THE MANILA TIMES | MARCH 16, 2019

Current account deficit widens to record $7.9B »Story on B1 ++

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DWINDLING

Workers check the water level of La Mesa Dam. On Friday, the dam’s water level dropped to 68.72 meters, its lowest in 21 years.

PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN

The Mutual Defense Treaty according to Pompeo

U

S AMBASSADORS’ SecCORNER retary of State M i k e Pompeo’s statement on the Mutual Defense Treaty -$4 BETWEEN THE 0HILIPPINES AND THE United States is essentially the same as all those made by visiting US presidents, SECRETARIES OF STATE FOREIGN MINISTERS

and secretaries of defense before him: a renewal of commitment to the MDT on which is based the alliance between the two countries. ³YambaoA6

JAIME YAMBAO

I

Top terrorist killed in Lanao Sur clash

A dirty finger to my bashers

’ V E IN MY LINE been OF SIGHT bashed on social media and traditional news outlets over my statement that Filipino construction workers are lazy and slowpokes. ³TulfoA5

RAMON T. TULFO

BY BY DEMPSEY REYES

T

HE leader of the Islamic State (IS)-inspired Maute group, Owaydah Marohombsar alias Abu Dar, was believed to have been killed along with his three followers in A GUNkGHT WITH 0HILIPPINE Army forces on Thursday in Tubaran, Lanao del Sur in southern Mindanao.

Marohombsar was tagged as the successor of Isnilon Hapilon as “emir” of the IS in Southeast

³KilledA2

What’s inside

RONNIE RICKETTS CONVICTED OF GRAFT THE Sandiganbayan’s Special Fourth Division convicted forMER /PTICAL -EDIA "OARD /-" CHAIRMAN 2ONALD g2ONNIEu Ricketts and former Enforcement and Inspection Division %)$ COMPUTER OPERATOR 'LENN 0EREZ OF GRAFT OVER THE RElease of seized pirated discs in 2010. ³GraftA2

MWSS TAPS OTHER WATER SOURCES

PRESSURED by President Rodrigo Duterte to address the water crisis, the Metropolitan Waterworks and SewerAGE 3YSTEM -733 ON &RIDAY FOUND other sources of water to ease the despair of millions of Filipinos whose taps have been dry for days.

The President on Friday ordered water companies to release more water

announced that MWSS Administrator Reynaldo Velasco had pledged additional water supply for Manila Water customers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

According to Andanar, Velasco said 200 million liters per day MLD would be made available — 50 million MLD would come from the Maynilad Cross Border Plant, 50

³SourcesA2

‘Narcopols’ cry foul, say narcolist reeks of politics

PCSO ‘open’ to graft probe

A day after President Rodrigo Duterte bared the names of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade, those on the “narcolist” denied the allegation, with three lawmakers tagged as narcopoliticians appealing to clear their side.

Among those who denied Duterte’s accusation were Cipriano Violago Jr., mayor of San Rafael, Bulacan; Erlon Agustin, mayor of Camiling, Tarlac; Siegfred Betita, mayor of Carles, Iloilo;

Jed Patrick Mabilog, former Iloilo City mayor; Roderick Alcala, mayor of Lucena City, Quezon; Mamaulan Abinal Mulok, mayor of Maguing, Lanao del Sur; Mayor Roberto Malijao Luna Jr., mayor of Lingig, Surigao del Sur; Jamal Jamal Abinal Pangandamun, vice mayor of Maguing, Lanao del Sur; and Rep. Jesus Celeste of the 1st District of Pangasinan.

Mabilog made the denial through

THE Philippine Charity SweepSTAKES /FkCE 0#3/ WELCOMES THE DECISION OF THE /FkCE OF THE 0RESIdent to leave the investigation of alleged “corruption” in the agency TO THE /FkCE OF THE /MBUDSMAN

PCSO spokesman Marissa Medrano said in a statement on Friday.

“The PCSO is open to all forms of investigation and encourages its OFkCIALS AND EMPLOYEES TO SUBJECT

³NarcolistA7

³ProbeA7

TERROR IN NEW ZEALAND

PHILCOMSAT FRANCHISE EXTENDED FOR 25 YEARS

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DUTERTE VETOES BILL EXPANDING OSG

REACH US AT: E-mail:

NewsA3

PACERS OVERCOME WESTBROOK’S TRIPLE DOUBLE TO EDGE THUNDER SportsC1

from Angat Dam. Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte directed the MWSS to demand from the Manila Water, Maynilad AND OTHER RESPONSIBLE OFkCES TO RELEASE water “good for 150 days.”

Hours after the order was issued, Presidential Communications OperaTIONS /FkCE 3ECRETARY -ARTIN !NDANAR

WOMAN OF CONTRADICTIONS, WOMAN IN CONTROL

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

A body lies on the footpath outside a mosque in central Christchurch, New Zealand. The attacks on two mosques killed 49 people and injured 20 others. AP PHOTO

»Story on B7

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SATURDAY March 16, 2019

Q GRAFT FROM A1

Philcomsat franchise Ronnie extended for 25 years 0

BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law extending the franCHISE OF THE 0HILIPPINE #OMMUNICATIONS 3ATELLITE #ORP 0HILCOMSAT FOR another 25 years.

The President signed Republic !CT 2! OR THE g-OBILE Number Portability Act,� which extended the franchise, on February 20.

The franchise allows the Philcomsat to operate “telecommunications satellite systems, satellite terminal stations, lines, cables or systems and associated equipment and facilities for international and

domestic communications.�

The Philcomsat, currently owned by the Philippine Overseas Telecommunications Corp., was granted a 25-year telecommunications franchise in 1966. It was extended for another 25 years in 1995.

Under the law, the Philcomsat was directed to secure from the National Telecommunications

#OMMISSION A CERTIkCATE OF PUBlic convenience and necessity, as well as the necessary permits and licenses for operation of its telecommunications systems or facilities.

It is mandated to create employment opportunities and allow on-the-job trainings, especially for residents in areas where any of its OFkCES IS LOCATED The company should provide MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY -.0 and its implementing mechanism, and should interconnect, directly or indirectly, with the infrastructure, facilities, systems or equipment of other telecommunications franchise grantees.

The law prohibits the Philcomsat from installing network

features, functions or capabilities that will impede the implementation of a nationwide MNP system as mandated by RA 11202.

The MNP allows mobile phone subscribers to retain their numbers even if they switch from one network to another or subscription plans.

On March 13, the President also signed RA 11238, which extends the franchise of the University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network 5-". FOR ANOTHER YEARS The UMBN is a commercial broadcasting company in Mindanao founded in 1949 by University of Mindanao in Davao City.

It runs AM and FM stations in THE REGION WHILE ITS AFkLIATE $ITAN Communications, operates FM stations in the Visayas.

In a 23-page decision promulgated on Friday, the court sentenced Ricketts and Perez to six years to eight years imprisonment with perpetual disqualification from HOLDING PUBLIC OFkCE 4HE COURT ALlowed the two, who can appeal the decision, to post bail. “In this case, the circumstances surrounding the release of the seized $6$S DIGITAL VIDEO DISCS AND TRUCK clearly show that accused Ricketts and Perez acted with evident bad faith. They caused the release of the seized items at between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. in the evening — way PAST OFkCE HOURS AND WITHOUT THE requisite gate pass,� the court said in part,� the court said. “Worse, accused Ricketts misled /-" OFkCIALS BY CLAIMING THAT THE said items were merely transferred to a safe place. Such actions betray their conscious and willful disregard of the law and OMB protocols,� it said.

4HE /FkCE OF THE /MBUDSMAN kLED THE CASE BEFORE THE 3ANDIGANbayan in 2015.

Q KILLED FROM A1

Hilbay, Macalintal, Aquino among lay leaders’ top picks Top THE People’s Choice Movement 0#- WHICH IS COMPOSED OF more than 100 lay leaders from interfaith based organizations, endorsed 10 Senate candidates that it said “the country needs today.�

In a gathering on Friday in Manila, 120 Catholic, Protestant and Evangelist lay leaders picked former solicitor general Florin Hilbay; veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal; former senator Manuel “Marâ€? Roxas 2nd; -AGDALO PARTY LIST 2EP 'ARY !LEJANO Sen. Paulo Benigno “Bamâ€? Aquino 4th; Jose Manuel “Chelâ€? Diokno; 3AMIRA 'UTOC FORMER MEMBER OF THE Bangsamoro Transition Commission; Lorenzo “Erinâ€? TaĂąada, former House deputy speaker; former Bayan Muna representative Neri #OLMENARES AND 3EN 'RACE 0OE Alex Lacson, one of the organizers of the selection convention, said the PCM aims to provide information about the candidates to guide voters who do not have time to research or have access to information about the candidates, including issues or scandals involving them.

THEIR BETS

People’s Choice Movement representatives explain the process they followed in picking the 10 senators the group would endorse. PHOTO BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI Melba Maggay, a member of the convention and a social anthropologist from the Institute for Studies in Asian Church and Culture, said the endorsement was

Q SOURCES FROM A1

MWSS taps other MLD will come from the Manila Water Cardona Treatment Plant and 100 MLD from the old wells of Manila Water.

The additional water supply were to have been made available on Friday. “The MWSS assured the President and the public that it will utilize all available resources to immediately resolve the situation,� Andanar said.

Velasco said the MWSS Board OF 4RUSTEES MET WITH TOP OFkCIALS of Manila Water and Maynilad to tackle the distribution problems in the East Zone. “We wish to assure the President that MWSS is doing its best to solve the water shortage problem and we are putting to task Manila Water to give us a definitive timeline of solving their distribution and operations systems to bring back to normal level the water supply to ease the suffering of the consuming public,� Velasco said. “MWSS requested Maynilad to allocate 50 MLD and share WATER THROUGH CROSS BORDER lOW to ease the problem and augment the water supply needs of Manila

Water including the deployment of water trucks to affected areas THAT WILL SERVICE OR BENEkT

households in Quezon City, ParaĂąaque and Taguig. Today, (OUSE 3PEAKER 'LORIA -ACAPAGAL Arroyo led the initial opening of THE CROSS BORDER lOW u HE ADDED “San Miguel Corp.’s Bulacan Bulk Water through its President Ramon Ang, has stepped in to help ease the plight of affected consumers in Metro Manila by providing potable water through deliveries of trucks to affected communities using its untapped 140 MLD in coordination with -733 AND ,'5S LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS u THE -733 SAID 4HE -733 CHIEF ALSO CLARIkED that the so-called “bypassâ€? had remained open, refuting the post of a former MWSS employee who called on MWSS Chief Regulator Patrick Ty to open the “bypass.â€? “For the record, the bypass is open. It’s not closed. This is where Manila Water gets its 1,600 MLD supply. If its closed, Manila Water will not have water at all,â€?

Ty told reporters.

Last year, Manila Water and Maynilad had issues regard-

an “alternative way of sensing where the lay people’s pulse is� because “pre-election surveys tend to skew voting patterns.�

The selection was based on the

character and integrity, competence and abilities, faithfulness to public service, and faithfulness to 'OD AND THE LAW CATHERINE A. MODESTO

ing the bypass, prompting the MWSS to mediate. Maynilad complained that it was getting less than its 60 percent water allocation, causing its Bagbag Reservoir’s level to fall.

With the new sources of water, households being serviced by Manila Water can expect shorter service interruptions, the agency said.

In its advisory on Friday, Manila Water said the 20-hour water interruptions would no longer persist throughout the summer months as it announced earlier this week.

Manila Water Communications Planning and Tactical Development Manager Dittie 'ALANG SAID THE SUPPLY SITUATION was expected to improve in April. “Levels of various reservoirs have started to increase and water supply, though still at low pressure in some areas, is slowly being distributed to severely affected barangay,� Manila Water said. “Pressure is expected to improve in the coming days as the RESERVOIRS ARE CONTINUALLY REkLLED to enable water to reach highly elevated areas,� it added.

This means water supply will be available for longer hours.

Manila Water services the cities of Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, San Juan, Taguig, Makati

and parts of Quezon City and Manila and Pateros town. It also serves Antipolo City and the Rizal towns of Angono, Baras, Binagonan, Cainta, Cardona, JalaJala, Morong, Pililla, Rodriquez, Tanay, Taytay and San Mateo.

Sharing

Maynilad President and Chief Executive Officer Ramoncito &ERNANDEZ CONkRMED THAT THE water company started sharing its water resources with Manila Water on Friday. He said the sharing started ‘in West Avenue.’ The West Zone concessionaire also gave 10 MLD from its La Mesa Portal “so they can already have additional supply this month while we work on conNECTING THE CROSS BORDER lOWS u Maynilad Corporate Communications head Jennifer Rufo said in a text message.

Manila Water also on Friday energized its Cardona plant, which is part of its Rizal Province Water Supply Improvement Project, with a capacity of 100 MLD. The RPWSIP, designed to abstract and treat water from Laguna de Bay, is now delivering an initial 22 MLD. It is expected to produce up to 50 MLD by mid-April.

JORDEENE B. LAGARE

Asia, after the latter was killed during THE kVE MONTH SIEGE IN -ARAWI #ITY in 2017.

Hapilon was among the masterminds of the Marawi City siege along with the Maute brothers, resulting in the deaths of 1,000 people.

Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., commander of the Army’s 103rd Infantry Brigade, said the information on Marohombsar’s death came from three “highly-credible� sources on the ground and would have TO BE VERIkED BY THE MILITARY He declined to disclose who the informants were, citing security reasons.

Brawner was reported to be at the encounter site when he spoke to the media to disclose witnesses’ accounts that Marohombsar’s body was among those recovered by soldiers in Barangay Dinaigan, Tubaran.

The clash in Tubaran erupted at 5:04 p.m. on Thursday, where soldiers under the Army’s 49th Infantry Battalion enGAGED AROUND -AUTE kGHTERS It lasted for one hour and 30 minutes, initially leading to the deaths of TWO -AUTE kGHTERS AND THREE SOLDIERS Three soldiers also went missing AFTER THE kREkGHT /N &RIDAY #OL 'ERRY "ESANA

spokesman for the military’s Western Mindanao Command, said the three soldiers have been found, one of whom was also killed and the two others were wounded.

On the same day, according to Brawner, the bodies of four terrorists were recovered by soldiers from the encounter site, where the informants identified one of them as that of Marohombsar. “We still need to validate if Abu Dar’s was indeed among the cadavers found.

This was based on the information given by three highly credible sources,� he said in a phone interview.

Brawner added that the bodies recovered, especially the cadaver being pointed as Marohombsar’s, would be subject for DNA testing by the Philippine National Police’s Scene of the Crime Operatives. ,T 'EN !RNEL DELA 6EGA THE REGIONAL military commander, condoled with the families of the slain soldiers, “who fought VALIANTLY AND PAID THE ULTIMATE SACRIkCE u 3ECURITY FORCES ARE kGHTING TERRORISTS in several fronts in neighboring Maguindanao province and on Wednesday, the military claimed to have killed nearly two dozen gunmen, including a Singaporean terrorist, Muhammad Ali Bin Abd Al Rahman, alias Muawiya, a notorious jihadist belonging to the Indonesian Jemaah Islamiya and had been a bomb trainer for the Abu 3AYYAF 'ROUP The 6th Infantry Division said the campaign, which began March 11, was aimed at destroying a huge group of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters,

The Ombudsman alleged that Sky High Marketing Corp. was given unwarranted benefits with the release of the pirated discs that WERE CONkSCATED ON -AY

The Sandiganbayan’s Special Fourth Division said in its decision that “even if it is conceded that the evidence is inSUFkCIENT TO POINT TO 3KY (IGH -ARKETing as the owner of the pirated DVDs, the essential act committed by accused IS THE UNLAWFUL CONFERMENT OF BENEkT or advantage to exist that the government is prejudiced, given that it is the accused, precisely in their capacities AS ;THEN =PUBLIC OFkCERS WHO ALLOWED such a situation to occur.� “A ruling that would allow accused to remain faultless when they clearly extended unwarranted benefit or advantage to the owner of the seized DVDs, compromised evidence, and intentionally refrained from performing their duties as [then-]government OFkCERS SO THAT THE VIOLATORS CANNOT BE DEkNITIVELY NAMED OR SUFkCIENTLY IDENTIkED BY THE /-" COULD ONLY lead to injustice,� it added.

The court acquitted the other accused — Manuel Mangubat and Joseph Arnaldo — for lack of evidence.

REINA C. TOLENTINO whose leaders have pledged allegiance to the IS. It added that reports said those killed IN THE kGHTING IN 3HARIFF 3AYDONA TOWN were followers of Abu Turaife.

The reports were based on intelligence information, but Army commanders claimed to have seen or recovered body parts of those killed in an area targeted by military bombardments.

Over 100 terrorists were being pursued by the security forces in Maguindanao, which is also a stronghold of the rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation &RONT -),& THAT SIGNED AN INTERIM peace deal with Manila in 2014.

In ensuing clashes, one soldier was killed and at least seven others were wounded.

The military’s Joint Task Force Central *4&# SAID AIR ARTILLERY AND GROUND OPERAtions were continuing not only in Shariff Saydona, but also in the towns of Datu Salibo, Mamasapano and Shariff Aguak where the group of pro-IS commander Salahudin Hassan was scattered.

The task force revealed that former BIFF members who surrendered to the military had provided intelligence that allowed the security forces to track down locations or hideouts of the terrorists in the province. “Former BIFF rebels who surrendered to the JTFC also supported the information being relayed to locate the specific locations of the terror group. Follow-on operations ensured THAT THE TERRORISTS WERE CONkNED IN THE area and prevented the spillover as our troops were deployed in the strategic areas,� it said, adding that the military coordinated with the MILF to prevent any accidental clashes while troops were pursuing the BIFF in the towns.

Philippine authorities have blamed the BIFF and the Maute group for terror attacks in the restive southern region.

War crimes Also on Friday, a Taguig court convicted for rebellion a member of the -AUTE 'ROUP WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE Marawi siege.

Judge Felix Reyes, acting presiding JUDGE OF 2EGIONAL 4RIAL #OURT 24# Branch 70 found Junaid Awal guilty of rebellion and crimes against the International Humanitarian Law, genocide and other crimes against humanity.

He was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

The Department of Justice said THIS WAS THE kRST CONVICTION UNDER the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law. Awal was accused of repeatedly raping a minor during the Marawi uprising in 2017. The girl and her mother were held captive by the group. “These bestial, cruel and inhuman acts committed by the accused are obviously of extreme gravity pursuant to Sec. 7 of the said act,� the judge said.

WITH AL JACINTO AND NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

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B I G G E R M O T O R C Y C L E P L AT E S

Consult experts, Ejercito urges LTO SEN. Joseph Victor “JV� Ejercito on Friday called on the Land TransporTATION /FkCE ,4/ TO CONSULT WITH experts on the implementation of a new law that requires bigger and color-coded plates for motorcycles.

President Rodrigo Duterte on March 8 signed Republic Act (RA) 11235 or the “Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act� authored by Sen. Richard Gordon. “As a rider, my concern regarding the double plates on motorcycles is the safety issue with putting big plates at the front and rear of motorcycles. The safe size should be consulted with experts and riders as the IRR (implementing rules and regulation) is being drafted,� Ejercito said in a text message.

RA 11235 aims to deter, if not totally stop, crimes perpetrated by criminals on board motorcycles by enabling witnesses to read the plate numbers when a crime had been committed.

“I thank the President for signing my proposed measure into law. This law aims to stop criminals from perpetrating crimes with impugnity on board motorcycles or using motorcycles as get-away vehicles,�

Gordon said. “Criminals on board motorcycles have really become so bold and fearless. They kill with impunity in broad daylight and even along very busy thoroughfares such as EDSA,� he said.

RA 11235 mandates the LTO to issue bigger, readable and color-coded number plates for motorcycles and scooters.

According to the Philippine National Police, four people are killed each day by riding-in-tandem shooters.

Of the 28,409 motorcycle-riding crimes or incidents reported from 2010 to 2017, 13,062 or 46 percent were shooting incidents.

BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

Bam seeks tax relief during calamities SEN. Paolo Benigno “Bam� Aquino 4th on Friday filed a bill that seeks to exempt calamity victims from paying real estate, business and donor’s taxes for at least one year.

Aquino said areas affected by calamity should be given tax relief for at least one year to enable affected businesses and families to recover from financial losses.

In filing Senate Bill 653, “Providing For Tax Relief in Times of Calamity,� the lawmaker said the measure adds to the various initiatives of government, civil society and the private sector to strengthen resilience to adversity and invigorate the spirit of bayanihan ingrained in the collective heart of Filipinos. “As we faced a number of terrible natural disasters in the past years, from super typhoons to earthquakes and

flash floods, we saw the bayanihan spirit of every Filipino eager to give their time and resources to suffering Filipino families,� Aquino added.

The reelectionist senator stressed that the tax system needs to be reevaluated to ensure quick and efficient recovery from disasters of calamity victims. “As such, this measure seeks to relieve our countrymen affected by terrible distress of the burden of taxes to encourage a quicker recovery,� Aquino said.

He also called for the suspension of payment of real property tax in the calamity-stricken area for two fiscal years, starting from the date of declaration of calamity.

Any donation for the victims of the calamity shall also be exempted from donor’s tax. JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

Disposal of medical waste into sea water Dear PAO, I am a nurse in a private hospital, which is located near the sea. I discovered one evening that some of its medical wastes are thrown into the sea. Did the hospital violate any law?

Santino Dear Santino, The law that addresses your situation is Section 27 (d) of Republic Act 9275 or better known as the “Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004�: “Section 27. Prohibited Acts. — The following acts are hereby prohibited: d) Disposal of potentially infectious medical waste into sea water by vessels unless the health or safety of individuals on board the vessel is threatened by a great and imminent peril.�

Relatedly, the same law provides a penalty for violation of the same, viz: “Section 28. Fines, Damages and Penalties. — Unless otherwise provided herein, any person who commits any of the prohibited acts provided in the immediately preceding section or violates any of the provision of this Act or its implementing rules and regulations, shall be fined by the Secretary, upon the recommendation of the PAB (Philippine Accreditation Bureau) in the amount of not less than ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) nor more than two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) for every day OF VIOLATION 4HE kNES HEREIN prescribed shall be increased by 10 percent every two years TO COMPENSATE FOR INlATION AND to maintain the deterrent function of such fines: Provided, That the Secretary, upon recommendation of the PAB may

DEAR PAO PERSIDA ACOSTA order the closure, suspension of development or construction, or cessation of operations or, where appropriate disconnection of water supply, until such time that proper environmental safeguards are put in place and/ or compliance with this Act or its rules and regulations are undertaken. This paragraph shall be without prejudice to the issuance of an ex parte order for such closure, suspension of development or construction, or cessation of operations during the pendency of the case.�

It is clear from the above-mentioned provisions that it shall be unlawful to dispose potentially infectious medical waste into sea water by vessels, unless the health or safety of individuals on board the vessel is threatened by a great and imminent peril, and may subject the offender to a PENALTY OF kNE OR IMPRISONMENT

depending on the discretion of the court. In your situation, your employer-hospital may be apprehended and penalized for disposing medical waste into the sea.

We hope that we were able to answer your queries. This advice is based solely on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. Our opinion may vary when other facts are changed or elaborated.

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

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

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Duterte vetoes bill expanding OSG P

BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has vetoed a BILL EXPANDING THE POWER OF THE /FkCE OF the Solicitor General (OSG), saying granting ADDITIONAL BENEkTS TO THE AGENCY S EMPLOYEES MAY be “too onerous to the government.�

In his veto message addressed to the Senate and House of Representatives dated March 7, Duterte said while he supported the strengthen-

ing of the OSG, he also considered the “impact� of the bill “on the entire government bureaucracy.� “I am apprehensive that the pro-

visions thereof granting benefits beyond the current compensation framework for other government ofkCES MAY PROVE TO BE TOO ONEROUS TO the government,� the President said. g4HE NEW BENEkTS GRANTED IN ADDITION TO THE BENEkTS ENJOYED BY OTHER government offices would erode the national government’s thrust to standardize and rationalize the current compensation framework in the bureaucracy,� he added.

Under the enrolled Senate Bill 1823 and House Bill 7376, the OSG

would takeover the functions of the Presidential Commission on Good Government, which was tasked to recover the alleged ill-gotten wealth of former president Ferdinand Marcos and his allies.

The proposed law would have allowed the OSG to hire more lawyers AND AUGMENT ITS EMPLOYEE BENEkTS )T ALSO SEEKS TO EXTEND THE BENEkTS enjoyed by Supreme Court and Court of Appeals justices to the solicitor general when he or she retires after 15 years of service.

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Opinion

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E d i to r i a l No excuse for El NiĂąo surprise

T

HE old saying “If you fail to plan, you are planning to failâ€? might very well be applied to the Philippines’ response, or lack thereof, to the predictable, periodic El NiĂąo climate phenomenon that is now having a severe impact on water supply in the country.

On Thursday, ING Bank issued an economic update warning that the El Niùo was likely to cause upward presSURE ON INlATION 4HIS COULD POSE A POTENTIAL DRAG ON THE country’s economic growth, already hobbled by the nonpassage of the 2019 national budget.

The El NiĂąo is a climate phenomenon characterized

BY THE APPEARANCE OF WARMER THAN AVERAGE 0ACIkC /CEAN water moving eastward toward South America. It occurs at irregular intervals of two to seven years, and can last from nine months up to two years; the most recent El NiĂąo before the current one occurred in 2014-2016.

The El NiĂąo can affect weather all around the world, but its IMPACT IS STRONGEST IN THE COUNTRIES SURROUNDING THE 0ACIkC Ocean; in this part of the world, it is characterized by extended dry spells punctuated by stronger-than-average tropical storms.

While the El Niùo phenomenon is irregular in frequency and strength, it can be accurately forecast several months in advance of its peak through observation of ocean water temperatures and atmospheric circulation patterns. Over the past SEVERAL %L .IÄO EPISODES ‡ IT HAS OCCURRED kVE TIMES SINCE the year 2000 — the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has had a good record of predicting an El Niùo at least three to four months before its effects are felt in the country.

Given the Philippines’ long familiarity with the El Niùo and its effects and the reliability of government climate SCIENTISTS FORECASTS OF ITS OCCURRENCE IT IS FRANKLY BAFlING that the onset of El Niùo conditions continues to come as a complete surprise to many people.

That is apparently the case now, as nearly 7 million residents of Metro Manila are facing severe water shortages, agricultural losses due to drought are mounting into the hundreds of millions of pesos per month, and manufacturers and other businesses are increasingly being forced to consider scaling back or suspending their activities.

While government should take the lead in preparing for the impact of the El Niùo, criticism for the country’s chronic lack of preparedness should not be reserved for government alone.

Being in the water supply industry, the main water supply concessionaires in Metro Manila should make it their business to know when El NiĂąo would strike and make the necessary preparations, not just for the immediate term but also for the long term should be coordinating with the government in the implementation of water-related infrastructure projects.

At the same time, all other businesses and households have access to exactly the same reliable information about the occurrence of an El NiĂąo and its anticipated effects, and it occurs frequently enough that the lessons from one episode should not be completely forgotten, as they seem to be now, by the time the next El NiĂąo happens.

Preparedness and response to the El NiĂąo takes on even greater importance when the increasing impacts of manmade climate are taken into consideration.

Given the possibly severe, albeit fortunately relatively short-lived effects, the El NiĂąo can serve as a real-life test of climate-change mitigation strategies and lifestyle changes. &OR NOW THE CHALLENGE IS SIMPLY TO kND WAYS TO MINIMIZE the social and economic impacts of the present El NiĂąo.

Practicing water conservation, directing water resources to the most important needs, and acknowledging the increased likelihood of severe weather later in the year by reviewing emergency response plans are steps everyone can take.

By incorporating these strategies into longer-term response plans for the El NiĂąo and other climate effects, the entire country can avoid future surprises.

~

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 154

DANTE A. ANG, Chairman Emeritus RENE Q. BAS, Publisher Emeritus NERILYN A. TENORIO, Publisher-Editor ARNOLD E. BELLEZA, Executive Editor FELIPE F. SALVOSA II, Managing Editor LEENA C. CHUA, News Editor LYNETTE O. LUNA, National Editor TESSA MAURICIO-ARRIOLA, Lifestyle Editor PERRY GIL MALLARI, Sports Editor LEA MANTO-BELTRAN, Supplements Editor 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.

Budget crisis could turn into a constitutional conundrum ON THE I CONTRARY T appears that the crisis is not about the country not having money to spend, considering that #ONGRESS IS CONkDENT ENOUGH TO initially pass a whopping P3.8trillion budget for 2019.

The budget crisis appears to be happening because we have members of Congress who ignored the ruling of the Supreme Court. This IS MAGNIkED BY A #ONSTITUTION THAT talks of a bicameral Congress, but is still haunted by the ghosts of the initial intent of its framers to

ANTONIO CONTRERAS have a unicameral one. It appears that there was a failure to reconcile some of the important provisions for consistency.

The Supreme Court, when it declared the unconstitutionality of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) through a

ruling penned by Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe in 2013, clearly reinforced the constitutional principle of separation of powers, where only Congress can appropriate government funds through legislation, and that the Executive branch cannot legislate.

Similarly, members of Congress cannot participate in post-enactment implementation of the budget, by actively engaging in identifying projects, as this is solely lodged in the Executive branch.

One of the consequences of this is that Congress must discontinue its practice of having lump-sum appropriations in the budget. This is because it would amount to the Executive branch being forced to engage in post-enactment itemization of the lump sum which can be construed as a legislative act.

It therefore behooves us to ask why Congress, in its bicameral conference committee report on the 2019 budget which both of

ÂłContrerasA5

Climate realism is beating climate catastrophism First word WANT to lead off this climate change update with the report that the face of climate activism is getting younger.

Yesterday, March 15, advocacy groups launched the “International Youth Climate Strike,� during which students in the US and around the world were urged to skip school for one day in the name of climate change. Valerie Richardson of the Washington Times reported that kids are fast becoming the face of the climate change movement.

Before I could comprehend this CHANGE THE WEB WAS lOODED WITH other stories and commentaries on climate change.

Stories on climate change in the web tend to be unfavorable rather than favorable to the climate change agenda. For every article THAT CHAMPIONS THE kGHT AGAINST climate change, there are three or more that pooh-pooh the claims and threats of climate change.

WND website on March 11 says that, contrary to the predictions of many scientists, polar bears are actually thriving.

A decade ago, many scientists predicted the population of polar bears would be down by 67 percent about now.

DFWLYLVP LQ D UHSRUW RQ 0DUFK But the new report by zoologist 6KH ZURWH Susan Crockford, writing for the “Kids are fast becoming the face nonpartisan Global Warming Policy of the climate change movement as Foundation think tank in London, teenagers, ‘tweens and even younger found that the bears are thriving.

CHILDREN kLE LAWSUITS STAGE WALKOUTS (ER STUDY NOTED THAT THE kNDING and lobby lawmakers. But newly re- “contradicts claims by environleased documents have raised ques- mentalists and some scientists that tions about whether the students are falls in sea ice would wipe out bear being motivated or manipulated. populations.� “A cache of emails released Crockford wrote that there now Wednesday on Climate Litigation is “very little evidence to supWatch showed that top climate port the idea that the polar bear activists at the 2012 La Jolla strategy is threatened with extinction by session sought to involve children climate change.� in a legal and civil offensive against She wrote: “We now know that the fossil fuel industry, which would polar bears are very resourceinclude worldwide marches from ful creatures. They have made it the “youth climate movement.� through warm periods in the past “Competitive Enterprise Insti- and they seem to be taking the curtute senior fellow Christopher C. rent warming in their stride too.�

Realism vs catastrophism Horner, who obtained the emails She said the people of Nunavut via an open-records request with “are not seeing starving, desperate There is plainly a strong reaction the University of Oregon, said bears — quite the opposite.� and resistance to the catastroph- the presentation contained in “Yet polar bear specialists are sayism of the United Nations and the the email is more evidence that ing these bears are causing problems students have been used as props. because they don’t have enough climate change movement. “‘It turns out that the frenzied sea ice to feed properly,� she wrote.

I highlight for mention here two SIGNIkCANT ARTICLES AND A COMMEN- street theater of children’s marches “The facts on the ground make tary. They bolster skepticism about and schoolkids’ strikes was laid out their claims look silly, including the behind closed doors years ago, at abundance of fat bears. Residents climate change. The reports are: 1. “New global warming report the organizational meeting of what are pushing their government for a shows polar bears are thriving,� became a climate litigation industry,’ management policy that makes propublished on the WND website, Mr. Horner said in an email. tection of human life the priority.� “ Thousands of student activists March 10, 2019.

The London-based Global Warm2. “Nobody at ABC takes its prepared to skip class Friday for the ing Policy Foundation describes global warming doomsday predic- Youth Climate Strike, an interna- itself as being “open-minded on tions seriously, either� by Ed Driscoll tional protest led by Swedish teen the contested science of global Greta Thunberg.

(PJ Media, March 9, 2019). warming� while remaining “deeply “‘The adults have failed us,’ Gre- concerned about the costs and other 3. “Climate change activists are kLLED WITH HYSTERIA HOT AIR u BY ta, 16, said in a statement. 'since implications of many of the policies Charles Hurt (The Washington most of them, including the press currently being advocated.� and the politicians, keep ignoring Times, March 10, 2019 The report shows that polar bear This is a debate that climate the situation, we must take action numbers have risen since 2005, into our own hands.’ change fanatics are losing. despite the summer sea ice in 2018 “The US student walkout has being at a low point.

Methinks I see on the horizon the sorry fate of the population the blessings of more than a dozen “National Geographic received bomb hysteria befalling the cli- leading liberal and climate groups, such a profound backlash from including former Vice President Al its widely viewed ‘this is what mate change agenda.

Climate realism is winning over Gore’s Climate Reality Project, as climate change looks like’ starving well as the Union of Concerned polar bear video, released in late catastrophism.

Scientists, which organized the La 2017, that in 2018 it made a forJolla gathering.�

New face of climate mal public apology for spreading activism misinformation,� the report said.

Polar bears thriving The report noted that the US Valerie Richardson of the WashGeological Survey estimated the ington Times ÂżUVW QRWLFHG \RXWK A new report, published on the global population of polar bears

I

OBSERVER YEN MAKABENTA

at 24,500 in 2005. “In 2015, the IUCN Polar Bear Specialist Group estimated the population at 26,000 (range 22,000-31,000) but additional surveys published 2015-2017 brought the total to near 28,500. However, data published in 2018 brought that number to almost 29,500 with a relatively wide margin of error,� the report said. “This is the highest global estimate since the bears were protected by international treaty in 1973.�

The possible current population total of 29,500 “is a far cry from the 7,500 we were assured would be all that would remain.�

ABC doubts its own predictions In an article on PJ Media, Ed Driscoll recounted how the ABC television network regularly made global warming doomsday predictions. He charged that in fact no one at the network took the forecasts seriously.

In 2008 ABC predicted that by June 2015, New York City would be underwater from climate change.

It predicted at the time: “New York City under water? Gas over $9 a gallon? A carton of milk costs almost $13? Welcome to June 12, 2015.

Bob Woodruff hyped Earth 2100, a special that pushed apocalyptic predictions of the then-futuristic 2015.�

Obviously, no one at ABC believed this, since the network never moved their corporate headquarters from its tony Upper West Side address, despite attempting to scare the crap out of gullible viewers that Manhattan would be lOODED IN SEVEN YEARS

Socialism and environmentalism Al Gore’s Climate Reality Project did not even try to bring the International Youth Climate Strike to the Philippines. They knew it would not be taken seriously.

Although there are plenty of environmental NGOS around, they are wary of coming out of the foxholes at this time when the government is looking at the activities of seven NGOs that reportedly serve as funnels for %UROPEAN kNANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO the communist insurgency.

yenmakabenta@yahoo.com

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

Opinion

A5

Q TULFO FROM A1

 A dirty finger to my bashers Persons and entities that want to have their “15 minutes of fame� — Trade Unions Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello, Raffy and Ben Tulfo — are blasting me and want me to apologize.

Here’s my reply: F$%#@ you!

I’ve even gone on television AND RAISED MY MIDDLE kNGER I’m not here to win in a popularity contest.

Why should I apologize — much more resign my position as special envoy to China (actually AN HONORIkC ‡ WHEN ) WAS JUST expressing an opinion?

Hey, guys, last time I heard we have freedom of expression and it’s embodied in the Constitution.

Anyway, I have basis for saying what I said about the Pinoy worker’s work ethic.

A study conducted in the late 1980s by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said, in essence, that Filipino workers were lazy, did not strive for excellence, were good at improvising and don’t follow manuals, and shunned the merit system over palakasan (ass-kissing).

Even Fidel V. Ramos said as much when he was our president.

Filipino workers in the country are probably lazy because they got it from the Spaniards who ruled the country for more than three centuries.

We have siesta or afternoon nap, merienda (snacks) which take a long time, and the “mamaya na o bukas na lang� habit of putting off work when it can

be done immediately.

These are bad habits we got from the Spaniards.

Even our national hero, Jose Rizal, in an essay said that Filipinos inherited our slothfulness from our Spanish colonizers.

4HE WORST lAW IN THE &ILIPINO S WORK ethic is the “puwede na 'yan� (that’s good enough) philosophy.

This means that the Filipino worker does not strive for excellence. In short, he’s mediocre.

However, when he’s abroad, the Filipino’s work habits completely change. He metamorphoses into a HIGHLY EFkCIENT WORKING MACHINE Why? Because he has to survive in a different milieu. He has nobody to turn to but has to rely on his wits.

Besides, the countrymen we send abroad are the cream of the crop that underwent rigid screening for the foreign jobs.

I can understand where Bello is coming from in his defense of the lazy Filipino workers; after all he’s secretary of labor and employment, isn’t he?

I also know why the TUCP is defending the Filipino worker’s laziness: it wants to recruit more workers into its fold.

You see, union leaders earn money from union dues and commissions from bargaining agreements with employers.

Only 8 percent of the country’s workforce are members of trade unions. *** Why does a drop-dead gorgeous woman just laugh when

you tell her she’s ugly?

And why does an ugly woman get mad when you tell her the truth?

And why does the Filipino worker go ballistic when you tell him he’s lazy?

The answer to that question is obvious: The truth hurts. *** Dominic Sytin, owner and CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFkCER OF 5NITED Auctioneers Inc. who was shot dead inside the Subic Freeport Zone in Olongapo City late last year, was a victim of fratricide.

Fratricide is the murder of one’s own brother or sister.

In our laws, the crime is called parricide.

Sytin, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP), was killed by gunmen allegedly hired by his brother, Dennis.

Dominic hired Dennis to work for him as his partner at United Auctioneers, a company that imports heavy equipment, machinery and other transportation materials.

But Dominic later fired his brother after he found him stealing company funds.

Moral of the story: Never, ever hire your close relative or close friend to be your partner or subordinate in business or appointed position.

That close relative or bosom buddy will abuse his position more likely than not.

I’ve seen it happen many times.

For example, the owner of a RUBBING ALCOHOL kRM WAS EASED out of the company by his own

Q CONTRERAS FROM A4

INTRODUCE AMENDMENTS AND MODIkcations to disagreeing provisions in bills that have been acted upon by both houses of Congress.

What is not clear, however, is if any of the houses can still change the content of a reconciled bill that has already been passed by the bicameral conference committee AND RATIkED BY BOTH HOUSES WHICH the House has done. The House has also alleged that the Senate also introduced changes by similarly itemizing lump-sum appropriations, which the senators deny.

The Constitution and GR 168056 are both silent on this issue.

The only constitutional provision where relationships between the two houses are explicitly specikED IN THE CONTEXT OF LEGISLATION IS in Section 27 (1) which is about overriding a presidential veto.

Here, the Constitution clearly states that the house from where THE BILL ORIGINATED kRST VOTES TO override, after which it is then transmitted to the other house.

Considering therefore that both houses need to hurdle a two-thirds minimum vote threshold to override, what is unknown to many — maybe because we have not seen a veto override since the passage of the Constitution — is that the originating House has in fact a kLTERING POWER IN THAT IF IT FAILS OR refuses to override a presidential veto, then there is no need for the other house to vote.

So, here is where we are. Congress has passed a budget that contains lump-sum appropriations that will then force the hand of the President to implement only by making additional itemization which may be construed as contrary to the PDAF ruling of the Supreme Court. The House tried to cure this, but by making a move that has disturbed one of the traditions of Congress as a bicameral body, which upon closer scrutiny may in fact be one whose constitutionality is also assailable. And what heightens the conundrum is that the Constitution is in itself vague, and there is no existing jurisprudence on the matter.

And the fact that we are now forced to operate on a reenacted budget, in an election year, makes the scenario, frankly, a bit worrisome. It doesn’t just undermine government operations and seriously impair growth projections, it also heightens the sense of political uncertainty.

Best-selling author Robert Greene, in his book 48 Laws of Power, has the answer.

Greene says: “When you hire a friend (or a relative for that matter — RTT) you gradually discover the qualities he or she has kept hidden. Strangely enough, it is your act of kindness that unbalances everything. People want to feel they deserve their good fortune. The receipt of a favor can become oppressive: It means you have been chosen because you are a friend, not necessarily because you are deserving. There is almost a touch of condescension in the act of hiring a friend (relative) THAT SECRETLY AFlICTS THEM u In sum, Greene says that we should be wary of friends and relatives we hire as partners or subordinates. “They will betray you more quickly, for they are easily aroused to envy. They also become spoiled and tyrannical. But hire a former enemy and he will be more loyal than a friend, because he has more to prove. In fact, you have more to fear from your friends than from enemies,� said Greene. *** Rappler, an online news website, is not completely Filipino and therefore violates the Constitution which mandates that media ownership should be wholly Filipino.

That’s according to the Court of Appeals which stood by the decision of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revoking Rappler’s business registration.

But what about the other

news outlets like the Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer and TV News 5, where businessman Manny Pangilinan has shares of stocks.

You see, Pangilinan is just a dummy of Indonesian Anthoni Salim.

Therefore, Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer and TV News 5 are not wholly Filipino owned. *** Oh, my goodness gracious, I’ve already arrived!

The Inquirer, my former newspaper, blasted me in its editorial Thursday for calling the Filipino construction worker lazy and slowpokes.

The paper that used to regard me as a “bastard� columnist — relegating me to the Metro page, instead of the op-ed page — now considers me important.

Thank you, Inquirer!

By the way, if I may suggest: Why doesn’t the paper go back to its old format?

The new format, which features headline stories in the inside pages and gives readers a glimpse of important contents on the front page, is meant for millennial readers, those born from 1981 up.

The paper should know that millennials don’t read the newspapers; they get their news from the internet.

The “oldies� or the people whose decisions affect the life of the nation, read the dailies.

The Inquirer, once the newspaper with the highest circulation, has been overtaken by the Philippine Star with the The Manila Times fast catching up.

2019 budget impasse: Lacson in the scourge of Rashomon

Budget crisis its houses ratified, insisted on having lump-sum appropriations contrary to the ruling of the Supreme Court. What further makes the entire process bizarre is that the House of Representatives atTEMPTED TO CURE THIS INkRMITY BY what its leaders claim as simply an act of itemizing the lump-sum appropriations, thereby making changes in the budget that had already been approved by the bicameral conference committee AND RATIkED BY BOTH HOUSES )T IS simply odd that the leaders of the House of Representatives would attempt to correct what they see as an unconstitutional provision through a move whose constitutionality can also be challenged.

The senators are challenging the constitutionality of this move by the House of Representatives by citing Section 26 (2) of Article VI of the Constitution, which states that: “No bill passed by either House shall become a law unless it has passed three readings on separate days, and printed copies thereof in its final form have been distributed to its members three days before its passage, except when the President certifies to the necessity of its immediate enactment to meet a public calamity or emergency.

Upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment thereto shall be allowed, and the vote thereon shall be taken immediately thereafter, and the yeas and the nays entered in the Journal.�

The Supreme Court in GR 168056 promulgated in 2005 ruled, however, that Section 26 (2) refers only “to the procedure to be followed by each house of Congress with regard to bills initiated in each of said respective houses, before said bill is transmitted to the other house for its concurrence or amendment.� It further ruled that “to construe said provision in a way as to proscribe any further changes to a bill after one house has voted on it would lead to absurdity as this would mean that the other house of Congress would be deprived of its constitutional power to amend or introduce changes to said bill.�

While the Constitution does not explicitly state the existence of the bicameral conference committee, the SC through GR 168056 has recognized its constitutionality and even granted it the power to further

brothers and nephews whom he had invited to come to the Philippines from China.

He gave his brothers and nephews fare money to come here. He provided for their upkeep before forming the rubbing alcohol company and made them his subordinates.

A well-known personality made his son his partner in his port operations business and found himself being nearly kicked out by his son.

I’ve had the bitter experience of hiring the wife of my brother Ben as manager of my small restaurant in Pasay City years ago.

The former Jane Balita, Ben’s erstwhile spouse, pilfered from the restaurant prompting me to dismiss her.

Ben and Jane formed a union and convinced my cooks and waiters to stage a strike forcing me to close down the restaurant.

(Jane has since gone back to the United States where she married a black American, probably better endowed and more thieving than Ben).

I also employed a friend during my adolescence as overseer of my farm and manager of my store that sold secondhand cars in Puerto Princesa City.

My friend got hefty salaries from working on my farm and store.

He not only was very inefkCIENT HE WAS ALSO VERY ABUSIVE in his two positions.

Now, what drives close relatives or close friends to bite the hand that feeds them?

P

ARDON, but I am a film director and my cinematic impulses are immediately at work with the controversy over the 2019 budget raging on.

There was this film back in the 1950s, “Rashomon� by Akira Kurosawa of Japan. It is a narrative of a rape told from the varying points of view of supposed witnesses: the dead bride-rape victim and her samurai groom (as told through a medium), the bandit-assailant and a woodcutter (who discovers the crime).

The storytelling does away with the conventional straight narrative but rather employs a technique that interplays present and past scenes in order to perfect the presentation of the theme of truth not being absolute but rather a relative perception completely dependent upon the viewer. In other words, nothing is true but that which favors the self. For that ingenious theme and filmic execution, “Rashomon� ran away with the Best Picture award in the 1950 Berlin Film Festival.

We have this impasse between the House of Representatives and the Senate over the P3.75 trillion General Appropriations !CT OF )T HAS BEEN RATIkED

by Congress through the bicameral conference and subsequently approved by the House of Representatives. Upon being brought before the Senate, the body refused to pass it correspondingly and deliver to the President for approval pursuant to the mandate of the Constitution.

The man in front of the SenATE ACTION IS 3EN 0ANkLO g0INGu Lacson, who vigorously objects to the itemization by the House of Representatives of lump sums in the budget approved by the bicameral conference committee.

Not only has Lacson called such ITEMIZATION A FALSIkCATION OF DOCuments but he has also stressed that the itemization resulted in the allocation of enormous pork to districts represented by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr., together with certain other congressional districts “close to GMA.�

Arroyo and Andaya maintain there’s nothing irregular about itemizing provisions in the

MY SAY

MAURO GIA SAMONTE budget bill already ratified by Congress through the bicameral committee vote. But Lacson, who has been projecting himself as one legislator who shuns pork (in the words of a fellow columnist, showboating), sees the matter as anomalous and has taken the frontlines, abetted certainly by the Senate leadership, in agitating for the removal of the so-called pork insertions, or else the Senate won’t approve the budget bill.

From the looks of it, Lacson is succeeding in derailing proceedings for the appropriations measure. Despite a meeting called in evident desperation

by President Duterte to break the impasse, Lacson and his allies in the Senate are keeping to their stand. They won’t approve the budget unless the House of Representatives sticks to the original approved by the bicameral committee.

Speaker Arroyo sees the matter as no big deal really. In a manner of saying, what the House of Representatives did was slice the cake precisely according to what each and every one of the partakers in Congress must get — instead of just giving it away in one whole lump for later partitioning anyway.

It is this latter move that could give rise to anomalies, corruption being not the least of them. )T IS ON THIS ISSUE THAT ) kND myself summoning to mind again the ingenious cinematic treatment of “Rashomon.� The pretty, petite incumbent lady Executive, President Gloria Macapagal ArROYO kNDS HERSELF UP AGAINST TWO macho icons, erstwhile Philippine National Police (PNP) chiefturned-senator Panfilo Lacson, AND kLMDOM S UNDISPUTED +ING FPJ (Fernando Poe, Jr.) in the presidential election of 2004. It is bruited about that GMA is so formidable a foe that the religious kingmaker Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) summons the two men to the Iglesia palace to talk just between the two of them about who

Q Take it from the poker master: all in. should persevere as candidate for president and who to slide down to vice president — or else neither of the two stood a chance against the reigning Executive.

Both good at playing poker, FPJ and Ping took the challenge: all in. The rest is history. Both lost.

But the greatest irony was that of Ping. Had he slid down to vice president in which he was sure to win, he would have ended up President anyway – because FPJ, who would have surely won, too, would die very shortly after winning.

Early on then, GMA gained Senator Lacson’s chagrin. And that chagrin must have ballooned immensely into full-scale vengeance when into GMA’s administration, a judge issued an arrest warrant against him for alleged involvement in the murder of public relations bigwig Bubby Dacer and his driver Emmanuel Corbito. The warrant apparently sent the senator scurrying to safety abroad, returning to the country only after a long period, when he felt assured he was no longer subject to arrest.

On the current budget controversy, I don’t want to think that Senator Lacson is being motivated by wanting to deal to GMA what he feels to be her due. I want to believe he is sincere when he says he has forgiven everyone who has wronged him and has denied that his crusade against “pork,� or discretionary funding in the budget, is about Arroyo.

Still, there are reasons enough to remind the good senator that his effective blocking of the passage of the budget measure has already done the country harm.

This is what the Manila Times editorial of March 14, 2019 stressed: “The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) has again warned that failure to pass the 2019 budget will stunt the Philippines’ economic growth, a day after government data revealed the country’s trade deficit widened by $600 million year-on-year in January. Yet against this backdrop of hard evidence of the negative impact of their obstinacy, lawmakers have still not found a way to send the measure to President Rodrigo Duterte’s desk for his signature. “In a statement on Wednesday, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said that full-year GDP growth could drop to as low as 4.2 percent if the P3.757-trillion budget for 2019 was not approved and the government was forced to operate with the reenacted 2018 budget for the entire year.�

But in a most urgent respect, the ongoing serious water shortage suffered by residents of Metro Manila and outlying areas drives home the necessity of delivering now the budget bill for signing by the President. The Kaliwa Dam Project, earmarked for solving the water problem of these areas, could not be started because although China had made good on its commitment to fund the undertaking, there is a Philippine counterpart that must, but could not, be met. Why? Because expenditure for the project is covered by the 2019 budget bill.

In fact, all aid and investment packages concluded by President Duterte with China

ÂłSamonteA6

A6

Opinion

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

Govt should lead, not react

T

HE water crisis in Metro Manila and nearby Rizal province reached an unprecedented level this week. The Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), the government body in charge of regulating the water concessionaires, admitted in a media interview that it cannot even penalize any of the concessionaires if and when they fail to deliver basic water services. The MWSS chief regulator said that it’s not within their mandate to do so.

I don’t share that opinion though. The MWSS’ mandate comes from Republic Act (RA) 6234. It declared as policy the “proper operation and maintenance of waterworks system to ensure an uninterrupted and adequate supply and distribution of potable water for domestic and other purposes and the proper operation and maintenance of sewerage systems are essential public services because they are vital to public health and safety.� It is further declared as a policy of the state that the establishment, operation and maintenance of such systems must be supervised and controlled by the state. Can you read the words — “ensure an uninterrupted and adequate supply and distribution of potable water�?

In a televised interview of a major network on Thursday, MWSS Chief Patrick Ty pointed the blame at the government itself saying, “It’s our fault.

It’s the government‌�

Water crisis The water crisis is not new. It’s a recurring thing. It’s seasonal at best.

However, the government is not doing anything about it but simply implementing band-aid solutions every time there is drought.

RA 8041, or the "National Water Crisis Act of 1995," was promulgated to address the nationwide water crisis and paved the way for the privatization of MWSS operations through Executive Order No. 311. Manila Water Company Inc. (MWCI) is the concessionaire for the East Zone service area. Meanwhile,

billion daily due to traffic congestion.

The same study showed that the country IS PROJECTED TO LOSE BILLION TO TRAFFIC daily by 2035 if no interventions are made in Metro Manila.

Maynilad Water Services Inc. (MWSI) However, sometime in September 2018, is the concessionaire for the West Zone the President himself had apparently service area of MWSS. given up on asking for emergency powers This “business set-up� was done way TO SOLVE THE %$3! TRAFkC MESS (E SAID

back in 1995. How come there is a water “Let EDSA remain as it is for the next crisis now? One of the concession’s key 20 years.� The President may have been performance indicator (KPI) is “water sup- misinformed by his transport managers. ply continuity (24/7),� which the conces4HE TRAFkC SITUATION IN %$3! CAN BE sionaires are bound to observe a hundred disentangled even without emergency percent. What happens then if they fail to powers. All that is needed is political will. meet their KPIs? Only MWSS knows.

Have you tried driving along EDSA on a day when there is a local holiday Perennial floods in one of the cities of Metro Manila?

For example, June 24 is a holiday in the Metro Manila and other provinces, City of Manila and San Juan. Vehicular practically the whole of the country, traffic along EDSA is usually moderate experience perennial floods due to ty- on June 24. phoons and monsoon rains. Heavy rains So, why not simulate a local holiday and unabated downpours trigger floods, everyday by having a four-day workcausing “disruptions� in our daily lives. week? The one-day-off during the week Well, classes (and even government should be distributed within the cities work) are normally suspended if there and municipality of Metro Manila. Say, ARE lOODS TRAFkC COMES TO A STANDSTILL Tuesday day off for Quezon City and people are evacuated. The list go on. The Caloocan City, Wednesday day off for point here is that these problems happen Manila and Pasay City, and so on. every year. Yet, the government seems a There are more ways to solve the EDSA newbie every time these things happen. traffic gridlock but I cannot discuss 4HESE ARE EXTREMES 4HE lOODS ON ONE them in this column for lack of space. end and the water crisis (drought) on the other. If there is a visionary in the govern- Lead, not react ment, he or she could have formulated a solution to solve this twin problem.

All of these sample problems could have Offhand, I could think of a huge been properly addressed had the governcistern or underground reservoir which ment possessed the proper vision to do could be filled with flood water during so. The hallmark of good governance is the rainy season and then harvested when the government leads in proposand filtered during the dry season. Of ing solutions to future problems instead course, this is an overly simplified solu- of just reacting to problems when the tion (which could require tremendous latter happens. engineering design to be realized).

As it is, the government just waits for Unfortunately, the government is not troubles to manifest and then employ thinking that way. knee-jerk reactions.

The government should lead in adHeavy daily traffic dressing problems before they arise, and not simply react when crises occur.

In a study made by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), it is allinsight.manilatimes@gmail.com ESTIMATED THAT THE 0HILIPPINES LOSES www.facebook.com/All.Insight.Manila.Times

ALL INSIGHT

AL S. VITANGCOL 3RD

Q SAMONTE FROM A5

2019 budget impasse for pushing his Build! Build! Build! initiative perforce requires the 2019 national budget for every facet of their implementation — as it would for the coming years on end.

Lacson et al must do their duty of submitting the budget bill for signing by the President now. Otherwise I’d be constrained to reiterate a question I had long ago written in a review of “Rashomon,� to wit:

We should all learn from Tagum

“Says the priest, ‘War, earthquake, winds, fire, famine, the plague. Year after year it’s been nothing but disasters.

And bandits descend upon us every night. I’ve seen so many men getting killed like insects. But even I have never heard such a story as horrible as this.

Yes, so horrible. This time I may finally lose my faith in the human soul.’ “What’s more horrible than war,

earthquake, winds, fire, famine, the plague? The question prompts you to view the movie on. For all the disasters that had visited the Philippines, the country hasn’t quite had enough? “In the finale, you get the answer: lies. “Thus, the film delivers its powerful message: that nothing is true in the world and that what truth is to people are consequences of things that work to their favor.�

D

URING the 21st Araw ng Tagum, last March 7, the city government of Tagum launched Kagikan: Tracing the Flow of Tagum’s Rich History written by Richi Gulle, Xylee Labastida-Palomata, Louie Bryan Lapat, among others. They call the project of writing their own history “ Kagikan ,� which in the Visayan language means “background� or “ancestry� or “pinagmulan.� And they referred to the growing interest in local history there as a “public history movement,� which they are taking seriously.

Not only are they distributing printed copies of the book, they have made the digital version available online for free for everyone to read. Of course, this kRST ATTEMPT ONLY OUTLINES THE HISTORY OF Tagum and more can be written about SPECIkC EVENTS IN AND ASPECTS OF 4AGUM One should even write about their famous night market. Busy streets in the day transform into a night market and one wonders where they put away all that ROOkNG AND HOW EVERY DAY THEY HAVE TO assemble and disassemble the place. This particular project gained national recognition when it won the Galing Pook in 2014. If you are in Davao City, Tagum is only about 45 minutes’ drive from there.

Just like in my own province of Tarlac, Tagum for many years was neglected especially in the national history because as Tarlac was established as a province late in the Spanish period, Tagum was not integrated into the national government until the Americans came, and therefore there are no centuries-old churches and no vestiges of the Spanish colonial past. As in Tarlac, ancient Tagum was described as having nothing but wilderness and indigenous people, as if wilderness and indigenous people are “nothing,� where in fact, the forests and the indigenous groups are everything and are enough.

And what happened when the Spaniards tried to put the local Muslim population under their control? While the Zamboanga Subanens resisted the reduccion system by sneaking back to the mountains while the friars were asleep, in Tagum, it was a little more interesting. The Mandaya wanted to be under the Spaniards just so they could be protected from the Muslims. On the day the pueblo was to be inaugurated in 1861, Don Jose Pinzon y Purga, the sixth Spanish governor of the Davao Dictrict, was invited to a feast. After enjoying the dancing and the playing of the kulintang, the governor was invited to a house of a datu where he was stabbed and then beheaded. His eight companions were also killed. Pinzon’s body was quartered and was sent to various Moro settlements to inspire the resistance. Tagum

WALKING HISTORY MICHAEL “XIAO� CHUA was feared by the Spaniards.

There’s also a marker there commemorating what is said to have been one of the bloodiest battles of World War 2 in the country, the Battle of Ising (formerly in Tagum, now in Carmen town). Remember that the many Japanese living in Davao City made it a sort of Little Tokyo, but an area nearby was not penetrated by the Japanese and was called “Free Davao.� When the Americans were coming, the Japanese wanted to escape to the Tagum mountains. A colleague, Marie Silva Vallejo, recently wrote a book on her father Captain Saturnino Silva, the commanding ofkCER OF THE TH )NFANTRY REGIMENT WHO stopped the Japanese at the Ising River on May 3-10, 1945, where, according to the locals there, “walay nakasulod nga Hapon sa Ising� (no Japanese was able to enter Ising). In my lecture in Tagum, I met two of her local researchers, Armando and Cyrus Medina.

In an ancillary event for the Araw ng Tagum, I gave a talk at the second Kagikan colloquium on March 5, where I experienced an amazing thing. I was in a mall cinema, speaking for almost two HOURS kLLED NOT JUST WITH STUDENTS AND teachers who are my usual audience, but indigenous community leaders, senior community leaders, business leaders, FORMER AND PRESENT CITY OFkCIALS INCLUDING the mayor himself — Sir Allan Rellon, KGOR and former Davao del Norte Vice Governor and Tagum Mayor Victorio Suaybaguio — and staying not just for my talk but also for the local speakers.

We must be learning from Tagum City.

Their mayor organized the Historical, Cultural and Arts Council. which is not just lip service but really active in making Tagum history interesting which makes PEOPLE HAVE A PRIDE OF THEIR PLACE AND they also have a Cultural Communities Affairs, headed by Xylee, making sure the IPs and Muslims are not left out in 4AGUM DEVELOPMENT 4HE LATTER OFkCE has produced an IP glossary of terms of Mansaka, Mandaya and Kagan words, and for their efforts, was conferred the Civil Service Commission Pagasa Award in 2018 by no less than President Rodrigo Roa Duterte himself.

All LGUs must learn from Tagum. The knowledge of history and inclusiveness of culture makes a place more interesting. Huwag naman pong puro lip service lang ang kultura.

Q YAMBAO FROM A1

The Mutual Defense Treaty according to Pompeo It differs however on one notable point. It makes clear that an armed attack on the armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft of the Philippines in the South China Sea is covered by the provisions of the MDT because as Secretary Pompeo said, “the South China 3EA IS PART OF THE 0ACIkC /CEAN u Actually, I recall that during the debate on the US-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement, the United States issued a statement similar to Secretary Pompeo’s. It even mentioned that the South China Sea was under the watch OF THE 53 0ACIkC &LEET !ND THE scholar Dr. Gregory Winger recalls that it was also the policy of his predecessors Henry Kissinger and Cyril Vance. That was as far as it had gone. The local press has DESCRIBED THE STATEMENT AS A kRST time. I do not know why no US OFkCIAL SINCE THEN REPEATED THIS DEkNITION OR CLARIkCATION OF THE g0ACIkC AREAu WHEN CRITICS OF THE MDT continued to harp on the treaty’s irrelevance to the South China Sea situation and it would have been reassuring to Filipinos anxious in the face of Chinese aggressive actions in those waters.

The statement of Secretary Pompeo makes much common sense to one after consulting Wikipedia or the dictionaries about the meaning of “ocean� and “sea.� A sea is a smaller part of an ocean. Ergo, the South China Sea, the Philippine Sea and some 11 other seas, ARE PART OF THE 0ACIkC /CEAN !S a state party to the MDT, we are

lucky that there are no territorial disputes or possibilities of an armed attack in those other seas.)

3INCE THE DEkNITION OF THE DICtionaries is not necessarily everybody’s, it should be useful for the Parties to exchange notes acknowledging it to be also the MDT’s.

There are other reasons. The seas HAVE CELEBRITY STATUS BY THEMSELVES people generally think of them as distinct from oceans. Dr. Winger relates that emphasis on the metropolitan area was the norm followed by the United States in negotiating not only the MDT with the Philippines but also those with other countries. Moreover, in response to an inquiry by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos, the US State Department mistakenly stated that since the South China Sea was not part of the metropolitan area of the Philippines, it was not covered by the MDT. With the definition of the South China Sea as part of the PaCIkC /CEAN THE INTENTION OF THE MDT to cover the West Philippine Sea becomes clearer. Each time g0ACIkC AREAu IS MENTIONED IT IS to be understood that the South China Sea is covered. Article IV says that, “Each Party recognizes that an armed attack on the PaCIkC AREA on either of the Parties would be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.� Article V provides that, “For the purpose of Article IV, an armed attack on

either the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the Parties, or on the island territories under its jurisdiction IN THE 0ACIkC /CEAN, its armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft IN THE 0ACIkC.�(The italicization is made by me for emphasis.)

From my reading, the wording of the treaty allows for a wide interpretation of its intentions. The list of circumstances for action to meet the common dangers is not exhaustive, apparently leaving an allowance for circumstances that could not be foreseen at the time the treaty was made.

Do the parties act to meet the common dangers only after an armed attack? No, Article III provides that the Parties consult together “whenever in the opinion of either of them the territorial integrity, political independence or security of either of the Parties is threatened by external armed ATTACK IN THE 0ACIkC u In practice, allies are such jolly fellas. They don’t give the coverage of their treaties a strict interpretation as to geograpahical location and nature of their actions to meet common dangers. There is no provision in the North Atlantic Treaty concerning the participation of NATO forces in the US invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan. Nor is there a provision in the Philippines-US MDT calling on former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to join the Coalition of the Willing in Iraq.

Ganoon pala, bakit napayagan o napabayaang sinakop ng Tsina ang mga pag-aari ng Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea? The next question that the ordinary Filipino could ask: With the treaty covering the West Philippine Sea, how come China succeeded in militarizing the features of the sea that belong to the Philippines? And earlier, why didn’t the US come to the rescue when a Philippine public vessel was surrounded by vessels of the Chinese Navy in Scarborough Shoal? ) kND IT UNFORTUNATE THAT 3ECREtary Pompeo would repeat a stateMENT kRST ENUNCIATED BY 0RESIDENT Obama to the effect that the United States is not taking sides in the disputes over territorial sovereignty IN THE 3OUTH #HINA 3EA 3ATISkED as a Harvard law graduate by the legal correctness of his statement, Obama seemed to have overlooked the practical conclusion that Chinese assertiveness would reduce the statement to. As ensuing events showed, it was taken by the Chinese as a signal giving them a free hand in reclaiming and militarizing features of the South China Sea. It is even more unseemly today to mention China in the same breath or on the same level as the other claimants. Whereas the other claimants claim only a part of the South China Sea, China claims almost its entirety.

China’s 9-dash line engulfs the high seas that international law before and after Unclos gives humanity freedom of navigation

OVER AND THE FREEDOM TO kSH IN In addition, an international arbitration panel of reputable judges has deemed the Chinese claim to have no legal basis. Secretary Pompeo would have done better instead to urge China and the other claimants to respect the ruling of the arbitration panel and enjoin all the claimants to resort to peaceful means of settling territorial disputes.

Quibbling over the ambiguities of the treaty language, or even if there should be a review of the treaty, appears to this writer to be a waste of time. The treaty itself provides that “the Parties should consult together from time to time regarding the implementation of the Treaty.� The other mutual defense treaties of the United States indeed provide for a formal review by the Parties every 10 years. What can at times be more important with treaties, anyway, is the meaning of the spaces between the lines or the context and subtext of the treaty language, which all translate ultimately into ascertaining the political will of the Parties to take the necessary action in the face of a common danger.

The Parties to the MDT should make use of the mechanism or mechanisms available to them, a formal review and/or the regular meetings of the Mutual Defense Board, to think of ways of redressing the situation in the South China Sea and discouraging further aggressiveness on the part of China.

Notwithstanding whether or not the Philippines should ask for a review by the Parties of the treaty, it is time the Philippines by itself undertakes a thoroughgoing review of its alliance with the United States considering the changing circumstances of its global and regional environment.

The Philippines should think of a Plan B and other alternative scenarios to the MDT. The security umbrella provided by the MDT no longer exists since it was meant to protect not the Filipino nation but the US forces that used to be based in the country.

Furthermore, it seems to be the view of the experts that China has surpassed or will very soon surpass the economic prowess of the United States. With China given to translating this economic prowess to military prowess, China becoming a global military superpower is already quite in the realm of probabilities. What are the options left to the Philippines if it is to avoid being a pushover?

None of the Filipinos I know want to be dominated by any foreign power, whether coming from afar or within the neighborhood.

Jaime J. Yambao is a retired career ambassador who was Assistant Secretary for American Affairs, Executuve Director of the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement, and Minister Counsellor for Political Affairs of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C.

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Regions

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

A7

C A S E S CO N T I N U E TO R I S E I N OT H E R PA R T S O F P H

Apayao is lone dengue-free province

BY CATHERINE A. MODESTO

A

PAYAO in Cagayan Valley is the only province in the country spared from the scourge of dengue fever, data from the Department of Health (DoH) showed.

From January 1 to March 2, there were 40,614 reported dengue cases with 150 deaths, according to the Health department’s epidemiology bureau. The data is 68 percent higher than the 24,231 recorded in the same period last year.

Central Visayas topped the list

of regions with the most number of dengue cases with 4,498 including 29 deaths.

Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), which also has a high number of measles cases, followed with 4,253 and 14 deaths; Metro Manila came in a close third

with 4,231 cases and 16 deaths.

Meanwhile, the Ilocos Region had 921 cases with two deaths; Cagayan Valley had 3,026 cases with 17 deaths; Central Luzon with 3,326 cases and seven deaths; Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) with

CASES AND kVE DEATHS "ICOL WITH CASES AND kVE DEATHS Western Visayas with 3,072 cases and 14 deaths; Eastern Visayas WITH CASES AND kVE DEATHS Zamboanga Peninsula with 1,674 cases and 12 deaths; Northern Mindanao with 3,012 cases and two deaths; Davao Region with

1,477 cases and two deaths; Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Saranggani, General Santos) with 2,356 and four deaths; Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao with 417 cases and one death; Cordillera Administrative Region with 831 cases and three deaths; and Caraga Region with 4,102 cases and 12 deaths.

The regions, which the dengue surveillance unit identified as having “exceeded the epidemic threshold�such as Cagayan Valley, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region and Caraga, were ordered to

determine municipalities and villages with high dengue incidence, AS WELL AS CONkRM AND CHECK FATALity rates for the clustering of cases.

The most affected by dengue were CHILDREN kVE TO NINE YEARS OLD The DoH renewed its call to the public to prevent dengue by implementing the enhanced 4-S strategy in their households: “Search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites; [have] self-protection measures like wearing long pants and long sleeved shirts and use mosquito repellent; seek early consultation; and support fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas where increase in

cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak.� “We are encouraging the public to practice the 4-S strategy, especially now that there are more opportunities for the mosquitoes to make stagnant waters their breeding places,�

Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd said in a statement.

The World Health Organization SAID THAT WHILE THERE IS NO SPECIkC treatment for dengue, early detection and access to medical care might reduce fatality rates to as low 1 percent, adding that prevention is the key to kGHT THE MOSQUITO BORNE DISEASE

Vaccination for Muslim Bong Go renews call for fair, clean polls children approved MARAWI CITY: The Ministry of Health in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MoH-BARMM) recently launched an Islamic ruling on immunization to emphasize the importance of vaccination and to strongly support the government’s campaign against preventable diseases.

MoH Minister Safrullah Dipatuan, said the Islamic ruling called fatwa sought to promote vaccination to Muslims as a safe AND EFkCIENT WAY TO PREVENT SOME common diseases.

The fatwa was approved by 13 Muslim religious leaders of the Regional Darul Ifta, the Islamic authority that determines religious jurisprudence and makes pronouncements on certain issues.

MoH Deputy Minister Zul Qarneyn Abas, said they tapped the Regional Darul Ifta to seek a fatwa after discovering that many parents in the region “tend to refuse immunization because they were unsure if vaccination was consistent with their faith.� “Immunization prevents deaths and suffering from vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, tetanus, polio, pneumonia, hepatitis, diphtheria, rubella and mumps,� Dipatuan, said, adding that saving lives is a holy act that “we must do as an act of faith.�

/FkCIAL -O( DATA SHOWS THAT AS of March 10, anti-measles vaccine was administered to about 45,598 target infants and children across the region.

The MoH said measles cases in the region decreased to 361 conkRMED CASES THIS YEAR COMPARED to the 1,260 cases during the same period in 2018.

The former Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, now MoHBARMM, and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) conducted two conferences — one for the island provinces and another for the mainland provinces — in August and September last year to issue a fatwa on the legitimacy of vaccination and the evidence supporting it that is found in the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah.

Abas gave the assurance that immunization was permissible from the Islamic perspective noting that “the vaccines are halal (allowed).� “The best gift we can give to every child is a full immunization cerTIkCATE u SAID &ARID $ASTGEER 5NICEF child protection specialist.

With the fatwa on immunization, the MoH hopes to increase the immunization rates across the Bangsamoro region.

MASIDING NOOR YAHYA AND JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay: Former special assistant to the President and Senate hopeful Christopher Lawrence “Bong� Go on Thursday thanked CITY OFkCIALS AND RESIDENTS FOR THEIR show of support for him and other Senate candidates of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) regional party during their kickoff rally here. “I would like to thank my brothers here in Legazpi,� Go said to THOSE WHO kLLED THE THE SEAT Albay Astrodome to the rafters to hear him explain his legislative agenda.

Moreover, Go reiterated his commitment to fair and clean elections, saying that mudslinging should never be part of any campaign in an election. “We will just insist on, and carry out a clean and fair campaign. I won’t descend to mudslinging. I am not in the habit of speaking ill of anyone, even my political rivals,� he said.

Earlier, Go vowed he would not resort to dirty tricks even as some political opponents have resorted to the using fake news in a bid to bring him down.

He appealed to his fellow candidates to stick to explaining their platform to voters to help them decide in choosing the best men and women for the job. “I will repeat, just keep close to your chest whoever you think will serve you honestly and with

Q NARCOLIST FROM A1

but in exercise of the oversight on the Dangerous Drugs Law. So of course, it is his right to ask for a hearing in Congress as well,�

Arroyo told reporters in a chance interview on Friday on the sidelines of an inspection of water pipes with Metropolitan Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System OFkCIALS IN 1UEZON #ITY Other congressmen who were included in the narcolist were reelectionist Zambales 1st District Rep. Jeffrey Khonghun and outgoing Pangasinan 1st District Rep. Jesus Celeste. #ELESTE SAID IN A NEWS BRIEkNG in Pangasinan on Thursday that the list was “99 percent politically MOTIVATEDu BUT HE WOULD gkGHT FOR [his] right for everyone to know that [his] conscience is clear.�

Meanwhile, the son of Rep. Khonghun, Mayor Jefferson “Jay�

Khonghun of Subic, Zambales, who was also included in the list, thanked their family’s supporters for believing in them. “Salamat po sa inyong suporta, pagmamahal, sa mga magagandang salita. Sa patuloy na pagtititwala sa aming pamilya. Kayo po ang higit na nakakakilala sa amin. ‘Wag po kayong mag-alala, hinding hindi po namin kayo bibiguin (Thank you for all your support, love, and kind words, for still believing in our family. You are the ones who truly know us. Don’t worry, we will not disappoint you),� he posted on Facebook.

Mayor Khonghun, who is running for vice governor in the province, had posted a Facebook Live video on Wednesday night dispelling rumors of his and his father’s inclusion prior to the release of Duterte’s list. “Naturuan po ako ng aking

ama na wag pong pumapatol‌ congressman po siya, mayor po ako, board member po ang kapatid ko. Bakit naman po naming kailangang gawin ‘yun eh meron naman po kaming pamilyang kailangang alagaan at protektahan? (My father taught me not to entertain these rumors anymore‌ he is a congressman, I am a mayor, my brother is a board member. Why would we do such thing when we all have families to care for and protect?),â€? he said in the video.

4HIS IS NOT THE kRST TIME THAT the personalities defended themselves from their alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade.

In 2016, Veloso was tagged as “protector� of self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, but was able to refute such accusations that were supposedly based on INSUFkCIENT EVIDENCE In the same year, Celeste was also allegedly involved in the drug trade when he was still a mayor of Pangasinan.

Mayor Khonghun also belied his and his father’s involvement in any illegal drug activity back in 2017.

Members of the opposition were also quick to counter the release of Duterte’s narcolist, calling it a mere act of saving a “fake� anti-drug campaign. “The public shaming that the government is resorting to is aimed to intimidate and control the local politicians in the coming elections. This is also a mere show of bravado to make the people believe that the war on drugs is working. It is not,� according to Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, a candidate for senator of the Otso Diretso opposition slate.

Fellow candidates Quezon Rep. Erin TaĂąada and former solici-

‘Narcopols’ his wife Marivic.

Leyte 3rd District Rep. Vicente “Chingâ€? Veloso told The Manila Times in a phone interview that he was a “devout Catholicâ€? who could never be a protector of drug lords. “How credible is that list?‌ Everyday, I hear Mass. Everyday, I receive communion. I’m a devout Catholic. I have a serious relationship with God. I cannot be a drug lord and receive the body of Christ everyday. ‘Yun ang sabi sa akin ng pari (That’s what the priest told me),â€? Veloso said to The Manila Times.

Seeking a second term in his congressional district in the May 13 midterm elections, Veloso reiterated that he had been cleared by a regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).

(E CALLED THE kLING OF ADMINistrative charges by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) a “welcome development� as he would be given a chance to confront the complainants.

(E ALSO SOUGHT TO kLE A (OUSE resolution to ask for an inquiry in aid of legislation to investigate the issue.

But for House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Veloso may have a hearing in the exercise of the oversight on the Dangerous Drugs Law instead, as the congressmen on the narcolist will have to undergo “due process.� “One of them asked if he could kLE A RESOLUTION FOR A HEARING IN aid of legislation. He may have a hearing not in aid of legislation

utmost dedication, and write his name on the ballot on May 19,�

Go said.

Meanwhile, the city council of Legazpi passed a resolution dated Feb. 4, 2019, declaring Go as adopted son of Legazpi, citing his role in pushing for infrastructure projects lined up for the Bicol Region under the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build� program and other initiatives for THE BENEkT OF "ICOLANOS Government projects for the Bicol region include the establishment of a Malasakit Center in Albay, the P175.3 billion, 639-kilometer (km). Philippine National Railways South Long-Haul, the 180-km Quezon-Bicol Expressway and the planned Bicol International Airport Project estimated to cost P4.7 billion, among others.

In adopting him as son of LegazPI #ITY THE LOCAL OFkCIALS ALSO CITED Go for “his invaluable time and effort� in bringing to the President Rodrigo Duterte’s attention and helping in the speedy resolution of the killing of AKO Bicol party-list Rep. Rodel Batocabe, who was shot dead in December 2018.

In an ambush interview, Go said that personally, he believes honesty is a trait every public servant should possess.

It could be recalled that in several instances, President Rodrigo Duterte had vouched for the char-

tor general Florin Hilbay also slammed the release, claiming that CHARGES SHOULD BE kLED ONLY WHEN sufficient evidence was found against those on the narcolist.

Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin echoed Tanada, saying the public should not allow trial by publicity of those who were included in the list. “We cannot allow trial by publicity especially coming during an election season where political violence heightens. When the list is out, it is now open season for political assassinations,� Villarin added.

Duterte on Thursday evening revealed at least 46 names of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Those whom the President named also on Friday were assured by the Philippine National Police (PNP) of protection against threats they might receive after the narcolist was released to the public. “The PNP is giving assurance to officials who were named [on the narcolist] that we are ready to give them security if it is proven that they have high level of threats against their life,�

Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, also told reporters in A NEWS BRIEkNG Banac said the PNP is still conducting validation of other ELECTED OFkCIALS WHO MIGHT BE involved in illegal drug activities.

4HE $),' ALREADY kLED CHARGES AGAINST THE LOCAL OFkCIALS BEFORE THE /FkCE OF THE /MBUDSMAN GLEE JALEA WITH REPORTS FROM ROY NARRA, FREDERICK SILVERIO, ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ, MASIDING NOOR YAHYA, JAIME G. AQUINO, BELLY M. OTORDOZ, EUGENE Y. ADIONG AND JERRY M. HERNANDEZ

ALL OUT SUPPORT

President Rodrigo Duterte, wearing a campaign shirt of Senate hopeful Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, vouched for the character of his former top aide as ‘extremely honest’ during a campaign in Albay. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO acter of his former top aide, calling him an “extremely honest� man.

In the same rally, Sebastian “Baste� Duterte represented his sister, Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio, in the campaign caravan of the HnP in the Bicol Region.

Go clarified the absence of Duterte-Carpio in the sortie, say-

ing the mayor had to attend to her FAMILY kRST (E POINTED OUT THAT Baste was more than capable of taking on the role of the mayor, albeit in a temporary capacity.

In his speech, Baste described Go’s closeness to the Duterte family and even shared that he was like a brother to him.

Q PROBE FROM A1

funds,� she said.

The PCSO is optimistic that the investigation would be a means to cleanse the agency if there really WERE CORRUPT OFkCIALS AND EMPLOYEES among its ranks, Medrano said.

She gave assurance that the charity agency’s operations and the provision of health and medical-related services to Filipinos nationwide would continue.

The allegation of corruption against former PCSO general manager Alexander Balutan has prompted the Senate to call for an investigation.

Balutan, who resigned last week, denied any wrongdoing and called for an impartial probe.

PCSO

themselves to any formal investigation by any investigating body. The PCSO board, its management and its employees stand by its value of professionalism. If a person has nothing to hide, then by all means, an investigation by an independent investigating body will be very much welcomed,� Medrano added. “The PCSO governing board already said it will not coddle anyone, whether management or rank and kLE EMPLOYEE WHO IS FOUND TO BE involved in graft and corrupt practices, especially if it involves public

Suspect in Cebu teen slay a ‘psycho maniac’ THE suspect behind the brutal killing of Christine Lee Silawan in Cebu, who is still at-large, could be a “psychological maniac,� the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Friday.

Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, PNP SPOKESMAN SAID IN A MEDIA BRIEkNG that the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) assigned to the case in Cebu has yet to determine the motive behind the gruesome murder. “The motive for the killing has not yet been established, but we are looking at the angle that the suspect may be a psychological maniac who can commit this kind of crime,�

Banac said. “It could also be possible that the suspect is on drugs,� he added.

Silawan’s half-naked body bearing multiple stab wounds with her face peeled off, was found in an abandoned lot in Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City on Monday.

She was first reported missing

when she failed to return home after going to church where she served as collector during the Mass.

Banac also disputed reports that the suspect had already been publicly IDENTIkED AND WAS UNDER POLICE CUSTODY There were reports showing a picture of a man named Jonas Bueno, allegedly one of the suspects in the brutal murder.

Banac said the SITG was still conducting a manhunt against the suspects and did not want to disclose any information about the persons of interest to avoid making wrong turns in their investigation. “The SITG said the other information about the crime did not come from them and we don’t want to make mistakes in the investigation,�he said.

The SITG was also thoroughly going through Silawan’s text messages to see if she already had previous interactions with the possible suspects, Banac added.

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BY MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

T

HE COUNTRY S CURRENT ACCOUNT DEkCIT HIT AN ALL TIME HIGH LAST YEAR AS ROBUST ECONOMIC ACTIVITY RESULTED IN A WIDER TRADE GAP THE "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPINAS "30 SAID ON &RIDAY g4HE CURRENT ACCOUNT DEkCIT ROSE TO an all-time high of $7.9 billion, about 2 percent of gross national income and 2.4 percent of GDP (gross domestic product),� central bank Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo told reporters IN A BRIEkNG

$0.58 billion from $0.52 billion.

Cash remittances, which only count money coursed through banks, rose by 4.4 percent to $2.484 billion in January from $2.379 billion a year earlier. “This growth was in line with the increase in remittances from both land-based ($1.95 billion) and sea-based ($0.53 billion) workers, which rose by 2.3 percent and 12.7 percent, respectively,� Diokno said.

It was down 12.8 percent, however, from the $2.849 billion recorded in December 2018.

The United States accounted for the highest share of overall remittances at 35.5 percent in January.

It was followed by Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, Canada, Qatar, Hong Kong and Kuwait. “The combined remittances from these countries accounted for almost 78 percent of total cash remittances,� Diokno said.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

Moving people, not cars, on EDSA

NE of the striking images this past week was a long wall of buses on EDSA, frozen into the curbside “yellow lane�, HARDLY MOVING WHILE CARS lOWED freely and fast on the remaining three lanes. Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Operations and EDSA Traffic Chief Bong Nebrija explained that keeping the buses locked in the yellow lane was the only way to avoid congestion along most of EDSA. In fairness to MMDA, buses were not the only target; private cars were also being apprehended for moving in and out of the “yellow lanes� without A SPECIkC NEARBY DESTINATION ON the curbside.

It was an impressive display by MMDA of enforcement effort to establish order along the EDSA corridor. Buses blocking each other at intersections and lingering at bus stops had been a major cause of congestion.

According to Nebrija, by keepING CITY BUSES CONkNED TO THE TWO “yellow lanes�, segregated from PRIVATE VEHICLES THE lOW OF CARS in the remaining lanes of EDSA improved—better than having all EDSA lanes constricted by unruly bus behavior. Using MMDA’s powers to manage traffic and enforce driving rules, Nebrija demonstrated how to achieve faster travel speeds on EDSA, at least for private vehicles.

Bus passengers, however, were not pleased. Many commuters were stuck for hours inside buses

W B a n g ko k 0 . 6 3 %

Current account deficit widens to record $7.9B The 2018 gap was more than triple the $2.143-billion shortfall a year earlier, which was equivalent to 0.7 percent of GDP. “Prior to 2018, the highest current ACCOUNT DEkCIT WAS RECORDED IN at $4.4 billion,� Guinigundo noted.

BSP Department of Economic Statistics director Redentor Paolo Alegre Jr. attributed the record shortfall to the continued widening of the trade gap.

4HE TRADE IN GOODS DEkCIT ROSE BY PERCENT TO BILLION LAST YEAR RElECTIVE of a 9.4-percent expansion in imports and a 0.3-percent decline in exports. “Imports growth remain robust which supported the expansion of the country’s potential production capacity,� Alegre said. g(IGHER IMPORT DEMAND IS RElECTIVE of the increase in productive economic activity in the country spurred partly by

the ‘Build Build Build’ initiative by the national government in 2018,� he added.

This outweighed net receipts in the trade-in-services account, which at $10.5 billion was 20.7 percent higher than the $8.7 billion posted a year earlier.

4HE CURRENT ACCOUNT DEkCIT EXCEEDED the BSP’s expectation of a $6.4-billion shortfall for 2018.

A a major component of the country’s balance of payments (BoP), the shortFALL RESULTED IN A "O0 DEkCIT OF billion, wider than the $863 million recorded in 2017 but lower than Bangko 3ENTRAL S BILLION DEkCIT FORECAST

$2.745B sent home

by OFWs in January MONEY sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) fell to a two-month low in January, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Friday.

Personal remittances — comprising OFWs’ net compensation, personal transfers whether in the form of cash or in kind, and capital transfers between households — totaled $2.745 billion, 3.4 percent higher than the $2.655 billion posted a year earlier but 13 percent lower compared to the record $3.157 billion booked the prior month.

It was also the lowest since November 2018’s $2.586 billion. “Personal remittances from landbased workers with work contracts of one year or more rose to $2.12 billion, 2.3 percent higher than the $2.07 billion recorded in January 2018,� central bank Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a statement.

Remittances from sea-based and land-based workers with work contracts of less than one year, meanwhile, rose by 12.6 percent to

B2

W

SATURDAY MARCH 16, 2019

Business Times

CURRENCY RATE

B1

MOBILITY MATTERS

ROBERT SIY “imprisoned� in the yellow lane, while private cars sped by. The implicit message was that Filipinos who own cars and belong to the wealthiest 10 percent have priority use of the road; the rest of the population should be content with the slower, low quality public transport. Not a good message in a city that needs to encourage people to leave their cars at home and shift to public transport.

MMDA and Nebrija are well aware that the sustainable solution to the mobility crisis in Metro Manila is abundant, high quality public transport—safe, convenient, affordable, reliable and pollution-free—so that we will see more users of public transport and fewer private cars on the road. MMDA is seen as responsible for managing trafkC BUT IT LACKS THE POWER AND authority to manage the public transport system. %VEN IF 4RAFkC #HIEF "ONG .Ebrija wished that buses would move faster in the yellow lane (as I’m sure he did), many factors were outside of his control—the number of buses, the fares, the ROUTES THE SPECIkCATIONS OF THE vehicles, the way bus drivers are trained, licensed, motivated and paid, the design of roads and the

ÂłMobility B2

PH software piracy still high at 64%

HEAD HONCHOS

China’s President Xi Jinping (left) and Premier Li Keqiang arrive for the closing session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on March 15, 2019.

China’s rubber-stamp parliament on Friday approved a foreign investment law that was fast-tracked and could serve as an olive branch in trade talks with the United States. AFP PHOTO See story on B3

Âť

THE use of pirated software remains high in the Philippines despite gains made over the past 14 years, a trade group said on Friday as it launched a new push to get consumers and business to patronize licensed products. )N A BRIEkNG THE "USINESS 3OFTware Alliance (BSA) said the piracy rate had gone down to 64 percent as of 2017, down from 67 percent two years earlier and the 72 percent recorded in 2003. “The Philippines actually is one of the most improved country between 2015 and 2017, declining by 3 percent,� BSA Senior Director Tarun Sawney said. “But I would like to point out that at 64 percent, it is still higher than the regional average of 57 percent and the world average of 37 percent,� he added. “It means that 2 out of 3 software

ÂłPiracy B2

DBM: Pay hike hinged on EO changes Foreign buying lifts stock market SCHEDULED salary hikes for state workers can be implemented despite a budget impasse but the executive order (EO) governing the adjustments needs to be amended.

In a statement on Friday, the Budget department said it would need to prepare a contingency plan to fund the fourth tranche of adjustments under the Salary Standardization Law given Congress’ failure to pass the 2019 national budget. “Should the impasse continue further with the delayed passage of the 2019 National Budget, the Department of Budget and Management has recommended the

amendment of Executive Order .O TO THE /FkCE OF THE 0RESIdent,� the department said.

EO 201, issued by then-President Benigno Aquino 3rd in 2016, states that funding for the adjustments would be subject to appropriations approved by Congress.

Changes to the order, the Budget department said, will authorize government agencies to utilize available appropriations under the re-enacted budget to fund the pay hikes. “With this measure, the long overdue compensation hike that our public servants have been LOOKING FORWARD TO CAN kNALLY BE

granted,� it added.

Former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, who was recently appointed central bank chief, repeatedly cited the EO in insisting that Congress approve a new national budget.

While lawmakers have already RATIkED RECONCILED VERSION OF THE budget bill, the measure has yet to be transmitted to Malacaùang given the Senate’s claims that the House of Representatives made post-bicameral conference committee changes.

A meeting arranged by President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday failed

obtained by the Duterte administration are at least 30 percent better than the loan secured by the Arroyo administration and wholeheartedly accepted by the Aquino administration,�

Dominguez said.

In particular, he said the Arroyo administration was able secure a $116.6-million loan from China for the Angat Water Utilization and Aqueduct Improvement Project Phase II at an interest rate of 3 percent per annum. Â The Angat dam project was completed in 2012 during the administration of then President Benigno Aquino 3rd, who thanked

THE stock market rallied at the last minute on Friday on account of foreign buying and bargain-hunting.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 0.62 percent or 47.86 points to kNISH AT

The broader All Shares grew by 0.59 percent or 28.02 points to end at 4,813.03.

Philstocks Financial Inc. research associate Japhet Louis Tantiangco said heavy foreign inlOWS COUPLED WITH A LAST MINUTE bargain-hunting, had buoyed the index.

Net foreign buying stood at P1.8 billion as foreign buyers bought P17.78 billion worth of shares and sold P15.97 billion.

In a separate comment, Regina Capital Development Corp. head of sales Luis Limlingan said investors bought Philippine equities on hopes of a trade deal between the United States and China.

The market traded in line with most regional counterparts, except for Bangkok that declined by 0.52 percent.

Tokyo rose by 0.77 percent, Shanghai added 1.04 percent and Hong Kong grew 0.56 percent.

Seoul gained 0.95 percent, Jakarta rose 1.10 percent and Singapore inched up 0.13 percent.

³’Misleading’ B2

ÂłMarket B2

ÂłChanges B2

Debt trap allegations ‘misleading’ CLAIMS that China will be charging high interest rates to fund the Kaliwa Dam project are “misleading,� the Finance department said on Friday.

In a statement, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd said the Duterte government had obtained better loan terms compared to those secured by the Arroyo administration for another water project.

He said the New Centennial Water Source-Kaliwa Dam Project would be built with a $211-million loan from China that came with an interest rate of 2 percent per annum.

The administration, he

added, was also able to negotiate a commitment fee of only 0.3 percent of the undisbursed amount of the loan.

Moreover, the Finance chief said they made sure that the government would not pay a pre-payment penalty fee. Dominguez has been criticized for pushing the Kaliwa project, which has yet to be granted an environmental permit, amid a severe water crisis in Metro Manila.

Some observers claim that the water shortage is artificial and that building the dam would drive the Philippines deeper into a debt trap. “The terms of the loan

B2

Business Times

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

Dry spell-affected fishers cry for help

BY EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

A

N ALLIANCE OF kSHERFOLK ON &RIDAY CRIED FOR GOVERNMENT HELP FOLLOWING SUDDEN DROPS IN kSH CATCH AND FARMGATE PRICES DUE TO THE %L .IÄO PHENOMENON In a statement, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) reported that the fish CATCH OF SMALL kSHERS IN -ANILA Bay had declined to about 3 kilos from the usual 7 to 10 kilos per kSHING TRIP g3MALL kSHERS ARE NOW ENDURING THE DIMINISHING kSH CATCH DUE TO El Niùo. Oftentimes, there’s only an empty net to bring home,�

Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya na-

tional chairperson said. “Fishing during El NiĂąo is more DIFkCULT THAN USUAL BECAUSE kSH and other marine species migrate AND MOVE TO DEEPER WATERS TO kND cooler temperature. Drought also triggers ecological disturbances SUCH AS MASSIVE kSH KILLS AND RED tide phenomenon which effecTIVELY DISRUPT OUR kSHING ACTIVITY u Hicap added.

In Laguna de Bay, farmgate PRICE OF AQUATIC kSH SPECIES HAS

dropped to an all time low due to the intense heat, Palamakaya said.

Farmgate price of tilapia was quoted at P20 per kilo compared to the pre-drought price of P50 per kilo or a 40-percent drop, while farmgate price of bangus or milkkSH WAS 0 PER KILO A PERCENT drop from the pre-drought price of P70 per kilo, the group added. g$URING DRY SPELL kSH IN ,AGUNA de Bay acquires earthy-taste and smell because they go deep down the lake, making its farmgate price to drop because consumer DEMAND FOR ANY KIND OF kSH HARvested during this season is very low. This reduces further whatever income small fishers can bring home to their families,� Ronnel Arambulo, coordinator of Pamal-

akaya in Laguna de Bay explained.

Pamalakaya urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to provide immediate relief in the form of economic assistance and subsidy TO THE kSHERFOLK WHOSE LIVELIHOOD are affected by the dry spell. “Without delay, BFAR should address this devastating phenomenon by mobilizing its calamity FUND TO THE DROUGHT STRICKEN kSHing and rural communities for them to continue their production and sustain their families’ daily needs,� Hicap said.

In response, the DA-BFAR on Friday assured the public it was closely monitoring aquaculture areas and coastal communities in

Western seaboard areas, which are particularly prone to the effects of El NiĂąo. The agency, however, maintains that impacts to aquaculture vary per species and farming systems.

BFAR National Director Eduardo Gongona told The Manila Times the agency has readied MITIGATING MEASURES FOR THE kSHERies sector. “While farmgate prices has DROPPED WHICH CUT OUR kSHERMEN S earnings, we should also look at the brighter side that at least we still have production and food to eat. We will look at how to help OUR kSHERS SELL THEIR PRODUCE AT A higher prices at the farmgate [level] while maintaining fair prices at the retail markets,� Gongona said in a

How to prepare for retirement

Crackdown stepped up vs overstaying cargo BETTER TRAFkC lOW IS SEEN TO HAPpen at the Manila ports today with the start of a heigthened crackdown against overstaying cargo, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) said.

The PPA said authorities and other stakeholders have also joined hands to haunt erring cargo owners and shippers..

A memorandum was issued 15 days ago, informing consignees about the agency’s order to free up the spaces in the South Harbor and Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) currently occu-

pied by customs-cleared cargoes, PPP General Manager Jay Daniel Santiago said. “The day after tomorrow, you will start seeing trucks out of South Harbor (SH) and MICT moving the overstaying cargoes down to Laguna,� Santiago said on Friday following the the signing of the manifesto of support for the govERNMENT S EFFORTS ON THE EFkCIENT utilization of the country’s ports.

Data from the PPA showed that 3,406 and 4,194 containers were still at MICT and South Harbor, respectively.

Q CHANGES FROM B1

Sale of closed banks’ assets raises P59.3M

DBM: Pay to resolve the impasse and Duterte was said to have told House leaders that he would not sign the proposed General Appropriations Act if it was not endorsed by the Senate.

The Budget department, in the statement, reiterated that Congress should pass the 2019 national budget “as soon as posSIBLE TO END THE COUNTRY S kSCAL uncertainty and deliver the infrastructure projects and social services that the Filipino people are counting on.�

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

Q PIRACY FROM B1

PH software used in the Philippines are unlicensed.�

To encourage the use of licensed software, the BSA launched the “Legalize & Protect� program that seeks to raise awareness about the legal, productivity and security BENEkTS “Our goal is to help business leaders understand the imperative to legalize and recognize that investing in licensed software is good for their security, good for corporate reputation, good for corporate productivity and good for their bottom line,� Sawney said.

He said the campaign could help decrease the piracy rate by 5-6 percent although a 3-4 percent decline would be “very acceptable.�

Optical Media Board Chairman and CEO Anselmo Adriano, meanwhile, said the government would continue a crackdown on those using unlicensed software. g'OOD AND PROkTABLE CORPORAtions must legalize their software assets to protect the interests of their clients, their data and ultimately the health of their business,� he said. )NTELLECTUAL 0ROPERTY /FkCE OF the Philippines Deputy Director General Teodoro Pascua said a survey later this year would provide a better picture about the use of unlicensed software. “We will undertake a survey to determine the consciousness of the people in terms of intellectual property and to determine appropriate program interventions,� he said.

ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

A TOTAL of P59.3 million was generated by the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC) from selling the assets of closed banks in a public bidding earlier this month.

The amount was P8.9 million higher than the assets’ minimum disposal price of P50.4 million, the state-run depositor said in a statement on Friday.

Sold on March 1 were 10 pieces

The manifesto, signed by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), PPA, Bureau of Customs (BoC), and officials from International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI), Asian Terminals, Inc. (ATI) and the Association of International Shipping Lines, said once the cargo owners and shippers failed to comply with the order, the overstaying cargo would be shipped out to a different inland container depot. “Signing this manifesto is one thing, doing and implementing it is another, and going beyond it will

of property, all are located in Luzon,. They consisted of five residential lots with improvements, two residential lots, two commercial lots and a motor vehicle. “Proceeds from the sale of closed banks’ properties are added to the pool of funds of these banks for distribution to creditors and uninsured depositors in accordance with the rules

Q MOBILITY FROM B1

Moving people

equally spell good business relationships within the country,� Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.

Port operators ICTSI and ATI were assigned for the move out of cargo, Santiago said. The costs of the transfer would be shouldered by cargo owners, shippers, consignees, logistics operators, and custom brokers, the manifesto states. “The BOC shall regularly dispose of seized or abandoned containers to ensure that MICT and SH remain healthy,� it added.

LISBET K. ESMAEL

on concurrence and preference of credits,� PDIC said.

Selling such assets is one of PDIC’s tasks as statutory receiver and liquidator of closed banks.

To help ensure that recoveries from closed banks’ assets are maximized, PDIC sells assets through biddings and auctions.

Interested parties may buy unsold assets through a negotiated sale. MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO low emission, low entry buses will replace all the old city buses on EDSA and make bus services more EFkCIENT SAFE AND CONVENIENT. The implementation of EDSA BRT should be accelerated in light of the new rail lines coming on stream in 2022 or earlier. By increasing the passenger throughput on EDSA, a BRT system will complement MRT3 and the new subway, providing additional mass transit capacity to absorb the hundreds of thousands of MRT7 and subway rail passengers that would descend on EDSA and want to move southbound.

MRT3, even with its ongoing expansion, will not be able to handle the additional volume of passengers. If there is no additional mass transit capacity on EDSA by 2022, we will see queues for MRT3 like we have never seen before.

Today, the Philippines is making major investments in upgrading and expanding its urban rail systems. The attention to rail development is very much needed, but hardly sufficient. The improvement of road-based public transport requires equal, if not higher, priority.

With the strong leadership and political will, the Philippines can make the transition to high quality bus systems, as many other countries have done. If it succeeds, .EBRIJA WILL NO LONGER HAVE TO kGHT congestion by restricting buses to the yellow lane. He will be solving TRAFkC CONGESTION BY ATTRACTING CAR users to use public transport.

location of bus stops, and how the buses are monitored, etc. Unlike the metropolitan governments in London, Seoul and Tokyo which are responsible and accountable for their public transport services, MMDA has very little say on what transport services are available in the city, To improve the mobility of Metro Manilans in a meaningful way, fundamental reforms are needed, beginning with the governance of the transportation sector. National agencies, such as Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) should provide high level policy direction and capacity building, and handle major infrastructure projects; local governments and metropolitan authorities like MMDA should be empowered to plan and manage transport infrastructure and services within their geographical boundaries. Local governments should be accountable for achieving desired mobility outcomes. They know their needs and local circumstances best.

To eliminate on-street competition and offer high quality public transportation, bus operators can be contracted to deliver services and be paid on the basis of kilometers traveled, plus incentives for good performance. Bus operators would receive more stable and predictable incomes. Drivers would BE PAID kXED SALARIES AND BENEkTS and have reasonable work hours.

A transportation agency under the local or metropolitan government will collect fare revenues, manage the contracting of bus ser-

vices, monitor the performance of bus operators, and pay operators based on services delivered and in compliance with performance standards. Buses would be “low entry� for fast boarding and alighting (similar to stepping on and off a train) and low-emission (possibly even fully electric).

Under this structure (common to high quality bus systems, such as in London and Singapore), buses can be assigned dedicated LANES ,IBERATED FROM TRAFkC AND rewarded for kilometers served rather than ridership, buses can move people as fast and as efkCIENTLY AS TRAINS 0EOPLE IN CARS

seeing buses traveling much faster, would be thinking of how they could have been home earlier if they had used public transport.

This vision is not far-fetched.

In September 2016, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) board, chaired by President Duterte, approved the implementation of a bus rapid transit (BRT) system on EDSA, enabling existing bus operators to move to a more EFkCIENT BUSINESS MODEL CAPABLE of transporting over 2.5 million passengers per day with faster bus travel speeds. With a three-year implementation period, the project CAN DELIVER HUGE BENEkTS BEFORE THE end of the Duterte administration.

The project will enable city bus operators on EDSA to consolidate, become the operators of the BRT bus services, and be paid by a transportation agency (possibly under MMDA) on the basis of kilometers traveled rather than ridership. New, higher capacity,

Q MARKET FROM B1

3ECTORAL RESULTS ALL kNISHED IN billion shares valued at P20.8 the green in Manila, with the billion. property index up the most by Winners led losers, 103 to 88, 1.72 percent. while 41 issues were unchanged.

Volume turnover stood at 1.37 ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

Foreign

Robert Y. Siy is a development economist, city and regional planner, and public transport advocate.

He can be reached at mobilitymatters.ph@yahoo.com or followed on Twitter @RobertRsiy

phone interview.

Affected fisherfolk and their communities could also avail livelihood support and input assistance like seaweed seedlings, TILAPIA kNGERLINGS OYSTER RAFTS FROM the DA-BFAR, Gongona added.

Furthermore, the agency enCOURAGED kSHERIES STAKEHOLDERS to employ El NiĂąo mitigating measures, especially in aquaculture, including the recommended STOCKING RATE AND FEEDING IN kSH FARMS TO LOWER THE RISK OF kSH KILL

reinforcement of dike peripheral for increased water holding, deeper fishpond to 1.0 to 1.5 meters by tidal intrusion, use of water re-circulating system,and use of species tolerant to changes in salinity.

I

N my numerous financial consultation, mentoring and coaching, majority of the people who asked help for planning chose retirement as their top priority. More than 80 percent of the people who sought advice from me are millennials. They used to be branded as YOLO (you only live once) generation often associated with spending time and money on hobbies and interests instead of saving for the future or retirement.

But my experience with them tells otherwise. They are becoming more concerned about how they can live free. Yes, they were careless of their money when they first earned. But who among wasn’t excited upon receiving our first paycheck?

Like us, they are just being normal. As young people, their usual question to me about retirement is how they will manage their money once they retire. They are not concerned about how they will raise their retirement fund, knowing that with the proliferation of financial education nowadays, knowledge on growing money is just an ordinary thing. They are more concerned about managing their hard-earned retirement fund once they raise it.

This is not just a concern of young people. Even people nearing retirement are clueless as to what they should do with their retirement fund. As my usual advice, the only good way to manage retirement is to have proper discipline in handling budget. The usual REASON FOR PEOPLE HAVING kNANCIAL PROBLEMS OR kNANCIAL GAINS is they have either good or bad budgeting. The same thing in retirement, budgeting will spell either disaster or success in one’s golden years.

Upon retirement, most financial planners say you will be needing 70 percent to 80 percent of your pre-retirement gross income. But the best way to calculate this is to create a monthly budget. When preparing a detailed budget, you need to be honest on which among the expenses have to be sustained and stopped upon retirement.

For example, if you haven’t prepared for your long term health care and are very dependent on your company’s BENEkTS YOU LL BE SURPRISED TO know how much you need to prepare for it. Thus, I always

MONEY TALKS

CHRISTOPHER CERVANTES recommend to my clients to always buy the highest health coverage they can afford. DurING THE kRST FEW YEARS OF YOUR retirement, you might be spending more on travel and leisure, but later you’ll likely spend more on health.

If you’re 10 years away from retirement, you should be more careful about calculating for it. Try to seek help from a financial planner just to see if your projected retirement fund will be enough to meet your retirement income goal. Five years or less before your retirement is the time to track your spending just to know how you will use your money after working.

With this, you’ll get an honest feedback on how long your retirement fund will most likely last. If it looks not enough to last for more than 20 years, increase your income, save and invest aggressively. If you can’t increase your income, still working after retirement age is another option. But to fulfill the potential cash flow gap during retirement, the best option is to reduce your planned retirement budget.

Financial advisers say 4 percent is the ideal withdrawal from your fund during retirement. But many are questioning this idea nowadays due to the low-interest environment we have now.

Since millennials are children of baby boomers, they learned the importance of retirement preparation from their parents who are struggling now. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to follow the wrong money management practices of their parents. *** Christopher G. Cervantes is a Registered Financial Planner of RFP Philippines. He is author of Financial Planning for the Fast Changing World and The Seed Money. Visit his web site at www.cardinalbuoy. com or follow him on Twitter @cervantes_rfp. To learn MORE ABOUT PERSONAL kNANCIAL planning, attend the 75th RFP program this April 2019. To inquire, email info@rfp.ph or text <name><email><RFP> to 0917-9689774.

Q â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;MISLEADINGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; FROM B1

Debt trap allegations China for extending the loan for the project, the Cabinet official added.

While both the Kaliwa and Angat loans have maturity periods of 20 years, the grace period for former is seven years compared to the shorter five years for

the Angat project, Dominguez said.

The aqueduct project also included a pre-payment indemnity of 1 percent per annum accrued on the prepaid loan, he claimed.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

BDO electronic services down on March 23-24 BDO Unibank Inc. said on Friday its electronic banking services would be unavailable on March 23 and 24 because it would be upgrading its systems.

In a statement, the Sy-led banking titan advised its clients of a scheduled key systems enhancements this month that aimed to deliver a better electronic banking and automated teller machines (ATM) experience to its corporate and retail clients.

Once the upgrade is complete, electronic banking services, such as ATMs, online debit and cash card transactions, and mobile banking

will be unavailable from 10 p.m. of March 23 (Saturday) until 12 noon of March 24 (Sunday). â&#x20AC;&#x153;We advise our clients to perform their electronic banking transactions prior to the scheduled upgrade to avoid any inconvenience,â&#x20AC;? Edwin Reyes, executive vice president and head of BDOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transaction banking group, said in the statement.

As of end-2018, BDO has more than 4,000 ATMs nationwide.

BDOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shares ended flat at P132 each on Friday following the announcement.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

DoubleDragon eyes P2.36B from new hotel DOUBLEDRAGON Properties Corp. expects to generate P2.36 billion from its Hotel101 branch in Matina, Davao City.

In a disclosure on Friday, the listed property developer said it had started preselling Hotel101-Davao after securing a license to do so from the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board that day.

The hotel will rise on a 5,300-square meter (sqm) lot on Eco West Drive, beside SM City Davao. Once complete, it will have 519 units, a convention center, business-meeting facilities, infinity pool, gym, all-day dining restaurant and commercial strip.

The hotel is Hotel101â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third, after those in Pasay and Taguig cities. Construction is already under way and it is set to be finished by the end of 2020.

Hotel101-Davao will be the biggest hotel in Mindanao, DoubleDragon said.

The company will also unveil this year Hotel101 branches on Boracay island in Aklan province, and in Bohol and Palawan provinces. The four will have an inventory whose combined value is

P12.21 billion.

DoubleDragon plans to sell out the four projects over the next two years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We envision Hotel101 to become the largest and most recognized hotel chain in the Philippines in service and value, while [also] significantly contributing to the recurring income of DoubleDragon andâ&#x20AC;Śproviding the market with an investment backed by a condominium title,â&#x20AC;? DoubleDragon Chairman Edgar Sia 2nd said.

Hotel101â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expansion is part of the firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to have 1.2 million sqm of total leasable space by 2020.

Of the target figure, 700,000 sqm will come from 100 CityMalls; 300,000 sqm, from its Metro Manila office projects DD Meridian Park and Jollibee Tower; 100,000 sqm, from the planned 5,000 hotel rooms of Hotel101 and Jinjiang Inn Philippines; and 100,000 sqm of industrial space from various CentralHub sites nationwide. DoubleDragon shares dipped by 40 centavos or 1.88 percent to close at P20.85 apiece on Friday.

ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

Corporate News

BY ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

T

HE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released on Friday its proposed guidelines on establishing a one-person corporation (OPC) and converting an ordinary stock corporation into the former.

In a memorandum posted on its website, the SEC said the OPC should be run by a single stockholder, Filipino or otherwise. This person, it added, can be of legal age, estate or trust, or managed by a trustee. He or she should also be the kRM S SOLE DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT When applying for incorporation, the single stockholder must attach to his or her OPC application a written consent designating a nominee and an alternate nominee to take over the company in the event of incapacity or death. Changes can be made any time, but these must be submitted to the SEC, together with written consents.

The stockholder can reassume his or her position once his or her incapacity ends.

In case of death, the nominee will take over the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management until the legal heirs have been determined and have agreed on who will take the deceasedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s place.

The articles of incorporation should bear the OPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary purPOSE PRINCIPAL OFkCE ADDRESS TERM of existence; stockholderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name and details; authorized, subscribed and paid-up capital stock; and other matters deemed necessary.

Within 15 days after the cerTIkCATE OF INCORPORATION IS ISSUED

the stockholder must appoint a treasurer, corporate secretary and other officers. He or she must

notify the SEC five days upon APPOINTMENT BY kLLING OUT AN APpointment form.

The shareholder may assume the role of treasurer, but may not be appointed as corporate secretary.

The suffix â&#x20AC;&#x153;OPCâ&#x20AC;? should be indicated below or at the end of its corporate name.

An OPC is not required to have a minimum authorized capital stock, except as otherwise provided by law.

As for reportorial requirements, an OPC should submit annual auDITED kNANCIAL STATEMENTS WITHIN DAYS FROM THE END OF THE kSCAL year; a report on explanations or comments by the president on THE QUALIkCATION RESERVATION OR adverse remarks from the auditor IN kNANCIAL STATEMENTS A REPORT on all self-dealings and related party transactions; and other necessary reports.

The SEC cleared that banks, NON BANK kNANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

quasi-banks, pre-need, trust, inSURANCE PUBLIC AND LISTED kRMS

and non-chartered state-run corporations can not incorporate as an OPC.

Conversion into OPC In a separate memorandum, the SEC also released its proposed guidelines on converting an or-

China OKs foreign investment law

B

The legislation aims to address long-running grievances from FOREIGN kRMS INCLUDING STRONGER protections for intellectual property, but the US and European chambers of commerce voiced concerns that they were not given enough time to give their input.

The National Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Congress voted 2,929 in favor of the law â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with eight against and eight abstentions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; barely three months after a kRST DRAFT WAS DEBATED AN UNUSUALLY quick turnaround for the legislature, which meets once a year.

The move comes as US and Chinese negotiators hold complex talks aimed at resolving a monthslong trade war that has pounded businesses with tariffs on $360 billion in two-way commerce.

US President Donald Trump said Thursday the negotiations should wrap up within four weeks, adding: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are getting what we have to get.â&#x20AC;?

Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top trade negotiator,

Liu He, held phone talks with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, with the official Xinhua news agency saying they made â&#x20AC;&#x153;substantial progressâ&#x20AC;?.

The bill will eliminate the requirement for foreign enterprises to transfer proprietary technology to Chinese joint-venture partners and protect against â&#x20AC;&#x153;illegal government interferenceâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; major sticking points in the trade negotiations.

The legislation will come into force on Jan. 1, 2020, according to Xinhua.

China will also amend its intellectual property law and â&#x20AC;&#x153;introduce a punitive damages mechanism to ensure that all infringements will be seriously dealt with,â&#x20AC;? Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told reporters at the end of the parliamentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two-week session.

The changes will â&#x20AC;&#x153;ensure violators have no place to hide,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Under the bill, foreign investors will enjoy the same privileges as Chinese companies in most sectors, except those placed on gNEGATIVE LISTSu OFkCIALS SAY Li said China will soon announce shorter negative lists and continue to trim them in future, â&#x20AC;&#x153;increasing the scope of what is not prohibited.â&#x20AC;?

Tim Stratford, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, said â&#x20AC;&#x153;the last minute efforts are appreciated.â&#x20AC;?

But, he added, the changes â&#x20AC;&#x153;only address a small slice of the overall set of concerns our members have about the uneven PLAYING kELD FOREIGN COMPANIES encounter in China.â&#x20AC;?

The chamber was concerned about vague language in provisions that allowed local governments to expropriate investments that â&#x20AC;&#x153;harm public interestâ&#x20AC;? and the inability to appeal against the outcome of national security reviews.

Jacob Parker, Beijing-based vice president at the US-China Business Council, welcomed the â&#x20AC;&#x153;positive languageâ&#x20AC;? in the bill but added that â&#x20AC;&#x153;real investment on the ground will depend on how narrowly tailored those negative

lists are going forwardâ&#x20AC;?.

Kyle Freeman, a lawyer at Dezan Shira & Associates, said businesses will still need to jump â&#x20AC;&#x153;several hurdlesâ&#x20AC;? to gain market access. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are continued concerns that the on-the-ground reality of INDUSTRY SPECIkC LAWS REGULATIONS

and local administrative approvals... may impede full market access at the implementation level despite provisions in the negative list,â&#x20AC;? he told AFP. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China had earlier complained that Beijing was rushing the investment law to appease the United States.

The latest revisions of the legislation have yet to be made public.

But a source who saw the latest draft told AFP that it includes a new article on protecting foreign companiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; commercial secrets.

It also fleshes out criminal penalties for officials who leak confidential information they obtain from overseas businesses, the source added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think we can safely assume that this language is a result of the trade negotiations as it was slipped in at the last minute,â&#x20AC;?

Parker said.

AFP

BoJ gloomier on economy but maintains policy TOKYO: The Bank of Japan (BoJ) issued a more downbeat assessment of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s third biggest economy Friday, as a broader global slowdown impacts exports and production.

The central bank kept its ultraloose monetary policy in place after a two-day policy board meeting, as it battles to safeguard fragile GROWTH AND KINDLE INlATION THAT is stuck stubbornly below its twopercent target.

The bank added to its monetary policy statement the view that â&#x20AC;&#x153;exports and production have been affected by the slowdown in

overseas economiesâ&#x20AC;?.

But the BoJ also argued that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy is expanding moderatelyâ&#x20AC;? and maintained its aim of keeping the short-term policy interest rate around minus 0.1 percent and the yield on 10-year bonds around zero.

BoJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda will meet the press later in the day to discuss his decision. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The central bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stated goal remains two-percent inflation and current price levels are not high enough to justify tightening,â&#x20AC;? said Katsunori Kitakura, lead strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management,

B3

SEC issues draft rules for one-person firms

Foreign Business EIJING: Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rubber-stamp parliament approved on Friday a foreign investment law that may serve as an olive branch in trade talks with the United States, but it received a lukewarm welcome from business groups.

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

before the decision. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While the risk of a global economic slowdown exists, monetary policy in Japan has gradually shifted from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;normalizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;further relaxationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.â&#x20AC;? +URODA HAS COME UNDER kRE OVER the effectiveness of his monetary easing program and how he intends to return the bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policy to normal.

In January, the governor was FORCED TO REVISE DOWN THE "O* S INlAtion forecasts, a step seen as further evidence that authorities are unable to boost prices.

The bank wants to achieve stable

growth with prices rising two perCENT A YEAR BUT IT EXPECTS INlATION FOR THE kSCAL YEAR ENDING NEXT -ARCH of 0.9 percent.

The central bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s measured downgrade of the Japanese economy comes as economists are increasingly viewing China with caution.

Beijingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decelerating exports and imports, as it battles a tense trade row with the United States, have contributed to Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exPANDING TRADE DEkCIT WITH #HINA bound exports in January falling 17.4 percent, the sharpest drop since January 2016.

AFP

dinary stock corporation (OSC) into an OPC. Only a domestic company organized as a stock corporation can undergo the conversion, the commission said.

A single stockholder who acquired all the OSCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outstanding capital stock may start applying for the conversion. The process is similar to amending the articles of incorporation to include the suffix â&#x20AC;&#x153;OPCâ&#x20AC;? and remove any suffix indicating an OSC, such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Incorporatedâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Inc.â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Corporationâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Corp.â&#x20AC;?

The SEC will also require the stockholder to reduce the number of directors to one, name a nominee and alternate nominee, and amend or remove provisions unique to OSCs, among others.

4HE SECRETARY S CERTIkCATE DULY CERTIkED UNDER OATH BY THE CORporate secretary, should also state that all taxes and obligations in favor of the government have been

settled, and that the company or any of its stockholders, directors OR OFkCERS IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY intracorporate dispute.

The conversion shall take effect once the commission approved the amended articles of incorPORATION BY ISSUING A g#ERTIkCATE of Filing of Conversion to OnePerson Corporation.â&#x20AC;?

Once approved, the OPC will retain its SEC company registration number. It shall also maintain legal responsibility for the OSCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outstanding liabilities and obligations as of the approval date.

The proposed guidelines remain subject to public comments until March 29.

The concept of an OPC was introduced by the Revised Corporation Code of the Philippines, signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte last month. It aims to simplify corporate governance standards and provide a businessfriendly environment.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TEE UP! (Second of two parts) AST week, we discussed technology, environment and economy. And we said that, according to Euromonitor Internationalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s study titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Megatrend Analysis: Putting the Consumer at the Heart of Business,â&#x20AC;? that â&#x20AC;&#x153;technology, environmental shifts and pressures, and economic power ARE THREE OF THE kVE MEGATREND drivers that will drive and shape the world in 2030.â&#x20AC;?

Euromonitor International, who has the global footprint, cross-industry view and internal expertise of 1,000 industry, country, economic and consumer experts, has â&#x20AC;&#x153;idenTIkED OF THE MOST INlUENtial megatrends set to shape the world through 2030, providing thought leadership on the eight megatrends for 2017 with the furthest-reaching impact on industries and consumers in the years to come.â&#x20AC;?

In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s column, we will share and focus the discussion on urbanization and partnership.

ALL ABOUT CHOICES

L

Urbanization The editors of Encyclopedia Britannica defined urbanization as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the process by which large numbers of people become permanently concentrated in relatively small areas, forming cities.â&#x20AC;? It continued that a city changes from time to time and place to place, but it is most usual to explain the term as a matter of demographics. The United Nations (UN) has recommended that countries regard all places with more than 20,000 inhabitants living close together as urban, but, in fact, nations compile their statistics on the basis of many different standards.

According to the 2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects, produced by the Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the UN, by 2050, 2 out of every 3 people are likely to be living in cities or other urban centers, highlighting the need for more sustainable urban planning and public services.

It means that about 2.5 billion people could be added to urban areas by the middle of the century from both demographic shifts and overall population growth. However, most of the increase is expected to be highly concentrated in just a handful of countries like India, China and Nigeria, which will account for 35 percent of the projected growth of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s urban population between 2018 and 2050.

By 2030, the same report estimates that the world could have 43 so-called megacities (up from 31 today) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; those with more than 10 million inhabitants â&#x20AC;&#x201D; most of them in developing countries. Currently, Tokyo (37 million inhabitants), New Delhi (29 million), Shanghai (26 million), and Mexico City and SĂŁo Paulo (both with about 22 million inhabitants) lead the pack of the so-called megacities.

In the report titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Global City Commercial Attraction Index,â&#x20AC;? a research done by international real estate services giant JLL, which details the top 30 globally competitive cities and released FOUR YEARS AGO HAS IDENTIkED Metro Manila (or Manila as commonly referred to) as one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most competitive megacities.

According to the report, in 2000, Metro Manila was not even in the top 30 cities, while it was ranked 28th in 2010, just behind Istanbul and ahead of megacities Cairo and Delhi.

However, Metro Manila is expect-

LUDWIG O. FEDERIGAN ed to eventually jump to 18th place in 2030 ahead of Istanbul, Mexico City and Hong Kong.

While Metro Manila is on the rise, the increasing population will place extra demands on both resources and services.

Just like in many countries, the Philippines will continue to face the challenges in meeting the needs of its growing urban population, which includes housing, transportation, energy systems and other infrastructure, as well as for employment and basic services such as education and healthcare. Our government should continue to adopt better integrated policies to improve the lives of both urban and rural dwellers and, at the same time, linkages between urban and rural areas will need to be strengthened, building on existing economic, social and environmental ties.

Paulo Alcazaren, one of our known architects and urban planner, thinks: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Metro Manila has reached a sustainability crisis.â&#x20AC;? In one of his talks in Ateneo de Manila University, he recounted how it had failed to implement 11 urban master plans â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from the Spanish plan to develop the city like Madrid, the Daniel Burnham plan to develop it like Paris, to the grand 1970s Metro Manila Development Authority scheme. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been more than a hundred years and Metro Manila still does not have a holistic, metro-wide urban plan in effect,â&#x20AC;? he said. Alcazaren added that at this point, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve reached an unprecedented state of chaos. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The plan we need today will have to be revolutionary,â&#x20AC;? he said. He believes we should be ready to question everything and consider every crazy idea.

Green Industries

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

B5

SMC pledges P1B for major river cleanup S AN Miguel Corp. (SMC) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has formalized their commitment to undertake an extensive cleanup of the Tullahan-Tinajeros river system â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a crucial step to rehabilitating the Manila Bay. Ramon Ang, SMC president and chief operating officer, and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu signed a landmark memorandum of agreement (MoA) to implement a comprehensive dredging and cleanup of the 59.24-kilometer Tullahan-Tinajeros river system that starts from the La Mesa Reservoir and traverses the cities of Valenzuela and Malabon, before reaching the mouth of Manila Bay through Navotas.

Ang said SMC would provide DENR with P1 billion to fund the massive cleanup effort. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The cleanup of the Tullahan River, like other river systems going out to Manila Bay, is crucial to bringing back the glory of the Manila Bay,â&#x20AC;? Ang said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are proud to partner with the DENR on this project. In the last couple of months, we have seen what can be done when our government has both political will and a clear understanding of what can be done to make a difference,â&#x20AC;? he added.

And said the project is the perfect example of environmental progress that the public and pri-

vate sector can achieve together.

SMCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibility under the kVE YEAR AGREEMENT INCLUDE IMPLEmenting a dredging and cleanup plan provided by the DENR to reduce solid wastes and floating debris; lending equipment, manpower and funding for equipment operations such as fuel and logistics costs; assisting in the community mobilization activities of the DENR; installing a trash trap and transfering dredged materials; and installing signages in related to the rehabilitation program.

SMC, which operates the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest brewery in Polo, Valenzuela, has for many decades been dredging the Tullahan River.

In the past, it also donated backhoes and a barge to local government units, among many other efforts. The wastewater facilities in its plant also help ensure clean water makes it back to the river. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Despite our best efforts to make the Tullahan a living, vital waterway, and even as we have MANAGED TO LESSEN THE lOODING during the rainy season by removing silt and garbage, the problem is too big,â&#x20AC;? Ang said.

Q San Miguel Corp. President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon Ang (right) and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu recently signed a landmark five-year agreement for the rehabilitation and massive cleanup of the Tullahan-Tinajeros River System. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you think of the Tullahan, you think of a dead river, an eyesore and a health hazard. But with the leadership and resolve of DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu and President Rodrigo Duterte, we know all this will change, just like in Boracay and the Manila Bay,â&#x20AC;? he added. !NG IS CONkDENT THAT WITH THE support of the DENR, local government units and local residents, the project will be a success.

During the six-month closure of Boracay, SMC provided government support by making its employee-volunteers at the Bora-

cay airport in Caticlan available for the cleanup effort.

It also adopted two of nine wetLANDS THAT kLTER INLAND WASTEWATER before it moves to the sea.

Recently, the company announced that it had saved 7.7 billion liters of water under its â&#x20AC;&#x153;Water For Allâ&#x20AC;? program, which aims to reduce the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water footprint by 50 percent by 2025.

The results mean San Miguel and its subsidiaries cut their water use by 23 percent in 2018, beating by two years its 2020 interim target of 20-percent reduction. THE TIMES

Partnerships There is a growing consensus about the need to work together.

As we face massive disruptions caused by technology, new business models, borderless competition and climate change, it is clearly imperative and, at the same time, important that collaboration between countries, organizations and individuals are achieved and strengthened.

After all, the world is more interconnected today than ever before. In fact, we are all connected now.

There is no doubt why the last Sustainable Development Goal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Partnership for the Goals â&#x20AC;&#x201D; of the Agenda 2030 on Sustainable Development calls for the strengthening of the means of implementation and revitalization of global partnership for sustainable development.

I concluded my presentation on Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TEE UP! with the Global Risksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Landscape and Climate Change as an Existential Risk, both of which were discussed previously in my columns.

N N N Expression of gratitude I would like to express publicly my gratitude to Rebecca TandugBarrios and Walter Protacio Toriano, vice president for academic affairs and senior high school lecturer, respectively, of the Northwestern Visayan Colleges, for giving me a brief tour of the ASQ Bakhawan Eco-Park, the 220-hectare mangrove forest considered as one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kalibo, Aklan. The highlight of our tour was the 1.3-kilometer bamboo trail that takes us deep into the mangrove forest. The word â&#x20AC;&#x153;bakhawanâ&#x20AC;? means mangrove.

Q Volunteers from NEC Philippines did more than their share in preserving the environment when they conducted a coastal cleanup on February 16 at the Las PiĂąas-ParaĂąaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

NecPh does part vs solid waste pollution NEC Philippines (Necph) conducted a coastal cleanup on February 16 at the Las PiĂąas-ParaĂąaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area (LPPCHEA) situated south of Manila Bay along the coastal road or Cavitex.

LPPCHEA, a nature reserve, consists of two islands â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Freedom Island and Long Island. These two islands teem with mangroves, PONDS AND LAGOONS MUDlATS SALT marshes, and mixed beach forest all over. It hosts as many as 41 species of migratory birds coming from China, Japan and Siberia.

Coastal cleanup is a periodic program of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary (PCGA) Community Relations Service, Special Support Squadron to help create awareness of the problems from ocean and coastal garbage accumulation. By cooperating with PCGA, NecPh was able to contribute to addressing the solid waste issue within the

coast of Manila Bay. The PCGA is a uniformed volunteer organization established by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in 1972.

NecPh held the activity at the Freedom Island Trail, with more than 50 employees, including top management volunteering with their family members. With net bags, gloves, masks and tongs, the NECPH volunteers sorted the garbage and were asked to document every trash they collected using the Ocean Trash Data form. The data gathered helps PCGA research the types of solid wastes thrown at Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard.

As dawn broke, the volunteers harvested more than 20 sacks of trash.

NecPh Deputy President George Yamamoto also joined the activity along with his son, the 9-year old Lio, who was arguably the best volunteer of the day.

According to Yamamoto, it was the first time the company

organized a coastal cleanup for its environmental sustainability initiative. It surely wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be the last. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a great honor to help the Philippine environment,â&#x20AC;? Yamamoto said after all the sacks were kLLED WITH TRASH Marivic Segismundo, NecPh sales director for service provider, utilities and broadcast and an active PCGA officer-volunteer, headed the coastal cleanup toGETHER WITH OTHER OFkCERS OF BOTH the PCGA and PCG. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Refuse what you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need,â&#x20AC;? she said, adding that the three Rs â&#x20AC;&#x201D; reduce, reuse, recycle â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is of the olden days. Segismundo said that people should think of 8Rs now: refuse reduce, reuse, repair, regift, recover, recycle and most importantly, rethink your own consumption and how it impacts the earth.

According to Jeremiah Ching of PCGA, the organization holds en-

vironmental activities every month as marine and environmental protection is one of its mandates.

PCGA also undertakes reef building and mangrove planting.

The PCGA volunteer said that people should refuse disposable plastic such as straw. She added choosing items that are not packaged in plastic, carrying your own bags, and refusing single-use plastics are just some ways of helping the environment.

The NEC group globally promotes awareness over mid- to long-term social issues through its corporate social responsibility activities under four universal themes: education, culture and sports; welfare and diversity; environment; and regional contribution activities in cooperation with local communities, nongovernment organizations and local government units, among others.

CONRAD M. CARIĂ&#x2018;O

Cagayan organic farmers get certificates TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan: The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Cagayan Valley (Region 2) has awarded certificates to organic practitioners after they complied with the standards set by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP).

Narciso Edillo, DA Cagayan Valley executive director, handed the certificates from the OCCP to organic farming practitioners in the region.

They were Ignacio Pascua, owner of IT Pascua Products located in Barangay (village) Cullung in Tuao town, Cagayan; Mataga-ay Coffee Growers Produc-

ers Cooperative represented by Jose Ancheta of Madella town in Quirino province; Claudio Gonzaga, owner of Gonzaga Farm for Agronomy of Santiago City (Isabela), and Isabela Biotech of Echague, also in Isabela.

OCCP said its primary purpose is to serve as a certification and inspection body for food and food products, and agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, pesticide, feeds, among others.

The OCCP has also focused its activities on inspection and certification services, expanding to fields outside of organic certification.

On Feb. 28, 2019, the OCCP awarded

certificates to the farms and establishments in the region for complying with the organic farming standards it has set. Â In his message to the newly certified organic practitioners, Edillo said the DA Cagayan Valley office could help them through its Agribusiness Marketing and Assistance Division by displaying their organic products in the Malasakit stores in the region.

He said the Cagayan Valley region alone has 27,040 hectares of agricultural farms that are dedicated to organic farming, representing 63 percent of the 2022 target to comply with Republic Act 10068, or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010.â&#x20AC;?

Edillo said the DA Cagayan Valley office would also continue to assist individuals and organizations who have ventured into organic farming to get their OCCP certificates, which will help the region reach its full potential in developing and creating a more sustainable type of farming. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In support [of] organic agriculture in Region 2, we have been conducting various technology demonstration, local trade fairs, exhibits, distribution of farm equipment and different production support services,â&#x20AC;? he added.

LEANDER C. DOMINGO

B6

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MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mar. 16, 2019

Department of Public Works and Highways Contract ID: &RQWUDFW 1DPH

19JB0048, 19JB0054, 19JB0055, 19JB0057 & 19JB0067

5HWURÂżWWLQJ 6WUHQJWKHQLQJ 5HSDLU RI %ULGJH Âą 'LVDNDQ %U (B00444MN) along Dipolog â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sindangan â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Liloy Road.

2.) Rehabilitation of Sitog â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Bulawan Bridge, Brgy. Sitog, Katipunan, Zamboanga Del Norte.

3.) Concreting of Road, Sitio Dagum, Brgy. Nato, Sindangan, Zamboanga Del Norte.

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5.) Construction of Multi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Purpose Building (Home Economics Building), Sitio Dicoyong Diot â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dicoyong Elementary School Extension, Brgy. Dicoyong, Sindangan, Zamboanga Del Norte.

Location of the Contract: Zamboanga Del Norte

Republic of the Philippines DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE 1ST DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE REGIONAL OFFICE IX Sta. Isabel, Dipolog City BID BULLETIN NO. 05 SUBJECT : Resetting of the Dropping /Opening of Bids This Bid Bulletin No. 05 is issued to amend provisions in the Bidding Documents (BDs) for the above stated Contract, as follows: Current Provision of BDs (including Previous Amendments)

Amended Provision of BDs under this BID Bulletin

Schedule of Dropping of Bids March 15, 2019 (10 A.M.)

Schedule of Dropping of Bids On or before March 22, 2019 (10:00 A.M.)

Schedule of Opening of Bids March 15, 2019 (10:00 A.M.)

Schedule of Opening of Bids March 22, 2019 (10:00 A.M.) * NOTE: Adjustment of Program of Works (POW) are still on Process.

Notice is hereby given that HONEYCOMB BUILDERS, INC. RZQHU GHYHORSHU KDYH ÂżOHG ZLWK this Board a sworn registration statement for the sale of lots and units at URBAN LOFT LOURDES located at 3876 Dangal St., Brgy., 617, Zone 61, District IV, Bacood, 6WD 0HVD 0DQLOD VSHFLÂżFDOO\ described as Lot No. 13, Block No. 16, Pcs-2793 covered by TCT Nos. 002-2018000563 with a total area of 325.4 square meters.

The foregoing project is utilizing the Participation Through Investment/ Incentivized Compliance, by depositing the amount of SEVEN HUNDRED FIVE THOUSAND SEVENTY SEVEN and 79/100 (Php705,077.79) in a trust account under Escrow Agreement executed on February 8, 2019 between the HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD, HONEYCOMB BUILDERS, INC. and BDO UNIBANK, INC., TRUST AND INVESTMENTS GROUP as its compliance to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended

by Republic Act No. 10884.

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

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Feb. 21, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital 5HJLRQ )LHOG 2IÂżFH 2nd Floor, HLURB Building, Kalayaan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City

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

NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that JACKSTONES PROPERTIES, INC. RZQHU GHYHORSHU KDYH ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV Board a sworn registration statement for the sale of lots and units at MICHELIA RESIDENCES located Champaca St. cor. Gen. Ordonez, Brgy., Marikina Heights, Marikina &LW\ VSHFLÂżFDOO\ GHVFULEHG DV /RW Block No. 49, plan Pcs-4233 covered

by TCT No. 009-2018007700 with a total area of 2,651.30 square meters.

Notice is hereby given that TOMAS B. AGUIRRE/ HIMLAYANG PILIPINO, INC. (owner) and HIMLAYANG PILIPINO, INC. (Developer) KDV ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV %RDUG IRU the sale of vaults/niches at DAMBANA NG ALAALA located at Himlayang Pilipino Memorial Park, Brgy.

Pasong Tamo, Quezon City VSHFLÂżFDOO\ GHVFULEHG DV /RW 718-D, FLS-730-D covered by TCT No. RT-38208(205067) portion only and Lot 718-E, FLS-730-D covered by TCT No. RT-110504(214567) portion only having a total area of 3,901.98 square meters.

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.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

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

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Mar. 8, 2019 (SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH M.T.-March 16 & 23, 2019

M.T.-March 16 & 23, 2019

NOTICE

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that BAYPRIME PROPERTY, INC. RZQHU GHYHORSHU KDV ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV Board for the sale of condominium units at BAYPRIME HOTEL located at Lot 2 Blk. 2, East District, ASEANA Business Park, Tambo, ParaĂąaque City as described by Lot No. 18 C, Psd-00-082330, covered

by TCT No. 010-2016003999 having a total area of 2,180 square meters.

The foregoing project is utilizing the Participation Through Investment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Incentivized Compliance, by depositing the amount of Php 4,482,227.89 in a trust account no.

001-03-005600-9 under Escrow Agreement executed on 17 December 2018 between the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, Bayprime Property Inc., and Asia United Bank as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended by Republic Act No. 10884.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late CHRISTOPHER LIZARES LIM was extrajudicially settled by and among his heirs as per affidavit executed on April 15, 2016 and acknowledged as Doc. No. 501 on Page No. 102 of Book No. I Series of 2016 before Atty. Deodar Lovelle C. Bautista, a notary public for and in Taguig City.

MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mar. 2, 9 & 16, 2019

DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AND PARTITION OF THE ESTATE OF EDILBERTO C. GAMBOA

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 FHUWLÂżFDWH LQ evidence thereof, shall forthwith be LVVXHG DIWHU ÂżYH GD\V IURP WKH last day of publication.

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late EDILBERTO C. GAMBOA has been extrajudicially settled by his heirs as per Doc. No. 395; Page No. 80; Book No. II; Series of 2019 by Notary Public Atty. Rochezka Bianca R. Beltran.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Mar. 8, 2019

MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mar. 16, 18 & 25, 2019

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH

This refers to your letter dated 21 February 2019 regarding the Sun Prepaid Giga Video Plus Promo. ,Q OLQH ZLWK WKH WKUXVW RI WKH JRYHUQPHQW WR ORZHU WHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQV VHUYLFH UDWHV IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI WKH Filipino consumers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the Commission hereby approves Sun Prepaid Giga Video Plus Promo from 28 February 2019 to 31 March 2019. The approval is subject to the condition that DMPI shall publish the mechanics in a newspaper of general circulation three (3) days prior to the implementation. Should DMPI 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 published in a newspaper RI JHQHUDO FLUFXODWLRQ DW OHDVW ÂżYH GD\V SULRU WR WKH GDWH RI GLVFRQWLQXDQFH 7KH QRWLFH VKRXOG EH SRVWHG in all business centers of DMPI. The promo offers the following: Offers

SRP Validity Php

GIGA VIDEO+75/ GIGA VIDEO PLUS 75

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75

3 days

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GIGA VIDEO+149/ 149 GIGA VIDEO PLUS 149

7 days

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GIGA VIDEO+449/ 449 30 days GIGA VIDEO PLUS 449

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SMS

Data1

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1GB/Day for Youtube, iFlix, Unlitext 1 GB iWant, NBA to All League Pass, Cignal TV 1GB/Day for Youtube, iFlix, Unlitext 2 GB iWant, NBA to All League Pass, Cignal TV 1GB/Day for Youtube, iFlix, Unlitext 4 GB iWant, NBA to All League Pass, Cignal TV

Availment SMS Registration via USSD Keyword USSD (*121#)

GIGAPLUS75 Send to 247

USSD (*121#)

GIGAPLUS149 Send to 247

USSD (*121#)

GIGAPLUS449 Send to 247

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 WUDIÂżF SUHYDLOLQJ HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV DQG WKH JHRJUDSK\ RI WKH DUHD ZKHUH WKH VXEVFULEHU LV ORFDWHG Availment 1.

GIGA VIDEO+ are open to all Sun Prepaid subscribers nationwide. GIGA VIDEO+ will be available on 28 February 2019 and shall run until March 31, 2019.

2.

To avail, the subscriber must dial the USSD Code *121# and look for the corresponding GIGA VIDEO+ offer he is looking for.

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The subscriber must have the corresponding airtime load balance in order to avail:

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Others 10. P1.00 maintaining balance is not required to avail and use the offers. $OO LQYDOLG VFHQDULRV LH LQVXIÂżFLHQW EDODQFH LQYDOLG QXPEHUV HWF ZLOO WULJJHU DQ 606 QRWLÂżFDWLRQ WR the 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 the following hotline number: Sun: (02) 395-8000 or 200 The promo is intended for peer-to-peer and non-commercial use only.

Subject further, to the condition that DMPI shall comply with the NTC Memorandum Circulars and Order, as follows:

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Memorandum Order No. 07-07-2011, Minimum Speed of Broadband Connections.

Memorandum Circular No. 07-08-2015, Rules on the Measurement of Fixed Broadband/Internet Access 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

$ YHULÂżHG SHWLWLRQ IRU 5HFRJQLWLRQ RI )RUHLJQ 'LYRUFH ZDV ÂżOHG

by Marjorie D. (David) Eala praying that the petition be granted, and her corollary rights to have the same duly recorded and/or taken FRJQL]DQFH RI ZLWK WKH SURSHU 2IÂżFH RI WKH &LYLO 5HJLVWU\ 2&5 2IÂżFH of the Civil Registrar General/Philippine Statistics Authority, and that she be deemed capacitated to marry, in consonance with pertinent Philippine laws/jurisprudence.

Petitioner, a Filipino, alleges that she was married to Korean national Bong Jun Kim on 25 June 2012 at Ermita, Manila. The couple did not have any child; and did not acquire real property or any property of substantial value. After a short lived marriage, Kim went back to Korea and divorced her capacitating Kim to re-marry.

Eala attended the court proceedings in Korea. Eala decided to come back home to Philippines.

WHEREFORE ÂżQGLQJ WKH SHWLWLRQ WR EH VXIÂżFLHQW LQ IRUP DQG substance, the same is hereby given due course. Let this case be set for initial hearing on February 12, 2019 at 8:30 oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock in the morning, on which date and time, all interested persons are directed to appear and show cause, if any, why the petition should not be granted.

Let this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks, at the expense of the petitioner pursuant to P.D. 1079. The petitioner is further ordered to send by registered mail copies of the Petition, Order of Hearing and its publication to the respondent at his last known address and to submit to this Court proof of compliance therewith.

Let copies of the petition and the Order of Hearing be furnished WKH 2IÂżFH RI WKH 6ROLFLWRU *HQHUDO WKH 2IÂżFH RI WKH 2ORQJDSR &LW\ 3URVHFXWRU DV ZHOO DV WKH 1DWLRQDO 6WDWLVWLFV 2IÂżFH DQG WKH &LYLO Registrar General for their information and appropriate action.

SO ORDERED.

ORIGINAL SIGNED RAYMOND C. VIRAY Judge MT - Mar. 16, 20 & 26, 2019

AIRTIME LOAD BALANCE Php 75 Php 149 Php 449

Usage 5.

The Open Access Data allocation may be used to access any site and app. The Video Access Data allocation may be used to access Youtube, iFlix, iWant, NBA League Pass, Cignal TV and will refresh every 12midnight as long as the offer availed is not expired or fully consumed 6.

Concurrent availment of GIGA VIDEO+ is allowed, following the longest validity.

Example: If GIGA VIDEO+75 and GIGA VIDEO+ 149 were registered simultaneously, promo validity will be valid for 7 days.

7.

The Video Access Data allocation will not stack up if two GIGA VIDEO+ packages, were availed concurrently within their validity date.

Example: For Sun Prepaid, if GIGA VIDEO+ 75 and GIGA VIDEO+ 149 were registered simultaneously, the additional data dedicated for Video Access would still be 1GB/day.

8.

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

9.

SMS may be sent to any local mobile network.

â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Civil Case No. 2018-0-128

Olongapo City, this 29th day of October, 2018.

The mechanics of the promo are as follows:

PROMO GIGA VIDEO+P75 GIGA VIDEO+149 GIGA VIDEO+449

IN THE MATTER OF PETITION FOR RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN JUDGMENT (OF DIVORCE DECREE

BY THE INCHEON DISTRICT COURT OF KOREA, SOUTH KOREA.

ORDER

Dear Mr. Fernandez:

MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mar. 16, 2019

Notice is hereby given that ANGLO PHILIPPINE MARITIME, INC., (owner) and PHINMA PRISM PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, (developer), has ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV %RDUG IRU WKH VDOH RI house & lot at LIKHA RESIDENCES located at Km. 19 West Service Road, Brgy. Cupang, Muntinlupa City, described as Lot Nos. 1, 4, 5 (Road), (LRA) Pcs-E2018000485, covered by TCT Nos. 0142018002424, 014-2018002427 and 014-2018002428 with total area of 12,892 square meters.

Notice is hereby given that FILINVEST LAND, INC. (owner/ GHYHORSHU KDV ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV Board for the sale of subdivision lots at THE ENCLAVE ALABANG 2 located at Daang Hari Rd., Brgy. Almanza Dos, Las PiĂąas &LW\ VSHFLÂżFDOO\ GHVFULEHG DV LOT RESERVED FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Block No. 17, Plan No. Pcs-00-015034 covered

by TCT No. 005-2016003701 having a total area of 35,872.00 square meters.

The foregoing project is utilizing ROSEWOOD PLACE located at Brgy. Hugo Perez, Trece 0DUWLUH] &DYLWH LVVXHG &HUWLÂżFDWH of Accreditation No. CA-201904 as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act. 7279 as amended by R.A. 10884, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Balanced Housing Development Program Amendments.â&#x20AC;?

NOTICE

The foregoing project is utilizing the Participation Through Investment â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Incentivized Compliance, by depositing the amount of Fifteen Million Three Hundred Eighty One Thousand One Sixty Pesos and Eighteen Centavos (P15,381,160.18) in Trust Account No. 01692992TA01 under Escrow Agreement executed on 08 March 2018 between the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, PHINMA Prism Property Development Corporation and China Banking Corporation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Trust and Asset Management as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279, as amended by R.A. 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 FHUWLÂżFDWH LQ evidence thereof, shall forthwith be LVVXHG DIWHU ÂżYH GD\V IURP WKH last day of publication.

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

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

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Mar. 13, 2019

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Mar. 13, 2019

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Mar. 13, 2019

Quezon City, Metro Manila, Mar. 13, 2019

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH

M.T.-March 16 & 23, 2019

M.T.-March 16 & 23, 2019

M.T.-March 16 & 23, 2019

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 name of the above-cited project is GHHPHG UHJLVWHUHG DQG D FHUWLÂżFDWH in evidence thereof, shall forthwith be LVVXHG DIWHU ÂżYH GD\V IURP WKH ODVW day of publication.

M.T.-March 16 & 23, 2019

Presidential Commission on Good Government PROPERTIES FOR SALE INVITATION TO BID The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), through the Special Bids and Awards Committee for Privatization, is inviting interested bidders to submit sealed bids on the following properties: PERSONAL PROPERTY - Share of Stock Issuing Corporation (Location) No. of Shares

Pre-Bid Conference

One (1) Class â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aâ&#x20AC;? April 25, 2019 Share Cert. No. 9:30 - 10:00 AM A-3077

*Makati (Sports) Club, Inc. (L. P. Leviste cor. Gallardo St., Salcedo Village, Makati City)

Opening of Bids May 8, 2019 9:00-9:30 AM

Bid Docs Floor Fee Price (in PhP) (in PhP) 500,000 500

REAL PROPERTIES Property Location 1. Bgy. Balite, Calapan, Oriental Mindoro 2. BBC-Naga, Bgy. Mabolo, Naga City 3. Kingswood St., Brixtonville Subd., Camarin, Caloocan 4. Maligaya St., Pangarap VIII., Tala Estate, Caloocan 5. Matahimik St., Pangarap VIII., Tala Estate, Caloocan 6. Evergreen Subd., Brgy. Francisco, Tagaytay City

M.T.-March 16 & 23, 2019

OFFICE OF THE CIVIL REGISTRAR OF OLONGAPO CITY, PHILIPPINE STATISTICS OFFICE, Respondent/s. x--------------------------------------------------------x

MR. ANTHONY LOUEN R. FERNANDEZ Legal & Regulatory Group Digitel Mobile Philippines, Inc. 26th Flr., Galleria Corporate Center, EDSA cor. Ortigas Ave., Quezon City

NOTICE

*Subject to Pre-emptive Rights of Makati (Sports) Club, Inc.

MARJORIE D. (DAVID) EALA, Petitioner, -versus-

21 February 2019

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital Region )LHOG 2IÂżFH 6th Floor, Sunnymede IT Center, 1614 Quezon Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City

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.

NOTICE OF EXTRA JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital 5HJLRQ )LHOG 2IÂżFH 6th Floor, Sunnymede IT Center, 1614 Quezon Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT THIRD JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 75 OLONGAPO CITY

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 foregoing project is utilizing the Participation Through Investment/ Incentivized Compliance, by depositing the amount of Php8,803.397.70 in a trust account no. 01707043TA01 under Escrow Agreement executed on 22 February 2019 between the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board, Springtown Development Corporation and China Banking Corporation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Trust and Asset Management Group as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended

by Republic Act No. 10884.

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital 5HJLRQ )LHOG 2IÂżFH 6th Floor, Sunnymede IT Center, 1614 Quezon Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City

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.

For guidance and information of all concerned.

MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mar. 16, 2019

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that SPRINGTOWN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (owner/developer) KDV ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV %RDUG IRU WKH sale of condominium units at LEAF RESIDENCES located at Lot 9, National Highway cor. Susana Heights Road, Brgy. Tunasan, Muntinlupa City as described by Lot No. 9, Plan Psd-13-001541, covered

by TCT No. 014-2018000079 having a total area of 17,889.00 square meters.

The foregoing project is utilizing the Participation Through Investment/ Incentivized Compliance, by depositing the amount of ONE MILLION NINE HUNDRED EIGHTY ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY EIGHT PESOS and 28/100 (Php 1,981,428.28) in a trust account under Escrow Agreement executed on March 1, 2019 between the HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD, JACKSTONES PROPERTIES INC. and ASIA UNITED BANK as its compliance to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended

by Republic Act No. 10884.

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

RAY S. CADAVEDO Chief, Construction Section BAC Vice Chairperson

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital Region )LHOG 2IÂżFH 6th Floor, Sunnymede IT Center, 1614 Quezon Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City

BE A TOP JOURNALIST â&#x20AC;˘ See yourself on TV â&#x20AC;˘ Hear your voice on the radio â&#x20AC;˘ See your byline in the newspaper Jumpstart your media career at The Manila Times College!

For more information, call 524-5664 to 66 local 114 or 310-9625

Area (TCT No.)

Pre-Bid Conference

Opening of Bids

300 sq.m.

(064-2013003110) 5,952 sq.m.

(086-13275) 480 sq.m.

(103234/35)

April 25, 2019 10:00-11:00 AM April 25, 2019 1:30- 2:30 PM April 25, 2019 2:30 - 3:30 PM

May 8, 2019 9:30 -10:00 AM May 8, 2019 10:00 - 10:30 AM May 8, 2019 10:30 -11:00 AM

300 sq. m.

(C-30047)

April 26, 2019 9:00-10:00 AM

300 sq. m.

(T-131830)

April 26, 2019 10:00-11:00 AM

240 sq.m.

1. (076-2013001871) 2. (076-2013001873) 3. (076-2013001874) 4. (076-2013001875) 5. (076-2013001876) 6. (076-2013001877) 7. {076-2013001879) 330 sq.m.

(076-2013001872) 325 sq.m.

(076-2013001878)

Floor Bid Docs Price (in Fee (in PhP) PhP) 930,000 1,000 37,572,000

25,000

4,260,000

5,000

May 8, 2019 1:30- 2:00 PM

951,000

1,000

May 8, 2019 2:00- 2:30 PM

951,000

1,000

1,200,000 1,200,000 1,200,000 1,200,000 1,200,000 1,200,000 1,200,000 1,650,000

5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000

1,625,000

5,000

April 26, 2019 May 9, 2019 1:30 - 4:30 PM 8:30-8:45 AM 9:10 - 9:25 AM 9:30 - 9:45 AM 9:50 -10:05 AM 10:10 -10:25 AM 10:30 - 10:45 AM 11:10 - 11:25 AM April 26, 2019 May 9, 2019 1:30-4:30 PM 8:50 - 9:05 AM April 26, 2019 May 9, 2019 1:30 - 4:30 PM 10:50 - 11:05 AM

Sealed bids for the respective properties will be accepted, opened and tabulated in the presence of the bidders on the respective date and time above stated at Salonga Room, Ground Floor, IRC Building, No. 82 EDSA, Mandaluyong City. $ FRPSOHWH VHW RI ELGGLQJ GRFXPHQWV LQFOXGLQJ GHVFULSWLRQ VSHFLÂżFDWLRQV RI WKH SURSHUWLHV %LGGLQJ Guidelines, Bid Forms, and instructions to bidders) may be procured by interested bidders, upon payment of non-refundable fee indicated above, from March 18 to April 4, 2019 (8:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Please look for Ms. Marita B. Villarica and/or Ms. Luzviminda M. Lansangan-Racho, at the Asset Management Department, 3rd Floor, IRC Building, No. 82 EDSA, Mandaluyong City. For inquiries, please call Telephone Nos. (02) 7257134, (02) 7212849, or 09668840314.

'HDGOLQH IRU VXEPLVVLRQ RI SUH TXDOLÂżFDWLRQ GRFXPHQWV LV RQ $SULO The PCGG reserves the right to reject any and all bids, or any part thereof, waive any formality or requirements and reserves the right to accept the bid most advantageous to the government.

THE PCGG SPECIAL BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE FOR PRIVATIZATION MT - Mar. 15, 16 & 17, 2019

WARNING TO THE PUBLIC The Manila Times is w a r n i n g the public that certain individuals posing as our employees have been threatening to publish a r t i c l e s against some companies.

Anyone who receives a call from these extortionists should report the matter to the police.

The Manila Times DOES NOT ask for money to stop news articles from being published.

This paper does not condone any form of blackmail.

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 Ă&#x20AC;DLU DQG VSHHG WR PHHW WLJKW GHDGOLQHV â&#x20AC;˘ )DPLOLDU ZLWK 0LFURVRIW 2IÂżFH VRFLDO PHGLD DQG VHDUFK HQJLQHV 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 ÂżOOLQJ UHDO WLPH VWRULHV 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 resumĂŠ at: hrd@manilatimes.net, or you may apply personally at 2/F Sitio Grande Bldg., 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila (Formerly TRB Bldg.), or you may call Irish de Guzman at 524-5664 local 122.

World

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

B7

North Korea considering suspending nuclear talks with US SEOUL: North Korea is considering suspending denuclearization talks with Washington after the Hanoi summit between leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump ended without agreement, TASS reported on Friday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have no intention to yield to the US demands in any form, nor are we willing to engage in negotiations of this kind,â&#x20AC;? the Russian news agency cited vice foreign minister Choe Son Hui as saying.

+IM WOULD SOON MAKE AN OFkCIAL STATEment on the actions his country would take, Choe told reporters and foreign diplomats in Pyongyang.

The Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warning came amid concerns over its satellite rocket launch site, where some rebuilding activity has been observed in recent weeks, triggering international alarm that Pyongyang might be preparing a long-range missile or space launch.

Any launch would send the stuttering talks

Worldinbrief

on denuclearization into disarray, after the Hanoi summit broke up without agreement.

Choe blamed the US for the failure, saying that Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton â&#x20AC;&#x153;created the atmosphere of hostility and mistrustâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;obstructedâ&#x20AC;?

Kim and Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;constructive effort.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a result, the summit ended with no SIGNIkCANT RESULT u SAID THE .ORTH +OREAN diplomat, who was present in Vietnam.

It is a change of tone from Pyongyang, after both sides expressed their willingness to carry on the discussion process following the Hanoi meeting.

Seoulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presidential office sought to play down the comments, saying it was â&#x20AC;&#x153;premature to assess the current situation only with Choeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remarks.â&#x20AC;?

South Korea will continue to work for the resumption of talks, it added.

Washington wants what administration

OFkCIALS HAVE CALLED A gBIG DEALu WITH THE COMplete elimination of weapons of mass destruction in return for the dropping of sanctions that have hit the isolated Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy.

Pyongyang favors a more step-by-step approach, with Kim proposing dismantling facilities at its Yongbyon nuclear complex in exchange for lifting the main sanctions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an offer Trump refused in Hanoi despite the vaunted â&#x20AC;&#x153;chemistryâ&#x20AC;?

AFP between the pair.

NZealand terror attack: 49 dead, 20 injured C

OVER 2,000 FALL ILL IN MALAYSIA AFTER TOXIC WASTE DUMPED KUALA LUMPUR: More than 2,000 people, including many children, have fallen ill after toxic waste was dumped in a Malaysian river and emitted hazardous fumes over a wide area, an official said on Friday.

About 200 schools and nurseries have been closed in the affected area in southern Johor state after a lorry dumped the waste last week. People who inhaled the fumes suffered from nausea and vomiting, and a handful were left in critical condition. The number of those needing medical treatment has been slowly rising since the crisis began and on Friday the figure stood at 2,355, including 113 still in hospital, local lawmaker Sahruddin Jamal said. No one has died.

The military has been deployed along with hazardous waste experts, wearing protective suits and masks, to respond to the emergency and clean up the river near the industrial town of Pasir Gudang.

HRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: Mass shootings at two mosques full of worshippers attending Friday prayers killed 49 people on what the prime minister called â&#x20AC;&#x153;one of New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s darkest days,â&#x20AC;? as authorities charged one person, detained three others and defused explosive devices in what appeared to be a carefully planned racist attack.

FRANCE PROBES 737 MAX BLACK BOXES AS BOEING HALTS DELIVERIES PARIS: A French investigation into the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX crash that killed 157 passengers and crew opened Friday as US aerospace giant Boeing stopped delivering the top-selling aircraft.

A Boeing spokesman said on Thursday that they are pausing the delivery of the 737 MAX until they come up with a solution. He added that they are going to continue the production but they are assessing their capacities. An Ethiopian delegation delivered the black boxes to Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BEA air safety agency â&#x20AC;&#x153;and the investigation process has started in Paris,â&#x20AC;? Ethiopian Airlines said Friday on Twitter. BEA investigators will now try to retrieve information from the cockpit voice and flight data recorders, which were damaged in the disaster. AFP

MAFIA BOSS SLAIN OUTSIDE NEW YORK HOME IN GRISLY HIT NEW YORK: The reputed boss of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gambino crime family was left riddled with bullets outside his home on Staten Island, an old-school hit akin to the storied executions of 20th-century mafia dons. The grisly scene saw Francesco â&#x20AC;&#x153;Frankâ&#x20AC;?

Cali shot dead outside his colonial-style red-brick home on Staten Island, police said on Thursday (Friday in Manila). The 53-year-old with deep ties to Sicilian organized crime factions suffered â&#x20AC;&#x153;multiple gunshot wounds to the torsoâ&#x20AC;? in the attack on Wednesday evening, police said. Cali, also known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Franky Boy,â&#x20AC;? was shot six times, then hit by a blue truck in which the suspects fled. He was pronounced dead at Staten Island University North hospital, according to police. The Gambino family is one of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s five historic Italian Mafia families â&#x20AC;&#x201D; along with the Genoveses, Luccheses, Colombos and Bonannos.

AFP

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the events in Christchurch represented â&#x20AC;&#x153;an extraordinary and unprecedented act of violenceâ&#x20AC;? and acknowledged many of those affected may be migrants and refugees. In addition to the dead, she said more than 20 people were seriously wounded. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack,â&#x20AC;? Ardern said.

Police took three men and a woman into custody after the shootings, which shocked people across the nation of 5 million people. One of the suspects was later charged with murder.

While there was no reason to believe there were more suspects, Ardern said the national security threat level was being raised to the second-highest level. !UTHORITIES HAVE NOT SPECIkED WHO THEY detained, but said none had been on any watch list. A man who claimed responsibility for the shootings left a 74-page anti-immigrant manifesto in which he explained who he was and his reasoning for the attack. He said he was a 28-year-old white Australian and a racist.

Australian Prime Minister Scott MorriSON CONkRMED THAT ONE OF THE FOUR PEOPLE detained was an Australian-born citizen.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush said on Friday night that a man had been charged with murder. He did not mention the other three suspects and did not say whether the same shooter was responsible for both attacks.

Ardern at a news conference alluded to anti-immigrant sentiment as the possible motive, saying that while many people affected by the shootings may be migrants or refugees â&#x20AC;&#x153;they have chosen to make New Zealand their home, and

it is their home. They are us.â&#x20AC;?

As for the suspects, Ardern said â&#x20AC;&#x153;these are people who I would describe as having extremist views that have absolutely no place in New Zealand.â&#x20AC;?

Bush said police had found two improvised explosive devices in one car, a CLARIkCATION FROM AN EARLIER STATEMENT that there were devices in multiple vehicles. He said they had disabled one and were in the process of disabling the second The deadliest attack occurred at the -ASJID !L .OOR MOSQUE IN CENTRAL Christchurch at about 1:45 p.m. At least 30 people were killed there.

Witness Len Peneha said he saw a man dressed in black enter the mosque and then heard dozens of shots, followed by people running from the mosque in terror.

Peneha, who lives next door to the mosque, said the gunman ran out of the mosque, dropped what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon in his driveway, AND lED (E SAID HE THEN WENT INTO THE mosque to try and help. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I saw dead people everywhere. There were three in the hallway, at the door leading into the mosque, and people inside the mosque,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unbelievable nutty. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand how anyone could do this to these people, to anyone. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ridiculous.â&#x20AC;?

(E SAID HE HELPED ABOUT kVE PEOPLE recover in his home. He said one was SLIGHTLY INJURED â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lived next door to this mosque FOR ABOUT kVE YEARS AND THE PEOPLE ARE great, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very friendly,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I JUST DON T UNDERSTAND IT u He said the gunman was white and

THE FACE OF EVIL

This image taken from the alleged shooterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s video, which was filmed Friday, March 15, 2019, shows him as he drives and he looks over to three guns on the passenger side of his vehicle in New Zealand. AP PHOTO was wearing a helmet with some kind of device on top, giving him a militarytype appearance.

A video that was apparently livestreamed by the shooter shows the attack in horrifying detail. The gunman spends more than two minutes inside the mosque spraying TERRIkED WORSHIPPERS WITH BULLETS AGAIN AND AGAIN SOMETIMES RE kRING AT PEOPLE he has already cut down.

He then walks outside to the street, where he shoots at people on the sidewalk. Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s screams can be heard in the distance as he returns to his car TO GET ANOTHER RIlE The gunman then walks back into the mosque, where there are at least two dozen people lying on the ground.

After walking back outside and shooting a woman there, he gets back in his car, where the song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fireâ&#x20AC;? by English rock band â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Crazy World of Arthur Brownâ&#x20AC;? can be heard blasting from the speakers. The singer bellows, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am the GOD OF HELLkREĂ&#x153;u AND THE GUNMAN DRIVES away. The video then cuts out.

There was a second shooting at the ,INWOOD -ASJID -OSQUE THAT KILLED AT least 10 people.

Mark Nichols told the New Zealand (ERALD HE HEARD ABOUT kVE GUNSHOTS and that a Friday prayer-goer returned kRE WITH A RIlE OR SHOTGUN

.ICHOLS SAID HE SAW TWO INJURED people being carried out on stretchers past his automotive shop and that both people appeared to be alive.

The police commissioner warned anybody who was thinking of going to a mosque anywhere in New Zealand on Friday to stay put.

The man who claimed responsibility for the shooting said he came to New Zealand only to plan and train for the attack. He said he was not a member of any organization, but had donated to and interacted with many nationalist groups, though he acted alone and no group ordered the attack.

He said the mosques in Christchurch and Linwood would be the targets, as would a third mosque in the town of Ashburton if he could make it there.

He said he chose New Zealand because of its location, to show that even the most remote parts of the world were not free of â&#x20AC;&#x153;mass immigration.â&#x20AC;?

New Zealand is generally considered to be a welcoming country for immigrants and refugees. Last year, the prime minister announced the country would boost its annual refugee quota from 1,000 to 1,500 starting in 2020. Ardern, whose party campaigned on the promise of raising the intake of refugees, dubbed the planned AP increase â&#x20AC;&#x153;the right thing to do.â&#x20AC;?

Forget flying carpets, flying taxis are coming your way AUSTIN: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all dreamed while stuck in TRAFkC JAMS OF BEING ABLE TO JUST LIFT OFF AND lY OVER THE GRIDLOCK According to experts gathered this week at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, that is likely to happen sooner THAN LATER WITH lYING TAXIS EXPECTED TO take to the skies by 2025. â&#x20AC;&#x153;People have been dreaming about it for decades on paper, and now the technology is here,â&#x20AC;? said Michael Thacker, executive vice-president for technology and innovation at Bell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The only question is, what are we going to do with it?â&#x20AC;?

4HACKER SAID HIS COMPANY HAS JOINED with ride-hailing app Uber and several AERONAUTICS kRMS INCLUDING &RANCE S 3AFRAN TO CREATE A lEET OF lYING TAXIS THAT are called vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOL).

The Nexus, as this hybrid electric PROPULSION AIRCRAFT IS NAMED WAS kRST unveiled in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Between 20 and 30 other firms are working on similar concepts, among THEM START UPS OR MAJOR COMPANIES SUCH as Airbus, which recently presented its electric aircraft CityAirbus.

5BER PLANS TO LAUNCH ITS AIR TAXIS kRST IN ,OS !NGELES AND $ALLAS TWO MAJOR TRAFkC congested American cities.

Asked about using helicopters as an alternative, Thacker said the taxis are kNANCIALLY SOUNDER AND QUIETER â&#x20AC;&#x153;The noise has to blend in with the background noise of the city,â&#x20AC;? he said.

THE FUTURE IS HERE In this file photo taken on May 8, 2018 an attendee gets into a full sized model of Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unnamed air taxi cabin concept at the second annual Uber Elevate Summit, in Los Angeles, California. AFP PHOTO He predicted the vehicles could start to be commercially used around 2025. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not going to replace ground transport, it will augment it in another dimenSION u HE SAID g!ND IT S NOT GOING TO JUMP overnight with thousands of aircraft. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There will rather be a few dozens of THEM IN A FEW CITIES AT kRST USING HELIpads and helicopter routes.â&#x20AC;?

Bell executives said drones transporting goods, such as emergency medical prod-

ucts, should take to the skies well before taxis given lesser restrictions imposed on such aircraft. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Transport of goods donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have so many requirements in terms of safety and acceptability by people,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Jaiwon Shin, associate administrator for the Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate at NASA, said although 2025 appears like a reasonable date for a limITED LAUNCH OF lYING VEHICLES IT WILL TAKE longer for the market to fully expand. g&OR THIS MARKET TO REALLY lOURISH ) think we really need to mature the market

at scale and that may take a decade,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Also, experts say, several barriers still NEED TO BE OVERCOME BEFORE lYING VEHICLES get the green light.

A third dimension You have to see â&#x20AC;&#x153;if you can actually test the vehicle in an urban space without having visual line of sight over people with buildings,â&#x20AC;? said Shivika Sahdev, with the CONSULTING kRM -C+INSEY One of the biggest technological hurdles to overcome is the battery. Most of the pro-

totypes designed use electric propulsion and batteries currently donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough power TO lY A CAR FOR A LONG DISTANCE Still, industry experts are optimistic about the new technology.

In a report entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vision 2050â&#x20AC;? presented at SXSW, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) predicts that by 2050, THE USE OF lYING TAXIS AND OTHER AUTONOMOUS drones will be widespread, mainly thanks to ARTIkCIAL INTELLIGENCE g&OR ME ARTIkCIAL INTELLIGENCE IS EASIER in the air,â&#x20AC;? said Scott Drennan, director of innovation at Bell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of space up there and so we have a lot of room, we have a third dimension to maneuver in. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the Wild Wild West up there,â&#x20AC;? he added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the rules of the sky are MORE DEkNED THAN THE RULES OF THE ROAD u !NOTHER ADVANTAGE TO lYING CARS IS THEIR GPS, said Anil Nanduri, vice president of Drone Group at Intel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;GPS precision today is a couple of meters plus minus,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For ground-based vehicles... itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not accurate enough to have the precision you need.

But once you go up to third dimension, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enough.â&#x20AC;?

For those still skeptical about driving in the skies, tech reporter Aarti Shahani has only this to say: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you had told me 10 years ago that I would open something called an app to order a car driven by a stranger for my mom who lived 3,000 miles away, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d tell you you were crazy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And actually, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I do now all the time for her.â&#x20AC;?

AFP

SSATURDAY AT URDAY MARCH 16,, 2019

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Finland, France compete in 10th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition A

S the battle for the best pyrotechnic show continues, France and Finland lit up the Pampanga skyline during the 10th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition (PIPC) at SM City Clark on March 9.

Dubbed as “Oy Pyroman,” Finland’s entry burst with vibrant colors, which has made it a familIAR 0)0# ENTRY AFTER WINNING kRST runner-up in 2012 competition and second runner-up in 2014.

It went up against France’s “Brezac Artifices” which illuminated the skies as competitive as Finland’s.

The pyrotechnic show is judged based on the variety and intensity of colors, synchronization to music, choreography and safety among its other criteria.

Panel of judges included Lea Alapide, president of the Philippine Pyrotechnic Manufacturers and Dealers Association Inc.; Remedona Ravina, resident manager of Microtel by Wyndham Pampanga; Vince Dizon, president and CEO of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority; and Junias Eusebio,

Q France’s “Brezac Artifices” illuminate the skies in Pampanga on March 9.

SM Supermalls vice president for North Luzon operations.

The 10th edition of the PIPC was moved from SM Mall of Asia to SM City Clark, Pampanga, in support of the ongoing Manila

Bay rehabilitation program of the Deparment of Environment and Natural Resources.

The 10th PIPC gathered 10 competing countries to take on the battle of fireworks displays

accompanied by a symphony of sounds.

4HE kNAL COMPETITION AND CLOSing ceremony of the program will be held on March 30 along with the announcement of winners.

Museo ng Muntinlupa opens MUSEO ng Muntinlupa is the kRST CITY MUSEUM OF ITS KIND infusing history, interactivity and communal spaces sitting at a 3,000-square meter land complete with interactive galleries, a research center and meeting spaces, and a state-ofthe-art 200-seater theater.

Presenting the history and culture of Muntinlupa from the pre-colonial era to the present, it not only showcases heritage but provides areas for contemporary artists and temporary exhibitions.

“This project was envisioned years ago and now we are able to create this much needed venue for discovery and creativity,” Mayor Jaime Fresnedi pointed out. “We want our community to be proud of our history including the trials and tribulations. Our museum, your museum, is an inspirational venue

where everyone can learn and enjoy, we call it ‘edutainment’.”

On the banks of the longest shoreline embracing the Laguna de Bai, the Museo ng Muntinlupa building was inspired by early traDITIONAL kSHING CONTRAPTIONS USED in the area. It was inaugurated on March 1, coinciding the city’s 24th founding anniversary.

For more information, email info@museongmuntinlupa.com.

Hintuan Mining Corp initiates ‘jobo’ pot making for seniors

Makati brings art to everyday living IN the central business district of Makati, the master-planned metro has become a thriving, dynamic community, one that nurtures not only progress and productivity, but also an appreciation for the arts.

“Art makes a place more interesting and adds soul to a space,” said Cathy Bengzon, Marketing head of Ayala Land Estates and Corporate Brand. “Developing our estates as a center for art, and adding art to its public spaces is intrinsic to the way we have been developing our communities. We want to make sure that we bring art closer to everyone.”

More than just being an economic capital, the city has always been a center for art, integrating into its development key venues

Q Chairman of Ayala Land Fernando Zobel de Ayala (extreme right) joins Senior Vice President of Ayala Land MeAnn Dy, Art Fair’s Lisa Periquet, Trickie Lopa, Director of Mind Set Art Center Queena Chu, and Japanese Artist Shinji Ohmaki in front of Ohmaki’s ‘Gravity and Grace’ display. for art such as the Ayala Museum and The Link Carpark in Ayala Center which serves as the home of the annual Philippine Art Fair.

Through incorporating design and dynamism, one can work, live, and play in the country’s top commercial district, sur-

rounded by vibrant colors that reflect modern life.

For more information, visit www.makeitmakati.com.

Annual Don Papa Art Competition winners announced BLEEDING Heart Rum Company (BHRC), the makers of Don Papa Rum, announced the winners of the 4th Annual Don Papa Art Competition during the closing party of the Art Fair Philippines on February 23.

Samuel Penaso of Renaissance Gallery bested all other artists who participated in the annual art competition for his perceptive interpretation of Sugarlandia, a mythical representation of Negros Island where some of THE kNEST SUGARCANES IN THE WORLD ARE distilled to make rum as seen in his winning artwork entitled “Botany.”

4HE OTHER kNALISTS INCLUDE !IDAN Blaise Zamora for “From Where Everything is Gold,” Paul Cabanalan Q Grand winner Samuel Penaso (6th from left) with the top finalists of the annual Don Papa Art Competition, from for “Balhas Sang Kanlaon (Sweat left: Aidan Blaise Zamora, Paul Cabanalan, John Paul Antido, Geovanni Abing, Don Bunag, Samuel Penaso, Riel of Kanlaon),” John Paul Antido for Hilario, Mike Garcia, Miguel Punzalan, and Vena Martinez with their canister mockups during the closing party of “Harmony in Diversity,” Geovanni the Art Fair Philippines 2019.

Abing for “Inside the Mind of Papa “The Tales of Papa Isio,” Miguel highlights the stellar artworks facilitated in partnership with The Isio,” Don Bunag for “The Keep- Punzalan for “Multiplicities,” and OF THE 4OP kNALISTS WHO WERE Metropolitan Museum of Manila.

CHOSEN BY DISTINGUISHED kGURES For more information, visit ers,” Riel Hilario for “The Spirits Vena Martinez for “Takip Silim.” of Don Papa,” Mike Garcia for The Don Papa Art Competition in the art industry, assembled and www.donpaparum.com.

Abraham Senara Naduma Jr., Ronnie Lumales Moniva, Gil Dellupac Cruzada, and Aldwin Salang-oy Emperado, were finally released by the Libyan government. They are presented

to the media by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd (5th from left, seated), Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Affairs Abdullah Mamao, Charge d’ Affaires of the Philippine Embassy Mardo-

Belmonte promotes early detection of breast, cervical cancer AS an advocate of women’s welfare, Quezon City Vice Mayor JosekNA g*OYu "ELMONTE URGED WOMEN to be proactive and undergo breast and cervical cancer screening, especially this women’s month.

“I encourage women to undergo these kinds of screening so that we can detect early the signs of cervical and breast cancer,” said Belmonte. “Early detection of those irregularities is important because that dictates if the cancer is still curable or not.”

The Quezon City local government launched a free breast and cervical cancer screening caravan,

together with the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS), that provided services in different villages in the city as part of the celebration of women’s month on March 6.

Moreover, Belmonte stressed that it is her personal advocacy to promote women health care citing that her late mother, Betty GoBelmonte had breast cancer which led to various complications and her death in 1994.

The vice mayor also disclosed plans of funding a special center for women in the hospitals in the city that will specifically address different health concerns of women.

Manila Doctors Hospital enhances cancer treatment

Seven Filipino seafarers return home

AFTER almost two years of detention in Libya, seven Filipino seafarers namely Captain Arthur Soria Taleño (5th from left, standing), Fulgencio Pedererito Eulogio, Claro Camintoy Allera,

Q Lola Remedios Mellijor is proud of her jobo pots.

MAKING “jobo pots” has become use of synthetic polyethylene bags an income-generating activity for in massive production of quality communities in Hinatuan Surigao germplasms in forest tree nurseries. del Norte as it supports the na- It is used to hold the seed, instead of plastics, as the seeds are prepared tional anti-plastic campaign.

Hinatuan Mining Corp. (HMC) for planting materials “This project is a perfect exinitiated the project as a campaign to help reduce the use of synthetic AMPLE OF AN EFkCIENT PARTNERSHIP polyethylene bags in massive pro- between responsible mining and duction of quality germplasms in its communities,” explained HMC Environment Manager Forester forest tree nurseries.

Members of the mining com- Manuel Torres Jr. “The jobo project munity, mostly senior citizens, is effectively rekindling what seems are given the opportunity to earn to have become a dormant skill of by making the pots as part of the the elders in the communities, the company’s Community Output- art of weaving that has been passed based Livelihood Program. on from generations and tells a lot HMC initiated the jobo pot proj- about the socio-cultural narrative of ect as a campaign to help reduce the the island of Hinatuan.”

mel Celo Melicor, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Sarah Lou Arriola, Libya Labor Attaché Adam -USA AND OTHER OFkCIALS DURING their arrival on March 12 at the NAIA Terminal 3 in Pasay City.

MANILA Doctors Hospital is now at the forefront of cancer treatment through its newly acquired VitalBeam radiotherapy system from Varian and Siemens Healthineers.

The first in the Philippines, VitalBeam is an innovative radiotherapy system that enables cancer patients to receive advance treatMENT TO kGHT THE LIFE THREATENING disease with minimal side effects.

With the system’s accuracy and precision, VitalBeam enables hospital clinicians to deliver treatments for a broad range of cancers in a setting close to home.

It also provides physicians with more tools to treat the

most challenging cancers such as pancreas, paraspinal, lung, liver, breast and prostate.

Its imaging tools allows easy detection of the tumor that will be treated through monitoring its position and making adjustments to the patient’s positioning for greater accuracy.

The system runs smooth and quiet, even allowing music to play during treatment to calm and relax the patient and enhance their peace of mind.

MDH’s latest acquired technology comes after the World Health Organization announced cancer can be treated at an early onset.

Sports

SATURDAY MARCH 16, 2019

C1

Pacers overcome Westbrookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triple double to edge Thunder

www.manilatimes.net

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OS ANGELES: Wesley Matthews scored the winning basket with two seconds remaining in the fourth quarter as the Indiana Pacers rallied in the second half to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-106 on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

Q Indiana Pacersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Domantas Sabonis (No. 11) puts up

a shot against Oklahoma City Thunderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Jerami Grant (No. 9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game on Friday in Indianapolis. AP PHOTO

IS PACQUIAOMAYWEATHER 2 STILL ON? WHEN International Boxing Federation welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. and similarly undefeated four-division belt-owner Mikey Garcia battle each other on Sunday (Manila time), one of the ringside spectator will be Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao.

And whenever the fighting senator is in the United States, expect the perfect American 50-0 winloss owner Floyd Mayweather Jr. to be not far behind.

And as sure as the sun rises in the East, Mayweather will be also at ringside watching the fight, raising the chance that the two arch-rivals will again meet face-to-face.

Expect, too, that their meeting will, to a certain extent deviate fans and media alike interest in the Spence-Garcia encounter.

Who knows, the two might, once more, be talking about a Pacquiao-Mayweather 2, which has been subject of talks since they met â&#x20AC;&#x153;for the first timeâ&#x20AC;? in Tokyo a little over a year ago.

That will be a repeat of the duoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 2015 dull confrontation at the MGM Grand won by Mayweather by a dull unanimous decision, but nevertheless, broke all existing pay-per view and gate records.

Pacquiao and Mayweather, it can be recalled, met three times more after that Tokyo meeting last January during Pacquiaoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s preparations for his Andre Broner title fight fueling speculations that

the Super Fight 2 was, indeed, in the works.

They met twice during a pair of NBA Games at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, then minutes before the Pacquiao-Broner actual fight when the unbeaten American visited the Filipino in his locker room to wish the latter good luck.

Since then, however, Mayweather sounded remiss on his promise to fight Manny for the second time, expressing desire instead on fighting exhibition matches against non-boxers in shorter distance and small purses.

Expected , too, to watch the Spence-Garcia confrontation are officials of the Premier Boxing Champions, headed by Al Haymon and other boxing personalities.

Which, raises too, hopes that if Mayweather stands pat on his decision not to meet Pacquiao, whoever wins between Spence and Garcia could be the reigning WBA regular welterweight champâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next opponent.

EDDIE G. ALINEA

Matthews put back the winner with two seconds left, capping a 16 point, seven rebound performance for the Pacers who were down by 18 points at one stage. g-AN THIS TEAM kGHTS 4HAT S ONE OF THE BIG reasons why I chose to come here,â&#x20AC;? Matthews said. g7E kGHT WE COMPETE .O LEAD IS TOO MUCH We needed a win against a playoff team, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to do going forward.â&#x20AC;? $OMANTAS 3ABONIS WHO USED TO PLAY FOR THE 4HUNDER

kNISHED WITH POINTS AS THE 0ACERS STORMED FROM BEHIND IN THE kNAL MINUTES OF THE CONTEST Indianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s magic number for booking a spot in the postseason is now one.

Paul George led the Thunder with 36 points in just his second game in Indianapolis since being traded in July 2017.

Russell Westbrook added 19 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists, but missed a three-pointer at the buzzer that would have won it.

Oklahoma City controlled the pace for most the game but the Pacers changed the script in the third quarter.

After Bojan Bogdanovic made it 104-101, George tied it with his sixth three-pointer and broke the tie with two free throws late in the fourth.

Sabonis tied it back up with another layup with 57 seconds left.

George turned the ball over twice and slipped while ON DEFENSE DURING )NDIANA S kNAL POSSESSION LEAVING Matthews the space to get free for the winning tip in.

Westbrookâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triple double performance -- reaching double digits in three key statistical categoriesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;came two DAYS AFTER HE RECEIVED A kNE AFTER AN EXPLETIVE laden outburst where he threatened to beat up a heckling Utah Jazz fan and his wife.

In Salt Lake City, Jazz owner Gail Miller spoke to the crowd Thursday prior to their 120-100 win over Minnesota to address THE KERFUFlE BETWEEN 7ESTBROOK AND THEIR FANS 5TAH PERMANENTLY BANNED 3HANE +EISEL FROM ALL ARENA EVENTS

Miller, who has owned the team for 34 years, asked the crowd to behave, saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are not a racist community.

No one wins when respect goes away.â&#x20AC;?

The 2017 league MVP later said he had been subjected to racist abuse by the fan. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The young man and his wife in the stands told me to get down on my knees like you used to,â&#x20AC;? Westbrook said. +EISEL DENIED USING A RACIST REMARK SAYING HE SAID gSIT down and ice your knees.â&#x20AC;?

Owner warns fans Players from both teams applauded Millerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speech. $ONOVAN -ITCHELL SCORED POINTS *AE #ROWDER HAD 18 for the Jazz in the win over the Timberwolves. %LSEWHERE +YRIE )RVING SCORED A TEAM HIGH POINTS during a fourth-quarter burst that allowed the Boston #ELTICS TO BEAT THE 3ACRAMENTO +INGS )RVING HIT A PAIR OF JUMP SHOTS IN A lURRY THAT opened a 113-103 advantage with 4:33 remaining. The +INGS GOT NO CLOSER THAN kVE AFTER THAT )RVING kNISHED WITH HIS SECOND CAREER TRIPLE DOUBLE with 31 points 10 rebounds and a game-high 12 assists. )N 4ORONTO +AWHI ,EONARD SCORED POINTS AND THE 4ORONTO Raptors easily defeated the lowly Los Angeles Lakers 111-98.

Normal Powell added 20, while Pascal Siakam had 16 and Marc Gasol scored 15 for the Raptors, who improved to 49-20 on the season.

4ORONTO WAS MISSING BOTH +YLE ,OWRY AND 3ERGE )BAKA

WHO IS SERVING A THREE GAME SUSPENSION FOR kGHTING ,E"RON *AMES kNISHED WITH POINTS FOR THE ,AKERS WHO fell to 31-37. Alex Caruso added a career-high 16 points for the Lakers, who have won just one game since February 27.

The Raptors were coming off a 126-101 loss to Cleveland and the Lakers beat Chicago 123-107 in their most recent game. )N $ENVER .IKOLA *OKIC HIT A ONE HANDED SHOT AS THE kNAL BUZZER SOUNDED TO LIFT THE $ENVER .UGGETS OVER THE $ALLAS -AVERICKS

AFP

Q Manny Pacquiao limbers before a training session. PHOTO BY WENDELL ALINEA

Spence eyes â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pound-for-poundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; status in Garcia showdown LOS ANGELES: Errol Spence Jr. believes he will deserve to be regarded as the best pound-forpound boxer in the world if he successfully defends his IBF welterweight crown against Mikey Garcia in Texas on Saturday.

Spence and Garcia face off at the AT&T Stadium Arlington in a battle of unbeaten fighters which sees the champion aiming to lay claim to being the best fighter in a division full of talent.

Spence (24-0, 21 KOs), is in no doubt what a victory over Garcia (39-0, 30 knock-

E

outs) will mean for his career. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This win makes me pound-for-pound number one,â&#x20AC;? Spence said this week. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mikey has a great record and a big fan base and I feel like winning this fight turns me into a star. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everyone wants to take Floyd Mayweatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s place as the face of boxing, and this puts me on the right track to become the face of boxing and the best fighter in the world.â&#x20AC;?

The championâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hyperbole, however, is not cutting ice with boxingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cognoscenti, many

of whom believe the 29-year-old is a heavy favourite to outmuscle Garcia, who is stepping up two weight classes to take on Spence.

Retired former super middleweight and light heavyweight world champion Andre Ward believes Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bout will be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;classic case of a good big man beats the little good man.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The added weight and sheer size and power of Spence will prove to be too much for a great fighter who just took too much of a risk,â&#x20AC;?Ward told ESPN. While Spence believes victory on Saturday

Q Boxers Errol Spence Jr. (left) and Mikey Garcia (right) adorn Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones with their championship belts during a press conference on February 19, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. The pair are slated to square off on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at AT&T Stadium for Spenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IBF welterweight title. AP PHOTO puts him in the pound-for-pound conversation, he is preparing for negative reviews. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll say heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too small,â&#x20AC;? Spence said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I beat him up throughout the whole fight, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;He has amazing heart for

Golden State losing its luster?

VEN if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the two-time defending champions, the adage â&#x20AC;&#x153;You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t win it allâ&#x20AC;? still applies. However, there are losses that sting and Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors have started to look vulnerable.

4HIS IS NOT THE kRST TIME THE $UBS HAVE been under intense scrutiny. Earlier in the SEASON $RAYMOND 'REEN AND +EVIN $URANT had an infamous tiff, with a suspension being handed to the former for raising up the taboo ISSUE OF $URANT S UPCOMING FREE AGENCY As most expected, the team from the Bay was available to channel their inner Mark Twain and wagged off the doomsday prophecies as â&#x20AC;&#x153;greatly exaggeratedâ&#x20AC;? when they regained the top spot in the Western Conference.

However, they fell to the cellar-dwelling and went on a 4-5 post All Star Game record which included a 33-point shellacking from the Boston Celtics and losses to the Magic and Heat. This begs the question: Are the Golden State Warriors no longer the favorites to win their third straight title? Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a closer look.

Vegas odds still favor the Dubs The latest Warriorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; odds of winning the NBA Championship according to Las Vegas is still pegged at 1/2 or 67 percent.

Second place fell on the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks, at 8/1 or just 11 percent.

The closest Western Conference team is the Houston Rockets, pegged at 15/1 or just 6.25 PERCENT 4O ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE $UBS VS THE kELD IT S STILL FAR AND AWAY THE 7ARRIORS Odds are not a guarantee, however, and there are already doubts arising.

BASKETBALL SLEUTH MICHAEL ANGELO B. ASIS Some experts have been swayed The Warriors winning the championship has been a foregone conclusion at the start of the season, and for some teams, this season was more of preparation for the next era (see LA Lakers). Now, some of the talking heads have changed their minds, including former coach Stan Van Gundy.

36' REFERRED TO $RAYMOND 'REEN A CATAlyst of the Warriorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; defense, who admitted that they â&#x20AC;&#x153;havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t defended all year.â&#x20AC;? Also, SVG believes that the Eastern Conference champion would win it all, with the Milwaukee Bucks being the pre-emptive favorite.

The verdict While the State of the Warriors is not as â&#x20AC;&#x153;goldenâ&#x20AC;? anymore, majority of the analysts still wind up with the conclusion that barring a catastrophicinjurytotheirfourmajorplayers,the Warriors will still win this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s championship.

The rumors of the turmoil in the Warriorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; camp have been overstated.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a long season and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s normal to have peaks and valleys. True champions still kND A WAY TO WORK TOGETHER TO WIN THE

title despite their differences. Best examPLE WAS THE +OBE 3HAQ ,AKERS IN 4HE 7ARRIORS WERE NEVER AS CONlICTED AS that superstar duo and are likely to clean up their act come playoff time. They have a sense of urgency to win their title before the POSSIBLE DEPARTYRE OF +EVIN $URANT !LSO THE team is transferring to the Chase Center next season. It would be memorable to win a title at Oracle Arena before they bid farewell.

Is there anyone else?

The Warriors are not going to hand the championship on a silver platter. Is there any team capable of taking it away from them?

The Milwaukee Bucks have MVP favorite and arguably the leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next best player in Giannis Antetokounmpo but are they ready? The BostonCelticshadloftyexpectations WITH +YRIE )RVING BUT THEY HAVE SUFFERED FROM poor chemistry and are not even a lock to get out of the East. The Raptors and Sixers added new pieces,buttheywouldnotdevelopthechemistry FOR A DRAWN OUT PLAYOFF SERIES WITH THE $UBS The Houston Rockets took the Warriors to the brim last season. Now, Harden has an MVP season and CP3 has recovered.

But do they still have perimeter defenders like Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute?

In their latest game, the Warriors beat THE 2OCKETS 7)4(/54 +EVIN $URANT $E-ARCUS #OUSINS THEIR NEWEST ADDITION

LED WITH POINTS 7HEN THE 7ARRIORS lEX their muscle, they can beat anyone. They know how to raise their game come playoff timeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and now there will be no LeBron James to try and stop their rampage.

a little guy. Errol Spence is supposed to do that, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the bigger welterweight.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;So even if (Garcia) looks good, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll say, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The smaller guy looked good, he just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold up the weight.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

Garcia, who has held world titles in four different weight classes, is adamant that he has not bitten off more than he can chew against the naturally bigger Spence. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have all the tools and all the skills needed to beat Errol Spence Jr,â&#x20AC;? Garcia said. When it comes to timing, speed, reflexes and defense, you name it, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m better,â&#x20AC;? the 31-year-old added.

Garciaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best chance of victory may be to take the fight into the later rounds, hoping to score consistently by darting in and out of range of Spenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heavier shots.

The Californian revealed he had planned for a long fight, but is confident he can deliver an abrupt finish if needed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can go 12 rounds for sure,â&#x20AC;? Garcia said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But, if I get a chance to hurt my opponent, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m definitely going to jump on him and get the knockout. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Saturday night, Errol is going to find out why I picked this fight. All of my opponents say they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see anything special when they watch me, until they get into the ring.â&#x20AC;? AFP

Franchise killer T

HE Los Angeles Lakers will not make it to the playoffs for the 6th straight year despite having arguably the best player on the planet in LeBron James. The Lakers are now 6.5 games back in the Western Conference playoffs race. They are currently 11th (out of 16) in the conference with a 31-36 record and will be hard-pressed to catch up with 15 games to go.

4HIS WILL ALSO BE THE kRST TIME IN years that a LeBron James-led team will not make the playoffs.

The Lakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lackadaisical performance this season can be blamed on many things. $ESPITE HIS IMPRESSIVE STINT WITH THE Golden State Warriors as assistant coach, head coach Luke Walton has been unable to convert his past success with the Lakers, given their young and inexperienced lineup the past two seasons. With the arrival of James, expectations were high that the Lakers were poised to reach and go deep in the playoffs.

Talk is already rampant that Walton WILL BE kRED AT THE END OF THE SEASON AMID the rumored fallout with team president Magic Johnson over personnel choices.

Johnson and general manager Rob PelinKA THE FORMER AGENT OF +OBE "RYANT BEFORE his Lakers stint, are also to blame. They were both patting themselves in the back when they signed James to a 4-year, $153.3 million contract, finally nabbing a superstar after years offailingtolureanyoneofnote.Afterthat,they bungled every personnel move.

For starters, they let go of power forward Julius Randle who is now playing like a star in New Orleans with

CROSSOVER RAFFY LEDESMA averages of 21 points and 9 rebounds per game. They also let center Brook ,OPEZ WALK A lOOR SPACING BIG MAN for Michael Beasley. These were done despite protests from the coaching staff, Walton included.

Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; thrives when he has several GOOD SHOOTERS WHICH OPENS UP THE lOOR Instead, Lakers management opted to get one-dimensional veterans namely JaVale McGee, Michael Beasley (who is now playing in China), Rajon Rondo, and Lance Stephenson.

They also let go of versatile big man Ivica Zubac who is now playing well with the Los Angeles Lakers.

It also didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help that the Lakers were wracked by injuries during the season. They were actually 4th in the conference before James went down with a groin injury that forced him to miss a total of 17 games where the team went on a 6-11 record.

But the biggest killer of the season and one that may signal the death of this version of the Lakers is the failed !NTHONY $AVIS TRADE $AVIS WHO HAS the same agent as James, demanded a trade from New Orleans with the Lakers his preferred landing spot. It is rumored THAT AGENT 2ICH 0AUL LEAKED $AVIS DE-

mand to force New Orleanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand. It became widely known that the Lakers were willing trade all their young players on the prodding of James. Of course, this broke trust and team chemistry.

Since the trade deadline, the Lakers have gone 3-11 with their players just going through the motions.

While still a very talented player, *AMES STATURE AND INlUENCE HAS BEcome so overbearing that several stars have refused to play on the same team with him since they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to be PART OF THE ,"* SHOW +YRIE )RVING LEFT Cleveland. Paul George stayed with /KLAHOMA +AWHI ,EONARD REPORTEDLY wants to either stay with Toronto or go home but with the L.A. Clippers.

Obviously, James is the Lakersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; greatest asset and their greatest liabilITY 4HE ,AKERS ARE BEGINNING TO kND out that having the greatest player on the planet also means catering to his every whim, every demand, and turning a blind eye to his failures. raffyrledesma@yahoo.com SIDELINES. While most if not all continue to see a decrease in sales in 2019, one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading and growing automotive companies, Hyundai, bucked the trend and posted A GROWTH FOR THE kRST TWO MONTHS of the year. The growth was fueled by new product lines in the Passenger Car segment namely the Reina and the new Accent. Its Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) business grew by a whopping 87% during the period.

C2

Sports

TheË&#x153;Manila Times

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

Phoenix eyes No. 1 spot in Panabo

Lady Eagles aims to stretch winning streak vs NU LEAGUE-leading Ateneo De Manila University shoots for its sixth straight victory against National University (NU) in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volleyball tournament today at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

The Lady Eagles eye to stretch their winning streak anew versus the Lady Bulldogs at 2 p.m.

Ateneo notched its fifth win in a row after pounding Adamson University, 25-8, 22-25, 25-16, 25-10, last Wednesday.

Coach Oliver Almadro wants his Lady Eagles to take the Lady Bulldogs seriously. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have many good rookies. We have to prepare for them. We cannot be complacent. The mindset of my players is to always go all the way,â&#x20AC;? said the multi-titled mentor in the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s division.

Almadro will bank on veterans Kat Tolentino, Ponggay Gaston and Bea De Leon as they aim to improve their league-best 5-1 record.

But NU is coming off a morale-boosting 25-17, 14-25, 17-25, 25-23, 17-15 stunner over University of the Philippines also three days ago.

Head coach Norman Miguel hopes to see his Lady Bulldogsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dogged determination as they seek another upset victory to improve their 2-4 slate at No. 6. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just going to show our fighting heart and celebrate every point. We can never tell what will be the result,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Miguel will count on rookie spikers Ivy Lacsina and Princess Robles along with fellow newcomer liber Jennifer Nierva, who were all part of the four-peat winning NU high school team.

Meanwhile, four-peat seeking De La Salle University and last seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s runner-up Far Eastern University (FEU) dispute the solo second in the 4 p.m. finals rematch.

La Salle, FEU and idle University of Sto. Tomas are currently tied at No. 2 with identical 4-2 cards.

The Lady Spikers are keen to reclaim their winning ways while the Lady Tamaraws will look to stretch their three-win streak.

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

BY JOSEF T. RAMOS

P

HOENIX 0ULSE WILL BE TARGETING A TWICE TO BEAT AND A QUARTERkNALS BERTH AS IT FACES DEFENDING CHAMPION 3AN -IGUEL "EER IN 3EASON 0HILIPPINE "ASKETBALL !SSOCIATION 0HILIPPINE #UP AT THE 0ANABO -ULTI 0URPOSE 4OURISM 3PORTS AND #ULTURAL #ENTER IN $AVAO DEL .ORTE TODAY

Q Phoenix Pulseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Matthew Wright scores

unopposed besides teammate Calvin Abueva (No. 8) while Kevin Ferrer of Ginebra (No. 14) looks on during a Season 44 PBA Philippine Cup game on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

PBA MEDIA BUREAU PHOTO

4HE &UEL -ASTERS WHO NARROWLY LOST TO "ARANGAY 'INEBRA

ON 3UNDAY ARE ON A HUNT FOR THEIR NINTH VICTORY IN GAMES IN THEIR P M GAME AGAINST THE "EERMEN ! WIN OVER 3-" WILL ALLOW THEM TO KEEP THE .O SPOT AFTER THE ELIMINATION ROUND g7E LL BE .O IF WE WIN OVER 3AN -IGUEL "EER )F WE LOSE OUR SITUATION WILL BE SUPER HARDER u SAID 0HOENIX COACH ,OUIE !LAS ADDING THAT 3AN -IGUEL "EER POSES GREATER THREAT THAN 'INEBRA g3AN -IGUEL "EER IS HARDER THAN 'INEBRA *UNE -AR &AJARDO IS JUST THEIR MAIN CARD BUT THEIR kRST ARE WINNING SCORERS u 3AN -IGUEL "EER RIDING ON THE MOMENTUM OF A FOUR GAME WINNING STREAK

IS OUT TO NOTCH ITS SEVENTH WIN IN MATCHES 4HE "EERMEN AT .O

ARE ALSO EYEING A TWICE TO BEAT BONUS GOING TO THE QUARTERkNALS &IVE TIME -OST 6ALUABLE 0LAYER *UNE -AR &AJARDO SHONE ANEW IN 3AN -IGUEL "EER S WIN OVER .ORTHPORT ON 3UNDAY SCATTERING POINTS ON A NEAR PERFECT OF SHOOTING FROM THE kELD ON TOP OF REBOUNDS g7E WILL DO OUR BEST ALTHOUGH WE RE NOT EXPECTING THAT TO BE TOO EASY u &AJARDO SAID IN &ILIPINO

THIEM INTO INDIAN WELLS SEMIS AS INJURED MONFILS WITHDRAWS INDIAN NDIAN WELLS WELLS, UUnited it d St States: t World W ld N No. 7 Dominic Thiem reached an ATP Indian Wells -ASTERS SEMI kNAL SHOWDOWN WITH -ILOS 2AONIC WITHOUT HITTING A BALL 4HURSDAY AS INJURED 'AEL -ONkLS WITHDREW Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monfils, ranked 19th in the WORLD PULLED OUT SHORTLY BEFORE HIS SCHEDULED QUARTER kNAL AGAINST 4HIEM WITH LEFT !CHILLES TENDON TROUBLE /FT INJURED -ONkLS SAID HE D FELT DISCOMFORT IN HIS ANKLE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND HAD BEEN RECEIVING TREATMENT BUT THE PAIN WAS WORSE AFTER HIS FOURTH ROUND WIN OVER 0HILIPP +OHLSCHREIBER ON 7EDNESDAY NIGHT g) TRIED A LITTLE JOG THIS MORNING AND ) COULDN T REALLY ACTUALLY PUSH ON IT u HE SAID g4HEN WE TAPED IT 4HEN ) HIT A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT AND ) FELT

THAT ) CANNOT BE PERCENT ) HAVE THIS PAIN AND THAT ) CANNOT BE PERCENT ) HA E THIS PAIN AND IT WASN T THE RIGHT CHOICE TO PLAY u (E SAID AN ULTRASOUND EXAM CONFIRMED SEVERE INFLAMMATION AND HE WASN T YET SURE IF IT WOULD PREVENT HIM FROM PLAYING THE UPCOMING -IAMI -ASTERS g6ERY DISAPPOINTING TO BE HONEST u SAID -ONkLS WHO WAS ENJOYING A START TO THE SEASON g"ECAUSE ) WAS PLAYING GREAT TENNIS FEELING STRONG u 4HIEM IS THROUGH TO THE SEMI kNALS AT )NDIAN 7ELLS FOR THE kRST TIME HAVING REACHED THE QUARTERS ONCE BEFORE IN g) WAS REALLY SURPRISED u 4HIEM SAID WHO WAS WAITING TO BE TAKEN TO THE COURT WHEN HE REALIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM g) M REALLY SORRY FOR HIM /BVIOUSLY WE ARE BOTH PLAYING WELL HERE (E S HAVING A GREAT SEASON ) M PICKING UP MY FORM AGAIN 3O ) THINK IT WOULD

HAVE BEEN VERY TOUGH BUT ALSO A VERY FUN MATCH FOR HA EBEEN ER TOUGHBUTALSOA ER FUNMATCHFOR US FOR THE CROWD 3O IT S A PITY u SAID 4HIEM WHO HAS LOST BOTH OF HIS PRIOR MATCHES AGAINST 2AONIC 2AONIC ENDED THE DREAM RUN OF LUCKY LOSER -IOMIR +ECMANOVIC BEATING THE YEAR OLD 3ERBIAN

2AONIC RANKED TH IN THE WORLD kRED ACES AND BROKE +ECMANOVIC ONCE IN EACH SET TO KEEP HIS BID TO BETTER HIS RUNNER UP kNISH ON TRACK +ECMANOVIC WHO FAILED TO MAKE IT THROUGH QUALIFYING BUT GAINED ENTRY TO THE MAIN DRAW WHEN kFTH SEEDED +EVIN !NDERSON WITHDREW WAS THE kRST LUCKY LOSER TO REACH THE QUARTERkNALS AT )NDIAN 7ELLS SINCE THE TOURNAMENT SERVED AS THE INAUGURAL !40 -ASTERS IN

Room for improvement 2AONIC S SERVE WASN T AT IT S BOOMING BEST (E PUT ONLY PERCENT OF HIS kRST SERVES IN PLAY g) THINK THAT CAN GET BETTER u 2AONIC SAID g"UT THERE S OTHER THINGS ) M DOING WELL FOR SURE !S SOON AS ) HAD A CHANCE ON THE kRST FOREHAND ) WAS ABLE TO kND MY WAY TO BE THE ONE DICTATING THE POINT !ND ) PUT A LOT OF RETURNS IN AND GAVE MYSELF A CHANCE THERE u 7HILE THE TH RANKED +ECMANOVIC FELL SHORT IN HIS BID TO BECOME JUST THE THIRD LUCKY LOSER TO REACH THE SEMI kNALS OF A -ASTERS EVENT HE CAN REGROUP FOR THE UPCOMING -IAMI -ASTERSÂ&#x2021;WHERE HE HAS BEEN GIVEN A WILD CARD INTO THE MAIN DRAW 2OGER &EDERER AND 2AFAEL .ADAL WILL BE VYING TO SET UP A BLOCKBUSTER SEMI kNAL WHEN THE PLAY IN THE OTHER TWO QUARTER kNALS ON &RIDAY &EDERER THE TIME 'RAND 3LAM CHAMPION WHO CLAIMED HIS TH CAREER TITLE AT $UBAI LAST MONTH TAKES ON TH RANKED (UBERT (URKACZ OF 0OLAND WHILE .ADAL FACES TH SEEDED 2USSIAN +AREN +HACHANOV AFP

Q Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kosuke Hagino competes in a heat of the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 400m freestyle swimming event during the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta on on August 21, 2018. AFP PHOTO

Japan swim king Hagino loses mojo, sparking Olympic fears TOKYO: /LYMPIC SWIM CHAMPION +OSUKE (AGINO SAID &RIDAY HE HAS PULLED OUT OF NEXT MONTH S *APANESE CHAMPIONSHIPS BLAMING A LACK OF HUNGER AND TRIGGERING CONCERNS ABOUT HIS APPETITE FOR 4OKYO 4HE YEAR OLD WAS *APAN S BEST HOPE FOR A SWIMMING GOLD MEDAL NEXT YEAR ALONGSIDE /LYMPIC POSTER GIRL 2IKAKO )KEE WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKAEMIA LAST MONTH g) VE BEEN UNABLE TO ACHIEVE THE RESULTS ) HAD HOPED FOR SINCE THE SEASON u (AGINO SAID IN A STATEMENT g!S THE GAP BETWEEN MY TARGETS AND REALITY HAS WIDENED IT HAS BECOME HARDER FOR ME TO MAINTAIN MY MOTIVATION u 4HE FORMER !SIAN CHAMPION HAS STRUGGLED WITH FORM SINCE CAPTURING GOLD IN THE MEN S METRES INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY AT THE 2IO /LYMPICS *APAN COACH .ORIMASA (IRAI ADMITTED THAT (AGINO WAS IN NO SHAPE TO CONTEST THE NATIONALS IN 4OKYO AFTER SKIPPING ANOTHER LOCAL MEET LAST MONTH g)N HIS CURRENT CONDITION IT WOULD BE REALLY HARD u (IRAI TOLD *APANESE MEDIA g(E S NOT IN VERY GOOD SPIRITS (E NEEDS TO REST AND WHEN HE DECIDES TO COMES BACK HE NEEDS TO START SWIMMING FOR HIMSELF u (AGINO SHOT TO FAME BY SCOOPING FOUR GOLD MEDALS AT THE !SIAN 'AMES INCLUDING A STUNNING UPSET OVER #HINESE GIANT 3UN 9ANG IN THE M FREESTYLE (E STORMED TO VICTORY IN HIS PET M INDI-

VIDUAL MEDLEY IN 2IO AND ADDED A SILVER BEHIND -ICHAEL 0HELPS IN THE M "UT (AGINO HAS LOST HIS MOJO SINCE HIS ALARMING SLUMP IN FORM COINCIDING WITH !MERICAN #HASE +ALISZ S EMERGENCE AS THE WORLD S PREMIER MEDLEY SWIMMER AND THE HOT FAVOURITE FOR GOLD AT THE 4OKYO /LYMPICS g4HE BALL IS IN HIS COURT u SHRUGGED (IRAI ASKED WHEN HE THOUGHT (AGINO WOULD RETURN g.OTHING HAS BEEN DECIDED IT S A CLEAN SLATE

ONLY HE KNOWS u HE ADDED AFTER (AGINO S APPEARANCE AT THIS SUMMER S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN 3OUTH +OREA WAS ALSO PLUNGED INTO DOUBT g)T S OBVIOUSLY NOT A PLUS THAT HE S NOT ENTERED THE NATIONALS )T S A CRITICAL SITUATION FOR HIM BUT HE HAS TO STAY POSITIVE u (AGINO WHO ALSO OPTED TO MISS A RECENT *APAN TRAINING CAMP IN 3PAIN ADDED g) M STILL NOT MENTALLY READY TO COMPETE AT FULL STRENGTH ) HUMBLY APOLOGISE TO SWIMMING FANS AND AM PREPARED TO ACCEPT ANY CRITICISM THAT COMES MY WAY u )KEE SENT SHOCKWAVES THROUGH THE SPORT WHEN SHE TWEETED THAT SHE HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKAEMIA AFTER CUTTING SHORT A TRAINING CAMP IN !USTRALIA 4HE YEAR OLD WHO BAGGED A RECORD SIX GOLD MEDALS AT LAST YEAR S !SIAN 'AMES IN *AKARTA HAD BEEN TIPPED TO PUSH FOR /LYMPIC GOLD ON SEVERAL FRONTS IN HER HOME CITY IN PARTICULAR IN THE WOMEN S METERS BUTTERlY AFP

Tokyo unveils chatty â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;robot-eersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for 2020 Olympics TOKYO: Tokyo Olympic organizers on Friday rolled out a pair of chatty robots they will put to work to assist wheelchair users at the 2020 Games as they continue to plug Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cutting-edge technology.

Billed as distant relations to beeping Star Wars drone R2D2, Toyota unveiled its human support (HSR) and delivery support robots (DSR), which are set to act as seat ushers and will fetch food and drinks for disabled fans at next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olympics.

In an Olympic first, the waist-high, robotic â&#x20AC;&#x153;volunteersâ&#x20AC;? will breezily introduce themselves to customers, who can then place orders on a tablet. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hello, everyone. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a lifestyle support robot,â&#x20AC;? the fully rotating HSR said in a demonstration. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll fetch things for you. I also have an extendable arm that can pick things up if you drop them,â&#x20AC;? it added.

In reality, the DSR â&#x20AC;&#x153;deli-botâ&#x20AC;?-- with its built-in drinks tray -rather more closely resembles a moving dustbin with blinking lights, but Toyota insisted the technology would ensure a more

comfortable Games experience for wheelchair users. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It will be much easier and more convenient to interact with robots,â&#x20AC;?Minoru Yamauchi, general manager of the 2020 robot development department, told Agence France-Presse. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the run-up to the Olympics we will work on other useful functions that they can carry out.â&#x20AC;?

Toyota are currently planning to deploy 16 units of each droid at the 2020 Olympics.

Games organizers also unveiled a Panasonic-developed exoskeleton suit to help with a range of Olympic-related chores, such as delivering or loading heavy baggage brought to Japan by athletes and officials.

Science fiction â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to go beyond the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in terms of legacy,â&#x20AC;? said Hideyo Hirata, deputy executive director of technology services for the 2020 Games. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Often robots have not been seen as our friends,â&#x20AC;? he added, invoking dystopian science fiction.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;But in Japan, people actually want to know how robots can help with and be part of our daily lives.â&#x20AC;?

Driverless cars, facial recognition and ultra highdefinition TV are just a few of the other ways Japan Inc. hopes to use the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to show the world it has regained its touch for innovation and technology.

The last time Japan hosted the Olympics, in 1964, it launched the iconic bullet train -- a sleek symbol of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recovery from World War II. This time around there is speculation a flying car will be used to light the Olympic flame, although 2020 organizers are keen to stress the practical use of technology.

Panasonicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s powered body suit went on sale last year at a cost of a little over $6,000 each, with more than 200 units already ordered.

They have attracted interest in the farming sector, but similar products have been used for years in hospitals, helping caregivers lift injured or elderly patients. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Japan has a shrinking population, and an ageing one,â&#x20AC;? said Panasonicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yoshifumi Uchida.

AFP

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

COURTSIDE ANGELINE GERVACIO

5 things I wish I could tell my younger self Part 1 HE second round of the much awaited volleyball season is about to start. As this is the 81st season of the UAAP, I realized that it has already been ten years since ) kRST PLAYED IN THE LEAGUE ) M SURE Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not alone on wishing that I could have done something better or something more during my student-athlete days. Lately, I have been reading Jordan Petersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, and this resulted in me creating a comprehensive list of what I would tell my 17 year-old self, given the chance.

T

Work hard but work smart Your body is the very foundation of your athletic prowess. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your tool to do what you love, which in most cases, puts you through college, too!

Never neglect strength training. &OR SOME TEAMS THEY FOCUS TOO much on court practices that they neglect making the players hit the gym for maintenance work.

Thinking along the lines of, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ah well, we loaded on weights during preseason so we should be good.â&#x20AC;?

Instead of being on social media for an hour, take the initiative and hit the gym and work on strengthening your shoulder or knees, so you can make sure they last THROUGH THOSE kVE SETTER MATCHES Remember though not to overdo it.

Also, listen to your body. Understand that you will get tired. You will be sore. Some athletes would easily quit when it hurts, but what sets the great athletes from the good ones are those who push through the pain, outside of their comfort zones. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a whole different story though if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re already getting sick or injured. In that situation, you should understand that rest is as equally important as training. Gone are the days that practice only happens once everyday, especially without our UAAP/ NCAA regulating the number of hours for team practices, unlike the NCAA in the United States.

Now there are twice-a-day and even thrice-a-day practice sessions!

And you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really skip training since itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your responsibility to attend, but you would really need to prioritize rest too, otherwise you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to function optimally both in court and in the classroom.

Choose the better meal. To be living in Katipunan Avenue, it was so tempting for me to just step out the dorms and cross the street and gorge in fast-food restaurants that lined the street, or the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hepaâ&#x20AC;?

Lane just right outside our friendly Tigersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and Tigressesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; den. Go for the lutong-bahay that the cafeteria cooks, make sure you eat enough fruits or vegetables. The added BENEkT OF EATING HEALTHIER IS YOU will likely save more money!

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

C3

Fleetwood, Bradley lead, Rory lurks as Players showdown opens

M

I A M I : B r i t a i n â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s To m my Fleetwood fired a sevenunder-par 65 to share the lead with American Keegan Bradley after Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (Friday in Manila) opening round of the US PGA Players Championship with Rory McIlroy lurking two adrift. &LEETWOOD S BOGEY FREE ROUND AT TPC Sawgrass included birdies on six of his last nine holes after starting at the 10th hole at the Ponte Vedra Beach layout. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I was going to pick a start, THAT WOULD BE IT u &LEETWOOD SAID â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done a good job of keeping myself in it.â&#x20AC;?

The 28-year-old Englishman was matched in the afternoon wave by 2011 PGA Championship WINNER "RADLEY WHO HAD kVE BIRDies and an eagle in a nine-hole run. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was one of those rounds that just felt easy. It was a day where everything went right,â&#x20AC;? Bradley said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just felt really comfortable.â&#x20AC;?

Sharing third on 66 were South Korean An Byeong-hun and American Brian Harman with four-time major winner McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Americans Ryan Moore and Vaughn Taylor on 67. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I felt like I left a few out there,â&#x20AC;?

McIlroy said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I played well. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m off

to a good start.â&#x20AC;?

Moore aced the par-3 17th hole with its famed island green on the lY HIS kFTH 0'! HOLE IN ONE &LEETWOOD SEVENTH AT LAST yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Players and third last week at Bay Hill, seeks his first US PGA title after four wins on the European Tour, the most recent of them last year defending a title at Abu Dhabi. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clearly the next step for me to WIN OVER HERE u &LEETWOOD SAID g"UT itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not easy. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to keep plugging away and focusing on myself and hopefully that will come. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing a lot of good things. Sometimes you need to just shoot some low scores. That seems like itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming.

Just try and keep that going.â&#x20AC;? &LEETWOOD MANAGED ONLY ONE BIRDIE ON HIS kRST NINE THAT COMing at the par-4 12th when he found a greenside bunker off the tee then blasted out two feet from

Q Tommy Fleetwood of England plays a shot from a bunker on the ninth hole during the first round of The PLAYERS Championship on The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Friday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

AFP PHOTO

the cup and tapped in the putt. &LEETWOOD BIRDIED THE kRST HOLE from 20 feet and had a two-putt birdie from 60 feet at the par-5 second, then put his approach at the par-4 kFTH TO THREE FEET TO SET UP ANOTHER A spectacular closing birdie run saw last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s US Open runnerup sink a 15-foot putt at seven, a 28-footer at the par-3 eighth and blast out of a bunker to 17 feet and make another putt at the par-5 ninth to end his day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You get on a run like seven, eight and nine and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great feel AROUND HERE u &LEETWOOD SAID g) stayed patient and the wind picked up. The course got tougher but I drove it so well I was always in

MULTI-TITLED Juvic Pagunsan goes for the one missing in his trophy cabinet as he headlines THE ELITE INTERNATIONAL kELD IN THE Solaire Philippine Open slated April 3 to 6 at The Country Club in Laguna.

Then an amateur, Pagunsan tied for second in 2004 at Riviera that saw the smooth-swinging shotmaker from Bacolod snatch the lead in the third round before yielding the crown to Edward Michaels of the US. He turned pro two years later, bagging The Country Club Invitational title then started to nail victories abroad (Indonesia and Malaysia) the following year. He captured two more TCC titles THEN BECAME THE kRST &ILIPINO TO win the Asian Tour Order of Merit trophy in 2011 even without winning a tournament.

But he never really contended for the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier championship although he missed a number Phl Open stints to campaign on the Japan PGA Tour. But with the LUCRATIVE CIRCUIT OFkCIALLY OPENING IN the third week of April, the Bacolod ace, 40, has found time to play here, including the ICTSI Riviera Golf Challenge of the Philippine Golf Tour Asia in two weeks time where is one of the top draws.

But Pagunsan, who actually marked his return on the local circuit by winning the Bacolod

stop of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PGT, expects a tough outing in the upcoming 101st Phl Open, led by defending champion Miguel Tabuena, who edged Thai veteran Prom Meesawat of Thailand in a playoff to become the Centennial winner of Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest National Open.

The 2017 Open was also disputed via sudden death with Englishman Steve Lewton edging American Johannes Veerman in a playoff, also at the well-kept Tom Weiskoph-designed layout, with the same windup likely to ensue in the upcoming event sponsored

by Solaire Resort and Casino and sanctioned by the National Golf Association of the Philippines.

Colo Ventosa, general manager of Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., said the cast will also feature new international players with PERCENT OF LAST YEAR S kELD CONkRMING THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THE 72-hole championship.

Solaire Resort and Casino, also the chief backer of new womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world No. 1 Sung Hyun Park of Korea, and the NGAP, now led by president Martin Lorenzo, have recently inked a pact to jointly stage the 2019 Open with the former bankrolling $500,000 to put up the four-day championship, which also serves as part of the PGT Asia.

Lorenzo and NGAP secretary-

to the Blaze Spikers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Cargo Movers have regained their deadly form as they posted convincing victories over PLDT and United VC. Against United VC, Lindsay Stalzer WAS ON kRE AT THE ATTACK ZONE WHILE Becky Perry, Ara Galang and Majoy Baron provided ample support as they combined for 30 points that prompted the Cargo Movers to pull off a 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 triumph.

And to further boost its lineup, & ,OGISTICS WILL BRING IN 5NIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System Dalta star Cindy Imbo to replace the injured Kim Kianna Dy in the rotation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cindy will start playing with us against PLDT on Saturday,â&#x20AC;? said & ,OGISTICS TEAM MANAGER (OLLIE 2EYES REFERRING TO THE HIGH lYING spiker, who was the hero in the ,ADY !LTAS FURIOUS RUN IN THE &INAL

&OUR OF THE .#!! RECENTLY Still, spotlight will be trained on Petron.

With eight straight wins under their belts, the Blaze Spikers appear indestructible, thanks to the explosive performance of imports Katherine Bell and Stephanie Niemer with the local crew of Aiza Maizo-Pontillas, Mika Reyes, Denden Lazaro, Rhea Dimaculangan AND &RANCES -OLINA BACK THEM UP 4HEIR RECENT MATCH AGAINST &OTON was a complete show of force as Bell and Niemer dominated en route to an emphatic 25-20, 25-13, 25-21 victory.

But head coach Shaq Delos Santos refused to be complacent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one thing that I always tell them, to always treat the game as if weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the underdog,â&#x20AC;? Delos Santos said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on a

good position. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a massive key around here.â&#x20AC;?

Bradley, who also began on the back nine, tapped in birdies at 11 and 12 then took his lone bogey at the par-3 13th, missing a sevenfooter for par.

He answered with a 13-foot birdie at 15, a 12-foot eagle putt at the par-5 16th â&#x20AC;&#x153;that was a nice kickstartâ&#x20AC;? and a 12-foot birdie putt at 18. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Any time you birdie (18) itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like making an eagle,â&#x20AC;? said Bradley, who later added birdies at one and seven.

McIlroy on â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;journeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; McIlroy, also a back-nine starter,

toured the famed Sawgrass layout bogey-free.

McIlroy made five-foot birdie putts at 11 and 12 and sank a nine-footer on the famed 17th.

He blasted out of a bunker to six feet to and birdied the second then hit an eight-footer to birdie the fifth. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m comfortable out there with my attitude and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m playing well,â&#x20AC;? said McIlroy.

After making changes last year to correct struggles, McIlroy feels on the right track with the Masters, and a chance to complete a Career Grand Slam, just a month away. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel like Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been on a journey for the past six or seven months to get where I can challenge to be the best player in the world and win tournaments like this,â&#x20AC;? McIlroy said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about staying patient.â&#x20AC;? &ORMER WORLD NUMBER ONE 4IGER Woods opened with a 70. The 14time major winner birdied 16 and 17 but missed a four-footer for par to bogey 18. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was tricky out there,â&#x20AC;? Woods said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Greens got a little bit on the bumpier side toward the end and it became a bit more challenging to make the putts.â&#x20AC;?

American Harris English had an albatross at the par-5 11th, holing out from the fairway from 236 yards on his way to an opening 70.

AFP

Adamson guns for ninth UAAP softball plum

Pagunsan eyes PH Open breakthrough

Q Juvic Pagunsan CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

GENERAL "ONES &LORO HAVE ASSURED their full support and the smooth and successful staging of the Open, which also drew former champions and mainstays of the other regional tours seeking to join the elite circle of winners of the fabled event.

TITLIST PETRON EYES TO SNUFF CIGNAL REIGNING champion Petron looks to tighten its grip on the overall lead when it tangles with slumping Cignal in the Philippine Superliga Grand Prix Saturday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Bina City.

Action starts at 6 p.m. with the welloiled Blaze Spikers hunting their ninth win in this prestigious womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s club league bankrolled by Asics, Mueller, Mikasa, Senoh, Team Rebel Sports, Bizooku, UCPB Gen, Cocolife, Hotel Sogo and Data Project.

On the same note, Petronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rival & ,OGISTICS SEEKS TO EXTEND ITS WINning ways when it tackles PLDT in the 4 p.m. appetizer of this explosive weekend double-header that also has ESPN5 and 5Plus as broadcast partners.

After absorbing their lone loss of the season â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a four-set heartbreaker

Sports

WINNING STREAK BUT WHAT S DIFkCULT about it is that sometimes we tend to be complacent.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure that my players are aware of our goal so I have nothing to worry about.â&#x20AC;?

Winning over Cignal wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easy, though.

Coming off a three-set loss to Generika-Ayala last Thursday, 17-25, 20-25, 22-25the HD Spikers vowed to make the necessary adjustments to pull off a massive upset of the Blaze Spikers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We made some adjustments, especially on our importâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s playing position, it will be our game plan against Petron,â&#x20AC;? said Cignal coach Edgar Barroga. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a tough loss but we will bounce back, we will go back to the drawing board and start again.â&#x20AC;?

THERE seems no stopping Adamson University in its quest for a ninth UAAP womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s softball jewel this decade.

4HE ,ADY &ALCONS ON 4HURSDAY BARELY LIFTED A kNGER IN DOWNING the National University Lady "ULLDOGS

IN ONLY kVE INnings for their ninth victory in 10 times up in the two-round series OF THE SEVEN TEAM kELD 4HAT WIN RAISED THE ,ADY &ALconsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; record to a comfortable 9-1 win-loss and moved them three games shy of topping the elimination round and head to THE SEMIkNAL ROUND ENJOYING A twice-to-beat incentive.

The ever dependable Lyca Basa, again presided over AdAMSON kRST LINE OF DEFENSE limiting the Lady Bulldogs to mere four hits, while manning the mound withOUT RELIEF ALL OF kVE FRAMES THUS collecting her seventh triumph of THE ,ADY &ALCONS TOTAL NINE Coach Ana Santiagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s offensive frontline of second base-girl Mary Joy Maguad, leftfielder +RISHA #ANTOR RIGHTkELDER *ENETE Rusia and third base-girl Remilie Herrero complemented their pitchersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; efforts by providing the offensive clout, connecting kVE TIMES RIGHT IN THE opening frame for an early 5-0 Adamson lead.

With one out at the bottom of the first, Maguad and Cantor keyed Adamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s early uprising with back-do-back singles. Shortstop Mary Nichole PaDASAS kLLED THE bases on a freebie bringing up Rusia to the box.

Rusia showed why sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homerun queen by cracking a triple that saw Maguad, Cantor and Padasas racing home one after another that stunned NUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s defenders.

Another base-hit by Herrero had Rusia crossing the plate, too. The Lady

&ALCONS DIDN T STOP THERE #ENterfielder Ma. Angelu Gabriel WAS SENT TO kNISH OFF THE JOB

which the San Marcelino-based girls did in the next two innings. &OUR RUNS IN THE SECOND AND third on two connections each HAD THE ,ADY &ALCONS LEISURELY WAITING FOR TOURNAMENT OFkCIALS to declare them winners in short fashioned way although Basa consoled the losers by gifting them a pair of runs on a pair of hits at the top of the fourth.

La Salle needed two extra innings in squeaking past a fighting University of the East, 7-6, to strengthen its grip of second place.

University of Santo Tomas, the last winner of the UAAP womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s softball plum in 2010 before Adamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streak of title conquests, worked behind back-to-back homeruns by Ma. Charlotte Sales to score a 7-0 SHUTOUT OVER !TENEO ALSO IN kVE

to remain in chase of La Salle for second position.

Sales greeted the Lady Eagles WITH A SOLO SHOT IN THE kRST FRAME before completing her rare feat in the third with two-run base-cleaner that highlighted the Tigressesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; three-run binge in the period.

That kept the Tigresses a mere one and-a-half games behind the Lady Archers in the two-team race to join Adamson as the top TWO kNISHERS FOR THE TWICE TO beat privilege.

EDDIE G. ALINEA

Q Adamson U hurler Lyca Basa shows pitching form.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ADAMSON CHRONICLER

C4

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

Football

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

manilatimes.net

Arsenal, Chelsea reach Europa League quarters L

ONDON: Arsenal completed a clean sweep of six %NGLISH SIDES THROUGH TO %UROPEAN QUARTER kNALS

BY OVERTURNING A kRST LEG DEkCIT TO BEAT 2ENNES 3-0 and progress to the Europa League last eight at the Emirates on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

OF SECONDS TO SEAL HIS HAT TRICK -EANWHILE /LIVIER 'IROUD SCORED A HAT TRICK AS #HELSEA CRUISED INTO THE %UROPA ,EAGUE QUARTERkNALS WITH AN AGGREGATE THRASHING OF $YNAMO +IEV !FTER A VICTORY IN LAST WEEK S LAST kRST LEG AT 3TAMFORD "RIDGE WINNERS #HELSEA WERE EVEN MORE DOMINANT IN +IEV DESPITE MANAGER -AURIZIO 3ARRI RINGING THE CHANGES THUMPING THE 5KRAINIANS 4HE 0REMIER ,EAGUE GIANTS ARE BIDDING FOR A kRST TROPHY UNDER THE )TALIAN AFTER LOSING LAST MONTH S %NGLISH ,EAGUE #UP kNAL TO -ANCHESTER #ITY AND HOPING TO SECURE QUALIkCATION FOR NEXT SEASON S #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE AFP

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice and also teed up Ainsley Maitland-Niles as ArseNAL JOINED #HELSEA IN &RIDAY S %UROPA ,EAGUE QUARTERkNAL DRAW AFTER ,IVERPOOL -ANCHESTER #ITY -ANCHESTER 5NITED AND 4OTTENHAM LED THE WAY IN THE #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE 7INNING THE %UROPA ,EAGUE WOULD OFFER !RSENAL THE SAFETY NET OF #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE QUALIkCATION SHOULD THEY MISS OUT ON A TIGHT BATTLE FOR A TOP FOUR kNISH IN THE 0REMIER ,EAGUE "UT 'UNNERS BOSS 5NAI %MERY WHO WON THE %UROPA ,EAGUE THREE TIMES AS 3EVILLA COACH

ALSO WANTS THE GLORY OF A TROPHY IN HIS kRST SEASON IN CHARGE g)T IS NOT ONLY THE POSSIBILITY TO GO TO #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE IT IS ONE TITLE AND WE CAN FEEL THE POSSIBILITY TO WIN ONE TITLE u SAID THE 3PANIARD 2ENNES HAD NEVER BEFORE REACHED THE LAST OF A MAJOR %UROPEAN COMPETITION AND THE SCALE OF THE TIE FOR THE &RENCH SIDE WAS EVIDENCED BY THE HUGE TRAVELING SUPPORT THEY ENJOYED (OWEVER RATHER THAN BE INSPIRED *ULIEN 3TEPHAN S side seemed intimidated by their surroundings early ON TO CONCEDE TWICE INSIDE MINUTES Arsenal quickly had the early goal they sought to get back in the tie as Aaron Ramseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s low cross WAS SWEPT HOME BY !UBAMEYANG 4HE &RENCH BORN 'ABON INTERNATIONAL WAS ALSO INVOLVED IN !RSENAL S SECOND MINUTES LATER ALTHOUGH 2ENNES WAS RIGHT TO FEEL AGGRIEVED THAT THE GOAL WAS ALLOWED TO STAND Aubameyang appeared to be clearly OFFSIDE FROM 2AMSEY S PASS WITH !RSEnalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mesut Ozil appearing to turn his BACK TO THE PLAY EXPECTING A lAG (OWEVER IT WAS NOT FORTHCOMING and with VAR not in operation in the %UROPA ,EAGUE UNLIKE THE MORE LUCRATIVE #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE -AITLAND .ILES S DOWNWARD HEADER FROM !UBAMEYANG S CROSS WAS ALLOWED TO STAND !RSENAL THOUGH THEN SAT ON THEIR lead rather than building on it and YELLOW CARD BEFORE THE &RENCH INTERCOULD EASILY HAVE PAID FOR THAT APNATIONAL WAS REPLACED BY !LEX )WOBI PROACH AFTER THE BREAK "UT MINUTES FROM TIME !RSE0ETR #ECH IN WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN NAL HAD A CUSHION WHEN 3EAD +OLASINAC S THE #ZECH GREAT S LAST GAME BEFORE RETIRING WONDERFUL LOW CROSS LEFT !UBAMEYANG FAR Eastern University (FEU) kept its hold of AT THE END OF THE SEASON HAD !RSENAL NOT WITH A SIMPLE TASK TO TAP HOME HIS ND the lead despite settling for a 1-1 draw with PROGRESSED TURNED - "AYE .IANG S SHOT GOAL OF THE SEASON AND CELEBRATED BY cellar-dweller Adamson University in Season 81 FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA ONTO THE POST PULLING ON A "LACK 0ANTHER MASK University Athletic Association of the Philippines Rennes were again unhappy with Aubameyang needed it back to hide THE ,ATVIAN OFkCIATING TEAM WHEN !LHIS EMBARRASSMENT SOON AFTER AS HE (UAAP) menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s football tournament on Thursday at exandre Lacazette escaped a second missed two glorious chances in the space the FEU-Diliman Football Field in Quezon City.Â

Q Chelseaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olivier Giroud (second from right) and Dynamo Kievâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tamas Kadar (right) fight for the ball during the UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg football match at the NSK Olimpiyskyi Stadium in Kiev.

AFP PHOTO

FEU draws with Adamson, keeps UAAP lead

Key decisions for Zidane as Madrid rebuild begins MADRID:Â Zinedine Zidane has promised change at Real Madrid this summer and the last 11 games of the season will give an indication as to who will be part of his new era.

Zidaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first match since being reappointed as coach comes against Celta Vigo on Saturday, with Madrid lying in no-manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land in La Liga, 12 points behind Barcelona in first and 10 ahead of Alaves in fifth.

Q Real Madridâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gareth Bale AFP FILE PHOTO

Atletico are away to Athletic Bilbao while Barcelona travel to Real Betis on Sunday.

But several Madrid players are playing for their futures before the campaign ends and Zidaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selection will offer early clues as to his thinking about his squad.

Here, AFP Sport looks at five areas of contention ahead of the game at the Santiago Bernabeu this weekend: Bale clean slate?

Gareth Bale was the player many hoped would step up after the departure of Cristiano Ronald o to Juventus but injuries have again disrupted his rhythm and, when fit, he has only delivered in flashes.

Zidane lost patience with Bale last year, believing the Welshman to be a liability defensively and unreliable with his fitness. The pair were barely speaking at times and while Zidaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s departure opened the door for Bale to stay, his return may now prompt his exit.

Navas or Courtois?

Keylor Navas was a favourite of Zidane, who repeatedly persuaded the club against signing a new goalkeeper, such was his faith in the Costa Rican.

After Zidane left, Madrid bought Thibaut Courtois and while Julen Lopetegui used both players, Santiago Solari put his faith in Courtois and left Navas out in the cold.

AFP

The Tamaraw Bootersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rookie Gio Pabualan struck the opener from a tight angle in the 61st minute but the Soaring Falconsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; standout Kim Bardaje headed home the equalizer just four minutes later.Â

Despite the result, FEU stayed atop the eight-team table with 12 points on an unbeaten record of three wins and three draws. Adamson remained at the bottom with three markers built on three draws against two defeats. Meanwhile, Marcel Ivan Ouano blasted a brace as National University (NU) grabbed its breakthrough victory after blanking University of the East (UE), 2-0. Ouano found the back of the net in opposite halves as the Bulldogs bagged their

governing body in June.

And any declaration of suppor t by FIFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Council on Friday would acknowledge that expansion in 2022 can only take place if one or more countries on Qatarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s borders are able to host games, according to a document seen by AFP. FIFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feasibility study into an expanded World Cup in 2022 said Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman and United Arab Emirates were potential options to host games in three years time.

But Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE would only be candidates if their govern-

out with a 54th minute strike. With the draw, the España-based Golden Booters stood steady at No. 2 with 10 points on two victories and four draws against a lone loss. On the other hand, the Maroon Booters from Diliman moved up to No. 5 with seven points on two wins and a draw against two setbacks. UP held a superior goal difference over UE but remained inferior to No. 4 Ateneo De Manila University.

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLAÂ

Q  Schalkeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Benjamin Stambouli (left) stretches to tackle Manchester Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s David Silva (right) during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England. AFP PHOTO

Guardiola stays coy as City aims to advance quadruple bid SWANSEA, UK: Pep Guardiola remains

coy about Manchester Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chances OF WINNING THE QUADRUPLE BUT HIS SIDE FACE 3WANSEA IN THE &! #UP QUARTERkNALS ON 3ATURDAY STANDING JUST GAMES AWAY FROM A CLEAN

SWEEP OF ALL FOUR MAJOR TROPHIES 'UARDIOLA S TEAM MOVED CLOSER TO THE UNPRECEDENTED SILVERWARE HAUL ON 4UESDAY AS THEY ADVANCED TO THE #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE QUARTERFINALS WITH A DEMOLITION OF 3CHALKE IN

Final decision on 48-team 2022 World Cup set in June MIAMI: FIFAÂ chiefs will decide on Friday (Saturday in Manila) whether to back an expansion of the 2022 World Cup to 48 teams but a final decision will only be taken at a meeting in Paris in June, sources said Thursday.

The FIFA Council meeting in Miami on Friday will give its verdict on an internal feasibility study which supported increasing the number of teams at the 2022 tournament in Qatar from 32 to 48, However a final vote on increasing the number of teams at the football showpiece would only be taken at a full Congress meeting of footballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global

maiden maximum markers this season. NU improved to five points on a win and two draws against three losses at No. 7 while erstwhile leading UE suffered its second straight setback and third overall, skidding to No. 6 with seven markers. In the other fixture, defending champion University of the Philippines (UP) and finals rival University of Santo Tomas (UST) battled to a 1-1 standoff. UP mainstay Roland Daniel Saavedra scored the opening goal in the 50th but UST forward Steven Anotado quickly cancelled it

ments ended a diplomatic blockade of Qatar launched in 2017, the study said.

A final decision on whether to expand the 2022 World Cup would be taken in Paris on June 6 after FIFA and Qatar jointly submit the names of potential co-host nations to the governing bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Congress.

FIFAÂ President Gianni Infantino is an enthusiastic supporter of expanding the 2022 World Cup, bringing forward an increase in the number of teams which had initially been planned for the 2026 finals staged in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The increase in teams will see the

tournament feature 80 matches instead of the 64 used in a traditional 32-team World Cup. For the 2026 tournament in North America, 60 games will be held in the United States with Canada and Mexico getting 10 games each. A similar division is anticipated for 2022, with Qatar retaining the bulk of the matches.

AÂ FIFAÂ document on Thursday said an expanded 2022 tournament would use the same format planned for 2026, with the six regional confederations would receive the same number of qualifying slots allocated for the tournament in North America.

AFP

THE LAST SECOND LEG #ITY HAVE ALREADY WON THE ,EAGUE #UP BEATING #HELSEA IN LAST MONTH S kNAL BUT THAT HAS NOT QUENCHED 'UARDIOLA S THIRST FOR MORE SUCCESS ! VICTORY AT SECOND TIER 3WANSEA WOULD SEE #ITY MOVE INTO THE &! #UP SEMI kNALS WITH THE 0REMIER ,EAGUE TITLE RACE SET TO GO DOWN TO THE WIRE #ITY ARE ONE POINT CLEAR OF SECOND PLACED ,IVERPOOL AND ALTHOUGH THE reigning champions would be knocked OFF TOP SPOT IF THE 2EDS WIN AT &ULHAM ON 3UNDAY THEY WILL HAVE A GAME IN HAND )N A BID TO KEEP THE PRESSURE OFF HIS PLAYERS 'UARDIOLA HAS TRIED TO TALK DOWN THE POSSIBILITY OF #ITY WINNING ALL FOUR TROPHIES SOMETHING THAT NO TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF THE %NGLISH GAME HAS MANAGED g) SAID SO MANY TIMES AND ) KNOW you are generous and thank you so MUCH GUYS BUT EVERY TIME YOU MAKE THAT COMMENT WE LOSE A COMPETITION

SO ) THINK YOU PROVOKE ME IN THAT WAY SO THE NEXT ONE WE WILL SEE u joked Guardiola recently when asked ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF A QUADRUPLE 3WANSEA CURRENTLY MID TABLE IN THE

#HAMPIONSHIP ARE NOT EXPECTED TO POSE A MAJOR THREAT TO #ITY BUT STERNER tests lie in wait in what promises to A BE A DRAMATIC kNALE TO THE SEASON 4HE #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE HAS PROVIDED SOME PAINFUL MOMENTS FOR 'UARDIOLA WHO WON THE TOURNAment twice as Barcelona boss but HAS NOT LIFTED THE TROPHY SINCE Yet with English clubs constitutING HALF OF THE EIGHT TEAMS IN THE #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE QUARTERFINALS

THERE ARE FEW OPPONENTS REMAINING WHO CAN INTIMIDATE #ITY ESPECIALLY with traditional powers such as Real -ADRID AND "AYERN -UNICH HAVING ALREADY EXITED THE COMPETITION %VEN SO GIVEN THE MAGNITUDE OF THE ACHIEVEMENT #ITY IS CHASING THE HYPE SURROUNDING HIS TEAM AT PRESENT APPEARS MUTED 4HE LAST AND SO FAR ONLY %NGLISH CLUB TO WIN THE TREBLE OF 0REMIER ,EAGUE &! #UP AND #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE WAS -ANCHESTER 5NITED UNDER !LEX &ERGUSON IN 'UARDIOLA HIMSELF ACHIEVED THE EQUIVALENT IN 3PAIN WITH "ARCELONA IN

AFP

SSATURDAY AT U R DAY MARCH 16, 2019

Entertainment

D1

www.manilatimes.net

JOYCE PRING

Woman of contradictions,

woman in control

M

ODEL and multi-media personality Joyce Pring burst through the doors of a Quezon City resto one brunch time this week, a bundle of contagious energy and interesting contradictions.

(ER OUTkT OF CHOICE TO START WITH ASKED FOR THE SCORE BETWEEN WAS DAINTY MODEST AND SWEET AS H E R A N D H E R W E L L K N O W N SHE PAIRED A CROPPED LACE TOP WITH SUITOR Ý5NANG (IRITÝ CO HOST HIGH WAISTED * U A N C H O 4R I PALAZZO PANTS V I N O W H O M IN THE LIGHTEST SHE SAYS IS STILL SHADE OF PEACH IN THE COURTING TESSA MAURICIO STAGE )T WAS A DEkNITE CONTRAST TO THE -ARRIOLA g) LIKE TO BE ROWS OF DARK WOOED u *OYCE HIEROGLYPHIC GIGGLED g) WAS TATTOOS THAT RAN UP AND DOWN HER RAISED IN A VERY HUMBLE #HRISTIAN ARMS BUT NOTHING LOOKED AMISS HOUSEHOLD AND WHEN IT COMES TO *OYCE MADE IT WORK AND BEAUTI RELATIONSHIPS ) M NOT ONE TO RUSH FULLY TOO JUST AS SHE PULLED OFF A INTO ANYTHING !ND AT MY AGE NEAT CHIGNON AND GLADLY THREW IT ) M TURNING IN -AY ) BELIEVE BACK EVERY TIME SHE CRACKED A JOKE IT S ALSO THE RIGHT TIME TO CONSIDER 4HESE gCONTRADICTIONS THAT A REAL COMMITMENT WITH SOMEONE

WORK u TRIVIAL AS THEY SEEM MADE SO ) M AT THE STAGE WHERE ) D LIKE TO MORE AND MORE SENSE AS *OYCE GEN TAKE MY TIME IN GETTING TO KNOW A EROUSLY OPENED UP ABOUT HERSELF IN PERSON BETTER u THE COURSE OF THE INTERVIEW !ND #AREFUL AS SHE IS IN LOVE HOW WHAT FOLLOWED IN FACT IS A TIMELY EVER *OYCE ESPOUSES THE MIL STORY FOR THE ONGOING CELEBRATION LENNIAL S 9/,/ 9OU /NLY ,IVE OF 7OMEN S -ONTH AS THE YEAR /NCE MENTALITY HEARTILY IN OTHER OLD UNWITTINGLY EMPOWERS FELLOW ASPECTS OF HER LIFE (ER WELL KNOWN FEMALES TO EMBRACE WHO THEY ARE PENCHANT FOR EXTREME SPORTS IS A NO MATTER THEIR EXTREME FACETS PERFECT EXAMPLE HAVING SEEN HER g) KNOW ) SEEM LIBERATED TO IN THE 6IOS #UP RACING CARS CON MOST PEOPLE BECAUSE ) M OPIN QUERING TRIATHLONS AND GOING INTO IONATED AND VERY STRAIGHTFORWARD -ARTIAL !RTS IN EVERYTHING ) SAY BUT TO TELL YOU g) WAS NEVER SPORTY AS A KID THE TRUTH ) M REALLY CONSERVATIVE BUT ) REALIZED ) HAD TO BE IN MANY WAYS u *OYCE A TRUE BLUE WHEN ) STARTED HOSTING MILLENNIAL REVEALED UNASHAMEDLY AN ADVENTURE AND 3HE ADMITTED BEING SO WHEN TRAVEL SHOW FOR AN

THE T-ZONE

INTERNATIONAL COMPANY EARLY ON IN MY CAREER 3OBRANG LAMPA KO AS IN LANGOY ASO WHEN ) HAD TO SWIM AND ) KNEW IT DIDN T LOOK GOOD ON 46 u SHE EXPLAINED g3INCE THEN ) VE COME TO LIKE THE NICHE MARKET OF SPORTS u *OYCE FURTHER SEEMS TO ENJOY TAKING EVERY OPPORTUNITY SHE CAN WHEN IT COMES TO HER PASSIONS RELATING WITH P E O P L E AND MUSIC GIVEN HER BACK TO BACK COMMIT MENTS ! REG ULAR HOST ON '-! .ETWORK S E A R L Y MORN I N G PRO

GRAM 5NANG (IRIT AND MUSIC SHOW g+APUSO !RTISTAMBAYAN u THE BUSY BODY IS ALSO A SOUGHT AFTER EVENTS HOST VLOGGER WRITER SINGER AND 7ORLD 6ISION !MBASSADOR 0AST HOSTING STINTS FOR HER MO THER STUDIO ;SHE OFkCIALLY JOINED '-! !RTISTS #ENTER IN = IN CLUDE WEB SERIES g!LL !CCESSu WHERE SHE TOOK VIEWERS BEHIND THE SCENES OF '-! SHOWS AND THE TOP RATING SINGING COMPETITION g4HE #LASHu AS BACKSTAGE HOSTS /N HER OWN *OYCE WHO START ED VERY EARLY ON WITH HER SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE PRODUCES HER SUCCESSFUL PODCAST Û!DULTING7ITH*OYCE 0RING AND REMAINS VERY ACTIVE UP LOADING VLOGS ON HER 9OU 4UBE CHANNEL EVERY WEEK )N THE SEC OND QUARTER OF THIS YEAR

*OYCE WILL RE LEASE A SINGLE SHE WROTE BUT NOT BEFORE SHE TAKES ON AN ALL NEW CHAL L E N G E A S CO ANCHOR O F ' - ! .EWS AND 0UBLIC !FFAIRS ONLINE NEWS CAST g3TAND FOR 4RUTH u POWERED BY '-! S $IGI TAL 6IDEO ,AB

Reminiscing the good old days of moviemaking A

"3 #". S TOP RATED TELESERYE LIFE 4HIS INCLUDES 2ONALDO 6ALDEZ AS g,OS "ASTARDOSu IS SORT OF A GRAND SUITOR TO 'LORIA $IAZ IN ANOTHER kLM REUNION VEHICLE FOR VETERAN ACTORS OF #ELSO +ID DESIGNED AND BILLED FROM THE SO CALLED MAINSTREAM MOV AS g!NG $AIGDIG !Y )SANG "UTIL .A IEMAKING DAYS LIKE 2ONALDO 6ALDEZ

,UHA u WHICH LAUNCHED -ANILYN 'LORIA $IAZ )SABEL 2IVAS 2OSANNA 2EYNES 4HE SAME WITH 2OSANNA 2OCES AND %FREN 2EYES *R ULTIMATE SINE QUA NON IN THOSE DAYS 2OCES WHO WAS UNDER #ELSO +ID IN 5NLIKE SOME VETERAN STARS OF THEIR THE STAFF AND ACTORS HAD ENOUGH TIME A *APANESE WAR kLM GENRE CALIBER SAID ACTORS BREEZED THROUGH TO MINGLE WITH ONE ANOTHER THROUGH !S REGARDS %FREN 2EYES *R HE THE LEAN DAYS CAUSED BY THE SHUT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROJECT WAS ONE OF THE kRST ACTING FOR kLM DOWN OF MOVIE PRODUCTIONS THAT 'LORIA AND )SABEL RECALLED MISS WORKSHOPPERS TOGETHER WITH $ENNIS WERE THEN CONSIDERED AN INDUSTRY ING THE DAYS TOGETHER WITH %LIZABETH 2OLDAN ,LOYD 3AMARTINO 2OSEMARIE AND SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD FOR MOST OF /ROPESA $ENNIS 2OLDAN AND %DDIE $E 6ERA THE 3ANDICO BROTHERS AND ITS PRACTITIONERS ON AND OFF CAMERA 'ARCIA 4HEY WOULD LAZE AROUND AND OTHERS SPEARHEADED FOR !GRIX &ILMS /F THE AFOREMENTIONED 'LORIA CHATTER FOR SOME HOURS ON THE SANDY 4HIS OPENED DOORS FOR %FREN AND HIS AND 2ONALDO EASILY CROSSED THE ME BEACH AND CLEAR WATER OF 4ULAY "U BATCHMATES IN SHOWBIZ DIUM OF 46 AND kLMS LORDED OVER HANGIN OF 0ADRE "URGOS 1UEZON 4O THE ACTORS IN ISSUE THEIR BY 3TAR #INEMA 4HIS TOOK OVER THE BEFORE THEY WERE CALLED TO THE SET RECOLLECTIONS WILL FOREVER BE PLACE OF THE TRADITIONAL MOVIEMAK OF g5HAW .A $AGATu BY THE MAV ETCHED IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL ING THAT USED THE CONVENTIONAL kLM ERICK DIRECTOR #ELSO !D #ASTILLO MEMORY BANKS TO USE EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS AS OP THE AXIOM OF +ONSTANTIN #AVEAT WAS THE kLM S SCENAR POSED TO THE MEDIUM OF VIDEO OR IO WRITER BUT UNCREDITED 3TANISLAVSKY THE FORE THE HANDY DIGITAL NOW USED IN INDIE BECAUSE OF A TRIP RUNNER OF REALIS kLMS AND THE SO CALLED COMMERCIAL ABROAD HOWEVER

TIC AND TRUTHFUL kLMS &ORTUITOUSLY THE TECHNOLOGY GAINED THE GENU ACTING FOR THEATER OF THE DIGITAL HAS APPROXIMATED THE INE FRIENDSHIP OF AND kLM QUALITY OF CONVENTIONAL kLMMAK SAID ACTORS FOR ING ALBEIT IT HAS A LONG WAY TO GO TO IMPROVE UPON IT /N THE OTHER HAND 2OSANNA WAS IMPERCEPTIBLY DOING INDIE kLMS AT THE FRINGES WHILE %FREN WAS ACTIVE ON BOTH MEDIUMS )SABEL 2IVAS MARRIED WELL TO AN !MERICAN WIDOWER IN THE 3TATES AND STAYED THERE FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS UNTIL "USI NESS 5NIT HEAD AND DIRECTOR 2UEL "AYANI THOUGHT OF GET TING HER TO PLAY THE EFFECTIVE HATEFUL VILLAIN TO THE PATRIARCH 2ONALDO AND WIFE 'LORIA IN SAID TELESERYE )NCIDENTALLY #AVEAT HAD A GRAND TIME RECALLING THE GOOD OLD DAYS WITH THE SAID ACTORS SMORGASBOARD IN A MEDIA LAUNCH 2ELATIONSHIP THEN BETWEEN ACTORS AND PRODUC TION STAFF WAS HINGED ON A MORE PERSONAL LEVEL 2ACING AGAINST TIME DEADLINE AND KILLING PRESSURES WEREN T THE Q Isabel Rivas is a hateful villain in ‘Los Bastardos.’

CAVEAT GEORGE VAIL KABRISTANTE

Q A citizen of the digital age, Joyce Pring still loves tradition in her heart of hearts. g) M VERY HONORED ) WAS ASKED TO JOIN THIS WEEKNIGHT NEWSCAST WHICH IS HEADED BY AWARD WINNING BROADCAST JOURNALIST !TOM !RAULLO WITH '-! 2ESIDENT !NALYST 2ICH ARD (EYDARIAN u SHE ENTHUSED g) VE BEEN GIVEN A MUSIC SEGMENT AND ) M EXCITED TO BE A PART OF '-! S CONSTANT EFFORTS TO ENGAGE THEIR AUDIENCE WITH NEW MATERIALS IN THE DIGITAL PLATFORM g,IKE ) SAID ) VE BEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA EVEN BEFORE 4WITTER &ACE BOOK AND )NSTAGRAM CAME ALONG ) WAS ON -ULTIPLY AND 4UMBLR FROM THE VERY START SO YOU WILL SEE WHY )fM VERY MUCH AN ADVO CATE OF CONNECTING PEOPLE u !CCORDING TO *OYCE SHE IS EAGER TO SEE HOW VIEWERS ESPECIALLY PEO PLE HER AGE WHO ARE SO ENGROSSED IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE )NTERNET WILL RESPOND TO THIS DIGITAL NEWSCAST g) M ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MY CO HOSTS AND MEETING THE AMAZING ROSTER OF &ILIPINO MUSICIANS TO BE FEATURED ON MY SEGMENT u SHE ADDED 3HE THEN GOES TO ANOTHER EX TREME TO EXPLAIN WHY SHE TOOK ON 3TAND FOR THE 4RUTH WHEN HER SCHEDULE IS ALREADY MAXED OUT WITH 5NANG (IRITfS A M PULL OUTS LIVE

TELECASTS AND DAILY PREPARATIONS

ON TOP OF HER ONLINE PRODUCTIONS )TfS HER COMPELLING ADVOCACY FOR RESPONSIBLE USE OF THE INTERNET “'USTO KONG MAGKAROON NG PAG KAKATAON TO SERVE THE PUBLIC IN THIS WAY AND SHOW OUR AUDIENCES NA WE CAN USE SOCIAL MEDIA PROPERLY

IN TERMS OF CREATING SUBSTANTIAL CONTENT SPREADING ONLY TRUTHFUL MATERIAL AND TRUSTING THAT THE &ILIPINOS YEARN TO KNOW MORE AND BE MORE FOR THE GREATER GOOD 9OU CAN BE IN CONTROL OF SOCIAL MEDIA IF YOU KEEP THIS MINDSET u #LEARLY A CITIZEN OF THE DIGITAL AGE *OYCE ENDED THIS JAMPACKED EXCHANGE WITH YET ANOTHER REVELA TION OF HER HAPPY CONTRADICTIONS !SKED WHETHER SHE BELIEVES THAT THE )NTERNET WILL EVENTUALLY BE THE ULTIMATE PLATFORM FOR COM MUNICATION SHE REPLIED g$OING DIGITAL FEELS LIKE ANOTHER LIMB TO ME ALREADY SINCE ) STARTED ON SOCIAL MEDIA ALMOST YEARS AGO "UT NO

IT S JUST LIKE +INDLE WHICH NEVER KILLED PUBLISHING LIKE THEY SAID IT WOULD 46 RADIO AND PUBLISHING WILL NEVER GO AWAY BECAUSE ) BE LIEVE THAT AS DIGITALLY SAVVY AS WE ARE TODAY IN OUR HEART OF HEARTS

WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE TRADITION Ý

Newcomer makes strong presence in Sylvia Sanchez’ movie “A

S A kRST TIMER HE DID VERY WELL ON HIS &ILM &ESTIVAL WHICH OPENS ON !PRIL VERY kRST SCREEN APPEARANCE u SAID 2ONALD NNN #ARBALLO THE DIRECTOR WRITER OF g*ESUSA u TALKING '5%33 7(/ ! TALENT MANAGER WHO BOOKED ABOUT NEWCOMER 5NO 3ANTIAGO WHO IS BEING IN AN OUT OF TOWN SHOW FOR TWO NEWCOMERS VOWED TRODUCED IN THE kLM TOPBILLED BY 3YLVIA 3ANCHEZ TO NEVER TO WORK WITH THEM AGAIN g)N HIS SHORT BUT MEANINGFUL 4HE TALENT MANAGER RUES THE TWO ROLE AS A TEENAGER WHO SHOWED NEWCOMERS DIDN T EVEN BOTHER TO AFFECTION AND CONCERN TO *ESUSA

THANK THE PERSON WHO PAID FOR 5NO DISPLAYED SINCERITY AND A THEIR TALENT FEES FOR THE EVENT !ND CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE WORST THEY ALSO DIDN T WANT TO THAT HE IS PLAYING (E PREPARED GRANT THE REQUEST OF THEIR FANS FOR AND STUDIED HIS ROLE VERY WELL

PHOTO OPS WITH THEM AIDED BY THE ONE ON ONE WORKSHOP THAT HE HAD g&EELING SIKATu WAS HOW THE TALENT MANAGER WITH DIREK #ONNIE -ACATUNO OF !"3 #". u THE DESCRIBED THE TWO NEWCOMERS 4HE TWO DIDN T DIRECTOR ADDED EVEN BOTHER TO APPRECIATE THE 'IVEN A GOOD FOLLOW EFFORT OF THEIR FANS WHO CAME UP PROJECT HOPEFULLY A FROM -ANILA JUST TO SEE THEM MAINSTREAM MOVIE $IREK 4HE GIRL MEMBER OF THE 2ONALD BELIEVES 5NO WILL TEAM MUST BE THINKING SHE S GO PLACES AND WILL BE THE VERY POPULAR ALREADY AND IS NEWEST MATINEE IDOL ACTOR A LOOKER WHEN IF TRUTH SHE IS TO WATCH OUT FOR NOT THAT PRETTY AT ALL %VEN IF !CCORDING TO $IREK 2ONALD

SHE PUT ON MAKEUP SHE STILL 5NO IS A COMPLETE PACKAGE LOOKED HOMELY g(E IS GOOD LOOKING TALL

#ONTRARY TO THE CLAIM OF WITH A GOOD PHYSIQUE (E IS SOME PEOPLE THAT SHE IS EDUCATED IN THE 5NITED 3TATES VERY PRETTY AND LOOKS LIKE A BUT SPEAKS 4AGALOG lUENTLY MODEL SHE WAS JUST A PLAIN !ND HIS BIGGEST ASSET IS HE CAN *ANE WHEN 2OVING %YE SAW ACT WELL DESPITE NOT HAVING ANY HER AT AN EVENT .OT THAT SHE ACTING EXPERIENCE WHATSOEVER u IS UGLY BUT SHE IS DEkNITELY )T WAS $ADDIE 7OWIE NOT IN THE LEAGUE OF STARS YOU Q Promising newcomer Uno Santiago.

2OXAS THE MANAGER OF )SKO CAN SAY AS TRULY BEAUTIFUL -ORENO WHO DISCOVERED 5NO IN A MALL 4HE /N THE OTHER HAND HER SCREEN PARTNER IS LANKY YEAR OLD ATTRACTED THE TALENT MANAGER S JUST A MESTIZO AND IS NOT THAT GOOD LOOKING ATTENTION BECAUSE OF HIS GOOD LOOKS EITHER ENOUGH TO MAKE HEADS TURN OR GIVE HIM $ADDIE 7OWIE ALSO LEARNED 5NO WAS THE SON A SECOND LOOK OF A FORMER DANCER WHO WAS UNDER HIS TUTELAGE 4HIS IS THE PROBLEM OF STARS WHICH CAME MANY YEARS AGO )T S A SMALL WORLD INDEED FROM REALITY SHOWS THEY THINK THEY ARE 5NO IS VERY HAPPY TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE BREAK POPULAR JUST BECAUSE THEY HAVE STRONG EN TO BE PART OF *ESUSA AND TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY GAGEMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO WORK ALONGSIDE 3YLVIA WHOM HE DESCRIBED AS 4HEY PROBABLY MERIT SOME ATTENTION ON SOCIAL gAN AMAZING ACTRESS u MEDIA BUT THEIR POPULARITY IS NOT ORGANIC NOT g4ITA 3YLVIA IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF ME IN OUR AN ACCURATE BAROMETER THAT THEY CAN MAKE A SCENES 3HE TOLD ME NOT TO GET NERVOUS SINCE IF ) MOVIE A BIG HIT GET NERVOUS CHANCES ARE ) MIGHT FORGET MY LINES !RE THE FOLLOWERS OF THESE SHOWBIZ NEWCOMERS AND WON T BE ABLE TO DO OUR SCENE WELL u SAID 5NO ENOUGH TO kLL UP THEATERS NATIONWIDE 4HEY WHO IS $ADDIE 7OWIE S kRST ALAGA AS HE MAKES HIS ARE YET TO HAVE A POPULAR 46 SERIES OR HIT MOVIE SHOWBIZ COMEBACK AS TALENT MANAGER 0OPULARITY DOESN T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT 4HE )NCIDENTALLY *ESUSA IS ONE OF THE OFFICIAL STARS HAVE TO EARN IT THROUGH GOOD WORK AND ENTRIES TO THE 3INAG -AYNILA )NDEPENDENT GOOD ATTITUDE AS WELL

ROVING EYE RO RICKY CALDERON CA

D2

Funtimes

SATURDAY March 16, 2019

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

REDUCING THE LUCK FACTOR

A competent declarer is expected to take full advantage of a favorable lie of the opponentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cards whenever that occurs and, equally important, to overcome an unfavorable lie of the cards whenever it is possible to do so.

Examine this deal where West leads a club against four spades. Declarer wins with dummyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s queen and plays a trump to the ace, on which East shows

Âť CROSSWORD

out. This is an unlucky development, since the odds heavily favor a 2-1 division of the suit.

Now saddled with an unexpected trump loser, South is in danger of going down in a contract that a moment earlier appeared certain.

The outcome at this point seems to depend on whether East or West has the ace of hearts.

But it would be a mistake for declarer to stake the outcome solely on the location of the heart ace. To lead a heart to the king at this stage would place too much reliance on the element of luck and, in the actual deal, would prove fatal.

Instead, declarer should cash the king of spades and A-K of diamonds, then ruff a diamond. A club to the ace is followed by leading dummyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last diamond, but when East follows with the queen, South discards a heart instead of ruffing!

This simple but elegant move endplays East. He is forced to return a heart to dummyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s king or concede a ruff-and-discard. Either way, South loses only three tricks.

By adopting this line of play, declarer gives himself an extra chance to make the contract. He does not know which opponent has four diamonds, or who has the ace of hearts, but it costs him nothing to try for the endplay before touching the heart suit. Š2019 King Features Syndicate Inc.

BY EUGENE SHEFFER

Solution to puzzle

By Samantha Weaver

ÂťHOROSCOPE Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday (03/16/19). Your career rockets to new summits this year. Steady practice strengthens your teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills. Love HQFKDQWV \RX DJDLQ WKLV VXPPHU LQĂ&#x20AC;XHQFLQJ D VKLIW ZLWK D JURXS SURMHFW &RPPXQLW\ DFWLRQ ZLQV QH[W ZLQWHU EHIRUH VKLIWLQJ YLHZV XQYHLO D PDWWHU RI KHDUW &RQQHFW DQG VKDUH IRU FRPPRQ JDLQ To get the advantage, check the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Talk about a cause that pulls at your heart. Conversations can illuminate longterm possibilities. Rest and review. Relax with friends, family and someone attractive.

â&#x20AC;˘ It is still not known who made the following sage observation: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The difference between â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;involvementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;commitmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is like an eggsand-ham breakfast: The chicken was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;involvedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;; the pig was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;committed.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Those who study such things say that if you were (for reasons unspecified) to eat the liver of a polar bear, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d die. The amount of vitamin A stored in that organ constitutes a fatal dose for humans. â&#x20AC;˘ You might be surprised to learn that high-quality opals can be more valuable than diamonds. â&#x20AC;˘ John Tyler, born March 29, 1790, was the 10th president of the United States. He was married twice and had a total of 15 children. These children, collectively, were witness to a surprisingly large swath of American history. The oldest, Mary Tyler Jones, was born in 1815, the year that saw the end of the War of 1812; the youngest, Pearl Tyler Ellis, survived until 1947, two years after the end of World War II. â&#x20AC;˘ The next time youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re planning a trip to Indiana, keep in mind that in that state it is illegal to talk behind a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back or engage in â&#x20AC;&#x153;spiteful gossiping.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ In 1915, the average annual income for a family in the United States was $687, the equivalent of $17,088 today. â&#x20AC;˘ In 1889, a magazine called The Literary Digest made the following prediction: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ordinary â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;horseless carriageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is at present a luxury for the wealthy, and although its price will probably fall in the future, it will never, of course, come into as common use as the bicycle.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ Squirrels are wonderful foresters.

Every year, thousands of trees grow from caches of nuts and acorns that squirrels forgot about. *** Thought for the Day: â&#x20AC;&#x153;An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered; an adventure is an inconvenience rightly considered.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Gilbert Keith Chesterton Š 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

BY NANCY BLACK LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Discuss new developments. Work out your team strategy. Use what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re learning and adapt to conditions. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take things personally. Focus on a shared goal.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Another professional level tempts. Develop your skills, and apply them to a challenge. Obsess for a solution until itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolved. Your quick action draws praise.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Explore a curiosity or required necessity. Your wandering feet keep walking. Dig for the facts of a situation. Stretch your mind with new thinking.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Do what you promised, especially at home. Slow down, and listen to the ones you love. +RXVHKROG LVVXHV EHQHÂżW IURP \RXU ORYLQJ JXLGDQFH DQG VXSSRUW

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Handle financial matters. Get terms in writing. File papers, budgets and invoices. Manage insurance or investments. Work out the numbers, and sign contracts.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re exceptionally quick. Write and publish. Edit and polish carefully before sharing. Prepare your message and test it out before going public.

Planning pays off.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- A partnership unfolds naturally in conversation. Adapt to changes on the ground.

Learn from an older person who has been where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going. Collaborate for shared gain.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) -- Today is a 9 -- A small investment now can produce high long-term returns. Consider a labor-saving device. Make financial plans and budgets. Extra income is possible today and tomorrow.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Prioritize physical fitness and health. Slow to avoid accidents. Unexpected hurdles are easily sidestepped at lower velocity. Focus on your movements and then stillness.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Discover a personal epiphany. Find out something new about yourself. Make long-term plans and visions. Write them down for later consideration. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting stronger.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Reflect and review.

Remember a long-considered dream. Finish up an old project. Peace and quiet soothe your spirit. Savor time in nature. Rest and recharge.

Âť SUDOKU

(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Blackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack. For more astrological interpretations like todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 yesterdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s puzzle.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

D3

w w w.manilatimes.net

LIFESTYLE@MANILATIMES.NET

SATURDAY MARCH 16, 2019

Cindy Kurletoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple steps towards defying 40, beautifully

BY IZA IGLESIAS

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OR women today, the thought of aging is already beyond physically growing old. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about feeling accomplished, CONkDENT AND CHALLENGED IN MOTIVATING WAYS to chase oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal goals and new opportunities. But of course, women being women, they also want to look their best while standing out.

The same goes for Cindy Kurleto who is best remembered as a popular MTV VJ in the 2000s, as well as a top commercial model, part-time actress [she was Cassiopea in the hit series â&#x20AC;&#x153;Encantadiaâ&#x20AC;? and its prequel/sequel â&#x20AC;&#x153;Etheriaâ&#x20AC;?], and one-time â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eat Bulagaâ&#x20AC;? host.

As she went from celebrity teenager to womanhood, however, Kurleto eventually left showbiz 12 years ago when she fell in love and married British-Bajan businessman Daniel, a former expat in the Philippines. With her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job taking him to other parts of the world, so too did Kurleto leave the country to live in differENT CITIES kNALLY SETTLING IN Vienna, Austria, her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hometown.

Now a mother of two, Kurleto has never been busy with her family life â&#x20AC;&#x201D; what she considers to be her achievement today, and rightly so. And while raising her kids and running a household, she makes sure to lead an active lifestyle to stay healthy and follow a simple but effective skin regimen to look good.

Now 39 years old, Kurletoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simple steps to defy the coming of her 40s is a holistic process that INVOLVES EATING RIGHT KEEPING kT

and using products that complement oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skin type and age.

New Myra girl In the country for a visit, Kurleto happily accepted an offer from UL Skin Sciences Inc., to represent its latest anti-aging innovation Myra Ultimate. Very much in line with the former modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice of us-

ing products ideal for her age, the product promises to be a gamechanger for women of her generation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The brand understands the changing needs o f

es whatever the circumstance, whatever the age,â&#x20AC;? she continued.

The new product is a vitaminbased skin supplement containing rich antioxidants that help reduce kNE LINES AND LIGHTEN DARK SPOTS At the heart of its formulation is astaxanthin, which is recognized as one of the most powerful antioxidants to date.

Known as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;king of carotenoids,â&#x20AC;? which can be found in certain algae, astaxanthin is found to be 6,000 times

more effective than Vitamin C and 10 times more effective than betacarotene. These then help stimulate collagen production to maintain suppleness and address wrinkle formation, as well as decrease melanin production to minimize age spots, freckles, and dark eye circles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Skin loses elasticity as women age which result to the appearance of DARK SPOTS AND kNE LINES THAT DEEPEN over time,â&#x20AC;? shared dermatologist, Dr. Winlove Mojica to The Manila Times Look Book in a media event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Collagen production is essential for youthful-looking skin because it gives structure to our cells. But when you hit the age of 35, it begins to taper off. This, in turn, causes the skin to lose its fullness and signs of aging begin to appear,â&#x20AC;? she continued.

Age beautifully

Filipino women t o d ay a n d we formulated Myra Ultimate to encourage them, particularly those who are 35 years old and above who are experiencing signs of skin a ging, to keep on creating new opportunities and take on lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chang-

Q When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re busy rocking your twenties, thirties, and beyond, you need something quick, convenient, and easy to use that fits with your busy lifestyle. This sheet mask makes your skin appear bouncier so you can get on with enjoying your age.

Q Cindy Kurleto is best remembered as a popular MTV VJ in the 2000s, a top commercial model, a part-time actress, and one-time â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Eat Bulagaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; host.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is so much more for women like us can add into our arsenal to combat the feeling or worry of aging like Myra Ultimate.

Aging gracefully shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be something to be scared of â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t walk through life thinking as women, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not allowed to age, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re absolutely allowed to age. And aging is not contrary to being beautiful,â&#x20AC;? Kurleto shared. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the more we age, the more content we become and the more we realize what our lives should be like, the more beautiful weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to be.

So take the worry out away from your head,â&#x20AC;? she rallied.

According to her, motherhood helped her toward this positive outlook. She realized she needed to rethink her lifestyle for the betTER BY LOOKING AFTER HERSELF kRST SO she can better look after others. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Most of the women who have children, you know that looking after your loved ones is a full time job. And I can support that statement now that I am a mother that if I want to be able to look after my loved ones, ) HAVE TO kRST LOOK AFTER MYSELF ) HAVE TO LOVE MYSELF kRST BEFORE ) CAN LOVE my husband and my children. This is my mantra,â&#x20AC;? she declared.

Q Today, she is a 39-year-old wife and mother of two whose mantra is to love and take care of herself to be the best homemaker for her family.

How to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;maskâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ageing WHY are sheet masks taking the It is enriched with Community beauty industry over by storm?

Trade organic babassu oil from Brazil Celebrities, beauty known for its moisturjunkies and influizing properties and encers are certainly three plant stem cells: all over Instagram edelweiss from the with their selfies rugged Italian alps and sheet masks on. and criste marine and Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s because sea holly from Britthese on-the-go tany coast. sheet masks give skin Known for their reinstant hydration for generative properties, healthier, smoother these plant stem cells and bouncier look. constantly renew themâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Skin is made up selves, helping them to of about 70 percent withstand environmenwater, and when it tal aggressor and repair dries out it stops damage. In just one functioning at its use, the mask infuses optimum.,â&#x20AC;? says Jenthe potent ingredients nifer Hirsch, Beauty deep into the skin makBotanist for The ing it look healthier, Body Shop. smoother and bouncier.

To help the planet Finally, this 100 bounce back, The he Body p percent vegan sheet Shop is releasing ng their m mask is revolutionfirst sheet mask k as the a ary because it is econewest addition n to their cconsciously made bestselling Drops ps of w with cellulose fiber Youth range. d derived from renewThe iconic Drops ps of Youth a ably sourced wood Youth Concentrate te Sheet p pulp. It is highly Mask gives intense se hydrab breathable, delivtion to the skin in n just e ers products deeper 15 minutes. Thus, s, it is iinto skin and feels perfect for those e who a as comfortable as eir ssecond skin. want to treat their skin and also Most impressive of a focus on enall, after use, the sheet ccan be placed in home joying their ccompost bin to deage despite Q Sheet masks are the quickest way to an anti- gr their busy grade, giving back to the ageing routine. lifestyles. environment.

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SATURDAY MARCH 16, 2019

EDITOR Tessa Mauricio-Arriola STAFF WRITERS Christina Alpad & Iza Iglesias DESKMAN Arlo Custodio

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‘ TA P E S T R Y ’

ashioning stories of the ilipina for Women’s Month

BY NIKA ROQUE

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S the world marks International Women’s Month, the Gender2ESPONSIVE %CONOMIC !CTIONS FOR the Transformation (Great) of Women has TURNED THEIR ADVOCACY UP A STYLISH NOTCH BY GIVING WOMEN A LARGER PLATFORM TO SHARE their talent at The Shangri-La Makati.

Dubbed “Tapestry,” the month-long celebration honors Filipino culture and empowerment primarily through fashion among other art forms.

Great Women gives women and their communities or small businesses the opportunity to be known on a global scale by partnering with big-time names in any lifestyle industry, the most notable one being Christian Louboutin last year.

This year, they chose to spotlight Filipina weavers and their products as their every one of

their fashion pieces tell a story.

Unfortunately, this communitybased livelihood is slowly decreasing, thus Great Women’s vital contribution with this project.

Textile weaving has always carried a special place in Filipino culture with their tapestries often seen to preserve tradition amid modern times.

“In those textile pieces are lives

Q Modern takes with indigenous weaves made by Filipinas in marginalized communities.

of mothers, women at war or women who are just trying hard to make a living,” said Jeannie *AVELOSA CHIEF VISIONARY OFkCER of Great Women. “Our brand is about revitalizing the tradition so that a living culture sustains livelihood for a longer term.”

As she took The Manila Times Look Book around the exhibit, she picked up a colorful piece and talked about its weaver — a woman in Marawi who used weaving as her healing process after their home was ransacked during the war.

“She came up with this beautiful exquisite piece which now a proud part of the Great Women collection,” she enthused.

Javelosa emphasized that when locally made materials are used in fashion, the practice helps empower women around the country, many of them often marginalized like those in evacuation centers.

Besides weaving, the exhibit advocates sustainable fashion, or making clothing from old threads and other recyclable materials.

“The stories of simple pieces also speak about the innovation we are out to set on the platform for Great Women. It is after all about collaboration with women to create change not just in their lives but in the industry we are in.”

Available for viewing all throughout Women’s Month is a textile installation at the hotel lobby.

Meanwhile, on March 30 Great Women will showcase hablon and patadyong from Panay, habi from Camarines Sur and backstrap looms textiles from the Bagobo Tagabawa and Maranoa tribes, designed with contemporary prints and styles, at the Makati Shangri-La lobby lounge.

Finally, on March 29 to 31, they will hold a trunk show to enable local fashion designers to sell their creations featuring these community-made materials to the international market.

Prom looks – now!

Q Preppy and plaid for him; sheer and short for her.

PROMS are no longer what they used to be, and neither is the fashion.

While traditional prom silhouettes with high fashion details will always be mainstays, many of today’s youth are more inclined to choose prom ensembles that reflect individualism, personal tastes and creative modern expressions.

Taking the cue from the millennial style, The SM Store’s SM Youth collection has therefore unveiled the ultra modern #SMYouth-Prom line for this year’s juniors and seniors.

For girls, white reigns supreme as shown in elegant short dresses that flow with feminine touches like sheer fabrics, ruffles, and bows. For bolder, more unconventional look, there are Aztec printed dresses and jumpsuits.

For guys, meanwhile, pattern play with plaids and leopard print accents are fail-proof. They can also rock prom night with monochromes and oversized silhouette.

Check more style inspirations below.

Q But pink is still in!

Q She’s sweet in bows; he rocks in monochrom.

Q Prom prints — from leopard to Aztec.

Q More pattern play for prom.

Q The non-conventional: Aztec printed jumpsuit for her and oversized suit for him.