THE MANILA TIMES | APRIL 18, 2019

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THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

Origin of the specious at Ateneo: Co-education or Jose Villarin OBSERVER YEN MAKABENTA (First of 2 parts) First word EING an alumnus of the Ateneo de Manila University and a onetime college teacher, and coming also from a family with generations of alumni, I cannot just sit back and observe Ateneo’s recent misstep on quicksand.

I thought the ideas and issues I will raise in this, and my next, column are best unwrapped under the shroud of Lent.

There is a sense of the miraculous and the

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Duterte threatens to sack MWSS execs

BY RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

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2%3)$%.4 2ODRIGO $UTERTE HAS THREATENED TO kRE OFkCIALS OF THE -ETROPOLITAN 7ATERWORKS AND 3EWERAGE 3YSTEM -733 FOR FAILING TO PREVENT A WATER SHORTAGE IN PARTS OF -ETRO -ANILA AND 2IZAL PROVINCE SAYING THERE WERE MORE QUALIkED PEOPLE TO DO THEIR JOBS

Speaking at the campaign rally of the ruling PDP-Laban party in Tuguegarao City on Tuesday night, Duterte hinted at kRING OFkCIALS IN THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE of corruption.

He then shifted to the MWSS, saying the water agency knew the El NiĂąo dry spell was coming, but did not prepare for it. “The MWSS. You know that is... sea-

‘Unless you eat My flesh, you have no life in you’ FAITH HEALER RICARDO SALUDO The Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.� In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.� For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. — St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 11:23-26

ÂłSaludoA5

IN MY LINE OF SIGHT

RAMON T. TULFO

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N his Palm Sunday homily, Manila Archbishop Antonio Cardinal Tagle told his congregation not to follow “arrogant, revengeful� kings.

Tagle said people seek arrogant leaders as they were “easier� to follow and were more “attractive� than Jesus Christ.

That broadside was obviously meant for President Digong who has been critical of the Catholic Church in the country.

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PARTAKING OF THE PASSION Penitents flog themselves as they walk the streets of Pampanga on

Wednesday. Self-flagellation is part of the religious ritual during Holy Week, as Christians recall the passion and death of Jesus Christ.

PHOTO BY RUY L. MARTINEZ

CHINESE kSHING VESSELS HAVE BEEN CONkRMED TO BE NEAR TWO 0HILIPPINE OCCUPIED islands within the Spratly Group of Islands (Kalayaan Island Group), according to a Washington-based think tank.

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) on Tuesday published a report titled “Still Under Pressure: Manila Versus the

-ILITIAu THAT IDENTIkED THE ISLANDS AS +OTA (Loaita) and Panata (Loaita Cay).

The AMTI said the Chinese boats had been near the two islands since early March, based on satellite images taken.

From the satellite images collected on March 12, 16 and 29 and April 7,

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

NO THREATS TO HOLY WEEK RITES, PNP ASSURES PUBLIC

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MURRAY INSPIRES NUGGETS AS RAPTORS, BLAZERS WIN

SportsC1

THE administration party PDP-Laban has kLED A DISQUALIkCATION CASE AGAINST OUTGOing Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone and party-list An Waray for alleged violation of election laws. )N A PAGE PETITION kLED BEFORE THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) law department on Wednesday, petitioners PDP-Laban Visayas Vice President Lutgardo Bargo and Alexis Yu alleged that Evardone and An Waray violated the Omnibus Election Code when the congressman attended the graduation ceremony of the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU)-Guiuan campus on April 2.

Evardone is running for governor of Eastern Samar, while his wife Grace is the second nominee of An Waray.

During the graduation ceremony, Barbo said, Evardone was allowed to address the audience and present a video highlighting his accomplishments as the graduates were handed their diplomas despite

ÂłDisqualify A8

US think tank confirms Chinese boats’ presence

What’s inside

STORE WATER, MAYNILAD URGES CUSTOMERS

ÂłMWSS A2

PDP-Laban: Disqualify An Waray, Evardone

ÂłMakabentaA4

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone

sonal. It comes with regularity, El NiĂąo.

Son of a b***h, you have been there for several years and you do not prepare for it? And when it comes, the people have no water,� he said.

The board of MWSS is headed by Franklin Demonteverde, a retired Negros Occidental judge, and its administrator is

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PASYON, DEIFICATION, DEMONIZATION AND REDEMPTION

Antonio ContrerasA5

RENDITIONS OF THE LAST SUPPER THROUGH TIME AND AROUND THE WORLD

EntertainmentC4

Drive Chinese vessels out, Hilbay dares Duterte

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M A U N D Y T H U R S D AY:

‘A time for acts of charity’ TWO bishops have called on the faithful and the clergy to be charitable and be of service to others on Maundy Thursday.

Bishop Ruperto Santos, head of the Balanga diocese in Bataan, on Wednesday said Maundy Thursday is a reminder to priests to take care OF THEIR lOCK THE WAY *ESUS #HRIST redeemed mankind and saved it from sin and death. “We must become like Jesus Christ who was willing to do sacRIkCES TO SAVE LIVES HEAL AND HELP people and not to harm or hurt them,� Santos added. “Love one another as I have loved you,� the bishop said, citing the Bible verse John 13:34.

This is done through a religious tradition called the chrism Mass, which, according to Santos, is “one of the principal expressions of the clergy that they “belong to and are the children and co-workers of God.� “With blessing of oils and these OILS FOR BAPTISM CONkRMATION AND holy order, we are marked for God,

ÂłCharity A2

‘MANILA VS THE MILITIA’ Satellite photo posted by the

Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative on its website shows a Chinese vessel towing smaller boats near the Philippine-occupied Loaita Cay in the West Philippine Sea on April 7. IMAGE FROM AMTI.CSIS.ORG

France’s Macron vows to rebuild Notre-Dame in 5 years PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron has vowed to rebuild Notre-Dame “even MORE BEAUTIFULLYu WITHIN kVE YEARS AS ALL of France’s cathedrals prepared to ring their bells on Wednesday to mark 48 HOURS SINCE THE COLOSSAL kRE BEGAN The blaze on Monday gutted the great Paris landmark, destroying the roof, causing the steeple to collapse and leaving France reeling with shock.

Macron announced the speedy timescale for restoration — a process some experts had said would take decades—in an address to the nation where he hailed how the disaster had shown the capacity of France to mobilize and unite.

Pledges worth about 700 million euros

($790 million) have already been made from French billionaires and businesses to restore the Gothic masterpiece.

An unknown number of artifacts and paintings have been lost and the main organ, which had close to 8,000 pipes, has also suffered damage.

But the cathedral’s walls, bell towers and the most famous circular stained-glass windows at France’s most visited tourist attraction remain intact.

In a further sign of the monument’s resilience, the copper rooster that topped its spire was found Tuesday in the rubble from the partly collapsed roof, “battered but apparently restorable� according to

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THURSDAY April 18, 2019

BUT METRO MANILA UNDER ‘RED ALERT’

No threats to Holy Week rites, PNP assures public

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BY ROY D.R. NARRA

(),)00).% .ATIONAL 0OLICE 0.0 CHIEF /SCAR !LBAYALDE ON 7EDNESDAY SAID THERE WERE NO THREATS TO PEACE AND SECURITY DURING THE OBSERVANCE OF (OLY 7EEK

Police, however, were not putting their guard down and were prepared to deal with various situations, he told reporters. “So far, we haven’t received any kind of threats or whatsoever. Of course, even if there is no threat,

we have to be always on alert and our intelligence monitoring is in place,� Albayalde said in Filipino.

The PNP has deployed more than

POLICE OFkCERS ALL OVER THE country to ensure peace and security, especially in tourist destinations and

public areas such as churches.

Explosives units have also been stationed at bus terminals.

Metro Manila is under full alert status, which means that all police personnel must report to duty except those in emergency situations.

This also means their leaves are canceled until the end of Holy Week.

Albayalde and Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the National Capital 2EGION 0OLICE /FkCE DIRECTOR WENT to bus terminals in Cubao and Pasay and to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for inspections.

Albayalde commended passengers for not bringing dangerous and banned items. He said the PUBLIC HAD gkNALLY LEARNEDu WHAT to do when going to public transportation terminals. “So far, there are no contrabands caught from passengers here. I think they are already educated, that’s why,� Albayalde said.

Besides the PNP, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Bureau of Fire Protection are also on full alert status for the Holy Week.

Drive Chinese vessels out, Hilbay dares Duterte OPPOSITION candidate for senator Florin Hilbay has slammed the recent tirade of President Rodrigo Duterte about his sexuality, urging him to prove his “bravery� to the public by protecting the country’s sovereignty instead.

On Wednesday, the Otso Diretso bet and former solicitor GENERAL CLARIkED IN A STATEMENT that although he was straight and secure in his relationship with singer and actress Maria Margarita Amada “Agot� Isidro, he saw nothing wrong about being a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and (LGBT) community. “For the record, I am straight.

But, unlike the President, Agot and I are secure in our relationship and we don’t believe that anybody has to prove their gender and sexuality to anyone.

Unlike the President, Agot and I don’t see being a member of the LGBT community as a mistake or a source of shame,� Hilbay said, adding that Duterte’s “bigotry� was the reason why people in the LGBT community were afraid of coming out.

In a speech in Bukidnon on Tuesday, the President accused Hilbay of being gay and covering up his sexuality by using Isidro, a fellow staunch critic of the administration. “He acts like a man and preTENDS THAT !GOT IS HIS GIRLkEND Be true to yourself. You’re gay.

Don’t hide behind a cover,�

Duterte said.

Hilbay, a defendant in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) ruling, noted that if the President himself wanted to prove his “bravery� and had nothing to hide, he should de-

fend Philippine territory from invaders. “Kung gusto ni Pangulo na ipakita ang kaniyang katapangan, palayasin niya ang China sa mga teritoryo natin, huwag niyang hayaan ang pagkamkam nila sa ating mga likas na yaman, at ipatigil niya ang pagpasok ng mga iligal na Chinese workers sa bansa (If the President wants to show his bravery, he should fend off the Chinese forces from our territory and not let them abuse all our natural resources. He should also stop illegal Chinese workers from entering the country),� he said. “At kung katapatan ang usapan, paimbestigahan niya ang Chinese drug triad, ang narcolist, at tattoo ng anak at alalay niya (And in terms of truth, he should allow the investigation of the Chinese drug triad, narcolist and the tattoo of his son and his aide),� Hilbay added.

A video links former Davao City vice mayor Paolo “Pulong�

Duterte, President Duterte’s son, and Lawrence Christopher “Bong� Go, former special assistant to the President and now candidate for senator, to the drug triad.

Over the past months, Duterte had been taunting the Liberal Party-backed Otso Diretso and other candidates from the opposition for criticizing his administration.

The opposition had been calling out the President for his soft stance on the government’s agreements with China and on the country’s apparent accommodation of China over a dispute in the West Philippine Sea between Manila and Beijing.

GLEE JALEA

Q NOTRE-DAME FROM A1

France’s Macron vows

Q Map shows the positions of Chinese boats near Kota (Loaita) Island. IMAGE FROM AMTI.CSIS.ORG

Q BOATS FROM A1

US think tank confirms Chinese the vessels were near Kota and Panata islands, in “almost every instance� in clusters. “On March 12, a single Chinese kSHING TRAWLER OF ABOUT METERS was visible near [Kota] Island. Four days later, that had increased to eight large trawlers. And by March 29, there were at least 15 large ChiNESE kSHING VESSELS AND EIGHT SMALL boats in the area,� the AMTI said.

Thirteen of the Chinese vessels near Kota Island measured roughly 50 meters, while two were about 20 meters, according to the think tank.

Some of the vessels were located between 2 and 2.5 nautical miles from Kota Island and one has been loitering near the “unoccupied�

Panata to the east, “but most were arrayed around Loaita Cay.� “None were engaged in trawling OR APPEARED TO HAVE kSHING GEAR deployed,� the AMTI said.

Four Chinese trawlers were also seen riding at anchor less than half

a nautical mile from the Philippine outpost established at Panata Island, it added.

The think tank said the trawlers were “considerably closer than [what the AMTI] has ever seen militia vessels approach another country’s facility before.� “This must be particularly provocative for the Philippine detachment on the cay, who likely rel[ies] on frequent resupply and relief from those on Loaita Island,� it added.

Apart from the Chinese vessels, the AMTI said it also spotted the Philippine Navy’s LST-542-class tank landing ship deployed within sight of the two Chinese trawlers, about a nautical mile to the east of Panata.

It added that this World War 2 vessel could either be BRP Benguet or BRP Laguna, which is also the same class as the BRP Sierra Madre that Manila intentionally ran to the ground on Ayungin (Second

Thomas) shoal in 1999.

The AMTI said two of the Chinese vessels measured 20 meters and were each “towing three small boats.� “Two more of these small boats were visible traveling southeast from the vicinity of Loaita Cay. These vessels appear similar to the ‘chopper boats’ and their mother ships often seen harvesting giant clams by intentionally destroying coral reefs around the South China Sea, most recently at Scarborough [Panatag] shoal,� it added.

Based on the images, however, the AMTI said there was no new scarring visible on the reefs, either in the March 29 image or in subsequent images, “so these boats could have been engaged in other TYPES OF kSHING u “[L]ike the larger Chinese vessels, they have been foregoing in the service of the maritime militia,� it added.

Based on the April 7 image, only

Q CHARITY FROM A1

Q MWSS FROM A1

A time

Duterte threatens

engraved in our heads� he said. /IL FOR THE SICK SIGNIkED HEALING and the comforting assurance of eternal life, Santos added.

Maundy Thursday, he said, also meant that the religious are forgiven and loved by God, thus they must learn to forgive and be a blessing to all.

For Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos diocese in Negros Occidental, the day is a commemoration of the Last Supper, a foreboding of *ESUS #HRIST S BLOODY SACRIkCE ON THE cross on Good Friday.

Jesus Christ also washed the of feet of his disciples, which act, Alminaza said, demonstrated a life dedicated to service.

He urged the faithful to ask themselves how well they had “appreciated these precious treasures left by the Lord.� CATHERINE A. MODESTO

a retired police general, Reynaldo Velasco.

Other members of the MWSS board are Jose Hernandez, Valeriano Pasquil, Merly Cruz, Melanie SiaLambino, Mariano Alegarbes and Melchior Acosta Jr. Duterte again noted that a day after scolding -733 OFkCIALS AND EXECUTIVES OF THE AGENCY S TWO water concessionaires, Manila Water Company Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. on March 19, water supply was back. “The afternoon, there was already water. You see?

Why do you have to cause problem for the people when there are things that you can do at once... It just means, you derail everything in life. They cannot drink, they cannot.... Foolishness,� he said.

The President said he had no patience for people sleeping on their jobs, saying they “either hack it or not.� “You know, there are a lot of Filipinos here, engineers outside that are skilled but are not known.

There are millions of Filipinos waiting outside, [brighter] than you, [smarter],� he said. “But, they are not well-known because they are not politicians. I will not hesitate to replace you all,� he added.

six large vessels and two small boats were visible near the features, “though more of the latter could have been present.�

The vessels included two 50-meter trawlers riding at anchor, three of them 20-meter vessels that also included one towing two small boats less than a half nautical mile from Panata Cay, and one 50-meter falling net vessel with its gear deployed, which the AMTI said was the only time a Chinese vessel in any of the images appeared to BE kSHING LEGITIMATELY The image on April 14, according to the think tank, showed no vessels near Kota Island, while those on Panata Cay were not visible. “In any case, this month-long deployment around the two FEATURES SHOWS THAT THE lOTILLA around Thitu (Pag-asa) Island is not a one-off incident,� the AMTI noted. “As prior research has shown, the maritime militia is and will likely remain the most visible arm of China’s power directed at its neighbors on the Spratly Islands,� it said.

DEMPSEY REYES

Last month, MalacaĂąang said a visually irate $UTERTE THREATENED TO kRE OFkCIALS OF -733 AND END the contracts of its concessionaires during a 40-minute meeting, if the water shortage was not addressed.

Duterte had directed the MWSS to demand from Manila Water, Maynilad and other responsible ofkCES TO RELEASE WATER GOOD FOR DAYS FROM THE Angat Dam, Metro Manila’s main water source. /N 4UESDAY THE #HIEF /PERATING /FkCER OF -ANILA Water Geodino Carpio stepped down following last month’s water shortage that hit about 1.2 million households in Metro Manila and Rizal province.

-ANILA 7ATER CAME UNDER kRE AS CUSTOMERS ‡ from low-income families to commercial and industrial establishments — suffered major inconveniences because of an unprecedented water shortage that started on March 6 with the implementation of a scheduled water service interruption scheme TO REkLL RESERVOIRS The utility has an allocation of 1,600 million liters per day (MLD) from Angat Dam. However, the company was forced to tap its reserves from ,A -ESA $AM TO MAKE UP FOR A SUPPLY DEkCIT AS demand increased to about 1,750 MLD over the previous weeks.

The listed water utility declared a one-time bill relief for its customers.

a spokesperson for the culture ministry.

Macron’s announcement of a kVE YEAR RESTORATION TIME FRAME indicates he wants the reconstruction to be completed by the time Paris hosts the Olympic Games in 2024. “We will rebuild the cathedral even more beautifully and I want IT TO BE kNISHED WITHIN kVE YEARS u he said in the speech from the presidential palace. “We can do it.�

-ACRON SAID THE DRAMATIC kRE HAD brought out the best in a country riven with divisions and, since November, shaken by sometimes violent protests against his rule.

It had shown that “our history never stops and that we will always have trials to overcome,� he added.

The bells of all cathedrals in France were to sound at 6:50 p.m.

(1650 GMT) on Wednesday, 48 HOURS AFTER THE kRE STARTED Investigators trying to determine the cause of the blaze will also continue questioning workers who were renovating the steeple on -ONDAY BEFORE THE kRE BROKE OUT The police, who suspect the operation to replace the steeple’s lead covering may have triggered the disaster, had already spoken to around 30 people from five different construction companies.

Public prosecutor Remy Heitz has said the investigation promises to be “long and complex.�

out through the night.

Though “some weaknesses� in the 850-year-old structure had BEEN IDENTIkED OVERALL IT IS gHOLDing up okay,� he added.

A public appeal for funds has secured nearly a billion euros in pledges from some of France’s wealthiest families and companies.

French billionaire Bernard Arnault and his LVMH luxury conglomerate, rival high-end designer goods group Kering, Total oil company and cosmetics giant L’Oreal each pledged 100 million euros or more.

Support came from outside France as well, with Apple chief Tim Cook announcing the tech giant WOULD GIVE AN UNSPECIkED AMOUNT But experts had warned a full restoration would take many years. “I’d say decades,� said Eric Fischer, head of the foundation in charge of restoring the 1,000-yearold Strasbourg Cathedral.

Germany, Italy and Russia are among the countries to have offered expert help.

Treasures saved

Thousands of Parisians and tourists watched in horror Monday as lAMES ENGULFED A BUILDING THAT has symbolized Paris for nearly a millennium.

Many more came Tuesday to the banks of the River Seine to gaze at where the roof and steeple Structural ‘weaknesses’ once stood and a prayer vigil at the nearby Saint-Michel square drew Images from inside the cathedral hundreds of worshippers. showed its immense walls standA firefighter suffered injuries ing proud, with statues still in during the blaze, which at one place and a gleaming golden cross point threatened to bring down above the altar. one of the two monumental tow(OWEVER THE lOOR WAS COVERED ers on the western facade of the in rubble and scorched beams cathedral that is visited by 13 milfrom the fallen roof and water, lion tourists each year. while parts of the vaulting at the The Holy Crown of Thorns, betop of the cathedral had collapsed. lieved to have been worn by Jesus at Junior Interior Minister Laurent HIS CRUCIkXION WAS SAVED BY kREkGHTNunez told reporters that work to ers, as was a sacred tunic worn by 13th secure the structure would con- century French king Louis 9th. tinue into Thursday.

Rescuers formed a human chain He said the building had been at the site of the disaster to evacusaved within a critical time win- ate as many artefacts as possible, dow of 15 to 30 minutes by a team which were stocked temporarily at OF kREkGHTERS WHO WORKED lAT the Paris town hall.

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Palace: Church free to choose poll bets

THE Church had the constitutional right to freely choose its candidates for the upcoming elections, MalacaĂąang said after an inter-faith group endorsed 10 Senate bets, eight of them from the opposition.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said MalacaĂąang respects the Church’s decision not to endorse Senate candidates running under the administration-backed Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP), a regional party led by presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. “The Philippines is a free and democratic country, where everybody can endorse anybody RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFkCE u 0ANELO said in a statement.

The People’s Choice Movement (PCM), an inter-faith group composed of over 100 lay leaders, endorsed eight candidates of the Otso Diretso opposition slate, former Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares, and reelectionist Sen. Mary Grace Poe. Candidates from the opposition include former Interior secretary Manuel “Marâ€? Roxas 2nd, Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bamâ€? Aquino 4th, Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay, former lawmaker Lorenzo “Erinâ€? TaĂąada, veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, human rights lawyer Jose Manuel “Chelâ€?

Diokno, and Maranao civic leader Samira Gutoc.

The PCM is a group of individual leaders coming from Catholic, evangelical and protestant communities.

PCM Chairman Ricky Xavier said their support for the 10 candidates would go beyond their organizations. “We will ask our members to go and engage in the parishes. There are many people there who are not part of our organizations but who desire the same things that we do,�

Xavier said.

Panelo said it would be up to the electorate to choose their candidates. “In this case, we deem it best to leave the endorsement of the Church to the candidates themselves and leave it the electorate as to how they will look or treat the same,� he added.

As the nation pauses to mark Holy Week, President Rodrigo Duterte resumed his attack on the Church, saying religious leaders should not use the pulpit in criticizing him and his administration. “’Yung pari dapat huwag mong gamitin ang simbahan. Kung ito ang simbahan, pulpito ito, lumabas ka (The priest should not use the Church. If that’s the Church, that’s a pulpit, go out) because there is a separation of Church and State,� Duterte said during a campaign rally in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. “‘Yan ang ibig kong sabihin. Lahat sa tamang panahon, sa tamang lugar. ‘Di ka basta-basta bira diyan [nang] bira (That’s what I meant.

There’s a time and place for everything. You should not keep on criticizing),� he added.

The President also questioned the concept of heaven and hell, joking that he prefers going to hell because it would be full of beautiful women. “Anong heaven and hell? Saan man ilagay? Bakit ako na ang Diyos? Diyos na ako. Bakit ako mag-gawa ng masamang tao at ilagay ko diyan sa impiyerno?

(What heaven and hell? Where is it? Why I should create a bad person and put them in hell?),�

Duterte said. “Saan ’yung magaganda diyan sa mga bar, sa karaoke, ’yung magagandang katawan, magandang mukha, nasaan kaya sila?

Nasa impiyerno (Where are those beautiful women in bars, in karaoke, those with beautiful bodies, beautiful faces, where are they? In hell),� he added.

The President made fun of the Catholic sacrament of confession, saying attending Mass and seeking forgiveness from God were “useless.� “Kaya ako hindi nagsisimba.

Kasi ’pag magsimba ako (That’s why I never attend mass because if I go to Church), ‘Forgive me, father, for I have killed last night three.’ Balik na naman ako kinabukasan (Then I will return the next day), ‘Father, forgive me because I have killed 10 drug lords.’ Pabalik-balik ako, bakit pa ako magpunta doon? Useless (I keep on returning, so why should I go back? It’s useless),� he said.

CATHERINE S. VALENTE

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

Boracay ‘better’ a year after closure B

BY NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

ORACAY Island is back to its pristine state almost a year after it was ordered closed for rehabilitation, the Department of Tourism (DoT) said.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said the Department of Public Works and Highways had kNISHED REPAIRING ALL ROADS THERE The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone was also on track in finishing the construction of a sewerage system, part of the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force’s (BITF) Phase 2 of the island rehabilitation.

Businesses had also started to boom, Puyat said. “Together with Aboitiz Foundation, we’re doing a wetland [project], we are making it into a park, eco-tourism zone. There are so many

places to go to in Boracay, not just the beaches,� she added.

The Tourism chief said coliform bacteria levels in Boracay waters were now down to zero from the very high level of one million most probable number.

The DoT attributed the progress to the relentless efforts of the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The DENR is also regularly doing the tests on the coliform level every two weeks to maintain the present condition of Boracay Island, especially

Manicad said. “There is a need for the government to closely monitor Meralco and other public utilities. As we have seen in the previous weeks, problems in THESE kRMS ARE PILING UP INSTEAD of winding down.�

The former journalist pointed out that public utilities like Meralco, Manila Water and Maynilad “have an obligation to provide services to the public while also taking into consideration the prices and affordability of their services.�

Kapag hinayaan natin ang mga ito, kawawa ang taumbayan. Pumalpak na sila sa

during the peak season.

As of April 8, more than 339 hotels and tourism establishments have been reopened, accounting to more than 12,000 rooms.

Puyat also said respective hotels and resorts were told to supply potable water for both domestic and foreign travelers while local govERNMENT OFkCIALS WERE RELIGIOUSLY monitoring the garbage. “Garbage is continuously being monitored by the LGUs (local government units), we have ground enforcers who ensure that the tourists will dispose trash properly.

Receptacles have also been placed everywhere,� she said.

While the BITF and the local government of Boracay have allowed parties since the reopening of the island last October, Puyat said there would be no more LaBoracay or any other beach parties this year.

HOLY WEEK TRADITION Women join the

‘Pabasa’ or the chanting of the passion and death of Jesus Christ at the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church in Manila. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN

LaBoracay is an annual summer beach party held in the island, dubbed as southeast Asia’s own “spring break.� “Bawal ang LaBoracay ngayon, no drinking and no smoking in public places. So, that still stands.

Actually there’s a law — no smoking is an executive order and there’s a local ordinance na bawal talaga ‘yung ganun sa beach,� she said.

3HE CLARIkED HOWEVER THAT SOME parties were allowed on Boracay “provided that establishments follow laws and existing ordinances that were in place even before the closure and rehabilitation.�

Under existing local ordinances and national laws, smoking and drinking are not allowed in the public beach; parties must not be held within “25+5� easement; and the maximum allowed noise level is 55 decibels in nighttime for open areas.

Govt stops galunggong importation THE Department of Agriculture (DA) will stop the importation of galunggong (round scad) later this month, saying there was ample supply of the commodity for the domestic market.  “We’re intending to suspend the importation already kasi marami na yung isda, (because there is enough supply),â€? Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol told reporters.  In August last year, the government imported 17,000 metric tons (MT) of galunggong to help ease inflation that hit a nine-year high of 6.4 percent.  Eduardo Gongona, Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, told The Manila Times that prices of galunggong, dubbed as poor man’s fish, should not increase.  “We have enough supply of fish right now because there is no typhoon and even the weak El NiĂąo is favorable for the fishermen allowing them to increase their catch per day,â€? Gongona said in a phone interview.

EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

Manicad seeks accountability for power, water woes ASPIRING senator Rodrigo “Jiggy� Manicad Jr. wants concerned government agencies and private utility firms to be held accountable for their failure to provide uninterrupted water and power service in some parts of Metro Manila.

Manicad said the water interruptions and the rotating brownouts experienced in some areas were a “sign of negligence.� g0UBLIC UTILITY kRMS SUCH AS those providing power and water, should be held accountable for their failure to render services they are expected to provide,�

A3

serbisyo, magtataas pa sila ng presyo (If we allow them to continue like this, the public will suffer. Their service was a failure and yet they increase their rates),� Manicad said. “These companies will often tend to prioritize their profitability over the best interests of their customers,� he added.

The Hugpong ng Pagbabago Senate candidate said he was inclined to support a congressional initiative to subject these public utilities to an audit by the Commission on Audit and a performance audit by a reputable firm.

“A performance audit is in order for these firms. We not only have to look at what is causing these failures in the short term, but also what we have to do in the long term to prevent any more brownouts or water shortages,� Manicad said.

He added that the management of the utility firms should have foreseen the impact of this year’s dry spell. “The government must work hand-in-hand with these firms to make sure that we are prepared even for the worst El NiĂąo and disasters,â€? Manicad added.

CATHERINE S. VALENTE

Time to explore other sources of energy — JV SEN. Joseph Victor “JV� Ejercito on Wednesday said it was time to explore other sources of energy to ensure sustainable growth and address the power shortage.

The reelectionist senator made the remark when asked whether he intended to push for any measure that would require the tapping of alternative sources of energy. “Yes. I meant all other sources of energy should be explored. Even the controversial nuclear energy which is the cheapest,� Ejercito said in a text message to The Manila Times.

On April 13, Ejercito tweeted that he was open to nuclear energy. “It’s time to consider other sources of energy to be added to our current energy mix. We cannot expect to reach the full potential of economic development if we have expensive, and worse, unstable sources of energy. Infrastructure plus energy are requisites for economic development,� he said.

The senator said he had been seeking other sources of energy since his early years in the Senate.

BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

Abandonment of work Dear PAO, I was hired as a bookkeeper of a real estate corporation in July 2016. I was surprised when my employer withheld my salary and stopped utilizing my services despite my presence at work last month.

Subsequently, my manager told me that they were terminating my services on the ground of abandonment of work since I was absent for two days due to the company’s refusal to give my salary and other monetary benefits last month. I was never absent after the said incident.

What is abandonment of work? Was my absence for two days considered abandonment of my work? Please enlighten me.

Dale

DEAR PAO

PERSIDA ACOSTA Dear Dale, The law that addresses your situation is Article 282 of the Labor Code of the Philippines which states: “Article 282. Termination by employer. An employer may terminate an employment for any of the following causes: “(a) Serious misconduct or willful disobedience by the employee of the lawful orders of his employer or representative in connection with his work; “(b) Gross and habitual neglect by the employee of his duties; “(c) Fraud or willful breach by

the employee of the trust reposed in him by his employer or duly authorized representative; “(d) Commission of a crime or offense by the employee against the person of his employer or any immediate member of his family or his duly authorized representatives; and “(e) Other causes analogous to the foregoing.� (Emphasis supplied) The Supreme Court, in the case of Tan Brothers Corp. of Basilan City through its Owner/Manager Mauro F. Tan vs Edna R. Escudero (GR 188711, July 8, 2013, Ponente: Associate Justice Jose Perez), gives an enlightening explanation about abandonment of work as a termination clause which may be found in employment contracts, to wit: g!S DEkNED UNDER ESTABLISHED

jurisprudence, abandonment is the deliberate and unjustified refusal of an employee to resume his employment. It constitutes neglect of duty and is a just cause for termination of employment under paragraph (b) of Article 282 of the Labor Code. To constitute abandonment, however, there must be a clear and deliberate intent to discontinue one’s employment without any intention of returning. In this regard, two elements must concur: (1) Failure to report for work or absence WITHOUT VALID OR JUSTIkABLE REAson, and (2) a clear intention to sever the employer-employee relationship, with the second element as the more determinative factor and being manifested by some overt acts. Otherwise stated, absence must be accompanied by overt acts unerringly pointing

to the fact that the employee simply does not want to work anymore. It has been ruled that the employer has the burden of proof to show a deliberate and unjustified refusal of the employee to resume his employment without any intention of returning. xxx Abandonment is a matter of intention and cannot, for said reason, be lightly inferred, much less legally presumed from certain equivocal acts. xxx Indeed, mere absence or failure to report for work, even after a notice to return work has been served, is not enough to amount to an abandonment of employment.�

(Emphases supplied) In your situation, your two absences do not constitute abandonment since abandonment of work necessitates clear and deliberate intent to discontinue

one’s employment without any intention of returning. There is no clear intention to sever your employer-employee relationship with your company by being absent for two days and never incurring any absences after that.

Hence, your employer cannot terminate your employment on the ground of abandonment of work.

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

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

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

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Opinion

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

˜ The Manila Times

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E d i to r i a l OPLAN HULI WEEK:

Dealing with drugged public transport drivers

T

HE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Tuesday announced the results of what it rather amusingly called “Oplan: Huli Week.� But the news was no laughing matter. In surprise drug tests conducted on public transportation workers nationwide ahead of the busy Holy Week travel period, 54 tested positive for methamphetamine, or shabu.

The random drug tests were administered to 7,729 bus drivers, conductors, dispatchers and barkers at transport terminals across the country. Of those that tested positive for drugs, 36 were bus drivers, 17 were conductors and one was a dispatcher.

There are a couple of ways to look at this development. An optimistic view would be that the vast majority of transportation workers are drug-free; the 54 who were caught with drugs in their systems only represented about 0.7 percent of those tested.

On the other hand, the 7,729 who were tested only represented about one-fifth of all the bus drivers, conductors and associated personnel employed in the country (the Philippines’ nationwide bus fleet is estimated to be about 24,000).

That means if the prevalence of drug use is roughly the same across the whole industry, there could be a couple of hundred drug-impaired bus personnel on Philippine roads right now, undetected by the authorities.

And that only accounts for buses. When one considers other forms of transportation, such as jeepneys and tricycles, whose operators are just as human as bus crewmen and face similarly challenging work environments, the problem may be much worse than it appears.

Of course, it is not our intention to cause unnecessary alarm among the public. We realize that the vast majority of travelers this holiday will reach their destinations without any untoward incidents, and we hope, as anyone would, that all travelers are able to do so in safety and comfort. Nevertheless, the reality is that there are transportation workers out there who are putting the lives of passengers in grave danger, and it does not really matter how many the PDEA caught or did not catch; even one is too many, especially if people are injured or killed as a result of drug-induced human errors on the road.

There are a number of reasons drug use persists among transport personnel. There are drug test protocols in place for public UTILITY DRIVERS BUT THERE ARE INSUFkCIENT RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT these are closely monitored and enforced. Transport or bus operators, although with a few exceptions, have largely been unreliable in policing drug use among their own employees.

From the employees’ perspective, the failure of efforts to do away with the abusive “boundary system� forces them to work long hours and take reckless risks to earn a reasonable wage. It is little wonder, then, that some are tempted to try the cheap but dangerous solution of using illegal drugs.

Understanding what motivates drug use does not excuse it, however; it is still ultimately a choice of the individual, and an unacceptable one when public safety is at stake.

7HILE THE GOVERNMENT MUST kND WAYS OF HELPING PUBLIC TRANSport operatorsto boost their drivers' income, Congress should strongly consider making penalties for drug possession or use by transportation workers much stiffer than they are. This is to more effectively deter those responsible for public safety from making that deadly choice. At the same time, penalties against transportation operators who fail to monitor their employees should be strengthened as well.

Those moves would be welcomed, but both the legislative and the executive departments should not neglect the root causes of the problem. Eliminating the boundary system once and for all and enforcing regular wages for transportation workers will ease the economic burden that forces them to behave recklessly. Likewise, drug rehabilitation for those who have fallen prey to drug addiction must be made available to them, or mandated if necessary.

~

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 187

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

Pasyon, deification, demonization and redemption ON THE W CONTRARY

E are a country that is so used to suffering that we have learned to deal with it like a recurring pattern, and it appears that it no longer bothers us. The crosses that we carried became lighter not because we are fools to believe these were mere matchsticks instead of being heavy burdens. Our metaphor for the passion play we call life, or what we call “pasyon,� is not the cross that we bear every day of our lives, but the redemption that we seek by just surviving despite the odds.

But make no mistake, we are simply being nice. We are not a violent society, much as we want

ANTONIO CONTRERAS to entomb in the pantheons of our metaphors a cursing messiah on a warpath, an image with which we would like to paint our President.

Our history images us as a society very much like what Jesus Christ had to deal with in His time. We have an oversupply of Herods clinging to a power that is not totally theirs, and Pilates who are mere fronts and whose power is simply an extension of

someone higher and thus have no choice but to wash their hands of any responsibility. Our Congress is populated by people who assert a kind of power over the budget that is more imagined than real, subject to the veto of a man they can’t override, in the same way that the Jewish Sanhedrin could not assert its power against the Emperor of Rome.

We have always been waiting for someone who would lead us to our redemption. We have had experiences with false prophets who promised us salvation but eventually turned out to be false IDOLS 3OME EVEN OFkCIATED AT OUR

very own crucifixion. We have the images of people who were PERSECUTED FOR THEIR SELkSH AMBItion, but whom we elevated to demigods because we thought they were for the people.

Ninoy Aquino was imaged like John the Baptist whose death was seen as a martyrdom. By his own record as a nonperforming senator whose vocation was focused on making Marcos’ life miserable, Ninoy Aquino is neither a hero nor a saint. His head may have been served on a platter courtesy of the person who ordered his assassination, who his believers allege to

ÂłContrerasA5

Q MAKABENTA FROM A1

Origin of the specious at Ateneo penitent at this time. “Origin of the specious� is not my personal invention. I stumbled on IT kRST WHEN ) WAS SURkNG THE 7EB Then I read an essay carrying the title in America, the Jesuit review.

The phrase was so beguiling I tucked it in my mind, thinking of surprising my readers someday.

The phrase comes in handy now, because Ateneo has stepped on quicksand once again; and given its leadership, it may not have the wit to extricate itself from it.

Ateneo steps on quicksand again As the reader must have surmised by now, this concerns the big todo over an invitation extended to Ms Irene Marcos-Araneta for the inauguration of an artistic hub at Ateneo, that was protested by a student group, apologized for by the Ateneo president, and eventually LED TO THE RESIGNATION OF AN OFkCIAL The way the controversy has been promoted, evaluated and seemingly resolved is so specious, paranoid and deceptive, I wonder how a serious institution of learning can survive this.

I join from time to time a group of Ateneo alumni, intellectuals and writers who discuss important public issues.

The following are some of the issues which we have discussed spiritedly: First, the controversy over the Irene Marcos-Araneta invitation is the latest to engage us. Some brought to the discussion some interesting and provocative information.

Second, we have discussed the conversion of Ateneo into a crony school during the administration of Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino 3rd. He singlehandedly elevated Maria Lourdes Sereno, an alumna, to associate justice and then chief justice of the Supreme Court. Sereno led in muscling the court into declaring Grace Poe a natural-born Filipino, on Noynoy’s instructions.

Poe repaid with a foolish report on the Mamasapano massacre that allowed Noynoy to go free.

Third, we discussed the spectacle of student bullying at Ateneo, and how it could happen before the watchful eyes of Jesuit administrators.

Finally, we discussed how Ateneo became the launch pad for so many Aquino and Yellow initiatives, like Kompre, among others, and how the school stood out prominently in protest actions against the Duterte government. !ND kNALLY ALSO WE SEARCHED FOR the origins of all this tumult at Ateneo.

Do students run Ateneo now?

In the Irene Marcos-Araneta case, we wondered why a student board could dictate policy at the Ateneo, so much so that its position was endorsed wholesale by the Ateneo president, and the executive director of AretÊ, Ateneo’s creative hub, was forced to resign.

How did students attain such a lofty position in the university?

Is the Ateneo system now "we the students,� and not Society of Jesus?

We asked, secondly, how the ban on campus of a daughter of former president Ferdinand Marcos can be adequately explained by the school administration as consistent with a university’s mission.

The situation is not unique to the Philippines. In the United States, students frequently protest the choice of a commencement speaker whose political views do not agree with their own. It has happened this year to US Vice President Mike Pence’s selection as commencement speaker at Taylor University, which students vigorously opposed. It also happened to forMER kRST LADY "ARBARA "USH -ORE often, school administrations simply reject the protests.

In America, the controversy is part of the culture war between liberals and conservatives. In the Philippines, it bids to become a feature of the bitter rivalry between the Aquinos and the Marcoses, and between Ferdinand Marcos and martial law activists.

In the book Intellectuals and Society (2009), economist and

author Thomas Sowell raised the question whether students have thought enough about the issues and whether they have the competence to prescribe the answers to complex issues.

He wrote: “By encouraging, or even requiring, students to take stands where they have neither the knowledge nor the intellectual training to seriously examine complex issues, teachers promote the expression of unsubstantiated opinions, the venting of uninformed emotions, and the habit of acting on those opinions and emotions, while ignoring or dismissing opposing views, without having either the intellectual equipment or the personal experience to weigh one view against another in any serious way.�

This is exactly what happened in the Irene controversy. Students who have no understanding or knowledge of the issues, circumstances and events that happened during Martial Law are dictating on Ateneo authorities how to read national history.

Former Marcos Defense minister and former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile has been daring for the longest time a full debate with critics of Martial Law, its necessity and its conduct, but no one has picked up the gauntlet. Certainly, NO !TENEO OFkCIAL HAS OBLIGED

Shutting down debate What Ateneo student leaders are playing is the game of political correctness.

The objective of asserting political correctness and imposing orthodox beliefs is to shut down debate, so the favored ideology CAN THEN kLL THE VOID This reduces to farce the role of free inquiry and critical thinking in a university. The dogmas of the politically correct are designed to stop thinking, not develop the minds of students. Protests against free expression, academic freedom and campus ideologues carry out this absurd program.

This is totally different from the traditional and classic idea of a university during my days at Ateneo.

College in the past was understood to be the place for discovering what the poet and cultural critic Matthew Arnold said was “the best that has been thought and said in the world.� It was a training ground for trying on different ideas.

Today, the canon, or great works, which once exposed college students to big ways to think about big ideas, are unknown to students.

Coeducation and Jose Villarin 7HEN kNALLY WE DISCUSSED WHAT may have been the origins of so much specious reasoning at Ateneo, the answers proffered were intriguing and provocative.

Some said intellectual rigor came apart when Ateneo decided to go coeducational.

Others said the changes came when Jose Ramon Villarin became the president of Ateneo, at about the same time that Noynoy Aquino was elected president in 2010. The two were classmates.

I studied, graduated and taught at Ateneo before these earthshaking events. I only know what it was like during my time.

In September 2013, Ateneo marked 40 years of coeducation. “[The] young women enrolled in the Loyola Schools now make up 51 percent of the student population.�

7OMEN kRST ENTERED !TENEO AS cross-enrollees in 1966. In 1973, THE UNIVERSITY ACCEPTED THE kRST full batch of undergraduate female students into what was then the College of Arts and Sciences.

Transition to a coeducational system was twice declined by the university senate.

The former university senate was composed of “tenured professors� which included associate and fulltime professors of the university.

In 1973, the proposal for a coeducational system was presented again.

This time, the university senate caved.

(To be continued) yenmakabenta@yahoo.com

˜ The Manila Times

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THURSDAY April 18, 2019

Q SALUDO FROM A1

‘Unless you eat My flesh, you have no life in you’ I I

N the spring, summer and fall of 1916, an angel appeared to siblings Jacintha and Francisco Marto, 5 and 7, and their cousin Lucia dos Santos, 8, to prepare them for the six monthly apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima in June to October the following year.

The Angel of Peace, as he called himself, gave the peasant children a crash course in basic Catholic truths: There is a God we should adore, trust and love. We seek forgiveness and make reparations for sin. And Jesus is with us in the Eucharist, and we offer Him to God our Father for man’s conversion and salvation.

In his last visit, the angel presented a host and a chalice in mid-air, then prostrated with the children before the Blessed Sacrament, praying: “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore Thee profoundly.

I offer Thee the most Precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, really and truly present in every tabernacle of the world ...�

The same Catholic dogma is commemorated in today’s two Maundy Thursday Masses, the morning Chrism Mass for clergy at diocesan cathedrals, and the evening Mass, where celebrants wash the feet of 12 people, reenacting the Mass reading from the Gospel of John, 13:1-15.

Eat and abide in Christ For humanity called to holiness, what better means is there to achieve God’s

perfection than partaking of his very Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, as the Angel’s prayer told of the Eucharist?

That’s why Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless YOU EAT THE lESH OF THE 3ON OF MAN and drink his blood, you have no LIFE IN YOU HE WHO EATS MY lESH and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the LAST DAYw (E WHO EATS MY lESH and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him� (John 6:53-56).

That’s plain enough from our Lord: Partake of him, and his divinity enters and elevates earthly humanity heavenward. Plus: his REDEEMING SACRIkCE ON #ALVARY AND HIS %UCHARISTIC SACRIkCE AT -ASS ARE one and the same perfect offering for our conversion and salvation.

Says the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC, paragraphs 1366-67): “The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents MAKES PRESENT THE SACRIkCE OF THE cross, because it is its memorial and because it applies its fruit ‌ The SACRIkCE OF #HRIST AND THE SACRIkCE OF THE %UCHARIST ARE ONE SINGLE SACRIkCEu offering the same victim: Christ.

Our Protestant brethren have issues with this doctrine, however, and in the 1980s, one leading Bible scholar, Dr. Scott Hahn, then an ordained Presbyterian minister, was intensely anti-Catholic mainly because of our doctrine that the Eucharist is God himself, as Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

minating the rite, saying, “I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom�

(The Gospel of Matthew, 26:29).

Then, at Gethsemane, Jesus prayed: “My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will�

A Gospel road (Matthew 26:39). Scholars see the to conversion chalice line as referring to the cup of Hahn’s road to conversion began God’s wrath in the Book of Jeremiah with a Sunday sermon in which the prophet (25:15-29). But Hahn another minister admitted not wondered if it was connected to the KNOWING WHAT WAS kNISHED WHEN missed fourth Passover cup.

THE CRUCIkED #HRIST SAID BEFORE DYFinally, the scholar pondered why ING g)T IS kNISHEDu *OHN Jesus said, “I thirst� (John 19:28), For many Bible scholars and then drank sour wine on a sponge EVEN THEOLOGIAN SAINTS WHAT kN- before expiring. Surely, He was ished was Jesus’ mission of re- thirsty throughout His agonies, and DEMPTION THROUGH HIS SACRIkCIAL could have taken wine offered to death. Yet in the First Letter to the HIM BEFORE CRUCIkXION BUT REFUSED Corinthians, the Apostle Paul in- it. Why ask for a drink near death? dicated that salvation was fully atHahn then realized that Jesus tained only with the Resurrection: took the sour wine as the fourth “If Christ has not been raised, your cup completing his new Passover faith is futile, and you are still in rite. Afterward, the Lord declared your sins� (1 Corinthians 15:19). HIS SACRIkCE gkNISHED u 3O IF REDEMPTION WAS NOT kNNeat, Professor Hahn. But how ished on Calvary, what was? did that lead to conversion? Well, in )N HIS RESEARCH AND RElECTION ON the Jewish Passover the lamb must be Jesus’ dying words, Hahn focused eaten. So, how was Christ, the new on scriptural signs that the Lord was SACRIkCIAL ,AMB CONSUMED (AHN recasting the ancient Jewish Passover concluded: through the Catholic Sacritual into a new perfect offering with rament of Holy Communion.

The Eucharist is not idolatry, but (IMSELF AS THE SACRIkCIAL LAMB Hahn noted that in the Last Sup- communion with Christ, the new per, after giving the Apostles the third Passover Lamb, offered to God and cup of blessing as His Blood, Jesus eaten by the faithful for our converskipped the fourth cup of wine cul- sion and salvation. Amen.

For Hahn then, mass bread and wine don’t become God, and treating them as divine was idolatry. Yet four years following his 1982 ordination, the professor converted to Catholicism — after his own Scripture study AFkRMED THE DOCTRINE OF THE %UCHARIST

CO M M E N TA R Y

Kim’s dashed expectations show Trump is striking the right balance in NKorea talks Hanoi summit amounted to a personal loss of face, forcing him to ORTH Korean leader Kim Jong return to Pyongyang empty-handed Un’s statements in recent days, and without sanctions relief.

By most counts, the chances of replete with frustration and scolding of Washington’s negotiating an agreement with Pyongyang on posture, indicate that President denuclearization are poor due in Trump thus far has struck the right part to the high asks coming out of Pyongyang. Thus far, Kim has been balance in his talks with Kim. In his April 11 speech to his rubber- intractable with his demands on the stamp legislature, the Supreme People’s lifting of economic sanctions prior to Assembly, Kim said that he is only HIS REGIME TAKING CONCRETE AND VERIkinterested in meeting President Trump able denuclearization measures.

He has also reportedly demanded for a third summit if Washington approaches talks with the “right attitude,� the withdrawal of US strategic military announced that he would wait until assets in Guam and Hawaii.

Complicating matters, South Kothe end of 2019 for Washington to be MORE lEXIBLE AND PROCLAIMED THAT gIT rean President Moon Jae-in, who has is essential for the US to quit its current staked his political career on making calculation method and approach us peace with North Korea, has also requested an easing of US sanctions with a new one.�

He also accused Washington of against Pyongyang.

In his April 12 meeting with Mr. pursuing “impracticableâ€? ways at the February Hanoi summit and Moon at the White House, President that such an approach would “never Trump reiterated what he told Mr. be able to move the DPRK even a Kim in Hanoi, namely, that current knuckle, nor gain any interests ‌â€? SANCTIONS IN PLACE ARE SUFkCIENT AND These rants point to Kim’s dashed ought to be kept in place.

All signs indicate that, rightly so, expectations from Hanoi, indicating surprise and disappointment from President Trump is maintaining his a failure to exact concessions from position that Kim’s offer in Hanoi Washington as his father did with of partially dismantling Pyongyang’s past US administrations. This after nuclear weapons program in exhis symbolic gestures of destroying change for Washington easing its most missile and nuclear test sites as well stringent sanctions amounts to a bad as returning US war remains in 2018. deal for the United States.

Meanwhile, it appears as if Mr. Kim Kim’s April 11 comments also show how the sudden end to the kNDS HIMSELF ON NEW GROUND UNACBY TED GOVER

N

customed to being told “no.�

As it stands thus far, the US President hasn’t acquiesced on many of the demands typically coming from Pyongyang’s playbook in recent decades, i.e., calls for the US to withdraw ITS !SIA 0ACIkC DEPLOYED FORCES ENDing the Korean War, delisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism, unfreezing North Korean assets, endorsing inter-Korean commercial and development projects, establishing diplomatic relations, and lifting economic sanctions.

The one exception has been President Trump agreeing to end two yearly large-scale US-South Korea joint military exercises, Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, in place of smaller-scale joint exercises.

While toeing a hard line, President Trump has been cordial and patient towards Kim in his public statements.

He has expressed an openness to a third summit at an appropriate time, stating his belief in North Korea’s “tremendous potential� and predicting that the North will become “one of the most successful nations of the world� when “nuclear weapons and sanctions can be removed.�

Any talks with a recalcitrant regime like North Korea will have ups and downs, and there are risks and costs to drawn-out diplomacy with the North. Over multiple administrations, Pyongyang has mastered the art of watering down demands from Wash-

ington as talks drag on over the course of weeks, months and even years.

Ultimately, if the North and the US are unable to come to agreeable terms for denuclearization, President Trump must be willing to settle for a sustained policy of sanctions, containment and deterrence with overwhelming capabilities, all while leaving the door open for talks.

Yet, President Trump appears cognizant of this and on guard for the strategic deception commonly engaged by the Kim dynasty during negotiations.

Trump’s saying no to Kim’s excessive demands in Hanoi, maintaining respectful ties via congenial tweets and keeping the “maximum pressure� campaign in place appears to confound, lATTER AND FRUSTRATE THE #HAIRMAN )T also positions Mr. Trump well. The President’s balanced approach puts him in the driver’s seat of the talks, allowing him to negotiate the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula from a position of greater strength.

Te d G o v e r, Ph.D., writes on US-Asian relations and foreign policy.

He is the director of the Tribal Administration Program at Claremont Graduate University.

Q CONTRERAS FROM A4

Pasyon have been Ferdinand Marcos playing the role of the biblical Herod and Imelda Marcos that of his power-hungry wife Herodias. It is not surprising if the same disciples of Ninoy would allege that Imee Marcos is the incarnation of their daughter Salome. It is also not surprising if the house of Herod Antipas will be seen in the same light as the House of Marcos. Those who have the tendency to think this way are precisely the same crowd that painted Ninoy’s death as a martyrdom, paving the way for his wife’s eventual ascension as the savior we have been waiting for to rescue us from what they labeled as an evil kleptocracy, like that of John the Baptist heralding the advent of Christ the Messiah.

EDSA was imagined in religious symbolisms. The image of nuns holding rosaries, of seminarians

carrying Marian statues, and of Cardinal Sin calling out the crowds to face off with the soldiers of Marcos was apropos to the narrative of Cory being the chosen one by God. The ease with which some loyal Cory supporters even dared to lOAT THE IDEA OF CANONIZING HER AS a patron saint of democracy is but a logical extension of the manner she was already being celebrated as a modern-day secular saint.

This is actually our tragedy as a people that our sufferings have led us to accept false narratives of sainthood. As if this was not enough, the death of Cory paved the path for the ascension of her equally ill-prepared son to the presidency. And we saw the same hero worship and deployment of metaphors about virtue cast as “ tuwid na daan � representing righteousness.

Unfortunately, the hero worship was not enough, and Aquino the son, like Aquino the mother,

failed to rescue the people from the crosses that they continued to bear. What was also continued and sustained was the appropriation of righteousness and virtue ethics, and the deployment of the Manichean opposition between the saintly Aquinos and the evil Marcoses as the tabula rasa, the grand ideological narrative of Philippine politics.

Like a passion play, the Marcoses remained to be demonized by the righteous elites. The young who enter Catholic schools are often educated in the light of this black and white opposition where every Marcos was demonized. Instead of focusing on the message of Christ on forgiveness, what was inculcated in the minds of the youth was wrath and vengeance, perfectly typified by the Ateneo student leaders who insisted that Irene Marcos should be banned from setting foot inside their campus as a punishment for her sin of being

the daughter of a hated dictator.

And now the masses, once again failed by their leaders in the same way the Sanhedrin failed to protect the Jewish people from Rome, have found another savior in the person of Rodrigo Duterte. But Duterte is not righteous nor religious. He is vulgar, and he cursed God and the Pope. He is even considered a heretic by his critics. And yet the masses love him even as the morally righteous elites demonize him in the same way they demonized the Marcoses.

One is tempted to image Duterte as the new Barabbas, a man of the people rebelling against Rome, and the sanctimonious elites as the new-day Sanhedrin. But if this is the case, it behooves us to ask — Who is our Christ?

And the answer would be that He is living in our hearts and not the politicians we treat as saviors.

After all, we are the suffering yet sovereign people whose liberation actually rests in our hands.

Opinion

A5

Walkable cities and communities

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How Xi overplayed his hand with America WASHINGTON: In the rebalancing of Sino-American relations thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s underway, the usual roles are reversed: Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s normally deft President Xi Jinping appears to have badly overreached in seeking advantage. And President Trump, who often seems tone-deaf on foreign policy, is riding a bipartisan consensus that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to push back against Beijing.

The two nations will probably make a trade deal soon, patching together a working relationship that has been frayed by a year of tariffs and economic brinksmanship. Experts predict an agreement that will boost US exports to China, improve MARKET ACCESS FOR !MERICAN kRMS and reduce the power of Chinese state-owned enterprises â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and offer some modest new legal protections for American companies whose commercial secrets have been plundered by Beijing for a half-century.

But as Xi jockeyed for position against America, many US experts argue that he misplayed his hand. After decades of what was known as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;hide and bideâ&#x20AC;? strategy of cautious cooperation, the Chinese leader moved to directly challenge American primacy

WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

DAVID IGNATIUS in technology. This eventually triggered a sharp, bipartisan American response, which Trump has harvested. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In an incredibly divided Washington, one of the only areas of agreement is that China policy needs to be less accommodating and more resolute toward Beijing,â&#x20AC;? says Kurt Campbell, who oversaw Asia policy in the Obama administration. He credits Trump for recognizing Xiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weakness: â&#x20AC;&#x153;China is not yet ready to take on the US, and Trump recognizes this.â&#x20AC;?

The Chinese-American confrontation is partly a spy story, but very different than the cloak-and-dagger escapades of the Cold War: China operates its espionage net partly through universities, research institutes and benign-sounding recruitment plans.

Until recently, American companies often didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize that their pockets

ÂłIgnatiusA6

A6

Opinion

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

Q TULFO FROM A1

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone Yes, the President is foulmouthed and coarse in his manner, but arrogant?

Give me a break!

The poor faithful hesitate to approach bishops when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re wearing their cassock for fear of soiling their white clothing.

The faithful can only kiss the rings on the fingers that they daintily extend.

But Digong?

Without his bodyguards, Digong would mix with the crowd and talk dirty with them making them roar with laughter.

Webster defines â&#x20AC;&#x153;arrogantâ&#x20AC;? as â&#x20AC;&#x153;disposed to exaggerate oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth or importance often by an overbearing manner.â&#x20AC;?

Now, tell me Tagle, can you describe Digong as an arrogant leader?

On the contrary, priests and lay persons like Jim Paredes, who attribute all kinds of sins to Rodrigo Roa Duterte, are worse since they hide under the cloak of religion or morality.

With Digong, what you see is what you get. No more, no less.

Digong says he was a mediocre student in high school

and law school and ascribes his ascendancy to the highest position of the land to destiny.

He still lives in a simple house because, he told me, when he was still mayor of Davao City, he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t live in luxury when most of his constituents in the city wallowed in poverty.

If possible, he wants his people to moderate their smoking or drinking because excessive drinking and smoking in his youth have taken a toll on his health; in short, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fatherly.

Digong wants to kill all drug

Inculcating the Cipag attributes First of 2 parts

used to the habit of continuing professional development and N Aug. 14, 2018, I turned over life long learning my position of chairman of Another area where innovation the Professional Regulatory Board can present opportunities to the of Accountancy (BoA) of the Philippracticing accountant is being pines to my appointed successor. It governance and fair competition. able to provide more value-added was just over four years ago when The BoA has instituted major services to clients. The CPA in my term started on May 15, 2014. regulatory programs on the quality practice oftentimes limit their On June 14, 2014, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Expand- ssurance program for auditors, the engagements to providing auing Horizons (EH)â&#x20AC;? initiative of accreditation of CPAs in the various DITING SERVICES 4HERE IS A kELD the BoA was launched. The EH sectors, the imposition of the com- of opportunity awaiting the ininitiative represents the various pilation guidelines, and inspection novative CPA who would venundertakings and plans of BoA to of establishments. The BoA has been ture in value added consulting pursue the various mandates pre- active in pursuing closer collabora- services. The services can cover scribed in the Accountancy Law tion with other government regula- the various requirements of busi(Republic Act 9298) to supervise tors, including the Commission nesses, including data analytics, and regulate the practice of ac- on Audit, Securities and Exchange cybersecurity, digital transformacountancy. Subsequently, the six- Commission, Bureau of Internal tion, data privacy, internal audit, point Expanding Horizons Plan Revenue, Anti-Money Laundering systems and process review, was formulated with the vision Council, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipi- appraisal, due diligence, agreed of upgrading the profession and nas, and other agencies. upon procedures, integrated and the Filipino accounting profesThis compliance mindset is sustainability reporting and even sional to levels higher than that BEST EXEMPLIkED DURING THIS TAX compilation. The CPA, of course, of global standards. payment season. As the deadline SHOULD kRST GET THE EXPERTISE TO The highlights of the EH initia- FOR kLING OF INCOME TAX RETURNS be able to expand the service tives include the reform of the nears, CPAs are all busy comply- offerings. The expertise can be educational and professional ac- ing with the tax and corporate derived from training or by colcountant qualification systems; reporting rules. Auditors are duty laborating with experts who are regulation of the profession; glo- bound to pursue their public already engaged in these services. balization thrust; governance and accountability rules, the accoun- Having a spirit of innovation will ethics; stakeholder engagement; and tants in businesses must dutifully also help in this venture. various priority and special events. REPORT THE kNANCIAL REPORTS FOR The world of accountancy con- their companies, and all taxpay- Professionalism tinues to emerge and expand. In ers, CPAs and non-CPAs, must the local scene, there are major correctly pay their taxes.

For accountants, professionalconcerns that a professional acism (the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pâ&#x20AC;? in Cipag) can mean countant should be aware and Innovation working smarter to bring value to involved in. These include the onall of their engagements, whether going tax reform implementation Innovation (the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;? in Cipag) in accountancy practice or emand legislation, the compliance should be in the DNA of profes- ployment. CPAs owe it to their with data privacy measures and the sional accountants. I have long clients or employers to do their impact of the anti-money launder- been invoking since 2015 that we best in the work that they do. ing rules. In the global accounting should be adapting already to the There is a tendency for some to community, international ac- many innovations brought about be bogged down by the daily regicounting professional bodies are by the many developments in our men of work. This hinders them addressing the issues of audit qual- digital and learning community. from making improvement and ity, governance and ethics in the In various talks I gave as innovation in the way they do practice, the impact of digital and chairman of the BoA, I have things. This can also bring boretechnology developments, and the referred to the catchy phrase dom. The CPA is very capable of emergence of enhanced external â&#x20AC;&#x153;Future is nowâ&#x20AC;? to bring the putting in measures to improve reporting such as integrated and message that the Fourth In- the productivity and outcome at sustainability reporting. dustrial Revolution and Age of work, including process improveThe accountancy profession in Technology is in our midst. I ment, use of technology tools, the Philippines is now approaching have been citing the many de- and managing effectively time its 96th year of existence. The pro- velopments that have emerged and relationships.

FESSION HAS OVER #ERTIkED such as the Internet of Things, The CPA should also be diliPublic Accountants (CPA), with robotics, artificial intelligence, gent in complying with requireA SIGNIkCANT NUMBER WORKING IN augmented and virtual reality ments as a professional. These most parts of the world. The CPAs cloud hosting and computing, include updating the Profesin the Philippines are very much technology tools and applica- sional Regulatory Commission involved and ingrained in society tions, data analytics, cyberse- (â&#x20AC;&#x153;PRCâ&#x20AC;?) CPA license, complying and the various communities. The curity, sustainability and inte- with the Continuing Professional professional accounting organiza- grated reporting, Blockchain, Development requirements and tions are very much engaged in XBRL reporting, and others. adhering to their Code of Ethics. uplifting the welfare of their memThe message is clear. As acThe PRC professional license bers and profession. All of these countants, we should be updat- is the document that provides attest to the important role that ing our learning and competen- testimony to a major accomplishthe accountancy profession and its cies to be able to keep up with ment of passing the rigorous CPA stakeholders perform in our coun- the fast pace of innovation and examinations. To date there are over try. The CPAs should work hard in advancement. Though the knowl- 192,000 CPAs, with each one havimbuing the attributes of compli- edge and skills that we have ing a designated CPA number that ance, innovation, professionalism, now are still workable for our proclaims that the holder thereof advocacy and globalization (Cipag purpose, we should be aware that is a member of a select group of for short) as part of their responsi- it is only a matter of time that professional accountants. Thus, it is bilities and mandate. these may become obsolete and imperative that the CPAs go through inadequate. We have been hear- this responsibility of renewing the Compliance ing that soon robots may replace PRC license every three years. For accountants in the workplace. I those who have not renewed their /N THE kRST ATTRIBUTE OF COMPLI- personally believe that the hu- license for several years already, the ance, the CPAs should be familiar man accountant will continue to process of updating these is not that and disciplined in complying be relied upon in years to come. burdensome or costly. with the many regulatory mea- However, we should now start sures that impact their practice embracing the DNA of innova(To be continued tomorrow) and that of their stakeholders, tion. Let us initially be aware of including their clients, employ- the technological developments Joel L. Tan-Torre topped the May ers, staff and many others. These affecting our profession. We can 1979 CPA board examinations. regulatory measures include the simply browse the internet to He was Commissioner of the more common rules and laws on read up on what is happening in Bureau of Internal Revenue from doing business, taxation, audit- the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 2009 to 2010 and chairman of the ing, accounting and corporate Thereafter, we can start upgrading Professional Regulatory Board of reporting. CPAs should also our skills based on what we are Accountancy from 2014 to Austart learning about the newer able to discover are the essential gust 2018. He is a partner at Reyes government requirements on competencies that we must have. Tacandong & Co. He completed data privacy protection, anti- Knowing new skills should not his international tax program at money laundering, corporate BE DIFkCULT SINCE WE HAVE BEEN the Harvard Law School in 1988.

O

HARVARD VERITAS

JOEL L. TAN-TORRE

TRAFkCKERS AND PEDDLERS BECAUSE they are destroying societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth, and drugs lead to other crimes.

Yes, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a self-confessed womanizer which, to me, is his other flaw aside from being temperamental.

Digong once told me that if his penis no longer hardened to the occasion, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather leave this earth.

How can you accuse a guy who walks his talk of arrogance?

Cardinal Tagle said the people should emulate Jesus the Christ. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not easy to emulate

and embrace the traits of Jesusâ&#x20AC;? who, according to Tagle, â&#x20AC;&#x153;is humble and in full solidarity with sinful humanity.â&#x20AC;?

Again, let me throw back Tagleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words at him: Does he mix with the poor in Tondo as his Big Boss did when he was preaching a new way of life to the people of Jerusalem?

Do priests and bishops practice what they preach?

They preach morality â&#x20AC;&#x201D; like Jim Paredes who, up until recently, talked of morality â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but they themselves are immoral.

How many Catholic priests and bishops have been convicted of sexual abuse of young boys and girls in the US and Europe? Countless!

I know of bishops in this country who have sired many children.

One of these bishops, who once urged me to confess my womanizing, was himself cohabiting with his secretary!

What did Jesus say to the crowd that was about to kill a prostitute by stoning? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.â&#x20AC;?

Bruneiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shariah code and the new stone age BYÂ SIVANANTHI THANENTHIRAN KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Over a week ago â&#x20AC;&#x201D; on April 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Brunei, the tiny South East Asian kingdom on the island of Borneo, announced its citizens would face the full force of the Shariah law.

The kingdom has decided to implement the death penalty by stoning as a punishment for homosexuality and extramarital relations, despite global outcry from the LGBT community and human rights advocates AGAINST THIS SPECIkC BARBARIC PUNISHMENT Bruneiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adoption of the Sharia law has been IN STAGES 4HE kRST PHASE BEGAN ON -AY

Initial phases dealt with misdemeanours such as indecent behaviour, and then moved to meting out PUNISHMENTS OF lOGGING AND AMPUTATION OF LIMBS for crimes such as theft and robbery.

However, there has been a deathly silence around the other crimes enumerated within the Sharia laws. This may have been largely due to the fact that the monarchy lacks a vibrant civil society tracking â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for obvious reasons, analysing and generating data on government laws and policies, and holding the government accountable.

The Sharia penal code was instituted to bolster the Islamic identity of this autocracy of around 430,000 subjects, of which two-thirds are Muslim.

The introduction of Sharia at the national level sends chills across the Southeast Asian region.

Already in the autonomous province of Aceh, Indonesia, Sharia laws are fully implemented limiting the DRESS AND MOBILITY OF WOMEN AND ENSURING lOGGING for a variety of offences is carried out. In May 2017, two GAY MEN WERE SENTENCED TO BE lOGGED TIMES EACH FOR HOMOSEXUALITY AFTER BEING kLMED BY VIGILANTES The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also hopes to follow suit in instituting some form of Sharia.

Some states in Malaysia have already enacted the Sharia code, and in Kelantan, caning was introduced in 2017.

Bruneiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sharia laws â&#x20AC;&#x201D; akin to several Middle Eastern countries, notably Saudi Arabia â&#x20AC;&#x201D; cover a variety of crimes, many of which in modern day parlance fall within the personal realm.

These include consensual sex outside of marriage (both premarital and extramarital sex, termed as adultery), consensual sex between people of the same sex (including women, who show signs of sexual conduct though without penetration), attempting to commit adultery (example given as lying on the bed together), close proximity with a person of the opposite sex, causing a miscarriage, pregnancy out of wedlock, as well as variety of noncrimes such as consuming alcohol and eating during the fasting month.

The state obsession with sex, and legislating sex, has been perennial. In the development of modern thought, most of these activities (deemed criminal by the kingdom of Brunei), are considered as private behaviours of citizens.

The Sharia laws infringe on citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights to privacy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that sexuality and sexual behaviour is a private matter.

Oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sexual activities and sexual orientation should be

determined by the individual and not the State.

The Sharia laws then serve not only to enforce compulsory heterosexuality, but only marital sexuality â&#x20AC;&#x201D; signalling the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s refusal to recognize citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rights to privacy and self-determination on matters of sexuality.

The burden on women and girls is also exacerbated by such laws. For example, a Muslim woman who is pregnant or who gives birth to a child out of wedlock IS GUILTY OF AN OFFENSE AND CAN BE kNED NOT MORE THAN BND $8,000 (1BND = $0.74 approx) and/or imprisoned for a maximum of two years.

In most of the countries of the world, pregnancy out of wedlock is not a crime in anyway, and harsh punishments on a new mother do not speak of justice tempered WITH MERCY !ND SHOULD A WOMAN kND HERSELF WITH AN unwanted pregnancy, regardless of marital status, she cannot procure an abortion easily.

"OTH kRST TRIMESTER AND SECOND TRIMESTER ABORTION (characterized in the Sharia laws as miscarriage of pregnancy and "miscarriage of a fetus"), voluntary and involuntary, are considered as crimes.

A woman who "attempts to miscarry" a pregnancy CAN BE kNED UP TO ".$ AND OR BE IMPRISONED for a maximum of three years. A woman who attempts TO Ă?MISCARRY A FETUS Ă? CAN BE kNED UP TO

AND OR IMPRISONED FOR A MAXIMUM OF kVE TO YEARS

depending on whether the fetus temporarily survives.

These are extremely harsh measures which do not take into consideration womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lived realities and choices they have to navigate, especially in light of equally harsh punishments for carrying pregnancies to term, if those pregnancies are out of wedlock.

A number of these Sharia laws are applicable to both Muslims and non-Muslims, and in this violates freedom of religion and belief by imposing the laws, beliefs and punishments, of one particular religion on nonpractitioners of that religion, to the extent that they can lose their lives for these beliefs.

Theocratic states insidiously apply the machineries of the state to force the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s religious beliefs on all citizens IRRESPECTIVE OF RELIGIOUS AFkLIATION &REEDOM OF RELIGION must also necessarily include freedom from religion.

The inhuman and archaic punishments enumerated in these Sharia laws â&#x20AC;&#x201D; amputation, caning and whipping, stoning in no way demonstrate the golden ideal of justice tempered with mercy. The quality of mercy in meting out punishment is crucial to any society as it MEANS gFORBEARANCE TO INlICT HARM UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES OF PROVOCATION WHEN ONE HAS THE POWER TO INlICT IT u Harsh laws hurt people. These Sharia laws then do not testify to puritanical moral rigor: rather they demonstrate the moral failure of the state.

IPS

Sivananthi Thanenthiran is the executive director of the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women (ARROW), a regional NGO based in Malaysia championing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Asia Pacific. She is also a â&#x20AC;&#x153;SheDecidesâ&#x20AC;? Champion for Asia Pacific.

Q IGNATIUS FROM A5

How Xi overplayed his hand with America had been picked until it was too late.

Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over-aggressive strategy dates back to the kNANCIAL CRISIS WHICH "EIJING SAW AS gA STRAtegic window of opportunity for China to become a global superpower,â&#x20AC;? according to Greg Levesque, managing director of Pointe Bello consultants.

Using internal Chinese documents, he recently explained to a congressional commission how China targeted â&#x20AC;&#x153;key core technologiesâ&#x20AC;? in the West.

An innovative early feature was the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thousand Talents Plan,â&#x20AC;? established by Beijing in 2008. The program sought to recruit â&#x20AC;&#x153;global experts,â&#x20AC;? in particular those with Chinese ancestry, to join what the planâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website called â&#x20AC;&#x153;National Key Scientific and Technological Projects.â&#x20AC;? By 2014, says the website, more than 4,180 overseas experts had been recruited.

The strategy was formalized in Xiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s announcement two years ago of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in China 2025,â&#x20AC;? a roadmap for DOMINATING KEY TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS ARTIkCIAL INTELLIGENCE

quantum computing and biopharmaceuticals. Xi mobilized Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nominally private companies through an approach known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Military-Civil Fusion.â&#x20AC;?

The system for recruiting overseas talent was explained by an article posted April 16, 2018, by a Communist Party organization at Wuhan University Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital, describing how cadres there created an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overseas Talent Recruitment Stationâ&#x20AC;? at a gathering in Dallas of ChineseAmerican medical researchers. ! 7UHAN PARTY OFkCIAL TOLD THE $ALLAS GROUP THAT HE â&#x20AC;&#x153;hoped that more overseas talent would return to the motherland and developâ&#x20AC;? high-tech projects. (The article WAS SHARED WITH ME BY A 53 SECURITY CONSULTING kRM

Bill Priestap, the FBIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former head of counterintelligence, described the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thousand Talents Programâ&#x20AC;? in congressional testimony last December as an example of â&#x20AC;&#x153;nontraditional espionage.â&#x20AC;? He said the goal was â&#x20AC;&#x153;luring both Chinese overseas talent and foreign experts alike to bring their knowledge and experience to China, even if that means stealing proprietary information.â&#x20AC;?

The problem for the Chinese is that this so-called gBRAIN GAINu EFFORT WAS SO AGGRESSIVE THAT IT BACKkRED The New York Times reported this week that the FBI has recommended denying visas to some Chinese academics suspected of having ties to Chinese intelligence. The Energy Department recently banned anyone involved in Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s talent-recruiting programs from working in DOE laboratories.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blowback in the trade negotiations, too. Lorand Laskai of the Council on Foreign Relations noted last year that the Trump administration mentioned â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in China 2025â&#x20AC;? more than 100 times in its Section 301 trade complaint against Beijing. A newly wary China has stopped referring to the Thousand Talents Plan or mentioning award recipients, according to recent reports by Bloomberg News and Nature, respectively.

The Trump administration still doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a consistent, comprehensive strategy for dealing with China. Among other things, it lacks a coherent regional ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK LIKE THE 4RANS 0ACIkC 0ARTNERSHIP agreement that Trump scuttled. But now is the right time to confront Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bad behavior, before Beijing gets any stronger, and Trump has the political wind at his back.

(C) 2019, WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

Regions Cocaine brick fished off Batanes Island Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

BYÂ LEANDER C. DOMINGO

T

UGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan: A fisher roaming off Batanes Island stumbled upon a one-kilogram brick of suspected cocaine sealed in a transparent VACUUM PLASTIC lOATING ON THE WATERS OFF "ASCO TOWN NEAR THE .AIDI ,IGHTHOUSE Police Col. Merwin Quarteros of THE "ATANES PROVINCIAL POLICE OFkCE said Roger Gallo Gabotero surrendered to the Basco police station a sealed brick containing a powdery white substance he found at about 3:20 p.m. on Tuesday.

Gabotero, of Barangay Kayhuvukan in Basco town, said he WAS kSHING NEAR THE AREA WHEN

he saw three separate packages lOATING 4HE kRST ONE HE PICKED was sealed with white plastic, the second pack was a sealed green foil marked â&#x20AC;&#x153;GwanyinWANG 2EkNED #HINESE 4EA u AND the third one was a transparent vacuum sealed plastic with red LETTER g!u MARKING Quarteros said the items were

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

brought to the Philippine Drugs Enforcement Agency-Region 2 ofkCE WHICH ESTIMATED THE SUBSTANCE to be of P5.7-million street value.

Meanwhile, Police Brig. Gen. Mario Espino directed the Batanes POLICE PROVINCIAL OFkCE TO SCOUR the waters off Batanes and the seashore for possible recovery of similar items.

On Feb. 5, 2018 two fishers in Barangay Dipudo of the coastal town of Divilacan, IsaBELA PROVINCE ALSO FOUND A lOATING blue container with about 18.84 kilograms of cocaine inside, estimated at P79 million.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that it already recovered more than P1 billion worth of cocaine bricks since February.

Most of these cocaine packs were recovered on the east side of the country â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in the provinces of Quezon, Dinagat Island, Surigao del Sur, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur. Authorities said the recovered cocaine bricks might not be intended for distribution in the Philippines since there is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;very WEAKu MARKET FOR COCAINE HERE President Rodrigo Duterte had said these cocaine blocks found on Philippine waters were possibly intended for the Colombia drug cartels while the PNP said earlier that the country might just be a transshipment point.

WITH A REPORT FROMÂ ROY D.R. NARRA

Nationinbriefs CAINTA SETS ROAD CLOSURE, ALTERNATE ROUTES FOR GOOD FRIDAY THE local government of Cainta will implement traffic rerouting plan on Good Friday to Easter Sunday in anticipation of the large crowd expected to visit the town for the Senakulo (dramatization of the Passion of Christ) and neighboring city of Antipolo for the Alay Lakad (walk offering). Some roads in Junction to Estrella will be closed to traffic on Good Friday to give way to a grand Lenten procession from 7 p.m. onwards.

Vehicles coming from Felix Avenue going to A. Bonifacio Avenue are advised to turn left to Ortigas Avenue Extension and turn right to Gen. Ricarte Street, or turn turn left to Countryside going to Midtown/Parola. Meanwhile, motorists from PasigOrtigas Extension shall take De Castro Avenue to Midtown/ Parola. Devotees and tourists from different parts of the country visit Cainta during the Holy Week to witness the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s version of the Pasyon (Passion), a week-long play set until April 21 at One Arena.

GABRIELA BARON

ZAMBO DECLARES FREEDOM PARK OFF LIMITS ON HOLY WEEK ZAMBOANGA CITY: Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco Salazar has imposed several public prohibitions in the observance of the Holy Week from April 17 to 20 at the Freedom Park in Barangay Abong-Abong here. The village, some 8 kilometers from the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s downtown area, is the site where the 14-Way of the Cross Stations are installed and thousands of ZamboangueĂąo Catholic faithful converge for meditation and prayers during the sacred occasion. Executive Order (EO) 459 issued by Salazar strictly banned the â&#x20AC;&#x153;bringing, selling and drinking of liquor and other intoxicating drinks, including audio-visual equipment and playing of loud music in the park.â&#x20AC;? Also prohibited is the bringing of firearms, bladed weapons and other similar items. Vic Larato, City Hall spokesman, said the mayor also issued EO 460 â&#x20AC;&#x153;ordering a temporary traffic rerouting scheme on streets leading to the Freedom Park and declaring the same place as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;walk-in parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for the duration of the Holy Week.â&#x20AC;?

ANTONIO P. RIMANDO

FULL AUDIT

Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco (second from left), executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security receives a copy of the resolution from Joseph Jubelag demanding full audit of donations for Maguindanao massacreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s victims. PHOTO BY JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

Families demand audit of donations to Maguindanao massacre victims ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat:Â The families of the Maguindanao massacre victims through the Socsksargen (South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos) Press Club (SPC) are demandING A FULL AUDIT OF ALL DONATIONS AND kNANCIAL pledges intended for them.

Some of the families of the 58 victims of the Nov. 23, 2009 massacre in Ampatuan town were not only anxiously looking forward to the conviction of the perpetrators by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, but also want an audit of all the donations.

The families met recently with Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) and lamented that some media organizationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;broKEN PROMISESu OF LIVELIHOOD AND SCHOLARSHIPS

DESPITE THE HUGE AMOUNT OF FUNDS THAT lOWED IN the aftermath of the gruesome massacre. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have the right to know. They want answers. We should all be good examples of TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY u %GCO SAID

SPC President Joseph Jubelag presented to Egco the resolution containing the familiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; demand for an audit report.

Jubelag, was among the 32 members of the media from General Santos City who joined the convoy of the wife of Maguindanao Gov. %SMAEL -ANGUDADATU WHO WAS TO kLE THE CERTIkCATE OF CANDIDACY OF HER HUSBAND "UT by a stroke of fate their vehicle returned to their hotel in Tacurong City and were spared from the tragedy.

Egco vowed to act immediately on the resolution and assured the families of the massacre victims that they would be informed of the PTFoMSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; action.

Meanwhile, the SPC also passed a resolution signed by its Board Chairman Isaias Golez Jr. urging the creation of an independent Commission on Media Safety and Security to upgrade the mandate of PTFoMS. JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

1,000 women in black walk the streets of Capas CAPAS, Tarlac: A thousand women in black walked down the streets at dusk here on the Friday before Palm Sunday. Apart from the almost imperceptible swishing of their black dresses or the rustling of leaves on the trees along their route, there was only silence.

There was no marching band, NO lAGELLANTS WITH GAPING WOUNDS on their backs and no procession of images in brightly lit carroza lOATS 4HERE WERE JUST THE IMAGE of Mother Mary and a thousand women of all ages dolorously trudging at least 2 kilometers, for about an hour, from the old chapel to the new church of Our Lady of Sorrows along McArthur Highway.

The women began their walk this year before the hour of Oracion or the Angelus from Barangay Dolores, the oldest was a 72-yearold Marian devotee.

The 1,000 women in black staged the silent walk as a devotional tribute to Mother Mary. A way of reliving her anguish as she followed her son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on the desolate road to Calvary more than 2000 years ago.

Imagine a thousand Mater Dolorosas on an infernally hot Friday as the sun began to set. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donning black usually symbolizes mourning and sadness like Filipinos do when a loved one DIES u SAID &ATHER -ELVIN #ASTRO

parish priest of Our Lady of Sorrows. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This walk will now be a YEARLY TRADITION u HE ADDED â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wearing black when in mourn-

WALK OF SORROW

Women in black make a silent procession to depict the sorrow of Mary, Mother of Christ, in what will be the start of a tradition in Capas. PHOTO BY JERRY M. HERNANDEZ ing was replaced with the white dress because of the Chinese inlUENCE AND OTHER CULTURES WHICH SYMBOLIZES HAPPINESS u SAID #ASTRO

lamenting that he wants to return to the old tradition of wearing a black suit or veil. He said it was a solemn observance of the Lenten Season, especially during the Holy Week when Catholics recalled the passion of Christ on the Cross.

When the women of Dolores learned of this, they heeded the call and decided to make the walk in absolute silence.

Lilia Cayabyab, 72, said this was a good way to revive the almost dying tradition of devotion to Christ Jesus on the cross and the his Mother, who grieved for Him and walked

in anguish towards Calvary as Jesus made his agonizing walk, the heavy wooden cross on His back. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is good. We joined the WALK BECAUSE OUR SACRIkCE IS FOR -AMA -ARY u #AYABYAB SAID Most of those who joined the procession were older women and church servers, who wished to encourage younger women to take up the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows.

While the women walked to church, residents along the route came out of their homes, made the sign of the cross and prayed silently in solidarity with the devotees.

At the Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Mother Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image was

carried inside just before darkness fell on the town. Inside the church, A BLUE MANTLE lOATED OVER THE PEOple seated at the pews. A mass was THEN OFkCIATED BY "ISHOP %NRIQUE Macaraeg of the Tarlac Diocese.

In his homily, Macaraeg said believers should not be afraid of sorrows in life as Mary herself experienced all kinds of sorrows. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are no any better than Mother Mary and yet she triumphed when Jesus ascended to heaven and sat at the right hand OF THE &ATHER u HE SAID The blue mantle, as explained, depicts Mother Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love for her pilgrim church and it embraces each faithful touched by it.

JERRY M. HERNANDEZÂ

A7

A8

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

News

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Store water, Maynilad urges customers

BY ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

W

EST zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. (Maynilad) urged its customers to store enough water as some areas in Metro Manila and Cavite province would be waterless this week.

-AYNILAD SAID SERVICE TO SOME AREAS IN NINE CITIES WOULD BE INTERRUPTED BECAUSE OF MAINTENANCE WORK

PIPE DECOMMISSIONING PIPE INTERCONNECTIONS AND VALVE REPLACEMENT g-AYNILAD USUALLY CONDUCTS SUCH MAINTENANCE WORKS DURING THE (OLY 7EEK WHEN FEWER CUSTOMERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE HOME THUS LESSENING THE IMPACT OF SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS ON WATER CONSUMERS u THE COMPANY SAID IN A STATEMENT 4HE COMPANY EARLIER ANNOUNCED

THAT kVE TO HOUR WATER SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS WOULD BE FELT IN PARTS OF -ANILA -ALABON .AVOTAS 6ALENZUELA 1UEZON #ITY 0ARAĂ&#x201E;AQUE

0ASAY ,AS 0IĂ&#x201E;AS AND "ACOOR IN #AVITE FROM !PRIL TO !FFECTED AREAS IN "ACOOR INCLUDE !LIMA !NIBAN TO "ANALO

#AMPO 3ANTO $AANG "UKID $IGMAN (ABAY +AINGIN ,IGAS AND

-ABOLO AND -ALIKSI TO

.IOG 0ANAPAAN TO 0OBLACION 4ABING $AGAT 3INEGUELASAN 4A-

LABA TO AND :APOTE TO )N ,AS 0IĂ&#x201E;AS AREAS AFFECTED ARE -ANUYO 5NO 0AMPLONA 5NO TO 4RES 0ULANG ,UPA 5NO AND $OS

:APOTE #!! $ANIEL &AJARDO %LIAS !LDANA )LAYA -ANUYO 5NO AND $OS 0AMPLONA 5NO TO 4RES 0ULANG ,UPA $OS AND 4ALON 5NO TO 4RES -AYNILAD SAID WATER INTERRUPTION WOULD ALSO BE EXPERIENCED IN "ARITAN #ONCEPCION )BABA 3AN !GUSTIN AND 4AĂ&#x201E;ONG IN -ALABON IN "ARANGAY TO AND "ARANGAY IN THE "ASECO AREA AND IN "ARANGAY "ARANGAY TO

"ARANGAY TO "ARANGAY TO "ARANGAY TO AND "ARANGAY TO IN -ANILA /THER AREAS IN 0ARAĂ&#x201E;AQUE #ITY WHICH WILL BE AFFECTED INCLUDE "& (OMES $ON "OSCO -ARCELO 'REEN 6ILLAGE -ERVILLE -OONWALK 3AN

!NTONIO 3AN )SIDRO 3AN -ARTIN $E 0ORRES 3UN 6ALLEY "ACLARAN ,A (UERTA 3AN $IONISIO 3AN )SIDRO

3TO .IĂ&#x201E;O 4AMBO AND 6ITALEZ -EANWHILE AFFECTED AREAS IN 0ASAY #ITY INCLUDE "ARANGAY "ARANGAY TO "ARANGAY "ARANGAY TO "ARANGAY TO "ARANGAY TO "ARANGAY TO

"ARANGAY TO "ARANGAY TO AND "ARANGAY TO )N 1UEZON #ITY AFFECTED AREAS ARE 3TO $OMINGO 4ALAYAN 4ATALON !URORA $ON -ANUEL $OĂ&#x201E;A )MELDA 3AN )SIDRO 3TO .IĂ&#x201E;O 3ANTOL !POLONIO 3AMSON "AESA "ALINGASA "AGONG 3ILANGAN "ATASAN (ILLS #OMMONWEALTH AND 0AYATAS )N 6ALENZUELA

AFFECTED AREAS ARE !RKONG "ATO "ALANGKAS "ISIG )SLA -ABOLO 0ALASAN

0ARIANCILLO 6ILLA 0ASOLO 0OBLACION

0OLO 4AGALAG AND 7AWANG 0ULO

Manila traffic rerouted for Nazarene procession THE Manila Police District-Traffic Enforcement Unit (MPD-TEU) will reroute traffic in Manila for the Black Nazarene procession on Good Friday, April 19.

The MPD-TEU will close the southbound lane of Quezon Boulevard (Quiapo), from A. Mendoza/Fugoso streets to Plaza Miranda and Espaùa Boulevard/P. Campa Street/Lerma Street on Thursday at 11 p.m. The traffic unit advised motorists to take alternate routes.

Vehicles intending to use Quezon Boulevard coming from A. Mendoza Street should turn right to Fugoso Street and left to Rizal Avenue to point of destination.

Vehicles coming from EspaĂąa Boulevard going to Quezon Boulevard must turn left to Nicanor Reyes Street, then turn right or left to C.M Recto Avenue to point of destination.

Based on police estimates, 70,000 people joined the Black Nazarene procession on Good Friday last year, which lasted 10 hours.

Meanwhile, four road sections in Metro Manila would also undergo repairs, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said.

The MMDA granted the Department of Public Works and Highways clearance to conduct reblocking

activities on two road sections of EDSA, including the southbound lane from New York Street to Aurora Boulevard, and the northbound lane starting from the KM 27+019 marker to KM 26+921.

The middle lane of C-5 Road in front of SM Aura and the southbound truck lane of Katipunan Avenue from D.B. dela Rosa Street will also be closed for repairs.

The MMDA advised motorists to take alternate routes due to the expected traffic build-up on the affected roads, which will open at 5 a.m. on Monday.

The agency also closed the Tripa de Gallina Bridge or Buendia Bridge in Pasay City on Wednesday to pave the way for its rehabilitation.

MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said the bridge was in â&#x20AC;&#x153;very poorâ&#x20AC;? condition. The bridge will be reopened on Easter Sunday.

Affected motorists from Buendia Avenue going to Taft Avenue were advised to take Emilia Street.

A counter flow lane will be opened on a portion of Buendia Avenue to accommodate public utility buses and cargo trucks along the major thoroughfare.

CATHERINE A. MODESTO AND NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

DPWH reactivates â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lakbay Alalayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

ILLEGAL SHIPMENT Officials of the Bureau of Customs unwrap a package that contained illegal drugs at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Authorities discovered shabu, ecstasy and marijuana from several parcels to be distributed through courier firms. PHOTO BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

ANTICIPATING heavy vehicular TRAFkC DURING THE (OLY 7EEK BREAK

THE $EPARTMENT OF 0UBLIC 7ORKS AND (IGHWAYS $07( HAS REACTIVATED ITS ,AKBAY !LALAY 0ROGRAM TO ASSIST MOTORISTS 0UBLIC 7ORKS AND (IGHWAYS 3ECRETARY -ARK 6ILLAR ON 4UESDAY ORDERED THE REACTIVATION OF THE PROGRAM TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO TRAVELERS g7E WILL DEPLOY MOTORIST ASSISTANCE TEAMS -!4S ALONG STRATEGIC LOCATIONS NATIONWIDE u 6ILLAR SAID 4HE MOTORIST ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WILL BE OPERATIONAL NATIONWIDE STARTING AT NOON ON (OLY

7EDNESDAY !PRIL UNTIL NOON ON -ONDAY !PRIL -!4S WILL BE ON STANDBY ROUND THE CLOCK TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE AND TO ENSURE THAT MAJOR THOROUGHFARES ARE WELL MAINTAINED AND FREE FROM OBSTRUCTIONS g4HE PUBLIC MAY SEEK HELP FROM THE $07( kELD PERSONNEL IF THEY ARE IN TROUBLE u 6ILLAR SAID 6ILLAR HAS ALSO ORDERED THE SCHEDULING OF ROAD WORKS IN VARIOUS REGIONS AS WELL AS THE REMOVAL OF OBSTRUCTIONS ALONG NATIONAL HIGHWAYS THAT MAY DELAY OR IMPEDE THE lOW OF TRAFkC WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

Provincial buses banned in Metro starting April 22 "%')..).' -ONDAY !PRIL PROVINCIAL BUSES WOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO ENTER -ETRO -ANILA ACCORDING TO THE -ETROPOLITAN -ANILA $EVELOPMENT !UTHORITY --$! g3TARTING NEXT WEEK AFTER (OLY 7EEK WE WILL STRICTLY IMPLEMENT AND ENFORCE IBIG SABIHIN MGA BUSES Â&#x2021; HINDI NA SILA PWEDE MAGBABA OR MAGSAKAY ALONG %$3! BUSES WILL NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO PICK UP OR LET OUT PASSENGERS ALONG %$3! u --$!

'ENERAL -ANAGER *OSE !RTURO 'ARCIA *R SAID 'ARCIA SAID PROVINCIAL BUS OPERATORS SHOULD USE THE TERMINALS IN 3TA 2OSA IN ,AGUNA 6ALENZUELA #ITY AND THE 0ARAĂ&#x201E;AQUE )NTEGRATED 4ERMINAL %XCHANGE IN 0ARAĂ&#x201E;AQUE #ITY g4HEIR FRANCHISE STRICTLY PROVIDES THAT THEIR OPERATIONS SHOULD BE POINT TO POINT u HE ADDED 4HE --$! AIMS TO SHUT DOWN BUS TERMINALS ALONG %$3! IN -AY 4HE -ETRO -ANILA #OUNCIL --# APPROVED A RESOLUTION THAT PROHIBITS THE ISSUANCE OF BUSINESS PERMITS TO ALL PUBLIC UTILITY BUS TERMINALS AND OPERATORS ALONG THE BUSY THOROUGHFARE --$! #HAIRMAN $ANILO ,IM SAID THE REGULATION WAS IN LINE WITH 0RESIDENT 2ODRIGO $UTERTE S ORDER TO CLOSE DOWN ALL BUS TERMINALS ALONG THE MAJOR ARTERY g/UR DIRECTION IS TO REMOVE ALL BUS TERMINALS ALONG %$3! AND RELOCATE THEM IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE METRO TO MINIMIZE TRAFkC CONGESTION u ,IM SAID (OWEVER THE 0ROVINCIAL "US /PERATORS !SSOCIATION OF THE 0HILIPPINES OPPOSED THE RESOLUTION

AND SAID THE PLAN WOULD TAKE A TOLL ON THEIR DAILY OPERATIONS AS WELL AS EARNINGS g7E WILL BE APPEALING THIS AS IT WOULD ALSO AFFECT OUR PASSENGERS u THE GROUP SAID #ATANDUANES 2EP #ESAR 3ARMIENTO WHO HEADS THE (OUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION kLED A RESOLUTION gSTRONGLY URGINGu TRAFkC AGENCIES TO SUSPEND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW BUS SCHEME 3ARMIENTO SAID THE NEW POLICY gHAS CAUSED GRAVE CONCERN FROM AFFECTED CONSTITUENTS TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THAT IT WILL HAVE ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE COMMUTING PUBLIC u !+/ "ICOL PARTY LIST 2EPRESENTATIVES 2ONALD !NG AND !LFREDO 'ARBIN ALSO kLED A RESOLUTION AT THE (OUSE OF 2EPRESENTATIVES ON !PRIL OPPOSING THE MEASURE AND URGING THE --# AND --$! TO COME UP WITH A BETTER SOLUTION TO DECON GEST %$3! BY GIV ING PRIORITY TO COMMUTERS USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTA TION 4HE CONGRESSMEN ADDED THAT THE REVOCATION OF BUSINESS PERMITS WAS DECIDED WITHOUT HOLDING PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS --$! FIGURES SHOW THAT PROVINCIAL BUSES

CITY BUSES AND MORE THAN

PRIVATE VE HICLES PASS THROUGH %$3! EVERY DAY 4HE "ICOL LAWMAKERS ARGUED THAT THE NUMBER OF PROVINCIAL BUSES WAS TOO SMALL TO JUSTIFY THE RESOLUTION S APPROVAL 4HEY SAID THE --# RESOLUTION WOULD INCONVENIENCE COMMUTERS WHO WOULD HAVE TO TAKE SEVERAL RIDES TO REACH THEIR DESTINATION NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

Q DISQUALIFY FROM A1

)N THE PETITION "ARBO SAID %VARDONE VIOLATED 3ECTIONS AND A OF THE ELECTION CODE WHEN HE DISTRIBUTED WHITE ENVELOPES PROMINENTLY MARKED WITH HIS NAME AND !N 7ARAY PARTY LIST AFTER THE GRADUATION RITES %ACH ENVELOPE ALLEGEDLY CONTAINED 0 )T SAID THE DISTRIBUTION HAPPENED AFTER THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL :ENAIDA ,ACDO O ALLEGEDLY INSTRUCTED CLASS ADVISERS TO GATHER THEIR STUDENTS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENVELOPES !N 7ARAY PARTY LIST THE PETITIONERS SAID VIOLATED 3ECTION OF 2EPUBLIC !CT 2! OR THE g0ARTY ,IST 3YSTEM !CT u 3ECTION OF 2! STATES THAT THE #OMELEC MAY MOTU PROPIO OR UPON VERIkED COMPLAINT OF ANY INTERESTED PARTY REFUSE OR CANCEL AFTER DUE NOTICE AND HEARING THE REGISTRATION OF ANY NATIONAL REGIONAL OR SECTORAL PARTY ORGANIZATION OR COALITION IF IT ADVOCATES VIOLENCE OR UNLAWFUL MEANS TO SEEK ITS GOAL OR IF IT VIOLATES OR FAILS TO COMPLY WITH LAWS RULES OR REGULATIONS RELATING TO ELECTIONS WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

PDP-Laban

EARLIER GUIDELINES PROHIBITING POLITICAL CANDIDATES FROM BEING INVITED TO COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES 7HAT THE LAWMAKER DID HE ADDED WAS gA DISGRACEFUL AND REPULSIVE ACT WHICH SENDS A TWISTED CONCEPT OF MORAL VALUES TO THE GRADUATING STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL IN THEIR TENDER AGE u g7E kLED THIS CASE BECAUSE THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY IS AT STAKE HERE 4HESE SO CALLED LEADERS DON T DESERVE TO BE ELECTED BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE THEY MORALLY BANKRUPT THEY ARE ALSO BRAZEN IN VIOLATING THE ELECTION LAWS EVEN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY MEMBERS -Y CONSCIENCE WILL NOT ALLOW THIS u "ARBO SAID 4HE PETITIONERS SAID THEY WOULD HOLD THE LAWMAKER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE VIOLATIONS ADDING THAT THEY HAD GATHERED SUFkCIENT EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONIES FROM DIFFERENT WITNESSES AT THE %335 'UIUAN CAMPUS THAT LED THEM TO kLE THE CHARGES

THURSDAY APRIL 18, 2019

Business Times

ASIAN STOCKS: V S h a n g h a i 0 . 2 9 %

V S i n g a p o re 0 . 3 8 %

CURRENCY RATE P51.76 TO $1

PSEi 7,835.15 UP 0.11%

www.manilatimes.net

BoP surplus widens to $627M in March 4(% COUNTRY S BALANCE OF PAYments (BoP) position remained POSITIVE IN -ARCH THE "ANGKO Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported ON 7EDNESDAY 4HE MILLION RESULT Â&#x2021; HIGHER THAN &EBRUARY S MILLION Â&#x2021; WAS A REVERSAL FROM THE MILLION DEkCIT RECORDED A YEAR EARLIER AND ALSO BOOSTED THE kRST QUARTER TALLY 4HE *ANUARY -ARCH BALANCE WAS A BILLION SURPLUS ALSO A TURNAROUND FROM THE BILLION DEkCIT RECORDED A YEAR EARLIER g ) N F L OWS I N - A R C H STEMMED MAINLY FROM THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT S NET FOREIGN CURRENCY DEPOSITS AND THE "30 S foreign exchange operations and INCOME FROM ITS INVESTMENTS ABROAD u THE CENTRAL BANK SAID IN A STATEMENT 4HESE WERE PARTIALLY OFFSET BY THE PAYMENTS MADE BY THE NATIONAL

B1

GOVERNMENT FOR FOREIGN EXCHANGE OBLIGATIONS 4HE kRST QUARTER SURPLUS MEANWHILE gMAY BE ATTRIBUTED PARTLY TO REMITTANCE INlOWS FROM OVERSEAS &ILIPINOS AND NET INlOWS OF FOREIGN PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS NET BSP-registered transactions based on custodian banksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reports) for THE kRST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR

AND NET INlOWS OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN *ANUARY u THE "ANGKO 3ENTRAL SAID Pe r s o n a l r e m i t t a n c e s t o TALED BILLION IN *ANUARY &EBRUARY PERCENT HIGHER THAN THE BILLION POSTED A YEAR EARLIER &OREIGN PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS

MEANWHILE POSTED A MILLION NET INlOW IN *ANUARY BEFORE NARROWING TO MILLION IN &EBRUARY .ET FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS

W Seoul 0.12%

V To k yo 0 . 2 5 %

Jakar ta (closed)

W Hong Kong 0.02%

Currency vulnerabilities shifting; peso seen at risk

BY ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

C

URRENCY upheavals similar to those that hit emerging economies last year are unlikely but risks are on the rise for some EMs such as the Philippines, a London-based research consultancy said.

g4HIS TIME LAST YEAR WE WARNED IN OUR 2ISK -ONITOR ABOUT CURRENCY VULNERABILITIES IN 4URKEY AND !RGENTINA 4HE RISKS OF SIMILAR CURRENCY CRISES OCCURRING NOW IS LOW u #APITAL %CONOMICS SAID IN A REPORT RELEASED LATE ON 4UESDAY u.O MAJOR %- HAS A CURRENT AC-

COUNT DEkCIT ON THE SAME SCALE AS 4URKEY AND !RGENTINA DID A YEAR AGO !ND FOLLOWING FALLS LAST YEAR

emerging market currencies lookMORE FAIRLY VALUED u IT ADDED #APITAL %CONOMICS HOWEVER

noted that risks were building in A FEW COUNTRIES

g#URRENT ACCOUNT DEFICITS IN 5KRAINE #OLOMBIA THE 0HILIPPINES AND 2OMANIA HAVE WIDENED SHARPLY and are now among the largest in the EMERGING WORLD u IT POINTED OUT ADDing that currencies in these economies gLOOK MODESTLY OVERVALUED BASED ON THEIR REAL EFFECTIVE EXCHANGE RATE u 4HE 0HILIPPINE AND #OLOMBIAN PESO 5KRAINIAN HYRVNIA AND THE 2OMANIAN LEU ARE EXPECTED TO DEPRECIATE AS A RESULT ESPECIALLY SINCE FOREIGN EXCHANGE RESERVES ARE LOW

gLIMITING CENTRAL BANKS AMMUNITION DURING TIMES OF STRESSu g!LL TOLD WE HAVE PENCILED IN

Disaster management plan of the gods & YOU HAPPENED TO BE AWAKE IN THE VERY EARLY HOURS OF 4UESDAY MORNING AS ) WAS YOU MAY HAVE watched in real-time horror as THE ICONIC .OTRE $AME CATHEDRAL in the heart of Paris went up in lAMES !S APOCALYPTIC AS THE DISASTER APPEARED TO BE HOWEVER IF it had not happened, the rest of US WOULD HAVE MISSED OUT ON AN incredible lesson on how to deal WITH UNSPEAKABLE CALAMITIES !FTER THE 6ATICAN ITSELF .OTRE $AME IS PROBABLY THE MOST RENOWNED SITE IN 7ESTERN #HRISTENDOM AND IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERSTATE ITS HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIkCANCE )TS LOSS WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC FOR THE CITY OF 0ARIS

&RANCE AND HUMANITY IN GENERAL

WHICH IS WHY THE AUTHORITIES IN &RANCE HAVE A PLAN IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPENS 4HE CATHEDRAL IS LOCATED ON THE )LE DE LA #ITE IN THE 3EINE 2IVER

THE VERY CENTER OF 0ARIS THE ISLAND

once upon a time, was all there was of Paris), on the site of two EVEN OLDER CHURCHES .OTRE $AME in its current form was completed IN AFTER ABOUT YEARS OF construction, although through THE YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN VARIOUS MODIkCATIONS TO IT )T IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE kNEST EXAMPLES OF 'OTHIC ARCHITECTURE EVER BUILT

and houses a collection of secular and religious art treasures of inCALCULABLE VALUE !BOUT MILLION PEOPLE A YEAR m ROUGHLY PER DAY m VISIT THE CATHEDRAL !S THE DISASTER WAS UNFOLDING 4UESDAY NIGHT A COMMON LAment in news reports was that .OTRE $AME HAD WITHSTOOD YEARS WORTH OF CLUMSY TOURISTS

REVOLUTIONS WARS lOODS AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS ONLY TO BE UNDONE BY A CONSTRUCTION ACCIDENT !LTHOUGH THE SPECIkC CAUSE OF THE BLAZE IS STILL BEING INVESTIGATED IT is assumed to be the result of restoration work being done on the CATHEDRAL S METER SPIRE .OTRE $AME S APPARENT IMMORTALITY IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS HOW-

ROUGH TRADE BEN KRITZ EVER 4HE CATHEDRAL HAS SUFFERED considerable damage through the CENTURIES AND WAS WRECKED EVEN MORE COMPREHENSIVELY THAN IT IS NOW IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE 2EIGN OF 4ERROR FOLLOWING THE &RENCH 2EVOLUTION WHEN IT WAS ATTACKED

BY A MOB AS A SYMBOL OF THE ARISTOCRACY AND #HURCH OPPRESSION 4HE GUTTED HULK WAS CHRISTENED THE g4EMPLE OF 2EASON u AND HAD TO WAIT FOR A FEW FORLORN YEARS for Napoleon Bonaparte to seize POWER AND ORDER IT RESTORED 4HAT PROJECT TOOK YEARS TO COMPLETE

AND GAVE THE CATHEDRAL THE LEAD sheathed wooden spire that is now a heap of charred rubble on the CHURCH S lOOR 4HAT EARLIER RESTORATION A CENTURY AND A HALF AGO ALSO PROVIDED the remarkable plan for dealing with future disasters, and which WILL RESULT IN .OTRE $AME BEING RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY 4HE gPROTOCOL u AS THE &RENCH DESCRIBE IT HAS TWO PARTS kRST THE RESPONSE TO A DISASTER AND THEN THE RECOVERY !S THE FIRE PROGRESSED MANY people on social media and in NEWS REPORTS WERE BAFlED AS TO WHY THE &RENCH kREkGHTERS DID NOT SEEM AGGRESSIVE TO kGHT IT AT kRST 4HAT WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE FOLLOWING A STRICT STRATEGY BASED ON WHAT can be replaced and what cannot: &IRST SAVE THE PEOPLE THEN SAVE THE ART THEN SAVE THE ALTAR AND AS MUCH of the cathedralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior furnishINGS AND kXTURES AS POSSIBLE AND ONLY AFTER ALL THAT TRY TO SAVE THE STRUCTURE &OR THE MOST PART IT worked; there were no deaths and ONLY A FEW INJURIES AMONG THE kREkGHTERS AND VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE priceless artworks and religious RELICS WERE SAFELY REMOVED 4HERE

³Kritz B2

MAKING TEA

This aerial photo taken on April 15, 2019 shows farmers drying ginkgo leaves used to make ginkgo biloba tea at a tea field in Linyi in Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eastern Shandong province. Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy beat forecasts as growth remained steady in the first quarter despite tepid global demand, a US trade war and a debt battle, official data showed on April 17. AFP PHOTO

Net â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hot moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; reverts to outflow &/2%)'. PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS RETURNED TO NEGATIVE TERRITORY in March, recording the biggest net outflow in more than two YEARS BASED ON "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG Pilipinas (BSP) data released on 7EDNESDAY 4HE MILLION NET gHOT MONEYu OUTlOW WAS A REVERSAL OF &EBRUARY S MILLION NET INlOW )T WAS THE LARGEST SINCE A MILLION NET OUTFLOW IN 3EPTEMBER AND WAS ALSO A REVERSAL FROM THE YEAR EARLIER NET INlOW OF BILLION 4HIS CAME AS LARGE OUTFLOWS FROM GOVERNMENT SECURITIES OFFSET INVESTMENTS IN 0HILIPPINE 3TOCK %XCHANGE 03% LISTED ISSUES 2EGISTERED FOREIGN PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS AMOUNTED TO billion for the month, higher than THE BILLION IN &EBRUARY BUT DOWN PERCENT FROM -ARCH LAST YEAR 4HE BULK OR PERCENT WAS INVESTED IN 03% LISTED SECURITIES Â&#x2021; MAINLY HOLDING FIRMS FOOD BEVERAGE AND TOBACCO

COMPANIES PROPERTY DEVELOPers; banks; and transportation SERVICES COMPANIES Â&#x2021; WHILE THE REST WENT TO PESO GOVERNMENT SECURITIES '3 AND UNIT INVESTMENT TRUST FUNDS 4HE 5NITED +INGDOM THE 5NITed States, Singapore, Luxembourg AND (ONG +ONG WERE THE TOP kVE INVESTOR COUNTRIES WITH A COMBINED PERCENT OF THE TOTAL -ARCH S OUTFLOWS OF BILLION MEANWHILE RElECTED INCREASES OF PERCENT AND PERCENT RESPECTIVELY COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS MONTH BILLION AND A YEAR AGO BILLION g4HIS MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO LARGE OUTlOWS FROM PESO '3 AMOUNTING TO MILLION FOR -ARCH VIS ¹ VIS THE MILLION RECORDED IN &EBRUARY u THE "30 SAID 4HE 5NITED 3TATES REMAINED THE main destination of repatriated FUNDS ACCOUNTING FOR PERCENT 9EAR TO DATE HOT MONEY lOWS WERE POSITIVE AT A NET INlOW OF MILLION LOWER THAN THE

0 MILLION A YEAR AGO (OT MONEY IS MOSTLY INVESTED IN the stock market and does not necESSARILY CREATE JOBS UNLIKE FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS THAT ARE USED TO BUILD FACTORIES AND BUY CAPITAL EQUIPMENT 3PECULATIVE FUNDS INVESTED IN kNANCIAL ASSETS ARE A COMPONENT of the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; balance of PAYMENTS WHICH SUMMARIZES THE COUNTRY S ECONOMIC TRANSACTIONS WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD OVER A CERTAIN PERIOD 4HE "ANGKO 3ENTRAL EXPECTS THIS TYPE OF INVESTMENT TO POST A NET OUTFLOW OF ABOUT MILLION THIS YEAR ,AST YEAR HOT MONEY HIT A NET INlOW OF BILLION THE HIGHEST IN kVE YEARS AND AN ABOUT FACE FROM S MILLION NET OUTlOW 4HE TALLY WAS ALSO BETter than the BSPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forecast of a MILLION NET OUTlOW AND WAS THE LARGEST NET INlOW SINCE S BILLION MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

I

N last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article, we discussed BRIElY 2EPUBLIC !CT 2! .O 3AFEGUARD -EASURES !CT AS A PROTECtion tool to address the unexpected surge in imports that cause (or threaten TO CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO THE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY In this article, we shall discuss the KEY FEATURES OF 2EPUBLIC !CT 2! .O !NTI DUMPING !CT AND 2! .O #OUNTERVAILING DUTY !CT AS

MORE TO FOLLOW (MTF)

MARK ANTHONY P. TAMAYO TRADE PROTECTION INSTRUMENTS 4HESE instruments can be used against unfair trade practices through the imposition OF SPECIAL DUTIES THAT MAY BE LEVIED IN ADDITION TO THE ORDINARY IMPORT DUTIES

TAXES AND CHARGES IMPOSED BY LAW ON

IMPORTED PRODUCTS !N ANTI DUMPING !$ DUTY MAY BE imposed when a Philippine domestic INDUSTRY IS BEING OR LIKELY TO BE MATERIALLY INJURED BY THE gDUMPINGu OF like or comparable articles imported INTO OR SOLD IN THE 0HILIPPINES )F THE INJURY IS CAUSED BY THE gASSISTANCE OR SUBSIDIZATIONu OF ARTICLES BY THE COUNTRY OF EXPORT A COUNTERVAILING DUTY #6$ MAY BE IMPOSED !$ CASES ARE COMPANY SPECIkC AND THE DUTY IS GENERALLY CALCULATED TO

0/3)4)6% sentiment following HIGHER THAN EXPECTED kRST QUARTER #HINA GROWTH DATA LIFTED THE LOCAL BOURSE ON 7EDNESDAY 4HE BELLWETHER 0HILIPPINE 3TOCK %XCHANGE INDEX 03%I CLOSED AT

UP PERCENT OR POINTS FROM THE PREVIOUS DAY 4HE WIDER !LL 3HARES GAINED PERCENT OR TO

g #HINESE '$0 GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT POSTED A kRST QUARTER w ;GROWTH= OF PERCENT SENDING MAJORITY OF !SIAN MARkets â&#x20AC;¦ [up] including PhilipPINES u 0HILSTOCKS &INANCIAL )NC 2ESEARCH !SSOCIATE 0IPER #HAUCER 4AN SAID g,OCAL INVESTORS HERE ARE ;ALSO= IN RISK AVERSE ;MODE= AHEAD OF HOLIDAYS u 4AN ADDED 7EDNESDAY S GAIN CAPPED A shortened trading week as PhilIPPINE kNANCIAL MARKETS WILL BE CLOSED BEGINNING TODAY !PRIL

IN OBSERVANCE OF (OLY 7EEK g03%I S MOVEMENT ON -ONDAY COULD LIKELY BE DICTATED BY HOW 53 MARKETS MOVE FOR THE NEXT THREE NIGHTS GIVEN THE LACK OF CATALYSTS IN THE LOCAL FRONT SO BEST TO WATCH OUT FOR THAT u 0 0 4RADE /NLINE 3ALES !SSOCIATE 'ABRIEL *OSE 0EREZ SAID -OST !SIAN MARKETS ROSE FOLLOWING #HINA S '$0 RESULT

WITH 3HANGHAI 4OKYO (ONG +ONG AND 3INGAPORE ENDING IN THE GREEN AT PERCENT

PERCENT PERCENT AND PERCENT RESPECTIVELY 3YDNEY HOWEVER EASED PERCENT AND 3EOUL SLIPPED PERCENT Back in Manila, sectoral results were mixed with holding kRMS MINING AND OIL AND PROPERTY ENDING IN THE RED 4OTAL VOLUME STOOD AT MILLION SHARES VALUED AT 0 BILLION 7INNERS LED LOSERS

WHILE ISSUES WERE UNCHANGED TYRONE C. PIAD AND AFP

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inside

Trade remedies as trade policy tools (Second of three parts)

FALLS OF AROUND PERCENT AGAINST THE DOLLAR FOR THESE CURRENCIES u #APITAL %CONOMICS SAID 4HE 0HILIPPINES CURRENT ACcount deficit widened to an ALL TIME HIGH OF BILLION LAST YEAR EQUIVALENT TO ABOUT percent of gross national income AND PERCENT OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT AS THE IMPORTS SIGNIkCANTLY OUTPACED EXPORTS 4HE TRADE IN GOODS DEkCIT ROSE PERCENT TO BILLION LAST YEAR RElECTING A PERCENT EXPANSION IN IMPORTS AND A PERCENT DECLINE IN EXPORTS

China GDP data lifts stock market

³Widens B2

I

V B a n g ko k 0 . 7 7 %

bridge the gap back to the normal VALUE MARKET PRICE OF THE DUMPED ARTICLES /N THE OTHER HAND #6$ CASES ARE COUNTRY SPECIkC $UTIES ARE CALCULATED TO MORE OR LESS DUPLICATE THE VALUE OF THE SUBSIDY

Commonality of elements $UMPING AND SUBSIDIZATION ARE NOT PER SE ILLEGAL %XPORTERS WILL NORMALLY

³MTF B2

DETERMINING BAD AND GOOD DEBTS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MONEY MAX

»BusinessB2

4 RE PROJECTS LABELLED â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; BusinessB2

»

IRCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NET INCOME SURGES TO P2.99B

»BusinessB2

B2

Business Times

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

4 RE projects labelled ‘nationally significant’ F

BY JORDEENE B. LAGARE

OUR renewable energy (RE) projects have BEEN ADDED TO THE LIST OF PROJECTS CLASSIkED by the Department of Energy (DoE) as NATIONALLY SIGNIkCANT

)0/ OF -AYOYAO #%0.3 WERE ALSO GIVEN TO 2IO .ORTE (YDRO #ORP S -7 RUN OF RIVER HYDRO POWER PLANT IN )SABELA AND 2IZAL 7IND %NERGY #ORP S -7 WIND POWER PRO JECT IN 2IZAL PROVINCE ! UNIT UNDER #ITICORE 0OWER )NC 2IO .ORTE SIGNED LAST /CTOBER A -O! WITH LOCAL OFkCIALS TO BUILD THE RUN OF RIVER HYDRO FACILITY IN %CHAGUE TOWN 4HE FACILITY IS EX PECTED TO BE kNISHED BY /NCE COMPLETED THE FACILITY IS SEEN TO SUPPLY MILLION KILO watts of energy a year to the cities OF #AUAYAN AND 3ANTIAGO INCLUD ING THE MUNICIPALITIES OF !LICIA

!NGADANAN #ABATUAN #ORDON

%CHAGUE *ONES ,UNA 2AMON

2EINA -ERCEDES 3AN !GUSTIN 3AN 'UILLERMO 3AN )SIDRO AND 3AN -ATEO

/N THE OTHER HAND 2IZAL 7IND %NERGY HAS WIND PROJECTS IN !NTIPOLO AND 4ANAY TOWNS IN 2IZAL WORTH 0 BILLION 4HE kRM EARLIER SECURED THE %NERGY DEPART MENT S GREEN LIGHT TO CONDUCT A GRID IMPACT STUDY FOR THESE WIND PROJECTS 4HE ISSUANCE OF #%0.3 IS IN LINE WITH %XECUTIVE /RDER SIGNED BY 0RESIDENT 2ODRIGO $UTERTE IN *UNE

WHICH SEEKS TO STREAMLINE the regulatory procedures and REQUIREMENTS RELEVANT TO THE DE VELOPMENT OF ENERGY INVESTMENTS IN THE COUNTRY The certification gives project PROPONENTS PRESUMPTIVE PRIOR AP PROVAL AND DAY FACILITATION FROM ALL CONCERNED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES !N APPLICATION IS DEEMED APPROVED IF NOT ACTED UPON WITHIN kVE DAYS AFTER THE DAY PERIOD LAPSES

Certificates of energy project OF NATIONAL SIGNIkCANCE #%0.3 WERE ISSUED TO 3. !BOITIZ 0OWER S 3.!0 MEGAWATT -7 /L ILICON HYDROPOWER PLANT AND -7 !LIMIT PUMPED STORAGE FACIL ITY IN )FUGAO BASED ON THE $O% S POST ON ITS WEBSITE ON -ONDAY The two facilities are part of the !LIMIT (YDROPOWER #OMPLEX IN )FUGAO TOUTED TO BE THE kRST HYDRO POWER FACILITY IN THE PROVINCE )T IS A PROJECT OF 3.!0 A JOINT VENTURE OF !BOITIZ0OWER #ORP AND .OR WAY S 3. 0OWER ! THIRD FACILITY THE

-7 !LIMIIT PLANT COMPLETES THE POWER COMPLEX )N $ECEMBER LAST YEAR 3.!0 SCORED A MILESTONE AFTER FOUR IN DIGENOUS PEOPLES ORGANIZATIONS )0/S GAVE THEIR CONSENT FOR THE PROJECT BY SIGNIFYING THEIR FREE AND PRIOR INFORMED CONSENT AFTER THE SIGNING OF MEMORANDUMS OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE JOINT VENTURE AND THE )BFUNJIYAN )0/ OF !GUINALDO !NCESTRAL $OMAIN Council of Lagawe, Federation of ,AMUT )NDIGENOUS 0EOPLES /R GANIZATION AND THE %MAJAWJAW

IRC’s net income surges to P2.99B

Plan for climate change, Lopez urges

0(),)00).% )NFRADEV (OLDINGS )NC S )2# NET INCOME ROSE TO 0 BILLION IN FROM 0 MILLION THE YEAR BEFORE THANKS TO the increased value of its property in "INANGONAN TOWN 2IZAL PROVINCE In a filing on Tuesday, the LISTED HOLDING COMPANY SAID THE IMPROVED PROkT CAME FROM THE SPIKE IN THE UNREALIZED FAIR VALUE GAIN ON ITS INVESTMENT PROPERTY

WHICH REACHED 0 BILLION 4HAT PROPERTY MEASURING

hectares and purchased four de cades ago, had a fair value gain of ONLY 0 MILLION IN 4HE LAND IS NOW BEING EYED FOR DEVELOPMENT )2# SAID 4HE COMPANY S REAL ESTATE SALES DROPPED BY PERCENT TO 0 MILLION LAST YEAR FROM S 0 MILLION 2ENTAL INCOME ALSO DROPPED TO 0 FROM 0 A YEAR EARLIER )2# SHARES ENDED lAT AT 0 APIECE ON 7EDNESDAY LISBET K. ESMAEL

Q MTF FROM B1

Trade set their prices lower than the do MESTIC PRICES TO BE MORE COMPETI TIVE )T IS WHEN THEY INJURE DOMES TIC PRODUCERS WHERE AN ACTIONABLE protest praying for additional PROTECTION CAN BE IMPOSED 4HE FACT OF DUMPING OR SUBSI DIZATION IS SUBJECTED TO AN INDE pendent evaluation and not just UNQUESTIONINGLY ACCEPTED !N !$ AND #6$ PETITION OR APPLICATION MAY BE kLED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY WITH THE $EPARTMENT OF 4RADE AND )NDUSTRY "UREAU OF )MPORT 3ERVICES $4) ")3 FOR INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS OR $EPARTMENT OF !GRICULTURE $!

FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS )N SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES $4) ")3 OR $! MAY ON ITS OWN MOTION INITI ATE AN INVESTIGATION 4HE CONCERNED DEPARTMENT SHALL INITIALLY DETERMINE THE EXISTENCE of a PRIMA FACIE case to warrant a FORMAL INVESTIGATION BY THE 4ARIFF #OMMISSION 4# AS WELL AS the IMPOSITION OF A PROVISIONAL DUTY RELIEF IN THE FORM OF CASH BOND The TC, on the other hand, con DUCTS THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION AND SUBMITS ITS REPORT OF kNDINGS AND DECISION TO THE CONCERNED 3ECRETARY $URING THE FORMAL INVESTIGATION

THE 4# SHALL ESSENTIALLY DETERMINE the following:

4(% IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WHEN CRAFTING AN ENVI RONMENT RESILIENCY PLAN TO SAFEGUARD THE COUNTRY S AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

THE $EPARTMENT OF 4RADE AND )NDUSTRY $4) SAID RECENTLY 4RADE 3ECRETARY 2AMON ,OPEZ SAID A COMPREHENSIVE COURSE OF ACTION AGAINST THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE CAN BE INDICATED IN THE MEDIUM AND LONG TERM PLANS OF THE 0HILIPPINE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR $AMAGES BROUGHT BY THE %L .IÄO PHENOMENON TO THE LOCAL AGRICULTURE HAVE REACHED 0 BILLION REPRESENTING THE

METRIC TONS -4 OF WASTED CROPS

FROM HECTARES OF AGRICUL TURAL LANDS THE $EPARTMENT OF !GRICULTURE EARLIER SAID 7ITH PROLONGED DROUGHT ,OPEZ SAID THERE SHOULD BE ADDITIONAL IN VESTMENTS UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM FOR IRRIGATION TO ADDRESS POSSIBLE WATER SHORTAGE &URTHER ,OPEZ SAID MORE STORAGE facilities to secure agricultural prod ucts for early harvest in anticipation OF DROUGHT WOULD BE HELPFUL !GRI CULTURAL TECHNOLOGY SHOULD ALSO BE IN PLACE TO MAKE THE SECTOR MORE RESILIENT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE HE ADDED g(OW TO MAKE INDUSTRY RESIL IENT 4HERE ARE TECHNOLOGIES MAK

ING THE FARMS COOL THE FEEDS THEY GIVE TO THE ANIMALS THEY MAKE IT HIGH DENSITY u ,OPEZ ADDED "UT THE MEASURES PROPOSED BY ,OPEZ ENTAIL FURTHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 2 $ FORMER !GRI CULTURE SECRETARY 7ILLIAM $AR SAID g2 $ IS KEY ;TO KNOW THE= ADAPTA TION MEASURE ;THAT COULD HELP THE FARMERS= u HE SAID AT THE SIDELINES OF A SEMINAR IN "AGUIO LAST WEEK $AR AID DROUGHT TOLERANT CROPS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO WITHSTAND INTENSE WEATHER AND WATER SCARCITY Crops that need little water will THRIVE BETTER HE EXPLAINED TYRONE C. PIAD

EDC to supply energy to Mondelez PH ENERGY Development Corp. (EDC) has clinched a contract to supply geothermal energy to snack producer Mondelez Philippines.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Lopez-led renewable energy (RE) firm said the manufacturing facility of Mondelēz International Inc.’s local unit in Sucat, Parañaque City, was now running on 100-percent RE, sourced from its 150-MW Bac-Man geothermal power plant in Sorsogon City, Sorsogon province.

Mondelez Philippines produces Eden cheese, Cheez Whiz, Tang powdered juice,

Oreo cookies, and Toblerone and Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolates.

According to EDC, Mondelēz International included reducing absolute carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing by 15 percent in its 2020 sustainability goals.

Mondelez Philippines Plant Lead Atul Kulkarni said his company had “a biomass boiler, which uses biodegradable sources of fuel; a rainwater treatment facility in our plant to lessen water waste; plastic waste recycling projects; and solar power systems, which all contribute to the achievement of our sustainability goals.”

DUMPED OR SUBSIDIZED PRODUCTS

AND THEN ESTABLISHING WHAT DO MESTICALLY PRODUCED PRODUCTS ARE THE APPROPRIATE gLIKE PRODUCTu 4HE TERM gLIKE PRODUCTSu REFERS to products that are “identical or ALIKEu IN ALL MATERIAL RESPECTS OR AT LEAST CLOSELY RESEMBLING THOSE OF THE PRODUCT UNDER CONSIDERATION In a previous decision, the TC RULED THAT IF THE DOMESTICALLY PRODUCED AND IMPORTED PROD UCTS FALL UNDER THE SAME !SEAN (ARMONIZED 4ARIFF .OMENCLATURE SUBHEADINGS UNDERGO THE SAME MANUFACTURING PROCESS USE THE SAME RAW MATERIALS POSSESS THE SAME PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND GENERALLY HAVE THE SAME USES AND applications, they are considered gLIKE PRODUCTSu 4HE DECISION REGARDING THE gLIKE PRODUCTu IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS THE BASIS OF DETERMINING WHICH COMPANIES CONSTITUTE THE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY 4HAT DETERMINATION IN turn, governs the scope of the in VESTIGATION OF INJURY AND CAUSAL LINK

MENT WAGES GROWTH AND ABILITY TO THE COUNTRY OF EXPORT OR ORIGIN 4HE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER RAISE CAPITAL OR INVESTMENTS SAID SALES ARE MADE IN THE gORDI Determination NARY COURSE OF TRADEu OR NOT IS ONE of causal link OF THE MOST COMPLICATED QUESTIONS IN ANTI DUMPING INVESTIGATIONS 4HE MATERIAL INJURY SUFFERED BY Under certain conditions, the THE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY MUST BE THE NORMAL VALUE COULD BE THE COMPA DIRECT RESULT OF THE IMPORTATION OF RABLE PRICE DOMESTIC PRICE OF THE THE DUMPED PRODUCT .EEDLESS TO PRODUCT IN THE EXPORTING COUNTRY STATE IT MUST BE CLEAR EVIDENCE AT THE SAME LEVEL OF TRADE WHICH IS TAKEN TOGETHER THAT THE INJURY SUF sold or offered for sale at whole FERED IS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE SALE OF THE LIKE PRODUCT WHEN IT ALLEGED DUMPING OR SUBSIDIZATION IS EXPORTED TO THE 0HILIPPINES OR the total cost of production in the Specific elements COUNTRY OF EXPORT OR ORIGIN If at any stage of the proceedings, &OR DUMPING PROTESTS THERE MUST THE PROVISIONALLY ESTIMATED MARGIN BE PROOF THAT THE EXPORTERS SELL OF DUMPING IS LESS THAN OF THE THEIR PRODUCT TO AN IMPORTER IN EXPORT PRICE THE 4# SHALL CONSIDER THE 0HILIPPINES AT AN EXPORT PRICE the case a DE MINIMIS MARGIN OF LOWER THAN ITS MARKET PRICE IN THE DUMPING and shall MOTU PROPRIO COUNTRY OF EXPORT COUNTRY FROM TERMINATE THE INVESTIGATION WHERE THE ALLEGED DUMPED PRODUCT )N NEXT WEEK S ARTICLE THE AUTHOR WAS SHIPPED TO THE 0HILIPPINES SHALL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THE SIMI regardless of the location of the LARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SELLER OR ORIGIN WHERE THE ALLEGED !$ AND #6$ DUMPED PRODUCT WAS WHOLLY OB TAINED OR WHERE THE LAST SUBSTANTIAL -ARK !NTHONY 0 4AMAYO IS A #0!

TRANSFORMATION TOOK PLACE ,AWYER AND A 0ARTNER AT -ATA 0EREZ

'ENERALLY ONE IDENTIkES DUMP 4AMAYO &RANCISCO -4& #OUNSEL ING SIMPLY BY COMPARING PRICES (E WILL CONDUCT A COMPREHENSIVE IN TWO MARKETS (OWEVER THE TRAINING ON "EST 0RACTICES IN %FFEC SITUATION IS NOT OFTEN THAT SIMPLE TIVELY -ANAGING #USTOMS #OMPLI )N MOST CASES IT IS NECESSARY TO ANCE HOSTED BY THE #ENTER FOR 'LOBAL UNDERTAKE A SERIES OF COMPLEX "EST 0RACTICES WWW CGBP ORG ON ANALYTICAL STEPS TO DETERMINE THE *UNE AT THE %$3! 3HANGRI gNORMAL VALUEu AND THE gEXPORT ,A (OTEL -ANDALUYONG #ITY 4HIS PRICEu TO UNDERTAKE AN APPROPRIATE ARTICLE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION COMPARISON ONLY AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR g.ORMAL VALUEu IS THE FOREIGN professional advice where the facts PRODUCER S DOMESTIC SELLING PRICE AND CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT )F YOU OF THE ARTICLE )T IS THE have any question regarding this COMPARABLE PRICE IN THE ORDINARY ARTICLE YOU MAY EMAIL THE AUTHOR AT COURSE OF TRADE FOR THE LIKE PRODUCT INFO MTFCOUNSEL COM OR VISIT -4& WHEN DESTINED FOR CONSUMPTION IN WEBSITE AT WWW MTFCOUNSEL COM

Determination of material injury

4HERE MUST BE ACTUAL OR THREATENED MATERIAL INJURY TO A DOMESTIC INDUSTRY 4HE INJURY TEST MUST BE BASED ON POSITIVE EVIDENCE SHOW ING AMONG OTHERS THAT THE VOLUME OF THE DUMPED OR SUBSI DIZED IMPORTS IS NOT IN NEGLIGIBLE QUANTITY ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL DECLINE IN SALES MARKET SHARE

Determination of Like PROkTS ETC PRICE UNDERCUTTING Product IS SIGNIkCANT AS A CONSEQUENCE OF A VERY MUCH LOWER PRICE OF IMPORT 4HE DETERMINATION ESSENTIALLY AND ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL EFFECTS INVOLVES EXAMINING THE ALLEGED ON CASH lOW INVENTORIES EMPLOY

“We are proud to source our power from 100-percent RE. Sustainability for our company is about preserving our world and its people,” he added.

Marvin Kenneth Bailon, EDC head of business development, marketing and trading, said his company and Mondelez Philippines shared the same values.

“Geothermal energy, for us, is the holy grail of RE. It is the only baseload RE, which means it can run 24/7 without depending on the seasons. This makes it a reliable source of uninterruptible power,” he explained.

JORDEENE B. LAGARE

Determining bad and good debts

T

(% "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPI NAS "30 INAUGURAL .ATIONAL "ASELINE 3URVEY ON &INANCIAL )NCLUSION SHOWED THAT MAJORITY OF &ILIPINOS ARE BURIED IN DEBT )T SAID PERCENT OF ADULTS BOR ROW MONEY TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR URGENT kNANCIAL NEEDS 4HE SAME DEMOGRAPHIC ALSO HAVE A HARD TIME PAYING OFF THEIR DEBT

RESULTING IN A PILE OF kNANCIAL OBLIGATIONS /NE OF THE REASONS WHY IT IS DIFkCULT FOR MOST PEOPLE TO ATTAIN A DEBT FREE LIFE IS THAT THEY FALL INTO BAD KINDS OF DEBT &OR EXAMPLE

BORROWING MONEY TO ACQUIRE IN SIGNIkCANT YET EXPENSIVE ITEMS )F you enjoy doing this, then you are PROBABLY LEADING YOURSELF TO BAD DEBT )N ADDITION SUCH PURCHASES USUALLY COME WITH A HIGH INTEREST RATE AND A REPAYMENT TERM THAT S DIFkCULT TO FOLLOW HENCE LEADING YOU TO MORE DEBT If you frequently use your cred it card to dine out or purchase EXPENSIVE CLOTHES AND GADGETS

THERE S A HIGH CHANCE THAT YOU LL ACCUMULATE A HIGH CREDIT CARD INTEREST THAT CAN LEAD YOU TO DEBT )T S NOT BAD TO USE A CREDIT CARD FOR SUCH PURCHASES WHAT S BAD IS NOT TAKING YOUR CREDIT CARD LIMIT INTO CONSIDERATION #HECK YOUR BUD GET AND YOUR CARD LIMIT -AKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH MEANS TO PAY YOUR CREDIT CARD BILL BEFORE SPENDING MORE THAN YOU COULD Getting a loan to spend on an EXPENSIVE VACATION CAN ALSO LEAD YOU TO BAD DEBT 3AVE MONEY AND PREPARE YOUR TRAVELS MONTHS AHEAD +EEP IN MIND THAT IT IS MORE REWARDING TO TRAVEL WITH YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY THAT YOU EARNESTLY SAVED 0AYDAY LOANS CAN ALSO BE CON SIDERED AS BAD DEBT 7HY 3IMPLY BECAUSE SUCH LOANS CAN BE DIF kCULT TO MANAGE 0AYDAY LOANS

SINCE THEY ARE EASY TO OBTAIN USU ALLY COME WITH EXORBITANT INTEREST RATES "E WISE WHEN APPLYING FOR

MONEY MAX

JOSH MASCARIÑAS THIS TYPE OF LOAN -AKE SURE THE INTEREST RATE IS REASONABLE AND AFFORDABLE /N THE OTHER HAND GOOD DEBT IS AN INVESTMENT THAT GROWS IN VALUE )T S SOMETHING YOU CAN ACTUALLY EARN FROM /NE EXAMPLE IS BORROWING MONEY FOR AN INVESTMENT ,ET S SAY YOU TOOK OUT A PERSONAL LOAN TO PURCHASE A HOUSE 4HIS IS OKAY BECAUSE YOU CAN EVENTUALLY EARN FROM THAT INVESTMENT ! HOUSE IS AN APPRECIATING ASSET SO IT S A good idea to sell it after a couple OF YEARS $OING THIS ALLOWS YOU TO EARN FUNDS TO REPAY YOUR DEBT AND GET RETURNS IN THE YEARS TO COME "ORROWING MONEY FOR EDUCA TION IS ALSO A GOOD KIND OF DEBT "ASICALLY YOU RE INVESTING FOR YOUR CHILDREN !N EDUCATIONAL PLAN MAY BE EXPENSIVE BUT IT CAN open opportunities that will help REPAY THE LOAN 4HE FUTURE OF YOUR CHILDREN IS UNPREDICTABLE BUT HAVING A SCHOOL DIPLOMA IS A BIG HELP FOR THEIR FUTURE )NVESTING IN EDUCATION IS NEVER A WASTE .OW IS THE TIME TO START PAYING OFF GOOD DEBT )F YOU HAVE BAD DEBT GRADUALLY MANAGE THEM 3MALL WINS MATTER ESPECIALLY IF THEY CAN PUSH YOU TO A BETTER kNANCIAL SITUATION 4HINK ABOUT YOUR CURRENT kNANCIAL STANDING AND TAKE IT AS A LESSON .OW IS THE TIME TO LET YOUR MONEY WORK FOR YOU SO DETERMINE YOUR PAYABLES AND STRIVE FOR A DEBT FREE LIFE *** *OSH -ASCARIÄAS IS A CONTENT WRIT ER AT -ONEYMAX 3AVE MONEY ON car insurance, credit cards, and LOANS WHEN YOU COMPARE AND APPLY AT WWW MONEYMAX PHÜ 6ISIT OUR WEBSITE TO KNOW MORE

Q KRITZ FROM B1

Disaster management WERE OF COURSE SOME THINGS THAT COULD NOT BE SAVED m THE CATHEDRAL LOST MOST OF ITS HISTORIC STAINED glass windows, and its ancient pipe ORGAN WAS BADLY DAMAGED m BUT THE TRULY IRREPLACEABLE THINGS WERE PROTECTED AND QUICKLY ENOUGH THAT THE kREkGHTERS COULD AT LEAST PRESERVE THE BASIC STRUCTURE .OW COMES THE SECOND STAGE IN THE PLAN THE RESTORATION 4HE REASON WHY .OTRE $AME BURNED SO FEROCIOUSLY IN SPITE OF BEING A LARGE STONE BUILDING IS THAT IT WAS FULL OF WOOD 4HE SPIRE AND THE ENTIRE ROOF FRAMEWORK WERE MADE OF OAK BEAMS AND MUCH OF THE INTERIOR STRUCTURE WAS WOODEN AS WELL "Y SOME ESTIMATES THE WOOD INSIDE .OTRE $AME IS EQUAL TO A FOREST OF ABOUT HECTARES (ERE THE &RENCH HAVE DEMON STRATED A REMARKABLE BIT OF FORE SIGHT $URING THE CATHEDRAL S kRST RESTORATION IN THE EARLY S THE

GOVERNMENT REALIZED THAT DISASTER MIGHT STRIKE AGAIN IN THE FUTURE

AND PLANTED A FARM OF OAK TREES AT 6ERSAILLES OUTSIDE THE CITY 4HOSE TREES ARE NOW YEARS OLD A READY MADE SUPPLY 3OME OF THEM WOULD BE NEEDED TO REBUILD .OTRE $AME The disaster and eventual res TORATION OF .OTRE $AME PROVIDES A COUPLE OF GOOD LESSONS ABOUT DEALING WITH A CALAMITY &IRST

THINK OF THE FUTURE DISASTERS HAVE A NASTY WAY OF REPEATING THEMSELVES 3ECOND PRIORITIZE WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT A BUILDING CAN BE BUILT AGAIN A LIFE CANNOT !ND kNALLY

even if there is an apparent low RISK OF DISASTER INSTITUTIONALIZING gWHAT IF u SCENARIOS ALLOWS THEM TO BE PASSED FROM GENERATION to generation, and ensures that PEOPLE WILL BE PREPARED TO ACT WHEN THEY NEED TO

BEN KRITZ MANILATIMES NET

Q WIDENS FROM B1

BoP surplus widens LASTLY HIT MILLION IN *ANUARY

DOWN PERCENT FROM MIL LION IN THE SAME MONTH LAST YEAR AND THE LOWEST SINCE .OVEMBER S MILLION g4HE POSITIVE "O0 IS A SIGN THAT SOME FOREIGN PORTFOLIO INVESTOR CONkDENCE HAS BEEN REGAINED AFTER LAST YEAR S INlATION EPISODE DROVE THEM OUT u "0) LEAD ECONOMIST %MILIO .ERI *R "ANK OF THE 0HIL ippine Islands vice president and LEAD ECONOMIST SAID )NlATION AVERAGED PERCENT IN EXCEEDING THE GOVERN MENT S PERCENT TARGET “The return of a positive capi TAL AND kNANCIAL ACCOUNT HELPS THE "30 TO REBUILD ITS ')2 GROSS INTERNATIONAL RESERVES EVEN AS THE ECONOMY CONTINUES TO INCUR INVESTMENT LED CURRENT ACCOUNT DEkCITS u .ERI ADDED

4HE CENTRAL BANK HAS FORECAST A BILLION "O0 DEkCIT FOR 4HE "O0 ENDED AT A DEFICIT OF BILLION LAST YEAR WIDER THAN THE MILLION RECORDED IN BUT LOWER THAN "30 S BILLION FORECAST )TS MAIN COMPONENT THE CURRENT ACCOUNT HIT AN ALL TIME BILLION DEFICIT LAST YEAR AS ROBUST ECONOMIC ACTIVITY RESULTED IN A WIDER TRADE GAP MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

MANAGEMENT ACTION

KAY CALPO LUGTU Due to space constraints, Management Action will instead be published next week.

AgriBusiness SL Agritech pushes hybrid technology T Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

BY EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZÂ

HE countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading hybrid rice producer SL Agritech Corp. has stepped up its initiatives in providing assistance to Filipino farmers to increase their yield and income through modern hybrid rice farming technology.

!S PART OF ITS INITIATIVES TO HELP INCREASE FARMERS YIELD THROUGH MODERN FARMING 3, !GRITECH launched the Masaganang Ani !WARD IN COLLABORATION WITH

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

EDITOR: Conrad M. CariĂąo

Nueva Ecija provincial agriculture OFkCE 'O .EGOSYO AND THE /FkCE OF THE 0RESIDENT g-ASAGANANG !NI !WARD aims to promote progressive

FARMING THROUGH THE USE OF hybrid rice seeds. Farmers who could improve their yield up to CAVANS OF palay UNMILLED RICE PER HECTARE WILL BE AWARDed by a cash prize and a trophy which will personally be handED OVER BY 0RESIDENT ;2ODRIGO Duterte],â&#x20AC;? SL Agritech ChairMAN AND #HIEF %XECUTIVE /FFICER Henry Lim Bon Liong said.

4OP FARMERS WHO RECORD HIGHS using SLAC hybrid rice varieties will be awarded annually.

During his speech in the recent Grand Harvest Festival in Sto.

Domingo, Nueva Ecija, Lim urged FARMERS TO USE HYBRID RICE SEEDS to help the country achieve rice SELF SUFkCIENCY During the event, Lim along with Sto. Domingo Mayor Imee de Guzman awarded three Nueva %CIJA FARMERS WHO BREACHED THE CAVAN MARK IN THE PAST YEARS 4HEY WERE 3EVERINO 0AYUMO WHO PRODUCED CAVANS PER HECTARE IN %DUARDO 0OLICARPIO

CAVANS IN AND $ANILO "OLOS

CAVANS IN Nueva Ecija is the No.1 rice-producing province in the country.

Group urges youth to join ranks of agri engineers THE Philippine Society of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers (Psabe) is also focused on getting more of the youth to enter the farming and fisheries industries, asking them to join the ranks of licensed Filipino agricultural and biosystems engineers (ABEs) whose expertise are recognized also in southeast Asian countries.

Aldrin Badua, Psabe president, said interest among the youth to become licensed ABEs was steadily increasing, which was also evidenced by the active Psabe chapters in a number of schools, Â regions and provinces.

He said the current average age of farmers in the Philippines was 56 to 60 years old. â&#x20AC;&#x153;With the agriculture sectors in many countries seeing the application of digital and other emerging technologies, we really need more of the youth to enter the agriculture and fisheries industries,â&#x20AC;? Badua said, adding the youth were more receptive to new technologies.

He also said the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agriculture sector was currently undergoing mechanization with more farmers also adopting various mechanical equipment, while there were those who were utilizing good agricultural practices

Q The Philippine Society of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineers-Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (Psabe-CBSUA) chapter is among the active youth-based organizations of Psabe. During the Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards quiz bee (PAEStigan) for the Bicol Region held in January, the Psabe-CBSUA chapter emerged as the overall champion. PSABE-CBSUA FACEBOOK PHOTO and high-yielding seed varieties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, the next step of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agriculture sector is to undergo â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;technologizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; where drones, geomapping, robotics and tapping the internet, among others, should be adopted by farmers. The youth can be good anchors to accelerate that technologization trend,â&#x20AC;? Badua added.

Also an Association of Southeast

Searca helps boost carabao W industry THE 3OUTHEAST !SIAN 2EGIONAL #ENTER FOR 'RADUATE 3TUDY AND 2ESEARCH IN !GRICULTURE 3EARCA CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE 0HILIPPINE #ARABAO #ENTER 0## THROUGH THE PROJECT TITLED g#APACITY $EVELOPMENT UNDER ,IVESTOCK 2ESEARCH AND "IOTECHNOLOGY 2ESEARCH AND $EVELOPMENT OF THE #ARABAO $EVELOPMENT 0LAN u jointly undertaken by the two agencies. !S PART OF THE PROGRAM 3EARCA FACILITATED THE SENDING OF OFkCIALS AND STAFF OF THE 0HILIPPINE #ARABAO #ENTER 0## AND THREE OFkCERS OF THE ,AMAC -ULTIPURPOSE #OOPERATIVE )NC ,AMAC -0# TO THE Overseas Comparative Study Mission Toward Inclusive, Sustainable and Competitive Livestock Dairy $EVELOPMENT CONFERENCE IN "ANGKOK IN -ARCH 4HE PROJECT AIMS TO ENHANCE THE CAPACITY OF THE 0## TO ADDRESS THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CARABAO INDUSTRY AND BOOST ITS FULL POTENTIAL AS A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE local livestock industry in Southeast Asia.

On the other hand, the study mission also aimed TO )DENTIFY RELEVANT AND SPECIkC OVERSEAS PUBLIC AND private sector program concepts and strategies needed TO STRENGTHEN THE )NTENSIkED 2URAL %NTERPRISE "UILD 5P FRAMEWORK AND ITS OPERATIONALIZATION FORGE STRONGER partnership with international research and developMENT INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL ENHANCE GENERATION OF MAJOR kNAL OUTPUT RELEVANT TO IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF RELEVANT BIOTECHNIQUES TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND POLICY REFORMS AND PREPARE AND SUBMIT AN ACTION PLAN TO THE 0## EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR g0ARTICIPANTS INTEGRATED THEIR LEARNINGS FROM THE study mission through a synthesis workshop during THE LAST DAY OF THE STUDY MISSION 4HEY ALSO PRODUCED reentry action plans as their mission outputs,â&#x20AC;? Searca said in a statement.

Dairy products, including milk, have not been traditionally included in the Thai diet. However, in THE EARLY S THE KING OF 4HAILAND VISITED $ENMARK AND AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES FOR DAIRY FARMING WAS FORGED )N 4HAILAND THE GROUP FROM 0## AND ,AMAC -0# visited the Murrah Dairy and Mini Murrah Farm in #HACHOENGSAO 0ROVINCE !GRICULTURE -ACHINE AND %QUIPMENT #O ,TD IN -ANAO 7AN .AKORN 2ATCHASIMA !NIMAL .UTRITION AND 2ESEARCH AND $EVELOPMENT #ENTER IN 0AKCHONG !URA &ARM IN +HON +AEN 0ROVINCE 3WEET .APIER 0ASTURE !REA IN +ALASIN 0ROVINCE $AIRY &ARMING 0ROMOTION /RGANIZATION IN 3ARABURI 0ROVINCE #HOKCHAI !GRITOURISM $AIRY &ARM IN .AKHON 2ATCHASIMA AND :ONTA $AIRY 6ILLAGE IN 2ATCHABURI 0ROVINCE

THE TIMES

Asian Nations engineer, Badua said the other technologies that are finding their way into the agriculture sector were artificial intelligence, sensors, global positioning system and data analytics.

Citing Republic Act (RA) 10915, or the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Philippine Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Act of 2016â&#x20AC;? that gave birth to the Filipino ABE, Badua said there

was a need to expand the knowledge of such professionals to include the vast field of biosystems and technology adoption.

Section 5 of RA 10915 stipulates one of the primary duties of an ABE as: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Preparation of engineering designs, plans, specifications, project studies, feasibility studies and estimates of irrigation and drainage, soil and water conservation and management systems and facilities, agrometeorological systems, agricultural and biosystems power, and machinery, agricultural and biosystems buildings and structures, renewable/bio-energy systems and farm electrification, agricultural and bio-processing and postharvest facilities and system, agricultural and biological waste utilization and management, agricultural and bio-information system, agricultural and biosystems resource conservation and management, and agricultural and bio-automation and instrumentation system.â&#x20AC;?

He added that in Psabeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s upcoming 30th Agricultural Engineering Week that would be held from April 21 to 27 in Bacolod City, various experts from abroad would be sharing their knowledge for the modernization of agriculture.

LEANDER C. DOMINGO

For his part, Frisco Malabanan, SL Agritech senior technical and promotion consulTANT REMINDED FARMERS TO USE hybrid rice seeds with the propER MANAGEMENT REFERRING TO production protocol and good agricultural practices.

The search committee, which WILL BE COMPOSED OF REPUTABLE personalities in the rice industry, will be visiting the rice FARMS OF ALL NOMINATED PLANTERS AND IDENTIFY VARIOUS TECHNOLOgies and management utilized IN HYBRID RICE FARMING

B3

g4HIS IS REALLY AN INCENTIVE TO OUR FARMERS TO IMPROVE FURTHER their yield so that the aggressive PRODUCTION OF PALAY WOULD CONtinue and lessen the imports.

7E CAN BE SELF SUFFICIENT IN RICE by using proper technology with THE SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT agencies and the participation OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR u -ALAbanan said.

SL Agritechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hybrid rice technology has already been tapped by countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia.

Organic kamote farming generates higher yields YIELDS OF SWEET POTATO LOCALLY known as kamote , can be inCREASED DRAMATICALLY IF PLANTED organically.

Through the introduction OF VARIOUS RESEARCH AND DEVELopment interventions, organic sweet potato yield increased to ALMOST METRIC TONS PER HECTARE -4 HA FROM AN AVERAGE OF -4 HA g4HIS WAS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EVALUATION OF kVE VARIETIES OF SWEET POTATO SUITABLE FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION IDENTIkCATION OF PLANTS WITH PESTICIDAL PROPERties, and water or irrigation management practices,â&#x20AC;? the National /RGANIC !GRICULTURE 0ROGRAM ./!0 SAID IN A STATEMENT 4HE PACKAGE OF TECHNOLOGIES TO increase sweet potato yields were DEMONSTRATED DURING THE g&IELD Day cum Seminar on DevelopMENT OF 0ACKAGE OF 4ECHNOLOGY FOR 3USTAINABLE /RGANIC 3WEET 0OTATO 0RODUCTION IN #ENTRAL ,UZONu HELD ON !PRIL AT THE #ENTRAL ,UZON 3TATE 5NIVERSITY #,35

Q Farmer Cecilio Antolin Jr. shows his organic sweet potato harvest.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO 7ITH MORE THAN PARTICIPANTS COMING FROM NINE VILLAGES IN :AMBALES THE EVENT WAS ORGANIZED BY THE 2AMON -AGSAYSAY #ENTER FOR !GRICULTURAL 2ESOURCES AND %NVIRONMENT Studies based in CLSU. 4HE "UREAU OF !GRICULTURAL 2ESEARCH FUNDED ./!0 S EFFORT TO introduce organic sweet potato production.

THE TIMES

Tourism, agribusiness and digitization

ITH tourist arrivals hitting a record high 7.1 million in 2018, it is obvious we still have a long way to go to at least equal Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourist VISITOR kGURE OF MILLION FOR THE same year.

But at the very least, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourist arrivals went up by 7.65 perCENT FROM THE MILLION RECORDED IN 3USTAINING THE GROWTH OF tourist arrivals in the country can make tourism a major component FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH IN THE 0HILIPPINES ESPECIALLY IF IT FORMS PART OF the tourism-agribusiness-digitization paradigm. ,ET ME DISCUSS FURTHER I strongly believe that among the major undertakings that would help increase tourists arrivals to the 0HILIPPINES IS THE g"UILD "UILD

"UILDu PROGRAM OF 0RESIDENT 2ODRIGO Duterte, which would result in more roads, bridges, seaports and airports being constructed that would allow TOURISTS TO VISIT AND EXPLORE MORE OF the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vacation spots. And this should also allow domestic tourists to do the same.

7ITH INCREASED FOOT TRAFkC TO THE PROVINCES FROM BOTH LOCAL AND FOReign tourists, the agribusiness sector is presented with growth opportunities as tourists also explore the COUNTRY FOR ITS DIVERSE FOOD OFFERINGS RANGING FROM pinakbet, dinakdakan and dinengdeng FROM THE Ilocos region, and Bicol express AND LAING FROM THE "ICOL 2EGION

among others. !ND MORE DEMAND FOR FOOD ACCOMpanies results in the establishment by LOCALS OF MORE TOURISM RELATED BUSInesses such as restaurants, souvenir shops, hotels and resorts to cater to the growing demand. &URTHERMORE INCREASED TOURIST TRAFkC CAN FUEL THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MORE agritourism sites that should operate as agribusiness enterprises rather than BEING PURELY FARMING OPERATIONS So agritourism is the industry where tourism and agribusiness intersect, AND 3EN #YNTHIA 6ILLAR IS ONE OF THE STAUNCHEST SUPPORTERS FOR AGRITOURISM as well as agripreneurship.

WAYS OF THE OASIS DR. WILLIAM DAR

6ILLAR THE CHAIR OF THE 3ENATE Committee on Agriculture and Food, remains optimistic on agritourism and agribusiness growth especially WITH 2EPUBLIC !CT 2!

OR THE g&ARM 4OURISM $EVELOPMENT ,AW u IN EFFECT SINCE 3O JUST IMAGINE THE RESULT IF THE 0HILIPPINES GETS TO ATTRACT HALF OR THE SAME NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING Thailand every year. And I strongly BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF TOURIST SPOTS MUCH OF THEM STILL UNEXplored, which would allow us to compete with Thailand over the long term.

Agribusiness and agripreneurship !GRIBUSINESS IS DEkNITELY THE ONLY WAY FOR THE FARMING AND kSHERIES SECTORS IN THE 0HILIPPINES TO LEVEL UP AND THIS means putting and end to the old paradigm that is anchored on traditional FARMING )N THIS REGARD 0RESIDENTIAL Adviser Joey Concepcion is one chamPION FOR INCLUSIVE AGRIBUSINESS The old paradigm also emphasized supplying the local market with largeLY RAW FOOD PRODUCTS WITH VERY LITTLE or no support or incentives given to tap the export market.

Agripreneurship and agribusiness go hand-in-hand, and while agripreneurship can start with businessmen investing in the agriculture sector, particularly in value adding, THE FARMERS THEMSELVES SHOULD ALSO BE encouraged to become agripreneurs.

When agripreneurs are able to utilize business processes and resources to convert agricultural commodities into higher-margin products, they can eventually compete in the export market.

When it comes to making agribusiness inclusive, I recommend the Inclusive Market-Oriented Develop-

MENT )-/$ THAT WAS PART OF THE CROSSCUTTING STRATEGIES OF THE )NTERNATIONAL #ROPS 2ESEARCH )NSTITUTE FOR the Semi-Arid Tropics when I headed IT FROM TO )-/$ IS BUILT ON FOUR PRINCIples: inclusiveness ensures the poor BENEFIT INNOVATION ACCELERATES GROWTH MARKETS MOTIVATE GROWTH and resiliency sustains growth.

Applied in an actual business setting, inclusive agribusiness anchored on IMOD should result, AMONG OTHERS IN THE CREATION OF opportunities to enable smallholder FARMERS TO BECOME ECONOMICALLY viable partners with the big players in the value chain.

Among the inclusive business MODELS THAT SMALLHOLDER FARMERS and big players in the value chain can establish are: inclusive contract ARRANGEMENTS CORPORATIVE OR PARTnerships between big businesses and SMALLHOLDER FARMERS AND kSHERFOLK AND COOPERATIVES OR FARMERS ASSOCIAtion-managed companies.

2ECENTLY 2!

OR THE g2ICE 4ARIFkCATION ,AW u WAS SIGNED OPENing the rice industry to imports and PRESENTING CHALLENGES TO MILLIONS OF SMALLHOLDER RICE FARMERS 7HILE ) LAUD THE CRAFTERS OF 2!

FOR ALSO ESTABLISHING THE 2ICE Competitiveness Enhancement &UND 2#%& THAT ALLOCATES 0 BILLION PER YEAR FROM RICE TARIFF COLLECTIONS FROM THIS YEAR TO TO MAKE THE RICE FARMERS AS COMPETITIVE as their Southeast Asian neighbors, I believe it is high time agribusiness and agripreneurship also take root IN THE 0HILIPPINE RICE INDUSTRY )N short, we should treat the rice industry as a real industry!

Yes, there is a need to make our RICE FARMERS AGRIPRENEURS SINCE THEY WOULD BE FACING STIFF COMPETITION FROM THEIR 3OUTHEAST !SIAN COUNTERparts who can produce the commodity at much lower prices. According TO GOVERNMENT kGURES THE COST OF PRODUCING KILO OF PALAY UNMILLED RICE IN THE 0HILIPPINES IS 0 PER KILO WHILE IT IS 0 IN 6IETNAM AND 0 IN 4HAILAND

I am highly optimistic that with THE PROJECTS UNDER 2#%& THE OTHER SAFETY NETS PROVIDED BY 2! and making agripreneurship the batTLE CRY FOR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS WE can make the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rice industry very, very competitive.

Digitization With todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global market becoming more competitive, agripreneurs and agribusiness enterprises should tap into the power OF DIGITALIZATION OR DIGITIZATION to level up their operations and IMPROVE THEIR EFFICIENCIES Also, we are currently experiencing THE g TH )NDUSTRIAL 2EVOLUTION u MAKING IT NECESSARY FOR ENTREPRENEURS TO explore the digital world.

3O FAR VARIOUS DIGITAL PLATFORMS have been launched that democratized access to mentorship, money AND MARKET "ILLIONS OF DOLLARS HAVE also been invested in many start-up technology companies through digITAL PLATFORMS AND THE AGRICULTURE agribusiness sector may experience the same soon.

In agriculture, we are already witNESSING THE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOgies like drones, blockchain, robotics, among others, which will revolutionIZE FOOD PRODUCTION AND OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENTREPRENEURS TO invest in the sector. $IGITIZATION IS THE LAST PIECE OF THE tourism-agribusiness-digitization PARADIGM FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH AS DIGitization is simply a tool to increase EFkCIENCIES OF A CURRENT BUSINESS OPERATION 3O WE DEkNITELY CANNOT PUT THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE The Holy Week break provides us the opportunity to visit various VACATION SPOTS IN THE 0HILIPPINES

which results in increased economic activity in the countryside and its urban centers.

But as we take the Lenten break, LET US NOT FORGET THE MESSAGE OF (OLY Week, which is how our Lord and SavIOR *ESUS #HRIST SACRIkCED HIS LIFE SO ALL OF US WILL HAVE A CHANCE AT SALVATION God bless you all!

B4

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

World

Report: NKorea nuke site activity ongoing S EOUL: Activity has been detected at North Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main nuclear site, suggesting Pyongyang may be reprocessing radioactive material into bomb fuel since the collapse of a summit with Washington, a US monitor said Wednesday.

The possible signs of fresh reprocessing activity last week come after a February summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ended abruptly without agreement on Pyongyangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nuclear program.

3INCE THEN .ORTH +OREA HAS said it is mulling options for

ITS DIPLOMACY WITH THE 53

and Kim said last week he was open to talks with Trump only if Washington came with the gPROPER ATTITUDE u The Center for Strategic and International Studies said satellite imagery of the Yongbyon nuclear site on April 12 showed five railcars near its uranium

enrichment facility and radiochemistry laboratory. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the past these specialized railcars appear to have been associated with the movement of radioactive material or reprocessING CAMPAIGNS u THE 7ASHINGTON based monitor said. g4HE CURRENT ACTIVITY ALONG WITH THEIR CONkGURATIONS DOES NOT RULE out their possible involvement in SUCH ACTIVITY EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER A REPROCESSING CAMPAIGN u 4RUMP AND +IM HELD THEIR kRST landmark summit in Singapore LAST *UNE WHERE THE .ORTH +OREAN leader signed a vaguely-worded deal on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;denuclearization of THE +OREAN PENINSULA u

But their failure to reach agreement at their second summit in Hanoi on walking back Pyongyangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nuclear program in exchange for relaxation of sanctions HAS RAISED QUESTIONS OVER THE future of the wider process.

The US president walked away from a partial deal proPOSED BY +IM WHICH INCLUDED an offer to dismantle the Yongbyon complex.

About 100 kilometers (60 miles) NORTH OF 0YONGYANG 9ONGBYON is home to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first NUCLEAR REACTOR AND IS THE ONLY known source of plutonium for the Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weapons program.

AFP

Polling in South India cancelled NEW DELHI: Indian election authorities have cancelled voting in a southern region of the country after seizing more than 110 million rupees ($1.5 million) they believe was meant to INlUENCE THE OUTCOME OFkCIALS SAID Wednesday. )T IS THE kRST TIME A BALLOT HAS been cancelled in a national elecTION OVER ATTEMPTED VOTE BUYING

OFkCIALS SAID The decision comes as Indians vote in a mammoth national elecTION BEING HELD OVER SEVERAL PHASES

the next of which begins Thursday.

But voters in the Vellore constituency in coastal Tamil Nadu state will not be going to the polls as scheduled after the Election Commission of India ruled there were fears of a â&#x20AC;&#x153;sysTEMATIC DESIGN TO INlUENCE VOTERSu The ruling came after authorities seized more than 110 million rupees from a candidate in the run-up to the vote.

The commission said late Tuesday that the environment in Vellore was no longer conducive to â&#x20AC;&#x153;free AND ETHICALu ELECTIONS No fresh date has been announced for polling in the constituency.

Nearly 100 constituencies in 13 states go to the polls Thursday in the second round of the seven-phase election that began on April 11.

Almost 900 million voters are eligible to cast their votes to elect 543 members to the lower house of the PARLIAMENT WITH RESULTS EXPECTED on May 23.

Attempts to secure votes in return FOR CASH LIQUOR ELECTRONIC GADGETS and even goats have been reported across Tamil Nadu in the run-up to voting.

More than 1.3 billion rupees ($18.7 million) and one ton of gold worth 3 billion rupees ($43.2 million) have been seized in the state since the poll dates were announced on March 10. %LSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY POLLS HAVE BEEN DELAYED BY kVE DAYS IN parts of the northeastern state of Tripura over security fears.

Polls will be held there on April 23 instead of Thursday.

AFP

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

China to send mission to moon, Mars, Jupiter CHINAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S deep space exploration will go beyond the moon and Mars to reach Jupiter in the future, according to Ye Peijian, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading aerospace expert and chief consultant to Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lunar and Mars probes.

Ye, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief scientist with the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Co. (CAST), made the remarks during a lecture at the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics on Thursday, CASTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s WeChat public account reported. â&#x20AC;&#x153;China will launch the Changâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;e-5 lunar probe atop the Long March-5 carrier rocket, whose mission is to return samples from the moon to Earth. Also we are planning to carry out a samplereturning mission to Mars, and to send a probe to Jupiter in the future,â&#x20AC;? Ye said.

Sun Zezhou, chief architect for the Changâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;e-4 lunar probe, also attended the event. According to Sun, payloads carried by the Changâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;e-4 probe are all in normal working order, and the probe has collected a lot of valid data, which meets the designed goals.

As of Wednesday, the Yutu 2 lunar rover has â&#x20AC;&#x153;walkedâ&#x20AC;? a total of 178 meters on the moon, Sun said.

Some may question the speed of

the lunar rover, given it landed on the far side of the moon in January, four months ago. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yutu 2 is not slow at all,â&#x20AC;? Pang Zhihao, an expert in space exploration technology, told the Global Times on Tuesday, saying that the rover prioritizes safety on the lunar surface by design and it is selecting the most researchvaluable path through a rather comprehensive calculation, which takes time.

Sun noted at the event that not only the Changâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;e-5 lunar probe mission will be launched by the end of 2019, but also development and research work for further missions, including the exploration of the lunar poles is underway, which will pave the way for the future building of a research station on the moon. Sun, who is also in charge of designing the Mars probes, revealed that a probe which is similar but twice as heavy as the Yutu 2 will be deployed. The Mars probe will weigh around 200 kilograms, and have better mobility than the Yutu 2. Pang said that starting from Earth, it takes four to five days to reach the moon, and at least eight months to get to Mars. This means that transmitting a signal from the moon takes only a second, but it takes some 20 minutes from Mars.

GLOBAL TIMES

Trump bucks ending US role in Yemen war

SHOW OF FORCE

United Wa State Army soldiers participate in a military parade to commemorate 30 years of ceasefire signed with the Myanmar military in Wa State, Panghsang, Myanmar. AFP PHOTO

Brazil reels from deadly disasters RIO de Janeiro: ,ONG A PARTY HOT SPOT

Rio de Janeiro has not had much to celebrate after a series of deadly DISASTERS ROCKED THE "RAZILIAN CITY

exposing the dire state of its infraSTRUCTURE AND OFkCIAL NEGLIGENCE &LOODING LANDSLIDES AND THE collapse of illegal apartment buildings following torrential rain last week left more than 25 people DEAD AND THE g-ARVELOUS #ITYu in shock.

The havoc caused by the unusually heavy downpour was amplikED BY RAMPANT CONSTRUCTION IN neighborhoods controlled by HEAVILY ARMED GANGS AND MILITIAS

where emergency workers are wary

of entering because of the threat of violence. g)T S NOT THE RAIN THAT KILLS IT S the incompetence of the leaders OF THE CITY AND OUR COUNTRY u WROTE Brazilian columnist Miriam Leitao in the powerful daily O Globo after the predicted torrential rain on April 8 to 9 left 10 people dead.

Independent risk analyst MoACYR $UARTE SAID 2IO OFkCIALS HAD MADE THE POSTCARD PRETTY CITY

WHICH HAS A gCOMPLEXu TOPOGRAPHY OF VERDANT HILLS AND GRANITE PEAKS

even more vulnerable to natural disasters through their lack of preparation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had very intense rain which

would have caused damage anyWHERE BUT THE IMPACT HERE WOULD have been much less if everything HAD WORKED PROPERLY u $UARTE told AFP. Much of the blame has been HEAPED ON -ARCELO #RIVELLA A former Evangelical pastor who is halfway through his term as Rioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mayor.

Already unpopular for his frosty ATTITUDE TOWARD THE CITY S #ARNIVAL

Crivella faces impeachment over allegations he illegally extended advertising contracts.

Now he is being skewered for failing to invest enough money in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creaky infrastructure. AFP

WASHINGTON, D.C.: US President Donald Trump vetoed a resolution passed by Congress to end US military assistance in Saudi Arabiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s war in Yemen.

4HE VETO THE SECOND IN 4RUMP S PRESIDENCY WAS EXPECTED AND Congress lacks the votes to override it. But passing the neverbefore-used war powers resolution was viewed as a milestone for LAWMAKERS WHO HAVE SHOWN A renewed willingness to assert their war-making authority after letting it atrophy for decades under presidents from both parties. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This resolution is an unnecesSARY DANGEROUS ATTEMPT TO WEAKEN MY CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITIES

endangering the lives of American citizens and brave service MEMBERS BOTH TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE u 4RUMP WROTE IN EXPLAINING his Tuesday veto.

Congress has grown uneasy with Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s close relationship with Saudi Arabia as he tries to further ISOLATE )RAN A REGIONAL RIVAL Many lawmakers also criticized the president for not condemning

Saudi Arabia for the killing of JaMAL +HASHOGGI A 3AUDI WHO LIVED in the United States and had written critically about the kingdom.

Khashoggi went into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October and never came out. Intelligence agencies said Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the killing.

The US provides billions of dollars of arms to the Saudi-led coaliTION kGHTING AGAINST )RAN BACKED rebels in Yemen. Members of Congress have expressed concern about the thousands of civilians killed in coalition airstrikes since THE CONlICT BEGAN IN 4HE kGHTING IN THE !RAB WORLD S POORest country also has left millions suffering from food and medical care shortages and has pushed the country to the brink of famine.

Trump said the measure was unnecessary because except for counterterrorism operations against Islamic State militants and al1AIDA IN THE !RABIAN 0ENINSULA THE United States is not engaged in hostilities in or affecting Yemen. AP

US detention of some asylum seekers looms WASHINGTON, D.C.: US President Donald Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s administration has issued an order that could keep some asylum seekers in jail for months or years as they wait for THEIR CASES TO BE HEARD The New York Times reported Wednesday.

The order from Attorney General Bill Barr directs immigration judges to no longer allow asylum seekers who are apprehended after entering the country illegally to POST BAIL THE NEWSPAPER SAID The order â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which will not go into effect for 90 days â&#x20AC;&#x201D; does not affect those who apply for asylum

Worldinbriefs

CHINESE BILLIONAIRE FACES RAPE SUIT

MINNEAPOLIS: A woman who said she was raped by JD.com founder Richard Liu filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the billionaire and his company alleging he and other wealthy Chinese executives coerced her to drink during a dinner in the hours before she was attacked. Jingyao Liu, a student at the University of Minnesota, claims Liu forced himself upon her in his vehicle after the dinner and later raped her at her apartment. The lawsuit seeks damages of more than $50,000. Richard Liu, founder of the Beijing-based e-commerce site JD.com, was arrested August 31 in Minneapolis on suspicion of felony rape and released within hours. Prosecutors announced in December that he would face no criminal charges because the case had â&#x20AC;&#x153;profound evidentiary problemsâ&#x20AC;? and that it was unlikely they could prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

AP

ARSONIST KILLS 5 IN SKOREA SEOUL: Five people were killed and more than a dozen others injured by a South Korean man who set his apartment on fire and stabbed his neighbors as they tried to flee the flames, police said Wednesday. Police said the 42-year-old started the fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning in the southern city of Jinju, and waited on the second floor of the building to attack people running downstairs

AT A LEGAL PORT OF ENTRY THE Times reported.

4HE MOVE WAS QUICKLY CONdemned by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) rights ORGANIZATION WHICH VOWED TO challenge it in court. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our Constitution does not allow the government to lock up asylum seekers without basic due process.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see the administration in COURT !GAIN u THE !#,5 TWEETED Trump has staked his presidency on his insistence that the United States is being overrun by migrants and asylum seekers.

AFP

INKED

Indonesian women show their inked fingers after voting outside a polling station in Jakarta, Indonesia. With over 17,000 islands spanning in more than 5,000-kilometer distance, 193 million Indonesians voted last April 17 to elect one president, one vice president, 2,000 members of the parliament and 40,000-plus district councilors. AFP PHOTO

from the blaze. The youngest of the five victims stabbed to death was a 12-year-old girl. An unnamed resident told Yonhap news agency that he initially tried to leave the building after hearing the fire alarm but went back to his apartment after seeing â&#x20AC;&#x153;lots of bloodâ&#x20AC;? in the hall.

AFP

ism development agency is a chart showing that the Mayan Train is being pursued at a pace that outside observers say could threaten its feasibility, the environment and the people the president wants to help.

AP

CHINA DETAINS HEALTH ACTIVIST

JERUSALEM: Israeli forces destroyed the home on Wednesday of a Palestinian who was killed during his attempted arrest on suspicion of carrying out a December shooting. Seven people were wounded in the December 9 attack near the Israeli settlement of Ofra in the occupied West Bank, one of them a pregnant woman who gave birth prematurely to a baby who later died. The suspected gunman, Salah Barghouti, was killed as security forces attempted to arrest him in a December 12 raid. On Wednesday, border police and defense ministry officials â&#x20AC;&#x153;demolished the apartment in which Salah Barghouti livedâ&#x20AC;? in the village of Kobar, north of the West Bank city of Ramallah, the army said.

AFP

BEIJING: A Chinese health activist has been detained for more than a month, her husband said Wednesday, after she participated in a protest over faulty vaccines â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a reoccurring issue in China. According to police documents posted online by Li Xin, his wife He Fangmei is under â&#x20AC;&#x153;criminal detentionâ&#x20AC;? at the Xinxiang detention center in central Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Henan Province. He, 33, who had said her daughter was diagnosed with a neurological disease after receiving vaccinations for hepatitis A, measles and other illnesses, participated in a protest against faulty vaccines in Beijing in early March.

AFP

SPEED TRAIN RAISING CONCERNS IN MEXICO MEXICO City: Maps, renderings and charts paper the walls of a government conference room. They lay out in detail the plans for a rail line that could be Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest infrastructure project in a century. President AndrĂŠs Manuel LĂłpez Obrador has put the multibillion-dollar Mayan Train project on a fast track. He says it will provide an economic boon for the poor communities of Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long neglected southeast by bringing in more tourists and the hotels, restaurants and other businesses needed to serve them. Yet, among the papers on that wall at Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tour-

PALESTINIAN SHOOTING SUSPECTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOME RAZED

DEER KILLS MAN, HURTS WOMAN IN AUSTRALIA SYDNEY: A pet deer killed a man and left a woman critically injured at a rural property in Australia on Wednesday, police said. Emergency services were called to the outback home in Victoria state early in the morning and found the badly gored couple, both aged 46. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The man died at the scene,â&#x20AC;? police said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The woman has been airlifted to a hospital in Melbourne with life-threatening injuries and remains in a critical condition.â&#x20AC;?

AFP

Sports

TTHURSDAY AAPRIL 18, 2019

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www.manilatimes.net

Murray inspires Nuggets as Raptors, Blazers win

L

OS ANGELES: Jamal Murray led a DRAMATIC LATE kGHTBACK AS THE $ENVER .UGGETS SCORED A SERIES LEVELING VICTORY OVER THE 3AN !NTONIO 3PURS ON 4UESDAY 7EDNESDAY IN -ANILA IN THEIR 7ESTERN #ONFERENCE PLAYOFF DUEL -URRAY WHO HAD MISSED A POTENTIALLY GAME WINNING JUMP SHOT IN $ENVER S DEFEAT IN GAME ONE ON 3ATURDAY ERUPTED FOR POINTS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER AS THE .UGGETS grabbed a vital win in Denver.

4HE YEAR OLD #ANADIAN WHO HAD LOOKED OUT OF SORTS THROUGHOUT MADE EIGHT OF NINE kELD GOAL ATTEMPTS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER TO TIE THE SERIES AT AHEAD OF GAME THREE IN 4EXAS ON 4HURSDAY .UGGETS HEAD COACH -IKE -ALONE SAID HE HAD NEVER DOUBTED -URRAY S ABILITY TO DELIVER DESPITE scoring only three points in the OPENING THREE QUARTERS "ENCHING -URRAY FOR THE kNAL PERIOD WAS never an option, Malone added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was going with him,â&#x20AC;? Malone SAID g)T S SO IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF OUR GUYS BUT ESPECIALLY FOR *AMAL (E S A YOUNG PLAYER OUT THERE STRUGGLING TRYING TO PLAY THE RIGHT WAY ) DIDN T FORESEE THE FOURTH QUARTER HE WAS GOING TO HAVE BUT ) KNEW IN MY HEART HE NEEDED THESE MINUTES (E NEEDED TO BE OUT THERE

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;He came throughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;And I needed to show him that I

BELIEVE IN HIM )F ) PULLED HIM HE S thinking â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Does coach really believe IN ME $OES HE HAVE MY BACK â&#x20AC;&#x153;So I had to stay with him. Make OR MISS HE S OUR GUY ) CARE ABOUT HIM (E CAME THROUGH IN A BIG WAY u -URRAY S LATE BURST OF SCORING proved the difference on a night WHEN FOUR OTHER $ENVER PLAYERS kNISHED WITH DOUBLE kGURES 'ARY (ARRIS HAD POINTS WHILE .IKOLA *OKIC ADDED FOR $ENVER WHO ALSO SAW POWER FORWARD 0AUL -ILLSAP ADD -ONTE -ORRIS CHIPPED IN WITH POINTS FROM THE BENCH San Antonio, who led 59-49 at half-time, saw DeMar DeRozan TOP THE SCORING WITH POINTS ,A-ARCUS !LDRIDGE ADDED POINTS BUT ONLY ONE OTHER PLAYER $ERRICK 7HITE MANAGED TO CRACK DOUBLE DIGITS ADDING POINTS -ALONE SAID THE TURNING POINT HAD COME DURING A THIRD QUARTER TIMEOUT WITH THE .UGGETS TRAILING

BY POINTS 4HE $ENVER COACH SAID HE URGED his team to take inspiration from THE ,OS !NGELES #LIPPERS RECORD comeback on Monday, when they OVERTURNED A POINT DEkCIT TO defeat the Golden State Warriors.

g) REMINDED THEM WE HAD MINUTES TO GO ) REMINDED THEM WHAT the Clippers did last night, and how MUCH BASKETBALL WE HAD LEFT u HE SAID g"UT ) SAID IT S ONLY GOING TO HAPPEN THOUGH IF WE BELIEVE WE COMMIT AND WE kGHT AND WE ATTACK !ND THE GUYS TOOK IT TO HEART )T S A HELL OF A WIN u

Raptors, Blazers romp %LSEWHERE 4UESDAY +AWHI ,EONARD SCORED POINTS AND 0ASCAL 3IAKAM DELIVERED A DOUBLE DOUBLE as the Toronto Raptors defeated THE /RLANDO -AGIC TO LEVEL their Eastern Conference series.

The Raptors, who were jolted by a shock defeat in game one on 3ATURDAY CAME ROARING BACK TO DOMINATE THE -AGIC THROUGHOUT on their way to a comfortable win. !FTER OPENING UP A LEAD AT HALF TIME THE 2APTORS CUT LOOSE IN A DEVASTATING THIRD QUARTER

OUTSCORING /RLANDO BY TO TAKE LEAD HEADING INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER Leonard was the architect for THE 2APTORS POTENT OFFENSE MAKING OF kELD GOALS ON HIS WAY TO POINTS FOUR REBOUNDS AND FOUR ASSISTS BEFORE A RAUCOUS HOME crowd at the Scotiabank Arena.

The series now heads back to game three in Orlando on Friday.

In the other playoff game on 4UESDAY THE 0ORTLAND 4RAIL "LAZERS took a stranglehold on their series WITH /KLAHOMA #ITY 4HUNDER FORG-

ING INTO A LEAD WITH A ONE SIDED WIN # * -C#OLLUM AND $AMIAN ,ILLARD once again shepherded the Blazers to VICTORY -C#OLLUM kNISHED WITH

Cousins out after muscle tear â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Warriors SAN FRANCISCO: Golden State WarRIORS CENTER $E-ARCUS #OUSINS FACES AN INDEkNITE INJURY LAYOFF AFTER SUFFERING A TORN QUADRICEPS MUSCLE IN THE ."! CHAMPIONS defeat to the Los Angeles ClipPERS IT WAS CONkRMED ON 4UESDAY 7EDNESDAY IN -ANILA #OUSINS EXITED -ONDAY S game-two loss in the first QUARTER CLUTCHING HIS LEFT QUAD !N -2) SCAN ON 4UESDAY CONkRMED A TORN MUSCLE g4HE INJURY WILL SIDELINE #OUSINS INDEkNITELY AND he will begin rehabilitation immediately,â&#x20AC;? a Warriors statement

said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Updates on his progress will be provided as appropriate.â&#x20AC;?

53 MEDIA REPORTS 4UESDAY SAID THE INJURY IS LIKELY TO HAVE ENDED #OUSINS SEASON 7ARRIORS COACH 3TEVE +ERR ON -ONDAY SAID THE INJURY WAS gSIGNIkCANTu AND EXPECTED #OUSINS TO BE OUT gFOR A WHILEu #OUSINS EXIT CAME WITH THE 7ARRIORS LEADING IN -ONDAY S GAME 4HE YEAR OLD COLLAPSED TO THE COURT AND FAILED TO GET UP AFTER HE LUNGED FOR A LOOSE BALL 4HE 7ARRIORS LATER SUFFERED A STUNNING DEFEAT BLOWING A POINT LEAD AS THE #LIPPERS completed the biggest comeback IN ."! PLAYOFF HISTORY TO WIN AND LEVEL THE SERIES Game three in the series takes place IN ,OS !NGELES ON 4HURSDAY AFP

Q Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins reacts after falling to the floor during the first half of Game 2 of a firstround NBA basketball playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers in Oakland, California. AP PHOTO

VICTOLERO UPBEAT AFTER BIG WIN IN GAME 3 MAGNOLIA coach Chito Victolero said he is MORE OPTIMISTIC OF HIS TEAM S CHANCES NOW after their last victory against Rain or Shine in Season 44 Philippine Basketball Association 0HILIPPINE #UP 4HE (OTSHOTS BEHIND )AN 3ANGALANG AND 0AUL ,EE SCORED AN WIN OVER THE %LASTO 0AINTERS AFTER LOSING TWO STRAIGHT GAMES ON 4UESDAY AT THE !RANETA #OLISEUM 4HEIR SEMIS SERIES IS NOW AT g/UR CHANCE IN THIS SERIES BECOMES HIGHER u 6ICtolero told The Manila Times on Wednesday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;BeCAUSE IF WE LOST IT S GOING TO BE TOUGH AT .OW

IT S GOOD THAT WE RE ABLE TO RETURN TO THE SERIES AND THEN BY -ONDAY WE RE GOING TO HAVE FRESH LEGS SO WE CAN MATCH UP THEIR AGGRESSIVENESS AND ENERGY u 3ANGALANG SCATTERED OF HIS POINTS IN THE kNALE IN ADDITION TO REBOUNDS WHILE ,EE ALSO kNISHED WITH POINTS g7E JUST TRY TO RECOVER PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY THIS WEEK BECAUSE WE ARE PLAYING FOR SEVEN GAMES IN nights. It was good that they still have the will and the desire to win,â&#x20AC;?added Victolero. JOSEF T. RAMOS

Q Jerami Grant (No. 9) of the Oklahoma City Thunder blocks the shot of Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers during the second half of Game Two of the Western Conference quarterfinals in Portland, Oregon. AFP PHOTO

Q Magnoliaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ian Sangalang (No. 10) defends against Jewel Ponferada of Rain or Shine during Game 3 of their best-ofseven semifinals series in Season 44 PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday.

PBA MEDIA BUREAU PHOTO

POINTS EIGHT REBOUNDS AND kVE ASSISTS WHILE ,ILLARD ADDED POINTS FOUR REBOUNDS AND SIX ASSISTS 4HUNDER STAR 2USSELL 7ESTBROOK FELL JUST SHORT OF A TRIPLE DOUBLE WITH

POINTS ASSISTS AND NINE REBOUNDS 0AUL 'EORGE LED THE /+# SCORING WITH POINTS 'AME THREE IN THE series takes place in Oklahoma City on Friday.

AFP

Beverley and the Beast: Instigators change the game T BASKETBALL

HESE are great days to be basketball fans, especially for Filipinos. We have the NBA playoffs in the morning and the PBA SEMIkNAL DUELS IN THE NIGHT 9OU can even switch to the MPBL in the LATE HOURS (OW YOU RE GETTING ANY work done is beyond me.

There are similar storylines from the NBA and PBA. The tales of how TWO FEARLESS INSTIGATORS SOUGHT TO take down revered icons to give their TEAMS THE VALUABLE VICTORY 4HE QUOTE WAS HARD TO MISS AS IT was bannered in every sports page, print or otherwise: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nagtitimpi lang ako.â&#x20AC;?

If it were any other person, this STATEMENT WOULD HAVE BEEN IGNORED "UT THE QUOTE CAME FROM *UNE -AR Fajardo, the soft-spoken, mildMANNERED &IVE TIME CONSECUTIVE -60 WHO WOULD VE BEEN A kVE TIME CONSECUTIVE 3PORTSMANSHIP AWARDEE IF THE 0"! HADN T GOT TIRED OF EMBEDding his name on their trophies.

This gentle giant hardly says anything despite getting hacked, game in AND GAME OUTwUNTIL NOW 4HE 0HOENIX &UEL -ASTERS REALLY did nothing new against Fajardo.

4HEY WERE USED TO PLAYING TOGETHER AS A TEAM AS DISCUSSED IN A PREVIOUS COLUMN AND THEY DON T HAVE A dominant big man to match against THE 0"! S BEST 3WARM AND PUSH

AND IF IT DOESN T WORK HACK "UT ASIDE FROM THE SURPRISING statement, the physical play was highlighted by the ejection of Christian Standhardinger. On the RECEIVING END WAS #ALVIN !BUEVA The debate still holds: did Stan DO IT ON PURPOSE OR WAS IT AN ACcident, as the Fil-German claimed?

The motion in itself was not so conVINCING EVEN !BUEVA WAS OBVIOUSLY EXAGGERATING BUT THE REF CALLED IT BECAUSE HE KNEW 3TANDHARDINGER had all the motivation to do it: Stan had lost his cool and at that point, ALL HIS MOVES ARE QUESTIONABLE The Beast got what he wanted: Stan got ejected and the big men of Phoenix preyed on Fajardo like a lone gazelle AMONG A PRIDE OF LIONS BUT 3AN -IGUEL "EER JUST HAD TOO MANY WEAPONS "UT !BUEVA FOR ALL THE HATE HE DRAWS FROM THE OPPONENT S FAN BASE STILL MAKES THE GAME INTERESTING (E S NEVER AFRAID TO PUT HIS BODY ON THE LINE KICKS

SLEUTH

MICHAEL ANGELO B. ASIS in the groin notwithstanding. He will SEEK OUT THE UPSTARTS WITH SOMETHING TO PROVE g9OU VE GOT THE TALENT BUT DO YOU HAVE THE MENTAL TOUGHNESS u 4HIS IS THE SAME QUESTION THAT 0ATRICK "EVERLEY HURLED ON +EVIN $URANT 4AKING ON AN -60 ALMOST ten inches taller than him, Beverley reportedly begged the coaching staff FOR A SHOT AT $URANT +NOWING $OC 2IVERS HE WOULD BE HAPPY TO OBLIGE HIM )T S A GAMBLE BUT WHAT DID HE have to lose? People were already writing them off anyway.

Side note: Notice how the instigators choose their prey. Calvin did NOT BAIT *UNE -AR BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WOULDN T BITE SO DID "EVERLEY WHO DID NOT BAIT 3TEPH #URRY A MORE kTTING MATCH UP FOR HIM IN terms of position. )T S ALSO AN OLD TACTIC "EVERLEY GOT INTO FEUDS WITH 2USSELL 7ESTBROOK IN /+# BACK WHEN $URANT WAS THE ."! S *UNE -AR &AJARDO A HUMBLE leader and model citizen.

(OWEVER $URANT CHANGED )T WASN T WHEN HE JOINED THE 7ARRIORS and got the ire of the fans who called him a snake; it was after he won the title with Golden State and the snake chants never stopped.

Right when the Warriors won their kRST TITLE WITH $URANT IN .IKE released his commercial, which totally rode on the hatred. In that commercial, all his critics were silenced AFTER HE kNALLY WON A RING 4HE CRITICS DIDN T STOP IN REAL LIFE

THOUGH !FTER TWO TITLES AND A POSSIBLE THIRD $URANT WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT THE HATE WHILE HE IS WITH g3TEPH S TEAM u "EVERLEY AND THE "EAST ARE NATURAL PREDATORS 3TANDHARDINGER WASN T USED TO IT YET AND $URANT HAD A CHIP ON HIS SHOULDER A MISPLACED RAGE THAT HE COULDN T QUELL (E LOST HIS edge and Beverley knew it.

Beverley and the Clips had the greatest comeback in playoff history RIGHT IN +$ S HOMECOURT (E GAVE $URANT A GLARE LIKE WHAT "ARKHAD !KBI GAVE 4OM (ANKS g) M THE Captain now.â&#x20AC;?

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Sports

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

Pinoy athletes to see action in Arafura Games T

BY JOSEF T. RAMOS

HE Philippine Muay Thai team will banner a 75- athlete Filipino contingent to the 2019 Arafura Games on April 26 to May 4 in Darwin, Australia. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are going to face a stiffer competition there since the Arafura Games will serve as a QUALIFYING FOR THE 7ORLD 'AMES IN IN "IRMINGHAM u 0HILIPPINE -UAY 4HAI 4EAM COACH "ILLY Alumno told The Manila Times ON 4UESDAY IN A NEWS CONFERENCE ORGANIZED BY !USTRALIAN !MBASsador to the Philippines Steven

2OBINSON AT HIS RESIDENCE IN &ORBES 0ARK -AKATI #ITY g7E WILL BE FACING THE BEST TALENTS IN !SIA AND %UROPE 4HIS IS ALSO one of our preparations for the 3OUTHEAST !SIAN 'AMES u 4HE 0( -UAY 4HAI 4EAM IS COMPOSED OF FEMALE kGHTER *ENELYN /LSIM KG !RIEL ,EE ,AMPACAN KG 0HILIP $ELAR-

MINO KG AND 2YAN *AKIRI KG !SSISTING !LUMNO WILL BE Roland Claro and team manager &RANCIS !MANDA 4HE 0( DELEGATION HEADED BY CHIEF of mission Mark Velasco of the PhilipPINE 3PORTS #OMMISSION 03# WILL ALSO COMPETE IN SEPAK TAKRAW BASKETBALL ATHLETICS BADMINTON SWIMMING BEACH VOLLEYBALL TENNIS WEIGHTLIFTING AND TABLE TENNIS 03# #HAIRMAN 7ILLIAM 2AMIREZ

who was also present during the news conference explained the SIGNIkCANCE OF THE COMPETITION g4HERE ARE TWO FACES HERE /NE IS ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE .ORTHERN 4ERRITORY CULTURALLY

AND SOCIALLY 3ECOND IS DEVELOPING REGIONAL ATHLETES TO BECOME ELITE ATHLETES 0ROVINCIAL ATHLETES ARE MAYBE GOOD BUT THEY LACK EXPOSURE u SAID 2AMIREZ 2OBINSON EXPRESSED CONkDENCE that the Filipino athletes will do WELL IN THE GAMES g4HEY ARE AN ENORMOUS GREAT TALENTED PEOPLE AND THEIR PHYSIcal fitness and their approach to THE SPORTS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO REPRESENT IS REALLY ADMIRABLE u SAID 2OBINSON !ROUND ATHLETES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WILL BE PARticipating in the games that FEATURES SPORTS

STRONG FINISH NETS FINNISH PGTA LEAD FINN Teemu Putkonen made AND FROM FEET up for his late meltdown in That put him three strokes the previous round with a AHEAD OF 6AN DER 6ALK WHO STRONG kNISH YESTERDAY BIRDYING TWO pounced on Putkonenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lateof the last three holes to shoot an eaglehole mishap to wrest the lead spiked 68 and snatch the third round AFTER HOLES BEHIND A kERY lead from Guido Van der Valk in the BACKSIDE RUN OF FOR A )#43) ,UISITA #HAMPIONSHIP IN 4ARLAC

IN THE SECOND ROUND "UT THE ON 7EDNESDAY Dutch failed to sustain his )N A LEADERBOARD DOMINATED BY FORCHARGE SETTLING FOR A FOUR EIGN ACES 0UTKONEN kNALLY TOOK CONTROL BIRDIE FOUR BOGEY GAME FOR A AFTER LOSING GRIP OF THE LEAD HALFWAY TO DROP TO SECOND AT THROUGH THE CHAMPIONSHIP â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not used to making WITH A LATE DOUBLE BOGEY 4UESDAY

PREDICTIONS BUT ) LL JUST PLAY PUTTING UP A COMBINATION OF SUPERB MY GAME AND HOPEFULLY ) LL shots from the mound to the green to MAKE IT TOMORROW TODAY u produce a second straight four-under SAID YEAR OLD SHOTMAKER card and a 54-hole aggregate of FROM *ARVENPAA A MIN UNDER UTE DRIVE FROM (ELSINKI

g-Y DRIVING IRONS AND SHORT who tied for 18th at PGT GAME WERE SIMPLY GOOD u SAID !SIA 2IVIERA LAST MONTH 0UTKONEN WHO BIRDIED THE 6AN DER 6ALK HOWEVER SAID opening hole and holed he would need to shoot a sixout with an 11-foot eagle under to earn a shot at the PUTT ON THE PAR kFTH CROWN STRESSING g! THREE STROKE off a solid 3-wood LEAD ISN T SAFE HERE BUT IT WILL STILL second shot BE DIFkCULT TO CATCH HIM u Q Solid iron play FROM YARDS A host of others churned out helps propel Teemu Those negated low scores in near-ideal condiPutkonen to a huge HIS BOGEYS ON tions to get into the mix head3-stroke lead. .OS AND ING TO THE kNAL HOLES OF THE PHOTO BY 6 with the event serving as the kickoff ROGER RAÃ&#x2018;ADA Finnish still leg of the Philippine Golf in search for Tour Asia third season with A kRST LOCAL WIN HITTING ANOTHER BIRDIE ON .O Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Marcos Pastor matching Van der Valkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s BEFORE CLOSING OUT WITH BIRDIES ON .OS seven-under card in the second round with a

SOLID HIGHLIGHTED BY AN EAGLE ON .O 0ASTOR WHO TOPPED THE 0'4 QUALIFYING TOURNAMENT AND TIED FOR THIRD IN THE 0'4 !SIA ELIMS

MOVED TO JOINT THIRD AT STILL FOUR STROKES BEHIND 0UTKONEN BUT GAINED SOME MOMENTUM IN PURSUIT OF A BREAKTHROUGH VICTORY IN THE EVENT ORGANIZED BY 0ILIPINAS 'OLF 4OURNAMENTS )NC AND BACKED BY 0,$4 %NTERPRISE -ERALCO "$/ AND 0'4 !SIA OFkCIAL APPAREL 0IN (IGH Joining him at third are Korean-American -ICAH 3HIN WHO ALSO GOT BACK INTO THE THICK OF THINGS WITH A SPIKED BY A BACKSIDE *APANESE +EITA 3UDO WHO SHOT A AND 4HAIS .ATTHAPONG .IYOMCHON AND kRST ROUND LEADER .AMCHOK 4ANTIPOKHAKUL WHO CARDED A AND RESPECTIVELY g) CHANGED MY STYLE AND ) HIT MY WEDGE SHOTS PRETTY GOOD u SAID 3HIN WHO ACTUALLY SCORED HIS BREAKTHROUGH WIN HERE AT ,UISITA IN WHEN HE BESTED A TOUGH kELD TO WIN THE #!4 #ENTRAL !ZUCARERA DE 4ARLAC /PEN 4HAI $ONLAPHATCHAI .IYOMCHON ALSO SIZZLED WITH A FOR JOINT EIGHTH AT WITH COMPATRIOT 4AWIT 0OLTHAI WHO TURNED IN A WHILE 4ONY ,ASCUÃ&#x201E;A SHOWED lASHES OF HIS OLD BRILLIANCE AND kRED A BOGEY FREE "UT THE MULTI TITLED $AVAOEÃ&#x201E;O SHOTMAKER REMAINED TOO FAR BEHIND 0UTKONEN AT SIX SHOTS OFF AS ERSTWHILE LOCAL CONTENDER *AY "AYRON BOMBED OUT WITH A AND FELL TO JOINT TH AT g) STILL COULDN T GET IT RIGHT WITH MY PUTTS I couldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve have moved closer had I made at LEAST TWO MORE BIRDIES u SAID ,ASCUÃ&#x201E;A WHO HIT ALL BUT ONE FAIRWAY AND MISSED JUST TWO GREENS ALTHOUGH HE RUED A COUPLE OF BIRDIE CHANCES THAT COULD VE BOOSTED HIS THIRD ROUND CHARGE (E ENDED UP WITH PUTTS *USTIN 1UIBAN A FORMER 0'4 !SIA LEG WINNER ALSO CAME THROUGH WITH AN EAGLE SPIKED TO JOIN ,ASCUÃ&#x201E;A AT TH WITH COMPATRIOT !RNOLD 6ILLACENCIO WHO SHOT A 3INGAPORE S #HOO 4ZE (UANG WHO MATCHED PAR

AND 4HAI +AMMALAS .AMUANGRUK WHO HOBBLED WITH A "UT THE kGHT FOR THE TOP COULD BE REDUCED TO THE TOP SEVEN PLAYERS ALTHOUGH 0UTKONEN LOOKED HEADED TO kNALLY NAILING THE ELUSIVE WIN WITH A BIG CUSHION AND A CONkDENCE BOOSTED BY A STRING OF UNDER PAR CARDS THAT INCLUDED AN OPENING

TCC Invitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;l kicks off milestone PGT season THE Philippine Golf Tour marks its decade-long season with a 12-stage circuit across the country starting with The Country Club Invitational on April 23-26 featuring a select cast headed by six former champions at the TCC course in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Angelo Que and Juvic Pagunsan shoot for a record fourth championship, Miguel Tabuena aims for a big rebound coming off an injury and Korean-American Micah Shin gears up for a reprise of his record feat last year when he edged Tabuena by one to become the first non-Filipino to win in what has long been considered as a major golfing championship.

But the rest of the top 30 players in the 2018 PGT Order of Merit ranking are also coming into the P5 million event upbeat but wary of their chances not only against the tourâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revered names but also over the dreaded par-72 Tom Weiskoph-designed layout.

The TCC has staged two big events the last six weeks, the inaugural TCC Ladies Invitational, which featured no less the world No. 1 Sung Hyun Park of Korea, and the Solaire Philippine Open topped by Clyde Mondilla, making it more than ready to host another top-notch championship among the best of the best.

But while Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s victory was expected, Mondillaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s feat came as a surprise with the Del Monte ace outlasting American Nicolas Paez and winning by two despite a closing 75 and a two-over 290 total.

That should make the chase for the top P1.5 million purse doubly interesting since no one holds a distinct advantage at the exacting layout with its unsettling hazards and roughs and undulating surface plus the wind that

come into play in most holes.

The TCC Invitational also features former winners Tony Lascuña and Frankie Miñoza, and a slew of young guns raring to join the elite circle of winners in the event put up by ICTSI boss Ricky Razon to honor the memory of his father and ICTSI founder Don Pocholo, himself an avid golfer.

Jobim Carlos, who won two tournaments and dished out a number of top five finishes to clinch the PGT Order of Merit title last year, hopes to shake off a hand injury that has hampered his campaign in the last two tournaments as he boosts the cast that also includes PGT leg winners Jhonnel Ababa, Korean Kim Joo Hyung, Dutch Guido Van der Valk and Jerson Balasabas.

Others in the fold are veteran Jay Bayron, Australian Tim Stewart, Justin Quiban, Joenard Rates, Elmer Salvador, James Ryan Lam, Albin Engino, American Lexus Keoninh, Peter Stojanovski of Macedonia, Michael Bibat, Reymon Jaraula, Zanieboy Gialon, Arnold Villacencio, Nico Salahog, Rene Menor, Keanu Jahns, Mhark Fernando and Anthony Fernando.

Meanwhile, the Delimondo National Pro-Am will be held next on May 9-11 at Splendido before the circuit, organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., resumes with the Visayas swing on June 5-8 (Cebu), June 12-15 (Bacolod), June 19-22 (Negros Occidental) and June 26-29 (Iloilo).

After the Riviera Classic on Aug. 7-10, the tour goes down south with a four-leg swing, starting in Pueblo de Oro on Sept. 11-14 then in Del Monte on Sept. 18-21, Rancho Palos Verdes on Sept. 25-28 and Apo on Oct. 2-5 before winding up at Luisita in Tarlac on November 6-9.

2 PH teams begin campaign in 3x3 World Tour Masters 0(),)00).% TEAMS "ALANGA #HOOKS AND 0ASIG #HOOKS WILL FACE FORMIDABLE FOES AS THEY START THEIR RESPECTIVE CAMPAIGNS IN THE &)"! X 7ORLD 4OUR -ASTERS $OHA TODAY AT THE +ATARA !MPITHEATER IN THE 1ATARI CAPITAL A total of 12 teams from eight COUNTRIES WILL VIE FOR THE

PRIZE AND QUALIFYING POINTS FOR THE 7ORLD 4OUR &INAL IN 5TSONOMIYA

*APAN LATER THIS YEAR "ALANGA "ATAAN 2ISERS Â&#x2021;BANNERED BY !LVIN 0ASAOL +ARL $EHESA 3ANTI 3ANTILLAN AND !MERICAN CAGER 4RAVIS &RANKLINÂ&#x2021;WILL TAKE ON WORLD .O 2IGA 'HETTO OF ,ATVIA AND .O -OSCOW )NANOMO OF 2USSIA IN 0OOL # 4HE 2ISERS WHO QUALIFIED FOR the Doha Masters via a runner-up kNISH IN THE #HOOKS TO 'O !SIA 0ACIFIC 3UPER 1UEST CLASH AGAINST 2IGA AT P M P M IN -ANILA AND -OSCOW AT P M P M -EANWHILE 0ASIG 'RINDHOUSE +INGS Â&#x2021;COMPOSED OF *OSHUA -UNZON 4AYLOR 3TATHAM 3ERBIAN

PLAYER .IKOLA 0AVLOVIC AND &RENCH import Angelo Tsagarakis will BATTLE WORLD .O ,IMAN OF 3ERBIA AND +ATARA OF 1ATAR IN 0OOL !

4HE +INGS WHO CLINCHED THEIR SPOT IN THE GLOBAL TOURNEY FOR winning the 2019 Chooks to Go 0ILIPINAS X 0RESIDENT S #UP

COLLIDE WITH +ATARA AT P M P M AND ,IMAN AT P M &RIDAY A M 0AVLOVIC A THREE TIME -ASTERS WINNER WHEN HE WAS STILL PLAYING FOR WORLD .O .OVI 3AD OF 3ERBIA

warns the two Philippine teams of TOUGHER COMPETITION AHEAD g4HE LEVEL IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM HERE )T S GOING TO BE MUCH MORE PHYSICAL AND DELIBERATE u HE SAID The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the QUARTERkNALS ON &RIDAY /THER TEAMS IN THE SEASON OPENING -ASTERS ARE .OVI 3AD 0IRAN AND ,JUBLJANA OF 3LOVENIA 4OKYO $IME OF *APAN -OUNT 2OYAL OF #ANADA AND HOST $OHA JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

Miranda shines in TCR Asia Series debut $!.)%, Miranda marked his TCR Asia 3ERIES DEBUT IN IMPRESSIVE FASHION

CHURNING OUT A STRONG RUNNER UP kNISH overall in the kickoff leg of the circuit while claiming the top Asian driver honors at the Sepang International #IRCUIT IN -ALAYSIA RECENTLY 4HE #EBUANO ACE DRIVER BUCKED AN EARLY STRUGGLE WITH SETUP AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES ON THE .O (YUNDAI I . 4#2 OF %URASIA -OTORSPORT IN THE QUALIFYING WITH A STRONG START IN THE OPENING LAP HOLDING SWAY THROUGHOUT THE GRUELING STAGE EVENT WHICH INCLUDED A 3AFETY #AR PERIOD WHILE EMERGING THE SECOND BEST FRO AMONG THE !SIAN BIDDERS g4HIS IS MY kRST RACE IN 4#2 3ERIES !SIA AND IT HAS BEEN QUITE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE u SAID -IRANDA WHO SETTLED FOR .O IN THE 144 ELIMS AND .O IN THE 144 OUT OF A CAR GRID With his car setup sorted and a FRONT ROW START THE YEAR OLD ACE stormed to the lead on the run to the kRST TURN IN 2ACE BUT EVENTUALLY YIELDED TO $IEGO -ORAN OF %CUADOR ON ,AP (E FAILED TO STRIKE BACK BUT HIS SECOND OVERALL EFFORT PROVED enough to clinch the top Asian driver title against his more experienced RIVALS WHO HAD VIED IN THE 74#2

Q Daniel Miranda (left) proves his worth with a second overall finish in his first TCR Asia Series stint. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO WTCC (World Touring Car ChamPIONSHIPS AND 4#2 g) M VERY HAPPY WITH MY PODIUM kNISH AND DEkNITELY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT ROUND IN :HUHAI u SAID -IRANDA WHO ALSO THANKED HIS TEAM

FAMILY AND #EBUANA ,HUILLIER FOR THEIR ALL OUT SUPPORT #EBUANA ,HUILLIER PRESIDENT #%/ *EAN (ENRI ,HUILLIER SAID THE COMPANY IS PROUD TO BACK A TOP ATHLETE LIKE -IRANDA ADDING g(IS STRONG kNISH IN HIS VERY kRST RACE IS A TESTAMENT OF

HIS TALENT AND DETERMINATION 7E ARE HONORED TO BE IN HIS TEAM AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HIS SUCCEEDING RACES u 4HE NEXT LEG IS SET -AY AT THE :HUHAI )NTERNATIONAL #IRCUIT IN #HINA g/UR GOAL WAS TO kNISH AMONG THE TOP kVE BUT THE SECOND OVERALL AND EMERGING kRST AMONG !SIAN DRIVERS EXCEEDED ALL OUR EXPECTATIONS (E HAS SHOWN MATURITY RIGHT IN HIS kRST 4#2 race and we hope to see more from HIM IN THE COMING RACES u SAID COACH AND MANAGER 2OLAND (ERMOSO

Public Square

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Sorsogon hosts climate talks, fetes renewable energy

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

C3

RCBC and RCBC Savings Bank award first winners of Deposit and Drive Promo F

Q Present at the ceremonial signing of Executive Order 001-2019, from left: EDC corporate social responsibility head Allan Barcena, Gov. Robert Lee Rodrigueza, Sorsogon City Mayor Sally Lee, Sorsogon Penro-LGU Maribeth Fruto and EDC Bacman corporate social responsibility head Eduardo Jimenez.

RECOGNIZING the Southern Luzon regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vulnerability to natural disasters and the effects of climate change, a landmark Climate Challenge Summit was organized by the provincial government of Sorsogon and The Climate Reality Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Philippines, which aimed to raise awareness among local communities on the importance of environmental conservation, sustainability and cleaner energy.

The event coincided with the first Geothermal Energy Day celebrated by the province, after Governor Robert Lee Rodrigueza recently signed Executive Order 001-2019 declaring every 5th of March as a special commemoration of the vital role that geothermal plays in the progress of the province.

The executive order recognizes geothermal energy as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;pioneer renewable energy resource in the

Philippinesâ&#x20AC;? that can provide clean and reliable baseload power.

Sorsogon is a province rich in geothermal resource and is host to the 140-megawatt Bacon-Manito (Bacman) Geothermal Project, which supplies power to the Luzon grid. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to limit our temperature rise to two degrees Celsius, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our best-case scenario. )F WE REACH A kVE DEGREE INCREASE

climate scientists say this will usher in the end of human civilization,â&#x20AC;? explained Allan Barcena, corporate social responsibility head of Energy Development Corporation (EDC).

The province of Sorsogon was also awarded the Allen S. Quimpo Climate Leadership for Governance Memorial Award during the 2018 Climate Reality Leadership Awards of The Climate Reality Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Philippines due the provinceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to respond to the urgency of climate change.

QC recognizes representatives  in Muay Thai National Finals QUEZON City Mayor Herbert Bautista, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte and the members of the QC Council commend the QC Muay Thai athletes who bagged medals at the 3rd Muay Thai National Finals in November 2018 at the PSC Sports Complex.

City Resolution 7740-2018, authored by Councilors Gian Carlo Sotto and Diorella Maria Sotto, congratulates the 24-man Team Quezon City who bested 300 athletes from other cities and municipalities.

Twenty-one of the members of Team QC brought home awards: six GOLDS SILVERS AND kVE BRONZES

The Team QC athletes able clinch gold medals are Jericho Balais, Mark David Comia, Michael Onia, Migi Miller, Adelle Vinscent Didal Rosales, and Marvin Quirante. The silver medalists are Ronald Arthur Davis, Marc Antoni Cabacungan, Patrick Dos Santos, Rannie Palero, Ranjay Palero, Saint Gabriel Masancay, Jinno Quirante, Roegen Impas, Andro Mong Solar, and Romeo Dava. Meanwhile, Christopher Baluyos, Jayco Madrona, Alseph Joves, Gabbee Miller, and Joshua Aaron Maguddayao bagged bronze medals.

EON by UnionBank wins Best Payment Innovation in Asia Fresh from having EONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paolo Baltao named as one of the WORLD S -OST )NlUENTIAL 0AYMENT Professionals, EON by UnionBank was recently awarded the Best Payment Innovation by Retail Banker International (RBI) Asia during the 2019 RBI Asia Trailblazer Awards held in Singapore.

EON bested other entries with its neo banking platform which offers a suite of deposit, consumER kNANCE AND PAYMENT PRODucts, leveraging on the latest technology to deliver an enjoyable experience, and complemented by agent branches nationwide.

Baltao was also one of the speakers at the Retail Banker International Asia Trailblazers Summit 2019 WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT REDEkNING the Neo Bank for emerging markets. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am happy that the efforts to drive a culture of agility, perseverance, and out-of-the-box thinking in the team continue to bear fruit. This award fuels us to step up even more to delight our

Q During the awarding from left: Martin Gumayan and Wilson Chua, VP for Chainstore Operations and VP for Finance, respectively. Representatives of RCBC Savings Bank winner Mercury Drug Corp.; Rommel Latinazo, RCBC Savings Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president and CEO; Evelyn Ona and Mary Grace Ona, wife and daughter of RCBC Savings Bank winner Rodolfo Ona. Gil Buenaventura, president and CEO, RCBC; with RCBC winners Antesa Paraon and Marco Alcantara, representative of Alsons Development & Investment Corp.; Eugene Acevedo, RCBC deputy CEO; Richard Lim, RCBC Retail Banking Group head. and six units of Isuzu MU-X are still The more you save with RCBC and For more information, visit www. up for grabs, along with other prizes. RSB, the more chances of winning. rcbc.com or www.rcbcsavings.com.

Toyota inspires academic excellence TOYOTA Motor Philippines Foundation (TMPF) continues to inspire academic excellence among the students of its adopted school, Pulong Sta. Cruz Elementary School (PSCES), through Toyotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Quest for the Best Quiz Bee. Now on its 11th year, the top pupils from Grades 3 to 6 were challenged as their knowledge and understanding in Mathematics, Science, English, Hekasi and Current Affairs were tested. The top three students from each grade level were recognized and each received trophies and cash prizes.

As further support to PSCES, all participants in the quiz bee, together with PSCESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; special academic awardees for the school year 2018-19, will

join Toyotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lakbay Aral program, an educational tour held to further expand the knowledge of the students outside the classroom.

Toyota supports its adopted school through other initiatives that would ensure the holistic

development of not only the students, but also the faculty and staff.

Toyota also helps in creating a conducive learning environment through the improvement of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facilities.

More recently, Toyota launched

PSCES as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;digital schoolâ&#x20AC;? through its computerization project to facilitate a better teaching and learning environment.

The LCD screens and laptops provided were used during the conduct of the quiz bee.

PhilHealth meets CoA on new benefit payment scheme SENIOR OFkCERS OF THE 0HILIPpine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth) led by its Acting President and CEO Roy Ferrer recently met with Commission on Auditâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (CoA) Chair man Michael Aguinaldo to discuss in length the global budget system, a new provider payment mechanism that the state agency is adopting as provided for in the Universal Health Care (UHC)Act of 2019.

The said meeting is part of PhilHealthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on-going preparations for the full implementation of the UHC when its implementing rules and regulations are completed.

The UHC Act provides that PhilHealth shall endeavor to shift to paying providers using performance-driven, close-end, prospective payments based

on disease or diagnosis related groupings and validated costing methodologies and without differentiating facility and professional fees; develop differential payment schemes that give due consideration to service quality, efficiency and equity; and institute strong surveillance and audit mechanisms to ensure networksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; compliance to contractual obligations.

The CoA welcomed PhilHealthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initiative and positively expressed opinion over the new payment scheme as provided for in the UHC. It also advised the state health insurer to implement strong surveillance and audit mechanisms to ensure that patients receive quality care without compromising the health insurance fund.

Q During the meeting from left: Michael Aguinaldo, CoA chairman; Roy Ferrer, PhilHealth acting president and CEO; Renato Limsiaco, PhilHealth senior vice president (SVP) Fund Management Sector; Nerissa Santiago, PhilHealth OICSVP, Actuarial Studies and Risk Management Sector; and Israel Francis Pargas, PhilHealth SVP Health Finance Policy Sector. Foreground, from left: Jovita Aragona, PhilHealth SVP Information Management Sector; and Dennis Mas, PhilHealth SVP Management Services Sector.

FedEx celebrates innovative young entrepreneurs Q EON Banking Group Head, SVP Paolo Baltao receives the Best Payment Innovation award for EON

by UnionBank at the Retail Banker International (RBI) Asia during the 2019 RBI Asia Trailblazer Awards held in Singapore. customers,â&#x20AC;? Baltao said.

With EONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new website and app, customers can open an account, apply for a loan, move money, pay bills, and buy prepaid credits.

For more information, visit www.eonbankph.com.

Why every woman needs a wetbrush MORE and more women are discovering that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the right brush to be used for different hair needs.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why thousands all over the world are fans of WetBrush, a certikED CULT BRAND THAT CATERS TO YOUR hairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s every need.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s adored by celebrities such as Kendall Jenner, Drew Barrymore, Eva Longoria and Candice Swanepoel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all of whom are sure to be carrying the latest WetBrush models.

While dry hair is surprisingly strong, wet strands are far more fragile. Brushing with the wrong brush, towel drying too roughly OR USING A kNE TOOTH COMB CAN ALL lead to breakage. The WetBrush

OUR lucky winners of RCBC and RCBC Savings Bankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (RSB) Deposit and Drive promo can now drive their brand new cars this 2019.

The Deposit and Drive promo encourages accountholders to deposit â&#x20AC;&#x153;fresh fundsâ&#x20AC;? in their RCBC and RSB accounts to get a chance to win a new Honda Civic sedan or an Isuzu MU-X SUV. 1UALIkED ACCOUNTHOLDERS SHOULD also maintain an average daily balance of at least P50,000 (for individual accounts) or P500,000 (for corporate accounts) during the promo period. As a bonus, account holders can easily gain an additional entry and increase their chances of winning simply by updating their client information.

New and existing RCBC and RSB accountholders both personal and corporate accounts can still join the Deposit and Drive promo until May 31. Two more units of Honda Civic

has many devotees because of its signature IntelliFlex bristles that know when to be firm enough to pull through the tangles, and when to gently glide through hair strands without breaking them.

Less hair strands are caught in the brush, minimizing hair loss.

STUDENT entrepreneurs of Terra from Philippines won the FedEx Access Award at the 2019 JA Asia 0ACIkC #OMPANY OF THE 9EAR #OMpetition in Philippines.

Sponsored by FedEx Express (FedEx), the signature FedEx Access Award celebrates the power of global connectivity and the next generation of innovators who deliver commercial and social possibilities through innovative business ideas.

This year, 20 student companies representing 13 markets (Australia, Brunei, Mainland China, Guam, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand) competed for the award.

Student company Terra won the judges over with their eco-friendly multi-purpose bags made of waste WOOD kBERS AND RECYCLED TEXTILES 4HE company demonstrated a strong sense of sustainability and social responsi-

Q Presenting the award, from left: Vivian Lau, JA Asia Pacific president; John Peterson, FedEx Express Philippines managing director; Team Terra from Philippines; Karen Reddington, Asia Pacific, FedEx Express president; Garrick Thompson, FedEx Express Philippines senior manager sales. bility driven by innovation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s globalized world, entrepreneurial young minds need the opportunities and guidance to realize their full potential. The FedEx Access Award aims to support and equip them with the right mindset, busineses

skills and passion to one day connect with the rest of the world,â&#x20AC;? said Karen Reddington, FedEx %XPRESS !SIA 0ACIkC PRESIDENT â&#x20AC;&#x153;What I look forward to the most at each yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Company of the Year competition is to experience the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; enthusiasm and

excitement. I am always thrilled to meet these bright young people and hear the inspiring business ideas they bring,â&#x20AC;? said Vivian Lau, PRESIDENT AND #%/ *! !SIA 0ACIkC For more information, visit https:// share.agencyroad.com/message/ MQPS9J3lcQIN0Evn7aEPo6.

Belmonte: Observe ordinance regulating use of e-cigarettes QUEZON City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte has called vape or e-cigarette users in the city to observe the city ordinance that regulates the use of e-cigarettes in public places.

Belmonte said that the City Ordinance 2737-2018 aims to â&#x20AC;&#x153;fully

protect the health and welfare of QC residents while maintaining the interest of all stakeholders, including the smokers.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;This ordinance is for the health of the general public, especially the children and the el-

derly who should not be exposed to these kinds of substances. Basically, this ordinance prohibits anyone to use electronic cigarettes in enclosed places where other people can be exposed to these e-cigarettes,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Some of the areas where ecigarette smoking is prohibited include places of worship, hospitals and health centers, public CONVEYANCES GOVERNMENT OFkCES

and educational or recreational facilities intended for minors

TTHURSDAY H U RRSS DDAAY AAPRIL PRIL 18, 188, 2019

Lifestyle &Entertainment www.manilatimes.net

C4 HOLY WEEK 2019

Renditions of The Last Supper through time and around the world O

Q One of Salvador Daliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular paintings is 'The Sacrament of the Last Supper,' completed in 1955. He worked on his canvas for nine months.

It was during this time that Dali became very interested in science, optical illusion and religion, as evident in the finished piece. In viewing the painting from the center, the eyes are taken upward to the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rendition of Jesus Christ's floating torso.

It comes as no surprise that the practice of hanging a depiction of The Last Supper in Filipino homes dates back to the Spanish colonization when the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conversion to Catholicism came TO BE 7HAT IS INTERESTING TO KNOW

however, is that that the original Last Supper painting was also RENDERED INSIDE A DINING ROOM 4HE kRST PAINTING OF 4HE ,AST Supper was rendered by Leonardo Da Vinci way back in 1495 or 1496 [sources vary as to when HE BEGAN= )N FACT HE PAINTED THE scene directly on the wall of a dining room, which is now the famous large mural at the Santa Maria delle Grazie Church and -ONASTERY IN -ILAN )TALY It is said that Da Vinci was inspired to paint The Last Supper by the Biblical passage where Jesus says one of his loyal disciples will betray him â&#x20AC;&#x201D; thus the various reactions of surprise, shock and DISBELIEF ON THE FACES OF THE Completed in 1498, the mural has deteriorated through time, and despite numerous restoration efforts, only a few features of the ORIGINAL PAINTING REMAIN 2EGARDless, it was Da Vinci who paved the way for countless artists to interpret The Last Supper through

Q 'The First Supper' was considered a controversial painting by artist Susan Dorothea White in 1988. White cleverly challenged the patriarchal concept of male disciples and instead painted women with different nationalities surrounding Christ, who is in turn depicted as an Australian aboriginal woman.

Q Visual artist and pop-art pioneer Andy Warhol rendered a huge series of The Last Supper, his final collection before his death. Exhibited across the Santa Maria delle Grazie in 1987, Warhol produced close to 100 variations of The Last Supper, composed of silkscreens, paintings and a sculpture. The painting 'Sixty Last Suppers' is said to be Warholâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to da Vinciâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work, painted in the same size but with his signature style and trademark of patterns.

BY NIKA ROQUE

NE of the most common telltale signs that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve walked into a FiliPINO HOME IS kNDING A RENDITION OF 4HE ,AST 3UPPER "E IT A PAINTING WOOD CARVING OR A PRINT REPRODUCTION THE MOST FAMOUS SCENE WHERE *ESUS BREAKS BREAD WITH HIS DISCIPLES IS kTTINGLY PLACED IN THE DINING ROOM AND BELIEVED TO BLESS THE FAMILY THATfS ALSO SHARING A MEAL

»what'sonwhere Reflect on how Jesus lived at the BGC Walkway WITH over a decade of bringing life to the true meaning of (OLY 7EEK THROUGH THE g7ALKWAY 2ElECTIONS ON THE 3TATIONS OF THE #ROSSu EXHIBIT "ONIFACIO (IGH 3TREET TOGETHER WITH #HURCH 3IMPLIkED MOUNTS THE OFFERING ONCE AGAIN with this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme focusing on how Jesus lived during THE 2OMAN RULE Moving away from the traditional depictions of the Passion of Christ, the Walkway uses contemporary art to give meaning to each immersive station that features literal STRUCTURES AND SYMBOLS WHICH TELLS THE STORY OF *ESUS LIFE The Walkway is open to the public until Black Saturday, while Easter Sunday festivities will cap off the Holy Week ON !PRIL P M AT THE "ONIFACIO (IGH 3TREET !CTIVITY Center, with a Hawaiian-themed Tiki Easter Adventure chilDREN "Y DUSK A FREE MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL FEATURE 5NIQUE 5RBANDUB 3OUTH "ORDER "ARBIE !LMALBIS AND !IA DE ,EON â&#x20AC;&#x153;BGC has always been a destination for those stayING IN THE METRO DURING THE (OLY 7EEK &OR OVER A DEcade, the Walkway is a respite that lets everyone reflect within the confines of the city, and has transformed MANY RELATIONSHIPS AND LIVES u NOTED *OANNE -AGNO

associate city marketing manager of Fort Bonifacio $EVELOPMENT #ORPORATION

Q The original Last Supper is a mural by Leonardo da Vinci found in the dining hall of the Santa Maria delle Grazie, a church and monastery in Milan, Italy. hundreds of years, across many NATIONS INCLUDING THE 0HILIPPINES

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Table of Hopeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; The most famous interpretation of The Last Supper in modern PhilipPINES IS BY THE LATE *OEY 6ELASCO Titled g(APAG NG 0AG ASA u (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Table OF (OPE u THE PAINTING depicts Filipino street children JOINING *ESUS ON A LONG TABLE )N contrast to the original Da Vinci where Jesus and his disciples seem to be having a grand feast, Hapag ng Pag-asa shows hungry slum children looking to the Saviour as HE BREAKS BREAD Velasco is celebrated for the religious and societal themes of his works which remain relevant to THIS DAY 0ASSIONATE IN HELPING LESS fortunate, Velasco worked closely with charitable organizations and

Q Joey Velascoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hapag ng Pag-asa' is considered one of the most famous religious paintings by a Filipino artist in modern times. donated significant portions of his income through these groups UNTIL HIS PASSING IN (APAG NG Pag-Asa most especially inspired OTHERS TO DO THE SAME Meanwhile, as the Catholics and Christians around the world commemorate Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Last Supper today

on Maundy Thursday, The Manila Times Lifestyle gathers some of the MOST SIGNIkCANT RENDITIONS OF THE VERY kRST CELEBRATION OF THE (OLY Eucharist, whether to help viewers RElECT ON THE LIFE OF #HRIST OR JUST like Velasco, be stirred by them TOWARD THE GOOD

Reflections I

Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S that time of the year again WHEN WE ARE CALLED TO RElECT ON Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love for us and Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ultimate SACRIkCE TO SAVE US FROM SIN But for others, this is also the season to hit the beach or travel abroad â&#x20AC;&#x201D; reasons why EDSA is always empty DURING (OLY 7EEK But wherever we are, whether at home or traveling with friends and family, we must still remember the TRUE MEANING OF (OLY WEEK Personally, this season has given more meaning and depth to my life since surviving brain surgery almost TWO YEARS AGO In the past, I would simply skip religious Holy Week shows in favor of a good movie or TV series on cable, but I now watch them with gratitude for I can wholeheartedly relate to people who experienced Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s miracle and TO HIS MESSAGES I will always be thankful to HIM for giving me this second life, for my loving family who never left me especially during my worst trials, and for all the wonderful blessings that CAME AFTER Through these realizations and quotes from the Internet, I was able to get through my darkest moments, with my faith in God steeled like NEVER BEFORE Today, I would like to share these words of inspiration with everyone in the hopes they can also help someONE OUT THERE kND THE LIGHT â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the worst times of your life, it is your family that you can always lean on and will love you UNCONDITIONALLY u â&#x20AC;&#x153;You may have to lose who you WERE TO kND OUT WHO YOU ARE u â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you have a family that loves

you, a few good friends and a roof â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you focus on the hurt, you over your head, you are richer than WILL CONTINUE TO SUFFER )F YOU FOCUS YOU THINK u on the lesson, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Happiness depends you will conon your attitude, not TINUE TO GROW u WHAT YOU HAVE u â&#x20AC;&#x153;Waking up â&#x20AC;&#x153;The best is yet to in the morning COME "E PATIENT u is the greatest â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatever is worgift the mornrying you right now, I N G C A N G I VE FORGET ABOUT IT 4AKE A DEEP BREATH Please be thankful your eyes stay positive and know that things opened to see another day to do WILL GET BETTER u BETTER AND GROW BETTER u a y OU CA T CO T O â&#x20AC;&#x153;Never blamee anyg9OU CAN T CONTROL EVERYTHING 'OOD ONE IN YOUR LIFE 'OOD S o m e people give you haptimes you OPLE PINESS "AD PEOPLE just need ENCE to relax GIVE YOU EXPERIENCE and have The worst people give THE YOU A LESSON !ND THE faith that th best people give you things will WO MEMORIES u WORK OUT ,ET ver go and let life â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are braver E HAP THAN YOU BELIEVE HAPPEN u u â&#x20AC;&#x153;Learn to Stronger than you R SEEM 3MARTER trust the journey than you think, even if you do NOT UN and loved more NOT UNDERSTAND IT Some than youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll ever Sometimes what you never ne wanted KNOW u m FROM Winnie The or exp expected turns out to be b what you Pooh NEED u g3MILE BIG â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pain doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ,AUGH OFTEN u Q Faith, love and music heals. just show up in our â&#x20AC;&#x153; S l o w TEN TO WHAT YOUR LIVES FOR DOWN 0LEASE LISTEN LIVES FOR NO REASON BODY IS TELLING YOU u m *ONATHAN 9ABUT Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sign that something in our â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes you have to accept the LIVES NEEDS TO CHANGE u truth and stop wasting your time on â&#x20AC;&#x153;The best thing about the worst THE WRONG PEOPLE 3OME PEOPLE DON T time of your life is that you get to realize how hard you are riding for SEE THE TRUE COLORS OF EVERYONE u THEM UNTIL YOU PARKÃ&#x153;u g7HEN LIFE GETS REALLY DIFkCULT REâ&#x20AC;&#x153;The strongest people are the ones MEMBER THISwYOU ARE TRANSFORMING who are still kind even after the world 4HINGS WILL ONLY GET BETTER FROM HERE u TORE THEM APART u â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes it takes an over-

MUSIC GEEK MUS MARK BONIFACIO

whelming breakdown to have an UNDENIABLE BREAKTHROUGH u Your peace is more important than driving yourself crazy trying to understand why something happened the WAY IT DID ,ET IT GO u g%VERY DAY IS A NEW BEGINNING 4REAT IT THAT WAY 3TAY AWAY FROM WHAT might have been and look at what can BE u m -ARSHA 0ETRIE g9OUR TIME IS COMING )T S ABOUT TO HAPPEN FOR YOU 3O MANY BREAKTHROUGHS 3O MANY BLESSINGS +EEP BELIEVING AND WATCH YOUR LIFE CHANGE u g%VERYTHING HEALS 9OUR BODY HEALS 9OUR HEART HEALS 4HE MIND HEALS 7OUNDS HEAL 9OUR SOUL REPAIRS ITSELF 9OUR HAPPINESS IS ALWAYS GOING TO COME BACK "AD TIMES DON T LAST u â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you start taking care of yourself, you start feeling better, you start looking better; and you start to ATTRACT BETTER )T ALL STARTS WITH YOU u â&#x20AC;&#x153;Health does not always come FROM MEDICINE -OST OF THE TIME IT comes from peace of mind, peace in THE HEART PEACE IN THE SOUL )T COMES FROM LAUGHTER AND LOVE u â&#x20AC;&#x153;Give yourself time to be sad, frusTRATED AND ANGRY 'IVE YOURSELF TIME TO HEAL ACCEPT AND TO GROW 4IME doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t erase anything, but it can provide you with enough space to be ABLE TO BREATHE AGAIN !ND THEN ONE day you wake up and your heart has A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE IN IT u &INALLY g-USIC HEALSÃ&#x153;u !ND BELIEVE me it did, based from my experience!

Hope that these will also inspire YOU AS YOU GO THROUGH LIFE (AVE A meaningful Holy Week with God at the center of your heart and soul!

NNN

Follow the author on Instagram: MARKBONIFACIO

Campus Press

A SECTION FOR THE STUDENTS, BY STUDENTS

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net EDITOR: Marishelle R. Medina marishelle.medina@manilatimes.net

D1

THURSDAY APRIL 18, 2019

The pursuit of empowerment

BY MARIA YSABELLA O. LUNA GRADE 12, ST. SCHOLASTICAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ACADEMY MARIKINA

O

N March 8, the world celebrated International Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day in recognition of those whose achievements were made, regardless of political, social and cultural barriers. In support of this event, I organized an art competition in my school, the all-girls St. Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Academy Marikina, for junior high school students on women empowerment.

The competitionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purpose was to provide an avenue for students to interpret what women empowerment is using art. One of the reasons I chose this project was to bring out the best talents of young women through hands-on arts, as art has always taught me to appreciate the meaning behind every creation. As a young woman, I have always believed that women should be respected and not be treated as â&#x20AC;&#x153;objects.â&#x20AC;?

In organizing the activity, I had the help of the Maestra Organization, a senior high school art organization of St. Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Academy Marikina; Mrs. Maria Concepcion de Dios, Senior High School academic coordinator; Miss Jan Aubrey Merino, Humanities and Social Sciences strand

only to realize that we, too, can be just as good as those â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;kingsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of the jungle. And, lastly, the phoenix [is] a majestic mythical creature that rises above the ashes of its remains. Women, nowadays, are like [a phoenix] â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with every

pride towards oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s different colors can also be applied to us women. After all, deep down, we are who we are and have our own UNIQUE PERSONALITIES "UT INlUences from our parents, friends, family members, the communityâ&#x20AC;Ś and such pressure us to act a certain way,â&#x20AC;? Allyanna said.

The tenth grader added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The woman on the poster is drawn with these different colors: red, yellow, and blue. I chose to use these colors because this type of message should be instilled into Filipino society. We usually hear words such as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Di â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yan kaya ng babae,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; from people we know.

They are of no help and have the power to demotivate and hinder us from fully showing our capabilities.â&#x20AC;?

According to Allyanna, such words, although not noticeable right away, enforce gender stereotypes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is always an expectation that we should act, dress,

Q Pamela Magcalas %QUALITY WHICH DEkNED WOMEN empowerment as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the process by which women gain power and control over their own lives and acquire the ability to make strategic choices.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is done,â&#x20AC;? according to Pamela, â&#x20AC;&#x153;by empowering their sense of self-worth, their right to decide for themselves, their right to access opportunities, their right to have control over their own lives, and THEIR CAPABILITIES TO INlUENCE FOR social change.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Women empowerment is exactly this, highlighting precisely the need to reinforce

Q Artwork by Magcalas

Q Angela Krystelle Lilagan mentor; Mrs. Isabelita Soriano, Junior High School academic coordinator; and Mrs. Josephine Atlas, Junior High School student activities coordinator.

From the 17 entrees, three winners were chosen based on the criteria set by the Maestra Organization: relevance to the theme, creativity and originality, appropriate use of symbols, colors, unity, and cleanliness and orderliness. The participants were also asked the following questions: 1) What is your understanding of women empowerment? 2) What made you come up with the painting?

3) What made you come up with the symbols for the painting? Do they mean anything? 4) Is there a driving factor that made you join this women empowerment art contest? 5) Why did you join this contest?

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Image of royaltyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Grade 8 student Angela Krystelle Lilagan of section St. Martha said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;It took a while for me to decide on what symbols and color patterns to use for the contest. Other than the iconic scales of justice and the sword that Lady Justice has, there were so many more images that represent empowerment, independence, strength and beauty that we, women, have within us.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;After countless research, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen the ones that struck me the most: The lotus, the lion and the phoenix. These three symbols represent strength, however, I have created a deeper meaning than just that in my artwork,â&#x20AC;? she added.

Angela said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;[T]he lotus on her head symbolizes the beauty within us that will one day bloom, and we will wear it with self-conkDENCE 4HE LION SYMBOLIZES BRAVery and leadership, traits that we thought only men can only have,

Q Artwork by Lilagan challenge they face, THEY kGHT THEY FALL AND RISE UP anew, soaring through the skies of possibilities and becoming a better person.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The setting Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve chosen is a chess board with the queen piece. In chess, the queen is the most powerful piece since it could go in all directions.

This represents the outstanding women of today: the late Sen. Miriam Santiago, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, and many more. They have shown to the world that women can achieve great things in many fields,â&#x20AC;?

Angela further explained 4HE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENT kNished her artwork with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lady Justice, herself, smiling comfortably on her throne, with her beautiful purple hair â&#x20AC;&#x201D; an image of royalty.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Along with her blindfold, scales and swords, she brings out the message that we, women, are CAPABLE OF kGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS

for our hard-earned respect and for our equality,â&#x20AC;? Angela said.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Different colorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Meanwhile, Allyanna Rebecca Rubica, a Grade 10 student from section St. Angela, looked to the quote â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ladies, just be yourself and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to show your different colorsâ&#x20AC;? for inspiration. The line is based on the band Walk the Moonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Different Colors,â&#x20AC;? which is about acceptance of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s self and others. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For me, different colors signify different individualities. Showing

and behave a certain way because of our gender. This doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just happen in the real world, because it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any better online. We see people commenting on womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s posts, criticizing them for having a mind of their own and for acting the way they are. At worst, they are even attacked for what they choose to wear,â&#x20AC;? she explained.

Allyanna urged women to not kGHT AMONG THEMSELVES BUT TO LOVE and accept each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shortcomings, saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Instead of bringing women down for being who they want to be, we should be uplifting our friends, sisters, daughters or any woman we know. Boost their confidence, appreciate them for who they are, and help them out when they have shortcomings. We, ladies, too need to love ourselves AND ACCEPT OUR lAWS $ON T TAKE negative criticism or hurtful words in bad light, but think of it as a way to empower yourselves. After all, if we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t uplift ourselves, how can we uplift others?â&#x20AC;?

She expressed hoped that her poster would encourage others and spread the message: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We, women, shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid of being who we are. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a simple one, yet, it makes a big difference once it is ingrained into your mind.â&#x20AC;?

Women empowerment Pamela Magcalas of Grade 10 St. Angela, was also inspired by a quotation, this time from the European Institute for Gender

AND BUILD SELF CONkDENCE IN WOMen against gender discrimination and inequality,â&#x20AC;? she added.

To explain her work, the Scholastican said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Recently, vector art as a form of digital medium has grown popular over the net that quickly attracted my attention.

I wanted to incorporate this art style in my poster to easily attract more attention from viewers as something that is both aesthetically pleasing and eye-catching.â&#x20AC;?

Pamela said in deciding what to do for her poster, she thought of putting the spotlight on â&#x20AC;&#x153;key WOMEN kGURES IN HISTORY THAT HAVE contributed greatly to the movement of women empowerment.â&#x20AC;?

She said she referenced most of the portraits on iconic photos of the seven women she looks up to that â&#x20AC;&#x153;would hopefully be distinguishable by anyone even WITHOUT SPECIkCALLY STATING THEIR names.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of them is Frida Kahlo, who shared her perceptions on education for young girls and an artist who uses her artwork to portray concepts about abortion, breastfeeding, birth and miscarriage,â&#x20AC;? she explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Second, Malala Yousafzai, who lives in Pakistan where girls are prevented from going to school. Yousafzai was a Pakistani activist and fought for the educational rights of girls and created a Malala Fund where she helps bolster girlsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; secondary education

around the world. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Third, Coretta Scott King, who is considered as an important leader in the civil rights movement and is also known as the First Lady of Civil Rights.

Together with her husband, she acknowledged the importance of women in the society and created their own legacy in movement to end injustice. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fourth, Audrey Hepburn, a famous actress and a style icon who showed the new era of femininity and radically changes the way movie audiences perceived women. Hepburn showed that women donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be thin and to have a little black dress just to show that they are classy and fashionable, instead she taught women to dress in a way that it is comfortable for them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fifth, Marilyn Monroe, who was also a fashion icon like Audrey Hepburn and publicly revealed her experiences in sexual abuse during her childhood and adulthood. It was a very shocking confession during that time and it was a brave feminist act. She was a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights activist and fought against the eraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attitudes towards sexuality. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sixth, Rosa Parks, who is known as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mother of the Civil Rights Movement.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; During

the period when there was racial seggregation in the United States, Rosa refused to give her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama. She proved that it is possible for people to stand up for their rights against unjust laws. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And last, Angelina Jolie, famous for her acting skills and work AS A kLMMAKER WHO PERCEIVES ART as a voice for women to be seen and heard in the society. She is also known for her charity work that helps the situation of refugees worldwide.â&#x20AC;?

Pamela believes â&#x20AC;&#x153;women can accomplish anything and are capable of making a better society for the good of all.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;The background of my artwork is pink because it signifies beauty and it is said to be a powerful color. It symbolizes that we women are capable of doing a lot of things that can make the society better,â&#x20AC;? she added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I joined the contest not only because I wanted to make art, but because as a young woman I wanted to encourage fellow women around the country to make them believe that women can do anything a man can do and that people should treat women equally and treat them with respect,â&#x20AC;? Pamela said.

Q Artwork by Allyanna Rebecca Rubica

PAGE FROM THE PAST

0,$4 )NC CONTINUED TO RAMP UP ITS PRESENCE IN THE kFTH GENERATION ' race in the country and in the Southeast Asia region.

The groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wireless arm Smart Communications is set to roll out 5G standalone or 5G SA solutions in schools after the latter signed a deal with Finnish technology company Nokia on Tuesday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are happy to partner with Nokia to help develop intelligent soluTIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE BENEkT OF THE 0HILIPPINE EDUCATION SECTOR u 0,$4 3MART #HAIRMAN AND #HIEF %XECUTIVE /FkCER -ANUEL 6 0ANGILINAN was quoted as saying in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;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,â&#x20AC;? PLDT-Smart Chief Technology and Information advisor Joachim Horn also said.

The partnership would focus on developing 5G standalone solutions, INCLUDING ARTIkCIAL INTELLIGENCE DRONES AND )NTERNET OF 4HINGS )O4 APPLIcations, as well as deploying 5G handsets and applications in universities, WHICH IS BELIEVED TO BE THE kRST INITIATIVE IN 3OUTHEAST !SIA 0,$4 SAID g ' IS NO LONGER A THEORY u (ORN TOLD A PRESS BRIEkNG ADDING THAT expect to roll out 5G in a larger scale by next year.

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.)

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

Campus Press

D3

Prepositions at work in literal prepositional phrases T

HE English language uses prepositions in two general ways: as literal components of prepositional phrases, or as nonliteral components of prepositional idioms.

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s begin with the usage of the prepositional phrases, which come in two types: 4HE kRST TYPE which is a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends with an object along with any associated adjectives or adverbs. Example: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The plane flew above the thick clouds for kVE MINUTES u In that sentence, â&#x20AC;&#x153;above the thick clouds for five minutesâ&#x20AC;? is a prepositional phrase that functions as an adverbial modifier of the verb â&#x20AC;&#x153;flew.â&#x20AC;? It consists of the preposition â&#x20AC;&#x153;above,â&#x20AC;? the noun phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;the thick cloudsâ&#x20AC;? as the object of the preposition, and the adverb phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;for five

MINUTESu WHICH BY ITSELF IS another prepositional phrase) as a modifier.

(2) The second type, which is called a â&#x20AC;&#x153;phrasal verbâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;verb phrase,â&#x20AC;? consists of a verb form that ends in a preposition.

Example: â&#x20AC;&#x153;How you spend your weekends is something we are not concerned with.â&#x20AC;?

In that sentence, â&#x20AC;&#x153;concerned withâ&#x20AC;? is a prepositional phrase, one that by grammatical convention should always end with the preposition â&#x20AC;&#x153;withâ&#x20AC;? and never with, say, other prepositions such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;of,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;for,â&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;about.â&#x20AC;? )N BOTH kRST AND SECOND TYPES OF prepositional phrase, the phrase

DLSU Filipino Dept workshop on teaching, writing and research The Filipino Department of De ,A 3ALLE 5NIVERSITY $,35 WILL conduct a national seminar-workshop from April 24 to 27 at the Yuchengco Seminar Room inside its Manila campus in Taft Avenue.

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theme is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mga Teknika at Estratehiya sa Pagtuturo at Pananaliksik ng/sa Filipino, Pagsulat sa Filipino, at Cau-

cus sa mga Isyung Pangwika.â&#x20AC;?

For more information, please call LOCAL OR OR

Regular updates and complete information are available on www. facebook.com/PambansangSemiNAR &OR QUERIES YOU MAY ALSO send an email to pambansangseminar@gmail.com.

Innovation hub to open doors in Manila THE De La Salle-College of 3AINT "ENILDE $,3 #3" IS SET to open the Peter D. Garuccho *R )NNOVATION )NSTITUTE 0$'II ON -AY TO PROVIDE AN OPEN environment for curious minds toward understanding systemic problems and creatively solving these.

DLS-CSBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partnership with the 6ICE #HAIRMAN OF &RANKLIN "AKER Company of the Philippines Peter Garrucho Jr. is a testimony of its commitment to social impact, manifested through the development of the innovation space, and recognition and incubation of ideas that address the United Nationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sustainable Development Goals.

In his speech at the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hub of Innovation For Inclusion (I&I GROUNDBREAKING CEREMOnies in 2017, Garrucho had said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some of you may be saying that is a generous act of charity. It is, because it represents a major contribution for me. But let me add just as quickly that this is also a major act of faith. Many of youâ&#x20AC;Śhave asked me, what an institute of innovation is meant to do. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know then and I know a bit more now and I still have a ways to go.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let me say that my contribution will not end with the payment of the check. I plan to continue to help with my network of experienced friends and businessmen, my many suggestions, and my overall support in our road towards [inclusion],â&#x20AC;? he added.

Located along Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila, the four-story PDGii will be the new home of HiFi. It will serve as an innovation space and business incubator for social good startups in the school and beyond.

Designed by Javier Design Studios Manila and built by Gain Construction and Development Corp., the institute incubates the scheme of innovations that are desirable, viable and feasible.

The facade is covered in glass louvers that can be opened to welcome fresh breeze and natural light, reducing the need

for power hungry electrical air-conditioning. The property also features solar panels, which may provide for 100 percent of the lighting.

The Lobby, also called as the Empathy Hall, offers a common ground that is open to the public. It has a space for dialogue, presentations, public TALKS MEETINGS AND kLM SCREENings. A perfect area for social startups to display their products and services, entertain walk-in guests and explore further opportunities to engage the public is provided at the mezzanine.

4HE SECOND lOOR DUBBED AS 4HE Bright Space contains the main ofkCE OF (I&I AND FEATURES FUNCTION halls for social startups. It has two huddle rooms and one conference room to encourage ideation and collaboration.

4HE THIRD lOOR IS THE -AKER Space with rooms for startups.

It has a workshop area that is equipped with basic maker space tools like three-dimensional printers, hammer and saws and training room to support in prototype development.

There are also movable display walls that can be used for exhibits and presentations.

The roof deck, named as The Evergreen, doubles up as the breathing space, garden and event hall, which allows members to share relaxed conversaTIONS RElECT SYNTHESIZE IDEAS

and pitch to ecosystem partners for possible scaling and social impact support. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To creatively solve systemic challenges, HiFi acknowledges that schools ne ed to connect and collaborate with individuals and organizations from different sectors, locally and internationally,â&#x20AC;? HiFi Director Abigail Mapua Cabanilla said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;HiFi brings together under its roof a cross-pollination of VARIOUS DISCIPLINARY kELDS INdustries, and public and private organizations to create rich conversations and open up opportunities to partner in championing innovative solutions,â&#x20AC;? she added.

to A PROPOSALu NOT with a proENGLISH PLAIN posal), â&#x20AC;&#x153;agree with a personâ&#x20AC;?

AND SIMPLE NOT to a person), â&#x20AC;&#x153;approve of SOMETHINGu NOT gAPPROVE with somethingâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;charge for a PURPOSEu NOT with a purpose), â&#x20AC;&#x153;charge with A CRIMEu NOT is meant to be taken in its literal â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;charge of a crimeâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;contend sense in relation to the rest of the with A PERSONu NOT against a sentence. person), â&#x20AC;&#x153;correspond with a PERSONu NOT to a person), â&#x20AC;&#x153;difCommon phrasal verbs fer with A PERSONu NOT gDIFFER or verb phrases to a personâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;infer from u NOT â&#x20AC;&#x153;infer toâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;infer withâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;inHere are some common prepo- ferior tou NOT gINFERIOR withâ&#x20AC;?), sitional phrases that we need to â&#x20AC;&#x153;rewarded with A GIFTu NOT gREmaster, so we wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t trip too often warded of a giftâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;oblivious when using them: of ONE S SURROUNDINGSu NOT 1. Phrasal verbs or verb â&#x20AC;&#x153;oblivious in oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surroundphrases. Their correct usage is ingsâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;occupied by a personâ&#x20AC;? shown here against the incorrect NOT gOCCUPIED with a personâ&#x20AC;?), one: â&#x20AC;&#x153;adapt from A SOURCEu NOT â&#x20AC;&#x153;occupied in STUDYu NOT gOCâ&#x20AC;&#x153;adapt to a sourceâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;adapt cupied by studyâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;occupied to A SITUATIONu NOT for or with A THINGu NOT gOCCUPIED of with a situation), â&#x20AC;&#x153;agree on a a thingâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;part from a personâ&#x20AC;?

PLANu NOT to a plan), â&#x20AC;&#x153;agree NOT gPART with a personâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;part

JOSE A. CARILLO

with A POSSESSIONu NOT gPART of a possessionâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;wait at a placeâ&#x20AC;?

NOT gWAIT in a placeâ&#x20AC;?), and â&#x20AC;&#x153;wait on A CLIENTu NOT gWAIT in a clientâ&#x20AC;?).

2. Adjectives with prepositional phrase: Here are common ones shown in their correct usage against the incorrect one: â&#x20AC;&#x153;accountable forâ&#x20AC;? NOT gACcountable ofâ&#x20AC;? ), â&#x20AC;&#x153;accountable to A PERSONu NOT gACCOUNTABLE with a personâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;angry with 'INAu NOT gANGRY of Ginaâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;capable of u NOT gCAPABLE with â&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;identical with or toâ&#x20AC;?

NOT gIDENTICAL of â&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;impatient at HER CONDUCTu NOT gIMPATIENT of her conductâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;independent OFu NOT gINDEPENDENT fromâ&#x20AC;?) , gINFERIOR TOu NOT INFERIOR OF

â&#x20AC;&#x153;prior toâ&#x20AC;? NOT gPRIOR fromâ&#x20AC;? ), â&#x20AC;&#x153; s i m i l a r t o u N O T g S I M I L A R withâ&#x20AC;?), â&#x20AC;&#x153;impatient for a raiseâ&#x20AC;?

NOT gIMPATIENT of a raise),â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;independent ofu NOT gINDE-

pendent f româ&#x20AC;? ), â&#x20AC;&#x153;inferior toâ&#x20AC;?

NOT gINFERIOR ofâ&#x20AC;?) , â&#x20AC;&#x153;prior toâ&#x20AC;?

NOT @PRIOR fromâ&#x20AC;? ), â&#x20AC;&#x153;similar toâ&#x20AC;?

NOT gSIMILAR withâ&#x20AC;?) , â&#x20AC;&#x153;superior tou NOT gSUPERIOR f româ&#x20AC;?).

We can thus see that the English prepositions make unique or specific grammatical combinations with verbs and adjectives in forming the prepositional phrases. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not all. They make hundreds of combinations with other words to form the prepositional idioms â&#x20AC;&#x201D; expressions that yield nonliteral meanings that can only be learned by study and exposure to them. .EXT Prepositions at work in prepositional idioms)

6ISIT *OSE #ARILLO S %NGLISH &Orum, http://josecarilloforum.com, and on Facebook, https://www. facebook.com/jacarillo. Follow him at Twitter.com, @J8Carillo.

E-mail: j8carillo@yahoo.com.

Molinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family donates historianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s book collection to UST Library

IN commemoration of his 100th birth anniversary, the children of late renowned historian Antonio M. Molina, DCL, are set to turn over his personal book collection and bust to the Miguel de Benavides Library of THE 5NIVERSITY OF 3ANTO 4OMAS 534 ON -AY

AT THE CONFERENCE HALL of the library.

Known for his remarkable conTRIBUTIONS IN THE kELD OF 0HILIPPINE HISTORY -OLINA WAS NOT ONLY A HISTORIAN BUT ALSO A PROLIkC author, educator, lawyer, polyglot and diplomat. He was awarded the 0RESIDENTIAL -EDAL OF -ERIT IN BY President CorazĂłn Aquino in recognition of his lifelong contributions in THE kELDS OF 0HILIPPINE HISTORY CULTURE and letters, and his efforts in fostering Philippine-Spanish relations.

Molinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two-volume book on Philippine history, The Philippines through the Centuries, WAS THE kRST

book to exclusively rely on original sources obtained through Molinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s OWN RESEARCH IN 3PAIN FROM TO (IS OTHER BOOK Historia de Filipinas, also in two volumes, was AWARDED THE 0REMIO ,ITERARIO Enrique Zobel, which recognizes outstanding contributions to Philippine letters in Spanish.

A particular interest of Molinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s was on UST alumnus and National Hero JosĂŠ Rizal. He has published books on Rizal, including Memorias del Dr. JosĂŠ Rizal Mercado: Diario Inedito de 1882, Rizal: Man and Hero, and HIS kNAL WORK Yo, JosĂŠ Rizal, which is a simulated autobiography of Rizal DRAWN ENTIRELY FROM kRSTHAND SOURCES For these, Molina was inducted into the Order of the Knights of Rizal, with the rank of commander.

Molina was a professor at UST FROM TO WHERE HE taught Philippine history, civil

law, ethics, philosophy and Rizal studies. An alumnus and former dean of the Faculty of Civil Law, he also served as vice rector for EXTERNAL AFFAIRS FROM TO

vice president of the University 2ESEARCH #OUNCIL TO

director of the Institute of History TO AND ACTING SECRETARY GENERAL TO Through his career in education, he founded the Board of Catholic Writers and Orators and the Aquinas Theater Guild of Manila, serving as the director of the latter. He also became director of the International Confederation of University Intellectuals and as Secretary of the Court of Appeals in Manila. ! PROLIkC WRITER -OLINA WROTE SEVeral articles for journals across many DISCIPLINES AMONG THEM THE OFkCIAL interdiocesan bulletin Boletin Eclesiastico de Filipinas, the Santo Tomas

Journal of Medicine, the oldest extant academic journal in Asia UNITAS, and the UST Law Review. )N -OLINA SERVED AS PRESS attachĂŠ of the Philippine Embassy in 3PAIN "Y HE RETIRED FROM THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS HAVING FULkLLED THE role of consul.

At the turnover ceremony in UST, the historianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter Carmen Molina will present the deed of donation and take part in the gift agreement signing as the Molina family representative. UST will be represented in the signing by its rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, OP, while a special message will be delivered by Faculty of Civil Law dean Atty. Nilo Divina. The word of thanks will be given by the prefect of Libraries Angel Aparicio, OP. The books and bust of Molina will BE ON EXHIBIT AT THE GROUND lOOR OF the UST Library upon the conclusion of the turnover ceremony.

EAC dentistry faculty awarded fellowship status FOUR faculty members from the School of Dentistry of the Emilio !GUINALDO #OLLEGE %!# WERE INducted as fellows of their respective recognized societies in the recent oathtaking of Dentists and Fellows of Accredited Dental Specialties at

the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

Awarded Fellowship status WERE $R -ARIE !NTOINETTE 6Eluz, president of the Endodontic Society of the Philippines; Dr. Melchor Sarmiento, president

of the Philippine Association of Dental Public Health; Dr. Antonio Gutierrez, president of the Philippine Prosthodontic Society; and Dr. Mariano Maglutac, appointed board member of the Philippine Association of

Dental Public Health.

The status means that they belong to the league of individuals with a professional qualification framework ranking of 7 and have exhibited leadership skills in their respective subspecialty in dentistry.

Q In this photo taken in February 2019, four faculty members from the School of Dentistry of the Emilio Aguinaldo College â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Dr. Marie Antoinette Veluz, Dr. Melchor Sarmiento, Dr. Antonio Gutierrez, and Dr. Mariano Maglutac â&#x20AC;&#x201D; were awarded Fellowship status during the induction rites presided by the Professional Regulation Commission. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BARMM: No collection of contribution for 2019 Palarong Pambansa MARAWI CITY: The Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MBHTE-BARMM) has warned public schools officials in the region not to collect any monetary contribution from public schools for the 2019 Palarong Pambsansa to be held in Davao City from April 26 to May 4, 2019. Â In a memorandum to all schools division superintendents, district supervisors, principals and students dated April 10, 2019, BARMM Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal warned division super-

intendents, district supervisors, principals and schools heads to refrain from collecting any monetary contribution or any form whatsoever from teachers and students with regards to the forthcoming 2019 Palarong Pambansa. Â Iqbal said expenses for the event would be credited from the funds appropriated by the regional office for that purpose. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The regional office may extend financial assistance as may be deemed necessary,â&#x20AC;? he added. Â He said transportation of participants from the mainland schools divisions

shall be provided by the ministry, while those coming from the islandsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; divisions shall be downloaded to their respective divisionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; accounts. Â Mainland divisions are those in the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, while the islands are in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Â The Ministry shall release allowances for the delegates upon arrival at the billeting area, while other expenses shall be charged to the divisionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; respective maintenance and Other Operating Expenses.

MASIDING NOOR YAHYA

D4

Campus Press

The Ë&#x153;Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

THURSDAY April 18, 2019

Stories on church, children and corruption top 2019 Chit Estella Journalism Awards

Q Edson Tandoc calls on audience not to dismiss fake news in his keynote speech for the 3rd Asian Journalism Research Conference at the University of the Philippines Diliman on April 12. PHOTO BY CELINE ISABELLE SAMSON/VERA FILES

Q Winners of the Chit Estella Journalism Awards with judges and Roland Simbulan (sixth from right), spouse of the late journalist and educator Chit Estella Simbulan. PHOTO BY CELINE ISABELLE SAMSON/ VERA FILES

TORIES on the Catholic Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s criticism of President Duterte, children IN CONlICT WITH THE LAW CORRUPTION IN a state university, and reporting practices bagged the top prizes at the 3rd Asian Journalism Research Conference (AJRC) held at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman on April 12.

Journalism Studies category, the winner was Angelica Yang of UP Diliman for her research â&#x20AC;&#x153;Assessing the Quality of Science Journalism in the Philippines: Infotainment vs Critical Science.â&#x20AC;?

In second place were Richard de Leon and Kim Jem Muana for their paper â&#x20AC;&#x153;Experiences of Martial Law Journalists from the Field to the Academe.â&#x20AC;?

In third place were UST journalism students Angel $UKHA RD AND 0IOLO 6ELUZ for their research titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Digidocumentaries: The Future o f P h i l i p p i n e I n ve s t i g a t i ve Documentaries in the Age of New Media.â&#x20AC;?

In the Special Projects in Journalism category where only one winner is declared, AdMUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Anna Soleil Luna and LorebenTuquero emerged victorious for their multimedia report on the

S

Keynote speaker Edson Tandoc, associate professor of journalism at Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nanyang Technological University, underscored the power of online information and disinformation during the conference, which had for its theme, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Journalism in Crisis, Crisis in Journalism.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheaper to destabilize a nation through information than through military intervention. All you have to do is to create fake news,â&#x20AC;? he told

the audience of students, academics and media practitioners. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to strengthen journalism as a way to fight disinformation,â&#x20AC;? Tandoc said.

The Chit Estella Journalism Awards, part of the annual AJRC, are given to outstanding journalism works by undergraduate mass communication students in academic research, investigative reporting and special projects.

About 100 students from 11

universities nationwide participated in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competition.

The winners of the Academic Research News Analysis category were Leian Adriatico, Angelie Payuyo and Julieanne Tabilog of Ateneo de Manila University !D-5 FOR THEIR PAPER TITLED â&#x20AC;&#x153;Drawing the Days of Duterte: A Discourse Analysis on Editorial Cartoons on Extrajudicial Killings Published by the Catholic Bishopsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Conference of the Philippines in the time of the Duterte Administration.â&#x20AC;?

University of Santo Tomas 534 JOURNALISM STUDENT *Oselle Czarina dela Cruz placed second for her analysis titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;News from the Pulpit: A Comparative Analysis Between the Secular and Catholic Mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Coverage of Filipino Bishopsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Homilies about Social Issues.â&#x20AC;?

In the Academic Research

CHEd, universities to partner for quality education in BARMM THE Commission on Higher Education #(%D WILL PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE QUALITY EDucation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous 2EGION IN -USLIM -INDANAO "!2-- with the help of the top universities in the country.

The agreement was finalized in Davao #ITY ON !PRIL BY #(%D #HAIRMAN * 0ROSPERO DE 6ERA RD AND "!2-- -INISTER OF Education Mohagher Iqbal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are assisting the BARMM consistent with the policy of President Duterte that all young Filipinos must have access to quality EDUCATION u DE 6ERA SAID The agreement states that the leading universities will provide â&#x20AC;&#x153;technical assistanceâ&#x20AC;? to educational institutions under BARMM. The universities tapped by CHEd that will FOCUS ON SPECIkC SUBJECT AREAS -INDANAO 3TATE 5NIVERSITY -35 .AAWAN FISHERies), MSU-Ilagan Institute of technology %NGINEERING TECHNOLOGY 5NIVERSITY OF

THE 0HILIPPINES ,OS "AĂ&#x201E;OS 50," #OLlege of Public Affairs and Development 'OVERNMENT PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND monitoring), UPLB College of Agriculture and Univeristy of Southern Philippines !GRICULTURE 50 -ANILA #OLLEGE OF 0UBLIC (EALTH #OMMUNITY HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYS tems), UP Diliman School of Urban and Regional Planning and UP Resilience Institute 4ECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS in planning and development), and Ateneo DE $AVAO !DULT %DUCATION Under the agreement, CHEd is also set to provide assistance to BARMM to ensure that private higher education institutions (%)S WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE 5NIFIED Students Financial Assistance System for 4ERTIARY %DUCATION 5NI&!34 2EGISTRY OF qualified HEIs. 1UALIkED (%)S WILL BE ABLE TO AVAIL OF THE BENEkTS OF THE 4ERTIARY %DUCATION 3UBSIDY 4%3 FOR THEIR STUDENTS INCLUDING AN ANNUAL

educational assistance from the government for students of private HEIs in cities and municipalities without state or local universities and colleges.

The HEIs will be organized to offer Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program in Mindanao, so that children of Moro Islamic Liberation Front -),& COMBATANTS WILL BE ABLE TO COMPLETE their undergraduate degree. Poor students and children of MILF combatants will also be included in a BARMM database that will allow them to avail of the government provision of TES. A technical working group has been established by CHEd and BARMM to work on the partnership. Its members are UniFAST OIC Executive Director Atty. Carmelita Yadao-Sison, CHEd directors Dr. Maximo Aljibe, Dr. Neila Alibin, and Corinna Cabanilla.

OFELYN DATUIN

RTU holds investiture ceremony of 3rd president THE Rizal Technological University (RTU) held the investiture ceremony of Dr. Ma.

Eugenia Yangco on April 18, 2019 at the RTU-TED Penthouse Building located along

Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City. Dr. Yangco is the third president of the university.

Q Dr. Ma. Eugenia Yangco (wearing a cap) with the Board of Regents and vice presidents of the Rizal Technological University (RTU) during her investiture as university president on April 18. PHOTO COURTESY OF RTU PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

In her speech, Dr. Yangco said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Without slightest hesitation, I can confidently say that RTU is among the best, if not the best dynamic university in Metro Manila. Being so, RTU must continue to maintain or, better still, advance from this level.â&#x20AC;?

She also encouraged the entire academic community to work hand in hand and continue to shine the light of knowledge in all directions, as well as to affirm their love and loyalty for RTU in their quest towards academic fineness.

Dr. Yangcoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s investiture coincided with the 50th anniversary of RTU as an educational Institution.

RTU is the only state university in the City of Mandaluyong established by virtue of Republic Act 8365, specializing in Science and Technology, Engineering, Business Technology and Education.

DR. CHUNCHI CABASAAN, RTU PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

experiences and struggles faced by underage vagrants amid the Duterte administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anti-loitering crackdown.

Finally, UP Dilimanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Agatha Gregorio, Nica Hanopol and Angela Ng won the Investigative Journalism category for their report that found the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cops were being paid to allow illegal gambling on campus.

The awards are given as a tribute to veteran journalist and UP Journalism Department professor Chit Estella Simbulan, A 6%2! &ILES TRUSTEE WHO DIED in a road crash in 2011 along Commonwealth Avenue.

Online disinformation is a pressing issue that has been underscored by the conference for the third straight year.

Tandoc called on his audience not to dismiss fake news, which is being used as a tool

with financial and ideological motivations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of these fake news stories especially during elections turn people off, make them feel demoralized or they lose trust in institutions and that has an effect on destabilizing a particular country,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In not correcting, especially when weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re able to spot something thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fake, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re becoming complicit in the spread of disinformation,â&#x20AC;? Tandoc said.

To combat fake news, he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to encourage people to consume news outside social media. Go back to your websites, go back to watching 46 Â&#x2021; THE EVENING NEWSCAST OR the morning newscast â&#x20AC;&#x201D; start paying for newspapers...that way we strengthen journalism.â&#x20AC;?

CELINE ISABELLE SAMSON/ VERA FILES

Call for nominations for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Many Faces of the Teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; open T H E teacher under takes many roles â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as parent, disciplinarian, sibling, friend or an idol. These are the faces from whom inspiration can be drawn by the youth and to help shape the character of students willing to learn.

Teachers, who have made a significant difference in the lives of students, de serve to be recognized. Bato Balani Foundation Inc., with the support of Diwa Learning Systems Inc., searches the nation afresh for exceptional teachers who have made outstanding contributions in their profession with â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Many Faces of the Teacherâ&#x20AC;? program.

The program has been celebrating for 17 years educators who have molded the character and built the capabilities of future leaders.

The search is open to educators of all ages who are ac tively teaching in private or public, elementary or secondary schools, colleges and universities. The nominee must demonstrate exceptional per formance in teaching; has employed creativity, innovation and resourcefulness in teaching; and importantly, lives out his esteemed values in teaching, family and personal life.  Nominees should also have a deep sense of nation-

alism and are committed to teaching for the benefit of the country and its people.

He or she must be respected in the school and community, and is a role model for students, colleagues and family. He or she must also be an active member of the community and be engaged in socio-civic activities.  The organizers evaluate the nominees based on their integrity and morality; relationship with students, colleagues, community members and family; commitment and dedication to the teaching vo cation; the strength of values/principles applied in teaching and personal life; and involvement in school and community activities.  Nominations from partner organizations, school associations, religious organizations, the Depar tment of Education, as well as school heads, students and teachers are accepted The deadline of submission is on April 30, 2019.

To nominate a candidate, download the form and the search mechanics at www. batobalanifoundation.org. ph and send to bbfi@diwamail. com, batobalanifoundation@ gmail.com or at BBFI office, 6 / F P D C P B a n k Ce n t e r, VA Rufino corner Leviste Streets, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City.

The Campus Press welcomes contributions from students of all levels. Students can submit their written works in English, artworks, photographs, cartoons and other works to marishelle.medina@ manilatimes.net with the subject line: Campus Press. Please include your name, grade or year level, and name of school. Thank you!