THE MANILA TIMES | FEBRUARY 23, 2019

Above-target budget deficit ‘manageable’ – Dominguez ÂťStory on B1 ++

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2019

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Trusted since 1898

Tagle admits sex abuse cover-up

SEX ABUSE SUMMIT

MANILA Archbishop Luis Antonio #ARDINAL 4AGLE ADMITTED THAT BISHops had wounded victims of clerical sex abuse by covering up the crime of prelates.

He acknowledged that efforts to PROTECT THE IMAGE OF THE #ATHOLIC #HURCH HAD ERODED THE TRUST IN THE institution. “Our lack of response to the suffering of victims, even to the point of rejecting them to cover up the scandal to protect perpetrators has

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Discussion now should be about insurgency’s end First word A Y ) . ' that he is “not that cruel,â€? President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday ordered the police and the military to allow the return home of National Democratic Front (NDF) chief negotiator Fidel Agcaoili, and opened the door for talks with the communist insurgents. ÂłMakabentaA4

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OBSERVER YEN MAKABENTA

Bishops listen to Pope Francis on the second day of a Papal global child protection summit for reflections on the sex abuse crisis at the Vatican.

AFP PHOTO

DESPITE ABU THREAT TO EXECUTE HOSTAGES

Palace sticks to no-ransom policy

BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE

M

ALACAÑANG on Friday maintained the government’s policy of not paying ransom for the release of hostages, despite a threat by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to execute a Malaysian and two Indonesians who were abducted in Mindanao.

‘Tinnie Terrorists’ jailed in Australia for PH plot

The libel case against Ressa and Santos

NORIN MY LINE MALLY OF SIGHT d o n ’ t contradict fellow columnists whose opinions differ from mine.

First, because it’s very, very unethical and downright immoral to bash a colleague on any issue.

SYDNEY: Four Australians with almost no seafaring experience were jailed on Friday for hatching a “foredoomed� plot to sail a boat to the southern Philippines and overthrow the local government.

The four men and two other Australians, who were yet to be sentenced, were arrested in 2016 by police after buying a seven-meter (23-foot) boat and moving it overland 2,840 kilometers (1,765 miles) from the southern city of Melbourne to the northeastern tip of Australia.

Despite having almost zero sailing experience, the “Tinnie Terrorists,� as the Australian media

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RAMON T. TULFO

What’s inside MURAD TAKES OATH AS HEAD OF BANGSAMORO REGION NewsA2 BEWARE OF THE EXTREMIST DRIFT

Antonio ContrerasA4 LAWMAKERS EYE LONGER PATERNITY LEAVE NewsA3

THE -AKATI #ITY 0ROSECUTOR S /FkCE HAS DISmissed the qualified theft case filed by Kris Aquino against her former project manager Nicanor “Nicko� Falcis, who was also MANAGING DIRECTOR OF +RIS #OJUANGCO !QUINO 0RODUCTIONS +#!0 Emmanuel Medina, Makati senior deputy city prosecutor, approved on -ONDAY !SSISTANT #ITY 0ROSECUTOR Paolo Barcelona’s resolution, moving for the dismissal of the case for lack of probable cause.

This was one of the complaints lodged against Falcis in several cities over his alleged charging of more than P1 million to a BDO corporate card under AquiNO S COMPANY +#!0 WITHOUT consent from the former.

4HE CHARGES kLED IN -AKATI stemmed from 13 alleged transactions amounting to P404,794.34. “No evidence was presented with regard to any agreement between Aquino and Falcis as Television host and actress Kris regards the use of the subject Aquino walks with her lawyer and sons Bimby and Josh to the Quezon City Prosecutor’s ÂłThrows outA2 Office. PHOTO BY RUY MARTINEZ

LEGAL WAR CONTINUES

PH routs Qatar as Blatche returns

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TEAM Pilipinas banked on the returning Andray Blatche to decimate host Qatar, 84-46, in the sixth and last window of the International Basketball Federation &)"! !SIAN QUALIkERS AT THE !L 'HARAFA 3PORTS #LUB Hall in Doha, Qatar on Friday. ÂłReturnsA8

NIKE IN DAMAGE CONTROL AFTER BASKETBALL STAR’S SHOE SHREDS

SportsC1

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COURT THROWS OUT KRIS AQUINO’S COMPLAINT VS FORMER MANAGER

BY JOSEF T. RAMOS

Beckham’s ‘modern femininity;’ Burberry’s British tradition

0ALACE SPOKESMAN 3ALVADOR 0ANELO EXPRESSED CONkDENCE IN THE CAPABILITY OF government forces to rescue the captives of the terrorist group. g;7E RE= STANDING kRM ON NO RANSOM policy. The government forces will hunt

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

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News

˜ The Manila Times SATURDAY February 23, 2019

BANGSAMORO LEADERS

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President Rodrigo Duterte and House Speaker Gloria Arroyo (center) join leaders and member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority. PHOTO BY J GERARD SEGUIA

Murad takes oath as head of Bangsamoro Region M

BY CATHERINE S. VALENTE

URAD Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), took his oath as interim chief minister of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Friday before President Rodrigo Duterte.

The MILF signed a peace treaty with the Philippine government in 2014. Murad and his transition body will form a cabinet, as well as pass laws until the temporary

arrangement ends with the election of a regional parliament in May 2022.

The President called on the Bangsamoro Transition Authority

(BTA) to work on the decommissioning of weapons and combatants of the MILF to ensure a smooth transition towards the creation of a new government entity. “I trust that you will oversee the transition period to the best of your abilities, especially in the DECOMMISSIONING OF kREARMS AND former combatants,� the President said in his speech.

Among the members of the 80man BTA is Abdullah Macapaar.

ALIAS #OMMANDER "RAVO A ROGUE MILF commander who raided COMMUNITIES IN .ORTH #OTABATO and Lanao del Norte in 2008

AFTER THE 3UPREME #OURT HALTED the signing of an ancestral domain agreement.

The BTA is composed of 41 representatives from the MILF and 39 others from the government.

Duterte said the establishment of the new government entity in Mindanao was “not just the fulkLLMENT OF A CAMPAIGN PROMISE

it will be the realization of our collective desire.� “It will be the realization of all our dreams and end long decades of armed struggle that hindered the growth of the region and

I also consider my home,� the President said. “The road to peace may be long and rough, but I am glad that we HAVE kNALLY REACHED ITS ENDPOINT My only hope is that we put to rest the bitter memories of the past so that we can build a new region that is bound, not by ethnic or religious AFkLIATION BUT BY A COMMON ASPIRAtion for peaceful coexistence among our fellow Filipinos,� he added. “Your courage and determination will never be put to waste. I guarantee that you and this administration will use all the resources within its disposal to ensure better

Q THROWS OUT FROM A1

Delinquent taxpayers urged to avail of amnesty NOW is the time for those with estate tax delinquencies to settle their obligations with the government on the heels of the enactment of the Tax Amnesty !CT 3EN !QUILINO g+OKOu 0Imentel 3rd said on Friday.

Pimentel encouraged taxpayers with unsettled estate tax liabilities to avail of the amnesty period provided by Republic Act (RA) 11213, which was signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on February 14. “The tax amnesty provides an opportunity to save on hefty fines. Availment of the benefits of the law will be good both for the taxpayer and the government, so this is a win-win situation,� he said.

The senator explained that the new Tax Amnesty Act aimed to enhance revenue generation for the government by encouraging citizens to pay the correct amount of taxes without incurring penalties and fines.

0IMENTEL AUTHORED 3ENATE

Bill 293 in 2016, providing for a one-time amnesty on estate taxes. The bill was made part and became an integral portion of RA 11213.

An entire section of the comprehensive revenue measure is devoted to the tax levied on transfer of pieces of property of a dead person or “decedent� on the “estate� or sum of that person’s property.

Under the new law, the amnesty period covers the property of those who died on or before Dec. 31, 2017 and whose estate taxes have remained unpaid as of that date.

RA 11213 pegs the tax rate at 6 percent computed from the net estate at the time of death.

The President, however, has vetoed certain provisions of the law relating to general tax relief for both persons and corporations that failed to pay correct taxes for 2017 and earlier.

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

Q POLICY FROM A1

Palace firm on no-ransom them in the wild forests of Mindanao and unleash their might and blow them to kingdom come,�

Panelo told The Manila Times in a text message. g4HE !3' CONTINUES TO BE ON THE run as a result of the order of the President to the military to crush them,� he said.

The government, Panelo added, was strongly against paying ranSOM TO THE !BU 3AYYAF TERRORISTS as the money enables them to buy MORE kREARMS TO CARRY OUT MORE kidnappings and terror attacks. “We are doing our best to secure the release of hostages [one Malay-

sian and two Indonesians] from THE EVIL HANDS OF THE !BU 3AYYAF 'ROUP BUT WE STAND kRM ON OUR no-ransom policy,� he said in a separate statement. “To give in to the demands of terrorists and other lawless groups would embolden them to engage in more abductions that would allow them to conduct extremist and other criminal activities as they could buy more arms and weapons,� Panelo added.

He made the statement after !BU 3AYYAF TERRORISTS POSTED A video online threatening to execute their captives.

governance and inclusive political empowerment in this new Bangsamoro region,� he added.

Duterte also challenged the BTA members to “always embody the dreams and aspirations of the great men and women who came before you and fought for the recognition of your right to determine your future.� “As you lead this new region towards a brighter tomorrow, I ask you never to waver in your commitment to build an institution that is founded on the rule of law, the promotion of good governance, and the defense [of] our most cherished democratic values,� he said.

Duterte expressed hope that the new autonomous region would be a place of peaceful coexistence among -USLIMS #HRISTIANS AND ,UMAD “Always work for the best interest and welfare, not only of the Bangsamoro people, but every Filipino who live in that region,� he said.

Court

HOUSE COMMENDATION

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray receives House Resolution from Deputy Speaker Mercedes Alvarez, congratulating and commending her victory at the House of Representatives. PHOTO BY RUY MARTINEZ 4HE !3' RELEASED A VIDEO WHICH showed the Indonesian hostages — believed to be Heri Ardiansyah, 19, and Hariadin, 45 — being guarded by gunmen.

The Malaysian hostage, Jari Abdulla, 24, was not with the duo.

The captives, their eyes covered with black cloth and hands tied behind their backs, made an emotional appeal for their governments to save them. One militant held a bolo to the neck of Hariadin as he spoke to the camera.

The hostages were kidnapped AT SEA OFF 3ANDAKAN IN 3ABAH ON Dec. 5, 2018.

The terrorists are believed to be holding nearly a dozen captives, mostly foreigners.

The military said combat opERATIONS AGAINST THE !BU 3AYYAF

would continue. “We never negotiate with terRORIST KIDNAPPERS u #OL .OEL Detoyato, military public affairs chief, said. “We will continue with our ongoing combat operations, there is one ongoing right now,� he told reporters in an interview.

He said the military’s Eastern -INDANAO #OMMAND AND THE 7ESTERN -INDANAO #OMMAND were in close coordination with its counterparts in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta through the trilateral patrol operations in the southern seas.

On Wednesday, President Rodrigo Duterte urged Indonesia and Malaysia to join forces with the Philippines in combating crime on the high seas. g) CALL UPON THE ")-0 %!'!

(Brunei Darussalam-IndonesiaMalaysia-Philippines-East AssoCIATION OF 3OUTHEAST !SIAN 'ROWTH Area). We are doing commerce. Our navies must be vigilant. We have to be one in our patrols. These pirates, they have no souls, I assure you. I AM TELLING THE MILITARY FORCES kNISH them (pirates) off,� Duterte said in HIS SPEECH IN $AVAO #ITY “Once again, Indonesia and Malaysia, we have to band together.

The world is changing including the economy. It could either go bad or very bad or where it could go well. But we have to go to a bad level and I hope we can survive it,� he added.

Duterte renewed the call amid security concerns in the regional waters wherein piracy and kidnap-forransom activities continue to thrive.

credit card [under Falcis’ name],� the order read.

Medina explained that with Falcis’ name on the card, he could use it according to the terms imposed by BDO and “using it for personal expenses does not make him liable for theft.� “As cardholder, Falcis is personally liable to BDO for any and all amounts charged to the card. It is for this reason that Falcis’ name appears in the credit cards statement of account. Thus, should Falcis now pay his credit card bill, BDO can directly initiate legal actions against him to compel him to pay,� the resolution said. “He is only liable to BDO for the card transactions that he had made using the card,� it added. !QUINO ALSO ON &RIDAY kLED HER COUNTER AFkDAVIT ON A GRAVE THREAT CASE lodged against her by Nicko and his BROTHER *ESUS BEFORE THE 1UEZON #ITY 0ROSECUTOR S /FkCE “I did not threaten to kill Nicko.

I was very angry at them so I said something when [I was] interVIEWED LAST 3EPT ) WAS hoping to personally meet them today. But they are not here. Let’s meet on next hearing on March 8,� she told reporters.

The Divina law office, which is handling the case, said the grave threat case was a mere “afterthought, a measly ploy to retaliate� and to RESPOND TO THE 0 MILLION QUALIkED THEFT CASE kLED AGAINST .ICKO Aquino said her harsh words against Nicko were more of a threat of legal action.

(ER COUNTER AFkDAVIT SAID THE &ALcis brothers failed to submit to the prosecutor an audio recording of her alleged threat. “What they submitted was a mere screenshot of an article about the audio recording, making it a hearsay and inadmissible in court,� Aquino pointed out.

Aquino, who was accompanied by sons Joshua and Bimby and sister "ALSY EXPRESSED CONkDENCE THAT THE COMPLAINT kLED AGAINST HER WOULD be dismissed.

NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS AND JAIME R. PILAPIL

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News

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

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Longer paternity leave eyed

BY GLEE JALEA

A

DAY AFTER 0RESIDENT 2ODRIGO $UTERTE SIGNED THE %XPANDED -ATERNITY ,EAVE LAW

A LAWMAKER BARED A MOVE TO LENGTHEN THE PATERNITY LEAVE FOR WORKING FATHERS Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, author of House Bill (HB) 3401, said the measure seeks to increase the paternity leave to

15 days from seven.

HB 3401 seeks to amend Republic Act (RA) 8187 or the “Paternity ,EAVE "ENEkT ,AW OF u

The 23-year-old law, authored by the late Sen. Ernesto Herrera, grants a statutory minimum paternity leave of seven days, with full pay to married male employees in the private and public sectors. “We have to be more supportive of both mother and father during childbirth, so it is just a matter of time before Congress also raises THE PATERNITY LEAVE BENEkT u SAID Pimentel, A FATHER OF kVE “We h ave t o g i ve

AQUINO TO CHED:

A street sweeper cleans the People Power Monument in preparations for the Edsa People Power Revolution anniversary on Monday. PHOTO BY RUY MARTINEZ

correct the system to make the FREE COLLEGE LAW REALLY BENEkcial),� said Aquino.

4HE 4%3 IS A SUBSIDY FOR kNANcially disadvantaged students to cover other costs of education such as food, books and living expenses, as well as expenses of poor but deserving students in private colleges and universities.

Aquino said guidelines should be released by the CHEd to avoid confusion in schools. “The implementation of this law should not be slowed down by bureaucracy. Mga bata at ang kanilang mga pamilya ang naaapektuhan ng red tape (Students and their families are the ones affected by red tape)� he added.

The CHEd has released around P4 billion to around

BENEkCIARIES IN 35#S and local universities and colleges.

However, Aquino said the CHEd had yet to release the remaining P11.2 billion fund allocated for the TES in the 2018 budget.

JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

expand the PhilHealth coverage to include free consultation tests and other diagnostic services.

Go said the new law was in line with his advocacy to improve the delivery of health services. The President’s former top aide said if he wins a seat in the Senate, he would push the enactment of a law that would mandate the establishment of Malasakit Centers in more provinces and key urban areas.

A program of the Duterte administration, the Malasakit Center brings together, under one roof, government agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Charity

Sweepstakes Office and Philhealth to make it easier for poor patients to avail of the government’s medical and financial assistance.

Go said the UHC law and the Malasakit Center program would complement each other to provide better health services to poor Filipinos. “ Mauuna muna ang tulong ng Universal Health Care tsaka po papasok ang pondo na na download sa hospital sakaling may balanse pa po [na babayaran] yung pasyente.

Lahat ito ma process sa Malasakit Center (First to be processed will be the help under Universal Health Care. The hospital will then withdraw funds if the patient still has

to settle some bills. All these will be processed in the Malasakit Center),� Go explained. “ Kung may makita kayong Malasakit Center lapitan n’yo lamang po.

Inyo po iyan, pera n’yo po ‘yan (Seek help in Malasakit Centers. That was set up using the people’s money),� he added.

Presently, there are 23 Malasakit Centers nationwide. The 24th will be opened in Dagupan today. Go’s health agenda include the provision of additional funding to public hospitals to increase their bed capacity.

He is also proposing to increase the salaries of nurses in public health facilities and better benefits for village health workers.

Selling of a cultural property Dear PAO, I was able to locate the bayonet of my friend, which has been CLASSIkED AS A CULTURAL PROPERTY 4HE BAYONET WAS USED BY HIS GRANDFATHER DURING 7ORLD 7AR 7ILL ) VIOLATE ANY LAW IF ) SELL the bayonet?

Omar Dear Omar, The law that addresses your situation is Section 48 (e), Article VIII of Republic Act (RA) 10066 or the “National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009�, which provides: “Section 48. Prohibited Acts.

To the extent that the offense is not punishable by a higher punishment under another provision of law, violations of this Act may be made by whoever intentionally: xxx “(e) Imports, sells, distributes, procures, acquires, or exports cultural property stolen, or otherwise

in a statement.

Rep. Pia Cayetano said the measure was an “acknowledgment of the dual role of women in society,� referring to mothers who were also members of the work force.

Congress ratified in October the consolidated HB 4113 and Senate Bill 1305, which provides 105 days paid maternity leave for public and private workers, seven days of which are transferable to fathers.

IRRs should not deviate from laws – Ejercito SEN. Joseph Victor “JV� Ejercito on Friday expressed hope that the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRRs) for two landmark laws — the Universal Health Care law (UHC) and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Act (DHSUD) — would conform to their noble intentions.

The reelectionist senator authored and sponsored both laws.

Ejercito said the IRRs should not deviate from the true meaning of the newly enacted laws. “There is a saying that ‘the devil is in the detail.’ I hope these noble intentions and the other pro-people objectives will truly be reflected in the IRRs,� said Ejercito, chairman of both Committee on Health and Committee on Housing. “I am absolutely not pre-empting the outcome of the IRRs, but just giving unsolicited advice to those who will constitute the panel that will discuss and formulate the IRRs for them to be accurate in understanding, interpreting and detailing the laws,� he said.

He explained that the UHC law makes medical consultation and basic laboratory tests affordable. Under the law, all Filipinos become automatic members of the Philippine Health Corp. and are covered by the National Health Insurance Program. On the other hand, the DHSUD will act as the “sole� planning and program agency for all housing and urban development efforts. It aims to expedite the distribution of units to beneficiaries of the government’s housing program.

BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

Bong Go lauds signing of Universal Health law CHRISTOPHER Lawrence “Bong� Go welcomed the signing of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law, saying it proves that President Rodrigo Duterte is working for the welfare of Filipinos. “Ngayon, kahit sinong Pilipino ay makaaasa ng maayos na serbisyong medikal sa panahon na kailangan nila ito (Now Filipinos can have better medical services ),� Go said.

Under the new law, Filipinos will be automatically enrolled in the proposed National Health Insurance Program (NHIP), giving them access to primary health care services even without Philippine Health Corp. (PhilHealth) identification cards.

The law also aims to

between father and child.

In other countries, Pimentel said, fathers get up to 90 days of paternity leave, with 80 percent of their regular pay.

On Thrsday, Duterte signed the Expanded Maternity Leave law. “We have been pushing this since the presidency of [Speaker] Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Finally our decade-long efforts and campaign for women workers paid off,� women’s group Gabriela said

READY FOR THE BIG DAY

Release guidelines on free college subsidy SEN. Paolo Benigno “Bam�

Aquino 4th on Friday called on the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to release the guidelines for the additional subsidy for students under the Free College law. “While tuition and miscellaneous fees are already free in state universities and colleges (SUCs), students in private SCHOOLS HAVE YET TO BENEkT FROM the provision of the Free College law that provides a tertiary education subsidy (TES) for poor but deserving students, who choose to go to private schools,� said Aquino, principal sponsor of the Free College law.

The senator blamed this on the delay in the release of guidelines, including the memorandum of agreement between CHEd and private higher educational institutions (HEIs). “Huwag pahirapan ang mga estudyante at magulang. Dapat ayusin na ang sistema para mapakinabangan talaga ang batas natin para sa libreng kolehiyo (Don’t make it hard for students and parents. Let’s

fathers at least half a month off work, with full pay, for them to be able to lend ample support to their wives in nursing their newborns, and to help mothers recuperate from childbirth,� the lawmaker said.

He cited studies showing that husbands who took longer paternity leaves “were more involved with their children and child care activities,� thus reinforcing the long-term bond

SUMMARILY CONkSCATED AND FORfeited in favor of the Commission: DEAR PAO Provided, further, That if the violation is committed by a juridical PERSIDA person, the president, manager, director, agent or ACOSTA representative, employee of the said juridical lost against the will of the lawful person responsible for the act shall also be liable for the penalowner; [...]�

Relatedly, the same law pro- ties provided herein: Provided, vides a penalty for violation of furthermore, That if the acts are committed by dealers, they shall the same, viz: “Section 49. Penal Provisions. suffer, in addition to the penalties Upon conviction, the offender provided herein, the automatic SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A kNE OF NOT revocation of their license to operless than Two hundred thousand ATE 0ROVIDED kNALLY 4HAT IF THE pesos (P200,000.00) or imprison- offender is an alien, he/she shall ment for a term of not less than be placed under the custody of ten (10) years, or both, upon the the Bureau of Immigration for the discretion of the court: Provided, appropriate proceedings under That any cultural property at- this Act and shall be summartempted to be concealed from ily deported after serving his/her registration or those intended sentence. xxx�

It is clear from Articles 48 (e) to be encumbered or excavated in violation of this Act shall be and 49 of RA 10066 that selling,

distributing, acquiring or exporting cultural property stolen or lost against the lawful will of the owner, is illegal and may subject THE OFFENDER TO A PENALTY OF kNE or imprisonment, depending on the discretion of the court. In your situation, if you are caught selling a cultural property, which has been lost by the owner, you can be apprehended and penalized accordingly for your action.

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

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

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Opinion

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

E d i to r i a l Budget deficits may stem from good causes

T

(% RELEASE OF PRELIMINARY kGURES THE OTHER DAY SHOWING THAT THE GOVERNMENT EXCEEDED ITS BUDGET DEkCIT target may alarm some people, and will undoubtedly be used by critics of the Duterte administration to sow uncertainty about the way the government is managing its spending. A closer examination of the data and the circumstances, however, would bring about a a fairer conclusion. )N SIMPLE TERMS A BUDGET DEkCIT MEANS THAT THE GOVERNment’s expenditures for the year exceeded the amount of revenue it collected. The preliminary data for 2018 shows that the government spent P3.40 trillion, but collected only P2.85 TRILLION IN REVENUE RESULTING IN A DEkCIT OF 0 BILLION This was not an unexpected situation, although all THREE OF THOSE kGURES EXCEEDED GOVERNMENT TARGETS TO some extent. The government had programmed P3.35 trillion in spending and P2.82 trillion in collections, which SHOULD HAVE SET THE DEkCIT TARGET AT ONLY 0 BILLION Both revenue and expenditures exceeded expectations, but spending grew a bit faster than collections, hence the OVER TARGET DEkCIT RESULT It is true that in a strict accounting sense, a budget DEkCIT IS NOT IDEAL -AINTAINING A DEkCIT REQUIRES CAREFUL management from several different directions. Running ANNUAL DEkCITS FOR A FEW CONSECUTIVE YEARS COULD LEAD THE economy into serious trouble. /N THE OTHER HAND RUNNING A DEkCIT IS VIRTUALLY A NECESsity if the government wishes to pursue new programs and developments in order to support overall economic growth.

If the government were obliged to maintain a balanced budget — something that is occasionally proposed — it would not be able to do much more than maintain the status quo.

Given that the population and, therefore, the scope of government continuously expands, unless revenues also sigNIkCANTLY EXPAND YEAR AFTER YEAR THERE WOULD BE LITTLE LEFT AFTER existing programs and operations are funded for anything new. The government’s accounts would be balanced, but the economy would eventually begin to stagnate.

What the government can and actually does as a reasonable alternative is fund the difference between the budget for expenditures and actual revenue collections with debt, mostly in the form of government securities. The sale of those securities provides short-term revenues to do things like expand healthcare, launch new infrastructure projects and extend social welfare programs.

Of course, debt simply means an expenditure that has been deferred and so must be taken into account in subsequent years’ budgets. If debts are too high, then too much government spending must be devoted to paying them, which takes money away from other more substantial programs.

In the Philippine case, government debt remains high, but still at healthy levels. In 2018, Treasury data showed that it stood at 41.9 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), lower than the 42.1 percent debt-to-GDP ratio in each of the previous two years, and well below the 50 percent threshold that is considered the manageable limit for developing countries. ! GOVERNMENT DEkCIT CAUSED BY HIGH PUBLIC SPENDING and large investments in capital infrastructure — such as that for the Duterte administration’s “Build, Build, Build�

PROGRAM ‡ IS BASICALLY CONSIDERED A GOOD kSCAL DEkCIT AS that is expected to create jobs and generate revenues for the government in the future. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno has said that spending on infrastructure likely fell below target last year, but added that the Duterte administration could not be said to have held back from implementing its policy targets.

The government’s budget performance should always be subjected to close scrutiny, but at present, the administraTION S DEkCITS STEM FROM GOOD CAUSES AND ANY OBJECTIVE assessment must conclude that it is still performing well. ~

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 134

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

Beware of the extremist drift

W

E should learn from the lessons of history. It is during times of crisis that the most extremist ideologies and movements are born and nurtured, and where perceived enemies of the nation are imaged for annihilation.

It was in a defeated Germany that the seeds of Nazism germinated and thrived, and all Adolf Hitler had to do was to provide the depressed and despondent German people, shamed by their loss in World War 1, mired in the confusion that infected post-war politics, the mythology that theirs was the superior race weighed down not only by bad leaders, but also by enemies. There was a need to put up a monster that had to be slayed because they prevented the thriving of the Aryan race. Hitler and his pro-

ON THE CONTRARY ANTONIO CONTRERAS paganda machine were so effective in demonizing the Jews, communists and liberals, that they were able to whip up the resentment and turn it INTO THE kRE THAT BURNED THROUGH EVery gas chamber, mass extermination camp and death train that attended one of the darkest periods of the history of human civilization.

And it is not only in Germany.

The Hutu majority in Rwanda, after suffering from being marginalized by their Belgian colonizers, who favored the minority Tutsis, turned this historical pain into a narrative of

horror that they used to exterminate the latter when their time came to rule. The Hutus painted the Tutsi as enemies, as cockroaches that needed to be exterminated.

Pol Pot of Cambodia saw the corrupt Westernized elites as an infectious scourge corrupting the Khmer people.

He had to rewind the history of his country to year zero to exorcise all these alien impurities. He labeled anything intellectual, liberal and modern as the enemy. He ended up presiding over a macabre ritual of using, among others, as identifying marks of an elite status the wearing of eyeglasses or having smooth hands, and condemning THOSE CLASSIkED AS SUCH TO BE kNISHED OFF IN THEIR KILLING kELDS At present, the Islamic State (IS) continues to threaten what we know

as modernity, vowing to take us back to the dark ages of theocracy through an irrational and violent appropriation of political Islam. But one has to realize that the root cause of this madness lies in the way IS militants saw modernity as having unleashed its force to corrupt, coopt, marginalize and even kill their own people, from Gaza, to Iraq and Syria, to Iran, to the migrant enclaves in Europe and the US. They see the Western world collaborating with their corrupt leaders to assault Islam and its believers.

Thus, it is safe to conclude that extremism is the child of irrational hatred of people towards an enemy, whether real, imagined or constructed, which they see as threats. And it is frightening that

ÂłContrerasA5

Q MAKABENTA FROM A1

Discussion now should be about insurgency’s end Duterte said: “We’re on a waiting period about the appropriate time to talk about peace.

I am not that cruel.�

The change in tone is a tonic for the CPP because the news from everywhere these days is dolorous for communists around the world.

Desperation haunts the left’s vision of a new world.

What is left for the CPP-NPANDF to do?

Signs of the times Consider the signs of the times: 1. In Cuba, on the 60th year of the triumph of the Cuban revolution, the government has dropped the word “communism� from the country’s new constitution.

2. In France, L’HumanitÊ, the 115- year-old communist daily, is on the brink of being placed on receivership. The paper’s closure could be at hand.

3. In Vietnam, the communist rulers will host on February 27 and 28 the second summit meeting between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un.

4. In China, the Chinese economy is living through a major comedown from its glory days.

Xi Jinping is moving close to a trade deal with the US to avert a disastrous trade war.

5. A respected Oxford University scholar has written that there ARE NOW ONLY kVE REMAINING COMmunist countries in the world, all of which do not follow the principles of Karl Marx and his Communist Manifesto.

Cuba’s changing communist narrative Author Alvaro Vargas Llosa, a senior fellow at the Independent Institute, has posted online a grim narrative of Cuba’s communism, as the country marked the 60th year of the Cuban revolution. He wrote: “Communism killed any possibility of prosperity. the Revo-

lution’s 'ultima ratio' [became] the Cold War and Cuba’s role in the planetary struggle between socialism and capitalism — a way to justify Cuba becoming a Soviet colony‌.

"The end of the Soviet subsidy — several billion dollars a year — uncovered the truth about Cuba’s miserable economy.

"Then came Hugo Chavez’s oil subsidy‌ Cuba’s dependence on Venezuela was concealed under rhetoric that depicted Castro as the inspiration of Venezuela’s 21st-century socialism‌ "Venezuela’s subsidy provided an opportunity for Cuba to export ‘professional services,’ sending thousands of doctors, nurses, and teachers overseas in exchange for dollars. This was close to slavery since the host country would pay the salaries to the Cuban government in dollars and the Castro regime would pay the doctors and teachers a tiny fraction of the money ‌in Cuban pesos!...

"When Fidel Castro fell ill in 2006 the narrative evolved. His brother Raul, a China admirer, allowed more Cubans to engage in small, closely controlled entrepreneurial activities and invited new foreign capital to partner with the state.

"Cuba’s new constitution dropped the word “communism,â€? but retained the one-party state‌.

"The well-respected economist Carmelo Mesa-Lago says the private sector represents no more than 7 percent of GDP in Cuba.

The country is severely undercapitalized (gross capital formation is one half of Latin America’s average); and agricultural and industrial production shrank in the last decade‌ "Sixty years on, Cuba has nothing but misery to show for itself — and an extraordinary ability to delude itself and many others.�

L’HumanitÊ on the ropes Joseph Schmid of Agence France

Presse reported the sad news about L’HumanitĂŠ as follows: “ L’HumanitĂŠ newspaper is facing a financing crunch that could see it placed in receivership‌The clock may be ticking for the 115-year-old paper of record of diehard leftists.

"After years of operating at a loss despite millions of euros of public aid, a court outside Paris will decide if L’HumanitÊ can keep printing while being placed in receivership.

"Even if this best-case scenario gives the paper some breathing room, its journalists face working under a courtappointed manager who will be watching every euro—an ignominious turn of events for a paper that has spent more than a century railing against bosses.

"L’Huma, as it’s widely called, has already appealed for donations, the latest in a string of fundraising campaigns that periodically bring in much-needed millions to keep the presses rolling.

"But with daily circulation down to around 40,000 copies — analysts say around 30,000 are actually sold — the paper now faces the daunting prospect of kNDING A VIABLE BUSINESS MODEL "French presidents from Francois Mitterrand to Francois Hollande have traditionally stepped in to erase debts or inject cash.

"Last week France’s Communist Party, facing its own financing squeeze after dismal 2017 election results, announced it would no longer print its weekly four-page supplement in the paper.�

4. Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) 5. Republic of Cuba While China, North Korea, 6IETNAM ,AOS AND #UBA OFkCIALly claim to be communist states, the country that adheres most strictly to communist principles, according to Service, is North Korea. He should know, he wrote the book on it — Comrades! A History of World Communism.

Today, he says, Karl Marx would hardly recognize his manifesto.

Communism was meant to spread around the world. But, says Service, “when the Chinese go to Africa, they aren’t taking communism. They are taking the market economy in one of its wildest forms.� “History is a sort of tangled web of contradictions. Who would’ve thought, 30 years ago, that we’d only be talking about kVE STATES THAT HAVE ANY OFkCIAL adherence to communism — it’s all happened so very, very quickly,� Service said.

Terminating the insurgency

It’s no wonder that Filipino communists today are wondering whether they should slog on with their 50-year-old armed struggle against the Philippine government.

As with other communist movements in the world, many in the ranks are questioning whether it’s time to hang up the gloves. The thought has also danced in the minds of leaders like Fidel Agcaoili, who has come home and says he wants to talk.

Five remaining Only Joma Sison, who is communist countries comfortably ensconced in the Netherlands and does not have According to Robert Service, to fight in the swamps, still talks Oxford University scholar, the of fighting on.

LAST kVE REMAINING COMMUNIST The narrative has changed. countries in the world are: It seems the only subject for nego1. People’s Republic of China tiators to discuss now is the termina2. Democratic People’s Repub- tion of the communist insurgency. lic of Korea (North Korea) 3. Socialist Republic of Vietnam yenmakabenta@yahoo.com

˜ The Manila Times SATURDAY February 23, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

Opinion

A5

Q TULFO FROM A1

The libel case against Ressa and Santos Some columnists at the Philippine Daily Inquirer did just that. They bore down on me for defending Hubert Webb in the Vizconde massacre case. In the end, I was vindicated when the Supreme Court ruled that Webb was innocent.

I subscribe to what the philosopher Voltaire said, “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.�

But I take exception to Rappler’s Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos Jr. who have been charged with libel by Chinese-Filipino businessman Wilfredo Keng.

Keng, my compadre doble (he stood as baptism sponsor to my daughter, Nastassja Ramone, and I to his son Bryan), lost a measure of credibility in the business community when Rappler accused him of human

trafficking and drug dealing.

Willy Keng is a decent and law-abiding businessman who’s into mining, property leasing and international investments. I’ve known him for more than two decades, our friendship dating back to the time when his wife Tina was still selling wares at the Baclaran tiangge lEA MARKET Because of Rappler’s series of malicious articles about Willy, the government of president Noynoy Abnoy Kuyakoy put a tail on him.

What was Rappler’s beef with Willy?

Willy was a friend of then Chief Justice Renato Corona whose Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the Cojuangco-owned Hacienda Luisita be apportioned among its tenant farmers.

Noynoy, who belongs to the vindictive Cojuangco-Aquino clan (remember his mother Cory

Q CONTRERAS FROM A4

Beware seeds of extremism are now pervasively planted among the hearts and minds of many Filipinos.

It is easy to mobilize the bias in favor of fear and irrationality, instead of understanding and reason, particularly when there is a perception of a crisis. All that needs to be done is to magnify this crisis and image it as one that threatens the very existence of the nation. These threats found a canvas upon which they could be imaged and painted in the issues of drugs and the leftist rebellion. These are the two enemies that are now deployed as monsters that threaten the very stability of the Republic, and to where most of the vitriol and hatred, particularly in social media, are directed.

There is no argument that the drug menace is real, and it is one that threatens not only the Philippines but other countries too. But what is disturbing is that instead of a rational appreciation of the complex social, psychological and economic factors that contribute to drug use, what is emphasized is the criminal dimension of the problem. Thus, the social nature of the problem yields to its being painted as simply a police matter.

Consequently, the more convenient and popular pathway is to image the drug user as a criminal monster for extermination, and less of a victim that needs social intervention.

There is also no argument that the leftist rebellion is an ongoing threat.

But like the drug menace, its historical, social, political and economic roots are ignored by many, or are not fully understood and appreciated. What is even more alarming is that the left-wing rebellion is now painted in the same mold as fanatical extremism, as if these rebels are irrational terrorists out to take power. What is lost in the analysis is the fact that these are farmers and indigenous peoples who lost their lands to opportunist oligarchs, or workers who have been bled dry for their labor by parasitic capitalists.

It is frightening that many are now led to look at the drug problem and the left-wing rebellion not as manifestations of social discontent, or maldevelopment, and would, therefore, need a more developmental perspective. Many now are led to believe that they are monsters that need to be slayed through the deployment of state-sponsored political violence.

What is frightening is that the seeds of extremist politics are being planted, where even children who are recruited into the drug trade are now seen as criminals by adults. What is even more disturbing is when Ronald Cardema, the chairman of the National Youth Commission, urges the youth to become informers and report on their peers who might be involved in what could be perceived as activities in support of the left, and for the government to take away their scholarship privileges. This may appear benign, but it is a tactic deployed by fascist regimes.

Before we become consumed by extremist politics, we need to be reminded of the histories of their eventual downfall. UnforTUNATELY MILLIONS HAD TO DIE kRST before they fell.

was unforgiving towards the Marcoses till her death), went after Corona hammer and tongs.

Everybody connected with Corona should be persecuted, was Noynoy’s mandate, and so Rappler, a Yellow medium, was used against Keng.

It would have been all right if what Rappler wrote about Willy Keng was accurate, but most of them were lies and malicious.

True, he lent Corona his Chevrolet Suburban (plate no. ZWK 111) when the late chief magistrate was being persecuted by Noynoy. “Corona was my friend and he needed protection so I lent him the Suburban,� Keng said.

As an aside, Willy sold me the sports utility vehicle — actually a light truck — for a song in the midst of the uproar.

Poor Willy, but fortunate me!

The Suburban is heavily armored.

Anyway, Rappler said that Willy engaged in human and drug trafficking, a barefaced lie.

All the pleas that Willy made for Rappler to air his side fell on deaf ears.

Willy even pleaded with me to accompany him to Sid Lapeùa, the then chief of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), so the agency would give him a clean bill — which I did.

He went that far to clear his name, but Ressa and Santos never SAW IT kT TO CORRECT THEIR MISTAKE probably because they thought he’s Intsik bejo tulo laway, ayaw away (old, drooling Chinese who AVOIDS CONlICT !CTUALLY 7ILLY IS only 54 years old.

Now, who’s tulo laway (drooling) with a libel case and bail set at P100,000 each for Ressa and Santos?

Where is Noynoy the abnoy and the other owners of Hacienda Luisita whose interests Ressa and Santos were advancing?

Ressa and her Yellow supporters, as well as the ignorant foreign press, are crying persecution by the Duterte government.

President Digong is not a friend of Keng’s, so why should he go after Ressa and Santos?

Where’s the logic of the President dirtying his hands on a messy case when he has other issues of national interest to attend to?

I am not writing against Rappler since I am friends with its other staff who are professional journalists.

I am just pointing out that Ressa and Santos were unprofessional when they agreed to be used by the Yellows to go after Corona and Keng (no pun intended). ***

Now, it can be told.

A Supreme Court insider approached me to solicit financial help from big businessmen to support Corona during his impeachment trial.

Since I am a journalist and should stay neutral, I referred the high court insider to some businessmen I knew.

Corona’s man approached Andrew Tan, who owed Corona big time before he became chief magistrate, but was rebuffed.

Tan didn’t want to touch Corona with a 10-foot polefearing reprisal from Noynoy.

Other big businessmen withheld their support for the beleaguered chief justice for the same reason.

Willy Keng didn’t hesitate to give his financial support. “He’s my friend and he needs me at this time,� he told me then.

December 26: Bane or boon?

R

EACTIONS to my column last week prompt me to make this elaboration, actually already part of the original, but found lacking in space. My sister Ellen commented from faraway Kuwait (where she’s worked for more than 30 years as a medical technologist): “Sorry my brother, but Fatima is in Portugal not Spain.�

4HAT lOORED ME IN A MANNER of saying. I didn’t have to consult my globe to know Portugal is not Spain, but it’s just that writing about the Family Rosary Crusade, I needed to refer to the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and I just didn’t know why my mind had to make a sudden throwback to my ELEMENTARY DAYS WHEN ) kRST LEARNED that the Philippines was discovered in 1521 by a Portuguese named Ferdinand Magellan, who did the discovery for Spain. In my young mind the notion stuck that Portugal and Spain were one and the same, so that now that in the article about JV, I locate the Portuguese city of Fatima in Spain. It simply means I have not quite outlived my elementary innocence in not distinguishing between Magellan’s country of birth and the country for which he took his historic voyage to the Far East in the age of European imperial extensions.

Nice to be continually young, in any case. I think this is what keeps me writing vigorously even in this the twilight of my years. My mind just won’t grow old. There may be lapses here and there, but old age hasn’t made me stop to repent my mistakes, no, not at all; mea culpa, it keeps me strong. *** Now, to the topic at hand.

Why the title?

Because an ardent follower of this column, also reacting to the same article, sent me a narrative in Facebook Messenger reminiscing that back in the 1970s, particuLARLY IN THE kRE AND FURY OF THE &IRST Quarter Storm, one date which was being drummed into the minds of activists to be regarded with reverence is December 26. On that date in 1968, the new Communist

MY SAY

MAURO GIA SAMONTE Party of the Philippines (CPP) was founded by Jose Maria Sison, and the protracted people’s war it initiated had, over the succeeding half century, not only succeeded in retarding Philippine political maturity, but also its economic growth.

That, surely, is the bane about December 26. But forget about Sison. He is a non-sequitur in this discussion. Rather, keep the date in mind, enjoy the boon. On that day in 1893, Mao Zedong was born. In fact, it was a popular tale in the First Quarter Storm that Sison, who was intriguingly salaaming to China in organizing a revolution in the Philippines, deliberately chose December 26 as the founding date of the CPP in order to make it co-celebratory with Chairman Mao’s birthday.

For the millennials, Mao Zedong may no longer ring a bell, but for those who grew up in the era of the Cold War between East and West (i.e. the US and its allies on the one hand, and the Socialist bloc, divided between China and the Soviet Union, on the other), he was a leader who stood 10 feet tall against western imperialist aggression.

No elaboration is needed anymore in this citation; the whole world knows who Mao Zedong was. What many don’t know is that though Mao was born after two other births by his mother, those two others both died in infancy, so that Mao grew up an only son.

And so did JV. And as Mao pursued politics in advancing his desire of serving the Chinese people, so did JV in pushing his own resolve to serve the Filipino nation.

Sharing a birth date with the great Chairman Mao does provide the start of JV’s destiny of potential Chinese connections, albeit in quite a labyrinthine manner. In 1949, Mao Zedong and his ChiNESE #OMMUNIST 0ARTY AFTER kVE

Q All born December 26, all serving the people – JV toeing the line of great men.

YEARS OF CIVIL WAR kNALLY OVERRUN the Kuomintang, sending the Chiang Kai-shek forces escaping to Formosa (now Taiwan). For their part, the Jesuit missionaries IN #HINA AT THAT TIME HAD TO lEE They settled in the Philippines and soon found themselves establishing the Kuang Chi School (named after Hsu Kuang-ch’i, a Catholic convert who was a scholar-bureaucrat in the Ming dynasty), a Catholic learning institute with, according to one description, a distinct Chinese character. The school was expressly founded to facilitate the evangelization of the Chinese community in the Philippines. Once moved to its Greenhills, San Juan, seven-hectare campus, the school took the name “Xavier School.�

Now, who should enroll in the school, but a tot named Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito — JV. What his co-celebrant of birthdays Mao Zedong drove away in China, JV embraced wholeheartedly. And with JV having imbibed learning from a school with “distinct Chinese characteristics,� it WOULD NOT PROVE DIFkCULT FOR HIM to understand the current doctrine being propagated the world over by Mao’s reigning political descendant Xi Jinping: “social-

ism with Chinese characteristics.�

Definitely, at Xavier School, JV, like everyone else in its student community, underwent one whole basic segment of study purely done in the Chinese language.

Now, talk of December 26 inevitably leads to citing something SIGNIkCANT ABOUT THE DATE OF *6 S birth but hardly noticed. And it is that in the Northern Hemisphere, what is December 26 in the Philippines is a day behind — meaning December 25. And who in the Northern Hemisphere — in which Bethlehem is located — was born at midnight of December 25 — 2,052 years ago?

Jesus Christ!

JV was born on the same day the Holy Child came into the world in FULkLLMENT OF WHAT WORDS IN THE Holy Scriptures say: “For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.�

And just as Jesus came out of a virgin womb, didn’t JV do the same? Mayor Guia had had no other child before — nor has she had another one after.

JV — truly the only begotten son sent by a mother to pursue public service in which she has devoted

the best years of her life.

Ah, the similes seem endless.

Jesus was unknown to the people of Galilee until he surfaced to be baptized by John the Baptist.

JV was unknown to the Filipino people at large until he got his political baptism as mayor of a town called — don’t look now — San Juan!

Between St. John and San Juan, what is the difference?

Jesus began his ministry at age 27.

(OW OLD WAS *6 WHEN HE kRST BEcame mayor of San Juan in 2001?

Again, don’t look now — 27!

A general complaint by many people against JV is that he is suplado or a snob. This is because he is not one person prone to smile just for show. He is a very serious guy, always thinking about the people, and thinking thus, he is daily saddled with people’s problems.

How can he really smile under circumstances of people having to be saved from their misery?

Now, let me ask: Have you ever seen Jesus Christ smile?

I dare anybody, show me a picture of a smiling Jesus.

Indeed, how could Jesus have smiled under circumstances when at age 27, on his shoulders was heaped already the salvation of all mankind.

Young veterans in Congress bring new hope for Democrats WASHINGTON, DC: The left wing of the Democratic Party has been getting much of the media attention since the new Congress convened, overshadowing the rise of a group of young Democratic military and intelligence veterans who may prove more important for 2020 and beyond.

These pragmatic Democrats acCOUNTED FOR SOME OF THE lIPPED Republican seats that gave their party control of the House. The progressive wing of the party may be potent, but many of its victories came in reliably Democratic seats, like the Bronx-Queens district that elected Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, a charismatic media favorite.

A good showcase for these new Democrats is the House Armed Services Committee. The Democrats installed 14 freshmen on the panel, nearly half their party’s total

WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

DAVID IGNATIUS membership. Seven have served in the military, foreign service or CIA, and 10 are women. If you’re looking for bright new faces in the Democratic Party, this may be the most compelling group snapshot. “The media have chosen to focus on progressive members, I understand that,� says Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, one of the new Armed Services members and a former CIA officer with three tours in Iraq. “But when it comes to the 2020 presidential election, the voters in the states we must win are moderate, pragmatic voters.�

This informal Democratic caucus of veterans offers a partisan opportunity, to be sure. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity TO RETAKE THE lAG FOR THE $EMOcratic Party,� argues Slotkin. “We can show that it’s not just the Republicans who are the party of patriotism and love of country.�

But the newly arrived veterans say they’re not an attack ad in uniform. “Service candidates are about country, not party,� says Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, another new Armed Services member and former Air Force officer. “Now, when the country is broken, I hope the veterans can be healers.�

Look at the range of experience of young Democratic veterans who have joined Armed Services, in addition to Slotkin and Houlahan: Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado won a Bronze Star as an Army

OFkCER IN )RAQ AND THEN SERVED two tours as a Ranger in Afghanistan; Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was a combat Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan; Rep. Andrew Kim of New Jersey served in Afghanistan as a State Department adviser to Gen. David Petraeus; Rep. Elaine Luria of Virginia served 20 years in the Navy on combat ships; Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey was a Navy helicopter pilot.

This experience in war zones is precious because it breeds measured, skeptical judgment, as well as patriotism. Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a three-term member of the committee who was a Marine platoon leader in Iraq, says he came back from that deployment with a “a sense of betrayal� by “people in Washington who bent the truth to send us there.� The veterans understand that there are limits to American

POWER AS WELL AS BENEkTS Moulton has pushed his fellow Democrats to recruit more young veterans to run for office. His “Serve America� political action committee raised $4.4 million to support Democratic Party veterans last year, and 10 of the 21 candidates he supported won their races.

Trump’s erratic foreign-policy record offers Democrats a special chance, unless they move so far left that they lose credibility with the public. “We have a massive opportunity to lead on national security, because we have a reckless and irresponsible commander in chief,� contends Moulton.

For a dysfunctional Congress, the rise of young veterans in both parties is a hopeful sign. “Regardless of what side of the aisle we come from, we understand we’re here to serve,� says Houlahan.

ÂłIgnatiusA6

A6

Opinion

˜ The Manila Times SATURDAY February 23, 2019

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Political ad spends could have been channeled to the poor instead

T

HE Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) pubLISHED THIS WEEK THEIR kNDINGS ON the senate aspirations’ spending on political advertisements for the past 13 months. The spending amounted to more than P2 billion. Worse, the top spenders’ expenses on political ads far exceeded their reported net worth (based on submitted statements of assets, liabilities and net worth or SALNs).

PCIJ’s “Top Adspenders Among Candidates for Senator and Their Declared Net Worth� list includes former special assistant to the President Bong Go, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, former Interior secretary Mar Roxas, former palace spokesman Harry Roque, and Sen. Sonny Angara, among others.

Go spent the most, P422 million, for political advertisements in the 13-month period. Marcos followed Go with a whopping P413 million, with Roxas coming in third with P401 million. Roque, who has already backed out of the race, reportedly for health reasons, spent a considerable P174 million and Angara, some P156 million.

Grace Poe (P99 million), Francis Tolentino (P92 million), Cynthia Villar (P80 million), Gary Alejano (P76 million) and Juan Ponce Enrile (P72 million) complete the list of top 10 biggest spenders.

The top 10 spenders exceeded their respective net worth from 109 percent to 328 percent, except for Villar and Enrile. The total political ad spend for the listed 18 senatorial candidates is a gargantuan P2.38 billion.

This pattern suggests that the

ALL INSIGHT

AL S. VITANGCOL 3RD MONEY USED TO kNANCE THEIR POLITICAL advertisement spending came from private sources, government funds, or worse, from hidden wealth.

If elected to the Senate of the Philippines, these would-be senators have to repay their benefactors one way or another. If these contributors are big businesses, then these candidates are sure to protect these benefactors’ businesses once they are in power. How do you expect these “senators� to recover their expenses? This is the vicious cycle of patronage politics. Traditional politics, so to speak.

As usual, these candidates profess their desire to help the poor and uplift their lives when elected to PUBLIC OFkCE 7ELL IF THESE DESIRES and promises are true, then they should have directed these monies FOR THE BENEkT OF THE POOR INSTEAD OF using it for political advertisements.

using the two-story classroom building, or 146,520 new students for the single-story buildings.

4HESE kGURES CAN BE DOUBLED IF there is time-shifting or sharing.

243.8 kilometers of concrete roads Traffic congestion is a persistent problem hounding the country.

The primary reason is the lack of passable roads. With P2.38 billion, 158.5 kilometers (km) of national highways could have been constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). If a private entity were to construct the roads, the cost would be 35 percent lower than that of DPWH. Thus, 243.8 km of new road can be built by private entities.

The same amount of money can kNANCE THE RE BLOCKING OF KM OF concrete road or asphalt overlaying of 308.7 km of paved road.

554,032 starving Filipinos

A 2018 first quarter survey revealed that 42 percent of Filipino 3,256 new classrooms families (9.8 million) considered What can P2.38 billion do? This themselves poor. The same survey amount could have built 3,256 showed that 29 percent of families single-story classrooms with toilet, (6.7 million) were eating food for FURNITURE AND kXTURES )T COULD HAVE the “poor.� Lastly, 9.9 percent of built 1,901 two-story classroom those surveyed (equivalent to 2.3 million) claimed that they suffered buildings with full amenities.

Following the standard class- hunger during those times.

A study made by a people’s orgaroom-student ratio in the Philipnization indicated that P17,160 is pines, one classroom for every 45 needed to “decently� feed a family of students, as prescribed by Republic four for a month.

With P2.38 billion Act 7880, it could have made in a food fund, this can in turn feed possible the enlistment of at least approximately 138,508 families, or 85,564 additional new students

554,032 Filipinos.

Imagine, more than half a million starving Filipinos could have been fed for a month with the money recklessly spent for political advertisements. What a waste!

3 million patient-bed-days Healthcare has always been a concern for Filipinos. Only the rich can afford quality healthcare. The poor can only content themselves with going to public health centers.

With P2.38 billion, tertiary healthcare could have been extended to more than three million patient-bed-days, or 132,044 patients confined to a hospital for a month. (This computation is based on the hospital costs estimated by the World Health Organization.)

I can cite a lot of other “wouldhave� things but I believe I already drove home the point — the expenses for the political advertisements could have been diverted FOR THE BENEkT OF THE NEEDY IF THESE candidates really cared for the poor.

Bernard Baruch, political consultant of US Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt, once said, “Vote for the man who promises least; he’ll be the least disappointing.�

I say, “Vote for the man who spends the least on political ads; he’ll be the least likely to misuse public funds.�

allinsight.manilatimes@gmail.com www.facebook.com/All.Insight.

Manila.Times

FOCUS

How Shanahan may end up as permanent Pentagon chief

Q Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan gives a press conference, following the North Atlantic Council of Defense Ministers, at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) headquarters in Brussels. AFP FRANÇOIS WALSCHAERTS WASHINGTON, DC: The US military is about to pull most troops out of Syria, seems set to slash its Afghanistan presence, and is engaged in a contentious mission on the border with Mexico.

Yet the job of overseeing these momentous policies remains vacant — and President Donald Trump’s INTERIM PICK IS UNDER kRE FROM 2Epublican lawmakers.

4HE ROLE IS BEING kLLED BY !CTING Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a former Boeing executive who was the Pentagon’s number two until Jim Mattis quit in December over Trump’s Syria withdrawal decision.

Shanahan has made no secret that he’d like to be the next full-on “SecDef� -- as defense secretaries are known in the Pentagon -- but nearly two months into the job, his prospects were called into question this week amid reports of a spat with top US senators over Syria.

According to The Washington Post INlUENTIAL 2EPUBLICAN 3ENATOR Lindsey Graham asked Shanahan at a Munich security summit if he had told European allies the US troop presence in Syria would be zero by April 30. “Yes, that’s been our direction,�

Shanahan reportedly said. “That’s the dumbest idea I’ve ever heard,� Graham responded.

Shanahan wanted to convince allies to maintain a troop presence in Syria after the US pulls out, but struggled to persuade other countries why they should risk their forces with America gone.

Graham went on to tell Shanahan that if Trump’s Syria withdrawal policy endured, “I am now your adversary.� ! 53 OFkCIAL TOLD !&0 THAT 'RAham’s outrage was aimed more at Trump’s Syria withdrawal plans than it was at Shanahan himself.

Shanahan, and his lack of foreign policy chops got him in hot water with the late Senator John McCain. !T 3HANAHAN S CONkRMATION HEARing, a testy McCain said a lack of detail in some of his foreign policy answers was “almost insulting.�

Despite all this, experts predict Shanahan, 58, will end up as Trump’s nominee for defense secretary anyway. “Last man standing,� Loren Thompson, an expert at the Lexington Institute think tank in Virginia, told AFP. “Once you eliminate all the other candidates, it’s Shanahan by default.� ‘Shared interests’ 3EVERAL HIGH PROkLE NAMES HAVE BEEN lOATED IN 7ASHINGTON CIRCLES

Graham is well-known for his rhe- including Graham and fellow ReTORICAL lOURISHES AND SELECTIVE INDIG- publican Senator Tom Cotton. nation, and Shanahan on Thursday But why give up a powerful Senate insisted he thinks of him as an “ally.� seat when you’ve seen Trump chew “We have shared interests, he is a up then spit out a string of top-level problem solver and I am very con- OFkCIALS ‡ INCLUDING FORMER SECREkDENT WE WILL COME TOGETHER WITH tary of state Rex Tillerson, former solutions for Syria,� Shanahan told attorney general Jeff Sessions and Pentagon reporters. former White House chief of staff Senator Jim Inhofe, another se- John Kelly?

Additionally, running for a senior nior Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, has government position requires apalso expressed reservations about pointees to cut business ties and

divest themselves of any stocks that MIGHT BE SEEN AS CAUSING A CONlICT For many an aspiring SecDef, it’s simply not worth it. “There are both personal and structural uncertainties associated with taking the Pentagon’s top job,�

Thompson noted. “The President’s personality MIGHT LEAD HIM TO LOSE HIS AFkNITYu for a Pentagon chief, he added.

For now, Shanahan remains in Trump’s good books in part because he is not like his predecessor Mattis, who often pushed back against the president.

While critics have said Shanahan may to be too much of a rubber stamp for Trump, being a faithful advocate for the President’s policies will help him stay in the job.

And besides, the defense secretary’s role is to implement a president’s agenda. “If you’re part of a cabinet and you have views that you can’t reconcile with the executive .... you have two choices,� David Johnson, an analyst at the RAND Corporation, told AFP. “Either you change your perspective or you resign — and that’s AFP what Mattis did.�

Two Emilios: A second look

“T

HERE’s nothing new in there,� historians tend to often dismiss new retellings of historical events. But I recently had a realization. What used to be “common knowledge� during our time is not known to the new generation. Thus, retelling any historical event is not just important but crucial.

Also, there are things that had not been published before and which are not emphasized enough such that the new generation may find new meaning to old data based on fresh information that just obtained from newly discovered documents.

Artistic historical productions, although fictional, may also reemphasize historical facts that were once neglected.

Last February 15, I watched Repertory Philippines’ “Miong,� sponsored by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in celebration of the upcoming sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) of the birth of President Emilio Aguinaldo.

Written and directed by Joy Virata, the wife of Prime Minister Cesar Virata and the actress who first played Evita in the country in 1986, its love themes were Disneyesque, and there was one particularly entertaining song “San Bartolome,� which will appeal to the young. The second part was more serious, tackling the tumultuous road to the proclamation of Independence.

Having written documentaries and papers about President Andres Bonifacio, I expected, of course, that the restaging of this 1998 centennial musical would be in the Aguinaldo perspective, but since schoolchildren would be watching, I was hoping they wouldn’t make it appear that killing Bonifacio was right. I approached Madam Virata after the play and told her that although I was a Bonifacio sympathizer, I appreciated that at least in one of the songs, Aguinaldo doubted if killing Bonifacio was the right thing to do.

That afternoon, I was at the Leon Gallery to look at some revolutionary papers that would be auctioned today. One of which was an original signed and handwritten letter in Tagalog already familiar to me dated March 22, 1948, Aguinaldo’s birthday, admitting that he wanted to commute the death sentence, but two Council of War members who acted as judges, Mariano Noriel and Pio del Pilar, asked him that for the harmony of the revolutionary government and if they were to survive, he should implement the sentence, which he did, “ Para sa kapakanan ng bayan .�

But there was another version of the letter dated May 11, 1948, which was typewritten with edits in pencil by Aguinaldo himself. A sentence there read, “ Sa kasawiang palad, taglay ang maraming salabid na mga pagdaraanan ng may dala ng

WALKING HISTORY MICHAEL “XIAO� CHUA patawad dahil sa nag-uumapoy na labanan ng mga Pilipino at Kastila, ang aking patawad ay hindi nakuhang makarating sa kanila bago sumapit ang araw ng pagtupad ng kahatulan, kaya ang nangyari ay natupad din ang naging hatol ng hukumang digma. � We see here that he wanted to put out another version of the event which is more favorable to him, but decides to cross it out and just come clean and writes down in pencil the same statement as the March 22, 1948, letter claiming responsibility for the order. This tells us that there were times he was ambivalent about the decision he wished he did not have to make.

There was another set of documents from another Emilio, Emilio Jacinto, Army Chief of President Bonifacio — every known writing of his in the country which were already transcribed in the JosĂŠ P. Santos’s biography of Jacinto. He was often depicted as almost saintly and loyal to Bonifacio. But in one document he establishes a government in the Hukuman ng Silangan which is under the “ Biak-na-Bato Republic started on 1 November 1897.â€?

Even if I had seen the text before, which is easily available to anyone, only when I was reading his actual handwriting did it dawn on me: This February 1898 document tells us that Jacinto was establishing a local government in Laguna for Emilio Aguinaldo??? The handwriting is genuine no doubt, but I talked to Jim Richardson who told me there are more questions now than answers.

If he was in contact with Aguinaldo, how did he not know the Biak-na-Bato Republic ended in December 1897? Was he conning or bluffing the Spaniards?

Or does this prove Jacinto’s pragmatism that although loyal to Bonifacio, he realizes the need to contribute to the continuing struggle? He subsequently wrote a letter to Mabini expressing his willingness to go to Malolos. If Jacinto is really this pragmatic than idealist, he does fit the title “Brains.�

Another not-so-noticed document appended in the JPS biography of Jacinto was a paper establishing an economic society in Laguna, which gives credence to a relative’s later story that Jacinto became a meat merchant, encouraged by, of all people, Pio del Pilar, and made quite a decent fortune in the last days of his life. More answers but also more questions.

These things make us realize that taking a second look at history is not bad at all, but exciting.

Q IGNATIUS FROM A5

Young veterans in Congress bring new hope for Democrats Like many other newly elected VETS SHE RECEIVED kNANCIAL SUPport from 'With Honor,' a bipartisan group that donated $14 million to veterans from both parties last year.

Rye Barcott, who helped found With Honor, says the group backed 19 winning veterans, 10 Democrats and nine Republicans. Each candidate had to pledge to “bring civility to politics� and “collaborate across the aisle.� The recipients have started co-sponsoring legislation together, and they plan a bipartisan caucus of young vets.

Some commentators have been worrying that the Democratic Party’s

leftward drift could tilt it so far out of the mainstream that the process helps reelect Donald Trump in 2020. But before pushing the panic button, wait a minute: If you look carefully at the Democratic caucus in the House, the voices of the new members who’ve served overseas as MILITARY OR INTELLIGENCE OFkCERS — let’s call them the pragmatic progressives — may matter more to the party’s future than the attention-grabbers on the far left.

(C) 2019, WASHINGTON POST WRITERS GROUP

David Ignatius can be reached via Twitter: @IgnatiusPost.

Regions Negros Occidental braces for El NiĂąo

˜ The Manila Times

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

B

BY EUGENE Y. ADIONG

AC O L O D C I T Y: T he N e g r o s Occidental provincial government set aside funds for cloud seeding operations, as it prepares for the looming effects of the El NiĂąo phenomenon to local farmers, the provincial agriculturist said.

*APHET -ASCULINO SAID THE /FkCE OF THE 0ROVINCIAL !GRICULTURIST would also buy equipment, such as water and irrigation pumps, to help local farmers.

But the effects of El NiĂąo on the agriculture sector in the province could only be minimal, he added.

The Philippine Atmospheric,

Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) earlier said a mild El NiĂąo phenomenon has already been affecting some provinces, including Negros Occidental.

The state weather bureau, in an advisory, said a weak El NiĂąo was occurring in the tropical 0ACIkC REGION AND WOULD LIKELY

continue until the second quarter of the year.

Pagasa said the phenomenon might have varying impacts, such as warmer than average surface temperature and a prolonged dry season.

It predicted that in March, there would be “generally way below to below normal rainfall conditions

A7

over most parts of the country except for southern Mindanao and Surigao del Sur where near normal is likely.�

In April, there would be “generally below normal rainfall CONDITIONS IN ,UZON AND THE Visayas while it would be near normal mostly in Mindanao,� it added.

Cavite maritime police Ecstasy dealer killed, 2 nabbed in Cebu chief booked for extort THE head of the Cavite Maritime Police Station (CMPS) was arrested while in the act of acceptING BRIBE MONEY FROM A kSHERS ASSOCIATION IN 4ANZA #AVITE Senior Supt. Bernard Banac, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman, said Supt. Armandy $IMABUYO CHIEF OF THE ND CMPS, was arrested during an entrapment by the PNP Counter Intelligence Task Force (CITF).

In a report by CITF Commander Senior Supt. Romeo Caramat, the operation stemmed from comPLAINTS OF SEVERAL MOTORIZED BANCA owners, alleging that Dimabuyo WAS DEMANDING BETWEEN 0

AND 0 MONTHLY FROM A kSHERS ASSOCIATION Dimabuyo was arrested while IN THE ACT OF RECEIVING 0

marked money from the complainant.

Meanwhile, Chief Supt. Rodelio *OCSON 0.0 -ARITIME 'ROUP $Irector, relieved all personnel of the Cavite Maritime Group (CMG)

AFTER the death of Ashley Abad, the medical student who died of an overdose of the party drug ecstasy last month, police intenSIkED ITS OPERATIONS AGAINST THE drug trade in Cebu, which led to a foiled buy-bust, killing drug suspect Kenneth Rosales and arresting two of his cohorts in Cebu City on Friday.

Chief Insp. Reynaldo Tero, head of the Regional Special Operations Group in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said a buy-bust was conducted be-

wounds in the body and died at the Cebu City Medical Center.

(IS COHORTS IDENTIkED AS *USTIN !NTON *IMENEZ AND ,ORENZ *ASPER Yap, who were with him during the buy-bust, were arrested.

0O L I C E S E I Z E D A B O U T tablets of methylene dioxy methamphetamine, commonly known as ecstasy, a firearm, the black Volvo car driven by Rosales and the white Nissan 0ATROL OF *IMENEZ AND 9AP 4ERO SAID THE SEIZED ECSTASY

tablets were estimated to cost ABOUT 0

Tero told The Manila Times that Rosales gets ecstasy from Manila.

These are mixed with packs of vitamins and then transported via courier companies.

Rosales distributed ecstasy within Cebu and had been under surveillance for about a month.

-EANWHILE 4ERO SAID *IMENEZ and Yap admitted they were involved in the trade of illegal drugs.

RHEA RUTH ROSELL

Commander Bravo joins BARMM transition team Q P/Supt. Armandy Dimabuyo AFTER $IMABUYO S ARREST The station was then placed under Supt. Gaylord Tamayo and members of the CMG Special Operations Unit replaced the sacked personnel.

DEMPSEY REYES WITH A REPORT FROM JAN DANIZON P. ARCILLA, TMTC INTERN

Japanese used machinery supplier to invest in Subic SUBIC BAY FREEPORT: ! *APANESE supplier of used heavy machinery has teamed up with a company based here to provide heavy-duty trucks and machinery for local entrepreneurs. !! *APAN AND &ILANKA 3UBIC Corp. formally opened their office and showroom here on Friday, aimed to help address the COUNTRY S DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS IN THE kELDS OF INFRASTRUCture, agriculture and energy by supplying heavy equipment units and related services.

(AMEED 2AMZAN !! *APAN president and CEO, told members OF THE MEDIA HIS kRM TEAMED UP with Filanka because they believe IN THEIR LOCAL PARTNER S PROVEN TRACK record in this industry. “The partnership will allow us to adapt our services and products to a broad customer base and develop multiple service offerings,�

2AMZAN SAID He added they aim to boost their network here, which might,

side the road in Barangay Zapatera at about 1:45 a.m.

But, Tero said, when Rosales noticed that he was transacting with an undercover police officer, he opened fire, triggering a gunfight.

The suspect tried to escape by driving away in his car, but its rear bumped the Toyota Camry with responding police operatives onboard.

Rosales, of Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City, sustained gunshot

in turn, strengthen the industry in this part of the country, as well as provide livelihood opportunities to nearby communities,�

2AMZAN ADDED The joint venture has poured in $15 million in investment, and was looking for an expansion and provision of full service in the COUNTRY OFkCIALS SAID (E SAID SOME EMPLOYEES skilled in conversion, painting, engine maintenance and bodyworks would be hired and additional spaces would be leased for their stock and service yards. !CCORDING TO 2AMZAN !! *APAN has provided quality vehicles, equipment and machineries to contractors and procurers worldwide since 1996 and had developed a global network of branches and exclusive partners that allow car sales throughout the world.

Subic Bay Metropolitan AuthorITY $IRECTOR *ULIUS %SCALONA WAS IN hand in the opening ceremony.

PATRICK ROXASÂ

COTABATO CITY: 0UBLIC OFkCIALS HAVE found acceptable the inclusion of the feared warrior of the Moro )SLAMIC ,IBERATION &RONT -),&

Abdullah Macapaar or CommandER "RAVO AS ONE OF MEMBERS of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). !L (AJJ -URAD )BRAHIM -),& chairman and in-coming chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), announced that Macapaar was among the 41 MEMBERS THE -),& ENDORSED FOR the incoming BTA. The National Bureau of Investigation had reportedly cleared Macapaar of involvement in any criminal case that could be a legal ground for President Rodrigo Duterte not to appoint him as BTA member.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, also a strong supporter of the peace efforts of -ALACAĂ„ANG AND THE -),& SAID HE WAS IN FAVOR OF -ACAPAAR S PARticipation in governance after he fought the government for more than three decades.

Mangudadatu said Duterte and THE -),& S TOP LEADERSHIP CORE must have agreed bilaterally to -ACAPAAR S INCLUSION IN THE "4! “President Duterte knows best.

We believe in his sincerity in resolving the Moro issue. We believe in his propensity to address concerns and issues regarding the peace process,� he said. “Commander Bravo now wants to get involved in governance as the better means of addressing the problems besetting the Bangsamoro homeland. What is

Q Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo wrong with that? We should be happy that from being a warrior he would be working in the BTA as statesman,� Mangudadatu added.

Macapaar, a Maranao, and radical cleric Ameril Ombra Kato, a Maguindanaon, led bloody atTACKS IN THE PROVINCES OF ,ANAO del Norte and in North Cota-

Nationinbriefs

Zambales Chromite Mining Company Inc. without any legal basis, considering the two mining firms already complied with all the requirements prescribed by law.

PATRICK ROXAS

‘WUTIP’ STRENGTHENS INTO A TYPHOON, REMAINS OUTSIDE PAR

2 GIRLS MISSING IN SOUTH COTABATO

THE state bureau said tropical depression “Wutip� had developed into a typhoon category with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 160 kph. Wutip remained outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) at 2,400 kilometers east of Mindanao. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) still expected the typhoon to recurve away from PAR. Meanwhile, northeastly surface windflow prevailed over Luzon and the Visayas, while partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers in the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Aurora province and Quezon province were expected. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy skies. Mindanao may still experience localized thunderstorms that could bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers in Mindanao that can cause possible flash floods during severe thunderstorms. DIVINA NOVA JOY DELA CRUZ

COURT CONVICTS ZAMBALES MAYOR OF GRAFT

SANTA CRUZ, Zambales: The Sandiganbayan convicted Mayor Luisito Marty of this town of graft and usurpation of legislative powers for his refusal to issue business permits to two mining firms. In a decision promulgated on February 15, the Sandiganbayan Special Third Division headed by Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje Tang, the court meted Marty an imprisonment from six years or up to a maximum of 10 years for graft, and another jail term from four up to six months for usurpation of authority. He was also ordered by the anti-graft court to pay P50,000 fine. The case against Marty stemmed from his refusal in 2011 to issue business permits to Zambales Diversified Metals Corp. Inc. and

COTABATO CITY: Two teenage girls from the town of Tantangan in South Cotabato were reported missing by their parents since February 19. Arlene Palmares reported to the police that her daughter, Antonette, 13, was last seen on board a Bajaj motorbike (AW-6062) with her friend Myra Casiple, 14, in Koronadal City, a neighboring city of Tantangan. Their parents tried to reach them through their mobile phones, but could no longer be contacted. Any information about the girls could be relayed Arlene Palmares through her mobile numbers 09550636664 or through Radyo Bida Koronadal through textline number 0925-852-7999.

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

COURT ACQUITS EX-PHILPOST CHIEF OF GRAFT

THE Sandiganbayan’s First Division acquitted former Philippine Postal Corp.

(PhilPost) Postmaster General Diomedio Villanueva of graft over the refund to PhilPost USA of $1.03-million terminal dues paid for mail sent to the United Kingdom. In a 13-page decision promulgated on Friday, the court ruled out manifest partiality and evident bad faith on the part of Villanueva, who was a former military chief. It also said that the prosecution failed to persuade it that he acted with gross inexcusable negligence. PhilPost USA — which paid the PPC the terminal dues for 2001 — sought the refund in 2003, which Villanueva referred to Siapno whose recommendation to proceed with the refund he later approved. It added in part that the recommendation of Siapno, who was then PhilPost general manager for finance, could not be said to have been carried out in haste because it was arrived at over two weeks after PhilPost USA made the request. Associate Justice Efren de la Cruz, who leads the Sandiganbayan’s First Division, penned the decision, which was concurred in by Associate Justices Geraldine Faith Econg and Edgardo Caldona.

REINA C. TOLENTINO

bato, after the Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional the Memorandum of Agreement on !NCESTRAL $OMAIN IN THAT -ALACAĂ„ANG AND THE -),& CRAFTED the year before.

The document was the supposed basis for the creation of a Bangsamoro political entity.

But the Supreme Court threw out the draft agreement based on petitions by various groups and political leaders, citing the unconstitutionality of many of its provisions. +ATO WHOM THE -),& CENTRAL committee censured for leading a mutiny in protest of the Supreme #OURT S DECISION BOLTED IN AND ORGANIZED THE "ANGSAMORO Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) a year later.

The BIFF, blamed for all the fatal bombings since, has declared allegiance to the Islamic State (IS).

The peace talks between the GOVERNMENT AND THE -),& WHICH STARTED ON *AN

CULMINATED WITH THE CRAFTING ON -ARCH

of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

The CAB was the basis for the PASSAGE OF THE 2EPUBLIC !CT

OR THE g"ANGSAMORO /RGANIC ,AWu "/, THE CHARTER OF "!2-- 4HE "/, WILL PAVE THE WAY for the replacement of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with the -),& LED "!2-- The BTA, which Ebrahim will lead as chief minister, will manage the transfer of powers from ARMM to BARMM. The BTA shall be comprised of REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE -),&

among them Macapaar, and 39 members from the government.

Similarly, outgoing ARMM regional governor Mujiv Hataman, said there was nothing wrong with Macapaar being included in the "4!

SAYING THAT THE -),& LEADERship functions as a collegial body.

JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

2 FOUND DEAD IN CEBU

POLICE found the bodies of two men with gunshot wounds along the road in Sitio Ibabao, Barangay Maghaway in Talisay City at about 4 a.m. on Friday. Police identified the fatalities as Gabby Gabisan, 41, of Barangay San Roque, Talisay City and Mar Kernaez, 37, of Barangay Lagtang, also in Talisay City. A violet Suzuki Smash motorcycle (070102) was recovered about 150 meters away from the scene. Police said the motorcycle was owned by Juriel Minguito, of Barangay Tungod, Inabanga, Bohol. He was tagged as a person of interest. Scene of the Crime Operatives found 11 fired cartridges and four fired bullets from the scene. Supt. Marlu Conag, Talisay City police station chief, said investigators were looking into illegal drugs as the motive behind the killing. He said they have yet to confirm whether Gabisan whose middle name was Sabalones was related to Franz Sabalones, Cebu’s most wanted drug suspect. RHEA RUTH ROSELL

CENTRAL LUZON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY APPLICATIONS UP BY 72%

TARLAC: Applications for registration of intellectual property rights (IPR) in Central Luzon increased by 72 percent in 2018, records from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Regional Office 3 show. A report of the local Intellectual Property Office (IPO) based in DTI-3 showed 307 applications for patent, trademark, copyright, utility model and other forms of IPR registrations in 2018, higher than 178 applications in 2017. Registrants from Pampanga made the bulk of applications with 174; Bulacan with 58; Tarlac, 25; Bataan, 22; Nueva Ecija, 18; Aurora, seven and Zambales with one. Of the 307 IPR applications, 115 were part of the “Juana Make a Mark� program of DTI where women entrepreneurs were assisted by the agency to register the intellectual property associated with their products at discounted rates. For Central Luzon, majority of the applications are for trade names or brands, product designs, product labels and label colors. Republic Act 8293, otherwise known as the “Intellectual Property Code,� outlines the rights to trademarks, patents, industrial designs, service marks, copyrights and utility models. The act also sets rules on the use of these marks and penalizes infringement of the legal rights of IPR holders.

JERRY M. HERNANDEZ

A8

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

News

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Metro roads closed for repair

BY NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

T

HE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday warned MOTORISTS TO BRACE FOR HEAVY TRAFkC IN CERTAIN parts of Metro Manila where several roads would be closed for repairs.

These roads were closed on Friday and will be opened on Monday.

According to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), the southbound lanes of C-5 Road after Lanuza Avenue and in front of SM Aura would undergo reblocking.

The southbound lane of EDSA, from Ermin Garcia to Monte de Piedad, the third lane from the sidewalk, will also be closed for repairs.

Other roads under the DPWH’s jurisdiction that will be closed for repairs include the

kRST LANE FROM THE CENTER ISLAND in Fairview Avenue, Atherton to Regalado Avenue, North and Ramon Magsaysay Boulevard (going to Cubao) and Ramon Magsaysay Bridge to Pureza Street.

On the same days, Maynilad will also conduct restoration and

Fecal coliform levels down in Manila Bay LEVELS of fecal coliform bacteria had been going down steadily in some parts of Manila Bay, after a series of cleanup activities and the crackdown on several establishments found to be violating environmental laws, an official of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on Friday.

DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda told The Manila Times that water in Manila Bay was now cleaner, with fecal coliform levels dropping in some areas, particularly in the vicinity of the US Embassy.

He attributed the improvement to the cleanup activities and the closure of big business establishments tagged as major pollutants of the bay.

However, swimming is still not allowed since coliform levels are still significantly higher than the safe level of 100 most probable number per 100 milliliters (mpn/100 ml).

Latest data from the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) showed that bacteria levels taken from

concreting works along Commonwealth Avenue near Riverside overpass in Quezon City.

The MMDA advised motorists to avoid these areas and use alternate routes until all affected roads will be fully passable by 5 a.m. on Monday.

RESCUED A Customs agent holds three of the 56 iguanas seized from a Filipino passenger from Bangkok, Thailand on February 22.

PHOTO BY DJ DIOSINA

the US Embassy area have gone down to 1,700 mpn/100 ml.

This is the lowest count in all the eight water quality monitoring stations of the DENR. The waters in front of Diamond Hotel on Quintos Street and Admiral Hotel on Aldecoa Street registered a count of 3,500 mpn/100 ml and 9,200 mpn/100 ml, respectively, while the waters of the Padre Faura drainage outfall also tested lower for fecal coliform, clocking in at 1.6 million mpn/100 ml from 7.9 million mpn/100 ml.

Coliform levels have also gone down in the beachfront area near Remedios Street from 35 million mpn/100 ml to 11 million mpn/100 ml.

Antiporda renewed the DENR’s appeal to the public to refrain from swimming in Manila Bay as the waters remain unsafe and polluted.

He said the DENR would also coordinate with the Department of Health for consultations on the impact of desilting operations.

EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

Comelec to disqualify candidates with illegal posters THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Friday that candidates whose campaign materials are illegally placed might face DISQUALIkCATION AS IT ACTIVATED THE inter-agency task force authorized to take down such posters and build cases against the candidates.

The task force is composed of the Comelec, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the Department of Public Works and

Highways and the National Capital 2EGION 0OLICE /FkCE .2#0/ “We appeal to candidates, whether or not you were the ones who put up campaign materials, to take THEM DOWN OR FACE DISQUALIkCATION u Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said in a news conference.

He explained that the Comelec documents reports and instances when campaign materials exceeded the sizes allowed and were

placed in public spaces where they are prohibited. “We issue a three-day notice for them to take those (campaign posters) down. From there, we WILL BUILD A DISQUALIkCATION CASE AGAINST THEM u *IMENEZ SAID “The notice is to establish liability for the candidates whose faces ARE ON THE MATERIALS u HE ADDED Jimenez admitted that no candiDATE HAS YET BEEN DISQUALIkED ON

such grounds, but said that with the help of the task-force, a higher chance of building cases against candidates with illegally placed campaign materials would lead to THEIR DISQUALIkCATION He added, at the same time, that MAJORITY OF OFkCIAL CANDIDATES IN the local and national levels had been issued notices. “With proper documentation, we will be able to disqualify these

CANDIDATES u *IMENEZ SAID The MMDA was also tasked to apprehend public utility vehicles that allowed the posting of campaign materials on windshields and those that exceed the maximum size of 2 feet x 3 feet. “We will apprehend and move for the removal of license to operate of these buses, jeepneys and other PUVs (public utility veHICLES u --$! 'ENERAL -ANAGER

Q ADMITS FROM A1

Tagle admits injured our people, leaving a deep wound in our RELATIONSHIP WITH THOSE WHO ARE SENT TO SERVE u 4AGLE SAID IN HIS SPEECH ON THE kRST DAY OF THE LANDMARK sex abuse summit being held at the Vatican. “We humbly and sorrowfully admit that a wound HAS BEEN INlICTED BY US BISHOPS ON THE VICTIMS AND THE ENTIRE BODY OF #HRIST u THE CARDINAL SAID The summit that began on Thursday will end on Sunday.

Pope Francis gathered more than 100 bishops and Catholic leaders to come up with “concrete AND EFFECTIVE MEASURESu TO kGHT THE CRISIS WHICH has haunted the Catholic Church for decades.

Tagle said the reality of child abuse had rendered prelates undeserving of forgiveness. “The abuse of minors by ordained ministers HAS INlICTED WOUNDS NOT ONLY ON THE VICTIMS BUT also on their families, the clergy, the Church, the

Q PLOT FROM A1

Tinnie Terrorists have dubbed them, planned to reach the southern Philippines and join up with Muslim separatists. “The whole venture was poorly planned and, ) FEAR FOREDOOMED TO FAILURE u *USTICE -ICHAEL Croucher said. “Given the ill-suited vessel they had and their lack of serious boating experience, it is hard to imagine that they would have made it very far past the breakers off far north of 1UEENSLAND u Paul James Dacre, Antonino Granata and Kadir Kaya were sentenced to four years’ imprisonment by the Supreme Court of Victoria, while Murat Kaya was sentenced to three years and eight

Q RETURNS FROM A1

PH routs Qatar After being suspended three games by the FIBA and being left out of the roster in the second game of kFTH WINDOW AGAINST )RAN THE FORMER .ATIONAL "ASketball Association forward delivered an all-around performance of 17 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals against the Qataris.

Blatche nailed all three triples in the third period, resulting in a 31-9 scoring frenzy and tearing Qatar’s defense apart for an insurmountable 62-30 cushion at the start of the fourth quarter.

The Filipinos displayed impeccable shooting display beyond the arc as Marcio Lassiter and Paul Lee combined for 7-of-8 shooting from the

Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. said.

NCRPO Director Guillermo Eleazar said more than 1,000 policemen in Metro Manila had been directed to arrest persons who would put up posters in prohibited public spaces. “The patrolling starts on Saturday. When we chance upon anyone illegally putting up posters, they WILL BE ARRESTED u HE SAID NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

wider society, the perpetrators themselves and THE BISHOPS u HE NOTED “We as a Church must continue to walk with those profoundly wounded by abuse, building trust, providing unconditional love and forgiveness with the full recognition that we do not deserve YOUR FORGIVENESS IN THE ORDER OF JUSTICE u HE ADDED “Wounds call for healing, but what does healing consist in? How do we, as bishops, who have been part of the wounding, now promote healing IN THIS SPECIkC CONTEXT u HE ADDED Tagle, who became emotional while delivering his speech, called on sex abuse victims to remain strong in their faith.

As he opened the summit, Pope Francis called FOR gCONCRETE MEASURESu TO TACKLE PEDOPHILIA IN the church. “The holy people of God looks to us, and expects from us not simple and predictable condemnations, but concrete and effective measures to be UNDERTAKEN 7E NEED TO BE CONCRETE u HE SAID g(EAR THE CRY OF THE LITTLE ONES WHO PLEAD FOR JUSTICE u CATHERINE MODESTO WITH AFP months behind bars.

The two other men, Shayden Thorne and notorious Australian Islamic preacher Musa Cerantonio, have pleaded guilty to the charges, but have yet to be sentenced.

In handing down his sentence in Melbourne, Justice Michael Croucher said the four men would not have been involved in the plot if not for the “charismatic and persuasive Mr. #ERANTONIO u Canberra has been increasingly concerned

BY HOMEGROWN EXTREMISM AND CITIZENS kGHTING with jihadist organizations abroad, such as the Islamic State group.

The country introduced sweeping counterterrorism laws in 2014 that include blocking AFP alleged jihadists from going overseas. three-point zone.

The Philippines connected 15-of-30 attempts from the three-point area, while the Qataris struggled shooting a measly 3-of-17 from the three-point area.

The Filipinos were never threatened after leading by 41-21 at the half. They gave the screaming Filipino fans something to cheer about in the second half as they dominated the game with more dunks and sustained their shooting prowess.

It was the best performance of the Philippine team under national coach Yeng Guiao, who took the coaching duty from Chot Reyes last year.

Team Pilipinas remained in fourth place with 6-5 win-loss record — a game behind second placers Iran and Japan which tied with 7-4 record. Australia is at No. 1 in Group F with 10-1 win-loss record after routing Kazakhstan (81-60) recently.

ASIAN STOCKS: V S h a n g h a i 1 . 9 1 %

W S i n g a p o re 0 . 4 8 %

PSEi 7,962.13 UP 0.39%

P52.06 TO $1

What’s inside PH ELECTRONICS IMPORTS GREW 16.29% IN 2018

ÂťBusinessB2

BSP CAN NOW ISSUE DEBT PAPERS

www.manilatimes.net

ÂťBusinessB2

BASIC ENERGY COMPLETES PURCHASE OF VINTER STAKE Corporate NewsB3

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GMA INVESTS OVER P1B FOR DIGITAL UPGRADES

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COMMUTERS MAY RELOAD BEEP CARDS ONLINE SOON

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W To k yo 0 . 1 8 %

W Jakarta 0.56%

V H o n g Ko n g 0 . 6 5 %

BY MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

L

AST YEAR S BUDGET DEkCIT EXCEEDED PROGRAMMED LEVELS THE GOVERNMENT CONkRMED ON &RIDAY EVEN AS IT CALLED THE RESULT gMANAGEABLEu

At 3.2 percent of gross domestic PRODUCT '$0 ‡ HIGHER THAN THE PROGRAMMED PERCENT ‡ THE shortfall represented an improvement FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR S PERCENT THE Treasury bureau claimed in a statement.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd described the above-target gap — EQUIVALENT TO THE GOAL ‡ AS gMANageable� and said the government expected to keep it under control this year.

In nominal terms, the Treasury confirmed that the budget shortfall hit

0 BILLION IN AS EARLIER REPORTED BASED ON AN UNOFkCIAL DATA Full-year collections reached P2.85 trillion, breaching the P2.82-trillion proGRAM BY PERCENT AND UP PERCENT for the year. %XPENDITURES MEANWHILE GREW BY PERCENT TO 0 TRILLION EXCEEDING the P3.35-trillion spending goal.

4HE "UREAU OF )NTERNAL 2EVENUE ")2 ACCOUNTED FOR THE BULK OF REVENUES WITH 0 TRILLION PERCENT HIGHER COMPARED TO THE YEAR EARLIER 0 TRILLION

but short of the full-year program of 0 TRILLION “The shortfall may be partly attributed to non-implementation of fuel marking AND THE SLOWDOWN IN CONSUMPTION AMID HIGH INlATION AND PESO DEPRECIATION u the Treasury said.

4HE "UREAU OF #USTOMS "O# NETTED 0 BILLION ‡ A PERCENT GAIN FROM LAST YEAR S 0 BILLION AND ALSO EXCEEDING THE 0 BILLION PROGRAMMED FOR the year. “Revenue enhancement measures COUPLED WITH PROPER VALUATION AND TARIFF CLASSIkCATION OF GOODS AS WELL AS a strengthened campaign against illegal TRADE AND THE WINDFALL FROM PESO DEPREciation, contributed to the strong BoC performance,� the Treasury said. /THER OFkCES CONTRIBUTED 0 BIL-

*OSE ,UIS 9ULO SAYING THAT gSHIPbuilding is a national interest and a national security issue given that WE ARE AN ISLANDS NATION u 9ULO ALSO SAID THAT HE WELcomed the interest of tycoon Enrique Razon, WHO LEADS LISTED PORT International Container Terminal Services, in Hanjin.

(ANJIN WHICH kLED FOR CORPORATE REHABILITATION IN *ANUARY REPORTEDLY OWES 0 MILLION TO kVE MAJOR Philippine banks in addition to $900-million obligation to creditors in South Korea.

The Trade department has said THAT IT WOULD HELP (ANJIN ACQUIRE funding by attracting investors. After NEWS OF (ANJIN S BANKRUPTCY BROKE

ÂłFirm B2

Wanted: Smarter mobility MOBILITY I MATTERS READ recently that Filipinos lead THE WORLD IN INTERNET USE ABOUT nine hours per day per user) and IN SOCIAL MEDIA USE HOURS daily per user), according to the $IGITAL 'LOBAL /VERVIEW *ANUARY SURVEY ) THOUGHT TO MYSELF a large subset of these users must BE &ILIPINOS WAITING FOR HOURS IN queues or bus stops for their rides OR SITTING IN TRAFkC AS THEIR VEHICLES CRAWL SLOWLY THROUGH CONGESTED urban roads.

Being at the top of the rankings IN SOCIAL MEDIA USE MORE THAN 30 minutes ahead of the next country—Brazil-- in the rankings) is not so much because Filipinos have more leisure time, but rather that the daily routine of many &ILIPINOS IS TAKEN UP BY DIFkCULT COMMUTES DURING WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA MAY BE THE ONLY WAY TO COPE WITH THE ONEROUS AND EXHAUSTING TRAVEL WHICH IS WHY WIk ON PUBLIC transport vehicles and at terminals and bus stops is a real blessing). *UST OBSERVE PEOPLE STANDING IN QUEUES TO ENTER -24 OR WAITING for their turn to board a UV Express VAN OR kNDING A 'RAB CAR OR Angkas motorcycle to pick them up--most are active on their mobile phones.

Instead of information techNOLOGY )4 ENABLING &ILIPINOS to endure the long and tiring COMMUTE WE SHOULD BE TAPPING IT to make transportation more EFkCIENT‡SHAVING OFF TRAVEL AND queuing times and making our journey more reliable and predictable. (ERE IS ONE WAY TO DO THIS. -ODERN JEEPNEYS AND NEW BUSes, including P2P buses, are required by the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board

V B a n g ko k 0 . 7 2 %

lion, bringing total tax revenues for the MONTH TO 0 TRILLION 4AX REVENUE GROWTH ACCELERATED BY PERCENT FROM A YEAR EARLIER BUT FELL SHORT OF THE 0 trillion program.

4HIS RESULTED IN A TAX EFFORT TO '$0 RATIO OF PERCENT IN AN IMPROVEMENT FROM PERCENT A YEAR AGO AND the highest in 20 years but short of the PERCENT PROGRAM .ON TAX EARNINGS MEANWHILE TOTALED 0 BILLION WITH THE 4REASURY CONTRIBUTING 0 BILLION ‡ UP PERCENT /THER OFkCES CONTRIBUTED 0 BILLION

39 percent higher from last year.

The bureau attributed this to “higher DIVIDENDS FROM .' NATIONAL GOVERNment) shares of stocks amounting to 0 BILLION FOUR TIMES HIGHER THAN

ROBERT SIY ,4&2" TO HAVE GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM '03 ENABLED VEHICLE tracking devices, and to register these devices so that LTFRB can track each vehicle in real time.

Many bus operators are already USING '03 TRACKING SYSTEMS TO MONITOR THEIR lEET AND MANAGE operations.

With a control center to capture AND PROCESS THE '03 SIGNALS OF public transport vehicles, LTFRB can track the speed and location of all buses and jeepneys. It COULD SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH local governments, public and metropolitan authorities such as the Metro Manila Development !UTHORITY --$!

This type of monitoring system, already common in many cities WORLDWIDE WILL ALSO HELP MOTIVATE good driving behavior because THERE WILL BE AN ELECTRONIC RECORD OF HOW EACH JEEPNEY OR BUS WAS OPERATED EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. 7HEN A DRIVER KNOWS THAT HIS HER route, time at bus stops and driving speed are being recorded by the LTFRB, there is less temptation to resort to bad driving habits.

If the real-time locations of buses and modern jeepneys can be released as “open data�, softWARE PROGRAMMERS COULD DEVELOP different apps that could immeDIATELY BENEkT THE RIDING PUBLIC Commuters can track their buses on their mobile phones. Bus

ÂłMobility B2

ÂłDomiguez B2

Japan commits funding for PH

Hanjin white knight can be any firm – Lopez ANY company — local or foreign — can take over bankrupt Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. Philippines, a CabiNET OFkCIAL SAID AMID CONCERNS that the sale of the Subic-based shipbuilder could compromise national security. “Hindi, kahit sino naman .O

anyone can),� Trade Secretary RaMON ,OPEZ SAID WHEN ASKED IF THE government preferred that a Filipino kRM WOULD BUY (ANJIN “But regardless sino yan WHOEVER it is), maganda nga kung IT WOULD be better if) foreign din because it SHOWS CONkDENCE IN OUR ECONOMY u he added.

The Chamber of Commerce of THE 0HILIPPINE )SLANDS LAST WEEK WARNED AGAINST A FOREIGN TAKEOVER

WITH THE ORGANIZATION S PRESIDENT

B2

Above-target budget deficit ‘manageable’ – Dominguez

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DTI, BIR PARTNER TO REDUCE RED TAPE

V Seoul 0.08%

MONEY TALKS

W

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2019

Business Times

CURRENCY RATE

B1

*!0!. has committed to fund various projects in the Philippines FOLLOWING A HIGH LEVEL MEETING IN Osaka, the Finance department said on Friday.

4HE PLEDGE WAS EXPRESSED VIA exchanges of notes after the preVIOUS DAY S TH MEETING OF THE *APAN 0HILIPPINES *OINT #OMMITtee on Infrastructure Development and Economic Cooperation, the department said in a statement.

One of the notes involves a BILLION YEN GRANT FOR TRAIN SIMULATORS THAT WILL BE USED BY THE PROPOSED 0HILIPPINE 2AILWAY )NSTITUTE

WHICH THE &INANCE DEPARTMENT

EDIBLE WEARABLE A model presents a chocolate-made dress creation during a fashion show of clothes made out of chocolate for the inaugural night of the sixth Chocolate Fair in Brussels, on February 21, 2019. The sixth Chocolate Fair will run from February 22, 2019 to February 24, 2019. AFP PHOTO

ÂłFunding B2

Last-minute buying buoys PSEi THE stock market recovered from intra-day losses on Friday as invesTORS WERE SAID TO BE HEARTENED BY reports of positive developments in US-China trade talks.

The benchmark Philippine 3TOCK %XCHANGE INDEX 03%I traded the entire day in the red before last-minute buying pushed it up 0.39 percent or 30.83 points TO A CLOSE 4HE BROADER All Shares added 0.55 percent or POINTS TO kNISH AT

Regina Capital Development Corp. head of sales Luis Limlin-

gan said market players reacted POSITIVELY TO NEWS THAT 7ASHINGTON AND "EIJING WERE BEGINNING TO OUTLINE A DEAL THAT WOULD END A TRADE WAR Summit Securities Inc. President (ARRY ,IU MEANWHILE SAID THE MARKET WAS IN CONSOLIDATION MODE WHILE WAITING FOR CATALYSTS SUCH AS fresh corporate earnings results.

The PSEi joined other Asian markets in ignoring overnight losses on Wall Street.

3HANGHAI JUMPED BY PERCENT (ONG +ONG WAS UP

percent and Bangkok also rose by PERCENT 4OKYO HOWEVER FELL

BY AND DECLINES WERE ALSO RECORDED IN *AKARTA AND 3INGAPORE "ACK IN -ANILA ONLY THE kNANcials and mining and oil sectors kNISHED DOWN

BY PERCENT AND PERCENT RESPECTIVELY -ORE THAN BILLION SHARES VALUED AT 0 BILLION WERE traded. ,OSERS LED WINNERS TO

WHILE ISSUES REMAINED UNchanged.

ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

The changing financial world

M

Y Money and Banking class in De La Salle University TAUGHT ME THAT THE kNANCIAL WORLD has a long history that dates back even to the beginning of the human race. Our earliest ancestors began as nomads – they feasted on fruits from trees and the animals around them. As time passed, they began to settle, learned to USE TOOLS AND GROW CROPS AND LIVESTOCK (OWEVER GROWING CERtain kinds of crops and herding livestock did not provide one WITH ALL HIS NEEDS !S A SOLUTION

our ancestors started developing a system of trade that enabled them to exchange one necessity for ANOTHER‡A SYSTEM THAT NOW HAS A LONG HISTORY BEHIND IT AND WE STILL USE EVEN NOW

metals, as our ancestors started more value in metals as SME FIRST putting SOON AS AESTHETICS BECAME A WAY CIRCLE TO DISPLAY WEALTH AND POWER 'OLD

IN PARTICULAR WAS THE MOST COVETED among all metals as its properties ALLOWED IT TO BE USED BOTH FOR JEWELRY AND PRACTICAL USE SUCH AS !S AN EXAMPLE MEAT WAS TRADED FOR ARMOUR AND WEAPONS for an equivalent amount of cloth, WHICH MEANS THAT HUMANS STARTED Gold receipts, banking, putting value on these items. Natu- and paper money RALLY SOME GOODS WERE DEEMED more precious than others.

As people gained more and more GOLD CONVENIENCE WAS ALREADY OUT Salt and gold of the question; people started realizing that bringing a cart of Salt easily became one of the most gold to and from the market to valuable goods as it proved useful buy goods is no longer physically in seasoning and preserving food, feasible. cleaning, and many other practical .OT LONG AFTER kNANCIAL INSTIUSES 4HUS IT WASN T LONG BEFORE tutions came into play as banks Barter GOODS WERE VALUED ACCORDING TO STARTED OFFERING kNANCIAL SERVICES HOW MUCH SALT THEY CAN BE TRADED to the public. These banks kept the 4HE ERA OF kNANCIAL TRANSACTIONS FOR MAKING SALT THE kRST EVER MODE gold safe in their vaults and issued started as our ancestors began of currency.

GOLD RECEIPTS TO THE OWNERS GIVING trading goods among themselves.

This later on transitioned to ÂłSME B3

MARIA KAILA BALITE

E-payment license rules streamlined ,)#%.3).' rules for Bangko 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPINAS "30 SUpervised financial institutions "3&)S THAT INTEND TO OFFER ELECTRONIC PAYMENT AND kNANCIAL SERVICES %0&3 HAVE BEEN streamlined in a bid to promote digital innovations.

In a statement on Friday, the BSP announced that revised guidelines had been approved by its policymaking Monetary "OARD gIN LINE WITH THE REFORM agenda of promoting digital innovations and increasing the availability of safer and more EFkCIENT CHANNELS FOR DELIVERING banking, payment, remittance, INVESTMENT AND OTHER kNANCIAL services.�

BSFIs planning to launch basic services — those that enable clients to access information concerning their deposits, loans and other accounts or receive funds via electronic means — only have to notify the central bank 30 days before the offerings are implemented.

EFPS that require prior BSP APPROVAL MEANWHILE ARE THOSE THAT ALLOW CLIENTS TO TRANSFER funds from one account to anOTHER AND INITIATE OTHER kNANCIAL transactions.

"3&)S WERE ALSO REQUIRED TO MAKE THEIR %0&3 WITH FUNDS transfer functionality interoperable via automated clearing houses such as InstaPay and PESONet that are part of the

ÂłRules B2

B2

Business Times

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

Demand behind 16.29% electronics imports growth

BY TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD

R

OBUST DEMAND FOR GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES RAISED THE COUNTRY S ELECTRONICS IMPORTS I N W I T H S E VE N O U T O F N I N E SECTORS REGISTERING DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH THE 3EMICONDUCTOR AND %LECTRONICS )NDUSTRIES IN THE 0HILIPPINES &OUNDATION )NC 3EIPI SAID RECENTLY Inbound shipments of elecTRONICS SECTOR GREW BY PERCENT TO BILLION IN FROM BILLION A year ago. Electronics imports REPRESENTED PERCENT OF THE COUNTRY S TOTAL COMMODITY imports last year. g4HIS WAS DRIVEN BY HARDWARE [demand] for global technologies SUCH AS )O4 INTERNET OF THINGS

!) ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE 3$6 SWITCHED DIGITAL VIDEO WEARABLES !2 62 AUGMENTED REALITY VIRTUAL REALITY ETC u 3EIPI President Danilo Lachica told The Manila Times.

The telecommunications secTOR RECORDED THE HIGHEST GROWTH AT PERCENT TO BILLION IN FROM BILLION IN &OLLOWING IT WAS AUTOMO-

TIVE ELECTRONICS WHICH ROSE BY PERCENT TO MILLION from $35.32 million. Also up WERE OFFICE EQUIPMENT percent), control and instrumenTATION PERCENT CONSUMER ELECTRONICS PERCENT COMMUNICATION RADAR PERCENT

AND COMPONENTS DEVICES percent).

Electronic data processing also INCREASED BY PERCENT 3EIPI added.

On the other hand, a drop WAS NOTED IN MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL INSTRUMENTATION ‡ PERCENT TO MILLION FROM million. #OMPONENTS DEVICES ACCOUNTED FOR MOST OF THE IMPORTS AT BILLION OR PERCENT OF THE TOTAL ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INBOUND

SHIPMENTS FOLLOWED BY ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING WITH BILLION OR PERCENT TELECOMMUNICATION PERCENT COMMUNICATION RADAR AND CONTROL PERCENT CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

percent, and instrumentation, PERCENT /FkCE EQUIPMENT

MEDICAL INDUSTRIAL INSTRUMENTAtion and automotive electronics COMPRISED THE REMAINING percent.

4HE BULK OF THE COUNTRY S ELECtronics import came from Korea at PERCENT FOLLOWED BY #HINA PERCENT 4AIWAN PERCENT *APAN PERCENT

3INGAPORE PERCENT 5NITED 3TATES PERCENT (ONG +ONG PERCENT -ALAYSIA PERCENT 4HAILAND PERCENT AND 6IETNAM PERCENT

BSP can now issue debt papers DTI, BIR partner to reduce red tape THE Department of Trade and )NDUSTRY $4) AND THE "UREAU OF )NTERNAL 2EVENUE ")2 ARE JOINING hands to streamline the processes of starting a business and paying taxes.

"OTH AGENCIES WOULD LIKE TO IMprove ease of doing business in the country by “improving indicators in starting a business and paying taxes,� Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez told The Manila Times in text message on Friday. ,OPEZ SAID THEY DISCUSSED WITH the BIR about maximizing the use OF %LECTRONIC #ERTIkCATE !UTHORIZING 2EGISTRATION E#!2 Created by Revenue MemoRANDUM #IRCULAR IN -AY TO INCREASE CONTROL OVER DATA INTEGRITY THE E#!2 PAVED THE WAY for the discontinuation of manual ISSUANCES OF CERTIkCATES AUTHORIZing registration in the country, the DTI said.

4HE TWO AGENCIES ALSO TALKED about fully implementing the 3INGLE 7INDOW 4RANSACTION TO HELP FACILITATE FASTER AND EFkCIENT business transaction processing, Lopez said.

In May last year, President $UTERTE SIGNED 2EPUBLIC !CT 2!

OR THE Ease of Doing Business AND %FkCIENT 'OVERNMENT 3ERVICE $ELIVERY %/"$ %'3$ !CT OF TO PROMOTE EFkCIENCY in processing government transactions.

2! STREAMLINES PROCEdures, requiring government agenCIES TO COMPLY WITH THE PRESCRIBED time to process business and nonbusiness deals.

4HE LAW MANDATES LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS ,'5 TO gAUTOMATE their business permitting and licensing system, or setup an ELECTRONIC "/33 "USINESS /NE 3TOP 3HOP WITHIN THREE YEARS OF THE EFFECTIVITY OF THE LAW u THE !NTI 2ED 4APE !UTHORITY !24! SAID IN a statement.

The BOSS handles business permitting and licensing system PER ,'5 IT ADDED &URTHER THE LAW PUSHES FOR THE automation of government data through developing a central system that records all transactions and creating a data bank that ,'5S AND NATIONAL GOVERNMENT agencies can access.

TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD

Q FIRM FROM B1

Hanjin ,OPEZ SAID TWO #HINESE kRMS HAD expressed interest.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also said that shipbuildERS FROM THE 5NITED 3TATES *APAN

Indonesia, Australia and Turkey had expressed interest to take over Hanjin. TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD

Tips on financial planning when single S MONEY TALKS OME people chose to be single; others might be a result of a circumstance like breakup or passing of the better half. Whatever the reason of single blessedness is, there are a couple of things to keep in mind WHEN MANAGING YOUR SOLO kNANCES Financial planning on a solo income can tremendously help in achieving a brimming financial FUTURE WITHOUT SACRIkCING TODAY S enjoyment.

(ERE ARE SEVERAL kNANCIAL TIPS TO HELP YOU NAVIGATE YOUR OWN COURSE WITH YOUR kNANCES #REATE A BUDGET SPENDING PLAN Budgeting is important for everyone regardless of our status. The importance of it is more highlighted WHEN YOU RE SINGLE %FFECTIVELY MANAGING YOUR SOLO INCOME IS THE kRST STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING A HEALTHY AND BALANCED kNANCIAL LIFE ! gSPENDING plan� is a great tool in helping you keep track of your expenses. Start

BY WRITING DOWN ALL YOUR MONTHLY necessity expenses like food, rent, utility bills, etc.

Ideally, you should be living BELOW YOUR MEANS BUT WITHIN YOUR needs, meaning you should have something left to save or invest for your financial goals. It is recommended that your necessity expense DO NOT GO BEYOND PERCENT OF YOUR monthly income to provide space for your other expenses. Whatever is left from your income after deducting your necessity expense is your “free portion�, the amount that you can allocate either for savings, gWANTSu OR BOTH Create a budget or spending plan that suits you. It should not be restrictive and should be easy to execute to make it sustainable.

"UILD kNANCIAL CUSHIONS Financial disasters such as job loss, hospitalization or any event WHERE YOU SUDDENLY NEED A SIZEABLE amount of money can happen to anyone, regardless of age and social STATUS 4HAT S THE REASON WHY YOU D like to dedicate a portion of your INCOME TOWARDS SAVING FOR YOUR emergency fund.

Being a single earner leaves you NO CHOICE BUT TO TACKLE THE kNANCIAL disaster by yourself. Preparing for such possible eventuality provides YOU WITH INDISPENSABLE HEDGE IN your financial life. It is recomMENDED THAT YOU ESTABLISH BETWEEN THREE TO EIGHT MONTHS WORTH OF YOUR expenses as your emergency fund.

From the “free portion� in your cash lOW CARVE OUT AN AMOUNT THAT YOU can save regularly until you reach your desired emergency fund size.

THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is now allowed to issue debt papers under its newly amended charter.

Republic Act 11211, which amended RA 7653 or the New Central Bank Act of 1993, restored the authority of the BSP to issue negotiable certificates of indebtedness even during normal times.

Prior to the amendment, the monetary authority is allowed to issue certificates of indebtedness only in cases of extraordinary movement in price levels.

Based on the amended BSP charter “the Monetary Board shall determine the interest rates, maturities and other

characteristics of said obligations of the Bangko Sentral, and may, if it deems it advisable, denominate the obligations in gold or foreign currencies.�

In a press chat on Friday, BSP Deputy Governor Maria Almasara Cyd TuaĂąoAmador said this was in line with the BSP’s goal to have an arsenal of policy instrument that can be used to fine-tune monetary aggregates in the economy. “When we have significant structural liquidity surplus then we can start thinking about using the central bank debt papers,â€? she said.

Tuaùo-Amador also said the BSP’s

liquidity-mopping tool would not compete with the national government’s issuance of debt securities. “The operational details of the issuance of the central bank debt papers will be carefully coordinated with the national government particularly in terms of tenor,� she said. “As you know, central bank is finetuning monetary policies and that speaks what kind of tenor we will be using to make sure that the money supply that is available, sloshing around the system is just enough to lubricate the functioning of the economy,� she added.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

Q FUNDING FROM B1

tablish a mechanism for future COOPERATION BETWEEN THE 0HILIPPINES AND *APAN ON AMONG others, universal health coverage, elderly care, disease prevention, maternal and child health services and sanitation.� *APAN IS ALSO EXTENDING GRANT assistance for peace and development projects in Mindanao coverING THE FOLLOWING • 200 million yen for the provision of livelihood assistance in AGRICULTURE AND FOR kSHERS THROUGH the Food and Agriculture Organization; • 300 million yen for the develOPMENT OF WATER FACILITIES IN THE Bangsamoro region through the International Labor Organization; and r MILLION YEN FOR THE PROVIsion of vehicles and equipment through the United Nations Development Program.

This is on top of a $202-milLION LOAN FOR THE 2OAD .ETWORK $EVELOPMENT 0ROJECT IN #ONlICT !FFECTED !REAS IN -INDANAO WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE SIGNED IN THE kRST quarter of the year.

The project involves building,

rehabilitating and improving a KILOMETER ROAD NETWORK in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and neighboring regions. *APAN WAS QUOTED AS HAVING SAID THAT IT HAD gkNISHED THE NECESSARY procedures to sign the loan agreement and is expecting to do so at the earliest possible time once the Philippine side secures the necessary government approvals.�

The Finance department underSCORED THAT 0HILIPPINE AND *APANESE OFkCIALS ALSO DISCUSSED FEASIBILITY studies for the Circumferential Road 3 Missing Link Project in Metro Manila and the Dalton Pass East Alignment Alternative Road Project THAT IS SUBJECT TO CERTIkCATION OF THE National Commission on IndigENOUS 0EOPLES WHICH THEY EXPECT TO RESUME IN THE kRST HALF OF THIS YEAR 4HE *APANESE SIDE ALSO gCONveyed its intention to consider a possible supplemental loan� as requested by the Philippines for the Davao City Bypass Construction Project under the Special Terms for Economic Partnership facility.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

"ANGKO 3ENTRAL LOOKS FORWARD TO A HIGHLY EFkCIENT FUNDS lOW IN the economy, supporting productive activities that fuel economic GROWTH u THE CENTRAL BANK SAID National Retail Payments System It explained that the prescribed The Bangko Sentral earlier APPROVAL PROCESS TYPICALLY WOULD mandated BSFIs offering elec- REQUIRE ONLY THREE STEPS tronic payments to make NRPS • BSFIs should self-assess comclearing houses available on their pliance; e-channels by the end of Novem• BSFIs should then submit a ber last year.

CERTIkCATION OF COMPLIANCE AND “With its streamlined licens- REQUEST A CONkRMATION OF ELIGIING POLICY ON %0&3 COUPLED WITH bility; and more vigorous drive for interop• also submit certain docuerability among the BSFIs, the mentary requirements to eventu-

ally obtain an EPFS license.

To ensure a smooth transition TOWARDS THE IMPLEMENTATION of the amended EPFS licensing POLICY "3&)S WITH EXISTING %0&3 LICENSES WILL HAVE TO RE REGISTER all previously-licensed and opERATIONAL %0&3 AS OF -ARCH

AND THOSE ALREADY LICENSED but yet to be launched until SepTEMBER

"3&)S WERE ALSO TOLD TO SUBMIT periodic prudential reports to strengthen regulatory surveillance and supervisory mechanisms.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

THE 0 BILLION PROGRAM AND THE .' SHARE FROM 0AGCOR 0HILIPPINE !MUSEMENT AND 'AMING #ORP INCOME AMOUNTING TO 0 BILLION u This resulted in a revenue effort of PERCENT ADVANCING FROM percent a year ago and exceeding the TARGETED PERCENT The bulk of government spendING MEANWHILE WAS FOR PRIMARY expenditures that rose by 22 percent to P3.05 trillion. )NTEREST PAYMENTS )0 OF 0 billion accounted for the rest of state spending for the year. g4HE GROWTH IN )0 FOR WAS attributed to discounts on T-bills isSUED IN COUPON PAYMENTS OF NEW DEBT ISSUED IN AND UPWARD

The Department of TransporTATION $/4R ,42&" AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WILL HAVE DAILY INformation on the supply of public TRANSPORT‡DATA WHICH EVERY PUBstops and mobile phones can lic transport regulator and planner display the expected arrival times NEEDS TO PERFORM HIS HER WORK of different buses, enabling com- properly. At present, because of MUTERS TO HAVE MORE EFkCIENT USE the absence of real-time monitorof their time and more predictable ING OF THE PUBLIC TRANSPORT lEET THE travel. ,4&2" HAS LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE 4RAFkC SIGNAL SYSTEMS CAN BE PRO- actual supply of public transport GRAMMED TO DETECT WHEN PUBLIC UTIL- vehicles.

ITY VEHICLES 056S ARE APPROACHING While the LTFRB may have data an intersection; buses and jeepneys on the number of franchises it has can enjoy “priority�, so that PUVs GRANTED WITHOUT A VEHICLE TRACKING SPEND LESS TIME WAITING FOR RED TRAFkC system, the LTFRB has no informalights to turn green. tion on the number of vehicles in

operation at any time and the level of transport service being offered to the riding public. The actual number of vehicles being deployed AND OPERATED BY A TRANSPORT kRM OR cooperative may be much less than the number of vehicles authorized under its franchise.

In addition, having granular data on PUV operations enables governMENT AGENCIES AND ,'5S TO PREPARE better transport plans. Decision makers can visualize and analyze the supply of public transport, underSTAND WHERE IMBALANCES EXIST AND PLAN HOW DIFFERENT TRANSPORT MODES can be better integrated.

Clearly, there are huge gains

IN ENSURING FULL COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS TO REGISTER '03 DEVICES OF public utility vehicles and monitor the operations of those vehicles. A fully equipped control center at the ,4&2" WHICH COULD BE OPERATIONAL IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS TIME WILL enhance passenger convenience, promote road safety, and enable more effective transport planning.

4HIS IS gLOW HANGING FRUITu THAT CAN BE DELIVERED WITHIN THE $UTERTE administration.

7HEN WE THINK OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT CAN GIVE US BETTER MOBILITY WE need to include IT systems that enable planners, operators, drivers and the private sector to provide more

Japan SAID gWILL HELP HONE THE SKILLS OF WORKERS WHO WILL MAN THE COUNTRY S EXTENSIVE RAIL SYSTEM THAT WILL BE constructed as part of the Duterte ADMINISTRATION S INFRASTRUCTURE PROgram.� !NOTHER COVERS A BILLION yen grant for the construction of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority trainING CENTERS IN -ARAWI AND THE provinces of Basilan and Sultan Kudarat under the Program for the Urgent Improvement of Socioeconomic Infrastructure in the Bangsamoro Region. !LSO SIGNED WAS A MILLION YEN GRANT FOR WELL DRILLING MACHINES AND UNDERGROUND WATER detecting machines under the Economic and Social Development Program.

4HE 0HILIPPINES AND *APAN also signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of HEALTHCARE WHICH gAIMS TO ES-

Q RULES FROM B1

E-payment

Q MOBILITY FROM B1

Wanted

Q DOMINGUEZ FROM B1

Above

JESI BONDOC 4HE SECOND kNANCIAL SAFETY NET YOU D LIKE TO ESTABLISH IS YOUR HEALTH and life insurances. Being single DOESN T MEAN THAT YOU DO NOT NEED any kind of financial protection like life insurance. Life insurance is A GREAT kNANCIAL TOOL TO ENSURE THAT WE DO NOT CAUSE ANY UNNECESSARY knancial burden to our loved ones in case of untimely demise. If no one in your family is dependent on your income, get an insurance equivalent TO THE EXPENSES THAT YOUR FAMILY WILL immediately spend after death such as funeral cost, etc. )NVEST FOR A RETIREMENT #REATE YOUR OWN kNANCIAL PIPEline for your golden years. The unique situation you have is your retirement planning rests entirely ON YOUR OWN SHOULDERS )F YOU RE young, you might think of delaying INVESTING FOR RETIREMENT JUST FOR NOW thinking you still have plenty of years ahead of you before retiring.

While that is true, consider that @TIME IS ALSO A CORE ADVANTAGE OF BEing young. Handle this advantage like a gift that if you start early, your REWARDS IN THE FUTURE ARE EXPONENTIAL rather than playing catch up if you delay investing.

If you are having trouble consisTENTLY MAKING DEPOSITS TOWARDS YOUR retirement fund, consider making AN ARRANGEMENT WITH YOUR BANK TO auto debit your account for your retirement fund. %NJOY One of the perks of being single is BEING IN THE DRIVER S SEAT AND HAVING total control over your money.

Enjoy your situation and at the SAME TIME PROCEED WITH PRUDENCE IN MANAGING YOUR kNANCES 7ITH PROPER kNANCIAL PLANNING

YOU CAN ENSURE A LIFE FILLED WITH positive possibilities in the future WITHOUT NEGLECTING YOUR PRESENT NEEDS AND WANTS

*ESI "ONDOC IS A 2EGISTERED &INANCIAL Planner of RFP Philippines. He is the Director of My Wealth MD and Partners, Inc. specializing in investment advisory. You can send your money questions at jj_bondoc@ YAHOO COM AND THEY LL BE ANSWERED on his next article. For more info about Registered Financial Planner program, e-mail to info@rfp.ph or text <name><e-mail> <RFP> at

adjustments in foreign debt servicing DUE TO PESO WEAKNESS AND HIGHER LIBOR rates,â&#x20AC;? the Treasury said.

Moreover, it explained that the interest payment component of SPENDING CONTRACTED TO PERCENT FROM PERCENT LAST YEAR LOWER THAN THE PROGRAMMED PERCENT Interest payments as a percentage of TOTAL REVENUE IMPROVED TO PERCENT FROM PERCENT IN SLIGHTLY BETTER THAN THE PERCENT PROGRAM â&#x20AC;&#x153;In sum, the quality of government spending has improved,â&#x20AC;? the Treasury claimed, noting that EXPENDITURES AS A PERCENTAGE OF '$0 INCREASED TO PERCENT FROM PERCENT A YEAR AGO AND WAS SIGNIkCANTLY ABOVE THE PERCENT TARGET Netting out interest payments, the government recorded a P209-billion PRIMARY DEkCIT IN WIDER THAN THE 0 BILLION SHORTFALL POSTED A year earlier.

EFkCIENT SAFE AND RELIABLE SERVICES to commuters. /NE DAY WHEN &ILIPINOS ARE NO LONGER WORLD LEADERS IN SOCIAL MEDIA and internet use, I hope it is because WE ARE SPENDING LESS TIME STANDING in public transport queues or sitting IN SLOW MOVING TRAFkC )T SHOULD BE because the Philippines has become ONE OF THE WORLD LEADERS IN USING )4 to improve mobility.

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

He can be reached at mobilitymatters.ph@yahoo.com OR FOLLOWED ON 4WITTER 2OBERT2SIY

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Businessinbriefs GREENERGY INVESTS P100M IN RE UNIT

GREENERGY Holdings Inc. is investing up to P100 million in subsidiary Winsun Green Ventures Inc., which handles its green projects. In a disclosure on Friday, the listed holding company said its board of directors had approved the investment to finance Winsunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s projects involving solar power and liquefied natural gas. Winsun is one of the subsidiaries that the former semiconductor firm created in 2012 in venturing into renewable energy. Another is Biomass Holdings Inc., which it co-owns with ThomasLloyd Cleantech Infrastructure Fund GmbH. In 2011, Greenergy signed a $1.3-billion joint venture agreement with Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tianjin Tianbao Investment and Development Corp. on implementing RE projects. Shares of Greenergy added 1 centavo or 0.31 percent to end at P3.26 apiece on Friday. JORDEENE B. LAGARE

BOULEVARD HOLDINGS TO SELL CONDO PORTFOLIO

BOULEVARD Holdings Inc. plans to dispose its condominium portfolio to raise funds for its core business. In a disclosure on Friday, the listed hotel and resort operator reported that its condo units had increased its value, from its original investment to P21.5 million to at least P77 million. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Given the good prospects of property in Metro Manila at this time, [Boulevard Holdings] would rather sell and raise some cash to concentrate on our core businesses of resort hotel development and operations in Boracay Island, Puerto Galera and Cebu, as well as in resort property development, in [Caviteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ternate town] and Cebu,â&#x20AC;? Chairman and Chief Executive Officer J. Marcel Panlilio said in the disclosure. The company previously reported that its consolidated sales increased by 6 percent to P14.7 million in January from P13.8 million a year ago, but plunged by 31 percent to P44.12 million in the eight months ending January from P64.36 million in the same period in 2017. Boulevard Holdings shares rose by 4.41 percent to close at 7 centavos apiece on Friday.

LISBET K. ESMAEL

P.A PROPERTIES BREAKS GROUND ON CAVITE PROJECT

P.A Alvarez Properties and Development Corp. said it had broken ground on the first phase of its 11-hectare Idesia residential project in Dasmarinas City, Cavite province.

In a statement on Friday, the property developer said the phase would involve constructing 167 housing units and some amenities. It is set for completion in May 2019. Idesia is a joint venture development between P.A Properties and Japan-based Hankyu Realty Co., and will have a total of 900 units. The company has said the development was targeted to startups and growing or middle-income families.

ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

BPI EYES 10% CAPACITY INCREASE IN CEBU

CEBU CITY: BANK of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is looking to increase its capacity to serve its clients in Cebu City by 10 percent. In a press conference here on Thursday, BPI President and Chief Executive Officer Cezar Consing said it was mulling over that increase to â&#x20AC;&#x153;keep pace on what Cebu has to offer,â&#x20AC;? adding that the city â&#x20AC;&#x153;continues to be one of our key markets.â&#x20AC;? According to him, Cebu accounts for 54 percent of the Ayala-led banking giantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business in the Visayas and Mindanao. He said the lender would open more branches in the city and nearby areas, and focus more on banking penetration and being more inclusive, noting that only 25 percent of Filipinos have bank accounts. BPI currently has 40 branches, 12 BPI BanKo branches and about 800 employees in Cebu.

RHEA RUTH ROSELL

HIGHER SRPS OF GOODS NOT DUE TO TRAIN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; DTI

HIGHER suggested retail prices (SRP) of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPC) in February was not caused by fuel prices of fuel raised by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) Act, the Department of Trade and Industry said on Thursday. According to Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, the increase in the cost of raw materials raised these prices, explaining that these account for a big part of cost structures. Raw materials, packaging and logistics costs for canned sardines, evaporated and condensed milk, and condiments rose, leading to higher selling prices, he added.

TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD

Corporate News Basic Energy completes purchase of Vinter stake B SATURDAY February 23, 2019

BY JORDEENE B. LAGARE

ASIC Energy Corp. (BEC) has completed its acquisition of a 15-percent stake in one of the Thai companies that clinched the contract to build a solar power plant in Myanmar.

In a disclosure on Friday, the LISTED HOLDING kRM SAID THE kGURE represented 2,521,865 shares of VTE International Co. Ltd. (Thailand) (Vinter).

Vinter and Vintage EPC Co. Ltd. (VEPC) are the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors for a 220-megawatt (MW) solar power plant in the Minbu district of Myanmarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

GMA Network Inc. has alloted more than P1 billion for the second phase of its digitzation program.

In a statement on Friday, the listed media company said the investment would focus on the production, postproduction, content management and distribution of its programs.

It would also start commissioning digital terrestrial transmitters to support its

plan to shift from analog to digital television, it added.

The network would also upgrade its equipment and software to improve its high-definition image capture capabilities.

For its news segment, GMA is set to equip it with a new News Automation System (NAS) to further boost speed and agility. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All these state-of-theart upgrades are part of

GMA Networkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing digitization project to bring world class programming to our viewers here and abroad,â&#x20AC;? GMA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Felipe Gozon was quoted as saying in the statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are excited to unveil more innovative offerings that will not only maintain our position as the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading broadcast network, but will also

revolutionize TV-viewing experience in the Philippines,â&#x20AC;? he added. The investment comes after GMA signed with PLDT Inc. and its digital wireless subsidiary Smart Communications a technology, content and distribution deal on January 9 aimed at bringing TV viewing to the digital age. GMA shares ended flat at P5.73 each on Friday.

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Commuters may reload beep cards online soonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; AF Payments, the company behind the tap-and-go beep cards, has teamed up with Justpayto Philippines Corp. to allow users to reload their cards online.

In a statement on Friday, AF Payments said tapping the online payments company would permit commuters of the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) 3 and Light Rail Transit (LRT) 1 and 2 to avoid long queues by loading their beep cards

Homes Tanza, where Megawide has demonstrated an exemplary performance, we are CONkDENT THAT IT WILL DELIVER THE SAME LEVEL of professionalism and quality to PHirst Park Homes Lipa,â&#x20AC;? he added.

The Lipa project was launched last June, with THE kRST PHASE ALREADY PRESOLD UNITS WITH total sales of P1.16 billion.

4HE kRST BATCH OF HOMES WILL BEGIN CONSTRUCtion in September.

PHirst Park Homes is Century Propertiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; joint venture company with Japan-based Mitsubishi Corp. It aims to launch 15 masterplanned communities in Region 4A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon provinces, or Calabarzon).

Century Properties shares added 2 centavos or 3.03 percent to close at 51 centavos apiece on Friday.

ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

Q SME FROM B1

The changing financial world birth to a new form of currency which the public used to buy their goods. This is not too far from the paper money we currently use.

Furthermore, banks began functioning not only as a safekeeper but also as a money lender.

ering documents on the same date,â&#x20AC;? Basic Energy said.

Vinterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital now stands at 168.1 million baht consisting 16,812,432 shares at par value of 10 baht.

Basic Energy had said the 103.4-million-baht equity investment would boost its project portfolio as a renewable energy (RE) and power company.

The Oscar de Venecia-led company has been exploring RE opportunities in the Philippines and Asia. )T HAS INTERESTS IN DIFFERENT 2% kELDS and alternative fuels, and oil and gas exploration and development.

Basic Energyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shares tumbled 3 centavos or 1.20 percent to close at 24 centavos each on Friday.

GMA invests over P1B for digital upgrades

PPHI, Megawide ink deal for PHirst Park Homes-Lipa PHIRST Park Homes Inc. (PPHI) has signed an agreement with Megawide Construction Corp. on implementing a new housing project in Lipa City, Batangas province. )N A STATEMENT ON &RIDAY 00() PARENT kRM Century Properties Group Inc. said the deal involved the construction of 1,800 housing units within the 20-hectare PHirst Park Homes branch in Lipa.

This branch represented the second partnership between the two companies after PHirst Park Homes-Tanza in Cavite province, for which they signed an agreement in 2017 and in which 2,830 houses were built. â&#x20AC;&#x153;PHirst Park Homes is pleased to continue its partnership with Megawide because of its experience and leadership in modern precast technology,â&#x20AC;? PPHI President Ricky Celis said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As with our ongoing project in PHirst Park

Magway region.

Basic Energy has a 15-percent equity participation in the project, owned and developed by Myanmarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Green Earth Power, which holds the power-purchase agreement with Naypyidaw.

Vinter and VEPC are subsidiaries of Meta Corp. Public Co. Ltd., which transferred 15,000 shares to Basic Energy on July 2, 2018 in ac-

cordance with the share-purchase deal signed on June 27, 2018.

Under this agreement, Vinterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital would be raised to 168.1 million baht from 1 million baht by issuing 16,712,432 shares, 15 percent of which belongs to Basic Energy.

6INTER INCREASED ITS CAPITAL kRST by 16 million shares, of which Basic Energy purchased 2.4 million on July 24, 2018.

Meta received $34,362.07 as payment on February 15. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Vinter capital increase was registered with the Bureau of Business Development [of the] Ministry of Commerce [of] Thailand on February 21, 2019, and BEC received copies of the cov-

B3

busier each day.

4HE kNTECH INDUSTRY ALTHOUGH JUST STARTING to break the surface, holds so much potential IN TRANSFORMING THE kNANCIAL WORLD /NE OF the few companies under this industry is First #IRCLE WHO PROVIDES kNTECH SERVICES TO 3MALL Financial technology and Medium Enterprises or SMEs. &IRST #IRCLE ENVISIONS A SYSTEM IN WHICH kNANAlthough traditional banking still encapsulates cial resources shall no longer be accessible only MOST OF THE kNANCIAL INDUSTRY TODAY kNANCIAL to the selected few but also to the roots of the TECHNOLOGY OR kNTECH SEEKS TO OFFER IMPROVED Philippine economy, the SME sector that makes kNANCIAL SERVICES TO ALL up most of it in terms of breadth, while maximizWe take full advantage of modern technol- ing what modern technology has to offer. ogy by offering these core services, but with Through this, even the smallest business GREATER CONVENIENCE AND EFkCIENCY 4HIS IS DONE owners, and ultimately their employees, are by facilitating most, if not all, transactions on- PROVIDED kNANCIAL SERVICES THAT ENABLE THEM TO line; thereby eliminating struggles concerning support their families â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but with the promise time and logistics.

OF GREATER CONVENIENCE AND EFkCIENCY AS COMMoreover, the use of physical resources are PARED TO CONVENTIONAL kNANCING )T IS THROUGH reduced to the minimum as documentations are this that First Circle touches the lives of many. done online rather than on paper, allowing resources to be allocated to other important matters. Maria Kaila Balite is currently an undergraduate On top of this, transaction time is also student taking up Bachelor of Science in Apdecreased with the use of online platforms plied Economics Major in Financial EconomSPECIkCALLY TAILORED TO THE PROCESSING NEEDS OF ics at De La Salle University. She is part of the the parties involved. This is a crucial feature team behind First Circle contributing work in OF kNANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AS THE WORLD BECOMES Credit Operations.

through justpay.to/beep.

They may opt to use their credit or debit cards, bank account, cash and even digital currency to pay for the reload. They may start accessing the site in March. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are constantly looking for ways to make reloading convenient for our cardholders. [The site] is a simple and easy to use reloading system that I am positive our cardholders will welcome, â&#x20AC;? AF

0AYMENTS #HIEF %XECUTIVE /FkCER Peter Maher was quoted as saying in the statement.

The company currently 5.5 million beep card holders. It registered its 1-billionth transaction last August, three years after the card was introduced to Metro Manila railways.

Beep cards are also accepted by the point-to-point buses of Froehlich, HM Transport, RRCG, TAS Trans and DNS, as well as

the BGC Bus, Citylink Coach Services, Lancaster New City shuttle service and BBL Trans (BalibagoBuendia route).

AF Payments is also expanding beyond the transport sector to convenience stores, quick-serve restaurants and moviehouses.

AF Payments Inc. is a consorTIUM FORMED BY THE -ETRO 0ACIkC Investments Corp. and Ayala Corp.

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B4

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

Health Industries

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Getz PH shifts focus to healthcare T

BY TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD

HE Getz Group has rebranded its Philippine unit to shift its focus to the health care industry, banking on the growing market for medical technology and pharmaceutical goods.

In a press briefing on Monday, Getz Group PH Chief Executive Officer James Simkins said that the local unit would now be called Getz Healthcare (Philippines), formerly known as Getz Bros. Philippines, divesting

its fast-moving consumer goods business unit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We started the process of creating Getz Healthcare in 2016. In 2016, I started the process of trying to integrate the healthcare business of the [group] into one signal

company [that] really focused on healthcare distribution,â&#x20AC;? he told the reporters.

Getz Healthcare is gearing toward medical technology marketing and promotion, sales and distribution of pharmaceutical, healthcare and consumer products.

Compared to its now-divested

fast-moving consumer goods unit, Simkins said â&#x20AC;&#x153;more technicalitiesâ&#x20AC;? were required in the distribution of medical and healthcare products, taking into account inventory management, supply chain, Food and Drug Administration requirements and permits, among others.

Getz Healthcare General Man-

AGER )AN 'RIST SAID THAT THE kRM was now commissioning new distribution center in Taguig catered to supply the market in Metro Manila. It is set to open next month.

It currently has regional distribution centers located in Iloilo, Cebu, Cagayan De Oro and Davao. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines has been growing rapidly in the recent years. To support this growth, we are refocusing our business in the Philippines and providing a wider range of resources and expertise from the global Getz

Healthcare team,â&#x20AC;? Simkins said in a separate statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are focused on providing the best quality service to our business partners and customers, through consistent standards and operational excellence,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Getz Healthcare is the healthcare unit of the Getz Group. It is based in Singapore and is currently present in nine other countries.

4HE DIVERSIkED 'ETZ 'ROUP WAS founded in California in 1852 and started its operation in the Philippines in 1918. It currently has over OFkCES AND EMPLOYEES

US-based Filipino doctors give free services QC named Health and BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya: A group of US-based Filipino doctors and health workers provided free services to two villages in the province to help fellow Novo Vizcayanos, who may not have the TIME AND kNANCIAL RESOURCES TO GET proper medical attention.

Headed by medical doctor Christopher Magaway Guerrero, the Chicago Nightingale Association (CNA) is composed of 16 medical doctors, nine nurses and 17 volunteers, who came to participate in providing medical services in Bambang and the mountain town of Ambaguio.

A native of Nueva Vizcayaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital town of Bayombong, Guerrero is now residing and working abroad. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We love serving our fellow Novo Vizcayanos by offering free services and in the best way we can,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Medical doctor Edwin GalaPON PROVINCIAL HEALTH OFkCER

said the CNA team was augmented by health workers from the provincial government.

Galapon said the team provided medical, dental and minor surgi-

Wellness Tourism Capital

Q The Chicago Nightingale Association is composed of 16 medical doctors, nine nurses and 17 volunteers from the United States. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO cal operations to the poor villagers province for 27 years now. our fellow Novo Vizcayanos. of the province. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We thank the provincial lead- We have been so blessed and we He said the CNA had been pro- ership of this province for giv- want to just give back,â&#x20AC;? Guerviding free medical services in the ing us the opportunity to serve rero said. LEANDER C. DOMINGO

Experts: Fight stigma vs people with viral hepatitis Various public health experts from the Asia Pacific are calling for an end to the stigma of having a viral hepatitis, a highly contagious disease that had been branded as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;major threat to public health and a leading cause of death worldwide.â&#x20AC;?

Medical professionals stressed in a recent public health forum in Pasay City that discrimination against people living with the viral liver disease had been a key challenge in eliminating viral hepatitis because they become afraid of seeking treatment and support. The forum was orgaNIZED BY THE !SIA 0ACIkC !SSOciation for the Study of the Liver (APASL), and the Coalition for the Eradication of Viral Hepatitis in !SIA 0ACIkC #EVHAP â&#x20AC;&#x153;The development of regulations marginalizing people with VIRAL HEPATITIS IN !SIA 0ACIkC HAS been a pernicious development in seeking to reduce transmission of these infections,â&#x20AC;? Cevhap Executive Committee member and medical doctor Jack Wallace said during the forum that tackled stigma, discrimination and human rights. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These regulations are found in employment settings where people with viral hepatitis are routinely excluded from employment and immigration processes, in which people with viral hepatitis are excluded from receiving work visas in overseas countries.

Another occurrence is when people are tested and diagnosed within educational settings or other locations in which testing is not OF PRIMARY BENEkT TO THE PERSON concerned,â&#x20AC;? Wallace added.

Renowned medical journal Lancet said that the viral hepatitis was AN INlAMMATION OF THE LIVER THE kills 1.34 million people worldwide every year. About 96 percent of the deaths were attributed to infection with the hepatitis B virus and/or the hepatitis C virus.

The Lancet also said there are five types of hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D and E. Hepatitis A is

transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food and water, while Hepatitis B and C can ONLY BE TRANSMITTED IN SPECIkC circumstances where exposure to infected blood occurs. Hepatitis B is a vaccine-preventable illness.

Hepatitis D is transmitted on through contact with infected blood and only occurs in people who are already infected with hepatitis B. Hepatitis E, like hepatitis A, is transmitted through ingesting contaminated food or water.

The Lancet listed 20 heavily burdened countries, 11 of which are in Asia, accounting for more than 75 percent of the global burden of viral hepatitis. The journal ALSO IDENTIkED MAJOR CHALLENGES in Asia: Mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B; unsterilized injection practices; and poor access to antiviral drugs.

Its recommendation includes improving access to vaccines and treatments, giving more attention to high-quality diagNOSTICS SIMPLIkED DECENTRALIZED models of care, and continuous efforts to confront stigma and discrimination.

A study titled â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Experience of Discrimination of Individuals Living with Chronic Hepatitis B in Four Provinces of Chinaâ&#x20AC;? by Fuquiang Cui and Bingheng Han from the School of Public Health at the Peking University that was presented at the forum showed that false advertisements â&#x20AC;&#x153;exaggerateâ&#x20AC;? the contagiousness of hepatitis B.

Need for antidiscrimination laws The paper said that despite anti-discrimination laws and regulations related to the viral illness, people who had been diagnosed by it still suffered from unfair treatment. /NE OF THE SIGNIkCANT kNDINGS OF the study was that only less than 10 percent of the subjects were aware that there are organizations that

provide help to mitigate discrimination, and around 60 percent of the hepatitis B-positive individuals did not know of the laws that are supposed to protect them. Approximately 60 percent remain silent WHEN THEY GET kRED BY A COMPANY because of their medical condition.

Senator Nancy Binay, one of the keynote speakers of the forum, echoed this, saying that in the country, people with viral hepatitis were being denied of employment and promotion.

Binay said education as well as legislation must be in place to curb the stigma surrounding hepatitis-positive individuals.

She also expressed support for the passage of the proposed Bloodborne Viral Hepatatis Testing Act, a measure seeking to penalize discriminatory acts against people with Hepatitis B and C. As for Malaysia, Cevhap said that its Ministry of Health had done a commendable job by showing â&#x20AC;&#x153;strong political will and providing access to affordable hepatitis treatment, engagement of all stakeholders including hepatitis advocates can help to support, strengthen and complement Ministry of Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts in combating hepatitis and liver cancer.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Providing accurate information about hepatitis to healthcare professionals, employers and the public is crucial. Raising awareness about hepatitis through camPAIGNS THAT CONVEY THE BENEkTS OF early diagnosis, regular monitoring and dispel myths of hepatitis TRANSMISSION IS ALSO SIGNIkCANT u said Rosmawati Mohamed, consultant and hepatologist at University of Malaya Medical Center and co-chairman of Cevhap.

Prevention, access keys to real progress The experts also stressed that proper implementation of vaccination programs and national policy on testing play a large role in eradicating viral hepatitis.

This has been proven in many countries across the world including China and Taiwan, where THERE WAS A SIGNIkCANT REDUCTION in the numbers of children with hepatitis B as a result of their vaccination programs.

Cevhap co-chairman and professor Saeed Hamid, shared his case study with the participants the forum. Hamid said that the elimination of viral hepatitis dePENDS ON THE EFkCACY OF DEVELOPing new models of care. â&#x20AC;&#x153;New models are based on going deep into the community and delivering care at their doorstep, including testing and treatment.

We should strive for pointof-care diagnostics to start treatment on the first visit,â&#x20AC;? he added.

As a region, Asia Pacific has made steady progress towards the elimination of viral hepatitis.

However, this progress is not at the rate or level required to meet the goal of elimination by 2030.

Hamid said it was time for every country to revisit its national policy and for advocates to push for legislation that criminalizes discrimination, promotes vaccination, and ensures the linkage between testing and care.

The development of national testing policies will support the early detection and diagnosis of viral hepatitis, which is vital in preventing cirrhosis or liver cancer.

Testing must, in turn, be linked to support, care and treatment programs. This could often be done through the use of existing services and programs, such as those already established for maternal and child health, HIV prevention and control, and non-communicable diseases, he added.

Cevhap is an advocate for public policy reform to reduce the burden of and ultimately eliminate viral hepatitis in the !SIA 0ACIkC WHILE !0!3, IS AN association of hepatologists from Manchuria in China, Australia, THE 0ACIkC )SLANDS AND )RAN CATHERINE A. MODESTO

MAYOR Herbert Bautista has declared Quezon City as the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Health and Wellness Tourism Capitalâ&#x20AC;? based on an ordinance.

Introduced by Councilor Kate Abigael Coseteng, Ordinance 2799-2018 declares Quezon City as the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top destination in health and wellness. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Growth is phenomenal and the Philippines is poised to BENEkT BECAUSE OF OUR HOSPITALity, skilled doctors and ready facilities. Quezon City wants to be part of it and I want all of you to be part of this success story,â&#x20AC;?

Bautista said in a statement.

The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medical and tourism stakeholders are tasked to develop a comprehensive plan that will highlight Quezon City as a medical tourism destination through programs and policies that are consistent with the City Tourism Development Plan.

The city government is mandated to promote medical hospital facilities offering high quality medical services with a hospitable workforce and up-to-date facilities at a reasonable cost.

Coseteng, who is also the chairman of the Committee on Tourism, Cultural Affairs, and

Heritage, emphasized the number of hospitals and hotels in Quezon City, which will contribute to the growth of the medical tourism industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are a lot of medical CENTERS CLINICS kTNESS CENTERS AESthetic clinics, and hotels and travel agencies registered in Quezon City.

They can come up with a plan or a package that will cater to clients with medical needs,â&#x20AC;? she said.

The councilor added that medical packages could be made available for those who seek treatment in Quezon City.

A technical working group will formulate a development plan that is in accordance with the City Tourism Development 0LAN AND SUBJECT IT TO CONkRMAtion by the city council through a resolution. The plan may include programs on tax holiday and incentives for medical facilities and amenities improvement, and acquisition of modern medical and wellness equipment.

The City Health Department and the Quezon City Tourism Department will serve as the secretariat to facilitate and ensure the performance of the duties of the technical working group.

Taguig mothers join fight vs HPV THE Department of Healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (DoH) School-Based Immunization Program (SBIP) recently reached Lakeshore Hall in Taguig City, where mothers accompanied their daughters aged 9 to IN RECEIVING THEIR kRST DOSE of quadrivalent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine administered by the government for free as part of its expanded immunization program.

The DoH, supported by the departments of Education and the Interior and Local Government (DILG), has recognized the integral role of mothers in helping their daughters understand the importance of early protection from HPV â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the leading cause of cervical cancer.

Obstetrician-gynecologist Jennifer Co, also an infectious disease specialist, said one dose of the vaccine ranges from P3,000 to P4,000 and females 9 to 13 years of age would need two doses of it.

Adult females up to 45 years old can follow the three-dose regimen.

Under the HPV-SBIP, more parents learn the value of having their daughters vaccinated at a young age through awareness and education seminars that are held before the schools ask for their consent.

HPV is a sexually transmitted infection that causes more than 90 percent of cervical cancer cases.

It can also lead to genital warts, and other malignancies such as anal and oropharynx cancer in both men and women, vaginal and vulvar cancer in women, and penile cancer in men.

In the rise of cervical cancer incidence, with an estimate of 6,000 new cases reported every year in the Philippines, the value of HPV vaccination cannot be underestimated and many more mothers HAVE BEEN JOINING THE kGHT FOR AN HPV-free future. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I received three doses of HPV vaccine. Since Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a mother myself, I realized that my daughter also needs protection from HPV. All the young girls here today are fortunate. You will receive this for free thanks to the DoH and city government of Taguig,â&#x20AC;? said Annette Cristobal, principal, CP Sta. Teresa Elementary School.

The mothers who accompanied their daughters at the activity equally believed in the BENEkTS OF (06 IMMUNIZATION and encouraged other mothers to get their daughters vaccinated under the government vaccination program.

Q The Department of Health and the local government unit of Taguig spearhead the vaccination of school girls aged 9 to 13 in the city against Human Papillomavirus, the leading cause of cervical cancer.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

World Polish pedophile priests Biodiversity lack threatens exposed in new report food supply â&#x20AC;&#x201C; UN agency R Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

OME: The UN food agency on Friday warned about the threat to the future of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food production from a lack of biodiversity in the environment.

)N A REPORT THE kRST OF ITS KIND by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it said there was â&#x20AC;&#x153;mounting evidence that the biodiversity that underpins our food systems, at all levels, is declining around the world.â&#x20AC;?

That is putting food production and the environment â&#x20AC;&#x153;under severe threat,â&#x20AC;? the FAO warned. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Once lost, plant, animal and micro-organisms species that are critical to our food systems, cannot be recovered.â&#x20AC;?

Biodiversity enables agriculture systems to be more resilient to shocks such as disease and pest outbreaks, as well as coping with climate change.

The report citied as examples the dramatic fall in food production from infestations such as the potato blight in Ireland in the 1840s and the losses of the tropical taro

plant in Samoa in the 1990s.

The FAO says the drivers for biodiversity loss include changes in land and water use and management, pollution and over harvesting.

Geographically, Latin America and the Caribbean, rich in biodiversity, also report the largest number of threatened wild food SPECIES SUCH AS CRUSTACEANS kSH and insects.

The Rome-based agency says countries are adopting biodiversity-friendly practices from sustainable forest management to AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO kSHERies and organic agriculture â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but more needs to be done. Governments and the international community need to step up efforts to stop the loss of biodiversity.

Protecting the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food supply is critical as an estimated 821

million people already suffer from chronic hunger, and by 2050 the plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population is expected to rise from 7.7. billion to close to 10 billion, according to UN data.

tion in order to address humanitarian needs,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Some 10.5 million North Koreans, or 41 percent of the population, are in need of food aid, ACCORDING TO 5. kGURES North Korea The appeal from the governseeks UN help ment came ahead of a summit next week between President Donald North Korea has asked UN aid Trump and leader Kim Jong Un agencies for help to address a to agree on steps toward ending LOOMING FOOD CRISIS AFTER kGURES Pyongyangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nuclear and ballistic forecast a sharp drop in crop pro- missiles program. duction for this year, a UN spokesNorth Korea is demanding an man said on Thursday (Friday in easing of international sanctions Manila). after it halted its nuclear and misPyongyang has told the United sile tests and to build trust with Nations that it is facing a shortfall the United States in the diplomatic of 1.4 million tons in food produc- dialogue. tion this year, including crops of $URING A kRST SUMMIT IN 3INGArice, wheat, potato and soybean. pore last year, North Korea agreed â&#x20AC;&#x153;The government has requested to work toward the denuclearizaassistance from international tion of the Korean peninsula but humanitarian organizations pres- there has been no concrete step to ent in the country to address dismantle its weapons program. the impact of the food security The United Nations maintains situation,â&#x20AC;? said UN spokesman that maximum pressure from sanctions will remain in place Stephane Dujarric.

UN agencies are holding talks until North Korea has completely with Pyongyang â&#x20AC;&#x153;to take early ac- scrapped its military arsenal. AFP

Worry about US-SKorea alliance grows SEOUL, South Korea: As President Donald Trump seeks a nuclear deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un next week in Vietnam, some in Seoul are wondering if the fate of Washingtonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decades-long military alliance with South Korea could be at stake.

Much of this worry is linked to Trumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s repeated assertions that the US military deployment in South Korea is too costly, and to his surprise suspension of some US military exercises with South Korea â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including a major summertime drill â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as a concession to Kim after their first summit in Singapore last year.

Added to this concern are policies by South Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s liberal President Moon Jae-in that critics say favor engagement with North Korea at the expense of the alliance with Washington.

The broader US-South Korean alliance, sealed during the bloodshed of the 1950-53 Korean War, wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be on the negotiating table during the summit in Hanoi on Feb. 2728. But some observers say its long-term future could be in doubt and that Trump may eventually withdraw some of the 28,500 US troops deployed in South Korea. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Korea-US alliance is seriously ill now,â&#x20AC;? Kim Taewoo, the former head of the government-funded Korea Institute for National Unification in South Korea, said in a recent speech.

US and South Korean officials maintain that everything is fine.

After agreeing to increase its contribution to the cost of the US military presence this year, South Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Foreign Ministry said last week that Washington insists it has no plans to adjust troop levels. During a phone call with Moon on Tuesday, Trump also said that US-South Korea relations are better than ever, according to Moonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office.

Trump said earlier this month that he had no plans to withdraw troops, but he has previously threatened to pull them from South Korea and Japan if those nations refused to pay more. After the Singapore summit, Trump also told reporters: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to bring our soldiers (in South Korea) back home.â&#x20AC;? While announcing the suspension of a major summertime military drill, Trump called the exercises â&#x20AC;&#x153;very provocativeâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;tremendously expensive.â&#x20AC;?

US defense officials are not planning any troop reductions but some have indicated that they would not be surprised if Trump puts reductions on the table as part of his negotiations with Kim. Other possibilities that worry many in Seoul include that Trump will suspend or drastically downsize another major set of military drills this spring, or that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll settle for a deal where the North abandons its long-range missile pro-

gram aimed at the US while not addressing the Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shorter-range missiles targeting Seoul and Tokyo.

An extended stoppage of comprehensive training between the allies could weaken the militariesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fighting capacity, especially since many US soldiers rotate out of South Korea after less than a year of service, some experts say. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Soldiersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fighting power comes from training. If there arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t any (big) joint drills for one year, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have (US) soldiers who have never experienced such drills,â&#x20AC;? said Moon Seong Mook, an analyst for the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy.

North Korea, on the other hand, which has described the drills as preparation for invasion and responded with its own costly exercises, would likely benefit.

North Korea has said it was forced to develop nuclear weapons to cope with what it calls American hostility.

During the Singapore summit, Kim said he was committed to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,â&#x20AC;? which has previously meant the North would only denuclearize when the United States withdraws all its troops from South Korea and stops military drills with the South. In December, North Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state media said it would never unilaterally abandon its nuclear program unless Washington first removes its nuclear threat.

AP

Worldinbrief

WARSAW: A foundation supporting victims of pedophile priests in Poland on Thursday (Friday in Manila) released a report documenting nearly 400 cases of sex abuse by clergymen in the staunchly Catholic country.

The publication of the 27-page report, which activists presented to Pope Francis on Wednesday, coincided with the pontiff gathering the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top Catholic bishops at the Vatican at a summit on tackling clerical sex abuse.

Images broadcast on Polish television showed Pope Francis kissing the hand of Marek Lisinski, head of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Be Not Afraidâ&#x20AC;? foundation, as he handed over the report to the pontiff.

The document details the cases of 85 priests convicted of pedophilia, another 88 whose alleged abuse has been exposed by the media and 95 others accused by alleged victims.

The report also names 24 Polish archbishops and bishops accused of covering up abuse. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We expect resignations among Polandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s church hierarchy, otherwise nothing will change,â&#x20AC;?

Agata Diduszko-Zyglewska, one of the reportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s authors, told Agence France-Presse on Thursday.

She documented cases where pedophile priests were â&#x20AC;&#x153;protectedâ&#x20AC;? by bishops or other superiors.

Father Pawel Rytel-Adrianik, the spokesman for the Polish episcopate, said on Thursday that he had not yet read the report.

The Polish episcopate insists it has â&#x20AC;&#x153;zero toleranceâ&#x20AC;? for criminal acts such as pedophilia.

It has vowed to publish statistics on the number of child victims of priestly sex abuse, covering the period starting in 1989 when communism fell.

However, for Diduszko-Zyglewska the episcopate is â&#x20AC;&#x153;only pretending to take actionâ&#x20AC;? by adopting rules that are â&#x20AC;&#x153;fair, certainly, but not realized.â&#x20AC;?

The foundation insists that church authorities in Poland are â&#x20AC;&#x153;avoiding contactâ&#x20AC;? with it and victims of abuse despite the steady trickle of criminal allegations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are already struggling to record and verifyâ&#x20AC;? a growing number of historic and current cases of

B5

abuse, Diduszko-Zyglewska told Agence France-Presse.

French bishops OK compensation

Meanwhile, Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bishops have agreed to award financial compensation to victims whose cases fall outside of Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statute of limitations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have agreed in principle to MAKE A kNANCIAL GESTURE u 6INCENT Neymon, head of communications for the French bishopsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; conference, told The Associated Press in an interview this week.

He said he hoped to have a system for paying victims in place in less than a year.

France has not been immune to the scandal that has prompted a credibility crisis for the Catholic hierarchy, and that is the topic of a summit at the Vatican this week on preventing sex abuse and prosecuting pedophile priests.

Two years ago, an investigation by online publication Mediapart unearthed 342 cases of abuse over 50 years that French bishops were accused of covering up in France and abroad, involving at least 34 priests. Some were convicted, most were at least investigated. But some escaped punishment because the statute of limitations on sex crimes against minors, which was recently extended from 20 to 30 years after a victim turns 18, had run out.

Franceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference of bishops said that over the past two years, 211 people have reported being victims of abuse â&#x20AC;&#x201D; almost as many as the 222 for the six previous years. Of the more recent cases, the bishops said 75 have been reported to French prosecutors and 10 clergy members have been charged. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unclear how many cases exceed the statute of limitations, but Neymon said 43 took place before 2000.

While many dioceses and national bishopsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; conferences around the world have created compensation programs for victims, the French Catholic Church had been reluctant to follow suit because it does not acknowledge that bishops are automatically responsible for the wrongdoing of their priests.

AFP, AP

TO THE MOON A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket

HONG KONGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MONETARY CHIEF TO STEP DOWN AFTER DECADE IN POST

lifts off with Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lunar Lander and an Indonesian communications satellite at space launch complex 40 on Thursday (Friday in Manila) in Cape Canaveral, Florida. An Israeli spacecraft blasted off to the moon in an attempt to make the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first lunar landing, following a launch Thursday night by SpaceX. AP PHOTO

HONG KONG: The head of the Hong Kongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s de-facto central bank, Norman Chan, will step down this year after a decade in the post. Local reports cited sources as saying the government would likely to promote one of his three deputies to take over at the helm of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority when Chan retires in October. His successor will come in facing a number of challenge s including the impact of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stuttering economy and how to address a housing crisis caused by a stratospheric rise in property prices.However, they can expect a healthy remuneration, with Chan earning HK$10.8 million ($1.4 million) in 2017 making him one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best paid central bankers.

PINTEREST FILES CONFIDENTIALLY FOR STOCK LISTING SAN FRANCISCO: Pinterest, the online â&#x20AC;&#x153;visual discoveryâ&#x20AC;? service which claims some 250 million users, has filed confidentially for a stock market listing, The Wall Street Journal reported. The report said Pinterest would seek a valuation of at least $12 billion, joining the ranks of richly valued venture-backed tech firms hitting the public markets. Launched in 2010, Pinterest is a virtual bulletin board platform, with users decorating their boards with pictures showcasing interests including food, fashion, travel and lifestyle. It allows users to share such images, although it does not call itself a social network. It also enables users to link to online shopping and other services to find items they have â&#x20AC;&#x153;pinned.â&#x20AC;? Pinterest brings in money from its role in online shopping and from advertising, but has shared few details regarding how well those efforts have been paying off. According to the Journal, the company is seeking a late June listing that would be underwritten by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase. Pinterest declined to comment on the report. A 2012 law allows some firms to file confidentially, a change aimed at allowing startups to begin the process of raising capital before releasing detailed financial information.

POLICE SLAM US ACTOR, SAY HE STAGED RACIST ATTACK TO BOOST CAREER CHICAGO: American TV actor Jussie Smollet was criminally charged Thursday for allegedly masterminding an elaborate â&#x20AC;&#x153;publicity stuntâ&#x20AC;? that sought to exploit the â&#x20AC;&#x153;pain and anger of racismâ&#x20AC;? with a staged assault on the streets of Chicago. An incredulous Chicago police chief accused Smollett of first sending himself a fake threatening letter and then staging an attack to tap into Americansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; anxieties over political and racial divisions, because he was allegedly â&#x20AC;&#x153;dissatisfied with his salary.â&#x20AC;? Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told an emotionally charged news conference that Smollet took advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career. He lashed out angrily at the actor for sullying the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s image.

Johnson said â&#x20AC;&#x153;Smollett paid $3,500 to stage this attack and drag Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reputation through the mud in the process. Smollett turned himself in early Thursday morning, was arrested and charged with a felony count of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report, and was granted $100,000 bond. He was freed from jail late in the afternoon, and said nothing to the throng of media. If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison.

AFP

Suu Kyi courts investment for Rakhine state NGAPALI, Myanmar: Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi touted Rakhine stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;untappedâ&#x20AC;? economic potential to investors on Friday, but glossed over violence that has scorched the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;most recently claiming the life of an 18-year-old civilian.

Rakhine, a vast stretch of arable land covering Myanmarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s western lANK WITH OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DEposits and a long coastline, is also one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poorest states.

It has been scored by ethnic and RELIGIOUS CONlICT ESPECIALLY IN ITS restive northern region closest to

Bangladesh.

More than 740,000 Rohingya Muslims fled across the border after a bloody army crackdown in August 2017.

4HE ARMY IS NOW ALSO kGHTING rebels from the Rakhine ethnic minority, who are Buddhist.

But in opening remarks to foreign companies at a Rakhine investment forum Suu Kyi gave an upbeat characterization of the economic boon awaiting investors.

Much of the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential â&#x20AC;&#x153;still remains untappedâ&#x20AC;?, she said at the forum in Rakhineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ngapali

beach, which is far south of the CONlICT AREA She trailed the promise of tourISM MANUFACTURING AND SPECIkCALLY the oil and gas sector as â&#x20AC;&#x153;one of the shining assets of Rakhine State.â&#x20AC;?

Participants from India, Japan, Korea, Thailand and China were in attendanceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the latter is building a massive port in the south of Rakhine and pipelines running through the strategically important state.

Suu Kyi blamed the international community for focusing â&#x20AC;&#x153;narrowly on negative aspects related to problemsâ&#x20AC;? in the northern

part of the state rather than the potential to uplift Rakhine through development.

Rakhine, she said, is brimming with opportunities and â&#x20AC;&#x153;warm and friendly people, all eager to be part of the development adventure.â&#x20AC;?

While Myanmarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former junta stunted the Southeast Asian nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy for decades, the advent of a civilian government under Suu Kyi in 2016 raised hopes of a turnaround in fortunes.

But slow reforms, a weakening CURRENCY AND CONlICT HAVE STALLED economic progress.

AFP

B6

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Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Las Casas appoints new top officers

Public Square

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

B7

GMA Network conducts nationwide blood drive

Q Romeo Alfonzo Co (left) as the general manager and Rogelio Dacanay (right) as the new assistant general manager/ Food and Beverage head.

LAS Casas Filipinas de Acuzar recently announced two new executives that will help the brand reach greater heights.

Leading the heritage resort are two experienced gentlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Romeo Alfonzo Co as the general manager and Rogelio Dacanay as the new assistant general manager/ Food and Beverage head.

Backed with his plethora of knowledge and close to 30 years of luxury and lifestyle hotel experience, Co is determined to make the brand globally competitive and be internationally known through strengthening its coreâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;great value, thoughtful amenities, and

a comfortable, relaxing environment for all its guests may it be locals or foreign visitors.

Meanwhile, Dacanay puts emphasis on showcasing the ineffable charm of Las Casas in all aspectsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;its unique architectural treats, strategic location, and its mouth-watering dining offers. With his 19-year track record in F&B Management, he re-affirmed the importance of collaboration with the people in his kitchen.

Located at the heart of Bagac, Bataan, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is the only Philippine destination that showcases the best of Filipino heritage and culture.

Q GMAKF EVP and COO Rikki Escudero-Catibog, PRC Quezon City chapter administrator Amparo Perez, PRC National Blood Services director Dr. Christie Monina Nalupta, GMAKF founder and ambassador Mel Tiangco, Kapuso singer Mika Gorospe and Maj. Gen. Danilo Chad Isleta.

G

MA Network has successfully turned over a total of 1,136 blood bags to the Philippine Red Cross during its annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kapuso Bloodletting Dayâ&#x20AC;? held simultaneously in various parts of the country on February 8. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seeing fellow Kapuso employees wholeheartedly giving a

part of themselves to help save other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives is incredibly touching and inspiring,â&#x20AC;? said GMA Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angela Javier Cruz. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our sincere thanks to everyone who supported this meaningful project.â&#x20AC;?

Kapuso employees, along

with their families and friends, at the GMA headquarters in Quezon City were able to donate a record high of 317 blood bags while the bloodletting activities in Dagupan, Ilocos, Naga, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Davao, General Santos, and Cagayan de Oro produced a

total of 819 blood bags.

Organized by the GMA Corporate Affairs and Communications Department for over a decade, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kapuso Bloodletting Dayâ&#x20AC;? is in coordination with GMA Kapuso Foundation (GMAKF), GMA Regional TV, and the Philippine Red Cross.

NexLogic, Fibernet to exhibit at Fictap 2019

Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best bites invade Marco Polo Ortigas Manila

Q After the contract signing, NexLogicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mohammed Kanouni and Fictap national chairman Estrellita â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nengâ&#x20AC;? Juliano-Tamano (left) congratulate each other while Tamano and Fibernetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maricel Arguelles (right) display their signed agreement.

CELEBRATE some of Britainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best bites and brews beginning March 1 at the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila.

Foodies from all over the metro ARE INVITED TO SAMPLE CHOICE lAvors in the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dining destinations as masterfully prepared by the culinary team, led by Executive Chef Alisdair Bletcher.

Tickle your senses with CafĂŠ Prontoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selection of tarts and pies, which are best enjoyed at the start of the day or in the afternoon paired with a cup of coffee.

At Cucina, a wide array of tra-

ditional dishes awaits featuring smoke Atlantic salmon, ploughmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s salad, Shephard pies, and fish and chips.

Meanwhile, Connect Lounge breathes new life to tea time, along with the seasonal feature of a refreshing Pimmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cocktail.

Reward a good dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work with a sample choice British classic like fish and chips and bangers and mash matched with a glass of San Miguel Draft Beer at Vuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sky Bar and Lounge.

For more information, visit www.marcopolohotels.com.

CGBP to host training on family business TO address the clamor of f o u n d e r s, f a m i l y m e m b e r s of second, third, and fourth generation, business owners, entrepreneurs and anyone who wanted to learn the science of professionalizing family businesses, the Center for Global Best Practices (CGBP) will host a pioneering training entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Professionalizing the Family Businessâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;The Right Wayâ&#x20AC;? to be held at the Manila Marriott Hotel, in Pasay City, on March 8.

The special program is designed to help founders, family business owners, business consultants and successors understand the challenges and the changes that must be implemented to professionalize their companies effectively.

Whether a single-family or multi-family business structure, a startup or an established family business, the program will help professionalize it the right way.

For more information, visit www.cgbp.org.

CFP to hold benefit concert for children with special needs CENTER for Possibilities FoundaWLRQ DQ 1*2 GHGLFDWHG VSHFL¿FDOO\ to address the plight of indigent children with special needs, is set to stage ³/RYH ,QFOXVLYHO\ ´ D EHQH¿W FRQFHUW to be held at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of the RCBC Plaza, in Makati City, on March 2.

Featuring the Manila Symphony Orchestra and performances from exceptional individuals Henry Munarriz, Samantha Kaspar, and Juno Santos, the concertâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s highlights will be the special participation of OgieAlcasid, who has graciously offered his time

and renowned talent to this cause.

The concert is aimed at raising funds for the special education of indigent children with special needs at the foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s SPED center in Sagada, Mountain Province, and its soon to be opened SPED center in Norzagaray, Bulacan.

Preceding the concert will be an art exhibit dubbed Art Exceptional, a collection of never before seen works of exceptional individuals Juno Santos, Samantha Kaspar, and Vico Cham.

Donations for the event will be accepted at the entrance.

PERENNIAL sponsors NexLogic Telecommunications and Fibernet %URDGEDQG ZHUH DPRQJ WKH ÂżUVW WR sign up as booth exhibitors of the 20th Annual Fictap Cable Congress

and Exhibit to be held at the Manila Hotel on March 7 and 8.

Fictap, Federation of International Cable TV and Telecommunications Associations of

the Philippines, is a group of micro, small and medium cable operators which has brought world-class information and entertainment and internet ser-

vices throughout the Philippine archipelago.

It is now a party list campaigning for fast and affordable internet connectivity for all Filipinos.

Credit scoring with CIBI 4(% kRST STEP TOWARD kNANCIAL success is finding out oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kNANCIAL STANDING +NOW YOUR creditworthiness and make betTER kNANCIAL DECISIONS THROUGH CIBI Information Inc.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services.

Credit information has become a key input for driving growth and enabling individuals and businesses to differentiate themselves and maintain a competitive edge. )T IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR knancial well-being as this allows you to make well-informed decisions when it comes to funds, and one WAY OF UNDERSTANDING YOUR kNANCIAL status is through credit scoring.

CIBI Information Inc. (CIBI) is a pioneer and only local credit bureau in the Philippines offering consumer credit scoring services, which allows the consumers to access and understand their current credit standing.

For more information, visit www.cibi.com.ph.

Villamor High School awards outstanding alumni VILLAMOR High School Alumni Foundation Inc. (VHSAFI) of Sta Ana, Manila, honored outstanding alumni during its Grand Reunion and Homecoming held at One Esplanade, in Pasay City, on February 16.

Manny Inserto, President of VHSAFI, (second row, 4th, R) awarded plaques of recognition to all alumni who gave an exemplary performance LQ WKHLU FKRVHQ ÂżHOG SURIHVVLRQ HQtrepreneurship, charitable works, civic and community services.

Presented together with Rex Barbosa, MD, first president and founder of VHSAFI (second row, 2nd, L), were the awardees and VHSAFI officers and trustees, first row, from left: Teresita Tolentino, Carmencita Parenno, Magdalena Gonzalez, Mildred

PDL Andres, Teresa Beso, Alfredo Reintegrado, Cesar Pascual, Manuel Luna, Felix Tirado, Luisito Bautista, Jimmy Romero, Marilou Lazarte; second row, from left: Amor Sande, Rita Francisco, Asteria Bautista, Gregorio Reyes, Jr.,

Diosdado Silva, Rosendo Carino, Romeo Basa, Virginia Morales, Carmelita Siasat, Norma Joy Flores, Norma Reta, Mila Basilio, Myrna Sotto, Ruth Miaral, Crisanta Ignacio, Rudy Robles, Aurora Abacan, Roberto Diaz de Rivera,

Victor Serrano, Soledad Andres, Daniel Lansang, Lourdes Ocbena, Asuncion Oquino, Maria Cristina Severo, and Elizabeth Sotto.

Meanwhile, the posthumous awards were given to Eddie Pregrina and Fabian Ignacio.

33 Years after EDSA Revolution, MAY IPINAGBAGO BA?

LIVE ON w w w. m a n i l a t i m e s t v. c o m

M o n d a y, F e b r u a r y 2 5 , 2 0 1 9 from 7:30AM - 6PM

Catch the initial telecast TMT TV Balita TMT TV AM TMT TV PM TMT TV Newsbreak

at at at at

6:00 p.m 6:00 a.m 12:00 noon every hour on the hour

Te s t B ro a d c a s t

ǀŝĞǁ ŝƚ Ăƚ ǁǁǁ͘ŵĂŶŝůĂƟŵĞƐƚǀ͘ĐŽŵ

Sports

www.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2019

C1

Harden extends streak, Rockets lose cool in loss to Lakers Q James Harden (No. 13) of the Houston Rockets makes a pass to Clint Capela (No. 15) in front of Tyson Chandler (No. 5) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Staples Center on Friday in Los Angeles, California. AFP PHOTO

L

OS ANGELES: James Harden passed Wilt Chamberlain for the second longest 30-point-plus streak in NBA history, but the Houston star fouled out in the fourth quarter and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Houston Rockets 111-106 on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

Harden has now scored 30 points or more in 32 consecutive games but his early exit was followed moments later by Chris Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sixth foul of the game as the Rockets imploded down the stretch to hand the Lakers the win.

Chamberlain previously had the second longest streak at 31 games and also holds the outright record with a streak of 65 30-point-plus games.

LeBron James scored 29 points, Brandon Ingram added 27 as Los Angeles

RALLIED FROM A POINT DEkCIT MIDWAY through the third quarter in front of a crowd of 18,900 at Staples Center.

The Lakers trailed for most of the game and were down 95-88 with 7:49 remaining when they went on a 17-4 run over a six-minute span.

The Rockets lead the league in threepoint attempts and live and die by the long ball. They struggled mightily to make a three pointer in the fourth and thenâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to lose their two top offensive

weapons down the stretchâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;was just too much to overcome.

Houston also lost their cool. At one point both Paul and coach Mike Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Antoni were slapped with technical fouls and by THE TIME THE ,AKERS kNISHED SHOOTING THEIR free throws they had stretched the lead to IN THE kNAL MINUTE It was Los Angelesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sixth comeback victory this season when trailing by 15 or more at any point. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We did a heck of a job rebound-

Nike in damage control after basketball starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoe shreds NEW YORK: Nike was in damage control mode on Thursday after US college basketball star Zion Williamson suffered a knee injury when his shoe shredded during a marquee game attended among others by Barack Obama and Spike Lee. The Duke University forward, expected to be the top player taken in Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NBA draft, was injured just 36 seconds into Wednesday nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rivalry game against the University of North Carolina.

The 18-year-old Williamson, who has been averaging 22.4 points per game, was dribbling near the free THROW LINE ON HIS TEAM S kRST POSsession when he planted his left foot and his sneaker blew apart.

The blue sole of his Nike hightops tore away and Williamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foot poked out the bottom of the shoe.

The dynamic freshman dropped TO THE lOOR GRIMACING IN PAIN AND holding his right knee. He limped off the court and was removed from the game, which was being broadcast nationally on ESPN. There was initial concern that Williamson may have suffered a serious knee injury but Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski said after the game that it was a â&#x20AC;&#x153;mild knee sprain.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen guys bust through shoes but not sprain their knee,â&#x20AC;? Krzyzewski said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how long heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be out.â&#x20AC;?

Duke, which was the top-ranked team in college basketball going into the game, ended up losing 88-72 to eighth-ranked North Carolina.

The 6ft 7in (2.01m) Williamson has been the most sensational player of this

Q Zion Williamson (No. 1) of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after falling as his shoe breaks against Luke Maye (No. 32) of the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game on February 20, 2019 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. AFP PHOTO yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NCAA season, thrilling fans with thunderous dunks and displaying incredible agility and leaping ability for a player who weighs 285 pounds (129 kilograms).

Nike, whose shares fell 1.06 percent on Thursday to close at $83.94 in New York, said it was trying to kGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are obviously concerned and want to wish Zion a speedy recovery,â&#x20AC;?

the sports apparel giant said in a statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The quality and performance of our products are of utmost importance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;While this is an isolated occurrence, we are working to identify the issue,â&#x20AC;? Nike said.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hope young fella is ok!â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Among those sending their best wishes

to Williamson was NBA superstar LeBron James, a Nike client, and Obama, who was among the celebrities attending the sold-out game between the Blue Devils and Tar Heels. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hope young fella is ok!â&#x20AC;? James tweeted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Literally blew thru his (shoe).â&#x20AC;?

Obama could be seen pointing from his courtside seat when Williamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sneaker tore apart and

saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;His shoe broke!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zion Williamson seems like an outstanding young man as well as an outstanding basketball player,â&#x20AC;?

Obama said later in a tweet. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wishing him a speedy recovery.â&#x20AC;?

Also at the game was Spike Lee, the movie director whose television commercials with NBA great Michael Jordan for Air Jordans helped send Nike soaring.

Nike, which has a 12-year exclusive contract to supply Duke with shoes and other gear, is engaged in an ongoing battle with rivals Adidas and Under Armour for the loyalty of top sports stars.

Adidas recently managed to snag NBA leading scorer James Harden of the Houston Rockets, last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Valuable Player.

The incident with Williamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoe is not the first with Nike products.

Nike replaced Adidas in 2017 as the official supplier of basketball jerseys to the NBA and there have been some complaints about the shirts ripping.

Nike has also been facing a boycott campaign after signing Colin Kaepernick, the former NFL quarterback who began kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial inequality and social injustice.

The boycott does not appear to have had much of an impact on Nike sales, however, and Kaepernick tweeted on Thursday that a tribute â&#x20AC;&#x153;True to 7â&#x20AC;? jersey to him had sold out. AFP

Zionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s freak injury ripples in basketball, business worlds DURHAM, N.C.: Soon after Zion Williamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoe ripped apart, Nikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stock price took a hit.

The freak injury during one of the college basketball seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marquee games immediately sparked debates about everything from the shoe manufacturer to insurance issues and whether the likely NBA lottery pick should risk his professional future by continuing to play for the top-ranked-fornow Blue Devils.

Williamson is day to day with a mild right knee sprain and is progressing as expected, team spokesman Mike DeGeorge said Thursday night.

By Thursday morning, Nike, which manufactured the shoes Williamson was wearing, also was feeling the impact of the injury.

The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stock closed down 89 cents at $83.95 on Thursday as the sportswear manufacturer became the target of ridicule on social media. A spokesman said Nike has begun an investigation into what it called an â&#x20AC;&#x153;isolatedâ&#x20AC;? event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shoes have failed before, but not as visibly,â&#x20AC;? said Matt Powell, a senior industry adviser for sports for the NPD Group, a market research firm.

Playing before a crowd littered with celebrities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from Spike Lee to former

President Barack Obama â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Williamson was hurt in the opening minute of the game as his Nike PG 2.5, from Oklahoma City Thunder star Paul Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature sneaker line, tore apart. Williamson wears that model frequently during games and hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had any obvious problems.

The 280-pound Williamson is one of the most powerful players in the game, and he tried to plant with his left foot as his right foot was slipping. The blue rubber sole ripped loose from the white shoe and Williamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foot came all the way through the large gap. He ended up in an awkwardalmost-split, clutching the back of his right knee . He walked to the bench and a few minutes later headed to the locker room, leaving the wrecked shoe under his chair.

George said Thursday that he has talked with Nike to see what went wrong and what happened to the shoe. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happened to me as long as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been in this shoe,â&#x20AC;? George said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve made three generations, going on four now of my shoe, of being successful. So I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily feel any way about that part â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the negative part of it. My only concern was for Zion, honestly.â&#x20AC;?

Since Duke is a Nike-sponsored school, William-

son has his choice of that companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s footwear. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen guys bust through shoes but not sprain their knee,â&#x20AC;? coach Mike Krzyzewski said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gone down a couple times where heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slipped and saved the ball. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I thought happened. He goes so fast that maybe if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something slippery, that happened.â&#x20AC;?

The injury also set off a fresh round of debate about whether Williamson â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the possible No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, should he leave Duke after his freshman season â&#x20AC;&#x201D; would be wise to end his college season in an attempt to avoid an injury that could jeopardize his pro career. NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen made the case for it a month ago, saying on ESPN that â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would shut it down.â&#x20AC;?

Asked to respond on Feb. 5 to those comments, Williamson turned to his locker room sidekick, walk-on Mike Buckmire, and asked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buck, would you hate me if I shut down the season? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do that to my teammates,â&#x20AC;? Williamson continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Again, thank you for, like, seeing the confidence in me and the type of player I can become. But I love college too much to stop playing. I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give this up.â&#x20AC;?

Now that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually hurt, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unknown if his feelings have changed.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also unclear, if he decides to

Q A trainer holds Dukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Zion Williamsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shoes after Williamson left the game due to an injury during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against North Carolina in Durham, N.C., on February. 20, 2019. AP PHOTO continue his college career, whether Williamson has an insurance policy to protect him in case of injury like many other elite college athletes have purchased.

DeGeorge on Thursday could not confirm a report by Action Network that Williamson had an $8 million loss of value policy written

by Winston-Salem-based International Specialty Insurance that would pay out if he slipped past the 16th pick in this Juneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s draft.

Officials at ISI did not return telephone and email messages Thursday.

Loss of value polices are not offered by the NCAA, but the governing body does offer disability insurance.

Spokeswoman Stacey Osburn said the NCAA allows schools to purchase loss of value policies on a playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behalf. She added that the NCAA also facilitates a disability insurance program for players in five sports, including menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

ing and that allowed us to win the game even with the turnovers we had,â&#x20AC;? said coach Luke Walton of the Lakers, who had 18 turnovers compared to 14 for Houston.

Harden led Houston with 30 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists before fouling out with 1:24 remaining. Paul added 23 points before fouling out.

Harden is in the running to win the NBAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most Valuable Player award for a second straight season. AFP

Lady Archers target share of lead DE La Salle University shoots for the share of the lead as it battles Adamson University in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volleyball tournament today at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

The four-peat seeking Lady Archers will aim for a second straight win in their 4 p.m. encounter against the Lady Falcons that will catapult them to the top alongside University of the Philippines (UP).

La Salle fired off its title defense with a 25-14, 25-17, 16-25, 25-19 dismantling of archrival Ateneo De Manila University on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Seasoned spiker Desiree Cheng, who led the Lady Archersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; balanced offense in the previous game with 13 points, is expected to lead the team anew with fellow veterans May Luna and Aduke Ogunsanya.

Rookie opposite hitter Jolina Dela Cruz, who had an impressive UAAP debut with 11 markers, is also expected to deliver for veteran coach Ramil De Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; squad.

Adamson, on the other hand, will try to bounce back from a 21-25, 21-25, 26-24, 26-25, 6-15 season-opening loss to University of Sto. Tomas also on Saturday.

The Airess Padda-coached Lady Falcons will lean on fourth-year hitter Bernadette Flora, captain Eli Soyud and third-year spiker Chiara Permentilla.

In the other game, opening day losers University of the East (UE) and National University (NU) clash for a breakthrough win at 2 p.m.

The Lady Warriors lost to UP, 12-25, 25-22, 2523, 19-25, 12-15, while the Lady Bulldogs fell 25-22, 19-25, 19-25, 12-25, to Far Eastern University.

Meanwhile, in the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side, defending champion NU (0-1) guns for a rebound win against UE (1-0) at 8 a.m. while Adamson (1-0) goes for a second victory vs La Salle (0-1).

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA basketball, in which athletes can purchase policies with preapproved financing to protect against future loss of earnings due to injuries suffered in college. Duke spokesman Jon Jackson said the university does provide the resource for athletes to purchase policies in limited cases but declined to comment on specific instances.

There are no NCAA restrictions on how much insurance a player can purchase, or if the player wants both types of policies, Osburn said.

A few years ago, former South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore took out a disability insurance policy.

He purchased a $1.8 million insurance policy through the NCAA program. Lattimore had a clause in his policy that it would pay out if he did not play four NFL games. Lattimore never played in an NFL game but only received about $270,000 from the policy, in part because he did get a signing bonus when he was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fourth round.

He purchased the policy prior to his sophomore season in 2011 then renewed it the following year. That season he dislocated his knee in a game suffered several torn ligaments when he was tackled. Lattimore currently works as the director of football player development at his alma mater. AP

Sports

C2

TheË&#x153;Manila Times

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

DasmariĂąas battles Demecillo in title eliminator INTERNATIONAL Boxing Organization (IBO) bantamweight champion Michael DasmariĂąas will face compatriot Kenny Demecillo in a title eliminator match sanctioned by the International Boxing Federation (IBF) on March 23 at the Midas Hotel in Pasay City.

The IBO title is a recognized title but DasmariĂąas wants a more prestigious belt from the World Boxing Council, World Boxing Organization, World Boxing Association and IBF. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It (IBO) is just like a minor [world] title,â&#x20AC;? DasmariĂąas told The Manila Times in Filipino. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think it is a big opportunity to fight in the IBF so weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re training very hard.â&#x20AC;?

The fight between No. 3 Demecillo and the No. 4 DasmariĂąas was ordered by the IBF to determine the mandatory challenger of IBF bantamweight champion Emmanuel Rodriguez of Puerto Rico.

DasmariĂąas, with a 28-2-1 win-loss-draw record with 19 knockouts said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up for the task. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really up to God. Of course, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very determined to win. If I win the fight, it will open a lot of opportunities,â&#x20AC;? added the Pili, Camarines Sur native.

DasmariĂąas, 26, is coming off a split draw decision win over Manyo Plange of Ghana on September 29 in Singapore. It was his first title defense. He captured the vacant IBO bantamweight belt via fourth round technical knockout victory over Karim Guerfi of France on April 20 in Singapore.

The 26-year-old Cebuano Demecillo holds a 14-4-2 record with eight knockouts. JOSEF T. RAMOS

Q Manny Pacquiao prepares to enter the ring.

PHOTO BY WENDELL ALINEA

No need for Pacquiao to shop for opponent F

BY EDDIE G. ALINEA

LOYD MAYWEATHER or no Floyd Mayweather, life goes on for Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao.

A bevy of fellow welterweights, all champions in their own rights in their respective title-conferring bodies of sweet science, have come out expressing interest in dancing with him atop the ring should the undefeated Mayweather turned remiss on his word to unretire and battle Pacquiao anew in a repeat of their May 2, 2015 showdown.

Only the other day, for instance, unbeaten International Boxing Federation 147-pound belt-owner Errol Spence Jr. made formal his challenge for the World Boxing Association regular titlist Senator from the 0HILIPPINES TO kGHT HIM Mayweatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fellow American pug, in an interview with, Fight Hub TV, even went further by assuring heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s willing to face the Filipino in his home turf Manila. g) LL kGHT -ANNY 0ACQUIAO ANYWHERE DEkNITELY IN THE Philippines or anywhere else,â&#x20AC;? Spence, nicknamed â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 4RUTH u DECLARED "UT kRST HE HAS TO HURDLE -IKEY 'ARCIA

who he will cross mitts on March 16 at Arlington, Texas.

Spence (24-0 with 21 KOs), a southpaw like PacQUIAO HOWEVER EXPRESSED CONkDENCE HE CAN BEAT to pave the way to an opportunity to face the ring gladiator-turned lawmaker,

Garcia, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia and Shawn Porter, have been mentioned by Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, as possible future opponents for Pacquiao,

quiao-Thurman is going to look like?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pacquiao looked well at the age of 40. He looked strong. Pacquiao-ThurMAN IS A GOOD kGHT !ND WHEN S THE LAST time Pacquiao fought an undefeated kGHTER u 4HURMA ADDED â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m hoping to hear some words from Team Pacquiao,â&#x20AC;? said Thurman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We both fought early this year and ) D BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE A kGHT FOR

Who wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to fight Pacquiao?

ANYTIME HE DEEMS kT (E SAID â&#x20AC;&#x153;Summer, after summer, September, /CTOBER ) THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT kGHT for the sport. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s make it happen,â&#x20AC;?

Thurman quipped Also last month, Pacquiao returned to the United States after an absence of two years, to win a one-sided twelve round decision over former four-division champion Adrien Broner at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Q Giannis Antetokounmpo (No. 34) of the Milwaukee Bucks AFP PHOTO

)T IS ONLY IN kGHTING 0ACQUIAO AND -AYWEATHER THAT these young turks can earn fat paychecks A few weeks ago, it was Thurman, holder of the super WBA crown, likewise, dared the Filipino EIGHT DIVISION CHAMPION TO kGHT HIM PROOF THAT Pacquiao doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to look around and shop for an opponent.

Like Spence, Thurman, also undefeated, reiterated his challenge to Pacquiao. Last month, Thurman, nicknamed â&#x20AC;&#x153;One Time,â&#x20AC;? snapped a 22-month layoff to beat Josesito Lopez via majority decision.

It was after that win that Thurman openly called 0ACQUIAO FOR A kGHT g) WANT TO kGHT -ANNY 0ACQUIAO u 4HURMAN TOLD Premier Boxing Champions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Imagine what Pac-

Bucks, Warriors survive hectic finishes to record wins LOS ANGELES: Khris Middleton nailed a THREE POINTER IN THE kNAL SECONDS AND 'IANNIS !NTETOKOUNMPO kNISHED WITH 30 points as the league- leading Milwaukee Bucks edged the Boston Celtics 98-97 on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

Antetokounmpo, who is averaging 27.2 points a game this season, scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter for the Bucks, who also won the season series over the Celtics two games to one.

Antetokounmpo added 13 rebounds and Middleton had 15 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Malcolm Brogdon had 15 points for the Bucks, who have won 15 of the last 17 games, including nine of the last 10.

4HIS WAS THE kRST GAME BACK FROM THE all-star break for both teams as Milwaukee improved to 44-14 on the season.

Antetokounmpoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand-picked allstar team lost to one selected by LeBron James. But he scored 38 of his teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 164 points while grabbing 11 rebounds AND DISHING OUT kVE ASSISTS !L (ORFORD kNISHED WITH POINTS and a season-high 17 rebounds for Boston against Milwaukee, and Jayson Tatum had 17 points and 10 rebounds.

Kyrie Irving tallied 22 points and had a chance to win the game for Boston, but he stumbled while driving to the basket and missed an awkward shot as time expired. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kyrie with the ball. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we wanted,â&#x20AC;? Horford said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Get the ball in Kyrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands. Let him create.

I felt like we put ourselves in a good position there.â&#x20AC;?

Irving has battled a variety of injuries this season. He missed two games prior to the all-star break with a strained right knee.

The Celtics have now lost three of THEIR LAST kVE GAMES Meanwhile, Stephen Curry scored 36 points and drained 10 three pointers, allowing the Golden State Warriors to complete a season-series sweep of the Sacramento Kings with a 125-123 victory.

Kevin Durant added 28 points, nine rebounds and tied his career-high with seven BLOCKS AS THE 7ARRIORS SURVIVED A HECTIC kNISH â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kevin was tremendous in every aspect, the energy, the cutting, the aggressiveness,â&#x20AC;? Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Defensively he was all over the place. He was really on his game tonight in every way.â&#x20AC;?

DeMarcus Cousins had 17 points and 10 rebounds in his first game against his former team since signing with the Warriors in the offseason.

The four-game sweep was the Warriorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fourth in the past six seasons over the Kings.

But there was just a 12-point total margin of victory in the four wins this season.

The Warriors led most of the fourth quarter behind Curryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11 points. The two-time league MVP shot 12 of 23 overall and was 10 of 16 three-point range.

Golden State still had to hold on though to avoid suffering back-toback losses.

AFP

Xasa blasts IAAF on Semenya case LAUSANNE: South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sports minister accused the IAAF on Thursday (Friday in Manila) of seeking to violate womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bodies as she visited Switzerland to back Caster Semenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fight against proposals to restrict female athletesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; testosterone levels.

Semenya, a double Olympic 800 meters champion, has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne to challenge the rules proposed by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sports Minister Tokozile Xasa said her trip to the Alpine nation was aimed at offering support to her compatriot Semenya as the week-long hearing draws to a close.

But she also doubled-down on criticism of the IAAF, which has argued the proposed rules are necessary to create a â&#x20AC;&#x153;level playing fieldâ&#x20AC;? for other female athletes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are talking (about) violations of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bodies.

Where women have to explain themselves for how they appear in the eyes of (others),â&#x20AC;? Xasa said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not just about South Africa...(or) the participation of women in sport,â&#x20AC;? she added, stressing that fundamental human rights issues were at stake in the hearing.

The controversial measures would force so-calledâ&#x20AC;&#x153;hyperandrogenicâ&#x20AC;? athletes or those with â&#x20AC;&#x153;differences of sexual developmentâ&#x20AC;?

(DSD) to seek treatment to lower their testosterone levels below a prescribed amount if they wish to continue competing as women.

Xasa said she had been asked to carry a message to Semenya from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Remember, you are great. Remember, that you are a symbol that constantly reminds us that nothing beats the enduring power of human spirit,â&#x20AC;? Xasa quoted the president as saying. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to make sure that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel alone,â&#x20AC;? she added.

Semenya stood at the back of the room as the minister spoke and did not address the media.

Many South Africans have thrown their weight behind Semenya in the media and online.

Last week the government launched a campaign dubbed #NaturallySuperior in a bid to drum up international support for Semenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fight against the rules which they have labelled â&#x20AC;&#x153;discriminatoryâ&#x20AC;?.

Xasa was wearing a t-shirt that said â&#x20AC;&#x153;we oppose IAAF regulationsâ&#x20AC;? and voiced hope the message would help drive the global campaign.

The track and field body has said that DSD athletes that have male levels of testosterone can have clear advantages in bone and muscle size and strength and would therefore have an unfair edge over their competitors.

Semenya is not the only athlete potentially affected by the new rules -- the two athletes who finished behind her in the Rio Olympics 800m, Francine Niyonsaba of Burundi and Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Margaret Wambui, have also faced questions about their testosterone levels.

A judgment in the case is expected by the end of March.

AFP

Indonesia to host MotoGP on earthquakehit island LOMBOK, Indonesia: Indonesia is set to host a MotoGP street race from 2021 on the island of Lombok, which was rocked by deadly earthquakes last year, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourism development agency said.

The project is intended to help Lombok, a beauty spot adjacent to Bali, recover from the quakes that killed more than 500 people in July and August, a senior official said previously.

The premier motorbike race will be held on a new circuit which will reportedly be 4.32-kilometres (2.68 miles) long with 18 corners, and will double as a regular street at other times.

A three-year deal was reached between MotoGP promoter Dorna Sports and the Indonesia Tourism Development Corporation, the state-backed agency said late Thursday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(The site) will be designated as a sports tourism destination and the plan is to build a MotoGP circuit there by 2021,â&#x20AC;? tourism ministry spokesman Guntur Sakti told AFP Friday.

French company Vinci Construction will lead the building project, according to ITDC director Abdulbar Mansoer.

Mansoer has said the project was expected to boost tourism in Indonesia and help Lombok recover from last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earthquakes.

The new track will host races between 2021 and 2023.

The announcement follows Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s debut MotoGP last year as the sport looks to fast-growing Southeast Asia, where it has a strong following.

AFP

Sports

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

McIlroy seizes one-shot lead at WGC-Mexico

M

%8)#/ #)49 2ORY -C)LROY kRED SEVEN out a bogey in his 64 and was two shots clear of Justin Thomas and Matt Kuchar.

BIRDIES AND ONE SENSATIONAL EAGLE ON THE WAY TO AN EIGHT UNDER PAR AND â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tiger, Tiger, Tigerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; A ONE SHOT LEAD OVER $USTIN *OHNSON THE 7'# Tiger Woods received a rapturous welcome -EXICO #HAMPIONSHIP ON 4HURSDAY &RIDAY FROM FANS ON THE kRST TEE WHERE HE WAS INTRODUCED FOR HIS kRST COMPETITIVE START IN -EXICO IN -ANILA as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tiger! Tiger! Tiger Woods.â&#x20AC;?

Q Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits a tee shot on the 11th hole during the final round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on February 17, in Pacific Palisades, California. AFP PHOTO

Former world number one McIlroy, now ranked eighth in the world AS HE SEEKS HIS kRST WIN SINCE THE !Rnold Palmer Invitational last March, belted a 2-iron 307 yards at Club DE 'OLF #HAPULTEPEC S PAR FOUR kRST -- his 10th hole of the day.

It hit the front of the green and threatened the hole, McIlroy eventually making a six-footer for eagle. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My 3-iron probably carries this week somewhere around 300 yards, and it was playing around 295 to the front, so I knew I needed to take a little off and hit a little cut down there,â&#x20AC;? McIlroy said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nice to start the back nine like that.â&#x20AC;?

His only miscue on the day was a bogey at the sixth, but he rebounded with a 20-foot putt for birdie at his penultimate hole, the eighth, to lead 2017 champion Johnson by one stroke.

Like all the players in the elite World Golf Championships event, McIlroy is adjusting to playing on a course situated 7,800 feet above sea level, where he said some shots could go 100 yards further than he would normally expect. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun,â&#x20AC;? McIlroy said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to do it every week but while weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here we might as well make the most of it.â&#x20AC;?

The Northern Ireland star did, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation and 10 of 14 fairways. He ranks third IN THE kELD IN STROKES GAINED PUTTING through one round. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re confident with the flat stick, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not putting yourself under pressure to hit it closer to the hole,â&#x20AC;? McIlroy said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not trying to take on shots that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really need to.â&#x20AC;?

Johnson had seven birdies with-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;He said my name three times, right?â&#x20AC;?

Woods said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;That was different.â&#x20AC;?

Woods then promptly hit his tee shot out-of-bounds on the way to an opening double bogey.

He bounced back with three straight birdIES AT THE FOURTH kFTH AND SIXTH ON THE WAY to an even-par 71. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was trying to cut it and I pulled it across and hit it dead off the toe,â&#x20AC;? he said of his opening tee shot. He did the same when he hit the second one. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just not going to cut when you hit it off the toe. Didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cut.â&#x20AC;?

(E kNISHED WITH FOUR BIRDIES AND TWO bogeys along with that double. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think realistically I could have gotten PROBABLY FOUR OR kVE UNDER PAR OUT OF IT today,â&#x20AC;? Woods said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite keep it going.â&#x20AC;?

Things were much worse for defending champion Phil Mickelson. One year after edging Thomas in a playoff he opened with an eight-over par 79.

AFP

PARK HEADLINES INAUGURAL TCC LADIES INVITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;L WORLD No. 2 Sung Hyun Park brings her class act here in three weeks time as she top-bills the first $100,000 The Country Club Ladies Invitational on March 6 to 8 at the TCC course in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

A two-time Major champion and only the second player to win the Rookie and Player of the Year honors on the LPGA Tour in 2017, Park is expected to set the standard in the 54-hole championship which will also feature the leading players on the LPGA of Taiwan and the Ladies Philippine Golf Tour and top shotmakers in the region.

Meanwhile, for details and reservations for tickets to the TCC Ladies, also serving as the third leg of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Taiwan LPGA and fifth stop of the LPGT 2018-19 season, contact Jocelyn Duque at 09157974751 or email lpgtinvitational@gmail.com.

The talented 26-year-old Park is going all-out to claim the world top ranking this year, her confidence boosted by her recent link-up with Solaire Resort & Casino, now her chief backer on the LPGA and other premier events all over the world in the next two years.

Park, whose contract with Solaire is said to be the richest in Korean womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s golf history, has started playing with Solaire in her cap in the ongoing Honda LPGA in Thailand. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll next vie in the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s World Championship in Singapore before headlining the inaugural The Country Club Ladies Invitational. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I will head to the LPGA with a sense of re-

sponsibility to the solid support of my main sponsor. Now I now have the composure to take a step back and oversee my play and at the same time setting my goals and reaching for them one step at a time.

By giving all my focus on every competition and winning them is my way of giving back to all my supporters who have supported, cheered and cared for me,â&#x20AC;? said Park during the contract signing which drew a jam-packed crowd in Korea last week.

But the 26-year-old Seoul expects a tough challenge in the TCC Ladies, which features five of the top 15 players on the TLPGA, including Babe Liu, Hsin Lee, Tzu Chi Lin, Chia Pei Lee and Yu Ning Huang, along with the cream of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pro crop, headed by Dottie Ardina, Princess Superal and Pauline del Rosario.

T h e elite field also includes a slew of top players in the region and other parts of the world, guaranteeing the strongest cast ever to play in the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seven-year premier womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circuit put up by ICTSI. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We expect nothing but three days of world class golf not only from Park but also from the rest of the elite cast,â&#x20AC;? said Colo Ventosa, general manager of the organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.

pointers for the next meet,â&#x20AC;? said Philippine captain Troy Limbo.

4HE 0HILIPPINE 5 MEN S national team, which only had a two-week training for this P R E 3 O U T H E A S T ! S I A N ' A M E S tournament, had three defeats in as many outings.

(EAD COACH !NDRES 'ONZALES team conceded six times and only scored once in the eightnation competition.

In the tournament opener last

Sunday, the Philippines surrendered a 1-2 decision to Vietnam despite netting the opening GOAL VIA 5NIVERSITY OF THE 0HILIPPINES STANDOUT *" "ORLONGAN S free kick conversion.

4HE YOUNG !ZKALS THEN BOWED out of the tourney after suffering a 0-3 beating to the lone !&& 5 CHAMPION 4HAILAND four days ago.

The Filipino booters had the chance to at least post a win

Q World No. 2 Sung Hyun Park CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

against the Timorese who also lost to Vietnam and Thailand.

"UT 4IMOR ,ESTE NOTCHED THE winning goal in the 64th minUTE WHEN -OUZINHO DE ,IMA came up with a fine finish on /SVALDO "ELO S CROSS FROM THE left wing.

4HE 0( 5 NOW AIMS TO QUALIFY FOR THE !SIAN &OOTBALL #ONFEDERATION 5 #HAMPIONship next month in Malaysia.

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

Del Potro reaches Delray Beach quarterfinals MIAMI: Top-seeded Juan Martin del 0OTRO REACHED THE QUARTERkNALS OF THE !40 $ELRAY "EACH /PEN 4HURSDAY &RIDAY IN -ANILA WITH A VICTORY OVER !MERICAN 2EILLY /PELKA $EL 0OTRO PLAYING HIS kRST TOURnament since breaking his right kneecap at the Shanghai Masters in October, withstood 18 aces from

THE YEAR OLD !MERICAN WHO WAS COMING OFF HIS kRST !40 4OUR TITLE AT the New York Open on Sunday. $EL 0OTRO THE $ELRAY "EACH champion, converted the only two break points of the match and held SERVE AT LOVE IN THE kNAL GAME TO kNISH off Opelka in 1 hour and 13 minutes.

The world number four next faces

!MERICAN -ACKENZIE -C$ONALD

who defeated Spainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guillermo 'ARCIA ,OPEZ

&OURTH SEEDED !MERICAN 3TEVE Johnson advanced with a 7-5, 7-5 vicTORY OVER )TALIAN 0AOLO ,ORENZI (E LL TAKE ON -OLDOVA S 2ADU !LBOT WHO SURVIVED A MID MATCH surge from Nick Kyrgios to advance

Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ji leads in Thailand after Ariyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uneven start BANGKOK: Ji Eun-hee topped a tight leaderboard after a near-flawless performance on day one of the LPGA Thailand Thursday, as top-ranked home favourite Ariya Jutanugarn was forced to play catch-up.

South Koreaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ji sank a total of 10 birdies to card nine-under 63 for a two-shot lead, despite an early bogey.

Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world number seven Minjee Lee, American Danielle Kang and South Korean Jenny Shin were close behind with 65s.

The $1.6 million LPGA-sanctioned tournament is being held at the par-72 Siam Country Club in the beach resort town of Pattaya. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I hit it really great today,â&#x20AC;? Ji said in a television interview, adding that tweaks to her swing and putting style have boosted her confidence.

Ji, ranked 25, is gunning for her second title of the year after triumphing in the Tournament of Champions last month.

But the early victory means the â&#x20AC;&#x153;pressureâ&#x20AC;? is off, she said.

Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world No. 1 Ariya was five shots off the lead with four-under 68.

In a topsy-turvy outing she finished with six birdies, an eagle, two bogeys and a double-bogey on the penultimate hole.

Ariya is also coming off a lacklustre Australian Open, finishing 15 shots adrift of winner Nelly Korda.

American Jessica Korda won last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tournament in Thailand but will not be competing this time due to an injury.

AFP

FEU-Diliman rules UAAP juniors football

PH finishes winless in AFF Under-22 meet THE 0HILIPPINES kNISHED WINLESS IN THE !SEAN &OOTBALL &EDERATION !&& 5NDER #HAMPIonship after losing 0-1 to Timor Leste on Thursday night at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

4HE JUNIOR !ZKALS PUT UP A VALIANT kGHT BUT CONCEDED A SECOND half goal to the Timorese squad. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We tried to win this game but it was not meant to be. I hope that the players have picked up some

C3

6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in a match marred by THE !USTRALIAN S OUTBURSTS AT A FAN and linesman.

In Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other quarterfinals, second-seeded John Isner will take ON &RANCE S EIGHTH SEEDED !DRIAN -ANNARINO AND "RITISH QUALIFIER Daniel Evans faces sixth-seeded )TALIAN !NDREAS 3EPPI AFP

POCHOLO BUGAS scored the lone goal as Far Eastern University (FEU)-Diliman downed Nazareth School of National University (NU), 1-0, to capture its ninth straight crown in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) juniors football tournament on Thursday at the Moro Lorenzo Football Field in Quezon City.

Bugas scored the winning goal early en route to the Baby Tamaraws seizing a nine-peat at the expense of the Bullpups. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I felt a little pressure about this ninth straight win. Many people are expecting this. But finally, we made it so Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really happy,â&#x20AC;? said FEU head coach Bobae Park, who contributed three trophies to the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic feat.

NU, on other hand, marked its first finals appearance after just two years in the juniorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; division.

The Baby Tamaraws and the Bullpups' first two meetings during the elimination led to scoreless draws.

But in their last match, Bugas, the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Striker, took a loose ball off NUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blunder then fired a low shot from the left flank in the 16th minute to seal their win.

FEU also bagged several individual awards with Mark Jessar Tobias taking home the Most Valuable Player plum, Kart Talaroc was declared Rookie of the Year, Keith Absalon snagged the Best Midfielder citation while Kristian Harold Bumatay was named Goalkeeper of the Year.

Dominic Absalon of University of Sto. Tomas got the Best Defender award while third-placer Ateneo De Manila University received the Fair Play Award.

In the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s division, University of the East pulled off a 1-0 stunner over the Jarvey Gayoso-led Ateneo.

Louie Polinag scored on a header off a corner set piece in the seventh minute, powering the Red Warriors to their first win of the season following a 1-4 loss to FEU. University of Sto. Tomas grabbed the top spot with four points after sharing the spoils with Adamson University, 1-1.

Allen Vien Lozano of the Soaring Falcons hit the equalizer in the 57th, negating veteran forward Steven Anotadoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 54th minute opener for the Golden Booters.

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

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Lifestyle

D1

www.manilatimes.net

Q Angala seeks expertise of Feng Shui master Princesse Lim Fernandez in leading the auspicious ceremonies at Luxe Duty Free grand opening.

Q Former senator Freddie Webb, Lucio Singh, judge Rosemarie Carandang, feng shui expert Princesse Lim Fernandez, Miss Universe 1973 and Cultural Center of the Philippines board of trustees member/president Margie Moran, Maria Salome Angala, Vincent Angala, Bennie Aw, Jullie Yap Daza, Olive Aw, and Tomasito Umali.

A ‘Luxe’ and lucky shopping experience

Q Tourism Attaché to Beijing Tomasito Umali takes part in the ceremonies.

BY NIKA ROQUE

J Q DFPC COO Vicente Pelagio Angala with his wife Maria Salome and Jullie Yap Daza took part in the Chinese Eye Dotting ceremony to rouse the dragons.

UST in time for Chinese New Year early this February, stateowned Duty Free Philippines Corporation (DFPC) opened its newest downtown outlet, Luxe Duty Free at the SM Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City. To welcome the year with good fortune, Feng Shui expert Princesse Lim Fernandez performed traditional auspicious ceremonies in relation to the general outlook of the Year of the Pig.

Q Guests take turns to make their wishes for Chinese New Year — and before the shopping commences. &ERNANDEZ ALSO GAVE SPECIkC ADVICE FOR each animal sign for the information of guests from government, business, showbiz and the social scene before heading out to the store entrance for the Chinese Eye Dotting ceremony.

Side by side with Fernandez during the rituals were Duty Free Philippines Cor-

PORATION #HIEF /PERATING /FkCER 6ICENTE Pelagio Angala, his wife Maria Salome Angala and Tourism Attaché to Beijing, China Tomasito Umali.

Also present at the event were former senator Freddie Webb, Lucio Singh, judge Rosemarie Carandang, Bennie Aw, and Olive Aw.

Acclaimed Filipino pianist Raul Sunico takes on Rachmaninoff T

HE Sunico Foundation for Arts and Technology, Inc.(SFATI) in cooperation with the Cultural Center of the Philippines presented pianist Raul Sunico at the Cultural Center featuring the four piano concertos of Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Assisted by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the joint batons of conductors Herminigildo Ranera and Yoshikazu Fukumura, Sunico had once again embarked on a marathon programme that nobody on record seems to have done before.

The well-attended concert was witnessed by Q Juliet Romualdez, Dean Raul Sunico and the likes of former First Lady Imelda Marcos, former First Lady Imelda Marcos.

53 !MBASSADOR 3UNG +IM OFkCIALS AND STAFF from the Russian and Israeli Embassies, Ambassador and Mrs. Jose Zaide, Ambassador Isabel Wilson, Consul Mellie Ablaza, Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, lawyer Lorna Kapunan, beauty titlists Gemma Cruz Araneta, Margie Moran Floirendo and Aurora Pijuan Manotoc, Korina Sanchez-Roxas, Josie Natori, Nedy Tantoco. Rose Lazaro, FCCP President Tessie Rodrigo, Bert and Nonie Basilio, Juliet Romualdez, Lin Ilusorio Bildner, Isabel Reyes Juan, Dr. Noel Fajardo, Nene Quimson, Vic and Boling Reyes, internationally awarded chpral conductors Fidel Calalang and Ma. TeQ Gemma Cruz-Araneta and Margie Moran.

RESA 2OLDAN AND A HOST OF MUSIC AkCIONADOS and social cognoscenti.

Renato Sunico, the SFATI President, thanked the sponsors and audiences for their support OF THE CONCERT WHOSE PROCEEDS WILL BENEkT THE forthcoming scholars of the Foundation.

NNN Meanwhile. Beverly Hills-based Filipino fashion designer Oliver Tolentino participated in two shows at New York Fashion Week (NYFW) last week. )N THE kRST SHOW 4OLENTINO DRESSED ACTRESS Danica McKellar when she walked in the American Heart Association’s Red Dress CollecQ Korina Sanchez and Mons Tantoco. tion show that annually KICKS OFF THE kRST NIGHT of NYFW. McKellar, an actress who is seen regularly in movies on Hallmark, is best known for her role as Winnie Cooper in 1980’s TV show “The Wonder Years.” The actress was among 22 celebrities to strut the runway to raise funds for the prevention of heart disease in women.

Padma Lakshmi hosted the event, which was Q Mariel Illusorio, Sylvia Illusorio, Raul Sunico and Lin and Max Bildner.

held at the Manhattan Center. Celebrities to walk included Lakshmi, Eve, Susan Lucci, Bo Derek, Sherri Shepherd, the Bella Twins, Brooke Burke, Ashleigh Murray, and Rosanna Arquette.

Annually, one designer is paired with one celebrity to dress her in a red gown. Lea Salonga wore a Tolentino gown last year. For this year, the designer dressed McKellar in a nude tulle mermaid gown that was intricately decorated in geometric patterns of red silk strips. McKellar mentioned on social media that the dress was edgier than she usually wears, but it was a hit. The Daily Mail UK newspaper reported the next day that she looked “fabulous” in it.

In the second show, Tolentino presented an eco collection at NYFW’s Sustainable Fashion Day hosted by Planet Fashion TV. The designer presented mostly piña (pineapple fabric) pieces, some mixed with abaca and Manila hemp. Tolentino explained the fabrics to the crowd on a guest panel before his show. Most in the audience had never seen piña before. They were impressed how the designer could turn eco fabrics into couture pieces.

Tolentino displayed brightly colored handDYED OUTkTS IN YELLOW PINK BLUE RED GREEN AND purple. Some looks had manipulated bustiers, peplums, and skirts. Some were accented with HAND PAINTED lOWERS lORAL SUNBURSTS BEADS

lace, and feathers. The designer closed his show with a long piña gown covered in intricate calado.

Congratulations Oliver you did it again!

HI! SOCIETY BECKY GARCIA

Q The event is an opportunity to showcase the Philippines as manufacturers of these racing hobby kits.

PH gets ready for Tamiya Asia Challenge TOY car enthusiasts will be happy to know that the 5th leg of the Tamiya Asia Challenge will kick off at Glorietta 2’s Activity Center in Makat City today until February 24.

Ferdie Kahn, event organizer and The Brickyard owner, also told The Manila Times that Leg 6 of hobbyists’ tilt will also take place in the same venue on March 16 and 17.Then THE SEMIkNALISTS OF ALL SIX ,EGS will move on to compete in the Asia Challenge on June 20 to 23.

4HEN THE SEMIkNALISTS OF ALL SIX Legs will move on to compete in the Asia Challenge on June 20 to 23.

“We follow the international rules for the races. Just bring yourself, your creation and be ready to have fun,” shared Kahn.

The Tamiya event is an opportunity to showcase the Philippines as manufacturers of these plastic model kits, radio-controlled cars, and other related products.

“As for the event, we want this to be the best Tamiya Asia Challenge event ever. We hope our local racers will do very well and we hope they get good support. The Philippines has not hosted this large event before and hosting it will introduce

this wonderful and wholesome hobby to more people,” he said.

Founded by Yoshio Tamiya in Japan in 1946, Tamiya products continue to be a favorite among hobbyists not only in the Philippines but around the world.

“The Tamiya product is arguably the best in the world and to think, it is made in the Philippines.

We should be proud of that.

When you hear the Tamiya name or you build one of their products, YOU KNOW YOU WILL BE VERY SATISkED with the quality and the results.

The Tamiya brand has been the leader for so many years now that you remember those early days with your parent and you also cherish the time you spend with a child, passing the love of this hobby to a new generation. And throughout the years, the Tamiya brand has grown and evolved and been ever present,” said Kahn.

Tamiya fans in the Philippines have also converged at the BrickYARD LOCATED AT THE RD lOOR OF 'LOrietta 2 in Makati City. The venue which opened in June 2018 serves as venue for Tamiya fans where they can have fun with Mini4WD, Model Kit and Remote Control.

»what'sonwhere

Q Danica McKellar and Oliver Tolentino at the New York Fashion Week Red Dress Collection.

D2

Funtimes

SATURDAY February 23, 2019

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

MORE OF THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC

The trump coup is a seemingly magical device by which declarer can take a finesse in the trump suit without leading the suit! To those unfamiliar with the trump coup, this might seem impossible, but it can be accomplished nevertheless.

Take this case where West leads a diamond and East cashes the K-A before returning the suit for West

Âť CROSSWORD

to ruff. West exits with a club, won by declarer with the queen. South then leads a low trump to the king, and when West shows out, it appears declarer must eventually lose a trump trick to Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s queen and go down one.

But if South is familiar with the trump coup, he realizes he may still be able to make the contract. He starts by leading a heart to the ten and then begins to shorten his trump length in order to reduce his holding to the same length as East, who now holds the Q-9.

Accordingly, South leads a spade to the king, ruffs the deuce of spades, then leads a club to the king and ruffs the ace of spades! At this point, declarerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand consists of the ten of clubs and A-J of hearts, dummy has the ace of clubs and 10-8 of diamonds, and East the nine of clubs and Q-9 of hearts.

South now leads the club ten to the ace and returns a diamond, and poor Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Q-9 of trumps succumb to Southâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s A-J â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even though declarer was unable to lead a trump from dummy to trap the Q-9.

Observe that the success of the operation depended on two key factors: the equalization of Southâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trump length with that of Eastâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, and making sure the lead came from dummy at trick 12. Š2019 King Features Syndicate Inc.

BY EUGENE SHEFFER

Solution to puzzle

By Samantha Weaver

ÂťHOROSCOPE Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Birthday (02/23/19). Your professional status is on the rise this year. Community participation multiplies benefits. Adapt to surprising news. Summer romance flowers, supporting you through community changes. Work with friends for a shared win next winter, before changing perspectives in love, fun and passion. Put heart into your work and home.

To get the advantage, check the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Study ways to grow your shared account balances. Get the word out about a passion project. Someone gets inspired. The facts you need can be found.

Someone teaches you a new trick.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) -- Today is a 9 -- Everything is coming together. Dreams, communications and physical actions align.

Actions taken now produce long-term benefit. You and a partner are on the same wavelength.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) -- Today is an 8 -- The pace quickens. Disciplined, steady action produces satisfying results, especially with physical ÂżWQHVV DQG H[HUFLVH <RXU HQHUJ\ LV RQ WKH ULVH 3UHSDUH DQG SUDFWLFH CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) 7RGD\ LV D 7KH QH[W WZR GD\V are reserved for fun. Love and romance arise naturally. Talk about GUHDPV YLVLRQV DQG LQWHQWLRQV 6RPHRQH ÂżQGV \RX HVSHFLDOO\ FKDUPLQJ LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Family and home have your focus. Domestic dreams are within reach. Make a long-desired improvement. Talk about how you would love things to be.

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â&#x20AC;˘ It was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who made the following sage observation: â&#x20AC;&#x153;All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ In Washington state it once was illegal to carry a concealed weapon that was more than 6 feet in length. â&#x20AC;˘ Dominique Bouhours, a Frenchman who lived in the 17th century, was a priest, an essayist and a grammarian.

The love of language may have been closest to his heart, though; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been reported that the final words he uttered on his deathbed were, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am about to â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or I am going to â&#x20AC;&#x201D; die; either expression is used.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;˘ You might be surprised to learn that Italians spend more time on social media that people of any other nationality. â&#x20AC;˘ Englandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s virgin queen, Elizabeth I, went bald at the age of 29. Smallpox was the culprit. â&#x20AC;˘ According to a survey by the National Association of Convenience Stores, 11 percent of adult Americans have at some point in their lives worked at a convenience store or gas station. For 3 percent of adults, that was their first job. â&#x20AC;˘ Those who study such things claim that to get a truly random mix in a deck of playing cards, the deck must be shuffled seven times. â&#x20AC;˘ Chocolate lovers like myself may not believe it, but the most popular flavor of ice cream in the United States is actually vanilla. Chocolate comes in second place. â&#x20AC;˘ In 1875, a locust plague of epic proportions descended upon the Great Plains. Observers say it was 110 miles wide, and at 1,800 miles long, stretched from Canada all the way down to Texas. *** Thought for the Day: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but Congress can.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Cullen Hightower Š 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

BY NANCY BLACK LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- The cash flow spigot increases velocity. Invest for the future. Take action to protect what \RX ORYH 7KH H[FHOOHQW ZRUN \RXÂśUH GRLQJ UHIOHFWV \RX ZHOO SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Use your power responsibly. A personal dream appears within view. Grab D JROGHQ RSSRUWXQLW\ IRU VRPHWKLQJ \RXÂśYH DOZD\V ZDQWHG ([press your creative vision.

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CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Clean up and RUJDQL]H WKLQJV 3HDFHIXO SULYDF\ UHVWRUHV \RXU HQHUJ\ <RXÂśUH HVSHFLDOO\ VHQVLWLYH DQG LQWXLWLYH 3URFHVV HPRWLRQV DQG IHHOLQJV $GDSW WR new circumstances.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- A professional opportunity with long-term potential appears. It might be a dream job.

Figure out how to advance. Use your persuasive charms. Ace the test.

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$VWURORJHU 1DQF\ %ODFN FRQWLQXHV KHU PRWKHU /LQGD %ODFNÂśV OHJDF\ horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on TwitWHU #/LQGD&%ODFN )RU PRUH DVWURORJLFDO LQWHUSUHWDWLRQV OLNH WRGD\ÂśV Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.)

NANCY BLACK.Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

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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.)

SSATURDAY AT U R DAY FEBRUARY 23, 2019

Entertainment

D4

Âťoverheardsurfeduncovered Q The new mom with her fraternal twins.

INSTAGRAM PHOTO

www.manilatimes.net

The return of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lights, Camera, Boto!â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

F

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s start with Lito Lapid, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Probinsyanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pinunoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

ROM the time matinee idol Rogelio dela Rosa was elected to the PhilipPINE 3ENATE IN THE ONCE DEknite line separating politics from show business began to blur. For albeit slowly in the decades that followed, dela Rosaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful transition seemed to have triggered a realization among other actors that their popularity can go well beyond the silver screen.

Of course, the best proof of this phenomenon is action star Joseph Ejercito Estradaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rise to the highest seat in the land, notwithstanding his short-lived presidency. And with celebrities assuming posts from barangay captain to councilor, mayor, governor, congressman, senator and everything in between, the message is clear: Star power effectively lands the Filipinosâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; votes.

Where then does this glittering asset leave traditional politicians in the race to elected positions in government? Certainly they will not be beaten. For if they are not celebrities themselves, they can easily get the star power they need with endorsements from the most famous names in the entertainment industry.

But while it may seem a bit contrived that as the national elections NEAR CANDIDATES TRY TO kND A SHOWbiz or lifestyle connection in order to gain coverage from soft news if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not the stars themselves, it is nonetheless the responsibility of every journalist to help their readers make informed decisions in voting for their next leaders.

And so in the coming months, allow The T-Zone to deviate from the columnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s usual topics of celebrity, style and glamour with the very hope that somewhere in the course of reporting about artistas running and artistas endorsing candidates, we may do our share in helping the electorate differentiATE gSTAR POWERu FROM MERE lASH This is â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lights, camera, boto! â&#x20AC;?

THE T-ZONE TESSA MAURICIO -ARRIOLA The T-Zone begins with the silver screenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one and only â&#x20AC;&#x153;Leon Guerreroâ&#x20AC;? who is more famously known today as the heroic Pinuno in â&#x20AC;&#x153;FPJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ang Probinsyanoâ&#x20AC;?

hindi nakapag-tapos ng pagaaral, at naging magsasaka rin. Kita nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;yo, probinsyano talaga ako, at nung nasa Senado ako noon, nakasuporta ang mga panukala ko sa mga kababayan nating pinagdaraanan ang dinaanan ko. Gusto ko lang tapusin yung mga naiwan ko pa sa Senado,â&#x20AC;? he explained.

For this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new batch of voters especially, an introduction to Lito Lapid is in order. A native of Pampanga, the returning candidate for senator comes from humble beginnings and follows his fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s footsteps in the world of showbiz as a stuntman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ang tatay ko ang double ni Fernando Poe Sr., si Jose Lapid.

Nang namatay siya ang pumalit na double ni FPJ Sr. ay si Jess Lapid Sr. na nag double din sa nasirang

[King of Philippine Movies and former candidate for president] Fernando Poe Jr., ang orihinal na â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Probinsyanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;,â&#x20AC;? he proudly related.

aged countless homes.

In 1995, he won the gubernatorial race in Pampanga via landslide. His governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recovery EFFORTS AMID THE CONTINUED lOW of lahar years since the eruption culminated in the construction of a megadike which saved the towns of Porac, Guagua, Bacolor, Florida Blanca and San Fernando City.

After completing three terms as governor (1992 to 2004), he was immediately elected to the Philippine Senate and re-elected for a second term in 2010, completing in constitutionally mandated term on June 30,2016.

While his performance as governor had been greatly lauded, however, critics describe his years as a legislator to be less than stellar with his lack of a college degree and inability to speak in English often cited as the problem.

Asked to comment on these today, Lapid replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tulad ng

sabi ko kanina, sa edukasyon, lagi akong binabanatan na hindi ako nakapag-aral, hindi ako nakapagtapos. Kaya nga ako nandito para doon sa mga bata ngayon na gustong mag-aral â&#x20AC;&#x201D; nakatutok ako sa mga panukala na libreng kolehiyo, libreng tuition sa mga eskuwelahan at nakasuporta ako sa kanila.â&#x20AC;?

Neither backing down from criticisms he cannot speak English, especially since he has declared he will not join any debates, Lapid said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sana wala nang prime minister sa Japan na

hindi marunong mag-Ingles, o presidente sa China na hindi rin marunongg mag-Ingles g g na nanunungkulan sa bansa nila. Bakit?

Kapag hindi ka ba marunong magsalita ng Inggles, mangmang kka na? Hindi nam man diâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ba?â&#x20AC;?

Q After three years away from politics, Lito Lapid is asking for the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support anew as he tries for a Senate comeback.

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; action star and former senator Manuel â&#x20AC;&#x153;Litoâ&#x20AC;? Lapid.

So beloved was his character in NNN The above are excerpts from a Coco Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mammoth hit of series of stories The T-Zone wrote a teleserye that an entire episode for The Manila Times in the lead was given his death sequence, all up to the 2016 presidential elec- because Pinuno needs to follow tions. With the campaign period Comelec rules and begin his camfor the midterm polls this coming paign to return to the Senate.

On Wednesday, The T-Zone May now in full swing, I realized it IS BUT kTTING TO REVIVE MY g,IGHTS joined a long-table luncheon with Camera, Boto!â&#x20AC;? series what with the 63-year-old actor-politician an ever growing number of celeb- who talked about his love for show rities running for national and business and his reasons for relocal positions anew. For on our starting a political career so soon end as journalists and yours as after becoming a primetime star voters, it is imperative to choose ON HIS VERY kRST TRY AT A teleserye. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mahal ko talaga ang showbiz the right candidates to vote for â&#x20AC;&#x201D; celebrity or not, and with or â&#x20AC;&#x201D; dito ko binuhay ang pamilya without artista endorsers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; for ko, at ngayon hanggang sa mga apo ko. Pero nasa dugo ko rin our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future. makatulong sa kababayan lalo NNN For Lights, Camera, Boto! 2019, naâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t galing rin ako sa kahirapan,

Sounding eve bit the acery tion star that he ti is, Lapid added,

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yung alam nila, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Y hi hindi ko alam, pe pero yung alam Q The actor politician is grateful to Coco Martin ko, hindi rin nila for reviving his TV career in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ang Probinsyano,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; and alam alam. Tabla lang.â&#x20AC;?

at the same time indirectly helping his Senate run Asked for his A from the teleseryeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s massive popularity. message to voters as he begins his to seek Eventually becoming a top action THEIR SUPPORT ANEW HE kNALLY SAID

star, with his most popular role as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hindi naman siguro mapapakita Leon Guerrero, he ventured into sa pagde-debate yung kagalingan politics in 1992 when he ran and ng isang taong gustong tumulong won as vice governor of Pampanga, para sa ating mamamayan.â&#x20AC;? a time when the province was reelCurrently No. 3 in the surveys, ing from the devastation of Mt. it seems the masses are convinced Pinatubo eruption the year before. Lapidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart for the poor and It was during the disaster that he opressed, coupled with his bravwon the support of the Kapam- ery and heroism as Probinsyanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pangan community, in fact, having famed Pinuno will make him an famously led rescue and evacuation asset to the Senate.

Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your turn to decide. efforts as lahar AND lASHlOODS RAV-

Why Angel walked out of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; set T

HE buzz is getting louder about Angel Locsinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s walkout on the set of ABS-CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Daughterâ&#x20AC;? last Friday, but reports as to why she did are still quite sketchy.

There are those who say it was because of something JC de Vera did while they were taping a scene, while others blame it on director Manny Palo who allegedly shouted at the actress complete with pointed invectives.

A source close to the director, however, came to his defense and insisted Palo is not the type whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d scold his stars. Direk Manny, the

source continued, is mild-mannered and if forced to raise his voice, it must mean someone in the production did something very wrong. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But I maintain he will never shout at his stars,â&#x20AC;? reiterated the friend.

Meanwhile, another source said that Angel was p e e ve d ove r t h e inefficiency of the wardrobe department but allegedly put the blame on the director.

Given all these, there is no one who can say for certain up to now what happened that fateful day on the set of Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Daughter.

No one has issued a statement â&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Q Angel Locsin

ROVING EYE RO RICKY CA CALDERON

whether Angel, the director or ABSCBN â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but for the Roving Eye a walk out is uncalled for no matter

what happens during taping. It affects and delays everyone involved, especially if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the lead.

Korina Sanchez now has a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;little boy and little girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CHRISTINA ALPAD WITHOUT much fanfare, TV host and journalist Korina Sanchez revealed to her more than half a million followers on Instagram, and consequently, the world, that she and her husband, former senator Mar Roxas, now have a â&#x20AC;&#x153;little boy and little girl.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think if you believe hard enough, the miracle you most want can come true. Announcing the arrival of our little boy and little girl,â&#x20AC;?

Sanchez wrote on her Instagram account @korina on Thursday.

The post was accompanied by a photo two pairs of little feet held by two adult hands, supposedly of Sanchez and Roxas who is running anew for the Senate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thinking of names.

Any suggestions? Jack and Jill?

Sonny and Cher? MariKor and KoriMar? Daniel and Kathryn?â&#x20AC;? she furthered asked her followers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Did you ever think it could still happen for me? I never stopped believing,â&#x20AC;? Sanchez ended her post.

As of Wednesday, it was unclear AT kRST IF THE COUPLE HAD THE TWINS via adoption, surrogacy or other means, but the following day, the COUPLE CONkRMED IN A STATEMENT to ABS-CBN News that the babies

were through a surrogate. g4HE LITTLE BOY ARRIVED kRST AT pounds 4 ounces and one and a half hour later, his fraternal twin sister arrived at 4 pounds 12 ounces. They are both perfectly healthy,â&#x20AC;? shared the Roxases.

Thereafter, Sanchez generously posted more photos and information about the babiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; set up including that of her â&#x20AC;&#x153;Baby A Teamâ&#x20AC;? comprised of three Filipino caregivers who helped them take care of the newborns in the United States.

Next up on her Instagram was Roxas, 61, holding one of the twins, with the caption, â&#x20AC;&#x153;At sa loob ng bahay? Guess who is trying to burp the babies?â&#x20AC;?

Finally, the excited mother shared a snap of herself bottlefeeding her twins and writing, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ako kahit puyat kailangan fab

pa rin pag hinaharap ko ang mga anak ko... Oo nga pala, hindi pa sila nakakakita.â&#x20AC;?

Her latest announcement as of press time that due to public demand, they will share the BABIES kRST CLOSE UP SHOTS ON ABS-CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;TV Patrolâ&#x20AC;? Friday night news cast.

The twins have come at a very special time for Sanchez and Roxas who are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year.

Film festivals for international diplomacy T

HE unstoppable mushrooming of international film festivals in our midst had in hindsight saw some of its early originators going through the unsustainable checkered road toward survival till they totally faded away.

For several years, the serious-minded Cinemanila International Film Festival founded by the maverick Director Tikoy Aguiluz (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Boatmanâ&#x20AC;?) regaled the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cineastes with his programming of cutting-edge titles of films from the world over. Tikoy was one of the mentees of blue-bloodied and total artist Virgie Moreno at then snooty UP Film Center offering a subject Cinematic Arts which Caveat audited. (The others were Kidlat Tahimik and Nick Deocampo.)

For lack of support from even the industry itself, eventually the annual festival had to be hosted by one municipality to another till its last breath.

Its recent past edition had guest director Quintin Tarantino cutting short his way amidst the flood via tricycle to get to MalacaĂąang for his courtesy call. For now, Direk Tikoy comes in and out of the country, but lives in style with his children in the US. Earlier on, stage-film actress Evelyn Vargas succeeded in showcasing what she called the 1st Quezon City International Film Festival, jointly endorsed by Mayor Herbert Bautista and former MTRCB chief Manoling Morato. The film of the the iconic Wong Kar-Waiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Happy Togetherâ&#x20AC;? was featured here. For lack of funds, Evelyn had to reduce her ambitious venture later into what she called Lantern Festival for children till its last flickers to oblivion. She is now Mrs. Knaebel,

married happily to a foreign director and film festival organizer.

With the aforesaid antecedents, this definitely enthrones the QCinema International Film Festival under the auspices of ViceMayor Joy Belmonte as the Queen Mother of all local and international festivals hereabouts as its organizers claimed.

With the full backing of film programmers from UP headed by Ed Lejano, said festival has become a must-see event year in and out among the film communities of centrist Manila. This beside the pioneering International Pink Festival of Mayor Herbert Bautista and Nick Deocampo.

One hopes QCinema brings in at least one past title of Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos who is a shoo-in at the coming Oscars for his â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Favourite.â&#x20AC;?

Offhand, only last year director Arlyn dela Cruz-Bernal initiated successfully the 1st Subic Bay International Film Festival with the local government highlighted by bestowing Lifetime Achievement Awards to Director Elwood Perez, Eddie Garcia and Gina PareĂąo.

Incidentally, director dela Cruzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; latest film on an incestuous subject matter billed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Immaculadaâ&#x20AC;? was the opening film at the recent â&#x20AC;&#x153;Singkuwento International Film Festivalâ&#x20AC;? held at their NCCA turf in Intramuros, headed by its founder Perry EscaĂąo.

This after a hiatus of some years.

Big or small international filmfests do come in and out of the local scene, but the more sustainable others do manage to survive and make use of films not only to entertain or elevate, but also to be used as a cultural instrument for international diplomacy.

CAVEAT GEORGE VAIL KABRISTANTE

E1

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2019

EDITOR Tessa Mauricio-Arriola STAFF WRITERS Christina Alpad & Iza Iglesias DESKMAN Arlo Custodio

Q Designer Victoria Beckham (left photo below) said she wanted to channel â&#x20AC;&#x153;modern femininityâ&#x20AC;? and cinematic drama for her latest collection which took to the stage at London Fashion Week.

Beckhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;modern femininity;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Burberryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s British tradition

BY SYLVIA HUI AND GREGORY KATZ

L

ONDON: Victoria Beckham doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need celebrities at her fashion shows â&#x20AC;&#x201D; her A-list family provides more than enough star power.

The designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s husband, retired soccer superstar David Beckham, and the coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s four children turned up as guests of honor Sunday to support her London Fashion Week show.

The former Spice Girl was among the big names showcasing their latest designs in the British capital, alongside Vivienne Westwood, Burberry and Roland Mouret.

Westwood used her show to spotlight climate change and warn of impending doom, Burberry featured a diverse show of streetwear and elegant classics, and Peter Pilotto showed a wide variety of lovely dresses and jumpsuits.

Family affair The front row at Victoria Beckhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s runway show has a younger average age than the VIP seats at other shows. The designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youngest, seven-year-old Harper, sat on her dadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lap for a cuddle as he chatted amiably with American Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

Like everyone else, Beckham family members in the audience whipped out smartphones to take a picture of Victoria Beckham when she came out for a bow at the end of the display.

The designer said she wanted to channel â&#x20AC;&#x153;modern femininityâ&#x20AC;? and cinematic drama for the collection

and had in mind a particular image of the woman wearing her clothes. g3HE S PROPER BUT SHE S DEkNITELY not prim,â&#x20AC;? Beckham wrote in her show notes.

The result was a mix of ladylike classics â&#x20AC;&#x201D; tailored check blazers, tweeds, argyle jumpers, silky blouses neatly tucked into pencil skirts â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with saucy, eye-catching details like knee-high, open-toed sock boots in lipstick red or leopard, or bright satin stilettos in citrus, bright fuchsia and chartreuse.

The bell-bottomed trouser, a style the designer has adopted as her signature, made an appearance.

So did the trend for checks, which still appears to be going strong. One ensemble featured a wide-lapelled coat, trousers and a tote bag in the same brown check pattern.

Mixing up tradition Meanwhile, Burberry earned its place â&#x20AC;&#x201D; again â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as one of the top shows in London Fashion Week with a widely ranging catwalk show that honored the British brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long tradition but showed it is still ready to mix it up and set trends. #HIEF #REATIVE /FkCER 2ICCARDO Tisci showed in his second collection that he is perfectly comfortable stretching the Burberry look to keep its younger fans happy while easily switching gears to create classic, severely tailored ensembles that ooze chic.

The two sides of the Burberry COIN WERE RElECTED IN THE TWO ADJAcent rooms where the collection was shown: one a sedate auditorium with comfortable, padded seats; the other a raucous wide-open space ringed by a climbing gym of the type young kids would use. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have been thinking a lot about England as a country of contrasts, from the structured to the rebellious and free, and I wanted to celebrate how these elements coexist,â&#x20AC;? Tisci said.

He said he had four characters in mind when putting the collection together: a girl and a boy, and a lady and a gentleman.

The transition was obvious as models went from street-style clothes â&#x20AC;&#x201D; oversize puffer jackets, metallic ornamentation, revealing slip dresses, silver boots, faux fur, big red plastic sneakers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to subtle, TIMELESS OUTkTS IN MUTED FALL COLORS There were occasional references to the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earlier inCARNATION AS A PURVEYOR OF kNE

traditional menswear as a few models were dressed in classic suits and ties, including one double-breasted throwback.

Tisci made ample and imaginative use of the traditional Burberry trench and check, and paired a number of sexy evening dresses with full-length coats for a look at once provocative and classy.

There were a few eccentric TOUCHES INCLUDING AN OUTkT SET off by a giant scarf that paid homage to â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Rime of the Ancient Marinerâ&#x20AC;? by English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Tisci seems to be enjoying his time at Burberry, treasuring tradition but refusing to be overwhelmed by it.

Q (Above and right) Burberry unveiled this collection from Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tiesi which easily mixes classic and chic in tailored ensembles.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

E2

LIFESTYLE@MANILATIMES.NET

w w w.manilatimes.net SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2019

Japanese fast fashion brand gives back to PH First Uniqlo classrooms turned over in Legazpi, Albay

J

APANESE global apparel retailer Uniqlo INAUGURATED THE kRST 5NIQLO #LASSROOM Building in Legazpi, Albay this month as part of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainability efforts to support the development and growth of the kindergarten students of Gogon #ENTRAL 3CHOOL

Q Uniqlo opens the first two-classroom kindergarten school building at Gogon Central School.

In keeping with the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to enrich the lives of Filipinos, Uniqlo partnered with the AGAPP (Aklat, Gabay, Aruga, Tungo sa PagAngat at Pag-Asa) Foundation for this project.

Together with AGAPPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Silid Pangarap program, the Uniqlo classroom is part of the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainability initiative aimed at helping local communities that are in need. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through our sustainability efforts, Uniqloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to the community extends beyond our stores and into various communities across the Philippines,â&#x20AC;? shares Geraldine Sia, one of Uniqlo PhilipPINES S CHIEF OPERATING OFkCERS g7E ARE HONORED TO OPEN THE kRST Uniqlo classroom and look forward to bringing better comfort to the lives of the students here in Legazpi, Albay through public education.â&#x20AC;?

Located in Barangay 38, Legazpi City, Albay, the two-classroom building will serve as a pre-school classroom for the Gogon Central School. With the help of Silid Pangarap, the new classroom building will help to comfortably accommodate the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing kindergarten population.

Q The new classrooms will help to comfortably accommodate the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s growing kindergarten population.

Denman PH, Hair Aid empower women through joint livelihood program

Q Denman Philippines Ambassadors Lourd Ramos and Anton Papa with Hair Aid volunteer Lisa Polini.

A BEAUTIFUL haircut offers more than JUST A BOOST OF CONkDENCE IT CAN IN FACT

also serve as an inspiration and source of livelihood for people in need.

Iconic hairbrush brand Denman AND NONPROkT ORGANIZATION (AIR !ID headed to Barangay Nagkaisang Nayon in Novaliches with Denman Philippines Ambassadors Lourd Ramos and Anton Papa and Hair Aid volunteers headed by Lisa Polini to mount a two-week long free workshop on haircutting.

More than 25 participants gathered at the barangayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball court of for the community program, which offered unemployed men and women the opportunity to learn new skills for livelihood.

Hair Aid, established in 2010, has been offering its services in Metro Manila and has been working with Denman Philippines for the past three years. Since its inception, Hair Aid has helped over 2,300 individuals in Quezon City, and in its recent tour, aims to train 210 more.

Selina Tomasich, Hair Aid founder, shares, â&#x20AC;&#x153;With Hair Aid, we want to go beyond mere charity and dole outs. We want to empower men and women by providing them the skills for livelihood. We started teaching hair cutting classes here because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a much-needed service that can be learned, and everyone needs a haircut.â&#x20AC;?

Twice a year, Hair Aid heads to Manila to train Filipinos as their local barangay. In addition to the Philippines, Hair Aid also

Q Polini shares tips on the proper tools to use in cutting hair.

Q Ramos shares the basics of his craft.

Q A participant does what the pros do.

Q Denman Philippines and Hair Aidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outreach gathered some 25 participants on a weeklong hair cutting training at a basketball court in Novaliches, Quezon City. hosts programs in Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, and soon Vietnam. To date, through the help of Hair Aid Sweden, Hair Aid UK, Hair Aid New Zealand and Hair Aid Australia, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to train an estimated 1,400 individuals a year, and Tomasich hopes to hit 3,000 a year by 2020. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We love coming back here to the PhilIPPINES BECAUSE IT S VERY FULkLLING 7E RE here because we want to help and we want to give women and other Filipinos the CHANCE TO LEAD DIGNIkED LIVES WHERE THEY are able to provide for their families and themselves,â&#x20AC;? she adds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a mother, I un-

derstand their fears and want to give them the opportunity to thrive and succeed.â&#x20AC;?

Selina and Hair Aid volunteers offer their time and expertise for free, even raising their own money and airfare so that they may share their gifts. Lisa Polini, one SUCH VOLUNTEER lEW ALL THE WAY FROM !UStralia to be one of the 20 stylist-teachers at this workshop.

The multi-awarded trainer and hair dresser has made several trips to Manila, and with each trip, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s becomes even more inspired and driven. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about giving back and making a difference.

Hair dressing may start out as a hobby OR AS A CURIOSITY BUT IT CAN BE A FULkLLING livelihood.â&#x20AC;? Along with her at the training workshop were Denman Philippine Ambassadors Anton Papa and Lourd Ramos and the Denman Philippines team.

Anton Papa, a young but well-versed stylist who has worked with some of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest celebrities, had always BEEN DRAWN TO HAIRSTYLING AND kNDS IT important to take part in initiatives such as this. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be where I am now if it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t for the support and generosity of teachers and other people who believed in me and who gave me the chance to learn. Through this training workshop, I hope to pay it forward and allow others discover their own path and passion in hairstyling,â&#x20AC;? he says.

Lourd Ramos, another celebrity stylist, is a natural teacher, having tended to his own teams at Creations by Lourd Ramos Salons. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think helping others is an innate want and need, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always found great satisfaction in teaching others. Hair styling is an art, but you can easily learn the basics just through practice,â&#x20AC;? he adds.

Today, Denman continues to make a difference not only through its innovative line of brushes and combs â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the tools of professional hairdressers around the world since 1938 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but through its empowering global initiatives such as its enduring partnership with Hair Aid.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

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LIFESTYLE@MANILATIMES.NET

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2019

A she in every shea The Body Shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extended shea range helps some 49,000 Ghanaians every year

Step by step. To be free of dry skin, try the The Body Shop dry skin head-to-toe routine: Exfoliate with Shea Exfoliating Sugar, cleanse with Shea Shower Cream or Shea Soap and moisturize with 100 percent vegan Shea Body Lotion or Shea Body Butter.

W

HEN The Body Shop founder, $AME !NITA 2ODDICK kRST VISI ted Ghana in 1992, she met the women who have treasured shea butter for generations. For centuries, Ghanaian women have been using shea butter for its highly moisturizing properties to protect and intensely nourish their skin from the dry Saharan desert winds.

With her visit, she not only wanted to share more than this INGREDIENT S BENEkTS Â&#x2021; SHE WANTED TO EMPOWER WOMEN THEIR families, and entire communities.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why The Body Shop has paid a premium in addition to paying a fair price for shea butter since they started their partnership in 1994. This helps Tungeityaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social fund, the Northern Ghana Community Action Fund, invest in community projects like healthcare, sanitation, water, and education THAT BENEkT PEOPLE EVERY YEAR This year, The Body Shop is sourcing even more shea butter for their extended Shea range, which will boost funding for Tungteiyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vital community projects by 30 percent.

The extended range includes the intensely nourishing new multi-purpose Shea Butter. Made with Community Trade shea butter from 192 shea nuts, The Body Shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new, richly tex-

tured Shea Butter can be applied to body, face, hair, and lips or used to create your own very DIY beauty recipes.

4HEN THERE IS NEW HAIRCARE TRIOÂ&#x2021;THE 2ICHLY 2EPLENISHING Shea Shampoo, Conditioner, and Hair Mask. Inspired by Ghanaian women who have used shea to nourish and protect dry hair for centuries, these gently cleanse and leave dry, prone to damage hair feeling richly replenished.

In 25 years, the Tungteiya Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Association has grown from 50 members to 540 across 11 villages. In that time, The Body Shop also co-found the Ghana Shea Alliance (GSA, which helps the shea industry strive for a more sustainable world AND BENEkT THE MILLION WOMEN WHO ARE A CRUCIAL PART OF THIS industry. That is why there is a she in every shea.

The Body Shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shea Range is available in all The Body Shop stores nationwide.

Five ways to a captivating inner glow SOMEONE radiant. Someone who exudes a quiet confidence.

Someone whose smile can light up a room. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t we all want to be that woman? For skincare brand Jergens, every woman can glow from within by taking care of themselves and trying out the following:

Pursue your interests. What do you do that lights you up inside? What are you passionate about?

Whatever it is youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to accomplish, whether personally or professionally, set short-term and long-term goals for yourself that will give you something to strive for. They will serve to give you that sense of fulfillment and meaning as you move toward achieving them.

Tip: Subscribe to the SMART goal-setting method â&#x20AC;&#x201D; your goals must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely.

Deal with stress. Prolonged stress levels can have a negative effect on your mental, emotional, and physical health, as well as our relationships. Many stressors are unavoidable but we can find ways to handle them in a healthy manner, such as having some time to meditate, engaging in a hobby, or going out to do some volunteer work for an advocacy you support.

Tip: Taking deep belly breaths helps calm you down and improve circulation. Place a hand on your belly and breathe in through your nose for four counts, hold your breath for seven counts, then exhale on your mouth for eight counts.

Complete four rounds daily.

Cultivate a healthier lifestyle. Being healthy is not a one-off thing, it takes making the right choices daily like easing off of sugar and preservatives and going for

more fresh and nutritious food. Have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables that have antioxidants which counter the effects of stress, and omega 3-rich food which has antiinflammatory properties. Our body is 60 to 70-percent water so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to hydrate to facilitate bodily functions and flush out toxins. Stay active with regular exercise, which can be as simple as walking a few flights of stairs to your office from the carpark. This lifestyle helps you maintain a strong immune system and help improve complexion.

Tip: Bring a refillable water bottle with you wherever you go so you can easily replenish your fluids throughout the day.

Get enough sleep. Chronic sleep deprivation can also affect your emotional and physical well-being. Getting your beauty sleep is necessary because signs of a tired body show on your face and skinâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;there will certainly be no vibrant glow (hello, dark circles and puffy eyes!). Adults typically need seven to eight hours of sleep each day. Being well-rested means you have more energy to accomplish more.

Tip: For better sleep, try sticking to a sleep schedule, having a relaxed bedtime ritual, exercising daily, and ensuring your roomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s temperature, sound, and light is conducive for sleeping.

Pamper yourself. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t neglect the importance of me-time. At the end of a busy day, take time to unwind and relax with a facial mask, a body scrub, and self-massage of your head, back of your neck, and the bottom of your feet. Doing this helps to calm the nervous system, boost skin elasticity, lubricate the joints, and increase circulation in the body.

Tip: It also pays to take care of your skinâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it is, after all, the largest and most visible organ of the body. Get healthylooking skin that seems to glow from within dermatologically tested and recommended nourishing products.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

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LIFESTYLE@MANILATIMES.NET

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2019

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Black Pantherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; costume

designer blazes trail to inspire L

BY JONATHAN LANDRUM JR.

OS ANGELES: Ruth Carter is a black woman BLAZING A TRAIL AS A COSTUME DESIGNER IN A kLM industry with not many who look like her. But through her upcoming career achievement award and Oscar nomination for her Afro-futuristic wardrobes in THE SUPERHERO kLM g"LACK 0ANTHER u #ARTER BELIEVES SHE CAN gKNOCK DOWNu MORE DOORS SO OTHERS LIKE HERSELF CAN walk through them.

If Carter wins an Oscar for best costume design on Sunday, she would become the kRST !FRICAN !MERICAN TO WIN IN THE CATEGOry. Despite â&#x20AC;&#x153;very stiff competition,â&#x20AC;? Carter believes she has a good chance going up against Mary Zophres, Alexandra Byrne and three-time Academy Award winner Sandy Powell, who is nominated for â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Favouriteâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mary Poppins Returns.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a contender,â&#x20AC;? said Carter, who already won for â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Pantherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;? costumes at the Criticsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Choice Awards in January and was recently honored at New York Fashion Week. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The designers are extremely talented designers, but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m giving them a run for their money,â&#x20AC;? she added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how I feel. ... I feel empowered. I feel invigorated. I feel masterful.â&#x20AC;? #ARTER

WAS ALSO HONORED 4UESDAY FOR HER ILLUSTRIOUS CAREER AT THE ST ANNUAL Costume Designers Guild Awards. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She is one of my favorite people,â&#x20AC;?

said Danai Gurira, who starred in Black Panther as Okoye, one of kingdom of Wakandaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s elite warriors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve adored her from the minute I met her. She deserves all the honors in what sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s done and accomplished in her astounding work of beautiful integrity.â&#x20AC;?

In three decades, Carter has been behind-the-scenes in some of Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest films. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garnered Oscar nominations for her work in Spike Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Malcolm Xâ&#x20AC;? and Steven Spielbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amistad,â&#x20AC;? and received praise for her PERIOD ENSEMBLES IN OTHER PROJECTS SUCH as Lee Danielsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Butler,â&#x20AC;? Ava DuVernayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Selmaâ&#x20AC;? and the reboot of â&#x20AC;&#x153;ROOTS.â&#x20AC;?

Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s created costumes for Oprah Winfrey, Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy and even Jerry Seinfeld for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Seinfeldâ&#x20AC;? pilot.

Carter called the guild honor an â&#x20AC;&#x153;incredible achievementâ&#x20AC;? for herself and others who desire to follow her footsteps. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This award means so much to me,â&#x20AC;? she

Q The costume designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Afro-futuristic masterpieces.

said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I believe that I will stand on that stage and look out into the audience of young women and men that have careers in costume design that I helped foster. For that achievement, it means everything.â&#x20AC;?

Carter played an influential role as lead costume designer in making Ryan Cooglerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Black Panther a cultural phenomenon. She said she wanted to infuse the pride of African diaspora into the characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stylish and colorful garments to help bring Wakanda to life.

Angela Bassett said Carter hit the mark as usual. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She gives you a wardrobe that helps enhance your character,â&#x20AC;? said Bassett, who played the mother of Chadwick Bosemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heroic character Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Challa aka the Black Panther. She said sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worked with Carter on OTHER kLMS CALLING HER gJUST WARM OPEN

BRILLIANT AND SHE KEEPS kGHTING UNTIL SHE gets it right all the way to the end.â&#x20AC;?

Carter drew inspiration for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Pantherâ&#x20AC;? costumes after traveling to Africa, speaking with people of the continent to understand the history of each artifact to ensure the different characteristics were represented properly in THE kLM 3HE HAD HELP FROM HER TEAM OF shoppers, illustrators and researchers, along with Marvel as the overseer.

All the preparation and hard work paid off. The costumes have become so popular that people from different ethnicitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; young and older â&#x20AC;&#x201D; have worn Black Panther-themed costumes to theaters and at parties. Some people are even discussing dressing in Wakanda couture for an Oscar brunch. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very proud to have given these children a new superhero,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve met young ladies that have built their costumes with their father and went into great detail about how each part was MADE ) JUST FELT LIKE THERE WAS A PARADIGM SHIFT 7E JUST WANTED TO DO SOMETHING positive that was impactful and meaningful for people. You never know how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be received or looked at, but we felt like it reached everyone, not only African-Americans.â&#x20AC;? #ARTER GOT HER kRST START IN ON Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;School Daze,â&#x20AC;? the directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second kLM 4HEY VE SINCE WORKED TOGETHER ON MORE THAN kLMS INCLUDING g$O THE Right Thingâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jungle Fever.â&#x20AC;? Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also worked with Robert Townsend on â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Five Heartbeatsâ&#x20AC;? and Keenen Ivory Wayans on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Gonna Git You Sucka.â&#x20AC;?

4HE EARLY @ S WAS A PERFECT TIME FOR #ARTER TO ENTER INTO THE kLM INDUSTRY

Q In three decades, Ruth Carter has been behind the scenes of some of Hollywoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest films.

3HE CALLED HERSELF LUCKY BECAUSE SHE kT the mold for filmmakers such as Lee, Townsend and Wayans who were looking for a â&#x20AC;&#x153;new direction for the artistry.â&#x20AC;? g4HEY WANTED SOMEONE WHO WAS JUST starting out with a fresh mind and maybe could bring new ideas to the industry,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was that person. I bounced back and forth between New York and L.A. for LIKE YEARS 4HAT S NOT USUAL u Carter said her career reached new heights after the Oscar-nominated â&#x20AC;&#x153;Malcolm X,â&#x20AC;? starring Denzel Washington. That kLM PROPELLED HER INTO THE g(OLLYWOOD makeup,â&#x20AC;? offering her more opportunities

to work with other directors who had different points-of-views and scripts.

Carter said she has absorbed priceless knowledge through the years, and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mind sharing it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m glad that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m out there as the one knocking down the doors,â&#x20AC;? said the designer, who is currently working on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dolemite Is My Name,â&#x20AC;? starring Eddie Murphy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As a black woman, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a trailblazer. Since Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m blazing a trail, I need SOME PEOPLE ON IT !ND THAT S kNE u WITH AP ENTERTAINMENT WRITERS ALICIA RANCILIO AND MIKE CIDONI LENNOX

Michael Kors throws a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s bash with Barry Manilow on stage

BY LEANNE ITALIE

Q The seventies are back!

Q Michael Kors (center) with special guest Barry Manilow (left), and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s supermodel Patti Hansen.

NEW YORK: Michael Kors threw a fashion show worthy of Studio 54 with Barry Manilow belting â&#x20AC;&#x153;Copacabanaâ&#x20AC;? on a glittery stage and rock muse Patti Hansen walking the runway Wednesday.

His crowd, seated inside a Wall Street ballroom, went wild for both on the closing day of New York Fashion Week as he rolled out shaggy coats and feather boas, sparkly gowns in neon purple and electric blue, and flirty ruffles on dresses and skirts, all worthy of the heady â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s.

Sisters Bella and Gigi Hadid took to the catwalk to help move the bash along, but the surprise of Manilowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance had the crowd on its feet. The 75-year-old legend is still going strong, proudly showing off his orange bedazzled Copa jacket backstage after the upbeat show.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just what the fashion crowd needed on the eighth day of racing from show to show during fashion week, and the day after an icy snowstorm made that even more challenging.

Kors fall collection celebrated the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s melting pot of style and the kings and queens of the era: Bette, Bianca and Baryshnikov among them. The designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impeccable tailoring and eye for details were plentiful in the clothes, from his delicate slip dresses to a killer patchwork leather jacket with black shearling sleeves.

Hansen, a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s superstar model, is married to Keith Richards and took her turn on the catwalk with a smile on her face, dressed in an iridescent trouser suit of black and gold.

There was star power on Korsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; front row as well: Kerry Washington, Catherine ZetaJones and her husband, Michael Douglas, along with â&#x20AC;&#x153;If Beale Street Could Talkâ&#x20AC;? Oscar nominee Regina King.

After the show, Kors called Manilowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appearance the cherry on the cake. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We met him exactly a year ago. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very bizarre, backstage at a concert. I like everyone else am a huge fan,â&#x20AC;? Kors told The Associated Press. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I said to him, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Have you ever gone to a fashion show?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; And he said no. I said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Watch a few of our shows on YouTube, maybe we can do something in the future.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;?

The theme didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come together until Kors found himself perusing his old yearbook and got to thinking about his start in New York in the late-70s, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;just this whole convergence of glamour.â&#x20AC;?

At the time, the city was â&#x20AC;&#x153;pretty gritty and pretty dangerous,â&#x20AC;? he recalled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;and music was a huge part of it, and dance. And Patti Hansen was all over my walls. I think the last fashion show she was in was in 1994.â&#x20AC;?

Ultimately, Kors said, he wanted to put together an optimistic collection. Perhaps his crushed satin charmeuse blouse in cocoa would boost your mood and not bust your budget.

There were banker looks as well, in cropped plaid trousers and belted jackets. And, always, Kors showed a few great bags, for the shoulder and for a quick trip out of town. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wanted joy,â&#x20AC;? Kors explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think maybe Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a Pollyanna but you know I think that the right clothes and the right attitude can just lift your spirits.â&#x20AC;?

Q All that glitters.