THE MANILA TIMES | MARCH 30, 2019

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Deficit posted despite ‘forced underspending’ ÂťStory on B1 ++

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•• 4 SECTIONS PAGES • VOL. 120 NO. 168 28

SATURDAY, MARCH 30, 2019

Q Maria Ressa, Rappler Inc.’s top editor and chief executive officer, leaves the Pasig Regional Trial Court after posting bail. PHOTO BY RUY L. MARTINEZ

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Trusted since 1898

Ressa nabbed over anti-dummy case BY NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

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OURNALIST Maria Ressa, accused of violating the Anti-Dummy Law for raising capital from foreigners for her news website Rappler, was arrested anew on Friday as she landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Binays rule poor Makati, Ayalas own rich Makati

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W A S IN MY LINE sitting OF SIGHT on a park bench talking with two friends — an expat from Sweden and a lawyer — at the Palm Promenade within the Ayala Center in Makati City at past 10 p.m. on Tuesday night when a security guard of the complex accosted us. ³TulfoA5

RAMON T. TULFO

Diminished sovereignty

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DEON THE CIDED CONTRARY to support President Rodrigo Duterte, despite the fact that I did not vote for him and even if I have fundamental differences with his war on drugs. ÂłContrerasA4

ANTONIO CONTRERAS

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

‘MANNING INDUSTRY DYING’

PH SEAFARER DEPLOYMENT CUT BY MORE THAN 100,000

Ressa posted P90,000 bail for her temporary liberty, days after fellow members of the Rappler board of directors did the same to avoid arrest. “Coming home to confront yet another

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Sotto’s NPC endorses JV Ejercito, Bam Aquino, Bong Go and 7 others SENATE President Vicente Sotto 3rd, chairman of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), on Friday said his seven reelectionist colleagues in the chamber led the list of his personal lineup for the 2019 race to the Senate. In a Viber message to the Senate

2EPORTERS 'ROUP 3OTTO CONkRMED that the NPC has considered supportING THE kRST NAMES OF CANDIDATES for senator that he earlier submitted to the party that included seven reelectionist senators, two former senators and a newcomer.

The reelectionists are Senators Mary Grace Poe, Joseph Victor “JV� Ejercito, Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar, Juan Edgardo “Sonny� Angara, Aquilino “Koko� Pimentel 3rd and Paolo Benigno “Bam� Aquino 4th.

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BY RAFFY AYENG THE DEPLOYMENT of Filipino seafarers dwindled by more than 100,000, according to preliminary data for the year 2018 obtained by The Manila Times. Based on initial data released by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration’s (POEA) planning department, seafarer deployment hit 337,502 from January to December, down 111,961 compared with the deployment of 449,463 in January to December 2017.

EXCLUSIVE

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Arroyo: China a partner, not a threat CHINA’S role in global trade makes the Asian superpower a potential partner of the Philippines instead of a threat, House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Friday.

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What’s inside DUTERTE INAUGURATES BANGSAMORO GOVT

NewsA2

EX-PNP CHIEF WANTS GRAFT CASE DROPPED NewsA3

‘NOT A DYNASTY’ Taguig congressional candidates Alan Peter Cayetano (left) and wife Lani (right), accompanied by vice mayoral bet Ricardo Cruz Jr. and mayoral candidate Lino Cayetano, do the fist bump, the signature gesture of President Rodrigo Duterte, during their proclamation rally in Taguig City on Friday. PHOTO BY RENE DILAN SStory St toorr y on to on A8 8

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No ‘special treatment’ for narcocelebs — Palace

ROCKETS ROMP PAST NUGGETS

SportsC1

CINEMA IN THE ADVENT OF LIVESTREAM AND VIDEO ON DEMAND

EntertainmentD1

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will not give “special treatmentâ€? to anyone, MalacaĂąang said on Friday over a supposed public clamor for the government to release the names of celebrities allegedly involved in illegal drugs. Speaking to reporters, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo assured that Duterte would consider “all factorsâ€? in deciding whether to publicly release a list of alleged narcocelebrities.

“The President doesn’t give special treatment to anyone if you have noticed,� Panelo said during A NEWS BRIEkNG “All factors will be considered by the President, so we’ll just have to wait for his decision on the matter. Again, the President will weigh the pros and the cons and decide,� he added. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) had revealed

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200 FB pages taken down for ‘inauthentic behavior’ SOCIAL media giant Facebook has announced that it has taken down 200 pages, as well as groups and accounts, in the Philippines for engaging in “coordinated inauthentic behavior.� “Today we removed 200 pages, groups and accounts that engaged in coordinated inauthentic behavior on Facebook and

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News

˜ The Manila Times

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SATURDAY March 30, 2019

Duterte inaugurates Bangsamoro govt

Duterte has appointed another former military general to his

Opposition Sen. Francis “Kiko� Pangilinan on Friday condemned the arrest of Ressa, saying the administration was pulling all the stops to silence critics and suppress the truth. “The arrest of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa may be a simple bailable case at hand, but just how law enforcers were carrying it out sends a chilling message to other media outlets and to the public in general of portent of things to come if one gets in the way of the administration,� Pangilinan said in a statement.

“We condemn this mob mentality and aggression toward the media as we urge the various sectors not to be intimidated and stand for fairness and truth and the right to free speech,� the opposition lawmaker added. Ressa insists the site is not antiDuterte, saying it is just doing its job to hold the government to account. Last month, Ressa spent a night in detention after being arrested at her office but eventually posted bail for allegedly libeling a businessman in a news article written in 2012. Ressa’s legal team said this latest case would not stop Rappler from doing its work. “Let it be clear that these acts of harassment will not deter our clients from doing their duty as journalists,� legal counsel Francis Lim said in a statement. “We believe in the rule of law.� Salvador Panelo, Duterte’s

spokesman, said the arrest was simply enforcement of the law and was not related to Ressa’s work. “Press freedom has nothing to do with the charges against Ms. Ressa,� he told reporters. “She should concentrate on defending herself in court.� Ra p p l e r h a s r e p o r t e d e x tensively, and unflatteringly, on Duterte’s deadly narcotics crackdown that has claimed thousands of lives and which rights groups say may be a crime against humanity. Duterte has also lashed out at other critical media outfits, including the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper and broadcaster ABS-CBN. He threatened to go after their owners over alleged unpaid taxes or block the network’s franchise renewal application. WITH AFP AND BENJIE L. VERGARA

Court to compel President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration to withdraw its “onerousâ€? agreement with China on the Chico River Pump Irrigation Project. Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao said such agreement violates the Constitution and would likely result in a “total sell-out of national sovereignty.â€? ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio on Friday accused MalacaĂąang of mortgaging the territorial rights of Filipinos. “It is now clear that the Duterte administration’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program relies heavily on onerous one-sided loans from China‌ as patriotic Filipinos, we

CARE AND WE WILL kGHT TO PROTECT our patrimony,� Tinio told The Manila Times. Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary !LEJANO WHO PREVIOUSLY kLED A House resolution seeking public disclosure of different loan agreements that the Philippine government has entered into with China, reiterated that “blind faith� in Beijing would likely cause Manila’s downfall. “If subsequent contracts entered into with China will continue to stipulate such high interest rates and onerous collateral payments, we are setting ourselves up for Chinese debt trap,� Alejano said. According to IBON Foundation,

the Philippines’ debt to China has ballooned to $14.4 billion for at least 23 infrastructure projects this year. It cited Article 8.1 on the waiver of immunity of the China-funded Chico River and Kaliwa Dam loan agreements that stated the Philippines would be forced to repay debts with its natural resources and strategic assets. “The Duterte administration has become so used to privileging #HINA THAT IT FORGETS ITS INkNITELY greater responsibility toward the Philippines and Filipinos,� IBON Executive Director Sonny Africa said. GLEE JALEA

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Prior to the BARMM inaugural CEREMONY "ANGSAMORO OFkCIALS led by Chief Minister Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim elected a former member of the House of Representatives as the new speaker of their interim parliament, pending a regional election in 2022. Lawyer Ali Pangalian Balindong, former House deputy speaker for Mindanao, replaced Ghazali Jaafar, vice chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), as Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) speaker. Jaafar died two weeks ago in a Davao City hospital from a heart ailment. Balindong, a Maranao, is from Malabang, Lanao del Sur and is part of the MILF bloc. The MILF has 41 representatives in the 80-member multisector BTA that will manage the

Q Speaker Ali Pangalian Balindong of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (second from right) takes his oath of office before Chief Minister Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao before the opening their inaugural session at Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City. Witnessing the ceremony are his children and other members of his family. BPI-BARMM Bangsamoro government until reGIONAL OFkCIALS ARE ELECTED IN The national government has nominated 39 members, including SOME OF THE ELECTED OFkCIALS OF THE abolished Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). BARMM officials and BTA MEMBERS CONkRMED ON &RIDAY that the election of Balindong as speaker of the regional parliament was decided during a caucus on Thursday afternoon. The caucus preceded the scheduled symbolic inauguration of the BARMM by President Duterte at 4 p.m. on Friday. Chief Minister Ebrahim said Balindong would be capable of pushing forward the peace and development agenda of the Bangsamoro government.

Q NABBED FROM A1

Ressa nabbed over took her into custody, and then brought her to the police station for booking, as seen in one of her tweets. Ressa was charged for the crime of violation of Section 2-A of Commonwealth Act 108 or the “Anti-Dummy Law.� The Anti-Dummy Law prohibits foreigners from intervening in any “nationalized activity� such as the operation of a media company, which should have 100 percent Filipino control as stated under the 1987 Constitution. Her co-defendants include Rappler managing editor Glenda Gloria and members of the company’s Omidyar 2016 board. investment “This is a travesty of justice. I have done nothing wrong. I am 4WO FEMALE 0ASIG POLICE OFkCERS not a criminal. I am treated like a ridiculous criminal case. I didn’t expect the PH government to make my joke about collecting arrest warrants a reality. This will be my 7th. For being a journalist. All these acts violating the Bill of Rights will be remembered,� Ressa said in tweet before her arrest. Police served Ressa an arrest warrant issued by the Pasig Regional Trial Court Branch 265 on Thursday, a day prior to Ressa’s return to the country from a San Francisco trip. “Will they actually arrest me again?! @rapplerdotcom this is insane. Such violations of the Bill of Rights and the PH Constitution,� Ressa tweeted moments after being served the warrant.

Q THREAT FROM A1

Arroyo: China a partner “China’s effort in opening up has really been a boost for the economies of the world, especially the developing economies. The world should look at China’s rise as an opportunity rather than a threat,� Arroyo told the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference in Hainan, China. Serving as a BFA Board member, she noted that investment activities between the two countries make for a win-win situation amid

concerns over the Philippines’ loan agreements with China. “The Philippines actually has been investing in China for quite some time now because we have a very big Filipino-Chinese community, so I’m sure they can invest further in China. At the same time, China is also now investing more and more in the Philippines. So this must be a win-win solution for the developing world,� Arroyo said. The speaker added that China

The BARMM was created based on the peace agreement signed by the national government and the MILF in 2014 after 22 years of peace talks. Balindong served as a pioneer member of the defunct Regional Assembly-ARMM prior to his election as a three-term congressional representative of the 2nd District of Lanao del Sur. BTA members also named Hatimil Hassan as deputy speaker by virtue of his being Basilan’s representative to the transitory group. Hassan, a Yakan who fought the government in the 1970s, served as vice chairman to Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari. Tausug lawyer Laisa Masuhud Alamia, former executive secre-

tary of former ARMM governor Mujiv Hataman, was designated AS MINORITY lOOR LEADER OF THE BARMM parliament. Another lawyer, Lanang Ali Jr., a Maguindanaoan, was named MAJORITY lOOR LEADER Raby Angkal and Dan Dimakenal sit in the BARMM parliament as secretary general and sergeant at arms, respectively. Speaker Balindong immediately led THE kRST INAUGURAL SESSION OF THE "4! on Friday morning and disclosed that among the BTA’s priorities would be the passage of important legislation, such as the Bangsamoro Administrative Code, Bangsamoro Revenue Code, Bangsamoro Electoral Code, Bangsamoro Local Government Code and Bangsamoro Education Code.

criminal,� Ressa said in a television interview. Ressa, 55, and six other current and former Rappler associates are accused of allowing foreigners, through a 2015 bond sale, to take control of the website. Under the Constitution, investment in media is reserved for Filipinos or Filipino-controlled entities. This case and most of the 10 previous ones against Rappler spring from the 2015 investment from the US-based Omidyar Network, which was established by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar. Rappler denies that the company was controlled by a foreign entity. For the anti-dummy case, the Rappler chief, Gloria and the rest of the Rappler board had to pay more than P1.5 million in bail. “This pattern of harassment against Rappler that started in 2018, when the Securities and Exchange Commission issued an

order revoking its license,� Rappler said in a statement. The country’s corporate regulator revoked Rappler’s business license last year over the 2015 bond sale, but the site continued operating as it appealed the case in the courts.

had also been a major market for Filipino-Chinese businessmen as they had been investing in the Asian giant. These businessmen, she said, had been benefiting from China’s transformation, with Beijing now Manila’s number one trading partner. Despite Arroyo looking at China as a friend, some lawmakers from the opposition were still not convinced, reiterating their move to push for government transparency involving deals with China. Lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc recently announced their plan TO kLE A DECLARATORY RELIEF PETITION on April 3 before the Supreme

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has reappointed former military general Eliseo Rio Jr. as acting secretary of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). The appointment came months after MalacaĂąang forwarded the nomination of Sen. Gregorio “Gringoâ€? Honasan 2nd as the new DICT head. But the nomination lapsed without Honasan completing the requirements. Duterte signed Rio’s appointment letter on March 25. Copies were released to the media four days later. Earlier this year, a source with knowledge on the matter told The Manila Times that Rio might keep his post at least until June or longer, as Duterte had yet to appoint a new secretary. Honasan was already a senator when the law creating the DICT was signed in May 2016. According to Article 6, Section 13 of the 1987 Constitution, no senator or member of the House of RepresentaTIVES MUST BE APPOINTED gTO ANY OFkCE which may have been created or the emoluments thereof increased during the term for which he was elected.â€? Rio served as the office’s undersecretary, until Duterte named him acting head of the DICT in May last year. One of the highlights of Rio’s tenure was the entry of the third telecommunications (telco) provider in the country. In November, the DICT proclaimed the Mindanao Islamic Telephone Co. Inc. (Mislatel) consortium as the new telco provider in the country. It will attempt to break the supposed duopoly between the PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom.

government. The former Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) chief, Lt. Gen. Danilo Pamonag, is the new undersecretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Duterte had named three former military generals to the department, one of them former Philippine Army chief Rolando Bautista as secretary. Earlier this year, Duterte appointed as undersecretaries retired Maj. Gen. Rene Paje and former assistant division commander of the Mechanized Infantry Division of the Philippine Army retired Brig. Gen. Felicisimo Budiongan. Duterte often says he prefers dealing with military men because they did as they were ordered, without questions. Other appointees were: – Gaspar Cayat of Ifugao’s Kalanguya tribe as a commissioner of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, representing Region 1 and the Cordilleras. – John Bea Abejuro, co-chairman of the Regional Development Council for Albay. – Lawyer Limuel Auza as member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Council) in the Province of Surigao del Sur, replacing Eleanor Momo. Duterte also appointed 19 new directors across several departments and 32 new prosecutors nationwide. The new prosecutors will lead in the preliminary investigation and preliminary inquest of criminal cases. Chief prosecutors in every city and municipality will also be sitting as vice chairman of the Board of Canvassers for the elections. RALPH U. VILLANUEVA AND JOMAR CANLAS

BY JULMUNIR I. JANNARAL

O TA B AT O CITY: Presi d e n t Ro drigo Duterte led the symbolic inauguration of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Friday afternoon at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in this city.

Rio reappointed acting DICT chief

‘Pulling all the stops’

Other appointees

News Ex-PNP chief wants graft case dropped

˜ The Manila Times

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SATURDAY March 30, 2019

BY REINA C. TOLENTINO

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ORMER Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Alan Purisima is asking permission from the Sandiganbayan’s Sixth Division TO kLE A DEMURRER TO EVIDENCE IN THE GRAFT CASE he and others are facing in connection with the alleged anomalous courier deal entered into by the PNP with Werfast Documentation Agency Inc. (Werfast) in 2011.

A demurrer to evidence is a moTION TO DISMISS CHALLENGING THE SUFkCIENCY OF THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED BY THE PROSECUTION DURING TRIAL )F a court denies a demurrer that the

DEFENDANT kLED WITH ITS PERMISsion, he may present evidence in his defense. “Upon review of the evidence PRESENTED BY THE 0ROSECUTION IT

is evident that it failed to present SUFkCIENT EVIDENCE TO PROVE THE accusation stated in the InformaTION CHARGE SHEET kLED AGAINST THE Accused, and to prove the existence of all the elements of Section 3(e) OF 2! 2EPUBLIC !CT u THE DEFENSE ARGUED IN A -OTION FOR Leave to File Demurrer to Evidence with Motion to Admit Attached Demurrer to Evidence. RA 3019 is the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.� The defense said the prosecution failed to present any evidence that Purisima directly or indirectly enTERED INTO -EMORANDUM OF !GREEment with Werfast as the MOA was APPROVED ON !UG

Purisima, the defenses said, was appointed PNP chief only on Dec. 18, 2012. )T ARGUED THAT THE PROSECUTION FAILED TO ESTABLISH THROUGH COMpetent evidence that he had acted with manifest partiality, evident BAD FAITH OR GROSS INEXCUSABLE NEGLIGENCE WHEN HE HAD ALLEGEDLY approved the policy on the mandaTORY DELIVERY OF kREARMS LICENSES The defense added that a perusal of the evidence presented the prosecution would show that THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WOULD LINK him to Werfast’s accreditation nor EVIDENCE TO ESTABLISH THAT 0URISIMA GAVE 7ERFAST UNWARRANTED BENEkT ADVANTAGE OR PREFERENCE

g!S DISCUSSED ABOVE THE ONLY evidence of the Prosecution where Accused Purisima was mentioned IS ONLY IN %XHIBIT @( AND IN THE said evidence, it is clear that what WAS BEING APPROVED IS NOT THE ACCREDITATION OF 7ERFAST BUT RATHER THE POLICY ON DELIVERY OF kREARMS licenses which is aimed to curtail THE PROLIFERATION OF LOOSE kREARMS AND kCTITIOUS LICENSEE ADDRESSES u it said. )N kLING THE CASE IN THE /MBUDSMAN ALLEGED THAT THE ACCUSED GAVE 7ERFAST UNWARRANTED BENEkTS ADVANTAGE OR PREFERENCE 0URISIMA ALLEGEDLY ENTERED INTO a MOA with Werfast for courier SERVICES FOR kREARMS LICENSE AP-

PDEA conducts surprise drug tests on PUV drivers THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Friday launched a surprise mandatory drug testing for public transport drivers nationwide, reiterating its crackdown of users in various workplaces. The program, dubbed “Oplan Harabas� and led by PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino, was implemented in Pasay City public transportation terminals as pilot areas. Aquino said under the program, drivers found positive of drug use would be stripped off their licenses to ensure the safety of commuters. The PDEA chief, however, assured that those whose results turned out positive would undergo rehabilitation with the agency’s help. “The important thing there is how he will obtain again his license after getting a certificate after graduating from the rehabilitation center. We are implementing this because we want to help the drivers and it is important also to have interventions with the conductors and drivers,� Aquino told reporters at a chance interview in Pasay City. The surprise drug testing was conducted at the Pasay City Jeepney Terminal, Pasay City UV terminals, SM Mall of Asia terminal, Nichols Jeepney terminal, Ninoy

Aquino International Airport terminal and three tricycle terminals near the vicinity. Aquino said the program would cover 49 other terminals nationwide. Oplan Harabas is implemented with the Land Transportation Office, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Philippine National Police, Manila International Airport Authority, Metro Manila Development Authority, local government units and various stakeholders. Based on the data presented to reporters, a total of 3,654 drivers, bus conductors and dispatchers were arrested from January 2018 until January this year over violation of Republic Act 9165 or the “Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.� Aquino explained that drivers would often lose sleep as they have two to three days of work duty. “Eventually, the only thing they would do because of no sleep at all is to use illegal drugs such as shabu. Once using this drug, they can drive continuously, but the problem there are the side effects of shabu. That is why there were accidents occurring on the road,� he pointed out. DEMPSEY REYES

Aquino thanks Duterte for acknowledgment 3%. 0AOLO "ENIGNO g"AMu !QUIno 4th on Friday thanked PresiDENT 2ODRIGO $UTERTE AND 3EN 0ANkLO g0INGu ,ACSON FOR ACKNOWLEDGING HIS ROLE IN THE PASSAGE OF the Free Tuition Law. “I’m thankful that the President ACKNOWLEDGES MY EFFORT TO LEGISLATE FREE COLLEGE u !QUINO SAID In his speech in Koronadal City on Tuesday, the President mentioned THAT !QUINO HELPED IN THE CRAFTING THE LANDMARK LEGISLATION The reelectionist senator spon-

SORED THE PASSAGE OF THE &REE #OLLEGE ,AW WHEN HE WAS STILL CHAIRman of the Senate Committee on Education. !QUINO EXPRESSED WILLINGNESS TO HELP THE GOVERNMENT FOR THE welfare of poor Filipinos. “If it is for the people, especially THE POOR ) M WILLING TO COOPERATE (with the Duterte administration), JUST LIKE THIS &REE #OLLEGE ,AW u ADDED !QUINO WHO BELONGS TO THE 3ENATE MINORITY BLOC BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO

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plications, approved and implemented as mandatory the delivery BY COURIER OF kREARMS LICENSE CARDS AND GRANTED IT ACCREDITATION AS THE PNP’s courier service provider for all such applications despite the kRM S SUPPOSED FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS ON courier services. 3UCH REGULATIONS INCLUDE PRIOR REGISTRATION WITH THE 3ECURITIES AND %XCHANGE #OMMISSION AUTHORITY from the Department of Transportation and Communications to operate a delivery service, and ACCREDITATION BY THE $EPARTMENT OF 3CIENCE AND 4ECHNOLOGY The PNP terminated the deal in 2014.

Palace vows to assist 48 Pinoys in death row

SEEING RED

Members of the Liga Independencia Filipinas hold protest signs during a demonstration against leftist organizations, namely the Communist Party of the Philippines and its affiliates, the New People’s Army (NPA) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. The NPA marked its 50th anniversary this week. PHOTO BY ENRIQUE AGCAOILI

Palace: Halt funding for Red ‘fronts’ MALACAĂ‘ANG STOOD BY .Ational Security Adviser HermoGENES %SPERON *R S MOVE TO ASK the European Union (EU) to stop FUNDING GROUPS gACTING AS LEGAL frontsâ€? of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CCP) and its ARMED WING THE .EW 0EOPLES Army (NPA). !GREEING WITH %SPERON 0ALACE spokesman Salvador Panelo said DURING A PRESS BRIEkNG THAT g;T=HE %5 SHOULD BECAUSE THE FUNDING WILL BE USED IN DESTABILIZING THE ;$UTERTE= GOVERNMENT u g)F THESE ARE LEGAL FRONTS AND THEIR MAIN PURPOSE IS TO BREAK DOWN THE GOVERNMENT THEN THE %5 WHO S FUNDING IT SHOULD reconsider,â€? he added. Esperon, in his letter to EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gilles de Kerchove, dated March 26, said the union’s funds were BEING USED TO SUSTAIN THE TERRORist activities of the CPP-NPA, the LONGEST EXISTING COMMUNIST TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD WHICH IS LISTED AS A TERRORIST GROUP BY BOTH THE 53 AND THE %5 He said the CPP-NPA had SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED INTER-

national alliances in different PARTS OF THE WORLD THROUGH ITS FRONT ORGANIZATIONS PURPORTEDLY TO ADDRESS SOCIAL ILLS AFlICTING the society. !S STATED IN THE #00 S PUBLIcation titled “Constitution and 0ROGRAM #OMMUNIST 0ARTY OF the Philippines 2016,� Esperon SAID THE GROUP HAD ALREADY CREATED ITS NETWORKS WHILE BOASTING A STRATEGY THAT INCLUDED ARMED STRUGGLE AND THE USE OF PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCES “Their former communist MEMBERS KNEW VERY WELL THAT THE #00 .0! IS USING FRONT ORGANIZATIONS WHICH ARE SYMBOLICALLY FUNCTIONING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAME OBJECTIVES AND METHODS THROUGH VIOLENCE u HE ADDED In his letter, Esperon named THREE "ELGIAN NONGOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS .'/S ‡ 3OLIDAGRO 6IVA 3ALUD AND +)9/ which “indirectly and unwitTINGLY PARTNEREDu WITH .'/S IN THE 0HILIPPINES THAT ACT AS LEGAL fronts of the CPP-NPA. !MONG THE GROUPS SUPPOSEDLY RECEIVING FUNDS WERE THE !LTERNATIVE ,EARNING #ENTER FOR

!GRICULTURAL AND ,IVELIHOOD Development (Alcadev), IBON Foundation, Karapatan, Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation Inc., the Rural Missionaries OF THE 0HILIPPINES 3ALUGPUNGAN 4A TANU )GKANUGON #OMMUNITY ,EARNING #ENTER )NC !LLIANCE OF (EALTH 7ORKERS +ILUSANG -AYO 5NO 'ABRIELA AND !LLIANCE OF Concerned Teachers. Esperon said Alcadev and 3ALUGPUNGAN WERE IDENTIkED AS #00 .0! ALTERNATIVE LEARNING centers and schools. g)T IS APPALLING THAT THESE ENTITIES ARE USED TO RADICALIZE children with the end view of TURNING THEM INTO CHILD WARriors and future leaders of the CPP-NPA communist-terrorist GROUPS u HE SAID 3OME OF THE GROUPS HAVE ALREADY DENIED THESE ALLEGATIONS WHICH mirror the previous claims of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. %ARLIER THIS MONTH THE GROUPS ALSO kLED A COMPLAINT BEFORE THE #OMMISSION ON (UMAN 2IGHTS FOR THE gRED TAGGINGu OF THEIR ORGANIZATIONS CATHERINE S. VALENTE

MALACAĂ‘ANG on Friday assured the public that the Philippine government was doing everything to save all overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were on death row abroad, including the 48 in Malaysia. Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement following the appeal of Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Buhay party-list Rep. Jose “Litoâ€? Atienza Jr. to the Malaysian government to spare the lives of 48 Filipinos sentenced to the death in Kuala Lumpur. “Definitely we will not [leave them behind]. We will always respond to the call of distress from any OFW,â€? Panelo told reporters in a press conference. “I think the Secretary of Labor [Silvestre Bello 3rd] is doing something about that already. We’re waiting, in fact, [for] his report of the latest,â€? he added. On Thursday, Atienza called on the Malaysian government to grant commutation of the death sentences meted out to Filipinos, following reports that Malaysia has decided to scrap the mandatory hanging for 11 offenses. Citing Department of Foreign Affairs records, Atienza said there were 48 Filipino citizens awaiting execution in Malaysia. In October last year, Atienza said Malaysia’s Pakatan Harapan or Alliance of Hope coalition imposed a moratorium on all judicial executions pending the passage of new legislation that would remove the mandatory death sentence for 11 offenses. He said the new legislation would give Malaysian judges the leeway to inflict either death by hanging or longterm imprisonment. Malaysia carried out 13 executions from 2016 to 2017 before it froze executions in October. In the Philippines, Congress revived the death penalty for 13 heinous crimes in 1993, only to abolish it in 2006. The House, voting 217 in favor, 54 against and with one abstention, passed on to third and final reading in March 2017 a bill reinstating the death penalty for drug-related offenses. The bill, however, remains pending as the Senate refused to take it up. CATHERINE S. VALENTE

Finder of a movable property Dear PAO, I found a pouch bag containing P80,000 when I went to our Municipal Hall to pay my real property tax. There was nothing inside the bag aside from the money bills. The bag is still in my possession until now. Can I just keep the bag and the cash money? Do I still need to return what I found even if I do not know the owner of the bag? Please advise me. Judy Ann Dear Judy Ann, For your information, the provisions that address your situation are Articles 719 and 720 of the Civil Code: “Article 719. Whoever kNDS A

without deterioration, or without EXPENSES WHICH CONSIDERABLY DIMINISH ITS VALUE IT SHALL BE SOLD DEAR PAO AT PUBLIC AUCTION EIGHT DAYS AFTER THE PUBLICATION “Six months from the publication having elapsed without the owner having appeared, the movable, which is not treasure, thing found, or its value, shall must return it to its previous pos- BE AWARDED TO THE kNDER. The sessor. If the latter is unknown, FINDER AND THE OWNER SHALL BE the finder shall immediately OBLIGED AS THE CASE MAY BE TO deposit it with the mayor of the REIMBURSE THE EXPENSES city or municipality where the “Article 720. If the owner kNDING HAS TAKEN PLACE. should appear in time, he shall g4HE kNDING SHALL BE PUBLICLY BE obliged to pay, as a reward ANNOUNCED BY THE MAYOR FOR TWO TO THE kNDER ONE TENTH OF THE consecutive weeks in the way he sum or of the price of the thing DEEMS BEST found.� (Emphases supplied) g)F THE MOVABLE CANNOT BE KEPT !PPLYING THE AFOREMENTIONED

PERSIDA ACOSTA

law in your situation, you need to DEPOSIT THE POUCH BAG INCLUDING ALL ITS CONTENTS WITH THE OFkCE OF the mayor of the place where you found it. If the owner will appear ON TIME HE IS OBLIGED TO GIVE you a reward equivalent to onetenth of the sum of the money YOU FOUND -OREOVER IT MAY BE awarded to you after six months FROM THE LAST DATE OF PUBLICATION ANNOUNCING THE kNDING OF the said items and without the OWNER CLAIMING THE SAID BAG AND cash money. 4HE FAILURE TO RETURN LOST OBjects constitutes theft. Under Article 308 of the Revised Penal Code, theft is committed as follows:

g!RTICLE 7HO ARE LIABLE FOR THEFT ‡ 4HEFT IS COMMITTED BY any person who, with intent to GAIN BUT WITHOUT VIOLENCE AGAINST or intimidation of persons nor FORCE UPON THINGS SHALL TAKE personal property of another without the latter’s consent. “Theft is likewise committed BY “1. Any person who, having found lost property, shall fail to deliver the same to the local authorities or to its owner; xxx� (Emphasis supplied) It is worthy to note here that THEFT IS NOT ONLY COMMITTED BY THE INTENTIONAL TAKING OF ANother’s property without force UPON THINGS OR VIOLENCE AGAINST

OR INTIMIDATION OF PERSONS BUT ALSO BY FAILURE OF THE kNDER OF A LOST THING TO RETURN THE SAME TO its owner or to turn it over to the local authorities. 7E kND IT NECESSARY TO MENTION THAT THIS OPINION IS SOLELY BASED on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. Thus, the opinion may vary when THE FACTS ARE CHANGED OR FURTHER ELABORATED 7E HOPE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ENLIGHTEN YOU ON the matter.

Editor’s note: Dear PAO is a DAILY COLUMN OF THE 0UBLIC !TTORNEY S /FkCE 1UESTIONS FOR #HIEF !COSTA MAY BE SENT TO DEARPAO manilatimes.net

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Opinion

SATURDAY March 30, 2019

˜ The Manila Times

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E d i to r i a l Lower investment numbers merely a pause

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T first glance, data released by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) this week showing that approved investment pledges plummeted in February may be alarming. As we have pointed out on different occasions, however, accurate conclusions about the state of the economy can be drawn by examining the numbers in their proper context. The DTI’s Board of Investments (BOI) reported that approved pledges by investors to put in money in local businesses fell by 95 percent in February, compared with the corresponding month a year ago, a sharp reversal of January’s 91-percent increase. Just P3.85 billion in different investments were approved by THE "/) IN &EBRUARY AN ALMOST INSIGNIkCANT AMOUNT COMPARED with the P80.31 billion recorded in February 2018 and the P97.9 billion in investment pledges registered in January of this year. February’s weak result pushed the total value of approved investment pledges for the first two months of 2019 down by 23 percent from the comparative 2018 level, in spite of the strong start to this year. Taken on their own, the February numbers are alarming. But as the DTI explained, they are neither completely unexpected nor worrisome as part of the still very attractive big picture. “Approved investments� are more volatile than most other economic indicators, and this is due almost entirely to timing. On the side of investors, there is a preference for “frontloading� major capital investments in a budget year, or putting in the greater proportion of a planned investment at the beginning of the business operation. Although the 2019 national budget has not yet been enacted — something that investors would not have anticipated in December or January — the shift to a cash-based, from obligation-based, budgeting system probably encouraged more investors to follow a similar plan, especially those who have projects related in some way to the government’s “Build, Build, Build� infrastructure drive. On the government side, the “timing issue� that the DTI described as a factor in February’s downturn is simply that: approvals for many investments can take up to 60 days or more, depending on their complexity. An investment proposal made now, for example, may not be reflected in the “approved investment pledges� data until May or June. According to the DTI, the BOI is currently assessing a number of large-scale investments, and these are expected to raise the investment numbers in the coming months. Therefore, the February approved investment figures, while much lower than might have been hoped, are simply part of a normal cycle. All indications are that investment interest in the Philippines remains robust and reflects an overall positive outlook on the economy. In fact, a bit deeper examination of the February investment data reveals a couple of other positive developments that may not be immediately apparent. First and most importantly, the overwhelming majority of approved investments — about 91 percent — were from domestic investors rather than foreign sources. This indicates strong confidence in the economy by our local investors, something also reflected in the firstquarter upturn in business and consumer sentiments. Second, there is an indication that foreign investments are becoming somewhat more diversified. Of the small amount of approved foreign investments during February, none were from the sources the Philippines traditionally relies on the most, China and the US. This may also be an indication that the trade war between those two countries is having a negative effect, but at this point that seems of little consequence to the Philippines. Other countries such as the United Kingdom, Singapore and even Myanmar, are stepping in to fill the gap. While February’s disappointing investment numbers make for a discouraging headline, there is nothing in them to suggest that they have any greater negative impact on our economy for THIS YEAR 7E REMAIN CONkDENT THAT THE ECONOMY WILL CONTINUE to grow and strengthen, despite numerous challenges.

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SATURDAY March 30, 2019

The Manila Times

VOLUME 120 NUMBER 168

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

Catastrophe: Green New Deal crashes in US Senate First word ATRICK Moore, former president of Greenpeace Canada, environmentalist and industry consultant, has sent me a note that tells me some serious people out there are reading me. He had some good words to say about my recent column (“Panel on climate science vs Green New Deal,� Manila Times, March 23, 2019). He also had some news to share. His letter reads: “I just want to thank you for writing such a good article and for doing such good research from so far away, although the internet makes us all next door! "I appreciated your quote from me. I am a founding director of the CO2 Coalition which was begun by William Happer in 2015 in Washington D.C. When I sent Richard Lindzen your article he said, ‘This guy is superb.’ "Have you seen the 4 recent articles in Breitbart News quoting my interviews with SiriusXM Radio? "I think the whole climate crisis scam is going to break wide open now. Many people ask why it took Trump so long to deal with this. And many people think he is always shooting from the hip. But my observation as a strategist is he often keeps his powder dry until the time is right. He can’t do it all at once. Now that the Mueller FAKE INVESTIGATION IS kNISHED HE WILL be much freer to continue with his reformist agenda. "I will watch for your articles in future.�

Mr. Moore’s forecast that the climate crisis may break open this year may be starting to take place.

The ambitious Green New Deal of US climate alarmists crashed in spectacular fashion at the US Senate this week, when it was subjected to a test vote. The senators voted 57 to 0 against GND. 6 The GND has support from dozens of House Democrats along with the Democratic Party’s 2020 presidential kELD $EMOCRATIC 3ENATORS %LIZABETH Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey, who have both announced their bids for the 2020 nomination, have signed on as Senate co-sponsors of the resolution When the vote was called, GND withered in the heat on Tuesday as Republicans delivered a decisive spanking to the plan to reshape American society. Not a single senator backed the GND resolution. All Republican senators voted against it. Fortythree Democrats refused to take a stand and voted “present.� 3IGNIkCANTLY THREE $EMOCRATIC senators voted with the Republican majority, Republicans said the vote was a catastrophic blow to one of the hottest liberal policy ideas to hit Washington in years. The bill called for an upheaval in American energy, an overhaul of the construction sector and history’s largest expansion of the social safety net. For his part, President Trump said Wednesday that he wants to campaign against the Green New Deal. “I really don’t want to say anything about it. I want them to keep

to create new ways of engaging our partners. And I saw it as a clarion call that would usher in a new identity for This is simply because I saw in his us as an autonomous, independent bravado, all captured in his crass, and sovereign player. I imagined a Revulgar hyperboles, a man who had public that would be taken seriously the courage to stand up to the lead- and be respected as an equal. While ers of strong and powerful countries. pragmatically such would have been In fact, even if I was scandalized a tall order, there was no doubt in my when he cursed the Pope, a part of mind then that the President would me was amazed at his audacity that lead and inspire us. Watching him apparently spared no one, or at least curse President Obama and the Pope, that’s what I thought. leaders of two entities to which we As a country, we have always been have loyal but contentious relationtreated like a doormat, a distant out- ships, greatly impressed on me the post, a loyal server by our stronger al- hope that indeed change had come. lies. Ours is a history of being seen as a I take sovereignty seriously. I treadependent economy by our creditors sure the day we will embrace a truly and aid-givers. Ours is a reliable vote independent foreign policy. This is that can be counted on by the United precisely why I supported the PresiStates, as we continued our post- dent’s decision to withdraw from colonial existence as some kind of the International Criminal Court an indicator country for US interests. (ICC). It is less because it is singling Wherever the US went, there went the out the President, but more because Philippines too. And it is something the actions of Fatou Bensouda, its that pained me so much. Gambian chief prosecutor, have the It is precisely because of this that potential of amounting to an assault I simply endured and shrugged off on our sovereignty. I am offended by many of the President’s imperfec- the possibility that we will be treated TIONS AND lAWS AND WILLINGLY STAKED like a failed state that is unwilling and my name and friendships, even my unable to investigate and prosecute employment, if only to support a crimes listed in the Rome Statute. President who inspired me to hope We are a sovereign country. The that we will become truly a sovereign President rode into office full of country with an independent foreign the promise to be different, and policy. I even celebrated his diploma- by different I thought it meant, as cy as a form of creative destruction, what I initially gleaned from his where his boldness would disrupt the early actions vis-à -vis the US, EU familiar patterns in which we have and our other traditional partners, found ourselves embedded and im- that he would usher in the era of plicated, even destroying this, if only a truly independent foreign policy.

Unfortunately, what we saw instead was merely a pivot towards China. The change that came turned out to be not towards an independent and autonomous stance, but towards another epicenter of power. And this is, with all honesty, truly disappointing. The President abandoned the gains we made when we received a favorable ruling from the Hague on the West Philippine Sea. Admitting our weakness in being unable to enforce the ruling, which to him was a merely a useless piece of paper, he opted instead to approach China from a less confrontational stance. Indeed, the warming of our relationship enabled us to SECURE LOANS FROM #HINA TO kNANCE his ambitious infrastructure programs. But at the same time, China ALSO KEPT HARASSING OUR kSHERS EVEN in areas to which we have rights. 7HILE ) OPPOSE THE kLING OF CASES by former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario and former ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales against China at the ICC protesting THE HARASSMENT OF OUR kSHERS ) AM greatly disturbed by what has been exposed by Associate Justice Antonio Carpio that our government has waived the immunity of our patrimonial assets in connection with the Chico River Pump Irrigation loan agreement signed with China. I am greatly disturbed because this can pave the way for China to seize some of our national patrimony in the event we fail to pay for our loans. It was revealed by Justice Carpio

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OBSERVER YEN MAKABENTA This is cheering, indeed. The word about Dr. Richard Lindzen woke me up. He is a major voice in the climate-change debate. Richard Siegmund Lindzen is an American atmospheric physicist known for his work in the dynamics of the middle atmosphere, atmospheric tides and ozone photochemistry. He was a lead author of Chapter 7, “Physical Climate Processes and Feedbacks,� of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Third Assessment Report on climate change. He was Alfred P. Sloan professor of meteorology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). On Oct. 7, 2018, he delivered the annual lecture at the Global Warming Policy Foundation (GWPF) in London, which he titled: “Global warming for the two cultures.� He described the climate hysteria as “unfathomable silliness.� I wrote about the lecture in a column last year.

Green New Deal crashes in US Senate

going forward with it because I want to campaign against it,� he said of the sweeping climate resolution during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

Democrats fight back The Democrats scrambled to recover their footing in the face of this crushing of GND. Democrats don’t yet have a consensus plan to address climate change, but they’re now moving. In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled the Climate Action Now Act, a new bill that would essentially forbid the United States from withdrawing from the Paris Agreement. In the Senate, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a new Democratic committee on climate change that will give his party a larger forum for talking to experts and planning next steps. But the new group will LACK THE POWERS OF AN OFkCIAL 3ENATE committee. The Democrats tried and failed to interest the GOP in forming a bipartisan climate panel. Robinson Myer of Atlantic wrote this comment on the Democrats’ quandary: “The double billing provides an insight into the party’s unsettled climate agenda. The problem for Democrats is not that they have too few options; it’s that they have too many‌These proposals have been advanced haphazardly, to send a

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Diminished

that under paragraph 8.1 of the loan agreement, the Philippines has waived immunity over all its assets, except those properties used by Philippine embassies and missions, those under Philippine military control, and those assets for public or governmental use. These would cover all our patrimonial assets and assets dedicated to commercial use. These include the oil and gas in the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea, INCLUDING THE GAS kELDS IN THE 2EED Bank which the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling declared as within the Philippine EEZ. The Department of Finance has already denied that such a loan agreement exists, but the revelations of Justice Carpio appear to be more convincing. What is certainly not comforting is the stance of presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, when he claimed that there is nothing wrong in using our natural resources as collateral for our loans since we will be able to pay these anyway. This, even as he once again publicly admitted our helplessness in relation to China, which he acknowledged as the one in control of the West Philippine Sea, practically undermining our claims over the area. While running to the ICC to intervene only makes us appear weak that we can’t talk to China directly on the issue, Panelo’s declaration CAN BE CONSTRUED AS A SELF INlICTED AFkRMATION THAT WE ARE INDEED WEAK

˜ The Manila Times

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SATURDAY March 30, 2019

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Opinion

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F E AT U R E

Binays rule poor Makati, Ayalas own rich Makati In Afghanistan you still can’t fly a kite The guard, who sported “Francisco� on his nameplate, arrogantly demanded that we leave as, he said, it was already curfew time and the park was private property. We stood our ground and asked to see his superiors in the security force. Francisco’s superiors showed us a signboard that said that the Palm Promenade was a property of Ayala Center Estate Association. The signboard says that the park, which has no enclosures, is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Palm Promenade is in the heart of the Ayala Center where big-star hotels, big department stores and high-rise condominiums are located. Ayala Center is full of people, thousands of them, who shop and dine day and night. Therefore, Ayala Center is a public place. But the Zobel de Ayalas, after whom the Makati commercial business district is named, think that since they own that piece of real estate it is their private domain. And since it’s their private enclave, the Zobel de Ayalas have imposed their own laws, including imposing a curfew, in a very public place. Ayala district in Makati has its own police force the members of which are called “marshals� who patrol the territory to the exclusion of government law enforcers, the Makati police. The arrogant guard who accosted us Tuesday night was an Ayala marshal. It seems that the Ayala district is off limits to the Makati police; no policeman is seen patrolling the streets of the vast complex. The Binays, who have ruled Makati City as mayor one after the other — husband, wife, son and now the daughter — and like to think that the country’s premier town is their kingdom, seem to be scared of the Zobel de Ayalas. And they should be because rumor has it that whenever a high-rise condominium is built in the Ayala district, the Binays get one or two units for free. 4HAT RUMOR WAS CONkRMED BY %RNESTO Mercado, former Makati City vice mayor, who fell out with the Binays. Mercado said the Binays got one or two UNITS OR EVEN A WHOLE lOOR FOR EACH HIGH RISE condominium built in Makati in exchange for a business permit from City Hall.

If Mercado was telling the truth, then the Ayalas hold the Binays by their balls. And so, the Zobel de Ayalas are able to dictate to the Binays to keep the Makati police force off the Ayala Center complex. But if the Zobel de Ayalas hold the Binays by the balls, they were scared stiff of the predecessor of the Binays, Makati Mayor Nemesio Yabut. Yabut, who didn’t ask any favors from the Zobel de Ayalas as he was himself a billionaire and considered himself an equal to the snooty Spanish Jews, once ordered the family to open their gated villages to the public. The Ayalas complied without question. Now that Yabut is long gone, the Ayalas and the Binays have divided Makati City between their two families. The rich part of Makati, which belongs to the Ayalas, is not to be touched by the Binays. The Binays rule the seedy part of the city. **** The Zobel de Ayala family has apologized for the water supply shortage that was foisted on the public by their water utility company, Manila Water Co. Inc. In a joint statement, the brothers Jaime and Fernando Zobel de Ayala accepted the blame for what happened. They have even offered a one-time waiver on certain costs in Manila Water’s bills to its consumers. I don’t think they should be admired for taking responsibility, as that should be expected of responsible corporate leadership. And a one-time waiver on some parts of the utility bills they charge is not enough, given what they’ve allowed to happen. Their concession should be taken away and given to another company. The one-time waiver, to be blunt about it, sounds like an insult. It is like they think that Filipinos are that shallow and cheap. They should just have stayed in real estate. **** Some time ago, my staff and I, who were on a medical mission in Biliran province, visited the Tinago Falls. We were hoping, along with our friends who were doctors and nurses, for an idyllic break from our mission. Unfortunately, what greeted us there was a lot of crap — literally. It seems that

people upstream were defecating directly into the waters that fed the falls. As it was, we had to swim among the FECAL lOATERS Now, that got me thinking: Why are so many Pinoys lacking in matters of sanitation and defecation? According to the website Water.Org, 9 million Pinoys rely on unsafe and unsustainable water sources, and 19 million others lack access to improved sanitation. Many don’t even have toilets at home, 7 million practice open defecation, according to the World Health Organization. And yet, 84 percent of Filipino homes have at least one mobile phone in the family, but only 70 percent have improved toilet facilities of their own. This information comes from the Department of Health. For a culture that prides itself on being clean — some Filipinos take a bath twice a day or even more-toilet facilities seem to be not as important. This blows away the image of Filipino homes having “clean comfort rooms.� Even worse, a study conducted by Unilever Philippines showed that up to 90 percent of Philippine households do not practice proper toilet hygiene and sanitation! We shouldn’t wonder, then, why public toilets are a nightmare in our country. Without personal pride in the home to control some of our citizens’ habits, the real crap — pardon the term — comes out. That also goes for tourist spots, like Tinago Falls, and, as we found out, the waters in Boracay island. Perhaps we should look inward and realize that we should treat our whole country with respect. That includes our “public� toilet manners. We can’t make the lack of toilet facilities and poverty an excuse to keep on being dirty. We should always strive to be clean, or to at least be organized about how we deal with our personal wastes. That corny old saying “Cleanliness is next to godliness� does not apply to the Pinoy. Being clean — in this case, being mindful of where we throw our s**t — is a step to being a better person. Otherwise, some Pinoys deserve to be up to their necks in s**t.

CO M M E N TA R Y

Planning beyond Manila’s water woes Metro Manila but across the country. Take for example Pagasa’s rainfall projections, which suggest that rainfall could WO weeks have passed since Manila reduce beyond 40 percent “in many areas, 7ATER #O )NC kRST ANNOUNCED WATER particularly over Mindanao by the mid-21st supply interruptions for Metro Manila and century,â€? and exceed beyond 40 percent, neighboring areas, attributing the problem “particularly over Luzon, western sections of to low water levels at the La Mesa Dam. Visayas, and some parts of Mindanao.â€? The Findings showed Angat Dam, the main report also notes that the median estimate of water source of the metro, was still within future rainfall conditions will be well within its normal operating level, producing more natural variations except for a projected reducquestions than answers. The Metropolitan tion over “central sections of Mindanao that Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) are beyond the observed rainfall variations in admitted its shortcomings while pointing out the past,â€? which the agency says might require that the problem was not water supply per se but supply management, along with infra- “actionable climate change adaptation plans.â€? The Pagasa report also shows projections structure limitations. Manila Water President for temperature increase and sea level rise, Ferdinand dela Cruz took full responsibility for both slow onset events or the creeping imthe shortage at a House hearing last Monday. pacts of climate change, in the Philippines Other statements hinted at a lack of coordinaby 2050 and 2100. Sea levels in certain parts tion within the chain of command, as well of the country have risen by almost double as political interests compounding the crisis. the average global rate from 1993 to 2015, acIt would be easy to politicize the situation cording to Pagasa and the projected increase and hypothesize that the water crisis is due to might increase the risk of storm surges. the ineffectiveness of the entire government. Yet there seems to be a stark disconnect It has even become convenient to blame clibetween intention and action in national and mate change and natural phenomena, such regional development plans alike, as chalas El NiĂąo, for the reduced precipitation. lenges posed by climate change are still seen But both arguments are irresponsible and as efforts to build back better from typhoons inaccurate. The current problem is largely the and other weather extremes, instead of increasresult of incoherent planning approaches ing overall resilience and driving low carbon and lack of foresight; both government and development. As economist Dr. Toby Monsod PRIVATE SECTOR WERE SIMPLY CAUGHT lAT FOOTED The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical has said, “anticipating these impacts presents and Astronomical Services Administration (Pa- an opportunity to spur wider, sustainable and gasa) itself has countered claims that El NiĂąo inclusive economic transformation.â€? We need not look further than some is the cause of the water shortage. Moreover, its of our local government units (LGUs) in updated report on climate trends and projecterms of innovating planning and budgettions makes it clear that the current situation ing processes to better address the impacts being dubbed as a crisis is minuscule compared of a changing climate. Guiuan, Eastern Sato what the future is likely to bring not only to BY JANSSEN M. MARTINEZ

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MAR FOR EXAMPLE HAS kNALIZED ITS #LIMATE Change Adaptation Framework (CCAF), an adaptation plan informed by Pagasa climate projections as well as community-based risk and vulnerability assessments. The CCAF aims to complement local planning efforts by developing comprehensive, longterm adaptation strategies and supporting INITIATIVES TO kNANCE AND IMPLEMENT THESE strategies. Santa Fe in Bantayan Island, Cebu and Coron, Palawan are in the process of formulating their own frameworks. Looking into the many dimensions of the current Manila water shortage and the failure to adequately integrate climate change in critical development plans, government should more rapidly and meaningfully embed long-term climate change metrics into local and national development planning processes. To start with, it is high time the national government puts in place planning horizons that extend beyond the term of elected ofkCIALS 0LANNING SHOULD NOT ONLY BE BASED ON evidence that is already available; it should span several planning cycles, reaching up to at least 18 years or three medium-term development plan periods. Development plans AND OTHER POLICIES DRIVEN BY kNDINGS FROM the most recent Pagasa studies is a good start. These efforts of course should move beyond mere awareness-raising. They need to fundamentally question, if not alter, present regional development trajectories in anticiPATION OF SIGNIkCANT CLIMATE CHANGE INDUCED challenges and opportunities ahead.

Janssen M. Martinez is a policy analyst of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities, an international climate and energy policy group based in Manila.

BY NASSER S. SHARIEF, FRIACC, SFRIM, CPA (SPECIAL TO THE MANILA TIMES)

W

HATEVER happened to Mariam Rawi? It’s Women’s Month, and it has been 13 years since I last interviewed an edgy young lady from Afghanistan in Jakarta when I was covering for The Manila Times. She told me she was hopping from country to country, trying to elude her pursuers. These past few days, waking up late at night sweating from a bad dream, I scoured the LQWHUQHW IRU DQ\ OHDGV RQ KHU EXW QDGD , GLGQÂśW ÂżQG any. Not on the website of RAWA, the Revolutionary Association of Women in Afghanistan. This could be a good sign, but it could be a bad RQH WRR ,I WKH $IJKDQ UHOLJLRXV SROLFH KDYH ÂżQDOO\ caught up with her after all these years, a picture of her would surely have graced the website as a tribute to the fallen like RAWA’s founder Meena, the heroine of Afghanistan, as there would be no more point in hiding her identity. I took notice of Mariam’s predicament when I tried to take a picture of her at the Universitas Islam Negeri in Jakarta to go with the interview. She wouldn’t allow it. She reluctantly acceded only when Amina Rasul, the head of our Philippine delegation at the Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) Assembly 2006 and International Interfaith Peace Forum, coaxed her, arguing that it would be a pity if such an “awfully beautiful faceâ€? would not be captured by a camera. Mariam Rawi emphasized though that her picture was not to be put in the newspaper for fear that her pursuers might be able to pin her down. So, my piece went to press on Nov. 4, 2006 with no image to marquee it. Mariam Rawi’s situation mirrors every Muslim’s — young and old, man and woman — in many parts of the world today, no matter how advanced. We may be at the cusp of the age of DUWLÂżFLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH $, EXW ZH PLJKW DV ZHOO be living like Neanderthals. The friction between the moronic ulamas and the thinking layman has become chronic to the point of absurdity. 0DULDP VDLG WKDW LQ $IJKDQLVWDQ \RX FDQÂśW Ă€\ D kite because the clerics won’t allow it. I’d spent close to 20 years in the Middle East and long after I’ve left, I can still feel the dreaded weight of these religious police, locally known in Saudi as “muttawas,â€? like a monkey on my back. And just when I thought I had shrugged them off, right in my very hometown, they have been locally reincarnated as a stream of newfangled ulamas, the result of thousands of scholars being taken in by the Gulf countries, thanks to the oil boom of the 1980s, now come home with a twisted 20/20 vision of their own. These self-styled Filipino Wahhabi scholars pumped back into Mindanao by Saudi Arabia are now wreaking havoc on the ancient cultural heritage of the country. Hiding behind the cloak of

D Ć—OĆŻP (religious scholar), they loathe wholesale anything cultural as contravening Islam. Unlike their counterparts in the Middle East, their authority doesn’t have the force of law in the 3KLOLSSLQHV <HW WKHLU DQQR\LQJ LQĂ€XHQFH SOD\LQJ on the gullible layman’s psyche is just as effective. Their uncanny way of branding every ritual and literature endemic among Southeast Asian Muslims as bida’ah (innovation) is legendary. I had the opportunity to document this hapSHQVWDQFH GXULQJ P\ ÂżHOG ZRUN RQ jawi manuVFULSWV DQG 5DQDÇŒ ,UDQÇŒQ OLWHUDWXUH WKH ODWHVW being the case of BaĂŹ PinongkĂ­ Buat of Pantao, Masiu in Lanao. Three months ago, acting on a tip from my guide, I visited the octogenarian, who as an artist, was reputed to own a quarry of kirim literature in her repertoire. When I asked about her collection, she looked crestfallen. It took her a while to regain her composure but I already deduced from her ashen face what was coming. She said that some years ago, when she went on hajj to Mecca, her children took the opportunity to be rid of what they said were the “arts of the devil.â€? When she came back, she was blissfully unaware of the loss until she had a craving to recite, and when she rummaged through her belongings, she found out to her horror that the stacks upon stacks of manuscripts were missing. She confronted her children, and they chorused that, collectively for guilt, they had thrown them into the stream. We have just wrapped up our year-long digitization project at Grupo Kalinangan where I acted as its adviser, scout, cum de facto paleographer. The project, funded by the Prince Claus Foundation of Holland, was a sort of knee-jerk reaction triggered by the siege on Marawi which resulted in the loss of irreplaceable manuscripts and heritage. Little did we know that we were racing against time as these religious clerics, over the decade, had been gnawing away at the very base of our cultural identity, siege or no siege. Looking some centuries back, we’re experiencing dĂŠjĂ vu. There is no Asian culture more maligned today on multipronged fronts than that of the indigenous Filipino in general. It started with the Iberians who wanted to be rid of everything native and start off with a clean slate. They destroyed relics, graves, makams (mausoleums) and anything that would remind the natives of their old faith. Branding them the “works of the devil,â€? they were far worse than the mutawwas of our day. The dampening effect that this exerted on the search for indigenous history and culture is still very much strongly felt today long after the colors of Leon and Castile were carried off into the sunset in 1898. This is so because today’s repositories of our histories and heritage are their heirs. Yes, in Afghanistan as elsewhere, streaks of deadly RPG missiles may dominate the skyline, but no kite will be in sight.

Q BaÏ Pinongki trying to sort out leftovers from her lost kirim manuscripts. The author (left) holds the sĕlĕsÎlah copied from the original.

Q MAKABENTA FROM A4

Catastrophe message, with little hope of passage.�

Eugenics and global warming Why do I persist in writing on the climate change debate abroad, while other Filipino journalists hardly notice the issue? I have just learned in my research that some experts believe there is a connection between the

theory of eugenics and the theory of global warming. Patrick Moore’s mention of Dr. Richard Lindzen is fortuitous. He is one scientist who has squarely pointed out a connection between eugenics and global warming. In an interview by Mr. GrÊgoire Canlorbe of the French Association des Climato-rÊaliste (the only climate-realist organization in France), Lindzen made two major revelations, both of which should be of keen interest to Filipinos; First, he drew a parallel between the

eugenics movement and the global warming hysteria. He also debunked the whole theory of sea level rise, which is believed would inundate most coastal countries like the Philippines. I quote here the eugenics passage in the interview: 'RŸGOIRE #ANLORBE g)N THE kELD OF THE SOCIOLOGY OF SCIENTIkC KNOWLedge, an intriguing claim on your part is that eugenics offers the closest historical parallel to the anthropogenic global warming (AGW) theory. Could you expand?�

Richard Lindzen: “Whether this is the closest parallel, I don’t know. However, there certainly are parallels, and I’ve described these in detail in a paper comparing the two issues with respect to the issue as it unfolded in the United States during the 1920s and 1930s: ‘Science and politics: Global warming and eugenics’ in Risks, Costs, and Lives Saved, R. Hahn, editor. (Oxford University Press, New York, 1996, 267 pp, Chapter 5, 85-103). Underlying both issues were political aims: control of the energy

sector for AGW and immigration for eugenics. In the early 1920s, it was argued in the US that America was undergoing an epidemic of feeblemindedness due to immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe. With respect to AGW, a HIGHLY OVERSIMPLIkED DESCRIPTION of the greenhouse effect was put FORWARD AS THE SCIENTIkC BASIS WITH respect to eugenics, a comparably oversimplified picture of single gene heredity was employed. In both examples, numerous prominent individuals endorsed the

issue, claiming that the science was obVIOUS AND IN BOTH CASES THE SCIENTIkC community failed to object. The panic over the ‘genetic’ implications of the ‘epidemic of feeble-mindedness’ led to the Immigration Restriction Act of 1924 that closed America’s doors to MANY PEOPLE lEEING THE .AZIS u I will discuss the subject some more, along with my other sources, in another column. If this issue does not get your hackles up, you are not paying attention.

yenmakabenta@yahoo.com

A6

Opinion

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY March 30, 2019

Pedagogy of metal

S

OMETIMES I do not understand Eduardo Castrillo’s most recent monuments. I prefer monuments that look like their subjects. But I had recently decided to write about modern Filipino artists, so I could understand the genre of modern art more. From H.R. Ocampo and now, Eduardo Castrillo. Describing my first experience of Castrillo as just inspiring would be an understatement. I had just finished Grade 4 when in the summer of 1995 I went to the Luneta and saw his depicTION OF *OSŸ 2IZAL S MARTYRDOM WHICH he made in 1991. It was overwhelming IN ITS GRANDNESS BOTH IN SIZE AND IN magnitude. From that day, I counted Castrillo as one of my favorite sculptors. Ed, as he was known to many, was born on Oct. 31, 1942 in Santa Ana, Manila. His jeweler father and ZARZUELA ACTRESS MOTHER EXERTED AN INlUENCE ON the way his art would turn out. He started out as an art jewelry designer inspired by dad, but his sculptural pieces also contain dramatic gestures that can also be found in theater. Castrillo’s mother died when he was two; as a teenager he was described as depressed and suicidal. "UT STUDYING kNE ARTS AT THE 5NIVERSITY of Santo Tomas gave his life direction. By the 1970s, he was considered the most avant garde (unusual and experi-

I

˜ The Manila Times

piece but Inang Bayan and the fallen heroes who fought for our freedom. 4WO YEARS LATER HE WOULD CREATE A DEkant monument to Rajah Soliman at the Battle of Bangkusay in front of the Malate Church. Later research shows that the hero of Bangkusay was actumental) sculptor in the country. He even ally a nameless hero from Macabebe got the attention of the international whose spirit can also be encapsulated press. I recently met his daughter Ov- in the Castrillo monument. Identical to the imagery of the “Spirit vian Castrillo-Hill, now an international sculptor in her own right, and she sent of Pinaglabanan� would be another me an archive of old articles and photos work commissioned by the Bantayog of her father. It included a 1975 televi- NG MGA "AYANI AN ORGANIZATION THAT sion interview with the Associated Press WANTED TO MEMORIALIZE THE HEROES AND IN WHICH HE SAID g7HENEVER ) AM DOING martyrs who fought the dictatorship. a big commission, or big art work, par- Through 'bayanihan,' the foundaticularly in the Philippines, I put myself, tion’s officers and other concerned I put my artistry aside, and I deal more CITIZENS WERE ABLE TO RAISE MONEY SO and I feel more as a social being. A social Castrillo could build a 45-foot monubeing that has a responsibility of educat- ment that would come with a wall of ing, or orienting the great number of remembrance featuring the names of people, because primarily I think that is the people to be honored. According the thing that we lack around here. For, TO OFkCIAL "ANTAYOG PUBLICATIONS g4HE it is so common among us [Filipinos] MONUMENT DEPICTS THE SELF SACRIkCE OF to look up to a foreign talent.� A FALLEN kGURE OF A MAN HELD IN ONE Thus, his pedagogy of metal, HAND BY THE RISING kGURE OF A WOMAN and turning to teaching the WHO SYMBOLIZES THE -OTHERLAND WITH people about their past. her other hand reaching for the gloriOn Feb. 4, 1974, he inaugurated the ous sun of freedom. The inscriptions NEWER MONUMENT TO ONE OF THE kRST intended to be under the monument major battles of the Philippine Revo- WERE LINES FROM 2IZAL S @Mi Ultimo lution, the “Spirit of Pinaglabanan.� Adios’ in three languages, Filipino, There was no Andres Bonifacio in the 3PANISH AND %NGLISH @) DIE JUST WHEN )

WALKING HISTORY MICHAEL “XIAO� CHUA

see the dawn break through the gloom of night to herald the day/And if color is lacking my blood thou shall take, pour’d out at need for thy dear sake to dye with its crimson the waking ray’.� This was unveiled on the day of Andres Bonifacio’s heroism, Nov. 30, 1992. He went on to build other massive monuments like the People Power Monument at EDSA White Plains which was inaugurated on the 7th anniversary of the uprising which toppled the dictatorship in February 1993; the Heritage of Cebu monument in 1995; and the Andres Bonifacio Monument near the Manila City Hall depicting the life of the Father of the Filipino Nation, which was made in 1998. ) COULDN T kND A SCULPTURAL EQUIVAlent of the massive Philippine history murals of Botong Francisco but in Ed Castrillo’s works. Guillermo Tolentino, despite his Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan being a sculptural mural of the Philippine Revolution, was more known for his works on individuals. One family of sculptors that can come close to what Castrillo has done would be the Imaos. Rather than focus on mere personalities, he depicted the spirit of our greatest and most heroic moments as a people. That makes his work enduring, inspiring and relevant.

What about US war crimes?

PROPOSE the question as Chinese President Xi Jinping’s countercharge against former Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario and former Ombudsman Conchita Morales-Carpio. The two ERSTWHILE TOP OFkCIALS OF THE 0HILIPPINE government have lodged against the Chinese president a charge of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC). Fanned by the notorious US propagandist Anders #ORR THE ISSUE HAS CAUGHT kRE IN BOTH mainstream and social media. Without necessarily admitting the offenses as charged against him, Xi, I suggest, could go a little deeper into Philippine history and discover that the imposition of US colonial rule over the Philippines at the turn of the 20th century was done at the cost of over 200,000 Filipino lives. Early in his term, President Duterte took occasion to show photographs of those massacred Filipinos dumped like garbage in ditches, if only to illustrate his dramatic turnaround from a US-inclined foreign policy to one leaning heavily toward China. Or, as del Rosario and MoralesCarpio have taken the cudgels for the United States in bringing about a damning of the Chinese president at the ICC, cannot somebody, not NECESSARILY A GOVERNMENT OFkCIAL BUT ONE SEIZED WITH A PASSION TO STRAIGHTEN out Philippine history, in turn take the cudgels for President Xi in making a historical defense against charges of crimes against humanity? True, criminal justice applies this so-called principle of crime prescription. Simply put, if an offense by a person is not brought to court within a certain period, the crime is said to have prescribed and no longer subject to litigation. Under Philippine penal laws, crimes punishable by death and reclusion perpetua prescribe in 20 years. If the criminal is not charged in court within 20 years from the com-

stays no matter that the offended party has issued a pardon. MY SAY Remember, a crime is not against a person but the state. Hence, the DOCKET TITLE g0EOPLE OF THE 0HILIPpines versus Criminal.� America’s genocides in the Philipmission of the crime, he goes scot-free. pines and in Vietnam are not crimes Thus, has the United States gone against the Filipino and Vietnamese scot-free from criminal responsibility peoples but against humanity, at for the massacre of those 200,000 times erased from people’s memories &ILIPINOS AT THE START OF ITS COLONIZATION maybe, but stay ensconced in the of the Philippines? inviolable archives of history. There ought to be a law distinguishEleven days from today, the nation ing between criminal jurisprudence again marks Bataan Day. And one and historical justice. The former highlight surely of the occasion is a involves laws on human offenses, recollection for the umpteenth time whether laws within nations or in- of the so-called Bataan Death March, ternational laws; the latter involves which US propagandists in the genre setting aright distortions of history of Anders Corr has through the years that seek to conceal widespread des- labeled as Japanese atrocity. But one ecration of a people’s values, let alone little diligent effort turns out this revhuman lives and dignity. elation by the Website What Really If those acts President Xi is charged (APPENED THAT THOSE SOME with in connection with the China- casualties during the Bataan POWs Philippines dispute over the South march to Capas, Tarlac died not from China Sea are crimes against human- Japanese bayonets but from MacArity from the viewpoint of Filipinos thur’s having deliberately starved the del Rosario and Morales-Carpio, how Bataan defenders in World War 2. can the two not make that same view The commander of the Japanese Imof the deaths in American hands of perial Forces in the Philippines to whom those over 200,000 Filipinos, nay, of America’s USAFFE forces surrendered 100,000 more killed by MacArthur’s on April 9, 1942 was Gen. Masaharu heavy artillery power applied in the Homma. At the turn of the war in 1945, retaking of Manila in the so-called he was arrested by MacArthur in Tokyo liberation of the city in 1945? and brought back to the Philippines In fact, going beyond Philippine for trial. For all his protestations of shores now, what about the thousands innocence, contending that he was upon thousands of Vietnamese that the not in the scene of the crimes ascribed US napalm bombings killed in Ameri- to him, the MacArthur-constitutedCA S UTTERLY FAILED ATTEMPT TO COLONIZE THE overall-administered military tribunal Vietnamese nation in the 1960s? found Homma guilty of “atrocities� in Time surely has healed wounds. the so-called Bataan Death March and Vietnam, in the South China Sea dis- sentenced him to die by musketry. pute, has strongly allied with the US Hours before his execution, Homin the latter’s simmering tension with ma remarked, “Why weren’t HiroshiChina, but what history has wrought, ma and Nagasaki war crimes? Because let no political exigencies expunge. As only to victors belong the right to say in the principle of prescription, crime what crime is and what isn’t?�

MAURO GIA SAMONTE

Xi Jinping is being charged at the ICC with alleged destructive acts on the environment by China’s island reclamations for its military build-up in the South China Sea. According to the complaint, these activities by China have resulted in the denial of LIVELIHOOD TO &ILIPINO kSHERMAN ERGO a crime against humanity. Range these acts complained of against President Xi with what Homma was complaining about and see who is TRULY GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY the atomic bombings of Hiroshima AND .AGASAKI IN THE kRST KILLING 90,000 and injuring 60,000; the second killing 80,000 and injuring just as many — with none of those killed or injured being a combatant but all innocent civilians. Homma failed to cite, though it surely must be in his mind, THE TERRIBLE 53 kREBOMBING OF 4OKYO some months before the atomic bomb DROPS WHICH RAZED THE WORKERS DISTRICT of the city and claimed over a hundred thousand lives of defenseless civilians, injuring tens of thousands more, with one million rendered homeless. Friends of China would tend to dismiss the Xi Jinping case at the ICC as a nuisance. The ICC itself is being targeted for discrediting. The world’s major powers, the United States, Russia, China and India, have chosen not to ratify the Roman Statute that created the court, and most Asean MEMBERS ARE NOT RECOGNIZING IT EITHER with the Philippines in fact being the latest among them to withdraw. But Corr’s ventilating the issue in true-blue American fashion somehow drives some worries into our minds. The US could not have instigated it for nothing. And if not for nothing, what? I shudder to think of Homma’s “victor’s justice.� Could America be aiming for another such one in the South China Sea conflict? China wouldn’t allow it. Then, trouble?

Too many laws, too little enforcement ALL INSIGHT T AL S.

HE signing into law of RA 11235, also known as the "Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act" (MCPA), elicited a lot of opposition, particularly from the motorcycle riders themselves. The MCPA of 2017, originally enrolled as Senate Bill 1397, was principally authored by Sen. Richard Gordon to prevent the use of motorcycles as instruments of criminality. Under the MCPA, the Land TransPORTATION /FkCE ,4/ IS TASKED TO issue front and back motorcycle number plates, which should be readable from a distance of at least 15 meters from the vehicle. The number plates should likewise be COLOR CODED FOR EASY IDENTIkCATION of the geographical region where the motorcycle was registered. Take note that driving a motorcycle, without the required number PLATES IS SUBJECT TO A kNE OF NOT LESS than P50,000 but not more than P100,000 — amounts which can actually buy a rider a new lesser known brand of motorcycle. The new law will take effect after 15 days following its publication either in the /FkCIAL 'AZETTE or in a newspaper of general circulation. I read a copy of this law from the published online version of the /FkCIAL 'AZETTE. The TIME STAMP ON THE ONLINE kLE IS -ARCH 13, 2019. Thus, 15 days from that is March 28, 2019. So, by the time that you are reading this column on March 30, 2019, technically the law is already in effect. Are the number plates ready for distribution to the motorcycle owners by that date? Imagine the scenario. MCPA is in effect but there are no “new� number plates issued by the LTO. There will be chaos and problems in the streets.

VITANGCOL 3RD

and-white car plates. I even saw a couple of new vehicles without conduction stickers and car plates. How can these vehicles travel on a daily basis? There was even one car sporting a plate that bears “JINKAT� only without any ending number. Does that mean that this car can be used every day of the week, thereby circumventing the number-coding scheme? If it does, then it is totally unfair and unjust to the other car owners.

Bad implementation of laws

Every law was written with good intentions in it (except for a few like the Train Law) and purportedly to benefit the majority of Filipinos. The problem is, and will always be, in its implementation. Remember the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009 (RA 10054)? Under that law, “all motorcycle riders, including drivers and back riders, shall at all times wear standard protective motorcycle helmets while driving, whether long or short drives, in any type of road and highway.� Do we see this faithfully put into practice? Of course, not! We always see motorcycle riders without protective helmets. There are times that the helmets are worn on their arms. 7ORSE EVEN THE TRAFkC ENFORCERS and policemen do not wear protective helmets. How is that for enforcement OF A VALID TRAFkC LAW Ponder now RA 10666, the "Children’s Safety on Motorcycle Act of 2015." The law considers it unlawful for any person to drive a twoLack of number plates wheeled motorcycle with a child on ) DID AN UNCONTROLLED AND UNSCIENTIkC board on public roads where there is survey before writing this article. I heavy volume of vehicles, there is a counted all the vehicles (motorcycles high density of fast-moving vehicles and cars) that I encounter while or where a speed limit of more than driving this week and noted their 60/kph is imposed, unless the child corresponding vehicle number plates. passenger comfortably reaches his/ (ERE ARE SOME OF MY kNDINGS her feet on the standard foot peg Two out of 10 motorcycles do not of the motorcycle, is able to grasp sport a number plate. Six out of 10 around the waist of the motorcycle motorcycles have improvised number driver, and wears a protective helplates, indicating their motor vehicle met. No one follows, and hardly no kLE NUMBERS /NLY OUT OF ARE US- authority imposes this. ing the LTO-issued standard number I can cite many more laws that are plates. The picture below was taken to badly effected. But I will not belabor prove a sampling of these numbers. them anymore. Do you know how How about for cars? I observed much of taxpayers’ money is spent on that approximately half of the cars crafting and passing a single law? You running in the roads do not have the will not believe it but it’s staggering. standard LTO car plates. Four out In conclusion, I can say that we of 10 cars have their own made-out have too many laws — but too plates indicating their conduction little implementation. sticker numbers. Three out of 10 cars display their new black-and-white allinsight.manilatimes@gmail.com license plates, while the remaining www.facebook.com/All.Insight. OF CARS STILL UTILIZE THE OLD GREEN Manila.Times

Cedaw a good yardstick of women’s rights BY ROSALINDA V. TIRONA

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OW much has the world achieved in giving women equal rights with men and combating discrimination against women? The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (Cedaw) is a good yardstick for measuring respect for the enjoyment by women all over the world of their inalienable, universal and indivisible rights. The Cedaw actually was adopted to strengthen the provisions of existing international human rights instruments to combat the continuing discrimination against women, especially in Asia and Africa. Additional means of protecting the human rights of women were seen as necessary because the mere fact of their “humanity� had not been sufficient to guarantee women the protection of their rights. The preamble of the Cedaw asserts that despite the existence of several human rights instruments, women still do not have equal rights with men. Discrimination against women continues to exist in many societies. The Cedaw requires its State Parties to

recognize the important economic and social contribution of women to the family and to society as a whole. It emphasizes that discrimination against women will hamper economic growth and prosperity. It expressly recognizes the need for a change in attitudes through education of both men and women so that they will accept equal responsibilities and overcome prejudices and practices based on stereotyped roles. The Cedaw identifies the specific areas where there has been notorious discrimination against women, and these had to do with their political rights, marriage and family, and employment. I have had the occasion to serve as ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to several Asian and African countries. These are, in chronological order, India and Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, and Kenya with concurrent accreditation to Burundi, the Congos, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania and Uganda. At least half of all women in the world live in the Asia-Pacific region alone. In my postings to these foregoing

countries, I have observed several hurdles common to their women populations. The need for gender sensitivity, gender balance, and gender mainstreaming is real and not a myth. Women are slightly more than the men in terms of population and the workforce. In terms of numbers, all things being equal, women could have a greater economic contribution to their country, region and the world. However, economic marginalization of women has persisted and has been manifested in unequal pay for equal work. The situation is further aggravated by women’s difficult access to opportunities. There is a need to further strengthen the mainstreaming of women’s concerns and interests in government policies and programs. Development policies typically support and emphasize export-oriented growth centered on cash crops, primary commodities and manufactures which are all controlled by men. Those policies typically neglect the informal sector and subsistence agriculture which are the traditional preserve of women. Even when women are included in mainstream devel-

opment strategies, it is often in marginal women-in-development activities. Governments must realize the full economic value of women’s work. The man’s income is so often inadequate that women must take on the double burden of household management and outside work to make ends meet. Furthermore, men still outnumber the women in decision-making positions. The situation is notably undemocratic because women voters are more numerous than men voters. Patriarchal societies still dominate Asia and Africa. Women are still subordinate to the men and are relegated to making only minor or routine decisions. Women find their sex a liability in securing employment as they are viewed as weak and second-class. To be successful, women generally must have double the qualifications of the men. The role of women in nation-building is directly related to the nature of the political system. Democratic governments are more sympathetic to women’s rights. The majority of women in Asia and Africa live in rural areas. They are the

most vulnerable to poverty. They are usually of lower educational achievement than their husbands, which places them at a disadvantage in making major decisions about the work they do, the number of children they have and the way they invest family income. Poor women with little or limited education have little knowledge of health practices and limited economic opportunities. They are less likely to have full-term pregnancies and strong children. With more resources, they would be better able to nurture their children. Women face the invisible burden of domestic violence. Women’s economic independence and consequent ability to leave an abusive man is essential to preventing violence and fostering self-esteem. As the awareness of women’s rights become more universal and enforceable, more women will be opposing domestic violence. Poor rural women with limited education today are often lured to work overseas as domestic helpers, which expose them to greater hazards and dangers of sexual and physical abuse. In sum, these forms of discrimination

against women are caused by societal perceptions and value systems that view women as dependent, submissive, subordinate, emotional and indecisive. Of course, we are aware that this view of women has no place in a globalizing world such as we live in today. To overcome these common hurdles facing women not only in Asia and Africa but around the world calls for the establishment of a global network of cooperation under the aegis of the United Nations and civil society organizations. Governments should encourage and support women’s organizations. Together in sisterhood, women can make (or unmake) for people a community and destiny in dignity and well-being. They can be a powerful weapon in the pursuit of humanity and survival of the human race. In India, I came across what I consider to be the best comparison between men and women. According to Mahatma Gandhi, “When we speak of brute force or physical strength, the men are stronger than women. But when we speak of human endurance and strength of character, then the women are stronger than the men.�

Regions Gimmicks mark campaigns in regions

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

BY RHAYDZ B. BARCIA AND ERNIE B. ESCONDE

C

OLORFUL motorcades, dancing on the streets, blaring sound systems and throngs of supporters distributing the candidates’ LEAlETS AND CALENDARS MARKED THE START OF THE campaign period for local bets in various provinces on Friday. !S THE CAMPAIGN FOR LOCAL POLITI CIANS OFkCIALLY STARTED ON &RIDAY ALL EYES WERE GLUED TO $ARAGA TOWN IN !LBAY NOW UNDER THE #OM MISSION ON %LECTIONS #OMELEC CONTROL AFTER THE KILLING OF !KO "I COL PARTY LIST 2EP 2ODEL "ATOCABE ON $EC -AYORAL CANDIDATES ARE INCUM BENT -AYOR #ARLWYN 'O "ALDO 6ICE -AYOR 6ICTOR 0ERETE AND 'ERTIE $URAN "ATOCABE "ALDO AND 0ERETE ATTENDED THE A M -ASS IN $ARAGA #HURCH BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE $ARAGA PUBLIC MARKET

"ALDO HAD NO POLICE ESCORT AND IS CONSIDERED THE UNDERDOG IN THE MAYORAL RACE BUT IS GAINING PUBLIC SUPPORT AS $ARAGEÄOS BELIEVE HE WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR "ATOCABE S KILLING 'ERTIE "ATOCABE WENT TO THE TOMB OF HER SLAIN HUSBAND IN $A RAGA PUBLIC CEMETERY AT A M BEFORE ATTENDING -ASS IN "ARANGAY !LOBO IN $ARAGA (ER TEAM CONDUCTED A GRAND MOTORCADE BEFORE THE -ASS FROM THE JUNCTION OF "ICOL )NTERNA TIONAL !IRPORT IN "ARANGAY !LOBO FOLLOWED BY VOLUNTEERS RIDING IN

SATURDAY March 30, 2019

MOTORCYCLES 4HE TOWN OF $ARAGA IN !LBAY IS THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL AND IS CON SIDERED THE MOST HOTLY CONTESTED TOWN IN THE HISTORY OF LOCAL ELEC TIONS IN THIS PROVINCE WITH "ALDO BEING ACCUSED OF BEING THE MAS TERMIND IN THE KILLING OF "ATOCABE WHICH HE DENIED /N 7EDNESDAY THE THREE CAMPS JOINED A SOLIDARITY WALK AND PEACE COVENANT AT $ARAGA #HURCH THAT THE 0HILIPPINE .ATIONAL 0OLICE IN $ARAGA TOWN INITIATED WITH THE 0HILIPPINE !RMY AND THE #OMELEC

Street dancing in Bataan )N 3AMAL "ATAAN TWO CONTENDING GROUPS FOR THE MUNICIPAL POSTS SHOWED FORCE EARLY IN THE MORN ING GOING AROUND THE TOWN OF REGISTERED VOTERS 3AMAL 6ICE -AYOR !IDA -A CALINAO RUNNING FOR MAYOR AND HER GROUP HAD A MOTORCADE FROM

"ARANGAY ,ALAWIGAN TO THE REST OF THE BARANGAY VILLAGES #ANDI DATE WITH THEIR FAMILIES ON BOARD SEPARATE VEHICLES TIRELESSLY WAVED AT PEOPLE THEY PASSED BY &IRST $ISTRICT 2EP 'ERALDINE 2OMAN SEEKING REELECTION JOINED -ACALINAO 3HE IS CHALLENGED BY %MILY ,UBAG FORMER $INALUPIHAN MUNICIPAL COUNCILOR -ACALINAO S CONTENDER 0RO VINCIAL "OARD MEMBER 2OLANDO 4IGAS AND HIS EIGHT CANDIDATES FOR 3ANGGUNIANG "AYAN -UNICIPAL #OUNCIL STARTED THEIR CAMPAIGN RALLY AT THE 3AMAL PUBLIC MARKET 4RAFkC STALLED AT THE -AC!RTHUR (IGHWAY AS THE MOTORCADES MADE THE ROUNDS OF THE AREA #AMPAIGN STREAMERS OF LOCAL CANDIDATES AND THE 3ENATE SLATE THEY SUPPORT SPROUTED THE TOWN PLAZA 3OME REGISTERED VOTERS IN VILLAGES IN TOWNS AND ONE CITY IN "ATAAN ARE EXPECTED TO VOTE ON -AY

DUTY TO SERVE

Senate aspirant and former special assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence ‘Bong’ Go and the other candidates of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP) were warmly welcomed by residents of San Jose de Buenavista, Antique on March 26. At the rally, Go told Antiqueños that he believes he has a duty to serve people and it was his mission to continue to deliver President Rodrigo Duterte’s brand of service to all Filipinos. He said he would continue to support the government’s campaign against corruption, criminality and drugs. He will also push for legislation to improve the delivery of health care services, education and housing for the poor and agriculture. “I have no other vice but to be of service,” Go told the cheering crowd. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Q NARCO-CELEBS FROM A1

No ‘special THAT CELEBRITIES WERE INCLUDED IN THE GOVERNMENT S ROSTER CONTAINING THE NAMES OF gFAMOUSu PEOPLE !LSO ON &RIDAY 0HILIPPINE .A TIONAL 0OLICE CHIEF /SCAR !LBAYALDE SAID HE WAS IN FAVOR OF RELEASING THE NAMES OF CELEBRITIES INVOLVED IN IL LEGAL DRUGS IF ONLY TO BE FAIR TO THOSE ON A SO CALLED gNARCOLIST u OR THE LIST OF POLITICIANS SUSPECTED OF BEING INVOLVED IN THE DRUG TRADE $UTERTE EARLIER SAID GOVERN MENT OFkCIALS WERE LINKED TO THE NARCOTICS TRADE 0ANELO HOWEVER SAID THE 0RESI DENT WOULD HAVE TO BE gCAREFULu IN DIVULGING THE NAMES OF THE CELEBRI TIES SUPPOSEDLY INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL DRUGS g) GUESS THE 0RESIDENT WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT HE WILL DIRECT THE RELEASE OF THE SUSPECTS NAMED THEREIN u HE ADDED 0ANELO URGED THE SUSPECTS TO STOP

Q DEPLOYMENT FROM A1

PH seafarer "UT THE DATA IS NOT YET kNAL AS THE 0/%! WILL NOT OFkCIALLY RELEASE ITS DEPLOYMENT CONCLUSION REPORT FOR SEA BASED &ILIPINO WORK ERS UNTIL *UNE g4HIS DATA IS STILL SUBJECT TO VALI DATION BY THE 0/%! 'ENERAL !D MINISTRATIVE AND 3UPPORT 3ERVICES )NFORMATION AND #OMMUNICATION 4ECHNOLOGY "RANCH 7E USUALLY RE LEASE THE kNAL DEPLOYMENT REPORT IN THE MONTH OF *UNE u THE SOURCE SAID )N A TOTAL OF &ILIPINO SEAMEN LOST THEIR JOBS 0/%! RE CORDS SHOWED THAT A TOTAL OF &ILIPINO SEA BASED WORKERS WERE DEPLOYED IN COMPARED WITH IN 5NITED &ILIPINO 3EAFARERS 0RESI DENT .ELSON 2AMIREZ SAID THE DWINDLING &ILIPINO SEA BASED DE PLOYMENT HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL YEARS g4HERE ARE MORE THAN &ILIPINO SEAFARERS ON COMMERCIAL VESSELS AROUND THE WORLD REMIT TING APPROXIMATELY BILLION IN EARNINGS ANNUALLY )MAGINE THE LATEST SLUMP IN SEAFARER DEPLOY MENT WOULD ALSO MEAN THOUSANDS

THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN ILLEGAL DRUGS AND TO gREHABILITATEu THEMSELVES g4HE MESSAGE ;TO THE CELEBRI TIES= IS OF COURSE YOU SHOULD NOT BE INVOLVED 4HE MESSAGE IS YOU SHOULD NOT 9OU HAVE TO REHABILITATE YOURSELF 9OU CANNOT BE DOING THAT BECAUSE YOU RE DESTROYING YOUR OWN SELVES u HE SAID g)F THEY WILL NOT WARN THEMSELVES ABOUT THEIR INVOLVEMENT CERTAINLY IT WILL BE DESTRUCTIVE OF THEIR OWN HEALTH DESTRUCTIVE OF THEIR OWN FAM ILY AND CERTAINLY THEY WILL BE LOSING THEIR ADORING FANS u 0ANELO ADDED (E SAID THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD OFFER HELP SHOULD THE CELEBRITIES SEEK REHABILITATION g4HERE IS A TWO PRONGED APPROACH TO SOLVING THE DRUG INDUSTRY IN THIS COUNTRY /NE IS TO DISMANTLE THE APPARATUS AND NUMBER TWO TO REHABILITATE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ADDICTED ;TO DRUGS= u 0ANELO ADDED )N FAVORING THE RELEASE OF THE CELEBRITY DRUG LIST !LBAYALDE SAID HE RECALLED THAT NAMES WERE ON THE LIST WHEN HE WAS POLICE REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF -ETRO -ANILA

3OME CELEBRITIES ON THAT LIST HAVE BEEN ARRESTED BY AUTHORITIES HE SAID 4HE 0.0 CHIEF MIGHT BE REFERRING TO FORMER CHILD STAR #* 2AMOS WHO WAS ARRESTED IN !UGUST AND FORMER RADIO $* +AREN "ORDADOR IN !UGUST !LBAYALDE SAID THE LIST SHOULD BE VALIDATED kRST BEFORE THEY CAN USE IT FOR CASE BUILD UP AND OTHER OPERATIONS g)T S JUST CONSIDERED AS A WATCHLIST 7E CANNOT USE IT AS EVIDENCE 7E HAVE TO GET HARD EVIDENCE THEN THAT S THE ONLY TIME WE CAN kLE A CASE OR WE CAN USE IT AS A REFERENCE TO CONDUCT SURVEILLANCE AND CASE BUILD UP AND THEN WE CAN kLE FOR A SEARCH WAR RANT u HE ADDED

OF FAMILIES WILL STARVE IN THE YEARS TO COME u SAID 2AMIREZ WHO REPRESENTS MORE THAN 5&3 MEMBERS

INDUSTRY WILL EVENTUALLY DIE IN THE NEAR FUTURE u -ORALES CLAIMED 5NDER THE NEW LAW SEA BASED /&7S WILL BE CONSIDERED REGULAR EMPLOYED MEMBERS INSTEAD OF CONTRACTUAL 4HEIR CONTRIBUTIONS WILL BE COLLECTED AND REMITTED TO THE 333 BY THEIR MANNING AGENCIES WHICH ARE AGENTS OF THEIR PRINCIPALS AND ARE CONSIDERED EMPLOYERS OF THE SEA BASED /&7S g7ITH THE PRESENT SITUATION SLUMP ING OF &ILIPINO SEAFARER S DEPLOYMENT WILL CONTINUE u -ORALES SAID )NDUSTRY PLAYERS HAVE BLAMED THE DECLINE IN SEAFARER DEPLOYMENT TO gAMBULANCE CHASING u WITH FOREIGN SHIPOWNERS GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF THE UNDERHANDED PRACTICE 4HIS HAS PROMPTED SOME OF THEM TO HIRE INSTEAD FROM #HINA )NDO NESIA 6IETNAM -YANMAR 2USSIA 5KRAINE AND )NDIA !MBULANCE CHASING REFERS TO THE ALLEGED PRACTICE OF LAWYERS OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LABOR DISPUTES BETWEEN SEAFARERS AND THEIR EMPLOYERS OFTEN INVOLVING HEALTH BENEkT CLAIMS

Pinoys more expensive !BOSTA 3HIPMANAGEMENT #ORP 0RESIDENT #APT *ESSE -ORALES SAID FOREIGN SHIPOWNERS CONTINUE TO CHOOSE OTHER NATIONALITIES BECAUSE THEY WERE LESS EXPENSIVE g/WNERS ARE SHIFTING TO OTHER SUPPLYING COUNTRIES LIKE -YANMAR )NDONESIA )NDIA AND OTHER %ASTERN %UROPEAN COUNTRIES DUE TO ECONOMIC REASONS "UT WE ASSUMED THAT THERE ARE VARIOUS REASONS AND OR DUE TO THE INCREASING LEGAL COST IN EMPLOYING &ILIPINO CREW AS COMPLAINED BY THE 0ROTECTION AND )NDEMNITY 0 ) )NSUR ANCE AND OWNERS u SAID -ORALES A RETIRED CAPTAIN WHO OVERSEES SEVERAL MANNING AGENCIES &ILIPINO RATINGS OR SKILLED SEAFAR ERS ARE ESTIMATED TO COST EACH PER MONTH COMPARED WITH TO PER MONTH IN )NDONESIA -ORALES ALSO SAID THE NEW 3OCIAL 3ECURITY 3YSTEM 333 ,AW WOULD GIVE SHIPOWNERS MORE REASON TO ABANDON THE COUNTRY g)N THIS NEW 333 ,AW MANNING AGENTS ARE CONSIDERED EMPLOYERS JOINTLY AND SOLELY LIABLE WITH CRIMI NAL LIABILITY IN THE EVENT ITS OBLIGA TION TO THIS LAW IS VIOLATED -ANNING

‘ABS-CBN has drug-free workplace policy’ )N A STATEMENT ON &RIDAY +ANE %RROL #HOA HEAD OF !"3 #". #ORPORATE #OMMUNICATIONS SAID THE NETWORK HAS A gDRUG FREE WORKPLACE POLICY u g;4=HAT INCLUDES MANDATORY RAN DOM DRUG TESTING OF ALL EMPLOYEES

India takes over )NDIA S EMPLOYMENT OF SEAFARERS GREW PERCENT IN THE kRST MONTHS OF ! STATEMENT RELEASED BY THE )NDIA S 3HIPPING -INISTRY SAID THERE WAS AN

!RTISTS AND THIRD PARTY CONTRACTORS ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO DRUG TESTING AS STIPULATED IN THEIR CONTRACTS u HE SAID g!"3 #". DOES NOT CONDONE THE USE OF ILLEGAL DRUGS AND THOSE WHO ARE FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED THE POLICY WILL BE SUBJECTED TO APPROPRIATE SANCTIONS u HE ADDED 6ETERAN ACTRESS "OOTS !NSON 2OA HEAD OF THE -OVIE 7ORKERS 7ELFARE &UND CALLED FOR AN INVESTIGATION g) PRAY THAT THOROUGH AND RESPON SIBLE INVESTIGATION BE CONDUCTED BY THE AUTHORITIES BEFORE THE CONCERNED PARTIES ARE TAGGED 4HEY ARE @INlUENC ERS AND NAMING THEM ARBITRARILY WOULD BE A GREAT DISSERVICE TO THEIR PERSONA CAREER AND THE ESTABLISH MENTS THEY WORK FOR u SHE SAID g3HOULD THEY BE PROVEN USERS OR PUSHERS THEN THEY SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN THE ROYAL OR KID GLOVE TREAT MENT AND SHOULD BE SUBJECTED TO THE ORDAINED DISCIPLINARY MEASURES IMPOSED ON OTHER VIOLATORS u SHE ADDED CATHERINE S. VALENTE AND ROY D.R. NARRA UNPRECEDENTED GROWTH IN THE NUM BER OF )NDIAN SEAFARERS EMPLOYED ON )NDIAN OR FOREIGN lAG VESSELS THIS YEAR 4HE kGURE ROSE FROM IN TO IN 4HE NUMBER OF SEAFARERS EMPLOYED ON )NDIAN lAG VESSELS INCREASED FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR WHILE THE EMPLOYMENT kGURES ON FOREIGN VESSELS WENT UP FROM TO DURING THE SAME PERIOD 4HE TOTAL NUMBER OF OFFICERS EMPLOYED INCREASED FROM IN TO IN WHILE THE NUMBER OF RATINGS DURING THE PERIOD ALSO INCREASED FROM TO !CCORDING TO THE )NTERNATIONAL #HAMBER OF 3HIPPING THE WORLD WIDE POPULATION OF SEAFARERS SERVING ON INTERNATIONALLY TRADING MERCHANT SHIPS WAS ESTIMATED AT SEAFARERS OF WHICH WERE OFkCERS AND WERE RATINGS #HINA THE 0HILIPPINES )NDO NESIA THE 2USSIAN &EDERATION AND 5KRAINE ARE THE kVE LARGEST SUPPLIERS OF SEAFARERS 4HE 0HILIPPINES IS THE BIGGEST SUP PLIER OF RATINGS FOLLOWED BY #HINA )NDONESIA THE 2USSIAN &EDERATION AND 5KRAINE #HINA IS THE BIGGEST SUPPLIER OF OFkCERS FOLLOWED BY THE 0HILIPPINES )NDIA )NDONESIA AND THE 2USSIAN &EDERATION

2UNNING UNOPPOSED ARE "AL ANGA #ITY -AYOR &RANCIS 'ARCIA HIS BROTHER ND $ISTRICT 2EP *OSE %NRIQUE 'ARCIA RD AND COUSIN 6ICE 'OV #RIS 'ARCIA !NOTHER BROTHER 'OV !LBERT 'ARCIA IS OPPOSED BY ,IMAY -AYOR 6ER 2OQUE WHILE HIS SISTER $INALU PIHAN -AYOR -ARIA !NGELA 'ARCIA IS RUNNING UNOPPOSED !LSO WITHOUT OPPONENTS ARE -AYORS ,IBERATO 3ANTIAGO OF !BU CAY %FREN 0ASCUAL *R OF /RANI AND #YNTHIA %STANISLAO OF "AGAC

Warning 4HE LOCAL #OMELEC IN :AMBOANGA #ITY STERNLY ADMONISHED ALL OF kCIALS SEEKING FOR REELECTION NOT TO UTILIZE GOVERNMENT RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL IN THEIR CAMPAIGNS #ITY #OMELEC OFkCER *AN #HRIS TIAN "ABIERA SAID AMONG THESE PUBLIC RESOURCES WERE EMPLOYEES VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT (E ADDED THAT CANDIDATES OR THEIR SUPPORTERS

A7

WHO DISOBEY THE AGENCY S WARNING WOULD FACE SANCTIONS (E ALSO WARNED gTHAT CANDI DATES WHO WOULD CAMPAIGN ON -AUNDY 4HURSDAY !PRIL AND 'OOD &RIDAY !PRIL MIGHT FACE DISQUALIkCATION u NOTING THAT NOT CAMPAIGNING DURING THESE DAYS IS AN APPARENT INDICATION OF THE #ATHOLICS RESPECT AND ATONEMENT FOR THE SUFFERINGS OF *ESUS #HRIST -EANWHILE THE VOTERS WILL WITNESS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN LOCAL HISTORY AN INTENSE PO LITICAL RIVALRY FOR THE #ITY (ALL TOP SEAT BETWEEN INCUMBENT TWO TERMER -AYOR -A )SABELLE #LIMACO :ALASAR OF THE ,IBERAL 0ARTY AND 2EP #ELSO ,OBREGAT OF 0ARTIDONG $EMOKRATIKONG 0ILIPINO ,AKAS NG "AYAN #LIMACO AND ,OBREGAT WERE FOR MER CLOSE ALLIES AS #LIMACO WAS THE VICE MAYOR OF ,OBREGAT UNTIL THEY PARTED WAYS TWO LOCAL ELECTIONS AGO WITH A REPORT FROM ANTONIO P. RIMANDO

Comelec urged to stop release of Ecija fund THE administration party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to deny the petition of the Nueva Ecija governor seeking the release of nearly P500 million for the construction of several infrastructure projects in the province in violation of the election code. In a four-page complaint, PDP-Laban Provincial Chairman and gubernatorial candidate Virgilio Bote said the request of incumbent Gov. Czarina Umali for the release of P493.8 million to fund various projects was aimed to circumvent the expressed provision of the Omnibus Election Code, particularly on the utilization of the provincial budget during the period covered by the ban on public works. Other complainants

were Board member Edward Thomas Joson, Nueva Ecija 3rd District Rep. Rosanna Vergara and 1st District Rep. Estrelita Suansing. The election ban is effective March 29 to May 12, where the law prohibits the government from disbursing public funds as well as delivering materials for public works during the election period. “Once the request of our governor is approved, the government budget would be clearly utilized to advance the political activities of the incumbent officials together with their allies who are running for political positions,” the complaints said. Umali is running as representative in the third district of Nueva Ecija, while her husband is seeking the gubernatorial post. WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL

Q ‘INAUTHENTIC’ FROM A1

&ACEBOOK SHOWED SCREEN SHOTS OF THE PAGES SOME OF WHICH ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE $UTERTE ADMINISTRATION !CCORDING TO &ACEBOOK S IN VESTIGATION THE PAGES THAT WERE TAKEN DOWN CONSISTED OF PAGES ACCOUNTS GROUPS AND ACCOUNTS ON ITS PHOTO SHARING APP )NSTAGRAM )T ALSO DETECTED THAT THERE WAS A FOLLOWING OF MIL LION OF AT LEAST OF ONE OF THE PAGES GROUPS AND ACCOUNTS AND FOLLOWED THOSE ON )NSTAGRAM 'ABUNADA S NETWORK ALSO SPENT A TOTAL OF 0 MILLION ON &ACEBOOK )TS ADS HAVE BEEN ON &ACEBOOK NEWS FEEDS SINCE *ANUARY g7E ARE CONSTANTLY WORKING TO DETECT AND STOP THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY BECAUSE WE DON T WANT OUR SERVICES TO BE USED TO MANIPULATE PEOPLE u &ACE BOOK SAID g7E RE TAKING DOWN THESE PAGES AND ACCOUNTS BASED ON THEIR BEHAVIOR NOT THE CON TENT THEY POSTED )N THIS CASE THE PEOPLE BEHIND THIS ACTIVITY COORDINATED WITH ONE ANOTHER AND USED FAKE ACCOUNTS TO MISREPRESENT THEMSELVES AND THAT WAS THE BASIS FOR OUR AC TION u IT ADDED %ARLIER THIS YEAR &ACEBOOK TOOK DOWN PAGES ACCOUNTS AND )NSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS LINKED TO 4WIN MARK -EDIA 'ROUP ALSO FOR COORDINATED INAUTHENTIC BEHAVIOR ARIC JOHN SY CUA

200 FB pages )NSTAGRAM IN THE 0HILIP P I N E S M I S L E A D I N G O T H E R S ABOUT WHO THEY WERE AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING u .A THANIEL 'LEICHER &ACEBOOK HEAD OF CYBERSECURITY POLICY SAID IN A STATEMENT ON 4HURS DAY &RIDAY IN -ANILA 'LEICHER ADDED THAT THE PAGES USED A COMBINATION OF AUTHENTIC AND FAKE ACCOUNTS IN ORDER TO SPREAD THE CONTENT TO PAGES AND GROUPS g4HEY FREQUENTLY POSTED ABOUT LOCAL AND POLITICAL NEWS INCLUDING TOPICS LIKE THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS CAN DIDATE UPDATES AND VIEWS AL LEGED MISCONDUCT OF POLITICAL OPPONENTS AND CONTROVERSIAL EVENTS THAT WERE PURPORTED TO OCCUR DURING PREVIOUS AD MINISTRATIONS u THE STATEMENT READ &ACEBOOK LATER REVEALED THAT BASED ON ITS INVESTIGATION THE SOCIAL MEDIA ACTIVITIES WERE LINKED TO A NETWORK THAT WAS ORGANIZED BY A PUBLIC RELATIONS EXPERT NAMED .IC 'ABUNADA 'ABUNADA WAS FORMERLY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF /MNICOM -EDIA 'ROUP 0HILIPPINES AND !"3 #". S FORMER SENIOR PRESIDENT AND WAS ALSO THE MANAGER OF THE SOCIAL MEDIA GROUP OF 0RESI DENT 2ODRIGO $UTERTE S CAM PAIGN IN

News Cayetanos: No dynasty in democracy A8

˜ The Manila Times

SATURDAY March 30, 2019

BY NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

D

ESPITE a complaint seeking to block the candidacies of its members, the Cayetano clan on Friday said there were no political dynasties in the country as it would only be applicable if the Philippines was under authoritarian rule.

g4HE FACT IS WE RE NOT 7E RE NOT an aristocracy... dictatorship, we are a democracy. There are no dyNASTIES IN THE 0HILIPPINES BECAUSE

WE HAVE FREE AND OPEN ELECTIONS u former Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said at the sidelines of the clan’s campaign

w w w.manilatimes.net

kickoff on Friday. The Cayetanos have lorded over Taguig after overthrowing the Tiñgas in 2010. Four Cayetanos are gunning for OFkCE THIS -AY OUTGOING 4AGUIG 2nd District Rep. Pilar Juliana g0IAu IN 3ENATE ,INO FOR MAYOR while outgoing Taguig Mayor -ARIA ,AARNI g,ANIu AND !LAN ARE BOTH RUNNING FOR CONGRESS IN TWO separate districts in the city. For this, Leonides Buac Jr., who SAID THE #AYETANOS WERE BUILDING A gSUPER DYNASTYu IN THE CITY

kLED BEFORE THE #OMMISSION ON %LECTIONS A DISQUALIkCATION CASE against Alan and Lani. Buac, who is a resident of Central Signal Village in the city, argued that the Cayetanos could not run separately in the city’s two CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS BECAUSE THE &AMILY #ODE gOBLIGES THEM TO LIVE TOGETHER u Lani, who is running for a 2nd district House seat, said they would never let their political rivals take over Taguig, only to LOSE WHAT THEY BUILT FOR ALMOST A

decade. g)N THE #AYETANO FAMILY IT IS NOT only our name that we uphold. Competence and integrity are NEEDED u SHE SAID Alan, however, said they would RATHER BE CALLED A DYNASTY THAN candidates who are allegedly involved in corruption and are drug protectors. The Cayetanos are running against outgoing Taguig 1st District 2EP !RNEL #ERAkCA !LLAN #ERAkCA and Cheche Gonzales. g,ET S SAY THEY RE NOT A DYNASTY

BUT DRUGS AND CORRUPTION WILL REturn to the city. What will happen THEN u THE FORMER SENATOR SAID Should they win the 2019 midterm elections, the proadministration Cayetanos will have a presence not only in THEIR BAILIWICK 4AGUIG BUT ALSO in the Senate. Apart from the couple, also running in the midterm elections are Lino, who is aiming for the mayoral seat, and Pia, who’s trying to regain the Senate seat she held for two consecutive terms.

6 metro roads closed this weekend Belmonte, Crisologo slug it out in QC THE Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Friday WARNED MOTORISTS OF HEAVY TRAFkC IN several areas in Metro Manila due to the closure of Sevilla Bridge and several roads for repairs. Sevilla Bridge in San Juan City WILL BE CLOSED TO VEHICULAR TRAFkC from 10 p.m. on Saturday to Sunday morning to make way for the TRANSFER OF BARGES FOR THE 3AN *UAN River alignment project.

The closure is in relation to the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 projECT OF THE $EPARTMENT OF 0UBLIC Works and Highways (DPWH). The DPWH also announced the CLOSURE OF THE SOUTH BOUND LANES OF C-5 road in front of Tiendesitas up TO 3- #ENTER 0ASIG #ITY THE kRST LANE from the sidewalks of EDSA Ermin 'ARCIA IN .EW 9ORK #UBAO AND THE truck lane of Katipunan Avenue after C.P. Garcia Avenue in Quezon City.

4HE NORTH BOUND LANES OF # road in front of SM Aura and Market Market in Taguig City; and the outer lane of EDSA 50 meters after Magallanes Metro Rail Transit Station to KM 29 in Makati City will ALSO BE CLOSED FOR REPAIRS The MMDA advised motorists traversing the affected areas to use alternate routes over the weekend until they open on Monday morning. NEIL JAYSON N. SERVALLOS

THE opposing camps of Quezon #ITY 1# 6ICE -AYOR *OSEkNA g*OYu Belmonte and District 1 Rep. VinCENT g"INGBONGu #RISOLOGO STAGED their proclamation rallies on Friday, the start of the 45-day campaign period for the midtem elections. The Belmonte camp held their program at the corner of Tandang Sora Avenue and Visayas Avenue, while the Crisologo camp started THEIR CAMPAIGN WITH A g5NITY

7ALKu ALONG 2OOSEVELT !VENUE after a Mass at the San Pedro de Bautista Church. Crisologo and Belmonte are the front-runners vying for the MAYORAL POST TO BE VACATED BY -AYOR (ERBERT "AUTISTA WHO IS NOT running for any political post on May 13. A third candidate, former congressman Chuck Mathay, is not actively campaigning. Belmonte warned of fake news, BLACK PROPAGANDA MUD SLINGING and lies. Crisologo vowed to introduce changes like free hospitalization and free college, among others. Belmonte is running under the 3ERBISYO NG "AYAN 0ARTY WHILE Crisologo is running under the Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan party of President

2ODRIGO $UTERTE ,AST .OVEMBER Belmonte’s local party formally signed an alliance with Hugpong NG 0AGBABAGO UNDER $AVAO #ITY Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. Belmonte’s vice mayoral tandem is Councilor Carl Gian Sotto, while Crisologo’s running mate is former top councilor Jopet Sison OF !"3 #". S gKapag nasa KatwiRAN )PAGLABAN -O u Some of Belmonte’s programs for the city include the intensikCATION OF ANTI DRUG OPERATIONS installation of more closed-circuit television cameras in Quezon City streets, upgrading the city’s document processing through technology and innovation, and improved DELIVERY OF BASIC SERVICES JAIME R. PILAPIL

Rabies: A problem in need of more attention BY MAYLENE STEPHANIE S. VIRAY 2!")%3 REMAINS TO BE A SERIOUS PUBlic health issue in the country with ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT &ILIPINOS AFlICTED with the disease. According to the latest statistics from the Department of Health $O( A TOTAL OF RABIES CASES were reported from Jan. 1, 2014 to June 30, 2018, majority of these in Central Luzon with 185 cases; CalaBARZON AND 3OCCSKSARGEN #ALABARZON IS COMPRISED OF THE provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon, while Soccsksargen is made up of South CoTABATO #OTABATO 0ROVINCE 3ULTAN Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos. g2ABIES IS PERCENT FATAL ONCE symptoms appear, a reason why one SHOULD GET PROMPT TREATMENT IF BEEN BITTEN OR SCRATCHED BY A STRAY OR EVEN a pet dog or a cat. Here in the PhilipPINES ABOUT TO INDIVIDUALS DIE EACH YEAR DUE TO RABIES u SAID .Icole Perreras, a pediatric infectious disease specialist. The Health department also notes THAT DOGS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AS MUCH AS PERCENT OF RABIES TRANSmission to humans. 0ERRERAS CITED CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO HIGH CASES OF HUMAN RABIES IN THE country include the poor practice OF VACCINATING PETS WITH ANTI RABIES IMPROPER BEHAVIOR AROUND CATS OR DOGS RELUCTANCE TO SEEK RABIES POST EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS 0%0 AFTER SUSTAINING A DOG OR CAT BITE OR SCRATCH and failure to continue the required NUMBER OF POST BITE VACCINATIONS However, she is confident the COUNTRY WILL STILL BE ABLE TO ATTAIN its mission of eliminating human RABIES BY THE YEAR AND BE DECLARED g2ABIES &REEu BY YEAR She said the DoH, through the .ATIONAL 2ABIES 0REVENTION AND

Q ENDORSES FROM A1

Sotto’s The two returning former senators are Taguig City Rep. Pilar JuLIANA g0IAu #AYETANO AND -ANUEL -ERCADO g,ITOu ,APID WHILE THE lone newcomer is former special assistant to the President ChristoPHER ,AWRENCE g"ONGu 'O Sotto said the he and other NPC OFkCIALS WERE SET TO MEET ON &RIDAY to decide on whether they would STILL kLL UP THE TWO REMAINING VAcant slots for the NPC lineup for the Senate. He added that the NPC first

Control Program and in partnership with different agencies and local government units, continues TO INTENSIFY ITS PUBLIC AWARENESS AND education campaign. g0UBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION are keys to preventing and controlLING THE INCIDENCE OF RABIES u SAID 0ERRERAS g#URRENTLY EXPERTS AT the Research Institute for Tropical -EDICINE IN !LABANG -UNTINLUPA are working closely with the Department of Education in conducting lectures among elementary teachers and students on topics such as the QUICK ACTIONS TO TAKE ONCE BITTEN OR SCRATCHED BY A DOG OR A CAT !NOTHER is how the simple act of immediate AND THOROUGH lUSHING AND WASHING of the wound for at least 15 minutes with soap and water could already LESSEN THE SEVERITY OF RABIES INFECTIONS BY AS MUCH AS PERCENT u 3HE BELIEVES THAT A FULLY INFORMED community is more than enough to LOWER CASES OF RABIES INFECTION !ND WHEN ONE IS BITTEN OR SCRATCHED DoH recommends immunization AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE 2ABIES IS CAUSED BY A VIRUS THAT infects the central nervous system, which may lead to death once symptoms appear. 4HE DISEASE MAY BE TRANSMITTED THROUGH PEOPLE AFlICTED WITH A FURIOUS FORM OF RABIES OR CAN BE developed in a paralytic form. !FFLICTED INDIVIDUALS EXHIBIT signs of hyperactivity and fear of water and sometimes, air. Death in this case of transmission occurs a few days after owing to cardio-respiratory arrest. On the other hand, the paralytic FORM OF RABIES MAY EXHIBIT LESS DRAmatic symptoms, which include the gradual paralyzing of muscles BEGINNING AT THE SITE OF A BITE OR scratch. Coma will soon follow and will eventually lead to death in a matter of days.

came up with a 10-man slate as PARTY MEMBERS COULD NOT AGREE on certain candidates. In an earlier interview, Sotto also mentioned the names of forMER SENATOR *OSE 0IMENTEL g*INGGOYu %STRADA AND FORMER POLICE CHIEF 2ONALDO g"ATOu DELA 2OSA as among those that the NPC was drafting. Of the 10 names mentioned, ONLY TWO ARE .0# MEMBERS m Ejercito and Lapid. 0OE IS AN ADOPTED .0# MEMBER Sotto said the party’s secretaryGENERAL WOULD MAKE THE OFkCIAL announcement on the NPC Senate ticket after their meeting this week. JAVIER JOE ISMAEL

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BY MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

HE government’s budget balance reverted to a DEkCIT IN &EBRUARY DESPITE CONTINUED DELAYS IN THE PASSAGE OF THIS YEAR S OUTLAY

The month’s P76.4-billion gap was a reversal of the P44.5-billion surplus posted in January, Treasury bureau data released on Friday showed. It was also

wider than the P51.7-billion deficit recorded a year earlier. Government revenues rose by 13 percent to P202.1 billion, from

P178.5 billion last year, while expenditures grew by 21 percent to P278.5 billion from P230.2 billion. A month earlier, revenues rose by 7 percent while expenditures fell by 7 percent. 4HE LATEST DEkCIT RESULTED IN A YEAR to-date shortfall of P31.8 billion, 23 percent lower compared to the P41.5 billion posted in the comparable 2018 period.

Revenues up

For February alone, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) accounted for the bulk of revenues with P135.7 billion, 16 percent higher compared to the yearearlier P116.6 billion. The growth was faster compared to January’s 5 percent. The Bureau of Customs (BoC) netted P44.2 billion — a 1-percent gain from

target for the 2019, that already presumed the weak El NiĂąo and was included in the calculation. It was already incorporated in the revised target.â€? Santos said. “However, depending on the response that we have, that might even be less,â€? he added. “We are very bullish [on growth]. We are still at 6 to 7 percent.â€? .%$! OFkCIALS ARE ALSO OPTIMISTIC THAT INlATION WILL SETTLE WITHIN the 2.0-4.0 percent target despite the El NiĂąo. g) THINK WE CAN BE CONkDENT THAT we will stay within the target range of 2-4 percent. If there’s some impact, then inflation will still be within the target,â€? Pernia said. He added that implementation OF THE RICE TARIFkCATION LAW WOULD also help ensure ample supplies of staple. “Major rice producing areas [have] already harvested. Pag-asa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astonomical Services Administration) reported that El NiĂąo already peaked and will start weakening in the next months,â€? NEDA Assistant Secretary Mercedita

ÂłEl NiĂąo B2

ROBERT SIY measure, this is wrong policy. For every new initiative, we need to step back and ask the question, “If this measure or policy is implemented, will commuters be better off?� If commuters will be worse off, we need TO CHANGE OUR APPROACH OR kND some way to alleviate the negative impact on commuters. I’d like to take up here a few examples of how we have sacrikCED THE WELFARE OF COMMUTERS to serve the interest of car users who are already the wealthiest segment of Philippine society. By favoring private motor vehicles in our policies and spending, we are sowing the seeds of worsening mobility for all—even for those who travel in cars. When we reduce the supply of public transport by subjecting UV Express, buses, jeepneys and taxis to “number coding� (where the public transport vehicle is unable to operate on one day of the week so that there is more road space for private vehicles), we are asking commuters to wait for an additional 30-45 minutes in the queue or at the bus stop—time that could have been spent with loved ones, at rest or in more productive activity. So that a small minority sitting in cars can be home earlier, we make our weary commuters endure more stressful AND DIFkCULT DAILY TRAVEL

ÂłMobility B3

ÂłUnderspending B2

Liquidity, lending growth ease anew

statements to the media. Officials are seeking to iron out major differences over US accusations that China has been using unfair trade practices for years by heavily subsidizing its companies while snatching the technological knowhow of American firms. US President Donald Trump has said the two sides were close to a deal, but officials have played down expectations of an imminent agreement.

MONEY supply posted its slowest growth in more than six years in February amid a sustained deceleration in bank lending, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed on Friday. Domestic liquidity or M3 expanded by 7.1 percent year-onyear to P11.497 trillion, slower than January’s revised 7.7 percent. It was also the slowest M3 growth since the 6.2 percent posted in August 2012. Month-on-month and seasonally adjusted, M3 grew by 0.8 percent. “The BSP will continue to closely monitor domestic liquidity dynamics to ensure that overall monetary conditions remain in line with maintaining price and financial stability,� the central bank said in a statement. An expansion in domestic claims also decelerated to 11.7 percent from January’s revised

ÂłConstructive B2

ÂłEase B3

Q China’s Vice Premier Liu He (right) shakes hands with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as they pose for a group photo at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on March 29, 2019. AFP PHOTO

US-Chinese trade talks ‘constructive’ BEIJING: US and Chinese negotiators wrapped up “constructive� trade talks in Beijing on Friday ahead of another round next week, a top American official said as the economic superpowers aim to settle a bruising tariffs battle. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin held negotiations with China’s Vice Premier Liu He at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse after a working dinner Thursday.

Mnuchin wrote on Twitter that he and Lighthizer “concluded constructive trade talks in Beijing� but he did not provide more details. “I look forward to welcoming China’s Vice Premier Liu He to continue these important discussions in Washington next week,� he said. The two negotiating teams, including China’s central bank chief Yi Gang, posed for pictures in front of Chinese and American flags, but they did not make

Are commuters better off? PSEi rallies on trade talk news MOBILITY I MATTERS N dealing with the worsening mobility of urban Filipinos, it is important to remember that the paramount objective is the welfare of those who do not use private motor vehicles. They are in the vast majority. Less than 10 percent of Filipinos are car owners; the rest of the population are people who walk, cycle or use public transport. They are the clients. Oftentimes, projects are launched and policies are announced to make traffic move faster on EDSA. If the initiative BENEkTS CAR USERS BUT PENALIZES pedestrians and public transport users, we are taking a backward step. To consider private motor vehicles as the client is the recipe FOR MORE TRAFkC NOT LESS OF IT Worldwide, transport experts ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TRAFkC CONGEStion will not be solved by building new roads or bridges for cars or by prioritizing cars on our roads. Easing congestion with such measures have only temporary effect; they end up attracting greater car use which eventually results in more congestion. Interestingly enough, measures that promote public transport, walking and cycling have the positive effect of encouraging car users to shift to more sustainable AND EFkCIENT TRANSPORTATION OPtions. When there are fewer cars on the road, congestion is alleviated and everyone gets to travel faster—even car users. It sends the wrong signal when public transport, walking or cycling are restricted to allow private cars to go faster. By any

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

Deficit posted despite ‘forced underspending’ T

Growth goals to be met despite El NiĂąo – NEDA ECONOMIC growth this year will remain strong despite the impact of an ongoing El NiĂąo, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said on Friday. Initial estimates point to a 0.9-percentage point hit for the kRST QUARTER AND THIS HAS ALREADY been factored into the downwardly-revised 6.0-7.0 percent growth target for 2019, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia TOLD REPORTERS IN A BRIEkNG “The 6 to 7 percent is the more realistic target given the reenactment of budget and the effects of El NiĂąo,â€? he said. NEDA Assistant Secretary Carlos Bernardo O. Abad Santos said that for the full year, El NiĂąo’s impact on gross domestic product growth (GDP) had been estimated to be 0.2 percentage points. The weather pattern, delays in the approval of the 2019 national budget and the US-China trade war were cited by the interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) when it cut this year’s growth target to 6.07.0 percent from 7.0-8.0 percent. “When the DBCC revised the

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SATURDAY MARCH 30, 2019

Business Times

CURRENCY RATE

B1

THE stock market climbed back to the 7,900 level on Friday, joining a regional rally as investors cheered reported progress in US-China trade talks. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) rose by 0.56 percent or 44.53 points to close at 7,920.93 while the broader All Shares grew 0.43 percent or 20.73 points to end at 4,864.17. Philstocks Financial Inc. research associate Japhet Louis Tantiangco said market players loaded on equities following news of “constructive� negotiations in Beijing. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met with their Chinese counterparts on Friday

and talks will continue next week in Washington. Regina Capital Development Corp. head of sales Luis Limlingan echoed Tantiangco’s view and added that investors also bought ON kRST QUARTER WINDOW DRESSING Elsewhere in the region, Shanghai surged 3.2 percent and Tokyo ended 0.8 percent higher, while Hong Kong added one percent. Seoul and Singapore each rose 0.6 percent, Sydney put on 0.1 percent and Wellington gained 0.8 percent. Taipei and Mumbai were also sharply higher. “Sentiment was largely positive after reports that the trade negotiations between the US and China were improving,� said Da-

vid Madden, a market analyst at CMC Markets UK. “Risk assets are being supported right now, in my view, by a dovish Fed, a China stabilization and better sentiment around geopolitical risks,� Frances Donald at Manulife Asset Management told Bloomberg News. “That probably gives this rally a little bit more juice.� Back in Manila, sectoral results WERE UP EXCEPT FOR HOLDING kRMS which slid by 0.13 percent. Volume turnover stood at 1.7 billion shares valued at P6.68 billion. Losers led winners, 112 to 97, while 35 issues were unchanged. ANGELICA BALLESTEROS AND AFP

BSP sees 3.1-3.9% inflation for March INFLATION will likely ease to as low as 3.1 percent or marginally pick up to 3.9 percent this month, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Friday. In a statement, the central bank said its Department of Economic Research projected consumer price growth “to settle within the 3.1-3.9-percent range� in March. Headline inflation eased to a 13-month low of 3.8 percent in

ÂłInflation B3

Choosing between acquiring and building

B

USINESSES evolve with market dynamics – customers change their demands, new competitors gain access to the market, entry barriers are broken and so on. Many variables can positively OR NEGATIVELY INlUENCE A BUSINESS These must be anticipated to either capture new opportunities or guarantee survival of a company. Under this context, one process that comes across every management decision is making the choice between either to acquire or to develop resources internally. Having extensive background on investment banking, I was highly focused on Merger and Acquisitions advisory, which equipped me with a comprehensive view of the BENEkTS OF ACQUISITIONS (OWEVER

here we will explore a few aspects considered to be most relevant when choosing between acquiring or developing. First, let’s explore the negative points of deciding to develop internally instead of acquiring.x One now having the opportunity to sit of the most important points to be on the other side of the table by considered is the market dynamics being responsible for fund-raising in terms of changing environment. The second aspect to consider and business development strateGIES IN A kNTECH kRM ALLOWED ME TO is the uniqueness of the target gain a broader perspective on this market, product and talent. In a SPECIkC DECISION MAKING PROCESS few situations, acquisitions may alAs every other tough decision an low you to have access to attributes entrepreneur is required to make you cannot (or hardly can) build when running a business, evaluat- yourself (network, or the reliability ing the pros and cons of available on a brand). options follows no rule of thumb Lastly, as every business deciand should always be considered SION IS THE kNANCIAL COSTS TANGIBLE on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, and intangible) of the integration

SME FIRST CIRCLE

LETICIA SOUZA

(in theory everything works, but it’s on the ground that things need to be implemented carefully). We have several examples of acquisitions and mergers that were not successful given the failures on integration – which is the most challenging process of an acquisition. On the other hand, developing internally can allow freedom to create alternative solutions to solve problems or develop projects (which may be unbiased and therefore disruptive and more EFkCIENT )N THE SAME DIRECTION solutions may be designed on a “built-to-suit� perspective considering the market dynamics and unique needs of each business which allows customization of

ÂłSME B3

B2

Business Times

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

SATURDAY March 30, 2019

Thrift banks play key role in PH growth – BSP chief T BY MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

HE THRIFT BANKING INDUSTRY REMAINS SUPPORTIVE OF THE COUNTRY S ECONOMIC GROWTH AS RElECTED BY ITS LENDING PERFORMANCE THE "ANGKO 3ENTRAL NG 0ILIPINAS "30 SAID ON &RIDAY “This industry has been an enabler of economic development by encouraging savings and extending credit to crucial sectors of the economy,� BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in his speech during the Chamber of Thrift Banks’ (CTB) convention in Makati City. He said lending activities of thrift banks continued to expand and were channeled to productive sectors. Consumer loans of

thrift banks as of December 2018 expanded by 6 percent to P562 billion from P530 billion a year ago, Diokno said. Meanwhile, loans for real estate activities increased by 8 percent to P291 billion last year. In terms of asset qualities, he said the gross non-performing loans ratio and non-performing assets of thrift banks also improved as of end-January 2019, down by about 5.4 percent and 5.7 per-

cent, respectively. “All these numbers that was mentioned showed thrift banks critical role in supporting the country’s inclusive economic growth,� Diokno said. The CTB said it remained committed to its niche markets. It vowed to develop the various sectors considered part of the economy’s growth drivers. In particular, it added that besides consumer and real estate loans, the thrift bank industry’s lending to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) rose to P84.04 billion as of September 2018. “We hope to align our direction with the government’s agenda to decentralize economic activity and increase infrastructure de-

velopment which are targeted to boost economic growth through kNANCIAL INCLUSION AND DIGITALIzation,� CTB and Sterling Bank President Cecilio San Pedro said. To sustain lending to MSME and underserved communities, San Pedro said expanding to new markets will allow the industry to open more avenues so that the public can use formal channels for money transfers, payments and savings. As of September last year, there are 54 thrift banks nationwide, lower than the 55 head offices recorded a year ago. Despite this, CTB said there has been an increase in the number of newly established regular and light branches or other banking/ MICROBANKING OFkCES

PCC to probe ‘cartel’ on onion cold storage AN investigation of an alleged cold storage cartel in the onion industry will be conducted by the Philippine Competition Commission (PCC). This came after the Department of Agriculture (DA) sought the PCC’s assistance to address the problem that led to price manipulation. “PCC will look at the alleged refusal of storage access to onion farmers in favor of large traders and will also evaluate if there are business agreements that are anticompetitive or enablers of cartelistic behavior,� the PCC said yesterday in a statement g3PECIkCALLY 0## WILL EXAMINE

whether there are competition concerns in the onion industry such as restriction of storage space or price manipulation by cartels, or whether the storage concerns are natural consequences of supply conditions,� it added. The facilities to be investigated are Rivson Coop Storage Inc., Argo Cold Storage Facility, Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magsisibuyas ng Nueva Ecija (Kasamne), All in Palayan City and Titan Onion Cold Storage in Bongabon City, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piùol said. Under the law, businessmen engaged in cartels shall be punished

Q CONSTRUCTIVE FROM B1

Q UNDERSPENDING FROM B1

WITH A kNE OF 0 TO 0 MILLION and imprisonment of up to seven years. Meanwhile, the PCC noted that regulatory measures involving the importation are within DA’s jurisdiction, separate from PCC’s exercise of its mandate. “The timing of any investigation or advisory from another agency like PCC should not prevent DA from exercising its own judgment in suspending or allowing importation,� it said. Last week, the DA ordered to temporarily suspend the importation of bulb onions which was also meant

to help address an oversupply that led to onion prices falling to P15 per kilo from a high of P30 before the start of the harvest season. The DA, through the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), has also committed to give P200-million working capital to onion farmers associations so they can buy the produce of their members. The PCC also welcomed the prospect of forging an agreement with DA “to harmonize the objectives of both agencies of fostering fair market competition and promoting agricultural growth.� EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

US-Chinese Deficit posted despite forced In Washington, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said Thursday the talks were not “timedependent� and could last weeks or even months if necessary. The talks are “policy and enforcement dependent�, Kudlow said. The Chinese commerce ministry said a “large amount of work� remains to be done and both sides confirmed before this round of talks that another face-to-face negotiation was scheduled for Washington next week.

Tariffs as ‘leverage’ The two sides have imposed tariffs on $360 billion in two-way trade since last year but Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to a truce in December. Trump suggested last week that some of those tariffs should stay in place after a deal is reached to ensure China keeps its end of any bargain. “We have to see what the track record is and we’re not going to give up our leverage,� said Kudlow. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that all the tariffs will be kept in place, some of the tariffs will be kept there,� he told Bloomberg TV. US insistence on keeping the first tranche of 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports could be a sticking point for a deal, analysts say. It is hard to predict if China will accept a deal leaving some tariffs in place, said economist Cui Fan of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. The truce agreed by Xi and Trump called for “reaching a deal as soon as possible in the direction of mutually canceling the punitive tariffs slapped on by both sides�, Cui said. Beijing has taken steps to address some US complaints, rushing through a law this month that promises to protect foreign firms from the forced transfer of technology. It also includes language on protecting foreign companies’ commercial secrets, and fleshes out criminal penalties for officials who leak confidential information they obtain from overseas businesses. Chinese state-owned companies have also stepped up purchases of American agricultural goods such as soybeans. Massive purchases of American goods are expected to be part of any deal, in order to lower the politically sensitive US trade deficit with China, which reached a record high of $419.2 billion last year. AFP

last year’s P43.7 billion — while OTHER OFkCES CONTRIBUTED 0 BILlion, bringing total tax revenues for the month to P182.6 billion. Tax revenue growth was faster at 12 percent from the 8 percent a month earlier. Non-tax earnings, meanwhile, totaled P19.5 billion with the Treasury contributing P9.2 billion — up 56 percent — “mainly due to the P4.0 billion dividend from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and P2.9 billion national government share in Pagcor (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.) income.� /THER OFkCES CONTRIBUTED 0 billion, 6 percent higher from last year.

Spending The bulk of government spending or P253.2 billion was for primary expenditures, which rose by 24 percent from P204.1 billion a year ago. The Treasury bureau said this was “due to payments of accounts payable by National Government Agencies and the release of January internal revenue allotment for local government units that slid to February.� Interest payments of P25.3 billion, meanwhile, accounted for the rest of state spending. It dropped by 3 percent year-on-year “due to the coupon on bonds which matured in 2018.� Netting out interest payments, the government recorded a P51.1BILLION PRIMARY DEkCIT IN &EBRUary, wider than the P25.6-billion shortfall posted last year. Year to date, the primary balance hit a surplus of P39.4 billion, wider than last year’s P28.1 billion.

YTD tally Reckoned from the start of 2019, revenues were up 10 percent year on year to P458.8 billion as of end-February.

Q INFLATION FROM B1

BSP sees 3.1-3.9%

The BIR’s two-month tally of P320.8 billion was 10 percent higher compared to a year earlier while the BoC’s year-to-date take of P92.6 billion was 9 percent better. Primary expenditures rose 8 percent to P419.4 billion during the period while interest payments recorded 2 percent growth to P71.2 billion. This resulted in lower-thanprogrammed state spending in THE kRST TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR the Finance department said in a statement. January-February expenditures totalled P490.7 billion, 7 percent higher than a year ago but P43.7 billion less than estimated programmed funds of P534.4 billion. In a statement, the Finance department said this was equivalent to P740.7 million in available funds that the government was not able to utilize per day because of the delay in the implementation of the 2019 national budget.

‘Forced underspending’

dent Vicente Sotto 3rd ended the budget impasse by signing the 2019 General Appropriations Act. However, he signed the document with “strong reservationsâ€? given the Senate’s claims that the House of Representatives made post-bicameral conference committee changes. The National Economic and Development Authority has warned that Philippine economic growth could decelerate sharply to 4.2-4.9 percent under a fullyear reenacted budget. Economic managers have also cut their growth targets for 2019 and 2020, citing the reenacted budget, an ongoing El NiĂąo and the US-China trade war. The interagency Development Budget Coordination Committee is now aiming for 6.0-7.0 percent growth this year and 6.7-7.5 percent next year, down from 7.0-8.0 percent previously.

Apprehensions validated

A

Financial fitness

S I sat having coffee, I was thinking what financial fitness is. Is it about having a lot of money? Being able to buy anything? Or is it about just having the right amount of it? Different people will have different answers to these questions because of varying values. Yet, there are a few things that all might agree TO HAVING ADEQUATE CASH lOW A good insurance coverage and a little extra for wants. Being a gym-goer, I suddenly reMEMBERED MY kTNESS COACH WHO was always instilling the concept OF BEING PHYSICALLY kT &OR HIM BEING kT MEANS NOT ONLY HAVING A good-looking body: a lot of people might have nice physiques, but in reality are not healthy, strong or can’t endure bouts of physical exERCISE "EING kT FOR HIM IS HOLISTIC it must cover all physical aspects such as strength, stamina, endurance and flexibility. Then it hit me. Those aspects can be related TO BEING kNANCIALLY kT 3TRENGTH. Think of weightlifters. At the gym, being strong means being able to exercise with heavy weights such as dumbbells, barbells and even your own body. To develop strength, one must constantly train and progressively increase these weights over time. In PERSONAL kNANCE BEING kNANCIALLY strong means being able to carry YOUR kNANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES THE needs, education of your kids, your retirement and your other dreams. Moreover, emergencies may happen unexpectedly, such as sickness in the family, unplanned vacations and expenses or even damage to property. 4O BE kNANCIALLY STRONG MEANS to be able to carry them without breaking under their weight. For example, your personal balance sheet should be strong: your asSETS SHOULD SIGNIkCANTLY BE MORE than your liabilities. The mix of the assets, too, should be properly DIVERSIkED AS TO CAPITALIZE ON OPportunities from different investMENTS )N TERMS OF YOUR CASH lOW IT MEANS POSITIVE NET CASH lOW PER month or per year. Endurance. Think of marathoners that can run for long periods of time. Endurance means that the body is able to perform and function over extended periods. A person may be strong to lift heavy weights but it does not mean he can run long. Financial endurance, then, is WITHSTANDING kNANCIAL STRESS FOR extended periods of time. A strong BALANCE SHEET AND CASH lOW MAY just be enough for a year or even A MONTH "UT kNANCIAL ENDURANCE means you have enough assets to cover for nd your family’s needs and yours for the months and years to come. One significant component OF kNANCIAL ENDURANCE IS HAVING an emergency fund. Another is HAVING SIGNIkCANTLY MORE ASSETS than liabilities such that when liquidated, it can be a source

MONEY TALKS

RIENZIE BIOLENA of funds for years ahead. It also MEANS HAVING DIVERSIkED INVESTments so that whichever way the market goes, you can liquidate asSETS TO FUND YOUR NEEDS AT A PROkT Financial endurance also means HAVING SIGNIkCANT NET CASH lOWS consistently. Lastly, it means having adequate insurance to cover for your family’s needs until they BECOME kNANCIALLY INDEPENDENT 3TAMINA. This is closely related to endurance. While endurance means staying power, stamina means staying power using your maximum capacity. You may run long enough, but it doesn’t mean that you are employing 100 percent of your capacity. To perform for a length of time at 100 percent of your level is stamina. Financial stamina means you are maximizing the potential of your money, whether it is invested or just in plain savings accounts, all the while managing its risks. For instance, a sizeable emergency fund can be spread among an ATM account with insurance, a money market fund, or time deposits to maximize potential returns while being conscious about liquidity. For long-term cash needs, it means investing in real estate or the stock market to maximize potential returns. &LEXIBILITY I saw a case once where an 85-year old person has 80 percent of her assets in real estate, 10 percent in jewelry and another 10 percent in cash. Given her CIRCUMSTANCES SHE S NOT kNANCIALLY lEXIBLE )T WOULD BE BEST IF SHE IS liquid already to fund anticipated hospital expenses and for ease of asset transfer. )N kTNESS lEXIBILITY IS THE ABILity of joints and muscles to move FREELY )N kNANCE lEXIBILITY MEANS you can move your assets around to fund current, future and even unforeseen needs. Another example: I know someone who sold his land for half the price because he already needs the money to fund HIS HEART SURGERY "EING kNANCIALLY flexible means having enough liquid assets like cash to move around. If you have other assets, their mix should be able to fund even accidental needs. This means you are properly diversified so whatever situation you are in, you CAN ANSWER TO YOUR kNANCIAL NEEDS in a timely and relevant manner.

Rienzie P. Biolena is a Registered Financial Planner of RFP Philippines. He’s also Chartered Wealth Advisor #7! AND CHIEF kNANCIAL PLANNER of WealthArki and Consultancy, a kNANCIAL PLANNING kRM ,EARN MORE ABOUT PERSONAL kNANCIAL PLANNING AT the 75th RFP program in April 2019. To inquire, e-mail info@rfp.ph or text to 0917-9689774.

The government has been operating on last year’s P3.767-trillion budget since the start of the year. This means agencies can only spend for items detailed in the 2018 outlay and cannot embark on programs and projects supposed to be implemented this year. “The No. 1 casualty of this forced under-spending is President [Rodrigo] Duterte’s signature ‘Build Build Build’ program,� Finance Assistant Secretary Antonio Lambino 2nd said. “[I]t has barred the government from frontloading investments in big-ticket infrastructure projects during the best time of the year to do construction, and for projects that have the highest multiplier effect on the domestic economy,� he added. Earlier this week, Senate Presi-

“Given that it would take weeks for MalacaĂąang to review the Congress-submitted GAB (General Appropriations Bill), for the President to sign it, and for the concerned agencies to implement their respective projects, we can expect the 2019 GAA to be fully on stream on or before the middle of this year yet,â€? Lambino said. ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa stressed that the latest budget balance data “validates government officials’ initial apprehensions about the budget delay.â€? “Budget delayed is growth denied. Hopefully the GAB can be signed to get government spending back on track but it may be DIFkCULT TO @CATCH UP GIVEN THEY LL be attempting to spend funds allotted for 12 months in only seven months time,â€? he added.

Growth Sombilla said. “With the rice tariff , we can expect importers to bring more and beef up the domestic supply,â€? she added The NEDA, citing data from the Agriculture department, said that droughts and dry spells brought by El NiĂąo had caused P1.33 billion in damage to the agriculture sector as of March 18. To help mitigate the impact, it said government agencies should focus on food security, water security, energy security, health, and safety. “We cannot stop El NiĂąo but we can make swift and effective moves to soften its impact on the lives of our countrymen and the economy,â€? Pernia said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also approved the full reactivation of the El NiĂąo Task Force and is now waiting for a memorandum order from MalacaĂąang. “NEDA is ready to take a lead role in mitigating the effects of El NiĂąo,â€? Pernia said. As an interim measure, it wants to transform the National Water Resource Board into the National Water Management Council to strengthen the agency and provide it with additional manpower and kNANCIAL RESOURCES “There is a need for an apex body that will oversee the overall planning, programming, and policy formulation based on sound data,â€? Pernia said. A long-term solution would be the creation of the Department of Water Resources, he added. ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

February from 4.4 percent in January. The Philippine Statistics Authority IS SET TO RELEASE OFkCIAL -ARCH INlATION data on April 5. “Higher domestic oil prices and upward adjustment in electricity rates

provide upside price pressures to inlATION FOR THE MONTH u THE "30 SAID These upward pressures “may be partly offset by lower prices of rice and other agricultural commodities due to the arrival of imports,� it added.

Easing inflation prompted the Bangko Sentral’s policymaking Monetary Board to keep key interest rates unchanged at its March 21 meeting. After a 2018 surge — blamed largely on higher oil prices and food

SUPPLY ISSUES ‡ THAT PROMPTED kVE successive rate hikes, officials said consumer price growth was now expected to settle within the 2.0-4.0 percent target this year. MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

Q EL NIĂ‘O FROM B1

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Travellers 2018 profit up 414% to P1.44B LISTED Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. saw its net income soar to P1.44 billion last year on the back of higher revenues from gaming and nongaming operations. In a filing on Friday, the Andrew Tanled Resorts World Manila (RWM) operator said the amount was a 414-percent surge from P279.8 million in 2017. That year, a lone gunman stormed into Resorts World, fired shots and set gaming tables on fire, leaving dozens dead. The assault led to the integrated resort and casino’s temporary closure. Net revenues increased by 10.6 percent to P20.6 billion in 2018 from P18.6 billion year-on-year and by 28.1 percent to P6.5 billion in the fourth quarter from P5.04 billion in the same period in 2017. Gross gaming revenues jumped by 17 percent to P20 billion from 2017’s P17.1 billion, supported by sustained growth in all gaming segments. In October-toDecember alone, these revenues rose by 45.1 percent to P6.26 billion from P4.3 billion year-on-year. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (ebitda) grew by 27.1 percent to P3.88 billion last year from P3.05 billion in 2017. Ebitda for the last

three months of 2018, however, fell by 19 percent to P634.2 million from P781.4 million in the same comparable period. “The improved performance was helped by the opening of the groundfloor gaming [area] at the Grand Wing, as well as the launch of Hilton Manila and Sheraton Manila Hotel,� Travellers President and Chief Executive Officer Kingson Sian said in the disclosure. These hotels added 747 rooms to its existing portfolio, according to the company. “The Grand Wing will have three international luxury hotels. In addition to Hilton Manila, which opened last October, Sheraton Manila Hotel is already on its soft opening and Hotel Okura Manila will open this year, bringing the Grand Wing’s hotel room count to approximately 940,� Travellers said. “When the Grand Wing is fully operational, RWM will be the largest and most versatile integrated resort in the country offering our customers thrilling experiences,� Sian said. Travellers shares grew by 1 centavo or 0.18 percent to close at P5.64 apiece on Friday. ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

FNI parnters with HK firm to build steel plant GLOBAL Ferronickel Holdings Inc. (FNI) reported on Friday that it had teamed up with Hong Kong-based (UARONG !SIA ,TD ON BUILDING ITS kRST rebar steel rolling plant in the country. In a disclosure, the listed mining company said the partnership WAS PART OF THE TWO kRMS MOVE TO explore value-added opportunities by diversifying into steel processing. The facility would produce 600,000 tons of bar annually, it added. FNI President Dante Bravo told The Manila Times that his company was looking to put up the plant either in Mindanao or Luzon. It will be operational within 18 months from the start of its construction, he added. “It’s going to add to the bottomline of FNI. We have strong steel demand domestically. Our country imports [its] steel requirements, so putting a plant here, given the right incentives and reasonable power cost, would make a good return,� Bravo explained. FNI also reported that it was incorporating FNI Steel Corp. and FNI Landholdings Corp. to venture into the steel business. FNI will have a 51-percent share in the former and 60 percent in the latter, it said. The company earlier said it was optimistic about exploring these

value-added opportunities, given growing steel demand in the country driven by local infrastructure developments, particularly the government’s “Build Build Build� program. Last week, Bravo, also the president of the Philippine Nickel Industry Association, urged for a review of the complexity of putting up value-added processing plants in the country. He noted that the government, in collaboration with the private sector, needs “strategic policies� to make the local mining sector attractive to potential investors. &OR &.) EXPECTS lAT GROWTH IN total shipments through its subsidiary Platinum Group Metals Corp. It had said, however that it would rely on rising demand for nickel ore in China to drive those shipments. Established on May 3, 1994 as Southeast Asia Cement Holdings Inc., FNI is the second-largest nickel ore producer in the country and largest single lateritic mine exporter in the world. It owns two laterite nickel mines in Surigao del Norte and Palawan provinces. Shares of FNI lost 2 centavos or PERCENT TO kNISH AT 0 APIECE on Friday. EIREENE JAIREE GOMEZ

Q SME FROM B1

tion about the probability of success of each attribute or assumption.

Choosing processes, therefore being more efkCIENT AND EFFECTIVE Acquiring a business could also be a possible path to enter a new market with barriers that make it hard to be penetrated. By the end of the day, it’s just a MATTER OF PUTTING IN kNANCIAL kGURES in the aspects to be considered on the decision-making process and trying to gather as much informa-

Leticia Souza is an advocate of the social impact investment in emerging marKETS 3HE HAS A DIVERSIkED BACKGROUND in investment banking in the most RELEVANT kRMS IN ,ATIN !MERICA SUCH as Itau Unibanco, Credit Suisse and BR Partners (ex-Citi executives). She is now responsible for Capital Markets and Investor Relations for the fastest growing SME Lending Fin Tech player in Southeast Asia: First Circle. She is ACCESSIBLE ON LETICIA kRSTICIRCLE COM

Corporate News ABS-CBN forms JVs with beauty, payment firms SATURDAY March 30, 2019

BY LISBET K. ESMAEL

A

BS-CBN Corp. is seeking new revenue streams by forming joint ventures with Ever Bilena Cosmetics Inc. and iBayad Online Ventures Inc. that would serve as its entry to the beauty and digital-payments industries. The Lopez-led media conglomerate told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday that under its agreement with Ever Bilena, they would equally split ownership of their new cosmestics brand, which

would have an initial P10 million as capital stock. Ever Bilena would focus on product development, logistics and distribution, while ABS-CBN would handle marketing promo-

tions and talent development. “From conceptualization to [the brand’s] commercial launch, parties agreed [on having] 54 to 76 weeks to complete and execute all agreed milestones,� the broadcast network said. On its joint venture with iBayad, !"3 #". SAID IN A SEPARATE kLING that their new business would focus on providing “customer and merchant e-wallet/e-money services e-wallet/e-money services and other related services.� They would also be operating a platform for these services, “as

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well as advertising, producing, distributing and marketing products and services that are connected to the operations of said business,� it added. The media giant will hold a 51-percent stake in the new company, while iBayad will own 49 percent. Its authorized capital stock is set at P100 million. ABS-CBN’s board of directors approved both joint ventures on Thursday. Shares of ABS-CBN shed 25 centavos or 1.20 percent to end at P20.65 apiece on Friday.

Cebu Landmasters starts building Davao Global CEBU Landmasters Inc. (CLI) said on Friday it officially started construction of the first phase of the P33-billion Davao Global Township in Davao City’s Matina district. In a disclosure, the listed real ESTATE COMPANY SAID THE kRST PHASE COVERED HECTARES OF GROSS lOOR area out of the 22 hectares in total. It will feature a corporate center, two premier residential towers, a retail strip with a cineplex, outdoor retail spaces called the DGT Town Strip and a civic center named DGT Gallery, it added. 4HE kRST PHASE IS TARGETED FOR

completion in 2022. The entire township will have 20 residential towers, with all bearing Cebu Landmasters brands; 10 office buildings; a maximum of two international brand hotels; a 1-ha public park; one major shopping mall; a civic center that can accommodate up to 1,000 people; museum; cinema; hospital; and school. The township is a project of Yhest Realty and Development Corp., the joint venture company formed by Cebu Landmasters with the Villa-Abrille clan, founded by pioneering Davao businessman

Q EASE FROM B1

Liquidity, lending growth 12.4 percent, “due mainly to the sustained growth in credit to the private sector.“ Meanwhile, net claims on the central government grew at a faster 8.3 percent from the previous month’s 5.3 percent. Net foreign assets in peso terms

contracted by 1.5 percent, up slightly from January’s 1.2 percent. Bank lending growth, meanwhile, decelerated for the fourth straight month as it slowed to 13.7 percent in February from 15.3 percent a month earlier. Including reverse repurchase

Q MOBILITY FROM B1

Are commuters better off?

When we bar UV express and provincial buses from EDSA or major roads because they add to congestion, we are making a judgement that cars (which on average have only one or two passengers) should be prioritized over a public transport vehicle with 10 to 60 persons inside. The message to anyone using a UV Express van or a provincial bus is that public transport users are “second class� citizens and less deserving: “If you want to have preferential treatment, if you want to be home earlier, you should be in a private motor vehicle.� When we eliminate street-level pedestrian crossings so that cars can move faster, we are telling pedestrians that cars have priority in the use of road space. So that Filipinos

in cars can have faster travel, those on foot should take more steps and climb the elevated crosswalk; those who can’t the climb stairs because they are elderly or disabled should just stay at home. When cars are allowed to park illegally on the streets or on top of sidewalks blocking the path of pedestrians and subjecting people and vehicles to a road hazard, when sidewalks are reduced or eliminated so that more road space can be given to cars, people get the hint that streets are meant to serve private motor vehicles while the needs of pedestrians and cyclists don’t really count. With these messages are delivered daily to our millions of commuters, it should come as no

Francisco Villa-Abrille. One of Davao’s oldest families, the Villa-Abrille clan leased commercial spaces and buildings, including the Matina IT Park and Sutherland Global Services. It also ESTABLISHED $AVAO S kRST RESIDENTIAL subdivision in 1952, as well as the Davao City Golf Club, the city’s kRST AND OLDEST GOLF COURSE UNTIL IT was closed last year to make way for the township. “These are exciting times for Davao and the Philippines, as this tie-up with CLI ushers a new generation of local homegrown developers, ready to be [on] par

with the best of the world,� Yhest President Frederick Yuson said. The Davao Global Township is the third and largest project that Cebu Landmasters and the family embarked on. The first was MesaTierra, a residential condominium that is now 98-percent sold; and The Paragon Davao, a mixed-use property that will host Citadines Paragon Davao, which was launched last November. #EBU ,ANDMASTERS SHARES kNished down by 10 centavos or 2.33 percent to P4.20 each on Friday. ANGELICA BALLESTEROS

placements (RRPs) with the BSP, lending growth also moderated to 13.9 percent from January’s revised 14.5 percent. On a month-on-month and seasonally-adjusted basis, commercial bank loans net of RRPs and inclusive of RRPs increased by 0.4 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. Lending for production activities, which accounted for 88.4 percent of the aggregate loan port-

folio, grew at a slower 13.6 percent from 15.5 percent in January. Household consumption loan growth was higher at 14.9 percent from the previous month’s revised 13.2 percent “amid the acceleration in credit card loans, sustained growth in motor vehicle loans, and expansion of salary-based general purpose consumption loans and other types of household loans during the month.� MAYVELIN U. CARABALLO

surprise that car ownership is the aspiration of most Filipinos—all to our collective peril. The desirable projects or policies—most urgently needed in Philippine cities today--are those which will make public transport, walking or cycling as superior alternatives to using a car. Ironically, when we champion the welfare of commuters, car users will end up better off too. In any transition to any new system or project, the welfare of commuters should be protected and any negative impact should be anticipated and mitigated as much as possible. Any other approach constitutes negligence. In judging the value of an infrastructure project or the utility of a new regulation, the key question is how commuters will be affected. If CAR USERS ARE THE MAIN BENEkCIARIES while commuters or pedestrians suf-

fer, then the project or policy should be abandoned or revised. /FkCIALS MAY SUCCEED IN INCREASing vehicle speeds on EDSA, enabling EDSA to handle a larger volume of cars. But if fewer people are able to travel on EDSA (less people throughput, because higher capacity vehicles are removed in place of lower capacity vehicles), if more commuters are inconvenienced and have longer travel times, and if commuters require more transfers or have higher expenses for travel, then our government would have failed in its goal of giving urban Filipinos better mobility within this administration.

Robert Y. Siy is a development economist, city and regional planner, and public transport advocate. He can be reached at mobilitymatters.ph@ yahoo.com or followed on Twitter @RobertRsi

Foreign Business

Huawei vows to ‘shake off outside distractions’

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HENZHEN, China: Chinese telecom giant Huawei vowed on Friday to “shake off outside distractions� as it announced that its telecom infrastructure business contracted slightly in 2018 amid a global US campaign to blacklist the company over espionage fears. (UAWEI SAID NET PROkT ROSE TO 59.3 billion yuan ($8.8 billion) last year, up 25 percent. But its carrier business, which supplies telecom infrastructure to much of the world, posted a rare decline, suggesting that the US pressure could be having an impact. The company’s carrier business was down 1.3 percent on the year, compared to growth of 2.5 percent in 2017 and annual increases typically in excess of 20 percent in years past.

Huawei is the leading manufacturer of equipment for nextgeneration 5G mobile networks that will bring near-instantaneous connectivity for smartphones, but faces pushback in some Western markets over fears Beijing could gain access to critical infrastructure. “Security concerns are having an impact on Huawei, as more and more countries place restrictions ON THE kRM S NETWORK GEAR u SAID Brock Silvers, managing director of Kaiyuan Capital.

“Moreover, the US-led global movement has only just begun and is unlikely to quickly recede even in the event of a trade war agreement.� Huawei’s annual report, released at corporate headquarters in the southern city of Shenzhen, did not detail what caused the carrier business decline or make clear reference to the global pressure. But the company vowed to press ahead. “Moving forward, we will do everything we can to shake off outside distractions, improve management and make progress towards our strategic goals,� rotating chairman Guo Ping said. Huawei also is grappling with the December arrest by Canada of chief financial officer Meng

Wanzhou, daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, on US charges that she and Huawei circumvented sanctions against Iran. 4WO AFkLIATES ALSO WERE CHARGED this year with stealing trade secrets from telecom group T-Mobile in a separate case. Guo reiterated Huawei’s insistence that it poses no security risk and sought to play up the company’s trustworthiness. “No government or any third party holds shares in our company or intervenes in our operations and decision-making,� he said. He also hinted that Huawei’s market dominance made it a crucial player in the global 5G rollout that could not be sidelined. “We are confident that the companies that choose to work

with Huawei will be the most competitive in the 5G era,� he said. “Countries that choose to work with Huawei will gain an advantage for the next wave of growth in the digital economy.� He said Huawei signed more than 30 commercial contracts for 5G in 2018 and shipped more than 40,000 5G base stations to markets around the world. Overall revenue grew 19.5 percent while sales in Huawei’s consumer business, consisting largely of smartphones, surged 45 percent. Huawei hit back at Washington earlier this month by suing the United States over a law barring US government agencies from engaging with Huawei or with third parties that use the company’s products, which has crippled Hua-

wei in that lucrative market. Washington has long considered Huawei a potential threat due to the background of founder Ren, a former Chinese army engineer. Those concerns have escalated as Huawei has risen to become the world leader in telecom networking equipment and one of the top smartphone manufacturers alongside Samsung and Apple. Huawei has vowed to never allow security “backdoors� in its products which could be used for espionage or sabotage, and insists Washington has never produced evidence substantiating claims of security risks. Huawei’s annual report mentioned the US legal troubles only in vague terms under the heading “Contingent Liabilities.� AFP

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Green Industries

SATURDAY March 30, 2019

Raptor conservation gains ground in north J BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO

APANESE tourists love to visit the town of Sanchez Mira in Cagayan province, not for gold treasure believed to be buried during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, but for birds like the raptor.

This year, a group of 18 conservationists from the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network (ARRCN) of Japan with the Raptorwatch Network Philippines (RNP) came to the town on March 19 for their third annual raptor watch and birdwatching ecotour in Northern Luzon. In Japan, Sanchez Mira is known as the place that serves as a “stop over� and “roosting site� of the migratory raptors, known as sawi (Grey-faced Buzzard), WHICH EVENTUALLY lY OFF TO *APAN by the end of March. The Greyfaced Buzzard has been declared “threatened� in Japan. ARRCN and RNP said the Japanese kept on coming back to this town and neighboring areas because of their advocacy in the preservation and conservation of migratory birds. Given its lush natural resources and diverse ecosystem, Cagayan Valley is home to many rare animals. Some of these are birds, SPECIkCALLY THE RAPTOR According to RPN, most of these birds of prey are migratory in nature, especially the Greyfaced Buzzards, which breed in Russia, China, Mongolia, Japan and Taiwan. During winter, they set back to the tropical islands to hunt and roost. In Cagayan Valley, the migratory lYWAYS FOR 'REY FACED "UZZARDS are the towns of Sanchez Mira, Sta. Ana and Pamplona because food sources abound in the area. Mayor Asela Sacramed of Sanchez Mira town said that the number of raptors were rapidly declining because of massive hunting in the last ten years. “People hunt these raptors as native delicacy,� Sacramed said. To prevent this practice and to protect the birds, Sacramed said they had conducted an awareness campaign in collaboration with a few environment groups.

Q A group of 18 conservationists from the Asian Raptor Research and Conservation Network of Japan and Raptorwatch Network Philippines visited Sanchez Mira in Cagayan province on March 19 to conduct their third annual raptor watch and birdwatching ecotour in Northern Luzon. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO “In a span of almost one year of our Sagip Sawi Campaign, hunting activities were decreased to 90 percent,� she said. As a result, the municipality-led awareness campaign was recognized by the international protection and preservation organizations of raptors. “It was in the Philippines, particularly in Sanchez Mira, which set a high record i n this campaign,� Sacramed said adding that in less than two years, THEY WERE ABLE TO SIGNIkCANTLY

reduce local hunting of raptors. In partnership with the Department of Tourism (DoT)Ilocos Region headed by Regional director Martin Valera, and DoT-Cagayan Valley headed by Regional director Virgilio Maguigad, the RND, headed by lawyer Alex Tiongco, have established activities for the protection, preservation and awareness dissemination on raptors. “Our project aims to educate the community on how to protect and preserve the Grey-faced Buzzard

and the relevance to their livelihood as farmers,� Tiongco said. “We have conducted familiarization visits to Sanchez Mira, Pamplona and Sta. Ana towns in Cagayan province, and Adams, Bangui and Pagudpud towns in Ilocos Norte province,� Tiongco said. Familiarization visits included courtesy calls and meetings with local chief executives of said towns on the implementation and continuity of the Sagip Sawi Campaign, and discussions on ecotourism projects and activities, he said.

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

Groups oppose Kaliwa dam project ENVIRONMENTAL groups are opposing the Kaliwa Dam Project that is being eyed secure the water needs of Metro Manila. The Sectors Opposed to the Kaliwa Dam, or STOP Kaliwa Dam, said the government was using the present water crisis to aggressively push the New Centennial Water Source Project (NCWSP), adding the project did not secure the consent of the indigenous peoples (IP) to be affected. “Proceeding with the project will violate RA (Republic Act) 8173 or the ‘Indigenous Peoples Rights Act’ and RA 7586 or the ‘National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.’ The project has until now failed to secure free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) from the Dumagat/Remontados as required by RA 8173,� the groups said. “In fact, the IP leaders in the area have questioned the FPIC process currently being undertaken by the NCIP (National Commission on Indigenous People) because they were not provided with copies of relevant documents from the MWSS as project proponent, which are essential for evaluating and making informed decisions,� they added. MWSS is the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System. The NCSWP would be funded by a loan from China. They added that the construction of the NCWSP will not immediately solve the water crisis in Metro Manila as it would be completed by 2023. Also, there are other solutions to solve the current water crisis like managing wastershed areas and rainwater harvesting. “Viable alternatives exist which can address the problem of current and FUTURE SUPPLY DEkCITS 3TRONG WATERshed management and biodiversity protection of all watersheds around Metro Manila, including the La Mesa Watershed, good water governance and strong government regulation of the two water concessionaires Maynilad and Manila Water, will go a long way towards providing Metro Manila with sustainable water sources,� the groups said. “We have so much rain water and need to look at impounding. We should also seriously consider proposals to separate drinking water from WATER USED TO lUSH TOILETS AND OTHER needs in order to drastically cut water consumption,� they added.

Destruction of biodiversity The groups also opposed the NCWSP on grounds it will be constructed within the Kaliwa Watershed Forest Reserve, which was declared a forest reserve by Proclamation 573 on June 22, 1968. Also, under

Proclamation 1636 issued on April 18, 1977, a portion of the watershed was also declared as National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. According to the Haribon Foundation, the Kaliwa Watershed is home to various threatened wildlife such as the endangered Northern Philippine Hawk-eagle (Nisaetus philippensis), Philippine Brown Deer (Rusa marianna), Philippine Warty Pig (Sus philippensis), the vulnerable Northern Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax), the critically endangered Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), and restricted-range birds of the Luzon Endemic Bird Area, all of which are found nowhere else on the planet. The forests and coastline of Presidential Proclamation 1636 (Series of 1977) are also a key habitat to 15 species of amphibIANS BIRD SPECIES kSH species, 963 invertebrate species, 81 mammal species, 50 plant species and 60 reptile species. The groups said construction of the dam would also displace other communities and their sources of livelihood. “The ancestral domains of the Dumagat/Remontados includes areas within the Kaliwa River Basin where the dam would be constructed specifically, areas that will be inundated by Kaliwa Dam. Sacred sites as well as burial grounds will also be submerged by the dam’s reservoir,� they said. “Construction of the dam will inundate the Barangay Daraitan in Tanay, Rizal with a population of 1,000 households and 500 households from Pagsangahan, General Nakar, Quezon. This will mean the LOSS OF SIGNIkCANT INCOME FOR THE area due to the loss of eco-tourism which has seen a boom in recent years,� they added. The groups behind the joint statement opposing the Kaliwa Dam Project include Save Sierra Madre Network Alliance, Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, Haribon Foundation, Alyansa Tigil Mina, Green Convergence, Pakisama, Greenresearch, Purple Action for Indigenous Women’s Rights, Sukatan–LN, Ateneo-Office for Social Concern and Involvement, NTFP-EP PH, Center for Energy, Ecology and Development, Oriang, Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng Maralitang Lungsod, Pambansang Koalisyon ng Kababaihan sa Kanayunan, Kalamidad, Sanlakas, PUP–CES, PI-COPI, Tribal Center for Development, Sagibin-LN, TFSM-BE, Tanggol Kalikasan, Bantay Kita, Green Thumb Coalition, 11.11.11 and Citizens’ Environment Network. THE TIMES

Should we abolish the Climate Change Commission? (First of two parts) N October 2018, the House of Representatives approved House Bill 8165 creating the Department of Disaster ResilIENCE $$2 ON THIRD AND kNAL reading with a vote of 181-5-2. Under the said bill, the “applicable� powers, functions and funds of the Climate Change /FkCE OF THE #LIMATE #HANGE Commission (CCC) will be transferred to the DDR. Senate Bill 1969, the same version as the one drafted by the Presidential Management 3TAFF WAS kLED IN THE 3ENATE According to the CCC, however, it was never consulted in the drafting of the said bill. It is an opportune time to hear the side of the CCC on the issue creating the DDR. Hence, we are allotting today’s and next week’s column to share with you — our reading public — the CCC’s position on the bill creating the DDR and abolishing CCC, to wit: 1. CCC recognizes the overarching objectives of certain bills on creating the Department of Disaster Resilience, as they aim to establish a unikED COMMAND SYSTEM AND TO

I

ALL ABOUT CHOICES LUDWIG O. FEDERIGAN increase the effectiveness and EFkCIENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT IN disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM). Appreciating the intent in creating the DDR, this position paper provides perspectives on the science, policy, and governance for DRRM in the country in the context of climate change, and why the proposed DDR should not subsume the functions of the CCC and require its abolition. 2. Given the urgent call from the GLOBAL SCIENTIkC COMMUNITY AND the United Nations for all countries to “rapidly strengthen [their] national climate action plans, and urgently accelerate the implementation of the Paris Agreement� to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the CCC, the country’s lead policy-making body on climate change, must be strengthened and sustained instead of abolished. 3. Climate change adapta-

tion and mitigation (CCAM) is a broader concept and sphere of development action than DRRM. CCAM consists of climate actions for societal resilience and sustainability that transform sectors to a low-carbon and green economy. It concerns long-term and futureoriented sustainable development actions that require planning on longer time scales (e.g. 25, 50 or even covering 100 years). DRRM, on the other hand, concerns reducing losses and responding to calamities and crises. It covers operational humanitarian preparedness and response that include anticipating actions for a probable disaster event in a year or so. These two spheres of development action are linked within the realm of climate change adaptation (CCA) where DRRM is seen AS THE kRST STEP TOWARD BUILDING resilience. Thus, to subsume the BROADER ##!- INTO THE DEkNED sphere of practice and governance of DRRM would be conceptually incongruous and irrational. Likewise, to subsume all the functions of the CCC into the proposed DDR would be an unfounded, untenable institutional reform. 4. CCAM concerns sustainability beyond resilience. Sustainability,

AS DEkNED BY THE 5NITED .ATIONS Brundtland Commission in 1987, is “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.� This is the essence of sustainable development as a concept, i.e. to balance the demands of the present generation and the needs of future generations, considering economic, environmental and social well-being. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk 2EDUCTION DEkNES RESILIENCE AS THE “ability to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt to, transform and recover from the effects of a hazard.� Fundamentally, achieving resilience entails risk management and contributes to achieving sustainability. This conceptual delineation and the interlinkages among the spheres of risk management, resilience and sustainability are shown in the diagram. In the diagram, DRRM corresponds to the sphere of risk management, which covers the spectrum of actions on disaster prevention and mitigation, humanitarian preparedness and response, post-disaster recovery, reconstruction and rehabilitation. CCA corresponds to the sphere of resilience, which endeavors to

enhance the adaptability of communities and to achieve societal resilience to climate change supported by DRRM. CCAM covers all these spheres as it aims for a sustainable future. 5. The United Nations fully recognized the distinct domains of CCAM and DRR in adopting two separate international frameworks of action. For CCAM, national governments adopted the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change on May 9, 1992, which entered into force on March 21, 1994, in order to “stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.� On the other hand, the national government adopted the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which builds on the Hyogo Framework for Action (2005-2015), on March 18, 2015 at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai, Japan. Abolishing the CCC in creating the proposed DDR is, therefore, inconsistent with these international frameworks. Hence, the appropriate strategy is to address adequately the concerns of

both CCAM and DRR by establishing mechanisms that will promote convergence between the CCC and the proposed DDR on building societal resilience to climate change. 6. CCAM is about transforming sectors into a green economy. Sustainability is the goal of CCAM with its pursuit of low-carbon and low-emission development pathways and the transformation of industries and sectors into a green economy. This goal is EXEMPLIkED IN THE DEVELOPMENT of the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), spearheaded by the CCC, in accordance with Article 4 of the Paris Agreement to which the Philippines is a party. Our NDC aims to transform the sectors of agriculture, waste, industries, transportation, forestry and energy towards a climate-resilient and low-carbon economy. I will deliver a talk on “The Role of the Youth in Sustainable Development Goals� on Friday, April 5, during the “Barkada Campout v1.0: Inspire, Empower and Lead� of the Cebuano Youth Ambassadors in Cebu City, Cebu.

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RONALD B. ALVAREZ, Plaintiff, - versus MERCY CAÑECA, Defendant. x-----------------------------x

CIVIL CASE NO. 23832 FOR: UNLAWFUL DETAINER AND DAMAGES

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SATURDAY March 30, 2019

World

Seoul: NKorea rocket site ‘almost complete’ S EOUL: North Korea has almost completed rebuilding a long-range rocket site it had promised to close, Seoul lawmakers told reporters Friday after a closed-door meeting with 3OUTH +OREAN INTELLIGENCE OFkCIALS The claim comes a month after a second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in February ended without an agreement, deepening a gap between the two on how to achieve “complete denuclearization.� Shortly after the end of the Hanoi summit, a series of satellite images emerged suggesting increased activity at the North’s Sohae rocket site, triggering international alarm that the nucleararmed state might be preparing a

long-range or space launch. “The North began rebuilding the center, which was partly dismantled last July, before the North-US summit in February,� lawmaker Kim Min-ki told reportERS AFTER THE CLOSED DOOR BRIEkNG by the National Intlligence Service. “The work is almost complete with some maintenance activity being underway,� he said. North Korea has been banned by the UN Security Council from carrying out space launches, as some of its technology was similar

to that used for intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs. But earlier this month the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said there was “deliberate and purposeful� activity going on at the Sohae rocket site. Friday’s latest assessment by Seoul could suggest a reversal in policy by Kim, who agreed to shut the Sohae site at a meeting with South Korean President Moon Jaein in Pyongyang last year. Experts have warned a launch of any kind would send the stuttering talks on denuclearisation into disarray. Moon Chung-in, the presidential special advisor on national security, said the outcome would be “catastrophic�.

The nuclear-armed state is also “operating uranium enrichment facilities� at its Yongbyon nuclear complex, the lawmaker added. In the aftermath of the Hanoi summit, Pyongyang and Washington have both sought to blame the other’s intransigence for the deadlock. Pyongyang said it had proposed dismantling the Yongbyon complex — a sprawling site covering multiple different facilities — in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions that have strangled and isolated the North. "UT 53 OFkCIALS HAVE SAID IT WAS not clear exactly which facilities at the Yongbyon complex the North was willing to give up, while Trump has said that “the weapons themselves need to be on the table.� AFP

Venezuela’s Maduro bans rival from office CARACAS: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, bolstered by a Russian military deployment infuriating the US, on Thursday announced a ban on Washington-backed self-declared interim leader Juan Guaido holdING PUBLIC OFkCE But National Assembly legislature speaker Guaido immediately shot back that the 15-year prohibition announced on state television by Maduro’s Auditor General Elvis Amoroso was invalid. “He is not auditor general.... The legitimate congress is the only one with power to designate an auditor general,� he said. The announcement also prompted a withering response from Washington, where State Department spokesman Robert Palladino described the move in a brief remark as “ridiculous.� )T WAS THE LATEST SCUFlE BETWEEN Maduro and Guaido, who lay rival claims to be the legitimate leader of the oil-producing South American nation of 30 million people. The competition has been escalated into a geopolitical struggle, drawing in the US and its allies which support Guaido, and Russia, Cuba and China backing Maduro.

Moscow stands by Maduro Though unpopular in a country spiraling ever deeper into economic chaos, Maduro has the upper hand at home, thanks to

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Anti-stall system eyed in Boeing crash probe WASHINGTON, D.C.: Investigators probing the fatal crash of a Boeing 737 Max in Ethiopia have reached a preliminary conclusion that a suspect anti-stall system activated shortly before it nose-dived to the ground, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Friday citing people familiar with the matter. The findings were based on flight recorder data and represented the strongest indication yet that the system, known as MCAS, malfunctioned in both the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10 and the Lion Air crash in Indonesia last year, the WSJ said. The two crashes killed a total of 346 people. US government experts have been analyzing details gathered by their Ethiopian counterparts for the past few days, the newspaper added, and the emerging consensus was relayed at a high-level BRIEkNG OF THE &EDERAL !VIATION !Dministration (FAA) on Thursday. It added that the preliminary kNDINGS WERE SUBJECT TO REVISION and Ethiopian authorities were EXPECTED TO ISSUE THEIR OWN kRST

report within days. Embattled aviation giant Boeing pledged Wednesday to do all it could to prevent future crashes as it UNVEILED A kX TO THE lIGHT SOFTWARE of its grounded 737 MAX aircraft. “We are going to do everything to make sure that accidents like this don’t happen again,� Mike Sinnett, Boeing’s vice president of product strategy, told reporters at a factory in Washington state. The head of the US air safety agency has meanwhile come under harsh scrutiny from senators over its relationship with Boeing and its oversight of the group. Dan Elwell, the acting head of the FAA, defended his agency Wednesday but acknowledged that, as systems become more complex, the agency’s “oversight approach needs to evolve.� Boeing and the FAA are under investigation by the Transportation Department over how the ROLLOUT OF THE JET WAS HANDLED including the anti-stall system. Press reports say that the Department of Justice has also opened a criminal investigation into the 737 MAX’s development. AFP

Thailand bets claim ‘election irregularities’

US-BACKED LEADER Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido waves to supporters as he gets on his car after attending a meeting called by Venezuela’s National Assembly at Montalban neighborhood in Caracas on March 28, 2019. AFP PHOTO

loyalty from his military chiefs and, since last weekend, the presence of 100 Russian troops. Abroad, Guaido is buoyed by US sanctions against Maduro’s regime funneling funds his way, and efforts to have his envoys recognized over Maduro’s in diplomatic missions and international organizations. Maduro, who so far has heeded US warnings to not arrest Guaido under threat of unspecified repercussions, appears nonetheless more confident since Moscow’s overt protection.

Moscow on Thursday shrugged off a demand made a day earlier by US President Donald Trump that “Russia has to get out� of Venezuela. Its troops, described as military experts, will stay “for as long as needed,� a spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry said, while the Kremlin suggested Washington back off and not interfere. On Monday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the US of organizing a “coup� in Venezuela. Some reports said the soldiers were there to operate air defense

systems bought from Russia. The US has reacted angrily to Russia’s move, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing Washington’s displeasure in a tweet that borrowed a Maduro hashtag usually aimed at America. “Maduro calls for hands off Venezuela while he invites security forces from Cuba and Russia, so he and his cronies can keep plundering Venezuela,� Pompeo posted. “It is time for Venezuelan institutions to stand for their sovereignty. Russia and Cuba, #HandsOffVenezuela.� AFP

Christchurch survivor: Worldinbriefs AUSTRALIA SEEKS TO MEND CHINA ‘I choose peace’ TIES WITH NEW FOUNDATION, ENVOY CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand: A Maori lament echoed across Christchurch Friday as a survivor of the New Zealand mosque attacks told a national remembrance service he had forgiven the gunman responsible for the racist massacre that took his wife and shocked the world. “I am choosing peace and I have forgiven,� wheelchair-bound Farid Ahmed told tens of thousands gathered in the grieving southern city, drawing sustained applause as he implored New Zealanders of all FAITHS TO ALSO REJECT HATE Wearing a traditional Maori cloak, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was among those who stood silently with heads bowed while the names of 50 people killed by a self-avowed white supremacist were read out. Speakers honored the dead and those who survived the March 15 attacks, including 22 people who remain in hospital, AMONG THEM A CRITICALLY INJURED four-year-old girl. !RDERN WHO WAS JOINED BY representatives from nearly 60 nations, including her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, received a prolonged standing ovation when she took the stage.

˜ The Manila Times

The 38-year-old leader, widely hailed for her response to the tragedy, praised the way New Zealanders had embraced their devastated Muslim community since the attacks. “Racism exists, but it is not welcome here,� she said, adding that she wanted New Zealand to set an example that would stop the cycle of extremism breeding extremism. “We are not immune to the viruses of hate, of fear, of other — we never have been,� she said. “But we can be the nation that discovers the cure.� The hastily organized event was held amid tight security, with Police Commissioner Mike Bush confirming armed police from Australia were on site to assist their New Zealand counterparts. The service heard a Muslim invocation, or du’a, and Cat Stevens — the British singer who shunned stardom in the 1970s and became a Muslim, taking the name Yusuf Islam — gave a powerful rendition of his hit song “Peace Train.� But the most moving moment came with the softly-spoken words of Ahmed, whose wife Husna was killed as she rushed back into a mosque trying to rescue her disabled husband. AFP

SYDNEY: Australia announced a diplomatic boost to “turbo-charge� its China relations on Friday as it seeks to mend ties damaged by foreign interference concerns and a 5G bar on Huawei. Canberra unveiled plans for a new foundation to supercede the Australia-China Council, its long-time primary platform for relations with its largest trading partner. The government also announced that career diplomat Graham Fletcher, a China expert and Mandarin speaker, would replace Jan Adams as Australia’s ambassador in Beijing. Adams had served in the role since 2016. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the new National Foundation for Australia-China Relations would receive Aus$44 (US$31) million over five years, significantly broadening the remit of its predecessor. She said the more than 40-year-old council had remained “static even as China has transformed and our bilateral ties have dramatically expanded in breadth and complexity.� AFP

TRUMP SHOWDOWN WITH DEMOCRATS ESCALATES OVER RUSSIA PROBE WASHINGTON, D.C.: Donald Trump and other Republicans demanded the ouster of a senior congressional Democrat on Thursday for repeatedly claiming collusion between by the president’s campaign and Russia. “Congressman Adam Schiff, who spent two years knowingly and unlawfully lying and leaking, should be forced to resign from Congress!� Trump tweeted about the House Intelligence Committee chairman. Schiff has continued his accusations after Attorney General Bill Barr announced Sunday that a nearly two-year investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller had cleared the president of collusion with Russia. On Fox News, Trump branded Schiff “a bad guy� who may have committed unspecified crimes “because he was making horrible statements that he knew were false.� AFP

TRUMP, MOON TO MEET IN WASHINGTON IN APRIL – SEOUL SEOUL: US President Donald Trump will host his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in next month, Seoul said Friday, after the latest summit between Washington and Pyongyang ended in deadlock. Moon has long backed a policy of engagement with nuclear-armed, sanctions-hit Pyongyang and was instrumental in brokering talks between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But the failure of Kim and Trump to reach an agreement in Hanoi on curtailing Pyongyang’s nuclear

BANGKOK: Several anti-military candidates in Thailand lodged fresh complaints with the Election Commission Friday over bungled tallies and alleged vote-buying, following a controversial vote that HAS LEFT POLITICS IN THE JUNTA RULED kingdom in limbo. A military-backed party and its main rival, led by an exiled billionaire, have both claimed the right to lead the government in the wake of WEEKEND POLLS WITH OFkCIAL kNAL tallies delayed for weeks. Candidates from at least two parties on Friday issued fresh complaints with the commission over alleged irregularities they claim COULD SKEW kNAL VOTE COUNTS ! MEMBER OF THE ANTI JUNTA Future Forward party accused the pro-military Phalang Pracharat of CURRYING FAVOUR AMONG LOCAL OFkcials by gifting them cash and gifts. “It’s against the law, it can be seen as vote-buying,� said Future Forward spokesman Pannika Wanich. Another Future Forward candidate reported voter intimidation inside a Bangkok polling station. “There was a military officer standing inside the polling station TO SEE WHETHER MILITARY OFkCIALS have voted for the party he wanted,� candidate Chris Potranan said

IN A COMPLAINT kLED ON &RIDAY /NE MEMBER OF THE ANTI JUNTA 0HEU 4HAI PARTY ALSO LODGED OBJECtions over allegedly dodgy counts in his Bangkok constituency. “Our observers at polling stations reported inaccuracies in tallies as counting was conducted in a dark area,� Pheu Thai candidate Trirat Sirichantharopas said. There have been more than COMPLAINTS kLED SINCE THE Sunday vote, the Election Commission said. On Thursday, the commission unexpectedly released the latest popular vote tallies, before quickly taking them down and reposting different numbers. The tally showed more than 2.1 million invalidated votes, but elecTION OFkCIALS DID NOT RESPOND TO questions about the invalid ballots. 4HE JUNTA BACKED 0HALANG 0RAcharat party, whose prime ministerial candidate is 2014 coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha, clinched the MAJORITY OF POPULAR VOTES IN 3UNday’s polls. In second was its main rival Pheu Thai, the party linked to selfexiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. His sister, former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted in the 2014 putsch and also lives in exile. AFP

program in exchange for relaxation of sanctions has raised questions over the future of the process. Moon will visit Washington on April 11, the South’s presidential Blue House said. Its spokesman had earlier told AFP it would be a two-day trip. “The two leaders will have in-depth talks... to coordinate their stance on setting up a peace regime on the Korean peninsula through complete denuclearization,� Yoon Do-han, the senior presidential press secretary said Friday. The White House confirmed the visit and the planned talks on North Korea. “The alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea remains the linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region,� the White House press secretary said in a statement, using the official name of South Korea. AFP

US SUPREME COURT STAYS EXECUTION OF ‘TEXAS SEVEN’ CONVICT WASHINGTON, D.C.: The United States Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the execution of one of the last members of the “Texas Seven,� a group of escaped prisoners who killed a police officer during a high-profile crime spree in 2000. The court granted Patrick Murphy, 57, a last-minute reprieve in the name of religious equality, pointing out that under Texas policy, Christian and Muslim clerics can be present in the execution room, while other denominations — including the Buddhist monk Murphy wants to accompany him — cannot. Sentenced to 50 years in prison for aggravated sexual assault, Murphy participated in an escape in December 2000 with six other detainees from a maximum security prison in south Texas. The seven men knocked out guards to steal their uniforms and forced another to open the door. The father of one of them was waiting outside with a vehicle. The men committed multiple robberies during their time on the run. AFP

VIETNAM SEIZES 9 TONS OF SUSPECTED IVORY FROM CONGO HANOI: Vietnam has seized more than nine tons of suspected ivory in a timber shipment from the Republic of Congo, customs officials said Friday, in one of the country’s largest illegal wildlife hauls in years. Though it is illegal to buy and sell ivory in communist Vietnam, lax law enforcement has allowed the illicit trade to flourish on the black market. The government has vowed to crack down on illegal wildlife trade in the face of mounting international pressure and authorities said the latest bust in central Danang city was the biggest in years. “A huge 9.1-ton (20,000-pound) package of goods suspected to be ivory hidden inside timber logs was found and confiscated,� according to Hai Quan news site, the official mouthpiece of Vietnam Customs.The ivory-stuffed timber logs were discovered Tuesday at Danang’s main port on a ship from the Republic of Congo in central Africa, it added. AFP

Public Square

˜ The Manila Times

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New attractions at Inflatable Island Asia

towers, bridges, human launchers, swings and so much more.� Definitely, a sight to see and to bring your family and friends this summer, the biggest inflatable island in Asia is just 1.5 hours away from Manila. For more information, email play@ THEINlATABLEISLAND COM

Find solace at Las Casas this lenten healing

ONE doesn’t need a plane ride to go FOR A RETREAT AND RElECT 4HIS (OLY Week, let Las Casas Filipinas de !CUZAR BE YOUR SAFE PLACE TO FULkLL your Lenten healing traditions. Tucked in the heart of Bagac area, Las Casas is a refreshing oasis for you and your family’s spiritual enRICHMENT MADE MORE kTTING WITH ITS array of Holy Week lenten specials. Titled “Pagninilay: A Lenten Season Offering,� the lineup of activities honors the timeless traditions that Filipinos look forward to especially during this time of the year. From April 14 to 21, the Lenten Season Offering starts with a Holy Mass and Palm blessing on April 14. Guests are highly encouraged

to participate in the heritage resort’s version of Stations of the Cross, Passion of the Christ, Biblical Stories Film Showing, Pabasa and Washing of the Feet, Seven Last Words and Resurrection plotted for the rest of the week. To mark the end of the Season, Las Casas welcomes Easter Sunday WITH FUN kLLED INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES for the kids and kids at heart. Book an overnight stay for April 15 to 17 and slash 20 percent off from any room or casa’s original price. Meanwhile, book your stay for April 18 to 21 and enjoy an exclusive 15 percent treat. For more information, visit lasCASASkLIPINAS COM

New World Manila Bay Hotel launches local discovery package AWARDED the 2019 Travelers’ Choice by TripAdvisor, one of the largest internationally-recognized online travel and restaurant resource guide for modernday travelers, New World Manila Bay Hotel launches the Local Discovery Room package. From March 1 until April 30, travelers can book the Local Discovery Room Package on the hotel’s website, and enjoy local mango and hibiscus-infused drink for two, room accommodation in a Residence Club room, exclusive access to the Residence Club Living Room with daily breakfast and evening cocktails, 75-minute traditional Filipino hilot treatment at The Spa at Club Oasis and discounts at Market CafÊ, Li Li, and The Fireplace. Guests availing the Local Discovery room package have exclu-

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A boat that makes learning possible I

INFLATABLE Island in Samba Bluewater Resort at Subic Bay Waters, Zambales, has showcases its newest ADDITION THE 3UNlOWER LOUNGE g4HE )NlATABLE )SLAND IS THE BIGGEST lOATING PLAYGROUND IN !SIA !T square meters, it’s as big as eight basketball courts put together side BY SIDE )T CONTAINS INlATABLES SLIDES

SATURDAY March 30, 2019

N a place where children need to ride a bangka (small wooden boat) to cross 60 to 100 meters of a crocodile-infested river to get to school, the record of classroom attendance is as dismal as it can get. Teachers point to the lack of safe transportation as the main cause of absences especially during the rainy season. Dropping out of school in the middle of the school-year was common and many are unable to complete basic education. To the people of Brgy. DarulAkram in Languyan, Tawi- Tawi, this used to be a way of life. Having had the problem for so long, they have somehow accepted the situation until a group of Bangsamoro young leaders came along. Taus-Spartan (for Tausug- Spartan) whose members are young community leaders from Tawi-Tawi,

saw that something must be done. “Traversing the river to get to school was an everyday risk the children had to take. And the presence of saltwater crocodiles made it even worse,� said the leader of Taus-Spartan, the 23-year-old Vincent Durie (in photo). Durie was a fellow of the Bangsamoro Young Leaders Program–Leadership Communities (BYLP–LeadCom), a program developed by Ayala Foundation, in partnership with the ARMM regional government and the Eisenhower Fellows Association of the Philippines. Together with other stakeholders, the LeadCom group was able to secure a grant for a two-engine boat from the local Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). They named the boat “Bangka ng Karunungan� (Boat of Knowl-

EDGE FULkLLING A TWO PRONGED objective of helping both high school students and grade school pupils go to school safely, while PROVIDING THE kSHING COMMUNITY an alternative means of livelihood during off-school days and during hours when the children

are still in class. Today, 99 percent of the children from Darul-Akram are logging in regular classroom hours. The school and the barangay have also agreed to collaborate on maintainance and repairs of “Bangka ng Karunungan.�

Belmonte provides relief packs to fire victims QUEZON City Vice Mayor JosekNA g*OYu "ELMONTE DISTRIBUTED RELIEF packs to over 750 families who were VICTIMIZED BY A RECENT kRE IN "RGY Damayang Lagi, Quezon Cit. The vice mayor immediately distributed grocery items and sleeping mats to the victims and instructed the barangay OFkCIALS TO PROVIDE ASSIStance while evacuation sites are being prepared by the local government. “As of the moment, we will be distributing relief packs to the victims to give them something to eat. We will closely monitor the situation here in Brgy. Damayang Lagi and I already have instructed the BARANGAY OFkCIALS TO ASSIST THEM for now,� said Belmonte.

Almost 250 houses were razed by THE kRE WHICH GOT UP TO A GENERAL ALARM AFTER THE kRE INTENSIkED BECAUSE OF LOW WATER PRESSURE IN kRE HYDRANTS AND fanning effect caused by strong wind. Belmonte then persistently reminded other communities in Quezon City to always be mindful OF kRE SAFETY MEASURES TO AVOID kRE incidents on their residences. “Paulit-ulit na itong pinapaala ng BFP [Bureau of Fire Protection] at ng lokal na pamahalaan na mag-double check, triple check ng electrical connection, ng mga niluluto at huwag mag-iiwan ng mga nakasinding kandila. iingat sa ating mga tahanan lalo “ Hindi biro ang epekto ng at napakaraming kaso ng sunog sunog kaya lagi tayong mag- na naitatala ngayon. Dagdagan pa

na may problema tayo sa suplay ng tubig kaya ‘yung paalala natin, mag-ingat talaga,� said Belmonte.

Tuguegarao officials benchmark in Muntinlupa ACKNOWLEDGED as a pioneer of efficient processes, the City Government of Muntinlupa is a consistent benchmark for many cities and municipalities in many aspects of good governance – not least among these is the streamlined business permit processing. Official from the City Government of Tuguegarao, led by BusiNESS 0ERMITS AND ,ICENSING /FkCE head Andres Baccay (2nd, R) visited Muntinlupa City for a bench marking activity on the Muntinlupa Single Window Transaction last March 14. Shown in the photo (from left) Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Local Economic and Investment 0ROMOTION /FkCER 'ARY ,LAMAS AND City Treasurer Al Miùosa.

PAFP eyes one family doctor for every household sive access to the Residence Club Living Room with complimentary breakfast, evening cocktails, and all-day refreshments; while dedicated concierge service handles reservations or special requests, and an exclusive meeting space is available for guest use. Meanwhile, the hotel is cooking up a feast this month with authentic Korean dishes and barbecue, delectable tofu dishes, gourmet nose-to-tail dining, specialty summer cocktails, and more. For more information, visit https:// manilabay.newworldhotels.com/.

Canada exhibits at 10th Pyromusic Competition

“WE want our family physicians to have updated, evidence-based knowledge and skills in primary healthcare as we encourage one physician for every Filipino family,� said Philippine Academy of Family Physicians Secretary Anna Guia Limpoco at the PAFP annual convention held at the Philippine International Convention Center on March 7. With the theme “Family Physicians Advancing the Lives of Filipinos through Universal Health Care,� the event gathered primary care doctors, physicians, and medical practitioners to collaborate on improving the country’s healthcare system by encouraging research and providing training to primary care providers.

Q Present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony (from left) New Marketlink Pharmaceutical Corp (NMPC) Brand Manager for Primary Healthcare Segment Quennie Hernandez, PAFP Secretary Anna Guia Limpoco, Carlo Zapatos, UroHealth Associate Brand Manager Miguel Claro Escalona and NMPC Medical Director Noel Espallardo at the NMPC Research Forum booth.

Emirates Skywards invites members to fly earn more miles

IT was Canada’s turn to dazzle with their very own “Fireworks Spectacular�, while China’s Polaris Fireworks awed mall goers during the last weekend’s 10th Pyromusical Competition at SM City Clark.

Today caps the competition with the most spectacular display of colors with Poland’s Surex Firma Rodzinna and the Philippines’ own Platinum Fireworks, Inc. in a grand finale.

EMIRATES Skywards, the awardwinning loyalty program of EmirATES AND lYDUBAI IS ROLLING OUT A new limited time offer for all new and existing Skywards members to boost their Miles. The offer is valid for Economy and Business class tickets booked on %MIRATES AND lYDUBAI BETWEEN -ARCH 20 and March 31, for travel between April 10 and June 27, and between September 6 and November 30. Under the offer, members will earn 100 percent bonus Skywards Miles on top of their regular miles for their first ticket during the ELIGIBLE TRAVEL PERIOD )F lYING MORE THAN ONCE WITH %MIRATES OR lYDUBAI

during the offer period, members will earn 200 percent bonus Skywards Miles for their second ticket and 300 percent bonus Skywards Miles for their third ticket. The Skywards Miles earned through the offer can be reDEEMED FOR lIGHTS AND UPGRADES ON %MIRATES OR lYDUBAI Members will need to register online to be eligible for the offer and will have to choose Saver, Flex or Flex Plus fares on Emirates lIGHTS AND 6ALUE &LEX OR "USINESS FARES ON lYDUBAI lIGHTS Emirates Skywards members can also access the latest information wards section on the Emirates app. on special offers through the SkyFor more information, visit

www.emirates.com/skywards or SKYWARDS lYDUBAI COM

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SATURDAY March 30, 2019

Special Feature

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Rockets romp past Nuggets L

OS ANGELES: James Harden scored 38 points to led the Houston Rockets to a 112-85 victory over the Denver Nuggets in a battle of NBA Western Conference contenders on Thursday (Friday in Manila). Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Harden added six rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes on the floor as the Rockets blew past a Nuggets team boasting the second-best record in the West behind the reigning champion Golden State Warriors. “I think it’s important for our confidence, our rhythm, our chemistry,� said Rockets center Clint Capela, who added 17 points with 15 rebounds. “We did a good job tonight to keep them under 25 points a quarter. Eric Gordon added 18 points and Austin Rivers chipped in 15 for the Rockets, who out-scored the Nuggets 40-19 in the second quarter to seize control of the contest. Elsewhere, the Utah Jazz’s playoff berth was confirmed thanks to the Sacramento Kings’ 121-118 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The playoff bound Toronto Raptors encountered little resistance from the Knicks in a 117-92 victory in New York. Forward Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 31 points as Toronto improved to 53-23 — second in the East behind the

Milwaukee Bucks who improved to 57-19 with a 128-118 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. But the Bucks got a jolt as MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo hit the floor and grabbed his right ankle after a fourth-quarter dunk. Antetokounmpo, who scored 34 points, departed the contest. He missed two games last week after spraining the same ankle in a game against Philadelphia, but said he wants to try to play through into the playoffs. g) M DEkNITELY WORKING ON IT trying to get it healthy, stronger,� Antetokounmpo said. “Usually when you sprain your ankle, you stay out for two, three, four games. But I don’t like missing games. I’ve got to work through it while playing.� The Philadelphia 76ers strengthened their hold on the third seed in the East with a 123-110 victory over Brooklyn that saw the Nets slip a notch to seventh — the penultimate playoff spot. Joel Embiid scored 39 points, pulled down 13 rebounds and handed out six assists, making three of his four attempts from three-point range.

Q Houston Rockets’ James Harden (No. 13) tries to drive around Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray (No. 27) during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Friday in Houston. AP PHOTO

The Detroit Pistons found themselves in sixth in the East after a valuable 115-98 victory over the Orlando Magic — who dropped out of a playoff spot into ninth place with the defeat coupled with the Miami Heat’s 105-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Slovenian duel The Heat, coming off a loss to Orlando on Tuesday, got themselves back in playoff position at No. 8 with a 105-99 victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Goran Dragic marked his return to Miami’s starting lineup with a triple-double of 23 points, 11 assists and 12 rebounds. It was the Slovenian guard’s kRST TRIPLE DOUBLE WITH THE (EAT AND HIS kRST SINCE HE WAS WITH the Houston Rockets in 2010-11. It gave him bragging rights over the Mavericks’ Slovenian rookie sensation Luka Doncic, who finished with 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. It was a first NBA clash between the two players who teamed up to lead Slovenia to the 2017 Euro Basket title. The game also saw the 35th and final meeting between two iconic players — Miami’s Dwyane Wade and the Mavs’ Dirk Nowitzki. Wade has announced this is

HIS kNAL SEASON WHILE .OWITZKI seems to still be nursing thoughts of returning for a 22nd campaign. A l t h o u g h t h e M avs h ave struggled on the road, they led 29-26 after one quarter and 5949 at halftime. The Heat knotted the score at

62-62 early in the third, but Dallas had edged ahead 82-75 going INTO THE kNAL FRAME BEFORE -IAMI managed to seal the win. Wade scored six of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, while Nowitzki missed a potential game-tying three-pointer

Jimuel Pacquiao wants to be an Olympian boxer THE son of Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao wants to make his mark as an Olympian boxer. Unlike his father who made his name in the professional rank, Jimuel said his goal is to represent his country in the most popular sporting event in the world. “Actually, I want to pursue boxing. I want to be an amateur [boxer] and one day represent my country in the Olympics. I want to create a name for myself,� the 18-year-old Jimuel or Emmanuel Jr told The Manila Times. Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee were not too happy on Limuel pursuing boxing. In a recent interview, Pacman said that his desire is for his son to study law. Limuel stressed that he has no plans of duplicating his father’s achievements. "I believe his record is unreachable. He is an eight-division world champion and I’m not aiming for that,� said Jimuel, adding that he knows how tough boxing is. “I like the sport, I know it is so difficult. I know also that I don’t need that. But as I’ve said, I want to create a name for myself though

not as a pro.� Jimuel added that he is consistent in his training and conditioning as he prepare to try his luck in the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP). “I don’t know where and when to start [with ABAP] but I want to focus on my conditioning first. I was training since February and even before, although it wasn’t consistent.� Jimuel is due to fight in the local beginners circuit in April though the schedule of his fights is yet to be determined. Jimuel’s first amateur exhibition match against Lucas Carson in Alabang on February 9 ended in a draw . “In my first exhibition match, I realized that it is the time to focus seriously on training.� Jimuel said he’s not not closing the door to opportunities to turn pro. “All I want is to compete as an amateur but if there’s an opportunity to turn pro, I’ll go for it,� he said. ABAP said Jimuel is welcome to join them anytime. JOSEF T. RAMOS

Q Jimuel Pacquiao PHOTO BY JOSEF T. RAMOS

“(So) it is very surprising that the IOC are unable to provide a conclusive decision regarding boxing’s Olympic future at this time,� the statement said. Boxing’s inclusion in Tokyo depends on the outcome of an investigation into AIBA by the IOC, which has presented the body with a list of 41 questions via audit firm Deloitte. “The matter is being studied and we will make no comment for the moment,� IOC spokesperson Christian Klaue said on Thursday. “We will file a full report at the IOC Lausanne executive committee meeting on May 22,� he added. Gafur Rakhimov stepped down as head of AIBA last week, which the IOC deemed as merely the first step in a long march towards the required standards. AIBA made a plea to the IOC on Wednesday, saying “significant progress� had been made on their accounting and claiming that the body would collapse

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, reunited in Hollywood?

N the second part of our NBA Predictions, we speculate on another prospective free agent, Kyrie Irving, and the intriguing possibility of him reuniting with LeBron James with the LA Lakers.

How the unthinkable became possible

BOXERS IN LIMBO, SAYS AIBA LAUSANNE: The under-pressure International Boxing Federation (AIBA) criticized on Thursday (Friday in Manila) the IOC’s decision to wait until late May before delivering their verdict on the sport’s Olympic fate as it fights for its place on the 2020 Tokyo roster after a storm of corruption allegations. AIBA said the International Olympic Committee’s refusal to comment on a wide-ranging audit for nearly another two months left their members “in limbo�. “Boxers from around the world who have been training for years towards their Olympic dreams continue to be left in the dark about where, when and how they can qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games,� an AIBA statement said on Thursday. “AIBA has provided not one, but four comprehensive reports over the course of the last year to the IOC for review.�

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without IOC support. The IOC has suspended AIBA’s Olympic qualification and may take control of that process itself. Ducking and weaving for its survival, the AIBA says it should be given the chance to turn things around. “Considering where we were one year ago, AIBA has made significant progress towards reducing its debt and has gone from a negative cash flow,� AIBA executive director Tom Virgets said in a report. Virgets said of the report that the AIBA “is dependent on the Olympic dollars� for its survival. Relations between the IOC and AIBA were hit hard at the 2016 Rio Olympics when 36 officials and referees were suspended amid allegations of bout fixing. An internal investigation by AIBA has raised serious questions about the judging at the 2016 Rio Olympics, with particular suspicion falling on a French official. AFP

with 59 seconds remaining. “He looks like he’s got a couple years left,� Nowitzki said of Wade. “He can still take games over, he’s making good decisions with the ball, he’s still athletic enough to get by people. So to me, he looks great.� AFP

The notion that Kyrie will join LeBron James in LA was unthinkable at the start of the season. Anyone who made that assertion will get laughed out of the room. A series of events had led us here. First off, we must establish that Kyrie Irving himself is a volatile personality. Flat Earth claim notwithstanding, his statements off the court have been as shifty as his crossovers on the court. He made a vow to stay with the Celtics in October, and ended up saying “Ask me in July� later on. )T S NOT THE kRST TIME (IS kRST FREE agency in the summer of 2014 with the Cleveland Cavaliers was also a hot topic. He was already rumored to move back then. However, he signed a long-term rookie max contract right at midnight when free agency launched. It was a shocker alright, but just an appetizer to the biggest shocker that year — LeBron James’ return to Cleveland. So when he suddenly asked a trade from Cleveland in 2017, it was quite the jolt as well. The easy explanation was that he got tired of playing with LeBron and wanted to star in his own team. That is not entirely incorrect, but he recently admitted that the real reason was LeBron’s free agency. At that time, LeBron signed a oneyear deal and was non-committal beyond that. Kyrie was stuck until 2020, with his option kicking in the summer of 2019. Irving never saw the playoffs before the King stepped in, and he didn’t want to be a part of that again.

Uncle Drew saw the writing on the wall Last October, in a Bleacher Report feature, Irving claimed that he already knew of LeBron’s departure at the end of the 2017-18 season. His trade demand was merely jumping

BASKETBALL SLEUTH MICHAEL ANGELO B. ASIS off a sinking ship. There is some credence to this as some sportswriters claim they foresaw this a year before (Bill Simmons, for one). Irving, like other superstars, wanted to win. He did that with the King, but he’s leaving. He couldn’t do it with the remnants of the Cavs team, even if Kevin Love was still there (but he was also a question mark at that time). Then came Boston with their young talent and Danny Ainge with his “we only need one star to lead us into a championship� pitch. They had the assets for a trade and the rest is history.

LeBron James and Kyrie Irving: the lowdown Irving’s recent debacle with Boston, the reported apology he sent to LeBron and his admission that he struggles in a leadership role was enough to make hot-takers giddy. Stephen A. Smith of ESPN’s First Take took the cudgels to blurt it out: Kyrie could join James in LA. We have established why it isn’t utter madness to speculate about it, but will it actually happen? I wouldn’t claim to be an expert at all, but I would say no. First reason is pride. It’s too much to swallow at this point. LeBron and LA will welcome him, as he has been there before. James left Cleveland in 2010 with fans burning his jerseys but he knew that winning can solve everything. He was correct as the city welcomed him with open arms. Kyrie may not be in the same mold as LeBron in that aspect. Second reason is that Kyrie has options. He could sign in a city without any baggage and drama. These are things that he openly hates as he only wants to play the game. It is still in the realm of possibility as the Lakers have the cap space, but for my money, I won’t bet on it.

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SATURDAY March 30, 2019

PSL bets brace vs taller, stronger foes

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BY EMIL C. NOGUERA

H U K E T, T h a i l a n d : P h i l i p p i n e Swimming League (PSL) bets will be up against taller and stronger rivals when the second day of the 2019 Thanyapura International Swimming Championship begins today at the Thanyapura Swimming Pool here. Masville Elementary School-ParaĂąaque standout Marc Bryan Dula goes up against American tankers Michael McLean and Cameron Smith along with 20 other swimmers in the boys’ 11-12 100m backstroke event. Hope Christian School-Legazpi’s Trump Christian Luistro also needs to step up his game as he takes on Russian Lev Pashlov and Australian Skye Sharples — both hold impressive time records in the boys’ 9-10 50m butterfly category. “It’s going to be tough but our

swimmers are all prepared and we are optimistic that we’ll be able to reach our target. Some of our SWIMMERS ARE kRST TIMERS HERE IN Phuket but they are no pushovers. These are all potential medal winners,� said PSL delegation head coach Alex Papa. Mary Maika Montecillo of Dipolog City and Jenn Albreicht Sermonia of Diliman Preparatory School are aiming for a gold-silver finish in the girls’ 9-10 50m butterfly category of the tournament that drew more

than 20 teams from different parts of the region. Also gunning for gold medals are DPS Blue Dragons bet Albert Sermonia II, who boasts of a 28.50-second seed time in the boys’ 13-14 50m butterfly, and fellow DPS tanker John Paul Salibio, who owns a 38-second seed time in the boys’ 15-17 50m backstroke. Luistro and Montecillo were aiming to win the country’s first gold medal in the four-day meet in the 200m open water event on Friday at 5:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. in Manila). The PSL squad hopes to match or even surpass the 11-gold, nineSILVER kVE BRONZE MEDAL OUTPUT OF the team in the 2018 edition of the Thanyapura swimming meet. “The PSL has an impressive grassroots development program that aims to train talented swimmers

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Q Dipolog City pride Mary Maika Montecillo displays her prowess during training at the Thanyapura Swimming Pool in preparation for the 2019 Thanyapura International Swimming Championship in Phuket, Thailand. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

for future international competitions. And we want to continue our winning tradition in international competitions,� added Papa. Recently, Palarong Pambansa most bemedalled swimmer Micaela Jasmine Mojdeh steered PSL

to a 14-gold medal haul in the 2019 Japan Age-Group Champs Swim Meet held at the St. Mary’s International School swimming pool in Tokyo, Japan. She won all her six gold medals in record fashion.

FOLAYANG-AOKI REMATCH EXPLODES IN TOKYO REIGNING ONE lightweight world champion Eduard “Landslide� Folayang will defend his title against former Japanese champ Shinya “Tobikan Judan� Aoki in the main event of ONE: A New Era on Sunday at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. It will be a rematch between the 35year old Team Lakay standout and the dangerous Aoki who beat the former via third-round technical knockout in 2016. “I know Shinya Aoki has prepared well also and I am expecting the very best from him. This rematch is three years in the making. It’s an honor to face Shinya again. I believe this event is going to be explosive. History will be made,� said Folayang. Folayang, who holds a win-loss record of 21-6, climbed his way to the top anew by winning three consecutive matches last year. Aoki, meanwhile, pulled off his quickest win — a 57-second submission of Ev Ting in in Singapore on October and became the No. 1 contender to the title. “I am thankful that ONE Championship will be held in my home country. This is a great step forward for martial arts in Japan. I am laser focused on this

Q ONE lightweight world champion Eduard “Landslide� Folayang takes on Shinya “Tobikan Judan� Aoki of Japan during their first match in 2016. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

coming match. I’ve trained very hard for my opponent. This Sunday night, I am confident I can achieve victory and become World Champion once again,� said the 35-year old Aoki who holds a record of 42 wins and eight losses.

Besides the Folayang-Aoki match-up, ONE: A New Era will feature fourteen other bouts including three more world championship fights. Folayang’s stablemate Kevin “Silencer� Belingon also aims to retain his ban-

tamweight belt when he faces former titleholder Bibiano “The Flash� Fernandes. It will be the third time for both fighters to meet inside the cage to determine the rightful top dog in their weight division.

“This is my first time fighting in Japan, and I’m very happy to be here. I know how important this third fight is with Bibiano Fernandes,� said Belingon. “I’ve trained very hard and fans will be happy with my performance. Looking back at our previous encounters, I know my opponent well now. I think he knows who I am also. I’m looking forward to putting on another show and hopefully get the knockout,� Belingon said. Reigning women’s strawweight champion “The Panda� Xiong Jing Nan of China will put her title on the line vs ONE women’s atomweight champion Angela “Unstoppable� Lee of Singapore for a chance to become the first female two-division world champion of ONE Championship. The other featured matches are ONE middleweight world champion Aung La N Sang of Myanmar vs Ken Hasegawa of Japan, Former UFC champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse� Johnson vs Yuya Wakamatsu of Japan (ONE flyweight world Grand Prix quarterfinal), and Eddie “The Underground King� Alvarez vs Timofey Nastyukhin of Russia (lightweight world Grand Prix quarterfinal). JEAN RUSSEL V. DAVID

Ateneo aims to extend winning run vs UP ATENEO De Manila University seeks to stretch its winning streak against Katipunan rival University of the Philippines (UP) in Season 81 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) women’s volleyball tournament today at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. The leading Lady Eagles (7-1) eye their eighth straight win versus the No. 4 Lady Maroons (5-3) in the second Battle of Katipunan this season at 4 p.m. Ateneo is coming off a 19-25, 22-25, 27-25, 25-22, 15-11 comeback victory over University of Sto. Tomas (UST) last March 20. “This game is really about faith and love,â€? said head coach Oliver Almadro. “I just told my players to just keep the faith, and love what you’re doing and your teammates.â€? Co-captain Maddie Madayag, who tallied a Final Four era-record 11 blocks in the previous outing, is tabbed to anchor Ateneo’s net defense anew while Kat Tolentino, Bea De Leon and Ponggay Gaston are expected to provide support on offense. Ateneo decimated UP, 25-21, IN THE kRST ROUND But this time UP is eager to post a second consecutive triumph that will allow them to tie Far Eastern University (FEU) and grab a share of second currently occupied by idle De La Salle University and UST. “We just have to go stronger. Come the weekend, we have another date with Ateneo and I hope our strategy will work,â€? said State U mentor Godfrey Okumu. The Lady Maroons completed an elimination round sweep of three-peat team La Salle with a 25-16, 26-24, 25-19 blowout victory on Sunday. Veteran spikers Tots Carlos and Isa Molde are expected to lead UP’s attack along with seasoned setter Ayel EstraĂąero. In the 2 p.m. curtain-raiser , FEU (5-3) and No. 6 University of the East (2-6) clash for a second win in a row. The Lady Tamaraws pulled off a 30-32, 25-20, 23-25, 25-20, 15-13 victory over Adamson on Sunday while the Lady Warriors took down National University, 25-16, 25-18, 24-26, 25-16, on March 20. JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

Federer books Shapovalov showdown MIAMI: Roger Federer will make Denis Shapovalov’s dream come true on Friday after the Swiss booked a Miami Open semifinal against the Canadian starlet with a ruthless 6-0 6-4 destruction of Kevin Anderson. Shapovalov, who beat fellow young gun Frances Tiafoe 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-2 to reach his third ATP Masters semi-final, grew up idolizing and studying the 20 time Slam-winning Swiss legend who once again rolled back the years with a sublime show at Hard Rock Stadium. This will be their first meeting and one the Canadian, who will break into the top 20 when the rankings are released next week, cannot wait for. “It’s a match up I have been looking forward to my whole life, a high stakes match against your idol. It’s just a dream come true,� said Shapovalov. “I will try and approach it like any other game, try and enjoy it, give it my all. It will be a difficult match but I am just happy to have a chance to play him.� With Shapovalov taking on Federer and long time friend and compatriot Felix AugerAliassime, 18, facing defending champion John Isner in the semis, the tennis stars of tomorrow are beginning to prove their worth on the biggest of stages. “It’s crazy for me and Felix to both have reached the semi-

finals,� Shapovalov said, while Federer called the clash of generations “exciting�. “It’s an exciting draw, for John and for myself here, playing these young guys,� Federer said. “They are not just young, but they are very good, as well. “I practiced with Denis way back, he might have been 16, 17. He was just hitting big. I was, like, ‘Wow, it’s unbelievable. How old is he? How good is he going to get? It’s going to be tough against him.� The Swiss came into the match with Anderson knowing the world number seven’s huge serve could be the difference, just as it was in a dramatic five set, last eight encounter at Wimbledon won by the South African last summer. Yet after a whirlwind first set, Federer had broken the Anderson serve three times and “bageled� his opponent, much to the delight of a packed house on center court who came to show their appreciation for the evergreen 37 year-old as he chases a fourth Miami title which would take his career tally to 101. It was the first time Anderson, 32, has ever lost a first set at ATP level to love and although the second was far tighter, Federer was always in control. Shapovalov, meanwhile, crashed home 40 winners in an entertaining tussle with American Tiafoe on a rain interrupted day in South Florida.

Barty breaks through The weather certainly could have badly affected Ashleigh Barty’s attempt to reach her biggest WTA final with a four hour delay putting her charge on hold. The Australian had played just four games with Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit before the rains came although once play resumed, the 22-year-old, who will break into the top 10 off the back of this excellent run to Saturday’s final, took advantage of her error prone opponent to win 6-3 6-3. “It was a very long day. I know we had to wait around but it was an opportunity to drink some coffee and watch the golf so I was relaxed,� said Barty who took time out of the game in 2015 to play cricket before returning in 2016. “When I came out I was ready for business.� The day’s delays saw Karolina Pliskova wrap up a 7-5, 6-1 victory over Simona Halep after 1 am. Halep missed the chance to return to world number one by reaching the final as Pliskova won nine straight games — and 10 of the last 11, to battle back from 5-3 down in the first. “It wasn’t easy waiting for so long but I managed to stay aggressive,� said Pliskova, who hit 29 winners to Halep’s 18. “Ashleigh is a good player, but I am excited for the final.� AFP

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McIlroy wins, Tiger falls, Day ousted at WGC-Match Play W ASHINGTON: Rory McIlroy remained unbeaten, Tiger Woods suffered a critical loss and defending champion Bubba Watson and two-time winner Jason Day were eliminated Thursday (Friday in Manila) at the WGC-Match Play Championship. 4HE PLAYER SHOWDOWN FEATURING THE WORLD RANKING LEADERS AT !USTIN 4EXAS #OUNTRY #LUB STARTS WITH THREE DAYS OF GROUP PLAY TO DETERMINE BERTHS IN WEEKEND KNOCKOUT MATCHES TO DECIDE A CHAMPION &OURTH SEED -C)LROY DEFEATED 3OUTH !FRICA S TH SEEDED *USTIN (ARDING EAGLES AT THE PAR TH AND TH AND A BIRDIE AT THE PAR TH TIPPING A SQUARED MATCH HIS WAY TO GIVE HIM A RECORD AND GROUP LEAD g/NE OF THE BIG THINGS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS IS ) VE BEEN HAPPY WITH HOW ) VE RESPONDED ) PLAYED THE SHOT WHEN ) NEEDED TO ‡ ) HOLED THE PUTT WHEN ) NEEDED TO g7HEN ) SENSE A LITTLE BIT OF BLOOD ) M TAKING MY OP PORTUNITIES 7HENEVER ) HAVE TO STEP UP AND HIT A SHOT ON TOP OF A GUY ) VE BEEN ABLE TO

Q Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the third tee in his match against Justin Harding of South Africa during the second round of the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club on Friday in Austin, Texas. AFP PHOTO

DO THAT REALLY WELL u -C)LROY WHO HAS NEVER TRAILED IN TWO DAYS NEEDS ONLY A DRAW WITH %NG LISH ND SEED -ATTHEW &ITZPATRICK ON &RIDAY TO ADVANCE "RANDT 3NEDEKER NEVER TRAILED IN BEATING TIME MAJOR CHAMPION 7OODS TO SHARE THE LEAD IN AN ALL !MERICAN GROUP WITH 0ATRICK #ANTLAY WHO BEAT !ARON 7ISE &OR ANY CHANCE TO REACH THE WEEK END IN HIS kRST -ATCH 0LAY START SINCE THREE TIME WINNER 7OODS MUST BEAT #ANTLAY ON &RIDAY AND HAVE 7ISE DEFEAT OR DRAW 3NEDEKER g7E BOTH MADE A COUPLE OF MISTAKES OUT THERE BUT HE MADE A FEW LESS MIS TAKES THAN ) DID u 7OODS SAID g!LL ) CAN DO IS HOPEFULLY GET A POINT TOMORROW AND SEE IF THAT S GOOD ENOUGH u 7OODS MADE AN INCREDIBLE THIRD SHOT AT THE TH HOLE ON HIS KNEES KNOCKING THE BALL FROM UNDERNEATH A HUGE BUSH SOME FEET TO JUST FOUR

FEET FROM THE CUP AND HALVED THE HOLE g-Y OWN KIDS WERE PROBABLY ROOT ING FOR HIM u 3NEDEKER ADMITTED 3NEDEKER SANK A NINE FOOT BIRDIE PUTT AT THE PAR TH FOR A UP LEAD AND HALVED TO SEAL THE VICTORY g)T WAS A LOT OF FUN u 3NEDEKER SAID g.EITHER ONE OF US MADE A LOT OF PUTTS )T CAME DOWN TO ME MAKING A GOOD PUTT ON AND THAT GAVE ME THE LITTLE BUMP ) NEEDED TO WIN u

Rose rallies to halve %NGLAND S SECOND SEEDED *USTIN 2OSE WAS DOWN WITH FOUR HOLES REMAIN ING BUT CHARGED BACK WITH LONG BIRDIE PUTTS TO HALVE WITH COMPATRIOT %DDIE 0EPPERELL ON A DAY WHEN OF MATCHES WENT TO THE TH HOLE 2OSE BIRDIED TO WIN THE TH FROM FEET SANK A FOOTER AT THE PAR TH TO STAY IN THE MATCH THEN CLOSED THE DUEL ON A TENSE FOOTER AT TO kNISH LEVEL g-Y GOAL WAS TO BIRDIE OUT u 2OSE SAID OF THE kNAL FOUR HOLES g9OU SET YOUR INTENTION AND FORGET THE REST AND THAT S WHAT HAPPENED u 2OSE MUST BEAT 53 ND SEED 'ARY 7OODLAND A UP WINNER OVER !R GENTINA S %MILIANO 'RILLO ON &RIDAY TO ADVANCE

7ATSON WAS ELIMINATED WITH A LOSS TO FELLOW !MERICAN "ILLY (ORSCHEL WHILE TH SEED $AY A TWO TIME CHAMPION WAS OUSTED WITH HIS SECOND DEFEAT FALLING TO 3WEDEN S (ENRIK 3TENSON 3TENSON PLAYS *IM &URYK WHO ELIMINATED kVE TIME MAJOR WINNER 0HIL -ICKELSON UP ON &RIDAY TO DECIDE A SPOT IN THE LAST

Grace beats No. 1 DJ 3OUTH !FRICA S TH SEEDED "RANDEN 'RACE BEAT WORLD .O $USTIN *OHNSON UP ! FOOT BIRDIE PUTT AT BY 'RACE PROVED THE DIFFERENCE AFTER *OHN SON MISSED A FOOT BIRDIE PUTT AT g)T S ALWAYS NICE TO BEAT THE NUMBER ONE PLAYER IN THE WORLD u SAID 'RACE WHO CAN DO NO WORSE THAN A PLAYOFF WITH *OHNSON ‡ WHO MUST BEAT *APAN S (IDEKI -ATSUYAMA AND HAVE 'RACE LOSE TO !MERICAN #HEZ 2EAVIE TO FORCE IT #HINA S ,I (AOTONG EDGED 53 THIRD SEED "ROOKS +OEPKA UP TO ELIMINATE THE REIGNING 53 /PEN AND 0'! CHAM PION FROM TITLE CONTENTION !USSIE -ARC ,EISHMAN BEAT 3COTS MAN 2USSELL +NOX UP FOR THE GROUP LEAD AFTER 4HAILAND S +IRADECH !PHI BARNRAT BEAT 53 SIXTH SEED "RYSON $E#HAMBEAU AFP

Ateneo trips Tamaraws Juvic pulls away but Que makes move in UAAP football !4%.%/ $E -ANILA 5NIVERSITY HANDED LEADING TEAM &AR %AST ERN 5NIVERSITY &%5 ITS FIRST LOSS IN 3EASON 5NI VERSITY !THLETIC !SSOCIATION OF THE 0HILIPPINES 5!!0 MEN S FOOTBALL ON 4HURSDAY AT THE &%5 $ILIMAN &OOTBALL &IELD IN 1UEZON #ITY *ACOB ,IAO STRUCK A BRACE PRO PELLING THE "LUE "OOTERS PAST ARCHRIVAL $E ,A 3ALLE 5NIVERSITY TO .O WITH POINTS ON A WIN DRAW LOSS RECORD AND A SUPERIOR GOAL DIFFERENCE !TENEO ALSO REGAINED ITS WIN NING WAYS AFTER LOSING TO ,A 3ALLE IN THE kNAL MATCH DAY OF THE kRST ROUND LAST WEEK ,IAO CANCELLED OUT +IM -INSU S TH MINUTE OPENER FOR &%5 AS HE HEADED HOME )ÄIGO (ERRERA S CORNER KICK IN THE TH 2 U P E R T " A Ä A I N T E N S I F I E D THE COUNTER ATTACK WITH A LOW STRIKE TO HAND THE +ATIPUNAN BASED SQUAD THE UPPER HAND IN THE TH *ARVEY 'AYOSO PICKED UP A LONG BALL AND CHIPPED IT OVER THE OPPOSING GOALKEEPER FOR A TWO GOAL CUSHION IN THE RD BEFORE ,IAO WRAPPED UP THE WIN WITH ANOTHER HEADER JUST FIVE

MINUTES LATER 4HE 4AMARAW "OOTERS AB SORBED THEIR MAIDEN DEFEAT THIS SEASON THOUGH THEY REMAINED ATOP THE EIGHT TEAM STANDINGS WITH POINTS ON FOUR VICTORIES AND THREE DRAWS %ARLIER DEFENDING CHAMPION 5NIVERSITY OF THE 0HILIPPINES BOUNCED BACK WITH A TRIUMPH AGAINST !DAMSON 5NIVERSITY *OHN !BRAHAM S HEADER WON THE GAME AS THE -AROON "OOTERS AVENGED THEIR kRST ROUND LOSS TO THE 3OARING &ALCONS 4EAM SKIPPER +INTARO -IYAGI PULLED 50 LEVEL IN THE TH AFTER !DAMSON GOT THE OPENING GOAL FROM +YLE -AGDATO S OWN GOAL DURING A SCRAMBLE IN THE BOX EARLY IN THE SECOND HALF 4HE -AROON "OOTERS CLIMBED TO .O WITH POINTS ON A SLATE WHILE THE &ALCONS JOINED 5NIVERSITY OF THE %AST 5% AT THE CELLAR WITH EIGHT MARKERS ON SHEET )N THE OTHER FIXTURE .ATIONAL 5NIVERSITY FOUGHT 5% TO A GOAL LESS DRAW AND REMAINED .O WITH POINTS ON A CARD PLUS A BETTER GOAL DIFFERENCE OVER 50 JEREMIAH M. SEVILLA

Perpetual Junior Altas rule NCAA Season 94 (/34 5NIVERSITY OF 0ERPETUAL (ELP 3YSTEM $ALTA 50(3$ *UNIOR !LTAS TOPPED THE .ATIONAL #OLLEGIATE !THLETIC !SSOCIATION .#!! 3EASON OVERALL SPORTS DISCIPLINE ‡ THEIR kRST EVER 'EN ERAL #HAMPIONSHIP SINCE JOINING THE OLDEST COLLEGIATE LEAGUE IN THE COUNTRY IN 4HE *UNIOR !LTAS GAINED POINTS TO EDGE THE kVE TIME GENERAL CHAMPION 3AN "EDA 5 2ED #UBS 4HE 4ONY 4AMAYO OWNED SCHOOL REIGNED IN CHESS INDOOR VOLLEYBALL BEACH VOLLEYBALL AND

TRACK AND kELD 4 H E ! R E L L A N O " R AVE S F I N I S H E D S E C O N D OVE R A L L W I T H POINTS 4HE AWARDING CEREMONY OF 'ENERAL #HAMPIONS WAS HELD ON 4HURSDAY DURING THE .#!! #HEER LEADING #HAMPIONSHIP AT THE -ALL OF !SIA !RENA IN 0ASAY #ITY g7E CONGRATULATE THE WHOLE TEAM AND THE WHOLE OF 50(3$ COMMUNITY IS PROUD OF THE AC COMPLISHMENTS SAID .#!! 0OLICY "OARD #HAIR AND 50(3$ 0RESI DENT !NTHONY 4AMAYO

JUVIC 0AGUNSAN kNALLY UNLEASHED 0AGUNSAN kNALLY UNLEASHED THE KIND OF GAME EXPECTED FROM A PLAYER OF HIS CALIBER SHOOTING A kVE UNDER AND STORMING TO A WHOPPING FOUR STROKE LEAD OVER A LATE CHARGING !NGELO 1UE IN THE THIRD ROUND OF THE )#43) 2IVIERA 'OLF #HALLENGE AT THE ,ANGER COURSE IN 3ILANG #AVITE ON &RIDAY 7ITH THE WIND NOT BLOWING AS HARD AS IN THE kRST TWO ROUNDS THAT SENT THE SCORES SOARING AND TWO OF THE F A N C I E D B E T S OUT OF THE TITLE RACE 0AGUNSAN lAUNTED HIS SU PERB SHOTMAK ING SKILLS HIS CRISP IRON SHOTS SETTING UP A LOT OF BIRDIE CHANCES FOUR OF WHICH HE DRILLED INSIDE FEET AT THE FRONT THAT PUT HIM AWAY OF HALFWAY CO LEADER AND UNCLE 2EY 0AGUNSAN AND THE REST OF HIS ERSTWHILE PURSUERS (E WENT kVE UNDER WITH ANOTHER BIRDIE ON THE TH THEN REBOUNDED FROM A THIRD STRAIGHT BOGEY ON THE PAR TH WITH HIS SIXTH BIRDIE ON THE NEXT FOR A CARD AND A HOLE TOTAL AS !SIA S FORMER .O MOVED HOLES AWAY FROM NAILING HIS BREAKTHROUGH WIN ON THE 0HILIPPINE 'OLF 4OUR !SIA g)T WAS JUST FANTASTIC %VERYTHING WAS IN PLACE AND THE WIND NOT AS STRONG AS IN THE kRST TWO DAYS u SAID *UVIC WHO NEVERTHELESS REMAINED WARY OF 1UE S THREAT TO HIS TITLE DRIVE IN THE EVENT SERV ING AS THE PENULTIMATE LEG OF THE STAGE SECOND SEASON OF THE REGION S NEWEST CIRCUIT PUT UP BY )#43) AND ORGANIZED BY 0ILIPINAS 'OLF 4OURNAMENTS )NC &OUR STROKES OFF THE PACE AFTER HOLES 1UE HAD EARLIER SET THE TONE OF THE BIG GUNS ASSAULT ON THE PAR LAYOUT WITH A SPIK ING HIS SIMILAR WITH A FOOT

EAGLE PUTT ON THE PAR TH OFF EAGLE PUTT ON THE PAR TH OFF A SUPERB WOOD SECOND SHOT FROM YARDS g&INALLY ) REGAINED MY TOUCH AND GOT THE FEEL OF MY GAME ) HIT IT PRETTY WELL AND MY IRON AND PUTTING CLICKED u SAID 1UE ALSO IN PURSUIT OF HIS kRST 0'4 !SIA WIN AFTER SPENDING MAJORITY OF THE LAST FEW YEARS ON THE LUCRATIVE *APAN 0'! 4OUR "UT HE REMAINED FOUR STROKES BACK AT ALTHOUGH THE FOR MER 0HILIPPINE /PEN CHAM

PION ASSURED AN EXPLOSIVE kNAL ROUND SHOWDOWN WITH HIS FELLOW *APAN 0'! 4OUR CAMPAIGNER &ROM WHAT HAD BEEN A WILD kRST TWO ROUNDS THAT SAW AT LEAST PLAYERS GET A CRACK AT THE LEAD IN THIS EVENT SERVING AS PRELUDE TO NEXT WEEK S 3OLAIRE 0HL /PEN AND LAST YEAR S WINNER AND REIGNING 0'4 /RDER OF -ERIT CHAMPION *OBIM #ARLOS AND FORMER //- TITLIST #LYDE -ONDILLA MISS THE CUT THE TITLE DUEL HAS BEEN VIRTUALLY REDUCED TO THE TWO LOCAL ACES WITH THE NEXT FOUR LAYING NINE STROKES BEHIND AT *ERSON "ALASABAS THE REIGN ING 0HILIPPINE -ASTERS CHAM PION SHOT A 2ICO $EPILO AND %LMER 3ALVADOR CARDED IDENTICAL S AND ,EXUS +EONINH OF THE 53 HOB BLED WITH A WITH 3INGAPORE S 'REGORY &OO +OREAN (WANG -YUNG #HAL AND 4 H A I 3 U T I J E T +OORATANA

PISAN POOLING SIMILAR S AFTER PISAN POOLING SIMILAR S AFTER A AND RESPECTIVELY 0'4! 3UMMIT 0OINT TITLIST *OENARD 2ATES MATCHED PAR TO LEAD THE SCORERS WHO INCLUD ED %NGLISHMAN 'EORGE 4WYMAN WHO SHOT A AND 0'4! !BOITIZ )NVITATIONAL WINNER $AMIEN *OR DAN OF !USTRALIA AND -ACEDONIA S 0ETER 3TOJANOVSKI WHO BOTH TURNED IN S 7ORSE WAS 2EY 0AGUNSAN WHO KEPT HIS SPOT ON TOP WITH A AND BUT ENDED THE THIRD ROUND WITH SEVEN BOGEYS AND THREE DOUBLE BOGEYS WITH NO BIRDIE TO SHOW IN A HORRIBLE FOR A IN THE EVENT BACKED BY #USTOM #LUBMAKERS -ERALCO + ' 'OLF !PPAREL "$/ 3HARP +:' 0,$4 %MPIRE 'OLF AND 3PORTS AND - 9 3HOKAI 4ECH NOLOGY )NC EXPECTED TO BE A SURVIVAL OF THE kTTEST g) THREW IT ALL AWAY BUT ) M STILL PROUD THAT A 0AGUNSAN REMAINS THE LEADER u SAID THE FORMER NA TIONAL TEAM MAINSTAY

Q Juvic Pagunsan still wary despite big lead. PHOTO BY ROGER RAÑADA

5 things I wish I could tell my younger self (Conclusion)

BE a good teammate 4HE MEDIA IS LARGELY RESPONSIBLE ON WHY VOLLEYBALL IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR SPORTS IN OUR COUNTRY TODAY RAISING STUDENT ATHLETES TO CELEBRITY STATUS 4HIS MAY CREATE CONFUSION AS THESE ATHLETES PAY ATTENTION TO HOW THEY ARE PERCEIVED BY THEIR PEERS THE COMMUNITY AND THE FANS "UT VOLLEYBALL IS A TEAM SPORT ONCE

YOU GET IN THE COURT REMIND YOURSELF TO PLAY FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN YOURSELF 0LAY FOR THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSEÜ 4HIS WOULD RElECT THE KIND OF PERSON YOU ARE AND THE KIND OF CULTURE YOUR TEAM OR EVEN YOUR SCHOOL HAS 4HE FACES YOU SEE EVERYDAY EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT kND THEM NAKAKASUYA NA MAKITA ARAW ARAW ARE THE SAME BEINGS THAT YOU GO TO BATTLE WITH ‡ WHO GOT YOUR BACK WIN OR LOSE 3OME OF THEM WILL BE WITH YOU THROUGHOUT YOUR COLLEGIATE CAREER SO SPEND

Enjoy the ride

COURTSIDE ANGELINE GERVACIO SOME TIME TO KNOW THEM BETTER kND OUT HOW TO MOTIVATE THEM ESPECIALLY DURING THAT CRUCIAL CALL /NCE THEY SEE THIS IN YOU THE MORE LIKELY THEY TOO WILL BE SELlESS HENCE CREATING LEADERS OUR OWN WAYÜ

) PLAYED FOR FULL FIVE YEARS AS A STUDENT ATHLETE IN THE 5!!0 !LTHOUGH ) STILL PLAY AT THE PROFESSIONAL LEVEL ) COULD SAY THAT IT S A DIFFERENT FEELING PLAYING FOR !TENEO THEN AND ) MISS ITÜ "EING A STUDENT ATHLETE COULD SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE A DAUNTING JOB BUT IT S WORTH ITÜ )T S TRUE WHEN MY COACH ONCE SAID g4ODAY YOU WILL HATE ME FOR MAKING YOU SPRINT UP AND DOWN THE COURT

BUT ONE DAY WE WILL LOOK BACK AND LAUGH ABOUT THIS u 2ECENTLY WE HAD A #HRISTMAS PARTY AND WE DID LAUGH AT OUR MISERIES BACK THEN !FTER SERVING MY YEARS IN THE 5!!0 ) GAINED A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF UNDER STANDING OF THE SPORT ON TOP OF AT LEAST NEW SISTERS A SECOND FAMILY AND A HOME THAT ) COULD ALWAYS RUN TO WHEN EVER ) NEED IT #HERISH EVERY MOMENT BECAUSE SOON THIS BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY MUST COME TO AN END

SSATURDAY AT U R DAY MARCH 30, 2019

Entertainment

D1 WITH MAINE MENDOZA A S I N S P I R AT I O N

www.manilatimes.net

Cinema in the advent of livestream and video on demand T ODAY, in this fastpaced digital age, people can already bingewatch their favorite series AND kLMS IN JUST ONE CLICK AND AT THEIR MOST CONVENIENT TIME 4HERE IS NO NEED TO JUMP INTO THE TRAFkC AND PAY HUNDREDS TO WATCH RECENTLY RELEASED kLMS OR TO CATCH THE AIRING TIME OF 46 SHOWS 4HE CONTINUOUS EVOLUTION OF the digital scene has indeed TRANSFORMED THE LIFESTYLE OF THE AUDIENCE WHICH POSES A QUESTION TO THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY !RE TELEVISION VIEWING AND MOVIE GOing really dying?

In a recent forum, key people behind the country’s leading livestreaming brands speak on the issue before A CROWD OF ASPIRING kLMMAKERS HELD at the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts (SDA) Cinema. “ L i ve s t r e a m i n g i s d i f f e r ent from streaming,� ABS-CBN iWant Digital Content Publishing (EAD 2ICHARD 2EYNANTE CLARIkED “Livestreaming is when you watch a live program from one platform that crosses to the digital platform while streaming per se is video on demand or VODs — shows you consume at your own time.� He also shared how ABS-CBN’s

Q The ease of access, cheaper cost, and various selections that the digital space provides pose a threat to physical theaters.

is really a market for the digital platform. “What we got from Be Careful With My Heart was that we were actually answering a need. In broadcast viewing, the AUDIENCE FOLLOWS A SPECIkC TIME while on VOD, they can watch anytime and anywhere,� beamed ABS-CBN iWant Content Head Ginny Ocampo. From then on, iWant TV evolved into iWant and expanded its library. Customers now have options between free viewing but with advertisements, advertisement-free viewing but with a cost, or a pay-per-view set-up FOR NEW kLMS

able to the audience,� she noted. Ocampo also added that since the platforms are free from Movie and 4ELEVISION 2EVIEW AND #LASSIkCAtion Board (MTRCB), it provides as a venue for the execution of more experimental productions. The birth of streaming and livestreaming was instantly associated to the death of television. “We thought that it is going to drive eyeballs out of the television, but it did not! TV still retained its high viewership,� ABS-CBN’s Reynante beamed. “The ratings in digital is so robust and I think it is because we were able to capture the viewers who were not watching TV anymore, but

access through your phone and data is expensive and that is why we believe that there still has to be a market for linear television.� While television continues to REMAIN AlOAT IT SEEMS THE CINEMA projects into a downward spiral that is still expected to get worse in the coming years. The ease of access, cheaper cost, and various selections that the digital space provides pose a threat to physical theaters. “People will put off what they think is not critical to view in a movie house,� Zaballero claimed. “Their basic frame of mind is that why would they bother going to the cinemas if they can see it streaming by next week?� The theater is something that offers an experiential viewing and Reynante thinks that the challenge for the cinema is for that experience to change. “It has got to change in form and services to be able to keep up. Some malls started to offer 4D cinemas; and yes, that is something that livestreaming can never replicate, but it is also very pricey,� he noted. “Perhaps what is clear here for Q Unitel Production and Straightshooters Media Inc. CEO and President Madonna Tarrayo, Cignal TV Chief both ends is that we recognize that Marketing Officer Guido Zaballero, ABS-CBN iWant Content Head Ginny Ocampo, ABS-CBN iWant Digital Content the digital space is growing and Publishing Head Richard Reynante, and director and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Digital if we do not ride into that wave Filmmaking Chairperson Jose Javier Reyes. right now we will be left behind,� iWant originally launched as a site Cignal TV Chief Marketing Filipinos are data sensitive. Perhaps Zaballero stated. that replays the network’s shows, Officer Guido Zaballero shared there is a part of the crowd that uses The panel states that the behavior which can easily be accessed that despite the fact that nobody data to watch online but the rest of of the consumers is based on the without the need for subscrip- really knows exactly how well the country watches TV.� economics of entertainment. “We tion. “However, the market is the streaming entertainment will Cignal TV’s Zaballero trusts still believe that cinema will not growing and most of the content do and how much money it will that there is a lot of space to grow die, it will just co-exist. We have to that viewers look for are not only make, it is best to invest in origi- for digital. “The viewing public remember that cinema is technolocatch-ups – they started to look for nals and partner with local writers, would always love to consume gy-bound and it is bound to evolve,� originals,� he admitted. directors, and producers, which something that is free — that’s a Reynante reiterated. “Digital is upon When iWant TV replayed ABS- Cignal Play is now exploring. given. However, in terms of tele- us and we have to ride with the wave CBN’s series “Be Careful With Considering that the digital en- communications infrastructure, all — either we adapt or we perish.� My Heart,� which aired for two tertainment is at its infancy, ABS- these broadband businesses have The forum was moderated by years on broadcast at the noon CBN’s Ocampo confessed they NOT AND WILL HAVE A DIFkCULT TIME director and Digital Filmmaking timeslot when most are in school continue to explore its contents. to reach all of the islands in the (DFilm) Chairperson Jose Javier or at work, the team was surprised “Whatever genre it is as long as the Philippines.� he added. “It really Reyes and Unitel Production and of the viewership that it received deep characterization is present, has a limit because if you do not Straightshooters Media Inc. CEO online. They realized that there then it is something that is relat- have a broadband, you have to and President Madonna Tarrayo.

Arjo Atayde happy to shift from villain to romantic lead A

got the nod from the jury and the RJO Atayde is having a grand time audience. Among them is Shadow Ace, with his career. He got a big break a hand shadow artist from Calatagan, when Dreamscape Digital and Rein Batangas. His real Entertainment tapped name is Philip him to play the lead in Jose Galit and he the socio-political drama uses his hand to series “Bagman,� which create shadows started streaming on and tell stories. iWantTV on March 20. The stories could The story tells about an be comical or dramatic, and in his act, he ordinary man who sacrifices his moral values in order to provide for his family. even used as his characters David Foster, Anggun and Jay Park , the jury of AGT. “I am very thankful to DreamsHe received the Golden Buzzer and went cape for giving me this role which is something new and kind of crazy. I can’t straight to the finals. As a kid growing up, Shadow Ace compare this to my role in ‘My General’s said brownouts were always a problem Daughter’ where I play an autistic charin their place and he used this talent acter but I am thankful that producers in making shadows move to entertain and directors trust that I am capable himself. He never thought of doing any kind of role,� g that his cresaid Arjo, who won quite uite a ativity in the shadows number of awards playing aying Coco Martin’s nemesiss Arjo Atayde named Joaquin Tuazon on in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.� no.� “I love challenges and I love taking on roles that I know will test my limits as an actor,� added Arjo, who is taking another route as he plays the lead role in the upcoming rom-com movie under Regal Entertainment titled “Stranded.� of despair would The movie is Arjo’s first ever crack in send him to Asia’s Got Talent finals. doing a role as a romantic lead. He is To be held at Singapore’s Marina Bay acting opposite Jessy Mendiola, a long Sands, he now has the chance of wintime friend so there’s no need to break ning US$100,000. the ice. Shooting went He was the last to on smoothly, no hitches. perform and having “I want to discover if seen the perforI can make people fall in mances before him, love with me this time,� he didn’t imagine his said the son of actress performance would Sylvia Sanchez and command approval businessman Art Atayde from the judges and why he accepted the role the audience. in the Regal movie. NNN “If they hated me Keempee de Leon when I was doing bad is very happy to be guy roles, I want to find back on television, out if I can also make the audience love me if I Q Shadow Ace goes straight this time as one of to the finals of ‘Asia’s Got the mainstays of the play as romantic lead.� Talent Season 3.’ new ABS-CBN mornDirected by Ice ing series,Nang Ngumiti Ang Langit. Idanan, Stranded is due for release on He plays the driver of Pilar Pilapil April 10 in cinemas nationwide. in the series and Keempee said he He said he is inspired to work harder can’t help but be overwhelmed, as he and is now a better version of himself, welcomes the opportunity to better most especially after getting close to hone his acting skills which became a Maine Mendoza, who many believe is bit rusty after being inactive for more now his girlfriend. than two years. On Maine’s birthday three weeks “Pag si Tita Pilar ang kaeksena mo, ago, Arjo posted a photo of them toyou have to be on gether on Instagram with your toes. Hindi ako the caption, “My reason dapat magpadala sa for being. Happy birthday nerbiyos kundi dapat to my main.� NNN mag-level up ang The Philippines hopes to acting ko kasi ang continue its winning streak husay-husay niya,� in “Asia’s Got Talent� which said the actor. is now on its third season. He was clueless In the show’s first seaas to why he was son, El Gamma Penumbra dropped by “Eat won the grand prize, so- Q Keempee de Leon is Bulaga,� of which prano singer Gerphil Flores now a certified Kapamilya had been a part for 14 after 14 years as ‘Eat getting third place. years. But he will always Beatboxer Neil Llanes was Bulaga’ mainstay in the be grateful to the show. third placer and the dance Kapuso network. Now that he is group DMX Combalenos was doing a show with runner-up in the second season. ABS-CBN, Keempee is open to the In the Season 3 of the reality search, possibility of doing a movie or back five Pinoy acts were among those who to recording again.

ROVING EYE RO RICKY CA CALDERON

Legitimate summer acting workshops S

UMMER in the movie industry comes with the call for all sorts of crash acting workshops from self-imposed acting facilitators whose background stems from the shady to the legitimate. The sad fact is, many dreamers have become innocent victims of acting workshop “racketeers.� At the Philippine Motion Pictures Directors Associtation (PMPDA) where Caveat sits as Chairman of the Board under Pres. William Mayo, this acting thing often becomes a volatile topic among members. For me anyone who dares to facilitate ACTING WHETHER FOR kLM 46 OR THEATER must study and learn by heart the timehonored System of Konstantin Stanislavski, Russia’s and the world’s greatest acting guru whose legacy resonates to the 21st century. He planted his theory and

CAVEAT GEORGE VAIL KABRISTANTE praxis in the West, and adapted by two leading acting pedagogues in old Hollywood Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler. They named it The Method whose graduates included James Dean, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hanks, Marlon Brando and Meryl Streep among many other great thespians. Adler broke up with Strasberg over an acting theory of Stanislavski that she did not exactly believe in. America now has two leading, albeit differentiated acting schools named after Strasberg and Adler. In hindsight, it was Cecile Guidote-

Alvarez who popularized the germinal System of Stanislavski and The Method to the country from her scholarship abroad upon founding the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) which had outreach program nationwide. Current CCP President Nick Lizaso and one of Cecile’s co-founders joined her with his Lee Strasberg training. Looking back, Caveat came into Cecile’s turf as production multi-tasker to help revive her pioneering weekly TV drama anthology “Balintataw,� which she used to produce and host. A good friend and PETA member Marcelino Cavestany, now an Australian emigre hooked me up to her. This was upon her return from self-exile in New York after the Edsa Revolution. In all of our activities at her new found turf in Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife,

Quezon City, we ate, drunk and slept Stanislavski, The Method and its variants like cult zealots to the bone. Thankfully, she made me visit the Asian and Western countries mostly on travel grants paid for by the Philippine Center for International Theatre Institute (ITI) of Unesco that she heads to the present time to participate in annual theater congresses, etc. Here, acting per se was dissected to the pith like it is an animal species studied under a microscope. The rigors of acting is the same WHETHER YOU DO IT FOR kLMS 46 OR THEATER Adjustment to these mediums is sheer common sense, technique and technical. This is a gift from God to a few. Honing it from workshop might make it perfect. But for some it might just take an eternity to grab that bull by the horns.

Toward this end Caveat endorses one acting workshop with integrity this Summer organized by colleague Throy Catan whose poster says, “Join a Self-Discovery Workshop! Navigate Stanislavski’s System introduced to the country by Cecile Guidote-Alvarez. Bite into The Method of the iconic maharishis Lee Strasberg andStella Adler to Hollywood’s present-day gurus Eric Morris, Ivana Chubbuck, etc.!� The pitch’s integrity says it all. For details, follow Throy Catan on his Facebook account. Beware of fake workshops! NNN GUESS WHO? This young serious draMA ACTOR 93$! REVEALED THAT HE lIPPED over a reliable information that his father attempted to rape his girlfriend. Clue: YSDA is recuperating from his trauma under an expert life and health coach.

D2

Funtimes

SATURDAY March 30, 2019

˜ The Manila Times

w w w.manilatimes.net

By Samantha Weaver

Many years ago, a British Columbia team journeyed to Seattle to play a team-of-eight match against a U.S. Pacific Northwest team. One deal produced a startling series of results and indicates how bridge players’ minds run in different channels. At one of the four tables, the bidding went as shown. The U.S. South reached five clubs doubled, North redoubled, and declarer then took all

Âť CROSSWORD

the tricks for a score of 1,150 points. A heart was led to dummy’s ace, and declarer cashed the ace of spades, discarding the jack of hearts. After playing the ace of diamonds, South led a low trump to his nine. He then ruffed a diamond, finessed the ten of clubs, repeated the finesse and cashed the ace, catching East’s king. When the diamonds turned out to be divided 3-3, the Canadian defenders wound up with no tricks at all. At the second table, something very strange occurred. All four players passed! Apparently, the U.S. North thought his hand was not good enough to open (only 12 high-card points), and South, lacking the majors and holding only 11 high-card points, also passed. Thus, North-South never bid on a hand on which they could make a grand slam! At the third table, the U.S. West opened three spades, which everybody passed! This was easily made, as the Canadian pair at this table also didn’t utter a peep. At the fourth table, the U.S. West also opened three spades. After two passes, South decided to put up a fight. He bid four diamonds, which everyone passed, and somehow went down two for a loss of 100 points. Altogether, the U.S. team gained 1,390 points on the deal, but would have fared even better if at one table it had not passed out a hand on which it could make a grand slam!

Solution to puzzle

FAMOUS HAND

Š2019 King Features Syndicate Inc.

BY EUGENE SHEFFER

• It was Isaac Asimov, professor of biochemistry and beloved Grand Master of science fiction, who made the following sage observation: “There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.’â€? • According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, if you’re like the average American, you drink 22.7 gallons of coffee every year. The surprising thing about that statistic isn’t how much it is, though — it’s how little. It seems that in the 1940s, Americans were drinking twice that amount of java. • You might be surprised to learn that gravity makes you shorter. It’s true; gravity compresses your spine — in a weightless environment, you would be 2 to 3 inches taller than you are here on Earth. • George W. Church, the founder of Church’s Fried Chicken, didn’t actually enter the restaurant business until after he retired. In his first career, Church ran a chicken hatchery and sold incubators. • Those who study such things say that 1 percent of the world’s lizard species have no males. The females reproduce by parthenogenesis, which produces offspring that are clones of their mothers. • Before Charlton Heston became a famous actor, he earned cash by serving as an artists’ model — and posed in the nude. *** Thought for the Day: “Mistakes are a part of being human. Appreciate your mistakes for what they are: precious life lessons that can only be learned the hard way. Unless it’s a fatal mistake, which, at least, others can learn from.â€? — Al Franken Š 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.

ÂťHOROSCOPE

BY NANCY BLACK

Today’s Birthday (03/30/19). Spread your wings and fly this year. Strengthen the quality of your work through dedicated practice. Summer brings new family delights, before you leap a professional hurdle. A career boost propels you next winter, before shifts with domestic matters. Pursue love, creative passion and connection. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) -- Today is a 7 -- Friends are a big help. Teach to learn something deeper. Write, publish and broadcast, with Mars entering Gemini for six weeks. Your creativity seems energized. TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Manage your professional responsibilities with efficiency and skill. Your actions can get especially lucrative over the next six weeks, with Mars in Gemini. GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Travel and explore. You’re especially strong and confident, with Mars in your sign for six weeks. Energize a personal project. Dreams lie within reach. CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Revise the budget to adapt to changes. Clear clutter, with Mars in Gemini. Sell stuff you no longer need. Meditate, plan and prepare. LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Coordinate tasks with your partner to save time and trouble. Community actions get satisfying results, with Mars in Gemini for six weeks. Together, anything is possible. VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Physical efforts get results. Advance your career over the next six weeks, with Mars in Gemini. Grab the next ladder rung, and pull yourself up.

LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Relax, and have fun. You have itchy feet, with Mars in Gemini, longing for the open road. Explore and investigate. Discover hidden treasure. SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Home and family take priority. Work to raise the value of your shared investments and finances, with Mars in Gemini. Energize your collaboration for shared gain. SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- You can find answer you’re seeking. Completion leads to advancement. A collaboration thrives over six weeks, with Mars in Gemini. Level up your partnership. CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) -- Today is a 9 -- Your morale gets a boost with your paycheck. Mars in Gemini energizes your physical health and work over the next six weeks. Practice your moves. AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- You’ve got the power and confidence to make things happen. Follow your heart. Take action for love, with Mars in Gemini. Romance flowers. PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Contemplate your next move. Make plans for home renovation over the next six weeks, with Mars in Gemini. Move things around to support your family better.

(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

Âť SUDOKU

BY ROGER SEVILLA

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˜ The Manila Times

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LIFESTYLE@MANILATIMES.NET

SATURDAY MARCH 30, 2019

Q From Benjie Panizales

Q From Edgar Buyan

Q From Philipp Tampus

Q From Windel Mira

Q From Chris Nick

Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival back for 10th season F BY IZA IGLESIAS

OLLOWING fashion week festivities in New York, London, Milan, Paris and Tokyo, the Panasonic Manila Fashion &ESTIVAL PERSEVERES ITS NOW kVE YEAR OLD GOAL TO be the major fashion event in Southeast Asia. This year marks several milestones for Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival (PMFF) as it’s now in its 10th season this April (April 2 to 5) and fifth year on October (October 15 to 18). Panasonic Manila Fashion Festival continues to celebrate the art of fashion through series of runway shows, workshops, forums, and by inviting talented and emerging designers, not just from the Philippines, but from neighbouring countries as well. “In April, Manila Fashion Festival is Season 10. It’s a huge milestone for us because I never thought we’re going to last this long, but with the support of a lot of people, we’ve managed to do that,� Manila Fashion Festival founder and Art Personas CEO Ronnie Cruz said in a press conference.

“Over the last four years, we’ve had 18,000 guests and over 6,000 pieces shown from atleast 125 designers. We’ve done a lot in terms of numbers and we promise to keep doing that and keep making things better,� he shared. This year, with the theme “Fashion Formation Decoded�, PMFF proves itself as one of the most prestigious fashion events in Southeast Asia. With over 40 designers, local and international, along with graduating students from iAcademy, PMFF promotes fashion craftsmanship by showcasing promising and emerging talents to be recognized internationally. PMFF Season 10 is participated by top nationwide local designers such as Avel Bacudio, Jun Escario, Yong Davalos, Cheetah Rivera,

Chris Nick, Jaz Cerezo, Renan Pacson, Veejay Floresca, Philip Rodriguez, pieces from Arin and Zilingo and more — whose designs will be witnessed to walk to runway. Beyond the runway shows, forums and workshops, such as Point of View, are also held with the support of today’s key players, such as fashion photographers, wedding kLMMAKERS AND VIDEOGRA-

phers who will share their insights and knowledge on beauty, film, and photography. These series of talks aim to give the audience a DEEPER UNDERSTANDING ON THE kELDS OF BEAUTY kLM AND PHOTOGRAPHY “We want to cement our position as the leading fashion event in Southeast Asia. We are the only country in Southeast Asia whose actually structured an event that

follow the schedule of New York, London, Milan, Paris and Tokyo. I have never deviated from this vision. This is what we want to see happening, and I think we can do it. We can be the next fashion destination in the world,� Cruz enthused. Happening for four days, Panasonic Manila Fash-

ion Festival Season 10 continues to celebrate the art of fashion, beauty, AND kLM THROUGH THE EXCITING FEStivities and forums held on April 2 to 5 at the EDSA Shangri-La, Marquee Tent. Q From Marichu Tan

Q From Mike Yapching

Q From Jun Escario

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Japanese skin experts to open clinic in Manila

Q Kiehl’s kicks off summer by addressing skin needs with sun protection solution specifically for those with oily skin.

Ready to soak up the summer sun! KIEHL’S Philippines introduced the Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Aqua Gel to the local market on March 20 at poolside of Ascott Hotel in Makati City. Kaila Nicdao, business unit director of the luxury division of L’Oreal Philippines opened summer-kick off partycum-launchby discussing how the brand’s newest product fills the gaps in furthering Kiehl’s belief of creating a personalized approach to skincare by providing a sun

Q Emmanuelle Vera and Niko del Rosario

protection solution specifically for those with oily skin. Senior Product Manager Joan Hwang had the honor of unveiling the light but potent bottle and specifically talked about the Activated Sun Protector feature, which serves as the brand’s first and only water resistant sunscreen available in the country. For the rest of the party, the guests were treated to skin checks where experts were on hand to diagnose skin types and discuss press-

Q Joj and Jai Agpangan

ing skin concerns, in order to recommend the best products for their specific needs. Besides other summer-themed activities, guests were also able to mix their own mimosas with Stella Rosa Wines and welcomed the summer ready to soak up the sun. Kiehl’s new Dermatologist Solutions Ultra Light Daily UV Defense Aqua Gel SPF 50 PA++++ will be available in the Philippines by April 15.

Q Mari Jasmine

A JAPANESE businesswoman is set to join the wave of skin gurus in the Philippines to help men and women slow down the aging process. But according to Naho Oue her clinic is not an ordinary skin center with its promise to holistically regenerate a patient’s skin cells. s. Called Dia Luumina, the beautyy clinic will offer stem m cell nutritionall fluid beauty injec-tions, facial beautyy intravenous drip, laser hair removal, slimming spa treatment, and blood cleansing. Regenerative medicine using stem cell treatment is done by injecting stem cells cultured from the fat of Q Skin guru t h e p a t i e n t s Naho Oue themselves into the afflicted area. It works to suppress kknee jjoint i inflammation and reduce and heal pain, medical documents showed. Naho will also introduce in the Philippines the garlic injection, a procedure that aims to relax stressed muscles. “We currently have a successful PARTNERSHIP WITH ANOTHER kRM WHICH at present is the only company to have achieved decomposition into low MOLECULES OF STEM CELL CULTURE lUID SUpernatants,� said Naho in an interview. At present, countries that offer stem cell treatment are US, Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Russia. While still not a widely used treatment, Naho assures the Filipino market that Dia

Lumina’s procedures are safe and that she will bring in Japanese experts to conduct the injections. “The experts are members of the Japan Society of Aesthetic Regeneration Medicine, so [patients] don’t have to worry about the expertise of the staff iin the skin c e n t e r, � sshe added. Besides tthe Japanese exp perts, Naho re related she is in the pr process of hi hiring compe petent hire Filipino nu nurses and do doctors who wil will also unde dergo training in this branch of me medicine. N Naho, who is aalso in the i i the h Philippines, Ph restaurant b business in shared she has been a regular investor and visitor to the Philippines for several years now. “I feel relax when I am in the Philippines. I have been doing charity work for Filipino children in Tondo, Manila for some time now. I hold feeding programs there and I give them clothes too,� she said. Setting up Dia Lumina, whose treatments she herself undergoes in her hometown of Osaka, will give her more reason to travel back and forth to the Philippines while allowing the beauty industry access to a whole new way to skincare.

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SATURDAY MARCH 30, 2019

EDITOR Tessa Mauricio-Arriola STAFF WRITERS Christina Alpad & Iza Iglesias DESKMAN Arlo Custodio

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Boyet Fajardo’s continued fashion legacy BY CHRISTINA ALPADÂ

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HEN CELEBRATED FASHION DESIGNER Boyet Fajardo endured a major tumble in his life and career, he COULD HAVE JUST GIVEN UP AND BLAMED HIS DOWNFALL TO FATE "UT THE kGHTER THAT HE IS Fajardo did not fall prey to what he calls the “darkest moment of his life,� and, on the con trary, used the unfortunate experience as his MOTIVATION TO REGAIN HIS PLACE IN THE FASHION SCENE WITH THE HOPES OF INSPIRING OTHERS WHO may have endured the same misfortune. awaiting him in Manila. “When I moved back here in the early ‘90s, that’s when I Women of the ‘90s should be shifted from the made-to-order familiar with Fajardo’s name and business I had before I left to my success story. A creative through ready-to-wear career. And to this and through, Fajardo started his day, I am still into it and I’ve never apprenticeship in fashion in 1978 looked back.� and two years later, still in his teens, A visionary beyond his years, was able to put up his own shop. Fajardo found a niche in the ready Looking forward to a brighter to wear industry at a time when future, the young designer decidhis contemporaries were solely ed to take on a different challenge focusing on the ideal body size. a few years after. “When I worked in Singapore, “Because I wanted to improve I worked for these sizes, from size my life, I went abroad. I became an 12 onwards; actually they were /&7 IN 3INGAPORE FOR ALMOST kVE not even called plus size at that years doing merchandising work,� time, rather big sizes. Fajardo recalled in this interview. “In the ‘80s and very early ‘90s, During this time as well, Faif you go to the department store, jardo enrolled in a fashion crash you would only see displays that course in Singapore to learn the suit small bodies. If there are sizes rudiments of his craft and the for bigger bodies, you would only industry. Happily, his time greatly see the designs in Kaftans —pahelped in a major challenge

Lookback

rang undesigned, parang wala silang karapatan to wear fashionable or wear designer clothes. But I don’t believe that.� That’s when he decided to be THE kRST &ILIPINO DESIGNER TO BE OF service to this underserved market. “It gave me a great challenge. I wanted to prove the world that whatever these plus size women’s sexy counterparts could wear, they could wear too.� Fajardo pioneered designs for plus size women that showed some skin and head honchos of the country’s biggest department stores loved his pieces to the point of providing him platform to serve his desired market. And the market DEkNITELY RETURNED the favor to Fajardo. “The clothes were selling like the proverbial hotcakes. Sadly, when I got success, it came into my head, because I was earning so big.�

He recalled how he became so proud and how he so wanted to serve revenge to everyone who had treated him badly. “I became a monster.�

ployees of a department store. He was accused of lashing out at the employees and it was caught on camera. The video found its way to the internet, already a great commodity at that time, and netiGreat hurdle zens began bashing Fajardo to the point of petitioning to boycott his As if a divine reminder, things products. Formal cases were also began to take a different turn kLED AGAINST THE DESIGNER WITH THE for Fajardo. last one getting dismissed in 2018. In 2009, Fajardo got involved But that’s not all. Even before in scandal with several em- getting freed from the case, Fajardo literally entered the darkest phase when he lost his eyesight in 2016. Not only that, he was also taken advantage of the people around him, except for those who remained loyal. Understandably, he got depressed and even tried to commit suicide because of his situation. But then again, the experienced also humbled Fajardo. He remembered asking God for forgiveness and just surrendering everything to Him. Soon, he found himself praying more fervently and more frequently. And as answer to his prayers, even without his eyeQ Noted fashion designer Boyet sight then, FaFajardo (center) sees himself working jardo was able in fashion for the rest of his life.

to run his shop with the people who rely on him. “I remember, I’d work by feeling the fabrics.� He was also able to sustain it despite his initial decision, and a sizable offer, to sell the shop.

Clearer Things were getting better for Fajardo, except for his eyesight. He consulted many experts, all of whom decided that his was a hopeless case, his blindness caused by glaucoma was irreversible. “And then, by some sort of miracle, I was able to tune in to the radio guesting of Dra. Minguita [Dominga Padilla] an optometrist.� Getting the optometrist’s details from the program, Fajardo found his way to her clinic and saw a big improvement right after HIS kRST VISIT Soon, Fajardo was able to get back his vision on both eyes, though not fully due to complications. But Fajardo, doesn’t seem to mind. After all, he now has a clearer vision in every aspect of his life. Now that he was able to return to his passion — his latest feat was the Fashion Forte, Series Three that marked his return in the runway — with renewed vision, Fajardo proved he will always be in this industry. “I’ve always had in mind that if I die tomorrow, I will still be doing clothes today,� he ended.

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