The Manila Times | January 29, 2019

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2019

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J O LO O N LO C K D OW N, P H - W I D E A L E R T O R D E R E D

IS owns up to Jolo blasts

BY AL JACINTO

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AMBOANGA CITY: The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for the deadly twin blasts at the Catholic cathedral of Jolo, which, it said, was carried out by a pair of suicide bombers.

IS, in a statement released by its Amaq .EWS !GENCY SAID THE kRST BOMBER DETOnated an explosive belt, while the second

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Mindanao: How the great island was explored and evangelized

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N these d a y s when l i k e many, I find developments in Mindanao both hopeful and terrifying, I often turn to the writings of my former Jesuit teacher, Miguel Anselmo Bernad, S.J., particularly his essays on Mindanao, of which he was a native (Misamis, Misamis Occidental).

OBSERVER YEN MAKABENTA

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SACRED GROUND

President Rodrigo Duterte (center) inspects the interior of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, Sulu, where two bombs exploded on Sunday during Mass and killed 20 people. He is accompanied by (from left) Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, former aide Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go, daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Pope, OIC leader condemn blasts at Jolo Cathedral PANAMA CITY: Pope Francis on Sunday (Monday in Manila) expressed his “strongest reprobation” for the twin blasts at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral in Jolo, which killed 20 and wounded more than

100 people.

Once again, he said, “the Christian community has been plunged into mourning.”

Francis also prayed for the dead and

What’s inside VETERAN commentator Ramon Tulfo joins The Manila Times as a columnist, with his column, “In my line of sight,” appearing in the Op-Ed section, starting today and every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday thereafter.

ROBREDO, ARROYO OFFER AID TO VICTIMS OF SULU BLAST

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‘Rakenrol in heaven, Pepe Smith’

Passport mess sparks panic

BY BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO First of three parts THE alleged passport data breach that Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. brought up caused panic among Filipinos amid concerns that their personal information had been compromised and exposed to

cybercriminals.

The controversy also pushed some senators, the National Privacy Commission (NPC), the Department of National Defense (DND), and the Department of Information and Communications and Technology (DICT) to conduct an investigation on the passport mess due to its perceived impact on national security, as well as the drive against cybercrime.

SPECIALREPORT

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PH rock icon dead at 71

BY IZA IGLESIAS PHILIPPINE rock n’ roll icon Joseph William Feliciano Smith, famously known as Joey or Pepe Smith, died Q Pepe Smith Monday morning at the age of 71.

Ramon TulfoA10

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DINAGYANG LIGHT PARADE

More than 10,000 spectators witness the Dinagyang Light Parade at the Iloilo Business Park.

It was one of the highlights of the Dinagyang Festival, where lighted floats and illuminated dancers participated. A fireworks display capped the festivities.

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˜ The Manila Times TUESDAY January 29, 2019

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Robredo, Arroyo offer aid to victims of Sulu blast

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BY GLEE JALEA

ICE President Maria Leonor “Leni�

Robredo and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo have offered assistance to families of victims of the blasts at the Catholic cathedral of Jolo in Sulu over the weekend. “When I heard about the bombing, I alerted our teams to monitor and prepare for a possible deployment to immediately assist the victims and their families,� Robredo said on Sunday evening during her visit in Cagayan de Oro. At least 20 people were killed and more than 100 were injured by the twin bombings during Sunday Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral.

Robredo lamented that the bombings came on the heels of THE RATIkCATION OF THE "ANGSAMoro Organic Law (BOL) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim

Mindanao (ARMM) and other key areas just last week. “It is saddening how this happens in a period when we are all HOPING TO END CONlICT IN -INDanao,� she said.

Sulu was the lone province under the ARMM to reject the BOL, which allows the people in the region to govern themselves under the peace deal of the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). However, its “no� vote did not affect the rest of the provinces who approved to ratify the measure.

Arroyo, on the other hand, ASSURED THAT SHE WOULD kND OUT

immediately what Congress could do from its end to investigate the “tragic� incident. “Please do not lose heart, I’m sure the government will do everything to make things right,� Arroyo addressed the people of Sulu durING HER BRIEkNG IN #AGAYAN DE /RO Other congressmen denounced the bombings and called for a swift resolution to serve justice to the victims. “I call upon the military and police to bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible,� said Sulu caretaker Jericho Nograles, who also represents Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta (PBA) party-list.

Anak Mindanao party-list Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan urged the authorities to conduct an independent and thorough investigation into the alleged role of some armed groups in the area in Sunday’s blast. “Our people deserve to be fully informed, not misinformed just to serve the whims of some,� said Sangcopan.

Members of the Makabayan bloc reminded fellow lawmakers not to use the Sulu bombings as an excuse to push through with extreme measures that may trigger abuses in the region.

ACT Teachers party-list Representatives France Castro and Antonio Tinio added that provisions of Republic Act 9372 or the “Human Security Act� might be abused and not address the root of terrorism in the region.

Gabriela Rep. Emmi de Jesus NOTED THAT THE DEkNITION OF gTERRORism� is too vast, and may likely be used by the government to block the rights of the people to protest. “We appeal to the people not to be swayed of the warmongering viewpoint of intensifying military operations under the guise of anti-terrorism, that will ultimately trigger mass abuses against the Moro people and fuel the already intense social unrest in Mindanao,� Anakpawis partylist Rep. Ariel Casilao added.

Duterte reappoints sacked labor exec PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has transferred a left-leaning official he had sacked last year to another post.

Former Labor undersecretary Joel Maglunsod was appointed by Duterte as executive director of the National Maritime Polytechnic, replacing Romulo Bernardes.

Maglunsod was a former Anakpawis party-list representative and was a political detainee during the Marcos regime. “Joel Maglunsod, I made him leave. I gave them the opportunity when I was new [as President] because I want them... I want THEM IN OFkCE *OEL -AGLUNSOD

all of them. We are all together in Davao. But, your ideology. In the long run, they want to bring it in the government,� Duterte said in a speech during the presentation of rebel returnees at the Camp Juan Ponce Sumuroy in Catarman, Samar on October 2.

To replace Maglunsod, Duterte appointed Ana Dione as Labor undersecretary.

Duterte also reappointed Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo AĂąo and Social Welfare Secretary Rolando

Bautista, who have yet to be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments.

He also reappointed Civil Service Commission chief Aileen Lizada, who replaced Robert Martinez. Her term will run until Feb. 2, 2025.

Before being the Civil Service commissioner, Lizada was a board member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board.

On Thursday, Duterte appointed Antonio Gardiola Jr. as Lizada’s replacement.

The President also appointed a new Energy Regulatory Commission member, Paul Cervantes, who replaced Geronimo Sta. Ana. His term will run until July 10, 2020.

Duterte appointed Kelvin Lee as commissioner at the Securities and Exchange Commission, replacing Emilio Aquino. His term will expire on Dec. 2, 2023.

He also appointed a new member of the Professional Regulatory Board of Dentistry, Rodolfo Drapete, who replaced Rannier Reyes. He will have a term of three years.

RALPH U. VILLANUEVA

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IS owns

Pope, OIC leader

attacker blew himself up outside the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Cathedral on Sunday, killing and wounding dozens of people, including soldiers deployed in the area.

The SITE Intelligence Group, a US company that tracks online activity of jihadist organizations, reported that IS, also known as ISIS or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, had owned to the bombings.

The Long War Journal also reported that IS describes its target in Jolo as a “Christian temple,� saying that it was bombed during a “gathering of the Crusaders to perform their polytheist rituals.�

Both reports and Amaq did not say whether the suicide BOMBERS WERE FOREIGN kGHTERS OR Filipino militants.

Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces spokesman, described the IS claim as “propaganda,� a day after the military said the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) could have been responsible for the Jolo blasts. “They have been doing false claims in the past. An example is the Resorts World incident,� he said in a text message to reporters, citing the lone-wolf attack by a deranged ex-government employee on the Resorts World complex in Pasay City in 2017.

Several military sources also dismissed the claim of the IS, saying the real perpetrators had to be determined. “Not ISIS. They always [claimed responsibility], whenever there are attacks but it’s not true. Most likely, ASG,� one source said.

Another source said a group led by Hatib Sawadjaan was being eyed as the primary suspect.

wounded during his Sunday blessing, delivered from Panama where he was wrapping up the World Youth Day festival.

The head of the world’s largest body of Muslim-majority countries also strongly condemned the bombing.

The general secretary of the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Yousef Al-Othaimeen, expressed his “deep indignation� at Sunday’s terrorist attack.

(E SAID THE /)# kRMLY REJECTS ALL forms of violence, extremism and terrorism, whatever their sources or motives.

Condolences poured in from around the world for the victims of the explosions, which has put fresh pressure on peace efforts aimed at ending decades of separatist violence.

Experts voiced concern on Monday over the impact the attack would have on a decades-long push for peace that culminated last week in voters approving expanded Muslim self-rule in the south.

The vote was the result of negotiations started in the 1990s with the nation’s largest rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and will give it considerable power over the so-called Bangsamoro region. “This is a big challenge for the Bangsamoro government,� said Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.

Evangelicals joined religious groups in condemning the attacks.

In a statement on Monday, the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), led by Filipino Bishop Efraim Tendero, said the incident went against the peaceful teachings of Islam and Christianity. “The WEA strongly condemns this evil act that runs against the peaceful teachings of both Islam and Christianity who both respect each other’s places of worship and prayer,� the alliance said.

On Sunday, Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president, said, “We condole with the families of the several soldiers and civilians who were killed by the explosions.�

Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio

‘Ajang-Ajang Group’ responsible?

The Philippine military has largely blamed the “Ajang-Ajang Group,� a unit of the Abu Sayyaf, whose leaders have pledged allegiance TO )3 AND VOWED TO kGHT FOR THE establishment of a caliphate in the restive region.

Authorities are investigating six persons of interest, as well as several terror groups, National

HIGH ALERT

Members of Manila Police District monitor the United Nations Avenue on Monday, January 28, after a nationwide heightened alert status was ordered following the tragic Jolo Cathedral bombing on January 27. PHOTO BY RUSSELL PALMA Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said on Monday.

Esperon cited the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage obtained from the nearby establishments, in which at least six persons were seen to be acting “suspicious� when the improvised explosive device (IED) exploded inside the church.

The IEDs were “most probably� cellphone-detonated, according to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde.

This was because of the mere 12 to 15 seconds of difference between the two bomb explosions past 8 a.m. on Sunday.

Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, a military spokesman, said two bombs went off in the church. One of the bombs was hidden under the seat of a motorcycle parked outside the cathedral.

Authorities said 20 people were killed and over 100 others wounded in the blasts.

Defense Secretary Delfin LoRENZANA AND !LBAYALDE lEW TO *OLO on Monday to oversee the investigations into the attacks. Albayalde admitted that the local police force failed to implement tight security.

The bombings prompted the police to impose a nationwide alert to pre-empt any acts of terrorism, and a lockdown of Jolo.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who lEW TO *OLO ON -ONDAY HAD ORdered soldiers to annihilate the ASG, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said there could have been lapses in security and that the

not the first time for Catholic churches in the predominantly Muslim province. In August 2013, a grenade explosion outside the cathedral wounded two civilians.

In the previous year, a fragmentation grenade exploded at the cathedral’s roof.

Previous attacks on churches were largely blamed by the authorities to the Abu Sayyaf, a small but the most notorious among rebel groups operating in the troubled region.

In December 2010, Abu Sayyaf militants bombed another church inside the police base in Jolo, killing at least six worshipers. The militants scaled the church wall undetected under cover of darkness and planted the bomb and waited the next morning before Poor security detonating the powerful explosive It was unclear how the improvised during a mass.

Two people were also killed and explosives were smuggled inside 17 others wounded when militants the church.

The bombings happened despite detonated a huge bomb planted an extended martial rule in the outside the cathedral in July 2009. whole of southern Philippines, and Another bomb was found near the the attacks only showed how poor church and had been disarmed by the security was in the capital town. Filipino and US troops helping the On New Year’s Eve, an im- MILITARY kGHT TERRORISM In July 31 last year, a Morocprovised explosive also went off outside the South Seas Mall in can ISIS soldier, Abu Katheer al Cotabato City that left dozens of -AGHRIBI EXPLODED HIS VAN kLLED with explosives in Lamitan City casualties.

A member of the Bangsamoro in the volatile Muslim province Islamic Freedom Fighters was ar- of Basilan, several nautical miles rested by authorities during Presi- south of Zamboanga and a known dent Duterte’s visit to Cotabato to stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf.

The Islamic State claimed reCAMPAIGN FOR THE RATIkCATION OF THE Bangsamoro Organic Law provid- sponsibility for the suicide attack ing greater autonomy in Muslim that left over a dozen casualties.

Mindanao. His family has denied WITH DEMPSEY REYES, all accusations against him.

ROY D.R. NARRA AND CATHERINE S. VALENTE The latest attack in Jolo was

President was awaiting the results of investigations. “He was so angry, for one. For another, he is so disappointed that despite the movement to tread the path towards peace and development, there are still some forces in that region that sow terror and kill and murder people,� he said.

Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan 2nd on Monday again condemned the twin bombings and called them a “dastardly act committed inside a place of worship and wrecked deaths and devastations beyond imaginable reasons, and deserve the strongest of condemnation.

Words elude us at this moment of profound grief.�

Cardinal Tagle said the incident was “senseless because it is inhuman.�

He assured the victims that there would be “divine justice.�

The Apostolic administrator of Jolo in Sulu asked for prayers for the victims of the twin blasts. “Please pray for the victims of Our Lady Mount Carmel Cathedral bombing in Jolo. [Former bishop] Lito Lampon and I were attending the 118th CBCP Plenary in Manila when we heard the tragic news,� Fr. Romeo Saniel said in a Facebook post.

PH grateful The Philippine government expressed gratitude for the outpouring of sympathy and solidarity from the international community for the victims of the bombing of the Jolo cathedral. “We grieve over the unnecessary loss of so many lives in this act of violence that can only be perpetrated by the forces of evil,� said Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato.

United States Ambassador to Manila Sung Kim, in a tweet, said, “My deepest sympathies for the tragic loss of life in Jolo.�

The European Union (EU), in a statement, on Sunday said the Jolo bombing was a “human tragedy and an attack against the basic right to practice one’s religion.�

Maja Kocijancic, EU spokesman, said: “The EU supports the Mindanao peace process and last week’s plebiscite on greater Bangsamoro regional autonomy.

The EU plans to continue such support in the future.� “Filipinos have always been resilient, steadfast, and collaborative,� said EU Ambassador to Manila Franz Jessen. “And I am certain that these values will see them through in this sad situation. I express my solidarity with the Filipino people during these trying times,� Jessen said.

The United Nations System in the Philippines likewise expressed its “deepest condolences with the victims of this attack, civilian and security personnel alike and offer our sympathy to all affected communities in Sulu.�

AFP, AP, ARIC JOHN SY CUA AND BERNADETTE TAMAYO

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˜ The Manila Times

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

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Special Feature

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

˜ The Manila Times

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R I Z A M A N TA R I N G

Woman power in a man’s world The new MAP president is getting the job

BY CYNTHIA U. SANTIAGO

M

ANAGEMENT experts list a number of skills one must master to become an effective manager. Such skills may be summarized in three top qualities that best describe Rizalina ‘Riza’ Gervasio Mantaring, the new president of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) for 2019.

Academic excellence Mantaring earned a Bachelor of Science degree, major in Electrical Engineering, cum laude, at the University of the Philippines (UP) with a BS Electrical Engineering degree. Then, she beefed up her academic qualification by working on a Master of Science degree, major in Computer Science at The State University of New York at Albany. She is also a Fellow of the Life Management Institute, with distinction.

In 2010, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, the UP College of Engineering named Mantaring as one of the College’s 100 Most Outstanding Alumni of the Past Century.

Innovative leadership Mantaring is chair of Sun Life Financial Philippine Holding Co., a director at Sun Life Grepa Financial, and also chair of Sun Life Foundation.

Started her career in Information Technology (IT), she joined Sun Life in 1992 as senior manager and head for Asia Pacific of the then Nascent Information Systems Department.

She built the IT function in Asia, managing the turnover from Toronto and Montreal to Manila as the hub for IT activity in the region. She gradually took on increasing responsibilities until she became chief operations officer for Asia in 2008, deputy president for Sun Life Philippines in March 2009, then CEO and country head from August 2009 to June 2018.

Mentoring also serves as chair of the 12 Sun Life Prosperity Funds aside from being a director of the various Sun Life companies. During her term, Sun Life IMPLEMENTED NUMEROUS INDUSTRY kRSTS and innovations that paved the way for its leadership in the industry.

During her term as CEO, Sun Life’s market profile and brand strength significantly increased, with the pioneering and multi-awarded “It’s Time!” financial literacy advocacy campaign and the record-high increase in agency manpower numbers and sales. The company also entered bancassurance — an agreement between a bank and an insurance company which allows the insurance company to sell its products to the bank’s client base— with the creation of Sun Life Grepa Financial.

Q Rizalina ‘Riza’ Gervasio Mantaring

Outstanding achievements Under Mantaring’s leadership, Sun Life won numerous prestigious awards, including the Life Insurance Company of the Year Award given at the 19th Asia Insurance Industry Awards (the first Filipino company to do so) and the 2015 Employer of the Year Award bestowed by People Management Association of the Philippines (the first life insurance company to win).

Her own accomplishments have likewise been recognized by presti-

gious award-giving bodies. She received the Asia Talent Management award at CNBC’s 2017 Asia Business Leader Awards and the CEO Excel Award from the International Association of Business Communicators-Philippines.

Apart from Sun Life she serves as an independent director of Ayala Land, First Philippine Holdings, and MicroVentures Foundation. She is also a board member of the Makati Business Club and Philippine Business for Education.

Fit for the job Mantaring keeps fit to withstand the rigors of her management responsibilities. She has conquered not only man’s business world but what before was a manly sport.

In her spare time, she runs and she is one of only a handful of Filipino Six Stars, having completed the marathons in Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, London, and Tokyo.

And now she leads what used to be the predominantly male Management Association of the Philippines. She is MAP’s 70th president and the 4th woman president since its inception in 1950.

This year, Mantaring leads a distin-

guished group of management experts serving as MAP board members including Atty. Francisco “Francis” Ed. Lim, senior partner of ACCRALAW, as VP; Atty.

Benedicta “Dick” Du-Baladad, managing partner and CEO of Du-Baladad and Associates, as treasurer; Cesar Romero, country chair of Shell Companies in the Philippines, as asst. treasurer; and Maria Carolina “Carol” Dominguez, president and CEO of John Clements Consultants, as secretary.

Other Board members are Jose Rene Gregory “Rene” Almendras, president and CEO of AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation, John Philip “JP” Orbeta, managing director and head of Corporate Resources Group of Ayala Corporation, Justo “Tito” Ortiz, chair and CEO of UnionBank of the Philippines, and Gov. Amando “Say” M. Tetangco, Jr., member of the Board of Directors of Philippine Airlines (PAL).

Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once famously said, “If you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.”

Having established herself at the top of the management arena, Mantaring has well proven she has a say in the business world, and yes, she can get the job done.

˜ The Manila Times

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Special Feature

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

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MAP 2019

SHAPING A COMPETITIVE FUTURE Another year of promoting management excellence

2019 MAP Board of Governors

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BY B Y MAYLENE S. VI VIRAY RAY AY

S it continues to promote management excellence for nation-building, the 69-year-old Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) centers its 2019 theme on “Shaping a Competitive Future.”

Anchored on its theme, MAP focuses on three KEY AREAS DEEMED SIGNIkCANT IN ORDER TO HELP SHAPE a competitive future of the country.

First, MAP has set its eyes on advocacies as means to improve ease of doing business and Philippine competitiveness.

In addition, the association also pursues advocacies for good governance, global competitiveness, inclusive growth, climate change and sustainability.

Second, it will concentrate on programs to improve human capital in the country, such as teachers training, promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) to students, and professional development and continuing education projects in partnership with educational institutions.

And third, the association will be directing initiatives to promote inclusive growth and sustainABILITY SUCH AS kNANCIAL LITERACY ENCOURAGING THE growth of SMEs (small and medium enterprises), nurturing startups and caring for the environment.

Combined, MAP aims to mold a competitive future for the country as it envisions to be the country’s leading organization committed to promoting management excellence for nation-building. )N FULkLLING ITS VISION IT RENDERS ITS MISSION through sharing of best management practices; benchmarking with counterpart organizations in other countries; networking with other business organization here and abroad; educational activities that enhance knowledge, skills and values of management practitioners and educators nationwide; training and development programs that produce professional managers; and advocacy for reforms that help shape a brighter future for

the Philippines.

MAP members, meanwhile, performs this mission guided by the association’s core values and principles of professionalism, integrity, leadership and excellence.

Ms. RIZALINA “Riza” G. MANTARING (President) Chair Sun Life Financial Philippine Holding Co., Inc.

‘Top management practitioners’ The association takes pride in its notable membership, which comprises of over 1,000 members representing a cross-section of CEOs, COOs and other top level management practitioners coming from the big local and international companies operati ng in the Philippines.

It provides its members with networking opportunities, both local and international, to enable them to interact with one another.

Through its advocacies, members are able to share their talent, time and treasure as its contribution on improving the economy and nation-building.

Meanwhile, as one of its core values and principles, MAP supports the integrity initiative by promoting integrity and accountability in business while members vow under the Integrity Pledge that they will commit to ethical business practices and good corporate governance.

“To be a good leader is to be a good follower,” as the saying goes, and MAP urges its members to lead by example as they abide by the MAP Code of Ethics.

The Management Association of the Philippines continues to be a member of the Asian Association of Management Organizations, the prime association of management organizations IN THE !SIA 0ACIkC

Atty. FRANCISCO “Francis” ED. LIM (Vice President) Senior Partner and Member of the Executive Committee, ACCRALAW

Ms. MARIA CAROLINA “Carol” V. DOMINGUEZ (Secretary) President and CEO John Clements Consultants, Inc.

Atty. BENEDICTA “Dick” DU-BALADAD (Treasurer) Managing Partner and CEO Du-Baladad and Associates (BDB Law)

Mr. JOSE RENE GREGORY “Rene” D. ALMENDRAS (Governor) President and CEO AC Infrastructure Holdings Corporation

Mr. CESAR G. ROMERO (Assistant Treasurer) Country Chairman Shell Companies in the Philippines

Mr. JOHN PHILIP “JP” S. ORBETA (Governor) Managing Director and Group Head for Corporate Resources Ayala Corporation

MAP MEMBER BENEFITS MAP enhances member benefits by inviting knowledgeable speakers who can enlighten MAP members on important and current issues during the monthly MAP general membership meetings and the MAP CEO Academy’s management development fora.

The MAP CEO Academy and the MAP Speakers Bureau provide members with the opportunity share their knowledge and expertise and to learn from their fellow MAP members.

MAP provides networking opportunities that enable MAP members to get to know and interact with one another.

For international networking, MAP continues to be a member of AAMO, the Asian Association of Management Organizations, which is the association of management organizations in the Asia Pacific.

Countries represented in the AAMO include Australia, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and the Philippines.

MAP PROGRAMS FOR MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE MAP’s Programs for Management Excellence include the annual search for the “MAP Management Man of the Year,” the annual MAP International CEO Conference, the MAP-AIM Management Educators Workshops, the “Conversations with MAP Icons,” the MAP Dialogues, among others.

Dr. JUSTO “Tito” A. ORTIZ (Governor) Chair UnionBank of the Philippines

Gov. AMANDO “Say” M. TETANGCO, JR. (Governor) Member, Board of Directors Philippine Airlines (PAL)

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January 29, 2019

News

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PH won’t host UN migration meet S

BY BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

AYING the Philippines needs money to fund infrastructure programs, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. turned down the invitation for Manila to host an international conference on migration in 2020. “Over $1 million saved,� Locsin tweeted on Monday, referring to his decision to decline the invitation of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) to host the event. “Turning down a migration conference for Ecuador but hosted by us in Manila [was] another giant saving,� he said. “My refusal to travel with scores of

staff that burden our embassies abroad [was] a milestone,� he added.

In a letter dated Jan. 26, 2019 to Unctad Secretary General Mukhisa Kiyuti, Locsin said the Philippines appreciated being chosen as host of the 15th Session of the Unctad and the World Investment Forum in 2020. “I regret to inform you, however, that the Philippines is unable to host the

Conference at this time to give priority to the country’s national development programs,� he said.

He was referring to the government’s need to save money to fund its ambitious “Build, Build, Build� infrastructure project, a centerpiece program of the Duterte administration. “Rest assured that the Philippines will continue its strong support for Unctad and is committed to actively participate in Unctad 15,� Locsin added.

The DFA chief said his decision WAS kNAL “I have said again and again, but the idea just won’t die. Well, this should kill it,� the DFA chief said. “We don’t need another conference freezing traffic and gobbling gobs of cash. No!� Locsin stressed.

Arroyo leads trade mission in Saudi HOUSE Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will lead an investment mission in Saudi Arabia to look for business opportunities for Mindanao.

Arroyo left the country on Monday along with Mindanao Representatives Mauyag Papandayan Jr., Makmod Mending Jr., Amihilda Sangcopan, Bai Sandra Sema, Ruby Sahali and Shernee Tan. Arroyo was invited by her Saudi counterpart, Dr. Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Ibharim Al Sheik, president of the Majlis Al Shura or the Consultative Assembly of Saudi !RABIA FOR AN OFkCIAL VISIT Arroyo said the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law was a

good opportunity for an investment mission to enable the representatives from Mindanao to look for investors for their region. “The Bangsamoro congressmen are now eager to go to the next step — try to get investments. So that having the Bangsamoro they will be able to bring down the poverty there by having business activities, so we’re helping them out. We are going to have an investment mission in Saudi Arabia,� she said.

Arroyo and the other lawmakERS WILL MEET WITH OFkCIALS OF THE Council of Saudi Arabia Chamber of Commerce in Riyadh and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce in Jeddah.

GLEE JALEA

Q House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Oil firms increase prices again OIL companies hiked their pump prices on Tuesday, the fourth price adjustment in January.

The price of diesel went up by 55 centavos per liter, gasoline by 20 centavos per liter, and kerosene by 40 centavos per liter. #ALTEX WAS THE kRST TO ADJUST ITS PUMP prices at 12:01 a.m., followed by Eastern

Petroleum, Jetti Petroleum, Petro Gazz, Phoenix Petroleum, Pilipinas Shell, PTT Philippines, Seaoil, Total and Unioil at 6 a.m. “The latest round of adjustment still does not factor the second tranche of the Train (Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act) Law,� Eastern Petroleum said in its advisory.

Petro Gazz and Seaoil said the price HIKE RElECTED THE MOVEMENT IN THE INternational market.

This week’s price hike brings the common cost of diesel to P41.09 per liter, gasoline to P48.35 per liter, and kerosene

by P45.50 per liter.

JORDEENE B. LAGARE

Change of first name Dear PAO, ) HAVE BEEN USING MY kRST NAME “Christy� since childhood and in all my school records and other documents. However, when I obtained AN OFkCIAL COPY OF MY CERTIkCATE OF LIVE BIRTH MY kRST NAME APPEARING therein is “Cristeta.� I went to the local civil registrar to inquire about the correction of my name, but one STAFF SAID THAT ) NEED TO kLE A PETITION in court for said correction since this is no longer a mere typographical error. However, when I asked my relative working with the court about this matter, he claimed that my concern is a mere clerical error which can be corrected by the local civil registrar. Do I really need to go TO COURT TO CORRECT MY kRST NAME Christy Dear Christy, The law governing your problem is covered by Republic Act 10172 otherwise known as “An Act Further Authorizing the City or Municipal Civil Registrar or the Consul General to Correct Clerical or Typographical Errors in the Day and Month in the Date of Birth or Sex of a Person appearing in the Civil Register without need of a Judicial Order, Amending for this purpose Republic Act Numbered Ninety Forty-Eight.� Section 1 of said law states: “No entry in a civil register shall be changed or corrected without a judicial order, except for clerical or typographical errors and change of kRST NAME OR NICKNAME THE DAY AND month in the date of birth or sex of a person where it is patently clear that there was a clerical or typographical error or mistake in the entry, which can be corrected or changed by the

place something with something else of the same kind or with something serves as a substitute.

DEAR PAO that“Gallo is not attempting to replace her current appellation. She PERSIDA is merely correcting the misspelling ACOSTA of her given name. ‘Michelle’ could easily be misspelled as ‘Michael,’ concerned city or municipal civil reg- ESPECIALLY SINCE THE kRST FOUR istrar or consul general in accordance letters of these two (2) names are with the provisions of this Act and its exactly the same. The differences implementing rules and regulations.� only pertain to an additional letRelative thereto, Section 2 (3) of ter ‘a’ in ‘Michael,’ and ‘le’ at the same law states: end of ‘Michelle.’ ‘Michelle’ and “Clerical or typographical error’ ‘Michael’ may also be vocalized refers to a mistake committed in the similarly, considering the possibility performance of clerical work in writ- of different accents or intonations of ing, copying, transcribing or typing different people. In any case, Gallo an entry in the civil register that is does not seek to be known by a difharmless and innocuous, such as ferent appellation. The lower courts misspelled name or misspelled place have determined that she has been of birth, mistake in the entry of day known as ‘Michelle’ all throughout and month in the date of birth or the her life. She is merely seeking to sex of the person or the like, which is correct her records to conform to visible to the eyes or obvious to the her true given name.� understanding, and can be corrected Applying the above cited decior changed only by reference to other sion in your situation, you are not existing record or records: Provided, REPLACING YOUR kRST NAME g#RISTETAu however, That no correction must AS RElECTED ON YOUR CERTIkCATE OF LIVE involve the change of nationality, age, birth, but you are only removing or status of the petitioner.� the error or correcting the misspellFrom the facts you have provided, ing so that your birth certificate it appears that the correction is a WILL RElECT YOUR TRUE NAME WHICH mere typographical error on your is “Christy.�

MISSPELLED GIVEN kRST NAME 4HIS kNDS We hope that we were able to ansupport in the case of Republic of the swer your queries. This advice is based Philippines vs. Gallo (GR 207074, Jan. solely on the facts you have narrated 17, 2018), where the Supreme Court and our appreciation of the same. Our through Associate Justice Marvic M.V. opinion may vary when other facts are F. Leonen stated: changed or elaborated. “Correcting and changing have Editor’s note: Dear PAO is a daily been differentiated, thus: “To correct simply means ‘to make column of the Public Attorney’s Ofor set aright; to remove the faults or kCE 1UESTIONS FOR #HIEF !COSTA MAY be sent to dearpao@manilatimes.net error from.’ To change means to re-

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Baguio further chills at 9.8 degrees Celsius BAGUIO CITY: Residents and visitors started to dig deeper in their closets in search of much warmer clothing as the city’s temperature CONTINUE TO DROP WITH DEgrees Celsius recorded on Monday MORNING Letty Dispo, weather specialist of the local Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) here, said the continuing drop in the temperature was caused by the enhanced northeast monsoon which brought to the country cold winter winds from Siberia and China and aggravated by the tail end of the COLD FRONT Last week, Pagasa recorded the COLDEST TEMPERATURE AT # Dispo said the prevailing temperature in other highly elevated areas in Benguet and Mountain

Province was about 3 C lower than what has been recorded by the loCAL WEATHER BUREAU The cold spell in Baguio usually prevails from November to March, but the cold season this year started as early as the middle of October and could extend up to THE END OF -ARCH Weather experts warned residents and visitors that the sudden change in the weather condition could result in people acquiring illnesses such as cough, colds, pneumonia, bronchitis and upper RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION Dispo said that if the city’s temperature continues to drop in the coming days, the recorded temperature could be one for THE BOOKS SINCE THE kFTH LOWEST temperature reported in the city WAS # ON *AN

DEXTER A. SEE

Q SMITH FROM A1

TO 4HE 6ILLAINS AND 4HE 3URFERS Within a few years, Smith emerged as a rock sensation in the Philippine music scene as drummer and lead vocalist of the Eddie Reyes and the Downbeats band with his uncanny imitation of the Rolling Stones’ Mick *AGGER (E EARNED THE MONIKER g-ICK *AGGER OF THE 0HILIPPINES u The Downbeats staged a coup when they opened for The Beatles WHEN *OHN 'EORGE 0AUL AND 2INGO held their infamous 1966 Manila conCERT AT THE 2IZAL -EMORIAL 3TADIUM However, it was with the seminal ROCK GROUP *UAN DELA #RUZ "AND THAT Smith truly cemented his status as a Filipino rock icon in December 7ITH HIM AS VOCALIST AND drummer were Wally Gonzales on GUITAR AND -IKE (ANOPOL ON BASS A few years later, the band recruited a fourth member — Edmon “Bosyo� Fortuno — who took over the drums, so Smith could play the GUITAR INSTEAD AS HE WANTED It was also Smith who is credITED FOR COMPOSING *UAN DELA Cruz band’s most famous hits, including “Himig Natin,� “Mamasyal Sa Pilipinas,� “Beep Beep,� “Maskara,� “Bagong Malalim� and g4ITSER S %NEMY .O u MOSTLY CONSIDERED ROCK ANTHEMS TODAY Smith continued to lead a successful solo career and released his kRST SOLO ALBUM g)DIOSYNCRASIESu IN Besides his music, Smith also tried his hand in acting as one of two main characters in the 2014 movie Above the Clouds directed by Pepe Diokno, which featured a number OF HIS ORIGINAL SONGS As of Monday evening, the family has yet to release details of the MUSICIAN S WAKE AND INTERMENT

Rakenrol His daughter Daisy Smith-Owen CONkRMED 3MITH S DEATH ON HER Facebook account as she posted their picture together with the caption, “Thank you for everything PAPA BEAR KO 4HANK YOU FOR BEING THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD ) KNOW you’re in the best place now, no MORE PAIN PAPA ) WILL SEE YOU IN ;A= FEW DAYS ) LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK u *UST AN HOUR BEFORE SHE ASKED for prayers on the social media site, indicating that her father had been rushed to the hospital, without giving further details on HIS CONDITION Besides Owen, Smith is survived by four other children — Queenie, 3ANYA "EEBOP AND $ELTA The last few years saw a decline IN THE ROCK STAR S HEALTH /N .OV

HIS MANAGER -ARK DE Leon reported that Smith had been rushed to hospital in Antipolo after he noticed the singer’s facial muscles suddenly drooping and his speech SLURRING )NFORMATION ABOUT 3MITH S two previous strokes in 2016 were ALSO REVEALED AT THE TIME

‘Mick Jagger of PH’ 3MITH WAS BORN TO ROCK 4HE &ILIpino-American prodigy (his father was an American service man in Clark, Pampanga) learned to play the drums when he was 9 years OLD (E FORMED HIS kRST ROCK BAND WITH FRIENDS AT AGE )N DEVELOPing their sound, Smith constantly changed the name of the band FROM ITS ORIGINAL 4HE "LUE *AZZERS

Commission (SEC) as a non-stock, NONPROkT ORGANIZATION MANAGED

BY A "OARD OF 4RUSTEES In 1996, then President Fidel Ramos transferred APO from the The impending Senate inquiry is NEDA to the Asset Privatization expected to look into the alleged 4RUST !04 UNDER THE /FkCE OF irregularity behind the decision of THE 0RESIDENT the Asian Productivity Organiza$URING THE TERM OF 0RESIDENT *OTION !0/ 0RODUCTION 5NIT )NC seph Estrada, APT was replaced by !05) TO SUBCONTRACT IN THE the Privatization and Management printing of electronic passports /FkCE 0-/ UNDER THE $EPART(e-passports) to United Graphic ment of Finance (DoF) which was %XPRESSIONS #ORP 5'%# TRANSFERRED LATER TO THE /FkCE OF THE The Commission on Audit 0RESS 3ECRETARY /03 (CoA) said that before its incorUnder the administration of poration, APUI was a small printformer president now House ing unit set up by the Philippine Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, government in 1961 as a member APO, together with the National of the Asian Productivity Organi0RINTING /FkCE .0/ WAS PLACED ZATION under the Philippine Information In 1971, APO-Tokyo turned !GENCY 0)! 4HE ABOLITION OF over the printing units and other PIA in 2006 restored the control facilities to the Philippine govern- and supervision of APO and NPO ment through a Memorandum of TO THE /03 Agreement (MoA) mandating the When President Benigno AquiPhilippines to set up the APUI to NO RD ASSUMED OFkCE !0/ AND TAKE ITS PLACE NPO were still under the control In 1974, APO was placed under OF THE /03 "UT HE REORGANIZED the National Economic and Dethe OPS and renamed it as the velopment Authority (NEDA) by Presidential Communications Opvirtue of Letter of Instruction (LOI) ERATIONS /FkCE 0#// THROUGH 197 due to its inability to continue %XECUTIVE /RDER ITS OPERATION !0/ WAS DEkNED AS A '/## It was authorized to solicit and through Republic Act 10149 which accept printing jobs from govern!QUINO SIGNED INTO LAW ON *UNE ment agencies and government

owned or controlled corporations APUI is one of the three agen '/##S cies authorized under RA 10149 to In the latter part of 1974, APO print sensitive government docuwas incorporated and registered ments such as passports and excise with the Securities and Exchange TAX STAMPS 4HE TWO OTHERS ARE THE

Q PANIC FROM A1

Passport

Regions DENR closes 47 firms in Central Luzon

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

A

BY FREDERICK SILVERIO

TOTAL of 47 establishments has been closed down in Bulacan and Bataan since Friday for noncompliance with environmental laws and polluting the river system leading to the Manila Bay. Lormelyn Claudio, Region 3 Environmental Management Bureau chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), said the establishments were found violating environmen-

tal laws and most have no environMENTAL CLEARANCE CERTIkCATES Sixteen of the establishments are located in the City of Meycauayan, 24 in Obando town and three in Marilao, all in Bulacan,

WHILE FOUR ARE IN -ARIVELES "ATAAN #LAUDIO SAID ESTABLISHMENTS were served with notices of violations and cease and desist orders on Friday, while 32 were served with notices on Sunday The businesses found with violations in Meycauayan include those engaged in leather and JEWELRY PRODUCTION kSHPOND OPerators in Obando, and a beach resort, hotel and manufacturing PLANTS IN -ARIVELES "ATAAN These establishments would be monitored closely and would remain closed until they comply with necessary requirements,

A7

#LAUDIO ADDED Environment Secretary Roy #IMATU IN A MEDIA BRIEkNG EARlier, said that aside from closing the establishments, the violators HAVE TO PAY A kNE FROM 0

to P200,000 per day until they have fully complied with the measures against polluting the ENVIRONMENT On Sunday, various government agencies and other sectoral groups joined the simultaneous massive cleanup and rehabilitation efforts to Save Manila Bay that was held in Barangay Tawiran in Obando, "ULACAN

Q Former special assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go poses with revelers during the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Go assures ‘Malasakit’ programs for Ilonggos ILOILO: Former special assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong� Go congratulated the people of Iloilo for the successful celebration of the Dinagyang Festival and assured them that he would establish more “malasakit� (concern) PROGRAMS IN THE REGION Go said Iloilo City was among the kRST AREAS IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE ITS own Malasakit Center, a one-stop shop bringing together concerned government agencies under one roof — the Department of Health, Department of Social Work and Development, Philippine Amusement and 'AMING #ORP 0HILIPPINE #HARITY 3WEEPSTAKES /FkCE AND THE 0HILIPPINE (EALTH )NSURANCE #ORP ‡ TO MAKE it easier and faster for poor patients TO AVAIL OF MEDICAL AND kNANCIAL AS-

SISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT Go, who is making a bid for the Senate in the May elections, told reporters he would push for a law that would seek the establishment of Malasakit centers in the country’s provinces and urban centers as part OF HIS HEALTHCARE AGENDA Admitting it was his first time to join the festival, which traces its roots to thanksgiving celebrations to THE 3TO .INO AND SHOWCASES THE RICH heritage of the Ilonggo people, Go said he was impressed with the celebration in Iloilo City that was peaceFUL ORDERLY AND VERY FESTIVE Go also told the Ilonggos that they could rely on him to be their bridge to President Rodrigo Duterte, to raise concerns and provide solutions for THEIR EVERYDAY STRUGGLES

He also lauded Iloilo City for supporting Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs as well as earning recognition as one of the 241 outstanding local government units nationwide in the 1st National Anti-Drug Abuse #OUNCIL 0ERFORMANCE !WARDS Meanwhile, Go reiterated that there was no truth to allegations that he endorsed certain local candidates, stressing that he was not in the position to endorse any local candidate FOR THE POLLS “Let us not talk about politics HERE 4HE 0RESIDENT AND ) HAVE NO other desire but to serve our fellow &ILIPINOS u HE SAID However, Go said he was grateful for the warm reception he received FROM LOCAL OFkCIALS AND PEOPLE OF Iloilo, as well as in the provinces of

Capiz and Aklan, whom he had the chance to meet prior to his Iloilo #ITY VISIT In Iloilo, Go met with Diana Mar #ASTROVERDE

WHO IS SUFFERING FROM hydrocephalus and her mother, -ELISSA #ASTROVERDE -OTHER AND daughter went viral on Facebook after THEY REACHED OUT TO ASK HELP FROM 'O Go connected them to the Malasakit Center in Western Visayas Medical Center where the girl received needed MEDICAL ATTENTION ON !PRIL 4HE Castroverdes met with Go to thank him AND THE 0RESIDENT FOR THEIR HELP g$O NOT THANK US 4HIS IS PART OF OUR WORK 4HESE -ALASAKIT CENTERS BELONG TO YOU 4HIS IS YOUR MONEY THAT WE ARE RETURNING TO YOU 4HIS IS for every Filipino who is in need of HELP u 'O SAID IN RESPONSE

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) AND THE .0/ In his series of columns in The Manila Times, former ambassador Rigoberto Tiglao exposed the alleged anomalous joint venture between APUI and UGEC which INVOLVES THE PRINTING OF MILLION E PASSPORTS WORTH 0 BILLION FROM TO Tiglao said former PCOO Unit HEAD (ERMINIO #OLOMA *R AND APU Chairman Milagros Alora hatched the joint venture, without any bidding, with UGEC, reportedly owned by businessman IĂąigo :OBEL Coloma did not reply to Tiglao’s request to give his side on THE CONTROVERSY !LORA ANSWERED his query and justified their ACTION g7HAT !05 AND 5'%# have is a joint venture and not subcontracting and approved by NEDA, the government procurement board, DBM (Department of Budget and Management), and DoST (Department of Science AND 4ECHNOLOGY u Yasay turned to social media to give a background on the passport CONTROVERSY (E SAID THE ALLEGED move of the previous passport producer to run away with the database when its contract was unilaterally cancelled, “is most likely only part of the whole true story that [Foreign Affairs] SecreTARY 4EODORO ,OCSIN *R IS BEING informed about by certain DFA OFkCIALS INVOLVED IN THE PASSPORT MESS u

(E SAID THAT ON !UG

the BSP and the DFA entered into an MoA covering the procurement and centralized production of MREPs (machine readable electronic passports) in compliance with the standards required by the International Civil Aviation /RGANIZATION )#!/ In the implementation of its obligations under the MoA, Yasay said the BSP awarded, through bidding, the main part of the project to Francois Charles Oberthur Fiduciare (FCOF) of France through its 0HILIPPINE OFkCE IN -AKATI (OWEVER HE SAID THAT ON /CT

WHILE THE &#/& CONTRACT with BSP was subsisting and even as the MREPs made by FCOF continued to be fully complaint with the standards of ICAO, the DFA awarded the production of a new e-passport system to APUI, “without bidding on condition that no part of the contract can be subcontracted or assigned to a PRIVATE PRINTER u In “stark violation of this condition� APUI engaged the services of the UGEC for the production of THE NEW E PASSPORTS HE SAID “At my instance as SFA (Secretary of Foreign Affairs) then, the President (Rodrigo Duterte) during the 12th Cabinet MeetING ON &EB

DIRECTED ME and the Secretary of Finance to discuss with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas the transfer back to the latter the printing of THE -2%0S 4HE "30 REFUSED TO

budge from its previous stand,�

9ASAY SAID /N &EB

#HIEF 0RESIdential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo “determined that the assignment of the passport printing services to UGEC was illegal and demanded that all rights over all the personal data, source code, data center and other information relating to the performance of the e-passport printing services unlawfully subcontracted to UGEC be reconveyed to the DFA or be acknowledged to be exclusively owned and controlled

BY THE $&! u It appeared that UGEC, which continues the illegal production of the e-passports, has not complied, 9ASAY SAID “I am sharing my personal knowledge about this passport mess, to help Secretary Locsin and the government undertake a thorough investigation to ensure that the past mistakes and wrongFUL ACTIONS OF CERTAIN $&! OFkCIALS

IN CONNIVANCE WITH OTHER OFkCIALS of other government agencies and even in Congress regarding the problem at hand, will not be REPEATED u 9ASAY SAID He deplored that “under the present scheme of things, the DFA cannot hold UGEC accountable for any breach or screw up in the PRINTING OF THE E PASSPORT u “Indeed this matter should be thoroughly investigated without any political bias or cover-up so that the whole truth, which the

public deserves will be exposed,�

9ASAY SAID CoA has questioned the joint venture between APO and UGEC The Commission on Audit (CoA) said that the joint venTURE *6 IS DISADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT )T VIOLATED THE Government Procurement Policy "OARD S 2ESOLUTION WHICH required APO to directly print the ELECTRONIC PASSPORTS In its 2017 report, CoA noted gVARIOUS DEkCIENCIES IN THE *OINT Venture Security Printing AgreeMENT *630! ENTERED INTO BETWEEN !0/ AND 5'%# CoA said APO’s lease of UGEC’s machines for the printing to epassports “was not in accordance WITH THE *630! WHICH REQUIRES MACHINES TO BE OWNED BY THE *6 u State auditors also noted that “UGEC got bigger earnings/share�

FROM THE *6 COMPARED TO THAT OF !0/ g/NLY PERCENT OF THE LEASEhold rights in the Lima, Batangas plant was recognized as APO’s CONTRIBUTION TO THE *6 u The two other RGPs are the BSP AND .0/ CoA also said that “the machines in the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) project under the LEASE AGREEMENT DATED /CT

between APO and UGEC were TRANSFERRED TO THE *6 AS 5'%# S CONTRIBUTION TO THE *6 INDICATING that the machines contributed to THE *6 WERE ALREADY USED u To be continued

A8

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

Opinion

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

A9

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

E d i to r i a l Clear-eyed realism needed to fix Mindanao problem

PEPE SMITH ROCK LEGEND 1947-2019

A

Q MAKABENTA FROM A1

Mindanao: How the great island was explored and evangelized %VIDENTLY AS HIS FINAL BOOK

HE BROUGHT TOGETHER HIS -INDANAO ESSAYS IN A SINGLE VOLUME

4HE 'REAT )SLAND 3TUDIES IN THE %XPLORATION AND %VANGELIZATION OF -INDANAO (Ateneo DE -ANILA 5NIVERSITY 0RESS

1UEZON #ITY

4HE BOOK IS A REVELATION AND A TREASURE FOR ME BECAUSE UNTIL ) GOT HOLD OF IT ) HAD NOT REALIZED how much historical writing &R "ERNAD WROTE HE DID MUCH WRITING ON LITERATURE AND HOW HIS SCHOLARSHIP AND INSIGHTS help enlighten my own research AND WRITING 5NTIL ) READ 4HE 'REAT )SLAND -INDANAO FOR ME WAS JUST A BIG CLICH¼ gTHE LAND OF PROMISE DATING BACK TO THE !MERICAN OCCUPATION

An idea whose time has come 4HE ELECTION OF 2ODRIGO 2OA $UTERTE AS PRESIDENT IN GOT ME READING AND RESEARCHING ON -INDANAO IN A HURRY ) WAS TANTALIZED BY THE THOUGHT THAT 6ICTOR (UGO COULD BE RIGHT WHEN HE SAID g9OU CAN RESIST AN INVADING ARMY YOU CANNOT RESIST AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME u 5NTIL $5 STOOD FOR ELECTION THE CLOSEST -INDANAO HAD GOTTEN TO ELECTING A PRESIDENT WAS WHEN 6ICE 0RESIDENT %MMANUEL 0ELAEZ RAN FOR PRESIDENT BUT THEN FELL SHORT BECAUSE &ERDINAND -ARCOS BEAT HIM TO THE .ACIONALISTA 0ARTY PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IN $5 WAS THE SECOND

SERIOUS -INDANAO PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANT AND THIS TIME AROUND THE ISLAND WOULD NOT BE DENIED 4O THE CREDIT OF 0RESIDENT "ENIGNO !QUINO RD HE ALSO GOT ME RESEARCHING AND READING ON -INDANAO AFTER HIS DRAMATIC DECISION TO PURSUE A COMPREHENSIVE PEACE AGREEMENT WITH THE -ORO )SLAMIC ,IBERATION &RONT -),& IN ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL POLICIES OF HIS ADMINISTRATION 4HE SUBSEQUENT POLICY DEBATE MADE ME AN AVID READER OF THE HISTORY OF THE -USLIMS IN -INDANAO

PARTICULARLY A VOLUME TITLED 4HE -ORO 2EADER #ENTER FOR 0EOPLE %MPOWERMENT AND 'OVERNANCE EDITED BY "OBBY 4UAZON 1UEZON #ITY

-ORO 2EADER OPENED MY eyes, though not completely, TO THE WORLD OF OUR -USLIM COMMUNITIES THE DIFFERENT -USLIM TRIBES AND THEIR PERENNIAL STRUGGLE FOR THEIR ANCESTRAL DOMAIN AND STATEHOOD 4HE 'REAT )SLAND OPENED UP FOR ME THE EXTENT OF THE PROMISE AND LAMENT OF -INDANAO

Larger than 10 countries in Europe )N A REVEALING PREFACE &R "ERNAD DESCRIBES VIVIDLY THE MAJESTY OF -INDANAO (E WROTE g-INDANAO IS A LARGE ISLAND LARGER THAN OF THE COUNTRIES IN %UROPE )T IS LARGER THAN )RELAND OR 3COTLAND LARGER THAN 0ORTUGAL

(UNGARY !USTRIA OR $ENMARK VERY MUCH LARGER THAN 3 W I T Z E R L A N D O R T H E T H R E E

COUNTRIES ‡ "ELGIUM (OLLAND AND ,UXEMBOURG ‡ PUT TOGETHER g-INDANAO IS NOT ONLY LARGE )T IS ALSO RUGGED )TS MANY REGIONS ARE DIVIDED FROM EACH other by high mountain ranges, VALLEYS AND PLAINS ‡ SOME OF THEM HUGE IN SIZE ‡ WATERED

BY STREAMS AND RIVERS 5NTIL A FEW DECADES AGO MOST OF ITS HIGHLANDS AND MOST OF ITS PLAINS WERE COVERED WITH THICK FORESTS g7ITH THE REGIONS THUS ISOLATED FROM EACH OTHER IT IS NOT surprising that the aboriginal POPULATION OF THE ISLAND COMPRISED TRIBES SPEAKING DIFFERENT TONGUES g4ODAY IMMIGRANTS OR DESCENDANTS FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE 0HILIPPINES MAKE UP MOST OF THE POPULATION OF -INDANAO But there still are tribal groups, REMNANTS OF THE ORIGINAL POPULATION 0ART OF THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OF THE ISLAND AND THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CENTRAL PLATEAU ARE PEOPLED BY -USLIMS 4HE VAST MAJORITY OF THE ISLAND S POPULATION IS #HRISTIAN WHILE THE TRIBAL GROUPS IN THE HIGHLANDS ARE ANIMISTS g4HE PREDOMINANTLY #ATHOLIC #HRISTIAN POPULATION IS UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF BISHOPRICS GROUPED TOGETHER INTO kVE ECCLESIASTICAL PROVINCES 4HEY ARE HEADED BY THE ARCHBISHOPRICS OF #AGAYAN $E /RO $AVAO #OTABATO :AMBOANGA AND -ISAMIS /ZAMIS #ITY g4HE lOURISHING STATE OF THE #ATHOLIC #HURCH TODAY IS THE RESULT OF A LONG AND OFTEN PAINFUL PROCESS OF #HRISTIANIZATION THAT STARTED IN THE TH CENTURY AND

CONTINUED UNTIL THE TH g4HE BUILDING OF THE CITY AND THE CIVILIZATION OF 2OME WAS INDEED AN IMMENSE UNDERTAKING SO WAS THE EVANGELIZATION OF -INDANAO g4HE PRESENT VOLUME IS MERELY A MODEST COLLECTION OF ESSAYS WRITTEN AT VARIOUS TIMES OVER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL DECADES DEPICTING SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN THE EXPLORATION AND EVANGELIZATION OF THIS GREAT ISLAND )T IS HOPED that their compilation into one VOLUME MIGHT BE OF HELP TO scholars who will write a more COMPREHENSIVE AND DEFINITIVE HISTORY OF -INDANAO u )T WAS &R "ERNAD WHO INTRODUCED ME IN MY COLLEGE YEARS TO THE EXCITEMENT OF LITERATURE SO EFFECTIVELY THAT HE DIVERTED ME AWAY FROM THE STUDY OF L AW OR HISTORY )T DOES NOT SURPRISE ME that he is also the teacher who HAS OPENED MY EYES TO THE HISTORY AND GRANDEUR OF -INDANAO )N A SUBSEQUENT COLUMN ) WILL WRITE ON OTHER MAJOR ESSAYS IN THE VOLUME NAMELY &R "ERNAD S REEXAMINATION OF THE CONTROVERSY OVER "UTUAN OR ,IMASAWA AS THE SITE OF THE &IRST -ASS IN THE 0HILIPPINES (E MARSHALS THE EVIDENCE EITHER WAY 4HE STORY OF THE -USLIM 7ARS FROM 4HE EVANGELIZATION OF THE $AVAO REGION 4HE ASCENT OF -OUNT !PO

4HE FASCINATION OF "ERNAD S BOOK RIVALS THE GREATNESS OF HIS SUBJECT

YENMAKABENTSA YAHOO COM

US-China relations: After 40 years, what?

)

. *ANUARY THE THEN YEAR OLD $ENG 8IAOPING SURVIVOR OF REPEATED POLITICAL PURGES TO BECOME #HINA S LEADER AFTER THE DEATH OF -AO :EDONG MET IN "EIJING WITH !MERICAN JOURNALISTS TO MARK THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN #HINA AND THE 5NITED 3TATES !S the 7ALL 3TREET *OURNAL S reporter, ) ASKED A QUESTION ON TRADE 7AS #HINA INTERESTED IN PURCHASING WEAPONS FROM THE 5NITED 3TATES $ENG S FEISTY ANSWER WAS YES BUT HE DIDN T KNOW IF 7ASHINGTON WOULD BE WILLING TO SELL ARMS TO "EIJING !T THAT TIME WITH #HINA BEGINNING TO OPEN UP EVERYTHING SEEMED POSSIBLE %VER SINCE THE VISIT TO #HINA BY THEN 53 0RESIDENT 2ICHARD .IXON THE TWO COUNTRIES HAD BEEN STRATEGIZING REGARDING THEIR COMMON ENEMY THE 3OVIET 5NION 3ELLING WEAPONS TO #HINA WAS A DISTINCT

FRANK CHING POSSIBILITY IN THOSE HEADY DAYS

EVEN THOUGH IT COULD POSE A GRAVE THREAT TO 4AIWAN But there is little celebrating this year with the two countries IN THE MIDST OF A TRADE WAR 4HE 53 #HINA RELATIONSHIP WAS ESTABLISHED IN A TIME OF GREAT CHANGE IN #HINA AND THE WORLD 7ITHIN THE COUNTRY AFTER THREE DECADES OF RELENTLESS CLASS STRUGGLE AND POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS UNDER -AO THERE WAS A FEAR OF CHAOS AND SIMULTANEOUSLY A DEEP DESIRE FOR A BETTER LIFE 4HE COUNTRY WAS ONE OF THE POOREST IN THE WORLD BECAUSE OF THE SUPPRESSION OF ITS TALENTED PEOPLE 4HE WORLD OUTSIDE WAS MARKED

BY THE #OLD 7AR A CONTEST BETWEEN 7ASHINGTON AND -OSCOW IN ALL SPHERES INCLUDING THE ECONOMIC MILITARY AND SCIENTIkC .O ONE KNEW IT THEN BUT THE SITUATION WOULD BE RESOLVED WITHIN A DECADE BY EVENTS THAT LED TO THE DISINTEGRATION OF THE 3OVIET 5NION 4ODAY FOUR DECADES AFTER

THE ABANDONMENT OF CLASS STRUGGLE AND THE ADOPTION OF THE MARKET ECONOMY HAVE CREATED A NEW #HINA A COUNTRY WHERE ABJECT POVERTY IS CLOSE TO BEING WIPED OUT WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS STABLE AND CONFIDENT

with a military whose might CAN BE COUNTED ON TO DEFEND THE COUNTRY S INTERESTS "UT WHILE #HINA S DESIRE TO RESUME ITS HISTORIC POSITION OF DOMINANCE IS WELL ON THE WAY TO REALIZATION 53 HOPES THAT #HINA WOULD LIBERALIZE HAVE BEEN DASHED WITH THE #OMMUNIST

0ARTY MORE ENTRENCHED THAN EVER $ENG URGED THE ADOPTION OF A LOW INTERNATIONAL PROkLE BUT THAT SIMPLY RElECTED AN ACCEPTANCE OF REALITY 4HE #HINA HE LED WAS POOR BUT THAT HAS CHANGED "Y COMPARISON 8I *INPING S #HINA IS ASSERTIVE BECAUSE #HINA IS NOW STRONG 8I S POLICIES TOO RElECT REALITY AS IT IS TODAY $ESPITE ALL THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CHANGES THAT HE INSPIRED

$ENG INSISTED ON THE NEED FOR PARTY LEADERSHIP AS 8I DOES TODAY (E ALSO MADE IT CLEAR THAT #HINA WOULD ONE DAY BE THE EQUAL OF THE MOST ADVANCED COUNTRIES (E KNEW WHAT #HINA NEEDED WAS TECHNOLOGY AND HE WAS WILLING TO BEG TO OBTAIN IT /N *ANUARY 8I *INPING AND $ONALD 4RUMP EXCHANGED messages to commemorate THE ANNIVERSARY !CCORDING TO

³Ching A10

T the moment, The Manila Times CANNOT YET SAY CONkDENTLY that the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in -USLIM -INDANAO HAS BEEN AN UNQUALIkED SUCCESS OR THAT THE LAW AND ORDER SITUATION IS SETTLED IN THAT REGION 4HAT IS DESPITE OUR ACCESS TO SOLID INFORMATION FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES SUCH AS THE #OMMISSION ON %LECTIONS #OMELEC THE !RMED &ORCES OF THE 0HILIPPINES !&0

THE 0HILIPPINE .ATIONAL 0OLICE 0.0 THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND VARIOUS MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS 4HE SALIENT AND IMMEDIATE DEVELOPMENTS SURROUNDING THE PLEBISCITE COULD NOT BE MORE UNSETTLING THAN AT THIS POINT &IRST ON 3UNDAY MORNING *ANUARY TWO BOMBING INCIDENTS SHATTERED THE PEACE AND A #ATHOLIC CHURCH MASS IN *OLO 3ULU RESULTING IN THE DEATHS OF PEOPLE AND THE WOUNDING OF OTHERS 4HE kRST BOMB EXPLODED AT ABOUT A M INSIDE /UR ,ADY OF -OUNT #ARMEL #ATHEDRAL AS THE LITURGY WAS UNDERWAY ! SECOND IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE )%$ WENT OFF AS SOLDIERS RESPONDED TO THE SCENE !MONG THE FATALITIES WERE kVE SOLDIERS &OURTEEN MILITARY MEN WERE WOUNDED ALONG WITH TWO POLICEMEN AND CIVILIANS 3ECOND AS NEWS OF THE PLEBISCITE RESULTS POURED IN IT SURFACED THAT VOTER SUPPORT FOR THE "/, HAS NOT BEEN AS OVERWHELMING AS EARLIER PRONOUNCED BY THE #OMELEC 7HILE kVE -USLIM PROVINCES RATIkED THE "/, TWO MAJOR -USLIM POPULATION CENTERS ‡ )SABELA #ITY IN "ASILAN AND 3ULU PROVINCE ‡ REJECTED IT 4HE TWIN DEVELOPMENTS AND THE TRAIN OF GOVERNMENT ACTIONS THAT FOLLOWED UNDERSCORE THE GRIM REALITY IN THE REGION THAT NOW FACES THE NATION #ONTRARY TO THE ROSY FORECASTS OF CERTAIN RATIkCATION OF THE ORGANIC LAW AND AN EASY TRANSITION TO THE NEW "ANGSAMORO !UTONOMOUS 2EGION OF -USLIM -INDANAO "!2-- THE NATION MUST WRESTLE WITH HEAVY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE "/, AND THE RATIkCATION PROCESS IN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS 4HERE IS NO CLEAR CONSENSUS AMONG &ILIPINO -USLIMS AND AFFECTED COMMUNITIES REGARDING THE "!2-- &ORMER 3ULU GOVERNOR !BDUSAKUR g3AKURu 4AN EXPRESSED THE OPPOSITION STARKLY g)T WILL NOT PROSPER IN 3ULU 7E DO NOT WANT TO BE PART OF THE "ANGSAMORO REGION 7E ARE 4AUSUGS WE ARE "ANGSA 3UG /UR PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN AND THEY SHOULD RESPECT OUR STAND u ! REPRESENTATIVE OF THE 7ORLD "ANK NOTING THE TRAGIC DEVELOPMENTS IN 3ULU DESCRIBED THE -INDANAO SITUATION AS uA DEVELOPING TRAGEDY u (E EXPRESSED HIS VIEW EVEN AS THE BANK PLEDGED AGAIN ITS SUPPORT FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT IN -USLIM -INDANAO 4HE SOMBER ASSESSMENT SHADOWS NOW THE ACTIONS OF THE #OMELEC WITH RESPECT TO THE RATIkCATION OF 2EPUBLIC !CT OR THE /RGANIC ,AW FOR THE "!2-- #OMELEC #OMMISSIONER 3HERIFF !BAS READ A #OMELEC RESOLUTION g"Y VIRTUE OF THE POWERS VESTED IN IT UNDER THE #ONSTITUTION THE OMNIBUS %LECTION #ODE "ATAS 0AMBANSA 2! AND OTHER %LECTION ,AWS 4HE #OMMISSION ON %LECTIONS SITTING EN BANC AS THE .ATIONAL "OARD OF #ANVASSERS HEREBY PROCLAIMS 2!

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 4HE /RGANIC ,AW FOR THE "ANGSAMORO !UTONOMOUS 2EGION IN -USLIM -INDANAO AS DEEMED RATIkED u 4HE SECOND CONDUCT OF PLEBISCITE WILL BE ON &EBRUARY 4HE 0ALACE HAS CALLED THE *OLO CHURCH BOMBING A TERROR ACT IT HAS VOWED THAT THERE WILL BE NO LETUP IN GOVERNMENT ACTION UNTIL THOSE RESPONSIBLE ARE ARRESTED 4HE SITUATION IN THE 3OUTH HOWEVER

APPEARS TO NEED MORE REALISM THAN RHETORIC &ORMER 3ENATE PRESIDENT *UAN 0ONCE %NRILE HAS SAID THE APPROVAL OF THE "/, AND THE CREATION OF "!22- WERE NOT GUARANTEES THAT DISUNITY AND CONlICT IN -INDANAO WOULD END g4HERE IS AN ENDEMIC LATENT DISUNITY IN THE AREA AND THAT MAY HEIGHTEN BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER FORCES THAT IMPINGE ON THE PEACE AND ORDER OF -INDANAO u HE SAID 4HE UNTOWARD DEVELOPMENTS DO NOT RETURN THE PEACE AND STABILIZATION EFFORT IN THE 3OUTH TO kRST BASE 4HEY DO MEAN THAT GOVERNMENT POLICYMAKERS MUST PROCEED WITH A CLEAR EYED ACCEPTANCE OF REALITY AND LASER LIKE FOCUS ON THE KEY QUESTION WHAT WILL &ILIPINO -USLIMS SEEK TOGETHER NOT SEPARATELY /N BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE LEADERS MUST LEARN TO SEPARATE FACT FROM FANTASY AND SEE WHAT IS TRULY POSSIBLE

~

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 109

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

A10

Opinion

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

Critical problems call for unorthodox solutions

T

HE BOMBING OF THE -T #ARMEL #ATHEDRAL IN *OLO 3ULU

WHERE AT LEAST CHURCHGOERS WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN WOUNDED IS LIKELY TO BE REPEATED IN OTHER CHURCHES OR PLACES IF THE $UTERTE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT DO SOMETHING RADICAL ABOUT IT 4HE GOVERNMENT WOULD DO WELL ‡ IF ) WERE 0RESIDENT $IGONG ‡ TO PUT UP A HEFTY SUM FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST OF THE PERPETRATORS AND THE MASTERMIND !FTER THE PERPETRATORS AND THE MASTERMIND ARE APPREHENDED THEY SHOULD BE BEHEADED IN PUBLIC LIKE WHAT THE !BU 3AYYAF TERRORISTS DO TO THEIR KIDNAP VICTIMS 3OME VIGILANTE GROUP MAY ALSO WANT TO ISSUE A VEILED THREAT THAT IF THE *OLO INCIDENT IS REPEATED

SOME MOSQUES FULL OF WORSHIPERS MIGHT ALSO BE BOMBED There is no way that some imams (Muslim priests) are not PRIVY TO THE ACTIVITIES OF THE TERRORIST GROUP /F COURSE THIS IS UNORTHODOX BUT CRITICAL TIMES CALL FOR UNORTHODOX SOLUTIONS N N N ) HAVE INFORMATION FROM MY sources within the military that SOME 3ULU POLITICIANS WERE SUPPORTING THE TERRORIST !BU 3AYYAF 'ROUP !3' 4HESE -ORO POLITICIANS SHOULD BE BEHEADED ALONG WITH THEIR !BU 3AYYAF WARDS My impeccable source in the MILITARY INTELLIGENCE TOLD ME THAT A FACTION WITHIN THE !3' CALLED !3' 4ANUM PLANT PLANTED THE

IN MY LINE OF SIGHT RAMON T. TULFO BOMBS IN THE CATHEDRAL 4HE !3' 4ANUM IS HEADED BY (ATIB (AJAN 3AWADJAAN ONE OF THE TERRORISTS IN THE %ASTERN #OMMAND LIST OF MOST WANTED N N N (APPY TIMES ARE BACK AT THE "UREAU OF #USTOMS UNDER #OMMISSIONER ,EONARDO 'UERRERO 7HAT YOU WILL READ IS FROM VERY VERY RELIABLE SOURCES SOME gFIXERSu OF SMUGGLERS AKA IMPORTERS (ERE S THE BREAKDOWN OF gTARAu READ BRIBE FOR EVERY CONTAINER THAT COMES OUT OF THE CUSTOMS ZONE AT THE 0ORT OF -ANILA AND THE -ANILA )NTERNATIONAL #ONTAINER 0ORT -)#0 /COM /FFICE OF THE #OMMISSIONER 0 + CARE OF AN g!TTY *UMAMIL AND "AQUIRANu /COM

0 + CARE OF g!NDRADAu 0 + FOR IMPORT ASSESSMENT SERVICES 0ORT OF -ANILA COLLECTOR S OFFICE 0 + -)#0 -ANILA )NTERNATIONAL #ONTAINER 0ORT COLLECTOR S OFFICE 0 + C O g!TTY 0AWIu 0ORT OF -ANILA

0 + C O g2IZAL 4ORRALBAu INTELLIGENCE GROUP C O g%NTICO u 0 + PER SECTION IN THE TWO PORTS 0 + TO 0 + DEPENDING ON THE IMPORTATION ! TOTAL OF CONTAINERS COME OUT OF THE TWO PORTS EVERY WEEK

'O FIGURE HOW MUCH THOSE BASTARDS EARN A WEEK N N N 4HIS IS MY DEBUT COLUMN IN 4HE -ANILA 4IMES )T S A DREAM COME TRUE -ANY YEARS AGO WHEN ) WAS STILL STRIKING OUT AS A YOUNG JOURNALIST DURING THE PRE -ARTIAL ,AW ERA ) DREAMED OF JOINING The -ANILA 4IMES ) LOVED TO READING THE CRIME STORIES OF The Manila Times DURING THE PRE -ARTIAL ,AW DAYS WHICH GREATLY INlUENCED me to become a police reporter FROM TO "ACK THEN ) WAS A BIG FAN OF The Manila Times columnists 4EODORO g$OROYu 6ALENCIA AND -AXIMO g-AXu 3OLIVEN !Lthough he was not with the Times, columnist Louie Beltran WAS ALSO MY IDOL (ERE S MY R¼SUM¼ FOR THE READERS WHO DON T KNOW ME YET ) WAS A COLUMNIST AT THE Manila Bulletin FROM UNTIL

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CHIEF OF POLICE REPORTERS FOR THAT PAPER ) TRANSFERRED TO THE 0HILIPPINE $AILY )NQUIRER IN AFTER %MILIO 9AP THE Bulletin PUBLISHER WAS FORCED TO TAKE ME OUT UNDER PRESSURE FROM 0EPING #OJUANGCO 0RESIDENT #ORAZON !QUINO S BROTHER

WHOM ) lOGGED IN MY COLUMN FOR THROWING HIS WEIGHT AROUND WITH HIS WIFE 4INGTING IN THE NEW #ORY DISPENSATION ) GOT FAMOUS OR NOTORIOUS ‡ DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE YOU WERE ON ‡ AFTER ) HIT HARD ON THE

ABUSES COMMITTED BY SOLDIERS AND POLICEMEN DURING -ARTIAL ,AW WHICH NO OTHER JOURNALISTS DID -ANY PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT ) WOULD EITHER GET JAILED OR KILLED FOR MY BRAZENNESS WHEN THOSE TIMES CALLED FOR TIMIDITY -Y FRIENDS CONSIDER ME LUCKY FOR COMING OUT UNSCATHED ) CONSIDER IT MY DESTINY The 0$) WHERE ) WROTE A THRICE A WEEK COLUMN FOR YEARS DITCHED ME LATE LAST YEAR AFTER ) GOT APPOINTED AS SPECIAL ENVOY TO #HINA AN HONORIFIC JOB WHERE ) M PAID 0 ANNUALLY The )NQUIRER S REASON FOR CASHIERING ME IS THAT ) NOW WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT "UT ) THINK THE REAL REASON IS THAT ) AM AN AVID SUPPORTER OF 0RESIDENT $IGONG 4HERE IS NOTHING THIS 0RESIDENT DOES THAT IS PRAISEWORTHY IN SO FAR AS THE )NQUIRER IS CONCERNED )N /CTOBER THE )NQUIRER SUSPENDED MY COLUMN FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS AFTER ) CRITICIZED THE PAPER FOR ITS BIASED COVERAGE OF THE $UTERTE ADMINISTRATION $URING THE HEAT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN IN THE )NQUIRER WITHHELD PUBLICATION OF TWO OF MY COLUMNS FOR BEING PRO $UTERTE The )NQUIRER ONCE CONSIDERED THE MOST INDEPENDENT OF ALL THE BROADSHEETS HAS GONE TO SEED AFTER THE DEATH OF ITS EDITOR IN CHIEF ,ETTY *IMENEZ -AGSANOC !NYWAY ) NOW WORK FOR The Manila Times AND TO REPEAT MYSELF IT S A DREAM COME TRUE

A conspiracy of tolerance

T

(% VIGOR BY WHICH 2OBERT -UELLER GOES AFTER PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE TAINTED THE 53 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT THESE ARE PEOPLE VERY CLOSE TO 53 0RESIDENT $ONALD 4RUMP CAN EASILY MESMERIZE ANY POLITICAL OBSERVER 4HE BOLDNESS ACQUIRES IMPRESSIVE LEVELS WHEN IT APPEARS THAT THE PROCESS DOESN T SPARE EVEN 4RUMP HIMSELF 4O DATE

SOME LIKE -ICHAEL #OHEN HAVE EVEN BEEN CONVICTED AND SENTENCED TO SERVE JAIL TERMS !ND THE FACT THAT THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE CONTROVERSY ARE NOT EVEN ON MATTERS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE CONDUCT OF THE ELECTIONS BUT INSTEAD ARE ANOMALIES RELATED TO THE 4RUMP CAMPAIGN AND THE ROLE THAT 2USSIA ALLEGEDLY PLAYED IN IT SHOULD FURTHER IMPRESS US !ND YOU CONTRAST THAT WITH WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN OUR COUNTRY IN RELATION TO THE CONDUCT OF OUR OWN ELECTIONS AND YOU WON T HAVE ANY CHOICE BUT TO GNASH YOUR TEETH AND WEEP 7E HAVE A CONGRESS THAT INITIALLY WANTED TO ACQUIT FORMER #OMMISSION ON %LECTIONS #OMELEC CHAIRMAN !NDY "AUTISTA FROM BEING IMPEACHED ON COUNTS OF UNEXPLAINED WEALTH SOME OF WHICH BORE EVIDENCE OF SOMEWHAT BEING ELECTION RELATED )T HAS BEEN REVEALED THAT THERE ARE DOCUMENTS SUGGESTING THAT "AUTISTA HAD LINKS TO 3MARTMATIC THE CHOSEN SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE AUTOMATED ELECTION AND WHICH MAY HAVE EVEN INVOLVED SOME MONETARY CONSIDERATION 4HIS WAS REVEALED WHILE AN ELECTION PROTEST kLED BY FORMER SENATOR Bongbong Marcos against Vice 0RESIDENT ,ENI 2OBREDO IS BEING HEARD WHERE ALLEGATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE ABOUT MASSIVE FRAUD

ON THE CONTRARY ANTONIO CONTRERAS RANGING FROM THE CONVENTIONAL METHODS OF PRE SHADING BALLOTS AND TAMPERING WITH ELECTION paraphernalia to the more soPHISTICATED POSSIBLE TAMPERING WITH SCRIPTS AND ALGORITHMS %VENTUALLY !NDY "AUTISTA WAS IMPEACHED BY THE (OUSE OF 2EPRESENTATIVES IN A DRAMATIC REVERSAL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF ITS JUSTICE COMMITTEE EVEN AS SOME 3MARTMATIC PERSONNEL WERE ALSO INDICTED LEADING TO A LIVE ONGOING CASE AGAINST THEM STEMMING FROM THE TAMPERING OF SCRIPTS DONE BY 6ENEZUELAN national Marlon Garcia on elecTION NIGHT "UT THEN "AUTISTA AND 'ARCIA ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND HAVING APPARENTLY LEFT THE COUNTRY EVEN IF THEIR POSSIBLE KNOWLEDGE AND OR INVOLVEMENT IN FRAUD REMAINS UNRESOLVED #ONGRESS AND THE COURTS APPEAR TO BE CLUELESS AND HELPLESS UNABLE TO TAKE HOLD OF THESE TWO MEN TO PROVIDE RELEVANT INFORMATION THAT CAN SHED LIGHT ON THE ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD THAT MARRED THE ELECTIONS 7ORSE THE #OMELEC HAS RETAINED 3MARTMATIC AS THE SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE MIDTERMS

WITHOUT ANY OBJECTIONS FROM ANY SITTING MEMBER OF #ONGRESS OR EVEN FROM THE 0RESIDENT HIMSELF !ND THE JOINT CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE *#/# COMPOSED OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TASKED TO REVIEW THE CONDUCT OF THE AUTOMATED ELECTIONS AND TO ENSURE THAT THE LAW IS FOLLOWED AND THAT ELECTIONS ARE

CLEAN HONEST AND CREDIBLE DESPITE BEING PRESENTED WITH COMPELLING EVIDENCE AND TESTIMONIES NOT ONLY FROM LOSING POLITICIANS BUT FROM ELECTION WATCHDOGS AND EXPERTS APPEARS TOOTHLESS 7ORSE IT WAS EVEN OBVIOUS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT THOUGH UNSUCCESSFUL

TO STIlE THE TESTIMONY OF ANTI ELECTION FRAUD CRUSADER 'LENN #HONG 4HERE WAS ALSO AN ATTEMPT TO HOLD EXECUTIVE SESSIONS ON MATTERS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE TRANSPARENT THE CONDUCT OF WHICH WAS FORTUNATELY OUTED by an eager commissioner who TWEETED AND POSTED A PICTURE while the meeting was being HELD )T BEHOOVES US TO ASK HOW ANYTHING REMOTELY RELATED TO THE CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES COULD BE HELD AWAY FROM THE PUBLIC VIEW (OW CAN AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN But apparently, it is no longer SURPRISING 4HE #OMELEC HAS CHANGED THE MINIMUM THRESHOLD FOR SHADING BALLOT OVALS NOT ONLY ONCE BUT TWICE WITHOUT INFORMING THE PUBLIC AND THE PARTIES CONCERNED !ND THIS WAS EVEN COUNTENANCED BY NO LESS THAN THE 3UPREME #OURT SITTING AS THE 0RESIDENTIAL %LECTORAL 4RIBUNAL 0%4 ON THE PROTEST OF -ARCOS AGAINST 2OBREDO (AD THE KILLING OF #HONG S PERSONAL ASSISTANT 2ICHARD 3ANTILLAN HAPPENED IN THE 53 THE &") WOULD HAVE BEEN MOBILIZED

BY NOW TO LOOK INTO A POSSIBLE LINK TO ELECTION FRAUD "UT NOT IN OUR COUNTRY !ND YET WE CALL OURSELVES A DEMOCRACY ! DEMOCRACY IS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE 53 WHERE AT LEAST

INSTITUTIONS WORK 4HERE THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION THE $EMOCRATS PERFORM THEIR JOBS AS A NECESSARY CHECK AND BALANCE TO THE POWERS OF THE 2EPUBLICANS IN THE 7HITE (OUSE AND IN #ONGRESS 4HE LEGAL PROCESS DOES NOT rely only on ballot recounts to OVERTURN ELECTION RESULTS BUT GOES AFTER PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE TAINTED THE ELECTORAL PROCESS 4HE SYSTEM WORKS THERE WHERE SPECIAL COUNSELS ARE NOT INTIMIDATED TO INVESTIGATE THE CONDUCT EVEN OF PEOPLE CLOSE TO THE 7HITE (OUSE )T WOULD BE NICE IF THE VIGOR the political opposition shows IN CALLING OUT 0RESIDENT $UTERTE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY CAN BE MATCHED BY THEIR OWN VIGOR IN CASTIGATING HIM FOR ALLOWING !NDY "AUTISTA TO SIMPLY lY AWAY

OR TO CALL OUT #OMELEC FOR SITTING ON THE JOB OR DENOUNCE THEIR OWN COLLEAGUES IN THE *#/# FOR NOT DOING ENOUGH OR TO DEMAND THAT 3MARTMATIC BE kRED But how can the Liberal 0ARTY AND THEIR ALLIES IN THE POLITICAL OPPOSITION EVEN DARE raise these issues when the posSIBLE BENEkCIARY OF THE BIGGEST ELECTION FRAUD IN OUR COUNTRY S POLITICAL HISTORY IS ONE OF THEM (OW CAN THEY EVEN OBJECT TO 3MARTMATIC WHEN IT IS A CHILD OF THEIR OWN TIME IN GOVERNMENT

AND FROM WHERE MANY OF THEM PROBABLY BENEkTED )F THERE IS ONE PERSON FROM WHICH WE SHOULD DEMAND ACTION TO TAKE THE LEAD IN CLEANING UP OUR ELECTIONS IT WOULD BE THE 0RESIDENT HIMSELF 0RESIDENT $UTERTE RODE ON THE IMAGE OF CHANGE AND HE PROMISED TO SWEEP OUR POLITICAL LANDSCAPE OF CORRUPTION %LECTORAL FRAUD IS DEkNITELY THE WORST

³Contreras A11

Q CHING FROM A9

US-China relations: After 40 years, what? #HINESE REPORTS BOTH SIDES EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR COORDINATION AND COOPERATION 4HE PREVIOUS DAY THE #HINESE LEADER EXCHANGED MESSAGES WITH 6LADIMIR 0UTIN TO MARK THE TH ANNIVERSARY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AND TREATED 2USSIA AS THE CONTINUATION OF THE 3OVIET

5NION AND HENCE #HINA S OLDEST FRIEND 8I S MESSAGE WAS VERY WARM SAYING THE TWO SIDES HAD DEEPENED MUTUAL POLITICAL TRUST AND HAD OPENED A NEW ERA FOR #HINA 2USSIA TIES #HINA AND THE 5NITED 3TATES

which were strategic allies in THE EARLY S NO LONGER VIEW

EACH OTHER AS FRIENDS /N THE !MERICAN SIDE THERE IS A SENSE THAT #HINA HAD TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE 5NITED 3TATES TO ACHIEVE ITS CURRENT STATUS BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS !MERICAN ROLE 4HERE IS A REAL DANGER THAT THE RELATIONSHIP MAY TURN INTO ONE OF ENMITY WITH GRAVE CONSEQUENCES

FOR THE WORLD )N THE 53 #HINA 2USSIA TRIANGLE IT IS THE 5NITED 3TATES THAT IS NOW THE ODD MAN OUT

WITH #HINA AND 2USSIA ACTING IN CONCERT DIPLOMATICALLY AND HOLDING JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES 4HIS DOESN T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THE 53 AND #HINA WILL BE

NTC is the key to common tower issue

&

).$).' A COMPROMISE ON THE PROPOSED GOVERNMENT policy to establish common TOWERS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS WILL BE AN EXERCISE IN FUTILITY !LTHOUGH #ABINET 3ECRETARY +ARLO .OGRALES HOPES TO kND A win-win solution to the common tower issue, there can be NO MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN CARTELIZING THE CONSTRUCTION OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWERS AND DEMOCRATIZING THE ROLL OUT OF new cellular towers, common or NOT TO ALL PLAYERS )T S EITHER ONE OR THE OTHER 5NDER THE DRAFT COMMON TOWER POLICY PROPOSED BY 2AMON *ACINTO THE PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY communications, mobile netWORK OPERATORS LIKE 'LOBE AND 3MART AND POSSIBLY NEW THIRD telco player Mislatel) will be BARRED FROM BUILDING THEIR OWN CELLULAR TOWERS )NSTEAD ONLY INDEPENDENT I E THIRD PARTY tower companies will construct THE TOWERS AND LEASE IT OUT TO THE LOCAL TELCOS !CTING 3ECRETARY OF )NFORMATION AND #OMMUNICATIONS 4ECHNOLOGY %LISEO 2IO FAVORS ALLOWING UP TO kVE COMPANIES TO BUILD THE TOWERS WHILE *ACINTO HAS REPORTEDLY SOFTENED HIS STANCE AND IS NOW OPEN TO ALLOWING UP TO FOUR TOWER PROVIDERS TO OPERATE "UT WHATEVER THE kNAL COUNT IS THE OUTCOME WILL BE THE SAME ‡ THE CARTELIZATION OF THE TOWER BUILDING SECTOR )NDEED ) kND IT IRONIC THAT IT IS THE GOVERNMENT SPEARHEADING SUCH A CLEARLY ANTI COMPETITIVE AND LEGALLY DUBIOUS SCHEME 5NDERSTANDABLY *ACINTO SEES the common tower policy as A WAY TO SPUR THE ROLL OUT OF NEW CELLULAR TOWERS TO ADDRESS MOBILE PHONE USERS COMPLAINTS ABOUT LOST SIGNALS DROPPED CALLS POOR RECEPTION AND SLOW INTERNET SPEEDS )T IS A RADICAL SCHEME BORNE OUT OF THE PUBLIC S DECADES LONG FRUSTRATION WITH EXPENSIVE YET SUBSTANDARD MOBILE PHONE SERVICES AT THE HANDS OF THE TELECOMS DUOPOLY g&OR THE PAST YEARS 'LOBE AND 3MART HAVE ONLY BUILT

TOWERS AND MOST ARE DUPLICATIONS SO EFFECTIVELY WE ONLY HAVE ROUGHLY TOWER LOCATIONS SERVING MILLION PEOPLE WHILE )NDONESIA HAS

TOWERS SERVING MILLION PEOPLE u SAID *ACINTO *ACINTO ADMITS HIS PROPOSAL FOR COMMON TOWERS BUILT BY INDEPENDENT TOWER COMPANIES IS NOTHING NEW (E POINTS OUT THAT OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE THE 53 HAVE ALLOWED THIRD PARTY TOWER COMPANIES TO BUILD OWN OR OPERATE THESE CELLULAR TOWERS )N FACT *ACINTO SAYS !MERICAN 4OWERS #ORP THE LARGEST CELLULAR TOWER COMPANY IN THE 53 HAS REPORTEDLY SIGNIkED ITS INTEREST in putting up cell phone towers IN THE COUNTRY 4HE -ASSACHUSETTS BASED AND .93% LISTED company owns or manages AROUND TOWER SITES IN THE 53 !RGENTINA "RAZIL #HILE

#OLUMBIA #OSTA 2ICA &RANCE

'ERMANY 'HANA )NDIA -EXICO

.IGERIA 0ARAGUAY 0ERU 3OUTH !FRICA AND 5GANDA GENERATING AN ANNUAL REVENUE OF AROUND BILLION A YEAR 5NLIKE THE GOVERNMENT S P R O P O S E D C O M M O N T OWE R SCHEME HOWEVER THE 53 DOES not prohibit mobile carriers ANTAGONISTS BUT THE FUTURE RELAtionship will primarily be one OF RIVALRY #OMPETITION AS SUCH ISN T A BAD THING AND COMPETITORS AREN T NECESSARILY ADVERSARIES )N THE FUTURE AS IN THE PAST THE relationship will be characterIZED BY BOTH COMPETITION AND cooperation, but the emphasis IS LIKELY TO BE ON COMPETITION IN ALL SPHERES /LD CONCEPTS SUCH AS ENGAGEMENT AND CONTAINMENT HAVE

FLIPSIDE ATTY. DODO DULAY FROM BUILDING THEIR OWN CELL TOWERS )NSTEAD REGULATORS LEGALLY ENCOURAGED MOBILE CARriers to share towers through THE 4ELECOMMUNICATIONS !CT OF

BY REQUIRING ALL CARRIERS TO gPROVIDE INTERCONNECTION WITH THE ,%# LOCAL EXCHANGE CARRIER NETWORKS FOR ANY TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY S FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT u 4HIS WAY SEVERAL MOBILE SERVICES PROVIDERS CAN also use the same cell tower in ORDER TO HOUSE THEIR EQUIPMENT 4HIS gTOWER SHARINGu BUSINESS MODEL HAS PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE 53 THAT MOST MOBILE CARRIERS HAVE EFFECTIVELY EXITED BY THE tower business, selling nearly all OF THEIR TOWERS TO COMPANIES LIKE !MERICAN 4OWER 4HESE TOWER companies construct, maintain AND OPERATE THE TOWERS AND LEASE THE SPACE TO CARRIERS ! TOP NOTCH TOWER OPERATOR WILL HAVE TWO TO THREE CARRIER TENANTS PER TOWER (OWEVER IN SEVERAL %UROPEAN MARKETS TOWER SHARING is only now beginning to BE ACCEPTED BY OPERATORS AS A WAY OF CUTTING DOWN ON COSTS )N THE -IDDLE %AST AND )NDIA MULTIPLE MODELS HAVE ALREADY APPEARED OPERATOR OWNED AND LEASED OPERATOR C O N S O R T I U M OW N E D T H I R D PARTY OWNED AND TOWER SHARING IS A THRIVING BUSINESS )T S A DIFFERENT STORY IN )NDONESIA WHERE RECENT REGULATIONS HAVE MADE TOWER SHARING MANDATORY "ECAUSE OF THIS

the cellular tower business has BECOME kNANCIALLY VIABLE WITH THE MARKET EXPANDING STEADILY DUE TO THE ANTICIPATED INCREASE in tenancies as mobile carriers COMPETE TO DEPLOY CELL SITES AND BROADEN THEIR NETWORK COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE ARCHIPELAGO ) SEE NO REASON WHY WE CANNOT FORMULATE OR ADOPT A SIMILAR gTOWER SHARINGu SCHEME ALLOWING OR REQUIRING THE USE OF A CELLULAR TOWER BY SEVERAL CARRIERS 4HE POWERS OF THE .ATIONAL 4ELECOMMUNICATIONS #OMMISSION .4# UNDER THE 0UBLIC 4ELECOMMUNICATIONS 0OLICY !CT OF THE 0HILIPPINES OF 2EPUBLIC !CT IS BROAD ENOUGH TO DO SO !S THE LAW STANDS THE .0# CAN gMANDATE A FAIR AND REASONABLE INTERCONNECTION OF FACILITIES OF AUTHORIZED PUBLIC NETWORK OPERATORS AND OTHER PROVIDERS OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES THROUGH APPROPRIATE MODALITIES OF INTERCONNECTION AND AT A REASONABLE AND FAIR LEVEL OF CHARGES u )T IS ALSO TASKED WITH PROMOTING gCONSUMERS WELFARE

BY FACILITATING ACCESS TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES WHOSE INFRASTRUCTURE AND NETWORK MUST BE GEARED TOWARDS THE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUAL AND BUSINESS USERS u 4HE WAY ) SEE IT THE GOVERNMENT DOESN T EVEN NEED A COMMON TOWER POLICY THAT CARTELIZES THE BUILDING OWNERSHIP AND OPERATION OF CELLULAR TOWERS !LL THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS FOR THE .4# TO EXERCISE ITS DORMANT REGULATORY POWERS TO MAKE gTOWER SHARINGu THE NORM AND LET THE FREE MARKET DECIDE 4HE ONLY QUESTION IS WILL THE .4# HAVE THE BALLS TO DO IT LITTLE RELEVANCE WHEN #HINA IS THE WORLD S BIGGEST TRADING NATION AND ENGAGES WITH MORE COUNTRIES THAN DOES THE 5NITED 3TATES 4RADE DISPUTES ‡ NOT ON weaponry — will arise intermitTENTLY BUT THE FUTURE RELATIONSHIP HOPEFULLY WILL BE MARKED

BY PEACEFUL COMPETITION A SITUATION ACCEPTABLE TO ALL SIDES

&RANK CHING GMAIL COM 4WITTER &RANK#HING

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

Opinion

A11

Against dictatorship: Otso Diretso fights for the Senate

W

(/ WE VOTE FOR IN THE UPCOMING MIDTERM SENATORIAL elections this May will be a matter OF LIFE OR DEATH FOR OUR DEMOCRACY AND THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY ) AM NOT BEING OVERDRAMATIC ) MEAN IT )T IS THE HARD TRUTH 4HIS GOVERNMENT S UNRELENTING CAMPAIGN AGAINST DRUGS HAS RESULTED IN THE EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLING OF MANY THOUSANDS OF OUR POOREST FELLOW CITIZENS WHILE BILLIONS OF PESOS WORTH OF ILLEGAL DRUGS SLIP INTO THE COUNTRY 4HIS GOVERNMENT HAS MADE AN EXTRAORDINARY VOLTE FACE ON THE WAY WE HAVE DEALT WITH #HINA S INCURSIONS IN THE 7EST 0HILIPPINE 3EA )T HAS CHOSEN TO SQUANDER A HARD EARNED

5. BACKED ARBITRATION AWARD THAT STRIVED TO PROTECT AND DEFEND OUR TERRITORIAL SOVEREIGNTY )TS POLICY TOWARD #HINA HAS BEEN RIDDLED WITH CAPITULATION DEFERENCE AND CRAVEN OPPORTUNISM 5NDER THIS GOVERNMENT THE INTEGRITY AND INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS BEING UNDERMINED 4HERE IS MASSIVE IMPUNITY LOSS OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND SHATTERED PUBLIC

THE LONG VIEW RACHEL A.G. REYES TRUST 4HE VERY VERY WORST IN US IS BEING BROUGHT OUT ENLARGED AND AMPLIkED 7E TOLERATE EVEN JUSTIFY AND APPLAUD THE MOST REPELLENT PRONOUNCEMENTS AND DEMENTED LIES VIOLENCE FEAR AND FOULNESS IN WORDS AND DEEDS +NOWN COLLECTIVELY AS g/TSO $IRETSOu or the g/POSISYON +OALISYON u the eight opposition SENATORIAL CANDIDATES ‡ -AGDALO REPRESENTATIVE 'ARY !LEJANO INCUMBENT SENATOR 0AOLO g"AMu !QUINO FORMER CONGRESSMAN ,ORENZO g%RINu 4AÄADA HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER *OSE g#HELu $IOKNO

-ARAWI CIVIC LEADER 3AMIRA 'UTOC

FORMER INTERIOR SECRETARY -ANUEL g-ARu 2OXAS ELECTIONS LAWYER AND LEGAL COUNSEL TO THE 6ICE 0RESIDENT

2OMY -ACALINTAL AND FORMER SOLICITOR GENERAL &LORIN g0ILOu (IL-

bay, will not be — cannot be — the PANACEA FOR OUR ILLS On the remote chance that THEY ARE ALL ELECTED /TSO $IRETSO WOULD REMAIN A MINORITY IN THE 3ENATE WITH LIMITED POWERS 7ELL MEANING AVOWEDLY LIBERAL AND PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE HAVE DESCRIBED THEIR CAMPAIGNING STYLE AND BRAND messaging as a boring rehash OF OLD S -ARCOS ERA ANTI DICTATORSHIP SYMBOLS AND RHETORIC 4HE SURNAMES OF THREE CANDIDATES ‡ !QUINO $IOKNO AND 4AÄADA ‡ CERTAINLY RECALL A BYGONE AGE OF CONVICTION DEkANCE AND SELlESS ACTIVISM "UT THEN AND NOW THESE ARE PRECISELY THE QUALITIES THAT ARE NEEDED TO SUBVERT AUTHORITARIANISM AND OVERTHROW DICTATORSHIP $IOKNO DEAN OF $E ,A 3ALLE 5NIVERSITY S LAW COLLEGE CHAIR OF THE FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE GROUP

&,!'

AND AUTHOR HE HAS WRITTEN TEXT OOKS AND PAPERS ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF 0HILIPPINE LAW AND JUDICIAL REFORM HAS ATTACKED $UTERTE S ANTI DRUG CAMPAIGN AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL AND WANTS TO EMPOWER THE POOR THROUGH A FUNCTIONING JUSTICE

SYSTEM THAT CAN HOLD CORRUPT AND ABUSIVE POWER TO ACCOUNT (E IS A kNE CANDIDATE WHO IS CURRENTLY POLLING VERY BADLY 3O TOO ARE !LEJANO AND (ILBAY "OTH COME FROM MODEST BACKGROUNDS BOTH ARE VIGOROUS AND OUTSPOKEN DEFENDERS OF THE COUNTRY S SOVEREIGNTY IN THE 7EST 0HILIPPINE 3EA BOTH ARE AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT S PUSH FOR FEDERALISM AND CONDEMN MARTIAL LAW IN -INDANAO 4AÄADA WHO UNFORTUNATELY PUT IN A LACKLUSTER APPEARANCE AT #.. S SENATORIAL FORUM LAST 3UNDAY DISAGREES WITH THE GOVERNMENT S ECONOMIC POLICIES AND WANTS THE EXCISE TAX SUSPENDED AND A NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE 'UTOC NEVER FAILS TO CALL OUT $UTERTE S MISOGYNISTIC COMMENTS AND FORCEFULLY DENOUNCES MARTIAL LAW g4HERE IS NO INVASION NO LAWLESS REBELLION IN -INDANAO u SHE STATES 3HE WANTS TO STRENGTHEN PEACEKEEPING MEASURES AND PUSHES FOR gPEACE EDUCATION u 4HE LATTER IS A BIT OF A FUZZY CONCEPT BUT ONE SURMISES THAT IT CONCERNS DIVERSITY

AND PLURALITY IN 0HILIPPINE SOCIETY 'UTOC MANAGES TO APPEAR PROUD

ALMOST REGAL YET MODEST 3HE WITH Macalintal, struggles to be better AND MORE WIDELY KNOWN ,IKE MANY OF HER FELLOW CANDIDATES HER POOR POLLING IS DISPIRITING "UT /TSO $IRETSO IS JUST WARMING UP 4HE GROUP S LATEST CAMPAIGN AD IS AN APPEALING VISUALLY POLISHED PRODUCTION 3HOT IN BLACK AND white, there is an arty, aesthetic to THE SECOND MESSAGE 4HE OPTICS ARE SO GOOD THE OPENING SCENE MIGHT HAVE BEEN STYLED BY THE American celebrity photographer !NNIE ,EIBOVITZ 7HAT IS BEING PROJECTED IS CARING APPROACHABILITY 7ITH THE EXCEPTION OF !QUINO WHO WEARS A DARK barong, the men wear crisp white SHIRTS THE ICONIC SARTORIAL SIGN OF PROFESSIONALISM AND PLAIN WORK ETHIC 'UTOC IS RESPLENDENT IN AN UNFUSSY DARK SUIT AND HER SIGNATURE TURBAN LIKE HIJAB 4HEY ARE THEN SHOWN LISTENING TO FAMILIES IN HUMBLE MIDDLE CLASS HOMES 7E ARE URGED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE are politicians who get close to or-

Conversion wins

)

.

A CANDIDATE S ADVERTISING TEAM PROUDLY CLAIMED that they alone were responsible FOR MAKING THE CANDIDATE COMPETITIVE AT RANK AND TAUNTED THE GROUND TEAM TELLING THEM IT S YOUR TURN TO SHOW YOUR WORTH The rest as they say is history, BECAUSE POLITICAL ADS ARE NOT COMMERCIAL ADS %LECTIONS ARE WON ON THE GROUND BECAUSE CONVERSION IS QUITE PERSONAL AS &ILIPINO VOTERS ARE VERY PERSONAL 4HE SCIENCE TO CONVERSION IS DERIVED FROM AWARENESS AND TRUST RATINGS 9OU CANNOT GAIN TRUST IN DAYS WHILE AWARENESS IS EASIER TO BUILD IN DAYS !WARENESS IS UNIVERSAL AT A MINIMUM OF PERCENT 'AUGING AND MONITORING THE UNDECIDEDS IS VITAL SO one can put together a strategy to ENSURE HARD VOTES AS BASE )T USED TO BE CAMPAIGNS WERE ALL ABOUT AIR WAR 46 AND RADIO AND GROUND WAR GRASSROOTS 4ODAY THERE IS A THIRD TYPE KNOWN AS CYBER OR DIGITAL WAR 'ROUND WAR IS PUNISHING

CONSIDERING THAT THE COUNTRY IS AN ARCHIPELAGO %ASIER TO GO AROUND ,UZON AND -INDANAO BUT VERY HARD TO MOVE AROUND THE 6ISAYAS g'ROUND WAR IS THE STRATEGIC DEPLOYMENT OF TEAMS OF STAFFERS VOLUNTEERS AND PAID PART TIMERS WHO WORK AND CANVASS BLOCK BY BLOCK HOUSE BY HOUSE VOTER BY VOTER u 'ROUND WAR IS TARGETED PERSONAL SELLING -ASS MEDIA ADVERTISING HAS BEEN REFERRED TO AS THE gAIR WAR u !IR WAR IS A FUNCTION OF SALIENCY

FREQUENCY TIMING AND MOST IMPORTANTLY MONEY 'ROUND WAR IS MANAGEMENT OF PRECIOUS ASSETS VOTERS )T IS ORGANIZING

MOBILIZING AND '/46 ON %$AY 0OLITICAL ADS HAVE BEEN WITH US SINCE AND THE INTERPRETATION ON THE CAPS HAVE CHANGED THROUGH ELECTION CYCLES 4HANKS TO #OMELEC 3TILL A CANDIDATE WHO MASSIVELY BUYS AD TIME

pre-campaign, to increase his CHANCES OF WINNING JUST DOES NOT GET IT ! CANDIDATE WHO PUTS IN 0 MILLION TO INCREASE AWARENESS DURING PRE CAMPAIGN MAY CURE THE DEFECT BUT COULD STRAIN CONVERSION WHEN IT REALLY MATTERS "UYING AND LOADING UP at pre-campaign also negates

ZILCH MA. LOURDES TIQUIA GAIN AT THE START OF THE YEAR SINCE EVERYONE CANCELS OUT -ESSAGING IS ALSO VITAL SINCE ONE CANNOT JUST USE SO MANY MESSAGES THAT IMPACT AND DISTORT A BRAND /NE CANNOT BE TOP OF MIND WITH WILD MESSAGES THAT NEGATES EVERY MESSAGE USED TO PRIME A CANDIDATE ! DAMAGED BRAND IS CRISIS EVERY DAY !DD CONVOLUTED MESSAGING

AND TRACTION IS COMPROMISED !ND BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA IS FREE FOR SO LONG AS ONE HAS A RELIABLE AND STABLE INTERNET CONNECTION THE DISRUPTION HAS GIVEN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS REACH EFkCIENCY CAPABILITY AND ASSETS IN AREAS THAT ARE WIRED 7ITH TECHNOLOGY ONE CAN EVEN PROVIDE ACCESS OVERNIGHT IN TARGETED AREAS

CREATING A UNIQUE ADVANTAGE IN LINKING UP WITH VOTERS !SSETS ONLINE BELONG TO THE CANDIDATE AND NEED TO BE ORGANIC NOT FROM TROLL AND BOT FARMS WHICH CAN BE FORMED TO A SCALABLE MACHINE IF PROPERLY HANDLED /RGANIC WHEN GEOTAGGED MAKES A CANDIDATE COMPETITIVE AND BUILDS A GROUND FORCE &OR THE -AY MIDTERM ELECTIONS THERE ARE

TOTAL REGISTERED VOTERS PERCENT OF THE VOTING POPULATION NATIONWIDE IS IN ,UZON 6ISAYAS AND -INDANAO ACCOUNT FOR THE REMAINING PERCENT 6ISAYAS IS AT PERCENT WHILE -INDANAO ACCOUNTS FOR PERCENT "ALANCE ,UZON IS BIGGER THAN COMBINED 6ISAYAS -INDANAO AT PERCENT

WHILE .#2 IS AT PERCENT 7ITH MARTIAL LAW IN -INDANAO

THE $UTERTE ENDORSEMENT COULD POTENTIALLY STAND AT A MINIMUM OF PERCENT TO A MAXIMUM OF PERCENT %VEN IF A CANDIDATE SEALS -INDANAO SHE OR HE CANNOT LAND RANK WITHOUT VOTES COMING FROM EITHER THE 6ISAYAS AND OR ,UZON 4O LAND IN RANK

A CANDIDATE NEEDS MILLION VOTES OR PERCENT OF TURN OUT "ASED ON A 7E !RE 3OCIAL GLOBAL SURVEY THE COUNTRY

HAS MILLION POPULATION

OF WHICH PERCENT ARE URBAN BASED 3IXTY SEVEN MILLION ARE internet users, or a penetration RATE OF PERCENT 5NIQUE MOBILE USERS STAND AT MILLION OR PERCENT PENETRATION !CTIVE MOBILE SOCIAL USERS ARE AT MILLION OR PERCENT PENETRATION 4HE NUMBER ONE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM IN THE COUNTRY IS &ACEBOOK WHERE MILLION &ILIPINOS ARE USERS OR HAVE ACCOUNTS PERCENT ARE DAILY ACTIVE USERS OF &ACEBOOK &ILIPINOS SPEND FOUR HOURS AND MINUTES IN SOCIAL MEDIA ON AVERAGE DAILY 7ITH THESE METRICS AND MUCH MORE A CANDIDATE CAN INTRODUCE ONESELF

BUILD A CADRE OF VOLUNTEERS AND prime his messages online at a FRACTION OF A COST OF A PRIME TIME SECONDER 46# (OW DO YOU MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS IN DIGITAL WAR 4HIS CAN BE DONE THROUGH SUCH METRICS AS EXPOSURE POPULARITY VITALITY AND SOCIAL CAPACITY g%XPOSURE IS A CANDIDATE S TOTAL EXPOSURE BY POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA 0OPULARITY measures the total response to THE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT 4HIS GENERATES POPULAR REACTION AND ENGAGEMENT AND IS THE MAGNET TO USE IN RALLYING THE PUBLIC 6IRALITY MEASURES A CANDIDATE S VIRAL POTENTIAL TO OVER REACH OUTSIDE A CHANNEL S CONSTRAINT 7HILE SIMILAR TO POPULARITY VIRALITY MEASURES THE SPREAD POTENTIAL OF A CANDIDATE S CONTENT WHICH IS CRITICAL TO MEASURE A CAMPAIGN S potential to cross the channel BARRIER BETWEEN VARIOUS MEDIA

AND IN CREATING TRUE VIRALITY ACROSS MEDIA BOUNDARIES WHICH HAS A SECOND ORDER EFFECT OF LONGEVITY AND PERSISTENCE MEMORY u 4HE THREE METRICS ARE USED TO DO COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS CANDIDATE 8 RELATIVE TO THE REST 3OCIAL MEDIA IS THEREFORE NOT JUST FOLLOWERSHIP NOT JUST PROPAGANDA

NOT JUST NOISE )F ONE IS STRATEGIC

one can actually gain a beachHEAD IN THE MINDS OF VOTERS AND MINE IT FOR CONVERSION AS GROUND BATTLE STRATEGY 7HAT IS NOW CRITICAL FOR A CANDIDATE WHEN EMBRACING DIGITAL WAR IS THE METRIC gSOCIAL CAPACITY u &OR IT IS A CANDIDATE S OWN SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNEL S PO-

Q CONTRERAS FROM A10

A conspiracy of tolerance CORRUPTION OF ALL SINCE IT UNDERMINES THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR DEMOCRACY )T IS UNDERSTANDABLE IF WE DO NOT HEAR ANYTHING FROM the political opposition on the ISSUE OF ELECTORAL FRAUD "UT ONE HAS TO KEEP ASKING AND WONDERING WHY THE 0RESIDENT HAS NOT come out swinging, with his usual AIR OF BRAVADO CURSING AND ALL

against election cheats, with the SAME LEVEL OF COLORFUL LANGUAGE

that he uses against the bishops AND THE #ATHOLIC #HURCH )T BEHOOVES US TO ASK WHY GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY HE DID NOT APPOINT REFORMISTS IN THE #OMELEC 4HE 0RESIDENT HAS FOCUSED HIS IRE ON CRIMINALITY AND DRUGS WITH SO MUCH PRECISION AND VIGOR ON THE ARGUMENT THAT THEY EAT AWAY THE MORAL kBER OF THE 2EPUBLIC "UT IT MUST BE ARGUED THAT ELECTION FRAUD IS A WORSE

CRIME AGAINST THE 2EPUBLIC FOR IT DOES NOT DEVOUR ITS VICTIMS SELECTIVELY BUT INlICTS ITSELF ON ALL OF US 4HE 0RESIDENT TURNED JUVENILE DELINQUENCY INTO A CRISIS EVEN IF DATA SHOWS OTHERWISE -UCH RANCOR HAS BEEN CREATED AND OUR POLITICAL CAPITAL HAS BEEN ERODED BY FOCUSING ONLY ON THE PERCENT OF THE TOTALITY OF OFFENSES ATTRIBUTED TO CHILDREN 4HIS EVEN AS HIS STANCE TOWARDS ELECTION

TENTIAL TO CONVERT THE SOCIAL FOLLOWING INTO AN ELECTORAL ARMY 4HIS MEASURES THE gINTEGRATIVE POWER OF A CAMPAIGN TO MOTIVATE VOLUNTEERS INTO CAMPAIGN WORKERS AND DONORS AND AS AN ADVOCACY RESOURCE TO FURTHER GENERATIVE CAPACITY u &IELD OPERATIONS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR VOTERS WITH STRONGER PARTISAN PREFERENCES WHILE ADVERTISING FROM THE NATIONAL CANDIDATES IS MORE EFFECTIVE AMONG those who are more on the marGINS #ONTRARY TO CONVENTIONAL WISDOM ON THE gMINIMUM EFFECT OF CAMPAIGNINGu MOST VOTERS ALREADY HAVE THEIR MINDS MADE up), political campaigns play an ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THE OUTCOME OF ELECTIONS ! STRATEGIC CAMPAIGN MOVES THE NEEDLE IN TERMS OF RESULTS !DVERTISING CAN PLAY A critical role in a close election — but not when one party has A BIG ADVANTAGE SUCH AS DURING MIDTERM 7HILE CANDIDATES OWN ADS ARE FOUND TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR VOTERS WITH WEAKER BASELINE PARTISAN PREFERENCES

THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE FOR ISSUE AND CONTRASTING ADS ! GOOD MIX OF AIR DIGITAL AND GROUND IS NEEDED !LL AIR SATURATION IS NOT GOOD LACKING MESSAGING IS WORSE 'ROUND without electoral history analysis AND UNDERSTANDING BELLWETHERS AND BAILIWICKS IS NOT STRATEGIC AND WILL NOT CONVERT ! LOT OF CANDIDATES THINK THAT AFTER A RALLY A HUGE NOISY CROWD AND INCREASED DECIBELS OF SHOUTING AND CLAPPING WILL WIN IT 7HEN THEY LEAVE THE AREA A CANDIDATE WITH AN ORGANIZATION CLOSES THE DEAL 2ELYING ON A POLITICAL NETWORK IS NOT WINNING THE GAME BECAUSE IT MERELY ADDS COMMAND VOTES WHICH IS TIED TO MONEY POLITICS AND SURVEYS !ND AS OFTEN POINTED OUT WHEN EVERYONE IS RUNNING COMMAND WEAKENS 4HEREFORE A CANDIDATE WHO HAS NO INTENTION OF BEING COMPETITIVE IS NO BETTER THAN A TRADITIONAL POLITICIAN GAMING THE SYSTEM 9OU WANT TO change the system, one has to WIN #REATING FALSE HOPES AND INVOKING THE /MNIPOTENT ONE ARE OLD SCHOOL DOES NOT MAKE YOU CLEANER THAN THE REST RELATED CONTROVERSIES REMAINS TEPID AT BEST 7E SEE PEOPLE WHO KEEP ON CONDEMNING ELECTION ANOMALIES WHILE THEY ACCUSE 2OBREDO OF ELECTORAL FRAUD BUT WON T CALL OUT THE 0RESIDENT TO PRESSURE HIM TO BE A LEADER IN CLEANING UP THE MESS 4HAT IS HOW MUCH THEY WORSHIP HIM 7E HAVE A 0RESIDENT WITH PHENOMENAL TRUST AND APPROVAL RATINGS WHO CAN TAKE ON ANYONE EVEN 'OD (IMSELF )F ONLY HE CAN SPARE SOME OF HIS CURSING AND AIM IT TOWARDS THE ELECTION CHEATS AND FRAUDSTERS

DINARY PEOPLE HEAR THEIR TROUBLES

AND WHOSE TOUCH IS ONE OF KINDNESS AND CONCERN 4HERE IS QUITE A BIT OF TOUCHING ‡ GRASPING OF HANDS A LIGHT TOUCH ON A SHOULDER

A WARM HANDCLASP g/TSO $IRETSO KNOWS YOU WILL VOTE FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FOR THEIR FUTURE u THE GENIAL VOICE OVER SAYS )N THE kNAL SCENE AND TAKING THE LAST WORD A DIGNIkED 6ICE 0RESIDENT 2OBREDO ASKS g7HO IS YOUR VOTE FOR u /TSO $IRETSO IS ATTEMPTING TO CUT THROUGH THE SNARLING VICIOUS POPULISM AND CHILLING DOUBLESPEAK THAT IS THE HALLMARK OF THE $UTERTE GOVERNMENT 7E ARE ASKED TO SEE THE ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITY OF A RETURN TO DECENCY TRUE STATESMANSHIP AND PRINCIPLED GOVERNANCE While we must remain clearEYED ABOUT /TSO $IRETSO S CHANCES OF SUCCEEDING INTELLECTUAL RESIGNATION AND SURRENDER WOULD BE UNFORGIVABLE &EW OTHERS CARRY THE AIM OF THWARTING THE LOOTING AND PILLAGING AND HALTING THE DEVASTATION OF DEMOCRACY

RACHELAGREYES GMAIL COM

Gravely abusing grave abuse W

(!4 THE &RENCH STEADFASTLY REJECTED WAS A GOVERNMENT BY JUDGES AND RIGHTLY SO "Y TRAINING AND TEMPER JUDGES ARE NEITHER kT NOR OUTkTTED TO GOVERN "UT WHEN YOU HAVE A CLAUSE IN A #ONSTITUTION THAT ALLOWS DISGRUNTLED PARTIES TO SCURRY TO COURT WHENEVER A CASE CAN BE MADE OUT FOR gGRAVE ABUSE OF DISCRETION u THEN WHAT YOU HAVE IN FACT IS gGOVERNMENT BY JUDGESu ‡ AND THAT THROWS THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF REPUBLICANISM AND REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY IN DISARRAY 4O BE SURE THE PRESENT 0HILIPPINE #ONSTITUTION OPENS THE DOOR TO JUDICIAL REVIEW ONLY TO COMPLAINTS that any branch or instrumentality OF GOVERNMENT HAS GRAVELY ABUSED ITS DISCRETION THUS EXCEEDING ITS JURISDICTION OR LACKING IT COMPLETELY /N THE EVE OF THE PLEBISCITE FOR THE #ONSTITUTION THE LATE 3EN Arturo Tolentino — certainly one OF THE BRIGHT LIGHTS THAT CONTINUE to cast their lambent glow on our LEGAL kRMAMENT ‡ ALREADY WARNED THAT WE WERE ON THE VERGE OF RATIFYING A #ONSTITUTION THAT WOULD MAKE THE JUDICIARY gTHE MOST POWERFUL BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT u %VENTS OF LATE HAVE PROVED THAT HE WAS NOT FAR OFF THE MARK 2ECENTLY THE COURT WAS ASKED TO RULE ON WHETHER &ILIPINO AKA 4AGALOG SHOULD REMAIN ON THE COLLEGE CURRICULUM /F COURSE THE MATTER WAS NOT RAISED SO CRUDELY %VERY HABILIMENT OF CONSTITUTIONALITY LAWYERS COULD GET THEIR HANDS ON WAS DRAPED OVER THE QUESTION TO GIVE IT THE SEMBLANCE OF A PROPERLY LEGAL QUESTION "UT AT THE CORE WAS an issue about whether a language SUBJECT COULD REALLY BE STRICKEN OFF THE CURRICULUM "Y EVERY RECKONING

THAT IS NOT A QUESTION ONE WOULD REFER TO JUDGES MANY OF WHOM CANNOT MAKE OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A CURRICULUM A SYLLABUS AND A TABLE OF SPECIFICATIONS !ND THAT IS THE REASON THAT THE "AR IS SUCH A DUBIOUS PREDICTIVE TOOL ‡ BECAUSE IT IS PREPARED IN SECRET

BY LAWYERS ON whose curriculum there is nothing ON TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS %ARLIER

IT WAS ASKED WHETHER A HIGH RISE BUILDING COULD BE CONSTRUCTED THAT WOULD MAR THE VIEW TO THE MONUMENT OF *OSE 2IZAL )T WAS ALSO ASKED to rule on where to properly bury a DECEASED FORMER PRESIDENT 4HE LATE *USTICE )SAGANI #RUZ WROTE IN HIS MASTERFUL TREATISE ON THE #ONSTITUTION ‡ THAT HE NEVERTHELESS DERIDED AS A gTALKATIVE CONSTITUTION OUR #ON#OM S DRAFT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE gTALKATIVEu ‡ THAT YOU COULD NOT ASK THE COURT TO DECIDE WHO THE CLASS VALEDICTOrian was to be, or who the winner OF A BEAUTY PAGEANT WAS OR WHICH THE WINNING ROOSTER WAS "UT COURTS HAVE IN FACT BEEN ASKED TO RESOLVE SIMILAR QUESTIONS ON THE PRETEXT THAT SCHOOL AUTHORITIES GRAVELY ABUSED THEIR DISCRETION OR THAT THE LOSING BEAUTY WANNABE HAD SUFFERED IMMEASURABLE ANGUISH AND INNER TURMOIL AS TO JUSTIFY A CLAIM FOR HALF THE WEALTH OF THE 2EPUBLIC OF THE 0HILIPPINES IF ANY OF IT IS LEFT OR THAT THE WRONGFUL

FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO PROCLAMATION OF THE WINNING ROOSTER RESULTED IN UNJUST ENRICHMENT !ND VERY SOON THE COURT WILL HAVE TO RULE ON WHETHER THOSE WHO SEEK ADMISSION INTO LAW SCHOOL MAY BE REQUIRED TO PASS AN ADMISSION EXAMINATION THIS NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT IT HAD ALREADY RULED ON THE VALIDITY OF A SIMILAR EXAMINATION FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS "AKER V #ARR A DECISION OF THE 53 3UPREME #OURT IS A CLASSIC INSOFAR AS THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN gPOLITICALu AND gJUSTICIABLEu ISSUES GOES !ND WHILE THE COURT IN THIS CASE REJECTED CLAIMS OF NON JUSTICIABILITY IT DID CLEARLY RULE THAT A CASE WAS NON JUSTICIABLE WHEN gTHERE ARE NO MANAGEABLE JUDICIAL STANDARDS BY WHICH TO RESOLVE IT u What ought to be on the school CURRICULUM IS ONE SUCH ISSUE 7HAT EFFECTIVE ACADEMIC TOOLS SUCH AS TESTS MAY BE USED TO SET THE kT APART FROM THE UNkT IS ANOTHER ‡ AND YET THE POWER OF THE COURTS HAS BEEN INVOKED TO ADJUDICATEÜ /UR 3UPREME #OURT IN THE CASE OF &RANCISCO V (OUSE OF 2EPRESENTATIVES ANNOUNCED THAT IT DID NOT CONSIDER ITSELF RESTRICTED BY "AKER V #ARR BECAUSE THE CONCEPT OF JUDICIAL REVIEW THAT HAD EVOLVED IN THIS JURISDICTION DIFFERED FROM THE SHAPE IT TOOK ON !MERICAN SOIL #HARMING IN ITS PETULANCE BUT REALLY DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHEN YOU READ THAT TO MEAN THAT THE REACH OF JUDICIAL REVIEW IS SUCH AS TO GRANT THE COURT JURISDICTION EVEN OVER MATTERS THAT IT CANNOT JUDICIALLY MANAGE

THEN YOU DO NOT ONLY VIOLATE THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF CHECKS AND BALANCES 9OU VIOLATE REASONÜ ) URGE THEN THAT WHEN THE COURT IN ITS WISDOM DISCERNS THAT A CLAIM OF GRAVE ABUSE OF DISCRETION ULTIMATELY engages it in an issue that courts ARE ILL EQUIPPED TO WRESTLE WITH IT SHOULD DECLINE THE ENTICEMENT TO BE ENGAGED AND DISMISS THE PETITION FOR BEING BEYOND THE COURT S PURVIEW 4HIS WILL NOT CONSTITUTE A DERELICTION OF A CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY

SOMETHING GREATLY FEARED IN &RANCISCO V (OUSE OF 2EPRESENTATIVES )T WILL SIMPLY BE AN ADMISSION BY THE court that it is neither omniscient NOR OMNIPOTENT 7HEN THE COURT WADES INTO WATERS INHOSPITABLE TO IT IT RISKS THE STINGS OF RIDICULE AND SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ITS REPUTATION "UT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT RISKS RENDERING AN UNJUST JUDGMENT ‡ ON A MATTER BEST ADJUDGED AND RESOLVED IN A NON JUDICIAL MATTER BY PERSONS TRULY TRAINED AND SKILLED ON THE MATTER EQUIPPED BY STANDARDS THEY CAN MANAGE EXPERTLY THAT THE COURTS CANNOT

RANNIE?AQUINO CSU EDU PH RANNIE?AQUINO SANBEDA EDU PH RANNIE?AQUINO OUTLOOK COM

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V B a n g ko k 0 . 0 9 %

Service sector reforms urged to spur PH growth T

HE Philippines should work on opening the service sector if it wants to spur growth, a World Bank economist said on Monday.

Andrew Mason, the multilateral lender’s acting chief economist for %AST !SIA AND THE 0ACIkC NOTED THAT countries in the region were opening up in terms of tariffs but lagging with respect to liberalizing services.

“This is particularly important for the Philippines, because I think the future of Philippines, growth is going to be in high-value services. So service sector reform in this regard is important,� he told reporters.

“It has something to do with regulations on foreign direct investment ‌ the share of foreign ownership in many sectors in the Philippine economy.

That is the type of restriction that is counterproductive from an economic perspective,� he added.

Noting that the Philippines had BENEkTED FROM THE BUSINESS PROCESS outsourcing (BPO) industry, Mason said the economy could gain a lot more

if other sectors were liberalized. “In the Philippines, of course, what’s famous are the BPOs. But services can be all kinds of things. It can be media, kNANCE TOURISM SO THERE IS A WHOLE world of possibilities beyond BPOs where the Philippines can grow if they open up and strengthen the regulatory framework for operations,� he said.

The law, among others, prohibits

ÂłReforms B4

Stock market flat; Foreign chambers back investment law changes investors in waitand-see mode 4(% STOCK MARKET ENDED lAT ON -ONDAY AFTER RISING by as much as 1 percent during intra-day trading, with investors said to have turned cautious given upcoming events such as a US Federal Reserve policy meeting and US-China trade talks.

The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose to as high 8,143 but then lost steam to end the day up just 0.009 percent or 0.72 points at 8,053.92. The broader All Shares rose by 0.06 percent OR POINTS TO kNISH AT

“Early morning, we saw a good rally from the market caused by optimism over the upcoming USChina trade talks,� Philstocks Financial Inc. research associate Japhet Louis Tantiangco said noted.

This was echoed by Timson Securities Inc. trader Jervin de Celis, who added that the market also tracked Wall Street gains said to have been supported by talk that the US central bank would hold off from hiking interest rates.

The US Fed’s policymaking body will hold its kRST MEETING FOR THE YEAR FROM *ANUARY TO while trade talks are scheduled for January 30 to 31 in Washington in attempt to end the US-China trade war. “Investors are waiting for cues from these events� after optimism earlier in the day, De Celis said. $IVERSIkED 3ECURITIES )NC TRADER !NICETO 0ANGAN SAID market players were also in wait-and-see mode over the approval of the 2019 national budget, which is being kNALIZED BY A BICAMERAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE Asian markets were mixed on Monday, with Tokyo

ÂłMode B4

FOREIGN business chambers have expressed support for legislative moves to amend the Foreign Investment Act of 1991 (FIA) with regard to the entry of foreign professionals and requirements FOR FULL OWNERSHIP OF DOMESTIC kRMS In a statement dated January 24 but

only sent to reporters on Monday, the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) called for the approval of all amendments contained in Senate Bill 2102 that is being deliberated by the chamber’s economic affairs committee.

SB 2012, introduced by Senator Sher-

win Gatchalian last November, seeks to exclude the “practice of all professions� from coverage of the FIA and reduce the employment threshold for foreigners investing in small and medium-sized companies. “It is our view that the practice of all

professions is not a germane provision in the Foreign Investment Negative List (FINL), the key document created by the Foreign Investment Act,� the JFC said. “The practice of profession is not

ÂłChanges B2

Progressivism: The wrong solution to the wrong problem

I

N the few short months since last November’s midterm elections in the US, it has become politically fashionable to condemn wealth as the root cause of all the world’s ills.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the immensely popular strident young congresswoman from New York, perfectly summed up the philosophy du jour in a recent interview, when she agreed that “a system

BUYERS WANTED A sales representative waits for customers at a luxury car showroom in Beijing in this photo taken on Jan. 22, 2019. The world’s second-largest economy is losing steam, hitting its slowest growth in almost three decades last year. AFP PHOTO

ROUGH TRADE BEN KRITZ that allows billionaires to exist is immoral.� “Wanting to be a billionaire and

ÂłKritz B4

B2

Business Times

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

Fish output to grow 2% in Q1 2019 – BFAR T

BY EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

(% COUNTRY S kSH PRODUCTION WILL LIKELY EXPAND BY MORE THAN PERCENT IN THE kRST quarter of 2019, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said.

In an interview with The Manila Times, BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona said, “Hopefully [loCAL kSH PRODUCTION WOULD GROW= more than two percent if I have to reckon from last quarter of 2018 on a conservative estimate or maybe more.�

In the fourth quarter of last YEAR TOTAL kSH OUTPUT STARTED TO POST INCREASES FOR MOST MAJOR kSH species except for roundscad and YELLOWkN TUNA Gongona said last year’s local

kSH PRODUCTION WAS AFFECTED BY several typhoons, including one that cost more than P36 billion worth of damage to the farm sector. ,OCAL kSH PRODUCTION HAS DEclined since 2010, turning the CONTRIBUTION OF kSHERY TO OVERALL agriculture growth negative. Data from the Philippines Statistics !UTHORITY 03! SHOWED TOTAL kSH output fell by 1.13 percent in 2018 from year-ago level.

Gongona, said the BFAR saw

RECOVERY IN THE kRST QUARTER OF ON THE BACK OF INTENSIkED SUPPORT from the Department of Agriculture (DA), particularly extended loan credits to farmers and farmers’ cooperatives and establishment of cold storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.

BFAR’s “Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan,� the country’s nationwide search for the most outstanding coastal community, will also help achieve the growth rate forecast, he claimed.

Under the program, the bureau awards at least P30 million to a coastal community that has marine protected area; mangrove AND OR kSH HABITATS REHABILITATION projects: clean ocean—free of PLASTICS EFlUENTS AND POLLUTANTS UNDERGO THREE MONTHS OFF kSHING

season and campaigns against illegal unreported and unregulated kSHING )55& g4HESE ;CRITERIA= ADDRESS SUSTAINability, conservation, preservation, traceability, accountability among others. In effect its wholistic apPROACH WILL INCREASE kSH PRODUCtion,� Gongona said.

Also expected to boost fish production is the lifting of the CLOSED kSHING SEASON IN -ARCH In the Philippines, the closed fishing season is usually from November to March to give way FOR kSH TO GROW AND BE READY FOR harvesting.

If achieved, the projected 2 percent growth will be a reversal from the 3.03-percent contraction POSTED BY THE kSHERIES SECTOR IN THE same period in 2018.

Solons urged to stop tobacco excise tax hikes MORE than 20 tobacco farmers’ groups across the country on Monday called on the senators to stop tobacco excise tax hikes.

In a joint statement, farmers from Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Pangasinan, Isabela, Cagayan, Misamis Oriental, Abra and La Union said the proposed tax hike would make their plight even harder. “Our very livelihood is at stake and providing for our families

and the education of our children remains a big question since we have been suffering since 2013,� they said.

Saturnino Distor, president of PhilTobacco Growers Association (PTGA), said the weakening demand for tobacco due to the tax hikes had tremendously hurt the industry.

With a 4-percent yearly tax inCREASE IN THE PAST kVE YEARS $ISTOR said a pack of cigarette was now

priced as high as P35.00. From 2013 to 2018, there has been 7 consecutive tax increases on tobacco products.

The tax hikes, Distor said, has resulted in a sharp decline on tobacco production volume to 48 million kilograms in 2017 from 68 million kilograms in 2013. “And now, it’s not even a year when a tax hike occurred in July 2018, yet another tax increase on

tobacco will happen,� he said.

Bernard Vicente, president of the National Federation of Tobacco Growers Association and Cooperative (NAFTAC), meanwhile, claimed that local tobacco farmers were victims of the government’s fund-raising programs. “We’re already suffering too much. Many of us have lost our jobs,� he said.

EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

Safeguard duty to help local cement firms – PCC LOCAL cement manufacturers will gain more market share with the imposition of the 4-percent safeguard duty on imported cement as the tariff would increase prices of the foreign supply., the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) said. “Will it (local cement) be more competitive than foreign cement?

Presumably, because now the price of imported cement will increase [due to the safeguard duty],�PCC Commissioner Johannes Bernabe said in an interview last week.

Bernabe’s statement was in response to the P8.40 per bag provisional safeguard duty imposed by the Department of Indus-

try (DTI) on imported cement. The amount is almost 4 percent of the average retail price of P220 per bag. The DTI said the move was meant to deal with the reported surge in cement imports.

Imposing the safeguard duty should be based on “volume triggers� and not on “price triggers, � Bernabe said.

He said there were many factors to consider in studying the effecst of safeguard duty on cement.

Earlier, the Philippine Cement Importers Association said slapping tariff on cement imports would lead to supply shortage as this would prompt independent importers to suspend shipments.

TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD

What’s the wisdom behind toothpaste boxes?

S BEYOND OMETIME ago, supermarket cashiers were tasked to double check the contents of toothpaste boxes to discover if they contain the correct brand prior to charging the customer. It was a remedial measure during that time because twisted-minded shoppers will take advantage of unsealed boxes and switch the content of a cheap brand to an expensive, high-end product.

It was a solution that created another problem -- delay in customer’s check out. More than that, the manufacturers missed the opportunity of studying the practical side of selling toothpaste without the box. Would it matter to consumers? I don’t think so because they’ve accepted buying mouthwash, alcohol, lotion, deodorant and other personal care products without individual boxes.

And so, what’s special about toothpaste sold in individual boxes? How many will question the value of toothpaste boxes?

Not so many. How many collects toothpaste boxes as if they’re postage stamps? Zilch. If manufacturers sell toothpaste without its box, they could probably LOWER THE RETAIL PRICE BY kVE PERcent, if not earn environmental points in their corporate social responsibility program.

Do we really need the box as if it’s necessary to ensure quality? I don’t think so. Perhaps a plastic, transparent seal is enough to secure a toothpaste tube except that we don’t know if it’s cheaper or costlier than a toothpaste box.

But that’s an option. Essentially, this is the major point in Alan’s Theory that produced a popular video challenging the wisdom of toothpaste boxes.

According to Alan’s Theory, there are 900 million toothpaste boxes being made every year, and that’s only in the United States. Imagine the rest of the world. Further, imagine the total cost of these non-value adding toothpaste boxes being passed on to endusers without them knowing it.

If you’re thinking it’s not possible to eliminate toothpaste boxes, then you may not have heard of Iceland, “the second environmentally-friendly country in the world� where selling toothpaste without boxes was made possible without issues at all. If you’re saying it can’t be done, then at least pave the way for those already doing it.

The original idea of conveying and selling products without their boxes came from Shigeo Shingo (1909-1990), one of Japan’s famous industrial engineer who was one of the grandfathers of Toyota Production System. He said: “When you buy bananas, all you want is the fruit not the skin. But you have to pay for the skin also. It (the skin) is a waste.

And you the customer should not have to pay for the waste.�

Shingo was probably exag-

Q CHANGES FROM B1

Foreign an investment activity under the scope of the Foreign Investment Act and therefore should not be included in the FINL,� it added.

While the Constitution is biased in favor of Filipinos it is not a strict legal barrier, the JFC said, adding that almost all laws regulating professions also contain reciprocity provisions.

Including professions in the FINL was “extremely misleading�, the JFC claimed.

With regard to ownership, it noted that the FIA set an employment requirement of 50 workers for an enterprise with a minimum investment of $100,000 or a little over P5.4 million.

The amount today, it said, is not enough to support a workforce of 50 as minimum wages have more than tripled. “So as not to render pointless this provision of the law, and to

BUZZWORDS

REY ELBO gerating to prove a point. Who wants to eat bananas without the skin peeled by some workers who may not have a health permit?

In my case, I prefer to peel my own banana for sanitary reasons, but I’ve an open mind when we talk about toothpaste and other personal care products being sold without boxes as long as they are properly sealed. This is for budget and environmental reasons, among other things.

My Japanese business partner, Kenji Kitamura says moving or transporting a product without its box is a result of kaizen thinking approach. Kitamura, former executive vice president of Toyota Philippines says the right Japanese term is minomi, a comMON EFkCIENT PRACTICE IN MANY dynamic Japanese corporations.

Operational excellent professional and Kaizen advocate Matt Hrivnak says there are two types of waste, known also as “muda� for the Japanese. Type 1 Muda is “anything that creates no value, but that is unavoidable due to current technologies, machine or resource limitations, etc.� Technically, Type 1 Muda has no value but remains necessary. If I’m to enrich Hrivnak’s Type 1 Muda, I would include other factors like delivery, sanitary and safety issues that are very essential, like the banana skin even if it does not create value for the eyes of a critical lean thinker. “The banana peel, while obviously being waste, is an unavoidable necessity to the development, harvesting, and delivery of the fruit to the customer.

I would prefer to buy banana in its (original) organic sleeve and pay a few extra cents instead of buying it peeled, rotten and mushy.�

On the other hand, the Type -UDA IS DEkNED BY (RIVNAK AS “anything that creates no value and can be eliminated immediately.� This covers toothpaste boxes that consumers throw away. This simple idea is not Nobel Prize worthy but more than enough to earn millions of savings for manufacturers, which is its basic goal. Now, think of similar products (even services) that can be delivered to customers without its carton boxes.

You’ll be glad you did. That’s why you should never leave home without your critical lean thinking skills. This interrogative attitude greases the wheels of corporations that care about PROkTABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

Rey Elbo is a business consultant specializing in human resources and total quality as a fused interest. Send feedback to elbonomics@gmail.com or via https:// reyelbo.consulting align it with the spirit of the FlA, there is a need to reduce the employment requirement and lower the threshold to a more reasonable number, which the bill recommends to be 15 employees,� the JFC said.

It also noted that SB 2102 amends the law’s declaration of POLICY CLARIFYING THE BENEkTS FROM foreign investments.

Section 5 of the bill, meanwhile, “embodies a long-standing JFC recommendation to undertake systematic inter-agency review of FINL.�

Also, a new provision calls for the establishment of a joint web portal that will carry information regarding investment policies, programs and procedures.

The JFC is comprised of the American, Australia-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese and Korean business chambers in the Phillipines and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc. FROM A REPORT BY TYRONE JASPER C. PIAD

Corporate News

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Megaworld to sell office spaces in Cavite MEGAWORLD Corp. said on Monday it would start selling office spaces within its 140-hectare Maple Grove township in General Trias City, Cavite province.

In a disclosure, the Andrew Tan-led property developer said it would offer 93 select office units in its 17-story One Corporate Place, whose sizes ranged from 63 square meters (sqm) to 281 sqm.

The new building is equipped with a building management system, 24-hour security and fire command center, seismic detection and monitoring system, standby generators for 100-percent back-up power, fire security system, water reservoir with separate fire reserve water tanks, and a 24-hour close circuit television monitoring system.

Its features are a roofdeck garden, energy-saving lights in common areas, dual-flush type water closets for common toilets, and material-recovery facility that allows waste segregation and recycling. “Owning an office space in Maple

Grove would be a wise move, especially that General Trias is now fast becoming a key growth area of Cavite,� Megaworld Vice President for Sales and Marketing Rachelle Penaflorida said. “In five years, we expect rental prices to go up as more developments rise within the township,� she added.

Megaworld’s move to sell office spaces comes after it launched its first residential tower in the development, the 10-story The Verdin at Maple Grove, in October.

Also last year, the company announced it was building the 35-ha, Makati City-inspired Maple Grove Commercial District that would offer 363 prime lots where businesses can construct their own buildings and towers. In addition to the commercial district, residential properties and green parks around it, Maple Grove would also have its own mall, commercial centers and office towers.

Shares of Megaworld grew by 3 centavos or 0.57 percent to close at P5.29 apiece on Monday. ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

Bogo-Medellin Milling cuts net loss by 21.7% BOGO-MEDELLIN Milling Co. Inc. has narrowed its net loss by 21.7 percent or P6.481 million to P23.36 million for the fiscal year ended September 2018 from the previous P29.84 million.

In a disclosure, the listed sugar producer attributed the decrease to cost-control measures, lower sugar production and lower sugar sold during the year.

Total sugar and molasses proDUCED DURING THE kSCAL YEAR DROPPED by 11.39 percent to P238.12 million from P268.73 million a year ago. “The marked decrease in molasses average selling price from last year’s P7,424.71 to this year’s P5,250.62 per metric ton, coupled with a lower sales volume and lower sugar price per bag, resulted in unfavorable variance this year,�

Bogo-Medellin said.

Total cost of sales and general

and administrative expenses also fell, from P264.234 million to P310.035 million, mainly due to lower sugar produced and sold in THE FOLLOWING kSCAL YEAR “Other income reflected an increase as compared to last year, due to higher sugar and molasses overages during the year,� the company said.

Capital expenditures hit P48.09 million — a 15.9-percent increase from last year’s P41.482 million — which the company said was alloted to new asset acquisitions, major renovations and upgrade of machineries to improve operations, recovery, and quality of sugar.

Incorporated on June 4,1928, Bogo-Medellin mills and manufactures centrifugal raw sugar, with molasses at its byproduct. Its milling facility is in Barangay Luy-a, Medellin town, Cebu province.

EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

Metro Pacific Tollways raises capex to P45B

M

BY LISBET K. ESMAEL

ETRO Pacific Tollways Corp.

(MPTC) is increasing its capital expenditures (capex) fivefold from P9 billion last year to P45 billion in 2019 to implement several road projects.

According to MPTC Chief Financial Officer Christopher C. Lizo, spending would surge this year because the Pangilinan-led toll road developer and operator would speed up its construction of the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (Calax), Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEx), North Luzon Expressway (NLEx) Harbor Link Segment 10 — R10 road, C5 South Link Expressway, and NLEx-South Luzon

Value

Chg

%Chg

PSEi

8,053.92

0.72

Ÿ

All Shares

4,856.38

2.76

Ÿ

Financials

1,840.89

16.15

Ÿ

Industrial

11,733.02

-45.44

Ĺş

Holding Firms

7,873.63

-53.96

Ĺş

Services

1,611.54

30.54

Ÿ

Mining and Oil

8,519.82

63.46

Ÿ

Property

4,004.18

-9.02

Ĺş

UNION Bank of the Philippines’ (UnionBank) said on Monday its NET PROkT DECREASED BY PERCENT to P7.3 billion last year from P8.4 billion in 2017.

The Aboitiz-led bank did not cite the reason for the decline, but underscored in a statement that “total income taken to retained earnings amounted to P8.5 billion, inclusive of adjustments related to the adoption of PFRS9 accounting standards during the year.�

PFRS9 stands for Philippine Financial Reporting Standards, which requires banks to recognize expected credit losses rather than waiting for these to occur. The standards took effect

SERVICES

Stock indices as of January 28, 2019

PSEi

ALL SHARES

Expressway (SLEx) connector road.

Allocation for each project was not disclosed. “We’re getting most of the rightof-way this year, so we [will] accelerate the construction� of these projects, Lizo told reporters after MPTC signed a P24.2-billion loan with six banks for the Calax project on January 24.

This project involves building a 44.6-kilometer, four-lane toll

road stretching from the Cavite Expressway in Cavite province’s Kawit town to the SLEx’s Mamplasan Interchange in Biùan City, Laguna province. It is targeted for completion by 2020.

For the C5 South Link Expressway, a 7.7-km toll road that will link Circumferential Road 5 (C5) to the Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex), MPTC expects it to open by March.

The 5.65-km main line of the NLEx Harbor Link Segment 10 will begin operations next month, according to Lizo, while the 2.6km section between C3 Road in Caloocan City and R10 in Navotas City is expected to be completed by yearend.

The 8.5-km CCLEx, meanwhile, will have a two-lane road, a main

bridge and an eight-lane toll plaza connecting the Cebu South Coastal Road with the Mactan Circumferential Road in the province’s Cordova town.

The NLEx-SLEx connector road is an 8-km, 4-lane elevated toll expressway that will extend the NLEX southward, from the end of Segment 10 in C3 Road to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Manila’s Sta. Mesa district, and connect to Skyway Stage 3, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The road aims to cut travel time between the two expressways from 2 hours to 20 minutes.

Construction of this road is expected to begin this 2019, Rodrigo Franco, MPTC president and chief EXECUTIVE OFkCER HAS SAID

UnionBank net income drops 13% to P7.3B

HOLDING FIRMS

Index

B3

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

MINING AND OIL

at the start of 2018.

U n i o n B a n k ’s t o t a l a s s e t s reached P674.2 billion last year, up from P622.1 billion in 2017, while customer loans increased by 16 percent year-on-year to P326.1 billion, with retail loans accounting for 33 percent of the total.

All its customer businesses, except CitySavings, posted double-digit growth in volume, according to the lender.

UnionBank Treasurer and Chief Finance Officer Jose Emmanuel Hilado was quoted as saying in the statement that the strong performance of key business segments cushioned the margin compression that

arose from higher interest rates.

Last year, monetary authorities raised key interest rates by a total of 175 basis points beginning in May. “We expect margins to be better in 2019 as assets reprice.

We also expect CitySavings’ performance to improve this year, particularly due to its continued access to DepEd’s (Department of Education) automatic payroll deduction system,� Hilado said.

Meanwhile, UnionBank President and Chief Executive Officer Edwin Bautista emphasized his bank’s strong returns over the past three years while making major investments in technology and people.

He explained that from 2015 to 2017, the bank laid out the technology infrastructure and boosted organizational capabilities to support its digital strategy. “ I n 201 8 , we f o c u s e d o n the critical digital customer touchpoints. 2019 will usher the third phase of our digital transformation journey — the scaling-up of these touchpoints through enhanced features in our mobile app, roll-out of more Arks, and launch of our business banking platform,�

Bautista said.

UnionBank shares fell by 5 centavos or 0.08 percent to close at P64.45 each on Monday.

MAYVELIN U. CARABALLOÂ

TOP ACTIVE STOCKS No.

Security Name

Last Price

Chg

%Chg

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Premiere Horizon Alliance Corporation Ayala Land, Inc. Ayala Corporation BDO Unibank, Inc. SM Prime Holdings, Inc. International Container Terminal Services, Inc. Bank of the Philippine Islands SM Investments Corporation PLDT Inc. Jollibee Foods Corporation 0HWUR 3DFLÂżF ,QYHVWPHQWV &RUSRUDWLRQ Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company Puregold Price Club, Inc. Globe Telecom, Inc. San Miguel Corporation Universal Robina Corporation GT Capital Holdings, Inc. JG Summit Holdings, Inc. Bloomberry Resorts Corporation Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc.

1.36 44.2 927 138 39.95 108.6 92.1 970 1385 317 4.9 83.4 46 2142 165.4 148 1035 63.7 10.56 86.5

0.31 -0.4 5.5 1.5 0.05 1.1 0.95 -19 57 -6.6 -0.05 0.05 1.1 22 -3.1 -1.3 15 -0.95 0.16 1.5

29.52% -0.90% 0.60% 1.10% 0.13% 1.02% 1.04% -1.92% 4.29% -2.04% -1.01% 0.06% 2.45% 1.04% -1.84% -0.87% 1.47% -1.47% 1.54% 1.76%

Ÿ ź Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ ź Ÿ ź ź Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ ź ź Ÿ ź Ÿ Ÿ

Volume

Value

608,498,000 15,793,200 672,730 3,739,320 10,371,800 3,049,540 3,532,890 259,620 146,975 596,470 32,152,000 1,564,990 2,717,900 51,785 602,800 667,900 93,740 1,458,420 8,401,200 999,570

769,229,330 701,225,700 624,281,165 517,392,455 413,476,185 331,146,264 325,212,816 255,752,895 201,212,300 190,522,802 159,709,640 130,405,765 124,036,565 110,988,150 100,124,980 98,835,321 97,277,260 94,003,786 88,630,512 86,457,363

*amounts in peso, except for volume, %chg

TOP GAINERS

FINANCIALS

INDUSTRIAL

PROPERTY

INDEX HISTORY Date Jan 28, 2019 Jan 25, 2019 Jan 24, 2019 Jan 23, 2019 Jan 22, 2019 Jan 21, 2019 Jan 18, 2019 Jan 17, 2019 Jan 16, 2019 Jan 15, 2019 Jan 14, 2019 Jan 11, 2019 Jan 10, 2019 Jan 09, 2019 Jan 08, 2019 Jan 07, 2019 Jan 04, 2019 Jan 03, 2019 Jan 02, 2019 Dec 28, 2018 Dec 27, 2018 Dec 26, 2018 Dec 21, 2018 Dec 20, 2018 Dec 19, 2018 Dec 18, 2018 Dec 17, 2018 Dec 14, 2018 Dec 13, 2018 Dec 12, 2018

Open 8,071.12 8,075.66 8,000.65 7,941.05 8,023.84 8,055.48 7,932.11 7,866.42 7,983.46 8,009.08 7,886.40 7,965.44 7,931.87 7,775.21 7,820.26 7,800.88 7,657.18 7,507.48 7,496.57 7,497.16 7,465.04 7,436.73 7,536.87 7,514.07 7,412.28 7,478.36 7,501.27 7,506.40 7,514.35 7,455.98

High 8,143.61 8,116.23 8,068.48 7,989.65 8,029.80 8,067.08 8,057.57 7,937.98 7,990.65 8,027.92 8,024.14 7,965.44 7,992.33 7,919.67 7,826.08 7,900.70 7,801.50 7,680.60 7,540.26 7,507.29 7,514.33 7,453.22 7,548.13 7,584.44 7,579.62 7,482.21 7,538.14 7,559.27 7,556.24 7,488.24

Low 8,042.20 8,038.94 8,000.65 7,901.64 7,979.14 7,964.06 7,919.50 7,865.13 7,848.70 7,976.43 7,818.95 7,855.69 7,898.63 7,765.91 7,702.12 7,787.66 7,657.18 7,490.28 7,465.76 7,466.02 7,447.22 7,378.88 7,452.24 7,498.19 7,406.53 7,397.23 7,490.56 7,503.09 7,513.56 7,425.66

Close 8,053.92 8,053.20 8,064.90 7,989.65 8,008.67 8,007.46 8,047.12 7,927.20 7,864.70 8,013.42 8,024.14 7,904.09 7,985.23 7,919.67 7,702.12 7,787.66 7,761.11 7,680.60 7,489.20 7,466.02 7,482.66 7,450.01 7,479.71 7,563.41 7,579.62 7,420.40 7,520.40 7,524.37 7,522.92 7,488.24

CLOSE

No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Security Name Premiere Horizon Alliance Corporation Holcim Philippines, Inc. Metro Alliance Holdings & Equities Corp. “B�

Boulevard Holdings, Inc. Asiabest Group International Inc. Philippine Realty & Holdings Corporation United Paragon Mining Corporation Mabuhay Vinyl Corporation National Reinsurance Corporation of the Philippines )RUXP 3DFLÂżF ,QF Macay Holdings, Inc. Philex Mining Corporation PLDT Inc. Wellex Industries, Inc. D.M. Wenceslao & Associates, Incorporated Cebu Air, Inc. China Banking Corporation Central Azucarera De Tarlac Roxas Holdings, Inc. LBC Express Holdings, Inc.

Volume 608,498,000 9,005,100 33,000 81,940,000 450,100 7,640,000 167,000,000 44,000 4,792,000 10,000 4,000 1,803,000 146,975 9,990,000 2,264,300 514,320 357,200 80,700 11,000 200

Value 769,229,330 65,664,342 76,930 4,718,020 12,621,130 3,394,650 1,372,600 141,940 5,355,460 2,380 41,344 7,260,400 201,212,300 2,563,750 20,406,998 45,360,624 10,257,170 1,437,474 31,930 3,000

Last Price 1.36 7.3 2.28 0.058 28.8 0.455 0.008 3.3 1.13 0.238 10.48 4.08 1385 0.26 9 88.95 29 17.58 2.98 15

Volume 26,979,000 104,900,000 26,100,000 1,550,500 10,000 3,177,700 30,000 33,800 50,000 1,731,600 44,100 241,000 3,822,200 440,100 110,000 1,400 300,000 140,800 330,000 30

Value 52,649,470 1,258,800 1,036,500 8,547,081 2,120 20,795,061 22,750 462,808 6,050 22,747,160 308,988 3,807,188 20,448,827 10,752,290 77,100 28,360 114,500 842,646 257,970 28,890

Last Price 1.89 0.012 0.038 5.4 0.212 6.33 0.75 13.6 0.121 13.08 7 15.74 5.22 23.9 0.7 20.2 0.38 5.9 0.77 963

Chg 0.31 0.96 0.2 0.005 2.35 0.03 0.0005 0.2 0.06 0.011 0.48 0.18 57 0.01 0.33 3.25 1.05 0.6 0.1 0.5

%Chg 29.52% 15.14% 9.62% 9.43% 8.88% 7.06% 6.67% 6.45% 5.61% 4.85% 4.80% 4.62% 4.29% 4.00% 3.81% 3.79% 3.76% 3.53% 3.47% 3.45%

*amounts in peso, except for volume, %chg

TOP LOSERS

HIGH

No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Security Name Vitarich Corporation The Philodrill Corporation 3DFLÂżFD ,QF Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc. Zeus Holdings, Inc. Ph Resorts Group Holdings, Inc. Anglo Philippine Holdings Corporation Atok-Big Wedge Company, Inc. “Aâ€?

Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company “B�

Pal Holdings, Inc. DFNN, Inc. Easycall Communications Phils., Inc. Lopez Holdings Corporation ABS-CBN Corporation Suntrust Home Developers, Inc. Philippine Bank of Communications Cyber Bay Corporation Panasonic Manufacturing Philippines Corporation City & Land Developers, Inc. Petron Corp. Perpetual Preferred “2� - Subseries “2A�

*amounts in peso except for volume, %chg

Chg -0.23 -0.001 -0.003 -0.41 -0.016 -0.47 -0.05 -0.9 -0.008 -0.86 -0.39 -0.86 -0.27 -1.05 -0.03 -0.8 -0.015 -0.23 -0.03 -36.5

%Chg -10.85% -7.69% -7.32% -7.06% -7.02% -6.91% -6.25% -6.21% -6.20% -6.17% -5.28% -5.18% -4.92% -4.21% -4.11% -3.81% -3.80% -3.75% -3.75% -3.65%

Foreign Business Sanctions on blacklisted Russian companies lifted Survey of economists: US recession unlikely in 2019 W B4

˜˜ The Manila Times

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

WASHINGTON: The US Treasury Department lifted sanctions Sunday on Russian aluminum giant Rusal and two related companies after blacklisted billionaire Oleg Deripaska took action to sharply cut his stake in them.

The tycoon is known to have friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and had business ties with US President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who was convicted in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

Deripaska is one of several oligarchs sanctioned last year in retaliation for what the US called “the Russian government’s ongoing and increasingly brazen pattern of malign activity across the world,� citing its interference in Syria and its seizure of Crimea.

Rusal, EN+ Group Plc and EuroSibEnergo JSC have “reduced Oleg Deripaska’s

direct and indirect shareholding stake... and severed his control,� the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) said in a statement. “The companies have also agreed to unprecedented transparency for Treasury into their operations by undertaking extensive, ongoing auditing, certification, and reporting requirements.�

The delisting — first announced in December — came as the companies sought to avoid being locked out of global markets due to their close association with Deripaska.

The sanctions banned Americans and organizations with US divisions, such as many global banks, from doing business with the companies and froze Deripaska’s personal assets in US jurisdictions. “All sanctions on Deripaska continue in force,� the OFAC said.

AFP

w w w.manilatimes.net

ASHINGTON: A majority of business economists foresee no recession in the United States within the next 12 months but do predict a slowdown in growth this year.

A survey by the National Association for Business Economics finds that nearly two-thirds of respondents think the economy will keep growing this year in what would become the longest expansion on record in US history at more than 10 years.

Still, the survey results being RELEASED -ONDAY RElECT A COLlective belief that some of the

Q KRITZ FROM B1

Progressivism: The wrong solution own more than millions of families combined is not an aspirational or good thing,� said Ocasio-Cortez, a former waitress who earned a job with a $174,000 salary and $1.57 million per year operating budget by convincing voters that it was, like, really unfair that some people have to work as waitresses.

The big issue, according to “progressives� like AOC, as she’s popularly called, is wealth inequality. It is simply wrong, somehow, that some people can amass fantastic amounts of wealth, while others struggle to survive. According to a highly misleading factoid that someone blurted out during a discussion at last week’s World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland and dutifully repeated AD INkNITUM in the social media, the 26 richest people in the world own as much wealth as the 3.5 billion poorest. The implication, of course, is that if those 26 people were not that rich, the other half of the human population would not be that poor.

Some tangible ideas to redress the moral imbalance have begun to emerge, although whether or not they are actually good ideas or even feasible ones is highly debatable.

AOC has proposed a 70 percent marginal tax rate to fund something called the “Green New Deal,� a vague set of ideas for massive

investment in sustainable energy and other environmentally friendly concepts. Not to be outdone, Massachusetts senator and early presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has proposed a “wealth tax,� a punitive 2 percent levy on fortunes over $50 million, and 3 percent on wealth in excess of $1 billion.

Both Ocasio-Cortez and Warren are, not coincidentally, advised by Berkeley economics professor Emmanuel Saez, a former collaborator of French economist Thomas Piketty, who made wealth inequality the central focus of his widely heralded 2014 book Capital in the 21st Century.

What is wrong about the “new socialism� fad of condemning capitalism and making wealth redistribution a moral imperative, and why it will ultimately fail if alLOWED TO lOURISH IS THAT IT IS BASED on two connected, fundamentally lAWED ASSUMPTIONS 4HE kRST IS that inequality and poverty are essentially the same thing, and the second is that wealth is somehow A kNITE RESOURCE Ask anyone claiming to be a “progressive� why wealth inequality is bad, and you will invariably get a response something like AOC’s comment to a reporter in the same interview mentioned above: “Are we comfortable with a society where someone can have a helipad while [New York City]

is experiencing the highest rates of people experiencing homelessness since the Great Depression?�

She was referring here to the plan of Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos – the world’s richest man – to install a helipad for his use at the company’s new headquarters in New York.

The implication of the novice legislator’s feisty retort is that people are homeless in New York City because Jeff Bezos can afford a helipad. The argument is that because the city is extending a substantial amount of tax perks to Amazon in exchange for its locating its new headquarters there, it will not have additional revenue to provide housing to all its inhabitants; or in other words, it is favoring the needs of the world’s richest retail concern over its own people.

But putting the accusation in more concrete terms doesn’t make it any less of a non sequitur .

Amazon has not so much turned a shovelful of dirt to build its new headquarters in New York, yet the city has a large homeless population. If Amazon didn’t exist, or HAD CHOSEN TO LOCATE ITS OFkCES in a different city, New York City would still have a large homeless population. The fantastic wealth of Amazon and its founder is not the problem, the impoverished state of New York’s many, many STREET PEOPLE IS 0OVERTY IS DEkNED

Q REFORMS FROM B1

Service sector reforms urged foreigners from owning mass media companies and limits their stake in public utilities to 40 percent.

Executive Order 65, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last October, updated the Foreign Investment Negative List (FINL) by fully opening up a number of sectors.

Up to 100 percent foreign participation has been allowed for the following: • internet businesses, which have been excluded from the category of mass media;

• teaching at higher education levels, provided the subject being taught is not a professional subject (included in a government board or bar examination); • training centers engaged in short-term high-level skills development that do not form part of the formal education system; • insurance adjustment companies, lending companies, kNANCING COMPANIES AND INVESTment houses; and • wellness centers.

Foreign ownership in two other sectors was also increased

to up to 40 percent: • contracts for construction and repair of locally funded public works (except those that are foreign-funded or -assisted and required to undergo international competitive auction), which previously had 25% foreign participation cap; and • private radio communication networks, (20% previously).

Aside from services sector liberalization, Mason said that cutting bureaucratic red tape would also spur growth, “In a lot of countries in East

nomic policies have done little to affect their businesses’ plans.

An overwhelming majority — 84 percent — say Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which sharply reduced the burden on corporations, failed to influence their companies’ hiring or investment outlooks. A nearly equal proportion of respondents (77 percent) indicated that Trump’s trade policies haven’t affected their companies’ plans for hiring, pricing or investment.

The results fit a broader pattern. The economy appears to be slowing as a dose of stimulus

from Trump’s tax cuts has been fading. Job growth has been steady, but the stock market has stumbled and global growth has deteriorated.

Home sales have weakened, and 2019 began with a blast o f n e r vo u s u n c e r t a i n t y a s the federal government endured what became a 35-day partial shutdown.

The NABE survey, which has been conducted quarterly since 1982, was based on responses from 106 economists who are employed by companies or industry trade associations.

AP

Q MODE FROM B1

Email: ben.kritz@manilatimes.net

As this developed, brokerage kRM #/, &INANCIAL 'ROUP )NC warned that the stock market’s strengthe could be capped this year given global and other risks.

In a news briefing, COL Chief Equity Strategist April Tan said that factors such as a twin deficit, slower investment and government spending, and slower global economic growth could dampen investor sentiment. “I feel like we have to be cautiously optimistic because the upside is capped,� Tan said.

As of Monday’s close, the PSEi is already up by 7.87 per-

cent from the 7,466.02 finish posted in the last trading day of 2018.

COL, which said it had a favorable outlook on banking, property, cement and airline companies, expects the benchmark index to end at 8,600 this year.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas expects the budget deficit to settle at 3.2 percent of gross domestic priduct this year and 3 percent in 2020 up to 2022, while current account deficit is forecast to settle at 2.3 percent of GDP. “If the government pursues the ‘Build Build Build’ program we will continue to stay at a high level of budget and current account deficit,�

Tan noted.

Delays in the approval of the 2019 budget, meanwhile, will weigh on growth. “In the past few years, you will notice how government s p e n d i n g a n d i n ve s t m e n t spending have increased faster than GDP ‌ slower growth on both sides ‌ would really have a drag,â€? Tan said. “The two already account for 35 percent of GDP so they will have a bigger impact now.â€?

Exports and and overseas remittances, meanwhile, will be hurt by slower economic global growth, she said.

FROM REPORTS BY ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

Asia there is a lot of bureaucratic discretion to issuing licenses to entities especially foreign entities that are interested in being involved in the services sector,� he said.

The World Bank expects the Philippine economy to grow by 6.5 percent this year, picking up from 6.2 percent last year but below the government’s 7.0-8.0 percent target.

In a related development, a senior Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) official expressed optimism that factors such as THE UPDATED &)., LOWER INlAtion, and strong government and consumer spending would help boost. g7E ARE CONkDENT THAT IN

WITH INlATION DOWN SUSTAINED govt spending, [and] with consumption expenditure being resilient and robust we should see more investments coming in,� central bank Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said in an interview last week.

At the same time, the negative list of the government has been streamlined and that will provide a boost to foreign and domestic investments,� he also said.

Based on the Bangko Sentral’s LATEST FORECASTS INlATION WILL REturn to the 2.0-4.0 percent target this year — averaging 3.1 percent — and moderate further to 3.0 percent in 2020 after hitting 5.2 percent in 2018.

g.OW THAT INlATION IS DOWN

we should be able to see more SIGNIkCANT IMPROVEMENTS IN CONsumption expenditure,� Guinigundo said.

Household consumption growth accelerated to 5.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018 after slowing to 5.2 percent in THE THIRD QUARTER WHEN INlATION peaked at 6.7 percent. “ G ove r n m e n t s p e n d i n g I think is non-negotiable in the sense that the government is serious in terms of undertaking higher spending on infrastructure,� the BSP official added.

FROM REPORTS BY ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES AND MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

economy’s momentum is fading. Compared with the NABE’s previous survey in October, for example, a smaller proportion of economists said their companies’ sales were rising. And fewer EXPECT PROkT GROWTH TO INCREASE Corporate investments in new equipment has also cooled.

Most of the economists say President Donald Trump’s ecoby one’s lack of wealth, not by someone else’s possession of it. “Yes, but‌â€? the progressives counter, “If people like Jeff Bezos didn’t have so much wealth, there would be more to go around for everyone else.â€?

That argument is just plain stupid. If people like Jeff Bezos didn’t have so much wealth, that wealth wouldn’t exist at all. Wealth is constantly being created; there is NO kXED LIMIT TO THE ASSET VALUE OF the world. A good example is the legacy of the recently-deceased Henry Sy, the founder of the SM empire. As SM grew, the economy of the Philippines grew right along with it; granted, the monster he created did capture a great deal of wealth, but it was created wealth – the rest of the country did not become poorer as he became richer.

That is not to say there are no DEEP lAWS IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC system. There are, and these must be corrected. Too much government and too much central bank engineering have perverted the empirically pure and inherently fair concept of capitalism into an unsustainable system whose only logical end can be a Malthusianstyle collapse. To be fair to the progressive point of view, it does at least sense the actual problem.

But it completely misdiagnoses it, and as a result presents completely useless solutions proposing even more government management — the very thing that caused the PROBLEM IN THE kRST PLACE

Stock market flat; down 0.60 percent, Shanghai by 0.18 and Hong Kong flat at 0.03 percent.

Locally, sectoral results were mixed with the holding firms, industrial, and property indices losing by 0.68 percent, 0.39 percent, and 0.22 percent, respectively.

More than 1.68 billion issues valued at P9.1 billion were traded.

L o s e r s l e d w i n n e r s, 10 8 to 102, while 44 issues remained unchanged.

Market upside ‘capped’

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Trump to EU: Don’t evade Iran sanctions WASHINGTON, DC: The Trump administration is closely eyeing efforts in Europe to set up an alternative money payment channel to ease doing business with Iran and avoid running afoul of sanctions the US has levied on the Islamic republic.

The White House is putting the Europeans on notice, saying that if they try to do an end-run around US sanctions on Iran, they will be SUBJECT TO STIFF kNES AND PENALTIES Unfazed, the European Union is marching forward with the plan, which, if implemented, could further strain trans-Atlantic relations.

A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said preparations for the alternative system were “at an advanced stage.� “I hope that we can announce the launch very soon,� Maja Kocijancic told reporters late last week in Brussels.

Getting out ahead of a possible announcement, a senior adminisTRATION OFkCIAL TOLD 4HE !SSOCIATED Press on Friday that the US would fully enforce its sanctions and hold individuals and entities accountable for undermining them.

4HE OFkCIAL SPOKE ON CONDITION of anonymity to discuss the issue. “The choice is whether to do business with Iran or the United States,� Sen. Tom Cotton, Republican-Arkansas, told the AP. “I hope our European allies choose wisely.�

The US joined China, France, Germany, Russia and Britain in signing a pact with Iran in 2015 that offered to lift economic sanctions in exchange for Tehran’s pledge to rein in its nuclear weapons program.

President Donald Trump called it a “horrible, one-sided deal.� He pulled out of the pact last year and restored punishing US sanctions on Iran. Tehran, which denies

wanting nuclear weapons, continues to abide by the agreement, AND THE REMAINING kVE NATIONS IN the pact are trying to keep it intact.

Restoring the sanctions regime is part of the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure campaign� on the Iranians to force them to radically alter their policies on developing ballistic missiles, supporting regional militant groups and violating human rights.

The US has many concerns about the alternative payment system, according to an outside Trump administration adviser. The adviser spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the key US worries.

Long-term, the US worries that the alternative money payment system could become successful enough to compete with the international bank transfer system known as Swift.

The fear is that it could eventually supplant Swift as the leading global INSTITUTION FOR kNANCIAL INSTITUTIONS to send and receive information about banking transactions.

Secondly, the US is concerned that other countries might try to route transactions through the European system just to circumvent US sanctions, the adviser said. Thirdly, while the Europeans have signaled that the alternative money transfer system would be used only for humanitarian transactions, the US is suspicious that it could be used for non-humanitarian transactions to evade US sanctions, the adviser said. “We should oppose efforts to CREATE FOREIGN kNANCIAL CHANNELS that Iran could use to circumvent America’s maximum pressure campaign against it, especially when humanitarian exceptions are already in US sanctions laws,� Sen. Marco Rubio, Republican-Florida, told the AP. AP

Worldinbrief DAM COLLAPSE DEATH TOLL RISES TO 58 BRUMADINHO, Brazil: Firefighters are carefully moving over treacherous mud, sometimes walking, sometimes crawling, in search of survivors or bodies left by a dam collapse that buried mine buildings and surrounding neighborhoods with iron ore waste. The confirmed death toll rose to 58, with up to 300 people still missing, authorities said. In an ominous sign, nobody was recovered alive Sunday (Monday in Manila), a stark difference from the first two days of the disaster, when helicopters were whisking people from the mud. The slow speed of search efforts was due to the treacherous sea of reddish-brown mud that surged out when the mine dam breached Friday afternoon. It is up 24 feet (8 meters) deep in some places, and to avoid the danger of sinking and drowning searchers had to carefully walk around the edges or slowly crawl out onto the muck.

AP

World EU urged to hike efforts against climate change B TUESDAY January 29, 2019

RUSSELS: At least 70,000 people braved the cold and rain in Brussels on Sunday (Monday in Manila) to demand the Belgian government and the European Union (EU) increase their efforts TO kGHT CLIMATE CHANGE )T WAS THE "ELGIAN CAPITAL S FOURTH CLIMATE RALLY IN TWO MONTHS TO ATTRACT AT LEAST PARTICIPANTS The event was described as Belgium’s biggest climate march ever, with police estimating slightly bigger crowds than a similar demonstration last month. Trains from across the nation were so clogged that thousands of people didn’t make the march in time.

Some 35,000 students in Belgium

skipped classes Thursday to take their demands for urgent action to prevent global warming to the streets. “Young people have set a good example,� protester Henny Claassen said amid raised banners urging better renewable energy use and improved air quality. “This is for our children, for our grandchildren and

to send a message to politicians.�

Even though the direct impact on Belgian politics was likely to be small since the country currently is led by a caretaker government, the demonstrations have pushed the issue of climate change up the agenda as parties prepare for national and EU elections in May. The march ended at the headquarters. The 28-nation bloc has been at the vanguard of global efforts to counter climate change but still came in for the protesters’ criticism. “Society as a whole could do a lot more because they’re saying ‘Yes, we’re doing a lot,’ but they’re doing not that much. They could do a lot more,� demonstrator Pi-

B5

eter Van Der Donckt said.

Citizen activism on climate change Sunday was not limited to Belgium.

Thousands of people made human chains or held other climate events around France.

In Paris, there was a debate inspired by a recent petition for legal action to force the government to set more ambitious goals for reducing carbon emissions that create global warming.

President Emmanuel Macron sees himself as a climate crusader, but suffered a serious setback when fuel tax increases meant to help wean France off fossil fuels BACKkRED DRAMATICALLY UNLEASHING the yellow vest protests now in their third month.

AP

10,000 Parisians march in ‘red scarves’ rally PARIS: Some 10,000 people wearing red scarves marched through Paris on Sunday (Monday in Manila) to protest acts of violence and vandalism on the sidelines of anti-government demonstrations by the largely peaceful yellow vest movement.

The “red scarves� foulards rouges demonstration came amid growing divisions around the 11-week-old yellow vest gilet jaunes phenomenon, which has led to rioting in Paris and other cities, exposed deep discontent with President Emmanuel Macron and prompted national soul-searching.

Protest damage to the Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris in December was a turning point for many of the counter-protesters at Sunday’s march. “We don’t share all the demands expressed by the yellow vest movement, for instance demands about overthrowing the government, brutalizing institutions,� Laurent Segnis, a member of Macron’s centrist Republic on the Move party, said.

Others lamented their sense that the movement which appeared in mid-November as a grassroots response to a fuel tax rise is radicalizing as it approaches February.

Sunday’s protesters wore red scarves or bright blue vests as a

ANTI-VIOLENCE

Demonstrators hold a sign during a rally of French ‘red scarves’ (foulards rouges), critics of the violent ‘yellow vest’ (gilets jaunes) protests in Paris on Sunday (Monday in Manila). AFP PHOTO way to appropriate the yellow vest movement’s brightly colored symbol of discontent. The movement and its protests are named after the high-visibility garments French drivers must carry in their vehicles in case of emergency.

Some 2,000 people have been injured in protests since the movement began November 17, notably as weekly demonstrations in Paris routinely descend into clashes between riot

police and participants who throw ROCKS AT OFkCERS AND SET kRES IN THE streets. Separately, 10 people have died in road incidents related to yellow vest blockades of provincial roundabouts and tollbooths.

The yellow vest movement, which includes people across France’s political spectrum, sees Macron’s government as favoring the wealthy.

Many movement supporters dismissed the “red scarves� as Macron

stooges, though the president’s PARTY DIDN T OFkCIALLY TAKE PART IN THE counter-demonstrations.

Some 69,000 people nationwide took part Saturday in the 11th week of yellow vest protests, down from more than 80,000 during the previous two weekends, according to the French Interior Ministry. The protests in Paris were scattered, with different groups staging events at different sites.

AP

CHINESE RIGHTS LAWYER JAILED FOR SUBVERSION BEIJING:Â Prominent Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang was sentenced on Monday to four and a half years in prison for state subversion, sealing the fate of another attorney swept up in a 2015 crackdown.

Wang, 42, who defended political activists and victims of land seizures, disappeared in the sweep — known as the “709� clampdown — aimed at courtroom critics of Communist authorities. Charged in January 2016 with alleged state subversion, Wang had been the last of more than 200 lawyers and activists arrested in the crackdown to be tried or released. The event is dubbed “709� because the arrests started on July 9, 2015. Wang was “found guilty of subverting state power, sentenced to four years and six months in prison, and deprived of political rights for five years,� the Tianjin Second Intermediate People’s Court said in a statement.

AFP

CANADIAN NABBED IN MACAU OVER FRAUD TRY HONG KONG: A Canadian man was arrested in the gambling hub of Macau for allegedly trying to defraud an entertainment company out of $284 million, local media reported. The suspect, a 61-year-old retiree of Chinese descent, was arrested on Friday after allegedly trying to transfer the money from the firm’s bank account using bogus documents, public broadcaster Teledifusao de Macau (TDM) and the Chinese-language Macau Daily quoted police as saying. Authorities did not identify the company or the bank involved. The arrest comes as Beijing and Ottawa are locked in a diplomatic row following the December arrest in Canada of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou on a US extradition request linked to Iran sanctions violations. In a move observers see as retaliation over the Meng case, Chinese authorities detained two Canadians soon after, accusing them of activities that “endanger China’s national security.�

AFP

CHINA, FRANCE MARK 55TH YEAR OF TIES PRESIDENT Xi Jinping and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron pledged to work together to uphold multilateralism and promote bilateral ties as they exchanged congratulations on the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on Sunday. In his message, Xi said exchanges and cooperation between the two nations had seen continuous expansion since they forged official ties, and had brought about tangible benefits to the two countries and peoples. Saying today’s world was facing profound changes unseen in a century, and human development was facing both opportunities and challenges, Xi stated that the two countries, both of which are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, shoulder a special historic responsibility. Xi said he stands ready to work along with Macron to carry on the traditional friendship, hold high the banner of multilateralism, and bring the close and enduring Sino-French comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level so as to make greater contributions to promoting world peace, stability and development.

PEOPLE’S DAILY ONLINE

FAREWELL

Pope Francis takes his leave of the bishops while Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela (left) and First Lady Lorena Castillo (second from left) look on, before boarding the plane for the Vatican at Tocumen Airport after participating in World Youth Day. AFP PHOTO

Japan PM reaches out to NKorea, China TOKYO: Japan’s prime minister vowed Monday to “break the shell of mutual distrust� with North Korea by meeting leader Kim Jong Un face-toface and restoring diplomatic relations between the two historic foes.

In a major policy speech to mark the opening of parliament, Shinzo Abe also vowed to push Sino-Japan ties “to a new stage� and pledged a record budget to improve crumbling infrastructure in the world’s third-biggest economy. “I will act resolutely, never failing to seize every opportunity to break the shell of mutual distrust, and I myself will directly face Chairman Kim Jong Un next to resolve North Korea’s nuclear and missile issues, as well as the

abductions issue,� Abe said.

Abe gave no timeframe for a potential meeting with the North Korean leader but the comments came as Kim has ordered preparation for a second summit with US President Donald Trump, likely towards the end of next month. “I will aim at diplomatic normalization by settling the unfortunate past,� Abe said, using a Japanese diplomatic euphemism referring to harm caused by Japan during its brutal colonization of the Korean peninsula before and during World War II. The conciliatory message contrasted sharply from a year ago, when Abe used the same parliamentary address to set out a hardline ap-

proach, pledging to “compel North Korea to change its policies� and describing Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile programmes as an “unprecedentedly grave and urgent threat.�

Abe has long campaigned to resolve an emotional row related to North Korean agents’ abduction of Japanese nationals during the Cold War era to train Pyongyang’s spies.

On China, Abe said ties had “completely returned to a normal path� after he visited President Xi Jinping in Beijing last year. Xi is EXPECTED TO MAKE HIS kRST OFkCIAL visit to Japan in 2019. “I will strongly pursue diplomacy with neighbours for a new era... in order to make northeast Asia truly a land of stable peace

and prosperity,� he said.

Bilateral ties were harmed in 2012 when Tokyo “nationalized� disputed islands in the East China Sea also claimed by Beijing. Until recently, neither nation had made much effort to improve relations.

But Japan’s business community has long urged Abe to improve ties with China, Tokyo’s largest trade partner as well as the biggest source of foreign tourists, who are collectively becoming a key driver of Japan’s chronically fragile economy.

Japan believes a successful Xi visit is key to a successful G20, which Japan hosts this year and Tokyo hopes the Chinese leader will attend the 2020 Olympic Games.

AFP

B6

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DISCOUNT FARE FOR STUDENT Round 20% Net of VAT Trip Fare discount Discount 2,232.00 446.00 1,786.00 214.00 1,786.00 357.00 1,429.00 172.00 1,339.00 267.00 1,072.00 129.00

Round Trip Fare 2,000.00 1,601.00 1,201.00

B. SCHEDULE OF RATE FOR ONE WAY The following are the Applicant’s proposed new sailing Cabin Base Fare VAT One Way Fare IUHTXHQFLHV VFKHGXOH RI WULSV IRU WKH Ă€H[LEOH RSHUDWLRQ Class of the ships, MV “MALAMBING EXPRESSâ€? and MV First Class 1,339.00 161.00 1,500.00 “MAGALANG EXPRESSâ€?, and the rates to be adopted/ Premium 1,071.00 129.00 1,200.00 charged in the above subject route: Regular 803.00 97.00 900.00 DISCOUNT FARE FOR SENIOR CITIZEN & PWD I. SCHEDULE OF TRIPS Cabin One Way 20% Net of VAT One Way Class Fare discount Discount Fare First 1,339.00 267.00 1,072.00 NA 1,072.00 KALIBO TO CAGBAN BORACAY Class MONDAY/FRIDAY/SUNDAY Premium 1,071.00 214.00 857.00 NA 857.00 DEPARTURE ARRIVAL Regular 803.00 160.00 643.00 NA 643.00 12:30 AM 2:00 AM 6:00 AM 7:30 AM DISCOUNT FARE FOR STUDENT 11:30 AM 1:00 PM Cabin One Way 20% Net of VAT One Way 2:00 PM 3:30 PM Class Fare discount Discount Fare 5:30 PM 7:00 PM First 1,339.00 267.00 1,072.00 129.00 1,201.00 9:00 PM 10:30 PM Class TUESDAY/THURSDAY/SATURDAY Premium 1,071.00 214.00 857.00 103.00 960.00 12:30 AM 2:00 AM Regular 803.00 160.00 643.00 77.00 720.00 4:30 AM 6:00 AM 7:30 AM 9:00 AM Notice is hereby given that the said Application will be 12:00 NN 1:30 PM heard by this Authority on 05 February 2019, 2:00 o’clock in 2:30 PM 4:00 PM the afternoon, at the 3rd Floor, Franchising Service Hearing 6:30 PM 8:00 PM Room, at the above address.

9:00 PM 10:30 PM CAGBAN, BORACAY TO KALIBO MONDAY/FRIDAY/SUNDAY DEPARTURE 3:30 AM 7:00 AM 11:30 AM 2:00 PM 4:30 PM 8:00 PM

ARRIVAL 5:00 AM 8:30 AM 1:00 PM 3:30 PM 6:00 PM 9:30 PM

TUESDAY/THURSDAY/SAT (DAILY) 2:00 AM 3:30 AM 4:30 AM 6:00 AM 7:00 AM 8:30 AM 11:00 AM 12:30 PM 2:30 PM 4:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM

The Applicant shall publish this Order once in a QHZVSDSHU RI JHQHUDO FLUFXODWLRQ DW OHDVW ÂżYH GD\V EHIRUH the scheduled date of hearing.

The Applicant shall submit a written Formal Offer of (YLGHQFH GXULQJ WKH KHDULQJ RU ÂżYH GD\V WKHUHDIWHU WITNESS, WKH +RQRUDEOH 2IÂżFHU LQ &KDUJH IRU WKH 2IÂżFH of the Administrator, VADM NARCISO A VINGSON JR, this 25th day of January 2019 at Manila, Philippines.

BY AUTHORITY OF THE MARINA ADMINISTRATOR: (Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 11-14 dated 22 August 2014) MA. CONCEPCION C. ARBOLARIO OIC-Director Franchising Service MT - Jan. 29, 2019

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital 5HJLRQ )LHOG 2IÂżFH 6th Floor, Sunnymede IT Center, Quezon Avenue Quezon City NOTICE Notice is hereby given that COMMUNITY CREATORS, INC. 'HYHORSHU KDV ÂżOHG with this Board for a change of corporate name from LANDWORKS ASIA, INC. to COMMUNITY CREATORS, INC., developer of AMIYA RAYA HIGHLAND HOMES PHASES 1 to 4 located at Kambal Road, Brgy.

Guitnang Bayan, San Mateo, Rizal. The project was issued &HUWLÂżFDWH RI 5HJLVWUDWLRQ 1R 22851 dated 23 February 2010 and License to Sell No. 24157 dated 23 February 2011.

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 the last day of publication.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, (SGD) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH M.T. January 29 & February 5, 2019

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Expanded National Capital 5HJLRQ )LHOG 2IÂżFH 6th Floor, Sunnymede IT Center, Quezon Avenue Quezon City NOTICE Notice is hereby given that TERSHIN CONSTRUCTION, INC. (Owner/Developer), have ÂżOHG ZLWK WKLV %RDUG D VZRUQ registration statement for the sale of subdivision units at ASTERIA HOME located at Pantay-Pinugay Rd., Brgy. Tandang Kutyo, Tanay, 5L]DO VSHFLÂżFDOO\ GHVFULEHG DV Plan Psu-193013 covered by TCT No. 069-2011000292, with an area of 43,259.00 square meters.

The foregoing project is utilizing 103 lots/units covering Block 2 Lots 17 to 20, Block 3 Lots 1 to 28, Block 4 Lots 1 to 33, Block 5 Lots 1 to 7, Block 6 Lots 1 to 16 and Block 7 Lots 1 to 15 located within the project 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 UHJLVWHUHG DQG D FHUWLÂżFDWH LQ evidence thereof, shall forthwith EH LVVXHG DIWHU ÂżYH GD\V IURP the last day of publication.

Quezon City, Metro Manila, JAN 22, 2019 (SGD) ATTY. NORMAN JACINTO P. DORAL 2IÂżFHU ,Q &KDUJH M.T. January 29, 2019

NOTICE OF EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE Notice is hereby given that the Heirs of VICENTE ANZURES CRUZ, JR. and MARIA LOURDES YUZON CRUZ who died intestate on 30 June 2000 and 02 November 2017, respectively, had executed an Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate with Absolute Sale which has been subscribed and sworn to before notary public Atty. Richard Andrew P. Velasco and registered in his Notarial Registry as Doc. No. 212, Page No. 44, Book No. I, Series of 2019.

MT - Jan. 29, Feb. 5 & 12, 2019

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Maritime

ANNOUNCEMENT Starting February 6, the Maritime page will come out every Wednesday and have an additional page. — Ed.

˜ The Manila Times TUESDAY January 29, 2019

EDITOR: Carmela I. Huelar

B7

Autonomous ships may change seafarers’ tasks — study A

BY GENIVI FACTAO

UTONOMOUS ships would greatly impact the seafaring industry, as the traditional jobs of seafarers might change or disappear in the future.

According to a case study on such ships, called “Transport 2040: Automation, Technology, Employment: The Future of Work,� this cutting-edge technology would require seafarers to acquire digital skills. “As the current ‘digitalizaTION OF THE CONVENTIONAL lEET proceeds apace, the tasks of seafarers will change to more digital ones, especially in operations monitoring and system management, and in less operational work,� said study, undertaken by the World Maritime University (WMU), with funding from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).

Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, WMU president, said every new invention changes the nature of work, and might require skill-setting and changing work routines. It might also lead to a reduced demand for workers of a certain profile and create

new demands for workers with DIFFERENT QUALIkCATIONS “This is not unprecedented and similar situations have been observed during the industrial development of our global community. What always has been an issue of concern in times of rapid technological developments in the nature of work on the society and on employment,� she added.

The shipping industry is moving toward greater digitalization and is currently developing autonomous ships for specialized operations in national waters.

The study also said these ships were not conventional vessels without a crew, but these were a novel type of ship with fewer, but highly skilled crew members who control an increasing number of autonomous functions and operations on board, possibly from remote control stations.

It noted that autonomous

ships would not replace conventional cargo ships, which could result in seafarers losing their jobs.

It is expected that autonomous ships would be developed as part of a local transport system, which means they will create new nautical routes as alternatives to other transport modes.

The seafarer of the future will benefit by combining maritime skills with digital skills in three GENERAL DOMAINS THE DATA lUENCY and ability to interpret and analyze large amounts of data; digital operation of equipment, such as ships, cranes and winches; and software engineering of fundamental programs and systems.

Stephen Cotton, ITF general secretary, said the challenges of automation, new technology and the future of work were some of the most important issues faced by workers today.

As a union, they must enhance their engagement with industry partners and identify appropriate education, training and capacity-building needs of the members and workers in the transport chain. “The ITF-WMU study provides the information needed

to support these aims. The ITF remains committed to working in partnership to ensure our unions and members are central to developments in building the future of work,� Cotton said.

The arrival of autonomous systems that can take decisions on their own. but are supervised by human operators, can introduce more support in decision-making.

Challenges, however, include user interfaces to make it possible for a remote operator to maintain situational awareness and a review of a number of International Maritime Organization (IMO) instruments, including the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (1972). These must be undertaken to address and resolve issues before digitalization can occur.

Procedures must be in place to ADDRESS A MIXED TRAFkC OF MANUally operated and autonomous ships; a reliable data connection must exist between ship and operating centers; and deep learning functions for processing the amount of data that is collected aboard must be implemented.

Given the agenda of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships

Q Stephen Cotton. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Working and Correspondence groups at IMO, international regulations for autonomous ships are expected to be in place before 2035 (DNV GL “Energy Transition Outlook 2018�).

MAAP strengthens cadet program onboard new ship THE Maritime Academy of Asia AND THE 0ACIkC -!!0 SAID ITS new training ship M/V Kapitan Gregorio Oca would help cadets acquire skills that match the requirements of the shipping industry and ensure their employability.

Dr. Conrado Oca, MAAP chairman, said M/V Kapitan Gregorio Oca, named after his father, arrived in Manila over the weekend from Japan. Oca is concurrently the president of the Associated Marine /FkCERS AND 3EAMEN S 5NION OF THE Philippines (Amosup).

His father was the founder of Amosup and is regarded as the “father of Filipino seafarers.�

The 78.6-meter M/V Kapitan Gregorio Oca will be used by MAAP students to enhance the quality of their shipboard training and address the needs and expectations of the industry.

MAAP students are scholars of various international shipping kRMS AND THEIR CURRICULUM WAS TAILOR kTTED TO MATCH THE NEEDS OF Amosup principal-partners.

The ship was built by Miho Shipyard Co.Ltd. in Shimizuku, Shizuoka City, Japan. It has a service speed of 13.8 knots and a crew complement of 138 persons. The ship will be commissioned on Thursdayat Pier 13 of the Manila South Harbor.

On Aug. 8, 2018, the International Mariners Management Association of Japan (Immaj) and Miho hosted the naming and launching ceremonies of Kapitan Gregorio Oca in Shizuoka, Japan.

Joining Oca at the event were Capt. Koichi Akamine, Immaj chairman; Yasumi Morita, president of All Japan Seamen’s Union; Capt.

Teodoro Quijano, vice president of the Philippine-Japan Manning Consultative Council Inc.; Yasunori Kohatake, vice president of Tsuneishi Shipbuilding Co.Ltd.; and KengoSuzuki, president of Miho.

Q The 78.6-meter M/V Kapitan

Gregorio Oca. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Q M/V Kapitan Gregorio Oca’s bridge. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Shipbuilding industry welcomes Hanjin workers to its shipyards THE local shipbuilding and ship-repair industry sees the opportunity of hiring the workers of Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction -Philippines (HHIC-Phil), who lost their jobs due to Hanjin’s bankruptcy.

Meneleo Carlos 3rd, president of the Shipyard Association of the Philippines (SHAP), said the Philippines was targeted to become a global competitive

shipbuilding nation and he saw the growing need for specialized skilled shipyard workers. “A large majority of workers of Hanjin were not originally from Subic. They came from different parts of the country.

Shipyards all over the Philippines were glad to employ hardworking employees. There were people with unique skills especially if you’re from Hanjin

and Tsuneishi. They got the skills from Korean or Japanese shipbuilders,� he told The Manila Times. “Hanjin has a wide variety of workers from welders to supervisors. They are valuable additions to other companies and they can help our local shipyards by bringing in their expertise,� he said.

Carlos also said it was disappointing that Hanjin faced seri-

ous problems because it was the biggest shipyard in the country and had the biggest employment.

There were only few companies in the Philippines that were in the same league as Hanjin.

The challenge faced by Hanjin was its level of debt. “I hope that banks will not lose heart in supporting the shipyards,� he added.

Subic Bay Metropolitan Au-

thority Chairman Wilma Eisma said Hanjin owed some $400 million in outstanding loans from Philippine banks on top of another $900 million in debts with lenders in South Korea.

Hanjin became the biggest employer among all registered businesses in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, with some 30,000 employees during peak season.

GENIVI FACTAO

But for specific operations in national waters, inland or near-coastal waters, it is anticipated that autonomous ships may be navigating the waters by 2028.

First-ever maritime hub eyed

by Marina THE Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) encourages businessmen to invest in the establishment of the first-ever maritime industrial hub under the 10-year maritime industry development plan.

The establishment of the maritime industrial hub from 2019 to 2028 aims to develop an attractive Philippine Ship Registry; a world-class bunkering facility and major ports development for regional transshipment in Southeast Asia; globally competitive shipyards for shipbuilding, ship repair and ship recycling; an eco-industrial maritime park for clustering and consolidation of all maritime-related services; and a maritime training and research center to meet manpower requirements locally and internationally, as well as technology-based and policy-related studies.

With this program, the Marina expects to transform the Philippines as a “go-to-location� for international shipbuilding and ship repair and a central point for accumulation and distribution of cargoes for worldwide trade.

It also aims to sustain the premier position of the Philippines as the source of globally competitive maritime professionals.

Moreover, the establishment of the maritime industrial hub supports not only the modernization of shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, but also the reintegration of Filipino seafarers to work as marine surveyors, technical superintendents and managers of ancillary industries.

The Marina likewise views recent developments at the Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction-Philippines (HHIC-Phil) as a new challenge for the country’s maritime industry, noting that it is one among the major shipyards that catapulted the Philippines to become the fifth largest shipbuilding country in the world on top of its revenue contribution due the government and the provision of employment opportunities to thousands of Filipino shipyard workers.

The state-of-the art facilities of HHICPhil may be considered as an option for the establishment of an eco-industrial maritime park for the clustering and consolidation of all maritime-related services, thereby accelerating the implementation of the program.

In support of this program, the Marina has streamlined its business processes and rationalized its policies relating to the registration and licensing of shipyards as its initial steps towards enticing investors to pour in their capital in shipbuilding.

B8

Special Feature

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

TONY TAN C AKTIONG

The ‘Bee’ man Living his dream on his 66th birthday

H

BY B Y MAYLENE STEPHANIE S. VIRAY

d d the h smiling, illi d d E introduced red-and-yellow bee to the Filipinos. Filipino kids basically grown up with this bee that conquered not only the country but the whole world.

Often referred to as a big dreamer, Filipino businessman Tony Tan Caktiong, only 25 years old then, founded Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) in 1978.

The local dreamer who aimed big is now the chairman of the company and living his dream. “It was a dream that one day we will build Jollibee into one of the largest companies in the world,� he said during the 2016 MVP Bossing Awards. “I never lost sight of my dream. It made me realize that dreaming big is a very important part of being an entrepreneur.�

He never stopped there. At 59, Caktiong co-founded the newly-enlisted real estate company Double Dragon Properties with entrepreneur Edgar Sia 2nd in 2012. Caktiong serves as co-chairman with Sia as chairman and CEO. Now at 66, actively and heavily involved in JFC, his age does not hinder his performance as he welcomed two new American-based brands to his JFC portfolio, namely burger chain Smashburger and fast casual restaurant chain Panda Express. “We are thrilled about this new relationship between Panda Express and JFC,� Caktiong was quoted saying. “Very much in line with JFC’s brand portfolio, it has excellent tasting dishes at reasonable price. Long-term, Panda Express has a high potential for broad acceptance across the country.�

Meanwhile, JFC fully acquired Smashburger in 2018, where the JFC chairman was quoted saying “We look forward to the development of Smashburger into a very strong brand and business in the United States.�

From rags to riches Born on January 5, 1953 to a poor Chinese family originally from the Chinese province of Fujian, the Caktiongs migrated to the Philippines in search for a better life.

While here, the Caktiongs took shelter in Davao del Sur where their father had put up a small restaurant as their means of income, involving the young Tony and his brothers in the family-ran business.

9OUNG 4ONY WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE kNished his studies, graduating high school from the Chinese-Filipino institution Chiang Kai Shek and earned his chemical engineering degree from the University of Santo Tomas.

Barely 22 years old, Tony Tan Caktiong was already managing two ice cream parlors he was able to franchise from Magnolia Ice Cream, starting with a branch in Cubao, Quezon City. But as this business is doing great, Caktiong’s customers have started demanding food items outside its menu.

Three years later, at 25, Caktiong stopped running the ice cream business, and started capitalizing on hot meals. He successfully converted his parlors into fast-food chains, the Cubao branch being recorded as the kRST *OLLIBEE OUTLET IN THE COUNTRY WITH A smiling red bee greeting its customers.

An interesting fact, as they were branding and naming the new business, Caktiong and his family settled with a bee as its been believed to be associated with the value of hard work. The family added the “jolly�

PREkX TO CONNOTE HAPPINESS AND ENJOYMENT in the business, registering the “bee� as its trademark. “From a rather crude, strange-looking

Q JFC Founder and Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong PHOTO FROM FORBES.COM

Q Jollibee’s 1,000th store located in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. bee that no bank dared to touch back in 1978, Jollibee and his cheeky smile today have become synonymous with a truly Filipino success story that is now a source of patriotic pride,� Caktiong said in a statement. “It is estimated that the Jollibee brand is now worth several billion pesos.�

By the end of 1978, Caktiong’s Jollibee brand had already recorded three milestones during its first year of operations.

With seven outlets within Metro Manila, Jollibee was incorporated as a 100 percent Filipino-owned company, posting P2 million worth of sales by year-end, with YumBURGER AS ITS lAGSHIP PRODUCT A year later, in 1979, the popular Jolly Spaghetti was introduced in the menu. A year after, the much-loved Jollibee Chickenjoy was introduced along with the Jolly Fries. Chickenjoy later became one of its best-selling menu items.

In 1987, Jollibee marked its entry to the GLOBAL PLATFORM WITH THE OPENING OF ITS kRST fast-food outlet in Brunei.

Meanwhile, in 1994, Caktiong expanded JFC to the pizza-pasta segment with the acquisition of Greenwich Pizza Corp.—its first acquired food brand in its portfolio.

As the year 2000 entered, Jollibee had grown so much in a span of 22 years: Jollibee stores ringed in a total of 381 stores nationwide, had added Chowking under its portfolio, and had its system-wide sales reach P20 billion.

Following Greenwich and Chowking, Chinese fast-food chain Yonghe King was ACQUIRED IN AS THE kRST FOREIGN BRAND

Red Ribbon Bakeshop was added in the portfolio in 2005, and Mang Inasal was fully acquired by JFC in 2016, among other brands under JFC. Come 2010, Jollibee had already established 700 stores nationwide, with its 700th store opened in Baguio City.

As of 2018, Jollibee stores nationwide had a total of 1,000 branches, with the 1,000th store located at Bonifacio Global City, in Taguig, opened in May. Years prior, Caktiong and Mang Inasal founder Sia ventured in a joint business in the real estate industry, establishing Double Dragon Properties Corp. (DDPC) in 2012.

Formerly, DDPC was known as Injap Land Corp. founded in 2009 by Sia alone.

Envisioned to accumulate 1 million square meters (sq m) of leasable space by 2020, DDPC is the company behind its community mall CityMall, among its other subsidiaries.

Its flagship project, meanwhile, was the construction of the DD Meridian Park, a 4.75-hectare prime office and commercial block located in the Bay Area along Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City.

DDPC sets DD Meridian Park to contribute 280,000 sq m of leasable space to Double Dragon’s portfolio.

Awards and recognition As JFC chairman, Tony Tan Caktiong was recognized for his outstanding leadership and remarkable entrepreneurial skills.

In 1986, eight years since the establishment of Jollibee, Caktiong won the Agora Award for Entrepreneurship, given by the Philippine Marketing Association. The Agora Award is given to outstanding marketers in the country.

He was later named one of the Ten Outstanding Manilans, conferred by the city government of Manila in 1988.

Following his 1988 award, Caktiong was awarded the Triple A Award (AIM Alumni Achievement Award) by the Asian Institute of Management as Outstanding AIM Alumnus in 1990. The award, according to AIM, is conferred to AIM’s outstanding alumni.

In 2002, Caktiong was given the prestigious title “Management Man of the Year� by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).

Two years later, he was named Ernest and Young’s 2004 World Entrepreneur of the Year.

In 2013, JFC Chairman and former CEO Tony Tan Caktiong was named Global Filipino Executive of the Year during the Asia CEO Awards.

His recent award was conferred in 2016

by PLDT SME Nation, where he was named MVP Grand Bossing.

At 66 years old, Tony Tan Caktiong has indeed made a mark in the industry and will continue to do so. “Dreams are free so why limit what you are aspiring for? But dreaming is not enough. One needs to put in enough energy and input,� Caktiong advised.

Sports

TUESDAY C1

JANUARY 29, 2019

www.manilatimes.net

Rockets rally to win vs Magic, Thunder cool off Bucks L Q Houston Rockets’ James Harden (red jersey) AFP PHOTO

OS ANGELES: Chris Paul returned from injury, but it was James Harden’s 40 points that fueled the Houston Rockets’ 103-98 come-from-behind victory over the Orlando Magic in the NBA on Sunday (Monday in Manila).

Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Harden extended his streak of games with at least 30 points to 23. He chipped in 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots— including one in the last 30 seconds to help the Rockets seal the win.

Paul, who missed 17 games with A LEFT HAMSTRING INJURY kNISHED WITH POINTS SIX ASSISTS AND kVE STEALS Houston trailed by as many as 15 in the third quarter, never taking the lead until there WERE LESS THAN kVE MINUTES remaining.

Harden keyed their rally, scoring seven straight Rockets points in the final 2:12 of the contest starting with a basket that put Houston up 95-93. “They kept digging it and digging it and kNALLY WE HELD THEM to 37 in the second half,� Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “That was awesome — t h a t wa s r e a l l y good defense.�

Paul George led the way in Oklahoma City, scored 36 points and pulling down 13 rebounds in the Thunder’s 118-112 victory over the

Q Manny Pacquiao throws a straight right against Adrien Broner during their World Boxing Association welterweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. AP FILE PHOTO

Pacquiao ready to fight anyone – Gibbons WORLD Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight champion -ANNY 0ACQUIAO WILL kGHT ANY of the best welterweight boxers the Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) has to offer including a possible showdown with undefeated WBA super welterweight titleholder Keith Thurman Jr. International matchmaker Sean Gibbons said they will start discussing the next posSIBLE kGHT THIS WEEK 0ACQUIAO is still enjoying the moment after beating Adrien Broner via unanimous decision. “The senator is looking at everyone right now, everybody is on the table. We’re just enjoying the victory week, and then next week we start looking slowly who is possibly out there,� Gibbons told The Manila Times. g4HERE IS A LOT OF GREAT kGHTS to be made, but again the senator is making no decision right now. He is just sitting back and enjoying a little family time watching his son play

basketball in Hong Kong. Next week is the week to look where everything is going.�

Gibbons said it wouldn’t be difficult for the boxing icon to negotiate and look for his next opponent since he is now working with the PBC own by Al Haymon, who promotes 99 percent of the best welterweight and junior welterweight kGHTERS IN THE WORLD g7E kGHT AND WORK WITH !L Haymon. And if the senator DIRECTS THAT HE WANTS TO kGHT Keith Thurman, if he wants TO kGHT $ANNY 'ARCIA OR IF HE WANTS TO kGHT ANY WELTERWEIGHTS in the PBC, we will go to Mr. Al Haymon and work on putting a deal together,� said Gibbons.

Finest welterweight boxers like Thurman, Errol Spence, Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia, among others, are under the banner of Haymon’s PBC. Only World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Terence

Crawford is under the Top Rank Promotion of Bob Arum. “We made the Adrien Broner in just about 10 minutes, so we’ll make the next one nine minutes. There is nothing difkCULT WHEN YOU WORK WITH !L Haymon. It is smooth sailing in life. He is the best guy you can work in the business.�

Just a few hours after his dominating majority decision win over Josesito Lopez on Sunday in Brooklyn, Thurman said he is READY TO kGHT THE EIGHT DIVISION world champion Pacquiao next.

And Gibbons understands WHY ALL kGHTERS WANT A PIECE OF the 40-year-old Pacquiao. “They all want to hit the lottery, and they all want to kGHT 3ENATOR -ANNY 0ACQUIAO because they know that it is the biggest payday they could achieve,â€? Gibbons added. “EvERYONE WANTS TO kGHT THE BEST kGHTER AND THE BEST kGHTER IN the world is Senator Manny Pacquiao.â€? JOSEF T. RAMOSÂ

league-leading Milwaukee Bucks.

Russell Westbrook notched his 16th triple-double of the season with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, and the Thunder put the brakes on Milwaukee’s Most Valuable Player candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo to post A kFTH STRAIGHT WIN Oklahoma City led by as many as 19 points in the third quarter.

Milwaukee closed to within three with 1:09 left in the game, but George answered Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe’s three-pointer with his own from beyond the arc to push the Thunder’s lead back to 113-107 and contributed two of the free throws that Oklahoma City used to seal the game. !NTETOKOUNMPO kNISHED WITH 27 points and 18 rebounds and

Khris Middleton added 22 points for the Bucks, who saw their sixgame winning streak end.

In Dallas, Toronto star Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and the Raptors withstood a triple-double from Dallas rookie Luka Doncic in a 123-120 victory over the Mavericks.

Pascal Siakam converted a three-point play with 3:56 remaining to break a 108-108 tie as the Raptors erased a seven-point FOURTH QUARTER DEkCIT Danny Green stretched Toronto’s lead to 116-112 with 1:34 to play, and after Dallas’ Harrison Barnes missed a pair of free throws Leonard scored on a driving layup.

Elsewhere, the NBA-worst Cleveland Cavaliers snapped a six-game skid with a 104-101 victory over the Chicago Bulls. AFP

Lady Altas, Blazers dispute last NCAA finals berth UNIVERSITY of Perpetual Help System DALTA and College of St. Benilde (CSB) dispute the last finals spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 94 women’s volleyball tournament today at the FilOil Flying V Center in San Juan City. The Lady Altas and the Lady Blazers head into the 4 p.m. all-out battle for the right to face the three-peat seeking Arellano University. Back-to-back champion Arellano quickly disposed of San Beda University, 25-18, 25-21, 25-23, to seize the first finals berth.   Fourth seed Perpetual Help erased the twice-tobeat advantage of top seed St. Benilde with a 25-23, 25-21, 20-25, 25-23 victory last week, forcing a do-or-die Final Four match. Head coach Macky CariĂąo, who jump-shipped from CSB to Perpetual, will lean on Cindy Imbo, Jenny Gaviola and Jhona Rosal. Spitfire spiker Imbo spearheaded the Las PiĂąasbased squad in the semifinal opener with 19 points anchored on 16 hits and three service aces while Gaviola and Rosal provided enough support with 15 and 11 markers, respectively. The Lady Altas are eyeing a return to the finals since snaring a third straight crown back in 2014. But the Lady Blazers are also raring to get back to the championship round after three years. CSB, then under CariĂąo, overcame the thrice-tobeat San Sebastian College-Recoletos to claim its first and only women’s volleyball crown in 2016. Veteran outside hitter Rachel Anne Austero, Klarisa Abriam and Maritess Pablo are expected to lead the charge for the Jerry Yee-mentored volleybelles. Austero had 18 points laced with six blocks for the squad from Taft even as Abriam had 15 markers and Pablo had 12 in the previous game. In the men’s division, twice-to-beat St. Benilde will try to quickly finish off Emilio Aguinaldo College in their 2 p.m. semifinal tiff to arrange a finals date with defending champion Perpetual Help. The Altas gained an outright spot to the titular series after sweeping the nine-game elimination round. JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA Â

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Sports

The Manila Times

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

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Q Masville Elementary SchoolParaĂąaque standout Marc Bryan Dula (left) displays his impressive form during the 100m freestyle event. The Most Outstanding Swimmer awardees in the Philippine Swimming League National Series held at the Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite (inset).

LUISTRO, MOJDEH COLLEC T GOLD MEDALS

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

Dula, Evangelista banner PSL Vermosa MOS winners R

ECORD-breakers Marc Bryan Dula and Aishel Cid Evangelista spearheaded the list of the Most Outstanding Swimmer awardees in the 152nd Philippine Swimming League (PSL) National Series– ABC Swim Challenge held at the state-ofthe-art Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus, Cavite.

The Masville Elementary School standout Dula (boys’ 11-year) and the Betta Caloocan Swimming Team tanker Evangelista (boys’ 8-year) both clinched kVE GOLD MEDALS TO CLAIM THE TOP HONORS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE DIVISIONS !LSO MADE IMPACTS IN THEIR EVENTS WERE 4RUMP #HRISTIAN ,UISTRO OF (OPE #HRISTIAN 3CHOOL ,EGAZPI BOYS YEAR "EHROUZ -OJDEH OF 3USAN 0APA 3WIM !CADEMY BOYS YEAR AND ,EE

'RANT #ABRAL OF $ILIMAN 0REPARATORY 3CHOOL BOYS YEAR 0ALARONG 0AMBANSA MOST BEMEDALLED ATHLETE -ICAELA *ASMINE -OJDEH OF )MMACULATE (EART OF -ARY #OLLEGE 0ARANAQUE ON THE OTHER HAND BANNERED THE -/3 AWARDEES IN THE GIRLS DIVISION -OJDEH SHONE THE BRIGHTEST IN THE COMPETITION AS SHE BROKE THE 0HILIPPINE NATIONAL JUNIOR RECORD IN THE M BUTTERlY VIA AN IMPRESSIVE SHOWING OF

3HE TOPPED THE YEAR AGE BAND IN THE TOURNAMENT SUPPORTED BY The Manila Times, "EHROUZ 0ERSIAN #UISINE *AS 9UMMY 3TEAKZ -8 492 AND 6ERMOSA 6ETERAN INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGNER *ULIA "ASA OF 3USAN 0APA 3WIM !CADEMY (girls’ 11-year) as well as Genelle MacasPAC OF 1UEZON +ILLERWHALES GIRLS YEAR AND +URILE (ECHANOVA OF "ULAAN Great Whiteshark (girls’ 6-under) also EARNED THEIR -/3 TROPHIES

4HE OTHER -/3 WINNERS WERE *OAQUIN 0ENA BOYS UNDER +ADEN 3Y BOYS YEAR 9OHAN #ABANDA BOYS YEAR

2AVEN (ENRY BOYS YEAR *ULES -IRANdilla (boys’ 15-over), Clara Maligat and *ERMHAYNNE !NDRES GIRLS YEAR -AJA 3AMOSA GIRLS YEAR 3YDNEY (ENRY GIRLS YEAR !NGELA "ABIERA GIRLS YEAR 2IGEL (ECHANOVA GIRLS YEAR AND "ERNICE -AGTIBAY GIRLS OVER g)T S BEEN A GREAT COMPETITION AND WE RE HAPPY TO SEE A LOT OF NEW TALENTED SWIMMERS 7E LL BE BACK HERE IN -ARCH TO MONITOR THEIR PROGRESS /UR FOCUS RIGHT NOW IS TO IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP YOUNG SWIMMERS FOR FUTURE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS u SAID 03, 0RESIDENT 3USAN 0APA 7INNING GOLD MEDALS ON THE kNAL DAY WERE 0AULA #ARMELA #USING

Albert Semonia 2nd, Master Janda, )VAN 2ADOVAN !NTONIO !QUINO

!IDEPPE $E ,UNA 9OHAN #ABANA AND *AMES 0ETER (UTCHINGS

Top Indon shuttler to see RAMOS action in Prima tourney SIZZLES AS ALAB ROUTS HK EASTERN

ANGGY SEPDIANTO will compete in the men’s open doubles of the 12th  Prima Pasta Badminton Championships set February 22 until March 3 at the Powersmash badminton courts in Chino Roces, Makati City.

Sepdianto, a former member of Indonesian junior team who is based here in Manila since 2010, will be conniving with Filipino partner Hanz Bernardo. The Indonesian player has been known for his competitive nature winning different local and international badminton tournaments in the past. “I’m excited to compete and play

against the best players in the Prima tourney. I love competing against the best,� said Sepdianto, who won the men’s doubles title of Apacs International Tournament along with Hanz Bernardo last December 18 at the Zone badminton courts in Makati City.

He is also expected to join this year’s FDG Cup and the Bingo Bonanza Philippine Open.

Known for his speed, great skills and tricks in both singles and doubles categories, Sepdianto, 29, is very familiar to the Southeast Asian badminton community especially to the Philippines, fellow Indonesian and Malaysian national teams as a

pro badminton player.

Besides the Apacs tournament, Sepdianto also won last year’s TUD Philippine Badminton Open men’s doubles title alongside Jerickson Oba-ob last October.

He was also a bronze medalist in the men’s doubles of 2016 Bingo Bonanza and the 2013 FDG Cup Open.

Sepdianto had been successful playing in the men’s singles competitions in the past, being a silver medalist in the JPGG Indonesia International Challenge U-17 class in 2006 and being a bronze medalist in 2007 Singapore Open’s U-19 men’s singles event.

PJ RAMOS exploded anew as San Miguel Alab Pilipinas posted a repeat win over Hong Kong Eastern Basketball Club, 88-76, to stay unscathed at home in Season 9 Asean Basketball League (ABL) on Sunday night at the Sta. Rosa Sports Complex in Laguna. The 7-foot-4 center Ramos outdueled fellow giant Sam Deguara again, coming through with a monstrous double-double of 18 points and 19 rebounds to keep the reigning champion unbeaten in nine home games. It was the second victory of Alab Pilipinas over Hong Kong Eastern, with the first one an 87-75 win two weeks ago when Ramos also had a big game. The Filipino ball club extended its lead in the 10-team standings with its 10th win against two defeats. Renaldo Balkman topscored with 20 points to go with 14 rebounds and seven assists while local standouts Josh Urbiztondo, Lawrence Domingo and Ethan Alvano filled the void left by two-time Local MVP Ray Parks Jr., who was out due to groin injury for the second straight outing. Urbiztondo fired a season-best 16 points on top of four steals, three boards and three dimes, Domingo drilled in 10 markers and seven rebounds even as Alvano also tallied 10 points. With Ramos at the helm, Alab zoomed to a 17-4 run to pull away from a close contest and post a commanding 62-45 lead in the third quarter. Th e h o s t s’ a d va nt a g e b a l l o o n e d to a s h i g h a s 2 0 p o i nt s, 7 5 - 5 5 , e a r l y i n t h e f i n a l f ra m e a s t h e y we nt o n to s e a l a n o t h e r h o m e w i n . American imports Marcus Elliott had 21 points and O’Darien Bassett had 14 markers for Hong Kong Eastern. The 7-foot-6 Deguara was limited to seven points and 12 rebounds. The Long Lions dropped to No. 6 with their eighth loss against nine wins.

Q Alab Pilipinas import Renaldo Balkman powers through two Formosa Dreamers JEREMIAH M. SEVILLAÂ defenders during an Asean Basketball League Season 9 game. ABL PHOTO

San Beda sets modest goal in D-League (%!$ COACH "OYET &ERNANDEZ IS TEMPERING EXPECTATIONS ON HIS .ATIONAL #OLLEGIATE !THLETIC !SSOCIATION .#!!

THREE PEAT CHAMPION TEAM 3AN "EDA 5NIVERSITY WHEN THEY COMPETE IN THE STACKED 0HILIPPINE "ASKETBALL !SSOCIATION $EVELOPMENTAL ,EAGUE 0"! $ ,EAGUE San Beda, then backed by Cignal, RULED THE 0"! $ ,EAGUE !SPIRANTS #UP BY BEATING THE 2ACAL 4ILE -ASTERS BEHIND GUARD 2OBERT "OLICK AND FORWARD *AVEE -OCON BEFORE OPTING TO SKIP LAST YEAR "UT NOW THAT HE S LEFT WITH THE YOUNG 2ED ,IONS FOLLOWING THE DEPARTURE OF "OLICK AND -OCON WHO BOTH JUMPED TO THE 0"!

THE SEVEN TIME $ ,EAGUE CHAMPION MENTOR &ERNANDEZ IS NOT ASSURING ANOTHER TITLE FOR THE HOPEFULS IN -ENDIOLA g)T WILL BE AN ACHIEVEMENT FOR US IF WE MAKE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS "UT FOR NOW

WE JUST HAVE MILD EXPECTATIONS u SAID

&ERNANDEZ AFTER 3AN "EDA LOST TO ITS 5NIVERSITY !THLETIC !SSOCIATION OF THE 0HILIPPINES COUNTERPART !TENEO $E -ANILA 5NIVERSITY IN THE DECIDER OF THEIR 0HILIPPINE #OLLEGIATE #HAMPIONS ,EAGUE SEMIkNAL FACEOFF LAST 3ATURDAY 7ITH THE GRADUATION OF "OLICK -OCON AND THREE OTHER KEY PLAYERS IN *OE 0RESBITERO 2ADGE 4ONGCO AND *ERAMER #ABANAG &ERNANDEZ WAS LEFT A YOUNG CORE COMPOSED OF !# 3OBERANO &RANZ !BUDA #LINT $OLIGUEZ *AMES +WEKUTEYE AND %VAN .ELLE &OR &ERNANDEZ THE DEVELOPMENTAL LEAGUE IS A kNE kELD FOR PREPARATION AS HIS 2ED ,IONS SEEK TO KEEP THEIR WINNING TRADITION IN THE NEXT .#!! SEASON g!S WHAT ) VE ALWAYS BEEN SAYING

THE $ ,EAGUE IS OUR PREPARATION FOR THE .#!! ) SAW .#!! TEAMS THAT IMPROVED A LOT LAST YEAR AFTER PLAYING IN THE $ ,EAGUE u SAID THE YEAR OLD TACTICIAN

g4HIS WILL BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ENHANCE OUR TALENT AND PREPARE OURSELVES FOR THE .#!! 7E RE REALLY A YOUNG TEAM u HE ADDED )N ITS $ ,EAGUE RETURN 3AN "EDA WILL TAKE ON A MIX OF COLLEGIATE AND AMATEUR HEAVYWEIGHTS AS A RECORD OF TEAMS JOINED THIS YEAR 4HE ,IONS WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO FACE Ateneo anew along with other college CHAMPS IN #ENTRO %SCOLAR 5NIVERSITY 3T Clare College and Diliman College and TRADITIONAL POWERHOUSES IN &AR %ASTERN 5NIVERSITY #OLEGIO DE 3AN *UAN DE ,ETRAN AND 3AN 3EBASTIAN #OLLEGE 3AN "EDA WILL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORtunity to take on last season’s back-toBACK RUNNER UP #HŸLU "AR 'RILL AND another amateur standout Marinerong 0ILIPINO IN THIS YEAR S $ ,EAGUE THAT WILL kRE OFF ON &EBRUARY

JEREMIAH M. SEVILLAÂ

The Manila Times

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

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Rose holds off Scott to win Farmers Insurance Open L

OS ANGELES: World No. 1 Justin Rose added to his impressive hardware collection on Sunday (Monday in Manila), shooting a three-under par 69 to win the Farmers Insurance Open by two strokes.

England’s Rose captured his 10th US PGA Tour title as he held off a hard-charging Adam Scott down the stretch and secured the victory with a 21-under par total of 267.

Australia’s Scott closed with four straight birdies in his four-under par 68 on the Torrey Pines South Course in La Jolla, California. “I haven’t won in January since about 2002, so this feels great,� said the 2013 US Open c h a m pion Rose.

The 38-year-old Rose, leading by three to start the day, got off to a rough and tumble start with THREE BOGEYS IN HIS kRST kVE HOLES BUT GOT BACK ON TRACK WITH A BIRDIE ON THE PAR FOUR SEVENTH (E MADE BACK TO BACK BIRDIES AROUND THE turn and then held on for the win with his sixth AND kNAL BIRDIE OF THE DAY ON Rose, who surpassed $50 million in PGA Tour earnings, said he is relieved to see that

changes he made in his equipment and his game are paying off.

4HIS IS 2OSE S kRST WIN SINCE THE 4URKISH !IRLINES Open on the European Tour in November. He CAME INTO THE EVENT AFTER kNISHING IN A TIE FOR 34th at the Desert Classic in La Quinta, California.

He also won with new caddie Gareth Lord on his bag for just the second time. Rose’s regular cadDIE -ARK &ULCHER IS RECOVERING FROM HEART SURGERY *APAN S (IDEKI -ATSUYAMA TIED FOR THIRD WITH 4ALOR 'OOCH AT UNDER AFTER kRING A kVE under 67. American Gooch shot a 68. &IRST ROUND LEADER *ON 2AHM FOUR TIME MAJOR winner Rory McIlroy and defending champ *ASON $AY kNISHED IN A THREE WAY TIE FOR kFTH

SEVEN STROKES BACK OF 2OSE $AY SHOT -C)LROY had 69, while Rahm closed with a 72.

McIlroy surged into contention with three birdies in four holes on the front nine but failed

TO KEEP PACE ON THE BACK Tiger Woods made his 2019 debut and his tournament was almost a mirror image of how he performed last year—when the TOURNAMENT MARKED HIS RETURN TO THE TOUR IN THE WAKE OF SPINAL FUsion surgery.

Woods narrowly made the CUT BUT SURGED ON THE kNAL DAY WITH kVE BIRDIES IN HIS kNAL EIGHT holes to get into the top 20.

Woods shot a five-under 67, INCLUDING A ON HIS BACK NINE TO kNISH IN TIE FOR TH WITH FOUR OTHERS at 10-under 278. He tied for 23rd last year.

Woods said things are different this year AS HE HAS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HIS kTNESS and focus.

AFP

Sports

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Q Justin Rose of England plays a shot from a bunker on the ninth hole on the South Course during the final round of the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California. AFP PHOTO

DECHAMBEAU WINS BY SEVEN SHOTS TO SET RECORDS IN DUBAI DUBAI: Bryson DeChambeau showed imperious form as he secured his first title outside American soil, winning the $3.25 million Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday (Monday in Manila) by a record seven shots. “I’ve always dreamed of winning any Tour event, and to have this many under my belt, I don’t even know what I have right now,� DeChambeau said after his fourth win in his last nine starts. “Being able to win internationally is something that I’ve always wanted to do after winning so many times in the States.�

The highest-ranked player in the field at No. 5 in the world, DeChambeau pulled away from the chasing pack with three birdies in his first three holes and increased his lead to six with an eagle on the 10th and a birdie on the 11th.

After making his only bogey of the day on the difficult par-4 12th, he added further birdies on the 13th, 14th and 17th to finish on eight-under par 64 for the day and 24-under for the four rounds, also the lowest in the history of the tournament. “Especially under the gun with the heat of some good players coming up and playing well from behind me, I knew

I needed to step on the pedal and that’s what I did today,� DeChambeau said.

The previous biggest margin of victory was six by Ernie Els over Greg Norman in 1994. The old record for lowest tournament aggregate was set last year by Li Haotong (23-under par).

Despite rounds of 66, 66 and 68 on the first three days, DeChambeau kept insisting that he did not have his ‘A’ game. But he was delighted with his final round effort. “Today, I was happy with my game,� he said. “I executed a lot of great shots.

The first three days, I struggled with my game. Even though I played well

and shot good numbers, I knew it wasn’t up to my caliber, and today was a good representation of what I can do.�

England’s Matt Wallace (68), the most successful player on the European Tour last season with three wins, made a stunning birdie after spraying his tee shot wide right into the waste area on the 18th, to break out of a logjam on 16-under par and finish solo second at 17-under par 271.

He is ranked 45th in the world and is expected to break the top 40 when the new rankings come out on Monday. AFP

Wild start up in windy LPGT Splendido THE local aces will be hard-pressed to sustain the charge set up by Dottie Ardina’s convincing win at Beverly Place LAST WEEK AS THEY SLUG IT OUT WITH THE Thai and Korean bets in today’s start of the ICTSI Splendido Ladies Classic in Laurel, Batangas.

Princess Superal hopes to carry the cudgels for the hosts as Ardina and last WEEK S RUNNER UP 0AULINE DEL 2OSARIO TRY THEIR LUCK IN THE 7OMEN S 7ORLD Championship Qualifying in Singapore with Cyna Rodriguez and ChiHIRO )KEDA TIPPED TO BACK THE REIGNING Ladies Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit champion in the 54-hole championship serving as the fourth leg of the 2018-19 LPGT season.

But the Thais are all primed up to re-assert their might with forMER LEG WINNER 3UPAKCHAYA 0ATTARANAKRUEANG BACK IN THE HUNT for a second LPGT crown after nipping Rodriguez in a three-hole

Q Novak Djokovic AFP PHOTO

playoff at Luisita last year and the LIKES 0UNPAKA 0HUNTUMABAMRUNG

Chonlada Chayanun and Ornnicha Konsunthea raring to rebound FROM THEIR SETBACK AT "EVERLY 0LACE &OCUS WILL ALSO BE ON (WANG -IN Jeong who also romped off with the 0HILIPPINE !MATEUR 3TROKE 0LAY CROWN LAST YEAR SEEKING NO LESS THAN A VICTORY IN HER kRST ,0'4 CRACK AS A PRO But more than the elite field’s inDIVIDUAL SKILLS THEIR MENTAL TOUGHness will be put to severe test right from tee-off with the wind expected to come into play in most holes of the rolling, hazard laden layout as it did during practice.

Meanwhile, Lee Jeong Hwa of Korea IS LIKEWISE EAGER TO REBOUND FROM HER MISSED CUT STINT LAST WEEK WHILE COMpatriot Lee Ji Hyeon tries to atone for HER TH PLACE kNISH IN HER PRO DEBUT AFTER TOPPING THE "AGUIO KICKOFF LEG OF the seventh season of the circuit put up

by ICTSI last October.

Others tipped to f i g u r e in the title race are Daniella Uy, Marvi Monsalve and Alex Etter along with Thais Saraporn Chamchoi, -OOKHARIN ,ADGRATOK

Aunchisa Utama, Numa Gulyanamitta, Tanaporn (IRANRAK #RISTAWAN 2UNgruang and former LPGT leg winner Wannasiri SiriSAMPANT IN THE EVENT BACKED by # U S T O M # L U B M A K E R S

Meralco, K&G Golf Apparel, BDO, Sharp, KZG, PLDT, Empire 'OLF AND 3PORTS AND - 9 3HOKAI Technology, Inc. Q Princess Superal braces for a tough challenge from the Thais and Koreans.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Jeson, Christine bag PPS Actifit crowns TOP seed Jeson Patrombon overwhelmed unseeded Joseph Victorino with his power game, scoring a

ROMP WHILE UNRANKED #HRISTINE 0ATRIMONIO trounced younger sister Clarice via the same scoreline TO CLINCH THE SINGLES CROWNS IN THE 003 0%00 !CTIkT Open Tennis Championship in Valenzuela City.

0ATROMBON lASHED TOP FORM AND SUPERB CONDITION

scoring heavily on long rallies to fashion out the vicTORY AND CAP HIS IMPRESSIVE WEEK LONG PERFORMANCE that saw the Davis Cupper veteran from Iligan City ACE DROP JUST GAMES AGAINST kVE RIVALS g4HIS IS A GOOD WIN TO START THE YEAR AND ) THANK Palawan Pawnshop for putting up these Open tournaments,� said Patrombon, who eased out Philipe Coteron (6-0, 6-0), Raymund Diaz (6-0,

*OSEPH !RCILLA AND &RITZ 6ERDAD 3,6-1) on his way to the championship. #HRISTINE ON THE OTHER HAND BANKED ON HER BASELINE GAME TO OUTLAST #LARICE AND COMPLETE A SURGE SPARKED

BY HER SHUTOUT WIN OVER &RANCHEZKA -ALAKI BEFORE TOPpling third seed Rachel Velez, 6-0, 6-2, and stopping top JUNIOR !LEXA -ILLIAM

IN THE SEMIkNALS OF THE event put up by Palawan Pawnshop-Palawan Express Pera Padala headed by president/CEO Bobby Castro. g-Y GAME PLAN WAS TO REALLY MAKE IT TOUGH for her on baseline rallies while pouncing on her unforced errors,� said Christine, who held serve all throughout her 1:35-minute victory in the tournament presented by Dunlop and coorganized by John Mari Altiche.

Sharing the spotlight are Legends division winners Expedito Lim and Dennis Sta. Cruz, who clinched the 40s and 50s titles, after organizers forfeited Alvin Lim and Rex Gabuat’s victories in both categories. Elmer Arcega and Tony Buella copped THE S DIADEM IN THE EVENT BACKED BY ,IQUID 'OLD Wine & Spirits, Ayala Amity Centennial Lions Club, 3KIN 2EJUVE AND #ALLE #AFŸ Meanwhile, a six-leg PPS-PEPP Mindanao swing KICKS OFF ON 4HURSDAY *AN WITH THE 'EN 3ANTOS City leg with Sultan Kudarat hosting the next stop ON &EB FOLLOWED BY +ABACAN ON &EB

+IDAPAWAN #ITY ON &EB $IGOS #ITY ON &EB 28-March 4 and Tagum City on March 7-11.

Djokovic motivated by matching Federer’s top 20 MELBOURNE: .OVAK $JOKOVIC HAS DESIGNS ON 2OGER sport that I truly love is something special. Of &EDERER S 'RAND 3LAM CROWNS AFTER COMPLETING A RECORD BREAKING !USTRALIAN /PEN VICTORY $JOKOVIC WON A RECORD SEVENTH -ELbourne crown, 15th Grand Slam title and third in a row after Wimbledon and the US Open when he swatted aside Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in a two-hour exhibition of tennis perfection on Sunday.

The Serbian world number one said he was motivated to “have a shot�

AT &EDERER S RECORD BUT CONCEDED THAT IT WAS “still far� away. g) AM AWARE THAT MAKING HISTORY OF THE

course, it motivates me,� he told reporters after celebrating the demolition of his greatest rival in their 53rd meeting. “Playing Grand Slams, biggest ATP events, is MY UTMOST PRIORITY u $JOKOVIC ADDED It was the manner of victory that had many, INCLUDING $JOKOVIC BELIEVING HE CAN GO ON TO MATCH OR POSSIBLY OVERTAKE &EDERER !T YEARS OLD SIX YEARS YOUNGER THAN &EDERER

he has time on his side. “I do want to definitely focus myself on continuing to improve my game and maintaining the overall well-being that I have—mental, physical, emotional—so I would be able to compete at such a high level for the years to

come, and have a shot at eventually getting CLOSER TO 2OGER S RECORD u $JOKOVIC SAID “It’s still far.� $JOKOVIC HAS ALREADY RIPPED ONE RECORD FROM &EDERER S GRASP‡LIFTING THE .ORMAN "ROOKES trophy for a seventh time put him clear of the Swiss maestro and Roy Emerson, who both won six Australian Open men’s singles titles.

4HE 3ERB S VICTORY WAS SIMPLY MAGNIkCENT as he embarrassed Nadal in 124 minutes of spellbinding dominance.

The Spaniard had not dropped his remodELED SERVE SINCE THE kRST ROUND AT -ELBOURNE 0ARK DAYS EARLIER "UT SO DOMINANT WAS $JOKOVIC THAT HE BROKE the world number two not once, but twice in each of the three sets, lost only 13 points on his own serve while delivering eight aces and committed just nine unforced errors.

The numbers were scarcely believable considering the duo had battled for almost six hours in THEIR PREVIOUS !USTRALIAN /PEN kNAL IN THE LONGEST kNAL IN 'RAND 3LAM HISTORY AFP

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TUESDAY January 29, 2019

Football

The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Ronaldo late winner pulls Juventus 11 points clear in Serie A M ILAN: Cristiano Ronaldo converted a penalty to seal a hard-fought 2-1 win for Juventus against Lazio in Rome on Sunday (Monday in Manila) to pull 11 points clear in Serie A.

Juventus had trailed after an Emre Can own-goal after an hour before substitute Joao Cancelo pulled the champions level and then earned the penalty, which Ronaldo slotted in with two minutes to go.

An eighth straight Serie A title beckons for Massimiliano Allegri’s side who soar clear of second-placed Napoli who were held to a goalless draw at AC Milan on Saturday.

Inter Milan are 19 points behind the leaders after losing 1-0 at Torino earlier on Sunday.

Lazio drop to eighth place -- three points off the Champions League spots -- after their second defeat in a row after losing to Napoli by the same score last weekend. “It must have been the kitman’s fault, giving us ten shirts of different colours because we couldn’t pass the ball to each other,� said Allegri. “For sixty minutes it was the worst Juventus of the year,� continued captain Giorgio Chiellini.

The champions had struggled for THE kRST HOUR IN THE 3TADIO /LIMPICO

Q Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha (left) and Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo go for the ball during the Italian Serie A football match at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. AFP PHOTO

as Lazio piled on the pressure.

Daniele Rugani pulled off a goalline clearance, after Joaquin Correa dribbled past Can and Leonardo Bonucci, with Szczesny denying Luis Alberto and Marco Parolo.

German midfielder Can’s woes were compounded just before the hour mark when he ducked down AND INSTEAD DElECTED THE BALL INTO his own net off a corner.

But Allegri’s side could count on the depth of their bench with second half substitutes Cancelo and Federico

Bernardeschi proving pivotal.

A solo run by Bernardeschi down the left set up the equalizer which Cancelo kRED IN OFF A REBOUND AFTER ,AZIO GOALkeeper Thomas Strakosha had initially cleared a Paulo Dybala shot.

Ronaldo—whose penalty was saved last WEEK AGAINST #HIEVO kNISHED OFF TO SCORE in his eighth consecutive away match to bring his league tally to 15 goals.

Inter Milan fell at Torino with defender Armando Izzo scoring the only goal, as Roma threw away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 against Atalanta. AFP

Spurs stunned by Palace, Chelsea eases past Sheffield LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur suffered its second defeat in English knockout football in a matter of days as they lost 2-0 to Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday (Monday in Manila).

Connor Wickham gave the unfancied Eagles, 29 points adrift of Spurs in the Premier League, a ninth-minute lead before a penalty by former Tottenham winger Andros Townsend made it 2-0.

Spurs’ Kieran Trippier missed with a penalty before half-time as Tottenham suffered more spot-kick woe following Thursday’s shoot-out defeat

by Chelsea, another of their London rivals, in a League Cup semi-final.

FA Cup-holders Chelsea had no such problems later on Sunday as they marked Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain’s club debut with a 3-0 win at home to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.

Willian scored twice either side of a goal from highly-rated English teenager Callum Hudson-Odoi, linked with a transfer window move to German giants Bayern Munich.

There was no goal for Higuain, signed on loan until the end of the

season from Juventus on Wednesday.

But Gianfranco Zola, Chelsea’s assistant manager and himself a former Blues striker, told the BBC: “We are pleased with Gonzalo Higuain’s performance, he was trying to find the space and get on the ball.

Earlier, Tottenham’s reverse left Mauricio Pochettino still searching for his first trophy as their manager since the Argentinian joined from Southampton in 2014, with Spurs’ last piece of silverware the 2008 League Cup. Spurs were without injured England stars Harry Kane and Dele Alli, while the in-form Son Heung-Min had still to return from international duty with South Korea at the Asia Cup. Pochettino, however, decided to omit Christian Eriksen, with the influential playmaker not even among Spurs’ substitutes at Selhurst Park.

For all they are third in the Premier League, Spurs are nine points adrift of leaders Liverpool.

The Champions League is now Tottenham’s only realistic hope of a trophy this season, with Pochettino’s men playing Borussia Dortmund in the last 16.

AFP

Wanted: Coach for China’s football team

Q Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale (red jersey) kicks the ball past Espanyol defender Lluis Lopez to score a goal during the Spanish league football match at the RCDE Stadium in Cornella de Llobregat. AFP PHOTO

Bale back with a bang as 10-man Madrid beats Espanyol GIRONA, Spain: Gareth Bale needed just two minutes to mark his return from injury with a goal as 10-man Real Madrid held on for a 4-2 victory over Espanyol on Sunday (Monday in Manila).

Bale had been out since January 3 with a calf strain but made an instant impact off the bench at the RCDE Stadium, where Karim Benzema continued his own rich vein of form by scoring twice.

Sergio Ramos was also on target with a brilliant header before Leo Baptistao kept Espanyol in sight. Bale and Benzema seemed to have wrapped things up but Raphael

Varane was sent off with 18 minutes left and substitute Roberto Rosales DROVE IN TO SET UP A NERVY kNISH Madrid, however, survived for THEIR kFTH WIN IN SIXTH MATCHES EVEN if it was only enough to restore the 10-point difference behind Barcelona, who had earlier seen off Girona 2-0, with Lionel Messi scoring a sublime chip.

"ARCA kVE POINTS AHEAD OF !TLETICO Madrid, keep winning but Real are gaining momentum, with the resumption of the Champions League just around the corner.

Bale’s return will be particularly

welcome for coach Santiago Solari.

Benzema now has 15 goals this season and his first was a simple finish in the third minute, as he pounced on a rebound from Luka Modric’s shot.

Ramos is their second top scorer with 10, his excellent header looping into the far corner, before Baptistao gave Espanyol a lifeline with an emphatic shot from the edge of the area.

But Benzema added a third on the stroke of half time and when Bale, after replacing Vinicius Junior, made it four, it looked like the game was up.

Instead, Varane was sent off for

bringing down Pablo Piatti as the last man and Rosales set Madrid’s nerves jangling by chesting and volleying past Thibaut Courtois with nine minutes left.

"ENZEMA S SURGE AND "ALE S kTNESS

could yet prove key to their second half of the season, particularly in Europe, in La Liga it is Messi, and Barca who lead the way.

Messi’s brilliant chip, his ninth goal in as many games, came after Nelson Semedo had given them an early lead, before Bernardo Espinosa’s red card consigned Girona to 39 minutes with 10 men. AFP

SHANGHAI: China are looking for a new coach after Italian World Cup winner Marcello Lippi left following the team’s meek quarter-final exit from the Asian Cup. The veteran leaves China ranked 76th in the FIFA rankings, level with Belarus and a spot below Uganda.

Lippi’s side was guilty of some calamitous defending in a 3-0 defeat to Iran in Abu Dhabi, after which the 70-year-old confirmed that he would not extend his contract.

As the Chinese Football Association (CFA) goes in search of Lippi’s successor, AFP identifies five major challenges that the new coach will have to confront.

The new man will take the job with pressure coming from the very top.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is a known football fan and has pledged to make the country a major force in the sport.

The government is throwing resources at developing grassroots and youth football, but any payoff is likely to be years down the line.

It is hard to overstate how fed up Chinese fans are with their football team, which has long been lambasted as a national embarrassment.

Successive 0-0 draws late last year, against Bahrain and then home to India, saw hysterical calls for the team to be disbanded. The defeat to Iran was greeted with more measured tones, underlining how low expectations have fallen.

Fans are similarly unimpressed by the CFA, a deeply traditional organization that the new coach will have to find a way to work with.

That will be especially challenging if the coach is again foreign, and thus unlikely to be skilled in the art of negotiating Chinese bureaucracy or company culture. Public shows of dissent will not be welcome.

CFA edicts in recent times included packing players off to military training camps and ordering their tattoos to be covered up.

The average age of China’s starting XI against Iran was 29 and theirs was among the oldest squads at the Asian Cup. Zheng Zhi, at 38, was captain and still a first choice in midfield.

Some fans accused Lippi of not putting enough faith in younger players.

Others countered that the Italian lacked quality talent to call upon.

AFP

TTUESDAY U E S DAY JANUARY 29, 2019

Entertainment

D1

www.manilatimes.net

‘Black Panther’ is big winner at SAG Awards NEW YORK: “Black Panther” took the top award at Sunday’s 25th Screen Actors Guild Awards, giving Ryan Coogler’s superhero sensation its most significant awards-season honor yet and potentially setting up Wakanda for a major role at next month’s Academy Awards.

The two leading Oscar nominees — “Roma” and “The Favourite” — were bypassed by the actors guild for a best ensemble field that also included “BlacKkKlansman,” ‘’Crazy Rich Asians,” ‘’Bohemian Rhapsody” and “A Star Is Born.”

Although Black Panther wasn’t nominated for any individual SAG Awards, it took home the final award at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Before a stage full of actors, Chadwick Boseman tried to put into context the moment for the trailblazing Black Panther, which also won for its stunt performer ensemble. “To be young, gifted and black,” he said, quoting the Nina Simone song.

“We know what it’s like to be told there isn’t a screen for you to be featured on, a stage for you to be featured on. ... We know what’s like to be beneath and not above.

And that is what we went to work with every day,” said Boseman.

“We knew that we could create a world that exemplified a world we wanted to see. We knew that we had something to give.”

The win puts Black Panther squarely in contention for best picture at the Academy Awards where it’s nominated for seven honors including best picture.

Actors make up the largest percentage of the academy, so their preferences can have an especially large impact on the Oscar race.

In the last decade the SAG ensemble winner has gone on to win best picture at the Academy Awards half of the time.

In the lead acting categories, Glenn Close (“Close”) and Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) solidified themselves as frontrunners with wins that followed their triumphs at the Golden Globes. The 71-year-old Close, a seven-time nominee but never an Oscar winner, won best actress for her performance in “The Wife.” In her speech, she spoke about the power of film in a multiscreen world.

More surprising was Emily Blunt’s best supporting actress win for her performance in the horror thriller “A Quiet Place.” Blunt, also nominated by the guild for her lead performance in “Mary Poppins Returns,” was visibly shocked. She wasn’t among Tuesday’s Oscar nominees for either film.

Best supporting actor in a film went more as expected. Mahershala Ali, who won two years ago for “Moonlight,” won for his performance in Peter Farrelly’s interracial road trip “Green Book.”

The Amazon series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” won the first three awards handed out Sunday, sweeping the comedy series awards. It won best ensemble in a comedy series, as well as individual honors for Rachel Brosnahan and Tony Shalhoub.

Tom Hanks presented the lifetime achievement award to Alan Alda, who in July revealed that he had been living with Parkinson’s disease for more than three years. The 83-year-old actor took the stage to a standing ovation while the theme to “M.A.S.H” played. He said the award came at a reflective moment for him.

For the second time, the cast of “This Is Us” won best ensemble in a drama series. Other TV winners included Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”), Darren Criss for “Assassination of Gianni Versace”, Jason Bateman (“Ozark”) and Patricia Arquette (“Escape at Dannemora”).

AP

»globalspotlight

Q Miss Intercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman with her court: (from left) Misses Vietnam (4th Runner-Up), Colombia (2nd Runner-Up), Costa Rica (1st Runner-Up), Slovakia (3rd Runner-Up) and Ethiopia (5th Runner-Up). PHOTO BY RUSSELL PALMA

Karen Gallman puts off wedding plans following Miss Intercontinental win PLUS: Catriona Gray-Clint Bondad breakup confirmed

BY ARLO CUSTODIO

B

ACK in June, Binibining PilipinasIntercontinental 2018 Karen Gallman broke the news of her engageMENT TO HER BOYFRIEND OF kVE YEARS )AN Garton on Instagram, complete with photos of the diamond ring.

In that post, Gallman wrote, “Two weeks today, the love of my life asked me to marry him...

I said yes of course! Thank you for making me the happiest girl on the planet, I am so blessed to have you in my life.”

Her Binibini “sisters” — among them Bb. PilipinasGrand International 2018 Eva Patalinjug, Bb. Pilipinas 2018 Vickie Rushton, Miss Universe Philippines 2014 and 2017 MJ Lastimosa and Rachel Peters respectively, and Bb. Pilipinas 2018 semi-finalist Sandra

Lemonon — were only too happy for Gallman.

“Gurl I smelled it! I’m like no way in hell you guys going to places and not engaged! I’m so happy for you!”

Lemonon commented on the photo Gallman.

However, at the media conference on the night she won THE 0HILIPPINES ITS VERY kRST Miss Intecontinental crown, The Manila Times was able TO CHAT WITH 'ALLMAN S kANCE Q Proud fiancé Ian Garton obliges for a at the sidelights who revealed photo op with Gallman at the backstage the wedding will have to wait. of MOA Arena after her coronation.

“I’m happy for her,” Garton said, adding that their relationhip remains ever solid.

“We’re engaged but, well, she has a responsibility as the winner and that should be the priority now. Marriage can wait until her reign is over.”

W h e n The Manila Times noted they were just like Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and her boyfriend, FilipinoGerman Clint Bondad, Garton casually exclaimed, “No, they’re no longer in a relationship. They’ve broken up before Catriona left for Thailand for [the] Miss Universe [pageant].”

Garton, who is Australian, was with his parents proudly watching Gallman clinch the first Miss Intercontinental crown for the Philippines in the pageant’s 47 years of existence. Gallman and Gray are both Filipino-Australian.

Q The cast of 'Black Panther' led by Chadwick Boseman gather to accept the award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. AP PHOTOS

Allies against Kris A

DDING fuel to the fire, Gretchen Barretto took a swipe anew at Kris Aquino via her latest video on social media.

The now viral video shows Gretchen playing hostage taker to a woman she’s grabbing by the neck, telling her: “Don’t step into the country (or) you’ll be dead.

Papapatay kita sa pamilya ko!”

Apparently, it is a spoof culled from the audio clip of the phone convo between Kris and Nicko Falcis, her former business partner cum manager.

On January 19, Gretchen — in her )NSTAGRAM ACCOUNT kNALLY CAME OUT with her confession about how and why she has an axe to grind against Kris (take note that she posted it at dawn. Wasn’t she sleepy?).

What she particularly pointed out was Kris’ helping their businesswoman-friend, a certain Alice Eduardo, with her BIR problems during the Aquino administration.

Eduardo had to pay millions (or billions) of pesos in taxes.

If Eduardo is likewise Gretchen’s friend, why take it against Kris?

If Kris’ participation in Eduardo’s having solved her BIR problems had occurred between 2010 and 2016—during PNoy’s term—why did Gretchen bide her

time and choose to make public her deep-rooted animosity toward Kris only this time?

Through her legal counsel ( D i v i n a L aw Office), Kris, however, vehemently denied having intervened for Eduardo, her friend of seven years, in any pending tax case. She even went on to defend the latter who she has known to be straight-laced.

To prove she’s a law-abiding citizen herself, Kris proudly came out with a timeline of her tax payments made from 2008 to 2015 with a total

amount of P322, 098, 558.74. If this isn’t a slap on Gretchen’s face, we don’t know what else to call it.

M e a n w h i l e, Nicko is just as unrelenting with his claim that Kris’ phone threat was made in August or September 2018. Again, why did Nicko wait for a couple of months before suing Kris for grave threats?

Nicko has found an ally in Gretchen against a common enemy. Yet the perfect alliance has an imperfect timing.

NNN GUESS WHO? This popular singer-actress (PSA) is one-of-akind whenever she’s in a fit of anger. And why? She brings it on her laptop.

“I wonder how many units of laptop she has thrown until they fell broken into pieces,” our source told us.

Reportedly, even PSA’s partner (PSAP) has a hard time trying to calm her down whenever her temper tantrums strike. “‘Hon (for honey), can’t you play it cool’? There’s nothing wrong with releasing your anger, it actually helps ease you. Pero

VIGNETTES RONNIE CARRASCO 3RD

Q Kris Aquino

huwag mo namang ibunton sa

laptop mo, ilan na ba ang inihagis mo?” PSAP would gently tell his wife who’d even justify her actions.

Speaking of what commonly infuriates the PSA, it’s her bashers’ — oftentimes valid — comments against her.

NNN A pretty actress’ (PA) unpleasant-looking shots in her debut kLM EXPOSURE DID NOT ESCAPE A kLM critic’s (FC) notice.

The FC — also updated with the latest in showbiz circles — could only surmise that PA’s, well, quirky work attitude had a lot to do with it.

“Di ba, in person kahit saang anggulo mo siya tingnan, she’s really beautiful? But in the movie, her shots were such a disaster that her leading man turned out to be prettier than her,” FC told Vignettes.

He added that cardinal rule has it that any actor has to be friends kRST AND FOREMOST WITH THE technical team most especially the cinematographer, “Because no matter how beautiful you look, the cinematographer can make you look awful on screen. And in PA’s CASE IN HER kLM SHE LOOKED LIKE A safe (vault) with her squarish face from beginning to end.”

Could this be the reason why her movie bombed at the tills?

Q Glenn Close is Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor for 'The Wife.'

Q Rami Malek wins Best Actor for 'Bohemian Rhapsody.'

Lifestyle Mom hacks for the Year of the Pig W

D2

˜ The Manila Times

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

ITH just a week left before Chinese New Year’s Eve, The T-Zone is writing this column to assure and console fellow moms that the upcoming Year of the Pig is not what they supposedly fear it to be.

The word on the street is that the pink and pudgy animal who’s the star of this year’s Chinese calendar is more popular for its negative side rather than its adorable features (read: cute). And for moms who are a stickler in caring for their home and family, this naturally spells disaster.

How so? Ask your moms their impression of this particular farm dweller and they will surely come up with any or all of the following associations: lazy, sluggish, dirty, messy and gluttonous.

Now you can hardly blame them for passing such judgement for aren’t we all guilty of using expressions like, “You pig!,� or the more pointed “Binaboy mo!� in Filipino, at the sight of disorder and disarray?

Thankfully, The T-Zone’s annual visit to her choice Feng Shui expert, Princesse Lim Fernandez — who is behind the long established Yin & Yang Shop of Harmony at New World Hotel Makati Hotel — was in a word enlightening.

Known for her ever-logical and ever-dignified practice of the science that is Feng Shui,

THE T-ZONE TESSA MAURICIO -ARRIOLA Princesse calmed down the worrisome mother in me when she said, “Contrary to these generally negative notions about the pig, even farmers will tell you that the pig is one of the most intelligent animals there is because she actually thinks before she acts — which is why she’s mistaken to be lazy because you can’t rush her to action, but she will do what is right in her own time.�

Secondly, the Management Engineering graduate of Ateneo de Manila University and Mensa member who crossed over to geomancy under the tutelage of the late and revered Feng Shui Master Paul Lao, informed The T-Zone that the pig is “a very nurturing and understanding animal, so that she can be trusted to go with the way where things will work out.�

And so, with the Pig at the center

of the Chinese calendar this year, Year of the Pig based on the Feng and moms perpetually at the cen- Shui Chart on this spread warn of ter of the home and family, what illness (sickness star), disasters, conflict and possible financial does this all mean?

According to Princesse, it means losses (robbery star). As the center that throughout the year, various of the home — even if you don’t situations may seem messy or believe in the science of balancing problematic to begin with, but out negative energies, which is WITH PAUSE RElECTION OPEN MIND- at the core of geomancy — Prinedness and patience — all the true cesse’s advice for the year all prove attributes of the pig — a person to be practical. can turn the negative around.

Beware of sickness among fag4O BE MORE SPECIkC IT IS THE mily members so nurture them Year of the Yin Earth Pig, with Yin with healthy food, vitamins and Earth often referred to as ‘Mother remind them to take care of themEarth’ or ‘Mother Nature.’ That selves too outside the home; said, individuals this year can Beware of disasters so make sure take inspiration from the nature your home is ready for any calamity. of the Yin Earth Pig to strike Ask the hubby to a balance and bring harmony into their lives, by being polite, nurturing, gentle, relaxed, peace-loving, kind, charitable and smart,� she continued.

As such, moms in the coming Year of the Yin Earth Pig, which begins on February 5, should do away with their pre-conceived notions of a disorderly and unproductive Q Contrary to what most people time ahead and start anew expect, the Year of the Pig can still be with calmness and optimism. an auspicious one, given patience and General forecasts in the understanding.

Marian RiveraDantes: A ‘yes mom’ to Zia

BY IZA IGLESIAS

IN today’s world where parenting styles evolve with changing times, one thing holds true: That parents only want the best for their children.

No matter what kind of parenting a mom or dad espouses, no one can question that at the heart of it all is PUTTING THEIR CHILD S WELL BEING kRST

especially during the crucial growing-up years.

The same can be said id for TV personality Marian an 2IVERA $ANTES WHO CONkkdently takes on three-year ar old daughter Zia’s transiition into toddlerhood.

can be precious and exciting,� said Child Development and Education Specialist, Lexie Estacio during a media conference for Nido Advanced Protectus 3+. “It is during this stage that they start to learn things on their own, develop relationships outside the family unit, and discover for themselves who they are as their own person, so they need their

Yes or no?

The toddler years are fundamental in shaping the young lives of children, and it is during this stage of Q Marian Rivera-Dantes confidently takes on three-year old their development daughter Zia’s transition into toddlerhood. when going on adventures, tures, exploring the outdoors,, and meeting parent’s full support now more than ever,â€? new people become vital. al ever â€? added Dr. Dr While it is normal for parents to Josephine Yuson-Sunga, Pediatrician say “noâ€? to their kids out of concern and Medical Director of NestlĂŠ Infant for their health and safety, it must be Nutrition Philippines. considered that it is by saying “yesâ€? to these activities that important strides Realization in their cognitive, socio-emotional, and physical development are met.

According to Dantes, letting Zia do “Kids ages 3 to 5 years old can be dif- things on her own — though it is not kCULT TO MANAGE AT TIMES BUT ACCOMPANY- easy — will allow the toddler to learn ing them as they go through this life stage many things not just about the world

around her but also about herself. “Kapag three years old kasi maraming activities and maraming development ang nangyayari, so kailangan, bilang nanay, makisabay ka,� Dantes shared at the media conference. “Nung first few years niya, may tendency ako na mag ‘no’ sa ibang

mga gusto niyang gawin. Kasi syempre lahat naman ng na nanay proteksyon ang kailangan m mo para sa anak mo.

N Nagwo-worry ka sa m mga bagay-bagay. “Pero sabi ko sa sa sarili ko, bakit ko kailan langan mag-alala, kung ala alam ko naman ang ana anak ko at doon siya mat matututo. Maganda din naa h hands-on ka sa anak mo at nakikita ng anak mo kkung paano mo siya pinap pinapalaki at inaalagaan,�

w w w.manilatimes.net Q Feng Shui expert Princesse Lim Fernandez

check say on the roof and the general structure of the house, and be ready with emergency kits; Beware of the possibility of conlICTS IN THE HOME ‡ WITH YOUR OTHER half, your children and among them — so remember to be more patient and understanding when disagreements arise, and continue to be the voice of reason and the peacemaker, which mothers are always best at doing in a family.

Finally, beware of what may BE A kNANCIALLY CHALLENGING YEAR

but as the keeper of the family’s purse strings, all you need to do is to better budget the expenses and make sure to put away part of both common and individual funds aside for a rainy day.

Now aren’t these all up your alley fellow moms? So no matter what your Chinese zodiac is, keeping all these in mind, and more importantly living them out, will

kNALLY EXPLAINED

Gong xi fa cai! Kung hei fa choi!

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

NNN Yin & Yang Shop of Harmony’s resident Feng Shui expert, Princesse Lim-Fernandez will lead the annual festivities of New World Makati Hotel to welcome the Chinese New Year. This muchAWAITED CELEBRATION WILL BE kLLED with auspicious activities so that participants can imbibe good Chi (energy) by being in a positive environment to attract the best of luck for themselves as the Year of the Yin Earth Pig emerges. Event tickets are available at Yin & Yang on the ground floor of the hotel, with more information available via www.yinandyangshopofharmony.com and email address yinandyangshopofharmony@gmail.com.

How to be as happy and healthy as Anne Curtis A QUICK look into Anne Curtis’ social media accounts will show her as a busy body every day of the week.

For starters, TV viewers regularly see her on “It’s Showtime,� from Monday to Saturday. “I love being on a noontime show! I look forward to coming in everyday because when I am there with Vice, Vhong, Karylle, Jugs, Teddy, Tiyang Amy, Mariel, everyone, it doesn’t feel like work, it’s more like hanging out with your friends and you’re just having fun.�

After which, she fulfills her showbiz commitments like shooting for movies or TVs, album recordings or guestings.

As for making movies, Curtis volunteers, “I love the challenge of making movies because I get to be another character and explore different worlds other than my own. I get to portray various roles and mold them into something that will affect viewers and hopefully spark something in them.�

Amazingly, after these tasks in the spotlight, the TV personality still tends to her tasks as celebrity ambassador and makeup entrepreneur with her cosmetic brand BLK. When she’s not doing all that, the 33-year-old can be seen training for a marathon or working out with her fitness trainer. She also attends to her passion project dubbed ‘Dream Machine,’ a platform that aims to be a voice against dream

shaming and be an enabler to make dreams come true.

The list continues as she is also a daughter, a sister, a wife to her equally talented husband Erwan Heussaff and a furmom to her adorable dogs.

With so many roles, one begins to wonder if she ever gets tired or exhausted from being all that to so many people. “I used to be a non-believer of vitamins until I started taking Enervon, which replenishes nutrients in the body like vitamin C and B-complex. It really helps because now I no longer get tired easily, and I don’t get sick as often as before,� Curtis testified.

Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant that can strengthen the body’s natural defenses and protect the cells from harmful molecules called free radicals.

B-complex, on the other hand, helps break down the food you eat so your body can convert it into usable energy for your daily functions. “I learned that taking multivitamins everyday helps the body restore depleted nutrients that we cannot get from food alone,� offers Curtis.

Another discovery for the celebrity is that multivitamins do not make an individual hyperactive. “When we expend energy, that is when we begin to grow tired or fatigued, making us vulnerable to diseases. That is where multivitamins come into play as it gives the extra energy we need and boosts the immune system that prevents us from getting sick,� Curtis ends.

Âťinfocus

she elaborated. el A n d n ow t h a t s h e has p partnered with the milk b brand, Dantes said she is as- sured Zia is getting the protection from within that she deserves and needs to make the most of her childhood. “Mas nagkaroon ako ng confidence sa sarili ko. Sabi ko nga bilang

isang nanay, wala ka namang ibang hangad sa anak mo kundi puro kabutihan. Lahat ng mabuti para sa kanya ibibigay ko talaga,� the actress

simply make the Year of the Yin Earth Pig ours.

Q The energetic celebrity benefits from daily vitamins to cope with her hectic lifestyle.

˜ The Manila Times w w w.manilatimes.net

Funtimes

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

D3

Solution to Mega Maze

» CROSSWORD

BY EUGENE SHEFFER

»HOROSCOPE Today’s Birthday (01/29/19). Grow stronger with friends this year. Prepare and strategize. Navigate surprises at home.

Change directions with a partner this winter. Your health and energy surge this summer, before a peaceful break sparks fresh motivation. Pursue a personal purpose next winter. Your team is with you.

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 an 8 -- The next two days favor travel, adventure and exploration. Secrets get revealed.

Communication channels flow with velocity. Take advantage of great conditions.

TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Financial discussions settle upon mutually satisfying deals. Work out terms and conditions. Sign contracts, and make investments. Green light a collaborative project.

GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Communication flows with ease between you and your partner. Brainstorm, and share your brilliant ideas. Strategize for shared goals. It could get romantic.

CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Get into action!

Something that was stuck now moves freely. Discuss work or fitness objectives, and find new resources. Put your back behind your words.

LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Enjoy time with someone fun. Express your heart, and practice your flirtation.

Communication channels are wide open. Kindle a little romance.

You’re especially charming.

VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Domestic improvement ideas flow with ease. Inspiration abounds. Talk with family to set priorities before spending. Research possibilities, to present options.

» SUDOKU

BY NANCY BLACK LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Your creativity sparkles. Artistic expression flourishes. Write your novel or masterpiece.

Essays, articles and posts contribute your views to a wider audience.

SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Bring in the money. Profitable opportunities abound. Get into conversation to move a possibility forward. Provide valuable services. Wheel and deal.

SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- When you’re hot, you’re hot. Provide leadership where you see it missing. Talk about your passions and motivations. What inspires you can benefit others.

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Before you commit to an idea, do your own research. Consider impacts to your existing plans. Imagine long-term consequences. Share your thoughts with trusted advisors.

AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Brilliant ideas, solutions and resources arise through your social networks. Friends share good connections and opportunities. Offer support and receive it when you need.

PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Focus on career and professional ambitions. Keep providing excellent work that reflects you well. Marketing and public communications get your message out further.

(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.

The Manila Times

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Be part of our power lunch roster. For inquries call 310-5584 and trunk line: 524-5664 local 222 or email us @ circulation@manilatimes.net

E 1

TUESDAY, TU TUESDA U E S DAY DAY AYY,, Ja January nuary ry 29, 299, 2201 2019 0199 T H E M OTO R I N G S E C T I O N O F

Q Stefano Domenicali, chairman and chief executive officer of Automobili Lamborghini.

Record figures take Automobili Lamborghini to a new level

I

5,750 cars delivered in 2018

N 2018, Automobili Lamborghini SpA. achieved another historic sales record.

With 5,750 cars delivered to customers around the world, or 51 percent more over the previous year, the Italian super sports car brand continues its global growth.

“In 2018, Lamborghini entered new dimensions. We delivered not only another sales increase, but reached substantially new levels in surpassing by far the magic mark of 5,000 Lamborghinis sold. This quantum leap proves the sustainability of our product and commercial strategy.

The performance is all the more remarkable as we mastered an unprecedented

double challenge: constantly bringing new models and technologies to the super sports car market, while simultaneously managing doubled production capacities at our headquarters in Sant’Agata Bolognese,� said Stefano Domenicali, chairman AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFkCER OF !UTOMOBILI Lamborghini. “Right from its sales start, the new Su-

per SUV Urus created enthusiastic market acceptance and broadened our customer BASE 7E ALSO SIGNIkCANTLY INCREASED OUR high brand awareness, especially with the young generation, having multiplied our followership on our social media channels to more than 32 million. All this is a real team achievement and I would like to

ÂłLamborghini E2

E 2

TUESDAY, January 29, 2019

S

TAYING true to its promise of offering only the best-value vehicles, pioneer compact car distributor Suzuki Philippines (SPH) started the year strong with the launch of the new and improved version of its wellloved MPV, the all-new Suzuki Ertiga.

The new version of SPH’s best-selling vehicle features a stronger yet more elegant and compact look and packs the Japanese automaker’s latest technological innovations for an enhanced driving experience. The 600 motoring media, dealers, bank partners and Club Ertiga representatives who attended the launch held at the Marriott Hotel Manila in Pasay City WERE THE kRST TO LAY EYES ON THE NEW %RTIGA “With the increasingly diversified demands of the local auto industry and needs of end-users, we cannot be complacent when we’ve done well and stop innovating. We want to make sure that our customers get more than they deserve, which is why we decided to further improve the best-selling Ertiga. With its new features and enhanced functions, THE UPGRADED -06 WILL DEkNITELY ENABLE more Filipinos to live the Suzuki Way of Life! and drive SPH forward,� said SPH Director and Automobile Division General Manager Keiichi Suzuki.

Strong and elegant styling 3PORTING A kERCER LOOK AND BOASTING MAXImum functionality, the all-new Ertiga combines strength and elegance in a compact body, allowing Filipino families to go on adventures and seize the day in style.

The upgraded 7-seater MPV features a taller nose and a wide and elegant front grille. The lower roof side extends the head room while providing a more stylish side view. The integrated lower grille and fog lamps add a sense of stability and make the car look edgy. Deeper curves on the side and shoulder and character lines WERE ADDED TO RElECT ROBUSTNESS AND A stronger presence.

The interior of the all-new Ertiga is deSIGNED WITH SOPHISTICATION AND lEXIBILITY IN MIND 4HE NEW STEERING WHEEL HAS A lAT bottom for better leg clearance while the gauges are painted with metallic chrome for a sleeker look. The seats have a deep curb with the fabric showing a 3D effect.

Superior riding comfort

The all-new Ertiga offers new comfort features to help make traversing Metro -ANILA TRAFkC MORE BEARABLE AND PASS THE time away more pleasantly. The improved MPV has larger passenger legroom with the increased tandem distance of the third-row seats. For added relaxation, the third row has more headspace while the seats are designed with a reclining and tilt-down mechanism up to 16 degrees.

For better ventilation and convenience, a rear air-conditioning system was installed to keep the second- and third-row passenger comfortable. Small storage spaces are also added all around, including a coin holder, ventilated cup holder, improved center console and door

Q LAMBORGHINI FROM E1

Record thank every Lamborghini team member for their inspiration and dedication to our brand,� he added.

With 157 dealers serving 50 countries, worldwide deliveries to customers in 2018 increased from 3,815 to 5,750 units. Thus, since 2010 (1,302 units) the company has more than quadrupled its sales numbers.

"EYOND SALES kGURES ,AMBORGHINI OUTPERformed all other key business objectives in 2018.

Lamborghini is a global brand and sales volumes are well distributed among the three major regions. All regions set a new sales benchmark in 2018 and contributed to the total sales growth compared to the previous year. For EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa), sales hit 2,497 units or a 69-percent increase, America (1,952 units, 46-percent increase), and Asia Pacific (1,301 units, 30-percent increase).

With 1,595 units, the United States re-

Seize the day in style with the all-new Suzuki Ertiga Suzuki PH launches improved Ertiga combining strength and elegance in a compact body pockets, to accommodate more handcarry items.

Top-tier performance and safety

The all-new Ertiga comes in a light yet highly rigid body, thanks to Suzuki’s new generation platform, the HEARTECT. The new frame effectively disperses impact energy to improve safety while reducing noise and vibration.

Another notable feature is the Total Effective Control Technology (TECT), which scatters collision energy across the vehicle frame to mitigate damage to the car and passengers. “All the upgrades on the new Ertiga are DESIGNED TO GIVE &ILIPINO RIDERS THE CONkdence to enjoy every adventure knowing they and their family are safe and comfortable. Beyond making technological improvements on our vehicles, our goal is to always ensure that our customers have an optimum driving experience,� added Suzuki.

Pricing and variants

The all-new Ertiga is priced starting with GA at P728,000, GL MT at P848,000, GL AT at P888,000, and GLX at P978,000.

It comes in seven colors: Pearl Glorious Brown, Metallic Magma Gray , Pearl Burgundy Red, Prime Cool Black, Metallic Silky Silver , Pearl Radiant Red, and Pearl

mains the largest single market, followed by the United Kingdom (636), Japan (559), Germany (463), Greater China (342), Canada (316) and Italy (295). All these markets increased deliveries substantially and marked national historic sales levels.

Both super sports car model lines achieved record sales, thus contributing to the growth. Sales of the V12 Lamborghini Aventador, born in 2011, is still exceptionally strong and grew by 3 percent from 1,173 to 1,209 units. Even stronger was Q Lamborghini’s super SUV, the Urus.

Q Suzuki Philippines President Hiroshi Suzuki gives a speech before the formal unveiling of the all-new Ertiga.

Q The father and designer of the Suzuki Ertiga, Chief Engineer Satoshi Kasahara.

Snow White.

For more information about the all-new Ertiga, visit http://suzuki.com.ph/auto/, like it on www.facebook.com/SuzukiAutoPH and twitter.com/SuzukiAutoPH, and follow on Instagram at @suzukiautoph.

About Suzuki Philippines

the sales increase of the V10 Lamborghini HuracĂĄn, growing by 5 percent from 2,642 to 2,780 units. As expected, a substantial contribution to the global sales increase came from the Super SUV Urus, with 1,761 units delivered to customers since its market introduction in July 2018.

The year started with the display of the Lamborghini Terzo Millennio at the Festival Automobile International in Paris in January 2018. The futuristic super sports car concept was conceived in cooperation with two laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, with the goal of enabling Lamborghini to address the future of the super sports car.

At the Geneva Motor Show in March Lamborghini presented the Lamborghini HuracĂĄn Performante Spyder, the sublime combination of peerless technological innovation, performance and open-air driving.

In August Lamborghini unveiled the Lamborghini Aventador SVJ in a worldwide premiere during Monterey Car Week in California. The car creates pure driving perfection, taking the concept of a super sports car to a new dimension.

The Aventador SVJ, where SV historically stands for Superveloce - meaning “superFASTu TAKES THE g*OTA u SUFkX DENOTING

New models 2018: innovative technology, exceptional lap times, fascinating one-offs

manufacture and sale of motorcycle and distribution of compact vehicles.

Suzuki has established its reputation Suzuki Philippine Incorporated is a worldwide for quality, versatility, and wholly-owned Japanese multinational innovation and has created a heritage of kRM HIGHLY RECOGNIZED IN THE AUTOMOTIVE trust and reliability. www.suzuki.com.ph. industry. The company specializes in the

its track and performance superiority. In fact, the Aventador SVJ has claimed its position as the NĂźrburgring-Nordschleife production car record holder, completing the 20.6-kilometer lap in just 6:44.97 (minutes). Production is limited to 900 units and already sold out.

Also in 2018, Lamborghini presented the Lamborghini SC18 Alston. The oneoff V12 model was developed by Lamborghini Squadra Corse in conjunction with the customer, with aerodynamics derived from experience in Lamborghini Super Trofeo and GT3 racing. It is made for track-oriented use and with exclusive racing features.

The concept of one-offs is gaining more relevance at Lamborghini from increasing demand for personalization. More than 50 percent of all Lamborghini super sports cars delivered are personalized under the auspices of the Lamborghini personalization program Ad Personam.

For more information, contact Lamborghini Manila at 09175553771.

E January 29, 2019 3 TUESDAY,

Buick’s Envision compact crossover has room for seven B

BY G. CHAMBERS WILLIAMS 3RD

UICK added the Envision crossover utility vehicle to its United States line-up two years ago, a premium compact with room for up to kVE PASSENGERS Built in China, the Envision falls between the larger Enclave, assembled in Michigan, and the smaller Encore, built in South Korea.

For 2019, the Envision starts at $31,995 (plus $995 freight) for the base frontwheel-drive model, and ranges as high as $43,600 for the all-wheel-drive Premium II trim level, which we tested for this report.

Other trims include the Preferred ($35,250) and Essence ($37,550) models, with standard front-wheel drive (add $1,850 for all-wheel drive); and the Premium ($40,700), which, like the Premium II, comes only with all-wheel drive.

The base model is not available with all-wheel drive, but it can be added to the Preferred and Essence models for $1,750.

Base, Preferred and Essence models come with a normally aspirated 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine with 197 horsepower and 192 lb-ft torque, connected to a six-speed automatic transmission.

But the Premium trim levels get a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine producing 252 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission, which is new for 2019.

The turbo engine got a bump in torque from last year’s 260 lb-ft, even though horsepower remained the same. We found it to provide plenty of power in most driving situations, including uphill freeway on ramps.

Other changes for 2019 from the 2018 Envision include new sculpted front and rear fascias and a new grille design; highintensity-discharge headlights standard on 2.5-liter models; bi-functional LED headlights now standard on the 2.0-liter turbo models; LED wing signature lights and taillights standard on every model;

new 18- and 19-inch wheel designs; a new engine stop/start deactivation switch; and the ability for the driver to switch between adaptive and standard cruise control.

Adaptive Cruise Control, which uses radar to pace the vehicle to the one it is following, was included on our tester as PART OF THE $RIVER #ONkDENCE 0ACKAGE ($1,545), which also added forward automatic braking, and the surround vision camera system (replacing the singe rear vision camera). This system gives both a rear view and a separate bird’s eye view of what’s around the vehicle, in a split screen on the audio/navigation touch screen.

Also new for 2019 are enhanced visibility on the standard rear vision camera; improved hands-free microphone for better call quality and voice recognition; quicker-responding seat heaters; next-generation wireless smartphone charging, and the addition of an air ionizer that helps eliminate odors, reduce bacteria and provide cleaner cabin air.

There is a new exterior color, Satin Steel Gray Metallic, and a new interior combination, Dark Galvanized leather seats with the Ebony interior. But our tester came in a pleasing Ebony Twilight Metallic color ($395 extra) with the Ebony leather interior.

Envision is the first Chinese-built highway vehicle to be sold in the United States. General Motors has been selling it in China since 2014, where the Buick brand is quite popular. That dates back to the time when Chinese royalty drove Buicks early in the 20th century. GM has suggested that there could be a US production site for the Envision at some point.

More features Other features include LED daytime run-

ning lights and rear LED accent lights, active grille shutters, and a body structure that includes some high-strength steel and an aluminum hood.

Standard are heated front and rear seats and steering wheel; a sliding, 60/40-split rear seat, which can be moved back to add legroom for second-row passengers; eight-way power-adjustable front seats and four-way-adjustable lumbar support; three-zone climate control with rear-seat controls; a programmable power liftgate with hands-free operation; and active interior noise cancelation.

Also included in the base price are 19-inch aluminum wheels, keyless passive entry and pushbutton start (with remote start feature), and a Bose premium seven-speaker audio system. Available is a panoramic moon roof ($1,495), which was included on our test vehicle.

The Premium II has everything the Premium offers, along with heated and cooled front seats, a head-up display, IntelliLink infotainment system with navigation, automatic parking assist and articulating HID headlights that turn slightly in the direction the car is turning.

The Envision is roomier for passengers and cargo than some of its key competitors, such as the Acura RDX. The front bucket seats were comfortable enough for a long weekend outing, and our rear-seat passengers had plenty of knee and leg room even with the front seats situated well back on their tracks.

Handling was surprisingly pleasing, and steering was precise and predictable. The nine-speed transmission shifted smoothly, with no detectable gear-hunting and unnecessary shifting when we were driving up and down some hilly roads.

Envision was designed to be lighter and have less wind resistance than typically seen in this class. Buick says that even the moon roof was designed to produce minimal wind noise when open.

The exterior design is similar to that of other Buick crossovers, so it’s easily recognizable as a member of the Buick CUV family. It has Buick’s signature winged headlights and heated outside mirrors with built-in LED turn signals.

4HERE IS A glOATINGu WRAPAROUND INSTRUment panel, a large center console storage bin, an eight-inch Buick IntelliLink audio/ connectivity screen, and a steering wheel with thumb-operated toggle switches for the IntelliLink menus and driverinformation center. OnStar with 4G LTE and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot are included on Premium trim levels.

We had two USB ports up front, but they were inconveniently located inside the center console box, rather than up at the front under the dash where most vehicles now provide them.

The included Stop/Start technology automatically shuts off the engine when THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED IN TRAFkC THEN INstantly restarts it when the brake pedal is released. This is intended to save fuel by eliminating engine idling when stopped, SAY AT A TRAFkC SIGNAL Envision’s HiPer Strut front suspension is designed to reduce the annoying torque steer that often occurs when power is applied to the front wheels of a vehicle.

The twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system helps improve handling in all driving conditions and is fully automatic, requiring no driver input. It’s not intended for serious off-road driving, however, as it has no lowrange feature. The default is front-wheel drive; torque is sent to the rear wheels when slipping is detected.

Safety features include 10 standard

air bags, front park assist, a safety-alert seat that pulses to warn the driver of an impending collision, lane-change alert, REAR CROSS TRAFkC ALERT FOLLOWING DISTANCE indicator, electronic stability control, fourwheel antilock disc brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and cornering brake control.

Also included on Premium trims is automatic park assist, which can identify a suitable parallel or perpendicular parking spot and steer the vehicle into it when prompted by the driver.

Cargo space totals 26.9 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks in place; with them folded, it expands to 57.3 cubic feet. The seatback has a 70-30 split, and can be folded down from the rear using a handle on each side of the rear compartment. It looks like a chrome door handle, and both have to be activated to drop both sides of the seatback.

The only other option on our tester was the Interior Protection Package ($205), which included all-weather floor and cargo mats.

EPA fuel-economy ratings for our Premium II tester were 20 mpg city/25 highway/22 combined. With about a 5050 mix of city and highway driving, we averaged about 21.6 mpg.

Total sticker price for our Envision Premium II model was $48,235, including freight and $3,640 in options.

TNS

Shared passions prompt NTT executive NTT saw more than just a smart business opportunity to advance its global telecommunications company in a multiyear IndyCar Series entitlement agreement announced on January 15 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. “It’s a passion,� said Tsunehisa Okuno, NTT executive vice president, head of global business. “There are several options, but what do you believe? That was the major drive.� “I’m talking from my heart. We need that passion and that energy,� he added.

Okuno already sounded like a passionate race fan in explaining why one of the world’s largest telecommunications companies, which grosses nearly $110 billion annually, was interested in exploring this partnership with INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the NTT IndyCar Series.

Both sides analyzed a multitude of details during the three-month process of consideration.

NTT, which spends $4 billion annually on research and development, saw the benefit of advancing technology applications on different platforms.

But to close the deal, NTT had to know it shared the same passion with INDYCAR. That was most evident in a late-November meeting at NTT’s Tokyo headquarters. Mark Miles, president and chief executive officer of Human and Company, owner of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and INDYCAR President Jay Frye

Q Tsunehisa Okuno, NTT executive vice president, head of global business, is passionate about his company’s partnership with INDYCAR, the group that sanctions the IndyCar races. were joined by American representatives of NTT DATA, an NTT subsidiary which has sponsored Chip Ganassi Racing cars and cultivated a positive relationship with the series. They met with Okuno

and Jun Sawada, NTT president and CEO. “We intensively thought about this, whether we should take this opportunity or not,� Okuno said. “After I got an email from [NTT DATA execu-

tive chairman] John McCain, we thought very seriously about the opportunity. Before they came to Tokyo, we had decided several things.

But it was important to see their faces and listen

to their words and whether we could share the same passion or not.� “What I focused on was listening to their words and how passionate they were and whether we had the same chemistry or not. That was the only point we needed to see when Mark and Jay flew to Tokyo,� he added.

NTT agreed with McCain’s email assessment that INDYCAR was a “super opportunity to move forward,� Okuno said. “We’re trying to move forward in international technology and this was very right timing, [McCain] was thinking,� Okuno said of the email. “Very frankly, it was whether I believe it or not.

I believed this should be a huge opportunity to move forward along with INDYCAR.�

NTT will also be the official technology partner of INDYCAR, the NTT IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500, and NASCAR’s Brickyard 400.

Okuno previously had the opportunity to meet 2017 Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato, the first Asian driver to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.� Sato’s passion for racing in the series resonated. “I respect him,� Okuno said of Sato. “He drove into a new world, a frontier. He had to open his own way to go and he won the Indy 500.

His remark was very special to me, that he saw something very special and totally different after he won the Indy 500.�

INDYCAR.COM

E 4

TUESDAY, January 29, 2019

Q Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC) dominated light duty truck (Category 3) segment, with total unit sales of 3,965 from January to December 2018. Among IPC’s bets in that category are the NLR85 and the NQR75 (photo below).

IPC tops Category 3 sales in 2018

Stamps overall truck dominance for 19th consecutive year

I

N the recently released joint yearend sales report of the Truck Manufacturers’ Association (TMA) and the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines (CAMPI) for 2018, Isuzu emerged as the top-selling brand in the light duty truck (Category 3) segment, with total unit sales of 3,965 from January to December 2018, capturing 55.5 percent of the market share in that category.

Isuzu likewise increased its market share in that category compared to 2017 sales kGURES WHEN IT HAD A PERCENT SHARE of the market.

Isuzu Philippines Corp. (IPC), thus, continues its market dominance in the light duty truck category for 20 consecutive years, dating back to 1999.

The Isuzu brand also topped the overall Category 3, 4 (medium-duty and buses) and 5 (heavy-duty trucks) segments in the TMACAMPI yearend 2018 sales report, extending its dominant streak to 19 consecutive years.

IPC President Hajime Koso attributed the brand’s continued success to Isuzu’s global reputation as a world-class truckmaker, the adaptability and versatility of its trucks, and the full after-sales service of an extensive nationwide dealership net-

work. This comprehensive suite of products and services embodies IPC’s commitment as a “professional partner� to its customers. “For decades now, Isuzu has been known globally for its durable and dependable trucks that can withstand any challenges in transport operations. And with our collaboration with local body builders, our trucks have also been creatively engineered and designed to be suitable for whatever purposes our customers demand.

Equally important is the after-sales support we provide to our clients along with every purchase. This is the Isuzu Advantage,� he added.

The Isuzu Advantage is the sum of IPC’s different customer support programs bol-

stering its world-class lineup of vehicles.

4HE kRST ADVANTAGE IS )0# S ROSTER OF DURABLE RELIABLE FUEL EFkCIENT VEHICLES 4HE second is its nationwide dealer network that now counts over 42 outlets complete with servicing facilities. The third is the reliable and prompt nationwide parts availability. Finally, IPC’s team of expert service TECHNICIANS AND kELD SUPPORT PERSONNEL

are on call to provide technical assistance whenever and wherever needed. “By being professional partners, IPC does not just supply world-class vehicles and treat our customers as mere clients, we treat them as partners. Their growth is essential to IPC’s growth, the development of the Philippine transport sector and of the economy in general. Hence, we provide total support to

our partners’ businesses with great products and after-sales support,� Koso said.

IPC’s after-sales support has been proven to be of world-class standards, with technical teams from IPC consistently winning in global competitions, the most recent just last December 6, when Team Pilipinas was hailed Grand Champions at the Isuzu I-1 Grand Prix World Technical Competition at the Isuzu Monozukuri Service Training Center in Fujisawa, Japan.

To know more about Isuzu’s roster of light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks, log on to www.isuzuphil.com.

Transport coop national congress partners with Phil Bus & Truck Expo 2019 THE Philippine Bus and Truck Expo 2019 and the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives (NFTC-BKKPPI) in cooperation with the Department of 4RANSPORTATION /FkCE OF 4RANSPORT #OOPeratives and the Cooperative Development Authority marks a new partnership for the 4th National Congress of Transport Cooperatives.

With the theme, “Arangkada Para sa Pagbabago� The congress aims to tackle pressing issues on the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program with all the stakeholders from the government regulatory bodies, to the operators and the drivers. The congress also seeks to gather inputs from the transportation cooperative sector the needed programs, projects and activities for the further development of transport cooperatives. “We are looking forward to having over 500 delegates/officers from transport

cooperatives throughout the country attending the event, to discuss key topics and updates on the latest technologies in the business like industry consolidation, lEET MANAGEMENT OPERATIONAL EFkCIENCY and updates on the latest technologies in the business like the use of the automatic fare collection system (AFCS) and vehicle monitoring through GPS� said Vic Balao, board secretary of the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives.

The 4th National Congress of Transport Cooperatives will be held on July 26 at the SMX Convention Center together with the Philippines Bus & Truck Expo. AMB Tarsus is the proud organizer of the Philippines International Auto Parts, Accessories, Service and Repair Equipment Exhibition (PhilAuto 2019), and the Philippines International Bus, Truck and Commercial Vehicle Exhibition (Philippine Bus and 4RUCK FOR kVE YEARS

Q (Left to right) Officials of the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives Vicenta Balao (board secretary), Alfonso Tomanang (national director), Vidal Joyosa (national chairman), Edmundo Cadavona (national director), Armando delos Reyes (national vice chairman), Leonardo Bautista (general manager), Vicente Esteban (treasurer), Samuel Landingin (national director), and Felipe Goyena (national director) with Yeo Soon Wei, ABM Asean Tarsus sales and marketing director.

AMB Tarsus Exhibitions Sdn Bhd, an associate of AMB Tarsus Group, a joint venture with Tarsus Group PLC, is a listed

company in the London Stock Exchange and a leading international trade shows organizer in the region covering Singa-

pore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Vietnam since 1996.

F 1

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

THE MOTORING SECTION OF

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY MATTHEW EMMANUEL BUHION

L

EXUS Manila, the luxury car division of Toyota Motors Philippines (TMP) recently held an appreciation night for their loyal patrons, corporate partners, members of the media, and Manila’s well-heeled crowds in observance of their 10th YEAR ANNIVERSARY (ELD AT THEIR CORPORATE kEFDOM in Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, TMP President Satoru Suzuki waxed emotional when he recalled HOW ,EXUS kRST OPENED THEIR DOORS FOR BUSINESS A decade ago on January 14, 2009. “We did not expect to gain such traction immediately. We are humbled that after a decade of steady progress, Lexus Philippines is now recognized as one of the strongest luxury brands in the country,� stated Suzuki. A fact, which is backed by their 32.2 percent market share

in the Philippines, which makes then the number two luxury brand in the market.

A Look to the Future To mark the occasion, Lexus unveiled the ,EXUS 58 AND 58 & 3PORT

their new luxury crossover. From Geneva

Lexus celebrates 10th anniversary to Manila, ila the Lexus UX line could be the Lexus that turns your onto the luxury Japanese brand. Both UX 200 and UX 200 F Sport, are powered by a 2.0-liter engine making 168 PS and 205 Nm of torque. That’s mated to a Direct Shift CVT transmission. The interior trim grains are inspired by “washi� or Japanese paper, and the attention to detail doesn’t end there.

They employ a Engawa concept, which creates a symbiosis between the interior pieces and the exterior.

Lexus.

Lexus At the rear, rear the tail lights tied together by an LED strip, runs across the tailgate, apPEARING AS ONE lUID STRIP 2IDING ON INCH wheels, the UX 200 has a taller ride height, compared to its F Sport brother.

UX 200 F Sport

Up the aggressiveness to 10, and you get the UX 200 F Sport. As with every F Sport, it is a celebration of performance, and sports styling. At a stand still the UX 200 F Sport looks as if it’s already in motion. The additional sports styling of the lowered ride height, 18UX 200 inch multi-spoke wheels, and mesh grille, !T kRST GLANCE THE FRONT FASCIA OF THE 58 aren’t the only thing making this an F Sport.

200 is undoubtedly Lexus. The commanding Underneath you have a sports tune suspenfront diamond pattern grille and aggressive sion, with a variable mode select. The seats, lines keeps with the design language of and the steering wheel, and infotament dif-

fer for the interior. interior Your seats have the thicker thic bolsters to hold you in during cornering, and the steering wheel includes the F Sport badge on the bottom of the center spoke.

The infotaiment is a 10-inch electro multi DISPLAY lOATING ABOVE THE CENTER CONSOLE 9OU CAN GET YOURSELF INTO A ,EXUS 58 FOR 0 MILLION )F YOU D LIKE THE MORE AGGRESSIVE ,EXUS 58 & 3PORT IT will start at P3.048 million. With the market now shifting to crossovers and SUVs, the UX WOULD BE A PERFECT kRST ,EXUS $ON T WORRY IF you live a little far from the BGC showroom, because within the 10 years Lexus has been in the Philippines they’ve also increased the SERVICE CENTER FOOTPRINT WITH kVE ACCREDITED Lexus service centers across Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

F 2

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

Q The e-Boxer goes through a special rig that allow testers to feel its all-wheel drive technology.

The Forester

just a got a bit greener TEXT AND PHOTOS BY DINO RAY V. DIRECTO 3RD

A

DAY after being awed and mesmerized by the eye candies at the Singapore Motorshow, Motor Image, Subaru’s exclusive dealer in Southeast Asia, organized a test drive for the media to acquaint themselves further with the new e-Boxer.

Held at the sprawling grounds of the #HANGI %XHIBITION #ENTER -OTOR )MAGE provided the Filipino media contingent with an up close and personal experience with the new e-Boxer.

With different stages marked with cones strategically spread throughout the grounds of the exhibition center, media scribes experienced how the e-Boxer be-

haved during acceleration, cornering and sudden stops. There was also a special rig that enabled us to see the articulation of the e-Boxer’s suspension system.

2IDING ON 3UBARU S 'LOBAL 0LATFORM

the e-Boxer’s suspension had to be redone to accommodate the electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack. Being a bit heavier than the average 2.0-liter Forester, engineers

added support to the SUV’s subframe, which improved the body’s stiffness, while also reducing noise and vibration of the eBoxer. This was evident when we pushed the 356 AROUND THE TEST TRACK AND ) DID NOT HAVE to elevate my voice during queries about the vehicle while driving around.

Subaru fans need not worry about performance, engineers did not cut corners because under hood is a healthy 145 bhp, direct injection engine that works in tandem with a torquey electric motor. Subaru says that the e-Boxer has a better mileage of up to 40 percent, mainly because the e-Boxer can run purely on electric power at low speeds and can cover the distance of up to 50 kilometers.

AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF INlUENTIAL 4AN Chong Group of Singapore, you’ll notice that he is tech savvy. He wears two watches, one which is probably more expensive than your car, and on the right wrist, he wears an Apple watch. He is also abreast with the latest digital gadgets and is active on social media.

So it came as no surprise that the Subaru lAGSHIP DEALER IN 4OA 0AYOH IS AS HIGH TECH as an Apple watch. Upon entering the brightly lit showroom, the reception clerk welcomes you and will give you instructions about the services and functions of the showroom. Unlike your average car dealer where a sales representative follows you around like a shadow, buying a car here will require you to tinker with an iPAD. The iPAD will allow you to Showroom of the future )F YOU PERSONALLY KNOW THE MAN BEHIND choose what variant and color, and will -OTOR )MAGE 'LENN 4AN DEPUTY CHAIRMAN also provide you the specs about the car

of your choice. )NSPIRED BY THE !PPLE 3TORE LAYOUT

what amazed me was the virtual reality showroom that lets the customer virtually drive the vehicle of his/her choice in A 62 $ 7ORLD 4HE CUSTOMER WILL DON special goggles that will show a virtual depiction of the car, a detailed look at the parts, the design and one can even open the doors, trunk and its other features as well.

There is also a heritage display of notable Subaru cars that made automotive history for its overall design and perforMANCE 4AN S COLLECTION OF 3UBARU 728 Sti’s can also be seen at the showroom, as well as Sti merchandise and a time line of Subaru’s motor sports history.

Tan said that Subaru’s C5 dealership WILL BE CONVERTED INTO A 62 $ SHOWROOM similar to its Singapore facility.

Q The no frills dashboard is all business with controls within easy reach of the driver.

Q Rare Subaru cars that made automotive history are on display at the showroom.

Q Guests can shop for cars with the aid of a tablet, and a virtual reality room.

Tuned

TUESDAY January 29, 2019

F 3

A Ferrari quicker than the

La Ferrari

PHOTOS BY FERRARI TEXT BY DINO RAY V. DIRECTO 3RD

F

OR those who have power issues about the LaFerrari and the track-oriented FXX-K not having enough grunt, Ferrari is set to satisfy your cravings yet again. Powered by a naturallyaspirated 6.3-liter hybrid V12 with 1,035 bhp on tap and over 664 lb-ft of torque, the FXX-K Evo is guaranteed to blow your socks off. The power output is the same as the FXX-K, but engineers decided to tinker with carbon composite materials made the car more attuned with the wind, giving this super car aerodynamic qualities THAT CAN SHAME THE %URO kGHTER

The boys from Maranello spent a year in development and wind tunnel testing whuch contributed to a new aerodynamic package with downforce numbers nearly matching those of racecars competing in '4 AND '4% 4HE &88 + %VO FEATURES AN evolved aero package developed by Ferrari’s engineers in synergy with the Ferrari Style Centre’s designers, to push to the very limit the performance of a model that already represents the state-of-the-art in terms of Ferrari track-only super cars.

/NE CAN SAY THAT THIS CAR IS THE ULTIMATE embodiment of a weekend racer. At 124 mph, it has 1,411 pounds of downforce, and at the vehicle’s top speed, down force reaches a very high 1,830 pounds. This is A PERCENT IMPROVEMENT ON THE &88 +

AND AN IMPRESSIVE PERCENT INCREASE ON the LaFerrari road car. /NE ADDITION THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE ADDED DOWNFORCE ARE THE TWIN PROkLE kXED TAIL WING WORKING WITH THE ACTIVE rear spoiler that has been reprogrammed

for the new aerodynamics. The rear wing IS SUPPORTED BY TWO SIDE kNS AND A CENTRAL VERTICAL kN FOR ADDED STABILITY 4HE THREE DELTA VORTEX GENERATORS CLEAN THE lOW kELD FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE HOT AIR lOW from the radiator vents on the hood. !S OF PRESS TIME NO PERFORMANCE kGURES HAVE BEEN RELEASED AS OF YET 4HE &88 + %VO will be available both as an upgrade for the previous XX cars, as well as a separate limited-run production model for car guys with really deep pockets.

ĹŒÄžĆŒĹľÄ‚ĆŒĹŹÄžĆš

Motul powers Dakar warriors!

Accuracy for safety and savings!

DAKAR 2018, one of the toughest rally-raids in the world, came to an epic end in Cordoba, Argentina, after 14 days and 9,000 kilometers of gruelling stages, and wheel-to-wheel competition and epic adventures.

Dakar 2018 was particularly punishing in the

SOME may agree or disagree, but the most neglected part of a car maintenance is the proper inflation of the tires. Aside from decreasing the life cycle of your tires, underinflation will significantly increase your fuel consumption, and decrease traction or grip of your tires that might lead to deadly consequences.

A Singapore-based study revealed that 40 percent of motorists drive without checking the proper tire pressure, unless, if the tire is visibly flat. Under inflation lowers your car’s load carrying capacity and subjects it to uneven/excessive tire wear.

In some cases, if you pump excessive air into the tires, the pressure might strain the ply cords and suffer a blow out.

Preserving your tires will not only mean additional savings on your part - having the correct

early stages, with many big names and class favorites falling by the wayside. Overall, 57 percent of the starters finished the rally! Motul’s partner teams celebrated three podiums in three different categories, with Toyota Auto Body’s Akira Miura winning the T2 (cars) sub-category. It was a case

of so near but yet so far for the cars, bikes and Side-by-Side (SSV) Motul-supported entrants:Â XtremePlus Polaris Factory team took second, third and fourth places in SSV, while Kevin Benavides of HRC finished second in the bikes, 16 minutes and 53 seconds behind the winner. Â

Original by Motul-warriors of Dakar As Major Partner of the Dakar, one of Motul’s popular innovations for 2018 was considerable support of the Original by Motul entries in bikes. This is the category in which the riders have no assistance, and have to look after the mechanical upkeep of their bike or quad on their own. Of the 27 Original by Motul entries, 16 finished and Frenchman Olivier Pain was a convincing winner ahead of Britain’s Lyndon Poskitt, and Dutchman Hans-Jos Liefhebber.

These warriors of the deserts and roads embodied pure competition and true Dakar spirit that this month came together as a real Original by Motul community – one that is likely to stay together for a long time to come.

tire pressure will also save you half a kilometer per liter of fuel. Using an old style tire pressure monitoring device might not provide the correct tire pressure.

In the Philippines, you might have seen in gasoline stations the new electronic tire inflation system by Airtec. A product of Australia, Airtec Digital Tire Inflators not only gives you the accurate tire pressure of up to 0.3 psi, it is also convenient to use. Motorists only have to push a button to set the desired pressure and fit the push-on hose and let Airtec do its thing. This digital tire inflator can be installed in tire shops, work shops and garages for both commercial and personal use.

For details on how to accurately inflate your tire, call +632 3723601 to 05 or log on to info@ emicorinc.com/www. facebook.com/emicorinc for details.

F 4

TUESDAY

January 29, 2019

Hino uplifts commuters’ riding experience with modern jeepney units

Heavy Duty

I

MPROVED riding experience for commuters and better driving conditions for drivers summarized THE kRST FEW MONTHS of rollout of modern jeepneys. These are the kNDINGS OF (INO -OTORS 0HILIPPINES (-0

exclusive distributor of CUSTOMIZED (INO TRUCKS and buses in the 0HILIPPINES WHICH visited the Pateros-Fort Bonifacio Transport Service and Multi-Purpose #OOPERATIVE 43-# and Taguig Transport Service Cooperative 43# A FEW MONTHS AFTER ENDORSING (INO MODERN jeepneys to the cooperatives in support of the government’s Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program 056-0

Hino turned over 13 air-conditioned jeepneys to Pateros-Fort Bonifacio TSMC and 20 nonair-conditioned units to Taguig TSC during its second turnover ceremony held recently. The Euro 4-powered Hino Class II jeepneys have a seating capacity of 23 with side-facing passenger seats resembling the conventional jeepney. Their design accommodates standing passengers to maximize the vehicle’s capacity.

Tailor-made to requirements set by the Bureau of Philippine Standards, the modern jeepneys are also air-conditioned and equipped with a Beep Card system, speed limiter, GPS, CCTV and a dashboard camera.

Still in the initial stages of plying the roads, the modern jeepneys involve the assistance of a PASSENGER ASSISTANCE OFkCER 0!/ IN PLACE OF THE "EEP #ARD SYSTEM 0!/S COLLECT PASSENGERS FARES and inform the driver when they are getting off.

Improved performance and working conditions Emerson Vizconte, a jeepney driver with the PaterosFort Bonifacio TSMC, noted the advantages of the modern jeepneys in comparison with old jeepneys. “The performance of the modern jeepneys are /+ !SIDE FROM HAVING COOL AIR CONDITIONING THE modern jeepneys run well and I have never stalled in the street,� he said in Filipino.

Jose, a driver with the Taguig TSC who has been driving jeepneys for 12 years, had some misgivings about switching to modern jeepneys. g!T kRST ) HAD HESITATIONS SHIFTING TO THE MODERN jeepney because it might be very different from the one I drove before. But after driving a modern JEEPNEY ) FOUND IT TO BE /+ 4HE MODERN JEEPNEY is lighter to drive,� he said in Filipino.

In addition to better working conditions, the PUVMP aims to give operators and drivers benEkTS FROM THE 3OCIAL 3ECURITY 3YSTEM 0HILIPPINE Health Insurance Corp., and accident insurance.

The Pateros-Fort Bonifacio TSMC and Taguig TSC are also looking to supporting their drivers with kXED SALARIES TO REPLACE THE BOUNDARY SYSTEM

Strong partnership with Hino Freddie Hernandez, chairman of the Taguig TSC, expressed his appreciation for Hino’s service. “What we are happy about is Hino is ready to provide help whenever we need them. They show that they are supportive toward the jeepney modernization project. Before, we found it hard whenever our old jeepneys stall. But now, because of the excellent assistance from Hino, mechanical PROBLEMS ARE EASILY kXED u HE SAID “The country’s transport system is long overdue for a real shakeup,� said Vicente Mills, chairman of Hino Motors Philippines. “The Department of Transportation envisions a structured transport system that involves small, medium and large vehicles plying structured routes. The modern JEEPNEY PROJECT IS THE kRST OF THE SERIES OF CHANGES THAT $/4R WANTS TO IMPLEMENT IN THE NEXT FEW years. We at Hino hope to continue being a part of this endeavor in line with our mission of ensuring the welfare and safety of the Filipino riding public,� he added.

For more information, visit https://www. hinophils.com.ph/ and like it on https://www. facebook.com/HinoMotorsPH/.

About Hino Motors Philippines Hino Motors Philippines Corporation is primarily engaged in the exclusive assembly and distribution of quality Hino trucks and buses, distribution of genuine Hino spare parts, and the manufacture and distribution of other automotive-related products and services in the Philippines. /RIGINALLY INCORPORATED IN -ARCH under the name Pilipinas Hino )NC 0() BEFORE IT CHANGED ITS NAME TO (-0 IN

the company is a joint venture among Filipino investors, Hino Motors Ltd., and Marubeni Corporation of Japan.