THE MANILA TIMES | MAY 25, 2019

BTr: Govt posts P87-B budget surplus in April ÂťStory on B1 ++

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SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2019

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Trusted since 1898

‘Bikoy lying at every turn’ O

USTER plot claims by Peter Joemel Advincula, the selfconfessed “Bikoy� who has taken back his claim that President Rodrigo Duterte’s family had accepted drug money, should not be believed until backed up by evidence, a Cabinet OFkCIAL SAID ON &RIDAY

DFA: Sea row to be raised during DuterteAbe meeting TERRITORIAL disputes in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) will be raised by President Rodrigo Duterte during talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe next week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday.

Duterte and Abe would exchange views on regional issues of mutual concern such as claims to the South China Sea and developments in the Korean Peninsula, DFA Assistant Secretary MeyNARDO -ONTEALEGRE SAID IN A BRIEkNG Duterte, who will be attending the 25th Nikkei #ONFERENCE ON &UTURE OF !SIA ON -AY TO

will also discuss partnerships involving defense, security, economic cooperation and infrastructure development as part of the agenda, along with jobs for skilled Filipino workers and aid for the Bangsamoro region. “The peace and stability in the region is a mutual concern to both the Philippines and Japan.

And the South China Sea is central in this regard,�

Montealegre said. ÂłMeetingA8

“Let us not be hasty in giving credence to what he is saying. From what I heard and read, he has been lying at EVERY TURN u $EFENSE 3ECRETARY $ELkN Lorenzana told reporters.

Advincula, who came out earlier this month to insist that the Dutertes had received payoffs from drug syndicates, went into hiding after failing in a bid to secure legal aid from a

ÂłLyingA2

Term lunacy: 12 is enough, 24 is shameful First word

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More Filipinos say their lives have improved – SWS

OBSERVER YEN MAKABENTA

H E termlimit provisions of the Constitution are unequivocal. “Unequivocal� means “clearly, fully and emphatically expressed.�

They are enumerated in different articles of the Constitution. The provisions are: ÂłMakabentaA4

 Mr. President, some people around you are corrupt Â

P

RESIIN MY LINE DENT OF SIGHT Digong has said that now that the elections are over, he would turn his attention to corruption in his administration.

That was one of the topics the President and I discussed when I had a one-on-one meeting with him in MalacaĂąang last Tuesday, May 21. ÂłTulfoA5

RAMON T. TULFO

THE number of Filipinos claiming that their lives HAD IMPROVED ROSE IN THE kRST QUARTER OF

a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found.

4HE POLLING kRM SAID PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS considered themselves “gainers� versus the 21 percent, who claimed their lives had worsened over the last 12 months.

This resulted in a net gainer score of +17, up

ÂłImprovedA8 REACH US AT:

UNDERWATER PARADE

Mermaids and mermen at the Manila Ocean Park stage their own version of the Santacruzan as part of this month’s Flores de Mayo festivities. PHOTO BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

Canada to finally take back trash sent to PH

CANADA HAS TAPPED A kRM TO SHIP BACK CONTAINER VANS OF GARBAGE EXPORTED TO THE 0HILIPPINES FROM TO Manila last week recalled its envoy in Ottawa following continued delays in the return of the waste, which had been mislabeled as recyclables.

Catherine Mckenna, Canada’s minis-

ter of Environment and Climate Change, announced on Thursday that a contract had been awarded to BollorĂŠ Logistics Canada “to safely bring the waste back

What’s inside SOTTO POST THREATENED BY NewsA2 HUGPONG BLOC IN SENATE RAPTORS PUT BUCKS ON BRINK OF NBA PLAYOFF ELIMINATION

MARITIME SECURITY IN ASIA PACIFIC

SportsC1

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

Amado TolentinoA5

to Canada as soon as possible.� #ANADA SAID THE kRM WOULD BEGIN PREParations for the shipments and removal was expected to

be completed by the end of June. “Canada is pleased to announce that it has awarded a contract to bring the waste back promptly and to ensure its safe and environmentally sound disposal,� McKenna said. “Canada has amended its regulations to prevent this from happening again and is looking at ways to hold the responsible parties to account,� she added.

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Ottawa and Manila “have a deep and valued relationship underpinned by the hundreds of thousands of Canadians of Filipino descent.�

Earlier this week, MalacaĂąang said the Philippines would be shipping the garbage back at its own expense and could dump the shipment in Canadian waters.

It downplayed possible retaliation against Filipinos in Canada who numbered 901,218 as of April 2018, comprising a mix of naturalized CanaEnvironmental activists stage a rally urging Canada to take back garbage dumped in the Philippines and to ratify the Basel Ban dians, permanent residents and temporary amendment. PHOTO BY RENE H. DILAN ÂłTrashA8

NO TO WASTE

Belmonte tells complaining QC residents: Live in Makati TONI GONZAGA FINDS A NEW FAMILY IN ‘HOME SWEETIE HOME: EXTRA SWEET’

EntertainmentD1

QUEZON City Mayor-elect Joy Belmonte wants constituents complaining of not getting free school supplies to move to more prosperous Makati. “Sa mga nag-rereklamo naman na bakit walang shoes, bota, rubber shoes, PE uniform, school uniform, kapote at allowance, sa Makati na lang po kayo tumira (To those complaining of not

having shoes, boots, rubber shoes, PE uniforms, raincoats and allowance, just live in Makati),� an irritated Belmonte said in a Facebook post.

Belmonte, the outgoing Quezon City vice mayor who will be taking over from Herbert Bautista, said she had yet to take control of the budget. “Ang pondo po ng lungsod na sina-

sabi ninyong napakalaki ay kontrolado po ng ating alkalde na si Mayor Herbert Bautista. Sa kanya po kayo mag-request ng school supplies para sa lahat ng bata sa QC (The city budget that you say is very large is controlled by Mayor Herbert Bautista. Your request for school supplies for every child in QC should

ÂłResidentsA8

A2

News

˜ The Manila Times SATURDAY May 25, 2019

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Sotto post threatened by Hugpong bloc in Senate

S

BY BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

ENATE President Vicente Sotto RD ON &RIDAY SAID HE WAS gNOT worried� over reports that he might be replaced as the chamber’s chief in the TH #ONGRESS

The 17th Congress will adjourn sine die on June 7.

The Senate and the House of Representatives will jointly open as the 18th Congress on July 22 to coincide with the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte.

A candidate for the Senate presi-

DENCY NEEDS VOTES Senator-elect Francis Tolentino in a television interview said senators belonging to the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), namely Senators-elect Christopher Lawrence “Bong� Go, Ronald “Bato� dela Rosa, Aquilino g+OKOu 0IMENTEL RD AND 3EN %M-

manuel “Manny� Pacquiao intend to coalesce with their Nacionalista Party (NP) colleagues who ran under Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP), and form the HnP bloc in the Senate.

Tolentino noted that while the HnP bloc is yet to be formed, it already had nine members: the four PDP-Laban senators; NP Senators Cynthia Villar, Pilar Juliana “Pia�

Cayetano, Maria Imelda Josefa “Imee� Marcos; and Senator-elect Ramon “Bong� Revilla Jr. of the Lakas party.

Except for Revilla, they all ran under the HnP Senate slate.

When asked about the looming new Senate bloc, Sotto said,

“That’s good for them. Coalitions are always good if it’s for the good of the country.�

When pressed whether a fellow senator — either from PDP-Laban or NP — has expressed desire to challenge his leadership in the next Congress, Sotto said, “Not to my knowledge. And I’m not worried if ever, because I only serve at the pleasure of the majority.�

When also asked to confirm Tolentino’s revelation regarding the impending creation of the HnP bloc, Pimentel said, “I have no idea what Francis is talking about.

Just ask Francis because he is the ‘political strategist.’ Maybe he will soon tell me about his ideas.�

Ex-DA chief pleads ‘not guilty’ to graft charge FORMER Department of Agriculture (DA) secretary Proceso Alcala was arraigned on a graft charge that he and others are facing before the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division.

The Office of the Ombudsman filed the case in March 2019, in connection with an alleged monopoly on the supply of garlic.

Alcala, who is out on bail, pleaded “not guilty� during the arraignment on Friday morning.

The court deferred the arraignment of some of the other accused who have pending motions.

In the charge sheet, the Ombudsman accused the following of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act: Alcala, former Bureau of Plant Industry director Clarito Barron, former National Plant Quarantine Services Division chief Luben Marasigan and former National Plant Quarantine Services Division chief Merle Palacpac.

Lilia Cruz, aka “Lea Cruz,� who was then-Chairman and then “controlling owner� of the Vegetable Importers, Exporters and Vendors Association of the Philippines (Vieva), was also charged.

Also charged were Edmond Caguingin, then owner of Tumana Trading; Rolan Galvez, then owner of RM Galvez Agri-Trading; Jon Dino de Vera, Napoleon Baldueza, then owner of Purple Moon Trading; Jose Ollegue, then owner of Bee Jee Trading; Laila Matabang, then owner of Touchdown Trading; Angelita Flores, then owner of AGR Trading; Gaudioso Diato; Denia Matabang; Jose Angulo Jr.; Raffy Torres; and Mary Grace Sebastian.

Rochelle Diaz — then attorney in fact of Shelmarie Enterprises, AGR Trading and Bee Jee Trading, based on the charge sheet — and Ma. Jackilou

‘CARTEL’ CASE Former Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala leaves the Sandiganbayan on Friday after pleading ‘not guilty’ over his role in an alleged garlic cartel.

PHOTO BY ROGER RANADA

Ilagan, who were both former directors of Philippine Vieva Group of Companies Inc. (Philvieva), and then Philvieva Director Renato Francisco Jr. were also charged.

Also charged were: Rolando Manangan, then owner of Kapisanan ng Mga Magsisibuyas ng Nueva Ecija (Kasamne); Orestes Salon, then owner of Kooperatiba ng Bayang Sagana (KBS); Prudencio

Q LYING FROM A1

‘Bikoy lying at every turn’ in the “Ang Totoong Narcolist� videos, said Advincula was taken to a hospital on Friday after complaining of chest pains. “His blood pressure shot up and said he felt nauseous, so we sent him to the hospital,� he told A PRESS BRIEkNG 3EN !NTONIO 4RILLANES TH WHO Advincula now says was the mastermind behind the “Ang Totoong Narcolist,� accused the President of again trying to take down a vocal critic.

Ayan ka na naman. Hindi ka pa nga nakakabawi sa kapalpakan mo ‘dun sa inimbento mong offshore bank accounts na bintang mo sa akin pati na rin ‘dun sa mga sinabi mo laban sa nanay ko, tapos may bago ka na namang bintang (There you go again. You haven’t yet redeemed yourself from embarrassment when you invented my having offshore bank accounts and the allegation against my mother, and now you have another accusation against me),� he said in a text message. “This time si Bikoy naman ang source mo. Henyo ka talaga, Duts Bikoy hospitalized (This time your source is Bikoy. You’re such a genius, Duterte),� he added.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde, Sen. Leila de Lima, another who has denied that the police had Duterte critic who has been jailed lIP lOPPED AFTER EARLIER DISCREDITING on drug-related charges, also denied drug money claims made by Bikoy Advincula’s claims that she was part lawyers’ organization. He resurfaced on Thursday and said the scheme had been masterminded by the opposition in a plot to unseat the government. “His motive? Of course, to save himself!� Lorenzana said, adding that the retraction should be substantiated.

Advincula’s lying, Sen. Panfilo Lacson also said on Friday, was a “unique talent.� “He can divide the world with the lIP OF HIS TONGUE u THE SENATOR SAID on Twitter. “From IBP (Integrated Bar of the Philippines) to the PNP (Philippine National Police), he completed a successful Yellow (the opposition) vs DDS (Diehard Duterte SupportERS DRY RUN 7ITH HIS lIP lOPPING lies, he’s on a roll,� Lacson added.

The IBP let Advincula use its headquarters to make his accusations against the Dutertes earlier this month. It was the PNP’s turn on 4HURSDAY AS OFkCIALS ALLOWED HIM to make a public recantation a few hours after surrendering to answer estafa charges.

Ruedas, then-Chairman/-Director and operator of Mindoro Allium Growers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MagroMPC); and Shiela de la Cruz, then owner of Shelamarie Enterprises.

Flores and de la Cruz were absent during the arraignment.

Meanwhile, Laila Matabang was already arraigned in May as condition for her motion to travel abroad. of an ouster plot. “Let me start by stating, categorically, that like me, none of my staff has anything to do with the so-called Bikoy exposĂŠ. None of us knows Bikoy or has ever met or talked to him, or otherwise dealt with him,â€? said de Lima in a statement. “When I first started hearing about the Bikoy exposĂŠ, the foremost question in my mind was — Is Bikoy for real, or is he a fraud?

Worse, is he being used in some ploy that would eventually lead to THE VILIkCATION OF THE OPPOSITION u she added.

An investigation, de Lima said, should ferret out the truth.

In the “Ang Totoong Narcolist� videos, a hooded man named Bikoy claims to have facilitated drug syndicate payoffs to Duterte’s son former Davao City vice mayor Paolo “Pulong� Duterte, son-in-law Manases “Mans� Carpio, and former special assistant Christopher Lawrence “Bong� Go, among others.

Advincula now claims that Trillanes — a Nationalista Party senator — and the opposition Liberal Party led by Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni� Robredo cooked up the scheme in a bid to discredit $UTERTE AND FORCE HIM FROM OFkCE

Palace hits Trillanes Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo, in response to Trillanes, said the senator should answer the ouster allegation instead of again

The Ombudsman alleged that “on or about the period covering the calendar years 2010 to 2014 and sometime prior or subsequent thereto,� Alcala, Barron, Marasigan and Palacpac, “conspiring and confederating with one another, and with�

Cruz and Caguinguin, Galvez, Diaz, Ilagan, de Vera, Baldueza, Ollegue, Laila Matabang, Flores, Diato, Denia Matabang, Angulo, Torres, Sebastian, Francisco, Manangan, Salon, Ruedas and de la Cruz, “cause[d] undue injury to the public and g[a]ve unwarranted benefit and advantage and preference to Philvieva, Vieva, Tumana Trading, RM Galvez Trading, Purple Moon Trading, La Reina Food Trading, Yom Trading Corporation, Kasamne KBS, MAGRO-MPC and Shelmarie Enterprises, its shareholder, officers, owners and representatives...�

Based on the charge sheet, Alcala allegedly “created the National Garlic Action Team (NGAT) composed of individuals from public and private sectors involved in the trading and growing of garlic, serving as a forum for consultations/dialogues on issues and concerns affecting the garlic industry and to provide policy and/ or program recommendations, which include the validation of the report from the Task Force Allium relative to the supply and production of garlic for submission to the DA as to whether importation of the commodity is necessary...�

He allegedly appointed Barron and Cruz as members, which supposedly “enable[d] Cruz to have access to vital information and resulted [in] her group securing most of the Import Permits (IPs)...�

REINA C. TOLENTINO

criticizing Duterte. “Despite the repudiation of his oft-repeated prediction that the President would lose his popularity ‌ Trillanes continues to spew his poisonous invectives against the Chief Executive, who remains standing as the nation’s most beloved and trusted leader,â€? |Panelo said in a statement. g4HE OUTGOING 3ENATOR SHOULD kRST address the serious allegation pointing to him as the mastermind and in conspiracy with certain political LEADERS IDENTIkED WITH THE OPPOSITION of the unlawful plot to topple the Duterte Administration,â€? he added. “While many will wish Mr. Trillanes good riddance as he is about to leave the hallowed halls of the Senate at the end of June of this year, we will instead wish him luck as he faces another prospect of being placed behind bars again as the self-confessed black propagandist turns against his master, even as his victims look forward to seeing the Senate, or better yet the Government, without the cantankerously obnoxious coup plotter.â€?

As an Army lieutenant, Trillanes was one of leaders of the failed /AKWOOD MUTINY AGAINST then-President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. He was jailed for his role and the mutiny but successfully ran for THE 3ENATE WHILE IN PRISON kNALLY gaining an amnesty in 2010.

NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS, BERNADET TE E. TAMAYO AND JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

DILG to press raps vs winning narcolist pols THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday said it was keen on charging politicians who won in the recently concluded midterm elections despite being named in President Rodrigo Duterte’s narcolist.

Interior Secretary Eduardo AĂąo said while the DILG respects the people’s decision to elect these politicians, the charges filed against them would push through. “Even if they were fortunate to have won, the administrative cases against them will push through.

They won’t get away with the charges if we prove their involvement in the illegal drug trade,�

AĂąo added.

Last March, the DILG filed administrative charges of grave misconduct, conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service, conduct unbecoming a public OFkCER AND GROSS NEGLECT OF DUTY BEFORE THE /FkCE OF THE /MBUDSMAN AGAINST NARCOPOLITICIANS named by Duterte. /F THESE RAN FOR PUBLIC OFkCE DURING THE LAST ELECTIONS AND of them earned a fresh mandate despite the release of the list two MONTHS BEFORE THE -AY MIDterm polls.

AĂąo said that while some of them emerged victorious in the elections, it was already “a winâ€? for the government and the nation that some of them lost and were rejected by the electorate. “The purpose of President Duterte in releasing the names was to inform the public of the LOCAL OFkCIALS WHO ARE LINKED TO THE drug trade. The fact that some of

them lost is already a substantial victory for us because if we didn’t release the names, more, if not all, could have won in the elections,� he added.

The list of winners from the narcolist included two congressmen, one vice governor, 18 mayors, three vice mayors, one councilor and one Board member from Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Ilocos Region, Northern Mindanao, Western Visayas, Central Luzon, Zamboanga Peninsula, Soccksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City) and Caraga.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police have been tapped to facilitate the criminal cases as they have the pieces of evidence necessary for case-building.

AĂąo said the National Police Commission had been directed to remove the police deputation powers of these politicians ahead OF THEIR OFkCIAL ASSUMPTION TO OFkCE ON *UNE Considering the allegedly rampant vote-buying incidents during the last elections, there is a possibility that drug money was used during the election campaign, according to the DILG chief. “It’s not impossible that drug money was used in the campaign, so that could have been a factor in their victory considering the prevalence of vote-buying in the last elections,â€? he said.

NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

Andanar open to taking political adviser post if tapped by Duterte PRESIDENTIAL Communications Secretary Martin Andanar is open to taking on the job of President Rodrigo Duterte’s political adviser should the Chief Executive decide to tap him for the post.

Andanar made the statement on Friday amid rumors that he might soon take the place of former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino, who recently won in his Senate bid in the May elections.

The President is reportedly eyeing broadcast journalist Erwin Tulfo, who has served as news anchor at the state-owned 0EOPLE S 4ELEVISION CHANNEL TO take the helm of the Presidential Communications Operations OfkCE 0#// But Andanar said he was yet to receive Duterte’s order about his rumored appointment. “The President has not talked to me about it. I will wait for the President’s order,â€? he told The Manila Times in a text message. “In the meantime, regular work as usual,â€? the Palace ofkCIAL SAID In a news conference during the inauguration of the newly renovated RTVM building at MalacaĂąang, Andanar expressed readiness to follow the President’s directive like a “good soldier.â€? “I’m a good soldier. If the President assigns me to a specific agency or department, then maybe the President sees a little of bit of capability or capacity on my part to serve on a particular agency outside the PCOO,â€? he said.

Meanwhile, Andanar noted that Tulfo, his former colleague AT 46 WAS QUALIkED TO BECOME the country’s next press secretary since he had a long track record in media and enjoyed public trust and credibility. “I see the capacity of Erwin to RUN AN OFkCE LIKE THE 0RESIDENTIAL Communications Operations OfkCE ) THINK HE S QUALIkED TO BE the next press secretary if you ask me,� he said. “He has been in the media for ages. He started in the print and then went to radio and then television, became an anchor.

It seems wherever he goes from

ABS-CBN to TV5 to government, he has the trust of millions of Filipinos and basically, he has a huge following and by that alone, [he has a strong credibility],�

Andanar added.

In 2018, he said he would welcomed the political adviser post if it was offered to him by the President, amid the planed revival /FkCE OF THE 0RESS 3ECRETARY /03 “I’ve been a fan of political advisers. And it’s essentially talking to the different politicians throughout the country, the governors, the mayors, the congressmen, the senator; and creating that bridge that link between the executive branch and the politicians,� Andanar said in an earlier interview.

When asked if he would accept the job if offered, he replied: “Well, it’s a job that I think I can do.�

Andanar had expressed support for the proposal of Senate 0RESIDENT 6ICENTE 3OTTO RD TO reestablish the OPS to replace the PCOO, as he underscored the need to maintain press attachĂŠs in diplomatic missions. !S EARLY AS !NDANAR SAID he already submitted a draft executive order (EO) to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea reviving the OPS. Duterte earlier asked former Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. to lead the OPS, but the latter opted to run for senator in the 2019 midterm polls.

4HE /03 WAS CREATED IN to replace the Ministry of Information after the ouster of President Ferdinand Marcos.

Two years later, then-President Corazon Aquino split the OPS and created the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson.

In 2010, Cory’s son, President "ENIGNO !QUINO RD SIGNED %/ REORGANIZING THE /03 into the PCOO, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) and Office of the Presidential Spokesperson.

Duterte then abolished the PCDSPO and transferred some of its functions to the PCOO IN CATHERINE S. VALENTE

News

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SATURDAY May 25, 2019

A3

Military to beef up Navy

BY DEMPSEY REYES

B

USAN, South Korea: The Philippine .AVY IS SET TO ACQUIRE A 0OHANG CLASS corvette in July, which is seen to boost its strength.

The corvette, which is donated by the Republic of Korea, will be called BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39), after Korean War hero and medal of valor awardee Capt. Conrado Yap. Pohang-class is a general-purpose corvette — smallest class of vessel considered as a warship — operated by the South Korean Navy. The donated corvette

Chungju (PCC-762) was commissioned in 1987 and served until 2016.

Vice Admiral Robert EmpeDRAD 0HILIPPINE .AVY lAG OFkCER in command, said the Navy was planning to acquire around 25 TO SHIPS IN THE NEXT kVE TO years, including corvettes, offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and even submarines.

BRP Conrado Yap is rated for a crew of 118 personnel and can sustain operational presence for 20 days, fewer than the missile-armed frigates one of which is set to arrive next year.

The corvette’s combined diesel or gas (Codog) propulsion conkGURATION OF MOTOR TRANSPORT UNIT diesel engines and LM2500 gas turbine with controllable pitch propellers enable the ship to move at a maximum speed of 25 knots to a distance of 4,000 nautical miles.

The ship is also armed with two Oto Melara 76mm main guns, a 30mm automatic cannons, anti-submarine torpedoes and variety of sensors including sonars and radars.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary $ELkN ,ORENZANA ANNOUNCED THAT there would be six OPVs to be supplied by Australian company Austal while the submarines’ supplier is still being decided where to get it, with choices of nations including Russia, India, France, the United States and South Korea.

Empedrad, as well as Armed Forces chief Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr., said since the Philippines has vast maritime waters, there is a need for them to beef up the capabilities of the Philippine Navy by adding more equipment to its inventory.

Empedrad said he had observed many navies across the globe were

modernizing their capabilities, citing Australia, China and Malaysia as examples. “ M ay b e, we s h o u l d a l s o strengthen our navy because we have bigger maritime water or vast maritime waters than they do, we need to protect our maritime waters,� he told reporters in a news conference in Ulsan.

Madrigal met with Gen. Park Han-ki, the chief of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces, when he arrived in Seoul on Monday. The two military chiefs discussed the ongoing modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Apart from the modernization program of the Philippine military, Madrigal disclosed that Park also

Tagle reelected president of Caritas Internationalis CARDINAL Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle has been reelected as president of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of Catholic charities around the world.

The new four-year mandate was given to Tagle during the confederation’s 21st General Assembly in Rome on May 24, which brought together some 450 representatives from 165 member-countries.

Tagle was first elected to head Caritas in 2015. He was the first Caritas Internationalis president who hailed from Asia.

During his first election, he was supported by all countries in Asia, earning 91 out of the 133 votes by Caritas member-countries.

DILG gets $3M for initiatives vs extremism

This year’s assembly has the theme, “A single human family, a common home.�

The assembly was opened on May 23 with a Mass presided by Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica and was concelebrated by Cardinal Tagle and other bishops.

Caritas Philippines National Director Archbishop Rolando Tria Tirona and Executive Secretary Fr. Edwin Gariguez were also present in the gathering.

As head of Caritas Internationalis, Tagle is expected to strengthen the confederation’s works in the light of serving the most vulnerable and in living out charity and justice throughout the world.

WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

Duterte picks retired general as MWSS chief PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has picked retired general “Dick� Ricardo Morales as the next chairman of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

Duterte made the announcement at the thanksgiving party thrown by senator-elect Christopher Lawrence “Bongâ€? Go on Thursday night in Davao City. “Hindi ako pumapayag ng corruption. If I — pagbalik ko meron‌ Ang kinuha kong chairman sa MWSS, si Dick Morales, Dick. Kaya lang maputi, malikot ang utak niyan. Pero try niyo (I won’t allow any corruption. If I return it is still there...So I picked as MWSS chairman Dick Morales, Dick. But he is white, his mind is playful.

But try him),� Duterte said in his speech. “‘Yon ‘yung sundalo na RAM na nahuli sa

MalacaĂąan. Rebelde pala. I think si‌ ‘Yan ‘yung nasa TV na sinampal si Imelda. Taga-Davao ‘yan pero ano ‘yan‌ Walang nakatira‌ Si Dick (He was the RAM (Reform the Armed Forces Movement) [member] arrested in MalacaĂąang. Turned out he was a rebel. I think he’s... He’s the one who was slapped by Imelda [Marcos] on TV. He’s from Davao but he’s... no one’s there... Dick),â€? he added.

The MWSS was previously chaired by Franklin Demonteverde, a retired judge who served in the Bacolod Regional Trial Court.

The change in the leadership of the MWSS came AFTER $UTERTE THREATENED TO kRE -733 OFkCIALS AND terminate contracts of water concessionaires Manila Water and Maynilad over water shortage in parts of Metro Manila and Rizal.

CATHERINE S. VALENTE

SURPRISE RAINS

A mother holds tight her child as they walk on a slippery road in Quezon City due to sudden downpour.

PHOTO BY ROGER RANADA

TRANSPORT GROUP ASKS MMDA TO SCRAP BUS BAN

A transportation group on Friday asked the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to scrap its ban on provincial buses FOR LACK OF SCIENTIkC LEGAL AND ECONOMIC BASIE Alex Yague, executive director of the Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines, said the MMDA is yet to prove PROVINCIAL BUSES CAUSE TRAFkC ON %$3! DESPITE only accounting for less than 5 percent of vehicles in the major thoroughfare. “Unless these issues are fully addressed in public consultations with the riding public, the operators, local government, Transportation department and Congress, only then can a SCIENTIkC SOLUTION TO THE TRAFkC IN %$3! CAN BE

[found] this time with the support of the riding public,� Yague told reporters.

The MMDA, however, said the implementation of the provincial bus ban remained uncertain pending go-signal from the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

The agency said it was eyeing to have the measure fully implemented and all 47 bus terminals along EDSA closed next month. g$EkNITELY WE WILL NOT IMPLEMENT THE POLICY if we are not ready,� MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Garcia Jr. also told reporters.

He said the agency was also considering

committed training on humanitarian assistance and disaster RESPONSE AND A SENIOR OFkCER EXchange program.

Empedrad said he met his South Korean counterpart, Admiral Sim Seung-seob, and asked if the personnel training for the operations of BRP Conrado Yap could extend for another month as the corvette was delayed for also a month.

According to him, Sim approved the request and even committed to provide accommodation for the Philippine Navy crew at their naval base.

Sim also agreed to have the Philippine Navy crew of the frigates to stay at their naval base, Empedrad added.

the implementation of window hours for the provincial buses. “Buses may be allowed to travel along EDSA from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., but they cannot pick up or drop off passengers,� Garcia added.

Meanwhile, the MMDA announced also on Friday that four key roads in Metro Manila would be closed starting 11 p.m. tonight for repairs over the weekend.

The southbound lanes of EDSA Lagarian Creek to New York Street (beside sidewalk, intermittent section) and before Monte de Piedad to near EDSA Aurora Boulevard tunnel (fourth lane sidewalk, intermittent section) will undergo reblock-

ing, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

On northbound lanes, the second lane from the sidewalk on EDSA in front of Baliwag Transit to New York Street and C-5 Road in front of Market-Market will be closed.

Also to be closed are the outer lanes of EDSA, 50 meters after Magallanes Metro Rail Transit station to Km 29 and from Km 27+019 to Km 26+921 The MMDA warned motorists to avoid the affected areas for possible congestion and to use alternate routes until the roads would be reopened 5 a.m. on Monday.

NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Friday announced that the government’s anti-extremism campaign was given $3 million or P150 million in funding by a Swiss foundation.

Interior Secretary Eduardo AĂąo said the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) recently teamed up with the Philippine government to support anti-extremism civil society groups’ community-level initiatives. “One of the priorities of the DILG is the protection of peace and safety of Filipino communities through the prevention of violent extremism.

Now having GCERF as a partner toward the achievement of this goal further empowers our locales in addressing this issue,� Aùo added.

The DILG chief said the funding would be focused on areas in the country that are vulnerable to violent extremism and to radicalization of certain sectors such as the youth.

DILG Assistant Secretary Alexander Macario said the grantees of the fund are expected to propose activities that would build protection against violent extremism.

Macario is the senior government representative of the Philippines to the GCERF Board, the governing body of the GCERF. President Rodrigo Duterte earlier created the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict comprised of different government agencies and which adopts a whole-of-nation approach in containing communist terrorism in the country.

NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

Psychological incapacity as ground for nullity of marriage Dear PAO, Edmon and I got married in 2010. After a year, my son Jon was born. Since Edmon had no permanent work, I went abroad to work as a domestic helper.

My relatives relayed to me that Edmon was spending the money I sent for his mistresses and for drinking. They alleged that whenever Edmon was under the INlUENCE OF LIQUOR HE WOULD always get into trouble with my relatives or our neighbors.

When I came home after three years, I discovered that Edmon had no savings from the remittances that I sent, and even our house had no improvement.

4HIS RESULTED IN EVERYDAY QUARREL between us. According to one relative of mine, Edmon’s behavior indicated that he is suffering from psychological incapacity, which could be a ground to have our marriage voided by the

DEAR PAO

PERSIDA ACOSTA court. Please guide me on this matter.

April Dear April, Psychological incapacity is one of the grounds for the declaration of nullity of marriage. This is found under Article 36 of the Family Code of the Philippines which states: “A marriage contracted by any party who, at the time of the celebration, was psychologically incapacitated to comply with the essential marital obligations of marriage, shall likewise be void even if such incapacity becomes manifest only after its solemnization.�

In Del Rosario vs Del Rosario and Court of Appeals (GR 222541, Feb. 15, 2017), the Supreme Court through Associate Justice Estela Perlas Bernabe stated: “The policy of the Constitution is to protect and strengthen the family as the basic social institution, and marriage as the foundation of the family. Because of this, the Constitution decrees marriage as legally inviolable and protects it from dissolution at the whim of the parties. In this regard, psychological incapacity as a ground to nullify the marriage under Article 36 of the Family Code, as amended, should refer to the most serious case of psychological disorders clearly demonstrative of an utter insensivity or inability to give meaning and sigNIkCANCE TO THE MARRIAGE )T SHOULD refer to no less than a mental-not merely physical-incapacity that causes a party to be truly incognitive of the basic marital covenants that

concomitantly must be assumed and discharged by the parties to the marriage, which, as provided under Article 68 of the Family Code, among others, include their mutual obligations to live together, observe LOVE RESPECT AND kDELITY AND RENDER help and support. In other words, it must be a malady that is so grave and permanent as to deprive one of awareness of the duties and responsibilities of the matrimonial bond one is about to assume. x x x. “Thus, in Dedel vs CA, the Court declared that therein respondent’s emotional immaturity and irresponsibility could not be equated with psychological incapacity as it was not shown that these acts are manifestations of a disordered personality which make her completely unable to discharge the essential obligations of the marital state, not merely due to

her youth, immaturity, or sexual promiscuity. In Toring v[s] Toring, the Court emphasized that “irreconcilable differences, sexual infidelity or perversion, emotional immaturity and irresponsibility, and the like, do not by themselves warrant a finding of psychological incapacity, as these may only be due to a person’s difficulty, refusal, or neglect to undertake the obligations of marriage that is not rooted in some psychological illness that Article 36 of the Family Code addresses. The Court equally did not consider as tantamount to psychological incapacity the emotional immaturity, irresponsibility, sexual promiscuity, and other behavioral disorders invoked by the petitioning spouses in Pesca v Pesca, Republic v Encelan, Republic v De Gracia, and Republic v Romero, to name a few, and

thus dismissed their petitions for declaration of nullity of marriage.�

Applying the above-cited decision in your situation, psychological incapacity to comply with the essential marital obligations should refer to the most serious case of psychological disorders.

9OUR HUSBAND S SEXUAL INkDELITY alone, or his being a drunkard may not be tantamount to psychological incapacity.

We hope that we were able to answer your queries. Please be reminded that 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 Office. Questions for Chief Acosta may be sent to dearpao@ manilatimes.net

A4

Opinion

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

E d i to r i a l A chance to boost inclusive lending after banks reserve cut

T

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) this week announced that it has reduced the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) for small banks, freeing up billions of pesos in reserve funds. One obvious priority where that extra liquidity should go is toward widening the scope of financial inclusion — or lending to small businesses and farmers — that forms part of the government’s socioeconomic targets.

The reserve rate, or RRR, is the proportion of deposits that banks must keep in reserve against their loanable funds. This rate serves as a measure of security against bad loans, but more IMPORTANTLY IT IS USED AS A TOOL TO MANAGE INlATION ‡ WHICH does not only involve the movement of consumer prices but also THE AMOUNT OF MONEY CIRCULATING IN THE BROAD kNANCIAL SYSTEM By adjusting the reserve ratio up or down, the BSP can, along with its other monetary policy tools, control the amount of money available in the financial system.

During the brief tenure of the late Nestor Espenilla Jr. as BSP governor, the central bank adopted a strategy of gradually reducing the RRR and relying more on its other tools, such as interest rate adjustments, to keep inflation under control. The latest round of RRR cuts is, thus, a planned step in that process.

The rationale for the strategy is that since the RRR has the smallest effect on inflation among the various liquidity management options available, it could be safely cut in order to give banks more funds to loan to more customers, particularly those who have had limited access to credit — individual entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises and farmers.

Unfortunately, the gradual RRR reduction strategy has so far not quite worked out as planned. Despite mandates to set aside a percentage of their loanable funds for small businesses and agricultural lending, banks continually miss the targets.

For example, data released last month revealed that despite a mandate to reserve 10 percent of their funds for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), banks were only lending a bit more than 7 percent of their funds to these borrowers.

From the banks’ perspective, paying penalties for missing mandated targets is considered less of a cost than the potential defaults of these riskier loans, and the penalties can easily be compensated for by the earnings from loans in the more lucrative consumer, real estate and large business sectors.

The RRR cuts announced this week apply to thrift, savings, rural and cooperative banks, and will be applied in steps over the next three months. It is estimated that the cuts will add an additional P20 billion to the financial system between now and the end of July. A 2.0-percent cut in the RRR to 16 percent from 18 percent announced last week for large banks is expected to add about P190 billion in liquidity.

MSMEs make up 99 percent of all business establishments in the country. The agriculture sector comprises more than 30 percent of the country’s total workforce. That combined P210 billion in newly available loanable funds would generate several times that level in agricultural and small business productivity, new jobs and personal incomes, and increased business and consumer spending if that amount was applied correctly to these areas.

To ensure that it is, the BSP should perhaps consider more aggressive tactics to ensure banks’ compliance with the lending mandates, which, after all, are not mere banking regulations but spelled out in law.

For example, instead of levying fixed penalties on banks that miss the targets, the central bank could adjust the RRR on an individual basis, increasing an erring bank’s RRR by an amount equal to its deviation from the mandated lending percentage. Other means to encourage banks to comply with the standards may also be available.

In this way, the BSP can better support the strategy of the country’s economic policymakers and help to achieve financial inclusion in a substantial way.

~

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 224

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

The North remembered

S

HE was one of the most, if not the most, maligned candidate in the 2019 senatorial elections. Aside from the usual heavy load of dirt thrown at her due to her surname, her critics found a new cause and pummeled her with her allegedly falsified academic credentials.

Her claims to having a Princeton University degree, and having obtained a law degree from UP with Latin honors, became the lynchpin that made her a regular target in mainstream media, all on the pretext of fact-checking.

She was painted as a dishonest

ON THE CONTRARY ANTONIO CONTRERAS politician with a problematic integrity. Daughter of a dictator, usurper of academic degrees — these are the images which her detractors painted to represent her, all designed to ensure her electoral defeat.

But Imee Marcos prevailed.

She earned the votes of 15,882,628 registered voters, enough to safely place her in the

eighth spot. Her weakness in the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas was compensated by her relatively strong showing in Western Visayas, Mindanao, Central Luzon and Metro Manila. The Bicolanos may have repudiated her, giving her less than 10 percent of their votes, but she holds the record of having the highest bailiwick support for any single candidate. The northern regions of Ilocos, Cordilleras and Cagayan Valley became her firewall. Ilocos Norte provided her a landslide victory that was more than enough to make her

a senator of the Republic until June 30, 2025.

Indeed, on the day of the elections, while some of the senatorial candidates did not even perform well in their own bailiwicks, like Jinggoy Estrada’s poor showing and JV Ejercito failing to snare the top spot in San Juan, and Bam Aquino not placing first in Tarlac, the North remembered Imee Marcos.

Her demonization was particularly virulent, almost methodical, well-coordinated and planned, seen in the incessant

ÂłContrerasA5

Q MAKABENTA FROM A1

Term lunacy: 12 is enough, 24 is shameful For president: Art VII, Sec. 4: The president shall be elected for a term of six years. The president shall not be eligible for any reelections.

For senators: Article VI, SecTION g4HE TERM OF OFkCE OF THE senators shall be six years. No senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms.�

For representatives: Article VI. Sec.7: The members of the House of Representatives shall be elected for a term of three years.

No member of the House of Representatives shall serve for more than three consecutive terms.

For local officials: Article X, Sec. 8: “The term of office of elective local officials, except BARANGAY OFkCIALS WHICH SHALL be determined by law, shall be THREE YEARS AND NO SUCH OFkCIAL shall serve for more than three consecutive terms.�

In even clearer English, the term limits are: For the president: one term, six years, no reelection.

For the senators: two terms, 12 years, no third term.

For the representatives: three terms, 9 years, no fourth term.

For the local officials: three terms, 9 years, no fourth term.

Once the allowed terms are SERVED THE OFkCIAL IS TERMED OUT He or she can no longer run for THE SAME OFkCE With anyone who is numerate or literate, the Constitution on this matter is plain as day.

was a termed-out official who suggested the idea.

Sadly, some members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission did not have the courage of their conviction on the issue.

They tried to curb the limits with QUALIkCATIONS DURING THE #ONCOM discussions of the provision. Consequently, their lily-livered words were pounced on to aid the pushback against term limits by termedout senators and their allies in the high court and the Comelec. It was in these circumstances that providing a "hiatus" and "rest break" for TERMED OUT OFkCIALS WAS INVENTED

Construal of the Constitution

In a comment on the issue, my colleague in the Times Fr. Ranhilo Callangan Aquino wrote a column titled ‘The construal of the Constitution.� He wrote: “‘No senator shall serve for more than two consecutive terms.’ While the rules of statutory construction do not necessarily apply to the construal of the Constitution, some do, and one of the most fundamental of these precepts is that the intendment of the Constitution is to be found in its words.

"As the phraseology of the second paragraph of Section 4, Article VI stands, that means 12 years of orating, perorating, grandstanding (or watching cluelessly in silence!) — and then it No courage of convictions is over. But the same phraseology is used in respect to members of It is ironic that the Commission the House of Representatives: ‘No on Elections (Comelec) and the member of the House of RepreSupreme Court appear to have sentatives shall serve for more THE MOST DIFkCULTY IN COMPRE- than three consecutive terms.’ hending the importance of the Again, if one goes by the words policy of term limits for elective of the law (the rule of verba legis) PUBLIC OFkCIALS there should not be much of a I don’t know which of the two problem: After three consecucame up with the absurd idea of tive terms, no one may serve as a "hiatus" or "rest period" for congressman or congresswoman.

TERMED OUT OFkCIALS WHICH HAS "However, in the 2002 consolibeen used to justify the wretched dated cases of Socrates v. ComeSPECTACLE OF OFkCIALS RUNNING FOR lec, Sandoval v. Comelec and THE SAME OFkCE OVER AND OVER Adovo v. Comelec, the Supreme and of senators who are now Court turned to the records of serving their fourth term in the the Constitutional Commission Senate. I gravely suspect that it and found clear statements of the

intent of the framers to exclude election after three consecutive terms (on the part of congressmen) or two consecutive terms (on the part of senators), but not after a ‘rest period.’ It should then be possible for a senator who has already had two terms in the Upper House to run for a third term, provided that there is a ‘rest period’ after two consecutive terms.�

I will answer that "rest period" is nowhere to be found in all 18 articles of the Constitution.

When we voted in the February 1987 plebiscite on the new Constitution, we voted on the text of our fundamental law, not on the intent of its drafters.

4HE NATION RATIkED A #HARTER

not an intendment.

Term limits as anti-dynasty measure From other quarters, I’ve gotten other reactions, many expressing support, notably from lawyer Vladimir Alarique Cabigao, who has much familiarity with the issue. He wrote: “If a senator would serve another term after the two consecutive terms, that third term would be more than two consecutive terms which is a violation of the prohibition on the term limit.

That provision is also a specie of anti-dynasty legislation. It is self-executing because it does not need any enabling act. All that one would need is the proper interpretation of it, as opposed to the distorted interpretation that is being practiced that resulted in the contemporaneous domination of political dynasts in the country.

"This legal theory is supported by the last sentence in Section 4, Article VI of the Charter, which says that voluntary renunciation of the office for any length of time shall not be considered an interruption in the continuity of service for the full term for which a senator is elected. Hence, Section 4 strictly limits the term of a senator to a maximum of 12 years. Even if the term would be

voluntarily interrupted, it would be counted as one term against the two consecutive terms limit.

That is how the Constitution is strict in enforcing the two consecutive terms limit. It cannot be emasculated by means of a hiatus or rest period.

"The intention to totally ban the third election after two consecutive terms, in the case of senators, is discernible by examining the other related provisions of the Constitution, such as Section 26, Article II which guarantees equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties, as may be DEkNED BY LAW "There is no need to examine the deliberations of the Constitutional Commission to aid in the interpretation of the law if the text is clear. In this case, there is no ambiguity in the text. The vagueness arose because the interpretation of that provision in the Constitution has been politicized by the Comelec to accommodate powerful political families to keep their grip on public OFkCE BY STRETCHING THE CONSTRUAL of that provision.�

Twelve is enough In the United States, where reformers have been trying for the longest time to enact a law on term limits, the reform movement has narrowed the reform down to a 12-year limit for members of Congress, for both senators and representatives.

The rationale for term limits is similar to ours: breaking down the Gordian knot of incumbency, ROTATION OF OFkCE CHECKING DYNASTIC politics, new blood in the legislature, and greater attentiveness to the concerns and needs of the country.

The idea of a 12-year limit looks reasonable and very defensible. It can be applied as well to LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFkCIALS Twelve years is enough for public service. Twenty-four years, like what we face with Senators Sotto and Drilon, is shameful.

yemakabenta@yahoo.com

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

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Huawei: The endgame

I

T is now evident that Trump’s trade war against China has been all bluff after all.

Within just days of his declaration of a blacklist against China cybertech giant Huawei, US President Trump backtracked on the move, announcing the recall of the blacklist order for 90 days. I am not very conversant with information technology and so, I consulted a friend knowledgeable on the matter in order to understand the Trump trade turnaround.

To begin with, my friend threw back on the overall trade war Trump had embarked on against China going into the last quarter of 2018. He imposed tariffs on US imports from China, those rates going on a selective basis, ranging from 10 percent on products amounting to $200 billion and 25 percent on goods valued at $50 billion. The intent was obvious: cripple the Chinese economy. For with tariff rates at that killing level, which American entrepreneur would still import Chinese goods?

At a glance, that view seems accurate.

But businessmen that they are, US entrepreneurs dependent on Chinese goods, whether in manufacture or distribution, ordered bulk upon bulk of the needed Chinese products in a frenzy to beat the imposition of the Trump tariff increase. The result was that the US manufacturing and distribution sectors went business-as-usual even with the high Trump tariffs in place.

No nationalistic backing One thing is immediately apparent in the development. Trump’s trade war against China elicits

A5

A S E A N PA R T N E R S H I P S

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Opinion

MY SAY

MAURO GIA SAMONTE no nationalist fervor from the US populace. Unlike the Chinese to whose intense nationalism Apple attributes its loss to ZTE, China’s second biggest cybertech giant, in the trade of cybermobiles and other digital gadgets.

Particularly in nation-to-nation clashes, people’s backing must be endemic in a president’s declaration of policy. For this reason, the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere had all the support of the Japanese nation in World War 2, with the Japanese to the last man willing to go on suicide missions to pursue the national cause. Hitler’s signal cry to the Germans which imbued them with intense nationalism was: “Superiority of the Aryan race.� And Stalin’s successful resistance to the invasion by Germany was anchored on the cry: “Defense of the Fatherland.�

Quite in contrast, Trump’s trumpeting the slogan “America to the Americans� wouldn’t seem to sound a hoot. Even business entrepreneurs like him sought to get one over him by importing Chinese goods in big bulk to beat his declaration of tariff increases. Thus has the US market had a substantial feel of Chinese goods even under the severe conditions of the Trump tariff wars. Released to the market at a time when the Trump tariffs had already been a place, these earlier imported goods were traded

as though they had been imported from China under the high tariff conditions, that is, at higher prices.

In the ultimate sense, it is American consumers, not China, who suffer from the Trump trade war.

Just how Trump’s trade war actually hurt US businesses rather than China’s may be deduced from this article by Thomas Franck sourced from the net, “Quantifying just how much the trade war could hurt Apple,� which reads in part: “The uptick in trade hostilities between Washington and Beijing could threaten Apple’s bottom line in 2019 if the soured relationship impacts demand for iPhones in China,�

Credit Suisse warned clients. “For every 5 percent drop in Greater China sales, Apple’s earnings per share should fall about 15 cents, according to analyst Matthew Cabral. “While Apple’s products largely fall outside the scope of current US tariffs on Chinese goods, we are more concerned with potential ‘second derivative’ impacts on local demand and implications of a further escalation from here,� Cabral wrote in a note to clients. “We are not adjusting our estimates at this time, but see downside risk from a further escalation in trade tensions.�

Apple produces popular mobile brands iPhone and iPad. These gadgets are manufactured through Foxcom in China, admittedly Apple’s target for marketing its mobile products. But with Trump escalating the trade war tension, there no longer appears to be an opening for Apple to trade its mobile wares in the vast

Chinese market — at least not in the immediate sense.

One account reports that Apple’s stocks fell 6.9 percent on the second week of May. That was five days after Trump tweeted: “For 10 months, China has been paying tariffs to the USA of 25 percent on $50 billion of high tech, and 10 percent on $200 billion of other goods.

These payments are partially responsible for our great economic results. The 10 percent will go up on Friday. $325 billion‌�

So, we have here an occasion where a major victim of a US economic slump presents an entirely different scenario of the downside from that pictured by the guy responsible for it. It is not Trump’s “great economic results� that sent Apple’s stocks rallying at the end OF THE kRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR !Ccording to the same account, it was Cook’s announcement of heavy reliance on China that prompted investors to pump in more investments into the company.

Huawei: the endgame The recent turnaround by Trump on the Huawei blacklist appears now to have been presaged by Trump’s announced veritable CEASEkRE IN THE TARIFF WAR 4HE LEADers of the two main protagonists both in geopolitics and in world economic hegemony are reportedly set to meet next month to negotiate the issue.

So it was normal for Trump to have executed testing jabs by which TO SIZE UP THE kGHTING CAPACITY OF HIS opponent. The founders of Huawei

ÂłSamonteA6

D

Maritime security in Asia Pacific

ISTINCTLY maritime are the 10 member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Even landlocked Laos and the less maritime-based Myanmar and Cambodia depend on the sea for national revenue.

While Asean aims at economic community, some degree of cooperation has been in place across the region in terms of naval interoperability to achieve maritime security.

Originally, Asean’s thrust towards strengthening its navies was drawn more toward offsetting threats at sea such as piracy, kidnapping, smuggling, human trafficking, illegal fishing and illegal fuel transfers in ports and harbors. Lately, however, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy has been rapidly increasing in size that there is no other way except for the other navies operating in the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen strategic partnerships in response.

Within Asean, naval cooperation is present under bilateral and subregional arrangements.

It consists of coordinated patrols like the Malacca Strait patrols (Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore) to counter piracy and armed robbery at sea. Combined multinational exercises are also in place to improve professionalism, develop exchange experiences and draw lessons from fellow navies. Examples are the Indonesia-Singapore-Malaysia and Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand bilateral naval exercises.

In addition, some Asean countries maintain defense engagement activities and/or exercises with the US, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.

The annual joint PhilippinesUS military maneuvers called the Balikatan is not only about maritime security but also disaster response and humanitarian assistance. In early May 2019, a Philippine Navy patrol ship ( BRP Andres Bonifacio ) with US, Japan and Indian warships conducted a quadrilateral cooperative naval drill in the South China Sea highlighting the fact of cooperation among the four countries’ navies.

Asean countries have also committed to multilateral defense and diplomacy forums to enhance cooperative activities and capabilities. One such is the Asean Plus-Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM-Plus) (the Plus being Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US). The forum is about peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterterrorism, mine countermeasures and maritime security.

Among Asean countries, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Singapore participated in Part 1 (hosted by South Korea) of this year’s ADMM-Plus Maritime Security Field Training Exercise, while the Philippines, Thailand and

Vietnam were in Part 2 hosted by Singapore. Reportedly, Chinese Coast Guard surveillance ships were noticed shadowing the participants’ vessels during the maritime capability exercises.

Participation is a step up in working harmony and confidencebuilding so that the navies are at par with their counterparts in the multinational arena.

The overlapping maritime terRITORIAL CLAIMS IN THE !SIA 0ACIkC region have often witnessed tensions between naval services but difficulties are being put aside through the maintenance of, to mention a leading example, a multinational bevy of naval ofkCERS AT THE )NFORMATION &USION Center (IFC) of the Republic of Singapore Navy. The purpose of IFC is to provide actionable information to regional and international navies, coast guards and other maritime agencies when dealing with maritime security incidents such as piracy, weapons proliferation, maritime terrorism, contraband and drug smuggling.

The IFC operates on a 24/7 basis with 17 personnel from other navies and coast guard services, known as international liaison officers. They work alongside 12 Singapore Navy personnel at the center.

A recent successful detection and recovery operation by the IFC involved the 101-meter oil product tanker Hai Soon 12 reported missing in the Karimata Strait off Borneo island, with 21 people on board. Through knowledge gained from shipping industry players, IFC personnel knew there was a secondary tracker on board after the primary tracker was switched off by suspected pirates.

The IFC relayed the information and other important data to its point of contact in the Indonesian Navy which was then able to rescue the Hai Soon 12 following an eight-hour chase by three of its vessels. Followup investigation revealed a plot to siphon off the tanker’s cargo for sale to the region’s black market. All crew members were rescued unharmed and the perpetrators have since been brought to justice.

The Hai Soon 12 incident is an example of a security response that demonstrates how a multilateral maritime security center staffed by representatives from regional navies can facilitate the fight against nonconventional maritime threats.

Indeed, maritime security centers like the IFC are important opportunities for navies and coast guards in the Asia-Pacific region to share information across the services.

Collaboration contributes towards deterring and preventing maritime security incidents.

Imee Marcos held the post of national chairman of the Kabataang Barangay. She was elected to represent Ilocos Norte in the Batasang Pambansa in 1984.

After returning from exile, she WAS kRST ELECTED AS A MEMBER OF the House of Representatives and served for three terms from 1998 to 2007. She was elected governor of Ilocos Norte and served for three terms from 2010 to 2019.

The only other senators who can come close would be Richard Gordon and Franklin Drilon.

However, both of them had no legislative experience when they were first elected to the Senate, except when Gordon was elected as delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1971.

Imee Marcos brings to the Sen-

ate a deep and wide array of experiences not only in legislative work, but as a direct participant in actual local governance. She comes in as the only senatorelect who has that distinction from among the incumbents and her cohort of newly elected or reelected members. And she would be the only member with the longest career of being an official directly voted by her constituents in both executive and legislative positions, and thus carried their mandate, prior to being elected as senator.

-ARKED MEMED AND VILIkED

Imee Marcos was targeted by the political opposition and the mainstream media to lose. They all failed. The lady from the North is now a senator of the Republic.

AMBASSADORS’ CORNER

AMADO S. TOLENTINO, JR.

Q CONTRERAS FROM A4

The North remembered attacks on her alleged dishonesty about her diploma, with Rappler, ABS-CBN and CNN even constantly reposting the issue in their social media sites on a fairly regular basis. But these all failed to bring her down.

Critics will easily paint this as a victory of the “ bobotante � and as an effect of the erosion of values. For them, someone whom they accuse of dishonesty winning in an election is an anomaly spawned by people whose moral compasses have been compromised.

But what these critics fail to consider is that elections cannot simply be reduced into a morality play of a battle between good and evil. Voters take into consideration other factors, in-

cluding loyalty to a brand, or to homegrown regional affinities.

The political opposition paints the victory of the Otso Diretso in Naga City and Camarines Sur as a shining moment of moral and intelligent voting, forgetting the fact that it was a bailiwick vote to support the candidates endorsed by Vice President Leni Robredo who counts Naga City as her stronghold. And she was not even all that formidable.

While seven Otso Diretso candidates and Gabby Bordado won in Camarines Sur, Nonoy Andaya lost the governor’s race to Migz Villafuerte despite Robredo’s support.

Imee Marcos may not be perfect. The jury is still out on the issue of her alleged dishonesty

with regard to her diplomas, and we may not even have heard the last of it with her victory, considering that even fellow Nacionalista and senator-elect Pia Cayetano, from out of nowhere, and even before they were proclaimed, challenged Imee to finally face the issue. Imee Marcos has always been evasive on the matter, and has constantly focused on the work ahead, either as candidate during the campaign and now as senatorelect. She vowed to hit the road running, and to forgive her detractors. Typical of the Marcos genes, she would rather dwell on the challenges of governance instead of wrestling in the mud pit of partisan political wars.

But Imee Marcos’ successful

run for the Senate is not just because of loyalty to a brand.

She is more than just someone who inherited a surname. Her success is not just because of a presidential endorsement or of being in the right political alliance. Certainly, political and logistical support contributed to her victory. But more than anything else, and with or without diploma, Imee Marcos comes into the senate as highly qualified. She is a cut above the rest, even when compared to the veterans. She is factually the one with the broadest experience in executive and legislative work when compared to all the other senators and senators-elect at the time they were first elected to the Senate.

A6

Opinion

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

Veneracion of public history

L

AST Thursday, the Museo ni Mariano Ponce in Baliwag, Bulacan was inaugurated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Ponce was the actual founder of La Solidaridad, the propaganda newspaper where the ideas that imagined the naTION lOWED (E WAS ALSO ONE OF our pioneer diplomats and public historians who wrote the history of our country in capsule form in newspaper columns (like what we are doing here in the Times). The guest of honor and speaker was Dr. Ma. Luisa Camagay, the president of the Philippine Historical Association, an expert and translator of the works of Ponce. Also present was another Ponce biographer, Dr. Jaime B. Veneracion who, like Ponce before him, is a stalwart of public history in the country.

According to Veneracion, he considers being a consultant of “ Bayani ,� “ Hiraya Manawari � and the “Knowledge Channel� as

volunteered with IBON Databank and wrote news clips which found their way into other papers such as the Signs of the Times. IBON’s in-depth research in the rural areas found their way into the broadsheets minus our bylines.� “unequal� in his engagement with He was one of those who started THE MEDIA 4HESE WERE INlUENTIAL Education Forum (EF), the adin implanting nationalism in our vocacy arm of the Association of generation. But he also used the Major Religious Superiors of the print media in disseminating his- Philippines. He chaired the history torical information. He began writ- group and with another historian, ing manifestos and published arti- MC Canlas, conducted seminars for cles in newspapers as a student and teachers and created news digests during the advent of Martial Law, for children in pamphlet form with he wrote for newspapers of the such titles as Alitaptap, Bulalakaw. progressive faculty — Spearhead They published the Manual for and Pingkian — and even Graphic Teaching Philippine History. Venmagazine. He also contributed to eracion later wrote Agos ng Dugong local provincial papers such as The Kayumanggi. In an interview, Dr. Republic and Barasoain.

Ma. Theresa L. de Villa, former In San Francisco, he wrote for principal of the UP Integrated Manila Mail and the magazine School, said: “We would hold Filipinas Monthly. He recalled: “In seminar workshops to enrich the the late Martial Law period, I wrote curriculum — not only strategies for Philippine Agenda and I also but content as well — because we

WALKING HISTORY MICHAEL “XIAO� CHUA

thought the teachers should make the decision about these matters, not just the administration.‌We asked, how do you make education relevant? So, it was education for social transformation.�

EF was a product of the postMarcos changes. Veneracion remembers: “Ang Education Forum ang naging outlet ng mga guro na pagdating ng People Power ay pinagmulan ng mas publikong advocacy para sa relevant education... relevant history. Unfortunately, EF passed on as the new and more accessible media became available to progressive faculty.�

Alitaptap and Bulalakaw would be sold later by their partners to a big textbook publisher. Veneracion said: “We were not aware or conscious of copyright; just sincere knowledge that these were for building up civics among the pupils.� He also believes that teachers are the most affective disseminators of history and continues to conduct training

Perception of legitimacy is more important than legitimacy itself

T

HE working title for today’s column came from one of a few remarkable conversations in the 2006 movie “Man of the Year.� Last week, a good friend sent me a text message saying, “Atty. Al, if you have time, please watch the movie ‘Man of the Year’ starring Robin Williams on NetFlix. It mirrors our election! It’s crazy funny, too!� So, I watched it with a keen eye and mind.

Faulty voting systems The movie is a political satire-comedy-thriller. The main protagonist, Tom Dobbs (played by Robin Williams) is a comedian and talk show host. The leading lady is Eleanor Green (played by Laura Linney) who works for Delacroy Voting Systems. The villains (or would you call them anti-heroes?) are the executives of Delacroy.

In one of his warm-up comedy acts, Dobbs is egged on by his audience to run for president of the United States. Dobbs initially laughs off the idea but eventually runs as an independent candidate due to a growing groundswell of support.

His opponents are the Democratic incumbent President Kellogg and Republican Senator Mills.

The entire United States would be using the Delacroy Voting Systems during the presidential election.

Shortly before the elections, Green discovered an error in the voting machines. She reported it promptly to the executives of Delacroy but it

end up with the person they voted for to be the president of the United States. But, we can celebrate the process — the democratic process which we hold so dear will have WORKED EFkCIENTLY EFFECTIVELY %Vwas immediately brushed aside.

On election day, early returns erybody is ultimately gonna be satisshowed Dobbs trailing behind kED UNLESS SOMEBODY DISCLOSES INKellog and Mills. To the surprise discriminately, willy-nilly, in which of everyone, Dobbs took enough case it’ll appear that democracy is electoral votes to become the pres- in the shit house, and by tomorrow ident-elect. Green revealed that a evening, Delacroy will be noncomputer glitch had mistakenly existent. Now is that your motive?

Green: No! awarded him the presidency.

Stewart: America votes. A leader is chosen. But one thing could disturb Quotable quotes THIS BEATIkC VISION Green: I just wanna be truthful.

The following conversation between Stewart: Perception of legitimacy Eleanor Green and Delacroy executive Alan Stewart (played by Jeff is more important than legitimacy Goldblum) deserves close scrutiny. itself. That’s the greater truth. Don’t Stewart: You found a systems er- fuck with our democracy. Don’t undermine our way of life. You want ROR (OW ARE YOU GONNA kX IT to know what’s at the heart and soul Green: I am not sure.

Stewart: Why would you test the of every American? They believe that computer at such limits with so few their vote counts. Now, you wanna DAYS LEFT TO kX THE PROBLEM IF YOU tell ‘em that’s not true?

Green: But, the results of the elecfound a problem?

Green: I was just double checking. tion will be wrong. One candidate Stewart: Do you want to de- will win because of computer error.

Stewart: If you wanna tinker with stroy this company? ‘Cause that’s what you very well may do. You it for future elections, it’s not only understand the ramifications. your prerogative, I encourage you‌ Do you want to put over 1,000 But do it alone, and with an eye to the future, because it is the future employees out of work?

Green: But the election will that interests us. Now is the past. As I understand it, there’s no problem. be a fraud.

Stewart: Here. Here it is in the sensible light of day. The people Philippine elections are voting, there is an election. The democratic process is at work.

After watching the movie, I have The only sour note? They won’t to believe my friend — it truly

ALL INSIGHT

AL S. VITANGCOL 3RD

mirrors our election.

For starters, the SmartmaticSUPPLIED VOTING SYSTEMS ARE lAWED and faulty. The automated elections system used in the 2019 national and local elections was marred with several major glitches and problems.

More than 1,000 SD cards encountered glitches, which was 10 times more than occurred in the 2016 polls. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) transparency server likewise suffered technical problems.

In fact, lawmakers belonging to the minority bloc are seeking to probe these election glitches.

Of course, the Comelec and the winning candidates have dismissed the allegations of electronic fraud. As they understood it, there was no problem.

The Filipino people voted, there was an election. The democratic process was at work. The only sour note? They would not end up with the candidates they voted for to be Senators of the republic.

You want to know what is in the heart and soul of every Filipino?

They believe that their vote counts.

You want to tell them that is not true and break their hearts? Never mind the allegations of electoral fraud.

As Stewart bluntly put it, “Perception of legitimacy is more important than legitimacy itself.

That’s the greater truth. Don’t fuck with our democracy.�

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

Manila.Times

FOCUS

Plastic polluter: Brazil recycles ‘almost nothing’ RIO DE JANEIRO: Standing among sacks of used supermarket shopping bags, soft drink bottles and detergent containers, Evelin Marcele is scornful of Brazil’s efforts to recycle plastic waste. “Almost nothing,� said the 40-year-old director of CoopFuturo, a sorting center for recyclable material in Rio de Janeiro, where plastic makes up 60 percent of the roughly 120 tonnes of garbage delivered to the facility every month.

Brazil is the fourth biggest producer of plastic rubbish in the world, beaten only by the United States, China and India, according to a recent report published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

But the Latin American country recycles just 1.28 percent of the 11.4 million tonnes it generates every year, which the WWF said was well below the global average of 9 percent.

An estimated 7.7 million tonnes OF PLASTIC ENDS UP IN LANDkLLS “People are consuming more, generating more garbage and the governments didn’t prepare the cities with the infrastructure that was required to deal with this problem,� Anna Lobo of WWFBrazil told AFP. “Ninety percent of Brazil’s

population has heard about sustainability and say they understand the problems in the environment. In reality few people change their habits.�

The world currently produces more than 300 million tonnes of plastics annually, and there are at least 5 trillion plastic pieces lOATING IN OUR OCEANS SCIENTISTS have estimated.

At a UN meeting in Kenya in March nations committed to gSIGNIkCANTLY REDUCEu SINGLE USE plastics over the next decade.

But Brazil is “way behind,� said Marcele as CoopFuturo workers wearing black gloves rummaged through a pile of rubbish bags to kND MATERIAL THAT COULD BE RECYCLED More government investment in infrastructure — such as sorting and recycling plants — and individual action was needed. “Infrastructure, help — we don’t have either,� she complained.

Political leaders “are not worried about this, they’re worried about other things.�

At supermarkets in Rio de Janeiro plastic bags are often lined with a second one to ensure they do not break.

Most people do not bother with reusable shopping bags that are on display and cost as little as 5.50 reais ($1.35).

Buying a fresh juice at one of the ubiquitous bars in the beachside city results in the use of at least one plastic cup and lid — and a plastic bag to carry it in.

A take-away meal is often accompanied by a plastic packet of plastic cutlery and a plastic carrier bag. “Right now I don’t have any other way of taking my shopping home,� said Israel Washington as he sat at a bar next to several plastic bags full of groceries. “I should have a [reusable] bag with me but I don’t.�

But he also blamed the government. “Their focus isn’t the environment, they are more worried about arming people.�

Banning plastic Bad habits Brazilians are huge consumers of throwaway plastic, particularly carrier bags which are free in much of the country and are offered for even the smallest purchase.

Legislation introduced in parts of Brazil has had some success in forcing Brazilians to adopt better habits.

Rio recently prohibited the use of plastic drinking straws, while

Brazil’s biggest city of Sao Paulo has banned petroleum-based plastic bags.

The Senate is now considering a proposal to outlaw the manufacture, distribution and sale of throwaway plastic, including straws and carrier bags, across the country.

CoopFuturo is one of 22 collectives involved in sorting rubbish in Rio, a city of more than 6 million people.

They receive rubbish from the local government’s Coleta Seletiva, or Selective Collection, service and then sell the sorted material to specialized recycling companies.

But of the 40 percent of household waste that is potentially recyclable, Coleta Seletiva and independent collectors only get 7 PERCENT AN OFkCIAL SAID BLAMING households for not separating their garbage properly.

Environmental activists are trying to encourage Brazilians to take responsiblity for their waste.

But many people still “don’t recognize the problem that rubbish causes in the sea,� said Paulo Salomao, a biologist at Rio’s aquarium. “So far people don’t have the awareness to change their habits,� said WWF’s Lobo. “People don’t stop to think about it.�

AFP

sessions through the Graduate Diploma in Cultural Education of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and the organization Adhika ng Pilipinas where he was kRST PRESIDENT I am not aware of any professional historian before Veneracion who wrote for tabloids. During that time, it would have been considered unintellectual to do so. But he did. He had regular columns in the tabloids Init, Bongga and Diyaryo and the Filipino semi-broadsheet Kabayan. Bringing history closer to the people in a language that they understand. His articles were later collected in various publications like Bulakan ng mga Bayani. His Kabayan essays have been collected as Espanya: Kasaysayan, Kalinangan at mga Gunita ng Paglalakbay. With it, anyone who cannot have the chance to go to Spain may know it a little better.

I heard one critic call Veneracion’s public history work as the “peddling

of mediocrity,� which is unfair because his numerous academic works, especially on Bulacan and the history of agriculture, are also SIGNIkCANT !ND THIS IS FROM A CRITIC who couldn’t even produce a single refereed journal article.

Gemma Cruz Araneta, who once hosted a radio program with Veneracion called “Cruz na Daan,â€? had this to say: “Wala akong tiwala sa mga manunulat na kunwari’y inilalapit sa madla ang kasaysayan, ngunit sa totoo lang, nilalait-lait ang pagkatao ng ating mga bayani at kinukulayan ng alinlangan ang kanilang mga makabayang layunin‌Mapagbigay si Dr. Jaime Veneracion; di niya pinagmamaramot ang kanyang kaalaman at karanasan bilang historyador. Guro siya ng mga mag-aaral at gabay din siya ng mga guro na uhaw sa karagdagang kaalaman.â€?

If public history now is a bit venerated by our people, we owe a lot of it to Veneracion.

FOCUS

Lesbos keen to woo back tourists after migration crisis LESBOS ISLAND, Greece: In the summer of 2015, thousands of tourists were lounging on beaches on the island of Lesbos, one of Greece’s top alternative travel destinations.

The home of archaic poetess Sappho, Lesbos used to draw holidaymakers for its stunning blue waters, picture postcard villages, sun-baked olive groves, mediaeval fortress and WORLD FAMOUS PETRIkED FOREST "UT THAT ALL CHANGED WHEN INlATable boats began to arrive in droves, carrying thousands of traumatized REFUGEES lEEING CIVIL WAR IN 3YRIA Lesbos became the main point OF ENTRY TO %UROPE FOR THE TERRIkED

shivering migrants who had risked their lives trying to cross the Aegean 3EA AND kND SAFETY It was also where many of the bodies washed up of those who had tragically drowned in the attempt. “2015 was a very good year for tourism and then, suddenly they started to arrive,� said Maria Dimitriou, a shop owner in the mediaeval village of Molyvos in the island’s north, where many of the refugees’ boats landed.

The refugees began arriving in mid-July, when the hotels were full of tourists, Dimitriou told AFP. “There were refugees everywhere, lying down with all their trash. And after this, tourism stopped.�

In 2015, alone, more than 500,000 refugees, mostly Syrians, arrived in Lesbos.

Smaller numbers — but enough to overwhelm local authorities there as well — landed on the islands of Chios, Kos, Samos and Leros.

Almost overnight, Lesbos became a byword for Europe’s migration crisis.

And that notoriety persists even today — much to the consternation of locals.

Vangelis Mirsinias, head of the Lesbos chamber of commerce, said inhabitants now wanted to rebuild the island’s reputation and woo back the tourists. “We want to remind people of how beautiful this island is,� Mirsinias said.

Lesbos is also home to Plomari, one of the most popular ouzo brands in Greece.

There are still over 6,000 refugees and migrants on the island, and the main camp of Moria is still overcrowded, despite the authorities’ efforts to transfer

refugees to the mainland.

Tourist numbers have dropped dramatically — from 75,000 in 2015 to 32,000 in 2016, according to chamber of commerce data.

The number seems to be on the rise again, reaching 63,000 last year and CHARTER lIGHTS ARE RETURNING But cruise ships are not, local operators complain. Only eight are expected this year, compared to 94 in 2011 and just a single one in 2018.

Paris Laoumis, who owns a tavern on the beach of Skala Sykamias, said some of his Dutch customers had stopped coming after 2015. “They told us they did not feel like seeing all this misery,� he said.

At the height of the crisis, his tavern acted as makeshift headquarters to an army of foreign media and rescuers. And the owner himself lent a hand in pulling halfdrowned refugees out of the water.

‘Swimming where others drowned’ “People don’t want to swim where (others) drowned,� said Vato, a local mother and volunteer. “And around the camp of Moria, there is always a lot of concern ABOUT PROSTITUTION DRUG TRAFkCKING and theft,� she said.

The island’s beaches have been cleaned up for the coming season.

But further inland, in the middle of green hills, a mountain of discarded life jackets bears witness to the scope of the migrant crisis.

Michalis Michilakellis, a local souvenir seller, said he has lost a third of his business. He blames all the negative media attention.

The locals were “fed up,� said volunteer Vato. “People are angry towards the government and towards Europe: they told us not to worry, the camps won’t last. But it’s still there.�

Chamber of commerce chief Mirsinias suggested the European Union should provide funding to help repair the island’s image. “The economy is still paying the impact of the crisis, and the smugglers keep sending people,� he said. “It will need time and money to change this image,� estimating that around half a million euros AFP were needed.

Q SAMONTE FROM A5

Huawei: The endgame now admit that they have long anticipated this move by the US in the race to cybertech supremacy. They say they had been sure long ago that sooner or later, the US would ban sales to China of US cyberchips, and so early on they developed their own technology no longer dependent upon those US chips.

According to my friend, the US discovered to its dismay that Huawei had grown to such an extent that US digital giants like Apple can no longer engage in the cyberindustry sans Huawei technology. My friend estimates that there won’t be any

more digital in decades to come other than Huawei’s.

Stated otherwise, this means no digital gadget manufacturer in the world will henceforth be able to produce those items without having to use Huawei technology in them. “Does it mean that Huawei has cornered the cyber technology for all eternity?� I ask. “At least for the next generation,� my friend says.

Seeing how awesomely rapid has been the advancement in the cyber tech race, one may equate “that next generation� to eons, indeed.

Regions

˜ The Manila Times

www.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

A7

F O R L O S I N G O N LY B Y 1 0 V O T E S

Kalinga vice gov files poll protest T

BY DEXTER A. SEE

ABUK CITY, Kalinga: Vice governor and losing GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE *AMES %DUBBA kLED a protest with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday seeking for the exclusion of 622 votes in a vote-rich barangay (village) in Pinukpuk town and investigation of alleged seizure of Secure Data (SD) cards.

The provincial board of canvassers had proclaimed incumbent Tabuk city Mayor Ferdinand Tubban as governor with

39,148 votes, winning only by 10 votes over Edubba.

Edubba questioned the decision of

Comelec officials in Barangay Sucbut, 0INUKPUK TO CONkSCATE THE 3$ CARDS FROM the board of election inspectors (BEIs) and order them to leave the polling precinct SAYING IT MIGHT TAKE TWO DAYS TO RECONkGURE THE DEFECTIVE 3$ CARDS But, after several hours, Edubba said the BEI members returned to the municipal canvassing center and were informed it was the vote counting machine (VCM) THAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NOT THE 3$ CARDS Based on Edubba’s petition, 622 votes were casted in the precinct where Tubban GOT VOTES #ONRADO $IEZA VOTES and Edubba, 25 votes.

It was only in Barangay Sucbut that Tubban won as all the other villages were dominated by Edubba with a convincing margin over all his rivals.

Before the transmission of the results from Barangay Sucbut, Edubba said he was leading in the province’ gobernatorial race by 122 votes but his lead was eventually overtaken

by Tubban when the results of Sucbut were included in the provincial canvass. “We simply want the poll body to look into the circumstances that happened prior to the canvassing of the casted votes from Sucbut because there was already a cloud of doubt on the sanctity of the bal-

lots with what happened. Why did the #OMELEC OFkCIALS CONkSCATED THE 3$ CARDS and ordered the BEI members to go home BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE TWO DAYS TO RECONkGURE THE SAME 7HY DID THE #OMELEC OFkCIALS change their mind and call back the BEI members and inform them that what was defective was the vote counting machine?�

Edubba stressed.

He also questioned why the canvassing of votes was done at the municipal canvassing center when they could have brought to the polling precinct the VCM replacement, so the canvassing could have be processed by the BEI members.

Abra crafts 10-year agriculture master plan 4(% $EPARTMENT OF !GRICULTURE $! HAS COMMITTED TO ASSIST THE PROVINCE OF !BRA IN CRAFTING a 10-year master plan that would develop the province’s agriculture AND kSHERIES SECTOR !GRICULTURE 3ECRETARY %MMANUel Piùol, in a statement on Friday, said his department was eyeing !BRA AS A MAJOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AREA IN ,UZON HAVING A wide land area of over 416,000 HECTARES MAJORITY OF WHICH WERE UNDERUTILIZED g4HE !GRICULTURE -ASTER 0LAN is aimed at identifying the potentials of the province and the interventions needed to achieve greater productivity while at the same time reduce poverty in the countryside,� Piùol said.

4HE $! S OFFER TO HELP IN THE formulation of the master plan WAS ACCEPTED BY !BRA 'OV *OY 6ARELA "ERNOS AND 2EP *OSEPH 3TO .IĂ„O g*"u "ERNOS DURING THE TURN over of four units of solar-powered IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN ,APAZ TOWN For the master plan, PiĂąol said THE $! AND !BRA AGRICULTURE SEC-

TOR WOULD PRIORITIZE UPLAND AND rainfed rice farms, additional solar IRRIGATION PROJECTS FRUIT INDUSTRY

bamboo industry and dairy farming.

The agriculture chief noted that all other provinces in the country interested in crafting their own AGRICULTURE AND kSHERIES MASTER plan would also be assisted by the department. “The crafting of the agriculture master plan for each and every province of the country is now the NEXT STEP OF THE $! IN DEVELOPING agriculture in the country after it has completed the road maps for important agricultural commodities such as rice, corn and feed grains, mango, onion,fisheries, dairy and others,â€? PiĂąol said. %ARLIER THIS MONTH THE !GRICULture department also committed to help the newly established "ANGSAMORO !UTONOMOUS 2EGION in Muslim Mindanao in crafting its 10-year agriculture master plan in an effort to increase food production in the region.

EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

Nationinbriefs MUSLIM SCHOLAR SHOT DEAD IN ZAMBOANGA ZAMBOANGA CITY: Motorcycle-riding gunmen shot dead a Muslim scholar late on Thurdays in Zamboanga del Norte. Police said Ustadz Abdurahman Abubakar was traveling on a motorcycle with his wife and a child when the gunmen who were tailing them fired shots at him in Barangay Malambuhangin in Siocon town. Abubakar, 37, died instantly from several gunshot wound. The assailants escaped after the attack leaving the woman and her child unscathed. Police Maj. Helen Galvez, regional police spokesman, said the police were investigating the motive of the murder.

Abubakar’s family did not give any statement in the killing.

AL JACINTO

DSWD, ARMY SIGN PACT ON RELIEF GOODS PREPOSITIONING THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Army’s 7th Infantry Division (7ID) to provide augmentation support in delivering disaster response programs and services. DSWD Regional Director Gemma Gabuya said the agreement is pursuant to the agency’s Oct. 16, 2018 memorandum in compliance to the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to discontinue the prepositioning of relief goods in local government units. Under the MOA, the 7ID will allow utilization of their warehouse at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija for prepositioning of DSWD relief goods. “The move is eyed to facilitate uninterrupted flow of services particularly to those who are affected by calamities, especially within our area of responsibility,� Major Gen. Lenard Agustin, 7ID commander, said. Weeks from now, the DSWD will deliver the family food packs and nonfood items to the facility.

JERRY M. HERNANDEZ

RICH ETHNIC CULTURE

Tribu Aritao join in the parade of floats and street dancing on Friday, culminating the 180th founding anniversary of Nueva Vizcaya and its 11th Grand Ammungan Festival. Ammungan, the Gaddang or Cagayan word for ‘gathering,’ highlights the rich history and culture of its native sons with diverse ethnic culture. PHOTO BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO

BoC to file cases over waste cargoes in MisOr TAGOLO-AN, Misamis Oriental: The Bureau of Customs (BoC) in the subport of Tagolo-an recommended THE kLING OF CHARGES AGAINST THE CONSIGNEE OF THE SEIZED WASTE CARGOES SHIPPED FROM !USTRALIA

which were unloaded on May 10 at the Phividec Industrial Estate in Misamis Oriental. *OHN 3IMON HEAD OF THE SUBPORT customs collector at the Mindanao International Container Terminal (MICT), said he has recommended THE WARRANT OF SEIZURE AND DETENTION 73$ OF CARGOES PENDING result of the ongoing probe by an interagency group.

He added that aside from the "O# AND ENVIRONMENT OFkCIALS

the interagency is composed of municipal and provincial health OFkCIALS LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS

and other stakeholders.

3IMON CLARIkED THAT THE VIOLAtion of customs laws is separate and distinct from other laws that THE INTERAGENCY MIGHT LATER kND out in the course of the investigation. g4HE ISSUANCE OF THE 73$ IS A long process. We have no idea how long will it take before it is actually issued,� Simon said.

The shipment, consigned to Holcim Philippines Inc., consisted of nine 40-footer van declared as

processed engineered fuel, or PEF containing municipal waste from !USTRALIA )T WAS SHIPPED BY #LEANway Resources Co. Ltd., which IDENTIkED THE -)#4 IN 0HIVIDEC

Tagolo-an as point of discharge.

On May 10, the BoC alerted the government task force assigned in the subport area to check the cargoes and the import papers.

The Environment and MonitorING $IVISION OF THE $EPARTMENT of Environment and Natural 2ESOURCES $%.2 IMMEDIATELY CONDUCTED INITIAL VERIkCATION OF the shipment and reported that the shipment was shredded municipal waste of varied materials.

In their observation report, representatives from the BoC, $%.2 AND (OLCIM CONkRMED THAT the cargoes contained shredded municipal waste materials, baled and tightly wrapped in plastics, showing pieces of assorted plastics, stones, glass cutter, soil, paper and other shredded waste materials.

Investigators said the composition of the municipal waste indicated more of a residual waste or items, which could not be readily removed or separated for recycling. !SIDE FROM THE ISSUANCE OF THE 73$ 3IMON ALSO RECOMMENDED THE kLING OF CHARGES AGAINST (OLcim, particularly in violation

MARAWI PEOPLE NEED HELP FROM TRAUMA

OVER 100,000 Maranao remained displaced as the government continues with its rehabilitation efforts two years after Marawi City was besieged by Islamic State (IS)-inspired terrorists, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Whether living with relatives or in evacuation centers and transition sites, the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Marawi struggle for access to potable water, viable livelihood opportunities and most importantly, permanent shelters. “Despite the numerous aid efforts that have truly helped those in need over the two years, the people of Marawi have grown tired and frustrated. They want to stand on their own feet again and stop depending on assistance,� said Martin Thalmann, ICRC head of delegation in the Philippines.  Thalmann pointed out that while the authorities address complex issues to begin rehabilitating the most affected

areas, victims who have yet to heal from the trauma need “sustained support.�  He noted the conflict has left more vulnerable groups, such as families of missing people and victims of violence, with “invisible� scars. “The wounds that do not bleed are the wounds that become scars. And these are the most painful because they will always leave something to look at.

Something that will always bring back memories of what happened. Nevertheless, it is still important because it is still a lesson,� recalled “Mel� (not his real name), a 34-year-old resident who was severely traumatized by the Marawi conflict.  Launched in October 2018, the ICRC’s mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) program has reached close to 700 people. Among them, 47 people who were severely traumatized in the Marawi conflict — including “Mel� — have reported feeling “relieved, comfortable,

safe and understood� after undergoing individual MHPSS sessions. “They need sustained support to recover mentally from the trauma caused by the conflict that has affected their overall well-being,� Thalmann said.

IS-inspired militants took over Marawi City on May 23, 2017, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee. The siege, the longest urban warfare in the Philippines since World War 2, ended in October 2017 with nearly a thousand militants dead.

For the ICRC’s next step, Thalmann said the organization would work on strengthening the capacity of the public health system in the area of psychosocial support to victims of violence.

The ICRC, with its partner the Philippine Red Cross, has been supporting the conflict-affected Marawi people with their medical treatment and prosthesis and physiotherapy for those with physical disabilities as result of injuries.

NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

OF 2EPUBIC !CT 2!

ALSO 4OXIC -ATERIALS AND 2! OR THE known as “Ecological Waste Man- g#LEAN !IR !CT OF u AGEMENT !CT OF u 2! ON CRIS DIAZ

A8

News

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Candidates told to file SOCEs T

BY WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded all candidates, party-list groups and political parties that participated in the midterm elections to kLE THEIR STATEMENTS OF ELECTION CONTRIBUTIONS and expenditures (SOCE) within 30 days AFTER THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said on Friday that all candidates are required by law to submit a SOCE, warning that noncompliance is a violation of elections laws.

At the same time, Comelec assured poll workers who rendered service in the polls that they will be fully

compensated within 15 days after the elections.

In a report to Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abbas, the Financial Services Department said as of May 23, cash payout of P1.48 billion or 59.2 percent f out of a total of P2.615 billion had already been disbursed to poll workers.

Jimenez said, “Regardless of the election results, whether one won or lose, or even if the candidates or parties concerned did not receive any contribution or did not incur any expenditure, they should still submit their 3/#%S RElECTING SUCH u He added that candidates are required to submit their SOCE even if they did not campaign, or withdrew their candidacy unless it WAS DONE OFkCIALLY BEFORE THE START of the election campaign on February 12 for senators, and March 29 for local candidates.

He also reminded candidates TO kLL IN ALL THE REQUIRED INFORMAtion because an incomplete SOCE would be deemed not submitted.

Under the guidelines issued

by Comelec’s Campaign Finance

/FkCE #&/ A 3/#% kLED BEyond the deadline would not be accepted except from those who won. Provided, however, that the winning candidate would submit it within six months from the date of proclamation without prejudice to the payment of administrative PENALTY FOR LATE kLING The Comelec CFO said a SOCE might not be submitted via registered mail, courier or messenger services.

But, Jimenez said that since THE LAST DAY OF kLING OF THE 3/#% is on June 12, a holiday, the SOCE may still be submitted the following day.

The SOCE must be submitted in three hard copies and one soft/electronic copy; it should be in Excel format and in porta-

Under the Bureau of Internal 2EVENUE ")2 RULES AND REGULAFull payment in 4 days tions, no taxes would be withheld from public school teachers serv“Right now, it is 11 days after the ing as members of the Electoral elections. So, poll workers should Boards provided they execute, expect to be fully paid in four and file with the Comelec, the days time barring any unfortunate prescribed sworn declaration of AND UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES u having an annual income threshJimenez said. old of P250,000.

Under Republic Act 10756 Taxes will be withheld by or the “Election Service Reform Comelec, acting as a withholding !CTu %32!

THE FOLLOWING POLL agent pursuant to BIR rules, for workers are entitled to the fol- those whose income exceeds the lowing honoraria: Chairman of threshold. the electoral boards, P6,000; Jimenez said Comelec would members of electoral boards, assist tax-exempt poll workers in P5,000; Department of Educa- their compliance with the BIR tion supervisor official, P4,000; requirement and would shoulder and support staff, P 2,000. They the required documentary stamp are also entitled to travel allow- tax and the cost of reproducing ance of P1,000 each.

THE AFkDAVIT

ble document format file.

VILLAR BATS FOR FOOD SECURITY ). LINE WITH HER LIVELIHOOD ADVOCACY kRST senator-elect Cynthia Villar pushed for food security, as she led the opening of the 6th Las PiĂąas Food Festival at the Villar Social Institute of Poverty Alleviation and 'OVERNANCE 3IPAG #OMPLEX IN 0ULANG Lupa Uno, Las PiĂąas City on Friday. “As you know, my Senate committee is agriculture and food, I encourage you all to go into urban gardening so we would be able to produce our own vegetables when CALAMITIES HIT THE PROVINCES u 6ILLAR SAID g7E AIM THAT THOSE WHO PLANT VEGETABLE gardens will be able to turn it into their

livelihood to ensure food security in our CITY u SHE ADDED 6ILLAR CITED THE 7ORLD 0OPULATION Prospects report of the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs, which projected a global population of 9.8 billion by 2050, as well as the recent UN Food and Agriculture Organization report that said there would be a global food shortage in the same year. “They predict that we should increase our food production by 50 percent in order to feed the world. That’s why we here in the Philippines should learn how to

FOOD FESTIVAL

Reelected Sen. Cynthia Villar (second from right) and Las PiĂąas Rep. Camile Villar (extreme right) are seen with the participants in the cooking contest during the 6th Las PiĂąas Food Festival held at Villar Social Institute of Poverty Alleviation and Governance Complex in Las PiĂąas City on Friday.

Q MEETING FROM A1

produce our own food and make sure it’s enough for after all, we are an agricultural COUNTRY u 6ILLAR SAID Since the launch of the Las Piùas Food Festival in 2013, Villar, who sits as the managing director of Villar Sipag, said there had been an increase in the participants in the festival’s cooking competition, with 20 villages of Las Piùas joining in its sixth edition.

She added that food retail booths had also increased with Villar Sipag opening more than 20 booths of micro and small enterprises from Las PiĂąas and the nearby areas of Cavite, Muntinlupa, Pasay and Quezon City to promote their products and services. g.INETY kVE PERCENT OF ALL THE BUSINESSes in the Philippines are small and micro enterprises and 50 percent of them are in THE FOOD BUSINESSu SHE SAID AT A MEDIA interview on the sidelines of the fair.

The Las PiĂąas Food Festival has been an annual activity since 2013, and aims to promote food tourism, urban gardening and the city’s culinary heritage, as well as provide a platform for Las PiĂąas entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services. “In a small way, [this is how] we aim to ensure food security in the city. As we conduct it every year, we aim to encourage more of our countrymen to plant their own crops, which will eventually turn into THEIR SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD AND INCOME u Villar said.

MAYLENE STEPHANIE S. VIRAY

Q IMPROVED FROM A1

DFA: Sea row More Filipinos say their “The Philippines, for its part, has always AFkRMED ITS COMMITMENT TO UPHOLD THE principles of freedom of navigation and OVERlIGHT FREEDOM OF COMMERCE AND OTHER lawful activities, exercise of self-restraint, AND THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES u he added.

China has heightened activities in the South China Sea and, earlier this week, A 53 BASED THINK TANK SAID kSHING lEETS had returned to harvest giant clams in AREAS SUCH AS THE 3CARBOROUGH 0ANATAG Shoal, which it seized from the Philippines in 2012.

Duterte, who has courted Beijing’s favor in a pivot from traditional Philippine ally THE 53 LAST MONTH THREATENED gSUICIDEu attacks following reports that Chinese vessels had been spotted near Philippine-held 0AGASA 4HITU )SLAND Meanwhile, Montealegre said Duterte and Abe would not be witnessing the signing of any agreements during the Japan visit. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez earlier said at least 10 deals could be inked with *APANESE kRMS “There will be no agreements to be signed during this particular visit. The meeting between the two leaders is the KEY TAKEAWAY OF THIS PARTICULAR VISIT u -ONtealegre said.

RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

Q TRASH FROM A1

Canada to

foreign workers. “The Filipino-Canadian community has made huge contributions to Canada.

As I mentioned to their Foreign Secretary [Teodoro Locsin Jr.] last week, we are committed to resolving this issue as quickly as possible. Today is an essential step forward IN ACCOMPLISHING THAT u &REELAND SAID BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

from the +12 three months earlier. Both WERE CLASSIkED BY THE 373 AS gVERY HIGH u Net gainer scores rose nationwide, except in Mindanao.

It was up 9 points in the Visayas to a gVERY HIGHu FROM $ECEMBER S gHIGHu +3; 7 points in Metro Manila to an “exCELLENTu FROM A gVERY HIGHu AND by 6 points in Balance Luzon to a “very HIGHu FROM It fell 2 points to +16 in Mindanao from the +18 recorded three months earlier.

Net gainer scores also rose across classes except for class E, where it DROPPED POINTS TO A gHIGHu FROM THE gVERY HIGHu PREVIOUSLY It rose by 8 points in the ABC class to AN gEXCELLENTu IMPROVING FROM THE SIMILARLY gEXCELLENTu IN $ECEMBER

and by 7 points for class D to a “very HIGHu FROM AN ALSO gVERY HIGHu Half of the people surveyed also said they expected their personal quality of life to improve in the next 12 months, with only 4 percent responding otherwise.

4HIS RESULTED IN AN gEXCELLENTu NET optimism score.

By region, this was up 12 points in "ALANCE ,UZON TO AN gEXCELLENTu from +40. The scores were virtually idenTICAL MEANWHILE IN -ETRO -ANILA FROM 6ISAYAS FROM AND -INDANAO FROM Net optimism increased across all classes.

Optimism about the Philippine economy for the next year also went up, with 45 percent responding positively compared to the 10 percent who were pessimistic.

This resulted in a net optimism score of +35, 3 points higher than the +32 gEXCELLENTu RATING IN THE PRIOR QUARTER

and the highest since the +42 recorded in December 2017.

4HE kGURE DECREASED BY POINTS IN Mindanao to +44 from December’s +50.

It also dipped in Visayas to +25 from +30, but surged in Balance Luzon, adding 10 points to +36 in March.

Metro Manila’s score was +30, a threepoint increase from +27 in December.

The results were taken positively

by MalacaĂąang, with spokesman Salvador Panelo saying it “emphasized that our people see and appreciate the President’s tireless efforts to improve and bring about genuine and positive CHANGE TO THE NATION u “This is yet another loud repudiation against — and yet another wake-up call to — the critics and detractors of the Duterte administration, which include the left-leaning groups, militant Church members and the political opposition, who continuously and deliberately ignore our achievements, which redound TO THE BENEkT OF THE &ILIPINO MASSES u he added. g7ITH A GREAT MAJORITY OF ADMINistration candidates overwhelmingly voted by our people to continue supporting the advocacies of the President, the current government, fueled by the optimism of the Filipino people, would work double time to improve on the significant gains of the past three years during the remainder of [Duterte’s] term as Chief %XECUTIVE u 0ANELO CONTINUED The latest survey was conducted from March 28 to 31, 2019, with 1,440 Filipinos aged 18 and above as respondents.

The sampling error margins were Âą2.6 percent for national percentages and Âą5 percent each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao.

RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

DOG WATCH

Three dogs of the Bureau of Animal Industry are on stand by at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport ready to sniff meat inside passenger’s luggage. PHOTO BY BENJIE VERGARA

SC acquits drug convict The Supreme Court (SC) acquitted a drug convict for the prosecution’s failure to prove his crime beyond reasonable doubt and ruled that “[t]he observance of the chain of custody, being necessary to preserve the integrity of the drug presented as evidence, must be clearly established.�

In the decision written by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, the Supreme Court First Division ordered the release from the Davao Penal Farm of Rogelio Yagao, “unless he is legally confined for another lawful cause.�

The Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 25 of Cagayan de Oro City convicted Yagao in 2011 for violation of Section 5, Article 2 of the Republic Act (RA) 9165 or the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.�The Court of Appeals (CA) upheld the decision in 2014.

Yagao was caught with one transparent plastic bag containing 7.40 grams of dried marijuana during an alleged buy-bust in 2006 in Zone 4, Bugo, Cagayan de Oro City.

The high tribunal ruled that the prosecution failed to establish the essential element of delivery of the dangerous drug by the accused-appellant to the poseur buyer. Citing the transcript of stenographic notes, the court noted that the policeman who acted as poseur-buyer quickly effected Yagao’s arrest just as soon as he had pulled out the marijuana from his pocket, hence, the seizure happened before Yagao could hand over the illegal drug. “Under such circumstance, there was no sale because

the delivery of the dangerous drug to the poseur buyer had not yet transpired. Delivery as one of the essential elements of illegal sale of dangerous drug under Section 5 of RA 9165 is defined as the act of knowingly passing a dangerous drug to another, personally or otherwise, and by any means, with or without consideration.�

Aside from this, the Supreme Court pointed out that the chain of custody of the confiscated drug, not being unbroken, raised grave doubts about the integrity of the drug as evidence of the corpus delicti (i.e., the fact of a crime having been actually committed). It stressed that it had “frequently held that the observance of the chain of custody was essential in the preservation of the identity of the confiscated drug� because “the drug, being itself the corpus delicti of the crime of illegal sale charged, will be the factual basis for holding the accused criminally liable under Section 5 of RA 9165.� “Contrary to the finding of the CA and the RTC, serious and unjustifiable gaps broke the chain of custody of the confiscated marijuana.� It noted irreconcilable inconsistencies tainted the arresting and seizing officers’ recollections about the links in the chain of custody, which diminished the credibility of their supposed observance of the chain of custody. “Hence, their incrimination of the accused-appellant was fully discredited and should not be allowed to stand. As a result, we should doubt the stated reason for the arrest,� it added.

JOMAR CANLAS

Q RESIDENTS FROM A1

Belmonte tells complaining BE SENT TO HIM u SHE ADDED “Next year po, kakayanin ko na pong gawan ng paraan ang school supplies para sa lahat ng schoolchildren dahil tayo na po ang gagawa ng mga programa para sa lungsod .EXT YEAR

) WILL kND WAYS TO PROVIDE SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO all schoolchildren as I will be the one crafting PROGRAMS FOR THE CITY u "ELMONTE CONTINUED 4HE INCOMING MAYOR CAME UNDER kRE FOR posting pictures of her distributing school supplies in several barangays VILLAGES AND HER REPLY FURTHER INlAMED COMMENTERS “Ganito ba dapat ang sagot ng isang leader

)S THIS HOW A LEADER RESPONDS u 4OPACIO 0ATTY Garcia wrote.

XÍrÜx AntÜnïnÜ, meanwhile, said: g 7AG NA kayo kasi magreklamo‌ Sa dami ba naman nabigyan ng 1k at P300‌ Yun nlang pambili nyo ng SCHOOL SUPPLIES $ON T COMPLAINw GIVen the numbers of those who received P1,000 AND 0 w USE THIS TO BUY SCHOOL SUPPLIES u Belmonte noted that Makati City had fewer residents, senior citizens and informal settlers compared to Quezon City’s population of 3.2 million and 250,000 informal settlers.

JAIME R. PILAPIL

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

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P52.16 TO $1

PSEi 7,747.09 DOWN 0.73%

What’s inside DOE CHIEF VOWS CSP INTEGRITY, COMPLETION

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MEGAWORLD INVESTS P1.2B IN NEW MALL

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PNB EYES $300M FROM EURO BONDS

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IMF: US-CHINA TRADE WAR TO ‘JEOPARDIZE’ GROWTH

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BTr: Govt posts P87-B budget surplus in April

BY MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

T

HE government incurred a budget surplus of P86.9 billion in April as state spending contracted amid a marginal growth in revenues, the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) said on Friday, attributing the latest data to the delayed 2019 outlay. ,AST MONTH S AMOUNT WAS A REVERSAL OF THE 0 BILLION DEkCIT POSTED in March, and was also higher than the P46.315-billion surplus recorded a year earlier.

'OVERNMENT REVENUES ROSE BY percent to P308.7 billion in April from P307.6 billion last year, while expenditures plunged by 15.1 percent to P221.8 billion from P261.2 billion. A month EARLIER REVENUES ROSE BY PERCENT

Above 6% GDP eyed with ‘catch-up plan’ THE country’s economic managers will embark on an “expenditure catch-up plan� to offset the negative impact of the delayed 2019 budget on growth. “This morning, the members of the Economic Development Cluster held a meeting to formulate a carefully crafted and bold expenditure catch-up plan to enable us to hit a GDP (gross domestic product) growth rate of above 6 percent this year,� Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd announced in a briefing on Friday.

During the meeting, he said, key infrastructure agencies presented their updated spending plans for this year “to substantially offset the lower spending in the first quarter resulting from both the budget delay and the election ban on public works.�

A dispute between the Senate and the House of Representatives over alleged insertions resulted in the four-and-ahalf-month delay of the passage of the 2019 national budget. This forced the government to run on last year’s budget, limiting it to spend for items detailed in

W Seoul 0.69%

SME FIRST CIRCLE

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SATURDAY MAY 25, 2019

Business Times

CURRENCY RATE

B1

while expenditures fell by 8 percent.

The latest surplus trimmed the yearto-date shortfall to P3.4 billion, 96.8 percent lower than the P105.9 billion posted in the comparable 2018 period.

Revenues &OR !PRIL ALONE THE "UREAU OF )NTERNAL 2EVENUE ")2 accounted

FOR THE BULK OF REVENUES WITH 0 billion, 1.2 percent higher than the year-earlier P232.6 billion. The growth was slower compared to March’s 13 percent.

4HE "UREAU OF #USTOMS "O# NETTED 0 BILLION ‡ A PERCENT GAIN FROM LAST YEAR S 0 BILLION ‡ WHILE OTHER OFkCES CONTRIBUTED 0 BILLION

BRINGING TOTAL TAX REVENUES FOR THE month to P288.9 billion. “The agency’s strong performance for the period was attributed to its stringent monitoring and continuing efforts to ENHANCE REVENUE COLLECTION CAPABILITIES AND INTENSIkED CONTROL MEASURES AGAINST UNDERVALUATION MISDECLARATION and other forms of technical smuggling,� the Treasury said.

4AX REVENUE GROWTH WAS SLOWER AT

2.8 percent from 12 percent a month earlier.

Non-tax earnings, meanwhile, reached P19.8 billion, with the TreaSURY CONTRIBUTING 0 BILLION ‡ DOWN PERCENT ‡ gRESULTING MAINLY FROM LOWER COLLECTIONS OF DIVIDENDS ON SHARES OF STOCKS HELD BY THE GOVERNment,� it said.

Spending 4HE BULK OF GOVERNMENT SPENDING ‡ 0 BILLION ‡ WAS FOR PRIMARY expenditures, which fell by 16.7 percent from P238.1 billion a year ago.

The Treasury bureau said “part of the slower spending was still due to the four-month delay in the passage

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China slams US ‘lies’ about Huawei’s government ties

Q US President Donald Trump.

AFP FILE PHOTO

the 2018 outlay and not on programs and projects supposed to be implemented this year.

This put total national government spending in January to March — which include expenditures for infrastructure and capital outlay, maintenance, personnel services and subsidies — at P778 billion, up 0.8 percent or P6 billion from the amount in the same period last year.

This caused Philippine economic growth to decelerate to 5.6 percent in the first three months, well below the government’s downwardly revised 6- to 7-percent target. “To enable us to hit a GDP growth rate above 6 percent this year, national government needs to ramp up its spending,�

Dominguez said. For his part, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said that, to reach the full-year growth target, the economy would need to expand by an average of 6.1 percent over the next three quarters. “This target is still within reach,

BEIJING: China ramped up a war of words with the United 3TATES OVER (UAWEI ON &RIDAY ACCUSING 7ASHINGTON OF spreading “lies� about the telecommunications giant thrust to the center of their escalating trade war.

4HE kERY RESPONSE CAME HOURS AFTER 53 3ECRETARY OF 3TATE Mike Pompeo rejected Huawei’s denials that the Chinese COMPANY WORKS WITH THE #OMMUNIST GOVERNMENT The Trump administration has infuriated Beijing by BLACKLISTING THE SMARTPHONE kRM OVER WORRIES THAT #HINA uses it as a tool for espionage, and allegations of breaking sanctions on Iran.

Huawei has repeatedly denied it works with the Communist-led GOVERNMENT “To say that they don’t work with THE #HINESE GOVERNMENT IS A FALSE statement,� Pompeo told CNBC on Thursday, adding that Huawei was “deeply tied� to the Communist Party.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said US politicians HAVE SPREAD RUMORS ABOUT (UAWEI WITHOUT PROVIDING EVIDENCE “These American politicians

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‘Consider PH credit standing in okaying tax reforms’ PSEi dips on ,!7-!+%23 should consider the country’s latest credit rating standING IN APPROVING THE REMAINING TAX REFORM PROPOSALS OF THE GOVERNMENT &INANCE 3ECRETARY #ARLOS Dominguez 3rd said. “I hope that, with this credit rating upgrade recently, the Senate will really consider passing these bills that WILL REDOUND TO THE BENEkT OF THE &ILIPINO PEOPLE u $OMINGUEZ WAS QUOTED IN A $EPARTMENT OF &INANCE STATEMENT ON &RIDAY In late April, S&P Global Ratings

raised the country’s credit rating from “BBB� to “BBB+� and assigned a stable outlook. It said the Philippines could expect another UPGRADE OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS IF THE GOVERNMENT MAKES SIGNIkCANT GAINS IN ITS kSCAL REFORM PROGRAM or if the country’s external posiTION IMPROVES SUCH THAT ITS STATUS as a net external creditor becomes MORE SECURE OVER THE LONG TERM Dominguez pointed out that CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL OF THE kRST #OMPREHENSIVE 4AX 2EFORM 0RO-

GRAM #420 PACKAGE ‡ 2EPUBLIC Act 10963 or the Tax Reform for !CCELERATION AND )NCLUSION 4RAIN Act, implemented at the start of 2018 ‡ WAS CITED BY 3 0 AS AMONG THE key strengths that led it to assign the COUNTRY S HIGHEST INVESTMENT GRADE EVER WHICH IS JUST A STEP AWAY FROM an ‘A’ rating that is accorded only to the world’s most stable economies. g7HAT 3 0 REALLY IS SAYING IN ITS REPORT IS THIS IS THE ROADMAP to a second upgrade. It’s right THERE ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS FOL-

low it: Complete the tax reform PROGRAM SUSTAIN THE DEkCIT AT percent, don’t increase it in other words; lower your debt-to-GDP GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT RATIO )T S all there,� he said.

Aside from reforms in corpoRATE TAXATION WHICH COVER THE reduction of the current corporate INCOME TAX RATE OF PERCENT ‡ THE HIGHEST IN THE REGION ‡ AND THE RATIONALIZATION OF kSCAL INCENTIVES THE &INANCE DEPARTMENT IS also urging Congress to pass bills

that further raise excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol; increase the GOVERNMENT S SHARE FROM MINING operations; lift bank secrecy laws and ensure the automatic exchange of tax information; reforming the PROPERTY VALUATION SYSTEM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND RATIONALIZING capital income taxation. “I want a big push on this� in the Congress, Dominguez said in reference to the rest of the CTRP bills pending in both chambers.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

Giving Filipinos hope

I

AM writing this column to pay tribute to a true friend of the Philippines, a person who has spent THE LAST kVE YEARS IN THE COUNTRY TO HELP IMPROVE THE MOBILITY OF &ILIPInos. Dr. Gyeng Chul Kim, a Korean national, came to Manila in 2014 to SERVE AS 0OLICY AND 0LANNING ADVISOR in the Department of Transportation. This week, he returns to Seoul after working tirelessly alongside MANY &ILIPINO PLANNERS POLICY makers and engineers, sharing his wisdom and experience in the areas of transport economics, public transport planning and urban design. It was an honor for me to work with him during this period. !S A PUBLIC SERVANT IN THE 3EOUL -ETROPOLITAN 'OVERNMENT 3-' FOR OVER TWO DECADES $R '# +IM helped to guide Seoul’s amazing

mobility transformation. So, he came to the Philippines already WITH AN IMPRESSIVE TRACK RECORD AND WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE (E ALSO SERVED from 2011-2014 as president of the Korea Transport Institute, responsible for crafting Korea’s long-term TRANSPORTATION VISION AND POLICIES In this column, I would like to share a few important messages and lessons from Dr. GC Kim.

In 2004, mobility in Seoul was like mobility in Metro Manila today We should be optimistic. Just 15 years ago, the commuting experience in Seoul was as bad if not worse than what we experience today in Metro -ANILA "USES DRIVEN RECKLESSLY COMpeting for passengers on the street;

roads congested with cars and buses, ALL MOVING VERY SLOWLY TRAINS PACKED like sardines. Gangnam Road, Seoul’s VERSION OF %$3!

WAS CONSTANTLY GRIDLOCKED WITH VEHICLES MOVING AT LESS than 3 kilometers per hour. Yet, with THE RIGHT POLICIES AND INVESTMENTS IN human capital, management and infrastructure, Seoul was able to deVELOP ONE OF THE BEST TRANSPORTATION systems in the world. The Philippines can do the same.

areas, Seoul at the turn of the cenTURY WAS A VERY CAR ORIENTED CITY With low quality public transport, THE PRIVATE AUTOMOBILE WAS the preferred mode of transport.

Dr. Kim recounted that his wife, frustrated with using slow buses, begged him to buy a car. The trend towards greater car use was clearly UNSUSTAINABLE %VEN WITH BILLIONS of dollars spent in Korea on new BRIDGES FLYOVERS, AND ELEVATED HIGHWAYS TRAFkC WAS WORSENING each day. A breakthrough came WHEN THE TRANSPORTATION OBJECTIVE WAS CHANGED TO gMOVING PEOPLE

not cars.� With this principle CAME SEVERAL RELATED DIRECTIVES

Move people, not cars

Pedestrians come first

Like many other metropolitan

Under the earlier car-oriented

MOBILITY MATTERS

ROBERT SIY

planning paradigm, pedestrian WELFARE WAS SACRIkCED WHILE PRIVATE CARS WERE PRIORITIZED 0Edestrian crosswalks were elimiNATED OR BECAME ELEVATED SO THAT car traffic could flow smoothly WITHOUT BEING INTERRUPTED BY CROSSING PEDESTRIANS 4HIS gCAR first� policy was found to be INSENSITIVE DISCRIMINATORY AND COUNTER PRODUCTIVE IT PUSHED many pedestrians to opt for priVATE CAR USE %LEVATED CROSSWALKS required pedestrians to climb stairs and walk longer distances so that cars could go faster. This approach also excluded persons with disabilities and the elderly.

Recognizing its mistake, the Seoul -ETROPOLITAN 'OVERNMENT 3-' EVENTUALLY TORE DOWN HUNDREDS OF

ÂłMobility B4

US-China trade-war worries

&/2 the second straight day, the STOCK MARKET FELL ON &RIDAY AS CONCERNS OVER ESCALATING TRADE TENsions between the United States and China triggered new selloffs.

The benchmark Philippine 3TOCK %XCHANGE INDEX 03%I DEclined by 0.73 percent or 56.94 points to close at 7,747.09, while the broader All Shares dropped by 0.57 percent or 27.41 points TO kNISH AT

“We’re following last night’s 4HURSDAY SELLOFF ;ON= 7ALL 3TREET brought by their dismal May ;MANUFACTURING GROWTH= AND THE worsening US-China trade war,�

0HILSTOCKS &INANCIAL )NC RESEARCH associate Japhet Louis Tantiangco said. g;! TRADE DEAL= BETWEEN THE TWO is getting dimmer, with the White House eyeing more negotiations and a longer period of time before the two could reach an agreement,� he explained.

In the United States, the Dow Jones dropped by 1.11 percent, the S&P 500 declined 1.19 percent, and the Nasdaq decreased by 1.58 percent.

In the region, only Tokyo shed 0.16 percent, while Seoul declined

ÂłWorries B2

B2

Business Times

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

DoE chief vows CSP integrity, completion

BY JORDEENE B. LAGARE

A

LL the necessary measures will be taken to uphold the recent decision of the Supreme Court (SC) requiring all power supply deals to undergo competitive bidding, the Department of Energy (DoE) said on Friday. %.%2'9 3ECRETARY !LFONSO #USI REVEALED HE IS NOW COMPELLING DISTRIBUTION UTILITIES $5S INCLUDING THE -ANILA %LECTRIC #O -ERALCO TO CONDUCT A COMPETITIVE SELECTION PROCESS #30 IN POWER SUPPLY AGREEMENTS 03!S AFFECTED BY THE 3# RULING “The highest court of the land HAS UNEQUIVOCALLY SPOKEN 4HUS IN adherence to the SC’s judgement, we call for the exigent conduct of CSP ;COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS= FOR THE PSAs of DUs, which include electric COOPERATIVES AND PRIVATE CORPORATIONS like Meralco,� Cusi said in a statement ON &RIDAY 4HE $EPARTMENT OF %NERGY $O%

WILL CLOSELY OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTAtion of the CSP to ensure that the exercise “is conducted in an open, TRANSPARENT EFFECTIVE EFkCIENT AND equitable manner.� &OR ITS PART THE %NERGY 2EGULATORY #OMMISSION %2# WILL WORK ALONGSIDE THE $O% BY ENFORCING THE RELEVANT POLICIES AND RULES GOVERNING #30 IN power deals. g(OWEVER SHOULD THE PROCESS GROSSLY FAIL THE $/% WILL NOT HESITATE to enact all necessary measures to uphold the integrity and completion of the CSP,� he added. #USI SAID THE %NERGY DEPARTMENT will now be calling for immediate

CONSULTATIVE MEETINGS WITH -ERALCO

their project partners, and those SMALLER CONTRACTS WHICH HAVE BEEN affected by the high court’s ruling.

Meralco has power deals with SEVEN GENERATION COMPANIES COVERING MORE THAN MEGAWATTS -7 OF SUPPLY 4HESE ARE -ARIVELES 0OWER Generation Corp., Central Luzon Premiere Power Corp., Redondo 0ENINSULA %NERGY )NC !TIMONAN /NE %NERGY )NC 3T 2APHAEL 0OWER 'ENERATION #ORP 0ANAY %NERGY $EVELOPMENT #ORP AND 'LOBAL ,UZON %NERGY $EVELOPMENT #ORP 4HE $O% IS ALSO ASKING ALL $5S TO submit annual supply demand projections for the next three years, and FROM TO TO ENSURE SUFkCIENT power supply and meet their respecTIVE FRANCHISE OBLIGATIONS In its May 3, 2019 decision, the SC ruled that all PSAs signed on or after June 30, 2015 must undergo CSP for the purchase of electricity by distribuTION UTILITIES $5S

CSPs are designed to protect consumers, and rules under them require DUs to get at least two offers for power supply before awarding a deal, ensuring that consumers get the least cost.

4HE VERDICT INVALIDATED THE RESOLUTIONS ISSUED BY THE %2# POSTPONING THE #30 REQUIREMENT IN /CTOBER AND -ARCH RESPECTIVELY ‡ which the high tribunal regarded as GRAVE ABUSE OF DISCRETION AMOUNTING to lack or excess of jurisdiction.

Cusi said the department “widely welcomed� the SC resolution mandating all power entities to comply WITH THE $O% S #30 CIRCULAR RELEASED in 2018. g4HE 3# RULING REAFkRMS OUR LONGSTANDING CONVICTION ON THE FUNDAMENtal role of the CSP as a mechanism to ensure transparency and fair competition in the procurement of our power supply. It was designed to protect the consuming public from power rate SPIKES PASS ON CHARGES AND AVERT predatory practices,� he added.

I

Invoice financing: Everything you need to know

& your business is looking to fill short-term capital gaps, would it be wise to take out a loan from a bank? Not if you NEED CASH QUICKLY TO COVER PAYROLL TAXES RAW MATERIALS OR OVERhead costs. Most loans would require a waiting period of 45 to 75 days; not to mention require you to present collateral. If you NEED THE MONEY TO COVER CRITICAL business expenses, you simply cannot afford to wait that long. &ORTUNATELY YOU CAN USE YOUR ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES TO OBTAIN kNANCING AND MEET YOUR SHORT term cash flow needs through )NVOICE &INANCING 7HAT IS INVOICE kNANCING !S THE NAME SUGGESTS INVOICE kNANCING IS A TYPE OF ALTERNATIVE kNANCINGAND IS A QUICK AND EASY way to obtain extra cash by using YOUR INVOICES &IRST #IRCLE DEkNES AN INVOICE AS A DOCUMENT ISSUED by suppliers to buyers after a PRODUCT OR SERVICE HAS BEEN DELIVERED AS A BILL OR A STATEMENT OF the amount due to be paid after A SPECIkED TIMELINE 4HROUGH THIS kNANCING ALTERNATIVE A THIRD PARTY COMPANY PROVIDES BUSINESS OWNERS ADDITIONAL cash for the money they are waitING TO COLLECT FROM AN INVOICE 4HE MOST SUITABLE kNANCING OPTION DEPENDS ON THE kNANCIAL situation of your business. InVOICE &INANCING IS BETTER SUITED TO CERTAIN SITUATIONS‡LIKE TEMPORARY CASH lOW GAPS‡AND MAY BE THE BEST kT FOR SOME BUSINESS OWNERS‡ESPECIALLY 3-%S‡SEEKING ALTERNATIVE kNANCING SOURCES Here’s a quick rundown of some BENEkTS THAT BUSINESSES CAN GET FROM INVOICE kNANCING 1. Easy way to get funding Compared to bank loans and business lines of credit, obtaining CASH THROUGH INVOICE kNANCING IS MUCH EASIER "ANK kNANCING USUally takes weeks to process. But WITH INVOICE kNANCING YOU CAN GET APPROVED IN AS FAST AS THREE business days if you need cash TO COVER YOUR RECURRING BUSINESS expenses.

2. Early access to your own money The biggest downside of bank loan financing for short-term working capital is that it shows up on your balance sheet and limits your future financing options where bank financing MIGHT BE A BETTER kT‡LIKE PURchasing plant and equipment to expand your manufacturing capacity or opening an office in a new city for example. With INVOICE FINANCING THE HASSLES associated with loan processing are eliminated or streamlined.

9OU ARE MERELY ADVANCING CASH FROM YOUR UNPAID INVOICES IN A much simpler, faster, and more CONVENIENT PROCESS ! CONTINUOUS lOW OF CASH In business, the saying “cash lOW IS KINGu IS AN ABSOLUTE TRUTH Cash for a business is like blood FOR A HUMAN BODY‡THE BUSINESS dies if it runs out of cash. Unfortunately, the nature of many business expenses is that they are not matched well to incoming CASH lOWS 4HE EXPENSES RECUR regularly and put constant pressure on your bank balances. Cash INlOWS ON THE OTHER HAND ARE HIGHLY VARIABLE BY COMPARISON 5SING INVOICE FINANCING TO make prudent cash management DECISIONS ENABLES 3-%S TO MATCH incoming cash with expense requirements, especially in times when business growth requires SIGNIFICANT NEW INVESTMENT IN

SME FIRST CIRCLE CHRISTIAN NACORDA recurring monthly expenses.

4. Confidence in growing your business When growth opportunities COME KNOCKING THE kRST THING a business owner should be concerned with is whether cash ON HAND IS SUFkCIENT TO SUPPORT requirements for them. Before taking on a new contract or a new PROJECT ENSURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH funding to support it. With the CONVENIENCE AND QUICK APPROVALS FOR INVOICE kNANCING YOU CAN CONkDENTLY GROW YOUR BUSINESS

and take on more clients and PROJECTS WITHOUT FRETTING OVER your ability to meet cash needs.

5. Better business focus Staying focused on the things YOU NEED TO DO TO ACHIEVE YOUR BUSINESS GOALS IS CERTAINLY DIFkcult enough that you don’t need CASH lOW WORRIES TO DISTRACT YOUR FOCUS 4HROUGH INVOICE kNANCING

you can zero in on your priorities and focus on the direction you want your business to take.

How to qualify for invoice financing? !T &IRST #IRCLE LOAN ELIGIBILITY starts when you complete the Personal and Business TrustPass.

To get the personal trustpass and the business trustpass, you need to submit the following requirements:

Personal Trustpass 1. Primary ID 2. Secondary ID %MAIL ADDRESS

Business Trustpass $4) OR 3%# #ERTIFICATE OF Registration ")2 #ERTIkCATE OF 2EGISTRAtion 3. Duly-filled out General )NFORMATION 3HEET FOR #ORPORATIONS ONLY 4. Proof of Billing Upon completion, simply subMIT YOUR INVOICE AND WAIT FOR THE cash to come through.

Many business owners hold out on growing their business BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE funds to expand their operations.

After all, equipment acquisition and new raw materials require additional funding. )NVOICE kNANCING OPENS DOORS to more business growth posSIBILITIES SO YOU WON T HAVE TO STALL YOUR 3-% S MOMENTUM !RE YOU READY TO MOVE YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL 7E CAN HELP &IRST #IRCLE IS A COMPANY THAT takes pride in empowering local 3-%S TO GROW AND SCALE BY PROVIDING EASILY ACCESSIBLE FUNDS TO COVER CAPITAL GAPS

Christian P. Nacorda is the Brand and Communications Lead for &IRST #IRCLE 'ROWTH &INANCE #ORP (E JOINED THE kRM IN WITH 7 years of experience in marketing communications and global MARKETING IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES SUCH AS &-#' )4 &INANCE 3USTAINABLE %NERGY AND 2ETAIL 9OU may contact him through chrisTIAN NACORDA kRSTCIRCLE COM 4O KNOW MORE ABOUT &IRST #IRCLE AND ITS kNANCING SERVICES VISIT WWW kRSTCIRCLE PH

Q WORRIES FROM B1

PSEi dips on US-China 0.69 percent. %LSEWHERE 3HANGHAI INCHED UP 0.02 percent, Hong Kong grew 0.32 percent, Jakarta rose 0.65 PERCENT 3INGAPORE kRMED UP percent, and Bangkok was up 0.14 percent. )N -ANILA ONLY THE SERVICES SEC-

TOR kNISHED IN THE GREEN UP percent.

More than 2.9 billion issues WERE TRADED VALUED AT 0 BILLION Losers led winners, 125 to 73, while 44 issues were unchanged.

ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

Corporate News MWSS approves Wawa water project

˜ The Manila Times

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

w w w.manilatimes.net

BY JORDEENE B. LAGARE

T

HE Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) has given Razon-led Prime Metroline Infrastructure Holdings Inc. (Prime Infra) the go-signal to develop its Wawa Bulk Water Supply Project in Rodriguez town, Rizal province to improve Metro Manila’s water supply. )N A STATEMENT ON &RIDAY -733 water agency’s board of trustees #HAIRMAN &RANKLIN $EMONTEVERDE APPROVED THE PROJECT DURING ITS and MWSS Administrator Rey- May 9 and May 22 meetings. naldo Velasco said the state-run The project “is currently be-

PNB eyes $300M from euro bonds LISTED Philippine National Bank (PNB) is looking to raise as much as $300 million out of its P1-billion euro medium-term note (MTN) program.

In a disclosure on Friday, the Lucio Tan-led bank said it had the option to upsize the offer, but did not disclose further details.

Last year, PNB raised $300 million from the first tranche of its euro MTN program, which Moody’s Investors Service gave a provisional medium investment grade of (P)Baa2.

The notes were priced at 4.25 percent with a tenor of five years and a day.

The bank earlier announced that

it would hold various fundraising activities to finance its information technology-related initiatives and the rest of its P4-billion capital expenditures this year.

Its total resources reached P1.03 trillion at end-March, up P176 billion or 21 percent from the year-ago figure.

PNB‘s consolidated net income hit P1.9 billion in the first three months of 2019, a 26-percent increase from P1.5 billion in the same period last year.

PNB shares rose by 90 centavos or 1.55 percent to close at P59.00 each on Friday.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

ING REVIEWED BY THE /FkCE OF THE 'OVERNMENT #ORPORATE #OUNSEL /'## AND THE -733 2EGULATORY /FkCE u THEY ADDED 4HE PROJECT ‡ THE RESULT OF A PRIVATE OFFTAKE AGREEMENT BEtween Manila Water Co. Inc. and 7AWA*6#/ THE JOINT VENTURE OF Prime Infra and San Lorenzo Ruiz "UILDERS 'ROUP 3,2" ‡ ENTAILS building a water-supply facility at THE 7AWA CATCHMENT AREA TRAVERSing Rodriguez and Antipolo City.

7AWA*6#/ PLANS TO DELIVER through the facility at least 80

MILLION LITERS PER DAY -,$ OF water by 2021 and up to 500 MLD by 2025. The project is exPECTED TO SERVE MORE THAN

households within Manila Water’s franchise area.

Prime Infra President and Chief /PERATING /FkCER 'UILLAUME ,UCCI said last month the company had set a 2020 target for the groundbreaking of the project, which would boost the Ayala-led water firm’s production by about 30 percent.

According to Velasco, the project

‡ CONSIDERED THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND UNDER THE $UTERTE ADMINISTRATION ‡ WILL HAVE A MINIMAL IMPACT ON THE tariff “considering the total systems cost of the treated water is costEFFECTIVE COMPARED TO OTHER WATER source options as well the strategic location of the water supply source within the east zone concession.�

4HE PROJECT S APPROVAL CAME after long-standing legal issues between the MWSS and SLRB ‡ WHICH DELAYED THE PROJECT S implementation for more than 10 YEARS ‡ WERE RESOLVED

B3

The issues stemmed from claims made by SLRB’s owner, businessMAN /SCAR 6IOLAGO IN THAT Manila Water, the National Water 2ESOURCES "OARD .72" AND THE -733 HALTED THEIR BID TO DEVELOP the project, despite holding the water rights.

The MWSS had asked the group of Razon and Violago to withdraw the case they filed against the agency before the Court of Appeals OR IT WON T GIVE THE GO SIGNAL TO proceed with the project. The case was withdrawn earlier this year.

Megaworld invests P1.2B in new mall LISTED Megaworld Corp. is spending P1.2 billion to build a three-level lifestyle mall inside The Upper East township in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental province. In a disclosure on Friday, the Andrew Tan-led property developer said the development, to be called the Upper East Mall, would have a gross floor area of 24,200 square meters. “What we are building in The Upper East is not just an ordinary mall. We are curating an architectural masterpiece that depicts

the cosmopolitan vibe of our Bacolod township,� said Kevin L. Tan, chief strategy officer at Megaworld. “This is just the first mall that we are building in this township because there is still more room for future expansion,� he added.

Slated to be finished by 2021, the shopping mall shall feature neoclassical and art-deco architecture, several rows of restaurants, four cinemas and an open-air food hall with an indoor garden. It will also have sustainable features, including

what Megaworld said “its own solar panel roofing, energy efficiency features such as perceived airconditioning cooling design, escalators with crawling features, rainwater harvesting system where the rainwater is recycled for plant watering, and a gray water recycling system where the water that is discharged from the sewage treatment plant is collected and used for secondary flushing of mall’s toilets and urinals.� “We are excited to see The Upper East transforming

into a modern central business district of Bacolod. In the next three to five years, we will see the residential towers, office towers, commercial buildings, hotel, church, parks and this new lifestyle mall rising,� Tan said. “We will also be opening the Upper East Avenue to the public in two years,� he added.

Shares of Megaworld fell by 5 centavos or 0.91 percent to close at P5.44 apiece on Friday.

LISBET K. ESMAEL

Information dept issues common-tower rules Price index for building 4(% Department of Information and Communications TechnolOGY $)#4 RELEASED ON &RIDAY the rules on the rollout of common tower, pushing forward its plan to pursue the tower-sharing market in the country. !MID THE GOVERNMENT S VISION to increase the number of cell sites in the country, the DICT said at least 2,500 common towers identified in DICT-owned AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES properties, and areas named by existing telcos PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom will be initially BUILT OR CONVERTED BY INDEPENDENT TOWER COMPANIES )4#S “This is the starting point of MORE COMPREHENSIVE POLICY FOR OUR INITIATIVE ON PASSIVE INFRAstructure sharing. This will help tower firms to acquaint themSELVES IN OUR TELCO INDUSTRY u Acting Information Secretary %LISEO - 2IO *R WAS QUOTED AS saying in a statement posted on the agency’s website.

The list of the 2,500 identified AREAS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE )4#S

WHICH HAVE INKED MEMORANDUM of understanding with the DICT and mobile network operators

-./S ALLOWING )4#S AND THE TELCOS TO CONDUCT SURVEYS OF THE sites for commercial deals.

Currently, the tower sharing business has enticed 21 potential players. Before they could secure a memorandum of agreeMENT WITH THE $)#4 THE GOVERNment is requiring an ITC to be gDULY INCORPORATED AND VALIDLY existing domestic corporation registered with the Securities AND %XCHANGE #OMMISSION u The firm itself or a member OF ITS CONSORTIUM MUST HAVE AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OF TECHNICAL expertise in the said field, or HAVE OPERATED AT MINIMUM OF 1,000 towers either in the local or foreign market.

The ITC should also be independent or not related to any -./S gTO PROMOTE NON DIScriminatory access and uniformity and transparency in tower leasing arrangements,� the rule read. It also must secure a business transaction to incumbent telco carriers.

'ROUPS THAT HAVE SIGNED -O5 WITH THE $)#4 INCLUDE )3/# )NFRASTRUCTURES )NC )3/. %#0 Tower Pte. Ltd.; IHS Holding

,TD )(3 4OWERS EDOTCO 'ROUP 3DN "HD #HINA %NERGY %QUIPment Co. Ltd.; RT Telecom Sdn Bhd.; Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc.; -'3 #ONSTRUCTION )NC &RONTIER Tower Associates Management Pte. Ltd.; the consortium of 'LOBAL .ETWORKS )NC '.) AND JTower Inc.; American Tower #ORP !4# * 3 #RUZ #ONSTRUCTION AND $EVELOPMENT )NC $ESARROLLOS 4ERRESTRES $4 4OWERS 4AIMON )NDUSTRIAL 3ERVICE #ORP

#REI -ANAGEMENT 3ERVICES &ZE 4IGER )NFRASTRUCTURE 0RIVATE 5Nlimited; UA Withya Public Co. Ltd.; and Wing-An Construction AND $EVELOPMENT #ORP #HINA #ONSTRUCTION &IRST 'ROUP #ORP ,TD AND !#/$!

The rule also allows ITCs to establish cell sites without bindING CONTRACT WITH AN -./ IN A $)#4 OR GOVERNMENT OWNED properties with the condition that they will secure commercial agreements with any telco within six months from completion of the common tower. If it failed to meet the condition, it must disassemble the tower or sell it to another ITC, which HOLDS A CONTRACT WITH AN -./

Aside from the initial 2,500 SITES THE $)#4 ALSO URGED -./S to identify more areas where they want ITCs to establish towERS -OREOVER $)#4 NOTED THAT IF AN -./ VOLUNTARILY SHARES ITS existing towers, particularly all PASSIVE TELCO INFRASTRUCTURES THE GOVERNMENT WILL ALLOW THE COMPANY TO BUILD PASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE IN GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES To further ramp up this iniTIATIVE THE $)#4 HAS VOWED to extend support in terms of SECURING NECESSARY GOVERNMENT permits. “The rules on common tower sharing are anchored on enCOURAGING INVESTMENT AND BUILD MORE TOWERS IN THE UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED AREAS 4HIS WILL ALSO AVOID INEFFICIENT DUPLICATION OF network resources, redundancy of permits and high cost of operations,� the DICT said.

4HE $)#4 HOWEVER WARNED that if ITCs fail to comply with the rules and meet their rollout plans, the agency would cancel THE -/!

4HE RULES WILL BE EFFECTIVE days from its publications, it said.

LISBET K. ESMAEL

Govt may bungle agri fund use – firm 4(% $EPARTMENT OF !GRICULTURE $! has been called by a company to partNER WITH PRIVATE ENTERPRISES ON THE implementation of the P10-billion 2ICE #OMPETITIVENESS %NHANCEMENT &UND 2#%& OF 2ICE ,IBERALIZATION Law. #HENYI !GRIVENTURES A kRM THAT built the most modern rice processing plant in Alang Alang, Leyte, asked DA to allow participation in four subsectors of rice operations--mechanization, seeds distribution, lending and extension. )T SAID THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS EXPERtise in these areas which would help IMPROVE THE LOCAL RICE INDUSTRY DESPITE LIBERALIZATION 4HE gGOVERNMENT may fail to properly implement� the PROGRAMS COVERED BY THE 0 BILLION 2#%& OF 2EPUBLIC !CT OR THE 2ICE Liberalization Law, it added.

4HE &EDERATION OF #ENTRAL ,UZON &ARMERS #OOPERATIVES &#,&# ALSO pressed DA to buy farmers’ palay at a price based on quality offered, rather than reject these as rice farmers had sadly experienced.

4HE PROPOSAL OF #HENYI !GVENTURES HAS BEEN kLED EARLIER WITH $! 3ECRETARY %MMANUEL 0IĂ„OL g!S ONE FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR

WE RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR 3ECRETARY 0INOL S HELP (E LOVES OUR PROGRAM He said we will work together to HELP IMPLEMENT THE 2ICE &UND u A #HENYI !GRIVENTURES ENTREPRENEUR WAS QUOTED AS SAYING g/UR PROPOSAL is with the DA. We discussed it at length with Secretary Pinol. And it’s not a new dialogue,� he added.

With P10 billion, the DA through THE 0HIL-ECH WILL PROVIDE FARMERS WITH machinery and equipment worth P5 billion, free high-yielding seeds worth P3 billion from PhilRice, P1 billion for credit and P1 billion in training through the Agricultural Training Institute.

0ROVIDING THESE SERVICES ON A LARGE SCALE TO FARMERS NEEDS PRIVATE ENTERprise, the Chenyi entrepreneur said. “Implementation is something the GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOOD AT "UT THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN TEACH FARMERS HOW TO plant seeds and monitor these daily. It can own and maintain the machines, and teach farmers how to use these,� he said. g-ERELY GIVING MACHINES AWAY TO farmers is not the solution. The problem DA encountered is farmers just abandon or sell the machines because they don’t know how to use these,� the

entrepreneur added.

Chenyi stressed the importance of RAISING RICE FARMERS PRODUCTIVITY g4HAT rice price will go down due to the rice TARIFkCATION LAW IS ONLY ONE CONCERN The most basic question is not whether price will go down, but that the yield OF FARMERS REMAINS LOW %VEN IF PALAY price goes up, farmers’ income is low,�

Chenyi said. g4HEIR ABILITY TO GET OUT OF POVERTY is not dependent on price of rice, but ON PRODUCTIVITY 9OU THINK IT S NOT RELEVANT IT S VERY IMPORTANT 0RODUCTIVITY IS WHAT THE 2ICE &UND SHOULD ADDRESS u it added.

Currently, the cost of producing one kilo or palay in the Philippines is 0 PER KILO SIGNIkCANTLY HIGHER than the P6.22 in Vietnam and P8.86 in Thailand.

RA 11203 was signed and apPROVED BY 0RESIDENT $UTERTE ON &EBRUARY 4HE NEW LAW WHICH seeks to liberalize the importation of rice, is expected to lower retail prices of rice by up to P7 per kilo, help lower inflation by 0.5 to 0.7 percentage points this year, and IMPROVE FARMERS INCOMES PRODUCTIVITY AND COMPETITIVENESS EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

materials eases in April

4(% annual increment of construction materials retail price INDEX IN THE .ATIONAL #APITAL 2EGION .#2 EASED TO percent in April from 1.9 percent in March, the Philippine 3TATISTICS !UTHORITY 03! REPORTED PSA said last month’s index was also lower compared to the 2.6 percent recorded in the same month last year.

Slower annual increases during the month were recorded IN THE INDICES OF CARPENTRY MATERIALS PERCENT ELECTRICAL MATERIALS PERCENT MASONRY MATERIALS PERCENT

PLUMBING MATERIALS PERCENT AND TINSMITHRY MATERIALS PERCENT -ARK UP HOWEVER WAS OBSERVED IN THE INDEX OF MISCELLANEOUS CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS PERCENT WHILE THE INDEX of painting materials and related compounds retained its PREVIOUS MONTH S ANNUAL RATE AT PERCENT Month-on-month, the retail price index slightly went up by 0.04 percent from a 0.03 percent increase in March.

PSA said the indices of carpentry materials picked up by 0.2 percent; miscellaneous construction materials, 0.1 percent; and plumbing materials, 0.2 percent.

It added that the increase in the index of painting materials and related compounds slowed down to 0.1 percent while the indices of masonry materials and tinsmithry materials DROPPED BY PERCENT AND PERCENT RESPECTIVELY 4HE electrical materials index still registered zero growth during the period. “Higher prices in lumber and fabricated products such as common wire nails and paints were noted in April 2019.

Prices of G.I. pipes and steel bars also went up during the month,� said PSA. 03! SAID HOWEVER THAT LOWER PRICES WERE OBSERVED IN CORRUGATED ' ) SHEET GRAVEL AND SAND ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

Foreign Business IMF: US-China trade war China to ‘jeopardize’ growth W B4

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SAID IN A COMMENTARY ON &RIDAY that China has “fully prepared for a protracted trade war� with the United States.

0RESIDENT 8I *INPING HIMSELF DECONTINUE TO FABRICATE VARIOUS clared on Monday that China faced SUBJECTIVE PRESUMPTIVE LIES IN AN A gNEW ,ONG -ARCHu ‡ A REFERENCE attempt to mislead the American to the legendary 1934-35 strategic people, and now they are trying RETREAT BY #OMMUNIST REVOLUTIONARto incite ideological opposition,� IES BEFORE THEIR VICTORY IN ,U SAID AT A REGULAR PRESS BRIEkNG “All of the Chinese people are Trump on Thursday again said ready to embark on a new ‘Long Huawei posed a threat to national March’ journey with greater coursecurity.

AGE AND RESILIENCE AND WILL NEVER g9OU LOOK AT WHAT THEY VE DONE yield to foreign bullying and asfrom a security standpoint, a mili- SAULT u 8INHUA SAID tary standpoint. Very dangerous,� he 4RUMP MEANWHILE UNVEILED A told reporters at the White House. new $16-billion aid package to The heated rhetoric comes as help farmers hit by tariffs.

TRADE NEGOTIATIONS HAVE STALLED

with neither side announcing a ‘Foreign adversary’ new date to resume talks after they exchanged increases in tariffs In Washington, US lawmakers earlier this month. this week introduced a bipartisan But Trump also said on Thurs- proposal to help telecommunicaday there was a “good� possibility TIONS NETWORKS REMOVE (UAWEI AS that the two sides will strike a THEY UPGRADE TO &IFTH 'ENERATION bargain and linked Huawei to any ' SYSTEMS DEAL FOR THE kRST TIME 4HE BILL IS AIMED AT PREVENTING “If we made a deal, I can imag- “companies subject to extrajuine Huawei being included in dicial directions of a foreign adsome form or some part of a trade VERSARY TO INkLTRATE OUR NATION S deal,� he said. communications networks,� said Democrat Sen. Mark Warner.

Companies around the world are ‘Long March’ scrambling to comply with the US Trump’s comments directly con- BLACKLIST WHICH WOULD PREVENT THEM tradicted Pompeo, who earlier said from supplying American technology Huawei and the trade issues were components or software to Huawei.

Major Japanese and British not linked.

The chief US diplomat separated mobile carriers said this week the two issues between national they would delay releasing new security concerns and efforts to Huawei handsets as a result of the CREATE A gFAIR RECIPROCAL ;AND= BAL- US sanctions.

In the US, equipment makers anced trade relationship.�

Lu said he was not aware of the )NPHI #ORP 1ORVO .EOPHOTONgSPECIkCSu OF 4RUMP S COMMENTS ics and Rogers Corp. all said they and repeated that dialogue must would see lower sales due to the Huawei sanctions.

AFP be based on “mutual respect.�

4HE OFkCIAL 8INHUA NEWS AGENCY

Q TIES FROM B1

ASHINGTON, D.C.: The IMF sounded the alarm on Thursday about the escalating US-China trade war, warning it will “jeopardize� 2019 global growth, undermine CONkDENCE AND RAISE PRICES FOR CONSUMERS

Gita Gopinath, the InternationAL -ONETARY &UND S CHIEF ECONOmist, directly refuted President Donald Trump’s claim that tariffs ARE PAID BY #HINA AND PROVIDE A windfall for the US treasury, and THAT HIS AGGRESSIVE POSTURE WILL HELP REDUCE THE 53 TRADE DEkCIT She and her co-authors warned in a blog post that the economic DAMAGE WILL BE EVEN WORSE IF Trump goes through with the threat to impose steep tariffs on all goods imported from China, as that “will subtract about one-third of a percentage point of global GDP in the short term.� /PTIMISM WAS HIGH EARLIER THIS month that a deal was within striking distance but tensions erupted after Trump accused Beijing of backtracking on its commitments MADE OVER THE YEAR OF NEGOTIATIONS He then more than doubled tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25 percent and threatened to hit the remaining $300 billion in products imported each YEAR WITH DUTIES AT THE SAME LEVEL “Consumers in the US and #HINA ARE UNEQUIVOCALLY THE LOSERS from trade tensions,� Gopinath stated, noting that the “tariff

REVENUE COLLECTED HAS BEEN BORNE almost entirely by US importers.� )-& CHIEF #HRISTINE ,AGARDE AND OTHER FUND OFkCIALS HAVE REPEATedly raised concerns about the trade war but the blog post quanTIkED THE REALIZED AND EXPECTED damage, presenting the case with greater urgency.

Trump says a primary goal of THE AGGRESSIVE TARIFF STRATEGY IS TO reduce the trade imbalance with China, which totaled $379 billion last year.

But Gopinath argues that while THE TENSIONS HAVE DAMAGED BOTH COUNTRIES REDUCING OVERALL TRADE and hurting companies, “the bilatERAL TRADE DEkCIT REMAINS BROADLY unchanged.�

‘Delicate year’ -EANWHILE TOTAL 53 IMPORTS HAVE not changed significantly since importers simply shifted their purchases to other countries. “While the impact on global GROWTH IS RELATIVELY MODEST AT this time, the latest escalation COULD SIGNIkCANTLY DENT BUSINESS AND kNANCIAL MARKET SENTIMENT

disrupt global supply chains and

Q In this April 9, 2019 photo, Gita Gopinath, chief economist and director of the research department at the International Monetary Fund, speaks during a press conference in Washington, D.C. AFP PHOTO

JEOPARDIZE THE PROJECTED RECOVERY in global growth in 2019,� she warned in the blog post. “This type of scenario is among the reasons why we referred to 2019 as a delicate year for the global economy.�

In addition, if tariffs escalate this will make a host of consumer goods less affordable, “harming low income households disproportionately.�

A growing number of US comPANIES AND INDUSTRIES HAVE COME out to urge Trump to dial back the confrontation, including major shoe manufacturers and retailers who say new tariffs would be “catastrophic.�

But Trump has not been recepTIVE TO CONCERNS OF BUSINESS EXECUTIVES NOR RESEARCH ON THE HARM

being done.

4HE .EW 9ORK &EDERAL 2ESERVE Bank issued research Thursday showing the total annual cost of the new round of tariffs to a typical household would rise to $831 from $132 in 2018. “In sum, according to our estimates, these higher tariffs are likely to create large economic distortions,� the study showed. .O NEW TALKS HAVE BEEN SCHEDuled between Beijing and Washington, and China earlier Thursday accused the United States of “bullying,� and called for a show of “sincerity� before negotiations can resume. &OREIGN -INISTER 7ANG 9I ON Wednesday warned that Beijing WAS READY TO gFIGHT TO THE VERY end.�

AFP

Q SURPLUS FROM B1

Q PLAN FROM B1

BTr: Govt posts P87-B budget

Above 6% GDP eyed with

of the 2019 national budget, which CONSTRAINED THE GOVERNMENT IN IMPLEmenting new programs and projects.�

A dispute between the Senate and THE (OUSE OF 2EPRESENTATIVES OVER ALleged insertions resulted in the delay of the budget’s passage. This forced THE GOVERNMENT TO RUN ON LAST YEAR S budget, limiting it to spend for items detailed in the 2018 outlay and not on programs and projects supposed to be implemented this year.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the 2019 budget on April 15.

Interest payments of P23.5 billion, meanwhile, accounted for the rest of state spending. It rose by 1.6 percent year-on-year, the BTr said, “due to coupon payment for T-bonds issued last year.�

Netting out interest payments, the GOVERNMENT RECORDED A 0 BILLION primary surplus in April, wider than

Q MOBILITY FROM B1

Giving ELEVATED CROSSWALKS AND RESTORED GROUND LEVEL PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS

Prioritize public transport so car owners leave their cars at home 3EOUL INVESTED IN RAIL SYSTEMS AND BUS RAPID TRANSIT "24 TO RAISE THE quality, speed and reliability of public transport. The idea was to MAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORT ATTRACTIVE SO that car users would shift to trains AND BUSES FOR THEIR DAILY TRAVEL #OMFORT SAFETY AND CONVENIENCE of passengers became important goals for transport planners. Public transportation should be as pleasant and enjoyable as possible; passengers should be able to use THEIR TRAVEL TIME TO REST REFRESH OR BE PRODUCTIVE ;)N CASE YOU DID NOT know, Dr. GC Kim was the “brains�

BEHIND THE 0 0 BUS SERVICES THAT MANY &ILIPINOS PATRONIZE TODAY =

last year’s P69.5-billion surplus.

the April budget surplus will likely REVERT TO DEkCITS AS THE ADMINISTRATION pushes on with its build build build agenda,� Mapa said.

Highest since 1994 In a comment, ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa said the April budget surplus was the highest of its kind recorded since 1994. g)N A YEAR THAT THE GOVERNMENT TARGETED A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENT DEkCIT TO '$0 GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT TARget, spending has taken a backseat in a big way and was a key reason for the kRST QUARTER SNAFU u HE ADDED Philippine economic growth slowed to 5.6 percent for January to March, MAINLY BLAMED ON REDUCED GOVERNment spending because of the delay IN THE APPROVAL OF THIS YEAR S BUDGET g7ITH GOVERNMENT SET TO PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF AND THE "30 "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPINAS PRIMING RATES for growth mode, the one-off blip of

VICES NEED TO BE WELL INTEGRATED 7E NEED TO VIEW THE TWO TRAVEL modes as complementary rather than in competition with each OTHER )N FACT ON HIGH VOLUME CORRIDORS HAVING TRAINS AND BUSES ALONG THE SAME LINE PROVIDES THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE )N 3EOUL

there are 10 major corridors where train lines and buses run in parallel. Passengers can transfer easily from trains to buses to get closer TO THEIR DESTINATIONS WHILE BEING charged for a single journey using THE SAME FARE CARD . Two modes of mass transit on the same corridor ALSO PROVIDE VALUABLE REDUNDANCY IN CASE ONE OF THE SERVICES BREAKS down.

YTD tally 2ECKONED FROM THE START OF REVenues were up 7.4 percent year-on-year to P996.4 billion as of end-April.

The BIR’s four-month tally of P703.7 billion was 7.3 percent higher than the YEAR AGO kGURE WHILE THE "O# S YEAR to-date take of P193.5 billion was a 9.6-percent increase from last year’s amount.

Primary expenditures dropped 4.9 percent to P868.5 billion during the period, while interest payments grew by 9.1 percent to P131.3 billion.

Year to date, the primary balance hit a surplus of P127.9 billion, wider than last year’s P14.5 billion.

linked to the number of kilometers TRAVELED BY EACH BUS COMPANY rather than to the number of passengers. All bus companies would be working to expand the total REVENUE COLLECTED RATHER THAN COMpete against each other. This new system, which eliminated on-street competition, enabled buses to be DEPLOYED TO MATCH THE TRAVEL NEEDS of the citizenry, with penalties and INCENTIVES LINKED TO BUS OPERATOR performance.

Because bus routes and schedules were centrally coordinated, BUS SERVICES COULD BE TAILORED TO address special markets, such as THE TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS OF NIGHT shift workers. Where possible, buses were assigned dedicated lanes NO PRIVATE CARS ALLOWED . Not SURPRISINGLY THE BUSES ACHIEVED FAST AND PREDICTABLE TRAVEL TIMES

operating almost like trains. Working together, the bus operators ACHIEVED INCREASED INCOMES AND greater ridership.

should the private sector sustain its current performance and government be able to speed up the implementation of its ongoing programs and projects, and jump start new ones,� he added. Pernia also said that in order to hit the full-year disbursement program of P3.774 trillion, the government must spend P2.996 trillion in this year’s remaining quarters. To reach the infrastructure-spending target of P1 trillion, the government must disburse P792.97 billion from the second to fourth quarters after actual infrastructure spending amounted to P207.2 billion in the first quarter.  To achieve these targets, the economic managers said the Public Works and Transportation departments had committed to spend a combined P803.1 billion in the next three quarters.

Infrastructure disbursements from other agencies — which include the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program of the Department of National Defense, the school-building program of the Department of Education, and the Health Facilities Enhancement Program of the Department of Health — “can fur-

ther drive spending growth if they are able to accelerate implementation of their capital outlay programs and projects,� Dominguez said. He and Pernia also agreed that the government will fast-track the implementation of its priority socioeconomic programs, such as the National ID System, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, social pension, unconditional cash transfers, and fuel-marking program. “But aside from the infrastructure and social-protection programs, the government also has to double its efforts in the agriculture sector, which should expand by at least 2 percent per year,� the Finance chief said.

Last, he said the economy was expected to expand at a higher clip in April to June, and the rest of the year, as inflation continues trending toward the official target range of 2 to 4 percent and the government accelerates the implementation of its infrastructure and humancapital development projects to make up for state underspending. “We will intensify our efforts to restore last year’s upward momentum in our growth rate,� Dominguez added.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLOÂ

schedules and routes of transport SERVICES WERE SHARED ON MOBILE phones and through the internet; CCTV cameras were employed in THE ENFORCEMENT OF TRAFkC RULES 4HESE AND OTHER )4 INNOVATIONS CONTRIBUTED TO IMPROVING THE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE OF COMMUTERS It made public transport the preFERRED CHOICE FOR MOVING AROUND THE CITY AND FOR ARRIVING ON TIME 4HE 0HILIPPINES CAN LIKEWISE LEVERage its strengths in IT.

VEHICLES PER DAY !ND, throughout Seoul, car space was reduced MANY STREETS CONVERTED FROM TWO way to one-way to widen sidewalks and offer space for bicycle lanes.

It took a lot of public consultation and considerable political will TO ACHIEVE THE DRAMATIC CHANGE in Seoul’s urban and mobility ENVIRONMENT )RONICALLY

BY TAKING AWAY SPACE FROM CARS TRAFkC congestion in Seoul was reduced AND MOBILITY WAS IMPROVED FOR ALL

Convert car space to inclusive public space

Invest in people, policies and institutions

Healthy, happy citizens require LOTS OF gGREENu PUBLIC SPACE‡ something than is sorely lacking Reform the bus in Philippine cities. Under Dr. industry business Kim’s leadership, Seoul launched model and make all a campaign to transform spaces debus operators work VOTED TO PRIVATE CARS CAR LANES AND as one team CAR PARKING INTO PUBLIC gGREENu space. The beautiful public park A new business model was needed in front of the Seoul City Hall was TO REPLACE THE INEFkCIENT AND UNonce a multi-lane roadway and car coordinated bus industry. SMG Use IT to drive change parking lot. /NE OF 3EOUL S JEWELS held thousands of meetings with AND TOP TOURIST ATTRACTION IS THE bus operators to craft a new ap- Korea used its information tech- six-kilometer Cheong-Gye-Cheon PROACH FOR DELIVERING BUS SERVICES NOLOGY )4 EXPERTISE TO THE BEST Stream which runs through the Rail and bus services Instead of collecting fares for ADVANTAGE 'EOGRAPHICAL POSITION- heart of downtown Seoul; walkworking together THEIR INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES THE ing systems tracked the location ING ALONG ITS CLEAR lOWING WATER provide the best Seoul bus operators agreed to a and speed of buses; payment cards AND LUSH GREENERY IT IS DIFkCULT TO service new system where all operators and mobile phones became the IMAGINE THAT THE RIVER WAS BURIED would work as a “one team� and medium for cashless fare payment under two now-demolished major 4O OFFER GREATEST CONVENIENCE TO SHARE IN A COMMON REVENUE POOL across all modes of transporta- ROADS ONE AT GROUND LEVEL AND the commuter, rail and bus ser- each company’s income would be tion; real-time information on the ONE ELEVATED CARRYING

&OR $R '# +IM SUSTAINABILITY RELIES ON HAVING ADEQUATE HUMAN capital. Korea’s success in mobility planning and management is, in part, due to the support and nurturing of expertise in THE TRANSPORTATION kELD !T THE +OREA 4RANSPORT )NSTITUTE +/4)

where Dr. GC Kim was a former PRESIDENT THERE ARE OVER STAFF WITH 0H$S AND OVER STAFF WITH Masters degrees.

The Philippines will need to build a cadre of urban designers, planners and mobility experts to guide the transformation required in our transportation infrastrucTURE AND SERVICES 4RANSPORT SPEcialists will be needed in national AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND IN ACADEMIC

institutions. Part of the “Build, Build, Build� program should INVEST IN CREATING THIS CAPACITY The Philippines should also aim TO CREATE SOMETHING LIKE +/4) TO house a stable, critical mass of transportation expertise.

Five zeroes His parting message is the imPORTANCE OF SETTING HIGH LEVEL OBJECTIVES AND TO PURSUE THEM relentlessly. He coined the term g&IVE :EROESu TO CAPTURE THE MOST important goals of transport planNERS IN THIS CENTURY :ERO 0OLLUTION 'REENHOUSE 'AS %MISSIONS :ERO 2OAD #RASHES :ERO 4RAFkC #ONGESTION :ERO 0RIVATE ;#OMBUSTION %NGINE= 6EHICLE 5SE AND :ERO 5NJUST -OBILity. These are all urgent areas for ACTION‡AND THE WELFARE OF FUTURE generations depend on whether we succeed.

Thank you, Dr. GC Kim, for BELIEVING IN THE 0HILIPPINES FOR inspiring a new generation of &ILIPINO TRANSPORT PLANNERS AND for sharing your “secret sauce� for INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY

2OBERT 9 3IY IS A DEVELOPMENT economist, city and regional planNER AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT ADVOCATE He can be reached at mobilitymatters.ph@yahoo.com or followed on Twitter @RobertRsiy

Green Industries

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

B5

Bautista

Canon relaunches cartridge installation recycling program in PH G

pushes for solar panel

QUEZON City plans to install solar panels in all of its 145 public schools, Mayor Herbert Bautista revealed on Thursday.

At last Thursday’s Local School Board meeting, Bautista said the city already built an adequate number of classrooms and buildings that are expected to increase utility bills. “Because of the number of school buildings and classrooms we’ve built and we’ll be building, tataas din yung electricity bills (electric bills would also increase). That’s why it is also a thrust to solarize the 146 schools in QC so that when the electricity bill is reduced, their savings can be used for other education programs,� he said.

The plan is in line with the city’s initiative to be “greener� by using alternative and renewable sources of energy such as solar power.

In 2017, the Quezon City government installed solar panels in three buildings in Commonwealth High School.

In November, the C40 cities Finance Facility — a network of cities committed to taking action against climate change — pledged to help Quezon City install solar panels in 50 public schools. “Undeniably, that is the future of Quezon City. I hope that happens in the next administration,� Bautista added.

Under the Bautista administration, the city initiated various programs for climate change mitigation like the creation of the Local Climate Change Action Plan, which identified sectors that emit more greenhouse gases (GHG) and consume more energy.

The city also started to promote green transport by purchasing electronic tricycles and ELECTRONIC JEEPNEYS AND IS SET TO build its own waste-to-energy plant as part of its green waste management program.

LOBAL imaging solutions leader Canon believes one of its missions is to maximize THE USE OF kNITE RESOURCES SO IT ENSURES THAT ITS PRODUCTS ENERGY EFkCIENT TECHNOLOGIES GO HAND IN HAND WITH ECO FRIENDLY PROCESSES

“We at Canon strive hard to NOT JUST CREATE SUPERIOR IMAGING products and business solutions for our consumers and partners; we also innovate ways to deliver products and processes in a more eco-friendly manner,� said Canon Marketing (Philippines) Inc. (CMPI) President and Chief %XECUTIVE /FkCER +AZUHIRO /ZAWA “We have full realization that what we make may eventually end UP IN LANDkLLS AFTER ITS PRODUCT LIFE

As a global company, we are mindful of our environmental impact and take responsibility by implementing a closed-loop recycling SYSTEM 7E ARE PROUD TO BE THE kRST company globally to recycle toner cartridges since 1990,� he added.

Canon believes that smart designs and recycling are some of the solutions in addressing global waste and resource issues. As such, it designs products that are easier to reuse and recycle, starting from

the selection of materials down to limiting the types of plastics used.

In the manufacturing process, it practices a closed-loop recycling method where the byproduct of one process is used to make another product, thereby minimizing or eliminating waste altogether. Canon also steers away from printing unnecessary labels, engraving information directly on its products.

In Japan in the 1990s, Canon pioneered the recycling of toner cartridges. Last year, the company celebrated the 10th year anniVERSARY OF 0ROJECT (OMECOMING

a recycling program that allows people to properly dispose their empty ink cartridges. And to

make it accessible for everyone, over 6,000 recycling bins were deployed across Japanese cities, resulting in 24 million cartridges being collected.

Locally, Canon wishes to repLICATE THE SUCCESS OF 0ROJECT Homecoming in the Philippines with the relaunch of their inkcartridge recycling program.

Together with its local partner Envirotech Waste Recycling Inc., CMPI plans to transform the collected refuse into usable items.

In the future, collected cartridges would be given new life as new collection bins, effectively fueling the program’s expansion. “Since we started the inkcartridge recycling program here

in the Philippines only six years ago, we have collected 7,000 empty ink cartridges from consumers. Our business partners have also been supportive. They have submitted for recycling 99 percent of the toner cartridges they purchased from us,� said CMPI 6ICE 0RESIDENT !NUJ !GGARWAL “In doing this, we hope to encourage everyone to be more conscious about the environment and to start practicing recycling. By choosing greener processes for our own business and providing ecofriendly options to our patrons, we hope to inspire change in the community and to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s sustainable development.� he added.

Haribon members convene for 46th general assembly

BY QUEENIE DIANE MALABANAN ON its 47th year, pioneer conservation group Haribon Foundation held its annual membership assembly at the Biodiversity Management Bureau Training Center.

With the theme “Budding Champions for Biodiversity,� Haribon emphasized the importance of developing environment leaders today wherein the call to be protectors of nature “rings loudest.�

In her welcome address, Haribon Board Secretary Anabelle Plantilla underscored issues on rising global temperature, species loss, and the current state of forest and marine ecosystems in the country. “Daily, we are constantly confronted with threats to the environment that we share together, depriving us of our very needs for survival such as potable water,� said Plantilla, who also led the business meeting.

During the assembly, Haribon MEMBERS AND GUESTS JOINED NAture-themed awareness activities SUCH AS NATIVE TREE IDENTIkCATION

a virtual reality that takes one undersea to the Philippine reefs, and a memory game challenge

Q During its 46h general assembly, Haribon Foundatio emphasized the importance of developing environment leaders. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO THAT FEATURES g0ROUDLY 0INOYu lOra and fauna species. Games and RAFlE PRIZES WERE SPONSORED BY Natura Yoga PH, SUDS Bath and Body, Lush Philippines and Theodore’s Home Care.

This year’s general assembly also included an election for some of the foundation’s board of trustees (BOT). Among the elected board members were Anabelle Rosalina Plantilla (program manager of the Biodiversity Finance Initia-

TIVE !LEJANDRO &LORES *R PRESIdent of the Council for Foreign 2ELATION !TTICUS 2OBERT +ING (chief innovator of the Pasig Tourism Development Corp.), $ANTE &RANCIS @+LINK !NG ND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFkCER OF The Manila Times), John Philip Lesaca (musician and former Haribon BOT chairman), and Philip Camara (founder and CEO of the Philippine Biochar Association).

Last year, Haribon launched its

new membership program composed of four committees — membership and training, visibility, volunteer engagement and advocacy.

Through a video report, Haribon presented the committees’ accomplishments and membership activities from the previous year.

Following this report, Haribon BOT member Noel Resureccion also presented the foundation’s kNANCIAL STATUS AS OF During the annual gathering,

Haribon members got informed firsthand about organizational news, accomplishments and plans. Members also got to share stories about their inspiring and OFTENTIMES CHALLENGING JOURNEY IN caring for the environment.

Committee members also gathered in groups during the assembly to collect insights and brainstorm plans about the membership program and activities for the coming months.

(ARIBON #HIEF /PERATING /Fkcer Maria Belinda de la Paz ended the occasion with a message of appreciation to members’ continued support in advancing the cause for conserving all life. She then shared some key points from the committee discussions.

According to de la Paz, members wanted to give back to their communities through the opportunities provided by Haribon. They also aspire that the organization grows more in empowering and advocating for the environment. “Becoming a biodiversity champion is to be a champion not only for oneself but for others as well,� she said.

To become a member, visit www. haribon.org.ph or e-mail membership@haribon.org.ph.

Seas are rising, cities are sinking Last of three parts

S

CIENTISTS Rosa Perez and Leoncio Amadore, both members of the National Panel of Technical Experts of the Climate Change Commission, and Renato Feir of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, published a research study titled “Climate change impacts and responses in the Philippines coastal sector� two decades ago. The study revealed that it is quite noticeable that the mean sea-level in Manila Bay abruptly rose in the late 1960s and that although Manila is known to be below sea-level and sinking, the rising sea-level observations are not believed to be the result of land subsidence. “Several reasons can be cited, such as the unsound resourceuse practices in the upland and indiscriminate disposal of wastes and garbage in the coastal areas that has hastened and intensified these natural processes. Infrastructure development, whether in the interior or in the coastal areas, generally causes adverse effects to the coastal zone in the long term,� the study added.

However, as author Curt Stager shared in his book Our Future Earth that panic is not an appropriate response to this problem (sea-level rise), but neither is complacency or denial. Sea-level rise would almost be imperceptibly slow for the most part, but this certainly doesn’t mean that

ALL ABOUT CHOICES LUDWIG O. FEDERIGAN it’s unimportant.

Strategies to adapt to rising sea levels A number of countries and cities are stepping up to act on the challenge of sea-level rise. There are three main strategies that countries and cities can do to adapt to rising sea level.

First, countries and cities can kELD gHARDu ENGINEERING PROJECTS to keep water out — like sea walls, surge barriers, water pumps, and OVERlOW CHAMBERS In 2013, when Yolanda, the strongest typhoon ever to hit the Philippines that year, struck Eastern Visayas, houses of the residents of San Jose and San Rafael villages in Dulag, Leyte were badly damaged.

Five years later, the Department of Public Works and Highways began the construction of a seawall — stone masonry with a total length of 482.50 meters and height of 2.5 meters — along the coastal villages in Dulag, Leyte that would eventually protect and reduce coastal hazards to the residents. Due to continuous erosion as a result of big waves, the beaches in this town facing Leyte Gulf’s open sea have changed over time. The seawall would serve as protection from sea level rise during typhoons and earthquake,

and alleviate the problems of erosion along these coastlines. The structure redirects the waves back to the sea.

Infrastructure reinforcement has BEEN IDENTIkED BY THE Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius as an adaptation measure to reduce the risk of sea-level rise.

Second, countries and cities can adopt nature-based defenses — the restoration of mangroves and wetlands — to help cities cope with lOODWATER INUNDATION Jochen Hinkel, lead author of the IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cyrosphere in a Changing Climate, in the paper titled “The Ability of Societies to Adapt to TwentyFirst-Century Sea-Level Rise,� wrote that coastal societies have a long history of adopting to environmental change and local sea-level rise, because coasts are among the most dynamic environments on Earth.

Sasmuan is a seaside town situated along the Pampanga delta, which forms part of the northern shore of Manila Bay. In a stormy late afternoon in July 2014, the howling winds from “Glenda,� a Category 5 super typhoon, were crossing Central Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 260 kph, brought in huge walls of rampaging sea water from Manila Bay. Most of the residents of the coastal villages had evacuated to higher grounds. But what actually served as a good fortune to these villagers was the thick mangrove trees that have grown in a 13-hectare island a few kilometers away.

The island named Bangkung Malapad was formed from the lahar and silt that had been carried by the Pasac River at the mouth of the Pampanga delta. Few years later, mangroves begun growing.

The residents of these coastal barangay (villages) in Sasmuan were unharmed by the storm surge because the existing mangroves served as natural barriers. The mangroves had actually reduced the impact and height of the waves.

Before the end of the said year, some 146 hectares were planted with mangrove propagules by the residents at the area of Bangkung Malapad to increase mangrove cover in the area. This accounts for some 648,888 propagules planted on the same year.

Today, realizing the importance of the mangroves, the local government unit has formally renamed the Bangkung Malapad into Sasmuan Bangkung Malapad Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area.

One of the policy interventions recommended by scientists Perez, Amadore and Feir in their paper is institutionalizing the development and protection of mangrove resources through the formulation of additional policies and regulations, or by amending existing policies and regulations to allow effective and sustainable mangrove management characterized by a massive reforestation of degraded mangrove systems through a community-based approach; and to include wetlands, swamps and marshes in the National Integrated and Protected Areas within a category of wildlife sanctuary or unique ecosystem.

Third, countries and cities can employ people-oriented measures such as moving households and businesses to safer ground or pour investments to make flood-risk communities more resilient.

According to the World Economic Forum’s The Global Risks’ Report 2019, as sea levels rise and urban vulnerabilities increase, the urgency of the need to respond to these changes is going to intensify.

Tropical storm Ondoy, which barreled down the country in September 2009, brought torrential RAINS AND lOODING OF HISTORIC PROportions in Manila. One month’s worth of rain poured onto Manila in less than a day. More than 80 percent of the city was submerged in water, hundreds of thousands were displaced and hundreds of people were killed. It is clearly a bitter reminder to every resident of Metro Manila.

E ve r y f l o o d e ve n t b r i n g s thousands of stories. And Ondoy became a turning point in our government’s attention to flood management.

In 2017, the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) approved funding for the $500-million Metro Manila &LOOD -ANAGEMENT 0ROJECT )T WAS THE kRST MAJOR ACTIVITY TO BE IMPLEmented under the government’s MASTER PLAN 4HE PROJECT HAS FOUR components: modernizing drainage areas; minimizing solid waste in waterways; participatory housING AND RESETTLEMENT AND PROJECT management and coordination.

4HE PROJECT AIMS TO REDUCE lOODing in about 56 drainage areas and, at least 1.7 million people,

including many informal settlers living near drains and waTERWAYS WOULD DIRECTLY BENEkT FROM THE PROJECT The Metro Manila Flood ManAGEMENT 0ROJECT IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD NOT ONLY IN lOOD risk management, but also in improving the social well-being and prosperity of the inhabitants OF -ETRO -ANILA 4HE PROJECT IS implementing innovative approaches to promote inclusive AND RESILIENT lOOD MANAGEMENT Beyond adaptation measures, addressing urban vulnerability to sea level rise would require households, businesses and governments to avoid exacerbating dangers. There is little point putTING NEW lOOD DEFENSES IN PLACE

for example, if existing defenses are undermined through continued development of homes and businesses in coastal areas AND ON lOODPLAINS A new study titled “Ice sheet contributions to future sea level rise from structured exPERT JUDGMENTu BY A GROUP OF 22 researchers predicts that, if emissions growth continues along current trends, real level could exceed 2 meters, double THAN )0## S PROJECTIONS 4HIS scenario would lead to the loss of 1.8 million square kilometers of land, including critical areas for food production, and displace up to 187 million people.

Hence, our failure to prepare for sea level rise would create spillover problems. Innovative and collaborative approaches are needed to ensure that actions are prioritized before it is too late.

World New stand for US-NKorea nuke talks a must B6

The ËœManila Times

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

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S

EOUL, South Korea: North Korea says nuclear negotiations with the United States would never resume unless the Trump administration moves away from what the North describes as unilateral demands for disarmament.

0YONGYANG S OFkCIAL +OREAN #ENTRAL .EWS !GENCY ON &RIDAY CARRIED comments by an unnamed spokesman of the North’s Foreign Ministry, who accused the US of deliberately causing the collapse of February’s NUCLEAR SUMMIT BETWEEN 0RESIDENT Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un with unilateral and impossible demands.

53 OFkCIALS HAVE SAID THE MEETing broke down because of North Korea’s excessive demands for

sanctions relief in exchange for partial disarmament steps.

Kim has said Washington had until the end of the year to come up with mutually acceptable terms for a deal to salvage the negotiations.

In another development, North Korea’s ambassador to the United Nations said the Trump administration should consider the possible consequences that the seizure of a North Korean car-

go ship could have on relations between the two countries and immediately return the vessel.

Kim Song said at a news conference the “outrageous act� of seizing the ship was aimed at bringing maximum pressure on North Korea to make it “kneel down.�

The vessel Wise Honest, North Korea’s second largest cargo ship, WAS kRST DETAINED IN !PRIL

by Indonesia while transporting a large amount of coal. The US announced May 9 that it had seized the ship because it was carrying coal in violation of UN SANCTIONS A kRST OF ITS KIND ENforcement action that came amid a tense moment in relations with North Korea.

The ambassador said the seizure was an “outright denial of

the underlying spirit� of the June

JOINT STATEMENT BY 0RESident Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after THEIR kRST SUMMIT IN 3INGAPORE “which committed to establishING NEW BILATERAL RELATIONS u !T the summit, Trump promised gSECURITY GUARANTEESu TO 0YONGyang and Kim recommitted to the “complete denuclearization OF THE +OREAN 0ENINSULA u ! SECOND HIGH STAKES SUMMIT between the two leaders in February collapsed over mismatched demands in sanctions relief and disarmament. The United States has urged allies to maintain economic pressure on North Korea until it takes material steps toward relinquishing its nuclear weapons.

The North Korean leader has

since aired his displeasure with short-range missile tests apparently aimed at pressuring Washington and Seoul, and declared that the Trump administration has until the end of the year to come up with mutually acceptable terms for a deal to salvage the negotiations.

Kim, the ambassador, told reporters that the ship seizure is the “product of an extreme hostile policy of the United States AGAINST THE $02+ u THE INITIALS OF THE COUNTRY S OFkCIAL NAME

THE $EMOCRATIC 0EOPLE S 2EPUBlic of Korea. He accused the US of violating international law AND THE 5 . #ONVENTION on Jurisdictional Immunities of 3TATES AND 4HEIR 0ROPERTY Kim reiterated that he has ASKED 3ECRETARY 'ENERAL !NTONIO

Guterres to take “urgent measures� to contribute to stability on the Korean peninsula, but refused to answer a question on what measures.

The ambassador listened to about a dozen other questions, including the impact of the seizure of the ship on prospects for a third Kim-Trump summit and on relations between North Korea and South Korea, whether the ship was carrying contraband, the impact of US and UN sanctions, and whether the North would apologize for THE DEATH OF !MERICAN STUDENT /TTO 7ARMBIER Kim said he wouldn’t answer questions not related to the seizure of the Wise Honest but then only repeated some points from his statement.

AP

Modi earns global praise for historic win

READY TO WORK

Future Forward Party leader Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit speaks to the media as he prepares to attend a ceremony for the commencement of parliament in Bangkok. AFP PHOTO

NEW DELHI: (INDU NATIONALIST 0RIME Minister Narendra Modi vowed to build an inclusive India after scoring a landslide election win that he hailed as the “biggest event in world democracy.� “Together we grow. Together we prosper. Together we will build a strong and inclusive India. India wins yet again!� Modi declared amid nationwide celebrations by his rightWING "HARATIYA *ANATA 0ARTY "*0 4HE YEAR OLD LEADER WHO BUILT a formidable campaign based on his tough national security stance, was showered with petals when he arrived lASHING g6u FOR VICTORY SIGNS AT THE "*0 HEADQUARTERS WHERE THOUSANDS of supporters waited.

53 0RESIDENT $ONALD 4RUMP sent Twitter congratulations on the “BIG� win and added: “Great things are in store for the US-India PARTNERSHIP WITH THE RETURN OF 0- Modi at the helm.�

0RESIDENTS 6LADIMIR 0UTIN OF 2USSIA %MMANUEL -ACRON OF &RANCE AND 0RIME -INISTERS 3HINZO !BE OF *APAN

3COTT -ORRISON OF !USTRALIA AND "ENJAmin Netanyahu of Israel were among world leaders to call Modi before the kNAL RESULTS WERE EVEN RELEASED THE foreign ministry said. ! ROLLING ELECTION COMMISSION VOTE COUNT SHOWED THE "*0 WAS ON COURSE to increase its grip on parliament with OUT OF ELECTED SEATS ‡ UP FROM IN )T WILL BE THE kRST TIME IN ALMOST kVE DECADES THAT AN )NDIAN premier has been voted back with INCREASED MAJORITY “The voting numbers in India’s election is the biggest event in the history of [the] democratic world.

The entire world has to recognize the democratic strength of India,� Modi told cheering crowds.

The opposition Congress party was ON JUST SEATS WITH 2AHUL 'ANDHI ‡ the great-grandson, grandson and son OF THREE PREMIERS ‡ CONCEDING DEFEAT and congratulating Modi.

The Congress tally only improved MARGINALLY FROM ITS HISTORIC LOW OF IN POLLS AFP

Keep ties with 300 same sex couples tie knot in Taiwan Taiwan, Pacific nations told ! 4/0 United States diplomat for southeast !SIA ON &RIDAY URGED 0ACIkC ISLAND NATIONS NOT to withdraw diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, warning that Chinese pressure to change Taiwan’s international standing threatens to increase the POSSIBILITY OF CONlICT 53 !CTING !SSISTANT 3ECRETARY FOR SOUTHEAST !SIA 0ATRICK -URPHY SPOKE TO REPORTERS IN #ANBERRA AT THE END OF A THREE DAY !USTRALIAN VISIT FOR TALKS WITH OFkCIALS IN THE RECENTLY REELECTED GOVERNMENT on expanding their security alliance.

3IX 0ACIkC ISLAND NATIONS GIVE DIPLOMATIC RECognition to Taiwan, accounting for a third of the self-governing democratic island’s diplomatic allies around the world. But they are under intenSIFYING PRESSURE FROM "EIJING TO SWITCH ALLEGIANCES AS IT BUILDS INlUENCE IN THE REGION Murphy said diplomatic decisions should not BE INlUENCED BY #HINA “China is attempting to reduce Taiwan’s diplomatic relations in the region and that’s kind of heavy-handed,� Murphy said. “It gives rise to tensions by changing the STATUS QUO AND THEN THE POSSIBILITY OF CONlICT u he added.

3OLOMON )SLANDS 0RIME -INISTER 2ICK (OU HAD promised to review the nation’s relations with Taiwan before he lost power at elections last month.

Switching recognition to China, the Solomons’ biggest export market, remains a live issue.

Murphy said the United States had “strong diplomatic relations� with the Solomons, AND HAD CONGRATULATED NEW 0RIME -INISTER Manasseh Sogavare.

Murphy declined to say whether he discussed WITH !USTRALIAN OFkCIALS CONCERNS OF SOME SECURITY analysts that China wants to construct a deepWATER MILITARY BASE SOMEWHERE IN THE 0ACIkC (E SAID #HINESE MILITARIZATION IN THE 0ACIkC would be as destabilizing as its militarization of DISPUTED ISLANDS IN THE 3OUTH #HINA 3EA 7EST 0HILIPPINE 3EA g! GROWING MILITARY PRESENCE ANYWHERE IN THE region of a country like China that doesn’t work on a rules-based approach or adhere to international standards is and should be of concern,� Murphy said.

AP

TAIPEI: Taiwan made history on Friday WITH !SIA S kRST LEGAL GAY WEDDINGS AS AROUND SAME SEX COUPLES ARE SET TO TIE THE KNOT UNTIL 3UNDAY IN JUBILANT AND emotional scenes, the culmination of a THREE DECADE kGHT FOR EQUALITY The weddings, which came a week after lawmakers took the unprecedented decision to legalize gay marriage despite staunch conservative opposition, places Taiwan at the vanguard of the burgeoning GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT IN !SIA Some dozen couples were among the kRST TO ARRIVE AT A GOVERNMENT OFkCE IN downtown Taipei to legally register their

relationships as marriages.

They embraced and kissed in front of the gathered press before proudly HOLDING ALOFT THEIR WEDDING CERTIkCATES and new identity cards listing each other as spouses. !MONG THOSE TYING THE KNOT WERE social worker Huang Mei-yu and her partner You Ya-ting.

They held a religious blessing conducted by a progressive Buddhist master IN BUT LONGED FOR THE SAME LEGAL rights granted heterosexuals. “It’s belated, but I’m still happy we can OFkCIALLY GET MARRIED IN THIS LIFETIME u

(UANG TOLD !GENCE &RANCE 0RESSE AFTER SIGNING HER MARRIAGE CERTIkCATE CLUTCHING a bouquet and beaming.

Legal recognition of their love, she said, was a crucial step and might help others accept their relationship. “Now that same-sex marriage is legally recognized, I think my parents MIGHT kNALLY FEEL THAT IT S REAL AND STOP trying to talk me into getting married [to a man],� she said.

Shane Lin and Marc Yuan, who fell in LOVE AT COLLEGE WERE THE kRST TO REGISTER g)T S NOT BEEN AN EASY JOURNEY AND ) M very lucky to have the support of my

other half, my family and friends,� Lin told reporters through tears. “Today I can say in front of so many people that we are gay and we are getting married. I’m really proud that my country is so progressive,� he added.

Taiwan made history last week when IT BECAME THE kRST PLACE TO LEGALIZE GAY MARRIAGE IN !SIA HOME TO PERCENT OF the world’s population.

But the issue has caused deep divisions on an island that remains staunchly conservative, especially outside of the cities and among the older generation.

AFP

Trump to watch sumo fight in Japan visit TOKYO: Call it the ultimate culture clash: US President Donald Trump is going to the sumo, where the brash United States leader will watch one of Japan’s most ancient and revered sporting traditions.

A huge pro-wrestling fan, Trump once body-slammed and shaved the head of an American wrestling bigwig during a televised event.

But the taciturn and highly ritualized world of sumo is a world away from the garish costumes, flamboyant characters and scripted bouts beloved of American teenagers.

And opinion in Japan is split over the decision to invite the outspoken President to present a custom-made “Trump Cup� to the winning wrestler in Tokyo this weekend — an unorthodox turn in a sport steeped in history and solemn ceremony.

Trump won’t be the first foreign dignitary to visit sumo’s hallowed Ryogoku Kokugikan venue, where Prince Charles and Princess Diana watched some of the 1986 summer tournament.

However, Trump’s decision to take in some bouts at the site famously graced by James Bond in the 1967 film “You Only Live Twice� offers plenty of possible security and cultural conundrums.

How, for example, might secret service agents react to the tradition of sumo fans hurling their seat cushions when a yokozuna (grand champion) is toppled — a rowdy celebration that could leave their boss in the line of fire.

Since, as a mere President, he won’t be sitting in the Imperial box — unlike royals Charles and Diana — Trump will have to make do with a ring-level box close to the action.

That box should be far enough away to keep him safe from the occasional spill, which sees a sweaty 150-kilogram (330-pound) wrestler land in the lap of an audience member — an event that would be sure to send the internet into a frenzy.

AFP

LEADER’S DEATH

Kashmiri villagers shout slogans during the funeral procession of Zakir Musa, a top rebel leader in the area said to be linked to the dreaded al-Qaida terrosist group.

Indian authorities said the death of Musa, who is said to be the de facto leader of the 7,000-strong rebel group in Kashmir, was a major blow against militancy in the region. AFP PHOTO

World Iraq urges Iran to May to quit on June 7; respect nuclear accord 5 bets eye PM position L ˜ The Manila Times

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OSLO, Norway: Iraq’s top diplomat Friday called on Iran to respect the landmark deal covering its nuclear programme, which has been weakened by the US decision to withdraw from it and Tehran’s backing away from certain commitments. “We think the JCPOA is a good agreement,� said Iraq’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali al-Hakim, referring to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed by Iran in 2015 with Russia, China, Germany, Britain and the United States.

Under the terms of the deal, the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, is charged with regular inspections of declared facilities in Iran such as uranium mines and centrifuge workshops for up to 25 years.

The aim is to ensure that Iran is not holding undeclared stocks of nuclear material and is not enriching uranium past a certain level. “We encourage the Iranian government to stick to the JCPOA and stick to the spirit

of the agreement and continue with it,� he told reporters in Oslo during a press briefing at a conference on combating sexual violence in humanitarian crises.

The already strained relations between Washington and Tehran have deteriorated in recent weeks.

Iran has suspended some of its commitments under the JCPOA, a year after US President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal, while his administration has reinforced economic sanctions against the Islamic republic.

The Pentagon, which has already sent an aircraft carrier, a warship, B-52 bombers and a Patriot missile battery to the region, is considering sending additional troops to the Middle East, US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced Thursday. “The last thing we need is another conflict in the area. We’ve already had a lot of conflicts in the area,� al-Hakim said Friday. “I don’t think anybody wants $200 per barrel of oil coming soon,� he added.

AFP

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

ONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May announced on Thursday (Friday in Manila) she will step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7 after failing to persuade members of the parliament (MPs) to supprt her Brexit deal. “It is and will always remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit,� May said.

May will stay as caretaker prime minister until the new leader is chosen, a process likely to take several weeks.

The leading contenders to succeed May are former Foreign secretary Boris Jonhson, former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab, former Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, Home Secretary Sajid Javid and newly resigned House of Commons Secretary Andrea Leadsom. Earlier, May was given until Friday to announce a departure date or face a likely leadership challenge.

Several British media outlets reported that she would agree to give up the prime minister’s post on June 10, sparking a Conservative leadership contest.

Geoffrey Clifton Brown, treasurer of the committee that oversees Conservative leadership races, said if May did not agree to leave, there would be “overwhelming pressure�

FOR A NO CONkDENCE VOTE IN HER If May does name an exit date, she will likely remain prime minister for several more weeks, while Conservative lawmakers and members vote

to choose a successor.

May’s spokesman, James Slack, SAID SHE WOULD STILL BE IN OFkCE WHEN US President Donald Trump comes to Britain for a June 3 to 5 state visit. “She looks forward to welcoming the President,� he said.

Conservative lawmakers increasingly see May as an obstacle to Britain’s EU exit, although her replacement will face the same dilemma: a Parliament deeply divided over whether to leave the EU, and how close a relationship to seek with the bloc after it does.

Few doubt this is the endgame for May’s term, which has been consumed by Britain’s decision to leave the EU. Senior Conservatives, including former Foreign secretary Boris Johnson and several members of her Cabinet, are already jockeying for position in the coming leadership race.

With her authority draining away by the hour, May on Thursday delayed plans to publish the EU with-

B7

drawal bill — her fourth and likely kNAL ATTEMPT TO SECURE 0ARLIAMENT S backing for her Brexit blueprint.

House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom — another likely contender — helped seal May’s fate when she resigned late Wednesday, saying she could not support May’s withdrawal bill. The draft contains measures aimed at winning support from the opposition, including a promise to let Parliament vote on whether to hold a new EU membership referendum.

That concession, which could ultimately lead to Brexit being halted, was the final straw for many Conservative lawmakers and ministers, who also balked at May’s offer of a close customs relationship with the EU, which would limit Britain’s trade autonomy.

Leadsom said May’s Brexit plan did not “deliver on the referendum result� that saw voters in 2016 opt to leave the EU. AP

Bickering of TrumpPelosi turns personal WASHINGTON, D.C.: Democratic congressional leader Nancy Pelosi said US President Donald Trump was angry that her party was not rushing to impeach him, as the relationship between the rivals reaches new lows.

Thursday (Friday in Manila) was the second straight day of a very public war of words between Trump and the speaker of the House of Representatives, who earlier questioned the President’s mental kTNESS FOR OFkCE AND EXPRESSED HOPE THAT those close to Trump would stage an intervention “for the good of the country.�

Trump responded by branding Pelosi “crazy Nancy,� in what appeared to be THE kRST TIME HE HAS ASCRIBED A PEJORAtive nickname to the woman who is his Congressional nemesis.

The President later tweeted a Fox News video of Pelosi that had been edited to focus on sections of a speech in which she stuttered and mispronounced certain words, with the caption “Pelosi stammers through news conference.�

Another video of Pelosi shared by Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani in which her speech was slowed down to

give the impression she was drunkenly slurring her words had been viewed 2.3 million times.

The back-and-forth attacks are highlighting the bitter feud that has swelled since the release last month of the special counsel’s report on Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

According to Pelosi, Trump’s strategy is to get his opponents to commit themselves to impeachment — a process that would almost certainly pass in the House, and then fail in the Republican-controlled Senate, ultimately energizing Trump’s core voters during his reelection bid. “The White House is just crying out for impeachment,� she told journalists.

Trump was “disappointed� that the Democrats were holding off for now, Pelosi said, even as they intensify Congressional investigations into the President’s links to Russia and his alleged obstruction of justice — probes that Trump is trying to block. “It may take us to a place that is unavoidable in terms of impeachment or not, but we’re not at that place,� she said.

AFP

TEACH US

Hearing-impaired students take part in a sign language webdesign course at Signes and Formations on the Lyon Digital Campus in Lyon, France. AFP PHOTO

Climate change top issue for EU polls Worldinbriefs LANGEOOG, Germany: Hungry tourists stream into the glass-fronted balcony of Michael Recktenwald’s restaurant on the German island of Langeoog, with its splendid view of the North Sea and the blue skies above.

The 53-year-old has lived on Langeoog for most of his life, and his wife’s family has been there for generations, but Recktenwald fears their children may not be able to stay if the world keeps on warming.

Concerns about climate change have prompted mass protests across Europe for the past year. For the first time, the issue is expected to have a significant impact on this week’s elections for the European Parliament.

Recktenwald pointed to the damaged levees protecting the island, which is part of the Frisian Archipelago off the coasts of Germany, the Neth-

erlands and Denmark. Islands like Langeoog are among the regions most vulnerable to the rising sea levels predicted to result from climate change. “The sea level has already risen and storm surges are getting more violent,� he told The Associated Press. “The chain of dunes is being attacked more strongly, endangering our freshwater supply.�

A recent opinion poll in Germany showed that climate change has overtaken immigration as the issue voters in the EU’s most populous nation are most concerned about. Elsewhere across the EU, climate change also features prominently among the top issues — along with immigration and the economy — ahead of the European Parliament vote that began Thursday and runs through Sunday in all of the bloc’s 28 nations. “In many countries, the climate issue has become increasingly one of the top

issues that voters are concerned about when they talk about European issues,� said Derek Beach, a political scientist at the University of Aarhus, Denmark. “In Denmark, for example, this year it’s really almost the only issue that people are talking about in relation to the European Parliament election.�

Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg inspired a ‘Fridays for Future’school strikes movement in her native Sweden that’s spread across Europe, bringing tens of thousands to the streets demanding faster action on climate change. The Extinction Rebellion direct action group upended traffic across London for days to press the point. Both cite spiking temperature records and dramatic warnings from scientists as reasons to act now to fight global warming.

Yet what remains an abstract threat to most Europeans has become very real to Recktenwald.

AP

FB removes 3 billion fake accounts SAN FRANCISCO: Facebook removed more than 3 billion fake accounts from October to March, twice as many as the previous six months, the company said Thursday (Friday in Manila).

Nearly all of them were caught before they had a chance to become “active� users of the social network.

In a new report, Facebook said it saw a “steep increase� in the creation of abusive, fake accounts. While most of these fake accounts were blocked “within minutes� of their creation, FB said.

As a result, the company estimates that 5 percent of its 2.4 billion monthly active users are fake accounts, or about 119 million. This is up from an esti-

mated 3 to 4 percent in the previous six-month report.

The increase shows the challenges Facebook faces in removing accounts created by computers to spread spam, fake news and other objectionable material. Even as Facebook’s detection tools get better, so do the efforts by the creators of these fake accounts.

The new numbers come as the company grapples with challenge after challenge, ranging from fake news to Facebook’s role in elections interference, hate speech and incitement to violence in the US, Myanmar, India and elsewhere.

Facebook also said Thursday that

it removed 7.3 million posts, photos and other material because it violated its rules against hate speech. That’s up from 5.4 million in the prior six months.

The company said it found more than 65 percent of hate speech on its own, before people reported it, during the kRST THREE MONTHS OF 4HAT S AN IMprovement from 52 percent in the third quarter of 2018.

Facebook is under growing pressure to combat hate on its platform, as material continues to slip through even with recent bans of POPULAR EXTREMIST kGURES SUCH AS Alex Jones and Louis Farrakhan. AP

ASSANGE CHARGED ANEW WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a case with significant First Amendment implications, the US filed new charges Thursday (Friday in Manila) against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, accusing him of violating the Espionage Act by publishing secret documents containing the names of confidential military and diplomatic sources.The Justice Department’s 18-count superseding indictment alleges that Assange directed former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning in one of the largest compromises of classified information in US history. It says the WikiLeaks founder, currently in custody in London, damaged national security by publishing documents that harmed the US and its allies and aided its adversaries.

AP

TOP AL-QAIDA-LINKED MILITANT KILLED SRINAGAR, India: Government forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir killed a top militant commander linked to al-Qaida in the disputed region, officials said on Friday. Zakir Musa was killed Thursday evening in a gunfight after police and soldiers launched a counterinsurgency operation in the southern Tral area, said Col. Rajesh Kalia, an Indian army spokesman. Musa refused to surrender and fired grenades at the troops after they zeroed in on his hideout in a civilian home, police said.

AFP

STORMS LEAVE 3 DEAD, HURT 24 IN MISSOURI JEFFERSON City, Mo.: An outbreak of nasty storms in the midwest spawned tornadoes that razed homes, flattened trees and tossed cars across a dealership lot, injuring about 2 dozen people in Missouri’s capital city and killing at least three others elsewhere in the state. The National Weather Service confirmed that a large and destructive twister moved over Jefferson City shortly before midnight Wednesday. Officials said the tornado packed winds of up to 160 miles per hour (257.48 kilometers per hour) and cut a path about 3 miles (4.83 kilometers) long.

AP

BOTSWANA LIFTS ELEPHANT HUNTING BAN JOHANNESBURG: Botswana has lifted its ban on elephant hunting in a country with the world’s highest number of the animals, a decision that has brought anger from some wildlife protection groups and warnings of a blow to lucrative tourism. The southern African nation is home to an estimated 130,000 elephants. The lifting of the ban raised concerns about a possible increase in illegal poaching of elephants for their tusks to supply the ivory trade.“Expect mass culling next,� Chief Executive Officer of WildlifeDirect, Paula Kahumbu, said.

AP

‘BLACK WIDOW’ DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD TOKYO: A Japanese court on Friday upheld the death sentence for a woman dubbed the “Black Widow,� who used cyanide to kill a string of elderly and rich lovers and pocketed millions in insurance payouts and inheritance. The Osaka High Court rejected an appeal

by Chisako Kakehi, 72, to overturn her sentence of death by hanging for the murder of three men — including a husband — and the attempted murder of another, in a case that gripped Japan. Kakehi became notorious after using poison to dispatch a number of elderly men she was involved with, drawing comparisons with the spider that kills its mate after copulation.

AFP

6TH MIGRANT DIES IN US CUSTODY US authorities said on Thursday (Friday in Manila) that a 10-year-old girl from El Salvador died last year after being held by border authorities in a previously unreported case. The death marks the sixth known case in the last year. The US Department of Health and Human Services said she died on September 29 at an Omaha, Nebraska, hospital of fever and respiratory distress.

AP

SSATURDAY AT URDAY MAY 25,, 2019

Public Square

B8 Public Square appears on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

For contributions, email to publicsquare@manilatimes.net

publicsquare@manilatimes.net

DepEd NCR welcomes financial education program for public schools

Q DepEd NCR school heads welcome the deployment of the financial education program, which expects to benefit as many as 24 million students and 800,000 teachers and non-teaching personnel in more than 47,000 public schools nationwide.

HE nationwide deployment of tendents, chief education supervisors “With the support of the school heads MEMORY DRIVES CONTAINING kNANTHE kNANCIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM and school heads in Pasay City, led FOR OUR kNANCIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM cial literacy videos at the NCR event. for public schools — a partnership by DepEd NCR regional director Wil- WE CAN HELP RAISE OUR COUNTRY S k- Developed by the foundation in project of Banco de Oro (BDO) fredo Cabral, DepEd NCR Assistant nancial literacy levels. Together, we collaboration with DepEd and BSP, Foundation, Department of Educa- Regional Director Tolentino Aquino, CAN HELP &ILIPINOS ACHIEVE kNANCIAL the videos cover such topics as savtion (DepEd) and Bangko Sentral BSP Center for Learning and Inclusion independence in the long term.�

INGS BUDGETING kNANCIAL PLANNING

NG 0ILIPINAS "30 FOR THE BENEkT OF Advocacy Acting Deputy Director Prior to NCR, BDO Foundation, investments, managing debt, the students, teachers and non-teaching Rochelle Tomas and BDO Foundation $EP%D AND "30 LAUNCHED THE kNANCIAL responsible use of credit, entreprepersonnel — continues to make head- President Mario Deriquito. education program in Regions II, III, neurship and avoiding scams. The way with its launch in the National “We would like to extend our IV-A, V, VI, VII, X, XI and XIII. The re- clips and accompanying discussion Capital Region (NCR). gratitude to the leadership of BSP and gional launches are aimed at increasing guides are uploaded on DepEd’s 4HE INITIATIVE WAS OFkCIALLY UNVEILED DepEd for giving us this unique op- awareness of the initiative as it is being learning resources portal, where they at a gathering of more than 600 portunity to be of service to educators deployed in schools across the country. can be easily accessed by public school BDO Foundation distributed USB teachers and trainers.

DepEd NCR schools division superin- and learners,� Deriquito remarked.

T

Muntinlupa bar topnotcher receives P100K from local government 2018 Bar Examinations topnotcher lawyer Sean James Borja (Top 1), a resident of Brgy. Cupang in Muntinlupa City, receives P100,000 cash incentive from the local government and vows to help in passing a localized antidiscrimination ordinance.

Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi lauded Borja for acing the bar exams and bring honor to Muntinlupa DURING THE CITY S lAG RAISING RITES LAST May 20 at Muntinlupa City Hall.

Borja thanked the city government for recognizing the residents’ accomplishments. An LGBTQI rights advocate, Borja also expressed his support in extending technical assistance in the craft-

ing of an anti-discrimination ordinance to uphold the rights of Muntinlupa residents especially those discriminated against based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE).

Recently, the local government also recognized lawyer Patricia Sevilla, Top 7 in the 2018 Bar Examinations, and other local bar passers for their achievement and bringing pride to the city. Through the Muntinlupa Scholarship Program, Sevilla also received cash incentive amounting to P25,000.

Muntinlupa City pioneers in incentivizing residents who earn top ranks in Professional Licensure Examinations, including bar exam-

Q Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi recognizes 2018 Bar Examinations topnotcher (Top 1), Brgy. Cupang resident lawyer Sean James Borja during the city’s flag raising rites last May 20. inations. For board topnotchers: Rank 1 will receive P100,000 while Rank 2-10 will receive P25,000.

Last May 3, the Supreme Court

released the results of the 2018 Bar Examinations. Out of 8,158 takers, a total of 1,800 passed the Bar exams with a passing rate of 22.07 percent.

Moscow Ballet La Classique and Bolshoi stars set for performance THE world-renowned Moscow Ballet “La Classique� comes to Manila to demonstrate their continued quality of dance and performance in a dramatic production of Swan Lake, a timeless favorite set to Russian composer Tchaikovsky’s superb score.

Its resident show at the New Frontier Theater (Araneta Center, Quezon City) is set from June 14 to 22. Sharing the stage with the Moscow Ballet company are two acclaimed Bolshoi Ballet stars Nina Kaptsova and Alexander Volchkov.

Choreographed by Marius Petipa

and Lev Ivanov, the Moscow Ballet “La Classique� production of Swan Lake will be accompanied by the Russian Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of conductor Yaroslav Tkalenko.

The Moscow Ballet “La Classique� was founded in 1990 by its current director, Erik Melikov. The ballet company has thrilled ballet lovers during hugely successful tours of Egypt, Morocco, France, Spain, Italy, Austria, Norway, Israel, Thailand, Taiwan, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand as well as the UK. This year, Philippines will get to witness

Q The Moscow Ballet ‘La Classique’ why this company has gained vast international acclaim.

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

St Luke’s Medical Center selects Philips AlluraClarity system ST. Luke’s Medical Center Quezon City (SLMC)’s Catherization Lab has added an advancement in the diagnosis and treatment of stroke, brain aneurysms, brain and spinal AVMs and tumors, and other complex neurovascular conditions with the acquisition of Philips AlluraClarity.

Philips’ AlluraClarity system, with its powerful ClarityIQ technology, provides high quality imaging for a comprehensive range of clinical procedures, achieving excellent visibility at low X-ray dose levels for patients of all sizes.

Ashwin Chari, Philips country manager said, “We are excited about the added advancement in the healthcare industry in the Philippines through AlluraClarity with Clarity IQ Technology that we recently installed at the St. Luke’s Medical Center Quezon City as it would help doctors to perform less invasive procedures that would facilitate the faster recovery of the patient.� “The Philips AlluraClarity incorporates powerful imaging technology to bring superb image quality at a fraction of the

ON June 28, to 30, Bayview Park Hotel Manila will be holding a Bridal Fair and Fashion Show.

The fashion show, featuring dresses of Paul Tenorio of Mikel Couture and modeled by Bayview employees, will start by 7:00 p.m. of June 28.

4HE WHOLE SECOND lOOR OF THE hotel will be the venue of the exhibit with booths offering cakes, hair and make-up, photo and video, and other essential services for wedding

celebrations. Booths will be open from 10:00 am to 6:00 p.m.

Bayview will be holding this three-day event with the goal of helping couples hold their dream wedding at Bayview Park Hotel Manila, and business partners to spread their product and service.

Lucky couples will get a special gift from Bayview on the last day of the FAIR THROUGH RAFlE DRAW For more information, visit www.bayviewparkhotel.manila.

WHO lists PH in Top 15 smoking countries in Asia DESPITE increased efforts from the government to get Filipinos to quit smoking, a study by the World Health Organization shows that the Philippines continues to have one of the highest rates of smoking in Asia.

The Philippines is ranked in the top 15 countries worldwide with the highest burden of tobacco-related illnesses. The country loses nearly P270 million in tobacco-usage related costs, which includes healthcare and productivity loss from illnesses and mortality. Over 100,000 Filipinos die annually from smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer and heart failure.

As such, the Department of Health (DoH) referred to continued tobacco dependence as a “key development issue that impacts well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life.�

These alarming statistics have triggered a growing number of medical practitioners and civic organizations to appeal for wider

access to electronic nicotine delivery systems (Ends), which are said to be 95 percent less harmful than conventional cigarettes, according to a study commissioned

by Public Health England.

Results of recent research published by the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that ecigarettes were more effective in helping smokers quit compared to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products such as nicotine patches, gums, and lozenges.

The study assessed close to 900 individuals that sought support from the United Kingdom National Health Service for smoking cessation. After one year, 18 percent of e-cigarette users had successfully quit smoking compared to 9.9 percent of those using NRTs. In addition, more e-cigarette users reduced their smoking by at least 50 percent; e-cigarette users also reported higher satisfaction and rated the device as more helpful than NRTs.

Japan confers Decoration on Ma Elena Laurel Loinaz THE Government of Japan announced on May 21, the conferment of The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays on Ma. Elena Laurel Loinaz in recognition of her contribution to promoting mutual understanding between Japan and the Philippines.

Loinaz served as president of the Philippines-Japan Ladies Association (PJLA) for 13 years. Under her stewardship, the PJLA undertook various educational and sociocultural programs to encourage exchanges between Filipinos and the Japanese. By making the activities of the association more open, she invigorated them and expanded the participation of PJLA members and non-members.

She has also played a vital role in the Philippines-Japan Friendship Foundation in her capacity as administrator, among other administrative positions, for many years. She has worked to support its affiliate organizations including the Philippines-

Japan Society, the PhilippinesJapan Economic Cooperation Committee, the Philippine Institute of Japanese Language and Culture, the Nihongo Center Foundation and the Philippine Federation of Japan Alumni.

The Embassy of Japan extends its sincere congratulations to Loinaz and her family on this conferment, and hopes that she will continue to play an active role in further strengthening close relations between our two countries.

May is Hypertension Awareness Month Q Philips AlluraClarity system with ClarityIQ technology dose, further proving Philips’ tient’s health, well-being and commitment to improving pa- quality of life,� he added.

Kitsho honors fatherhood with special family set meal ON June 16, Kitsho celebrates Father’s Day with the rest of the world.

At Kitsho, fathers get to dine for free, if accompanied by three family members dining on the a la carte buffet.

There will be no buffet spread but diners still get to enjoy all the dishes they wish to sample. All they have to do is tell the waiting staff what dishes they would like to relish,and Executive Chef Keita Kamimoto and his F&B team would gladly prepare everything, fresh from the kitchen.

For diners who don’t wish to go on a smorgasbord spree, Kitsho has concocted a special menu for the family that’s com-

Bayview Park Hotel hosts bridal fair and fashion show

prised of soup, appetizer, a main dish and dessert. Fathers also get to enjoy a complimentary glass of beer or, if he wishes to enjoy more than a glass, he can simply opt for unlimited draft beer.

The special Father’s Day set menu is good for four dining guests. Families would greatly enjoy this sumptuous offering that’s priced to give each one a big smile.

Kitsho Japanese Restaurant and Sake Bar is operated and managed by MCK Millennium Food Inc. and is conveniently LOCATED AT THE GROUND lOOR OF (OTEL *EN Manila, across the sprawling CCP Complex, along Roxas Boulevard’s sunset strip in the historic Manila Bay area.

Q Kitsho’s special Father’s Day set menu can be shared by four diners.

OMRON Healthcare Philippines, together with the different organization like Philippine Society of Hypertension and the Philippine Heart Association, joined forces to promote the importance of home blood pressure monitoring in this year’s May Measurement Month at Marco Polo Hotel, Ortigas, Pasig, on May 16. “Omron Healthcare Philippines continues to work diligently with various health organizations to help address the country’s worsening hypertension problem by offering reliable and easy-to-use healthcare equipment that help users monitor their health better. We hope that together with our global Generation Zero campaign, which aims to eliminate cardiac events, we can look forward to a healthier future for everyone.� shares Omron Healthcare

Regional Head Yoshiaki Nishiyabu.

The International Society of Hypertension (ISH) stresses the importance of regular screening to prevent the complications caused by hypertension. To further this cause, ISH launched the May Measurement Month initiative. “May Measurement Month puts the spotlight on increasing access to blood pressure screening as potentially the most effective way to reduce hypertension’s adverse effect on health,� says Alta Schutte, president of ISH.

Sports

C1 SATURDAY MAY 25, 2019

www.manilatimes.net

Raptors put Bucks on brink of NBA playoff elimination

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OS ANGELES: Kawhi Leonard scored 15 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter as Toronto beat Milwaukee 105-99, leaving the 2APTORS ONE WIN AWAY FROM ADVANCING TO THE kNALS FOR THE kRST TIME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY The Raptors started Thursday’s (Friday in Manila) pivotal game slowly and trailed 49-46 at the half, then kept it tight with the top-seeded Bucks before seizing command late in the fourth quarter to take a 3-2 series lead.

Leonard, who was favoring a sore left leg in game four, played 40 minutes Thursday, after putting in 52 minutes in Sunday’s doubleovertime win by the Raptors.

A w i n a t h o m e S a t u r d ay would set up a finals match with NBA defending champions Golden State Warriors. “We weathered a storm early and we are just excited to get the win tonight,� Leonard said.

Leonard reached the 30-point mark for the 11th time in the playOFFS DRAINED kVE THREE POINTERS

grabbed seven rebounds and handed out nine assists.

It was the first time this season the Bucks have lost three straight games and it puts them on the brink of elimination

T

from the postseason.

Fred VanVleet came off the bench to score 21 points, Pascal 3IAKAM kNISHED WITH POINTS and 12 rebounds and Kyle Lowry tallied 17 points for the Raptors, WHO BECAME THE kRST TEAM TO WIN on the road in the best-of-seven series. VanVleet nailed seven baskets from beyond the arc. “This was a super-hard win tonight,� Raptors coach Nick Nurse said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered 24 points, Eric Bledsoe scored 20 and Malcolm Brogdon finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who at ONE POINT IN THE kRST QUARTER LED by 14 points, and were up by 12 in the third quarter before carrying a three-point edge into the fourth.

Earlier in the day Antetokounmpo was named a unanimous kRST TEAM !LL ."! PLAYER g)T S kRST TO FOUR 7E VE GOT TO GO to Toronto, get a game. I think the group will be ready,� Bucks coach

Mike Budenholzer said.

A dunk by Siakam gave the Raptors an eight-point lead with 6:20 to play. The Bucks pulled to within four on Brook Lopez’s driving layup with 5:31 left.

After Marc Gasol hit a shot from beyond the arc to make Toronto’s lead seven, Milwaukee cut the DEkCIT TO TWO ON !NTETOKounmpo’s three-pointer with just over four minutes remaining.

Lopez tied the game with a three-pointer with 2:44 to play, but the Raptors regained a three-point lead seconds later when VanVleet sank another three pointer.

Khris Middleton’s layup pulled the Bucks to within two with 59 seconds remaining.

Toronto led by three when Gasol made one of two foul shots with 34 seconds left.

After a Milwaukee turnover, Siakam’s dunk increased the LEAD TO kVE AND 4ORONTO HELD ON from there.

Durant likely to miss start of finals Kevin Durant is likely to miss the

The NBA infinity stones

in 1994, Pippen led the Chicago Bulls to the playoffs, but they fell short. Only when Jordan returned did he win three chips again.

A “Scottie Pippen� is a player who can be a dominant at the regular season, carry a team by himself to the playoffs, but his peak is not enough to win it all. He still needs to combine forces with a superior player, or one from the same level to have a chance.

Kyrie Irving requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers, thinking he was a top tier player. He had the perfect set-up with the Boston Celtics but his disappointing failure proved he is not worthy to be a leader. He probably realized that when he apologized to LeBron.

Anthony Davis has not yet taken his The infinity stones team far, unlike Giannis has. It may be argued that he didn’t get a fair shake If you have one of these six players, your with the supporting cast he got, but team could not be disregarded. The until he can be a primetime playoff presence of these players improves your player, he belongs here, same case with team, whether they dominate statisti- Kemba Walker. cally or uplift their teammates.

Combine AD with any of the Stones, These players are Giannis Antetok- you have an instant contender. George ounmpo, James Harden, Kevin Durant, had his chance with the Pacers, and he Steph Curry, LeBron James and Kawhi may have conceded his chance to be a Leonard. While the Lakers did not make Stone, tying his fate with Westbrook. the playoffs, James got injured, there was Westbrook is also a Pippen, as a stats too much turmoil. Yet, every NBA fan monster with his triple doubles, but he knows that he belongs here.

IS NOT AS SELkSH AS CRITICS PLAY HIM OUT TO One of the best questions that ana- be. He has deferred to George, which is lysts use when evaluating players is: why PG was able to have an All-NBA sea“Can he become the best player on SON "UT HAVING A kRST ROUND EXIT PROVES a championship caliber team?� It’s a that both of them simply belong here. resounding “YES� for all of them. Not 3PEAKING OF /+# S kRST ROUND EXIT

everyone has won a title already, but they lost to another Pippen. Damian THEY DEkNITELY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO LEAD Lillard will be handsomely paid like a Simply put, your team changes direction franchise player with a supermax extenwhen you get a player at this level. sion on the way. He somewhat deserves You can see how powerful the Golden it, because he is the face of Portland, and State Warriors are having not one, but they could not acquire anyone better.

TWO g)NkNITY 3TONES u But the truth is, Lillard would not be Left off this category are Kyrie Irving, the best player on a champion team. He Anthony Davis and Paul George. They needs to join another Stone to win a ring. do belong to the next category.

Side Note: Terrence Jones of TNT is the import to watch in the PBA. They have The Scottie Pippens a better pool of tall imports because the other Asian Leagues are over. The ComScottie Pippen is probably the best missioner’s Cup could have been the best sidekick the NBA has ever seen. When training ground for Gilas’ World Cup stint Michael Jordan had his “retirement� as we previously suggested.

HE All-NBA teams have been released, with their 15 best performers of the past season, and there is also the AllDefense team.

All NBA teams, FROM kRST TO THIRD TEAM IS PURELY BASED on performance for the current season, and this is determined by votes from a panel of sportswriters from the US and Canada.

If we talk about actual value, that is a different list. There are probably six playERS‡THE ."! )NkNITY 3TONES SO TO SPEAK

who can alter a team’s destiny just by their presence. We’ll also discuss the next tiers of NBA players, as some of them will be free agents, and their fates this summer could change the landscape of the NBA.

BASKETBALL SLEUTH

MICHAEL ANGELO B. ASIS

Q Kawhi Leonard (No. 2) of the Toronto Raptors attempts a shot while being guarded by Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks in the third quarter during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

AFP PHOTO

start of the NBA Finals but the Golden State Warriors are optimistic he may yet feature later in the series, the team said.

In an injury update, the Warriors said Durant, who has missed the Warriors past five playoff games with a right calf

STRAIN WOULD NOT BE kT FOR THE START OF THE kNALS ON -AY Durant however continued to make “good progress� with his rehabilitation, the team said.

Durant was the NBA Finals MVP for the past two seasons, helping the Warriors to back-to-back titles

in 2018 and 2017.

However the Warriors have been in dominant form since his injury absence, completing a series win over the Houston Rockets before sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers 4-0 in the Western Conference kNALS ON 4UESDAY AFP

Antetokounmpo, Harden in NBA team of the year, but no LeBron LOS ANGELES: Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden led the voting for the NBA’s First Team of the Year but LeBron *AMES MISSED OUT ON A SPOT FOR THE kRST time since 2007, results showed on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

Milwaukee Bucks forward Antetokounmpo and Houston Rockets guard James Harden advanced to the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award along with Oklahoma City Thunder’s Paul George.

The 24-year-old Antetokounmpo, Harden and George were joined in the NBA’s team of the year by Golden State star Stephen Curry and Denver’s Nikola Jokic.

Antetokounmpo, who is nearly sevenfoot tall and known as the ‘Greek Freak’, AND (ARDEN WERE BOTH UNANIMOUS kRST team selections.

However there was no place in the kRST TEAM SELECTION FOR ,OS !NGELES ,AKers’ James.

James missed out on the NBA playoffs THIS YEAR FOR THE kRST TIME SINCE AFTER A DISAPPOINTING INJURY HIT kRST SEASON with the Lakers.

James however did earn a place on the NBA’s third-team of the year, extending his streak of 15 consecutive All-NBA selections.

The second All-NBA team meanwhile comprised Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard at forward and Joel Embiid at center. AFP

TNT, NP EYE BACKTO-BACK WINS TNT KaTropa and Northport are on a hunt for second straight victories when they face separate foes today in Season 44 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The KaTropa, fresh from a 102-87 win over Northern Luzon Expressway (NLEX) on Wednesday, hope to keep their winning form in their 6:45 p.m. match against Alaska.

The Batang Pier, meanwhile, battle the Road Warriors in the 4:30 p.m. opening game.

Former National Basketball Association power forward Terrence Jones

delivered IN HIS DEBUT kNISHING WITH 41 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and two blocks against NLEX in their opening game. “Alaska is capable and we cannot relax against them

because they are a very organize team. We must establish our defense very well. Alaska is also a good defensive team — we must sustain our energy. I believe we can see more from our import,�

TNT coach Bong Ravena told The Manila Times.

The Aces are coming from an 81-103 loss to the Batang Pier also on Wednesday in Antipolo.

Alaska won over Columbian Dyip, 111-98, in its opening game on Sunday for a 1-1 winloss record.

Alaska’s Chris Banchero will be seeing action tonight after missing the game on Wednesday because of a tight calf.

Batang Pier’s Stanley Pringle is returning too after being sidelined by a foot injury. “Stanley will be playing now but with minute restriction. We still have to get his timing. I hope we can maintain our energy and stay consistent,� said Northport coach Pido Jarencio.

The Road Warriors (0-1) will be led by its returning original import Tony Mitchell against Northport. Mitchell replaced Curtis Washington.

JOSEF T. RAMOS

Q Import Terrence Jones of TNT drives to the basket during a Season 44 PBA Commissioner’s Cup game on Wednesday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.

PBA MEDIA BUREAU PHOTO

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Sports

˜ The Manila Times

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SATURDAY May 25, 2019

Grospe cruises to PruRIDE PH 2019 Stage 1 win

CROSSOVER RAFFY LEDESMA

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BY JEAN RUSSEL V. DAVID

S

UBIC, Olongapo: The Philippines’ )SMAEL 'ROSPE *R of Go for Gold registered a time record of three hours, 15 minUTES AND SECONDS to rule Stage 1 of the PruRIDE PH 2019 on Friday at the Harbor Point in Subic Freeport :ONE HERE

The 20-year old native of Lupao, .UEVA %CIJA TOPPED THE kELD OF MORE than 150 professional riders to take the lead in the three-stage UCI 2.2 sanctioned event.

Grospe pulled away from his rivals in the last five kilometers beating Korean Hyosuk Gong TO THE kNISH LINE BY A mere bike-length. “We have a player in the lead group but he wasn’t able to maintain the phase due to fatigue. Our coach told us not to keep away from the lead and that’s where I came in,� said Grospe after receiving his Stage 1 trophy and a cash prize of P65,000.

The 130.4-kilometer Stage 1 passed through the towns of Bataan including Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Balanga, Pilar, Bagac, Morong, and Subic, Olongapo.

Summer of discontent

Q Ismael Grospe raises his hand in triumph after dominating Stage 1 of the PruRIDE PH 2019.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO “The weather condition is good but it is extremely hot which adds to THE DIFkCULTY OF THE RACE u SAID kRST runner-up Gong of LX Cycling Team, who received a P45,000 cash prize.

Besides receiving the coveted PruRIDE Red Jersey as the general clasSIkCATION CHAMPION 'ROSPE DONNED three other jerseys including the Best Filipino Rider, Best Young Rider

23-under, and Sprint Points Leader.

Gong, meanwhile, received the King of the Mountain (KOM) jersey. “I just have to maintain my adrenaline and keep the lead tomorrow and on Sunday. I will listen to whatever my coach tells me,� said Grospe, who was also named KOM in the prestigious Dien Bien Phu 2019 international race in Vietnam.

Letran aims to pull away in Group B COLEGIO de San Juan de Letran seeks to stretch its lead in Group B when it takes on Adamson University in the 2019 FilOil Flying V Preseason Premier Cup today at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

The Knights (4-1) try to shoot down the Soaring Falcons (2-1) at 4 p.m.

Letran broke a deadlock at the top with tormentor Lyceum of the Philippines University after beating Emilio Aguinaldo, 79-77, on Monday.

Three-point dead shot Allen Mina, who fired 17 points in the previous game, is expected to lead the Knights’ charge with Larry Muyang, Jeo Ambohot and King Caralipio.

On the other hand, Adamson aims to post its first winning streak following its 82-75 win over College of St. Benilde on May 14.

The Soaring Falcons will lean on guards Jerrick Ahanmisi, Jerom Lastimosa and Congolose big man Lenda Douanga.

In Group A games, San Sebastian College-Recoletos looks to continue its perfect run against Mapua University in the 5:45 p.m. game while Centro Escolar University (CEU) and University of the Philippines (UP) collide in the 2 p.m. opener.

The Stags (2-0) in their past two games, hurdled UP, 73-64, and University of Sto. Tomas, 85-81.

Team veterans RK Ilagan, Allyn Bulanadi and JM Calma are tabbed to spearhead San Sebastian’s bid to remain unbeaten.

But the Cardinals (1-3) are raring to post their first winning streak following an 85-65 rout of Arellano University that snapped their three-game losing start.

Meanwhile, the Scorpions (2-1) seek to rebound from a 67-71 loss to De La Salle University while the Fighting Maroons (2-2) eye to recover from their defeat to San Sebastian.

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

Finishing third was Daniel Habtemichael of 7 Eleven Cliqq – Air 21 (3:15:57.09). He got P25,000 as a prize.

The 166.385km Stage 2 will take the Morong route going to Bagac, Orion, Limay, Mariveles and all the way to the peak of the historic Mt. Samat.

The race has a total prize purse of P2 million pesos.

The PruRIDE PH 2019 drew the biggest contingent in a UCI sanctioned event in the country with 17 international and eight local teams competing.

Winners of this race earn UCI points that will gain them entry into the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The tournament aims TO PROMOTE CYCLING AS A HEALTH AND kTness activity among Filipinos.

PSL-Swimming Pinas tilt unfolds in Cavite

SOME of the country’s top young swimmers will compete in the 159th Philippine Swimming League (PSL)-Swimming Pinas National Series – TRY Long Course Swim Championship beginning today at the Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite.

-ORE THAN TANKERS HAVE CONkRMED attendance in the two-day meet including those from General Santos, Dipolog, Davao, Cagayan, Quezon, Cavite, Laguna and Mindoro. “The purpose of this competition is to develop swimmer and to move to the next level. The PSL Championship will be THE kNAL BASIS FOR LONG COURSE AWARDING ceremony and the recognition of the AA, AAA, AAAA swimmers as being part of the Swimming Pinas Elite Group of PSL,� said PSL-Swimming Pinas NCR Regional Director Joan Mojdeh.

Leading the list of participants is Philippine national junior record holder Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh who is fresh from a successful campaign in the 2019 Ralph Hicken International Swimming Championship held at the Markham Pan Am Center in Ontario, Canada.

Mojdeh won eight gold and one silver medals on top of setting six new tourna-

ment marks and one Philippine national junior record.

The Immaculate Heart of Mary CollegeParaĂąaque standout registered one minute AND SECONDS IN THE M BUTTERlY event to erase the 1:05.20 old mark of Camille Buico established in the 2016 UAAP Swimming Championship. “We will just continue the program of coach Susan Papa — to develop young swimmers, send them abroad and hopefully be part of a bigger stage like the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and Olympic Games,â€? added Mojdeh.

Also seeing action in the competition is 2019 Palarong Pambansa multiple gold medal winner Marc Bryan Dula of Masville Elementary School-ParaĂąaque as well as veteran international campaigners Trump Christian Luistro, Rio Lorenzo Malapitan, Julia Basa, Albert Sermonia II, Jenn Albreicht Sermonia, Jules Mirandilla, Ken Lobos and Triza Tabamo. “We would like to thank our major sponsor TYR for making this event possible. We have exciting prices that awaits our winners.

Also we would like to extend our gratitude to Vermosa for once again allowing us to use their facilities,� added Mojdeh.

Tokyo 2020 boxing boss vows to put athletes first TOKYO: 4HE /LYMPIC OFkCIAL HASTILY PUT IN charge of organizing the Tokyo 2020 boxing competition admitted Thursday he was “totally unprepared� for his appointment, but VOWED HE WOULD PUT ATHLETES INTERESTS kRST The IOC tapped Morinari Watanabe from the Japanese Olympic Committee to run a special taskforce to organize the Tokyo 2020 boxing competition on Wednesday after stripping the world amateur governing body (AIBA) of the right following misconduct allegations.

The 60-year-old, currently head of the International Gymnastics Federation, told reporters at a news conference in Tokyo that the call had come out of the blue. “It was two days ago at night. I was having dinner and all of sudden, the (country code) 44 appeared on my phone. I was wondering who it was and it was (IOC) President (Thomas) Bach!� he said. “He told me to become chair of the taskforce. I was happy. I was aware of the challenges and issues and I knew there were athletes who are suffering and if there are athletes suffering, it is the obligation of an IOC member to go out and support them,� he said, talking through an interpreter.

He said he had always tried to put athLETES kRST AT THE GYMNASTICS FEDERATION EVEN revealing he had asked “to clean the bath-

rooms� on a recent trip, “because that’s what the president should be doing�. “Getting the voice of the athletes is really important... I want to understand their concerns,� he said.

After months of dancing around each other, the IOC Wednesday delivered a knock-out blow to AIBA, removing its right to organize the Tokyo boxing competition but insisting that a tournament would nonetheless take place.

The IOC had frozen preparations for the boxing at Tokyo 2020 pending a months-long investigation into alleged serious mismanagement at the crisis-riddled association.

The details have yet to be hammered out, BUT THE )/# HAS SAID QUALIkCATIONS WILL TAKE place between January and May 2020.

Watanabe said there was “no choice� but to organize the tournament quickly despite the tight time-frame, and joked “I might not be getting much sleep.�

Asked what his strategy was, he replied: “I was told just two days ago. This is something I was totally unprepared for. I wasn’t expecting this.�

(E SAID HE WOULD BE lYING IMMEDIATELY to IOC headquarters in Switzerland to begin work, admitting: “At this point in time, so many things are still unclear.� “I need to conduct a thorough analysis to build a good way forward,� he said.

AFP

HE 2019 NBA playoffs is nearing its climax with 3-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors REACHING A kFTH CONSECUTIVE &INALS appearance. This is a record of sorts for the Warriors who now trail just the 1957-1967 Boston Celtics who went to the Finals 10 straight times. Out in the East, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors are battling it tooth and nail with both teams tied at 2 games apiece as of this writing.

Many franchises are already looking to the future. The 2019 free agent class is one of the richest OVER THE PAST YEARS WITH BONAkDE superstars, secondary options, and strong role players headlining it. What’s interesting about this upcoming free agency is that top players are expected to bolt their current teams due to discontent.

The best player available starting July 1 is no other than the Warriors’ Kevin Durant. According to his agent, the two-time NBA champion and All-Star is “100% undecided� on where he’s playing next season. According to a myriad of reports, there is a strong sense that Durant is leaving the Warriors. Despite the triumphs and championships, his move to the Warriors has been highly criticized and tainted his legacy. He is perceived by some as an opportunist who joined a ready-made championship team.

This has been further highlighted by fact that the Warriors won 5 straight games without KD, easily reaching the NBA Finals.

In Boston, Kyrie Irving was a disappointment as he failed to lead the green and white to the promised despite being one of the best teams on paper. Irving’s leadership style (or the lack of it) allegedly grated on his young teammates, destroying chemistry on and off the court. Despite his cocky promises, the Celtics were soundly beaten by the Milwaukee Bucks losing 4 straight games.

Back in October, Irving spoke to Celtics fans and declared he was going to re-sign with the team only to backtrack a few months later in February by saying “Ask me on July 1.�

With Irving and Durant almost out of the door, there are rumors that the two may team up in New York. Going to New Yok to form their own super team would be great since it is the biggest market in the country. These two can immediately carry the Knicks to the playoffs, something that has eluded the team the past 6 years. The Knicks have over US$ 70 million to spend on two max contract players but of course all the money in the world doesn’t matter when you have a team owner named James Dolan.

Another superstar slated for free agency is the Toronto Raptors’ Kawhi Leonard. The unassuming but effective basketball assassin has reminded everyone that he is still among the NBA’s elite. After almost a season’s absence, he joined Durant and Irving in the 2018-19 All-NBA Second Team! He has singlehandedly carried the Raptors this postseason and is playing like a man possessed. While he prefers to play in Los Angeles, the Raptors are hoping a deep playoff run can convince him to stay in Canada.

Other notable free agents include Kemba Walker, Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler (player option), and D’Angelo Russell (restricted).

3)$%,).%3 The Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc. (AVID) sold 7,259 units in April 2019, recording its best month so far this year as it grew by 12.1% compared to April &OR THE kRST TIME IN

year-to-date sales crossed positive territory, slightly increasing to 29,458 units sold versus 29,411 units from January to April last year. This is truly great news for the auto industry and the economy as a whole.

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Q Tony Finau hits from the rough on the 18th hole during the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge golf tournament at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday.

AP PHOTO

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

/3 !.'%,%3 4ONY &INAU SET THE kRST ROUND pace at the Charles Schawb Challenge on Thursday (Friday in Manila), reaping the rewards from a change of putting grip to card a blistering six-under-par 64 and claim the lead at #OLONIAL #OUNTRY #LUB IN 4EXAS The world number 15 took a one-shot lead after posting seven birdies and one bogey as he chases only his second PGA Tour victory.

Finau, who managed a fifth place finish in the Masters last month but struggled in the PGA #HAMPIONSHIP kNISHING TIED IN 64th, started slowly before making back-to-back birdies on the third and fourth holes.

His opening birdie on the third came after he rolled in a 19-foot

However he expressed optimism that he could rediscover his best form. “There’s no reason why I can’t get up to speed again and crank it back up,� he added. “I’ve got to start feeling a little BIT BETTER kRST BEFORE THAT HAPPENS 7E LL DO THAT kRST AND THEN start cranking it back up again.�

Woods has added the Memorial in Dublin, Ohio to his schedule in order to get more rounds in ahead of the US Open, which is being held between June 13-16 at Pebble Beach in California.

The 43 -year-old will be making his 17th appearance the invitational tournament hosted by golf legend Jack Nicklaus at -UIRkELD 6ILLAGE 'OLF #LUB He most recently won the event in 2012, when he chipped in for birdie on the event’s 70th hole to claim his 73rd PGA Tour victory.

AFP

CT IRONMAN 70.3 draws top triathletes, backers THE Century Tuna IRONMAN 70.3 Subic Bay Philippines continues to draw not only a stellar international cast but also another chief backer in Big Boss #EMENT WHEN IT MARKS ITS kFTH staging on June 2 in Subic Bay. A new player in the industry specializing in production of environment-friendly cement in the country, Big Boss Cement comes in as the event’s presenter at a time when local triathlon is enjoying tremendous boom with top-notch endurance races held regularly across the country the last decade or so.

Sunrise Events, Inc., organizer of the biggest, premier triathlon races in the land, recently inked a four-year pact with Big Boss Cement as presenting sponsor of the CT IRONMAN 70.3 up to 2022. “The growth of triathlon in the country has considerably increased over the past few years.

With Big Boss Cement’s support, we are assured of the sport’s continued advancement in line with our commitment to promote a healthy lifestyle among Filipinos,â€? said SEI general manager Princess Galura. “Big Boss Cement represents innovation and environment conservation by producing super strong premier cement that is eco-friendly,â€? said BBC vice president and long-time triathlete Ishmael OrdoĂąez. “The CT IRONMAN 70.3 Subic Bay will be a test of human endurance but to be enjoyed in the surrounding nature which Big Boss Cement aspires to preserve through its

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Finau gets a grip with first round lead at Colonial L

Woods to play Memorial ahead of US Open LOS ANGELES: Tiger Woods conkRMED 4HURSDAY &RIDAY IN -Anila) that he will play next week’s Memorial Tournament as he aims to rediscover his best form ahead of next month’s US Open, tournament organizers said.

Woods, who bagged a dramatic 15th major title at the Masters last month, was brought back down to earth with a bump last week after missing the cut at the US PGA Championship.

The tournament at Bethpage "LACK WAS THE kRST COMPETITIVE golf Woods had played since his emotional victory at Augusta — HIS kRST MAJOR TITLE IN YEARS —and the American said he had not practised enough leading into the tournament. “Just don’t feel well and just not able to do it. But resting would be better, so I would have energy to play,� he said.

Sports

products.�

Meanwhile, the Big Boss Cement Beach Clean Up starting at 6 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday) at the Boardwalk ushers in the busy the week of activities culminating in the CT IRONMAN 70.3. The two-hour public service activity will be also be held on June 3.

Multi-titled Aussie Tim Reed, Swiss Caroline Steffen and last year’s full IRONMAN champion Nick Baldwin of Seychelles head the early roster of aces vying in the pro division along with veteran campaigners Sam Betten, Tim Van Berkel and Dimity-Lee Duke, all from Down Under, and Laure Wood of New Zealand and Guam’s Manami IIjima.

Black Arrow Express, one of the country’s top cargo moves which launched its inaugural 5150 race late last year, also extends its partnership with SEI as one of the sponsors of the upcoming event to be ushered in by THE TRADITIONAL !LASKA &ORTIkED IronKids on June 1. “As we continue to sponsor these kinds of races, we want to highlight our company’s passion and determination by conquering the last mile, just like the fuel that ignites these athletes with their perseverance, agility and dedication for success,� said BAE president Allan Brizuela.

For details, visit www.ironman703subicbay.com or the Facebook page Century Tuna IRONMAN 70.3 Subic Bay and @im703subicbay on Instagram and Twitter. Official event hashtags are #CenturyTunaIM703 #im703subicbay.

putt, and he backed it up on the par-three fourth by sticking his tee shot to within three feet for a simple tap-in. ! BOGEY ON THE kFTH THREATENED to check Finau’s momentum, but he responded with back-to-back birdies on the 7th and 8th holes to reach the turn at three under.

A hat-trick of birdies on the 11th, 12th and 13th saw Finau vault up the leaderboard.

Once again, the 29-year-old

relied on a red-hot putter to pick up shots, draining putts of 24 feet and FEET TO BAG HIS kNAL TWO BIRDIES of the day.

Finau, who also saved a par by making a 30-foot putt during his round, later revealed he had changed his putting grip after a disappointing showing in the PGA last week. “I haven’t been putting great I feel like, and standing over the ball the most important thing is, ‘Do you feel like you’re going to make the putt or not?,’� Finau said. “Outside of everything else, ‘Do you believe you can make the putt?’ So for me, I needed to switch something.�

Jordan Spieth and Roger Sloan meanwhile were a shot back from Finau after both posting five-

under-par 65s.

Spieth, coming off a share of third place at the PGA Championship last week, had a wild round comprised of eight birdies, a double bogey and a bogey.

The 25-year-old Texan managed to kNISH WITH A lOURISH HOWEVER WITH A BIRDIE ON HIS kNAL HOLE OF THE DAY Spieth believes his recent form indicates a protracted slump may be over. “I know what I have needed to work on and I knew it was going to take a lot of time,� Spieth said. “It’s nice to see some results off what I believe is the progress I’ve been making. At the same time, it’s one round. I’ve got to keep my head down and keep working.�

Spieth and Sloan are two ahead of nine players tied on three under. AFP

Thai grabs share of clubhouse lead with 71 THAI Namuangruk Kammalas gambled and lost on a key shot but recovered to salvage a 71 and gain a share of the clubhouse lead with three Taiwanese halfway through the Daan TPGA Open at the Ching Chuan Kang Golf Club in Taichung, Taiwan.

The weather considerably improved after a rainy Thursday with half of the starting 144-player kELD COMPLETING THEIR kRST ROUND play early yesterday, including Kammalas, who gunned down three birdies in his remaining 11 holes to shoot a 68 for joint sixth, just two strokes behind joint leaders Wang Tsung-Chieh and Tseng Tzu-Hao of Taiwan.

With Wang and Tseng barely starting their second round play at presstime, Kammalas, 27, took the provisional top spot at 139 with

locals Lu Chien-Soon, Hung ChienYao and Wen Chang-Hsian, who carded 69, 71 and 72, respectively.

Starting off at the backside of the military layout, the Bangkok native actually went six-under with backto-back birdies from No. 13 then bucked a double-bogey on the par5 16th with birdies on Nos. 18 and 1. After a run of pars, he cracked a solid drive on the 530-yard No. 7, another par-5 hole that left him with just 280 yards into the wind for his second shot. He opted for a driver and overshot the green.

Out of bounds. He wound up with a bogey and missed seizing the solo lead. “I just felt I could do it since I was coming off two birdies linking the nines,� said Kammalas, who placed joint third in his pro debut in the kickoff leg of the Philippine

Golf Tour Asia’s third season at Luisita last month.

Meanwhile, Lu used a strong backside start of three birdies in THE kRST kVE HOLES TO FASHION OUT a 36-33, Hung broke a slew of backside pars and overcame a bogey on the sixth with two birdies IN THE LAST THREE THE SAME kNISH dished out by Wen as the locals stayed on course on defending their turf against the PGT Asia bets in the $100,000 championship put up by ICTSI and co-organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc. Jay Bayron, who groped for form with a 38 before play was stopped due to darkness Thursday, hit two birdies at resumption to save a 72.

But with hardly a rest, the lone &ILIPINO ENTRY IN THE kRST 0'4 !SIA event overseas struggled and lost steam, fumbling with three bo-

GEYS AGAINST TWO BIRDIES TO kNISH with a 73.

From joint 38th after 18 holes, the DavaoeĂąo ace fell to a provisional share of 49th with a one-over 145 total with the cutoff (top 50 plus ties) pegged at even par with still a number of players still to complete their second round play. “Sayang. I was feeling good after COMPLETING MY kRST ROUND "UT ) missed a number of greens and putts at resumption,â€? said Bayron, who birdied Nos. 13 and 15 to go EVEN PAR AFTER THE kRST ROUND He actually birdied the par-5 13th for the second time but bogeyed the next and dropped two more strokes on Nos. 3 and 6 before birdying the seventh. He ALSO lUBBED A BIRDIE PUTT FROM close range on the ninth.

TWINS TIE TEAM RECORD WITH 8 HOMERS IN 16-7 WIN OVER ANGELS ANAHEIM, Calif.: C.J. Cron believed in spring training that the Minnesota Twins were going to have a good offense this season. Their hitting hasn’t just been good, it has been powerful.

The Twins tied a franchise record with eight home runs and beat the Los Angeles Angels 16-7 on Thursday (Friday in Manila) to complete a three-game sweep.

The Twins — who also went deep eight times earlier this season at Baltimore — joined the 2005 Texas Rangers as the only teams in MLB history to have multiple games in a season with eight or more home runs. “It’s all just kind of clicked and hopefully there’s no stopping,� said Cron, who had five hits, including a home run against his former team. “When you are hitting like this it is contagious.

If you look at this lineup you are going to see a lot of power. We have the ability to do that and it is nice to show it.�

Miguel Sano and Jonathan Schoop went deep twice for Minnesota. Max Kepler, Jorge Polanco

FROM MLB.COM and Eddie Rosario also homered.

It was the third time in franchise history — dating to their days as the Washington Senators — Minnesota homered eight times. “It’s pretty amazing. Our guys continue to go up there and not give up at bats,� manager Rocco Baldelli said. “We’ve had some games this season where we have hit a lot of homers. It’s not as if our guys go up there swinging for the fences.�

Schoop drove in four runs and Sano three as the Twins won six of

seven on their road trip that began in Seattle and wound up with their kRST SWEEP IN !NAHEIM SINCE Minnesota, which leads the AL Central by eight games at 33-16, hit 22 homers against the Mariners and the Angels.

There were a total of 11 home runs in this game, which was originally set for Wednesday but postponed DUE TO UNPLAYABLE kELD CONDITIONS following a pregame storm.

The eight home runs also tied the Angels’ mark for most allowed.

Q Minnesota Twins’ Miguel Sano watches his two-run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning of a baseball game on Friday in Anaheim, Calif. AP PHOTO

It previously happened twice, with the most recent being 2005 vs. Texas.

Four of the seven hits Matt Harvey (2-4) allowed in 2 2/3 innings went over the wall as the right-hander gave up eight runs for the second time this season. Noe Ramirez and Cody Allen allowed two long balls apiece. “The long balls were killing us.

It’s hard, like I’ve said times, to tell where on the plate it is but they came out swinging,� manager Brad Ausmus said.

4OMMY ,A 3TELLA HIT HIS kRST GRAND slam in the ninth for the Angels, who have dropped four straight. David Fletcher and Brian Goodwin also homered for Los Angeles.

Minnesota broke open the game in the second inning with six runs, which included a three-run shot by Schoop and two-run drive by Polanco. Harvey was chased in the third after solo homers by Cron and Sano.

The Twins hit three home runs in the seventh to extend their lead to 14-2. Sano’s two-run shot and Schoop’s solo homer marked the sixth time the Twins had gone back-to-back this season. Kepler added a two-run drive.

Twins starter MartĂ­n PĂŠrez (7-1) WENT kVE INNINGS AND YIELDED TWO RUNS AND kVE HITS AP

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Classified Ads

SATURDAY May 25, 2019 NOTICE OF CLOSURE

NOTICE OF CLOSURE

Notice is hereby given that the DHL CUSTOMS BROKERAGE CORP., ZLWK 6(& 5HJLVWUDWLRQ 1R $ LVVXHG RQ 'HFHPEHU KDV SHUPDQHQWO\ FORVHG LWV RSHUDWLRQV HIIHFWLYH 'HFHPEHU

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$OO SHUVRQV KDYLQJ FODLPV DJDLQVW '+/ &XVWRPV %URNHUDJH &RUS DUH KHUHE\ enjoined to present their claims to the Securities and Exchange Commission (Ground Floor, Secretariat Building, PICC, Roxas Blvd, Pasay City) for proper YHULÂżFDWLRQ DQG VHWWOHPHQW RI WKHLU YDOLG FODLPV ZLWKLQ ÂżIWHHQ GD\V IURP publication of this notice.

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7KLV DFNQRZOHGJPHQW ZLOO VHUYH DV QRWLFH WR DOO FRQFHUQHG RI WKH FORVXUH RI '+/ Aviation (Philippines) Inc.

Jonary Baculo President

(SGD.) JOSE MIGUEL HABANA President

07 Âą 0D\ -XQH

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

Republic of the Philippines NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSION PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE HEALTH SERVICE Camp Bgen Rafael T Crame, Quezon City

Sealed Bids in three (3) copies, Pursuant to Sec. 17 of Revised IRR of RA 9184, all entries typewritten with the item(s) described in the accompanying Bidder’s Tender for the 3URFXUHPHQW RI 2I¿FH 6XSSOLHV 3URFXUHPHQW RI 'UXJV 0HGLFLQHV 3URFXUHPHQW RI 0HGLFDO 'HQWDO /DERUDWRU\ 6XSSOLHV 3URFXUHPHQW RI 2WKHU 6XSSOLHV 0DWHULDOV 3URFXUHPHQW RI Food Supplies and Other General Services in the total amount of Six Million Seven Hundred Thousand Pesos (P6,700,000.00) for the use of PNP Health Service. A complete set of %LGGLQJ 'RFXPHQWV PD\ EH SXUFKDVHG E\ LQWHUHVWHG ELGGHUV IURP May 22, 2019 to June 10, 2019 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 P.M during working days and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee for their bidding documents. Pre-Bid Conference will be held on May 29, 2019 at 10:00 A.M. Last day of submission of bids is until June 10, 2019 at 2:00 P.M. and must be submitted to HS Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) at the HS Conference Room. Opening of Bids is on the same time, date and place and will be opened in the presence of participating bidder. *HQHUDO 7HUPV DQG &RQGLWLRQ DQG VSHFL¿FDWLRQ RI WKH LWHPV XQGHU WKLV ,QYLWDWLRQ WR %LG PD\ obtain on the above address for information and compliance by the Bidder.

The PNP HS-BAC reserves the right to accept or reject any bid proposal, to annul the bidding process, and to reject all bids at any time prior to contract award, without thereby incurring any liability to the affected Bidder or Bidders.

Please be guided accordingly.

Very truly yours, (SGD.) ALBERTO A AVILA Police Colonel Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee 07 Âą 0D\

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The foregoing project is utilizing the Participation Through InvestmentIncentivized Compliance, by depositing the amount of Php10,362,555.00 in a Trust Account under Escrow Agreement executed on 17 May 2019 between WKH +286,1* $1' /$1' 86( 5(*8/$725< %2$5' 67$ /8&,$ /$1' ,1& DQG 5,=$/ COMMERCIAL BANKING CORPORATION as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279, as amended by Republic Act No.10884.

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon.

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Quezon City, Metro Manila, MAY. 22, 2019

MR. ANTHONY LOUEN R. FERNANDEZ /HJDO 5HJXODWRU\ *URXS 'LJLWHO 0RELOH 3KLOLSSLQHV ,QF '03,

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;RESOLVED, FURTHER, that Notice be given to all stockholders on record as of May 18, 2019 in writing or in lieu thereof, through publication in a newspaper of general circulation, for the exercise or waiver of their preemptive rights. â&#x20AC;&#x153;RESOLVED, FURTHER, to allow the stockholders on record to signify WKHLU LQWHQWLRQ WR VXEVFULEH WR WKH DGGLWLRQDO LVVXDQFH RI VKDUHV ZLWKLQ ÂżIWHHQ

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days, the stockholder is deemed to have waived his right to subscription thereof. â&#x20AC;&#x153;RESOLVED, FINALLY, that should there be no subscribers from the current stockholders, or only a number of the current stockholders who elect to subscribe to the additional issuance of shares, the Corporation is authorized to allow HPI Libingan ng mga Bayaning Pilipino, Inc. to subscribe to all RQH KXQGUHG IRUW\ HLJKW WKRXVDQG HLJKW KXQGUHG ÂżIW\ QLQH VKDUHV or the balance thereof.

(SGD.) JOEL RAYMOND R. AYSON Corporate Secretary 3OHDVH FRQWDFW WKH 2IÂżFH RI WKH &RUSRUDWH 6HFUHWDU\ DW RU WKH 2IÂżFH of the Vice Chairman at 927-9671 for any questions related to the above resolutions.

Very truly yours,

MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 25, 2019

(SGD.) EDGARDO V. CABARIOS 'HSXW\ &RPPLVVLRQHU REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 17& %XLOGLQJ %,5 5RDG (DVW 7ULDQJOH 'LOLPDQ 4XH]RQ &LW\ Email: ntc@ntc.gov.ph; website: http://www.ntc.gov.ph

,Q OLQH ZLWK WKH WKUXVW RI WKH JRYHUQPHQW WR ORZHU WHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQV VHUYLFH UDWHV IRU WKH EHQHÂżW of the Filipino consumers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the Commission hereby approves SMART PREPAID FACEBOOK OFFERS PROMO from 21 May 2019 until 31 July 2019. This approval is subject to the condition that SMART shall publish the mechanics in a newspaper of general circulation at least three (3) days prior to implementation. Should SMART decide not to extend the promo, it shall seek approval of the Commission within ten (10) days prior to the date of discontinuance and notice to the public shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation at OHDVW ÂżYH GD\V SULRU WR WKH GDWH RI GLVFRQWLQXDQFH 7KH QRWLFH VKRXOG EH SRVWHG LQ DOO EXVLQHVV centers of SMART.

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ORDER

The foregoing project is utilizing participation through land development of a BALAI Housing Project located at Brgy. Lumbia, &LW\ RI &DJD\DQ 'H 2UR SXUVXDQW to Memorandum of Agreement EHWZHHQ +286,1* $1' /$1' 86( 5(*8/$725< %2$5' &LW\ RI &DJD\DQ 'H 2UR WKH +RPH 'HYHORSPHQW 0XWXDO )XQG 3DJ LELJ Fund) and SHANG ROBINSONS PROPERTIES, INC., et.al., with the amount of participation of P 48,308,202.24 as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279, as amended by Republic Act No.10884.

All papers relative thereto shall upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon.

Absent any legal impediment, the above-cited project is deemed registered and a certificate, in evidence thereof, shall forthwith be LVVXHG DIWHU ÂżYH GD\V IURP WKH ODVW day of publication.

Quezon City, Metro Manila,

Petitioners Spouses Maria Jerika Larize E. Ejercito-Aguilar DQG 0LJXHO *DUFLD $JXLODU ÂżOHG D YHULÂżHG SHWLWLRQ RQ $SULO that after due notice, publication and hearing, a judgment be rendered adjudging that the minor Isaiah Joseph Ejercito Palanca be declared and considered, for all intents and purposes, the legitimate child of the petitioners with all the rights and privileges of adopted child and shall be known as Isaiah Joseph Ejercito Aguilar. )LQGLQJ WKH SHWLWLRQ VXIÂżFLHQW LQ IRUP DQG VXEVWDQFH QRWLFH LV given that the same will be heard by this Court, at the RTC San Juan, The Arena (Government Center), G/F Parking Bldg., Santolan Road cor. P. Guevarra St., San Juan City on October 14, 2019 at 8:30 in the morning at which time and place aforesaid, all interested persons are hereby cited to appear and show cause, if any they have, why the said petition should not be granted.

(SGD.) MARY CATHERINE O. NOBLEJAS-GARCIA Presiding Judge

07 Âą 0D\

NOTICE Notice is hereby given that ROBINSONS LAND CORPORATION (Owner) and SHANG ROBINSONS 3523(57,(6 ,1& 'HYHORSHU

KDYH ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV %RDUG IRU WKH VDOH of units at AURELIA RESIDENCES located at Mckinley Parkway cor.

5th Ave., and 21st 'ULYH %RQLIDFLR *OREDO &LW\ 7DJXLJ &LW\ VSHFLÂżFDOO\ described as Lots 5 and 6, Block 1, Pcs-00-007928 covered by TCT Nos. 1784-P and 1785-P having a total area of 9,118 square meters.

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH 0 7 0D\ -XQH

ERRORS & OMISSIONS Any incorrect advertisement published in The Manila Times Classified Ads must be brought to our attention on the same day the advertisement came out. We will not be held liable for any incorrect ads not reported to us immediately.

,Q OLQH ZLWK WKH WKUXVW RI WKH JRYHUQPHQW WR ORZHU WHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQV VHUYLFH UDWHV IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI WKH Filipino consumers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the Commission hereby approves the SMART PREPAID AND SMART BRO PREPAID UCT25 PROMOS from 27 May 2019 to 31 August 2019. This approval is subject to the condition that SMART shall publish the mechanics in a newspaper of general circulation at least three (3) days prior to implementation. Should SMART decide not to extend the promo, it shall seek approval of the Commission within ten (10) days prior to the date of discontinuance and notice to WKH SXEOLF VKDOO EH SXEOLVKHG LQ D QHZVSDSHU RI JHQHUDO FLUFXODWLRQ DW OHDVW ÂżYH GD\V SULRU WR WKH GDWH RI discontinuance. The notice should be posted in all business centers of SMART. Please see table below for reference:

Please see table below for reference:

FACEBOOK 10

SPS. MARIA JERIKA LARIZE E. EJERCITO-AGUILAR AND MIGUEL GARCIA AGUILAR, Petitioners.

JDRC Case No. 11-405-SJ For Adoption w/ Change of Name - vs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY AND LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF SAN JUAN CITY, Respondents. x---------------------------------------------------x

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

This refers to your letter dated 14 May 2019 regarding the SMART PREPAID AND SMART BRO PREPAID UCT25 PROMO.

This refers to your letter dated 14 May 2019 regarding the SMART PREPAID FACEBOOK OFFERS PROMO.

VALIDITY

CAREER SERVICE (PROFESSIONAL) 6(&21' /(9(/ ELIGIBILITY CAREER SERVICE (PROFESSIONAL) 6(&21' /(9(/ ELIGIBILITY

'HDU 0U )HUQDQGH]

'HDU 0U )HUQDQGH]

PRODUCT

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES FAMILY COURT 1$7,21$/ &$3,7$/ -8',&,$/ 5(*,21 BRANCH 14-FC, SAN JUAN CITY

San Juan City, April 26, 2019.

MR. ANTHONY LOUEN R. FERNANDEZ /HJDO 5HJXODWRU\ *URXS 'LJLWHO 0RELOH 3KLOLSSLQHV ,QF '03,

26th Flr., Galleria Corporate Center ('6$ FRU 2UWLJDV $YH 4XH]RQ &LW\

MR. ANTHONY LOUEN R. FERNANDEZ /HJDO 5HJXODWRU\ *URXS 'LJLWHO 0RELOH 3KLOLSSLQHV ,QF '03,

26th Flr., Galleria Corporate Center ('6$ FRU 2UWLJDV $YH 4XH]RQ &LW\

07 Âą 0D\ -XQH

SO ORDERED.

15 May 2019

15 May 2019

All persons having a just claim against HARRIS CORPORATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PHILIPPINE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE are hereby requested to present their claim to Ms. Wendy Chien DW ) 3DFLÂżF 6WDU %XLOGLQJ Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Makati Ave., Makati City.

This Order shall be published at least once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation, at the expense of the petitioner.

MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 25, 2019

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 17& %XLOGLQJ %,5 5RDG (DVW 7ULDQJOH 'LOLPDQ 4XH]RQ &LW\ Email: ntc@ntc.gov.ph; website: http://www.ntc.gov.ph

2 YEARS OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

1RWLFH LV KHUHE\ JLYHQ WKDW WKH %RDUG RI 'LUHFWRUV RI HARRIS CORPORATION, a corporation duly organized and existing under WKH ODZV RI WKH 6WDWH RI 'HODZDUH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV RI $PHULFD LQ a Meeting held on March 3, 2017 at 1025 West NASA Boulevard, Melbourne, FL 32919 USA, approved a resolution authorizing the GLVVROXWLRQ DQG GHUHJLVWUDWLRQ RI LWV 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH 2IÂżFH LQ WKH Philippines in the name of â&#x20AC;&#x153;HARRIS CORPORATION â&#x20AC;&#x201C; PHILIPPINE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE,â&#x20AC;? effective April 30, 2017. The UHJLVWHUHG RIÂżFH RI WKH 5HSUHVHQWDWLYH 2IÂżFH LV DW ) 3DFLÂżF 6WDU Building, Sen. Gil Puyat Ave. corner Makati Ave., Makati City.

This promo is intended for peer-to-peer and non-commercial use only.

MO No. 07-07-2011 - Minimum Speed of Broadband Connection.

MC No. 07-08-2015 - Rules on the Measurement of Fixed Broadband/Internet Access Service MC No. 10-12-2016 - Rules on the Measurement of Mobile Broadband/Internet Access Service

8 HOURS OF RELEVANT TRAINING

Announcement

Subject further, to the condition that SMART shall comply with the following Memorandum Circulars, if applicable: â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

1 YEAR OF RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Notice of Withdrawal of License To Do Business in the Philippines

â&#x20AC;&#x153;RESOLVED, that HPI approve the issuance of one hundred forty-eight WKRXVDQG HLJKW KXQGUHG ÂżIW\ QLQH VKDUHV ZLWK SDU YDOXH RI 2QH Hundred Pesos (Php100.00) per share, amounting to Fourteen Million Eight Hundred Eighty-Five Thousand Nine Hundred Pesos (Php14,885,900.00) from its unissued capital stock.

Others 6. P1.00 maintaining balance is not required to avail and use the offers. $OO LQYDOLG VFHQDULRV LH LQVXIÂżFLHQW EDODQFH LQYDOLG QXPEHUV HWF ZLOO WULJJHU DQ 606 QRWLÂżFDWLRQ WR the subscriber and shall be charged prevailing rates.

8. Offer is not available to roaming and international subscribers 9. All complaints or questions that may arise from these offers shall be attended to by hotline number: (02) 888-1111 or *888.

4 HOURS OF RELEVANT TRAINING

07 0D\

â&#x20AC;&#x153;WHEREAS, HPI Libingan ng mga Bayaning Pilipino, Inc. has expressed interest to invest in HPI.

Usage 4. Concurrent availment of GAME TIME offers is allowed, following the longest validity. Example: If GAME TIME 50 and GAME TIME 100 were registered simultaneously, promo validity will be valid for 30 days.

'DWD FKDUJLQJ LV FRQVXPDEOH DQG ZLOO RQO\ EH FKDUJHG LI VXEVFULEHU LV FRQQHFWHG WR WKH ,QWHUQHW

BACHELORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S '(*5(( RELEVANT TO THE JOB BACHELORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S '(*5(( RELEVANT TO THE JOB

CAREER SERVICE (PROFESSIONAL 6(&21' /(9(/ ELIGIBILITY)

$33/,&$7,216 :,7+ ,1&203/(7( '2&80(176 6+$// 127 %( (17(57$,1('

â&#x20AC;&#x153;WHEREAS, out of the authorized capital stock, the amount of TwentyFive Million Seven Hundred Forty-Eight Thousand Pesos (Php25,748,000.00), GLYLGHG LQWR WZR KXQGUHG ÂżIW\ VHYHQ WKRXVDQG IRXU KXQGUHG HLJKW\

common shares has been subscribed, and Twenty-Four Million Two Hundred Fifty Two Thousand Pesos (Php24,252,000.00) divided into two hundred fortyWZR WKRXVDQG ÂżYH KXQGUHG WZHQW\ FRPPRQ VKDUHV UHPDLQ XQLVVXHG

Availment 1. GAME TIME offers are open to all Smart Prepaid Subscribers nationwide.

2. The subscriber must have the corresponding airtime load balance in order to avail: P50 for GAME TIME 50, P100 for GAME TIME 100.

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15

DARWIN C. ALTEA &KLHI $GPLQLVWUDWLYH 2IÂżFHU ,5& %XLOGLQJ 1R ('6$ 0DQGDOX\RQJ &LW\ hrdd@pcgg.gov.ph

â&#x20AC;&#x153;WHEREAS, Himlayang Pilipino, Inc. (â&#x20AC;&#x153;HPIâ&#x20AC;?) has an authorized capital VWRFN RI )LIW\ 0LOOLRQ 3HVRV 3KS GLYLGHG LQWR ÂżYH KXQGUHG thousand (500,000) common shares with par value of One Hundred Pesos (Php100.00) per share.

The mechanics of the promo are as follows:

15

BACHELORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S '(*5(( RELEVANT TO THE JOB BACHELORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S '(*5(( RELEVANT TO THE JOB BACHELORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S '(*5(( RELEVANT TO THE JOB

48$/,),(' $33/,&$176 DUH DGYLVHG WR KDUG LQ RU VHQG WKURXJK FRXULHU HPDLO WKHLU DSSOLFDWLRQ WR

Please be informed that on May 18, 2019 WKH %RDUG RI 'LUHFWRUV KHOG D 5HJXODU Meeting and approved the following resolutions:

The maximum speed is up to 42Mbps for broadband and non-broadband connections. Minimum speed for broadband connection is 256 kbps and 48 kbps for non-broadband connection. Network reliability is 80%.

The actual speed experience will depend on the device used, network signal detected, current subscriber WUDIÂżF SUHYDLOLQJ HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV DQG WKH JHRJUDSK\ RI WKH DUHD ZKHUH WKH VXEVFULEHU LV ORFDWHG

18

MASTERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S '(*5((

)XOO\ DFFRPSOLVKHG 3HUVRQDO 'DWD 6KHHW 3'6 ZLWK UHFHQW SDVVSRUW VL]HG SLFWXUH &6 )RUP 1R 5HYLVHG

which can be downloaded at www.csc.gov.ph; Performance rating in the last rating period (if applicable); 3KRWRFRS\ RI FHUWLÂżFDWH RI HOLJLELOLW\ UDWLQJ OLFHQVH DQG Photocopy of Transcript of Records.

This refers to your letter dated 14 May 2019 regarding the SMART PREPAID GAMETIME PROMO.

KEYWORD/S AVAILABLE

24

HIMLAYANG PILIPINO, INC.

'HDU 0U )HUQDQGH]

Eligibility

Experience

(SGD.) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH 0 7 0D\ -XQH

0 7 0D\ -XQH

Please see table below for reference:

Education

Training

,QWHUHVWHG DQG TXDOLÂżHG DSSOLFDQWV VKRXOG VLJQLI\ WKHLU LQWHUHVW LQ ZULWLQJ $WWDFK WKH IROORZLQJ GRFXPHQWV WR WKH DSSOLFDWLRQ OHWWHU DQG send to the address below not later than JUNE 2, 2019.

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

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

,Q OLQH ZLWK WKH WKUXVW RI WKH JRYHUQPHQW WR ORZHU WHOHFRPPXQLFDWLRQV VHUYLFH UDWHV IRU WKH EHQHÂżW RI WKH Filipino consumers and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), the Commission hereby approves SMART PREPAID GAMETIME PROMO from 21 May 2019 until 31 July 2019. This approval is subject to the condition that SMART shall publish the mechanics in a newspaper of general circulation at least three (3) days prior to implementation. Should SMART decide not to extend the promo, it shall seek approval of the Commission within ten (10) days prior to the date of discontinuance and notice to the public shall be SXEOLVKHG LQ D QHZVSDSHU RI JHQHUDO FLUFXODWLRQ DW OHDVW ÂżYH GD\V SULRU WR WKH GDWH RI GLVFRQWLQXDQFH The notice should be posted in all business centers of SMART.

SG

NOTICE

The foregoing project is utilizing units in PUEBLO REAL SUBDIVISION PHASE2 located at Brgy. Anupul, Bamban, Tarlac City, owned and developed by NEW SAN JOSE BUILDERS, INC., issued &HUWLÂżFDWH RI $FFUHGLWDWLRQ 1R &$ 2019-11, as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279 as amended by R.A 10884.

15 May 2019

4XDOLÂżFDWLRQ 6WDQGDUGV No.

Notice is hereby given that STA. LUCIA LAND, INC.,(Owner/ 'HYHORSHU

KDV ÂżOHG ZLWK this Board for the sale of lots of ACROPOLIS LOYOLA MARIKINA (RESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL) located at Katipunan Extension, Brgy. Tumana, Marikina City, described as Lot Nos. 49-C-3-A-3-C-3-A-3-A-4-B2-B-1 and 49-C-3-A-3-C-3-A-3A-4-B-2-B-2 (LRC) Psd-283514 7&7 1RV 009-2017010105); Lot Nos. 49-C-3A-3-C-3-A-3-A-4-B-1-B; 49-C-3A-3-C-3-A-3-A-4-B-1-B-2; and 49-C-3-A-3-C-3-A-3-A-4-B-1-B-3 (LRC) Psd-283515 (TCT Nos.0092017010106; 009-2017010108 and 009-2017010108), with a total area of 345,131 square meters.

Notice is hereby given that MANUEL L. QUEZON EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS (owner) and NEW SAN JOSE BUILDERS, INC.(owner/ developer) have ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV %RDUG IRU WKH VDOH RI condominium units of VICTORIA DE HIDALGO located at R. Hidalgo Street, Quiapo, City of Manila, VSHFLÂżFDOO\ GHVFULEHG DV /RWV $ and 1-B, Block No. 2538, Psd-4318, XQGHU 7UDQVIHU &HUWLÂżFDWH RI 7LWOH Nos.15150 and 002-2016003574, respectively, with a total area of 5,622.40 square meters.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, MAY 22, 2019

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 17& %XLOGLQJ %,5 5RDG (DVW 7ULDQJOH 'LOLPDQ 4XH]RQ &LW\ Email: ntc@ntc.gov.ph; website: http://www.ntc.gov.ph

w w w.manilatimes.net PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON GOOD GOVERNMENT NOTICE OF VACANT POSITIONS

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

NOTICE

TO: ALL INTERESTED/ACCREDITED SUPPLIERS:

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

INCLUSIONS All day access to Facebook up to 200MB All day access to Facebook up to 200MB/day

KEYWORD/S AVAILABLE FACEBOOK10, FACEBOOK 10, FB10, FB 10 FACEBOOK50, FACEBOOK 50, FB50, FB 50

ACCESS CODE 9999

Promo

SRP

Validity

UCT 25

PHP 25

1 day

Inclusions â&#x20AC;˘ Unlitext to Smart/TNT + 50 texts to other networks â&#x20AC;˘ Unlicall to Smart/TNT â&#x20AC;˘ 30MB for Facebook

Availment via SMS Keyword Text UCT25 to 9999

The maximum speed is up to 42Mbps for broadband and non-broadband connections. Minimum speed for broadband connection is 256 kbps and 48 kbps for non-broadband connection. Network reliability is 80%.

The actual speed experience will depend on the device used, network signal detected, current subscriber WUDIÂżF SUHYDLOLQJ HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV DQG WKH JHRJUDSK\ RI WKH DUHD ZKHUH WKH VXEVFULEHU LV ORFDWHG The mechanics of the promo are as follows:

9999

The maximum speed is up to 42Mbps for broadband and non-broadband connections. Minimum speed for broadband connection is 256 kbps and 48 kbps for non-broadband connection. Network reliability is 80%. The actual speed experience will depend on the device used, network signal GHWHFWHG FXUUHQW VXEVFULEHU WUDIÂżF SUHYDLOLQJ HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQV DQG WKH JHRJUDSK\ RI WKH area where the subscriber is located.

The mechanics of the promo are as follows: Availment 1. FACEBOOK offers are open to all Smart Prepaid Subscribers nationwide.

2. The subscriber must have the corresponding airtime load balance in order to avail: P10 for FACEBOOK 10, P50 for FACEBOOK 50.

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Usage 4. Any activity within the Facebook app and site is allowed.

5. Concurrent availment of FACEBOOK offers is allowed, following the longest validity. Example: If FACEBOOK 10 and FACEBOOK 50 were registered simultaneously, promo validity will be valid for 7 days.

'DWD FKDUJLQJ LV FRQVXPDEOH DQG ZLOO RQO\ EH FKDUJHG LI VXEVFULEHU LV FRQQHFWHG WR WKH ,QWHUQHW Others 7. P1.00 maintaining balance is not required to avail and use the offers. $OO LQYDOLG VFHQDULRV LH LQVXIÂżFLHQW EDODQFH LQYDOLG QXPEHUV HWF ZLOO WULJJHU DQ 606 QRWLÂżFDWLRQ WR the subscriber and shall be charged prevailing rates.

9. Offer is not available to roaming and international subscribers 10. All complaints or questions that may arise from these offers shall be attended to by hotline number: (02) 888-1111 or *888.

Availment 1. These offers are open to Smart Prepaid and Smart Bro Prepaid subscribers nationwide.

2. To avail, the subscriber must register the assigned keywords to its corresponding access codes.

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Usage 'DWD XVDJH LV LQFOXVLYH RI DFFHVV WR )DFHERRN RQO\ 2QFH WKH DOORFDWLRQ LV IXOO\ FRQVXPHG WKH VXEVFULEHU PXVW UH ORDG KLV KHU 6PDUW DFFRXQW ZLWK DQ\ 'DWD RIIHU WR FRQWLQXH XVLQJ PRELOH GDWD 5. Calls may be used to call the following local mobile network: Smart, TNT. 6. SMS may be sent to any local mobile network: Smart, TNT, Sun, Globe and TM. 7. Concurrent availment of other data offers is allowed.

Others 8. P1.00 maintaining balance is not required to avail and use the offers. $OO LQYDOLG VFHQDULRV LH LQVXIÂżFLHQW EDODQFH LQYDOLG QXPEHUV HWF ZLOO WULJJHU DQ 606 QRWLÂżFDWLRQ WR WKH subscriber and shall be charged prevailing rates.

10. Offer is not available to roaming and international subscribers 11. All complaints or questions that may arise from these offers shall be attended to by hotline number: (02) 888-1111 or *888.

EDITORS AND DESKMEN Competencies â&#x20AC;˘ Excellent command of written and spoken English â&#x20AC;˘ Degree holder preferably in journalism, communications, or related discipline (e.g. political science or economics with journalism experience) â&#x20AC;˘ Experience in editing news, analytical reports and columns â&#x20AC;˘ Strong news judgment and familiarity with local issues, as well as an understanding of relevant world affairs â&#x20AC;˘ $ELOLW\ WR ZULWH DQG HGLW ZLWK Ă&#x20AC;DLU DQG VSHHG WR PHHW tight deadlines â&#x20AC;˘ )DPLOLDU ZLWK 0LFURVRIW 2IÂżFH VRFLDO PHGLD DQG search engines â&#x20AC;˘ Ability to lead and organize a team well â&#x20AC;˘ Good attitude, willingness to adjust to new systems and ability to respect authority within the organization

This promo is intended for peer-to-peer and non-commercial use only Subject further, to the condition that SMART shall comply with the following Memorandum Circulars, if applicable: â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

MO No. 07-07-2011 - Minimum Speed of Broadband Connection.

MC No. 07-08-2015 - Rules on the Measurement of Fixed Broadband/Internet Access Service MC No. 10-12-2016 - Rules on the Measurement of Mobile Broadband/Internet Access Service

Very truly yours, (SGD.) EDGARDO V. CABARIOS 'HSXW\ &RPPLVVLRQHU

REPORTERS Competencies â&#x20AC;˘ Excellent command of written and spoken English â&#x20AC;˘ Degree holder preferably in journalism, communications, or related discipline â&#x20AC;˘ Ability to establish and maintain a network of contacts in government and the private sector as source of information and analysis â&#x20AC;˘ Ability to identify the angle of news from a raft of available information or seek out information to build a solid news story â&#x20AC;˘ Familiarity with local issues and an understanding of relevant world affairs â&#x20AC;˘ $ VHQVH RI VSHHG DQG DFFXUDF\ LQ ZULWLQJ DQG ÂżOOLQJ real-time stories to the news desk to meet tight deadlines â&#x20AC;˘ Knows Microsoft Office, social media and search engines â&#x20AC;˘ A good team player, but is able to work independently within the perimeters of a given assignment â&#x20AC;˘ Good attitude, willingness to adjust to new systems and ability to respect authority within the organization

Interested applicants, please send a full resume, specifying your subject of expertise, with links to samples of online work or appropriate attachments.

Please email your resumĂŠ at: hrd@manilatimes.net, or you may apply personally at 2/F Sitio Grande Bldg., 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila (Formerly TRB Bldg.), or you may call Irish de Guzman at 524-5664 local 122.

MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 25, 2019

This promo is intended for peer-to-peer and non-commercial use only.

Subject further, to the condition that SMART shall comply with the following Memorandum Circulars, if applicable: â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

MO No. 07-07-2011 - Minimum Speed of Broadband Connection.

MC No. 07-08-2015 - Rules on the Measurement of Fixed Broadband/Internet Access Service MC No. 10-12-2016 - Rules on the Measurement of Mobile Broadband/Internet Access Service

Very truly yours, (SGD.) EDGARDO V. CABARIOS 'HSXW\ &RPPLVVLRQHU MT â&#x20AC;&#x201C; May 25, 2019

WARNING TO THE PUBLIC The Manila Times is warning the public that certain individuals posing as our employees have been threatening to publish articles against some companies. Anyone who receives a call from these extortionists should report the matter to the police.

7KH 0DQLOD 7LPHV '2(6 127 DVN IRU PRQH\ WR VWRS QHZV DUWLFOHV IURP EHLQJ SXEOLVKHG 7KLV SDSHU GRHV QRW FRQGRQH DQ\ IRUP RI EODFNPDLO

SSATURDAY AT U R DAY MAY 25, 2019

Entertainment

D1

John Estrada deems Halili role toughest challenge

www.manilatimes.net

J

Q Show becomes sweeter with the addition of new characters.

Toni Gonzaga finds a new family in â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Home Sweetie Home: Extra Sweetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; I

BY IZA IGLESIAS

N January 2014, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Home Sweetie Homeâ&#x20AC;? started airing on ABS-CBNâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Saturday prime time block, with Toni Gonzaga and John Lloyd Cruz as the lead stars. However, a big change came when Cruz decided to take a leave from showbiz in 2017, making a big dent on the show.

While everyone thought the sitcom will end, the network added new cast members instead with the likes of Rufa Mae Quinto, Ogie Alcasid and 0IOLO 0ASCUAL AS 'ONZAGA S new partner.

Though the development did very well when it came to ratings, challenges continued along THE WAY WHEN IN /CTOBER

'ONZAGA S MOTHER ON THE SHOW 3ANDY !NDOLONG LEFT TO TAKE A break because of viral infection.

And recently, Pascual had to leave the show too to study in Europe as he originally planned.

With these unfortunate events that have been affecting the weekly sitcom, Gonzaga THOUGHT THAT g(OME 3WEETIE (OMEu WILL BE AXED FOR GOOD &ORTUNATELY THE MANAGEMENT continued the story and aired

A NEW FORMAT ON -AY g&ROM THE START na nagkaroon kami ng big challenge, naihanda ko na yung sarili ko because

hindi naman tayo bago sa industriya, alam natin na shows come and go talaga. 3O ) WAS really prepared that time na magi -end ang show. At bilang isang artista, siyempre kung ano lang ang in -assign sa iyo na trabaho GAGAWIN MO u Gonzaga said in AN INTERVIEW DURING THE SHOW S press conference. g) M JUST SO SURPRISED AND OF course, very thankful that the management decided to push through with the program and give it a new look and a new taste, and family. 3IYEMPRE ) M SHOCKED BECAUSE ) WAS PREPARED to let go of something that has been a part of my life [and that of the viewers] for four years.

) M JUST REALLY GRATEFUL BECAUSE may second chance na magpatuloy ang programa with this new family na mas EXCITING u she continued.

A sweet beginning

'ONZAGA S CHARACTER *ULIE MOVES on with life and finds a new FAMILY IN g(OME 3WEETIE (OME %XTRA 3WEET u After her house got burned down, Julie starts again with the entry of new characters PLAYED BY 6HONG .AVARRO !LEX Gonzaga, Bayani Agbayani and ,UIS -ANZANO g7E LIVE IN ONE HOUSE BUT from different backgrounds. ) CAME FROM A TRAGEDY -EANWHILE 6HONG "AYANI AND ,UIS are the ones living in the house, WHILE !LEX IS MY HALF SISTER u EXPLAINED 'ONZAGA )N THE NEW CHAPTER *ULIE WITH her sister Gigi (Miles Ocampo) AND BROTHER 2ENCE #LARENCE Delgado), move in to the apartment of their Tita /YA 2IO ,OCsin) after they lost their house to a fire. Here, they meet their HALF SISTER -IKEE !LEX PLUS 0IP -ANZANO &ERDIE .AVARRO

and Edwin (Agbayani). )N THE BARANGAY THEY WILL BE

In memory of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pambansang Loloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rudy Francisco T

To recall, Rudy was in semi-retirement as HE RECENT DEMISE OF FORMER 3AMPAGUITA 0ICTURES HEARTTHROB OF THE @ S 2UDY &RAN- CORPORATE LAWYER OF 3AMPAGUITA 0ICTURES WITH cisco rekindled his hit and award-winning a truncated track record as matinee idol. He STAYED IN SHOWBIZ FOR ONLY SIX fastfood commercial in 2002 years and appeared in at least with then teenage Karen delos kLMS WITH 'LORIA 2OMERO

Reyes. He was 96 years old. ,OLITA 2ODRIGUEZ AND %DDIE #RAFTED LIKE A SHORT FILM Garcia, among others. embedded with serious inten$UE TO CONlICT OF SCHEDtion, albeit a bit fun to watch ules, he turned his back on ONE THINKS IT WAS YET THE kNAL CRACK AT FULL STARDOM IN THE TWILIGHT OF &RAN- showbiz and opted to study law full-time at &AR %ASTERN 5NIVERSITY (E PASSED THE BAR WITH CISCO S REMAINING YEARS a grade of 86.

The combined seriousness 23 FOND RECOLLECTIONS and lightness of the tone of said over the death of his father, commercial is in fact used by however, did not end there.

MAESTRO 2ICKY ,EE IN MOST OF He was more than honest his audio-visual presentations AND HUMAN TO TELL #AVEAT of how to write screenplays THAT INTO HIS FATHER S RETIREwith double meaning in his MENT THE FAMILY S kNANCIAL scriptwriting classes. stability nosedived adversely.

This was earlier revealed to (E EXPERIENCED LITERAL SLUICING #AVEAT BY HIS ACTOR SON 23 and scraping of toothpaste and &RANCISCO OF g- "UTTERFLYu food to its content. fame who admitted having This sent him doing odd pushed the reluctant father jobs like selling shoes, makeinto doing the commercial. up, perfumeries and the like 23 WHO IS HIMSELF A SEAhouse-to-house. He got emsoned director for comPLOYED IN A "INONDO TEXTILE mercials, thought the role Q Rudy Francisco then as of a senile grandfather was Sampaguita Pictures matinee idol warehouse as hauler and seller while on the side pursuing perfect for his dad. Already in the 1950s. CONTRIBUTED his love for acting that landed YEARS OLD THEN 23 KNEW PHOTO him to originate the role of his dad was nowhere near THE SYMPTOMS OF !LZHEIMER S AN AGE RELATED THE ANDROGYNOUS 3ONG ,ILING IN $AVID (ENRY DISEASE ,ONG STORY SHORT HE TRICKED HIS DAD INTO (WANG S g- "UTTERlYu AT $ULAANG 50 MORE than two decades ago. doing the commercial and it paid off.

Eventually, he got the knack for turning the The commercial brought his dad instant fame. He was virtually tagged in the industry as performing arts to his advantage however lowg0AMBANSANG ,OLO u 4HE GRANDFATHER HAS TWO paying it was and coupled with a keen sense of GRAND KIDS BY 23 BROTHER entrepreneurship. !CCORDING TO 23 ONE THIRD OF HIS DAD S TALENT !LL TOLD 23 CRAWLED FROM THE BOTTOM TO fee from said commercial was donated to the tower now as one of the titans in the networkdental and medical needs of kids on behalf of ing industry. #LUB IN THE #UBAO AREA WHERE HIS PARENTS (APPILY 23 FATHER SAW ALL HIS YEARS OF ACQUIRwere active members.

ING kNANCIAL FREEDOM BY HIMSELF BEFORE HE DIED

CAVEAT GEORGE VAIL KABRISTANTE

JOINED BY EXCHANGE STUDENT (IRO &UMIYA 3ANKAI PAWNSHOP CARETAKER "OGS 9AMYAM 'UCONG AND THEIR BARANGAY CAPTAIN #APT &RANK PLAYED BY "OBOT -ORTIZ 'ONZAGA EXPRESSED HER HAPPINESS WITH 6HONG !LEX "AYANI AND ,UIS JOINING HER IN THE SHOW g*UST THINKING THAT ) AM JOINED by my close friends and my sister, THIS IS THE BEST @(OME 3WEETIE (OME SETTING THAT ) CAN DREAM OF u SHE ADDED With her new family in the show, Gonzaga promised a sweeter EXPERIENCE FOR THE AUDIENCE g4HE PROGRAM HAS BEEN A beautiful journey mula nung n a g s i m u l a k a m i I N Maraming nangyaring transitions, maraming pinagdaan ang show, at nagpapasalamat

kami dahil may mga sumusuporta pa rin sa aming proGRAMA u she said. g.GAYONG BAGONG YUGTO NA po ng @(OME 3WEETIE (OME

ipinapangako namin na kaya siya @%XTRA 3WEET dahil pinagsama-sama po ng management at ng @(OME 3WEETIE (OME family ang mga bago naming kapamilya na tunay ang essence ng isang pamilya. ) M GRATEFUL for this whole family na nabuo NAMIN NGAYON u she ended.

OHN Estrada says his role as the late Mayor Antonio Halili of Tanauan, Batangas is the toughest challenge in his acting career. The mayor was shot and died last year WHILE ATTENDING THE lAG CEREMONY at the city hall.

Written and directed by jourNALIST AND kLM DIRECTOR #AESAR 3Oriano, who was able to interview the mayor just before the violent crime took place, the title is most kTTING AS g4HE ,AST )NTERVIEW 4HE -AYOR !NTONIO (ALILI 3TORY u John feels honored to be chosen to play Mayor Halili as he kNDS THE MAYOR TO HAVE HAD A VERY colorful life. g(IS LIFE STORY IS NOT ONLY INteresting but inspirational as well because he desired to do a good JOB AS A PUBLIC SERVANT u SAID THE actor who watched some videos of the slain mayor to study his mannerisms. He also talked to the wife.

He, however, did not agree with the desire of direk #AESAR TO PUT ON some of the real clothes of the mayor.

John admitted having fear of ghosts.

7HILE SHOOTING THE kLM IN THE (ALILI residence, someone with a third eye told them the mayor was seen walking around the house. g) HAD A SCARY EXPERIENCE WHEN ) WAS YOUNG -Y GRANDFATHER DIED and my toy train that was broken suddenly made sounds and moved.

A few days later, my youngest brother got sick and died. They said my lolo got him because he WAS THE FAVORITE GRANDSON 3INCE THEN ) HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SCARED OF GHOSTS u HE SHARED *OHN SAID HE ACCEPTED THE kLM bio of Mayor Halili because it was a celebration of his life and accomplishments, as well as his kGHT AGAINST DRUGS

ROVING EYE RO RICKY CALDERON CA Unlike his good friend Richard Gomez though, John has no plans to enter politics. g) AM HAPPY WITH MY CAREER AS AN ACTOR u HE SAID NNN Jerome Ponce admits being intimidated by Jane Oineza when THEY kRST WORKED TOGETHER IN THE 46 SERIES gNasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kitau FOUR YEARS AGO "UT HE WAS EXCITED WHEN HE found out they will be working IN g&INDING 9OU u THE NEW ROM com from Regal Entertainment, DIRECTED BY %ASY &ERRER g7HEN *ANE AND ) kRST WORKED TOGETHER ) MUST ADMIT ) WAS NOT THAT GOOD IN ACTING 4HE WAY ) worked before is not like the way ) DO IT NOW "EFORE ) WAS TAKING THINGS EASY BUT NOW THAT ) AM MORE MATURE ) GUESS MY ACTING HAS IMPROVED AND ) CAN SAY THAT ) CAN AT LEAST MATCH *ANE S CALIBER AS AN ACTRESS u SAID *EROME )F *EROME WAS gECLIPSEDu BY *ANE S ACTING WHEN THEY kRST WORKED TOgether, he did not allow that to hapPEN AGAIN IN g&INDING 9OU u WHERE HE PLAYS .EL A MAN WHO IS AFlICTED WITH hyperthymesia, which is the opposite of amnesia. He managed to hold his own against the formidable actress.

Jerome goes shirtless for the kRST TIME IN THIS MOVIE PLUS SOME kissing scenes and a bed scene. #O STARRING WITH *ANE AND *EROME ARE "ARBIE )MPERIAL AND *ON ,UCAS 4HE MOVIE OPENS IN cinemas on May 29.

Q John Estrada as the late Tanauan Mayor Antonio Halili

James Gunn produces â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Brightburn: Son Of Evilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; WRITER, director and producer James Gunn, who brought audiences the first two blockbuster â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guardians Of The Galaxyâ&#x20AC;? films, now produces Columbia Picturesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new horror thriller, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brightburn: Son Of Evil.â&#x20AC;?

The story is about a child from another world who crash-lands on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love this movie because it is an entirely new take on the superhero genre,â&#x20AC;? Gunn says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is something we have never seen before. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s coming at the superhero movie from a pure horror angle. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also a more honest way of coming at the superhero myth because thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something terrifying about the idea of a super-powered alien that would come to Earth. Tori thinks her son is going to bring glory to the world and help us, but thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not necessarily the case.

In every way we watch this movie, he is a ghost, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a demon child, and we treated the movie exactly like that.â&#x20AC;?

Adds producer Simon Hatt, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Taking superhero movies into the horror genre was something that hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been done before and something that people wanted to see. We as a group have had a ton of

experience with superhero movies. What weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing here is taking a movie that has superhero DNA and merging that with the horror genre â&#x20AC;&#x201D; bodies hanging from walls, bloody guts everywhere. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so much fun to be had in being scared.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why the genre continues to be as popular as it is.â&#x20AC;?

Directing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brightburn: Son Of Evilâ&#x20AC;? is David Yarovesky who had stepped behind the camera to direct with Gunn the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guardians Of The Galaxy: Infernoâ&#x20AC;? music video send-up featuring David Hasselhoff. His credits also include the creepy sci-fi horror thriller â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hive,â&#x20AC;? about a man with no memory who must recall his past before succumbing to a deadly parasite. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has a real sense for horror, for the musicality of horror, how the beats work, how you set up a jump scare, how you get people frightened while theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re watching the scene,â&#x20AC;? James Gunn says of Yarovesky. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fantastic watching him work. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always known Dave as an incredibly insightful smart guy who also does his homework.

He probably watched a thousand horror movies before this. He can take them apart and piece them back together in a way. He

Q James Gunn

Âťpopcornmatch

knows logically what heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing.â&#x20AC;?

In retrospect, Yarovesky says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I, like many people, grew up watching superhero movies and fantasizing about what it would be like to have super powers. When I imagined it, it was always so much darker than what I see in movies. I wanted to make something that was closer to my heart. I wanted to go all in on scary.â&#x20AC;?

Showing in Philippine cinemas on May 29, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brightburn: Son Of Evilâ&#x20AC;? is distributed

by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Q 'Brightburn: Son of Evil' talks about a child from another world who crash-lands on earth.

D2

Funtimes

SATURDAY May 25, 2019

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

FAMOUS HAND

This deal occurred many years ago during a pair championship in Los Angeles. It features an unusual and imaginative play that was found by two different declarers.

At most tables, the contract was four hearts played by South, and the opening lead was uniformly the ten of diamonds. At practically all of the tables, declarer was defeated one trick after the ten was covered with the jack,

» CROSSWORD

my. East had the K-8 sitting over dummy’s 9-7-3-2, so he won the seven with the eight and shifted to the jack of clubs. There was now no escape for declarer, who wound up losing two diamonds, a spade and a club to go down one.

But at two tables, the contract was made by a pair of shrewd declarers. Dr. Edward Frischauer and Meyer Schleifer both diagnosed the opening lead as a singleton, and put this knowledge to work to bring home the contract.

They ducked the first diamond in dummy and, when East produced the eight, also played low from their own hand! This play saddled them with two diamond losers, just as at the other tables, but there was a big difference.

The contract now could not be defeated.

West could do no better than shift to a trump. South drew trumps and then played the ace and another diamond. East won and returned a club, but declarer took the ace, cashed dummy’s diamonds, discarding a club, and then conceded a trick to the ace of spades, making four.

Observe that it would not have helped the Easts at these two tables to overtake the ten of diamonds at trick one because South would then win the trick and lose only one diamond.

The diamond duck from both hands at trick one is clearly correct — provided declarer thinks of it. Either West’s lead is a singleton, or it is from the 10-8 doubleton, in which case

BY EUGENE SHEFFER

Solution to puzzle

By Samantha Weaver

»HOROSCOPE Today’s Birthday (05/25/19). Take your partnership to new levels this year. Strengthen shared financial infrastructures.

Get a personal income boost this summer, before shifting tides with a collaborative venture. By next winter, that tide turns to silver, inspiring new financial directions. Together, you’re greater than your sum.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Review priorities from a comfortable spot. Handle urgent matters, and postpone what you can. Rest and recuperate without fuss or great expense.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Don’t keep pushing against a roadblock. Stop and reassess with your team. Review strategies and refine for efficiency. Friends can be especially helpful.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) -- Today is a 9 -- A professional challenge or puzzle could slow the action or cause a mess. Take charge. Reach out to teammates and colleagues. Share information and resources.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) -- Today is an 8 -- You’re especially curious. Not everything you discover is beautiful. Your exploration also reveals hidden dirt. Avoid conflict. Stick to reliable routes and connections.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Don’t offer to pay for everything. Take stock and consider future goals. Keep reducing debt.

Maintain clear records with a financial collaboration.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Strategize your moves WRJHWKHU WR DYRLG GXSOLFDWLQJ RU PLVVLQJ HႇRUWV ,Q WKH EXV\ VKXႉH WKLQJV can get lost. You don’t have to do everything. Cooperate.

» SUDOKU

• It was Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky who made the following sage observation: “Silence will save me from being wrong (and foolish), but it will also deprive me of the possibility of being right.”

• You might be surprised to learn that a male lion can mate up to 50 times in one day.

• Before the iconic reclining armchair was dubbed “La-Z-Boy,” the names “Sit-N-Snooze,” “Slack Back” and “Comfort Carrier” were considered.

• A researcher calculated that across the country of Great Britain, the weight of all the insects that are eaten by spiders in a year would be more than the combined weight of all the people who live there.

• A 22-year-old man who was trying to board a flight in Cairo, Egypt, bound for Saudi Arabia was stopped by security officers when the X-ray of his hand luggage showed some strange results. It seems that the man was attempting to transport 250 baby crocodiles and — wait for it — a live cobra. (Animal lovers will be pleased to learn that the creatures were not harmed; they were turned over to the Cairo zoo.)

• Those who study such things say that automatic teller machines are three times more likely to be robbed between 6 and 9 p.m. than at any other time of day.

• According to horse-racing regulations, no racehorse’s name can have more than 18 characters — anything longer would be cumbersome on racing sheets.

• In some parts of Europe, red roses are considered to be omens of evil.

Seeing the petals fall from a red rose is a portent of death. *** Thought for the Day: “The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life — the sick, the needy and the handicapped.” — Hubert Horatio Humphrey © 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

BY NANCY BLACK LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Move faster to meet rising demand. Physical efforts reap results. Watch your step, and stay focused to avoid accidents. Balance with good food and rest.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Your romantic ideas may not play out as planned. Keep a sense of humor, and clean messes as they occur. Avoid expense or fuss. Relax together.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Relax in the comforts of home. Cook up something delicious with friends and family. Enjoy domestic projects to beautify your home and garden.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Communication flows with greater ease, although it may not always be good news. Challenge old assumptions. Put aside small concerns. Connect and share.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) -- Today is a 9 -- Profitable ventures are worth pursuing. Get your ducks in a row. Stay in communication about financial transactions, negotiations and decisions.

Celebrate positive balances.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) -- Today is a 9 -- Take charge RI \RXU GHVWLQ\ ,PDJLQH D SHUVRQDO GUHDP UHDOL]HG :KDW ZRXOG LW WDNH" ,QYLWH \RXU WDOHQWHG IULHQGV WR SDUWLFLSDWH &UHDWH VRPHthing wonderful.

(Astrologer Nancy Black continues her mother Linda Black’s legacy horoscopes column. She welcomes comments and questions on Twitter, @LindaCBlack. For more astrological interpretations like today’s Gemini horoscope, visit Linda Black Astrology by clicking daily horoscopes, or go to www.nancyblack.com.)

NANCY BLACK.Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

BY ROGER SEVILLA

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 square contains the digits 1 to 9 with no repeats.

Solution from yesterday’s puzzle.

Ë&#x153; The Manila Times

D3

w w w.manilatimes.net

LIFESTYLE@MANILATIMES.NET

SATURDAY MAY 25, 2019

Unique serum-infused water cream for a visible glow I

N the 1960s, cosmetics brand Kiehlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s introduced the Calendula Petall with the launch of Calendula Herbal al Extract Toner, currently the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bestselling toner globally. Native to the Mediterranean, Calendula is known for or its skin-soothing properties and has been een a highly regarded herb in both Ayurvedic edic and Traditional Chinese Medicine for many centuries.

Q The water creamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weightless formula releases a burst of soothing, long-lasting hydration, leaving skin feeling soft with a dewy-fresh finish.

mixing phase, the petals become crushed into hundreds of micronized petals â&#x20AC;&#x201D; visible only under a microscope.

Upon application, the water creamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weightless formula releases a burst of soothing, long-lasting hydration, leaving skin feeling soft with a dewy-fresh kNISH 4HE FORMULA gives instant relief from the feeling Q Celebrity model and host of skin discomPhoemela Baranda tests out the fort. It also aids unique addition to the brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in strengthening Calendula collection. the skin barrier, by helping to diminish the early signs of aging that occur when the skin barrier is compromised by environmental irritants. With continued use, the formula also visibly reduces redness.

The unique composition of Kiehlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s formula is constructed to â&#x20AC;&#x153;houseâ&#x20AC;? the concentrated Calendula Serum ingredients within the water phase. On application, the Micronized serum infusion transforms and calendula petals delivers hundreds of micronized Calendula Petals and Calendula According to the brand, before the Extract directly to the skin. whole Calendula Petals are added to The brand tested the formula the formula for processing, they are and found the Calendula SerumkRST gSTEEPEDu AT A HIGH TEMPERATURE Infused Water Cream has multiple for precisely ten minutes to allow BENEkTS #LINICAL TESTING SHOWED for maximum release of the petalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the serum-infused water cream skin-soothing properties. Once the IMPROVES THE LOOK OF kNE DRY LINES

components have been released, makes skin texture look and feel the whole petals are then added to smoother and boosts skinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rathe formula for mixing. During the diance and suppleness.

Ever since, Kiehlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chemists have continued to harness the time-tested, efficacious benefits of Calendula through the 2014 launch of the Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash and in 2017, the addition of the Calendula and Aloe Soothing Hydrating Mask. Now, the company welcomes a unique addition to the Calendula collection, the new Calendula Serum-Infused Water Cream which was recently unveiled in the Philippines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know our customers love Calendula, so Kiehlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chemists formulated a water cream featuring that iconic Kiehlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ingredient and took it to the next level by infusing it with a Calendula serum, providING THE EFkCACY OF THE #ALENDULA petals in a new texture,â&#x20AC;? shared Roberta Weiss, head of product innovation for Kiehlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Through a unique formulation technique, the water cream utilizes our highest concentration of Calendula Flower Extract in a formula that helps to soothe and refresh skin while also providing a visible glow,â&#x20AC;? she added.

Q Infused with a Calendula serum, it provides the efficacy of the Calendula petals in a new texture.

Q Miss World Philippines 2018 and Miss Intercontinental Philippines 2017 Katarina Rodriguez

Celebrating beauty around the world A â&#x20AC;&#x153;BEAUTY Around the Worldâ&#x20AC;? party was hosted by SM Megamall highlighting Filipino womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s local and global beauty and skincare brands in one place.

The occasion, held at the Mega Fashion Hall, features home-grown makeup brand Happy Skin; Korean cosmetics and skincare brands The Saem, The Face Shop, and Nature Republic; plus, the iconic Japanese personal care brand Shiseido.

On the other hand, well-known American cosmetics brands Mac Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown, Estee Lauder,

Clinique, and Benefit; as well as European brands Inglot and Make Up For Ever also showcased their beauty products and offered great deals and discounts.

Beauty experts Cristalle Belo-Pitt, Belo Medical Group managing director; Gay Lao Chen, MAC Cosmetic Philippines brand manager; and Rissa Mananquil-Trillo, Happy Skin co-founder; gave short talks about their beauty routine and their respective brands. The girl bosses also shared tips and tricks on how to take care of the skin and how to look good with or without makeup.

Âťseen@thescene

Q (From left) Beauty experts MAC Cosmetic Philippines Brand Manager Gay Lao Chen, Belo Medical Group Managing Director Cristalle Belo-Pitt, SM Supermalls COO Steven Tan and Happy Skin Co-founder Rissa Mananquil Trillo.

Q Trisha Lim

Q Janeska Margaux and Paige Ranola

Q CJ Hirro, Miss Global 2016 first runner-up

Q Movie and television writer G3 San Diego

Q Nicole Te and Aryanna Epperson

D4

SATURDAY MAY 25, 2019

EDITOR Tessa Mauricio-Arriola STAFF WRITERS Christina Alpad & Iza Iglesias DESKMAN Arlo Custodio

B R A Z I Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; S M E L I S S A X I T A LY â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S F I L A

Sporty-chic meets function in limited collab S

BY IZA IGLESIAS

PORTY-CHIC meets style and function with Melissaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest limited edition collaboration that shows it is possible to get the best of both worlds.

Q The sneaker features sportswear brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s palette

Q Slide proves simplicity and individuality can co exist.

Q Fila Philippines CEO Cris Albert

Q Melissa Philippines Marketing Director Joanna Co and Brand Manager Jay Dauz

Q Pochete, an accessory made for street-savvy go-getter

Âťwhatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sonwhere

Bicol fashion takes spotlight in Orgullo kan Bikol Trade Fair INSPIRING mall guests to go local, Shangri- very proud that we are putting the spotlight La Plaza partnered with the Department of in our very own Bicol Region. It is our hope Trade and Industry Region 5 and Department that this fair will inspire more people to apof Tourism Region 5 in hosting the Orgullo preciate what the Region has to offer,â&#x20AC;? Lala kan Bikol (OKB) Regional Trade and Travel Fojas, executive vice president and general manager of Shangri-La Plaza shared at the &AIR FOR THE kRST TIME opening ceremony.

Running unShowcasing not til May 26 at the just Bicolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many Grand Atrium, the tourist spots, new fair culls authentic ecotourism activiBicolano products, ties, diverse natuall of them made ral attractions and by micro, small festivals, the fair and medium enhighlights the fashterprises from six ion and flavors of different provinces Bicol, with an array of the Bicol Region. of handcrafted abaA total of 54 exca products, stylish hibitors are ready accessories, native to welcome the home furnitures and guests: 19 from signature food items Albay, six from available for shopCamarines Norte, pers to browse and nine from Cama- Q An array of abaca products purchase.

RINES 3UR kVE FROM Catanduanes, three from Masbate and 12 Indeed, beyond the iconic Mount Mayon from Sorsogon. and scrumptious local cuisine, there are â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have always been a promoter as well lots of reasons why many tourists rave as a supporter of culture and arts. We are about the destination.

IZA IGLESIAS

This season, Melissa spotlights contemporary street white, gray or charcoal. Each striking style and athletic spirit with its latest partnership. To iteration of the sneaker comes with achieve this, the Brazilian footwear brand joins two colored shoelace options. forces with Italian sports-style label Fila resulting A pair sure to please the no-fuss, to fresh, fun and fashionable shoe options. no-muss kind of dresser, the Melissa Since its establishment in 1911, Fila has Slide + Fila proves that simplicity and been pushing an unapologetic sense of individuality can indeed coexist. A individuality and style to the fore. Takmodernized take on one of Melissaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ing this sartorial power from the most widely adored products, the remastennis courts of Italy to the street tered slide features the collaborationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s logo on the scene all over the globe, Fila has upper as a tribute to the iconic Borg Logo from the earned a spot in the hearts of 1970s. Available in four colorways, this pair also features a distinct striped pattern on the insole. the sporty, the stylish and those Q This sandal is a complete 180-degree turn of the classic Demonstrating that bigger may indeed be betwho fall in between. ter, the Melissa Sandal + Fila makes a complete On the other side of the spec- design of Melissa slide. trum, Melissa has long been a staple in the footwear 180-degree turn from the classic design of the Melissa Slide scene for its unique steppers, unexpected collaborative + Fila. Every bit a scene-stealer, the sandal features a chunky collections and ability to take its raw material of plastic high platform, a jagged sole and two ultra-thick double-lock Velcro straps that are bound to turn heads. to new heights of design.

4HE kNAL ITEM IN THE COLLABORATION SINKS ITS ROOTS IN â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is a global collaboration thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been introduced here in the country,â&#x20AC;? Melissa Philippines the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s with a practical piece: the bumbag.

Brand Manager Joy Dauz told The Manila Times The result is Melissa Pochete + Fila, an accessory made for the street-savvy, ready-for-anything go-getter. AvailLookbook in an interview. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Melissa has a huge following here in the Philip- able in two colorways, the Melissa Pochete + Fila hails pines, mostly women. And when we talked with BACK TO THE TRI COLOUR PALETTE AND ATHLETIC INlUENCES Fila Philippines, we really saw an alignment. that Fila is known and loved for. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All the styles are trendy and taken from the Fila sneaker Their market is also sporty, young market so we DESIGNS AND PERCENT MADE IN -ELlEX PLASTIC Â&#x2021; A PATreally saw a connection,â&#x20AC;? she added.

Marking the meeting of two iconic ENTED HYPO ALLERGENIC RECYCLABLE AND EXTREMELY lEXIBLE fashion brands, the Melissa + FILA material. Reason why the DNA of Melissa plus the designs limited edition collaboration delivers of Fila, makes it really perfect in terms of the collection that we released,â&#x20AC;? Dauz noted. a total of four covetable pieces. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The price range is also very competitive with price The Melissa Sneaker + Fila features the sportswear brandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature palette of navy, red ranges of both brands. So I believe that this is a coland white, contrasted against a solid-colored base of lection that can sell out,â&#x20AC;? she ended.

Ace a job interview with the right accessory MANY young graduates dream of working in the corporate setting to gain experience and hone the skills they need to flourish in their chosen careers.

However, with legions of job applicants on the lookout ut for the best options, being good at what you do is simplyy se not enough. So what else can fresh graduates do to ood stand out and make a good impression?

Dressing for the workplace and good groomingg will help, to begin with.

Nothing trumps looking clean and neat, and wearing appropriate office attire to enhance your image.

Q Trendy and Not many of these sturdy wallet young applicants know, however, that using the right accessoriess can give them an extra confidence boost.

To achieve the professional look they need to get the job, they can turn to McJim Classic Leather, a brand responsible for crafting high-quality leather goods

like bags, belts and wallets.

To wrap up a corporate look, choose from McJim Classic Leatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s line of stylish belts that come in various colors and designs: basic dark brown, basic modernist black, and reve reversible minimalist. Each design comes with c distinctive d looking in and strong metal m buckles.

Another essential ess leather accessory acce that all professionals prof need is the wallet. McJim offers two different styles for making a lasting impression: the leather lea wallet and the canvas wallet.

Invest in one that is made to last for years.

Finally, Finally as a staple accessory in every young professionalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wardrobe, a sturdy leather bag is both smart and functional. New graduates can Q Make a mark in the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;real worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with this opt for a shoulder bag, a body bag, or a elegant and functional attache leather bag. gadget bag.

Q Authentic leather accessories make a statement in the professional world.

Q Durable and welldesigned vertical messenger bag