The Manila Times | March 17, 2019

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FIVE FRESH WOMEN WHO ART IN THE SHAPE THEIR WORLDS PARK PICKS

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Trusted since 1898

IN FULL SWING Personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways continue dredging operations in Manila Bay as the rehabilitation program enters its second month. The government hopes that the massive cleanup that would cost P47 billion would lead to the reduction of the coliform level to make the bay fit for swimming and fishing.

PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA

Dams, dams everywhere, but no water to spare SUNDAY STORIES MARLEN V. RONQUILLO

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HE in-depth congressional study on the state of Philippine agriculture undertaken 20 years ago turned out a comprehensive document on what was wrong with Philippine agriculture — or what

‘Narcolist release not impeachable offense’

BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE

M

ALACAÑANG on Saturday said President Rodrigo Duterte could not be impeached for releasing a list of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo dismissed as “pure nonsense” the claim of Akbayan Rep. Tomasito Villarin that Duterte could be impeached for making public those who are on the so-called narcolist.

Panelo said the President did not com-

mit any impeachable offense when he released the narcolist.

“For the legal education of Rep. Villarin, the appropriate charges have already been filed against the personalities contained on the list before

³Impeachable A2

Bong Go gets rousing welcome in Davao DNA test to Should gays determine if be barred slain terrorist from the was Abu Dar seminary? ³Ronquillo A5

[Many] conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their

FORMER special assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go received a rousing homecoming from the City of Davao when the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) held its campaign rally in his hometown on Friday.

A huge crowd turned up for the event.

Entire families, elderly and children welcomed the ruling party’s Senate ticket and their guest candidates at Crocodile Park in Ma-a, Davao City.

“Maraming salamat po sa mga kapatid ko dito sa Davao City sa mainit ninyong pagtanggap sa amin (Thank you very much, to all my brothers and sisters here in Davao City for the warm reception accorded us),” Go said.

“Mahalaga po sa akin ang inyong pag-

³Saludo A4

³Go A2

FAITH HEALER RICARDO SALUDO

RISING SON OF DAVAO

Actors Robin Padilla (right) and Philip Salvador raise the hands of Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go during the PDP-Laban campaign rally in Davao City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Too many eggs can kill you – study Metro Manila voters prefer young candidates – survey

That is relatively little, especially given WASHINGTON: The debate over whether that a half-egg daily is double what the eggs are good for you is age-old: While average American eats. a good source of protein, they also conSeparately, the study found an additain potentially harmful cholesterol. tional 300 milligrams (mg) of dietary Now, a new study — published Friday cholesterol per day increases the risk of by the Journal of the American Medical heart disease by 17 percent and premaAssociation (JAMA) — has weighed in. ture death by 18 percent.

After analyzing 30,000 Americans But 300 mg is twice the average daily from six separate studies, researchers FILE PHOTO concluded that eating an extra half-egg a day increased amount eaten by Americans. A large egg contains the risk of cardiovascular disease (6 percent) and pre- about 186 mg of cholesterol. mature death (8 percent) over the study period. ³Eggs A8

AN independent survey conducted by the RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. (RPMDinc) showed that MarLEN !BIGAIL "INAY OF -AKATI #ITY *OSEkNA g*OYu "ELMONTE OF Quezon City, Imelda Calixto-Rubiano of Pasay City, Lino Cayetano of Taguig City and Robert “Bobby” Eusebio of Pasig City would win if the elections were held today.

³Candidates A8

ZAMBOANGA CITY: Security commanders have asked the military for a DNA examination on one of six pro-Islamic State terrorists believed to be the emir of the IS in the Philippines killed in a massive campaign in Mindanao.

Col. Romeo Brawner, commander of the 103rd Infantry Brigade, over the weekend said informants of the Philippine Army have claimed that Owaydah Marohombsar alias Abu Dar was one of those killed by soldiers in Tubaran town in Lanao del Sur province on Thursday.

“According to our three informants, one of the slain terrorists was Abu Dar.

³Terrorist A2 REACH US AT: E-mail: newsdesk@ manilatimes.net Tel. Nos.: 524-5664 to 67 Address: 2/F Sitio Grande, 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila 1002

A2

News

˜ The Sunday Times

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SUNDAY March 17, 2019

Manila, Hanoi renew call for SCS Code of Conduct T

BY DEMPSEY REYES

HE Philippines and Vietnam have renewed their call for a fast adoption of a Code of Conduct (CoC) in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), according to Defense 3ECRETARY $ELkN ,ORENZANA Lorenzana went to Hanoi on Monday for bilateral talks with Vietnam’s Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich.

He disclosed on Friday that he and Lich discussed how Manila and Hanoi could navigate a longstanding dispute in the South China Sea involving not only the

Philippines and Vietnam but also China, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei Darussalam.

Hanoi has been known for its stance over the South China Sea, always calling out Beijing for its alleged militarization of reefs and islands in the contested sea. “[We discussed] how to navigate

the issue in the face of Chinese increased activity. We both agreed that the CoC should be pursued and concluded in the fastest time possible,� Lorenzana told reporters.

He said he did not have an agreement with Lich “on anything,� but only agreed to deal with their own “peculiar circumstances� amid China’s moves in the disputed waters.

The Philippine government has apparently been taking the South China Sea row lightly, with President Rodrigo Duterte and his spokesman downplaying the activities of Beijing there by saying THAT -ANILA CANNOT AFFORD TO kGHT

such a big and powerful country like China.

The Philippine military, at the same time, has been referring queries concerning the South China Sea dispute to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Lorenzana and Lich’s meeting was held amid reports that Chinese ships have been prohibiting &ILIPINO kSHING VESSELS FROM GOING near sandbars of Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the South China Sea. The government and the Philippine military had denied the reports, saying they have even been ENCOURAGING kSHERMEN TO GO NEAR the sandbars.

POEA to stop accepting walk-ins THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) will no longer entertain applications from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) without an online appointment.

POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia, in an advisory over the weekend, moved for the full implementation of the OFW Record Online Appointment System (Oroas) to an earlier date amid the clamor to provide AN EFkCIENT SYSTEM IN SECURING AN OFW record. “Initial feedbacks from clients who have already availed of the Oroas are positive as they were able to save their time by getting an appointment online,� he said.

The Oroas was supposed to be fully implemented on July 1, 2019, but it was made effective on March 11.

Olalia said walk-in applicants would no longer be entertained because for the POEA to do so would lessen the slots for those who were already complying with the new system of getting an appointment online before reporting to the POEA to secure their OFW record. “The POEA’s continuous accommodation of walk-ins who come to the POEA very early not only prejudiced those who would want to get an appointment in the morning using the online system but also created an impression of chaotic and unsystematic method of securing an OFW information sheet/ record,� he added.

Olalia urged recruitment agencies to encourage their applicants to avail of the new system.

He noted that majority of the walk-in applicants who wanted to secure their OFW record as a requirement for their application with the agencies were household service workers.

WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

THE Supreme Court on Friday junked the administrative charges kLED AGAINST RETIRED #HIEF *USTICE Teresita Leonardo de Castro for lack of merit.

In a resolution, the Supreme Court ruled to dismiss a complaint against the former chief of the judiciary for lack of merit.

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen penned the ruling wherein the Supreme Court en banc also ruled that de Castro’s mandatory retirement on Oct. 10, 2018 also rendered complainants’ administrative charges moot.

Elvira Enalbes, Rebecca Angeles and Estelita Ocampo accused de Castro of gross ignorance of THE LAW GROSS INEFkCIENCY GROSS misconduct, gross dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service for her alleged failure to decide despite the lapse OF MORE THAN kVE YEARS ON TWO SEPARATE PETITIONS kLED BY SPOUSES

Eligio Mallari and Marcelina Mallari in 2012 and 2013, respectively. “To hold a magistrate administratively liable for gross ignorance of the law, it is not enough that his or action was erroneous; it must also be proven that it was driven by bad faith, dishonesty or ill motive,� the high court said.

Moreover, the court held that “(w)hile the 24-month period provided under the 1987 Constitution is persuasive, it does not summarily bind this court to the disposition of cases brought before it. It is a mere directive to ensure this court’s prompt resolution of cases, and should not be interpreted as AN INlEXIBLE RULE u “Ultimately, courts must strike an objective and reasonable balance in disposing cases promptly, while maintaining judicious tenacity in interpreting and applying the law,� it pointed out.

JOMAR CANLAS

Q IMPEACHABLE FROM A1 face scrutiny because “there was

‘Narcolist release

concerned agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes /FkCE AND 0HILIPPINE (EALTH )NSURance Corp.

Duterte said it Go conceptualized the Malasakit Center when HE ASKED THE LATTER TO kND A WAY to provide medical assistance to the needy without having to pass through the bureaucratic grid that oftentimes cause delays.

Go explained that if a law was passed, more Malasakit Centers would be established even after Duterte had stepped down. “Experimental pa lang po ito sa ngayon. Pero kung nakakatulong naman ay dapat nating ipagpatuloy. Pera ninyo ito, ibinabalik lang sa inyo sa pamamagitan ng mabilis, maayos at maaasahang serbisyo (This is experimental for now. But if this is of help, we have to pursue it. This is your money, and we are returning it through speedy, orderly and reliable services),� Go added.

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

the Office of the Ombudsman, affording them their right to due process and an opportunity to clear their names. The release of their names is nothing more than a release of the names of criminal suspects. Such act cannot be considered a legal transgression, and even more so, an impeachable OFFENSE u THE 0ALACE OFkCIAL SAID He added that individual liberties should be harmonized with the people’s right to the preservation and protection of their welfare. “The drug menace has evolved into a national security problem as it threatens to destroy the very foundation of society. The President as head of the state is constitutionally commanded to serve and protect the nation,�

Panelo said. “It is the failure of the President to perform his constitutional duty of serving and protecting the people that makes him liable to impeachment for such omission is culpable violation of the Constitution and a betrayal of the public trust,� he added.

The Department of the Interior AND ,OCAL 'OVERNMENT kLED ADministrative charges against the 46 politicians on the narcolist for “grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, conduct unbecoming of a PUBLIC OFkCER AND GROSS NEGLECT OF duty� hours before the President read the names of those on the list.

Those on the narcolist have denied involvement in the illegal drug trade. They said their inclusion might be a product of an irresponsible investigation or might have been done by their political rivals. ! TOTAL OF OFkCIALS INCLUDing 35 mayors, seven vice mayors, one provincial board member, and three members of the House of Representatives are on the list.

Villarin, however, insisted that $UTERTE S ACT OF NAMING OFkCIALS allegedly linked to drugs should

country for the eternal repose of our heroes and for our wounded soldiers. Your prayers are the most powerful tool for them and for the safety of all those who are still pursuing the enemies,� dela Vega added. “We will not stop until we neutralize the remaining terrorists AND WE DEDICATE THIS kGHT TO OUR fallen comrades. Our soldiers are out there hunting for them ready TO kGHT AND DIE TO ATTAIN PEACE IN our communities,� he said.

3PORADIC kGHTING HAS BEEN GOing on since March 11 in neighboring Maguindanao province where the 6th Infantry Division claimed to have killed 20 militants from the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and among them was a Singaporean terrorist, Muhammad Ali Bin Abd Al Rahman or Muawiya, a

notorious jihadist belonging to the Indonesian Jemaah Islamiya and had been a bomb trainer for the Abu Sayyaf group.

It said as many as 20 militants under Abu Turaife were slain in the assaults in Shariff Saydona town.

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 militants were being pursued by security forces in the province, a stronghold of the rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front that signed an interim peace deal with Manila in 2014.

The clashes also killed one soldier and wounded at least seven more.

The military’s Joint Task Force Central said air, artillery and

FOR CHRISTINE

Dante Jimenez, founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption and chairman of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, condoles with Lourdes Silawan, mother of Christine Lee Silawan, whose killing had shocked the nation. With them was Cory Quirino. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Q GO FROM A1

Bong Go gets

suporta dahil dito sa ating lugar nag-umpisa ang aking hangarin na magserbisyo sa kapwa Pilipino (Your support is important to me because it’s here where I started my passion to serve my fellow Filipinos),� he added.

Go started his career in public service in 1998 as the executive and personal assistant of then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

When Duterte ran in the 2016 elections, he tapped Go to serve as the over-all assistant campaign manager and sortie manager.

Duterte said his trust in Go remained unshaken because his former top aide is “extraordinarily honest.�

Go assured the people of Davao that he would remain steadfast in supporting the programs and policies of his mentor, President Duterte, particularly the campaign against illegal

drugs, crime and corruption. “Ipagpapatuloy ko po ang mga pagbabagong nasimulan ni Pangulong Duterte� (I will pursue the reforms started by President Duterte). Galit po si Pangulong Duterte sa mga kriminal, galit din ako sa kriminal. Galit si Pangulong Duterte sa corrupt, galit din ako sa corrupt. Galit si Pangulong Duterte sa droga, galit din ako sa droga� ( President Duterte hates criminals, I also hate criminals. He hates the corrupt, I also hate the corrupt. President Duterte hates drugs, I also hate drugs),� Go, who is seeking a Senate seat, added.

If he wins in May, Go vowed to improve access to quality health care. “Gusto ko pong isabatas pagdating ng panahon itong Malasakit Center (I want to formalize the establishment of Malasakit Center),� he said.

A project of the Duterte administration, the Malasakit Center makes it easier and faster for poor patients TO AVAIL OF MEDICAL AND kNANCIAL assistance from the government by bringing together in one room

Q TERRORIST FROM A1

DNA test to determine if slain We already requested the higher headquarters for the DNA test to confirm his neutralization,� he added.

Abu Dar, a former commander of the Abu Sayyaf Group, had been tagged as behind many terror attacks against civilian and military targets in the Muslim autonomous region.

But little information is available on the jihadist leader, whose group laid siege to Marawi City in 2017 that left hundreds of people dead and wounded, and forced fellow Muslims to flee their homes.

Lt. Col. Edgar Allan Villanueva, commander of the 49th Infantry Battalion, said Abu Dar was with

Court junks raps vs retired chief justice

A GROUP OF ARMED kGHTERS FROM Dawlah Islamiya and Maute group numbering about 20 when they clashed with government troops.

He said three militants were slain in the clash. “During the encounter, Abu Dar was with about 20 of his comrades and we were also able to neutralize three of his cohorts,� Villanueva said, adding that they recovered ONE AUTOMATIC RIlE A PISTOL TWO grenades and ammunition.

Another group of Army soldiers from the 55th Infantry Battalion also battled Abu Dar’s forces in Pagayawan town and killed two BANDITS WHO WERE LATER IDENTIkED by their nom de guerre as Abu Tahir and Abu Jihad.

The military said six soldiers ALSO PERISHED IN THE kERCE BATTLES and others wounded.

It was not immediately known whether the wounded were the same as those reported by the military as missing in action.

Lt. Gen. Arnel dela Vega, the regional military commander, said more soldiers were sent to Lanao del Sur to destroy the remaining terrorists, but he did not SAY HOW MANY MORE ARE kGHTING the troops. “Additional troops were dePLOYED TO PURSUE THE lEEING TERrorists and to ensure the safety and security of the local populace in the area. We also ask for prayers from all peace-loving people of the

malice or intent to deprive these individuals of their constitutionally guaranteed rights to due process, privacy and presumption of innocence.â€? “Any lawyer worth his salt knows that administrative cases AGAINST PUBLIC OFkCIALS ARE A @DIME a dozen’ and goes with the territory. I dare Atty. Salvador Panelo to also name the thousands of PUBLIC OFkCIALS WHO HAVE ADMINistrative cases if mere filing of administrative cases is enough to make public such accusations, much less being linked to illegal drugs,â€? the lawmaker said. “MalacaĂąang’s public shaming campaign is like a broken record played over and over again. Its narrative is to sow fear, intimidation, and violence against its critics and FOR THE PUBLIC TO BECOME @IMMUnized’ from such brazen acts of impunity,â€? Villarin said.

Sara explains support Also on Saturday, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio defended her decision to support politicians who were included in the narcolist.

Duterte-Carpio said she “will never turn down politicians who would publicly request her to raise their hands.� “[I] chose not to get a copy of the LIST OF @NARCO POLITICIANS BECAUSE ;)= would rather leave it to the voters TO DECIDE ON THE QUALIkCATIONS THEY look for in a candidate above and beyond what is required by law,� she said. Duterte-Carpio is chairman of regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago. “A vote for a candidate should be a personal decision based on a voter’s perception and assessment of all the candidates,� she added.

The mayor issued the statement after a photo showing her raising the hand of a politician who was included in the narcolist circulated online.

Duterte-Carpio earlier said candidates under her party who would figure on the narcolist would be given the chance to answer allegations. ground operation 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 militant commander Salahudin Hassan was scattered.

It was unclear whether the United States or its Special Forces units deployed in southern Mindanao provided combat or technical support to Filipino troops in battling the militants.

US forces are still helping train local military forces in fighting terrorism and were instrumental in supplying intelligence to Filipino troops during the Marawi siege.

The terrorist groups have been kGHTING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF a caliphate in the restive South that is now called the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

AL JACINTO

News Duterte had migraine attack – Bong Go

˜ The Manila Times

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

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BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE

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RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte had a migraine attack on Friday, the reason why he skipped his public engagements in Davao City, Christopher Lawrence “Bong� Go, the President’s former top aide, said on Saturday.

'O SAID $UTERTE WAS gkNE u “Ok na. Na relieve na headache n’ya. Three hours kami nag-usap (He is okay. His headache is gone.

We talked for three hours),� he told reporters.

Go shared a photo of the President having snacks while reading some documents at the dinner table. “ Medyo nagutom si PRRD habang nagtatrabaho at nagbabasa. Midnight snacks (He got hungry so he had some midnight snacks),� the former Palace ofkCIAL SAID Duterte was supposed to lead the ceremonial distribution of certificates of land ownership award in Davao Region at 5 p.m. on Friday, but it was his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio who showed up at the University of Mindanao on his behalf.

The President also missed the People’s Political Grand Rally at

the Crocodile Park Grounds in Barangay Ma-a, Davao City where he was expected to pitch for votes for his preferred Senate candidates.

Go said in a viber message that Duterte was “indisposed.�

Duterte was last seen in public on Thursday when he released a list of politicians tagged in the illegal drug trade.

This was not the first time Duterte skipped events because he was not feeling well.

In February, the President skipped an event in Palo, Leyte province because he was “not feeling well.�

During the 33rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in Singapore in November last year, the 73-year old leader did not attend some events because he “took power naps.�

The President has admitted that he suffers from back pains, migraines and Buerger’s disease.

PROOF THAT ALL’S WELL Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go shared with the media a photo showing President Rodrigo Duterte having a snack while reading documents on Friday night. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Conjugal property Ejercito wants all villages to have health workers Dear PAO, My wife and I got married in May 1986. During our marriage, I received several properties through my inheritance, and I just want to know if those properties form part of our conjugal properties.

Gat Dear Gat, Please be informed that prior to the effectivity of the Family Code of the Philippines, the default property regime governing the property relations of spouses is the Conjugal Partnership of Gains. Conversely, both the Civil Code of the Philippines (prior to Aug. 3, 1988) and Family Code of the Philippines excluded properties that were acquired by gratuitous title from forming part of the conjugal partnership.

Article 153 of the Civil Code of the Philippines provides: “Article 153. The following are conjugal partnership property: (1) That which is acquired by onerous title during the marriage at the expense of the common fund, whether the acquisition be for the partnership, or for only one of the spouses;�

This provision was later carried on to Article 117 (1) of the Family Code of the Philippines, which likewise provides: “Art. 117. The following are

DEAR PAO

PERSIDA ACOSTA conjugal partnership properties: “(1) Those acquired by onerous title during the marriage at the expense of the common fund, whether the acquisition be for the partnership, or for only one of the spouses;�

By implication, properties acquired through gratuitous title such as by succession, do not form part of the conjugal partnership properties. In your situation, considering that you acquired those properties through succession, the same would not be deemed as part of your conjugal properties.

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

PH condemns New Zealand mosque attacks THE Philippine government has condemned the terror attacks at two mosques in New Zealand that left at least 49 people dead and 40 others wounded.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the government and the Filipino people “stand with New Zealand during this time of grief and outrage.� “The Philippines joins all peaceloving nations and peoples around the world in condemning in the strongest and in no uncertain terms this assault on the faithful in places of worship,� Panelo said. “This reprehensible act has no place in a civilized world. The Philippines rebukes all efforts to sow terror and fear between and among peoples,� he added.

4HE 0ALACE OFkCIAL ALSO OFFERED prayers and sympathy to the victims and people of New Zealand. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this trag-

ic incident, and we pray for strength and speedy recovery of those who were injured,� Panelo said.

He said the Department of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to monitor the situation of Filipino nationals there.

Meanwhile, Panelo urged other countries to work together to address international terrorism threats. “There has to be a universal unikED ACTION AS WELL AS A CONSCIOUS AND determined effort to neutralize and demolish any attempt at destabilizing the order in societies and the tranquility of their citizens and secure the safety of lives and properties of the inhabitants of the globe,� Panelo said. “We cannot allow ourselves to be held hostage by fear and intimidation sown by terrorists and psychologically challenged persons and live in an endangered environment. With unity in action against the enemies of the states, we shall prevail,� he added.

CATHERINE S. VALENTE

SEN. Joseph Victor “JV� Ejercito on Saturday pushed for the appointment of at least one barangay (village) health worker (BHW) in every village nationwide. “Despite the recorded number of health workers of the Department of Health (DoH), there are still barangay in the country that do not have a health worker or health center to attend to the health needs of the people,� said Ejercito, chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography.

4HE SENATOR EARLIER kLED 3ENATE Bill (SB) 1380 and SB 1406 man-

dating the DoH to provide at least one health worker to each village and to increase the salaries and BENEkTS OF HEALTH WORKERS Under SB 1380, otherwise known as an “Act Mandating the Appointment of Barangay Health Workers in Every Barangay,�

BHWs shall be appointed by the municipal or city mayor and must be living in the barangay where he/she is to be assigned, or within the city or municipality in which the barangay is to be found.

The BHWs shall be under the control and supervision of the DoH in close coordination with

the local government health OFkCER Ejercito said once SB 1406 is passed into law, BHWs who are civil service eligible will receive monthly salary and benefits equivalent to a salary grade (SG) not lower than SG 10 under the Salary Standardization Law of 1989.

SB 1406 seeks to increase the SALARIES AND BENEkTS OF "(7S Health workers shall also be entitled to a Christmas bonus equivalent to their one month SALARY AND ALL THE BENEkTS GRANTED to other barangay employees within their city or municipality,

INCLUDING INCENTIVES AND BENEkTS under Republic Act 7883, otherwise known as the “Barangay Health Workers’ Benefits and Incentives Act of 1995.�

According to Ejercito, around P20 million will be appropriated for the initial implementation of the proposed law. “The reforms are seen to improve not just the capabilities of the barangay as front-liners in the Primary Health Care Approach but more importantly the availability of the health services to the poor members of the society,� Ejercito said.

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

Religious groups support Aquino’s reelection bid SEN. Paolo Benigno “Bam� Aquino 4th on Saturday thanked the People’s Choice Movement (PCM) for choosing him as one of the 10 senatorial candidates the group would support and campaign for. “Taos-puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa People’s Choice Movement sa kanilang pagkilala at tiwala,� (I wholeheartedly thank the People’s Choice Movement for its recognition and trust), said Aquino, who is running under the Otso Diretso slate. “Napakalaking bagay rin po sa akin na napahalagahan po nila ang ating mga nagawa sa Senado. Ito po’y magbibigay lakas sa akin magpatuloy kahit sa gitna ng mga paninira (It is very important for me that it has recognized what I have done in the Senate.

This will give me strength to continue amid the black propaganda against me), he added.

Composed of various Catholic, Protestant and evangelical groups, the PCM recently

held a convention where more than 100 select leaders participated in the selection process.

The delegates based their selection on character and honor, competence and abilities, faithfulness to public service, faithfulness to God, the Constitution and the law.

Aquino topped the selection process with 120 votes, followed by fellow Otso Diretso bets Jose Manuel “Chelâ€? Diokno and former solicitor general Florin “Piloâ€? Hilbay, who both got 118 votes, and human rights lawyer Lorenzo “Erinâ€? Reyes TaĂąada 3rd (112). “Napakamakabuluhan po ng kanilang suporta dahil mula sila sa iba’t ibang mga faith-based groups na ang pamantayan sa pagpili ay kung ano ang makakabuti sa bayan (Their support is truly meaningful because they represent faith-based groups whose basis for choosing is what is good for the country),â€? the senator said.

He assured PCM that he would continue defending the welfare, dignity and rights of the Filipino people. “ Magiging inspirasyon ko ang inyong pagtataguyod para patuloy na isulong ang kapakanan at karapatan ng ating mga kababayan lalo na ng mga mahihirap. Kasama nyo po ako sa pagtatanggol ng dignidad at buhay ng tao�(Your support will serve as an inspiration for me to continue pushing for the interest and rights of our countrymen especially the poor. I am with you in protecting the dignity and lives of people),�

Aquino added.

Former representative Neri Colmenares, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc, human rights lawyer Romulo Macalintal, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, former senator Manuel “Mar� Roxas 2nd and Sen. Grace Poe also made it to the list.

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

Parlade to Karapatan chief: Let’s debate AN ARMY official on Saturday challenged Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay to a public debate to prove that the group was a front organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines deputy chief of staff for civil-military operations, issued the challenge following Palabay’s statement that he had no basis for red-tagging the organization. “I never said I don’t have evidence to show they are communist front organizations. In fact, we have a lot and Karapatan is worried

about all these truth coming out now,� Parlade said. “I challenge you to prove your case over nationwide TV — one on one. I will present to you trucks of evidences and you better be prepared to refute them all.

Any time,� he added.

Palabay had accused Parlade of “spreading lies� about Karapatan and other nongovernment organizations (NGOs), claiming that the army official had admitted that they had no proper evidence to support his accusations. “[P]oorly-made PowerPoint presentations and videos with hideous scoring are not evidence. The

military is not a credible institution, yet it still insists on making these laughable and unsubstantiated claims,� she said.

In response, Parlade said Karapatan had “perfected the art of lies and deception after 24 years of existence.�

He said the group had not acted as human rights defender whenever someone is reportedly killed by the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the CPP. He added that exiled CPP founder Jose Maria “Joma�

Sison admitted that Karapatan was their front organization. “Palabay is so afraid the government is suc-

cessful in unmasking the truth about these CPP fronts, whom Joma himself tagged as communist fronts in all its revolutionary websites, all of Joma’s verbal pronouncements and all CPP publications,�

Parlade said.

The military official earlier said the European Union and the Belgian government would investigate NGOs based in the Philippines to see if they were being used as fronts of the CPP-NPA. He said EU and Brussels officials do not want to be seen as “financiers� of terrorist organizations. ROY D.R. NARRA

A4

Opinion

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

The Sunday Times w w w.manilatimes.net

E d i to r i a l Mosque attacks: Inhuman, monstrous and evil

T

HE terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday can only be described as a hate-filled, monstrous and evil act that deserves to be condemned.

At least 49 people have been confirmed dead while dozens were seriously injured in the mosque shootings now said to be the deadliest attack in New Zealand’s history.

The attacker, a 28-year-old Australian, appears to be a madman, brazen and callous enough to have livestreamed his attack on the Al Noor mosque over the social networking site Facebook.

Brenton Tarrant, now detained and facing massmurder charges, was reported as having mounted a small camera on his head as he shot at helpless victims, including women and children.

Tarrant, who is said to have espoused racist and antiimmigrant views, should be vigorously prosecuted and made to suffer the heavy consequence “It bears repeating of his grotesque and that acts of violence violent actions.

That the victims and terror have no place perished as a woranywhere in the world, ship service comeven if committed, menced made the attack exponentialpurportedly, ly inhuman, monin the name of faith.� strous and evil.

New Zealand should use the full force of its legal system to ensure that these types of violent attacks are punished severely and are never repeated anywhere in the world.

Tarrant’s court trial, however, should not become a venue for him to further spout his hateful and extremist views before a public platform, even as he is afforded full recourse to whatever legal procedures to which he is entitled.

Like any other criminal, he should be given due process, completed in a reasonable amount of time.

Our immediate thoughts, however, should be on the victims of this heinous attack who are in need of justice. One of them, according to CNN, is Haji Daoud Nabi, a native of Afghanistan who sought asylum with his two sons way back in 1977.

The list also includes Pakistani citizens Naeem Rashid, 50, and his nephew Talha Rashid, 21.

Nabi, like many others, flew to Christchurch to escape violence and hardship in their native lands, and ironically fell victim to hateful violence in a place they considered a safe haven.

Having said all that, we still believe this incident is an isolated case as New Zealanders are known to be a peaceful and tolerant people. Christchurch, it should be remembered, pulled together following a devastating quake in 2011; it will surely rise again as one community against terror and hate.

It bears repeating that acts of violence and terror have no place anywhere in the world, even if committed, purportedly in the name of faith. Such actions are thoroughly irreligious; no faith espouses wanton and gratuitous acts of violence.

Christians must stand in solidarity with the Muslim world in condemning this unspeakable act of evil, and their common prayer to the one God should be to wipe terror from the face of the earth and for peace to reign among all people, regardless of race and belief.

“

“

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

The Sunday Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 155

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 www.manilatimes.net • e-mail newsdesk@manilatimes.net 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.

The culture of fear and silence

T

WENTY young girls, some of them only 14 years old, have finally been rescued from the Victory Hotel that caters to foreign sex tourists in Mabacalat, Pampanga by the anti-trafficking police unit from Camp Crame, Quezon City. It was an open fact that child prostitution was the daily routine in this town just a few kilometers north of Angeles City.

Apparently, few living in the area of the sex industry consider the commercial sexual exploitation of youngsters a crime. They don’t feel or believe that it is morally repugnant, that it is wrong, that it should be causing an outrage and should always be reported to the police. If they did know about it, then no one acted to end it. Finally, a nongovernment organization investigated and brought in the

REFLECTIONS

FR. SHAY CULLEN, SSC police from Camp Crame, the locals were not to be trusted, it seems.

These trading posts of sex slavery that are peddling children and young women like chickens in the market operate in the public eye with the jarring arrogance of impunity. They exploit the children knowing that if caught, they will have an understanding prosecutor who appreciates gifts and generosity.

Marabella and Beth are two young girls 14 and 15 years old. Their parents separated and went off with new partners.

Their children were left in the

care of an aunt who introduced them to a human trafficker. She introduced them to foreign sex tourists in Angeles City. The deals were made on the street. They were sold like animals in the market. The girls were brought to a nearby hotel, the manager and staff turned a blind eye as the sex tourists rented the room and the men sexually raped and abused the children. It happens daily.

When the pimps gave them a fraction of what the foreigners paid them, the teenagers got angry and they complained to a friend who went to the police.

They arrested the pimp and human trafficker.

If the children did not complain that they were cheated out of their money, no one would have cared.

This was child sexual exploitation and street prostitution — open,

blatant and tolerated if not encouraged by local authorities. It still goes on today, day and night. No one seems to care.

The Preda Foundation gave shelter and therapy to the children. They recovered, changed and became empowered to pursue their case in court. The pimp and trafficker were eventually convicted after a tough legal battle. The sex tourists, as always, were never caught.

Much of Philippine society is sleepwalking in a moral mess of ignorance, indifference and selfish living, ignoring the crimes against children since they are not their own. Many street kids — boys and girls — are arrested and incarcerated in foul stinking jail cells for months without care, help, therapy, education and forced to eat bad food. The

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Q SALUDO FROM A1

Should gays be barred from the seminary? glory is in their “shame.� Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to CONFORM WITH HIS GLORIkED BODY — The Epistle to the Philippians, 3:18-21

T

ODAY’S second Mass reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Philippians spells out the immutable reality behind the worldwide clergy sex abuse scourge. Jesus Christ calls humanity to become citizens of heaven, but earthly things fill our minds and lives.

Our lowly bodies are destined for glory, but right now, they are prey to, well, bodily urges.

This lifelong tug of war between the heavenly and the earthly gets tougher with the Catholic clergy and religious. Their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience aim to set aside material possessions, physical intimacy and individual freedom, so as to devote themselves to serving God and saving souls.

Sadly, while the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Hence, even if God’s all-powerful grace greatly strengthens those called to His service, the Church has long instituted prudent measures to minimize temptation and help bring urges under control.

Foremost among them, of course, is the segregation of religious from the opposite sex. Cloisters restrict women from facilities for male religious, and men from institutions for nuns. Plainly, if seminaries and nunneries were open to both genders, celibacy would be immensely more difkCULT TO MAINTAIN The Church also has a policy of restricting those engaging in homosexual activity, as well as those with strong gay tendencies, from the priesthood.

The Vatican’s 2005 “Instruction on the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocations� said men with “transitory� homosexual leanings can be ordained deacons, a preliminary stage before priesthood, after three years of prayer and chastity.

But men who have “deeply rooted homosexual tendencies� or are sexually active cannot be ordained.

The Church, however, may have to go further, and bar gays from the seminary altogether, and for the same reason men aren’t allowed in a nunnery. A heterosexual man living among female religious would experience repeated arousal. The same probably happens with homosexuals in a seminary, where men not only live, study, and play sports together, but may use common bedrooms and bathrooms.

For sure, there are divinely graced souls who keep homosexual attractions at bay all their lives. But many, if not most others succumb, and instead of building self-control, the constant urges just build up and break out in the seminary or afterward.

Now, let’s be clear about the issue here. It is not about blaming homosexuals for clergy sex abuse.

Rather, the issue is whether years of daily exposure and attraction to fellow seminarians would help or hinder gay candidates for the priesthood in avoiding sexual activity and getting their urges under control.

If gay seminarians become priests, would they be more able or less able to curb attraction to men and boys at church, after years of living with men?

Anatomy of clergy sex abuse This common-sense reasoning lacks research validation. But a number of studies point to a correlation between homosexual priests and

clergy sex abuse, though pro-LGBT entities take issue with these reports.

Two studies commissioned by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and done by the City University of New York’s John Jay College of Criminal Justice gathered data from nearly 200 dioceses and well over 90 percent of priests in America, covering alleged abuses in 1950-2002 and 1950-2010.

The 1950-2002 report counted 4,392 priests facing abuse allegations. That estimate represents between 3 and 6 percent of clergy, depending on the diocese. Notably, among all accused priests, only 149, or 3.5 percent, accounted for more than a quarter of offenses, having allegedly committed 10 or more offenses each.

And homosexuality? The 19502002 study, published in 2004, found that 81 percent of victims were males and 19 percent were females. (The paper is available here: http://www.usccb.org/issuesand-action/child-and-youth-protection/upload/The-Nature-andScope-of-Sexual-Abuse-of-Minorsby-Catholic-Priests-and-Deacons-inthe-United-States-1950-2002.pdf).

The later report cited the same data, and augmented the earlier STUDY WITH MORE kNDINGS AND ANALysis of underlying factors, as well as the overall sex abuse situation in American society. (The 1950-2010 paper can be accessed here: http:// www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/ child-and-youth-protection/upload/The-Causes-and-Contextof-Sexual-Abuse-of-Minors-byCatholic-Priests-in-the-UnitedStates-1950-2010.pdf).

Another report linking homosexuality and clergy sex abuse came from the Ruth Institute, which advocates traditional Catholic family values. (It may be downloaded here: http://www.ruthinstitute. org/_literature_243759/Clergy_ Sex_Abuse_Report.)

The Ruth paper states: “The share of homosexual men in the priesthood rose from twice that of the general population in the 1950s to eight times the general population in the 1980s.

This trend was strongly correlated with increasing child sex abuse. “A quarter of priests ordained in the late 1960s report the existence of a homosexual subculture in their seminary, rising to over half of priests ordained in the 1980s [also reported in the 2002 book “ Goodbye, Good Men �]. This trend was also strongly correlated with increasing child sex abuse. g&OUR OUT OF kVE VICTIMS OVER AGE WERE BOYS ONLY ONE IN kVE were girls. Ease of access to boys relative to girls accounts for about ONE kFTH OF THIS DISPARITY "The number of homosexual priests accounts for the remaining four-fifths.�

The gay clergy conundrum The Ruth report further argued: “EsTIMATES FROM THESE kNDINGS PREDICT that, had the proportion of homosexual priests [among all clergy] remained at the 1950s level, at least 12,000 fewer children, mostly boys, would have suffered abuse.�

Which brings up two big questions for the Catholic Church.

Given the lack of priests worldwide, can the Church afford to reduce gays from the clergy, with no assurance that non-gays would make up the difference?

And an even bigger issue: Will moves against homosexuals in the clergy be blocked by gay prelates and priests, said to dominate the Catholic power structure, according to a new book, “In the Closet of the Vatican.�

In this time of trial, may the Holy Spirit grant the Church grace, guidance, and Godly leaders.

Amen.

The Sunday Times SUNDAY March 17, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

Opinion

A little more candor, Mr. Ambassador, please

O

NE thing got me rather astonished at the 28th anniversary celebration and induction of new OFkCERS OF THE !NVIL "USINESS #LUB last Friday evening at the Century Seafood Restaurant in Malate, Manila. I accepted the invitation to the event for the single purpose of sizing up the real sentiment of the Philippine Chinese community in the country’s dispute with China over the South China Sea. Involved in the occasion is certainly just a minuscule of the entire breadth of Chinese existence in the country, but being a gathering of business entrepreneurs, the !NVIL HAPPENING MUST RElECT A picture of overall Chinese ethnicity in the Philippines.

Just recently, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua issued a statement to the press, thus: “We don’t worry about China attacking anybody because it is not our policy.�

Coming from Mr. Jianhua, THOSE WORDS SHOULD RElECT OFkcial Chinese attitude toward the Philippines. The Anvil proceedings certainly were one good opportunity for ascertaining WHETHER OR NOT SUCH OFkCIAL #HInese attitude harmonizes with actual sentiments of Chinese in the Philippines.

Young Chinese entrepreneurs To begin with, Anvil steps forward as a grouping of young Chinese entrepreneurs. So one steps into the Century main hall anticipating all things Chinese. True enough, the sumptuous dinner was quite reminiscent of the many lauriats I went through when I headed a media group invited to visit Shanghai three years ago.

At the Anvil event, the food delight was unceasing. But when the lovely chanteuse took the stage, I began wondering if it was really a Chinese affair I was into. The lyrics she sang sure were Chinese, but the pulse of the rhythm throbbed with the most familiar tempo of a native Filipino pandanggo.

That got me quipping to my seatmate at the table, “I didn’t know Chinese music had the pandanggo cadence.�

And when the lady, a real pro at performing arts, did segue to a Filipino native kundiman , I

that it has given rise to two other US-PH military pacts, the Visiting MY SAY Forces Agreement (VFA) and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA); and that regarding EDCA particularly, which allows the US to stockpile found myself awed at how Fili- nuclear weapons, not anymore in pino a Chinese can get. And so I US military bases but right in the found myself harking back to the camps of the Armed Forces of the not-so-distant opening speech of Philippines; and that under this Anvil Honorary Chairman Jeffrey setup, China, upon the principle Ng who, I suddenly realized, did of self-preservation, must mark express actually a most profound these Philippine military camps revelation when he cited business as targets for Chinese preemptive enterprises that have made good missiles strikes the moment the not just across the archipelago but China-US confrontation in the the world over: “Jollibee by Tony South China sea worsens to an Tan Caktiong, San Miguel Corpo- unmanageable level.

Evidently, Ambassador Jianhua ration by Ramon Ang, Philippine !IRLINES BY ,UCIO 4AN #EBU 0ACIkC was getting intimidated by the unceasing propaganda by US Air by John Gokongwei, Jr.�

Ng, head raised high, intoned: mouthpieces depicting China as “These are all Filipino companies.� the aggressor in the South China !ND IN THE kRST PLACE HAD ) 3EA CONlICT "UT RATHER THAN DENY

not been earlier embarrassed to he should admit Chinese aggresrealize that even as I was busy sive posturing in the contested kLLING UP THE GUEST JOURNAL AT THE waters. Honesty is the best policy.

True, going on a binge of land reception table, everybody else was standing in solemn atten- reclamation over features of the tion, their right hands pressed South China sea is building forward over their breasts, singing the military bases, but these formations are necessary to counter US military Philippine national anthem!

Boy, oh, boy, and I call myself incursions into the region — not to harm the Filipino nation.

Filipino.

Therefore, clarify that such Oh, well, all the more reason for me to address the current concern. military build-up is fundamental to China’s right to survival. If Ambassador’s candor allowed unchecked, US gaining control of the South China Sea can Ambassador Jianhua’s words ultimately lead to itself gaining a about China not attacking any- forward military position from body strikes me as drawing a which to launch truly aggressive line between the Philippines and attack against the Chinese nation.

China, instead of doing the opClarify ultimately, therefore, posite — forging unity. The Anvil that it behooved the entire Filiaffair was one splendid, albeit pino people to get rid of the MDT little, moment for illustrating how once and for all — by which such forging of unity is to be done. alone China may be denied all When in the Philippines, forget reasons to attack any piece of the anything about being Chinese, just Philippine territory. keep in mind being Filipino.

How do you get the Filipino The ambassador, with the people to do that? above quote, was, in all candor, expressing the real danger of the Promote Chinese goodwill Philippines getting embroiled in THE SIMMERING CONlICT BETWEEN Simple, actually. Promote genuChina and the United States ine Chinese goodwill. Filipinos over the South China Sea. I don’t must be convinced of no ill mobelieve that by those words, Mr. tives whatsoever on the part of Jianhua meant China won’t at- China in being extra generous tack the Philippines even when with aid and economic develthe need arises. It will, for sure. opment packages toward the We can grant that the ambas- Philippines. Rather than gripe sador knows the Mutual Defense about popular misperceptions Treaty (MDT) between the US by Filipinos of Chinese military and the Philippines is intact; efforts in the South China Sea,

MAURO GIA SAMONTE

Q CULLEN FROM A4

Repeat of WW2 happening To one conscious of history, such break could be a repeat of what Italy did in World War 2. On Oct. 14, 1943 — the day, by the way, when Dr. Jose P. Laurel inaugurated the Second Philippine Republic during the Japanese Occupation — Italy broke away from the European Axis, declaring war against Germany, thereby weakening the main axis power and leading it to eventual capitulation to the Allies beginning with D-Day in Normandy the following year.

Whose capitulation this time will Italy’s break from erstwhile European allies signal by joining the BRI? With President Duterte’s joining the Boao Forum in April, the Philippines surely is cast deeper into the road of winners.

s

GRADE 12 STUDENTS CONCERNED OVER MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CHURCH, PRIESTS, WOMEN WE are a group of grade 12 students who have recently read an article published in The Manila Times titled “Duterte blasts ‘stupid priests’" (March 11, 2019, by Ralph Villanueva).

Needless to say, we were greatly alarmed and disturbed by many of the comments that were made by such an esteemed public figure quoted in the article.

This is especially considering that we are young Filipino women, wishing to express our sentiment regarding this article’s highly pertinent topics and issues.

To begin, we feel that it is imperative that we first commend President Rodrigo Duterte for having no fear in acknowledging that the Church has committed wrongdoings in the past and pointing out such flaws in line with his mission of instigating nationwide change. Indeed, certain clergy members within the Catholic Church have had a history of sexual harassment, even toward children, that have not been completely addressed nor given attention in the past. But while President Duterte may have been merely expressing his opinion regarding priests and the Church, his statements serve as a starting point of reflection and critical thinking for other readers, especially during this National Women’s Month.

On one hand, we hope to use this platform to clarify some of President Duterte’s misconceptions of certain aspects of the Catholic Church — namely, the idea that the Church passively ignores its priests’ crimes. The Church strongly advocates rejection of abuse of any kind and severely penalizes priests who betray their calling by committing the crime of sexual abuse. It implements disciplinary measures and penalties such as automatic suspension, removal from the priesthood and insistence on cooperation with civil law investigation. Through this, the Church practices accountability in making the Church a refuge for all, as it should be. But looking deeper into what the President has to say, a greater, more dangerous misconception can be seen.

The statements of President Duterte imply that celibacy does not prevent, and possibly even causes, clerical sex abuse, despite this simply not being the case. While it is true that it is natural for humans to experience sexual desire, Duterte indicates that one cannot control these urges regardless of the other party’s consent as seen in his statement addressed to women: “And if [a priest] corners you in the church, you’re dead, he will court you. Do you know why? It’s because he is a man.� With these words, he reduces both men and women to their sexual and bodily desires rather than acknowledge their self-control and rationality. We believe men and women are better than that, or at least, have it in their capacity to be.

Moreover, Duterte warned women to stay away from priests because of their repressed sexual desires. However, he failed to acknowledge that he himself is “a self confessed womanizer and serial misogynist� as stated in the article. “Frankly speaking. I’m not joking with you. Right? If he (God) didn’t create a woman ... what for?� Duterte said, implying that women were created to be ogled at and enjoyed by men. Is this really our President’s view of women? As citizens concerned for the safety and dignified treatment of all, we sincerely hope this will not remain the case.

We commend the writer for bringing to light issues with great relevance such as this in order for citizens to be aware of even the most controversial issues within the Church and State. Through this platform, may they be inspired to understand these pressing concerns by being informed of all the sides of the issue.

Sincerely, Pamela Gutay Pat Tapia Andrea Yatco Mary Abesamis Reneè Roque

Q RONQUILLO FROM A1

The culture of fear and silence older boys sexually and physically abuse the youngest children 10 to 15 years old day by day. When they are rescued, they then tell their horrible and traumatic experience.

Yet, who really cares about their suffering?

Many (not all) politicians live in a cocoon of ignorance and denial.

Local government units are responsible for the child sexual exploitation on the streets of their towns and cities. They lock children in filthy, putrid and sub-human jails with steel bars and overcrowding and call it Bahay Pag-asa (House of Hope) and hope the children get “rehabilitated.�

A proud Filipino nation ought not allow such abuse to continue.

It is a denial of human dignity and children’s rights. The nation is judged by the way the children are treated.

They must end the sex slavery and the trading in human beings.

Unless the true Filipinos who seem to be conditioned by public tolerance and apathy awake and believe in the dignity of every child, besides their own, and care of others, the abuse will continue.

This extreme form of social corruption and moral degradation of the nation is not even on the agenda of the politicians campaigning for election this May 13.

Fr. Kenneth Pius Hendricks, 77, has been living in the Philippines for the past 37 years. He was arrested on Dec. 5, 2018 and has since been charged for the alleged multiple sexual abuse of minors in Bilaran, Philippines.

accentuate the positive.

Frenzied barking by US attack DOGS AGAINST #HINA WILL DEkNITELY drown in the deluge of economic favors the Philippines is out to gain from China’s determined push of the Belt and Road Initiative right in the Asean homefront.

Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte attended the Boao Forum and came home from it laden with bagful of goodies in the form of 29 grants, loans and investments agreements signed on the occasion of President Xi Jinping’s visit in November last year. Come April, President Duterte will again attend the Boao Forum — an attendance on which international observers ATTACH MUCH DEEPER SIGNIkCANCE than what the President achieved THE kRST TIME AROUND 4HIS SHOULD translate to even bigger economic harvests for the Philippines.

In the April affair, President Duterte is ranked among the top guest heads of state, who include Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish 0RESIDENT 2ECEP 4AYYIP %RDO AN AND TOP OFkCIALS FROM MULTIPLE Arab states and African countries.

7HO CAN BE A MOST SIGNIkCANT attendee is Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. He could signal the break by a member from the European Union (EU) in order to BE THE kRST EVER SUCH MEMBER TO join the Belt and Road Initiative.

A5

The amazing thing is that the arrest warrant for Hendricks was issued by a United States Judge in Ohio, District Court, Judge Stephanie Bowman, on Nov. 11, 2018 on charges of “engaging in illicit sex with a minor in a foreign country.� Somebody had broken the silence that protected him and reported it to the US authorities, afraid it would be quashed in Bilaran.

Such is the fear-and-reverence that holds the priest in awe as a representative of God and a false belief that he could do no harm. The same holds true for abusive biological fathers.

The more than 50 child victims were threatened and warned by the priest never to tell anyone and that it is likely if they complained, their parents or other adults would not believe them.

The Philippines is trapped in a corrupt culture of cultivated silence that had protected this alleged serial child abuser for many of his 37 years. The most prolific child abusers are biological fathers and live-in partners or stepfathers.

Incest is rampant. Blame the sex industry for corrupting Philippine family morals. They, too, are protected by the culture of silence.

It is also that same culture that allows the jailing of innocent children and the sexual abuse of minors. It is a silence and inaction that has to be broken.

We need people of courage and bravery to speak out and expose the abusers and rescue the children.

That’s how we can change the system.

www.preda.org

Dams, dams everywhere was backward about the sector. One of the recommendations, obscured by the more pressing issues on credit and subsidies, was the proposal to construct across the farming areas small water impounding systems, in lieu of the giant dams.

The landmark report of the Congressional Commission on Agricultural Modernization tacitly acknowledged one thing — the giant dam policy which had anchored the power/irrigation/potable water delivery policy from the birth of the Republic had been a failure. Ringing the countryside with small water impounding systems was the much better option for irrigation purposes, said the agriculture-centric congressional study.

Left unsaid were these things that were uppermost in the minds of the senators and congressmen that made up the panel. The giant multipurpose dams were costly to construct and maintain, the servicing of the jumbo loans had been a drain on the state finances and it is about time for a policy reset. And the giant dams were prone to epic fails. The dams that were constructed at a huge financial and human costs (the construction dislocated people, whole indigenous tribes in some cases), were often useless during the dry season — when irrigation water and water for the water concessionaires and water for power were needed most.

The lawmakers framed the uselessness of the dams in the context of dry spells, when they can hardly produce the water needed by the farms, the households and power during the dry season. About 10 years later, as Ondoy buried much of Luzon and killed hundreds — and placed the country’s most productive regions into a standstill — another ugly facet of the giant dams was exposed: they also turned into monster-floodreleasing machines during heavy rains.

Water released from the dams during

the fury of Ondoy was blamed for the killer floods that paralyzed the centers of the country’s economy. Excess water was summarily released from the giant San Roque Dam and Angat Dam, turning Metro Manila and much of Luzon into a hellish waterworld.

Inutile during the dry season, killers during excessive rainfall And you have to strain the national treasury just to pay the interest charges on the foreign loans used to construct the useless dams.

Today, we are again witness to the uselessness of the dams. Just a few days into the El NiĂąo, the water level at the La Mesa Dam is down to a precarious level. Poor and low-income communities in Metro Manila have to queue for scarce water. The ghosts of the MWSS-era delivery trucks have visited the metropolis anew.

The Third World images of want and scarcity in this supposed Golden Age are haunting us once more, reminders that we have not really moved into the era of sustainability and plenty. The newspapers report that more than a million households in Metro Manila are affected by the water shortage.

At the major public hospitals in the metropolis, doctors warned that the stink at the waterless comfort rooms and sick bays was enough to induce a greater health crisis.

From now up to June, when the rains are expected, the fate of a water-short Metro Manila is one scenario that the disaster managers are afraid to draw.

Right now, Metro Manila is on an edge, the low-income areas in particular.

In the provinces, it is just as bad.

The government’s weather bureau, prone to understatement and caution, has warned that by the end of March, nine provinces would officially be under a state of drought. A total of 41 provinces would be under a “dry spell� — a fate just

a few notches in severity from a state of drought. A total of 22 would be under a state of “dry conditions.“ Even under the most optimistic scenario, this would be a crisis condition.

TV news reports have endless footages of yellow corn farms wilting in Mindanao and rice paddies in Luzon cracking up from the lack of water. We have water queues in the metropolis and dying farms in the rural areas.

So, where are the dams? Either drying up or with precarious water levels. Useless, to put it harshly.

Yet, there is no reset from the old orthodoxy that giant dams constructed from foreign loans with state guarantees are still the best provider of water, either for the households, the farms or for power generation.

In the much-hyped “Build, Build, Build“ program, there is funding for a giant dam in Western Visayas and another one in Central Luzon. While other countries have seen the folly of the giant dam policy, as usual, we stick to the tired orthodoxy of giant dams.

In 1980, Macli-ing Dulag was assassinated by the armed men of Mr. Marcos because of his opposition to the Chico River Dam project in the Cordilleras. The dam project dislocated about 300,000 people in the upper reaches of Kalinga province.

The Casecnan Dam project dislocated the Bugkalots and wiped out an entire township of indigenous people.

The old Pantabangan town in Nueva Ecija was submerged by the construction of the Pantabangan Dam and an entire town was relocated. During the summer months, the spire of the old town church reappears due to the dam’s low water level as if to stress the point that dams are of questionable functionality.

Yet, we stick to the old policy orthodoxies, and we never learn.

A6

Opinion

The Sunday Times SUNDAY March 17, 2019

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So the people may know

I

HAVE always believed that fairness is always a much valued ideal of this paper, so I am dedicating this column to reprinting that letter to the editor by Mr. Joel ,OCSIN -EDIA 2ELATIONS /FkCER

/FkCE OF 3EN 0ANkLO - ,ACSON (published in this section on March 15, 2019) and replying to it.

To Mr. Locsin, I also understand your action as a “media reLATIONSu OFkCER IN TRYING TO BRING to my attention such concerns.

Mr Locsin's letter is reprinted here as follows: (To our online readers: Here is the link to that letter to the editor by Mr. Locsin as published on March 15, 2019 — https:// www.manilatimes.net/on-senatorLACSONS ALLEGED kXATION

MIRRORLESS

ROLLY G. REYES

of your readers regarding the column of Mr. Rolly G. Reyes LAST -ARCH g0ING S kXATION u Manila Times, March 7, 2019), where he made personal attacks AGAINST 3EN 0ANkLO - ,ACSON — including his claim that the SENATOR S DISCLOSURES ON PORK BARREL ARE DUE TO A SUPPOSED kXATION ON 3PEAKER 'LORIA -ACAPAGAL Arroyo. It is quite dismaying that such baseless allegations belie the last paragraph of his piece, “good work, good deeds and good faith to all.� &IRST 3ENATOR ,ACSON CALLS OUT wrongdoing, regardless of who On Senator Lacson’s gets hurt. His latest disclosure alleged ‘fixation’ about attempts to manipulate and 0,%!3% ALLOW US TO SET THE RECORD sneak pork into the already-ratistraight and disabuse the minds kED 0 TRILLION NATIONAL BUD-

get bill stemmed from information shared by several members of the House of Representatives themselves. In the case of postRATIkCATION MANIPULATIONS INVOLVING THE $EPARTMENT OF (EALTH S Health Facilities Enhancement 0ROGRAM (OUSE MEMBERS RECEIVED A TEXT MESSAGE ON THE MATTER FROM ONE -S 3ALAMANCA WHO introduced herself as a member of THE STAFF OF 3PEAKER !RROYO 4O BE CLEAR 3ENATOR ,ACSON has already made peace with 3PEAKER !RROYO "UT THIS DOES not mean he will keep quiet when there is an issue on the budget that involves her. !ND LEST -R 2EYES FORGET 3ENAtor Lacson has also spoken out against other personalities involved in pork, even those who he considers his friends. Just ask FORMER 3PEAKER 0ANTALEON !LVAREZ AND 2EP !NTHONY "RAVO 3ECOND WHILE kNE TUNING THE budget is the work of both houses

of Congress, no one from either house has any business tampering WITH THE BUDGET AFTER IT IS RATIkED

much less violating the ConstituTION !RTICLE 6) 3EC 0ARAGRAPH 2 of the 1987 Constitution particularly states that “upon the last reading of a bill, no amendment thereto shall be allowed.� )T IS EXACTLY SUCH MANIPULATION that threatens to render useless the long and tedious hours of bicameral deliberations, scrutiny AND kNE TUNING LEADING TO BOTH HOUSES APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET BILL /N -R 2EYES CONCERN THAT inter-parliamentary respect has been violated, are the leaders of the House not the ones doing the violating, with their tampering of THE BUDGET BILL RATIkED BY THE 3ENate and House of Representatives?

4O BE SURE THIS IS NOT THE kRST time innuendos were hurled AGAINST 3ENATOR ,ACSON FOR EXPOSing irregularities in the budgeting PROCESS 3UCH ATTACKS ALSO SOUGHT

Women, work, and migration BYÂ ANNETTE FRANCISÂ ANDÂ DHEERAJ DUBEY MUMBAI, India: 3OCIAL BARRIERS HAVE historically been blamed for the lack of gender parity in the workPLACE "UT THERE ARE OTHER DIMENsions to this age-old discourse.

India has of one of the lowest female labor force participation RATES IN THE WORLD "ETWEEN AND THIS kGURE has reduced by almost 12 percent. %CONOMISTS USE THE FEMINIZATION 5 HYPOTHESIS TO EXPLAIN THIS TREND it predicts that the women workforce participation of a developing economy declines and rises again later due to the changing nature of socioeconomic factors within the national ecosystem.

The decline in the curve is a result of factors such as the incompatibility of work and family duties, the stigmas surrounding women working outside the home, and the high incomes of their spouses rendering their contribution to family income negligible.

In India, female labour force participation rates are 22 points BELOW THEIR EXPECTED LEVEL ON THE curve. While there are several factors which contribute to these numbers, internal migration must be recognised as one of the key factors which deters the entry of women into the higher education, skilling and employment ecosystems.

Women and migration Census 2011 revealed that women form almost 70 percent of the internal migrant community. For miGRANTS IN THE AGE GROUP percent of men have cited cause for migration as "work/employment," while only 2.7 percent of women say the same. The numbers are reversed when we observe "marriage" as a cause for migration, with an AVERAGE OF PERCENT MEN AND 71.2 percent women. The contrast BETWEEN THE NUMBERS RElECTS A PATtern: men migrating for work/employment, and their wives migrating with them. While it is probable that these women may have found EMPLOYMENT LATER WORK WASN T THE trigger for their migration.

One could speculate based on these numbers, that while the )NDIAN COMMUNITY HASN T RESISTED the idea of women moving out of their native homes to other regions, the resistance for mobility of women arises when the reason is non-marriage related.

Challenges surrounding migration and the subsequent hesitation to migrate, are often cited as the main bottlenecks that affects the impact of educational and EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES LIKE 3KILL India, for women.

When it comes to migration, women face both social and structural barriers 1. Agency: A women often must seek the approval of her father, brother, husband, in-laws, and sometimes the village panchayat, in order to work or learn skills which might make her employable, while still bearing

Q India has of one of the lowest female labor force participation rates in the world PRATHAM the almost sole responsibility of caring for her children.

2. Technology: A smartphone can be the tool for acquiring a variety of skills, the mediUM FOR FINANCIAL FLEXIBILITY A SOURCE FOR EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES AND kNDING JOBS AND MUCH more. However, several recent STUDIES BY ,)2.% !SIA 0EW 2ESEARCH AND '3-! HAVE ALL CONSISTENTLY AFkRMED THAT IN )NDIA

A SIGNIkCANT PERCENTAGE OF )NDIAN women are restricted from using smartphones and accessing the internet, making it all the more challenging for them to leverage THE BENEkTS OF TECHNOLOGY 7OMEN AND THE WORKPLACE Informal workers from low income backgrounds, especially migrants, do not have basic entitlements such as identity DOCUMENTATION HOUSING AND knancial services. Migrant women are additionally subject to gender-centric challenges, which includes lower pay compared to their male counterparts.

Discrimination of women in the workplace takes numerous forms ranging from the absence of materNITY BENEkTS TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT at the workplace. In a sample of 3KILL )NDIA PARTICIPANTS PERCENT of unemployed women reported that they were willing to migrate for work, but 70 percent said they would feel unsafe working away FROM HOME )($3 4HE acute lack of female leadership has made the informal labour sector a nonaspirational one for women, resulting in the sector becoming a male-dominated game.

5RBAN PLANNING AND POLICY "ELOW IS AN EXCERPT FROM the Census 2011 document, which lists the criteria for recognising an area as a Census Town. “A minimum population of

!T LEAST PERCENT OF THE male main working population engaged in non-agricultural purSUITS AND A DENSITY OF POPULATION OF AT LEAST PERSONS PER SQ KM u "Y DEFINITION THEREFORE THE system is choosing to not focus on the number of unemployed or employed women, essentially rendering their contribution to the economy invisible.

This definition has been in place since 1971, was active in 2011 when the last Census was undertaken, and continues to remain unchanged. There were

AREAS DEFINED AS CENSUS towns in Census 2011. If we were to modify the definition to include women as a part of THE @MAIN WORKING POPULATION

chances are those numbers would be considerably different. )F SUCH EXCLUSION EXISTS IN POLICY DOCUMENTS HOW CAN ONE EXPECT REforms to trickle down into action?

What are the implications of these barriers?

Women have limited opportunities as they are restricted TO @TRADITIONAL JOBS WHICH ARE closely linked to typical ideas of what women can and cannot do.

According to a 2018 McKinsey Global Institute report, India could add up to $770 billion to ITS '$0 ‡ MORE THAN PERCENT

if it simply advances gender parity in work and society.

The above narratives tell us that when it comes to women migrating for work, social norms BECOME EXCUSES TO DELAY STRUCTURAL reform, and in turn, these institutional barriers prevent community mindset change. This results in a perpetual cycle, thus, reinforcing THE EXISTING STATUS QUO

What are the solutions to correcting these wrongs?

The multi-faceted nature of this challenge makes it a tough one to TACKLE "UT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT there are organisations that have been working to drive change.

"ASED ON THEIR WORK BELOW ARE some strategies that need to be adopted and scaled by corporates, NONPROkTS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS 1. Childcare support “The starting point of increasING WOMEN S WORKFORCE PARTICIPAtion is recognising that they are primary caregivers�, says Namya Mahajan, Managing Director of 3%7! &EDERATION 3%7! RUNS CHILDCARE CENTERS IN !HMEDABAD WITH ABOUT CHILdren per center, allowing women to take up better paying jobs and spend longer hours working. “We HAVE SEEN WOMEN S INCOME INcrease by more than 50 percent on an average,� adds Mahajan.

2. Technology-based interventions g"RINGING DIGITAL DEVICES INTO A village, helps not just women get access to content for learning new skills, it also changes the nature of learning within the community,� says Medha Uniyal, program direcTOR OF 0RATHAM )NSTITUTE 3INCE 0RATHAM HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT OVER WOMen to access to smart devices and digital content, through various skilling interventions in rural areas. These women have gone on to start their own beauty parlours,

run tailoring classes, and even work as mechanics in cities, dispelling misconceptions surrounding women and technology.

7OMEN AS ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERS “We have noticed high rates of attrition when it comes to women in informal labor, especially given that the informal sector is marred with several issues like low pay AND EXPLOITATION !ND SO WE believe, there is a growing need to foster self-employment,� says 0OULOMI 0AL $EPUTY 'ENERAL Manager at Godrej Consumer 0RODUCTS ,TD '#0, "Y PARTNERING WITH SEVERAL NON PROFITS THE '#0, 3ALON i program has reached out to

SALON MICRO ENTREPRENEURS who are in turn reaching out to 90,000 women, building their capacity in technical skills and kNANCIAL LITERACY 4HE SPILLOVER BENEkTS WHICH ARE TRIGGERED BY empowering women to run their own enterprises, contributes to bringing about changes in the workplace ecosystem. !DVOCACY “It is important to recognise the economic contribution of women migrants — both within the country and abroad. This is the key prerequisite for removing the barriers to female migration while safeguarding their rights and welfare,� says Varun Agarwal, CEO of Indian Migration Now. At this juncture, we need policies to tackle the structural barriers which prevent women from being recognised as key component of the budding Indian workforce. India Migration Now works towards this end through, a comprehensive set of migration research, policy and media projects.

While it may not be possible to change norms overnight, now more than ever there is a need for collective ownership and constructive solutions.

3TAKEHOLDERS WORKING ON WOMEN and economic development need to focus their attention on resolving structural problems around migration, which is key to allowing women to pursue education, skilling and employment pathways.

Annette Francis works with 0RATHAM S VOCATIONAL TRAINING and entrepreneurship arm known AS 0RATHAM )NSTITUTE 3HE CURRENTLY focuses on research and innovation projects being pioneered by the organisation. Her primary area of interest is researching technology-based solutions for mitigating challenges in the develOPMENT SECTOR SPECIkCALLY WITHIN the livelihood and education SPACE 3HE HAS PREVIOUSLY WORKED in a teaching capacity with nonPROkT AND FOR PROkT ORGANISATIONS BASED IN )NDIA AND 3COTLAND Dheeraj Dubey is a documenTARY kLMMAKER CURRENTLY WORKING with the vocational skilling arm of 0RATHAM ON MEDIA AND RESEARCH projects. His key area of interest lies in the study of visual mediums SUCH AS kLM AND IMAGERY (E HAS previously worked on various docuMENTARY kLMS UNDER THE AMBIT OF education, art and livelihoods. IPS

to muddle the issue, including claims on “institutional insertions,� which the senator has addressed by posting his institutional amendments on his website. !S FOR -R 2EYES SPIRITED DEFENSE OF THE 3PEAKER THAT PROMPTed him to make personal attacks ON 3ENATOR ,ACSON PERHAPS HE would do her — and the public — a much better service if he used his column in this prestigious paper to air her side, point by point, instead of muddling the issue on pork in the budget by making perSONAL ATTACKS ON 3ENATOR ,ACSON Joel Locsin -EDIA 2ELATIONS /FkCER /FkCE OF 3EN 0ANkLO - Lacson My reply: Mr. Locsin, I have high respect for your views regarding my previous column as I also welcome criticisms from other readers.

) VALUE YOUR SPACE AND ) EXPECT the same valuation on mine as well. I will enumerate in my NEXT ARTICLE HOW ) ARRIVED AT my conclusion after reading so much of what has been said on record by your principal.

Again, in the interest of fairness and proper focus, I will not dilute your letter with my take on the issues mentioned.

Firstly, let us join hands by letting our readers digest and discern the merits of our different views on the matter.

For those who missed my article, kindly browse this link: https://www.manilatimes.net/ PINGS FIXATION Even if you “personally� disagree, I still stand on my parting line as always.

Good work, good deeds and good faith to all.

Rolly Reyes Columnist, The Manila Times

Q&A: inventor from a small fishing village in Saint Lucia provides hope for water woes BYÂ ALISON KENTISH CASTRIES : Karlis Noel spends his days in his lab in the small, picturesque COMMUNITY OF ,ABORIE IN 3T ,UCIA 4HE FORMER kSHERMAN S STORY MIGHT sound like an overnight success, but HIS PRESENT ACCOLADES IN THE kELD OF engineering are the result of years of hard work and an unceasing drive to make life easier for communities in the throes of a water crisis.

Noel was not able to complete secondary school, but he never allowed that to interfere with his thirst for knowledge. The self-taught inventor, with a knack for engineering, is receiving acclaim for buildING THE %ASTERN #ARIBBEAN S FIRST solar-powered, mobile desalination plant. With a grant from the Global %NVIRONMENT &ACILITY 3MALL 'RANTS 0ROGRAM '%& 3'0 TO THE ,ABORIE Fishers and Consumers Cooperative 0ROJECT .OEL WAS ABLE TO BUILD THE facility, which can produce 1,000 gallons of water daily.

The facility is a marvel to behold.

It is located near the ocean, opens up "transformers-style" to get the desalination process going andif there is a storm, it can be folded up, taken away and stored in a safe place until the all-clear is given.

In 2018, Noel built a second generation desalination facility for the Government of Nauru in the 0ACIkC A COUNTRY BESET WITH PROBlems sourcing potable water. His determination to help solve the water crises was recently recognised by THE 'OVERNMENT OF 3T ,UCIA .OEL RECEIVED THE 3AINT ,UCIA ,ES 0ITONS Medal (Gold) for having performed long and meritorious service in the kELD OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND COMmunity development. )03 SPOKE TO .OEL FROM HIS LAB about his plans for the future, the DESTINATION FOR HIS NEXT SOLAR POWERED mobile desalination unit and why he always has Dominica in mind when hammering away on his units. %XCERPTS OF THE INTERVIEW FOLLOW Inter Press Service (IPS): Your solar-powered, mobile desalination unit is creating waves and has made it across the world to help the country of Nauru deal with its water crisis. Did you ever think that your invention would one day help nations?

Karlis Noel (KN): I knew it was going to make waves, but what surprised me was the short space of time it took to gain such wide apPEAL AFTER THE VERY kRST VIDEO OF THE FACILITY HIT SOCIAL MEDIA )T S SUCH A good feeling to help a country that NEEDS POTABLE WATER ) DIDN T DO it with money in mind, I wanted to help, to make a difference. Just knowing that I can assist in this way is an accomplishment for me.

IPS: Walk me through the proCESS (OW EXACTLY DOES THE SYSTEM work? What sets it apart from other desalination facilities?

KN: Desalination in itself is not new. Reverse osmosis is not new. It

is mature technology. What makes this system different is that it is fully mobile and solar powered and there is no brine discharged into the sea.

There is a waste management system.

The other thing is that the latest system I developed works on a very BROAD SPECTRUM 3O IT CAN PURIFY anything from fresh water to highly saline water, making it possible to use it by the sea or the river or any SOURCE OF CONTAMINATED WATER 4HAT S what makes it unique.

IPS: Tell me about the original problem that your community of Laborie faced, which gave rise to this invention?

KN 3TRANGELY DURING DROUGHTS we have no water, but one would think that when it rains we actually have a lot of water, but this is not the case. When it rains, the water company has to shut down the system due to debris etc, so we HAVE A SITUATION WHERE WHEN THERE S drought we are without and when it rains we are also without water.

IPS: Can this facility help other communities facing water crises?

KN $EkNITELY BUT THERE IS ALSO an issue that I have noted from my research work with farmers.

The sea water levels are rising and this means that salt water is entering our rivers at a faster rate.

The farmers in some communities ;FOR EXAMPLE 2OSEAU IN 3T ,UCIA= are faced with a serious problem as they can no longer irrigate their crops with water from the river. Farmers in the community of "LACK "AY ;SOUTH OF 3T ,UCIA= ARE facing a similar problem. We are now getting salt water, two miles INTO THE RIVER 3O THIS PRESENTS ANother aspect of the water scarcity issue, with salt water taking over our rivers. Eventually these communities will need a machine like this to ensure there is fresh water TO IRRIGATE kELDS IPS: How do you see it helping post disaster in our region?

KN: This is the bigger goal of THIS PROJECT 7HAT ) M TRYING TO DO right now is shrink the facility. If I can make it both smaller and more EFkCIENT FOR EXAMPLE BEING ABLE TO get 10,000 or 20,000 gallons of fresh water a day from a much smaller unit, this would be ideal.

It means it can be easily deployed post-disaster. This is important to me because we are going to get more severe storms. It will be necessary to have smaller, more affordable systems with higher output.

My dream is to design a unit that CAN kT IN THE BACK OF A CAR EASILY put on board a helicopter, for easy transportation to any community or country that needs it. &OR SOME REASON WHEN ) M DEsigning, I have Dominica in mind.

I know what that country went through following the devastation of Hurricane Maria and I want to ensure that I can do my part to help any sister island in their time of need. IPS

Regions

The ËœSunday Times w w w.manilatimes.net

‘Show clearance,’ Bulacan mayor on narcolist dared A BULACAN mayoral aspirant and former staff member of then Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte during his stint as Davao mayor challenged his opponent who is in the narcolist to show evidence that he had been stricken off the list.  Former Chief Supt. Francisco Villaroman is seeking the mayoral post in San Rafael town against incumbent Mayor Cipriano Violago Jr. who was named by President Duterte in the list of narcopoliticians on Thursday. Villaroman was Duterte’s consultant in counterterrorism and was head of the Public Safety and Security Command Center. He dared Violago to present clearance or documents showing that his name had been removed from the municipal, provincial, regional levels in the narco list. Earlier, Violago claimed that he was cleared from

all these levels up to Camp Crame and other agencies and his name was subject to “de-listing� but someone blocked it in the Office of the President. “If truly you (Violago) have been cleared, show all your clearances and documents and not just deceive the people,� Villaroman said.

Violago said that he was not surprised about Duterte’s announcement as President Duterte was only misrepresented and the inclusion of his name was politically motivated as his opponent allegedly used his connection to destroy his name.  San Rafael town is high on the list of the Philippine National Police’s hot spots in Bulacan, particularly in the third district, after several barangay (village) chairman and leaders have been killed since last year.

FREDERICK SILVERIO

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

Syrian missionary shot dead in North Cotabato

BY JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

C

OTABATO CITY: On the same day that an Australian gunman shot dead 49 Muslims just after performing their Friday congregational prayer inside a mosque in Christchurch in New Zealand, a Syrian cleric preaching in a predominantly Muslim barangay (village) in Carmen town in North Cotabato was also gunned down

BY AN UNIDENTIkED SUSPECT Carmen municipal police iden- 4AYAAN !MBAG WAS WOUNDED IN TIkED THE FATALITY AS 3HEIK 7ASIF THE ATTACK WHOSE -AGUINDANAON SPOUSE

7ASIF A -USLIM MISSIONARY

FROM 3YRIA HANDLED )SLAMIC THEOLOGY SUBJECTS IN A LOCAL -ADRASAH RELIGIOUS SCHOOL IN "ARANGAY -ANARAPAN #ARMEN 3UPT !LDRIN 'ONZALEZ SPOKESMAN FOR THE 0OLICE 2EGIONAL /FkCE 02/ ON 3ATURDAY SAID INITIAL REPORTS FROM INVESTIGATORS INDICATED THAT A GUN WIELDING MAN BARGED INTO 7ASIF S HOUSE IN "ARANGAY .ASAPIAN ON &RIDAY AND OPENED kRE

KILLING HIM INSTANTLY 7ASIF S WIFE 4AYAAN WAS BROUGHT TO A HOSPITAL BY RESPONDING POLICE OFkCERS AND BARANGAY OFkCIALS 4HE NEIGHBORING VILLAGES OF .ASAPIAN AND -ANARAPAN IN

SERIES OF ENCOUNTERS SINCE LAST WEEK WITH PURSUING PERSONNEL OF THE ST -ECHANIZED AND THE TH )NFANTRY "ATTALIONS AND THE ELITE ST $IVISION 2ECONNAISSANCE #OMPANY OF THE )$ -AJOR 'EN #IRILITO 3OBEJANA )$ COMMANDER SAID THEIR CONTINUING HUNT FOR ")&& BANDITS IN TOWNS ALONG THE ,IGUASAN -ARSH WAS AIMED AT NEUTRALIZING !BU 4ORAIFE S GROUP 4ORAIFE A BOMB MAKER WHOSE REAL NAME IS !BDULMALIK %SMAEL

WAS BLAMED FOR THE DEADLY BOMBINGS IN #ENTRAL -INDANAO IN THE PAST THREE YEARS ,OCAL OFkCIALS AND )SLAMIC RELIGIOUS LEADERS SAID THERE WERE AT LEAST FOUR FOREIGNERS TAGGING ALONG WITH 4ORAIFE ‡ 3AAB 3HA ARBATRI WHO HAS -IDDLE %ASTERN FEATURES :ARUUM 3UMAHARTI AN )NDONESIAN AND A -ALAYSIAN NAMED /MAR +ENZIH )NFORMATION HAS SPREAD AROUND SINCE -ONDAY PURPORTING THAT A kFTH FOREIGNER -UAHWIA A -ALAYSIAN

WAS KILLED IN MILITARY AIRSTRIKES THAT DESTROYED HIS HIDEOUT IN 3HARIFF 3AIDONA -USTAPHA JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

Batangas town officials face off in Ombudsman 4(% TOP OFkCIALS OF 3AN 0ASCUAL TOWN IN "ATANGAS ARE SLUGGING IT OUT IN THE /FkCE OF THE /MBUDSMAN /N -ARCH 3AN 0ASCUAL 6ICE -AYOR !NTONIO $IMAYUGA PRESSED CHARGES AGAINST SITTING -AYOR 2OANNA #ONTI FOR ALLEGEDLY TAKING A VACATION IN THE 53 WITHOUT THE REQUIRED APPLICATION FOR LEAVE AND AUTHORITY TO LEAVE !CCORDING TO THE COMPLAINT

#ONTI WENT TO THE 53 FROM $EC

TO *AN WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE 3ANGGUNIANG "AYAN 3" AND WITHOUT APPOINTING $IMAYUGA AS ACTING MAYOR 4HE 3" ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT HER TRIP AFTER SEEING PHOTOS ON &ACEBOOK AND UPON THE CONFIRMATION OF A MUNICIPAL HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT OFkCER DURING A BUDGET HEARING LAST *ANUARY !TTACHED TO $IMAYUGA S OFFICIAL COMPLAINT ARE PHOTOS OF #ONTI WITH HER CHILDREN IN ,AS 6EGAS .EVADA AND ,A #ANADA &LINTRIDGE #ALIFORNIA MINUTES OF THE BUDGET HEARING AUTHORITY TO TRAVEL SIGNED BY "ATANGAS 'OV (ERMILANDO -ANDANAS AND #ONTI S UNSIGNED APPLICATION FOR LEAVE g)F THE MUNICIPALITY OF 3AN 0ASCUAL EXPERIENCED A CALAMITY FROM $ECEMBER TO *ANUARY AND CAUSED A GREAT LOSS AND DISTRESS TO THE COMMUNITY THE DECISIONS THAT ONLY THE CHIEF LOCAL EXECUTIVE CAN MAKE WOULD BE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE

THUS LEAVING THE FATE OF THE TOWN IN LIMBO u $IMAYUGA STATED IN HIS COMPLAINT AFkDAVIT #ONTI DENIED $IMAYUGA S ALLEGATIONS SAYING gTHIS CASE IS A TOTALLY BASELESS ACCUSATION WHICH WILL ONLY

WASTE THE TIME AND ENERGY OF OUR GOOD PROSECUTORS IN THE /MBUDSMAN S OFFICE $IMAYUGA MERELY WANTS ATTENTION AND THE NEED TO FEEL IMPORTANT .EVERTHELESS WE ARE NOT BACKING DOWN ON THIS BASELESS CHARGE AND WE WILL FACE IT HEAD ON AS ) KNOW THAT MY NAME WILL BE CLEARED OF -R $IMAYUGA S CIRCUS ACCUSATIONS 3AN 0ASCUAL SHOULD NOT BE DRAGGED INTO THIS DIRTY POLITICAL TACTICS AS ) HAVE ALWAYS ADHERED TO AN HONORABLE KIND OF LEADERSHIP u -EANWHILE ON -ARCH #ONTI PRESSED CHARGES AGAINST $IMAYUGA AND SIX OTHER 3" MEMBER FOR VIOLATION OF THE !NTI #ORRUPT AND 0RACTICES !CT GROSS NEGLECT OF DUTY AND CONDUCT PREJUDICIAL TO THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SERVICE #ONTI ACCUSED THEM OF DELAYING THE APPROVAL OF THE 0ROPOSED !NNUAL "UDGET OF THE 3AN 0ASCUAL )N A STATEMENT RESPONDENTS CLAIMED THAT WHILE THEY RECEIVED A COPY OF THE 0ROPOSED !NNUAL "UDGET LAST /CTOBER THERE WERE NO OBLIGATORY ATTACHMENTS )T WAS $ECEMBER WHEN THEY kRST CONVENED FOR A BUDGET HEARING WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL EARLY THIS MONTH $IMAYUGA SAID THAT AMONG THE REASONS FOR THE DELAY WERE THE DISCOVERY OF LUMP SUM AMOUNTS THE NONATTENDANCE OF DEPARTMENT HEADS DURING BUDGET HEARINGS AND ADDITIONAL INSERTIONS AND CHANGES IN THE SUBMITTED PROGRAM APPROPRIATIONS #ONTI AND $IMAYUGA ARE UP AGAINST EACH OTHER IN THE MAYORAL RACE IN THE -AY ELECTIONS TINA GANZON-OZAETA

#ARMEN BECAME PART OF THE "ANGSAMORO !UTONOMOUS 2EGION IN -USLIM -INDANAO AFTER LOCAL RESIDENTS VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE INCLUSION OF THEIR VILLAGES IN "!2-- S PROPOSED CORE TERRITORY IN A PLEBISCITE LAST &EBRUARY 4HE NEWLY ESTABLISHED "!2-- IS A PRODUCT OF YEARS OF PEACE TALKS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE -ORO )SLAMIC ,IBERATION &RONT 'ONZALEZ SAID THEIR REGIONAL DIRECTOR #HIEF 3UPT %LISEO 2ASCO

OF 02/ HAD ORDERED THE .ORTH #OTABATO PROVINCIAL POLICE TO DISPATCH INTELLIGENCE AGENTS TO #ARMEN TO HELP THE LOCAL POLICE INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENT

Man nabbed in Davao not yet suspect in Cebu teenager slay

3 more BIFF gunmen slain in Maguindanao SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao: 0HILIPPINE !RMY TROOPS OF THE TH )NFANTRY $IVISION )$ RECOVERED MORE POWERFUL IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES )%$S IN TWO ENCLAVES OF PRO )SLAMIC 3TATE TERRORISTS BELONGING TO THE "ANGSAMORO )SLAMIC &REEDOM &IGHTERS ")&& AFTER A SERIES OF CLASHES IN -AGUINDANAO -AJ !RVIN %NCINAS SPOKESMAN FOR THE )$ SAID ON 3ATURDAY THAT THREE MORE FOLLOWERS OF !BU 4ORAIFE LEADER OF THE MOST RADICAL ")&& FACTION WERE KILLED IN THE ENSUING GUNkGHTS !RMY SNIPERS KILLED 5YAO "ADRUDDIN )GASAN +AMID AND 'ULAM -ADSID IN AN ENCOUNTER IN "ARANGAY )NALADAN IN 3HARIFF 3AIDONA -USTAPHA TOWN IN THE SECOND DISTRICT OF -AGUINDANAO %NCINAS SAID UNITS OF THE )$ HAVE BEEN RUNNING AFTER ")&& FORCES IN 3HARIFF 3AIDONA -USTAPHA AND NEARBY TOWNS SINCE -ARCH AFTER BANDITS KILLED FOUR OFF DUTY SOLDIERS IN A SERIES OF ATTACKS IN -AGUINDANAO AND IN #OTABATO #ITY EARLY ON ,OCAL OFFICIALS CONFIRMED THE DEATH OF ")&& MEMBERS IN A

A7

LENDING AN EAR

Former special assistant to the President and Senate hopeful Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go listens closely to an elderly woman who appealed for help during a sortie with the Hugpong ng Pagbabago regional party in Meycauayan City, Bulacan recently. Go assured BulacaĂąos of transparent administration once elected on May 13, as initiated by President Rodrigo Duterte in steering the country to the right path to progress. He likewise vowed to put up more Malasakit Centers to address the people’s needs through easy access to medical and health services.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

El NiĂąo hits Sarangani farmlands, Cagayan Valley 4(% IMPACT OF THE %L .IĂ„O PHENOMENON HAD ALREADY BEEN SEEN IN HECTARES OF FARMLANDS IN FOUR TOWNS IN 3ARANGANI PROVINCE WHILE THE #AGAYAN 6ALLEY 2EGION WAS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE PROLONGED DROUGHT IN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS

WEATHER OFkCIALS SAID *ONATHAN $UHAYLUNGSOD OFkCER IN CHARGE OF THE /FFICE OF THE 0ROVINCIAL !GRICULTURIST /0!' IN 3ARANGANI SAID THEY WERE NOW EVALUATING THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE OF THE DRY SPELL IN THE TOWNS OF -ALUNGON 'LAN

-ALAPATAN AND !LABEL 4HE %L .IĂ„O )NTER !GENCY 0REPAREDNESS 0ROGRAM 0LAN WAS ALSO CONDUCTING AN INFORMATION CAMPAIGN ON THE DRY SPELL IN THE FOUR TOWNS AFFECTED AS WELL AS IN THE TOWNS OF -AASIM

+IAMBA AND -AITUM ! MONITORING TEAM ALSO RECORDED THE HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES AND DISEASES WATER SANITATION AND HYGIENE AND RECOMMENDED THE PLANTING OF DROUGHT RESISTANT ROOT CROPS IN THE TOWNS AFFECTED 2ENE 0UNZALAN HEAD OF THE 0ROVINCIAL $ISASTER 2ISK 2EDUCTION -ANAGEMENT /FkCE 0$22-/ SAID THEY HAVE PUT IN PLACE CERTAIN MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF THE LONG DRY SPELL ON AGRICULTURAL CROPS (E ADDED THAT THE 0$22-/ WOULD CONDUCT A FULL COUNCIL MEETING ON -ARCH TO DISCUSS FURTHER THE PROVINCE S PREPARATIONS FOR DROUGHT 4HE 0HILIPPINE !TMOSPHERIC 'EOPHYSICAL !STRONOMICAL 3ERVICES !DMINISTRATION 0AGASA EARLIER RELEASED A WEATHER ADVISORY SAYING THAT THE MOST AFFECTED AND HIGHLY VULNERABLE PLACES TO %L .IĂ„O WERE 7ESTERN -INDANAO INCLUDING :AMBOANGA 0ENINSULA AND SOME PARTS OF ,UZON AND THE 6ISAYAS -EANWHILE 0AGASA SAID THE #AGAYAN 6ALLEY 2EGION WAS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE A LONG DRY SPELL UP TO *UNE AS RAINFALL FORECAST WOULD BE GENERALLY gBELOW NORMALu WITHIN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS 2OMEO 'ANAL 0AGASA WEATHER SPECIALIST SAID THERE WAS A NEED FOR ALL CONCERNED AGENCIES AND THE PUBLIC TO ADOPT MEASURES TO MITIGATE THE WORST POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF THE PROLONGED DRY SPELL IN 2EGION g4HE REGION #AGAYAN 6ALLEY HAS A POTENTIAL FOR METEOROLOGICAL DRY SPELL TO DROUGHT CONDITIONS AS WELL AS THE OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY IN THE COMING MONTHS u HE SAID "UT 'ANAL EXPLAINED THAT A DRY SPELL WHICH IS A WEATHER CONDITION WITH BELOW NORMAL RAINFALL WOULD ONLY BE CATEGORIZED AS A gDROUGHTu IF THE CONDITIONS PREVAIL UP TO kVE MONTHS

%L .IĂ„O IS CHARACTERIZED BY UNUSUALLY WARM OCEAN SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN EQUATORIAL 0ACIkC REGIONS WHICH SIGNIkCANTLY AFFECTS THE RAINFALL PATTERN AND BRINGS ABOUT A PROLONGED DRY SPELL JERRY N. ADLAWÂ AND LEANDER C. DOMINGO

THE alleged suspect behind the brutal killing of Christine Lee Silawan was arrested in Davao City on Friday, but the Philippine National Police (PNP) clarified that he was still not the established suspect and was arrested for a different case.

Police arrested Jonas Bueno in Davao City at around 5 p.m. via a warrant of arrest for murder issued by the Regional Trial Court 7 in Danao City, Cebu.

Some reports surfaced that Bueno was one of the suspects who stabbed Silawan and skinned her face to the bone.

However, the PNP clarified that the Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) assigned to the case had yet to release official information about it. It also explained that Bueno was charged for a crime committed two months before Silawan’s death.

Bueno and his brothers, Jovy and Junry, were suspects in the killing of Trinidad Batucan on January 13. Jovy and Junry were killed in January 18 during the service of the same warrant.

Silawan was killed on March 10. The PNP said it was finding the possible connections of Bueno to Silawan’s case. “We are still digging deeper into Junas Bueno’s alleged involvement in this Cebu killing. Deep Investigation and validation from Cebu Police on SITG will still be conducted,� it said.

Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, earlier said the suspect in the crime might be a “psychological maniac� hooked on drugs.

ROY D.R. NARRA

News Pagcor eyes case vs QC Senators seek long-term over gaming ordinance solution to water crisis A8

˜ The Manila Times

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

BY JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

S

ENATORS Richard Gordon and Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday called on the government to come up with short-and longterm solutions to the water shortage.

g7HEN WILL -ANILA 7ATER kNISH its projects? They should immediately look for other water sources.

Maynilad [Water Services Inc.] have other water sources. They should also speed up upgrading their water collection and distribution system, check their pipelines for leakages. If pipes are leaking, there would really be an increase in their consumers’ demand,

which is one of the reasons they cited,� Gordon said.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate energy committee, said it’s time for the government to harness the Energy Virtual One-Stop Shop (EVOSS) Act to prevent future water shortages.

With this law, he said the government would be able to streamline the permitting process of hydroelectric power projects, which

w w w.manilatimes.net

will in turn pave the way for the immediate construction of hydroelectric dams that can be used for multiple purposes, such as reservoirs for the daily water need of households, agricultural irrigaTION lOOD CONTROL AND RECREATION He pointed out that in the past, the bureaucratic labyrinth that developers of run-of-river hydro plants have to go through takes more than three years to complete. “I expect that the tedious permitting processes that most hydro plant developers undergo will now be shortened to half the usual time,� Gatchalian said. “With the implementation of EVOSS, we are not only ensuring

the country’s energy security but also ensuring that there will be WATER lOWING IN THE TAPS OF EVERY household,� he added.

In the meantime, Gordon gave assurances that the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) would provide clean and potable water to the thousands of families affected by the shortage. However, he said hospitals would be given priority.

The PRC has deployed eight water tankers to the Rizal Medical Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, East Avenue Medical Center, National Center for Mental Health and Mandaluyong City Medical Center.

THE Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) is CONSIDERING kLING A CASE TO STOP the Quezon City government from implementing an ordinance collecting entry fee to the projected Solaire casino from its residents.

Pagcor said the gaming regulatory ordinance was a clear “violation of national law� and an abuse of authority. “By virtue of Presidential Decree (PD) 1869 and Republic Act 9487, Pagcor is the national government agency that has been mandated to regulate all games of chance in the country,� the agency said.

It said PD 771 “revokes the authority of LGUs (local government units) to issue license permit or any form of franchise to operate, maintain and establish forms of gambling.�

The Quezon City Council, under the committee headed by Councilor Ivy Lagman, recently passed an ordinance allowing casinos in the city provided its residents pay an entrance fee.

Solaire casino, owned by billionaire businessman Enrique Razon, purchased a 1.5-hectare lot in Ayala Vertis North complex and vowed to build by 2022 a vertical GAMBLING EDIkCE 4HE CASINO IS TO be built by Bloomberry Resorts Corp. “The provisions in the law are clear. Pagcor is vested the authority to ensure that proper regulations are in place so as not to endanger the interests of the country — including cities and LGUs,� the

gaming agency said.

In relation to abuses of LGUs making ordinances beyond their authority, it said an opinion issued by the Department of Justice in 2012 suggested the declaration of nullity of the ordinance, including the issuance of a temporary restraining order, while the case is pending in court. “Hence, given the provisions of the law, it is clear that Quezon City’s proposed gaming regulatory ordinance is a violation of naTIONAL LAW 7ITH THE kLING OF 42/

we are not only upholding the rule of law but also ensuring that people’s welfare are protected and LGUs will not be given a chance to abuse their authority,� Pagcor said in a statement.

1UEZON #ITY 6ICE -AYOR *OSEkna “Joy� Belmonte on Wednesday defended the passing of the ordinance, saying the city government “must care for the well-being of its citizens.� “I would like to clarify that the ordinance that seeks to require entrance fees to casinos in Quezon City for the city’s own residents, among other measures to regulate gambling, is not directed only at Solaire but is meant to supervise all gambling operations in the city,� she added.

Pagcor said that a study published in UNLV Gaming Research & Review Journal showed that imposing an entry fee policy would drive away recreational gamblers.

Duterte appoints 23 new judges MAKING WAVES

American sailors entertain Filipinos at SM Tayuman on Sunday. The performers were part of the team aboard USS Blue Ridge, the flagship of the United States 7th Fleet, that arrived on Wednesday for a port visit. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN

Q CANDIDATES FROM A1 gresssman Lino Cayetano, brother-

Metro The non-commissioned survey held from March 1-10, 2019 showed that Binay, who is seeking a second term, enjoys a strong 71 percent lead against her brother, Jejomar “Junjun� Binay Jr., who posted a 27 percent rating.

The survey polled 3,500 registered voters in Metro Manila.

Belmonte was the top choice for mayor in Quezon City, getting 75 percent, higher than her opponent, Rep. Vincent “Bingbong�

Crisologo who got 24 percent. Former representative Chuck Mathay received only 1 percent.

In Taguig City, former con-

Q EGGS FROM A1

Too many The new data suggest that eating eggs increases the risk of heart attack or stroke, although the study does not establish a causal link.

Still, it offers enough data to “make a strong statement that eggs and overall dietary cholesterol intake remain important in affecting the risk of (cardiovascular disease) and more so the risk of all-cause mortality,� physician Robert Eckel, of the University of Colorado, wrote in an editorial in JAMA. But as Tom Sanders, a professor of dietetics at King’s College London, points out, these results differ from a large US study published in 1999 that found no effect — like a 2013 analysis of 3 million adults published in the British medical journal BMJ. A recent Chinese study even concluded cholesterol decreased the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Sanders thinks the new results are only relevant for

law-law of incumbent Mayor Lani Cayetano, garnered 73 percent against Taguig-Pateros Rep. Arnel #ERAkCA WHO GOT ONLY PERCENT Eusebio was also ahead at 65 percent for the Pasig mayoral post, compared to Vico Sotto, son of Vic Sotto and Coney Reyes, who scored 27 percent. Rep. Toby Tiangco, who is running for Navotas mayor, is up by 58 percent against Dan Ang’s 24 percent, and Imelda Calixto-Rubiano, who wants to be Pasay mayor, has 67 percent as against megastar Sharon Cuneta’s brother, Chet, who got 18 percent.

In Manila, former vice mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno� Domagoso is leading at 42 percent.

the United States, where the average person eats more eggs and meat than in Europe. “Eggs in moderation — around 3 to 4 per week — is fine, and that is what current UK dietary guidelines say,�

Sanders said.

In France, national nutrition guidelines refute the idea that you should not eat more than two eggs a week: “You can eat them regularly.�

And dietitian Victoria Taylor, of the British Heart Foundation, insists that the way you eat the egg and with what is so important. “Eating healthily is all about balance. If you’re eating too much of one thing it leaves less room in the diet for other foods that may have more health benefit. “Eggs are a nutritious food and, while this study focuses on the amount we’re eating, it’s just as important to pay attention to how the eggs are cooked and to the trimmings that come with them. For example, poached eggs on whole-grain toast is a much healthier meal than a tradiAFP tional fry up.�

Incumbent Mayor Joseph Estrada got 30 percent, while exmayor Alfredo Lim posted a voter preference of 20 percent.

Mayor Rex Gatchalian (92 percent) in Valenzuela City, Mayor Edwin Olivarez (45 percent) in ParaĂąaque City and Mayor Lenlen Oreta (48 percent) in Malabon City also led in the poll.

Former San Juan vice mayor &RANCIS :AMORA WAS IN A CLOSE kGHT with Vice Mayor Janella Estrada.

Zamora leads by only 1 point with 45 percent.

In the cities of Mandaluyong, Caloocan and Muntinlupa, incumbent candidates pulled away in the poll with Mayor Carmelita Abalos (87 percent), Mayor Oscar Malapitan (90 percent) and Mayor

FREE MEAL

Jaime Fresnedi (61 percent) leading in their respective rankings.

The other leading candidates for mayor in Metro Manila, based on the survey, also include Imelda Aguilar (70 percent) of Las PiĂąas City, Marcelino Teodoro (87 percent) of Marikina City and Miguel Ponce 3rd (57 percent) of Pateros town.

Paul Martinez of RPMDinc said THE kRM WOULD CONTINUE CONDUCTing independent surveys dubbed as “Halalan 2019 NCR Survey� for the May 2019 elections.

The question asked for the mayoralty race was, “If elections for mayor are to be held today in your place, who among the following candidates will you vote for?�

WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

A staff of Duterte’s Kitchen gives food to bikers on Sunday. The ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino set up a tent near Manila Bay to offer food to hungry promenaders and passersby. PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed 23 new judges in Central Luzon and transmitted the appointments to the Supreme Court (SC) and the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC).

The appointments were contained in a transmittal letter of Executive Secretary Salvador MediALDEA TO THE /FkCE OF #HIEF *USTICE Lucas Bersamin.

The new judges will be assigned in regional trial courts in Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Zambales and Nueva Ecija.

The new appointees for Bulacan were Cherry Chiara Hernando, MTC Calumpit; Bienvenido Almonte Jr., MTC Pandi; Mary Kwen CaĂąete-Elefante, MTC Obando; Edmond Lorenzo, MTC Sta. Maria; and Ryan Philipp Bartolome, MTC in Cities, Branch 1, San Jose Del Monte City.

Meanwhile, appointed for Pampanga were Cheryl Anna Tungpalan de Jesus, MTC, Branch 1, Guagua; Persel Esman, MTC, Branch 2, Guagua; Mischelle

Maulion-Jocson, MTC Lubao; Marvic Alfonso, MTC Porac; Maria Zenaida Ferrer-Alejandre, MTC Sta. Rita; Robert Christopher Reyes, MTC in Cities, Branch 1, Angeles City; and Chona Guiao Pichay, MCTC, Macabebe-Masantol.

The new appointees for the Bataan judiciary are Ludovino Joseph Augusto Tobias Jr., 4th MTC BagacMorong; Juliet Sangalang Salaria, 2nd MTC Orani-Samal; and Ana Florence Cuntapay Oamil, MTC in Cities, Balanga City.

Appointed to MTC San Narciso, Zambales was Denise Sagun.

In Nueva Ecija, appointed were Ninethz Balagtas-Alzate, MTC, Aliaga; Encinares, Chertl Gamalinda, MTC Bongabon; Leah de Guzman, MTC General Tinio; Theodorick Ayungo, MTC Nampicuan; Dante Gil Gumpal, MTC San Leonardo; Jennifer Grospe Apacible, MTC Talavera; and Nelson Largo, MTC in Cities, Branch 3, Cabanatuan City.

JOMAR CANLAS

Business Times Q keep in view Business leaders to watch out for

Marvin Tiu Lim 6ICE 0RESIDENT FOR 3ALES AND -ARKETING Mega Global Corp.

SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2019 Email: bizreports@manilatimes.net

He engaged in buy-and-sell activities in primary and secondary school. He ran seven enterprises in his early 20s. Now, he’s applying HIS ACUMEN TO THE FAMILY BUSINESS OF CATCHING AND CANNING kSH USING DIGITAL TOOLS TO lAG THEIR BRAND S IMAGE IN THE MARKETPLACE

The biz whiz kid

ABOUT ME ROLE MODEL I admire my Dad’s vision, my Mom’s financial acumen and my siblings’ various strengths.

FIRST PAYING JOB I worked as a management trainee at SM Malls and received P20,000, which I tried to give to my parents, but they didn’t accept it. The amount wasn’t really important since I already had a successful laptop trading business. I worked at SM purely for the experience.

BY THERESE NECIO-ORTEGA

I

F it wasn’t for a strict house rule that anything c o s t i n g b e yo n d t he weekly allowance had to be paid for out of extra work, Marvin Tiu Lim might not have evolved into the accomplished entrepreneur he is today.

4HE YOUNGEST OF kVE SIBLINGS -ARVIN was already business-minded as a primary school student. During summer vacations, he engaged in online games buy-and-sell AND HAWKED GROCERIES AND CIGARETTES AS well. By the time he reached secondary school, he had graduated to trading highperformance laptops from the US, mainly USED BY ONLINE GAMERS (E WORKED WITH an aunt, who lived on the Mainland and secured the equipment, which he sold to classmates and friends. Laptop Kid, the company he set up, still exists.

By the time he entered the University OF !SIA AND THE 0ACIkC 5! 0 IN

he and his business partner, Kevin Yao, had launched Auto Kid, a buy-and-sell car specialist. Located in Quezon City, the enterprise began with a single vehicle that grew to 200, and now also includes a RANGE OF TRUCKS DUMP TRUCKS AND MIXERS TO cater to the boom in urban development.

The boys had spotted a prime business opportunity and are now reaping handsomely from following gut feel.

The idea was to push heavy equipment LIKE TRUCKS ONLINE IN CONTRAST TO THE COMpetitors’ traditional methods. He utilized DIGITAL MARKETING TO INCREASE AWARENESS of his “little� project. There are now 12 branches of Auto Kid. By the time Marvin WAS IN HIS EARLY S HE S NOW HE BOASTED SEVEN BUSINESSES TAXI INSURANCE

RENTALS BROKERAGE AND HIS EXISTING INITIAL ONES ALL RUNNING SIMULTANEOUSLY Wanting to beef up his academic credentials, Marvin went to the Ateneo Graduate School in 2012 — although he had much more experience than his CLASSMATES ‡ kNISHING IN 4HIS YEAR

HE IS SCHEDULED TO TAKE UP THE /WNERS

Managers and Presidents’ Course at Harvard Business School.

Marvin has been fortunate to have strong role models close by to shape his commercial ambitions and drive.

His father William Tiu Lim and mother Marylou Pe-Tiu Lim, he says, are the PERSONIkCATION OF ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT AND kNANCIAL ACUMEN )N THE OLDER 4IU ,IM RISKED MOVING THE .AVOTAS BASED shipping business of his wife’s family to Zamboanga. There, he realized the loCAL kSHING AND FOOD CANNING INDUSTRIES WERE NOT ON PAR WITH THOSE OF )NDONESIA

Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. Tiu Lim went on to establish Mega Global Corp., presenting improvements and raising operation standards to international levels.

Mega Global Corp. has two main business units: Mega Fishing Corp., which is RESPONSIBLE FOR SUSTAINABLE kSHING AND claims the freshest 12-hour time from catching to canning, using fish pump technology; and the Ayala Seafoods Corp..

Part of any company’s success is endurING CONCERN FOR THE STAKEHOLDERS WHO help it attain its goals. According to MarVIN g7E FOCUSED ON FAMILIES OF THE kSHERmen through “)LAW NG 4AHANAN ,IGHT OF THE (OME u WHICH TEACHES THEIR SPOUSES to become entrepreneurs and develop ad-

B1

MORNING ROUTINE I usually work out before breakfast, either lifting weights or boxing with my trainer.

SPECIAL SKILLS Public speaking. I like to host events, and I’m very comfortable in front of a large crowd.

FUN FACT My motto in life is — which my Dad doesn’t agree with — you have to spend more to earn more.

TIME YOU SPEND ON SOCIAL MEDIA I spend too much time on this. I do a lot of work on Facebook as I head our marketing team. Also, I handle the sales of my businesses, which are reliant on social media as a channel of communication.

“

Competition is always just around the corner, but with focused mindset, shared vision and relevant innovation, there will be room for more growth and potential for the company

Q Marvin is at ease before large crowds and enjoys emceeing at company events (top), a regular meeting with his team (center) and with brand ambassador, actor and performer Piolo Pascual

DITIONAL SKILLS ENABLING THEM NOT ONLY TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN AND THEIR HOMES

but also to generate additional income through businesses where the required SKILLS ARE ACCREDITED BY THE 4ECHNICAL %DUCATION AND 3KILLS $EVELOPMENT !UTHORITY “The Mega-Sardine buns are one of the TOP PRODUCTS FROM -EGA "AKERIES AND other small enterprises that have been ORGANIZED FOR THE FAMILIES OF kSHERMEN u Marvin says.

Marvin is also occupied with innovating as he did in 2012, when he helped design an “easy-to-open� can concept, a convenient and hygienic function adopted by Mega Sardines. As head of the COMPANY S -ARKETING $EPARTMENT HE continuously explores different platforms FOR CUSTOMER AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEment, synergizing all relevant information FROM A SALES AND MARKETING PERSPECTIVE to support the operations and production teams. He believes that automation WILL ALLOW BETTER EFkCIENCY AND ADOPTION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE !) AND HELP ensure stability and steady expansion of the company.

When he became vice president for SALES AND MARKETING IN HE PAVED THE WAY TO INCREASE DIGITAL MARKETING INvestments. Under his leadership, digital strategies have strengthened the online voice of the brand. The digital campaign executions in all channels became more creative, resulting in greater brand exposure. These have brought the Mega brands closer to their target consumers.

His efforts did not go unnoticed.

'OOGLE AND &ACEBOOK INVITED THE COMpany in 2017 to become one of their client PARTNERS )T ALSO WON 'OLD IN THE 0EOPLE S #HOICE #ATEGORY AND "RONZE IN %XCELlence in Brand Positioning in the Panata Awards 2018. Mega Sardines has also been recognized as the 12th Most Chosen Food Brand by Kantar World Panel.

Handling Mega Corp. image and marKETING PORTFOLIOS -ARVIN WORKS TO INSTILL the company’s core values in employees who are predominantly millennials and those belonging to Gen X and Gen Y groups. These are passion for productivity, professionalism and performance; TEAMWORK AND GETTING INTO THE HEART OF a good team relationship; a desire for CONTINUOUS LEARNING INTEGRITY WORK life balance; being responsible stewards and having love for the Almighty.

He welcomes religious diversity that is molded by a culture of being grateful AND GIVING THANKS -ARVIN SAYS g) KNOW THAT COMPETITION IS ALWAYS JUST AROUND THE CORNER BUT ) AM assured that with the proper and focused mindset, shared vision, constant communication and relevant innovation, there will be room for more growth and potential for the company.�

(E CREDITS HIS OLDER BROTHER -ARK FOR professionalizing Mega Corp. and advisers to Mega Global Corp. such as Manolo %SCUEVA FORMER 0ROCTER AND 'AMBLE function leader for Asean, Australasia AND )NDIA AND "IENVENIDO "AUTISTA A retired professional. His sister, Michelle, HAS ALSO WORKED FOR THE COMPANY AS DOES his brother Malcolm, who serves as operations head. While his mother supervises kNANCE MATTERS HIS FATHER REMAINS THE overall architect and visionary of the company.

A parent himself, Marvin dotes on Chase and Kyle, his young sons with ARCHITECT NOW STAY AT HOME MOM 0INKY Yap Tiu Lim. Marvin says: “The important thing is to kND YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE 7ORK ON BUSInesses that let you stay ahead of the game and have fun while you are doing it, while learning and becoming the best version of yourself for your own family, the corporation and the community you serve.�

His parting shot: “Love what you do, AND YOU WILL NEVER WORK A DAY IN YOUR LIFE u

B2

Business Times

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

Editor: Edwin P. Sallan Email: edwin.sallan@manilatimes.net

˜ The Sunday Times w w w.manilatimes.net

5G in PH to reach schools, universities

W

HEN Smart and Nokia anNOUNCED THEIR kFTH GENERATION (5G) network partnership early this week, PLDT Chairman and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan said, “This is part and parcel of the digital journey that PLDT has embarked since 2015 and continues to this day. The most recent expression to that is this partnership with Nokia and our march into the brave new world of 5G. A world we don’t totally understand at this stage but which we feel offers a great opportunity for telcos to generate new forms of revenue.”

This is how new and raw 5G is.

Even the country’s biggest players are seeing just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to 5G reality. The fact that it’s hogging the business and tech headlines overemphasizes how 5G will literally change the world when it becomes as accessible as LTE. We’ve featured 5G a number of times in this corner, but it’s a running story and it’s running away with limitless tech solutions that we always go back to the Internet of Things (IoT), as 5G will not just enable surgeons to do remote surgeries or cars running on auto-pilot. 5G is the concretization of smart cities, of an entire smart country. The

Smart and Nokia partnership is big because it took the first step to bring 5G to where all the learnings begin — at schools and universities. Imagine h ow yo u n g m i n d s will thrive with this kind of network.

For a quick back story on 5G, here’s what we’ve shared from a previous column entry: The wireless telecoms history started with 1G when your huge handsets are only capable with calls. Then, 2G was made available to accommodate both calling and texting, and for a while, we were good with this combo of wireless service. But the internet hapPENED kRST IN THE FORM OF DIAL UP ACcess, which you can only do at turtle speed via landline. For the internet to work on your mobile phone, 3G was created to add data capabilities on top of calls and texts. However, 3G is not strong enough to support seamless video capabilities and as consumers develop their love affair with data usage, demand and behavior for new services continue to evolve. Enter 4G, exclusive for data connectivity only. ' OR ,4% IS THE kRST DATA ONLY CONnectivity which is why your handset

automatically returns to 3G when making phone calls.

5G is 4G on steroids. It gives D i s n e y ’ s 2 01 9 “Aladdin” tagline “a whole new wo r l d awa i t s ” a run for its money.

KAYE So here’s where VILLAGOMEZ we are with this latest 5G partnership between PLDT and Smart. This is the kRST ' STANDALONE PILOT IN 3OUTHeast Asia. “PLDT wireless arm Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) and Nokia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pilot the DEPLOYMENT OF kFTH GENERATION ' wireless broadband technologies and services in schools. Under the MoU, PLDT, Smart and Nokia will collaborate in identifying innovative real world and enterprise-led 5G standalone (5G SA) solutions, such AS ARTIkCIAL INTELLIGENCE DRONES AND Internet of Things (IoT) applications, for use in schools, colleges and universities. This will be done through the combined capabilities of the PLDT-Smart 5G Technolab in Makati and the Nokia Technology Center in Quezon City,” summed up a statement from the telco’s website.

TAP, SWIPE, SCROLL

“By working with partners like Nokia in unlocking the full potential of 5G for Filipino enterprises and customers, we are putting the Philippines at par with the rest of the world in preparing for the deployment and adoption of 5G,” said PLDT-Smart chief technology and information advisor Joachim Horn.

Meanwhile, Jae Won, head of Asia 0ACIkC AND *APAN AT .OKIA SAID g4HIS gives us great pleasure to continue our partnership with PLDT and Smart, to be one of the pioneers of 5G SA deployment. This goes beyond just speed. 5G SA enables introduction of services like real-time remote control of robotics and autonomous driving of transport vehicles in the areas of Industrial Revolution 4.0 with new technologies like Network Slicing and Ultra Reliable and Low Latency Communications.” )T WILL BE RECALLED THAT 3MART kRED up 5G sites in Makati and in Clark, Pampanga last year to actively test the potential of 5G with the goal of turning these areas into smart cities.

The author is a former broadsheet entertainment and lifestyle reporter and section editor for an entertainment magazine before crossing over to corporate and marketing PR.

RCBC’s reckoning is long overdue

I

N what can only be described as an utterly appalling, cosmic-scale act of hubris, the Yuchengco-led Rizal Commercial Banking Corp.

(RCBC) filed a defamation suit against Bangladesh Bank in a Makati court on March 6 for the latter’s “baseless allegations” that RCBC officials were involved in the February 2016 heist of $81 million from Bangladesh’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

The action followed the filing of a lawsuit by the Bangladesh central bank in New York against RCBC, seeking to recover its lost millions and impose damages on RCBC for failing to accept responsibility for its part in the theft.

In the defamation complaint, RCBC said, “It is public knowledge that Bangladesh Bank has embarked on a massive ploy and scheme to extort money from plaintiff RCBC by resorting to public defamation, harassment and threats geared toward destroying RCBC’s good name, reputation and image, all with the intention of getting RCBC to pay Bangladesh Bank money that RCBC does not have in its custody or possession and which it does not owe to Bangladesh Bank.”

That RCBC would lower itself to making such outlandish and, in legal terms, potentially defamatory accusations to support its own claim that its honor has been besmirched is shameful and embarrassing. RCBC has no reputation to impugn, because it has never owned up to its blatantly obvious culpability in the Bangladesh Bank heist scandal. Any rational judge with nothing more than a cursory knowledge of the underlying issues, even here in this badly compromised judicial system, would take one look at RCBC’s ludicrously dishonest claim and toss it into the nearest bin, but that shouldn’t happen here: By allowing this case to go forward, the institutional responsibility of RCBC for not just being involved in the $81-million heist, but being its key enabler can finally be exposed and the now three-year-old injustice done to Bangladesh finally righted.

No case The crux of RCBC’s argument, as the statement above indicates, is that it is not responsible for the

ROUGH TRADE BEN KRITZ $81 million stolen from Bangladesh Bank, and that the latter is attempting to force RCBC to pay the amount (actually about $67 million, since about $15 million was already recovered) despite having the knowledge that RCBC neither has the money in its possession nor is otherwise liable for it.

That constitutes extortion, and RCBC even uses the word, but that is not the charge RCBC makes in its complaint. Instead of claiming it is the victim of extortion, or attempted extortion, RCBC is instead claiming it is the victim of defamation, the means by which the alleged extortion was pursued. It is a bizarre approach, because in order to prove defamation, RCBC must prove that the alleged defamatory statements made by Bangladesh Bank — which can be summed up as “RCBC owes us the unrecovered balance of the $81 million that was stolen from us” — were indeed false. Since Bangladesh Bank has already put the matter before the Federal court in New York, RCBC’s case is at best premature, and at worst (and more likely) a ham-fisted attempt to bully the central bank into dropping its New York suit.

Institutional responsibility There are a couple of inconvenient facts that make it impossible for RCBC to wash its hands of any responsibility for Bangladesh’s missing millions. The most glaring fact of them all is that the money did not physically exist for the China-based theft ring who stole it to take possession of until RCBC provided it from its own supply. The theft was in fact simply a series of forgeries in the form of messages traveling across continents until they were received by RCBC; unwittingly or not, RCBC allowed the theft to become a reality.

RCBC admitted as much when it accepted

the P1-billion fine leveled against it by the BSP for violations of banking and anti-money laundering regulations back in 2016, but it has also argued that the penalty satisfactorily addressed its institutional liability, which was limited to its allowing itself to be duped by its own branch manager. That Maia Deguito, the former head of the Jupiter St. branch in Makati where the stolen funds were collected, was a central figure of the whole conspiracy is clear, but that is rather beside the point.

RCBC’s flaws and loopholes as an organization allowed Deguito to open fake accounts, gather and distribute the stolen funds, and successfully interfere with attempts from other parts of the bank to question the unusual transactions.

According to records the Bangladeshi authorities have in their possession, the illicit funds moved back and forth through RCBC’s systems more than 30 times over the course of three days. Again, that could not be the handiwork of a single rogue branch manager, but rather the organization and its processes.

RCBC has accused Bangladeshi officials of a “massive cover-up” of flaws in Bangladesh Bank’s system, not excluding the possibility that the theft was “an inside job.” Although the theft did at the very least reveal some disturbing security and operational issues at the central bank that made it an easy target, Bangladesh Bank’s own fault in the case is irrelevant to RCBC’s. Out of all the banks in the Philippines, or indeed the entire world, RCBC enabled the theft to be consummated. One would like to think that was unintentional, but that too is irrelevant; intent is not a necessary component of fault.

Hopefully, the public attention RCBC has drawn to itself with its ridiculous suit against Bangladesh Bank will prevent the judicial process from being corrupted, and the true extent of RCBC’s involvement in the $81 million heist finally revealed. The case has been a blot on the otherwise respectable record of the Philippine banking sector for too long, and puts the entire country in an undeserved bad light.

ben.kritz@manilatimes.net

When a sale of shares is a ‘deemed gift’ T

HE Philippine business landscape has dramatically changed with the passage of Republic Act (RA) 10963, or the “Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion” (Train) Law, with the introduction of new income tax rules affecting individual and corporate taxpayers. With new rules comes the responsibility of taxpayers to keep abreast with issuances from the Department of Finance and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), implementing the provisions of the Train Law. And with the Philippines being considered as an “investor’s haven,” it would be worthwhile to look into the recent developments concerning the sale or transfer of Philippine shares of stock, the rules governing which will largely depend on whether the shares are listed and traded through the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The stock transfer tax on the sale of shares of stock listed and traded through the local stock exchange has been increased from one-half of 1 percent to 6/10 of 1 percent of the gross selling price. For shares not traded through the PSE, a capital gains tax (CGT) of 15 percent of the net gain will be imposed. Note that the pre-Train CGT rates were 5 percent on the first P100,000 of net gain, plus 10 percent in excess. For purpose of computing the CGT, the gain is the difference between the selling price and the acquisition cost of the shares.

Another important aspect to consider in share transactions is the fair market value (FMV) of the shares. The FMV for unlisted common shares is based on book value, while unlisted preferred shares are valued at par. So, if the selling price of the shares is lower than its FMV, the difference is considered a “deemed gift” and will be subject to donor’s tax (Article 100 of the Tax Code). The donor’s tax is now at 6 percent, which is imposed on the gifts received in excess of the P250,000 threshold for exempt gifts.

Note that the rule on donor’s tax on the sale of shares is not absolute. When the Train Law was passed, Article 100 of the Tax Code was amended to include the following criteria to remove the “deemed gift” stigma from a sale of shares for less than its FMV: The sale must be bona fide, at arm’s length, free from any donative intent, and must be in the ordinary course of business.

These criteria are echoed in Revenue Memorandum Circular (RMC) 30-2019, recently issued by the BIR. The RMC further states that “the determination of whether the sale of shares of stock not listed and traded is at arm’s length is a question of fact and not of law.” The RMC even suggests that one must prove that the sale involves no irregularity between unrelated and independent parties.

Curiously, when we talk about “arm’s length” and “unrelated and independent parties” what comes to mind (especially for a transfer pricing practitioner) is Revenue Regulations (RR) 2-2013, the “Philippine Transfer Pricing Regulations,” issued in 2013. RR 2-2013 provides guidelines in applying the arm’s length principle for transactions between related parties. The arm’s length principle requires related party transactions to be made under comparable conditions and circumstances as a transaction with an independent party.

Is there a way to incorporate the provisions of RR 2-2013 to prove that a sale of shares for less than its FMV is arm’s length? It would be interesting to see what the BIR thinks about this issue.

THE FINE PRINT

RON ARRIESGADO

Do children have a birthright to their parents’ wealth?

I

N one of my recent governance and succession talks with business owners in Singapore, I was asked by a high net worth (HNW) entrepreneur, “I’m 69 years old, contemplating retirement for the past 5 years but worried for the future of my enterprise. I started working at 13, and I don’t see anyone in the second generation who is willing to go the extra mile, MAKE SACRIkCES UNLIKE ;IN= OUR generation where we would always instinctively think about survival because we were poor.

Do my children have a right to my wealth?” My reply was quick, g)N THE kRST PLACE WHO LED THE children to this false sense that your wealth is their birthright?”

The gentleman stepped back and the room fell silent. I gamely assured him that he is not alone.

Clearly, more and more business owners are expressing concerns about a cancerous sense

it is not an easy task. The family business ecosystem is so complex and naturally confusing. It is further aggravated when family members are actively working in the business. An enterprise of entitlement among their next with several family members has generation successors. Family twice as many opportunities for business expert Jeff Faulkner once CONlICT MISUNDERSTANDING AND warned business owners, “Entitle- resentments. Therefore, teamment issues are rampant in family work is essential and effective owned businesses. It is a stealthy communication is critical in and dangerous disease that can aligning the entire organizaHAVE A WIDESPREAD AND PROLIkC tion to the succession objecimpact on our business culture, as tives initiated primarily by the well as at home. How do we keep visionary, governance adviser it from becoming an epidemic in and the family members.

Consultant Rick Johnson corour business and family lives?”

Transitioning a business is a rectly stated that “an attitude once-in-a-lifetime event and any of entitlement that is displayed unplanned, hasty judgement on openly can create major chalsuccession can take out a busi- lenges for even the most successness overnight. When you are ful family business. He further planning on retiring soon, then expounded that “these children having someone ready to take often manage with an autocratic over the business is undoubt- style with little empathy for emedly very important. However, ployees and leaving the impres-

FAMILIES IN BUSINESS PROF. ENRIQUE SORIANO

sion that they can do whatever they want because they will run the company someday.” Having entitled and confused successors in the family business is fraught with danger. When they are made (forced) to join the family business straight from college and without rules that define their participation, you can expect them to act like spoiled brats and bully their way by demanding power without accountability.

This apparent role confusion is a real danger that must be nipped in the bud. It is so pervasive as the behavior feeds into the child’s last name and then suddenly degenerates into a mindset of an owner mentality. So how can you transition the business over to your children sans entitlement? Why do other family businesses transition successfully and some woefully tragic? This is probably the toughest question any business

owner will ever face. So allow me to share some non-negotiable interventions in laying the foundation for a successful transition: – Instill the right leadership qualities into the children.

– Reinforce governance by appointing highly qualified nonfamily directors.

– Institutionalize a culture of accountability.

– And every decision must be guided based on “what is best for the company and not self.”

It is also important to understand that the process depends on how well the owner has prepared himself or herself and the children for this transition.

Second, what really touched off the succession? Was it due to a triggering event like death, an illness or a medical scare? Was it a bruising conflict among senior business owners (siblings and cousins) or plainly the owner’s advance age.

Or a realization that death is near

and that he or she has to “pass the baton” now. The important task ahead is to seek out a family business adviser that will assist the family in instituting appropriate rules and guidelines that will instill on the next generation owners a sense of accountability, stewardship, self-control and responsibility.

Prof Enrique Soriano is a World Bank/IFC Governance Consultant, Senior Advisor of Post and Powell Singapore and the Executive Director of Wong + Bernstein Family Advisory Group, a research and consulting firm in Asia that serves family businesses and family foundations. He was formerly Chair of the Marketing Cluster at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business in Manila, and is currently a visiting Senior Fellow of the IPMI International School, Jakarta.

˜ The Sunday Times SUNDAY March 17, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

Reasons why CRM is important to SMEs

BY GIBU MATHEW, VICE PRESIDENT & GM APAC AT ZOHO CORPORATION SMART businesses of every size have always understood how important it is to build and maintain good relationships with their customers.

Good administrators and sales managers would accumulate information on their best accounts and kLE IT AWAY MAINLY IN PAPER RECORDS or random spreadsheets but often only in their own personal memory.

Gathering information that way was time-consuming, inefficient and actually of limited value. It could easily be overlooked or lost and deriving value from it was much more art than science, depending on the intuition of the person closest to the customer.

Today, the rise of digital technology means factual information on customers is freely available, in unprecedented detail. Guesswork, however intelligent, is no longer the only way to try and develop a competitive edge.

Clearly the adoption of technology is essential for business survival.

But is it only larger organizations that should follow this trend? The ANSWER IS NO DEkNITELY NOT 3MALL and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of local economies across Asean, in some countries employing as much as 70 percent of THE WORKFORCE AND THEY CAN BENEkT from digital technology just as much as their larger cousins.

Even the smallest enterprise has valuable information about its customers, suppliers, leads and many other vital bits of business knowledge, but these tend to be scattered and disorganization. What is needed is a Customer Relations Management (CRM) system.

With the power of a CRM system, SMEs can use their customer data to improve the customer experience, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty over the long term.

CRM is designed to help a business gain insight into its sales performance, so that it can adjust strategies based on trends. It will also help the sales team stay on task by setting up automatic workflow rules so interactions with potential customers don’t fall through the cracks. And it goes beyond managing business contacts by also managing relationships with vendors as well as internal sales and marketing teams.

SMEs in Singapore and the Asean region recognize the need to invest more in technology in order to succeed under increasingly challenging conditions. A 2018 study found that 3 in 5 (60 percent) of Asean’s SMEs would focus their investments on TECHNOLOGY OVER OTHER kXED ASSETS to help drive business performance.

Seventy-eight percent say they would INVEST SPECIkCALLY IN SOFTWARE SUCH AS improving their websites and creating mobile apps. They believe such innovations would enable them to create better customer experience and to increase customer loyalty.

(ERE ARE kVE WAYS #2- WILL ADD value to an SME:

Understand customers better Once an a business has imported its list of leads, contacts and customers into its CRM system, it can start to track the sales and account management team’s engagement with these key targets in a consistent, EFkCIENT WAY The deeper understanding of customers that results from this means that cross-selling and upselling opportunities become clear — delivering the opportunity to win new business from existing customers.

With better visibility, businesses will also be able to keep their customers happy with better service.

Happy customers are likely to become repeat customers, and repeat customers spend more — up to 33 percent more according to some studies.

Improve retention, less costly conversion of new customers A CRM system makes it easy for the sales team to follow up with outstanding proposals by scheduling automatic reminders and creating a set of email templates.

Today’s customers expect fast, personalized support, at any time of day or night. Email tracking makes follow-up more accurate and ensures opportunities are not overlooked.

A CRM system can help provide the consistently great service that customers are looking for. Agents can quickly see what products customers have ordered, and they can get a record of every interaction so they can give customers the answers they need, fast.

A CRM can improve the customer’s experience right across departments including sales, customer service, marketing and more. This high degree of personal attentiveness leads to repeat business from satisfied existing customers and GENERATES CONkDENCE AND COMMITment from new customers.

Productivity and responsiveness 4HE AUTOMATION OF WORKlOW THAT A CRM offers provides a clear view of essential information and metrics, including the latest conversions.

CRM facilitates better follow-ups through task orientation, mails and calls. It allows sales teams comprehensive insights into the customer lifecycle and provides swift response to any customer contact..

Customer management solutions can speed up and improve how SMEs locate, win and keep customers happy.

Integrate omnichannels The purchase journey of today’s shoppers involves multiple options — they seek information, compare product offerings and finalize their purchases via various online channels likewebsite, email, chat, phone call and social media as well as physical stores.

A CRM system can break down digital silos and permit better communication with customers and prospects. Sales reps can convert website live-chats to phone conversations, support agents are able to make or answer calls from within their ticket interface, and marketers can convert social media interactions into tickets to get problems solved faster.

Information can be captured through webforms embedded into website contact pages, pushed to the CRM and assigned to the appropriate sales person, which allows for quick follow up so sales are not lost.

With complete, accurate information about clients and prospects accumulated from multiple channels and held centrally, sales and marketing can focus their attention and energy on the right clients.

B3

Global TV shipments reach 221M units in 2018 T HE global TV market grew 2.9 percent in 2018, reaching 221 million units, due to a sales SURGE IN THE kRST HALF OF THE YEAR AS MANY consumers upgraded their TVs to watch the Football World Cup.

Shipments of richly featured TV sets continued to grow. In fact in the fourth quarter of 2018, and for THE kRST TIME MORE THAN HALF OF ALL SHIPMENTS WERE ULTRA HIGH DEkNItion (UHD) TVs and screen sizes also continued to swell, according TO RESEARCH kRM )(3 -ARKIT “Average new TV screen sizes are still growing at least 1 inch per year,� said Paul Gray, research director at IHS Markit. “Western Europe and Latin America, in particular, exceeded this benchmark in 2018. With falling LCD panel prices, consumers clearly care more about trading-up in size than about spending less money.

Even in Japan, where consumers have been resistant to buying large TVs, the average screen size increased year over year.�

UHD TV shipments reached 99 million units, propelled by larger screen sizes. China led the global market with 30.1 million TVs shipped in 2018, followed by North America with 24.7 million.

Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of TV sets in Western Europe shipped with UHD resolution in the fourth quarter of 2018, the largest share of any global region.

Just 18,600 8K TVs shipped globally in 2018. “The launch of an 8K channel by Japan’s broadcasting corporation, NHK, was an important landmark last year, which led to an acceleration in 8K TV shipments in Japan during the fourth quarter of 2018,�

Gray said.

Smart TVs that support UHD through streaming services continued to rise in volume shipped in 2018. More than three-quarters of TVs shipped in the fourth quarter of 2018 were smart TVs. In North America more than 85 percent of all TVs were smart TVs, which is 10 percentage points higher than the previous year.

Led by record shipments to Japan and Western Europe, just

under 1 million (900,000) OLED TVs shipped in the fourth quarter of 2018, rising 20 percent over the prior year. Thanks to increasing competition, large-screen 55-inch OLED TVs hit new levels of affordability in Western Europe.

Meanwhile, OLED TV shipments to North America fell 26 percent, year over year, due in part to aggressive price declines in very large LCD TV sizes.

NEWSBYTES.PH

Travel apps give boost to PH summer destinations TOURISTS eager to explore exciting destinations all over the Philippines this summer can get the information they need through local travel apps developed in partnership with PLDT Inc’s wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. As part of a digital tourism program, Smart partnered with local government units (LGUs) and InnoPub Media in developing travel apps and mobile guides.

For instance, vacationers taking a trip to the Bicol Region are in for a treat. Through the #So 3ORSOGON TRAVEL GUIDE APP THEY CAN kND A WIDE ARray of activities, from swimming with butandings OR WHALE SHARKS TO WATCHING kRElIES DURING RIVER cruises. They can also travel to the picturesque islands of Tikling and Calintaan from Matnog, or check out the Spanish-era houses in Juban.

Just recently, Sorsogon hosted the 19th Philippine Hobie Challenge, the Philippines’ premiere extreme regatta. The race began in Sorsogon and sailed through many pristine beaches all over the country.

Travelers going to the Visayas, for their part, may

discover hidden gems through the Iloilo Guide. This app can help them plan where to go, stay, eat, get souvenir items and more. It also features important contact numbers, such as of accredited tour guides and local authorities, to help ensure their safety as they go about their trips.

(ERE THEY CAN kND THAT )LOILO S kFTH DISTRICT in the north is home to islands with pristine coastlines, limestone cliffs and clear blue skies.

Sightseers can visit towns such as Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, Carles, Concepcion and San Rafael, which serve as jump-off points to their dream white-sand island destinations.

Those who prefer a more laidback itinerary can LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROVINCE S HISTORIC EDIkCES AND Spanish period churches. The Miagao Church, for instance, is as much a fortress as a house of worship.

It was built to withstand pirate incursions and serve as refuge for the townsfolk. They can also visit the San Joaquin Church, whose pediment features in bas relief the Rendicion de Tetuan or 1859 Spanish victory over Moroccan forces in North Africa.

Those who are up for new adventures can head on to the visual and visceral delight that is Antique, which is accessible from Iloilo or Aklan via LAND TRIP !FTER ISLAND HOPPING WINDSURkNG AND kayaking, they can take soothing kawa (cauldron) baths in Tibiao. They can also satisfy their craving for sweet treats in Laua-an, which hosts big mills that process Muscovado sugar. !LL THESE INFORMATION ARE NOW AT ONE S kNGERtips. The #SoSorsogon app, Iloilo Guide and Antique Guide are just some of the apps developed by their respective provincial governments and TOURISM OFkCES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 3MART AND InnoPub. These apps can be downloaded for free on both Android and iOS devices.

The digital tourism program of Smart and InnoPub, with the support of LGUs, is a nationwide initiative that harnesses technology to deliver tourism, cultural and historical information to mobile users.

The program was launched in 2012 and has also been implemented in Baguio City, Cebu, Davao and Metro Manila, among other areas.

Entrepreneurs should learn to give themselves a pat on the back

Mobility of data Easy sharing of data across teams and the ability to collaborate is critical for successful customer relationship management.

The CRM system will let you schedule weekly, emailed reports, so each of the sales team members will know how close they are to achieving their monthly, quarterly and annual goals.

CRM is able to break down forecasts by salesperson, team and territory to gain insights about the team’s performance.

Businesses can make better forecasts by accounting for completed sales, current targets, deals about to be closed and shortages in the sales pipeline as well as Identify the bottlenecks using real-time data and boost the team’s performance.

A CRM system pulls together all the available information on an SME’s customers, enabling the company to track the organizations and customers that they deal with, manage contacts, log information and market to them more effectively. CRM helps small and medium businesses build a relationship with customers that, in turn, creates loyalty and customer retention — key elements that affect a company’s revenue.

In fact, it may well be argued that CRM is not so much a technology as a strategy that results in both topline growth and increased profitability.

Sunday Business & I.T.

E

NTREPRENEURSHIP IS A DIFkCULT journey, and unfortunately, for the most part of it, your strongest support and motivation to push through will only come from within — it comes from yourself.

If you’re waiting for someone — a client, an employee, a shareholder or even a partner — to tell you how great of a job you’ve done for validation, then you might end up disappointing yourself. In this line of career, more often than not, people around you expect you to give more than receive, and you need to get used to it if you want to keep your sanity.

As the entrepreneur, shareholders expect you to grow their money, clients expect you to provide the best experience, employees expect you to give them a great culture and good compensation, and partners expect you to know everything to achieve the company’s goals. At some point in time, you, as the entrepreneur, will fail one or two expectations of the people you deal with, and the default state of mind is to deem yourself a failure. But if you think about it, disappointing people would be inevitable because each group of people you deal with have their own set of interests, and some of these may contradict the interests

realizing that you, as an entrepreneur, are managing all sides of it.

Once you have this realization, you can transition your mind from getMAGELLAN ting or sourcing motivation from people, and leaning more FETALINO other toward motivation that comes from within yourself. of another stakeholder you have.

It also always helps to surThe key is to accept the fact that you will have to deal with unhappy round yourself with like-minded campers from time to time, this people, and these people may is something you cannot control, not necessarily be your friends especially when you have to make for 10 years or close relatives. compromises for the good of the It is natural for people to have company. What you can control is different experiences as they how you take the hit, and react to grow up, and you can’t expect such scenarios — you’ll be attacked everyone to understand your and judged, and you have the own journey and the problems choice to either respond negatively you are encountering. You can’t with anger or sorrow, or to take it expect the same empathy from in and challenge yourself on how a non-entrepreneur friend comto manage and reverse the situa- pared to another entrepreneur that you may have only known tion positively.

Most people don’t understand recently. For this reason, you have THE DIFkCULTIES AND THE CHALLENGES to build your network of people of leading an organization — who are undergoing a somewhat only because they haven’t led one similar journey you are going themselves. It is easy for others through. You’d be surprised how to criticize you for the smallest common your problems are and mistake you make, tell you how how your situation is not unique disappointing your performance to yourself.

You need to learn how to value is, without realizing that a bigger repercussion may have been and measure up yourself. With the avoided because of the choices you understanding that it may never make. People would always only come from someone else, one of see their side of the fence, without the key things I started to do is to

GALLEON E-TRADE

set personal KPIs for myself, and measure how I am improving as a leader as time goes by. And when I know I am able to achieve or even overachieve my targets, I give myself a pat on the back. There are times when I treat myself to a nice steak dinner, or reward myself with a gadget I’ve been meaning to buy.

As entrepreneurs, we always want to see our ventures, our babies, see the light at the end of the tunnel, but the starting phase of any enterprise really takes a massive toll on any budding entrepreneur, and adding layers of human emotions and CONlICTS COMING FROM YOUR STAKEholders can really cause for one to totally give up and just move on. By being self-aware of your performance and learning how to self-reward, you will have a lesser tendency to get burned out with your venture. At the end of the day, different people will always have a different perception of you, whether good or bad, but nobody in the world can judge you better than yourself. So the next time you know you’ve solved a critical issue in your business, don’t wait for someone else to tell you that you did a great job, go ahead, and pat yourself on the back!

B4

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

Sunday Business & I.T.

The Sunday Times w w w.manilatimes.net

AI, robotics: Transforming factories I N THE AGE OF INTERNET AND GLOBALIZATION

CONSUMER DEMANDS FOR CUSTOMIZED AND UNIQUE PRODUCTS ARE PUSHING MANUFACTURING COMPANIES TO ADOPT lEXIBLE MANUFACTURING PRACTICES #ONSIDER THE CASE OF EYEWEAR ecommerce that requires several workers at the PRODUCTION LINE TO BUILD THOUSANDS OF EYEGLASS FRAME VARIATIONS FOR CUSTOMER CHOICES THAT EVOLVE ON A DAILY BASIS ! TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION SYSTEM CAN T POSSIBLY OFFER THE lEXIBILITY TO MEET CHANGING CUSTOMER DEMANDS at scale and speed.

Instead of developing standardized products optimized for the masses, factories of the future must leverage intelligent technologies capable of performing tasks that are less predictable and require real-time decision-making capabilities.

In fact, smart factories in the Industry 4.0 era should offer mass customization without compromising manufacturing speed and quality. With advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), a truly smart factory can realize these capabilities by deploying intelligent robots that can learn and think like their human counterparts and yet safely operate alongside the human workforce.

With this capability, manufacturing companies will no longer need to rely on fixed maintenance schedules. Performing maintenance routines too soon results in wasted labor and undiagnosed machine failures. Performing the maintenance routine too late risks equipment malfunctioning during production and reduces the machine life span.

As a result, organizations can avoid unplanned downtimes, improve the performance lifespan of machines and maintain productive manufacturing operations.

Intelligent robotics colLABORATING WITH HUMANS Intelligent robots with precision capabilities for performing intricate movements can take How AI enables for over tasks that would be tedious smart factories or dangerous for people, to im1UALITY CONTROL AND PREDICTIVE prove productivity and safety in MAINTENANCE A recent PWC re- factory operations. Often, this search found that the use of big requires close collaboration data analytics and AI adoption with both the human workers for predictive maintenance in and the environment.

For example, Epson’s vision manufacturing industries will increase by 38 percent over the next system can enable robots to kVE YEARS #ONNECTED TECHNOLO- “see,� and its algorithm softgies, sensors and robotics enable ware is able to detect color and organizations to understand the shapes of objects, as well as performance patterns of assem- positioning and orientation of bly line machines and identify the objects through a camera. potential maintenance issues In an assembly line, it can auahead of schedule or downtime. tocalibrate on where to pick,

even if the item has fallen or positioned out of place.

Combined with Epson’s force sensor which employs Epson’s proprietary piezoelectric quartz sensing technology that is sensitive to minimal force, the robots can perform complex tasks such as precise assembling of delicate components.

To enhance human engagement, the smart factory of tomorrow will enable robotics control through smart glasses and augmented reality. For example, robotics combined with augmented reality can help in remote technical assistance, bringing engineering expertise to troubleshoot on the robot when they are not able to be present physically.

Epson’s Moverio wearable smart glasses leverages augmented reality to project what onsite engineers are seeing instantaneously, to help diagnose and solve issues without being at the site.

3AFE WORKPLACE AI and robotics technologies augment workplace safety by replacing humans to perform manufacturing tasks that pose life-threatening risks to factory workers.

A recent McKinsey research found that AI-enabled visual inspection can improve defect detection rates by 90 percent compared to the traditional methods of manual inspections.

While robots can entirely replace human workers to perform certain risky manufacturing processes, they must work together with humans on several tasks that require human supervision.

The next-generation AI-robotics technologies will be designed to work alongside humans and manage safety standards and production performance instead of merely automating repetitive tasks. These robots can be programmed to

identify risk to humans as they interact with factory workers.

Sensors embedded onto robotic arms can help identify when humans are in close proximity and maneuver accordingly.

Proliferation of AI means that robots can be collaborative, intuitive, self-monitoring with human-like characteristics, and are no longer acting as “blind� systems led by fixed hard-coded software programs that may not account for unexpected human presence nearby.

This philosophy aligns with Epson’s vision of intelligent robotics technologies and sophisticated sensors designed to seamlessly support smart factories in the Industry 4.0 era to achieve high efficiency through autonomous control and synchronization.

'OING BEYOND THE SUPPLY CHAIN AI makes it possible to adapt and strategize manufac-

turing processes and production routines based on external factors beyond the shop-floor.

Advanced machine learning algorithms can reduce stock forecasting errors and inventory by 50 percent according to the McKinsey research.

Robots can be programmed to adapt production scheduling and performance based on realtime analysis of inventory and supply chain constraints. This flexibility is critical to automate lean manufacturing operations that would otherwise require significant changes and efforts on behalf of factory workers.

Progressive manufacturing organizations lead the industry with their ability to adapt production capacity and fulfil market demands that change on A CONTINUOUS BASIS 7ITH ARTIkCIAL intelligence, systems can analyse market data and robotics performance to make key decisions on

demand and supply. As a result, they can always stay ahead of the competition and prepare for abrupt changes in market deMANDS TO MAXIMIZE PROkTABILITY AI and robotics hold unprecedented value for next generation of the manufacturing industry.

For manufacturing organizations looking to stay relevant in the Industry 4.0 era, early adoption of advanced intelligent robotics technologies is critical to accelerate growth in the age when businesses increasingly compete on grounds of innovation and their ability to adapt to market demands.

Epson provides a range of compact robots with flexible positioning, and is equipped with intelligent force sensors and vision sensing options — providing factory automation solutions from adjustment to existing lines to embarking on the automation journey.

Sennheiser wireless earbuds now available in PH FILIPINO audiophiles and music lovers are in for a treat as The Loop by Power Mac Center at SM Mall of Asia is adding to its product lineup the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds with Bluetooth 5.0 support and touch controls for a variety of functions. Revealed AT )&!

THESE ARE THE kRST WIRELESS earbuds Sennheiser introduced to the market.

By simply tapping the earbuds, users can choose tracks, adjust volume, and even answer and end calls through its intuitive touch pad technology. Other features are provided by the free downloadable Smart Control app for iOS and Android, such as Smart Pause, a smart feature which pauses audio when one of the earbuds is removed, and Transparent Hearing, an add-on that controls how much outside or ambient noise users want to hear. “With people now more mobile, the

demand for devices which support the LIFESTYLE ARE DEkNITELY GROWING AND WE at The Loop by Power Mac Center are FULkLLING THAT BY PROVIDING CUTTING EDGE technologies like the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless. Its smart and connectivity features ensure that users never miss a beat or a moment,� said Joey Alvarez, Power Mac Center director of marketing and product management.

Users can also connect the earbuds to their phone’s smart assistant, making it possible to enable Siri and Google Assistant with just a tap. This allows more time to do activities or work on the go, as it removes the need to reach for and physically activate the phone.

A global leader in producing top of the line audio products, Sennheiser made sure the Momentum True Wireless earbuds deliver only superior stereo sound performance at all times with its 7mm drivers powered by the company’s

audiophile driver technology. This provides advanced Qualcomm apt-X Low Latency compatibility and AAC codec support, allowing users to experience media with perfectly lip-synced audio.

Clear voice conversations are also assured by the device’s 2-mic-beamforming technology.

All in all, the audio technology within the earbuds allows it to have a frequency response of up to 21,000 Hz. “Filipinos love entertainment, and their demand for high-quality sound grows in every medium, whether it’s a kLM 46 SERIES OR MUSIC )N ADDITION

the country is home to a budding mobile market. We’re very excited to bring our Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless here since we believe that it answers both demands — being able to PROVIDE HIGH kDELITY AUDIO WHILE ALSO making traveling hassle-free thanks to its various smart and touch functions,�

said Martin Low, Sennheiser Asia managing director.

Its sleek premium black housing, polished metallic spin ring, and gold-plated charging pins also make the Momentum True Wireless an ideal fashion accessory. The earbuds are also splash-resistant and its ear adapters come in four different

ear tip sizes. Battery life can last for 4 hours but this can be prolonged up to 12 hours, thanks to its fabric-wrapped case, which also acts as a charging station.

The Sennheiser Momentum True

Wireless retails at P19,990. Payments via WeChat and Alipay are accepted.

This woman taught herself to code A

RE Filipino women underrepresented in information technology (IT)? Do we have adequate role models and is there support every step of the way? Statistics on Filipino women in IT are not available, but I believe there are more women now than a decade ago, who serve as role models to young girls who want a future in Tech. Local initiatives are also available that give visibility, community, and resources for women in technology.

Let’s meet Deng Silorio, the woman who taught herself to code and is co-Founder and chief executive of Intelimina Systems Inc. I am going ahead of my story but this is about how one can make it in IT with dedication, hard work and determination. Two women and two men, with no funding, started Intelimina in 2012 by working INSIDE COFFEE SHOPS AS THEIR OFkCE WORKSPACE FOR THE kRST FEW MONTHS

A CRISIS IN THEIR OFkCE /NE DAY

their IT guy seemed indisposed to attend to their e-commerce site.

The launch was critical. Those NOEMI were the times where you code line programming) LARDIZABAL-DADO (command USING YOUR kLE TRANSFER PROTOCOL The company is now a strong 20 (FTP) client. What she lacked full-time member team with two in background, she more than solutions (Grado for Education compensated in her research skills and Panacea eHealth for Health) and tenacity in studying HTML, Vias their intellectual property. Prior sual, Basic and Perl. to Intelimina, Silorio served as the In this male-dominated indusCHIEF OPERATING OFkCER AT AN OPEN try, Silorio met challenges. Ninety source company in the Philip- percent of the time, people refer to pines, specializing in IT infrastruc- her as He or Mr. Deng in emails or tures, business software, business when answering phone calls. “I am automation process, and voice and uncertain if it is just me, my gender video over IP Communications.

OR MY MEEKNESS SUBMISSIVENESS Since her formal education is that doesn’t command attention or in Philosophy, she delved into authority for most times. Yes, I get IT in her late 20s. The lack of a lot of eyebrows raised and unpalformal education in software or atable comments at the beginning computer science did not deter OF A MEETING TRANSACTION "UT OVER Silorio. She forced herself to learn time, my work and my team’s work how to code in 1997 because of either proved many people and or-

LET’S TALK #SOCIAL

ganization wrong for their doubts or their hunch on their interests I get the work done. The good thing about the tech industry is you cannot just BS your way around, your WORK WILL DEkNE YOU 4HAT S HOW we get more partners and clients, the word goes around.�, Silorio added. Gender imbalance is not because it’s IT but “our culture is that men should be CEO or must run or call the shots,�

As a social entrepreneur, their company entrench their homegrown applications towards their advocacies on education and health. Being nurturing and the ability to transcend from one role to another is an edge not just over male counterparts but also to other #%/S OR HEAD OF TECH kRMS (ER advice to young girls and women who want to kick start their career in IT would be the same path, mantra, and strategy that guided her. Learning is a work in progress.

A woman can succeed in IT like any other industry with its specialized skills. If Silorio learned how to code when limited resources were available in 1997, what more today? More opportunities are open for women to learn IT. Women Techmakers (WTM) 0HILIPPINES HTTPS WOMENTECHMAKERS GDGPH ORG WANTS TO highlight that gender is never an obstacle to success in contributing something for the advancement of science and technology — that gender is a weapon of inspiration when empowered by everyone.

The design of Women Techmakers events promote an inclusive climate for women in technology and celebrate women leading the industry. It will feature many Filipinas in the tech industry this coming March 30, 2019 during the Women Techmakers Manila 2019. WiTech’s (Women in Tech at wi-tech.org) is community organi-

zation whose vision is to achieve gender equality in the tech industry through increased networking opportunities and mentors for young women interested in entering the tech industry. They offer scholarships at the DepEd, NSTP (National Service Training Program) to deserving students. The DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship Program, known in the past as the NSDB or NSTA Scholarship under RA 2067, awards qualified students with high aptitude in science and mathematics who will pursue CAREERS IN THE kELDS OF SCIENCE AND technology.

With role models, and a supportive community, I hope that more young girls get encouraged to enroll in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). More women equals more diversity equals more innovation.

Innovation helps move our country forward.

The Sunday Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Chinese envoy calls jails for Muslims ‘campuses’ GENEVA: A top Chinese diplomat claimed Friday (Saturday in Manila) that detention centers for Muslims in China’s western province of Xinjiang were “campuses, not camps� and said they were eventually going to be closed as a “training program� for ethnic Uighurs is downsized.

At the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Executive Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng reiterated China’s insistence that the detention centers are designed to provide training and fight regional terrorism. He also claimed that officials from around the world, including from the UN, had visited the region and that the detention centers in Xinjiang were “actually boarding schools or campuses, not camps� as reported by critics.

The US State Department said this week that China has “significantly intensified� a campaign of mass detentions of minority Uighurs over the last year, with between 800,000 and 2 million people from the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region interned in camps. The centers have drawn condemnation from across the world.

Le told reporters he had recently visited some Uighur cen-

ters in Xinjiang — and played ping pong and ate halal food there. He didn’t specify when the detention centers would be closed, other than telling reporters later that would happen “at the appropriate time.�

He also took aim at a USled event in Geneva on Xinjiang — calling that “unacceptable� interference in Chinese sovereignty.

The envoy’s comments came as China was responding to more than 200 recommendations by other countries on ways that Beijing could improve human rights as part of a Human Rights Council process known as the Universal Periodic Review.

All UN member states undergo such screening, generally every four to five years. Le said China had accepted 82 percent of the recommendations presented during the review last November. The council formally adopted the review of China without a vote on Friday.

The United States, historically one of the few countries to confront China over its human rights records, pulled out of the 47-country Geneva-based UN body last year, alleging it has an anti-Israeli bias and other shortcomings.

AP

World US: North Korea to honor vow to stop nuclear tests W SUNDAY March 17, 2019

ASHINGTON: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that the US expects North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to honor his promise to keep his missile launches and nuclear tests on hold, speaking after a top North Korean OFkCIAL SUGGESTED THE MORATORIUM WAS UNDER REVIEW AND COULD BE LIFTED Pompeo said Kim told President Donald Trump several times at last month’s summit in Vietnam that he would not restart the tests. “So that’s Chairman Kim’s word,� Pompeo said. “We have every expectation he will live up to that commitment.�

Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui said earlier Friday in Pyongyang that Kim would soon decide if he wanted to continue talks with the

US about his nuclear program and whether he plans to maintain his moratorium on tests.

She also claimed that Pompeo and Trump’s national security adviser, John Bolton, created an atmosphere of hostility and mistrust at last month’s nuclear summit in Hanoi, Vietnam. She suggested that while Trump was more willing to talk, Pompeo and Bolton made uncompromising

demands of the North Koreans.

Choe said that on the return trip from the summit, Kim asked: “For what reason do we have to make this train trip again?�

She added: “I want to make it clear that the gangster-like stand of the US will eventually put the situation in danger.�

At the White House, Bolton disputed the allegation that he and Pompeo created a hostile environment at the summit. “I think that’s inaccurate,� he said. “The president is our decision-maker.� Bolton said he’s discussed the allegations with his South Korean counterpart.

At a State Department briefing, Pompeo also denied it. “They’re wrong about that, and I was there,� Pompeo said, adding that he has detailed conversations with his North Korean counter-

part, Kim Yong Chol. He said their relationship is “professional� and that he has every expectation they will continue their talks.

(E SAID IT S NOT THE kRST TIME THAT a North Korean has likened him to a gangster. “I have a vague recollection of being called ‘gangster-like’ from a visit that I took one time previously,�

Pompeo said.

The vice foreign minister said Pyongyang has no intention of compromising or continuing talks unless the United States takes measures that are commensurate to the changes it has taken — such as the 15-month moratorium on launches and tests — and changes its “political calculation.� Even so, she said, personal relations between the two leaders are still good “and the chemistry is mysteriously wonderful.� AP

BULLETS A fighter of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces loads an ammunition belt at a position in the village of Baghouz, near Syria’s border with Iraq, in the eastern Deir Ezzor province. AFP PHOTO

China’s ex-quality watchdog deputy under investigation WEI Chuanzhong, former deputy head of China’s quality watchdog, is under investigation by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervisory Commission for suspected serious violation of discipline

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and laws, an official statement said Friday.

Wei was former deputy director of the now defunct General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and former member of the leading Party members’ group of the agency.

GLOBAL TIMES

New US military budget focused on China despite border talk HK grounds WASHINGTON: Chinese bombers. Chinese hypersonic missiles. Chinese cyberattacks. Chinese anti-satellite weapons.

To a remarkable degree, the 2020 Pentagon budget proposal is shaped by national security threats that Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has summarized in three words: “China, China, China.�

The US is still fighting small wars against Islamic extremists, and Russia remains a serious concern, but Shanahan seeks to shift the military’s main focus to what he considers the more pressing security problem of a rapidly growing Chinese military.

This theme, which Shanahan outlined Thursday in presenting the administration’s proposed 2020 defense budget to the Senate Armed Services Committee, is competing for attention with narrower, more immediate problems like President Donald Trump’s effort

to use the military to build a border wall.

The hearing, for example, spent more time on the wall and prospects for using military funds to build parts of it than on any aspect of foreign policy, including the conflict in Syria or military competition with China, Russia or North Korea.

Shanahan is hardly the first defense chief to worry about China. Several predecessors pursued what the Obama administration called a “pivot� to the Pacific, with China in mind. But Shanahan sees it as an increasingly urgent problem that exceeds traditional measures of military strength and transcends partisan priorities. “We’ve been ignoring the problem for too long,� Shanahan told a senator. “China is aggressively modernizing its military, systematically stealing science and technology, and seeking military advantage through a strategy of military-civil fusion,� he wrote in prepared testimony to the committee, which is considering

a $718-billion Pentagon budget designed in part to counter China’s momentum.

The $25 billion the Pentagon is proposing to spend on nuclear weapons in 2020, for example, is meant in part to stay ahead of China’s nuclear arsenal, which is much smaller than America’s but growing. Shanahan said China is developing a nuclear-capable long-range bomber that, if successful, would enable China to join the United States and Russia as the only nations with air-, sea- and land-based nuclear weapons.

Shanahan ticked off a list of other Chinese advancements — hypersonic missiles against which the US has limited defenses; space launches and other space efforts that could enable it to fight wars in space; “systematically stealing� of US and allied technology, and militarizing land features in the South China Sea. Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and Inter-

national Studies, says the US has been lacking effective strategies for competing with China on a broad scale. “It is overdue,� she said of the Shanahan focus. “We have been somewhat slow in catching up� in such areas as denying China its regional ambitions, including efforts to fully control the South China Sea, which is contested by several other countries.

Some defense analysts think Shanahan and the Pentagon have inflated the China threat. “I do think it’s worth asking what exactly is threatening about China’s behavior,� said Christopher Preble, vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute.

He doesn’t discount China as a security issue, including in the South China Sea, but doubts the US military is the institution best suited to deal with such non-military problems as cyber intrusions into American commercial networks.

AP

ANGER THERAPY People smash a car in a ‘smash room,’ destroying a car during anger and stress-relief therapy, in Dubai. AFP PHOTO

operation of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft THE Civil Aviation Depar tment (CAD) of China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced that the operation of all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into, out of and over Hong Kong will be temporarily prohibited from 6 p.m. local time Monday. “The CAD has been closely monitoring the developments, the investigation progress and the information from relevant aviation authorities. Having regard to the latest situation, the CAD has decided to temporarily prohibit operation of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft into, out of and over Hong Kong,� a spokesman for the CAD said.

He added that the temporary prohibition would take effect at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday and continue until further notice.

The spokesman pointed out that there were two serious accidents involving Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in less than five months. “The temporary prohibition is solely a precautionary measure to ensure aviation safety and protect the public,� he emphasized.

The CAD has noted that the US Federation Aviation Administration (FAA), the type-certification authority of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, has affirmed the airworthiness of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, and the investigation into the accidents is ongoing, he said.

The spokesman added that over the past few days the CAD has been in close contact with the FAA and the relevant organizations, including the two airline companies which use Boeing 737 MAX aircraft to operate flights into and out of Hong Kong International Airport.

The two airliner companies, SpiceJet of India and Globus Airlines of Russia, have been notified by the CAD of the temporary prohibition and said they would fully cooperate and maintain their services with other aircraft types so as to reduce impacts on passengers.

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SUNDAY March 17, 2019

World

The Sunday Times w w w.manilatimes.net

New Zealand PM vows tougher gun law after mosque attack CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: New Zealand’s prime minister vowed Saturday to toughen the country’s gun laws after revealing the alleged shooter behind Christchurch’s mosque attacks HAD LEGALLY BOUGHT THE kVE WEAPONS

INCLUDING TWO SEMI AUTOMATIC RIlES

used in the massacre.

4HE NATION S kREARMS LAWS ARE lax compared to neighboring Australia, which enacted a strict gun control regime in the wake of a similar massacre in 1996.

Jacinda Ardern said 28-year-old Australian Brenton Tarrant obtained a “Category A� gun license in November 2017, which allowed him to purchase the weapons used to mow down worshippers in two Christchurch mosques.

Some of the guns appear to HAVE BEEN MODIkED TO MAKE THEM more deadly, she said, adding that a ban on semi-automatic weapons would be considered. “The mere fact... that this individual had acquired a gun licence and acquired weapons of that range, then obviously I think people will be seeking change, and I’m committing

to that,� she told a press conference. “I can tell you one thing right now — our gun laws will change.� !RDERN CONkRMED THAT THE SUSpected gunman and two associates who were also arrested had not been on the radar of any intelligence agencies for extremism. “I have asked our agencies this morning to work swiftly on assessing whether there was any activity on social media or otherwise, that should have triggered a response. That work is already underway,� she said.

The head of the New Zealand Police Association, Chris Cahill, welcomed Ardern’s comments and said previous attempts to introduce gun controls had failed partly because of diehard opponents to reform. “I believe many New Zealanders will be aghast that in our country someone can amass a cache of weapons like that discovered in this Christchurch tragedy,� he said in a statement. “There is no place in the upcoming debate for the radical gun lobby which has made its presence felt in previous attempts to make our country safer.�

He highlighted the “bitter irony�

that the alleged Australian shooter would not have been able to buy the same weapons in his home country.

Knee-jerk reaction At least one of the weapons used

by Tarrant was reportedly an AR15 — the same semi-automatic rifle used in a number of mass shootings in the United States, including the 2012 Sandy Hook school killings in Connecticut.

Families of the Sandy Hook victims were recently given the green light to sue US gunmaker Remington for knowingly marketing a military grade weapon that is “grossly unsuited� for civilian use and has become the gun of choice for mass killings.

But despite the horror of the Christchurch shootings, some local residents warned against any drastic moves on gun control. “Let’s hope there are no knee-jerk reactions,� said Matthew Simmonds. “Just because a lot of people are killed on the roads we don’t ban cars. There needs to be a proper investigation.�

New Zealand tightened its gun laws

MOURNING

Residents pay their respect at Hagley College for the victims of the mosques attacks in Christchurch on March 16, 2019. A right-wing extremist who filmed himself rampaging through two mosques in the quiet New Zealand city of Christchurch killing 49 worshippers appeared in court on a murder charge. AFP PHOTO to restrict access to semi-automatic rilES IN TWO YEARS AFTER A MENTALLY ill man shot dead 13 people in the southern town of Aramoana.

But subsequent efforts to tighten the laws, including a ban on semi-automatic weapons, have stalled in parliament.

Anyone over 16 can apply for a New :EALAND kREARMS LICENCE VALID FOR

Trump vetoes Senate resolution vs wall fund

W

ASHINGTON: Unbowed by a congressional rebuke, President Donald Trump issued the kRST VETO OF HIS PRESIDENCY ON &RIDAY IN a demonstration that he is not through kGHTING FOR HIS SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN PROMISE WHICH STANDS LARGELY UNFULkLLED MONTHS BEFORE VOTERS DECIDE WHETHER TO grant him another term.

Trump rejected an effort by Congress to block the emergency declaration he had used to circumvent lawmakers as he tried to shake loose funds for his long-promised wall along the US-Mexico border. The monthlong confrontation now moves to the courts, but not before marking a new era of divided government in Washington and Republicans’ increasing independence from the White House. “Congress has the freedom to

pass this resolution,� Trump said, “and I have the duty to veto it.�

A dozen defecting Republicans joined Senate Democrats in approving the joint resolution on Thursday as both parties strained to exert their power in new ways. It is unlikely that Congress will have the two-thirds majority required to override Trump’s veto, though House Democrats will try nonetheless on March 26.

Despite the re-

proach, Trump seized the opportunity to publicly rebuff Congress and show his commitment to the border wall. In embracing the opportunity to deploy the constitutional power of the veto FOR THE kRST TIME HE TREATED THE occasion with all the traditional pomp of a bill-signing.

Trump was surrounded in the Oval Office by supporters, inCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFkCIALS and the parents of children killed by people in the country illegally, who offered profuse thanks and frequent applause. Trump dramatically signed his veto message and then held the document up for the cameras to capture.

Trump wants to use the emergency order to divert billions of federal dollars earmarked for defense spending toward the southern border wall. It still faces several legal challenges from Democratic state attorneys gen-

eral and environmental groups who argue the emergency declaration was unconstitutional.

Those cases could prevent Trump from diverting extra money to barrier construction for months or longer. American Civil Liberties Union, WHICH kLED ONE OF THE CHALLENGES

said the veto is meaningless, like the DECLARATION IN THE kRST PLACE “Congress has rejected the president’s declaration, and now the courts will be the ultimate arbiter of its legality. We look forward to seeing him in court and to the shellacking that he will receive at the hands of an independent judiciary,� said Executive Director Anthony Romero.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trump’s veto a “lawless power grab� and railed that, even after both chambers tried to stop him, Trump “has chosen to continue to defy the Constitution, the Congress and the will of the American people.�

years after completing a safety course and a police background check.

Most guns do not require registration under New Zealand’s Arms Act and police do not know “how many legally or illegally owned firearms there are in New Zealand,� police said last year.

In 2014, police estimated there WERE UP TO MILLION LEGAL kRE-

arms in civilian ownership, or around one for every four members of the public — twice the per capita number of guns in Australia.

Separate “endorsements� are required to own semi-automatic weapons, as well as pistols and other restricted weapons but police and kREARMS EXPERTS HAVE POINTED TO SEVeral loopholes.

AFP

FAA’s close ties to Boeing questioned FOR more than six decades, the Federal Aviation Administration has relied on employees of airplane manufacturers to do government-required safety inspections as planes are being designed or assembled.

But critics say the system, dubbed the “designee program,� is too cozy as company employees do work for an agency charged with keeping the skies safe while being paid by an industry that the FAA is regulating. “There is a potential conflict of interest,� said Todd Curtis, a former Boeing Co. safety engineer and creator of airsafe.com, a website that focuses on airline safety. “They (the FAA) don’t have the money to do all of the oversight. It’s a question of being practical.�

The FAA’s oversight duties are coming under greater scrutiny after

deadly crashes involving Boeing 737 Max jets operated by airlines in Ethiopia and Indonesia, killing a total of 346 people. The US was nearly alone in allowing the planes to keep flying until it relented on Wednesday after getting satellite evidence showing the crashes may be linked.

The FAA concedes that it doesn’t have resources to keep up with a growing aviation industry, and experts say it lacks the personnel to inspect every component, especially those made in other countries. But the agency says the designee program’s results speak for themselves.

The US has the safest skies in the world. Until April of last year, US passenger airlines had not had a fatality since 2009, while carr ying several billion passengers. AP

Worldinbriefs BREXIT SUPPORTERS PROTEST BETRAYAL OF THEIR DREAM SUNDERLAND, England: With Britain’s departure from the European Union likely to be put on hold, some Brexit supporters fear their dream is dying. Hard-core Brexiteers led by former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage are setting out on a twoweek “Leave Means Leave� march between northern England and London, accusing politicians of “betraying the will of the people.� It’s due to end at Parliament on March 29, the day the UK was supposed to leave. Protesters plan to set out Saturday from Sunderland, which is 270 miles (434 kilometers) north of London that voted by 61-39 percent in 2016 to leave the EU. Almost three years later, UK lawmakers remain deadlocked over the government’s Brexit deal. Parliament voted this week to seek to delay Britain’s departure until at least June 30.

AP

AUSTRALIA BARS PROVOCATEUR OVER MASSACRE COMMENTS AUSTRALIA has denied a visa to right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos after he responded to the mosque massacre in New Zealand by branding Islam “barbaric� and “alien,� officials said Saturday. “Milo Yiannopoulos will not be allowed to enter Australia for his proposed tour this year,� Immigration Minister David Coleman said in a statement. “Mr Yiannopoulos’ comments on social media regarding the Christchurch terror attack are appalling and foment hatred and division,� he said. Australian media has reported that the government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison already decided in March not to grant a visa to Yiannopoulos, but then changed its position after protests from conservatives in the ruling Liberal Party.

LONG WAR LEAVES STORIES OF LOSS AND HOPE FOR MOST SYRIANS

FOR MOTHER EARTH

Students play with an inflatable globe as they march to demand action on climate change in Rome. Students worldwide are skipping class to take to the streets to protest their governments’ failure to take sufficient action against global warming. AFP PHOTO

Students around the world protest warming WASHINGTON: Students across a warming globe pleaded for their lives, future and planet Friday (Saturday in Manila), demanding tough action on climate change. &ROM THE 3OUTH 0ACIkC TO THE EDGE OF THE !RCTIC #IRCLE ANGRY STUDENTS in more than 100 countries walked out of classes to protest what they see as the failures by their governments.

Well more than 150,000 students and adults who were mobilized by word of mouth and social media protested in Europe, according to police estimates. But the initial turnout in the United States did not look quite as high. “Borders, languages and religions do not separate us,� eight-year-old Havana Chapman-Edwards, who calls herself the tiny diplomat, told hundreds of protesters at the US Capitol. “Today we are telling the truth and we do not take no for an answer.�

Thousands of New York City students protested at locations including Columbus Circle, City Hall, the American Museum of Natural History and A FOOTBALL kELD AT THE "RONX (IGH 3CHOOL OF 3CIENCE 0OLICE SAID PROTESTERS

WERE ARRESTED ON DISORDERLY CONDUCT CHARGES FOR BLOCKING TRAFkC AT THE MUSEUM The coordinated “school strikes� were inspired by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who began holding solitary demonstrations outside the Swedish parliament last year.

Since then, the weekly protests have snowballed from a handful of cities to hundreds, fueled by dramatic headlines about the impact of climate change during the students’ lifetime. Unless emissions of heat-trapping gases start dropping dramatically, scientists estimate that the protesters will be in their 40s and 50s, maybe even 30s, when the world will reach dangerous levels of warming that international agreements are trying to prevent.

Thunberg, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, said at a rally in Stockholm that the world faces an “existential crisis, the biggest crisis humanity ever has faced and still it has been ignored for decades.�

Alexandria Villasenor, a 13-year-old co-coordinator of the New York City protest that culminated in a die-in at the steps of the American Museum of Natural History, said while she was pleased with the number of demonstrators, a big turnout isn’t the point.

AP

BAGHOUZ, Syria: War is personal. And in Syria, after eight years of a grinding conflict, there are as many stories of loss, dispossession and desperate hope as there are people.

What started as peaceful protests in 2011 asking for government change turned into one of the cruelest modern wars and left a trail of broken lives among the country’s pre-war population of 23 million. Now half are displaced, nearly half a million dead and many live with permanent scars or have joined militias. The years of war have left their mark on Dia Hassakeh’s 45-year old face. The Arab fighter in the Kurdish-led US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces has seen his family suffer on the conflict’s many fronts. In the early days of the conflict, two of his brothers were wounded fighting in the government military against the armed opposition. In November, another brother was killed by the Islamic State group. Now Dia is battling the militants at IS’ last holdout, a speck of territory along the Euphrates River near the Iraqi border called Baghouz. “As Syrians, every citizen has paid the price,� he said, speaking just outside Baghouz. He took the name of AP his hometown Hassakeh as a nom de guerre when he joined the SDF.

SLOVAKS VOTE FOR PRESIDENT AMID FALLOUT FROM JOURNALIST MURDER BRATISLAVA, Slovakia: Slovakia could get its first woman president as voters elect a new head of state on Saturday. The leading contenders are Zuzana Caputova, an environmental activist who is in favor of gay rights and opposes a ban on abortion in this conservative Roman Catholic country, and Maros Sefcovic, an establishment figure who is the European Commission Vice-President. In all, 13 candidates are vying to become the country’s fifth head of state since Slovakia gained independence in 1993 after Czechoslovakia split in two. Andrej Kiska, a successful businessman-turned-philanthropist, is not standing for a second five-year term in the largely ceremonial post.

AP

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

QC establishes Democracy Museum 15%:/. City Mayor Herbert Bautista led the public in having a glimpse of a new museum that emPHASIZES THE ORDINARY &ILIPINOS CONtribution in achieving freedom and democracy in a tour on March 4.

The Museo ng Demokrasyang Pilipino, located at the Quezon Memorial Circle, focuses on the role of ordinary citizens in historic revolutions and wars that eventually led to the establishment of the republic.

Far from the usual focus on outstanding heroes and leaders, the museum highlights the ordinary Juan and Juana in offering a unique a deep understanding on the citizen participation in the COUNTRY S POLITICAL EVOLUTION “This museum is indeed the symbol of democracy that emanated in Quezon City,� Mayor Bautista stressed.

The museum provides a timeline that begins with the Basi

Revolt in 1807 to the ‘Million 0EOPLE -ARCH IN It also demonstrates the variety of people power uprisings in the last two centuries, including the beginning of women movements, labor unions, indigenous religion-driven rebellions, and events like the walkout of Commission on Elections tabulators in protest of election manipulation in 1986.

The museum also has collections of images, documents, and objects relevant to the Philippine democracy such as sets of wooden printing press equipment used by Katipunan revolutionaries and World War 2 guerillas, EDSA People Power memorabilia, documents of the Sakdal Movement, and the Philippine Independent #HURCH S EARLY MATERIALS The Museo ng Demokrasyang Pilipino is envisioned as a multiple site museum to be developed in several locations within QC.

Accor launches new lifestyle brand, Tribe RENOWNED for its expertise in the economy and midscale sector and now a major name in luxury hotels, Accor continues to establish itself in the lifestyle sector in order to offer an ever-greater range of experiences and to satisfy the needs of its customers and partners. !CCOR S NEW BRAND 4RIBE WAS created in response to a simple fact: today, more than ever before, travelers seek a high-quality hotel experience at an affordable price.

Tribe aims to surprise travelers with an original, exciting and carefully curated offer that focuses on style rather than price. Tribe is reshaping the traditional hotel experience, enabling guests to live, work and play

in contemporary interiors.

Tribe intends to meet the expectations and requirements of customers in a groundbreaking WAY 7ITH A lEXIBLE AND UNIQUE model, the new “Tribe� concept targets an international clientele of regular travelers. Whether traveling for business or leisure purposes, the Tribe community is just like TODAY S MEN AND WOMEN INDEpendent, curious and adventurous.

Tribe welcomes regular travelers by providing them with everything THEY NEED AND NOTHING THEY DON T in vibrant living spaces, centered around a welcoming lobby area, guest rooms offering the utmost comfort and the latest technologies.

Public Square

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

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PIA taps IPC to boost public service A

S the advertising, public relations, and chief information arm of the Philippine government, the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) is tasked to disseminate accurate, timely, and relevant information to Filipinos. Recently, the agency decided to enhance its capabilities through office productivity tool G Suite offered by digital services provider and local cloud computing pioneer IPC (IP Converge Data Services, Inc.). “It is our mandate to provide information about government programs, projects, and services to improve lives and encourage an open dialogue between Filipinos and the government. With this, the PIA is embracing digital tools to enhance how we do public service. We found a great partner in IPC,� said Harold Clavite, director-general of the Philippine Information Agency.

Because the agency is tasked with information dissemination and promotion of current government efforts, PIA personnel deal with materials that take up much email and storage space, such as photos and videos. g4HE kLE LIMIT FOR ATTACHING kLES given by our previous email services provider served as a roadblock

for us that we had to transfer large kLES ON FOOT WITH THE USE OF 53" lASH DRIVES AND HARD DRIVES u REcounted Clavite. “But as a national AGENCY WITH REGIONAL OFkCES AND 72 provincial information centers across the country, this was unacceptable so we decided to look for a better option.�

According to David R. de Leon, )0# CHIEF OPERATING OFkCER 0)! S

decision to embrace digital tools such as G Suite supports their mandate and advocacy. “IPC is proud to support the PIA in their ongoing efforts to keep the public well-informed and empowered. We laud the agency for EMBRACING TODAY S TECHNOLOGY TO better serve the public.�

As a long time Google Cloud Partner, IPC has the expertise

necessary to position and deploy G Suite, among other Google Cloud products, to organizations of various sizes and objectives.

7ITH ' 3UITE 0)! S EMPLOYEES now have 30GB for file and email storage (15MB more than the free individual version) and an unlimited online storage for standard quality photos and documents in Google Drive.

Ceremonial opening of the EDSA TNK Fair

Filipino artists showcase artworks in Indonesia LABOR 5NDERSECRETARY 2ENATO Ebarle, together with Mandaluyong City Administrator Ernesto Victorino, Department of Trade

and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Ethiopian State Minister Dr. Aklilu Hailemichael, and Philippine Association of Legiti-

mate Service Contractors President Rhoda Caliwara, officially open the Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan job and business

fair at Starmall, Mandaluyong in celebration of the 33rd anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution.

Megaworld renews platinum partnership with 27th Franchise Asia PH

Q Woman nature in acrylic AT the invitation of Freedom & Peace International Exhibition, Filipino artist Roy Espinosa, along with Lloyd Lusica and other promising young artists will be showcasing their work with his works at the Padepokan Apel Watoe Gallery in Borobudur Magelang, Jawa Tengah in Indonesia. Espinosa was invited

BECAUSE OF HIS IMPRESSIVE PROkLE AS a practicing artist and also because of his passion in actively promoting the Fine Arts in the Southeast Asian region.

The show, which also promotes artistic brotherhood and solidarity among Asian artists, runs from March 9 to April 9, 2019.

Get 50 percent off selected beef cuts every 29th of the month at Ruby Jack’s

Q Ruby Jack’s t-bone steak 25"9 *ACK S IS A POPULAR STEAKHOUSE famous for its dry-aged meats and premium grilled steaks. The restaurant, founded in Japan, has become a recognized name in the culinary world because it uses only the best natural ingredients selected from all around the world - making each dish a perfectly sumptuous and enticing experience.

Now you can have the same experience at half the price every 29th OF THE MONTH 2UBY *ACK S IS LAUNCH-

4(% COUNTRY S LEADING PROPERTY developer Megaworld Corporation recently renewed its platinum partnership with the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) for THIS YEAR S STAGING OF &RANCHISE Asia Philippines (FAPHL) slated on March 27 to 31 at the SMX Convention Center – Manila.

Megaworld has been a longtime supporter of FAPHL which has been the leading development platform for growth of the local franchise industry. Franchise Asia

0HILIPPINES BILLED AS !SIA S biggest 4-in-1 franchise show, will be presented with two themes, “Growing Businesses, Building Legacies� for the Conference and “Be the Boss� for the Expo. The week-long event will open with the Certified Franchise Executive Program from March 25 to 26, International Conference from March 27-28, International Expo from March 29 to 31, and Learning and Networking Sessions for prospective franchisors and franchisees.

Q Photo shows Franchise Asia Philippines 2019 Overall Chair Sherill Quintana (left) and PFA Chairman Dr. Alan Escalona (right) sealing the partnership agreement with Megaworld Capital Town Pampanga Sales Head Christian Coombes (center).

Philips collaborates with Ayala HealthCare for better health care PHILIPS Philippines recently SIGNED A -EMORANDUM OF 5NDERstanding with Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc. (AC Health) to roll out an integrated solution intended to provide better quality health care services to the community. )N LINE WITH 0HILIPS AIM OF improving the lives of three billion people a year by 2025, this strategic collaboration will include the expansion of primary care and other specialty clinics with a total solution proposition, ie: the provision of medical devices, CLINICAL WORKlOW DESIGN SOFTWARE and solutions.

Philips will also be assisting AC Health with necessary training of

medical residents and professionALS INCORPORATING 0HILIPS CUTTING edge health technology solutions such as the Lumify ultrasound solution and the sleep and respiratory care solutions.

Ashwin Chari, country manager, Philips Philippines Inc. shared: “With the health care challenges that the world is facing world today: an aging population, the rise of chronic diseases and resource constraints; the health care industry needs to make a shift away from merely developing individual health care products to building truly integrated solutions. These solutions will provide clinicians with more effective ways to diag-

Q Ashwin Chari, Philips Philippines Inc.country manager, and Paolo Borromeo, Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc chief executive officer, during signing of Memorandum of Understanding nose, treat and manage patients by services with actionable insights combining hardware, software and from data and analytics�.

Majorel sees PH expansion, double-digit growth ing this promotion with its sister branch in Tokyo to celebrate meat day with their guests. The promo is limited to selected beef cuts.

In Japan, 29 reads “2� and “9� as “ni� and “ku�, respectively. “Niku,� on the other hand, means “meat� in Japanese. All meat lovers will salivate at the thought of exquisitely juicy beef cuts being theirs at 50 percent off. This special discount will apply to all customers on every 29 of each month.

THOMAS Mackenbrock, chief EXECUTIVE OFkCER #%/ OF NEWLY created customer experience services group Majorel, formally launched the new brand with an ambitious statement of intent on its global growth strategy.

Majorel will hold a strong presence in the Philippines with four locations. Having started out in Eastwood (Manila), the business (formerly Arvato CRM) has seen its Philippines operations grow

by 50 percent year-on-year with site openings in Clark (2014) and two sites in Alabang (2015 and 2017). Majorel expects to achieve similar double-digit growth in the Philippines over the coming years.

Fara Haron, Regional CEO North America, Ireland & Southeast Asia of Majorel said: “The contact center industry is one of the fastest growing in the country due to the level of education and the strong familiarity WITH 5 3 AND %UROPEAN CULTURES 7E

look forward to bringing valued job opportunities to the Philippines as we continue to provide our advanced digital and technical capabilities to clients looking for high-quality and cost-effective solutions for their customer engagement programs.�

Majorel, which has more than 48,000 employees in 28 countries worldwide, is a leading player in Europe, Middle East, and Africa and has a strong presence in Asia and the Americas. The company was

formed by combining the worldwide customer service businesses of Bertelsmann, the international media, services, and education comPANY AND -OROCCO S 3AHAM 'ROUP Mackenbrock further notes: “We will see rapid growth and change in the customer experience industry over the course of the next decade.

To meet the challenges and opporTUNITIES THIS BRINGS YOU NEED TO kND the perfect combination of people, technology and global reach.�

Sports

SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2019

www.manilatimes.net

Harden powers Rockets to victory over Suns

D1 Q Houston Rockets’ James Harden (No. 13) shoots as Phoenix Suns’ Mikal Bridges (No. 25) and Devin Booker, left, defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Saturday in Houston.

AP PHOTO

L

OS ANGELES: James (ARDEN lIRTED WITH A TRIPLE DOUBLE AS THE (OUSTON 2OCKETS BEAT THE 0HOENIX 3UNS FOR THE TH STRAIGHT GAME WITH A WIN ON &RIDAY 3ATURDAY IN -ANILA Q LA Tenorio of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (No. 5) dribbles past LA Revilla and Dave Marcelo of Phoenix on Sunday during a Season 44 PBA Philippine Cup game at the Araneta Coliseum. PBA MEDIA BUREAU PHOTO

Upbeat Gin Kings eye 5th win vs Magnolia BARANGAY Ginebra will be gunning for its fifth victory when it competes against Magnolia today in Season 44 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Gin Kings, coming from a morale-boosting 100-97 win over solo leader Phoenix Pulse on Sunday, are hoping to sustain their winning ways in their 6:45 p.m. game against reigning Governors’ Cup champion Hotshots.

No. 5 Ginebra with a 4-3 win-loss record is still hoping for a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, which it could only bag by sweeping its remaining four games in the elimination. “We’ve had another long week of anticipation getting ready for this game. It is never too hard getting up for the Manila Clasico. The buzz around the stadium is always a little more loud and you can feel the energy of the fans and the crowd,� said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.

The Hotshots eliminated the Gin Kings in last conference’s semifinals.

“This will be our first game with Magnolia since they knocked us out of the semifinals last conference.

So it’s a game we’ve been looking forward to. We know there will be a great battle,� added Cone.

Ginebra will rely on LA Tenorio who finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals in their previous outing.

Magnolia, at 3-4, is bent to keep its winning ways with only four games left in the elimination round. The Hotshots are coming off two recent victories against Columbian Dyip (10983) and Alaska (103-86).

Coach Chito Victolero will be counting on Paul Lee, Ian Sangalang and Mark Barroca against Ginebra.

In the 4:30 p.m. opening game, Northern Luzon Expressway hopes a repeat of its 91-70 win over Alaska on Wednesday when it battles Blackwater (2-7).

The Road Warriors, at 3-5, must win their last three games in the elimination to reach the quarterfinal .

JOSEF T. RAMOS

Harden had 41 points, 11 assists and nine REBOUNDS kNISHING JUST ONE REBOUND SHORT OF a triple double. He also had six steals.

(OUSTON WAS BEHIND FOR MUCH OF THE GAME AND SHOT POORLY FROM BEYOND THE ARC BUT THEIR ABILITY TO kNISH DOWN THE STRETCH GAVE THEM THEIR TH WIN IN THEIR LAST ."! GAMES (ARDEN S kNAL ASSIST WAS KEY AS IT HELPED SEAL THE 2OCKETS VICTORY (ARDEN MADE A NICE DISH TO TEAMMATE $ANUEL (OUSE WHO NAILED A THREE POINTER TO GIVE THE 2OCKETS A LEAD WITH UNDER A MINUTE LEFT (ARDEN LATER MADE A FREE THROW WITH SECONDS LEFT TO MAKE IT 3UNS $EVIN "OOKER MISSED A THREE POINTER AND (ARDEN MADE TWO MORE FREE THROWS TO SEAL THE WIN (ARDEN SAID THERE ARE SOME ASPECTS THEY NEED TO IMPROVE ON g7E VE JUST GOT TO BE MORE CONSISTENT WITH DEMANDING STOPS u (ARDEN SAID g7E DO IT WHEN WE NEED TO BUT WE NEED TO DO IT THROUGH OUT THE COURSE OF A GAME 4HEN THAT WILL TAKE OUR GAME TO ANOTHER LEVEL u %RIC 'ORDON ADDED POINTS AND (OUSE HAD FOR THE 2OCKETS ON A NIGHT #HRIS 0AUL WAS GIVEN THE NIGHT OFF "OOKER DELIVERED POINTS FOR THE 3UNS

WHO LOST THEIR SECOND IN A ROW g7E COULDN T REALLY CLOSE THE GAME u 3UNS COACH )GOR +OKOSKOV SAID g7E LOST THE GAME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MINUTES AND THE LAST COUPLE OF POSSESSIONS u )N 7ASHINGTON +EMBA 7ALKER SCORED POINTS AND THE #HARLOTTE (ORNETS OVERCAME "RADLEY "EAL S POINT PERFORMANCE WITH A WIN OVER THE 7ASHINGTON 7IZARDS *EREMY ,AMB ADDED POINTS .ICOLAS "ATUM AND 4ONY 0ARKER HAD POINTS EACH FOR #HARLOTTE

IN A GAME BETWEEN TWO TEAMS BATTLING FOR THE kNAL PLAYOFF BERTH IN THE %ASTERN #ONFERENCE 7ALKER KNOWS HOW "EAL FEELS (E WAS COM ING OFF A POINT EFFORT IN A LOSS TO THE 2OCKETS "EAL HAD BY HALFTIME AND kNISHED WITH ON OF SHOOTING *ABARI 0ARKER HAD POINTS AND REBOUNDS AND *EFF 'REEN SCORED POINTS FOR THE 7IZARDS WHO HAD WON TWO STRAIGHT #HARLOTTE HAD LOST TWO STRAIGHT AND SEVEN OF NINE #HARLOTTE LED AT HALFTIME AND "IS MACK "IYOMBO S BASKET MADE IT EARLY in the third quarter. )N ,OS !NGELES $ANILO 'ALLINARI SCORED POINTS AS THE ,OS !NGELES #LIPPERS RALLIED IN A THIRD QUARTER THAT SAW BOTH COACHES THROWN OUT FOR ARGUING TO BEAT THE #HICAGO "ULLS #LIPPERS HEAD COACH $OC 2IVERS WAS EJECTED ALONG WITH HIS #HICAGO COUNTERPART *IM "OYLEN LATE IN THE THIRD QUARTER AFTER "OYLEN THOUGHT -ONTREZL

(ARRELL WAS TOO AGGRESSIVE ON AN OFFENSIVE FOUL g) WAS TALKING TO THE REF AND ) HEAR "OYLEN SAY TO ME WE WERE DIRTY OR WHATEVER BECAUSE IN kRST HALF WE SET ANOTHER LEGAL PICK AND ONE OF THEIR GUYS GOT HURT g) WANTED TO SAY TURN AROUND AND YELL AT YOUR GUYS AND TELL THEM TO CALL OUT PICKS BUT DON T YELL AT ME ) DIDN T SAY IT THAT NICELY 4HEN REF THREW US BOTH OUT g) BEEN AROUND FOR AWHILE AND ) THINK ) NEEDED TO TRY SOMETHING NEW )T FELT PRETTY GOOD ACTUALLY u %LSEWHERE 'IANNIS !NTETOKOUNMPO SCORED POINTS AND THE VISITING -ILWAUKEE "UCKS RALLIED FROM A POINT HALFTIME DEkCIT TO BEAT THE -IAMI (EAT )N $ETROIT ,ANGSTON 'ALLOWAY CAME OFF THE BENCH TO SCORE POINTS AND THE 0ISTONS DOWNED THE LOWLY ,OS !NGELES ,AKERS 4HE 0ISTONS SNAPPED A TWO GAME LOSING STREAK WHILE THE ,AKERS LOST FOR THE SEVENTH TIME IN EIGHT GAMES AFP

D2

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

P

Nascar

The Sunday Times w w w.manilatimes.net

HOENIX: Joe Gibbs has spent his career watching Hall o f Fa m e - c a l i b e r athletes ply their trades, whether as the Super Bowlwinning coach of t he Wa s h i n g t o n Redskins or the title-winning owner of a race team.

In his mind, what separates them from a run-of-the-mill star is an insatiable will to succeed, the kind of drive that allows them to reach the next level. They set goals, sometimes absurdly difkCULT TO ACHIEVE AND THEN SPEND every ounce of sweat and blood to reach them.

Goals like 200 wins in NASCAR’s top three series.

With Kyle Busch one win away from that milestone following his WEEKEND SWEEP OF THE 8kNITY AND Cup series races at ISM Raceway, his 78-year-old owner is ready to group him with the elites. “I think he’s driven by big things like that, by records,� Gibbs said. “I know how bad he wants to win every race because I can pick up from him talking how bad he wants things. He’s driven by trying to do something great, so I think it’ll be a big deal for him.�

Busch will have two opportunities to reach the milestone this weekend at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. He will BE BACK IN HIS 8kNITY RIDE SEEKING his third straight win in the series, then will hop in his No. 18 Toyota to chase his 53rd win in NASCAR’s top series — a far cry from when “Rowdy� made his Trucks Series debut as a 16-year-old in 2001. “It’s pretty incredible, honestly, with what he’s done in the modern day to be able to do that,� said Joey Logano, one of his former teammates. “I know he’s got a lot OF #UP WINS TO GO WITH THE 8kNITY and Truck wins, but the Cup wins, to me, are the most impressive

Q Tony Stewart looks on in the garage area during practice for a race on August 8, 2014 in Watkins Glen, New York. AFP PHOTO

Q Kyle Busch tosses his son Brexton in the air after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race at ISM Raceway on March 10, in Avondale, Ariz. AP PHOTO

Kyle Busch nears milestone 200th NASCAR victory part — that he’s able to do that.�

After a couple of feeling-out rides for Hendrick Motorsports in 2004, Busch jumped into a full-time ride and never really looked back. He won twice in 2005, finished in the top 10 in points the following season and continued his march toward the pinnacle of his sport.

He moved to Joe Gibbs Racing IN AND REALLY CAUGHT kRE WINning seven times, and he captured the series championship four years ago by winning the year-end race at Homestead. Just about the only trophy he’s missing from his case IS THE $AYTONA Busch has built a 77,000-square foot facility that houses his own

race team, along with most of the hardware he’s won over the years.

Trophies are stacked upon top of other trophies, and the cases that house his Bristol wins are particularly full. “We’ve got our fair share of trophy cases we’ve gone through,� he said with a smile, “and every time WE GET A NEW ONE WE SEEM TO kLL it up. They’re all over the place.�

So is Busch. His successful Truck Series program soaks up plenty of time, especially when he slips behind the wheel for a weekend.

He usually runs the maximum NUMBER OF 8kNITY RACES (E HAS been among the fastest cars in the Cup Series for years, regardless of

engine, body or rules changes.

(E ALSO kNDS TIME TO DOTE ON HIS wife, Samantha, and son Brexton, hoisting him up in victory lane on Sunday. “I guess the fact that’s impressive to me is he owns his own truck and he’s running his own race team there. That’s impressive,� Logano said. “It’s hard to do and it’s something I don’t ever really want to do. Obviously, when he’s running THE 'IBBS 8kNITY CARS THEY RE SO fast, and he’s able to stack them up there as well, and he’s not too bad in the Cup Series.�

Where he will ultimately stack up among NASCAR greats is a worthy debate.

Richard Petty won a record 200 times in its top series, though that was a different era. The King is tied WITH $ALE %ARNHARDT AND *IMMIE Johnson with seven championships apiece. And more obscure RECORDS SUCH AS LEAD LAP kNISHES are held by Jeff Gordon, himself a four-time Cup champion.

Then again, Busch has been able to win in just about anything with wheels, and the brother of Cup Series driver Kurt Busch is competing in arguably the most competitive age in the sport’s history. “You know, we’ve been talking about it for a long time,� he said of 200 wins, “and certainly, I don’t know what to say that I’ve not

already said. It’s a goal I set out a long, long time ago.�

He doesn’t remember exactly when, but chances are it came when he began racking up victories with Gibbs’ team. And it hardly surprises Busch’s owner that he not only set such an audacious goal, but that the 33-year-old driver is already close to accomplishing it. “I just think he’s an unusual talent,� Gibbs said, “and all of us that watch sports, me included, enjoy watching those unbelievable athletes, and we ask, ‘How does that happen?’ He can just drive the thing when it’s several degrees past where a normal person can drive it, and it’s just a gift.�

AP

Tony Stewart headlines new nominees for NASCAR Hall of Fame CHARLOTTE, N.C.: Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart headlined the six new nominees eligible for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Stewart joined Neil Bonnett, a popular member of the “Alabama 'ANG u TWO TIME 8kNITY 3ERIES CHAMPION 3AM !RD FORMER $AYTONA 500 winner Marvin Panch, short-track racer Jim Paschal and mechanic Red Vogt as the new nominees.

Kirk Shelmerdine, crew chief for four championships with Hall of &AMER $ALE %ARNHARDT WAS DROPPED FROM THE BALLOT AFTER ONLY ONE YEAR 4HERE ARE NOMINEES AND kVE ARE ELECTED EACH YEAR NASCAR also announced three new nominees for the Landmark Award given for outstanding contributions to the sport. It meant Janet

Guthrie was eliminated from the list after one year.

'UTHRIE WAS THE kRST WOMAN TO COMPETE IN THE )NDIANAPOLIS AS WELL AS THE $AYTONA AND HER SIXTH PLACE kNISH AT "RISTOL -OTOR 3PEEDWAY IN IS SHARED WITH $ANICA 0ATRICK FOR THE TOP kNISH BY a female in NASCAR’s top series in the modern era.

Three new nominees were added to the Landmark Award list and THEY WERE %DSEL &ORD )) OF &ORD -OTOR #O 0OCONO 2ACEWAY FOUNDER $R *OSEPH -ATTIOLI AND -IKE (ELTON THE kRST NON &RANCE FAMILY member to be named NASCAR President.

The 24-person nominating committee includes eight NASCAR executives, as well as Lesa France Kennedy, who is listed among 13 track owners and operators with voting power. AP

The Sunday Times www.manilatimes.net

TURBO TIMES

Motor Sports

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

D3

Q Fernando Masato cruises to win Sunday’s Asia Road Racing Championship’s (ARRC) Underbone 150 Class, a day after teammate McKinley Paz scored his own victory on Saturday. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Exciting times ahead W

HILE I was writing this column last week, I just saw our own McKinley Kyle Paz won the Asia Road Racing Champion’s Underbone 150 class, Race 1, in Sepang, Malaysia last Saturday.

The next day, his teammate, Fernando Masato, took the second race last Sunday and gave the newly formed Team Uma Racing Yamaha Philippines a fantastic two for two race wins in the ARRC. This was a great start for us Filipinos and really excited me to change my whole column!

Making this month quite spectacular isn’t only about the fantastic win of our Filipino riders, that I wrote about in a separate article, but the very exciting first round of the Moto GP in Qatar, the third round of the World Rally Championship in Mexico and the first Formula One race in Melbourne, Australia today!

These three world championships are my most loved disciplines and I have a hard time deciding on what race to watch when they all come together in a weekend. Let’s give you a short preview on what’s happening in these series and I know you will agree that these are really exciting times ahead!

Moto GP The best pre-championship news was Jorge Lorenzo switching to the champion Repsol Honda Team, where the Moto GP phenom Marc Marquez is currently running and dominating the series. Lorenzo was 2nd only to his ex-team mate Valentino Rossi in Free Practice 1 and these 2 veterans defied all pundits.

Even though both riders fell back in the evening FP2 session, they both made their marks and had shown that it will be a good race come Sunday evening. Marquez set the fastest time ever at the Qatar track and showed that he had not suffered from his injuries of last year.

After qualifying, the riders were trying to push for an earlier start because of the heavy evening dew due to cold, windy conditions. They thought that there might be a lot of crashes that no one will finish the race! Luckily, this didn’t happen as the weather went back to the typical Qatar weather which was dry and hot.

The Moto GP race was almost a carbon copy of last year’s race with Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso taking the win over defending champion, Honda’s Marquez by only 0.023 of a second! This was really exciting to watch as they broke from a 6 man group, which included Rossi, with 3 laps to go. Both hugged after the race and showed true sportsmanship.

However, there was a new winglet added to the lower part of the swingarm of the Ducati and this was protested by the other teams. The scrutineers decided to give Dovi the win but their rivals appealed to Appeal Court of the FIM. This will be decided before the next race in Argentina. Hope that the legal battle will not change the outcome and take away the hard fought race between both riders.

One of the sad news before the race was KTM’s new rider and past Honda member, Dani Pedrosa missed the action while he recovered from a collarbone surgery that he had during the winter break.

YAMAHA PH DUO SHINES IN ARRC U150

BY MIKE POTENCIANO

T

HE Philippines’ best riders taking part in the Asia Road Racing Championship’s (ARRC) Underbone 150 Class, McKinley Paz and Fernando Masato, shocked the competition by WINNING THE kRST AND SECOND RACES RESPECTIVELY AT Sepang, Malaysia last weekend.

Supported by Team UMA Racing Yamaha Philippines, the tandem gave motorcycle craZY &ILIPINOS THEIR kNEST kNISHES AND SHOWED

the whole Asian region that the country can produce world-class riding champions.

After being selected as wildcard entries

Formula 1 The exciting development in F1 is Ferrari’s pace in pre-season testing. They are said to be 0.5 seconds ahead of Mercedes Petronas Team, according to tire supplier Pirelli.

However, this gap had been trimmed down when Mercedes Benz brought in their new aero improvements in their front wing.

What is also exciting is the new Ferrari signee Charles Leclerc who has been matching the pace of world champion Sebastien Vettel. This is a good development for Ferrari fans but I hope it will not create problems within the team due to politics, if you know what I mean!

There is also a plan to introduce a new rule that gives an extra point for the fastest time in qualifying to get the drivers extra motive to go for it. There are also new regulations on the wings and chassis that will hopefully promote more overtaking. All of these will be revealed today and let us watch it!

his promise and win first place.

Starting from fourth at the grid, Masato foCUSED VERY HARD FROM START TO kNISH AND WAS VIRtually unstoppable the whole way. Paz fought off opponents and took a superb third place kNISH (E NARROWLY MISSED OUT ON A PODIUM kNISH ALONGSIDE HIS TEAMMATE -ASATO by a few tenths of a second from second-place placer Mohd Amirul Ariff Musa.

The two Filipino racing icons also secured the Best Team Award for UMA Racing Yamaha Philippines and went home to a rousing celebration. Paz is now leading the championship WITH HIS kRST AND THIRD PLACE kNISHES 4HE NEXT race will be in Australia on April 25 to 28.

Honda PH begins 2019 racing season HONDA Philippines, Inc. (HPI), the leading motorcycle manufacturer in the country, has unveiled the names of the nine riders who will take part in the Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup (HPDC) this year.

The 2019 HPDC officially kicked off with tryouts held on January 26 at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga. The tryouts served as the official selection process for nine talented young riders who will participate in the official races and undergo training in the Honda Racing Clinic.

HPDC is a motor sports program of HPI that aims to develop young riders in motorcycle racing using a specific one-make race machine, namely the CBR150R - a 150cc, MotoGP DNA motorcycle. “The HPDC is also a step up program of HPI to young

riders to qualify for international race programs of Honda and immerse in different environments to become better equipped for competitions,� HPI said in a statement.

The nine riders who qualified for the 2019 HPDC are: Carl James “Chino� Hung; Kurt Tristan “Ostong�

Villanueva; Michael Nicol Lee; Christopher John “Kokoy� Mangibin; Sean Andrej Ondillo; Marco Gil Ventenilla; Joshua Gabriel De Leon; Travhys Ivan Joe Paralejas; and Alfred Jakob Sablaya.

Familiar names such as reigning HPDC champion Sablaya and strong contender Ondillo rejoin the competition, to be challenged by new and promising talents.

A total of six rounds will be held at the Clark International Speedway and the Batangas Racing Circuit from May to October.

THE TIMES

Q Aspiring riders attend the tryouts for the 2019 Honda Pilipinas Dream Cup held on January 26 at the Clark International Speedway in Pampanga.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Q Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton speeds through a corner during the second Formula One practice session in Melbourne on Friday, ahead of the Formula One Australian Grand Prix. AFP PHOTO

World Rally Championship If you have been following my Facebook WRC posts, you will know that this year’s SEASON HAD THE MOST DRAMATIC kNISHES INcluding a 2.2 seconds win by Sebastien Ogier of Citroen in the 2nd round in Sweden!

In Mexico, the defending champion Ogier took his 2nd win with Toyota’s Ott Tanak kGHTING HARD FOR ND PLACE 4ANAK HAD TO chase Elfyn Evans in the privateer M-Sport Ford Fiesta and got it on the last day due to a late check-in of Evans in one stage.

Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville took a distant fourth and salvaged a problematic rally. The team was actually doing well with Andreas Mikkelsen leading the first day until his car stopped a couple of stages to go.

Dani Sordo, who replaced Sebastian Loeb for this leg, was then 2nd to Ogier, but also suffered from car problems that took him out of contention. Toyota’s Kris Meeke rounded out the top 5 after he chose to take it easy to conserve his tires for the Power Stage.

last season, the Filipinos are now part of the WHOLE 5 SERIES AND IS A kRST FOR 9AMAHA Philippines. With the nation rallying behind them, the two had a roaring start.

It wasn’t an easy victory for Paz during Saturday’s race as other riders from the region alternated for the top position during the RACE )N THE kNAL LAP 0AZ USED ALL HIS MIGHT AND skills to overcome the leaders to win in superb FASHION -ASATO CAME IN kFTH BUT VOWED TO do better in the second race. Paz’s win was the 0HILIPPINES kRST EVER IN THE !22# Paz became the marked man in Sunday’s race but what the others didn’t expect was teammate Masato will keep

Hamilton on top as Ferrari struggles in season’s first exchanges MELBOURNE: Lewis Hamilton made a mockery of his claim that Ferrari would be half-a-second quicker at the Australian Grand Prix by easily clocking the fastest times in the season’s opening practice runs on Friday.

The Briton led a Mercedes one-two in the second session as he powered round Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit under clear skies with a best of one minute and 22.600 seconds (1:22.60).

It bettered his pace-setting 1:23.599 in the opening practice as he kickstarted his bid for a sixth world title.

Valtteri Bottas was second (1:22.648) with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third (1:23.400), marginally ahead of impressive new teammate Pierre Gasly, who was promoted this year from Toro Rosso.

Sebastian Vettel, who has won in Melbourne for the past two years, could only manage fifth, nearly a second adrift of arch-rival Hamilton, while Ferrari partner Charles Leclerc struggled to ninth, straddling the kerb and spinning as he pushed hard late in the day.

The man Leclerc replaced, Finnish former world champion Kimi Raikkonen, pushed his Alfa Romeo formerly Sauber - into sixth.

The Renaults of Niko Hulkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo were sixth and seventh respectively. “I have a positive buzz from driving the car today

- this is what I love doing. The car feels like it’s in a similar place to where it was in Barcelona, which is positive coming to a different track,� said Hamilton. “We got through our program really well, there were no issues on track. There’s plenty of stuff that we can improve on, but this was not a bad start,� he added.

Hamilton is gunning for a third world crown in a row to close in on Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven.

Much had been made of his insistence after preseason testing in Barcelona that Ferrari were much faster, but he quickly put that fallacy to bed as he angles for an 84th pole position.

Bottas said the car felt better than during testing. “We didn’t bring a lot of new parts to the car, but we were able to optimise the package that we have,� he said. “We have an idea of how much we can improve for qualifying, but we have no idea how much performance the other teams can still bring,� Bottas added.

A bit wobbly There was some speculation in the paddock that Ferrari may have been sandbagging, or deliberately holding back ahead of qualifying on Saturday.

Vettel slid onto the grass at turn one early in the afternoon run. “Check the car in turns one and four. Feels quite odd. Seems to be something wrong. Box,� he said on the team radio. He recovered but later told the team his car was “still a bit wobbly.�

Red Bull has high hopes this year for Verstappen but he wasn’t reading too much into topping the Ferraris. “It has been alright. Mercedes looks very quick. We have lots of work to do and will analyze a lot,� said the Dutchman.

Toro Rosso new boy Alexander Albon had a troubled introduction to Formula One, losing his front wing in a crash at turn two in the first practice. He slid onto the gravel again in session two and skidded onto the grass.

It was also a frustrating day for Poland’s Robert Kubica, in his first Formula One drive since his right arm was partially severed in a horror rallying accident eight years ago.

His best time of 1:26.655 for Williams was slowest on a day marred by the sudden death on Thursday of long-serving and well-respected Formula One race director Charlie Whiting.

FIA chief Jean Todt held a minute’s silence to mark his passing in a press conference, with deputy race director Michael Masi fulfilling Whiting’s duties in Melbourne.

AFP

McLaren drops tobacco firm logos for Australian F1 as objections grow MELBOURNE: Formula One team McLaren have dropped British American Tobacco logos for the season-opening grand prix in Melbourne as objections grow about the return of cigarette-firm advertising to the sport.

McLaren’s move comes after Ferrari removed all references to Mission Winnow, a research subsidiary of tobacco firm Philip Morris, from their cars and team uniforms for the race over a potential breach of Australian anti-tobacco advertising laws.

On Thursday, the World Health Organization called for better enforcement of bans on tobacco advertising after tobacco companies quietly re-entered sponsorship deals with Formula One teams.

A McLaren spokesman told Agence France-Presse Friday “it was BAT’s decision to not use their branding at the race this weekend�.

The British team recently announced a partnership with the tobacco giant, which included having their “A Better Tomorrow� branding on cars and drivers’ overalls.

BAT said it focused solely on its “potentially reduced risk products�, referring to e-cigarettes, rather than having any direct link to cigarette promotion. “BAT are mindful of the stance that the Australian government currently takes towards potentially reduced risk products,� the McLaren spokesman said.

Ferrari have replaced their Mission Winnow branding with a 90th anniversary logo. But a Scuderia Ferrari spokesman has told Agence France-Presse the team expected to restore the branding for the next grand prix in Bahrain.

Mission Winnow featured on its livery during last year’s Japan Grand Prix, sparking an investigation by Australia’s communications regulator over whether TV broadcasts of the race breached its ban on tobacco advertising.

The state government of Victoria, whose capital is Melbourne, was likewise probing the controversial logos.

On Thursday, the WHO called for “all sporting bodies, including Formula 1 and MotoGP, to adopt strong tobacco-free policies�. “WHO is urging governments to enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship at sporting events, including when hosting or receiving broadcasts of Formula 1 and MotoGP events,� the UN health agency said in a statement.

Tobacco firms were highly visible in Formula One until governing body the FIA banned tobacco advertising and sponsorship by cigarette makers at the end of the 2006 season.

AFP

Sports Lady Eagles drop NU in PH’s Loman retains Brave UAAP volley Combat Federation title Remembering D4

˜ The Manila Times

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

EDDIE G. ALINEA

ATENEO De Manila University pummeled National University (NU), 23-25, 25-17, 25-13, 25-17, to stretch its winning streak and close the first round as No. 1 in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball on Saturday at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

The Lady Eagles banked on a balanced attack to shook off a sluggish first set en route to their sixth straight win against a lone loss. “We learned a lot from here (first round). But I’m telling my players that the second round is going to be tougher,� said Ateneo head coach Oliver Almadro. “Hopefully, the positivity and energy will manifest going into the second round,� added Almadro.

Veteran blocker Maddie Madayag sizzled with a game-high 17 points built on 10 spikes, four aces and three blocks while cocaptain Bea De Leon smashed 13 markers. “We’re very happy but like what coach said, it’s only about to get harder. Our mindset now is that the first round is already done and we have to work double time,� said De Leon.

Seasoned hitter Kat Tolentino and sophomore spiker Ponggay Gaston chipped in 10 points apiece in the win.

Coming off an error-filled first set, Ateneo, behind Madayag, dominated the second and third sets to erect a 2-1 lead.

The Lady Eagles unleashed a 12-4 run capped by Madayag’s ace for a 14-8 lead in the fourth frame but the Lady Bulldogs threatened within 14-15.

De Leon sparked a six-point surge to restore a 20-14 advantage as the streaking Ateneo cruised to the four-set victory.

Rookie hitter Princess Robles led NU with 18 points highlighted by 15 kills while fellow freshman spiker Ivy Lacsina had 11 markers.

The No. 6 Lady Bulldogs ended the first round with a 2-4 card.

Eariler in the men’s division, leading Far Eastern University completed a first round sweep after demolishing De La Salle University, 25-21, 25-20, 25-18.

John Paul Bugaoan notched a gamebest 16 points while Jude Garcia scored 12 markers, towing the Tamaraw Spikers to their seventh triumph in a row.

Defending champion NU also closed the first round on a strong note after thrashing last year’s finals foe Ateneo, 25-19, 25-23, 25-16.

Last season’s Finals MVP Bryan Bagunas posted 20 points anchored on 18 attacks as the second-running Bulldogs improved to 6-1.

La Salle (2-5) remained at No. 6 and Ateneo (4-3) at No. 3 .

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

T

Flash Elorde’s 1960 feat

BY JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

EAM Lakay fighter Stephen “The Sniper� Loman retained his bantamweight title a third time after beating Elias “Smile�

Boudegzdame of Algeria via technical knockout (TKO) in the main event of Brave Combat Federation 22: Storm of the Warriors on Friday night at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

O

Defending his belt in front of his countrymen for the first time, Loman brought Boudegzdame down with a left hook before finishing him off through ground and pound late in the fourth round.

The 23-year old pride of Benguet drew inspiration from his uncle who recently died in a hit-and-run incident. g) WOULD LIKE TO DEDICATE THIS kGHT TO MY FAMILY TEAMmates and all of you my kababayan. And of course, to my uncle, who passed away last March 1,� said Loman.

The 5-foot-7 Filipino fighter extended his streak to seven wins for an improved record of 13 victories against two defeats.

Loman only needed to break free from Boudegzdame’s tight clinch early in the opening round to cut the cheek of his challenger via vicious striking.

Loman insidious blows dictated the match’s tempo en route to his TKO victory.

"OUDEGZDAME THE kRST "RAVE #& CHAMPION SUFFERED HIS second straight setback and sixth overall against 15 wins.

In the co-main event, New Zealand’s John Brewin defeated Ireland’s Cian Cowley via split decision in their lightweight match.

Brewin dedicated the victory to his country which was recently rocked by a mass shooting incident that killed 49 people. “I know the strength of the people of New Zealand. This is a dark day in our country and I never imagined the size of hatred in such a beautiful place. We will pull through this Q Team Lakay’s Stephen Loman attempts to mount Elias Boudegzdame for a ground-andpound in Brave Combat Federation 22: Storm of the Warriors on Friday night at the Mall dark time,� he said.

Meanwhile, another Team Lakay bet in Jeremy Pacatiw of Asia Arena in Pasay City. PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA won over fellow Filipino Mark Alcoba via submission (armbar) in Round 3 of their bantamweight bout while Rolando Dy knocked out Mehmosh Raza of Pakistan just SECONDS INTO THEIR FEATHERWEIGHT kGHT Dy, from Biagtan Muay Thai, delivered a solid 1-2 punch combo that ejected Reza’s mouthpiece to the cheers of the crowd. “I don’t want to lose in front of my family, my crush and countrymen,� said Dy, drawing cheers from the fans. “Thanks to all of you. We will take down more foreigners.�

Lakay standouts Jomar Pa-ac and Harold Banario also emerged victorious in the undercard. Pa-ac bested Satya Behuria of India via unanimous decision while Banario beat compatriot Ariel Oliveros via submission (kneebar).

Jayson Margallo won over Rex De Lara (unanimous deciSION WHILE &ILIPINO kGHTERS *OHN #RIS #ORTON AND *ASON Vergara lost to Finland’s Abdul Hussein (submission, ninja choke) and Bahrain’s Hussain Ayyad (submission, triangle choke), respectively.

It was Brave CF’s debut in the Philippines. The mixed martial arts promotion was founded by Bahraini prince Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Q Dimity Lee Duke

Q Tim Reed CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Australians seek to reclaim IRONMAN 70.3 crowns

FOILED the last time out by unfancied rivals, the once mighty Australians go all out to regain their once lofty perch in triathlon ladder as they return for the second Alveo IRONMAN 70.3 Davao presented by Petron unfolding March 24 at Azuela Cove.

4IM 2EED A FORMER !SIA 0ACIkC AND world champion, lost by nearly two minutes to Mauricio Mendez in last year’s inaugural staging of the Davao event he was expected to dominate coming off a series of victories with the talented Australian all primed up for a payback against the Mexican star.

Sam Betten and Tim Van Berkel provide the needed backup for the aces from Down Under along with David Mainwaring, Matt Lewis and Fraser Walsh, all aiming to get a crack at the coveted men’s pro crown in the upcoming 1.9K swim, 90K bike, 21K run even organized and conducted by Sunrise Events, Inc. Dimity Lee Duke, also a former manytime winner in local triathlon from Australia now based in Phuket, Thailand, also aims for the top in the women’s pro side of the event along with compatriots Kirra Siedel and Lisa Tyack.

But Czech Radka Kahlefeldt is also coming into the event in top shape, ready to defend her crown also against the likes of regular Phl campaigners Caroline Steffen of Switzerland and Guam’s Manami Iijima.

Over 2,200 triathletes have confirmed participation in the event, which features individual and relay competitions, with bets coming from the United Arab Emirates, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Mexico, Ukraine, India, Malaysia, Qatar, the US, Belgium, Spain, Italy,

New Caledonia, Singapore; South Africa, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, Korean, Norway, Thailand, Switzerland, Greece, Kuwait, New Zealand, Turkey, China, Guam, Mexico, Panama and Taiwan.

Assured of the full support of the local OFkCIALS 3%) FOUNDER 7ILFRED 5YTENGSU sees another successful staging of the event, also held in conjunction with Davao’s 82nd anniversary celebrations.

For details, visit the event’s website at www.ironman.com/davao703.

It also serves as the kick off of a series of SEI-organized and produced events, including the Sun Life 5150 Cebu on April 28, the Century Ironman 70.3 Subic on June 2, the Penong’s 5150 Davao on July 7, the Regent Aguila IRONMAN 70.3 Philippines on August 11, the Black Arrow Express 5150 Subic on October 27 and the Sun Life Cycle PH in November.

Ushering in the second Alveo IRONMAN is the Sun Life Bike Course Ride Out, the IronKids, the IronGirl, and the Ironman 70.3 Davao Expo at the Tent today (March 17).

Backers of the event are title sponsor Alveo, an AyalaLand company, presentor Petron, venue hosts Lungsod ng Dabaw, Azuela Cove and the Enderun Tent, bike course partners Davao del Norte, Panabo, 4AGUM AND #ARMEN OFkCIAL COURIER AND logistics partner 2Go Express, official swim cap TYR, official energy gel GU, OFkCIAL NUTRITION 6ITARGO OFkCIAL EYEWEAR Rudy Project, and Aboitiz Power, Davao Light, David’s Salon, Davao Metro Shuttle, Prudential Guarantee, and media partners ONE Sports on Cignal, the Philippine Star, Trilife, AsiaTri.com and Finisher Pix.

N this day, 59 years ago on March 16, 1960, Filipino Simon-pure Gabriel “Flash� Elorde ended the Philippines’ 20-year world championship draught when he wrested the World Boxing Association junior-lightweight crown from American-Portuguese titleholder Harold Gomez.

Few, however, would remember THAT AT THAT STAGE OF HIS PRIZEkGHTING career, the Filipino challenger was considered near-washed out even by LOCAL kGHT ENTHUSIASTS Losses to foreign campaigners as Venezuelan Vicente Rivas and Cleveland’ Solomon Boysaw, both of whom he disposed off later, led MANY TO BELIEVE THE kGHT WOULD GO the way his three previous tries went – an exercise in futility!

Boxing buffs couldn’t forget %LORDE S kRST ATTEMPT FOR A WORLD TITLE against then world featherweight titlist Sandy Saddler on January 18, 1956 in San Francisco, California where the latter subjected him to unabated butting, elbowing and glove-lacing to keep the plum via 13th round TKO. And his two defeats at the hands of then Puerto Rican world lightweight belt-owner Carlos Ortiz, first on February 14, 1964, Valentine’s Day, at the Rizal Memorial track-football Stadium, and on November 28 of the same year at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Both ended in 14 round stoppage.

It wasn’t so surprising, therefore, that none, except for a few fanatics, that Elorde could pull off a win reserved only to Filipino greats, who came before him—former WORLD lYWEIGHT CHAMP 0ANCHO 6ILLA

middleweight Ceferino Garcia and 112-pounder Little Dado.

Bay, as he was fondly called, proved all them wrong. TwentykVE DAYS SHY OF TURNING %LORDE floored Gomez seven times with murderous lefts that shocked the title-defender en route to succeeding Garcia, who lorded the 160-pound division until retirement in 1940.

Pandemonium broke loose as the crowd, including the excess of 27,000 the air-conditioned Big Dome could accommodate, rushed into the ring toppling everything on the way after seeing the outclassed deposed champ went down to his knees as if to genulECT TO THE NEW GOD Sign of what to come came as early as early as the second round when Elorde caught Gomez with a strong rights to the head, sending him to the canvas twice before his screaming, DELIRIOUS COUNTRYMEN WHO kLLED TO the rafters the then being inaugurated Araneta Coliseum.

The Filipino challenger hammered down the the 25-year-old Gomez again in the third and in the fifth leaving him hanging in the ring’ lower rope by round’s end.

Newspaper accounts had it that Bay eased up on his attack in the sixth when everybody thought the Flash would just go into the motion of picking up a win and the title. The Flash, though, resumed the onslaught, connecting with a pair of rights to the head, followed by a left to the jaw forcing the champ take a mandatory EIGHT COUNT WHILE LYING lAT ON THE MAT Gomez staggered up, down again, up again and down for the last time against barrage of lefts and rights and left uppercut as referee Barney Ross, himself a former world lightweight crown-owner, counted him out.

Elorde dropped on his knees in prayer, a tradition he’d been observING IN ALL HIS kGHTS IN VICTORIES AND in defeats, even as Gomez looked DAZED AT HIS CORNER 7HEN HE kNALLY recovered, he went to Elorde and WHISPERED g)T WAS A GOOD kGHT Sweet as it was, coming after Garcia lost his 160-pound diadem 20 years prior, the victory came sweeter, coming at a time when everybody, except the new champ himself, his wife Laura and fanatics, thought he was, indeed, as perceived, headed to retirement.

Those doubting Thomases must have forgotten that the Flash was used to bouncing back from one adversity after another, which he experienced many time from the time, at age 10, he left his town of Bogo in Cebu, to work as a bootblack then as a pinboy in Cebu City’s bowling alleys.

Elorde reigned as world superfeatherweight champion for seven years, the longest in the 130 pound division.

Eleven years later on July 30, 1971, Elorde’s own country’s governing body in the sport of boxing, the Games and Amusements Board, forced him to hang his gloves, never TO kGHT AGAIN But that’s a different story this OUTSIDER will be discussing in future articles.

Golf

E 1 SUNDAY MARCH 17, 2019

www.manilatimes.net

McIlroy, Fleetwood share lead at Players Championship L

OS ANGELES: Rory McIlroy charged up THE LEADERBOARD ON THE BACK NINE kRING a seven-under 65 on Friday (Saturday in Manila) to grab a share of the lead with Tommy Fleetwood at the halfway stage of the Players Championship.

McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, WENT SEVEN UNDER PAR ON HIS kNAL 11 holes, making an eagle on the PAR kVE TH A BIRDIE ON THE PAR three 17 and par on the par-four closing hole to reach a 12-under 132 total.

He is tied with England’s FleetWOOD WHO SHOT A kVE UNDER FOR his sixth straight round under par. “It was just another good day on the golf course. I did everything pretty much the way I wanted to,�

McIlroy said. “My attitude has BEEN GREAT ALL YEAR u )AN 0OULTER *IM &URYK

"RIAN (ARMAN AND !BRAHAM !NCER ARE TIED FOR THIRD AT NINE under 135 at the TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. !USTRALIA S *ASON $AY SHOT A and is tied for seventh with Keith Mitchell and Kevin Kisner at eightUNDER !FTER MAKING CHANGES LAST YEAR TO correct struggles, McIlroy feels he is on the right track with the Masters, and a chance to complete a career

g)T S BECOME SOMEWHAT OF AN epidemic on tour .... Honestly, I THINK THE 4OUR SHOULD JUST BE A little tougher and start penalizing SHOTS EARLIER AND THAT WOULD BE AN EASY WAY TO kX IT u HE SAID This is the second straight week Fleetwood has had a share of the HOLE LEAD AFTER STARTING QUICKLY Grand Slam, just a month away.

(E BEGAN &RIDAY S ROUND WITH &RIDAY WITH A BIRDIE EAGLE BIRDIE HIS LONE BOGEY OF THE DAY BEFORE BEGINNING TO HIS ROUND g)T WAS A BIT TOUGHER TODAY 4HE going on to make one eagle and greens got crustier and crustier,�

SIX BIRDIES

PGA PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP SCORES LEADING scores after Saturday’s second round of the US PGA Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (USA unless noted, par 72): 132 - Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 65-67, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 67-65 135 - Abraham Ancer (MEX) 69-66, Brian Harman 66-69, Jim Furyk 71-64, Ian Poulter (ENG) 69-66 136 - Jason Day (AUS) 70-66, Keith Mitchell 71-65, Kevin Kisner 68-68 137 - Jon Rahm (ESP) 69-68, An Byeong-Hun (KOR) 66-71, Rory Sabbatini (SVK) 68-69, Dustin Johnson 69-68, Luke List 69-68, Vaughn Taylor 67-70, JT Poston 68-69 138 - Keegan Bradley 65-73, Patrick Reed 69-69, Russell Knox (SCO) 70-68 AFP g) FELT LIKE ) CAME BACK WELL u -C)LROY SAID g/NCE ) GOT A BIRDIE ON THE EIGHTH IT STARTED TO SNOWBALL u -C)LROY ALSO SLAMMED THE 0'!

Tour for allowing players to take TOO MUCH TIME BETWEEN SHOTS

DESCRIBING IT AS AN gEPIDEMICu -CIlroy and his playing partners had TO WAIT ON ALMOST ALL THE TEE BOXES

&LEETWOOD SAID g!LL IN ALL ) AM very happy. “Happy my game is improving and I am getting up there more and more.�

Tiger Woods just made the cut WITH A ONE UNDER BUT WAS LEFT hovering along the cut line after A QUADRUPLE BOGEY SEVEN ON THE

Q Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks over a putt on the 17th green during the second round of The Players Championship on The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

PICTURESQUE PAR THREE ISLAND GREEN (E kNISHED TIED FOR TH WITH A THREE UNDER TOTAL NINE STROKES BACK OF THE LEADERS Teeing off on his eighth hole of the day after starting on the BACK NINE 7OODS TEE SHOT FROM YARDS WAS LONG AND LEFT OVER the island green and his next shot from the drop zone was also long. g) WAS PRETTY TICKED NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT u 7OODS SAID !FTER STARTING THE DAY WITH BIRDIES AT NUMBERS AND

7OODS WAS AT kVE UNDER PAR "UT his rough hole moved him to one under for the tournament.

(E FOUGHT BACK WITH A BIRDIE ON THE PAR kVE SECOND HOLE AND THE par-four seventh. g) ENDED UP GETTING BACK TO three under,� Woods said. “It was A GOOD kGHT u 7OODS IS CONkDENT HE CAN MAKE up more ground on the weekend. “I just need to go out and put IT TOGETHER BECAUSE RIGHT NOW LITERALLY ANYBODY WHO MAKES THE cut has got a chance to win this tournament,� Woods said.

Players who didn’t make the cut &RIDAY INCLUDED !MERICAN *ORDAN Spieth, Vijay Singh of Fiji, China’s Li Hao-Tong and Phil Mickelson who missed the cut here for the sixth time in his last seven tries. AFP

Q Tommy Fleetwood of England plays his second shot on the 11th hole during the second round of The Players Championship on The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. AFP PHOTOS

Matchmaker: Justin Thomas Tiger Woods cards highest score ever at 17 links Wie with Jerry West’s son PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Calif.: Major champion. &ED%X #UP CHAMPION !ND NOW *USTIN Thomas has another title.

-ATCHMAKER FOR -ICHELLE 7IE AND *ONnie West.

Wie, the golf prodigy from Hawaii and former U.S. Women’s Open champion, revealed on Instagram this week she was engaged to West, the Golden State WarRIORS DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS AND THE SON OF ."! GREAT *ERRY 7EST !ND IT ALL STARTED WITH AN EXCHANGE OF text messages. g4HEY BOTH ASKED ME ABOUT EACH OTHER u Thomas said.

4HOMAS HAS BEEN CLOSE FRIENDS WITH 7IE IN 3OUTH &LORIDA WHERE THEY BOTH LIVE 3HE MADE HIM A RED WHITE AND BLUE PAIR OF SHOES AFTER 4HOMAS WON THE 0'! #HAMPIonship that had “major� on the heel of one shoe and “champ� on the heel of the other. ! FEW YEARS AGO HE STAYED AT THE HOME OF *ERRY 7EST ‡ IN *ONNIE S OLD ROOM ‡ DURING THE 0'! 4OUR STOP AT 2IVIERA WHEN THE FORmer Lakers star was the tournament’s execuTIVE DIRECTOR 4HOMAS CAME TO KNOW *ONNIE West when he went to Warriors games. g) DON T KNOW *ONNIE REALLY REALLY WELL

BUT ) KNOW HIM WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW HE S a really good dude and a hard worker, and I know Michelle would appreciate THAT u 4HOMAS SAID g!ND ) KNOW HE S OVER FOOT WHICH IS A NECESSITY FOR -ICHELLE !ND -ICHELLE IS THE BEST 3HE CAN GET ALONG WITH ANYBODY 4HOMAS IS NOT SURE HOW THEY kRST CONNECTED 7IE WHO HAS BEEN COPING WITH a wrist injury, graduated from Stanford AND SPENDS PLENTY OF TIME IN THE "AY !REA g4HEY BOTH ‡ LITERALLY WITHIN THE HOUR

Q Justin Thomas lines up a putt on the eighth hole during the third round of the Honda Classic golf tournament on March 2, 2019 in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Major champion. AP PHOTO ‡ ASKED ME ABOUT THE OTHER ONE u 4HOMAS said. “I said, ‘Yeah, she’s great, he’s great.

You guys should meet up.’ She goes out WEST A LOT (E S OBVIOUSLY IN 3AN &RANCISCO 3HE WAS LIKE @!LL RIGHT ) M GOING TO MEET up with him.’ “I’m not going to lie,� Thomas said with a laugh. “I didn’t think it would turn into that. But I’m glad it did.�

West and Wie did not mention a wedding date in the Instagram post , though 4HOMAS SUGGESTED IT WOULD BE THIS SUMMER DURING THE 0'! 4OUR S LUCRATIVE &ED%X Cup playoff events. “She wants me to marry them,� he said. g) DON T THINK ) M GOING TO BE ABLE TO 7E WERE TALKING ABOUT IT AND ) DON T THINK THE dates are going to work out. She wants me TO SKIP A &ED%X #UP PLAYOFF EVENT u AP

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.: Tiger Woods paused on the ninth green and stared at a nearby leaderboard.

His name would have been on it if not for one hole.

Woods hit two balls in the water at the par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass — the first time he’s done that in 69 rounds at The Players Championship — and carded a quadruple-bogey 7 in the second round Friday. It was his worst score at the famed island green and matched his highest on any par 3 in 24 years on the PGA Tour.

Woods rebounded with two birdies on the front side, leading to a 1-under 71 and leaving him at 3-under 141 for the tournament.

He was nine shots behind co-leaders Tommy Fleetwood and Rory McIlroy, but felt he was still within range heading to the weekend. “Everyone who makes the cut, anyone who makes the cut, has a chance to win this golf tournament,� said Woods, who was tied for 39th.

Woods was 5 under and tied for eighth, two shots off the lead at the time, when he approached the course’s signature hole. Thousands of fans surrounded the murky lagoon and were shocked when Woods’s wedge shot from 146 yards away strayed a little left, landed pin high and rolled off the green. It went through the rough, across a wood beam and plunked into the water. “I was a bit surprised it went that far,� said Woods, who made par or birdie on every other hole Friday. “I took something off that wedge and it flew a lot further than I thought. The other guys took a little read off of that.�

Woods said he would have dialed back his swing had he hit after playing partners Patrick Reed and Webb Simpson. But he was the first to play.

He made a beeline to the drop area and promptly hit another into the drink. This time, he hit another wedge too flat and too hot. The ball one-hopped off the green and into the water. “Both shots I’m just trying to hit the ball

into the slope and just walk away with a 20-, 25-footer and move on about my business,�

Woods said. “I was pretty ticked, no doubt about that, and I was bound and determined to get it all back and get it back to (5 under), and I thought that would have been a hell of a fight.

Ended up getting back to 3 (under). “Still was a good fight to get to that point, but as of right now I’m six back, which is definitely doable on this golf course, especially with the weather coming in.�

The forecast calls for cooler temperatures and a change in wind direction over the weekend, which could make scoring tougher on the Stadium Course.

Woods likes the way he’s played so far — aside from the one hole. “I’m very happy with the way I’ve been grinding around this golf course,� he said. “I’ve missed a few opportunities to get up-anddown for birdie. Overall, I think I’ve putted pret-

ty solidly. Other than 17 today, I really haven’t done a whole lot wrong. I very easily could be up near that lead. There’s no way I would be leading, but I would be close enough to that lead given the weekend and the forecast.�

Woods said his neck — soreness caused him to miss the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week — felt “fine.�

He had no excuses for what happened at 17.

Woods had hit four balls into the water during his previous 68 rounds at the Players. He had carded a double-bogey four times, including in the final round in 2018. “Number-wise and club-wise, it shouldn’t be that hard,� Woods said. “But we all know if you land it up on top, it’s got a good chance of getting out of here. And that’s the tricky part: It’s just a wedge and you want to get it somewhere up there where you got a chance to make birdie, but you just can’t afford to land it too far up on top.�

AP

Q Tiger Woods hits from the drop zone after hitting his tee shot into the water on the 17th hole during the second round of The Players Championship golf tournament on Saturday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. AP PHOTO

E2

Golf

The Sunday Times

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

Q Tiger Woods hits from the seventh tee during a practice round at The Players Championship golf tournament on March 13, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. AP PHOTO

Same tournament, new course with Players moving to March

P

BY DOUG FERGUSON

ONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.: Justin Thomas has played the 15th hole at The Players Championship some 20 times, but never this early in the year. That’s why he turned to his caddie for some lastminute advice during a practice round. “We don’t have to worry about going through the fairway, right?� he asked Jimmy Johnson.

4HE kELD IS AS STRONG AS EVER

with everyone from the top 50 in THE WORLD RANKING IN THE MAN kELD 4HE PRIZE MONEY IS RICHER THAN EVER AT MILLION WITH

BY DOUG FERGUSON PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla.: Rory McIlroy is playing his most consistent golf since the end of 2011 and the start of 2012, when he finished no worse than third in nine out of 12 tournaments worldwide with two victories, the latter in the Honda Classic that put him at No. 1 in the world for the first time.

The difference is winning.

His tie for sixth last week at Bay Hill was his worst finish in five starts on the PGA Tour this year.

McIlroy preaches patience, and the real measure will be at the Masters next month when he tries to complete the career Grand Slam.

What really stands out is that Bay Hill was the ninth time in his last 30 tournaments dating to 2018 that he played in the final group without winning. “I’m playing well. I would much rather be putting myself in position to have a chance to win,� McIlroy said after he closed with a 72 at Bay Hill. He started the final round one shot behind Matt Fitzpatrick and wound up four shots behind Francesco Molinari. “It doesn’t matter if I’m playing that golf on Thursday, Friday, Saturday ... yeah, my Sundays haven’t been what I would have liked,� McIlroy said when pressed about his chances from the final group. “But I’m putting myself in that position.

So good golf is good golf. I keep saying that at the end of the day.�

Some context is required.

Of those nine times in the final group, he was at least three shots behind in five of them. The only time someone came from further back to win on those occasions was at Kapalua, where Xander Schauffele closed with a 62.

The others were against Dustin Johnson in Mexico, Tiger Woods at the Tour Championship, Justin Thomas at Firestone and Patrick Reed at the Masters.

Bay Hill was the only time McIlroy didn’t break par in the final round.

Still, he had his chances. The turning point was on the fourth hole, right after McIlroy made a 25-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead. He had a 5-foot birdie putt that he missed. He missed another birdie chance on the par-5 sixth, and the hole started shrinking.

MILLION GOING TO THE WIN NER !ND IT WOULD SEEM TO BE THE same Stadium Course at the TPC Sawgrass that has hosted the PGA 4OUR S SIGNATURE EVENT SINCE But it’s not. ! MOVE TO -ARCH CHANGES EV erything.

4HE 0LAYERS #HAMPIONSHIP HAS gone green, with rye overseed mak ING IT LUSH GREEN AND LONGER THAN WHEN IT WAS HELD IN -AY ON "ER MUDA GRASS THAT COULD BE FAST AND kERY 4HE PREVAILING WIND CAN COME OUT OF AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT DIRECTION

WHICH CAN MAKE THAT ISLAND GREEN ON THE PAR TH LOOK A LITTLE SMALLER g) VE BEEN BETWEEN IRON AND IRON ON TO HIT THE SHOT u 4IGER 7OODS SAID g.OT TOO MANY PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT UNLESS THEY VE PLAYED IN -ARCH u 7HAT HASN T CHANGED IS HANDI CAPPING THE kELD 4HE 40# 3AW grass was renowned in any month FOR NOT FAVORING ANY ONE STYLE OF GOLF )T HAS PRODUCED CHAMPIONS

LIKE 7OODS AND 'REG .ORMAN OR &RED &UNK AND (AL 3UTTON WHEN IT WAS HELD IN -ARCH -OVED TO -AY THE WINNERS HAVE SIMILARLY VARIED GAMES WHETHER IT WAS 0HIL -ICKELSON AND *ASON $AY OR 4IM #LARK AND + * #HOI 7OODS IS THE ONLY PLAYER TO WIN IN -ARCH AND -AY (E HAS DONE A LOT OF THINGS NO ONE ELSE HAS )T ALL STARTS TO UNFOLD ON 4HURSDAY

WITH ONLY PLAYERS HAVING EXPERI ENCED THE -ARCH CONDITIONS BEFORE THE MOVE TO -AY IN 7OODS AND !DAM 3COTT ARE THE ONLY PLAYERS AT 3AWGRASS WHO HAVE WON 4HE 0LAY ERS WHEN IT WAS IN -ARCH g) THINK WE RE IN FOR A GOOD CHAL LENGE THIS WEEK u 3COTT SAID g)T S NOT

BRUTALLY DIFkCULT BUT IF THE WIND BLOWS IT S GOING TO PLAY TOUGH u (EAVY RAIN EARLIER IN THE WEEK made the fairways even softer AND SPECKLED SOME GOLF BALLS WITH MUD ‡ SOMETHING ELSE RARELY SEEN IN -AY ‡ BUT 3COTT NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE IMMEDIATELY g) HIT A IRON INTO THE kRST HOLE u he said. “I have hit anything but a IRON OR A WEDGE IN THERE FOR YEARS ! LOT OF OTHER HOLES ARE LIKE THAT TOO 3O IF IT DOES kRM UP A LIT TLE BIT EVEN IF YOU RE HITTING IRON INTO THE kRST ) THINK IT S GOING TO REQUIRE SOME REALLY GOOD DRIVING AND SOME REALLY GOOD IRONS ) THINK it’s a great test.� $USTIN *OHNSON IS AMONG THOSE

WHO LOOK FORWARD TO THE MOVE TO -ARCH EVEN THOUGH HE HAS ONLY PLAYED THIS EVENT IN -AY (E HASN T PLAYED IT EVERY WELL NOT BY HIS STANDARDS OR ANYONE ELSE WHO HAS REACHED .O IN THE WORLD AND HAS VICTORIES FOR HIS CAREER *OHNSON COMING OFF A kVE SHOT VICTORY IN -EXICO #ITY THREE WEEKS ago, has never finished higher THAN A TIE FOR TH IN HIS STARTS (E HAS ONLY kVE ROUNDS IN THE S g*UST JUDGING THE DISTANCE BALLS GOING MILES AND WOULD NEVER STOP in the fairways,� Johnson said. “I FEEL LIKE GOOD SHOTS WEREN T ALWAYS REWARDED WITH THE WAY THE COURSE WAS PLAYING "UT YEAH ) STRUGGLED It was frustrating, too.�

7OODS WHO PLAYED NINE HOLES ON 4UESDAY AND NINE HOLES ON Wednesday, had one of those mo MENTS THAT 3COTT DESCRIBED $URING HIS PRACTICE ROUND ON 4UESDAY HE HIT A WOOD BULLET OFF THE TEE JUST LIKE ALWAYS "UT INSTEAD OF HITTING IRON HE WENT WITH A IRON /NE THING HASN T CHANGED AS FAR AS 7OODS IS CONCERNED g)T S A VERY SIMPLE FORMULA HERE Hit it good,� Woods said. “It’s not REAL COMPLICATED 4HE GOLF COURSE IS ONE THAT 0ETE $YE HAS SET UP TO INTIMIDATE YOU VISUALLY 9OU HAVE TO OVERCOME THAT PART OF IT !ND NO YOU CAN T REALLY PLAY POORLY AND WIN THIS EVENT ) THINK WE ALL HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT YOU RE GOING TO HIT good shots, and going to get some WEIRD HOPES AND GET SOME REALLY

REALLY FUNKY LIES WHETHER IT S OFF THE fairway or around the greens.� .O ONE PLAYED BETTER LAST YEAR THAN 7EBB 3IMPSON WHO BUILT SUCH A BIG LEAD IN TYING THE HOLE RECORD THAT HE SHOT A IN THE kNAL ROUND ‡ THE HIGHEST 3UNDAY SCORE BY A 0'! 4OUR WINNER LAST YEAR ‡ AND STILL WON BY FOUR SHOTS .OW HE DEFENDS HIS TITLE ON WHAT FEELS LIKE A NEW COURSE WHICH MIGHT BE THE ONE COMPARISON WITH a major this week. g) KIND OF HAD TO RE LEARN THE GOLF COURSE THE LAST FEW DAYS u Simpson said. “Based on our past events here in May, just MAKING SURE ) M CLEAR ON WHAT we’re doing off the tees. ... I’m try ING TO TREAT IT LIKE A NEW GOLF COURSE SINCE IT IS A LOT DIFFERENT u AP

McIlroy waiting for consistent golf to pay off in victories GOLF NOTES He managed only two birdies in the final round.

Next up is The Players Championship, a real test for McIlroy. He has missed the cut four times in nine appearances. “That’s the great thing about golf,�

McIlroy said. “You don’t have to wait too long to get back on the horse.�

Day’s back Jason Day made it through only six holes at Bay Hill before withdrawing with a bad back. He’s ready to go at The Players Championship after consulting a doctor, getting four cortisone shots around the spine and keeping his calm after social media reacted to a photo of Day at Disney World with his kids.

Day said his back first acted up when he was at the TPC Sawgrass a few weeks, and it locked up on the Sunday before Bay Hill. He had therapy all week and thought playing might loosen it up. Day said injections Thursday alleviated much of the pain.

And then came the trip to Disney.

He said the doctor he saw in West Palm Beach did not want him laying around, so he took his children to a theme park, where someone took a photo of him from the side.

He was panned on social

media as a player who couldn’t walk and then goes to Disney. “Heaven forbid I enjoy a day with my family, and I was there half a day walking around,� Day said. “He didn’t want me to lay down. He just wanted me to walk around, stay on my feet, kind of get things loose, and then after that I went and saw my physio at the golf course.

Obviously, those four needles have helped a lot, and I’m looking forward to getting this week underway.�

Day said he was cautiously optimistic about the week, his road to the Masters and beyond.

PGA Tour records indicate he has withdrawn at least eight times, and this was the first since the Tour Championship in 2016. Day said he has had back issues since he was 13, and the familiarity breeds some level of contempt. “The hard thing about injuries is that no matter how many times you’ve had them, it feels like your world’s ending,� he said. “It honestly feels like, ‘Is this going to be the last time that I’m going to pick up a golf club?’ It’s not great for you mentally to come back from an injury, so your confidence is hit a little bit. But overall I feel good about it.�

Tiger’s putting Coming off one of his worst putting performances in Mexico, Tiger Woods asked for some outside help at The Players Championship. Kentucky-based Matt Killen was with during a nine-hole practice round.

Woods knows him through Justin Thomas, who has used Killen for his putting since his freshman year at Alabama.

Killen also works with J.B. Holmes. “I’ve seen Matt out here in the past year because he works with J.T. a lot and Matt has seen my stroke enough,�

Woods said. “I wanted him to take a look at it and see what he thought of where my setup looked like now versus all the times that I’ve putted well, and I’ve putted well with different postures throughout my career. I’ve done different things. But I wanted him to take a look at it, and then he mentioned a few things.�

Thomas found one aspect to this humorous. “A lot of people have found that he was my putting coach this week,� Thomas said.

It’s not the first time Woods has asked someone to look at him. He leaned on Steve Stricker in 2013 at Doral (which he won by two shots over Stricker). Mike Thomas, the father of Justin and a career club professional, once watched him during a practice round last year.

Together again Paul Azinger and Nick Faldo once shared space in the 18th tower for ABC Sports as co-analysts with Mike Tirico. Faldo beat Azinger in the 1987 British Open at Muirfield, and Azinger got the better of him as Ryder Cup captains in 2008.

They will be together again at The Players Championship for a few hours Friday.

Tirico is hosting a show called “Vantage Point� that debuts Wednesday night, and he will serve as host during portions of Thursday and Friday rounds. The plan is for him to be joined in the booth Friday by Azinger and Faldo.

It will be the first time the trio is together as a broadcast group since the 2007 British Open at Carnoustie.

Divots Sarah LeBrun Ingram, who played on three Curtis Cup teams and is a three-time winner of the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, has been appointed captain of the U.S. Curtis Cup team for 2020 at Conwy Golf Club in Wales. ... Kyle Williams, a six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills, and 2011 Louisiana Amateur champion Greg Berthelot have qualified for the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship to be held May 25-29 at Bandon Dunes. ... Barbasol has signed a five-year extension to be title sponsor of the PGA Tour event in Kentucky held opposite the British Open.

Stat of the week Only 24 players in the 144-man at The Players Championship have played the tournament when it was held in March.

Final word “I don’t think there’s many courses consistently that could fit my game much better.

I think I honestly get too excited and too amped up and honestly over-prepared for it.� — Justin Thomas on the Masters. AP

PAGE FROM THE PAST

Today, we look back at an old front page of The Manila Times, the oldest national daily that was founded on October 11, 1898. (Note: This image was adjusted to fit the page.)

E4

Golf

FOR announcements on tournaments, rankings and other golf-related events, email the sports editor at pgs_mallari@manilatimes.net mes net

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

The Sunday Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Orchard bags PAL Founders title

Q The Manila Times president and CEO Dante “Klink� Ang 2nd (center, back row) poses for a photo with the winners of 3rd The Manila Times President’s Cup.

Q The Times president and CEO Dante “Klink� Ang 2nd with Class A winners

Q The Manila Times COO Blanca Mercado (center) and OPPO marketing vice-president Jane Wan present a brand new OPPO Find X to the raffle winner.

PHOTOS BY ROGER RAĂ‘ADA

Q Turkish Airlines general manager Erhan Balaban (left) and The Manila Times COO Blanca Mercado (right) present a round trip Ticket to any European destination to the grand raffle winner.

De Joya, Sabio best rivals in The Manila Times President’s Cup DURING THE AWARDING CEREMONY Efren Caboteja registered a three-underPAR TO RULE #LASS ! FOLLOWED BY -ARK JOHANNSEN de Joya and Kiko Sabio clinched the top honors during the third 4ELAN WITH A NET AND !ARON #HUA WITH edition of The Manila Times President’s ANOTHER In Class B, Roberto Gonzales emerged Cup golf tournament on Friday at the as champion via countback after the top Aoki Course of the Eagle Ridge Golf and THREE kNISHERS REGISTERED IDENTICAL S Country Club in General Trias, Cavite.

Finishing second and third, respectively, $E *OYA kNISHED WITH A GROSS AND WERE 0ETER 0ABELICO kVE BOGEYS AND .OLI Sabio a three-under-par 69 net in the tournament co-presented by Sta. Lucia -ENDOZA SEVEN BOGEYS )N #LASS # !ARON ,AGRADILLA kNISHED Land Inc. WITH A NET FROM A GROSS TO BEAT kRST “We are glad for your continuous support for The Manila Times through the runner up Torch Manalang and second years. We hope everyone have enjoyed runner up George Chua via countback. )N THE ,ADIES SIDE &ERRY &ASOL WON VIA the tournament,� said The Manila Times COUNTBACK WITH A NET FOLLOWED BY .ORpresident and CEO Dante “Klink� Ang 2nd

delyn Richenback and Marthy Fernando WHO BOTH SCORED IDENTICAL S De Joya bagged the nearest to the pin AWARD AT THREE FEET #YRIL #ASTRO BAGGED THE LONGEST DRIVE PLUM AT YARDS AND Manny Luzon the most accurate drive CITATION AT kVE FEET Rizgolf provided customized trophies for the competition . ! TOTAL OF PLAYERS COMPETED IN THE charity tournament organized and presented by The Manila Times.

4HE TOURNEY S MULLIGAN FEES WILL BENEkT Hospicio de San Jose and the Rotary Club of Makati North feeding program.

The third edition of the President’s Cup WAS BACKED BY PLATINUM SPONSORS ,OBIEN

CCIP President’s Golf Cup unfolds April 30

Me Cup tourney takes off April 8 in Antipolo

BY JEAN RUSSEL V. DAVID

THE Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of THE 0HILIPPINES )NC WILL HOST THE ANNUAL CCIP 0RESIDENT S 'OLF #UP ON !PRIL AT THE ,EGENDS #OURSE OF THE -ANILA 3OUTHWOODS 'OLF AND #OUNTRY #LUB IN Carmona, Cavite.

The tournament, open to all amateur GOLFERS HAS A REGULAR ENTRY FEE OF 0

AND 0 FOR THE EARLY REGISTRANTS The fee is inclusive of green fee, use of

SHARED GOLF CART LUNCH RAFlE ENTRY AND gift items.

On-course registration starts at 6 a.m.

WHILE THE SHOTGUN TEE OFF BEGINS AT A M The CCIP 'OLF #UP IS AMONG THE SCHEDULED ACTIVITIES THAT WILL COMMEMORATE THE ORGANIZATION S TH FOUNDING anniversary. &OR REGISTRATION CONTACT OR

The Forest Hills Golf and Country Club IN !NTIPOLO #ITY WILL HOST THE -E #UP ON !PRIL The member-employee golf tournament WILL FOLLOW A THREE PERSON SCRAMBLE FORMAT MEMBER EMPLOYEE AND THE CADDIE 2EGISTRATION BEGINS AT A M FOL-

2EALTY 'ROUP .EW 3AN *OSE "UILDERS )NC

Oppo, San Miguel Corporation, Turkish Airlines, Volvo and Coffee Lab. 4HE GOLD TEE WAS SPONSORED BY 3OGO (OTEL the silver tee by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, Philippine Sports #OMMISSION AND 3AVOY (OTEL -ANILA AND the bronze tee by Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, Mega Prime, Pemcor Industries Inc., Phinma Properties, and Ricoh.

4HE EVENT S OTHER SPONSORS WERE "ROWNE Communications, Cherry Mobile, Crimson Hotel, FNI, Hilton Manila, Jack NickLAUS .EW 7ORLD -ANILA "AY (OTEL .EW World Makati Hotel, PCPPI, Royal Air, So Sure, Tag Media, Taal Vista Hotel, and Universal Robina.

LOWED BY THE SHOTGUN TEE OFF AT A M at the Aoki Course.

Entry fee for members and guests is 0 AND 0 FOR EMPLOYEES CADDIES 3ECURITY 0-3 0AR AND 'OLFORCE MEMBERS For registration, email frontdesk@foresthills-golf.com.

Q The Forest Hills Golf and Country Club in Antipolo City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

AmCham ChariTEE Golf unfolds April 5 THE American Chamber Foundation of the PhilIPPINES RD !M#HAM #HARI4%% 'OLF 4OURNAMENT WILL kRE OFF ON !PRIL AT THE /RCHARD 'OLF and Country Club in DasmariĂąas City, Cavite.

The annual golf tilt that serves as a venue for RECREATION AND NETWORKING FOR !M#HAM MEMbers also aims to raise funds for the AmCham Foundation’s youth development programs. ,ISTING IS ONGOING WITH AN ENTRY FEE OF 0

inclusive of green fee, caddie fee, shared golf cart

use, buffet breakfast and lunch, souvenirs, and RAFlE ENTRY 2EGISTRATION BEGINS AT A M FOLLOWED BY THE SHOTGUN TEE OFF AT A M 4HE TOURNAMENT WILL EMPLOY A 3YSTEM format.

Actor John Estrada captured the tilt’s overall LOW GROSS PLUM LAST YEAR AT THE SAME VENUE &OR DETAILS CONTACT THE ORGANIZERS AT or email at candy@amchamphilippines.com.

2019 Manila Southwoods Invitational winners bared THE team of Orville Cabungcal and Rod 2ANCHEZ CLAIMED THE OVERALL NET PLUM WHILE Lora Roberto and Isa Lorenzo bagged the OVERALL GROSS AWARD DURING THE -ANILA 3OUTHWOODS )NVITATIONAL HELD ON -ARCH TO AT THE -ANILA 3OUTHWOODS 'OLF AND #OUNTRY Club in Carmona, Cavite.

The Cabungcal-Ranchez tandem posted a NET SCORE OF FROM ROUNDS OF AND AT the Legends and Masters courses, respectively.

2OBERTO AND ,ORENZO MEANWHILE kNISHED WITH A AFTER kRING A TWO DAY SCORE OF AND $IVISION CHAMPION 3ERAkNA +IM AND 2ITA (ORAN kNISHED WITH A TO BEAT RUNNER UP Rusty Bayani and Jojo Mercado by three POINTS AT Ian Tambunting and Raymund Lacdao CLINCHED THE SECOND DIVISION TITLE BY LOWER handicap against Robert Banatin and John Elepano, after both teams scored IDENTICAL S $IVISION WINNER 0ELAGIO ,APLAP AND "EN -OLINO POSTED A TO SUBDUE 'IL $OMINGO AND 2ICARDO !NTONIO WITH A Willy Maldia and Dante Maldia combined WITH A AND DEFEATED THE TEAM OF %D ,EONARDO AND *OHN 0AULO ,EONARDO WITH A -ANOLO !GOJO AND .ERI )GNACIO POSTED POINTS TO RULE $IVISION FOLLOWED BY /SLER 0ADUA AND *OSE !LVAREZ WITH A 4HE SPONSORS DIVISION WAS TOPPED BY 3HIN 3UZUKI AND 9AZUHITO 9AZAWA WITH A 4HEY WON VIA LOWER HANDICAP OVER 4ONY ,IN AND -IKE 3HIH THAT POSTED AN IDENTICAL

PASIA tourney opens March 29

4TH MERCEDES TROPHY GOLF INVITATIONAL WINNERS Class A champion Marco Mendoza (fourth from right) holds his trophy as he poses with the other winners and officials of the 14th Mercedes Trophy Golf Invitational at Sta. Elena Golf Club recently.

With him are (from left) tournament director Marvin Caparros, Auto Nation Group chairman Gregorio Yu, Aimee Lee (ladies division champion), Laurence Tan (Class A runner-up), Emmanuel Lopez (Class B runner-up), Simon Heo (Class B champion), Francis Wee (Class C champion), George Barcelon (Class C runner-up) and Auto Nation Group president Felix Ang. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

THE Orchard Golf and Country Club took home the Founders division at the close of THE ND 0HILIPPINE !IRLINES )NTERCLUB GOLF TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS OVER THE WEEKEND IN Cebu City. /RCHARD ACTUALLY kNISHED SECOND BEHIND #EBU #OUNTRY #LUB BUT WAS ELEVATED TO kRST AFTER THE #ARMONA BASED SQUAD WON the overall title. :ACHARY #ASTRO AND 'ABRIEL -ATTHEW -ACALAGIUM LED /RCHARD IN THE kNAL DAY AT #EBU #OUNTRY #LUB WITH AND POINTS

respectively. /RCHARD CLOSED OUT WITH FOR

points ahead of Forest Hills. Valley settled FOR THIRD PLACE WITH In the Aviator class, Club Filipino de #EBU LEANED ON THE kNAL DAY POINTS OF "ALTAIRE "ALANGUAN TO BEAT !LTA 6ISTA

4HIRD SPOT WENT TO 2ANCHO 0ALOS 6ERDE 4EAM WITH -ACTAN )SLAND CAPTURED 3PORTSWRITER WITH FOLLOWED BY #AMP *OHN (AY AND #AMP %VANGELISTA 4HE &RIENDSHIP TITLE WAS WON BY $AVAO #ITY 'OLF WITH WITH 3OUTH #OTABATO AND )LIGAN kNISHING SECOND AND THIRD WITH AND RESPECTIVELY -EANWHILE *OLO -AGCALAYO OF 4AGAYTAY (IGHLANDS WON THE INDIVIDUAL TITLE WITH points, one ahead of Bayani Garcia of Cebu Country Club.

This year’s Interclub is sponsored by 2ADIO -INDANAO .ETWORK !SIAN !IR 3AFARI

AND 6ANGUARD 2ADIO .ETWORK !LSO EXTENDING SUPPORT ARE !"3 #". 'LOBAL ,TD 4HE &ILIPINO #HANNEL 2OLLS 2OYCE 0RIMAX "ROADCASTING .ETWORK 5- "ROADCASTING .ETWORK -INDANAO &OX 3PORTS #IGNAL TV, GECAS, Boeing, Lufthansa Technik AG, Manila Standard, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Dusit Thani Manila, and Casino Filipino. /FkCIAL HOTEL IS 1UEST (OTEL #ONFERENCE Center Cebu.

14th Pomelo Tee rolls off May 1 in Davao City 4HE TH 0OMELO 4EE WILL kRE OFF ON -AY TO AT THE 2ANCHO 0ALOS 6ERDES 'OLF and Country Club in Mandug-Indangan, Buhangin, Davao City.

The four-day annual member-guest TOURNAMENT IS EXPECTED TO DRAW MORE THAN ENTRIES The event aims to raise funds for the charitable projects of the Pomelo Tee Foundation Incorporated among them COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP FOR SELECTED WORKERS and caddies’ dependent. Part of the pro-

CEEDS WILL ALSO BE USED TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL EQUIPMENT AND OTHER LEARNING materials to Mandug High School and Indangan High School. %NTRY FEE IS 0

INCLUSIVE OF TWO DAY

one mulligan per nine holes.

The tournament’s team and individual CATEGORIES WILL FOLLOW A HOLE STROKE PLAY UNDER THE MODIkED 3TABLEFORD SCORING SYSTEM For registration, contact Rancho 0ALOS AT

OR

THE Procurement and Supply Institute of !SIA 0!3)! WILL HOLD A GOLF TOURNAMENT for supply chain professionals and logistics PROVIDERS ON -ARCH NEXT YEAR AT THE -ANILA 3OUTHWOODS 'OLF AND #OUNTRY #LUB in Carmona, Cavite.

Riding on the success of its golf tournament last October, PASIA is pushing its ADVOCACY FOR ETHICS EXCELLENCE AND E ENablement in another edition of the tilt.

2EGISTRATION IS ONGOING WITH AN ENTRY FEE OF 0 FOR NON MEMBERS AND 0 FOR -ANILA 3OUTHWOODS members inclusive of green fee, shared golf cart use, caddie fee, buffet lunch, cocktails, AND RAFlE ENTRY 0LAYERS CAN AVAIL OF THE PROMO IF THEY bring in their colleagues. &OR INQUIRIES CALL 0!3)! AND 4RANSPROCURE 3HARED 3ERVICES /FFICE AT

OR OR EMAIL the organizer at info@transprocure.com or VISIT WWW TRANSPOCURE COM

The Sunday Times

Inspiration.

Celebrity.

Style.

March 17, 2019 Volume 118 | No. 83

Jamela Alindongan Heart Diño

n e m o W e p a h s who s d l r o w r i e th

Tiffany Uy Kat Gumabao •

LITERARY LIFE

FILIPINO CHAMPIONS

ARTS AWAKE

‘Navel’: A writer’s nofilter selfie fie

Empowerment measures to address age-old old issues F3

Five fresh Art in the Park picks

F2

F8

Literary Life SUNDAY March 17, 2019

F2

BOOK REVIEW

Navel: A writer’s no-filter selfie

BY FAYE VALENCIA

N

!6%, '!:).' HAS GOTTEN SO MUCH lAK One of the most painful attacks comes from the Oxford Dictionary, which PRESENTS THIS RATHER SCATHING DEkNITION g! SELF indulgent or excessive contemplation of oneself or a single issue, at the expense of a wider view.�

But in ancient Greece, some monks engaged in navel-gazing (or omphaloskepsis, as they called it) in their quest to communicate with a divine presence and experience what Omphalopsychians author J.G. Minningen referred to as “celestial joy.�

Centuries later, Alison West, in her article “Decoding Sutra 3.30: How Concentrating on the Navel Encourages Body Awareness,� explains that “your manipura (navel) chakra is the originating point of 72,000 subtle-energy channels (nadis).� Thus, she expounds, “this concentrated meditation on your midsection opens the door to a vital understanding of your body’s constituent parts and nadis.�

In Navel: n. the central point of a place (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House; 165 pages; 2016), Rica Bolipata-Santos does NOT ONLY GAZE INTO HER kGURATIVE navel, but also lets the world have a good look inside it through 32 insightful personal essays. But the whole Navel experience really begins with the book’s astounding preface, in which Bolipata-Santos recalls a poignant incident involving her actual navel. “When I was twelve, my father discovered my navel was dirty,� she begins. “I was born with such a navel: the kind that is not immaculately clean. As a young child, every time I showered or got dressed, I

would notice the blackness of my navel, but thought nothing of it.

Those who cared for me said nothing either, so I felt there was nothing wrong that my center was unclean.�

Later in the preface, BolipataSantos notes: “Perhaps this is the root cause of my obsession with my navel. I have been severely criticized as a writer, as someone obsessed with my navel. That is to say, all my writing is ostensibly about me.

I have always argued to say that most art is about a personal I, even when that is hidden.�

Arguably, though, some navels are better than others. Thankfully, Navel is a complex work that transcends the confessional genre.

Even when Bolipata-Santos is talking about her personal joys and sorrows, she does not neglect the big picture.

That is consistent in all her essays.

In “Ten Scenes,� for instance, the author shatters the idealized image of a mother as a faultless being

who is capable of unconditional love and unlimited patience. She points out: “But as mothers, we need to convince ourselves that THE DIFkCULTIES THAT ACCOMPANY THE job make sense. We need to believe that there is a heavenly design, or else we would give in to despair.

And so when people ask us what it is like to be a mother, we say, ‘It has made me a stronger person,’ OR @4HIS HAS FULkLLED ME BEYOND my wildest dreams,’ rather than ‘This is the most thankless job on earth and half of the time I’m just guessing what the right thing is.’�

Then, she also confesses that, while she loves her three kids — Teodoro (Teej), Margarita (Marty), and Antonio (Ani) — there are moments when she misses how she used to be: “Being a parent makes me grieve for the young Rica who had so much promise before she became a mother.�

Acerbic revelations a s i d e, B o lipata-Santos gives herself away as a devoted mothe r. A p a r t from her husband Dino, her three kids always come up in her essays.

She knows each of them well and describes them in her graceful but always truthful prose. She does not portray any of her children as perfect — not even Teej, who is the subject of a whole batch of essays categorized as the Teodoro Essays.

BOLIPATA-SANTOS SOARS WHEN SHE IS IN THE ZONE OF ELOQUENT INTROSPECTION IN HER ESSAYS. BUT SHE IS JUST AS DELIGHTFUL WHEN SHE IS MAKING WONDERFULLY BRAZEN ADMISSIONS — THE KIND THAT YOU’D EXPECT FROM EVERYBODY’S FAVORITE “BAD INFLUENCE� TITA.

"OLIPATA 3ANTOS kRSTBORN IS AUTIStic, and she confronts this fact head on: “Teodoro reached his milestones at a snail’s pace and there were rages that would annihilate my spirit,� she writes in “The Blessings and Trials of Autism.� Then, she also realizes: “To be given something DIFkCULT TO LOVE IS A PRECIOUS PREcious gift. Teodoro’s nature does not change as much as it can, but his nature changes us, making us more loving, challenges us to be more hopeful, shakes our core to make us stronger, makes our family mysterious in the spiritual sense of

VLF 15 writing program open to applications THE Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is now accepting applications to the Virgin Labfest 15 Writing Fellowship Program, to be held from June 25 to July 7, 2019.

The two-week mentorship program will focus on the study and practice of dramatic writing for the stage. The chosen fellows will participate in lectures, discussions and workshops on playwriting and critiquing scripts.

They will also be given tickets to this year’s Virgin Labfest plays and selected rehearsals, as well as the opportunity to participate in post-show talkbacks and interact with playwrights, directors and selected actors.

The program will culminate in a staged reading of the fellows’ works at the CCP Bulwagang Amado Hernandez on July 7 at 6 p.m.

To qualify, the applicant must be a college student or young professional; be 29 years old or younger; not have had any play produced by a professional theater company; not have had any play published in a literary journal; not have won in any national/ international playwriting/ screenwriting competition; and be present for the entire duration of the program, rehearsals and performance of the cultimating showcase.

The applicant must be

that word.�

It often feels like Bolipata-Santos is (self-)healing her heartbreaks with her prose. In “A Bow to My God,� she dissects the moment where she almost did not become a writer. As a high school freshman, she wanted her mother to validate her writing talent. It didn’t go as she had hoped.

After reading an essay she had written, the author remembers her mother telling her, “You have promise as a writer. But, if you want to see real writing, I’ll show you.� Her mother later showed her a batch of essays written by her brother Coke,

who was lavishly praised by his teachers for his way with words. This explains why Bolipata-Santos refers to being a writer as her secret life.

Despite this, Bolipata-Santos expresses her devotion to her mother: “The truth is, I owe my love affair with literature and language to my mother. When I was a young girl, she spent every evening reading to me. My comfort memory is clear and crisp: me lying on her lap, she twisting plots intentionally to test my memory. She did this while combing my hair.�

Bolipata-Santos soars when she is in the zone of eloquent introspection in her essays. But she is just as delightful when she is making wonderfully brazen admissions — the kind that you’d expect from EVERYBODY S FAVORITE gBAD INlUENCEu tita. In “A History of Desire,� she reveals that her husband is the only man she has been intimate with: “It IS DIFkCULT TO RECONCILE THIS PATIENT

chaste woman who waited until she HAD THE RING ON HER kNGER WITH THIS wanton woman, in all truth. I would be walking around campus from class to class — I was already a maginoo (but medyo bastos) teacher at this time — and in my head design ways of seducing my husband when he [comes] home from work (and boy, was I creative).�

Reading Navel is a lot like gazING AT SOMEONE S NO kLTER SELkE Bolipata-Santos is fearless. This is one writer who has no plans of keeping up appearances. “So, here, my navel. Clean and gutted out,� she declares — and we want to give her a standing ovation for her great prose, her insights, and, most of all, her bravery.

Navel: n. the central point of a place costs P350 and is available in leading bookstores.

POETRY

The City Can’t Sing the Blues

BY MARK ANGELES The air is low and heavy These days. Our skin can tell Smog fom carbon dioxide.

The air is thick with sighs Of neighbors and strangers— Those three-second heaves Pulled deep from lungs Filled with disease and trouble; Ever so loud, they blended Into a bizarre ensemble.

Our skin can read The absence of words To which we raise a foot And leave a stink.

Q Actors perform a staged reading of a fellow’s play during the Virgin Labfest 14 Writing Fellowship Program’s culminating showcase in July 2018. CCP PHOTO also able to submit to ccp. considered. standing “virgin� plays, artist.training@gmail.com These requirements must most of which have been a fully accomplished applibe received by 11:59 p.m. of recognized by the Carlos cation form, which can be May 10, 2019. The names of Palanca Memorial Awards downloaded from the CCP the accepted applications for Literature, the country’s website; and one or two will be announced on May most prestigious literary sample plays — whether 31, 2019. competition. complete or excerpts — A minimal registration fee The program is a project that are written in Filipino of P1,200 will be required of of the CCP Artist Training Division of the Arts Educaor English, saved in .doc all fellows. format (12 points, doubleThe Virgin Labfest is a dis- tion Department. spaced on 8’’x11’’ paper), tinguished annual festival For inquiries on the prohave a maximum of 10 of unpublished, unstaged, untried and untested works gram, visit www.culturalpages, and do not have the center.gov.ph, email ccp. his or her real name/idenof playwrights, directors artist.training@gmail.com, tity written on them. and actors. It has gained or call (632) 832-1125 loits reputation by producOnly complete applicacal 1605. ing provocative and outtion requirements will be

THE Literary Life page of The Sunday Times Magazine is now accepting contributions of new, original and unpublished short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry, preferably in English, from emerging and established writers. Works must be encoded in Microsoft Word using the typefaces Arial, Times New Roman, or Palatino Linotype, font size 12 and letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11 inches),

and saved in either .doc or .rtf format. Each short story and creative nonfiction piece should be between ten (10) and twenty (20) pages (double-spaced), while each poem should be limited to only one (1) page (single-spaced).

Works littered with glaring grammatical and typographical errors will not be considered. Send your works to the literary editor, Alvin I. Dacanay, at literarylife[at]

Trauma

BY RIA REBOLLEDO Her perfectly shaped feet.

Her raven hair, each strand glistening in the garish light.

Her parted lips, speaking a name.

(ER MUSICIAN S kNGERS lICKING A STRING A dream of songs, a smorgasbord of bittersweet.

A smashed window’s glass, whispering like rain.

A widower’s laugh.

The scent of lemons.

The hum of engines before the leap.

Her child-hand gripping dripping stars.

When breathing is a pain.

The year has passed, and still we are not saved.

manilatimes[dot]net. Kindly put the genre and title of the work in the email’s subject line (example: Short Story: Dead Stars). Authors whose creative works are published in the magazine agree to have these included in literary anthologies that The Manila Times may conceive and publish in the future. Full copyright ownership of the works shall remain with their respective authors.

Filipino Champions The Sunday Times

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

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I N T E R N AT I O N A L W O M E N ’ S D AY S U M M I T 2 0 1 9

Empowerment measures to address age-old issues

BY MARY GLEEFER JALEA

A

BUSE and Violence. Poverty. Inequality. Women empowerment advocates tackled such age-old yet prevailing and urgent issues in a summit to mark International Women’s Day on March 8.

Alano said Friends alone, the iconic American comedy series which ran from 1994 to 2004 and won six Emmy awards, has stuck with many generations up until now, with teenagers and old fans binging ON THE READILY AVAILABLE SITCOM ON .ETlIX and other streaming platforms.

Alano added many critics have pointed out how writers projected random slurs of the six lead characters against lesbians and male nannies, for example, simply for the intention of “light-hearted� humor back in THE DAY 3HE SAID THESE HAVE DEkNITELY TURNED into “unreconstructed racist, homophobic misogynist� remarks in this era well-aware of the compartmentalized image of women and roles they play in society.

Atty. Maria Roda Cisnero, program officer of the Law and Human Rights of the Asia Foundation, noted issues involving the justice system.

She said, “We change words that are normalized by the criminal justice system.

7E DO ONE RESCUE AT A TIME ONE TRAFkCKING case at a time because one conviction can Abuse and violence help in making an impression that you can against women be jailed for [a certain case].“ The 2017 data from the National Demo4HE SUMMIT S kRST PANEL OF DISCUSSION WITH graphic and Health Survey (NDHS) showed Hans Montenegro as moderator, centered that one in 20 women aged 15 to 49 in the on the topic “Towards a World without Philippines has experienced sexual vio6IOLENCE %NDING 6IOLENCE !GAINST 7OMEN u lence, 49 percent of whom suffering abuse Panelists pointed out abuse and violence perpetrated by their partners or husbands. against women stem from the culture of mi- 4HE .$(3 ALSO POINTED OUT THAT TWO IN kVE sogyny — contempt for, or prejudice against women or 41 percent have never sought help women and girls as being inferior to men. or spoken against the perpetrator.

The speakers lamented objectificaAmina Rasul, chief of the Philippine Center tion of women or viewing them pri- for Islam and Democracy (PCID), pointed out marily as objects of male sexual desire, cases of abuse in many areas of Mindanao rather than as whole persons. including rape and forced marriages among Robredo raised alarm on threats constantly young girls in war-torn provinces. received by women and jokes belittling them.

3HE SAID g) THINK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT She asked, “When our leaders joke about violence against women, those of us who rape and normalize abuse, shouldn’t we be were lucky enough to live in prosperous alarmed? When reports say that one out of two gated villages should think about what’s women did nothing after they were harassed going on in the entire country.� and a lot of those who chose to be silent did so out of fear, shouldn’t we be more scared?� Poverty Dr. Sylvia Claudio, dean of the University of the Philippines College of Social Work The second panel discussion, “Breaking and Community Development (CSWCD) "ARRIERS !DVANCING 7OMEN S %CONOMIC said, “Words indeed make a difference. They Empowerment,� tackled the issue of povcontribute to a certain culture and affect hu- erty, calling for opportunities for women man beings in many different ways.�

TO BECOME kNANCIALLY INDEPENDENT Kat Alano, a model and founder of the Robredo said, “Economic empowerment online platform “Empower,â€? said media IS THE kRST STEP TO REAL EMPOWERMENT &OR IS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR INlUENCING THE every woman who is economically indeculture of misogyny in the country. pendent, the entire family has the chance to She presented as examples the tele- break free from abuse and poverty.â€? vision show “Friends“ and the movie 2OBREDO S lAGSHIP PROJECT !NGAT "UHAY “Grey’s Anatomy.â€? champions programs on women empow“The language of these shows is really erment aside from education, universal terrible,â€? she said. “There was a scene where health care, food security, housing, and a patient was touching the nurse, touching rural development for those in the fringes her boobs and butt‌ and we used to laugh of society— the “laylayan ng lipunanâ€? as at these things, but the thing is, I’m in my she popularized the phrase.

30s now and we [have this culture] because The panel was composed of instructor we’ve watched these things in the media for Sabrina Gacad of the Department of Women how many generations now. It’s even worse and Development Studies in UP-Diliman; back in the day when they used to joke $R .ATSY !FRICA 6ERCELES DIRECTOR OF 50 about punching women in the face. And Center for Women’s and Gender Studies; Jill everybody would be like, ‘that’s so funny, Javaniar, head of the Angat Buhay program UNDER THE /FkCE OF THE 6ICE 0RESIDENT :ARAH that’s just how it is.’â€? .ON PROkT ORGANIZATION 3AMAHAN NG mga Pilipina para sa Reporma at KaunLARAN 3PARKĂœ AND THE OFkCE OF THE 6ICE President held the gathering, dubbed International Women’s Day Summit 2019, at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

Participating organizers included the Embassies of Sweden and Austria, the United Nations Population Fund, and the University of the Philippines Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (UPCWGS).

With the theme “Advancing the Rights and Representation of Filipino Women,� the summit tackled issues that have long beset women, especially those coming from the marginalized sector of society.

6ICE 0RESIDENT -ARIA ,EONOR g,ENIu Robredo led a powerhouse of speakers for the summit which featured three panel discussions on ending violence against women, providing avenues for economic empowerment, and creating equal opportunities for women in various industries.

M

Vice President Leni Robredo addresses the importance of women empowerment in her keynote speech.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT Juan, an independent bag designer; Julia Newton-Howes, CEO of Australian government project Investing in Women; and #ARMEL 6ALENCIA COUNTRY LEAD FOR CORPORATE communication, public affairs, and sustainability for L’Oreal Philippines.

The panelists pointed out the need to look beyond the surface in helping Ates and Nanays to thrive in their businesses or jobs, whether such are big or small. “It’s not enough to just give women livelihood. We need to raise their consciousness about their rights not just as women but also as workers. Institutional transformation can help empower women Women advocates and leaders convene at the International Women’s Day Summit with the theme of 'Advancing the Rights and Representation of Filipino Women.‘ IN IMPOSING NOTIONS u !FRICA 6ERCELES SAID “Women empowerment is not just about giving a woman means to earn. [We should also] identify the strength of the woman realizing her potential to create,� Juan added.

Inequality The third panel discussion, with Annalisa Burgos as moderator, centered on the TOPIC g-AGNIFYING 7OMEN S 6OICES AND 0ARTICIPATION #REATING AN %QUAL 7ORLD u Tackling the issue of women inequality, the panel focused on developing a sense of community among women and bringing their rights into the forefront in MALE DOMINATED kELDS Sen. Risa Hontiveros noted that political empowerment — which, she pointed out, measures the gap between men and women at the highest level — still has not made much progress in the Philippines.

Citing data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Hontiveros said that from 1998-2013, more men have participated in and won in politics than women.

In 2013, only around 20 percent or 1 of every 5 candidates was an elected WOMAN OFkCIAL “In the Senate, only 6 are women. We aren’t even half the chamber. These numbers act as an indicator of political climate any kind of country can expect. To this day no woman has served as Senate President,� she added.

Austrian Ambassador Bita Rasoulian advised women aspiring to succeed in maledominated careers such as diplomacy to

Sen. Risa Hontiveros addresses the need to increase women participation in public service. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNFPA PHILIPPINES

pursue their dream. “Do not give up on your dreams,� Rasoulian said. “Educate yourselves, be true to yourselves and do not set yourselves any barriers in your goals. Your achievements will be shared by many women and girls, and they will be inspired by your example.�

Jan Chavez-Arceo of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said that in the number of years she rendered working as a MILITARY OFkCER ALONGSIDE gALPHA MALES u SHE NOTICED THAT THE !&0 HAS kNALLY STARTED TO move toward a direction usually attributed to feminine qualities which were previously HARD TO ACCEPT IN THE kELD OF COMBAT “The AFP now has, thankfully, been going toward a different direction — more engaging and inclusive, realizing and acKNOWLEDGING THAT THE SOLUTION TO CONlICT and other things is not simply through HARD POWER 4HE SECURITY ISSUES IN THE kELD

and on the ground will not be solved using guns and bullets,� Arceo said.

She added that it has become imperative that women take on certain roles and speak up in addressing gender fairness, especially in areas where discrimination is rooted to a compartmentalized image of sensitivity, passion, gentleness, and care. “We know that calling for gender equality is not just solved by mere representation and activism,� Arceo noted. “Being more proactive in society turns stereotypes into powerful qualities which make women EFFECTIVE INlUENCERS AND LEADERS u Indeed, inequality, poverty, abuse and violence, are age-old issues that have long made empowerment elusive for women. Nevertheless, let the discussion go on every celebration of International Women’s Day until women no longer need it — just as there’s no need for men to have such a special day.

Hyacinth Manila keeps a mother's memory alive

AYA Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.�

When I think of that quote, I think of my good friend and pseudo little sister DaniELLE 7ASSMER $ANIELLE IS THE DEkNITION OF someone in love with life — she is vibrant, caring, extremely funny, and a fashionista in her own right. I would always remember her as someone who was there for me during a PARTICULARLY DIFkCULT TIME IN MY LIFE AND THAT created a bond that cannot be easily broken.

Danielle was leading the helms at a popular digital agency at such a young age and I often commented at how her parents must have been proud of her. Despite her tough exterior, Danielle dealt with tragedy early on when she lost her mom and yet she carries on with life with a realistic optimism that is inspiring to many.

Danielle’s latest passion project called Hyacinth Manila brings together her

THE THOUGHT JUNKIE CARLA BIANCA RAVANES-HIGHAM mom’s — the former Luisa MenesesWassmer, a councilor from Los Baùos, Laguna — passion to help and Danielle’s love for bags. Hyacinth Manila sells handmade water hyacinth bags.

Water hyacinth (water lilies) is a huge problem for people living near Laguna de Bay because it clogs waterways that leads to flooding. In 2009, Danielle’s mom spearheaded seminars for stay-at-home moms that taught them how to convert a PROBLEM INTO SOMETHING PROkTABLE Ten years later, Danielle has transformed her mom’s vision into a business rather serendipitously. “Hyacinth was supposed to be a leather

bag business and everything was set but the investment required to start it would be too much and too risky. My friend then suggested to check out a small store along the highway that sells native bags, little did I know that they were made out of waterlily,� she said. “It reminded me of the initiative my mom had of providing stay-at-home moms with seminars and workshops that taught them to make something out of waterlilies. When I met up with the suppliers, they realized that I was the daughter of Tita WooWoo, what they called my mom, and told me all the stories about how they were helped by my mom to get into this business. It warms my heart to know that the people my mom helped before are the same people who would help me start my business,� she added.

For Danielle, it seemed like the only way TO GO g3UDDENLY THE PIECES kT TOGETHER This was exactly the passion project I was looking for, aside from it being a continuation of the vision of my mom, it felt right

Danielle Wassmer has transformed her mom’s vision into a viable enterprise.

for my passion project to have a purpose to help out a community, my community.�

Hyacinth aims to make sure that the locally designed bags has sustained visibility

to a wider market and that the designs are relevant to the style and functionality in the modern days. “Hyacinth is unique because of what it symbolizes — it converts real problems INTO SOMETHING PROkTABLE )T S HELPING A community not only solve a problem but also make a living out of it,� the comely entrepreneur explained.

Danielle is happy with the reception her unique bags have earned since it has launched but she also has her mind set on bigger things for the brand, only because it would greatly help a community she loves. “Hopefully in the near future, I will be able to showcase the designs to the international market. I really believe in the quality of these bags and I can’t wait for the whole world to see it,� she concluded.

To know more, visit Hyacinth on Instagram @hyacinthmnl. *** www.carlabiancaravanes.com

Cover Story The Sunday Times

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SUNDAY March 17, 2019

#IShapeMyWorld 2019’s guest speakers, Jamela Alindogan, Kat Gumabao, Tiffany Uy and Heart Diùo, with Levi’s Marketing Manager Kat Costas whose team conceptualized the special Women’s Month event.

Women who shape their worlds

BY NIKA ROQUE

O

N THE kRST DAY OF )NTERNATIONAL 7OMEN S -ONTH

A DIVERSE GROUP OF STRONG AND BEAUTIFUL WOMEN EAGERLY GATHERED TO SHARE WITH FELLOW FEMALES NOT ONLY THEIR STORIES OF INSPIRATION AND ADMIRABLE ADVOCACIES BUT TO OPEN UP ABOUT INSECURITIES THAT ARE SURE TO BE COMMON AMONG WOMEN EVERYWHERE In doing so, they were able to — and will continue to prove in today’s cover story — that even if it often seems that the phrase and feeling of “I am just a woman� can get in the way of one’s

The Sunday Times

magazine TESSA MAURICIO-ARRIOLA Editor ALVIN I. DACANAY Literary Editor CHRISTINA ALPAD IZA IGLESIAS Staff Writers ARLO CUSTODIO Deskman *** PETER BAGA ZENAIDA D. ERISPE MARJORIE T. DIZON ENRICO D. BERATA JOANNA C. UMADHAY HORACIO MAKABENTA Layout Artists *** DANTE FRANCIS M. ANG 2ND President & CEO *** Telephone: 524-5664 to 66 Telefax: 521-6897 • 521-6872 Subscription: 528-1319 www.manilatimes.net Website lifestyle@manilatimes.net E-mail

~

The Manila Times is published daily at 2/F Sitio Grande, 409 Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila 1002

goals, women can do anything, and SHOULD DO EVERYTHING DESPITE THE ODDS Organized by classic denim brand ,EVI S FOR ITS 7OMEN S -ONTH CAMpaign, The Sunday Times Magazine shines the spotlight today on four INDIVIDUALS WHO MADE RISKY YET EMPOWERING DECISIONS TO BREAK FREE FROM the norms that limit women from achieving their full potential, as they PROUDLY DECLARE Ă›)3HAPE-Y7ORLD 9OU CAN TOO JUST LIKE THEM

Jamela Alindogan *OURNALIST *AMELA !LINDOGAN BOLDY BROKE gENDER RESTRICTIONS IN HER PROFESSION !N AWARD WINNING !SIA 0ACIkC CORRESPONdent in an international news company, SHE WAS TASKED TO COVER WAR TORN AREAS AND danger zones, most notably assigned to tell stories at the height of Typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas and when guns WERE ABLAZE DOWN SOUTH IN -ARAWI She never let “being a woman� nor fear get in the way of a true journalIST S COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SERVICE “I’ve been doing dangerous sites for so long and I had to develop a set of SKILLS TO SURVIVE 7HAT ) RELY ON MOSTLY are my instincts that have guided me in many ways,� Alindogan explained to 4HE 3UNDAY 4IMES -AGAZINE .OT IMMUNE TO HARASSMENT AS A FEMALE journalist in the field, Alindogan also LEARNED HOW TO RISE ABOVE SUCH SENSELESSNESS “I’ve learned to put men in their place when I am faced with a misogynist or sexist by empowering myself IN MY WORK )N JOURNALISM AND TELEVISION THERE REMAIN TO BE ALL KINDS OF harassment and you have no choice but to learn how to set that aside and PROTECT YOURSELF u SHE REVEALED g) MAY not going public about all the things I’ve experienced in my career but I confront them about it when the moment HAPPENS 9OU CAN T LET THEM MAKE YOU FEEL THAT @YOU RE JUST A WOMAN u Meanwhile, despite her overwhelming experiences and the possible trauma such dangerous assign-

Journalist and humanitarian Jamela Alindogan

ments could bring, Alindogan says SHE kNDS THE STRENGTH TO KEEP GOING from the very people she meets amid THEIR BLEAK REALITIES “I want to be able to tell their stories so that I can encourage others to help THEM TOO u SHE EXPLAINED g,IKE THE children in Marawi who had the reset of their lives ahead of them before THE WAR STARTED .OW THEY ARE CALLED BAKWITS, the term used for those who have been displaced, and you have to ASK HOW MANY OF THESE CHILDREN WILL BE ABLE TO kNISH SCHOOL (OW MANY OF them will be orphaned and will grow UP WITH REVENGE IN THEIR HEARTS “I have never been in a place full of HOPE AND DESPAIR "UT EVERY PERSON ) CAME ACROSS SPOKE WITH OPTIMISM MIXED EVEN WITH FEAR AND RAGE IN THEIR BEINGS u As a result of her immersion, Alindogan co-founded the Sinagtala Center FOR 7OMEN AND #HILDREN IN #ONlICT The foundation’s projects are simple YET MEANINGFUL AS THEY WORK TO PROVIDE TOYS IN CENTERS FOR CHILDREN IN AREAS LIKE "UTIG OR THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE -AUTES TO GIVE THEM A SENSE OF NORMALCY g! LOT OF PEOPLE DON T KNOW THAT those who become rebels in Jolo, "ASILAN AND 4AWI 4AWI NEVER HELD TOYS THEY GREW UP WITH GUNS 4HIS INTER

generational violence must stop,� she AVERRED g7E HAVE TO USE OUR ANGER AND FRUSTRATIONS TO PROPEL US TO ACTION u Alindogan’s foundation also opened a weaving center to give displaced WOMEN A SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD g"EING A WOMAN A MOTHER AND A journalist to me means living a life OF SERVICE TO OTHERS 4HAT TO ME IS THE only life worth living and there can BE NO BOUNDARIES u SHE DECLARED

Tiffany Uy Tiffany Uy had always had what it TAKES TO SUCCEED IN LIFE )NTELLIGENCE

outstanding grades and a good founDATION FROM HER HOME LIFE An achiever all throughout her schooling — she was a student council president both in elementary and high school — Uy suddenly felt her energy spent one day and had no idea WHY SHE FELT WEAK )T WAS A kRST FOR this go-getter who seamlessly juggled a plethora of activities so she sought MEDICAL ATTENTION 4HE YEAR WAS AND SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH LUPUS “At that time, I was in college in UP [University of the Philippines] and I really wanted to be active in school to

GET A GOOD JOB ) THOUGHT ) WAS INVINcible so even with the lupus, I carried on with my usual commitments,� Uy RECALLED g) LOOKED HEALTHY BUT ON THE INSIDE MY BODY WAS SHUTTING DOWN u /FTEN CONkNED IN THE HOSPITAL FOR the auto-immune disease, her grades STARTED TO SLIP AND HER LOOKS AND BODY WERE CHANGING g) COULD BARELY WALK AND MY HAIR WAS FALLING TERRIBLY ) WAS HEAVY ON medications and I was failing school because I literally couldn’t get to class WITH DUE TO THE BANDAGES ON MY KNEES AND ANKLES ) WAS VERY EMBARRASSED TO tell my professors what was happening to me and I was embarrassed to show MYSELF TO MY CLASSMATES ) FELT SO HOPELESS AND IT WAS SO PAINFUL u At that point, she almost allowed HER DISEASE GET THE BETTER OF HER g,UPUS PATIENTS DIE SOONER OR LATER SO WHAT S THE POINT u SHE RECALLED HERSELF THINKING "EYOND HER DEPRESSION SHE also felt the true fear of dying until she ALLOWED PEOPLE AROUND HER TO HELP HER g7HEN ) WAS BREAKING DOWN ‡ THINKING ) COULDN T GRADUATE ANYMORE and there was no hope of getting betTER ‡ THE PEOPLE WHO LOVED ME ASKED

@7HAT MAKES YOU HAPPY ) LOOKED AT THEM AND ) KNEW RIGHT AWAY THAT SEEING

Cover Story The Sunday Times

SUNDAY March 17, 2019 THEM AND FEELING THEIR LOVE MADE ME HAPPY So I put my stubbornness and insecurities aside and allowed them to help me renew MY FAITH IN MYSELF AND REKINDLE THAT SPARK ) ALWAYS HAD u ,ITTLE BY LITTLE 5Y TOOK THE STEPS TO GET HER LIFE BACK ON TRACK WITH THE SIMPLEST HABITS LIKE TAKING SHORT BREAKS IN BETWEEN CLASSES AND EATING HEALTHY FOOD 3IX YEARS LATER THE LUPUS WARRIOR SHOCKED HER PARENTS DOCTORS AND HERself when she graduated cum laude — a story THAT QUICKLY WENT VIRAL ON &ACEBOOK 4HIS YEAR SHE ALSO COMPLETED THE Spartan Race — a non-professional triathlon — which was a goal she thought she COULD NEVER ACHIEVE “I thought I was invincible but having THIS SICKNESS TAUGHT ME THAT LOVING MYSELF is a process of understanding and acceptING MY lAWS ) DIDN T WANT TO BE THE SICK girl forever, I wanted to improve myself AND SAY THAT THIS IS MY OWN STORY !ND IF ) CAN DO IT YOU CAN DO IT TOO u

Heart DiĂąo “Most girls were born wearing dresses and PLAYING WITH "ARBIES OR 0OLLY 0OCKETS BUT NOT ME 7HEN ) WAS BORN ) HAD TO WEAR BLUE

polo shirts and shorts, played with GI Joes,�

WAS HOW (EART $IĂ„O INTRODUCED HERSELF Admitting she was confused as a little GIRL SHE KNEW DEEP INSIDE WHO SHE WAS WHEN SHE BLOCKED OFF ALL THE NOISE FROM HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS “My parents weren’t ready to see that THEIR ELDEST SON IS ACTUALLY A WOMAN !ND OVER TIME ) HAD TO ASK MYSELF WHY CAN T ) BE WHO ) AM 7HY DO ) HAVE TO HIDE u Relating her early life to her favorite SUPERHERO $ARNA $IĂ„O DEkNITELY FELT THAT SHE WAS LIVING A DOUBLE LIFE 3HE WORE MALE clothes when leaving the house and would then change into female clothes — from HER SISTER S CLOSET ‡ AT SCHOOL “In school, I became a very different person because I had friends who understood ME !T HOME IT WAS DIFFERENT BECAUSE ) HAD TO PLEASE MY PARENTS ) HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT ) WAS LIVING THE LIFE THEY EXPECT OF ME u )T TOOK $IĂ„O MANY YEARS TO WORK UP the courage to open up to her mom ABOUT HER SEXUALITY 'RATEFUL SHE WAS SUPPORTIVE AND ACCEPTING $IĂ„O S MOM still expressed concern on how the world OUTSIDE WOULD TREAT HER CHILD g) TOLD HER @$ON T WORRY MOM ) LL BE /+ ) AM STRONG !ND TRUTH BE TOLD MY INSPIRATION to be strong was my mom and for her to never have to worry about me again after I came OUT !ND THAT S A VERY POWERFUL MOTIVATION u $IĂ„O MEANWHILE HAS 50 S ,'"4 STUDENT ORGANIZATION 50 "ABAYLAN TO THANK FOR kNDING OUT THE REAL (EART “It was only when I went to UP that I realized I wasn’t a gay man but a transgender WOMAN 3O ) CAME OUT OF THE CLOSET TWICE u $IĂ„O CONTINUED g) DIDN T KNOW ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT A TRANSGENDER WOMAN MEANT UNTIL ) MET MY SECOND FAMILY IN 50 "ABAYLAN I discovered myself when I met people who HAD THE SAME STRUGGLES ) HAD FOR SO LONG u "UOYED BY THEIR COMMON EXPERIENCES and genuine concern for one another, $IĂ„O EVENTUALLY DECIDED TO RUN FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENT COUNCIL CHAIRPERSON g4HE "ABAYLANS WERE THE ONES WHO SUPported me and campaigned for me, and we RAN ON THE PLATFORM OF GENDER EQUALITY !S expected, there were people who discrimiNATED ME AND PUT ME DOWN BUT DIFkCULT AND painful as it was to endure them, I turned the negative into a positive and showed EVERYONE ) CAN BE A GOOD A LEADER u &OCUSING ON GENDER EQUALITY $IĂ„O made sure to spearhead projects that highLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSIVITY !ND

TRULY BREAKING BARRIERS $IĂ„O WON THE elections and made history for becoming THE kRST TRANSGENDER CHAIRPERSON IN 50 3HE ALSO CAME TO KNOW HER FULL POTENTIAL WITH THE LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE g7INNING THAT ELECTION WAS BREAKING free from all the self-doubts I had and the discrimination I had allowed to affect ME ALL MY LIFE )MAGINE GROWING UP WITH people telling you @(INDI KA MAGANDA

SALOT KA SA LIPUNAN BAKLA KA All the afkRMATION ATTENTION AND RESPECT THAT CAME WITH WINNING ALLOWED ME TO kNALLY AND FULLY EMBRACE MYSELF u 7HEN $IĂ„O GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE SHE realized she was on a whole new battle for acceptance, becoming the target of HARSHER DISCRIMINATION “In my job interviews, I couldn’t believe IT WHEN THEY ASKED ME ABOUT MY TRANSITION TO BEING TRANSGENDER 4HERE WERE THOSE who just blurted out, ‘(INDI KA TUNAY NA

F5

babae,’ among other name calling and LABELS THAT ARE BEYOND HARSH g) THOUGHT ) D BE OKAY KASI SA UP, empowered AKO DI BA 4HEN ) HAD TO ASK myself again ‘empowered nga ba talaga AKO ) DIDN T KNOW WHAT TO DO u 3ADLY $IĂ„O S INSPIRATION ‡ HER MOM ‡ HAD TO WORRY ABOUT HER CHILD ALL OVER AGAIN g.AKIKITA NG mom KO online ang mga sinasabi ng tao and mas nahu-hurt din SIYA PARA SA AKIN So meron pa ring insecurities within but every day, I struggle to overcome them because being an empowered woman is not a status — it’s a continuing process of learning what to DO AND HOW TO REACT TO DIFkCULT SITUATIONS THAT WILL ALWAYS COME YOUR WAY "UT THE REASON WHY ) KEEP STANDING UP EVERY TIME ) M KNOCKED DOWN IS BECAUSE I committed to shaping my world — a world free from discrimination and STIGMA ) FEEL THAT ) HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE AND LEAVE MY MARK IN SOCIETY NO MATTER HOW HARD IT WILL ALWAYS BE u

Kat Gumabao .OW AN INTERNATIONAL MODEL IT IS DIFkCULT TO BELIEVE THAT +AT 'UMABAO HAD HARDLY ANY CONkDENCE GROWING UP ! BODY POSItivity advocate, she encourages everyone to embrace their beauty regardless of size precisely because she wallowed in INSECURITIES FOR A VERY LONG TIME g) GREW UP ALWAYS AS THE BIG KID !T an early age, AKALA NG MGA TAO foreigner AKO KASI MAPUTI AKO @0AG DADAAN AKO

bubulong sila, ‘Ang taba niya,’ THINKING I didn’t understand it but I would just SMILE AND WALK ON THINKING NOTHING OF IT BECAUSE YOU RE YOUNG g"UT COME HIGH SCHOOL AND THROUGH COLLEGE THE INSECURITY SET IN Siyempre sa school NAGKAKA-crush KA TAPOS PAPAGSABIHAN KA NG crush MO NA @+AT SOBRANG GANDA MO KASO PAPAYAT KA MUNA BAGO KITA LIGAwan,’ AND THAT WILL CRUSH ANY GIRL u Such feelings of hurt and denial led Gumabao to a downward spiral of unHEALTHY DIETING TAKING PILLS AND STARVING HERSELF (ER YO YOING WEIGHT SIMPLY MADE HER MORE DEPRESSED AND HOPELESS Getting through college unhappy, her graduation gave her another blow when her FATHER WAS JAILED FROM A CRIME HE COMMITTED (ER LIFE SHATTERED 'UMABAO THOUGHT THAT nothing good can ever happen to her nor her family but ironically, given time, it was THE LOWEST POINT IN HER LIFE THAT RAISED HER UP “It’s not good that my dad went to jail, IT S STILL HEARTBREAKING FOR ME TO THIS DAY "UT THE GOOD CAME OUT OF IT IS THAT HE found God and became a pastor, leading ME TOO TO kND 'OD u SHE RELATED g)N kNDING (IM ) REALIZED THAT KUNG MAY PERPEKTONG $IYOS NA MAHAL KA regardless of your weight, color, sexual preference, diseases, who is man — an imperfect being ‡ TO SAY YOU ARE NOT WORTHY !ND IT WAS then that I gained my self-worth and my PURPOSE TO HELP OTHERS DO THE SAME u 'UMABAO MADE THE RISKY DECISION TO MOVE TO ,OS !NGELES AND PURSUE A CAREER IN MODELING !S EXPECTED SHE WAS MET WITH DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE BEGINNING “When I went to the States, I had this MENTALITY NA @,ORD ITATAGUYOD KO ANG 0ILIPINASĂœ 4ALAGANG BUONG PUSO KO ) WILL prove to the world that there are plussized women from the Philippines who DESERVE TO SHINE THAT WE CAN BE THE COUNtry that can produce not just top-quality SINGERS BUT ALSO PLUS SIZED MODELS u 5NFORTUNATELY 'UMABAO LACKED IN HEIGHT WHAT SHE MADE UP FOR IN HEART g0APASOK AKO NG CASTING AND u AKO BUT WITH HEELS ) M LIKE FEET "UT ang minimum height ‘dun IS u BAREFOOT 4HEN ) M A SIZE TO BUT WHAT THEY RE LOOKING FOR ARE AND UP !ND OF COURSE MY HIPS ARE BUT THEY RE BOOKING SIZES 4HE LIST WENT ON u "UT RATHER THAN BE DISCOURAGED 'UMABAO S FAITH SAW HER THROUGH g"AKIT NGA BA SILA PIPILI NG MALIIT NA TAO KUNG ANG HINAHANAP AY plus-sized MODEL 3TILL ) SAID ‘Pero ,ORD nandito na @KO EH )TO YUNG PINANGARAP KO ITO YUNG SINABI SA AKIN NA PUNTAHAN KO u In other words, Gumabao went for it, EVEN IF IT SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE 3HE FOCUSED on her physical and mental health more than anything with religious exercise six TIMES A WEEK A RIGID BUT HEALTHY DIET AND of course imbibed a faith-based mindset WHILE kNDING STRENGTH IN THE LOVE OF HER FRIENDS AND FAMILY Soon enough, Gumabao found herself

UP cum laude and lupus warrior Tiffany Uy

Transgender woman and LGBT fighter Heart DiĂąo

International model and self-love advocate Kat Gumabao

WALKING THE RAMP OF .EW 9ORK &ASHION 7EEK AND THE 0ULP &ASHION 7EEK 0ARIS GRATEFUL SHE NEVER GAVE UP ,OVE ‡ FROM 'OD FROM OTHERS AND FOR HERSELF ‡ SAW HER THROUGH “If the love for yourself comes from deep within your heart, KAHIT ANO PA ANG SASABIHIN NG TAO won’t

MATTER )F YOU REALLY LOVE YOURSELF YOU WILL NEVER listen to people who say you’re not enough, or you’re TOO FAT SHORT AND DARK )T ISN T EASY TO GET TO THE POINT of accepting and embracing yourself, but when you do, I promise you, you will be invincible!�

Truly a celebration of women empowerment, the event speakers (left photo) received support from a host of fellow women achievers (right photo) in giving their testimonials. They are: (from left) Gumabao and Alindogan with Moonstar88 vocalist Maysh Baay, who just finished a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from England’s Bradford University School of Management; Uy with Filipino-African model Rose Joy Pinuela and body-positivity advocate #MagandaAkoPeriod movement founder Teena Arches; and Diùo and Costas with #IShapeMyWorld host and Team Asia co-founder Monette Iturralde-Hamlin.

Fun Times The Sunday Times

F6

»horoscope

THE SUNDAY CROSSWORD

World War One

By Merl Reagle March 17, 2019

...As in any war, containment is the idea This puzzle is part of Merl's best-of series 1 7 12 15 18 20 21 23 25 26 27 28 30 33 34 37 40 44 47 50 51 53 54 55 56 59 61 62 63 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 73 74 75 78 79 81 83 84 85 87 88 89

ACROSS Critter’s hind section “___ robbed!”

Carpet cleaner, for short ___ Robinson Scorpio star Haleiwa hello Casanova was one Query to a stylist Biographer Fraser “It’s ___-win situation” Voice of Sylvester Feature of a grasshopper sparrow Handled with carelessness Part of YWCA Drifter’s sighting Minimally speaking “Flying carpet of the deep” Renders less dangerous, as a bull Disapprove of Say for the record “How clever!”

2-D product Chewbacca’s chief Singer Carly ___ Jepsen Change for a rainy day?

Going-under gases Buckingham guards don’t do it Field Marshal Rommel and others Slangy sib Drone home Jogs Affect like a gnat Words Inherit the Wind co-author Robert ___ Squabble What things run into and people run out of Pot starter Palindromic author Confab in a 90 Down They can be loose or tight Victimized (with “on”) Dried-grape drink Get from ___ B Cube with a quincunx, among other patterns Odorous Emergency call Think about this Esther Williams adventure of 1958

93 95 96 98 99 102 105 110 111 114 115 119 120 121 122 123 124 125

Coke-oven distillate Orbital extreme Doctor-related Old English letters Prickly evergreen Comedian Don who plays Father Guido Sarducci Not apt Let’s Make ___ ___-Locka, Fla. A kind of selfpunishment World War One figure Winter warmer-upper Dumb move Moved very slowly Garden outcome Determining factor?

Take care of Haughty

DOWN 1 “Serves you right!”

2 Before you know it 3 F. Gary Powers’s plane 4 “That ain’t it” 5 Test cheat 6 Parrot’s word 7 See Seinfeld 8 Building addition 9 Serenade, e.g.

10 Sailor’s cry 11 Benefit 12 Drug containers 13 I.D.s for Au and Ag 14 Berry or Pfeiffer role 15 Small version 16 Farm relief, perhaps 17 Catch, as one’s sleeve 19 Box-spring support 22 Dietetic 24 Atahualpa subject 29 Musical-scale segment 31 Former Cubs manager Lee 32 Name on a tractor 34 “How can ___ thank you?”

35 Car-dealership glass 36 Driving hazards that may shock you?

38 Mad as ___ 39 Zanzibar folks 41 Shoe-size consideration 42 Hallmark 43 Sunday endorsements

Gift givers! For info on Merl’s books, visit www.sundaycrosswords.com.

1

2

3

4

5

6

18

7 19

23

10

11

12

20

28 31

36 45

50

51

56

46

72

78

89

48

60

64

69

70

73

74

75

80

81 86

95

108 109

114

115

119

103 104 110

111 112 113

116 117

118

120 123

44 Kierkegaard was one 45 Fade-outs?

46 It takes the place of a woman 48 Midafternoon 49 Is suffering from 52 Sleuth Lupin 57 Like the water around a freaked-out squid 58 Gagarin’s big year 60 Olympic lineup 61 Occur naturally, as flowers 64 Braced 66 Believe, to the Bard (or, pitch de ball?)

68 Allowed for the weight of the container 71 Stiller’s partner 72 Planned 75 El ___, Tex. 76 Draft ratings 77 Put on

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Today and tomorrow could get lucrative. Spending could also get tempting. Pay attention to your budgetary priorities, and avoid getting stuff you don’t need.

94 98

102

105 106 107

121

124

79 Wrestling win 80 Slew 82 Sinbad got carried away by it 84 Renounced 86 Art ___ 90 Dome-shaped home 91 “That was before ___ you” 92 French detective series for 18 years 94 Of the wind 97 Town in Assam, India, and starting point of a famous road begun in 1942 100 Costa or Puerto follower 101 Engraved stone 103 Alcindor, Grade, and Wallace 104 Watering places?

105 Smidgen (of tea) 106 Security breach 107 “Hold ___ your hats!”

108 Woolly mammas

77

88 93

97

100 101

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Soak up information like a sponge. Don’t react blindly or get distracted in the comments section. Disagree respectfully.

Notice what’s going on around you. Take notes.

82

92

96 99

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Household matters have your attention. Discuss how you want things, and make adjustments on the fly. Clean your space, and enjoy homemade treats.

76

87

91

43

61

68

85

42

55

66

90

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Have fun with people you love. Enjoy your favorite games, sports or creative activities. Adapt to unexpected news. Listen carefully to your family. Discover a clue.

49

65

84

41

54 59

79

83

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

40

53

63 67

17

22

39

47

58

62

16

33 38

52

57

15

29

32

37

44

14

25

30 35

13

21

27

34

122

9

24

26

71

8

Today’s Birthday (03/17/19). Good fortune blesses your rising career this year. Diligent teamwork makes a powerful difference. Take your romance up a notch this summer, before a community cause engages. New levels of team collaboration next winter lead to transitions around love, romance and family. Come together.

125

109 See 29 Down 111 Capital where kroner are capital 112 Dickey or Dickinson 113 “Factory” owner Warhol

116 Miners keep bringing it up 117 .

118 Entanglement, to José (or, a cat with no tail?)

Solution: ¶7KLV %XG·V )RU <RX· (Mar 10) M A V S

I S I T

A C T I

T H O R

A R E A

L O D Z

F A T A L E

I N A J A R

O OH T E RO O L E T EM T ON E M F R I L L N I B I SMY P A Y E YO T YOU N A A L E A E X T T PO EMON X I S A X T C E R OS A

M U T A T E A C T O R C A P E H U N

D I T A R E ND E RO R I L L E E A OY L C K T O A S E V T D I A M I ND E D S A N T R N T U S T O F T H ROO A N K S ND E E T A R E

A I N T I T

MO A D C I HU UM

ND N E E S

D E K A T E F A P H T J R A ON S A V E E S I S GH U GR E P EO ROB V E R B P GE S D O H S A Y

S P E A L O L L GG P I S UCH A ONQ N E E A L A P E T A B R A B P L E T L E N A R A N A B

A I R B A G

G E N E R A

A S S E S S

S N U B

I A EW I L OS

O L I O

N O A H

A P I G

ME A L UM I S

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Enjoy this moment in the spotlight. Take advantage of an offer or opportunity. Listen carefully, and stay sensitive to others.

Put on your power suit.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Look back for insight on the road ahead. Consider dreams, visions and

SUDOKU

SUNDAY March 17, 2019

possibilities. Choose from the most interesting options, and revise your upcoming plans.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Enjoy meetings, gatherings and social activities. Distractions abound. Interesting opportunities flow through your networks. Offer support, and find it when you need it.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Take on a professional test. An opportunity presents. Creative thinking solves a puzzle. Monitor data, statistics and numbers.

Teamwork extends your influence and capacities.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- Reach out and renew a more distant connection.

Travel, higher education and research projects extend your understanding of another view. Put together an inspiring itinerary.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) -- Today is a 9 -- Align to handle financial matters over the next few days. Negotiate terms that work for everyone. Keep cash flowing in a positive direction.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) -- Today is an 8 -Collaborate for a shared passion. Support each other for common commitments. Your view widens with extra eyes.

Listen to your partner’s valuable input.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Take extra care of your health and fitness. Get feedback from a doctor, coach or trainer. Rest deeply, and choose foods thoughtfully for top performance.

(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black’s legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @lindablack. For more astrological interpretations visit Linda Black Horoscopes and 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.

Y E N S

Solution from yesterday’s puzzle.

Arts Awake SUNDAY March 17, 2019

The Sunday Times

F7

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;FATHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Rep pays tribute to imperfect families

H

APPY PRPHQWV ELWWHU Ă&#x20AC;JKWV DQG PDQ\ PRUH LQ between â&#x20AC;&#x201D; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what a family normally is. But there are also families who could go the extreme, be it the ideal loving one or the dysfunctional kind.

Repertory Philippines (REP) tackles imperfection in relatable way in the production of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day,â&#x20AC;? promising a fresh and unique theater experience for LWV VHFRQG RIIHULQJ IRU WKH VHDVRQ Baby Barredo makes her comeback on the directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chair as she adapts this West End play for Pinoy audiences, running IURP 0DUFK WR $SULO DW WKH 2QVWDJH 7KHDWHU LQ *UHHQEHOW 0DNDWL &LW\ The story revolves how one unassuming winter evening, Henry Willows receives an unexpected visit from his estranged son, Matthew, and his goth girlfriend, Christine. Still bitter from the divorce that tore his family apart, Henry treats them unkindly.

After discovering that Matthew has run away however, he decides to call his ex-wife, Sue, resulting in an uneasy family reunion. When it is revealed WKDW WKH \HDU ROG &KULVWLQH PD\ EH pregnant, it prompts Henry and Sue to recall their past, prodded on by the

mischievous and conniving Matthew, who wishes to see his parents together again.

Filled with no-holds-barred dialogue and savage comebacks, Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day is a witty take on the ups and downs of family life â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a touching story about how family sticks together no matter what.

Leading the cast is widely respected theater stalwart Miguel Faustmann as Henry Willows, accompanied by Andres Borromeo as Matthew Willows, Liesl Batucan as Sue, and Becca Coates and Rachel Coates alternating as Christine.

Next on REPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list is â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Dresser,â&#x20AC;? which runs from May 3 to 26 and features a dramatic look at what happens behind-the-scenes of a theater. Perfect for kids and kids at heart, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Quest for the Adarnaâ&#x20AC;? in September transforms the beloved Ibong Adarna tale into a colorful English musical.

Q Miguel Faustman, Liesl Batucan, Andres Borromeo and Rachel Coates star in Repertory Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

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National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and Erehwon Center for the Arts CEO/Chairman Rafael Rivera Benitez (center).

Lumbera graces Erehwon art exhibit

NATIONAL Artist Bienvenido â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bienâ&#x20AC;?

Lumbera was the guest of honor at the opening of Heber Bartolomeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solo art exhibition at the Erehwon Center for WKH $UWV (&$ RQ )HEUXDU\ Titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Karugtong,â&#x20AC;? the exhibit ZKLFK UDQ XQWLO 0DUFK ZDV FXUDWHG

by Augusto â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gusâ&#x20AC;? Albor and was (&$¡V Ă&#x20AC;QDOH SURJUDP IRU LWV 1DWLRQDO Arts Month celebration.

Other guests included Radio Philippines Network (RPN) President Robert Rivera, soprano Rachelle Gerodias, Ivy Illescas Bugaoan, UP Prof. Neil Doloricon, artists Pablo Baen Santos, Antipas Delotavo, Maestro Jerry Dadap, Amado Hidalgo, Elito Circa, Tony Remington and Levi Bartolome.

Much like the artist himself whose DUWLVWU\ SHUVRQLĂ&#x20AC;HV WKUHH RI WKH VHYHQ forms of art, namely painting, music, and literature, the opening of â&#x20AC;&#x153;KarugWRQJÂľ ZDV D FRQĂ X[ RI )LOLSLQR WDOHQWV in literature, music and painting.

The program started with poetry reading, featuring ekphrasis written

by Lumbera, his fellow National Artist for Literature Virgilio â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rio Almaâ&#x20AC;?

Almario, and other renowned literary Ă&#x20AC;JXUHV OLNH -RVH /DFDED 0HOLVVD 1ROledo and Eduard Labadia.

The subjects of the poems were Heber Bartolomeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artworks titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sampayanâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Retaso,â&#x20AC;? which were

DPRQJ WKH DUWZRUNV RQ H[KLELW Among the poem readers were legends in the local music industry like Mike Hanopol (Juan de la Cruz Band) who read Rio Almaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sampayanâ&#x20AC;? and Resty Fabunan (Maria Cafra), who read Lumberaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sinampay.â&#x20AC;? It was a richly layered performance as both were interspersed with music and guitar playing.

The Erehwon Youth Rondalla added to the creative vibe at the Erehwon Atelier as they played music while the guests H[DPLQHG WKH SDLQWLQJV RQ H[KLELW which spanned the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creations for \HDUV IURP WR SUHVHQW Guests were also transported back WR V 3KLOLSSLQH URFN Q¡ UROO ZLWK performances by Hanopol, Fabunan, Levi Bartolome, Queen Rosas, Tala Saldivar, Kelvin Teh, and other musicians. The crowd then witnessed a heartfelt rendition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bayan Koâ&#x20AC;? by Gerodias in a duet with no other than the artist himself, Heber Bartolome. /RFDWHG DW 'RQ )UDQFLVFR 6WUHHW Villa Beatriz, Old Balara, Quezon City, ECA is a Gawad Parangal awardee recognized for its contributions to the arts and culture. It is also a member of the Philippine Performing Art Centers Consortium (PhilPACC), a project of the CCP. It operates MonGD\V WR )ULGD\V IURP D P WR S P

A SHORT Ă&#x20AC;OP PDGH E\ VWXGHQWV DV D Ă&#x20AC;QDO UHTXLUHPHQW IRU WKHLU &LQHPD class at Far Eastern University won Best Cinematography at the recently concluded Singkuwento International Film Festival Awards. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ang Huling Bucketlist,â&#x20AC;? written and directed by Bibo Ebuen, tells the VWRU\ RI D ZRPDQ Ă&#x20AC;JKWLQJ KHU RZQ EDWtles and trying to overcome her fears.

It was also nominated for Best Short Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Original Musical Score, Best Original Theme Song and Best Actress (Larissa Louise Alivio), in the event which was part of the National Arts Month celebration under the auspices of NCCA. Assistant director Kate Lauren Restua received the award on behalf of Cinco Productions director of photography Rosa Mina Olan. The rest of the team was made up of Charmae Carambas, Stephanie Mae Mercado, Shaina Carandang, Angelica Virgilio, Japz Tacuyan, Jasmin Sellado, Mariel Torrejos and Angelo Angcaya. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through the art of filmmaking as a powerful medium to mirror society, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ang Huling Bucketlistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; has been able to raise peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s awareness and give hope to those who can relate to the story. Making this film would not have been possible without the full commitment of

Director, writer and editor Bibo Ebuen

my production team,â&#x20AC;? Ebuen said.

7KH VKRUW Ă&#x20AC;OP LV DJDLQ VFKHGXOHG IRU screening together with fellow Singkuwento winners Belle Kay Loyolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dalit,â&#x20AC;? Maggie Lirioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Therese Bayaboâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kung â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;di Man Dumating ang Gabi,â&#x20AC;? Maricel Cariagaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Limang Orasâ&#x20AC;? and Tim Rone Villanuevaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Paano Bihisan ang Isang Inaâ&#x20AC;? on 0DUFK DQG S P DW WKH 83 Videotheque (back of Cine Adarna), ZKHQ WKH Ă&#x20AC;OP IHVWLYDO JRHV WR 83 'LOLman this month.

Two other works from FEU alumni, which they made outside the university, also bagged awards in different categories. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Liwanagâ&#x20AC;? by Arby and Christine LaraĂąo won Jury Prize and Best Directors in the documentary category. It will be shown with three

RWKHU GRFXPHQWDULHV RQ 0DUFK p.m. at the UP Videotheque. Meanwhile, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bisperasâ&#x20AC;? by Ralph Lauren Quincena (Sinepanghalina) brought home the Audience Choice Award.

The other FEU f inalists from the 25 short films which competed during the week-long Singkuwento festival are â&#x20AC;&#x153;Apo-Diosâ&#x20AC;? by Victor Elijah Gador (Cine Mabuya Films), â&#x20AC;&#x153;Damaâ&#x20AC;? by Trisha Marie Antonio (SineGang Films) and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kumariâ&#x20AC;? by Angela Aguila and One Carlo Diaz (Dream Developers Studios).

Presented by MPJ Entertainment Productions in cooperation with the NCCA, Asian Television Content Corporation and Film Development Council of the Philippines, Singkuwento aims to feature works of various )LOLSLQR DQG IRUHLJQ Ă&#x20AC;OPPDNHUV â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is an avenue for Filipinos both here and abroad to share their voice, VHQWLPHQWV DQG WKRXJKWV YLD WKH Ă&#x20AC;OPV they have created. It is also the festivalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aim to provide a channel for nonFilipinos to share their impressions of the Philippines and its people,â&#x20AC;?

IHVWLYDO GLUHFWRU Ă&#x20AC;OPPDNHU DQG DFWRU Perry EscaĂąo said.

7KH VKRUW Ă&#x20AC;OP FRPSHWLWLRQ MXU\ ZDV composed of award-winning director Zig Dulay, FDCP Executive Director :LOO )UHGR DQG SURGXFHU Ă&#x20AC;OPPDNHU Albert Almendralejo.

Ikebana Manila @ 52 IKEBANA International Manila &KDSWHU FHOHEUDWHV LWV QG DQQLYHUVDU\ RQ 0DUFK WR DW WKH Grand Atrium, Edsa Shangri-La Mall in Mandaluyong City with an exhibition of floral arrangements created by its members, the Embassy of Japan, and Ikebana Philippine chapters from Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Davao.

With the special participation of Lalique/Rustans, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ikebana Manila @ 52â&#x20AC;? is Philippine-inspired, as mentioned by Sogetsu founder Sofu Teshigahara that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ikebana Art has no national or ethnic boundaries.â&#x20AC;?

Madam Ihoko Haneda, spouse of the Japanese ambassador will head the traditional by-invitation-only

â&#x20AC;&#x153;lighting of the suloâ&#x20AC;? to mark the RSHQLQJ RI WKH H[KLELW RQ 0DUFK Certified Ikebana teachers will conduct free demonstrations on March 23 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 0DUFK IURP S P WR S P ,NHEDQD WKH DQFLHQW DUW RI Ă RZHU DUUDQJHPHQW GDWHV EDFN WR WKH WK FHQWXU\ 2ULJLQDOO\ XVHG DV Ă RZHU offerings in religious temples, it was RQO\ LQ WKH WK FHQWXU\ WKDW WKH term became known and appreciated as an expression of art.

Eventually, this led to the establishment of Ikebana schools in Japan, each with its own set and distinguished style â&#x20AC;&#x201C; among them are Ikenobo, Sogetsu, Ohara, Ryuseiha, Ichiyo, Chico and Koryu.

'Ang Huling Bucketlistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; team

$ FHOHEUDWLRQ RI UHJLRQDO FLQHPD XQLW\

THE ELJJHVW Ă&#x20AC;OP IHVWLYDO LQ 6RXWKHUQ Tagalog, Pelikultura: The Calabarzon )LOP )HVWLYDO ZDV KHOG RQ 0DUFK WR DW WKH 8QLYHUVLW\ RI WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV Los BaĂąos (UPLB).

Now on its ninth year, the festival was presented by UPLB PelikuLAB, UPLB Department of Humanities, Film Development Council of the Philippines, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the UPLB 2IĂ&#x20AC;FH RI WKH &KDQFHOORU This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme was inspired by the encompassing, life-sustaining, and free Ă RZLQJ EHDXW\ RI /DJXQD /DNH

Like the lake that unites the provinces RI 5HJLRQ $ DQG H[WHQGV WR 0HWUR 0Dnila, Pelikultura continues its mission RI SURYLGLQJ D SODWIRUP IRU Ă&#x20AC;OPPDNHUV both budding and professional, from Calabarzon and neighboring regions.

Featured in the festival were four fullOHQJWK Ă&#x20AC;OPV Âł ´&DUYLQJ 7K\ )DLWKÂľ

by Hiyas Baldemor Bagabaldo (screened EDFN WR EDFN ZLWK WKH VKRUW Ă&#x20AC;OP ´%XNRG Kang Pinagpala Sa Babaeng Lahatâ&#x20AC;? by Lyxen Nicolas), â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sa Palad ng Dantaong .XODQJÂľ E\ -HZHO 0DUDQDQ ´$OPDDWDÂľ E\ $UQHO 0DUGRTXLR DQG a restored version of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nunal Sa Tubigâ&#x20AC;?

E\ ,VKPDHO %HUQDO The activities included a lecture on Film Appreciation by Rolando Tolentino, workshops on Documentary Filmmaking and Film Editing by Maranan and Keith Deligero, and a special exhiELWLRQ ZKLFK IHDWXUHV ZRUNV IURP Ă&#x20AC;OPmakers from the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia. $OO VKRUWOLVWHG Ă&#x20AC;OPV WKLV \HDU KDYH the chance to be screened next year in the Calabarzon program of the annual &LQHPD 5HKL\RQ Âł WKH QDWLRQDO Ă&#x20AC;OP IHVtival of regional cinemas that showcases various cultures throughout the country.

Arts Awake The Sunday Times

F8

March 17, 2019 SUNDAY

Five fresh Art in the Park picks W

BY CHRISTINA ALPAD

HILE it is easy to assume that Manila-based art patrons have seen everything the annual Art in the Park has to offer, this fund-raising event at Jaime Velasquez Park in Salcedo Village, Makati never runs out of fresh ideas to attract returning and new visitors.

7R VWDUW ZLWK RUJDQL]HUV KDYH SODFHG D FDS RI 3 for every artwork on sale making it what could be the most affordable art fair year after year. And while the highest tag price is set, it should be told that many art lovers have been able to buy valuable pieces for even far less. In fact, LQ DQ $UW LQ WKH 3DUN YLVLWRU XQZLWWLQJO\ ERXJKW DQ unsigned painting by National Artist Benjamin â&#x20AC;&#x153;BenCabâ&#x20AC;?

Cabrera from CANVAS, and another an unsigned Manny Garibay. No wonder their stories went viral on the net!

This year, a total of 56 exhibitors representing galleries, art collectives, independent art spaces, and student groups, will display their respective masterpieces appeal to a broad array of tastes and styles. And as always, exciting picks are ready WR EH IRXQG DW WKH VDOH WKDW RSHQV IURP D P WR S P keeping Art in the Park as delightfully surprising as ever.

Now if these facts are not enough to lure you to the -DLPH 9HODVTXH] 3DUN WRGD\ KHUH DUH Ă&#x20AC;YH QHZ SLFNV IRU $UW LQ WKH 3DUN

Justin Golangao

'Eargasmic' and JDVWURQRPLF Ă&#x20AC;OO

Zean Cabangis' 'From the space in which we stand'

Zean Cabangis in the spotlight

The art of painter and avid photographer Zean Cabangis graces the fairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s postcards. A merging of his two passions, â&#x20AC;&#x153;From the space in which we stand,â&#x20AC;? his exhibit, consists of a photo transfer of one of his photographs that he then painted over. Works by Cabangis will also be available at the MFPI booth.

CONTRIBUTED CONT CO NTRI RIBU BUTE TED D PHOTOS P HOTOS

A surprise from Leeroy New

Fresh from the success of his performance at the Armory Show in New York, Leeroy New has something special planned for Art in the Park visitors.

Oscar Mejiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 'Enigma of Scent' Yeo Kaa's 'Alone But Not Lonely'

<HR .DD¡V LQà DWDEOH ODG\

3DODZDQ ERUQ \RXQJ DUWLVW <HR .DD ZLOO UHSULVH KHU LQĂ DWDEOH SLHFH â&#x20AC;&#x153;Alone But Not Lonelyâ&#x20AC;? from her recent exhibition in Singapore.

Yeo Kaa will also have tile work available at the MFPI booth. It can be recalled that her candy-colored tiles immediately sold out at the recently concluded Art Fair Philippines.

A first for Art in the Park, the fair will feature an installation focused on fragrances.

With the Enigma of Scent, Oscar Mejia aims to invoke personal experiences among fairgoers through the mysterious sense of smell. The exhibition will also talk about the history of the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; perfume industry.

Enhancing the relaxed atmosphere of the fair, the trio of Soulful Mood will be playing mellow jazz tunes throughout the day. In the eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s special performance, the Bleu Rascals â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Philippine repreVHQWDWLYH WR WKH WK ,QWHUQDWLRQDO %OXHV Challenge in the United States â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will energize the crowds with their spirited take on the blues.

Fairgoers looking to take an easy, nourishing break in between the hunt for art treasures can pop into any of the food tents offering a selection of sweet and savory, even vegan, fare, with a spotlight on dishes by Chef Justin Golangco, the genius behind the famous fried chicken of Poblacionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Buckyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and The Alleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SideChick.

A fundraising event, Art in the Park donates a portion of all sales to the Museum Foundation of the Philippines Inc. (MFPI) in support of their projects and programs for the National Museum of the Philippines and its network. Entrance to the fair is free of charge.

Women with genuine smiles captured in photo series JUST before the camera shutter clicks, t he wor d â&#x20AC;&#x153;sm i leâ&#x20AC;? i s a lway s b e i n g thrown. Almost, if not all, photographers coax it out of models, and for good reason â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a br ight, con f ident smile is possibly the most beautiful thing that a person in front of the camera can wear.

But a smile is more than that, it lifts a person up and gives her the power to lift up everyone around her. This is especially true if the smile comes from a real, beautiful and empowering experience.

This became the inspiration for a photo series called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ngiting Tagumpayâ&#x20AC;?.

Produced by Tala Philippines in celebration of Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Month, the campaign features real users of the money lending app who were photographed while remembering their real-life victories. The photos celebrate the countless other women who fight â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and win â&#x20AC;&#x201D; very real battles day in, and day out.

Bea, 54 Mother and budding businesswoman Some entrepreneurs give up on their dreams when their l ivel ihood loses momentum.

But not Bea, an independent mother and budding businesswoman from Taguig. A year ago, her small garment business almost folded due to lack of capital. But she persevered to breathe new life into her apparel business. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incredibly proud when customers wear her garments, and it shows in the smile that she wears on her face.

Andy, 31 Freelancer and mother

Mo m s m a k e a m a z i n g s ac rif ices when it comes to their childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s welfare.

For Andy, it meant giving up a lucrative overseas job to take care of her son at home. She did a bit of freelancing to support her kid. But despite her efforts, money still fell short at times. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a freelancer, collecting fees can be a challenge. Pay is often delayed, and that really messes up the household budget,â&#x20AC;? she noted â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are times when I thought about drawing from the account Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve set aside for my child.â&#x20AC;?

Luckily, she was able to beat payment deadlines without having to redo her budgeting. She smiles all the way to the bank, knowing that she makes her sonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future a little bit brighter every day.

Aimee, 42 Empowered housewife and businesswoman

There are good entrepreneurs. There are good housewives. Aimee is the special type of woman thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good at both, and she represents the growing number of women that have been empowered by microfinance.

Aimee grew a small loan into a business venWXUH WKDW PDGH KHU D Ă&#x20AC;QDQFLDOO\ LQGHSHQGHQW KRXVHZLIH 6KH LQYHVWHG KHU Ă&#x20AC;UVW 3 WR VHOO packed food, then reinvested what she earned until her business took on a life of its own.

Now, her business has grown to include frozen food, beauty products, and even a small micro-lending operation of her own. She has many more ideas in her head, and none of them include asking her husband for money.