THE MANILA TIMES | JUNE 05, 2019

PH factory output slips for 5th straight month ÂťStory on B1 ++

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2019

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AMID INCREASED SABER-RATTLING OVER SOUTH CHINA SEA

Palace OK with US presence

BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE AND DEMPSEY REYES

T

HE United States’ presence in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) will be helpful, but China’s involvement is still necessary to ensure long-term stability, government ofkCIALS SAID

TRASH ON THE HOUSE A garbage truck that plunged into a house in West Rembo in Makati City is extricated on Tuesday. No one was hurt in the accident.

PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE

“The Philippines would want stability in this part of the world, in that part of the world,â€? Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said on Tuesday, following renewed rhetoric from both Washington and Beijing at a just-concluded regional security forum in Singapore. “[The] Philippines’ position is that every country has the right to use the waters in the South China Sea, as well as the air space and we want peace and quiet in that area. So, anything that will provide such kind of atmosphere, we are for it,â€? he told reporters in a BRIEkNG IN -ALACAĂ„ANG

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Duterte and the power of symbols

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T bord e r s on the hilarious how the Yellows’ apologists undertake mental contortions or tear their hair out in exasperation to explain President Duterte’s overwhelming popular support, as demonstrated in his power to convince Filipinos in the recent elections TO VOTE INTO OFkCE SUCH CANDIDATES as Bong Go and Bato dela Rosa, unknown barely three years ago.

RIG RRIGOBERTO IGG DD. TIGLAO

ÂłTiglaoA5 REACH US AT: E-mail: newsdesk@ manilatimes.net Tel. Nos.: 524-5664 to 67 Address: 2/F Sitio Grande, 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila 1002

Offers for speakership votes could balloon to P7M — Gonzales AN alleged money race for the House SPEAKERSHIP COULD RAMP UP SIGNIkCANTLY

with one of the aspirants raising the possibility of vote offers going well beyond the P1 million earlier reported. “I heard yesterday na magiging P7 million pa yan, pero dapat wala nang

ganun (I heard yesterday that this would reach P7 million, but this should not be),� Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales told reporters. “Sana wala nang laban, pag-usapan na lang natin kasi maraming magiging damages (I hope there will no longer

HIGHER TOBACCO TAXES UP FOR DUTERTE’S APPROVAL A PROPOSED law hiking excise taxes on tobacco products is now up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature after the House of Representatives on Tuesday adopted a measure approved a day earlier by the Senate.

Senate Bill (SB) 2233 expanded the measure’s coverage, adding “heated tobacco� and “vapor products� — currently not taxed, from traditional products such as cigarettes. “With the approval by both the Senate and

What’s inside COMELEC APPROVES CARDEMA SUBSTITUTION

KATHRYN BERNARDO AND SARAH GERONIMO SHARE STAR AWARDS BEST ACTRESS PLUM

EntertainmentE1

the House of Representatives of the bill seeking higher tobacco excise taxes, we have come one step closer to giving the government more elbow room to plug the funding gap for the UHC (Universal Health Care) program that aims to provide all Filipinos with affordable and quality healthcare,� Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara said.

The law is expected to raise P15 billion

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out P1.07 billion.

Gonzales, who is the national deputy campaign manager of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, is among those being fielded by the ruling party. The others are Marinduque

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Palace: HUDCC must explain Marawi rehab fund diversion THE Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) could be liable for technical malversation for diverting Marawi rehabilitation funds, -ALACAĂ„ANG SAID ON 4UESDAY The Commission on Audit (CoA) had said that the HUDCC gave the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) P5 million in Marawi funds to send internally

displaced persons (IDPs) to Mecca for the Hajj. “We will ask HUDCC to explain why it was that way,� Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said. “That would be technical malversation if proven true,� he added.

The CoA, in a 2018 audit report, said the fund transfer was not authorized by the Office of the

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Poll glitches a contract ‘breach’ NewsA2

SERVING UP PEACE AT SHANGRI-LA Ei Sun OhA5

IT’S A TIE!

be a race; let’s just talk about it because [vote-buying] will cause much damage),� he added.

A total of 153 votes need to be secured in the 304-man House of Representatives to become speaker, which means that at P7 million, an aspirant would have to shell

ROACH INPUT CRUCIAL FOR ‘TECHNICAL’ THURMAN FIGHT – FORTUNE

Sports rt s D D11

THE glitches that marred the May 12 midterm elections are enough grounds to cancel Smartmatic’s contract with the Commission on Elections #OMELEC -ALACAÄANG SAID on Tuesday.

The poll body, which earlier said it would consider President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to junk the technology deal, this week said procedures should be followed and the legal basis laid.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo, however, said Smartmatic’s “inefficiency�

SHOULD SUFkCE

³’Breach’ A2

POLL PROBE

Commission on Elections Commissioner Luie Tito Guia answers lawmakers’ queries on the glitches that marred the midterm elections. The joint congressional oversight committee on the automated elections system conducted an inquiry on poll automation issues on Tuesday. PHOTO BY J.GERARD SEGUIA

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News

˜ The Manila Times WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

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Comelec approves Cardema substitution T

BY WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has approved the controversial substitution of former National Youth Commission (NYC) chairman Ronaldo Cardema as nominee of the PARTY LIST GROUP $UTERTE 9OUTH

In a resolution released on Tuesday, the seven-man commission en banc also gave due course to the four other substitute Duterte Youth nominees Gian Carlo Galang, Catherine Santos, Kerwin Pagaran and Sharah Shane Makabali.

It, however, denied the substitution of Allan Keven Cinedoza Payawal as the party’s sixth nominee “because the original nominees ;OF $UTERTE 9OUTH= ARE ONLY kVE u

The same resolution also granted the withdrawals of original nominees Ducielle Marie Suarez, Joseph de Guzman, Benilda de Guzman, Arnaldo Villfranca and Elizabeth Anne Cardema.

In coming up with the decision, the Comelec said it adopted the recommendation of the Comelec Law Department.

Voting in favor were Chairman Sheriff Abbas and Commissioners Al Parreno, Socorro Inting, Marlon

Casquejo and Antonio Kho Jr. Commissioner Rowena Guanzon dissented, while Commissioner Luie Tito Guia abstained, saying his abstention was “consistent with my earlier vote to deny the accreditation [of Duterte Youth].�

Guanzon earlier noted that #ARDEMA kLED HIS SUBSTITUTION ON May 12, a Sunday, which was not A REGULAR WORK DAY gAND DIDN T kLE it on the last day, May 13.� g)S #ARDEMA QUALIkED TO BE REPresentative of Duterte Youth? That is not decided yet,� she pointed out, saying the resolution was “only WHETHER OR NOT HE #ARDEMA kLED his application for substitution on time before the deadline.�

Under the Party-List Act, representatives of the youth sector must be at least 25 years old, but not more than 30 years old on election day.

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Cardema listed his birthday as April 13, 1986, which means he is now 33 years old; thus, ineligible to be the youth sector representative in Congress.

The Duterte Youth is among the 51 party-list groups that landed a seat at the House of Representatives.

With the substitution, Cardema became the top nominee.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), in a statement, said the original second and third nominees, Joseph de Guzman and Benilda de Guzman, were also aged 39 and 44, respectively.

The NUSP added that to circumvent the age restriction, Duterte Youth actually registered as a regional party-list based in Region 4A rather than as a youth sectoral party-list.

Q SPEAKERSHIP FROM A1

Offers for speakership votes could balloon to P7M Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, its secretary general.

Other top contenders are Leyte Representative-elect Martin Romualdez, who has reportedly secured 153 signatures through a manifesto of support, and Taguig Representativeelect Alan Peter Cayetano, former Foreign secretary.

Alvarez last week claimed that two of his fellow speaker aspirants had been offering P500,000 to P1 million for their colleagues’ votes.

Gonzales said the accusation could be true and added that accepting the money was a blot on legislators’ reputations. “Sabi ko nga palagi, pag may usok, may apoy‌ I think that’s not worth it. Palagay ko nasisira pagkatao namin (As I always say, WHEN THERE IS SMOKE THERE IS kREw I think that’s not worth it. It think

it is ruining us),� he said.

President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to endorse a candidate for the speakership and Gonzales said his silence could encourage vote-buying. “’Pag sinasabing ‘di nangingialam ang Pangulo, mga negosyante na ang papasok diyan (When the President says that he will not meddle with the speakership, potential funders will enter the scenario).�

The next House Speaker, who will replace Pampanga Re p . G l o r i a M a capagal Arroyo, will be elected on July 22 when the 18th Congress formally convenes.

GLEE JALEA

Q ‘BREACH’ FROM A1

Q TOBACCO FROM A1

Poll glitches HIGHER a contract ‘breach’ “[I]f in your contract, [you were mandated] to give for instance the results of the elections within a span of time and you were not able to do it, then you have a breach,� Panelo said. “The legal basis: If you have NOT DONE EFkCIENTLY WHAT YOU RE supposed to do. That’s the legal basis,� he added.

Duterte, speaking at a gathering of Filipinos in Japan last week, told the Comelec to “dispose of Smartmatic,� citing cheating complaints raised by the opposition after the May 13 polls and votes that he lost during the 2018 presidential elections. “I am telling you now, the people do not want Smartmatic.

And if you use that in the next election three years from now, I do not know what will happen.

Something has to give,� he added.

Panelo said the President “does not want any election in the future‌ [to] be tainted with a whiff of fraud or allegations that will produce the affect of people doubting the credibility of an election.â€?

The Philippines automated the election process in 2010 and Smartmatic has provided the techNOLOGY SPECIkCALLY VOTE COUNTING machines, since then.

Despite last month’s glitches, however, the Palace said the results — government-backed candidates roundly trounced opposition bets — remained credible.

RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

starting next year, half of which will be used for the UHC and other programs of the Health department.

SB 2233 calls for gradual increases in the cigarette excise tax to

Q Aspiring House Speaker Rep. Aurelio Gonzales gestures during a news briefing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

PHOTO BY ROGER RAĂ‘ADA

P60 per pack in 2023, beginning at P45 in 2020, from the current P35 set under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law that took effect last year.

The tax on e-cigarettes, as heated tobacco and vapor products are more commonly known, was set at P10 per 10 milliliters.

Health warnings — already present on cigarette packs — will

also be mandatory for heated tobacco and vapor products, which also cannot be sold to minors. “We look forward to seeing President Rodrigo Duterte sign this important bill into law,�

Angara said, noting that the #HIEF %XECUTIVE HAD CERTIkED THE measure as urgent.

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL WITH A REPORT FROM GLEE JALEA

Palace: HUDCC must explain for the purpose of sending IDPs to Mecca to attend the Hajj was contrary to the aforecited provisions of PD (Presidential Decree) 1445 and 2018 GAA (General Appropriations Act), considering that said activity was not in accordance with the purpose for which the Task Force Bangon Marawi funds [were] intended

THE ‘GRADUATE’ Sen. Jose Victor “JV� Ejercito laughs to break the somber mood as he and five other senators who ended their terms said their goodbyes during the closing of the 17th Congress on Tuesday.

PHOTO BY J.GERARD SEGUIA

THE Department of Tourism (DoT) has earmarked this year P4.3 million for the procurement of 18-karat gold medallions and signature branded wristwatches for longtime employees of the agency, a year after it barred the procurement of jackets for its birthday celebrators in June 2018.  A bidding invitation obtained by reporters showed that the DoT was looking for suppliers for the tokens they would give to loyalty awardees for the 119th Philippine Civil Service anniversary celebration.  DoT data showed there are 12 employees who have completed 10 years of service, and they would be given signature branded wristwatches worth P6,000 each, for a total of P72,000.  Sixteen awardees for the 15-year loyalty award will get watches worth P12,000 each, totaling P192,000.  The DoT said it allotted P264,000 and P198,000 for the purchase of men’s and ladies’ wristwatches, respectively, which will be distributed to employees who completed 20 years of service.  For employees who completed 25 years of service, the agency allotted P406,000 and P377,000 for men’s and ladies’ wristwatches, respectively.  Each watch is worth P22,000 (20 years) and P29,000 (25 years).  According to the DoT, the specifications of watches should be quartz, solar or automatic.

Color, design and quality will vary according to years of service.Â

 Meanwhile, those who have served in the DoT for 30 to 45 years will receive 18-karat yellow gold medallions with an 18-karat gold chain. A total of P2.090 million has been allotted for those who have served 30 years (P38,000 each for 55 awardees), P645,000 for 35 years (P43,000 each for 15 awardees), P98,000 for 40 years (P98,000 for two awardees) and P55,000 for the lone awardee of the 45-year loyalty award.  This came almost a year after Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat stopped the procurement of 863 customized reversible jackets worth P1.2 million in 2018, which was permitted by her predecessor Wanda Tulfo Teo.  The Civil Service Commission (CSC) guidelines for the 119th anniversary celebration said special gifts would be given to government employees through discounted packages from select state-run and private companies.  On its website, the CSC said it annually commemorates the enactment of Public Law 5, or “An Act for the Establishment and Maintenance of an Efficient and Honest Civil Service in the Philippine Island� every September.  Public officials and employees and their families are encouraged “to lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and incomes,� as provided under the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.  Government employees must also “not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form.�

NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

Q PRESENCE FROM A1

Q FUND FROM A1

President (OP), which had provided P500 million to Task Force Bangon Marawi. “The purpose of the fund transfer was not among the authorized expenses enumerated in the original MoA (memorandum of agreement) between the OP and the HUDCC,� the report stated. “The transfer of funds to NCMF

DoT earmarks P4.3M for pricey ‘loyalty’ gifts

for,� it added.

Over 350,000 individuals were displaced when Muslim militants took over Marawi City in 2017. The city, which was devastated during A kVE MONTH SIEGE REMAINS LARGELY destroyed despite some P5.2 billion having been released by the government as of end-2018.

RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

Palace OK with US presence “If the presence of the US will make it so, then that’s good for all of us, all of the claimants.�

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who attended the Shangri-la Dialogue held in Singapore from May 31 to June 2, said he supported the US’ freedom of navigation operations, but added this would not be enough to keep disputed waters free and open. g)T S NOT SUFkCIENT BECAUSE WE have to get the cooperation of China to keep the South China Sea free and open in the long run,â€? Lorenzana said during a question and answer session at the security forum. “[Y]es, China’s role in the South China Sea is very much welcome, but it should display a lot of‌ [being a] responsible major power and not using might to force its way in the South China Sea,â€? he added.

The Defense chief said a code of conduct — still to be agreed on by all claimants — was also critical as he added that the Philippines’ claims were far superior to China’s.

Pointing to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling that upheld a Philippine complaint, he said China’s so-called “historical records� do “not exist.�

He also expressed concern that a “face-off� between the US and #HINA COULD kND THE 0HILIPPINES caught in the middle. “Anything that they do, if there is a CONlICT THERE IS A SHOOTINGw IF the trade war continues then we are affected, so it impacts us,�

Lorenzana said.

Panelo, meanwhile, said the Philippines would only object to a US presence if this was conducted “without our consent.� “We will object if they will come to our area because we are supposed to be a sovereign coun-

try. No country should come to our country without our consent and knowledge,� he said.

At the Shangri-la Dialogue, Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Washington would not ignore China’s aggression in the South China Sea. Gen. Wei Fenghe, China’s minister of national defense, countered that his country was well within its rights to deploy troops and weapons in the disputed area. “Where there are threats, there is defense. In the face of heavily armed warships and military aircraft, how can we stay impervious and not build some defense facilities?� he declared.

Panelo said both Washington and Beijing appeared to be “just posturing,� adding, “We will let the giants do their thing.�

President Rodrigo Duterte, the Palace spokesman declared, had not changed his position that the West Philippine Sea — Manila’s preferred name for the South China Sea — “is ours.� “As far as he is concerned, parts of the South China Sea are ours per the arbitral ruling,� Panelo said.

Duterte sought to downplay Manila’s maritime dispute with Beijing in exchange for improved ties with the world’s secondlargest economy. He also set aside the 2016 PCA decision at the start of his presidency, claiming that Manila could not stand up to Beijing.

He adopted a more aggressive tone this year, however, warning of “suicide attacks� following reports that China vessels had surrounded Philippine-held Pagasa (Thitu) Island.

Speaking in Tokyo last week, Duterte again criticized Beijing by saying, “I love China, it has helped us a bit. But it behooves upon us to ask: Is it right for a country to claim the whole ocean?�

News PCGG to auction off Marcos jewelry T ˜ The Manila Times

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

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BY RALPH EDWIN U. VILLANUEVA

HE Office of the President had approved the request of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) to auction off one-third of the Marcos jewelry collection, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said Tuesday. disposal of the Marcos jewelry collection, subject to compliance with existing laws, rules and regulations,� Medialdea said.

g;4HE /FkCE OF THE 0RESIDENT= HAS OFkCIALLY INFORMED 0#'' THAT it interposes no objections to the proposed activities relative to the

Last week, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte had given the green light to sell Marcos jewelry worth P704.8 million. “The PCGG should now undertake the process of auctioning the Marcos jewelry,� Panelo said.

The Marcos jewelry collection is part of the billions worth of assets CONkSCATED FROM THE FAMILY OF FORmer president Ferdinand Marcos and its cronies.

Panelo said Duterte wanted the POOR TO BENEkT FROM THE PROCEEDS

of the sale.

According to the Commission on Audit (CoA), the PCGG — which was created by former president Corazon Aquino to recover the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth — had P1.08 billion worth of assets to dispose as of 2018. “The Privatization Plan for calendar years 2015 to 2018 for surrendered assets under the agency’s control was not completely accomplished; thus, negating its goals and objectives to augment the budgetary requirement of the CARP,� CoA said,

referring to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program.

The CoA said the PCGG’s acCOMPLISHMENTS gWERE NOT SUFkcient enough to achieve their objective to privatize the assets under their administration, as most of the activities undertaken by the agency were not implemented.� “We noted that there were real estate properties and shares of stocks, which were part of the privatization plan since 2015 and yet remained undisposed as of Dec. 31, 2018. The Privatization Plan prepared by AMD

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for the long to be completed since the last completed sale of one real property was made on disposition of real properties, shares of stocks and jewelry collections has taken too June 17, 2016, while one share of stock was sold on April 20, 2016,� it said.

Last year, the Sandiganbayan found former first lady Imelda Marcos guilty of seven counts of graft in connection with private organizations created in Switzerland while she was a government OFkCIAL FROM TO

Palace sees Senate approval of ROTC bill phone, laptop. Parang kulang na, wala nang disiplina (It seems that there is lack of self-discipline),� he added.

The Palace official also said other countries had made military training compulsory. “Dapat talaga (It should be) mandatory,� Panelo said.

The House of Representatives last month passed House Bill 6961, which makes ROTC mandatory for senior high school students.

Jimenez, who is also the chairman of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, said integrity and honesty instilled by military training should be upheld and practiced. g3PECIkC COURSES IN ANTI CORRUPtion and prevention of corrupt practices should be included in THE 2/4# PROGRAM TO RElECT THE Duterte Administration’s campaign against corruption in all levels of government,� Jimenez said. “The results of the ROTC should be evident in the youth as future nation-builders and protectors of the nation.�

Jimenez likewise urged Congress to consider the proposal in order to create a more complete military training program among students to complement the government’s efforts towards accountability and good governance AMONG PUBLIC OFkCIALS CATHERINE S. VALENTE

MALACAĂ‘ANG IS CONkDENT THAT senators will approve in the 18th Congress the bill that seeks to MAKE THE 2ESERVE /FkCERS 4RAINing Corps (ROTC) mandatory for senior high school students.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo expressed optimism that the measure faces smooth sailing as Dante Jimenez, the founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, cited the need to strengthen ROTC. Senate Bill 2232, or the “Senior High School ROTC Act,� was certikED AS URGENT BY 0RESIDENT 2ODRIGO Duterte, but it was not taken up by the Senate for lack of time. “There’s another new Senate coming up, so I don’t think that’s a problem,� Panelo told reporters in a news conference. “I think they, members of the Senate, also like this particular bill,� he added.

The 17th Congress officially adjourns on June 7.

Panelo dismissed criticisms that mandatory ROTC would foster blind obedience and discourages critical thinking among students. “You’re taught there how to handle firearms, how to have discipline, you’re lectured on many things even on laws, even on history,� Panelo said. “With the onset of technology, parang concentration lahat puro sa (they tend to concentrate on) high-tech instruments like tele-

EID’L FITR

Filipino Muslims mark the end of Ramadan by praying on a sidewalk near a mosque in Barangay Datu Esmael in DasmariĂąas, Cavite on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.

PHOTO BY BOY JOSUE

2 ex-military officers get govt posts PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed two FORMER MILITARY OFkCERS TO GOVERNMENT POSTS Duterte appointed Ricardo Morales as the vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Last month, Duterte said he would place Morales at the MWSS because “he does not want corruption.�

In a phone-patch interview with reporters,

MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco said he would be replacing MWSS Chairman Franklin Demonteverde, who will be transferred to the Judicial and Bar Council. “I am still [the administrator. DemonTEVERDE= IS STILL THE CHAIRMAN 5NTIL AN ACTION takes place, it will still undergo a process,� he said.

Duterte also appointed Allen Capuyan as the chairman of the National Commission on

Senate passes bill vs bank hackers 8484, Escudero said.

On top of stiffer penalties, the scope of RA 8484 has been expanded to include automated teller machine (ATM) fraud through skimming, hacking of the banking system and counterfeiting of credit or debit card.

The Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies and the Committee on Trade, Commerce and Entrepreneurship recommended the approval without amendments of HB 6710, which provides for additional prohibitions on the use of access devices in commercial transactions.

Access device, under the definition of the law, include credit or

The Senate has approved on third and kNAL READING A MEASURE THAT SEEKS TO classify the hacking of bank systems as economic sabotage, punishable by LIFE IMPRISONMENT AND A kNE OF UP TO P5 million.

Sen. Francis Escudero, chairman of the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies, said House Bill (HB) 6710 amends Republic Act (RA) 8484, otherwise known as the “Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998.�

The rapid development of information technology, and the economic IMPACT OF kNANCIAL FRAUD AND CRIMES committed through the use of electronic devices and gadgets necessitate the need to provide more teeth to RA

debit card, ATMs or any “card, plate, code, account number, electronic seRIAL NUMBER PERSONAL IDENTIkCATION number or other telecommunications service, equipment or instruMENTAL IDENTIkER OR OTHER MEANS of account access that can be used to obtain money, good, services or any other thing of value or to initiate a transfer of funds (other than a transfer originated solely by paper instrument).�

Under the bill, the hacking of a bank’s system, skimming of 50 or more ATM cards or online banking accounts, credit cards and debit cards constitute economic sabotage, a non-bailable offense carrying penalties of life imprisonment.

Imprisonment of 12 to 20 years AND A kNE NOT LESS THAN 0

will be meted against anyone in possession of 10 or more card skimming devices and is able to access at least one account.

An offender found in possession of 10 or more counterfeit access devices or similar gadgets even though not proven to have accessed any account shall be meted SIX TO YEAR JAIL TERM AND A kNE of P300,000.

The fraudulent use of a credit card, meanwhile, shall be punishable with imprisonment of four to six years AND A kNE OF TWICE THE VALUE OF THE fraudulently obtained credit.

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Capuyan, a retired colonel, served as NCIP commissioner, representing Southern and Eastern Mindanao.

He also served as the executive director of the National Secretariat of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and the presidential adviser for indigenous peoples’ concerns.

RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

Duterte lifts ban on travel to Canada PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte had lifted his order banning government officials from traveling to Canada, MalacaĂąang said on Tuesday.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the travel ban was lifted because the garbage shipment from Canada had been sent back.

Duterte banned government officials from traveling to Canada when Ottawa failed to get back the tons of garbage it shipped to Manila within the timeframe given by the President. “Since that has been resolved, it goes without saying that the memo will be recalled‌ unless there is another serious issue. But I don’t think there is

one,� Panel said in a press briefing.

Medialdea, by authority of the President, signed on May 20 a memorandum directing “all department secretaries and heads of agencies, government-owned and -controlled corporations, and government financial institutions to refrain from issuing travel authorities for official trips to Canada.�

The memo also directed heads of government agencies to “reduce official interaction with representatives of the Canadian government.�

More than 1,000 tons of trash was shipped back to Canada on May 31.

CATHERINE S. VALENTE

Life insurance policy incontestable after 2 years Dear PAO, My daughter applied for a life insurance policy on July 29, 2015. She did not declare any illness or medical condition when she accomplished the required medical questionnaire.

Consequently, she was issued a policy with a face value of P2,500,000 on Aug. 15, 2015.

My daughter died due to a heart attack last December 2018. The insurance company denied the claim of my daughter’s husband on the grounds of concealment and misrepresentation when THE LATTER kLED A CLAIM UNDER THE said policy. Was the denial of his claim legal and valid?

Rose Dear Rose, The law that addresses your situation is Section 48 of the Insurance

DEAR PAO

PERSIDA ACOSTA Code of the Philippines which states: “Whenever a right to rescind a contract of Insurance is given to the insurer by any provision of this chapter, such right must be exercised previous to the commencement of an action on the contract. “After a policy of life insurance made payable on the death of the insured shall have been in force during the lifetime of the insured for a period of two years from the date of its issue or of its last reinstatement, the insurer cannot prove that the

policy is void ab initio or is rescindable by reason of the fraudulent concealment or misrepresentation of the insured or his agent.� (Emphasis supplied) The Supreme Court in the case of The Insurance Life Assurance Company Ltd. vs Paz Y. Khu, et al. (GR 195176, April 18, 2016), through Associate Justice Mariano del Castillo elucidated: “The insurer is deemed to have the necessary facilities to discover such fraudulent concealment or misrepresentation within a period of two years.

It is not fair for the insurer to collect the premiums as long as the insured is still alive, only to raise the issue of fraudulent concealment or misrepresentation when the insured dies in order to defeat the right of the BENEkCIARY TO RECOVER UNDER THE

policy. At least two years from the issuance of the policy or its last reinstatement, the benEkCIARY IS GIVEN THE STABILITY TO recover under the policy when the insured dies. Xxx It must be remembered that an insurance contract is a contract of adhesion which must be construed liberally in favor of the insured and strictly against the insurer in order to safeguard the latter’s interest. A contract of insurance, being a contract of adhesion, par excellence, any ambiguity therein should be resolved against the insurer; in other words, it should be construed liberally in favor of the insured and strictly against the insurer. xxx More often than not, insurance contracts are contracts of adhesion containing technical terms and

conditions of the industry, confusing if at all understandable to laypersons, that are imposed on those who wish to avail of insurance. Xxx Hence, in order to protect the interest of insurance applicants, insurance companies must be obligated to act with haste upon insurance applications, to either deny or approve the same, or otherwise be bound to honor the application as a valid, binding, and effective insurance contract.�

(Emphases supplied) Applying the afore-cited law and the Supreme Court decision in your situation, the denial of the claim of your daughter’s husband was not valid since your daughter died three years after her life insurance policy was issued and after the insurance policy became incontestable. After the two-year

period lapses, or when the insured dies within the said period, the insurer must approve the claim regardless if the policy was obtained by fraud, concealment, or misrepresentation. Section 48 gives two years for the insurer to have enough time to verify whether the insurance policy was obtained by fraud, concealment, or misrepresentation.

This opinion is solely based on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. The opinion may vary when the facts are changed or further elaborated.

We hope that we were able to enlighten you on the matter.

Editor’s note: Dear PAO is a daily column of the Public AtTORNEY S /FkCE 1UESTIONS FOR Chief Acosta may be sent to dearpao@manilatimes.net

A4

Opinion

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

E d i to r i a l Let teachers focus on teaching, not making both ends meet

P

2%3)$%.4 2ODRIGO $UTERTE HAS NOT FORGOTTEN HIS PLEDGE TO INCREASE THE SALARIES OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS WHICH IS WHY THE COUNTRY S ECONOMIC MANAGERS ARE WORKING ON WAYS TO DELIVER ON THAT PROMISE AS PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN 3ALVADOR 0ANELO SAID EARLIER THIS WEEK 4EACHERS ARE NOT EXACTLY CONSIDERED DIRT POOR BY URBAN standards now in this country.

4HEIR MONTHLY SALARY STANDS AT 0 FOR THE 4EACHER CATEGORY AND 0 FOR 4EACHER "UT THE COMMON PERCEPTION OF TEACHERS IS THAT THEIRS IS A NOBLE PROFESSION AND NO ONE SHOULD RESENT A SALARY HIKE THAT THEY DESERVE !LTHOUGH THE REAL AMOUNT OF HOUSEHOLD kNANCIAL REQUIREMENTS IS STILL BEING DEBATED THERE IS WIDESPREAD AGREEMENT THAT TEACHERS ARE NOT BEING PAID ENOUGH TO ENABLE THEM TO FOCUS ON DELIVERING GOOD QUALITY EDUCATION FOR THEIR STUDENTS RATHER THAN THINKING OF BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES kNANCIALLY !CCORDING TO kGURES PROVIDED BY THE .ATIONAL %CONOMIC AND $EVELOPMENT !UTHORITY LAST YEAR A FAMILY OF kVE NEEDS ABOUT 0 PER MONTH TO LIVE ABOVE THE POVERTY LINE )F SIMPLY TO SURVIVE AND NOTHING ELSE A FAMILY NEEDS AT LEAST 0 PER MONTH 4HAT WAS THE kGURE CITED AS A gLIVING WAGEu BY THE PARTY LIST GROUP !LLIANCE OF #ONCERNED 4EACHERS !#4 IN A PROTEST RALLY ON -ONDAY AGAINST LOW TEACHERS SALARIES AND INADEQUATE PUBLIC SCHOOL FACILITIES 4HEIR MEMBERS CITED DATA FROM THE )BON &OUNDATION %DUCATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL SOURCE OF THE COUNTRY S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STRENGTH 7ITHOUT A SOUND BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM WE CANNOT DEVELOP A SKILLED WORKFORCE AND IMPROVE SOCIAL STABILITY 5NFORTUNATELY FOR AS MUCH UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION EXPRESSED BY GENERATIONS OF GOVERNMENT LEADERS

IT CONTINUES TO TAKE A BACK SEAT TO OTHER PRIORITIES 4HIS IS RElECTED IN STATISTICS ON PUBLIC EDUCATION SPENDING %VEN THOUGH THE 0HILIPPINES HAS THE SECOND LARGEST POPULATION AMONG THE !SEAN NATIONS GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON EDUCATION IS THE THIRD LOWEST $ESPITE HAVING BOTH A GROWING SCHOOL AGE POPULATION AND A GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT '$0 EXPANDING AT AN ADMIRABLE RATE THE 0HILIPPINES SPENDS JUST PERCENT OF '$0 ON EDUCATION 4HE ONLY !SEAN COUNTRIES THAT SPEND LESS ARE -YANMAR AND #AMBODIA 0UBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING IN -ALAYSIA AND 6IETNAM BY CONTRAST IS NEARLY DOUBLE THAT OF THE 0HILIPPINES AND PERCENT RESPECTIVELY 7HAT S MORE WITH MORE THAN MILLION STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOL THIS YEAR THE 0HILIPPINE BUDGET FOR THE $EPARTMENT OF %DUCATION WAS ACTUALLY REDUCED BY 0 BILLION IN THE DELAYED 'ENERAL !PPROPRIATIONS !CT 4EACHERS WHO CANNOT FOCUS ON THEIR VOCATION DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT MAKING ENDS MEET FOR THEIR FAMILIES CANNOT PROVIDE THE QUALITY INSTRUCTION AND MENTORING EVERY &ILIPINO STUDENT NEEDS TO BECOME A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY /UR PEOPLE ARE THE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING ELSE THE COUNTRY HOPES TO ACHIEVE AND IF THEY ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH USEFUL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THE SHORTCOMINGS ARE MAGNIkED TO NEGATIVELY AFFECT EVERY FACET OF SOCIETY (OWEVER RAISING TEACHERS SALARIES IS SEEN BY ECONOMIC MANAGERS AS A PROHIBITIVE COST TOO HEAVY FOR THE GOVernment to carry. The latest estimates of the additional AMOUNT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD NEED FOR THE PURPOSE WOULD RANGE FROM 0 BILLION TO 0 BILLION 9ET IF ONE LOOKS AT THAT HIGHER kGURE IN PROPORTION TO THE COUNTRY S 0 TRILLION '$0 ONE WILL REALIZE IT IS LESS THAN TWO ONE HUNDREDTHS OF A PERCENT OF '$0 4HEREFORE gHIGHER COSTu AS AN ARGUMENT IN THAT LIGHT PALES INTO INSIGNIkCANCE 4EACHERS DESERVE TO EARN A SALARY THAT RESPECTS THE IMPORTANT ROLE THEY SERVE IN THE COUNTRY S GROWTH AND SUCCESS 4HE GOVERNMENT SHOULD MAKE kNDING A SOLUTION A TOP PRIORITY ~

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 235

DANTE A. ANG, Chairman Emeritus RENE Q. BAS, Publisher Emeritus NERILYN A. TENORIO, Publisher-Editor ARNOLD E. BELLEZA, Executive Editor LEENA C. CHUA, News Editor LYNETTE O. LUNA, National Editor TESSA MAURICIO-ARRIOLA, Lifestyle Editor PERRY GIL S. MALLARI, Sports Editor ALVIN I. DACANAY, Acting Business Editor MARIO F. FETALINO, Assistant Business Editor DINO RAY V. DIRECTO 3RD, Motoring Editor CONRAD M. CARIÑO, Special Sections Editor LEA MANTO-BELTRAN, Supplements Editor REMIA B. EUGENIO, Deskman (Regions) MARISHELLE R. MEDINA, Deskman JOMAR CANLAS, Chief of Reporters RENE H. DILAN, Chief Photographer DANTE F. M. ANG 2ND, President and CEO BLANCA C. MERCADO, #HIEF /PERATING /FkCER RODA A. ZABAT, Advertising Director VICENTE P. CRUZ, JR., Circulation Director DENISE O. CALNEA, Marketing Communications and Services Director Telephone All Departments: 524-5665 to 66; Subscription: 524-5664 Local 222 Advertising: 524-5664 Local 121 Telefax: 310-5895 or e-mail advertising@manilatimes.net XXX NBOJMBUJNFT OFU t F NBJM OFXTEFTL!NBOJMBUJNFT OFU Letters to the Editor THE MANILA TIMES is published daily at 2/F Sitio Grande, 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila 1002 The owners, managers, publishers and editors do not necessarily share the opinions expressed and the statements made by individual authors of columns, commentaries and other articles published in The Manila Times.

Junk Smartmatic!

!

ND rejoice they did. This was the reaction of critics OF 3MARTMATIC AND ITS AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM FOLLOWING 0RESIDENT $UTERTE S SUGGESTION TO THE #OMMISSION ON %LECTIONS #OMELEC TO gDISPOSEu OF 3MARTMATIC "UT THE #OMELEC WAS QUICK TO DOUSE THE JUBILATION SAYING THAT IT NEEDED A LEGAL BASIS TO SEVER TIES WITH 3MARTMATIC 4HE MIDTERM ELECTIONS marked the fourth time that the 3MARTMATIC SUPPLIED TECHNOLOGY was used in the country, each time ATTENDED BY PROBLEMS )N THOUSANDS OF #OMPACT &LASH #& CARDS THAT HELD CLUSTERED PRECINCT AND BALLOT CONkGURATION HAD TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED a week before the elections. The PROBLEM WAS UNCOVERED DURING THE CONDUCT OF THE kNAL TESTING AND SEALING ACTIVITY AS THE VOTE COUNTING MACHINES THEN CALLED 0#/3 DID NOT RECORD AND COUNT VOTES FOR THE local contest correctly. There was ALSO A PROBLEM WITH DETERMINING THE GENUINENESS OF THE BALLOT AS the machines failed to detect the ULTRAVIOLET INK MARKS (ANDHELD ULTRAVIOLET INK MARK SCANNERS WERE HURRIEDLY PROCURED 4HE SYSTEM ALSO INCORRECTLY SUMMED UP THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS 4HE AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM SHOWED ABOUT MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS AT THE #OMELEC NATIONAL CANVASSING CENTER WHILE THE NATIONAL CANVASSING

I

N my inbox are two emails about human folly that are, on THE SURFACE UNRELATED 4HE kRST IS about 14 male, senior students at THE lAGSHIP CAMPUS OF THE ELITE 0HILIPPINE 3CIENCE (IGH 3CHOOL 03(3 WHO WERE RECENTLY INVESTIGATED FOR LEWD CONDUCT 4HE SECOND IS ABOUT THE MULTIPLE FRAUD AND ESTAFA CASES AND CIVIL CLAIMS kLED AGAINST THE ERRANT DAUGHTER OF A recently deceased Tsinoy dollar billionaire. Different cases, different AGE GROUPS ! DEEPER READ HOWEVER REVEALS A COMMON THREAD TO THESE TWO SEEMINGLY UNRELATED ALLEGATIONS OF DEVIANCY 4HE TWO CASES ARE ABOUT ONE THING SQUANDERING PRIVILEGE !S DAILY LIFE IS AWASH WITH STORIES OF ORDINARY PEOPLE AND THEIR STRUGGLES TO BE PART OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL MAINSTREAM READING THE TWO EMAILS FORCES ONE TO ASK THIS QUESTION 7HY WOULD THEY SQUANDER THEIR GREAT PRIVILEGE WHEN MOST of the members of the Great UnWASHED ARE UNSTEADILY STRUGGLING AND ON VERY TENUOUS FOOTING AT THAT FOR SMALL OPENINGS AND OPPORTUNITIES AIMING FOR CRUMBS that will allow them some comfort in life? Like workers under the “endo” work scheme. Like students HOPING TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THEIR mediocre education? Like small RICE FARMERS UNDER THE REGIME OF UNLIMITED RICE IMPORTATION 7HAT BASER MOTIVES DROVE THEM TO DO THE THINGS THEY DID !RE PRIVILEGE AND THE CER-

CENTER IN #ONGRESS DISPLAYED MILLION REGISTERED VOTERS )N THE SOURCE CODE OF THE SYSTEM WAS NOT REVIEWED !S IN DIGITAL SIGNING BY the members of the board of %LECTION INSPECTORS AND THE BOARD OF CANVASSERS WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED 4HE #OMELEC JUSTIFIED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MACHINE DIGITAL SIGNATURE SAYING THAT THE LAW 2EPUBLIC !CT

WHICH AMENDED 2! AND THE /MNIBUS %LECTION #ODE

AMONG OTHERS DID NOT SPECIFY WHO WOULD SIGN THE ELECTION RETURNS AND CERTIFICATES OF CANVASS "UT THEN IN CASE QUESTIONS OF authenticity and due execution of any election returns or certifiCATES OF CANVASSED WERE RAISED

the machines cannot be asked!

3MARTMATIC HAD A RIFT WITH $OMINION 6OTING 3YSTEMS $63

the author, owner and licensor of THE SOFTWARE USED IN THE 0#/3 3MARTMATIC HAD TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH $63 PRIOR TO THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS BECAUSE IT DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED PROGRAMS FOR THE

OPTICAL MARK RECOGNITION /-2 BASED VOTE COUNTING MACHINES

THE #OMELEC TECHNOLOGY OF CHOICE 7HAT IT HAD EXPERIENCE IN WAS THE DIRECT RECORDING ELECTRONIC $2% TECHNOLOGY WHICH BASICALLY USED TOUCH SCREEN THROUGH WHICH VOTERS made their choices. )N 3MARTMATIC INTRODUCED A NEW VERSION OF THE VOTE COUNTING MACHINE JUNKING THE TERM 0#/3 AND SIMPLY CALLING THE NEW MACHINES 6#- ,EARNING FROM THE $63 OWNED SOFTWARE

3MARTMATIC HAD WRITTEN ITS OWN SOFTWARE FOR USE WITH THE 6#- )T MADE LAST MINUTE CHANGES TO THE 6#- SOFTWARE CONkGURATION

FOLLOWING THE DECISION BY THE 3UPREME #OURT ORDERING THE #OMELEC TO HAVE THE VOTER VERIFIED PAPER AUDIT TRAIL 660!4 BETTER known as the “resibo u PRINTED OUT 4HE 660!4 IS SECURITY FEATURE THAT IS SUPPOSED ASSURE VOTERS THAT THE 6#- CORRECTLY REGISTERED THE VOTERS CHOICES $OES IT 4HE 0#/3 MACHINES USED IN AND NEVER PRINTED THE 660!4 #ONTROVERSY AROSE WHEN 3MARTmatic’s Marlon Garcia introduced A SCRIPT IN THE TRANSPARENCY SERVER TO CORRECTLY DISPLAY THE 3PANISH letter “ñ” while the system was in LIVE OPERATIONS RECEIVING ELECTION returns from the thousands of 6#-S 4HE ACT LED TO ALLEGATIONS OF VOTE MANIPULATION 4HE MIDTERM ELECTION

WAS NOT WITHOUT PROBLEMS 6#- MALFUNCTIONING AND 3$ CARD THE DATA STORAGE DEVICE USED WITH THE 6#-S CORRUPTION WERE OBSERVED AND REPORTED DURING THE kNAL TESTING AND SEALING ACTIVITY AND ON ELECTION DAY 6OTERS IN AFFECTED CLUSTERED PRECINCTS STOOD IN LINE

WAITING FOR THE PROBLEMS TO BE RESOLVED OR FOR THE 6#-S AND OR 3$ CARDS TO BE REPLACED 3OME OF THE VOTERS CHOSE TO LEAVE GIVING UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOTE 4HE WORRISOME PROBLEM WAS THE SEVEN HOUR DATA OUTAGE IN THE TRANSPARENCY SERVER !FTER SENDING OUT THE kRST BATCH OF ELECTION RETURNS EQUIVALENT TO PERCENT OF ALL EXPECTED ELECTION RETURNS

THE TRANSPARENCY SERVER FELL SILENT 3EVERAL PRONOUNCEMENTS WERE MADE gDATA POCKET THE CORRECT TERM IS @PACKET DATA PROBLEMu gJAVA ERROR u gnabulunan CHOKED u .O OFkCIAL EXPLANATION ON THE PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED AND ITS UNDERLYING CAUSE HAS BEEN RELEASED AS OF THIS WRITING &EAR UNCERTAINTY DOUBT 3TAKEholders feared election results MANIPULATION 3TAKEHOLDERS WERE UNCERTAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON FOR SEVEN LONG HOURS STAKEHOLDERS waited but not one commissioner FACED THE PUBLIC TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS HAPPENING 3OME STAKEHOLDERS DOUBTED THE INTEGRITY AND CREDIBILity of the election results.

³AveriaA5

Squandering privilege MIDWEEK COMMENTS MARLEN V. RONQUILLO TAINTY OF HAVING AN EDGE OVER MUCH OF SOCIETY AN INCENTIVE TO break the norms and the rules?

We don’t know the answers to THESE QUESTIONS "UT ONE THING is certain. Those bestowed with PRIVILEGE ARE OBLIGATED TO IMPROVE ON THE ADVANTAGES GIVEN to them. To make the broader society better. To whom so much IS GIVEN SO MUCH IS REQUIRED $EkNITELY THAT DID NOT APPLY IN THE CASES OF THE 03(3 STUDENTS AND -ARGARET 4Y #HAM ! 03(3 SCHOLARSHIP IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP )T IS FOR THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST 7ITHOUT FAIL GRADUATES OF THAT ELITE HIGH SCHOOL GAIN entry into the country’s elite UNIVERSITIES MOSTLY THE COLLEGE courses of their choice, the soCALLED QUOTA COURSES !ND INTO the elite military academies. It IS PROBABLY THE ONLY PUBLIC HIGH school in the country that can SEND ITS STUDENTS STRAIGHT INTO THE 53 )VY ,EAGUE UNIVERSITIES ,AST YEAR AN ACQUAINTANCE SENT ME A JOYFUL 3-3 ABOUT HIS ELDEST SON

A RECENT 03(3 GRADUATE &ROM 03(3 HIS SON WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO .EW (AVEN #ONNECTICUT IN THE FALL TO TAKE UP DATA SCIENCE

AT 9ALE ) SENT HIM A REPLY AS ENCOURAGING 3ILICON 6ALLEY MY MESSAGE SAID CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF !SIANS GROUNDED ON DATA MINING INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS

EVEN WITH THE HARSH POLICIES OF 0RESIDENT 4RUMP 4HE TECH kRMS WILL ALWAYS kND A WAY TO GET THEM WORK VISAS "EST OF ALL THAT PRIVILEGED EDUCAtion is free. Why would the students THEN USE THAT FREE AND PRIVILEGED EDUCATION TO PROCURE POSSESS AND DISSEMINATE LEWD PHOTOS OF FEMALE students — on social media and ELSEWHERE AND RECKLESSLY SQUANDER THAT GREAT PRIVILEGE 5NDER WHAT TOXIC URGE AND MIND SET DID THEY COMMIT SUCH ACT $OING RECKLESS AND UNEXPLAINABLE ACTS IS NOT EVEN a mandate of science, the constant THEME OF THE 03(3 )N THE CASE OF 4Y #HAM AN ESTRANGED DAUGHTER OF THE LATE TYCOON 'EORGE 4Y HER IDENTIkCATION IS NOT WITH SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OR PHILANTHROPY LIKE WHAT many in her economic and social CLASS HAVE BEEN DOING 3HE HAS BEEN ACCUSED IN COURT OF TAKING FROM OTHERS .OT GIVING AND FULkLLING A SENSE OF NOBLESSE OBLIGE. !CCORDING TO THE INFORMATION IN THE EMAIL 4Y #HAM IS FACING SEVEN FRAUD AND ESTAFA CASES 3HE IS FACING TWO CIVIL cases on money claims. )N ONE OF THE CASES AGAINST HER TWO BUSINESSPEOPLE HAVE ACCUSED HER OF SELLING TO THEM 0 million worth of real estate in 0ASIG #ITY 4HEY ISSUED 0 MILLION

worth of checks made out in her NAME !FTER SEVERAL DEMANDS FOR THE TITLE TO THE REAL ESTATE THEY PAID FOR AND 4Y #HAM S FAILURE TO DELIVER THE TWO kLED A COURT CASE 4HAT CASE IS NOW BEING TRIED AT THE -AKATI 2EGIONAL 4RIAL #OURT !NOTHER CASE IS PENDING BEFORE THE -ETROPOLITAN 4RIAL #OURT OF -ANILA )T INVOLVES 4Y #HAM S ISSUance of an unfunded check in the AMOUNT OF 0 MILLION TO PAY A loan of that amount obtained from A PRIVATE LENDING COMPANY There is another case of a two checks with a total of P6 million THAT ALSO BOUNCED !CCORDING TO THE RECORDS OF THE COURT CASE SHE PAID that amount to a jewelry dealer.

4HE TWO CIVIL CASES NOW WITH THE -AKATI 24# INVOLVES CREDIT card defaults, and annulment of CONTRACT AND CONSIGNATION )N ONE YEAR BEFORE HIS DEATH AN APPARENTLY FED UP 'EORGE 4Y ISSUED A PUBLIC NOTICE THAT HE HAD SEVERED ALL TIES WITH 4Y #HAM /N THE 03(3 CASE THE FINAL RULING WILL DEAL A LIFETIME OF TRAUMA ON THE VICTIMIZED FEMALE STUDENTS /NLY OF THE ERRING MALE STUDENTS GOT MINOR REPRImands — the rest went scot-free.

4HE STUDENTS WHO HAD SQUANDERED A GREAT PRIVILEGE WILL LEARN NOTHING FROM THEIR ACT OF TRANSGRESSION 4HE kNAL RULING DELIVERED THIS AMORAL LESSON &OR THOSE GIVEN SO MUCH NOTHING NOT EVEN THE BASIC REQUIREMENT OF ETHICAL SCHOOL CONDUCT IS REQUIRED

˜ The Manila Times WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net Q TIGLAO FROM A1

Duterte and the power of symbols of taking bribes from drug lords.

This is because it was mostly our poor who fell victim to shabu addiction. A poor worker would initially take it — sold cheaply enough to be afforded by his meager wages, and less expensive than cheap gin — as a means of mitigating his hunger and therefore save him food expenses, or to make him stay awake for days on end in order to earn more hourly wages.

As his addiction gets worse though, he becomes a pusher himself, saving some of the stuff for himself.

Yellow ideologues and Western media — so detached from the ground — cannot begin to fathom how much the anti-drug war has in three years changed most Filipinos’ feeling from one of fear to security in their communities. This has led to overall satisfaction over their current lives under Duterte, relECTED IN THE RECENT 3OCIAL 7EATHER Stations survey that 93 percent of Filipinos reported they were “very happy or fairly happy.�

It was the stupendous mistake of the Yellows — carried away by the Western media’s consistent howls over the administration’s alleged “human rights abuses� — to have raised in the last elections as its most important issue against the Duterte government THE ALLEGED EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS by the police in the course of the administration’s war against drugs. Most Filipinos believe in Oblivious the secular notion of human rights, which is that these are Our economic and political elite secondary to the more important have been oblivious to the drug right of a community to punish, menace the country has found even exterminate, its members itself in because of the incompe- who endanger the lives and welltence of President Aquino 3rd and being of other members. the alleged complicity of his top The Yellows’ dogma on the other OFkCIALS SUCH AS !QUINO S JUSTICE hand is a metaphysical notion of secretary Leila de Lima, accused human rights, that the value of a

A trying-hard intellectual explained it away as reflecting the global drift toward authoritarianism, as if nations followed fads, and committing the logical fallacy of confusing the particular with the general. An academic has-been reduces it to the phenomenon of Dutertismo, as if giving something a name explains it. The head of the US-funded Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), like a grumpy old man unable to understand a teenager, condemns HIS COUNTRYMEN PONTIkCATING THAT they have the president they deserve.

While there are many factors explaining Duterte’s popularity, as is true for all phenomena, there are two main explanations.

One is so mundane and concrete, but so distant from the cozy, gated-village world of Yellow ideologues that they cannot grasp its importance. Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs has been so successful nationwide as to have been felt by most people, which explains why 8 out of 10 Filipinos support him.

The second reason is not so concrete, yet has tremendous power over the minds of the citizens of a nation: the symbolic actions of a presidency that somehow convince them not in their minds, but in their hearts: “We have a good leader, he can get things done, and he can unite us.

single human life is transcendental, that is, to be valued in some mysterious way even above the rights to survival of a community.

It leads to the Yellow argument that if the drug problem is serious, then focus on education AND REHABILITATION AND JUST WAIT for those involved in drugs to be enlightened enough to drop their addiction and their involvement in the drug business. That obviously IS SUCH A lAKY ARGUMENT TOTALLY detached from harsh reality.

bolic actions whose impact transcend its immediate concerns was $UTERTE S HIGH PROkLE ORDER TO send back Canada’s garbage, even threatening to break diplomatic relations with it if it refused to accept it. Most people have forgotten about that garbage. But when Duterte very noisily made it a big issue, even the Yellows I would think in their heart of hearts felt proud to be a Filipino.

Other examples

Other examples of Duterte’s symbolic actions seemingly trivial but The second biggest reason for have helped him become one of Duterte’s popularity is that he the country’s most popular leaders: has done things the impact of – His bowing to his audience which goes beyond their immedi- in the manner of the Japanese ate results, and which convinces and the Koreans, something no people of his leadership: his other president has done, which symbols and symbolic actions sends the message to Filipinos, “I A good example of this is his am your servant.� cleanup of Boracay island, which – His numerous visits to hoswas closed for six months for that pitals to sympathize with soldiers purpose. I don’t think many Fili- WOUNDED kGHTING THE 2EPUBLIC S pinos have an idea where or what enemies, and to wakes for the Boracay is, or really cared about it. fallen warriors.

It required expenditure of precious – His ASAP inspections of sites political capital as Duterte alien- hit by calamities, most recently ATED NOT JUST THE RESORT OPERATORS to a Pampanga town wrecked in Boracay but most of the Western by an earthquake, and his visits 6ISAYAS ELITE WHO PROkTED FROM THE to Marawi City that had been island’s tourism income. devastated in the battle against Yet the consequent images of )SLAMIC JIHADISTS It is amazing how somebody like $UTERTE S OFkCIALS TEARING DOWN resorts that violated environ- Duterte whose political experience mental laws and then a thousand has been almost totally in the fronpeople on the beach cleaning the tier city of Davao could grasp the island’s garbage became symbolic role of the power of symbols and of the President’s political will to symbolic action in leading a nation. change the country. Replicated on Manila Bay’s coast, the thousands Email: tiglao.manilatimes@ of people cleaning up the garbage gmail.com there was a metaphor for the naFacebook: Rigoberto Tiglao tion uniting to rid the country of Twitter: @bobitiglao decades of political dirt.

Book orders: www.rigobertotiAnother example of such symglao.com/debunked

Second reason

Serving up peace at Shangri-La

I

T’s that time of year when the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD), a premium defense and security forum in the region, is once again held in Singapore. SLD is most famous for its inclusiveness. On the one hand, there are those defense officials representing their various nations, as well as security and strategic experts from various think tanks and academic institutions who come together to share their views on the latest strategic goings-on in the region and beyond. On the other, the various participating nations would also make use of this opportunity where everyone who matters in the sector gather together in order to engage in essentially bilateral and multilateral defense diplomacy. SLD is thus an occasion where all concerned parties could hopefully enhance their much-needed communications.

The SLD was named after its venue, the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore. Beside participants hailing from around the AsiaPacific region (including the United States and Russia), there ARE ALSO PARTICIPANTS FROM MAJOR European powers. Usually the HIGHEST OFkCIAL LEADING A NATIONAL delegation is the defense secretary or defense minister of that nation.

The US defense secretary always attends the SLD. The Chinese sent their defense minister this year and eight years ago.

SLD is usually held for three DAYS WITH THE kRST DAY DEVOTED mainly to registration and peripheral activities such as book launches and media forums. The MAIN SHOW ON THE kRST DAY IS THE keynote speech at the welcome dinner, traditionally delivered by

would yield that to do so would typically bring about more harm and good for all parties, and may EVEN LEAD TO CONlICTS #ONVERSELY

Southeast Asian nations have long practiced pragmatic diplomacy, enabling both superpowers as WELL AS OTHER CONlICTING PARTIES no less than a head of government TO MAKE USE OF THEIR GOOD OFkCES AND NOT JUST DEFENSE SECRETARY 4HE as channels or platforms for comIndian and Japanese prime minis- munication in order to promote a ters, for example, have spoken here peaceful resolution for all. Indeed, before, and this year it was once the SLD itself is one such platform. again the turn of the host country’s And individual Southeast Asian prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong. countries, such as Singapore and The regional situation may indeed Vietnam, have also recently played be described as quite complicated host to the negotiations leading this year. There is the usual ten- toward the denuclearization of the sion between the US and China Korean Peninsula. This is what the due to issues related to the South warm and hospitable Southeast China Sea or the Formosa Strait. Asian countries do best.

But their discord has extended in The main highlight of the secrecent months to the trade and ond day of SLD is undoubtedly economic sectors, especially in the morning keynote speech by view of the US-instigated trade war, the acting US Defense Secretary which compounded their bilateral Patrick Shanahan. The Trump adrelationship as well as regional ministration has long touted the security with many somewhat g)NDO 0ACIkC 3TRATEGYu )03 AS A unpredictable elements. replacement for the Obama-era What I sensed to be Lee’s main “Rebalancing� or “Pivot to Asia� message is a call for both the US defense strategy. In the three years and China to enhance their fun- since, many SLD participants have damental mutual trust in order to longed for more substantial enunreach for more constructive coop- CIATION OF THE )03 3HANAHAN JUST eration and consensus. From the as his predecessor did, devoted Southeast Asian point of view, the a large portion of his speech to continued existence and games- spelling out the US deployment of manship of the two superpowers forces and their activities around is an ineluctable fact that must be THE !SIA 0ACIkC AND )NDIAN /CEAN

tackled tactfully. Southeast Asian as well as the myriad defense allicountries have traditionally been ances the US has built up in the knowing of their own place, and region. At the same time, the US would like to maintain a some- released what was purportedly a what neutral stance among the su- more detailed report on IPS. But it perpowers. They would not like to would appear both from Shanahbe forced or drawn toward overly an’s speech and the report that IPS siding with any one superpower, is nothing more than a catchphrase because the lessons of history for the sum-total existing US

EI SUN OH

military systems and activities in the region. The content of IPS still rings hollow, and certainly pales in comparison with the previous “rebalancing,� which had spelt out concrete goals and steps, such as the redeployment of a certain percentage of US naval forces to !SIA 0ACIkC AND SO ON 7E ARE STILL left to wonder what the US would do differently under IPS from what it is now doing in the region.

And there were certain Trumpesque elements in Shanahan’s speech, such as the call from the very beginning for more congressional appropriations to the defense sector. Shanahan also stressed more than once that US allies and partners must provide their “fair share of contribution� in defense cooperation, signaling an end, at least during the Trump administration, of a free lunch in security matters.

And the third day of SLD saw the Chinese defense minister, Gen. Wei Fenghe, giving his maiden SLD keynote speech. Wei reiterated China’s longstanding positions on a number of regional security issues, and vigorously argued against Shanahan’s (in line with his predecessors’) accusations of Chinese behavior.

Wei was quite well poised even in taking on the questions from the lOOR ANSWERING MANY OF THEM head-on and in detail.

The overall atmosphere of this year’s SLD was certainly much less confrontational than a few years ago during the height of the South China Sea disputes. The SLD, as always, is a platform for differing parties to voice their concerns, and hopefully achieving a degree of peace in a peaceful manner.

Q AVERIA FROM A4

Junk Smartmatic!

Comelec’s technical people, with technical support from Smartmatic, explained that the transparency server was not broadcasting the election returns to various recipients, those directly connected to the transparency server and the others who were receiving their copies via

the media server. Without determining what the real problem was and its root cause, the programs in the transparency server were restarted or reset after the #OMELEC PERSONNEL kRST SHOWED to observers that elections returns were received by the transparency server. Broadcasting of election

returns, or the version reprocessed by the transparency server into comma separated values (CSV), resumed shortly after 1 a.m. with more than 90 percent of all expected election returns delivered in the second batch.

And that’s another problem.

Why isn’t the automated elec-

tion system set up to deliver the election returns as generated and transmitted by the VCMs? Why did the Comelec allow the election returns to be reformatted into CSV? Each national election since 2010 has been plagued with problems.

Isn’t this enough reason to simply JUNK 3MARTMATIC AND ITS SYSTEM

Opinion

A5

Congress leadership fights as political porn O

N the heels of the recently concluded midterm elections another political circus has come to town. We are never given a respite. But looking from another’s point of view, it never ceases to entertain us. It is often said that in the Philippines, political circuses have been elevated to the equivalent of pornography. We watch disgusted, not as actors or participants, but in some way fascinated by the spectacle laid before us. And the mere act of watching fuels the supply. And we barely have a choice as the tri-media are drawn to it like moths to a lamp.

And social media has of late been initiating the dissemination of these phenomena encompassing everyone with a device attached to the internet, including the masses, through the veritable but almost passĂŠ word of mouth.

This current political porn is played out by certain types of politicians not for sexual arousal but purely for personal excitement in pursuit of power. I refer to the porn stars now parading themselves to public scrutiny but directed mostly toward an audience of one — the President himself.

These are the winning politicians now gunning for the two most powerful positions after the presidency: Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) and President of the Senate.

These two positions are the most prestigious and power-laden in the government hierarchy. Ranking only third in succession after the vice president who holds no power except only when the president is incapacitated or dead.

Congress has the power of the purse and technically controls the lOW OF MONIES ‡ THAT IN EFFECT FUELS the lifeblood of governance. The top honchos of each chamber therefore could have the handle on the levers OF POWER ‡ IF WE DEkNE POLITICAL POWER AS THE ABILITY TO INlUENCE THE course of events, their logical and desired outcomes and the behavior of the citizenry through the crafting of laws towards the overall health of the nation.

In our republican democratic system imposed on us through a century of American tutelage, Congress is one of the three branches of government, which, ALONG WITH THE JUDICIARY AND THE presidency, provide the mechanism for checks and balances to maintain proper governance and the oneness of the nation.

Offhand, with the expressed and constitutionally protected powers of Congress, it could be perceived to be potentially more powerful than the presidency itself. The power to pass any law and appropriate any amount and the power to create any position in government; these are not within the powers of the presidency.

Congress even has the power to remove a sitting president. But as advanced by Ross Cohen, an American history and political scientist, â€œâ€Ś [the power of] Congress is fragmented. The President is not as powerful as the Congress in many respects, but his/her power is concentrated. It creates a unique balance of power that ensures no one person or institution ever becomes too powerful for too long, while still enabling a strong central government to react to the needs of the day without getting too far from the will of the people. This is the genius of the US Constitutionâ€?.

The Philippine experience is somewhat different from that of America’s almost 400 years of practice. The Philippine president has over the decades taken more powers from Congress and the unitary-presidential system has reinforced and centralized power in the presidency, all conveniently protected by the 1987 Constitution. In some ways congressional powers have been castrated although the positions of House speaker and Senate president are still residually very powerful. A caveat, however, is that they must be allied to the president and must have his support. The president’s web of alliances is extensive in

LITO MONICO C. LORENZANA both houses and the presidency’s tentacles reach out to the dynasties in the local government units (LGU). And it is the dynasty that gets a congressman enthroned.

More especially in the lower house, with its large numbers, the anointment of the president is a sine qua non for the speakership. Thus, the obsequious demeanor of the leading contenders towards the president and his very traditionally politicized family. We have the sorry display therefore of former speaker Bebot Alvarez who. despite a fresh electoral mandate after vanquishing his political foes allied to the president’s daughter, had to display mendicancy toward 3ARA WHO IN THE kRST PLACE WAS instrumental in his dethronement. Seeking a reconciliation, he was rebuffed. Now playing lamely to the first family, he declared that he was “giving up his ambition� if the president’s newly elected congressman son Polong desires the speakership.

We have Lord Velasco, a young but hard-nosed politician who went through two political parties, Lakas-Kampi-CMD and NUP BUT JUMPED TO THE WINNING 0$0 Laban and now parlaying a close relationship to the president’s family as his launching pad.

Reportedly leading the wannabees with 153 endorsement from his peers is the darling of the oligarchy and an old hand in Congress and scion of a political family, congressman-elect Martin Romualdez, of the RomualdezMarcos clan. These last two contenders could sustain the contest WITH SUFkCIENT FUNDS AS THE kGHT could become expensive, shamelessly buying congressional votes — as intimated by Alvarez. But in the end, it will be the Deegong’s imprimatur that counts.

It’s a little bit different at the Senate as there are only a few members, and therefore they must work out as a collegial body relying on negotiation and compromise. But the President’s nod is still a valuable asset what with the current set of new faces from the President’s coterie.

The importance of the Senate is that it could be a stepping-stone to the presidency. So far in the storied history of both houses, only Ferdinand Marcos, Senate president in 19631965, made it to the presidency.

None from the speakership (Ramon Mitra, Joe de Venecia and Manny Villar) who vied for the presidency.

So, the skeptics among us can deduce that aside from prestige and residual powers, in a corruptible unitary-presidential system, the speakership and senate presidency must be immensely lucrative. Thus, the frenetic kowtowing to the one true power that can grant them their wishes.

But the last three years of Deegong’s term call for him to be above himself, to be a statesman and be presidential. He must therefore choose the Congress leaders who could partner with him truly to advance his agenda — real systemic reforms and changes through the revision of the 1987 Constitution. He must confront the reality of his situation and must rise above the chaos produced by those JOCKEYING FOR POWER &OR INDEED

these skirmishes today are simply a prelude to the next political power construct. And if he is to leave his legacy, then he has to reorient his agenda and implement the details of his strategy for change — his iconic pagbabago!

Or he will forever remain in the minds of his constituency and the coming generations as that colorful outsider, a promdi, dirty-mouthed, God-cursing politician whose vaunted political will in the end amounts to nothing more that hubris.

As a DavaoeĂąo, I pray he is not that.

For comments: lito.lorenzana@cdpi.com

A6

Opinion

˜ The Manila Times WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

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Privatization and PPPs — public pain, private gain?

W

HENEVER society faces a problem, the common response — especially from among lawmakers — is to suggest the creATION OF A GOVERNMENT OFkCE WHOSE main task is to address whatever the problem might be. The latest suggestion I heard is the creation of a Department of Water.

I seldom hear suggestions to abolish government offices to get rid of problems bugging the general public. For starters, why not, for example, abolish the /FkCE OF THE 0RESIDENT AND BOTH houses of Congress, and see how many problems we can get liberated from right away. That is metaphor, of course (although it is not hard to imagine the rise of a government in the future where the people themselves are involved in decision-making through webconferencing technologies and, in the process, making their represenTATIVES REDUNDANT OR SUPERlUOUS But the point is simple: there is merit in the proposition that less

There is a necessary trade-off, of course, when the private sector performs a certain function that traditionally belongs to an agent OF THE 3TATE 0EOPLE PAY MORE FOR goods and services produced by the private sector (even if some of government means less problems. THE PRIVATIZED kRMS MAY REMAIN Stated differently, there are many SUBSIDIZED BY GOVERNMENT &OR government tasks that can be example, reports say that in “2008, performed more effectively and average tariffs in [Maynilad] were EFkCIENTLY BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR 89 percent higher than the preespecially where government is try- privatization tariff of 1997, and 59 ING TO RUN A PROkT ORIENTED AGENCY percent higher in [Manila Water].�

(At one point during the Marcos There are other ways by which regime, there were a total of 296 government engages the private secgovernment-owned or -controlled TOR /NE OF THEM IS THROUGH 0UBLIC CORPORATIONS 0RIVATE 0ARTNERSHIP 000 PROJECTS The privatization binge in the re- ,IKE PRIVATIZATION 000 ENABLES cent past was largely prompted by government to tap private sector losses of government corporations resources, such as funding and that ostensibly performed social technology. In return, government development functions. When a provides an environment where government entity is privatized, 000 PROPONENTS ARE ABLE TO MAKE government hits two birds with money from their investments one stone, so to speak, as it stops (they can even secure government FURTHER kNANCIAL LOSSES AND EARNS guarantees for the loans they may income from proceeds of the sale. NEED TO FUND 000 PROJECTS

INGMING ABERIA

"UT WHILE 000 PROJECTS HELP GOVernment free up its funds for other PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND while they serve a public purpose, some of them end up compromising public convenience in pursuit of private gain.

For example, there is this story ABOUT A 000 IN !USTRALIA ‡ A #ROSS City Tunnel — where motorists resented it “because of high tolls reinforced by alternative route closures designed to force motorists onto the tollway.� Government eventually suspended its operations, forcing the private proponent to demand compensation.

We see something similar at the 0ARAĂ„AQUE )NTERMODAL 4ERMINAL %XCHANGE 0)48 A 000 UNDER THE Department of Transportation.

0UBLIC TRANSPORT VEHICLES GOING TO and coming from Batangas and Cavite are forced to go through the facility. Commuters experience longer travel time and pay higher fares.

Worse, those who own cars but opted to commute once or twice a

week in the past, now use their cars ALL WEEK EXCEPT ON CODING DAYS JUST TO AVOID THE 0)48 PAIN 4HIS HAS REsulted in more volume of vehicular TRAFkC PLYING 2OXAS "OULEVARD AND connecting thoroughfares.

When government can borrow money at relatively low rates from the domestic capital market, an option is presented where the longterm interest of the taxpaying public is better served by infrastructure PROJECTS THAT ARE BUILT AND FUNDED BY the government itself, contracted by the private sector through a graft-free procurement process.

The point is that government CAN BE MORE JUDICIOUS IN USing leverage for its development agenda. There are limits to how far it can engage the private sector to effectively deliver public goods and services; and there are limits to HOW BIG IT CAN GROW TO EFkCIENTLY perform its tasks.

I really don’t think there are problems — even those that are yet to be invented — that cannot be

addressed by the existing phalanx of government agencies.

So, instead of creating new government agencies, policymakers might wish to further streamline government operations and institutionalize positive reinforcements for career people in government.

Reward systems based on merit should be strengthened, in contrast, for example, to raising salaries of a group of employees based on tasks that remain to be done.

Such systems should also demand accountability from government OFkCIALS ‡ FROM THE 0RESIDENT TO the municipal mayor, and from the chief of the Supreme Court to the heads of constitutional comMISSIONS ‡ IN THE HIRING kRING

RETAINING AND PROMOTING OF OFkcials and employees under them, and ensuring that performers, rather than deadwood and, worse, transgressors, are rewarded.

Email: comments@ ingmingaberia.hcom

FOCUS

FOCUS

US gears up for antitrust battles with Big Tech

‘Grudges’ remain as Qatar marks second year of embargo

WASHINGTON, DC: The US administration is stepping up scrutiny of Big 4ECH kRMS WHICH COULD RESULT IN a series of drawn-out legal battles aimed at reining in — and potentially breaking up — giants such as Google, Amazon and Facebook.

The Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission have carved out territory for the investigations to set the stage for reviews of the dominance of the LARGEST OF THE 3ILICON 6ALLEY kRMS

media reports said.

According to the Wall Street Journal , the Justice Department will lead the Google probe, leaving the FTC to review the competition practices of Amazon and Facebook.

The moves comes amid a rising “techlash� stemming from privacy and data protection lapses at tech kRMS AND GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT THE SHEER DOMINANCE OF THESE kRMS 0OLITICIANS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE political aisle have been stepping up criticism, and some presidential candidates have called for the BIGGEST kRMS TO BE BROKEN UP Analysts say the political winds have shifted against Silicon Valley kRMS WHICH HAD BEEN AMONG THE most admired US companies, following revelations on how much personal data they are scooping up. g'OOGLE KNOWS JUST ABOUT EVerything there is to know about us,� said Jack Gold, analyst at the consultancy J. Gold Associates.

Gold said Google and Face-

book, the dominant players in online advertising, have developed sophisticated tools to gather data on users, raising the prospect of unfair competition. “It gives them a leg up,� Gold said. “They can target ads much BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE 4HE QUEStion is whether there is anybody who can compete with them.�

Sound and fury

the University of Tennessee. “The consumer welfare standard is not the law,� Stucke said, arguing that there is no need to SHOW HIGHER PRICES IF TECH kRMS STIlE COMPETITION

EU roadmap?

Stucke said European antitrust actions against Google have created A gROAD MAPu FOR 53 OFkCIALS THAT may help accelerate their probes. “All of the areas the Europeans IDENTIkED COULD BE BROUGHT BY the US,� he said.

Stucke noted that US antitrust enforcers have an advantage over their EU counterparts with the ABILITY TO REQUIRE gSTRUCTURALu remedies, or a break-up of domiNANT kRMS AS WAS DONE IN THE 1980s with telecom monopoly AT&T and in the initial ruling against Microsoft, which was overturned on appeal.

But US and EU law are vastly different on antitrust, according to Eric Goldman, director of the High-Tech Law Institute at Santa Clara University. “European law cares about competitors while US law cares about competition, and that makes a huge difference,� he said. “The focus is different.�

But some legal scholars say antitrust enforcers will face an uphill battle in taking on Big Tech.

Under most legal interpretations, the government will need TO SHOW TECH kRMS ABUSED THEIR monopoly position and harmed CONSUMERS ‡ A DIFkCULT TASK WITH respect to Google and Facebook, which offer most services for free. “I see this as a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing,� said ,ARRY $OWNES PROJECT DIRECTOR AT Georgetown University’s Center FOR "USINESS AND 0UBLIC 0OLICY “The law hasn’t changed. You CAN T JUST GO AFTER COMPANIES BEcause you don’t like them.�

Downes said probes are unLIKELY TO kND THAT TECH kRMS HAVE violated the “consumer welfare standard,� which has guided policy for more than four decades.

But the rise of Big Tech has prompted a rethinking of that ‘It looks very fishy’ standard, said Maurice Stucke, a former Justice Department lawyer Christopher Sagers, a professor of now on the law school faculty of antitrust at the Cleveland-Marshall

College of Law, said there may be legitimate grounds to review Google for favoring its own services, but that courts may be cautious. !DDITIONALLY HE SAID 0RESIDENT Donald Trump’s complaints about tech bias against conservatives have muddied the waters. “It could be the Trump administration is trying to appease a conservative base which beLIEVES 3ILICON 6ALLEY TECH kRMS are censoring political speech,�

Sagers said.

Sagers said that despite tough TALK BY SOME OFkCIALS THE 4RUMP administration has been noticeably lax on other, less politically sensitive antitrust cases. g)T LOOKS VERY kSHY u 3AGERS SAID “If you’re bringing the biggest set of antitrust cases since the Great Depression, why are you letting all these other mergers go through?�

Sagers said court-ordered breakups are extremely rare, and that a more likely outcome would BE AN INJUNCTION OR ORDER TO STOP STIlING COMPETITION But any remedy against Google would likely be complicated if it involved oversight of its search algorithm, according to Sagers, because it would likely mean a governmentappointed monitor — a difficult sell to free-speech defenders. g0EOPLE WOULD SAY IT S BIG government,� Sagers said. “And a COURT MIGHT BE QUITE SYMPATHETIC AFP to that argument.�

FOCUS

Rural Afghans bear brutal cost of endless war JALALABAD, Afghanistan: As 10 children from the same family were walking to school last year, they came across an unexploded mortar bomb — a common sight in Afghanistan, where war still rages between the Taliban and US-backed national forces.

Not realizing what it was or the dangers it posed, the curious kids picked up the device and took it to show to an aunt.

And then it exploded.

Three children and the older relative were killed, and the remaining seven lost at least one limb each.

The explosion in Jalalabad, in the eastern province of Nangarhar, WAS YET ANOTHER HORRIkC MOMENT illustrating the burden borne by civilians across Afghanistan, which has been at war in one form or another for four decades. “I feel very sad when I see other girls walk towards school and I cannot walk like them,� 10-yearold Rabia Gul, who lost her right LEG IN THE BLAST TOLD !&0 DURING A recent visit to her family’s home. “I was happy when I had legs, but after losing one of my legs I am not happy in my life anymore.�

According to the United Nations, 3,804 civilians — including more than 900 children — were killed in Afghanistan in 2018, with another 7,189 wounded.

It was the deadliest year on record for civilians in Afghanistan, WHERE DECADES OF CONlICT HAVE LEFT the battered nation strewn with landmines, unexploded mortars, rockets and homemade bombs.

Rabia was sitting on a bench outside her simple house as six other amputee siblings and relatives, ranging in age from six to 15, placed stockings over their stumps and wriggled into their prosthetics. “We hope that the Taliban comes and makes peace with the Afghan government, and security will be better in Afghanistan so that no one gets killed or wounded IN THIS COUNTRY u SAID 3HAkQULLAH

15, who lost both his legs.

For the most part, the children are now tutored at home, where walls have been pockmarked by STRAY BULLETS FROM kGHTING But sometimes they must walk to SCHOOL FOR EXAMS ‡ A PAINFUL JOURNEY owing to blisters that develop where ARTIkCIAL LIMBS RUB AGAINST SKIN

Circle of violence Such stories are common in Afghanistan, which accounted for nearly half of all civilian casualties in a list of six countries at war, the UN said this year.

In Kot district in Nangarhar province, 70-year-old grand-

mother Niaz Bibi lost three sons and three grandsons in two separate attacks by the Islamic State group, which has a growing footprint in the region.

Now Bibi is left taking care of their surviving offspring — about 40 orphans in total. “I always ask neighbors and other people to donate some food and CLOTHES TO FEED THEM u "IBI TOLD !&0

deep lines etched into her face attesting to her unbearable loss. “I have got this weapon to guard my grandchildren against any possible attacks,� she added, as she clasped an AK-47.

Such is the circle of violence, loss and revenge, it is hard to see how Bibi’s family can ever break free. “Though I have lost [so much], if the war goes on like this I will send all these orphaned children when they grow up to serve their COUNTRY AND SACRIkCE THEIR LIVES for their homeland,� Bibi said.

the US-led invasion of 2001, the CALL OF JIHAD AGAINST FOREIGN FORCES remains a powerful draw.

9OUNG MEN JOIN UP FOR ANY number of reasons: sometimes it’s the only way to make a living, sometimes they have no choice.

Jalalabad resident Rahim Jan, a TELEVISION ACTOR kRST LEARNED HIS SON

!FZAL HAD JOINED THE 4ALIBAN WHEN the phone rang one day in 2015.

The man on the other end of the line said: “Afzal has been martyred, congratulations to YOU u *AN TOLD !&0 Jan, 60, has no idea why his son had decided to become a suicide bomber. He had got married JUST THREE MONTHS BEFORE LEAVING In a short video Afzal sent his father, the 19-year-old son said: “I’m with the Taliban, and I’m happy.�

7HEN !FZAL JOINED THE 4ALIBAN

he gave the militants his family’s contact details. Fearing for his younger son Wasim’s safety, Jan sent him to Turkey.

He has since been deported Suicide bomber and returned to Afghanistan, but !FTER YEARS OF CONlICT THE 4ALI- PLANS ON lEEING AGAIN “The Taliban have started callban are in negotiations with the US for some sort of peace settlement. ing me again, saying come and But a resolution still seems far off, follow your brother’s way and do with the two sides struggling to JIHAD u 7ASIM SAYS “I will once again try to go agree on several key points.

Despite losing tens of thou- abroad at any cost because it is very SANDS OF kGHTERS IN THE YEARS SINCE DIFkCULT FOR ME TO LIVE HERE u AFP

DOHA: In a region of tight media CONTROL AND OFkCIAL STATEMENTS

the body language of Saudi Arabia’s king and Qatar’s prime minister spoke volumes about one of the Gulf’s deepest fault lines.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Thani did not bow or kiss the cheek of King Salman, whose country has led a two-year economic boycott of Qatar, when they met in Mecca on Thursday.

Their closely watched meeting was the highest level encounter between the neighbors since the crisis began on June 5, 2017.

Diplomats said the embargo enforced by Riyadh and its allies over Doha’s alleged support for Islamist movements and Iran — charges Qatar denies — was unlikely to ease following the frosty encounter. “At least they’re meeting at the highest level in two years, but so many grudges [remain],� said a Western ambassador in Doha.

The weekend talks in Mecca were aimed at addressing soaring regional tensions between Iran on one side and the United States and its allies, including Riyadh, on the other. “Will Qatar go along with a purely anti-Iranian narrative?

Interesting times in any case,� added the ambassador.

King Salman used the meeting of Gulf and other Arab powers to call on attendees to confront Iran’s “criminal� actions after attacks on oil assets heightened FEARS OF A REGIONAL lARE UP But Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman !L 4HANI QUESTIONED ON 3UNDAY how the “Gulf summit statement TALKED ABOUT A UNIkED 'ULF u “But where is it amid the continuation of Qatar’s blockade?�

HE ADDED REJECTING THE GATHERING S position on Iran.

‘Stability of the Gulf ’ “I don’t think it will prove to be a rapprochement. Qatar couldn’t refuse the invitation sent to the emir, they had to send someone on such an important issue — the stability of the Gulf nations,� said a European diplomatic source. “But sending the prime minister instead of the foreign minister is a novelty.�

Andreas Krieg, an assistant professor at King’s College London, said it was a positive sign that the king’s invitation to the talks did not have “strings attached.� “They might overcome their smaller differences for the time being in addressing the issue of Iran,� he said.

The Mecca meetings kicked off a day after hawkish US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Iran was almost certainly behind this month’s sabotage of four ships, including two Saudi oil tankers, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates — charges

4EHRAN REJECTED But Doha has looked to Tehran over the past two years to ease its economic isolation, sourcing key imports from Iran and re-routing MANY lIGHTS BY ITS lAG CARRIER 1ATAR Airways over the Islamic republic.

Saudi and its allies the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have barred 1ATARI lIGHTS FROM THEIR AIRPORTS and airspace, banned most Qatari visitors, cut trade and shipping links, and closed the border.

The Saudi-led bloc initially set out a 13-point list of demands, includING THE CLOSURE OF 1ATAR S lAGSHIP Al Jazeera broadcaster, curbing its relations with Iran and closing a Turkish military base in the emirate.

Doha dismissed the demands as “unrealistic and [not actionable],� pressing on despite the sizable diplomatic and economic impact of the embargo — which Qatar refers to as a “blockade�.

But as the crisis continues, it is ordinary people who have borne the brunt of the restrictions.

‘Missed out on our dreams’ “I’m Qatari so it’s impossible for me to cross to Bahrain,� Wafa alYazeedi, a Qatari medic who was MARRIED TO A "AHRAINI MAN TOLD !&0 Her three children -- aged 24, 22 and 19 -- hold both Qatari and Bahraini citizenship but have not visited their father or grandmother in the nearby Gulf kingdom since the start of the crisis, she said.

Though they have not formally been told by Bahrain that they are barred from the country, “we know because it’s in the newspapers.� “The children showed allegiance to Qatar at the beginning but there has to be relations between families, whatever the political situation,� said Yazeedi. “It’s having a psychological burden on those affected.�

1ATARI 3ALAH AL 9AkE

WAS studying for a postgraduate degree provided by the University of Northampton in the UAE when the embargo came into force. “We were 18 male and female students. We tried everything after the blockade saying ‘we are students and have no fault in this crisis,’� he said. “Unfortunately, the university told us that we are prohibited from attending.�

Stories like his are common, as are accounts of business ventures disrupted by the restrictions. g4HE CRISIS COST ME A LOT kNANCIALLY and psychologically. We lost lots of money, lost our diplomas and missed out on our dreams,� he added.

Ahead of the talks in Mecca, a SENIOR 1ATARI OFkCIAL SAID gTHERE are some small signs� the boycott could begin to ease, but he did not provide any details. “They are our family,� he said. “Thank God we are not a poor country so we can deal with any crisis.� AFP

Regions

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

A7

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

60 ‘illegal’ Chinese workers found in Chico River project

T

BY DEXTER A. SEE

ABUK CITY, Kalinga: The Cordillera OFkCE OF THE $EPARTMENT OF ,ABOR AND %MPLOYMENT $O,% #!2 HAS FOUND ABOUT #HINESE WORKING IN THE 0 BILLION #HICO 2IVER 0UMP )RRIGA TION 0ROJECT WITHOUT THE REQUIRED ALIEN EMPLOYMENT PERMITS DoLE-CAR Regional Director Exequiel Ronnie Guzman said during a recent visit to the project site on the border of Kalinga and Cagayan provinces that labor inspectors found that the Chinese contractor does not possess the special license from the Office of the President authorizing it to implement the project, while the 60 Chinese workers did not have permits to work in the country.

Guzman added that while the Chinese contractor followed prevailing labor standards, it did not comply with occupational health and safety standards.

The DoLE-CAR required the contractor to present its own construction safety and health plan during a hearing set in Baguio City next week, so it will not be issued a work stoppage order. “We do not want to be accused of delaying the project, but we want to ensure that the contractor ensure the safety of the workplace since our latest inspection of the project site showed it to be hazardous,� Guzman said.

He added that if the contractor fails to present the alien employment permits of the 60 Chinese working in the project, they would transmit the matter to the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) for the imposition of ap-

propriate sanctions, which include possible deportation of the workers to China.

Guzman said even if the contractor presented the requirements for issuance of permits, not all the Chinese would be given permits, as this would still have to pass through stringent evaluation to ascertain who among them would be allowed to work in the project site.

He disclosed that the contractor was able to show a special contractor’s license, but it was for a sewerage project in Quezon City, not the ongoing pump irrigation project.

Guzman said the Chinese contractor attempted to secure permits in DoLE Region 2, but the request was referred to the DoLE-CAR by his counterparts because the project site is within their jurisdiction.

Earlier, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples ordered the temporary suspension of the project because of the absence of the required free prior informed consent, but the order was lifted after the commission en banc expressed satisfaction over the requisites that were PRESENTED BY THE REGIONAL OFkCE of the agency, and also because of the presence of the tribal leaders attesting to the importance of the project.

Eid’l Fitr: Muslims’ most joyful day PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur: Just as Christiandom regards Christmas Day as its merriest celebration, to the Muslim world, Eid’l Fitr is the most joyful day.

In consideration of this, President Rodrigo Duterte early last month declared Wednesday, June 5, a national holiday to enable the country’s Muslims — Tausugs, Samals, Maranaos, Maguindanaons, Yakans and Kalagans in Zamboanga Peninsula; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Metro Manila; Southern Tagalog; and other areas of the country — to observe the annual event.

Eid’l Fitr marks the culmination of the month-long Ramadan. “Hari Raya Puasa is the celebration of breaking the fast,� a Zamboanga City resident and Tausug leader said.

Muslim scholars say Ramadan, which occurs in the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, “starts after the sighting of the new moon as soon as there is sufficient light to tell a white thread from a black one.�

Ramadan, they said, “is a 30-day abstinence from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. from food, drinking, smoking, sex, gossiping, feeling superior to others and degrading one’s fellowmen.�

Exempted from fasting are the very young, very old, sick, pregnant and nursing

women, the scholars said, adding that during Ramadan, it is believed that “the gates of Paradise are open, the gates of hell are closed and the devils are in chains.�

Veteran Maguindanao journalist Nash Maulana reported that during the Eid’l Fitr, “Muslims put into practice for the rest of the year lessons learned in the 30 days of self-restraint to become good persons to other mortals and, above all, before Allah.�

Generally, a tradition of celebrating Eid’l Fitr is characterized by a massive sing-song of Takhbir (Allah is the greatest).

A prominent Maguindanao leader said Hari Raya Puasa is considered “Islam at its sublimest.�

He added in every Muslim home, “families feast on highly spiced food with rice gilded with turmeric, a plant with yellow flowers, and an aromatic rootstock used as a condiment or yellow dye. There are cakes galore, banana, wheat, coconut, rice and cassava.�

A Pagadian City Maranao hadji described Hari Raya Puasa “as a day of sharing one’s blessings with the poor through mass handing of fixed obligatory alms in mosques.�

He said “it is a period of visiting one’s enemies to extend a reconciliatory arm with embraces and kisses.�

ANTONIO P. RIMANDO

A8

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

News

Bus ban to cut EDSA travel time – MMDA

BY NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

B

ANNING provincial buses from EDSA would reduce travel time in the major thoroughfare by six minutes, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Tuesday.

Analytics based on simulation from the MMDA showed that, had the bus ban been implemented, travel from the southbound lanes of Aurora Boulevard to Magallanes Interchange, where gridlocks are most chronic, would be 1 hour, 12 minutes and 35 seconds, an 8 percent decrease from the usual 1 hour, 18 minutes and 39 seconds travel time.

Travel speed would have

been 9 kilometers per hour (kph), an 8-percent increase from the current 8 kph.

Travel from the northbound lanes would be 35 minutes, a 25-percent decrease from the original 47 minutes. Travel speed, meanwhile, would be 18 kph, a 34-percent increase from the current 13 kph.

The MMDA made the study through vehicle simulators, taking

into consideration the volume of vehicles on certain hours on %$3! 4RAFkC COMPUTER OPERATORS included in the input the number of cars, motorcycles, and city and provincial buses.

MMDA Command Center chief Edison “Bong� Nebrija attested to the accuracy of the data, saying simulations were done during rush hours and non-busy hours on EDSA. g7E LOOKED AT TRAFkC IF PROVINcial buses had been closed. Travel time could have been reduced by six minutes,� Nebrija, also EDSA TRAFkC CHIEF SAID The ban was temporarily shelved because of opposition of lawmakers and some groups.

3EVERAL LAWMAKERS kLED BEFORE the Supreme Court a petition to

scrap the measure, saying it was “anti-poor� and counterproductive.

Nebrija said the plan might still push through. “So far, there are no kill orders. There is a certainty [to the implementation], but we still don’t know if it would be taking effect this June, as we are still awaiting guidelines from the LTFRB (Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board),� he explained.

The measure bans provincial buses from entering Metro Manila to load and unload passengers.

Instead, terminals will be installed outside the metropolis where commuters can take city buses, jeepneys and taxis.

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

P29M spent for rehab of 6 waterways – PRRC THE Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC) said on Tuesday that it had not spent over P107 million for the rehabilitation and d e ve l o p m e n t o f s i x w a terways in Manila and San Juan City.

The PRRC issued a statement to clarify a repor t posted by Rappler that PRRC Executive Direc tor J o s e Ant o n i o G o i t i a d e scribed as “erroneous and deceptive.�  “The truth of the matter was that as of December 2018, only P29.63 million wa s s p e n t fo r t h e re h a bilitation of the San Juan River and five other estero in Manila, as these are still ongoing,� Goitia said.

He said the Rappler article was “offensive� because it might lead the public to think that P107.57 million was spent in 2018 for the rehabilitation of six waterways — San Juan River, Estero de Magdalena, Estero de Kabulusan, Estero de Pandacan, Estero de la Reina and Estero de Valencia.

In a report released on May 31, state auditors said the PRRC spent P107.568 million out of the P111.078 million allotted for the clearing of six waterways.  Goitia, while not denying that the commission had low accomplishment rates in 2018, maintained that PRRC had been closely monitoring its rehabilitation projects.  He said there had been some delays caused by factors “beyond the control of the PRRC.�  “As early as 2016, PRRC

already resettled informal settler families and dismantled illegal structures occupying the legal easements of Estero de M a g d a l e n a t o p ave w ay for the construction of a linear park development project. As soon as we finished the relocation and e a s e m e n t r e c o v e r y, t h e linear park project was put up for bidding and awarded according to procurement laws. However, during the last quar ter of 2017, the barangay (village) officials in the area allowed families who were left homeless by a fire incident in Manila to occupy the already recovered easements of Estero de Magdalena,� Goitia said at the “Tapatan sa Aristrocat� news forum.

The families, he said, had been demanding for a relocation site for them to leave Estero de Magdalena and that the commission was co ordinating with other agencies, such as the National Housing Authority, to address the problem.

Goitia said the PRRC was recognized by the International RiverPrize Foundation as the Inaugural Asia RiverPrize for its high level of response to the massive scale of problems faced by the Pasig River. “We have no intention of slowing down as there is so much work to be done t o ke e p t h e Pa s i g R i ve r Sys t e m c l e a n a n d a l i ve.

M o re i m p o r t a nt l y, I w i l l never let government funds be wasted on incomplete projects,� he said.

NEIL SERVALLOS

Rains are here but hot weather to persist ROYAL VISITOR

Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (right), the second daughter of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and her delegation visit Fort Santiago in Intramuros, Manila on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.

The Princess and her group are in the country for the annual educational tour of the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy where the princess is a general professor and the head of the History Department. PHOTO BY RENE DILAN

CA OKAYS TIJAM’S JBC APPOINTMENT THE bicameral Commission on Appointments (CA) on Tuesday unanimously approved the ad interim appointment of retired Supreme Court associate justice Noel Tijam as member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

Tijam will represent the academe in the JBC, which screens applicants to judiciary posts. He will have a four-year term and is eligible for a one-time renewal if

approved by the President.

Under the law, the representative of the academe should be a “professor of law.� In the past, JBC members from the academe were either deans or faculty members of law schools.

Tijam was a lecturer at the Philippine Judicial Academy, University of the Philippines Law Center and the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Program.

In July 2010, Tijam joined the distinguished Corps of Professors of the College of Law at the De La Salle Lipa City. He also taught business law, philosophy and political science at the Philippine School of Business Administration from 1969 to 1976.

Tijam has been a judge since 1994, and was a longtime justice of the appeals court until he was appointed

by President Rodrigo Duterte to the

Supreme Court in 2017.

The appointment body also CONkRMED THE APPOINTMENTS OF GENERAL lAG AND SENIOR OFkcers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines led by two lieutenant generals and one vice admiral. #ONkRMED AS LIEUTENANT GENerals were Felimon Santos Jr. and Gilbert Gabay, and as vice admiral, Rene Medina.

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

Marawi rehab painfully slow – ICRC THE “painfully slow� reconstruction of Marawi City is causing discontent, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Tuesday.

The 2017 invasion of Marawi by gunmen waving the black flag of the Islamic State group sparked a five-month battle with the Philippine military.

More than 1,000 people were killed, and swathes of the southern city reduced to bombed-out rubble.

ICRC president Peter Maurer, who visited Marawi on Monday, discussed the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts at a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte. “It is painfully slow for

the victims, painfully slow for those who have expectations, which are legitimate expectations, to go back,�

Maurer said. “We hope it can be further accelerated and we hope that we don’t have to wait for another two years till substantive progress is sizable,� he added.

M o r e t h a n 10 0 , 0 0 0 r e s idents remain homeless, many of them living in squalid relocation camps two years after the start of the conflict.

Demolition of blast-pocked buildings has begun, but after several false starts the government does not expect rebuilding to be finished before the end of 2021.

Analysts have warned the anger of the displaced Marawi population could fuel jihadist recruitment.

Maurer said he discussed the Marawi displacement with Duterte, who noted the complex task of clearing the

ground of explosives so reconstruction could safely proceed. “He highlighted that of course, he noticed, as we noticed as well, that there is a comprehensible level of dissatisfaction with the fact that this is taking a l o n g t i m e, � M a u r e r added. “I’ve felt that the president is certainly deter-

Q ICRC president Peter Maurer AFP

THE wet or rainy season is near, but some parts of the country would continue to swelter, the weather bureau said.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Senior Climate Specialist Rusy Abastillas said high temperatures would persist because of the humid weather and the prevailing summer season in the northern hemisphere, which affects the country by triggering thunderstorms.

Abastillas said the onset of the rainy season might come in mid-June.

Despite the occurrence of regular thunderstorms since midMay, Abastillas said the weather bureau could only declare the official start of the rainy season when certain weather conditions are met. These include the prevalence of the southwest monsoon or habagat and measuring the amount of rainfall mined to support the Philippine Red Cross and ICRC in our respective efforts to accelerate this process and to encourage his own ad ministration to do the best possible, to go back to a more accelerated pace of reconstruction.� “In my visit to Marawi City this week, I saw a community dealing with the physical and psychological impact of conflict. I met a family of a missing person that hasn’t lost hope that news about their relative will arrive soon.

I also saw how people we are assisting are making the most of that support, for instance a mother that has opened a small business selling food.

I observed firsthand a people that will not let the conflict of 2017 defeat their spirit.

Local Red Cross volunteers I

reached in Climate Type 1 areas where the wet and dry seasons are distinct.

Based on Pagasa’s latest climate outlook, extreme temperatures up to 38.5 degrees Celsius (C) might still be recorded in Northern Luzon, Abastillas said.

On June 3, the highest heat index of 48.9 C was recorded in Sangley Point, Cavite, owing to a temperature of 36.4 C and a relative humidity of 59 percent.

Metro Manila, meanwhile, registered a heat index of 40.2 C at the Science Garden in Quezon City, where a temperature of 34 C was recorded with a relative humidity of 55 percent.

The highest temperature recorded this month was 37.2 C in Occidental Mindoro on June 2. The hottest temperature so far this year was a blistering 39.2 C recorded on May 2 in Tuguegarao City in Cagayan.

DIVINA NOVA JOY DELA CRUZ met have been unrelenting in their support to the displaced people,� Maurer said in a statement. “I see indicators of hope, fortitude, and of shared determination to rise from the r ava g e s o f t h e c o n f l i c t i n Marawi and other areas in Mindanao still affected by sporadic armed fighting,� he added.

M a u r e r, h o w e v e r, s a i d much remains to be done. “The work is not yet done.

Though responding to humanitarian needs due to conflict is the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross, I believe equally that all members of society have a shared responsibility to provide reprieve to those affected by fighting,� he said.

AFP

ASIAN STOCKS: W S h a n g h a i 0 . 9 6 %

V S i n g a p o re 0 . 6 1 %

PSEi 7,945.37 DOWN 1.73%

P51.78 TO $1

What’s inside PSEI RETREATS TO 7,900 ON PROFIT-TAKING

»BusinessB2

PALAY, CORN OUTPUT DOWN IN 1ST QUARTER

»BusinessB2

MERALCO EYES 1,000 MW OF RE PLANTS

»

Corporate NewsB3

US MANUFACTURING SLOWS FURTHER IN MAY

»Foreign BusinessB4

GSIS to sell Port Area lots STATE-RUN Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has revived its plan to sell its property in Manila’s Port Area, which has a total zonal value of over P37 billion.

“I would like to inform you that we will again pursue our desire to sell the non-performing asset in that area,” GSIS President and General Manager Jesus #LINT !RANAS SAID AT A BRIEkNG ON Tuesday.

The property, which consists of

³Lots B4

www.manilatimes.net W Seoul 0.04%

V To k yo 0 . 0 1 %

Jakar ta (closed)

SEC MATTERS

W Hong Kong 0.49%

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WEDNESDAY JUNE 5, 2019

Business Times

CURRENCY RATE

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PH factory output slips for 5th straight month T

BY ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

HE country’s factory output, both in volume and value, declined for the fifth consecutive month in April, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed on Tuesday.

Results of the latest Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries showed that the volume of production index (VoPI) in April plunged to -14.0, worse than the -9.5 in March and a reversal of the 21.0 expansion in April 2018.

4HE LATEST kGURE CONTINUES THE DECRASE IN OUTPUT that began with December 2018’s -9.1.

The state-run statistics agency attributed the decline to production decreases in tobacco (-25.4), petroleum (-25.1) and leather products

(-24.0); food manufacturing (-23.9); and basic metals (-23.0).

The value of production index (VaPI), meanwhile, fell to -10.8 in the month from the -5.4 in March and reversing the record 21.8 percent growth a year ago.

It is also bigger than the -6.3 in February and the -8.8 in December 2018, and stands in contrast to the less than 1 percent growth in February.

³Month B2

the public majority Zobel de Ayala to firms: Making or substantial stockholders Invest in your workers A TYCOON Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala on Tuesday encouraged the business sector to invest in teaching employees new, “future-ready” skills and provide a conducive working environment in order to remain competitive.

At the One Step Ahead Series forum hosted by JP Morgan and Asia Society in Makati City, Zobel de Ayala underscored the importance of providing employees with a

³Invest B2

Q Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala.

PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE

PUBLIC ownership report (POR) dated March 31, 2019 but posted on the website of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) on June 3, 2019 listed the nine-man board of Manila Broadcasting Co. (MBC) as holders of 32,282 common shares, or 0.0080 percent of 402,682,990 outstanding common shares.

The same POR also listed Elizalde Holdings Corp. as direct owner of 138,558,774 MBC common shares, or 34.657 percent.

The Elizaldes are also the radio station’s indirect stockholders.

They own 87 million MBC common shares, or 21.605 percent through Elizalde Land Inc.; 50

million MBC common shares, or 12.417 percent, through Cebu Broadcasting Co.; 10 million MBC common shares, or 2.483 percent, through Sunshine Inns Inc.; and 5 million MBC common shares through Philippine Broadcasting Co. Romulo, Mabanta, Buenaventura, Sayoc & Delos Angeles directly

³Perez B4

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Business Times

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

PSEi retreats to 7,900 on profit-taking F

BY ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

OLLOWING a surge from the day prior, share prices fell back to the 7,900 territory on Tuesday as investors cashed in on gains.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) de-

clined by 1.73 percent or 139.51 points to end at 7,945.37 while

the wider All Shares shed 1.13 PERCENT OR POINTS TO kNISH at 4,883.22.

Regina Capital Development Corp. head of sales Luis Limlingan BLAMED SELL OFFS TO PROkT TAKING as issues jumped into overbought conditions on Monday.

Philstocks Financial Inc. shared

the same view, saying the market “corrected from the rally yesterday -ONDAY AMID PROkT TAKING u Limlingan said investors also repositioned portfolios ahead of today’s (Wednesday) holiday wherein the market is closed to mark the Eid al-Fitr or the end of Ramadan.

The local market traded in line

with most global peers. In the region, Tokyo and Seoul dipped 0.01 percent and 0.04 percent, respectively, while Shanghai fell 0.96 percent, and Hong Kong slipped 0.49 percent.

Jakarta climbed 1.72 percent, Singapore grew 0.46 percent, and Bangkok increased 1.13 percent.

Palay, corn output down in 1st quarter

REFLECTIVE of the dry spell’s impact on the crop sector, production of palay (unmilled rice) and corn WENT DOWN IN THE kRST QUARTER OF 2019.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed palay output dropped by 4.5 percent to 4.42 million metric tons (MT) from 4.62 million MT a year ago.

4HE kGURE ALSO FELL SHORT OF THE revised forecast of 4.56 million MT set by the government in April.

PSA said harvest area declined by 3.5 percent to 1.15 hectares from last year’s 1.19 hectares. Likewise, yield per hectare fell to 3.83 MT from 3.87 MT a year earlier. “Eleven regions reported reduction in production, bulk of which came from Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region and Soccsksargen. In contrast, there were increments in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Eastern Visayas, Caraga and Autonomous

Region in Muslim Mindanao !2-- u 03! SAID (ARVEST AREA in Cagayan Valley fell by 14.6 percent, the highest cut among the regions, the agency added.

Of the total palay production in January-March, some 78.5 percent were irrigated palay production while the remaining 21.5 percent were rainfed palay output. Irrigated palay production for the kRST QUARTER WAS MILLION -4

down 3.3 percent from last year’s 3.58 million MT. “The top producing regions were Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon with a combined share of 46.8 PERCENT u 03! SAID Rainfed palay output, on the other hand was 0.95 million MT, down 8.6 percent from last year’s 1.04 million MT. “Bulk of the production came from Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and ARMM with a total share of 59.6 PERCENT u 03! SAID

Ease of doing biz in PH backed

Telco subscribers gain more ‘freedom’

THE Board of Investment (BoI) and 33 other members of the Investment Promotion Unit Network (IPUNet) are joining hands to enhance the ease of doing business (EoDB) in the country.

In a statement on Tuesday, the attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the parties will formalize the cooperation during the signing of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on July 10.

"O) SAID THEY HAVE gkNALIZED the contents of a MOA that is seen to further improve the ease of doing business in the country and attract more investments by immediately acting and resolving ISSUES ENCOUNTERED BY INVESTORS u BoI, which is serving as IPUNet secretariat, took the lead in reviewing the contents of the MOA and collated the concerns of the government agencies. “We have gained so much ground in our efforts to streamline our processes and procedures with the active participation of all stakeholdERS !S WE kNALIZED THIS WE LOOK FORward to the eventual signing of the -/! u "/) )NVESTMENT !SSISTANCE Service Director Bobby Fondevilla said in a statement.

In May last year, President Duterte signed Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business AND %FkCIENT 'OVERNMENT 3ERVICE Delivery Act of 2018 to promote EFkCIENCY IN PROCESSING GOVERNment transactions. It took effect in June last year.

Under the EoDB law, government transactions should be processed within the prescribed period: simple business transactions should be completed within 3 working days, 7 for complex transactions and 20 for highly technical process.

The final draft of its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) has been submitted to the /FkCE OF %XECUTIVE 3ECRETARY 4HE IRR though remained unsigned.

A full-pledged director of the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) is supposed to do the signing but NO SUCH OFkCIAL HAS BEEN APPOINTment yet by Duterte amid the presence of a short list.

ARTA acting head Ernesto Perez said earlier he was seeking for authority to sign the IRR for its full implementation.

TYRONE C. PIAD

SUBSCRIBERS of Globe Telecom and PLDT Inc. recently gained more flexibility in using their mobile phones with the release of government rules mandating telecommunications companies (telcos) to unlock their devices after the lock-in period.

Almost six months after the Department of Information and Communications Technology’s (DICT) called on the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to craft rules and regulations on unlocking mobile phones and devices, the regulator, in a memorandum circular (MC) number 01-05-2019, finally issued the rules to

Meanwhile, the country’s corn output in the three-month period reached 2.43 million MT, down 2.1 percent from last year’s 2.48 million MT. Similarly, harvest area fell by 2.2 percent to 706.26 thousand hectares from year ago’s 722.46 thousand hectares.

In contrast, yield per hectare improved by 0.2 percent to 3.43 MT. “Cutbacks in production were large in Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Zamboanga Peninsula and SOCCSKSARGEN. Decrements in harvest area were also mostly SHARED BY THESE REGIONS u 03! said. It added that yield of corn per hectare in ARMM grew by 24.5 percent to 3.66 MT from last year’s 2.94 MT. Of the total corn production, yellow corn accounted for 81.6 percent while the remaining 18.4 percent comprised white corn output.

PSA said yellow corn output was

implement the “pro-consumer policy.�  This would allow postpaid subscribers to shift to other telcos after they complied to the subscription deal within the contract time, which usually takes two years. After subscribers complete the lock-in period under their service contract without outstanding obligation, telco operators or wireless service providers must have facilities and processes to open the line of their devices. “This is also a step to encourage our service providers to innovate on their offers,� DICT acting head Eliseo Rio Jr. said.

1.98 MT, down nearly one percent from last year’s 2 MT. The major yellow corn producing regions were Cagayan Valley, Ilocos Region and ARMM with a combined production of 62.9 percent, it added.

Meanwhile, white corn production was 0.45 million MT, down 7 percent from 0.48 MT a year ago.

Major producing regions were Northern Mindanao, ARMM and Soccsksargen, contributing 55.9 percent to total white corn production.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piùol earlier said the overall impact of El Niùo to the country’s total agricultural production would BE gVERY MINIMAL u g7E RE NOT trying to [downgrade] the effect of El Niùo on agriculture but in as far as its impact on our production for rice, it’s less than one percent. For corn, it’s a little over two percent.

7E CAN COPE UP WITH IT u 0IĂ„OL said.

EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

Under the rules, telecommunications companies must post on their websites their policy on unlocking mobile phones or devices. Telco carriers are also required to provide necessary information both for current and former customers to unlock their devices, as well as notify them if their gadgets are eligible for the said service. Once telco players receive requests from customers, they have two working days to answer if the device is eligible and explain if not, or why it needs more time to process the request.

LISBET K. ESMAEL

Q MONTH FROM B1

PH factory output slips for 5th The declines posted in tobacco, leather and petroleum products; food manufacturing, furniture and fixtures, basic metals, and transport equipment pushed the volume down, PSA explained.

ditional support, given expectations of additional income and availabilITY OF MORE JOBS u HE ADDED “A strong whole-of-government — nay, whole-of-society — approach is needed to accelerate the growth of manufacturing and boost ITS CONTRIBUTION TO INDUSTRY GROWTH u ‘Expected to recover’ “The needs of the food processDespite the contraction however, ing sector should be addressed, the National Economic and De- as it accounts for the largest share velopment Authority (NEDA) said among all manufacturing subsecthe sector was seen to bounce back. tors. This points to the critical In a statement also on Tuesday, importance of agriculturem which, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary besides being the source of food, is Ernesto M. Pernia said that “[n] also the feeder sector to the food OTWITHSTANDING ;THE !PRIL kGURES= MANUFACTURING SUBSECTOR u manufacturing output is expected Pernia also cited the need to adto recover, supported by improved dress the governance issues faced domestic demand in the coming by the agribusiness sector and its MONTHS u related industries. “Easing inflationary pressures, “The government may need to accelerated government spending revisit existing interventions to on infrastructure and a more upbeat ensure that they are designed to consumer outlook also provide ad- be responsive to the needs and

ACTUAL BEHAVIOR OF FARMERS ;kSHERMEN= AND PROCESSORS u THE .%$! chief said.

According to him, the delineation of responsibilities across various food-safety regulatory AUTHORITIES SHOULD BE CLARIkED IN order to improve the enforcement of regulations. “It must be ensured that all food products, both for domestic market consumption and for export, are aligned with Good Agricultural Practices or Good Manufacturing 0RACTICES u SAID 0ERNIA He also said encouraging businesses to increase production was needed. “Transacting with [the] governMENT MUST BE SIMPLIkED AND MADE less expensive, as mandated by [Republic Act] 11032 or the Ease OF $OING "USINESS AND %FkCIENT Government Service Delivery Act OF u HE ADDED

Appointment of a foreign national as president of a mining corporation

I

F a corporation is a domestic stock corporation duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and primarily engaged in the business of quarrying, mining, cutting strip, finishing, setting, purchasing on wholesale basis and dealing in non-metallic ore, among others, can such corporation having two foreign nationals as stockholders and one of them sits as a board director, appoint such board director as president?

The business activity of a mining corporation is a partly nationalized activity. The 1987 Philippine Constitution has specific citizenship requirements when a mining corporation is involved.

Article XII, Section 2 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that: “All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and other natural resources are owned by the State. With the exception of agricultural lands, all other natural resources shall not be alienated. The exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State. The State may directly undertake such activities, or it may enter into co-production, joint venture, or production-sharing agreements with Filipino citizens, or corporations or associations at least sixty per centum of whose capital is OWNED BY SUCH CITIZENS u The above-quoted constitutional provision is likewise found in Executive Order No. 65, Series of 2018, otherwise known as the Eleventh Regular Foreign Investment Negative List, which states that foreign ownership is limited up to 40 percent in “exploration, development and utilization OF NATURAL RESOURCES u -INING

which involves the exploration, development and utilization of natural resources, is a partly nationalized activity.

In a previous legal opinion rendered by SEC, the latter was explicit in stating that on the citizenship requirement of corporate officers, Section 2-A of Commonwealth Act No. 108, as amended, bans for-

tional education, there was a need TO gFOCUS ON VOCATION EDUCATION u such as training for new technology to strengthen workers’ skill set.

Such practice is being observed gFUTURE READY SKILL SETu IN THE TIME OF cational institutions, also had an stand the needs of their employees, in Singapore, he added. gINCREASED AUTOMATION u important role in nurturing these resulting in better human-resource International Labor OrganizaUnder technical skills, the Ayala skill sets, adding that his holding management, according to him.

TION ),/ 4ECHNICAL /FkCER *ORDI #ORP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFkCER SAID IT company was contributing to this “We need to adopt a refreshed Prat Tuca, meanwhile, said the would be helpful for companies to advocacy. approach to private enterprise. United Nations’ labor agency educate employees on programUnder Ayala Corp.’s Professional One that fully responds to criti- found out that 56 percent of jobs ming, computer science and data Employment Program, Zobel de cal underserved needs of society in the Association of Southeast science.

Ayala revealed that 90 percent of while at the same time, enables the Asian Nation (Asean)-5 are “at “Organizations have to raise its graduates secure employment CREATION OF VALUE u THE TOP !YALA high risk of automation over the OFkCIAL SAID SKILLS AS WELL THROUGH TRAININGS u within 90 days.

NEXT YEARS u he added.

Companies, he said, should Asean-5 is composed of the According to Zobel de Ayala, kND gNEW WAYS OF DOING WORKu ‘Vocation education’ Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, there is also a need to develop the to spark productivity, suggesting Thailand and Vietnam. social and complex cognitive skills TO IMPLEMENT A lEXIBLE WORKING For his part, Mark Keese, head of 4HE ),/ OFkCER ALSO HIGHLIGHTED and soft skills of employees. The arrangement. the Organization for Economic the need to equip employees with former covers leadership, creativThis, Zobel de Ayala added, Cooperation and Development’s the necessary skills, as there would ity and communication, among could lead to employees’ “higher Skills and Employability division, BE gLIMITED OPPORTUNITIESu AMID others; the latter, empathy, agility ENGAGEMENTu WITH THEIR WORK affirmed the need to continue technology adoption. resilience and more.

5SING gPEOPLE ANALYTICSu COULD teaching employees.

And McKinsey and Company He said companies, besides edu- ALSO HELP kRMS TO BETTER UNDERHe said that, apart from tradi- Associate Partner Boris Tanyu

Q INVEST FROM B1

Zobel de Ayala to firms: Invest

In Manila, all sectoral results kNISHED IN THE RED WITH THE PROPerty sector down the most by 2.67 percent, after being the top gainer among other indices on Monday.

More than 599 million issues were traded valued at P10.55 billion.

Losers led winners, 113 to 84, while 40 issues were unchanged.

SEC MATTERS

KELVIN LESTER LEE eigners from being elected or appointed to management positions such as president, vicepresident, treasurer, secretary, etc. in business activities where there is a constitutional or statutory provision imposing a specific nationality requirement as a requisite for the exercise or enjoyment of a right, franchise or privilege.

This reiterates a previous opinion of the Department of Justice on the same matter which states that: “A reading of Section 2-A readily reveals the legislative intent to complement our nationalization laws by closing any avenue whereby aliens may defeat their purpose [King vs. Hernaez, 4 SCRA 792, (1962)].

It penalizes the employment o f a l i e n s i n a ny p o s i t i o n pertaining to management, operation, administration and control, “whether as an officer, employee, or laborer THEREINu WHICH MEANS THAT the employment of a person who is not a Filipino citizen even in a minor or clerical or non-control position is prohibited. In arriving at this conclusion, I am guided by the underlying intent behind the nationalization of employment provided for in the Anti-Dummy Law, which is to eradicate the shackles of foreign economic control and DOMINATION IN THE COUNTRY u [King vs. Hernaez, supra, at p.

804; Universal Corn Products, Inc. vs. Rice and Corn Board, 3#2! =u Hence, a domestic corporation engaged in a partly nationalized activity such as a mining company cannot have a foreign national sit as its president.

Kelvin Lester K. Lee is a Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

He is the co-chairperson of the SEC Committee on Memorandum Circulars To Operationalize Revised Corporation Code Provisions. The views and opinions stated herein are his own. You may email your comments and questions to oclee@ sec.gov.ph

Van said artificial intelligence (AI) was vital tool to move forward in conducting business operations.

Van noted that AI was “costEFFECTIVE u WHICH COULD HELP IN reducing operating costs, adding that applying it could translate to a 12-percent increase in revenues.

A digital operating model — WHICH FOCUSES ON gTRANSFORMINGu organization, technology and business — could be used as reference

BY THE kRMS HE SAID The One Step Ahead Series forum, which has “Rethinking the Future of Work to Promote IncluSIVE 'ROWTH IN !SIA 0ACIkCu AS ITS theme, brought together public, private and civil society leaders to discuss the regional business environment amid today’s technological advancements.

TYRONE C. PIAD

Corporate News Meralco eyes 1,000 MW of RE plants L ˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

BY JORDEENE B. LAGARE

ISTED Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) has unveiled plans to invest in renewable-energy (RE) projects with a total capacity of 1,000 megawatts (MW) over the next few years.

“As we celebrate the World Environment Day, we announce that we are developing 1,000 MW of renewable-energy projects IN THE NEXT kVE TO SEVEN YEARS

joining the inexorable shift to

renewable energy and the adoption of sustainable practices in everything we do,� Meralco PresiDENT AND #HIEF %XECUTIVE /FkCER Ray Espinosa said in a statement on Tuesday.

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

The power giant, he added, “is committed to developing largescale renewable-energy projects that can deliver competitive electricity for our customers, without any requirement for subsidy or support, while keeping environmental stewardship and sustainability as top priorities in our business.�

Meralco intents to implement these projects — primarily solar, wind and run-of-river hydro facilities — through its unit Meralco

PowerGen Corp. (MGen).

The amount to be invested in these projects was not disclosed. “We are working on several renewable-energy prospects and we recognize the significant reduction in the development cost, particularly for large-scale solar and wind, over the past years,� MGen President and Chief Executive Officer Rogelio Singson said. “MGen,... will continue working on the realization of our

project opportunities, and will work in partnership with established developers to maximize our growth potential,� he added. !CCORDING TO THE OFkCIAL THE plan is aligned with MGen’s growth aspirations that are focused on advancing RE prospects AND UTILIZING HIGH EFkCIENCY LOW emission (HELE) technology for baseload power plants.

MGen has power projects under its portfolio, including the

B3

455-MW supercritical coal-fired power plant in Mauban town, Quezon province; the 1,200MW ultrasupercritical coal-fired power plant in Atimonan municipality, also in Quezon; the 600-MW coal-fired power plant in Subic town, Zambales province; and the 700-MW coal-fired power plant in Calaca municipality, Batangas province.

Meralco shares gained P1.60 or 0.41 percent to close at P390.80 apiece on Tuesday.

RCBC raises P8B from ABS-CBN claims nationwide lead; GMA secures NCR sustainability bonds MEDIA titans ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc. on Tuesday continued to assert their LISTED Rizal Commercial Banking Sustainable Finance Framework, dominance over the Philippine Corp. (RCBC) has generated P8 which articulates the bank’s strat- broadcast industry as their ratings billion in fresh funds from its initial egy to use sustainable finance war raged on last month. issuance of sustainability bonds. to fund loans and projects that While the Lopez-led network In a disclosure on Tuesday, have clear environmental and/ claimed leadership in nationwide the Yuchengco-led lender said OR SOCIAL BENEkTS ratings, GMA only highlighted its the two-year bonds were more Proceeds from the bonds will performance in Urban Luzon and than the announced issue size of BE USED TO kNANCE OR REkNANCE Mega Manila.

P5 billion after receiving strong its loans to customers or its own In a statement, ABS-CBN said interest from retail investors. operating activities in renew- data from Kantar Media, which has “We are encouraged to see the able energy, green buildings, market’s continuing support of clean transportation, energy our efforts to demonstrate our EFkCIENCY POLLUTION PREVENTION commitment to promote sustain- and control, sustainable water able practices that will not only management, affordable basic THE Philippine Competition minimize adverse environmental infrastructure, affordable hous- Commission (PCC) has apand social impact on the bank’s ing, and essential services like proved the plan of AC Healthcare Holdings Inc. to increase its stake activities and operations but healthcare, among others. also make RCBC well-positioned “ING is honored to have been in the Generika Group of ComTO PARTICIPATE AND kNANCE OUR given the trust and appreciates panies to over 50 percent.

In a disclosure on Tuesday, AC client’s own transition to more the opportunity to be RCBC’s Healthcare parent Ayala Corp. sustainable operations,� said sole sustainability structuring said the antitrust watchdog auHoracio Cebrero 3rd, the bank’s advisor and sole arranger and thorized its healthcare unit to senior executive vice president bookrunner for its inaugural susraise its share in Generika to and treasurer. tainability bond,� Hans Sicat, 52.5 percent from the previous 4HE BONDS WHICH IS THE kRST country manager of ING Bank 50 percent.

Asean (Association of Southeast N.V., Manila Branch, said.

4HE HEALTHCARE kRM IT ADDED

Asian Nations) sustainability RCBC shares rose by 5 centavos bond offering in the Philippines, or 0.19 percent to close at P26.75 also hiked its stake in the Generika subsidiaries Actimed Inc. carried a coupon of 6.15 percent. each on Tuesday.

It was issued under RCBC’s MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO Actimed Inc. (706,579 shares)

a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes, showed that it remained the country’s leading network in May with a 44-percent average audience share, higher than GMA’s 31 percent.

The Kapamilya network also said it recorded an audience share of 42 percent in Metro Manila, against GMA’s 24 percent; 36 percent in Mega Manila versus its rival’s 31 percent; 39 percent in Total Luzon versus the com-

petitor’s 34 percent; 53 percent in Total Visayas, compared with GMA’s 25 percent; 51 percent in Total Mindanao, almost double GMA’s 28 percent.

GMA, on the other hand, said in a separate statement that a report from Nielsen TV showed that it secured the lead last month.

The Kapuso network generated an average total day people audience share of 36.3 percent in Urban Luzon last month, against

ABS-CBN’s 30.7 percent.

In Mega Manila, which GMA claimed to hold 60 percent of all urban viewers in the Philippines, it defeated A BS-CBN with a total day average people audience share of 38 percent, versus its rival’s 27.8 percent.

Shares of ABS-CBN and GMA TRADED TO NEARLY lAT CLOSING AT P18.36 and P5.39 apiece, respectively, on Tuesday.

LISBET K. ESMAEL

AC Healthcare stake hike in Generika okayed Novelis Solutions Inc. (155,921 shares) and Pharm Gen Ventures Corp. (65,807 shares).

Meanwhile, AC Health’s increase in ownership in Erikagen Inc. remains subject to certain conditions. “With this [approval], AC Health will proceed with the closing of the increase,� the listed conglomerate said.

Ayala Corp. said in March the acquisition would allow the drugstore chain to raise more FUNDS TO kNANCE OPERATIONS AND expand its store network.

The subscription value was not

disclosed, but the holding company said the amount was only less than its total equity.

Ayala Corp. would pay the total amount in lump sum upon closing.

Said to be the country’s thirdlargest retail pharmacy by store count, Generika has more than 800 stores nationwide.

AC Health owns primary healthcare clinic FamilyDOC; online pharmacy MedGrocer; health technology arm Vigos Health Technologies; home health application AIDE; and regional drugstore chain Negros

Grace, of which it recently secured the commission’s approval to increase its share to 75 percent.

A quasi-judicial body established in 2016 under Republic Act 10667 or the Philippine Competition Act of 2015, the PCC is tasked with reviewing mergers and acquisitions for possible adverse effects on competition and also initiating investigations into anticompetitive practices.

Ayala Corp. shares lost P12 or 1.29 percent to end at P919 each on Tuesday.

ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

Walter Mart, Aboitiz renew power deal THE WalterMart Group has renewed its contract with AboitizPower Corp. on the latter supplying the shoppingcenter operator with an additional 9.1 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

In a disclosure on Tuesday, the Aboitiz Group’s power arm said the deal involved the delivery of about 19 MW of power to 13 of WalterMart’s 25 branches in Luzon until 2021. “We have been partners with AboitizPower for more than two years now and we have seen their expertise and capacity to meet our requirements and help us deliver on our promise of convenient shopping for our valued customers every day,� WM Shopping Center Management Inc. Chairman Abraham Uy was quoted as saying in the disclosure.

For his part, AboitizPower First Vice President for Energy Trading and Sales Sandro Aboitiz said: “In support of WalterMart’s desire to continue providing Filipino families a convenient shopping experience, AboitizPower promises to provide reliable, reasonable, and responsible power supply to most of their facilities in Luzon.�

AboitizPower currently supplies energy to WalterMart facilities in Makati City, DasmariĂąas, Carmona, Tanauan, Balayan, Bel-Air Sta. Rosa, Sta. Rosa, Makati 2, San Fernando, North EDSA, Sta. Maria, Ascott BGC and WMall.

WalterMart currently has 29 community malls in Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.

At present, AboitizPower has a net sellable capacity of 4,471 MW across renewable and thermal energy portfolio.

4HE POWER kRM RECENTLY SET ASIDE P51 billion in capital expenditures to fund the construction of its GNPower Dinginin Power Plant, which is expected to generate over 1,300 megawatts by 2020. The rest would be used for exploratory and operating activities.

AboitizPower saw its net income slip by 9 percent to P3.6 billion in THE kRST QUARTER FROM THE 0 BILLION registered in the same period last year.

AboitizPower shares shed 50 centaVOS OR PERCENT TO kNISH AT 0 apiece on Tuesday.

ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

Security Bank’s P20-B LTNCD gets nod THE central bank has approved Security Bank Corp.’s plan to raise up to P20 billion in fresh funds from the issuance of long-term negotiable certificates of time deposits (LTNCD). “Pursuant to the approval of the Board of Directors disclosed on 26 March 2019 and the authority granted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), as embodied in Monetary Board Resolution 828 dated 30 May 2019, Security Bank Corp. was authorized to issue up to P20 billion longTERM NEGOTIABLE CERTIkCATES OF TIME deposit in multiple tranches,� the

bank said in a disclosure on Tuesday.

Banks sell instruments like LTNCDs to raise capital without having to sell shares. They are obliged to redeem the face value OF THE CERTIkCATE UPON MATURITY and pay out periodic coupons or interest payments during the life of the deposit.

The notes are similar to time deposits, but have longer maturities and higher yields. They are negotiable and are insured with the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. up to P500,000 per depositor.

LTNCDs are also tax-exempt on

the interest income for qualified individuals or institutions if held for AT LEAST kVE YEARS Security Bank earlier said it continued to be among the country’s best capitalized private domestic universal BANKS IN THE kRST THREE MONTHS OF THE year, with its common equity tier 1 ratio further increased to 16.5 percent from 16.4 percent a quarter ago.

Its total capital adequacy ratio also grew to 19 percent from 18.7 percent.

Security Bank shares fell by P3.90 or 2.24 percent to close at P170.10 each on Tuesday.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

AC Energy’s Vietnam plants activated AC Energy Inc., the power arm of the Ayala Group, recently switched on in Vietnam its two solar power plants worth $83 million.

In a statement, AC Energy said the 50-megawatt (MW) solar plant in the Southeast Asian nation’s Khanh Hoa province was commissioned on May 30 and the 30 MW solar facility in Dak Lak province on April 25.

The solar power plants were completed by AC Energy and its Vietnamese partner AMI Renewables Energy Joint Stock Co. in time for the Vietnamese government’s feed-in tariff deadline of

June this year.

Firms are expecting both facilities to qualify for the feed-in-tariff. “The successful completion of the Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak solar projects speaks to our strong partnership with AC Energy. Together, we hope to grow our renewables to 1 GW [gigawatt] by 2025 in Vietnam,�

AMI AC Renewables Joint Stock Co. Chief Executive Officer Nguyen Nam Thang said. “These projects are a testament to our long-term commitment to the economic and social development of the

provinces of Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak,� AC Energy Senior Vice President Miguel de Jesus said.

This came after AC Energy and its Vietnamese BIM Group inaugurated a 330-MW solar farm in Ninh Thuan province, said to be the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia.

The farm is the first project under BIM/AC Renewables, the renewable energy (RE) platform of AC Energy and the BIM Group, which has interests in tourism development, real estate investment, agriculture and RE. JORDEENE B. LAGARE

B4

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

Foreign Business

US manufacturing slows further in May W

ASHINGTON, D.C.: US manufacturing activity slowed again in May as Washington and Beijing drifted further from a trade agreement, according to an industry survey released Monday.

The report by the Institute for Supply Management still showed positive activity but an official with the group described the situation as “nearzero growth� and warned that President Donald Trump’s announcement last Thursday of fresh tariffs on Mexico could have a big negative impact. “As long as demand remains strong, you can work through the rest of the issues,� said Tim-

othy Fiore, chair of ISM’s manufacturing survey. “But demand is clearly slowing.�

The May report included the impact of the latest tariff announcements in the US-China dispute. The Mexico announcement was too late to figure in the May report but it will be a factor in next month’s data, Fiore said.

Overall, the group’s pur-

chasing managers index came in at 52.1 last month, down from 52.8 in April, the second decline in a row. Any reading above 50 percent indicates growth.

Troubling signs on demand included barely positive new orders and a drop in backlog from the prior month, Fiore said.

More positively, the employment rating rose and several companies quoted described business conditions as strong.

Fiore said last week’s Trump announcement on Mexico could be a big hit, in part because there has been no almost no lead time and the financial impact could be severe, espe-

cially at higher tariff levels.

The White House, linking trade to Trump’s push against illegal immigration, announced a five percent tariff on Mexican goods to take effect on June 10, rising potentially to 25 percent later in the year.

Compared with China, “the issue around Mexico is going to be much more severe,� Fiore said. “The question is what happens on June 10 when the first 5 percent goes into place,� Fiore said. “Not only do you have lead-time issues, because not everything is going to be dutied, but you also have the financial implications of it all.�

AFP

Renault to decide on merger talks with Fiat Chrysler PARIS: The board of French car giant Renault is expected to decide Tuesday to begin merger talks with Fiat Chrysler that could create a new global giant spanning the United States, Europe and Japan.

US-Italian group Fiat Chrysler proposed a “merger of equals� with Renault last week, which has been welcomed by kNANCIAL MARKETS AND HAS BEEN given a conditional green light by the French government.

A merger would be “a real opportunity for the French auto industry,� Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire told Agence France-Presse on Friday of a tie-up which would bring TOGETHER THE lAGSHIP BRANDS

as well as Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Maserati, Dacia and Lada.

After preliminary talks over the last week, Renault directors are set to meet on Tuesday and decide whether to enter into formal discussions, which most observers expect it to do. )F COMBINED THE TWO kRMS would produce 8.7 million vehicles a year, creating an industry powerhouse with an expected market value of some

Q LOTS FROM B1

GSIS two lots with land areas of 672,645 and 109,212 square meters, is near Pier 2 of the Manila North Harbor and the Negros Navigation Ferry Terminal in Tondo.

Aranas explained that the plan’s revival was on the back of the current zonal valuation of the property released by the Department of Finance.

The property’s valuation as of May reached P37.45 billion, higher than last year’s valuation of more than P25 billion. “With the new zonal valuation, we already have a valuation gain of P11.481 billion for 2019 for these properties,� Aranas said.

According to him, the state pension fund decided to sell the property because it had not been generating any income since the early 1970s, even though the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) currently occupies it. “The property is currently occupied by ICTSI. Supposedly, they have an agreement with the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA), [which] does not have [a] title [to] it,� Aranas said. “So the awkwardness there is that I am in a situation wherein there is a property owned by GSIS not earning rental income or whatsoever, and no standing agreement whatsoever,� he added.

The GSIS chief also noted that unpaid rentals for the property hit close to P1 billion a year.

36 billion euros ($40 billion).

But Renault already has an alliance with Japan’s Nissan and Mitsubishi, and the combined mega-group would be by far the world’s biggest, selling some 15 million vehicles, surpassing Volkswagen and Toyota, which sell around 10.6 million each.

Nissan, a long-time Renault partner, fears being sidelined by the deal and its chief executive, Hiroto Saikawa, warned on Monday that a merger gWOULD SIGNIkCANTLY ALTER THE structure of our partner.�

Any new combination would require a “fundamental review� of their relationship, said the boss of Nissan, whose 15 percent stake in Renault would be diluted to 7.5 percent under the proposed deal.

Behind the scenes at the 9OKOHAMA BASED kRM SOME executives believe the merger talks could further strain relations with Renault, which have been hit by the arrest in Japan OF FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFkcer Carlos Ghosn, the architect of their alliance. “It’s an ill thought-out and bad-

He also said the pension fund had sent notices to ICTSI about the unpaid rentals, were ignored.

Although he promised to chase the Razon-led port operator over that, Aranas said the company was also welcome to participate when GSIS opens bidding for the property.

Asked for the timeline of the sale, Aranas said GSIS would immediately bid out the property once it gets approval from its board. “The sale will happen this year,� he added.

Q1 performance Meanwhile, GSIS also reported that its net income surged to P38.7 BILLION IN THE kRST QUARTER OF

up 327 percent from P9.05 billion in the same period last year.

The fund attributed the growth from the increase in stock-market values, interest income and premium contributions.

Gilda Bocanegra, GSIS executive VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE kNANCE SECTOR

said its public equities portfolio had accounted for about 20 percent of total assets since the Philippine Stock Exchange index increased by 6 percent to 7,920.93, compared with last year’s ending level.

The remaining increase was said to have brought about by the increase in interest income due to the pension fund’s new loan programs, and the growth in premium contributions due to the rise in the number of active members, from 1.7 million last year to 1.8 million this year.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLOÂ

the biggest shareholder in Renault with a 15-percent stake, will be a key player in any negotiations.

Le Maire has set four conditions for a merger, including that no plants will be closed as part of the tie-up and that the RenaultNissan alliance continues.

The government also wants the merged group to guarantee that it will take in a new EUFrench government backed initiative to develop role battery technology, part of efBut others believe there could forts to compete with Chinese be synergies between a com- dominance in the sector.

It also wants “balanced corbined mega-group because of Chrysler’s strong presence in porate governance� at the future the North American markets, group, meaning that Renault is where Renault and the Japa- adequately represented on the NESE kRMS ARE RELATIVELY WEAK board of the combined group.

Press reports have suggested In return, Fiat Chrysler hope TO BENEkT FROM 2ENAULT AND that Fiat chairman John ElNissan’s cutting-edge technol- kann, a grandson of Fiat’s ogy for electric cars, which has emblematic former presimade them a world leader. dent Gianni Agnelli, would Analysts see plenty of poten- be chairman after a merger, tial stumbling blocks, however, while Renault’s Thierry Bollore not least the weight and ulti- would be chief executive.

The new group would be MATE INlUENCE OF 2ENAULT AND Fiat Chrysler in what would sup- headquartered in the Netherposedly be a “merger of equals� lands and its shares would be between the companies. traded in Paris, Milan and New The French state, which is York.

AFP ly conceived plan,� one source close to Nissan told AFP last week on condition of anonymity.

Renault board chairman JeanDominique Senard traveled to Tokyo last week to attempt to smooth over ties in what has been a sometimes tricky marriage between the two partners over the last two decades.

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Eurozone inflation falls amid slowdown fears BRUSSELS: Eurozone inflation dropped sharply in May, data showed on Tuesday, raising the specter of a global economic slowdown sparked by a Washington-led trade war.

The inflation data landed amid financial market turbulence with worries increasing that the world economy faces trouble ahead, with Brexit dangers also looming in Europe.

The European Union’s (EU) Eurostat agency said inflation last month sank to 1.2 percent, significantly down from the 1.7 percent logged in April.

Analysts surveyed by data company Factset had predicted a more modest drop to 1.4 percent.

The fall puts consumer prices in the 19-nation single currency bloc even further from the European Central Bank’s inflation goal of just below 2.0 percent.

Central bankers will especially be worried by core inflation, which strips out volatile prices such as energy, which fell to 0.8 percent in May, from 1.3 percent in April.

The drop in consumer prices landed a day after data showed that factory output in the eurozone fell close to a six-year low in May. This has compounded fears that international trade tremors caused by the protectionist offensive by US President Donald Trump against China and other partners is destabilizing the world economy.

Economists say investor confidence is shaken by US-led trade war, putting pressure on the ECB governors to do more to boost the economy when they meet on Thursday. “This will no doubt make some ECB board members a little hot under the

Q PEREZ FROM B1

Making the public majority Steve E. Jularbal among the company’s highest paid executives. As vice president-legal and corporate secretary, he received P586,325 in 2016, and P1,989,411 respectively in 2017, which was the same pays and perks he got in 2018.

Ruperto S. Nicdao is MBC president while Eduardo G. Cordova is senior vice president and chief kNANCE OFkCER !S EXECUTIVES EACH of them was paid talent and director’s fee of P88,888 in 2017 and 2018. In 2016, they were paid each P22,222.00.

Nicdao and Cordova are also Compensation top executives of another company In a PSE posting, MBC listed Fred which is not PSE-listed. g!LL OTHER OFkCERS AND DIRECTORS J. Elizalde as among the highest paid executives. As chairman of as a group unnamed� were paid the board and chief executive P533,328 in 2018; P6,960,440 in OFkCER HE WAS PAID 0

2017; and P14,618,965 in 2016. in 2017 and 2018. The total was divided in both years into salary Ownership profile of P9.6 million and bonus of )N A kLING 2OBINSONS ,AND #ORP P718,000.

Under “others-talent and di- (RLC) reported “all directors and rector’s fee,� MBC paid Elizalde EXECUTIVE OFkCERSu AS HOLDERS OF P88,888 in 2017 and 2018. In 16,599,621 common shares, or 2016, the radio station paid him 0.32 percent of 5,193,830,685 the same salary and bonus except outstanding common shares. for “others-talent and director’s As chairman emeritus, John fee� which amounted only to L. Gokongwei Jr. directly holds P22,222.00.

10,307,788 RLC common shares, Elpidio Macalma was MBC’s or 0.2 percent, according to the second highest paid executive. His company’s POR. In addition, he compensation totaled P4,795,679 also owns 380,608 RLC common in 2016, P5,396,019 in 2017 and shares, or 0.01 percent.

P5,396,019 in 2018.

The other directors and the Aside from Elizalde and Ma- number of RLC common shares calma, MBC also listed Rudolph they own follows: Elizabeth Y. owns 69,910,993 MBC common shares, or 17.361 percent.

As MBC’s owners, the Elizaldes own and control the listed company with 361,469,767 MBC common shares, or 89.765 percent.

Claiming to be a public company, MBC credited its public stockholders with 41,174,741 common shares, or 10.225 percent, which slightly tops the 10-percent minimum public ownership required under the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Gokongwei and/or John Gokongwei Jr., 1,253,470 common shares; James L. Go, 2,253,470 common shares, or 0.04 percent; Lance Y. Gokongwei, 805,001 common shares, or 0.02 percent; Frederick D. Go, 986,027 common shares, or 0.02 percent; Robina Y. Gokongwei-Pe, 685,094 common shares; Patrick Henry C. Go, 10,000 common shares; Artemio V. Panganiban, 31,718 common shares; and Emmanuel C. Rojas Jr., 901 common shares.

Johnson Robert G. Cod, Roberto F. De Ocampo and Omar Byron T. Mier, own one RLC common share each.

Two of Robinsons Land’s 18 executives held 139,655 common shares. They were Henry L. Yap with 114,182 common shares and Arthur G. Gindap with 25,373 common shares.

In its POR, JG Summit Holdings Inc. was - and still is – listed as principal stockholder as direct holder of 3,166,806,886 RLC common shares, or 60.97 percent.

Robinsons Land attributed to the public the ownership of 2,010,284,423 common shares, or 38.71 percent.

Due Diligencer’s take It is not only Robinsons Land that makes the public its substantial stockholders. Other listed companies credit them with the regulatory requirement of at least 10

collar, as pressure to take action is mounting,� said Bert Colijn, Senior Economist at ING Bank. “At the April meeting, it was already mentioned that price pressures remain uncomfortably low, which has certainly not improved since then.

Expect a dovish tone from the ECB on Thursday,� he said.

However the ECB’s firepower is limited after years of very low rates and other unprecedented steps to boost lending and growth in Europe.

Unemployment hits 10-year-low There was a silver lining in the Tuesday’s data, with eurozone unemployment down to 7.6 percent in April.

This marked the lowest rate recorded in the eurozone since August 2008.

This was lower than surveys of analysts by Factset, who were expecting 7.7 percent, the same as the previous month.

Unemployment in the eurozone has fallen steadily since September 2016, when it fell below the symbolic threshold of 10.0 percent.

It is now close to the average rate it had before the 2007-2008 financial crisis, which was 7.5 percent.

Among the 19 countries that have adopted the single currency, the lowest unemployment rate was recorded in Germany at 3.2 percent and the Netherlands at 3.3 percent.

The highest unemployment rates were recorded in Greece at 18.5 percent in February 2019, the latest data available, and Spain at 13.8 percent.

Across the 28 countries of the EU, the unemployment rate stood at 6.4 percent in April.

AFP percent of outstanding common shares, and maybe more.

This is not to take away from the public their right to be heard and, at the same time, to see what the board looks like. The denial of these two rights should prompt 3%# OFkCIALS INTO RECOGNIZING THE public investors’ role in making family-owned and controlled companies listed if not public.

Again, it is not right to attribute the ownership of 38.71 percent to the public as Robinsons Land did IN A 0/2 kLING 3UCH IS THE SAME percentage of ownership the real estate company said in another POR as of Dec.31, 2018. Yes, the same number of RLC common shares were shown as being publicly owned.

Of course, Robinsons Land is not the only listed stock that shows its generosity to the public. Others do as well. It is even worse when other listed companies show the public as their majority stockholders. Majority means owning 50 plus one percent.

For instance, the public stockholders could not possibly own 533,576,948 common shares in SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), which represent 44.30 percent of 1,204,582,867 outstanding SM common shares.

Is it possible for the public to own 132,525,216 common shares in Seafront Resources Corp. which would have made them the majority stockholder because their ownership was equivalent to 81.30 percent of 163 million outstanding common shares? Just asking.

esdperez@gmail.com

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PAUNAWA

Notice is hereby given that CAZNEAU, INC. (Owner/Developer) KDV ¿OHG ZLWK WKLV RI¿FH D VZRUQ registration statement for the sale of houses and lots in SEVINA PARK located at Brgy. Biñan (Poblacion), Biñan City, Laguna and more particularly described as Lot 2711-B-2-A, Psd-04-191642 and Lot 2711-B-3-A-1, Psd-04-241340 containing an area of 81,821 sq.m. (portion only) and covered by TCT Nos. 060-2016024761 and 0602016022843.

Ipinagbibigay alam na ang CAZNEAU, INC. (May-ari at Debeloper) ay naghain sa Tanggapang ito ng sinumpaang aplikasyon para sa pagbebenta ng bahay at lote sa SEVINA PARK na matatagpuan sa Brgy. Biñan (Poblacion), Biñan City, Laguna at sinasakop ng mga Lote Blg. 2711-B-2-A, Psd-04-191642 at Lote Blg. 2711-B-3-A-1, Psd-04-241340 na may sukat na 81,821 sq.m. (bahagi lamang) sa ilalim ng mga Titulo Blgs.

060-2016024761 at 060-2016022843.

The foregoing project is utilizing the Participation Through Investment-Incentivized Compliance by depositing the amount of P8,057,711.00 in Trust Account under Escrow Agreement by and DPRQJ &$=1($8 ,1& +286,1* $1' /$1' 86( 5(*8/$725< %2$5' 6287+(51 7$*$/2* 5(*,21$/ 2)),&(

DQG PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK as its compliance to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended

by Republic Act No. 10884.

Ang nasabing proyekto ay ginagamit ang Participation Through Investment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Incentivized Compliance sa pamamagitan ng pag deposito ng P8,057,711.00 sa Trust Account sa ilalim ng Escrow Agreement sa pamamagitan at gitna QJ &$=1($8 ,1& +286,1* $1' /$1' 86( 5(*8/$725< %2$5' 6287+(51 7$*$/2* 5(*,21$/ OFFICE) at PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BANK bilang pagsunod ng Seksyon 18 Batas Republika Blg. 7279 na na-amyendahan ng Batas Republika Blg. 10884.

Republic of the Philippines 2I¿FH RI WKH 3UHVLGHQW HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Lupong Nangangasiwa sa Pabahay at Gamit ng Lupa 6287+(51 7$*$/2* 5(*,21 ± 675

Republic of the Philippines 2I¿FH RI WKH 3UHVLGHQW HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Lupong Nangangasiwa sa Pabahay at Gamit ng Lupa 6287+(51 7$*$/2* 5(*,21 ± 675

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital Region )LHOG 2I¿FH 2nd Floor, HLURB Building, Kalayaan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City NOTICE

NOTICE

NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that EUGENE A. PANAGUITON (Owner) and EAP LANDHOLDINGS CORPORATION (Developer) by virtue of Joint 9HQWXUH $JUHHPHQW KDYH ¿OHG ZLWK WKLV 2I¿FH D VZRUQ UHJLVWUDWLRQ statement for the sale of houses and lots in MILAGROSA EXECUTIVE VILLAGE (SOCIALIZED) located at A. Mabini Extension, Brgy.

Mangarin (Labangan Poblacion), San Jose, Occidental Mindoro and more particularly described as /RW 3VG 2/7

FRQWDLQLQJ DQ DUHD RI VT P DQG FRYHUHG E\ 7&7 1R 7

Notice is hereby given that EUGENE A. PANAGUITON (Owner) and EAP LANDHOLDINGS CORPORATION (Developer) by virtue of Joint 9HQWXUH $JUHHPHQW KDYH ¿OHG ZLWK WKLV 2I¿FH D VZRUQ UHJLVWUDWLRQ statement for the sale of houses and lots in MILAGROSA EXECUTIVE VILLAGE (ECONOMIC) located at A. Mabini Extension, Brgy.

Mangarin (Labangan Poblacion), San Jose, Occidental Mindoro and more particularly described as /RW 3VG 2/7

FRQWDLQLQJ DQ DUHD RI VT P DQG FRYHUHG E\ 7&7 1R 7

The foregoing project is being utilized as Compliance for MILAGROSA EXECUTIVE VILLAGE (ECONOMIC) located at A. Mabini Extension, Brgy.

Mangarin (Labangan Poblacion), San Jose, Occidental Mindoro as its Compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended by Republic Act No. 10884.

The foregoing project is utilizing MILAGROSA EXECUTIVE VILLAGE (SOCIALIZED) located at A. Mabini Extension, Brgy.

Mangarin (Labangan Poblacion), San Jose, Occidental Mindoro as its Compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended by RA 10884.

Ang mga kasulatang kaugnay nito ay maaring suriin ng sinumang tao na nagtataglay ng ligal na interes doon pagkatapos ng wastong aplikasyon at kaukulang bayad.

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon.

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon.

Absent legal impediment, the abovecited project is deemed registered DQG D FHUWL¿FDWH LQ HYLGHQFH WKHUHRI VKDOO IRUWKZLWK EH LVVXHG DIWHU ¿YH

days from the last day of publication.

3DJNDUDDQ QJ OLPDQJ DUDZ PXOD sa huling araw ng pagkalathala ang proyektong nabanggit ay ituturing na rehistrado na at maaring bigyan ng sertipiko bilang katibayan nito kapag wala nang sagabal na ligal.

Absent legal impediment, the abovecited project is deemed registered DQG D FHUWL¿FDWH LQ HYLGHQFH WKHUHRI VKDOO IRUWKZLWK EH LVVXHG DIWHU ¿YH

days from the last day of publication.

Absent legal impediment, the abovecited project is deemed registered DQG D FHUWL¿FDWH LQ HYLGHQFH WKHUHRI VKDOO IRUWKZLWK EH LVVXHG DIWHU ¿YH

days from the last day of publication.

Calamba City, Laguna, 27th day of May 2019.

Lungsod ng Calamba, Laguna, ika27 ng Mayo 2019.

Calamba City, Laguna, 03rd day of June 2019.

Calamba City, Laguna, 03rd day of June 2019.

Recommending Approval:

Recommending Approval:

Recommending Approval:

Recommending Approval:

(SGD.) ENGR. EMMANUEL G. GLIPO Head-Planning, Registration and Licensing Division

(SGD.) ENGR. EMMANUEL G. GLIPO Head-Planning, Registration and Licensing Division

(SGD.) ENGR. EMMANUEL G. GLIPO Head-Planning, Registration and Licensing Division (PRLD)

(SGD.) ENGR. EMMANUEL G. GLIPO Head-Planning, Registration and Licensing Division (PRLD)

Approved by:

Approved by:

Approved by:

Approved by:

(SGD.) FRANCIS D. ORDENIZA 5HJLRQDO 2I¿FHU

(SGD.) FRANCIS D. ORDENIZA 5HJLRQDO 2I¿FHU

(SGD.) FRANCIS D. ORDENIZA 5HJLRQDO 2I¿FHU

(SGD.) FRANCIS D. ORDENIZA 5HJLRQDO 2I¿FHU

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon.

The mechanics of the promo are as follows:

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0 7 ± 0D\ -XQH

0 7 ± -XQH

Notice is hereby given that TAYLORMADE CONSTRUCTION AND REALTY CORP. (owner/ GHYHORSHU KDV ¿OHG ZLWK WKLV %RDUG a sworn registration statement for the sale of lots/units at ESPLORA TOWNHOMES located at M. Santos St., Brgy. Poblacion, Antipolo City VSHFL¿FDOO\ GHVFULEHG DV SODQ 3VX /5 &DVH 1R 1 FRYHUHG

by TCT Nos. 163-2017000607 with a total area of 2,419 square meters.

The foregoing project is utilizing the Participation Through Investment-Incentivized Compliance, by depositing the amount of Php980,006.01 in a trust account under Escrow Agreement executed on May 29, EHWZHHQ WKH +286,1* $1' /$1' 86( 5(*8/$725< %2$5' TAYLORMADE CONSTRUCTION AND REALTY CORP. and CHINA %$1.,1* &25325$7,21 75867 $1' $66(7 0$1$*(0(17 *5283 DQG &+,1$ %$1.,1* CORPORATION-TRUST AND $66(7 0$1$*(0(17 *5283 as its compliance to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended

by Republic Act No. 10884.

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon.

Absent any legal impediment, the above-cited project is deemed UHJLVWHUHG DQG D FHUWL¿FDWH LQ evidence thereof, shall forthwith be LVVXHG DIWHU ¿YH GD\V IURP WKH last day of publication.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, June 03, 2019

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital 5HJLRQ )LHOG 2I¿FH 2nd Floor, HLURB Building, Kalayaan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City NOTICE Notice is hereby given that ETC REALTY CORPORATION (owner/ developer) have ¿OHG ZLWK WKLV %RDUG D VZRUQ registration statement for the sale of plots at FOREST LAWN MEMORIAL PARK PHASE 3 located at Mayon St., Brgy. San Jose, 5RGULJXH] 5L]DO VSHFL¿FDOO\ described as Lot 129-C-1-B % 3VG XQGHU 7&7 No. 493306 with a total area of 88,074 square meters. The SURMHFW ZDV LVVXHG &HUWL¿FDWH of Registration No. 24434 dated September 12, 2012.

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon.

Absent any legal impediment, the above-cited project is deemed registered and a FHUWL¿FDWH LQ HYLGHQFH WKHUHRI shall forthwith be issued after ¿YH GD\V IURP WKH ODVW GD\ of publication.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, May 27, 2019

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2I¿FHU ,Q &KDUJH

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2I¿FHU ,Q &KDUJH

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B5

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Availment 1. SURFSAYA ML is open to all TNT Subscribers nationwide 2. To register, subscribers need to dial *121 and choose any SURFSAYA ML package.

8SRQ VXFFHVVIXO UHJLVWUDWLRQ WKH VXEVFULEHU ZLOO UHFHLYH D QRWL¿FDWLRQ WKDW KH VKH KDV EHHQ UHJLVWHUHG to the package.

Usage 1. The Open Access Data allocation may be used to access any site and app.

2. Additional data dedicated for Mobile Legends included in the components will not stack up if two SURFSAYA ML promos were registered within their validity date.

Example: If SURFSAYA ML 20 and SURFSAYA ML 99 were registered simultaneously, the additional data dedicated for Mobile Legends would be 100MB/day. In the case of SURFSAYA ML 199, it will follow the 200MB/day allocation.

3. Additionally, concurrent availment is allowed but will follow the longest validity.

4. Data dedicated for Mobile Legends will refresh every 12 midnight as long as the offer availed is not expired or fully consumed.

7KH 2SHQ $FFHVV 'DWD PD\ EH SDVVHG WR RWKHU 717 VXEVFULEHUV 0LQLPXP 'DWD 0% DOORZHG SHU VKDUH WUDQVDFWLRQ LV 0% DQG WKHUH LV QR PD[LPXP OLPLW 3DVVHG GDWD 0% LV YDOLG IRU GD\ 7R SDVV \RXU GDWD 0% a. Text PASADATA <11-digit TNT No.> <MB Amount>MB and send to 808.

([ 3$6$'$7$ 0% DQG VHQG WR b. Php 1 transaction fee will be charged for every transaction. c. Shared/passed data MB will not be allowed to be re-shared or passed unto another number.

6. Unlimited calls may be used to call any TNT, Smart or Sun number 7. SMS may be sent to any local mobile network 8. SURFSAYA ML is available for Extend, for just Php 10. â&#x20AC;¢ Subscribers may avail of the promo via USSD *121# â&#x20AC;¢ SURFSAYA EXTEND can be availed at a maximum of 3 times per SURFSAYA offer availed. In case D VXEVFULEHU WULHV WR UHJLVWHU PRUH WKDQ WKH DYDLOPHQW OLPLW KH VKH ZLOO EH QRWL¿HG WKDW WKH\ KDYH availed of the maximum number of subscriptions to Extend. â&#x20AC;¢ In case a subscriber is registered to more than one base offer, the last one that they registered to shall be considered as the base offer of Surfsaya Extend 10. â&#x20AC;¢ Surfsaya Extend 10 can be availed simultaneously with all other TNT promos.

Others 1. P1.00 maintaining balance is not required to avail and use the offers. $OO LQYDOLG VFHQDULRV LH LQVXI¿FLHQW EDODQFH LQYDOLG QXPEHUV HWF ZLOO WULJJHU DQ 606 QRWL¿FDWLRQ WR WKH subscriber and shall be charged prevailing rates.

3. Offer is not available to roaming and international subscribers 4. All complaints or questions that may arise from these offers shall be attended to by hotline number: (02) 888-1111 or *888.

This promo is intended for peer-to-peer and non-commercial use only.

Subject further, to the condition that SMART shall comply with the NTC Memorandum Circulars and Order, as follows: â&#x20AC;¢ Â&#x2021; â&#x20AC;¢ â&#x20AC;¢

Memorandum Order No. 07-07-2011, Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections 0HPRUDQGXP &LUFXODU 1R 5XOHV RQ WKH 0HDVXUHPHQW RI )L[HG %URDGEDQG ,QWHUQHW $FFHVV Service Memorandum Circular No. 10-12-2016, Rules on the Measurement of Mobile Broadband/Internet Access Service Memorandum Order No. 03-06-2009, Service Performance Standards for the Cellular Mobile Telephone Service

Very truly yours, (SGD.) EDGARDO V. CABARIOS Deputy Commissioner 07 ± -XQH

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Regional Trial Court 1$7,21$/ &$3,7$/ -8',&,$/ 5(*,21 BRANCH 107, QUEZON CITY MARY ROSE GERONIMO-ONG, Petitioner, - versus WILSON DIGA ONG, Respondent. x--------------------------------------x

WHEREFORE WKH SHWLWLRQ LV *5$17(' DQG MXGJPHQW LV KHUHE\ UHQGHUHG as follows: 'HFODULQJ WKH PDUULDJH RI WKH SHWLWLRQHU 0$5< 526( *(521,02 21* DQG WKH UHVSRQGHQW :,/621 ',*$ 21* ZKLFK ZDV FHOHEUDWHG RQ 0DUFK in Quezon City void on the ground of the respondentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s psychological incapacity to comply with his essential marital obligations pursuant to Article 36 of the Family Code; 2. Dissolving the conjugal partnership property relations of the parties. They shall be governed by a complete separation of property. There being no property to speak of, no pronouncement is made on its liquidation; 3. Henceforth, the petitioner shall be known by her maiden name ³*(521,02 ´ 7KH 'HFLVLRQ EHFRPHV ¿QDO XSRQ WKH H[SLUDWLRQ RI GD\V IURP QRWLFH WR WKH SDUWLHV (QWU\ RI -XGJPHQW &HUWL¿FDWH RI )LQDOLW\ VKDOO EH PDGH LI QR 0RWLRQ IRU 5HFRQVLGHUDWLRQ QHZ WULDO RU DSSHDO LV ¿OHG E\ DQ\ RI WKH SDUWLHV WKH SXEOLF SURVHFXWRU RU WKH 2I¿FH RI WKH 6ROLFLWRU *HQHUDO 7KH 'HFLVLRQ DQG WKH (QWU\ RI -XGJPHQW &HUWL¿FDWH RI )LQDOLW\ VKDOO EH UHJLVWHUHG in the Local Civil Registry of Quezon City where the marriage was recorded and Local Civil Registry of Quezon City where this Family Court is located for information and appropriate action and to submit tot this Court proof of compliance therewith.

This refers to your letter dated 29 April 2019 regarding the TNT Surfsaya Promo Extension and Enhancement.

(SGD.) JOSE L. BAUTISTA, JR. Presiding Judge

07 ± -XQH

,Q OLQH ZLWK WKH WKUXVW RI WKH JRYHUQPHQW WR ORZHU WHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQV VHUYLFH UDWHV IRU WKH EHQH¿W RI WKH Filipino consumers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the Commission hereby approves the TNT Surfsaya Promo Extension and Enhancement from 01 June 2019 to 31 August 2019. The approval is subject to the condition that SMART shall publish the mechanics in a newspaper of general circulation at least three (3) days prior to the implementation. Should SMART decide not to extend the promo, it shall seek approval of the Commission within ten (10) days prior to the date of discontinuance and notice to WKH SXEOLF VKDOO EH SXEOLVKHG LQ D QHZVSDSHU RI JHQHUDO FLUFXODWLRQ DW OHDVW ¿YH GD\V SULRU WR WKH GDWH of discontinuance. The notice should be posted in all business centers of SMART.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION NTC Building, BIR Road, East Triangle, Diliman, Quezon City Email: ntc@ntc.gov.ph; website: http://www.ntc.gov.ph

The promo offers the following: SURFSAYA 20 P20.00 2 days 100MB 100 MB/day Unlimited Unlimited

SURFSAYA 30 SURFSAYA 99 SURFSAYA 199 P30.00 P99.00 P199.00 3 days 7 days 30 days 300MB *% *% 100 MB/day 100 MB/day 200 MB/day Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited Unlimited USSD (*121#) Text SURFSAYA20 Text SURFSAYA30 Text SURFSAYA99 Text SURFSAYA199 RU 6$<$ WR RU 6$<$ WR RU 6$<$ WR RU 6$<$ WR Retailer STK Menu, Retailer Keyword Selling, TNT Online Store The above-mentioned TNT Surfsaya packages will have an extend feature starting 15 May 2019 SURFSAYA EXTEND 10 Remaining components in base offer Remaining components in base offer Remaining components in base offer Additional 1 Day to the base offer USSD *121# 3x

The maximum speed is up to 42Mbps for broadband and non-broadband connections. Minimum speed for broadband connection is 256 kbps and 48 kbps for non-broadband connection. Network reliability is 80%.

The actual speed experience will depend on the device used, network signal detected, current subscriber WUDI¿F SUHYDLOLQJ HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV DQG WKH JHRJUDSK\ RI WKH DUHD ZKHUH WKH VXEVFULEHU LV ORFDWHG The mechanics of the promo are as follows: Availment 1. SURFSAYA is open to all TNT Subscribers nationwide.

2. To register, subscribers need to dial *121 and choose any SURFSAYA package. Keyword registration LV DOVR DYDLODEOH 7H[W NH\ZRUG WR ([DPSOH SURFSAYA20 WR 8SRQ VXFFHVVIXO UHJLVWUDWLRQ WKH VXEVFULEHU ZLOO UHFHLYH D QRWL¿FDWLRQ WKDW KH VKH KDV EHHQ UHJLVWHUHG to the package.

4. The Open Access Data allocation may be used to access any site and app. The Facebook Access Data allocation may be used to access Facebook and Messenger and will refresh every 12 midnight as long as the offer availed is not expired or fully consumed. &RQFXUUHQW DYDLOPHQW RI SURFSAYA offers is allowed, following the longest validity.

Example: If SURFSAYA30 and SURFSAYA99 were registered simultaneously, promo validity will be valid for 7 days.

6. The Facebook Access Data allocation will not stack up if two SURFSAYA offers were availed concurrently within their validity date.

Example: If SURFSAYA30 and SURFSAYA99 were registered simultaneously, the additional data dedicated for Facebook & Messenger would still be 100MB/day. In the case of SURFSAYA199, it will follow the 200MB/day allocation.

7. Unlimited calls may be used to call any TNT, Smart and Sun mobile number.

8. SMS may be sent to any local mobile network.

9. SURFSAYA is available for Extend, for just Php 10. â&#x20AC;¢ Subscribers may avail of the promo via USSD *121# â&#x20AC;¢ SURFSAYA EXTEND can be availed at a maximum of 3 times per SURFSAYA offer availed. In FDVH D VXEVFULEHU WULHV WR UHJLVWHU PRUH WKDQ WKH DYDLOPHQW OLPLW KH VKH ZLOO EH QRWL¿HG WKDW WKH\ have availed of the maximum number of subscriptions to Extend. â&#x20AC;¢ In case a subscriber is registered to more than one base offer, the last one that they registered to shall be considered as the base offer of Surfsaya Extend 10. â&#x20AC;¢ Surfsaya Extend 10 can be availed simultaneously with all other TNT promos.

Others 1. P1.00 maintaining balance is not required to avail and use the offers. $OO LQYDOLG VFHQDULRV LH LQVXI¿FLHQW EDODQFH LQYDOLG QXPEHUV HWF ZLOO WULJJHU DQ 606 QRWL¿FDWLRQ WR the subscriber and shall be charged prevailing rates.

3. Offer is not available to roaming and international subscribers 4. All complaints or questions that may arise from these offers shall be attended to by hotline number: (02) 888-1111 or *888.

The promo is intended for peer-to-peer and non-commercial use only.

Subject further, to the condition that SMART shall comply with the NTC Memorandum Circulars and Order, as follows: Memorandum Order No. 07-07-2011, Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections 0HPRUDQGXP &LUFXODU 1R 5XOHV RQ WKH 0HDVXUHPHQW RI )L[HG %URDGEDQG ,QWHUQHW $FFHVV Service Memorandum Circular No. 10-12-2016, Rules on the Measurement of Mobile Broadband/Internet Access Service Memorandum Order No. 03-06-2009, Service Performance Standards for the Cellular Mobile Telephone Service

Very truly yours, (SGD.) EDGARDO V. CABARIOS Deputy Commissioner

BID BULLETIN NO. 12 SUBJECT : Resetting of the Dropping /Opening of Bids This Bid Bulletin No. 12 is issued to amend provisions in the Bidding Documents (BDs) for the above stated Contract, as follows: Current Provision of BDs (including Previous Amendments) Schedule of Dropping of Bids June 6, 2019 (10 A.M.)

MR. ANTHONY LOUEN R. FERNANDEZ Legal & Regulatory Dept.

Smart Communications, Inc. 6799 Ayala Avenue, Makati City

Schedule of Opening of Bids June 6, 2019 (10:00 A.M.)

Schedule of Opening of Bids June 11, 2019 (10:00 A.M.) * NOTE: Adjustment of Program of Works (POW) are still on Process.

RAY S. CADAVEDO Chief, Construction Section BAC Vice Chairperson

07 ± -XQH

â&#x20AC;¢ See yourself on TV

Dear Mr. Fernandez: 7KLV UHIHUV WR \RXU OHWWHU GDWHG $SULO UHJDUGLQJ WKH TNT All-Out Surf 30 Promo. ,Q OLQH ZLWK WKH WKUXVW RI WKH JRYHUQPHQW WR ORZHU WHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQV VHUYLFH UDWHV IRU WKH EHQH¿W RI WKH Filipino consumers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the Commission hereby approves the TNT AllOut Surf 30 Promo nationwide from 01 June 2019 to 31 August 2019. The approval is subject to the condition that SMART shall publish the mechanics in a newspaper of general circulation at least three (3) days prior to the implementation. Should SMART decide not to extend the promo, it shall seek approval of the Commission within ten (10) days prior to the date of discontinuance and notice to the public shall be SXEOLVKHG LQ D QHZVSDSHU RI JHQHUDO FLUFXODWLRQ DW OHDVW ¿YH GD\V SULRU WR WKH GDWH RI GLVFRQWLQXDQFH 7KH notice should be posted in all business centers of SMART. The promo offers the following: SRP Validity Open Access Data Facebook Access Calls to TNT, Smart, Sun Text to All Networks Availment via USSD Availment via SMS Registration Other Availment Channels

ALL-OUT SURF 30 P30.00 2 days 300 MB 100 MB/day 30 minutes Unlimited USSD (*121#) 7H[W $OO2XW $OO2XW6XUI $26 WR Retailer STK Menu, Retailer Keyword Selling, TNT Online Store

The maximum speed is up to 42Mbps for broadband and non-broadband connections. Minimum speed for broadband connection is 256 kbps and 48 kbps for non-broadband connection. Network reliability is 80%.

The actual speed experience will depend on the device used, network signal detected, current subscriber WUDI¿F SUHYDLOLQJ HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV DQG WKH JHRJUDSK\ RI WKH DUHD ZKHUH WKH VXEVFULEHU LV ORFDWHG Availment 1. ALLOUTSURF 30 is open to all TNT Subscribers nationwide.

2. To register, subscribers need to dial *121# and choose All Out Surf 30. Keyword registration is also DYDLODEOH 7H[W NH\ZRUG WR ([DPSOH $OO2XW6XUI WR 8SRQ VXFFHVVIXO UHJLVWUDWLRQ WKH VXEVFULEHU ZLOO UHFHLYH D QRWL¿FDWLRQ WKDW KH VKH KDV EHHQ UHJLVWHUHG to the package.

Usage 4. Concurrent availment of ALLOUTSURF 30 offers is allowed.

7KH 2SHQ $FFHVV 'DWD DOORFDWLRQ PD\ EH XVHG WR DFFHVV DQ\ VLWH DQG DSS 7KH )DFHERRN $FFHVV 'DWD allocation may be used to access Facebook and Messenger and will refresh every 12 midnight as long as the offer availed is not expired or fully consumed.

6. Once the Open Access Data allocation is fully consumed, the subscriber must re-load his/her TNT account with any Data offer to continue using mobile data.

7. The Open Access Data may be passed to other Smart/TNT subscribers. Minimum Data MB allowed per VKDUH WUDQVDFWLRQ LV 0% DQG WKHUH LV QR PD[LPXP OLPLW 3DVVHG GDWD 0% LV YDOLG IRU GD\ 7R SDVV your data MB: a. Text PASADATA <11-digit Smart Prepaid No.> <MB Amount>MB and send to 808.

([ 3$6$'$7$ 0% DQG VHQG WR b. Php 1 transaction fee will be charged for every transaction. c. Shared / passed data MB will not be allowed to be re-shared or passed unto another number.

8. Calls may be used to call the following local mobile network: Smart, TNT, Sun. 606 PD\ EH VHQW WR DQ\ ORFDO PRELOH QHWZRUN 6PDUW 717 6XQ *OREH 70 Others 10. P1.00 maintaining balance is not required to avail and use the offers. $OO LQYDOLG VFHQDULRV LH LQVXI¿FLHQW EDODQFH LQYDOLG QXPEHUV HWF ZLOO WULJJHU DQ 606 QRWL¿FDWLRQ WR WKH subscriber and shall be charged prevailing rates.

12. Offer is not available to roaming and international subscribers 13. All complaints or questions that may arise from these offers shall be attended to by hotline number: (02) 888-1111 or *888.

The promo is intended for peer-to-peer and non-commercial use only.

Subject further, to the condition that SMART shall comply with the NTC Memorandum Circulars and Order, as follows: â&#x20AC;¢ Â&#x2021; â&#x20AC;¢ â&#x20AC;¢

Memorandum Order No. 07-07-2011, Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections 0HPRUDQGXP &LUFXODU 1R 5XOHV RQ WKH 0HDVXUHPHQW RI )L[HG %URDGEDQG ,QWHUQHW $FFHVV Service Memorandum Circular No. 10-12-2016, Rules on the Measurement of Mobile Broadband/Internet Access Service Memorandum Order No. 03-06-2009, Service Performance Standards for the Cellular Mobile Telephone Service

Very truly yours, 07 ± -XQH

Amended Provision of BDs under this BID Bulletin Schedule of Dropping of Bids On or before June 11, 2019 (10:00 A.M.)

BE A TOP JOURNALIST

$SULO

The mechanics of the promo are as follows:

Usage

â&#x20AC;¢

Republic of the Philippines '(3$570(17 2) 38%/,& :25.6 $1' +,*+:$<6 ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE 1ST DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE 5(*,21$/ 2)),&( ,; Sta. Isabel, Dipolog City

For guidance and information of all concerned.

Quezon City, Philippines, November 6, 2018.

Dear Mr. Fernandez:

â&#x20AC;¢

19JB0083, 19JB0084, 19JB0085 and 19JB0086 1.) Construction of Multi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Purpose Building (Home Economics Building) at Biniray Elementary School, Brgy.

Biniray, Katipunan, Zamboanga Del Norte.

2.) Construction of Multi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Purpose Building (Home Economics Building) at Banbanan Elementary School, Brgy. Banbanan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Zamboanga Del Norte.

3.) Construction of Multi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Purpose Building (Home Economics Building) at Tantingon Elementary School, Brgy. Tantingon, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Zamboanga Del Norte.

4.) Construction of Multi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Purpose Building (Home Economics Building) at Upper Nipaan Elementary School, Brgy. Upper Nipaan, Sindangan, Zamboanga Del Norte.

Location of the Contract: Zamboanga Del Norte

This Bid Bulletin shall form an integral part of the said Bidding Documents.

SO ORDERED.

MR. ANTHONY LOUEN R. FERNANDEZ Legal & Regulatory Dept.

Smart Communications, Inc. 6799 Ayala Avenue, Makati City

â&#x20AC;¢ Â&#x2021;

Civil Case No. R-QZN-14-10904-CV

DECISION

29 April 2019

Promo Name / Variants SRP (Php) SMS Voice Minutes Data Validity Registration Maximum Allowed Registrations

Contract ID No. : Contract Name :

Upon registration/annotation, the Court will then issue a Decree of Declaration of Absolute Nullity of Marriage. After complying with all the foregoing, only then can the parties remarry.

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION NTC Building, BIR Road, East Triangle, Diliman, Quezon City Email: ntc@ntc.gov.ph; website: http://www.ntc.gov.ph

Price Validity Open Access Data Facebook Access Calls to TNT, Smart, Sun Text to All Networks Availment via UMB Availment via SMS Registration Other Availment Channels Enhancement

Department of Public Works and Highways

(SGD.) EDGARDO V. CABARIOS Deputy Commissioner

07 ± -XQH

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Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation MARITIME INDUSTRY AUTHORITY FRANCHISING SERVICE, CENTRAL OFFICE A. Bonifacio Avenue corner 20th Avenue corner Railroad Street, South Harbor, Port Area, Manila Application for Twentieth Amendment RI WKH 5HYDOLGDWHG &HUWL¿FDWH RI 3XEOLF Convenience (CPC) to effect the Permanent Addition of Routes OCEANIC CONTAINER LINES, INC., CASE NO. MNLApplicant.

REV-2015-001-FS x-----------------------------------------------x (Ref. Case No. MNL-05-035; Amendment Nos. 1-5) (Amendment Nos. 1-19) Amendment No. 20

Manila Iloilo

Wednesday Saturday

12:00 MN 10:00 PM

Zamboanga

Monday

8:00 PM

*HQHUDO Santos Manila Iloilo

Wednesday

6:00 AM

Manila

Monday Thursday

12:00 MN 8:00 AM

Zamboanga

Saturday

12:00 NN

Iloilo Zamboanga *HQHUDO Santos

*HQHUDO Santos Manila Iloilo

Monday

10:00 AM

Friday Monday

12:00 MN 12:00 MN

Zamboanga

Wednesday

10:00 AM

*HQHUDO Santos

Friday

12:00 NN

ORDER %HIRUH 8V LV WKH DERYH HQWLWOHG $SSOLFDWLRQ ZKLFK ZDV ¿OHG RQ 0D\ 2018, to add the following routes to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CPC-authorized routes, IRU WKH Ã&#x20AC;H[LEOH RSHUDWLRQ RI LWV VKLSV SXUVXDQW WR 6HFWLRQ

and 7.12, Rule III of The 2014 Amendments to the Revised Rules and 5HJXODWLRQV RI 5HSXEOLF $FW 5$ 1R

The following are the proposed sailing frequencies/schedule of trips and rates to be charged/adopted by the Applicant in the above-mentioned routes: Sailing Frequencies/Schedule of Trips 1. Manila-Cebu-Ormoc-Isabel, Leyte-Dumaguete-Manila DEPARTURE DAY Saturday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Tuesday Friday Monday Thursday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Tuesday Wednesday Friday Tuesday Friday Monday Tuesday Tuesday

TIME 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 8:00 AM 12:00 MN 12:00 NN 10:00 AM 8:00 AM 12:00 MN 4:00 AM 12:00 NN 10:00 AM 12:00 NN 10:00 AM 10:00 PM 12:00 NN 10:00 AM 12:00 NN 10:00 AM 12:00 MN 12:00 NN

PORT Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Dumaguete Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Dumaguete Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Dumaguete Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Dumaguete Manila

ARRIVAL DAY Tuesday Friday Saturday Monday Thursday Sunday Wednesday Friday Saturday Tuesday Friday Monday Tuesday Thursday Sunday Thursday Sunday Monday Wednesday Thursday

TIME 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 12:00 NN 12:00 NN 11:00 PM 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 4:00 AM 4:00 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 PM 10:00 PM 2:00 PM 8:00 AM 11:00 PM 2:00 PM 11:00 PM 2:00 PM 12:00 NN 11:00 PM

2.

2. Manila-Ormoc-Isabel, Leyte-Ozamis-Dumaguete-Manila PORT Manila Ormoc Isabel Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Ormoc Isabel Ozamis Dumaguete

DEPARTURE DAY Saturday Tuesday Wednesday Friday Saturday Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Monday Thursday Friday Sunday Tuesday Friday Sunday Tuesday Wednesday Friday

TIME 12:00 MN 8:00 AM 12:00 MN 8:00 AM 12:00 NN 8:00 AM 12:00 NN 12:00 MN 12:00 NN 12:00 MN 12:00 NN 10:00 AM 12:00 NN 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 12:00 NN 12:00 MN 8:00 AM 12:00 MN 12:00 NN

PORT Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Ozamis Dumaguete Manila

ARRIVAL DAY Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday Thursday Sunday Monday Wednesday Wednesday Saturday Wednesday Thursday Saturday Monday Thursday Sunday Monday Tuesday Thursday Sunday

TIME 4:00 PM 12:00 NN 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 11:00 PM 12:00 MN 4:00 PM 3:00 PM 8:00 PM 12:00 MN 12:00 MN 2:00 PM 3:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 PM 12:00 MN 4:00 AM 11:00 PM 8:00 AM 12:00 MN

3.

4.

3. Manila-Cebu-Ormoc-Isabel, Leyte-Manila PORT Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel

DEPARTURE DAY Saturday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Sunday Wednesday Friday Sunday Thursday Sunday Monday Thursday Monday Wednesday Thursday

TIME 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 8:00 AM 12:00 MN 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 12:00 NN 12:00 MN 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 12:00 NN 8:00 AM

PORT Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Manila Wednesday Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Manila

ARRIVAL DAY Tuesday Friday Saturday Tuesday Saturday Tuesday Thursday Saturday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Sunday Wednesday Wednesday Friday

TIME 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 12:00 NN 1:00 PM 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 2:00 PM 11:00 PM 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 4:00 PM 1:00 PM 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 4:00 PM 9:00 PM

5.

4. Manila-Zamboanga-Davao-Zamboanga-Manila PORT Manila Zamboanga Davao Zamboanga Manila Zamboanga Davao Zamboanga Manila Zamboanga Davao Zamboanga Manila Zamboanga Davao Zamboanga

DEPARTURE DAY Saturday Tuesday Friday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Tuesday Friday Monday Thursday Monday Thursday Tuesday Friday Monday Thursday

TIME 12:00 MN 12:00 MN 11:00 AM 12:00 NN 8:00 AM 2:00 PM 10:00 AM 8:00 AM 12:00 MN 12:00 MN 11:00 AM 12:00 NN 8:00 AM 2:00 PM 10:00 AM 8:00 AM

PORT Zamboanga Davao Zamboanga Manila Zamboanga Davao Zamboanga Manila Zamboanga Davao Zamboanga Manila Zamboanga Davao Zamboanga Manila

ARRIVAL DAY Monday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Friday Monday Thursday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Tuesday Saturday Thursday Sunday Wednesday Saturday

TIME 12:00 MN 11:00 AM 3:00 AM 12:00 NN 12:00 NN 12:00 MN 12:00 MN 8:00 AM 12:00 MN 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 12:00 NN 12:00 NN 12:00 MN 12:00 MN 8:00 AM

DEPARTURE DAY Saturday Tuesday Friday Monday Thursday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Tuesday Friday Monday Thursday Monday Thursday Sunday Wednesday

TIME 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 8:00 AM 4:00 PM 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 8:00 AM 4:00 PM 8:00 AM 10:00 PM 8:00 AM 4:00 PM 12:00 MN 10:00 AM 8:00 AM 4:00 PM

PORT Iloilo Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Iloilo Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Iloilo Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Iloilo Ozamis Dumaguete Manila

ARRIVAL DAY Friday Wednesday Friday Monday Saturday Thursday Saturday Tuesday Sunday Friday Sunday Wednesday Monday Saturday Monday Thursday

TIME 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 4:00 PM 12:00 MN 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 4:00 PM 12:00 MN 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 4:00 PM 12:00 MN 4:00 PM 8:00 PM 4:00 PM 12:00 MN

6. Manila-Bacolod-Cagayan de Oro-Dumaguete-BacolodManila DEPARTURE Saturday

12:00 MN

Bacolod

Tuesday

10:00 AM

Cagayan de Oro Dumaguete Bacolod Manila

Friday

4:00 PM

Dumaguete

Monday Thursday Monday

12:00 NN 12:00 MN 12:00 MN

Wednesday 11:00 PM Sunday 4:00 PM Wednesday 4:00 PM

Bacolod

Thursday

10:00 AM

Bacolod Manila Bacolod Cagayan de Oro

Manila

Bacolod Cagayan de Oro

ARRIVAL Monday

4:00 PM

Thursday

2:00 PM

Sunday

12:00 MN

Saturday

2:00 PM

Cagayan de Oro Dumaguete Bacolod Manila

Monday

4:00 PM

Dumaguete

Wednesday 12:00 MN

Thursday Monday Wednesday

12:00 NN 12:00 MM 12:00 NN

Saturday 11:00 PM Wednesday 4:00 PM Friday 8:00 PM

Bacolod

Saturday

12:00 MN

Bacolod Manila Bacolod Cagayan de Oro

Cagayan de Oro Dumaguete Bacolod Manila

Tuesday

10:00 PM

Dumaguete

Friday Monday Thursday

12:00 MN 12:00 NN 10:00 AM

Bacolod

Sunday

10:00 AM

Bacolod Manila Bacolod Cagayan de Oro

Wednesday

10:00 PM

Saturday Tuesday

12:00 NN 12:00 MN

Cagayan de Oro Dumaguete Bacolod

Monday

10:00 AM

Thursday

12:00 MN

Sunday 4:00 PM Wednesday 12:00 MN Saturday 4:00 PM Tuesday

2:00 PM

Dumaguete

Friday

12:00 MN

Bacolod Manila

Monday Thursday

11:00 PM 4:00 PM

7. Manila-Iloilo-Zamboanga-Gen. Santos-Manila DEPARTURE Saturday Tuesday

12:00 MN 12:00 MN

Zamboanga

Thursday

2:00 PM

*HQHUDO Santos

Saturday

12:00 MN

Manila Iloilo

Iloilo Zamboanga *HQHUDO Santos Manila

ARRIVAL Monday 12:00 NN Wednesday 10:00 PM Friday

11:00 AM

Tuesday

6:00 AM

Tuesday

30

Saturday

12:00 MN

Wednesday 12:00 NN Friday 6:00 AM 8:00 AM

Manila

Thursday

4:00 PM

Iloilo Zamboanga *HQHUDO Santos

Sunday Tuesday

12:00 NN 10:00 PM

Manila

Thursday

7:00 AM

Monday

6:00 PM

MANILA-CEBU-ORMOC-ISABEL, LEYTE-DUMAGUETE-MANILA

7.

Bunker Surcharge (BSC) 102.00 102.00 102.00

Recovery Adjustment Cost (RAC) 1,366.40

999.48

RAC 107.14 107.14 107.14

BSC 38.00 38.00 38.00

RAC 107.14 107.14 107.14

BSC 38.00 38.00 38.00

RAC 107.14 107.14 107.14

BSC 38.00 38.00 38.00

MANILA-ORMOC-ISABEL, LEYTE-OZAMIS-DUMAGUETE-MANILA MANILA-ORMOC AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A 1,142.42 214.28 CLASS B 912.48 214.28 CLASS C

214.28 ORMOC-ISABEL, LEYTE AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A 422.91 107.14 CLASS B 338.42 107.14 CLASS C 420.17 107.14 ISABEL, LEYTE-OZAMIS AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A

CLASS B

CLASS C

2=$0,6 '80$*8(7( $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A 487.09 107.14 CLASS B 389.74 107.14 CLASS C 316.82 107.14 '80$*8(7( 0$1,/$ $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A

CLASS B

CLASS C 816.84

MANILA-CEBU-ORMOC-ISABEL, LEYTE-MANILA MANILA-ISABEL, LEYTE AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A 1,142.42 214.28 CLASS B 912.48 214.28 CLASS C

214.28 MANILA-ZAMBOANGA-DAVAO-ZAMBOANGA-MANILA 0$1,/$ =$0%2$1*$ $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A

CLASS B

CLASS C 816.84

=$0%2$1*$ '$9$2 $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A 1,009.00 214.28 CLASS B

214.28 CLASS C

214.28 MANILA-DAVAO AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A 2,039.30

CLASS B 1,739.23

CLASS C 1,478.09

MANILA-BACOLOD-OZAMIS-DUMAGUETE-MANILA MANILA-BACOLOD AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A

CLASS B

CLASS C 816.84

BACOLOD-OZAMIS AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A

CLASS B

CLASS C

2=$0,6 '80$*8(7( $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A

CLASS B

CLASS C

6.

5. Manila-Bacolod-Ozamis-Dumaguete-Manila PORT Manila Bacolod Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Bacolod Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Bacolod Ozamis Dumaguete Manila Bacolod Ozamis Dumaguete

12:00 NN 8:00 PM

Sunday

MANILA-CEBU AND VICE-VERSA PER CUBIC METER (CBM)-VAT EX Recovery Adjustment Cost (RAC) CLASS A 1,264.40 CLASS B

CLASS C 897.48 CEBU-ORMOC AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 CLASS A 487.09 CLASS B 389.74 CLASS C 316.82 ORMOC-ISABEL, LEYTE AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 CLASS A 422.91 CLASS B 338.42 CLASS C 420.17 ,6$%(/ '80$*8(7( $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 CLASS A 487.09 CLASS B 389.74 CLASS C 316.82

B. Alternative Routes as Need Arises 1. Manila-Zamboanga-Davao-Zamboanga-Manila; 2. Manila-Bacolod-Ozamis-Dumaguete-Manila; 3. Manila-Bacolod-Cagayan de Oro-Dumaguete-Bacolod-Manila; and, 0DQLOD ,ORLOR =DPERDQJD *HQHUDO 6DQWRV 0DQLOD

PORT Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Dumaguete Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Dumaguete Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Dumaguete Manila Cebu Ormoc Isabel, Leyte Dumaguete

Friday Sunday

B. SCHEDULE OF RATES: 1.

A. Regular Routes 1. Manila-Cebu-Ormoc-Isabel, Leyte-Dumaguete-Manila; 2. Manila-Ormoc-Isabel-Ozamis-Dumaguete-Manila; and, 3. Manila-Cebu-Ormoc-Isabel-Manila;

A.

Iloilo Zamboanga *HQHUDO Santos

07 -XQH

Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSION PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE HEALTH SERVICE Camp Bgen Rafael T Crame, Quezon City

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

NOTICE OF LOSS OF STOCK CERTIFICATE The public is hereby informed RI WKH ORVV RI 6WRFN &HUWL¿FDWH No. 2409 for one (1) share of THE COUNTRY CLUB AT TAGAYTAY HIGHLANDS, INC. WKH ³&RUSRUDWLRQ´ LVVXHG in the name of SPS. GEORGE D. & LULUBELLE C. MALIG. If no contest is presented to the Corporation regarding the above-mentioned stock FHUWL¿FDWH ZLWKLQ RQH \HDU from this notice, the right to contest shall be barred and the Corporation shall issue a new FHUWL¿FDWH LQ OLHX RI WKH ORVW RQH subject to and in accordance with the provisions of Sec. 72 of the Revised Corporation Code.

w w w.manilatimes.net

Any incorrect advertisement published in The Manila Times &ODVVLÃ&#x20AC;HG Ads must be brought to our attention on the same day the advertisement came out. We will not be held liable for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

TO: ALL INTERESTED/ACCREDITED SUPPLIERS: Sealed Bids in three (3) copies, Pursuant to Sec. 17 of Revised IRR of RA 9184, all entries typewritten with the item(s) described in the accompanying Bidderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tender for the Procurement of Drugs and Medicines, Procurement of Medical, Dental and Laboratory Supplies, Procurement of IT Equipment and Software, Procurement of Medical/Dental Instrument and Equipment, 3URFXUHPHQW RI 2I¿FH (TXLSPHQW 3URFXUHPHQW RI 2WKHU 6XSSOLHV 5HSDLU DQG 0DLQWHQDQFH RI 0HGLFDO (TXLSPHQW DQG ,QVWDOODWLRQ RI .9$ *HQHUDWRU 6HW WR 313*+ LQ WKH WRWDO DPRXQW RI Nine Million Six Hundred Fifty-Five Thousand Four Hundred Seventeen Pesos and EightyOne Centavos (P9,655,417.81) for the use of PNP Health Service. A complete set of Bidding Documents may be purchased by interested bidders from June 5, 2019 to June 25, 2019 from $0 WR 3 0 GXULQJ ZRUNLQJ GD\V DQG XSRQ SD\PHQW RI D QRQUHIXQGDEOH IHH IRU WKHLU bidding documents. Pre-Bid Conference will be held on June 13, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. Last day of submission of bids is until June 25, 2019 at 2:00 P.M. and must be submitted to HS Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) at the HS Conference Room. Opening of Bids is on the same time, date and place and will be opened in the presence of participating bidder. *HQHUDO 7HUPV DQG &RQGLWLRQ DQG VSHFL¿FDWLRQ RI WKH LWHPV XQGHU WKLV ,QYLWDWLRQ WR %LG PD\ obtain on the above address for information and compliance by the Bidder.

The PNP HS-BAC reserves the right to accept or reject any bid proposal, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

Please be guided accordingly.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT National Capital Judicial Region Branch 216, Quezon City

Very truly yours, (SGD.) ALBERTO A AVILA Police Colonel Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee

IN RE: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF LEGITIMATION OF MADEL MEDINA WITH PRAYER TO USE THE LAST NAME OF THE FATHER MADEL MEDINA a.k.a. MADEL MEDINA LUMA, Petitioner, - versus THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF QUEZON CITY, THE ADMINISTRATOR AND CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL, MANNY R. LUMA and IMELDA B. MEDINA Respondents. x------------------------------------------------------------------------x

07 ± -XQH R-QZN-18-05542-SP

AMENDED ORDER BSC 68.00 68.00 68.00

BSC 38.00 38.00 38.00

BSC 39.00 39.00 39.00

BSC 38.00 38.00 38.00

BSC 92.00 92.00 92.00

BSC 68.00 68.00 68.00

BSC 92.00 92.00 92.00

BSC 68.00 68.00 68.00

BSC 92.00 92.00 92.00

BSC 92.00 92.00 92.00

BSC 39.00 39.00 39.00

BSC 39.00 39.00 39.00

MANILA-BACOLOD-CAGAYAN DE ORO-DUMAGUETE-BACOLOD-MANILA MANILA-BACOLOD AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC BSC CLASS A

92.00 CLASS B

92.00 CLASS C 816.84

92.00 %$&2/2' &$*$<$1 '( 252 $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC BSC CLASS A 1,892.13

92.00 CLASS B

92.00 CLASS C 1,347.20

92.00 &$*$<$1 '( 252 '80$*8(7( $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC BSC CLASS A 487.09 107.14 38.00 CLASS B 389.74 107.14 38.00 CLASS C 316.82 107.14 38.00 '80$*8(7( %$&2/2' $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC BSC CLASS A

39.00 CLASS B

39.00 CLASS C

39.00 MANILA-ILOILO-ZAMBOANGA-GENERAL SANTOS-MANILA MANILA-ILOILO AND VICE-VERSA PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A

CLASS B 1,388.73

CLASS C 1,194.93

,/2,/2 =$0%2$1*$ $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A

CLASS B

CLASS C

=$0%2$1*$ *(1(5$/ 6$1726 $1' 9,&( 9(56$ PER CBM-VAT EX )5(,*+7 RAC CLASS A 1,009.00 214.28 CLASS B

214.28 CLASS C

214.28

THE COUNTRY CLUB AT TAGAYTAY HIGHLANDS, INC.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

BSC 92.00 92.00 92.00

BSC 39.00 39.00 39.00

BSC 68.00 68.00 68.00

Notice is hereby given that the said Application will be heard by this Authority on 10 June 2019 at 10:00 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock in the morning, at the 7th Floor, Franchising Service Hearing Room, at the above address.

The Applicant shall publish this Order once in a newspaper of general FLUFXODWLRQ DW OHDVW ¿YH GD\V EHIRUH WKH VFKHGXOHG GDWH RI KHDULQJ The Applicant shall submit a written Formal Offer of Evidence during the KHDULQJ RU ¿YH GD\V WKHUHDIWHU WITNESS WKH 2I¿FHU ,Q &KDUJH RI WKH 2I¿FH RI WKH $GPLQLVWUDWRU VADM NARCISO A VINGSON JR, this 31st day of May 2019 at Manila, Philippines.

BY AUTHORITY OF THE MARINA ADMINISTRATOR: (Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 11-14 dated 22 August 2014) MA. CONCEPCION C. ARBOLARIO OIC-Director Franchising Service 07 -XQH

For subscription, please call the Circulation Department at 5245664 local 222 or 310-5584 or email circulation@manilatimes.net ----------------------------To a d v e r t i s e , e m a i l u s a t advertising@manilatimes.net or call 524-5664 local 121

7KH SHWLWLRQHU 0DGHO 0HGLQD D N D 0DGHO 0HGLQD /XPD ¿OHG D YHUL¿HG SHWLWLRQ SUD\LQJ IRU FDQFHOODWLRQ RI /HJLWLPDWLRQ DQQRWDWHG LQ KHU &HUWL¿FDWH RI /LYH %LUWK DQG for her use of the surname of her father.

7KH SHWLWLRQHU DOOHJHV WKDW VKH ZDV ERUQ LQ 4XH]RQ &LW\ RQ -XO\ WR parents Manny R. Luma and Imelda B. Medina. Her birth was registered in the Local Civil Registry of Quezon City. At the time of her birth, her parents were unmarried.

Nonetheless, her father, Manny, has recognized her as his own child. On February 22, 1998, Manny and Imelda got married in Manila. Subsequently, petitioner was legitimated by her parents and this fact was recorded by the Civil Registry of Quezon City. The HQWU\ UHDGV ³/(*,7,0$7,21 12 ± /HJLWLPDWLRQ E\ VXEVHTXHQW PDUULDJH RI SDUHQWV RQ )HE LQ 0OD XQGHU UHJ QR ´ However, records bear out that Manny had a previous marriage with Nida V. Abelgas on January 4, 1993 in Monreal, Masbate. Said marriage was not annulled and has never been the subject of any annulment proceedings at the time of the birth of the petitioner.

Thus, the instant petition.

The Court hereby sets the Petition for hearing on July 22, 2019 at 8:30 in the morning before this Court sitting at the Second Floor, Rm. 237, Hall of Justice Bldg., Quezon City at which date, time and place, all interested persons are hereby cited to appear and show cause, if any, why said petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be published at the expense of the petitioner in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks, to EH VHOHFWHG E\ UDIÃ&#x20AC;H SXUVXDQW WR 3' 7KH 2I¿FH RI WKH &OHUN RI &RXUW LV GLUHFWHG WR UHSRUW WR WKH &RXUW WKH UHVXOW RI WKH UDIÃ&#x20AC;H ZLWK QRWLFH WR SHWLWLRQHU ZLWKLQ WHQ

days from receipt hereof.

7KH 3KLOLSSLQH 6WDWLVWLFV $XWKRULW\ WKH 2I¿FH RI WKH 6ROLFLWRU *HQHUDO WKH 2I¿FH RI the Local Civil Registrar of Quezon City and any person who has any opposition hereto PD\ ¿OH WKH VDPH ZLWKLQ ¿IWHHQ GD\V IURP QRWLFH RI WKH SHWLWLRQ RU IURP WKH ODVW date of publication of such notice.

Furnish a copy of this Order and petition to the Philippine Statistics Authority, 2I¿FH RI WKH /RFDO &LYLO 5HJLVWUDU 4XH]RQ &LW\ DQG WKH 2I¿FH RI WKH 6ROLFLWRU *HQHUDO SO ORDERED. Quezon City, Metro Manila, April 29, 2019.

(SGD.) ALFONSO C. RUIZ II Presiding Judge 07 ± -XQH

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EDITORS AND DESKMEN Competencies â&#x20AC;¢ Excellent command of written and spoken English â&#x20AC;¢ Degree holder preferably in journalism, communications, or related discipline (e.g. political science or economics with journalism experience) â&#x20AC;¢ Experience in editing news, analytical reports and columns â&#x20AC;¢ Strong news judgment and familiarity with local issues, as well as an understanding of relevant world affairs â&#x20AC;¢ $ELOLW\ WR ZULWH DQG HGLW ZLWK Ã&#x20AC;DLU DQG VSHHG WR PHHW WLJKW deadlines â&#x20AC;¢ )DPLOLDU ZLWK 0LFURVRIW 2I¿FH VRFLDO PHGLD DQG VHDUFK engines â&#x20AC;¢ Ability to lead and organize a team well â&#x20AC;¢ Good attitude, willingness to adjust to new systems and ability to respect authority within the organization REPORTERS Competencies â&#x20AC;¢ Excellent command of written and spoken English â&#x20AC;¢ Degree holder preferably in journalism, communications, or related discipline â&#x20AC;¢ Ability to establish and maintain a network of contacts in government and the private sector as source of information and analysis â&#x20AC;¢ Ability to identify the angle of news from a raft of available information or seek out information to build a solid news story â&#x20AC;¢ Familiarity with local issues and an understanding of relevant world affairs â&#x20AC;¢ $ VHQVH RI VSHHG DQG DFFXUDF\ LQ ZULWLQJ DQG ¿OOLQJ UHDO time stories to the news desk to meet tight deadlines â&#x20AC;¢ Knows Microsoft Office, social media and search engines â&#x20AC;¢ A good team player, but is able to work independently within the perimeters of a given assignment â&#x20AC;¢ Good attitude, willingness to adjust to new systems and ability to respect authority within the organization Interested applicants, please send a full resume, specifying your subject of expertise, with links to samples of online work or appropriate attachments.

Please email your resumé at: hrd@manilatimes.net, or you may apply personally at ) 6LWLR *UDQGH %OGJ $ 6RULDQR $YHQXH ,QWUDPXURV 0DQLOD (Formerly TRB Bldg.), or you may call Irish de Guzman at 524-5664 local 122.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

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$19.1B disaster aid bill up for Trump signing WASHINGTON, D.C.: ! LONG DELAYED BILLION DISASTER AID BILL SAILED THROUGH THE (OUSE ON -ONDAY AND HEADED TO 0RESIDENT $ONALD 4RUMP FOR HIS EXPECTED SIGNATURE OVERCOMING MONTHS OF INkGHTING MISJUDGMENT AND A FEUD BETWEEN 4RUMP AND CONGRESSIONAL $EMOCRATS ,AWMAKERS GAVE THE MEASURE kNAL CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL BY IN THE (OUSE S kRST SIGNIkCANT ACTION AFTER RETURNING FROM A DAY RECESS )T WAS BACKED BY ALL VOTING $EMOCRATS AND 2EPUBLICANS INCLUDING THE 'RAND /LD 0ARTY S TOP LEADERS AND MANY OF ITS LEGISLATORS FROM AREAS HIT BY HURRICANES lOODS TORNADOES AND kRES &IFTY EIGHT 2EPUBLICANS VOTED gNO u INCLUDING MANY OF THE PARTY S MOST CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS 4RUMP HAILED PASSAGE OF THE BILL

TWEETING g&ARMERS 0UERTO 2ICO AND ALL WILL BE VERY HAPPY u 4HE 0RESIDENT ALSO SUGGESTED INCORRECTLY THAT THE BILL WOULD NOW SEE ACTION IN THE 3ENATE 4HAT CHAMBER HAD ALREADY PASSED THE BILL BY A SWEEPING VOTE ON ITS WAY OUT OF 7ASHINGTON -AY

A MARGIN THAT RElECTED A CONSENSUS THAT THE BILL IS LONG OVERDUE "UT CONSERVATIVE 2EPUBLICANS IN THE (OUSE HELD UP THE BILL LAST WEEK OBJECTING ON THREE OCCASIONS

TO EFFORTS BY $EMOCRATIC LEADERS TO PASS THE BILL BY A VOICE VOTE REQUIRING UNANIMITY 4HEY SAID THE LEGISLATION Â&#x2021; WHICH RElECTS AN INCREASINGLY PERMISSIVE ATTITUDE IN 7ASHINGTON on spending to address disasters that SOONER OR LATER HIT EVERY REGION OF THE COUNTRY Â&#x2021; SHOULDN T BE RUSHED THROUGH WITHOUT A RECORDED VOTE !LONG THE WAY (OUSE AND 3ENATE OLD TIMERS SEEMED TO OUTMANEUVER THE 7HITE (OUSE THOUGH 4RUMP PERSONALLY PREVAILED UPON 3ENATE !PPROPRIATIONS #OMMITTEE #HAIRMAN 2ICHARD 3HELBY TO DROP A BID TO FREE UP BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR DREDGING AND OTHER HARBOR PROJECTS 4HE MEASURE WAS INITIALLY HELD UP OVER A kGHT BETWEEN 4RUMP AND $EMOCRATS OVER AID TO 0UERTO 2ICO THAT SEEMS LONG SETTLED g3OME IN OUR GOVERNMENT REFUSED TO ASSIST OUR FELLOW !MERICANS IN 0UERTO 2ICO WHO ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM A HURRICANE ) M PLEASED WE VE MOVED PAST THAT u SAID (OUSE !PPROPRIATIONS #OMMITTEE #HAIRMAN .ITA ,OWEY 4HE MEASURE ALSO FACED DELAYS AMID FAILED TALKS ON 4RUMP S BILLION PLUS REQUEST TO CARE FOR THOUSANDS OF MOSTLY #ENTRAL !MERICAN MIGRANTS BEING HELD AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER AP

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

World

B7

US president sees bigger US-UK deal after Brexit L ONDON: United States President Donald Trump met outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May and said he sees â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;bigger trade dealâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; once Britain leaves the European Union (EU).

g"IG TRADE DEAL IS POSSIBLE ONCE 5+ GETS RID OF THE SHACKLES u HE TWEETED -ONDAY 4UESDAY IN -ANILA !FTER A GLITTERING BANQUET THROWN BY 1UEEN %LIZABETH ND ON -ONDAY THE SECOND DAY OF 4RUMP S TRIP TURNS FROM POMP AND CEREMONY TO POLITICS AND BUSINESS 4HE 0RESIDENT S THREE DAY VISIT Â&#x2021; CENTERED AROUND 7EDNESDAY S $ $AY TH ANNIVERSARY COM-

MEMORATIONS Â&#x2021; COMES AT A TRICKY TIME FOR "RITAIN WITH -AY STEPPING DOWN WITHIN WEEKS OVER HER HANDLING OF "REXIT 4HE 5+ 53 gSPECIAL RELATIONSHIPu HAS BEEN UNDER STRAIN OVER DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO )RAN THE USE OF #HINESE TECHNOLOGY IN ' NETWORKS CLIMATE CHANGE AND 4RUMP S PERSONAL POLITICS -AY IS DUE TO STEP DOWN AS LEADER OF THE GOVERNING #ONSERVA-

TIVE 0ARTY ON &RIDAY HER "REXIT STRATEGY HAVING IMPLODED AFTER NEARLY THREE YEARS IN THE JOB 3OME CANDIDATES SO FAR ARE JOSTLING TO REPLACE HER AS PRIME MINISTER BY LATE *ULY 4RUMP HAS WEIGHED IN ON "REXIT

SAYING HE WOULD WALK AWAY FROM THE %5 WITHOUT A DEAL IF HE COULD NOT GET A DEAL HE LIKED (E HAS ALSO SAID HE WOULD LIKE TO STRIKE A QUICK TRADE AGREEMENT ONCE "RITAIN LEAVES THE %5 4RUMP AND -AY ARE SET TO CO HOST A BUSINESS BREAKFAST MEETING AT 3T *AMES S 0ALACE WITH kVE TOP COMPANIES EACH FROM "RITAIN AND THE 53 #HIEFS FROM "!% 3YSTEMS 'LAXO-

3MITH+LINE "ARCLAYS 2ECKITT "ENCKISER *0 -ORGAN ,OCKHEED -ARTIN AND 'OLDMAN 3ACHS )NTERNATIONAL ARE AMONG THOSE EXPECTED TO ATTEND g)T IS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BUT ONE ) BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE GREATER STILL u -AY WAS TO SAY AT THE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE ACCORDING TO HER $OWNING 3TREET OFkCE g7ITH A BILATERAL FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH BROADER ECONOMIC CO OPERATION THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO SEIZE g4HROUGH DIALOGUE LIKE THIS WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP NOT ONLY ENDURES BUT CONTINUES TO GROW STRONGER FOR MANY YEARS TO COME u AFP

No jail time for Assangeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rape charge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; court ! 37%$)3( COURT RULED THAT 7IKI,EAKS FOUNDER *ULIAN !SSANGE WOULD NOT BE DETAINED FOR ALLEGED RAPE THE COUNTRY S PROSECUTION AUTHORITY SAID 4HE DECISION HOWEVER DID NOT MEAN THAT THE PROSECUTION MUST BE TERMINATED 3WEDISH .EWS 364 REPORTED 4HERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT HE BE BROUGHT TO 3WEDEN (EARINGS MAY STILL BE CONDUCTED IN THE 5NITED +INGDOM ! DETENTION HEARING WAS HELD AT -ONDAY MORNING AT 5PPSALA $ISTRICT #OURT 3WEDEN S $EPUTY $IRECTOR OF 0UBLIC 0ROSECUTIONS %VA -ARIE 0ERSSON HAD REQUESTED THAT !SSANGE BE DETAINED IN ORDER TO FACE TRIAL OVER RAPE ALLEGATIONS DATING BACK TO 4HE INVESTIGATION DATES BACK IN

WHEN !SSANGE WAS ACCUSED OF SEXUAL MOLESTATION COERCION AND RAPE !T THE TIME !SSANGE DENIED THE ACCUSATIONS BUT REFUSED TO BE QUESTIONED IN 3WEDEN

FEARING THAT 3WEDEN WOULD THEN EXTRADITE HIM TO THE 53 TO FACE CONSPIRACY CHARGES !SSANGE lED TO "RITAIN SOON AFTER AND WAS GRANTED POLITICAL ASYLUM BY THE %MBASSY OF %CUADOR WHERE HE HAD LIVED UNTIL !PRIL 4HE MISCONDUCT AND COERCION CASES WERE DROPPED IN WHEN THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS EXPIRED 4HE INVESTIGATION INTO THE ALLEGED RAPE DOES NOT EXPIRE UNTIL !UGUST

BUT WAS CLOSED IN AFTER AN ASSESSMENT THAT !SSANGE COULD NOT BE EXTRADITED TO 3WEDEN FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE GLOBAL TIMES

Worldinbriefs IVORY CHESS PIECE TO FETCH $1M AT AUCTION LONDON: A chess piece purchased for a few pounds (dollars) by an antiques dealer in Scotland in 1964 has been identified as one of the 900-year-old Lewis Chessmen, among the greatest artifacts of the Viking era. Sothebyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s auction house said Monday (Tuesday in Manila) the chess piece is expected to bring between 600,000 pounds ($670,000) and 1 million pounds ($1.26 million) at an auction next month. The Lewis Chessmen are intricate, expressive chess pieces in the form of Norse warriors, carved from walrus ivory in the 12th century.

AP

35 DEAD IN SUDAN RALLY DISPERSAL KHARTOUM, Sudan: Sudanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ruling military moved to crush the protest movement opposing its grip on power as security forces overran the main sit-in site in the capital Monday night, unleashing furious volleys of gunfire, burning down tents and killing at least 35 people, witnesses and protest leaders said. With the assault, the generals signaled an end of their tolerance of the pro-democracy demonstrators, who for months have been camped outside the militaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s headquarters as the two sides negotiated over who would run the country after the April ouster of longtime strongman Omar al-Bashir.

AP

DANUBE BOAT SINKING DEATHS RISE TO 9 BUDAPEST, Hungary: Divers recovered the bodies Monday (Tuesday in Manila) of two more victims who were on a tour boat that capsized and sank in the Danube River after a collision with a river cruise ship, Hungarian officials said. The grim work brought the accidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death toll to nine, while 19 of the 35 people who were on the sightseeing boat remain missing. The Hableany (Mermaid) carried 33 South Korean passengers and two crew members when it was struck by the larger cruise ship, near the Hungarian Parliament building in Budapest.

AP

LEGS GONE Afghan disabled children, belonging to the Hamisha Gul family who lost their legs following unexploded rocket explosion, attend and study at a class in their house in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province. AFP PHOTO

US WELCOMES CHINESE STUDENTS Macron 4(% 5NITED 3TATES SAID -ONDAY 4UESDAY IN -ANILA IT WAS COMMITTED TO WELCOMING #HINESE NATIONALS FOR gLEGITIMATEu STUDIES BUT ACKNOWLEDGED INCREASED VISA SCRUTINY AFTER "EIJING WARNED ITS STUDENTS OF RISKS !MID AN ESCALATING TRADE WAR BETWEEN THE WORLD S TWO LARGEST ECONOMIES #HINA S EDUCATION MINISTRY POINTED TO AN UPTICK IN VISA DENIALS AND DELAYS )T TOLD STUDENTS APPLYING TO 53 UNIVERSITIES TO BRACE THEMSELVES AND gSTRENGTHEN RISK ASSESSMENT u ! DECREASE IN #HINESE STUDENTS COULD BE COSTLY TO THE 5NITED 3TATES #HINA IS BY FAR THE BIGGEST SOURCE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS ON 53 CAMPUSES WITH

ATTENDING LAST YEAR -ANY PAY COSTLY FULL TUITION 4HE 3TATE $EPARTMENT SAID IT HAD INCREASED SCRUTINY AFTER IDENTIFYING A RISING NUMBER OF CASES IN WHICH FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE CO opts students during their time

IN THE 53 g!T THE SAME TIME WE RE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE HIGHEST QUALITY SERVICE TO LEGITIMATE TRAVELERS Â&#x2021; WHO CONSTITUTE THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF OUR VISA APPLICANTS Â&#x2021; SO THEY CAN RECEIVE SWIFT THOROUGH AND CLEAR DECISIONS REGARDING THEIR VISA APPLICATIONS u A 3TATE $EPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID g7E WELCOME #HINESE STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS TO THE 5NITED 3TATES TO CONDUCT LEGITIMATE ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES u SHE SAID SAYING THAT MOST APPLICANTS RECEIVE FULL kVE YEAR VISAS 8U 9ONGJI DEPUTY HEAD OF A DEPARTMENT OVERLOOKING FOREIGN ACADEMIC EXCHANGES AT #HINA S %DUCATION -INISTRY SAID VISA DENIALS HAD gDAMAGED THE DIGNITYu OF #HINESE STUDENTS AND CAST A gCOLD SPELLu OVER RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS AND ACADEMIC EXCHANGES &ROM *ANUARY TO -ARCH MORE

THAN #HINESE STUDENTS HAD APPLIED FOR 53 STUDENT VISAS BUT WERE gUNABLE TO MAKE THE TRIP AS PLANNEDu DUE TO VISA ISSUES ACCOUNTING FOR PERCENT OF ALL APPLICANTS 8U TOLD STATE BROADCASTER ##46 #ITING DATA FROM THE #HINA 3CHOLARSHIP #OUNCIL 8U SAID THIS WAS A MARKED INCREASE FROM JUST OVER THREE PERCENT OF APPLICANTS WHO EXPERIENCED VISA ISSUES IN #HINA S FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN 'ENG 3HUANG SAID THE 53 HAD BEEN SETTING gUNNECESSARY OBSTACLESu TO PEOPLE TO PEOPLE EXCHANGES BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES #HINESE STUDENTS CONTRIBUTED BILLION TO THE 53 ECONOMY IN

ACCORDING TO A TRADE GROUP )NDIA IS THE SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF STUDENTS BUT THE GAP IS SIGNIkCANT WITH FEWER THAN

)NDIANS STUDYING IN THE 5NITED 3TATES AFP

MAD COW PROMPTS BRAZIL BEEF EXPORT HALT RIO de Janeiro: Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s government said Monday it had suspended beef exports to China after an â&#x20AC;&#x153;atypicalâ&#x20AC;? case of mad cow disease was identified in the state of Mato Grosso, an agricultural hub. Exports would remain at a halt while Chinese authorities evaluated details of the incident, the agriculture ministry said in a notice. Brazil is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest exporter of beef and poultry.

AFP

TURKEY-RUSSIA DEAL TO PROCEED â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ERDOGAN ISTANBUL: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday Turkey would not withdraw from a deal made with Russia to buy an S-400 missile defense system despite US threats of â&#x20AC;&#x153;devastatingâ&#x20AC;? consequences. Ankaraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire to buy the S-400 has been a major source of contention between North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies Turkey and the United States, which has threatened sanctions after months of warnings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have made an agreement [with Russia]. We are determined,â&#x20AC;? Erdogan was quoted as saying by the official Anadolu news agency.

AFP

ISRAEL TOTALLY EASES FISHING BAN IN GAZA JERUSALEM: Israel had totally eased the fishing limit off the blockaded Gaza Strip on Tuesday, an official said, a week after cutting it in response to incendiary balloons. The limit has now been restored to a maximum of 15 nautical miles, the Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. It is the same limit set in April ahead of Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general election and the largest allowed in years.

AFP

MANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST FRIEND Stray dogs play in the prison of Sremska Mitrovica. Known earlier as

the overcrowded correctional institution, the Serbian government converted it into a dog pension house where prisoners are tasked to take care of stray dogs until they finish their jail sentence. AFP PHOTO

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bad guyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; in Brexit discussion

PARIS: &RENCH 0RESIDENT %MMANUEL -ACRON SAID -ONDAY 4UESDAY IN -ANILA THAT HE FULLY ACCEPTED HIS gBAD GUYu ROLE IN INSISTING ON A SHORTER EXTENSION TO "RITAIN S TORTUOUS EXIT FROM THE %UROPEAN 5NION %5 WHILE INSISTING THAT /CTOBER IS THE gkNAL kNAL DEADLINE u -ACRON PUSHED FOR A TOUGH LINE AGAINST ,ONDON AFTER "RITISH LAWMAKERS REFUSED TO BACK THE EXIT DEAL REACHED BY 0RIME -INISTER 4HERESA -AY AND THE REST OF THE BLOC g) WAS ALWAYS PICTURED AS THE BAD GUY IN THE ROOM ) ENDORSE SUCH A ROLE BECAUSE ) THINK IT IS A BIG MISTAKE TO PROCRASTINATE u -ACRON TOLD A GATHERING OF INTERNATIONAL BANKING CHIEFS AT THE %LYSEE 0ALACE IN 0ARIS !FTER A kRST EXTENSION IN LATE -ARCH %5 LEADERS GAVE "RITAIN UNTIL END /CTOBER TO kND A WAY TO AVOID LEAVING WITH NO DEAL

POTENTIALLY WREAKING HAVOC ON CROSS #HANNEL TRADE )T WAS A COMPROMISE BETWEEN -ACRON AND OTHERS READY TO ACCEPT A NO DEAL EXIT AND OTHER %5 LEADERS WHO WERE READY TO GIVE "RITAIN EVEN MORE TIME g) THINK THIS IS THE kNAL kNAL DEADLINE BECAUSE ) DON T WANT TO HAVE THE NEW COMMISSION AND THIS NEW EXECUTIVE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS PAST ISSUE u -ACRON SAID (E WARNED THAT REOPENING NEGOTIATIONS ON A "REXIT DEAL WAS A gNON STARTER u BUT ALSO SAID HE DID NOT SEE HOW "RITAIN WOULD APPROVE THE DEAL gWITHOUT A NEW GENERAL ELECTION OR A REFERENDUM ON WHAT WAS NEGOTIATED u "RITISH POLITICS HAVE BEEN THROWN INTO CHAOS OVER THE %5 EXIT WITH MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE JOCKEYING TO REPLACE -AY WHO ANNOUNCED HER RESIGNATION LAST MONTH AFTER A REBELLION AMONG HER #ONSERVATIVE ALLIES AFP

World Tight security in Beijing on Tiananmenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 30th year B B8

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

EIJING: China marked 30 years since the deadly Tiananmen crackdown on Tuesday with a wall of silence and extra security, as it traded barbs with the United States over its human rights record.

0OLICE CHECKED THE IDENTIkCATION CARDS OF EVERY TOURIST AND COMMUTER LEAVING THE SUBWAY NEAR 4IANANMEN 3QUARE THE SITE OF THE PRODEMOCRACY PROTESTS THAT WERE BRUTALLY EXTINGUISHED BY TANKS AND SOLDIERS ON *UNE

&OREIGN JOURNALISTS WERE NOT ALLOWED ONTO THE SQUARE AT ALL OR WERE WARNED BY POLICE NOT TO TAKE PICTURES /FkCIALS ALSO TOLD ONE REPORTER THAT gILLEGAL MEDIA BEHAVIORu COULD IMPACT VISA RENEWALS 4HE 5NITED 3TATES MARKED THE OCCASION BY HAILING THE gHEROICu MOVEMENT OF "UT IN #HINA THE #OMmunist Party made sure the ANNIVERSARY REMAINED IN THE DISTANT PAST DETAINING SEVERAL

ACTIVISTS IN THE RUN UP TO *UNE

WHILE POPULAR LIVESTREAMING SITES CONSPICUOUSLY SHUT DOWN FOR gTECHNICALu MAINTENANCE 3EARCHES BY !GANCE &RANCE 0RESS FOR THE TERM g4IANANMENu ON THE 4WITTER LIKE 7EIBO PLATFORM ON 4UESDAY DISPLAYED THE OFFICIAL LOGO OF THE TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF #OMMUNIST #HINA /VER THE YEARS THE PARTY HAS CENSORED ANY DISCUSSION OF THE PROTESTS AND CRACKDOWN IN WHICH HUNDREDS OF UNARMED CIVILIANS

AND POSSIBLY MORE THAN

WERE KILLED Â&#x2021; ENSURING THAT PEOPLE EITHER NEVER LEARN ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED OR FEAR DETENTION IF THEY DARE DISCUSS IT OPENLY 4HE PARTY AND ITS HIGH TECH POLICE APPARATUS HAVE TIGHTENED

CONTROL OVER CIVIL SOCIETY SINCE 0RESIDENT 8I *INPING TOOK OFkCE IN ROUNDING UP ACTIVISTS

RIGHTS LAWYERS AND EVEN -ARXIST STUDENTS WHO SYMPATHIZED WITH LABOR MOVEMENTS #OUNTLESS SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS ARE PERCHED ON LAMPPOSTS IN AND AROUND 4IANANMEN 3QUARE g)T S NOT THAT WE DON T CARE 7E KNOW WHAT HAPPENED u SAID A DRIVER FOR THE $I$I RIDE HAILING SERVICE WHO WAS BORN IN g"UT HOW CAN ) TELL YOU THE $I$I APP IS RECORDING OUR CONVERSATION IN THE CAR u HE SAID )N RELATED DEVELOPMENT

#HINA ON 4UESDAY ACCUSED THE 53 OF ATTACKING ITS SYSTEM AND SMEARING ITS POLICIES AFTER 3ECRETARY OF 3TATE -IKE 0OMPEO MADE COMMENTS gOUT OF PREJUDICE AND ARROGANCEu ABOUT THE 4IANANMEN CRACKDOWN 4HE FURIOUS REACTION CAME AFTER 0OMPEO THE DAY BEFORE THE TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE *UNE

BLOODSHED SAID ON -ONDAY THAT 7ASHINGTON HAD LOST HOPE FOR

Kim unhappy over NKoreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mass Games

HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRESS IN #HINA ! SPOKESMAN FOR "EIJING S EMBASSY IN 7ASHINGTON SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT WHOEVER ATTEMPTS gTO PATRONIZE AND BULLY THE #HINESE PEOPLE WILL ONLY END UP IN THE ASH HEAP OF HISTORY u The spokesman said Pompeo HAD USED gTHE PRETEXT OF HUMAN RIGHTSu FOR A STATEMENT THAT gGROSSLY INTERVENES IN #HINA S INTERNAL AFFAIRS ATTACKS ITS SYSTEM

AND SMEARS ITS DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN POLICIES g4HIS IS AN AFFRONT TO THE #HINESE PEOPLE AND A SERIOUS VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AND BASIC NORMS GOVERNING INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 4HE #HINESE SIDE EXPRESSES ITS STRONG DISSATISFACTION AND kRM OPPOSITION TO IT u 4HE #HINESE STATEMENT REFERRED ONLY TO gTHE POLITICAL INCIDENT OF THE LATE S u AND SAID #HINA S GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE LONG AGO gREACHED THE VERDICTu ON IT g#HINA S HUMAN RIGHTS ARE IN THE BEST PERIOD EVER u THE EMBASSY SAID AFP

New Delhi most polluted capital, UN affirms NEW Delhi: )NDIA S TALLEST RUBBISH MOUNTAIN IN .EW $ELHI IS ON COURSE TO RISE HIGHER THAN THE 4AJ -AHAL IN THE NEXT YEAR BECOMING A FETID SYMBOL FOR WHAT THE 5NITED .ATIONS CONSIDERS THE WORLD S MOST POLLUTED CAPITAL (AWKS AND OTHER BIRDS OF PREY HOVER AROUND THE TOWERING 'HAZIPUR LANDkLL ON THE EASTERN FRINGE OF .EW $ELHI STRAY COWS DOGS AND RATS WANDER AT WILL OVER THE HUGE EXPANSE OF SMOKING kLTH Taking up the area of more than FOOTBALL PITCHES 'HAZIPUR RISES

BY NEARLY METERS FEET A YEAR WITH NO END IN SIGHT TO ITS FOUL SMELLING GROWTH !CCORDING TO %AST $ELHI S SUPERINTENDENT ENGINEER !RUN +UMAR IT WAS ALREADY MORE THAN METERS FEET HIGH !T ITS CURRENT RATE OF GROWTH IT WILL BE TALLER THAN THE ICONIC 4AJ IN !GRA SOME METERS FEET HIGH IN )NDIA S 3UPREME #OURT WARNED LAST YEAR THAT RED WARNING LIGHTS WOULD SOON HAVE TO BE PUT ON THE DUMP TO ALERT PASSING JETS )T WAS NOT MEANT TO BE THAT WAY 'HAZIPUR WAS OPENED IN AND REACHED ITS CAPACITY IN WHEN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLOSED "UT THE CITY S DETRITUS HAS KEPT ON ARRIVING EACH DAY IN HUNDREDS OF TRUCKS

TRASH TIME Indian rag pickers look for recyclable materials as cows wander around at one of the largest disposal sites in northeast India at the Boragaon area of Guwahati. AFP PHOTO

g!BOUT TONS OF GARBAGE IS $ELHI MUNICIPAL OFkCIAL SAID ON DUMPED AT 'HAZIPUR EACH DAY u A CONDITION OF ANONYMITY

Japan ends search for crashed F35 jet TOKYO: *APAN CALLED OFF ITS SEARCH FOR AN & ! JET ON 4UESDAY ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER THE STEALTH JET CRASHED INTO THE SEA SPARKING A SCRAMBLE TO RECOVER THE PILOT AND SECRETS ONBOARD $EFENCE -INISTER 4AKESHI )WAYA TOLD REPORTERS THE SEARCH HAD BEEN HALTED BUT THAT HIS TEAMS WERE STILL INVESTIGATING THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH ADDING THAT & ! OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN *APAN HAD NOT YET RESUMED 4HE MINISTRY WOULD ALSO KEEP MONITORING A WIDER AREA WITH UNDERWATER CAMERAS gFOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING CLASSIkED MILITARY INFORMATION u )WAYA SAID %XPERTS SAID *APAN AND THE 53 WERE KEEN TO PREVENT SENSITIVE DEBRIS FROM THE PLANE BEING RECOVERED BY 2USSIA OR #HINA AND )WAYA HIMSELF HAS ADMITTED THERE WAS gA SIGNIkCANT AMOUNT OF SECRETS THAT NEED TO BE PROTECTEDu ON THE JET 3OME DEBRIS HAD BEEN RECOVERED INCLUDING THE JET S TAIL BUT NEITHER THE PILOT S BODY NOR THE lIGHT DATA RECORDER HAVE BEEN FOUND 4HE STATE OF THE ART kGHTER JET WENT MISSING ON !PRIL WHILE lYING KILOMETERS MILES EAST OF -ISAWA

NORTHEASTERN *APAN ON A TRAINING MISSION 4HE PLANE LOST CONTACT ABOUT MINUTES AFTER TAKING OFF FROM -ISAWA !IR "ASE WITH THREE OTHER AIRCRAFT )T WAS THE kRST REPORTED CRASH BY AN & ! JET ACCORDING TO *APAN S !IR 3ELF $EFENCE &ORCE *APAN IS DEPLOYING & !S EACH OF WHICH COSTS MORE THAN BILLION YEN MILLION TO REPLACE ITS AGEING & kGHTERS 4HEY ARE A KEY PART OF 0RIME -INISTER 3HINZO !BE S EFFORTS TO UPGRADE THE NATION S MILITARY CAPACITY TO MEET CHANGING POWER DYNAMICS IN %AST !SIA WITH #HINA RAPIDLY MODERNIZING ITS MILITARY AFP

)N A SECTION OF THE HILL COLLAPSED IN HEAVY RAINS KILLING TWO PEOPLE $UMPING WAS BANNED AFTER THE DEATHS BUT THE MEASURE LASTED ONLY A FEW DAYS BECAUSE AUTHORITIES COULD NOT kND AN ALTERNATIVE &IRES SPARKED BY METHANE GAS COMING FROM THE DUMP

REGULARLY BREAK OUT AND TAKE DAYS TO EXTINGUISH 3HAMBHAVI 3HUKLA SENIOR RESEARCHER AT THE #ENTER FOR 3CIENCE AND %NVIRONMENT IN .EW $ELHI SAID METHANE BELCHING FROM THE GARBAGE COULD BECOME EVEN MORE DEADLY WHEN MIXED WITH ATMOSPHERE ,EACHATE A BLACK TOXIC LIQUID

OOZES FROM THE DUMP INTO A LOCAL CANAL g)T ALL NEEDS TO BE STOPPED AS THE CONTINUOUS DUMPING HAS SEVERELY POLLUTED THE AIR AND GROUND WATER u SAID #HITRA -UKHERJEE HEAD OF ENVIRONMENT ADVOCACY GROUP #HINTAN 2ESIDENTS SAY THE DUMP OFTEN MAKES BREATHING VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE g4HE POISONOUS SMELL HAS MADE OUR LIVES HELL 0EOPLE FALL SICK ALL THE TIME u SAID YEAR OLD LOCAL RESIDENT 0UNEET 3HARMA 0ROTESTS DO NOT WORK AND NOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE DISTRICT AFP

SEOUL: Tens of thousands of performers in Pyongyang took part IN THE kRST OF .ORTH +OREA S SPECTACULAR g-ASS 'AMESu PROPAGANDA DISPLAYS FOR BUT THE SHOW LEFT LEADER +IM *ONG 5N UNIMPRESSED 4HE g'RAND -ASS 'YMNASTICS AND !RTISTIC 0ERFORMANCEu FEATURES ENORMOUS NUMBERS OF PEOPLE Â&#x2021; MOSTLY STUDENTS AND SCHOOLCHILDREN Â&#x2021; IN PRECISION SYNCHRONIZED MOVES "EHIND THEM THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN TURN THE COLORED PAGES OF BOOKS IN SEQUENCE TO CREATE AN EVER CHANGING BACKDROP OF GIANT IMAGES RIPPLING ACROSS ONE SIDE OF THE STADIUM "UT +IM WAS UNDERWHELMED BY THE PRODUCTION TITLED g4HE ,AND OF THE 0EOPLE u !FTER THE SHOW gHE CALLED CREATORS OF THE PERFORMANCE AND SERIOUSLY CRITICIZED THEM FOR THEIR WRONG SPIRIT OF CREATION AND IRRESPONSIBLE WORK ATTITUDE u THE .ORTH S OFFICIAL +OREAN #ENTRAL .EWS !GENCY +#.! NEWS AGENCY REPORTED 4UESDAY .OTING THAT ARTISTS gHAVE A VERY IMPORTANT DUTY IN SOCIALIST CULTURAL CONSTRUCTION u +IM gSET FORTH IMPORTANT TASKS FOR CORRECTLY IMPLEMENTING THE REVOLUTIONARY POLICY OF OUR PARTY ON LITERATURE AND ART u +#.! ADDED )T WAS NOT CLEAR WHAT HAD INFURIATED THE LEADER

+IM WAS ACCOMPANIED TO THE PERFORMANCE BY HIS WIFE 2I 3OL *U AND HIS SISTER AND CLOSE AIDE +IM 9O *ONG +#.! SAID )T WAS THE kRST TIME IT HAD MENTIONED +IM 9O *ONG FOR NEARLY TWO MONTHS SINCE THE (ANOI SUMMIT BETWEEN +IM *ONG 5N AND 53 0RESIDENT $ONALD 4RUMP BROKE UP IN &EBRUARY WITHOUT REACHING AGREEMENT OVER SANCTIONS RELIEF AND THE .ORTH S NUCLEAR PROGRAM !MONG THE SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS PRESENT WAS +IM 9ONG #HOL +#.! SAID (E IS THE .ORTH S COUNTERPART TO 53 3ECRETARY OF 3TATE -IKE 0OMPEO IN THE NUCLEAR TALKS AND 3OUTH +OREA S #HOSUN )LBO NEWSPAPER LAST WEEK REPORTED THAT HE HAD BEEN SENT TO A LABOR CAMP AFTER THE NO DEAL IN (ANOI +#.! MADE NO MENTION OF +IM (YOK #HOL .ORTH +OREA S SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE 5S WHO THE #HOSUN )LBO SAID HAD BEEN EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD FOR gBETRAYING THE SUPREME LEADERu AFTER HE WAS gWON OVER TO THE 53u DURING PRE SUMMIT NEGOTIATIONS 0ARTICIPANTS IN THE -ASS 'AMES rehearse for months ahead of the PERFORMANCES AND ACCORDING TO TRAVEL COMPANIES g4HE ,AND OF THE 0EOPLEu WAS EXPECTED TO RUN FOR kVE MONTHS INTO /CTOBER "UT +IM S VERDICT ON THE SHOW MAY SEE IT REWORKED AFP

China tourism week launched in Myanmar 4(% #HINA 4OURISM AND #ULTURE 7EEK WAS INAUGURATED IN 9ANGON ON 4UESDAY WITH THE AIM OF DEEPENING EXCHANGES AND COOPERATION IN THE SECTORS OF TOURISM AND CULTURE AS WELL AS PROMOTING FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN PEOPLES OF THE TWO COUNTRIES 3PEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY #HARGE D AFFAIRES OF THE #HINESE %MBASSY ,I 8IAOYAN STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TWO COUNTRIES COOPERATION UNDER THE FRAMEWORK OF THE "ELT AND 2OAD )NITIATIVE SAYING THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES OPENED A NEW PAGE OF COOPERATION IN TOURISM AND CULTURE TO DEEPEN THE 0AUKPHAW FRATERNAL FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO PEOPLES ,I CALLED FOR TAKING THE OPPORTUNITY OF #HINA 4OURISM AND #ULTURE 7EEK TO EXPAND COOPERATION IN ANTICIPATION OF THE TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES NEXT YEAR AND STRIVE FOR BETTER BILATERAL TIES ON THE BASIS OF THE EXISTING FRIENDLY RELATIONS 2ECTOR OF THE 5NIVERSITY OF #ULTURE AND !RTS OF -YANMAR 5 !UNG

.AING -YINT REPRESENTING THE -INISTER OF 2ELIGIOUS !FFAIRS AND #ULTURE 5 !UNG +O EXPRESSED BELIEF THAT THE EVENT WOULD CONSOLIDATE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES AND SERVE AS A FOUNDATION OF ENHANCING COOPERATION IN THE SECTORS OF TOURISM AND CULTURE $IRECTOR 'ENERAL OF #ULTURE AND 4OURISM $EPARTMENT OF #HINA S 9UNNAN 0ROVINCE (E ,IGUI SAID THE EVENT BROUGHT CLOSER COOPERATION BETWEEN 9UNNAN 0ROVINCE AND -YANMAR EXPECTING A GOOD OUTCOME FROM SUCH EXPANDED COOPERATION IN THE SECTORS 4HE EVENT WAS ORGANIZED BY THE #HINESE %MBASSY 9UNNAN 0ROVINCIAL $EPARTMENT OF #ULTURE AND 4OURISM AND #HINA #ULTURAL #ENTER IN 9ANGON /N -ONDAY AFTERNOON SCHOLARS AND EXPERTS FROM THE TWO COUNTRIES HELD DISCUSSIONS ON RENOVATION AND CONSERVATION OF "AGAN PAGODAS FUSION OF CULTURE AND TOURISM

NEW OPPORTUNITY OF #HINA ONLINE TRAVEL AGENCY S OUTBOUND TRAVEL ROUTES AND CONSERVATION OF TOURISM CULTURE AND INHERITANCE GLOBAL TIMES

4-VEHICLE CRASH HURTS 60 IN CAMBODIA .%!2,9 GARMENT WORKERS WERE INJURED 4UESDAY IN AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING FOUR VEHICLES ALONG .ATIONAL 2OAD IN 3VAY 2IENG PROVINCE S 3VAY 4EAB DISTRICT 0UM 3OKUNTHY A UNION REPRESENTATIVE FROM 9OU ,I GARMENT FACTORY SAID THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED AT ABOUT A M WHEN THE WORKERS WERE IN TWO TRUCKS TRAVELING TO WORK

(E SAID THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN A SPORTS UTILITY VEHICLE 356 TRAVELING IN FRONT OF THE TRUCKS SUDDENLY STOPPED TO AVOID HITTING A CONTAINER TRUCK WHICH SUDDENLY ENTERED THE HIGHWAY FROM A SIDE ROAD g4HIS TRAFkC ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY THE CONTAINER TRUCK AND INVOLVED THE 356 AND THE TWO TRUCKS CARRYING THE

WORKERS u 3OKUNTHY SAID g4HE WORKERS WERE SENT TO THE PROVINCIAL AND DISTRICT REFERRAL HOSPITALS u (E NOTED THAT THE WORKERS WERE NOT SERIOUSLY HURT BUT THREE OR FOUR OF THEM WERE PREGNANT AND DOCTORS WERE CHECKING IF THE FETUSES IN THEIR WOMBS WERE AFFECTED ,T #OL ,OEUK .EANG DISTRICT DEPUTY

POLICE CHIEF IN CHARGE OF TRAFkC ORDER

ALSO SAID THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE CONTAINER TRUCK SUDDENLY ENTERED .ATIONAL 2OAD CAUSING THE 356 DRIVER TO SLAM ON HIS BRAKES (E SAID THE kRST TRUCK FERRYING THE WORKERS COULD NOT STOP IN TIME AND HIT THE 356 MAKING THE SECOND TRUCK HIT THE kRST KHMER TIMES

EID EXODUS

Bangladeshis cram onto a train as they travel back home to meet their families ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr in Dhaka.

AFP PHOTO

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T

Special Feature PH maritime sector marks Marinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 45th anniversary

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

BY GENIVI FACTAO

HE Maritime Industry Authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (Marina) goal of building a globally competitive maritime industry in the next 10 years marks the celebration of its 45th founding anniversary today, June 5, 2019.

In its 45 years of existence, Marina has remained dedicated to its service anchored on professionalism, integrity and excellence on the way to achieving the Maritime Philippines that is nationally integrated and globally competitive maritime industry.

4ODAY -ARINA WILL UNVEIL THE NEW MARKER OF ITS CENTRAL OFkCE THE kRST BUILDING OWNED SINCE ITS FOUNDATION ON *UNE 4HE STORY BUILDING WHICH COSTS 0 MILLION IS LOCATED AT "ONIFACIO $RIVE CORNER TH 3TREET 0ORT !REA -ANILA )T WAS CONSTRUCTED WITH THE ASSISTANCE FROM THE $EPARTMENT OF 0UBLIC 7ORKS AND (IGHWAYS AND !NGKLA 0ARTY LIST !RSENIO ,INGAD -ARINA /)# DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR FOR PLANNING SAID they started the anniversary celebration with the launch of the Passenger "ILL OF 2IGHTS RECENTLY 4ODAY THEY WILL UNVEIL THE NEW MARKER OF THE new Marina central building and will launch the Maritime Industry $EVELOPMENT 0LAN -)$0 ,INGAD SAID THE -)$0 WAS BASED ON 3USTAINABLE $EVELOPMENT 'OALS 3$' AND THE ACTION PLAN OF 0HILIPPINE $EVELOPMENT 0LAN

4HE -)$0 HAS EIGHT PRIORITY PROGRAMS THE UPGRADE OF DOMESTIC SHIPPING in support of the nautical highway development; the development of shipping services for maritime tourism; the development of coastal inland and WATERWAYS TRANSPORT SYSTEM #)743 THE STRENGTHENING OF SAFETY STANDARDS OF 0HILIPPINE REGISTERED kSHING VESSELS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GLOBAL MARItime hub; the enhancement of maritime safety in the Philippines; the modernization of maritime security in the Philippines; and the establishment OF -ARITIME )NNOVATION AND +NOWLEDGE #ENTER g4HIS IS A FRAMEWORK FOR THE NEXT YEARS IN ORder to have an impact on safer ship, competence of crew and good governance, to better serve our PEOPLE u ,INGAD SAID IN A 46 INTERVIEW g7E RE COORDINATING WITH PRIVATE SECTOR AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES SINCE 7E VE prepared for the plans and program, the budGET AND PLANNING CYCLE TO SUPPORT THE -)$0 7E RE ON SCHEDULE IN FULkLLING THE OBLIGATION u he added.

(E SAID -ARINA WAS PRIORITIZING THE COMPETENCE AND QUALIkCATION OF SEAFARERS AND GOOD GOVERNANCE WHICH ARE INCLUDED IN THE -)$0 g3INCE TO WE VE BEEN DISCUSSING THIS -)$0 4HE PROGRAM IS VERY INCLUSIVE The seafarers, safety of passengers, safety of ship, marine environment, they were in this program and they were in the springboard now,â&#x20AC;? he said.

4HE -)$0 S EIGHT PRIORITY PROGRAMS IN IS ESTIMATED TO COST BILLION 4HE PERCENT OR BILLION WOULD BE GENERATED from the private sector in the form of direct investments, while the remaining 8 percent OR BILLION WOULD BE SOURCED FROM THE government funds.

MIDP 2028 targets Marina aims to double the contribution of the maritime industry to the total gross domestic PRODUCT '$0 OF THE 0HILIPPINES BY -)$0 TARGETS TO INCREASE THE INDUSTRY S TOTAL REVENUE BY PERCENT AND THE VOLUME AND value of traded goods via Philippine-registered MERCHANT lEET ALSO BY PERCENT "Y THE AVERAGE TRANSPORT TIME BY SEA and maritime accidents should be reduced by PERCENT AND PERCENT RESPECTIVELY AND passenger satisfaction rating for safety related SERVICES SHOULD BE UP BY PERCENT The success of the program will be gauged on the increase in the number of ships compliant with national and international safety stanDARDS BY PERCENT AND THE COUNTRY S SAFETY STANDARDS INSPECTORS BY PERCENT g"Y THE VOLUME AND VALUE OF TRADED commodities and amount of investments in PORTS AND SHIPPING SHOULD INCREASE BY PERCENT and the number of passengers feeling safe, secure, and comfortable with shipping services should INCREASE BY PERCENT !BOVE ALL MARITIME INcidents caused by criminality and terrorism shall DECREASE TO ZERO u ACCORDING TO -)$0 -ARINA IS EXPECTING TO ACHIEVE AN PERCENT passenger satisfaction rate through better quality of shipping services, reduction in travel time, as WELL AS DECREASE IN MARITIME ACCIDENTS BY )T AIMS TO SIGNIkCANTLY INCREASE THE NUMBER of modernized and technologically-advanced SEAGOING VESSELS IN THE COUNTRY

BY PERCENT

AND EXPECTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ROUTES and the expansion and improvement of roads AND PORTS FOR AN EXTENSIVE AND EFkCIENT 2OAD 2OLL ON 2OLL OFF 4RANSPORT 3YSTEM 2243 )N YEARS MARITIME TOURISM REVENUE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE BY PERCENT AND THE DOLLAR REMITTANCES OF FOREIGN lAG CRUISE SHIP PERSONNEL BY ALMOST PERCENT 4HE NUMBER of maritime accidents involving cruise ships should also be recorded at zero.

4HE NUMBER OF SATISkED MARITIME STAKEHOLDERS on policies, programs and services should increase by 85 percent, while positive feedbacks and suggestions received from clients should increase by

PERCENT 7ITH THIS THERE WILL BE AN INcrease in the number of boats serving tourist destinations in the country that will be made possible through intensifying boat construction in local shipyards, which will in turn create job opPORTUNITIES FOR &ILIPINOS !BOVE all, Marina targets to double the number of personnel employed in FOREIGN lAG CRUISE SHIPS

Marina expects to increase the number of passengers transported by PERCENT AND THE VOLUME AND VALUE OF CARGOES TRANSPORTED BY PERCENT 7ITH THIS THE #)743 IS EXPECTED TO GENERATE ALMOST 0 BILLION IN INVESTments in ship and facility operations. )N YEARS -ARINA SEEKS TO REDUCE kSHING VESSELS OPERATIONS COST BY PERCENT AND MARITIME INCIDENTS INVOLVING kSHING VESSELS BY PERcent. This will result in the gradual

reduction of illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing practices AND THE PERCENT INCREASE PER YEAR of fishing vessels registered with &ISHING 6ESSEL 3AFETY #ERTIkCATE

%NGINEER 2AMON (ERNANDEZ

-ARINA 3HIPYARDS 2EGULATION 3ERVICE DIRECTOR SAID THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE -)$0 WOULD LEAD to the development of the maritime industry and consequently Maritime hub contribute to the growth of the COUNTRY S '$0 Marina has encouraged businessg4HE -)$0 PRIORITY PROGRAMS men to invest in the establishment shall only mean good and positive OF THE kRST EVER MARITIME INDUSTRIAL TO THE COUNTRY S MARITIME INDUSTRY HUB UNDER THE YEAR -)$0 ÂłMarinaC2

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Special Feature

Q MARINA FROM C1 Q Vice Admiral Narciso Vingson Jr. OIC-Administrator Marina.

Marine Engineering graduates, based on international standards.

Marina remains fully committed to steadily susTAIN THE 0HILIPPINES FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE 34#7 #ONVENTION AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO EVERYTHING it can to maintain our status in the International -ARITIME /RGANIZATION )-/ 7HITE ,IST 4HE SO CALLED g7HITE ,ISTu REFERS TO A LIST OF PARTIES CONkRMED BY THE )-/ -ARITIME 3AFETY #OMMITTEE -3# TO HAVE COMMUNICATED INformation that demonstrates full and complete EFFECT TO THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS OF THE 34#7

Marpol 'UIDED BY THE )NTERNATIONAL #ONVENTION FOR THE 0REVENTION OF 0OLLUTION FROM 3HIPS -ARPOL #ONVENTION OF THE )-/ THE -ARINA AND THE $EPARTMENT OF %NERGY $O% WILL PROMOTE A more sustainable and eco-friendly fuels for Philippine-registered ships in preparation for THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL PERCENT SULPHUR CAP IN -ARINA AND $O% HAVE DISCUSSED THE SPECIkCATIONS OF THE GLOBAL PERCENT SULPHUR cap with petroleum industry stakeholders, oil importers, and shipping industry partners to listen to their concerns and to prepare for possible challenges that may emerge due to the new regulation. !NNEX 6) OF THE -ARPOL #ONVENTION WHICH THE 0HILIPPINES HAS RATIkED IN REQUIRES ALL ships in non-emission control area zones to set LIMIT ON THE SULFUR CONTENT OF FUELS FROM PERCENT TO PERCENT *AN

To date, the Philippines is a state party to all ANNEXES OF THE -ARPOL #ONVENTION

Imsas Â

6INGSON BELIEVED THAT THE CONTINUOUS SUPPORT OF VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN THE COUNTRY S PREPARATION FOR THE )-/ -EMBER 3TATE !UDIT Marina reminded shipping operators to uphold 3CHEME )MSAS AUDIT IN IS VITAL IN THE ENPASSENGERS RIGHTS AT ALL TIMES ESPECIALLY IN CASES hancement of the Philippine maritime industry. of cancelled, delayed, or uncompleted voyages. g,ET US WORK TOGETHER IN CONCRETIZING OUR )N -ARINA #IRCULAR THE AGENCY actions and schemes to enhance maritime emphasized that all passengers of a canceled safety, ensure marine environment protection, or delayed trip have the right to information, AND EFFECTIVELY IMPLEMENT MANDATORY )-/ right to refund or revalidation of ticket, right to instruments that guide our ship operations amenities, and right to compensation. into complying with international standards,â&#x20AC;?

6INGSON SAID Maritime education 4HE )-/ CONDUCTS )MSAS TO PROVIDE MEMBER states, such as the Philippines, with compreMarina is totally focused on achieving substan- hensive and objective assessment on the imtial transformation to uplift the standard of plementation and enforcement of mandatory maritime industry, especially in the maritime )-/ INSTRUMENTS PERTAINING TO SAFETY OF LIFE AT education and training system. sea, prevention of pollution from ships, reg6INGSON SAID KEEPING THE POSITION OF THE ulations for preventing collisions at sea, load Philippines as a major source of quality and lines, and tonnage measurement of ships and highly-competent maritime workforce is our 34#7 FOR SEAFARERS national mission. g!LL NECESSARY STEPS TO CONSISTENTLY IMPROVE Marina values THE COUNTRY S MARITIME EDUCATION TRAINING Â examination, and assessment system are being Marina fosters good governance among its UNDERTAKEN AND PRIORITIZED u 6INGSON SAID employees by promoting people excellence -ARINA TOGETHER WITH THE #OMMISSION ON through professionalism, integrity and excel(IGHER %DUCATION #(%D THE 0HILIPPINE lence as its core values.

-ERCHANT -ARINE !CADEMY AND THE MARITIME 'UIDED BY THESE PRINCIPLES -ARINA PERSONNEL higher education institutions, has revamped are transformed from government employees the maritime education programs. into servant heroes through their daily service.

They have worked on the realignment of â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the fruit of our labor that shall inthe Philippine maritime education policies SPIRE US TO SERVE BETTER OUR STAKEHOLDERS ,ET US AND REGULATIONS WITH %XECUTIVE /RDER THAT raise the bar of public service by setting good mandated the Marina as the single maritime example. There is no room for mediocrity in administration in the full and effective im- OUR !GENCYu 6INGSON SAID PLEMENTATION OF THE 3TANDARDS OF 4RAINING

4O DATE -ARINA HAS EMPLOYEES SERV#ERTIkCATION AND 7ATCHKEEPING FOR 3EAFARERS ING THE CENTRAL OFkCE AND REGIONAL OFkCES 34#7 #ONVENTION AS AMENDED ACROSS THE COUNTRY 3UPERVISED BY SERVICE 4HE *OINT #(%D -EMORANDUM -ARINA #IR- UNITS AND REGIONAL OFkCE DIRECTORS IT REMAINS cular addressed the need for a more responsive COMMITTED TO CONTINUALLY kND RELEVANT AND policy to ensure the competitiveness of the timely interventions to transform its workforce 0HILIPPINES "ACHELOR OF 3CIENCE IN -ARINE as responsible public servants for the maritime 4RANSPORTATION AND "ACHELOR OF 3CIENCE IN industry and to the nation.

Passenger rights

C2

Beyond bureaucracy, genuine public service

BY MICHAEL JOHN ESPLAGO

as we strive to reform, revitalize and innovate FOR THE FUTURE u (ERNANDEZ SAID The establishment of the maritime industrial HUB FROM TO AIMS TO DEVELOP AN ATTRACTIVE 0HILIPPINE 3HIP 2EGISTRY A WORLD CLASS bunkering facility and major ports development FOR REGIONAL TRANSSHIPMENT IN 3OUTHEAST !SIA globally competitive shipyards for shipbuilding AND SHIP REPAIR 33"2 AND SHIP RECYCLING AN eco-industrial maritime park for clustering and consolidation of all maritime-related services; and a maritime training and research center to meet manpower requirements locally and internationally, as well as technology-based and policy-related studies.

4HE -ARINA $EPARTMENT OF 4RADE AND )NDUStry joint technical committee will formulate the 0HILIPPINE .ATIONAL 3TANDARDS FOR THE 3"32 SECtor to ensure the quality and competitiveness of 0HILIPPINE 3"32 SERVICES THROUGH SUSTAINABLE business processes.

-ARINA HAS FORMULATED AN ATTRACTIVE kNANCing scheme and will review existing incentive programs for the players in the domestic shipping and shipbuilding industries.

The enhancement of shipbuilding research and development, modernization of shipyard facilities, and provision of regular training for shipyard personnel will also be prioritized.

Moreover, the establishment of the maritime industrial hub supports the reintegration of Filipino seafarers to work as marine surveyors, technical superintendents, and managers of ancillary industries.

4HE STATE OF THE ART FACILITIES OF (ANJIN (EAVY )NDUSTRIES AND #ONSTRUCTION 0HILIPPINES MAY be considered as an option for the establishment of an eco-industrial maritime park for the clustering and consolidation of all maritime-related services.

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

) "!2%,9 RECALL THE -ARITIME )NDUSTRY !UTHORITY -ARINA IN JUST AS WHEN ) WAS ISSUED MY kRST 3EAMAN S )DENTIkCATION 2ECORD "OOK 3)2" IN ) NEVER KNEW AT THAT day, during my plebe hood years and nine years later that I would serve the people by joining the government via Marina as its education and training standards supervisor. )T WAS IN WHEN THE LAW MANDATED -ARINA AS THE SINGLE MARITIME ADMINISTRATION ) TOOK MY OATH AND OFkCIALLY BECAME a public servant on that year. It was the heyday of the challenge to ensure that the Philippines would not get axed from the recognition of the Europeans, and be given the go to sail.

True to this day, with all of the modernization and technology the Marina is still experiencing the stakeholders demand for better service. From a public perspective, it is BUT THE INEFkCIENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT THAT -ARINA SYMbolizes, in contrast to its mandate to serve the people. No matter what positive Facebook posts and announcement -ARINA DOES THE PUBLIC WILL ALWAYS SEE kRST THE GLITCHES IN the Marina online system.

7HAT WE FAIL TO REALIZE IS THE ENORMITY AND THE VOLUME OF tasks that Marina faces, which are incomparable to any adminISTRATION S ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD (OW THE WORK SHOULD BE done and how it would be improved is left for public debate, and I am not here to say they should have faired better, but to give you a glimpse of the challenges in the service and this day, honor the Marina on its 45th anniversary. *UST LIKE IN THE kRST MEET WITH -ARINA ON THE ISSUANCE OF MY SEAMAN S BOOK THE ACT WAS VERY NOBLE BEYOND WHAT IS REQUIRED OF PUBLIC SERVICE 9ES -ARINA IS NOT WITHOUT THE trouble of having employees on job-order contracts whose salary has been way below their grade, the current administration did raise it as commensurate to the work they render.

9ES WE WORK ON HOLIDAYS TOO 4HIS IS TO CATCH UP ON the processing of documents so that all backlogs will be DECLOGGED AND THAT WE MEET THE DEADLINE 7E REMEMBER

WORKING DURING THE 0OPE S VISIT 4RAVELS ARE USUALLY OUT OF the working periods, so as to cover and ensure that deadlines in inspections are done. Foreign travels are often criticized, but many do not know that most of us bring our very own 3KYlAKES AND #ENTURY 4UNA BECAUSE BUDGET IS VERY TIGHT The biggest chunk of the travel allowance goes to hotels and transportation.

There is no holiday season as well. The work to ensure ships and ferry are safely operating during such has to be ATTENDED TO AND WITH THE 0HILIPPINE #OAST 'UARD AND $Epartment of Transportation going beyond working.

Today, Marina deserves our salute â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 45 enduring years to safer seas. I hope that you keep the integrity in your heart, heed the call of the President, and not give into corruption. !ND WHEN YOU FEEL THAT THE WHOLE SYSTEM DOESN T SEEM TO MOVE BELIEVE IT DOES 7E HAVE COME FAR Â&#x2021; IN ENSURING the safety of our ships, the standards of our schools, the processing time for our papers and our recognition in the GLOBAL ARENA #ONTINUE DOING WELL BECAUSE IT IS IN OUR PERsonal little actions to serve honestly that we shine the light to improve the system.

3O YES WHEN YOU SEE A -ARINA EMPLOYEE OR A PUBLIC servant, see them through the eyes of our countrymen, who aspire for a better Philippines.

Marina, mabuhay ka!

-ICHAEL *OHN %SPLAGO STARTED OFF HIS CAREER IN MARITIME INDUSTRY AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE -ARITIME !CADEMY OF !SIA AND THE 0ACIkC WITH THE DEGREE OF "ACHELOR OF 3CIENCE IN -ARITIME 4RANSPORTATION (E SAILED ONBOARD DRY AND OIL CHEMICAL TANKERS AS AN OFkCER PRIOR HIS PUBLIC SERVICE IN THE -ARITIME )NDUSTRY !UTHORITY UNDER VARIOUS CAPACITIES FROM )N HE WAS CONkRMED BY THE -ARITIME 3AFETY #OMMITTEE OF THE )NTERNATIONAL -ARITIME /RGANIZATION AS A COMPETENT PERSON (E IS CURRENTLY THE REGIONAL MANAGER FOR !SIA 0ACIkC OF 4%20 A TECH COMPANY WHILE PURSUING HIS graduate studies in business, law and technology.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

Maritime

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Toward a new generation of seafarers T

(% new academic year ofkCIALLY OPENED ON -ONDAY

*UNE IN MOST SCHOOLS ) AM sure that those who finished secondary level last March or THIS *UNE HAVE ALREADY CHOSEN the paths they want to pursue.

I am excited for them; they are beginning a new phase in their lives that is rich in possibilities.

It is hoped that a good number of them would choose a career in the maritime industry. For what could be richer in possibilities than the vast open sea, and what could be more exciting than its many moods? )N &EBRUARY THE )-/ SECretary-general established the )-/ -ARITIME !MBASSADOR 3CHEME TO REACH NEW TARGET AUdiences and inspire a new gen-

eration of maritime experts and SEAFARERS 7E NEED TO DO THIS TO keep the supply of quality seafarers and maritime experts constant and continuous.

There are many things that can draw young people to a career at sea, at the core of which is serving a supply chain where their inputs effectively enable global trade. In fact, many have written about careers at sea, its opportunities as well as its challenges.

3UCH EFFORTS PROVIDE VERY GOOD insights into what lies ahead for a young seafarer. Time away from home and family are perhaps the greatest of considerATIONS !ND BEING ON YOUR OWN FOR THE kRST TIME CAN CERTAINLY BE an interesting, if not potentially CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE #ONSID-

FROM THE DESK OF THE IMO AMBASSADOR CARLOS SALINAS ER THESE ELEMENTS &IRST LIVING WITH AT LEAST other individuals who come from different cultures and nationalities, which suggests that â&#x20AC;&#x153;breaking the iceâ&#x20AC;? can represent an initial â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mount Everestâ&#x20AC;? to the uninitiATED 3UCH NEW CIRCUMSTANCES can create social challenges and BARRIERS FOR kRST TIMERS ON BOARD "UT ONCE THESE ARE OVERCOME

the importance of a career at sea, which â&#x20AC;&#x153;moves the world,â&#x20AC;? becomes immediately apparent.

3ECOND LEARNING TO DEAL WITH

limited, yet different food choices, some of which may be new TO AN INDIVIDUAL S PALATE NOTwithstanding the fact that shipowners and shipmanagers today spend a great deal of time and money to customize, as best as possible, food choices on board.

Third, working hours are also something to contend with, particularly because ships operate

DAYS A YEAR 7HILE the crew do work in shifts over A HOUR PERIOD THERE ARE TIMES when critical operations require â&#x20AC;&#x153;all hands on deck,â&#x20AC;? especially given that these days, port calls are shortened as much as possible, effectively lessening shore leaves and time off.

Notwithstanding such elements, however, at the end of

the day, seafaring as a profession is a noble career and is a hidden gem that the public should come to better know and understand. The distinction of â&#x20AC;&#x153;moving the worldâ&#x20AC;? is not always well UNDERSTOOD "UT IT IS A KNOWN FACT THAT OVER PERCENT OF WORLD trade moves through ships. ,ET ME END BY PARAPHRASING THE 'REEK PHILOSOPHER AND HISTORIAN 'EORGE 0ACHYMERES WHO saw not only the necessity of shipping but its innate nobility TO MANKIND g3HIPPING IS A NOBLE ACTIVity, useful beyond all others to mankind. It exports what is SUPERlUOUS IT PROVIDES WHAT IS lacking, it makes the impossible possible, it joins together men from different lands, and makes

every inhospitable island a part of the mainland, it brings fresh knowledge to those who sail, it REkNES MANNERS IT BRINGS CONcord and civilization to men, it consolidates their nature by BRINGING TOGETHER ALL THAT IS most human in them.â&#x20AC;? !S WE LOOK TOWARD DEVELOPING the new generation of seafarers, it is important to keep a positive view towards how this profession contributes to overall economic development. The career has its challenges, but its positives surely far outweigh any individual concerns that may ever be raised.

I hope you will stick around and read the continuation of this column next week when I provide the sequel to â&#x20AC;&#x153;why maritime is an awesome career.

Q PHOTO BY DUNCAN TORRES.

ILO urged to make â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;wellness trainingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mandatory for seafarers ! 02/-).%.4 international seafarers group has RECENTLY CALLED ON THE )NTERNATIONAL ,ABOR /RGANIZATION ),/ TO INCLUDE WELLNESS TRAINING AS MINImum requirement for seafarers working on board a ship, as depression causes many suicides at sea. )N A CAMPAIGN DUBBED g.OT ON MY 7ATCH u THE 3AILORS 3OCIETY POINTED OUT THAT MILLION SEAFARERS ARE RELIED UPON TO TRANSPORT PERCENT of global goods on a daily basis via ships, and as such, are put at risk due to violent storms, piracy and isolation for a long period of time.

3ANDRA 7ELCH 3AILORS 3OCIETY S DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFkCER EXPLAINED THAT STRESS due to work pressures and lack of rest, including long hours working shifts, could HAVE A TERRIBLE IMPACT ON SEAFARERS MENTAL health â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it could worsen depression.

3HE SAID 3AILORS 3OCIETY CONDUCTED A SURVEY ON SEAFARERS MENTAL HEALTH WITH 9ALE 5NIVERSITY AND THE RESULTS HIGHLIGHTED that more than a quarter of seafarers show signs of depression.

7ELCH ALSO NOTED THAT A PREVIOUS STUDY FROM THE )NTERNATIONAL -ARITIME (EALTH JOURNAL SHOWED THAT PERCENT OF DEATHS at sea are attributable to suicide and that this increases dramatically if probable suicides â&#x20AC;&#x201D; seafarers going missing at sea under suspicious circumstances â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are taken into account.

3HE FURTHER RELAYED THAT TO PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT LESS THAN PERCENT OF DEATHS IN THE 5NITED +INGDOM IN WERE RECORDed as suicide. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These are shockingly high rates â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and one suicide is one too many. The fact that six times as many deaths at sea are attributable to suicide highlights how urgent an issue mental health at sea is. That is why we are LAUNCHING OUR @.OT ON -Y 7ATCH CAMPAIGN AND ASKING THE ),/ TO MAKE WELLNESS TRAINing a minimum requirement for seafarers to WORK ON BOARD A SHIP u 7ELCH SAID 4HE -ARITIME ,ABOR #ONVENTION IS AN ),/ CONVENTION THAT REGULATES LIVING AND working conditions for seafarers. It has BEEN RATIkED BY MEMBER STATES REPRESENTING MORE THAN PERCENT OF THE WORLD MERCHANT SHIPPING lEET !DITYA 'IRI DIRECTOR OF (UMANS AT 3EA AND a former seafarer, has thrown his support

BEHIND THE CAMPAIGN BY BEING THE kRST PERSON TO sign the petition. !DITYA HAS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF DEPRESSION AT SEA (E WAS SAILING IN THE !TLANTIC /CEAN WHEN ONE OF HIS CREWMATES jumped off the ship to his death. The crew, who had no idea their friend was depressed, searched EVERYWHERE FOR HIM AND WERE DEVASTATED TO kND a suicide note in his cabin. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was in denial, disheartened at my core and shocked, to accept that a person who was making

jokes and laughing with us a few hours earlier would take such a step. I fell into depression myself, burdened with one remorseful thought THAT CLOUDED MY MIND AT ALL TIMES #OULD ) HAVE SAVED HIS LIFE u !DITYA NARRATED (E SAID THAT gTHIS EXPERIENCE HAS HELPED HIM realize the importance of sharing your problems and asking your shipmates if they are facing any issues themselves and a simple acknowledgeMENT COULD SAVE SOMEONE S LIFE u 4HROUGH ITS 7ELLNESS AT 3EA COACHING PROGRAM

AND #RISIS 2ESPONSE .ETWORK 3AILORS 3OCIETY IS committed to improving the wellbeing of seafarers.

7ELCH SAID g3EAFARERS TELL US THAT WELLNESS TRAINING MAKES THEM MORE CONkDENT TO HANDLE THE PRESSURES of life at sea. If more seafarers are equipped with basic wellness training, they will be empowered to identify the signs of depression and know how to get help.â&#x20AC;? g7E BELIEVE THIS WILL HAVE A SIGNIkCANT IMPACT ON SEAFARERS MENTAL HEALTH AND REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SUICIDES AT SEA u 7ELCH ENDED RAFFY AYENG

C4

WEDNESDAY June 5,2019

Maritime

BY GENIVI FACTAO

HE Association of International Shipping Lines (AISL) denied imposing excessive fees, claiming that charges were only dictated by markets and the country of origin. !)3, 0RESIDENT 0ATRICK 2ONAS belied claims by a truckers association that foreign shipping lines made excessive and arbitrary fees, which reportedly reduce the truckING COMPANIES PROkTABILITY (E CITED AS AN EXAMPLE A CONglomerate that made a deal on freight rates for global shipping.

No charges were applied to them because of the economies of scale.

2ONAS SAID THE 0HILIPPINES IMPORTS GOODS FROM #HINA THE 5NITED 3TATES %UROPE 3OUTHEAST !SIA AND )NDIA (E EXPLAINED THAT WHEN ONE IMPORTS FROM %UROPE OR THE 53

HE DOES NOT GET CHARGES "UT IF ONE IMPORTS FROM #HINA HE NEEDS TO PAY BECAUSE IT S THE MARKET PRACTICE g)T S A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THE whole industry that has this additional charge. It seemed that they were trying to say that the shipping lines were taking advantage. No.

There were certain trades or certain markets where these charges were happening, but it does not happen to all imports,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The local charges that tend TO BE @EXCESSIVE ONLY HAPPEN ON certain market or certain trade.

Not all trade has excessive fees. It depends on the country of origin,â&#x20AC;? he added.

2ONAS SAID WE IMPORTED MORE than we exported; for every three containers that come in, only one goes out. The reason why we have so many â&#x20AC;&#x153;empties.â&#x20AC;?

-ARIA :APATA #ONFEDERATION OF 4RUCKERS !SSOCIATION OF THE 0HILippines Inc. director, complained that international shipping lines charge demurrage fees, control fees, peak season rates and container imbalance surcharge.

Zapata said truckers were charged with demurrage fees if

Q AISL President Patrick Ronas they failed to return an empty CONTAINER WITHIN HOURS )T COST THEM 0 TO 0 PER CONtainer a day.

2ONAS SAID DEMURRAGE FEE IS imposed to make sure that truckers would return the container on time and to ensure enough CONTAINERS FOR THE NEXT PORT (E said when a container comes in, they need to move it out.

!S FOR THE ALLEGED HIGHER FEES ON transporting cargos locally than internationally, he replied that this happens because of the law of supply and demand. g&OR -ANILA ;TO= #EBU THE RATE ;IS= 0 FOR LADEN CONTAINER For empty container, the charge for -ANILA TO 3INGAPORE IS %VERYBODY WANTS JUST TO RECOVER THE COST u 2ONAS SAID

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Manifesto of Support for emptiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; yields positive result after 60 days SIXTY days after the Manifesto of Support was signed by shipping stakeholders, the number of empties and overstaying containers at the Port of Manila drastically dropped to a more appealing level.

The manifesto allowed the Manila ports â&#x20AC;&#x201D; composed of the Manila South Harbor, Manila International Container Terminal and the Manila North Port â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to steadily de-clog their yards of empty containers and overstaying cargoes, paving the way for more efficient operations.

The manifesto aims to prevent the imbalance of inbound and outbound containers, which is borne by the unscrupulous practice of using the ports for prolonged storage of containers until the withdrawal of goods can yield maximum profit.

Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago said the positive development only showed that port congestion concerns could be addressed effectively so long as all stakeholders were willing to compromise.

w w w.manilatimes.net

EDITOR: Carmela I. Huelar

Shipping group: Fees depend on markets T

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

Santiago particularly lauded the initiative of Asian Terminals Inc., known as the Empty Loadout Shipping Agreement (ELSA), in clearing out their empties. The ELSA process provides that every cargo discharge, vessels docked at the Manila South Harbor would load empty containers already available at the port, regardless which shipping line owned such container. The participating shipping lines to the ELSA process include the CMA-CGM Group, T.S. Lines, Evergreen, Yang Ming Lines, Wan Hai and Hyundai Merchant Marine.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two weeks from the implementation of the Manifesto, the Manila South Harbor is already loading out at least 10,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and relocated the same to other Asian destinations,â&#x20AC;? Santiago explained, adding that the other Manila ports are likewise loading out containers in a decent manner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Towards the end of May, the container loadout at the port per week has reached 14,000 TEUs, the highest figure posted in the 60-day implementation span,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Recalling Marinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transformation 3

%6%2!, times in this column I have mentioned that 0RESIDENTIAL $ECREE CREATING THE -ARITIME )NDUSTRY !UTHORITY -ARINA IS ONE OF THE BEST legacy of President Ferdinand Marcos. Not many would attribute the creation of Marina TO 0RESIDENT -ARCOS VISION OF unifying an archipelago, which at that time deeply resented his authoritarian government. ) JOINED -ARINA IN AFTER A kVE YEAR EMPLOYMENT AT THE $EVELOPMENT !CADEMY OF THE Philippines and I remember my $!0 BOSS EXCLAIMING g7HO IS Marina?â&#x20AC;? when I informed him I was joining the agency. I must admit I was a bit disturbed when ) kRST REPORTED TO THE 00, "UILDing, then housing the Marina.

3TEPPING OUT FROM THE NEAT AND WELL MAINTAINED $!0 OFkCES IN Makati and Tagaytay cities to the dimly-lighted corridors and CRAMPED OFkCES COULD HAVE BEEN one big mistake, or so I thought. ! BIG FRUSTRATION TOO WAS THE absence of a decent library, as I needed to brush up on an industry I thought was reserved for â&#x20AC;&#x153;menâ&#x20AC;? only. That there were no women in the management level reinforced my belief that women have no place in that AGENCY Â&#x2021; YET THE OFkCE CARRIES A WOMAN S NAME g-ARINA u My frustration immediately disappeared as soon as I realized many of us then were in our twenties and early thirties, yet TASKED TO kNDING A WAY OF INTROducing reforms in an industry that has existed for as long as WE HAD THIS ARCHIPELAGO !ND there were many of us women; in fact except for the safety and NAVAL ENGINEERING OFkCES ALL THE OTHER OFkCES WERE DOMINATED BY women. I remember too that applicants for employment in Marina must pass the National #OMPUTER #ENTER .## EXAMS and this is one qualification we were proud about â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that of having to pass through a â&#x20AC;&#x153;comminuterâ&#x20AC;? as a condition for joining Marina.

SEATHROUGH ATTY. BRENDA V. PIMENTEL /F COURSE WE WERE UNDER THE guidance of male top manageMENT OFkCIALS AND ) DO REMEMber very distinctly the amiable AND RESERVED DEMEANOR OF #OL 'ENEROSO 4ANSECO AND THE JOVIAL #APT !BRAHAM #AMPO 7E WERE fortunate to have worked with a powerhouse of young and INTELLIGENT DIRECTORS SUCH AS ,T 2OILO g2OIu 'OLEZ WHO BECAME A CONGRESSMAN 4RANQUILINO g"ONGu 6ENTURA *R $EMTRIO g"ONGu 3ANTOS *R LAWYER 0ROCOPIO g*UNu DE $IOS AND %NGR #ESAR *OVELLANOS TO NAME A FEW 4HERE WERE TWO AMONG US .## passers who eventually became ADMINISTRATORS 3IRS 0ACIENCIO g"OIu "ALBON AND %MERSON ,ORENZO )N RECOGNITION OF -ARINA S distinct role of tranforming the maritime industry into a key player towards achieving this ARCHIPELAGO S SOCIOECONOMIC progress, its mandate and functions were expanded to ensure there is coherent and integrated maritime policy and programs.

4AKING ON lAG ADMINISTRATION functions was not easy as there was strong opposition from agencies whose functions were transferred to Marina. Equally daunting was getting the MaRINA OFkCERS AND PERSONNEL UP to the demands of the assumed functions. &AST FORWARD Â&#x2021; -ARINA kNALLY found a home and will have its INAUGURATION TODAY *UNE &OR us ex-Marina employees we are happy that after 45 years, Marina will have its own building. There are many we should thank for this, but I wish to specially mention two of them who worked HARD TO GET THAT BUILDING kNALLY ERECTED Â&#x2021; !TTY .ICASIO #ONTI AND 2EP *ESULITO -ANALO 4O THE -ARINA STAFF AND OFkcers, happy anniversary!!

PAMTCI PRESIDENT KAREN AVELINO

Leading beyond tradition and standards

Q Karen Avelino

BY YASHIKA F. TORIB ).4%2.!4)/.!, and local standards on education and training have long set the benchmarks

for what is an accepted level of knowledge and skills. It evens out THE PLAYING kELD FOR POLICY MAKERS

educators, trainers and learners, thus allowing them to operate in

complex industries that are driven by technology and innovation.

These are just minimum standards, however. &OR +AREN !VELINO PRESIDENT OF THE 0HILIPPINE !SSOCIATION OF -ARITIME 4RAINING #ENTERS )NC 0AMTCI EXCELLENCE LIES IN GOING beyond expectations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I look forward to the day when the Philippines stands out as the home of quality maritime educaTION AND TRAINING u SAYS !VELINO whose term as Pamtci president STARTED *ANUARY THIS YEAR &OR OVER DECADES OF kRST HAND experience and observations in THE COUNTRY S MARITIME RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING PROCESSES !VELINO laments how some training centers still need to be closely monitored and properly guided to comply WITH THE 3TANDARDS OF 4RAINING

#ERTIkCATION AND 7ATCHKEEPING This stems from the dubious set of assumptions that some training center owners have accepted about what good seafaring is all about â&#x20AC;&#x201D; being able to score a contract of shipboard job for the right pay, completing it and bagging ANOTHER 7ITH MARITIME MANPOWER being seen as a mere commodity, some training centers construed excellence by being diploma mills, thus undermining the goal of the Philippines to become a true bastion of maritime training and education excellence. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are still training centers THAT ISSUE CERTIkCATES WITHOUT ACTUALLY CONDUCTING COURSES u !VELINO reveals, adding that these groups would charge low course fees that are below the supposed breakeven cost of training, thus compromis-

its members to focus on the development of automation-related training to keep up with the times.

This includes training on software, electrical engineering, automation, data analysis, safe autonomous operation and technical maintenance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is imperative that maritime education and training groups will focus on the development of these SKILLS u !VELINO SAYS (ER PASSION FOR WORLD CLASS training stems from her experience WITH THE 0HILIPPINE #ENTER FOR !DVANCED -ARITIME 3IMULATION AND 4RAINING 0HIL#AMSAT THE training arm of the Philippine 4RANSMARINE #ARRIERS 04# ONE OF THE COUNTRY S LARGEST AND OLDEST crew management companies, where she currently serves as the "USINESS $EVELOPMENT %XECUTIVE $IRECTOR 0HIL#AMSAT S REPUTATION and performance as a training center is recognized by internaTIONAL BODIES SUCH AS THE "ELGIAN -ARITIME )NSPECTORATE AND THE 5+ -ERCHANT .AVY 4RAINING "OARD !VELINO S INVOLVEMENT WITH 04# AND 0HIL#AMSAT DURING THE onset of her career in maritime Training in the age has opened her eyes to the vast of digitalization AND SIGNIkCANT WORLD OF SHIPPING â&#x20AC;&#x153;Twelve years ago, I had no clue 4HE &OURTH )NDUSTRIAL 2EVOLUTION that I was joining this industry. has started changing the playing 7HEN ) HAD THE CHANCE TO TALK kELD OF SHIPPING AS IT USHERS IN TO 'ERARDO "ORROMEO #%/ OF automated ships and highly so- 04# ) WITNESSED HIS PASSION AS HE phisticated forms of technology. explained the whole concept of This proved to be a challenge for THE MARITIME INDUSTRY !T kRST ) maritime educators and trainers was overwhelmed because I came who are now faced with a shift in from a different background, but shipboard skills requirements. as I began to digest what this vast Pamtci anticipated such changes industry does, I realized that its and challenges in seafaring pre- contribution to the global ecoconditions that it encourages all nomic landscape was incompara-

ing the quality of training. g7E ARE DRIVEN TO RESOLVE THIS issue by working closely with the -ARITIME )NDUSTRY !UTHORITY u THE 0AMTCI S NEW LEADER DECLARES DETERMINED TO ASSERT THE TRUE DEkNITION and cost of achievement in the MARITIME TRAINING ARENA !VELINO also discloses that Pamtci regularly engages with the International MarITIME /RGANIZATION THE SPECIALIZED agency responsible for regulating the WORLD S SHIPPING INDUSTRY AS WELL AS with Philippine industry stakeholders to resolve such issues. !S TO THE GRIPES OF SEAFARERS regarding the alleged redundancy OF TRAININGS THE 0AMTCI S PRESIDENT STOOD kRM ON THE VALUE OF CONTINuous learning. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The maritime industry is a dynamic and regulated INDUSTRY 7ITH THE CONSTANT EVOLUtion and development of industry requirements, there is a need for maritime trainings to be updated as well. Even when repeated, these courses still provide value for our seafarers. It becomes a ceaseless reminder on how to sail safely and EFkCIENTLY u SHE SAYS

BLE MORE THAN PERCENT OF THE world trade is carried by sea and that it is a vital component to the growth and socio-economic progress of our country,â&#x20AC;? she recalls. !S THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL JOINED 04# SHE SLOWLY IMBIBED THE PASSION OF "ORROMEO AND 04# S CHAIRMAN

!MBASSADOR #ARLOS 3ALINAS g7E work for an interesting industry, NEVER A DULL MOMENTĂ&#x153; !ND THE FACT that we are able to give overseas employment to Filipinos inspires me to encourage more shipping companies to continue to get Filipinos and to make sure that the Philippine maritime training centers are able to provide the quality training that our '-0S 'LOBAL -ARITIME 0ROFESSIONALS DESERVE u !VELINO SAYS !VELINO S DESIRE TO UPHOLD THE value of Filipino seafarers has RElECTED ON HER DAY TO DAY DUTIES of ensuring skills competitiveness

BY CONSISTENTLY DRIVING EFkCIENCY IN the ability to source, select, train, educate, develop, care for, motivate and retain quality talent. !S SHE IS KNOWN AMONG COLleagues in the industry as a hardworking, passionate and upright LEADER !VELINO SPURS 0AMTCI TOward progress that is impelled by collective action, collaboration and personal involvement in the interests of the Filipino seafarers.

"EHIND THE PROFESSIONAL TITLES

awards and accolades, however, is another woman who seeks light and inspiration from her family. !VELINO IS A MOTHER OF THREE AND A grandmother of three as well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am very close to my children and we do things together, especially workouts AND SPORTS u !VELINO FONDLY SHARES of her active and fun-loving family.

Sports

WEDNESDAY W JJUNE 5, 2019

D1

www.manilatimes.net

Q Manny Pacquiao works the focus mitts with trainer Freddie Roach.

PHOTO BY WENDELL ALINEA

Roach input crucial for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;technicalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 7KXUPDQ Ă&#x20AC;JKW ² )RUWXQH M

BY JOSEF T. RAMOS

ANNY Pacquiaoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune said that the Filipino ring legend would be needing the wisdom of seven-time Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach when he faces Keith Thurman on July 20 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada in what he foresees as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;technicalâ&#x20AC;? fight.

g4HIS IS A PRE TECHNICAL kGHT SO we need Freddie there because HIS KNOWLEDGE IS WHAT WE NEED 4HIS GUY 4HURMAN IS NOT GOING TO COME FORWARD )T IS MORE OF A TECHNICAL kGHT ABSOLUTELY Â&#x2021; HE WON T GO TOE TO TOE WITH -ANNY (E WILL RUN u &ORTUNE TOLD The -ANILA 4IMES ON -ONDAY &ORTUNE STRESSED THAT THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE AND 2OACH KNOWS HOW TO PREpare PacQUIAO FOR

SUCH AN OPPONENT LIKE 4HURMAN g(E 2OACH IS THE ONE WITH KNOWLEDGE &REDDIE HAS BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR YEARS (E TRAINS -ANNY FOR YEARS 3O &REDDIE KNOWS MORE AND HE ALREADY TRAINED WORLD CHAMPIONS 4HERE S A REASON FOR THAT 7E NEED HIS POINT OF VIEW BECAUSE HE S IN THE GAME LONGER u SAID &ORTUNE 2OACH S VALUE AS A CONSULTANT WAS EVIDENT IN 0ACMAN S PREVIOUS kGHT AGAINST !DRIEN "ROner,

NARRATED &ORTUNE g/NCE "RONER WAS HIT BY -ANNY (E COULDN T DO ANYTHING WITH -ANNY 3O AGAIN WE HAVE TO kND HIM AND THAT S WHY WE NEED &REDDIE FOR THE PREPARATION AND SPARRING 7E NEED &REDDIE S KNOWLEDGE 7E NEED THAT TECHNICAL SUPPORT OF &REDDIE u &ORTUNE SAID THAT ALL IS WELL WITH THE 0ACQUIAO CAMP UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HEAD TRAINER "UBOY FerNANDEZ g7E ARE ALL kNE AND

LOW-KEY SUPERSTAR LEONARD SETS MELLOW TONE FOR RAPTORS OAKLAND, United States: 9OU COULDN T TELL FROM LOOKING AT HIS STONE FACED MANNER OR LISTENING TO HIS MONOTONE REMARKS

BUT 4ORONTO 2APTORS STAR +AWHI ,EONARD IS HAVING FUN IN THE ."! &INALS !ND HIS POISE UNDER PRESSURE AND COMPOSURE IN TENSE MOMENTS HAS SET THE TONE IN LIFTING THE #ANADIAN CLUB INTO A CONTENDER FOR ITS kRST ."! CROWN AGAINST DEFENDING CHAMPION 'OLDEN 3TATE g5NTIL WE WIN THE GAME OR IT S ALL DONE

THEN ) LL SHOW SOME EMOTION u ,EONARD SAID g"UT ) WANT TO STAY EVEN KEELED WHILE ) M GOING THROUGH IT u ,EONARD GIVES FEW CLUES TO WHAT S IN HIS HEART AND ON HIS MIND SHUNNING SOCIAL MEDIA AND GUARDING THE DETAILS OF HIS PERSONAL LIFE CUTTING OFF AVENUES THAT HAVE TURNED OTHER TALENTED ."!

PLAYMAKERS INTO MORE FAMOUS AND ACCLAIMED HOUSEHOLD NAMES g) M NOT PLAYING THE GAME FOR THAT REASON u ,EONARD SAID g) M PLAYING TO HAVE FUN AND BE THE BEST PLAYER ) CAN ) M HAPPY WITH MYSELF AND WHAT ) VE DONE IN MY CAREER AND ) M JUST GOING TO KEEP ON FROM THERE g)T S NOT ABOUT ME BEING FAMOUS OR WANT TO HAVE MORE FAME THAN THOSE GUYS )T S ABOUT ME PLAYING BASKETBALL AND HAVING FUN ON THE lOOR u ,EONARD WHO TURNS LATER THIS MONTH SPARKED THE 3AN !NTONIO 3PURS TO THE ."! CROWN EARNING THE ."! &INALS -OST 6ALUABLE 0LAYER AWARD (E WAS NAMED ."! $EFENSIVE 0LAYER OF THE 9EAR IN AND ESTABLISHING HIMSELF AS AN ELITE SHUTDOWN DEFENDER WITH FEW RIVALS 2APTORS COACH .ICK .URSE SEES ,EONARD AS THE EMBODIMENT OF COACHING DREAMS WITH HIS ICE COLD CLUTCH EFFORTS g)F YOU WERE TEACHING YOUR KID THIS IS HOW YOU PLAY SPORTS YOU WOULD TELL HIM

DON T GET TOO HIGH DON T GET TOO LOW COMPETE TO WIN CARE ABOUT WINNING DON T LET YOUR EMOTIONS GET THE BEST OF YOU Â&#x2021; ALL THOSE THINGS THAT HE IS u .URSE SAID g(E S JUST STEADY HE S ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT THE PLAY AND HOW DOES IT

Thompson questionable, Looney out for Warriors

AFFECT HOW WE CAN WIN )T S AN UNBELIEVABLE MINDSET 6ERY STRONG u

Calm flows to teammates 'OLDEN 3TATE S $RAYMOND 'REEN SAYS ,EONARD S CALM PERSONALITY FLOWS INTO HIS TEAMMATES g'UYS CARRY THEMSELVES ACCORDING TO HOW THE LEADERS CARRY THEMSELVES u 'REEN SAID g! LOT OF GUYS HAVE BECOME MORE EVEN K E E L E D A N D M O R E CALM AND NOT WORRIED 4HEY RE COOL AND COLLECTED AND MAKING WINNING PLAYS BECAUSE OF HOW +AWHI DOES IT g4HAT PERSONA THOSE MANNERISMS THAT LEADERSHIP IT TRICKLES DOWN TO EVERYBODY )T DEkNITELY HAS THAT EFFECT u ,EONARD WAS ONLY WHEN HIS FATHER

-ARK ,EONARD WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN IN SOUTHERN #ALIFORNIA WHERE +AWHI BECAME A HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STAR ,EONARD SAID HE PICKED UP HIS MELLOW DEMEANOR LEARNING FROM SUCH STARS AS 4IM $UNCAN 4ONY 0ARKER AND -ANU 'INOBILI IN 3AN !NTONIO g0ROBABLY JUST GROWING UP PLAYING BASKETBALL *UST BEING IN THOSE EXPERIENCES u HE SAID g!LWAYS WANTING TO WIN ,EARNING FROM THE GREAT TEAMMATES THAT ) HAD

SEEING HOW THEY APPROACHED EVERY GAME g7IN LOSE OR DRAW ) M STILL GOING TO BE LIVING STILL GOT A FAMILY 4HIS IS ALL FOR FUN ) CAN T COMPLAIN ABOUT MY CAREER ) HAD A GREAT TIME EACH STEP OF THE WAY ) HAD FUN WITH MY WHOLE JOURNEY u ,AST SEASON WAS A LOW POINT AFTER A RIGHT QUAD INJURY WITH THE 3PURS AND REPORTED ISSUES BETWEEN TEAM AND PERSONAL DOCTORS OVER ,EONARD S STATUS ISSUES THAT PUSHED HIS TRADE TO 4ORONTO LAST *ULY ,EONARD ALSO SIGNED A SPONSOR DEAL WITH .EW "ALANCE IN AFTER A SPLIT WITH .IKE WHOM HE REPORTEDLY SUED

THERE IS NO MORE ISSUES 7E ARE WORKING TOGETHER FOR SO LONG &REDDIE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE TEAM 7E VE BEEN TOGETHER SINCE AND 7E ARE A TEAM AND THAT S WHAT IT TAKES &REDDIE HAS BROUGHT A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND WHEN WE RE TOGETHER WE WIN u HE SAID 0ACQUIAO THE CURRENT 7ORLD "OXING !SSOCIATION REGULAR WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION HOLDS A WIN LOSS DRAW RECORD OF WITH KNOCKOUTS AGAINST 7"! SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION 4HURMAN S WITH KNOCKOUTS

Q Kawhi Leonard (No. 2) of the Toronto Raptors attempts a shot against the Golden State Warriors in the second half during Game Two of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on Monday in Toronto, Canada. AFP PHOTO -ONDAY FOR COPYRIGHTING HIS g+LAWu LOGO WITHOUT PERMISSION

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Just a cool dudeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 4EAMMATES GIVE LITTLE MORE INSIGHT THAN ,EONARD HIMSELF SAYING ,EONARD IS JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE g-E AND HIM HAVE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP OFF THE lOOR (E S A GREAT GUY u

2APTORS GUARD +YLE ,OWRY SAID g(E S JUST A REGULAR GUY LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE *UST A REGULAR COOL DUDE (E S A FUN GUY u #AMEROONIAN FORWARD 0ASCAL 3IAKAM AGREED ,EONARD IS JUST ONE OF THE GUYS g(E COMES IN GETS HIS WORK DONE AND THEN OFF THE COURT HE S JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSE ,IKE LITERALLY IT S NORMAL u 3IAKAM SAID g(E DOES HIS WORK AND HE COMES WITH US HANGS OUT AND DOES ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO u AFP

OAKLAND, United States: Golden State guard Klay Thompson is questionable for Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third game (Thursday in Manila) of the NBA Finals with a left hamstring strain while reserve forward Kevon Looney is out indefinitely, the Warriors announced Monday.

The setbacks are the latest bad news for the injury-hit defending NBA champions, who are level with Toronto at 1-1 in the best-of-seven final entering games three and four this week in California.

An MRI exam Monday showed Thompson has a mild left hamstring strain. He left Golden Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 109104 victory Sunday at Toronto with 7:59 remaining in the fourth quarter with hamstring tightness. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Klay said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be fine, but Klay could be half dead and he would say he would be fine,â&#x20AC;? Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after game two. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see. He pulled his hamstring. He thinks it is minor, so I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what that means going forward.â&#x20AC;?

Looney was sidelined from game two with what the team called a chest contusion but Kerr said after the game the problem was â&#x20AC;&#x153;something with his shoulder.â&#x20AC;?

An MRI showed Looney with a fracture of the cartilage connecting the right ribs to the sternum.

The Warriors, trying to win their third straight NBA Finals and fourth in five years, have already been without top playoff scorer Kevin Durant for nearly a month with a right calf injury, leaving Kerr wondering just who will be healthy enough to play against the Raptors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see about all the injuries,â&#x20AC;? Kerr said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You need your bench, no matter what, but in particular when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got a lot of injuries.â&#x20AC;?

Two-time NBA Finals MVP Durant must take part in a practice before playing, Kerr said, but he called it â&#x20AC;&#x153;feasibleâ&#x20AC;? that Durant could take part in a Tuesday workout and return in game three Wednesday.

Durant joined the team in Toronto but only continued rehabilitation work.

DeMarcus Cousins played nearly 28 minutes in game two as he fights back from a torn left quadriceps that had sidelined him for six weeks until the finals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was fantastic and we needed everything he gave out there, his rebounding, his toughness, his physical presence,â&#x20AC;? Kerr said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He feels good in there right now so we do feel confident we can continue to get good minutes from him.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to need them with all these injuries.â&#x20AC;?

Cousins stepped into the pressure of his first NBA Finals start a produced 11 points and 10 rebounds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It feels great,â&#x20AC;? Cousins said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was an incredible moment for me. But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not satisfied and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m looking forward to game three.â&#x20AC;?

AFP

D2

Sports

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

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WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

Q Paul Lee of Magnolia dribbles past San Miguel Beerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chris Ross and Christian Standhardinger (No. 34) during Game 7 of Season 44 PBA Philippine Cup championship last month at the Araneta Coliseum.

FREE KICK ROMY P. MARIĂ&#x2018;AS

'Malunggay' branch not to Pepingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s taste I

PBA MEDIA BUREAU PHOTO

Magnolia, SMB plunge into action today M

BY JOSEF T. RAMOS

AGNOLIA and last conference champion San Miguel Beer play THEIR kRST GAME TODAY AGAINST THEIR respective foes in Season 44 Philippine Basketball Association Commissionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

4HE (OTSHOTS WILL BE kELDING IN the 6â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10 import John Fields against !LASKA AT P M WHILE THE kVE time Philippine Cup champion Beermen, fortified by returning

best import Charles Rhodes meet Northport at 7 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our preparation is okay but we still need more rest since weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re coming from a champion-

ship. We really need to regain our condition and timing.

Alaska will be playing their fifth game so we have to exert a good effort,â&#x20AC;? said Magnolia coach Chito Victolero.

The Hotshots lost to San Miguel Beer in Game 7 of the Philippine Cup last May 15.

Alaska, with 1-1 win-loss record, is sharing the fifth to sixth places with Meralco after routing Northern Luzon Expressway, 100-87, on May 29 behind Chris Danielsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 17 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Chris

Banchero contributed another 17 points in that game.

Meanwhile, Northport eyes to bounce back from a narrow 7073 loss to defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Saturday when it faces San Miguel Beer.

A victory by the Batang Pier (31) will allow them to share the top spot with Blackwater (4-1). g7E ARE JUST GOING TO kGHT AND give our best. We are hoping to play good defense and stop June Mar (Fajardo) and their import,â&#x20AC;? said Northport coach

Pido Jarencio.

Jarencio is being patient with IMPORT 0RINCE )BEH WHO kNISHED with eight points on top of 24 REBOUNDS AND kVE BLOCKED SHOTS against Ginebra. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is more of a defensive IMPORT AND THAT IS kNE WITH ME u said Jarencio.

Jarencio added that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not sure if Stanley Pringle has fully recovered from a foot injury.

Pringle missed the second half of Northportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game against Ginebra. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pringle is day-to-day and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to him if he wants to play.â&#x20AC;?

Arespacochaga commends Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; airtight defense CIGNAL-ATENEO $E -ANILA 5NIversity assistant coach Sandy Arespacochaga said that impervious defense is the key to their resounding 105-67 win over Valencia City Bukidnon-San Sebastian College IN 'AME OF THE SEMIkNALS IN THE 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League (PBA D-League). !FTER A TIGHT kRST TWO QUARTERS

the Blue Eagles limited the Golden Harvest to 32 points in the second half while igniting a 71-point explosion to win the best-of-three

series opener on Monday at the Paco Arena in Manila. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coach Tab (Baldwin) just reminded our players to follow our rules on defense. There were times when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing individual and not team defense,â&#x20AC;? said Arespacochaga. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He (Baldwin) wanted to us to put emphasis on defense--play defense the way we wanted them to play as part of our system,â&#x20AC;? added the Ateneo deputy.

Cignal-Ateneo stared at a 34-35 DEkCIT IN THE kRST HALF AS VETERANS

Allyn Bulanadi and RK Ilagan delivered for Valencia-San Sebastian.

The Eagles clamped hard down on Bulanadi and Ilagan come the third period then sparked a 14-2 run behind Ange Kouame for a LEAD ENTERING THE kNAL FRAME It was all Cignal-Ateneo from there as Kouame and company wreaked havoc on the defensive and offensive ends. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They (Valencia-San Sebastian) are a good team. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I think one of the things coach Tab also mentioned at the half was for us to be consistent

because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re up against a good team,â&#x20AC;? said Arespacochaga. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our players took that to heart and regardless of the situation, we wanted to play both ends of the court,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Ivorian center Kouame came through with a 19-point, 20-rebound double-double while Mike Nieto and Jolo Mendoza came off the bench to chip in 12 and 11 markers, respectively.

Nieto and Mendoza powered the Eaglesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bench scoring of 51 points against the Golden Har-

vestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 35 markers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our players off the bench played well both on offense and defense. They gave us a big lift.

And I guess theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re one of the reasons why we got a big lead,â&#x20AC;? said Arespacochaga.

Arespacochaga vowed that Cignal-Ateneo will gear up for a gofor-broke Valencia-San Sebastian on Game 2 on Thursday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to make adjustMENTS AND kND A WAY TO BOUNCE back. We have to be ready for that.â&#x20AC;?

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

MANILA BAY CLEAN-UP RUN FIRES OFF JULY 7 THE Manila Broadcasting Company will hold the seventh edition of the Manila Bay Clean-Up Run on July 7.

The marathon, open to men and women, features 3-kilometer, 5km, 10km and 21km divisions with medals and cash prizes at stake.

Interested runners may register at the MBC lobby in Sotto Street, CCP Complex, Pasay City Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 6 pm.

Satellite registration booths are also located at Olympic Village branches at Robinsons Forum, Festival Mall, and Farmers Plaza, Tuesday

to Sunday from 12 noon to 6 pm. Registration deadline is June 30.

The fun run is one of many activities aiming to generate funds for systematic longterm solutions to environmental sanitation problems that beset the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coastal resources and tributaries. MBC volunteers have joined their counterparts from other establishments based along Roxas Boulevard in implementing Land Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Manila Bay Clean-Up Program since 2009.

For details, contact 09262052787.

Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S just less than six months before the country plays host this year to athletes from 11 countries in the biennial Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier test of athletic skills.

With not much time left, however, Philippine sports authorities seemed to be taking their sweet time sharpening their knives in preparation for a battle for turf ahead of the 2019 SEA Games that is set to be held in Manila and a few other cities from November to December.

Already, China had begun a countdown for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, but it seems that the Philippines is not about to tick off the days left before the curtains roll up in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SEA Games.

The Vargas and Cojuangco GROUPS HAVE BEEN SO kRED UP IN accusing each other of wrongdoing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and very publicly at that â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that the usual hoopla and funfare that usually attend the run-up to any major regional sports competition are not even felt by many Filipinos.

That is a betrayal of our love for SPECTACLE OF THE kESTA OR -ISS 5NIverse kind, without which pomp and grandeur the NovemberDecember extravaganza would not even merit a footnote in the annals of of the SEA Games.

We presume that the warring groups do not watch the Santacruzan or the beauty pageants and prefer to skin each other like gladiators in the Roman Colosseum where gore would be more GRAPHIC WHEN THE kGHTING IS OVER Recently, Philippine Olympic Committee chairman Ricky Vargas put his foot down on alleged shenanigans of former POC chief Jose g0EPINGu #OJUANGCO *R BY kRING KEY OFkCIALS GIVEN KEY ROLES IN THE 2019 Southeast Asian Games and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, to no avail.

The malunggay branch that he dangled before Cojuangco apparently was not good enough for the Ilocano in the latter, or maybe, the ex-POC boss wants a branch of sampaloc more?

MalacaĂąang has to step in, not openly, because the International Olympic Committee frowns on any form of government interference in sports falling under its jurisdiction.

It cannot, however, effect any change without it being reported by who knows who to the IOC overlords.

And so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re stuck with the gargantuan task of aiming for more than what we can chew: Win the â&#x20AC;&#x153;overallâ&#x20AC;? championship of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.

Filipino athletes, like any other competitor, aspire for that honor, but a reality check would show that their supposed role models in the current and past POCs have not been shining examples of fair play.

So how can they inspire the Pinoy runner or swimmer, and how can they rally the nation to the podium?

Angels eye No. 4 vs winless Water Defenders TOP meets bottom as streaking PetroGazz faces struggling BaliPure even as BanKo-Perlas tries to pounce on a depleted Motolite side in the Premier Volleyball League Reinforced Conference elims at the Flying V Center in San Juan today.

With imports Wilma Salas and Janisa Johnson combining well and drawing solid backup from the locals, the Angels rolled past the Creamline Cool Smashers, the BanKo-Perlas Spikers and the Motolite Power Builders to seize early control in the double-round elims of the season-opening conference of the league organized by

Sports Vision.

While they expect a strong bounce back from the Water Defenders, the Angels, who also boast of Jeanette Panaga, Jovie Prado, Cherry Nunag, Djanel Cheng and Jessey de Leon, remain the odds-on favorites in their 3 p.m. showdown with the latter also out to keep their imposing run that featured three straight-set romps.

BanKo-Perlas, meanwhile, hopes to recover from the four-set setback to Creamline last Sunday as it tries to go even at 2-2 against Motolite in their 5 p.m. faceoff.

Motolite import Edina Selimovic, who scored 15 hits in a

loss to PacificTown last Saturday, will be out for at least week due to a bruised kneecap after a bad landing.

Top local Myla Pablo, who missed the Power Buildersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first two games in the tournament sponsored by Mikasa, Asics and KFC, also remains a doubtful starter with a lower back pain.

That should bolster the Perlas Spikersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; chances although the likes of imports Kia Bright and Yasemin Yildirim and locals Nicole Tiamzon, Dzi Gervacio, Sue Roces, Kathy Bersola and Jem Ferrer would want to face a healthy, complete Motolite side.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

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WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

Sports

D3

Friends reunited as Federer looks to avenge 2015 loss to Wawrinka P

ARIS: Four years after his defeat to Stan Wawrinka in the Roland Garros quarterfinals prompted him to call a temporary halt to his Paris aspirations, Roger Federer renews his rivalry with his oldest friend WITH A PLACE IN THE SEMI kNALS AT STAKE ON 4UESDAY (Wednesday in Manila).

Q Switzerlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Roger Federer plays a shot against Argentinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leonardo Mayer during their fourth round match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris on Monday. AP PHOTO

Federer, the 37-yearold 2009 champion in Paris, holds a 22-3 stranglehold over Wawrinka, 34.

But all three losses have come on clay, including in the last-eight at the 2015 French Open as Wawrinka went on to claim a second a second career Slam title. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have a bad memory of it. Stan beat me in three sets with his terrible shorts,â&#x20AC;? said Federer in reference to his compatriotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gaudy, checked shorts, compared by some to a tablecloth pattern.

Federer, a 20-time major winner, is the oldest man to MAKE THE QUARTER kNALS OF A 3LAM SINCE *IMMY #ONNORS AT the 1991 US Open.

(E HAS GLIDED INTO HIS TH 0ARIS QUARTER kNAL AND TH at the majors, spending just over seven hours on court.

Wawrinka, on the other hand, has needed 12.5 hours TO GET TO HIS kRST 3LAM QUARTER kNAL SINCE THE &RENCH /PEN WHEN HE LOST TO 2AFAEL .ADAL IN THE kNAL *UST OVER kVE OF HIS HOURS ON COURT AT 2OLAND 'ARROS WERE spent disposing of sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last-16 in the fourth longest match ever played at the tournament.

7AWRINKA S RUN TO THE QUARTER kNALS WOULD HAVE LOOKED unlikely this time last year when the legacy of two knee

SURGERIES IN SAW HIM LOSE IN THE kRST ROUND IN 0ARIS That saw him drop out of the top 250 in the world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just happy for the guy that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back after his knee problems,â&#x20AC;? said Federer of his 2014 Davis Cup and 2008 Olympic gold medal winning teammate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were severe, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why I think heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really happy he got sort of a second life on tour.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;He was crushing the ballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nice to see him pain-free and playing well. I hope heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NOT AT THE LEVEL OF @ BUT WE LL kND OUT BECAUSE THERE HE was crushing the ball. It was unbelievable.â&#x20AC;?

Wawrinka, now back at 28 in the world, says it will be amazing to face Federer again despite having lost their last six meetings since his 2015 landmark moment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play here for so many years. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still playing so well. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best player to ever play this sport. So itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a big challenge,â&#x20AC;? said Wawrinka, the holder of three Grand Slam titles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t beat him many times in my career, but I did once here, so I still do remember that time and was a special day for me. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m getting old and older and older.. and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s better AFP than me, also, so never forgot that.â&#x20AC;?

PGT kicks off 4-leg Visayan swing in Cebu

PH 3x3 teams to test mettle in Russia tilt

THE local top guns and a slew of foreign aces aim for a strong start coming off a long break, all primed up to get into the mix in pursuit of the crown in the ICTSI Club Filipino de Cebu Invitational which gets going today in Danao City.

Jhonnel Ababa braces for a kERCER CHALLENGE FROM THE REST OF THE PLAYER STARTING kELD WHICH he bested via an eight-under overall card in the rain-shortened inaugurals of the event last year.

Though the organizers pushed the tees back to make it more challenging, Ababa still believes he can do it again even via full route. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like my chances (to score a repeat). I think 12-under will win it,â&#x20AC;? said Ababa, who, however, stressed the need for his putting to click to reign again in the event serving as the third leg of the Philippine Golf Tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milestone 10th season and the kickoff leg of a four-stage Visayan swing.

Emphasis will also be on precision at the tight, tricky layout, which also requires course management with the reachable par-5s

CHOOKS to Go-backed clubs Pasig and Balanga will compete in the 2019 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) 3x3 Tinkoff Moscow Challenger on June 7 to 8 in Russia.

Top Filipino 3x3 player and FIBA 3x3-ranked No. 89 Joshua Munzon, Serbian cager Nikola Pavlovic (No. 90), Taylor Statham (No. 91) and Dylan Ababou (No. 12 in Philippines) will banner the world-ranked No. 24 Pasig.

On the other hand, mainstays Alvin Pasaol (No. 141), Travis Franklin and Karl Dehesa together with new recruit C h r i s D e C h ave z , w h o r e placed Santi Santillan, will lead Balanga. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can guarantee that our players are mentally and physically ready for this tournament,â&#x20AC;? said Chooks to Go Pilipinas 3x3 league owner Ronald MascariĂąas.

Pasig had a winless campaign in the 2019 Kunshan Challenger held at the Huaqiao International Service Business Park in

and dogleg holes posing as baits for those who would take the risk. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If others will opt for safe shots of lay-ups, I would rather attack them with my driver for possible shots at an eagle,â&#x20AC;? added Ababa.

That makes the first round quite interesting with the likes of Americans Lexus Keoninh, Charles Lee, Pete Vilairatana and Sean Talmadge, Aussies Fidel Concepcion and Calum Junifer, Koreans Hwang Myung Chal, Kim Young Hyun, Park Jun Sung, and Japanese Ryui Hashimoto, Makoto Iwasaki, Yudai Suzuki, Kei Matsuoka, Kanata Nakagawa, Ryo Nishimura and Raiki Okamoto expected to likewise bank on their long games to fuel their respective title bids in the P3 million event sponsored by ICTSI. Others looking for a big start are Emilio Parodi of Argentina, PGT Q-School topnotcher Marcos Pastor of Spain, Thai Pachara Sakulyong and Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia along with the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s six invitees, including PGT Asia leg winner David Gleeson of Australia, Mateo Gomez and Sebas-

tian Lopez of Colombia, Englishman George Twyman, Jack Sullivan, also from Australia, and former national champion Lloyd Go. But the rest of the locals are ready to slug it out and foil the foreign acesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; drive, including Jay Bayron, Tony LascuĂąa, former Phl Masters titlist Jerson Balasabas and PGT Asia leg winners James Ryan Lam, Justin Quiban, Joenard Rates and Rene Menor and PGT leg champions Zanieboy Gialon, Charles Hong, Mars Pucay and Manilabased Dutch Guido Van der Valk along with Rey Pagunsan, winner of the National pro-am with Aidric Chan at Splendido last month.

From Cebu, the circuit, backed

by Custom Clubmakers, Meralco, Champion, Summit Mineral Water, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT and M.Y. Shokai Technology, Inc., will move to Bacolod Country Club on June 12-15, then to Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club

Q Jhonnel Ababa CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

on June 19-23, then to Iloilo Golf and Country Club on June 26-29.

China last May 18 to 19.

The Kings are now looking to rebound from that early exit as they take on world No. 3 Riga Ghetto of Latvia and Antwerp of Belgium in Pool B. Balanga, however, needs to undergo the qualifiers before advancing into the main tournament.

The Risers need to rule their group that also has host Moscow Inanomo (world No. 19) and Odessa of Ukraine.

Should it make it to the tournament proper, Balanga will face world No. 6 Gagarin of Russia and No. 22 Gdansk Energa 3x3 of Poland Pool C. Also competing in the Tinkoff Moscow Challenger are top clubs Novi Sad of Serbia (world No. 1), Princeton of USA (No. 8), Kranj of Slovenia (No. 18), Belgrade of Serbia (No.27), Sosnovy Bor of Russia (No. 29), Ventspils Ghetto of Latvia (No. 30) along with unranked teams Split of Croatia and Minsk of Belarus.

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

DODGERS BEAT ARIZONA 3-1

STANDINGS

MONDAY (TUESDAY IN MANILA) MLB RESULTS Chicago Cubs 8 Houston Astros 4 Los Angeles Dodgers 3 San Diego Padres 8

Los Angeles Angels 1 Seattle Mariners 2 Arizona Diamondbacks 1 Philadelphia Phillies 2

PHOENIX: Walker Buehlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second time on the mound against the Arizona Diamondbacks this season went far better than the first.

Buehler held the Diamondbacks to a run on two hits in eight innings, matching the longest start of his career, and Corey Seager hit a three-run homer as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Diamondbacks 3-1 Monday (Tuesday in Manila).

The NL West-leading Dodgers won their sixth straight, improving to 42-19. The Diamondbacks saw their two-game winning streak halted.

Buehler (6-1) lasted just three innings at Dodger Stadium on March 31 against Arizona, but carried a no-hitter into the bottom of the fifth Monday and got the first two outs before Christian Walker homered. Buehler struck out a season-high 11 without a walk for his first career win over the Diamondbacks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The efficiency is the biggest thing for me,â&#x20AC;? the 24-year-old right-hander said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to strike guys out in this league and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve kind of shown that. To get deeper into games is obviously my goal.â&#x20AC;?

Seager hit a full-count pitch from Arizona starter Robbie Ray (4-3) out to left-center field in the top of the fourth to break a scoreless tie. Justin Turner singled and David Freese walked with one out ahead of Seagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eighth homer of the season.

Going into Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game, Seager was 3 for 26 in his career against Ray. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tough matchup,â&#x20AC;? Seager said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kind of tried a bunch of different things and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have success against it, and still trying to

Q Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler throws in the first inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday in Phoenix. AP PHOTO figure out how to grind out some at-bats against him. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good.â&#x20AC;?

Walker almost had his second hit with one out in the eighth, but Chris Taylor reached up and caught his line drive in deep center field.

Buehler struck out Carson Kelly to end the eighth and walked to the visitorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dugout to a standing ovation from Dodgers fans seated along the first-base side.

Arizona failed to provide enough run support for Ray, who gave up three runs on six hits in seven innings and struck out nine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It felt like my command was as good as it has been all year,â&#x20AC;? Ray said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was pounding the zone, keeping them off balance with my off-speed, honestly just one bad pitch.â&#x20AC;?

Kenley Jansen worked the ninth inning for his 18th save in 20 chances. Arizona brought the tying run to the plate with two outs, but David Peralta popped out to end the game.

Peralta, the Diamondbacksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; leading hitter this season, returned to the lineup for the first time since May 21. He missed 11 games with a sprained right shoulder.

Peralta made an early impact defensively.

He fielded Alex Verdugoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two-out single to left field and one-hopped a throw home to get Freese trying to score from second base. Diamondbacks catcher Kelly applied the sweep tag on Freeseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s arm to end the top of the second.

Turner was in the starting lineup for the first time since May 29, and had two hits. He missed the next three games with hamstring tightness before drawing a walk on Sunday in his lone plate appearance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buehler in L.A. was still coming back from a short spring training and wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t at full strength, and you could see what he is capable of doing,â&#x20AC;?

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was pretty impressive.â&#x20AC;?

AP

D4

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

Q Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s footballer Neymar gestures during a training session of the national team at the Granja Comary sport complex in Teresopolis, Brazil, on June 1, 2019 ahead of the Copa America football tournament.

AFP PHOTO

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TROUBLED YEAR OF BRAZIL STAR NEYMAR

T

ERESĂ&#x201C;POLIS, Brazil: The coach of the Brazilian national football team, Tite, said Monday (Tuesday in Manila) he would â&#x20AC;&#x153;not judgeâ&#x20AC;? the sexual assault allegations leveled against his star player Neymar, which the Paris Saint-Germain forward says are an attempt to blackmail him. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I understand the seriousness of the issue,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But there must be time for people to be able weigh the facts.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not going to let myself judge the facts,â&#x20AC;? the coach said at the Brazilian squadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training center outside Rio, where they are preparing for the upcoming Copa America tournament. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The facts are not sufficiently clear. Only time will give us anSWERS u 4ITE SAID kELDING NUMEROUS questions about the accusations made over the weekend. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The team is above all of that,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the three years I have been dealing with Neymar, all the personal issues we have dealt with have been fair and truthful,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Neymar is an extraordinary player,â&#x20AC;? Tite said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From a technical point of view, he is indispensible,â&#x20AC;? although he added that did not mean he was â&#x20AC;&#x153;irreplaceable.â&#x20AC;?

The scandal erupted on Saturday when local media published accusations that a Brazilian woman had filed with the Sao Paulo police, accusing the 27-year-old

Football Brazil coach Tite refuses to judge Neymar after rape accusation Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

football star Neymar of forcing her into a non-consensual sexual relationship after meeting her on Instagram and inviting her to visit him in a Paris hotel in May. Sao Paulo police have conkRMED THAT THE ACCUSATIONS HAD BEEN kLED BUT SAID THE DETAILS OF THE CASE WERE CONkDENTIAL Neymar is training in Teresopolis with his teammates for the tournament which will take place in Brazil from June 14 to July 7. On 7EDNESDAY THE kVE TIME WORLD champions will play a friendly in the capital Brasilia against Qatar.

As well as facing accusations of rape in Sao Paulo, Neymar will be investigated by police in Rio de Janeiro for releasing a video featuring a series of WhatsApp chats and intimate photos of his accuser in an attempt to clear his name.

The footballer did not show her face or reveal her name, but such revelations are banned under Brazilian law.

A police car was spotted entering the training facility towards noon on Monday as Tite was making his appearance before the media. AFP

PARIS: A reoccurrence of an injury, two separate suspensions for insulting a referee and hitting a fan, losing Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s captaincy and now an accusation of rape, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most expensive player had a season to forget for club and country, on and off the field.

Agence France-Presse reflects on Neymarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s difficult season starting with the World Cup in Brazil which could end up with a Copa America title on home soil:

ment in Russia.

Back for Brazil After more than three months sidelined with a foot problem his 69th minute goal guides Brazil to a 2-0 World Cup warm-up friendly victory over eventual champions Croatia on June 3.

He fails to make the top 10 of the shortlist for the first time since 2013 finishing in 12th place as Croatiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup winning-midfielder Luka Modric takes the award in a ceremony held in the Braziliansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adopted home city Paris on December 3.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pathetic divingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Same foot, same injury

Despite scoring once and claiming an assist as the Selecao qualified for the last-16 his World Cup group stage is marred by his â&#x20AC;&#x153;patheticâ&#x20AC;? diving as former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel told Russian broadcaster RT.

With less than half an hour to play and PSG leading Strasbourg 1-0 on January 23 in the second round of the French Cup he limps off the Parc de Princes field with a similar foot injury to the one he suffered 13 months earlier. His return date is set for the Champions League quarter-finals but the Parisians have to face a resurgent Manchester United with new boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the last 16 before then.

Bows out to boos Brazil are knocked out of the World Cup in the quarter-finals to Belgium on July 6. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the victim of boos from a home crowd watching on a big screen in Rio every time he rolls on the ground, becoming an internet joke for his theatrical efforts.

Depression â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go as far as to say I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to play again but, I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to see a ball, or to see any more football played,â&#x20AC;? the 27-year-old told AFP on July 22 after the disappoint-

Vatican women strap on their boots for first time in World Cup year ROME: More than three decades after it kRST PUT OUT A MEN S TEAM WOMEN ARE kNALLY STRAPPING ON THE 6ATICAN S COLORS of yellow jersey and socks and white shorts and bearing the keys of St. Peter and papal tiara crest.

For 35 years the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smallest state has put out a menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team that for one match in 2010 was coached by European Cup winner Giovanni Trapattoni, while eight teams have competed in its menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s championship has for nearly half a century, with players coming from the iconic Swiss Guards, Museums and the economic services. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We thought the time was right to try to organize something, training and matches, also for women,â&#x20AC;? Danilo ZennARO A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE 6ATICAN SPORTS association, told Agence France-Presse.

And for a few months now, a group OF ABOUT WOMEN INCLUDING 6ATICAN employees, wives and workers from the Bambino Gesu pediatric hospital administered by the Holy See -- meet once or twice a week to train on the grounds of the Pius XI sports center in the shadow of the Dome of St. Peter.

The training kits are mismatched, the level of play variable with a lot of toepoking going on, but serious effort is being made ahead of a match with Serie A side Roma and then a tournament in 6IENNA LATER THIS MONTH WITH THE SESsion continuing until late into the night. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are a very heterogeneous group, there are young people aged about 25 and 50-year-olds,â&#x20AC;? said 35-year-old 6ATICAN EMPLOYEE -AURA 4UROLI WHO has little footballing experience but now plays as a defender. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonderful to be on the pitch and see husbands and children waiting for us and supporting us on the other side of the fence.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Goes beyond sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Although Pope Francis recently spoke of football as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the most beautiful gameâ&#x20AC;?, the three words â&#x20AC;&#x153;footballâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;womenâ&#x20AC;?

AND g6ATICANu ARE NOT NECESSARILY ONES people would put together in the same sentence.

However, Turoli says that they â&#x20AC;&#x153;will try to disprove this idea and show that we have our placeâ&#x20AC;?.

Teammate Floriana Di Iorio, who was already part of the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team at the Bambino Gesu hospital, says this team â&#x20AC;&#x153;goes beyond sportâ&#x20AC;? and wants to â&#x20AC;&#x153;spread a message of great openness.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The main objective is to convey a message of union, to be consistent, to keep our enthusiasm and perhaps also to be examples in places where the role of woman is still seen as a little marginal.â&#x20AC;?

A â&#x20AC;&#x153;spirit of unionâ&#x20AC;? is also what team coach, Gianfranco Guadagnoli, who WORKS IN THE 6ATICAN 0OST /FkCE WANTS to achieve. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just started this group, the kRST TRAINING SESSION WAS ONE OF PAIN

problems ... But they are doing better than expected,â&#x20AC;? said Guadagnoli, who also coaches the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never played a 11-a-side and on a big pitch, but Roma have come forward and ... we will try, even if our means are not those of a Serie A team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It does not matter, we go with our qualities and whatever happens happens, without problems or dramas.â&#x20AC;?

The match proceeded as expected, with a game understandably reduced to two 20 minute halves ending in a DOUBLE kGURES DEFEAT AND A BAPTISM OF kRE FOR A TRAILBLAZING TEAM AFP

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Sensationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; He scores a hat-trick in a 6-1 thumping of Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League group stages two months into the club season on October 3 described as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sensationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by head coach Thomas Tuchel.

Ballon dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Or blip

selvesâ&#x20AC;? on Instagram afterwards.

He adds: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a disgrace. They get four guys who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand football to watch a slow motion replay in front of the TV.â&#x20AC;?

Tax probe Newspaper El Mundo report in March Spanish tax authorities were investigating the bonus he earned when he extended his Barcelona contract in 2017.

Officials were looking into whether the Brazilian paid tax related to his extra payments and his record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, the daily paper said.

Three-match ban Six weeks after his referee rant on social media Neymar is handed a three-match suspension by UEFA for his insults which rule him out of PSGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opening fixtures in next seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s European campaign.

Fanfare Two days later, PSG are beaten on penalties in the French Cup final by Rennes on April 28. He scores his sideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second goal but hits a supporter as he collects his runners-up medal at the Stade de France.

Controversial Carnival

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The rebellious teenagerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Despite still recovering from the metatarsal problem heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s filmed and photographed dancing at both Salvador and Rio carnivals in early March.

The Brazilian press pounce on his Cup final misdemeanour branding him a â&#x20AC;&#x153;cowardâ&#x20AC;? and a â&#x20AC;&#x153;rebellious teenagerâ&#x20AC;?.

PSGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tuchel adds salt to the wound by saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like it. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do that, you just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do that.â&#x20AC;?

Referee rage Forced to watch in the the stands as PSG are knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester United on March 6 he tells officials to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Go fuck your-

Suspension number two He is given another ban for three games with a further two games suspended

for lashing out at the spectator in the stands after the shock defeat to Rennes.

Shuns last PSG match He heads back to Brazil to prepare for the Copa America after he claims to have been given permission to miss the league French championsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; final game of the season on May 24. Coach Tuchel denies his reasoning.

Captaincy gone Four days later Brazil boss Tite takes the skipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s armband away from the 96time international and gives it to club team-mate Dani Alves less than three weeks away from the start of the Copa America on home soil.

Rape allegation According to a complaint filed with Sao Paolo police and reported by the UOL and GloboEsporte websites on June 1, he is accused of â&#x20AC;&#x153;using violence to have sex with the victim without her consent.â&#x20AC;?

The law firm hired by the accuser dropped the case on Tuesday, telling Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Globo TV her original complaint was that assault â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and not rape â&#x20AC;&#x201D; had taken place.

Allegation denied A day later he denies raping the woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her at a Paris hotel, with his father claiming he is the victim of blackmail. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am accused of rape, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big word, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very strong, but that is what has happened,â&#x20AC;? Neymar said in a sevenminute video posted on Instagram.

Neymar, 27, then shows what he says is a long series of WhatsApp messages with the woman, including topless photographs of her in bed.

AFP

World Cup 2022 or bust for Lippi on China return â&#x20AC;&#x153;Will we qualify for the Qatar World Cup? I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t SHANGHAI: Marcello Lippi says he know, we will try, we will make every effort,â&#x20AC;? the will quit for a second time if he fails former Juventus, Inter Milan, Napoli and Italy to guide ambitious China to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. coach told broadcaster CCTV5.

The 71-year-old Italian â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we can do it, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great, if we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, World Cup winner is I will embrace all the Chinese and go back as coach of home,â&#x20AC;? he added in his first substantive China just four comments since his return was months confirmed last week. after leavâ&#x20AC;&#x153;This is work, this is life -- using. ing all passion, all enthusiasm, But with all experience to try to do one qualificathing, but the final result may tion for Qatar be success or it may be failure.â&#x20AC;?

2022 beginning in The Italian, who was speaking September, the underahead of Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home friendly with the Philippressure veteran has pines, said that he had declined to extend his little time to lose if he is contract with the Chinese Football Association to inspire China to only their Q Marcello Lippi (CFA) after his side lost 3-0 to Iran in the quartersecond World Cup appearance. AFP PHOTO finals of the Asian Cup in January.

But Lippi remained popular in China where there was an acceptance that he did not have a good enough squad to progress further. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After staying at home for three or four months, I realised that Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appreciation and expectation of me was so important so I decided to give something back,â&#x20AC;? he explained in the interview broadcast on Monday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have not made a long-term commitment because it makes no sense â&#x20AC;&#x201D; our goal is Qatar in 2022.â&#x20AC;?

Guangzhou Evergrande coach Fabio Cannavaro, Lippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s captain when Italy won the 2006 World Cup, succeeded his mentor earlier this year.a2 But Cannavaro lost both matches in charge of the national side, who are 74th in FIFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world rankings, and stepped down.

Under football-fan President Xi Jinping, China have grand ambitions to host and win a World Cup. AFP

WC hosts Qatar to stage back-to-back World Club Cups PARIS: The hosts of the next World Cup Qatar will stage the Club World Cup in 2019 and 2020, FIFA announced on Tuesday.

The Middle-Eastern state will use the two tournaments as logistical tests for stadiums and infrastructure ahead of the 2022 edition of the international competition which

takes place every four years.

WILL BE THE kNAL TIME ONLY SEVEN sides will participate in the annual club event before it is expanded to 24 teams a year later.

After winning the right to host a 32-team World Cup in 2010, in a bidding process

mired in bribery allegations, the Qataris are coming under sustained pressure to switch to 48.

4HE COUNTRY WON ITS kRST EVER !SIAN #UP title in February acting as a riposte to critics who long ridiculed the 2022 World Cup host for its lack of footballing prowess. AFP

Platini blasts Infantino, says he has â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;no legitimacyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; PARIS: The former head of European football Michel Platini has blasted FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of his re-election saying he has â&#x20AC;&#x153;no legitimacyâ&#x20AC;? and that he previously mocked womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has no legitimacy, he is not credible as FIFA president,â&#x20AC;? Platini said in an interview with French sports daily Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Equipe and several other European newspapers.

There is no love lost between Platini, who was banned from football activities over a two

million Swiss francs (1.8 million euros, $2 million) payment from FIFA, and Infantino, his former right-hand man.

Platini claimed that when Infantino was in his previous job as UEFA secretary-general â&#x20AC;&#x153;everyone knew that he was always criticising FIFA.â&#x20AC;?

With the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Cup set to kick off in France on Friday, Platini even claimed that Infantino, when they worked together at UEFA, never supported the development of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;How can he promote womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football when he always used to make fun of it? He never believed in it,â&#x20AC;? Platini said.

Infantino, who became FIFA chief in 2015 after the scandaltainted reign of Sepp Blatter, is set to be re-elected unopposed to a second term at a FIFA congress in Paris on Wednesday.

Platini, who starred as a player for Saint Etienne and Italian giants Juventus, is now campaigning for FIFA to lift his four-year ban from the sport.

AFP

WEDNESDAY W E D N E S DAY JUNE 5, 2019

Lifestyle

E1 Q Paying attention to what causes stress and practicing ways to relax can counter some of its negative effects and increase oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to cope with different challenges.

www.manilatimes.net

Managing stress the simple way S TRESS is a normal psychological and Stress relief physical reaction to the demands of The pace and challenges of modlife. A small amount of stress can be ern life make stress management good, motivating one to perform well. But necessary for everyone.

4O MONITOR STRESS kRST IDENTIFY multiple challenges daily, such as sitting in the triggers. What causes anger, tenTRAFkC MEETING DEADLINES AND PAYING BILLS sion, worry or irritation? Are headcan push the already stressed person be- aches or an upset stomach come often with no medical cause? yond his ability to cope.

The brain comes hard-wired with an alarm system for protection.

When the brain perceives a threat, it signals the body to release a burst of hormones that increase the heart rate and raise blood pressure. This gkGHT OR lIGHTu RESPONSE SERVES AS fuel to deal with the threat.

Once the threat is gone, the body is meant to return to a normal, relaxed state. Unfortunately, the nonstop complications of modern life mean that some peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s alarm systems rarely shut off.

Stress management gives a range of tools to reset the alarm system.

It can help the mind and body adapt (resilience). Without it, the body might always be on high alert. Over time, chronic stress can lead to serious health problems.

It is imperative not to wait until stress damages oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health, relationships or quality of life. Practicing stress management techniques is therefore highly recommended starting today.

Some stressors, such as job pressures, relationship problems OR kNANCIAL CONCERNS ARE EASY TO identify. But daily hassles and demands, such as waiting in a long line or being late to a meeting, also contribute to the stress level.

Even essentially positive events, such as getting married or buying a house, can be stressful. Any change to the daily routine can cause stress.

Once stress triggers are identikED NEXT STEP IS TO THINK ABOUT strategies for dealing with them.

Identifying what can be controlled is a good starting point. For ex-

Q Common relaxation techniques include meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, tai chi and yoga.

ample, if stress is the reason of being awake at night, the solution may be as easy as removing the TV and computer from the bedroom and letting the mind wind down before bed.

Other times, such as when stress is based on high demands at work or a loved oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s illness, the best way to handle it might be just a change of reaction to the situation.

Stress multiplies just at the thought of surmounting the causes alone. Seeking help and support from family and friends is most practical â&#x20AC;&#x201D; whether someone willing to listen, help with child care or a ride to work when the carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in the shop.

-ANY PEOPLE BENEkT FROM PRACtices such as deep breathing, tai chi, yoga, meditation or being in nature.

3ET ASIDE gME TIME u 'ET A MASSAGE

soak in a bubble bath, dance, listen to music, watch a comedy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; whatever help is for relaxation.

It has been proven that maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the biggest help to manage stress â&#x20AC;&#x201D; eat a

healthy diet, exercise regularly and get enough sleep. Make a conscious effort to spend less time in front of a screen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; television, tablet, computer and phone â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and spend more time for relaxation.

Stress wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t disappear from this life. And stress management needs to be ongoing. But by paying attention to what causes stress and practicing ways to relax can counter some of the bad effects of stress and increase oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to cope with challenges.

Relaxation techniques Relaxation techniques are an essential part of stress management. Because of busy schedules, relaxation might be low on the priority list. Make sure to relax and recharge to repair the toll stress takes on mind and body.

Almost Q Enjoying e v e ryone natural can benefit surrounding from relaxis another a tion techway of coping niques, which with stress. can help slow breathing and focus attention.

Common relaxation techniques include meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, tai chi and yoga. More active ways of achieving relaxation include walking outdoors or participating in sports.

It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter which relaxation technique one chooses.

What is important is a technique that works and can be practiced regularly.

Source: Mayo Clinic

New drug therapy slows spread 10 healthy habits for a healthy heart of pancreatic cancer â&#x20AC;&#x201D; study CHICAGO: For people diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer, the outlook is about as grim as it gets: the average patient wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live longer than a year.

But a new study involving a targeted drug therapy has demonstrated it may be possible to significantly slow its spread, with a third of patients receiving the medication still alive two years into a clinical trial, a researcher reported on Sunday.

The trial specifically looked at patients with BRCA gene mutations which are inherited and are known to increase the chances of getting pancreatic, ovarian, prostate and breast cancer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the reason why actress Angelina Jolie had a preventative double mastectomy.

The mutation affects the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to repair damaged DNA, which can result from a number of factors ranging from excess sunlight to exposure to asbestos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Normal cells may be able to repair it, but cells that have the mutation cannot repair this damage, and they then start to grow abnormally because they have damage in their DNA,â&#x20AC;? lead author Hedy Kindler, an oncologist at the University of Chicago Medical Center, told AFP. Enter so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;PARP inhibitorsâ&#x20AC;? which act somewhat counterintuitively by blocking a protein, PARP, that helps damaged cells repair themselves.

Since cancer cells with BRCA gene defects already have a poor repair system, targeting them using a PARP inhibitor worsens the damage and ultimately kills them.

The trial screened more than 3,300 people with pancreatic cancer, identifying around 250 with the faulty gene.

They then randomly assigned the drug, known as olaparib, to a portion of them and a placebo to another group.

Olaparib, which was co-developed by AstroZeneca and Merck and is sold as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lynparza,â&#x20AC;? was found to reduce the risk of disease progression by 47 percent compared to the control group.

Those patients who received olaparib had their disease under control for almost twice as long (7.4 months to 3.8 months) as those patients who received the placebo â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a measure known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;median progression-free survival.â&#x20AC;?

Tumor shrinkage â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those patients whose tumor shrank with the olaparib, which was about a quarter of them, their tumor shrinkage was maintained for more than two years,â&#x20AC;? added Kindler, who presented the findings at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The whole idea is... you can transform an otherwise deadly prognosis into a potentially chronic disease, at least for a while, and to keep it under control.â&#x20AC;?

HEART health is impacted by a variety of factors, including physical, emotional and spiritual factors. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one reason the heart is the most intriguing organ. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s o u r l i f e l i n e, p u m p i n g b l o o d throughout our body, yet we experience emotions that are somehow related to our heart.

While science is still exploring the many facets of the heart, taking a holistic approach to healing the heart can be beneficial. Whether you have a serious heart health concern or less life-threatening yet emotional concerns, the heart is central to our overall well-being.

That being said, the following healthy habits are offered for heart health:

fatal erratic rhythms. As many fish contain high levels of mercury and PCBs, use supplements such as fish oil, cod liver oil if you need extra Vitamin D, or krill oil.

5. Reduce or eliminate refined sugar. Avoid sugar and

chemicalized, artificial sweeteners in foods and beverages. Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, r a w

who sleep less than five hours each night, have a 30 percent higher risk of heart disease than those who get eight hours. Too little sleep may play havoc with your hormones, blood sugar and blood pressure.

8. Avoid tobacco. Exposure to tobacco, even secondhand smoke, can cause heart disease to worsen.

1. Add Vitamin J.

Vitamin J = Vitamin Joy with a dose of laughter and pleasure! Add joy, laughter and pleasure to your life.

A study from the Univer- Q Vegetables, fruits, nuts, sity of Maryland School of and whole grains are full of Medicine recommends 15 vitamins, antioxidants and minutes of daily laughter other nutrients that are great for optimum heart health. for improving circulation.

Suzanne Cole, an oncologist at Southwestern Medical Center who was not involved with the study said it represented a â&#x20AC;&#x153;huge step forward for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.â&#x20AC;?

She added that now the effectiveness of the medication had been identified, it was important for clinicians to screen patients for the mutation to identify those who could benefit from the therapy.

Kindler cited the case of a patient who watched his brother die from the disease before learning he himself had the cancer.

He was found to have the BRCA mutation and placed on the trial. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Every single time we do a CT scan, his tumor is smaller and smaller,â&#x20AC;? said Kindler. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He takes a pill twice a day, and two and a half years later, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still around. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading a normal life.â&#x20AC;?

AFP

2. Incorporate physical activity. Start with

simple activities that you enjoy, like walking, yoga or dancing start with 10 minutes a day and increase.

Exercise is essential.

3. Eliminate trans fats.

An FDA advisory panel found that trans fats are even more harmful to health than saturated fats. The Institute of Medicine went a step further, concluding that the safest amount of trans fat is zero.

4. Try an Omega-3 supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids

play a crucial role in keeping the heart beating steadily and not lapsing into dangerous, sometimes

honey, brown rice syrup, agave nectar and stevia. Also, eat sweet vegetables such as yams, carrots, and beets.

6. Eat more vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains. Vegetables, fruits, nuts,

and whole grains are full of vitamins, antioxidants, and other nutrients great for improving circulation, lifting the spirit, purifying the blood and strengthening the immune system. Choose whole foods you enjoy and have them several times daily.

7. Get more sleep. Women

9. Evaluate your salt intake. As sodium intake increases, so can blood pressure. Moderating your intake can help prevent and control hypertension. When using salt, choose high-quality sea salt which has important minerals that the body needs.

10. Breathe deeper. Meditation and relaxation techniques can help teach our bodies to tone down our physical response to stress.

SUZANNE MONROE

About the author: Suzanne Monroe is the founder of The International Association of Wellness Professionals and Director of the IAWP Wellness Coach Certification and Training Program.

The IAWP has given away over $100,000 in scholarships to support people who are passionate about health and wellness.

E2

Funtimes

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Solution to puzzle

» CROSSWORD

BY EUGENE SHEFFER

»HOROSCOPE Today’s Birthday (06/05/19). Envision an inspiring future together this year. Your shared efforts can grow strong foundations. Reap bountiful summer benefits before changes with a joint endeavor. Together, your family fortunes rise next winter, cushioning unexpected expenses with disciplined efforts. It’s all for one and one for all.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Your dream home approaches reality. Choose what’s best for family. Save private time for yourself. Watch for hidden agendas. Don’t bend the rules. Stay patient.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Speculate and let your imagination run wild. Envision a dream come true.

Share your heart’s desire. Practical demands control the outcome. Consider structures and logistics.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) -- Today is an 8 -- You can profit from a dreamer’s vision. Track sales closely. Uncover the underlying motivations. Self-discipline pays off. Avoid conflicting interests. Wait for the best deal.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Imagine a perfect outcome to a personal endeavor. Consider old dreams and ideals. Practical plans are best now. Listen and learn. See yourself winning.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- Dreams can reveal a hidden truth. Peaceful relaxation soothes your spirit. Let go of what you no longer need. You see creative possibilities everywhere.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Teamwork brings a seemingly distant opportunity into reach. Others can move more quickly, knowing they can depend on you. Communicate privately and respectfully.

» SUDOKU

BY NANCY BLACK LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Stay on task at work. New facts dispel old fears. The impossible seems accessible. Don’t take things personally. Focus to hit your marks.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Dream big.

What’s on the other side of the horizon? Expand your territory.

Keep it simple to avoid overspending. Learn tricks. Explore another view.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Profit potential could motivate you into action. Make sure your infrastructure supports your goals. Lay the groundwork. Solid foundations provide important support. Avoid risky business.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Emotions could run high between you and your partner. Listen generously.

Ignore the garbage. A truth gets revealed. Begin afresh. Create a new possibility.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) -- Today is a 7 -- Go for the gold! Keep a dream alive. Use finesse rather than force to avoid accidents. Anticipate resistance. Gently stretch. Relax, and treat yourself lovingly.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Craft and organize plans to realize a heart-felt dream. Clear out the superfluous. Recycle or repurpose materials. Polish the tools of a creative passion.

(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black’s legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack. For more astrological interpretations like today’s Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.)

NANCY BLACK. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

BY ROGER SEVILLA

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 square contains the digits 1 to 9 with no repeats.

Solution from yesterday’s puzzle.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Napolcom confers Medalya ng Kabayanihan on 5 police officials THE National Police CommisSION .APOLCOM CONFERRED THE -EDALYA NG +ABAYANIHAN ON kVE POLICE OFkCIALS AND CONkRMED THE SPECIAL PROMOTION OF THE POLICE PERSONNEL FOR THEIR MERITORIOUS PERFORMANCE WHEN THE -AUTE 'ROUP TOGETHER WITH A NUMBER OF !BU 3AYYAF 'ROUP !3' AND other lawless elements delibERATELY ATTACKED AND BESIEGED -ARAWI #ITY ON -AY

This was announced by NaPOLCOM 6ICE #HAIRMAN AND %XECUTIVE /FkCER !TTY 2OGELIO #Asurao after the Commission en BANC APPROVED 2ESOLUTION .O

DATED !PRIL WHICH CONFERRED THE 0.0 $ISTINGUISHED Conduct Medal ( -EDALYA NG Kabayanihan ON kVE POLICE OFkCIALS NAMELY 03UPT 0,4#/, 2EX !RVIN -ALIMBAN 03UPT 0,4#/, ,AMBERT 3UERTE 03UPT 0,4#/, *ACK %CHMAN !NGOG

03UPT 0,4#/, -ARIO -AYAMES *R AND 03UPT 0,4#/, ,EDON -ONTE IN RECOGNITION OF THEIR CONSPICUOUS COURAGE AND GALLANTRY IN THE FACE OF ARMED ENEMIES WHERE THEY PERFORMED the most crucial role as leaders

AND COMMANDERS OF THE 3PECIAL !CTION &ORCE 3!& TROOPERS DURING THE -ARAWI #ITY #RISIS 4HE #OMMISSION ALSO APPROVED 2ESOLUTION .O ON -AY CONkRMING THE SPECIAL PROMOTION TO THE NEXT HIGHER RANK OF THE 0.0 PERSONNEL FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDAtion made by PNP Chief Police General Oscar Albayalde for the GRANT OF THE MERITORIOUS PROMOTION FOR DEMONSTRATING ACTS OF CONSPICUOUS COURAGE AND GALlantry in action at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call OF DUTY WHEN THE )3)3 INSPIRED ,OCAL 4ERRORIST 'ROUPS ,4'S LED BY )SNILON (APILON AND BROTHers Abdullah and Omar Maute EXECUTED THEIR PLANS TO ESTABLISH A g#ALIPHATEu IN -ARAWI #ITY TO GAIN RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT FROM FOREIGN TERRORISTS 6ICE #HAIRMAN #ASURAO SAID THAT THE QUALIFIED CHILDREN OF awardees of the PNP DistinGUISHED #ONDUCT -EDAL -EDALYA NG +ABAYANIHAN SHALL BE GRANTED EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP UNDER the Reward Education Assistance 0ROGRAM 2%!0 OF THE 0.0

DoE calls on Meralco, other DUs to expedite CSP bidding of PSAs DEPARTMENT OF %NERGY $O% 3ECRETARY !LFONSO #USI UPHELD THE RECENT 3UPREME #OURT 3# DECISION MANDATING THE #OMPETITIVE 3ELECTION 0ROCESS #30 IN THE PUBLIC BIDDING OF POWER SUPPLY AGREEMENTS g!LL AFFECTED POWER INDUSTRY PLAYERS MUST CATCH UP AND PUSH under the CSP, those stalled SUPPLY AGREEMENTS FOR THE NEXT YEARS u HE SAID It may be recalled that the 3UPREME #OURT DECISION WHICH MAINTAINED THAT gALL 0OWER 3UPPLY !GREEMENT 03! APPLICATIONS submitted by Distribution Utilities $5S TO THE %NERGY 2EGULATORY #OMMISSION %2# ON OR AFTER *UNE SHALL COMPLY WITH THE #OMPETITIVE 3ELECTION 0ROCESSu WAS WELCOMED BY THE $O%

#USI SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL ENSURE THE COMPLIANCE OF ALL AFFECTED PARTIES IN THE ENERGY SECTOR TO THE 3# RULING WITH THE $O% TAKING THE LEAD IN PRODDING INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS TO EXPEDITE THE #30 BIDDING OF STALLED POWER SUPPLY 03! APPLICATIONS OF -ERALCO AND OTHER DISTRIBUTION UTILITIES 4HE ENERGY CHIEF HAS PREVIOUSLY EMPHASIZED THAT THE (IGH #OURT S RULING IS A NOD TO THE $O% S gLONGSTANDING CONVICTION ON THE fundamental role of the CSP as A MECHANISM TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND FAIR COMPETITION IN THE PROCUREMENT OF OUR POWER SUPPLY )T WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE CONSUMING PUBLIC FROM POWER RATE SPIKES PASS ON CHARGES AND AVERT PREDATORY PRACTICES u

PH internet speed soars under Du30 Admin "!3%$ ON REPORTS THE AVERAGE 0HILIPPINE INTERNET SPEED HAS BEEN ON THE RISE SINCE 0RESIDENT 2ODRIGO $UTERTE TOOK OFkCE In his first month in office, THE AVERAGE DOWNLOAD SPEED FOR MOBILE AND FIXED BROADBAND WAS ONLY AT MEGABITES PER SECOND -BPS AND -BPS RESPECTIVELY 3INCE THEN THE AVERAGE DOWNLOAD SPEED FOR MOBILE AND kXED BROADBAND HAS INCREASED TO -BPS OR PERCENT AND -BPS OR PERCENT RESPECTIVELY ON !PRIL $URING $UTERTE S FIRST YEAR IN OFkCE !KAMAI ONE OF THE WORLD S LARGEST DISTRIBUTED COMPUTING PLATFORMS CITED THE 0HILIPPINES AS WELL AS 4HAILAND AND #HINA FOR LEADING THE !SIA 0ACIkC REGION IN TERMS OF

INTERNET SPEED IMPROVEMENT WITH A PERCENT QUARTERLY BOOST !KAMAI FURTHER GAVE A POSITIVE FORECAST FOR THE 0HILIPPINES state of the internet after PresiDENT $UTERTE APPROVED A PLAN TO DEPLOY A NATIONAL BROADBAND network at an estimated cost of BILLION TO BILLION Consistent with Akamaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FORECAST THE QUARTERLY TREND OF 0HILIPPINES AVERAGE INTERNET SPEED FOR BOTH MOBILE AND kXED BROADBAND HAS BEEN ON AN UPward trend and has even doubled FROM THIRD QUARTER OF -BPS FOR MOBILE AND -BPS FOR BROADBAND TO kRST QUARTER OF -BPS FOR MOBILE AND FOR BROADBAND BASED ON 3PEEDTEST REPORTS BY /OKLA

Experience five-star travel aboard the Emirates A380

Public Square

WEDNESDAY June 5, 2019

E3

Oman Air launches new service to Athens O

MAN AIR, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has commenced its new daily direct service between 'REECE AND /MAN WITH THE kRST lIGHT DEPARTING -USCAT )NTERNATIONAL !IRPORT TO !THENS )NTERNATIONAL !IRPORT ON *UNE 4HE INAUGURAL lIGHT 79 DEPARTED -USCAT )NTERNATIONAL !IRPORT AT ARRIVING TO !THENS AT 7ITH A lIGHT TIME OF APPROXIMATELY SIX HOURS THE RETURN lIGHT 79 DEPARTS !THENS )NTERNATIONAL !IRPORT AT ARRIVING INTO THE AWARD WINNING NEW PASSENGER terminal at Muscat International !IRPORT AT THE NEXT DAY Abdulaziz Al Raisi, Oman Airâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFkCER SAID g) AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE ADDITION OF THE 'REEK CAPITAL TO OUR NETWORK 3INCE WE ANNOUNCED THIS ROUTE LAST YEAR WE HAVE SEEN STRONG interest to this destination, both

Q Oman Airâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s official delegation to Athens includes Senior Vice President-International Sales Laurent Recoura and Oman Air Regional Vice President Jamal Al Azki. Honorary Consul of Greece in the Sultanate of Oman Dr. Elias Nikolakopoulos also accompanied the delegation to Athens. from the travel trade community of Greek tourists to our beautiful PRISES AS WELL AS HOLIDAY SEEKERS LOOKING FOR NEW TRAVEL EXPERIENCES u AND LEISURE TRAVELLERS 7E EXPECT COUNTRY /MAN u Moreover, Paul Starrs, chief comThe new service between Muscat THIS DAILY SERVICE CONNECTING -USMERCIAL OFkCER AT /MAN !IR SAID AND !THENS IS THE AIRLINE S TH cat with Athens to further stimug/UR NEW SERVICE WILL PROVIDE MORE destination and second route late economic, trade and business CHOICE AND GREATER CONVENIENCE FOR LAUNCHED THIS YEAR AFTER !LEXANrelations between our two counTRAVELERS 7E ARE CONkDENT THE ADDIDRIA %GYPT )T IS ALSO PART OF /MAN TRIES !PART FROM STRENGTHENING AND OPENING UP NEW BUSINESS TION OF !THENS ONTO OUR EXPANDING !IR S lEET AND NETWORK EXPANSION OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN 'REECE AND GLOBAL NETWORK WILL BE APPRECIATED PROGRAMME WHICH WILL SEE THE /MAN OUR lIGHTS WILL ALSO ACT AS by the business communities, es- AIRLINE OPERATE UP TO AIRCRAFT TO A CATALYST IN DRIVING THE EXPANSION PECIALLY SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTER- AROUND DESTINATIONS BY

DoST-SEI invites science, math teachers to join InnoBox contest THE $EPARTMENT OF 3CIENCE AND 4ECHNOLOGY 3CIENCE %DUCATION )NSTITUTE $O34 3%) IS CALLING ON THE COUNTRY S PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENtary and secondary school educators WHO ARE CURRENTLY TEACHING SCIENCE and/or mathematics to submit PROPOSALS FOR THE g)NNO"OXu OR )NNOVATION IN A "OX COMPETITION g)NNO"OXu IS A NATIONWIDE search for the most innovative TEACHING AND LEARNING RESOURCES WHICH CAN BE USED IN TEACHING BOTH SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS 4HE IDEA BEHIND g)NNO"OXu IS FOR EDUCATORS TO COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR A MORE ENGAGING LEARNING EXPERIENCE in the classroom, as they embrace NEW ROLES AS INNOVATORS AND DESIGNERS OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENT g7E RE ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT for teachers who are keen on IMPROVING SCIENCE AND MATH EDU-

CATION IN THE COUNTRY u $O34 3%) $IRECTOR *OSETTE "IYO SAID DoST-SEI, best known for IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS RECOGNIZES the crucial role of teachers in STRENGTHENING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN THE COUNTRY .OW ON ITS SECOND RUN THE PROJECT AIMS TO ENCOURAGE EDUCATORS TO BE INNOVATIVE CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL IN TEACHING SCIENCE AND MATH CONCEPTS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS PERFORMANCE IN THESE SUBJECTS .INE TEACHERS GROUP OF TEACHERS THREE PER CATEGORY WILL BE GIVEN 0 EACH TO DEVELOP THEIR PROJECT PROTOTYPE 4HE TOP THREE WINNERS ONE PER CATEGORY WILL RECEIVE A PLAQUE OF RECOGNITION AND CASH PRIZES $O34 3%) INVITES ALL QUALIkED TEACHERS TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS IN

Q Science teacher with his students ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SEARCH CATEGORIES 'RADES TO 'RADES TO AND 'RADES TO 4HE PROPOSED LEARNING RESOURCES MUST NOT HAVE BEEN AWARDED OR GIVEN ANY KIND OF SPECIAL RECOGNITION IN

PREVIOUS COMPETITIONS $EADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS ON *ULY

For more information, visit WWW SEI DOST GOV PH or email THE )NNO"OX 3ECRETARIAT AT innoBOX SEIDOST GMAIL COM

Quezon City launches Text Basura, Text Pasok THE Quezon City Public Affairs AND )NFORMATION 3ERVICES $EPARTment recently launched 4EXT "Asura and 4EXT 0ASOK TEXT MESSAGING SERVICES FOR 1UEZON #ITY RESIDENTS 4EXT "ASURA will serve as an EASY WAY FOR RESIDENTS TO REPORT OR VOICE THEIR COMPLAINTS ABOUT GARBAGE COLLECTION IN THEIR AREA 4O USE THE SERVICE TEXT g"ASURA SPACE ,OCATION THEN SEND TO 1# u 4EXT 0ASOK on the other hand, will let residents know if there are cancellation of classes IN THE CITY 4O USE THE SERVICE

TEXT g Pasok SPACE ,OCATION Only Smart subscribers will be AND SEND TO 1# u able to use the service and each

TEXT WILL COST USERS 0 CITY GOVERNMENT IN PARTNERSHIP 4HE SERVICE IS PROVIDED BY THE WITH 3MART #OMMUNICATIONS )NC

SunSmart launches compact solar device product 35.3-!24 SHOCKS AT THE Power and Electricity show, the LARGEST ENERGY EVENT IN THE 0HILIPPINES HELD AT THE 3-8 CONVENTION CENTER ON -AY SunSmart is a small solar deVICE THAT PRODUCES USABLE ELECTRICITY BY WAY OF A SOLAR PANEL AND A BATTERY $ESPITE IT S COMPACT SIZE

IT CAN STILL POWER UP LIGHTS A FAN AND CHARGE MOBILE PHONES 7HAT REALLY SETS 3UN3MART APART FROM THE COMPETITION IS ITS AFFORDABILITY g-Y HUSBAND 7IL-

LIAM AND ) WANTED TO CHANGE THE PERCEPTION OF SOLAR POWER BEING only for those who can afford the HIGH ENTRY COST 7E WANT ALL &ILIPINO S TO BENEkT FROM THE COUNTRIES AVAILABLE SOLAR POWER u SAYS 3UN3MART 0RESIDENT *ENNY .GAI 3HE ADDS g) BELIEVE IN DUE TIME

MY COMPANY WILL BE ABLE TO FULkLL ITS VISION OF CREATING A COMPLETELY PERCENT RENEWABLE ENERGY POWERED DEVELOPMENT u For more information, email sunSMART ISP GMAIL COM

Q During the show are (from left) William Ngai, SunSmart CEO; Jenny Ngai, SunSmart president; Nancy Nievas and Edward Gomez of ERG.

Kidzania Manila supports DepEdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brigada Eskwela

EMIRATES HAS LAUNCHED EXCITING DEALS TO SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR CITIES IN %UROPE THE 53 !FRICA AND THE -IDDLE %AST INCLUDING $UBAI .OW TRAVELLERS FROM THE 0HILIPPINES WILL BE EVEN MORE INSPIRED TO TRY THE ICONIC AIRCRAFT THAT HAS RE DEkNED THE WAY WE travel, with the ease and comfort OF HOME IN THE AIR 4HE SPECIAL FARES PROVIDE EVEN MORE REASONS to satisfy your wanderlust as you

ENJOY EXCLUSIVE AMENITIES AND SERVICE ABOARD THE %MIRATES !

"OOK YOUR lIGHT ON WWW EMIRATES COM PH BEFORE *UNE AND ENJOY RATES AS LOW AS FOR ECONOMY CLASS AND FOR business class on travel from .INOY !QUINO )NTERNATIONAL !IRPORT #LARK )NTERNATIONAL !IRPORT as well as Mactanâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Cebu InternaTIONAL !IRPORT 4HE OFFER IS VALID FOR TRAVEL UNTIL $ECEMBER

KIDZANIA Manila marks its third year OF PARTICIPATION IN THE $EPARTMENT OF %DUCATION $EP%D S .ATIONAL 3CHOOLS -AINTENANCE 7EEK KNOWN AS g"RIGADA %SKWELAu AS PART OF THE PLAY CITY S COMMITMENT TO HELP MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLCHILDREN g+ID:ANIA ASPIRES TO BE THE BEST LEARNING PARTNER IN CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION THROUGH THE TRANSFORMATIONAL EDUTAINMENT EXPERIENCE WE OFFER 4HIS IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO THE "RIGADA %SKWELA PROGRAM 7E ARE kRM BELIEVERS THAT CREATING A CONDUCIVE FUN LEARNING ENVIRONMENT HELPS BUILD A BETTER WORLD FOR OUR STUDENTS u SAID KidZania Manila Governor and #%/ #OOKIE "ARTOLOME WHO LENT A HAND IN THE CLEANUP AT 3TO 2OSARIO %LEMENTARY 3CHOOL IN 0ATEROS KidZania Manila volunteers

ALSO PARTICIPATED IN NEIGHBORING SCHOOL 0ALAR %LEMENTARY 3CHOOL IN 4AGUIG #ITY 4HEY JOINED SCHOOLTEACHERS PARENTS AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS IN THE CLEANUP AND ASSISTED WITH THE MILD REMAKING AND POLISHING OF CLASSROOMS The KidZania Manila team also DONATED SANITARY AND SCHOOL SUP-

PLIES FOR THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS GALLONS OF PAINT AND 0HILIPPINE lAGS WITH THE AID OF THEIR SPONSORS Ayala Foundation, Green Cross, First "ALFOUR AND .ATIONAL "OOKSTORE 4HROUGH ITS %XTERNAL 0ARTNERSHIPS 3ERVICE %03 $EP%D IMPLEMENTED THE TH ANNUAL g"RIGADA %SKWELAu FROM -AY TO GEARING UP FOR THE

OPENING OF CLASSES THIS *UNE &OCUSED ON THE THEME g-ATATAG NA "AYAN PARA SA -AUNLAD NA Paaralan u THE PROJECT CONTINUES TO IMPROVE ONE SCHOOL AFTER ANOTHER WITH WEEK LONG CLEAN UPS AND MINOR REPAIRS OF FACILITIES For more information, visit MANILA KIDZANIA COM

WEDNESDAY W E D N ESDAY JUNE 5, 2019

Entertainment

E4 Q Kathryn Bernardo receives her Best Actress trophy for 'The Hows of Us.' CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS/PMPC

www.manilatimes.net

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tie!

Kathryn Bernardo and Sarah Geronimo share Star Awards Best Actress plum

A

Q Ogie Alcasid, Best Actor for 'Kuya Wes.'

BY ARLO CUSTODIO

YOUNGER set of performers are this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s winners at the Star Awards for Movies by the Philippine Movie Press Club (PMPC).

Winning over veteran and more established screen thespians, Kathryn Bernardo (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hows Of Usâ&#x20AC;?) and Sarah Geronimo (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Miss Grannyâ&#x20AC;?) tied for Movie Actress of The Year in the 35th edition of the press clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual awards held Sunday at Newport Performing Arts Theater in Resorts World Manila, Pasay City.

The young actresses were up against a slate of nominees completed by Gloria Romero (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sunsetâ&#x20AC;?), Gina PareĂąo (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hintayan Ng Langitâ&#x20AC;?), Iza Calzado (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Distanceâ&#x20AC;?), Judy Ann Santos (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ang Dalawang Mrs. Reyesâ&#x20AC;?), Anne Curtis (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buy Bustâ&#x20AC;?) and Alessandra de Rossi (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through Night And Dayâ&#x20AC;?).

Meanwhile, Ogie Alcasid was awarded Best Actor for his role as the timid, big-hearted remittance clerk in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kuya Wes.â&#x20AC;?

The singer-composer-comedian won over established actors Eddie Garcia (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sunsetâ&#x20AC;?), Vic Sotto (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack Em Popoyâ&#x20AC;?), Nonie Buencamino (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Distanceâ&#x20AC;?), Piolo Pascual (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ang Panahon Ng Halimawâ&#x20AC;?), Coco Martin (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jack Em Popoyâ&#x20AC;?), Dingdong Dantes (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sid And Aya: Not A Love Storyâ&#x20AC;?) and Daniel Padilla (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hows Of Usâ&#x20AC;?).

Winning Movie Of The Year was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sunsetâ&#x20AC;? with its director, Joel Lamangan, as Movie Director Of The Year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Citizen Jakeâ&#x20AC;? was declared Indie Movie Of The Year and its helmer Mike de Leon, Indie Movie Director Of The Year.

Q The Distinguished Stars of the Century awardees Christopher de Leon, NiĂąo Muhlach, Ramon Revilla Sr., Gloria Romero, Eddie Garcia, Philip Salvador and Tirso Cruz 3rd.

Q Movie Director of the Year Joel Lamangan for 'Rainbow's Sunset'

Q A rare public appearance by action movie legend Ramon Revilla Sr. accompanied by his namesake and newly elected senator Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr.

The rest of the winning roster include: Supporting Actress â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Cherie Gil (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Citizen Jakeâ&#x20AC;?).

Supporting Actor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Arjo Atayde (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buy Bustâ&#x20AC;?).

New Movie Actor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Danzel Fernandez (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Otlumâ&#x20AC;?) and Ryle Santiago â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bakwit Boysâ&#x20AC;?).

New Movie Actress â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sanya Lopez (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wild And Freeâ&#x20AC;?).

Child Performer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kenkenn Nuyad (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Liwayâ&#x20AC;?).

Screenwriter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Eric Ramos (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sunsetâ&#x20AC;?).

Cinematographer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pong Santiago (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goyo: Ang Batang Heneralâ&#x20AC;?).

Production Designer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Roy Lachica (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Goyo: Ang Batang Heneralâ&#x20AC;?).

Editor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jay Halili (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buy Bustâ&#x20AC;?).

Musical Scorer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Len Calvo (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Miss Grannyâ&#x20AC;?).

Sound Engineer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Steve Vesagas and Whannie Dellosa (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buy Bustâ&#x20AC;?).

Ensemble Acting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rainbowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sunset.â&#x20AC;?

Theme Song - â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sa â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Yo Naâ&#x20AC;? (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Raibowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sunsetâ&#x20AC;?).

Indie Screenwriter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mike de Leon, Atom Araullo and Noel Pascual (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Citizen Jakeâ&#x20AC;?).

Indie Cinematographer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Neil Daza (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kung Paano Hinihintay Ang Dapithaponâ&#x20AC;?).

Indie Production Designer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ana Lou Sanchez (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hintayan Ng Langitâ&#x20AC;?).

Indie Editor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Gerone Centeno and Tim Estera 3rd (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Citizen Jakeâ&#x20AC;?).

Indie Musical Scorer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Paulo Protacio (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bakwit Boysâ&#x20AC;?).

Indie Sound Engineer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lamberto Casas, Albert Michael Idioma and Aisan Caro (â&#x20AC;&#x153;MLâ&#x20AC;?).

Indie Ensemble Acting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Citizen Jake.â&#x20AC;?

Indie Theme Song â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hapi Ang Buhayâ&#x20AC;?

Angels, devils and hapless mortals T

HE countdown to the apocalypse has never been such a sheer and utter delight. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good Omens,â&#x20AC;? based on the 1990 novel by beloved authors Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, was released on the Amazon Prime streaming service over the Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s colorful, clever and has an weekend and there are so many amazing cast. Michael Sheen plays things to love about it. the angel Aziraphale and David Terry is no longer with us but Tennant is the demon CrowNeil Gaiman is actively involved ley. David Tennant is great with the series es having written in everything but the screenI have not seen play to all him have this six episodes much fun with in the first a character since season. he was Doctor In a nutWho. shell, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Good d Frances Omensâ&#x20AC;? is thee McDormand story of how w is God, Jon an angel, a Hamm is demon and a Angel Gayoung witch try briel, Adria to intervene with Arjona is fate of an 11 year Q Neil Gaiman is very hands-on on the witch old who is obliviblivi- the newly released â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Good Omens.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Anathema ous to the factt he is Device, Brian Cox is the Antichrist. t.

Death and Benedict Cumberbatch Among the characters, Gaiman is Satan (just one episode, pity) says weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll meet â&#x20AC;&#x153;Americans, At- along with a lot of other familiar lantians, Aliens and other rare faces, especially if you enjoy BritAND PECULIAR CREATURES OF THE kNAL ish television. days.â&#x20AC;? Not to mention thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the While the young Antichrist Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in Good Omens is rather good (two of which are women). natured, has friends and can be

FAN GIRL KAREN KUNAWICZ

reasoned with, Brandon Breyer of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brightburnâ&#x20AC;? is anything but.

Written by Brian and Mark Gunn (brothers of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guardianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s of the Galaxyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;? writer and director Tim Gunn) and directed by David Yarovesky, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brightburnâ&#x20AC;? turns the idea of Superman on its head.

What if a baby was mysteriously sent to earth, landing on a farm in Brightburn, Kansas where a couple hoping for child claims him as their own? What if instead of starting to hit puberty, the child not only discovers superpowers but grows more malevolent by the day?

Jackson Dunn is properly vulnerable, creepy and scary as Brandon Breyer. Also, if you think Dunn looks a bit familiar, he played 12 year old Scott Lang (AntMan) in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Avengers: Endgame.â&#x20AC;?

As to whether â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brightburnâ&#x20AC;? is the beginning of dark superhero UNIVERSE WE LL JUST HAVE TO kND Q Brandon Breyer is one super powered boy youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to avoid.

out if the studio will roll out a follow ups.

Opening today is â&#x20AC;&#x153;X-Men: Dark Phoenix,â&#x20AC;? the 12th film of the X-Men movie franchise following â&#x20AC;&#x153;Days of Future Pastâ&#x20AC;? (one of the best) and the less stellar â&#x20AC;&#x153;Apocalypse.â&#x20AC;?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the franchiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second attempt at the comic seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;The $ARK 0HOENIX 3AGA u 4HE kRST ONE being 2006â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Last Stand.â&#x20AC;?

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find out soon if this one pleases the fans.

I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen it yet but thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also great buzz and word of mouth around â&#x20AC;&#x153;Quezonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gameâ&#x20AC;? directed by Matthew Rosen for Star Cinema.

It takes place around World War 2 at time when our country took in Jewish refugees.

So much content to consume, so little time for those of us on the go. Choose well!

from the movie of the same title.

Short Movie â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Talulotâ&#x20AC;? (EAB Productions) and â&#x20AC;&#x153;10 Secondsâ&#x20AC;? (Sonza Entertainment Productions).

Short Director â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Joey Austria (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Talulotâ&#x20AC;?).

Loveteam Of The Year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hows Of Usâ&#x20AC;?).

Darling Of The Press â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Daniel Fernando (Governor-elect, Province of Bulacan).

Besides bestowing awards on the best movies and talents of 2018, 12 movie icons were also honored as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mga Natatanging Bituin Ng Siglo (Distinguished Stars of the Century)â&#x20AC;? in line with the centennial celebration of Philippine Cinema.

Personally receiving their citations were Eddie Garcia, Ramon Revilla Sr., Gloria Romero, Tirso Cruz 3rd, Christopher de Leon, Philip Salvador and NiĂąo Muhlach. Anita Linda, Joseph Estrada, Susan Roces, Nora Aunor and Vilma Santos who were also awardeees sent word they could not attend the event. Most of the honorees were teary-eyed as the audience gave them standing ovations and resounding applause.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recipient of the Nora Aunor Ulirang Artista Lifetime Achievement Award was Dante Rivero; while the Ulirang Alagad ng Pelikula sa Likod ng Kamera Lifetime Achievement Award went to actress-movie director Laurice Guillen.

Four veteran showbiz writers, namely Ethel Ramos, Ronald Constantino, Veronica Samio and Letty Celi were further honored as Outstanding Pillars of PMPC. Produced by Airtime Marketing Philippines under the direction of Bert de Leon, the PMPC Star Awards for Movies 2019 Gabi Ng Parangal will be aired on ABS-CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bestâ&#x20AC;? on June 16.

Âťpopcornmatch

Fassbender, fellow X-Men face greatest threat in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Dark Phoenixâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; THE emotional story of a divided hero, a divided family and a divided world, â&#x20AC;&#x153;X-Men: Dark Phoenix,â&#x20AC;? opens in cinemas across the country today, starring Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp and Jessica Chastain.

The culmination of a superhero saga nearly two decades in the making, Dark Phoenix is part sciencefiction thriller, part character-driven drama, posing intriguing questions about identity and destiny. It is written and directed by Simon Kinberg and produced by Simon Kinberg, p.g.a., Hutch Parker, p.g.a., Lauren Shuler Donner and Todd Hallowell.

During a life-threatening mission to outer space, Jean Grey (Turner) is nearly killed when she absorbs a cosmic entity that leaves her with powers far beyond anything she or any other mutant has ever possessed. Once she returns home to Earth, she struggles with these neargodlike abilities, but the force inside her is too overwhelming to contain. Spiraling out of control, Jean hurts the ones she loves most. Her actions tear the X-Men apart, and the heroes find themselves deeply compromised at a time when they must face their most dangerous enemy yet â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one of their own.

Michael Fassbender has been playing Erik Lensherr, the troubled, driven

mutant also known as Magneto, since 2011â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;X-Men: First Class.â&#x20AC;? In that time, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seen the character develop as a leader in his own right, and struggle with the treatment of mutants by society in general.

In Dark Phoenix heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finally become the cult leader, formed Genosha and managed to create this community, independent state/nation where mutants can live in harmony and without attack, and anyone who agrees to pitch in and do their part are welcome. What he creates is a self-sufficient, off the grid, and all of the characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s struggles culminate in this place. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Since his family has been ripped away from him, from what happened to him as a child and then, of course, with his wife and child later, well, that sense of death is always with him. But this is a mature Erik; heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more at peace, and he only leaves this haven out of loyalty.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like an old Western, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s got to go on his mission,â&#x20AC;? says Fassbender of his character in the movie.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fitting conclusion to the X-Men franchiseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remarkable 18-year run. With "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" serving as the culmination of the saga after an impressive 12 films, producer Hutch Parker, who was there at the inception of 2000â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s X-Men, says the experience of bringing the franchise full circle feels bittersweet.