroding the “high degree of autonomy” and Westernstyle civil liberties promised to the former British colony when it was returned to China in 1997. AP

B4 Monday, September 23, 2019

Fortune Life signs MOA with Cebu-based community coop

The Countdown to Christmas begins at SM

ORTUNE Life Insurance Company (FLIC) recently signed a memorandum of agreement to insure loan borrowers of Fairchild Cebu Community Multi-Purpose Cooperative (FCCMPC) under the Credit Group Life Insurance plan. Maria Cristina Estacio (5th from left), chairwoman of the FCCMPC, shakes hands with Virgilio Aquino, First Vice President for Group Sales of FLIC following the

MOA signing. Others in photo from left are Reynaldo Gandionco, general manager; Arlene Chavez, HR manager of ON Semiconductor Company; Ana Marie Borbe, RGB agency manager; FCCMPC board member Daryl Go; Jonathan Borbe, RGB agency branch manager; Alfredo Zabala, Regional Sales Manager for Visayas and Mindanao and FCCMPC board member Noel Nuñez.

UP alumnus cited for helping poultry farmers

O start the Yuletide Season, SM Supermalls launched its annual 100 Days to Christmas countdown which will feature exclusive holiday activities, promos, and surprises from September to December

2019. SM also kicked off its Christmas Bears of Joy and #DearSMSanta, both centered on the spirit of giving. SM rings in the season with the new “Happy SM Mallidays” jingle and a curated Christmas playlist available on Spotify.

In photo are, from left: event host Dimples Romana, Mr. Christmas Jose Mari Chan, Carol Sy, SM Supermalls COO Steven Tan, Grace Magno, and Chito Bauzon with (far left) the Mandaluyong Children’s Choir.

Honda Power Products: Quick Solution to Rising Flood Waters

HE Philippines, as one of the top countries at most risk for typhoons every year, has continuously been very vulnerable to the effects of heavy rainfall and floods. Statistics show that typhoons and floods accounted for 80 percent of the total death toll, 90 percent of the total number of affected people and 92 percent of the total economic impact in the country.1 In these situations, quick response is crucial to avert the ill-effects of heavy rainfall in flood prone areas. Luckily, Honda Power Products through its Honda Water Pumps can alleviate the effects of flooding with a reliable variety of units that can function as flood control pumps. And with a diverse line of SKUs to serve specific sets of requirements, Filipinos dealing with flooded streets should be a thing of the past in the immediate future. Intended for supplying water to crops to promote growth, Honda's WL Series – specifically the WL20XH and WL30XH, are more than capable of suctioning out excess water through its high efficiency impeller that minimizes the variation of water flow inside the pump, thus also reducing energy loss. Both the WL20XH and WL30XH have overhead valves with a dry weight of 24kg., they are built to supply water for both small to medium, and large scale farm irrigation. Next is the WX10T, a new addition to Honda Water Pumps that is lightweight, portable, and fuel efficient. This water pump is specifically designed for mobility to empower people in helping out communities everywhere, especially with a powerful 4-stroke 25cc engine that can help people through any challenge or

task thrown in front of them. Geared with a self-priming feature, the Honda WX10T promotes efficiency, allowing faster water delivery from suction to discharge – making it perfect not only for flood control and agricultural applications, but for the cleaning & maintenance of farms as well. Nature can be a force to be reckoned with, and if we are not careful, we can end up at the receiving end of its wrath. Thankfully, Honda Power Products continues to build the country to be better equipped for whatever tomorrow may bring as the brand keeps innovating with more technology designed to build the nation's foundations for the future. Helping people get things done is what Honda Power Products continues to aim for, and with this diverse line of power products, tomorrow sure looks promising.

Metrobank, Chairman Arthur Ty win big at The Asian Banker Awards

OR the second consecutive year, The Asian Banker Transaction Awards recognized Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) as the Best Transaction Bank, Best Trade Finance Bank, and Best FX Bank in the Philippines. “Our consistent recognition, especially from respected institutions such as The Asian Banker, proves that our efforts in delivering outstanding customer service, and a dynamic banking and finance portfolio pay off well,” says Metrobank President Fabian Dee. “We will continuously strive to create meaningful banking experiences for our customers in all aspects of our operations.” The Asian Banker Transaction Awards is the most prestigious award-giving body that

recognizes achievements in key business and operational areas of the banking industry. Each year, it celebrates the top domestic and international financial institutions in Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. Winners are selected through a combination of surveys, interviews, and field research by the body’s independent staff. The Asian Banker also conferred its highest honors on Metrobank Chairman Arthur Ty with the CEO Leadership Achievement Award for the Philippines, wherein under his leadership, Metrobank is accorded the Best Managed Bank in the Philippines. Receiving the awards are, from left: SVP Angelica Reyes, President Fabian Dee, FVP Christian Paul Philippe Orlino.

HE top executive of Bounty Agro Ventures, Inc. (BAVI) has been cited by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association for helping farmers join the local poultry industry through a broilers grower program. BAVI president and general manager Ronald Mascariñas received the 2019 UP Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus Award in Entrepreneurship and Employment Creation from UP President Danilo Concepcion, during ceremonies at Ang Bahay ng Alumni at UP Diliman in Quezon City. Joining Mascariñas as Distinguished Alumni awardees were Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri (Enterprise Development in Renewable Energy) and Associate Justice Marvic Leonen (Law and Judiciary). The Most Distinguished Alumnus Award was given to former Finance Secretary and Ambassador Edgardo Espiritu. Also cited &quot;for being a successful &#39;rags-to-riches&#39; businessman in

the country&#39;s highly competitive food sector”, Mascariñas graduated with a degree in agriculture from UP Los Baños in Laguna in 1982. He started BAVI’s operations in 2002 and led it to become the country’s top chicken rotisserie chain with retail brands Chooks-toGo, Uling Roasters, and Reyal. In 2004, UP Los Baños also named Mascariñas as Most Outstanding Alumnus in Entrepreneurship.

AMAZING AMY Amy Bockerstette’s story is a blueprint for Special Olympics athletes and their families. AP

Amy Bockerstette became a celebrity, zigzagging across the country, her parents barely able to keep up with all the golf tournaments, engagements, requests for interviews.

By John Marshall The Associated Press

EORIA, Arizona—There are times in life, maybe a handful, when everything changes. A moment, simple or world shattering, slanting the past, shaping all still to come. There are people who have the same effect, someone so generous, so genuine, so joyful, meeting them transforms perspective. Amy Bockerstette is one of those people. Playing one hole of golf with Gary Woodland was one of those moments. “Amy has a huge impact on everyone she meets,” her swing coach Matt Acuff said. “You can’t meet Amy and not be impacted by her.” Parents of children with Down syndrome are often told what their children can’t do. Joe and Jenny Bockerstette quickly realized all Amy could do. She had good hand-eye coordination. Perhaps, more important, she had determination. It may have taken Amy a little longer to learn how to do things, but she was willing to work at it, repeating until she got it right. Amy bowled, swam, played basketball, baseball and

he most promising signal that track and field remains in good hands even after Usain Bolt’s retirement comes from a 22-year-old American named Noah Lyles, who appreciates the Jamaican superstar more for what he did after his races than during them. When Lyles spends time studying Bolt on video, he’s not only looking at the lanky speedster’s form in between the lanes, but at the dancing, rollicking postrace celebrations Bolt concocted to make his sport can’t-miss viewing whenever he was on the track. “I saw more of his fun-loving side and liked that more than I liked actually watching him run,” Lyles said in a recent interview as he prepares for the world championships that begin next weekend in Doha, Qatar. “I was interested in what was his way of making people want to watch the sport. And that’s what I believe I took the most from.” The next two years will be daunting for track and field, as it tries to regain—or retain—its niche in the post-Bolt landscape. This week marks the beginning of the first world championships without Bolt since 2003. In less than a year, track will take its act to the Olympics, sans Bolt, for the first time since 2000. Lyles knows there will be comparisons. Two months ago, he ran 19.50 in the 200 meters, the distance Bolt considered his specialty and at which he holds a world record—19.19 seconds—that many in the sport feel will be hardest to top. But Lyles, the charismatic sprinter—sound familiar?— who grew up in Florida before moving to Virginia, isn’t daunted by that. And while Lyles will be trying for three gold medals at next year’s Tokyo Olympics—in the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay, a la Bolt—he’s focusing solely on the 200 at world championships, because, in his words, “I have a very strong chance of winning that 200. I also have a very strong chance of trying to break some meet records.” (Bolt’s world record was set at world championships in 2009). If he does, then the track world will certainly want to scoop up every little tidbit it can about its newest, fastest man. Among them: Lyles is an apparel designer (check out his socks collection) and a budding musician who produced a hip-hop album that focuses on the cycle teenagers go through in acting out. He considers himself a cross between Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, Kanye West and Jaden Smith. “I’m still trying to find my own flow,” Lyles said. Whether it was on the track, or on the dance floor, or

Sports BusinessMirror

| Monday, September 23, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

soccer. She took up piano, loved to dance, learned to ride a bike. She was a natural with a golf club in her hand. Amy also had something else in abundance: charisma. Expressive and happy-go-lucky, she drew people into her orbit, making friends at school, in Special Olympics, everywhere she went. Teachers and counselors fought for her when things got tough. Football players carried her bags across campus. Love followed in her wake. “I remember saying when she was five or six years old, this child changes people,” Joe Bockerstette said. “She has this sort of love and light everywhere she goes.” The Special Olympics were founded 51 years ago by Eunice Kennedy Shriver to change perceptions of people with intellectual disabilities. The sister of President John F. Kennedy wanted a better life and to create opportunities for children who were often bullied, isolated by their parents or institutionalized. The Special Olympics offered a world where people with special needs could thrive in ways they never had before, to find acceptance, confidence, a feeling of inclusion not exclusion. Parents were given an opportunity to be openly proud of their children, for others to see how special they were beyond their disabilities.

Amy’s story is a blueprint for Special Olympics athletes and their families. Joe and Jenny provided the foundation for Amy’s success, encouraging and pushing her along the way. Amy, through her own focus and determination, ran with it, earning multiple Special Olympics medals, a spot on her high-school golf team, a college scholarship. She made par alongside a Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour player at the rowdiest hole in golf, shining in the moment instead of shrinking under the pressure. She was a keynote speaker at the National Down Syndrome Congress, spending months on the 20-minute speech to get it just right. Amy has become a beacon, an inspiration, a symbol of possibility. “Doctors will often counsel new parents what their child may never be able to do,” said Rhonda Rice, engagement director for the National Down Syndrome Congress. “Here is an example of a young lady with Down syndrome and look at everything she’s accomplished. Amy is an example of inclusion. Just give her the chance.” Amy’s story extends beyond the Special Olympics realm. It started when Amy made the golf team at Sandra Day O’Connor High School. As a senior, she drew local attention when she played in the state high-school tournament.

National attention came when she earned a golf scholarship at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, believed to be the first college athletic scholarship awarded to someone with Down syndrome. Then came golf with Gary. Amy arrived at the Phoenix Open’s 16th hole in late January believing she was there just to meet Woodland during a practice round. When the diminutive 20-year-old in the purple shirt and white skirt got up and down for par from a greenside bunker, it sent reverberations beyond the golf-hole-turned-stadium. Woodland’s career trajectory veered upward. Known for his inability to close out tournaments, he won his first major title months after his moment with Amy, relying on her “I got this” mantra to win the US Open at Pebble Beach. Woodland made his connection with Amy a lasting one instead of a fleeting moment by staying in touch, even inviting her to join him—and the US Open trophy— on NBC’s Today show. “She’s meant everything for me from a mental standpoint,” Woodland said. “The world needs more of her in it.” Amy became a celebrity, zigzagging across the country, her parents barely able to keep up with all the golf tournaments, engagements, requests for interviews. She worked the red

Lyles wants to win, celebrate just like Bolt

Noah Lyles interacts with fans after winning the men’s 100 meters at the Weltklasse Diamond League in Letzigrund in Zurich, Switzerland, in August. AP

carpet at the ESPYs with ease, received a standing ovation and was mobbed by inspiring attendees at the National Down Syndrome Congress to find their superpower. “My superpower is confidence and believing in myself,” she told them. “With your superpower, you can create your own purpose.” Video of her moment with Woodland has been viewed more than 44 million times, a powerful message sent with each click. Amy’s ability to focus, close off pressure that would make average golfers shank one into the stands, is a stay-inthe-moment example for golfers worldwide to follow. “That’s just Amy,” Joe Bockerstette said. “She doesn’t get nervous. The bigger the moment, the more likely she’s going to love. She has so many examples in her life of doing that.” Amy’s sweetness, confidence, purity and determination are an archetype for everyday life, no matter how many chromosomes a person has. “So many people could learn so many lessons just from how she lives her life,” Acuff said. “The abundance she lives her life and the joy she gets out of it, if we all live like that, we’d be far better off.” Amy had a life-changing moment with a professional golfer. She changes lives every day just by being herself. spinning records at his own dance club in Kingston, few were able to make the switch between the athletic field and the nightclub as seamlessly as Bolt. In fact, sometimes they felt like one and the same. Though the comparisons are sure to come in all these venues, the 5-foot-11 Lyles believes there’s a benefit to never having lined up, mano a mano, against the 6-foot-5 Jamaican. “It helps my career being able to say that I wasn’t beaten by Bolt,” said Lyles, who, along with his younger brother, Josephus, signed a long-term deal with Adidas in 2016, passing on a chance to run at the University of Florida. “If I [had been], then I would have that overwhelming gloom of, ‘Oh, but you got beat by Bolt that one time.’ And then you’d have that conversation of, ‘Oh, but I was only 19.’” They did meet once—in a doctor’s office in Germany before the 2017 world championships. Lyles, who was there to get his hamstring checked out, went over Bolt in the waiting area and introduced himself. “Of course, he’s a cool guy,” Lyles said. “He’s got world records.” Could those records someday belong to Lyles? And if they do, could he be the sort of personality who would make people want to watch? “He just wants to be the first Noah Lyles and that’s all he thinks about,” his coach Lance Brauman, said. “He’s not caught up in the rigmarole about saving the sport—or being the next this or being the next that. “He’s got the personality, has a lot of talent and likes to train. He’s got a few good qualities right there.” He certainly stands out in a crowd—spraying his hair silver will tend to do that (he did that for US championships and plans to again in Doha). He certainly can dance, too, breaking out a few moves after winning at nationals. Then, he posed for pictures with fans. He was in no hurry to leave the stage. “Noah’s a rock star,” said Justin Gatlin, the reigning 100-meter world champion. “He likes to put on a show.” In short, Lyles gets it: Lots of people run fast. But Bolt’s celebrations are what made the victories so memorable. “I could be the fastest and I could have the most medals, but are they going to remember that when I leave? Probably not,” Lyles said. “Because somebody else is going to come by and do the same thing. But everybody will remember Bolt’s personality.” AP

Spo

Business

Monday, September 23, 2019

NO ROLE MODEL

ERN, Switzerland—Olympic cycling champion Nino Schurter faces being reprimanded by the Swiss Army after posting a photo on social media showing his bare bottom with the White House in the background. The army confirmed details reported in Swiss media that the 33-year-old racer faces a possible warning from his senior officers over the incident this month, though any disciplinary action will not be announced. The 2016 Olympic gold medalist and multiple world champion in mountain bike cross-country is supported in his career by Switzerland’s military.

Schurter was on service duty between races in the United States two weeks ago when he posted a photo on Instagram with three team colleagues all dropping their pants while facing the White House. The photo, since deleted, was tagged to President Donald J. Trump and included the message “white [peach emoji] for the White House.” The Swiss Army says it did not want to make a scandal of the incident, and Schurter had apologized to his commanding officer. He told Swiss media taking the photo had been spontaneous and he loved being in the US. Schurter is the current Swiss sportsman of the year, beating tennis great Roger Federer into second place last December in a public vote. AP

U.S. STILL NO. 1, PHL STAYS 31ST U

SA Basketball has kept its No. 1 spot in the Fiba world men’s rankings, even after a disappointing seventh-place showing in the World Cup in China recently. It’s now nine years and counting in the top spot for the US, which has held the No. 1 ranking since winning the 2010 world championship. World Cup champion Spain stayed No. 2, Australia leaped eight spots to No. 3, World Cup finalist Argentina rose one spot to No. 4 and World Cup bronze-medalist France fell two slots to No. 5. Fiba’s rankings take results from the most recent eight years into account—which means the US is still reaping point benefits from the 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medals, and the 2014 World Cup title. The Philippines, despite finishing last in China without a victory, kept its spot at No. 31, with Korea moving two places up to 30th. Iran was the best placed Asian at No. 22, while China was at No. 27. Japan, which also played in the World Cup, was No. 38. “In this day and age, basketball in other countries is not a secret,” US Coach Gregg Popovich said after the Americans completed their run in the World Cup. “So it’s not like there’s an epiphany or a revelation to be made. There are wonderful teams and wonderful coaches all over the world. You go compete and the best teams win.” It’s now expected that the US will retain the No. 1 ranking going into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Several top National Basketball Association (NBA) players, including Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Damian Lillard have said in recent days that they intend to play for the US in Tokyo, where the Americans will try to win a fourth consecutive gold medal. Most top US players declined to be part of the World Cup team.

“I’m expecting them to be so strong next year,” Spain Coach Sergio Scariolo said. The new rankings confirmed that European champion Slovenia, which didn’t earn a spot in the World Cup field after many of its top players couldn’t take part in qualifying since those games conflicted with the NBA and Euroleague schedules, will still have a chance to compete in the Olympics—as will seven other teams that found out they’re headed to playoffs next year. Angola, Senegal, Mexico, Uruguay, China, Korea and Croatia also still have Olympic hopes. Those last eight playoff spots awarded Thursday went to the top 2 teams from Africa, Europe, Asia-Oceania and the Americas regions who hadn’t either already clinched Olympic berths or spots in the last-chance playoffs. Japan is automatically qualified for the 12-team Olympic tournament as the host country. The US, Argentina, Nigeria, Spain, France, Iran and Australia clinched Olympic spots at the World Cup by finishing as the best teams in their respective Fiba regions—the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia and Oceania. That leaves four unclaimed Olympic berths, and 24 teams to compete for them in playoffs next year. There will be four six-team tournaments held from June 23 to 28, 2020—winner-take-all, all in this case meaning an Olympic berth. Bidding for sites is expected to begin shortly, Fiba said. The other 16 playoff spots were awarded based on World Cup placing. They went to Serbia, Lithuania, Greece, Russia, Brazil, Italy, Puerto Rico, Turkey, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Germany, Canada, the Czech Republic, Poland, New Zealand and Tunisia. AP

Olympic champion Nino Schurter faces reprimand from Swiss army for controversial photo with the White House in the background. AP

Osaka captures first crown on Japan soil

SAKA, Japan—Naomi Osaka won her first singles title since the Australian Open in January by beating Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, 6-2, 6-3, in the Toray Pan Pacific final on Sunday. Enjoying strong support from a parochial crowd, the former No. 1-ranked Osaka dominated the match with her powerful groundstrokes and broke Pavlyuchenkova’s serve twice to take the opening set in 31 minutes. Top-seeded Osaka didn’t ease off in the second set, denying the Russian any chance of getting a foothold in the match and closed out with an ace. It is Osaka’s first title in the country of her birth—she lost finals in Tokyo in 2016 and 2018—and fourth in her career. She won back-to-back majors at the 2018 US Open in 2018 and the Australian Open in January. Coaching each other courtside, Roger Federer and Rafael “Rafa” Nadal, meanwhile, won their singles matches on Saturday to help Team Europe retain its lead over Team World on Day 2 of the Laver Cup in Geneva. Federer got his great rival’s input at his shoulder before rallying late and raising his game in the decisive super-tiebreaker to beat Nick Kyrgios, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 10-7, in the afternoon session. “What I really enjoy with Rafa is just that we very often align, our ideas align,” said Federer, praising Nadal for “clarity in his advice.” With the European team’s captain Bjorn Borg also in the huddle, it brought a total of 50 Grand Slam singles titles together to help Federer edge past Kyrgios. The Australian had world team captain John McEnroe’s seven Grand Slam titles in his chair. Nadal got the favor back from Federer during a 6-3, 7-6 (1) win over Milos Raonic that opened the evening session. He was quickly back on court partnering Stefanos Tsitsipas in the day’s doubles rubber. Kyrgios and Jack Sock won that match 6-4, 3-6, 10-6, scoring two key points for the world team which trails Europe 7-5 ahead of the final four matches Sunday. John Isner began Saturday’s play with a win for Team World, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 10-1 over Alexander Zverev. The third edition of the annual Laver Cup is decided Sunday by a doubles match, then three more singles—each worth three points with 13 needed for overall victory. Federer, who co-owns the Laver Cup competition, delighted a 17,000 crowd in his first singles match in his native Switzerland this season. He partnered Zverev to a doubles win on Friday. “Today was extremely loud. I don’t recall that on the tour ever being almost this loud,” the 38-year-old Federer said of the Palexpo indoor arena in Geneva. “You know, if I would have retired a long time ago, I wouldn’t have this moment right now.” Federer broke the Kyrgios service at 5-5 in the second set, and then produced some of his best tennis in the decisive tiebreaker. “I think the guy I was playing was just pretty good. Don’t you think so?” said Kyrgios, when asked at a post-match news conference if his own play lacked something in key moments. AP

orts

sMirror

Monday, September 23, 2019 C3

ATENEO RIPS NATIONAL U By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

University of Santo Tomas’s Babylove Barbon and Gen Eslapor celebrate their victory at the start of the women’s beach volleyball action on Sunday at the Sands SM By The Bay in Pasay City.

MARCIAL SETTLES FOR SILVER

UMIR FELIX MARCIAL yielded to a tactical rival from host Russia and setted for the silver medal in the Elite Men International Boxing Association World Championships in Yekaterinburg on Saturday night. Marcial was leading in the scorecards after the first round but he was caught by Gleb Bakshi’s wayward left hook during a wild exchange halfway the second and went down to the canvas. The 23-year-old Filipino immediately got up at the count of three, but the Russian smartly avoided his desperate attempts to salvage the situation. After three rounds, three judges had it 29-28 for Bakshi while two scored it 29-27, awarding the hometown boy a unanimous decision and the gold medal in the middleweight (75 kgs) division. “Eumir showed a lot of determination and

skill, and to be No. 2 in the world is a major achievement,” Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (Abap) President Ricky Vargas said in a short statement. “We’ll support him and our other worthy boxers in getting more intensive training on the road to the SEA (30th Southeast Asian) Games and the Olympic qualifiers next year,” Vargas added. Elite men Head Coach Ronald Chavez worked Marcial’s corner with foreign consultant Don Abnett and Australian Head Coach Kevin Smith, a former Abap consultant who volunteered to help out when Coach Roel Velasco had to rush home when his mother passed away during the tournament. “Marcial performed superbly but just got unlucky. But we need to get him to develop his own boxing brand which he cannot do at home

Jet Spikers fly high against Perlas gals

ir Force kept soaring with another superb all-around game by smothering first round tormentor BanKo-Perlas, 26-24, 25-8, 25-21, on Sunday to further bolster its semifinal drive in the Premier Volleyball League Open Conference at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan. The Jet Spikers rode on the momentum of their stirring come-from-behind victory in the opening set and pounced on the disorganized BanKo-Perlas side in the next before holding sway to complete the victory and avenge their previous loss to the team in the same straight-set fashion last August 17. Veteran Joy Cases came away with 14 kills and finished with 15 points to lead another impressive Air Force attack that came on the heels of the team’s string of victories over Chef’s Classics, Choco Mucho, PacificTown Army and Motolite. After dropping its first five games, Air Force is

now back in the hunt with five straight wins. Though they remained at sixth, the Jet Spikers now have the momentum and confidence needed in what looms to be a wild chase for the three semis slots. BanKo-Perlas slipped to 6-4, now in joint third with a surging PacificTown Army with Motolite wresting solo second at 6-3 and Petro Gazz aiming to hike its 5-2 card against winless Chef’s Classics at presstime. With 10 straight wins, titleholder Creamline is a cinch to nail the first Final Four berth in the seasonending conference organized by Sports Vision and backed by Mikasa, Asics and KFC. “Our hard work and training have been paying off. But we’re trying not to be pressured by our streak. We just play pressure-free, try to be more consistent and improve on our weaknesses,” Cases said. They actually put on a strong finish in the opening

3K runners vie in first Clark Music Run

night to the disappointment of the huge Filipino crowd at the Tap Seac Multisport Pavilion. The highest San Miguel could achieve is to finish third against the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, who played the Beermen late Sunday. “We’ll take it seriously [third place] because as we’ve said we’re here not just to participate, we’re here to compete,” Austria said. “This will help us in future tournaments, especially with the third conference just started,” he added. “We have to develop the team’s winning attitude so every game is really important for us.” The Beermen kept pace with the Flying Leopards early on and even held a 28-26 lead on eight straight points by Von Pessumal bridging the first and second quarters. But Stephenson and fellow former National Basketball Association player Salah Mejri began

LASCUñA, BAYRON JOIN TAIWAN TILT

T DIAMOND SPONSOR Felix Ang

(right), president of Auto Nation Inc., shakes hands with organizing Tagaytay Highlands Ladies Chapter President Rosalind Wee after reaffirming the company’s support as one of Diamond sponsors of the 14th Highlands Ladies Cup slated October 5 at Tagaytay Midlands.

HE Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Asia holds its second event in Taiwan this week with Tony Lascuña finally getting the chance to join Jay Bayron and two other Filipinos in the Nan Pao Professional Golfers Association of Taiwan (TPGA) Open unfolding on Thursday at the Nan Pao Golf Club in Tainan City. A hand injury forced Lascuña to withdraw at the last minute in the first PGT Asia tournament in Taichung last May with Bayron failing to rebound from a struggling start in rainy conditions and finishing in joint 27th in the Daan Taiwan Open. But back in form and coming off a number of

top 3 finishes in the Philippine Golf Tour and PGT Asia, Lascuña aims to finish strong against a crack international field in the $100,000 tournament put up by the International Container Terminal Services Inc. and co-sanctioned by the TPGA and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc. “Jay and I know that key is to have a strong start although we need to familiarize ourselves with the course to be able to measure up with the field,” said Lascuña, who had two runner-up finishes in his last four tournaments, including a playoff setback to Reymon Jaraula in PGT Pueblo de Oro two weeks ago.

Ring’s the thing for WWE’s Bayley

to wax hot as Liaoning outscored the Beermen the rest of the way, 25-2, and found themselves trailing by a huge margin at the half, 51-30. The 29-year-old Stephenson, who was with LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers just last season, poured 23 of his 35 points in the first half, which he capped by draining a long three pointer to beat the halftime buzzer. He also finished with 10 rebounds. Mejri, who was the starting center of the Tunisian team that beat Gilas Pilipinas in the last Fiba World Cup, added 21 points and 11 rebounds as he dominated the Beermen inside. Shiyan Gao led Liaoning’s locals with 14 points, while Tianju He added 13 including a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from three-point range. Terrence Romeo finished with an all-around effort of 19 points, five rebounds, and six assists for San Miguel which also got 16 and 15 points from imports Dezmine Wells and Lester Prosper, respectively, and 11 from Pessumal. While Lascuña brims with confidence, Bayron is trying to figure out his game that needs some fine-tuning following a couple of final round struggles at Pueblo de Oro and Del Monte. Also in the Nan Pao roster are PGT Asia leg winners James Ryan Lam and Justin Quiban. Thirty one other PGTA campaigners are in the fold, including Thai Wisut Arjanawat, who came from behind to humble a slew of Taiwanese and snare the Daan Taiwan Open crown, thus earning the tag as the first winner of the inaugural PGTA event abroad. Others in the list are PGTA leg titlist David Gleeson of Australia, American Lexus Keoninh, Canadian Lindsay Renolds, Japan’s Keisuke Takahashi, Luke Trocado of South Africa, Finland’s

Teemu Putkonen and Thais Puk Pradittan, Sutijet Kooratapisan, Pasavee Lertvilai, Tawit Polthai and Poosit Supupramai and Namchok Tantipokhakul, winner of this year’s first leg at Luisita. But the hosts are tipped to get back at the PGTA bets and redeem themselves from their previous setback, including those whom Artjanawat foiled in Taichung, led by Sung Mao Chang, Hung Chien Yao and young Tseng Tzu Hao. The event, backed by PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia official apparel Pin High, serves as the fifth stage of the third season of the region’s emerging circuit with American Tarik Can ruling the last leg at Wack Wack in the Aboitiz Invitational.

BANKO Perlas’ Nicole Anne Tiamzon (19) scores against Philippine Air Force’ Angel Mae Antipuesto (16) and Wendy Anne Semana (7). NONOY LACZA

HAMPION Coach Leo Austria believes San Miguel Beer’s stint in the East Asia League Terrific 12 in Macau will go a long way in the team’s bold bid to complete a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) grand slam. Austria said there’s no better way for the Beermen to prepare and get ready for the final piece of their Triple Crown campaign—the seasonending Governors Cup—than to play against some of the best players and clubs around Asia. “We’ve gain a lot of knowledge and experience in this tournament. It was a great opportunity for us to learn,” said Austria of the Beermen’s first ever stint in the Terrific 12. Too bad, the franchise fell short of advancing to the finals as it suffered a sorry 111-89 loss to Lance Stephenson and the Liaoning Flying Leopards in their semifinal encounter Saturday

Bleachers’ Brew

Professional wrestler Bayley (whose real name is Pamela Rose Martinez) entered the function room at the Marco Polo Hotel. She was able to get a good night’s sleep and she feels refreshed. “I think by mid-day I’ll feel some of that jet lag kick in,” pointed out the current World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Smackdown Women’s Champion. “All I need is the crowd’s rush to get me through.” It wasn’t too long ago when Bayley was growing up in California a pro wrestling fan. “They were larger than life heroes,” she said. “They wore these colorful costumes. Wore masks. Had outlandish entourages and oversized personalities. Our comic book superheroes in the flesh. I was enthralled as a kid.” Now she’s on the other side of the ring with millions and millions of fans following her every match, every Instagram post, and more. “It’s crazy. I always wanted to make fans feel that magic in atmosphere and what I experienced,” said Bayley. “It trips me out to see kids and even grown men wearing shirts with me on them. I don’t think I will ever get tired of it.” However, Bayley echoed some sentiments bared by fellow WWE stars Kevin Owens and Ali who graced a roundtable discussion with media a few hours earlier. “Our schedules can get really crazy and we at times are caught up in bad situations or even mood swings,” bared the WWE’s first Triple Crown or Grand Slam Champion having won women’s titles in all three promotions—Raw, Smackdown and NXT. “As for me, I have to think three or four times before I say something because I could regret what I will say or even do. I have a six-year-old and a 13-yearold nephew watching, too. And I would hate to give them a wrong impression that being a WWE superstar has gotten into my head.” It is actually satisfying to see and hear a celebrity like Bayley talk not only being a role model, but also being concerned for the unfortunate instead of wrestling history all the time. “I do love pro wrestling and it has been good for me, however, I must remember that without this opportunity, I wouldn’t be able to experience all these things.” One of the responsibilities of being a WWE superstar is doing a lot of charity work especially during big events such as Wrestlemania or Summer Slam. “With the WWE, we get to go around and go to places such as and children’s hospitals that is really special for me. It is a big deal to spread joy, spend some time with kids who are battling way more heavier things that we can ever get worked up inside the ring. Outside wrestling never knew I could do that so I love doing this charity work.” Doing charity work isn’t the only other thing in Bayley’s life that gives her a purpose. What drives Bayley is being at the forefront with her fellow WWE wrestlers Charlotte Flair, Asuka, Carmella, Mandy Rose, and Peyton Royce to name but a few to carry the fight for gender equality. “Women have always been a huge part of pro wrestling and the WWE. They may not have gotten the spotlight they deserved, but the reason why we are here is because of Trish Stratus, Victoria, Lita, etc. They paved the way for all of us. And the fact that we are seen as main eventers and appearing on the cover of video games is cool and fortunate for us. So this is a great job.” Being a WWE superstar means constant travel and being on the road for much of the year. Every chance she gets, she returns home to her fiancée, Aaron Solow, and their Maltese Shih Tzu, Flex. “Flex the best,” enthused Bayley. “I had dogs growing up. Flex is my fiancée’s dog so he is like mine, as well. Flex travels a lot with us and has even been on the ring!” It’s a tough business, but I am loving every moment of it,” summed up Bayley. “Who says dreams cannot come true?”

frame, saving two set points aided by Dzi Gervacio’s attack errors and winning it by two on a Dell Palomata kill block and on Aby Nuval’s ace. The Perlas Spikers failed to recover from that meltdown, and the Jet Spikers pounced on their sloppy plays and rolled to an easy victory before the latter held sway in the third and took the victory on a Sue Roces’s tip that went wide.

Coach Leo: Macau stint enriching

OME 3,000 runners are set to participate in the first Clark Music Run—an event that highlights the combination of running and music—on Saturday in Pampanga. The event will feature races in the 16-kilometer, 10-kilometer, 5-kilometer and 3-kilometer categories, according to Race Director Jayner Manalang. “This is a party themed running event. It is a combination of run with a lot of surprises for the runners along the route course,” Manalang said. “There will be a multicolored light tunnel as the runners approach the finish line and, of course, as they cool down we have a free concert with different celebrity guest for everybody.” Manalang said they also anticipate 2,000 spectators who will grace the concert part of the event. “Clark is a perfect venue for the running events because it is very accessible to the runners coming from Metro Manila and Northern Luzon,” he said. “It also has a nice race route that makes it perfect for a run to half marathons and full marathons events. Runners find Clark as a mix of urbanized place with fresh air, their way to relax from their busy schedules during the weekdays.” Interested participants may register at My RunTime online portal or through their registration partners, including Clark Development Corp. (CDC) Tourism Office, New Balance Marquee Mall, FreeBee SM City Clark, Sidegriller Restaurant at Mabalacat City or contact Smoke10 Events Management at 0915-2023092.

because of lack of sparring partners in his weight division,” Abnett said. “We need to get him [and our other big guys] appropriate training partners.” Abap Secretary-General Ed Picson is in final negotiations with the Great Britain Boxing Association for a training camp in the England Institute of Sport (EIS) in Sheffield next month. “The British team is excited to have our team with them in the camp. We’re just sorting out visa issues,” Picson said. “Out of 78 countries that participated in the tournament, only nine were represented in the Finals and Eumir put the Philippines on that list. We are proud of him,” Picson added. The other members of the team were flyweight Carlo Paalam, featherweight Ian Clark Bautista, lightweight James Palicte and light heavyweight John Tupas-Marvin.

TENEO handed National University (NU) another humbling loss, 71-50, in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 82 men’s basketball tournament on Sunday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City. The defending champion Blue Eagles gave the Bulldogs no chance at all, racing to a 20-11 first-quarter lead they padded to a 17-point cushion at the half. Ateneo coasted with ease to the end for its fifth win and a solid grip of the lead. Close losses that could have gotten the other way reared its ill effects on NU as the Bulldogs looked helpless as they rolled to their fifth straight win. Ivory Coast big man Angelo Kouame gave the Bulldogs their biggest headache, he scored 15 points that went with 13 rebounds, seven blocks, three assists and two steals. The victory, however, wasn’t a proof of improvement as Coach Tab Baldwin wasn’t pleased with his wards’ shooting. “Our field goal percentage doesn’t flatter our play really at 40 percent. It’s something we need to continue to work on,” said Baldwin, who instead showed appreciation to their defense. “But our defense is doing a good job. It’s generating turnovers and converting those into easy points on fastbreaks. That’s always good thing for your offense,” he added.

The first half solely belonged to Ateneo but NU had its chance for comeback in the third quarter courtesy of Shaun Ildefonso’s effort that sliced the lead to a manageable 37-49 late in the period. But the Blue Eagles dug deep in the fourth with Gian Mamuyac leading Ateneo in unleashing the finishing blows that hiked the gap to 65-40 with four minutes left. Mamuyac added 13 points and three boards, while Third Ravena and Adrian Wong had eight and six points, respectively. Dave Ildefonso was the lone double-digit scorer for the Bulldogs with his 10 points. His brother Shaun tallied nine, while Issa Gaye chipped in eight points. University of Santo Tomas’s Babylove Barbon and Gen Eslapor, meanwhile, scored a quick 21-11, 21-6 win over University of the Philippines’s Rosie Rosier and Euricka Eslapor for a smashing start in the women’s beach volleyball tournament also on Sunday at Sands SM By The Bay. The Tigresses looked good to extend their reign to four seasons even in the post-Sisi Rondina era. Also enjoying a winning start was the De La Salle pair of Tin Tiamzon and rookie Justine Jazareno, who overpowered National University’s Andrea Abian and Chlea dela Fuente, 21-11, 21-4. Far Eastern University’s Sheila Mae Kiseo bucked cramps late in the third set, helping Sheena Gallentes to a 22-20, 17-21, 15-12 conquest of Ateneo’s Ponggay Gaston and rookie Roma Mae Doromal. Adamson University’s Kring Uy and Chen Ave rallied from a set down to beat University of the East’s Lyen Ritual and returning Juliet Catindig, 13-21, 21-13, 15-7, in the last match.

Rick Olivares bleachersbrew@gmail.com

Sports

KAKA URGES NEYMAR TO STAY AT PSG

BusinessMirror

| Monday, September 23, 2019 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao

MANIPULATION WITH CONSENT?

THE samples that the doping Russian athletes provided to testers aren’t enough to convict in most cases because their drug-tainted urine was replaced by clean samples. AP

HE Russian anti-doping agency could face suspension again based on information indicating data from the Moscow drug-testing lab had been manipulated before being delivered to the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) earlier this year, a person familiar with the case told The Associated Press. Wada reinstated Russia’s anti-doping agency (Rusada) after gaining access to long-soughtafter data that was to be used to confirm doping positives stemming from the country’s plans to cheat so athletes could win medals at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and other events. Handing over the data was among the critical requirements for the reinstatement, and Wada extended a December 31, 2018, deadline by more than two weeks, then deemed its negotiations a success when it received the data. But eight months later, and with the Tokyo Olympics less than a year away, there

is a report indicating the data might have been manipulated before it was handed over, according the person familiar with the report, who spoke to AP but requested anonymity because the report had not been made public. Wada’s compliance review committee is expected to present the information to the agency’s executive committee, which meets Monday in Tokyo. Track and field’s governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), and the organization that handles its doping cases, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), are also expected to review the information while in Doha, Qatar, next week for track world championships. The IAAF will receive a report—one that could include this information—from a task force that has upheld the Russian track team’s suspension from international competition 11 times since its federation was first banned in June 2016. Worlds start next Friday, and at least 29 Russians are slated to compete as neutral athletes. A Rusada on solid footing was thought to be a cornerstone requirement for Russia’s

Olympic judo Champ Silva tests positive for doping

By Eddie Pells

The Associated Press

IO DE JANEIRO—Olympic judo champion Rafaela Silva of Brazil says she failed a doping test at the recent Pan American Games in Lima. The 27-year-old Silva told a news conference on Friday that she tested positive for fenoterol, a drug used to treat asthma. The judoka insisted she was innocent and blamed the positive test on having had frequent contact with a seven-month-old baby that suffers from asthma. Silva became the first Brazilian to win gold at her home Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. She also won the Pan American title in the same 57-kilogram category in August. Silva’s attorney Bichara Neto said the judoka will not be suspended or lose her Pan American Games title before organizers hear her defense. The Brazilian is one of the favorites to win gold at the Tokyo Olympics next year. Two-time gold medalist Malcolm Page, meanwhile, is out as chief of Olympic sailing for the US national team less than a year before the Tokyo Games. US Sailing said in a statement Thursday that it and Page, an Australian, “have agreed to part ways.” Contacted by phone, US Sailing CEO Jack Gierhart declined to specify why Page apparently was pushed out, saying, “I’m not going to talk about the past. We’re focused on looking forward.” Asked if Page was fired, Gierhart said: “I’m not going there.” While guarded in his comments, Page—who personally won more medals for Australia in two Olympics than the entire US team has in the last two games— seemed to indicate it wasn’t his choice to leave.

Olympic champion Rafaela Silva fails a doping test at the recent Pan American Games.

return to the international sports world after a scandal that sullied two Olympics, along with the reputations of both Wada and the International Olympic Committee, which critics—especially in the West—deemed as going too soft on the Russians. This latest news could lead to Rusada again being deemed noncompliant, though the long-term repercussions of such a move are hard to gauge, especially with the IOC having placed Russia’s Olympic committee back in good standing after the Pyeongchang Olympics last year. One theory is that because the revamped and reinstated Rusada has been meeting testing benchmarks set for it by Wada, and because it didn’t have anything to do with the manipulation of the data, it could have a good chance of winning a case in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If manipulation is proven, Wada would also have to decide whether it could win cases against Russians with data that is now unreliable. The samples that the doping Russian athletes provided to testers aren’t enough

to convict in most cases because their drug-tainted urine was replaced by clean samples. That’s why the Moscow lab data was considered critical to prosecuting the cases. Wada has been handing over most of the evidence to international sports federations. Wada President Craig Reedie recently said he expected around 100 new Russian cases to be brought. The CEO of the Russian anti-doping agency predicted that the country’s track team won’t be reinstated in time for the upcoming world athletics championships. The Russian team has been suspended from international track and field since 2015 over widespread doping, though dozens are allowed to compete as neutral athletes and 29 have been entered for the September 27 to October 6 championships in Qatar. The last chance for reinstatement before the world championships is the IAAF council on Monday, four days before the championships begin. “All the information I have, which I can’t reveal, speaks to the [Russian track federation]

not being reinstated,” Russian anti-doping agency CEO Yuri Ganus told the state Tass news agency. Russia previously sent a neutral squad to the 2017 world championships. Athletes from the neutral team do not wear national colors and the IAAF anthem is played if they win a gold medal. Ganus pointed to ongoing analysis of data from the Moscow anti-doping lab and an investigation into suspended high jumper Daniil Lysenko as reasons for reinstatement being delayed again. Lysenko has been accused of failing to provide information about his whereabouts to drug testers, and the Russian track federation allegedly filed fake medical documents in his defense. Lysenko is the reigning world indoor high jump champion. Ganus also told Tass that the independence of his agency, known as Rusada, was under threat amid a raft of legal challenges in Russia. Russian prosecutors are investigating his agency’s conduct in the Lysenko case, and Ganus claimed the Russian Olympic Committee was trying to take control of Rusada’s annual auditing process.

ONDON—From lifting the World Cup to being named the world’s best player, Ricardo Kaka ascended the highs Neymar is still chasing. So after more tumult in Neymar’s career, Kaka has some advice for his fellow Brazilian: n Stay at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to lead the pursuit of Champions League glory, and the world player of the year accolades will follow. n Keep on maturing and maybe the forward can win a World Cup to avoid being viewed as a failure for Brazil. “Everybody wants to give some advice or an opinion about his life,” Kaka said in an interview with The Associated Press. “He’s just a 27-year-old guy, a lot of people of the same age make mistakes and improve with that.” But Kaka’s opinions and advice could be worth listening to, even for Neymar. After all, Kaka won the game’s top individual honors in 2007 when he was named Fifa world player of the year and collected the Ballon d’Or after winning the Champions League with AC Milan. Neymar, the world’s most expensive player, is reeling from being jeered on his return to the PSG side last weekend after sitting out the opening four league games of the season as he pushed for a move back to Barcelona during the summer transfer window. He won’t play in the Champions League until the third group-stage game because of a suspension. “For him I think it’s good to stay there in PSG for now,” Kaka said at the Fifa20 video-game launch. “I think it’s good for him, for the club. I think PSG is always trying to build a great team to win a Champions League, so he can be the leader for this project and, in my opinion, it’s good. It will be a great year for him.” When the Fifa player awards are handed out on Monday, though, Neymar will be far from the Milan ceremony. He has never finished higher than third in the vote for the Ballon d’Or, and still lives in the shadow of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. “What I believe that lacks in Neymar to accomplish the world’s best player award is a big team accomplishment,” Kaka said in London. “When he achieves this big team accomplishment, being the leader of this accomplishment—and he has a big chance for it, I am sure of that—Neymar will be chosen to be announced as the world’s best player.” Neymar is starting a third season in Paris after Barcelona could not strike a deal to re-sign the player it sold two year ago for €222 million (then $246 million). “Maybe at 27, I could have made the same mistakes,” Kaka said. “And so I think this is a great opportunity for him to improve himself and to be better and mature.” While Neymar has won the French league twice—the minimum expected for a team with lavish Qatari funding—he has not won a European title with the French capital club as he did with Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final. Kaka was part of the squad that won the 2002 World Cup, and Brazil hasn’t reached the final since then. AP

Australia’s Mathew Belcher (right) and Malcolm Page compete during the men’s 470 class at the 2012 Summer Olympics in Weymouth and Portland, England, in August 2012. AP

“I came in with a strong vision and obviously I’m disappointed that I will not be around to see it through,” Page told The Associated Press. “I think there have been some strong developments in this quadrennium and I guess I was excited for the athletes. The potential in this place is huge. I’ve always seen that. All the pieces of the puzzle are here.” Page said part of his vision “was having a cultural shift. It’s what I would call winning spirit. I’m a big believer that you have to have that fighting spirit, that winning spirit, that desire to keep going. That will to push limits is a big thing. It needs to come from management, from coaching, from everything.”

The move came less than two months after the American team had no podium finishes in two major regattas at the venue for the 2020 Games. Page was hired in November 2016 to try to turn around the United States’s sagging Olympic fortunes after two straight embarrassing performances. The United States won just one medal, a bronze by San Diego’s Caleb Paine in the Finn class, at the Rio de Janeiro Games. It failed to medal in London in 2012, the first time that happened since 1936. Page beat out American candidates for the job because he brought “a template” of the success the Australians had in rebuilding their Olympic program, then-US Sailing President Bruce Burton

said when Page was hired. The Australians hired top coaches, put together a strategic plan and found the money to compete at a high level. Page was part of that rebuild, winning gold medals in the 470 class at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. That’s one more medal than the United States won combined in the 2012 and 2016 games. Page will remain in a transition role through October. Due to his visa status, he and his family will have to return to Australia. They have been living in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2018. Page’s departure came three days after Greg Fisher resigned as US Sailing’s COO of Olympic sailing. AP

Ricardo Kaka, seen here during a ceremony in Karachi, Pakistan, earlier this year, is encouraging compatriot Neymar to stay at Paris Saint-Germain after a failed attempt to return to Barcelona. AP

Awesome God

EAR God, through the apostles, Your message is spread though all the Earth. We pray: Make us witnesses of Your peace, oh God. Grant us courage to be present to ourselves and to one another as we fix our hearts on You. Let our words and silence reflect Your saving Word. Animate Your Church to emulate the goodness and joy of Your kingdom. May God bless us with peace, and lead us to know and acclaim Jesus as Lord, by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. GIVE US THIS DAY SHARED BY LUISA LACSON, HFL Word&Life Publications • teacherlouie1965@yahoo.com

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

❶ PHILIPP

PIEZAS TAMPUS and Marie Fairbank

Life BusinessMirror

ALL ACCESS: ANDRO MORGAN SHIFTS TO HIS MANY ROLES WITH EASE D3

Monday, September 23, 2019

❷ BIANCA

LOPEZ SALIMBANGON

❸ KACEY COLEEN

❹ KIMMIE FAMERO

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TAMPUS with his models FRANCIS FELIPE

A Filipino first: A fashion show at the House of Lords

ONDON—For the first time in fashion history, a Filipino designer was able to showcase the finest of the Philippines at the Palace of Westminster. Parkfleet Consultancy & Services and Topline International, the producers of the exclusive event, called “Creative Economy Through Fashion,” enlisted Cebu-based designer Philipp Piezas Tampus to display the ingenious uses of indigenous materials, such as hablon and piña cocoon. The grand neo-Gothic architecture and ornate Augustus Pugin-designed interiors of the House of Lords served as the backdrop for the sampaguitainspired pieces that Tampus presented. The sampaguita flowers, painstakingly attached and embroidered to long gowns and tea-length dresses, are made of piña cocoon while the hablon was made by weavers in Argao, Cebu. Tampus also showed sharp menswear suits and charming children’s wear. It was Mike Acebedo Lopez, commisioner of the Cebu Ports Authority and managing director of Topline, that suggested Tampus to be the featured designer at the economic forum-cum-fashion show. “When I saw my sister Bianca’s wedding dress designed by Philipp, I sent a photo to Savita Kaye [CEO and founder of the House of iKons, a show during London Fashion Week] and Marie Fairbank [Parkfleet founder] who immediately wanted to see more,” Lopez shared. “When Savita saw his portfolio,

which includes Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia’s inauguration dress, it was decided that Philipp would be one of the featured designers at the House of iKons show and the lone designer at the House of Lords.” It was Fairbank who conceptualized “Creative Economy Through Fashion,” which aims to empower the farming sector that is the main source of materials for the fashion industry. “When I realized that our designers who come to the UK spend thousands or millions and go home without ROI because they have no access to business people for collaborations and business sustainability, I wanted to help in my own way,” said Fairbank, a doyenne in the Fil-Brit community in London. “I believed that to do a forum at the House of Lords, I’d be the first-ever Filipina to organize an event in such a prestigious place. The venue was chosen so we could attract high-profile business people, potential investors and government officials that we could link them to the designers,” she added. Among the attendees were lords and ladies, a diamond dealer, Dr. Vanessa Brady, OBE; Prof. Mark Watson-Gandy, barrister/CEO; Deputy Chief of Missions Ambassador Frank Cimafranca and wife Lu Calunsag; Deputy Mayor of Elstree and Borehamwood Cynthia Alcantara-Barker; hotelier Julie Aquino, businesswoman Eme Echavez, CareHands Ltd. Director Elsa Binas and Consul Stacy Alcantara Garcia. “I wanted to promote the Philippines but starting first with Cebu, because that’s where I’m from. In my next event, I will include anyone that will support my cause,” Fairbank said. “I will also invite fashion designers from Africa, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.” ■

FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEX MADIA LEVI HAIR AND MAKEUP BY THE JACKIE AVALON TEAM ACCESSORIES BY SHANDAR

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Monday, September 23, 2019

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Today’s Horoscope By Eugenia Last

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Anthony Mackie, 41; Jason Alexander, 60; Bruce Springsteen, 70; Mary Kay Place, 72. Happy Birthday: Set the pace this year. Line up all the things you want to accomplish and the changes you want to make before you proceed. Preparation will be an important part of the process you follow to reach your goal. A balance of home, work and personal pampering will be necessary if you want to maintain happiness, good health and emotional well-being. Your lucky numbers are 3, 14, 22, 29, 34, 40, 48.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Learn all you can, and make decisions based on what will bring you the most joy. A partnership may be tested, but it will also prove how important you are to each other. Trust, understanding and patience will be necessary. HH

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Your changing mind will have you spinning in circles with too many choices and suggestions and not enough information. Slow down and consider what you want before you make a move that you regret. Make the decision that suits your needs. HHHH Rajo Laurel with a piece from his Baro at Sayá by Awit at Laro collection.

Paloma Zobel’s showcases her collection for the show.

Rhett Eala spotlights a dress from his turn.

Baro at Sayá embraces Filipino culture and the spirit of play through fashion By Jessica Maureen P. Gaurano

FROM left: Marga Nograles, overall fashion consultant for Baro at Sayá; Rajo Laurel; Paloma Zobel, cocreator of Awit at Laro; Gary Valenciano; creator of Awit at Laro and creative head of Baro at Sayá; Bambi MañosaTanjutco, project head of Baro at Sayá; Kat Mañosa, Anne Marie Saguil and Zarah Juan.

ARO at Sayá continues to preserve the country’s heritage by introducing OPM music, the spirit of play and traditional fashion to the younger generation. Baro at Sayá, which is spearheaded by Unicef Ambassador Gary Valenciano and Tukod Foundation’s Bambi Mañosa-Tanjutco, was launched last October 2018 as a Unicef fund-raiser and served as a campaign in promoting Filipino culture to the youth by reintroducing OPM music, the arts and games. This year, Baro at Sayá sought to bring this advocacy to the runway by introducing outfits that incorporate traditional Filipino elements into modern clothing. Each piece presented different Filipino aspects to produce contemporary costumes using ethnic designs and weavings set against traditional games and Filipino music. The project was aimed to help kids appreciate the indigenous fabrics of the Philippines in order to raise a generation that gives value to sustainable fashion. The event showcased designs by prominent Filipino designers that was led by Rajo Laurel, the overall fashion consultant for the project. “We worked with talented designers whose inspiration runs deep. They create not only for themselves, but to help inspire and uplift the Filipino people in more ways than one,” shared Baro at Sayá Project Head Kat Mañosa, who added that Baro at Sayá worked with families to be their ambassadors by demonstrating what the fashion show Baro at Sayá represented. Each design was inspired by a song in the Awit at Laro collection. Aside from Rajo Laurel, the Baro at Sayá fashion show featured pieces by Len Cabili, Ito Curata, Rhett Eala, Zarah Juan, Marga Nograles’s Kaayo, Anne Marie Saguil and Paloma Zobel’s PioPio. Rajo Laurel shared his design process by explaining how he put the concept of “play” into each item in his collection: the designer literally took the

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Go over your options carefully. Whether you are at work or at play, choosing the people you associate with will determine how much you accomplish. Listen, be observant and recognize when someone is trying to take advantage of you. HHH

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A sensitive issue will consume you if you let it. Silence is golden; take a moment to do something by yourself. A timeout will give you the patience to deal with emotional matters with grace and dignity. HHH

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Look at what you can do and how you can excel. Don’t waste time on something or someone that is immovable. Positive change is the route that will lead to happier days ahead, but first discard what isn’t working for you anymore. HHH

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Change only what’s necessary. Hone skills, pay attention to detail and finish what you start. Being reliable and taking care of your responsibilities will help you gain respect. An energetic approach to love, life and happiness will encourage new beginnings. HHHH

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Slow down, figure out what you really want, put a plan in place and be prepared to do the work yourself. Refuse to let emotional matters ruin your day or stand in your way. Concentrate on being and doing your best. HH

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Listen to what’s being said before you reveal your feelings. Dealing with friends and relatives will be difficult if someone is opinionated or set in his or her ways. HHHHH

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Don’t make excuses. Take care of your responsibilities before someone points out your shortcomings. The best way to get ahead is to do what’s expected of you in a timely fashion. HHH

idea to shape how play can be part of the process that is going to mean something significant for young individuals. “I have 14 nephews and nieces, whom I love very dearly. So one weekend I put the fabric on the floor of our garden and gave them textile paint, then I just said: ‘Play.’” His fellow designers were also excited to be a part of this project. They sought to present pieces that tell a story. During the design process, they recalled childhood memories. Their collections also highlighted the different aspects of Filipino culture, values and society that can be passed on to the future generations. Additionally, models were accompanied by music from the Awit at Laro playlist for the fashion show. Awit at Laro is a collection of music that puts a twist on traditional Filipino folk songs. Songs from Awit at Laro also served as an inspiration to the designers’ collection. The guest artists for the event included

Darren Espanto, the TNT boys, and Awit at Laro producer Gary Valenciano, with the participation of Sofia Zobel Elizalde’s Steps dance project, choreographed by James Laforteza. Aside from the fashion show, Baro at Sayá also prepared a series of activities and surprises for everyone. “A simple invitation to be part of a fashion show ended up becoming an album of songs that we know, like ‘Bahay Kubo’ and some songs that we only know from the games of like sipa and piko. There’s never really been a song about patintero or piko, and thankfully we were able to get all the artists involved,” Valenciano said. “It feels good to use the music from the album to encourage the young people to just go out and play.” Baro at Sayá sashayed down the runway last September 22 at the Grand Hyatt in Bonifacio Global City. The project raised funds for the benefit of Unicef, Museong Pambata and Tukod Foundation. n

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take care of your mental, physical and emotional well-being. Don’t give in to anyone using manipulative tactics to take advantage of you. Make personal financial moves that protect you and your assets. HHH

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Look over your debts, assets and the things you may want to sell or discard. Clearing the clutter and making room for a simpler lifestyle will be right for you. Personal and physical improvements will lift your spirits. Romance is featured. HHH

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Keep your life doable. A simple approach to how you do things will save you money. Don’t follow someone who tends to be lavish, inconsistent or abusive. Express what’s important to you, and take the path that leads to your happiness. HHHHH Birthday Baby: You are unique, flexible and sensitive. You are determined and proactive.

‘onset’ by trent h. evans The Universal Crossword/Edited by David Steinberg

ACROSS 1 Like some threats or promises 6 Smell of baking bread, e.g. 11 ___ and abet 14 Territory of India’s capital 15 Less ludicrous 16 Bathroom, in Bristol 17 Gives the go-ahead 19 What it takes to tango 20 Lead-in to bad news 21 Lead-in to bad news 22 Raise, as a child 23 Pushes a bowling alley button 25 More kind 27 Robocop? 32 Infamous 1919 team’s nickname 36 Developmental phases 37 Like fish with lots of omega-3s 38 Scot’s refusal 40 Partners of reels or cones 41 Sunflower color 44 American Idol winner Kelly 47 Like an injured player on the sidelines 49 Opening remarks

0 Wyndham hotel chain 5 55 Smallest bills 57 Subtly suggested 60 Desert-like 61 Breaking ___ 62 Rants and raves, or what a director does after saying the starred answers’ ends 64 Popular bird in crosswords 65 Barn-raising sect 66 Group of experts 67 Opposite of nope 68 ___’s Puffs 69 Far from oblivious DOWN 1 Poe’s first name 2 Grammy winner Haggard 3 Guilty, not guilty, etc. 4 The ones right here 5 Yang’s opposite 6 “Yeah, right!” 7 Extreme anger 8 Available 9 Measures of performance 10 ___ Technica (site for gadget lovers)

1 Clark Kent and Bruce Banner 1 12 Caucus state 13 Let’s Make a Deal choice 18 Says “th” for “s” 22 Comment 24 Disapproving sound 26 Pet that’s not fetching? 28 Very long time 29 Precise 30 Ctrl+Y, on a PC 31 Part of APA: Abbr. 32 Laddie 33 “In ___ of flowers...” 34 Like a 1-1 score 35 Battlestar Galactica baddies 39 Roth of horror 42 Frequently, to poets 43 Exercise for generals 45 Biggest artery 46 Genetic messenger 48 Treat baked on a sheet 51 Colorful parrot 52 Gladiator fight site 53 One may have 1950s décor 54 “Hello” singer

5 Controversial wedding vow verb 5 56 Tom, Dick or Harry 58 ___ of the d’Urbervilles 59 Tennis great whose name sounds like a tree 62 Damage 63 Mud wrap place

Solution to Friday’s puzzle:

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Show BusinessMirror

Monday, September 23, 2019

Andro Morgan shifts to his many roles with ease

‘R

IGHT timing is key,” actor turned professional basketball referee Andro Morgan said when I asked him if he wishes to be busy again as an actor. Morgan started his acting career when sexy movies were the “in” thing in local show business. “I was very young then and was lured by the easy route to becoming popular. That was the time when sexy movies were a dime a dozen, when vulnerable young men like me were easily convinced that it was the best springboard to becoming an artista. I’ve no regrets about of my past decisions, although I wish I was smarter back then and met the right people who would’ve guided me properly.” Lessons were learned through various experiences, and the realities of an industry that can be cruel and heartless stirred the beautiful dreams of a young man whose only goal was to create a comfortable life for himself and his loved ones. But unlike many that were in the same boat as Morgan, he was wise enough to take a few steps back to be able to look at the bigger picture. “I wanted to be where I could fit in more comfortably, where I can be accepted wholeheartedly, and where the environment can help me grow as a better and wiser person. I looked into education and focused on it. I knew I had more options if I had a degree.” While finishing his studies, Morgan secretly had this passion of becoming a referee. “I have always been drawn to basketball but I was also interested in the moves and calls of the court referees.” So after his studies, he immediately submitted his application to become one and when the referee bosses at the Philippine Basketball Association saw his passion, they signed him in and Morgan started training. And the rest is history. The basketball court is now Morgan’s second home. On his own, he watches a lot of basketball games, both local and international, to learn more about being a referee. “One never stops learning. Each game is a chance to know more and to apply your learnings. We try to be as quick, as fair, as precise as we can, and each game is an opportunity to elevate the basketball game to a higher level. That is always our challenge as referees.” During off season, Morgan continues to polish his acting skills in theater. “I still maintain connections with theater companies and if I get some free time, I accept roles and we perform mostly for the students around the country.” Morgan is currently touring some cities with The Actors’ Repertory Theater, playing Adolfo in Florante at Laura. Just recently, Morgan got married to his flight attendant fiancée Genevie, and they are expecting their first child in December. He told me that his ultimate dream is to be acting in television again. “Now that I will become a father soon, I have to work harder to give my family a good life. Working in television has become the bread and butter of many of my actor friends and I’d like to try this out soon, and, hopefully, get a regular role in a good, highrating show.” Andro Morgan is no stranger to doing more than one job, and I’m pretty sure that he will fit in very well in anything that comes his way. He is always patient to wait for the right time. n

Style

Monday, September 23, 2019

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Lip balms that really work to combat dryness and �laking

Y lips are in a perpetual state of dryness, thanks to me experimenting with lots of lipstick brands and textures. It’s a hazard of the trade but one that I don’t really mind as I’m so used to it by now. I scrub my lips regularly with MAC Lip Scrubtious. I used to do it everyday until someone pointed out that it should only be three times a week max. You can also scrub using a toothbrush and some sugar or just the toothbrush. Scrubbing is optional and there are weeks when I don’t scrub at all. Aside from this, I moisturize my lips with lip balm twice a day. I’m not one of those people who apply lip balm all day because I wear lipstick nearly everyday. Sometimes, the lipstick I wear is so bone-dry that I need to apply lip balm over the lipstick at least once a day. What I will try to do is give a review of the lip balms I use regularly. I don’t use petroleum jelly or those papaw products as they no longer work on me. ■ JULEP IT’S BALM FULL-COVERAGE LIP CRAYON. Strictly speaking, this is a colored lip crayon with a moisturizing core. But the color I have is so pale that I use it as a lip balm because it truly is moisturizing. I love the vanilla smell and the luxe feeling when I glide the crayon across my lips.

■ TROMBORG LIP CURE. This is not, strictly speaking, a lip balm but a cream for the lips. “It contains only the purest natural ingredients: Macadamia Nut Oil, Shea Butter, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E,” said Tromborg in its web site. Unfortunately, Tromborg, a Danish brand, is not widely available and can be quite expensive at $26. If you’re traveling to Scandinavian countries, it is best to hoard. I use this mostly at night before going to bed. ■ BURT’S BEES TINTED LIP OIL. Like the Julep crayon, this one is not a lip balm but it is very moisturizing. I love that it seems quite oily but it’s not. This is best for daytime. ■ LA MER THE LIP BALM. Its name might sound pretentious but La Mer The Lip Balm is considered the Rolls Royce of lip balms. What I love about it is that it moisturizes the lips but it’s still matte and won’t change the texture of your lipstick. At nearly P4,000, it’s not cheap at all but the small jar will last you a year if you are not wasteful. ■ ESTEE LAUDER ADVANCED NIGHT REPAIR SYNCHRONIZED RECOVERY COMPLEX II. I know this is a serum and not a lip balm but this is what I use during desperate times when my lips are really dry. It really works. You apply it at night and wake up to soft and supple lips. ■ LAURA MERCIER LIP BALM. This is one of the best I have used, and you really see and feel the difference upon application. You really feel that it is doing something for your poor chapped lips. It is super hydrating and also works well with lipstick. If there is anything I hate about many lip balms, it’s that they are so wet that it is weird to wear lipstick over it. I try not to over apply lip balms because I read an article that says some of them have ingredients that can irritate your lips. So I try to limit using it to four times a day. I always say that there are no rules here. Just do what you’re comfortable with.

PLAYFUL ELEGANCE TAKES CENTER STAGE IN LATEST JANNETTE VISSER SHOW

THE latest collection of Jannette Visser features pieces integrating ruffles and flow, using fabrics like organza and chiffon, and ranging from cocktail dresses and evening gowns.

FASHION designer Jannette Visser is on a roll. After her well-received fashion event in Melbourne, Australia, she launched a series of black-andwhite evening wear that focused on femininity, comfort and elegance. While everybody wants to look their best, comfort and wearability is a big factor for some when it comes to picking out clothes and deciding what to wear. This is something that rising global designer Jannette understands. With the creative and confident woman in mind, Jannette, who studied design at the Fashion Institute of the Philippines (FIP) and enhanced her skills at the renowned Central Saint Martins in London, creates soft and feminine pieces that flatter the woman and make her feel great, the clothes informed by her expertise. In her recent fashion show, Fashion Forte, held at Holiday Inn Manila Galleria in Ortigas, she showcased a new collection of evening wear, using the staple colors of black and white. The collection was

inspired by the happy month of May, capturing its energy and lightness in her evening wear. The collection featured pieces integrating ruffles and soft fabrics, using fabrics like organza and chiffon in cocktail pieces and evening gowns, mixing plains and prints in black and white. “I mixed classic and modern to create a bit of an avant-garde look, but not too eccentric. I wanted the clothes to be wearable and elegant, so minimalism was an essential ingredient.” To backtrack, Jannette Visser’s encounter with fashion started in Hong Kong when she did catalogue modeling projects when she was younger. After she got married, she decided to pursue a job that allowed her to work at home and spend time with her children. Jannette went back to the drawing board and studied fashion design at the FIP and enhanced her skills even further by taking short courses at the renowned Central Saint Martins at London.

BusinessMirror

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Monday, September 23, 2019 E1

Why consolidating brands can be a strategic mistake W

Companies led by inventors produce better innovations By emdad Islam & Jason Zein

By Graham Kenny

or two decades, a wellknown professional service firm in Australia had offered management consulting and training services under two distinct brands. When it came time to update the company’s web sites, management was advised to rebrand and wrap both into one. Thinking it would be simpler and more convenient than running two brands and web sites, they did. It was a disaster. Clients felt that after more than two de-

cades, the training organization had ceased to exist and that a

single monolithic organization had taken over the f leet-footed innovative training company. Business fell away dramatically. Management had to quickly backtrack and reestablish the original brands on separate, but new, web sites. T h i s m i st a ke i s re peated time and time again. A friend of mine, a partner in a brokerage firm that specialized in buying and selling accounting practices, always told her clients to pause before changing the name of a practice they had bought. Killing off the acquired brand, she argued, would drive away customers and hurt revenues. A l l to o of t e n he r a d v ice was ig nored, and as she predicted, clients would almost immediately f lee the rebranded firm, fearing that their needs wou ld be lost i n t he l a rger company.

Why do so many management teams make this mistake? The answer, I think, lies in a common psychological phenomenon called projection. Confronted by a bewildering portfolio of brands, managers can experience a crisis of identity, a reaction that is likely to be particularly strong in firms growing quickly through acquisitions. They then project this confusion onto the customer. What they forget is that the customer doesn’t have to confront the whole portfolio. T he lesson for managers? Don’t confuse your sense of the company’s identit y w ith your customers’ sense of your brands’ identities. You’ll only spread your own confusion. Graham Kenny is manag ing director of Strategic Factors and president of Reinvent Australia.

The strategy behind TikTok’s rise n just two years, TikTok has emerged to rival companies like Netflix, YouTube, Snapchat and Facebook, with more than 1 billion downloads in 150 markets worldwide and 75 languages. On the app, homemade v ideos showcase ever y t h ing from comedy to lip-syncs to doggrooming tips that users create and share on their phones. The scrappy, goofy fast-moving content has hooked young audiences around the world. Chinese entrepreneurs, such as ByteDance Founder Zhang Yiming are showing they can succeed in an openly competit ive m a rket i nter n at ion a l ly rather than only in China. His strategy of dual versions of TikTok—one for China’s Internetcensored market and another for the rest of the world—could be a new model for other digital-content companies aiming for such global reach, including China-based digital start-ups with new ambitions to venture beyond the home market. Their stor y may a lso hold lessons for American companies that have watched similar ventures into China meet serious constraints. In Aug ust 2012, Zhang launched his first mobile app, “ Toutiao,” or “ Today’s Headl i nes,” a n A I- powered d a i ly

curated feed of news content personalized to users. In 2016, Zhang introduced a video-sharing app, Douyin, for the Chinese market. He rolled out an overseas equivalent, dubbed TikTok, in 2017. That same year, ByteDance paid an estimated $900 million to acquire Musical.ly, a social-video app based in Shanghai with more than 200 million users worldwide and a large following in the US. The deal combined TikTok ’s AI‑fed streams and monetization track record with Musical.ly’s product innovation and grasp of users’ needs and tastes in the West. After ByteDance folded the four-year-old Musical.ly into TikTok, and rebranded it as a single application under the TikTok name in August 2018, the combined app gained some 30 million new users within three months. The app makes money through ads and from the sale of virtual goods, such as emoji and stickers to fans. TikTok uses the app’s algorithms to decide which videos to show users, dictates their feed entirely and learns their preferences the more they use it. This is different from the approach of Facebook, Netflix, Spotify and YouTube, which use AI to recommend posts rather than send feeds directly to users. Facebook faces a serious global rival from China in TikTok. It add-

Emdad Islam is an assistant professor at Monash University. Jason Zein is an associate professor at UNSW Business School.

What C-level executives really think about cmos Diana O’Brien, Jennifer Veenstra & Tim Murphy

hief marketing officers (CMO) are under enormous pressure. They’re expected to deliver ever-improving results for marketing activities, manage the explosion of customer channels and own customer strategy — while still running legacy tactical initiatives like ad campaigns. It’s no wonder their average tenure is the shortest of all C-suite roles. To understand how CMOs assess their abilities, and to see how their colleagues think they measure up, we surveyed 575 Fortune 500 C-suite executives (principally CEOs, CFOs, CIOs and CTOs) and conducted 19 in-depth interviews. Here’s what we found:

STARVARZ | DREAMSTIME.COM

By Rebecca Fannin

hat makes a company innovative? In the words of Steve Jobs: “It’s not about money. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led and how much you get it.” We wanted to explore a different aspect of CEOs’ backgrounds— whether they’ve innovated themselves—and see whether it leads to greater company innovation. In a recent study, published in the Journal of Financial Economics, we focused on inventor CEOs. First, we tracked the inventing history of 935 CEOs at publicly listed US high-technology companies, using information from the US. Patent and Trademark Office starting in 1975. Then we compared the patented technologies (in terms of volume and impact) of firms with inventor CEOs and firms not led by inventors over a 17-year period starting in 1992. We made sure the firms we were comparing had similar levels of investment in research and development, were at a similar stage in their life cycle and were in the same industry sector. We found that inventor-led companies not only were awarded more patents, but these patents were commercially more valuable and scientifically more influential. We looked deeper into the

C EOs’ ac t u a l e x per ience. We found that the effect an inventor CEO had on her firm (in terms of patents) was noticeably stronger when she was previously a highimpact inventor. We also examined the specific types of technologies that inventor CEOs had worked on in the past, to understand whether this had anything to do with how strong their effect was. We found that when the CEO’s previous inventions were more closely aligned with the type of technology her firm produced, then this led to even greater innovation success for a firm. Inventing experience can provide a CEO with deeper insights into her firm’s technology and how to manage the business around it. Firsthand exposure to the process of innovation may also make inventor CEOs better able to create a culture that fosters creativity and innovation. Apart from enhancing innovation, inventing experience may also make an inventor CEO a more authentic and convincing spokesman for her firm’s products, helping the firm’s innovation make a greater impact in the industry.

ed 188 million downloads in the first quarter of 2019, surpassing Facebook at 176 million, but trailing WhatsApp at 224 million and

Messenger at 209 million. Rebecca Fannin writes about China’s entrepreneurial boom.

n Cmos suffer from a crisis of confidence. Only 5 percent of CMOs

are highly confident in their ability to affect strategic decision-making and the overall direction of the business, and to garner support for their initiatives among their peers. That’s the lowest self-ranking of anyone in the C-suite. But there’s good news:

n Cmos’ lack of confidence is largely unwarranted. Most C-suite

executives rate CMOs’ performance more highly than CMOs themselves do. In nearly all cases,

most C-suite players respect— and lean on — the CMO’s expertise and feel that CMOs deliver effectively on many fronts.

n Csos and COOs still need some convincing. CSOs are particularly doubtful of CMOs’ ability to demonstrate a financial impact and to persuade others to support their initiatives. COOs are looking to CMOs to step up their game across the board, especially in demonstrating a financial impact.

n Cmos should lead with their strengths. If there’s one area the C-suite is

telling us CMOs need to focus on, it’s collaboration. Only 17 percent of C-suite executives in our study reported having collaborated with CMOs over the previous 12 months. More broadly, CMOs should seek ways to use their understanding of customers to help C-suite colleagues reach their goals. Finally, CMOs should leverage the support of their biggest advocate, the CEO, by asking for an endorsement of their collaborative efforts. Diana O’Brien is the global chief marketing officer for Deloitte. Jennifer Veenstra is a managing director with Deloitte Consulting Llp. and leads Deloitte’s CMO program. Tim Murphy is a researcher and analytical scientist at Deloitte Services LP.

E2 Monday, September 23, 2019

Education BusinessMirror

Editor: Lyn Resurreccion

PHL lags behind in budget for education in Asean

By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla

he Philippines continues to lag behind its neighbors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) with regard to spending portions of its gross domestic product (GDP) for education. In his presentation during the Senate budget hearing, Tirso A. Ronquillo, Philippine As-

sociation of State Universities and Colleges (Pasuc) president, said only 3.4 percent of the

country’s total GDP are allocated for education funding. It came behind Lao PDR, Thailand and Brunei Darussalam, which spent 4.2 percent, 4.1 percent, and 3.8 percent of their respective GDPs. The Asean countries with the highest spending for education in terms of GDP share are Vietnam with 6.3 percent and Malaysia, 6.1 percent. Ronquillo noted the funding woes are even made worse for state universities and colleges (SUC) since they usually only get 11 percent of the government education budget.

He said this makes it increasingly challenging for the 1.3 million students to get quality education from the 111 SUCs nationwide. Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman J. Prospero E. de Vera said this is also the same problem for them since they will only be getting P40 billion from their 2020 National Expenditure Program, or P11 billion short of their request. He reiterated that due to CHED’s funding shortage, it would not be able to provide scholarships to almost 2,000

medical student scholars and hundreds of scholar teachers, who are taking their masteral or postdoctoral degrees. Sen. Pia S. Cayetano, who presided over the budget hearing, expressed concern over this low government spending for education, which, she said, could affect the country’s economic competitiveness. “The recommendation of the UN [United Nations] is 6 percent [of the GDP budget for education]. And we are only spending 3.9 percent, almost 4 percent. Laos and Vietnam are spending higher,” Cayetano

told reporters in an interview. “We should not be complacent. We need to invest in the education sector,” she added. She committed to address the funding woes of CHED, as well as SUCs for next year. Cayetano said she is eyeing the unused fund of CHED in 2018 and 2019 as a source of its fund for next year. She did admit, however, that they might not completely able to grant the P11-billion unobligated budget request of CHED. “We expect to only get P8 billion from its [CHED] unobligated funds,” Cayetano said.

Antena Project links PHL universities to intl educ systems By Rizal Raoul S. Reyes

@brownindio

niversities in the Philippines have a golden opportunity to raise the bar of its educational standards through a project co-funded by the Erasmus program of the European Commission. John Luis Lagdameo, director of Ateneo Business Resource Center School of Management Business Accelerator (Somba), told reporters in a recent news briefing about the Antena Project that aims to internationalize the higher educational system in the country. “This is an opportune time for Philippine universities as lots of Filipinos will gain from the outside notwithstanding the limitations of the country,” Lagdameo pointed out. The project is led by the University of Alicante in Spain with the support of the University of Montpellier of France and the European Foundation for Manage-

ment Development. With the Antena Project, Lagdameo said the internationalization of Philippine universities could now be available to the faculty and students who are qualified for the available programs. “Antena can create the network of international universities that can bring internationalization to the Philippines,” Lagdameo said. Moreover, Lagdameo said Antena could make internationalization more inclusive by bringing it to local educational institutions. To enable the program to gain awareness, he said universities should launch information campaigns to tell the benefits of the program. Lagdameo said Antena will enable local universities to build their brand, capacity, resources and manpower to enable them to be on a par with their foreign counterparts. Atty. Lily Frieda M. Milla, director of the international affairs staff of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), said forming

partnerships with international universities would allow Filipino higher educational institutions to produce future-ready graduates. “For the initial stage, CHED aims to help Philippine universities produce students who are on a par with Asean standards,” Milla, also the concurrent OIC deputy executive director of CHED, added. For the first part of the threeyear program, Milla said they would gather information and pursue research collaboration. Later, she said universities would develop modules for learning materials, capacity building and network building that would give them a stronger foundation in the long term. “The programs will be mostly directed at the administrators who will be the lead persons in defining internationalization among the higher educational institutions,” she said. Antena conducted an initial survey on Philippine higher educational institutions to determine

the challenges of pursuing internationalization. A total of 105 universities completed the survey. The respondents said top overall internationalization barriers were insufficient financial support, and administrative and bureaucratic difficulties. For students and faculty, the challenges in mobility/internationalization were limited interest and involvement and lack of foreign skills. Meanwhile, the top internationalization barrier for the administrators was limited support and lack of organizational development. Local partner universities in the Antena Project are Ateneo de Manila University, Benguet State University, Central Luzon State University, De La Salle University, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Saint Louis University, University of the Philippines, University of San Carlos and Xavier University.

DepEd integrates Globe’s DTP in K to 12 Curriculum

ducation Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones commended the Department of Education’s (DepEd) long-time private partner, Globe, as the latter spearheaded the Digital Thumbprint Program’s (DTP) integration in K to 12 Curriculum during the five-day National Summit for Digital Citizenship and Responsibility (NSDCR) at a hotel in Manila. DTP aims to educate public and private high-school students on proper online behavior, as well as encourage students, teachers and parents to participate in creating an open, inclusive, collaborative and safe online environment. “We are in a connected world where anyone can easily have access to the Internet. While we believe that the Internet is fundamental to achieving inclusive and equitable quality education, we are also aware that it exposes our youth to many potential risks that may harm them,” the education chief said. Digital Citizenship, a vital aspect of educating the youth, is one of the key advocacies of Globe. During the digital age, it is crucial that the youth are equipped with the right information to help them make the proper decisions in their daily actions in the online world. By integrating Digital Citizenship and Responsibility into the K to 12 curriculum, the DTP modules will be further developed for inclusion in the values-formation subject. Students nationwide will benefit from the lessons on digital citizenship and learn about the responsibilities that come with being online. Briones further highlighted how beneficial the program is to the learners. “This led us to adopt Globe’s Digital Thumbprint Program after seeing how it has created positive impact on the students

Miguel Bermundo (center), Globe head of citizenship and advocacy marketing, and OIC Assistant Secretary for Curriculum and Instruction Alma Rubio Torio (sixth from left) with the leaders of DepEd at the National Summit for Digital Citizenship and Responsibility.

and teachers who have undergone the workshops,” she said. “By integrating the program in the delivery of curriculum targets, all students can better learn how to be conscious of their personal security and well-being when online and, eventually, become responsible Internet users,” she added. This collaboration with DepEd is a breakthrough for Globe’s cyber-wellness program which has provided 1.9 million students and teachers across the country access to DTP modules since its introduction in 2016. “We are deeply honored to have our Digital Thumbprint Program become an integral part of DepEd’s K to 12 curriculum delivery content,” Yoly Crisanto, Globe chief sustainability officer and senior vice president for corporate communications said. “Since DTP was launched three years ago as a free workshop, it has

been our mission to reach out to as many students, teachers and parents as we can. With the pervasiveness of the Internet and the country’s move toward digitalization, the level of risks for online users also increases. This drives us to advocate for responsible digital citizenship to encourage critical thinking and prevent online abuse,” Crisanto added. T he pa r t ne r sh ip b e t we e n DepEd and Globe on DTP is a significant achievement both in the field of education and the digital community as it was made before educators, including over 500 experts from DepEd representing its national office, its 17 regional offices, and all 220 DepEd division offices handling values formation and curriculum delivery. Summit par t icipants came from across the country, including the Autonomous Region in

Muslim Mindanao. The summit updated the participants on the status and issues related to the use of digital technologies, provided learning content and tools on safe and responsible online citizenship, and empowered them on how to present the learning modules, and identify the needs and ways to forward and foster digital citizenship and responsibility among DepEd personnel, teachers, students and parents. For its part, Globe brought its team of workshop facilitators to deliver and help cascade the DTP workshop content to the DepEd participants. Globe also collaborated with DepEd’s pool of workshop facilitators to aid in the development of concrete and actionable curriculum delivery plans by the end of the five-day summit.

The members of the Board of Trustees of Tahanan Outreach Projects and Services Inc. are (seated, from left) Atty. Eva Policar-Bautista (treasurer); Atty. Teresita Cruz Sison (member); Valerie Sonia Lyn G. Agrava (president); (standing, from left) Atty. Wilma Valdemoro Cua (vice president); Atty. Maria Teresita Geraldine Sison-Go (PRO); Atty. Fides Cordero-Tan (vice chairman). TOPS photo

TOPS reinvents itself as learning center

n its 50th year, Tahanan Outreach Projects and Services Inc. (TOPS) renews its commitment to assist the children and families around Santa Ana, Manila, and focuses primarily on its educational programs among other endeavors. “As we celebrate our golden year, we move on to meet new challenges. We would like to reinvent TOPS as a learning center, and implement new programs to be of better service to the community,” shares TOPS President Valerie Sonia Lyn G. Agrava, the grand niece of Justice Corazon “Rosy” Juliano Agrava, at a recent news conference. Currently, TOPS maintains its Liwanag ng Tahanan Headstart program for preschoolers (ages three to four), and free, computer-aided tutorial classes to assist high-school students on English, math and science subjects. “Scheduled to open next year, we will be putting up a formal school, starting with a kindergarten and work our way to the grade levels, in accordance with the Department of Education K to 12 curriculum. Moreover, TOPS will be helping learners with special needs by offering special education classes,” Agrava said. “We want to continue to help children and those with special needs. SPED classes are very expensive and we saw that the area is lacking such classes. We want to address this situation at TOPS and remain relevant to the community,” she added. A staunch advocate for children’s welfare and development, she joined TOPS in 2000, as one of the members of its board of trustees, and formally took the reins as its president in 2017. A well-accomplished sales manager, publisher and general manager, Agrava utilized her managerial skills and raised funds for TOPS’s various programs right from the start. With these new endeavors, she is hopeful that donors will continue to support the shelter’s programs and operations, and that new donors will come in and help TOPS pursue the legacy of the late Justice Agrava.

The heart for children

In 1969, the late Justice Agrava presided over and led women lawyers from the Judicial and Domestic Relations Court, in creating a shelter that operated on a principle of tracing the roots of juvenile delinquency and preventing it through comprehensive and integrated human development. With this mission, TOPS was founded and proceeded to provide assistance to children

as a civic organization that delivers youth servicing and childcare projects funded by concerned citizens, organizations, funding agencies and business corporations. Initially, TOPS’s Silungan program gave shelter to street children and minors who are in trouble with the law. Later, the center expanded its goals and created the Liwanag ng Tahanan (Early Childhood Development Center) for the wholistic development of preschool children in and around Santa Ana, Manila. “It was a beautiful sight seeing the fathers bringing their children to our school before they go to work and the mothers fetching their children at school’s dismissal, fostering a happy relationship between the students and their teachers, and that of understanding between parents and teachers,”recalled Atty. Teresita Cruz Sison, one of the original board members of TOPS who recently retired as its treasurer at the age of 92. To address the socioeconomic realities of street children in Santa Ana, Manila, the Tuluyan program provided proper nutrition, basic education, and spiritual and values formation. This program was so successful that it also reached out and served the street children in Dagonoy Market and San Andres Bukid, Manila. For the parents, the Capacity Building programs helped through training that covered parenting, values formation and skills development, coaching on spiritual enhancement, and marriage counseling. TOPS extended economic opportunities to the members of the community, as well. Students of social work, psychology, caregiving, and other allied disciplines in need of field work experience were also welcomed at the TOPS. At one point, TOPS was also able to implement a housing program in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Philippines. Located in Las Piñas, Parañaque, a total of 140 housing units were distributed to family beneficiaries and some staff members. In its 50 years of service, TOPs was able to serve young children who grew up to productive members of society as envisioned by Justice Agrava. According to Sison, Justice Agrava “put her heart and soul to have [TOPS] going.” Now, under the helm of a younger and more dynamic Agrava, TOPS is turning a new leaf as it vows to continue its legacy of providing shelter, service and education primarily to Filipino children.

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Why read?

Monday, September 23, 2019 E3

Part One

training your brain in improving your memory.”

D By Millie F. Dizon

a great source of 6It’smotivation.

Describing life as “tricky,” gladreaders.com, says we all need a little motivation and a little push in the right direction when we are discouraged and things are not going right. That is why “reading a good inspirational book during such a period can change our way of thinking, and give us hope and motivation. Books are no doubt a huge source of motivation. We can derive great inspirations from them and transform our lives positively.” Ready to read? We will suggest some “must read” books in next week’s column.

ANYABERKYUT | DREAMSTIME.COM

PR Matters

ear PR Matters, As someone new in the work force, I am very fortunate to be working with someone in a communications company whom I can consider my mentor. She is smart, successful, beautiful, and seems to bring with her so much positive and creative energy wherever she goes. My colleagues and I learn a lot from her, and one of the things she always tells us to do is read a lot. And she shows us the way, reading books, publications, and online information during her downtime. My colleagues and I are adjusting to pick up this habit as we really have not grown up with it. It will help us if you could reinforce the importance of reading, and would be happy if you could suggest some books that I could start reading. Sincerely, Angeline S. Dear Angeline, Thank you for your letter and my colleagues and I are happy that you are slowly moving into the wonderful world of books. You and your colleagues are fortunate that you have a mentor that encourages you pick up this habit, which should be very helpful to you as you are in the communications business. But why read? Let’s begin with stories on how books can change lives, one which Peter Economy shares with us in an Inc.com article, “Jeff Bezos Became the Wealthiest Man on Earth with the Remarkable Help of this Book.” In it, Economy recounts how in a recent podcast with Kara Swisher, author and former Stanford Prof. Jim Collins “discussed his relationship with Bezos, and how one of his very own business books changed the game for Amazon at a time when it had not yet turned in a profit.” Back in 2001, Amazon was just four years old— struggling to get its footing after the dot.com bust. Looking to Collins for advice, Bezos phoned the author and eventually invited him over to visit the Amazon campus. Collins met with Bezos and other Amazon executives and discussed the core ideas from his upcoming book, Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t, which was published later that year. Collins covered at length the main focus of Good to Great—the idea that business growth and success can be viewed like a giant flywheel, focusing on building one thing in order to drive another. Economy goes on to say that “with the wisdom of Good to Great in hand, Bezos and his team at Amazon were able to make necessary strategic changes to the business in order to set up their own flywheel for success. And the rest, as they say, is history.” Likewise, Bill Gates carries a tote bag full of books almost everywhere he goes, according to his recent interview with the Wall Street Journal. Fellow billionaire Warren Buffet is another avid reader. But why read? Here are some reasons why Bezos and Gates, among others, find reading so important:

exposes us to new 1Itthings

.Exploration begins from reading and understanding, says inspirationboost.com., which continues to say that, “through reading, you expose yourself to new things, new information, new ways to solve a problem, and new ways to achieve one thing.” Being in the communications field, you need to be updated, and reading will keep you in touch with what’s current, and what’s happening.

knowledge makes you smarter. 2Itandexpands

“Books are a very rich source of information,” says gladreaders.com. “Reading books somehow or the other adds depth to your knowledge base. With your increasing knowledge, you become capable of making better decisions and choices in life.” It is not surprising that, “with so many new things learned, people who read obviously tend to be smarter than people who don’t.”

It broadens your imagination and 3enhances your creativity.

The beauty of books is that it “makes us imagine things beyond possibility—things that would not come to our mind normally,” says gladreaders.com. They also “give you the opportunity to have your own perspectives and imaginations into play. Apart from this, different creative characters, plots, and approaches trigger your creativity, as well. You become more creative and imaginative.”

on your focus concentration. 4Itandimproves

While the Internet has definitely revolutionized our world, gladreaders.com puts things in perspective. “But there’s a huge drawback, too. For many of us, a large part of our day is spent surfing, chatting, watching videos, reading unnecessary memes and articles online. No wonder people are growing more impatient and losing focus.” However, “reading books is one of those constructive habits that actually help us improve our concentration power. It helps us train our brain to focus our attention and live in the present.”

enhances your 5 Itmemory.

There are many things we need to

remember when we read a book, says gladreaders.com. These include the name of characters and their features, name of places, plots and subplots, the sequence of events, memorable lines. The more you read, the more you

increase your ability to retain information. As your brain “learns to remember the information from the story line, it also becomes better at remembering the other things in life. So, by reading books, you are also indirectly

PR Matters is a roundtable column by members of the local chapter of the United Kingdombased International Public Relations Association (Ipra), the world’s premier association for senior professionals around the world. Millie 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.

E4 Monday, September 23, 2019

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How does the ‘unidentified political object’ that is the European Union really work? By Garret Martin

American University School of International Service

THE CONVERSATION

SKYPIXEL | DREAMSTIME.COM

N the run-up to the 2016 Brexit referendum in the United Kingdom, “Take our country back” became a rallying slogan for the campaign pushing for the UK to leave the European Union.

PRO-EU demonstrators hold signs and wave flags outside of a meeting of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Luxembourg, September 16, 2019. Johnson held his first meeting with Juncker in search of a longshot Brexit deal. AP/OLIVIER MATTHYS

Opponents of further integration of the UK into the EU resented what they saw as the growth of EU powers over the years, believing it infringed excessively on the power of the UK to control its own destiny. As evidence, so-called “Leave” supporters often erroneously claimed that 60 percent of UK laws were actually imposed from Brussels, the headquarters of EU institutions. Or they denounced the EU as being run by “unelected bureaucrats.” The European Union is a political and economic union formed in 1993. It built upon previous institutions which had been promoting European integration since 1951. When it was established, it was a new form of political organization for Europe that did not fully resemble traditional political models. The

EU is neither a centralized state, like France, nor is it a federation, like the United States. And that elusive nature has made it hard to understand, even for those who closely study it like myself. Jacques Delors, a former president of the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, once described the European Union as “an unidentified political object.” Its complexity has also led to misconceptions, especially regarding the sensitive question of the division of powers between the EU and its member states. Those misconceptions also played a part in the current government chaos in the UK as it fast approaches the October 31 deadline to leave the EU.

Division of powers

AFTER World War II, a small

number of European countries initiated a program of deeper cooperation in the pursuit of peace and economic prosperity. Six founding members first created the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, pooling together these two key resources. Six years later, they established the European Economic Community, which aimed to promote deeper economic integration. In the following decades, these institutions which eventually became the EU grew in scope and in membership. This increased importance has allowed the EU to pass some very consequential laws, affecting the lives of citizens across the Union. Thus, free movement of labor, limiting the legal work week to no more than 48 hours, or allowing a right to be forgotten on the internet, are all the result of EU laws. The EU has carved out greater responsibilities over the decades, but these are not absolute. Member-states remain influential and still protect key elements of their sovereignty. And a dense system of checks and balances, as Professor Hussein Kassim points out, ensures no actor within the EU can impose its preferences unilaterally. Member states have delegated more sovereignty over time to the EU. But they have done so within well-defined limits. The 2007 Lis-

bon Treaty clarified the division of powers between the EU and member states. It distinguished three major types of “competences,” which are powers in EU parlance: exclusive, or areas where only the EU can act, such as monetary policy for Eurozone countries; shared, where member states can pass laws if the EU has not done so, such as energy policy; and supporting, where the EU can only supplement member state actions, such as in education and culture. Yet, even in areas of exclusive competence such as trade relations with non-EU countries, the EU is subject to many levels of review. The Council of Ministers, representing the 28 member states, must first agree on a negotiating mandate. Only then can the European Commission, the executive body of the EU, start talks with other parties. And once the Commission signs a trade agreement, it must still be ratified by the Council and the European Parliament, a legislative branch of the EU whose members are directly elected by EU citizens.

Accountability

THE claim that the EU is run by “unelected bureaucrats” is misleading. The main target of this claim, the 28-member European Commission, certainly plays an impor-

tant role in the day-to-day management of the EU. The Commission proposes legislation for review by other key institutions, especially the Council and the European Parliament. It also manages the EU budget and ensures compliance with EU law. This means it can refer states suspected of non-compliance to the European Court of Justice. It also relies on its more than 32,000 staff members and a leadership not directly elected by EU citizens. But this leadership is supervised by member states. It is the EU Council, representing the heads of government of member states, that proposes a candidate for president of the Commission. Additionally, each member state gets to nominate one commissioner. And the whole Commission needs to be approved by the European Parliament, whose members are directly elected by European citizens. In the latest European Parliament elections in May 2019, for instance, 50.6 percent of the more than 400 million eligible voters turned out to vote.

Input required

FINALLY, passing any EU law requires the Commission to seek input from other key actors, including member states. It is a complex

process that involves compromise and consulting with all responsible institutions. True, only the Commission can propose legislation. Once it does so, however, the national parliaments of member states have a mechanism to express reservations, which could lead the Commission to shelve its proposal. If the proposal does pass this step, it still needs to be adopted by both the Council, representing member states, and the European Parliament. This gives either of those institutions veto power. And even when an EU law is passed, it will still be up to the various national authorities to implement the legislation. It is a complex process. But it is also one that seeks to serve EU citizens, not undermine the sovereignty of member states. This was well evidenced by the 2017 law on scrapping roaming charges. Thanks to a multiyear effort, EU citizens were no longer subject to expensive costs when they used their cellphones in countries other than their own. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: http://theconversation. com/how-does-the-unidentifiedpolitical-object-that-is-the-europeanunion-really-work-123425.

Report: More people are supporting nonprofit news sites By David Bauder The Associated Press

EW YORK—Nonprofit news organizations, a growth area in the troubled field of journalism, are broadening their base of support to take in almost as much from individual donors as they do from foundations. A report issued Wednesday by the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) said nearly three-quarters of its 240 members have launched

since 2008, an average of one startup per month. Nonprofit organizations include probing sites like ProPublica and the Center for Investigative Journalism, regional organizations like Texas Tribune and VT Digger and specialized organizations such as North Carolina Health News and the Food and Environment Reporting Network. INN members employ nearly 2,000 journalists; there are an estimated 100 more such sites

that aren’t members of the trade group, said Sue Cross, the institute’s executive director. At a time when newspapers are closing and cutting back staff, the organizations are the landing spot for more of the nation’s public service and investigative journalism. Last year, these sites received 43 percent of their funding from foundations and 39 percent from individuals, with advertising and events accounting for the rest,

the institute said. Individual donors accounted for a quarter of the funding in 2011, according to the Pew Research Center. “It’s a very heartening development,” Cross said. With many questioning whether people will pay to support online journalism, the numbers indicate more people recognize the industry needs to be supported, she said. Most of her calls a few years ago used to be from journalists

looking for work, Cross said. Now she’s hearing from more business people, concerned citizens and even politicians wondering what can be done to support journalism. While the percentage of overall foundation giving may be going down, the amount of money being put in is still increasing, particularly for supporting journalism on specific issues like the environment and social justice, the report said. Forty-two percent of nonprofit

news organizations describe their mission as investigative journalism, and 78 percent employ at least one reporter who specializes in such digging, the report said. Thirty-nine percent describe their role as explanatory journalism or analysis. About half of the sites distribute their product themselves, with 29 percent relying mostly on third parties like newspapers. The rest rely on a mix.