THE MANILA TIMES | APRIL 19, 2019

Page 1

BSP poised to cut rates – HSBC Global Research »Story on B1 ++

Php20.00

•• SECTIONS PAGES •VOL. 120 NO. 188 3 16

The ËœManila Times

FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 19 2019 20199

A man carries a wooden cross as he and other penitents walk the streets of Caloocan City on Holy Thursday, the start of the Holy Week Triduum leading to Easter Sunday. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN

Vote for voices, not echoes, in a scofflaw nation

T

HE last TIME ALSO T.G.I.F. THE kRST ) SAW 0ARIS .OTRE RENE $ A M E W A S SAGUISAG A M U S T S E E 4HERE MY $ULCE AND ) WENT ‡ IN $ECEMBER ON OUR WAY HOME ‡ TO THE ICONIC MANY SPLENDORED CATHEDRAL ATTENDED -ASS AND HEARD SONGS SUNG IN &RENCH (EAVENLY "ACK TO EARTH AND MUNDANE MATTERS ³SaguisagA4

Good Friday reflections

7

HETHAMBIENT ER it is VOICES 'OOD &RIDAY OR NOT IT BEMA. ISABEL hooves us all ONGPIN TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT OURSELVES AND OUR CIRCUMSTANCES REGULARLY 4ODAY IS AN APPROPRIATE MOMENT TO MEDITATE ON OURSELVES AS PERSONS AS CITIZENS AS HUMAN BEINGS IN A WORLD THAT IS BOTH PERMANENT AND CHANGING ³OngpinA5

SWS: Most Pinoys back suit vs Xi on sea dispute BY CATHERINEÂ S. VALENTE

M

OST Filipinos believe that a case filed by former 0HILIPPINE OFkCIALS AGAINST #HINESE 0RESIDENT 8I *INPING before the International Criminal Court (ICC) tells the world that China should leave the disputed South China Sea (West 0HILIPPINE 3EA ACCORDING to the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

‘Fast, give up something important on Good Friday’ ! 0!2/#()!, VICAR OF THE 1UIAPO #HURCH IN -ANILA HAS CALLED ON THE FAITHFUL TO PRAY ON 'OOD &RIDAY FAST AND GIVE UP SOMETHING IMPORTANT JUST LIKE WHAT *ESUS # H R I S T DID g,ET S FAST &ROM MEAT or all those MAt e RIAL THINGS WHICH ARE DEEMED AS IMPORTANT !S MUCH AS POSSIBLE JUST EAT ONE FULL MEAL ;ON 'OOD &RIDAY= u &R $ANICHI

4HE POLL CONDUCTED FROM -ARCH TO AMONG ADULTS NATIONWIDE FOUND THAT PERCENT OF &ILIPINO ADULTS AGREED WITH THE CASE kLED BY FORMER &OREIGN !FFAIRS SECRETARY !LBERT DEL 2OSARIO AND FORMER OMBUDSMAN #ONCHITA #ARPIO -ORALES AGAINST 8I FOR "EIJING S SUPPOSEDLY AGGRESSIVE MILITARIZATION OF THE CONTESTED WATERS g4HE SUIT kLED IN THE )## BY !LBERT DEL 2OSARIO AND #ONCHITA #ARPIO -ORALES

WIDODO REELECTED INDONESIA PRESIDENT

WorldB3

EDITORIAL LEGISLATORS MUST FAST FROM PORK BARREL ANTETOKOUNPO LEADS BUCKS PAST Sports porrttsCC1 1 PISTONS FOR 2-0 SERIES LEAD S

Duterte raises drug ‘red flags’ in Lucena, Batangas PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has reVEALED THAT RED lAGS HAD BEEN RAISED OVER ,UCENA #ITY IN 1UEZON PROVINCE AND IN "ATANGAS BECAUSE OF THE PROLIFERATION OF ILLEGAL DRUGS THERE )N HIS SPEECH DURING A CAMPAIGN RALLY IN "ATANGAS #ITY ON 7EDNESDAY NIGHT $UTERTE SAID ILLEGAL DRUGS WERE PREVALENT IN "ATANGAS AND ,UCENA DESPITE

THE GOVERNMENT S EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE NARCOTICS TRADE “4ALAGANG SABI KO PUPUNTA AKO NG (I SAID ) WILL GO TO "ATANGAS 0LEASE DO NOT BE OFFENDED TUTAL PARA SA BAYAN MAN @TO AT WALA HO AKONG TINUTUKOY NA tao dito THIS IS FOR THE COUNTRY AND ) AM NOT MENTIONING ANYONE ) TALK IN

³DrugA8

NKorea’s Kim oversees test of new powerful weapon

Lenten retreat EntertainmentC4

(UI SAID g7E ASK ALL OUR FAITHFUL ESPECIALLY THE #ATHOLICS TO PRAY REPENT AND GO BACK TO 'OD 7E OFFER THIS DAY AS A THANKSGIVING BECAUSE WE HAVE A 'OD WHO SACRIkCED (IS LIFE TO SAVE US ALL u (UI ADDED g%MBRACE THE SECURITY HE OFFERS US BY PRAYING AND REPENTANCE u 4HE ESSENCE OF *ESUS #HRIST S LIFE LIES IN HIS DEATH ACCORDING TO (UI (E SAID *ESUS DEATH UNDERSCORED (IS SERVICE BY OFFERING (IS LIFE FOR HIS DISCIPLES "ISHOP 2UPERTO 3ANTOS HEAD

³Good FridayA8

Q Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle. PHOTO BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

³RowA2

What’s inside

OpEdA4

wm • www.manilatimes.net

Trusted since 1898

RELIVING CHRIST’S SUFFERING

R

SEOUL: .ORTH +OREA S +IM *ONG 5N HAS SUPERVISED THE TEST kRING OF A NEW TACTICAL WEAPON WITH A gPOWERFUL WARHEAD u STATE MEDIA REPORTED ON 4HURSDAY IN THE kRST TEST OF ITS KIND SINCE NUCLEAR NEGOTIATIONS WITH 7ASHINGTON STALLED 4HE TEST MARKS A RATCHETING UP OF TENSIONS WEEKS AFTER A SUMMIT BETWEEN +IM AND 53 0RESIDENT $ONALD 4RUMP

COLLAPSED WITHOUT AGREEMENT )T ALSO COMES AFTER SATELLITE IMAGERY SUGGESTED HEIGHTENED ACTIVITY AT A NUCLEAR TEST SITE 7EDNESDAY S TEST WAS gCONDUCTED IN VARIOUS MODES OF kRING AT DIFFERENT TARGETS u THE +OREAN #ENTRAL .EWS !GENCY +#.! REPORTED ADDING THAT +IM

³WeaponA8

Sisig, adobo, halo-halo on Lonely Planet’s list 4(2%% &ILIPINO DISHES ‡ SISIG halo-halo AND ADOBO ‡ MADE IT TO THE LATEST EDITION OF THE ,ONELY 0LANET 5LTIMATE %ATLIST A COMPENDIUM OF THE WORLD S TOP gMEMORABLE EATING EXPERIENCES u g&ILIPINO FOOD DOESN T GET A LOT OF INTERNATIONAL PLAY COMPARED WITH OTHER !SIAN CUISINES !ND THAT S UNFORTUNATE AS ANYONE WHO

³ListA2 REACH US AT: E-mail: newsdesk@ manilatimes.net Tel. Nos.: 524-5664 to 67 Address: 2/F Sitio Grande, 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila 1002

A2

News

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

DoJ: US ruling on Marcos wealth can be executed BY JOMAR CANLAS

T

HE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) opposed THE VIEW OF THE /FkCE OF THE 3OLICITOR 'ENERAL /3' ON THE RECENT RULING OF A 5NITED 3TATES 53 COURT AWARDING MONEY TO THOUSANDS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VICTIMS DURING -ARTIAL ,AW 4HE /3' EARLIER ISSUED A STATEMENT THAT THE 53 DECISION CANNOT BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY AND MUST AWAIT A RULING FROM 0HILIPPINE COURTS *USTICE 3ECRETARY -ENARDO 'UEVARRA HOWEVER BELIEVES THE DECISION COULD BE EXECUTED BECAUSE THE PROPERTY SUBJECT FOR DISTRIBUTION WAS WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE 53 !LSO THE CASE IS BEING HANDLED BY A 53 DISTRICT ATTORNEY )N A TEXT MESSAGE SENT TO The -ANILA 4IMES Guevarra said he WAS YET TO MEET WITH THE /3' AND THE 0RESIDENTIAL #OMMISSION ON 'OOD 'OVERNMENT 0#'' ON THE MATTER 4HE $O* CHIEF NONETHELESS SAID THE 0HILIPPINE GOVERNMENT COULD TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION

g5NLESS THE 2EPUBLIC TAKES ANY FURTHER REMEDIAL ACTION THE .EW 9ORK COURT ORDER APPROVING THE SETTLEMENT MAY BE IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED u HE SAID g.OTE THAT THE SUBJECT OF THIS INTERPLEADER CASE THE PROCEEDS OF THE AUCTION SALE OF THE DISPUTED PAINTINGS IS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE $ISTRICT !TTORNEY OF .EW 9ORK AND NOT IN THE 0HILIPPINES AND SO EXECUTION OF THE JUDGMENT WILL BE IN THE 53 u 'UEVARRA POINTED OUT 4HE /3' CITED DECISIONS OF THE 0HILIPPINE 3UPREME #OURT THAT A 53 RULING CANNOT BE IMMEDIATELY IMPLEMENTED )T POINTED TO THE CASE OF RePUBLIC VS 0IMENTEL that the cases AGAINST THE -ARCOSES MUST BE RULED kRST BY THE 3ANDIGANBAYAN ANTI GRAFT COURT

)T RECALLED THAT IT HAD OPPOSED THE LIMITED WAIVER OF SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY ISSUED DURING THE TIME 0#'' #HAIRMAN !NDRES "AUTISTA g4HE 2EPUBLIC MAY NOT PARTICIPATE AS A PARTY CLAIMANT IN VIEW OF THE DOCTRINE LAID DOWN IN RePUBLIC VS 0IMENTEL WHERE THE 5NITED 3TATES 3UPREME #OURT RECOGNIZED THE SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY OF THE 2EPUBLIC AND AWAITED FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE 0HILIPPINE #OURT 3ANDIGANBAYAN u THE GOVERNMENT LAWYERS GROUP STATED ! FEDERAL JUDGE IN .EW 9ORK HAD AFkRMED A SETTLEMENT CONCESSION THAT WOULD DISTRIBUTE MILLION OF THE -ARCOSES ILL GOTTEN WEALTH 2OBERT 3WIFT LEGAL COUNSEL OF THE MARTIAL LAW VICTIMS THAT ALREADY WON A BILLION CLASS SUIT kLED IN (AWAII EARLIER ANNOUNCED THAT *UDGE +ATHERINE 0OLK &AILLA A JUDGE IN .EW 9ORK HAD ORDERED THE RELEASE OF MILLION TO THE VICTIMS OF MARTIAL LAW 4HE /3' CLARIkED THAT IN !Ugust

A PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WAS PRESENTED TO THE CLAIMANTS 4HE /FFICE OF THE %XECUTIVE 3ECRETARY ISSUED A MEMORANDUM ON *AN THAT REQUIRED THE 0#'' TO SECURE APPROVAL FROM BOTH THE /3' AND THE $O* BEFORE ENTERING INTO THE AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNMENT 4HE /3' EVEN SLAMMED 3WIFT FOR HIS REFUSAL TO ENFORCE THE BILLION (AWAII #OURT AWARD HE HAD OBTAINED g)T APPEARS THAT 3WIFT S DETERMINATION TO ASSERT HIS CLIENTS CLAIMS WHEREVER AND WHENEVER HE DEEMS POSSIBLE IS DRIVEN NOT BY THE PURELY NOBLE AIM TO SEEK JUSTICE AND RETRIBUTION FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS VICTIMS BUT BY THE HEFTY ATTORNEY S FEES HE STANDS TO RECEIVE )N THE INTERPLEADER ACTION ALONE HE HAS SOUGHT AN UNACCOUNTED MILLION IN ATTORNEY S FEES TO BE DEDUCTED FROM THE ALLEGED SETTLEMENT FUND OF MILLION ‡ THE REMAINING AMOUNT TO BE DIVIDED AMONGST THE HUMAN RIGHTS VICTIMS WHO SHALL RECEIVE A MEASLY EACH u

Justice dept charges Acierto, Lapeùa ILLEGAL drug charges were filed by the Department of Justice (DoJ) against former police officer Eduardo Acierto, former Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) deputy chief Ismael Fajardo Jr., and former Bureau of Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban while endorsing charges before the Office of the Ombudsman against former customs commissioner Isidro Lapeùa. This was in connection with the shabu shipment seized at the Manila International Container Port last year, and the magnetic lifters later found in Cavite that reportedly contained 1 ton of the illegal drug. The seizures led to the ouster of Lapeùa from Customs. Whistleblower Maria Lourdes Mangaoang also accused the former police general of being remiss on his duties. The case involves the discovery of two abandoned magnetic lifters at the Port of Manila in August last year. The lifters contained 355 kilos of shabu worth P2.4 billion. Following the discovery, similar lifters were discovered abandoned at a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite, which, PDEA believes, contained 1.6 tons of shabu worth P11 billion. The case reached the DoJ after a complaint-affidavit was filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The NBI pleaded for the indictment of Lapeùa for violation of Republic Act 3019, dereliction of duty, and grave misconduct over his failure to act on the drug shipments. In a resolution dated April 8, a panel of prosecutors found probable cause against the respondents. The ruling was headed by Asst. State Prosecutor Mary Jane Sytat. Lapeùa has been charged before the Ombudsman with graft and administrative raps for neglect of duty. Forty other individuals were cleared for lack of probable cause. JOMAR CANLAS

SHOW OF FAITH

A child prays before one of the stations of the cross set up at the Redemptorist Church of the Mother of Perpetual Help in ParaĂąaque City. PHOTO BY GERARD SEGUIA

Q ROW FROM A1

SWS: Most Pinoys back ICC FORMER OFkCIALS OF THE 0( 0HILIPPINE GOVERNMENT AGAINST #HINESE 0RESIDENT 8I *INPING FOR WRONGFUL DESTRUCTION OF THE LIVELIHOOD OF &ILIPINO FISHERMEN SHOWS THE WORLD THAT #HINA SHOULD LEAVE THE ISLANDS IT HAS OCCUPIED IN THE 7EST 0HILIPPINE 3EA u THE 373 SAID QUOTING THE SURVEY S TEST STATEMENT /NLY PERCENT DISAGREED WITH THE STATEMENT WHILE PERCENT WERE UNDECIDED EQUIVALENT TO A NET AGREEMENT SCORE OF CLASSIkED BY THE 373 AS gVERY STRONG u !S FOR THOSE IN DISAGREEMENT PERCENT SAID THEY STRONGLY DISAGREED AND PERCENT SOMEWHAT DISAGREED ! SIGNIkCANT PORTION MEANWHILE REMAINED UNDECIDED AT PERCENT 4WO DAYS BEFORE THE 0HILIPPINE GOVERNMENT S EXIT FROM THE )## TOOK EFFECT ON -ARCH DEL 2OSARIO AND -ORALES CALLED THE INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL S ATTENTION TO #HINESE OFkCIALS ALLEGED CRIMES AGAINST THE 0HILIPPINES AND &ILIPINO kSHERSIN THE 7EST 0HILIPPINE 3EA $EL 2OSARIO AND -ORALES ARGUED THAT THE )## HAD JURISDICTION OVER THE gATROCIOUSLY INHUMANE ACTIONSu OF #HINESE OFkCIALS IN THE CONTESTED WATERWAY AS IT OCCURRED gWITHIN 0HILIPPINE TERRITORY u 4HE 7EST 0HILIPPINE 3EA IS THE COUNTRY S EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE IN THE DISPUTED 3OUTH #HINA 3EA RESOURCE RICH WATERS WHICH

"EIJING CLAIMS IN NEAR ENTIRETY CITING HISTORICAL RIGHTS 0RESIDENT 2ODRIGO $UTERTE EARLIER EXPRESSED CONkDENCE THAT THE kLING OF THE COMMUNICATION AGAINST 8I WOULD NOT AFFECT THE IMPROVED RELATIONS BETWEEN #HINA AND THE 0HILIPPINES g.O ) M SURE THEY ;WOULD NOT= 4HE 0HILIPPINES IS A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY AND ANYBODY CAN BRING A SUIT AGAINST ANYBODY u THE 0RESIDENT SAID WHEN ASKED IF THE kLING OF THE COMMUNICATION WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES $EL 2OSARIO WAS THE TOP 0HILIPPINE DIPLOMAT WHEN THE COUNTRY kLED AN ARBITRATION CASE AGAINST #HINA S EXPANSIVE CLAIMS IN THE 3OUTH #HINA 3EA BEFORE THE 4HE (AGUE BASED 0ERMANENT #OURT OF !RBITRATION )N *ULY THE ARBITRAL COURT RULED IN FAVOR OF THE 0HILIPPINES INVALIDATING #HINA S EXTENSIVE CLAIMS TO THE 3OUTH #HINA 3EA $UTERTE HOWEVER HAS REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO INVOKE THE ARBITRAL RULING AND INSTEAD OPTED TO SEEK A PEACEFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH "EIJING WITH REGARD TO THE LONG STANDING SEA ROW -EANWHILE THE 373 SAID NET AGREEMENT WITH THE SURVEY STATEMENT WAS gVERY STRONGu REGARDLESS OF TRUST OR DISTRUST IN #HINA AS A COUNTRY g)T WAS VERY STRONG AMONG THOSE WITH MUCH TRUST IN #HINA VERY STRONG AMONG

THOSE UNDECIDED WITH THEIR TRUST AND VERY STRONG AMONG THOSE WITH LITTLE TRUST IN #HINA u IT ADDED /N !PRIL THE 373 REPORTED ITS LATEST SURVEY RESULTS SHOWED THAT OF THE FOUR SPECIkC COUNTRIES TESTED FOR PUBLIC TRUST #HINA OBTAINED THE LOWEST NET TRUST OF NEUTRAL COMPARED TO THE 5NITED 3TATES WITH VERY GOOD *APAN WITH GOOD AND !USTRALIA WITH GOOD 4HE POLLING kRM SAID NET AGREEMENT WAS HIGHEST IN -ETRO -ANILA AT VERY STRONG FOLLOWED BY "ALANCE ,UZON ALSO AT VERY STRONG -INDANAO AT MODERATELY STRONG AND THE 6ISAYAS AT ALSO MODERATELY STRONG .ET AGREEMENT WITH THE STATEMENT WAS ALSO HIGHEST IN CLASS !"# AT VERY STRONG FOLLOWED BY CLASS $ OR THE MASA MASSES ALSO AT VERY STRONG AND CLASS % AT MODERATELY STRONG "Y EDUCATION IT WAS HIGHEST AMONG COLLEGE GRADUATES AT VERY STRONG FOLLOWED BY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES AT ALSO VERY STRONG ELEMENTARY GRADUATES AT MODERATELY STRONG AND NON ELEMENTARY GRADUATES AT ALSO MODERATELY STRONG 4HE SURVEY CONDUCTED USING FACE TO FACE INTERVIEWS HAD A SAMPLING ERROR MARGIN OF • PERCENT FOR NATIONAL PERCENTAGES AND • PERCENT EACH FOR "ALANCE ,UZON -ETRO -ANILA THE 6ISAYAS AND -INDANAO

Holy Week ‘a time to remember Jesus’ BY ARIC JOHN SY CUA HOLY Week , a time of reflection on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is significant not just to Roman Catholics, but also to members of evangelical churches. For the Catholic faithful, it is a time of prayer and repentance; Visita Iglesia, which involves visiting seven churches; praying the rosary; and self-flagellation. Seminary teacher Pastor Eyriche Cortez said that for Roman Catholics and evangelicals, Holy Week is a time to remember the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Jonas Bernales said Catholics and evangelicals also celebrate Christ’s resurrection at the end of the week. “Holy Week is a remembrance of the sufferings Jesus went through, ultimately going to the cross,â€? he said. “He was buried, then after three days, he rose from the grave. We celebrate the Resurrection Day.â€? Cortez, however, dismissed the Catholic notion that “Christ is deadâ€? on Good Friday, because to him, Christ “cannot die again.â€? “Hindi naman nauulit ang kamatayan ni Jesus Christ; sabi nga ng Bible, ‘He died once and for all’ (Jesus Christ’s death cannot be repeated, for the Bible says, ‘He died once and for all’),â€? he said. “Ang problema kasi natin sa Pilipinas ay naghalo yung Catholicism and superstition, nagkaroon ng ‘folk Catholicism’ (The problem with us in the Philippines is that Catholicism and superstitions combine, turning into folk Catholicism).â€? He noted that even if the Roman Catholic Church did not favor people nailing themselves to the cross, they respected the tradition since it was a “show of faith.â€? Pastor Bobby Canta, who served as a missionary for six years in Israel, however, said Filipinos who do penitence during Holy Week had it wrong. “Filipinos are very sincere, but the sad part is they are sincerely wrong,â€? he said. “Penitence is paying for their sins. This should be a celebration that our sins have been forgiven.â€? Lou Miranda, a participant from the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church, who was on The Manila Times TV program “Face-Off,â€? said Holy Week rituals were more on thanksgiving before God. “Kultura na po ng Pilipino iyan (That’s the Filipino culture). Kasi alam ko po na ito lang ang paraan upang makapag-pasalamat ako. Hindi naman po ako masamang tao kasi gusto ko lang malaman na ‘di lahat ng mga nagpe-penitensya ay masamang tao. Kasi ako po, isang batang simbahan po ako (This is the way to express my thanksgiving. I know I’m not a bad person because I want to know that everyone who does penitence is not a bad person).â€? Pastor Paul Herrera, however, said there was no need for the faithful to perform acts of penitence. “If Jesus Christ already suffered on the cross, there’s no need to do that,â€? he said.

Q LIST FROM A1

Sisig, adobo has tasted sisig KNOWS u STATED AN ENTRY ON THE ICONIC +APAMPANGAN PORK DISH 3ISIG RANKED HIGHEST AMONG THE OTHER &ILIPINO DISHES ON THE LIST 4HE $EPARTMENT OF &OREIGN !FFAIRS $&! SAID THE LIST WAS DRAWN UP BY THE ,ONELY 0LANET COMMUNITY OF TRAVELLERS AND FOODIES 4HE ENTRIES WERE EVALUATED BY A PANEL OF CHEFS AND FOOD WRITERS AND WERE RANKED BASED ON TASTE CULTURAL SIGNIkCANCE AND UNIQUENESS OF LOCATION 0HILIPPINE !MBASSADOR TO THE 5NITED +INGDOM !NTONIO ,AGDAMEO *R SAID g4HE WORLD HAS YET TO FULLY DISCOVER &ILIPINO CUISINE u g!T THE EMBASSY WE SHARE THE &ILIPINO COMMUNITY S INSATIABLE APPETITE TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT THEY ARE MISSING AN EXCITING CULINARY EXPERIENCE WHEN THEY MISS OUT ON &ILIPINO FOOD u ,AGDAMEO ADDED (E SAID THAT SINCE THE EMBASSY THROUGH ITS #ULTURAL $IPLOMACY 5NIT HAS INITIATED VARIOUS EFFORTS TO PROMOTE &ILIPINO FOOD IN THE 5+ AND )RELAND SUCH AS STRENGTHENING ITS TIES WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF &ILIPINO FOOD ADVOCATES TO ENGAGING THE 5+ S CULINARY TASTEMAKERS 4HE SPIKE IN THE NUMBER OF &ILIPINO RESTAURANTS POP UPS AND SUPPER CLUBS IN THE 5+ FOR EXAMPLE SHOWS THE GROWING INTER-

“I think the people must understand the Gospel and the passion of the Christ. If they really understand that, then there’s no need for this [penitence].� “The Bible said there are so many ways to be thankful to God for. And that is living according to His commands,� he added.

‘Turn away from sin’ During “Face-Off,â€? Catholic-educated legal practitioner Chris Beltran said acts of penitence were not taught in school. “Wala hong tinuturo sa amin ng eskwela o kahit anong aklat ng Bibliya o ng relihiyon, na para mawala ang ating kasalanan, e, dapat nating saktan ang sarili natin (We were not taught in school, in any book in the Bible, or religion that for our sins to go away, we should hurt ourselves),â€? he said. “’Yung panahon ho natin ngayon, iba na ho. Dapat ho medyo modern ang approach natin, kung gusto nating magbawas ng kasalanan o mag-repent (Today, it’s very different. We should have a more modern approach, if we want to repent of our sins).â€? But Herrera disagreed with Beltran, saying there was only a Biblical way to repentance. “I go to the Bible as my standard, whether that’s traditional or modern. I don’t think there is a traditional way of repentance; I don’t think there should be a modern way of repentance. I do believe in the biblical way of repentance. The Bible says, ‘Turn away from sin and turn to God.’ It’s a decision that Christians make, because they have received and experienced the grace of God. The grace of God means He chose to save you even though you were undeserving,â€? he said. Herrera said the youth should learn from Christ’s death and resurrection. “The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is salvation to all mankind, it’s the only way to salvation, there’s no other way to salvation other than Christ and what He did on the cross,â€? he said. “The significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is that people can find hope, because death is the most hopeless case in the world,â€? he concluded. “And Jesus Christ solved the most hopeless case by resurrecting from the grave. If there is hope in the most hopeless case, then nothing is hopeless anymore.â€? Every year, Church Simplified, an evangelical group, also holds the Stations of the Cross, which is commonly practiced by Catholics. Pastor Eyriche Cortez said Catholic traditions such as Visita Iglesia and Simbang Gabi were practiced to remember Jesus Christ. “The foundation of it all is to commemorate what Jesus Christ did on the cross or to commemorate the birth of Jesus,â€? he said. “The foundation why we do Simbang Gabi and Visita Iglesia is to remember. It’s the same as preaching. We hear the Word of God everyday so that we can remember. EST IN &ILIPINO FOOD IN THE REGION -EANWHILE THE 0HILIPPINE %MBASSY IN THE 5+ EARLIER REPORTED THAT &ILIPINO CHEF &ERDINAND g"UDGIEu -ONTOYA OF 3ARAP ,ONDON HAD BEEN SHORTLISTED IN THE "RIXTON +ITCHEN COMPETITION AIMED AT kNDING gTHE NEXT BIG TALENT IN FOOD u 4HE COMPETITION IS RUN BY (ONDO %NTERPRISES OWNER OF "RIXTON 6ILLAGE AND -ARKET 2OW ONE OF THE CULINARY CENTERS IN THE 5+ -ONTOYA COMPETED UNDER THE %XPERIENCED #HEFS CATEGORY ,AGDAMEO SAID -ONTOYA WAS WELL KNOWN IN THE 5+ FOR HIS INNOVATIVE TAKES ON TRADITIONAL &ILIPINO CUISINE g-Y AIM IS SIMPLE REALLY ) WANT &ILIPINO CUISINE TO HAVE ITS OWN IDENTITY IN THE CULINARY WORLD u -ONTOYA SAID -ONTOYA S SPECIALTIES SUCH AS ,ECHON ,ONDON AND PORK BARBEQUE SKEWERS HAVE GAINED A STEADY FOLLOWING AMONG &ILIPINO FOOD LOVERS g.EW GENERATION OF &ILIPINO CHEFS SUCH AS "UDGIE ARE NOT ONLY DOING A GREAT JOB IN INTRODUCING 0HILIPPINE CUISINE TO THE 5+ AND THE WORLD u ,AGDAMEO SAID g4HEIR EFFORTS IN GOING BEYOND THE FRONTIERS OF OUR CULINARY HERITAGE CONTRIBUTE GREATLY IN ENRICHING OUR CULINARY TRADITION u HE ADDED ,AGDAMEO SAID g!FTER ALL AT THE HEART OF &ILIPINO CUISINE IS THE SPIRIT OF INNOVATION AND EXPERIMENTATION u BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

News DoF: Chinese loan terms standard across states SC to judges: Be careful in issuing search warrants ˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

THE Provisions of loan agreements entered into by the Philippines with China were standard in all other loan deals signed by the government WITH OTHER COUNTRIES SENIOR OFkCIALS from the Finance department said. In particular, the waiver-of-immunity and arbitration clauses present in loan accords with China were also in loan agreements forged with other states, Finance Undersecretary Bayani Agabin said. “These clauses are present not only in the loan agreements between the Philippines and China under the current government, but also in other loans accords entered into by previous administrations,� Agabin, who heads the department’s legal affairs group, added. While the waiver of immunity is not explicitly stated in some agreements, Agabin pointed out “all of them have arbitration clauses, which is effectively an implied waiver of immunity.� He quoted the Supreme Court ruling stating “an agreement to submit any dispute to arbitration may be considered as an implicit waiver to immunity from suit.� “Thus, even if the loan agreements with China do not contain the waiver-of-immunity provision, the arbitration clause in the accords already imply a waiver of

immunity from suit,� Agabin said. He dismissed concerns over the waiver-of-sovereign immunity clause in the loan accord between the Philippines and China for the P4.372-billion Chico River Irrigation Project, explaining that this part of the agreement only allows the “counterparties� to seek arbitration in case of a loan default, not a takeover of any of the country’s properties. “No takeover of our state assets is possible because we do not provide any collateral for any of the loan agreements we have entered into with any government,� he said. Finance Undersecretary Mark Dennis Joven pointed out that the waiver-of-immunity clause in the loan accord with China was almost the same as that in the credit facility agreement entered into by the previous administration with France for the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. “Comparing the China provision with the French provision, which was signed during the Aquino [3rd] administration, the wording is identical. So, in that Cebu BRT project, there was also a waiver of sovereign immunity provision as far as arbitration is concerned,� Joven said. The same also goes for the New Centennial International Container Port funded by South Korea. MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

BY JOMAR CANLAS

T

HE Supreme Court (SC) has ordered judges to be careful in issuing search warrants during the election period so as not to be used as tools by politicians.

The directive, signed by Supreme Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, covers judges of Municipal Trial Courts, Metropolitan Trial Courts and Regional Trial Courts.

Marquez issued the order upon receiving reports that courts are being used by some politicians for their political gain. “Acting on reports that the court are being used by unscrupulous

politicians to obtain search warrants against their rivals during this election period, all judges are hereby Reminded and Advised to remain impartial and non-partisan, and be very circumspect on acting on applications for search warrants, to preclude the courts from being used for election purposes,� the directive reads. Marquez stressed that “courts must ensure their jurisdiction before entertaining applications for search warrants, and conduct

A3

the proper proceedings before the same are issued.� He added that all the legal and constitutional requirements must be met before search warrants are issued. “Nothing can justify the issuance of a search warrant unless ALL LEGAL REQUISITES ARE FULkLLED !T the very least, the disregard by a judge of the requirements for the issuance of a search warrant constitutes grave abuse of discretion,� Marquez pointed out.

Cayosa asked to answer opposition to tax court bid THE Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) has ordered one of its m e m b e r s, M i l a g r o s Fe r n a n Cayosa, to answer the letter submitted by Senate candidate Larry Gadon opposing her bid to be a justice of the Court of Tax Appeal (CTA). Gadon called out Cayosa for her “lack of delicadeza� for applying for the CTA post while she is still

a member of the JBC. 4HE COUNCIL GAVE #AYOSA kVE days from receipt of the letter to submit her comment, “if [she] so desires.� It was learned that the JBC is set to deliberate and consider in their voting THE ,ETTER /BJECTION kLED BY 'ADON Cayosa needs to get four votes from the JBC in order to be shortlisted for the CTA post.

She represents the Integrated Bar of the Philippines in the JBC. g4HERE SEEMS TO BE A CONlICT of interest, much more a sense of unprofessionalism, on the part of Maria Milagros Fernan-Cayosa to send an application letter to the JBC, of which she is a regular member, and of which the same body would deliberate on the very same application. Fer-

nan-Cayosa should have resigned from the JBC prior to her application for the position of CTA Justice,� Gadon said in his letter. He argued that Cayosa should have resigned before applying for the position because she had access to the internal records of the CTA Justice applicants of which Cayosa is vying. JOMAR CANLAS

4 Sayyaf members charged at DoJ CRIMINAL charges have been filed against four alleged members of the terror and kidnap group Abu Sayyaf who were arrested earlier this week in Zamboanga City. Charged via preliminary inquest at the Department of Justice (DoJ) were Jainab Ibrahim, 29; Khadeeja Tawasil Jainal, 24; Abdurarafi Jalas Danial, 28; and Fatma Musa Narimen, 45. The Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group lodged the charges of illegal possession of explosive devices under Republic Act 9516 on Wednesday. Based on PNP intelligence reports, the suspects included three women, who were allegedly wives of Abu Sayyaf commanders. They allegedly aided the Abu Sayyaf in their financial transactions, helped procure guns and bomb parts, and arranged the travels of foreign terrorists to the Philippines. The suspects were nabbed in raids at houses in Zamboanga City, where authorities seized two grenades, a bag of suspected ammonium nitrate and electrical parts for making bombs. The women worked under Abu Sayyaf leader Hajan Sawadjaan, the main suspect in the January 27 bombing of Jolo Cathedral that killed 23 people. They were brought to the DoJ main office in Manila after their arrest on Tuesday. The respondents were presented before Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Olive Torrevillas, who was tasked to resolve the complaint of PNP. JOMAR CANLAS

REMEMBERING CHRIST’S DEATH

Youth performers reenact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Wednesday night in front of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church in Manila. The Senakulo, a play on the passion on the death of Christ, is one of the Catholic traditions observed during Holy Week. PHOTO BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

PH should develop nuclear power – Enrile FORMER Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile said the Philippines should develop its nuclear capabilities to improve its defense against possible external threats. %NRILE WHO IS SEEKING A kFTH six-year term in the Senate, made the statement amid continuing spats with China over overlapping claims in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea). Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang earlier said China had “sufficient historical and legal basis� to claim the dis-

puted area as part of its territory. “That is the position of China. That’s why [it has] the 9-dash line,� Enrile said. He said China’s “historical basis� of its claim in the Spratlys stemmed from the conceived territory of China prior to the formation of the Philippines as a nation. “The only country in this part of the world that had a navy before, during the time of Columbus and Magellan, was China. And they (Chinese) were

plying these parts, so that is the basis of their claim,� he said. “In fact, at that time, there was no notion of a country like Republic of the Philippines uniting the broken islands of this archipelago. We were, if I remember my history correctly, [governed] by sultans and datus separately,� Enrile, former defense minister during the Marcos regime, said. Despite the ruling in 2016 of the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration favoring the

Philippines against China, Enrile said the decision could only be implemented “by force.� “Those things can be enforced only by force. You can’t go to the [international court] to enforce the edict or decision of any international agency like the arbitration court. In the game of nations, it is always the law of force,� he said. The veteran lawmaker urged the government to negotiate with China. However, he said the Philippines should also improve

its military capabilities in the long term. “[We must] negotiate. We cannot go to war. Are we willing to lose 10 million people? We can never win. If we want to match China, develop [our] nuclear weapons like North Korea,� Enrile said. “That is the reality among nations. That’s why we have to build our economy and build our military capabilities, so that we will not be bullied,� he added. BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

Schizophrenia as an exempting circumstance Dear PAO, My husband was clinically diagnosed to be suffering from schizophrenia and mental depression in November 2018. He had a heated altercation with our neighbor two weeks ago. He stabbed our neighbor on his right hand. Consequently, my husband was charged with less serious physical injuries. During the presentation of the defense witness, my husband invoked schizophrenia as his defense. He claimed to have heard strange voices, and was hallucinating at the time he stabbed our neighbor. Can my husband still be held criminally liable for stabbing our neighbor despite his mental sickness? What is the imposable penalty for less serious physical injuries? Please answer my questions. Keisha

Dear Keisha, To answer your questions, we shall refer to Articles 12 and 265 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines, to wit: Article 12 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines provides: “xxx The following are exempt from criminal liability: “1. An imbecile or an insane person, unless the latter has acted during a lucid interval. “When the imbecile or an insane person has committed an ACT WHICH THE LAW DEkNES AS A felony (delito), the court shall ORDER HIS CONkNEMENT IN ONE OF the hospitals or asylums estabLISHED FOR PERSONS THUS AFlICTED which he shall not be permitted TO LEAVE WITHOUT kRST OBTAINING the permission of the same court. xxx� (Emphasis supplied)

be held criminally liable if he can prove that he was completely deprived of freedom and intelligence at the time of the commission of DEAR PAO the crime. In the case of Philippine National Bank vs Juan F. Villa (GR 213241, Aug. 1, 2016), the Supreme Court through Associate Article 265 of the said law for Justice Jose Mendoza stated: the penalty for less serious physical “Schizophrenia is a chronic injuries states: mental disorder characterized by “Any PERSON WHO SHALL INlICT inability to distinguish between upon another physical injuries fantasy and reality, and often xxx which shall incapacitate the accompanied by hallucinations offended party for labor for ten and delusions. A showing that an days or more, or shall require accused is suffering from a mental medical attendance for the same disorder, however, does not auperiod, shall be guilty of less tomatically exonerate him from serious physical injuries and the consequences of his act. Mere shall suffer the penalty of arresto abnormality of the mental faculties mayor.� (Emphasis supplied) will not exclude imputability. xxx It is clear from Article 12 that “Insanity must relate to the an accused invoking insanity as time immediately preceding or an exempting circumstance cannot simultaneous with the commis-

PERSIDA ACOSTA

sion of the offense with which the accused is charged. Otherwise, he must be adjudged guilty for the said offense. In short, in order for the accused to be exempted from criminal liability under a plea of insanity, he must categorically demonstrate that: (1) he was completely deprived of intelligence because of his mental condition or illness; and (2) such complete deprivation of intelligence must be manifest at the time or immediately before the commission of the offense.� (Emphasis supplied) Applying the aforementioned law and jurisprudence in your situation, your husband must adduce evidence to support his defense that he was suffering from schizophrenia at the time he stabbed your neighbor and that he was completely deprived of

freedom and intelligence because of such mental illness. He must likewise prove that the complete deprivation of his intelligence must be present at the time he committed the crime. Otherwise, you husband will suffer the penalty of arresto mayor, which has duration of one month and one day to six months if he will be found guilty beyond reasonable doubt. 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 !COSTA may be sent to dearpao@manilatimes.net.

A4

Opinion

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

E d i to r i a l

T

Legislators must fast from pork barrel

ODAY, Good Friday, is the day when members of most Christian denominations, including Catholicism, commemorate in appropriate rites and services THE CRUCIkXION OF *ESUS #HRIST AND HIS DEATH AT #ALVARY At the same time, many Christians also observe this day by fasting as a sign of faith and reverence. 7E BELIEVE IT IS kTTING FOR THE NATION TO PAUSE A MOMENT AND RElECT ON THE MEANING OF THE WORD gFASTING u Coincidentally or providentially, we are observing Lent this week with the fortuitous congruence of our public life and religious tradition. This week, in a dramatic and well-considered decision, President Rodrigo Duterte formally signed the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and vetoed various items totaling P95.3 billion from the law. The President made good his promise to veto all items or insertions that are unconstitutional. He bluntly refused to condone corruption in any form. He is determined to protect the people’s hard-earned money so that it can be truly used principally to improve the conditions of the country and advance the people’s welfare. In his veto message to the Congress, he wrote: “[I]n the FAITHFUL EXERCISE OF MY OFkCE AND DUE kDELITY TO MY OATH I will not tolerate attempts to circumvent the Constitution or any other action that will prejudice the Filipino people whom I serve.� No words could be clearer. They shut the door emphatically on the shameful schemes of legislators to appropriate more pork barrel for themselves and their electioneering projects. How will legislators take this slap to their shortsighted politics? They can respond responsibly, or they can sulk. We think the best response legislators can make to this disappointment is to align themselves with the tenets of good lawmaking and the spirit of Holy Week. Instead of becoming obstructionist to the President’s legislative agenda, they should work toward becoming more integral to the achievement of ambitious national programs. Legislators should realize that they have no choice but to bow to the declared policy of the 2019 budget that everyone should fast this year on consuming pork barrel. If they are Christians, they can synchronize their fasting at the dining table with a porkless national budget this year. If the presidential decision is implemented judiciously this year, the resolve to only pass henceforth a porkless budget will no doubt grow stronger. The momentum for REFORM WILL BECOME SO DEkNITIVE IT WILL NOT BE RESISTED Legislators — representatives and senators alike — will learn to be content with their already huge salaries and allowances, lest the hefty compensation is also taken away by an austerity agenda. They should stop concocting stratagems to evade the clear constitutional directive and public clamor. They should be forewarned by the media that both the House and Senate will be under constant watch to prevent the resurrection of the pork barrel. The most notorious porkers will be exposed and denied room to yield to their addiction. They should be prevented from being elected to leadership positions in the chambers. 4HIS WAY THE TH #ONGRESS WILL kNALLY REALIZE THAT A PORKLESS BUDGET IS GOOD FOR THE NATION S POLITICAL AND kSCAL HEALTH ~

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 188

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.

Lessons from Palm Sunday, the Passion and Easter FLASHBACKS/ T INSIGHTS EACHING is not merely having students learn the subjects they are enrolled in as they faithfully follow the scheduled topics in the syllabus. Teaching and learning include helping our students add quality to the soul. Not a mere ADD ON 4HE lOWING ENERGY IN US every class session could be more lasting and of greater worth helping students learn to walk by the Spirit. Walking by the Spirit means

TERESITA TANHUECOTUMAPON journeying through life with “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, self-control� since “against such

things there is no law� (Galatians 5:22-23). In a flexible syllabus, lessons are made to coincide with SOME SIGNIkCANT EVENT WHEN THESE virtues are better learned. What then are lessons in a leadership class which we can draw from Palm Sunday, the Passion itself and the Easter Sunday that follows? “The educational view emphasizes spiritual sensitivity as a universal human ability that needs

to be developed through education.� HTTPS JOURNAL k SCRIPTA article/view /67354/27651>. Isn’t IT THE SPIRIT DEkNING US AS THE HIGHest form of creation? Palm Sunday, you and leadership. In biblical times, people waved palm branches in the air and used these as a mat upon which would walk someone great and riding on a donkey.

ÂłTumaponA6

Q SAGUISAG FROM A1

Vote for voices, not echoes, in a scofflaw nation May Digong correct “in due time� his Statement of Assets and Liabilities (SAL) and Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SALNs) etc., as if he had a choice? The deadlines are in RA 3019 and 2! 4HE kRST IS TOUGH THE latter has a review and compliance procedure under its Sec. 10. One must be given a chance to correct any lapse, on his own, or after his attention is called by some review AND COMPLIANCE OFkCER Under the 1973 and 1987 Constitutions, on top of Digong’s annual salary (nearly P5 million), he is barred from receiving any emolument “from any other source.� And under the 1935 Constitution, only from any other government source. Is getting from other sources on top of his monthly pay of just under P400,000 the reason for possible correction, completion or, heaven forbid, embroidery? !S CO AUTHOR AND lOOR SPONsor of what became RA 6713, on ethical norms, I didn’t intend to be strict with anyone except in case of recalcitrance. An initial noncompliance may be corrected but bullheadedness may be punished. I can recall instances when a case was dismissed in the Sandiganbayan absent such chance to correct. We also made it easy and convenient for one to get a copy of SALN on payment of photocopyING MAILING AND CERTIkCATION COSTS (Sec. 8[C]3) but the Bigger House and the Supreme Court have made the process a via dolorosa. What are they hiding? Fear of being kidnapped? Felons have a way of knowing who are kidnap-worthy. If the would-be victims remain terrorized, then they should just leave government service and plant camote. One must learn to live dangerously at a time of gridlocked TRAFkC WATER POWER AND PARKING shortages, conducive to road rage, and a lot of needless presidential cussing amid a threat to suspend the privilege of habeas corpus in a barbaric regime with massive poverty and no respect for due process and for human life and dignity. 9ET A POPULAR 0REZ 'O kGURE

of compliance by anyone in government with Sec. 7 of the Tolentino SAL law of 1960. Only one managed to comply, with an old one filed before the SalongaSaguisag SALN law of 1989. I now promise them a final grade of 80 percent if they can show that anyone in government has complied with Sec. 7 of RA 3019 which requires “a true, detailed and sworn statement of assets and liabilities, including a statement of the amounts and sources of income, the amount of his personal and family expenses and the amount of income taxes paid for the last preceding calendar year.� This requirement, the SolGen correctly cited on pages 28-29 of his petition for quo warranto against Chief Justice Meilou Sereno. Yet, neither he nor Digong has so complied therewith in the copies I have. Haz lo que digo, no lo que hago. Do as I say, not as I do. No fair. The Civil Service Commission consolidated Sec. 7 of RA 3019 with Sec. 8 of RA 6713 in one form but retreated when the Bigger House howled. Millions of SCOFlAWS 7HY NOT HAVE AN AMnesty then with a clause that future violations thereafter would be dealt with more severely? Weird that my RA 6713 was used to render jobless legitimate appointee Meilou Sereno and illegitimate post-midnight appointee Rene Corona, with all due respect. Rene was named Chief Justice on May 17, 2010, after Noynoy had clearly won, when GMA was a mere caretaker, for a smooth transition, not an undertaker. The SolGen, who had nothing to do with the latest recovery from the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth, would like to stop the payment of $1,500 each to thousands of human rights victims next month, the third such distribution by Bob & Co. Government, which did and spent nothing, will also get $4 million, through the efforts of Bob Swift and Rod Domingo and Ruben Fruto, who took over from the late JoeMari Velez.

Modern fairy tale Noncompliant with SALN law Over the years I have asked my students to show proof

A falsity I saw in another paper last Saturday said that “elitist� Cory blocked that human rights class suit. “In 1986-1987, the

elite through the then president OPPOSED THE kLING OF SUCH A SUIT She mobilized the government to stop, question, and thwart the suit‌[the] president and THE kRST POST -ARCOS #ONGRESS wanted to deny Marcos human rights victims compensation and INDEMNIkCATIONwu (UH I was in the Palace and sssh, the first post-Marcos Congress. and heard of no such Cory opposition TO "OB S SUIT WHOSE kRM TOOK CARE of my expenses when I went to Hawaii in 1992. I heard the jury award $1.2 billion as one form of damages. I also aided in the case of the Archimedes Trajano heirs against Imee Marcos. The $4.5-million plus award remains unpaid. What motivation, pray tell, would Cory have to thwart the suit? Joker Arroyo, Nene Pimentel, Tito Guingona, Bobbit Sanchez, Jun Factoran, Jojo Binay, Dodo Sarmiento, Ed Araullo, Hessie Mallilin and others, like myself, were in government. We would probably have resigned in protest. Her family was the victim of the most well-known human rights violation, the “salvagingâ€? of Ninoy. A gamechanger. The aforesaid modern fairy tale must be thwarted. It was the military grousing against us, ALLEGED COMMIES IN GOVERNMENT NO COMPENSATION BILL ) kLED 3" 1932) could have gone far in the coup-plagued administration. Senate Prez Jovy Salonga, Bob, Rod, Ruben and I would consult. And I, as Cory Jr., was authorized to tell the military to cooperate in Bob’s efforts to gain access to intelLIGENCE kLES HELPING THE CASE MOVE along. Had Cory blocked the suit, one could imagine the uproar. My Senate staff, such as Cy del Callar, liaised with the Palace and the PCGG (Presidential Commission on Good Government). In a class suit, a plaintiff spends NOTHING -ELVIN "ELLI kLED SUIT FOR NAMED PLAINTIFFS THE !MERICAN #IVIL Liberties Union, assisted by the late 2OMY #APULONG kLED SUIT FOR ONLY three (Joma Sison, Ramon Sison and Jaime Piopongco). The last two were not class suits and were ordered consolidated with Bob’s. Our age-old problem remains, a CIRCULAR kRING SQUAD WE ARE &INE IF we will all face outward and shoot the enemy, not one another. We could accomplish so much more if no one cares who gets the

CREDIT OR FALSIkES RECENT HISTORY On the blame game, I am not certain Irene Marcos should be grouped by Ateneo with Ferdie, Meldy, Imee and Bongbong. Too young at the time? She merits THE BENEkT OF THE DOUBT !ND ) hail Ateneo for the Blue Babble Battalion memorably demoing against extrajudicial killings at one UAAP half-time. ) AGREE WITH +A 0EPE $IOKNO we are all bundles of biases and prejudices. As William James said, we think we think when we in fact merely rearrange our prejudices. I respect anyone’s right to be prejudiced and would not compel him to like what I like and dislike what I dislike. The right to speak includes the right not to speak. The right to write includes the right not to. The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing, per Pascal. Freedom of conscience.

12 for Senate Think then not of the next elections alone, but of future generations. I endorse Otso Diretso, to be joined by Serge OsmeĂąa, who fought Macoy, and Raffy Alunan, a disciple of Uncle Jovy Salonga, along with Pilo Hilbay, in Bantay Katarungan. We need voices, not echoes. The human rights community supplies the former namely Chel Diokno and Erin TaĂąada. Fruits do not fall or roll far from the tree. Gary !LEJANO IS A WELCOME kGURE FROM the military. Romy Macalintal, for his advocacy of the rights of seniors like me and his election expertise. Samira Gutoc, a principled Muslim woman, would be a clear plus. Of course, Mar Roxas and Bam Aquino, I support on their own, and in grateful memory of Gerry Roxas and of fellow Benedictines Ninoy and Cory, with their designer genes. Ten. I have room for one more, after Grace Poe, the daughter of another fellow Bedan, FPJ, whose middle name was Decency. Eleven. Militant Neri Colmenares also, another fellow Bedan, for the 12th slot. In May then, Otso Diretso, plus four, not those who, when told by Digong to jump from a high-rise, would probably ask, “from what floor, Sir?â€?— and jump to their conclusion. Democracy requires a credible Opposition. Vibrant voices, not effete echoes.

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

Q ONGPIN FROM A1 Meditation should turn to action if it results in enlightenment. It is to be hoped. The permanence in our world is we are human beings subject to self-preservation, ambitions, compulsions as social animals in a world where we have to live with others, contend with them and in general get along as best we can in ORDER TO FULkLL OURSELVES ACCORDING to our ideals and standards, the latter of which we acquire through religion, social norms, everyday experience. These ideals and standards also stand outside ourselves as institutions which represent us. The Church, the judiciary, the legislature, government agencies and social organizations that represent and operationalize what we want instituted as a people. Simultaneously, we are living in a world that is larger than our everyday circumstances, a universe of modernization which means con-

Opinion

A5

Good Friday reflections stant change, different ideas from our traditional ones reflecting evolved circumstances. All of these we also have to contend with by understanding what they are, what they mean not just to ourselves but to others. What do we keep and what should we discard? The universe is other people and we HAVE TO kT IN WITH EACH OTHER )T IS also us singularly and how we keep our identity and our ideals while we understand our surroundings and those who inhabit them. As citizens of this country and with the coming political exercise of choosing our leaders, it is even more critical that we use our HIGHER FACULTIES AND DEkNED IDEALS rather than our worldly instincts of material comfort and personal satisfaction to think of larger issues beyond ourselves. We have to think above our individual selves as well as our collective selves and what we have established

Q TUMAPON FROM A4

Lessons from Palm Sunday, the Passion and Easter Celebrating Palm Sunday, we, too, wave palm branches, remembering Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem amid cheering crowds to welcome Him. What learning gains do we draw from Palm Sunday? In those times, a donkey, as our culture studies say, symbolized peace. Hence, a great someone who came on a donkey was understood to come with peaceful intentions. So did Jesus when he approached Jerusalem. Riding on an ass, “He entered as Himself, meek and pure of heart.� You’re not riding a donkey, but you come in peace to the institution as the new head/vice president/dean or secondary/elementary principal. No cheering crowds wave PALM BRANCHES TO GREET YOU BUT WELCOME PARTIES kLL UP your initial week. Meeting with occupants of high and low positions you vow to give equal respect to all. Remembering the donkey (an ass, a simple horse) that carried Christ, you regard “donkey� position occupants as indispensable. With broom and dustpan, they create a wholesome physical environment for everyone, helping energize colleagues meet deadlines to help bring the institution to greatness. The Bible further says, the same cheering crowds at Jesus’ triumphal entry to Jerusalem were shouting that he be cruCIkED 0EOPLE COULD BE NOTORIOUSLY kCKLE AND AS A SAYING goes, “affections can change in a heartbeat.� <https://www. shepherdpress.com/the-toyoulesson-of-palm-sunday/> You experience an unexpected turnaround against you although you may not be the cause. Perhaps some action was misUNDERSTOOD !N INCIDENT LONG BURIED IN SOME DESK kLES resurrected an unexpected issue? Leadership can indeed be complicated. But we can learn from the patience of Christ and from which we derive our strength. Christ came in peace. So too, shall we lead in peace. Walking by the Spirit, we help our colleagues walk by the Spirit, too. We proceed IN PEACE AMIDST CONlICTS THAT MAY COME COLLABORATING with colleagues, valuing and empowering them, together we pursue our institution’s mission. To my intercultural leadership class — less despite these topics we studied: stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination ‡ YOU SUCCUMB TO UNREASONABLE BIAS DO RElECT ON THE ORIGINS of the apostles, Christ’s closest companions before his crucikXION 4HEY WERE COMMON PEOPLE FROM RURAL AREAS FARMERS AND A kSHERMAN !S YOU WALK BY THE 3PIRIT AS A LEADER WALK too, with the humblest of staff. Your affection for them secures THEIR LOYALTY TO YOUR PEACE LOVING AND SELlESS LEADERSHIP Lessons from the Passion and Easter. The Passion reminds US OF #HRIST SACRIkCING HIS LIFE FOR ALL MANKIND (E CAME TO INtroduce change — to untie the bonds that kept us all away from the Father. His laying down his life for us invites us to consider SACRIkCE AS IMPORTANT TO OUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE 7HAT leadership lessons can we draw from his Passion? As expected of leaders, we too, vow to introduce change. We make or push others to make decisions but some decisions could fail. Fearing rebuke for such failed decisions we help make, shall we disown participation much like Pontius Pilate did, washing his hands, denied responsibility for condemning Jesus to death? Or like Peter, denying knowing Jesus? But like Peter, we can regain our integrity and with courage admit the truth. As a leader, we could face various situations impacting on our institution. Like the moneychangers in the temple, who Jesus drove away, some people can be greedy. Greed can destroy the very core values of an institution. When push comes to a shove, and the time has come for action, could we, as did Jesus, take the proper action? Jesus washed his apostles’ feet. His servant leadership of humility and service, fundamental virtues of a good leader, reconciled us all with the Father. Judas betrayed Jesus. Someone was a Judas to us — can we forgive him/her? God’s loving kindness forgives. Or, we ourselves could be a Judas — human frailty getting the better of us. Judas ended his own life in sorrow for betraying Jesus; but like the Good Thief repenting, we ask Jesus for forgiveness. And to the challenges our country faces, not losing hope, we await the Resurrection with gratitude and gladness. These remembrances of his Passion and Resurrection shall remind us and our students to walk life by the Spirit, even as we draw more lessons from the world around us.

Next week: Part 4 of Whither ye goest, SHS graduates? Email: ttumapon@liceo.edu.ph

over time to hold our society true to its ideals and standards our manmade institutions. These must be defended if they are under attack, in danger of dilution or being changed in character that is contrary to what they are meant to be. Or, they must redone and strengthened if in a state of decay and debility. We are a Third World country, which means too many of us are stuck in a poverty rut that is repeating itself over many generations of our people. Yet it is an accepted premise that we have a country with the natural and now manmade resources to be less poor, less unequal, more just and more FULkLLING FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE population. We have the ideals and the talent to be better if we put our minds and our resources to it. When we view the unequal and many times unjust society that we are in, we blame history and the predatory world order that

WE THINK HAS BEEN INlICTED ON US There may be a grain of truth in this attitude, but it is not the whole truth. For that we have to look into ourselves too and how we have comported ourselves in the light of the past and the present. How are we to face the future in these TIMES OF DESTRUCTION AND CONlICT of polarization and incivility? Do we just wait or do we act? We have the awareness and knowledge of what is going on in the world. We have participated in it, and have our own experience of it. As well, we know and understand the experience of other peoples and our own citizens. In other words, we know what is out of sync with what should be, how we should act. There are examples we can follow just as there are examples we should not follow in order to get to a better place. We need that better place and only we can give it to ourselves.

As a society that has chosen a democratic way of governance and space and equal opportunity for all, elections are one of the primary and fundamental institutions by which we have to express our choice. Here is where our ideals must be demonstrated and asserted even AT THE SACRIkCE OF COMFORT AND OUR inclination to be hail-fellows-wellmet in this utterly personalistic society where families are put before God and country. In other words, most of us prefer to be popular, well-regarded, accepted by the powers-that-be, and enjoy the perquisites of social status and the lethargy of the uncontroversial. We care only for our clans not the larger number of our fellow citizens. All of which exhibit a denial OF WHAT IS THE TRUTH RElECT A COWardice that evades facing the issues THAT SHOULD BE FACED AND RECTIkED and a self-absorption that fails to do its duty for one’s neighbor and

ultimately, one’s self. We will all come to the electoral rite of passage in a few weeks, a choice to be better or to remain the same, to defend our institutions AS WE DEkNED THEM OR SHRUG AS they decay because of our indifference. It will be a battle within us, all of us, no matter where we stand in this society which by our own constitutional adoption and traditional and historical choice HAS ORIGINATED AND BEEN DEkNED with ideals of equality, the rule of the majority, of opportunities open to all. And the institutions that make them real. This is the political and moral equation that as citizens we must engage in with courage and perspicacity, not just today but over and over again as the present and future comes upon us. This country needs to be in a better place and we need to make better choices. And they come at a cost that we must be willing to pay.

US needs to shift to more sustainable agriculture — as do all countries BY JAMES JEFFREY WASHINGTON, DC: Water supply has long been a key issue in California. Today it is no less critical, especially given the years of drought that California is experiencing, lending additional impetus to assessing the impact of agriculture on water. The conventional estimate is that 80 percent of the water used in CaliFORNIA lOWS INTO THE STATE S MULTI billion-dollar agricultural sector. But it goes way beyond water. As in California, agriculture in the United States is dominated by large, specialized crop and animal farms that focus on short-term productivity, often at the cost of creating other environmental problems, as well as public health issues. Increasingly, there is recognition that societies need to work towards an agriculture that is greener, cleaner, and provides better quality, more nutritious food that not only feeds people but improves their diet. This is not a new idea, rather one that has been ignored in our impatient, on-demand society, as well as one that has had to compete against a food and diet industry valued at 66 billion dollars in the US, with all the vested interests that go with it. “It is not necessarily the size of holdings or the level of mechanization and industrialization that is a problem, rather it is the way agriculture is practiced, when this has unintentional impacts on the environment,â€? Jean-Marc Faurès, a former senior advisor on sustainable agriculture at the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), tells IPS. “In the past, we have looked at productivity as the sole metrics to measure success in agriculture. Measuring agricultural sustainability forces us to go beyond productivity only and include other dimensions, like the environmental, but also the social dimension.â€? To better help people understand where the problem areas are occurring, the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation (BCFN), a nonprofit research center studying the causes and effects on food created by economic, scientific, societal and environmental factors, has produced a food sustainability index profile for the US and another 66 countries. Each country profile focuses on three pillars — food loss and waste, sustainable agriculture, nutritional challenges — each of which is broken into multiple relevant categories that are rated green, yellow or red, to indicate progress: green being good, red being bad. The US score for sustainable agriculture was average due to the land category having repeatedly low scores across indicators such as the impact on land of animal feed and biofuels, agricultural subsidies and diversification of agricultural systems (the US earned a high score for the food loss and waste pillar, but only performed moderately well in terms of nu-

Q A pair of combines harvesting soybeans in the US. WORLD RESOURCES INSTITUTE tritional challenges). “A major issue in the US is the low proportion of land set aside for organic farming as opposed to the large amount used for bio-fuel and animal feed,â€? BCFN’s Katarzyna Dembska tells IPS. “The large demand for animal feed is directly linked to the meat supply in the country: the additional 225 grams of meat available per capita per day — compared to the recommended intakes — makes the US availability of meat for consumers among the highest in the world.â€? Lack of diversification is another problem in the US, and around the world, with people fed from just a very limited basket of crops and animals, Faurès says. This increases the vulnerability of agricultural systems to unexpected events — climatic, pests, or market related — but also means that people eat food that is not diversified and is too rich in carbohydrates and not enough in vitamins. “It is a paradox in a way that many developing countries show much more diverse production systems than developed countries,â€? Faurès says. “This is in part due to the imperative need for farmers to diversify sources of income and reduce risks related to shocks.â€? He emphasizes, however, that he isn’t recommending turning to be more like those farming models, which have many of their own problems. “Moving towards more sustainable agriculture takes different shapes according to your starting point,â€? Faurès says. “In poor, unproductive areas, the focus is on increasing productivity and reducing vulnerability; in more advanced, input-intensive systems, sustainability implies a move towards greener production systems that make better use of the resources that our ecosystems offer and progressively reduce their negative impacts on the environment.â€? Food subsidies in the US are often called out for sustaining problems, scoring a red in the food sustainability index profile. “The bigger issue with subsidies

is what they have failed to do, and how they are underachieving in terms of what they could be doing,� Timothy Searchinger, a research scholar at Princeton University and for the World Resources Institute, tells IPS. “Agriculture has been grossly under regulated and under incentivized on the environmental side.� The result has seen environmental costs incurred and opportunities missed for the likes of improving land use. “Even though the US is blessed with an abundance of farm-friendly country, it’s still limited,� Ari Phillips, an environmental journalist, tells IPS. “Agricultural land is extremely unaccommodating for wildlife and can lead to nearby chemical contamination issues.� There are good examples of countries succeeding in cutting back on such environmental consequences, Searchinger says. Costa Rica has MADE SIGNIkCANT PROGRESS IN REDUCing deforestation that was occurring as a result of subsidies paid for grazing, while New Zealand has basically gone “cold turkey� on subsidies and as a result improved land use and agriculture. He notes that when considering all this, it should be borne in mind there are different ways of defining progress and hence it should not be forgotten that agriculture has achieved what it set out to do. “There’s been stunning progress in making food — the advances really have been staggering,� Searchinger says. “Twenty-five years ago, many people in China were desperately hungry — that’s been turned around, though with gigantic environmental consequences.� The implications globally are clear enough to cause grave concerns. The UN has predicted that as soon as 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population could be dealing with water scarcity. Increasingly in the news are stories of waterstarved communities around the world — from Houston to Puerto Rico to Cape Town — indicating

that our trust in the tap is far less dependable than we assume. “Drought-prone states like Texas and California were already water stressed before climate change came around,� Phillips says. “Overcoming the combined challenges of population growth and reduced precipitation in a limited amount of time will be tough. Agriculture will have to play a big part in this transition. If it gets bad enough, there could be permanent water rationing.� Tackling these sorts of problems, and how agriculture influences them, is highly complex due to all the interlinking factors. “People need to be better educated about the water embedded in the food that they eat and the products that they use,� says Jack Ceadel with Global Water Intelligence. “We need to adopt new technology and invest properly in our water infrastructure and making our cities more efficient and resilient.� At the same time, it requires better appreciation of the sorts of hard data provided by the likes of Barilla’s food sustainability index profiles, rather than being swayed by what might look good. Searchinger notes that though people may prefer more traditional farms that appear more in harmony with the surrounding environment, even those types of farms have transformed the environment significantly, while larger, more ugly farms may have less impact environmentally per tonne of food produced. Commentators note that changing the food culture of any country like the US — in its case with 328 million keen and diverse appetites — will require redirecting, reframing and sometimes remaking traditional habits, expectations and the physical environment, as well as what is taken as normal and acceptable in people’s lives. “The first thing is to feed people,� Searchinger says. “But you have to do it with more environIPS mental sensitivity.�

A6

Opinion

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

Chinese vendors seek more diverse trade partners

L U C R AT I V E O P I U M T R A D E

Poppies bloom across Afghanistan as drought eases

Q Afghan farmers harvest opium sap from a poppy field in the Gereshk district of Helmand province. AFP/NOOR MOHAMMAD LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan: A vast field of towering white poppies sways gently in the breeze, silky petals sometimes tumbling to the ground, a visible marker of the resilience of Afghanistan’s lucrative opium trade. The sight of a seemingly endless expanse of opium-producing flowers is common across rural Afghanistan, but this farm is in the centre of governmentcontrolled Lashkar Gah city — the capital of Helmand Province. In a field AFP visited this month, workers were scoring grooves into the plants’ bulbous seed pods from which the raw, milky-white opium oozes. “We know it is harmful but we have no other way to earn money, this is the only income for us,â€? laborer Mohammad Ghous told AFP. Afghanistan is the world’s top grower of opium, and the crop accounts for hundreds of thousands of jobs. Farmers grow poppies with impunity, AS BOTH 4ALIBAN AND GOVERNMENT OFkCIALS OFTEN PROkT FROM THE LUCRATIVE TRADE “The Taliban also don’t care — they only need their share,â€? said Gul Mohammad, a poppy farmer. Afghan opium production took a hit last year as an intense drought dried fields and shrunk cultivation areas. According to a UN survey, potential opium production dropped by 29 percent in 2018 compared to the previous year. Still, production remained near re-

cord levels — and so far this year some farmers are seeing a rebound amid heavy rains that have poured over parts of Afghanistan in recent weeks. Conflict is also providing a surprising boon for the industry. “[The] government was destroying poppy fields in previous years, but this year due to the ongoing war they couldn’t,� Mohammad said. Most poppy production in Afghanistan is in the Taliban-controlled southern part. The insurgents have long profited from poppies by taxing farmers and traffickers, and running their own drugmaking factories that turn raw opium into morphine or heroin for export. Excess supply in recent years has led to falling prices, but a lack of alternative cash crops has left many Afghan farmers hooked on growing opium poppies. “We have been cultivating poppies for 20 years,� farmer Abdul Hadi said. “It is less tiring, makes a lot of money and is less demanding than growing corn or wheat.� International donors have spent billions of dollars on counternarcotics efforts in Afghanistan over the past decade, including efforts to encourage farmers to switch to other cash crops such as saffron. But so far, efforts to move farmers away from their lucrative but dangerous popAFP pies have met with little success.

fair showed. within our capacity to keep our price Some emerging-market countries, advantage in the business.â€? 9E BELIEVES THAT HIS CONkDENCE MOSTLY HINA’S foreign trade in the coming including the Philippines, Israel and months is expected to post stable 5KRAINE ARE PARTICIPATING FOR THE kRST comes from an established supply chain and the company’s industry experience. growth, while improving in terms of time, the press release read. Sang Baichuan, director of the InSmaller Chinese vendors, which are quality despite soft external demand. The impact of the China-US trade tensions is stitute of International Business at the under more pressure, are improving also under control, the Spring session of University of International Business their products’ technology and enhancand Economics, told the Global Times ing innovation to boost exports. China’s largest trade fair shows. Zhao said that the company has Chinese vendors participating in the that China needs to reduce dependence 125th China Import and Export Fair, on developed markets and seize the invested in a coffee art printer that can also known as the Canton Fair, which opportunity provided in the growth of print patterns on the foam of coffee beverages instead of putting money opened on Monday in Guangzhou, emerging economies. “The long-term orders are set to drop as into traditional coffee machines. capital of south China’s Guangdong “Markets for smaller companies Province, are trying to reach more economic globalization comes across setbuyers from emerging markets, espe- backs such as the trade friction and Brexit,â€? producing coffee machines are very cially in Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Sang said. “But the growth of emerging competitive and sensitive to prices. This year a lot of our clients are concerned economies, and promote exports of economies will bring opportunities.â€? Andy Ye, president of Ningbo Luck- ABOUT THE INlUENCE OF THE TRADE WAR SO higher value-added products to offset the impact of the China-US trade war. ibuy Import & Export Co., a special- we decided to invest in more innovaTo diversify the nation’s trading part- ized manufacturer and exporter of tive products, including this coffee art ners and improve product quality are all auto accessories based in East China’s printer,â€? Zhao said. China’s products are particularly means to buffer the uncertainty stem- Zhejiang Province, told the Global ming from the US’ unilateral behavior Times that although the key target popular in emerging markets due to a AND IMPROVE THE EFkCIENCY OF FOREIGN market for his business is the US, he great price advantage compared with remains optimistic about his business products from developed economies, trade, analysts said. Bai Ming, deputy director of the InstiChen Jie, sales manager from Ruian prospects in the coming year. “Last year because of the trade fric- tute of International Market Research of Senli Automobile Appliance Co.; told the Global Times that the company’s US tion between China and the US, there the Chinese Academy of International performance was affected by the trade was a lot of pressure and panic about Trade and Economic Cooperation, told war but it has been developing other losing our clients in the US and rising the Global Times on Monday. competition from other countries, such The quality of China’s products, markets to increase sales. “We are indeed losing US clients,â€? Chen as Vietnam,â€? Ye said. “But so far my which is still improving, is better than said. “Many of our clients in the US are business has remained largely unaf- what’s offered by other emerging econworried that the trade war means we would fected. The 10-percent tariff is still well omies, Bai added. GLOBAL TIMES increase our selling prices. “But there was an increase in our trade with Russia last year, which has kept our business stable so far,â€? Chen added. Alden Zhao, sales manager of the Caston Group Co. a household appliances manufacturer and exporter, told the Global Times that the company hopes to make more connections with companies in Asian countries such as South Korea and India during this trade fair. Companies from emerging economies are increasing their presence in this session of the Canton Fair. BRI countries and regions account for the majority of importers with 21 countries, making up 55 percent of the imports secTION AND kLLING BOOTHS a press release from the trade Q Buyers visit the large machinery and equipment section of the 125th Canton Fair. YANG KUNYI/GT BY YANG KUNYIÂ

C

Ancient Rome offers lessons on the importance of sustainable development BY ANTHONY ANNETT AND JOSHUA LIPSKY WASHINGTON DC: Sustainable development encapsulates the idea that material progress must always go hand in hand with social inclusion and respect for the environment. Delinking economic growth from the other two pillars would be an act of self-sabotage. Ancient Rome offers us a case study of how tragedy might play out — and how it can be avoided. The Roman Republic lasted 500 years because its institutions were supple enough to adapt to two great challenges — internal CONlICT BETWEEN ARISTOCRATS AND THE MASSES AND EXTERNAL CONlICT with rival states and integration of conquered peoples. Despite constant tensions, Romans were bonded by shared values — a sense of honor rooted in public service and a commitment to their conception of the common good. For generations, the center held — until it did not. At first, the changes were subtle. Territorial expansion — at the beginning of the second century BCE, the Republic stretched from Gaul to Greece — brought an influx of wealth in the form of tribute payments, taxes from new provinces, and the development of metal mines. A new class of super-wealthy RoMANS CREATED kNANCIAL INSTRUMENTS to package debt, resell it, and INVEST THE PROkTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE projects. Sound familiar? In many ways, this was an ancient form of globalization, both trade and financial. And the boom times drove the population of Rome to nearly 1 million by the first century BCE, making it the first city on earth

to reach that milestone. But all was not well. The new wealth was not being shared widely. A mass influx of slaves upended the labor market and left soldiers and citizens out of work and increasingly angry. At the same time, as noted by Edward Watts in his new book, Mortal Republic, wealth accumulation began to supplant personal virtue and service to the state as the main measure of success. And the elites did not spend their newfound wealth merely on villas and luxury goods. Unlike their forefathers, they engaged in large-scale bribery and corruption to secure political honors and ofkCES AND JUDICIAL IMPUNITY Perhaps no one person embodies the dynamic of the age better than Marcus Licinius Crassus. His fortune — generated largely by corrupt property speculation — was so vast that it matched the entire Roman treasury. And as bankroller for hundreds of politicians, he gained unrivaled INlUENCE FROM HIS WEALTH It wasn’t long before the fault lines ruptured. In previous centuries, the elites responded to popular discontent by sharing power and rebalancing the political equilibrium. But under the sway of self-interest and corruption, the consensus unraveled. The same pattern played out again and again during the Republic’s last century—populist anger running into patrician intransigence, leading to overreach by both sides, often ending in violence. The cycle started with the Gracchus brothers, Tiberius and Gaius. Tiberius pushed for the redistribution of land to the poor. But his reform plan triggered conservative opposition, and he was clubbed to death. His younger brother, Gaius,

picked up the mantle, focusing on social protection — in the form of subsidized grain — and fighting corruption through judicial reform. He too was killed. Following the chaos, Gaius Marius arose as the champion of the poor, riding a wave of popular disgust at senatorial corruption. But he ultimately allied with those willing to use violence for political means, prompting a patrician backlash and the dictatorship of Sulla, who did the unthinkable — lead an army across the Roman city limits. His reign was one of mass proscripTIONS PROPERTY CONkSCATION AND neutering of plebian power. In the years that followed, unscrupulous patricians such as Cataline and Clodius sought to advance their own careers by exploiting popular frustration — including by casual recourse to violence and intimidation. All of this paved the way for Julius Caesar, who used strongarm tactics to carry out populist reforms. But after his victory in a civil war, Caesar too assumed the title of dictator and became increasingly autocratic. His murder prompted another round of civil bloodletting, effectively killing the Republic. Over the course of the RepubLIC S FATEFUL kNAL CENTURY A SUCCESsion of leaders smashed norms previously thought inviolable. Political violence became routine. The institutions of state were weaponized to persecute opponents. The mob grew increasingly angry. In turn, strongmen offered to restore order. All because of the festering wounds of inequality and corruption. Following the Republic’s collapse, Rome enjoyed a remarkable resurgence — although the peace was secured in part

through the suppression of democratic institutions. Edward Gibbon, the great chronicler of the fall of Rome, deemed the apex of empire in the second century CE to be the period in history when “the condition of the human race was most happy and prosperous.� What Gibbon did not know was that favorable fortune owed much to a favorable climate. As documented by Kyle Harper in a remarkable new book, The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire , the period between roughly 200 BCE and 150 CE is now known as the Rome Climate Optimum — a warm, wet, and predicable climate uniquely favorable to the empire’s key agricultural crops. But by the third century, the climate became cooler, dryer, and more unpredictable, with more frequent droughts and crop failures. By the middle of the fifth century, the Late Antique Little Ice Age had arrived. A changing climate reduced the empire’s resilience to a variety of shocks, including pandemics. Smallpox struck in the second century, and a virulent outbreak that may have been Ebola followed in the third. In the mid-sixth century, the Plague of Justinian — the first known incidence of bubonic plague — probably killed half of the empire’s population. Recent evidence shows the role of climate change. The decade before the outbreak of plague saw some of Europe’s coldest temperatures in two millennia, brought about by a sequence of massive volcanic eruptions. This likely forced gerbils and marmots out of their natural habitats in central Asia, causing the bacteria-bearing fleas

they carried to infect the black rat, whose population had exploded along Rome’s expansive network of trade routes. To be sure, the fall of Rome had many fathers. It remains perhaps the most overdetermined event in human history. But it seems increasingly clear that the natural world impinging on the human world was a major culprit. Weakened by these hostile forces of nature, the empire started to unravel in the third century. This was a period marked by persistent political instability, pressure on the frontiers, and a kSCAL CRISIS COMPOUNDED BY CURrency debasement. After a genuine economic revival in the fourth century, the natural environment intervened once more—severe drought in Eurasia spurred the migrations of the Huns, whom Harper calls “climate refugees on horseback.� This started a domino effect of mass migration across the Roman frontier, ultimately leading to the collapse of the western empire in the fifth century. That was followed in the sixth century by the ugly trifecta of climate-change-induced crop failures, catastrophic plague, and ruinous war. It was during this period that Rome’s population fell to a mere 20,000 — and the Roman forum became the campo vaccino , the cow field. The Roman Republic and the Roman Empire both fell because they failed the sustainable development test. There is a cautionary lesson for our own times in how that failure played out — a breakdown in time-honored social norms, entrenched political polarization driven by economic inequality, repudiation of the common good by elites, and environmental havoc leading to

disease and disaster. We should take this lesson to heart, especially as we hear history rhyming in ways that are eerie and disconcerting. This demonstrates the utmost urgency of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the global call to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and shared prosperity. The Roman experience offers a window into our possible future if we fail to act. There are some important differences between our economy and that of ancient Rome, of course. Ours is vastly wealthier, healthier, more inclusive and more resilient. The Romans did not have the ability to eliminate all forms of material deprivation, even though they could and should have better handled the inequalities arising from their own experience with globalization. We have it within our power to do both. We also have it within our power to solve the problem of climate change, by far the greatest challenge of our generation. The Romans were very much at the mercy of nature. Their activity was not the driving force behind the shifting climate, so they could do little to slow or stop its march. But since human activity is causing climate change today, it can be fixed by changing our behavior — delivering a zero-carbon energy system over the next three decades. The bottom line is that sustainable development is of enduring importance — whether we are talking ABOUT "#% OR IPS

Anthony Annett is an assistant to the director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Joshua Lipsky is a senior communicaTIONS OFkCER IN THE )-& S #OMmunications Department.

Regions

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

A7

Abra lawmaker faces poll raps BY DEXTER A. SEE

B

ANGUED, Abra: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc has DECLARED AS kNAL AND EXECUTORY ITS EARLIER RESOLUTION THAT DENIED A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION kLED BY 2EP *OSEPH 3ANTO .ONO "ERNOS AND TWO MEMBERS OF THE 0HILIPPINE .ATIONAL 0OLICE IN CONNECTION WITH THE VIOLATION OF PROVISIONS OF THE /MNIBUS %LECTION #ODE IN THE RUN UP TO THE -AY MIDTERM POLLS Earlier, Dolores Mayor Robert 6ICTOR 3EARES *R kLED A COMPLAINT against Bernos, Police Officer (PO)3 Raymund Palope and

0/ *ITHELO 0ANIGAN 4UAZON FOR VIOLATION OF 3ECTION 0ARAgraphs e, f and y of the Omnibus Election Code, for their allegedly

election-related activities. The case against a certain Dante Guzman, also one of the accused, was deemed dismissed by reason of his death. Bernos, through counsel, filed a motion for reconsideraTION ON !UG PRAYING THAT THE !UG RESOLUTION recommending the filing of information for violation of the election code against them be reversed and set aside, and that a new resolution be rendered reinstating the resolution of the assigned investigator, office of the election director of the Cordillera Administrative Region. 0ALOPE ALSO kLED A SIMILAR MOtion for reconsideration on Sept. 1,

ASSAILING THE #OMELEC S !UG RESOLUTION A certification dated March ISSUED BY LAWYER !BIgail Justine Cuaresma Lilagan, acting clerk of the commission, stated that a perusal of the records shows that respondent Palope was personally served a copy of the resolution ON /CT -EANWHILE 2ODRIGO "ASA ND ELECTION OFkCER OF ,A 0AZ !BRA executed an affidavit stating among others, that Bernos was not served a copy of the resolution because he could not be located in his given address. In a two-page order dated -ARCH #OMELEC #HAIR-

man Sharif Abas said the resolution promulgated on Sept. DENIED THE MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION kLED BY THE lawmaker and his co-accused because copies of the resolution were deemed served. )N VIEW OF "ASA S AFkDAVIT OF SERvice, the poll body issued an order DATED -ARCH CONSIDERING respondent Bernos was duly served a copy of the resolution dated Sept. THAT DENIED HIS MOTION for reconsideration. Under existing Comelec rules and regulations, a decision of the commission en banc shall BECOME kNAL AND EXECUTORY AFTER 30 days from its promulgation. 4HE CERTIkCATION NOTED THAT NO

restraining order has been issued by the Supreme Court in relation TO THE 3EPT RESOLUTION of the en banc to this date, thus, the same is considered to have BECOME kNAL AND EXECUTORY 3EARES kLED THE ELECTION CASE against Bernos and the two police OFkCERS FOR ALLEGED THREATS INtimidation, terrorism and use of fraudulent device or other forms of coercion; coercion of election OFkCIALS AND EMPLOYEES AND FALSE CERTIkCATION OR IDENTIkCATION OF ANOTHER AS A BONAkDE RESIDENT of a particular place or locality for the purpose of securing the latter’s registration as a voter. Bernos could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Bicol bishop urges faithful not to sell their votes

LOOSE FIREARM

Kagawad (village councilor) Ronald Gonzaga of Barangay Poblacion 4-B in Imus, Cavite looks on as a police officer makes a report after his arrest for an unlicensed caliber .45 pistol and ammunition. Gonzaga was arrested by virtue of a search warrant on Maundy Thursday. PHOTO BY BOY JOSUE

Court fines Iloilo town mayor, 7 others THE Sandiganbayan Seventh Division imposed a P5,000-fine on Mayor Alex Centena of Calinog, Iloilo after he pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of failure of accountABLE OFkCER TO RENDER ACCOUNTS OVER purchase of liquid fertilizer. Centena and several other muNICIPAL OFkCERS WERE ALSO ORDERED to pay the municipality P999,000 representing the total amount paid to the fertilizer supplier in a decision on April 11. Accused along with Centena were FORMER MUNICIPAL OFkCERS 6ALENTIN

Sobretodo, treasurer; Meriam Celeste, accountant; Jose Rex Casipe, SUPPLY OFkCER -ELANIE (ILARIO ACTing administrator; Rhoda Lyn Panizales, planning and development officer and Jose Edeso Enriquez, engineer; and then-Sangguniang Bayan Secretary Ana Caspillo. The Office of the Ombudsman kLED A CASE AGAINST THEM IN FOR allegedly entering into a contract with Feshan Philippines Inc. for the purchase of 666 bottles of Bio Nature Liquid fertilizer at P1,500 per bottle and paid a total of P999,000

“within a day, based solely on a person’s supposed representation that Feshan was the sole and exclusive distributor of Bio Nature Liquid Fertilizer� without the mandatory public bidding. During the arraignment on April THE ACCUSED PLEADED not guilty, except Centena, which prompted the court to enter not guilty plea on his behalf. But during the preliminary conference the accused offered their intention to a plea bargain to a lesser offense. REINA C. TOLENTINO

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay: Less than a month before the mid-term elections on May 13, Bishop Joel Baylon of the Diocese of Legazpi called on Albayanos not to sell their votes and give in to other forms of dirty tactics to deceive the electorate. In his Palm Sunday message, the prelate urged Albayanos:  â€œPut your palaspas (blessed palm fronds) at your doors and gates to symbolize that your votes are not for sale in the upcoming May elections.â€? â€œThe palm that you’re holding represents a message of the true essence of this celebration,â€? Baylon said. He added that it was high time the system of choosing and electing leaders be changed to end vote-buying practices, corruption and other dirty tricks that would mislead the electorate. “If you are selling your votes, right here and now drop your palaspas,â€? he told the people at the Palm Sunday celebration held in Penaranda Park. Meanwhile, Fr. Rex Paul Arjona, director of the Social Action Center (SAC) Legazpi, recently posted on Facebook that his decision not to vote for President Rodrigo Duterte in the May 2016 polls would also be his judgement in next month’s midterm polls.  â€œOne good vote, what made me not vote for Duterte in 2016. Still my major point for discernment in voting this 2019,â€? he said. Arjona criticized D uter te’s leadership and anti- drug campaign that allegedly has killed thousands of people, including innocent children. Reacting to Duterte’s statement that human rights advocates were defending criminals, Arjona said: â€œNo, Mr. President. Human rights defenders operate under the rule of law. You, on the other hand, put yourself above the law.â€?Â

3 Reds killed, soldier wounded in Negros clash BACOLOD CITY: Three suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) died, while a Philippine Army soldier was injured in a gunbattle on Wednesday afternoon in Sitio Banwa Minatay, Barangay Marcelo in Calatrava, Negros Occidental. 4ROOPS FROM THE TH )NFANTRY Battalion (IB), responding to REPORTS OF LOCAL RESIDENTS THAT armed men believed to be rebels were conducting extortion activities in the area, engaged the enemy IN A kREkGHT THAT LASTED MINutes, Lt. Col. Emelito Thaddeus ,OGAN TH )" COMMANDER SAID Logan added the rebels scampered in various directions, leaving behind their three slain comrades at the encounter site.

Philippine Army soldiers recovERED - AND !+ ASSAULT RIlES kVE MAGAZINES OF - WITH AMmunition, seven magazines of AK ALSO WITH AMMUNITION THREE RIlE GRENADES FOUR - MAGAZINES with bullets, two hand-held radios AND BACKPACKS CONTAINING PERsonal belongings. The slain rebels have not yet BEEN IDENTIkED AS OF PRESS TIME as their bodies were turned over to the Calatrava municipal governMENT FOR IDENTIkCATION BY THEIR respective families. 4HE INJURED SOLDIER IDENTIkED AS Staff Sgt. Edwin Gardose is now in stable condition. Earlier, Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said their combat

operations would continue even during the Holy Week to quell rebel atrocities. On April 15, Army soldiers overran a rebel camp in Bindoy, Negros Oriental that resulted in recovery of two M16 and M4 auTOMATIC RIlES In Bislig City, Surigao del Sur, an NPA commander was arrested last Sunday by the Philippine Army. Second Lt. Abigail Lorenzo, spokesman for the 4th Infantry $IVISION SAID THE TH )" AND THE Bislig City Police Station made the arrest on Sunday night at Purok 1, Sitio San Agustin, Barangay San Roque in Bislig City. The NPA commander was idenTIkED AS 2OBERT 4EJERO #ALIPAY ALIAS 3ATUR OR !RPAK WHO

LEADS THE .0! S 0LATOON OF the Guerilla Front 14 under the Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee. Lorenzo said Calipay had a standing arrest warrant that stemmed from charges of arson, frustrated murder, attempted homicide, multiple attempted murders and attempted murder. Calipay is detained at the Bislig City Police Station and is subject for inquest proceedings after the conduct of medico-legal at the Bislig District Hospital. ,T #OL *AIME $ATUIN TH )" commander, also urged the NPA rebels under Calipay to surrender to authorities. EUGENE ADIONG AND MIGUEL BALEROS

Water safety training pushed in Cordillera WEAK internet connection and lack of required training on water safety and sanitation for water sanitary personnel continue to be primary concerns in the Mountain Province. The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) said these concerns were raised during a recent Regional Development Council (RDC) and Regional Peace and Order Council meeting in Bontoc, the provincial capital. “The weak internet connectivity has been a recurring concern not only in Mountain

Province but in the whole region. The RDC cites the region’s mountainous terrain as a limitation to the existing telecommunication towers for wireless internet,� NEDA-CAR added. “Also, market demand for internet connectivity is low in the Cordillera due to its sparse population. However, connectivity is crucial in the region, especially in times of disaster where roads may become inaccessible due to landslides� it said. According to NEDA-CAR, the RDC infrastructure committee was tasked to identify potential cells sites with the Department

of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-CAR, in coordination with the two major telecommunication companies to improve connectivity. It said there had been a lack of required training on water safety and sanitation because of unavailability of required trainors accredited by the Department of Health (DoH). NEDA-CAR said a resolution was passed requesting Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd to coordinate with DoH-accredited trainors based in Manila to train sanitary personnel for all local government units (LGUs) in the region.

Meanwhile, other concerns of the province include high cost of registration with the Food and Drug Administration registration for home-based food processors, lack of access to tourism sites, lack of police officers in the province, prominence of the province as a transit point for marijuana-related products and role of LGUs in the marijuana legalization bill. NEDA-CAR said the RDC vowed to address these concerns throughout the second quarter of the year until the next meeting in June. ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

“Under your twisted reasoning, suspects no longer have rights, and innocents and potential witnesses getting killed are treated as acceptable collateral damage.You may be powerful and immune to lawsuits now. But you will not stay in power forever. You and your minions and sycophants will have your day of reckoning,� he added. RHAYDZ B. BARCIA

News DPWH eyes full cleanup of Manila Bay by July A8

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

officially launched desilting operations in Manila Bay by deploying a fleet of equipment consisting of amphibious excavators, dumping scows, dump trucks, a debris segregator, street sweepers and vacuum sewer jet cleaners. The cleanup operations at the Manila Bay area was divided by the $07( INTO kVE AREAS MEASURING 200 to 300 meters. To date, the total volume of muck and silt removed from a 20-meter distance from shore to bay, and thickness or depth of 2 meters, is estimated at 18,000 cubic meters.

BY WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

T

HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has deployed additional equipment to speed up the cleanup of the 1.5-kilometer stretch of Manila Bay along Roxas Boulevard. “We are targeting a full clean-up by July 2019,� Undersecretary Emil Sadain said. The DPWH official said two units of the multipurpose amphibious dredger Watermaster Classic 5 were added to the existing dredging and excavator machines

in place along the bay. The machines, he added, would help fast-track the cleanup of the stretch of the bay between the US Embassy and Manila Yacht Club ahead of the rainy season. On March 5, 2019, Public Works Secretary Mark Villar

The DPWH’s Bureau of Equipment, with the assistance of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Philippine Coast Guard, has been conducting water quality monitoring and bathymetric surveying of the desilting sites to monitor progress. The average amount of dissolved oxygen level, one of the main parameters of water quality, has improved from 4.7 milligrams per liter (mg/L) prior to the cleanup to 6mg/L, a level said to be necessary for sustaining aquatic life.

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Belmonte seeks better service for QC residents AS part of her plan to improve the delivery of services to Quezon City 1# RESIDENTS 6ICE -AYOR *OSEkNA “Joy� Belmonte vowed to implement customer service training for employees. “Plano kong isama ito sa layunin natin na mapaganda ang serbisyo sa city hall. Ite-train natin lahat ng mga kawani ng munisipyo na humaharap sa taumbayan upang maayos at maganda ang karanasan ng mga tao tuwing may kailangan sila (I plan to include this program to enhance service at city hall. We will train all employees on the frontline of delivery of services, so that the public can have a pleasant experience when they transact business at city hall),� Belmonte said. “We appreciate the services of all our staff, but of course we always aim for continuous improvement. Good and fast service in a warm and friendly environment will be good

not just for residents but also for all CITY HALL RANK AND kLE u SHE ADDED Belmonte also shared her plans to innovate the services offered through the use of technology, such as the automated application for documents. The vice mayor vowed as well to bring services closer to communities by offering services in the barangay (village) halls so that those living in districts far from city hall will no longer have to travel just to obtain documents. “Gusto kong bigyan ng halaga ang oras ng mga mamamayan natin. Sa ginagastos nila na pamasahe sa isang punta lang nila sa city hall, makukuha na dapat nila kaagad ang serbisyong pinunta nila (I value the time of residents. They shell out money to go to city hall; they should be able to get the service they need immediately). The people deserve that,� Belmonte stressed.

LRT 2 east extension begins final phase THE LIGHT Rail Transit 2 (LRT 2) East Extension project is 60 percent complete, according to the Department of Transportation (DoTr). The railway track laying and the electromechanical system (EMS) installation began on Tuesday, signaling the final phase of the LRT 2 extension, which involves the construction of two new stations. The group of Japan’s Marubeni Corp. and homegrown D.M. Consunji Inc. (DMCI) bagged the $62-million electrical and mechanical (E&M) contract for the railway system. Under the contract, Marubeni will take the lead in the administration and procurement of the E&M for the rail transport’s extension. DMCI will focus on track-work procurement, as well as the establishment and installation of E&M systems. The final phase is expected to be completed by end-2020, the DoTr said in a statement. The first phase, involving the construction of a viaduct, was completed in March 2017. The construction of two stations under the second phase,

Q GOOD FRIDAY FROM A1

Fast, give up of the Balanga diocese in Bataan, on Wednesday said Christ’s death showed that He was willing to make sacrifices to save lives, to heal and help the flock, not to harm or hurt God’s people. Good Friday is part of the Paschal Triduum (Latin for three days). Considered as the most solemn days of the liturgical year, it begins on the evening of Maundy Thursday and ends on Easter Sunday. Hui said the holiest day was Good Friday because it was the day that Jesus Christ redeemed mankind and saved it from sins. It was also the day when he was betrayed by one of his closest disciples, Judas Iscariot. Jesus’ death on the cross, or crucifixion, is recounted in biblical verses Matthew 27:27 to 28:8 and Luke 23:26 to 24:35.

Q WEAPON FROM A1

NKorea’s gGUIDED THE TEST kRE u The report said Kim described its development as one “of very WEIGHTY SIGNIkCANCE IN INCREASing the combat power of the People’s Army.� The “advantages� of the weapon were “the peculiar mode of GUIDING lIGHT AND THE LOAD OF A powerful warhead,� KCNA said. Its report gave no details of the weapon. South Korea had not detected anything on radar, so it was unlikely to have been a missile,

meanwhile, was already 78 percent as of last month. “The LRT 2 East Extension Project‌ shall ease the travel of our kababayan (countrymen) coming from Rizal to Manila. Once this is completed, travel time from Recto to Masinag will be reduced to 40 minutes compared to up to three hours travel via bus or jeepney,â€? Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said in a statement. The P2.27-billion project, whose construction started in 2017, seeks to extend the railway system by 4 kilometers from Santolan, Pasig City to Masinag in Antipolo. The two additional stations will be the Emerald station, in front of Robinsons Metro East and Sta. Lucia malls in Cainta Rizal; and Masinag station, located before the Masinag Junction in Antipolo City. Some 80,000 passengers daily will benefit from the additional stations, the DoTr said, boosting the LRT 2’s existing capacity of 240,000 riders. The LRT 2 has 11 stations from Santolan to Recto. LISBET K. ESMAEL

Also on Good Friday, the Catholic Church venerates the cross, which symbolizes God’s love, Hui said.

Proclaim good news Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, archbishop of Manila, urged the faithful to “proclaim the good news,� instead of making hate speeches, as he led the chrism Mass at the Manila Cathedral in the Intramuros district on Thursday. In his homily, Tagle noted that there were too many bearers of “bad news, fake news, hate speech.� He invited the faithful and the priests to deliver the good news instead. “We, today, all the consecrated, all the baptized bearing the Holy Spirit will say ‘I will not deliver fake news, hate speech,’� Tagle said. “Go, live your consecration, proclaim good news,� he added. He said all Christians were consecrated, too, because they were anointed with oil

GALLERY OF SAINTS

A tourist looks at the images of Jesus Christ being readied for a procession in Binangonan, Rizal. The Binangonan gallery of saints is a popular destination of tourists during Holy Week. PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA

and received the Holy Spirit during baptism. Tagle asked the faithful not to waste their gift of consecration, and use it judiciously by serving God and His people, especially the poor. “ Nakikiusap ako ‘wag sayangin ang Holy Spirit na dumating sa atin nang tayo ay nabinyagan. Lahat tayo tinalaga (I am asking you, do not waste the Holy Spirit you received when you got baptized. We are all called to serve God),� he said. Chrism Mass is traditionally celebrated on Holy Thursday to signify unity between bishops and priests. Tagle also noted that many young people today had to live with bullying and bad news. “They are not able to go to school because they lack the resources. If ever they graduate, they cannot find jobs,� he said. There are young individuals who would not go to school lest they would be bullied, and some attempted to commit suicide because

A MILITARY OFkCIAL TOLD !GENCE France-Presse. “When North Korea launches a missile, our radar catches it. But no missile was detected,� said the OFkCIAL SPEAKING ON CONDITION OF anonymity. 3EOUL S PRESIDENTIAL OFkCE SAID it had no comment. “The description makes whatever was tested sound like a missile, but that could be everything from a small anti-tank guided missile to a surface-to-air missile to a rocket artillery system,� said North Korea analyst Ankit Panda. Earlier in the week, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US monitor, said activ-

they felt like no one loves them, the cardinal added. He said these individuals had to live with unrealistic expectations of their parents. He reiterated that 2019 is the year of the youth, and Pope Francis last year called on the whole Church to “walk together with and for the sake of the youth, humanity and God.� After the homily, Tagle led the renewal of commitment of the clergy to priestly service. He reminded all the ordained that they were called to serve the people and awaken the consecration of all the baptized. “That is our ministry. Not to take over and say we are the only priests. We belong to the common consecration, the baptized,� according to Tagle. He also blessed the chrism oil, which will be used in administering the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and holy order throughout the year. CATHERINE A. MODESTO

ity had been detected at Yongbyon, the North’s main nuclear testing facility. The think tank said evidence suggested Pyongyang might be reprocessing radioactive material into bomb fuel. Kim’s Hanoi summit with Trump — the second between the two men — ended abruptly, with North Korea later protesting that the US was being unreasonable in its demands. Since then, North Korea has said it was mulling options for its diplomacy with the US, and Kim said last week he was open to talks with Trump only if Washington came with the “proper attitude.�

Q DRUG FROM A1

Last month, Duterte released a list OF GOVERNMENT OFkCIALS INVOLVED in the drug trade, which involved two mayors from Batangas (Lemery town Mayor Eulalio Mendoza Alilio general terms,â€? he added. “Apparently, Lucena and Batangas and Ibaan town Mayor Juan Toreja) right now appear to be in the — with and the mayor of Lucena City (Mayor A RED lAG IN THE MAP OF ;THE= DRUG Roderick Alcala). Alcala has denied the allegation, scene,â€? the President said. which he said was politically motivated. With the two areas placed on the The Department of the Interior drug map, Duterte has vowed to hunt and Local Government has already down those involved in the narcotics kLED ADMINISTRATIVE CASES AGAINST trade and criminality during his term. THE OFkCIALS He explained that he had a manDuterte, a former city mayor, beat his date to preserve and protect the more moneyed rivals and won the race Filipino nation from the threats of to MalacaĂąang in 2016, promising to drugs and criminality. eradicate crime and solve the country’s “Do not f*** with drugs because drug menace in three to six months. if you destroy my country while I am He later sought a six-month extenthere sitting, p****g i*a mo papataysion in his drug crackdown, saying he in talaga kita (son of a b***h, I will was shocked by the magnitude of the really kill you),â€? the President said. “Diyan ako galit. Kaya sabi ko ta- problem when he became President. Human rights watchdogs at home lagang pupunta ako dito. Naka-red and abroad say most of the fatalities lAG kayo, e. Lucena pati Batangas. in the government’s anti-narcotic Marami. Kaya bukas mag-harvest na drive were extrajudicial killings comnaman tayo. Eh, kaligaya ko na lang MITTED BY POLICE OFkCERS SOMETHING pumatay ng p****g i***g kriminal (This really makes me angry, so I the Duterte administration has vehesaid I will really go here. Lucena and mently denied. Last week, the President vowed to "ATANGAS HAVE BEEN RED lAGGED 4Orid the country of illegal drugs before morrow we will start to harvest. It’s his term ends in 2022. my happiness to kill these son of a CATHERINE S. VALENTE b***h criminals),â€? he added.

Duterte

“Kim is trying to make a statement to the Trump administration that his military potential is growing by the day,� said Harry Kazianis, an analyst at the Washington-based Center for the National Interest. “His regime is becoming frustrated with Washington’s lack of lEXIBILITY IN RECENT NEGOTIATIONS u Koh Yu-Hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University, agreed that the test was a message to the US, showing its displeasure over the stalled nuclear talks. But the fact that it was not a long-range missile or nuclear test “underscores Pyongyang

wants to keep alive dialogue with Washington,� he added. “Pyongyang cannot conduct a nuclear or long-range missile launch at this point unless it wants to totally shatter what remains of the US-North talks,� he continued. Pentagon officials said they were aware of the test report, but declined to comment further.

Moon overture Last November, KCNA reported that Kim oversaw the testing of a “newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon� months after his kRST MEETING WITH 4RUMP

)T WAS THE kRST OFkCIAL REPORT OF A weapons test by North Korea since Kim and Trump’s historic summit in Singapore over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile program. The North’s latest weapon test report comes after South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday he wanted a fresh meeting with Kim “regardless of venue and form.� Pyongyang has yet to respond to Moon’s overture. Moon, who has long backed engagement with the nuclear-armed North, has been pushing for the resumption of inter-Korean economic projects, but doing so would fall foul of international sanctions imposed on Pyongyang. AFP

www.manilatimes.net

Hot money outflows could weaken peso THE exit of speculative funds from the Philippines could reverse the peso’s gains versus the dollar, an analyst said. “Continued moves in this direction could weaken the local currency going forward, which while a boon to exporters, may be detrimental to inward movement of capital goods needed to support the aggressive infrastructure push of the administration as it enters THE kNAL THREE YEARS OF ITS TERM u Philstocks.ph senior research analyst Justino Calaycay Jr. warned. The currency ended 2018 at P52.58 versus the greenback, down sharply from its 2017 close of P49.93:$1. It has since improved and is currently trading in P51:$1 territory, finishing at P51.76 against the dollar on Wednesday. Philippine financial markets are currently closed for the Holy Week break.

Calaycay’s comment came after the central bank reported that foreign portfolio investments turned negative in March. The $739-million net “hot monEYu OUTlOW WAS A REVERSAL FROM February’s $339.57-million net INlOW )T WAS ALSO THE LARGEST SINCE A MILLION NET OUTlOW IN September 2016 and a turnaround FROM THE YEAR EARLIER NET INlOW OF $1.132 billion. Large outflows from government securities offset investments in Philippine Stock Exchange-listed issues, the central bank noted. g4HE OUTlOWS MAY BE A RESULT OF investors opting to move funds out of Philippines given suggestions that domestic rates will likely be where it stands at present with a BIAS IN FAVOR OF EASING u #ALAYCAY told The Manila Times. He added that the hot money lOWS IN PART WERE ALSO LIKELY

ÂłPeso B2

PH cement supply ‘healthy’ – DTI exec CEMENT supplies remain sufkCIENT A SENIOR 4RADE DEPARTMENT OFkCIAL SAID REJECTING A PROPERTY consultancy’s claims of a shortage. “Local manufacturers and importers have a healthy supply INVENTORY u 4RADE 5NDERSECRETARY Ruth Castelo told The Manila Times, adding that the department WAS gNOT AWARE OF ANY SHORTAGEu AS prices remained stable. “Retailers would even say that SALES HAVE SLOWED DOWN A BIT u Castelo added. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has said that cement prices remain at the December 2018 level of around P220 per 40-kilogram (kg) bag. Only minimal hikes were observed, he added. Pronove Tai International PropERTY #ONSULTANTS HAS SAID THAT OFkCE BUILDING COMPLETIONS IN THE kRST quarter were 30 percent short of proJECTIONS DUE TO THE LACK OF CEMENT “The delay in building completion this quarter can be attributed to the cement shortage and if not immediately resolved, can lead to further delays throughout the rest OF THE YEAR u 0RONOVE 4AI 2ESEARCH Manager Mike MuĂąoz said.

“There is an expected annual demand of 32 million metric tons (MT) while we only locally proDUCE MILLION -4 u HE ADDED Additional tariffs slapped on imports will aggravate the supply situation, MuĂąoz continued. The Trade department in January ordered a provisional safeguard duty of P8.40 per 40-kg bag in response to surging imports said to be hurting the local industry. The department claimed that cement imports had ballooned to over 3 million metric tons (MT) IN FROM JUST -4 IN 2013, while the share of imports had risen to 15 percent from only 0.02 percent over the same period. The safeguard duty, which took effect on February 9, will run for 200 days but could be extended up to four years depending on a Tariff Commission investigation. Public hearings have been scheduled for May 6-10. Republic Act 8800 or Safeguard Measures Act aims to protect local industries by allowing the imposition of higher duties in response to import surges. TYRONE C. PIAD

NDUSTRY 4.0 or the Fourth Industrial revolution optimizes what the Third Industrial revolution has brought us. Computerization from Industry 3.0 brought forth an entirely new technology which is what Industry 4.0 is leveraging on. Think of Industry 4.0 as further automating those processes such that systems can communicate with each other without necessarily requiring human involvement. This is the prelude to a smart factory set to become one of the end results of an organization adopting Industry 4.0. In a nutshell, Industry 4.0 is the automation and data exchange in manufacturing technologies. There are a number of applications comprising the framework, among which include 1) cloud computing 2) mobile technologies 3) machine to machine 4) 3D printing 5) advanced robotics 6) big data/analytics 7) internet of things 8) RFID technologies 9) cognitive computing and 10) cybersecurity. All of these applications provide efficiency to the production process of a manufacturing organization. Two key areas on the future of production capabilities include structure of production and drivers. How complex and how can an organizaTION SCALE DEkNE THE STRUCTURE WHILE components such as technology and innovation (the ability to innovate),

B2

BSP poised to cut rates – HSBC Global Research T BY MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

HE start of an easing cycle is imminent, HSBC Global Research said, forecasting cuts totaling 50 basis points (bps) this year for the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s (BSP) benchmark rates. “Taken together with the large amount of ‘policy space’ created by rate hikes last year (above all in the Philippines and Indonesia), it is increasingly clear that parts of the region are on the cusp of an easing CYCLE u THE RESEARCH UNIT SAID IN A report released earlier this week. !BOVE TARGET INlATION PROMPTED the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) policymaking Monetary Board to hike key interest rates

kVE CONSECUTIVE TIMES LAST YEAR only pausing after consumer price growth began easing in November. A third pause resulted from the last policy meeting on March 21, with monetary authorities noting the need for more data. “That said, we expect the BSP to REMAIN FOCUSED ON INlATION AND TO EASE POLICY ONLY AS INlATION approaches the mid-point of the INlATION TARGET u THE REPORT STATES

March’s 3.3-percent inflation — a 15-month low — placed the year-to-date average at 3.8 percent, within the central bank’s 2.0-4.0 percent target. “We expect the BSP to deliver 50bp of rate hikes, with a 25bp cut in 2Q (second quarter) and 4Q FOURTH QUARTER u (3"# 'LOBAL Research said. It cautioned, however, that the BSP would have to be mindful of RENEWED FOOD INlATION RISKS DUE TO %L .IĂ„O EVEN IF INlATION HAD returned to target. The Trade department has warned of higher prices of agricultural commodities due to droughts and dry spells brought by the weather phenomenon. Latest Agriculture department

estimates put farm sector damage caused by El NiĂąo at P5.05 billion as of April 2. The drought has so far hit 164,672 farmers nationwide. Damage to rice crops was estimated to have hit P2.69 billion with 125,590 metric tons lost in 37 provinces. Affected regions include the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao, Socsksargen, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Trump sees ‘successful’ trade talks WASHINGTON, D.C.: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday held out hope the current trade talks with China will be a success, and said an announcement on the status was due “shortly.� The president’s remarks followed a report by The Wall Street Journal saying US and Chinese officials are tentatively working

ÂłTalks B2

Q US President Donald Trumpspeaks as he participates in an Opportunity Zone conference with State, local, tribal, and community leaders at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2019. AFP PHOTO

Industry 4.0: Is PH ready?

I

PWC’S NEEDLES IN A HAYSTACK

W

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2019

Business Times

B1

MANAGEMENT ACTION

KAY CALPO LUGTU human capital (how is the current workforce looking compared to how it should look like in the future), human trade and investment (infrastructure plays a key role here), institutional framework (how is the government aligned with this), sustainability resources (how can we sustain this) and demand environment (how is the demand looking and who is our consumer base) remain to be the drivers of production. It will be prudent to understand how the Philippines compares to other nations as far as production is concerned. In the Readiness for the Future Production report provided by the World Economic Forum in 2018, there are four country archetypes: first is the high potential (simple structure of production and favorable drivers of production) countries which have Australia, Hongkong, Norway and UAE as those belonging in this quadrant; leading (complex structure of production and favorable drivers of production) countries such as USA, Germany, Japan and Singapore; nascent (simple structure of pro-

duction and unfavorable drivers of production) countries such as Indonesia and Brazil, and finally legacy (complex structure of production and unfavorable drivers of production) which has India, Mexico, Thailand and the Philippines. The Philippines scored 6.1 out 10 in this assessment which highlights the unfavorable drivers of production and complex structure as prevalent and existing conditions in the industry. What are the risks and challenges given how the Philippines is positioned in the assessment? The country may be squeezed between more advanced leading countries, which can then offer more advanced manufacturing, and nascent countries that can offer lowest cost of labor. We are in between Singapore and Indonesia, as an example, which could put us at a disadvantage given the leverage both countries has over us. The Philippines risks losing traditional manufacturing share to nascent countries given that they can offer cheaper labor. The country also risks being unprepared to capture advanced manufacturing share in the near future by not investing on the drivers for the future of production. This could lead to premature industrialization. However, the risks presented also provided call to action and opportunities to mitigate such. To prepare

for the future of production, there are key areas to be considered at the macro level: First, our country needs to reskill and upskill workers. Given that a lot of these processes will be automated in the future, it is wise to start thinking about reskilling and upskilling the labor force. Second, there is a need to upgrade technology platforms and seek frugal innovations. There are technological capabilities out there available already to start introducing innovations in the organization to propel readiness to what lies ahead. Third is to ensure that the fundamental building block of good governance is in place. This is where we need our government to be aligned with where technology is leading and how our industries will be impacted in the next years to come. The country can likewise accelerate readiness and transformation by utilizing the private sector more actively in tackling macro level challenges. *** Kay Calpo Lugtu is the COO of Hungry Workhorse, a digital and culture transformation firm; CoFounder of Caucus, Inc. and Deputy Director of Global Chamber Manila. Her advocacies include data privacy, financial literacy, and nation-building. The author may be reached at kaycalpolugtu@hotmail.com

PSE moves forward with tech firm plans THE Philippine Stock Exchange’s (PSE) plan to establish technology-focused subsidiary has moved forward with the bourse earlier this month inking a shareholders’ agreement setting “forth the terms AND CONDITIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE MANAGEMENTu OF THE )4 kRM The deal, the PSE said in an April 5 disclosure, was inked with a certain Mark Joya. It did not provide more details. The bourse in January had announced that its BOARD HAD APPROVED A kRM gFOR THE PURPOSE OF PROviding information technology services and developING SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS u In an e-mail interview, PSE President Ramon Monzon told The Manila Times the new company WOULD BE JOINT VENTURE OF WHICH PERCENT WOULD be owned by the bourse. The company will have an authorized capital stock

ÂłPlans B2

What’s inside PROTECTING THE PHILIPPINE SEAS – FINEX FILES BusinessB2

Âť

DA TARGETS 90% ONION SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY 2020

ÂťBusinessB2

B2

Business Times

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

DA targets 90% onion MThe move to success self-sufficiency by 2020 T BY EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing to achieve up to 90 percent selfSUFkCIENCY FOR ONION PRODUCTION BY EARLY NEXT YEAR WITH FULL SELF SUFkCIENCY TARGETED before the end of the Duterte administration in 2022.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed the country’s 2018 onion production reached 172.67 thousand metric tons (TMT), down 6.3 percent from 184.43 TMT a year earlier, due to the damage caused by typhoons. In the fourth quarter of 2018 however, production grew by 1.06 percent on the back of expansion in area planted and harvesting of bigger bulbs in Ilocos Region due to better soil moisture. Piùol said the country was also eyeing to export some of its onions to the Indonesian market, as onions produced by local farmers, ESPECIALLY IN .UEVA %CIJA MEET export quality standards. Representatives from the Indo-

nesian market recently met with onion farmers from Mindoro, #AGAYAN 6ALLEY 4ARLAC .UEVA %CIJA and Iloilo and have started “ lookING AT ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTSu FOR immediate exports. While target volume of shipMENT HAS NOT YET BEEN IDENTIkED PiĂąol said “importers of Indonesia are willing [and] ready. They are asking for white and red onion AND SHALLOTS u Earlier this month, the Indonesian government has agreed to ease import restrictions to open up its market for Philippine agricultural products. The move was seen to help correct the trade imbalance of ABOUT MILLION DEkCIT HIGHLY in favor of Indonesia.

This goal prompted the DA to also set plans to build up to 10 additional cold storage units in MAJOR ONION PRODUCING PROVINCES in the country, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol said. “[W]e’re hoping to build about 8 to 10 units of cold storage facilities for next year solely for onions.

It will depend on the stakeholders whether or not the facility will be MONOLITHIC DOME TYPE u HE SAID IN a recent interview. “We are doing this because we are expecting as early as next year we will hit 80 to 90 [onion] PRODUCTION SUFFICIENCY u 0IĂ„OL added.

Q PLANS FROM B1

Rockwell Land 2018 profit up 20%

PSE moves of P100 million and P50 million in subscribed capital stock. “The company aims to engage in the business of manufacturing, distribution, sales and marketing of all kinds of technology-related products AND SERVICES u -ONZON SAID “The company will also engage in research and development activities for blockchain and cloud ;COMPUTING= u HE ADDED In December last year, the bourse also formed a new unit to manage its real estate assets. 4HE kRM WAS NAMED 03% 2EALTY Inc. and capitalized at P1 billion, of which up to P701.8 million was subscribed and paid up by the PSE. Among the assets managed BY THE PROPERTY kRM ARE THE 03% OFkCE SPACES AT !YALA 4OWER /NE in Makati City as well as its new building in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig. The PSE vacated its Makati OFkCES LAST YEAR AND MOVED TO A UNIkED TRADING lOOR IN "'#

Q PESO FROM B1

Hot money affected by uncertainties over the 2019 national government budget, which was only signed last Monday by President Rodrigo Duterte following months of delay. MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

ROCKWELL Land Corp. saw its net income grow by 20 percent to P2.5 billion last year from P2.09 billion in 2017 on the back of strong residential sales. Total revenues rose to P15.7 billion in 2018. Of the amount, residential sales accounted for 86 percent; commercial development, 13 percent; and hotel operations, 1 percent. Residential sales stood at P13.09 billion last year, a 7.3-percent increase from

2017’s P12.2 billion. Reservation sales jumped by 30 percent to P14.9 billion from P11.6 billion, driven by its Proscenium, Arton and Aruga Resort & Residences-Mactan projects, all launched last year. Office sales slid by 43 percent to P42 million in 2018 from P74 million a year earlier, and commercial leasing income surged by 48.5 percent to P1.5 billion from P1.01 billion, mainly due to the mall ex-

Q TALKS FROM B1

Trump sees ‘successful’ toward signing ceremony for a new trade agreement as soon as late May. “I have a feeling we’ll be successful,� Trump told reporters at the White House. “That’s moving along quite well.� “You’ll be hearing about it very, very shortly.� Citing an unnamed source, The Journal said US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer was expected to travel to Beijing for a new round of face-to-face talks the week of April 29. The USTR office de-

clined to comment on the report. During shuttle diplomacy in recent months, US and Chinese officials have alternated between projecting optimism and warning that success in their high-stakes talks is not guaranteed. But a key US demand — a binding enforcement mechanism to prevent Beijing from backsliding on its commitments — has been virtually agreed, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said this month.

pansion and RBC Sheridan. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization went up by 25 percent to P4.5 billion from P3.6 billion in 2017. Rockwell Land is the property development arm of the Lopez Group. It caters primarily to the highend market. Rockwell Land shares finished up by 1 centavo or 0.50 percent to P2 apiece on Wednesday. ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

The two sides have exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade since last year, weighing on both countries’ manufacturing sectors and unnerving global stock markets. To help reduce Beijing’s soaring US trade surplus, Chinese officials have offered to increase purchases of American farm goods and energy exports. But analysts say it remains unclear how far China will go in meeting US demands for fundamental changes in industrial policy that could weaken the communist party’s hold on power. AFP

Protecting the Philippine seas

I

PRESENTED a paper on Strategy Execution Amidst Change and Uncertainty at the recent Philippine Navy (PN) Sail Plan Boot Camp. The boot camp is designed to PROVIDE OFkCERS AND MEN OF THE 0. with the right skills and knowledge as they manage the implementation of their developmental initiatives. 4HESE OBJECTIVES ARE EMBODied in the PN Strategic Sail Plan 4HIS TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY started in 2008. Since then, the PN has continuously implemented the systems and processes covering the perspectives of Personnel, Organization, Resources, Capability and Accomplishment – all towards achieving its vision of becoming a strong and credible navy that our maritime nation can be proud of by 2020. The PN has successfully covered several points in its developmental strategy. To sustain its momentum for transformation, the PN held ITS kFTH 3AIL 0LAN "OOT #AMP 4HIS particular boot camp will increase the capability of Navy front line personnel in managing the execution of the sail plan and strengthen their commitment to transformation and good governance. My paper delved on the challenges of developing and implementing strategy amid change and uncertainty in a volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity

was further developed for miliFINEX FILES tary application by the US Army War College. We pointed out that leads to both systems and RONALD VUCA behavioral failures. This could lead GOSECO to organizational failure. To address VUCA, we covered (VUCA) environment. some possible approaches as well 7E DISCUSSED THE CLASSIC DEk- as some tools: nition of strategy, which is the To start with, we need to have determination of the basic long a clear view of the vision or the term goals of an enterprise and goal. We need to understand the the adoption of courses of ac- consequences of issues and our tion and allocation of resources actions. Second we need to coornecessary for carrying out these dinate with all stakeholders on a goals. We also discussed planned regular basis. Finally, we have to and emergent strategies and the address relevant opportunities and ensuing debate between these two alternatives, then act decisively. approaches. The basic tools to create a clearer Strategy has changed because vision include brainstorming, usof uncertainty, complexity and ing expert panels or the Delphi change. The traditional resourced method, scenario planning and based view of inside out, building the dependable SWOT. We now on ones strengths, accepting path have mathematical models as dependency and creating unique- well as algorithms , assessment ness are becoming a challenge in of deviations and decision trees. a VUCA world. Quantitative approaches are usuAccording to a thesis by Grant ALLY FORMAL AND EXPLICIT WITH kXED in 2013, “Strategy is not a detailed functions though. The advent of plan or program of instructions. ARTIkCIAL INTELLIGENCE USING WIDER It is a unifying theme that gives data points allow us to consider coherence and directions to the various scenarios including our actions and decisions of an indi- personal intuitions. VIDUAL OR AN ORGANIZATION u It is always important to reThis contemporary definition member that a primary role of highlights the importance of con- any organization is the integration tinuous learning and adaptation. of knowledge. This integration 7E DISCUSSED THAT 65#! WAS kRST of dispersed, heterogenous and used in 1987 from the leadership sometimes complementary knowltheories of Warren Bennis and edge bases into a greater whole will

provide leverage and an advantage to organizations. We wrapped up by reviewing an old and tested tool for implementing strategy – the combat order. The combat order is a tool we all learned in basic training and has gained traction in civilian practice because of its simplicity and effectiveness. The combat order is known by its acronym SMEAC: Situation – explain what is happening on the ground -ISSION m DEkNE THE TASK AND purpose for the action or the strategic intent Execution – describe how you intend to accomplish the mission Administration – identify the logistics, resources , both material and manpower required by the mission Command – detail the plan for command, control, signal and communication This reliable tool has been tested in battle and in board rooms. It has proven to be an excellent execution tool to accomplish the mission. 7E ARE CONkDENT THAT THE 0. IS dedicated to its mission . We also believe that the PN is up to the task of protecting our Philippine seas and is well underway to accomplishing its sail plan for 2020. *** Ronald Goseco is a trustee of the Finex Foundation

Y wife and I recently had our kRST CHILD 7HILE ) HAD DIFkCULTY QUANTIFYING THE VALUE OF INsurance products for myself when I was single, I can now see clearly the value of insurance products to the SECURITY OF MY FAMILY ) THUS JOINED the growing population expected to be more open to investing in right insurance products. The Philippine Insurance Commission also expects the same, given that insurance companies are now CREATING MORE PRODUCTS TAILORED kT FOR THEIR CONSUMERS SPECIkC NEEDS On a global level, based on the responses from 140 insurance industry leaders who took part in PwC’s 22nd Annual Global CEO Survey, 70 percent of insurance chief executive officers would RELY ON OPERATIONAL EFkCIENCY TO drive growth, while 72 percent believed organic growth would IMPROVE PROkTABILITY 4HESE RESULTS showed renewed emphasis on efkCIENCY AND COST REDUCTION TO FREE up resources, thus creating more products that would be targeted FOR THEIR CONSUMERS SPECIkC NEEDS Furthermore, the CEO survey results also showed a growing interest in InsurTech capabilities, which the Philippine insurance industry has. As Philippine Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa said, “Technology or insurance technology, what we call ‘InsurTech’, is changing the industry almost imperceptibly. It is not happening in one big crash, but in small steps EVERYWHERE u Given the similarities between the results of PwC’s 22nd Annual Global CEO Survey and the POSITIVE kNDINGS OF THE 0HILIPPINE Insurance Commission on the potential growth of the global and local insurance industries, what is then holding back the insurance companies to succeed? As highlighted in PwC’s CEO SURVEY kNDINGS THE SHORTAGE OF people with the right skill sets is one of the factors that currently inhibit innovation and growth. While technology often dominates the transformation agenda, sucCESS ULTIMATELY HINGES ON kNDING and utilizing the right people. It is therefore troubling that 81 percent of insurance CEOs were either extremely or somewhat concerned about the impact of skills shortages on their growth prospects. Based on other global surveys, shortage of people with the right quantitative expertise is also holding back insurance companies from complying with new regulations and upcoming accounting statutory requirements, such as International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 17. If you are an insurance executive, how can you then acquire the best and brightest, and retain these talents, to succeed? In my view, there are four essential priorities in the form of the word MOVE for you to consider.

Maximize Since talent drives success, fostering the right culture that maximizes talent is a must – a culture that not only inspires your existing workforce, but also continuously builds or acquires the necessary skills for your insurance company to innovate, meet client demands and succeed. As you look to foster the right culture to maximize and develop your work force, PwC’s own experience highlights how making the most of and upskilling your existing staff can be highly effective and motivational. We constantly assessed our workforce, found opportunities to enhance our collective digital skills and knowledge, made investments to upskill ourselves and cite noticeable improvements not only in our people’s competence but also in their morale. Personally, I also assessed my team, who started as math professionals with limited work experience, and upskilled them TO kLL THE SKILLS GAP WITHIN THE insurance industry. Our team can now do advanced data analytics, develop our own impairment tools and is updated on which global systems can be used to

meet IFRS 17, IFRS 9 and other regulatory and business requirements.

Organize

The next key to success is determining what your insurance business does best, and organizing your workforce and other resources on the specific capabilities that will continuously increase your customer base. In the short term, your insurance company might be the best in cost or pricing competitiveness. However, it’s also important to look at the right innovation or InsurTech in risk prevention and customer experience. That will help your workforce transition to the future state not only commercially attractive, but also meets future regulatory requirements. For example, under IFRS 17 and US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) Long Duration Targeted Improvements (LDTI) requireMENTS BEST ESTIMATE CASH lOWS OR PROBABILITY WEIGHTED CASH lOWS are needed to meet these accounting standards. Management is also INTERESTED WITH CASH lOWS AND WILL likely demand for more insights as part of the management reporting framework. Planning and organizing your resources now to scrutinize these accounting requirements will give your workforce, especially the actuaries, more time to properly design, develop or buy, test and implement the future state of your company’s management and statutory reporting systems.

Venture Based on the results of past and current PwC’s CEO surveys, insurance is also one of the global economy’s most disrupted sectors. The rapid pace of technological change and shifts in customer behavior had led to a new wave of competition many insurance companies found threatening. This is why more than 80 percent of insurance CEOs answered that their companies either had ventured into artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives or would do so within the next three years. With the constant shift of customer demands for more customized insurance products, it is only a matter of time when many legacy systems will fail to meet customer demands. It’s therefore important to simplify, selectively decommission these legacy systems, shift the data and venture into new technologies that include, but not limited, to AI, blockchain, cloud or Software as a Service (SaaS), robotic process automation and intelligent process automation.

Execute Finally, insurance companies must also be able to execute change management to cope with the growing pace of change within the market. It’s important to revisit how change is managed, how plans are designed and how budgets are established; and move away from old-style implementation marathons in favor of an agile transformation. The insurance industry is ripe for change, growth and success. Not all are winners, though. Those who will win are those who MOVE ahead of their competitors. *** Jonathan L. Uy is a director with the Risk Consulting practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting Services Philippines Co. Ltd., A 0HILIPPINE MEMBER kRM OF THE PwC network. For more information, please email markets@ ph.pwc.com. This content is for general information purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional advisors.

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

World

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

B3

Widodo reelected Indonesia president

J

AKARTA, Indonesia: Indonesian President *OKO 7IDODO HAS WON A SECOND kVE YEAR TERM PRELIMINARY ELECTION RESULTS SHOWED 7EDNESDAY IN A VICTORY FOR MODERATION OVER THE NATIONALISTIC RHETORIC OF HIS RIVAL 0RABOWO 3UBIANTO

6OTE COUNTS FROM kVE INDEPENdent survey groups showed Wido-

do with a clear lead over Subianto, a general during the era of the

Suharto military dictatorship, who warned Indonesia would fall apart without his strongman leadership. The so-called “quick counts� from reputable survey organizations that use a sample of polling stations have been reliable in past elections. With an average of 80 percent of sample polling stations

COUNTED THE kVE SURVEY ORGANIZAtions showed Widodo winning 54 percent to 56 percent of the vote, a modest improvement on his 2014 showing. Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, is an outpost of democracy in a southeast Asian neighborhood of authoritarian govern-

ments and is forecast to be among the world’s biggest economies by 2030. A second term for Widodo, the kRST )NDONESIAN PRESIDENT FROM outside the Jakarta elite, could further cement the country’s two decades of democratization. Addressing jubilant supporters a few hours after polls

closed, Widodo said he was aware of his lead and called for the nation to reunite after the divisions of the campaign. “From the indications of the exit poll and also the quick counts, we can see it all, but we must BE PATIENT TO WAIT FOR THE OFkCIAL counting from the Election Commission,� he said. AP

Crackdown on Cuba, Venezuela intensified CORAL GABLES, Fla.: The Trump administration on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) intensified its crackdown on Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela, rolling back Obama administration policy and announcing new restrictions and sanctions against the three countries, whose leaders National Security adviser John Bolton dubbed the “three stooges of socialism.� “The troika of tyranny — Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua — is beginning to crumble,� Bolton said in a hard-hitting speech near Miami on the 58th anniversary of the United States’ failed Bay of Pigs invasion of the island, an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government. The measures seem likely to hit hardest in Cuba, which is at a moment of severe economic weakness as it struggles to find cash to import basic food and other supplies following a drop in aid from Venezuela and a string of bad years in other key economic sectors. Bolton announced a new cap on the amount of money that

families in the US can send their relatives in Cuba. The Obama administration had lifted limits on remittances, but the new limit will be $1,000 per person per quarter. Remittances to Cuba from the US amounted to $3 billion in 2016, according to the State Department. Washington also moved to restrict “non-family travel� after a broad loosening of so-called purposeful visits under Obama led to soaring numbers of American trips for cultural and educational exchanges. Details on the restrictions were not immediately clear, but tourism is a key lifeline of hard currency for Cuba. Bolton called such visits “veiled tourism.� Bolton spoke hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a new policy allowing lawsuits against foreign firms operating on properties Cuba seized from Americans after the 1959 revolution. The US has enforced a trade embargo against Cuba since the early 1960s. AP

Ex-Peru president shots self dead LIMA, Peru: Former Peru president Alan Garcia mortally wounded himself with a gunshot to his head on Wednesday as officers waited to arrest him in a big graft probe that has put Peru’s most prominent politicians behind bars and provoked a reckoning over corruption. Authorities broke through a door at Garcia’s mansion in a leafy, upscale neighborhood of the Peruvian capital after hearing gunfire. The 69-yearold former head of state was rushed to a hospital, where a team of doctors performed emergency surgery but could not save him. “The president, upset over this situation, knowing his absolute innocence... had this terrible accident,� said his lawyer, Erasmo Reyna. It was a shocking end for a man who twice governed Peru — once in the 1980s and then again more than two decades later. In more recent years, he became ensnared in Latin America’s biggest corruption scandal, a sweeping investigation of politicians’ dealings with the giant Brazilian con-

struction company Odebrecht. No country outside Brazil has gone as far as Peru in prosecuting politicians tied to Odebrecht, which admitted in a 2016 plea agreement in the US that it paid nearly $800 million throughout Latin America in exchange for lucrative public works contracts. Peruvian politicians have described the investigation as a political witch hunt. Prosecutors and anti-corruption advocates insist the arrests show the South American nation was finally holding leaders accountable. Several leaders called on Peruvians to set aside politics as the nation mourns Garcia, a populist kREBRAND WHOSE SECOND PRESIDENcy helped usher in a commoditiesled investment boom. “It doesn’t matter your political hue, Peru is in mourning,� politician Gilbert Violeta wrote on Twitter. “This is a tragedy for our country.� Condolences poured in from throughout Latin America as leaders recalled a man, who at his peak, was called the John F. Kennedy of Latin America. AP

Worldinbriefs IVANKA TRUMP PASSES WB JOB TEST ABIDJIAN, Ivory Coast: White House senior adviser Ivanka Trump says her father asked her if she was interested in the job of World Bank chief but she passed on it. In an Associated Press interview, President Donald Trump’s daughter said Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) she was happy with her current role in the administration. She was traveling in Africa to promote a global women’s initiative. Ivanka Trump said her father raised the job as “a question� and she told him she was “happy with the work� she’s doing. The President recently told The Atlantic: “I even thought of Ivanka for the World Bank. . She would’ve been great at that because she’s very good with numbers.� AP

BUS CRASH KILLS 29 IN PORTUGAL LISBON, Portugal: A tour bus carrying German tourists crashed on Portugal’s Madeira Island on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila), killing 29 people and injuring 28 others, local authorities said. The bus, which was carrying 55 people, rolled down a steep hillside after veering off the road on a bend east of the capital, Funchal, and struck at least one house, local mayor Filipe Sousa told cable news channel SIC. Local television showed bodies scattered over a rural hillside next to the Atlantic Ocean. Madeira, off northwestern Africa, is a popular vacation destination for Europeans due to its mild climate and lush, hilly landscape.

VOTE WISELY

Indian nuns line up to cast their votes at a polling station in Siliguri, West Bengal during the second phase of the six-week Indian elections. More than 157 million of the 900 million electorate are eligible to cast ballots on the second of the seven-phase election in India. AFP PHOTO

Hatred of journalists turning to violence – RSF PARIS: Hatred of journalists whipped up by populist and authoritarian leaders is degenerating into violence across the world, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warned Thursday. And the number of countries where journalists could work safely is plummeting, its annual World Press Freedom Index revealed. Political leaders’ hostility towards the media “has incited in-

creasingly frequent acts of violence that have fuelled an unprecedented level of fear and danger for journalists,� the report added. “If the political debate slides towards a civil war-style atmosphere, where journalists are treated as scapegoats, then democracy is in great danger,� RSF chief Christophe Deloire said. Press freedom was in good health in less than quarter of

the 180 countries covered by the index, with the US sliding to 48th place. The period since President Donald Trump’s election in 2016 had been one of the “American journalism community’s darkest moments,� the report added. It linked the president’s “notorious anti-press rhetoric� with “terrifying harassment� aimed particularly at women and journal-

ists of colour. “Never before have US journalists been subjected to so many death threats or turned so often to private SECURITY kRMS FOR PROTECTION u IT ADDED “Hatred of the media is now such that a gunman walked into the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, Maryland, in June and killed four journalists and one other staff member,� the report added. AFP

Foxconn chief announces bid for Taiwan leadership TERRY Gou, founder and chairman of Foxconn, formally announced he would run in next year’s Taiwan regional leadership election. The news was received with wide-scale support from within the island. Being a businessman and now delving into politics, local people anticipate positive change in the economy with him at the helm. This enthusiasm makes it very evident that the people in the island are eager for a change and want a respite from the worsening cross-Straits situation caused by the pro-secession Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which currently governs the island, experts noted. Gou, the richest man in Taiwan, also known as Guo Taiming, announced his decision on Wednesday to run as a candidate of the pro-reunification Koumintang party. Gou said he decided to run after receiving instructions from Mazu in his dream. Mazu is the Chinese goddess and patroness of the sea, who is widely worshiped by people of coastal regions in China.

“I had a dream in which the goddess of the sea encouraged me to ‘come forward’ to support crossStraits peace and do good things and bring hope to young people,â€? Gou said, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency. The 68-year-old businessman, who now leads Foxconn, the world’s largest original equipment manufacturer and a major contractor for US tech giant Apple, has a large business footprint on the Chinese mainland. Gou’s decision has sparked hot discussions across the Taiwan Straits. “He is not stepping down [from Foxconn] but switching to a non-leading position, making more room for young people while still focusing on strategic directions,â€? a Foxconn spokesman told the Global Times Wednesday. Gou also said at a media event that he wasn’t thinking about the elections until six months back, but later he began to feel that young people on the island needed a future, Forbes reported on Wednesday. GLOBAL TIMES

The dead included 18 women and 11 men, one of whom died later at a hospital, Sousa told public broadcaster RTP. AP

60 CHARGED FOR ILLEGAL OPIUM PRESCRIPTION CINCINNATI: US Federal authorities said they had charged 60 people, including a doctor accused of trading drugs for sex and another of prescribing to his Facebook friends, for their roles in illegally prescribing and distributing millions of pills containing opioids and other drugs. US Atty. Benjamin Glassman of Cincinnati described the action, with 31 doctors facing charges, as the biggest known takedown yet of drug prescribers. Robert Duncan, US attorney for eastern Kentucky, called the doctors involved “white-coated drug dealers.� Authorities said the 60 includes 53 medical professionals tied to some 350,000 prescriptions and 32 million pills. The operation was conducted by the federal Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force, launched last year by the Trump administration. AP

2 LAND IN JAIL FOR IMMIGRANT SMUGGLING LAREDO, Texas: Two Guatemalan men have been sentenced to federal prison for their parts in an immigrant-smuggling run that led to the deaths of two Ecuadoran men. A Justice Department statement says 23-year-old Melvin Barahona Godoy was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison Wednesday in Laredo, while 29-year-old Yoryi Alexis Perez drew a six-and-a-half year prison term. Both had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally transport immigrants resulting in death.

HARVEST TIME

An Afghan farmer shows a bag full of opium sap harvested from a poppy field in the Gereshk district of Helmand, Afghanistan. The country is the world’s top grower of opium, and the crop accounts for hundreds of thousands of jobs. AFP PHOTO

Both will be subject to deportation after completing their prison terms. Federal officials at a Laredo residence on Oct. 21, 2017, found nine immigrants who were in the country illegally, one of whom was Barahona-Godoy. AP

MAGNITUDE-6 QUAKE ROCKS TAIWAN TAIPEI: A 6-magnitude earthquake jolted Taiwan on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, shaking buildings and disrupting traffic.In the capital Taipei, highrises swayed violently while some panicked school children fled their classrooms in eastern Yilan county, according to reports. Local media said the quake had been felt all over the island and a highway connecting Yilan and Hualien was shut down due to falling rocks.The quake struck at 1:01 p.m. at a depth of 19 kilometres (11.8 miles) in eastern Hualien county. There were no immediate reports of casualties. AFP

52 DIE IN CAMBODIA NEW YEAR REVELRY The updated data of the Cambodia National Police revealed that from April 13 to 18 a total of tallied 109 traffic accidents occurred nationwide during the three-day celebration of its Khmer New Year. The three-day celebration resulted in 52 fatalities and 183 injured persons. The major causes of death were speeding, non-observance of traffic laws, hazardous overtaking, drunk driving, and vehicle malfunctions. Many people are already returning to their homes and workplaces, while others are still at their villages or at resorts and will return later; this will influence the upcoming traffic figures. The Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, used Facebook to once again to appeal on all citizens to drive carefully and obey traffic laws. KHIMER TIMES

~

The Manila Times FRIDAY April 19, 2019

B 4

RICHARD RAYMUNDO Managing Director Colliers International Philippines

The Ideas Sponge Infusing real estate with creativity, he brought sales to higher level

BY MAIDA C. PINEDA Photo by Hermes Singson IT is noon and the security guards at Rockwell Proscenium outnumber the residents living there. One of the few units ready for occupancy in this elite address belongs to Richard Raymundo, managing director of Colliers International Philippines. Knowing his flair for decorating homes, I couldn’t wait to see his latest creation. He transformed the 31-square meter studio into a classy ABODE kT FOR A DISCERNING EXPAT 4HEY SAY THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS 4HEN MAYBE 2AYMUNDO IS THE DEVIL in disguise. No detail was ignored. From the baskets in the bathroom, the layered pillows in the bed, THE OVERlOWING VASE kLLED WITH FERNS AND PEARS displayed in a matte black bowl — all these were METICULOUSLY CURATED AND EXECUTED BY 2AYMUNDO in less than two weeks. By sourcing from Crate & Barrel and H&M Home, he effortlessly staged a unit ready to be leased. No doubt, it will be snagged in a minute. But designing homes is merely a hobby he does for himself or his friends. A few years ago, he transformed a bare one-bedroom unit in Rockwell Manansala for a friend. Using pieces from IKEA, a reading chair from Evangelista Street in Makati and large vases turned into side tables from Mandaluyong, THE RESULT WAS A CLASSY HOME 4HE UNIT WAS IMMEdiately leased.

Design, the difference After eight years working in Colliers Hong Kong, Raymundo returned to Manila to take on the role of managing director for the Philippines. Real ESTATE WAS NOT EXACTLY THE BIG DREAM OF THIS BUSIness economics graduate of the University of the 0HILIPPINES $ILIMAN (IS kRST JOB AT !YALA ,AND opened his eyes to real estate, leading him to work at Colliers in 1996. g#OLLIERS WAS NEW THEN JUST OPENING ITS OFkCE in Manila in 1994. I started from the bottom doING RESEARCH u (E RECALLS DOING kELDWORK WALKING from building to building to gather information. “Because the government had no database then, we would talk to security guards, property managers, kung sino-sino (whomever we met). We would ask questions like, ‘How many square meters is the building?’ or ‘What’s the vacancy?’� For over two years, he went everywhere from Makati to Ortigas, their lean research team of two, comprised of Raymundo and the researcher manager, cobbling data together and writing up reports. 2AYMUNDO CAN T FORGET THE VERY kRST TIME HE saw a model unit, “It was around ’96 or ’97, the TIME THAT THEY LAUNCHED /NE 2OXAS 4RIANGLE u (IS MINDSET SHIFTED g4HAT S WHEN ) REALIZED THAT YOU

can change someone’s perspective of property by the way it’s designed. g"EFORE THAT YOU SOLD A UNIT AND THAT WAS IT 4HERE WAS NO BROCHURE 4HERE WAS NO MODEL UNIT 7HEN THEY DID /NE 2OXAS 4RIANGLE THEY GOT DIFFERENT DEsigners from abroad and the Philippines to design the model units. Each had a different look. Each had a different perspective. And that really blew YOUR MIND AS TO HOW LUXURY SHOULD BE FOR -ANILA It was also the time that retail was undergoing a change. Greenbelt was being developed. “Remember, when Ayala Malls used ‘Water of -ARCH AS A JINGLEw @! STICK A STONE )T WAS AMAZING u HE GUSHES g4HAT S WHEN YOU REALIZED THAT YOU could elevate real estate.� It struck him how a simple ditty could be used for marketing, and how it could evoke such a lasting impression. During that time, Rockwell started to CHANGE THE FACE OF REAL ESTATE BOLDLY STATING g4HIS IS HOW LUXURY CAN BE u All this creativity sparked Raymundo’s deeper interest in real estate, coupled with his trips abroad. “I got inspiration from different things like retail in Hong Kong and Singapore.� While these trips were holidays for Raymundo, his mind kept on ticking. “Some people travel for leisure without taking mental cues of things. I take mental cues of everything,� he says. “Back then, Singapore and Hong Kong were THE MOST ACCESSIBLE CITIES 4HEN WHEN YOU HAD MORE MONEY YOU WENT TO .EW 9ORK %UROPE 4OKYO AND THE BAR GOT HIGHER AND HIGHER )T WAS AMAZING FOR me, someone who takes ideas. I’m a sponge.� Raymundo rose from researcher to consultant. “In this role, you told a developer this is what you can do. If you tell them something that is already in the market, what’s your worth? It’s already there. But if you tell them something different, like how ABOUT DOING THIS WHICH WAS DONE IN 4OKYO OR IN 3AN &RANCISCO THEN YOU LOCALIZE IT 4HAT S A SKILL ) learned along the way through work and travel.� “What a consultant does is they give me bare land, and I’ll tell [them] what to do with it. And ) LL RUN THE NUMBERS FOR ;THEM= u 4HAT S WHAT ) WAS doing in Manila and when I went to Hong Kong, it JUST EXPANDED TO THE REGION 4HAT S WHEN ) STARTED DOING PROJECTS IN 6IETNAM -ALAYSIA "RUNEI 4AIwan, Ecuador, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Myanmar and Indonesia. His clients included (ONG +ONG ,AND 0ETRONAS 3UMITOMO -ITSUI "ANK

Ashmore Investment, United Nations (UNDP), ,OTTE (OTEL #AESAR S 0ALACE 3)4! &AR %ASTERN Group and Ascendas.

Learning curve Over lunch with Boardroom Watch at the hip Dean AND $ELUCA CAFE IN 2OCKWELL 2AYMUNDO EXPLAINS how real estate consulting works. “You run the numbers, you give the price, then they launch it AND IT SELLS WELL @9ES ) GET TO KEEP MY JOBĂœ !ND THEN IT GETS COMPLETED AND YOU SEE THE kNAL FORM and you say, ‘Yes, it’s working.’â€? Raymundo started consulting for Rockwell 20 years ago. All around us is testament of his work and his vision. But he is quick to add that it is a group effort, brainstorming with brilliant minds WORKING WITH ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS AND kNANCE people. While his gift for seeing the details in undeniable, this industry leader thinks it is still not his biggest strength. “I think my edge is I try to find another door for PROJECTS SOMEthing different. It doesn’t have to be something big. Sometimes small is beautiful, right?â€? His 23 years’ EXPERIENCE IN REAL estate gives him a unique perspective. “I’ve been through so many cycles. It’s important that you see the cycle goes up and crashes and GOES UP AGAIN 4HAT S HOW YOU LEARN 9OU CANNOT LEARN IN IN A MARKET THAT JUST GOES UP UP UP UP Right, because how can you learn if your learning CURVE IS JUST LIKE THAT u !S THE REAL ESTATE MARKET ascends, he is thrilled to be leading a team of 600 in Colliers Philippines. Raymundo encourages his people to travel. “It’s so cheap now with a lot of budget airline and AirbNB -Y YOUNG CONSULTANTS JUST WENT TO 4URKEY ,OOK AT THAT 4HEY RE GETTING MORE ADVENTUROUS NOW u Observing that the millennials currently prefer EXPERIENCE OVER OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY HE OFFERS this advice: “While you’re young and you’re earning, and the market is good, go invest in real estate. We are in this industry, so you should have the CONkDENCE TO KNOW WHERE TO INVEST AND WHAT TYPE of investment to make.â€? 7HILE THIS lAIR FOR DESIGN HAS BECOME SECOND nature to him now, Raymundo admits he can’t draw even if his life depended on it. He was not INTERESTED IN ART AS A YOUNGSTER BUT HIS JOURNEYS AND WORK EXPOSED HIM TO ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

Why show a bare place when it can be beautiful? You can change someone’s view of property by the way it’s designed

g9OU START COMPARING 4HIS DEVELOPER DID THIS BETTER THAN THIS ONE )T S SELLING WELL 4HEY RE ABLE TO PRICE it higher.� He learned by reading design books and attending conferences like the Business of Design 7EEK IN (ONG +ONG FOR THE PAST kVE YEARS ,IVING IN (ONG +ONG WAS ALSO A GREAT PLACE TO CULTIVATE HIS DESIGN SENSE 2AYMUNDO SAYS g4HERE YOU SEE A FASHION SHOW 9OU LOOK AT A FASHION MAGAZINE 9OU GO TO A SHOP AND IT S AVAILABLE 4HAT S HOW CONnected it is. If you ride a bus, some passengers have Channel and Hermes bags. It makes design tangible.�

Model unit 2ECOGNIZING THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY VISUAL 2AYMUNDO sees the importance of staging properties. “It is important for real estate to achieve its utmost potential. Why show a place looking very bare when IT CAN LOOK BEAUTIFUL 4HAT S WHY ALL OF OUR REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES EVEN AN OFkCE WE MARKET THEM with a model unit. It gives people an idea of how their space can look.� After being away from Manila for eight years, 2AYMUNDO RETURNED HOME REALIZING TRAFkC WOULDN T BE EASY g)N (ONG +ONG YOU CAN HAVE kVE MEETINGS in a day easily. Here you are lucky if you can have two in the morning and one in the afternoon.� But HE PROCLAIMS g-ANILA IS A HAPPENING PLACE ,OOK at how fast BGC (Bonifacio Global City) and the (Manila) Bay Area have grown.� &OR THIS IDEAS SPONGE IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE EXPOSED TO GREAT THINKERS AND CREATIVE MINDS g%XPOSURE IS KEY ,OOKING AT THE TRENDS IS KEY .O ONE HAS A CRYSTAL BALL You can see changes when they start to break. You’ll see ripples in the market. Because when it’s full-blown already, it’s a bit too late. Everyone’s doing it already. We try to catch it at the onset.� 2AYMUNDO IS IN AN EXCITING PHASE IN HIS LIFE while the real estate industry is also doing very well. But he is quick to add: “You can’t be complacent. You have to stay on top of your game, even if the business is doing well. Something will always CHANGE 4ECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING SO WE NEED TO watch out for that.� /DDLY HIS CONCEPT OF SWITCHING OFF FROM THE JOB IS ALSO TECHNOLOGY g) SWITCH OFF WITH .ETlIX LIKE everyone else. But you’re never really switched off. 4HAT S THE REALITY u Raymundo sums it up: “You need to have a healthy attitude for work, because if you don’t ENJOY IT THEN YOU SHOULDN T BE THERE ) STILL ENJOY IT AFTER YEARS ) STILL ENJOY MEETING CLIENTS DEvelopers, talking to them about ideas and trying to win the business. g9OU NEED TO LEARN 4HE TIME YOU STOP LEARNING THAT S IT 3TOP ,EAVE 'O TO ANOTHER INDUSTRY u &OR THE EXTENDED VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE GO TO http://www.manilatimes.net/category/boardroomwatch

Sports

FFRIDAY AAPRIL 19, 2019

C1

www.manilatimes.net

Q Detroit Pistons’ Andre Drummond (No. 0) and Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 34) go for a loose ball during the first half of Game 2 of an NBA basketball firstround playoff series on Thursday in Milwaukee. AP PHOTO

Antetokounpo leads Bucks past Pistons for 2-0 series lead M ILWAUKEE: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 13 of his 26 points in Milwaukee’s big third quarter and the Bucks beat the Detroit Pistons 120-99 on Wednesday night (Thursday in Manila) to take a 2-0 lead in THE kRST ROUND PLAYOFF SERIES

Eric Bledsoe led the Bucks with 27 points, and Khris Middleton had 24. Milwaukee is trying win a SERIES FOR THE kRST TIME SINCE Luke Kennard had 19 points for Detroit. Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond each added 18, and Drummond had 16 rebounds. DeTROIT STAR "LAKE 'RIFkN SAT OUT AGAIN

with a left knee injury, but received a technical for the second straight game for arguing from the bench. Game 3 is Saturday night in Detroit. After scoring 10 points and playing ONLY MINUTES IN THE kRST HALF BEcause of foul trouble, Antetokounmpo SCORED -ILWAUKEE S kRST SEVEN POINTS

in the third quarter. The Bucks outscored Detroit 35-17 in the period to take a 93-76 lead into the fourth. Detroit clawed within seven in the fourth before the Bucks put it away, capped by a hard drive by Antetokounmpo on a break. He banked in an awkward reverse-angle shot while CRASHING TO THE lOOR AFTER BEING FOULED

PBA takes breather in observance of Holy Week THE PBA Philippine Cup semifinal round takes a much-needed four-day respite starting on Holy Wednesday as the four-team combatants of separate bestof-seven series replenish their sapped energy for the tougher days ahead. All four–team — defending champion San Miguel Beer, sister team and 2018 Governors Cup titlist Magnolia Hotshots, Rain or Shine and elimination round leader Phoenix Pulse — have been playing twice for the past fortnight ans the four-day rest, ending on Holy Saturday in observation of the Holy week offers a welcome relief to all. “Very timely. we’ll be eyeing for a 3-0 lead against Phoenix on Sunday and the four-day reprieve sure give us an oppor-

tune time to re-charge,� Beermen team captain Arwind Santos told The Manila Times in a telephone call on Tuesday. Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero, whose Hotshots Pambansang Manok had just cut the Elasto Painters’ erstwhile 2-0 edge in their side of the semis series, 85-74 on Tuesday agreed with the SMB skipper. “It’s a big thing for us, for my boys, especially. Imagine, we’ve been playing seven games the past 14 days at one every other day, kaya welcome na welcome ito sa amin ,� Victolero said the day following the Hotshots much-needed win. RoS mentor Caloy Garcia, dismissed the notion that fatigue has finally

caught on his Elasto Painters, saying what happened Tuesday night was normal and to be expected although he, too welcome the four-day respite for purposes of soul-searching for his boys. “I don’t think it’s fatigue. Not even complacency on the part of the boy, “ Garcia said. “Minsan talaga, nangyayari mga bagay na ‘yun. Nothing to worry, though. we can recover, especially may apat na araw pahinga so we can think of what happened and find solution to whatever problems that cropped up.� Coach Louie Alas of the Fuel Masters could not be reached, but people close to him said Magnolia’s breaking its losing streak could have robbed on him

and his charges. Santos, meanwhile, expressed belief that SMBeer is capable of sweeping its best-of-seven semifinal round series with elimination round leader Phoenix. “We can. Kaya naman ,� Santos told this writer after the Beermen scored a come-from-behind 92-82 win on Monday that gave them a 2-0 series lead, only two shy of clinching Finals berth in their bid for a five-peat in this, the most prestigious of the three tournaments the pro league is offering in the calendar. Santos believed, too, that the momentum is already on the Beermen’s side.

“Kailangan lang pangalagaan ito at huwag bitawan. The series is becoming to be very physical starting noong ng Game 1 at marami nang nasasaktan.� Santos cited teammate June Mar Fajardo’s case as reason to end the series. “Lamog na katawan ni June Mar. Tuwing laro nasasaktan. Baka pagdating ng Finals, kung papasok kami, hindi na makakilos yan sa sakit ng katawan.� The Bermen, actually rested on Tuesday and resumed practicing on Wednesday. Another practice is scheduled on Maundy Thursday before resting again Good Friday. Training resumes on Black Saturday in preparation for Easter Sunday’s Game 3. EDDIE G. ALINEA

5TH PHILMAHOF UNFOLDS APRIL 29

THE Fifth Philippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame (PhilMaHoF) will hold its gala night on April 29 at the Casa Ibarra inside the Mall of Asia in Pasay City. Founded by the late Punong Lakan Garitony Nicolas, the PhilMaHoF aims to give recognition to exemplary martial arts teachers and practitioners in the Philippines and around the WORLD 4HE kRST EDITION OF THE 0HIL-AHoF was held on April 21 to 22, 2012 at the Diamond Hotel in Roxas "OULEVARD -ANILA 4HE kFTH EDITION of the event is under the leadership of Mizha Nicolas De Guzman, the founder’s daughter. This year’s recipients of the Dangal ng Lahi – Pag-asa ng Sining Award are Al Bon Likigan, Manly Bayona, Ryann Carlo Macadaeg, Danica Caw-is, Angela Donglay, Lira Acachang, Jana Kaye Balicdang, Kristen Pearl Tamiking, Bradley Donglay, Alexandria Dumanas, Gigie Anton, Jackson Limayog, Richard Bautista, Florentina Pascual Pa, Jeshurun Monsour Quino Amosco, Alyssa Murphy, Kynan Robert Davies and Derek Drayton. The PhilMaHoF Top10 Filipino Martial Artists for 2019 are Panchito Victoria Jr., John Alpert Ballesteros, Angelo T. Chung, Benito F. Guintivano, Jerimiah Tumaque, Michael Blasig, John Robert Ablin, Ng Tian Huat Tony Ng, Wayne Hunt and Cindy Mcgrath. To receive the Distinguished FMA Instructor of the Year plum are Melchor William Amosco, Al-

Q A seminar on the rules of arnis competition is among the featured activities of the 5th Philippine Martial Arts Hall of Fame. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO lan Fami, Ritche Booc Pal, Rommel Tortal, Jhonee Llandelar, Jason Tam, Michael Riley, Empleo Rizaldo and Helen De Leon. The Order of Kampilan awardees are John Paolo Vibandor Dancel, Giovanni Maria Elosso, Arnel Preciado, Renz Appolo Gallano, Timothy Titus Borromeo, Crisabto Saruca Jr., AND .EOkL !GUILLON The recipients of the Decree of Maharlika Award are Susan Murton, Anton St. James, Bram Frank, Christian Mayer, Mildred Nakamura, Noe Navarro, Rogelio

Santos and Hedina Santos. To receive the Gat Jose Rizal Pagsibol ng Sining Award are Michiko Akeizha De Guzman, Aicee Nicole Eligarco, Aljon Pagayanan, Zarah Elyssa De Paz, Zarah Sophia De Paz and Mackhenzie Aldrich De Guzman. To receive the Sinag Tala Award are Marquez “The Machine� Sangiao, Eduard “The Landslide� Folayang, Joshua “The Passion� Pacio, Geje “The Gravity� Eustaquio and Kevin “The Silencer� Belingon. The other awardees are Dennis Polli (Distinguished Filipino

Martial Artists Award), Michael Weisberg (Distinguished Filipino Martial Artists Award), Ahzel Miral (Dakilang Mandirigma), Prashant Nair (Dakilang Mandirigma), Bill Johnson (Decree of Lapu-Lapu), Arnulfo Zamuco (Decree of LapuLapu), Henry Espera (Decree of Lapu-Lapu), Percival Pableo (Distinguished Founder-Tagapagtatag), Romeo Valenzuela (Distinguished Founder-Tagapagtatag), Kanishka Sharma (Distinguished Filipino Martial Arts Master), Evan Tai (Distinguished Filipino Martial Arts

Master), Laraw Kali Pamuok (Filipino Martial Arts Organization of the Year), Abdul Azeem McDaniel (Sultan ng Sining), Maurizio Felli (Sultan ng Sining) and Stix (FMA Brand of the Year). Besides the gala night, among the featured activities of the PhilMaHoF are tournament rules seminar for arkibos, arnis paluan, anyo, knife fighting and modern sinawali at the San Andres Complex in Manila (April 27 to 28), Grandmasters’ Seminar at the MMDA Arena (April 30,) and Manila Tour (May 1).

by Drummond. He competed the three-point play it make it 105-87. Detroit battled back in the secOND QUARTER kNALLY TAKING A lead on Jackson’s jumper with 28 SECONDS LEFT "LEDSOE BRIElY PUT THE Bucks back in front, but Jackson closed the half with a layup to give Detroit a 59-58 lead. AP

CaĂąete vows arnis dominance in SEAG

PHILIPPINE Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF) Executive Vice0RESIDENT 'ERALD #AĂ„ETE IS CONkDENT that the Philippines will dominate sport arnis in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEAG) that the country is hosting late this year. “Our chairman (Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri) has already declared that we will dominate the competition,â€? CaĂąete, who is also assigned as the competition manager of the sport in the upcoming SEA Games, told The Manila Times. “It’s a no-brainer because it is our national sport,â€? he added. “And although we are sending good coaches to the other countries to prepare them for the SEA Games, because they are relatively new to arnis, I think we will easily harvest all the gold medals. There’s no question about it.â€? CaĂąete promised to hold a fair competition in the biennial meet, where arnis will initially feature 20 events. CaĂąete, a grandmaster from the famed Doce Pares of Cebu, said the PH team will battle it out against four countries while Singapore and Thailand are still eyeing to jump into the fray. “You can see the clamor that they want to be part of the sport,â€? he said. As part of the preparations for the regional tilt that will be hosted by the country later this year, the OFkCIAL NATIONAL SPORTS ASSOCIATION (NSA) for anis conducted the 1st PEKAF World Invitational last April 6 to 8 at the SM Seaside City Cebu. The world invitational tournament pitted the Philippines against 11 other countries in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Around 220 arnisadors participated in the event. Despite the Philippines being the birthplace of arnis, CaĂąete stressed that the national athletes must train hard to live up to their reputation. CaĂąete said that Vietnam and Cambodia, hosts of the 2021 and 2023 meets, respectively, have already SIGNIkED THEIR INTENTIONS TO RETAIN arnis in the pool of sports. “We need to practice more because by the next SEA Games, we expect other countries to get better.â€? JEREMIAH M. SEVILLAÂ

C2

Sports

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

FRIDAY April 19, 2019

Donaire targets KO win vs Tete Â

Jaratas dominate PPS P’sinan netfest

BY JOSEF T. RAMOSÂ

W

ORLD Boxing Association (WBA) super bantamweight champion Nonito “The Filipino Flash� $ONAIRE *R 3AID HE IS CONkDENT TO SCORE a knockout victory against World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Zolani Tete on April 27 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana.

4HE YEAR OLD $ONAIRE RECORD WITH KNOCKOUTS FROM Talibon, Bohol declared that he HAS ALREADY kNE TUNED HIS STRENGTH and speed for his World Boxing Super Series unification fight against Tete. 4HE YEAR OLD 3OUTH !FRI CAN BOXER HOLDS A RECORD OF wins against three losses with 21 knockouts. “That is our goal (to KO Tete) to GO OUT THERE AND GIVE EVERYTHING WE GOT 7HEN ) GIVE EVERYTHING THAT I got, I feel I know I can take a lot. I don’t really expect what round but I expect to take him out,�

Donaire told The Manila Times VIA OVERSEAS CALL Donaire stressed the supe riority of his punching power OVER 4ETE S “Well, the game of it is not to get hit. But when it comes to power, HIS POWER IS NOT EQUIVALENT TO mine,� said Donaire. The “Filipino Flash� added that he is comfortable with his current weight class. g) AM kGHTING AT THE WEIGHT CLASS THAT ) M VERY CONFIDENT AND VERY comfortable. I had been in higher DIVISIONS IN THE PREVIOUS kGHTS TWO DIVISIONS HIGHER ) M NOW kGHTING

Q Nonito Donaire of The Phillipines waits in the corner after knocking down Jeffery Mathebula of South Africa during fourth round of the WBO IBF Super Bantamweight title fight at The Home Depot Center on July 7, 2012 in Carson, California. AFP FILE PHOTO here (super bantamweight) that’s why my power is dominating in THIS DIVISION $EkNITELY ) M A LOT faster and a lot smoother because AT LIGHTER DIVISION ) M NOT AS HEAVY as I am. I feel so good.�

Donaire is coming from a fourth round technical knockout VICTORY AGAINST FORMER )RISH 7"! champion Ryan Burnett. g ) M P R E T T Y C L O S E T O percent. I’m peaking right

NOW ) M VERY CONFIDENT u SAID Donaire, who is now under the TUTELAGE OF YEAR OLD TRAINER Kenny Adams in Las 6EGAS .EVADA

THAI RALLIES FROM 6 DOWN, WINS BY 1 THAI Namchok Tantipokhakul charged back from six strokes DOWN WITH A BRILLIANT kVE UNDER 67 then watched Teemu Putkonen WILT UNDER PRESSURE AT THE kNISH TO snare the ICTSI Luisita Champion ship crown by one at the Luisita Golf and Country Club in Tarlac on Thursday. )T WAS A STIRRING COME FROM BE HIND TRIUMPH FOR THE YEAR OLD ace from Choburi, who led in the RAIN HIT kRST ROUND BUT DROPPED TO joint third and six off the Finnish with a mediocre 72 Wednesday. But Tantipokhakul worked his WAY BACK FROM THIRD TO LAST lIGHT with six birdies against two bogeys after 14 holes then drilled in a CLUTCH BIRDIE ON THE PAR TH TO kNISH AT UNDER AND RECORD HIS kRST VICTORY WORTH ON Philippine Golf Tour Asia put up by ICTSI. Tantipokhakul, who tied for sixth in the Solaire Phil ippine Open two weeks ago and

WOUND UP JOINT TH IN THIS EVENT last year, thus ended the locals’ domination of the region’s emerg ing circuit after the Filipinos ruled THE LAST kVE LEGS OF THE 0'4 Asia season capped by Clyde -ONDILLA S TWO SHOT VICTORY OVER American Nicolas Paez in the Phil ippine Open at The Country Club. Putkonen, who took charge in the third round with a second STRAIGHT FENDED OFF A SLEW OF RIVALS WITH A PAR GAME AFTER EIGHT HOLES KEPT A TWO SHOT CUSHION OVER HIS NEAREST PURSUERS WITH A birdie on the ninth and held sway with a birdie rebound after bogey ing No. 11. Putkonen still had three holes left after Tantipokhakul forced a TIE AT UNDER OVERALL BUT SUC CUMBED TO PRESSURE lUBBING A birdie putt on the 16th and bogey ING THE TREACHEROUS PAR TH TO fell by one. He missed another BIRDIE BID FOR A PLAYOFF ON THE TH and ended up with a 72, setting for

SECOND INSTEAD AT Kammalas Namuangruk, also of Thailand, also fought back WITH A TO SALVAGE A SHARE OF THIRD AT WITH 3PAIN S -ARCOS 0ASTOR AND +OREAN !MERICAN -I CAH 3HIN WHO BOTH CARDED S and Dutch Guido Van der Valk, who shot a 71. Tony Lascuùa tried to make a run after a bogey on No. 2 with birdies on Nos. 3, 4, 9 and 11 to pull within three of Putkonen. But he stumbled with three bogeys in a FOUR HOLE STRETCH FROM .O AND NEEDED TO BIRDIE THE LAST TO SAVE A 71 and emerge the best Filipino PLACER AT JOINT SEVENTH AT WITH Thai Natthapong Niyomchon, who hobbled with a 73. Jay Bayron and Nilo Salahog also closed out with a pair of 71s for joint ninth with Singapore’s Choo Tze Huang (72), Lexus Keoninh of the US (71), Aussie *ACK ,ANE 7ESTON *APANESE Keita Sudo (74) and Thais Tawit

Pol thai and Donlaphatchai Niyomchon, who wound up with similar 73s. It was a sorry setback for Put konen, who looked headed to end ing a long title spell after storming TO A THREE STROKE LEAD OVER SECOND round leader Guido Van der Valk WITH A IN THE THIRD ROUND (E STAYED ON TOP DESPITE A PAR GAME IN THE kRST EIGHT HOLES AS A HORDE OF RIVALS TRIED BUT FAILED TO SHAKE him off until Tantipokhakul sustained his hot front 33 with birdies on Nos. 14 and 16 to get a CLEAR SHOT AT THE CROWN IN THE EVENT organized by Pilipinas Golf Tourna ments, Inc. and backed by PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT !SIA OFkCIAL APPAREL 0IN (IGH Meanwhile, the PGTA gears up for its first tournament abroad next month with the staging of 0'4! 4AIWAN ON -AY AT THE CCK Golf Club.

Q Namchok Tantipokhakul PHOTO BY ROGER RAĂ‘ADA

LA UNION’S Alexi Jarata pulled off a rare three-title feat while brother Marc and local bet Kriz Lim scored two victories each as they shared top honors in the PPS-PEPP Pangasinan national age group tennis tournament at the Urdaneta Tennis Club on Wednesday. Alexi, 12, dropped just three games in three matches to dominate her age bracket, whipping Jamille Castillo, 6-0, 6-1, in the finals, then crushing Anna Bajet via the same scoreline for the 14-U crown in the Group 2 tournament presented by Dunlop. The rising star from Agoo also overpowered top seed Franchezca Malaki, 4-1, 4-0, in the semis then thwarted Adriana Cabahug, 6-4, 7-5, to snare the 16-U diadem and run away with the MVP plum. Marc also lived up to his top billing in the 14- and 16-U divisions, coming away with a pair of 6-0, 6-1 romps over Prince Lim and Ivan Manila, while Kriz Lim scored a shutout win over Lexious Cruz in the 10-unisex finals then survived brother Prince, 6-3, 0-6, 13-11, for the 12-U diadem. “While the Jaratas and Lims keep shining in this side of the circuit, new faces continue to emerge in the PPS-PEPP’s countrywide talent search that has been going on for years,� said Palawan Pawnshop president/CEO Bobby Castro. Charles Torres, meanwhile, foiled Marc Jarata’s bid for a third title in the 18-U category, posting a 4-2, 4-0 victory in the semis before the local bet stunned top seed Joshua Molina, 6-4, 6-4, to snatch the crown. San Fabian’s Anna De Myer, on the other hand, produced a heart-stopping 7-5, 7-6(5) escape over surprise finalist Achaia Cabahug to bag the girls’ 18-U plum in the event sanctioned by the Unified Tennis Philippines made up of Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala, Cebuana Lhuillier, Wilson, Toby’s, Dunlop, Slazenger and B-Meg. Meanwhile, Achaia and Adriana Cabahug took the 18-U doubles crown, beating Renee Esteban and Malaki, 8-5, while Joshua Molina and Charles Torres bagged the boys’ title with an 8-4 romp over Kirk Agustin and Joewyn Pascua. Other doubles winners were Adriana Cabahug and Tristen Kitong, and Justine Erpelo and Marc Jarata (14-U) and Angelo Asuncion and Kriz Lim (10-unisex) while Bernie Macaraeg and Bitoy Ordon wore down Sonny Mejia and Julius Soriano, 8-6, to clinch the 40s crown in the Legends division. Action in the Luzon swing resumes on April 22 in Pulilan, Bulacan while competitions in the south shift to Zamboanga del Norte on April 24-27. Listup is ongoing. For details, call 09154046464.

Nadal cruises to opening Monte Carlo win MONTE CARLO, Principality of Monaco: Ra fael Nadal charged out of the blocks Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) to HAMMER 2OBERTO "AUTISTA !GUT IN HIS OPENING MATCH AT THE -ONTE Carlo Masters. 4HE TIME CHAMPION SHOWED no sign of the knee problems which forced him to quit ahead of an Indian 7ELLS SEMI kNAL AGAINST 2OGER &EDERER a month ago. 4HE YEAR OLD HAD EXPRESSED PRE tournament caution regarding the health of his knee — a worry which appeared to be groundless after a MINUTE MASTERCLASS g) M HAPPY FOR THIS VERY POSITIVE START I had good feelings on court,� he said. .ADAL COLLECTED THE OPENING FIVE games of the afternoon in 17 minutes as he set the tone for another dominant display in the principality. He was equally in control during the second set, where HE SAVED THREE BREAK POINTS IN the fourth game and two more in the sixth. “It was a great start, it’s good to BE BACK HERE u THE TIME 'RAND Slam winner said, keeping talk of his knee to a minimum. g) CAN T PRETEND TO NOT HAVE PAIN AT all, but professionals normally play with pain,� Nadal said. “It’s part of the sport at the highest LEVEL AND IT S NO LIMITATIONS AT ALL ) WAS ABLE TO MOVE WELL AND BE CONkDENT WITH the things that I did.� Bautista Agut has now lost to his Spanish countryman in all three of THEIR MEETINGS WHILE .ADAL IMPROVED HIS INCREDIBLE RECORD HERE TO AS HE TAKES AIM AT A FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TITLE AT THE EVENT g4HIS IS JUST THE kRST MATCH AND IT S

BEEN A VERY POSITIVE START u .ADAL SAID “The results say that.� 2OLAND 'ARROS kNALIST $OMINIC 4HIEM who lost to Nadal in Paris last June, beat 3LOVAKIA S -ARTIN +LIZAN Thiem, who won the Indian Wells title OVER &EDERER MADE A SUCCESSFUL SWITCH TO HIS FAVOURITE SURFACE AS HE PREPARES FOR THE PRE &RENCH /PEN SEQUENCE OF EVENTS Fourth seed Thiem won with a break IN THE kNAL GAME AFTER +LIZAN HELD A LEAD

Upbeat Zverev !LEXANDER :VEREV REDISCOVERED TRACES OF HIS BEST FORM WITH A DEFEAT OF #ANADIAN TEENAGER &ELIX !UGER !LIASSIME The German, locally based, reached THE THIRD ROUND AS HE TAMED THE YEAR

Q Spain’s Rafael Nadal serves against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut during their tennis match on the day 5 of the MonteCarlo ATP Masters Series tournament on Thursday in Monaco. AFP PHOTO

old who broke through for a Miami SEMI kNAL LAST MONTH 4HE YEAR OLD :VEREV PLAYED THE SEMI kNALS IN -ONTE #ARLO A YEAR AGO but has yet to hit his stride this season. That may be starting to change. g4HIS IS THE kRST TIME THIS SEASON ) VE FELT REALLY HEALTHY u SAID :VEREV WHO LOST prematurely at both Indian Wells and Miami, as well as in Marrakech last week. g) VE BEEN TRAINING WELL BUT HAVEN T been able to take that into matches. g) LIVE JUST METRES FROM HERE ) M comfortable on this court. I’m starting to feel better about my game. “I’m really ready for the clay season.� :VEREV SWEPT THE OPENING SET IN minutes but had to get through a series OF THREE STRAIGHT BREAKS OF SERVE BETWEEN HIM AND HIS OPPONENT BEFORE kNALLY ADVANCING IN MINUTES The third seed will next face Italy’s Fabio Fognini, who reached the third round when French op ponent Gilles Simon withdrew because of back problems. Greek sixth seed Stefanos 4SITSIPAS MOVED AHEAD defeating Mikhail Ku KUSHKIN “I need to maintain my focus, my con CENTRATION MY AGGRESSIVE MINDSET WHEN I’m on the court,� Tsitsipas said. g)F ALL THESE ARE COMBINED THEN ) HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR AND ) HAVE NOTHING TO BE afraid of when I’m on the court. g4HIS IS THE kRST BIG CLAY COURT TOURNA MENT NOT EVERYONE IS VERY WELL PREPARED for that. It’s been a long hardcourt court season before the clay.� Britain’s Cameron Norrie defeated -ARTON &UCSOVICS OF (UNGARY WHILE 0IERRE (UGUES (ERBERT STUNNED kNALIST AND kFTH SEED +EI .ISHIKORI AFP

PAGE FROM THE PAST

Today, we look back at an old front page of The Manila Times, the oldest national daily that was founded on October 11, 1898. (Note: This image was adjusted to fit the page.)

C4

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 99,, 2019 0 9

Lifestyle &Entertainment www.manilatimes.net

Lenten retreat Reflections on the sacrifice of the Savior

BY ARLO CUSTODIO

I

N the Christian world, Lent and the Holy Week are considered the most solemn season of the year, with the climax OF #HRIST S CRUCIkXION ON 'OOD &RIDAY AND His resurrection on Easter Sunday. With Roman Catholics making up 81 percent of the 92 percent Christian population of the Philippines, rites and traditions brought in by the Spaniards are practiced in almost every town and city of the country. In modern times though, many of the faithful, consider Holy Week as time to bond with family and friends to the beach or some other holiday destination to enjoy themselves. In doing so, they tend to forget the meaning of the Savior’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and what they should do during this solemn occasion. g&IRST OF ALL THE INlUENCE OF ISM is quite strong in this day and age – like secularism, that people made God something [not someone] private, depending on their own

beliefs [that make up] relativism, which Pope Benedict said it’s up for anyone to believe,� Caritas Manila Executive Director Father Anton Pascual shared to The Manila Times his thoughts on Good &RIDAY RElECTIONS “All forms of ism have strong INlUENCES ‡ SECULARISM RELATIVISM and materialism. What’s important today is you have money, everything else comes second. It is said that the most poweful motivator in the world is money and not faith. In this world, it’s these isms that have strong pull on people, with motivation for money stronger than the motivation of faith,� he added. Pascual, who is also the President of Radio Veritas 846, said that Holy Week should be a

this season] is most important, and for us to do more spiritual things like pilgrimage, attend church services, confession, reading the Bible, fasting and abstinence, do some SACRIkCES AS OUR SHOW OF UNITY TO THE SACRIkCES OF THE ,ORD THAT SO LOVED us, and [of course] do charitable endeavors,� he said. He also stressed that the amount saved from fasting or abstinence Kenosis the highest should be given to charity, which form of love admittedly is not understood even by the faithful. “Basically the Holy Week the is “The amount intended for food most beautiful moment so we when fasting should not be deposcan feel God’s love for us, which ited to the bank as part of savings IS CALLED KENOSIS ‡ SELF EMPTYING but rather should be given to the LOVE ‡ THAT #HRIST SHOWED BY OF- needy so they can feel the love of fering Himself in Calvary, which God. For how can the needy feel we celebrate on Good Friday,� the love of God except through us? Pascual stressed. Because we’re the body of Christ, He went on to explain that the as written by Saint Paul. How can a symbol of love is not the rose or sick person who calls on God feel heart but the cross, symbolizing the help from God? It’s through the highest form of love, offer- His body, and we are that body, ing of oneself as set by Christ as through everyone’s charitable EXAMPLE ‡ SO WE CAN BE FREED deeds, like visiting the sick. That’s from sin, evil, and death which He how the presence of God is felt.� triumphed over after three days. “And [for this reason of Christ’s Charity a way of life victory] we express our gratitude to God through spiritual works, “Charity is not just for Good Friday that’s why we are challenged dur- or the Holy Week. It is a way of life. ing the Holy Week to go through As Christians, we are challeged by confession, attend different litur- God to love Him and our fellowgical celebrations like Way of the MEN ‡ CONCRETELY NOT VIRTUAL .OT Cross, and celebrate as family on just through words, but manifested Easter Sunday,� he said. through our actions. As the Apostle “Since the Lord offered His life James said, ‘Faith without works is for us, we also need to offer [our- dead,’ that’s why love is shown. It is selves] to our fellowmen through said that ‘you can give without loving charitable endeavors especially but you cannot love without giving.’ those who are far apart from God’s “To show love for God and felgrace, the poor, the destitute, the LOWMEN YOU NEED TO GIVE ‡ TIME SICK VICTIMS OF CALAMITIES ‡ WHERE talent and treasure especially to we can do almsgiving,� he added the small ones. Matthew 25 says, ‘Whatever you do the smallest of 3 disciplines of Lent your fellowmen, you also have done it to God. That’s why we do charity The Radio Veritas President cum among the poor as Christ is in their Caritas Manila Executive Director midst,� the amiable priest said. emphasized the three important Father Anton ended by saying aspects, called disciplines, of Lent that God is everywhere and we are ‡ PRAYER FASTING AND ALMSGIVING challenged to promote the love of “It behooves that prayer [during God everywhere. “This is where multi-media enters ‡ TELEVISION RADIO ESPECIALLY NOW social media to get the attention of millennials to make them aware the importance of God in their lives. And the Holy Week is the climax of Christ’s mission for our redemption, the apex of the Paschal mystery, being observed liturgically during this period,� Pascual noted.

Q In these modern times, many tend to forget the meaning of the Savior’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and what they should do during this solemn commemoration of the Lord’s Passion. TIME OF CONTEMPLATION ‡ AT LEAST in the Philippines, since other countries don’t celebrate the ocCASION ‡ HOW 'OD LOVES US WHO SACRIkCED (IMSELF ON THE CROSS and lived again for our redemption but has become optional to many and no longer a priority in exercising their faith.

He said that this problem can be addressed by evangelization or the spread of good news about the Lord in these modern times, which is called by the Church as g.EW %VANGELIZATION u The program, not exactly pulpitbased, targets the 75 percent Catholics who don’t attend Church regularly.

Q Radio Veritas President and Caritas Manila Executive Director Fr. Anton Pascual shares his thoughts and Good Friday reflections in an interview with The Manila Times Lifestyle. PHOTOS BY GERARD SEGUIA

Grateful for God’s love on Good Friday Michael V and Dawn Zulueta busy and back to work on their movie after Holy Week Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even death on the cross. (Philippians 2:8)

there is also justice because Jesus was punished for our sins. He took all our sins upon Him so that there is no more need OF SACRIkCIAL OFFERINGS AS *ESUS BECAME THE ULTIMATE SACRIkCE T’S Good Friday today and Because of God’s love for Showbuzz joins the whole us, Christ died in our stead. Christendom in remembering the We should have been the SACRIkCES THAT THE ,ORD *ESUS #HRIST ones crucified because we endured for mankind. are the sinners and deserve to The Word of God says that the die penalty for our sin. “But God penalty for sin is death (Romans demonstrates His love for us, that 6:23a) and all have sinned and while we were yet sinners, Christ come short of the glory of God died for us (Romans 5:8). (Romans 3:23). In the Old TestaAfter Jesus died on the cross and ment, people would impute their rose again on the third day, we can sin on animals, kille them and claim forgiveness of our sin. All we offer their blood for forgiveness have to do is tell Him we repent of sin. But God so loved the world from our sins and ask Him to be that He sent his only begotten Son, our Savior and Lord of our life. Jesus Christ, just to die on the cross 4HIS IS THE MEANING AND SIGNIkAS THE ULTIMATE SACRIkCE FOR THE SIN cance of Christ’s death on the cross. of man. “For our sake, He made Have a blessed Good Friday. Him to be sin who knew no sin, so NNN that in Him we might become the Michael V and leading lady Dawn righteousness of God.� (2 Corin- Zulueta have three more shootthians 5:21) ing days to go after Holy Week to As Jesus died on the cross, there complete GMA Picture’s comeback is mercy, meaning are given the movie, “Family History.� Right now, they’re taking advanforgiveness we don’t deserve. But

I

SHOWBUZZ LHAR SANTIAGO tage of the quick break to travel. “I’m going to Switzerland with my wife para maging ‘swit’ kami,� Bitoy told Showbuzz before shortly before he left, pun intended.

fun,� shared Bitoy who is also DIRECTING THE MOVIE ‡ HIS kRST ‡ BESIDES ACTING IN IT “Even if I just found out that being a director is no joke!

.AKITA KO TALAGA NA HINDI SIYA madali but you learn a lot of new things like the set-up for that matter. Hindi pala

he’s the writer, he’s the actor, he’s the director, parang I’m like, ‘Go, Michael, go!’� A dream come true for the ace comedian, he gives thanks to the Lord every single day on the set for blessing him with the opportunity of becoming a director.

ganu’n kabilis gaya sa

TV. But I’m so happy because everyone is very cooperative.� “Para mas swit, mag-uwi ka ng Dawn is on top of his Swiss chocolate,� Dawn quipped list as a very supportive behind him. “Ako naman, pu- leading lady. According puntang .EW 9ORK ) M GOING to the premier actress, there with [my husband] Anton she knows that what [Lagdameo]. Our kids are staying Bitoy is doing as dihere because it will just be a short rector, writer, actor vacation and we have to be back and co-producer is a agad for our shooting.� huge challenge. .EITHER ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT “I am the one having a short break because as the who’s so excited movie pair chimed, “It’s a happy for him. I know set.� Both iconic stars in their respec- he’s been wanttive genres and generations, this is ing to do this but Q The ace comedian and top dramatic actress THE kRST TIME "ITOY AND $AWN ARE it’s daunting. I star in the upcoming movie ‘Family History.’ working together in a project. mean, when I “Working in this movie is really watch him working,

Dawn is likewise grateful to be chosen for the part explaining, “It’s so rare that we get to cross-over, ‘yung nakakatawid tayo ng network, so that we can go around the industry and get to work with everybody. I savor it because we really can’t say kung

kailan ba ito mauulit.�

Asked about working together for THE kRST TIME "ITOY BURST OUT laughing and said, g.A-discover ko na may pagkalukaluka pala ‘tong si Dawn. Kaya ‘yung script, I had to make some adjustments accordingly para swak na swak

talaga sa kanya.� “May pitik talaga ko minsan,� Dawn admitted with a

wide grin. “Michael noticed that so he gave me scenes that will really show this other side of me and sobrang enjoy talaga ako! “Si Michael naman, nakita ko how serious he is in his job, which is why I really want to show him support. I want to be his rah-rah girl because I believe in him. I believe we have a very good movie na hindi lang basta comedy but a story that will surely resonate with every family.�

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.